Two-dimensional surface currents are estimated over an area of ∼100 km2 near the inshore edge of the Gulf Stream by correlating the surface slick patterns observed on two synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images collected about 20 min apart. The currents obtained from this analysis are found to agree well with shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements at 10 to 20-m depths. The orientations of the long, linear slicks observed in this region differ from the mean current direction by about 16° but coincide with the direction of maximum radial deformation or strain, as calculated from the observed current field. The calculated current gradients indicate a mean surface convergence of about 2×10−5 s−1 and a cyclonic vorticity of about 1×10−4 s−1, values which fall within the range of previous estimates in the study area. These results suggest that slick patterns may be used to infer surface current magnitude and direction from a time sequence of SAR images but that care must be exercised in inferring current directions from the orientations of slick patterns within a single image.


In order to validate the benefits of high aspect ratio cooling channels in a large scale rocket combustion chamber, a high pressure, 89 kN (20,000 lbf) thrust, contoured combustion chamber was tested in the NASA Lewis Research Center Rocket Engine Test Facility. The combustion chamber was tested at chamber pressures from 5.5 to 11.0 MPa (800-1600 psia). The propellants were gaseous hydrogen and liquid oxygen at a nominal mixture ratio of six, and liquid hydrogen was used as the coolant. The combustion chamber was extensively instrumented with 30 backside skin thermocouples, 9 coolant channel rib thermocouples, and 10 coolant channel pressure taps. A total of 29 thermal cycles, each with one second of steady state combustion, were completed on the chamber. For 25 thermal cycles, the coolant mass flow rate was equal to the fuel mass flow rate. During the remaining four thermal cycles, the coolant mass flow rate was progressively reduced by 5, 6, 11, and 20 percent. Computer analysis agreed with coolant channel rib thermocouples within an average of 9 percent and with coolant channel pressure drops within an average of 20 percent. Hot-gas-side wall temperatures of the chamber showed up to 25 percent reduction, in the throat region, over that of a conventionally cooled combustion chamber. Reducing coolant mass flow yielded a reduction of up to 27 percent of the coolant pressure drop from that of a full flow case, while still maintaining up to a 13 percent reduction in a hot-gas-side wall temperature from that of a conventionally cooled combustion chamber.


This paper identifies the potential barriers that can affect effective collaboration between industry and public university in Malaysia. Intense global competition has created new requirements to the industry: constant new technological breakthrough, rapid deployment of new technological solutions and shorter product life-cycle. Thus, both the industry and the university need to look into possibilities of sharing knowledge-based capital, technological facilities and access to new scientific development and innovation. Data for this study was obtained through interviews with top management of companies involved in providing training, agriculture and solar energy, fund management and manufacturing which have experience in doing collaboration with Malaysian public universities. Later, the data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Among the barriers identified were products are not market driven, bureaucracy, insufficient experience on applied research, lack of proper SOP, unattractive reward system, lack of information on potential collaboration opportunities and Intellectual Property (IP) issues.


I study how the density of executive labor markets affects managerial incentives and thereby firm performance. I find that U.S. executive markets are locally segmented rather than nationally integrated, and that the density of a local market provides executives with non-compensation incentives. Empirical results show that in denser labor markets, executives face stronger performance-based dismissal threats as well as better outside opportunities. These incentives result in higher firm performance in denser markets, especially when executives have longer career horizons. Using state-level variation in the enforceability of covenants not to compete, I find that the positive effects of market density on incentive alignment and firm performance are stronger in markets where executives are freer to move. This evidence further supports the argument that local labor market density works as an external incentive alignment mechanism.


Purpose – analysis of the sensitivity of the valuation of the near - to - maturity European options (performed via the Fourier transform) on the parameter alpha and other risk factors.
Design/methodology/approach – research is based on the analysis of the sensitivity of the differences between the prices of the European options in the Black - Scholes framework with the theoretical values of the contracts generated by two methods based on the Fourier transform on the changes of different factors.
Findings – the Black - Scholes model is better than other approaches based on the Fourier transform. Despite this, in the case of some models, e.g. stochastic volatility models, methods based on the Fourier transform, e.g. the Carr - Madan method or a new method proposed in the article, must be applied.
Originality/value – an analysis of the sensitivity of the valuation of the near - to - maturity European options to different factors using two methods based on the Fourier transform (including one discovered by the author of the article).


The difficulty of separating Eimeria necatrix from E. tenella when the oocysts of both species are present in the ceca, led the writer to investigate the possibility of infecting chickens with merozoites. The only clear-cut evidence demonstrating the transmission of coccidial infection with merozoites was presented by Roudabush (1935) who infected rats with the merozoites of E. miyairii. Andrews' report (1927) of successful transmission of Isospora felis to a cat by feeding merozoites is open to some question since he did not eliminate the possibility of sporozoites being present along with the merozoites. Tyzzer (1929), despite repeated attempts, failed to infect chickens with E. tenella by cloacal injections of merozoites.


Abstract Much of the extant body of adoption research focuses on children and adolescents, especially from an attachment perspective. While there is emerging research on adult attachment, very little focuses on adoptees. In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were used with 22 adult Korean adoptees about their experiences in romantic relationships. Thematic analysis revealed two themes. The first was emotions, with two sub-themes of avoiding conflict through peacekeeping and emotional distancing. The second theme was views of self with respect to self-esteem and self-worth. There was one sub-theme of avoiding conflict through conformity. This is the first study to qualitatively explore the experiences of adult Korean adoptees in romantic relationships using an attachment perspective. Implications for social work practice and further research are discussed.


Lycopene is a kind of important carotenoids in tomatos,recent studies have showed that it has the function of various health cares,such as preventing cancer and anti-cancer,retarding senescence etc.This functional additive has a potential prospect also.The experiment wish for finding out the optimum extractiong process.The effect of different concentration of pectinase and cellulase and treated time were studied.The experiment results showed that the enzyme aided extraction method(pectinase or cellulase treated samples)was increase in the yield of lycopene by 160% and 120% compared with no enzyme aided solvents extraction from tomato fruit,respectively.The enzyme aided extraction method was increase in the yield of lycopene by 663% and 650% compared with no enzyme aided solvents extraction from tomato fruit peel,respectively.


Forty‐eight cultivars of Iris barbata were used as research materials, and observations of their pollen morphologies were made using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pollen of I. barbata consisted of a single grain, which was subspheroidal or subprolate and boat‐shaped in equatorial view and oval or nearly round in polar view. The pollen was symmetrical or radially symmetrical on both sides, and there were five types of germination furrows: monocolpate, dicolpate, monocolpate‐colpoidal, 2‐syncolpate, and parasyncolpate. The exine ornamentation was mostly crass‐reticulate and occasionally verrucate or pilate. Variation in the equatorial axis length of I. barbata pollen was the lowest, and variation in pollen morphology was stable. Q‐type cluster analysis was conducted using seven indexes: polar axis length (P), equatorial axis length (E), P/E, mesh diameter (D), net ridge width (W), D/W, and germination furrow width (WG). The 48 cultivars were divided into three groups. Three dwarf cultivars were clustered in one group, and the degree of evolution of this group was higher than that of the other two groups. This paper systematically describes the characteristics of I. barbata for the first time, and thus provides important palynological insights into the classification and cross‐breeding of I. barbata.


A novel method, based on the measurement of potential-modulated microwave reflectivity changes, is proposed for the deconvolution of the impedance of the semiconductor/electrolyte interface. Experimental results for the silicon/aqueous fluoride system show that this method can be used to separate space-charge and surface-capacitance contributions. It is shown that the pH dependence of the flatband potential of n-Si(111) in fluoride solutions is Nernstian from pH 1.2 to 13


We report the first angle-resolved photoemission measurement of the wave-vector dependent plasmon satellite structure of a three-dimensional solid, crystalline silicon. In sharp contrast to nanomaterials, which typically exhibit strongly wave-vector dependent, low-energy plasmons, the large plasmon energy of silicon facilitates the search for a plasmaron state consisting of resonantly bound holes and plasmons and its distinction from a weakly interacting plasmon-hole pair. Employing a first-principles theory, which is based on a cumulant expansion of the one-electron Green's function and contains significant electron correlation effects, we obtain good agreement with the measured photoemission spectrum for the wave-vector dependent dispersion of the satellite feature, but without observing the existence of plasmarons in the calculations.


Gamma rays in the band from 30 MeV to 300 GeV, used in combination with direct measurements and with data from radio and X-ray bands, provide a powerful tool for studying the origin of Galactic cosmic rays. Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) with its fine 10–20 arcmin angular resolution will be able to map the sites of acceleration of cosmic rays and their interactions with interstellar matter. It will provide information that is necessary to study the acceleration of energetic particles in supernova shocks, their transport in the interstellar medium and penetration into molecular clouds.


Level-anticrossing (LAC) phenomena in electronic states of molecules in organic crystals are described with a density matrix formalism. A condition for the observability of LAC signals in phosphorescence and ONP is derived. The validity of these predictions is tested at quadrupole satellite positions in the LAC spectra. As a consequence of the full density matrix treatment, off-diagonal damping terms Γ mn = T 2 -1(mn) are introduced. These turned out to be essential for the interpretation of the vanishing of experimentally observed LAC signals at higher order satellite positions. If T 2 equals the lifetime τ of the triplet state, earlier predictions based on kinetic arguments evolve as a limiting case of the present theory. The quadrupole satellite signals can be described properly by the density matrix formalism and there is no need for the introduction of an additional cross-relaxation mechanism.


A method for measuring cell diameter and area in transverse seetions of wood with an automatie image analyser is described. The parameters measured were vessel lumen area, vcssel lumen diameter and percentage conductive area (PCA). The automatie image analyser was used to measure these parameters in root, trunk and branch wood of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). The measurements were compared with those obtained with a digitiser from sampies of holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) and Turner's oak (Quercus × turneri Willd. = Quercus ilex × Q. rabur). Both techniques permit the rapid examination of transverse seetions of wood and the accumulation of a large data base. The automatie method is more rapid than the semi-automatic one using a digitiser, the measurements are more accurate and the method is less labour intensive. The data obtained permit the interpretation of variation in vessel size and distribution throughout the tree and relate this to the water carrying capacity .of the xylem. In Quercus robur, PCA and vessel diameter tend to increase [rom immature aerial, to mature aerial, to root xylem, whereas in Fagus sylvatica although vessel diameter tends to show the same trend, PCA does not. The conclusions reached for Quercus ilex and Q. × turneri were less definite.


The invention relates to blackboard writing fluid, in particular to dustproof teaching blackboard writing fluid which can avoid color reversion after being erased by using color fading water matched with the dustproof teaching blackboard writing fluid. The blackboard writing fluid comprises a coloring agent, a wetting dispersant, an anti-corrosion and anti-mildew agent and deionized water. The blackboard writing fluid disclosed by the invention is injected into a special blackboard writing pen, then the blackboard writing pen can be used for writing on a light color and white board without water absorption, and handwriting can be erased by using the color fading water matched with the blackboard writing fluid. The clear dustproof and nontoxic handwriting can be written and erased clean without color reversion, so that the blackboard writing fluid can be used for replacing chalks in dustproof teaching blackboard writing.


Today's markets are competitive and its evident that excellence in our operations, providing consumers with a phenomenal experience, and acting in ethical behavior can be challenging thus creating pressure to meet objectives within organizations. The government Accountability Office estimated that the financial crisis of 2008 cost the United States economy an estimated 22 trillion dollars. Research has documented that government regulations alone don't deter organizations from unethical conduct, there are several laws and penalties imposed yet under the pressure to stay competitive, the organizations are even today caught in unethical conduct with Wells Fargo as the latest scandal. The objective of this research was to inquire and understand millennials viewpoints on corporate scandals; leaders and workers' integration of individual morals with ethics; and the impact of the unethical conduct on organizations sustainability. Organizations are the powerhouse of our economy and if not handled ethically will contribute to turmoil to the United States and the world; the integration of individual moral that we have within us from our foundation as children with ethics and adherence of the code of conduct will lead to sustainable organizations, 2013; Shahriar & Diken, 2016). Organizational ethics as shared by Chron entails the standards and principles whereby business is conducted via honor and responsibility, compassion, and fairness; code of conduct is core detailing business principles to guide the organization as the ethical philosophy contributes to productivity and sustainability (Kelchner, 2017; Suttle, 2017; Valentine, Hollingworth, & Eidsness (2014). A healthy organization with solid reputation also contributes to organizational sustainability; this can be achieved when leaders' individual moral values are in play and leaders encourages workers to work with integrity and honesty thus enhancing organizational reputation in the business and society (Kelchner, 2017; Lawrence & Weber, 2017; Solomon, 1992; Murphy, 1993). JEL: D12, P36, P46, D53, G15 Article visualizations:


The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of knowledge management on organizational performance among 260 service organizations in Jordan. In the present study, Data were collected from 422 service organizations in Jordan. The present study employs a questionnaire survey approach to collect data for testing the research hypothesis. The response rate was 74 percent. Relevant statistical analytical techniques, including factor analysis, reliability, and regression for analysis were used. The results indicate that all three dimensions of knowledge management (technical knowledge, cultural knowledge, and human knowledge) have positive and significant influence on organizational performance. Keywords: Knowledge management; Organizational performance; Service organizations; Jordan


Towards the end of 2007, specialist contractor Composite completed a total-build (excluding ground works) car park project for a health centre on former Ministry of Defence land in the garrison town of Aldershot, in Hampshire.


This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of live-in relationships, examining their dynamics, implications, and societal perceptions. The concept of live-in relationships has gained significant attention in recent years, challenging traditional notions of marriage and cohabitation. Through an examination of existing literature, legal considerations, and societal perspectives, this paper sheds light on the factors influencing the rise of live-in relationships, their impact on individuals and society, and the need for a nuanced understanding of this evolving relationship model. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing discourse on relationship dynamics and offer insights for policymakers, researchers, and individuals navigating the complexities of modern relationships.


Determinations of bone age (BA) in CAH often reveales discrepancies between phalangel (pBA) and carpal BA (cBA). To elucidate this observation we followed the BA of 38 girls and 15 boys with CAH using the methods of Tanner and Whitehouse (Carpal, RUS, TW 20) and of Greulich and Pyle (GP). Bad treatment resulted in significant acceleration of pBA, while cBA correlated well with chronological age (CA). Therefore the method of GP, which does not differentiate between pBA and cBA, has difficulties in determing an exact BA if CAH-children are accelerated. Applying the GP-method to such cases one should look onto pBA rather than onto cBA. It is supposed that the dissociated development of BA is due to the different growth of phalangeal and carpal bones (epiphysial and enchondral ossification).


The present invention relates to non-yellowing silver-white effect pigments with a high degree of whiteness on the basis of synthetic mica flakes and their use in paints, coatings, printing inks, plastics, button pastes, ceramic materials, glasses, for coloring seed, as dopants in the laser marking of plastics and paper, as an additive for laser welding of plastics, as an additive for coloring in the food and pharmaceutical industry and in cosmetic formulations and for the preparation of pigment compositions and dry preparations.


In this review, we analyze several types of graphene-based sensors for glucose detection with respect to their preparation, properties and efficiency in electro-chemical processes. Graphene may display different types of defects, which play a role in the electron transfer processes. Oxygenated groups on the edges of graphene planes reduce the graphene in-plane conductivity, but may enhance the heterogeneous electron/proton transfer constant. Other positive effects of defects are related to the shortening of the distance between active centers and electrodes upon enzyme or protein immobilization. However, though by different mechanisms, all types of graphene enhance the electrochemical response at the electrode.


The article serves to prove the fact that the authoring song (singer-poet's song) appears to be an effective means of music and esthetic upbringing of students, incase it is used with pedagogically aimed activation of such factors of creativity as contents of lyrics, artistic means of song expressiveness, the ideological position of the author.


When developing a particle accelerator for generating the high-precision beams, the injection system design is of importance, because it largely determines the output characteristics of the beam. At the present paper we consider the injection systems consisting of electrodes with given potentials. The design of such systems requires carrying out simulation of beam dynamics in the electrostatic fields. For external field simulation we use the new approach, proposed by A.D. Ovsyannikov, which is based on analytical approximations, or finite difference method, taking into account the real geometry of the injection system. The software designed for solving the problems of beam dynamics simulation and optimization in the injection system for non-relativistic beams has been developed. Both beam dynamics and electric field simulations in the injection system which use analytical approach and finite difference method have been made and the results presented in this paper.


The phase diagram of two-level boson Hamiltonians, including the interacting boson model (IBM), is studied beyond the standard mean field approximation using the Holstein-Primakoff mapping. The limitations of the usual intrinsic state (mean field) formalism concerning finite-size effects are pointed out. The analytic results are compared to numerics obtained from exact diagonalizations. Excitation energies and occupation numbers are studied in different model space regions (Casten triangle for IBM) and especially at the critical points.


Clipperton Atoll is the only coral atoll (and the largest coral reef) in the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP) (Glynn et al. 1996), and the most isolated reef in the tropical Indo-Pacific (950 km from the nearest shoals) . This small (370 ha) reefs depauperate fish fauna (102 shorefish species) includes eight local endemics from a range of ecological and taxonomic groups (one holocentrid, one serranid, one holacanthid [Top photograph], two labrids, one pomacentrid [Bottom photograph], one blenniid, and onegobiid). None are coral dependent; neither are their nearest living relatives. They appear to have a mixture of western and eastern Pacific origins (Robertson and Allen 1996). The level of endemism of the fish fauna of an isolated reef is affected by the frequency of local extinctions, habitat area, and the extent of recruitment from outside sources. Unlike some larger isolated Indo-Pacific islands, Clipperton and two other small, isolated, TEP islands (Cocos and Malpelo) have a significant number of endemic shorefishes. In addition, the Clipperton endemics have survived a recent reduction by 2/3 in the extent of shallow habitat, due to closure of its lagoon about lOOy ago, and its subsequent desalination. Knowledge of past climatic fluctuations, and rates of gene flow to nonendemic populations on TEP islands might indicate why such relatively high rates of island endemism occur in the region. How endemic shorefishes produce pelagic larvae and still maintain self-recruiting populations at small islands is not well understood. Hydrographic conditions may aid in the retention of larvae. It is also possible that the larvae of such endemics have developed special adaptations that reduce advective loss.


In this paper we deal with the throughput of on-line addition for a stream of data. This throughput is directly related to the initiation interval between two successive instances. The on-line delay for the addition of two signed-digit (or carry-save) numbers is two, and N+2 cycles are classically used to compute a new pair of N- digit data (initiation interval: N+2). In this paper we present some techniques to reduce the initiation interval to N (which is the theoretical minimum value) with a very small amount of hardware or N+1 with no hardware cost. For short operands, this might have a significant effect on the throughput.


Higher resolution blood flow measurement in the 40-1000 mL/min range for pediatric and renal therapy established the need for a fivefold increase in the signal-to-noise ratio of a disposable transducer element used with a Faraday-type electromagnetic flowmeter. Magnetic field strength, concentration and electronic gain stability improvements gave only part of the needed gain. Increasing the blood velocity at the measuring point could have introduced unacceptable pressure drops and blood damage. Classical design methods applied to a tapered sensing section produced an insert which was tested in vitro, displaying a 3.5 gain increase with an acceptable increase in pressure drop and no greater hemolysis.<<ETX>>


An experimental study on biogas–diesel dual-fuel compression ignition was conducted in which biogas and diesel are used as the port-injected fuel and the directly injected fuel respectively. The effects of the total lower heating values QLHVs per cycle and the premixed ratio on the combustion characteristics and the emission characteristics are discussed in detail. The results show that, for constant QLHVs, the peak values of the heat release rate curves first decrease and then increase with increasing premixed ratio. Furthermore, the combustion phase is delayed. For a constant premixed ratio, with increasing QLHVs, the heat release rate curves change from a unimodal distribution to a bimodal distribution, and the ignition delay decreases constantly. With higher QLHVs, the nitrogen oxide emissions and the smoke emissions are relatively higher. In addition, the impacts of biogases with different components on the combustion and emissions were also researched. With increasing hydrogen, the combustion becomes increasingly concentrated, which leads to higher nitrogen oxide emissions. The proportion of carbon monoxide in the biogas has a great effect on the carbon monoxide emissions. Also, the influence of exhaust gas recirculation was also studied. With 60% exhaust gas recirculation, the nitrogen oxide emissions can be inhibited effectively.


We introduce DoubleField, a novel framework combining the merits of both surface field and radiance field for high-fidelity human reconstruction and rendering. Within DoubleField, the surface field and radiance field are associated together by a shared feature embedding and a surface-guided sampling strategy. Moreover, a view-to-view transformer is introduced to fuse multi-view features and learn view-dependent features directly from high-resolution inputs. With the modeling power of DoubleField and the view-to-view transformer, our method significantly improves the reconstruction quality of both geometry and appearance, while supporting direct inference, scene-specific high-resolution finetuning, and fast rendering. The efficacy of DoubleField is validated by the quantitative evaluations on several datasets and the qualitative results in a real-world sparse multi-view system, showing its superior capability for high-quality human model reconstruction and photo-realistic free-viewpoint human rendering. Data and source code will be made public for the research purpose.


In a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, handover management across satellite spot beams needs to be addressed to decrease handover times while using network resources efficiently since the speed of LEO satellites is much higher than that of mobile nodes. In this paper, we propose a novel satellite handover strategy based on the potential game for mobile terminals in a LEO satellite communication network. To continue communication with the counterpart, the user has to switch among the covered LEO satellites. In a software-defined satellite network (SDSN) architecture, the satellite handover can be viewed as a bipartite graph. To balance the satellite network workload, we propose a terminal random-access algorithm based on the target of userspace maximization. The simulated handover conducted on a typical LEO satellite network, Iridium, corroborates the effectiveness of the proposed handover strategy.


In accordance with their lack of MHC restriction, most mouse and human γ δ T cells express neither the CD4 nor CD8(α β) coreceptor. In striking contrast, up to 80% of splenic rat γ δ T cells express the CD8α β isoform of CD8, which for the α β T cell subset serves as a marker for MHC class I‐restricted cells. We compared CD8 on α β and γ δ T cells with regard to co‐stimulatory function and correlation of CD8 expression with TCRDV usage and CDR3δ length. In both subsets, CD8 acted as a co‐stimulatory molecule in vitro and was found to bind the kinase lck efficiently. No differences between the CDR3δ length spectra of CD8+ and CD8– γ δ T cells or between unselected thymic and peripheral γ δ T cells were found. As seen in man and mice, CDR3δ were rather long, a structural feature which can be expected to interfere with an α β TCR‐like mode of MHC class I binding. In summary, CD8 expressed by rat γ δ T cells is a molecule with the potential to act as a coreceptor, but its expression gives no indication for antigen recognition analogous to that of MHC class I‐restricted α β T cells.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Little is known about the long-term, indirect burden of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment on paid work and unpaid responsibilities such as days of work missed. Using the Ca...


This paper reports on a communication technique and associated technology designed to achieve embodied and situated communication between swarm-capable autonomous agents. The swarm model chosen was that of a fish school. A RFID based wireless communication system, also capable of measuring both direction of and distance to transmitter, was developed and installed on a Braitenberg vehicle. The communication technique allows vehicles to transmit, at regular intervals, their physiological state to the outside world in general and other vehicles in particular. The information transmitted may be used by other vehicles to decide whether or not to form a school and the communication reach fulfils the prerequisites to enable the vehicle to travel in a school formation.


A β‐1,4‐endoglucanase gene (celA) from Pseudomonas sp. YD‐15 was cloned in Escherichia coli DH5α and its nucleotide sequence determined. The open reading frame of celA was 1830 base pairs and the enzyme was composed of 609 amino acids with a molecular weight of 63 617 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence and putative active site of CelA had high amino acid homology with family E cellulases. By dot blot analysis, the induction of celA according to carbon sources was determined. The transcripts hybridizing to the internal fragment of celA were detected in total RNA isolated from Pseudomonas sp. YD‐15 cells grown on avicel and glycerol, but not from cells grown on glucose and cellobiose.


Objective To observe the injury of spatial memory in the rat of continuative illumination and the protection of catgut implantation at Neiguān (内关PC6) from the injury. Methods After training for 7 days in Morris's water maze of 4 quadrants, on the 8th day, 48 male Wistar rats of clear grade were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a melatonin (MT) group and a catgut implantation group, 12 rats each group. The spatial injury in the rats was induced by continuative and long-term (24 h and 42 days) illumination, and at the same time, they were treated with catgut implantation at Neiguān (内关PC6) and intraperitoneal injection of MT; changes of spatial memory ability and ultrastructures of the neurons of the hippocampus were detected by Morris's water maze and transmission electron microscope, respectively. Results The searching platform latency (SPL) in the Morris's water maze in the model group significantly prolonged as compared with that before modeling (P0.05), and after treatment it was significantly shortened in the MT group and the catgut implantation group as compared with the model group (both P0.05), but with no significant differences as compared with that before treatment (both P0.05). Mitochondria, synapses, axes and vascular endothelium in the hippocampus in the model group were injured in varying degrees, but a less injury was found in the MT group and the catgut implantation group which was similar to that in the normal group. Conclusion Catgut Implantation at Neiguān (内关PC6) can protect from the injury of spatial memory in the rat of continuative illumination.


The third-generation Flash microcontrollers from Atmel are now available. These microcontrollers offer self-programming Flash. The microcontroller can write to its own program memory when running code from the boot sector. This creates new possibilities for the designers using selfprogramming memory-based microcontrollers. Atmel's microcontrollers with integrated Flash program memory provide increased system flexibility by enabling field programmability, data storage and remote upgrades.


The optimum methods of transport of fresh mackerel caught at korean coast and neighbering sea were investigated. The quality of mackerel after 3 day-stored with ice showed that the freshness were still kept. The temperature fluctuation of mackerel during transport with ice from Busan to Seoul indicated below 5℃, recommended by I. I. R. Heat loss of iced mackerel in transit was calculated and converted into ice weight in case of cargo truck and insulated truck. It was assumed that the semi-dressed mackerels were more effective and economic than the round ones during transport.


As one of the indispensable materials in modern industry, high precision and high efficiency defect detection of strip weld has become an important part of production and quality control. In response to the shortcomings of the existing strip weld detection technology with low detection accuracy, this paper proposes a deep learning based strip weld defect detection and classification technique. First, the CBAM attention mechanism is introduced into the network structure to improve the attention to important features; second, the traditional convolution layer is replaced by using the dilated convolution to reduce the computation while increasing the perceptual field; finally, the original ReLU activation function is replaced by the PReLU activation function to effectively overcome the problem of neuron death in the Relu activation function. The improved model finally achieves a recognition rate of 98.1% in the test set, which is 22.1% higher than that of the unimproved model, greatly improving the accuracy and robustness of the algorithm.


Abstract Within the context of the "Young People's Attitudes to Religious Diversity" project at the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, this study examines the association between self-assigned Christian affiliation, self-reported Christian practice, and attitudes towards religious diversity among a sample of 5,748 13- to 15-year-old female students attending schools in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The two hypotheses being tested are that, among female students, nominal Christians do not differ in their attitudes towards religious diversity from unaffiliated students and that church attendance leads to less tolerance of other religious groups. The data partly support the first hypothesis but not the second. Churchgoing Christian female students are more interested in and more tolerant of other religious groups. The data also draw attention to the perceived importance of religious education in schools for shaping views on religion and on religious diversity among unaffiliated students, nominal Christians, and practising Christians. Both the Christian churches and religious education in school seem to have an important part to play in nurturing a tolerant and inclusive religiously diverse society in the UK.


This study develops a jet-noise-prediction model for chevrons and microjets. A novel equation is proposed to express the amplitude of the fourth-order space-time velocity cross correlations, which represent the sources of noise emanated from unheated jets, in terms of mean-flow parameters and turbulence statistics, such as streamwise circulation, axial velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy. The cross correlations based on a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flowfield showed a good agreement with those based on a large-eddy-simulation flowfield. With the novel acoustic-source description, there is a good agreement between the model's jet-noise predictions and the experimental data for unheated jets for a wide range of frequencies and observer angles for both chevrons and microjets. As the model provides quick and accurate jet-noise predictions, a parametric study is performed to understand the impact of chevrons and microjets on jet noise. Chevron penetration is the underpinning factor for jet-noise reducti...


Due to the fact the incubation conditions may influence the microbiological evaluation of water for dialysis, the objective of the present study was the comparison of the efficiency of R2A and PCA media in the enumeration of heterotrophic bacteria in 193 samples of water collected in dialysis clinics from 12 cities in São Paulo, between October and December 2007. Results showed counts significantly greater in R2A, suggesting that enumeration should be carried out in R2A, suggesting that enumeration should be carried out in R2A agar associated with longer incubation times, because of the greater sensitivity.


Background: In the developing countries where TB is endemic; an ideal test for tuberculous meningitis should be economic, minimally invasive, of high accuracy and quick to perform.In many countries, also in India, several studies were conducted to establish the ADA activity as a sensitive and specific test of tuberculous meningitis.So it is very much needed to evaluate the diagnostic role of CSF ADA in tuberculous meningitis in Bangladesh.
Aim: This study aimed to find out CSF ADA as a sensitive and specific test for early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.
Methods: This case control study was carried out in the Department of Neurology, SSMC and Mitford Hospital, Dhaka from June 2011 to July 2012, to evaluate ADA activity in CSF for diagnosis of tuberculous meninigitis.
Results: In the present study, sixty meningitis patients were enrolled. Of which, 30(50%) were tuberculous meningitis (TBM) taken as cases and rest 30(50%) were non-tuberculous meningitis (NTBM) taken as control.The CSF ADA activity from TBM patients was compared with CSF ADA from non-TBM infectious meningitis patients. The mean CSF ADA activity was found to be significantly higher in CSF of TBM patients, 14.01 ± 12.4 (1.0–65.2), mean ± SD with range, than in the CSF from non-TBM infectious meningitis, 7.2 ± 8.2 (1.8–49.1) P = 0.01.A cut-off value of >7.6 U/L for the TBM patients was calculated from the mean ±SD of the non-TBM patients.The ADA sensitivity is 81.82%,specificity 65.31%,accuracy 68.33%, PPV 34.62%,NPV 94.12%, positive likelyhood ratio 2.3 and lastly negative likelyhood ratio 0.2 for infectious TBM when this cut-off value was used.ROC curve shows area under curve of .736 suggests a moderate accuracy of the test in detection of tuberculous meningitis.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that ADA activity in the CSF of TBM patients, using a cut off value 7.6 U/L, can be useful for the early differential diagnosis of TBM. This test can be performed in any pathology laboratory where more sophisticated methods are not available.
Bangladesh Journal of Neuroscience 2013; Vol. 29 (2) : 79-87


A complete RST quantization of a CGHS model plus Strominger term is carried out. In so doing a conformal invariant theory with κ = N 12 is found, that is, without ghosts contribution. The physical consequences of the model are analysed and positive definite Hawking radiation is found.


Micro-LED is regarded as a new type of display panel technology with its advantages of high luminous efficiency, fast response speed, and high contrast. ITO film has been used widely in optoelectronic devices due to its low resistivity, high light transmittance, and good adhesion to the substrate. In this paper, Micro-LEDs with ITO thickness of 50nm and 110nm are designed and prepared. The size of Micro-LED is 40, 60, 80, 100µm, respectively. The performance of those Micro-LED was tested and analyzed. The result show that the thicker of ITO, has the smaller series resistance, and the smaller specific contact resistivity of P-GaN and ITO; when the current is low, ITO thickness is negatively correlated with the optical properties of Micro LED, while when the current is high, ITO thickness is positively correlated with the optical properties of Micro LED. For the 60um Micro LED, sample with 50nm ITO compared with that of 110nm ITO, the optical output power and luminous efficiency increased by 8.2% and 20.5% at current density is 278.89 A/cm2, but decreased by 10.33% and 7.3% at the current density 1666.67 A/cm2. In terms of heat, the thicker the ITO, the smaller the K factor, and the better thermal stability of Micro-LED.


This document outlines a ventilator triage protocol intended for use only during a mass casualty event, proclaimed as a public health emergency by the Governor. It would be characterized by frequent, widespread cases of respiratory failure occurring in sufficient volume to quickly exhaust available mechanical ventilator resources. One example might include, not exclusively, a virulently aggressive form of pandemic influenza. Such pandemics have occurred in the past and could recur, stressing healthcare systems to their breaking points.


With the continuous development of the Web API ecosystem, mashup-oriented API recommendation gets a lot of attention. Collaborative filtering, deep learning and their combination based methods are recently proposed for API recommendation. However, the recommendation results often perform poorly when data is sparse. Therefore, we propose an API knowledge graph (AKG) and intent network based mashup-oriented API recommendation method, whose main target is to recruit the semantic representation ability to improve the precision of API recommendation. Firstly, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is used to extract API topics, which are important entities in the AKG. Then, the mashup intention is modeled based on the mashup-API interactions. The high-order relationship paths are recursively aggregated into the representation vector of Mashup and API. Finally, the inner product of their representations present the probability of the API recommendation for the mashup. The experimental results on real-world datasets show that our proposed method outperforms several baseline methods in mashup-oriented API recommendations.


A qualitative and quantitative analytical method was developed for the determination of buprofezin,fosmet and pyridaben by solid phase extraction on gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry in tea.The separation and quantitative analysis of 3 pesticides was performed by the gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry.The results showed that recoveries of 3 pesticides ranged from 92.0% to 115.0%.The detection limits were in the range of 0.01~0.02 mg/kg.The method is simple,and is of high efficiency and sensitivity for the simultaneous determination of buprofezin,fosmet and pyridaben in tea sample.


you are not alone in enjoying praise and acknowledgment everyone craves positive attention including your boss so when your manager does something particularly helpful or meaningful take the time to say thank you with a letter of appreciation, if you have been promoted do not forget to send a thank you letter for promotion to the entities that have helped you to get the current position where you are at now we can provide you with samples of thank you letter for promotion templates so you can have guides on how you can create your letter of appreciation for the people who made the, related sample letters sample thank you for covering for me during my period of absence letter sample team up with our business for promotion letter thank you letter for farewell party thank you letter for gift thank you letter for invitation, sending a formal thank you letter is a great way to show how thankful you are for the help or opportunity that has been given to you by an entity this article can help you in finding a formal thank you letter template that can serve as your reference in creating this particular letter document, sample promotion thank you letter dear mr james i would like to sincerely thank you for offering me the position of marketing manager i am very excited about this new opportunity and having been with the company for five years feel that my experience will be an asset to the team, dont worry well show you exactly what to write in your thank you email just keep reading for our tips sample and a template you can refer to tips for writing a thank you email for promotion keep the letter brief and stick to the point start by thanking your employer for giving you the chance to excel, you have a lot of variants how to thank your boss use an email farewell messages a thank you note or an appreciation letter a thank you images or some quotes the reasons for being grateful are also numerous you may thank for his or her guidance and support, thank you letter types and templates you dont need an excuse to send a thank you letterjust a reason to be grateful here are a few different situations where sending a thank you is good form along with some templates to help you write the perfect expression of appreciation, each thank you letter that you write to your customers is a little gift of time thought and effort we hope that these tips and thank you letter samples will help you pull together a message of gratitude that will win you customers for life for more on thanking your customers check out our blog post 5 clever ways to use your thank you page, when hard work is acknowledged with a promotion or pay rise it is a nice gesture for the recipient to write a thank you letter this letter should be brief sincere and most of all contain an expression of thanks for the recent good news, i wanted to put my gratitude at my recent promotion into a letter so that it may go on file for others to see i wanted to let you know just how much i appreciate the opportunity and responsibility that goes along with being promoted to regional sales manager i feel it is an opportunity i have, the examples include cover letters interview thank you letters follow up letters job acceptance and rejection letters resignation letters appreciation letters business letters and more great employment letter samples that will help you get all the employment related correspondence youll need to write, i know the feeling stuck on what to write for this occasion a significant job promotion its really nice to make a personal thank you letter to show your gratitude to your boss it s important to express your gratitude to show your ambition and motivation, example 20 thank you for the promotion letter boss name thank you for creating a new position for me and the promotion with it your support in pushing it through with upper management and human resources has been amazing thank you for trusting in my abilities and recognizing my passion your support has changed my life, how to say thanks to boss for promotion thank you note you can simply write a thank you note to your boss expressing your gratitude and sincere appreciation no matter whether you believed in your capabilities and skills or not but yes your boss is the one who helped you in your professional development by giving you a promotion, you earned a promotion letter and accepted it heartily now what follows next is conveying your acceptance to the offer if you are falling short of right words we are here with a sample and template that would help you structure the letter in the way it is desired, promotion thank you note examples allspecialcoupons com codes promotion thank you note examples allspecialcoupons com codes 21 thank you note for a promotion to boss examples codes example 20 thank you for the promotion letter boss name thank you for creating a new position for me and the promotion with it, a thank you for promotion letter should be formatted into well thought out sections highlighting a specific theme sample the following thank you for promotion letter sample is from a senior apprentice of a law firm who has been promoted to partner her letter is intended for the senior partner of the firm, to write a thank you letter open with a salutation and express your gratitude sincerely and straightaway next add a line letting the person know why their specific gift is cherished then ask about their life and share a little information from yours to make the note feel personal and to show that you care about the person, a job promotion thank you letter is one that is written by an employee to thank his boss or hr for the promotion that he has received the letter must be framed using thanking words a sample of job promotion thank


The angular correlation function ο(θ) of faint galaxies is affected both by non-linear gravitational evolution and by magnification bias resulting from gravitational lensing. We compute the resulting ο(θ) for different cosmological models and show how its shape and redshift evolution depend on Ω and Λ. For galaxies at redshift greater than 1 (R magnitude fainter than about 24), magnification bias can significantly enhance or suppress ο(θ), depending on the slope of the number–magnitude relation. We show, for example, how it changes the ratio of ο(θ) for two galaxy samples with different number count slopes.


Background S alataRoyle Gentianaceae is used in Indian Traditional system of medicine and plant was known for its tonic febrifuge laxative and antimalarial properties Objective The aim of this study was to examine the possible In vitroantioxidant anti inflammatory and antidiabetic effects of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts from S alata Materials and methods Antioxidant activities of ethanolic and aqueous extracts were determined by ferric reducing power assay FRAP The anti inflammatory activities of both the extracts of S alata were studied by antiproteinase inhibition assay and antidiabetic activity was investigated by alpha amylase inhibition assay Results The ethanolic extract of S alata has shown maximum antioxidant and anti inflammatory activities when compared to that of aqueous extract The aqueous extract of S alata also exhibited significant P lt inhibition activities on alpha amylase enzyme The results obtained indicate that the extracts possessed significant level of activity the highest concentration of extract was high effective as an antioxidant anti inflammatory agent and anti diabetic However these effects need to be confirmed using in vivo models and clinical trials for its effective utilization as therapeutic agents


Disclosed is a cap (1) for a container (2), said cap (1) comprising: (i) a planar surface (3) comprising more than one aperture (8) therein capable of communicating with interior of said container; and (ii) an annular sidewall (4) depending from said planar surface (3), wherein said cap (1) comprises an integral cover (5) for non-reclosably covering said apertures (8), where said cover is permanently separable from said cap to expose said apertures (8) and wherein said cover (5) is un-attached to said cap (1) except for point contacts with each aperture and about lines of contact joining adjacent apertures. Disclosed also is a process for manufacturing said cap comprising the steps of: (i) providing a mould; (ii) moulding a plastic material to form said cap (1) for a container (2), said cap (1) comprising a planar surface (3) comprising more than one aperture (8) therein capable of communicating with interior of said container; and an annular sidewall (4) depending from said planar surface (3), wherein said cap (1) comprises an integral cover (5) for non-reclosably covering said apertures (8), where said cover is permanently separable from said cap to expose said apertures (8); (iii) allowing the plastic material to set in the mould; and, (iv) removing the set material after a predetermined period of time to obtain the cap.


Two simple, sensitive, accurate, precise and economical spectrophotometric methods have been developed and validated for the determination of rizatriptan benzoate (RZT) in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations. These methods were
based on the formation of charge transfer complex between RZT as n-electron donor and alizarin red S (ARS) or
quinalizarin (Quinz) as π-acceptor in methanol to form highly colored chromogens which showed an absorption
maximum at 532 and 574 nm using ARS and Quinz, respectively. The optimization of the reaction conditions such as the
type of solvent, reagent concentration and reaction time were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, Beer's law is
obeyed in the concentration ranges 1.0-16 and 2.0-20 g mL-1 using ARS and Quinz, respectively with good correlation
coefficient (r2 ≥ 0.9996) and with a relative standard deviation (RSD% ≤ 1.16). The molar absorptivity, Sandell
sensitivity, detection and quantification limits were also calculated. The methods were successfully applied to the
determination of RZT in its pharmaceutical formulations and the validity assesses by applying the standard addition
technique. Results obtained by the proposed methods for the pure RZT and commercial tablets agreed well with those
obtained by the reported method.


This paper seeks to understand what temporal and spatial scales of variability in global horizontal radiation are important to a PV plants and what measurements are needed to be able to characterize them. As solar radiation measuring instruments are point receivers it is important to understand how those measurements translate to energy received over a larger spatial extent. Also of importance is the temporal natural of variability over large spatial areas. In this research we use high temporal and spatial resolution measurements from multiple sensors at a site in Hawaii to create solar radiation fields at various spatial and temporal scales. Five interpolation schemes were considered and the high resolution solar fields were converted to power production for a PV power plant. It was found that the interpolation schemes are robust and create ramp distributions close to what would be computed if the average solar radiation field was used. We also investigated the possibility of using time averaged solar data from 1 sensor to recreate the ramp distribution from the 17 sensors. It was found that the ramping distribution from using appropriately time averaged data from 1 sensor can reasonably match the distribution created using the 17 sensor network.


Dry seeds of variety Marichbati (Aus paddy) were treated with 75000 r x rays, and a single plant was isolated (S. 221) in the X/sub 2/ generation, having abnormal morphology of flower and seed. The selection was maintained for four successive generations and the behavior of abnormal flower and seed was studied. The abnormal characters breed true. The fiowers of selection (S. 221) showed some addition and reduction in the number of anthers and ovaries. The number of kernel in each seed ( = caryopsis) was usually two in the selection (S. 221) as against one in the control. The seeds of the selection (S. 221) were broader though narrower than the control (Marichbati). (auth)


A composition is described which comprises at least one chromium compound, at least one aryloxy compound of an element M selected from the group formed by magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium, with general formula [M(RO)2-nXn]y, in which RO is an aryloxy radical of a derivative ROH containing 6 to 80 carbon atoms, X is a halogen or a hydrocarbyl radical containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, n is a whole number which may take the values 0 or 1 and y is a whole number in the range 1 to 10, and at least one additive selected from ether type compounds, which may or may not be cyclic, introduced in a near-stoichiometric quantity with respect to the element M.


Beyond cigarette consumption, nicotine addiction also affects general cognitive functions and decision making processes, with for example, a tendency for smokers to prefer immediate small rewards over bigger, delayed ones. Numerous theories have been developed to model addiction, but an important framework states that addictive drugs modify the activity of dopamine (DA) neurons in reward signaling and in decision making. A powerful computational theory relies on unexpected reward for generating phasic DA release, which acts as teaching signals for appropriate learning and behavioral conditioning. In our lab, we have developed approaches in mice to investigate, from the molecular to the cognitive level, the mechanisms underlying nicotine addiction and of the resulting modifications of the decision making system and individual behaviors. We have dissected how nicotine, through its action on DA cells modifies different traits of an individual, from its reaction to stress, its social behavior or its explorati...


This article describes an autopsy of an animal infected with coenurosis, a parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm. A cadaver infected with cenosis showed moderate hardening, the abdomen was swollen and the eyes were closed. The spleen of all sick animals is softened and the tissue structure is disturbed. Examination of the subcutaneous fat showed signs of body fat, but they were mottled with red dots. The lymph nodes were also swollen, dark red, moist, mottled with tiny red dots, with red fluid running along the surface. The lungs were enlarged, the consistency was loose, the serous membrane had many dark red dots, and bloody fluid was leaking from the surface. The heart was found to be loose, enlarged, with soft consistency. The liver was whole-blooded, enlarged, with many dark red dots on the surface, and the gallbladder was moderately full, without stones or parasites.
On examination of the digestive tract we saw that the stomach was swollen due to a brown fluid content, the intestinal mucosa was damaged and swollen due to the fluid content within, and the intestinal mucosa was swollen, dark red and thickened in places. The brain tissue is hyperemic and oncospheres are found in tubes twisted across the surface and depth of the brain. In the early stages of cenurotic disease, newly formed haemorrhages and hyperaemia were observed in some parts of the cerebral membranes. A detailed description of the pathological anatomical changes that occurred as a result of the disease is given in the article


The transition from nuclear matter to quark matter in shock fronts is discussed. The relativistic shock equations are considered and applied to quark-matter production in dependence on the bag constant. The problem of shock splitting is discussed as a possible signature of the phase transition. One-dimensional hydrodynamical calculations for a two-phase system of nuclear matter and quark plasma are presented and compared to results of the shock equations for stable and unstable shock fronts.


It is shown that no spherically symmetric gravitational geon composed of small amplitude gravitational waves can be in consistent with general relativity. The necessity for high frequency gravitational waves in turn prevents their confinement. This suggests that no gravitational geon can exist.


Disclosed is a a layer to be etched in a plasma etch reactor etching process, the method comprising at least a sequence of steps comprising at least: a step of forming a reagent layer (710) comprising a injection into the reactor of at least one reactive gas to form a reactive gas plasma (s), reactive gas of the plasma (s) forming with the layer to be etched a reagent layer (110) which penetrates the layer to burn as the etching of the layer to be etched, the parameters of the reactive layer forming step (710) allowing the reactive layer (110) to support, at the end of a fixed period injection of the reactive gas, a stationary thickness over time, characterized in that: the reactive gas injection is interrupted before said given time so that, after the step of forming a reagent layer (710) the thickness of the reagent layer (110) is less than said thickness stationary in time, and in that the sequence of steps comprises at least a step of removing (720) of the reagent layer (110 ), the removing step (720) comprising an injection into the reactor of at least one neutral gas to form a plasma of inert gas (s) for removing only the reagent layer (110). The invention also provides a system for implementing the invention.


This paper presents Hydro-Quebec's distribution vision and roadmap. First a quick overview of the inputs (industry benchmark, customers' expectations, Quebec's contex…) that were used to build the vision and roadmap will be described. Then from these inputs, business objectives were stated by Hydro-Quebec's management. To meet these objectives, the vision selected a set of applications and technologies. It covers the overall evolution of the distribution system by proposing strategies for asset management, data management and technology management. Finally to move from today's distribution network to tomorrow's Smartgrid, the vision and roadmap shall evolve to consider influence factors in the years to come.


Abstract VEGFR-2 has recently become an eye-catching molecular target for the novel therapeutic designs against cancer for its well known role in persuading angiogenesis in tumor cells. The current study set sights on the exploration of novel potent natural compound targeting VEGFR-2 via computational ligand-based modeling and database screening followed by binding pattern analysis, reactivity site prediction and MD simulation studies. The known 53 VEGFR-2 inhibitors (with IC50 ranging from 0.7 nM to 9700 nM) were headed for development of Ligand based pharmacophore model using 3 D QSAR pharmacophore generation module of DS Client. Training set inhibitors (23 compounds) were exploited to create pharmacophore model based on their chemical features. The model was validated through 30 test set inhibitors and exploited further for screening of 62,082 natural compounds from InterBioscreen natural compound database. Screened compounds further went through Drug-Likeliness study, ADMET prediction, Binding pattern analysis, In silico prediction of reactivity sites, Biological activity spectra prediction, pan assay interference compound identification and MD simulation analysis. Out of 5 screened compounds, Compound A and Compound B exhibited highest binding energy judged against the standard drug "Sorafenib". On further conducting reactivity site prediction, BAS prediction, and pan assay interference compound identification, Compound B exhibited better result which was carried forward for MD simulation study for 50 ns. MD simulation results suggested that Compound B exhibited more stable binding to the active site of VEGFR-2 without causing any conformational changes in protein-ligand complex. Thereby, the investigation proposes Compound B to hold potent antiangiogenic potential targeting VEGFR-2. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma


The central role that mass spectrometry has played and continues to play in the development of proteomics and its applications to biomedical research is well documented by the steady increase in scientific publications and the prolifer-ation of meetings, conferences, and other forums devoted to it. The International Symposium on Mass Spectrometry in the Health and Life Sciences is an outstanding example of the latter. Started in 1984, in celebration of the dedication of the Mass Spectrometry Facility at the University of Cali-fornia San Francisco, there have been nine meetings in the series, all held in San Francisco. Since 2001 and coinciding with the launch of Molecular and Cellular Proteomics , the meeting has been held on a biennial basis. This issue of MCP, which contains 21 articles from the 9th Symposium, represents a broad range of material, reflecting the scope of topics covered in the meeting and demonstrating the important role that mass spectrometry plays in deciphering the molecular understanding of biology.


The architect has succeeded in integrating successfully all the intended objectives, in accord with the most up to date architectural practice on school design, i.e., good adaptation to the available ground site, functionalism, dynamic spatial contrasts, formal simplicity, solid construction and great plastic expressivity. The latter depends mainly on the double interplay of the masses and light and shadow effects, which are emphasized by the quality of the concrete texture. Concrete has been liberally used both for the load bearing walls and for the thin elements used in the construction of the roof.


This paper presents the work on the structural design of large membrane structures applying numerical simulation tools. This article outlines a virtual design methodology for large lightweight structures under the impact of fluctuating wind loads. It emphasises the work on wind load simulations in urban environment.


Given a random graph G = G n;1=2 , we give almost sure bounds for the value of the minimum bisection of G. The lower bound is obtained by applying the rst moment method, while the upper bound is given by the analysis of a simple algorithm. Moreover, these results enable us to derive upper bounds for the maximum bisection and the maxcut of G.


This practitioner research study adds to the limited research available about high school streaming in Ontario. Unlike most research about streaming, which is quantitative, this study is qualitative and sought student perspectives absent from conversations about structuring students in public education. It explores students' experiences of being separated into pathways for their courses throughout high school, and how these placements affect their academics, relationships, and self-concepts. The project involved semi-structured interviews with nine grade eleven students across the academic, applied, and enriched pathways. The research method captured students' stories and details about how they feel progressing through school with significant labels attached to their names. It revealed problematic social hierarchies present in the school, and vastly different exposures to information about both secondary and post-secondary choices that translate to access to opportunity. The study makes recommendations for changes to the current streaming structure, and for the value of practitioner research.


Target and target-like ejectiles emitted forward from {sup 93}Nb-beam bombardment of thin {sup 50}Ti targets were investigated at sub- and near-barrier energies using a magnetic spectrograph. Reaction products from three single-nucleon-transfer and seven multinucleon-transfer channels were observed. Multinucleon-transfer products were observed with a sharp onset only for those collisions with apsidal distances smaller than about 12.6 fm, while single-nucleon-transfer products were observed throughout the apsidal distance range studied. Average {ital Q} values of the multinucleon-transfer-reaction products are much more negative than the respective optimum values. These results suggest the formation of a neck at subbarrier energies.


Analysis of 907 cases decided by six Melbourne magistrates' courts suggests that the high conviction rates obtaining in these and other courts are largely explicable in terms of the circumstances under which defendants are apprehended, and their behaviour on apprehension. According to prosecution evidence defendants are almost invariably either seen offending or seen to have offended. On apprehension, defendants confess to 85% of the charges against them. Some of the confessors and almost all the non-confessors plead not guilty. The success of their pleas depends largely on the basis for their defence and to a limited extent on whether they give evidence and are legally represented. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.


Mazhuangshan large-scale gold deposit, which was formed in the volcanic system of Paleozoic island arc, is closely related to Late Carboniferous medium-acid volcanic rocks and subvolcanic rocks in genesis.The similarity of REE patterns and trace elements between ore and gangue and magmatic rocks shows that the ore forming materials came from the magmatic source of the system. Ore forming solution was of the characteristics of low-medium temperature, shallow setting, alkaline and weak reduction Parameters such as pH, oxide fugacity, sulfur fugacity, Eh and δ 34 S varied regularly with the variation of Hy and temperature? Metallogenic mechanism: Through the process of magma evolution→structural space→groundwater alteration, the mixture solution of magmatic fluid and groundwater was formed and the physical and chemical conditions of the system were changed, so led to the deposition of ore forming materials and to the formation of deposits.


The textile industry in India has an important place in Indian economy in terms of its contribution to GDP, exports and its potential for employment generation. Productivity is a key determinant of competitiveness of any industry. In the present study the productivity performance of textile industry in India has been examined for the post liberalisation period using growth accounting approach. Total factor productivity growth (TFPG) has been estimated as a composite measure of input resource utilisation by using Divisia-Tornquist approximation. In addition to that, partial productivity indices (PPI) have also been estimated to examine the efficiency of individual input utilisation. The study revealed that there has been a negative growth trend in total factor productivity during the study period. The partial productivity index for energy has recorded highest gain, whereas, the partial capital productivity has declined over the study period. The raw material and labour productivity have shown moderate gains after opening of Indian economy in the nineties.


Introduction: Preoperative anxiety is an issue of concern in paediatric anaesthesia practice. Forceful transfer of children into the operating room can cause long-term psychological trauma. This clinical study compares intramuscular ketamine and a combination of intramuscular dexmedetomidine and ketamine as anaesthetic premedicants in terms of +anxiolysis, sedation and ease of IV cannulation.
Objectives: To compare the level of preoperative anxiety, sedation and ease of cannulation following premedication between intramuscular ketamine and a combination of intramuscular dexmedetomidine and ketamine.
Methods:  Total of 60 patients belonging to American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status I-II, in the age group of two to ten years, scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia were included in the study; Group A patients received ketamine 3mg/kg body weight while Group B patients received ketamine 2mg/kg body weight and dexmedetomidine 1mcg/kg body weight intramuscular. The outcome variables were sedation score (Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale), IV cannula acceptance (IV cannula Acceptance Score), and parental separation (Separation Score).
Results: The groups were comparable in patient characteristics and hemodynamic parameters between the groups. Median (IQR) sedation score at 10 min were -1 (-2—0) and 0(-1—1) (p< 0.001); mean parental separation scores were 3.76± 0.43 and 3.36±0.55 (p< 0.001); IV cannula acceptance score were 3.73±0.44 and 4.53±7.27 (p= 0.001) in Group A and Group B respectively.
Conclusion:  Combination of dexmedetomidine and ketamine is superior to ketamine alone in terms of sedation at 15 min and ease of IV cannulation but comparable in terms of anxiolysis.


Abstract. Zinkgruvanite, ideally
Ba4Mn42+Fe23+(Si2O7)2(SO4)2O2(OH)2,
is a new member of the ericssonite group, found in Ba-rich drill core
samples from a sphalerite- and galena- and diopside-rich metatuffite succession
from the Zinkgruvan mine, Örebro County, Sweden. Zinkgruvanite is
associated with massive baryte, barytocalcite, diopside and minor witherite,
cerchiaraite-Al, and sulfide minerals. It occurs as subhedral to euhedral
flattened and elongated crystals up to 4 mm. It is almost black and semi-opaque
with a dark-brown streak. The lustre is vitreous to sub-adamantine on
crystal faces and resinous on fractures. The mineral is brittle with an uneven
fracture. VHN100=539, and HMohs ≈ 4.5.
In thin fragments, it is reddish-black, translucent and optically biaxial
(+), 2Vz > 70∘. Pleochroism is strong and deep
brown-red (E ⊥ {001} cleavage) to
olive-pale-brown. Chemical point analyses by WDS-EPMA (wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy electron probe microanalyser) together with iron
valencies determined from Mössbauer spectroscopy yielded the empirical
formula (based on 26 O+OH+F+Cl anions):
(Ba4.02Na0.03)Σ4.05(Mn1.79Fe1.562+Fe0.423+Mg0.14Ca0.10Ni0.01Zn0.01)Σ4.03(Fe1.743+Ti0.20Al0.06)Σ2.00Si4(S1.61Si0.32P0.07)Σ1.99O24(OH1.63Cl0.29F0.08)Σ2.00. The
mineral is triclinic, in space group P1¯, with unit-cell parameters a=5.3982(1) Å, b=7.0237(1) Å, c=14.8108(4) Å, α=
98.256(2)∘, β= 93.379(2)∘,
γ= 89.985(2)∘ and V= 554.75(2) Å3 for Z=1. The eight strongest X-ray powder diffraction lines are the following (d Å (I %; hkl)): 3.508 (70; 103), 2.980(70; 114‾), 2.814 (68; 12‾2),
2.777 (70; 121), 2.699 (714; 200), 2.680 (68; 201‾), 2.125 (100; 124,
204) and 2.107 (96; 2‾21). The crystal structure (R1=0.0379 for
3204 reflections) is an array of TS (titanium silicate) blocks alternating
with intermediate blocks. The TS blocks consist of HOH sheets (H for
heteropolyhedral and O for octahedral) parallel to (001). In the O sheet, the
Mn2+-dominant MO(1,2,3) sites give ideally Mn42+ pfu (per formula unit). In the
H sheet, the Fe3+-dominant MH sites and AP(1) sites give
ideally Fe23+Ba2 pfu. In the intermediate block, SO4
oxyanions and 11 coordinated Ba atoms give ideally 2× SO4Ba pfu. Zinkgruvanite is related to ericssonite and ferroericssonite
in having the same topology and type of linkage of layers in the TS block.
Zinkgruvanite is also closely compositionally related to yoshimuraite,
Ba4Mn4Ti2(Si2O7)2(PO4)2O2(OH)2,
via the coupled heterovalent substitution 2 Ti4++ 2
(PO4)3-→2 Fe3++ 2 (SO4)2− but presents a
different type of linkage. The new mineral probably formed during a late
stage of regional metamorphism of a Ba-enriched, syngenetic protolith,
involving locally generated oxidized fluids of high salinity.


Objective  To investigate the effect of pregnancy on HIV disease progression and survival among HIV‐infected women in rural Uganda, prior to the introduction of anti‐retroviral therapy (ART).


Abstract Background: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that progresses very rapidly and has a poor prognosis. Some studies indicate that the level of inflammatory cytokines may be related to MSA. However, no consistent conclusion has been drawn yet. The purpose of our research is to perform a meta-analysis to investigate whether the level of inflammatory cytokines is altered in MSA. Methods: Case-control studies on inflammatory cytokine levels in MSA will be searched in the following 3 databases: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from the database start time to March 17, 2020. Two independent authors will conduct research selection, data extraction, and quality evaluation. Data synthesis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and the meta-analysis will be performed using Stata15.0 software. Results: This study will provide a comprehensive review of all studies on inflammatory cytokine levels in MSA. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study will be the first meta-analysis that provides the quantitative evidence of inflammatory cytokine levels in MSA. Registration Number: INPLASY202060034.


Under tertiarization, service sector has gradually outweigh manufacturing industry in foreign direct investment. It is a must for us to create a favorable environment to attract more foreign direct investment in service sector than before in order to take good use of the international service sector transfer. And this can do good to the further development of service sector in China as well. This article does some empirical analyses on the factors that have effect on the FDI in service sector in China and gives some tips in the end.


(1) There are data on the amount of current necessary to stimulate a myelinated fiber or cell body and/or its axon a given distance away from a monopolar electrode over the entire range of practical interest for intracranial stimulation. Data do not exist for other electrode configurations. (2) Currents from a monopolar cathode of more than 8 times threshold may block action potentials in axons. Therefore, only axons lying in a shell around the electrode are stimulated. Elements very close to the electrode may not be stimulated. Close to an electrode small diameter axons may be stimulated and larger ones may not be. (3) Most, and perhaps all, CNS myelinated fibers have chronaxies of 50-100 #sec. When gray matter is stimulated, the chronaxie is often 200-700/~sec. It is not clear what is being stimulated in this case. Current-duration relations should be determined for many more responses. (4) There are no current-distance or current-duration data for central finely myelinated or unmyelinated fibers. (5) It takes less cathodal current than anodal to stimulate a myelinated fiber passing by a monopolar electrode. When a monopolar electrode is near a cell body, on the opposite side from the axon, often the lowest threshold is anodal, but sometimes cathodal. Stimulation of a neuron near its cell body is not well understood, but in many cases the axon is probably stimulated. (6) Orientation of cell body and axons with respect to current flow is important.


This study employs an experimental approach to isolate and directly test the extent to which presidents can affect public perceptions of issue importance and support for policy action, taking into consideration key factors that condition such effects. Our findings provide new empirical evidence that presidents can, in fact, positively influence public opinion through agenda setting, particularly by increasing the perceptual importance of low salience foreign policy issues. However, the results also indicate that such positive effects do not translate into public support for policy action; instead, presidential appeals actually decrease support. Last, our study offers new evidence that employing bipartisan cues can help presidents further increase public perceptions of issue importance, though such cues are unlikely to spur increased support. Over the years, scholars have asserted that U.S. presidents play an important role at the agenda setting stage of the policy making process (Baumgartner & Jones, 1993; Cohen, 1995, 1997; Downs, 1972; Kingdon, 1995; Light, 1991). Given their formal position atop the hierarchy of the executive branch and high visibility in the media, it makes sense that presidents would have ''a presumptive right to play a leading role in identifying and defining the problems that command governmental attention'' (Cobb & Elder, 1972, p. 182; Jones, 1994; Kingdon, 1995). Nevertheless, despite a vibrant and growing literature, important questions linger concerning the full extent to which presidents can be influential agenda setters. In a recent critical overview of presidential agenda-setting research, Wood (2009) points out that, ''Although it seems evident that presidents should All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jose D. Villalobos, Political Science Department, University of Texas at El Paso, Benedict Hall 111, 500W. University Avenue, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com at U niersity of T exas at E l Paso on M arch 3, 2012 http://ijpoordjournals.org/ D ow nladed from be influential agenda setters at both the systemic and institutional levels, hard scientific evidence showing that presidents are influential agenda setters is limited'' (p. 109). Among the quantitative studies that systematically examine the agenda-setting ability of presidents, most scholarly work has been restricted to time series research designs. Even though time series analyses have proved to be highly valuable in contributing to the accumulation of scientific knowledge in this area of research, limitations in historical data often oblige scholars to resort to using short time periods, a small sample of issues, and a few administrations (see Lawrence, 2004, p. 17). As a viable alternative to time series research, Wood (2009, p. 117) posits that scholars should look to experimental designs for further exploring presidential influence in agenda setting. Building on and extending the literature on presidential agenda setting, and addressing the call for alternative research designs in this area of scholarship, this study employs an experimental approach to isolate and directly test the extent to which presidents can affect public perceptions of issue importance and support for policy action, while taking into consideration several key factors that may condition such effects. Specifically, we consider three central factors that influence public reactions to presidential policy initiatives at the agenda setting stage: Issue salience, policy domain, and the type of cue (bipartisan versus partisan) that presidents use in their messages to the public. Our experimental study focuses on issue salience, policy domain, and presidential cueing for several reasons. To begin with, past studies tend to examine either low salience issues (e.g., trade or foreign aid) or high salience issues (e.g., the economy or a military intervention), but often fail to compare the two. In addition, although presidential agenda setting in domestic policy has been widely examined, foreign policy agenda setting has been relatively overlooked (but see Andrade & Young, 1996; Peake, 2001; Wood & Peake, 1998). Among the few works that do look at foreign policy, they mostly do so without systematically comparing it to the domestic policy domain. Therein, scholars who examine presidential influence on the foreign policy agenda generally investigate media coverage and congressional attention to issues rather than public attention (but see Cohen, 1995, 1997; Hill, 1998; Lawrence, 2004). Building on these works, we consider the conditioning effects of high and low salience issues across both policy domains with regards to presidential influence on the public agenda. Most studies also tend to overlook how presidential use of bipartisan or partisan cues in their public appeals may influence the public agenda. Although Ragsdale (1987) finds that non-partisan speeches can have a positive impact on presidential approval, her study does not test the impact of presidential speeches on issue salience or public support for policy action. Other studies focus instead on how other informational cues, such as source cues I N T E R N A T I O N A L J O U R N A L O F P U B L I C O P I N I O N R E S E A R C H 22 at U niersity of T exas at E l Paso on M arch 3, 2012 http://ijpoordjournals.org/ D ow nladed from (e.g., whether a president endorses a policy), elite cues (e.g., signaling elite consensus or dissent), or voting cues (e.g., political party affiliation) affect evaluations of presidential performance, voting behavior, etc. (see, for example, Hetherington, 2001; Sigelman, 1980; Sigelman & Sigelman, 1981). To address this gap in the literature, we take into consideration how focusing on broad (bipartisan) or narrow (partisan) constituencies may further condition the effect presidential appeals may have on public perceptions of issue salience and support for policy action. In all, by bringing together the key factors of issue salience, policy domain, and presidential cueing within an experimental setting, this study advances the debate over whether and to what extent presidents can effectively influence public perceptions of issue importance and garner support for policy action. Our findings provide new insights on how presidents can refine their use of public appeals to help maximize their potential as agenda setters. Presidential Agenda Setting and the Mass Public Agenda setting generally refers to ''the process whereby matters of concern for the political system become defined as policy problems for consideration on political agendas'' (Wood, 2009, p. 108). This process involves an ongoing competition among numerous issue proponents to gain the attention of media outlets, the public, and policy elites (Dearing & Rogers, 1996, p. 2). At the outset, in addressing the extent to which presidents can influence the agenda-setting process, scholars asserted that ''no other single actor in the political system has quite the capability of the president to set agendas'' (Kingdon, 1995, p. 23; see also Baumgartner & Jones, 1993; Cobb & Elder, 1972; Schattschneider, 1960). However, more recent scholarly works argue that presidential influence in agenda setting is inherently weak due the difficulty of attaining agenda space within a highly competitive and dynamic environment (e.g., Edwards & Wood, 1999; Wood & Peake, 1998). Such scholarly investigations have helped stimulate a vibrant and growing literature on presidential agenda-setting influence over (a) political institutions, particularly Congress (e.g., Edwards & Barrett, 2000; Bond & Fleisher, 1990), (b) the media (e.g., Edwards & Wood, 1999; Peake & Esbaugh-Soha, 2008; Wood & Peake, 1998), and (c) public opinion (e.g., Behr & Iyengar, 1985; Cohen, 1995, 1997; Hill, 1998; Iyengar & Kinder, 1987; Lawrence, 2004). Building on the latter vein of this area of research, our study examines the impact of presidential public appeals on public perceptions of issue importance and support for policy action. In doing so, we provide additional evidence and new insights to the literature concerning presidential influence on the public agenda. A G E N D A S E T T I N G F R O M T H E O V A L O F F I C E 23 at U niersity of T exas at E l Paso on M arch 3, 2012 http://ijpoordjournals.org/ D ow nladed from Influence of Presidential Public Appeals on Perceptions of


Intra-coronary imaging has become a cornerstone of visualising atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and also to guide the therapy in selected high-risk cases. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging modality quite similar to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), but uses light instead of sound. In the second article on contemporary coronary imaging, the potential of OCT is discussed.


In this paper we generalize the concept of alternating knots to alternating graphs and show that every abstract graph has a spatial embedding that is alternating. We also prove that every spatial graph is a subgraph of an alternating graph. We define n-composition for spatial graphs and generalize the results of Menasco on alternating knots to show that an alternating graph is n-composite for n=0, 1, 2, 3 if and only if it is "obviously n-composite" in any alternating projection. Moreover, no closed incompressible pairwise incompressible surface exists in the complement of an alternating graph. We then generalize results of Kauffman, Murasugi, and Thistlethwaite to prove that the crossing number of an even-valent rigid-vertex alternating spatial graph is realized in every reduced alternating projection with no uncrossed cycles and, if the graph is not 2-composite, the crossing number is not realized in any non-alternating projection. We give examples showing that this result does not hold for graphs with vertices of odd valence or graphs with uncrossed cycles.


During his researches on the insect pests of coffee and their parasites in Kenya Colony, Mr. R. H. LePelley has bred two interesting C halcidoidea from the eggs of the coffee-bug, Antestia lineaticollis , Stal.


During his lifetime Bernardo Alberto Houssay not only achieved outstanding distinction by his prolific and original investigations which in 1947 brought him the award of the Nobel Prize, but late in life he became a cultural leader against dictatorship and an inspiration, in the struggle for freedom, which went far beyond the boundaries of his homeland. The statement has been made that during the period of nearly a quarter of a century after his Nobel award the contributions he made to learning and human welfare through his courageous example and wise advice were at least on a par in importance with those that he had made during the earlier years of immensely fruitful research in the laboratory.


Objective To study the effects of kakkonein on the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in rat retina after acute intraocular hypertension.Methods After acute intraocular hypertension,changes in protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by immunohistochemical method.Results In group A,there is positive expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein.In group B,the level of positive expression of Bcl-2 and Bax protein was increased from 12h to 48h,and there is statistical difference as compared to group A(P﹤0.01).There was statistical difference on the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax between Group B and C from 12h to 48h(P﹤0.05).Conclusion The protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was increased in rat retina after acute intraocular hypertension and kakkonein could upregulate Bcl-2 expression and downregulate Bax expression.


Ensuring family members are 'properly provided for' following the death of a loved one is the focus of a review of estate laws by the Tasmania Law Reform Institute (TLRI), which will look at whether 'notional estate laws' should be introduced in Tasmania.

The review is the subject of this issues paper. Notional estate laws enable assets that fall outside a deceased estate, including certain gifts the deceased made within three years of their death, to be 'clawed-back' and included in the pool of estate assets available for spouses and children to claim.

Public feedback on the paper is being sought until 24 May 2019.


In this paper, we analyze the L2-gain of sampled-data systems with asynchronous sensing and control. The closed-loop system has time-varying clock offsets and sampling intervals and can be modeled as a parameter-uncertain system. We use a lifting approach and a gridding and norm-bounded approach in order to analyze intersample behavior and deal with parameter uncertainty, respectively. An upper bound on the L2-gain is derived via linear matrix inequalities. We illustrate the proposed method by applying it to an active suspension system.


Most of this paper will consist in the setting up of premises for the purpose of making two or three fairly simple points. Some of those premises will be about structuralist semiology, which I take to be relatively familiar. Nevertheless, for the purposes of exposition, I shall take the familiar version of structuralism, as a homogeneous theoretical field identifiable by a few key terms ('synchronic/diachronic', langue/parole, 'arbitrary/motivated' etc.) as imprecise, and shall re-do it as a set of controversies over particular issues. The use of Peirce made, for instance, by Jakobson or by Eco are intelligible from the positions taken in these debates. The other premises will be about Peirce, which I take to be relatively unfamiliar, and which, I shall 'do', taking the risks of an objectifying exegesis. The points I shall make will pertain to both the "theory" and the "applications" of semiotics, principally during the 1970s. What I am calling, with scare marks, the "theory" is the set of propositions taken to define the presuppositions of semiotics and the range of objects to which they are deemed to apply. Under the head of "applications", I shall limit my discussion to Jakobson on language, and Metz and Wollen on the cinema. The scare marks, of course, are pincers, designed to show that what was joined in heaven has been put asunder by the unnatural tendency of language, and theory, to make problematical distinctions.


Cryptocurrencies are based on cryptography-based asset disposals broadcasted peer-to-peer to be validated decentrally according to consensus mechanisms in compliance with consented protocols. Protocol development is associated with risks, and there are conflicts of interests. Collusion involving protocol developers may increase such risks. This paper explores liability for collusion in cryptocurrency protocol development. It is found that liability gives some, but not sufficient, protection against harmful collusion.


With a goal to achieve less than 10 picosecond (ps) coincidence time resolution for advancing time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET), we seek to leverage the effects of transient free carriers generated from 511 keV interactions in a material. Most ultrafast optics methods rely on many excitation particles with a priori information on their arrival times. However, in PET it is critical to find a way to sensitively detect single, randomly emitted 511 keV annihilation photons from the ionization it produces. We investigate two ways to increase the signal: employing probe laser wavelength in the mid-IR and confining the probe beam to match the size of ionization tracks created by the 511 keV photons. We observed a continued decrease of 2% in transmission of the mid-IR probe beam (8μm) in a 10 X 10 X 1 mm3 Cadmium Telluride crystal with 511 keV annihilation irradiation over 300 seconds. The trend was reversed when the radiation source is removed, and reached the previous baseline transmission in 800 seconds. For confining the interaction volume to match the probe beam diameter, we revised a previously investigated interferometry approach to use a focused beam and did not apply a bias voltage across the detector crystal. With a 405nm laser diode as an excitation source, a shift of 43% in transmitted signal voltage was observed, and with Am-241 alpha source irradiation, a 1% shift was measured. With the improved sensitivity, these findings provide insights into possible methods of detecting single 511 keV events.


The research reported here proceeds on the premise that if minority race and its predominance in particular schools constitutes a disadvantage in the educational system, then members of the privileged group will tend to place their children in schools that avoid the supposed liability of minority concentration, and thereby perpetuate inequality. The authors draw upon the remarks of James Coleman, who posited that intangible resources are concentrated in the schools of the privileged group, and are lacking in the schools with a high concentration of minorities. In this research, they examine whether the racial composition of schools has an influence on individual achievement, controlling for the race of individuals. Their findings are that the degree of minority concentration has a powerful negative influence on achievement test results, that this influence does not appear to be explained by socioeconomic factors or other factors, and that both whites and African Americans are negatively affected by degree of minority concentration


In this paper we present the electron-impact widths for 28 transitions of
 singly-, doubly-, and triply- ionized vanadium estimated by using the
 modified semiempirical method. The electron-impact widths have been estimated
 for the electron density of 1023m−3 and presented as a function of electron
 temperature.


Tracking the progress and impact of large scale projects in areas of active conflict is challenging. In early 2010, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) broke ground on an ambitious project to rehabilitate a network of just under 600 km of canals that supply water from the Arghandab River throughout southern Kandahar Province thereby restoring a reliable and secure water supply and stimulating a once vibrant agricultural region. Monitoring the region for signs of renewal is difficult due to the large areal extent of the irrigated land and safety concerns. With the support of the Canadian Space Agency, polarimetric change detection techniques are applied to space-borne SAR data to safely monitor the area through a time-series of RADARSAT-2 images acquired during the rehabilitation ground work and subsequent growing seasons. Change detection maps delineating surface cover improvement will aid CIDA in demonstrating the positive value of Canada's investment in renovating Afghanistan's irrigation system to improve water distribution. This paper examines the use of value-added SAR imaging products to provide short- and long-term monitoring suitable for assessing the impact and benefit of large scale projects and discusses the challenges of integrating remote sensing products into a non-expert user community.