The impacts of climate and the need to improve resilience to current and possible future climate are highlighted in the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13. Vegetation in the Amur River Basin (ARB), lying in the middle and high latitudes and being one of the 10 largest basins worldwide, plays an important role in the regional carbon cycle but is vulnerable to climate change. Based on GIMMS NDVI3g and CRU TS4.01 climate data, this study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) in the ARB and their relationships with climatic changes from 1982 to 2015 varying over different seasons, vegetation types, geographical gradients, and countries. The results reveal that the FVC presented significant increasing trends (P < 0.05) in growing season (May to September) and autumn (September to October), but insignificant increasing trends in spring (April to May) and summer (June to August), with the largest annual FVC increase occurring in autumn. However, some areas showed significant decreases of FVC in growing season, mainly located on the China side of the ARB, such as the Changbai mountainous area, the Sanjiang plain, and the Lesser Khingan mountainous area. The FVC changes and their relationships varied among different vegetation types in various seasons. Specifically, grassland FVC experienced the largest increase in growing season, spring, and summer, while woodland FVC changed more dramatically in autumn. FVC correlated positively with air temperature in spring, especially for grassland, and correlated negatively with precipitation, especially for woodland. The correlations between FVC and climatic factors in growing season were zonal in latitude and longitude, while 120° E and 50° N were the approximate boundaries at which the values of mean correlation coefficients changed from positive to negative, respectively. These findings are beneficial to a better understanding the responses of vegetation in the middle and high latitudes to climate change and could provide fundamental information for sustainable ecosystem management in the ARB and the northern hemisphere.


Is endogenous innovation merely in the form of original innovation? In this paper, we attempt to illustrate a typical catch-up path with 'Made in China' named 'secondary innovation', which goes towards the virtuous circle of foreign technology acquisition and endogenous technological innovation, through an indepth longitudinal case study. Although secondary innovation is based on foreign imported technology, it is fundamentally different from simple imitation and adaptation of imported technology. Basic assimilation is just the first step of secondary innovation, and is further followed by 'structural understanding', 'functional understanding' and 'conceptual understanding'. Without considerable active assimilation and absorption, the latecomer firm would probably fall into a vicious circle of 'import – lag behind – import again'.


Ruth Grant Kalischuk is an Associate Professor of Nursing in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Her research interests focus on family-related studies addressing family responses to life crises. In a study funded by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC), she developed a grounded theory that addresses problem gambling and its impact on families.


To train medical students' self-learning ability and improve the teaching quality,the problem-centered participatory teaching methods have been used in seven-year program students' pediatric clinical probation.The results show this teaching methodology could enhance students' learning motivation and train their independent thinking,creativity and problem solving capabilities.Therefore,it has been proved that the participatory teaching methodology is an effective approach in clinical pediatrics probation.


Sorption characteristics of coriander powder were determined in temperature range of 10–50°C and relative humidity range of 10–80% using static gravimetric method. Two and three parameter equations were fitted to the observed sorption data to test their adequacy. In case of three parameter equation, Hailwood and Horrobin equation was found to be the best fit while Smith equation was found to be the best-fit among two-parameter equations.


Nonadherence to recommended therapeutic regimens has been described as a major health problem for persons experiencing chronic illness. In this paper, the origins and concepts of the health belief model are described, and related methodological issues are discussed. Research into the relationship between health beliefs and adherence behavior in chronic illness is reviewed, and implications for nursing research and practice are suggested.


Introduction: article is devoted to medieval names of the Finno-Ugric people living towards the north, the northeast and the east from the Northern Russian princedoms in XIII–XV centuries. Objective: to offer an explanation of not unclear ethnonym toymitsi, toymichi which was noted once in the text of XIII century and to track changes of the ethnonym vyada ~ vada in the same text and in later composition of XV century – "Zadonshchina". Research materials: the monument of the ancient Russian literature of the beginning of XIII century «The Tale of Doom of Russian land», kept in two manuscripts; the work of XIV–XV centuries, which contain a description of territories and people around the Russian princedoms, including territories to the Northeast from Russia; one manuscript of "Zadonshchina" of XV which is its special version in which the editor has made an


Significance Our study demonstrates that stabilization of cytochrome P-450 epoxides derived from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids through inhibition of the inactivating enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) exerts beneficial actions in counteracting metabolic disorders associated with obesity. In addition, our study sheds more light on the role of sEH in cellular homeostasis by providing evidence that omega-3 epoxides and sEH inhibition regulate autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress in insulin-sensitive tissues, especially the liver. Therefore, administration of a sEH inhibitor is a promising strategy to prevent obesity-related comorbidities. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is an emerging therapeutic target in a number of diseases that have inflammation as a common underlying cause. sEH limits tissue levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) epoxides derived from omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) by converting these antiinflammatory mediators into their less active diols. Here, we explored the metabolic effects of a sEH inhibitor (t-TUCB) in fat-1 mice with transgenic expression of an omega-3 desaturase capable of enriching tissues with endogenous omega-3 PUFA. These mice exhibited increased CYP1A1, CYP2E1, and CYP2U1 expression and abundant levels of the omega-3–derived epoxides 17,18-epoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (17,18-EEQ) and 19,20-epoxydocosapentaenoic (19,20-EDP) in insulin-sensitive tissues, especially liver, as determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS. In obese fat-1 mice, t-TUCB raised hepatic 17,18-EEQ and 19,20-EDP levels and reinforced the omega-3–dependent reduction observed in tissue inflammation and lipid peroxidation. t-TUCB also produced a more intense antisteatotic action in obese fat-1 mice, as revealed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Notably, t-TUCB skewed macrophage polarization toward an antiinflammatory M2 phenotype and expanded the interscapular brown adipose tissue volume. Moreover, t-TUCB restored hepatic levels of Atg12-Atg5 and LC3-II conjugates and reduced p62 expression, indicating up-regulation of hepatic autophagy. t-TUCB consistently reduced endoplasmic reticulum stress demonstrated by the attenuation of IRE-1α and eIF2α phosphorylation. These actions were recapitulated in vitro in palmitate-primed hepatocytes and adipocytes incubated with 19,20-EDP or 17,18-EEQ. Relatively similar but less pronounced actions were observed with the omega-6 epoxide, 14,15-EET, and nonoxidized DHA. Together, these findings identify omega-3 epoxides as important regulators of inflammation and autophagy in insulin-sensitive tissues and postulate sEH as a druggable target in metabolic diseases.


Joanne Bechta Dugan is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Director of the Computer Engineering Program at the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on probabilistic assessment of the dependability of computer-based systems. She has developed the Dynamic Fault Tree model, which extends the applicability of fault tree analysis to computer systems. Her research interests include hardware and software reliability engineering, dependable computing, system health management and mathematical modeling using dynamic fault trees, Markov models, and Bayesian networks. Her current focuses on the development of new technologies and engineering approaches to evaluate and improve engineering education, both in traditional classroom setting and in non-traditional on-line settings.


The reaction of carbonyl oxide (CH/sub 2/OO) and ethylene has been investigated by ab initio techniques. According to theoretical results, carbonyl oxide can act as an oxygen-transfer agent, thus leading to epoxide and aldehyde: C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ + CH/sub 2/OO ..-->.. CH/sub 2/OCH/sub 2/ + CH/sub 2/O. The calculated transition-state energies of the various epoxidation modes are 4-8 kcal/mol, which are comparable to activation energies of cycloaddition (cycloreversion) reactions encountered in the ozonolysis of alkenes. Epoxidation of alkene by carbonyl oxide is best described as a S/sub N/2 reaction on the terminal oxygen atom of carbonyl oxide. The preferred collision mode of the O-transfer reaction can be rationalized on the basis of frontier orbital interactions. Apart from epoxidation, carbonyl oxide can add to ethylene, yielding 1,2-dioxolane. The energy requirements of the cycloaddition are equivalent to those of the epoxidation. However, 1,2-dioxolanes will only be observed under normal ozonolysis conditions if the excess energy generated in the cycloaddition reaction is readily dissipated. Otherwise, 1,2-dioxolanes will immediately decompose, again yielding, among other products, epoxides.


Verruca Vulgaris This is the common type of wart, which commences as a circumscribed greyish-brown epidermal thickening, increasing in size and becoming a papilliform excrescence. The lesions may be single or multiple, and may coalesce to form rugose plaques. They occur mainly on the hands, and in children are often very numerous and associated with other lesions on the knees and around the mouth, the infection having been spread by picking, scratching and biting the warts (Fig. 2).


We have proposed high negatve dispersion-flattened fiber at wide wavelength band for the first time. The fabricated fiber has a chromatic dispersion of about -60ps/nm/km at 1.55□ and dispersion slope within ± 0.005 ps/nm2/km much flatter than those of conventional dispersion-flattened fibers at wide wavelength band.


This study adopts the sequential logit approach to modeling bi-level decisions of vacant taxi drivers in customer-search. The first level decision is about whether the drivers will travel to one of the nearest taxi stands after dropping off their customers and the second level decision is on whether the drivers will join the queue at the nearest taxi stand once they have arrived there. A stated preference survey was conducted to interview 258 urban taxi drivers about their choices of the two level decisions. The statistical test shows that search districts, travel distance from the customer's drop-off location to the designated taxi stand, the congestion level on the way of cruising, as well as the preference for traveling towards taxi stands are found to be the significant factors of the first level decision. This study also confirms that the queue lengths of both taxis and passengers at taxi stands, the expected customer-search distance after leaving taxi stands, and the preference of vacant taxi drivers for staying at taxi stands are found to be significantly influence the second level decision. The likelihood ratio tests for market segmentation analysis demonstrate the variations in preferences of taxi drivers operated in different taxi shifts and service areas. Some policy implications on introducing more taxi stands and improving the utilization rates of taxi stands are also discussed. We believe that the proposed sequential logit modeling approach, findings, and discussions are useful for developing micro-simulation models in terms of evaluating the performance of road traffic networks with taxi services and for developing simulation-based optimization models to answer policy questions related to taxi services.


The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein family encodes a group of structurally related proteins that were initially identified based on their ability to inhibit cell death. Due to their cytoprotective properties and their elevated expression levels in many types of human cancer, small molecular pharmacological inhibitors of IAPs (SMAC mimetics, SM) were developed in the last years (Kashkar, 2010; Fulda & Vucic, 2012; Bai et al, 2014). Numerous studies have focused on the role of SM-induced cell death in cancer cells. Accordingly, many SM compounds are currently in clinical trials to evaluate their potential in cancer therapy and so far, SM-mediated cell death is believed to directly target malignant cells (Fulda & Vucic, 2012; Fulda, 2014; Bai et al, 2014).

In order to study the underlying mechanisms in more detail in vivo, we used a B16 melanoma mouse model with immune competent mice. The obtained results demonstrated that IAP antagonization by a pan-IAP antagonist inhibits tumor growth in vivo not by inducing direct cytotoxicity towards tumor cells. In fact, our work showed that SM triggers a TNF-dependent disruption of the vasculature in the tumor microenvironment.
Specifically, SM treatment facilitated the production of TNF by B16 melanoma tumor cells, which is consistent with previous observations concerning the cellular responses to SM exposure (Wu et al, 2007). Two key components of tumor stroma, infiltrating immune cells and endothelial vasculature, were scrutinized in our study. While no significant differences in the immune cell infiltration of B16 mouse tumors were observed, we found a striking reduction of the vascularization in B16 tumors treated with SM. The lack of vascularization in B16 melanoma tumors or implanted matrigel plugs in wild type but not in TNF-R1/2-/--mice and the potentiated susceptibility of two independent EC cultures towards TNF in the presence of SM, identified the endothelial cells of the tumor vasculature as the major target of SM-induced cell death within the tumor microenvironment.

Taken together, our work identified a novel anti-angiogenic activity of a pan-IAP antagonist in the presence of elevated TNF levels under inflammatory conditions within the tumor microenvironment. This could constitute an additional and perhaps complementary potential of SM, which could improve current cancer therapies.


ABSTRACT Optically isotropic nature can open a new type of high-performance liquid crystal (LC) displays. The main features emerge from the interaction between LC and polymer network at the interface. At this point, we investigated the influence of cross-linking monomer concentration and functionality on electro-optic properties of optically isotropic liquid crystal (OILC) obtained by polymerisation-induced phase separation method. Interestingly, we obtained a pore-like network structure constructed by highly interlinked polymer beads in acrylate monomers and achieved fast decay response time (0.6 ms). We found that the voltage-dependent hysteresis was mostly eliminated (~0.25%), and the contrast ratio was enhanced (1:1550) for high functional monomers. The result inspires a simple way to optimise the materials to fabricate a high-performance OILC device and it shows high-transparency, low-driving voltage, hysteresis-free and sub-millisecond response time. Graphical Abstract


The popular lecture treats the megatherme in the light of the following double discernment : 1. Goethe - who was a Lutheran by birth and who, on the occasion of the jubilee of the Augsburg Confession in 1830, declared himself as belonging to the protestant church' was not a Christian according to Luther's explanation of the second article of the Creed, that Jesus Christ... is my Lord' 2. The collective being that bears Goethe's name' 117 created an inexhaustibly rich and diverse work in a life-long dialogue with the Bible and the intensely observed Lebenswelt (Husserl) of Christianity. This process was not just about a critical-productive reception of cultural values. Nor was it about the foundation of a heterodox secularizing religion of humanitarianism. Based on the trust in the goodness of the whole, it rather turned out to be the fragmentary attempt to withstand the religious crisis of (enlightened) humanity' 118 .


Received May 2, 2015 / Revised July 21, 2015 / Accepted August 3, 2015 Correspondence: Jeongseon Kim, PhD, Molecular Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention, National Cancer Center, 323 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang 10408, Korea Tel: 82-31-920-2570, Fax: 82-31-920-2579, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com This work was supported by the grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2012R1A1A2044332).


As the living standard of people is greatly improved,the requirement about the quality of drinking water arises.In the meantime,with the development of economics and industry,the pollution station of pure water becomes worse by the industrial pollutants.Comparing with the traditional process of the dealt and undealt water,this test has analyzed a sound treatment to separate suspended materials and bacteria from water;moreover,the experiment has found the treatment to the solubility inorganic substances and organic materials,which the traditional way can hardly solve.


Pigmented skin lesion is one kind of dermatosis of high incidence rates,which present different color with the health skin.Pigmented skin lesion affect the beauty and health of humankind,detection of skin lesion for diagnosis of dermatosis,decision of efficacy of cosmetic and evaluation of skin are necessary.At present,image analysis system is used by more and more people to detect the pigmented skin lesion.The image analysis system is composed with image acquisition,lesion segmentation,feature extraction and lesion classification.This paper present a measure of detection of skin lesion which based on image analysis system,detailed describe the process and method of image acquisition,lesion segmentation,feature extraction and lesion classification.


Expression quantitative trait locus(eQTL) analysis has demonstrated that changes in gene expression play a role in Alzheimer disease(AD) pathogenesis. Regulation of gene expression is dependent on context such as tissue and cell‐type. Previous studies found monocyte‐specific eQTLs among AD variants.


Meeting the stricter overlay measurement error requirements of next-generation lithography is a challenge to conventional optical metrology solution associated with bright-field microscopy. A modified thin film model was developed to simulate the optical image intensity profile from novel overlay targets with design rule features. The image is calculated based on diffraction theory, which is simpler than the rigorous application of Maxwell's equations in three dimensions. The model is matched to the image by adding the contributions from all of the patterned regions in the target, and multiplying by a complex reflectance transfer matrix, which embodies all of the material characteristics. The overlay error in the target and the optical configuration parameters are modified to find the best fit between the image and the model. Although this method makes several assumptions about the formation of an image, very close agreement between the model and the image is obtained.


Objective To establish the sterilized seedling culture and the test tube earthnut induction system.Methods The seed of Pueraria thomsonii Benth.was cultured in MS culture medium as explant under the light length of 2000~3000Lx 12 h/d at 25℃.Results Mechanical break could efficiently smash the dormancy of seed.The shearing away of the top sprout would contribute to the germination of fascicled bud.When the plantlet with induced roots were shifted to tuberous root inducing culture medium,the root obviously augmented which consequently led to the formation of test tube tuberous root.The optimized medium was MS+6-BA2mg/L+NAA 0.1 mg/L+sucrose 5%.Conclusion Test tube tuberous root of Pueraria thomsonii Benth.could be induced in sterile conditions in vitro.


The objective of this research was to examine the determinants of delays in Preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure. This study was conducted in Sarmi Regency. The population was member of budget board in the House of Representative, budget team from the government agencies and government officials from each work units. There were 60 respondents using a direct survey to collect data. A multiple regressions were employed to empirically test research hypotheses.

The research revealed that relation between executive and legislative positively associated with delays in preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure. In other words, the better relation between executive and legislative are likely to lower the delays in preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure in Sarmi regency. Also, the educational backgrounds positively influence delays in the preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure. It means that advancement in educational backgrounds are likely to lower delays in preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure in Sarmi regency. Another factor was performance indicators which positively associate with delays in preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure. This infers that increase in performance indicators will likely to lower delays in preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure in Sarmi regency. Meanwhile, commitment was not supported.

Key words: Delays in preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure, relation between executive and legislative, educational backgrounds, performance indicators, preparations of Regional Revenue and Expenditure


The β‐decay spectroscopy on 24Si was carried out in order to investigate the behavior of a weakly‐bound s‐wave proton. We observed two β transitions to low‐lying bound states in 24Al for the first time. The Gamow‐Teller transition strengths B(GT) to the 11+ and 12+ states were deduced to be 0.13(2) and 0.14(1), which were smaller than that of mirror nucleus 24Ne by 22% and 10%, respectively. These mirror asymmetries of B(GT) indicate the configuration change in the wave function. By comparing with theoretical shell‐model calculations, it is implied that the configuration change is attributed to the lowering of the 1s1/2 orbital.


Introduction. The research relevance is in the need to improve the process of physical education of 5-6 year-old children based on the development of sound quantitative criteria of pedagogical control over the level of motor abilities development. Research purpose is to identify the features of development of general and strength endurance in 5-6 year-old boys and girls and substantiate the standards for their assessment. Materials and methods. The study was carried out with the participation of healthy 5-6 year-old children who do not have medical contraindications for attending physical education classes. The sample size exceeded 1,600 preschoolers in the age group under study. The research methods included motor readiness testing and mathematical-statistical processing of the obtained data. The statistical significance of the differences was determined by Student's t-test for independent samples and Fisher's F-test. Research results. The study obtained extensive information about preschoolers' motor fitness. It was found that 5-6 year-old children are statistically significantly inferior to 6-7 year-old preschoolers in terms of the level of development of general (t=9.57; p<0.001) and strength (t=27.11; p<0.001) endurance. The features of motor fitness among 5-6 year-old children, conditioned by their gender, were also revealed. The comparison of the average values of a general endurance indicator made it possible to establish that boys are statistically significantly (t=2.65; p<0.01) superior to girls. It was also revealed that the results of the sit-up test among the boys differ in more significant variability (F=1.36; p<0.01). Taking into account the results obtained, modern, relevant and representative comparative standards have been substantiated for the diagnostics of general and strength endurance. On the basis of a standard scale for the value of general and strength endurance indicators, five assessment scales characterizing low, below-average, average, above-average and high levels of development were revealed. Conclusion. The developed standards make it possible to objectively assess the dynamics of the development of general and strength endurance in 5-6 year-old boys and girls in physical education classes in preschool educational organizations. They can be used as a means of pedagogical control over the level of motor abilities development of preschoolers in the age group under study.


【Objective】The experiment was conducted to study the effects of potassium on yield and quality of watermelon,through the different applications of Potassium.【Method】Appling N 135 kg/hm2 and P2O5 105 kg/hm2 with different amount of Potassium Chloride(KCl).【Result】The results indicated that different potassium fertilizer had different effects on agronomic characters yield,quality and economic benefit of watermelon.With the increasing of application rate of potassium fertilizer ,yield of watermelon increased by 5 569-9 915 kg/hm2,increase amplitude was as high as 12.1%-21.5%,income raised by 3 161-4 869 yuan/hm2,which significantly promoted VC content of watermelon by 46.6%-76.4%,during the fruit expanding process the uptake of watermelon was about 60% of the total uptake.The maximum use efficiency of potassium fertilizer was 70.1%.【Conclusion】So that,potassium fertilizer played an important role in the growth and development of watermelon.


CHOLERA was one of the major epidemic diseases of traditional Ethiopia and resulted, in times of the worst outbreaks, in a high rate of mortality as well as considerable social disorganization, the disease giving rise to a terror second only to the muchdreaded smallpox.' Unlike the latter disease, which onrginated within the country, cholera came to Ethiopia, as to other lands, from India and the East, Ethiopian outbreaks forming part of great international epidemics. Ethiopian evidence is valuable in helping to document at least one of the prenineteenth-century epidemics, records of which are in all countries hard to come by.3 Though royal chronicles were produced in Ethiopia since at least the fourteenth century their references to epidemics are usually too brief and obscure to allow any identification of disease. In 1634, the second year of the reign of Emperor Fasiladas, two chronicles, however, tell of the outbreak of an epidemic which is referred to by the name offangal, the word subsequently used for cholera.' The epidemic was also mentioned by a Portuguese visitor, Diego de Matteos, who reported as of 1634-5 that his companions had learnt from a Turk that the disease was raging around the mountain ofLamalmo and had entered the province of Tigre.5 It would seem probable that this outbreak was none other than an Ethiopian extension of the epidemic reported in Java around 1629.6 The society's reaction to such early epidemics, be they of cholera or smallpox, is clearly stated by the seventeenth-century German historian, Job Ludolf, who says of the Ethiopians that 'if a Pestilence chance to break out, they leave their Houses and Villages, and retire with their Heards into the Mountains, putting all their Security in flying from the Contagion'.7 This practice, as we shall see, was often followed in later times for which we have far more adequate documentation. Later evidence reveals that Ethiopia encountered at least five cholera epidemics in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, several outbreaks coming in more than one wave. Outbreaks are thus reported between 1831 and 1836, during which time the cholera was thought to have made itself manifest on two separate occasions; in 1856 and 1866-7, when it greatly discomforted the reforming Emperor Tewodros; during the great famine of 1889-1892 when it again seems to have struck twice; and, finally, in 1906 when the disease appears to have wrought relatively little damage.


The implementation of a robust communication system is essential for smart grids. This new system should provide an excellent quality of service (QoS) and a robust communication infrastructure, which must integrates the various devices on the network and its areas. This paper presents a study of the major network's needs, and describes the main applications of smart grids, and its QoS requirements. Some proposals in the literature are presented, and QoS needs in electrical grids are discussed. Because of its importance, the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is evaluated and tested. The tests are made in an AMI with QoS implemented and also without QoS. The results indicate that the mechanisms and parameters for QoS in AMI are needed an also improving the messages speed.


Pump-type impeller aerator is generally used for aerating and mixing device in traditional activated sludge process. Normative and operable means are insufficient at present to evaluate its performance in practical application. A new testing measure on oxygen transfer coefficient-K La W in wastewater was suggested and applied to an energy efficiency research on a wastewater treatment plant located in Chongqing. Through the measure, relationship between K La W and aeration power density, as well as relationship between oxygen capacity, energy efficiency and rotating velocity of impeller were studied, and an operation scheme for energy saving was suggested and adopted.


After introducing the context and prehistory, the paper shows the threefold rationale for proposing an extension of conventional time, able to be used in modelling living systems: failure of atemporal modelling in ecology; unsuitability of Newtonian time for transdisciplinary research; requirements of service-oriented software engineering (SOSE). The approach is boundedly rational: the start vector contains few premises (e.g., the extension must start from and be reducible to conventional time) and ∞exible criteria (e.g., the extension should be mathematically \convenient" and exploit its roots { mainly Euler and Laplace). On this groundwork, Wienerian time is deflned as complex-valued extension of physical time, its components are evaluated, and flrst consequences for SOSE are inferred. After abridging the \Proof-of-Concept" appliance (research toolkit aimed at \Whatif" scenarios for exploring homeostasis in benthic communities) the paper focuses on the difierent temporal dimensions (required by the system and by any perturbation triggering its evolution toward homeostasis) and on the temporal accessibility relations between the two Kripke worlds. Instead of premature conclusions, the paper ends with assumptions inferred from the \Proofof-Concept" application and suggestions to exploit other roots too.


Abstract : The Army Clerical Speed Test of the Army Classification Battery was revised in the spring of 1966 to make it scorable on the Digitek Optical Scanner. In the revised forms, called ACS-5A and ACS-6A, the response format of the Number Reversal part of the test (Part I) was changed by making the response boxes vertical instead of horizontal; to record his response, the individual makes a vertical line in the new form rather than a horizontal line as in the original format. The items remained identical and the sequence remained unaltered. Since the testis highly speeded, there was a question whether the mechanics of responding would affect the scores. Because of the similar score distributions found for the old and new ACS forms, no revision of the norms is required for the 5A and 6A forms. The decision was made to introduce the revised form operationally, and to use the norms that were published for the 3B and 4B forms.


sinus lactiferus ile devaml›l›k gostermekteydi. Meme bafl›n›n bazisinde annular ring hipoekojen olarak lumene doru uzanmaktayd›. Ayn› bolgede anekojen furstenberg vena halkas› ile meme bafl›n›n orta tabakas›nda, uzunluklar› boyunca seyir gosteren anekojen plexus venosus papillae damarlar› net bir flekilde gozlenebildi. Araflt›rmada gercek zamanl› ultrasonografinin meme lobu ve bafl›n›n fizyolojik ic yap›s›n›n ayr›nt›s›n› ortaya koyabildii goruldu. Bu sonuca gore ultrasonografinin, meme bafl›nda sut ak›fl›n› engelleyen stenozislerin ve dier anomalilerin teflhisinde, klasik muayene yontemlerinin yan›nda destekleyici bir metot olabilecei kan›s›na var›ld›. Ultrasonography of the bovine udder Abstract: The objective of the study was to determine the normal ultrasonographic appearance of mammary gland and teat of lactating cow. Mammary quarters were examined directly contact and in the water bath by a real-time 5-7.5 MHz linear array transducer connected to a real time ultrasound equipment. The data obtained by direct scanning and in the water bath were evaluated comparatively. The study was carried out a total of 150 teats and udders of the 50 cows brought to the Gynecology Clinic Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Selcuk. Ultrasonographically teat tissue is divided into 3 layers, a hyperechoic outer layer, a hypoechoic middle layer and more hyperechoic inner layer. The papillary duct and rosette of Furstenberg were monitered as hyperechoic. The teat sinus were observed as an anechoic area continuous with the gland sinus. At the base of the teat, the annular ring appeared as a hypoechoic structure extending into the lumen. The plexus venosus papillaris, in the middle layer of the teat, and the circulus venosus papillae, the annular fold area, were detected as sonographically anechoic. As a conclusion morphological structures of the bovine teat and udder can be differentiated with B-mode ultrasound. Diagnostic ultrasound can be recommended as an additional diagnostic tool for stenose and other abnormalities of the teat in dairy cows.


This course explores the epidemiology and biology of infectious agents and the diseases they cause. Through a theme-based, integrated approach, students learn about the epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevention, and control of bacteria, viruses, and eukaryotic parasites of public health importance. Emphasis is placed on epidemiological methods, routes of transmission, host-pathogen interactions


DFT based ab-initio simulations have been performed to study the effect of pressure on the elastic properties of monazite LaPO4 which is a promising host material for immobilization of high level nuclear waste. The phase is found to be stable up to 30 GPa. The calculated polycrystalline bulk, shear and Young moduli show an increasing trend as a function of pressure. The ductility and anisotropy in shear modulus of the material have been found to increase with pressure; whilethe bulk modulus anisotropy decreases with pressure.


This paper seeks to explicit the link between the institutional tendency towards the strong mayor model of political leadership and the shifting substance and nature of mayoral agendas and networks in localities from a (European) comparative perspective. It develops a plea for a more systematic research agenda in this field by outlining the potential of such an approach. In doing so, it theoretically draws on arguments stemming from the emerging body of literature that links local politics to new institutionalism. For empirical exploration, the article reconsiders quantitative data from a comparative project that studied mayoral leadership in 17 European countries. It concludes that institutional form matters for mayoral business orientation but is contingent upon leadership context and leader characteristics.


This study aims to inspect and critique the production of value in the Alberta Historical Resource Value (HRV) system based on its predisposition towards physical artefacts and lack of recognition of alternative ways of expressing heritage. The system of evaluation for historical value creates what can be described as a presence-absence model of archaeological significance that limits the ability for archaeologists to interpret and subjectively determine the historical value of materials. In addition, current systems often rely on a contractual relationship between archaeologists and industry to produce these reports, and rarely incorporate Indigenous perspectives of significance. With a focus on the assumptions and functional result of Historical Resource Impact assessments, we can examine the repercussions of the contemporary archaeological evaluative model within Alberta. A goal of this nascent assessment is to provide the opportunity for evaluation of a system that largely exists below the surface of public interest but has vast implications for future access to shared historical resources.


Aimed to realize deep-ultraviolet (DUV, λ < 200 nm) second harmonic generation (SHG), herein we systematically investigate the scheme for screening DUV nonlinear optical (NLO) material "genes" from traditional borates to hy-droxyborates. From our first-principles studies, it is demonstrated that, if hydroxyborate motifs can be aligned by reasonable layered crystallization types, the resulted crystal will exhibit potential DUV NLO capability. Guided by the theoretical analysis and prediction, two targeted hydroxyborates AEB8O15H4 (AE = Sr, Ca) are obtained in the experiments. Preliminary measurements including powder absorption spectra and SHG effects are in good agreement with our simulation results, well confirming our prediction that AEB8O15H4 (AE = Sr, Ca) would be the promising DUV NLO crystals with large bandgaps, strong SHG effects and sufficient birefringence. This work is the first demonstration that hydroxyborates can realize DUV SHG, which may bring new opportunities for finding DUV NLO materials in the hydroxyborate system.


We obtain exact formulas for the time-dependence of a few physical observables for the open XX spin chain with Lindbladian dynamics. Our analysis is based on the fact that the Lindblad equation for an arbitrary open quadratic system of NN fermions is explicitly solved in terms of diagonalization of a 4N\times4N4N×4N matrix called structure matrix by following the scheme of the third quantization. We mainly focus on the time-dependence of magnetization and spin current. As a short-time behavior at a given site, we observe the plateau regime except near the center of the chain. Basic features of this are explained by the light-cone structure created by propagations of boundary effects from the initial time, but we can explain their more detailed properties analytically using our exact formulas. On the other hand, after the plateau regime, the magnetization and spin current exhibit a slow decay to the steady state values described by the Liouvillian gap. We analytically establish its O(N^{-3})O(N−3) scaling and also determine its coefficient.


Through the A4 + B2 type Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction, hyperbranched polymers CP1, CP2, and CP3 were easily prepared, which exhibited high luminous efficiency in solution, neat film, and solid ...


Oncostatin M receptor (OSMR) shows frequent copy number gain and overexpression in advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We used cell‐based in vitro assays, RNA interference, and integrative gene expression profiling to investigate the functional significance of this observation. CaSki and SW756 were selected as representative cervical SCC cells that overexpressed OSMR, and ME180 and MS751 as cells that did not. The STAT‐dependent pro‐angiogenic factors VEGF‐A and ID1 were rapidly induced by OSM in CaSki/SW756 but not in ME180/MS751. However, rapid induction did occur in MS751 following forced OSMR overexpression, while depleting OSMR in CaSki abrogated VEGF‐A expression. Conditioned medium from both CaSki and SW756 stimulated endothelial tube formation in vitro, effects that were inhibited by depleting OSMR in the SCC cells. For both CaSki and SW756, migration in a wound healing assay and invasion through Matrigel were stimulated by OSM and consistently inhibited by OSMR depletion. The phenotype was rescued by transfection with OSMR containing a silent mutation that provided specific siRNA resistance. Overall, there was a positive correlation between OSMR levels and invasiveness. We used gene expression profiling to identify genes induced by OSM in CaSki/SW756 but not in ME180/MS751. The most prominent gene ontology category groups for the differentially expressed genes were cell motility/invasion, angiogenesis, signal transduction, and apoptosis. We also profiled 23 cervical SCC samples, identifying genes that were differentially expressed in cases with OSMR overexpression versus those without. Integration of the datasets identified 15 genes that showed consistent differential expression in association with OSMR levels in vitro and in vivo. We conclude that OSMR overexpression in cervical SCC cells provides increased sensitivity to OSM, which induces pro‐malignant changes. OSMR is a potential prognostic and therapeutic target in cervical SCC. The genes that mediate OSM:OSMR effects will be valuable indicators of the effectiveness of antibody blockade in pre‐clinical systems. Copyright © 2011 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The bryophytes found in an abandoned Carlin gold mine of Xingyi City,Guizhou Province were investigated in this study.According to field survey and identification of the bryophyte specimens,seven taxa in six genera of four families were found.Pottiaceae and Bryaceae were the dominant families and no Hepaticae and Anthocerotae was identified.The life-forms of the bryophyte were mainly short turfs(85.71%)and the others were wefts(14.29%).The dominant bryophytes are Barbula rigidula(Hedw.)Mild.,Bryum blindii B.S.G.,Trichostomu brachydontium Bruch.and Brachythecium perminusculum C.Muell.Of these species,the biomass range from 3.00to 52.40g/m2,with formed soil varying from 217.50to 3 695.80 g/m2,water holding capacity from 35.10to 684.30g/m2,and saturated water absorption ratio from 1 170.00% to 3 637.00%.These results indicate that the bryophyte crust found in the mine had great ability to absorb and reserve water and played an important role in soil formation,rock desertification control and ecological environment renovation in karst areas.


We consider the dimensions of a family of self-affine sets related to the Bedford–McMullen carpets. In particular, we fix a Bedford–McMullen system and then randomize the translation vectors with the stipulation that the column structure is preserved. As such, we maintain one of the key features in the Bedford–McMullen set-up in that alignment causes the dimensions to drop from the affinity dimension. We compute the Hausdorff, packing and box dimensions outside of a small set of exceptional translations, and also for some explicit translations even in the presence of overlapping. Our results rely on, and can be seen as a partial extension of, Hochman's recent work on the dimensions of self-similar sets and measures.


Book description: The National Food Survey is the longest running continuous household food survey in the world and provides a unique set of data on food consumption and expenditure. These edited proceedings of a symposium to mark 50 years of the Survey provide an historical insight, from its early days to the "consumption revolution". The first results of the Survey recorded an average diet in wartime Britain which was described as "wholesome, adequate and rather dull". Since then change has been radical. This book complements the annual reports and will be of interest to everyone involved in food consumption, nutrition, and household surveys.


This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant property of Chavir plant on Japanese quail intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Eighty, one-d-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly allotted to 4 treatments with 4 replicates and 5 chicks in each, using completely randomized design with 2×2 factorial arrangements including 2 levels of Chavir powder (0 and 1.5 percent) and CCl4 (0 and 1 ml/kg BW). The experimental period lasted 42 d and during this period feed and water were provided ad libitum. At the end of trial, birds (20 for each treatment) were bled through wing vein to determine blood parameters and hepatic enzymes. In addition, liver samples were taken for histology studies. Feed intake and body weight gain at different stages of experiment and feed conversion ratio throughout the experiment influenced by experimental treatments (P<0.05). The Chavir plant powder at the level of 1.5 percent significantly elevated blood serum total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol concentrations (P<0.05), but the increase of blood serum triglyceride and LDL-cholesterollevels were not statistically significant. CCL4 increased blood serum concentrations of AST, ALT and ALP hepatic enzymes (P<0.05), whereas the combination use of both Chavir powder and CCL4 ameliorated the adverse effects of CCL4 on AST and ALT liver enzymes (P<0.05). Histological results showed that Chavir plant powder can protect hepatic tissue against CCL4 poisoning. In general, this study showed that Chavir plant powder can reduce the effects of oxidative stress of CCL4.


Zalepidota piperis Rubs. (Diptera Cecidomyiidae) is a stem-gall former on Piper arboreum Aub. (Piperaceae) which occurs during spring in Rio de Janeiro Atlantic Forest. Eight inquilin species and four parasitoid species were also obtained from this gall. Dolichophaonia gallicola (Albuq.) (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae were frequently found inside the gall as inquilin species. The uncommon cecidogenous habit of this muscid species on Pteridium aquilinum Kunth (Pteridophyta), as recorded in the literature, is discussed.


Objective To investigate the effects of PGE1 on D-dimer in patients with acute pancreatitis(AP).Methods 65 patients with AP were randomly divided into 2 groups:PGE1 group 32 cases,control group 33 cases.Control group were treated with conventional therapy,in intervention group received PGE1 intravenous infusion(10 ug,once daily)in addition to conventional therapy.Before and after treatment of 1 week,the plasma levels of D-dimer was measured.Results The plasma levels of D-dimer in PGE1 group after treatment was significantly lower than control group after treatmen(tP0.01).Conclusion The PGE1 have treatment effert in AP patient circulatory disorder.


In this paper, the methods which ignite the self - propagating high-temperature synthesis are summarized. The conditions of thermodynamics and dynamics during burning process are analyzed. The situation of the research and application are generalized. The future developing prospect is introduced.


Spin-orbital coupling (SOC) and parity-time (PT) symmetry both have attracted paramount research interest in condensed matter physics, cold atom physics, optics and acoustics to develop spintronics, quantum computation, precise sensors and novel functionalities. Natural SOC is an intrinsic relativistic effect. However, there is an increasing interest in synthesized SOC nowadays. Here, we show that in a PT -symmetric pseudo spin-1/2 system (in other words, two-state system), the momentum-dependent balanced gain and loss can synthesize a new type of SOC, which we call imaginary SOC. The imaginary SOC can substantially change the energy spectrum of the system. Firstly, we show that it can generate a pure real energy spectrum with a double-valleys structure. Therefore, it has the ability to generate supersolid stripe states. Especially, the imaginary SOC stripe state can have a high contrast of one. Moreover, the imaginary SOC can also generate a spectrum with tunable complex energy band, in which the waves are either amplifying or decaying. Thus, the imaginary SOC would also find applications in the engineering of PT -symmetry-based coherent wave amplifiers/absorbers. Potential experimental realizations of imaginary SOC are proposed in cold atomic gases and systems of coupled waveguides constituted of nonlocal gain and loss.


Bi-level optimization, where the objective function depends on the solution of an inner optimization problem, provides a flexible framework for solving a rich class of problems such as hyper-parameter optimization and model-agnostic meta-learning. This work puts forth the first <bold>S</bold>tochastic <bold>B</bold>i-level <bold>F</bold>rank-<bold>W</bold>olfe (SBFW) algorithm to solve the stochastic bi-level optimization problems in a projection-free manner. We utilize a momentum-based gradient tracker that results in a sample complexity of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(\epsilon ^{-3})$</tex-math></inline-formula> for convex outer objectives and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(\epsilon ^{-4})$</tex-math></inline-formula> for non-convex outer objectives with strongly convex inner objectives. The stochastic compositional optimization problems (a special case of bi-level optimization problems entailing the minimization of a composition of two expected-value functions) are also considered within the same rubric. The proposed <bold>S</bold>tochastic <bold>C</bold>ompositional <bold>F</bold>rank-<bold>W</bold>olfe (SCFW) algorithm is shown to achieve a sample complexity of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(\epsilon ^{-2})$</tex-math></inline-formula> for convex objectives and <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mathcal {O}(\epsilon ^{-3})$</tex-math></inline-formula> for non-convex objectives, at par with the state-of-the-art rates of projection-free algorithms for single-level problems. The usefulness and flexibility of SBFW and SCFW algorithms are demonstrated via extensive numerical tests. We show that SBFW outperforms the state-of-the-art methods for the problem of matrix completion with denoising, and achieve improvements of up to 82% in terms of the wall-clock time required to achieve a particular level of accuracy. Furthermore, we demonstrate the improved performance of SCFW over the competing projection-free variants on the policy evaluation problem in reinforcement learning.


We consider here a few options to use relativistic laser plasmas for novel sources of short wavelength radiation. Electrons accelerated in underdense plasmas in the bubble regime wiggle in an ion channel. This leads to broadband incoherent synchrotron-like radiation bursts which are of femtosecond duration. The photon energies are in the kiloelectronvolt to megaelectronvolt energy range. However, this radiation is not coherent. To reach coherency, the electron bunch must have structure at the wavelength of the emitted x-rays. This can be achieved in principle by sending the laser-accelerated electron bunch through an external wiggler. However, to reach free electron lasing in the x-ray regime, the energy spread of the laser-accelerated electrons must be reduced dramatically. Another option is to use high harmonic generation at overdense plasma boundaries. The high harmonics are emitted in coherent sub-femtosecond flashes. The harmonic spectra decay as a power of the harmonic number, with an exponent that can be as low as −6/5. This can make the high harmonics potentially the brightest laser-driven short wavelength sources with unique properties.


The recent economic and financial crisis emphasized the vulnerabilities at international level and among them is the public debt. The aim of this paper is to analyse the debt Laffer curve for Romania's case to see if country suffer from debt overhang. Data on public debt for the period 2013-2014 showed that Romania is on the right side of the debt Laffer curve, far from the peak of debt beyond which we can talk about a shift on the wrong side of the curve.


The application of satellite navigation technoalogy to PDA(personal digital assistant)is studied.The extracting and transmitting of GPS satellite's signal and the format of the data communication between GPS receiver and PDA are mainly discussed.


Causes of forest diseases, their symptoms, effects on trees and mode of spread are described in order to enable foresters to report on them and send suitable material to the specialist for further investigation.


Four groups of young seedlings of Vicia faba L.were treated with 5,10,15 and 25 mmol/L Na2CO3 for 6 days,respectively.The fresh weight and dry weight,chlorophyll content and other physiological indices were measured.The main results showed that low concentration of Na2CO3 promotes the fresh weight and dry weight of Vicia faba L.,and high concentration of Na2CO3(25 mmol/L) inhibits its growth.Content of chlorophyll a,b,and a+b increased with the increase of Na2CO3 concentration.And then decreased under the treatment with 25 mmol/L Na2CO3.Chlorophyll a/b increased significantly,it reached the peak value at 15 mmol/L Na2CO3 concent and then decreased at 25 mmol/L Na2CO3 concent.


Objectives To determine the proportion of low back pain presentations that are admitted to hospital from the emergency department (ED), the proportion of hospital admissions due to a primary diagnosis of low back pain and the mean hospital length of stay (LOS), globally. Methods We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO and LILACS from inception to July 2022. Secondary data were retrieved from publicly available government agency publications and international databases. Studies investigating admitted patients aged >18 years with a primary diagnosis of musculoskeletal low back pain and/or lumbosacral radicular pain were included. Results There was high heterogeneity in admission rates for low back pain from the ED, with a median of 9.6% (IQR 3.3–25.2; 9 countries). The median percentage of all hospital admissions that were due to low back pain was 0.9% (IQR 0.6–1.5; 30 countries). The median hospital LOS across 39 countries was 6.2 days for 'dorsalgia' (IQR 4.4–8.6) and 5.4 days for 'intervertebral disc disorders' (IQR 4.1–8.4). Low back pain admissions per 100 000 population had a median of 159.1 (IQR 82.6–313.8). The overall quality of the evidence was moderate. Conclusion This is the first systematic review with meta-analysis summarising the global prevalence of hospital admissions and hospital LOS for low back pain. There was relatively sparse data from rural and regional regions and low-income countries, as well as high heterogeneity in the results.


Based on the explanation of the importance of culture ruins in brief,the relation between urban planning and culture ruins is analyzed,with the description of the functions and value about urban planning in excavation,explanation and protect of the culture ruins.And some references for the improvement of culture ruins protection and urban planning and design progressively are provided.


In this paper there are done these things: offered conception of quality of telecommunication services (QOS); made algorythm of analyzis, forecasting and synthesis QOS; analized value of QOS; selected measures for QOS; offered principles of forecasting QOS.


The testes are two glandular organs in the male reproductive system responsible for producing gametes called sperm and synthesizing androgen hormone called testosterone. The two functions of the testes are used as parameters for fertility and sexual performance in males. This paper presents the results of research to find plant-derived ingredients that are potential to treat disorders related to testicular function carried out in Indonesia in the last two decades. The inclusions criteria of the papers compiled are: containing the results of research conducted in Indonesia, by Indonesian researchers; have been published both in national and international journals that can be accessed using Google search engine. The results indicated there are numerous plant species that were revealed to have potentials to be developed as contraceptive or anti-fertility agent, pro-fertility ingredient and sexual activity enhancer herbs in males. Given fertility, infertility, and sexual behavior in males are all determined by the function of testes, it can be concluded that the Indonesian medicinal plants studied are containing active substance that have an effect on the testes.


The structure of thinking is a representation of the thought process in the form of a problem-solving flow that is carried out by a person when he resolves a problem. many students make mistakes in solving problems. One way that can be done to overcome these errors is to defragment the structure of thought. This study aims to describe the students' erroneous thinking structure in solving mathematical argument and the defragmenting efforts. The students of 10th Grade of high school in Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia, were involved as research subjects. They were selected based on three criteria, namely low, moderate and high level of procedural error. The activity of 'think out loud' was used to observe the errors made by students in solving mathematical argument. The data obtained from this activity were codified and later used as a basis to perform the defragmenting process. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that procedural errors in solving mathematical argument are in the form of error in determining the value of x from an equation, modeling an argument, and proving a valid argument. Defragmenting was done using scaffolding approach to improve students' thinking structure in solving mathematical problems


The secondary pore development zone is the base of seeking favorable exploration area in deep zone.Acidic formation water is the mainly medium for substance migration and energy exchange in oil and gas basin.Using the liquor which contains acetic acid simulate formation water,making corrosion experimental to feldspar sandstone of Jiyang depression under the high temperature and high pressure condition,and using scanning electron microscope、X-ray diffraction analysis apparatus proceed comparison test to experimental product.Experimental evidence:(1) Acetic acid has strong denudation to feldspar mineral under the high temperature and high pressure condition.(2) Plagioclase is more corrosive than potash feldspar.Unite exploration practice in the deep zone of Jiyang depression,think that,water consumption function of feldspar denudation leading rock porosity bigger in the deep zone,form the secondary pore,thereby improving reservoir quality in deep zone.At the same time,water consumption function is a driving force for oil and gas migration and forming reservoir.


It is assumed that variable fluid pressure states in space control the spatiotemporal evolution of hydrofracture, and their responses on mineralization. In this study, mineral precipitation caused by rapid fluid pressure reduction is incorporated into a cellular automaton model to explore the effects of various spatially structured fluid pressure rates on the behavior of hydrofracture and mineralization. We explore a range of spatial structures, which vary from essentially random to strong spatial structure. In the model, fluid pressure increase induces local hydrofracture to nearest neighbors, and fluid mass is conserved among the cell affected. As the model evolves, internally connected networks merge and a correlation length is established as the system approaches the failure condition and identifies the percolation threshold. The correlation length of the internally connected network scales with the degree of spatial structure of fluid pressure increase rates, resulting in earlier arrival to the percolation threshold for strong spatial structures. At the percolation threshold, large‐scale fluid pressure reduction induces mineral precipitation and facilitate the formation of the spatially structured geochemical patterns. The degree of spatial structure of geochemical patterns correlates with the spatial structure of fluid pressure increase rates because mineral precipitation from fluid pressure reduction occurs over larger scale. The proposed model offers an intuitive and potentially important tool for understanding the role of spatially structured fluid pressure increase and reduction on hydrothermal mineralization patterns in fault‐related ore systems.


A news report is a form of writer-reader negotiated meaning and contextual consideration of language, structure, and verbal codes. Thus, the study explored the various pragmatic acts performed in news reports on the abducted Chibok girls in Nigeria, especially the construction of acts or meaning through verbal codes. Using Mey's (2001) aspects of pragmatic acts as the theoretical framework undergirded the study, a total of thirteen (13) verbal reports were purposively selected from three Nigerian newspapers (The Nation, Daily Trust & The Punch) and analysed from the points of pragmatic acts, Searle's (1969) classification of Speech acts, implicature and presupposition. The study revealed that instantiated acts (practs) are pragmatically patterned to perform some acts of informing, reporting to the audience, stating the fact in the news reports on the abducted Chibok girls and playing some roles in social change. The study also revealed that The Nation, Dail Trust and The Punch deploy their news reports through implicit practs of castigating the spate of insecurity and condemning the ineptitude of security agents towards rescuing the abducted Chibok girls. The study also showed that the preponderant occurrences of factive presupposition were due to the fact that the assumptions being made about the news of the abducted Chibok girls are actual, real and easily embedded in the news report. The study concludes that Nigerian newspapers play a role in setting the boundaries of what is talked about; shaping social issues happening around the nation and exposing them to their readership.


The consequences of demographic aging in the United States are discussed in the context of two basic questions: "(1) will the aged population however defined have sufficient financial claims against the economys future output of goods and services to satisfy their basic needs and even enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of other segments of the population? and (2) will there be a sufficient quantity of goods and services to satisfy the material needs of the entire population?" (EXCERPT)


Measures of similarity are used to provide evidence in support of the conjecture that the presence and absence profile of a subset of volatile organic compounds found in urine differ between healthy (non-prostate cancer) male donors and prostate cancer donors.


Numerical method for determining response of elasto-plastic structure of finite number of degrees of freedom to dynamic loads by high speed digital computer; damping, either linear or nonlinear, may exist; method consists of numerical integration combined with matrix solution for elasto-plastic constraints; epecial case of multi-story elasto-plastic structure responding to lateral dynamic forces.


Survival and reproduction of the pine shoot beetle Tomicus piniperda (L.) was studied in field and laboratory experiments in Sweden with the aim of ascertaining whether the adults can hibernate twice and if they can reproduce after the second hibernation. After leaving the breeding material in summer, parent beetles as well as new‐generation adults were caged in crowns of healthy Scots pine trees. The number of beetles surviving the period of shoot feeding was recorded. These beetles were then placed in hibernation in a freezer while other groups of adults were allowed to hibernate in the field. After hibernation, all beetle groups were supplied with breeding material.


Objective To analyze the therapeutic effect of multiple plane staging operations on obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.Methods 50 patients with OSAHS in our hospital were selected to give multiple plane staging operations.First they were received nasal cavity restitution operation and then ablation with plasma radiofrequency and H-UPPP at the second stage.The symptoms,PSG and ESS were observed and contrasted before and after the treatment.Results The symptoms of apnea and snore vanished or decreased significantly in all patients after the treatment.The improvement of AHI,LSaO2 and ESS was obvious 6 ~ 12 months after the treatment(P 0.05).Conclusion The multiple plane staging operations can improve curative effect and reduce the occurrence of complications in the treatment of patients with OSAHS,so it's worth to widely applied in clinical use.


The capacitance transients caused by hole emissions from Fe-related deep levels were measured in GaAs and GaAs0.77P0.23 at different temperatures. Non-exponential transients were investigated under different conditions and found to relate to the alloy random effect. The transients were decomposed using a Laplace defect spectroscope (LDS). The three well-resolved sharp peaks in the LDS spectra of GaAs0.77P0.23 were assigned to the fine structures of the Fe-related deep levels. The activation energy differences of the fine structures were determined by linear fitting of the slopes of temperature dependences of hole emission rates. The results suggest that the local composition fluctuation in the nearest neighbors of Fe atoms is likely to be responsible for the fine structures.


Introduction: Transformation from chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm to acute leukemia is a feature of myeloproliferative neoplasm; however, the rate is not high. Transformation to acute promyelocytic leukemia is rare. Here, we report a case of transformation of polycythemia vera to acute promyelocytic leukemia and describe a process of clonal evolution that has not yet been reported. Patient concerns: In this case, a 51-year-old woman was diagnosed with polycythemia vera and concomitant JAK2/V617F mutations in July 2019. She underwent intermittent phlebotomy and oral hydroxyurea irregularly. After 2 years, the patient complained of fatigue and poor sleep quality for 2 months. Diagnosis: Further examination revealed marked hypercellularity and grade 1 bone marrow fibrosis with the PML/RARαV variant (23.85% mutation load), WT1-Exon1 (37.8%), WT1-Exon9 (4.1%), JAK3-Exon7 (49.3%), and RELN-Exon55 (45.8%). According to the World Health Organization classification of tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, the patient was ultimately diagnosed with a rare transformation of polycythemia vera to acute promyelocytic leukemia. Interventions: The patient underwent dual induction therapy with all-trans-retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide. Outcomes: After 28 days of induction therapy, the patient achieved complete remission, was compliant and the treatment was well tolerated. Conclusion: Polycythemia vera can transform into acute promyelocytic leukemia; therefore, it is important to review bone aspiration and other tests to perform a comprehensive assessment and monitor the disease status, to detect disease progression and intervene early when it transforms into acute promyelocytic leukemia.


The anlage of the liver of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., arises during the eleventh week, 4.0 mm. embryo, as a proliferation of entodermal cells from the ventral wall of the anterior intestinal region. This anlage soon takes on a double appearance caudally. In embryos of 12 to weeks (4.7 to 5.0 mm.) it consists of right and left primordia with a common ventral opening into the intestine. By 13 weeks (5.4 mm. embryo) the anlage has curved toward the left, a position assumed through the counter-clockwise rotation of the intestine. The cells are becoming arranged in cords. A subsequent clockwise rotation of the intestine, apparent first in embryos of 14 weeks (6.5 mm.), draws the anlage to a dextroventral position. By 16 weeks (8.5 mm.) the ductus choledochus enters the right side of the intestine; the anlage itself passes posteriorly along the ventral surface of the intestine then abruptly forward in the form of a hook to the right of the intestine. The liver cells are arranged as branching trabecula...


Background and Methods: This research analyzed the assessment of community organizations in efforts to accelerate the decrease of maternal and infant mortality rates (MMR and IMR). This was an explorative study using qualitative and quantitative data. It was conducted in four provinces: Central Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Central and East Java. In each province two districts were selected with criteria of high MMR and IMR, and low MMR and IMR. Result and Conclusion: Results showed that the roles of community organizations to accelerate the decrease of MMR and IMR limited in promoting and providing education to overcome four excesses (4 terlalu) and three delays (3  terlambat). The organizations considered these roles were not enough, and also the utilization of budget to these activities was not optimal. In the future the community organizations applying community participation should enhanced the members' senses of belonging by active participation in planning process starting from problems identification until factual contributions to achieve higher social concerns so that the five steps changing of an innovation could be achieved. Keywords: community organization, powerful community


Background Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) characterized by neovascularization of the optic disk, retina, and/or iris may be an aberrant attempt to alleviate hypoxia in eyes with severe capillary closure or other retinal ischemia. The new vessels grow perpendicular to the plane of the retina into the scaffolding provided by the vitreous cortex, typically from venules at the junction of the perfused and nonperfused retina. Objective This work aims to study the effect of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) versus intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (Avastin) before vitrectomy in the management of PDR. Patients and methods Our clinical study was conducted on 60 eyes in 40 patients with PDR with indications of vitrectomy (vitreous hemorrhage, tractional retinal detachment involving or threatening the macula, combined tractional/rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and fibrovascular membranes covering and distorting the macula, persistent macular edema with viteromacular traction) managed by parsplana vitrectomy after preoperative preparation by intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (Avastin) or PRP used as an adjunct was grouped into two groups: group A and group B; FFA was done previtrectomy for all cases. Results Intraoperative using of endodiathermy is reported as once in eight cases, twice in 15 cases, three times in seven cases in group A, while once in 14 cases, twice in six cases, and not used in 10 cases in group B. Intraoperative use of endolaser is reported as less than 1500 shoots in seven cases, and more than 1500 shoots in 23 cases in group A, while less than 1500 shoots in 29 cases, and more than 1500 shoots in one case in group B. Therefore, bevacizumab or PRP induces regression of active fibrovascular proliferation decreasing the extent of bleeding during tissue segmentation and delamination. The lesser intraoperative bleeding makes visualization of the surgical plane better, which in turn facilitates a precise separation of the proliferative tissue from the retina and helps avoid accidental retinal vascular damage and iatrogenic retinal breaks and make the surgery and the results better than conventional surgery (without using any adjuvants). Conclusion Use of both adjuvants before vitrectomy enhances the outcome of vitrectomy when best indicated rather than without using. The shorter time of surgery and less use of endodiathermy or endolaser is with the PRP group, although postoperative best-corrected visual acuity gaining is not significant. So, accurate clinical differences between two adjuvants need more researches.


Recently, naturally occurring amino acid based polymers have generated considerable interest
because introducing amino group in a polymer allows it to have certain flexibility which helps to
architect different morphology. In the present work I have studied controlled radical
polymerization (CRP) technique such as Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer
Polymerization (RAFT) for the synthesis of amino acid based cross-linked polymer gels, in
which primary amine functionality was protected with the Boc-group.

I have synthesized three sets of cross-linked polymer hydrogels from Boc-Ala-
HEMA using DEGDMA as cross-linker with the variation of [monomer] / [cross-linker] ratios
via RAFT polymerization method, followed by Boc group deprotection. Boc deprotection has
been achieved using different acids (TFA, HCl, HNO₃ and HOTf) with the aim of having
different counter aninons at the pendant amino acids of polyelectrolyte hydrogels. Hydrogels
showed highest swelling with TFA⁻ and lowest swelling with ⁻OTf counter anion. SRe also varied
with the variation of cross-linking ratios. The experimental observation for the water uptake ratio
of synthesized hydrogels is clearly substantiated from their highly porous morphology, which
changes with the monomer ratio as well as the acid used for deprotection. These smart hydrogels
will have wide potential applications in the fields of tissue engineering, Surface coating,
agriculture, and drug delivery.


ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore risk attitudes towards gambles involving housing and money in gain and loss domains for different payoff values. The analysis relied on the main tenets of the prospect theory, and risk behaviours were inferred from certainty equivalents. The study included a lab-in-the-field experiment conducted on a sample of 250 residents of Warsaw (Poland). The respondents were risk-averse in the gain domain and risk-seeking in the loss domain. The estimates for money and housing differed significantly due to the higher utility of the latter.


This study aimed to investigate the influence of the moment of salivary contamination during the bonding procedure (before or after acid conditioning) on the microleakage around composite resin restorations. Sixty bovine incisors received two Class V preparations (one with dentin margins and other with enamel margins). Teeth were randomly assigned into three groups (n=20): 1) control (not contaminated); 2) salivary contamination before etching with 34% phosphoric acid; and, 3) salivary contamination after acid etching. Cavities were restored using Prime & Bond NT (Dentsply) adhesive system and TPH Spectrum (Dentsply) composite according to manufacturer instructions. Teeth were thermocycled (500x, 5-55°C, 60s/bath), immersed in 2% methylene blue buffered solution (pH 7.0), and sectioned into two halves. Three examiners measured the extent of dye penetration on dentin and enamel margins in a stereoscope microscope, using four representative scores. Statistical analysis were performed with Kruskal-Wallis/Wilcoxon tests (α=5%). The results showed that enamel and dentin margins did not present significant differences (p>0.05). However, significantly higher dye penetration was observed on substrates etched and further contaminated with saliva. It was concluded that salivary contamination after acid etching increases the microleakage around composite resin restorations, especially at dentin margins. However, acid etching subsequent to the contamination can avoid negative effects on restorations margins.


The author describes her own positive experience of using a new innovation form of isotretinoin, the Acnecutan drug, for
the treatment of acne patients. The author provides the drug efficacy and tolerability assessment, describes the frequency
and intensity of adverse effects and discloses the methods for their prevention and elimination


Variable selection is a key factor in achieving reliable classification. One of the most commonly used traditional statistical methods of variable selection is the p-value test which for a logistic regression classifier, involves estimating the optimal value for the weights and also their accuracy. A corresponding method for the multilayer perceptron (MLP) is to select variables on the basis of a linearization of the network about sample operating points. As a result of this linearisation, we can call this class of methods sensitivity methods. In this paper it is shown that an extension of the p-value test to the MLP would not lead to a reliable method to identify the relative importance of different input variables for classification. The application of sensitivity methods to the MLP is reviewed by considering two possible implementations applied, first to the XOR problem with additional redundant inputs, and secondly to a real-world classification problem. It is concluded that sensitivity methods constitute a useful analogue to the p-value test for variable selection with the MLP. These methods have general applicability for variable selection in signal processing.


The penetration of plant tissues by probing aphid stylets is, in the vast majority of cases (Pollard, 1973), accompanied by the secretion of a proteinaceous sheath, composed of gelling saliva (Miles, 1959). This so called 'stylet track' remains within the plant tissue long after the aphid has withdrawn its mouthparts (Davidson, 1923), and thus provides a visual record (with the application of biological stains) of the stylet movements during plant penetration. Information regarding probing behaviour, rates of penetration, stylet pathways, saliva secretion, feeding site guidance and termination points, may help to eluCidate possible sites for virus acquisition and infection by aphid vectors and the mechanisms by which some plants are naturally resistant to aphid feeding, whilst others are severely damaged by their presence. Klingauf (1987) noted that the prevention of penetration is a major method by which plants defend themselves against aphid attack. Most work in this field is conducted using the light microscope (see Pollard, 1973 for list), together with the use of an appropriate histological stain. Excellent results can be obtained using this method (eg. Rawitscher, 1934) but the preparation procedures are often complex and extremely time consuming. Epifluorescence microscopy provides a valuable addition to this technique. The use of epifluorescence optics, accompanied by the application of a fluorochrome, can reveal details within a preparation that remain difficult to detect using transmitted light microscopy, especially in relatively thick hand sections. In addition, fluorochrome staining is performed by a very simple procedure, with surface fluorescence observations eliminating the requirement for thin sections and, therefore, elaborate fixation, dehydration, embedment and microtomy. The fluorochrome Auramine O has been previously suggested as a vital stain for both higher plants (Harris & Gates, 1984) and proand eukaryotic algae (Hawes & Davey, 1989). O'Brien & MCCully (1981) noted the infrequent use of specific fluorochrome reactions in plant histology and realised the need for many methods to be evaluated. This paper suggests the use of Auramine O for the observation of aphid stylet tracks within infested plant tissue.


Given the Indian block's ancient association with Gondwana and subsequent separation from Africa, then Madagascar, then the Seychelles, vicariance has often been invoked to explain the distribution of some of India's extant biota that might have had Gondwanan origins. Here I review phylogenetic studies and fossil data of Indian tetrapods to ascertain the contribution of dispersal and vicariance in shaping the assemblage. Paleogene dispersal into India accounts for almost all of the tetrapod clades in India. Vicariance is invoked for three groups, all fossorial; the caecilians, the frog family Nasikabatrachidae and the blindsnake family Gerrhopilidae. This review concludes that practically all of India's Late Cretaceous tetrapod fauna (of Gondwanan origin) was extirpated during the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction, which may have been exacerbated by the coeval volcanism associated with the emplacement of the Deccan Trap large igneous province. Subsequently, the tetrapod fauna was built up by incoming elements as India advanced towards Asia, docking with the continent in the Paleogene.


Cor triatriatum sinister (CTS) is characterized by the presence of a fibromuscular membrane dividing the left atrium into two chambers. The postero-superior and proximal chamber of CTS receives blood from four pulmonary veins, whereas the antero-inferior and distal chamber (true left atrium) connects to mitral valve and left atrial appendage (LAA). CTS can be classified into two types, complete and partial CTS. We reported a case of fetal autopsy-confirmed complete CTS that had been misdiagnosed as atresia of the common pulmonary vein on prenatal ultrasound. At 25 gestational weeks, fetal sonography revealed that the pulmonary venous angle on the top of the left atrium disappeared and no vertical vein was found around the common pulmonary venous cava formed by bilateral pulmonary veins. Thus, atresia of the common pulmonary venous cava was considered. Fetal autopsy after induction further confirmed the case was complete CTS.

Key words:
Cor triatriatum; Ultrasonography, prenatal; Pulmonary veins; Vascular malformations; Diagnostic errors


Corporate personality denial system is known as a remedial system for the various alienations of corporate personality independence.Being a supplementary corporate system,it needs further extending and explaning.Shareholder litigation representative system is necessary in protecting and maitaining this mechanism.It is concluded that corporate personality denial system should be well established in China.


A method and apparatus is provided for identifying imper fections in a perSon's facial, forearm or hand Skin and for recommending an appropriate remedial cosmetic. The method includes providing an apparatus having a program mable computer, a camera connected to the computer, at least one visible wavelength light Source for Separately generating at least two different color images and at least one ultraViolet wavelength light Source for an ultraViolet light image. Further, the method includes placing the ultraViolet and color images into a program of the computer and processing the images for pinpointing areas of skin requiring preventative treatment including those with skin damage. A remedial Set of cosmetic products can thereby be recom mended.


What are the main dimensions of competition between political parties in Romania? Is there a match of the electorate policy preferences with those of political parties? This paper analyzes what are the main dimensions of competition between parties in Romania by looking at the issue preferences of theparty in the electorate. We use data obtained from the voting advice application (VAA) applied in 2012 (votulmeu.com) in Romania. Finally we compare ourresults with Chapel Hill expert party mappings and claim that VAA data are a reliable source for finding out the programmatic peferences of party supporters.


Responding to requests by industry for greater emphasis on communication, engineering faculty are trying to incorporate writing assignments into their courses. Incorporating writing assignments into engineering courses often presents challenges for engineering faculty as far as the design, interactive teaching, and evaluation of those assignments. Here, the authors describe how they have worked together to develop and distribute a set of teaching materials that will help engineering faculty incorporate writing assignments into laboratory and design courses. The materials consist of: (1) a succinct and adaptable style guide; (2) a set of adaptable presentation visuals and their corresponding notes pages; and (3) a Web-based instructor's handbook.


This collaborative sound-video art project 'Nostalgica Utopica Futura' (inspired by Italian minimalist musical composer Luigi Nono) has one of the narratives of inspiration in historical, utopic id ...


Background The interpersonal, dialogic features of social networking sites have untapped potential for public health communication. We ran a Facebook advertising campaign to raise statewide awareness of Michigan's newborn screening and biobanking programs. Objective We ran a Facebook advertising campaign to stimulate public engagement on the complex and sensitive issue of Michigan's newborn screening and biobank programs. Methods We ran an 11-week, US $15,000 Facebook advertising campaign engaging Michigan Facebook users aged 18-64 years about the state's newborn screening and population biobank programs, and we used a novel "engagement spectrum" framework to contextualize and evaluate engagement outcomes ranging from observation to multi-way conversation. Results The campaign reached 1.88 million Facebook users, yielding a range of engagement outcomes across ad sets that varied by objective, content, budget, duration, and bid type. Ad sets yielded 9009 page likes (US $4125), 15,958 website clicks (US $5578), and 12,909 complete video views to 100% (US $3750). "Boosted posts" yielded 528 comments and 35,966 page post engagements (US $1500). Overall, the campaign led to 452 shares and 642 comments, including 176 discussing newborn screening and biobanking. Conclusions Facebook advertising campaigns can efficiently reach large populations and achieve a range of engagement outcomes by diversifying ad types, bid types, and content. This campaign provided a population-based approach to communication that also increased transparency on a sensitive and complex topic by creating a forum for multi-way interaction.


Electrically small antennas have been an important part of communications engineering since the beginning. Whether they are small compared to the extremely long wavelengths used at the lowest radio frequencies, or intended to save space in GHz-range wireless devices, the basic principles are the same. This tutorial will review those principles, with primary attention to describing the performance tradeoffs of small size.


Hong Kong Theatre director Edward Lam has established close association with an ensemble of Taiwanese actors, collaborating on almost every production since Madame Bovary is Me (Baofali furen men, 2006) and touring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Mainland China. This article
 examines Lam's unique working pattern through the analysis of Art School Musical (Successors to Liang and Zhu, Liang Zhu de jichengzhe men, 2014), the 54th production by the Edward Lam Dance Theatre (ELDT). Inspired by the famous Chinese legend The Butterfly Lovers
 (Liang Shanbo yu Zhu Yingtai), Lam created a postdramatic musical as a Bildungsroman in a format of classroom drama. The love story underwent a poetic transformation through the lyrics and music. The ELDT version of the Liang-Zhu legend carries Lam's criticism of the stereotypes
 assigned to young people in patriarchal societies and allows him to elevate the love story into an allegory of one's quest for the meaning of life.


INTRODUCTION Interpersonal and communication skills make or break your career success in the office of the future according to conclusions drawn from research conducted by Office Team, an international staffing firm. Office Team reports that by 2005 technology's transformation of the workforce will not only place a premium on technical competencies, but strong people skills will be needed (TMA Journal, 1999). Netzley (1999) comments that today's graduates are heading into a dramatically different workplace. He suggests to succeed in a knowledge-intensive environment, employees must work cooperatively, generate and archive knowledge, and communicate effectively. These facts are not too surprising since major advances in cellular telephone, e-mail, audio and video teleconferences, and digital communication devices will require users to posses effective verbal and writing communication skills. Higher order communication skills are discussed by Sandra Allen (1999). Ms. Allen states that experience and know how are important to gaining a position, but it is only the beginning when it comes to effectiveness on the job. She suggests that 'negotiating savvy, gaining recognition for your recommendations, and managing emotions during conflict' are important to the success of a manager. The word, communication, comes from the Latin word, communicatus, which means 'to make common.' The dictionary defines communication as 'fostering understanding' (Bethel, 2000). Since 80 percent of a managers time is spent communicating (Polloch, 1999), it is expected that all employees should be able 'to make common' or 'foster understanding' through their written or oral skills. What communication skills are needed by today's workforce? Which communication skills are or will be the most valuable skills for the future? Messmer (1999) concludes that technology innovations will continue to provide the opportunity for workers to communicate more rapidly, more often, and with greater numbers of people. Peggy Lee, Senior Director of Child Nutrition Services for Norfolk Virginia Public Schools reflects on communication skills in her office. She states that, "computers and word processing programs seem to have given college students a false sense of security about their writing, specially in the areas of spelling and grammar." Ms. Lee checks all printed materials leaving her office. She states: "Now I realize that spelling and writing don't come naturally to everyone. But if an employee lacks skills in these areas, that employee should at least be aware of it." Ms. Lee has referred employees who have serious written communication problems to adult education programs (Schuster, 2000). An article in Business Communication Quarterly by Waner (1995) emphasizes that the need for excellent communication skills in the workforce is mentioned in many research projects, but the research does not state which skills should receive the most emphasis. Although her sample was small and could not be generalized, her research can serve as a basis for general understanding of the most important communication skills needed in the workplace. The writing skills which rated at the top of the list include: writes well, writes confidentiality, organizes information, edits and revises documents, writes naturally, writes on the readers level, and uses effective techniques in writing reports. Oral and interpersonal skills considered important were listening effectively, maintaining eye contact, and using voice effectively. Goby and Lewis (2000) report that listening is one communication skill that is often overlooked. They suggest that listening could be described as the 'neglected skill because of its absence from business communication courses.' Wolf (1996) states that communication by telephone, video conference, and in person requires effective listening and speaking skills if total communication is to be achieved. …


Strengthening of youth-oriented reproductive and sexual health services requires an understanding of the population at risk and their patterns of behaviour. Seasonal clustering of the timing of premarital sexual initiation is a relatively unexplored domain especially for developing countries. This study examined seasonality of first intercourse and associations of selected socio-demographic characteristic among youth in Brazil. Multiple logit regression models were applied to data from the 1996 Demographic and Health Survey which included information on month and other attributes of first intercourse among girls and boys ages 15-24. Results revealed a notable peak in summertime first sex for both genders. Little influence of seasonality was found on the likelihood of contraceptive use at sexual initiation. Sexual health education programmes outside of the school setting as well as school-based programmes occurring towards the end of the academic year would appear to be more relevant for promoting delayed sexual activity. (authors)


To say we are living in 'unprecedented times' has, in the last two years, become trite or banal. Yet, while the coronavirus that spread in early 2020 was novel, as the articles in this special issue demonstrate, the way the subsequent pandemic fundamentally challenged our understandings of the appropriate design, governance and inhabitation of the built environment, was far fromunprecedented. Adopting a historical perspective, each of the following articles analyses how amajor event such as fire, war or disease, shifted the interactions between public health and the built environment.


Existing circuit topologies for VSC-HVDC power transmission fall into two distinct categories. In the first category, low-pulse-number converters are used, employing large numbers of IGBTs in series in each valve, with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). The second category, known as the M2C topology, uses a "Multi-Level" approach to achieve very high pulse numbers. However, recent research work has highlighted a number of interesting possibilities for a new family of converters for use in VSC-HVDC schemes, combining the advantages of both approaches. The new converters rely on using a combination of IGBT valves using series-connected IGBTs and multilevel converters based on individual and isolated half-bridge and full-bridge submodules ("cells") which provide a "wave-shaping" function. Several options are possible, where the multilevel cells are connected in series or parallel with series IGBT "Director" valves and with the multilevel cells on either the AC or DC side of the converter. (5 pages)


The Pittsburgh Survey represents one way of studying family life in an industrial and urban community. The method of personal observation by an individual investigator is obviously inadequate to such an undertaking. Life is too short, prejudices too ineradicable, individual qualifications too specialized, the personal equation too disturbing, to permit any single individual however gifted to see for himself the community as a whole, and to measure the influences and forces that shape the family destiny. The writer who boasts that he has known many cities, if by that he means that he has known them intimately by the method of first-hand observation, invites distrust. The Chicago stockyards district alone, or the lower East Side of New York, or the Pittsburgh steel district, affords a problem too comnplex and difficult for any single-handed observer and reporter of social conditions. Individual inquiry and personal interpretation have brought us a certain distance but they cannot take us much farther. Their limitations have suggested the plan which we have tried in the experiment the results of which you have asked us to lay before you. That plan is in a word to organize a staff to survey the community as a whole, a group working under common direction, and rapidly enough so that the results refer to a particular period and to relatively definite conditions which can be clearly described. Whether in this first experiment we have succeeded is of course still to be determined, bult this was the underlying idea of the Pittsburgh Survey. In attempting thus to reckon at once with the many factors of the life of a great industrial community, we may not have been able to go so deeply into most of them as, for example, special inquiries have gone into tuberculosis, child labor, housing, or the standard of living; although on the other hand we may have gone into others, such as the cost of typhoid, the effect of industrial accidents, the status of the steel workers,


Reservoirs are building worldwide for the rational usage of water resources. Engineers create reservoirs for redistribution of runoff both in seasonal and multi-annual regime. The duration of stay of river water in slow water exchange condition is one of the major factors which influences the transformation of the river water and the formation of water resources, which are specific to reservoirs. External water exchange of reservoirs is one the major hydrological and hydro-ecological characteristics. Value of water exchange defines the formation of water mass with determinate properties. Identification of the characteristics intensity of external water exchange of reservoirs allows to make an estimation of the processes under way in the system "river-reservoir" and to decide limnological tasks taking into account the change of climate. The definition of the typical differences taking into account anthropogenic interference in these conditions is especially valid.


Africans hardly goes beyond the siren of common racism. Frenchmen (and women) behaved badly because they could, and because—on the Congo–Ocean project—they were literally moving mountains on the cheap, and on the backs of whipped Africans. Daughton's exposé (following those of Gide and others), for the most part a straight narrative, is arresting in its critique of French mismanagement and structural racism and important more as a careful summary than as an example of pathbreaking new research.