By introducing independent parameters,applying the way of weight functions and using technique of real analysis,an equivalent connection of two kinds of Hilbert-type integral inequalities with the homogeneous kernels and the non-homogeneous kernels is provided.Furthermore,we define equivalent Hilbert-type integral operators and obtain the norms of some operators in particular kernels.


WISDOMI AND KNOWLEDGE. "Withi all becoming deference," says Dr. Latham, " to those who so loudly trumpet forth the praises of knowledge, and fright the trembling student with a portentous array of the wonderful things he has to learn, I would venture to crave some little regard for what is not so much as named by them, but what is pre-eminently more important than knowledge itself. I mean wisdom, as a thing distinct from knowledge, but not opposed to it; requiring, indeed, knowledge to work upon, but taking care to proportion that knowledge to the real end which itself (wisdom) has in view. I marvel that this wisdom is not enumerated among the ingredients of the physician's character, since it is conspicuously the chief of all." "If we content ourselves," says Harvey," vwith the observations of otbers, the sprightly edge of our own wit will languish, and we extinguish the lamnp which they liglhted to our hands. It is those wlho follow nature's conduct with their own eyes (sometimes through a perplexed yet faithful tract) wlho attain the highest pitch of truth." " Let us bluslh, he observes, " in this so ample and wonderful field of nature, where performance still exceeds what is promised, to credit other men's traditions only. Nature herself must be our adviser. The path she chalks must be our walk. Wlhile we confer with our own eyes, and take our rise from meaner things to higher, we shall at length be received into her closet secrets. For nature being divine and perfect, is always non annrit to herself." wDxra **Pc+mnnrnication~~~.


spective randomized clinical trial targeting patients with severe abdominal septic shock. This study, called EUPHAS, represented the turning point in the history of this therapy, demonstrating for the first time a significant reduction of 28-day mortality and a reduction of SOFA scores beyond any expectation. The subsequent evolution of this important achievement has been the generation of new prospective trials, both in the USA and Europe, waiting for confirmatory findings and possibly suggesting the application of the technique in a larger spectrum of patients. This special issue of Blood Purification represents a compendium of the available information on PMXDHP therapy. The authors of the published papers participated as faculty members in the 2013 International Vicenza Course on Critical Care Nephrology. They presented their experience and available evidence concerning the different studies and the possibility for future applications of the therapy. We are grateful to Karger for making this publication with the usual professional quality, to the authors for preparing a series of outstanding manuscripts, and to Toray Medical Co. Ltd., Estor S.p.A. and Ferrer Farma, for providing an unrestricted grant for the preparation of this issue. We are confident that the present collection of papers will represent an important tool for education and a remarkable clinical support for professionals involved in the daily care of the critically ill patients. Claudio Ronco , Vicenza Antonio Artigas , Sabadell Massimo Antonelli , Rome Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the cellular wall of Gram-negative bacteria, also known as endotoxin, is a key molecule in the pathogenesis of sepsis and septic shock. In clinical studies, circulating endotoxin levels have been shown to correlate with the severity of illness documented by different scores, the onset of organ dysfunction, the number of organs involved in the syndrome, and the length of stay and mortality in intensive care unit patients. Several attempts have been made to neutralize circulating LPS and its pathophysiological consequences but results have been discouraging. In the last decade, the role of extracorporeal endotoxin removal by selective hemoperfusion has raised its clinical relevance. Significant LPS removal was obtained in different studies by a polymyxin-B-coated polystyrenic sorbent incorporated in hemoperfusion cartridges (PMX-DHP). The pathophysiological rationale is to bind and neutralize LPS from whole blood, thus reducing the pathological cascade normally following monocyte recognition, complement expression and endothelial/coagulation activation. An important body of evidence emerged showing that an endotoxintargeted therapy could significantly influence the course of the septic cascade. Nevertheless, studies were mostly observational and were largely carried out in Japan in small populations. Large clinical trials and clinical evidence beyond physiological rationale and anecdotal results were lacking. After a thorough analysis of the literature, a European consortium decided to start a proPublished online: January 20, 2014


In this paper we are interested in investigating well-posedness for Vector Quasi-Variational Inequalities ((V Q), for short), in line with Tikhonov well-posedness for Optimization Problems and Non Cooperative Games (first investigated in [26], in [5], in [22]) and Variational Inequalities (see [10] and [18]). The interest in this study is motivated by recent results on well-posedness for Multicriteria Games and Quasi-Variational Inequalities. In fact, while in scalar case a Quasi-Variational Inequality can be equivalent to a social Nash Equilibrium Problem [3], a Vector Quasi-Variational Inequality can be equivalent to a multicriteria game. Well-posedness for multicriteria games has been recently introduced


Using new documents of the Kem spiritual collegium, the institution of deans in the Kola North with its specific features has been studied for the first time. The large territory of the Kola Peninsula that was part of the Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory dioceses had the only one deanery district due to few parishes at the beginning of the XIX century. The everyday life of a local dean was filled with bureaucratic correspondence with the spiritual collegium. The dean took multi-day trips to inspect parish churches located at a great distance from each other and that was a difficult task for him in the conditions of the Kola North. The duties of the Kola dean, like in the other diocesan districts, were numerous but he could not always adhere to the recommendations prescribed by the ecclesiastical authority in the all-Russian instructions and fulfill its requirements in a timely manner. The absence of any state financial support to the deanery service in the Kola North significantly complicated and limited the activities of the dean. The personal qualities of a priest appointed by the bishop to this responsible position were of great importance and largely determined the effectiveness of the established system of control over local parish communities. The information found in the course of the study is important for understanding the development of parish life in the north-western outskirts of the Russian state in the early XIX century.


existence of a society possessing an element of culture capable of being shared, but it requires the existence of a second society that willingly or unwillingly, deliberately or accidentally abandons traditional ways for new ways. Ottoman Turkey, an Empire controlling most of the Balkans as well as present-day Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Egypt, was in the late eighteenth century embarking on a program of westernization. Stung by successive defeats at Russian hands in the mid-eighteenth century, Sultan Selim III (1789-1807), an admirer of French civilization, was particularly interested in those western ideas that might strengthen his Empire militarily. Accordingly he opened military schools, imported European military advisers and reorganized his fleet. Members of the "old guard," supported, if not led, by the Janissaries who had long since lost their capacity for waging victorious war, resisted these modest efforts at reform. Not until the Janissaries further lost prestige in their failure to suppress the Greek drive for independence was Mahmud II (1808-39) able to break their power. After the ruthless massacre of the Janissaries in 1826 he broadened the reform program. Administrative reforms were instituted to concentrate power and responsibility in the central government, a civil service was created, medical schools were organized, and selected students were sent to western Europe to study.2 The first Americans to make contact with Turkey were New England ship captains who commenced trading at Smyrna in the 1780s. The trade grew so slowly that the first American vessel did not reach Constantinople until 1800, and even Smyrna, the principal port, received but thirteen American ships a year on the average prior to 1820. The


In the research of intrusion detection there are so manyattacks in the real life and some IDS System to detect it like network-based IDS, host-based IDS and application-based IDS to detect the Intrusion. In this paper, one frame work is introduce to detect an intrusion data with the help of data mining, a framework for intrusion detection system for filtering data set to network attacks. We also talk about the basic data mining technology for finding intrusion data for the data set. Detection in the field of data mining for intrusion detection. We also discuss some of the common algorithms for intrusion detection, such as decision trees, Naive Bayes, Naive Bayes (CFSGSW), NBTree improved adaptive NBTree it.


The invention relates to a control method for suppressing sub-synchronous resonance of a wind power station series compensated transmission system, and particularly provides a sub-synchronous resonance control method based on a high-power power electronic converter. According to the invention, series compensated line current signals or series compensated capacitive voltage signals are measured at first to act as input signals, sub-synchronous voltage reference signals are acquired through signal processing, the sub-synchronous voltage reference signals are inputted into a high-capacity power electronic converter so as to generate actual sub-synchronous voltage, and the sub-synchronous voltage is coupled to the series compensated transmission system through a transformer which is connected to the series compensated line in series. Therefore, the power electronic converter is equivalent to a pure resistor connected in the line in series at the sub-synchronous frequency where resonance occurs, and resonance energy is consumed, and SSR (sub-synchronous resonance) is suppressed; and the power electronic converter is equivalent to a short circuit at the power frequency, and the power frequency operating state of the system is ensured to be constant.


Background Proximal phalangeal fractures are caused by an injury to the dorsum of the hand. This usually causes volar angulation which is unstable when reduced. K-wiring or external fixation can damage the soft tissue envelope, can introduce infection and can loosen or displace. Traction splinting is not well described for these fractures. Objectives Functional and radiographic assessment of all patients with proximal phalangeal fractures treated with traction splinting. Methods Theatre records were examined for relevant injuries over a 2 year period. These patients were then assessed using a QuickDASH score, a questionnaire specific to traction splinting and with pre-op, intra-op, post-op and follow-up radiographs. Results A total of 7 patients were treated with traction splinting, all by the senior author (FJS). Clinical follow was 16 months (range12-20). QuickDASH scores were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2.5, 25/100. With regard to work (n=6), all patients but one scored 0/100 for disability with one patient describing mild work related difficulties. Those participating in sports/performing arts (n=6) scored 0/100. There were no finger-tip pain or numbness issues. Finger length perception was satisfactory in all patients. The splint slipped in 3 patients, secondary to horse riding, showering and through scratching. Two patients reported having a measurable loss of motion in the affected digit (follow-up 18 and 20 months), both with mild functional deficit. Radiographic outcomes showed that traction achieved acceptable length restoration, with no angular deformities. Finger length was maintained in all but one patient who had a shortening of 3.2mm. Conclusions Traction splinting is a non-invasive, safe and inexpensive method of treating proximal phalangeal fractures. Results of our follow-up study show excellent functional and radiographic outcomes with minimal long term morbidity for this treatment option.


Empirical Methods in AI gives researchers and practitioners a good introduction to exploratory data analysis (EDA), hypothesis testing, computer-intensive methods, and statistical techniques based on linear regression. The book motivates readers to use statistical techniques, which are explained through a large number of detailed examples. The basic ideas and the formulas one should use are explained, but the technical details were left to appendices and to other books. The practitioner will nd cookbook-style procedures that can be easily understood and utilized, but mathematically inclined readers will not nd any proofs of correctness nor a concise formal speci cation of the assumptions required to justify correctness of the procedures. Cohen (1991) surveyed the Eighth National Conference on Arti cial Intelligence (AAAI-90) and concluded that the methodologies used are incomplete with respect to the goals of designing and analyzing AI systems. Tichy, Lukowicz, Prechelt & Heinz (1995) showed in a very large study of over 400 articles that research papers in Computer Science are rarely validated with experimental results. More recently, and perhaps more appropriate for readers of this journal, Prechelt (1996) showed that the situation is not better in the neural network literature. Out of 190 articles published in well-known journals dedicated to neural networks, 29% did not employ even a single realistic or real learning problem. Only 8% of the articles presented results for more than one problem using real world data. While Prechelt (1996) only looked at whether comparisons were done, Cohen went a step further and described how to design good experiments. He wrote that \books like this one encourage well-designed experiments, which, if one isn't careful, can be utterly vacuous. This is a danger, not an inevitability. Knowing the danger, we can avoid it" (p. 103). As the title of the book implies, examples from Arti cial Intelligence are used throughout the book. The common urn and coinip examples from introductory Probability and Statistics textbooks were replaced by AI planners, expert systems, message understanding systems, and natural language problems. We see


CEVIA var den 13. maj vaert for en mini-WTO conference: "The New Trade World Order – the Post-Bali WTO Agenda in Light of the Regional and Sectoral Agreements".


The addition of fibers to cementitious composites can provide improved ductility, energy dissipation, and resistance to cracking. However, it is also important to minimize residual deformations and provide crack-closing capabilities when the material is subjected to cyclic loading. In this study, the behavior of mortar mixtures with randomly distributed superelastic shape memory alloy fibers was investigated. Superelastic shape memory alloys are metallic alloys that possess unique characteristics such as the ability to undergo large deformations, excellent re-centering ability, and good energy dissipation capacity. To study the impact of shape memory alloys as a viable alternative to conventional fiber-reinforced cementitious composites, shape memory alloy fiber–reinforced mortar beam specimens with varying fiber volume fractions were prepared and tested under cyclic flexural loading. Digital image correlation method was used to measure full-field deformations and monitor the damage evolution on the surface of the specimens. Test results were analyzed in terms of flexural strength capacity, mid-span deflection, crack width, fiber distribution, and re-centering and crack recovery ratios for each specimen. Results indicate that the addition of shape memory alloy fibers to mortar composites can enhance flexural strength and ductility while providing re-centering and crack recovery capabilities at large deformation levels.


Electrooptical sensors, when used to track space objects, are often used to produce detections of space objects for some orbit determination scheme. Instead, this paper proposes a series of methods to use electrooptical images directly in orbit determination. This work uses the signal-to-noise ratio optimal image filter, called a matched filter, to search for partially known space objects. By defining a metric for measuring matched filter template similarity, a bank of matched filters is efficiently defined by partitioning the prior knowledge set. Once partitioned sets are known, the matched filter bank can be localized to regions of the sky. A method for hypothesis testing the result of a matched filter for a space object is developed. Finally, a framework for orbit determination based on the matched filter result is developed. Simulation shows that the analytic results enable a better framework for implementing matched filters for low-signal-to-noise ratio object detection.


In the license plate localization system,according to the impact of these factors that the image of complex background,vehicle own lamp or mark,an algorithm about preliminary positioning and precise positioning of vehicle license plate is presented.First of all,after gray level transformation,gray stretching and edge detection of the license plate image,it can use morphological operation and the proportion of the width and height of the license plate to position the license plate area preliminarily.Then,it uses the projection method to determine horizontal edge and vertical edge based on preliminarily positioning image to get the exact license plate area.The method can remove interference factors effectively,so as to achieve the purpose of precise license plate location.


In this issue of the The Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, Freeman (pages 337-339) reports the results of his retrospective chart review of 100 patients admitted to the medical teaching unit at a teaching hospital. The article focuses on potential deficiencies in the admitting physical examinations and their documentation, and thus lends itself to an exploration of potential educational interventions that could remedy these deficiencies. At least four areas of concern are raised by this article, and there is little reason to believe that the results reported would differ in any other hospital setting. The first deficiency was the apparent quality of the rectal examinations that were actually performed. This study confirms an impression that, for medical students and residents, the main focus of the rectal examination appears to be the evaluation of the stool for overt (or occult) blood. The written assessment often fails to include important aspects of the examination, including inspection of the perianal area, rectal tone, prostate, masses and anatomical abnormalities such as rectoceles. This problem can be corrected by teaching a systematic approach to the rectal examination, as is done for other parts of the physical examination such as the cardiac examination. This can proceed as follows: inspection, followed by palpation of anterior, posterior and luminal structures, ending with a neuromuscular assessment of the area. A systematic approach is the best way to make this examination complete on a routine basis. The second area of concern, which warrants intervention, is to enhance the quality of the documentation, which was also clearly problematic in this study. The educator's perspective is that we need to focus on the principle of repetition, starting at the clerkship level and continuing throughout training, which should come from the attending physician's involvement and attention to proper documentation. This is the best way to ensure that quality documentation becomes engrained in the cognitive framework that surrounds the history and physical examination. A similar process needs to take place in order to correct the third and perhaps most potentially damaging problem of obtaining and documenting nurses' involvement in these delicate examinations. Again, it is only through attentive repetition that this important matter may be engrained in the trainees' practice. Were the endpoints of the study relevant? Great emphasis was placed in the study on the percentage of actual rectal, pelvic and breast examinations performed. This is a matter of debate, but it is possible to disagree with the blanket statement that these examinations are mandatory for all admissions to hospital. Physical examination is a test like any other, and should be done only if it is relevant to the presenting problem at hand. The counter-argument can be made that these examinations are part of the current screening guidelines for various cancers. In that context, examinations are used as screening tools, and although they are central to primary care, they may not be viewed as quite so important to a busy internal medicine team doing several admissions


Using typical sets of numerical parameters under characteristic laser beam propagation conditions, focused beam spreading induced by atmospheric turbulence and thermal blooming is analyzed by numerical simulation. In the analysis of the combined effect, we assume that the thermal blooming effect arises in consequence of the increase in beam radius induced by atmospheric turbulence and beam jitter. The scaling relations between the laser propagation effects and characteristic parameters describing the propagation in atmosphere are obtained. Based upon these relations, we can efficiently estimate atmospheric propagation effects and learn the performance of a particular system design under various environmental conditions, as well as conduct laser system design optimization.


We need resilient plans in place to fight global pandemics such as COVID-19 National and international pandemic planning requires coordinated efforts from gove


Listed here are exceptional online reference sources available for your use. These are general reference materials. For more subject specific reference materials click on the tab Subject Reference Sources. Locate information about individuals and organizations.


In this paper, we develop a control of a redundant robot manipulator. That has to carry out a trajectory tracking in operational space while avoiding an obstacle. For this purpose, extended Jacobian method is used. The Self-motion vector is introduced at the level of the inverse kinematic solution in order to produce the obstacle avoidance (the secondary task). Thus, robot avoids obstacles without influencing the main task (trajectory tracking). The self-motion is computed from the optimization of scalar function depending on an anti collision constraint. Finally, this control method has leaded to a trajectory tracking in Cartesian space while avoiding the obstacle.


We introduce a new scheme for building three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits (ICs) based on the layer transfer of completed devices. We demonstrate for the first time that the processes required for stacking active device layers preserve the intrinsic electrical characteristics of state-of-the-art short-channel MOSFETs and ring oscillator circuits, which is critical to the success of high performance 3D ICs.


In this paper, the group synchronization code (length n = 60 bit) of the TIROS Satellite was analysed. It seems to us the code isn't optimization. A series of optimum group sync codes (n = 60) have been searched out with error tolerance E = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10, 12. Their error sync probabilities are less than the error sync probability of the TIROS code (from two times to two order of magnitudes about). These optimum or qansi-optimum codes will be presented for application in the second generation of the Meteorological Satellites of China. KEY WORDS, Optimum Code, Group Synchronization Code, Error Synchronization Probability. INTRODUCTION The group sync code (length n = 60 bit) of the information transmission system of the TIROS Meteorological Satellite (USA) is as following, 1010,0001,0001,0110,1111,1101,0111,0001,1001,1101,1000,0011,1100,1001,0101. By hexi-decimal signs, this pattern can be abbreviated to ""A116,FD71,9D83,C95". The mane of this code is signed to S in this paper. J Is this a optimum group sync code? That is a valuable or interest question. When n = 60 bit, the number of binary codes (N = 2 -1 = 2 -1 . 1.152921504E+18) is n 60 very large. Under existing calculation speed of digital computer, it is very hard to use the classical exhaustion technique for searching out the optimum group sync code in such [1] great set of binary codes. Which like to fish for a little pin in the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, the code length (n = 60) is very near to the word length of m sequences 63 (n=63), so that we can try to use a confined exhaustion method for searching out quasioptimum or suboptimum code within the bounds of several smaller sets of the truncated (or cut-short) codes from the m sequences. Thereby, the work toad for searching the quasi63 optimum or suboptimum group sync codes will be decreased in greatly. A SHORT CUT Just as an old Chinese saw was said. "Would rather coming home to weave a fishing nets than standing along the sea coast to envy the fishes". We can find a way after all. The m sequences have three primitive polynomials as following, 63 f ( x ) = x +x +x +x+1 (1) 1 6 5 2 f ( x ) = x +x +1 (2) 2 6 5 f ( x ) = x +x +x +x+1 (3) 3 6 4 3 Based on these polynomial and by a repeating technique, one by one, step by step, to alternately cut out 3 bits from the m sequences (n = 63 bit), then we can get a set of the 63 truncated codes of length n = 60 bit. The total sum of these truncated codes is 189 (63x3). For distinction, among the mentioned above 189 truncated codes, the first set of 63 codes do be signed as S which are generated by f (x), and the second set of 63 codes do i/I 1 be signed as S which are generated by f (x), and the third set, S , by f (x). In S , S i/II 2 i/III 3 i/I i/II and S , i (the order number of truncated codes) = 1, 2, 3, 4,...,63. i/III For comparison, under the bit error probability P = 0.1 and the error toelrance E = o 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 10,12 separately, the error sync probabilities of mentioned cut-short codes have been calculated by computer progrom according to the formula (4) . Where E = number of error tolerance P = the probability that the element of group sync code will be changed by noice o R(K) = agreement vector n = the length of group sync code. RESULTS AND COMPARISON Among the above mentioned 189 cut-short codes, according to their error sync probabilities P from small to large sequencely, under E = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 up to E = 10 f2 and 12, the first good code (the best code) are S , and the S (i.e TIROS group sync 16/II 21/I code) is No.156 (at E = 1) No.149 (at E = 2), No.149 (at E = 3), No.143 (at E = 4), No.149 (at E = 5), No.137 (at E = 6), No.129 (at E = 10), No.123 (at E = 12). The pattern of S (the best code) is as following, 16/II 1111,0101,0110,0110,1110,1101,0010,0111,0001,0111,1001,0100,0110,0001,0000. By hexadecimal sign, this pattern can be abbreviated to "F566, ED27, 1794, 810". The autocorrelation function of this best code (S is , 16/II -1, -2, -3, -4, -1, -2, -1, -2, -5, 0, -3, 2, -1, -2, -1, -4, -3, 0, -5, 2, -5, 0, -1, 2, 1, -2, -3, 2, -7, 2, 7, -2, -5, 2, -1, 2, -3, 0, 1, 6, 1, -4, 3, 0, -3, 2, 1, 2, -1, 4, 1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 0, -1, -2,-34, 60. The autocorrelation function of S (the group sync code of TIROS) is , 21/I 1, -2, 3, -4, 3, -4, 1, 2, -5, 4, -1, 4, -1, 4, -1, 0, -5, -2, 5, -2, 3, 2, -3, 2, 1, 0, -1, 4, -9, 0, 5, 0, -7, 0, -1, -2, 3, -6, 5, 6, -1, -2, -7, 0, -7, 0, -3, 4, -3, -4, 5, -6, -1, -4, 1, 0, -3, 2, -1, 60. The limit of subpeak of the autocorrelation function of the best code ( S ) is (-7, 7) and 16/II S is (-9, 6). 21/I The comparison of the error sync probabilities for borth codes (S and S ) are listed 16/II 21/I in Table. Table 1. The comparison of Pf2 E S (TIROS) S (Best) Rate P / P 21/I 16/II f2/t f2/B 1 0.5808E-15 (No.156) 0.2082E-16 (NO.1) 27.90 2 0.1786E-13 (No.149) 0.7672E-15 (No.1) 23.28 3 0.3618E-12 (No.149) 0.1848E-13 (No.1) 19.58 4 0.5425E-11 (No.143) 0.3280E-12 (No.1) 16.54 5 0.6421E-10 (No.149) 0.4574E-11 (No.1) 14.04 6 0.6245E-9 (No.137) 0.5226E-10 (No.1) 11.95 10 0.1234E-5 (No.129) 0.1945E-6 (No.1) 6.35 12 0.2678E-4 (No.123) 0.5778E-5 (No.1) 4.64 CONCLOUSION (1). When E changes from 1 to 12, the TIROS group sync code S (i.e. S ) is all not first J 21/I good code in the sets of the above mentioned truncated codes. The error sync probability P of S is all greatter than P of the best code S by 28 times to 7 times f2/T T f2/B 16/II approximately. So, the TIROS group sync code S (i.e. S ) is really not a optimum group T 21/T sync code in the set o binary codes of length n = 60 bit. (2). At different E, the first good code is generated by the primitive polynomial f (x), and 2 S (i.e. S ) is generated by f (x), f (x) can not get better codes. Perhaps, we would T 21/I 1 l surmise that the designer of S is not careful consideration when to choose the group sync T code. (3). Sence the searching work is only carried on the partial set of the binary codes for n = 60 bit, it goes without saying that the first good code S is probably not a optimum 16/II group sync code but quasi-optimum or suboptimum group sync code. However, this code (S ) is better than TIROS group sync code S , and so, this code (S ) will be 16/II T 16/II recommended for application in the information transmission systems of the second generation of Meteorological Satellites China. REFERENCE [1]. J. L. Maury, Jr. and F. J. Styles, 1964, "development of Optimum Frame Synchronization Codes For GODDARD Space Flight Center PCM Telemetry Standard", USA.


A 65‐year‐old male presented with asymptomatic raised lesion over the nose of 2‐year duration. On examination, a firm lobulated, well‐defined, immobile, nontender swelling measuring 2 cm × 4 cm was present over the dorsum of the nose. Proximal bulge is skin colored whereas the distal bulge is hyperpigmented with ulceration present over the medial margin [Figure 1]. Telangiectasias were seen over the surface of the lesion. The differential diagnosis considered was nodular basal cell carcinoma, lupus vulgaris, and sarcoidosis.


Vibratory force-reducing ship is disclosed. Vibratory force-reducing ship according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a hull propeller to the end is provided, during operation of the propeller, to form a Eareiya for generating a reflected wave on the surface of the hull adjacent to the propeller, hull anda vibratory force reduction module for reducing the vibratory force to, excitation force reduction module is biased to one side relative to the center line passing through the rotation axis of the propeller along the vertical direction of the hull It is placed.


In SAC'04 Bajard et al. introduced a new system of representation for integer arithmetic modulo a prime integer P , the Adapted Modular Number System. The multiplication in the AMNS consists of a multiplication of two polynomials and a AMNS-Carrying process. In this paper, we propose to use a Lagrange Representation to perform the polynomial multiplication in the AMNS system. This method provides a multiplier which decreases by 2 the complexity of previous best known methods.


Over the past 13 years, the 'World16'-group has collaborated face-to-face on various challenges that architectural design faces within VR, architecture, urban design, and its delivery to the professional industries. The focus of the collaboration is to foster pathways of academic research and developments to industries and professions. In 2020, due to the restrictions of the pandemic, the group had to rethink and redevelop how to collaborate meaningfully and become resilient: the World16 collaborated akin to the Virtual Design Studios (VDS) of the Nineties for the first time exclusively virtually becoming the 'Virtual World16'. The paper presents the group's various projects that are transformative to the praxis in VR architecture, design and urban design, and critically reflects on the lessons learned from VDS-paradigm.


Persistent patellofemoral symptoms can cause patient dissatisfaction after Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate patellar tracking and patient outcomes utilizing two implant designs in TKA. Medical records and radiographs of two groups of 100 consecutive patients each were reviewed. All patients underwent posterior stabilized TKA by a single surgeon; using the same operative technique but two different implant designs (Group 1: Asymmetric femoral component with deep congruent trochlear groove and Group 2: Asymmetric femoral component with shallow trochlear groove). Data was collected on demographic characteristics, patellar tilt, displacement, prosthesis-bone angle, HSS Patella Score, Knee Society Knee and Function Score. Patellar tilt more than 5° was considered significant. Statistical analysis was done using the SPSS v.16.0.3 software (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL). Patients9 age and sex were equivalent in the two groups (p>0.57). Median follow up was 2.2 years. Pre-operative incidence of patellar tilt was similar in both groups (18% vs. 17%). After surgery, these values changed to 30% and 77% respectively. This was statistically significant (p Our findings suggest that despite using the same operative technique, patellar tracking was significantly different between the two groups, a finding most likely attributable to the design of the femoral component. Whether the difference in patellar maltracking will affect long-term survival of the patellar component remains to be seen.


SUMMARY
1A serious disease of the Arum Lily (Richardia africana) is described, which causes the formation of large brown blotches on all parts of the aerial shoot system.
2The cause of the disease is Phyllosticta Richardiae n.sp., a diagnosis of which is given.
3Suggestions are made for the control of this disease both under glass and in the open.


In this work we prove and describe the method of data processing of the electric impedance tomography. The cornerstone parameter of the research object integral characteristic is its symmetry. The method allows one to reduce dimension of a task and also to establish the degree of compliance of a research object to some predetermined quality requirements. At the same time, it is possible to avoid the essential difficulties arising at the solution of electric impedance tomography reference problem: reconstruction of internal structure of the studied object.


We consider continuation of the Bjorken sum rule (BSR) in the low Q2 region. QCD coupling is 'frozen' with the help of 'Massive' APT modification. For higher twist corrections we apply spectral representation with several particular spectral physically motivated functions. Analytic restrictions are imposed stemming from Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule and the finiteness of respective spin-dependent cross-sections. Results are compared with the current experimental data.


In order to investigate the CP millirod of primates striatal neurons of protection,pathological changes of partial lateral Parkinson′s disease through choroidal cells(CP) transplantation into brain by algi-nate millirod were observed.Polo-ornithine alginate microencapsulated porcine choroid cells were transplant-ed into partial lateral Parkinson′s disease monkeys nigrostriatal.Nerve pathology examinations were taken 6 months after transplantation to observe the brain histologic changes.Choroidal cells millirod transplantation can improve the behavior ability of partial lateral Parkinson′s disease monkey,and can promote dopaminer-gic fiber hyperplasia and activity.


Purpose: This Community Service held by the Engineering Department tim of Politeknik Negeri Samarinda had the aim to give an introduction to English vocabulary used in making macrame products to female cleaning service employees of PT. Galina Citraraya Mandiri. Methodology: Fifteen female cleaning service employees attended this macrame training to make a hanging vase. Result: This community service tried not only to give training but also to give a little knowledge of English that the participant can use in their daily conversation. Before the training began, the team had given an introduction to the tools and materials used in making a hanging vase in English. In spite of the short training, the participants enjoyed following the training until the end of the training. The participants were also given some materials to make a hanging vase so that they could continue making their own creations in their homes. The team hopes that this training can help the participant to have new experiences in making a hanging vase that later could be used as their financial source by selling their own macrame products.


In order to determine the temperature of a weld pro duced by a friction welding process, an electrical signal having a low voltage and a low current is passed through the weld. The weld acts as a resistor due to its high temperature as compared to the surrounding mate rial such that the current in the electrical signal changes after its interacts with the weld. The change in current can be measured and the temperature of the weld can be determined.


The ultrastructure of spermatogenesis and spermatozoon of Pollicipes mitella was studied.The spermatogenesis is a kind of metamorphosis. During the spermiogenesis, a cell changes from polygon to pearshape and springs to be threadlike.An ellipsoidal nucleus becomes elongated and is bended to a "U"shape,to a filiform shape finally. The accessory droplet emerging in a middle spermatid becomes "U"shape too, and columnar at the end.A nuclear vesicle and microtubules surrounding the nucleus appear at the spermatid,but they disappear in mature sperm. In mature sperm. The mature spermatozoon is a very long cell (36 μm)with a accessory droplet,consisting of four parts: acrosome,neck,middle piece and tail.The acrosome(0.6 μm long) is a conical vesicle. Axoneme comes out from the basal bady behind the acrosome. The nucleus(16 μm long) begining on the acrosome basis has a filiform shape with very dense material.The accessory droplet(8 μm long) is a very prominent feature containing a long and central dense structure.The nucleus,the accessory droplet and the axoneme occupy the middle piece of the sperm.The flagellum is a standard "9+2" microtubular pattern. Fig 1,Plate 2,Ref 11


The paper discuss the effect of modern distance education on traditional education in the way of Web.It is possible that modern distance education makes each person educated for continue and life


A reverse-pull and double-down pressure bridge configuration for a stringed instrument is used to integrate a set of retrofit strings into the instrument. The retrofit strings are tethered between the bridge plate of the instrument and the back end of the instrument so that the retrofit strings are able to apply a reverse pull on a soundboard of the instrument and compress the saddle, the bridge, and the soundboard of the instrument. The retrofit strings are configured to counteract the forward pull applied on the soundboard by the original strings of the instrument.


The effects of stacking Koch fractal antenna aperture coupled fed are investigated. It is shown that by stacking the antennas the bandwidth can be increased up to 32% at the resonance frequency of 980 MHz which is much larger than the 3% bandwidth offered by a conventional Koch fractal antenna as well as having some 14% less surface area. This antenna has an 8dBi flat gain over the bandwidth. Simulated results on return loss, the E and H-plane patterns and gain are provided and discussed.


A backscatter receiving module and a method of backscatter communication is described. A front-end module receives the backscatter signal from an antenna and generates high-speed and low-speed data. A high-speed decoding module outputs first data in response to the high-speed data having high-speed symbols that were encoded at a first frequency. The high-speed symbols include a first subset of symbols and a second subset of symbols. A low-speed decoding module outputs second data in response to receiving the low-speed data that was encoded into the backscatter signal at a second frequency. The low-speed decoding module generates a first state of the second data when the high-speed symbols of the high-speed data are in the first subset for a length of time. The low-speed module generates a second state of the second data when the high-speed symbols of the high-speed data are in the second subset for the length of time.


Non-amputee runners increase leg stiffness (kleg) and decrease contact time (tc) to achieve faster running speeds [1, 2]. Kram and Taylor [3] suggest that longer tc reduces the rate of muscular force production, thereby facilitating the recruitment of slower more economical muscle fibers which decreases the energetic cost of running. Thus, it is likely that a lower kleg (and longer tc) reduces the metabolic cost of running.


Information hiding is particularly used for security applications to protect the secret message from an unauthorised person. Due to the tremendous development of the Internet and its usage, the issue of protection over the internet is increasing. Under such a condition, transforming the information from the transmitter to the receiver requires more security. Accordingly, in my previous research, an efficient medical image watermarking technique in E-healthcare application using a combination of compression and cryptography algorithm was proposed. The system only gives confidentiality and reliability. To overcome the problem, the authors propose a biometric-based on an efficient medical image watermarking in E-healthcare application, which produces a system for authentication, confidentiality, and reliability of the system. The proposed system utilises the fingerprint biometric for authentication, cryptography process for confidentiality, and reversible watermarking for the integrity. Basically, the proposed system consists of two stages such as (i) watermark embedding process and (ii) watermark extraction process. The experiments were carried out on the different medical images with electronic health record and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is analysed with the help of peak signal-to-noise ratio and normalised correlation.


We have developed a testing system that examines human visual performance to colors (Color Visual Acuity: CVA) at the medical practice easily and efficiently. The testing system consists of PC and LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) that is able to calibrate colors with high precision. In this paper, first we introduce our testing system and how to measure CVA using this system. Next, we discuss on the color reproduction on LCD used in our system by using high precision spectroradiometer. Then, we measure CVA for normal eyes of young subjects using 15 colors contained in NEW COLOR TEST as the basic characteristics of them. Also, we measure CVA for the same subjects by controlling the presentation time of the stimulus as the temporal characteristics of them. From the results, we can see that the CVA of "Blue-Purple" and "Green-Yellow" are noticeably lower than other colors. Also, we can see that the CVA of "Blue-Purple" affects most heavily for presentation time of stimulus.


As the precondition and foundation for carrying out teaching activities,teaching design refers to the selection,organization and arrangement of teaching elements such as the contents,methods,process,evaluation,and resources of teaching according to the teaching objectives and requirements. The teaching design of party spirit education means the selection,organization and arrangement of teaching elements in accordance with the objectives and requirements of party spirit education and teaching,so as to achieve the purpose and effect of party spirit education. This paper,taking an example of the more than one hundred sessions of "party spirit training classes for bureau- level cadres"held by China Executive Leadership Academy Jinggangshan,offers an experience summary and theoretical reflection on the teaching design of party spirit education in CELAJ.


Objective:To study the morphological changes of erythrocytes in a case of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency(NICCD).Methods: Venous blood samples were collected from a NICCD patient.Erythrocytes before and after treatment were observed under scanning electron microscope(SEM).Results:Under SEM,the percentage of normal erythrocytes was only 1.4%,while echinocytes took account for a proportion of 95.6%,and other abnormal erythrocytes were 3.2% in total erythrocytes before treatment.After treatment,nearly all of the erythrocytes demonstrated normal morphology,and few echinocytes could be observed occasionally.Conclusions: Echinocytes were significantly increased in the NICCD patient before treatment,and recovered to biconcave shape after treatment.


The double-acting piston compressor (1) according to the present invention includes at least one cylinder (3) in which a double-acting piston (4) moves; said cylinder (3) and said piston (4) together define an upper chamber (5) and a lower chamber (6) each provided with at least one inlet port (7) and one delivery port (8), and each port comprises at least one valve (90, 91), and one link rod (10) connecting the double-acting piston (4) to a transmission member (11) engaging with a guide roller (12), on the one hand, and a gearwheel (15) on the other hand, at least one anchoring member (22) engages with the gearwheel (15); a connecting rod (25), to which the gearwheel (15) is pivotably connected by means of a pin (26) of said connecting rod (25), is connected to the crank (28) of a crankshaft (27) housed in bearings provided in the compressor housing (2).


The national central city is the "spire city" in China's urban system planning, which plays an important role in leading regional scientific and technological innovation. In this paper, DEA-Windows model is used to analyze the efficiency of science and technology innovation in 9 National Central Cities in China from 2013 to 2017. The results show that the overall level of science and technology innovation efficiency in national central cities is increasing year by year, but the average value is only 0.7369, and there is still a large space for improvement; in terms of spatial differences, 4 cities, Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing and Wuhan, had effective status in the calculation period, while the other cities had no effective status, and the efficiency of scientific and technological innovation was also significantly different in 9 cities.


In the present case study, High Strain Dynamic Testing of piles is conducted at 3 different locations of Kolkata city of India. The raw field data acquired is analyzed using Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) and CAPWAP (Case Pile Wave Analysis Programme) computer software and load settlement curves along with variation of force and velocity with time is obtained. A finite difference based numerical software FLAC3D has been used for simulating the field conditions by simulating similar soil-pile models for each case. The net pile displacement and ultimate pile capacity determined from the field tests and estimated by using numerical analyses are compared. It is seen that the ultimate capacity of the pile computed using FLAC3D differs from the field test results by around 9%, thereby indicating the efficiency of FLAC3D as reliable numerical software for analyzing pile foundations subjected to impact loading. Moreover, various parameters like top layers of cohesive soil varying from soft to stiff consistency, pile length, pile diameter, pile impedance and critical height of fall of the hammer have been found to influence both pile displacement and net pile capacity substantially. It may, therefore, be suggested to include the test in relevant IS code of practice.


Case management is increasingly identified as an effective method for solving social challenges and ensuring a child's wellbeing and positive changes in the family. However, it came to Lithuania quite recently, in 2018. The case manager coordinates assistance to the at-risk family and works in a tea with a social worker and specialists from different institutions. It is noticed that both clients and specialists still do not always understand the specifics of the activities of this specialist. The work is complicated by constantly changing laws, which affects specialists' emotional well-being, the assessment of the effectiveness of their activities, motivation and satisfaction with the professional activities. It is believed that all over the world and in Lithuania, a significant part of employees, including the field of social work, are not satisfied with their work, have low motivation and experience negative feelings. In Lithuania, there is a lack of research in the field of case management in social work. Therefore, while conducting the study, efforts were made to analyse what motivates and demotivates case managers in their activities. A qualitative study was conducted, and a content analysis was used to analyse the results. The study results show that case managers are most motivated in professional activities by the desire to help families in difficulty realise personal goals. They appreciate obvious positive performance results, satisfaction with professional activities, and wages. Motivation is increased by good professional relations with colleagues; moral support of the line manager and colleagues; absence of routine and monotony in professional activities; monitoring changes in clients' lives and their gratitude; establishing good relationships and successful cooperation with other specialists; bonuses. Motivation is reduced by the complexity and specifics of professional activities; difficulties in communication and cooperation with clients and other specialists; unmotivated clients who do not accept help; significant changes in legislation; negative information and events; emotional background, and too little awareness of the case manager's position.


A liquid crystalline epoxy monomer with long lateral substituent was cured with anhydride and the cure kinetics was investigated by non-isothermal DSC technique.The cured network was characterized by POM、WAXD、SEM、TGA and DMA.The results show that the long lateral substituent can greatly decreased the melting point of LC epoxy monomer.The activation energy(Ea) and the frequency factor(A) calculated by Ozawa method is 77.8 kJ/mol and 1.87×109 s-1,respectively.And the curing reaction is controlled by diffusion at the late stage of curing.A nematic structure is observed,and the mechanical properties of the LC epoxy resin is also enhanced compared to the common epoxy resins.


Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is a rare autoimmune, subepidermal, bullous disease characterized by erosive lesions on the mucous membranes and skin. MMP reacts with various target antigens including BP180, laminin‐332, β4 integrin, α6 integrin or type VII collagen. We present a 67‐year‐old male MMP patient who had lesions on the oral and ocular mucous membranes and facial skin. By immunoblot analyses, immunoglobulin G autoantibodies in the patient's sera reacted with full‐length BP180 and the 120‐kDa ectodomain of BP180 (LAD‐1).


Types and punishment affirmation of factual mistakes are theoretic dilemma in practice. Crime components are the criterion to sort up factual mistakes. Based on this criterion, factual mistakes are divided into four: target mistakes, punishment mistakes, behavior mistakes and cause- effect mistakes. It can guide the judicial practice to affirm punishment according to types of factual mistakes and decide different treatment principles correspondingly.


This paper considers the technology of electrical discharge machining of steel friction pairs and reports the results of experimental studies. Analysis of the experimental studies has shown that increasing the "anode-cathode" voltage leads to a sharp decrease in the micro-hardness of the surface layer. The study has also made it possible to determine the characteristic dimensions of the structural elements, the height parameters of surface roughness. The elemental composition of the resulting surface of a steel 15KHGN2TA sample differs from the composition of coatings and the surface layers of samples modified by electrical discharge machining involving various electrodes. Under the "anode-cathode" system operation mode, a thin layer of coating with a stable modified structure forms on the surface of the cathode due to dissipative processes. It is shown that the height of surface irregularities on sections after friction is higher than on the surface sections outside the friction flow, which is associated with the formation of a friction transfer film on the samples' surface. It was established that the interaction of friction of steel samples treated by electrical discharge machining forms a thin film on the surface of friction of steel samples, which leads to a change in the relief of surfaces with an increase in the height of the micro-protrusions, as well as the structuring of the transfer film in the direction of sliding. The effect of machining steel surfaces by electrical discharge on the wear resistance of metal-polymer tribosystem was established. The implementation of the devised technology could provide a significant increase in the wear resistance of metal-polymer tribojunctions


The various test methods for monitoring marine turbine and engine oil quality are described. These include tests for water contamination (appearance and crackle test), specific gravity, flash, and kinematic viscosity tests. Also considered are tests for insolubles, neutralization number, percentage of ash, and spectrographic analysis.


Background Transient ischemic attacks and minor stroke entail considerable risk of completed stroke but this risk is reduced by prompt assessment and treatment. Risk can be stratified according to the ABCD2 prediction score. Current guidelines suggest specialist assessment and treatment within 24 h for high-risk event (ABCD2 score 4–7) and seven-days for low-risk event (ABCD2 score ≤ 3). Aims The study aims to establish paths to care and outcomes for patients referred by general practitioners and emergency departments to an Australian acute access transient ischemic attack service. Methods This is a prospective audit. Primary outcomes were time from event to referral, from referral to clinic appointment, and from event to appointment. ABCD2 score was calculated for each event. Time from event was modeled using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results There were 231 clinic attendees (general practitioner: 127; emergency department: 104). Mean time from event to referral was 9·2 days (SD 23·7, median 2), from referral to being seen in the clinic was 13·6 days (SD 19·0, median 7), and from event to being seen in the clinic was 17·2 days (SD 27·1, median 10). Of low-risk patients, 38·5% were seen within seven-days of event. Of high-risk patients, 36·7% were seen within one-day. ABCD2 score was not a significant predictor of any time interval from event to clinic attendance. There were no completed strokes prior to clinic attendance. Conclusions Times from event to clinic assessment were in excess of current recommendations and risk stratification was suboptimal, though short-term outcomes were good. Improvements in referral mechanisms may enhance risk-stratification and triage.


The effects of the differentiation inducing factor (DIF) on several cAMP-induced responses in Dictyostelium were investigated. It was found that DIF reduces the apparent affinity of cell-surface cAMP receptors. DIF does not affect the cAMP-induced cGMP response, but it is a potent inhibitor of the cAMP-relay response. DIF also inhibits the induction of prespore differentiation by cAMP in aggregation-competent cells. We also compared the effects of DIF on cAMP-induced responses with those of the relay inhibitor, caffeine, and the morphogen, adenosine.


Objective: To establish a method for detecting the residua of macro-porous resin in 7 types of Breviscapins.Methods: Headspace-GC with HP-INNOWAX column(30 m×0.32 mm×0.5 μ m) was used to determine residua in Breviscapin;the column temperature programming was initial temperature 60 ℃(kept for 16 mins),with the increasing rate of 20 ℃/min to 200 ℃(kept for 2 mins);the injector temperature was 240 ℃ and FID detector temperature was 300 ℃;solvent media was 2 % sodium carbonate-25% dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) and the carrier gas was nitrogen.Results: There was a good linearity in the experimental concentration(r=0.9938~0.9999),the RSDs of precision were all less than 7.0%.The average recoveries of the 7 residua were in the range of 93.34% ~98.39%,and their RSDs were 0.99 ~5.10%.Conclusion: The method is simple,accurate and sensitive.It can be used for the determination of macro-porous resin residua in Breviscapin.


A 28-year-old woman visited the emergency department for a sudden, diffuse, and painful enlargement of the upper quadrants of the left breast with edema and palpable axillary lymph nodes without clinical signs of inflammation or infection (Figure 1A). She had neither fever nor skin redness but was experiencing fatigue. The patient had stopped breastfeeding 10 months before the emergency department admission, and she had a recent history of pneumonia self-medicated with antibiotics. She had no family history of breast or ovarian cancer and no history of drug addiction or hyaluronic acid or free silicone injections in the breast. She denied any trauma to the breast. On physical examination, the patient had a 6-cm hard mass without nipple discharge or retraction and left axillary palpable lymph nodes. Breast ultrasonography revealed diffuse nonspecific hypoechogenicity of the breast tissue with periductal small cysts (Figure 1B). Mammography revealed asymmetric density and distortion in the left upper quadrants. Multiple 14-gauge ultrasound-guided biopsies in the upper quadrants of the left breast and fine-needle aspiration cytologic testing of an enlarged lymph node revealed granulomatous inflammation with epithelioid histiocytes, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils. Lymph nodes were normal. Blood test results were as follows: hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody, human immunodeficiency virus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and whole-blood interferon γ release assay (QuantiFERON), negative; IgG cytomegalovirus, positive; fibrinogen level, 234 mg/dL (to convert to micromoles per liter, multiply by 0.0294); erythrocyte sedimentation rate, 4 mm/h; leukocyte count, 7660/μL (to convert to ×109/L, multiply by 0.001); no acquired immunosuppression; and no hematologic disorders. Initial presentation A Ultrasonogram B


In this paper, we calculated the input impedance of the power line communication(PLC) networks using medium voltage power line. First of all, we proposed input and output teoninal model of PLC network, and calculated the input impedance applying the attenuation constants by radiation loss, conductor loss, dielectric loss. From the calculation result, we knew that the attenuation by radiation loss was largest, and the input impedance appears like a standing wave fonn with a fixed cycle because the high reflection at the input terminal for the characteristic impedance of the power line is very large. And also the cycle of input impedance depends on the coaxial cable length, and the amplitude depends on the characteristic impedance of power line and losses. From the measurement result, calculated result was very similar to the measured result.


The two basic phenomena that define the problem of visual attention can be illustrated in a simple example. Consider the arrays shown in each panel of Figure 1. In a typical experiment, before the arrays were presented, subjects would be asked to report letters appearing in one color (targets, here black letters), and to disregard letters in the other color (nontargets, here white letters). The array would then be briefly flashed, and the subjects, without any opportunity for eye movements, would give their report. The display mimics our. usual cluttered visual environment: It contains one or more objects that are relevant to current behavior, along with others that are irrelevant. The first basic phenomenon is limited capacity for processing information. At any given time, only a small amount of the information available on the retina can be processed and used in the control of behavior. Subjectively, giving attention to any one target leaves less available for others. In Figure 1, the probability of reporting the target letter N is much lower with two accompa nying targets (Figure la) than with none (Figure Ib). The second basic phenomenon is selectivity-the ability to filter out un wanted information. Subjectively, one is aware of attended stimuli and largely unaware of unattended ones. Correspondingly, accuracy in identifying an attended stimulus may be independent of the number of nontargets in a display (Figure la vs Ie) (see Bundesen 1990, Duncan 1980).


In a simplified form, sleep could be divided into two main phases, namely synchronized sleep (non-rapid eye movement – NREM) and desynchronized, which in humans is known as REM (rapid eye movement). Depending on different neural mechanisms, NREM and REM sleep may affect the regulation cardiovascular differently. In fact, during NREM sleep there is a gradual decrease in the frequency and blood pressure. These changes are associated with a reduction of sympathetic activity. REM sleep is characterized by rapid activity of low voltage to the electroencephalogram, loss of muscle tone and an increase in sympathetic activity. Pioneering work showed that in NREM sleep, blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output were diminished compared with the awake period. The fall in cardiac output was more associated with the decrease in heart rate than with systolic volume. No changes were observed in peripheral resistance. During REM sleep, blood pressure and heart rate showed major irregularities with a tendency to increase, providing varying changes in cardiac output. Recent evidences suggest that the autonomic and hemodynamic control can vary even among similar stages observed at different times in sleep. Particularly, data from our group suggest that the sympathetic activity is greater in the last stage of REM sleep and wakefulness period immediately after sleep than the respective stages at the beginning of sleep and wakefulness pre-sleep, respectively. These results may have implications on circadian variation of cardiovascular events. The better understanding of these phenomena can provide important strategies for reducing cardiovascular risk verified in the morning hours.


Research has shown that students' beliefs about alcohol use are characterized by pluralistic ignorance: The majority of students believe that their peers are uniformly more comfortable with campus alcohol practices than they are. The present study examines the effects of educating students about pluralistic ignorance on their drinking behavior. Entering students (freshmen) participated in either a peer-oriented discussion, which focused on pluralistic ignorance, or an individual-oriented discussion, which focused on decision making in a drinking situation. Four to 6 months later, students in the peer-oriented condition reported drinking significantly less than did students in the individual-oriented condition. Additional results suggest that the peer-oriented discussion reduced the prescriptive strength of the drinking norm. The implications of these results for models of social influence and for the representation of peer opinion are discussed.


By the introduction of initial stock and depletion rate parameters towards collective goods,the paper models over-period equilibrium formation,and examines the influence of individual subjective discount rate heterogeneity to the voluntary supply of collective action production,then discusses discount rate heterogeneity effect vary with the parametrical condition.The research results show that the more valued future income(loss),the easier cooperative production of collective goods,and in particular,initial stock and depletion rate make up the must for voluntary supply of collective goods.


Objective To assess the clinical results of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures fixed by AO miniplates and cross K-wires. Methods 88 metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in 68 cases were assessed which were devided into group AO miniplates(37 fractures in 26 cases) and group cross K-wires(51 fractures in 42 cases). Follow-up were maintained in all cases for 3~12 months(average 5.3 months). The clinical results of both two groups were assessed by the standard of TAFS, infective rate, delayed union rate, fracture union time and complications mobidity . Results There were no nonunions in all cases. According to TAFS scores, the excellent and good rate of group AO miniplates( 78.4% ) was superior to that of group cross K-wires(54.9%), there were of significant difference between them(x2=5.179,P0.05). All infective cases were found in open fracture cases, the infective rate of group AO miniplates in which 4 of the 11 open fracture cases were infective postoperatively was similar with that of group cross K-wires in which 10 of the 27 open fracture cases were infected. The delayed union rate of group AO miniplates( 2.70%) was superior to that of group cross K-wires(7.84%). The average fracture union time of group AO miniplates (4.5 weeks) was shorter than that of group cross K-wires(7.6 weeks), there were significant different between them(t=2.964,P0.05). The complication mobidity in group AO miniplates was lower than that in group cross K-wires. Conclusion The clinical study of metacarpal and phalangeal fractures fixed by AO miniplates are superior to that of those fractures fixed by cross K-wires in such indexes as postoperative function restoration of metacarpalphalangeal and interphalangeal joints, dalyed union rate, average fracture union time and complication mobidity, however, there are of no significant difference in postoperative infective rate.


Chronic hepatitis C, which affects an estimated 170 million persons worldwide and 2.7 million persons in the United States, is the leading cause of chronic liver disease and liver transplantation (1, 2). Recent international and U.S. randomized clinical trials (3, 4) have shown that combination therapy with interferon-2b and ribavirin (Rebetron, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth, New Jersey) results in greater sustained loss of detectable virus compared with interferon therapy alone. Most hepatologists agree that patients with moderate hepatitis, bridging fibrosis, or cirrhosis should be treated and that most persons with normal histologic findings should not be treated. Management of patients with mild histologic findings, however, remains controversial because not all patients with chronic hepatitis C progress to cirrhosis and some may wish to avoid treatment and its potential side effects (5). When interferon monotherapy was the standard of care, Foster and colleagues (6) advocated watchful waiting with periodic biopsy to detect patients who develop progressive liver disease. Biopsy avoids treatment of patients in whom disease is less likely to progress, but it entails repeated procedures and the associated risk for morbidity and death. Now that combination therapy has more than doubled response rates, we sought to compare the projected effect of biopsy management of mild hepatitis with that of immediate antiviral therapy. With delayed treatment, all patients become older and some might also progress to cirrhosis in the interval between biopsies; these two factors decrease the likelihood of a viral-negative response. In addition, patients with impaired quality of life from hepatitis C virus (HCV) would not receive the benefit of treatment-induced viral eradication Methods We considered patients with chronic hepatitis C who met the entry criteria of two large clinical trials (3, 4). Patients had elevated levels of serum aminotransferase, known genotype, and liver biopsy revealing histologically mild liver inflammation (defined as Knodell periportal inflammation scores of 0 to 1) [3, 4]. The studies were randomized, placebo-controlled trials comparing interferon and placebo to combination therapy with ribavirin and interferon. We compared the risks and benefits of periodic biopsy with antiviral treatment alone in patients who progressed histologically with the risks and benefits of immediate antiviral treatment by considering four strategies: 1) natural history with no antiviral treatment, 2) watchful waiting with liver biopsy every 3 years and combination therapy in patients found to have cirrhosis on liver biopsy, 3) watchful waiting with liver biopsy every 3 years and combination therapy in patients found to have moderate hepatitis on liver biopsy, and 4) immediate empirical combination therapy. Treatment consisted of combination therapy for 24 weeks in patients with genotype 2 or 3 and liver biopsy showing no cirrhosis. All other patients received combination therapy for 48 weeks, but as is recommended, treatment was discontinued in patients who had not responded at 24 weeks (3, 4, 7, 8). Decision Analytic Model With cohorts of hypothetically identical patients for each strategy, we used a previously described and validated Markov simulation model to estimate the long-term prognosis of each cohort with chronic hepatitis C [9, 10]. The Markov model tracked cohort members as they moved through alternative states of health determined by clinical and histologic descriptors. Time was represented by annual cycles during which patients may 1) remain in the same histological or clinical state; 2) progress to another histological or clinical state; 3) die of liver disease; 4) die of other causes based on sex, ethnicity, and attained age; or 5) undergo liver biopsy. The simulations continued until all patients died. Although our model was based on those in previously published articles, it differs in the following regards. First, one previous analysis considered only optimizing pretreatment evaluation (10); in contrast, ours considers serial liver biopsy with potential subsequent treatment. Second, two previous analyses considered interferon therapy alone (9, 10), whereas ours includes combination therapy. Finally, our analysis uses a logistic regression model of actual clinical trial data with combination therapy and applies differential durations of therapy depending on genotype and histologic findings (7, 9, 10). Survival, Data, and Costs The natural history of hepatitis C was based on a previously published and validated decision model (9). Progression rates from mild to moderate hepatitis and then to cirrhosis (Knodell fibrosis score of 4) were based on limited data from 126 patients (11-13) but are supported by recent data suggesting a relationship between histologic inflammation and progression (14, 15). Estimates for progression from compensated to decompensated cirrhosis were based on the only published natural history study of patients with hepatitis C and cirrhosis at that time (16); these estimates were conservative compared with more recent data (17, 18). Prognosis for patients who developed decompensated liver disease was based on the presenting mode of decompensation (19-21). Rates of death from hepatocellular carcinoma were based on a large series (22), and survival after liver transplantation was based on pooled results of three large studies (23-25). The probability of sustained viral-negative response was based on a multivariate logistic regression model involving the 1010 patients in the combined U.S. and international trials who received combination therapy (3, 4). Table 1 lists the estimates included in the model (26). This calculation was performed by using SAS software, version 6.12 (SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, North Carolina). Table 1. Baseline Data Pairwise agreement in interpretation of liver biopsy findings have shown high concordance among observers (27). As a bias against antiviral therapy, we assumed that biopsies yielded sufficient samples so that biopsy had perfect sensitivity (28) and biopsies repeated because of inadequate sampling would be unnecessary (29, 30). If biopsy were less sensitive, patients might not receive antiviral treatment for undetected progressive disease and would be at risk for hepatic complications. Paradoxically, if liver biopsy were less specific (misleadingly suggesting progressive disease and thereby leading to antiviral treatment), liver biopsy management strategies would avoid antiviral treatment less often, would have higher antiviral treatment costs, and should prolong life in patients who respond to treatment. To reflect the morbidity associated with some states of health, we adjusted life expectancy for quality of life on a scale from 0 (dead) to 1 (perfect health) on the basis of assessments by an expert panel of senior hepatologists (10) familiar with treatment and liver disease. Using a modified Delphi technique, members of our expert panel received a description of the Markov model and assessed their own utilities for each of the health states by using the standard reference gamble (which balances near-term risk for death against living with improved quality of life) and the timetradeoff technique (which balances longer survival with poorer quality of life against shorter survival with higher quality of life). In these analyses, patients who were alive but in less desirable states of health were not given full credit for each year lived but instead received only partial credit (for example, 0.7 year for 1 year of life with cirrhosis). Although the side-effect profile of combination therapy is similar to that of interferon therapy alone (3, 4) and although oral medications are generally preferred to those delivered by injection (31), we assumed that combination therapy had twice the negative impact on quality of life as interferon therapy alone to bias against combination therapy; in sensitivity analysis, we allowed combination therapy to have four times the negative impact of interferon therapy. As a further bias toward watchful waiting, despite the panel opinions, we assumed that mild hepatitis and viremia did not affect quality of life in our baseline analysis. To estimate health resource consumption, we used antiviral treatmentassociated clinic visits, laboratory testing (electrolytes, blood counts, and liver and thyroid tests), adverse events, pregnancy tests, and contraception and abortion costs associated with ribavirin because of its teratogenicity in animal studies (32). Antiviral drug costs were based on average wholesale costs of $6.20 for 200 mg of ribavirin and $11.64 per million U of interferon (33) but were adjusted for the actual drug dose received in the trial, which reflected patient weight, dose reduction due to side effects, and drug discontinuation in patients who tested positive for HCV after 24 weeks of therapy. Therapy was discontinued in the latter patients because further therapy is unlikely to produce a sustained response (8). Post-treatment costs were based on previously published actual variable treatment costs, wholesale drug costs, and charges adjusted with cost to charge ratios for patients with hepatitis C (9, 10). Resource estimates used a bottom-up accounting practice that combined unit cost estimates for hospitalization, outpatient visits, laboratory tests, and medications and therapeutic interventions (such as endoscopy) with health resource utilization frequencies estimated by an expert panel. All costs were inflated from 1995 to 1998 U.S. dollars by using the Medical Care component of the Consumer Price Index (Table 1). The analysis took the societal perspective, assuming that quality-of-life adjustments considered time or indirect costs (34). As is recommended, survival and costs were discounted at an annual rate of 3%, but a discount rate of 5% was used in sensitivity analyses to permit comparison with previously


This paper address the remaking of truth in the digital age. This remaking is problematic because
the function of truth seems to have shifted from that of a common ground for the competition over
the control of society to merely a stake in the same competition. I express this state of affairs in
terms of a double crisis, political and epistemic, that ultimately supports ideas and practices with
oppressive implications. My main point here is that the problematization of truth in relation to
alternative forms of power/knowledge is crucial when dealing with this crisis and its oppressive
potential. The conceptual coordinates of my argumentation are Habermas' notion of 'knowledge
constitutive interest' and Foucault's analysis of 'parrhesia'.


ABSTRACT This study was designed to determine the effect of different osmotic pressures on spermatozoa characteristics of cryopreserved buffalo bull semen using tris egg yolk extender (TEYE). Semen of Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls (n = 4) housed at a semen production unit was collected at weekly intervals for 10 weeks. Three solutions of tris-citric acid-fructose with osmotic pressures of 255, 275 and 295 mOsm/kg were used in extender preparation. Semen straws containing 20 × 106 spermatozoa were processed and stored at −196°C in liquid nitrogen. Post-thaw analyses of spermatozoa included motility, viability, acrosomal integrity, plasma membrane integrity, DNA integrity and lipid per-oxidation. Significantly higher (P < .05) sperm motility, acrosomal and DNA integrity were recorded at osmotic pressures of 275 and 295 mOsm/kg compared to 255 mOsm/kg. However, differences in spermatozoa viability, plasma membrane integrity and lipid per-oxidation were non-significant among three osmotic pressures. It is concluded that osmotic pressure of the solution used in extender preparation plays an important role in post-thaw quality of cryopreserved buffalo bull semen.


We present a new static analysis for reviewing the security of libraries for systems, such as JVMs or the CLR, that rely on stack inspection for access control. We describe its implementation for the CLR. Our tool inputs a set of libraries plus a description of the permissions granted to unknown, potentially hostile code. It constructs a permission-sensitive call graph, which can be queried to identify potential security defects. It has been applied to large pre-existing libraries. We also develop a new formal model of the essentials of access control in the CLR (types, classes and inheritance, access modifiers, permissions, and stack inspection). In this model, we state and prove the correctness of the analysis.


Mislabelling is a critical problem for stream-based active learning methods because it not only impacts the

classification accuracy but also deviates the active learner from querying informative data. Dealing with label

noise is omitted by most existing active learning methods. We address this issue and propose an efficient

method to identify and mitigate mislabelling errors for active learning in the streaming setting. We first propose

a mislabelling likelihood measure to characterize the potentially mislabelled instances. This measure is

based on the degree of disagreement among the predicted and the queried class label (given by the labeller).

Then, we derive a measure of informativeness that expresses how much the label of an instance needs to be

corrected by an expert labeller. Specifically, an instance is worth relabelling if it shows highly conflicting information

among the predicted and the queried labels. We show that filtering instances with a high mislabelling

likelihood and correcting only the filtered instances with a high conflicting information greatly improves the

performances of the active learner. Experiments on several real world data prove the effectiveness of the

proposed method in terms of filtering efficiency and classification accuracy of the stream-based active learner.


creasingly standard activity for middle school and high school students, Wikipedia (http://www. wikipedia .org) has simultaneously emerged as the bane of many teachers who include research-focused assignments in their courses. An online encyclopedia that allows anyone to edit its entries, Wikipedia has educators fed up with students using the site as a primary resource and citing its content in their essays. For some the site seems to represent the worst of how the Internet has dumbed down the research process, with its easily accessible but unsubstantiated (if not downright false) information on almost any topic, a student's citation of which amounts to a mockery of legitimate inquiry. After all, how can a site that allows anyone to add, change, or remove information be credible? While extreme, the reaction described in the news article above which mentions a school librarian who has created posters encouraging students to "Just Say 'No' to Wikipedia" is not rare. Better to make such a site off-limits to students, goes the reasoning, if it will get them to rely on more authentic research sources for their writing. Are there ways, however, that teachers can address the Wikipedia phenomenon that don't include banning students from using the site? Seen in a different light, Wikipedia provides a unique opportunity to get students involved in ongoing conversations chool Officials Unite in Banning Wikipedia, " Times-Express (Easton, PA), Nov. 21, 2007


In this paper,inspirations we can draw from American's National I nformation Infrastructure(NII) pian have been ela borated,important problems demanding prompt solution in building China's Nationa l Information Infrastructure (CNII) have been proposed and impacts of informatio n highway on information service industry have been studied.


A spherical single-roller bit based on polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters is designed for the purposes of improving the adaptability of single-roller bit to the stratum with high hardness and abrasiveness. According to the characteristics of cutter shape, the distribution of cutter, as well as the mode of contact between cutter and rock, the methods of space analysis and coordination projection are used to establish the geometrical equation for the single-roller bit with PDC cutters and the velocity equation for the PDC cutters, to describe the change rules between the velocity and other parameters. It is concluded that the velocity is subject to high influence by the shaft inclination angle and the positions of PDC cutters, but is subject to low influence by the radius, lateral rotation angle, and front inclination angle of PDC cutters; the velocity of cutters can be affected by the rock stratum to some extent and is higher in soft rock than in hard rock; the velocity of PDC cutters varies at different positions on the roller, and the absolute velocity of the most cutters on the roller will become stable along with the increase in the shaft inclination angle, while great increase will be found in the velocity of the cutters near the top of roller, where the distribution of cutters is to be strengthened; the shaft inclination angle is to be designed larger than 53° and is suggested to range from 53° to 70°. This study lays the foundation for the computer simulation research related to the single-roller PDC bits and the structural design optimization of cutter surfaces.


We present the results of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of a model decane fluid performed at constant pressure and compare them with results previously obtained from simulations performed at constant volume. The strain rate dependence of the viscosity at constant pressure is found to differ from that obtained previously at constant volume. The shear thickening at high strain rates observed in constant volume simulations vanishes when the simulations are performed at constant pressure. We also investigate the question of how our low strain rate data for decane can be accurately extrapolated to zero strain rate. We find a well defined first Newtonian region in which the viscosity is independent of strain rate to within errors. The value of the viscosity that we obtain in this region agrees well with the zero strain rate viscosity calculated from the Green–Kubo formula at equilibrium.


Purpose of review To review Hodgkin lymphoma in older adults with regard to epidemiology, disease characteristics, prognosis, treatment, and future developments. Recent findings Older Hodgkin lymphoma patients defined by chronological age represent a heterogeneous population in terms of life expectancy, morbidities, and functional status. Twenty-one percent of Swedish Hodgkin lymphoma patients are greater than 65 years (5%, >81 years) at diagnosis. In general, less than 10% of patients included in broad clinical trials are greater than 60 years. The proportion of mixed cellularity histopathology and EBV-genome-positive tumors is higher in older adults. Five-year relative survival of Swedish patients 66–80 and greater than 81 years is 0.58 and 0.26, respectively. Older patients have lower remission rates, but relapse-free survival is less impaired. No standard treatment recommendations exist. In older fit patients less than 65–70 years – go for 'young' treatment. Estimate thoroughly the individual patient's frailness/comorbidities in order to properly adjust treatment, thus saving patients from over/undertreatment. The use of early PET should be optimized in clinical practice. Representativeness of large clinical trials including evaluation of functional status and comorbidity remains crucial. Summary Elderly Hodgkin lymphoma patients still do poorly and improved prognostics, personalized and targeted treatment options associated with fewer side-effects will hopefully advance the clinical Hodgkin lymphoma field.


Abstract : The Document Control System (DCS) described in this report was developed to provide the Combined Arms Studies and Analysis Activity with an automated system for controlling, maintaining, and locating the various documents located within the Activity. The system was originally designed for the TEKTRONIX 4051, but the ever increasing number of documents soon became over-burdening resulting in excessive retrieval time. The present system represents a conversion to the CDC 6500 utilizing the existing data management system, System 2000. This report contains a general description of the system's structure and capabilities, a user's manual, a programmer's manual, and a glossary of keywords. (Author)


Understanding nucleation and growth of nanoparticles as well as their assembly, is essential for a practical design strategy in the synthesis of nanostructured systems; a widely used method in the nanoparticle fabrication consists of using macromolecules, e.g. (bio)polymers in aqueous chemical reactions to template the size and shape of forming nanostructures. In this context, in collaboration with the ISM-CNR (http://www.ism.cnr.it), we recently exploited the possibility to control the morphology of silver nanocrystals during the reduction of silver nitrate with ascorbic acid in the presence of a polynaphtalene sulphonate polymer in aqueous phase [1]. In situ observation of nanostructure formation process, by time resolved Small Angle X-ray Scattering measurements, allowed us to get signatures of non-standard Multi Step Crystallizzation (MSC) strategy controlling particle size and shape [2, 3]. In situ SAXS technique is also used for investigating metal (e.g. Fe, Al, Zn) assembly in ferritin proteins [4] in collaboration with Physics Department of Rome University; further work in progress concerns the characterization of different metal nano-composites as well as the monitoring of their kinetic in solutions with different molecules as template.


Date Presented 4/8/2016Healthy H.E.A.R.T.s is an interdisciplinary stroke-specific self-management program that aims to reduce recurrent risk of stroke. Participants in the pilot program learned how to manage their stroke condition by adopting healthy habits for health responsibility, coping, nutrit


In quantificational diffraction experiment by X-ray diffaction meter, dead time of Geiger counter result in metrical omitting. In order to measure the dead time, a method of twice irradiation on monolayer foil is proposed, and an approximate expression is given to proofread integrated intensity, this emendation is compared with point-by-point emendation.


Thomas J. Savides, M.D. most common location of large bowel tumors in low risk populations. Figure 2 in the correspondence of Division of Gastroenterology/Department of Medicine School of Medicine Saltzstein et al. demonstrates this. When colorectal carcinoma risk increases, as it does with age, it is University of California San Diego, California therefore not surprising to find that the subsite where the risk is apparent is well proximal to the rectum.


Human Resource Management can be defined as the process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling an organisation's human resource needs to ensure both organization and employee's satisfaction thus it will help the organization to achieve its objectives and missions. Job performance can be defined as the degree to which employees execute tasks, responsibilities, and assignments. Job performance is not only defined by action, but also judgmental and evaluative process. Job satisfaction is more narrowly defined as a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences. The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between HR practices and job satisfaction on employee's job performance. The background of HR practices philosophy, theory of job satisfaction and theory of job performance serve as starting point to develop the conceptual model. From the extensive literature review, three variable of HR practices, one variable of job satisfaction and one variable of job performance were identified to construct the model. A total of 110 completed questionnaire were returned, representing a responses rate of 83 percent. Based on data collected, an integrated structural equation of HR practices, employee's job satisfaction and employee's job performance was developed using five Likert-scale. The results of structural equation modelling reveal the following, training and development and satisfaction are significant to employee's job performance in regression analysis. This conceptual model provides an understanding that a few HR practices are significant to employee's job performance. However, job satisfaction is significant to employee's job performance. Keywords for this project paper are Human Resource Practices, Training and Development, Compensation, Performance Appraisal, Job Performance and Job Satisfaction.


Packet classification is the key building block of many network services and functionalities (e.g., switching, forwarding, filtering, load balancing, policy-based routing and, QoS) in different layers [2]. In each case, a classifier determines which flow an arrived packet belongs to and takes action based on some given rules. However, high speed packet classification, in presence of arbitrarily large number of classification rules, is known to be computation-intensive, power hungry, and consequently, expensive [1]. Despite its prevalence, packet classification is implemented and deployed in an ad-hoc manner at different layers of the protocol stack [2]. This leads to (i) high implementation and configuration complexity, and (ii) difficulties in accurately capturing classification semantics.


While learning management systems and video conferencing platforms have become a pivotal means for implementing emergency remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the integration of mobile technologies into online teaching has been largely recommended in order to create an interactive educational environment. Focusing on the case of an English Language Program in South Korea, this study investigates the actual use of mobile instant messaging (MIM) applications as a learning aid in online language classrooms and how this was implemented in creating interactive language learning environments during the current outbreak. Based on a questionnaire survey collected from 979 students, it then compares students' level of perceived satisfaction with their language learning and communication in online language classrooms between the group of students that used MIM during instruction and the group that did not. The discussion presented in this paper provides language educators, school administrators and policymakers at all levels with practical suggestions and ideas to consider, given that our daily communication has become highly dependent on and is increasingly mediated by mobile digital communication technologies and new media.


Cutting off supply lines to committed users has limited effectiveness. Let's try stopping people from getting hooked in the first place.


The aim of this paper is to provide a survey of the state of the art in the finite element approach to the Immersed Boundary Method (FE-IBM) which has been investigated by the authors during the last decade. In a unified setting, we present the different formulation proposed in our research and highlight the advantages of the one based on a distributed Lagrange multiplier (DLM-IBM) over the original FE-IBM.


Objective: To explore the change of hs-CRP in acrte exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and its relationship with disease.Methods: Sixty patients with AECOPD were included as observation group and 50 cases with stable COPD as control group.Serum hs-CRP and lung function were detected and compared between the two groups.Relationship between the serum hs-CRP and lung function was also analyzed with Pearson method.Results: Serum lever of hs-CRP of the observation group and control group was significantly different [(57.31±9.42) vs.(5.69±0.24)P0.01) ];Pearson analysis showed that hs-CRP had a significant correlation with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC.Conclusions: Serum hs-CRP level significantly increases in AECOPD patients showing a significant correlation with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC and is a sensitive index for evaluating AECOPD.


This study compares the perceptions while gambling of two groups of individuals with either a high or low level of knowledge in statistics and probability. Fifteen women and fifteen men participated in this study. The two groups are compared on the number of erroneous perceptions emitted while gambling. Results indicate no significant differences between the two groups. The paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these results for improving our understanding of gambling behaviour.


Department of Dermatology, Neuro and Orthopaedic Clinic, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway Department of Rheumatology, Dermatology and Infectious Diseases, The Olafia Clinic, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA Department of Public Health, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, NY, NY, USA


Unlike prior researches that only study analysts' impact on market performance or firm governance,this paper measures analyst coverage effects based on several aspects of MA performance,and minimizes analyst coverage endogenous problem using two-stage least square method. It has been found in the paper that analysts' impact becomes weaker from economic performance to market performance,which implies that analysts care more about firms' fundamental aspects and their growth,rather than short market performance. Furthermore,this paper verifies analysts' role in terms of external constraints,which can be reflected by the fact that the economic performancesof acquiring firms with analyst coverage is significantly higher than thoseof the company without analyst coverage. What's more,the covered firms also show higher growth rate,which shows that analysts play roles in discovering value.


Yung-Hsin Chang Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital Chih-Yu Hsu School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, I-Shou University Tse-Han Lee Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital Yun-Shiuan Chuang Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Ming-Tsang Wu Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Chun-Ying Lee (  email@example.com ) Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital


ve To explore the effect of palate repair on the function of middle ear, and provide the evidence for treatment of dysfunction of middle ear early. Methods 191 patients of cleft palate were selected and examined the function of middle ear on the different stage of pre-and post palatal closure. And compared with normal people. Results Patients with cleft palate have dysfunction of middle ear on pre-operation, and after operation it was improved, but when compared with normal people as same age, they have dysfunction. Conclusion The middle ear status can be improved by palatal surgery for the cleft palate children. but in order to involve the middle ear problem completely, it must combine with other method.