Objective
To investigate the clinical efficacy of modified cistanche decoction combined with lactulose oral liquid in the treatment of patients with constipation-type irritable bowel syndrome, and to observe its effect on improving the quality of life of patients.

Methods
From June 2013 to June 2016, the clinical diagnosis and treatment of 76 patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome in the People's Hospital of Qingyuan County were retrospectively analyzed.Among them, lactulose oral liquid was used in the control group.On the basis of the control group, cistanche soup was given in the treatment group, the control group and the treatment group had 38 cases.The clinical effects, adverse reactions were analyzed, and before and after treatment, TCM syndrome score and quality of life score were recorded.

Results
After treatment, the TCM syndrome scores of the treatment group were significantly lower than those of the control group (t=2.87, 3.17, 2.68, 3.75, 4.27, 3.83, 5.02, 4.40, 2.48, P=0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.01), the quality of life dimensions scores of the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group (t=3.10, 3.44, 3.36, 3.58, 4.51, 3.32, 2.95, 2.89, P=0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00). However, after treatment, the scores of TCM syndromes in both two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (control group: t=4.28, 5.11, 4.07, 6.38, 5.06, 2.11, 7.32, 4.38, 20.22, P=0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.04, 0.00, 0.00; treatment group: t=7.81, 9.86, 7.68, 13.76, 9.31, 6.57, 14.639.62, 7.36, P=0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00). The scores of all dimensions of life quality were significantly higher than those before treatment (control group: t=2.85, 3.59, 2.58, 2.60, 4.01, 4.88, 3.05, 2.36, P=0.00, 0.00, 0.01, 0.01, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.02; treatment group: t=5.57, 6.72, 6.60, 6.40, 7.74, 7.63, 5.84, 6.30, P=0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00). The total effective rate of the treatment group was 86.84%, which was significantly higher than 65.79% of the control group(χ2=7.13, P=0.02). There were no significant adverse reactions during treatment.

Conclusion
Cistanche decoction combined with lactulose oral solution for constipation-irritable bowel syndrome patients has significant effect, and can help to improve the quality of life of patients.

Key words:
Irritable bowel syndrome; Quality of life; Cistanche; Lactulose


This paper presents the models developed at the FPB to project public spending on curative care and long-term care in the medium and long term. The variables explaining curative care spending are income, the age composition of the population, the unemployment rate and technological and medical progress. This variable is approximated using two indicators, the number of new drug approvals (Farmanet data) and the approvals for non-pharmaceutical products (Food and Drug Administration data). With the exception of the latter, all drivers mentioned above increase the cost of curative care. As for long-term care spending, it is explained by income, the proportion of older people in the population and their life expectancy. Long-term care spending is positively impacted by income and ageing. Yet, due to the increase in life expectancy, the impact of ageing shifts gradually towards the oldest age group.


In the title compound, [Cu(C14H9NO3)(H2O)2], which crystallizes with Z = 18 in the space group R-3, pairs of complexes are linked into dimers by three O-H...O hydrogen bonds. Strong O-H...O hydrogen bonds link the dimers into one-dimensional chains that further assemble into tubes through pi-pi and C-H...pi interactions.


In [11], the first author introduced the notion of CT bursts in the space Matm×s(Fq), the linear space of all m × s matrices with entries from a finite field Fq, endowed with a non-Hamming metric [16] and obtained some lower bounds for CT burst array error correction. In this paper, we first obtain various construction bounds on the parameters of m-metric array codes [16] for the detection and correction of CT burst array errors and then construct the array codes meeting these bounds.


The staging of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers is one of the most important tasks of gastroenterologists as accurate staging can help in offering the best treatment to the patient. Over last few years with the availability of advanced imaging modalities like endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and integrated Positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT), our ability to stage GI cancers has improved considerably. However, even with modern imaging technologies, around 10–40% of GI malignancies remain understaged [1,2]. Also, one meta analysis has shown the EUS does not have consistently high sensitivity and specificity in assessing liver and peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer [3]. However, we earlier had shown that in the presence of ascites EUS guided FNA can help in detecting peritoneal deposits [4].


The study compares three types of mesh fixation techniques of laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TAPP) in regards to recurrence: non-tissue penetrating (NP), tissue-penetrating (TP) and no fixation (NF).

 The cohort was established retrospectively by way of the Danish Hernia Database, and all patients operated for inguinal hernia using TAPP from January 2010 to February 2021 in Denmark were identified. Logistic regression analyses were performed, with multivariate analysis correcting for significant confounding variables, yielding adjusted odds ratios for reoperation for the three fixation methods.

 A total of 38,503 primary TAPP repairs were included (penetrating fixation n=25,216, non-penetrating n=10,172, no fixation n=3,115). Overall recurrence rate was 3.57% over the 133 month follow-up period (mean length 59 months) with significant differences between the three methods: recurrence was 1.23% for NP, 2.87% for NF and 4.84% for TP. Using NF as reference, the adjusted odds ratio for reoperation was 1.80 for NF (p=0.007) and 3.51 for TP (p=0.001).

 This comprehensive analysis demonstrated significant superiority of non-penetrative mesh fixation followed by no mesh fixation and lastly penetrative fixation. We corrected for significant confounding variables. With TP being the most widespread method of fixation, these results encourages reconsideration of standard practices for mesh fixation in TAPP.


Abstract The consensus attained in the consensus-forming algorithm is not generally a constant but rather a random variable, even if the initial opinions are the same. In the present paper, we investigate the probability laws of the consensus in a broadcast-based consensus-forming algorithm. First, we derive a fundamental equation on the time evolution of the opinions of agents. From the derived equation, we show that the consensus attained by the algorithm is given as a fixed-point solution of a linear equation. We then focus on two extreme cases: consensus forming by two agents and consensus forming by an infinite number of agents. In the two-agent case, we derive several properties of the distribution function of the consensus with an algorithm for computing the distribution function of the consensus numerically. In the infinite-number-of-agents case, we show that if the initial opinions follow a stable distribution, then the consensus also follows a stable distribution. In addition, we derive a closed-form expression of the probability density function of the consensus when the initial opinions follow a Gaussian distribution, a Cauchy distribution, or a Lévy distribution.


Stability ranking can be used to obtain variable rankings that are highly reproducible. Such rankings are needed for robust variable selection on univariate data. In most biological experiments several replicate measurement for a variable of interest, e.g. a gene, are available. An obvious way to combine and prioritize these values is to take their average or median. Other procedures like a t-test or rank sum test deliver a statistic that also accounts for the variance in the data. Stability ranking provides a way of ranking measured elements based on one of the methods above and combining it with a bootstrapping routine to estimate the stability with which an element occurs within the top k set of the ranking. The final ranking orders the elements accoring to this stability. The theory behind the procedure is described in [1]. Stability selection in general is described in [2]. This file contains two example stability analysis that show how the staRank package should be used. In a first toy example, stability selection using all available base ranking methods is performed on simulated data. In a second example, an RNAi dataset on Salmonella infection [3] is analyzed.


The invention discloses a method for copper electroplating, nickel chemical plating and nickel electroplating on the surface of a ZK61M magnesium alloy. The method comprises a pyrophosphate copper plating step, a nickel chemical plating step and a nickel electroplating step. The non-toxic pyrophosphate plating layer system is adopted, wherein the system includes the multilayer nickel plating process of copper electroplating, nickel chemical plating and nickel electroplating; a plating layer obtained through the process has high corrosion resistance, the time of a neutral salt fog test can reach 72 hours, in addition, the copper electroplating process ensures the binding force of the plating layer, the chemical plating process improves the corrosion resistance of the plating layer, and the nickel electroplating process ensures conductive properties of the plating layer.


This paper reconsiders the signals that are transmitted in bender element tests and the associated transfer functions to identify the problems that bias the velocity (travel time) determination. The findings of the numerical and physical experiments show that errors appearing in the velocity estimation can be traced to (1) the near-field effect and (2) the influence caused by the transfer function of the receiver system, HR . The second factor also creates distinguishing changes between the source and receiver signals. In a two-receiver measurement system, the accurate travel time (velocity) can be identified by the cross correlation of the two receiver signals only if the near field is not pronounced and the two receivers possess very similar transfer functions. The near-field effect can be effectively avoided by placing the sensors at r1 ∕λ⩾2 and r1 ∕ r2 ⩾2 , where r1 and r2 =distances between the source and the first and second receivers, respectively, and λ =wavelength. In a one-receiver measurement s...


Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an extremely common childhood disease, with considerable impact on the quality of life of affected children and their families. While pruritus is the hallmark symptom of this disease, AD has been well‐documented to impact patients beyond physical symptoms, resulting in behavior problems, mood disorders, and sleep disturbance.


The Xindi Applied Piano Pedagogy (XAPP) was self-formulated by Professor Xindi, the Dean of the Music Education Institute of Xinghai Conservatory of Music (MEIXHCM), in 2001. After a series of scaffolding developments over a decade, the single instrumental teaching method is now developing into a holistic music educational system for the preparation of graduate music teachers at both primary and secondary levels. In addition, this particular pedagogy seems to have created a competitive force in the market of community music education in mainland China. This article explores the XAPP in a narrative manner whilst investigating the advantages it has over three classical repertoire-oriented piano methods in mainland China in the modern era.


We describe the fabrication and characterization of a doubly clamped multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT). The device was assembled by an application of electric field in solution. The MWNT was clamped on end of metal trench electrodes in solution and deposited with additional platinum (Pt) on edge of electrode for firmly suspending the MWNT by focused ion beam (FIB). The MWNTs range of diameter and length were 100 to 150 nm and 1.5 to , respectively. Electrical characteristics of fabricated devices were measured by I-V curve and impedance analysis. The mechanical deformation was observed by resistivity in high air pressure. Resonant frequency around 6.8 MHz was detected and resistivity was linearly varied according to the magnitude of air pressure. This device could have potential applications in nanoelectronics and various sensors.


A finite element analysis of implant positioning inside a bone requires the creation of many meshes that model various implant orientations. This process can be very labour intensive and is difficult to automate. In order to facilitate this type of modelling, we present a large sliding contact algorithm that does not require the creation of a conforming discretization for the bone. The cavity inside the bone, necessary to accommodate the implant, is modelled with a Heaviside function calculated on the level set field, which is defined in terms of material coordinates of the bone. The algorithm is based on the minimization of the energy functional with a constraint term, formulated as in classical contact mechanics; however, instead of the distance function, we use the above‐mentioned level set function. The presented numerical 2D and 3D examples validate the algorithm against the solutions obtained with commercial finite element software. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Among the large variety of nitrogen and oxygen heterocycles, 1,3,4-oxadiazole, the scaffold, has attracted considerable attention owing to its ability to showing an extensive range of pharmacological actions. Therefore, significant efforts of organic chemists have been directed towards the construction of new drug candidates containing 1,3,4-oxadiazole subunits connected to a known pharmaceutical or a potential pharmacophore. This digest highlights recent publications on the various synthesis techniques of 1,3,4-oxadiazole and related compounds over the previous ten years (2011–2021). The purpose of this review is to learn about several ways for synthesizing oxadiazole. These heterocyclics are formed mainly by the cyclization reactions of various reactants under diverse circumstances. According to the literature investigations, they were given a high priority for their pharmacological significance, such as anticonvulsant, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiabetic, etc.


This paper designs a welding arc information testing and pr oc essing system,which can deal with data acquisition,signal processing and real-time display in Visual C ++ .The system has a friend by interface and is very easy to use.It contains filter analysis and differential analysis,etc.By these functions,the arc cha racter of the CO 2 droplet transfer welding process can be analyzed so as to extract more valua ble information.


This study examined the acquisition patterns of the prototypical and epistemic semantic meanings of German modals. It investigated whether different instructional approaches (cognitive instruction approach based on force dynamics and metaphoric extensions, traditional translation based instruction) have the potential to foster modal verbs acquisition, and which of the two approaches was more effective. Thirty-three, fourth semester learners of German as a foreign language were subjected to one of the experimental conditions. Findings were compared to a control condition, which did not receive any instruction. Learning gains were measured by means of a multiple choice meaning recognition test that assessed students' gains of receptive knowledge of the prototypical and epistemic senses of German modals. Results revealed that when students received cognitive instruction, they gained greater prototypical and epistemic semantic knowledge when compared to the students who received traditional translation based instruction or were part of the control condition. Most importantly, it was shown that the cognitive instruction approach had greater effect on meaning retention of modal verbs senses. 1 Nikolova: Teaching German Modal Verbs through Cognitive Linguistics Insight Published by DigitalCommons@COD, 2018 German Journal Volume 1, 2018


The concept of using fibers in concrete to improve resistance to cracking and fragmentation is old and intuitive. During the last 30 years different types of fibers and fiber materials were introduced and are being continuously introduced in the market as new applications. These fibers can be made of metals, natural, glass or organic materials. In the past three decades, extensive research on fiber reinforced concrete has shown that some types of fibers can be added to concrete to improve its durability and physical properties such as cracking induced by plastic shrinkage, drying shrinkage and thermal gradient on the surface of fresh and mature concrete due to the severe environmental conditions of the Saudi Arabia has been marked as one of the several causal factors of deterioration of reinforced concrete in the country. In this thesis, commercially available synthetic fibers namely, polypropylene, is used to study the effects of polypropylene fiber used for reinforcing concrete mixes and to obtain basic strength. The compressive, splitting tensile strength tests were performed by changing fiber weight content from 0% to 1% of the cement weight content.


The objective of this study was to identify the most important health/fitness trends while examining the impact of various demographics of respondents on the top trends for the first time in Greece. An online survey was sent to 3,487 professionals who worked in the health/fitness sector using the methodology of similar regional and worldwide studies extensively conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). A total of 542 responses were collected with a response rate of 15.5%. The ten most important trends were personal training, exercise is medicine, high-intensity interval training, small group training, and functional fitness, body weight training, exercise for weight loss, circuit training, strength training with free weights, and fitness programs for older adults. Health-related trends appear to be popular while technology- and mind/body-related trends seem not to be very attractive. Traditional exercise modes are still attractive and relevant, but specialized group training approaches are currently experiencing low popularity. Results also showed meaningful sex differences for 68% of the examined trends where female respondents reported higher scores. The main findings of this study are in line with those recently reported in the ACSM's European survey even though similar research design and data analysis are limited internationally.


1. A network component comprising: a receiver configured to receive a signed content item and associated security information from the publisher, wherein the protective information indicates what group of the plurality of groups given the opportunity to access the signed content item, a storage unit configured to cache content item and associated security information; a processor for implementation of procedures to enforce a security policy, certain security information ; and a transmitter configured to send the signed content item from the cache to the subscriber when the subscriber is a member of the group, said protecting information as authorized to access the signed content item, the subscriber verifies the signed kontent.2. Network component according to Claim. 1 in which a received signed content item further router signed using a private key content router, and wherein the signed content item, which is sent to the subscriber from the cache, the router is verified using the public key kontenta.3 router. Network component according to claim. 2, wherein the signed content element is further signed router content using the secret content router key, and wherein the signed content element is further verified by the same or another content router using open content router key before sending the signed content item subscriber .four


Combined heat and electric power energy networks are common as multi-energy systems and its optimal operation is a hot topic. The goals of this manuscript is to achieve the optimal heat and power flow for the coupling network with tree-topology heat network and DC power network. The study aims to minimize the total deviations between user setting points and building indoor temperatures, decrease total energy consumption and cost. An optimization model is proposed using a steady-state method. The effectiveness of this method is proved by simulation results. Optimal operational schedule is obtained which can considers the complexity of the combined heat and electric networks.


Whatever our proffesion, be brave little penguin can be great resource for reading. Locate the existing documents of word, txt, kindle, ppt, zip, pdf, and rar in this site. You could absolutely read online or download this book by here. Now, never ever miss it. Our goal is always to offer you an assortment of cost-free ebooks too as aid resolve your troubles. We have got a considerable collection of totally free of expense Book for people from every single stroll of life. We have got tried our finest to gather a sizable library of preferred cost-free as well as paid files. Need an excellent e-book? be brave little penguin by , the very best one! Wan na get it? Discover this superb electronic book by right here currently. Download or check out online is available. Why we are the very best website for downloading this be brave little penguin Certainly, you can choose the book in various file types as well as media. Seek ppt, txt, pdf, word, rar, zip, and kindle? Why not? Obtain them here, now! GO TO THE TECHNICAL WRITING FOR AN EXPANDED TYPE OF THIS BE BRAVE LITTLE PENGUIN, ALONG WITH A CORRECTLY FORMATTED VERSION OF THE INSTANCE MANUAL PAGE ABOVE.


The invention relates to a method for automatically finding an existing electricity meter by utilizing an electric power meter reading system, and the method comprises the following steps: sequentially broadcasting the path information of the electricity meter from a concentrator to the lower nodes level by level; using the nodes which can not find the path as reference; sequentially using the nodes which can not find the path as new paths; learning the path of the nodes to the concentrator; after the path of the nodes is learned, continuously broadcasting the path information of the nodes to provide reference for the nodes which cannot find the path; and expanding level by level according to the steps until all the nodes find the respective route of the nodes. In the method provided by the invention, the flux copying rate of a low-voltage meter reading system can be improved; the maintenance operation in an electric power information acquisition system is reduced; the maintenance cost is lowered; and the operation effect of the acquisition system is improved.


The application and integration of artificial intelligence in English writing teaching is in the stage of research and innovation. In order to improve the quality of college English writing teaching, the article first explains the research background of the blended teaching model under the background of artificial intelligence, and then It discusses the application of mixed teaching mode in English writing teaching under the background of artificial intelligence from three aspects: before class, during class and after class. Introduction


—It has been explored if stability of software is related to the decomposing the class object are related to each other or not. Any part of the project code is suffering from the " Yoyo problem " with multiple issues related to readability of code, understandability of code as well as maintainability of code there is need to rethink, redesign, refactor these pieces of code. So as to find the best way to do is to simplify the inter relationship of class objects in such manner that code becomes concise with Liskov Substitution Principle with the help of decomposition of classes however this may lead to unknown or unwanted of class objects that may turn into stable, low, high, medium categories after the application of decomposition of class objects in such manner that code becomes concise and affecting the stability of overall application we are developing which may even lead to software erosion.


Background: Dentists might face various artifacts (such as triangular-shaped radiolucencies [TSRs]) during the assessment of radiographs and should be able to differentiate them from caries to avoid unnecessary treatments. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 109 maxillary second primary molars were evaluated in cooperative children aged 4–9 years, who had distal caries in their maxillary first primary molars. First, TSRs were recorded on periapical radiographs of each maxillary second primary molar's proximal surface. Then, after excavating distal caries in the adjacent teeth "D," a pedodontist examined the mesial surfaces of teeth "E." Chi-square test was used to compare the distribution of caries in different variables, and the kappa coefficient was applied to evaluate clinical and radiographic agreements. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Forty-four cases were found to be carious both clinically and radiographically, and 54 cases were noncarious by both methods, while for 11 cases, the diagnosis was controversial. No statistically significant difference was found between radiographic and clinical caries detection methods in children whose periapical radiographs contained TSRs, and most of the subjects had similar diagnoses. Value of caries detection sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in TSRs was 88%, 92%, 90%, and 90%, respectively. Conclusion: Considering high radiographic sensitivity for caries detection in TSRs, clinicians should be more cautious about them being carious or not, and both radiographic and clinical examinations are necessary. Further, to avoid misinterpretation in radiographs, additional education is necessary for young dentists.


This study investigated the effects of zein hydrolysate (ZH) on the improvement of the emulsifying stability of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions prepared by myofibrillar protein (MP). Emulsions with 5 mg/mL ZH had the highest ESI and ζ-potential, the smallest mean particle size (P<0.05). Confocal laser scanning microscopy observation proved that emulsions with ZH possessed relatively small oil droplets, and the interfacial membrane in emulsions with 5 mg/mL ZH were more compact and more massive than that those without ZH. In general, our results revealed that the ZH promoted the adsorption of protein on the O/W interface and improved the emulsifying stability of the MP O/W emulsion.


Technology of genetic engineered is an alternative way to improve both the quality and the quantity of agricultural crops. Genetically Engineered Plants (GEPs) as the product of modern technology requires an excellent management strategies especially for the biosafety of the products before being released to commercialized to the public. This study aims determine the policy priorities in making the right decisions in order to GEPs management could be more effective and sustainable while reducing the side effects of this technology to the environment and human health. System analysis approach to take decisions using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM). The outputs of possible policy making based on expert justifications were divided into four (4) levels, i.e.: Focus, Factor, Criteria and Alternative way level. The synthesized of experts justifications on environmental, economic, social and technological factors, give a nearly equal ( eigen) values to the previous four levels, so they are concluded in having the same priority in managing of GEPs. The gene flow of GEPs to non GEPs was the most important element to be considered with the eigen values 0.278. The increase of farmer's income with eigen values 0.358 is considered as the most important criteria of economic factor. GEPs safety to human health (0.464) is the preferred social elements. Last but not least, the human resource capability in doing biosafety test (0.580) was the most important criteria for the technology factor. Based on the alternatives compiled by the experts, law enforcement elements of the rules must be done by 0.187 eigen values- compared with other alternatives. Also based on ISM (Interpretative Structural Modeling) quadrant matrix, alternative elements are scattered into three quadrants; dependence, linkage and independent.


With the gradual deepening of human exploration of the ocean, more and more attention has been paid to the intelligence of ships. The research on tracking control of intelligent ship is the most important. In order to solve the problem of intelligent ship tracking target ship motion in real time, a hierarchical model predictive control(H-MPC) tracking method based on the combination of model predictive control(MPC) and hierarchical control is proposed. The simulation results show that under the premise of external interference, the tracking error and tracking speed of H-MPC are obviously better than those under the control of MPC. Thus it can be seen, the designed H-MPC tracking method can make the intelligent ship track the target ship very well.


During my clinical placement in a hospice in my first year of training, a patient with bowel cancer was admitted.


The compressible Reynolds equation, which is the basic equation of the mathematical model of aerodynamic bearings, was mathematically transformed into standard elliptic PDE (partial differential equation) form, and as a result, MATLAB's PDE Toolbox can be utilized as a PDE solver. An iterative calculation program was developed and the high precise calculation of aerodynamic bearings is realized. The calculation results were validated and show good agreements with those already published. This indicates the correctness of the presented method. The idea of the presented method can be applied to other types of bearings and PDE problems.


This work deals with analysis of social welfare programs such as health, housing, education, employment, social security and public services with dynamic perspectives at local, regional and national levels. The general objective focuses on the experiences of local governments in the implementation of social programs that promote sustained growth, as a result it is disaggregated into specific contents along the fundamental thematic axes of this work: I) Those referring to the social policy and local development, where clear alerts in the management of social programs supports the creation of mechanisms to reduce vulnerability conditions; the promotion of health prevention and persistence to citizens. II) Concerning urban development, the importance of the determinants of industrial concentration for local growth and development is denoted; as well as the external influence for investment management in urban real estate capital and its economic, social, cultural and environmental costs. III) Finally, research on convergence from the local, denotes the importance of self-employment as a generator of new business units from their meanings and continuities; and the premises on ethnography and ethnohistory that place conditions on the binomial teaching-learning in infants. Consequently, the multidisciplinary synergies of the authors with an awareness and training in areas of quality knowledge provide a unique facet of innovative designs that will motivate governments, organizations and institutions to continue fighting for the improvement of social policies in Mexico.


The purpose of this study was to examine the kinematics of lower body and trunk between forward and backward skating. Seven male collegiate ice hockey players skated both forward and backward (C-cut) four times each. A standard two-dimensional kinematic analysis was conducted to examine the lower body extremity and trunk at the instants of weight acceptance and propulsion. No significant differences in the joint angles were found at the weight acceptance. At the propulsion, significant differences were found in the joint angles of hip, knee, ankle and trunk between forward and backward skating. Hence, these findings indicate the importance of strengthing lower body joints and trunk, particularly for forward skating. Future studies are warranted to examine the mechanics of forward and backward skating using a 3D analysis.


When searching for multiple targets in an unknown complex environment, swarm robots should firstly form a number of subswarms autonomously through a task division model and then each subswarm searches for a target in parallel. Based on the probability response principle and multitarget division strategy, a closed-loop regulation strategy is proposed, which includes target type of member, target response intensity evaluation, and distance to the corresponding individuals. Besides, it is necessary to make robots avoid other robots and convex obstacles with various shapes in the unknown complex environment. By decomposing the multitarget search behavior of swarm robots, a simplified virtual-force model (SVF-Model) is developed for individual robots, and a control method is designed for swarm robots searching for multiple targets (SRSMT-SVF). The simulation results indicate that the proposed method keeps the robot with a good performance of collision avoidance, effectively reducing the collision conflicts among the robots, environment, and individuals.


We report the preparation of p-type ZnO thin films on (0001) sapphire substrates by a combination of sol-gel and ion-implantation techniques. The results of the Hall-effect measurements carried out at room temperature indicate that the N-implanted ZnO:Al films annealed at 600°C have converted to p-type conduction with a hole concentration of 1.6 × 1018 cm−3, a hole mobility of 3.67cm2/V·s and a minimum resistivity of 4.80 cm.ω. Ion-beam induced damage recovery has been investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and optical transmittance measurements. Results show that diffraction peaks and PL intensities are decreased by N ion implantation, but they nearly recover after annealing at 600°C. Our results demonstrate a promising approach to fabricate p-type ZnO at a low cost.


When analysing complex relational data, the notion of a many-valued context as basis for applying Formal Concept Analysis can be too limiting and Toscana systems might thus not be suited. With Tupleware we present a prototype application that aims at leveraging the query power of SQL and other query languages.


Analysis of the dielectric properties of gas mixtures in the context of their application as cryogens for high-temperature superconducting power applications is presented. Boltzmann analysis was conducted for pure gaseous helium (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{He}$</tex-math></inline-formula>) and its mixtures consisting of small mole fractions of gaseous hydrogen (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $\text{H}_{\text{2}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>) to establish a theoretical foundation for the observed enhancement in dielectric strength at cryogenic temperatures. Boltzmann analysis showed that the electron energy distribution function shifts to the lower energy region, the reduced ionization coefficient (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\alpha /N$</tex-math></inline-formula>), and the reduced effective ionization coefficient ( <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$(\alpha -\eta)/N$</tex-math></inline-formula>) decreases, whereas the reduced attachment coefficient (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\eta /N$</tex-math></inline-formula>) and the reduced critical electric field (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$(E/N)_{\text{cr}}$</tex-math> </inline-formula>) increases as the mole fractions of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{H}_{\text{2}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> increase in the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{He}$</tex-math> </inline-formula>–<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{H}_{\text{2}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> mixture. The results of the analysis predict a persisting enhancement of dielectric strength by adding larger amounts of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{H}_{\text{2}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> beyond the reported 4 mol% in the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{He}$</tex-math></inline-formula>– <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{H}_{\text{2}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> mixtures. The analysis also provides a basis for identifying a suitable gas mixture for gaseous cryogen cooled superconducting device with a required power rating.


This paper takes L415 pipeline steel as the research object. The temperature field and stress field of the gas pipeline welding process are numerically simulated by using ANSYS finite element analysis software. Gradient meshing is adopted by the finite element model. The simulation of the welding heat source is realized by the band heat source model, and ANSYS is used to load the heat source in a APDL command program. In the simulation process, the element birth and death technology is used to simulate the generation of weld material, and the material constitutive relationship is a bilinear follow-up strengthening elastoplastic model that changes with temperature. The simulation results show that applying the heat source in the form of heat generation rate with a belt-shaped heat source can realize effective calculation of the residual stress field of multi-layer and multi-pass welding. The calculation results in this paper provide a mechanical reference for pipeline installation and operation.


At present, very little theoretical analysis has been performed on the unified particle swarm optimizer (UPSO). This paper derives the order-1 and order-2 stable regions for the UPSO algorithm, along with the fixed point of particle convergence. The impact that the unification factor has on the stability of UPSO is also analyzed. The theoretical analysis is performed under the stagnation assumption; however, the derived results are shown to be both necessary and sufficient for particle convergence empirically, using a standardized methodology for assumption free convergence region analysis.


This paper has proposed a design for networked control systems with random time delays and packet dropout in the forward communication channel by using fuzzy theories. First, a simple predictive model was built by means of fuzzy cluster modeling technology and neural network approximation. Then, a prediction oriented fuzzy sliding mode controller was presented to obtain the future control actions' based on the 'future error' and 'future error change'. Thus, the random time delays in the forward channel could be actively compensated by selecting appropriate control actions from the received control sequences in the plant side. Packet dropout problem was transformed into the time delay issue under the assumption of maximum delay. Simulations demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.


The first 34 pieces of electric lorries were built and used between 1924-1945 by the Hungarian Royal Post for the transportation of parcels and packages with mechanically parallel-series switched lead-acid batteries. Following the "semiconductor age" the Research Institute of the Electrical-Industry (VKI) constructed 10 pieces of chopper controlled EV-s with a payload of half a ton for the Post again. Following researches on hybrid buses and a duo-bus, in 1989 the factory PULI started to produce 300 two-seaters and other smaller cars a year mostly for excursion purposes, or coffin- transporters in cemeteries. Our endavour was to construct a continuosly changeable transmission with high efficiency driven by an internalcombustion engine (IC), and because the mass of batteries are generally very heavy we reduced them to the necessary minimum value. The same batteriesare able to start the engine through a permanent magnet generator, operating now as a starter. The expected life-time of such a starter has to be 30 times higher then a conventional DC one. This makes it possible to stop the engine at crossings and in jams more often and this reduces the pollution. A new proposed hybrid EV drive with power-branching has electric and (IC) drive for 2 or 4 axles using a planetary gear which makes possible a drive on highways with combustion engines, at down-towns with electricpower, and on hills both in parallel operation. At the actual presentation we introduce our slides or photographs about the construction, manufacturing and production of our electric cars


The eddy current fields of four kinds of foil-wound reactors with different type cores are analyzed by FEM. The magnetic field distribution and current density in the foils and losses in the windings are calculated. The cause of skin-effect has been founded. Based on the calculation, a method for reducing winding loss and a new type of reactor is proposed.


The application discloses a device for monitoring data access to an internal storage device and the internal storage device. The internal storage device is in a coupled connection to a memory controller by a memory bus. The monitoring device comprises a cache module and a safety control module, wherein the cache module is configured to be coupled with the memory bus and used to receive and cache data interacted by the memory bus and/or a data access command or a target address related to the interacted data; and the safety control module is configured to process the cached data and/or the data access command and the target address, so as to identify whether the data access to the internal storage device has safety risks. The monitoring device disclosed by the application does not influence operations of the internal storage device, so that the device is highly compatible to existing system structures. In addition, the potential safety risks can be identified through monitoring of the data access to the internal storage device, so that system safety and stability can be enhanced.


A genetic screen in haploid human cells reveals context-specific regulators of the mTORC1 pathway. Perturb and observe screening in haploid cells Yeast have been a powerful model organism for genetic screens because they can easily be genetically manipulated during the haploid portion of their life cycle. De Zan et al. used a quantitative genetic screen in the HAP1 haploid human cell line that generated reproducible results in different laboratories without explicit standardization. The authors used this screening approach to identify genes whose loss of function by mutation increased or decreased the phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6), a measure of the activity of mTORC1, a complex that mediates responses to nutrient availability. Adding pharmacological or genetic perturbations to the screen showed that LAMTOR4 enhanced the inhibition of mTORC1 by rapamycin, an effect not demonstrated by the related LAMTOR5, and that LAMTOR4 had a synthetic sick/lethal interaction with folliculin. This approach has the potential to reveal regulators of signaling pathways that function in specific contexts. Forward genetic screens in mammalian cell lines, such as RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9 screens, have made major contributions to the elucidation of diverse signaling pathways. Here, we exploited human haploid cells as a robust comparative screening platform and report a set of quantitative forward genetic screens for identifying regulatory mechanisms of mTORC1 signaling, a key growth control pathway that senses diverse metabolic states. Selected chemical and genetic perturbations in this screening platform, including rapamycin treatment and genetic ablation of the Ragulator subunit LAMTOR4, revealed the known core mTORC1 regulatory signaling complexes and the intimate interplay of the mTORC1 pathway with lysosomal function, validating the approach. In addition, we identified a differential requirement for LAMTOR4 and LAMTOR5 in regulating the mTORC1 pathway under fed and starved conditions. Furthermore, we uncovered a previously unknown "synthetic-sick" interaction between the tumor suppressor folliculin and LAMTOR4, which may have therapeutic implications in cancer treatment. Together, our study demonstrates the use of iterative "perturb and observe" genetic screens to uncover regulatory mechanisms driving complex mammalian signaling networks.


In the early 1970's hyperabrupt silicon varactors became available in which the capacitance voltage curve of the abrupt junction diodes was modified by adding an N layer under the junction, either by ion implantation, by an additional diffusion, or an additional epitaxial layer. This had the effect of increasing the capacitance ratio, and improving the linearity of the frequencyvoltage curve.


In this paper we study existence and uniqueness of renormalized solution to the following problem $\lambda (x,u) -div a(x,Du) +\Phi (x,u)) =f$ with $f$ in $L^1$ and with Dirichlet-Neumann boundary condition. The main difficulty in this task is that in general the operator entering in the above equation is not coercive in a Sobolev space. Moreover, the possible degenerate character of $\lambda$ with respect to $u$ renders more complex the proof of uniqueness for integrable data $f$.


Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is a flexible method for forming sheet metal that can be considered as an incremental deformation process. A fast method for modeling deformation in ISF is required that can form the basis of a path optimisation and feedback control algorithm for the process. This paper improves upon previous formulations for approximately modeling ISF by incorporating bending work and using finite element discretisation. The model is solved by manipulating the problem into the form of a second-order cone program (SOCP) and significant improvements are observed in terms of numerical stability of the model allowing a full product to be simulated. For validation purposes, a comparison is provided between the new model and measured data.


The production and consumption of potable water is one of the important applied topics to which planning studies have been directed, due to the increased demand for drinking water consumption and its other uses. The cities of the world suffer from the problem of providing services, especially the problem of water supply, which is a global phenomenon that increases in severity in dry areas and cities far from rivers.The study aimed to reveal the working mechanism of the drinking water production projects supplied to the city of Halabja and to evaluate its qualitative, quantitative and distributive efficiency. It also revealed that the city is equipped with potable water from two major projects and (7) artesian wells that serve (39) residential localities with a population of (79,505) people in (2021), The study relied on the descriptive analytical method in studying the reality of potable water services. The study reached a set of related conclusions and recommendations presented at the end of the research, the most important of which is that the quantity of potable water produced in the Halabja water projects is sufficient to meet all uses in the city. The per capita share amounted to (450 liters / person / day) (in 2021), which is greater than the specific schematic standard of (250 liters / person / day), and the water produced in terms of quality, are identical with the Iraqi and international standards.


Boolean Satisfiability (SAT)-based channel routing with via-aware pin doglegging is presented in this paper. The effect of the pin dogleg layout of connecting wires has been tested separately for input–output pins and output pins only with controlled use of vias for dogleg during detailed routing. Dogleg may reduce the channel width required for laying down all nets and hence decrease the total chip area. However, invalid selection of dogleg may increase the channel width or may identify a routable circuit as unroutable. Unwanted dogleg may also increase the use of vias (switches) required for changing the track from one to another and may create a congested area with vias. Congested via may introduce lithographic printing problem during manufacturing and power leakage problem. The proposed technique considers all these constraints to provide an optimal result and gives a compact layout for a circuit with controlled via for doglegging. The results obtained show that pin dogleg layout produces a more compact layout for connecting wires with supervised via when compared to dogleg-free routing or doglegged routing with unsupervised via for some standard benchmark circuits. It yields optimal results with reduced number of tracks in a channel and smaller chip size.


Psychological Education and Developmental Theory: Life Planning Performance as a Function of Self Knowledge Stage September 1983 Eleanor M. Skinner, B.A., University of Massachusetts M.Ed., University of Massachusetts, M.A., University of Wisconsin, Ed.D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor Sheryl Riechmann-Hruska The purpose of this study was to determine whether matching Life Planning interventions to Ss/ Self Knowledge stage positively influences Ss * Life Planning outcomes. Undergraduate courses at the University of Massachusetts and Simmons College provided 80 Ss^ for the study. Two sessions in these courses were devoted to the workshop. On the basis of the Experience Recall Test 20 S3s were assigned to each of four groups. Two of the groups ( situational treatment, pattern treatment) participated in a two session Life Planning workshop consisting of interventions matched to stages of Self Knowledge (elemental , situational , and pattern ) . The other two groups ( situational control, pattern control) were asked to set personal goals (as were treatment Ss) , but did not participate in the workshop. The data supported the hypothesis that Life Planning interventions matched to Ss * Self Knowledge stage or stages below, yield significantly more successful outcomes in responses to workshop activities (Success Test scores) than those "mismatched". This vii finding wuh interpreted ns important in that it provides L) evidence that Self Knowledge stngc may he used to predict performance from one particular context (recall of an unforgettable experience) to another very different context (immediate experience of a structured Life Planning workshop) 2) an empirically derived set of Life Planning Processing questions for use with Ss at different stages of Self Knowledge and 3) additional support for the validity of the Self Knowledge construct. The data did not support hypothesized stage and treatment effects in the areas of the prediction and accomplishment of goaLs, and workshop assessment ratings. Interpretations of the lack of significant stage and treatment effects included 1) uncontrolled variables such as personal motivation 2) the power of asking control Ss to set personal goals and 3) the possible inappropriateness of the outcome measures. This study provides guidelines for the development and refinement of Self Knowledge theory and the theory and practice of Life Planning.


Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, the conventional chemotherapeutic drugs have been known for their toxicity and numerous side effects. A new approach to treat cancer involves phytochemical drugs. In the present review, anti-cancer activity of a class of steroidal lactones called withanolides obtained from Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is discussed. The commonly studied bioactive compounds namely withaferin-A, withanoside IV, withanoside VI and withanolide-A among others obtained from methanolic and chloroform extract of the leaves and various alcoholic, aqueous and chloroform extract of roots have shown inhibition to various human cancer cell lines including skin, breast, colon, prostate, liver, ovary, cervical and lung. Prominent mechanisms of action include induction of apoptosis by NOS upregulation, ROS production and NBS2 or COX-2 inhibition; cytotoxicity by humoral and cell mediated immune response, activation of p53 and pRB and inhibition of various viral oncoproteins; cell cycle arrest by Cdc2 facilitated mitotic catastrophe, cyclin-D1 down-regulation and inhibition of transcription factors. Cancers are also controlled by inhibition of angiogenesis and metastasis of the tumor cells. In addition to anti-tumorogenic properties, W. somnifera also holds properties that make it a potential adjuvant in integrated cancer therapeutics and in enhancing the effectiveness of ongoing radiation therapy.


Germanium, element number 32, was predicted by Mendeleev in 1871 as an element which should lie between silicon and tin in the same column of the periodic table. He named the &dquo;new element&dquo; &dquo;ecasilicon,&dquo; as an analog of silicon. He also predicted what the new properties would be. In 1864 evidence for the element was found by Newlands, but it was actually isolated in 1886 by A. Winkler, who called the new element &dquo;germanium&dquo; to honor the name of Germany, the country where it was discovered (Glockling, 1969).


In this article, the main purpose has been the characterization of characters in the Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. To carry out the task, the research has been conducted through the lenses of the deconstuction approach. Through the completion of the task, the characters have been divided into three groups namely major characters, the minor characters, and other characters. At the end of the investigation, it has been discovered there are two major characters in the novel. As for minor characters there are two characters as well. When it comes to other characters, although in this article their number has shortened to two characters, it should be mentioned that there are more characters who should belong to this last group of characters. This short number of characters belonging to other characters has been due to the constraint of the article size.


Visual field immersion and plantar vibration effects on balance were examined. Healthy adults stood quietly in a 3-wall immersive virtual environment (VE) and with a 3DTV for four trials while: barefoot, barefoot on foam, and wearing shoes on foam with and without sub-threshold plantar vibration. RMS of center of pressure velocity were significantly larger in VE than 3DTV (p<;0.0002). Responses on foam in the VE were larger than no foam (p<;0.001) or foam with 3DTV (p<;0.003). Vibration reduced RMS values in the VE (p<;0.02) but not with 3DTV. Immersive VE destabilizes more than 3DTV but plantar vibration improves balance.


A technique for thalamotomy employing yttrium-90 macrospheres was used in the treatment of Parkinsonism, paralysis agitans, dystonia musculorum deformans, and cerebellar tremors. By utilizing the physical characteristics of beta emitters, to achieve a circumscribed complete lesion, physical disruptive effects are avoided. The crucial target, the ventrolateral nucleus, is subtended by a 1 cm diameter spherical lesion. Animal experiments showed that fixation of the source is necessary to avoid migration of the bead. Twelve patients were treated. Observation of the patients from 4 to 11 monihs showed that are excellent result can be achieved with few or no side effects. (auth)


In this article, we study the analogue of the integration by parts formula from"Hitting times for Gaussian processes"in the context of GMC and its inverse.


Objective To investigate the curative effect of thymosin combined with hepatocyte growth-promoting factors to interferon refractory chronic viral hepatitis B.Methods 98 cases of interferon refractory chronic viral hepatitis B were randomly divided into three groups as hepatocyte growth factor group,thymopeptide group and combined therapy group,to observe the three groups about serum HbeAg/anti-Hbe conversion rate,serum HBV-DNA negative conversion rate before and after 3 months of treatment,and follow-up half year after six months of treatment to observe the HBV-DNA positive rate.Results Three months after the treatment,serum HbeAg /anti-Hbe conversion rate of combined therapy group and HBV-DNA negative conversion rate was higher than that of hepatocyte growth factor group,thymopeptide group,respectively.Follow-up of 6 months,the comparison of seroconversion bounce-back rate,the recovery rate of glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and bilirubin total in three groups had statistical significance.Conclusion Thymosin combined with hepatocyte growth-promoting factors to treat the chronic hepatitis B had better effect to interferon refractory chronic viral hepatitis B.And may be worth of clinical application.


Abstract Aims Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) gradually become attractive candidates for cardiac inflammation modulation, yet understanding of the mechanism remains elusive. Strikingly, recent studies indicated that exosomes secreted by MSCs might be a novel mechanism for the beneficial effect of MSCs transplantation after myocardial infarction. We therefore explored the role of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-Exo) in the immunomodulation of macrophages after myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) and its implications in cardiac injury repair. Methods and results Exosomes were isolated from the supernatant of MSCs using gradient centrifugation method. Administration of MSC-Exo to mice through intramyocardial injection after myocardial I/R reduced infarct size and alleviated inflammation level in heart and serum. Systemic depletion of macrophages with clodronate liposomes abolished the curative effects of MSC-Exo. MSC-Exo modified the polarization of M1 macrophages to M2 macrophages both in vivo and in vitro. miRNA sequencing of MSC-Exo and bioinformatics analysis implicated miR-182 as a potent candidate mediator of macrophage polarization and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) as a downstream target. Diminishing miR-182 in MSC-Exo partially attenuated its modulation of macrophage polarization. Likewise, knock down of TLR4 also conferred cardioprotective efficacy and reduced inflammation level in a mouse model of myocardial I/R. Conclusion Our data indicate that MSC-Exo attenuates myocardial I/R injury in mice via shuttling miR-182 that modifies the polarization status of macrophages. This study sheds new light on the application of MSC-Exo as a potential therapeutic tool for myocardial I/R injury.


Abstract: This study aims to examine the effect of learning motivation and industrial work practices on the work readiness students of class XII in business management vocational schools in Solok city. This reseach is descriptive associative. The population in this study is all students class XII of business management vocational schools in Solok city using primary data and secondary data. The analytical method used is path analysis using the SPSS version 21. The results of this study indicate that:1. Learning motivation has a positive and signifivant effect on Industrial work practices 2. Learning motivation has a positive and significant effect on work readiness 3. Industrial work practices have a positive and significant effect on work readiness Keywords: learning motivation, industrial work practices, work readiness


Variations in the cytosolic Ca#+ concentration play an important role in regulating cell function [1]. Ca#+ signalling involves intracellular Ca#+ pools, the Ca#+ content of which is controlled by the SERCA-type Ca#+ pumps (sarco}endoplasmic-reticulum Ca#+-ATPases) [2]. For a long time the SERCA system in non-muscle cells remained poorly characterized as compared with muscle cells. Recently, studies of phosphorylated-intermediate formation and Western-blot analysis of the SERCA proteins and controlled-proteolysis data resulted in the demonstration of the existence of two 97 kDa SERCA isoforms in human platelets and other non-muscle cells, in addition to the ubiquitous SERCA 2b isoform [3,4]. This was based on: (i) the 97 kDa SERCA 3 [5–8] giving rise to 80 and 25 kDa tryptic fragments, the latter being recognized by the N 89 antibody [5], and (ii) a new PL}IM 430-recognizable 97 kDa SERCA isoform giving rise to the 73, 68 and 40 kDa tryptic fragments [9]. However, a subsequent study, using platelets, contradicted these findings and suggested that the SERCA protein recognized by the PL}IM 430 antibody was the SERCA 3 protein [10]. This conclusion was based on similar recognition of non-specific degradation products of about 74, 70 and 40 kDa by the PL}IM 430 and N 89 antibodies. Results showing the SERCA 3-related 25 kDa fragment recognized by N 89 were, however, not presented. In the present work, human cell lines were screened for the presence of the two 97 kDa SERCA proteins (Figure 1). We isolated mixed membrane fractions and studied SERCA expression by Western blotting using isoform-specific antibodies : the monoclonal IID8 (which recognizes SERCA 2b) [11] (Figure 1A), the monoclonal PL}IM 430 [12] (Figure 1B) and the polyclonal N 89 [5] (Figure 1C) antibodies. The T lymphoblastoid JUR E 6-1 (lane 1), the epithelial HeLa (lane 2) and the gastriccancer KATO III (lane 3) cell lines were studied. As shown previously [13], in KATO III cells, only the SERCA 2b isoform was expressed, so we used this cell line as a negative control for the expression of the two 97 kDa SERCA isoforms. The SERCA 2b isoform appeared equally expressed in the three cell lines, as demonstrated by the similar recognition of the 100 kDa protein band with the IID8 antibody. In contrast, a clear difference was found between the expression levels of the SERCA 3 and the PL}IM 430-recognizable 97 kDa SERCA isoforms in JUR E 61 and HeLa cells. Indeed, JUR E 6-1 cells expressed exclusively the PL}IM 430-recognizable 97 kDa SERCA isoform, whereas HeLa cells expressed exclusively the SERCA 3 protein. It can therefore be concluded that the two 97 kDa SERCA isoforms are different and are differentially expressed in these cell lines. To confirm these results further, we performed trypsinolysis of the JUR E 6-1 and HeLa cell membrane preparations and studied the fragmentation profiles of the SERCA isoforms by Western blotting (results not shown). The results revealed the presence of the PL}IM 430-recognizable 73, 68 and 40 kDa fragments, but the absence of the 25 kDa fragment related to the SERCA 3 protein in JUR E 6-1 cell membranes. By contrast, for the HeLa cells, the trypsinolysed membranes were not recognized by the PL}IM 430 antibody, whereas the N 89 antibody revealed the presence of the SERCA 3-related 25 kDa fragment. These results incited us to try to differentiate between the two 97 kDa SERCA isoforms in the haematopoietic system in which they were initially found to be concomitantly expressed. For this, we performed immunoprecipitation experiments (Figure 2) using the PL}IM 430 monoclonal antibody in human platelets (Figure 2A) and the megacaryocytic MEG 01 cell line (Figure 2B) [14] used as a new control not expressing the SERCA 3 protein. Indeed, similarly to JUR E 6-1 cells, the MEG 01 cell line was not recognized by the N 89 antibody (results not shown). The immunoprecipitates and their respective supernatants were tested by Western blotting using the PL}IM 430 and N 89 antibodies. Analysis of lanes 1 clearly showed the presence of the PL}IM


Micrometer-scale anatase-phase TiO2 congeries assembled with hollow spheres have been synthesized by a bubble-template method combined with a facile chemical process. The as-prepared products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Some of the congeries exhibited unique three-dimensional hierarchical architectures. The bubble-template strategy used in the synthetic process may represent a general approach to fabricate hollow micro- and nanostructures and therefore contribute to the formation mechanisms of hollow micro- and nanostructures.


Risk assessment typically includes various stages to identify, analyze and evaluate risk, and to reduce risk as needed. For example, the risk of electric shock could be assessed for a product. But to achieve an acceptable level of safety, and then to maintain that level, and even assess opportunities for improvement, it could be very useful to incorporate this risk assessment into a more complete framework of a safety management process. Such a comprehensive and systematic approach can help to manage the safety of a product, as demonstrated by examples of electric shock hazards. This paper will address electric shock hazards in terms of the ASSET™ Safety Management Process, focusing on hazard analysis and protective measure strategies to reduce the risk of electric shock.


In developed and in developing countries, there are frequent shortages of teachers – both in a quantitative perspective (shortage in certain subjects or locations) and in a qualitative one (not every teacher has the means to perform his or her tasks adequately). What are the main factors attracting or repelling potential teachers in Brazil? What role is carried out by short and medium term salary expectations? What is the profile of those who want to become a teacher? This paper contributes to the literature by providing elements of response to these questions through the estimation of occupational choice models. Data were collected in a survey with a representative sample of undergraduate students from various fields leading to the teacher profession. Results show that the future teacher has a disadvantaged socioeconomic profile, is risk-averse and generally is not among the best students. Women and those who live in the countryside are more prone to become a teacher at least in some of the estimated models, and the same is true for those who are enrolled in a private institution and those who do not study natural sciences. For some subsamples, having attended teacher training courses at the secondary school and taking part in activities at the university (such as teaching assistance) might mitigate the desire to give up the profession. Even controlling for well-known major determinants, including proxies for vocation, wage expectations in the short and medium term prove to be significant.


The ability to perceive speech accurately in the face of multiple sources of variability appears to develop during early and middle childhood. However, the cognitive‐linguistic skills that underlie these improvements are unknown. Early‐middle childhood is a time of rapid development in many areas of cognition and language, including the expansion of the lexicon. Lexical development includes both changes in lexicon size and changes in lexicon structure. Research suggests that as the lexicon grows, the words within the lexicon become more highly specified moving from more holistic representations to more fine‐grained, segmental representations. This study tested how the expansion and restructuring of the lexicon are related to the ability to perceive highly variable speech signals. Specifically, the perception of foreign‐accented speech — a common, real‐world source of speech variability — was tested. The relationship between lexicon size and the perception of lexically easy (i.e., high‐frequency words from...


Abstract
Purpose
This paper provides an overview of the Post 9/11 GI Bill and outlines the steps that the Obama administration has taken to provide for the educational and training needs of veterans and other eligible dependents.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper offers a policy analytic review of the extant literature on veterans' education and regulations pertaining to the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Findings
It is found that although the Post 9/11 GI Bill was enacted with the right intentions, several changes had to be made to protect both veterans and tax payers as well as the integrity of the GI Bill.

Originality/value
To help educators understand the role that the Obama administration has played in advancing veteran education and training.


Describes an interface for hospital statistical reports developed by our hospital in order to meet the requirement of the state health department.


Energy is the fuel of economic development. Yet, this is lost on the over 2 billion people in the world without access to commercial energy, most in rural areas. Meeting their needs, along with the growing needs of the population already with access, provides very large markets for energy and energy services. Studies have repeatedly shown that technology is the single most important historical driver for productivity growth. Technology is also at the heart of the goals spelled out in the World Energy Council's Statement 2000 [l]: accessibility of reliable and affordable modern energy services for all the world's inhabitants; availability of high-quality reliable delivered energy; and acceptability of energy resources produced and used in harmony with the local, regional, and global environment. With this in mind, the World Energy Council (WEC) at the time of the 17th Congress in Houston decided to identify and examine some of the energy technologies that might sustain the world in the 21st century. This effort would examine steps that might be taken to ensure that these new technologies are available to the marketplace, and what role governments and industry might play to ensure this availability. The WEC launched a major study in 1999,more » Energy Technologies for the 21st Century, conducted by a study group composed of international energy experts [2]. The first part of the study examined trends in public and private research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) spending over the past 15 years to determine what has been happening with the resource base for future development. Improvements in energy technologies are attained through active RD&D performed now, in advance of their implementation. Energy RD&D also provides insurance against potential impacts such as climate change, oil price shocks, and disruptions in the energy distribution system [3]. This part of the study sought to answer the questions: What is the current situation with respect to energy RD&D and what are the trends? and Are we spending more or less and do these trends vary between countries or regions? The second part of the study began a process to identify those technologies that might be key in the 21st century and what might be necessary in expenditure, time, and policies to help bring them to market. The emphasis is on what is possible and when from today's vantage, not what will necessarily happen actual developments are unpredictable and it is impossible to foresee the course of actual technology development or economic growth. Nevertheless, using knowledge about current technologies and their projected development, investment costs, and likely time to commercialization, some light might be shed on what could happen over a wide range of possible scenarios.« less


Author Address 1. PhD Student in General Psychology, Faculty of Human and Society Science, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran; 2. PhD in General Psychology, Associate Professor, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran; 3. PhD in General Psychology, Associate Professor, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran. *Corresponding author's email: email@example.com


The pathogenicity of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) depends directly on the presence of bacteria in the nematode digestive tracts. Based on 16S rRNA and MALDI‐TOF analyses 20 isolated bacteria were assigned to 10 species with 10 isolates classified as Pseudomonas ssp. Six strains (30%) show ureolytic activity on Christensen medium. Spectroscopic analysis of the strains showed that the ureolytic activity is strongly correlated with the following wavenumbers: 935 cm−1 in window W4, which carries information about the bacterial cell wall construction and 1158 cm−1 in window W3 which corresponds to proteins in bacterial cell. A logistic regression model designed on the basis of the selected wavenumbers differentiates ureolytic from non‐ureolytic bacterial strains with an accuracy of 100%. Spectroscopic studies and mathematical analyses made it possible to differentiate EPN‐associated Pseudomonas sp. strains from clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. These results suggest, that infrared spectra of EPN‐associated Pseudomonas sp. strains may reflect its adaptation to the host.


To develop a means of detecting pollution, it s necessary to know something about the source and nature of the pollution. The type of pollution rising from solid wastes differs considerably from hat from liquid wastes or that from gaseous wastes ni its effect on the immediate environment. It may be "defined" by a series of negatives. When solid wastes are discarded on land, the resulting pollution is not land pollution in the sense of air and water pollution. For one thing, the solid wastes do not become a "part" of the land in that the wastes are neither intimately mixed nor homogenized into the land as are liquid and gaseous wastes into their respective media. The waste particles retain not only their chemical identity but also their visible (i.e., physical) characteristics. When buried, for example, the soil is under, above, and around the solids, because the wastes are there as discrete units. Secondly, solid wastes neither diffuse nor are they carried from the place at which they were deposited. In other words they remain stationary, providing of course the disposal site is land and not moving water. In a given area, solid wastes be not distributed uniformly over that area. Even the solid wastes falling into the specification of letter meets these specifications. In contrast liquid and gaseous wastes become intimately mixed, homogenized, and even dissolved in their media. Because solid wastes remain stationary, pollution constituted by their presence is highly localized and heavily concentrated, even to the extent that the pollution could be termed "micro" when compared to the macro-pollution arising from liquid and gasequs wastes.


This genome-wide search for susceptibility genes to type 2 diabetes/impaired glucose homeostasis (IGH) was performed on a relatively homogenous Chinese sample with a total number of 257 pedigrees and 385 affected sibpairs. Two regions showed significant linkage to type 2 diabetes/IGH in the Chinese. The region showing linkage to type 2 diabetes/IGH from the entire sample group analysis was located on chromosome 6q21-q23 (128.93 cM, 1-LOD [logarithm of odds] support interval between 124 and 142 cM, according to the Marshfield genetic map), with a maximum likelihood score of 6.23, a nonparametric linkage (all) score of 4.48, and empirical P value <0.001. With a subanalysis based on 101 affected sibpairs with age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes/IGH <40 years, we detected significant evidence for linkage to chromosome 1q21-q24 (192.1 cM, 1-LOD support interval between 182 and 197 cM), with a maximum likelihood score of 8.91, a nonparametric linkage (all) score of 5.70, and empirical P value <0.001. No interaction was observed between these two regions. Our independent replication of the region on chromosome 1q that has been shown to be linked significantly to type 2 diabetes/IGH in Chinese supports the notion that gene(s) in this region may be universally important in the development of human type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 53:228–234, 2004 Type 2 diabetes is a complex disease that develops in individuals with genetic susceptibility to impaired insulin secretion, as well as to impaired insulin sensitivity, in the presence of appropriate environmental factors, particularly those leading to obesity (1). Marked increases in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes occur in those societies or countries that have experienced tremendous economic development from a starting point of an impoverished economic base (2). Along with the economic development in China, nationwide surveys have revealed an increase in the prevalence of diabetes in the adult population from 0.9 to 2.4% over the years 1980–1994 (3). In Shanghai, China, the prevalence of diabetes was only 1.0% in 1978 but had reached 9.8% by the turn of the last century, i.e., there has been a 10-fold increase within the last two decades in the Shanghai population alone (4,5). Genetic heterogeneity of type 2 diabetes has been suggested among ethnic groups (6). This may be one of the reasons for the different locations of susceptibility loci reported to be linked to type 2 diabetes among ethnic groups in genome-wide scans (7–22). In the large geographic area of China, 56 ethnic groups are officially recognized, the Han being the largest. The Chinese of Han ethnicity reside throughout China, mostly in the eastern and central regions. Studies of the origin of the East Asian population revealed that, even within the Han ethnic group, considerable genetic heterogeneity might exist according to geographical location (23–25). Because appropriate definition of a more homogenous sample set is one of the issues for a genome-wide screen for type 2 diabetes susceptibility genes, geographical genetic heterogeneity should be considered when conducting such a study on the Chinese population. Thus, the genome-wide screen reported in this study was performed with Chinese pedigrees recruited from a limited geographic area in China.


The thesis is focused on the problems of nutrition and feeding of preschool children. In chapters are described the development of a child organism, the effects of nutrition on child health, nutrition physiology, nutritional elements and principles in children's diets. Much of the work is focused on meals for children in nursery schools. It describes the le-gislation and regulations of meals, nutritional standards, guidelines for compliance with the consumer basket, and its analysis of individual commodities. The last part of this thesis analyzes feeding in nursery school "Sun" in Slusovice.


Ulcers: perchance malignant; and there's lung cancerBut some people may dream of miracle drugs! When they have shuflled off this worthless hope They will pause: there's the respect That makes way for a longer life; For who would bear the extensive wear on the nerves, The pain unexplained, the tearing suspicions, The undeniable symptoms, the loss of money, The concern for one's family, And the worried look In his eyes, reflected by mirrors, When he could be one of twenty To flnd cure? Yet, who could the discomforts bear, The nervousness and sweat of abstinence, But that the dread of lung cancer, Most prominent In excessive smokers, From which so few survive, puzzles the will, And makes them rather bear distresses they have Than fly to others that they know not of? Thus reflection does make reasonable people of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Lengthens lives with the virtue of thought And the excellent material provided by the Cancer Society. With this in mind their cigarets are cast aside, And gradually lose their lure. To smoke, Or not to smoke is your decision!


Retailer's pricing and ordering policy in the presence of consumer strategy behavior and flexible replenishment mechanism is studied,based on rational expectations equilibrium hypothesis.Furthermore,the effect of the retail price commitment mechanism is discussed,and the retail price commitment is fulfilled by the introduction of the posterior price matching contract.The results show that the flexible replenishment mechanism can reduce the negative impact of consumer strategic behavior and improve the overall supply chain performance.Retail price commitment mechanism can further reduce the negative impact.The introduction of the posterior price matching contract effectively solves the problem that the retailer commitment is not credible,which makes supply chain performance achieves the performance of price commitment.


The majority of SME (small and medium enterprises) manufacturers cannot afford state-of-the-art industrial machinery and sophisticated software to monitor and control it. For this kind of users it is more convenient to design custom factory monitoring solutions relying on a minimal set of sensors, preferably those already existing on the machines. This work-in-progress paper presents a methodology to create visual images that capture the spatio-temporal distribution of activities in small manufacturing facilities. These images, called "activity maps" can be automatically processed and used to detect deviations from normal activity routine. An additional advantage of the proposed solution is that certain human activities can be integrated into the activity maps along with machine activities, which may result in more accurate anomaly detection. Unlike other anomaly detection solutions (e.g. those based on machine learning) the proposed method does not need large training datasets, which results in shorter implementation time, lower cost and better portability.


Introduction: Conflicting results have been reported for the prognostic value of LAMs and Tregs in FL. A recent study from the SWOG suggested that survival for pts with FL has improved in the last 30 years, possibly due to the introduction of MoAb-based therapy. We examined the prognostic significance of LAMs and FOX-P3-positive Tregs using tissue microarrays (TMAs) from pts entered onto SWOG studies 8809 (no MoAb) and 9911chemotherapy followed by (including 131 I-tositumomab). Pts & methods: Adequate tissue samples were identified from 87 pts on SWOG 8809 and 47 on 9911. Pt characteristics were as follows: 8809: median age - 47.4 yrs (26.1 – 69.4), male 53%, Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score: 1–36%, 2–39%, 3–21%. 9911: median age - 49.9 (22.9 – 66.8), male-60%, FLIPI score: 1–36%, 2–45%, 9–19%. The pts with available tissue were comparable with those who did not have available tissue for clinical prognostic factors. Archival blocks were reviewed to confirm FL and to assess for preparation of TMAs containing two 1mm diameter cores per case. Automated immunostaining for CD68 (PGM1) and FOXP3 (236A/E7) was performed. Intrafollicular (IF) and extra follicular (EF) LAMs were quantitated by manual count (5 1000x high power fields [hpf]). FOXP3 was scored for pattern (follicular/perfollicular vs. other) and number/5 hpf .LAM and Treg numbers/patterns were correlated with OS Marker levels were categorized by medians, 3 rd quartiles and as continuous variables. Survival differences by marker level/pattern were assessed within each study population by Cox regression. Results: Pt characteristics did not differ by SWOG study. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for OS according to FOX-P3 and CD68 staining are shown in table 1. LAMS were not associated with OS, except for IF LAMS in S9911. Levels or pattern of FOX-P3 staining were not associated with OS. Conclusion: Levels of LAMs and Tregs were not predictive of overall survival in FL pts on SWOG trials before and after the introduction of anti-CD20 radio-immunotherapy (RIT). While IF LAMs in pts receiving RIT may be associated with shorter OS, the number of cases/events is too small for firm conclusions. Further studies are required to determine the prognostic value of these biomarkers in FL patients receiving anti-CD20 MoAb-containing therapies.


The RAID characteristics of lower cost, high data reliability and disk scalability provide possibility for storing massive data. RAID-6 provides more reliability for the storage of massive data. However, due to the complexity of RAID-6 encoding and the particularity of layout, traditional scaling approaches can't achieve the best scaling efficiency. A new approach is put forward based on HDP Code for RAID-6 scaling---HDS. The HDS approach has three characteristics: first, the stripes reorganization is used to maintain maximal the original storage area; second, data is only migrated in identical horizontal parity chain; third, it moves a small amount of data to meet minimal data migration and uniform data distribution. Compared with RR scaling approach, it reduces the number of data migration by 59.9%-83.3% and shortens the total scaling time by 58.1%-76.8% through real experiment test.


The invention relates to a casting three-dimensional process designing method which solves the problems caused when the two-dimensional mode is adopted for the existing casting process. Firstly, a casting three-dimensional process designing system which can have the three-dimensional manufacturing reception capacity is designed and is then integrated with a CAD modeling system and a process simulation analysis system; in a system formed through integration, three-dimensional design data issued by a design department are firstly received from a design data management system, compiling is conducted on the basis of the design data, a casting blank model is generated, an appropriate rigging system is selected from a rigging system library for assembling, a rigging system is recreated and kept into a knowledge base if no appropriate rigging system exists, manufacturing parameters, manufacturing process resources and the like are designed, simulation analysis is started on a simulation interface under the analogue simulation conditions, the simulation result is analyzed, the process and manufacturing parameters are optimized, the process is determined, and a visual three-dimensional process is formed. By means of the casting three-dimensional process designing method, the process design efficiency is improved, and the cycle of process development is shortened.


Objective: To investigate the relationship between intercellular adhesion molecule-1((ICAM-1)) and hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy and the effect of tanshinoneⅡA on expression of (ICAM-1). Methods: Thirty male 12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto(WKY) rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, hypertensive group, and tanshinoneⅡA group. Animals in tanshinoneⅡA groups injected tanshinoneⅡA by cauda vein for 12 weeks. Cardiomyocyte morphosis and collagen distribution were observed with hematoxylin and eosin(HE) and van Gieson(VG) staining. The degree of macrophages infiltration was examined with immunocytochemical staining and ED1 (labelling), and the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA and protein in myocardia was measured with reverse (transcription-polymerase) chain reaction(RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), (respectively). Results: Compared with WKY rats, SHR exhibited higher level of ICAM-1 mRNA and protein expression(P0.01 or P0.05) and the amount of macrophages infiltration(P0.01) in hypertrophic (myocardia). After treatment with tanshinoneⅡA, the expression of ICAM-1 and the amount of macrophages in myocardia of SHR greatly decreased(P0.01 or P0.05), and the degree of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis was significantly relieved. Conclusion: The macrophages infiltration caused by (excessive) (expression) of myocardial ICAM-1 plays an important role in hypertensive left ventricular (hypertrophy), and the inhibition of tanshinoneⅡA on left ventricular (hypertrophy) may be contributed to (decrease) in (ICAM-1) expression and macrophages infiltration in myocardia.


This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Philosphiae Doctor (PhD) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The thesis is divided in ...


The purpose of the study is to investigate the mediating effect of grit on the relationship between mindset and academic burnout in Chinese high school students. For the purpose of the study, 930 Chinese high school students were selected to conduct the survey and finally 900 students data were analyzed. The results were as follows: Frist, growth mindset had a positive influence on grit, while fixed mindset had a negative influence on grit. Second, grit had a negative influence on academic burnout. Third, and grit exerts a complete mediating effect on the relationship between growth mindset and academic burnout, and grit exerts a partial mediating effect on the relationship between fixed mindset and academic burnout. This results showed that mindset as well as grit can play an important role in high school students' academic development. Fixed mindset can increasing academic burnout, so growth mindset and grit need to be treated to high school students in order to reduce and prevent academic burnout.


A short cut review was carried out to establish whether CT scans are better than tangential skull radiographs at detecting depressed skull fractures. No papers answering this question were found using the reported search.


An numerically controlled oscillator chip, using a pipelined structure, has been developed in standard 2 /spl mu/m P-well CMOS technology. The typical maximum input clock rate is 6.5 MHz. By analysis, the speed limiting factors improved are the delay of the accumulator and the data acquiring rate of the ROM. Through the use of an improved pipelined structure and N-well CMOS technology, an NCO device with a clock rate in excess of 10 MHz is indeed possible.


ABSTRACT This paper highlights some key actions social workers can take to help improve the physical health of people living with mental illness. Despite an 80% comorbidity rate, many people living with mental illness still do not receive a physical health check-up. For this and other reasons, people living with mental illness die, on average, 10–20 years prematurely. This early death is usually preceded by years or decades of poor health. Using a collective impact approach, this paper discusses actions to increase autonomy, advocate for better access to quality physical health care, and minimise iatrogenic harm for people living with mental illness. IMPLICATIONS This paper highlights the key opportunities for social workers to improve the physical health of people living with mental illness. Using a collective impact approach, it highlights the vital role social workers can play in enacting the essential elements of the Equally Well national consensus statement, such as advocating equity of access to physical health care services, supporting quality care, and reducing stigma and discrimination for people living with mental illness.


This paper presents a performance study of a real-parameter genetic algorithm (SPC-PNX) on a new benchmark of real-parameter optimisation problems. This benchmark provides a systematic way to compare different optimisation methods on exactly the same test problems. These problems were designed to be hard as they incorporate features that have been shown to pose great difficulty to many optimisation methods


According to Article 25 par. 1 (b) and Article 26 of the 2001 International Law Commission Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, the concept of general international law peremptory norms and that of interests of "the international community as a whole" play an important role in shaping the state of necessity as one of the circumstances that preclude wrongfulness of States' conduct under general international law. The limitation on the necessity defense, placed by the international community's interest condition contained in Article 25 par. 1 (b) of the ILC Articles, serves as a safeguard for the interests protected by the erga omnes international obligations. The concepts of erga omnes and of general international law peremptory norms differ significantly and while all the norms of the latter type give rise to obligations erga omnes, not every such obligation arises out of peremptory norms. This evidences of an autonomous role of the relevant provision of Article 25 par. 1 (b) but not of the jus cogens limitation under Article 26 in the context of the necessity defense. The present article argues that the jus cogens limitation under Article 26 plays a role largely independent from that of Article 25 par. 1 (b) since it is incorrect to see the latter as an absolute guarantee of obligations erga omnes. The present article is a part of a larger project "Circumstances precluding wrongfulness of conduct: the analysis of functional role and applicability parameters in the framework of International Human Rights Law" supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR Grant No. 18-011-00660).


KaLa 2, Tuziluoke, Dabei 1 and Dina 2 gas fields we re discovered in recent years in Kuqa Foreland basin. In addition, gas pools suc h as Yinan 2 and Yishen were also discovered over there. Discovery of these gas fields brings forth wide foreground of natural gas exploration in this area and provide a solid resources foundation for the strategy of transporting western ga s to east. Kuqa depression develops two kinds of source rock, i.e. lacustrine sh ale as well as coal bearing shale and coal. In order to clarify the natural gas discovered originated from coal bearing source rock or lacustrine shale, new gas source correlation techniques, such as light hydrocarbon monomer carbon isotope s of benzene, toluene, xylene, methylcyclohexane, are applied and combined with g eology condition for the formation of natural gas in this article to carry out g as-source tracing and correlation. Through correlating, it is concluded that na tural gas in main gas pools of Kuqa depression belong to coal-formed gas, natur al gas in E, K pay zone of the middle and west of Kelasu structural belt is high -post mature coal-formed gas; gas in Jurassic pay zone of the east of Yiqikeli structural belt is mature-high mature coal-formed gas, natural gas in the pay zone of Jidike Formation is high-post mature coal-formed gas; natural gas in the Upper Tertiary-Quaternary of Dawanqi oil field belongs to mature-high matu re coal-formed gas; and the natural gas of the main gas pools in Kuqa depressio n mainly originated from Jurassic-Triassic coal-bearing source rocks.


This study aims to examine the effect of compensation, work discipline and motivation on employee performance. This research was conducted at PT.PLN (Persero) Distribution of Central Java and Yogyakarta Jatingaleh.     The sampling method used purposive sampling with the criteria of a permanent employee of PT.PLN (Persero) Distribution of Central Java and Yogyakarta Jatingaleh and are given permission to fill out a questionnaire. The  number of shares based samples taken by the opinions Uma Sekaran (2000) which states that an adequate sample size for a study is more than 30 and less than 200. The relationship between variables and or effect described by the method of analysis multiple regression.  The results showed that compensation, work discipline, and motivation has positive and significant effect on employee performance. So if compensation, discipline and motivationis getting better, it will better the performance of employees generated. Keywords: Compensation, Work Discipline, Motivation, and Employee Performance


We define a new class of network design problems motivated by designing information networks. In our model, the cost of transporting flow for a set of users (or servicing them by a facility) depends on the amount of information requested by the set of users. We assume that the aggregation cost follows economies of scale, that is, the incremental cost of a new user is less if the set of users already served is larger. Naturally, information requested by some sets of users might aggregate better than that of others, so our cost is now a function of the actual set of users. not just their total demand.We provide constant-factor approximation algorithms to two important problems in this general model. In the Group Facility Location problem, each user needs information about a resource. and the cost is a linear function of the number of resources involved (instead of the number of clients served). The Dependent Maybecast Problem extends the Karger-Minkoff maybecast model to probabilities with limited correlation and also contains the 2-stage stochastic optimization problem as a special case. We also give an O(ln n)-approximation algorithm for the Single Sink Information Network Design problem.We show that the Stochastic Steiner Tree problem can be approximated by dependent maybecast, and using this we obtain an O(1)-approximation algorithm for the k-stage stochastic Steiner tree problem for any fixed k. This is the first approximation algorithm for multi-stage stochastic optimization. Our algorithm allows scenarios to have different inflation factors, and works for any distribution provided that we can sample the distribution.


This study investigated the effect of five different concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN)and free ammonia (FA) on the methane yield and digester performance under thermophilic conditions(50°C). Five identical continuously fed digesters were used. The experiment was run for four timeshydraulic retention time (HRT). Data were statitically analysed using the data Analysis Tool Packavailable with the Microsoft Excel program. Different ammonia levels were obtained by pulsing urea toobtain the target level of TAN and FA, and to subsequently maintaining the concentration of ammonialevels by daily urea additions. The result showed a strong negative correlation between both TAN andFA concentrations and methane yield. The methane yield was reduced by 24, 30, 52 and 66% indigesters that had TAN levels of 2.9, 3.6, 4.4 and 5.1 g/L, respectively, corresponding to 0.7, 1.1,1.5 and1.8 g/L FA. Total volatile fatty acid and especially isovaleric and isobutyric acid concentrations wereelevated during ammonia inhibition. Concentration of TAN in the biogas digester exceeding 3 g/Lindicating that very often the full biogas potential is not achieved due to ammonia inhibition and thatlonger HRT should be used to compensate or a lower process temperature should be chosen.