T he burden of asthma on the US population is increasing. '' Between 1980 and 1987, US asthma prevalence increased 29%, asthma hospitalization rates increased 6%, and asthma mortality rates increased as well.2 These trends are not uniform across all age groups; and the most notable increases were for children and young adults. For children under 18 years old, US asthma hospitalization rates have demonstrated dramatic increases6 of 4.5% per annum during the 1980s.5 Rates for children increased during a time when total hospitalization rates for children decreased. In response to these disturbing epidemiologic trends, reductions in US asthma hospitalization rates have been targeted as a national objective, and a National Asthma Education Program (NAEP)-whose goal is to improve asthma care in the United States-has been established." A key aspect to many of the recent epidemiologic studies of asthma has been the identification of subpopulations at higher risk for morbidity. Among the highest risk subpopulations are racial/ethnic minorities, who are both poor and reside in the certain urban environments.49'0 In this report, the epidemiologic studies that have defined the problem of asthma in the inner city will be examined, and directions in which new research and changes in clinical practice may positively impact upon this high risk population will be explored.


The list-chromatic number χ`(G) of a graph G = (V,E) is the least cardinal κ such that for every assignment of a list L(V ) of at least κ colors to each vertex v ∈ V there is a proper vertex coloring c of G assigning to each vertex v a color from its list L(V ). The coloring number of G is the least cardinal κ such that there exists a well-ordering ≺ of V with the property that |{u : {u, v} ∈ E and u ≺ v}| < κ for every vertex v ∈ V . N. Alon proved in [2] that the coloring number of a finite graph satisfies


Urban flooding related to high rainfall events always has a major impact on the city
population. The city of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) experiences this problem every year, not
only in the summer period. In fact, heavy rainfall events can occur at other times of the
year, often causing large damage to the population due to the lack of effective public
policies. Considering that Grande Tijuca (North Zone of Rio de Janeiro) is greatly
affected by urban flooding, the objective of the present work was to analyze the
intensity of precipitation of April in the last five years (2015-2019), seeking to identify
the rainfall events that impacted, especially flood episodes. For this, precipitation data
were used from three rainfall stations located in the region, Alto da Boa Vista, TijucaMuda and Tijuca, generated by the rainfall network managed by the GEO-RIO
Foundation. The five-year average of the April historical series revealed that it is very
close to the 1961-1990 climatological normal, calculated by the National Institute of
Meteorology. It was found that there is a significant spatial variability of precipitation
values, probably related to the rugged topography in the study area. In addition, the year
with the wettest April recorded was 2019, when there was a major impact on Grande
Tijuca with flooding. On the other hand, 2018 recorded one of the lowest monthly
precipitation volumes, but it was concentrated in a small number of days, reaching
significant values of precipitation on 15 min and 1 hour.


Single carrier-frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) has been adopted as the uplink transmission standard in fourth generation cellular network to enable the power efficiency transmission in mobile station. Since multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) is a promising technology to fully exploit the channel capacity in mobile radio network, this paper investigates the uplink transmission of SC-FDMA systems with orthogonal space frequency block codes (SFBC). Two linear multiuser MIMO (MV-MIMO) receivers, orthogonal SFBC (OSFBC) and minimum mean square error (MMSE), are derived for the scenarios with limited number of users or adequate receive antennas at base station.


Keylogging tools are frequently used to monitor and evaluate writing processes. In this work we propose to use a keylogger to compare advanced and novice computer science students' programming process during experimental sessions. The main goal is to validate if it is possible to estimate how much effort a student requires to solve a specific programming problem. The most significant contributions of this study are: the improvement of an open source keylogging, the implementation of an analysis tool to process and show the collected data in a non-technical way, and the proposal of a new set of indicators for measuring a student's programming effort. The results obtained in the experiments carried out are promising and in many cases confirm the hypotheses.


Background and purpose:Gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the digestive tract. The mutation status of c-kit and PDGFRA gene in GIST appear to be in correlation with gleveec therapy. However, the prognostic significance of c-kit and PDGFRA mutations in GIST is still controversial. We investigated the status and significance of c-kit and PDGFRA gene mutation in GIST. Methods: Mutation of c-kit (exon 9,11,13,17) and PDGFRA gene (exon 12,18) in 50 cases of GIST were examined by PCR amplification and direct sequencing. Results:Mutations of c-kit exon 11 were identified in 54% (27/50) of patients and were heterogeneous, including 16 cases of in-frame deletion,10 cases of point mutation and 1 case of the two type mutation. These mutations mostly were clustered in 550-560 "hot spots" code at the 5′ end of the exon 11.1 case with mutation was detected in 2 cases of CD117-negative GIST. There was significant relationship between mutations of c-kit exon 11 and the categories of cell type (P0.05), while not existing between the mutations and the different tumor's primary sites and Fletcher's scheme (P0.05), respectively. Conclusion:c-kit mutation was common in GIST and had relatively fixed tendency and mostly was detected in spindle-cell GIST.The presence of c-kit mutation is not a significant prognostic factor in GIST.


The main topic addressed in this paper is to propose a design methodology called "Design Pattern" for sustainable distance education system. The design pattern for distance education system is based on a communication model by integrating educational requirements and system components. This paper describes an overview of the design pattern and discusses a couple of case studies for analyzing distance live lecture system using our design pattern approach.


A subtitle can be a blessing or a curse. In this work it seems to be the latter. As the Introduction announces, the reader learns amply about the mutual relationships between declamation, history and historiography. However, recourse to the Suasoriae of Seneca the Elder has a mostly illustrative function. The book is divided into three parts. In Chapter 1 (pp. 11–31) M. handles Seneca's biography and the development of rhetorical schools at Rome. Chapter 2 (pp. 33–50) outlines the history of the genre of 'Declamation'. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 (pp. 51–159) address the individual themes that Seneca handles, which can be grouped as follows: 'Alexander', 'Greek history/tragedy', 'Cicero's death'. In these three chapters Håkanson's Teubner text is cited in full. The work concludes with a nearly exhaustive and up-to-date bibliography (pp. 161–74)1, a mostly error-free index locorum (pp. 175–81) and a solid index nominum et rerum (pp. 183–8). After sketching out Seneca's provenance, education, socialisation and political leanings in careful if somewhat repetitive detail, M. touches on the workings of rhetorical schooling at Rome. M. constantly emphasises the heterogeneity of the private participants and of the students and its contribution to intellectual discourse. As a result, this led on the one hand to an otherwise unimaginable permeability of ideas between di¶erent groups, and on the other to ideological uniformity in the Augustan period: the rhetorical school is 'il laboratorio in cui si creavano i miti della romanità' (p. 21). The next chapter outlines the genesis of deliberative speech in the μfth century B.C.E. and of its storehouse of themes, focussing on the Auctor ad Herennium, Cicero and Seneca. At the centre of this is the paradigmatic relation of (reconstructed) history with the perception of recent events. This leads into an analysis of Seneca's Suasoriae themes and of the history of their development, in which M. attempts to uncover connections to contemporary reality in a manner that will not convince all readers. The last three chapters handle (a) the identiμcation of individual declaimers (dating, origin and the consequences for their declamation); (b) the contemporary explosiveness of consistently ahistorical Suasoriae themes (e.g. the imitatio Alexandri as a means of dynastic legitimacy in the imperial period in Suas. 1 and 4; or despotism and the ideal ruler in combination with civil war in Suas. 2, 3 and 5); and (c) declamation's in·uence on culture, politics and/or literature (visible, for example, in the declamation-like image of Alexander in Curtius Rufus and Arrian). The investigation of the reception of Cicero's death is excellent. With careful attention to the text, M. illuminates the canonisation and fossilisation of o ̧cial state versions of the end of the Republic, symbolised by and culminating in the death of its 'ultimo campione' (p. 137), and accompanied by a defensive (re-)casting of blame on Antonius. She also describes the interdependent relationships between contemporary political debate, the schools of rhetoric and literary production as a tool for re·ection (made clear, for example, by the role that Pollio played in the origin of Suas. 7, p. 139). These relationships permit deviations from historical reality, and Seneca contributed to these modiμcations through selective citation as well as censoring of anti-Ciceronian statements. Thus, M. μnds that the rhetorical schools, with or without in·uence from propaganda, were responsible for determining certain historical μgures and their contexts. Yet the whole project su¶ers from a bewildering train of thought. Undoubtedly there is much here of value, perhaps too much. Masses of material are thrown together without being sorted out, and are placed in paragraphs that never achieve a coherent overall structure, even in the light of each chapter's introductory overview. Repetition is frequent. In turn, many potentially stimulating ideas are broached, but then left by the wayside or followed into a dead end in long excursuses that stray from the main argument. In summary, no scholar of Seneca can do without this book. M. has collected and presented material that far exceeds what we traditionally μnd in discussions of Seneca. However, her 310 the classical review


ABSTRACT The paper investigates the factors influencing the number of asylum applications lodged in Denmark. We conduct an analysis of 190 countries of origin over the years 2005–2015. Using panel data and bilaterally expressed variables, we apply the tobit model and the negative binomial regression method for all potential countries of origin as well as for developing countries only. Our results show that among the most significant determinants of the number of asylum applications in Denmark belong the level of political stability and absence of violence, stock of immigrants, extent of freedom, as well as the distance between an origin country and Denmark. When we test these factors under the condition of a violent conflict in countries or origin, we find that their effects decrease. While for some variables, this decline is substantial, suggesting the primary role of conflicts among the push factors, some others (such as distance) remain highly significant.


Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the regions with the highest rates of violence and crime in the world, situation that affects the effective exercise of human rights and beco


Organisations spend large sums of money to ensure that their electronic shopfront is as attractive, appealing and efficient as any in the real world. But what about dealing with customers? If someone has a query in the real world they would perhaps approach a sales person or telephone the organisation to obtain a response. The electronic equivalent is e-mail. Do organisations pay sufficient attention to this aspect of their electronic shopfront? The study reported here was undertaken to determine the use of e-mail within Australian organisations and, more importantly, organisations' responsiveness to e-mail queries.


In the clinical practice of foreign students in neonatal department,the experimental group followed PBL method,while the control group took traditional "master and disciple" way. The performance records of the clinical examination and questionnaire findings are significantly different between the two groups,which confirms that PBL is a good method to be widely used in the foreign students'pediatric clinical practice.


In many pulse width modulated DC/DC converter topologies, the controllable switches are operated in switch mode where they are required to turn the entire load current on and off during each switching cycle. Under these conditions, the switches are subjected to high switching stresses and power losses. Recently there is an increased interest in the use of quasi-resonant type DC/DC converters due to the advantages of high frequency of operation, high efficiency, small size, light weight, reduced Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) and low component stresses. DC/DC Zero Current Switching (ZCS) quasi-resonant Luo converters find applications in distributed energy systems like solar systems, vertical axis aero-generator and fuel cell power systems. DC/DC ZCS quasi-resonant Luo converters are also employed in a variety of applications including power supplies for personal computers, space-craft power systems, lap-top computers, telecommunication equipments as well as DC motor drives. The present work is on the performance evaluation of DC/DC ZCS quasi-resonant Luo converters. MATLAB software and TMS320LF2407 Digital Signal Processor (DSP) are used to study the dynamic characteristics and analyze the closed loop performances of these converters with resistive load and fuzzy controllers under supply and load disturbances. The simulation and experimental results closely match with each other and highlight the feasibility and validity of the developed control scheme.


High amplitude X-ray brightness oscillations during thermonuclear X-ray bursts were discovered with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in early 1996. Spectral and timing evidence strongly supports the conclusion that these oscillations are caused by rotational modulation of the burst emission and that they reveal the spin frequency of neutron stars in low mass X-ray binaries. The recent discovery of X-ray burst oscillations from two accreting millisecond pulsars has confirmed this basic picture and provided a new route to measuring neutron star properties and constraining the dense matter equation of state. I will briefly summarize the current observational understanding of accreting millisecond pulsars, and describe recent attempts to determine the mass and radius of the neutron star in XTE J1814-338.


Fisheye pictures are frequently used in forestry and in ecology for canopy measurements. In climatology, it seems that they have only been used for illustration purposes. In fact, fisheye pictures are rich in climatological information. Digital fisheye image processing can be used for applied climatology as well as for topoclimatological studies. It allows the quantification of insolation, diffuse radiation, sky-view factor,.… In other words, it provides an objective assessment of the exposure of a site or of a measuring device. This article introduces the basis for digital fisheye image processing. The possibilities offered by this tool will be illustrated with sunshine measurements in an urban environment. Mots clefs: Analyse numerique, ensoleillement, fisheye, ouverture du ciel, photographie hemispherique, topoclimatologie urbaine.


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Harry Kroto was a remarkable person, an accomplished and versatile scientist with an insatiable curiosity, a wide range of interests, infectious enthusiasm and a passion for communicating science to individuals and audiences of all ages. The pinnacle of his scientific


The concept of biosensor based on imaging ellipsometry and its primal working system was reported in 1995. Since then, some microarray biosensors for biomedical purposes have been developed. It based on the affinity between biomolecule such as antigen and antibody, a selective surface with bioactivity in matrix and optical imaging ellipsometry as a reader.


Sagittal sections from pituitaries of winter and spring fish were stained with a number of methods including alcian blue-PAS-orange G, Herlant's tetrachrome, Luxol fast blue-PAS-orange G and lead haematoxylin. By these methods seven different endocrine cell types were readily demonstrated in the adenohypophysis. In the rostral pars distalis (RPD), there were conspicuous vacuoles (intra- and possibly extracellular) in the prolactin cell zone of all animals. The ACTH cells in the RPD were very numerous. In the proximal pars distalis (PPD), the growth hormone cells were arranged in coiling bands that were predominantly dorsal and juxtaposed to neurohypophysis. Two types of basophils were readily distinguished: both were predominantly ventral in the proximal pars distalis, though the type I basophil also formed a constant group in the dorsal region of the pituitary, between the PPD and the RPD. The pars intermedia contained two cell types — a lead haematoxylin-positive cell and a PAS-positive cell. The pituitary morphology is compared with that of other teleosts.


We report a group B streptococcus (GBS) necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) without apparent portal of entry, with pharyngeal and perineal carriage of the same strain. A 49-year-old man with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (HbA1c 12%) was referred to our hospital for febrile painful erythematous and swelling left leg with a necrotic and hypoesthetic area (Figure 1). NSTI was suspected. The recent history revealed an intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs; ibuprofen) 3 days earlier.


Following the discovery by Quashnock & Lamb of an apparent excess of γ-ray burst pairs with small angular separations, we reanalyse the angular distribution of the bursts in the BATSE catalogue. We find that, in addition to an excess of close pairs, there is also a comparable excess of antipodal bursts, i.e. pairs of bursts separated by about 180° in the sky. Both excesses are moderately significant. Quashnock & Lamb argue that the excess of burst pairs with small angular separations is evidence that many bursts repeat, but obviously this hypothesis cannot explain the excess of antipodal coincidences. Since the two excesses have similar characteristics, and since we cannot think of any physical model of bursts that can produce antipodal pairs, we suggest that both excesses may be due to some unknown selection effect


The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for performing a texture analysis of the columnar or cylindrical objects (1). The apparatus includes a drill (2) with a piercing needle (2 '), signal detection means (14) for signals that can be introduced by in a subject to be examined object (1) drilling needle (2') can be generated or receivable and a plurality of pressure sensors (3) formed for arranging on the object (1) on. Furthermore, the device comprises a location-determining means and a handle separated from the drilling rig (2) computing unit (30). The arithmetic unit (30) and the signal detecting means (14) each have a communication interface for establishing a communication connection for transmission through the drilling needle (2 ') signals generated or received by the signal detecting means (14) to the computing unit (30), wherein the computing unit ( 30) at least one interface for inputting identification data of the examined object (1) comprising at least one determinable by the location-determining means the location of the object (1) has, as well as a processor and memory unit having a data processing program for processing the identification data of the to be examined object (1) and for setting a scanning mode for the examined object (1) and generated signals, or for evaluating the by the piercing needle (2 ') taken. Further, it has an output unit for outputting the predetermined inspection mode for the examined object (1) and for outputting analysis results to a user.


The processing rate of translating ribosomes along mRNAs regulates gene expression by controling co-translational protein folding and mRNA stability. Many factors regulate translation elongation, including tRNA levels, codon usage, or phosphorylation of eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 (eEF2). Current methods to measure translation elongation lack single cell resolution, require expression of multiple transgenes and have never been successfully applied ex-vivo. Here, we show by using a combination of puromycilation detection and flow cytometry (SunRiSE), that translation elongation can be measured accurately in primary cells in pure or heterogenous populations isolated from blood or tissues. This method allows for the simultaneous monitoring of multiple parameters, such as mTOR or S6K1/2 signaling activity, cell cycle, phosphorylation of translation factors in single cells, without elaborated, costly and lengthy purification procedures. We took advantage of SunRiSE to demonstrate that in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, eEF2 phosphorylation by eEF2 kinase (eEF2K) mostly affects translation engagement, and surprisingly little elongation, except upon proteotoxic stress induction. Jo ur na l o f C el l S ci en ce • A cc ep te d m an us cr ip t


We found preliminary atmospheric exposure and solderability tests on uninhibited copper and copper inhibited with benzotriazole and tolyltriazole. Exposures were performed in humidity chambers at high relative humidity (RH), at 40/sup 0/ and 70/sup 0/C. Inhibitors applied from both a methanol-based and a water-based solution effectively reduced oxidation. Oxidation was reduced by 35% after 70 days exposure to 70/sup 0/C, 65% RH, and reduced by 80% after 67 days exposure to 40/sup 0/C, 100% RH. We determined solderability of inhibited and uninhibited copper with a Hollis meniscometer, and a meniscograph. Inhibited copper exhibited enhanced equilibrium solder parameters, but solder kinetics were degraded. 4 refs., 12 figs.


Objective
To investigate the renoprotective effects of pentoxifylline (PTX)in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM)based on its mechanism of anti-oxidative stress.

Methods
A total of 50 clean and healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with random number table: normal control group, DM group, high-dose PTX (PTXh)group, low-dose PTX (PTXl)group and benazepril (Ben)group. DM rat models were established with streptozotocin. Urinary protein excretion, serum cystatin C (CysC), superoxide dismutase (SOD)and malondialdehyde (MDA)in renal homogenate were assayed with biochemical analyzer. Renal nitrotyrosine was detected by immunohistochemistry and oxidative carbonyl protein (OCP)by oxyblot immunoblotting. Renal morphology was examined with Masson staining. Rats in all groups were administrated with gastric perfusion once a day for 12 consecutive weeks: control and DM groups with water, PTXl group with 30 mg/ (kg·d)of PTX, PTXh group with 50 mg/ (kg·d)of PTX and Ben group with 3 mg/ (kg·d)of benazepril. Variance analysis was used to compare the data difference between groups.

Results
Compared with that in control group, renal SOD levels in DM, PTXl and Ben groups decreased remarkably (F=4.687, P 0.05).

Conclusion
PTX is proved to be renoprotective in diabetic rats, which may be associated with its anti-oxidative stress mechanism.

Key words:
Diabetic mellitus; Pentoxifylline; Oxidative stress; Nitrotyrosine; Oxidative carbonyl protein


improving patient compliance. Enhanced absorption of drugs that solubilize only in the stomach. Gastric retention time is increased because of buoyancy. Microballoons are considered one of the most favorable buoyant systems with the unique advantages of multiple unit systems and better-floating properties because of the central hollow space inside the microsphere.[1] When microballoons contact gastric f luid, the gel formers, polysaccharides, and polymers hydrate to form a colloidal gel barrier that controls the rate of fluid penetration into the device and consequent drug release. As the exterior surface of the dosage form dissolves, the gel layer is maintained by the hydration of the adjacent hydrocolloid layer. The air trapped by the swollen polymer lowers the density and confers buoyancy to the microballoons. However, a minimal Febuxostat Loaded Microballoons: A Novel Approach for Gastric Retention Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Drug Res. July-August, 2021, Vol 13, Issue 4, 438-447 439 gastric content is needed to allow proper achievement of buoyancy.[2] Febuxostat is a non-purine selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Hence, Febuxostat inhibits xanthine oxidase and therefore reduces the production of uric acid, excess of which is responsible for the gout disease. Febuxostat is not recommended for the treatment of asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Its bioavailability is about 49%[3,4] and the biological half-life is about 5-8 hours. It is the physical properties of non-hygroscopic and white crystalline powder. This drug-protein binding is about 99%, and the volume of distribution is about 50 L. The route of elimination of Febuxostat is primarily through both hepatic and renal pathways. The recommended dose is 40 mg, 80 mg, and 120 mg once daily. It comes as a tablet to take by mouth with or without food. The common side effects of febuxostat are Arm, back, or jaw pain, Bloody nose, Chest pain or discomfort, Cloudy urine, decreased frequency or amount of urine, Diarrhea, Difficult or labored breathing.[5-7] Gout is a rheumatic inflammatory condition that develops in some people who have a high uric acid level in their blood. The acid converted to the needle-like crystal in some joints and bonds and caused sudden and severe episodes of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling. Risk factors for the increase in uric acid include nutritional, hematological, and genetic factors. Other miscellaneous factors, such as obesity and excessive alcohol consumption, also increase urate production in the body.[8,9] The present research work aims to develop febuxostatloaded microballoons for the effective treatment of gout. Febuxostat belongs to BCS class II, which is having low solubility and high permeability. Due to short residence time in upper GIT, effective concentrations cannot be achieved and thus fluctuation in plasma drug concentration occurs, leading to failure of therapeutic intervention. Poor oral bioavailability leads to reduction in plasma drug concentration and overall reduction in therapeutic effect. The reason behind formulating febuxostat loaded microballoons is improvement in gastric retention time which facilitate maximum time for drug in gastric environment which leads to increases the rate of dissolution and thereby increases the absorption. It will also avoid gastric irritation due to a sustained release effect. As compare to single unit dosage form multi-unit drug delivery facilitate maximum surface area for drug absorption. Materials and Methods Materials Febuxostat was obtained as a gift sample (API) from Zydus Cadila Healthcare, Ahmedabad, India. Polymer like Eudragit RS 100, Eudragit RL 100, HPMC, HPMC K4 M, Ethyl Cellulose, Chitosan from ChemDyes Corporation. Solvents like Methanol, Dichloromethane, Chloroform, Diethyl ether, Toluene, Acetone, Petroleum ether from ChemDyes Corporation. Surfactant like Tween 80 and Span 80 from ChemDyes corporation. Liquid paraffin heavy as a processing medium from ChemDyes corporation.


Complex organic molecules (COMs) can be produced by energetic processing of interstellar ice mantles accreted on top of dust grains. Two COMs with proposed energetic ice formation pathways are formamide and acetaldehyde. Both have been detected in solar system comets and in different circumstellar and interstellar environments. In this work, we study the NH2CHO and CH3CHO formation upon UV photoprocessing of CO:NH3 and CO:CH4 ice samples. The conversion from radicals to NH2CHO is 2–16 times higher than the conversion from radicals to CH3CHO under the explored experimental conditions, likely because the formation of the latter competes with the formation of larger hydrocarbons. In addition, the conversion of into NH2CHO at 10 K increases with the NH3 abundance in the ice, and also with the temperature in CO-dominated CO:NH3 ices. This is consistent with the presence of a small and HCO. reorientation barrier for the formation of NH2CHO, which is overcome with an increase in the ice temperature. The measured NH2CHO and CH3CHO formation efficiencies and rates are similar to those found during electron irradiation of the same ice samples under comparable conditions, suggesting that both UV photons and cosmic rays would have similar contributions to the solid-state formation of these species in space. Finally, the measured conversion yields (up to one order of magnitude higher for NH2CHO) suggest that in circumstellar environments, where the observed NH2CHO/CH3CHO abundance ratio is ∼0.1, there are likely additional ice and/or gas-phase formation pathways for CH3CHO.


The ability of intramolecular anodic olefin coupling reactions to form new carbon−carbon bonds has been shown to depend on the polarization of the intermediate radical cation rather than how electron-rich it is. A series of substrates was studied that allowed for a direct comparison of these two parameters. The successful cyclizations led to the formation of highly functionalized bicyclic molecules containing four contiguous stereogenic atoms, one of which was tetrasubstituted. For the first time, an ene diol ether derivative was shown to be compatible with the cyclization reaction.


The question of geometrical and/or/ versus arithmetical proportions remains unresolved insofar as Netherlandish Early Modern architectural production is concerned. A newly discovered manuscript book on the orders that can be attributed to a Netherlandish artist active in the 1530s confirms the need for a less antithetical interpretation of Renaissance proportional systems in northern European architecture than has been common in the scholarship to date. Beginning in the 1530s, a geometrical way of expressing both geometrical and arithmetical proportions was developed, connecting both masters of the "antique" and of the "modern" through one notation system understandable by all. This article traces its offshoots until the seventeenth century.


The organizational promise is a main concept at present.The teacher promises is the application of the organizational promise in the field of education,which is considered as the core of the efficiency of the college.Foreign literature study the antecedent variable of the teacher organizational promise concentrating on the organize atmosphere,teacher efficiency,teacher participate in decision and teacher who authorized etc.the study on the consequence variable of teacher organizational promise emphasizes particularly on the behavior of the organization citizen.Whether from the concept of theory,or from the practical demonstration,there are more rooms for the teacher organization promise further investigated.


Attention has been focused on the development of ecological agriculture in China and its comprehensive benefit appraisal systems. Traditional agriculture cannot meet the demands of a growing population and current agricultural practice has also been posing environmental problems and causes agricultural production hazard in the future. Although as a direction for the development of sustainable agriculture, theories of ecological agriculture has matured, and is widely acknowledged and practiced, researches on the comprehensive benefit appraisal system and optimized model of ecological agriculture are still at the beginning stage, which has considerably restricted the popularization and extension of ecological agriculture. It is difficult to appraise its ecological benefit because of the complexity and diversity of the ecosystem. This article aims at analyzing and discussing measurements of comprehensive benefit appraisal of ecological agriculture system, based on both the Chinese and overseas experience. Considering the characteristics and important role of land health evaluation in appraising sustainable agricultural development, the method of calculating ecological benefit can be simplified and its relevance in the comprehensive benefit strengthened. The advantages and prospects of ecological-economic integration model research for setting up optimized ecological agriculture system was also discussed.


The creating and characteristic of the isochromatic spectrum is analyzed.The method and equipment for wave length measurement using the isochromatic spectrum is introduced, and some approaches for improving measurement precision are discussed too. Mercury lamp ( 1 . 546 1 = λ nm, 0 . 577 2 = λ nm) is


This exhibit presents the highlights of a journey through the French countryside from Nice to Bordeaux. The images show some of the Roman ruins, medieval fortifications, and awesome scenery of southern France. The accompanying text describes the history of these sites and includes some personal experiences from the trip.


Robust optimization problems are newly formulated and an efficient computational scheme is proposed. Both design variables and design parameters are considered as random variables about their nominal values. To ensure the robustness of objective performance, we introduce a new performance index bounding the performance together with a constraint limiting the performance variation. The constraint variations are regulated by considering the probability of feasibility. Each probability constraint is transformed into a sub‐optimization problem by the advanced first‐order second moment (AFOSM) method for computational efficiency. The proposed robust optimization method has the advantages that the mean value and the variation of the performance function are controlled simultaneously and rationally and the second‐order sensitivity information is not required even in case of gradient‐based optimization process. The suggested method is examined by solving three examples and the results are compared with those for the deterministic case and those available in the literature. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Glass was fabricated using refused coal ore obtained from the Dogye coal mine in Samcheok. We additionally used soda ash and calcium carbonate to make a glass with the chemical composition of soda-lime glass, and we also used white, brown, and green glass cullet to make various kinds of colored glass. Transparent glass was fabricated by melting batch materials including refused coal ore at for 1 hr in an electrical furnace. The light transmittance and color chromaticity were measured by a UV/VIS/NIR spectrometer. Transparent glass with a light transmittance of over 80% was fabricated using normal refused coal ore and white glass cullet. Various kinds of colored glass with a light transmittance of 30-80% were fabricated using refused coal ore and brown or green glass cullet. The light transmittance of the mixed color glass samples, fabricated using normal refused coal ore and brown glass cullet and green glass cullet, indicated 30-47%, a relatively low value, in the condition of a cullet ratio of 20-50%. The characteristics of the color chromaticity of the glass samples were indicated in a chromaticity diagram by x-coordinates, y-coordinates, Y (lightness). The values of x-coordinates and y-coordinates were moved with a regular directional property according to the kind and amount of glass cullet. Therefore, we concluded that refused coal ore can be used for raw materials of color glass products like art glass and glass tile.


Resilient modulus of unbound granular materials is a key design parameter for mechanistic empirical pavement design. But the complexity of the affected factors has made it challenging and difficult for practical designers and researchers to find an appropriate model to describe the entire stress-strain response where the plastic deformation is accumulated during the repeated loading condition. A cyclic plasticity model based on fuzzy sets plasticity theory is presented in this paper to model the resilient modulus and permanent strain behavior of unbound granular materials under repeated loading. The concept of the fuzzy set plasticity is first introduced, followed by its model formulation and numerical simulation. The model was calibrated against a resilient modulus testing data of a typical Missouri soil. The numerical results showed that the fuzzy set model is capable of mimicking and simulating the resilient and permanent responses of unbound granular materials under repeated loading.


It is self-evident that to communicate, we must first know the participants' names, or successful communication will be impossible. Names not only symbolize identities, but also denote special significance such as the great expectation from the parents. It is absolutely impolite and embarrassing to make mistakes in regard to others' names. Therefore, it is of staggering significance in communication, especially in intercultural one. With the deepening project of reform and opening up to the outside world, frequent intercultural communications take place. Because the structure of people's names in English-speaking countries is different from ours, it is extremely important to correctly translate foreign names and name foreigners. Only when we are aware of the differences can we carry out smooth intercultural communication. In this article, I will analyze these phenomena.


Materials and Methods: A class of 110 final year medical students were invited to take part at the beginning and end of the academic year. Reflective ability was assessed using a validated reflection-in-learning (RIL) score [1]. Identity status was assessed using Marcia's paradigm [2,3] Statistical analysis was done by Students' t test. Results and Discussion: 103 students at the beginning (t0) and 72 students at the end (t1) of the year responded. The mean RIL score for the whole class was 59.2 (SD 12.8) and 62.9 (SD 11.7) at t0 and t1 (p value = 0.05). The mean RIL score in the groups ranged from 52.9 (SD 12) to 66.3 (SD 7.8) at t0 and from 56 (SD 2.8) to 68.8 (SD 5.9) at t1. Students with an achieved identity status, the endpoint of the identity continuum, demonstrated a high RIL score of 62.5 (SD 14.6) at t0 and 68.8 (SD 5.9) at t1. Moratorium, the status of most active reflection is prevalent all year increasing from 30 to 36%. The least developed diffuse identity status decreased from 31 to 23%. Our study indicates that reflective practice exerts a positive influence on students' reflective ability. As expected, the final year continues to be a time of active exploration and reflection for most students. Further, a higher reflective ability appears to support the formation of achieved identity status. Table 1. Distribution of Identity Status(ID) and RIL scores at t0 and t1


Air conditioning condenser copper tube interior polishing and cleaning equipment comprises spiral bristles, wherein the spiral bristles are fixedly arranged on a crank, the crank comprises two parts, namely a shaft part and a telescopic part, the shaft part is provided with a circular hole, and the telescopic part is provided with a kidney shape hole, the rear end of the crank is provided with a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism comprises a motor, the motor is provided with a mounting base, the mounting base is provided with a sliding block capable of sliding up and down, the sliding block is fixedly provided with a drive shaft, the drive shaft drives an idler wheel to rotate through a belt pulley, and the idler wheel is arranged on an adjusting plate. The equipment has the flowing beneficial effects that dirt produced in a long copper tube with small diameter due to long-time use and placement can be removed by physical friction, the cleaning rate of the interior of the copper tube is guaranteed, the width of the crank is adjustable, and the equipment can be applied to copper tubes of different inner diameters.


ABSTRACT The concept of loss function has been combined, with a numerous statistical decision models which require quality cost estimation. Moreover, estimation of the costs of non-conforming product is one of the most important inputs in economic design of control charts. Therefore, on the basis of new Markov chain approach, this paper focused on extending control chart with variable sampling interval by considering the Linex and Taguchi loss functions. This study mainly differs from the others conducted in the field. In that a new approach is offered to achieve closed form of some statistical criteria. Using numerical example, we show that not only the control chart based on the Linex loss function can be more efficient than the control chart based on the Taguchi loss function in terms of the expected cost per hour, but also the percentage improvement in compared to is higher.


We present new techniques for efficient garbage collection in a large persistent object store. The store is divided into partitions that are collected independently using information about inter-partition references. This information is maintained on disk so that it can be recovered after a crash. We use new techniques to organize and update this information while avoiding disk accesses. We also present a new global marking scheme to collect cyclic garbage across partitions. Global marking is piggybacked on partitioned collection; the result is an efficient scheme that preserves the localized nature of partitioned collection, yet is able to collect all garbage.
We have implemented the part of garbage collection responsible for maintaining information about inter-partition references. We present a performance study to evaluate this work; the results show that our techniques result in substantial savings in the usage of disk and memory.


As the population ages and the risk of chronic disease increases, the cost of healthcare will rise. Technology for mobile telemetry could reduce cost and improve the efficiency of treatment. In order to achieve these goals, we first need to overcome several technical challenges, including sufficient system lifetime, high signal fidelity, and adequate security. In this paper we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a Mobile Biotelemetric System (MBS) that addresses these remote medical monitoring challenges. MBS comprises a custom low-power sensor node that accurately collects and analyzes electrocardiogram (ECG) data, a client service with a multifaceted policy engine that evaluates the data, and a web portal interface for visualizing ECG data streams. MBS differs from other remote monitoring systems primarily in the policy engine's ability to provide flexible, robust, and precise system communication from end-to-end and to enable tradeoffs in metrics such as power and transmission frequency. We show that, given a representative set of ECG signals, policies can be set to make the operation of the hardware and software resilient against transient ECG conditions. Further, we incorporate state-of-the-art security practices to safeguard our data and foil common attacks.


Organic fluids arouse interest as moderators and coolants in nuclear reactors. Elaborate chemical and physicochemical studies, together with highly efficient technological tests, are necessary before these fluids can be used on a large scale. The organic'' reactor seems to be one of those that should render nuclear power economically competitive. (auth)


The identification of jets containing a $b$-hadron, referred to as $b$-tagging, plays an important role for various physics measurements and searches carried out by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The most recent $b$-tagging algorithm developments based on graph neural network architectures are presented. Preliminary performance on Run 3 data in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt s = 13.6$ TeV is shown and expected performance at the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) discussed.


Photograph of Dorothy Bland riding in convertible, followed by Mayborn students dressed as The Wizard of Oz Characters: lion, tin man, and scare crow, taken at the UNT homecoming parade for the game against the University of Texas at El Paso. Dorothy is holding a stuffed dog (Toto).


Multiple Expression Programming(MEP)is an automatic programming approach widely used in many areas.According to the chromosome representation and population evolution rules,probably any gene of each chromosome may be used by some other genes of the current or other subsequent populations,which results in a high consumption of time and space resources due to duplicated counting.In light of this problem,a new evaluation approach is proposed.In the case that the traditional representation rules of MEP chromosome and the evolutionary way of the population are not changed,the new evaluation method can identify repeated genes accurately and effectively,thus making it possible to get rid of large duplicated computations,and improving evolutionary performance significantly.


Power conversion circuit (4) performs PWM control by the switching operation by the pulse signal output (7A) from the pulse control unit (7), and outputs the AC power to the AC motor (3). In this case, the vector control unit (8), pulse stop control unit phase information (8A) of the current that is calculated based on the phase current information from the phase current detection unit (6) (6A) (9) to f output. Pulse stop control section (9) outputs a phase pulse stop control signal generated based on the phase information (8A) of the current (9A) pulse control section (7). Thus, the pulse control unit (7) stops the pulse signal of the predetermined section (7A) relative to the zero crossing of the current phase of the predetermined phase of the power conversion circuit (4).


This paper presents a technique to compensate for speed estimation errors and control performance degradations caused by non-synchronized motor position and phase current feedback signals in embedded digital controllers for vector controlled AC machines. Using a vector controlled IPM synchronous motor drive developed for hybrid electric vehicle applications as a platform, the causes and effects of such non-synchronized signals are studied. Due to the limited through-put capability of the microprocessor or DSP and the multi-task schedules often required for high performance drives, the time delay between the non-synchronized motor position and phase current signals varies over sampling cycles. Such variable time delay causes a variable phase delay in the inverse Park transformation when converting the voltage commands from the synchronous coordinate current regulator to stationary quantities. The net effects are to cause additional errors in speed estimation, steady state control errors, and possible instability of the motor control system. A novel technique to compensate dynamically for such variable time delays is developed and implemented in a TMS320LF2407 DSP based vector controller for the sample motor. Extensive tests are performed and test results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed solution in improving torque and speed control accuracies and stability of the drive system.


Many motives for saving a portion of one's income co-exist and their relative importance changes over the life-cycle. However, most existing work focuses on only one of those motives and makes simplifying assumptions about the other motives so that they can be relegated to the background. All the more it is important to investigate heterogeneity in saving behavior in the presence of various co-existing saving motives. This paper is concerned with linking heterogeneity in German households' savings decisions to four coexisting saving motives. First, I find that the importance that households attach to the saving motives is related to how much households save at different life stages. Second, I classify the saver type of the households based on whether they engage in regular savings plans, or rather save irregularly and without a savings plan and I find that saving motives are related to the saver type of the household. The results show that heterogeneity in saving behavior along two dimensions – with respect to the saving rate and the saver type – is systematically related to the importance that households attach to different saving motives. This suggests that policy reforms that change the importance of certain saving motives in the eyes of private households might alter household saving behavior in various ways.


This paper presented coefficient of performance (COP R ) increasing for split-type air conditioner using heat loss recovery. This research aimed to study the coefficient of performance and energy saving of split-type air conditioner. In this paper, the design of a heat loss tank, which used water as heat transfer to increase temperature and pressure of refrigerant was shown. The results revealed that the temperature and pressure of refrigerant could be increased by the heat loss recovery. Therefore, the electric energy using was reduced and the coefficient of performance was improved by 50% as compared to commercial air conditioners. Furthermore, the proposed system was also appropriated for high cooling loads.


e12080Background: Although the prognosis of patients with small、HER2-over expressing breast cancer is generally good, it is controversial how to make personalize adjuvant trastuzumab therapy strategies. We compared efficacy and prognosis of adjuvant therapy with or without trastuzumab in T1 HER2-overexpressing breast cancer patients. Methods: A single-center, restrospective analysis was conducted using data from 218 patients classified as having T1 HER2-over expressing breast cancer and treated in the affiliated cancer hospital of Xinjiang medical university from June 2009 to December 2014. We defined 2 cohorts based on tumor size:T1ab( ≤ 1.0cm) and T1c(1.0~2.0cm). Subground analysis based on Factors including status of axillary lymph nodes, LVI(Lymphatic vessel infiltration), HR(hormonal receptor) and adjuvant trasuzumab therapy. The primary outcomes were RFS (recurrence-free survival) and OS (overall survival). Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to determine associations with potential risk ...


The intermolecular potential energy surface for He-LiH complex has been calculated by supermolecule method and CCSD(T) approach with a large basis set containing the bond function set 3s3p2d1f. The potential energy surface has two potential well .The deeper potential well corresponds to the linear configuration He-LiH, and R_m is 0.225 nm,V_m is -177.53?cm~(-1). The shallower potential well corresponds to the linear configuration He-HLi,and R_m is 0.529 nm,V_m is -9.88?cm~(-1).


Most urban water management systems are becoming vulnerable to flooding and drought due to the climate change (CC), urbanization and energy shortage. Despite of poor water management circumstances caused by extremely uneven annual rainfall and hilly terrain, traditionally we have made a sound and sustainable life based on our own philosophy and technologies which copes with our rigid environment. In this study a new paradigm of rainwater management is suggested and multipurpose and creative rainwater harvesting and management (RWHM) systems are introduced providing several case studies such as rainfall storage drainage (RSD) system, rainwater infiltration facilities and star city RWHM system. This new RWHM paradigm leads Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) in the Republic of Korea to change regulations and politics for the integrated RWHM. Finally, RWHM is expected to improve the safety, efficiency, energy consumption of urban water infrastructure, to reduce urban heat island phenomenon and, furthermore, to contribute in finding solutions for worldwide water issues and to adapt CC.


ABSTRACT To evaluate the clinical benefits and problems associated with pediatric endosurgery, we analyzed our own experience of laparoscopy in children. From 1992 to 1996, 88 children underwent endosurgery at our hospital. Ages ranged from 2 days to 16 years; 23 were neonates. To confirm the safety of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas insufflation in children, especially in neonates, we monitored the end tidal CO2 level, oxygen (O2) saturation, blood pressure, and body temperature during endosurgery. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured serially to estimate the degree of surgical stress encountered during endosurgery and were compared with results obtained from patients who had undergone open surgery. CO2 gas insufflation was safely carried out in most cases at a speed of 1.0 L/min to an intra-abdominal pressure of 8 to 10 mmHg. However, hypothermia due to rapid insufflation of cool CO2 gas was encountered in 4 neonates insuffflated under these conditions. We have not encountered this c...


In 2012, David Hontiveros revisited and expanded the world of his Carlos Palanca Memorial Award-winning short story, "Kaming Mga Seroks", in Seroks Iteration 1: Mirror Man, which is set in a dystopic future where cloning is a booming industry, and genetic templates are pirated to create seroks or clones of clones. Mirror Man employs a fragmented style of storytelling that crafts a long-form narrative that is neither plot nor character-driven but world-driven. Through a mix of interviews, messages, recordings, and more, Mirror Man delves deeper into the world's history and current events than it does into the lives of its recurring characters. In this way, the world of Seroks is not so much a backdrop against which the story takes place but the story's main draw as it utilizes its dystopic setting to critique Philippine society, thus prompting the reader to reconsider the trajectory of the Philippines and reimagine its future.


4688 Background: Markers of osteoblastic activity, in particular bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), increase in hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients. BAP has been shown to be as valuabl...


This essay explores the nature of rhetorical fiction, compares it with poetic and dialectical fictions, relates the concept to cognate terms, and explores the Presidency as an example of how social‐political roles are constituted as rhetorical fictions.


Based on daily average wind and height fields data at 2. 5° × 2. 5° spatial resolution from NCEP /NCAR and daily precipitation of 136 stations in spring in Northwest China during 1980- 2009,the temporal and spatial distribution of spring drought and the anomalies characteristics of East Asia Subtropical Westerly Jet( EASWJ) in Northwest China were studied by defining the percentage of precipitation anomaly as the drought index and the average latitude of largest westerly wind scanning region with 25°N- 50°N and 70° E- 120°E at 200 hPa as the position index of EASWJ,firstly. Then,the correlations between the drought index and the position index of prophase and synchronous EASWJ were analyzed to reveal the influence of EASWJ on spring drought in Northwest China. The results showed that the spring drought in Northwest China was firstly weak and then strong from 1980 to 2009. However,the positions of the EASWJ whether in spring or winter had a trend with moving northwards on the whole from 1980 to 2009,and the moving rate in spring and winter was 0. 4 °N /10 a and 0. 276 °N /10 a,respectively. Moreover,the correlation analysis showed the spring drought in Northwest China had significant negative correlation with winter EASWJ in last year. When the position of EASWJ in winter was to the north, the area of Northeast China in spring next year was controlled by strong high pressure,and the dry and cold northwest airflow in the front of the ridge would be very likely to cause the drought. On the contrary,when the position of EASWJ in winter is to the south, high pressure controlling the region of Northwest China was relatively weak,the southerly airflow carrying water vapor moved to the north and converged with the northerly airflow,and thus precipitation increased accordingly,the spring drought didn't occur easily in Northwest China.


This article is an unpublished lecture on cookbooks as a source of nutrition history. It is from her collection of papers deposited in the History of Nutrition Collection and Archives, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Library.


A full characterization of accessibility is provided for nonlinear time-delay systems. It generalizes the rank condition which is known for weak controllability of linear time-delay systems, as well as the celebrated geometric approach for delay-free nonlinear systems and the characterization of their accessibility. Besides, fundamental results are derived on integrability and basis completion which are of major importance for a number of general control problems for nonlinear time-delay systems. They are shown to impact preconceived ideas about canonical forms for nonlinear time-delay systems.


Objective: To select new sugarcane (Saccaharum spp.) hybrids with better adaptability and higher field and industrial performance, within the supply area of the Quesería Sugar Mill of the Beta San Miguel group (BSM).
Design/methodology/approach: We set up a group of 11 new hybrids in the agro-industrial phase in order to compare their adaptability and their field and industrial performance, using the Mex 69-290 commercial hybrid as control.
Results: The obtained results indicated that during the soca cycle and under local soil conditions, the ColMex 05-484, ColMex 05-38 (C9), and ColMex 05-627 hybrids produced the highest estimated field yields, with values of 154, 149, and 143 t/ha-1, respectively. The highest percentages of sucrose in cane (Pol) in 12-month-old plants were observed in the ColMex 05-147 (16.8%), ColMex 08-38 (C8) (16.5%), and ColMex 05-897 (16.1%) hybrids, according to their intermediate stage maturity curve.
Study limitations/implications: The limitations that could affect the results of the research were the abundance of stones on the topsoil and the poor distribution of rainfall during crop development (1,203 mm).
Findings/conclusions: After analyzing the agricultural and industrial performance of several hybrids, we can conclude that ColMex 05-484 was the best, surpassing the Mex 69-290 commercial control.


BACKGROUND
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures may be used as outcome markers in frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

OBJECTIVES
To predict MRI cortical thickness (CT) at follow-up at the single subject level, using brain MRI acquired at baseline in preclinical FTD.

METHODS
84 presymptomatic subjects carrying Granulin mutations underwent MRI scans at baseline and at follow-up (31.2±16.5 months). Multivariate nonlinear mixed-effects model was used for estimating individualized CT at follow-up based on baseline MRI data. The automated user-friendly preGRN-MRI script was coded.

RESULTS
Prediction accuracy was high for each considered brain region (i.e., prefrontal region, real CT at follow-up versus predicted CT at follow-up, mean error ≤1.87%). The sample size required to detect a reduction in decline in a 1-year clinical trial was equal to 52 subjects (power = 0.80, alpha = 0.05).

CONCLUSION
The preGRN-MRI tool, using baseline MRI measures, was able to predict the expected MRI atrophy at follow-up in presymptomatic subjects carrying GRN mutations with good performances. This tool could be useful in clinical trials, where deviation of CT from the predicted model may be considered an effect of the intervention itself.


is classically found (NEWCOMBE and NYHOLM 1950) that by exposing cells 'Zf Escherichia coli to high levels of streptomycin (Smt) , two classes of resistant mutants are obtained: those which are indifferent to the drug (SmR) and those which are dependent on the presence of Sm for growth under any condition. The two classes of mutants were located at the same chromosomal site, the strA locus (HASHIMOTO 1960). The direct demonstration that the SmR mutants possess a mutated protein in the 30s ribosomal subunit (TRAUB and NOMURA 1968) was followed by the finding that a mutation in the same strA protein is also responsible for the Sm dependence (BIRGE and KURLAND 1969). These discoveries should have settled the genetic aspect of the problem if it were not for the finding that neither the SmR nor the Sm-dependent phenotypes constitute a homogeneous class of mutants. Different SmR mutations were found to confer different levels of "competence" for phenotypic suppression induced by Sm (GORINI and KATAJA 1964) and different levels of "re~triction'~ of genetic suppression (COUTURIER, DESMET and THOMAS 1964). Four classes of SmR mutations have been distinguished on the basis of quantitative differences in the restriction they impose on nonsense suppression (STRIGINI and GORINI 1970) and their mapping within the strA cistron has been reported (BRECKENRIDGE and GORINI 1970). The of is


The production of pions and light fragments in fast nuclear collisions is calculated in a relativistic fluid dynamical model. The linear bombarding energy dependence and, in particular, the absolute values of the calculated pion, proton, and deuteron yields are found to be in agreement with recent experimental data. The previous discrepancy between the calculated entropy values and the measured deuteron-to-proton ratios is resolved.


In this paper, the impact pressure of abrasives acting on the polished materials was deduced by Field Theory and the model of surface roughness for polishing super hard materials with Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) was established. The model indicates that the surface roughness increases linearly with an increase in the maximum depth of abrasives indenting into materials and that the relationship between the surface roughness and polishing parameters including water pressure, abrasive pressure, the impact angle, the hardness of the polished material, the elastic distortion of abrasive, abrasive size, abrasive density, nozzle diameter and standoff.


The aim of the study was to use ultrasound imaging technique to differentiate between acute and chronic kidney diseases in type 2 diabetes. The renal length of left and right kidneys was compared and a detailed documentation was made. The study was carried out in Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Our study included adult male and female population who were known case of Diabetes Mellitus, above 18 years of age and biochemically diagnosed for nephropathy. All patients were subjected to ultrasonography evaluation of the renal parenchymal thickness and the findings were documented.


The focus of this paper is to briefly adumbrate a few of the fall out of the utilisation of ICT within the polity. In achieving the foregoing, the focus is on Nigeria and the Nigerian as independent entities.


Retirement should not be feared of, but it should be faced with confidence, enthusiasm and good emotional management. The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate that retirement is not an end of a career, but a resumable pending career. The present study was quantitative. The population was retired teachers in Surabaya. The samples were 98 retired teachers, which were calculated using the Lemeshow formula. The present study used the Partial Least Square (PLS) method with the Smart PLS software. Results showed that self-efficacy had an effect on entrepreneurial intention, motivation had an effect on entrepreneurial intention, emotional intelligence had an effect on entrepreneurial intention, anxiety moderated the effect of selfefficacy on entrepreneurial intention, anxiety moderated the effect of motivation on entrepreneurial intention, and anxiety moderated the effect of emotional intelligence on entrepreneurial intention.


Pilot wire differential protection is one of the most common methods for protecting short transmission lines. The conventional protection scheme has drawbacks, such as malfunction due to line disconnection and limited line length. A laboratory investigation of transmission line protection using Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication protocol for data sharing between the relays located at the two ends of the transmission line is presented in this paper. The protection algorithm is based on current signals measured at both ends of the transmission line. The data is exchanged through the wireless communication network. The relay decision is based on data sharing obtained through wireless communication network. The suggested technique satisfies high degree of reliability and stability.


The objective of security data visualizations is to help cyber analysts to perceive trends and patterns, and gain insights into security data. Sound and systematic evaluations of security data visualizations are rarely performed, in part due to the lack of proper quantitative and qualitative measures. In this paper, we present a novel evaluation approach for security visualization based on Christopher Alexander's fifteen properties of living structures. Alexander's fifteen properties are derived from various visual patterns that appear in nature. Each property represents the guidelines for good design. We believe that using these fundamental properties have the potential for building a more robust evaluation. Each property offers essential qualities that enable better analytical reasoning. We demonstrate how to use Alexander's properties to evaluate security related visualizations. We derive a set of visualization-specific properties for evaluation, developed based on Alexander's original properties.


This guide will provide you an introduction to the broad topic that is Presidential Health. If you would like more information, please come to the library to view our full print collection spanning seven binders and several books.


Studies exploring school students' views about science have not always distinguished between different branches of science. Here, the views of 1395 secondary school students aged 11–16 about physics and, as a science comparator, biology were determined using a closed‐form questionnaire. Over the period of secondary schooling a decreasing proportion of students expressed a liking for physics, fewer thought it was interesting and more thought it was boring. These changes did not apply to biology. There was an increasing view that the study of physics, but not biology, required mathematical skills. Fewer students thought that physics, compared with biology, could contribute to the solution of medical or environmental problems. Suggestions that physics might offer good employment prospects did not influence students' liking of physics. Factor analysis suggested that the oldest group of students distinguished between physics and biology in terms of their general characteristics – to the detriment of physics.


During volume‐modulated arc therapies (VMAT), dosimetric errors are introduced by multiple open dynamic leaf gaps that are present in fixed diaphragm linear accelerators. The purpose of this work was to develop a methodology for adjusting the rounded leaf end modeling parameters to improve out‐of‐field dose agreement in SmartArc VMAT treatment plans delivered by fixed jaw linacs where leaf gap dose is not negligible. Leaf gap doses were measured for an Elekta beam modulator linac with 0.4 cm micro‐multileaf collimators (MLC) using an A16 micro‐ionization chamber, a MatriXX ion chamber detector array, and Kodak EDR2 film dosimetry in a solid water phantom. The MLC offset and rounded end tip radius were adjusted in the Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS) to iteratively arrive at the optimal configuration for 6 MV and 10 MV photon energies. Improvements in gamma index with a 3%/3 mm acceptance criteria and an inclusion threshold of 5% of maximum dose were measured, analyzed, and validated using an ArcCHECK diode detector array for field sizes ranging from 1.6 to 14 cm square field arcs and Task Group (TG) 119 VMAT test cases. The best results were achieved for a rounded leaf tip radius of 13 cm with a 0.1 cm MLC offset. With the optimized MLC model, measured gamma indices ranged between 99.9% and 91.7% for square field arcs with sizes between 3.6 cm and 1.6 cm, with a maximum improvement of 42.7% for the 1.6 cm square field size. Gamma indices improved up to 2.8% in TG‐119 VMAT treatment plans. Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC) credentialing of a VMAT plan with the head and neck phantom passed with a gamma index of 100%. Fine‐tune adjustments to MLC rounded leaf ends may improve patient‐specific QA pass rates and provide more accurate predictions of dose deposition to avoidance structures. PACS number(s): 87.55.D‐, 87.55.kd, 87.55.kh


High-velocity particle spray greatly increases metal additive manufacturing deposition speed over other commercial methods. Accurate prediction and measurement of this process will improve process control. A LightSPEE3D machine fabricated symmetric copper components. On-board software predicts the build geometry (.stl) given the input geometry and the build settings. Assessment of prediction accuracy is needed to enable rapid part design and print setting optimization. White-light 3D-scanning and high-fidelity optical microscopy scans are compared to the simulation and intended 20mm cubes using hausdorf distance: 1. Control-repeated scans: 0.38±0.48mm, max:2.25mm 2. Intended-original vs. scans: 1.42±1.58mm, max:6.72mm 3. Software-predicted vs. scans: 0.44±0.66mm, max:3.97mm Discrepancies up to 6.72mm and asymmetric fabrication artifacts were identified. The reduction in the hausdorf distance for simulation vs intended-original, and larger distance of the simulation compared to control, indicate the simulation tool may enable rapid optimization given over/under spray quantification. Recommendations for reducing asymmetric fabrication artifacts and over/underspray are provided.


In the immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay for HIV‐1 p24 antigen, different preparations of anti‐p24 Fab′‐β‐D‐galactosidase conjugate, various periods of time for immunoreactions involved, and shaking for incubations with polystyrene beads were tested. On the basis of the results of these experiments, p24 antigen was measured as follows. The antigen was reacted simultaneously with 2,4‐dinitrophenyl‐biotinyl‐bovine serum albumin‐affinity‐purified rabbit anti‐p24 Fab′ conjugate and highly polymerized monoclonal mouse anti‐p24 Fab′‐β‐D‐galactosidase conjugate at 37°C for 2 hr. The immune complex formed comprising the three components was trapped onto colored polystyrene beads coated with affinity‐purified (anti‐2,4‐dinitrophenyl group) IgG for 1.5 hr and was transferred to white polystyrene beads coated with streptavidin in the presence of ϵN‐2,4‐dinitrophenyl‐L‐lysine for 1.5 hr. The incubations with polystyrene beads were performed at room temperature with shaking. β‐D‐Galactosidase activity bound to the white polystyrene beads was assayed by fluorometry at 30°C for 2 hr. The detection limit of p24 antigen (0.1 amol/tube and 10 amol (0.24 pg)/ml of serum) was equal to that obtained when the formation, trapping, and transferring of the immune complex were performed for 4, 16, and 3 hr, respectively, by incubation without shaking. Namely, the period of time required for the immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay of p24 antigen was markedly shortened (25.5–7 hr) without loss of the sensitivity. By the improved immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay, p24 antigen was detected 12–20 days earlier than the detection of antibodies to HIV‐1, i.e., seroconversion by the conventional ELISA. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 12:115–120, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide: a lubricating oil composition having a high viscosity index while maintaining insulation properties; and a refrigerating machine system.SOLUTION: There is provided a lubricating oil composition which comprises an oxygen-containing synthetic oil-based base oil (A) and an alkylene oxide adduct (B) of a hydroxyl group-containing compound. The oxygen-containing synthetic oil-based base oil (A) is preferably either one or both of a polyvinyl ether and a polyol ester. The oxygen-containing synthetic oil-based base oil (A) preferably has an oxygen atom content of 15 to 30 mass%. The alkylene oxide adduct (B) of a hydroxyl group-containing compound preferably has a mass-average molecular weight of 1000 or more and 200000 or less. The alkylene oxide adduct (B) of a hydroxyl group-containing compound preferably is a propylene oxide adduct of a hydroxyl group-containing compound.SELECTED DRAWING: None


In this study we present BGaAs/GaP quantum well (QW) structures integrated with GaP/Si virtual substrate as a promising structures for applications requiring red-light optical gain media. Gain spectra are computed based on an 8-band $k\cdot p$ model with an envelope function approximation and Fermi's Golden Rule. An emission of red light of wavelengths from the range of 730–690 nm is predicted for the QWs with 10-35% BAs mole fraction and widths below the critical thickness.


Abstract Activities of mitochondrial enzymes have been measured in percutaneous muscle biopsies obtained from 23 patients with non-specific muscle pains (e.g. effort syndromes and post-viral fatigue syndromes), in biopsies obtained from eight patients with McArdle's disease (myophosphorylase deficiency), an enzyme defect known to lead to muscle pain during exercise, and, for comparison, in biopsies obtained from 14 untrained controls. Exercise performance was studied during incremental cycle ergometry in six typical patients with non-specific muscle pains and in six patients with McArdle's disease. The patients in general had a lower content of mitochondria in their muscles than the controls. The patients with nonspecific pain studied during cycle ergometry could not exercise at high intensities and showed decreased endurance, tachycardia, a high degree of exercise stress and an increased dependence on glycolysis at low exercise intensities. Many of the biochemical changes during exercise and many of the ...


Using a radioimmunoassay we measured [CKBB] in 130 CSF samples from 86 newborns. Infants with intraventricular hemmorhage(IVH) documented by computerized tomography(CT) had significantly higher [CKBB] in CSF than infants who had normal CT's or were not clinically suspected of having an IVH. [CKBB]'s are expressed in nanograms/ml.Patients with a definitely abnormal neurological exam prior to the LP had significantly higher [CKBB] in CSF than those with suspect or normal exams.All 15 infants with [CKBB]>25 ng/ml had suffered a severe neurological insult. (13 had an IVH and 2 had severe asphyxia.)CSF [CKBB] is a metabolic indicator of brain damage and is significantly elevated in CSF from infants with IVH and abnormal neurological exams.


The existence of detailed and updated land cover maps is important in the management of resources and development of climate change and/or disaster mitigation and adaptation strategies, especially for the local government units. These maps will aid stakeholders in crafting sound and science-based decisions pertaining to resource use and protection, disaster-risk reduction and economic resiliency. In this study, LiDAR point cloud was utilized to produce a very detailed land-cover map of the Silang-Sta. Rosa Subwatershed, highlighting agricultural and built-up features. Field points were collected to represent certain features or classes. Additional points were also derived from supplementary images such as Google Earth and available orthophotos. Classes include the following: Bare, Rice, Building, Trees, Banana, Road, Grassland, Water. The final crop maps are produced by Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning algorithm. The outputs underwent accuracy assessment to evaluate the veracity of the classification output. The User and Producer's Accuracy and Kappa-Index of Analyses (KIA) of each class were recorded. After subsequent quality checking, these accuracy scores are improved before turning over to respective local government units (LGUs) within the subwatershed.


In this paper, a top-level outline on the work related to optically-switched power semiconductor devices that have been carried out at the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC) or those in which UIC has been involved has been outlined. In addition, an outline on optical control that affects the switching dynamics of the power semiconductor devices is provided.


Jerusalem artichoke(Qingyu 2 and Qingyu 3) were used to study the carbohydrates metabolism through assigning four altitude.The investigation indicated that general fructan and soluble sugar decreased in every organ,sucrose increased in leaves,descend firstly then ascend in stem,sucrose in tuber and reducing sugar content in leaves presented downtrend with raising elevation,the reducing sugar in stem decreased gradually and the reducing sugar in tuber remained steady with the increasing of the height below 2600 m,the reducing sugar increased rapidly in the areas with altitudes 2900 m.


The development of plantation plays a very important role in forestry industry development in China because of its unique advantages. However, the ecological and environmental issues urgently require sustainable plantation development. FSC certification for sustainable forest management balances the economic, environmental and social benefits and contributes to sustainable development of plantation. FSC certification for plantation is significantly important to China with the most plantation area in the world. However, Chinese plantation management may have some obstructions in meeting the FSC certification requirements. According to the criteria and indicators of FSC forest management certification for the plantation, this paper lists some potential non-conformances in the management of Chinese plantation to provide an important reference.


The invention discloses a production method for basalt fiber materials, which comprises the following steps of: 1) mixing raw materials: mixing raw basalt ores, limestone and coke to obtain mixed raw materials; 2) heating for melting: heating for melting the mixed raw materials obtained in the step 1) to obtain melted liquid; and 3) drawing and producing fibers: introducing the melted liquid obtained in the step 2) into a centrifugal machine, drawing and producing cotton-like fibers. By using the basalt ores as main raw materials and in combination with other fillers, the natural resources are reasonably utilized, the production process is pollution-free, the produced fiber materials have excellent mechanical properties and good heat insulating and fireproof performances; and moreover, the compression strength of the produced fiber boards which are physically and deeply processed and are chemically modified is high, the fire rating is A1, the coefficient of heat conductivity is small,the melting temperature is high, the hydrophobic nature is great, the acidity coefficient is large, and the produced fiber boards can be used as energy-saving, heat-preserving and heat-insulating fireproof materials for buildings and sound-insulating shielding materials for high-speed railways, expressways, airports and the like.


A check of literature shows that various different possibilities of application of uranium and uranium compounds have been pointed out rather early. In view of the large over-capacity of depleted uranium in the atomic age, sales of considerable quantities are desirable. Efforts concerning these matters and their possible success are discussed. (auth)


This paper discussed about working theory and managing ideas in Guangdong Mobile Library, researched and explored the new managing ideas of modern libraries in constructing concordant society.


This paper studies the multicast-oriented virtual network function placement (MVNFP) problem in a dynamic environment, which considers the prediction of multicast service function chain requests (MSRs). The end-to-end delay, computing resource consumption, and request processing delay are considered in the objective function, with bandwidth and computing resources constrained. An online dynamic MVNFP algorithm with two stages, called ODMVP, is proposed to address the problem above. In the pre-placement stage, a bidirectional long short-term memory with attention and incremental window update mechanisms is used to predict the incoming MSRs. Grey wolf optimizer is then adopted to pre-place VNFs and determine the corresponding routes based on the prediction result. In the repair stage, a fast greedy VNF placement scheme is developed to handle the actual arrival MSRs that are not successfully predicted. Experimental results show that the ODMVP outperforms other state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of prediction, solution quality, and response.


The reasonable principle is more demanding than the legitimate principle because the executive administration takes administrative actions not only legitimately but also reasonably.The social effect that the reasonable principle has surpasses the legitimate administration in a general sense and it is the refining model when the government is engaged in administrative activities.Three main aspects should be paid attention to in applying the reasonable administration.First,we should form the modern philosophy of law,focusing on the cultivation of spiritual and cultural genes;second,we should be good at applying the relevant laws and regulations so as to eliminate the dogmatized tendency in taking administrative actions;third,we should apply correctly the rules for behavioral selection,execute the law flexibly and give priority to human rights,making the reasonable principle respectful and righteous in the aspects neglected in the circumstances not proclaimed by law.


Achieving a better characterization of human blood conductivity is of high relevance for medical applications. In this study we measured the complex impedance of <italic>N</italic> = 10 human whole blood samples (from <italic>N</italic> = 10 oncology patients) at room temperature (<italic>T</italic> = 22.6 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\pm\; 0.8\;^\circ \mathrm{C}$</tex-math></inline-formula>) and at body temperature (<italic>T</italic> = 36.6 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\pm\; 0.4\;^\circ \mathrm{C}$</tex-math></inline-formula>). The complex impedance was measured using the measurement setup consisting of a custom made four-electrode probe and a commercially available galvanostat. The measured complex impedance data were used to calculate the conductivity of whole blood over the 631 Hz–100 kHz frequency range. The calculated conductivity data is presented and was compared with the literature data. The data from our study is in good agreement with the data available in the literature. Additionally, full blood counts were provided for <italic>N</italic> = 8 samples and Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between the conductivity and blood counts at different frequencies. The three blood count parameters with the highest correlation coefficient are haematocrit (Hct), haemoglobin (Hgb) and red cell count (RBC). The correlation coefficient was shown to decrease as the frequency increases and was the highest at <italic>f</italic> = 631 Hz, which is the lowest reported frequency. To our knowledge this is the first study to measure low-frequency (i.e. below 1 MHz) conductivity of whole human blood at body temperature using the four-electrode technique. The results of this study represent an important contribution to the literature, which is currently limited in this area and will help further medical device design.


Abstract Role theory generally views the performance of multiple roles as a source of psychological stress. Recently, however, the concept of role strain resulting from multiple roles has been criticized. Marks (1977) and Seiber (1974) argue that multiple roles may lead to positive personal well-being. The present research is a test of these recent ideas. Measures of subjective well-being are correlated with the quantity and quality of roles enacted. Five role spheres are specified: Spouse, parent, worker, friend, and church member. The findings offer some support for the proposition that involvement in multiple roles does not necessarily lead to role strain. Instead, well-being increases with the number of roles enacted, and satisfaction in one role can help to compensate for deprivation in another role sphere. Support is thus found for both Marks' (1977) "expansionist" theory and Seiber's (1974) role accumulation theory.


In this issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Rubin et al. [ 1 ] discuss postexposure chemoprophylaxis against influenza A in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). They report that amantadine chemoprophylaxis initiated ^5 days after the beginning of an influenza outbreak reduces outbreak duration, incidence of influenza symptoms, and case-fatality rate. Their findings make sense: the earlier the diagnosis, the quicker the introduction of barriers to transmission (such as speedier chemoprophylaxis initiation), the lower the number of new vectors, and the lower the impact and extent of an influenza outbreak. These


The hammer method is widely used for the inspection of concrete surface of tunnels or bridge girders. With this method, however, it is difficult to inspect the places where people cannot reach. Therefore, we are researching about the non-destructive inspection method by non-contact acoustic method for a concrete structure. This is the technique of having combined a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) and a long range acoustic device (LRAD). It is suitable for searching a comparatively narrow region precisely taking advantage of plane excition ability of LRAD, and the two-dimensional scanning capability of SLDV. Although the directivity of the LRAD itself are excellent in 1 kHz with ±15 degree, there are problems, such as angular dependence to the measurement surface and environmental noise to the circumference at the time of considering practical use. Then, the combination of a strong ultrasonic sound source and a single point LDV as the 2nd construction of the non-contact acoustic inspection method was examined. From the experimental results, it became clear that the prototype sound source can generate sound pressure for non-destructive inspection of concrete even with a 5 m distance. Therefore, the strong ultrasonic sound source will occupy a very important position in this method in the future.


With felicitous prose and powerful images, Carbon Technocracy: Energy Regimes in Modern East Asia by Victor Seow, assistant professor of the History of Science at Harvard University, tells an expansive story of fossil fuel energy regimes, centering around, but not limited to, what was once East Asia's largest coal and shale oil mine, in Fushun, Manchuria. Palpably paying tribute to Timothy Mitchell's seminal work, Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil (2011), Seow proposes the concept of "carbon technocracy" to make sense of the continuity of the colliery's management, often motivated by developmentalist and autarkic aspirations amidst fears for energy scarcity, under the Japanese Empire, Chinese Nationalists, and then Chinese Communists, against a global backdrop. Mitchell argues that the British democratic system was an ineluctable consequence of the materiality of coal. Each step in the production of British coal, then the primary source of energy for Britain, called for localized and organized labor and was thus particularly susceptible to sabotage. To Mitchell, the democratic spirit was not fostered in scholar's studies but in grim and dangerous coal mines where labor activists successfully campaigned for better pay and working conditions; democracy was neither proposed nor realized by city elites but by lowly miners. It was this feature of coal production that prompted the major industrial states to shift their main energy source from coal to oil, a liquid that required complex processing before human use, and democracy has been deteriorating accordingly ever since. Seow proposes an alternative argument. After the Meiji Restoration, an industrialized Japan also embraced the promises and pitfalls of coal energy. Interestingly, as Seow points out, Japan's shift to the new energy source did not incubate democracy as Mitchell predicted, but technocracy, a term that any scholar concerned with the East Asian developmentalist states will surely encounter. While most researchers explain the origins of East Asian technocracy using political ideologies, cultural


OBJECTIVE
To establish an in vitro cell model to investigate hepatic steatosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

METHODS
HepG2 cells cultured in MEM containing 10 % fetal bovine serum were divided into control group and model group. At 7 0%-80 % confluency, HepG2 cells in model group were exposed to a long-chain mixture of free fatty acids (oleate and palmitate) for 24 h, cells in control group were subject to fresh medium. Lipid droplets were observed with oil red O stain and electron microscope, triglyceride and malonaldehyde were detected by respective assay kits.

RESULT
A large number of lipid droplet were detected in model HepG2 cells; the level of triglyceride increased. However,malonaldehyde did not increase significantly compared with control group.

CONCLUSION
A large number of lipid droplet were detected in model HepG2 cells; the level of triglyceride increased. However, malonaldehyde did not increase significantly compared with control group.


The three‐dimensional treatment of heat flow in the photoacoustic effect is extended to allow for thermal conduction to the cell walls. The typical effect is to reduce the photoacoustic signal when thermal waves extend to the cell wall with appreciable amplitude, although small increases may also occur. Results are in good agreement with recent experimental data. Comparisons with predictions from one‐dimensional models are given.


This is the contribution to the "Key issues to design and implement a National declaration about Open Education" panel in the context of the International Day to Universal Access to Information (UDUAI2017) and eLearning Africa.


In all rural societies, peasants combined crop cultivation and stockbreeding. In this, those societies responded to two requirements and respected two constraints. Three of these parameters fall directly within the scope of this volume. First of all, there was the technical requirement of both maintaining soil fertility and renewing natural resources. Basically, peasant farming in the Early Middle Ages made cultivation and stockbreeding, plants and animals, farmland, woodland and wasteland complement each other. Secondly, peasant farming faced the constraint of technology: tillage and care for animals had to be carried out with the tools available. It also faced the constraint of nature: the natural potential of the environment in respect of soil fertility, plant cover, climatic conditions, etc. The fourth and last parameter was the social requirement, i.e. ensuring that the group had all the produce necessary for its continued existence, whether that produce was consumed directly or exchanged for other resources, or applied to meeting levies; this parameter is by and large dealt with by the three other volumes in this series (see in the other contributions in this series: Wickham, 2010; Devroey and Jaubert, 2011; Devroey, Wilkin and Gautier, 2013). The necessarily schematic analysis of a very long period – 500 years – characterized by sparse and often elliptical, written documentation and the currently large chronological margins of dating the material evidence must neither lead to compress time or neglect regional differences. By way of introduction, it is necessary to resume in the first paragraph of this chapter the most important elements of the social parameters of production that, combined with technical requirements and with technological and natural constraints, determine agricultural production within specific regional agro-systems (Mendras, 1995: 28‒34; Thoen, 2004).


Four principal types of authorised COVID-19 vaccines include inactivated whole-virus vaccines, protein subunit vaccines, viral-vector vaccines and nucleic acid (mRNA and DNA) vaccines. Despite numerous Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs), comprehensive systematic review and comparative meta-analysis have not been performed to validate the immunogenicity, safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in the healthy adult population. We aim to fulfil this unmet void. We searched for peer-reviewed articles about RCTs of the COVID-19 vaccines on healthy adults (18-64 years) available in eight major bibliographic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, POPLINE, HINARI) till August 28, 2022. The Risk of Bias (RoB) was assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2. Random effects meta-analysis was conducted by pooling dichotomous outcomes using risk ratios (safety outcomes) and continuous outcomes using standardised mean differences (immunogenicity outcomes). Efficacy outcomes were summarised narratively. Moderate to high-quality evidence suggests that those receiving COVID-19 vaccines had significantly higher immune responses compared to placebo. Serious adverse events were rare, confirming that COVID-19 vaccines were safe and immunogenic for the healthy adult population. Remarkably, adverse events were the least common in inactivated vaccines, and nucleic acid vaccines were the most immunogenic. The efficacies of COVID-19 vaccines ranged from 21.9% to 95.9% in preventing COVID-19. We endorse all four types of COVID-19 vaccines for public health policy implementing taskforces. Yet, meta-analyses based on individual patient data are warranted for more extensive measurement of differential impacts of COVID-19 vaccines on different genders, ethnicities, comorbidities and types of vaccine jabbed.


In this paper we give a short introduction to the different theories of scissors congruence. We begin with classical scissors congruence, which considers equivalence classes of polyhedra under dissection. We then move to multi-dimensional scissors congruence along the lines of McMullen's polytope algebra and then to the Grothendieck ring of varieties. Tying our discussion together is the question of whether algebraic invariants are sufficient to distinguish scissors congruence classes.


Many, perhaps all, of the effects postulated by Taagepera and Colby may well be correct and my intention is not to claim the contrary. Instead, I argue that a faulty data base and lack of statistical rigor have rendered their argument uncompelling. In part, my strong reaction to their attempt may result from the disparity between the magnitude of their topic and the frailty of their treatment. The discussion of so grand a topic as creativity in Western civilization deserves better.


The equation of Fick's second law describing the diffusion in a porous powder body is solved in the framework of the Green's function method. The proposed mathematical model allowed the influence of the temperature, deformation rate, and porosity of a material on the diffusion coefficient to be analyzed. The microstructure of copper-titanium specimens after the sintering and a plastic deformation is studied. The increase in the temperature, as well as in the rate and the degree of a deformation, is found to promote the alloy homogenization.


We present the AR Magic Lantern, an augmented reality flashlight that enables its holders to see and interact with situated virtual content that it projects onto the physical surfaces around them. The AR Magic Lantern tracks its position and orientation, so the projected content is truly a part of the physical space and is thus relevant for all members of a group. This makes it especially suitable for implementations of the World-as-Support AR paradigm, where augmented experiences should be shared and situated. We contribute the design principles and methodology used in the development of the hardware and software of the AR Magic Lantern. We also describe the interactive AR experience that we developed for a local cultural heritage site and which will be demoed during CHI 2022.


Abstract Waste, duplication, and coordination are among the cornerstone concepts upon which the social policy of the New Federalism is being developed. The proposed Allied Services Act captures and reflects most elements of the Administration's emerging social policy. An analysis of the legislation, which is significant in that it begins to define a public responsibility for planning social welfare services, indicates several issues of concern to the planner. The legislation raises questions such as: the criteria for definition of planning area boundaries; the relationship between the quality of planning and the limits of present planning resources; the quality and availability of standards to assess services; the complex formulae by which federal, state, and local governments allocate and support services; the role of formal interest groups in the planning process; the vitality of existing private (voluntary) health and welfare planning agencies; and finally the substance of planning education. As it now...


We present the first X-ray expansion measurements of the young, bright supernova remnant Cas A. We have acquired a deep (232 ks) ROSAT high-resolution image of Cas A that is compared with archival images of similar quality taken 17 yr earlier with the Einstein Observatory. The average expansion rate between the two epochs is found to be 0.20%±0.01% yr-1, twice as fast as the expansion of the bright radio ring and two-thirds as fast as the ensemble of optical fast-moving knots. This argues that we are observing a fundamentally different hydrodynamical structure in each band, although all of these components are located on the same patchy ring. In addition, we detect significant variations in the expansion rate as a function of azimuth around the bright X-ray ring. These results are discussed in the context of two classes of models, one involving a preexisting circumstellar shell and the other having a uniform or gradiated density profile that decreases monotonically away from the center.