When investing passively, do so actively. With the stock market's rise to heady heights in recent years, index funds--Wall Street's product du jour--have grown to gigantic proportions. As of October 4, 1999, according to the Wall Street Journal, 37.62% of the year's new mutual fund investment went into index funds--$44.59 billion for 1999 through August 30. So far it has been easy for investors to ride the wave of index funds. However, since the stock market's future is always uncertain, index funds are not immune to market fluctuations. Understanding how they operate and their cyclical nature may help CPAs better advise clients or employers about them. The specific investments in a portfolio are as important as how it is managed. Too often investors focus on results rather than on process, so drilling down into how an index fund is managed may yield some surprising revelations about active vs. passive investing. SAFETY IN NUMBERS? In trying to grasp the essence of index funds, it's important for CPAs and other financial managers to understand that neither institutions nor individuals can invest in a market index directly. An index is merely a number, a mathematical construct tied to the price of the stocks that make up the index. An index fund is a mutual fund that buys the same securities proportionately to those in a market index (see sidebar, page 26). The only way an investor can participate in index investing is in a derivative manner--owning shares in an index mutual fund that, in turn, owns the stocks dictated by the index. Who decides what goes into an index? The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index (SP their average market capitalization is $526.4 million. The Wilshire 5000 was created in 1974 to provide a broad representation of companies headquartered in the United States. Investors can purchase mutual funds that represent these indexes as well as more exotic variants such as a stock-car stocks index fund. The bottom line is, if it can be measured the financial markets can create an index. (Whether a mutual fund is available is another matter, however.) We have chosen to concentrate our analysis on the S&P 500, and the funds offered by many mutual fund companies that track it, because it represents the largest U.S. companies and is popular with investors around the world. THE BIG EASY Many investors sing the praises of index funds. When you consider the recent dominance of indexes such as the S&P 500, what's not to like? Index fired proponents favor them for a number of reasons. They cite: High performance. The S&P 500 has consistently outperformed the majority of equity portfolio managers from 1995 through 1998. (Past performance is not a guarantee of future results, though.) Low expenses. Low stock turnover can result in lower fund expenses. Because portfolio managers do not "pick" stocks, overhead from research and analysis is minimal. Stocks in the index and their corresponding concentration levels are not actively managed. Overall, lower expenses give index funds a head start when it comes to performance. …


Advanced Elastomer Systems has undertaken research into reclaiming engineering thermoplastic elastomers from highly contaminated scrap with the view that under less problematical circumstances the reclaim could only get better. Malcolm Alderson describes the study in which reclaimed TPE was blended with virgin TPE and TPO.


127 Background: Ototoxicity after cisplatin +/- radiation occurs in 22-58% of patients with head and neck cancers. Routine post-treatment hearing tests are useful in the early detection of hearing loss, allowing for possible early intervention. This study aimed to identify current hearing screening practices for follow-up, barriers to screening, and recommendations for its implementation. Methods: Stakeholders (physicians, nurses, coordinators, audiologists) identified barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a routine hearing screening follow-up program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Themes were identified using an inductive approach and mapped to the Knowledge to Action (KTA) framework, which guides the implementation of new clinical practices. Results: The problem: While all patients received baseline hearing tests, follow-up testing was inconsistently performed in asymptomatic patients. Patients may also lack awareness of subclinical hearing loss. A formalized follow-up hearing test program was identified as the best approach by stakeholders. Barriers: Individual-level barriers included limited knowledge about intervals for hearing testing and lack of time during clinic visits. Institutional-level factors included personnel, financial resources and logistical supports. Patient travel distances and times were barriers, as well as scheduling tests on the same day as other clinic visits. Societal stigma of hearing loss was a possible barrier. Facilitators: These included greater staff and patient education, and designating a local clinic champion. Instructions for follow-up after identifying hearing loss was deemed essential. Adapting to the local context: Automated flagging post-treatment and auto-referrals to the Hearing Clinic through the electronic medical record system could facilitate increased rates of participation. Mail/phone reminders could be useful adjuncts. Conclusions: Participants supported a formal post-treatment hearing test program for patients with head and neck cancers treated with cisplatin +/- radiation. Individual and institutional barriers were identified, but could be mitigated by appropriate facilitators.


RELATIONSHIPS FOR MODELLING WATER FLOW IN GEOTECHNICAL CENTRIFUGE MODELS by Deborah J. Goodings University of Maryland Appreciation of the importance of water pressures in the behavior of soil was a major turning point of modern soil mechanics, and correct prediction of the pressures and assessment of the effects on soil has remained fundamental to geotechnical design a nd research. Replication of the pore fluid behavior in saturated and partially saturated soil is therefore critical to effective modelling, although this ideal cannot always be achieved . Furthermore, d ifferent pore fluid events will take place at different rates in a reduced scale centrifuge model, influenced by the reduction in scale a nd by the increase in self-weight, depending on the nature of the flow. For example, seepage will be governed by different laws depending on whether the soil is saturated or partially saturated. Once seepage water emerges and drains away as surface runoff, other laws will govern its runoff behavior, and erosion, governed by still other rel a t ionships, may change the soil profile causing slope instabil it y. This paper will investigate the relationships between centrifuge model and prototype water effects under steady state and transient seepage conditions, in saturated and unsaturated soil, as well as those relationsh ips which dictate erosion and other effects of surface water on soils. In most cases the paper will be based on relationships already existing in t he literature, although in areas where this is found tc be incomplete, new analysis will be developed .


This paper evaluates and identifies areas/counties with the highest potential for future development of gas bearing formations in West Virginia. The gas bearing formations under study consist of, but are not limited to, Big Injun, Berea, and Benson horizons. The qualitative and quantitative interpretations of data and assessment of various areas/counties for future development are enhanced by computer generated 2-dimensional maps. The maps are the quantitative representation of various reservoir parameters such as porosity, gas saturation, open flow potential, pay zone thickness, etc. The results of the study provide sources of regional comparison as well as a guide for future leasing.


Oxygen consumption and deposition measurements of model fuel mixtures and real fuels are used to explore the roles that heteroatomic fuel species and their interactions play during fuel autoxidation. A range of temperatures, oxygen consumption regimes, and flow environments are employed to provide results applicable over a wide range of fuel autoxidative conditions. The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) provides a low temperature (140 °C) batch reactor environment for long reaction times (minutes to hours) with oxygen consumption and sensitive, in situ deposition measurements. The JFTOT system provides a flowing environment at higher temperatures (260 to 300 °C) and short residence times (seconds) which is modified with both an outlet oxygen sensor and with quantitative deposition measurements via ellipsometry. These techniques are used to study model systems (Exxsol D80 with added heteroatom species) and real jet fuels to determine the role of heteroatomic species in jet fuel autoxidation and deposition....


[Objective] The purpose was to study the effects of different atmosphere,humidity and temperature on stability of sulfite in flue gas desulfurization(FGD) residues made by dry and semi-dry method in the heating process.[Method] The stability of sulfite in FGD residues produced by dry and semi-dry methods in the heating process was studied through changing the atmosphere,the humidity of FGD residues and the temperature of calcination.[Result] In air,when the temperature of calcination was 450-700 ℃,CaSO3 in FGD residues was quickly oxidized into stable CaSO4;when the temperature of calcination was 750-1 050 ℃,CaSO3 in FGD residues could occur the oxidation and decomposition simultaneously and some CaSO3 was decomposed into CaO and SO2.In N2,CaSO3 could begin to be decomposed at 650 ℃.With the rising of the humidity of FGD residues,the greater the escaped amount of SO2 was,the bigger the decomposition rate of CaSO3 was and then SO2 could occur from the decomposition of CaSO4 at same time.In the rang of 800-1 050 ℃,with the rising of the temperature,the emission amount of SO2 was increased.[Conclusion] In the range of 450-1 050 ℃,the maximum emission concn.of SO2 by calcining the FGD residues was 101.4 mg/m3,which was far lower than the national standards(800 mg/m3)and didn't make any damage to the environment when the FGD residues was used again.


I hereby declare that the thesis entitled "GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POTASSIUM HYDROGEN PHTHALATE CRYSTALS DOPED WITH SOME ORGANIC AND INORGANIC COMPOUNDS" submitted by me for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Physics is the result of my original and independent research work carried out under the guidance of Dr. C. Krishnan M.Sc., M.Phil., B.Ed., Ph.D., PGDCA, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Physics, Arignar Anna C ollege, Aralvaimoli, K.K.Dist. , Tamilnadu, India, and it has not been submitted for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship, fellowship of any University or Institution.


The secure electronic communications mechanism has an intermediate server port (4) with a request generator, establishing a connection between a user post (2) and an extended network (9). The intermediate server accesses a first digital word base in server address format (5c). A comparator compares the address of the request received from a part of the first digital word. A connector establishes a connection between the user post and the intermediate server post once the comparison indicates that the address of the request received is in a digital word of address server format.


The article studies the figure of the devil in four old english poems dated from the eighth to the tenth century a.d. Genesis A, Genesis B, Elene and Juliana explore the figure of Satan with recourse to shared imagery that goes down to the patristic tradition of early medieval church as well as to the Germanic poetic tradition. The representations of the devil that found their way to old english poetic compositions are pervasively influenced by the early medieval redemption theories on the one hand. on the other, the poems in questions draw upon the formulaic exile theme that they share with a number of other old english poems, like the seafarer and the Wanderer, to counterpoint their central soteriological themes.


By definition, anxiolytics are drugs capable of treating anxiety and anxiety related disorders. The precise role of anxiolytics, particularly in comparison with other drug classes (e.g., antipsychotics and antidepressants) and other therapeutic approaches (e.g., psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and relaxation) in treating behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) needs to be determined. If anxiolytics are used for BPSD, the clinician must decide whether they should be used as an emergency measure, as long-term therapy, or both. Also, whether anxiolytics are useful in treating anxiety and its consequences in both the early and advanced stages of dementia must be considered.


Successive Public Housing Building Project (PHBP) attempts have been unsuccessful due to a number of reasons. Among these is the lack of clearly defined success criteria which guides and measures PHBP success from inception to closure. The adoption and application of project management practice and project success criteria is to deliver projects successfully, attain enhanced output, develop framework to help track key project results and to enable the appropriate allocation of resources. This paper aimed to establish critical success criteria for PHBPs in Ghana. A questionnaire survey was employed to elicit the views of experienced professionals on 13 project success criteria identified from literature. Mean score analysis and factor analysis were conducted on the data collected. The results showed that PHBP practitioners perceive 'cost of individual houses' and 'extensive use of local materials' as the most critical success criteria with 'risk containment' emerging as the least critical criteria. It also revealed the following as the major underlysing factors for critical project success criteria for public housing projects in Ghana;'Time, Cost and Quality Management', 'Satisfaction, Health and Environmental Safety', 'User Affordability and Design Consideration' and 'Cost of Individual Units and Technology'. These two findings are essential for developing a framework which will enable project managers involved in PHBPs in Ghana to channel appropriate efforts and behaviours towards ensuring the attainment of success on their projects.


This paper presents a dispersive finite difference time domain (FDTD) method suitable for the analysis of electromagnetic field rotator (and cloaking) devices. The method employs a coordinate transformation which accurately accounts for the radial dependence of the permittivity and permeability tensors, with Drude material models applied to the respective diagonal elements. The key aspect of the present formulation is the inclusion of the radial dependence of the plasma frequency, which makes this formalism quite attractive for the modeling of a general class of cloaking and field rotator geometries. Firstly, the method is validated by comparing its results with a previously published simulation of a cloaking device. Then, it is applied for the first time to the analysis of dispersive effects on the performance of field rotators.


Although there are numerous studies of university technology transfer, there have been relatively few recent studies of technology transfer at federal labs. Studies of university technology transfe...


In feudal times, society was viewed as being made up of three estates, a "trinity," functioning under the king's beneficence: the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal and the Peasants. For all of its modern aspirations, Stalin's Soviet society of the 1940s and '50s was, in fact, feudal. Certainly that was true of the nuclear community. The respect reserved for the clergy in feudal times went to the security services. The nuclear nobility, the designers, lived well and were accorded full honors. And then there were those who did the tough and dirty work, the peasants. Some were recent graduates in chemistry or physics; no one was concerned by the serious overdoses of radiation that many received. Others were engineers, pursuing one blind alley after another with no time for the ordered exploration of alternatives. Still others were prisoners and soldiers, building the foundations and infrastructure that supported the program. They all were "peasants" in this scheme of things.


Dredged spoils being treated by solidification method provides an effectual way to convert dredged spoils into useful filling materials.The method has not been used in practical projects in China.The authors carried out an insitu experiment of dredged spoils stabilized by cement at Yantian Port,Shenzhen, China.The unconfined compression tests and in-situ Static Cone Penetration tests were conducted on the foundation pits filled with stabilized dredged spoils.The unconfined compression strength has a linear relationship with the cement content,the strength of samples taken from the foundation decreased 10%-50% to that of samples made in the laboratory.The bearing capacity of the spoil-filled foundation can meet the demand of port engineering, and dredged spoil solidified with cement may be used as fill material for marine reclamation works.


Diabetes mellitus is serious chronic disease in Indonesia nowdays. This disease can attack all ages and socio-economic. High cost of treatment is one of the obstacle for many diabetics who do not get good and correct treatment. The fee for a consultation for patients with diabetes mellitus are quite expensive. Patients should also take the time to wait in line consultations and sacrificing time for consultation.Solution to these problems is to make a application of determination food ingridients that capable of providing an accurate recommendation food ingridients in accordance to the calculation of nutritional status, the daily caloric needs of patients and determination of the patient's diet. This application of determination food ingridients can help people with diabetes mellitus to determine an appropriate diet with the necessary nutrients diabetics, it can provide modified food ingridients according to the condition of patients and may provide an alternative material other meals if patients do not like the food ingredients recommendation issued by the system


The e-governmental-affairs,i.e.,doing all governmental office work,by taking advantage of IT technology,will make the governmental service more effective, honest and actual.Most of the application systems of e-governmental-affairs are implemented through outsourcing from special IT companies.In China,an outsourcing market is forming step by step for e-governmental-affairs along with the rapid development of IT industry,but it is facing many problems.Analyzing the current situation,the problems,such as mode selection,normalization,security guard and secrecy system of e-governmental-affairs though outsourcing are discussed,with some measures proposed to take for them.


In the present paper, we would like to give an united explicit form for a family of monotone and chaotic matrix means. Our approach includes some of the most familiar means and a class of means that appear to be new. AMS Subject Classification: 47A64


ABSTRACT Fuzzy geometric measures have been found to reflect the spatial ambiguity of an image. Therefore, the study of similarity of fuzzy numbers is crucial in decision making. In this work, an intuitionistic fuzzy similarity measure (IFSM) has been proposed to calculate the degree of similarity of generalized fuzzy numbers (GFNs). The IFSM has been developed by integrating the concept of centre of gravity (COG) points and intuitionistic fuzzy difference of distance of points of fuzzy numbers. Properties that are relevant for a similarity measure have also been derived for the proposed IFSM. Further, a few pattern sets available in literature have been compared and it was observed that the IFSM provides a very intuitive quantification. Finally, the similarity measure has been applied for a fingerprint matching problem.


Based on the analysis and reflection on municipal activities in environmental matters, one can see the need to reorganize and strengthen the implementation of actions aimed at improving the environmental quality of the territory. This is based on the use of instruments already institutionalized and legally supported, such as the (territorial) municipal environmental management plans and the incorporation of process control to the execution of actions, as well as the implementation of environmental audits where citizen participation is a cross-cutting agent in both processes.


This innovative practice full research paper offers insight into a course instructor's use of three varied projects within a first-year engineering course and the students' self-reported learning surrounding these projects. First-year courses are designed to both excite students about engineering and increase retention and thus have become a staple at many engineering institutions. However, there is space to gain a deeper understanding of how students perceive their own learning as gained from these first-year projects and how they could be impacted by different problem contexts.


To fundamentally ameliorate the photovoltaic performances of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), p‐type DSSCs (p‐DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention over the last two decades. Herein, by means of a modification with a Ni(NO3)2 aqueous solution, the stoichiometry of Ni atoms on the surface of a NiO electrode markedly increased. As a result of the change in donor ability and built‐in electric field, the quasi‐Fermi level and the valence band of the semiconductor were greatly reduced, thus effectively improving the open‐circuit voltage of the NiO‐film‐based photovoltaic device. In addition, the increased short‐circuit current density was attributed to the change of the surface distribution state of the sensitizer. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency of the photovoltaic device based on the Ni‐salt‐modified electrode increased by 35.7% from 0.14 to 0.19% compared to that of the plain electrode. This method opens a new strategy to improve the photovoltaic efficiencies of p‐DSSCs.


The article describes a clinical case of diagnosis and successful treatment of liver tuberculosis in a 5 5-y ea r-o ld female patient who has disability status (Group 1) due to cancer (acute myeloblastic leukaemia and mastectomy due to cancer in the past). Liver tuberculosis was diagnosed as a result of liver biopsy after focal changes had been detected by  MSCT .


2006;48;1198-1205; originally published online Aug 25, 2006; J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. for the PEECH Investigators Bruce L. Fleishman, Ozlem Soran, Paul-Andre de Lame, Thomas Varricchione and Arthur M. Feldman, Marc A. Silver, Gary S. Francis, Charles W. Abbottsmith, With Chronic Heart Failure Enhanced External Counterpulsation Improves Exercise Tolerance in Patients This information is current as of September 20, 2006 http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/full/48/6/1198 located on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is


Persons are able to dictate promptly and privately using dic tate stations which are connected to one or more recorders. Circuits, incorporating transistors and preferably physically located within a dictate station, assure privacy and/or select a recorder quickly. These additional control circuits for privacy and/or selection constantly monitor recording operations by sensing recorder voltage changes which indicate their im mediate status of either being in use, i.e., not available, or not in use, i.e., available.


In this paper, the concept and distinguishing featutes of the emergency communication system are discussed firstly, then we expound that to construct our armys emergency communication system is an urgent and essential task, and put forward several problems we should pay attention to in constructing the emergency communication system, finally according to our countrys real condition we suggest three kinds of communications system as the priority given to emergency communication systems of our army.


[From the Introduction]. A most important, indeed fateful, development early in the Maastricht process was a decision to broaden the agenda of reform by launching two parallel intergovernmental conferences, one on economic and monetary union, the other on political union. Typical of so much of the history of the development of European institutions, the joining of these two sets of issues seems to have occurred In a decisive initiating act by the leaders of Germany and France. Many accounts identify as critical a joint Franco-German declaration of April 19, 1990 favoring the launching of a second intergovernmental conference to deal with political union. This intent was echoed immediately thereafter in a decision of a special European Council meeting in Dublin. In that decision, the Council instructed foreign ministers to develop proposals for a second intergovernmental conference for consideration at the upcoming June summit. (2) It is important to examine the conditions for creating this parallel linkage because with hindsight it is clear that most of the misgivings expressed in the course of the ratification process--not least in Denmark--have had to do with the political union elements in the treaty. (3) It is also important to examine because for many observers, the linkage appears to have been unnecessary and therefore problematical. (4) I shall argue that the historical evidence shows that the support of German Chancellor Helmut Kohl was especially critical in making the link of political and economic and monetary union. While many others, especially Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, promoted the issue and gave it visibility and specificity, it was Kohl, more than any other participant, who assured that the whole array of issues appeared on the formal agenda for negotiations.


A simple formula is obtained by which any symmetrized power of D(j) may be expressed in terms of the symmetrized powers of D(j-1/2). This formula does not depend explicitly on the representation theory of the symmetric group and it gives a method of building up any symmetrized power in fully reduced form. In particular, recurrence formulae are obtained for the totally symmetrized and totally antisymmetrized powers of D(j), and a formula is given for arbitrary symmetrized powers of D(1). Finally it is proved that D(j) contains D(j-1)n, n>or=2, as a proper subrepresentation and formulae are obtained for the symmetrized cubes of D(j).


Laser distance measuring is increasingly used in large-scale and real-time scanning measurement, including three-dimensional map construction, size measurement of large-scale buildings, and real-time surface information acquisition. Therefore, there are high-precision and high-efficiency
 requirements for the laser distance measuring system. Based on the phase laser distance measuring, a laser parallel distance measuring system is proposed as per the frequency division multiplexer principle. The system uses multi-channel modulation signals with different frequencies to drive
 multiple lasers to emit light intensity in parallel, and then the light wave is measured according to the change of the modulation signal. The single-channel modulation signal adopts the multi-scale composite wave to eliminate the uncertainty of the whole wavelength by using the combination
 of two scales and distance measurement. The multiple echo signals after diffuse reflection of the measured target are mixed and received by the same photodetector and go through signal amplification, clutter filtering, etc., and then are sent to the mixing unit together with the reference
 signal, followed by down-frequency processing, with the effective signal obtained through the low-frequency filter. In the experiment, the laser distance measuring system is used for obstacle avoidance control of mobile robots, and fuzzy control is used to design the corresponding obstacle
 avoidance controller. The robot lateral deviation and heading angle are used as the input of the fuzzy controller, and the track variation is the output. The test verifies that the obstacle avoidance control is effective, that is, the laser distance measuring system designed in this research
 can be used for the obstacle avoidance control of mobile robots.


The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a role in a wide range of somatic and mental diseases. Using a model of Neurovisceral Integratio n I will describe how autonomic imbalance and decreased parasympathetic tone in par t cul may be the final common pathway linking negative affective states and condi tions to ill health. The central nervous system (CNS) network that regulates autonomic balan ce is closely related and partially overlaps with networks serving executive, social, a ffective, cognitive, and motivated behavior. A common reciprocal inhibitory cortico-su bcortical neural circuit serves to regulate defensive behavior including autonomic, af fective, and cognitive features. This inhibitory cortico-subcortical circuit may structur ally as well as functionally, link psychological processes with health-related physiol ogy. When the prefrontal cortex is taken "offline" for whatever reason, parasympatheti c inhibitory action is withdrawn and a relative sympathetic dominance associated with disi nh b ted defensive circuits is released, which can be pathogenic when sustained for long per iods. This state is indicated by low heart rate variability (HRV), which is a marker for l w parasympathetic activation and prefrontal hypoactivity. Consistent with this, HRV is associated with a range of psychological and somatic pathological conditions. I will discuss supportive evidence from recent studies of neuroimaging, the reflexive startle blink, attention, and working memory, which shows the low HRV predicts hypervigil ance and inefficient allocation of attentional and cognitive resources. Biomed Tech 2012; 57 (Suppl. 1) © 2012 by Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · Boston. DOI 10.1515/bmt-2012-4495


This article presents the analytic models of four types of flexure hinges (elliptic, circular, parabolic, and hyperbolic flexure hinges). The analytic models are developed based on the theory of elasticity and infinitesimal method. The hinge index, denoted by the ratio of rotational precision and rotational stiffness, is proposed in this article to estimate the mechanical properties of diverse flexure hinges synthetically and quantitatively. The finite element analysis method and the experiments are performed to verify the accuracy of the analytic model. The relationships between the geometric parameters and the mechanical properties of the flexure hinges are analyzed using the analytic models established in this article. The comparisons of the mechanical performances among the four types of flexure hinges are performed.


Supersonic wind tunnel tests of flexible parachutes whose canopies had a hemispherical shell configuration were conducted. This study was performed to explore the mechanism of flow field oscillation and vibration of canopy movement that were caused by the interaction between the supersonic flow and flexible fabric of the canopies. Effects of the flexibility and gas permeability of fabrics to the drag characteristics of the parachutes were investigated. Three kinds of fabrics (i.e. thin nylon, thick nylon and polyester) were used to produce the canopies. Sizes of canopies were also changed in three steps (nominal diameter D0 = 30, 40, 50 [mm]) to investigate the variation of the drag. A load cell was installed in the capsule to measure unsteady and time-averaged drag values of the parachute. Schlieren images by a high speed camera provided us with visualized flow fields showing shock deformations. Moreover, a three-dimensional motion capturing system was used to evaluate the movement of the canopy. The process of parachute ejection from the capsule was also examined. As a result, it was indicated that canopy fabrics with higher gas permeability induce lower mean drag values. On the other hand, the lower flexibility, the larger drag fluctuation is. Furthermore, the spectrum of the canopy movement showed the similar profiles to the spectrum that of the drag fluctuation indicating the direct link between the canopy movement and its drag fluctuation.


Everyone can now record and explore the evolution over time of his/her personal household electricity consumption. However understanding what links this data to our behavior remains a challenge. In this paper, we present a visualization tool based on the direct manipulation, by the users, of their behavior. Users can select and modify their actions over time, evaluating the results on the data with the visualization. We also conduct a user study, showing that our method allows users to understand the links between actions and data, and to use this knowledge in order to test and evaluate changes in their behavior.


R ECENT studies of twentieth-century Latin American society have found a surprising convergence in political attitudes between big businessmen and landowners. This is especially true for Brazil. Brazil's business elite has never challenged the political power of the traditional landowning elite or the patriarchal framework in which politics traditionally has been practiced.There has been no conflict between the two elites, such as characterized the development of industrial capitalism in Europe during the middle of the last century.2 Various reasons have been advanced for this convergence in political outlook; however, it should be noted that the phenomenon is not new. It dates back at least to the nineteenth century, when Brazil fully entered world trade patterns as an exporter of tropical products. Nineteenth-century Brazilian largescale businessmen and landholders evidence, if anything, stronger feelings of political solidarity and economic identity than do their modern counterparts. Big businessmen not only supported the interests of landholders, they even took the initiative in defending them. This tradition of solidarity between business and landholding elites


The possibility of obtaining copper oxides with high specific area by metal copper electrolysis using alternating current of industrial frequency has been shown. The parameters influencing the rate of oxide formation were studied. Phase composition and characteristics of electrosynthesis product porous structure depending on process modes was determined.


Method of manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material is impregnated between the reinforcing fibers and the fibers of the reinforcing fibers, (A) a benzoxazin resin, (B) an epoxy resin, and (C) a curing agent having two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups in the molecule containing, as reinforcing fiber layer containing the resin composition, disposed on at least one surface of the reinforcing fiber layer, which (a) l, resin, (B) an epoxy resin, (C) a curing agent having two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups in a molecule, and ( D) having an average particle diameter of 5 to 50㎛, and the melting point of the polyamide resin is measured in the composition for laminating a plurality of prepregs having a surface layer containing a polyamide resin particles 175 to 210 ℃, configure the particle surface layer when the melting point to M


Ceramic solid waste is a waste in the form of the ceramic or ceramic powder that has a defect and cannot be resold where the amount will continue to increase as the ceramic industry continues to produce. Handling waste so far is done by pilling it on vacant land so that if the waste continues to grow the more areas are also needed to stockpile. In addition, waste handling by boards can be a potential hazard to the surrounding environment such as chemical content in ceramics can be carried to the waters and the dust can be blown by the wind and disrupt breathing. This study aims to convert ceramics solid wastes into bricks that have more added value. Data collection is done with primary and secondary data. The method used is Taguchi experiment design to determine the optimum brick composition. The experiment consisted of 4 factors and 3 levels of ceramic with 4 kg, 5 kg and 6 kg, cement with level 3 kg, 4 kg and 5 kg, silica with level 3 kg, 4 kg and 5 kg, water level 500 ml, 750 ml, and 1000 ml. After that proceed with the financial analysis that is determining the selling price, Break Event Point (BEP, Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Pay Back Period (PBP), and Profitability Index. The results of this research are the optimum composition of the concrete blocks, 6 kg of ceramics, 5 kg of cement, 4 kg of silica sand and 1000 ml of water with the compressive strength of 125,677 kg/cm2 and signal to noise is 41,964 dB. In the financial analysis, the selling price of brick is Rp 7,751.75/unit and BEP 318,612 units of product, IRR level 43.174% and PBP for 1 year and 10 months


BACKGROUND
Patterns of altered gene expression induced by DNA-interacting drugs may provide insight regarding the biological impact caused by these agents.

METHOD
Using cDNA microarrays having 6000 features, we have made comparison between topoisomerase II poisons (adriamycin, mitoxantrone & amsacrine) and three acridinecarboxamides (N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acidine-4-carboxamide, and its 9amino, and 5-methylsulfone derivatives (DACA, 9-amino-DACA and AS-DACA)). Using CEM cells, all studies involved analysis of cDNA populations after 24h exposure to a 5 X IC50 concentration, performed in triplicate.

RESULTS
Genes showing altered expression at greater than 4-fold change were compared between compounds. Except for 9-aminoDACA, all compounds had a similar effects in that the number of genes identified by decreased expression exceeded by at least 3-fold the number showing enhanced expression. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering confirmed the agent-specific response character of genes exhibiting altered expression. Subsets of genes subject to reduced expression were common among topoisomerase poisons and between DACA and AS-DACA. Interrogation of the gene ontology database indicated that for all compounds tested, genes exhibiting altered expression were identified with regulation of transcription, defence response, phosphorylation, and protein catabolism. In respect of these and other ontology groups, hierarchical clustering demonstrated that genes downregulated by mitoxantrone, DACA, adriamycin, and AS-DACA were most closely related with amsacrine and 9-amino-DACA as outliers.

CONCLUSION
These results may be reviewed in relation to the current understanding of altered gene expression in cells subject to ultimately lethal injury, current knowledge of sequence-specific variation between genomic injuries induced by the agents, and their DNA-binding characteristics.


This paper proposes teeth-photo, a new biometric modality for human authentication on mobile and hand held devices. Biometrics samples are acquired using the camera mounted on mobile device with the help of a mobile application having specific markers to register the teeth area. Region of interest (RoI) is then extracted using the markers and the obtained sample is enhanced using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) for better visual clarity. We propose a deep learning architecture and novel regularization scheme to obtain highly discriminative embedding for small size RoI. Proposed custom loss function was able to achieve perfect classification for the tiny RoI of $75\times 75$ size. The model is end-to-end and few-shot and therefore is very efficient in terms of time and energy requirements. The system can be used in many ways including device unlocking and secure authentication. To the best of our understanding, this is the first work on teeth-photo based authentication for mobile device. Experiments have been conducted on an in-house teeth-photo database collected using our application. The database is made publicly available. Results have shown that the proposed system has perfect accuracy.


Suppose that (M, H, g) is a sub-Lorentzian manifold, and let f: M → M be a bijection such that f and f−1 preserve timelike future directed curves. It is proved that under some mild assumptions made on (M, H, g), f is a homeomorphism. The presented result is a generalization of the known result in spacetime geometry obtained by Malament [J. Math. Phys. 18(7), 1399–1404 (1977)].Suppose that (M, H, g) is a sub-Lorentzian manifold, and let f: M → M be a bijection such that f and f−1 preserve timelike future directed curves. It is proved that under some mild assumptions made on (M, H, g), f is a homeomorphism. The presented result is a generalization of the known result in spacetime geometry obtained by Malament [J. Math. Phys. 18(7), 1399–1404 (1977)].


Background: Visual polymorphism of the seeds is supposed to play an important role in breeding programme. Hence this study helps to estimate the genetic parameters in pre breeding lines of blackgram. Methods: One hundred and eighty nine pre breeding lines obtained from the cross VBN (Bg) 5 × Vigna mungo var. silvestris were evaluated during kharif, 2019 and rabi, 2019-20 in a replicated trial. The seed related traits such as seed length, seed width, thickness, length width ratio, seed volume, bulk density and hundred seed weight were taken for analysis.
Result: The values of PCV were higher than the GCV indicating the environmental influence over these traits. Moderate GCV was observed for seed volume (13.03%) and hundred seed weight (10.55%). Low GCV was observed for length width ratio (5.21%), seed width (4.47%), bulk density (4.08%), seed thickness (3.54%) and seed length (2.96%). The difference between PCV and GCV was high for seed volume (6.84) followed by seed thickness (2.03) indicating the higher environmental influence over these traits. High heritability was noticed for the traits viz., hundred seed weight (96.22%), seed width (96.03%), length width ratio (93.13%), bulk density (91.13%) and seed length (88.11%). High heritability along with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for hundred seed weight (96.22 and 21.32 respectively) which defines the additive gene action that would help in the selection of these traits. Correlation analysis revealed that bulk density, seed thickness, seed volume, seed length and seed width had significant and positive correlation with hundred seed weight. Seed thickness and bulk density had high direct effect on hundred seed weight. Thus, results from the present study could be used to obtain bold seeded variety in blackgram.


Multiple-point geostatistics was introduced as an alternative to traditional variogrambased geostatistics and object-based geostatistics in the early nineties. The field propelled into actual practice in 2000 with the landmark thesis of Sebastien Strebelle and the accompanying code "snesim". After four years of testing and applying snesim to real cases we have learned a lot, mostly through the interaction with practitioners. Currently, we are at an important junction, a next level, in terms of further developing mpgeostatistics, which is after all still in its infancy. This paper provides the essential discussion of some important remaining issues and where such further work could go.


This report explains the provisions of PL 105-298, reviews key aspects of the legislative history and notes changes from prior law.


Synaptic plasticity, which is a long lasting change in synaptic efficacy, underlies many neural processes like learning and memory. It has long been acknowledged that new protein synthesis is essential for both the expression of synaptic plasticity and memory formation and storage. Most of the research interests in this field have focused on the events regulating transcriptional activation of gene expression from the cell body and nucleus. Considering extremely differentiated structural feature of a neuron in CNS, a neuron should meet a formidable task to overcome spatial and temporal restraints to deliver newly synthesized proteins to specific activated synapses among thousands of others, which are sometimes several millimeters away from the cell body. Recent advances in synaptic neurobiology has found that almost all the machinery required for the new protein translation are localized inside or at least in the vicinity of postsynaptic compartments. These findings led to the hypothesis that dormant mRNAs are translationally activated locally at the activated synapse, which may enable rapid and delicate control of new protein synthesis at activated synapses. In this review, we will describe the mechanism of local translational control at activated synapses focusing on the role of cytoplasmic polyadenylation of dormant mRNAs.


Abstract This paper investigates the impact urbanization, industrialization, corruption, human development, energy consumption, and foreign direct investment (FDI) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of 61 developing economies of the global south region of Asia, Africa, and Latin America during the period 1990–2015. The empirical results show that the effect of corruption on CO2 emissions is indeed heterogeneous and contradictory. Specifically, results exhibit that due to immature economic system, and policy paralysis, corruption penetrates the developing economies, and eventually cause carbon emission and pollution. Furthermore, results reveal that FDI guided by clean development mechanism and involved in emission reduction projects in the developing economies play a predominant role to curb the CO2 emission, pollution, and environmental degradation.


The problem of network is formulated as linear programming and genetic algorithm in spreadsheet model. GA's are based in concept on natural genetic and evolutionary mechanisms working on populations of solutions in contrast to other search techniques that work on a single solution. An example application is presented. An empirical analysis of the effects of the algorithm's parameters is also presented in the context of this novel application. Key-words Linear Programming, Genetic Algorithm, Network Optimisation, Shortest Path Problem, Transportation Problem, Maximum Flow Problem.


The article discusses the limits of a regulatory framework imposing to digital intermediaries particular duties of intervention when illicit contents are uploaded by users onto online platforms. The issue at stake is whether EU directions and the newly implemented and draft legislation by Member States threatens online freedom of information by introducing a form of collateral censorship. Therefore, the article explores to what extent intervention by private intermediaries shall be considered legitimate and when, instead, it introduces an indirect form of censorship of the users' freedom of speech.


This chapter considers the prospects for improved social governance to tackle the global challenges of the 21st century, as humanity moves towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production, and hopefully a more socially responsible, equitable, inclusive and just world. It particularly examines the emerging social policies being articulated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in an effort to reform global capitalism. This international organization is made up of rich nation states and is in the process of repositioning itself as the international institution responsible for promoting 'global social justice', a highly challenging endeavour. The chapter finds that the OECD is now shaping important aspects of international governance and global social policy, attempting to establish a new global social governance architecture in an effort to tackle growing social inequality. The chapter looks at how the 'growth paradigm' is being maintained, while the opportunities for greater redistribution of resources within and among countries gets crowded out by the dominant discourse sustaining global capitalism.


A method is described for the preparation of tritiated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with extremely high specific activity in the presence of AlCl3 and HTO. The hydrocarbons are purified by preparative thin layer and paper chromatography. The radiochemical purity of the compounds was proved by paper chromatography and dilution analysis. The following specific activities are reached: Anthracene: 54 Curies/mMol, 7,12-Dimethylbenzanthracene: 19 Curies/mMol, 3,4-Benzopyrene: 24 Curies/mMol, and 3-Methylcholanthrene: 44 Curies/mMol.


Compared with common anti-slide piles,the anchor on the top of a new kind of pill anti-slide piles with a single anchor can greatly reduce their internal forces,but the calculation method is not perfect at present.Thus the experimental study on the anti-slide piles with a single anchor is necessary.The results from experiments on failure modes for the anti-slide piles with a single anchor are introduced.The tests are conducted in a self-made model box.There are four model piles with anchors on their top,and loading method is heaped load.In order to obtain the pile deformation and stress,a number of earth pressure boxes,strain gages and displacement meters are arranged inside the model.From the angle of the pile deformation and stress,the failure point lies above the sliding surface,and breaking bending moment is mainly supplied by the pulling forces of anchors,the soil pressure from the back of the piles as well as the soil resistance from the front of the piles.From the changing curve of the anchor,the stress is from the combinations of bending and axial tensile,not completely in axial tensile condition.The range of stress is mainly around 40 cm at both sides of slipping surface with stress concentration of 20 cm at both sides.From the analysis of strain,the anchor steel is the first in the plastic yield state,and the pile body steel follows.In addition,there is a certain recovery of deformation for pile body and anchor steel under the forward tension condition after unloading.


Trajectory based forwarding (TBF) is a new approach for routing in ad hoc wireless networks. It assumes that nodes know their position and, similarly to source routing, requires the source node to encode a trajectory into the packet header. However, trajectories are just geometrical lines and the routing process does not require specifying forwarding nodes. As a matter of fact, forwarding nodes are dynamically selected while packets cross the network according to their position with respect to the trajectory. Therefore, this new approach is particularly suitable for application scenarios where network topology is fast varying, due to node mobility (e.g. inter-vehicular networks) or to energy management schemes (e.g. sensor networks), whereas the stability of the trajectories is guaranteed by the physical characteristics of the service area (roads, building aisles etc.). In this paper we propose a new TBF scheme that exploits broadcast transmissions at MAC layer and does not require maintaining a list of active neighbours positions in every node. We consider piecewise lines connecting source node to destination area and we extend the approach to the multicast case defining trajectory-trees.


A microsatellite enrichment libraries construction colony hybridization strategy was used for largescale isolation of microsatellites from the whole genome of the turbot ( Scophthalmus maximus L.). Using 14 different probes, paired-end sequencing of 952 clones resulted in 753 positive and individual clones. Using Vector NTI Suite 8.0 and tandem repeats finder software, 1004 tandem repeat sequences were found, including 831 microsatellites and 173 minisatellites, which accounted for 82.77 and 17.23% of the total repeat sequences, respectively. From the microsatellites, 158 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed. A detailed analysis of the different nucleotide units across the whole genome of turbot was also presented, the dinucleotide unit was the dominant repeat unit among the six repeat unit types (as represented by number of repeats and the repeat unit cumulative length), while the pentanucleotide type was the most frequently found. The AGG (126.11) motif was the most variable repeat unit type in this research with a coefficient of variation value of 126.11. In this study, a negative correlation between the length of repeat units and the average copy number was detected ( r = -0.5, P = 0.072).


The Musconetcong (New Jersey) and the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord (Massachusetts) are federally-designated Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers, a model for river conservation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. These two rivers are embedded in a patchwork of private and public land ownership. The Act has been used to facilitate partnerships among municipal, state, federal and local non-profit actors to implement river conservation plans. These partnerships have supported community science-based monitoring to make the case for dam removal and stricter water pollution controls. Two case studies examine using community science to provide actionable data to decision-makers. In New Jersey, a documented increase in macroinvertebrates post-dam removal supported additional dam removals, leading to the return of American shad to the river. Quality controls and training proved to be key components. In Massachusetts, stricter effluent discharge permits reduced instream Total Phosphorus from 0.8 mg/L in 1999 to the eutrophication threshold of 0.023–0.05 mg/L. Community engagement in river science and stewardship was an important co-benefit. As many US rivers evolve from generating hydropower and conveying waste into major recreational resources, local organizations are uniquely positioned to engage the public and generate quality-controlled data to use in advocating for major improvements in water and habitat quality. Useful policy and regulatory frameworks for broader applicability are suggested.


Chromosomal Localization: This CA repeat marker is located 30-70 KB downstream from the APC gene within the 3' untranslated message of a nearby gene, DPI. This highly polymorphic system has been mapped genetically to the region of the APC gene using three CEPH reference families in which Mendelian inheritance was observed. The marker was also run on a previously ascertained polyposis research family and showed complete linkage to the disease phenotype (3).


We study the coded caching problem when we are allowed to match users to caches based on their requested files. We focus on the case where caches are divided into clusters and each user can be assigned to a unique cache from a specific cluster. We show that neither the coded delivery strategy (approximately optimal when the user-cache assignment is pre-fixed) nor the uncoded replication strategy (approximately optimal when all caches belong to a single cluster) is sufficient for all memory regimes. We propose a hybrid solution that combines ideas from both schemes and that performs at least as well as either strategy in most memory regimes. Finally, we show that this hybrid strategy is approximately optimal in most memory regimes.


OBJECTVE To investigate the molecular recognition ofβ-CD with 1,4-dihydropyridine derivates (nifedipine,nitrendipine,nimodip-ine).METHODS Inclusion ability of β-CD to 1,4-dihydropyridine derivates was evaluated by determining their formation constants of inclusion complexes.RESULTS The inclusion effect of β-CD to guest was decreased by the sequence of nifedipine nitrendipine nimodipine.the formation constants were K1 51.48 mol ·?L-1, K2 0.88 mol ·?L-1, and the inclusion complex of β-CD with nimodipinum was not formed. CONCLUSION The constitute of inclusion complexes,β-CD with nifedipine and nitrendipine was 1:1, respectively. Guest entered into the lumen ofβ-CD from its larger port, and phenyl part rest on the lumen of β-CD. The inclusion effect ofβ-CD with 1,4-dihydropyridine derivates, was related to the position and the volume of the replace group of guest.The melting and the heat decomposing temperature increased obviously.


In this paper, we study distributed estimation and control p roblems over graphs under partially nested information patterns. We show a duality result that is very similar to the classical duality result between state estimation and state feedback control with a classica l information pattern, under the condition that the disturbances entering different systems on the graph are uncorrelated. The distributed estimation problem decomposes into N separate estimation problems, where N is the number of interconnected subsystems over the graph, and the solution to each subproblem is simply the optimal Kalman filter. This also gives the solution to the distributed control problem d ue to the duality of distributed estimation and control under partially nested information pattern. We then consider a weighted distributed estimation problem, where we get coupling between the estimators, and separation between the estimators is not possible. We propose a solution based on linear quadratic team decision theory, which provides a generalized Riccati equation for teams. We show that the weighted estimation problem is the dual to the distributed state feedback problem, where the disturbances entering the interconnected systems are correlated.


The EPQ model based on two levels of trade credit policy,the vast majority of the model is considered the single item.Because of the diversity of demand,the inventory model for multi-item is being more and more inventory management attention.We assume that the retailer is only provided to the customer part of his/her payment deferred payment under the condition of two levels of trade credit.An EPQ model for multi-item under retailer partial deferred payment is established.It proves that the model has a unique optimal solution.Finally,numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity of this model.


The concept of waste utilisation is based on the notion that waste is a resource, but at wrong place and using this concept, many new technologies have been developed.
Two case studies have been discussed in the present paper where mineral and metallurgical wastes have been used as raw materials to develop value added products at the Nati-onal Metallurgical Laboratory. In the first case, iron ore tailings, a waste which is generated during iron ore wash-ing, has been used to develop ceramic floor and wall tiles. These tiles confirm all the EN standard specifica-tions and have better scratch hardness and strength then the conventional tiles. In the second case, wear resis-tant ceramic liners has been developed using fly ash. The wear resistant properties of these liners are better then metal and alloy liners and at par with high alumina cera-mic liners. These products can be used in wear prone zones of material handling equipment, chutes, bunkers, hoppers, mills, etc. The philosophies behind the development of these technologies, the processing involved and the prop-erties of the products have been discussed in the paper.


The market share of liability insurance in China is always very small. Government decided to develop liability insurance in the past two years, but the progress isn't very obvious.We analyze the supply of liability insurance economically.There are some reasons to increase the supply expense of liability insurance,such as big moral risk in China,no protection for innovation of insurance,imperfect legal environment and low management,so the supply of liability insurance decreases.On the other hand,the resources of insurance company is so limit that they wouldn't like to provide more to high expense products.We must consider how to encourage the supply of liability insurance if we want to develop it fast.


for FM, CM and HH respectively). DM degradation rate of DM of FM was 0.012 ± 0.0022, lower than (P<.05) CM 0.0261 ± 0.0048 and HH 0.035 ± 0.012. OM degradation rate had a similar performance than DM (0.0124 ± 0.003, 0.0320 ± 0.009 y 0.0349 ± 0.0117 for HP, HM and HH respectively). Ruminal degradability of FM was lower than of CM and HH. These results suggest that FM may be an important by-product to be used in the lower tract.


Single crystals of Sr 3.67 Na 0.33 PtO 6 were prepared by heating oxide mixtures in closed silver tubes and investigated by X-ray single crystal techniques. It crystallizes with trigonal symmetry, space group D 6 3d -R3c (Nr. 167) with a a=9.6617, c=11.6580 A,Z=6. Sr 3.67 Na 0.3 PtO 6 belongs to the Sr 4 PtO 6 type and is isotypic to K 4 CdCl 6 . One point position characterized by a trigonal prismatic O 2- coordination is occupied by Na + and Sr 2+


This article reports an analysis of an asynchronous web-mediated discussion in a university philosophy class. The aim was to find out what kinds of interaction took place and what created potential for learning, using dialogue theory based on Bakhtin, Rommetveit and Lotman. It is argued that the high degree of interactivity and dialogicality, where the students not only presented their own ideas but engaged with one another through extended written responses, was a result of the quality of the assignment, the role of the teacher and the symmetry of the participants. The analysis shows that the discussion entries combined dialogic and univocal functions, both of which contributed to a high learning potential as well as the multi-voicedness of the learning experience.


Once we have studied effectively computable operations on numbers it is natural to ask whether there is a comparable notion for operations on functions. The essential difference between functions and numbers as basic objects is that functions are usually infinite rather than finite. With this in mind, in §1 of this chapter we discuss the features we might reasonably expect of an effective operator on partial functions: this leads to the formulation of the definition of recursive operators on partial functions.


We tested the hypothesis that males of the perching butterfly Archonias brassolis tereas (Godart, 1819) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae: Pierinae) allocate more body mass to the thorax than patrolling pierid species. Butterflies were collected from January to November of 2009 on 59 different sampling occasions along the right bank of river Quilombo, Santos, SP, Brazil. Weights of abdomen, thorax and wings were recorded to estimate the aspect ratio of the wings and wing loading. Wing status was used to place specimens in the three different age classes. Analysis showed four groups of individuals with perchers being light and agile and patrollers heavy and slow. This study supports the hypothesis that the A. b. tereas have morphological traits associated with higher acceleration ability and speed. Some individuals which do not have these morphological traits to defend a territory might adopt the patrolling strategy.


The invention concerns a C-peptide specific assay procedure eliminating any interference due to proinsulin and its intermediates, in particular des-31,32 proinsulin and/or des-64,65 proinsulin. The invention also concerns antibodies for implementing said assay.


The paper tackles the global media discourse, that is helpful in the comprehension of contemporary international relations. Analyzing this discourse by interpretative methods one should pay attention to the international intergovernmental and non-governmental actors in international relations: nomenclature, participants, concise characteristics and their presence in the Internet. Many sites carry the international organizations documents, which is done for the first time in human history and is new to language teaching. Some sites catty PR-materials (transcripts, press-releases, etc.). Of interest is the acquaintance of the students with this genre. Illustrative material sheds light upon inter confessional interaction.


Purpose and method of the study: About 50% of the dyes used for textile dyeing end up in the wastewater. It represents an ecotoxic hazard and introduces the potential danger of bioaccumulation, and can significantly damage the flora, fauna and the human health. Redox mediators have been applied on anaerobic digestion treatment to increase biotransformation of azo dyes, but its continuous addition causes a high cost for the treatment. For this reason, different immobilization techniques have been tried to obtain a solid-phase redox mediator. Nevertheless, to achieve high immobilization stability and to avoid detachment of redox mediator, different expensive and complicated methods of immobilization have been tested. In this work, two easy ways of covalently immobilization for redox mediator onto activated carbon were investigated, and their application for enhance decolorization of congo red dye at typical concentration of dye textile wastewater (150 - 200 mg/L). Contribution and Conclusions: Lawsone immobilization on granular activated carbon (GAC) was successfully achieved with high capacity (~1.56 mmol/g), and desorption studies shows chemical stability; immobilization conditions may suggest esterification mechanism between lawsone and activated carbon. Furthermore, an easy way for chlorination of activated carbon, duplicate adsorption capacity of AQDS onto chlorinated carbon, compared with adsorption on unmodified GAC, then nucleophilic substitution may covalently bonded sulfonate groups of AQDS onto activated carbon; both immobilization (physical and chemical) shows good stability. Kinetics with solid-phase redox mediator and their controls (GAC, GAC-Cl and anaerobic sludge) were proved for decolorization of congo red dye. Lawsone and AQDS immobilized on GAC reached ~85% and 87% of decolorization, compared to 28% reached by anaerobic sludge at 48 h. Gas chromatography show that methane production was slightly inhibited when redox mediator is applied. Moreover, selective hydrogen production was observed with GAC-Cl as redox mediator, duplicates and maintains the cumulative production compared to anaerobic sludge, attributed to a methanogenic inhibition and acid intermediates production. Finally, HPLC study shows a slow rate for benzidine production compared to decolorization; dye reduction mechanism is presented. Both synthetized solid-phase redox mediators are good candidates for application in continuous bioreactors


The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a substrate having one or more gate structure disposed thereon; forming an etch stop layer and an interlayer dielectric layer on the substrate, comprising in on the one or more gate structure, wherein the interlayer dielectric layer disposed on the etch stop layer; CMP process for a portion of the dielectric layer to the interlayer, wherein the interlayer dielectric layer a remain in the thickness of the etch stop layer; and selectively performing a first dry etching process on the interlayer dielectric layer, and a second selective dry etching process in the etching stop layer. The present invention is capable of manufacturing a chemical mechanical polishing process of a semiconductor device, easy control gate height and / or avoid dishing effect the interlayer dielectric layer.


Biopolymers that are environmentally friendly organic products are increasingly used in geotechnical applications instead of synthetic polymers and other chemical additives. Cellulose is a biopolymer that is obtained from the cell walls of plants. In order to evaluate its effect on internal erosion, triaxial permeability tests were performed on a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose-enhanced geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) with Ca bentonite that was placed over a coarse gravel with an average grain diameter of 2.5 cm and permeated with tap water. Furthermore, unconfined compression tests were conducted on the cellulose-added bentonite component of the GCL in order to evaluate the mechanical effect of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose addition to the GCL on internal erosion. Test results indicated that 2% cellulose addition by dry weight maintained sufficient hydraulic and mechanical performances with almost 2.5 orders of magnitude decrease in permeability and 10 times increase in unconfined compressive strength. However, cellulose addition had only a slight enhancement against internal erosion. All the tested GCLs resisted against internal erosion up to a hydraulic head of 25 m. But 30 m hydraulic head resulted in internal erosion for the GCLs enhanced with up to a content of 2% cellulose.


Based on the determination of the equilibrium surface tension for anionic surfactant SDS and non-ionic surfactant TrionX-100 under different concentrations, the two surfactants continuous boiling test and the SDS for the hydrolysis tests were carried out. Objective is to analyze the diminishing process for active ingredient of the surfactants. Results show that the liquid with surfactant is capable of reducing the surface tension. With the increment of surfactant concentration, the surface tension decreases gradually, and the surface tension is minimized under the critical micelle concentration (CMC); When the concentration lower than CMC, the surface-active of TritonX-100 presented is stronger than the SDS. At continuous boiling experiment, the thermal stability of TritonX-100 solution is better than the SDS. When the SDS aqueous solution is in the sealed environment with set temperature and the continuous boiling environment under experiment situation, the active ingredients of SDS solution will change and the equilibrium surface tension will be undermined. Owing to the chemical losses, the inherent characteristics of solution perform dramatically different from the original one during boiling experiment, which includes the hydrolytic destruction and micro-layer pyrolysis chemical effects.


Quantitative imaging of the human thorax poses one of the most difficult challenges for three-dimensional (3-D) (septaless) positron emission tomography (PET), due to the strong attenuation of the annihilation radiation and the large contribution of scattered photons to the data. In [/sup 18/F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) studies of the heart with the patient's arms in the field of view, the contribution of scattered events can exceed 50% of the total detected coincidences. Accurate correction for this scatter component is necessary for meaningful quantitative image analysis and tracer kinetic modeling. For this reason, the authors have implemented a single-scatter simulation technique for scatter correction in positron volume imaging. Here, they describe this algorithm and present scatter correction results from human and chest phantom studies.


The influence of the flat-plate leading-edge shape on laminar–turbulent transition is investigated. Experiments were carried out at a Mach number of M∞=5; a unit Reynolds number Re1∞ from 1.5×107 t...


The invention relates to a method for detecting an operation of an internal combustion engine (10) with a sulfur-containing fuel, wherein the combustion engine (10) having an exhaust passage (12) in which a three-way catalyst (14), upstream of the three-way catalyst (14), a first oxygen sensor (16) and downstream of the three-way catalyst (14), a second oxygen sensor (18) is arranged, the method comprising the steps of: - operating the engine (10) with a super-stoichiometric combustion air ratio, and determining the oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of the three-way catalyst (14); - operating the engine (10) having a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and determining the oxygen discharge capacity (RSC) of the three-way catalyst (14); - forming a OSC / RSC ratio (ORV - determined comparing the determined OSC / RSC ratio (ORV - detecting the presence of a sulfur-containing fuel when the determined OSC / RSC ratio (ORV The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out such a method.


Overview The diametertdepth ratios of impact basins on the Moon group into two classes. Most basins have diametertdepth ratios of less than 300 (class I), whereas some have diametertdepth ratios greater than 4-00 (class 2). All impact basins that are mostly or entirely within the Procellarum basin fall into class 2; all impact basins outside of Procellarum are class 1, except for Mare Australe. Class 2 basins appear to be significantly shallower than class 1 basins primarily due to much thicker fill by mare lavas. Many class 1 basins occur just outside of the circular Procellarum margin, including Humboltianum, Crisium, Nectaris, Schiller-Zucchius, Orientale, Grimaldi, Lorentz, Coulomb-Sarton, and Birkhoff. The mare fill within the Procellarum basin is all within 1 km of the same absolute elevation. The idea that mare basalts have flooded to a hydrostatic level is clearly incorrect for the Moon as a whole, but the absolute mare elevations seem to confirm the hydrostatic model for the Procellarum basin, the South-PoleIAitken basin, and perhaps other basins. Mare Australe may bear similarities to the Procellarum basin in terms of age and thermal history.


This paper considers the stability of a toroidal shell subjected to uniform external pressure. Stability equations for a toroidal shell are solved by use of series expansions in the circumferential and meridional directions for the displacement components that develop during buckling. Axially symmetric as well as asymmetric buckling modes are considered. Design curves that give nondimensional buckling pressures for a wide range of the toroidal shell's geometric parameters are presented. In addition, the variation of the mode shapes with the geometric parameters is illustrated. In a comparison between the results of the present theory and the few available tests on toroidal shells, it is shown that test and theory agree to within 10%. For the limiting case of a sphere under external pressure, the well-known classical result (p — 1.21 Eh/a) is obtained numerically for both the asymmetric and axially symmetric buckling modes.


Studies of the nutritional requirements of soil bacteria isolated on a nonselective basis (Lochhead and Chase, 1943) have shown the presence of a well-defined group of organisms dependent on soil extract for maximum growth. Some of these bacteria show no growth; others at best, submaximal growth in media containing sugars and inorganic salts, supplemented by yeast extract or combinations of amino acids and vitamins (not including B12). Though the relative incidence of this group may vary with the soil type, the chief factor affecting the proportion of these organisms in soil is the growing plant. Investigations with a variety of crops (Lochhead and Thexton, 1947; Wallace and Lochhead, 1949) have shown a lowered relative incidence in the rhizosphere, attributable to a preferential stimulation by the plant root of bacteria with simpler nutritional needs. However, beyond the influence of the roots, this group has been found to comprise from 8 to 35 per cent of the bacteria in various soils examined. The present paper deals with a more detailed study of organisms, incapable of growth in yeast extract medium but showing good growth on addition of soil extract, following a preliminary report (Lochhead and Thexton, 1951) that for many of these bacteria vitamin B12 may replace the growth factor effect of soil extract.


Previously, M. Tomita and Uyeo1) studied the structure of insularine, an alkaloid of Cyclea insularis (Makino) Diels (Japanese name "Miyakojima-tsuzurafuji"). On ozonization of the nitrogen-free substance obtained by the degradation of insularine by the Hofmann method, followed by the oxidation by potassium permanganate, they ob tained 2, 3-dimethoxydiphenyl ether-5, 6, 4•L-tricarboxylic acid (‡U) and a new tricarboxylic acid, C17H12O9, and named it insularic acid. Of these substances, (‡U) was found to be identical with an acid obtained by the oxidation of cycleanine2) (O, O-dimethylisochondo dendrine) (‡W), and insularic acid, from the results of various decomposing reactions, was assigned the formula (‡V). On the basis of these results the formula (I) has been proposed for the representation of insularine. Of these, the fundamental skeleton of insularic acid (‡V) would be indicated by the formula (V) which is an entirely new type never obtained previously.


The study investigated the rates of respiratory symptoms (RS) and their associations with BMI, TV‐watching time, and physical activity (PA) in 5th grade schoolchildren in Taipei, Taiwan. A survey questionnaire elicited height, weight, TV‐watching time, frequency of PA, and occurrences of RS of 2290 5th grade schoolchildren. RS included persistent cough, chest tightness, wheezing with cold, wheezing without cold, dyspnea‐associated wheezing, and exercise‐induced cough or wheezing. Results showed that 31% of boys and 21% girls had BMI above 85th percentile of Taiwanese standard. Around 30% of boys and 26% of girls watched TV >3 h/d, while 31% of boys and 18% of girls had PA >30 min/d. TV‐watching >3 h/d was positively associated with BMI >85th percentile (aOR=1.45, 95% CI=1.11‐1.89) (P<0.01), but frequency of PA was not. Schoolchildren who were overweight (BMI >95th percentile) were 47%–94% more likely to have RS (P<0.05). Watching TV for >3 h/d was associated with the higher rates of RS (P<0.05). PA for >30 min/d and >3 times/wk was associated with the lower rates of RS (P<0.05). Also, overweight was positively associated with the rate of suspected asthma in boys (aOR=1.56, 95% CI=1.07‐2.29) (P<0.05), but not in girls. Results suggest that longer TV‐watching time was positively associated with greater risk of being overweight. Overweight and TV‐watching time are positively associated with risk of RS, while habitual PA is negatively associated with risk of RS.


The software environment for multi-aspect study of the lexical characteristics of the text is considered. The proposed environment provides tools and features allowing automatically building a dictionary based on a text corpus of interest. The created toolkit focused on lexical units acting as markers and indicators of higher level objects. The considered environment allows solving various text analysis tasks; because it integrates various tools for conducting language research and supports customization of vocabularies to a problem area. This toolkit includes interfaces for developing vocabularies and a system of features. To study the contexts of the use of terms, concordance construction tools are provided. Concordances allow the researcher to test his or her hypothesis about the functionality of a particular lexical unit. To describe more complex constructions to be extracted, a user can apply search patterns, supported by a user-friendly language. Using these patterns allows us to develop lexicographic resources containing not only the traditional vocabularies and stable inseparable lexical phrases, but also language constructs that have a more complex structure.


PURPOSE: To avoid interference with a constructed building by providing a roof structure on a beam assembling structure in such a manner as to be freely folded and expanded, and putting the same to one side or both sides without pulling down and removing the structure when a temporary beam assembling structure is lowered. CONSTITUTION: A temporary beam assembling apparatus 1 comprises elevating devices 4 fitted to four temporary struts 3 disposed in the outer periphery of a multistoried building 2 to be constructed in such a manner as to elevate and a pair of large beams 5 installed parallel on each elevating device 4. A roof structure 7 is disposed on the large beams 5. The roof structure 7 comprises many arch force ribs 8, both ends of which are laid on both large beams 5 in such a manner as to run and a flexible sheet 9 stretched on each force rib 8, wherein according to the movement of force ribs 8, the roof structure is folded and expanded. COPYRIGHT: (C)1993,JPO&Japio


Powerful drivers combine to enable the capture of reality in computers as well as the ubiquitous delivery of information content and services, based on the captured reality. We outline key drivers, exemplify application areas related to the research agenda, and describe briefly general software challenges as well as one specific data representation challenge to software technologies posed by the research agenda.


Business is one of the members of the society because it starts and ends its operation within the society so it has to consider its obligations and responsibility towards the society in which it is established. Business organisations having a special interest on the society along with its
operational performance will sustain in the society for the long-run. There are several people who are having a direct and indirect association towards society such as owners, workers, consumers, financial institutions, and the public at large. For this group of interested people, business must
communicate the information regarding to financial, environmental and societal performance of the business. The present study is intended to analyse the disclosure practices of social performance by the Indian oil companies. For the purpose of the study data was collected based on secondary sources and collected data is analysed with the help of content analysis technique, cooke's compliance index, t-test. The study found that there is a difference in social disclosure of Indian oil companies and GRI-G4 guidelines and also found that there is an improvement in disclosure level of social information over the period of time.


This study aims to identify the principles of tauhid in the leadership practices of the principals of SMKA, (Malaysian National Religious School). This qualitative study uses interviews and observation as data collection instrument. Chosen by cluster sampling, respondents in this study were eight principals that represented the schools in western and northern zones of Peninsular Malaysia. The findings showed that these SMKA principals successfully inculcate the principles of tauhid in their leadership through various school activities involving the whole school community. It was also found that the school environment that was created through the teachings of Islam as a way of life has been able to improve the school pupils' self-esteem and leadership.


The article analyses the serious regional crisis connected with the end of the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. This project, due to be launched in July 2020, sparks tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt. Both sides are doing their utmost to get international support for their respective positions. Cairo urges not to fill the Dam before settling all the disputed issues. Addis Ababa wants to do it as quickly as possible to make the Dam operational. However, the window of diplomatic opportunities for a consensus is just about to close. Egypt threatens to use military force, and Ethiopia is ready to mobilize one million people to protect the Dam. Who is in the right? Which country is stronger? Could Egypt and Ethiopia really go to war over water? The authors try to answer these questions, analyzing the legislative base of the Nile case, the military potential of both countries and the attitude of the main world actors towards this problem.

Comparing available open source data, authors conclude that a war between the two states is almost impossible. What is happening now around the Dam looks more like a big bargain, and its subject is the Egypt's future chances to remain one of the main regional and continental political and economic players. There are only two ways to delay filling the dam: monetary compensation from Egypt or future destabilization of internal situation in Ethiopia.


Anemia remains a global health problem in the 21stcentury. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type. Childrenare especially vulnerable to the detrimental health consequences of anemia including fatigability, predisposition to repeated infections, and cognitive impairment. Iron deficiency anemia is considered the most prevalent type of nutritional anemia. Insufficient dietary iron intake, decreased iron absorption, and excess iron loss can cause iron deficiency.Accordingly, malnutrition plays a role in the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia. Saudi Arabia is now in advanced nutrition transition, which means the rates of obesity are high together with malnutrition. In this review, we shed light on the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia among the pediatric population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We also focus on the burden of malnutrition and its association with anemia, and evaluate the strategies needed to combat these health problems. Further research all over the Kingdom is needed to expose the full magnitude of anemia. Monitoring of the implementation of the previously existing health programs is needed.


A hybrid wavelet theory and the extenics set theory approach to diagnose and forecast the fault is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the signal is decomposed by the wavelet packet .The feature is extracted from the signal and the repository is established based on the feature of the fault signal. Next ,the real time signal date is took from the sensor and is decomposed by the same wavelet. Secondly, the fault matter element and evaluation matter element is established based on the repository and the real time signal. The conjunction function is connected with the fault matter element and evaluation matter element and the fault of the real time signal is determined by the conjunction function value, then the corresponding measure is took by the probability fault


Purpose

– To advance the cultural approach to public relations research and practice through linking societal culture and occupational culture of public relations to the communication practices of practitioners, in the aim of understanding the contribution made by public relations to the development of contemporary cultures.

Design/methodology/approach

– The discussion identifies some of the limitations of recent thinking regarding the nature public relations within a global context, particularly as regards professionalisation. An alternative framework for international research is then proposed – one which advocates understanding public relations as an occupational group and emphasises the need to recognise the role of public relations practitioners as agents, or "intermediaries" in the development of culture.

Findings

– Rather than focus on developing codes of practice, it is recommended that the public relations industry should establish its current functions and potential for meeting human needs within differing cultural contexts.

Originality/value

– The paper advocates a fresh approach to the debate surrounding international professionalisation of public relations.


Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, has expressed his disappointment with Harrogate BoroughCouncil's decision not to contest the refusal of ...


An approximately optimal herding problem is considered for a single herder and single target agent. The problem is called indirect herding because the target agent's movements are only indirectly controlled through interaction with the herding agent. To address this challenge, a virtual controller is used to yield a desired influence, inspired by backstepping methods. Approximate dynamic programming (ADP) is used to develop an approximate optimal solution. To facilitate the ADP development, integral concurrent learning is used along with a novel state following kernel for computational efficiency. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis is performed which proves the closed-loop herder and agent systems are uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB).


This article critically analyzes Golding's Lord of the Flies to investigate how human nature was allegorically depicted by constructing an almost parallel fictional world to his contemporary time. In this paper, I argued that Golding allegorically exhibited the basic human nature of his contemporary time by experimenting with the schoolboys on the Pacific Ocean, which unveiled the brutal and uncivilized nature of schoolboys, and that such activities as depicted in the novel resembled the brutal and savage nature of the men of his time. The methodology I employed in this study was a close analysis of the primary text to examine how Golding used allegory to uncover the basic nature of human beings, and I analyzed secondary resources related to the study to support my arguments. The analysis identified that Golding depicted savagery and animalistic human nature through allegory, which questioned the traditional understanding of human nature as civilized and moral, and his experience of involving himself in the war and working as a school teacher helped him in reflecting such brutal and uncivilized events of his time. He provided a wider space and various layers of secondary meanings for characters, setting, and events in the story, which resonated in many respects with the events of his contemporary time. In addition, this study unpacked the fact that savagery existed inside the human heart and manifested in a lack of guardianship and civilizational forces in human beings. This paper will be useful in exploring the novel for a better understanding of human nature.


Machine learning systems offer unparalled flexibility in dealing with evolving input in a variety of applications, such as intrusion detection systems and spam e-mail filtering. However, machine learning algorithms themselves can be a target of attack by a malicious adversary. This paper provides a framework for answering the question, "Can machine learning be secure?" Novel contributions of this paper include a taxonomy of different types of attacks on machine learning techniques and systems, a variety of defenses against those attacks, a discussion of ideas that are important to security for machine learning, an analytical model giving a lower bound on attacker's work function, and a list of open problems.


The article presents the results of computer modeling of the state of transport of the Republic of Tajikistan. Prediction in the economic activity of the transport of the Republic of Tajikistan, taking into account many influential factors, leads to good results, since in the future, using the results of forecasting, it is possible to plan and select the necessary material values and positive factors to optimize the transport of the Republic of Tajikistan. Using economic indicators for previous years, you can predict the prospects for the development of any type of transport and choose the best option for transport planning for the next years.
The paper applied the methods of computer modeling in the economy. The mathematical equations of the model are determined, using which it is possible to predict and plan spare parts for vehicles, as well as combustible lubricants for them.


The formation of solvent adduct ions in thermospray and ionspray mass spectrometry was studied for twelve aromatic amines : aniline, N-methylaniline, N,N-dimethylaniline, 3-aminophenol, 3-methylaminophenol, 3-dimethylaminophenol, 2-aminopyridine, 2-methylaminopyridine and 2-dimethylaminopyridine, 2-amino-5,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxypyrimidine, 2-methylamino-5,6-dimethyl-4- hydroxypyrimidine and 2-dimethyl-amino-5,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxypyrimidine. For all compounds, adduct ions, [M + H + A n ] + , with A being methanol or acetonitrile, were observed in the thermospray mass spectra ; water adduct ions were observed for a few compounds. No adduct ions with ammonia were formed when ammonium acetate was added to the liquid chromatographic carrier stream. These observations cannot be explained on the basis of gas-phase ion-molecule reactions of the neutral analyte and protonated solvent or solvent additive molecules. Comparative experiments, changing the pH of the carrier stream in both thermospray and ionspray ionization, showed that the solvent adduct ions present in the thermospray mass spectra are not likely to be formed by ion evaporation processes. Incomplete evaporation of droplets or cluster ions is proposed to be responsible for the observations. With this hypothesis, both the absence of ammonium adduct ions and the dependence of the adduct ion abundances on the N-methylation can be related to the adduct-analyte bond strengths.


We are interested in the initial value problem for the Boltzmann equation, when the initial data u0 belongs to a set B0 = {δ0m1 (0,x,v) ≤ u0(x,v) ≤ C0m2 (0,x,v)} where m1, m2 are traveling Maxwellians. We consider soft or Maxwell's interactions with cutoff (7/3 < s ≤ 5) and C0 smaller than a bound depending on the coefficients of m2. We obtain global existence of solutions remaining in a "generalized invariant set" Bt ⊂ B∞, characterized by these particular states.


Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia. Methods A total of 40 achalasia patients who underwent POEM at our hospital were enrolled. The outcomes of Eckardt score, Barium contrast imaging, esophageal manometry as well as esopha gogastroscopy were assessed before and at 6th day, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after POEM respectively. Results All 40 patients successfully underwent POEM, with the mean operation time 57.2 ± 18. 4 minutes. Intraoperative mediastinal and subcutaneous emphysema occurred on two patients. All patients had significant symptom relief after POEM ( Eckardt score ≤ 3 ). The patients had a mean follow-up of 13.3 months. Two patients had symptom relapse, and treatment success rate (Eckardt score ≤3) was 90% in 6-month follow up. According to high-resolution manometry (HRM), the resting lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressures were 30. 6 and 15.8 mmHg ( P = 0. 001 ), and intergrated relaxation pressure (IRPs) were 28.1 and 12. 2 mmHg (P =0. 000) before and after POEM, respectively. The diameter of the esophageal lumen was 4. 2 cm and 3.1 cm before and after POEM (P 〈 0. 001 ). Conclusion POEM is safe and effective in a short term with less complications. Further follow-up studies are needed to evaluate long-term outcomes.

Key words:
Esophageal achalasia;  Manometry;  Postoperative complications ;  Peroral endo-scopie myotomy


This book makes, on the whole, depressing reading, because the contents, which are accurately described in the subtitle, fall so far short of the hopes stirred by the advance billing in the main title. Although the editor, in his introduction, speaks at one point of "the present audit and appraisal," his opening statement of the major purpose of the panels is nothing less than "to formulate a strategy of research for the immediate postwar years," and to prepare reports "carrying with them a measure of prestige" which "would serve intelligently to guide and stimulate much of the best work of the profession." Ten chapters make up the bulk of the book, each of them dealing with a major field of study in political science: comparative government, representative government and the legislative process, public law, public administration, state and local government, international relations, political science and the study of war, military government and overseas administration, political communications, and political theory. Most of these are "traditional," but three—the seventh, eighth and ninth—were "chosen from the 'growing edge' of political science." The first chapter is a pretty fair example of what I mean by depressing reading. Starting with the thought that "the knowledge of foreign political institutions and ideologies has become of paramount importance," it notes two points on which the panel members were generally agreed: (1) "comparative government in the narrow sense of descriptive analysis of foreign institutions is an anachronism," and (2) "there is no longer any single technique—-methods and designs must be blended and kept in elastic touch and mutual penetration." These themes are repeated in paraphrase—"the stale routine of dissecting and describing foreign political institutions" must give way, and the new study "bring into play economics and statistics, social psychology and political philosophy, cultural anthropology and intellectual history." A "fertile distinction" is also drawn between areas or trends in research—"roughly defined as wider configurations or entities of problems not confined to particularized institutions or attitudes"—and topics of research. Public opinion, civil liberties, and federalism exemplify the former, and proportional representation, the political implication of Catholicism, and executive law-making the latter. But from ten pages of print I extracted just two tangible suggestions, first, that we ought to know more about the government and politics of the British dominions, Latin America, the Scandinavian countries, the Iberian Peninsula, Belgium, Holland, China, and Russia; and second, that the panel should be enlarged and permanently maintained. Moreover, the author of these ten pages had not long previously contributed to a standard text in the field, organized on the country-by-country plan, an exceptionally perceptive and well-balanced historical and analytical description of the political institutions of his homeland. And this spring, as I


Claude Levi-Strauss reminds us that "the notion of humanity, encompassing, without distinction of race or civilization, all forms of the human species, is a recent phenomenon and of limited expansion … But for the major part of the human species, dozens of millennia, this notion appears totally absent. Humanity stops at the frontiers of the tribe, the language group, often even of the village …" (Finkielkraut 1996, 1).