Solo Mengajar community is a movement that gathers volunteers who are ready to contribute education to children. This community aims to develop children's education and morals Solo branding as a child worthy city. This study aims to describe the communicative actions in public sphere 'Solo Mengajar' community. This study uses a qualitative method and colloecting data interview with 5 'Solo Mengajar' volunteers. The discussion is limited to communicative actions and discourse ethics in the public sphere of Hebermas, and Solo Mengajar in the perspective of Habermas theory. The results show that Solo Mengajar is present as an educational empowerment movement that creates communicative action and discourse ethics. Communicative action here opens public sphere as a meeting place or the continuation of ethical discourse, namely the learning process in order to develop education. Public sphere that open discourse between volunteers teaching with children, as well as actors Solo Mengajar with the society.


Recently, Plasma Assisted Atomic Layer Deposition Technique will easily control the thickness and the composition of semiconductor films. The radical generated by using the plasma techniques, gave the decrease of the defect into the semiconductor films. In this investigation, the relationship between microwave plasma power, nitrogen gas flow rate and concentration of generated nitrogen radical, was evaluated. At the first, Plasma emission spectrum at microwave plasma power (0 to 400W) was measured using a mixed 200sccm argon gas and 10sccm nitrogen gas. Next, the plasma emission spectrum was measured in the mixing of nitrogen gas flow rate (0 to 40sccm) with 200sccm argon gas flow rate. At that time, the microwave plasma power was set to 200W. Nitrogen radical spectrum were identified from all the emission spectrum, and the nitrogen radical intensity was calculated. As a result, the nitrogen radical intensity became the largest at 200sccm argon gas flow rate and 10sccm nitrogen gas flow rate. In addition, the nitrogen radical intensity increased in proportion to the microwave plasma power. The concentration of generated nitrogen radical could be controlled by changing the microwave plasma power and the nitrogen gas flow rate. Mentioned above, nitride thin films will be obtained on Si Substrates by microwave generated remote plasma assisted atomic layer deposition technique.


Integration of soft plasmene nanosheets with thermoresponsive hydrogel enables omnidirectional strain engineering that leads to the dynamic manipulation of their plasmonic property by programming temperature.


Delirium is a common and severe neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by acute changes in attention, cognition, and consciousness. It can present in different clinical forms, including hyperactive and hypoactive delirium. Hyperactive delirium is characterized by increased psychomotor activity, agitation, and disruptive behavior, while hypoactive delirium is characterized by reduced psychomotor activity, somnolence, and decreased responsiveness. The diagnosis of hyperactive and hypoactive delirium involves a comprehensive evaluation of medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests to identify underlying causes and exclude other conditions. Prompt recognition and accurate diagnosis are crucial for appropriate management and treatment. The management of hyperactive and hypoactive delirium aims at addressing the underlying etiology, ensuring patient safety, and alleviating distressing symptoms. Treatment strategies include the optimization of medical conditions, discontinuation or adjustment of offending medications, and supportive care. Pharmacological interventions, such as the use of sedative medications for hyperactive delirium or stimulant agents for hypoactive delirium, may be considered when necessary. Multidisciplinary collaboration involving healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, and therapists, is essential for the comprehensive care of patients with hyperactive and hypoactive delirium. In conclusion, hyperactive and hypoactive delirium are distinct clinical manifestations of an acute confusional state. Their identification, diagnosis, and management require a multidimensional approach to address the underlying causes and alleviate symptoms. Early recognition and appropriate interventions are crucial for improving patient outcomes and enhancing their overall well-being.


PREMISE OF THE STUDY
Geological and climatic changes associated with the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) have been suggested as drivers for biological diversification locally and in neighboring regions. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the niche evolution of Tripterospermum (Gentianaceae) and related Asian genera through time.

METHODS
We conducted Species Distribution Modeling using Maximum Entropy Modeling (MaxEnt). Furthermore, we performed stochastic character mapping and produced disparity-through-time plots, and examined putative key innovations using the binary state speciation and extinction approach (BISSE).

KEY RESULTS
Kuepferia and Sinogentiana prefer the coolest and driest habitat, having rather conserved niches. Despite a tendency for niche evolution, Crawfurdia and Metagentiana are probably restricted to a narrow distribution range because of their poor dispersal ability. In contrast, Tripterospermum has the broadest niche and occurs under the warmest and wettest conditions. A higher degree of niche evolution and a more efficient dispersal mechanism allowed this genus to diversify more and occupy a broader distribution range.

CONCLUSIONS
The QTP genera producing dry capsules, whether displaying niche conservatism (Kuepferia and Sinogentiana) or a tendency for niche evolution (Crawfurdia and Metagentiana), are less species-rich and have a more restricted distribution than Tripterospermum (stronger niche evolution and berry-like fruits). The evolution of berry-like fruits corresponds to increased speciation rates, and could therefore be viewed as a key innovation. In contrast to the majority of studies on plants occurring around the QTP, we find that speciation was probably mediated by niche breadth and dispersal ability rather than geophysical changes.


Abstract  Three new carbonaceous chondrites (GRV 020025, 021579 and 022459) collected from the Grove Mountains (GRV), Antarctica, have been classified as the CM2, CO3 and CV3 chondrites, respectively. A total of 27 Ca‐ and Al‐rich inclusions have been found in the three meteorites, which are the earliest assemblages formed in the solar nebula. Most of the inclusions are intensively altered, with abundant phyllosilicates in the inclusions from GRV 020025 and FeO enrichment of spinel in those from GRV 022459. Fxcept for one spinel‐spherule in each of GRV 020025 and 021579, all the inclusions can be classified as Type A‐like or spinel‐pyroxene‐rich inclusions, and they probably represent the continuum of solar nebular condensation. In addition, most of the inclusions in these meteorites share much similarity in both petrography and mineral chemistry, suggesting a similar origin of Ca‐Al‐rich inclusions in various chondrites.


Fuzzy controller can achieve satisfactory dynamic performance even for complicated process without mathematical model of the process.Its main imperfection is the existence of steady state error and ultimate oscillatory in the process output. This limits its application area. How to eliminate the steady state error while keep its good dynamic performance has been paid much attention. The strategy to introduce integral function to the conventional fuzzy control system is put forward in this paper to overcome the above problem. After expound two key factors on introducing integral action,an intelligent integral algorithm has been employed,and two methods on introduction of the intelligent integral to the fuzzy control system are proposed. Their characteristics and applied situations are summarized.


We examine whether accounting quality is associated with efficient investments in labor. Consistent with high quality accounting mitigating market frictions that lead to sub-optimal levels of investment, we find evidence that abnormal net hiring (measured as the absolute deviation from net hiring predicted by economic fundamentals) is negatively associated with accounting quality. These results are robust to a battery of sensitivity tests and controls for other relevant factors, including labor power and other contemporaneous investments. We further examine the channels through which accounting quality improves net hiring efficiency and provide evidence that high quality accounting reduces both over-investment in labor (over-hiring and under-firing) and under-investment in labor (under-hiring and over-firing). We also show that the effect of accounting quality on net hiring efficiency is particularly strong in highly unionized industries. Finally, we also document that abnormal net hiring is costly, in that it is associated with lower future profitability. Overall, our results suggest that accounting quality improves the efficiency of investments in labor, a key factor of production, and contribute to the emerging literature on the effects of accounting on firms' investment decisions.


This paper aims to show and validate the result of synthetic data processed by the ImagEM software. This program is been developed by the Electromagnetic Interpretation Research Group of University of Brasilia. It processes time domain electromagnetic data for different platform systems like in loop. The program uses a simplified inversion by the secant method. This method has proven reliable for a qualitative analysis and it has proven very agile in its processing. It is based on the analysis of the secondary magnetic field to obtain as result an estimated of the depth of the conductivity target, its shape in two dimensions beyond of the conductivity relative values. So the ImagEM shows the Resistivity Depth Image (RDI). This software was initially developed in MatLab and its final version will be in JAVA so it can be used on Windows and Linux.


THE INVENTION CONCERNS A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OXIDE LAYERS IN THE FORM OF THIN FILMS BY MEANS OF THE USE OF TECHNICAL REACTIVE EVAPORATION. LAYERS TO ACHIEVE THE DEPOSIT OF OXIDE SHAPED THIN FILMS ON A SUBSTRATE 13 USING A PROCESS EVAPORATION REACTIVE IS USED SOURCE ACTIVATION PLASMA OXYGEN 16 MADE IN THE FORM OF A CYLINDER BOWL 17 SURROUNDED INSULATION MATERIAL BY COIL 18 RECEIVING A SIGNAL HIGH fREQUENCY IN ORDER TO cREATE IN THE bOWL 17 ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD HIGH fREQUENCY WORTH SUFFICIENT TO cREATE A OXYGEN PLASMA SELF-FLAMMABLE IN bOWL WITHOUT CAUSE OF MATERIAL eVAPORATION WALLS OF THAT. APPLICATION PARTICULAR THE MANUFACTURE OF SEMICONDUCTOR.


Problem: This paper reports on the field evaluation of the Basic Antenatal Care Information System (Bacis) program. Methods: The field evaluation covered: system accuracy and safety; user acceptance; improvements to compliance of nurses to the maternity care guidelines; and resources implications. Results: On system accuracy, the sensitivity of the Bacis program matched present norms in maternity care. On usability, the nurses expressed satisfaction with the Bacis program as a tool for them. There was a statistically significant improvement in compliance of nurses to the maternity care guidelines after implementation of the Bacis program for three out of nine categories in maternity care. On resource utilization, the Bacis program is expected to piggyback on existing infrastructure. Other resources were also assessed such as time, human resources and policies, and Bacis program implementation was judged to be feasible. Conclusion: This study has yielded important data on implementation of e-health decision support systems at primary health care level in South Africa.


A new generation of general practitioners has embraced social media for the purposes of peer support, ranging from Facebook groups to less public-facing messaging applications such as Telegram and WhatsApp. This growing trend moves away from traditional forms of peer support, such as Balint groups, long relied upon for support in general practice. We explore the pros and cons of being involved in such groups through members who kindly shared their experiences via an online questionnaire.


In this study, we generalize fuzzy Γ ‐module, as intuitionistic fuzzy Γ ‐submodule of Γ ‐module (IF Γ M), and utilize it for modeling the spread of coronavirus in air travels. Certain fundamental features of intuitionistic fuzzy Γ ‐submodule are provided, and it is proved that IF Γ M can be considered as a complete lattice. Some elucidatory examples are demonstrated to explain the properties of IF Γ M. The relevance between the upper and lower α ‐level cut and intuitionistic fuzzy Γ ‐submodules are presented and the characteristics of upper and lower under image and inverse image of IF Γ M are acquired. It is verified that the image and inverse image of intuitionistic fuzzy Γ ‐submodule are preserved under the module homomorphism. The obtained IF Γ M is used to model the aerial transition of viral diseases, that is, COVID‐n, via flights.


Abstract : Well defined, warfighter customer generated operational requirements are the most significant determinants of successful military systems. If the warfighter customers and the acquirers do a good job early of defining the operational requirements, the warfighters will have a much higher likelihood of obtaining a capable system that meets their needs in less time and at less cost. The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Program, a complex system of systems satellite development effort, followed a different philosophy than was the norm to define and refine operational requirements that meet the needs of the warfighters. Drawing upon the management, systems engineering, and business reforms called for by several national commissions over the last 15 years and advocated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, SBIRS followed three basic principles to produce an effective and affordable JROC-validated set of multimission operational requirements to satisfy several warfighter customers. These principles included (1) close partnership between warfighter customers (users, operators) and acquirers (military acquisition personnel and defense contractors) throughout the requirements generation process with the warfighters having the final decisions on operational requirements; (2) disciplined system requirements and affordability analysis from a system of systems perspective, using cost as an independent variable; and (3) streamlined business and acquisition environment. The SBIRS Program applied these principles within the basic existing Department of Defense acquisition framework. The SBIRS Program effectively overcame potential roadblocks to producing an effective warfighter-supported operational requirements document (ORD) in a severely constrained environment of competing customer and fiscal requirements priorities.


Laser‐EMAT (ElectroMagnetic Acoustic Transducer) ultrasonics is a suitable technique for on‐line surface and internal defect detection in a steel mill. The system is intended to automatically inspect steel, at temperatures in excess of 700° C, as it moves through the steel manufacturing process. It is one of the few ultrasonic systems that could ever be used in the harsh operating environment of a steel mill due to its non‐contact nature. In the laboratory and pilot development stages the equipment can be optimised and designed to work under these harsh conditions. Before the technology can be used on hot, moving product in the steel plant, it is necessary to conduct experiments on moving steel at ambient temperatures, so that system optimisation is performed under more practical conditions. As such, the design of an automated trolley inspection system for inspecting a 1.6 m long, 110 mm square steel billet at room temperature will be discussed. The Laser‐EMAT system was later used to find a surface defec...


Making pickles is simple,inexpensive and nutritious,however,the presence of nitrite makes pickles cause safety problems.The article studied that different fermentation ways and different fermentation conditions effect the lactobacillus preparation pickles' nitrite content in modern biological technology.The results showed that comparing with traditional natural fermentation the lactobacillus preparation pickles not only can shorten the fermentation time but also improve safety;The salt,lactobacillus preparation,low-temperature fermentation and parts of accessories can inhibit the lactobacillus preparation pickle' nitrite,and improve the safety of lactobacillus preparation pickles.


A paleomagnetic study of Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks in different tectonostratigraphic units from the Dominican Republic yields a polar arc distribution in the Lamberth azimuthal equivalent projection, centered on the sampling site. For 26 sites of Paleogene age, the polar arc is characterized by the radius of 70°-90° paleocolatitude (p). The mean p = 77° corresponds to a paleolatitude of 13° N for the sampling area. The virtual geomagnetic poles show a distribution along the radius of the polar arc on both sides of the North American apparent polar wander path (NAAPWP). This indicates both anticlockwise and clockwise rotations in Hispaniola. The tuffs of the Imbert Formation in the Cordillera Septentrional were deposited at 7° N of the paleoequator and then rotated 90° anticlockwise along the Carmi fault zone, relative to the NAAPWP. Eocene limestones from the Hispaniola fault zone were deposited at 11° N and then affected by 56° clockwise rotation. In Sierra De Neiba a 50° anticlockwise rotation of volcanic rocks and lithographic limestones began already in the middle Eocene at 14° N. The Sierra de Bahoruco was located at 13° N in the middle Eocene. Since the Paleogene, limestones in the centre of this terrane have been affected by only 11° clockwise rotation. This is in contrast to the 108° clockwise rotation of basic volcanic rocks of the eastern margin of the terrane in the La Cienega complex. The volcanic rocks have been block rotated along the Beata fault zone. The pole positions limit the paleolatitude of Hispaniola to 5° through 15° N. Large scale block rotations occurred along the main transcurrent fault zones which mark the boundaries of most of the terranes. The results are in accordance with the plate tectonic model of Mann et al. (1991) : the offset along the northern plate boundary zone of the Caribbean Plate is partly absorbed by large scale rotations along the suturing terranes in the vicinity of Hispaniola. 683 3rd Geological Conference of the Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago 1995


In this paper is presented a portable XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) spectrometry system utilized for non destructive and in «in situ» analysis of the lithoid material. The system has been developed by the Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Universita di Catania in collaboration with the Laboratorio Nazionale del SUD of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare. Results on obsidian are presented.


There is a demand by the highway safety community for better quality crash data to meet a wide variety of needs. The goal of the FHWA Crash Data Collection Expert System Program was to use expert systems technology to improve the accuracy and consistency of police-reported data. The program and the three expert systems developed and evaluated—seat belt use derivation; vehicle damage rating, including extent of deformation; and roadside barrier problem identification—are discussed here. In the program, police officers used pen-based computers that contain the expert systems to collect on-scene crash data. Embedded in the expert systems is data collection knowledge derived from experts in crash data collection and analysis. The expert systems use this knowledge to intelligently select the data to collect and assign values to elements. This knowledge is also included in on-line help screens that help the officer accurately identify the physical characteristics of the crash scene. The expert systems were evaluated during two field tests. The field test results indicate that the expert systems were well accepted by the officers, that the systems were validated by experts in the expert system domain areas, and that the officers collected data at an average of about 2 min per expert system.


Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis and the development of a prognosis is important for management or secondary prevention of the disease. In the past few decades, various biomarkers have been identified for improved risk assessment, more accurate diagnosis and prognosis, and a better understanding of the underlying pathophysiology in CVD. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are thought to be important to cell-to-cell communication in the heart, and EV counts, cellular origin, and EV content have been related to CVD. This review examines current evidence for the potential application of EVs as a new class
of biomarkers in CVD.
Keywords: extracellular vesicles, biomarker, liquid biopsy, cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension


Experiments were conducted to determine feeding site preferences of Crocidolomia pavonana (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larvae within cabbage plants, Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata cv. Warrior (Brassicaceae), and to determine whether induced plant responses to herbivory affect the behavior of larvae. In the first experiment, intra‐plant damage and larval distribution were recorded to account for the spreading pattern of damage and larval feeding behavior on a plant; larvae initially fed on the base of leaves and moved progressively to the bud, leaf tips were avoided. In the second experiment, larval performance (the duration of the first instar, survival to the second instar, and weight of second instars) was assessed when larvae fed on the bud, the base, and the tip of the youngest fully expanded leaf on a plant. Crocidolomia pavonana larvae performed best when they fed on bud leaf tissue and most poorly when they fed on leaf tissue at the base of leaves. In the third experiment, expression of induced resistance was tested on each of the three plant parts using a first‐instar bioassay. Negative impacts on larval growth and development were not detected when larvae fed on the bud or base tissue when plants were damaged prior to the assay. However, negative effects were detected in larvae feeding on tip leaf tissue when the base of the leaf was damaged prior to the assay or if the bud tissue was damaged simultaneously with the assay. The findings indicate that resource heterogeneity for C. pavonana within‐cabbage plants is determined by both the initial quality of food at a location and by subsequent induced changes as a result of larval feeding; both contribute to the feeding pattern observed in these gregarious larvae.


Asymmetric multilevel inverters (MLIs) with unequal voltage steps (UVSs) are often combined with the staircase modulation (SCM) technique to improve both voltage and current total harmonic distortion (THD)– an approach known as optimal minimization of THD (OMTHD). This is usually achieved by varying both the switching angles (SAs) and the dc source ratios (DCR), to obtain the desired modulation index (MI) while THD is minimized. In this article, a novel sine pulsewidth modulation (SPWM) based OMTHD is considered as an alternative to SCM-based OMTHD. Because only the DCRs need to be optimized instead of both SAs and DCRs, the OMTHD process is simplified, while voltage THD, current THD, as well as power efficiency, are improved, especially for the medium-low MI range, compared to conventional SPWM. An analytical formulation of phase-voltage THD for UVS-based SPWM MLIs is derived and utilized for the novel SPWM-based OMTHD. Validation is carried out by theoretical analysis, digital simulations, and real-time controller + Hardware-in-Loop (C-HIL)-based experiments.


GVA/20161004: Project of Conselleria d'Educacio, Investigacio, Cultura i Esport de la
Generalitat Valenciana a traves del proyecto "Validacion de la competencia transversal de
innovacion mediante un modelo de Medida formativo"
FINCODA: "Project 554493-EPP-1-2014-l-FI-EPPKA2KA" (The European Cornission
support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the
contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein).


On 22 April 2010 the Melbourne Storm Rugby League club was stripped of its premiership titles of 2007 and 2009. Its minor premiership titles of 2006, 2007 and 2008 were also taken away. The club was fined $500,000 and ordered to pay back $1.1 million in prize money. To top it off, the Storm cannot earn any premiership points in the 2010 competition. All of this as a consequence of serious salary cap rorting.


Short-term traffic forecasting is an important means to prevent urban congestion. In this paper, the urban traffic operation time series data sets are used for modeling, combining with various characteristic variables of weather conditions, air quality index (AQI) and travel time index (TTI). A bidirectional long and short-term memory network framework (MF-BiLSTM) based on multi-source feature fusion was established to predict the average road speed. The comparison experiment selects three benchmark models: ARIMA, LSTM and CNN, and a bidirectional long short-term memory network (BiLSTM) model using only road speed time series data sets, and compares the prediction accuracy of these models under three prediction durations. The results show that MF-BiLSTM has the best prediction performance in terms of prediction error measurement, the prediction accuracy is 2.93%, 1.95%, 2.87%, 0.89% higher than that of ARIMA, LSTM, CNN, and BiLSTM, respectively. In addition, comparing the prediction accuracy of each model under different weather conditions and air pollution levels, MF-BiLSTM has the smallest deviation.


AIM
To evaluate the effects of various gutta-percha solvents on the push-out bond strength of several root canal sealers on root dentine.

METHODOLOGY
The root canals of 210 single-rooted human teeth were prepared with the ProTaper System (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) up to a master apical file size of F4, and the following variables evaluated for bond strength: solvent type (chloroform, eucalyptol and orange oil), time (2 and 5 min), sealer type (AH Plus, MTA Fillapex and Sealapex) and root thirds (coronal, middle and apical). After canal filling, three 1-mm-thick slices were obtained from each root sample, and the bond strength of the test materials was measured using a push-out test set-up at a cross-head speed of 1 mm min(-1) . The data were analysed using four-way factorial anova (P = 0.05).

RESULTS
Bond strength was significantly affected by solvent type and time (P < 0.001). The use of chloroform for 5 min in the root canal decreased bond strength of all sealers (P < 0.001). Eucalyptol and orange oil did not affect the bond strength of the sealers (P > 0.05). In all conditions, the push-out bond strength was highest for AH Plus and lowest for MTA Fillapex (P < 0.001). Bond strength values decreased in a corono-apical direction in all groups (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
Chloroform used for 5 min during retreatment decreased the bond strength of AH Plus, Sealapex and MTA Fillapex to root dentine.


Generative Adversarial Networks have been presented to train generative models as they have pose a certain level of exertion and difficulty in the past years. Comparatively, GAN has received less attention. This model shows that it can generate MNIST (Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology database) digits conditioned on class labels. Translating an image from a certain source image or the original image to a clearer and higher resolution target domain is the approach introduced in this paper. This work presents a non-conventional way to resolve the problem presented in digitizing handwritten digits. This approach is supposed to be easier to implement and understand while having a high efficiency and accuracy as compared to the existing models. It is shown that MNIST digits conditioned on class labels can be generated by this model. Both the generator and discriminator are to be conditioned. The idea is to nurture both the generator and discriminator together and gradually. Beginning from a low-resolution image, more layers are added so that the model can increase the definite finer details and progress towards a clearer image as the training progresses.


A liquid and stable stock market plays a critical role in the economy. It channels savings into long-term investments that are necessarily illiquid while simultaneously providing liquidity to investors by providing access to their capital when needed by trading with others, thereby promoting economic growth. Due to advances in technology, trading through anonymous open electronic order book markets (where there are no clearly designated market makers who are primarily responsible for liquidity provision) has become the preferred avenue for trading stocks. The popular view is that this has increased shortterm trading, which in turn has adversely affected the liquidity and short-term volatility in the market, thereby contributing to its potential fragility. The extant empirical findings are mixed. In this study, we contribute to this debate by identifying short-term and long-term traders and examining their role in liquidity provision during normal and fragile market conditions.


The dielectric material employed in this effort is a proprietary nanocomposite material, MU100. The material was initially developed to shrink high frequency high voltage dielectric loaded antennas; however, due to its unique material characteristics, the nanocomposite has shown promise in development of high voltage capacitors. Previous work has shown small-scale samples of the high permittivity nanocomposite material to have an average dielectric strength of 220 kV/cm with peak breakdown fields in excess of 328 kV/cm. When scaling up to realize application specific voltages, failure modes become more pronounced due to volume effects of the nanocomposite and field enhancement factors at the electrode dielectric interfaces. This work describes how the material was increased in volume from small samples up to compact capacitor prototypes capable of repeatable performance at 250 kV to in excess of 500 kV with lifetimes greater than 104 shots.


We study the impact of risk-aversion on the valuation of credit derivatives. Using the technology of utility-indifference pricing in intensity-based models of default risk, we analyse resulting yield spreads in multi-name credit derivatives, particularly CDOs. We study first the idealized problem with constant intensities where solutions are essentially explicit. We also give the large portfolio asymptotics for this problem. We then analyse the case where the firms have stochastic default intensities driven by a common factor, which can be viewed as another extreme from the independent case. This involves the numerical solution of a system of reaction-diffusion PDEs. We observe that the nonlinearity of the utility-indifference valuation mechanism enhances the effective correlation between the times of the credit events of the various firms leading to non-trivial senior tranche spreads, as often seen from market data.


This paper is a compilation of two articles that were written on the subject of catastrophe bond valuation (Part 1 of the paper) and tail risk hedging (Part 2 of the paper) from a value investing perspective. The paper presents a practical introduction to these topics that was written to the value-oriented readership of Marc Faber's popular investment periodical, "The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report" in 2013 and 2014.


The effect of options' introduction on underlying market is one of the frequently debated themes in financial research. A significant body of literature addresses the question of effects of options' introduction. The critical review of the literature shows that there is no consensus among scholars regarding the impact. Theoretically, it has been argued that the option market stabilizes the underlying market. Though the empirical evidences of stabilization effect have not lead to a consensus, but there is little evidence for the destabilization effect of options. Given increasing growth of options in financial market especially in emerging markets, the future studies from these markets may shed new light on the debate.


We discuss the implementation of wavelength-swept coherent Raman scattering (CRS) microscopy for the rapid acquisition of hyperspectral datacubes. We highlight two multivariate analysis approaches for efficiently generating spectroscopic maps from the acquired data: principal component analysis (PCA), which is a popular method for extracting information from multidimensional datasets, and vertex component analysis (VCA), which has previously been successfully used for the analysis of spontaneous Raman microscopy data. Through several biomedical imaging examples, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these approaches for CRS microscopy.


The ability to form a dormant spore is essential for the survival of the anaerobic, gastrointestinal pathogen Clostridioides difficile outside of the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. The initiation of sporulation is governed by the master regulator of sporulation, Spo0A, which is activated by phosphorylation. Multiple sporulation factors control Spo0A phosphorylation; however, this regulatory pathway is not well defined in C. difficile. We discovered that RgaS and RgaR, a conserved orphan histidine kinase and orphan response regulator, function together as a cognate two-component regulatory system to directly activate transcription of several genes. One of these targets, agrB1D1, encodes gene products that synthesize and export a small quorum- sensing peptide, AgrD1, which positively influences expression of early sporulation genes. Another target, a small regulatory RNA now known as SrsR, impacts later stages of sporulation through an unknown regulatory mechanism(s). Unlike Agr systems in many organisms, AgrD1 does not activate the RgaS-RgaR two-component system, and thus, is not responsible for autoregulating its own production. Altogether, we demonstrate that C. difficile utilizes a conserved two-component system that is uncoupled from quorum-sensing to promote sporulation through two distinct regulatory pathways. AUTHOR SUMMARY The formation of an inactive spore by the anaerobic gastrointestinal pathogen, Clostridioides difficile, is required for its survival outside of the mammalian host. The sporulation process is induced by the regulator, Spo0A; yet, how Spo0A is activated in C. difficile remains unknown. To address this question, we investigated potential activators of Spo0A. Here, we demonstrate that the sensor RgaS activates sporulation, but not by direct activation of Spo0A. Instead, RgaS activates the response regulator, RgaR, which in turn activates transcription of several genes. We found two direct RgaS- RgaR targets independently promote sporulation: agrB1D1, encoding a quorum-sensing peptide, AgrD1, and srsR, encoding a small regulatory RNA. Unlike most other characterized Agr systems, the AgrD1 peptide does not affect RgaS-RgaR activity, indicating that AgrD1 does not activate its own production through RgaS-RgaR. Altogether, the RgaS-RgaR regulon functions at multiple points within the sporulation pathway to tightly control C. difficile spore formation.


The symbol,the unit and the following quantitative relationships between the nominal specific saturation magnetizations(were generally known as "magnetic saturation") corresponding respectively to the ratios between MS,JS and BS with the density ρ of WC-Co(Ni,Fe) cemented carbides were obtained on the basis of the numerical value relationships between the saturation magnetization MS,the saturation magnetic polarization JS and the magnetic induction BS corresponding to magnetic saturation condition of ferromagnetic material were deduced:BS/ρ(T·m3·kg-1)=JS/ρ(T·m3·kg-1)=μ0·MS/ρ(A·m2 ·kg-1)=μ0σ(A·m2· kg-1),JS/ρ(4π×10-7T·m3·kg-1)=σ(4π×10-7T·m3·kg-1)=MS/ρ(A·m2 ·kg-1)=σ(A·m2· kg-1),BS/ρ(×10-7 T·m3·kg-1)=4πσ(×10-7 T·m3·kg-1)=4π·MS/ρ(A·m2 ·kg-1)=4πσ(A·m2· kg-1).The σ value equivalent to the magnetic moment per unit wt of WC-Co(Ni,Fe) alloy can be insured sufficiently and the magnetic saturation values furnished by different literatures can be compared and assessed effectively if the above-mentioned symbols and units σ(A·m2· kg-1,4π×10-7T·m3·kg-1) and 4πσ(×10-7 T·m3·kg-1,A·m2· kg-1) as well as the above-mentioned conversion relationships can be complied with and carried out strictly.


This report compiles and documents the radiological critical-contaminant/critical-pathway analysis performed for SRS. The analysis covers radiological releases to the atmosphere and to surface water, which are the principal media that carry contaminants off site. During routine operations at SRS, limited amounts of radionuclides are released to the environment through atmospheric and/or liquid pathways. These releases potentially result in exposure to offsite people. Though the groundwater beneath an estimated 5 to 10 percent of SRS has been contaminated by radionuclides, there is no evidence that groundwater contaminated with these constituents has migrated offsite (Arnett, 1996). Therefore, with the notable exception of radiological source terms originating from shallow surface water migration into site streams, onsite groundwater was not considered as a potential exposure pathway to offsite people.


Several N-(indol-3-ylglyoxylyl)alanine and glycine ester derivatives were prepared to evaluate the influence of the ester group size both on affinity and on activity at the benzodiazepine receptor. Moreover, indol-3-ylglyoxylic acid esters, closely related to 3-alkoxy-beta-carbolines, were synthesized and tested in vitro on the benzodiazepine receptor.


The present study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of type-2 diabetes mellitus in working women (45- 55) yrs from various institutions of the Lucknow city. Samples were randomly selected from a private clinical setting. It covers the aspects like dietary assessment among detected diabetic, factors influencing emergence of diabetes and guiding the detected diabetics about low Glycemic Index Diet. The main outcome of the study was that, the BMI, waist hip ratio, meal irregularity, physical inactivity are the major factors responsible for the appearance of diabetes mellitus. We observed that, lifestyle of working women of Professional Institutes were very busy, but their physical activity level was very low. Various factors associated with the prevalence of diabetes in the studied subjects were lack of physical activity, family history, meal irregularity, lack of knowledge on dietary restrictions, not following any life style modifications with regularity and stress in managing both professional work and family.


This article considers the position of deaf and disabled people within the museum and heritage sectors of the Nordic countries. Recent approaches to access for deaf and disabled people have been rooted in models from the USA and the UK, and less attention has been given to countries with a welfare model approach. The article outlines the features of the welfare approach and the position of deaf and disabled people. It considers approaches to disability and access issues through both case studies and through official policy publications. It argues that although the economic position of disabled people is relatively good, access to cultural heritage remains patchy and uninteresting. Museums approach this as a question of physical access rather than engaging in more creative responses based on dialogue and partnership. It concludes that museums have some way to go before they will be truly accessible for deaf and disabled people.


Snakebite envenomation (SBE) is an important public health issue that is now receiving renewed attention following its reclassification as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). Most incidences occur in rural areas of resource‐limited countries, as such, timely and appropriate medical care for SBE is often inaccessible. The administration of anti‐snake venom serum (ASV) is the only effective definitive treatment of SBE, but treatment failure to available ASVs is not uncommon. Emerging evidence highlights the potential of small‐molecule compounds as inhibitors against toxins of snake venom. This presents an encouraging prospect to develop an alternative therapeutic option for the treatment SBE, that may be amenable for use at the point of care in resource‐constraint settings. In view of the pivotal role of natural products in modern drug discovery programmes, there is considerable interest in ethno‐pharmacological mining of medicinal plants and plant‐derived medicinal compounds toward developing novel snake venom‐neutralising therapeutics. In this review, we compile a collection of medicinal plants used in the treatment of SBE in West Africa and highlight their promise as potential botanical drugs or as sources of novel small‐molecule compounds for the treatment of SBE. The challenges that must be surmounted to bring this to fruition including the need for (sub) regional collaboration have been discussed.


Recently, record breaking heavy rainfalls have been observed frequently due to climate change and we have experienced very severe flood disasters caused by river embankment failure due to erosion by overtopping river water in Japan. This paper firstly presents some examples of flood disasters caused by river embankment failure due to erosion by over topping river water. Secondly, the paper is focusing on the numerical modeling and flume experiments on erosion of unsaturated river embankment due to flow overtopping and mainly on resultant flood and sediment hydrographs into land-side area. Finally, some measures against river embankment failure are introduced.


The business model of the large pharmaceutical companies is complex and has
become increasingly so with the technological developments in the industry
particularly in relation to the innovations introduced by biotechnology. A business
model is not a well defined concept but may be paraphrased as a description of 'how a
business makes its money'.
It answers a series of questions essential to any business - who are the customers,
what do they value, what is the underlying economic logic that explains how that
value can be delivered to the customer at an appropriate cost and finally how the
business makes its money. It consists of both a narrative of how the business works
and the numbers - how it makes a profit (Margretta 2002). Underlying any business
model is the structure of its value chain.


Over the past 5 decades synthetic methodology has evolved with an emphasis on selectivity and yield enhancement of chemical reactions. Initially, substrates, auxiliary substituted substrates and additives were developed with the purpose of delaying and thereby discriminating against undesired reaction pathways. Also, catalyst systems were established to discriminate in favour of desired pathways. Beyond these intrinsic anchors to influence and direct the conversion of substrates, the last decade has witnessed an emphasis on extrinsic means of controlling conversion and selectivity of reactions within synthesis groups. Two new physico – chemical tools evolved: Microflow (1-5) and Microwave (6). Beyond accelerating the chemical reaction, microflow brought sequential organic synthesis to enhance chemistry research output. Interestingly enough, the two techniques have been adopted by two different constituencies with the pharmaceutical development community in different ways. Microwave has been largely adopted by the medicinal chemist as a means of achieving a desired conversion in high yield that has been problematic via other routes. Microfluidics have been used by the medicinal chemist as a means of rapidly producing a diverse array of compounds at a small (10's mg) scale. At this moment in time, the process chemist, responsible for scaling-up the medicinal chemist's route has gravitated towards microfluidics (only) as a means to achieve both high yields and selectivity. Independent of the particular chemist or development stage, the common driver is to have faster cycle times – more new compounds, and then faster development times. Microflow provides means to accelerate mixing, improve temperature control, largely reduce back-mixing and provide a scalable system. It is an alternative to using traditional stirrers or in-line mixers which achieve agitation via turbulent mixing. In microflow reagent streams are brought together in narrow channels (0.5 mm or less). Mixing is achieved through axial diffusion of the (multi-)laminar streams. In addition to superior mixing, the high surface area to volume also assists thermal transfer. A generic scheme of a microflow reaction device is depicted in Figure 1. Microwave in a continuous fashion additionally provides an alternative means of heating reactions, and an associated scientific debate as to whether the improved results are simply due to rapidor super-heating of the reaction media or non thermal effects. The early pioneers of this approach used domestic microwave ovens to heat the contents of a round bottomed flask (the reflux condenser protruding through a hole in the top the oven!). Although these multi-mode ovens are now available as commercial laboratory offering, alternative "single-mode" ovens which focus all the microwaves onto the focus are also prevalent. This short review shall discuss recent applications of microflow and continuous microwave with improved performance, briefly show a rationale for these findings and discuss applications and state of technology in accelerating information gathering and library synthesis with continuous synthesis technology. Several synthetic transformations demonstrated noteworthy benefits from a novel level of control of extrinsic reaction factors through microflow or continuous microwave. A selective electrophilic substitution of phloroglucintrimethylether (1) with N-acyliminiumion (2) was investigated (7) in a microflow device. While a T-piece flow experiment and a batch experiment yielded approximately similar amounts of mono(3) and di(4) substituted product, the microflow experiment yielded a 24:1 ratio in favour of 3 (-78°C, CH2Cl2). Faster and hence improved mixing (8, 9) in microflow within several 10 to a few 100 ms effected this change in selectivity in favour of 3. The metalo-organic reaction sequence from pentafluoroethyliodide (5) to the model compound (6) gave low conversion rates in batch reaction (Table 1). In a microflow process, 5 was subjected to metalation by an excess of metalating reagent only for an optimized reaction time of less than one minute, before the intermediate metaloorganic species was further reacted with benzophenone (7). A Figure 1. An integrated microflow device to mix, thermally condition and react liquid reagents


Schmitz has written an important and timely editorial which concerns itself with the risks of this widely used group of drugs and the, largely unsuccessful, strategies to reduce consumption [1]. Prescribers and authors of guidelines from UK Royal Colleges and Government acknowledge the challenge of responding helpfully for a solution to anxiety, stress, sleeplessness and dependency and the risks of causing harm. One of the many paradoxes for prescribers is the subjective evidence of the benefits of these drugs set against thewarnings, and sometimes threats, of supplying an inappropriate treatment. The editorial highlights the risks, and the failure of interventions to reduce supply are clearly articulated. The risks, however, are not supported by the cited articles, which mainly conclude that evidence of dementia and cognitive decline in long-term use are not proven [2,3]. Similarly, evidence of efficacy in treatment beyond the first 2 weeks remains unknown, largely from the lack of adequate research. As Professor Malcolm Lader, the doyen of benzodiazepine research for years, observes in his important monograph, the risk–benefit of the benzodiazepines remains positive in most patients in the short term. He also observes, as do others in the cited papers, that the problems and benefits are unestablished beyond that time largely because the research has never been conducted. The main difficulties, Lader and others have concluded, are preventing short-term use extending into dependence and the characteristics of withdrawal [4]. These are the risks for patients and prescribers. The efficacy in acute situations, anxiety, short-term sleeplessness and situational crises is accepted and based on good evidence. Evidence for the benefits in the longer term is poor and contradictory, leading to difficulty for prescribers who listen to a constant and persistent demand. Continued use beyond the short-term period has to be balanced against the risk of associated adverse effects [5]. Prescribing benzodiazepines in older patients clearly has associated risks, but perhaps the most demanding and topical issues are the drug dependency and association with drug-related deaths. In Scotland, where drug-related death rates are among the highest per capita in the world, benzodiazepines were involved in 70% of such cases in 2019 compared with 20% in 2014. Etizolam was involved in 85% of the benzodiazepine-related deaths in Scotland in 2019 [6]. In the space of a decade, the street market for benzodiazepines has shifted from one of mainly diverted prescriptions to one of illicitly manufactured drugs, thus increasing the 'risk environment' for users [7]. Minimizing harm in these circumstances is a challenge. The evidence for cognitive decline is undoubtedly a concern [8,9], but this needs to be balanced against the danger of a drug-related death. More research is needed to establish the risk of cognitive loss and dementia and, crucially, to unravel the relationship between perceived benefit and harm and the value, if any, of longer-term use. Growing illicit supplies and self-administration with extraordinary doses make clinical practice and evidence-based harm reduction impossible to rationalize. Are we prescribing too much, or perhaps too little?


The authors carried out field tests of differentiated fertilization system "Agronavigator-Dozator" installed on a cultivator-fertilizer for intra-soil application of granular mineral fertilizers in the conditions of Northern Kazakhstan. (Research purpose) To determine the effect of differentiated fertilization system on agrotechnical, energy, operational and technological and economic indexes of the cultivator-fertilizer in field conditions. (Materials and methods) The authors carried out agrochemical soil survey according to the officially approved method. They made an electronic task map. They used the methodology for determining the conditions of field tests, agrotechnical, energy, operational and technological and energy assessments that met the current regulatory documentation requirements. Field tests of differentiated fertilization system were carried out during the second flat-cut processing of the steam field with simultaneous intra-soil granular mineral fertilizers application. (Results and discussion) The authors found out that the use of differentiated fertilization system "Agronavigator-Dozator" reduced the actual dose of application from 95 to 40 kilograms per hectare. It was determined that the presence of a parallel driving mode in the system under study reduced the amount of overlap of adjacent aisles, thereby increasing shift productivity - from 4.25 to 4.32 hectares per hour, unit energy consumption decreased from 88.1 to 86.6 megajoules per hectare, and the specific fuel consumption decreased from 14.41 to 14.16 kilograms per hectare. The economic effect of the use of differentiated fertilization system "Agronavigator- Dozator " amounted to 630.6 thousand rubles per year. (Conclusions) The authors proved that differential fertilization system "Agronavigator-Dozator" effect the actual dose of fertilization, which decreased by 57.6 percent. It was found that a decrease in the overlap of adjacent aisles increased shift productivity, reduced specific fuel consumption and specific energy consumption by 1.7 percent. It was calculated that the total sum of money was reduced by 36 percent due to the use of differentiated fertilization system "Agronavigator- Dozator".


Objective:To observe the clinical curative effect of complex treatment for cracked teeth.Methods:Thirty-three patients with cracked teeth were cured through root canal treatment and complete coronal restoration.Results:Cracked teeth were followed up for one year.The remission effective rate was 90.9%.Conclusions:It is very important to carry out the complex treatment for cracked teeth,especially the complete coronal restoration to save the affected tooth and prevent the affected tooth from deficiency.


. Changes in learning pattern, collection, technology and use have encouraged academic libraries to be reinvented in accordance with users' needs. Therefore, an assessment of how users perceive and expect for library as place to accommodate learning is necessary. This study aims at measuring the gap between the minimum perception, and desired levels of library as place dimension. This is a quantitative research with data obtained from the library of the State Islamic University of North Sumatra (UINSU), through descriptive survey techniques. The result showed that the utilitarian space and symbol aspects of the library met the minimum expectations of users, however in terms of accommodation, their expectations were not met. Therefore, this research suggests that institutions need to ensure their libraries have adequate rooms for users, encouraging the learning activities and creativity. Librarians need to consider providing space that allows collaborative works while supports flexibility for social meeting. Our findings confirm that the role of the library as a space for users, for individual and collaborative work, and as a space for social activity, will become increasingly important even in this digital era.


The present investigation was designed to study the influence of replacement of wheat flour by either sprouted wheat or barley flour at different levels, i.e. 5, 10 and 15 % on the produced cake quality. The minerals content showed an increase due to sprouting wheat or barley flour compared with unsprouting one. The increase of bioavailability of minerals may be due to sprouting which decreased phytic acid content by about 32.36 and 35.99%, for wheat and barley, respectively. Phytate/phosphorus percentages were reduced and reached 61.55 and 35.20% in sprouted wheat and barley flour, respectively. Phytate/Fe and phytate/Ca molar ratios decreased in sprouted wheat and barley compared with unsprouted one, whereas Phytate/Zn molar increased in sprouted barley flour. The rheological tests showed an increase in water absorption, weakening degree with replacement by sprouted barley than sprouted wheat compared with the control, and a decrease in stability. The decrease of elasticity and extensibility was higher with sprouted barley flour than in sprouted wheat compared with the control. The results of falling No showed that, alfa amylase activity in both sprouted wheat and barley was higher than unsprouted. The cakes prepared with different replacement levels of sprouted wheat and sprouted barley (5, 10, and15%) had good acceptability in sensorial evaluation in all samples. Cake prepared with different levels of sprouted barley flour were more brilliant than cake prepared with sprouted wheat for physical properties compared with control. Texture profile analysis for the cake showed decrease in hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness and resilience in sprouted wheat cake than the control. Water activity for cake decreased with increasing sprouted barley replacement levels. Cake prepared with different replacement of sprouted wheat was excellent in graining, texture, crumb color, taste and odor than that prepared with sprouted barley flour.


Background and Objectives: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an irreversible and potentially life-altering event that creates poor economic conditions. The SCI healthcare model has shifted more towards patient-centered care, which focuses on the issues that affect the quality of life and community integration of people with such disabilities. This systematic review was conducted to identify the factors influencing the community integration of SCI individuals in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: Three databases of Scopus, PsycINFO, and PubMed were searched with the keywords of "spinal cord injury", "tetraplegia", "paraplegia", and "challenges" for relevant articles published from 2010 to 2020. Boolean operators "OR" and "AND" were used between the keywords, and cross-linking methods were applied to get better results. The quality assessment of the included studies was analyzed by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and Thomas tool. The extracted data included demographic details, sample size, results, and outcome measures. Results: A total of 26 peer-reviewed studies were included in the review. The evidence extracted was classified into six categories that influence the community participation (either positive or negative) of SCI individuals. Conclusion: The review revealed more barriers in the form of health-related, environmental, psychological, and social issues that hinder the community reintegration of individuals with SCI compared to facilitators such as spirituality, family/friends support, self-efficacy and resilience. Most research studies highlighted specific environmental obstacles in terms of accessibility and affordability. By working on these challenges, the authorities can enhance community integration of the SCI population in low- and middle-income countries.


Estimating Convergence (and Divergence) among Developing, Emerging and Developed Economies 350 Global Social Sciences Review (GSSR) Different growth theories tried to highlight the economic growth of economies. In the beginning of 19 century, first growth theory was developed by the Walt Rostow (Rostow, 1959). He advocated that economic growth may be achieved by passing through number of development stages which deals with exploitation of science and technology, pre-take off stage, replacement of traditional methods to modern methods (Chatterjee, 1974). Harrod-Domar growth theory explained how an economy can achieve the sustainable development (Easterly, 1999). There are two main determinants of Harrod-Domar growth theory, such as change in capital stock and saving ratio (Grinols & Bhagwati, 1976). Change in capital stock deals with investment on the capital stock for the progress of economy (Knibbe, 2014). Similarly, the relationship between saving ratio and national income of the country (Sato, 1964). Where, national income comprises of the government expenditure, consumption, net export and investment (Hagemann, 2009). Some new economic growth theories are Endogenous growth theories and Malthus growth theory. Paul Romer and Robert Lucas are two well-known economists; they developed endogenous growth theory on the basis of human capital (Pack, 1994). The concept of human capital firstly was introduced in 1960 (Kiker, 1966). In the light of existing literature, human capital can be defined as, "a person who has three consecutive characteristics (education, health and training) at the same time (Becker, et al. 1990). So, endogenous growth model focuses on the human capital (Glomm & Ravikumar, 1992). The main concept of endogenous growth theory is that constant increasing trend in the economic growth mainly depends on constant level of population as well as deprecation (Howitt, 1999). There are many case studies which support the evidence of positive association between human capital and technical improvement (Dakhli & De Clercq, 2004) but technological enhancement in the economy mainly depends on the government intervention in endogenous growth theory (Ting et al., 2011). Under the classical school of thought, there is no advantage of investment on technology due to no role of government intervention. There are some assumptions related with this theory. First assumption of this theory is that, the increasing productivity of labor as well as capital (Howitt, 2000). Similarly, labor productivity does not have diminishing return (Jones, 1997). Further, there is no diminishing return found in the MP of capital as in Solow growth theory (Dowrick & Rogers, 2002). Solow growth model represents the relationship of economic growth with saving and investment. When the investment on existing capital and new capital becomes equal to saving then steady state is achieved as depicted in Figure 1. Once the steady state is achieved then the economies can only increase their growth through knowledge. Figure 1 . Steady state in Solow Model But it is too difficult because it depends on type of capital investment (Bosma, et al. 2004). In addition, this model is emphasized on the free markets (McFadden, 2006). Later on, another theory Babar Hussain, Muhammad Rizwan Yaseen and Sofia Anwar Vol. IV, No. III (Summer 2019) 351 was developed known as Unified growth theory (Galor, 2005). This theory was presented by Oded Galor. The theory mainly focuses on three aspects which are directly associated with economic growth due to industrial revolution, human capital and divergence of growth across the countries (Desmet and Parente, 2012). Endogenous growth theory mainly focuses on technical innovation in the economy due to the increase in economic growth; also this view is supported by number of studies that economic growth positively associated with the technical innovation (Baldwin, et al. 1999; Dupor, 1999; Tawiri, 2010). Economy of a country can work very well in the situation of free markets, and this view is supported by the endogenous as well as classical growth theory (Clark et al., 2011). It is all about the modern as well as traditional growth theories which state that how an economy can achieve sustainable economic growth in the budget constraints. There are various determinants of economic development such as capital formation, labor force participation, FDI, trade openness, unemployment, money supply, export, imports, aggregate demand, aggregate supply, foreign aid etc. and used by number of studies such as (Lee & Kim, 2009). Since the start of 21st century, innovation in information technology, media and other electronic channels of transformation made this world a "global village". In the previous century, McLuhan and Powers (989) have given a visionary understanding of today's life. The use of information technology in the field of education, health, agriculture, manufacturing and services sector increased drastically. Resultantly, the adoption rate of advance technology in every sector has increased. In any case, non-adoption of advance technology is not due to lack of knowledge but due to other factors like financial resources. Through the fast channels of technology transfer, the spillover effects among countries greatly increased and resultantly speed of economic growth among countries (convergence) emerged as an outcome of this technology transfer. Neoclassical economists advocated that poor economies will grow faster than rich economies due to differences in output per worker and their balanced growth paths, change in rate of return and capital per worker and differences in technology (David, 2011). Convergence is occurred in homogenous group of economies but divergence is occurred in heterogeneous group of economies (Gáspár, 2010). Catching up process is generally very slow in the countries as observed by Durlauf & Johnson et al. (2005). Figure 2. GDP per Capita by Country Group Average GDP per capita during 1981-85 of developed countries remained US$ 9055 and the same has been increased to US$ 46132 since 2011-15. It is interesting to note that GDP per capita decreased to US$ 45341 during 2016-18. The percentage change in GDP per capita was observed 0 500


The Neolithic site of Monte Revincu is located in the north of Corsica, between Bastia (30 km west) and the "Agriates desert" (east). The researches yielded fifty installations structured with domestic or funerary vocation, spread on 10 000 m². Most of them relate to the last third of the fifth millennium BC. Thirty are bounded by vertical flagstones. They contain levels of stone foundation rafts, blocking structure or holes for posts, subdivisions and are interpreted as domestic units. Ten structures, among which 3 dolmens with corridor and at least 4 chests, refer to a funerary use. The collected data enable us to interpret this neolithic village, its links with the emergence of megalithic funerary monuments and to estimate the territory exploited in synchrony. This work finally provides a new image of the Corsican megalithism which seems to be one of the first area of emergence for the Western Mediterranean megalithism, in accordance with Catalonia and the Atlantic coast.


Lithography simulation is an integral part of semiconductor manufacturing. It is not only required in lithography process development, but also in RET design, RET verification, and process latitude analysis, from library cells to full-chip tape out. Two RET design checking flows are examined and compared. In the first flow, an image contour is simulated from post-OPC, GDSII data at best focus and exposure conditions. RET design defects are identified by comparing the calculated contours with the pre-OPC design data. To check lithography manufacturability across the typical IC process window, the second RET verification flow simulates image contours at multiple focus and exposure conditions. These RET design checking flows are implemented on new platform that combines a hardware accelerated computational engine with a new analysis method to numerically evaluate the lithographic printing and mask manufacturing challenges for a given design layout. The algorithm approach in this new system is based on image processing which is fundamentally different from conventional edge-based analysis. Specific examples of a mask aware RET verification flow leveraging this new platform and method will be provided with speed and accuracy benchmarks. Through the high speed computation of lithographic images from full chip data, many opportunities for novel and cost effective post layout lithography verification options become available. By combining the new platform with analysis steps relevant in leading edge photomask manufacturing, it may become possible to reduce the risks inherent in advanced technology tape outs while improving layout to mask fabrication cycle time and cost.


Objective To explore the effects of morphine on μ-opioid receptor mRNA expression in human uterus smooth muscle cells. Methods Human uterus smooth muscle cells were isolated and cultured in vitro.These cells were identified by microscopy and immunocytochemical staining.All cells were randomly divided into control group and morphine groups(10-4,10-5,10-6,10-7mol/L).The effect of morphine on the MOR mRNA expression in uterus smooth muscle cells was observed by RT-PCR technique. Results The expression of μ-opioid receptor mRNA in morphine groups was significantly lower than that in control group(P0.05),and it was negatively correlated with morphine(r=-0.999,P0.001). Conclusion Exogenous opiate like substance morphine could inhibit the expression of MOR mRNA in human uterus smooth muscle cells.


The present invention relates to a ferroelectric film formed of a non-lead material. The ferroelectric film of the present invention comprises a BiFeO 3 film or a (K 1-x Na x ) NbO 3 film having a perovskite structure, and a crystalline oxide preferentially oriented at (001) formed at one or both of the upper and lower sides of the BiFeO 3 film or the (K 1-x Na x ) NbO 3 film, where X satisfies the following formula: 0.3≦X≦0.7.


There are two geomagnetic observatories running in the framework of Bogazici University, Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) in Turkey. Those are Istanbul-Kandilli (ISK) and Iznik geomagnetic observatory (IZN). The former is the oldest one and started its systematic observations in 1947 and still working since then. It became a member of INTERMAGNET on its 50 anniversary in 1997. In 1947 the population of Istanbul was about one million and the Kandilli Observatory was in the country. However, nowadays the population is about 15 million and rising, so the city has begun to threaten the observatory records. Therefore, Kandilli Observatory & E.R.I., to continue the geomagnetic observations in Turkey, set up a new geomagnetic observatory, IZN, at a new site near Iznik about 100 km to the southeast of Istanbul in 2005. The new observatory is considerably far away from residential areas. Iznik is also a site of great geophysical interest because a fault segment of the North Anatolian Fault is nearby. IZN geomagnetic observatory, which is a member of INTERMAGNET since 2007, is composed of variometer building, absolute measurement building, recorder house and proton magnetometer huts. We measure geomagnetic variations using DMI three-axis fluxgate magnetometer and its three component sensor head. Inclination and declination angles of the geomagnetic field are measured by Mag-01H fluxgate D/I Zeiss theodolite as absolute observations twice a week. Total magnetic field is measured every 30 seconds by a proton magnetometer developed by Prof. Naoto Oshiman from Kyoto University, Japan. Geomagnetic variations are recorded in the form of second and minute mean data files. At the end of the each year, after data processing, we produce baseline and definitive data files and submit them to INTERMAGNET. In this paper, we report on our experiences, challenges and results of analysis of our geomagnetic data. These data provide valuable geomagnetic field information on Turkey, east of Europe, west of Asia. Finally, Next goal of KOERI is the creation and upgrade of new magnetic observatory at the east of Turkey with INTERMAGNET certification.


Micrometer scale tungsten oxide with pompon-like structure was prepared by the reaction of the mixture powder of W and Ni(NO_3)_2 ·6H_2O in a molybdenum envelopment. The pompon-like structure consists of microtubes with outer diameter of 110 μm and fibrils with diameter of 100500 nm which are hundreds of micrometers in length. XRD and TEM analyses show that the as-synthesized product were well-crystallized monoclinic structure W_18O_49 with the axes preferentially aligned along the [010] direction. The pompon-like structure was formed by the Vapor-Solid (V-S) mechanism. With the huge surface of the unique pompon-like structure, the potential application of micrometer scale tungsten oxide in micro-sized semiconductor sensors would be promising.


The chemical study of Villasenoria orcuttii, the only species of the genus Villasenoria, afforded three acyclic diterpenes, two of them described for the first time. Two pyrrolizidine alkaloids, florosenine and floridanine, among other known compounds were also isolated. The absolute configuration of floridanine was determined by X-ray analysis using anomalous dispersion with Cu Kαradiation, and its1 H and13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were corrected.


A brief mention is made of the object and scope of the paper, and this is followed by a short account of the uses and advantages of battery-booster plant, and the savings likely to be effected by its employment. Boosters are classified in three leading divisions, (A), (B), and (C). Under Class (A) are described the plain differential, Pirani, Cromptonand Lancashire systems, with a discussion of their prominent features. Those described under Class (B) are the Highfield and E.C.C. systems. A short discussion follows of the effect of main generator compounding, the action of line diverters, and of some causes of inaccurate working of diverter boosters in general. The advantages of boosters controlled by external regulators over those of the diverter type, and the leading principle of their operation, are briefly mentioned. Such boosters belong to the next class (C), and those described are Entz, B.T.H., Taylor-Scotson, Tilney, Thury, and Brown-Boveri, while the systems of Lincoln and Bijur are also referred to. Rate of rise of field flux is dealt with, and the practical necessity of the provision of a checking control on quick-acting booster regulators. Some methods of using battery-booster plant are then considered more fully, and several methods of adapting such plant to the control of winding gear are described. The question of the employment of batteries on alternating-current systems is next treated, and some of the necessary plant described including regulator solenoids, the split-pole converter, and a special form of automatic exciter responsive to variations in alternating-current generator load. Some figures are given relating to the plant at the Gary Steel Works, Indiana, U.S.A., and a short description is given of the Hucknall Colliery plant. Practical results obtained by different boosters are given, and a short summary of conclusions finishes the paper.


Rehmannia chingii f.albiflora is a particular and scarce forma of R.chingii. In the present research,its young leaves were used as explants to study the effects of the growth regulators on callus induction and plant regeneration. The results indicated that the optimal media for induction and differentiation of callus were MS+BA1.5 mg·L-1+IBA0.5 mg·L-1 and MS+BA2.0 mg·L-1+NAA0.1 mg·L-1,respectively;the effective medium for cultivating adventitious buds was MS+BA2.0 mg·L-1+IBA0.2 mg·L-1; moreover,it's found that the best inducing combination for root formation was 1/2MS+NAA0.05 mg·L-1;the survival rate of test-tube plantlets could reach 96.7 % after transplanting. In addition,the prospects of its gardening application and medicinal value were discussed.


Objective: To report a case of a schwannoma of nasopalpebral location, occurring in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patient. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 55-year-old man presented with a nasopalpebral painless tumefaction, pneumopathy and HIV-related immunodepression after stopping combination antiretroviral therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed subcutaneous masses, with contrast enhancement of the left nose pyramid, internal cantus and inferior palpebral area, suspicious of Kaposi sarcoma. The resected specimen showed schwannoma histology, with tumor cells expressing S100 protein and WT1. Conclusion: The features of a rare case of facial schwannoma of nasopalpebral location in an HIV-positive patient are reported. The diagnosis may be difficult before microscopic examination, with imaging features suggesting a Kaposi sarcoma.


We report measurements made on the photovoltaic effect in devices fabricated with thin films of α-sexithienyl (αT6) as the active layer. aT6 was sublimed onto glass/ITO substrates (as the positive contact), and the substrate temperature was varied between room temperature and 156°C during sublimation to control the film morphology. As the substrate temperature increases, the average size of the αT6 grains increases, from ˜200nm at 22° C to ˜1500nm at 150°C, and order within the grains increases. Aluminium metal was evaporated onto the αT6 as the top (negative) contact. The dark current-voltage (I-V) curve is strongly rectifying, whereas under illumination it becomes almost symmetrical about ˜0.7V on the voltage axis, which represents the maximum open-circuit voltage. This behaviour indicates that the efficiency of charge separation is strongly bias dependent, and that charges are separated by the bulk field rather than at, for example, a Schottky barrier. The spectral response of the photocurrent is independent of the film morphology, which is surprising since the environment in which excitons recombine radiatively in αT6 is known to depend on the morphology of the film. The spectral response is consistent with previous measurements on photoconductivity, indicating that the efficiency of charge separation increases with increasing photon energy. There is also a significant photocurrent at energies well below the absorption edge of αT6, suggesting an exponential distribution of defect states extending at least 0.6eV into the optical gap, which may be a distribution of X-traps below the absorption edge. As the substrate temperature during growth increases from 28C to 150C the efficiency of charge separation decreases by an order of magnitude, suggesting that exciton dissocation is assisted by traps or defects which are present in smaller numbers in the more ordered films.


Although it is considered that the generation mechanism for narrow band-gap semiconductors, such as InAs and InSb, originates from the photo-Dember field and the optical rectification besides carrier acceleration by the depletion field, its mechanism is not well understood. To investigate the mechanism, we applied a magnetic field of up to 5 T to InAs and observed saturation of THz-radiation from femtosecond-laser irradiated InAs in a high magnetic field.


An assumption made in many magnetic interpretation techniques is that ∆Tact (total field anomaly — the measurement given by total field magnetometers, after we remove the main geomagnetic field, T0) can be approximated mathematically by ∆Tpro (the projection of anomalous field vector in the direction of the earth's normal field). In order to meet the demand for high-precision processing of magnetic prospecting, the approximate error E between ∆Tact and ∆Tpro is studied in this research. Generally speaking, the error E is extremely small when anomalies not greater than about 0.2T0. However, the errorE may be large in highly magnetic environments. This leads to significant effects on subsequent quantitative inference. Therefore, we investigate the error E through numerical experiments of high-susceptibility bodies.


There are different levels of governance in an organization, whether dealing with strategies, IT, data in general or open data. Data are manageable assets, whether for the healthy operation of the institution or for sophisticated data analysis. This paper aims at defining the utility of data governance in this context, as well as the basic elements for its implementation with a bias for External Control organizations.


Trauma in the lives of students with intellectual impairments, including children experiencing autism spectrum disorder, is significantly higher than their school-age peers. There remains a significant gap however, in how schools respond to student trauma as teachers receive little formal training or continuing education on its impact and implications for instruction. Trauma-informed pedagogy is a framework for instructional practice that is slowly gaining attention. By linking trauma-informed pedagogy with strength-based instructional approaches, a safe and relational teaching context is promoted—one that decreases teacher actions that may trigger or retraumatize students. With the aim of supporting student resilience, control over one's body, and autonomy, recommendations on how to practice trauma-informed pedagogy are discussed, using the instructional strategy of graduated instructional prompts as a point of reflexion. Subscribe to Palaestra


Abstract Housing animals within their thermoneutral zone can have positive impacts on productivity and animal well-being. Based on the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, piglets between the weights of 3 kg to 15 kg prefer temperatures between 26EsC to 32EsC. However, this preferred range is based on 30 year old data from individually-housed animals. Therefore, a thermal gradient apparatus, or thermocline, was designed to re-evaluate the thermal preference of group-housed piglets. The thermocline was a rectangular chamber that maintained a steady thermal gradient. The cool end sourced ambient air from the room and incrementally heated the air as it traveled the length of the thermocline to the opposite end. Ceramic radiant heating bulbs were placed along the length of the thermocline to heat the air. Prior to piglet testing, the chamber was evaluated to verify that the target temperatures (20EsC to 40EsC) could be achieved and maintained over the course of several days. Results revealed that a constant thermal gradient of 22EsC to 40EsC could be maintained if the ambient room temperature was between 17EsC to 18EsC. At ambient room temperatures around 21°C, the gradient was shifted 3EsC to 5EsC higher. Group-housed piglets appeared to show a preference for the coolest temperatures (22EsC to 26EsC), which is lower than the 26EsC to 32EsC listed in the Ag Guide. Furthermore, results indicated that the thermocline could maintain a desired temperature range to test the thermal preference of group-housed piglets.


The challenge for food researchers is to improve the quality of the lipids that are integrated in meat, with the purpose of the consumer reducing the intake of saturated fats, as a factor in life quality. To achieve this objective, it is necessary to understand the different factors that influence livestock production. Genetics and gene expression are interesting lines of research, which attempt to explain how genomics can benefit the quality of the fat in adipocytes. There are also several extrinsic factors, perhaps the most important one being the diet and addition of some specific nutrients. However, the problem is not as simple as it seems, and study factors with simulation models as well as physicalchemical and sensory analyses that solve the problem should be involved. A description of some factors that are associated with the quality of the meat lipids, which can be regulated primarily by the livestock breed or genetic group, genus, nutrition and production systems, was carried out.


The ultimate objective of the modern Turkish republic was to be recognized as a European state. The Cold War structures enabled the realization of that goal. Turkey's Europeanness was defined according to its geostrategic position; it became a reliable ally for the West as a buffer state against the former Soviet Union. The disappearance of the Cold War structures have brought the importance and suitability of Turkey for Europe into debate. In order to secure its position in the European order, Turkey had to redefine its policy formulations, as determined by Turkey's Eastern connections (whilst attending to the essentially non-Western elements in Turkey such as Kurdish nationalism and Islam). This article analyses how the new Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East, which is motivated to secure its place in Europe, brings out the non-Western elements in Turkey. The aim is to determine the extent to which such changes will shape Turkey's futures. Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd 1989 was a year of fundamental change in the global order. The dismantling of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall caused breakthrough changes in the international arena. The face of Europe has changed with the transition of the Eastern European countries from communist states to democracies and the emergence of a united Europe under the umbrella of the European Union. A new Europe is under construction. The dissolution of the post-World-War-11 bipolar balance-of-power system leads to a search for new policies among the states which are inevitably affected by the uncertain environment of the post-Cold War era. This article focuses on the impact of the end of the Cold War on Turkey's foreign policy. The hypothesis is that the modifications in Turkish foreign policy in response to the precarious external environment are becoming increasingly influential in shaping Turkey's futures. The aim is to analyse the changes in Turkish foreign policy specifically towards the


Quality food is one of the challenges that must be realized by the government. One of the quality foods is organic rice. Organic rice in addition to ensuring environmental sustainability is positive for consumer health. This research was conducted to determine the factors that influence consumer purchases of organic rice. The analytical method used in this research is factor analysis. Based on the results of data processing with explanatory factor analysis techniques, two factors are formed which influence consumer demand for organic rice in Yogyakarta. Factor I is product and factor II is consumer social. Keywords: Consumer, Organic rice


Abstract Five species of ticks belonging to the genera Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis and Rhipicephalus were recorded from endemic and exotic wild mammals in the Esteros del Iberá wetlands, Argentina. Adults and immature stages of Amblyomma dubitatum were found on Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, Sus scrofa, Axis axis and Myrmecophaga tridactyla. Larvae and nymphs of A. dubitatum were collected on Bubalus bubalis, Lepus europaeus, Monodelphis dimidiata and on the rodents Cavia aperea, Scapteromys aquaticus, Oligoryzomys flavescens and Akodon azarae. One male of Amblyomma nodosum was associated with M. tridactyla; specimens of Haemaphysalis juxtakochi were found on A. axis, S. scrofa and Mazama gouazoubira; and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus was detected on Blastocerus dichotomus. Adults of Amblyomma triste were collected on B. dichotomus, S. scrofa and H. hydrochaeris, while immatures of this tick were recorded on M. dimidiata, A. azarae, S. aquaticus, O. flavescens and H. hydrochaeris. In addition to elucidating tick-host associations, the findings of this survey are biomedically important. Although the tick fauna of Esteros del Iberá is limited, some species, such as A. triste and R. (B.) microplus, are recognized vectors of pathogenic agents infecting humans and animals. Also, a large number of the Esteros del Iberá collection records were for ticks from exotic (S. scrofa, A. axis, B. bubalis, L. europaeus) or reintroduced (M. tridactyla) mammals, suggesting that the introduction of these mammals may result in the amplification of tick populations in the study area, with potential deleterious effects on the endemic fauna.


In 1989, the LIA was awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $58,433 to enhance faculty expertise through workshops in lasers and optics. The target faculty were those at primarily undergraduate colleges. The three hands-on workshops were held immediately before the 1989, 1991, and 1991 ICALEO meetings: the first at the Physics Department of the University of Central Florida (UCF); the second at the Electro-Optics Technology Center at Tufts University; the third at San Jose State University. In total, 64 faculty from 61 institutions in 18 states attended.In 1989, the LIA was awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $58,433 to enhance faculty expertise through workshops in lasers and optics. The target faculty were those at primarily undergraduate colleges. The three hands-on workshops were held immediately before the 1989, 1991, and 1991 ICALEO meetings: the first at the Physics Department of the University of Central Florida (UCF); the second at the Electro-Optics Technology Center at Tufts University; the third at San Jose State University. In total, 64 faculty from 61 institutions in 18 states attended.


Password-based authentication schemes for server-client system are convenient to use, but vulnerable to dictionary attack or brute-force attack. To solve this vulnerability, Cryptographic secret key is used for security, but difficult to memorize. So, for the first time, Das proposed a biometric-based authentication scheme to solve various problems but it has various vulnerabilities. Afterwards, Jiping et al. improved Das`s scheme, but some vulnerabilities remain. In this paper, we analyze the cryptanalysis of Jiping et al.`s authentication scheme and then propose improved biometric based user authentication scheme to resolve the analyzed problem. Moreover, we conduct a security analysis for the proposed scheme and make a comparison between the proposed scheme and other biometric based user authentications.


Aeronautical Meteorological Offices under National Meteorological and Hydrological Service provide critical meteorological, hydrological, ocean and climatological information that sustain air navigation safety, efficiency, and regularity. Thus, to quality assure the information, the International Civil Aviation Organization recommended in 2002 that Aeronautical Meteorological Offices should implement ISO 9001 quality management system, which was subsequently standardized and became effective on 15 November 2012. There has been a slow movement towards adoption due to a number of barriers. In July 2019, 52% of Aeronautical Meteorological Offices commenced transition to the fifth iteration, ISO 9001:2015. A range of studies have investigated the barriers to successful quality management system implementation and certification within various organizations. However, only one study examined the Aeronautical Meteorological Offices and none of them covered the Anglophone Caribbean. Hence, the demography of the sample for this study is unique and this paper will contribute to filling the gaps in the literature. This exploratory study aims to identify the barriers, investigate their impacts, and propose recommendations to assist the Aeronautical Meteorological Offices to fully implement the ISO standard. Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service was selected as a case study due to its progress in the quality management system implementation and the scope of its operations. The study used and triangulated data collected from secondary sources (desktop research) and primary sources (survey and interviews). Seventeen barriers were identified and formed the new empirical framework for the Aeronautical Meteorological Offices in the Anglophone Caribbean. Most barriers were in the category of resources. The findings have significant implications for the policymakers, especially executive management, to address the barriers that are risks to sustainable quality management system.


The aerospace industry often faces challenges with respect to managing innovation project performance, due to the interdependence of disciplines. The projects are often managed by means of Technology Readiness Level (TRL). However, the metrics are not available to overcome the challenge of delivering technology in time and within budget. In this thesis a method, evaluated with a case study at Fokker Aerostructures, is recommended to manage the performance of multi-disciplinary innovation projects, using TRL as a stage gate approach and standard project management practices. However, to fully address the need to manage innovation project performance, more research and effort is required to adapt the method in daily practice.


What Happens Next?: Effect of plasticine on falling rods David Featonby Insights and Conundrums: de Broglie's wavelength has many applications in the study of gases Rick Marshall Signing Off: The life and work of Marie Curie David Smith


The possibility to obtain micrometric focal spot in the extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) region opens the way to XUV-XUV experiments in high-order harmonics beamlines. A beamline designed for this purpose is here presented. The peculiarity of the optical design relies on the use of only toroidal mirrors in place of the more expensive Cartesian optics. The coma aberration, usually dominating the quality of the focal spot when toroidal mirrors are used with high levels of demagnification, is compensated using mirrors in a subtractive (Z-shape) configuration. In addition, the compensating output mirror decouples the length of the exit arm from the de-magnification factor, in this way the length of the exit arm can be increased to install even a large experimental chamber. Three mirrors with optical power are required, in order to assure an optimal focalization. In order to guarantee a day-to-day reproducible working condition, the mirrors are mounted on remotely adjustable optical stages, that are controlled via a genetic algorithm with the feedback on the quality of the focal spot. This solution helps the users to reach the best focalization conditions in a reliable way. The results obtained during the beamline commissioning phase are presented. Emphasis is placed in the characterization of the spot size and in the performances of the genetic algorithm.


ABSTRACT

This paper mainly studies how to control the flexible manipulator effectively, which can drive the flexible manipulator to reach the angular and restrain the vibration of the manipulator simultaneously. Firstly, two disturbance observers based on partial differential equations (PDEs) model are improved to ensure its convergence in finite time. Then, on the basis of the disturbance observer, two active boundary controllers are proposed to achieve the control objective. Finally, the stability and effectiveness of the designed controller are verified by theoretical analysis and simulation.


The recent interest in wearable electronics suggests flexible thermoelectrics as candidates for the power supply. Herein, we report a solution process to fabricate flexible Sb2Te3 thermoelectric thin films using molecular Sb2Te3 precursors, synthesized by the reduction of Sb2Te3 powder in ethylenediamine and ethanedithiol with superhydride. The fabricated flexible Sb2Te3 thin films exhibit a power factor of ∼8.5 μW cm–1 K−2 at 423 K, maintaining the properties during 1000 bending cycles. FePt nanoparticles are homogeneously embedded in the Sb2Te3 thin film, reducing the thermal conductivity. The current study offers considerable potential for manufacturing high-performance flexible thin film devices.


Objective ‒ to assess the diagnostic significance of angiogenesis factors based on the study of the level of angiogenesis factors (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A), specific receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR-1), endothelial inflammation factor (Big Endothelin-1)) in arterial and venous blood of patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and healthy individuals without AVM. Materials and methods. In 2019–2021 a study according to the data of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay the level of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1 and Big Endothelin-1 in the plasma of arterial and venous blood of 50 (19 (38.0 %) men and 31 (62.0 % women)) with AVM of different localization was carried out. The age of patients ranged from 3 to 51 years, the mean age ‒ (27.79 ± 2.19) years. The control group consisted of 35 healthy individuals (20 men and 15 women) without AVM. Patients with AVMs were divided into two groups: with small and medium-sized AVM in the stage of compensation (n=32) and with large and giant AVM in the stage of subcompensation or decompensation (n=18). Results. A significant (p < 0.05) difference was proved between the concentration of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1, Big Endothelin-1 in the plasma of arterial and venous blood of patients with AVM. This fact proves that the processes of pathological angiogenesis occur precisely in the structure of AVM. The value of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1 and BE-1 in patients with small and medium AVM was higher than in healthy individuals. The VEGF-A level was significantly (p < 0.05) in 2.4 times higher than in the control group, the VEGFR-1 level ‒ in 1.4 times, and the ET-1 level ‒ in 1.5 times. The value of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1 and BE-1 level in patients with large and giant AVM was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in healthy individuals: VEGF-A ‒ in 7.2 times, VEGFR-1 ‒ in 2.36 times, and BE-1 ‒ in 1.7 times. Conclusions. The data obtained make it possible to statistically reliably state that the processes of pathological angiogenesis occur directly in the structure of AVM. A statistically significant dependence of the level of VEGF-A, VEGFR-1 and BE-1 in the blood plasma of patients on the size of the AVM and the stage of its compensation was revealed.


Tegining ganang (Cassia planisiliqua) is an indigenous plant of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara which has potentials to treat various diseases. Previous research showed that the plant has analgesic activity, but the results were still less satisfactory due to the low analgesic effectiveness (<50 %). This study aimed to examine the analgesic potential of tegining ganang leaf extract through chemical induction and hot plate induction methods. In vivo testing was conducted on male mice using those two methods to evaluate plant effectiveness as both a central and peripheral analgesic. Tegining ganang leaves collected from the village of Peresak, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara Province, were extracted in ethanol 70%. The treatments were extract dosages, viz. 200, 400, 800 mg.kg-1 body weight (BW) of mice. The positive control treatments for the chemical induction and hot plate induction methods were Acetosal and Tramadol, respectively. Meanwhile, the negative control treatment was Na CMC at 0.5%. The analgesic effectiveness of the extract in both chemical and hot plate induction methods was 50 %. The  optimum  effectiveness  for  chemical induction was at 800 mg.kg-1 body weight, whereas for hot plate induction was at 200 mg.kg-1 body weight. The results indicated that the ethanol extract of tegining ganang leaves was potential to be developed as an analgesic material.


Abstract Fracture systems are important pathways for fluid and solute transport and exert a critical influence on the hydraulic properties of aquifers and reservoirs. Therefore, detailed knowledge of fracture locations, connections, and evolution is crucial for both groundwater and energy applications (e.g., enhanced geothermal, oil and gas recovery, carbon sequestration, and wastewater injection). The innovative combination of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) and ambient seismic noise techniques has the potential to detect and characterize fracture systems at high-spatial and temporal resolution without an active source. To test this, we conducted a multiphysics field experiment at Blue Canyon Dome, New Mexico. A novel energetic material developed by Sandia National Laboratories was used to generate fractures in two separate stimulations. Ambient noise was recorded before and after each stimulation using fiber-optic cables installed in the outer annulus of four boreholes surrounding the stimulation hol...