Features of the application of a novel optical filter with angular selectivity of the light transmission to architectural glazing are considered. The filter consists of a sheet transparent substrate with thin-film grating layers on both surfaces. The gratings formed by directionally transmissive strips, alternating with absorptive, reflective, or scattering strips. Their relative position on the input and output surfaces provides angular selectivity of the directional light transmission – as the incidence angle changes, the proportion of radiation that passes through both gratings of the filter also changes. Chromogenic materials currently used in the laminated smart windows, providing control over the intensity and spectrum of the transmitted solar radiation, cannot achieve the selective regulation on the ranges of incidence angles. Such a regulation requires the use of additional daylight-redirecting devices, especially blinds, to dynamically adapt to the position of the sun. The grating optical filter provides angular selectivity of the light transmission of a window without such devices. The features of using this filter in the single and double glazed windows are described. A graphic analytical calculation method is proposed for estimating the effect of geometrical and optical parameters of the filter on the angular characteristics of the light transmission. An algorithm to optimize filtering solar radiation taking into account the geographical coordinates of terrain, time of day and year and the orientation of the window to the cardinal is set. An algorithm to calculating geometrical parameters of the filter with pre-specified characteristics of the light transmission is obtained.


e12503 Background: Up to 50% of breast cancer survivors are unable to complete the recommended 5-year course of adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET), usually due to side effects. Patients who develop side effects may change to a different medication ('switch') or may treat side effects with additional medications or non-pharmacologic strategies. While there are numerous evidence-based treatments available for side effects of AET, the benefit of switching AET is less well known. We have previously reported on the association between switching and early discontinuation of AET. Here, we provide further insight into the use of switching vs side effect management at our cancer center. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed between 2011-2014 with early stage, ER+/HER2- breast cancer. Clinical data extracted by chart review included side effects and treatment history. Patients were grouped based on whether they received a switch vs side effect management and compared for variables of interest using Chi-squared tests and confidence intervals. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess long-term adherence, adjusting for side effect type and severity. Results: A total of 228 patients with early-stage ER+/HER2- breast cancer were evaluated. Among them, 162 patients (71.0%) received treatment for side effects. A medication switch was offered in 98/162 (60.5%) cases, with side effect management (SEM) alone offered in the remaining (39.5%). Patients who switched were more likely to have reported severe side effects compared to patients who received SEM alone (OR 4.56, 95% CI (2.1, 9.8), p < 0.001). Hot flashes were more frequent in patients who received SEM compared with those switching (89% vs 59%, respectively, p < 0.001), while arthralgias were more frequent in the patients who were offered a switch (70% vs 47%, p = 0.002). 'Other' side effects were also more frequent in patients who switched (58% vs 30%, p < 0.001). Among patients who discontinued therapy early, the majority did so within the first 12 months (18/43, 42%). The long-term adherence rate was 73% overall, and it was significantly lower in the subset of patients who received a switch compared to those who received SEM – 62% vs 91% respectively, p < 0.001. Significance was maintained after adjusting for side effect type and severity with multiple logistic regression, p = 0.013. Conclusions: Despite limited evidence, rates of switching are high in clinical practice. Switching is more common in patients with severe symptoms, and those who report arthralgias and uncommon side effects. Switching was associated with poor long-term adherence. Due to the potential for selection bias, conclusions are limited as to whether switching itself is ineffective. A prospective randomized trial is under development at our cancer center to address this question.


A solution is obtained for the temperature, density, total number, and energy of the particles trapped between magnetic mirrors which, at zero time, acquire a uniform velocity of convergence. It is assumed that collisions between particles may be neglected and that the collisions with the mirrors are adequately described by the guiding center theory. It is found that, for a given mirror strength and rate of convergence, there are mirror spacings at which the energy reaches a maximum and the temperature and density reach limiting values. Furthermore, there are optimum rates of convergence at which these maximum and limiting values are a maximum. During the early stages of compression at high rates of convergence, the temperature rises at a far greater rate than the square of the density.


The evolution of spatial pattern formation, which arises in the biophysical system of reaction-diffusion type in external noise, is researched analytically. The behavior of the probability density of the order parameter, its mean and the most probable values, susceptibility and second-order cumulant as a function of external noise intensity are studied in the statistically steady state. The boundary of transition "order-disorder" is defined. It is shown that there is a sequence of noise-induced ordering and disordering transitions in this system.


The purpose of the present study, conducted in camping areas in Pinlin Village, is to examine their holiday visitors' traits, outdoor recreation attractiveness, service quality and loyalty. The subjects are 500 visitors, who headed for nine different camping areas located in Pinlin Village, Taipei County, in August 2008, for outdoor recreation activities and stayed overnight there. The researcher investigated through "The Questionnaire on "PInlin Village Camping Area's Outdoor Recreation Attractiveness, Service Quality, and Loyalty." The data obtained was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA analysis, and Pearson Correlation.The results find 1. visitors' background traits mainly are having two-day camping, by car, middle-aged, with family or friends, having income from 20,000 to 60,000, living nearby or in Northern Taiwan, and their major outdoor recreation activities are to camp, play with water, barbecue, ride bicycle, catch fish and shrimp, and fish. 2. different Frequency, Sex, Age, Education Level and Inhabitation Area have significant difference on outdoor recreation attractiveness; different Frequency, Age, Education Level differ greatly on service quality as well; different Frequency has significant difference on loyalty. 3. the three factors, outdoor recreation attractiveness, service quality, and loyalty, are medium positively correlated. Finally, suggestions provided according to the conclusion are 1. to cultivate secondary outdoor recreation activity instructors to prolong visitors' retention time 2. to set up multiple marketing strategies to increase camping areas' exposure rate. 3. to develop meals with local characteristics. 4. to build camping areas with local environmental characteristics. 5. to improve the quality of public facilities. 6. to raise the safety in outdoor recreation equipment and facilities. 7. to ensure target marketing position and segmentation To set up reasonable charging price so that related authorities and following researchers could use it for reference.


The authors describe their experience with treating 109 patients with intermittent claudication (78) and critical ischemia (46) by the use of subintimal recanalizations of above-knee femoropopliteal occlusions. Data was entered into a computerized registry and all cases were reviewed. Comorbidities, indication, runoff, and occlusion length was compared with patency by statistical analysis. The authors report technical success rate of 90% but a low assisted patency rate of 37% by 12 months of follow-up. They conclude that subintimal angioplasty is an alternative to open surgery for patients with femoro-popliteal occlusions and intermittent claudication but is contraindicated in the treatment of critical ischemia except in cases where the patient is not able to have surgical treatment.


An 80-year-old female, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade two patient with history of controlled hypertension on ACE inhibitors was taken up for a B/L TKR (bilateral total knee replacement) under combined spinal epidural analgesia. The patient was haemodynamically stable when the surgeon chose to inject a cocktail of 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacane, 150 mcg of clonidine, 4.5 mg of morphine, 1000 mcg of adrenaline, 1.5 gm of Cefuroxime-sodium and 30 mg Ketorolac.


The software product manager can uses "Work Item Tracking" to tracing all jobs' rate of progress. Some time the team needs to create new work item to tracing specifically job, so people can create new work item template or modify the existing one to achieve the goal.


Electro-optical control of the terahertz phase in continuous-wave photomixing terahertz systems allows the determination of both terahertz amplitude and phase with a single sampling point per frequency. It is experimentally demonstrated that spectroscopic measurements can be performed by an order of magnitude faster with the single sampling point method without performance degradation compared to the standard delay line technique.


1,3,4-Oxadiazolines I, in which substituent groups R1 through R4 may be varied through appropriate choice of precursor reactants, can be prepared in good yields and purity by convenient cyclizations of acyl-hydrazones with anhydrides. The reactions can be effectively monitored by salient changes in the infrared spectra. The oxadiazolines are stable materials and thus serve as suitable derivatives for the chemical characterization of such tuberculostatic Schiff bases as IIa-c.


Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS; ''Ondine Curse'', MIM 209880) is a rare syndrome of dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system characterized by failure of the breathing control. The current understanding is that chemoreceptor signals are not properly generated or transmitted to the respiratory centers. Neonatal presentations with respiratory failure are most common. CCHS is regarded as a neurocristopathy, resulting from abnormal development of the neural crest. In CCHS, abnormal migration of neurons into the gastrointestinal system [Haddad et al., 1978] resulting in segmental aganglionosis of the colon (Hirschsprung's disease) may be found. In-frame expansions of a polyalanine-repeat within exon 3 of the PHOX2B gene encoding a homeodomain transcription factor (5–13 alanine codons in addition to the normal repeat of 20 alanines) are responsible for the vast majority of cases [Amiel et al., 2003; Weese-Mayer et al., 2003]. To date, only few CCHS patients affected by PHOX2B mutations other than these in-frame expansions have been identified. Interestingly, all in whom a null allele was suspected showed aganglionosis of a colonic segment [Amiel et al., 2003; Sasaki et al., 2003; Weese-Mayer et al., 2003; Matera et al., 2004]. Here we report a new case of CCHS with total aganglionosis of the entire small and large intestine and its genetic basis. In a male newborn of non-consanguinous caucasian parents with insufficient spontaneous respiration requiring mechanical ventilation immediately after birth CCHS was diagnosed based on an inadequate ventilatory response to hypercarbia. Other symptoms included unreactive pupils, sudden blood pressure changes, sudden paleness, and seizures. Investigations for lung, cardiac, metabolic, or neuromuscular diseases were normal. Oral feeds were not tolerated. Multiple step biopsies of the gastrointestinal tract (11 transmural biospies from stomach to rectum) showed complete aganglionosis of the submucosa and intramural plexus in all except the gastric sample. Ectopic acetylcholine esterase positive nerve fibers in the lamina propria, typical of classical Hirschsprung disease, were not found. A lower ileostomy enabled partial enteral nutrition, however, dilatation of the entire intestine was observed over time. Home ventilation for 24 hr daily and home parenteral nutrition were initiated. At 15 months of age the patient died from sepsis. We amplified and sequenced the complete coding region from genomic DNA of the index patient as described [Weese-Mayer et al., 2003]. The patient's parents were analyzed for the polyalanine repeat only. In the index patient an additional allele lacking 17 bp compared to the normal allele was identified. DNA sequencing demonstrated a heterozygous 17 bp deletion within exon 3 from bp 722–738 of the coding region (Fig. 1). As a consequence of this frameshift mutation a polyalanine repeat is not formed from the affected allele. The patient's parents both had normal alleles. Heterozygous PHOX2B in-frame expansions are the predominant cause of CCHS. Weese-Mayer et al. [2003] found a genotype–phenotype correlation in the sense that the longer the expansion the more severe the phenotype. This may imply residual function of the affected expanded alleles. Functional analyses of PHOX2B proteins mutated in CCHS, however, are


Objectives of this paper are to investigate the effects of dimensionless
 numbers on the thermal performance, and to establish correlations to predict
 the thermal performance of the vertical and a horizontal closed-loop
 pulsating heat pipe. The heat pipes were made of long copper capillary tubes
 with 26 meandering turns and both the ends were connected together to form a
 loop. R123, R141b, acetone, ethanol, and water were chosen as variable
 working fluids with a constant filling ratio of 50% by total volume. The
 inlet temperature of the heating medium and the adiabatic section temperature
 were constantly controlled and maintained at 80°C and 50°C, respectively. The
 thermal performance was represented in terms of the Kutateladze number. It
 can be concluded that when the Prandtl number of the liquid working fluid, as
 well as the Karman number, increases, the thermal performance increases. On
 the other hand, when the Bond number, the Jacob number, and the Aspect ratio
 increase, the thermal performance decreases. These effects of the
 dimensionless numbers on the thermal performance are valid for both the heat
 pipes, except in the case of Bond number which has no effect on the thermal
 performance as far as the horizontal heat pipe is concerned. Moreover,
 correlations to predict thermal performance have been successfully
 established.


The invention provides a method and device for detecting hills in a metal layer, belongs to the technical field of detection of hills, and can solve the problems that an existing method for detecting hills in a metal layer is complicated, is low in efficiency and is difficultly used for actual production. The method for detecting hills in the metal layer comprises the following steps: acquiring an optical image of the metal layer; adjusting contrast and brightness of the optical image; converting the adjusted optical image into a black-and-white image; and analyzing the black-and-white image, and taking black pixels in the black-and-white image as points corresponding to the hills.


In gyroscopic devices that use contactless suspensions of the superconductor in a magnetic field, the interactions of the London moment with the suspending field leads to appearance of a torque that degrades the device operation. (AIP)


Artemisia halodendron, peanuts and soybeans as the main raw material, through orthogonal experiment to determine the best formula, trial compound plant protein beverage. The Artemisia halodendron compound protein beverage showed opacification, light green, delicate taste, tiny sweet. The protein content was ≥ 9 g·L-1. The detection of food additives, physical and chemical indicators were in line with food hygiene standards.


Background: Hepatitis C virus is main cause of persistent liver disease and developments toward liver cirrhosis, later a main cause of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Round about 4% of the people is diseased by this virus around the word. Method: The data was collected from the period for December 2017 to October 2019. Over all 32,012 blood donors blood samples were screened with the help of ELISA kit (ARCHITECT i1000SR automated immunoassay analyzer chemiluminescent micro particle immunoassay). Result: The frequency rate of HCV infection among blood donor using CMIA method at Mardan medical complex. From the total 32012 patients just 4587 cases were positive. The number of total male individual is 27079 and from total male individual just 4018 were positive which show (14.84%) ratio while the number of female individuals is 4933 and among total female case just 569 individual show positive result with percentage ratio is 11.53% which is quite less positive ratio than male positivity ratio.Conclusions: we concluded that due to the blood transfusion and unawareness about HCV infection is the major cause of High prevalence of HCV. Another major cause is drinking and eating of unhygienic water and food also cause HCV.


Simple Summary The tyrosine kinase receptor Axl is an oncogene that promotes cancer development by increasing proliferation, survival, invasion, and migration in cancer cells. Axl also contributes to the development of resistance to chemo-, radio-, immune- and targeted therapy in many cancer types. It is a promising therapeutic target, and several inhibitors directed to Axl are currently in clinical trials. The understanding of Axl's role in the development of resistance can lead to improved and new cancer therapeutic strategies. Abstract Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents by cancer cells has remained a major obstacle in the successful treatment of various cancers. Numerous factors such as DNA damage repair, cell death inhibition, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and evasion of apoptosis have all been implicated in the promotion of chemoresistance. The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl, a member of the TAM family (which includes TYRO3 and MER), plays an important role in the regulation of cellular processes such as proliferation, motility, survival, and immunologic response. The overexpression of Axl is reported in several solid and hematological malignancies, including non-small cell lung, prostate, breast, liver and gastric cancers, and acute myeloid leukaemia. The overexpression of Axl is associated with poor prognosis and the development of resistance to therapy. Reports show that Axl overexpression confers drug resistance in lung cancer and advances the emergence of tolerant cells. Axl is, therefore, an important candidate as a prognostic biomarker and target for anticancer therapies. In this review, we discuss the consequence of Axl upregulation in cancers, provide evidence for its role in cancer progression and the development of drug resistance. We will also discuss the therapeutic potential of Axl in the treatment of cancer.


The project of recover waste heat from circulating water in coal- fired power plant is rising recently,the measurements of energy- saving benefit were analyzed in two cases including of the heating demand more than the existing heat source and less than the existing source,for the first case,the theory of two methods including of the commonly used algorithms and the system energy algorithm were analyzed;then one waste heat utilization project of a 300MW unit as an example,the coal consumption of power supply was reduced about 20g/kWh,these conclusion provide firsthand information for the energy saving renovation project in thermal plant.


This memo proposes a mechanism which allows to carry multiple IP
addresses, of different address families (e.g., IPv4, IPv6), in the
same SDP offer/answer. The proposed attribute solves the backward
compatibility problem which plagued ANAT, due to its syntax.


Purpose
Design, fabricate and evaluate all-solid-state wearable sensor systems that can monitor ion concentrations in human sweat to provide real time health analysis and disease diagnosis capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach
A human health monitoring system includes disposable customized flexible electrode array and a compact signal transmission-processing electronic unit.

Findings
Patterned rGO (reduced-graphene oxide) layers can replace traditional metal electrodes for the fabrication of free-standing all solid film sensors to provide improved flexibility, sensitivity, selectivity, and stability in ion concentration monitoring. Electrochemical measurements show the open circuit potential of current selective electrodes exhibit near Nernst responses versus Na+ and K+ ion concentration in sweat. These signals show great stability during a typical measurement period of 3 weeks. Sensor performances evaluated through real time measurements on human subjects show strong correlations between subject activity and sweating levels, confirming high degree of robustness, sensitivity, reliability and practicality of current sensor systems.

Originality/value
In improving flexibility, stability and interfacial coherency of chemical sensor arrays, rGO films have been the developed as a high-performance alternative to conventional electrode with significant cost and processing complexity reduction. rGO supported solid state electrode arrays have been found to have linear potential response versus ion concentration, suitable for electrochemical sensing applications. Current sweat sensor system has a high degree of integration, including electrode arrays, signal processing circuits, and data visualization interfaces.


To prevent the flame spread in FRP vessel in fire, the engine-room of the vessel should be constructed additionally with laminated fire-retardant resin over 3 times or equivalent insulation materials to former according to the relevant standard for FRP vessel structure. It is surveyed that insulation materials called 'Gel coat' are widely used in FRP fishing vessel, however, test method and its criteria for Gel coat are not clearly establish and have not been evaluated yet, while test method and criteria for fire-retardant resin and fire-retardant polyurethane composite are described in test standard for type-approval. In this study, 3 fire-retardant resins, 4 gel coats, 1 flame-retardant paint and 1 polyurethane composite were selected based on the survey and were evaluated according to both IMO FTP Code part 5 and flame-retardant test. When comparing based on CFE values from flame-spread test, average value for 4 gel coats were lower than that of 3 fire-retardant resins. As for flame-retardant test, there were no significant differences between fire-retardant resin and gel coat, based on charred area.


PURPOSE: To extremely effectively obtain the subject composition, having a high dispersibility of rubber-like particles and excellent in various characteristics such as adhesion by coagulating and pulverizing a rubber-like polymer latex and uniformly dispersing the resultant powder in an epoxy group-containing compound. CONSTITUTION: The objective composition is obtained by blending and uniformly dispersing (A) rubber-like polymer powder prepared by coagulating and pulverizing a rubber-like polymer latex and having ≤0.5mm particle diameter in (B) a compound having epoxy group. Specifically, the composition is preferably obtained by coagulating the rubber-like polymer latex according to a method for adding a coagulant such as calcium chloride, etc., then subjecting the coagulated substance to dehydrating and/or drying treatment until the moisture content becomes <15wt.%, subsequently pulverizing the resultant substance to ≤0.5mm particle diameter to obtain the component (A) and mixing and dispersing the component (A) with in the component (B) with a shearing stirring mixer, etc. Furthermore, e.g. a polymer composed of methacrylic acid, divinylbenzene and butadiene is cited as the rubber-like polymer. COPYRIGHT: (C)1993,JPO&Japio


Drug milling The API was first milled by passing through a rotor sieve (Glatt GSF 180, screen 1 mm round hole). Afterwards, the pre-milled API was passed through a 200 μm sieve to ensure the absence of particles > 200 μm. The milled API was used for the CPS® direct pelletization process. Direct pelletization In comparison to previous studies [2, 3] the entire manufacturing (blending of API / excipient, pelletization and drying) was performed using the Glatt GPCG 2 fluid bed unit equipped with a CPS 3 insert. The process parameters are reflected in Table 2. The spraying rate was adapted during process development.


A pot culture experiment was conducted to study the effect of saline and saline-sodic soils on Rhizobium population and its influence on growth and yield of soybean during Kharif-2008, in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. The maximum rhizobial population and root nodulation was observed in normal soil with low pH and lower salt concentration. The pH of this soil was observed to be favourable for the microbial growth. The soil rhizobial population was lower in saline soil than the normal soil due to increased pH and high salt concentration. A significant increase in yield was also observed by Bradyrhizobium seed inoculation in saline-sodic soils over the uninoculated treatment.


Abstract In this research we surveyed level of textual recognition and of practice by nursing students regarding patient privacy protection. The subjects were 383 nursing students. The questionnaire developed by Lee and Park (2005) were modified and used. Data analysis was conducted through descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients. The result shows that about 96.1% of the subjects received education on patient privacy protection in school or hospital but 48.0% of all received education of 10 minutes or less. Average score for recognition of patient privacy protection was a 4.13 but average practice score was 3.84. Among all areas, communication tasks showed the highest scores for both recognition and practice. There are differences according to grade in school and age of the subject, and experience with clinical practice, existence of regular educational program embedded in clinical practice at hospitals, and the length of each educational session. For both total score and score for every domain, there was a correlation between recognition and practice. The conclusions drawn from this research will help colleges of nursing and hospitals to design and develop contents of educational programs for nursing students.


Due to the deep integration of information technology and operational technology, networked control systems are experiencing an increasing risk of international cyber attacks. In practice, industrial cyber security is a significant topic because current networked control systems are supporting various critical infrastructures to offer vital utility services. By comparing with traditional IT systems, this paper first analyzes the uncontrollable cyber threats and classified attack characteristics, and elaborates the intrinsic vulnerabilities in current networked control systems and novel security challenges in future Industrial Internet. After that, in order to overcome partial vulnerabilities, this paper presents a few representative security mechanisms which have been successfully applied in today's industrial control systems, and these mechanisms originally improve traditional IT defense technologies from the perspective of industrial availability. Finally, several popular security viewpoints, adequately covering the needs of industrial network structures and service characteristics, are proposed to combine with burgeoning industrial information technologies. We target to provide some helpful security guidelines for both academia and industry, and hope that our insights can further promote in-depth development of industrial cyber security.


Risks in agriculture are pervasive so are the adjustment landscapes ranging from research and scientists-driven to heuristic and community driven. Often local knowledge and innovations play a pivotal role in risk adjustment with low external inputs. However, many a times such local and grassroots knowledge and innovations remain confined to a narrow scale in want of any effective mechanism of its dissemination and upscaling. The present study investigated how social learning approach helped the cotton farmers to save the crop from the menace of white fly (Bemisia tabaci) by using the principle knowledge of pest management and a local knowledge which refers to application of Dr Dalal solution and use of natural predators. The cotton farmers of Haryana understood the life cycle, economic threshold level, and predators of white fly besides the preparation and use of local knowledge by participating in Farmer Field Schools (Keet Pathsala) organized by the community. Since the local knowledge had its roots in Jind district and later spreading to Hisar and other districts, a total of 120 cotton farmers were selected randomly from these 2 districts of Haryana. Out of them, 90 farmers were they who had attended Farmer Field Schools (FFS) on white fly management and 30 farmers were they who had not attended any FFS. Criteria based ranking revealed that the FFS farmers and non-FFS farmers differed significantly with respect to their ranking of local knowledge and strategy on criteria like technological efficacy, eco-friendliness, ease of use, labourintensiveness, and cost-effectiveness. The farmers of FFSs were significantly different (p<0.01) from non-FFS farmers with respect to knowledge about effective management of white fly, having favourable attitude towards social learning approach, and extent of engagement in social learning activities. They also differed significantly (p<0.01) with respect to their social learning behavior index. Social learning was found to be effective in dissemination of local knowledge and therefore, the study endorses the integration of social learning process in up scaling and out scaling of local knowledge.


An analysis of time use data by ERS researchers reveals that Americans age 15 and older, on average, spent 18 percent more time preparing food in 2014-17 than in 2004-07, and the gender disparity in preparing food and cleaning up afterwards lessened somewhat. The share of Americans who purchased non-grocery store food, such as from restaurants or school cafeterias, on an average day grew from 11.3 to 13.5 percent.


This study examines the relationship between the education system and international development cooperation in the Thai-Myanmar border region. The uniqueness of the border region stems from the presence of refugees and migrants from Myanmar living near the border within Thai territory, whom the political and social unrest in Myanmar has displaced. Of particular interest is the use of education to cultivate and preserve their ethnicity by the Karen people, who constitute the largest group in the border region. To better understand this, the paper analyzed the overall educational history and process of the Karen people. The research conducted case studies in three representative migrant schools in Mae Sot province, offering a comprehensive curriculum from kindergarten to college preparatory courses. Data from questionnaires and in-depth interviews collected during the fieldwork revealed that migrant schools adopt somewhat different curricula based on their geographical and environmental specificities, which significantly impact their students' academic and career development. The curriculum in these schools is a mix of Karen nationalist perspectives and external (international) influences. In addition, programs to pursue academic continuity, such as taking the GED in Thailand and Myanmar and the GED in the United States, are relatively well organized. However, due to their precarious status as migrants and the lack of career and vocational programs, there are many challenges for migrant youth to find professional jobs and develop career plans accordingly. The paper proposes that International Development Cooperation projects regarding education on the border should consider supporting students in designing their career paths, developing their skills, and promoting their social participation after graduation. In addition, when designing international development cooperation projects related to education, we should not limit their social participation and entry into the workforce to employment. However, we should consider developing curricula that reflect the two countries' contrasting education systems and regional specificities through coordination between various stakeholders.


Abstract We studied the sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus in the Colombian Caribbean by combining data from our offshore surveys of behaviour, encounter rate, group structure and density with data from the literature. We describe for the first time the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, using sighting and acoustic data obtained during our surveys, published information, and opportunistic encounters during 1988–2020. We conducted surveys on seismic vessels over 703 days during 2011–2016, covering an area of 68,904 km2. We recorded 98 individuals in a total of 50 groups, a density of 1.42 individuals per 1,000 km2. To determine the potential distribution of the species, we built Maxent models with uncorrelated environmental variables at five depths (from the surface to c. 2,000 m). The model for 1,000 m depth had the best performance, with areas of high probability of occurrence of sperm whales in the south and north-east Colombian Caribbean over the shelf break to waters up to c. 3,000 m deep, at a median distance of 107 km from the coast, and near the Archipelago of San Andrés, Old Providence and Saint Catherine in the north-west. This area may be an important tropical habitat for sperm whales, in which they socialize, rest, breed and feed. Our study underlines the importance of monitoring marine mammals offshore and describes the potential distribution of sperm whales in the Colombian Caribbean, supporting conservation actions for this Vulnerable species, which is currently facing several threats in this region.


This application discloses synchronizing signal and PSBCH sending methods in being communicated present applicant proposes a kind of V2X, including:VUE is determined according to it with reference to synchronisation source Value; Represent bypass Synchronization Source;VUE according to Value determine the DMRS of SLSS and/or PSBCH different from D2D systems;Wherein, SLSS includes:PSSS and SSSS, PSBCH DMRS are determined by PSBCH DMRS sequences and PSBCH DMRS orthogonal mask;VUE sends SLSS and PSBCH.Disclosed herein as well is the device of synchronizing signal and PSBCH sending methods in a kind of V2X communications.The DMRS position measurement S RSRP for guiding D2D terminals in the VUE PSBCH sent can be avoided using the application, or, avoid D2D terminals from being met the S RSRP values of synchronisation source reselection conditions in the VUE PSBCH sent DMRS position measurements, simple and effective can avoid influences of the VUE to D2D terminal synchronization process.


This article investigated the "National Information City for Public Service" policy as the representative policy of China's digital transformation of urban governance to empirically analyze its impact on urban environmental pollution using the DID method. The results indicated that: ① The "National Information City for Public Service" policy has significantly reduced the level of urban environmental pollution by 1.65–2.11% on average. After conducting the robustness test of the PSM-DID method and excluding the effect of exogenous interference of the smart city pilot policy in China, the evaluation showed no significant difference from the conclusion above. ② The mechanism test results showed that the "National Information City for Public Service" policy could reduce urban environmental pollution through the technological innovation effect, industrial structure upgrading effect, resource allocation optimization effect, and urban informatization level improvement effect. ③ The heterogeneity analysis of the city scale presented a positive relationship between the city scale and the level of environmental pollution improvement effect under the "National Information City for Public Service" framework. Meanwhile, the heterogeneity analysis of city characteristics showed that cities with better human capital qualities, stronger local government financial strength, and more advanced financial development levels would obtain greater benefit from the environmental improving effect of this policy. Notably, the environmental improving effect of digital transformation of urban governance would be further amplified in cities with the dual superposition of the Innovative City Pilot Policy and the policy of "National Information City for Public Service". This paper contributed significant referential insights into promoting urban digital transformation and improving urban ecological environment.


ABSTRACT Recently released data from the 1998 Survey of Business Finances reveals that commercial banks continue to be the dominant source of loans for both women- and men-owned small firms. Controlling for other variables, women were less likely than men to have applied for a loan within the previous three years. They were no less likely to be approved, however, if they did apply. These findings suggest that previously noted differences between women and men in terms of access to debt capital may have been largely eliminated. These findings do indicate, however, that black- and Hispanic-owned firms were less likely to be approved for their most recent loan application than non-minority firms. INTRODUCTION Women-owned businesses represent an important and growing part of the United States economy. According to the Economic Census there were 5.4 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. in 1997 representing 26.5% of all non-farm businesses. These firms employed 7.1 million people and generated receipts of $818.7 billion (Survey of Women-Owned Business Enterprises, 2001). Most women-owned firms fall into the category of small businesses or businesses having 500 or fewer employees. The 1997 Economic Census notes that 85% are sole proprietorships while only 15.6% have paid employees. Seventy-two percent of women-owned firms operate in either the service or retail trade sector. During the past decade, the small business sector has been particularly dynamic in terms of its contributions to job growth and the development of new products and services. This has been especially true for women-owned firms. The number of women-owned firms increased by 16% from 1992 to 1997 (Survey of Women-Owned Business Enterprises, 2001) compared to 6% for all firms. For the same time period, receipts for women-owned firms increased by 33% compared to 24% for all firms. In spite of these impressive growth statistics, however, prior research suggests that women small business owners face greater hurdles than men small business owners (Hisrich & Brush, 1983; Hisrich, 1989). In particular, it has been noted that women business owners experience greater difficulty in securing capital and dealing with financial institutions. Although commercial banks have traditionally be a major source of financing for most small firms, women are less likely to borrow from a commercial bank than businesses overall (Cole & Wolken, 1995; Women in Business, 1998). Alternatively, they tend to be more reliant than men on informal sources of capital including the firm owner's personal financial resources and financial support from family and friends (Coleman & Carsky, 1996). This article will use recently released data from the 1998 Survey of Small Business Finances to describe the characteristics of small women-owned firms that could affect loan application and approval, to compare them to small men-owned firms, and to discuss the extent to which they use debt as a source of financing. CHARACTERISTICS OF WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS INCLUDED IN THE 1998 SSBF The Survey of Small Business Finances (SSBF), formerly called the National Survey of Small Business Finances (NSSBF), is conducted jointly every five years by the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Small Business Administration. It includes a randomly selected, stratified national sample of firms. The 1998 SSBF is the most recent survey for which data are publicly available and includes data on 3,561 small firms defined as firms having 500 or fewer employees. Of that total, 796 firms are owned by women and 2,765 by men. The SSBF is the largest and most comprehensive data set on small firms in the United States. It includes a wealth of information including demographic information on the surveyed firms, balance sheet and income statement data, and information on the use of financial services and financial service providers. Prior research using earlier versions of the NSSBF has revealed that women-owned firms tend to be smaller and younger than men-owned firms. …


Abstract The effect of an ectoparasitic nematode, Noctuidonema guyanense Remillet & Silvain (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), on adult longevity and egg fertility in Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) was studied in the laboratory. Infestation of S. frugiperda was achieved by crossing field-collected, infested moths with virgin, laboratory-reared moths. In 1989-1990, adult longevity of infested male moths was reduced by about 30%, whereas female longevity was reduced by about 15%. Longevity of female moths also was decreased by the nematode in 1991. Survival of field-collected moths was 63% less in infested moths than in noninfested moths 3 days after their confinement in the laboratory. Fecundity for infested and noninfested moths was similar in 1989-1990. However, in 1990, fertility was depressed in infested female moths by up to 20%. Among insects held under three constant temperature regimes (20, 25, and 30°C) in 1991, egg hatch was affected most at the lowest temperature. This is the first evidence of an ectoparasitic nematode affecting the biology of adult S. frugiperda .


Abstract : This article features an effort to revitalize Gong Luang that functions as a medium in Panca Yadnya ritual ceremonies, as a dance accompaniment, and as a mean to pay of o vow in Kerobokan village of Badung Regency. Base on these functions and the faith of the supporting organization, Gong Luang is still perceived as sacred gamelan. The Gong is occasionally celebrated in the hope maintain the magical values


The content of linguistic component in the education of children with developmental disorder in the aspect of special differential standard in theeducationofchildren with disabilities is discussed. Special attention is paid to the role of work with words in special (correctional) education.


Political and economic transformation and the policies of the often changing governments of the Central and Eastern European countries coupled with the general deception of the reforms have resulted in the erosion of the formerly existing social ties, thus weakening the social capital of these nations. Subjective well-being is at the lowest level in Hungary where a series of measures and phenomena led to the general feeling of being excluded from policy-making is reflected in the hopelessness and depression of the population.
It would be of utmost importance to encourage future generations to become active and take the reins of future in their own hands. This can be done by the general introduction of Education for Sustainability (EfS) the concept of which can reinforce faith and hope in a sustainable future. This paper attempts to demonstrate how Education for Sustainability can positively influence future expectations of tourism and hospitality students.


The sacredness is the object of veneration and awe. Sacredness should not be seen in the narrow context of rituals, beliefs or veneration of places or sites. It should be seen as a strategy of community ecological governance for sustenance of livelihoods and ecosystems. Communities managed their own resources according traditions. As society begin to modernize sacredness as conservation tool is contested because cultural values and traditional belief systems alone are not adequate to secure a future of sacred places and sites.


The computation of eigenvalues and eigenvectors is an important and often time-consuming phase in computer simulations. Recent efforts in the development of eigensolver libraries have given users good algorithms without the need for users to spend much time in programming. Yet, given the variety of numerical algorithms that are available to domain scientists, choosing the ''best'' algorithm suited for a particular application is a daunting task. As simulations become increasingly sophisticated and larger, it becomes infeasible for a user to try out every reasonable algorithm configuration in a timely fashion. Therefore, there is a need for an intelligent engine that can guide the user through the maze of various solvers with various configurations. In this paper, we present a methodology and a software architecture aiming at determining the best solver based on the application type and the matrix properties. We combine a decision tree and an intelligent engine to select a solver and a preconditioner combination for the application submitted by the user. We also discuss how our system interface is implemented with third party numerical libraries. In the case study, we demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of our system with a simplified linear solving system. Our experiments show that our proposed intelligent engine is quite adept in choosing a suitable algorithm for different applications.


This study examines the financial structures and the performances of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as opposed to large enterprises (LEs) on the basis of the BACH database, which is the most advanced publicly available database for comparisons in this field. It covers the period 1990-1996 and concerns 9 countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Japan and the United States. It deals with manufacturing only since this industry provides the best-quality data.


The tuberculosis is a social disease and it is the cause of the greatest amount of deaths in the history of the mankind; that is why the reduction and control of the risk factors should contribute for its eradication. It was performed an observational, analytical non paired study of cases and controls with the pulmonary tuberculosis in Bayamo municipality, between January 1 st of 2007 until December 31 st of the 2012, with the aim to identify the association of some factors in the pulmonary tuberculosis. Among the variables selected there were found possible risk factors like the biological, personal and pathological antecedents, the socioeconomic level and lifestyle. The masculine sex prevailed in the cases (78.7%), in the controls there was a balance for both sexes, 49.2% for the masculine and 50.8% for the feminine; in the risk factors it was emphasized the nutritional state for undernourished or thin persons with a risk value of 11.4 more times to suffer from the disease than the very nourished ones, the diabetic persons had a risk of 5.3, as well as the ones with alcoholism antecedents, with a risk value of 3.2, with significant risk values. It was concluded that the malnutrition, the diabetes and alcoholism increased the possibility to be able to suffer from pulmonary tuberculosis.


BACKGROUND
Exercise is integral to the life of T1DM subjects. Several factors influence the metabolic response to exercise in these patients. Despite physical and psychological benefits of exercise, its hypo- and hyperglycemic effects may cause discouragement from participation in sports and games.

AIM
To use existing evidence from literature to provide practical indications for the management of insulin therapy in subjects with T1DM who practice sports or physical activities.

METHODS
Bibliographic research was performed on PubMed and the main Systematic Review and Guidelines database were also searched.

RESULTS
Existing guidelines are useful but the exact adjustments of insulin dose must be made on an individual basis and these adjustments can be made only by "trial and error" approach.

CONCLUSIONS
These clinical indications may be a starting point from which health care providers can find practical advices for each patient.


ABSTRACT The destruction of Okinawa after the Pacific War led Okinawans to look for new interpretations of their past to overcome the hardships of the present and imagine a new future. Although scholars have recently examined Okinawans' memory politics, they have paid little attention to the history of Okinawans in South America and their memory construction during the American occupation of the Ryukyu Islands between 1945 and 1972. To fill this gap, this article analyzes Okinawans' diasporic memory narratives in Argentina in conjunction with transnational memories circulating between 1945 and 1965. Community leaders in Argentina during this period intended to construct a compelling remembrance narrative that could support their identity claims in the face of an uncertain future for their home islands. While this process was shaped by existing transnational discourses, Okinawan immigrants in Argentina negotiated and accepted only those ideas that fit their local agenda and served as sources of diasporic identity and pride. Even if Okinawan immigrants claimed to be Japanese, these memories need to be analyzed as strategies to rebalance asymmetrical power relationships within Japanese immigrant society.


With the development of present underground constructions such as hydropower projects, traffic engineerings, mining works, energy sources and nuclear waste treatments, the tunnels' surrounding rocks original carrying capacites and their actual permeabilities, etc.under project working states are the indispensable initial values of geological research;and these are also the reference for scientifically optimizing the engineering design.Because conventional measurement techniques and methods such as water pressure test do not adapt to the design requirement of rock masses permeability for complex engineering, it is necessary to carry out innovative and multiform fissure permeability tests.For a specific engineering, only using exact test method, the proper permeability can be mastered;and the accuracy and effectiveness of the engineering design can be ensured.


The Hanford Site Surface Barrier Development Program was organized in 1985 to test the effectiveness of various barrier designs in minimizing the effects of water infiltration; plant, animal and human intrusion; and wind and water erosion on buried wastes, plus preventing or minimizing the emanation of noxious gases. A team of scientists from the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) and engineers from Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) direct the barrier development effort. ICF Kaiser Hanford Company, in conjunction with WHC and PNL, developed design drawings and construction specifications for a 5-acre prototype barrier. The highlight of efforts in FY 1994 was the construction of the prototype barrier. The prototype barrier was constructed on the Hanford Site at the 200 BP-1 Operable Unit of the 200 East Area. Construction was completed in August 1994 and monitoring instruments are being installed so experiments on the prototype barrier can begin in FY 1995. The purpose of the prototype barrier is to provide insights and experience with issues regarding barrier design, construction, and performance that have not been possible with individual tests and experiments conducted to date. Additional knowledge and experience was gained in FY 1994 on erosion control, physical stability, water infiltration control, model testing, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) comparisons, biointrusion control, long-term performance, and technology transfer.


Unlike Munclpal Law, International law operates in a dtfferent social environment. For one thing, it does not have the basis of an all pervading societal consensus. And for another, it lacks a central authority with sanction. In other words, International Law is not above states but between states. Despite this complexity however, international society has always sought to reach the goal of a viable World Order supplemented by a just International Law. The basic idea is to ensure peace and harmony the World over.


The design and realization of the altitude sensor measuring system in pilotless aircraft based on microcontroller C8051F352 are introduced.The hardware,software and the design principle and program flow chart of the temperature compensation algorithmic are discussed particularly.The temperature excursion of sensor is resolved by temperature compensation of the pressure sensor and nonlinear compensation of pressure-altitude,the precision of the system is also advanced.With SPI and UART of the microcontroller,the real time show of the temperature and altitude is implemented as well as communication with the PC.The system has the characters of simple frame,small solidity,high precision,efficiency and stability.


Rest, physiotherapy, simple analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may relieve pain, ease stiffness and reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but they do not arrest progressive joint damage nor are they effective against the systemic manifestations of RA (e.g. vasculitis, lung disease, amyloidosis).


Algal limestones of the Bhatapara area belonging to the Raipur Group of the Chhattisgarh Super Group exhibit algal species such as steeply convex Domed columnar, cylindrically growing vertically twisted and branched type of Kussiela, Stratifera and Oncolites. Oncolities (SS type) occur as oval to rounded concentric structures on the surface of the growing columnar varieties. The observed species suggest shallow marine, tidally dominated environment.


Background:In April 2010, revised Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission guidelines were implemented in South Africa, advising fast-tracked lifelong highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiation at a higher CD4 count (⩽350 cells per microliter). This study describes the impact of these changes on the management of pregnant women who initiated HAART at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town. Methods:We conducted a retrospective review of all women who initiated HAART in pregnancy at the Tygerberg Hospital between January 2008 and December 2010. Year cohorts were compared. Results:Two hundred and fifty HIV-infected women were included in the study and stratified by HAART initiation year: 2008:N = 82, 2009:N = 71, 2010:N = 97. There were no differences between the groups in age or parity. Median booking CD4 count was 155 cells per microliter [interquartile range (IQR) 107–187], 157 cells per microliter (IQR 104–206) and 208 cells per microliter (IQR 138–270), respectively (P < 0.001). Median gestation at HAART initiation was 31 weeks (IQR 27–35), 30 weeks (IQR 26–34), and 25 weeks (IQR 21–31; P < 0.001). HIV transmission rates were 3/65 (4.6%), 4/57 (7.0%), and 0/90 (0.0%; P = 0.021). Women <8 weeks on HAART before delivery were more likely to transmit than women ≥8 weeks [odds ratio 9.69; 95% confidence interval 1.66 to 56.58; P = 0.017]. Ninety-four (37.6%) women were lost to follow-up, 18.4% within 28 days of delivery. Conclusions:The positive impact of the new Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission program is evident. A longer duration of HAART before delivery was associated with less transmission. However, the lost to follow-up rates remain concerning. Further research is needed to better understand the reasons for nonadherence and mechanisms to improve support for these women.


Resumen en: Texture periodicity and texture element (texel) size are important characteristics for texture recognition and discrimination. In this paper, an approach...


Population theory predicts that the reddened environmental noise, especially in combination with high population growth rate, reddens population dynamics, increases population variability and strengthens environment–population correlation. We tested these predictions with axenic populations of ciliated protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila. Populations with low and high growth rate were cultured in a stable environment, and in environments with sublethal temperature fluctuations that had blue, white and red spectra (i.e. negatively autocorrelated, uncorrelated, or positively autocorrelated, respectively). Population size and biomass of individuals were determined at 3-h intervals for 18 days.

Dynamics of all populations were reddened, suggesting that internal mechanisms can redden the population spectra. However, population dynamics were reddest, variability highest, and environment–population correlation strongest in the red environment as predicted. Contrary to theoretical predictions and previous empirical findings, population growth rate (rmax being equal to 0.05 and 0.3 h−1) had no effect on population dynamics.

Mean cell size and variability of cell size were affected by the presence and type of environmental noise suggesting that the physiological consequences of variability depend on colour. Environmental variability decreased mean population size and biomass and the decrease was strongest in rapidly fluctuating blue and white environments. The latter finding implies that rapid fluctuations are physiologically stressful, an effect that is not accounted for in the basic population models.


We demonstrate filtering of an electro-optic modulation frequency comb in a high-Q Fabry-Perot microresonator via different regimes. Using dissipative Kerr solitons the coherence of the electro-optic modulation comb is improved, allowing for more advanced applications. © 2019 The Author(s)


BACKGROUND- As herbal therapies are increasingly being used around the world because they are perceived to be free of side effects, it is important that prescriber should be made aware of their possible harm or herbal drug interaction. The need for the study is to impart knowledge to the dentist bout the usage of herbal products and their safety concern and potential drug interactionMETHOD: This is the cross sectional questionnaire study conducted among dental house surgeons of Belagavi City. To assess the knowledge and attitude of the dental house surgeons towards the use of herbal extracts in dentistry. One hundred and twenty participants were recruited in a convenient sampling cross-sectional survey. A pretested self reported questionnaire was used and results were analyzed. Reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach's alpha which was found to be 0.78. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.RESULTS- From the present study, it was seen that the participants do not have adequate knowledge regarding usage of herbal products in dentistry.CONCLUSION-We concluded that dental house surgeons do not have sufficient knowledge about the usage of herbal products in dentistry. It seems that traditional educational models are not efficient and government with other non-governmental organizations should emphasize to advocate motivational education methods including health belief model and motivational interview at undergraduate levels. Younger students and dentists may have less motivation to change their attitude and behaviour so that we can focus our interventions on these groups.DOI:10.21276/AOHDR.1896


The equilibrium, dynamic surface tensions, and surface dilatational elasticity of aqueous solutions of nonionic fluorocarbon surfactant are reported. The critical micellar concentration, CMC (0.023 mM) and equilibrium surface tension (24.6 m N . m−1) at CMC were measured by Wilhelmy plate method for aqueous solution of C8F17SO2N(C3H7)(C2H4O)nH (n=20), abbreviated as EF122A. The surface tension decay is slower for C8F17SO2N(C3H7)(C2H4O)nH (n=10) system, abbreviated as EF122B compared to the EF122A system over short time region, which indicates the slow transport of the surfactant molecules to the surface. The relaxation time for surface tension decay is estimated by fitting a series of exponentials to the dynamic surface tension data and it decreases with temperature for EF122A. Slow exchange of monomers between bulk and interface is reflected in the high elasticity value of the air‐liquid interface for EF122B compared with EF122A within measured frequency window (0.125–1.25 Hz).


A distribution study of South Indian east coast Ostracoda was made, based on 22 bottom sediment samples collected over a year from the estuaries of Marakkanam and Odinur, Tamil Nadu, east coast of India. A total of 10 species belonging to 10 genera were identified. The fauna shows a close similarity to other ostracoda assemblages of Indo-pacific region. The distribution of ostracoda in the Marakkanam and Odinur estuaries seems to be controlled by salinity.


Today, much of the content that needs to be learned by students is not intrinsically motivated to students. This paper reports a qualitative study on investigating inquiry based learning model in learning computer studies. The research questions are: Do students enjoy inquiry based approach in learning Computer Studies? Q2: Do students benefit from inquiry based approach in learning Computer Studies? Two experienced teachers and 31 primary six students were involved in this study. Seven inquiry based lessons focusing on "Internet Security" were conducted. Students were required to actively seeking the information through the internet. Quantitative data including teacher's teaching logs, reflection and student interviews were collected and analyzed. The results showed that the students enjoyed inquiry based approach in learning Computer Studies and their domain knowledge has also been advanced.


Since 1978, at least, it has been the received wisdom that the Endangered Species Act of 1973' prohibits courts from balancing the value of protected species against the value of the economic activities their protection might displace. In this article, I argue that the orthodoxy makes sense. The Endangered Species Act, as currently administered, cannot tolerate judicial balancing of species harm and economic dislocation while still honoring the purpose of the statute - the preservation and recovery of protected species and the ecosystems on which they depend. The inadvisability of a balancing approach to species preservation under the Act is not the function of a value judgment exalting animals over humans. Rather, it is the direct result of the administrative and judicial application of the Act's listing process. The agencies charged with making the administrative determinations as to what constitutes an endangered species have interpreted the statutory definition to cover only species dramatically reduced in distribution and numbers and, generally, subject to multiple threats. It is a bad idea to balance the value of most endangered species against the economic cost of their protection because their circumstances are so precarious. Once a species is perched on the brink of extinction, compromise becomes unacceptably dangerous; what may look like "reasonable" accommodation may lead to annihilation. If we really intend to protect species from extinction, the allowable minimum level of regulatory prohibition and active management is that level necessary to insure a good chance of species survival in the long term (however defined). Because we only list species in dire need of protection and assistance, this "minimum level of protection" generally requires, at least, the level of regulatory prohibition the Endangered Species Act provides.


Medical imaging in clinical diagnoses and treatment has been increasingly important, and CT scan has been applied more widely. It is important to extract blood vessels structure for improving planning and navigating in interventional procedures. However, the complexity of vascular structures and the limitation of angiography equipment make vessel segmentation from CT images more challenging. A method for extracting abdominal aorta from CT images is proposed based on vessel enhancing diffusion filters and three-dimensional region growing algorithm. In order to certify the proposed method, a group of clinical CT image series is used and the results show that the proposed method is an effective way for improving the accuracy of abdominal aorta segmentation.


If the "camp" is indeed part of the anticolonialist literature of the Algerian War era, referring also to the camps of the World War Two, the distinctive nature of the internment camps was not perceived by the contemporary people. If so, had they been a hardly known reality but also a neglected one compared to the denunciation of torture? Not exactly, according to Nicolas Hubert, according to whom the camps were included, as part of a whole, in the denunciation of the war.


The utility model relates to a switch cabinet valve opening trolley, which comprises a connecting rod mechanism, a joint mechanism, a joint adjusting mechanism and a power assisting mechanism, wherein the connecting rod mechanism comprises a horizontal connecting rod and a longitudinal connecting rod; the joint mechanism comprises joint assemblies arranged at two ends of the horizontal connecting rod, and the joint assembly comprises a side rod and a pair of driving joints; the joint adjusting mechanism comprises a brake cable, a first brake cable fixing portion arranged on the longitudinal connecting rod, a control device, a second brake cable fixing portion arranged on one driving joint, and a brake cable movable portion arranged on the other driving joint, the brake cable is sequentially connected to the second brake cable fixing portion, the brake cable movable portion and the first brake cable fixing portion of one group of the joint assembly, and the brake cable movable portion and the second brake cable fixing portion of the other group of the joint assembly; and the power assisting mechanism comprises an operating rod. The switch cabinet valve opening trolley can assist people to open a valve, ensure the safety of workers and equipment, and can eliminate a fault of mechanical clamping stagnation of the valve. The switch cabinet valve opening trolley is simple in structure and high in practicability.


Objective To explore the risk factors for conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC)to open cholecystectomy(OC),and propose counter-measures to reduce the rate of conversion.Methods In the past 7 years from 12,2001 to 12,2008,a total of 31 cases underwent routine LC covered to OC were reviewed retrospectively.Results There are 9 kinds of reasons resulted in LC converted to OC.①Bleeding in operation.②Incarcerated by cystic duct stones.③Unclear of the Calot's Triangle.④ Cystic duct thickening.⑤Atrophic cholecystitis.⑥Intraperritoneal adhension.⑦Common bile duct stones in operation.⑧Duodenal injury in operation.⑨Acute cholecystitis and gallbladder wall necrosis.Conclusions By the above 9 kinds of reasons,propose the immediate prevention and treatment measures and put forward to reduce the rate of LC to OC.


Software reuse is an effective way to improve software productivity and quality. Software libraries are getting bigger, while most of them, such as those for object-oriented languages, use simple but somewhat ineffective classification methods. These libraries typically provide search aids for novices, but not for experts. They are not flexible enough to adequately serve users with different abilities. In this paper, a Software Reuse Framework (SRF) for overcoming these drawbacks is proposed. Based on a built-in hierarchical thesaurus, the classification process can be made semiautomatic. SRF is a domain-independent framework that can be adapted to various libraries. SRF also provides four search levels to serve users with different skill levels. Two sample SRF systems* are implemented, one for Smalltalk-80 and the other for MFC 4.0 (Microsoft Foundation Class) libraries.  1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Wieland's Platon und die Formen des Wissens is make up of three roughly equivalent chapters: the first is an overview of Plato's written work; the second, a discussion of the Platonic ideas and their function; and the third, a t rea tment of the subject indicated by the title of the book itself, the forms of knowing. In each of these chapters we are t reated to a variety of subjects. In the first chapter , for example , the author offers a commentary on Plato's criticism of writing as a means of conveying unders tanding , as this criticism is found in the Phaedrus and in the Seventh Letter. He then discusses the d i f ferent theories about Plato's written and unwrit ten doctrines. He continues the chapter with a section on the dialogue as a medium for philosophical thought , ano ther on the d i f ferent types of Platonic dialogues, and a final one on the question of Plato's deve lopment and the fictive chronology of the dialogues, as found in the dialogues themselves. The same pat tern is repea ted in the second chapter (the problem of the theory of ideas, the crit ique of the idea theory, ideas without the idea theory, etc.) Presumably all this will be tied together, one guesses, in the final chapter , and one anticipates an intellectual tour de force. My expectations, at least, were not totally unfulfilled. The author makes use of many of the key concepts in t roduced in the earl ier chapters to elucidate his discussion of proposi t ional and nonproposi t ional knowing, of knowing and the knower, of technical and practical knowing, of deviant will and the teleology of behavior, of knowing and opinion, and of the reflexive structure of knowing and behaving. Characteristic of his t rea tment o f subjects is his considerat ion of nonpropositional knowing. While no theory of this form of knowing can be found in Plato's writings, such a theory can be developed from them, i.e., a theory centered on the essential cr i ter ion of nonproposi t ional knowing as the sort that cannot be negated. A student of Plato, a rmed with an under s t and ing of this theory, can better grasp what is said (and what is not said) in the dialogues. A reader is likely to finish the book with the feeling that he has had a fresh look at a large number of knowledge-re la ted concepts ferre ted out of various places in the Platonic dialogues. The look is often fresh, utilizing as it does the language and and concepts of a number of con tempora ry writers, such as Ryle and Polanyi. To find material suppor t ing a point he favors, the author moves back and forth between Parmenides, Meno, Republic, Phaedrus, Charmides, Phaedo, Sophist, etc. In all this the author sees himself as a good "Platonic in terpre ter ." By this expression he under stands someone who formulates statements about Plato's work, and who draws the-


The medioposterior cerebellum [vermian lobules VI and VII and caudal fastigial nucleus (cFN)] is known to play a major role in the control of saccadic gaze shifts toward a visual target. To determine the relative contribution of the cFN efferent pathways to the brainstem reticular formation and to the superior colliculus (SC), we recorded in the head‐unrestrained cat the effects of cFN unilateral inactivation on gaze shifts evoked by electrical microstimulation of the deeper SC layers. Gaze shifts evoked after muscimol injection still exhibited the typical qualitative features of normal saccadic gaze shifts. Nevertheless, consistent modifications in amplitude and latency were observed. For ipsiversive movements (evoked by the SC contralateral to the inactivated cFN), these changes depended on the locus of stimulation on the motor map: for the anterior 2/3 of the SC, amplitude increased and latency tended to decrease; for the posterior 1/3 of the SC, amplitude decreased and latency increased. For the contraversive direction, amplitude moderately decreased and latency tended to increase for all but the caudal‐most stimulated SC site. These modifications of SC‐evoked gaze shifts during cFN inactivation differed from the ipsiversive hypermetria/contraversive hypometria pattern observed for visually triggered gaze shifts recorded during the same recording sessions. We conclude that (i) the topographical organization of gaze shift amplitude in the deeper SC layers is influenced by the cerebellum and is either severely distorted or demonstrates an amplitude reduction during inactivation of the contralateral or ipsilateral cFN, respectively; (ii) gaze shifts evoked by SC microstimulation and visually triggered gaze shifts either rely on distinct cerebellar‐dependent control processes or differ by the location of the caudal‐most active SC population. We present a functional scheme providing several predictions regarding the modulatory influence of the cerebellum on SC neuronal activities and on the topographical organization of fastigial–SC projections.


Plant barcoding uses short DNA sequences to identify unknown samples at species level. This technique relies on the universality of these gene regions and the existence of enough variation among species to allow discrimination. Island radiations pose one challenging scenario where insufficient variation has accumulated in recently diverged groups to allow species identification. In this work we tested whether six gene regions are suitable for barcoding such a radiation in the Macaronesian Lotus. We found high levels of species discrimination in lineages of 3.5 Mya old or older and that the efficiency drastically reduces for younger radiations.


We want to point out, in the current document, one of the less known aspects of Eminescu's thinking, namely his teaching speech' currency and modernism. Without being a real educator, in the rigid meaning of the word, even if nobody can dispute his status of brilliant educator of Romanian people, Eminescu did not hesitate, because of his civic, patriotic and progressive deep spirit, to pronounce himself about the most passionate problems of his age, as the education. He discerned – even if only intuitively - solutions that seem very current even today, after more than a century since his death. The several observations – as many as they are kept -, spread out in the age's press, point out the poet's conception, of a European level, about education. His teaching remarks, derived from a general ability of surprising the essential, allowed him to see education, in fact and in perspective, connected to science and culture, that he considered, generally speaking, in modern pedagogy's spirit, as fundamental agents, competing to form the personality.


The study reports the use of oleylamine (OLM), hexadecylamine (HDA) and octadecylamine capped cadmium sulphide (CdS) quantum dots as photocatalyst for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) and methyl red (MR) illuminated by visible light and their electrochemical properties. The effect of irradiation time and type of nano photocatalysts were investigated on the decomposition efficiency of both cationic (MB) and anionic (MR) dyes. The degradation efficiency and the chemical oxygen demand reduction of methylene blue (MB) and methyl red (MR) are 93% and 83% for OLM-CdS, 75% and 48% for HDA-CdS and 70% and 52% for ODA-CdS respectively. Cyclic Voltagram of the CdS quantum dots were used to study the relationship between the electrochemical band energies and the optical band gaps. Electrochemical band energies were found to be 1.64 V for OLM-CdS 1.92 V for HDA-CdS and 1.90 V for ODA-CdS which are comparable to those obtained from the calculated optical band gaps.


Back ground: Chronic progressive liver diseases cause liver fibrosis which end in result is decompensating liver failure. Liver fibrosis that results from these diseases can be reversed if diagnosed early. The current gold standard in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis is a liver biopsy preferably ultrasound guided, which is an invasive procedure with limitations and risks. Recent research has validated the use of shear wave ultrasound based liver elastography which is a non-invasive imaging based tool that has a sensitivity and specificity that almost parallels histological diagnosis from a liver biopsy. The staging of liver fibrosis at diagnosis uses a Metavir scoring system that has been adapted by elastography AIM: To assess the accuracy of point shear wave elastography with aminotransferase platelet ratio index score in the staging of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at Al Ameer Diagnostic Center of Radiology and Gastroenterology Center in Al Sadder Medical City in Al Najaf. During the period between November 2017 and July 2018, 62 patients each of them was examined by 2D point Shear Wave Elastography which is built in Ultrasound Machine Affinity 70 Philips, France with a multiband frequency convex probe. Liver function test with Liver biopsy was performed under ultrasound guidance from right liver lobe, under local xylocaine 2% injection with using 16 gauge co-axial automatic True cut biopsy needles Results: A total of 62 patients had been included in this study, 38 (61.29 %) were males and 24 (38.71%) were females with mean age 44.61± 14.92 years for all patients. Their Body Mass Index was 26.88 ±5.3 Gray scale ultrasound examination of the liver revealed that, the mean of cranio-caudal diameter of right lobe was 129.01± 11.6 mm. Regarding hepatic parenchyma texture, in 48 patients had normal texture, in 13 patients with coarse texture, heterogeneous texture seen in 1 patient. Fifty-five patients had regular hepatic surfaces and 7 patients with irregular surfaces. Portal vein mean transverse diameter in 58 patients was 12.08 ± 1.83 mm, in remaining 4 patients, the portal veins were occluded by thrombosis. portal vein mean velocity was 22.2 ± 5.2 cm/s. The mean of Liver Stiffness Measurement for the studied population was 12. 5 ± 2.07 (mean± Standard Diffusion). Aminotransferase Platelet Ratio Indexmean score for the studied population was 1. 2 ± 0.8. These patients were sub grouped in five categories according to Liver Stiffness Measurement, 8 patients in grade F0 (< 4.6), 14 patients grade F1 (4.6-5.6), 10 patients were F2 (5.7-7.0), 15 patients were in grade F3 (7.1-12) and 15 patients were in grade F4 (>12). While according to histopathological examination, the studied population were categorized as 14 patients F0, 16 patients were F1, 9 patents F2, 1 1patients F3 and 12 in F4. Regarding the Aminotransferase Platelet Ratio Index score the studied patients were classified as grade 0 (<0.5) 8 patients, grade 1,2&3 (0.5-1-1.5) 42 patients and grade 4 (>1.5) 12 patients. Out of 62 patients enrolled in this study twelve patients were categorized by Aminotransferase Platelet Ratio Index score as F4 with cirrhosis, ten of them were positive in histopathology as F4 and two were negative. while 50 patients were categorized as F0-3 with no cirrhosis, 48 patients were positive in histopathological examination as F0-3, and 2 patients were false negative proved by histopathology as F4 with cirrhosis, so the Aminotransferase Platelet Ratio Index Score Sensitivity was 83.3%, Specificity was 96%, Positive Predictive Value was 93.5, Negative Predictive value was 96% and the Accuracy was 93.5%. Conclusions 1point Shear Wave elastography is a useful tool to screen for liver fibrosis in the general population during a conventional ultrasound examination, especially when laboratory tests and ultrasound examination are negative despite the potential underlying fibrosis. 2Gray scale ultrasonography alone is insufficient imaging modality for full assessment of chronic liver disease 3A simple index like Aminotransferase Platelet Ratio Index, consisting of 2 readily available laboratory results (Aspartame aminotransferase Test level and platelet count), can predict cirrhosis with high degree of accuracy. Besides being non-invasive, it can be determined at the bedside. It can also be of use in areas where facilities for liver biopsy and advanced imaging techniques are not available.


Objective To investigate the clinical value of ultrasound in ectopic pregnancy diagnosis and differential diagnosis.Methods Selected June 2008 to July 2011,86 patients with ectopic pregnancy in our hospital with pathologically confirmed.The location of the ectopic mass,size,shape,internal echo detection and analysis.Results In 86 patients,80 cases were all diagnosis with ultrasound,the diagnosis rate was 93.02%(80/86),6 cases were misdiagnosed,accounting for 6.98%(6/86).In 86 patients,51 cases were not rupture abortion,accounting for 59.30%(51/86),24 cases were abortion,accounting for 27.91%(24/86),11 cases were rupture,accounting for 12.79%(11/86).Conclusion Ultrasound plays an important role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of gynecological ectopic pregnancy.However,in clinical practice,it should be analysis of the specific disease to avoid misdiagnosis of the occurrence of missed diagnosis.


The villagers' rights of economic autonomy is the base of the villagers' rights of autonomy. In the final analysis, the villagers' autonomy depends on the economic systems. So it is very important that the villagers' committees only exercise the public rights of villagers' autonomy and the villages' economic organics, exercise the rights of villages' economy. To reach this purpose, we must reform the villages' ownership of collective property and the village economic organics. The rights of use guarantees the villagers' rights to agricultural resources, the rights of shareholder regulate the relationship of agricultural organics. So the villagers can acquire the independent personality in economy and society.


Since several years fashion and future of scholarly publication are again major topics amongst scientists, publishers and librarians. Quite a few of them are lobbying Open Access Publishing as a loopehole from the current situation backed by the BBB-Deklarationen (Budapest, Bethesda, Berlin). Open Access (OA) stands for public domain access to scholarly papers via internet free of charge for all users. Two ways are suggested to reach that goal. Firstly the Golden Road to OA by publishing papers in Open Access Journals. Secondly the Green Road to OA by self archiving papers in institutional repositories.
The presentation will focus on topics hitherto less disscused in the debate over OA: Impact of OA conferences, role of OA lobbyists, vehemency of the OA debate, the journal crisis, austrian and international highlights on the Golden Road to OA, actual state of BioMed Central memberships in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, commercial publishers' hybrid models of OA, cost estimation for three austrian libraries for implementing commercial OA, Green Road to OA.


The number of clinical trials in Japan is decreasing following the new GCP enforcement. For the promotion of clinical trials, establishment of a clinical trial enforcement system which meets the investigators and the sponsors' expectations, is necessary. We questioned the investigators and sponsors about problems in the clinical trial enforcement system and the function of the clinical research coordinator (CRC) in Nagasaki University Hospital. The results suggested that investigators and sponsors need assistance from CRC for a large portion of their clinical trial practices. It was noteworthy that when a sponsor applies for clinical trials to hospitals or clinics, the most important problem is the complexity of the document related to the clinical trial. The investigators and the sponsors need to be aware that a low number of participants prevents the progress of clinical trials. In addition, it was suggested that an economic incentive given to the investigators for clinical trial promotion is desirable


A mechanistic model of PCB fate, transport, and bioac cumulation in the Upper Hudson River was developed to provide a quantitative tool to assess the effectiveness of natural recovery and active remediation in reducing PCB levels in water, sediment, and biota. The fate and transport modeling, which is the subject of this paper, builds on previous approaches by using a mechanistic sediment-transport model that describes erosion and deposition with sufficient accuracy to remove the requirement to adjust sediment transport as part of the contaminant calibration process. An additional significant aspect of the model is the calibration and validation for both the short time scale of erosion events and the decade-long time scale associated with trends in sediment contamination.The model demonstrates differences between PCB fate in cohesive and noncohesive sediments that are important to efforts to reduce perceived human health and ecological risks. Burial due to the deposition of solids with lower PCB concentra...


McDowall relates how in 2005, contrary to the predictions of many western observers, Ahmadinejad was elected as President of Iran, reflecting popular disillusion with the reformist president, Khatami, and the rise of a new generation of politicians, whose relationships had been forged during the war with Iraq. Ahmadinejad came to power at an opportune moment: he could profile himself as an opponent of America and Israel. Wholesale changes in personnel formed the other mark of his revolution. Four years on, his populist economic policies have not proved effective, which could be significant in terms of the 2009 presidential elections. The crucial question is whether there is a suitable opposition candidate who might run against him. This is the edited text of the lecture which he gave to the Society on Wednesday 7 May 2008.


The novelty of new business domains demands that internal corporate ventures (ICVs) exhibit an ability to learn over the course of the venture's development. Nonetheless, ICV learning proficiency may be differentially related to venture performance as a function how various aspects of business planning for the venture are initially approached and evolve. Results from the current research indicate that ICV learning proficiency is more positively related to venture performance when the ICV's initial value propositions are unclear and when the ICV's goals do not extensively evolve over the course of the venture's development.


New metro cars will be purchased for the underground system in Stockholm to replace the present old cars. The aim is to have new attractive and comfortable metro cars that can attract both the present passengers as well as new passengers. This paper presents the result of a research and development project with the aim to establish design requirements for the purchase of new metro cars that assure good quality throughout the journey for all passengers. The passengers using the present cars at a large metro station were analysed. A wide range of passengers regarding gender, age and physical abilities was found and many carried luggage or goods. Disabled persons constituted a small proportion of the travellers. The functional abilities of the disabled were found to be within the range of abilities of the passenger group as a whole. This implies that new metro cars must comply with the variation, and not an average value of the needs and requirements of the passengers. Thus the adaptation to disabled travellers can be made within a general improvement of quality for all passengers. An experimental study was carried out with a full scale mock-up of a metro car having different seating arrangements and adjustable doorways. A group of 20 disabled persons with mobility and visual impairments tried seats, handles and dimensional changes of the passenger compartment. A large group of 20 persons simulated ordinary travel situations like riding and entering and leaving the car. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 878000.


Diversification of parental base in any hybrid breeding programme is an important step to sustain the crop. For considering above was taken up to explore the possibilities of finding out good restorers and maintainers of sunflower based on sterility and pollen fertility. Thirty two inbreds of sunflower from gene pool (GP lines) and fourteen exotic collection (EC lines) inbreds of economic importance were crossed with six cytoplasmic male sterile lines viz., CMS-17A, CMS-2A, CMS-10A, CMS-234A, CMS-852A and CMS-7-1A in a Line x Tester fashion to study their maintainer or restorer reaction during kharif -2014. The accessions from gene pool, GP 6 -1051 acted as restorers for all six CMS lines. GP 6 -46 and GP 6 -236 were acted as restorers for CMS-10A, CMS-234A, CMS-852A and CMS-7-1A. It was found that GP 6 -54 of the restorer for CMS-10A and CMS-852A and maintainer for other CMS lines. From exotic collection EC-601622, EC-601664, EC-601666, EC-601672, EC-601691, EC-601726, EC-601821, EC-601848 and EC-601711-1 were acted as restorers for all six CMS lines. Majority of the gene pool lines and exotic collection were behaved as maintainer for all the CMS. The range of fertility restoration in different cross combinations was between 93.1 and 97.8 per cent. In the present study maximum frequency of pollen fertility restoration was reported for CMS-7-1A (41.3%) followed by CMS-852 (36.95%), CMS-234A (36.95%) and CMS-10A (34.78%). However, lowest frequency of pollen fertility restoration was observed for CMS-17A (28.26%).From the study it was evident that among the six CMS lines, restorers for CMS-17A are rather scarce. Efforts should be made to locate restorers for CMS-17A for its utilization in breeding of more productive sunflower hybrids.


The present invention discloses a method for driving a liquid crystal display device. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for driving a liquid crystal display device having a touch panel which reduces power consumption of the liquid crystal display device which implements touch sensing driving through separately driving by separately driving one frame into an image display section and a touch sensing section. The method for driving a liquid display device having a touch panel according to a desired embodiment of the present invention includes: a step for deciding a sensing clock start point for each touch sensor formed on the touch panel; and a step for detecting a touch coordinate corresponding to the decided sensing clock start point during discharge of a touch sensing signal by applying the touch sensing signal to the touch sensor. Therefore, the present invention can reduce power consumption compared to the past and minimize overflow failure, not by performing touch detection by generating a sensing clock from a discharge start point of a touch sensing signal, but by performing touch detection by generating a sensing clock from an end point of discharge when a touch is not generated. [Reference numerals] (110) Timing controller; (120) Gate driver; (130) Data driver; (140) Touch sensing driver


China's Reform Experience to Date. By PETER HARROLD. [Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 1992. 40 pp.] The End of Communist Power: Anti-Corruption and Legitimation Crisis. By LESLIE HOLMES. [Cambridge: Polity Press, 1993. 358 pp. Hard cover £45.00, paperback £13.95.] New World Disorder: The Leninist Extinction. By KEN JOWITT. [Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992. 342 pp. $30.00.] The Future of China. By NICHOLAS LARDY, KENNETH LIEBERTHAL and DAVID BACHMAN [Seattle: The National Bureau of Asian Research. NBR Analysis, Vol. 3, No. 2 (August 1992). 35 pp.] The Decline of Communism: Causes, Process, and Prospects. Edited by BIH-JAWLIN. [Taipei: Institute of International Relations, 1991. 281 pp.] Forces for Change in Contemporary China. Edited by BIH-JAW LIN and JAMES T. MYERS. [Taipei: Institute of International Relations, 1992. 387 PP-] China to 2000: Reform's Last Chance? By SIMON LONG. [London: The Economist Intelligence Unit, May 1992. 125 pp. $395.00.] China and the Crisis of Marxism-Leninism. By FRANZ MICHAEL et al. [Boulder: Westview Press, 1990. 214 pp. £24.95.] The Last Leninists: The Uncertain Future of Asia's Communist States. By ROBERT SCALAPINO. [Washington, D.C.: The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1992. 104 pp. $14.95.] Dismantling Communism: Common Causes and Regional Variations. Edited by GILBERT ROZMAN. [Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992. £28.50.] Openness and Foreign Policy Reform in Communist States. By GERALD SEGAL et al. [London: The Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1992. 248 pp. £40.00.]


Introduction:
Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) are the preferred tools of Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT) and Dose Guided Radiotherapy (DGRT) which have been used for Radiotherapy treatment verifications. As a result, the number of publications dealing with these two tools for radiation treatment verification has increased considerably over the past years. This paper aims to compare and contrast the overall differences and similarities of EPID and CBCT tools based on their set-up verification accuracy, dosimetric verification accuracy, calibration and quality control methods, image quality, dose measurement, calculation, and evaluation methods for radiation treatment verifications.

Materials and Methods:
The relevant articles published in English were searched based on the keywords of EPID and CBCT for radiation treatment verifications using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and finally exported to EndNote for screening, downloading, and reference management processes.

Results:
A total of 2512 articles were searched and subsequently screened by removing duplications and reading title and abstract to identify original articles that directly related with radiation treatment verifications using EPID and CBCT for different cases. This yielded 226 relevant articles. After downloaded and read full articles, only compared results between EPID and CBCT treatment verifications were selected. This yielded, a final total of 23 articles to be included for this work.
Conclusion:
EPID and MV-CBCT have almost equal potential to indicate the set-up error but since they used the LINAC's energy, no cross-calibration procedure is needed because the imaging geometry is the same as the treatment geometry though both of them have poor image quality. The image quality of KV-CBCT is superior to both EPID and MV-CBCT and is better to indicate the set-up error. CBCT in conjunction with energy fluence maps from EPID could be used to verify the dose delivered. In this instance, a cross-calibration between the KV CBCT and EPID would be required which would not be necessary with MV CBCT. Though MV CBCT handles inhomogeneity better, soft tissue visualization is superior with KV CBCT. EPID is used to calibrate the LINAC machine. Generally, both EPID and CBCT have their own different advantages and need further study to solve their limitations.


Under the excitation of hydraulic oil, fluid–structure coupling affects a hydraulic hose. We analyzed the vibration characteristics and optimized the parameters of the vibration of a hydraulic hose. SolidWorks was used to model a three-layer steel wire wound around a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hose. A two-way fluid–structure coupling model was built to analyze the influence of different parameters on the displacement by vibration and the fluid vibration speed. A three-factor and three-level Taguchi experiment with displacement was carried out to verify the influence of the parameters. In the analysis of the response surface, fitting regression was conducted using the Box–Behnken method to analyze the vibration displacement. The optimal predicted parameters were a winding angle of 53.8384°, a wall thickness of 7.31313 mm, and a bending radius of 164.343 mm. The error between the predicted and simulated values was ±3.5% for the optimized parameters and the displacement was reduced by 47% for the optimal parameters. The optimal parameters can be used as reference values to improve the working life of vibrating hydraulic hoses in future studies on the vibration characteristics of hydraulic hose systems.