Purpose: Ultrasound guided forceps for pleural biopsy is a technique that can cover the diagnostic yield gap between the needle biopsy of the pleura and thoracoscopy or thoracotomy. This technique enables operator to take biopsy from multiple pleural sites. Study objectives were: (1) to describe the ultrasound guided forceps for pleural biopsy as a technique not in common use in our practice to obtain pleural biopsy. (2) To evaluate the diagnostic yield of this technique in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. Methods: This study included 96 patients admitted to Chest Department - Assiut University Hospital during the period from March 2010 to January 2012. All patients had exudative pleural effusion with the first pleural tapping being undiagnostic. Patients with bleeding tendency or blood coagulation defects were excluded from the study. Each one was submitted for the procedure once. The equipment used were ultrasound apparatus (ALOKA - Prosound - SSD - 3500SV), biopsy for- ceps (KARL - STORZ - Germany 10329L - BS), trocar and cannula of Cope's needle and rubber inlet seal. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia (Xylocaine 2%) and aseptic condi- tion. The patients were premedicated by analgesic (Ketorolac thromethamine 20 mg). Three to five biopsy fragments were obtained from each case and sent in 10% formaldehyde to the pathology laboratory. All patients were submitted for thoracoscopy under local anesthesia and thoracoscopic forceps biopsies of pleura were taken. Results: Compared to thoracoscopy the sensitivity of ultrasound guided forceps pleural biopsy in the diagnosis of malignant and tuberculous lesions was 85% and 88% respectively. The technique was absolutely specific in the diagnosis of malignant and tuberculous lesions.


The paper discusses the environmental planning and monitoring aspects of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Environmental Health Care Program, which encompasses all phases of the SSF assembly and operation from the first element entry at MB-6 through the Permanent Manned Capability and beyond. Environmental planning involves the definition of acceptability limits and monitoring requirements for the radiation dose barothermal parameters and potential contaminants in the SSF air and water and on internal surfaces. Inflight monitoring will be implemented through the Environmental Health System, which consists of five subsystems: Microbiology, Toxicology, Water Quality, Radiation, and Barothermal Physiology. In addition to the environmental data interpretation and analysis conducted after each mission, the new data will be compared to archived data for statistical and long-term trend analysis and determination of risk exposures. Results of these analyses will be used to modify the acceptability limits and monitoring requirements for the future.


Judgment of macroscopic crack initiation points (MCIP) in artificial graphite electrodes in fracture toughness tests was discussed by crack gage, acoustic emission (AE) and electrical potential (EP) methods. It is concluded that the crack gage method was not suitable for identifying MCIP, because MCIP was located beyond the maximum load point (Pm) in most cases. In the EP method, the initial increase of EP could not be regarded as MCIP, because generation of microcracks under low-level loading raised EP. Although another procedure to determine MCIP by the EP method was tried, it is concluded that the EP method is unsuitable. Usually, an abrupt increase in accumulated AE energy was regarded as MCIP in the AE method. Even though many abrupt increases were observed, the judgment of abrupt increase corresponding to MCIP was possible, by introduction of AE energy, which was a value of multiplied amplitude of AE observed by its duration, and a proper threshold value. As a result, it was concluded that the AE method was useful for the judgment of MCIP in artificial graphite electrodes. These loads of MCIP are about 88% of those of Pm's.


The basie characteristic of irony is non - consistency. Kierkegaard's definition of irony is the indefinite negation of emptiness, that is, irony is not only a form of rhetoric, but also a way of cognition, life attitude and a kind of outlook. In their novels, both Lu Xun and Kafka used a lot of irony in the forms of co - existence, repetition and dramatic personification, developed the duality of narrative style: co -existence of tragedy and comedy, repetition of reality and history, mixture of absurd coldness and holy solemnity. The formation of such narrative style stemmed from their experience and consideration of the reality.


ABSTRACT We have obtained an analytical expression for the surface temperature of a sample that is moving at constant velocity when it is illuminated by a modulated and focused laser beam, which remains at rest. From this expression it is found that while the temperature amplitude thermogram shows the expected elongated shape in the direction of the sample movement, the phase thermogram surprisingly shows a cylindrical symmetry about the position of the laser spot. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that such a mismatch between amplitude and phase is found in photothermal experiments. This behaviour is confirmed from lock-in thermography experiments on moving samples. Moreover, the temperature (amplitude and phase) profiles in both directions, parallel and perpendicular to the sample movement, show a linear behaviour from whose slopes the in-plane thermal diffusivity of the moving sample can be obtained.


Aiming at those generally existing problems in urban commercial pedestrian districts, through the design methods of extracting separation of man from vehicle in traditional Qilou pedestrian street space, continuous pedestrian space with shelter, and the behavior paths with combination of commercial activities, this thesis sets about from the behaviors of pedestrians in walking state, and finds that the traditional Qilou pedestrian street space can satisfy pedestrians' physiological and psychological demands in shopping better. At the same time, combining current urban commercial districts developing demands, and the successful experience from traditional Qilou, this thesis also proposes relevant improvement measures. The improvements in design means are expected to improve pedestrian environment for, and achieve the commercial values of these districts, as well as the win-win of environment improvement and commercial activity development.


Compressed air and underground pumped hydro storage are near-term load-leveling and peak-shaving technologies that are being considered by electric utilities. Assessments of the technical and economic feasibility of these storage systems have concluded that no major technical barriers for their implementation exist and that the systems are economically competitive with conventional peaker plants. The paper reviews and compares the characteristics of these two energy storage systems, evaluates their potential impacts, and presents recent research results with particular emphasis on air storage technology. In addition, advanced concepts and technical areas, where further work would be beneficial, are discussed.


Objective To prepare the Huaiyu Tablets and observe its clinical effects on hemorrhoids patients.Methods Huaiyu Tablets were first prepared.500 hemorrhoids patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: treatment group and control group.Treatment group(250 cases) were treated by the Huaiyu Tablets,and control group(250 cases) were treated by the YIQING Capsules.Clinical effects were inspected and the results were dealt with statistical analysis.Results The quality of the tablets reached to the standard of "Chinese Pharmacopoeia".The rate of effectiveness on hemorrhoids patients was 98% in the treatment group and 80% in the control group.The clinical effect difference between the 2 groups was significant(P0.05).Conclusion The formula of Huaiyu Tablets is reasonable and the preparation is simple.It has good effects on curing anorectal internal hemorrhoids,external hemorrhoids,mixed hemorrhoids and bloody stool.And it has no signs of irritation.


The analysis of optical and acoustic properties of optical fibers is required for accurate Brillouin gain spectrum (BGS) determination. We present a full modal-analysis of the guided optical and acoustic modes based on a two-dimensional finite-element method (2D-FEM) for BGS calculation using COMSOL Multiphysics. We believe that this method will be helpful in analyzing and designing special fibers for applications, such as fiber amplifiers with significant SBS (Stimulated Brillouin Scattering) suppression or Brillouin-based fibersensors. The model is adapted for BGS evaluation of any single mode fiber (in term of optical mode) based on its profile, namely its geometry, and its doping composition. Compared to standard multi-layer methods limited to axially-symmetric fibers [1], the 2D-FEM analysis enables the BGS computation even for more complicated geometries, such as PANDA polarization-maintaining fiber where the optical index and the material stress are azimuthally dependant. The results of numerical modeling have shown good agreement with measured Brillouin spectra for different types of silica fibers. Examples are given for a standard GeO2-doped core fiber (standard fiber for telecommunication applications), Fluor-doped cladding fiber (acoustic anti-waveguide) and PANDA fiber.


An economy based on open and loose networks with information and big data platforms designed for sharing and hacking is being thrust upon us. How might this impact the way we govern and how administrative work gets done? When addressing public issues, administrators have always faced complexities of governance, including divergent structures and procedures. These are most apparent when administrators experience slippage among groups and between steps, lack clarity on responsibility, and uncover variations in assumptions about activities and goals. An anxious and confused public sector seeks clarity in the face of incoherent choices often associated with fundamental societal change. This can lead to noncongruent horizons of understanding that are "normal" (i.e., the way the system works), not aberrant (i.e., a scandal). Therefore, shared understanding and clear answers might not exist. Administrators may serve most efficiently by enacting authority that encourages debate, discussion, and deliberation. This paves the way for engaging the public by accepting that possible solutions: (1) exist somewhere in between and are situational; (2) are not "owned" by any one person and/or technology; and (3) require an interpretive dimension for learning and understanding. We argue that public administrators in an evolving economy are no longer merely rule or contract bearers, but instead agents of deliberation operating platforms for discovery. A multitude of necessary and relevant skills is associated within changing conditions; one we find most compelling involves enacting a hermeneutic mind.


The strain measurement by the fiber Bragg grating(FBG) is achieved by the change of FBG′s wavelength upon axial strain.But in the complicated stress state,the FBG′s strain respond error occurs due to the transverse effect.The impact of direction of FBG on strain measurement is proved through theoretical analysis and experimental results.The relationship between direction of FBG and strain measurement error in the state of uniaxial stress was derived and tested.The results indicate that the error increases rapidly when the FBG angle is about 60°,the results of strain are distorted extremely.In order to remove the error,modified formulas for strain were derived.


In the research work on dynamics of railway vehicles it is efficient in time and cost to employ scale models on a test stand. However, the similarity of creep forces between the wheel and the rail can not be satisfied in a scaled wheelset if it is made of steel, though steel is the material same as practical wheelsets. This paper deals with the effects due to the fault in the similarity of the creep force on the rolling behavior of scaled steel wheelsets. Then, referring to the idea developed by L. M. Sweet et al., a method is proposed for the experiments that utilize the scaled wheelsets. The method can keep the similarity on creep force by adding extra sprung load acting steady. The method is confirmed to be valid through the numerical simulation, but it requires the scaled wheelset to roll at the same speeds with the prototype and to be added large extra load. The apparatus that allow those demands has to be studied more before the method is realized in the practical experiment.


Abstract Dioryctria assamensis boring in shoots of Pinus khasya (labeled P. insularis) in Shillong, Assam, and Dioryctria raoi boring in shoots of Pinus roxburghii and Pinus sp. in north India are described as new species.


Construction project is a project involving many kinds of jobs and a large number of workers. The pros and cons of the construction project site construction management and the measures level directly influences the construction duration, cost and quality. This paper discusses the function of strengthening construction site construction management, the problems existing in construction site construction management and the measures to improve construction site construction management., with a view to providing some meaningful reference for our country's related research of construction project site construction management measures.


The kinetics of δ-Al2O3 dissolution were examined in the presence of 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonate (HQS) and salicylate over the pH range 3−9. The greatest effects of both of these ligands on δ-Al2O3 dissolution were observed at pH values higher than those corresponding to maximal adsorbed ligand concentrations. Thus, calculated rate constants were pH dependent. For HQS, correlation between the fluorescence of the surface complex and the adsorbed HQS concentration indicates that the pH dependence of the rate constant cannot be explained by a change in the structure of the metal−organic surface complex. Rather, it is proposed that the rate-determining step in the dissolution reaction involves a mixed surface complex in which aluminum is coordinated by both the organic ligand and hydroxide. Similarly, dissolution rates in the presence of the competing adsorbates HQS and fluoride suggest a synergistic action of these two ligands. Dissolution rates predicted from measured adsorbed concentrations of both liga...


Finite monoids that generate monoid varieties with uncountably many subvarieties seem rare, and surprisingly, no finite monoid is known to generate a monoid variety with countably infinitely many subvarieties. In the present article, it is shown that there are, nevertheless, many finite monoids that generate monoid varieties with continuum many subvarieties; these include any finite inherently non-finitely based monoid and any monoid for which $xyxy$ is an isoterm. It follows that the join of two Cross monoid varieties can have a continuum cardinality subvariety lattice that violates the ascending chain condition.
Regarding monoid varieties with countably infinitely many subvarieties, the first example of a finite monoid that generates such a variety is exhibited. A complete description of the subvariety lattice of this variety is given. This lattice has width three and contains only finitely based varieties, all except two of which are Cross.


Modern clinical image acquisition techniques like diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) or functional MRI (fMRI) allow us to study tissue and organisms in their natural volumetric configuration. Group studies often require the co-registration of images or partial image structures of different individuals. In such applications the detection of characteristic landmarks is often an indispensable prerequisite. However, the reliable detection of unique anatomical landmarks in medical images is a challenging problem which is often solved in a semi-automated or even manually manner. Landmarks are often sought to be located and analyzed at every position, and in any orientation. In particular the latter makes landmark detection challenging in 3D. In this paper we propose a new landmark detection system that reliably detects arbitrarily placed landmarks in High Angular Resolution Diffusion Images (HARDI) of the human brain.


Hands–on demonstration of the Ballancer, a tangible audio–visual "game" and experimental platform, that exemplifies gestural realtime control of a physically-based sound generation algorithm.


LB-352 Background: Cetuximab is a chimeric anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody active in pts with mCRC. Since cetuximab has a long terminal half-life and is frequently administered in combination with chemotherapy schedules administered q2w, we aimed to compare the safety, PK and PD of a q2w schedule with the currently approved q1w regimen in pts with EGFR-expressing mCRC. Secondary objectives included analyses of protein biomarkers in plasma and RNA expression in tumor samples.
 Methods:Cetuximab was given as first-line treatment to 13 pts as a q1w regimen (400 mg/m2 initial dose then 250 mg/m2/week, Group A, control). Successive cohorts of 10 pts were enrolled into the experimental arms (Groups B1-B4) and received cetuximab q2w at doses (400 (B1), 500 (B2), 600 (B3) or 700 (B4) mg/m2) that were escalated in the absence of dose limiting toxicities (DLTs, defined as grade 3/4 toxicities, except for hypersensitivity reactions and grade 3 skin toxicity, and/or administration of


Objective
To study the correlation between hemoglobin variability and the incidence of thrombotic diseases in end stage renal disease (ESRD) maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Methods
From February to July in 2013, 172 maintenance hemodialysis patients with ESRD were selected as observation objects, and were divided into two groups according to the incidence of thrombotic disease, and the hemoglobin variability, hemoglobin amplitude, and hemoglobin variation was compared.

Results
There was significant differences between the two groups in intercept, slope, the residual standard deviation based on linear regression parameters (P<0.05). Continuous measurement of changes in individual hemoglobin level, hemoglobin amplitude was bigger, and the difference was significant (P<0.05).

Conclusions
Hemoglobin variability is closely correlated with the incidence of thrombotic diseases in ESRD patients.

Key words:
Hemoglobin variability; End stage renal disease; Hemodialysis; Thrombotic disease


When the 3-parameter Weibull distribution, which contains a lower-bound parameter, is fitted to a set of lumber strength data there is an implication that the strength of a piece of lumber will never be less than the value of that parameter. This can be rather troubling and has led to the adoption of the 2-parameter Weibull model in some cases, even though it does not always yield a good fit over the entire range ofthe distribution. This paper presents and compares three different estimation methods for fitting the 2-parameter Weibull model to lumber strength data, but using only the smallest data values. On the basis ofa simulation study, it is shown that the 2-parameter Weibull model can yield good quantile estimates in the lower tail of the distribution, even when the true population is 3-parameter Weibull with a lower-bound parameter that is quite different from zero. Recommendations are made with respect to the choice of a parameter estimation method for use in conjunction with the 2-parameter Weibull model.


Job satisfaction is an important thing in human resource management, because it will affect the positive behaviors of the employees.This study aims to examine and analyze the effect of career development, organizational climate and leadership style on employee job satisfaction. Population in this research is 120 employees of PT. Astra International Tbk. Auto 2000 Puri Kembangan. The sample used is 93 employees, calculated based on the Slovin formula. The Methods of data collection using survey methods, with the research instrument is a questionnaire. The data analysis method using Partial Least Square (PLS). The results of this study indicate that the career development variable has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction. Organizational climate variable has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction. And the leadership style variable has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction.


Standard macroeconomic models show that uncertainty plays a significant role in consumption and saving decisions under rather mild conditions, namely the convexity of the marginal utility of consumption. Increased uncertainty generates a positive extra saving, the so-called "precautionary saving". Although this hypothesis has been tested by a large number of authors, both at macro and micro level, the empirical results are not conclusive, and the main conclusion than can be drawn is that there is neither consensus on the intensity of that motive for saving, nor on the most appropriate measure of uncertainty. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature (both theoretical and empirical) and discusses the main controversial issues and the different approaches followed by the studies addressing empirically the test of precautionary saving.


2017 was a challenging year for many islands in the Caribbean. The spate of hurricanes and their unprecedented impacts brought life to a standstill in many countries in the region. Unfortunately, these types of storms are expected to become more frequent and more severe. As we now know all too well, these extreme weather events have the potential to cripple energy infrastructure and cause significant economic and social impacts. For Caribbean utilities and policy-makers, developing a robust energy resilience program is vital. Without timely action, the energy sector in many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) remains vulnerable to future climatic impacts. Against this backdrop, The World Bank convened a Caribbean stakeholder workshop in Miami in October as part of a broader vision to help build a more resilient Caribbean region, one that can effectively resist, respond to, and recover from extreme weather events. Over the course of the workshop the authors explored ongoing resilience measures, programs, and investments in the Caribbean, shared global experience on enhancing the resiliency of energy system, and identified critical areas for potential future collaboration.The World Bank's engagement with Caribbean countries will focus on two key pillars. First, strengthening the resilience of energy infrastructure and, second, enhancing planning, rapid response, and recovery measures. The World Bank is extremely committed to this cause and calls on the regional and international development community, financial institutions, and the private sector to work together to assist the governments and utilities of the Caribbean region.


Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation. A better understanding of HCV disease progression and the associated cost can help the medical community manage HCV and develop treatment strategies in light of the emergence of several potent anti‐HCV therapies. A system dynamic model with 36 cohorts was used to provide maximum flexibility and improved forecasting. New infections incidence of 16,020 (95% confidence interval, 13,510‐19,510) was estimated in 2010. HCV viremic prevalence peaked in 1994 at 3.3 (2.8‐4.0) million, but it is expected to decline by two‐thirds by 2030. The prevalence of more advanced liver disease, however, is expected to increase, as well as the total cost associated with chronic HCV infection. Today, the total cost is estimated at $6.5 ($4.3‐$8.4) billion and it will peak in 2024 at $9.1 ($6.4‐$13.3) billion. The lifetime cost of an individual infected with HCV in 2011 was estimated at $64,490. However, this cost is significantly higher among individuals with a longer life expectancy. Conclusion: This analysis demonstrates that US HCV prevalence is in decline due to a lower incidence of infections. However, the prevalence of advanced liver disease will continue to increase as well as the corresponding healthcare costs. Lifetime healthcare costs for an HCV‐infected person are significantly higher than for noninfected persons. In addition, it is possible to substantially reduce HCV infection through active management. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;57:2164–2170)


Effects of concentration, treatment temperature and hydrogen ion concentration on biological activity of 1, 3-Propane sultone (PS) were studied in barley (Hordeum vulgare). Physiological as well as genetic effects of mutagen showed a linear increase with increase in the concentration of mutagen and its treatment temperature. Higher mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency of PS was recorded following treatment with 6 mM and at 25°C. The effect of pH was apparent on root growth injury, as compared to seedling growth damage. A higher mutagenic efficiency was however, recorded at pH=4.6.


Although direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) has generated substantial controversy, little is known about its effects on consumer and physician behavior. In this article, the authors examine the impact of DTCA and physician detailing on the choice of antidepressant medication. The authors find that detailing has a much greater effect on medication choice in the antidepressant market than does DTCA.


Allergic inflammation affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The pathogenesis of allergic inflammation is an area under active investigation. However, the role of miRNAs, a novel class of small RNA molecules 19-25 base pairs long that regulates gene expression post-transcriptionally, had not been explored at the start of this thesis. Using asthma and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) as model diseases of allergic inflammation, we identified miRNA signatures from murine experimental asthma, human EoE esophageal biopsies and IL-13 stimulated human esophageal / human bronchial epithelial cells. Accordingly, we identified commonly regulated miRNAs such as miR-21 and miR-146 that were involved in multiple allergic responses as well as miRNAs that were directly regulated by IL-13 including miR-375. Focusing on one of the most up-regulated miRNA miR-21, we developed a series of findings demonstrating that it directly represses IL-12p35 expression. Notably, miR-21 had the highest expression in dendritic cells, and miR-21 deficient dendritic cells produced significantly more IL-12 in response to LPS stimulation. Furthermore, miR-21 deficient mice had reduced lung eosinophilia following induction of allergic inflammation, with a prominent up-regulation of IL-12/IFN! related pathways in the lung. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from allergen challenged miR-21 deficient mice had increased Th1 cytokine IFN! and decreased Th2 cytokine IL-4 compared to wildtype littermates. Re-stimulation of CD4+ T helper cells from the mice showed similar results. Conversely, miR-21 deficiency significantly enhanced the Th1 associated cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity responses. In complementary experiments concerning the role of miRNAs in allergy related responses, we found up-regulation of both miR-21 and miR-223 in an ex vivo eosinophil differentiation model. Notably, miR-21 deficiency led to reduced eosinophil progenitor growth while miR-223 deficiency enhanced eosinophil growth. Finally, in a distinct set of experiments aimed to define the role of miRNAs in allergic responses induced directly by IL-13, we noted that IL-13 stimulation of lung and esophageal epithelial cells resulted in the modulation of several miRNAs, with down-regulation of miR-375 in both epithelial cell types. In addition, miR-375 was down-regulated in esophageal biopsies from EoE patients. Esophageal miR-375 levels correlated with esophageal eosinophil levels and esophageal mast cell specific gene CPA3. Modulation of miR-375 level was sufficient to regulate IL-13 mediated epithelial gene expression, especially in the immunoinflammatory pathways. Focusing on the potential utility of miRNAs as biomarkers for allergic disease, we identified up-regulation of multiple miRNAs, most notably miR-146a, miR-146b and miR-223 in the plasma samples from EoE patients that could serve as both non-invasive diagnostic markers and potential epigenetic regulators of EoE. Collectively, these results demonstrate a key role of miRNAs in regulating germane pathways involved in allergic inflammation including polarization of the adaptive immune system, regulation of eosinophil production and differentiation and regulation of IL-13 induced responses. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Copyright © 2012, Thomas X. Lu All Rights Reserved


Stain etching of silicon provides a spontaneous, self-limiting chemical method to produce nanocrystalline silicon films (porous Si). Whereas the existence of etchants capable of producing porous Si has been known for sometime, little has been known concerning how solution composition influences the efficacy of porous Si production and the properties of the resulting films. We demonstrate that the fluoride species may be derived from either HF or acidified NH 4 HF 2 . A range of oxidants may be used as long as their counterions do not lead to precipitation. However, a large positive electrochemical potential is not a sufficient condition for efficient porous Si production. Bubble production, which is deleterious to film homogeneity and long thought to be inherent to the process, can be avoided by the use of transition metal-containing oxidants. Properties of the film, such as morphology, growth rate, porosity, and the wavelength of the photoluminescence maximum, respond to the etchant composition. We observe a blue shift in photoluminescence, which correlates with an increasingly positive electrochemical potential (Eg) of the oxidant. It is argued that Eg plays a role much like wavelength in photoelectrochemical etching and that smaller nanocrystals are produced with more positive values of E 0 .


BACKGROUND
Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, potentially partly mediated by a higher prevalence of hypertension. We therefore examined the prevalence and determinants of hypertension in HIV-1-infected patients compared with appropriate HIV-negative controls.

METHODS
Data from 527 HIV-1-infected and 517 HIV-uninfected participants at the time of enrollment into the ongoing AGEhIV Cohort Study were analyzed. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg, and/or self-reported use of antihypertensive drugs.

RESULTS
Hypertension prevalence was higher among HIV-1-infected individuals compared with controls (48.2% vs 36.4%; odds ratio [OR], 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-2.09). In logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, family history of hypertension, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and body mass index, the association between HIV and hypertension remained statistically significant (ORHIV, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.25-2.19), but was attenuated after additional adjustment for waist-to-hip ratio (ORHIV, 1.29; 95% CI, .95-1.76). Among HIV-1-infected individuals, particularly among those with mono/dual nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy prior to combination antiretroviral therapy, stavudine exposure was independently associated with hypertension (ORstavudine, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.04-2.30). This association was attenuated after additional adjustment for either waist-to-hip ratio (ORstavudine, 1.30; 95% CI, .85-1.96) or hip circumference (ORstavudine, 1.40; 95% CI, .93-2.11).

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that changes in body composition, involving both abdominal obesity and stavudine-induced peripheral lipoatrophy, might contribute to the higher prevalence of hypertension in HIV-1-infected patients.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION
NCT01466582.


With the reorientation of applied talents cultivated by undergraduate education,the demand for practical teaching of economic profession is increasingly prominent.However,since long-term traditional teaching behind closed doors,the professional economic practical teaching has been facing a lot of difficulties.Taking the garden of financial entrepreneur practice as an example,this paper discusses three types of practical teaching and shows the objective,meaning and methods of practical teaching of economic profession.


Despite the great interest for externalist oriented models of the mind
(enactivism, the extended mind, various forms of externalism, embodiment,
embeddedness), most current artificial agents are designed as though the mind "is
still in the head". In other words, in the field of AI, the prevailing view still
assumes that the relevant information is processed inside the system that provides
the right kind of computation. In this paper, we outline a model of situated
cognition that aims at offloading various aspects of cognition which are strongly
related with conscious experience (semantics, intentionality, teleology) and then
we discuss a robotic implementation which tries to show the kind of intimate agent-environment relationship that may be exploited by conscious agents.


The September 11 events provided an opportunity for the US administration, initiating strong policies to better understand the region. It also reminded the world of America's political-military control capacity. The terrorist attacks on September 11 were not a real surprise. Indeed, 9/11 looked like the wild fantasies they needed to justify a new military role developed by American strategic analysts and military and intelligence planners. Terrorism is intended to intimidate or coerce individuals, societies or governments by a person or an organized group with the threat of threat or use of force. Terrorism is an illegal act, usually for ideological or political reasons. Oil is not an object, but also contains many positives and negatives. Turkey is a neighbor with its geopolitical position as the world's proven oil and natural gas reserves, with three-quarters of the country. It takes part in many important projects, including a natural "Energy Center" between the energy-rich Caspian, Central Asian, Middle Eastern countries and consumer markets in Europe. It supports these projects. As long as the strategic resource, oil and scarce brand are available, terrorism will not end. political instability in the oil belt of countries in the immediate vicinity of Turkey brings many disadvantages. This situation also adversely affect the Turkish economy, itself non-threatening terrorism and conflict of interest due to the large states to support terrorism in Turkey has led to more cautious.


Objecitve To observe the effect of JIEDU TONGLU FANG on synaptic form and synaptophysin 38 (SVP38) expression in rat cerebral ischemic injury. Methods By using ultrastructural analysis and immunohistochemical method. Results The results show that ischemic injury can cause degeneratin of the pre synapse compositions, decrease of synape number and density and low expression of synaptophysin 38 (SVP38) in hippocampus CA1 area. By the 8th week of postoperation. There were a nilmber of neonate synapse and increased expression of synaptophysin 38 in model group and treatment group. In treatment group, the reconvery of synapse number and density were the most obvious with 87.4% of pesudo-operation group and significantly higher than those in the model group. Compared with pesudo-operation group, COD value of synaptophysin 38 upregulated to 80% in model group, and raised to 114.7% in treatment group, so COD value in treatment group was significantly (P0.01) higher than that in model group. Conclusions JIEDU TONGLUO FANG has the function of improving synaptic regeneration and enhancing perfecting the effect of re-building synapse.


Thyroid cancers are threefold more frequent in women than in men. A role of reproductive or hormonal factors has been suggested but with contradictory results. We investigated potential associations between history of hysterectomy, with or without oophorectomy, and history of benign gynaecological disease (uterine fibroids, endometriosis) and the incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer, in a large French prospective cohort.


Grade 5 teachers, who were nominated by their supervisors as effective in educating their students to be readers and writers, responded to questionnaires about their practice. The teachers claimed commitments to (a) extensive reading at the heart of their reading instruction; (b) diverse instructional activities (e.g., whole-group instruction, small-group instruction, cooperative grouping, individual reading); (c) teaching of both word-level and higher order (e.g., comprehension, critical thinking) skills and processes; (d) development of student background knowledge; (e) student writing, including teaching of mechanics and higher order composition skills (e.g., planning, drafting, revising as a process); (f) extensive evaluation of literacy competencies using diverse assessments; (g) integration of literacy and content-area instruction; and (h) commitment to practices that promote student motivation for reading and writing. Excellent literacy instruction is a balanced articulation of many components, inc...


The invention relates to a beam projection module comprises a light source (1) provided with at least one diode (2) emitting capable emitting light rays and an optical element with a lens (5) projecting an image of the source (1) for generating the light beam This module comprises means to produce a rotation of the optical element relative to the light source (1) so as to change the beam projection direction. A preferred application is the field of selective motor vehicle lighting.


Danah Zohar graduated with a degree in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and studied philosophy and religion at Harvard University. She presently has appointments at Oxford University and Brookes University. Her husband, Ian Marshall, a psychiatrist and Jungian psychotherapist, graduated in psychology and philosophy at Oxford before taking his medical degree at London. They have coauthored several books, including The Quantum Self( 1990) (reviewed in the October 1994 TAJ), The Quantum Society (1994), and other works exploring consciousness, spirituality, and the relationship between mind and brain. A book like SQ needs such a partnership of writers; together they are able to demonstrate the profound insight of modem science that wholes, even in authors, can be greater than the sum of their parts. Such holism or "unitive thinking" is what this book is all about. This book attracted a good deal of media attention because of its references to "the God spot" associated with the temporal lobes of the brain. But its significance and value for the psychotherapist extends far beyond this. The authors discuss what is meant by the term "spiritual intelligence" and the considerable scientific evidence for it before proposing a "new model of the self' which is rooted in Eastern philosophy. They then show how the concept of spiritual intelligence (SQ) can be used and how our capacity for it can be improved. Thus, this book has some features characteristic of a "workbook" for personal development. IQ, or intelligence quotient, has been, until recently, the criterion by which an individual's


I think it's the most wonderful time of the year and the most difficult time of the year. I think it is the worst of holidays and I think it's the best of holidays. I really do. I think just because of all the depression and the mental illness and watching people react to it and the fact that people are alone and it's supposed to be this great get‐together‐bonding‐experience. Supposedly here is the light of the world that's gonna make everything better. He's gonna take people and bring them together and all this kinda great stuff and it just isn't reality. I mean it's a nice little Hallmark card but it's not really reality. So I think that it's the best of times, it's the worst of times. And I think I can actually sit somewhere and say that truthfully, because for me it has been the best of times, and it has been the worst of times.


A couple of weeks ago, a few members from the Bulb team stopped by our Bristol Bioresources and Renewable Energy Park for a full day of site tours, filming and photography.


agricultural reform is an important part in restructuring the economic systems in both China and Russia. For some reasons, they choose the different way: Russia following the radical road of privatization but China following progressive one, which includes reforming the operating system in rural and establish the household contract responsibility system with remuneration linked to output. And the different road leads to the different result.


The behavior of Bi, Po-210, Tl and Hg in non-isothermal Pb-15.8Li systems was studied experimentally. Coefficients of chemical activities were determined. Bi and Po-210 can be removed from the eutectic by an simple diffusion type cold trap. Because of the low chemical activity, there will be no Po-210 problem during blanket operation. Mercury can be extracted with a gas phase, e.g. together with tritium. Thallium will accumulate in the molten eutectic. A possible impact of Tl 202,204 on blanket operation has to be evaluated.


TWENTY normal patients were studied in oxytocin-induced labour. Maximum intrauterine pressure above baseline multiplied by duration of contractions summated per half hour distinguished three phases of labour. During the first there was a steady increase in uterine activity (incremental phase) : during the second (stable phase) uterine activity altered little even if oxytocin infusion was increased and the third phase occupied the second stage of labour. CELL MEDIATED IMMUNITY I N THE


The ferrocenyl compound,5-methyl-3-ferrocenylpyrazole(C_(14)H_(14)N_(2)Fe,M_(r) = 266.12) was structurally characterized by means of X-ray single-crystal diffraction.It crystallizes in triclinic,space group Pī with a= 1.152 9(2),b = 1.340 2(3),c= 1.714 9(3) nm,α= 70.92(3)°,β= 78.46(3)°,γ= 86.11(3)°,V= 2.453 6(8) nm~(3),Z= 8,D_(c)= 1.441 Mg/m~(3),F(000) = 1 104,μ(Mo Kα) = 1.206 mm~(-1),T= 291(2) K,the final R= 0.047 5 and wR= 0.114 9 for 5 431 observed reflections with I 2σ(I).Interestingly,four 5-methyl-3-ferrocenylpyrazole molecules join through intermolecular hydrogen bonds N-H...N,forming an unexpected 12-number macrocycle.The electrochemical properties of the title compound were investigated by means of differential pulse voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry in DMF solution.


A study has been made of the conditions governing the reactions of Bwamba fever virus with homologous immune serum. The neutralization reaction was found irreversible. Treatment of immune serum with virus was not found to reduce the neutralizing titer, but treatment with particulate C-F antigen did lower the specific complement fixing power of the serum. When dilute serum was used the process of neutralization was found to continue over a period of several hours. The rate of this process varied with the temperature, but was largely independent of heat labile complement and divalent cations. A fraction of virus that was more slowly neutralized than the remainder could be removed from suspension by centrifugation at moderate speed.


This Article identifies and critically analyzes the contributions the International Court of Justice (ICJ) made to the international law against genocide via the judgment in Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Croatia v. Serbia) of February 3, 2015. This Article elaborates on the concept of genocide—a term that has originally been coined after the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust—and the protection against this "crime of crimes" under international law. The analysis section of this Article refers to the historical and procedural context of the dispute between Croatia and Serbia in the case, which originates from the violent conflict between the two states following the dissolution of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). The main section of this Article criticizes the most important aspects of the ICJ's judgment, especially the Court's assessment of the constituent elements of genocide, the objective and the subjective components, while also taking into account the ICJ's prior judgment in the Bosnian Genocide Case of 2007. The Article concludes that the ICJ's reasoning is in line with its prior * Dr. iur. (Ph.D. equivalent), Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Germany; LL.M., University of California at Los Angeles. I thank Professor Maximo Langer of the UCLA School of Law for his support and advice.


Apparatus for, preferably continuous, transporting and / or conditioning a glass melt (1), comprising a a space for receiving a glass melt (1) defining first assembly (20) characterized, in that in the first arrangement (20) is arranged at least one wall (31, 32, 33), wherein the wall (31, 32, 33) complete a a space for receiving the glass melt (1) defining second means (30) designed, which is positioned within the first assembly (20), and wherein the wall (31, 32, 33) at least in sections iridium (6) such that the second arrangement (30) completely through the iridium-comprising portion (6) is formed, wherein the iridium comprehensive section as iridium alloy having an iridium content of 50 wt .-% to 100 wt .-% is present, and wherein the second assembly (30) as a lining at least a portion of an inner side (25) of said first array (20) in the first arrangement (20) and at least one of an interior (27) of the first array (20) facing side of the iridium comprehensive portion (6) of the wall (31, 32, 33) at least partially has a melt contact surface, wherein the second assembly (30) is sized so that these at room temperature, in particular in the initial condition, with the first arrangement (20) forms a clearance fit type or a type of interference fit and is more extended at the operating temperature than the first array (20), so that between the outside (34) of the second assembly (20) and the inside (25) of the first assembly (20), substantially no gap is formed.


Ten species of agglutinated foraminifers are documented from the Boree Creek Limestone and the Mirrabooka Formation (Wenlock, ral1llliforl1lis Zone) and the Wallace Shale (early Ludlow, variabilis Zone) in central New South Wales. Fifteen species of agglutinated foraminifers are documented from the Windellama Limestone (Pridoli-Lochkovian, ?eosteinhornesis-delta zones) in southeastern New South Wales. Four species are common to both faunas; two new species, Hyperammina leptalea and Hemisphaerammina crassa, are described. The stratigraphic range of the forms described is discussed in relation to established conodont zonation.


Irradiated nuclear fuel has been reprocessed at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) since 1951 to recover uranium-235 and krypton-85 and the resulting mixed hazardous and high-level waste (HLW) has been solidified to a calcine since 1963. The Idaho HLW Technology program is evaluating options for a strategy for final disposal for ICPP HLW and is performing research to develop a reference product and process for the immobilization of ICPP HLW for repository disposal. The volume of ICPP HLW projected for future annual generation is expected to increase by four-fold compared to historical processing rates. Using existing technology, a glass waste form containing 33 wt % calcine would fill approximately 1700 canisters/yr (0.63 m{sup 3}/canister) based on projected average annual waste generation rates. Thus, research is focusing on technologies that can reduce the volume of immobilized HLW, including a glass-ceramic waste form and other processes to minimize waste volume prior to immobilization. This paper describes the regulatory factors which impact future mixed hazardous/HLW management at ICPP and identifies a potential reference strategy which could be used for environmental evaluations. The characteristics of one of the candidate waste forms for immobilizing ICPP calcine, a glass-ceramic, is described, including waste loading, crystallinemore » phase identity and leach rates.« less


— The system which closest to the customer in the power system is the distribution system. The protection systems are used to localize and isolate the faulted areas, and therefore number of outage customer affected will reduce and the reliability of distribution systems will also increase. Fuse-recloser equipment is a device commonly used to improve the reliability of a distribution system that allows the system to reclose after it is open due to a system disturbance. Besides that, the reliability of the system will also increase with the injection of distributed generation in the distribution system. However, the use of these fuse-recloser is necessary to be evaluated in the presence of the injection of the distributed generation in the distribution system. The optimal solution for the relocation of the fuse-reclosers used is the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method. Based on the analysis carried out, with injection of the distributed generation, system reliability increased by 0.014% with SAIFI of 2.4073 times/year and SAIDI by 104.9991 hours/ year compared to the existing condition.


This work was carried out is ethnobotanical research in the Matinhos region – in the Parana State coast, about knowledge and perception of existing plant re...


Research on the identification of compound groups that have antibacterial activity body odor in blue-green algae (Spirulina platensis) using Bioautography TLC method has been done before. Body odor is a condition when sweat causes an unpleasant odor due to the decomposition of sweat compounds by Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria into an odorous acid compound that is isovaleric acid. Extraction was carried out using a multilevel reflux method with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Each extract was tested for its antibacterial activity using pitting-diffusion method with concentrations of 0,2%; 0,4%; 0,6%; 0,8%; and 1%. The experimental results show that n-hexane extract had inhibitory zones at concentration of 0,6%; 0,8%; and 1%, which are 8.02 mm, 9.06 mm and 10.44 mm. However, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts do not form inhibitory zones. Furthermore, in the selected extract, n-hexane, TLC was monitored using the silica GF254 as a stationary phase with n-hexane and ethyl acetate (3:1) as a mobile phase. Antibacterial activity testing was performed using Bioautography TLC method. The experiments showed that the inhibition zone of n-hexane extract was shown at Rf 0.2 and Rf 1.2. Identification of spots using specific sprayers by Dragendroff, AlCl3, and FeCl3 reagents. The results showed that compounds in Rf 0.2 was a flavonoid and Rf 0.9 was an alkaloid.


En A specimen of sharpnosed skate Dipturus oxyrinchus (Linnaeus, 1758) presenting snout and tail abnormalities was captured off the Syrian coast. It is an adult female with a shortened and rounded snout, lack of second dorsal fin and a reduced and rounded caudal fin. This abnormal specimen is described in the present note, and it appears that both snout and tail abnormalities did not affect their development and they reached similar parameters and swimming activities than the normal ones.


Article History: Received 12, August, 2014 Received in revised form 21, August, 2014 Accepted 11,September, 2014 Published online 28, September, 2014 With increase in consumption of poultry products, the waste products have been increasing in the poultry market. Disposing this waste has been a challenging task for the industry. As feathers contain 2-12% of fat, it can be used for producing biodiesel. Hence, using feathers as a source of biodiesel is also a solution to waste disposal. Lipase mediated Transesterification process for the production of biodiesel has been developed to overcome the chemical catalysts having several negative impacts on environment and downstream processing of by-products. This study aimed at, isolating bacteria from chicken feathers, extracting extracellular lipase and determining the efficiency in transesterifying the chicken fat from feathers into biodiesel. The data resulted from gas chromatography (GC) revealed the methyl esters of palmitic (C16:0), steric (C18:0), oleic (C18:1) and linoleic (C18:2) acids.


Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA. Moira Wilson, MRCP(UK), Senior Medical Registrar. Timothy M E Davis, FRACP, Professor of Medicine. Patrick G Bade, FRCS, Surgical Registrar. William M Castelden, FRACS, Staff Surgeon . Reprints: Professor T M E Davis, University of Western Australia, Department of Medicine, Fremantle Hospital, PO Box 480, Fremantle, WA 6160. Figure 1: Computed tomography of the autonomous thyroid nodule at the time of the patient's presentation with tracheo-oesophageal compression. Note the displacement of the trachea to the left and compression of the oesophagus immediately below, and the calcification within the nodule. Rapid expansion of a pre-existing goitre can constitute a surgical emergency. 1 We report the case of a woman with a multinodular goitre which enlarged rapidly two months after radioiodine treatment for a large autonomous nodule.


Albors-Llorens, Albertina. Private Parties in European Community Law: Challenging Community Measures. [Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1996. lxiv, 229, (Bibliography) 8 and (Index) 5pp. Hardback £50-00. ISBN 0-19-826080-6.] Amato, Giuliano. Antitrust and the Bounds of Power: The Dilemma of Liberal Democracy in the History of the Market. [Oxford: Hart Publishing. 1997. xiv, 129 and (Index) 4pp. Hardback £22-50. ISBN 1-901362-29-2.] Andreopoulos, George J. (ed.). Genocide: Conceptual and Historical Dimensions. [Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 1997. x, 228, (Appendices) 20, (Bibliography) 4 and (Index) 11pp. Paperback ISBN 8122-1616-4.] Andreopoulos, George J. and Claude, Richard Pierre. Human Rights Education for the Twenty-first Century. [Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 1997. xxviii, (Appendices) 10 and (Index) 14pp. Paperback £25-50. ISBN 0-8122-1607-5.] Aquila, Richard. The Iroquois Restoration: Iroquois Diplomacy on the Colonial Frontier, 1701-1754. [Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press. 1997. 5, 240, (Appendices) 33 and (Index) 7pp. Paperback £13-95. ISBN 0-8032-5932-8.] Arora, Professor Anu. Practical Banking and Building Society Law. [London: Blackstone Press Ltd. 1997. xl, 387, (Appendices) 23 and (Index) 20pp. Paperback £24-95. ISBN 1-85431-628-1.] Arrowsmith, Professor Sue. The Law of Public and Utilities Procurement. [London: Sweet & Maxwell. 1996. lxxxiii, 954 and (Index) 49pp. Hardback £90-00. ISBN CM21^4460-6.] Baldwin, John. Small Claims in the County Courts in England and Wales: The Bargain Basement of Civil Justice. [Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1997. ix, 168, (Bibliography) 10 and (Index) 3pp. Hardback £35-00. ISBN 0-19-8264771.] Barendt, Eric, Lustgarten, Laurence. Norrie, Kenneth and Stephenson, Hugh. Libel and the Media: The Chilling Effect. [Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1997. vii, 197 and (Index) 13pp. Paperback £15-95. ISBN 0-19-826234-5.] Barnett, Hilaire. Constitutional and Administrative Law. [London: Cavendish Publishing Ltd. 1995. lvi, 811, (Appendices) 8 and (Index) 16pp. Paperback £18-95. ISBN 1-85941-114-2.] Barnett, Hilaire. Sourcebook on Feminist Jurisprudence. [London & Sydney: Cavendish Publishing Ltd. 1997. xvii, 616 and (Index) 23pp. Paperback £48-95. ISBN 1-85941-113-4.] Barrow, Charles. Industrial Relations Law Textbook. [London: Cavendish Publishing Ltd. 1997. xxxvii, 353 and (Index) 16pp. Paperback £23-95. ISBN 1-85941-115-0.]


The word theatre is a controversial term which has stimulated debate among scholars owing to the fact that theatre can be referred to as a form of art and entertainment and on the other hand as theatrical performances in other activities. This paper is aimed at exploring the historical origins of theatre in Zimbabwe and further seeks to make a distinction between performance and theatre. It therefore, follows that the paper is quite significant in enlightening the recipients about the two dimensions of the same coin. In addition, the paper will have the liberty to examine some historical performances which have culminated into theatre in contemporary Zimbabwe. The latter is derived from the notion that performance is an inclusive term whilst theatre is only a connection that reaches from the ritualisations of humans through performances in everyday life. Zimbabwe has a history of theatre which emanates from its tradition. The history of theatre in Zimbabwe can he traced back to numerous ceremonies, religious rituals and community festivals that define the existence of the people, which justifies to the entire population the fact that 'theatre' was in existence since time immemorial through different activities as will be explored in the paper. In exploring the concept' the paper will use the theory of orature which looks at the art of talking as the origins of theatre in Zimbabwe and Africa at large.


Based on the literature analysis this study proposes that satisfaction mediate the effect of job involvement, intrinsic motivation and procedural justice on commitment in a multinational IT company ...


Body weight information of livestock animals is significant for trade,  routine animal health monitoring and dosage calculations for treatment of  diseases. Under field conditions, a convenient body weight estimation formula  in goats ( Capra hircus ) using body measurements was developed and evaluated.  A total of 300 adult goats in Barili, Cebu were used for the development of the  formula, and 66 goats from the VSU Goat Project, Baybay City, Leyte and Ubay  Stock Farm, Bohol were used for its field reliability testing. Animals were selected  by convenience sampling regardless of sex and breed. In the univariate level of  analyses, all body measurement parameters (rump height [RH], body length [BL],  heart girth [HG], and wither height [WH]) showed significant correlation (P 2 =0.81, P<0.05). Body weight estimatior from other authors were compared with  the current formula developed. Results revealed that the technique utilizing this  formula demonstrated high reliability in goats in the study areas, implying good  potential for generalized applicability. Key words: body measurements, body weight, goats


: This study aimed to identify and discuss national academic productions from the perspective of Culture and Education for Peace, emphasizing the training of educational managers. The methodology adopted was an integrative systematic review, and the research was conducted on the Portal de Periódicos da Capes . No specific time frame was delimited. After the articles were read, the results were organized into three categories: The materialization of violence in the school context; Forming for transformation: alternatives for addressing violence; and School management and family: reducing spaces of violence. In summary, the studies revealed considerations regarding various types of violence in the daily life of schools. It was also observed that there is a limited number of works that link the Culture of Peace with the training of school managers and underscored the importance of the management's collaboration with the school team and families.


In this study, we developed the Allometric Scaling and Resource Limitations (ASRL) model by using the best GLAS tree heights to optimize the ASRL. At first, we obtained the best metric of GLAS tree heights by comparing with LVIS tree heights in six sites. Then, the best metric GLAS tree heights were separately used to optimize ASRL model and test the accuracy of prediction heights from optimized ASRL model in sites scale and country scale. Validation result showed that predicted tree heights from optimized ASRL model had high accuracy.


Objectives  In order to solve the problems of redundant information and low fault feature extraction rate in the vibration signal of marine shafting, a fault feature extraction method based on empirical wavelet transform-spectral kurtosis (EWT-SK) is proposed. Methods  First, the original signal is processed by empirical wavelet transform (EWT) to eliminate the excessive vibration components. This method solves the inherent defects of empirical mode decomposition (EMD) such as the endpoint effect and mode aliasing. Second, the modal function is reconstructed based on kurtosis and correlation coefficient, highlighting fault information and improving the signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, the optimal bandpass filter parameters are obtained by spectral kurtosis and used to design filters, then the filtered signal envelope is demodulated to realize fault diagnosis. Results  According to the results of case analysis and verification, in the aspect of signal decomposition, EWT has higher stability and efficiency in feature extraction, enabling it to ensure the integrity of shafting fault information. In the aspect of the denoising effect, after using the EWT-SK method, the kurtosis value of the fault signal is 4.761 6, the number of the correlation coefficient is 0.708 8 and the signal-to-noise ratio is 3.762 4, which is better than EMD and variational mode decomposition (VMD). Conclusions  The EWT-SK method has good feature extraction ability and noise suppression ability, making it suitable for the fault diagnosis of marine shafting.


The elastic scattering of neutrons by He/sup 4/, C/sup 12/, and O/sup 16/ nuclei was investigated at low energies. The phase-shift behavior was derived from analyses of the differential cross-sections. The level parameters were obtained by application of dispersion formalism to the extracted phase shifts. The polarization calculated from phase shifts shows in general a satisfactory agreement with experiment. (auth)


In today's college foreign languages teaching,situation teaching approach and task-based approach,instead of the traditional teaching approach,have been widely applied in most colleges and universities and achieved higher teaching effectiveness.This paper mainly discusses how to apply the situation + task-based approach to teaching Japanese as the second foreign language.It puts forward that the whole process of creating situations and tasks, setting goals,organizing learning activities and completing the activities of learning Japanese will help improve students' Japanese language competence,and then improve the teaching Japanese as the second foreign language.


We consider electron-atom scattering in a circularly polarized laser field at sufficiently high electron energies, permitting to describe the scattering process by the first order Born approximation. Assuming the radiation field has sufficiently moderate intensities, the laser-dressing of the hydrogen target atom in its ground state will be treated in second order perturbation theory. Within this approximation scheme, it is shown that the nonlinear differential cross sections of free-free transitions do neither depend on the dynamical phase φ of the radiative process nor on the helicity of the circularly polarized laser light. Relations to the corresponding results for linear laser polarization are established. PACS Nrs.: 34.80.Qb; 34.50.Rk; 32.80.Wr


Papers are presented on current research developments and applications related to high-powered lasers. Recent advances in excimer laser technology, electron-beam-pumped excimer lasers, discharge technology for excimer lasers, and pulsed XeF lasers are examined. Consideration is given to short-wavelength lasers, chemical oxygen iodine lasers, and vibrational chemical lasers. Papers are presented on CO2, CO, N2O lasers, coupled CO2 lasers, laser induced perturbation in pulsed CO2 lasers, construction of sealed-off CO2 lasers, and computer modeling of discharge-excited CO gas flow. Topics discussed include gas-dynamic lasers, discharge and flow effects, matrix and laser optics and laser beam parameters. Laser-matter interactions, laser-induced surface plasma, plasma motion velocity along laser beams and thermocapillary effects are also discussed. Applications of laser technology are examined and high-speed laser welding, welding results, laser ablation, laser steel processing, and numerical modeling of laser-matter interaction in high-intensity laser applications are considered.


The goal of text classification is to mechanically place documents (such as plain text files and Web pages) into certain categories determined by their content. The main objectives aimed towards the execution of the work include. Firstly, exploration and conducted studies to learn how to effectively extract data that may be utilized to symbolize a document. The next step is to Figure out how to make the most informed choice when assigning a document to a particular category. Implementing a text filter was the last objective. To prove the worth by successfully completing the tasks set out in this project. In the proposed work Naïve Bayes approach is used to show the effective result.


Vigorously developing vocational education and accelerating the development of human resources are significant measures of implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the country by education and talented people and also are the important way to improve the quality of the nationalities comprehensively and the necessity to achieve the comprehensive development of education.Vigorously developing vocational education needs the economy as a solid foundation.The goals,sizes,and the means of education of vocational education would have to be constrained by the level of economic development;mean while the level of economic development of vocational education will play a major role on the development of socio-economic.


The recent results concerning the synthesis and characteristic of spiro-oxazine compounds have been summarized. The absorption bands of usual spiro-oxazine compounds are changed from colorless to colored form by irradiation of ultraviolet ray. This mechanism is derived from the cleavage of oxazine ring. Such properties are dependent on, its chemical structure and surrounded matrix of spiro-oxazine compounds. The chemical structure of this compound is similar to the well known spiropyran. But, spiro-oxazine compounds have been noticed recently, because of excellent high light-sensitivity and superior fatigue-resistant property. This compounds are already applied as photochromic lens, clothes and UV light checker.


The templated preparation of hollow nanomaterials has received broad attention. However, many templates are expansive, environmentally-harmful, along with involving a complicated preparation process. Herein, we present a cost-effective, environmentally friendly and simple approach for making carbonaceous particles which have been demonstrated as efficient templates for preparing hollow nanospheres. Natural biomass, such as wheat or corn, is used as the source only, and thus other chemicals are not needed. The carbonaceous particles possess abundant hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, enabling them to efficiently adsorb metal ions in solution. The prepared SnO2 hollow spheres were used in a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery anode, and as the sensing layer of a gas sensor, respectively. After charge–discharge for 200 times at a rate of 1 C, the anodes exhibit a stable capacity of 500 mAh g−1, and a Coulombic efficiency as high as 99%. In addition, the gas sensor based on the SnO2 hollow spheres shows a high sensing performance towards ethanol gas. It is expected that the presented natural biomass-derived particles and their green preparation method will find more applications for broad research fields, including energy-storage and sensors.


A study to assess the Knowledge and practice of observing daily fetal movement among primigravid womenunder the selected tertiary care hospital, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu, India. The objectives to assessthe level of knowledge and practice of daily fetal movement, to determine the association of knowledge andpractice of daily fetal movement in the primigravid women, selected tertiary care hospital. The conveniencesampling was 53 in the Obestetrical and Gynaecological OPD . The data collection tool was validatedand reliability was established. The data were collected by structured questionnaire . The collected datawas tabulated and analysed. Descriptive and inferential statistical method were used. That study showsthat the majority of 18(33.96%) primigravid women has Moderate knowledge 32(60.37%) of primigravidwomen has Inadequate knowledge 3 and (5.6%) of primigravid women has Adequate knowledge. Hencethe result frequency and distribution of knowledge and practice of observing daily fetal movement amongprimigravid women (60.37%) Inadequate knowledge there is a risk of intrauterine death. Thus there is a needof assessment of knowledge of daily fetal movement among primigravid women.


Through a follow-up questionaire survey of middle school students living in a small block in Beijing, this article, aims to reveal the actual influence by SARS by analyzing select topics such as their understanding about SARS, their knowledge in preventing SARS, their life-style changes due to SARS and so on. Research results show that middle school students acquired information about SARS as the mass media played an important role in spreading propaganda about SARS,they worried about SARS at a certain extem and their attention to sanitation habits weaken as SARS has gone.Strengthening the public's cognition to epidemic,improving the public's daily sanitation habits after SARS crisis are still we need to solve.


The principle of forum prorogatum (postponed jurisdiction) is applied in the jurisprudence of the UN International Court of Justice for the purpose of grounding its jurisdiction in a legal dispute where it has not any other justification. The basis of the jurisdiction of the Court in case of forum prorogatum is the application by one of the States parties to the dispute, and the consent, tacit or explicit, by the other party, that the Court decides the dispute.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to share the experience of Centre for Management Studies, NALSAR University of Law in developing the new MBA programme in Court Administration and Management.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes the urgent need of skilled managers for court management and administration in an Indian context. The identification of the gap in skilled manpower and the availability of a structured learning platform at a master's level is also discussed in the paper. In addition, the detailed process that the university adopted in developing the programme objectives, structure and curriculum is also explained.

Findings
Educational innovations are rare. This programme is one-of-its-kind in India. NALSAR University of Law introduced this programme after a rigorous screening and evaluation process. This paper highlights the importance of proper planning and execution in introducing innovative programmes. The paper also highlights the acceptance that the programme received from all stakeholders due to its relevance and diligent planning.

Practical implications
This paper makes an attempt to provide the detailed workflow that any university should undertake prior to launching any programme. The importance of identifying relevant stakeholders, the process of developing a programme, curating and conducting the process for best outcomes, with an emphasis on the contribution that a university can make is discussed in detail.

Originality/value
MBA in Court Administration and Management offered by NALSAR University of Law is unique as similar programmes are not offered by any other university in India. Thus, this paper is a novel contribution in highlighting the development and launch of the programme in Asia.


Traditionally,eco-hydrological data are derived from available hydrologic stations,meteorological stations and remote sensing image.However,these data still does not meet the need to construct accurate eco-hydrological models and to simulate high-precision eco-hydrological processes.Therefore,intensive environmental observation is necessary to express the temporal and spatial evolutions of the eco-hydrological processes integrally and continuously.In addition to the available observation techniques(e.g.,fixed point stations),new methods for data-intensive observation in eco-hydrological research are needed.Emerging wireless sensor network technology has brought many opportunities for eco-hydrological research. The technology of wireless sensor has matured to promote many applications to environmental monitoring.However,applications with wireless sensor network were less carried out under the circumstance of extremely cold and high altitude. In this study,a tributary of the Heihe River named Mafengou has been selected to perform the application and research.To meet the requirements of environmental observation with watershed eco-hydrological wireless sensor network,a system framework of wireless sensor network is designed.The establishment of demonstration zone,the deployment of sensor nodes and the network topology,and software and hardware components of the wireless sensor network are discussed.In the wireless sensor network post-deployed,the implementation of techniques(e.g.,data acquisition,data transmission,data processing,data quality control and data representation) is provided.Data was acquired over several months by deploying wireless sensor network in the pilot region of Mafengou sub-basin.The technical architectures of design,deployment and operation of wireless sensor network in high altitude and severe cold weather areas are formed.Finally,the problems and experiences of wireless sensor network in eco-hydrological applications and researches are summarized,and a fundamental frame is provided to deploy large scale wireless sensor networks in field to perform dense eco-hydrological observation in the future.


The conformational behavior of POE-bound model peptides Boc-(L-Ala)2-X-Y-(L-Ala)2-NHPOE (X – Y = L-Pro-Gly (I), Gly-L-Ile (II); NHPOE = aminopoly(oxyethylene)) as well as of the repetitive hexapeptide of elastin, Boc-L-Val-L-Ala-L-Pro-Gly-L-Val-Gly-A-NHPOE-M (III) (A = photosensitive 3-nitro-4-(bromomethyl)benzoyl group; NHPOE-M = aminopoly(oxyethylane) monomethyl ether) has been studied by means of 1H-NMR and CD spectroscopy. Compounds I and III form a β-turn with Pro and Gly in positions i + 1 and i + 2, respectively, while an aggregated state for II, has been identified. The results are in good agreement with published prediction codes giving experimental evidence for the dominance of short-range interactions to establish secondary structure in solution.


Continuous and generalized solutions of singular equations in Banach spaces are studied. We apply Lyapunov–Schmidt's ideas and the generalized Jordan sets techniques and reduce partial differential-operator equations with the Fredholm operator in the main expression to regular problems. In addition the left and right regularizators of singular operators in Banach spaces and fundamental operators in the theory of generalized solutions of singular equations are constructed.


This study aims to determine the effect of Promotion, Price, Location, Promotion, and E-service quality on purchasing decisions of Zara Central Park Mall partially or simultaneously. The data used are primary data collected through distributing questionnaires to 100 respondents who have visited and purchased at Zara Central Park Mall. The method used in this study is a quantitative method and the results of the study are based on respondents' answers using a Likert scale. The data analysis method used in this study is the Multiple Linear Regression Test, F test, t test and the coefficient of determination.
The results showed that simultaneously (F test) there was a significant influence between Product (X1), Price (X2), Location (X3) Promotion (X4), E-service quality (X5) variables on Purchasing Decisions (Y). Partially (t test) Product and Price have a significant effect on purchasing decisions, while Location, Promotion and E-service quality do not have a significant effect on purchasing


In the article, the authors identify and describe the role of the media in broadcasting content about new religious movements (on the example of the Scientol- ogy movement) on the Russian Internet. The Kribrum social media analysis system is used as a technical tool. The authors put into the project a model that included 80 concepts for the Center of Scientology and 1,242 concepts for Russian social institu- tions. The authors consider the periods 01/01/2018-12/31/2019 (stable social situation) and 01/01/2020-23/02/2022 (coronavirus crisis). The authors identify popular authors who wrote about Scientology in each of the periods. Media are grouped according to their legal status: official state media; private Russian media and bloggers; media and NGOs that are recognized as foreign agents; international media and their affiliates in Russia; other media (entertainment media, bloggers and users). The main channels for broadcasting content about Scientology were private media and bloggers. It was they who explained and broadcast material about Scientology on the Russian Internet. Their publications justified the activities of Scientology in Russia, declared the need for a liberal policy, demonized the state-confessional policy, the political system, the polit- ical system of Russia, and dehumanized academic child psychology. State Russian media in the news gave only the facts of the event, but the news was not interpreted, discussed or distributed.


This study compared amounts of 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one (4MMP), 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol (3MH), and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA) in treated and untreated hop cones and hopped beers in order to investigate the effects of treatment of hops in the field with Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfate). These three compounds contribute to the blackcurrant/muscat-like aroma characteristics of some hop cultivars. In hop cones and hopped beers treated with copper sulfate, the 4MMP content was approx. 25% lower than in those not treated. In contrast, the 3MH and 3MHA contents were higher in treated hop cones and hopped beers. Our findings also indicate that copper ion accumulation in the soil may have a significant effect on the 4MMP, 3MH, and 3MHA contents of hop cones and hopped beers.


How informative should bank stress tests be? I use Bayesian persuasion to formalize stress tests and show that regulators can reduce the likelihood of a bank run by performing tests which are only partially informative. Optimal stress tests give just enough failing grades to keep passing grades credible enough to avoid runs. The worse the state of the banking system, the more stringent stress tests must be to prevent runs. I find that optimal stress tests, by reducing the probability of runs, reduce the optimal level of banks' liquidity cushions. I also examine the impact of anticipated stress tests on banks' ex ante incentive to invest in risky versus safe assets.


This paper gives the first measurements from a project investigating the gasification of dried sewage sludge in a laboratory scale, bubbling fluidized bed at atmospheric pressure. The aim of the work was to examine the reactions occurring in a fluidized bed gasifier rather than simply treat the reactor as a 'black box'. Experiments were performed to investigate the rates of drying, devolatilisation, gasification and combustion. Thermogravimetric analysis, as well as batch fluidized bed experiments using mechanically dewatered, dried and pelletised municipal sewage sludges from different regions in the UK were performed. A comparison was made between the different samples of sludge and a low rank coal and softwood biomass. A distributed activation energy model (DAEM) for interpreting the kinetics of devolatilisation was also investigated. The model was able to reduce the results from several TGA experiments to a single curve characterised by a single parameter, the pre-exponential factor, A.Copyright © 2003 by ASME


In needs of transfer value, verification (calibration) and testing, measure equipments used and protected in environment condition have strictly requirements, it means that they must be used in good labs. But during the developing, testing or using the equip and model tasks, at any moment it needs the equipments out of labs for verification, calibration or testing in local of working, then truly and quantificationally giving out their capability and technical specification. The paper introduces the effects of environment condition, such as temperature, humidity, vibration, power supply, electromagnetism interfere etc., on measure capability of the length, mechanics and electron metrological equipments.


Residents of Raja Ampat, Papua, have been practicing sasi for generations to manage local marine resources. Recognizing its importance for marine resource conservation, efforts have been made to integrate sasi into current conservation management approach. This study was carried out with 3 objectives: (1) to define and elaborate sasi; (2) to examine the benefits of sasi for conservation of marine resources; and (3) to evaluate  the change of sasi  in the context of conservation. Multi-method approaches were employed to collect data from local communities in Dampier Strait District MPA in two separate sampling periods. Results indicated that sasi in Raja Ampat could generally be categorized into samson or kabus which basically reflect different aspects such as location, type of commodity, implementing ceremony, period of closure, the influence of monsoons, and communal ownership. The benefits identified included the increase in target fish production, the lowered level of exploitation, the improved recovery of fish stocks, and the increase in the local people's income. From the modern conservation management point of view, it was obvious that sasi could help protect and sustain marine biological resources. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate sasi into modern conservation management practices and vice versa.


In this paper, we propose a novel genetic algorithm (GA) called immunity GA (IGA) for array pattern synthesis with interference suppression using digital amplitude only control. The IGA is based on crossover evolution where the crossover operator is a variant of the known GA operator. A new formulation of the array factor transform for a speciflc number of elements N is expressed by a discrete cosine transform (DCT) with pre-computed DCT matrix. Evaluating thousands of candidate solutions generated by the IGA using the precomputed DCT matrix will result in a high speed computation. This high performance allows us to flnd a good approximation of the absolute minimum SLL of synthesized arrays with digital amplitude control. Simulation results show the efiectiveness of this new algorithm for pattern synthesis with low SLL and null steering.


China began to establish an environmental regulatory system for industrial environmental management and natural resource conservation from 1979 onwards. Following the promulgation of the state Environmental Protection Law (in draft version) in 1979 (revised in 1989), China started to systematically develop an environmental regulatory system. In 1984 environmental protection was defined as a national basic policy and key principles for environmental protection in China were proposed, which include "prevention over control", "the polluter-pays-principle" (already introduced in the 1979 environmental law), and "strengthening environmental management". Subsequently, a national regulatory framework was formulated, composed of a series of environmental laws (on all the major environmental segments, starting with marine protection and water in 1982 and 1984), executive regulations, standards and measures.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis is a rare clinical entity that is traditionally managed with either total or partial penectomy. Due to the nature of the disease, it ...


The device (1) has an optical control unit (20) with a control receiver (21), where the optical control unit is arranged in direct proximity to a measuring unit (6). The optical control unit is aligned with the measuring unit in such a manner that the control unit partially covers cross section of a control light beam and cross section of a measuring light beam in a background plane, which lies behind the measuring range. The control beam does not overlap with a light beam, which is emitted from a light emitter (4). An independent claim is also included for a method for determining particle concentration within a measuring range according to reverse scattered light principle.


In this paper, a dual-hop relay based on channel state is studied. In the conventional relay scheme, a relay uses the same modulation method without reference to channel state. But, a relay uses an adaptive modulation method with reference to channel state. If the channel state is poor, a relay eliminates latter 2 bits and uses Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation. If channel state is good, a relay modulates the received symbols with 16-QAM symbols by using 4 bits. The performance of the proposed scheme for Symbol Error Rate (SER) and throughput is analyzed. Keywords—Adaptive transmission, channel state, dual-hop, hierarchical modulation, relay.


Objectives : The present study was under taken to characterize chemical composition, antioxidant and cyto-protecting capacity of essential oil obtained from leaves of Liriodendron tulipifera L. Methods : Essential oil from the leafof L. tulipifera L. (EOLL) was extracted by hydro-distillation process and further its chemical composition was evaluated by GC-MS analysis. The in vitro antioxidant potential of the EOLL was determined by DPPH ● , ABTS ●+ , superoxide and nitric oxide free radical scavenging activity using different concentrations in the range of 50-800 µ g/mL. In addition, cyto-protecting property of the EOLLwas determined by MTT assay on Raw 264.7 macrophage cells challenged with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Results : The result of GC-MS analysis showed presence of 34 volatile compounds, principally germacrene D, spathulenol, and α -cadinol in EOLL. The in vitro antioxidant assays of EOLL at the highest used concentration of 800 µg/mL showed 81.62, 84.29, 83.59 and 58.59% inhibition of DPPH ● , ABTS ●+ , superoxide, and nitric oxide radicals, respectively. It also showed ferric reducing ability with 1310.04 mM Fe (II)/g of essential oil. The EOLL at three different concentrations (200, 400 and 800 µg/mL) protected the cells from H2O2-induced cell damage through scavenging intracellular ROS. Conclusion : The findings from the study suggest that essential oil isolat ed from leaves of L tulipifera L. is a potent sources of natural antioxidants, which could be used to treat the diseases associated with oxidative stress condition.


Dr. Frobenius being dead, and some learned Chemists at Paris, in Germany and in Italy, having endeavoured, in various Manners, and with different Contrivances, to make this æthereal Spirit.


Two types of EN‐GJS‐400‐18‐LT ductile cast iron were investigated in this research, clean baseline material in the shape of castings with different thicknesses and also defective material from a rejected wind turbine hub. P‐S‐N curves for baseline EN‐GJS‐400‐18‐LT specimens with different dimensions and from castings with different thicknesses at different load ratios were established. Geometrical size effect, technological size effects and mean stress effect on fatigue strength of baseline EN‐GJS‐400‐18‐LT were evaluated. Fatigue strength of baseline EN‐GJS‐400‐18‐LT was compared with that of defective material from the rejected hub. The effect of defects type, shape, size and position on fatigue strength of this material was evaluated. The hypothesis that the endurance observed in an S‐N test can be predicted based on the analysis of crack growth from casting defects through defect‐free 'base' material was tested for the analyzed defective material. 3D X‐ray computed tomography was use to detect defects in defective specimens and find the defect size distribution. The obtained defect size distribution for the defective material was used in random defect analysis to establish the scatter of fatigue life for defective specimens. Finally both safe‐life design and damage tolerant design of wind turbine castings were analyzed and compared.


Various problems arise in almost every country. These crises, which have a wide-ranging influence on society; irregularities in income distribution, terrorism, activities of criminal organizations, intolerance of various segments of society, abuse at the state level, restriction of liberties, epidemic diseases, natural disasters. Each crisis causes different results in society. Social problems can cause people to act in search of ways to benefit from this situation to maintain the existing standard of living since it affects living conditions. Also, they may give illegal reactions to protect themselves against social security problems that may arise. Perception, approach, problems arising from attitudes, and perplexing relationships are formed between public expectations, and public policies created by the management during times of crisis. For managers who have a voice in a country's administration to make the right decisions and implement them, they should know the characteristics of their society, their needs, expectations, and what their problems are.


The review focused on illustrating the common three preparation methods and promising bioanalytical applications(such as biosensing,DNA/RNA detection and collection,gene delivery and so on) of nanometer-sized doped silica particles.


The experiment is based on the equal Design Method.X 1,X 2,X 3,X 4,X 5,and X 6 represent respectively the intensity of aeration(ml/min),the initial concentration of Hydroxybenzene(mg/L),bottom mud volume(g),volume of HgCl 2 with a concentration of 10%(ml),treatment temperature(℃),and treatment time (hour),Y represents elimination rate of Hydroxybenzene and C represents volatile Hydroxybenzene concentration.Their relation can be expressed as Y=110 67+21 835Lnx 1+17 920Lnx 2+1 595x 3-0 124x 4+1 131x 5-1 086e x6 ;C=-3 308+0 614ln x 1+0 307lnx 2+x 3+5 100X10 -2 x 4+2 369x -2 x 5-0 692lnx 6.This article also discusses the principle of Self-purification of hydroxybenzene in water.


Consider the cooperative coalition games with side payments. Bargaining sets are calculated for all possible coalition structures to obtain a collection of imputations rather than single imputation. Our aim is to obtain a single payoff vector, which is acceptable by all players of the game under grand coalition. Though Shapely value is a single imputation, it is based on fair divisions rather than bargaining considerations. So, we present a method to obtain a single imputation based on bargaining considerations.


The aim of this thesis is to address the issue of the broader geopolitical architecture of Eurasia using as a case study the Russian-Turkish diachronic relations which are being examined through an original and fresh geopolitical/geocultural theoretical framework introduced also in the pages of this research.

The introduction presents a brief overview of the aims, issues and questions that this study expects to achieve, approach and bring up for discussion.

This research is divided into three parts and each part contains two chapters.

Part I deals with the general theoretical framework within which this study is going to be delivered. Chapter 1 critically assesses the existing theoretical geopolitical debate and aims to designate the reasons for the urgent need for the articulation of a new theoretical perspective. Chapter 2 introduces an original approach in the geopolitical theory under the label of the 'Integrated Geopolitical/Geocultural Theory of the Median Space'. The suggested model makes two major propositions. First that there is a diachronic 'Median Space' identity in a specific geographical space which was never disappeared in the midst of the eternal 'East'-'West' competition and is surviving even today. Second, within the Median Space region there is a specific 'pattern' on the implementation of International Relations which also remained unchanged throughout the centuries since all the regional and extra-regional actors are operating, consciously or unconsciously, according to its precepts.

Having presented this newly introduced framework Part II and Part III of the research are trying through textual and empirical analysis, respectively to provide the necessary evidence that strengthen the abovementioned new geopolitical model.

Part II through a historical-sociological-anthropological perspective tries to prove the first proposition about the viability of a Median Space mentality. Thus, as a case-study, it examines the diachronic geocultural and geopolitical identity of Russia and Turkey in chapters 3 and 4, respectively.

Part III by engaging International Relations macroscopic and microscopic analysis through chapters 5 and 6, respectively aims to address the second proposition about the specific pattern that is being followed by all actors interacting in the Median Space. Chapter 5, in a macroscopic way examines the suggested pattern through a historical scrutiny of the relations between the spaces that nowadays is being characterized as Turkey and Russia. Chapter 6, in a microscopic way, depicts the contemporary developments of the region and tries to extract the evidence that could support the second Median Space proposition. Initially this chapter examines the 'energy' component through an analysis of the contemporary 'energy game' and then it approaches the 'security' component by moving from a micro-level to a macro-level International Relations analysis starting from the Caucasus area and expanding through the Black Sea-Straits-Aegean system to the whole Median Space region.

Conclusion recapitulates the findings of this research.


The structure of Ru2B3 [space group P63/mmc, no. 194, a = 290.489(1) pm, c = 1281.637(6) pm] and Os2B3 [space group P63/mmc, no. 194, a = 291.451(2) pm, c = 1292.13(1) pm] were determined using neutron diffraction and 11B-isotopically enriched crystalline powder samples. Thus it was possible for the first time to determine accurate boron atom positions, displacement parameters and B–B distances. The compounds do not show superconductivity down to T = 1.8 K.


Summary 1.Solutions of polycyclic carcinogens in solvents having long-chain structures, e.g., n-dodecane and dodecylbenzene, induce tumors of the skin of mice at a much higher rate for a given concentration of carcinogen than do solutions in hydrocarbon solvents of lower molecular weight. Solutions in such accelerating solvents also show an unusual capacity to spread upon the skin. The available evidence indicates that these solvents, when free of polycyclic impurities, are completely noncarcinogenic for the skin of mice, although they are primary irritants. 2.The accelerating hydrocarbons are capable of preconditioning the skin of the C3H mouse, rendering it much more responsive to subsequent applications of a carcinogenic oil, particularly if this oil itself contains accelerating components. 3.The accelerating solvents are effective promoters of carcinogenesis initiated by a single experimental application of a carcinogenic material. The data show that the average number of applications of the accelerator before papillomas appear is independent of the frequency of application. 4.The possible role played by these accelerators in the induction of occupational cancer, e.g., scrotal cancer among mule spinners and wax pressmen, is pointed out. 5.The potency of 3-methylcholanthrene is not significantly different from that of benzo[a]pyrene when tested in nonaccelerating solvents at dosage rates low enough so that the average duration of tumor-free life exceeds 35 weeks.


Light emitting diodes (LEDs) structures based on p -GaN (cid:28)lm/ n -ZnO nanorods quasiarray heterojunction were fabricated. ZnO nanostructures were grown on the p -type GaN templates using two di(cid:27)erent methods. The turn-on voltages of ZnO/GaN heterojunctions based on ZnO nanorods grown using the gas-transport reaction and hydrothermal methods were equal to 3.2 V and 6.5 V, respectively. The diode-ideality factors were estimated to be of around 45 and 36 for the samples with ZnO nanorods grown using the method of the gas-transport reaction and the hydrothermal method, respectively. The large values of the ideality factors can be explained by a high density of trap states and quality of the contacts with the p − n junctions. The electroluminescence (EL) spectra of LEDs with ZnO nanorods grown by the gas-transport reaction and hydrothermal methods were approximated by four and three Gaussians, respectively. On the basis of the X -ray di(cid:27)raction (XRD), electrical and optical studies data, one can conclude that the emission peaks at 389(cid:21)391, 410(cid:21)412, 436(cid:21)438 and 502 nm correspond to the near-band-edge (NBE) recombination in ZnO, interface carriers recombination in ZnO/GaN junction, the electrons transition from GaN conduction band to Mg 2+ doping level, and to the emission from the defect levels in ZnO, respectively. The LED based on ZnO nanorods synthesized using the hydrothermal method emitted a more pure ultraviolet (UV) light.


The invention relates to a latent heat accumulator body comprising an outer shell, which consists of a hard plastic or elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, that can be processed by injection techniques and a filling consisting of a latent heat accumulator material that is located in the interior of the shell. Said latent heat accumulator material has a working temperature range covering a temperature span that runs from below the phase change temperature to above the latter. To obtain an improved latent heat accumulator body, the invention is characterised in that in the working temperature range, the latent heat accumulator material is a gelatinous or solid mass independent of the temperature, which is introduced into the interior of the shell, using a two-component injection method.