Introduction Patients who underwent endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) need to be enrolled in a life-long follow-up program to monitor aneurysm size and leakage of blood (endoleak) into the aneurysm sac as the long-term efficacy of EVAR is still unknown. The follow-up program in our institution consists of arterial and delayed phase CT angiography exams (CTA) post-operatively and yearly thereafter. The delayed phase is acquired 90 seconds after injection of contrast agent. Previous work showed that MRI has added value with respect to CTA in these patients. MRI is more sensitive to endoleak than CTA [1] and thanks to the superior soft-tissue contrast MRI visualizes thrombus organization inside the aneurysm sac, defined as the space between the endoprosthesis and the outer vessel wall [2]. Successfully treated abdominal aortic aneurysms are completely excluded from blood flow (no endoleak) and are expected to shrink. Shrinkage is defined as decrease in aortic diameter of more than 5 mm per year. Endoleak is an accepted etiology for aneurysms which fail to shrink. A clinical problem is formed by a large number of patients who exhibit stable or growing aneurysms without endoleak on CTA. The etiology of this phenomenon is unclear. Different causes have been proposed but were not yet visualized [3] e.g. graft porosity, slow-flow endoleak and fibrinolysis. We expect that in a number of these patients, endoleak hampering shrinkage of the aneurysm is present but invisible on CTA. Endoleaks are only visualized by CTA if leakage of a detectable amount of contrast agent occurs immediately after injection. This may not be the case with slow leakage, as in this case it will take a longer time before a detectable amount of contrast agent has leaked into the aneurysm sac. By that time, the contrast agent has already disappeared from the blood. Therefore, to visualize slow leakage contrast agents are needed that stay intravascular (blood pool agent) for a prolonged period of time. These agents allow for a longer delay between contrast fluid injection and imaging, potentially allowing the detection of slow flow endoleaks. Recently, one such agent, Vasovist (Schering AG, Berlin, Germany and EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Cambride, MA) was approved for clinical use. The purpose of this study was to visualize slow-flow endoleaks with Vasovist-enhanced MR-imaging in patients with aneurysms which do not shrink without evidence of endoleak on CTA. Patients and methods In the period between June and September 2006 nine consecutive patients taken from our regular EVAR follow-up program were included if they had (1) a stable or growing aneurysm, defined as increase in aneurysm diameter of more than 5 mm last year or change in aneurysm diameter of less than 5 mm last year, (2) no evidence of endoleak on arterial and delayed phase CT angiography, (3) a follow-up of more than 1 year, and (4) signed the informed consent form. Patients with MRIincompatible endoprostheses and claustrophobia were excluded. Institutional review board approval was obtained. Aneurysm diameters were measured by one observer on the two most recent follow-up CT angiography exams using digital calipers. These CT angiography exams were a year apart. 3 Patients had an Excluder endoprosthesis (Gore, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) 2 of which had the original Gore Excluder endoprosthesis, 1 patient had the new Excluder Low Permeability endoprosthesis, 5 patients had a Talent endoprosthesis (Medtronic Vascular), 1 patient had an EVT/Ancure (Guidant, Menlo Park, CA, USA) endoprosthesis. Median time after EVAR was 2.1 years (range 1.0 – 8.2 years). Median AAA diameter was 53.5 mm (range 40 – 61.5 mm), median time between CTA and MRA examination was 21 days (range 13 – 26 days with one exception where the CTA-MRA interval was 185 days). Blood pool contrast agent Vasovist (gadofosveset trisodium) is a gadolinium based contrast agent which binds reversibly to human serum albumin, prolonging its intravascular time. Imaging with intravascular enhancement can take place within 60 minutes after injection [4]. We used Vasovist in the approved dosage of 0.03 mmol/kg. Vasovist was administered using a Medrad infusion pump at an injection speed of 1 ml/s, followed by a 30 seconds saline chaser with the same injection speed. Acquisition All MRI scans were performed on a Philips Achieva 1.5-T scanner (Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands). A wrap-around body coil was used as receive coil. Patients were scanned using a dedicated MRI-protocol, designed for follow up after EVAR [1]. For endoleak detection our protocol contains preand postcontrast T1-weighted spin echo images. Scan parameters were TR/TE/α 580 ms/15 ms/90°, slice thickness 3.0 mm, FOV 270x385 mm2, acquisition matrix 256 x 256, 60 slices. NSA=1. Acquisition time was 5 minutes 27 seconds. A regional saturation slab was placed on the abdominal fat to prevent ghosting artifacts due to breathing. Postcontrast images were acquired 3 minutes and 30 – 70 minutes after injection. Data collection Two observers independently evaluated the MR scans and classified them into the following categories: endoleak, possibly endoleak, and no endoleak. Early and late postcontrast images were both compared to precontrast images. Leakage was defined as high signal intensity on the postcontrast image outside the lumen inside the aneurysm sac not present on the precontrast image. In case of doubt, consensus was reached after consultation of a third observer. Observers were blinded to patient's identity and other imaging studies performed. Results Results of late postcontrast T1-weighted images are given, early postcontrast images in brackets: Endoleak was seen in 5(0) patients. Possible endoleak was seen in 2(3). No endoleak was seen in 2(6). All possible endoleaks on early postcontrast images were labeled endoleaks on the late images. In the two patients with the original Excluder endoprosthesis graft porosity was visible (Figure 2). These patients were 2 resp. 3 years after EVAR. The origin of the other 3 endoleaks was not visible. Figure 1 and 2 show early and delayed CTA and MR-images of the same patient. Note that vasa vasorum were visible in 4(3) patients. These tiny vessels were more pronounced on the late phase images (Figure 2b,c) and could not be distinguished on CTA-images. Discussion Our study showed that MRI with the use of the blood pool agent Vasovist including late phase imaging revealed endoleaks in about 50% of patients who had a stable or growing aneurysm without evidence of endoleak on arterial and delayed phase CT angiography exams. These additional endoleaks were visible on the late phase images. Because no blood pool agents exist for CTA, MRI with Vasovist is currently the only non-invasive technique for visualizing slow-flow endoleaks. To our knowledge, for the first time graft porosity of the original Excluder endoprosthesis was depicted, which had already been addressed by the manufacturer by changing the graft fabric to a less porous alternative. This new contrast agent improved our understanding of aneurysms which do not shrink after treatment. This knowledge can lead to new treatment strategies for these patients. Further research is necessary to unravel this problem completely. References [1] Laan MJ, Bakker CJG, et al. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2006; 31(2):130-135. [2] Cornelissen SA, ISMRM 14 (2006), p.2181 [3] White GH, J Endovasc. Ther. 2001;8:454–456; [4] Hartmann M, Wiethoff AJ, et al. Eur Radiol 2006; 16 Suppl 2:B15-B23; Figure 2 Transverse T1-weighted spin echo images a) pre-contrast b) post-contrast 3 minutes after injection c) late phase 70 minutes after injection. c) shows an endoleak which seems to originate from a porous graft. Figure 1 CT angiography image a) arterial phase, b) late phase (2 minutes after injection), images of same patient as Figure 2. No endoleak is visible.


The article is devoted to features of identity-based conflicts as a threat to the social and cultural integration in modern Russian society. The author considers the principle factors of the identity-based conflicts and emphasizes destabilizing role of the politicization of ethnicity. Among the systemic conditions of the escalation of the identity-based conflicts the author points out the following: modernization risks, traditionalization, identity crisis, ethnic tensions.


The maximal analytic Schwarzschild spacetime is manifestly inextendible as a Lorentzian manifold with a twice continuously differentiable metric. In this paper, we prove the stronger statement that it is even inextendible as a Lorentzian manifold with a continuous metric. To capture the obstruction to continuous extensions through the curvature singularity, we introduce the notion of the spacelike diameter of a globally hyperbolic region of a Lorentzian manifold with a merely continuous metric and give a sufficient condition for the spacelike diameter to be finite. The investigation of low-regularity inextendibility criteria is motivated by the strong cosmic censorship conjecture.


We revisit the fundamental problem of sorting objects using crowdsourced pairwise comparisons. Prior work either treats these comparisons as independent tasks -- in which case the resulting judgments may end up being inconsistent, or fails to capture the accuracies of workers or difficulties of the pairwise comparisons -- in which case the resulting judgments may end up being consistent with each other, but ultimately more inaccurate. We adopt a holistic approach that constructs a graph across the set of objects respecting consistency constraints. Our key contribution is a novel method of encoding difficulty of comparisons in the form of constraints on edges. We couple that with an iterative E-M-style procedure to uncover information about latent variables and constraints, along with the graph structure. We show that our approach predicts edge directions as well as difficulty values more accurately than baselines on both real and simulated data, across graphs of various sizes.


FIELD: medicine. SUBSTANCE: group of inventions refers to veterinary science, and concerns inactivated chimeric vaccines and related methods of application. Substance of the inventions involves an inactivated chimeric flavivirus containing a first flavivirus representing a yellow fever virus in which nucleotide sequences coding pre-membrane and membrane proteins are substituted by nucleotide sequences coding pre-membrane and membrane proteins a second flavivirus representing a West Nile fever virus. The inventions also involve an immunogenic composition and a vaccine for protection of animals from the flavivirus infections, involving the inactivated chimeric flavivirus. EFFECT: development of the advanced immunogenic composition and the vaccine on the basis of the inactivated chimeric flavivirus. 14 cl, 3 ex, 5 tbl


alternated compression-pumping system comprising:. at least one section (3) compression-pumping alternating operation, adapted to communicate a pressure value to an essentially liquid fluid or to an essentially gaseous fluid ,. at least one pump section adapted to an essentially liquid fluid ,. at least one device for separating different phases of the fluid, provided with means (CL) for detecting the level of the gas-liquid interface ,. means (VGI, Vli) for controlling the flow of liquid phases or gas. process control means for varying the state of said flow control means so as to change the compression section of an operating mode suited to gas to an operating mode for liquid and the reciproquement.Application pumping a petroleum effluent.


Based on the characteristics of some Bayer red mud,deep reduction-magnetic separation experiments were done to study the effects of influencing factors such as reductant dosage,additive quantity,reduction temperature,reduction time,grinding fineness and magnetic field intensity on the grade of iron ore concentrate and the iron recovery rate.The phase compositions and characteristics of red mud and iron ore concentrate were determined by chemical analysis,X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS).It is shown that the grade of iron ore concentrate is 85.66% and the iron recovery rate is 91.86% without any additive.When the additive is used,the grade of iron ore concentrate is 91.23% and the iron recovery rate is 93.13%.


W doped rutile TiO2 powders with different W doping concentrations were prepared by low temperature ultrasonic hydrolysis using tetrabutyl titanate(C16H36O4Ti) as raw material.The powders were characterized by XRD,PL,DRS and BET.Using Fe3+ as electron acceptor,under condition of pH=2.0,UV irradiation and visible radiation,the effect of W doping concentration on the photocatalytic oxidation activity of rutile TiO2 particles was investigated.The results show that when W doping concentration is 1.0%-4.0%,W doping does not cause any change in rutile TiO2 crystal structure.Therefore,surface oxygen vacancies and the donor energy level near the bottom of the conduction band lead to easier departure of photoinduced electrons from holes to achieve stronger photocatalytic activity.The highest photocatalytic oxygen evolution and PL spectra intensity are achieved when the concentration of W is 2.0%,the O2 evolution speeds are 148.8 μmol/(L·h) and 102.9 μmol/(L·h) under UV irradiation and visible radiation,which are 30.6% and 65.7% higher than those before being doped.


Little-known integrals are listed, useful for the evacuation of stored electric energy in cylindrical regions, such as often appear in the analysis of cylindrical dielectric resonators.


Article with two separate parts: (1) A detailed list of all the operations necessary for making locomotives available and organizing train crews; inspections; supplies to stock repair sheds; and fleet management. The article shows how computer processes can be used in these fields. (2) The large-scale ITS System has no interruption. The article shows how energy supplied can be consequently guaranteed.


Load Balancing is a mechanism of efficient utilization of computing resources (i.e. CPU, Memory and Network). Cloud computing is the best option to reduce CAPEX and OPEX of the organizations. High Quality of Service (QoS) and reduction the Service Level Agreement (SLA) violation depend on efficient management of Load Imbalance problem. Cloud Service efficiency depends on proper management of physical and logical resources. Researchers did lots of work on the effective load management system. Researchers used many approaches (i.e. Ant colony, Honey Bee, Genetic, Static, and Dynamic) but still need improvement. Virtual Machines (VMs) migration system plays the vital role in load management. Our focus in this research is maximizing the utilization of VMs CPU capacity. Proposed research approach is based on Dynamic Weighted Live Migration (DWLM) to manage load imbalance problem. The proposed mechanism results outcomes compared with Migration time, Scalability, Throughput and Availability factor from Equally Spread Current Execution load balancing algorithm (ESCEL) and Push Pull algorithm. This paper also focuses on others load balancing strategies and future research scope in Load management mechanism.


The recent introduction of the Deep Sequencing technology has led to a drastic increase in sequenced data but the limited length of these sequenced reads and non-negligible sequencing errors have also opened new statistical challenges in analysing the data.This work aims at analysing deep sequencing data obtained in a single run from genetically diverse samples, in particular from intra-host HIV populations: HIV exists in a single infected patient as quasispecies, a population of evolutionarily related haplotypes. We present an algorithm for identifying (an a priori unknown number of) these haplotypes in a sample and thereby quantifying the observed genetic diversity.


We construct a nil ring R which has bounded index of nilpotence 2, is Wedderburn radical, and is commutative, and which also has a derivation δ for which the differential polynomial ring R[x;δ] is not even prime radical. This example gives a strong barrier to lifting certain radical properties from rings to differential polynomial rings. It also demarcates the strength of recent results about locally nilpotent PI rings.


Two primary methods of stream water sampling, the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) equalwidth increment (EWI) and point samples (PS) from vertical centroid of flow (VCF) were compared at three river sites, the White River near Fayetteville, Richland Creek at Goshen, and War Eagle Creek near Hindsville. A little over three years of concentration data, which was paired with corresponding instantaneous discharge values (http://ar.water.usgs.gov/), was gathered separately at each site by the Arkansas Water Resource Center (AWRC) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The purpose of this study was to evaluate how concentration is related to discharge when water samples are collected by the two different sampling methods. The measured constituents included nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), dissolved orthophosphorus (soluble reactive phosphorus, SRP), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and suspended sediment (TSS). A three step process was used to analyze the concentration-discharge relationships: (1) simple linear regression comparison, (2) LOESS residual t-test, and (3) split base and storm flow linear regression comparisons. In addition, an estimation of mean constituent loads and corresponding 95 th confidence intervals were calculated using LOAD ESTimator (LOADEST, USGS). In general, PS samples provided results similar to the more rigorous and expensive EWI method. TSS and TN concentrations were significantly lower during storm flow at the White River and War Eagle Creek; however, SRP concentrations gathered by PS sampling method were greater during storm flow at the same two rivers. TP was significantly greater for the PS method during base flow at multiple sites, and combined with SRP results, was most likely due to seasonal variation not captured by the EWI method. Interestingly, no significant differences between methods were shown at Richland Creek for split flow regression comparison. NO3-N was not significantly different between sampling methods at any of the three sites. While both methods provide similar results under certain conditions, research goals and sampling method limitations must be full understood in order to obtain accurate measurements.


Asset pricing models generate predictions relating assets' expected rates of return and their risk attributes. Most tests of these models have employed realized rates of return as a proxy for expected return. We use analysts' expected rates of return to examine the relation between these expectations and firm attributes. By assuming that analysts' expectations are unbiased estimates of market-wide expected rates of return, we can circumvent the use of realized rates of return and provide evidence on the predictions emanating from traditional asset pricing models. We find a positive, robust relation between expected return and market beta and a negative relation between expected return and firm size, consistent with the notion that these are risk factors. We do not find that high book-to-market firms are expected to earn higher returns than low book-to-market firms, inconsistent with the notion that book-to-market is a risk factor. Asset pricing models seek to establish the determinants of financial assets' expected rates of return. Classic asset pricing models, such as Sharpe (1964), Lintner (1965), and Black (1972), predict that an asset's expected return should be positively related to its systematic market risk. Based on Merton's (1973) ICAPM, Fama and French (1992, 1993) argue that their findings of higher returns for high book-to-market stocks and low capitalization stocks reflect compensation for risk. That is, those stocks are expected to earn higher rates of return because they are riskier. Although asset pricing models aim at explaining cross-sectional variation in expected return, researchers have been forced to use realized return as a proxy for expected return in tests of these models. The use of realized returns implies that such tests are conditioned on the joint hypothesis of rational expectations, in the sense that the average realization is a good proxy for expectation and that the null asset pricing model describes the relation between expectations and firm attributes. However, realized return may not be a perfect proxy for expected return. First, noise in realized returns is likely to be large (Blume and Friend, 1973 and Sharpe, 1978). Second, realized returns may be poor estimates of expected returns if information surprises do not cancel out over the period of study (Froot and Frankel, 1989 and Elton, 1999). Third, realized returns may also be noisy and biased estimates of expected returns due to complex learning effects. 1 1


The article presents the idea of substantiating the practice of designing the creative activity of students in teaching their native language, determining the subject, purpose, and objectives of a pedagogical experiment in order to describe its specifics, description of the course of the experiment, analysis of its results. The main goal of designing the creative activity of students in teaching their native language is to increase the efficiency and improve the quality of education. When and under what conditions does the design of students' creative activity in teaching their native language give the desired pedagogical effect? The answer to this question makes it necessary to conduct a comparative analysis of the types of training, including creative, with explanatory and visual training.


This paper reports about 10kW-class 650V-rated GaN switches. GaN-on-Si HEMTs with maximum current of 780A and 33.2mm2 die area were fabricated by chip scaling and intrinsic device shrink which gave improved RON* A area Figure of merit. Tight integration with a low-voltage Si MOSFET results in a cascode switch with a high threshold of 4V, stable dynamic on-resistance of 14 milliohms for up to 750V VDS and single-chiplike simplicity in TO-247 packages. Using a simple gate drive of 0-12V and drive current below 0.7A, the GaN FET exhibits faster switching and 2x lower switching losses than a competing SiC MOSFET. When tested in a 240V:400V half-bridge synchronous boost converter, it was possible to get 12kW output power with >99% peak efficiency at 3kW.


This article discusses the recently instituted PACT (Prevention Amputation Care and Treatment) program now being used at the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This program is a multidisciplinary interventional prevention strategy that includes both physical and psychosocial components, addressing the long-term after-care for patients postamputation and preventive interventions for those at risk.


We present an approach to calibrate a regional glacier model based on the well observed period since the mid-19th century LIA maximum.
We chose 30 glaciers distributed across the entire European Alps with frequent length change observations in that period. These glaciers account for 25% of today's total glacier area in the Alps. We run simulations with the Open Global Glacier Model (OGGM, https://oggm.org) driven by HISTALP (http://www.zamg.ac.at/histalp) gridded climate data. To calibrate the glaciers individually, we vary three model parameters within a reasonable range: (i) a precipitation scaling factor governing average mass-turnover and mass-balance profiles, (ii) the ice creep parameter governing basal sheer stress and the dynamics of ice flow, and (iii) a constant mass balance perturbation applied to the yearly mass-balance. This results in  1365 unique parameter combinations which were tested for all glaciers. We chose individual parameter subsets for every glacier based on objective criteria minimizing the difference between modeled and observed length changes.

We find that there is no unique parameter combination satisfying our criteria for all glaciers. It is also challenging to identify an ideal parameter combination for each individual glacier, since there is a trade-off between reproducing variability (useful for paleo-climate interpretations) and reproducing observed length change (useful for projections and planing).
Furthermore, model and input data uncertainties are variable in time, leading to non-unique optimal parameter sets. Therefore, we rely on an ensemble of simulations consisting of the best runs with respect to multiple statistical measures. Together with a cross-validation procedure, the ensemble produces a probabilistic uncertainty range which can be applied to Holocene glacier reconstructions and future evolution scenarios.


Objective: To investigate the pain nursing management status in different hospitals. Method: Totally 40 hospitals were recruited by convenient sampling. Self-designed pain nursing management status questionnaires were used. Results: Of all the 40 hospitals, pain nursing related policy and procedure were established in 23 hospitals(57.5%). All inpatients and outpatients, all inpatients, part inpatients were delivered pain assessment routinely in 8 hospitals, 2 hospitals, and 25 hospitals. While inpatients' pain assessment were not delivered in the left 5 hospitals. The fellow up of pain in cancer patients were recorded in 24 hospitals(60.0%), inpatients' pain education were carried out in 26 hospitals(65.0%). There were advanced pain practice nurses in 18 hospitals(45.0%) and pain nursing professional groups in 20 hospitals(50.0%), the pain nursing course were involved in new employee training and continuing nursing education both in 25 hospitals(62.5%). There was no difference between the use of the subjective pain assessment tools, while there are quite a lot of differences between the use of the objective pain assessment tools in this group of 40 hospitals. Conclusion: The pain nursing management status in different hospitals were variable and the pain nursing management standard is needed.


A new species of Micrepimera Matile, 1990 (Diptera: Keroplatidae) from Baltic amber is described. Known species of Macrocera from Baltic amber are reviewed. Macrocera elegantissima Meunier, 1904 is transferred to Micrepimera; a lectotype is designated for this species.


Both neodymium and ruby laser radiation are capable of permanently destroying the highly malignant Cloudman S-91 melanoma, when implanted into the CDBA/ 2F, hybrid mouse. However, permanent tumor destruction is possible only when a variety of factors are fulfilled. The destructive effect of either source of laser energy was observed to be an immediate phenomenon in these laser-tumor experiments, and no evidence of progressive tumor regression was observed following exposure to laser radiation. When other tumor systems (the Lewis T240 sarcoma and the C3H/HEN Mouse Mammary adenocarcinoma not discussed in this paper) were studied, tumor destruction appeared to be an immediate phenomenon when it occurred. However, McGuff,' Klein,' and Helsper' have observed the phenomenon of progressive tumor destruction following laser radiation to other tumor systems. These observations suggest that an unidentified factor may be released or produced from irradiated tumors, which promotes the destruction of remaining viable tumor. This phenomenon has not been observed in any of our tumor experiments. This paper will discuss (1) experimental observations of the effect of both neodymium and ruby laser radiation on the Cloudman S-91 Melanoma; (2) the characteristics of the temperature gradient within the tumor at the moment of laser impact; (3) a theory that allows one to predict the probability of tumor destruction from laser radiation.


High quality YSi1.7 layers (χmin of Y is 3.5%) have been formed by 60 keV Y ion implantation in Si (111) substrates to a dose of 1.0×1017/cm2 at 450 °C using channeled ion beam synthesis (CIBS). It shows that, compared to the conventional nonchanneled ion beam synthesis, CIBS is beneficial in forming YSi1.7 layers with better quality due to the lower defect density created in the implanted layer. Rutherford backscattering/channeling and x-ray diffraction have been used to study the structure and the strain of the YSi1.7 layers. The perpendicular and parallel elastic strains of the YSi1.7 epilayer are e⊥ =−0.67%±0.02% and e∥=+1.04%±0.08%. The phenomenon that a nearly zero mismatch of the YSi1.7/Si (111) system results in a nonpseudomorphic epilayer with a rather large parallel strain relative to the Si substrate (e∥=+1.09%) is explained, and the model is further used to explain the elastic strain of epitaxial ErSi1.7 and GdSi1.7 rare-earth silicides.


This letter considers consensus time synchronization for wireless senor networks with random communication delays. Based on weighted median method, two different relative skew estimators are proposed to obtain accurate estimates: a gap-based estimator and a novel low storage estimator. Then, the estimated skew is applied to average consensus approach to compensate the clock skew and offset, and the synchronization performance is improved. Theoretical convergence analysis and simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed estimators under time delays.


To reduce frustration while performing no-risk tasks (e.g. in training and games) for BCI users, we propose increasing their perceived level of control through fabricated input - system-generated positive task outcomes. Two surrogate BCI studies injected fabricated input creating additional positive task outcomes to a 50% baseline. Users' perceived control increased significantly compared to the 50% baseline. In turn, frustration levels decreased. Fabricated input worked equally well in a game story context that provided an emotional stake in the protagonist's success and a simpler task lacking such incentives. People's number of input attempts during the tasks determined perceived control more than our controlled ratios of positive to negative task outcomes. Delays between users' input attempts and subsequent fabricated inputs further moderated their perceived control.


A sample cell and optical mount for use in laser Raman spectroscopic studies of adsorbed species at elevated temperatures is described. In situ Raman spectra of pyridine adsorbed on 60–120 mesh silica gel at room temperature, 75 °C, and 150 °C are reported. The cell has also been used in studies of other species adsorbed on silica, alumina, and platinum wire.


--Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) once nested throughout most of the U.S. The decline in this population due to biocide use has been well documented, as has its recovery following the U.S. ban on DDT in 1972. A general increase in the nesting distribution and abundance of Ospreys was reported in the U.S. in 1981 but there was limited dispersal into states with low or extirpated populations. We conducted a nationwide nesting survey of nesting Ospreys in 1994, updating the 1981 data. Our data indicate a dramatic increase in the U.S. Osprey population from -8000 nesting pairs in 1981 to -14 200 in 1994. The most dramatic increases were seen in traditional nesting areas, with some new nesting in the interior U.S. Hacking projects, construction of reservoirs, nest platform management and increased public relations have contributed to the growth of this nesting population.


In this paper, we introduce the notion of relative probability measure spaces by the concept of observer. The notions of relative entropy and relative conditional entropy of countable σ-algebras are defined and studied. Using the suggested concept of relative entropy we define the relative entropy of a dynamical system and we prove some of its ergodic properties. Finally it is proved that, the relative entropy of dynamical systems is invariant under conjugate relation. c ⃝2017 World Academic Press, UK. All rights reserved.


Lithium is widely used in psychiatry because of its mood stabilizing properties. Although it is considered a relatively safe mood stabilizer, occasionally, it can lead to atypical and uncommon adverse effects. We describe here a case of a patient of bipolar affective disorder, who developed pitting type of edema of both his legs and feet, while being on lithium therapy. Edema of the peripheries is a seldom reported side effect of lithium (German J Psychiatry 2008; 11: 76-78).


Residual gas saturation is known to be a key factor in evaluating gas recovery from a lean gas reservoir invaded by water. The large scatter in maximum trapped gas saturation (SgrM), the existence of two opposite SgrM/porosity trends and the key controls of the variability of SgrM were illustrated by two recent studies (Suzanne et al., 2001; Hamon et al., 2001). This paper tackles the influence of irreducible water saturation on the variability of trapped gas saturation. Sgr measurements were performed by controlled evaporation and capillary imbibition or by capillary drainage/imbibition. Sixty samples were selected from sandstone formations to account for the largest scatter in SgrM observed in our previous study and cover a very large range in porosity and permeability. The main results of this study are: The fluid distribution after controlled evaporation was checked with NMR and X-ray scanner measurements and was found homogeneous. The Sgr values obtained by evaporation-imbibition were found in very close agreement with those achieved by capillary drainage imbibition on eight reservoir samples The presence of irreducible water prior to the imbibition does not change the existence of two opposite Sgr trends as a function of porosity (or permeability). Sgr at irreducible water saturation, Sgr@Swir, may decrease as porosity decreases. This relationship is shown to be related to increasing clay content, decreasing pore size or increasing amount of microporosity as SgrM values. Maximum trapped gas saturation and Sgr at irreducible water saturation were found equal. So, Sgr may either increase or decrease as a function of irreducible water saturation, showing that Sgr is not controlled only by initial water saturation. And, the frequent extrapolation of Land's empirical relationship to the interval [SgrM, Sgr@Swir] is not correct. INTRODUCTION During depletion of gas fields, the aquifer often encroaches into the reservoir, and residual gas saturation (Sgr) is used to estimate microscopic recovery. The authors have shown in previous papers [1; 2] that SgrM values vary between 0.05 and 0.95. Yet, the economic impact of Sgr on gas reservoir can be extremely high. Many studies have attempted to understand gas-trapping mechanisms. First, Geffen et al. established that residual gas saturation measured in the laboratory on core samples is the same as in a gas reservoir. Later results [4 to 8] proved that simple experimental conditions may be representative of gas trapping in reservoirs. As the objectives of this study are to gather a substantial number of experimental results over a large range of rock characteristics, simple experimental conditions are advisable. In this work, trapped gas saturations are obtained by spontaneous imbibition at ambient conditions on samples. Many studies have tried to correlate trapped gas saturation to reservoir characteristics [3 to . Katz et al. [6] have underscored a relationship between SgrM and porosity: as porosity increases, SgrM decreases. Following authors have confirmed this single but scattered trend [5 to . In the previous papers [1; , we have presented a new trend SgrM-porosity; and we have shown the influence of microporosity and pore size on SgrM values. To complete this study and achieve more representative results, we have focused this work on the influence of maximum initial gas saturation on residual gas saturation. Crowell et al. [4] illustrated the effect of initial gas saturation (Sgi) on trapped gas saturation (Sgr). Land [11] proposed the well known relationship: Swir Sgr@Swir C S S gi gr − − = = − 1 1 1 1 1 * * (1) Sgi and Sgr are effective gas saturations expressed as a fraction of pore volume excluding the pore volume occupied by the irreducible wetting phase, Swir: Swir S S gi gi − = 1 * and Swir S S gr gr − = 1 * (2) C parameter is Land's coefficient which is assumed to be only rock dependent. Its value is defined by the end point of the Sgi -Sgr curve. A simplified form of Land's law, based on real gas saturation, is commonly used: 1 1 1 1 − = = − SgrM C S S gi gr . (3) Combination of equations (1) and (3) leads to a relationship that links SgrM, Swir and Sgr@Swir: 1 1 1 1 1 − = = − − SgrM C Swir Sgr@Swir (4) Very often, Sgr@Swir is estimated by using equation (4). This implies the two values (SgrM and Sgr@Swir) are different and Sgr@Swir is a function of Swir. Some authors [12; 13] underscored a relationship between Sgr@Swir and Swir (Figure 1A) unlike Chierici et al. [8] Few authors [3; 7; 14] have concluded that Sgr@Swir is close to SgrM based on few experimental data (Figure 1B) unlike the idea of most of the authors as Crowell et al. Sgr-Sgi relationships are determined by carrying out a set of drainage-imbibition sequences. The drainage allows to get the value of Sgi and the end point of the following imbibition defines the corresponding value of Sgr. Two methods were used for getting Sgi: capillary desorption and controlled evaporation. The present work studies the effect of the methods used to get to Sgi on Sgr values (drainage -imbibition or evaporation-imbibition), and, then the Sgr@Swir values as a function of some petrophysical parameters. EXPERIMENTS Core Samples Sixty samples were selected from two gas reservoirs of the Far East (M1 and M3) and from Fontainebleau Sandstone outcrops (FTB). Cylindrical samples of different lengths, and 23 mm or 40 mm in diameter, were cut from whole core samples. Their porosity and permeability range respectively from 0.06 to 0.25 and from 0.1 to 3 000 mD. Figure 2 illustrates permeability versus porosity and SgrM versus porosity samples position. It is important to note that this sampling covers a large range of combinations between pore network characteristics and maximum trapped gas saturation as illustrated by our previous work [1, . Measurements The following sequence was performed. 1Samples were cleaned with chloroform by soxhlet extraction and dried at 80°C. 2Matrix volume was measured either using a helium picnometer, or by hydrostatic weighing operation on chloroform-saturated samples 3Bulk volume was measured by mercury hydrostatic weighing operation. 4Gas permeability measurements. 5Formation factor was measured on brine-saturated samples. 6SgrM was measured as described in the next paragraph. 7After Isopar L® saturation of samples, they are drained by controlled evaporation and Sgr is measured for each Sgi value as described below. 8SgrM values are again measured for checking. Residual Gas Saturation (Sgr) Measurement Spontaneous imbibition was used for both Sgr and SgrM measurements. This technique was described and validated in previous papers [2, 3, 5]. Refined oil, Isopar L® , is used as wetting phase rather brines to avoid clay disturbance within the porous space. Isopar L® is a strongly wetting liquid for both outcrop and reservoir samples that were cleaned with chloroform before carrying out experiments. Because of the strong wettability of Isopar L and its low viscosity (1.3 mPa.s), measured saturations may be assumed to be equivalent to those obtained by using gas-water couple [3 to 5, . Spontaneous imbibition was performed by immersing the lowermost tip of the sample into wetting fluid and by measuring the change of weight versus time (Figure 3A). As samples are put in a closed chamber, Isopar L evaporation influence is minimized. Change in gas saturation during imbibition is plotted against the square root of time. The intersection of capillary-dominated period and diffusion-dominated period lines was selected as the trapped gas saturation. Throughout all experiments, these two regimes always were clearly observed regardless of the sample permeability or initial gas saturation. The influence of diffusion is very low as the ratio between slopes of the two lines is typically equal to 1/20. Getting to Initial Gas Saturation (Sgi) Two methods are used to get to Sgi: controlled evaporation and capillary desorption. Fluids are air and Isopar L for both methods. The capillary desorption is a steady state drainage by capillary pressure. This drainage method is time-consuming, and allows to study few samples. The controlled evaporation consists of two stages (Figure 3B). The sample is placed into an opened desiccator with Isopar L which evaporates easily. When the target weight is reached, the sample is put into a closed desiccator with Isopar L® during 12 hours. As air around the sample is saturated by Isopar L® vapour, evaporation is blocked. The aim of this second phase is to get a homogeneous distribution of fluids within the sample by relaxing capillary pressure gradients. For both methods of drainage, Sgi values are measured by weighing operations just before the capillary imbibition. To begin a set of Sgi-Sgr measurements, the sample is initially saturated under pressure with Isopar L . Sgr is only measured if the new initial gas saturation is higher than the previous one. In this way, imbibition experiments are done at ever increasing gas saturations (Sgi) to avoid capillary hysteresis effects. Evaluation of Swir As Sgr, values of irreducible wetting saturation are assumed to be those of irreducible water saturation (Swir). The controlled evaporation does not allow to determine Swir during drainage as residual wetting saturation must be nil if evaporation is complete. So for all samples, Swir values have been estimated by using a relationship between Swir and permeability [16]. Saturation values which are obtained with Purcell curves at various pressures, are presented as a function of Kg (Figure 4). Swir values that were measured by capillary desorption on seven samples of M1 reservoir, are close to values that are estimated by using Purcell curves with an equivalent capillary pressure of 2 bars (Figure 4). Then Swir values which are presented in following plots are estimated by using this experimental relationship. The two others relationships will be used for defining an uncertainty int


Either a carpenter is tapping on his craft a long distance from here, or a woman is walking along the footpath in high heels...


Image deblurring has matured over the last decade; today, there are a wide range of deblurring algorithms that operate successfully in the wild. Yet, there are many applications — including telephoto and low-light photography — where camera shake produces a blur kernel that is large enough to cripple state-of-the-art deblurring algorithms. This failure can be attributed to the decreasing SNR at the higher-frequencies of the latent image with increasing blur kernel size. As a consequence, resolving the finest details in the image is often impossible without undesirable artifacts due to noise amplification. In this paper, we demonstrate that these challenges can be overcome by obtaining multiple blurred images. We make the following observations. First, the burst mode in most digital cameras supports the ability to take a sequence of shots in rapid succession. Second, blur due to camera shake is largely one-dimensional; hence, just obtaining a few blurry images opportunistically produces blur orientations that are not aligned with each other; this produces dramatic improvements in deblurring. Third, an alternating sequence of convex programs can be used to recover both the latent image and blur kernels effectively. We refer to this multi-image deblurring algorithm as BlurBurst. We demonstrate applications of BlurBurst in telephoto and low-light photography and highlight broader uses in hand-held high dynamic-range (HDR) imaging.


Abstract : In studying the strength characteristics of pristine, soda-lime-silica glass using four-point bending, large deflections are imposed on the glass specimens. These large deflections lead to nonlinear relations between load and deflection and the assumptions of simple beam theory are no longer applicable. Without making the simplifying assumptions of simple beam theory, the nonlinear differential equation governing beam deflections in four-point bending was solved using numerical techniques. (Author)


The design used in this study–quasiexperimental– is unfamiliar to clinical readers. There are few easily available worksheets or prescriptive methods for reviewing such an article. We used 2 excellent resources to generate questions used in the evaluation of this article modified by 2 of us (M.H. and W.B.) and reordered here to match the sequence of the study. The graphic helps to arrange themethodological issues we raise throughout the article. In the Webbased version we provide links depicted in the graphic to provide further detail about the various methodological considerations and threats to validity. (excerpt)


The organization is the carrier of enterprise management and development It has an inseparable relation with management.The problem of organizations is always a highly-valued problem in both the enterprise management theory and practice.In view of that,this article first carries out a brief combing into the basic ways of the enterprise organization theory development before 1980,and then discusses the basic tendency of the enterprise organization theory development since 1980,particularly 1990.Finally,it makes a commentary on several main patterns of enterprise organization as well.


Metallized coatings can significantly improve the operational properties of quartz fibers. The research was conducted to determine the crack resistance, strength and dynamic fatigue of optical fibers without any coating and with copper coatings. The microhardness of quartz fibers was measured by the diamond indentation of end surfaces. The stress intensity parameter K1c was found from the A. Niihara semi-empirical dependence. The geometry of indentation and radial cracks was studied using a scanning electron microscope. The crack resistance of uncoated quartz turned out to be almost 3 times less as compared to the copper coating fiber, which is presumably due to the additive contribution of compressive stresses on fiber surfaces and quartz wetting with copper. Copper-coated optical fiber drawing increases the tensile strength, crack resistance and dynamic fatigue parameter, and it is the main resource for maintaining operation in the conditions of a statistical approach to structural strength. Comparative tests were conducted to check the optical fiber strength by two-point bending and axial tension methods. Experimental tests conducted to check the ultimate mechanical strength of quartz optical fibers showed a significant spread of data, which indicates the presence of cracks of various sizes in a brittle solid and is a characteristic feature of brittle fracture as suggested by the A. Griffiths theory. In addition, it was assumed that the chaotic distribution of defects and microcracks extends along the entire length of a brittle solid, a quartz optical fiber in this case. A statistical model based on the Weibull distribution was used to describe surface microcracks depending on the fiber length. As a result, Weibull graphs were plotted in coordinates connecting the probability of failure with the strength, fiber length and parameter describing the ultimate strength.


abandoned this attitude; they described the verbal logograms in Parthian separately from those in Middle Persian throughout. Skjaervo successfully classified those in Sasanian Parthian into three groups according to tense markers(2) and showed the paradigm of phonetic complements, representing personal endings, attested in Sasanian inscriptions. However, there remains an unsettled question: Are there general rules for the formation of a Parthian verbal logogram when both a root and a stem (e. g., pe'al) of Aramaic are given? It is the purpose of this paper to suggest that the answer to the question is, with many exceptions, affirmative.


Enantioselective 1,4-conjugate addition of diethylzinc towards β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters is smoothly catalyzed by an axially chiral bis(phosphoramidite)—Cu complex to give the product γ-substituted γ-aryl α-keto esters (III) in moderate enantioselectivities (up to 81% e.e.).


Excitonic density-wave states realized by the quantum condensation of electron-hole pairs (or excitons) are studied in the two-band Hubbard model with Hund's rule coupling and the pair hopping term. Using the variational cluster approximation, we calculate the grand potential of the system and demonstrate that Hund's rule coupling always stabilizes the excitonic spin-density-wave state and destabilizes the excitonic charge-density-wave state and that the pair hopping term enhances these effects. The characteristics of these excitonic density-wave states are discussed using the calculated single-particle spectral function, density of states, condensation amplitude, and pair coherence length. Implications of our results in the materials' aspects are also discussed.


Category: Life Sciences Patent Ownership: UNIVERSITA' DI TRIESTE, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR GENETIC ENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO Inventors: Luisa MESTRONI, Laura BALLERINI, Carlin LONG, John CALDWELL, Maurizio PRATO, Valentina MARTINELLI, Giada CELLOT, Francesca Maria TOMA, Lorenza ZENTILLIN Priority Date: 13/03/2012 Patent Number: US214/005.21 Patent Status: Patent Pending in US Licensing Availability: Available


Data warehouses (DW) are built by gathering information from several information sources (ISs) and integrating it into one repository customized to users' needs. Recent work has begun to address the problem of view maintenance of DWs under concurrent data updates of diierent ISs. SWEEP proposed by Agrawal et al. AAS97] is one of the more popular solutions; even though its performance is limited due to enforcing a sequential ordering on the handling of data updates from ISs by the view maintenance module. We have overcome this limitation by developing a parallel algorithm for view maintenance, called PSWEEP, that still incorporates all beneets of SWEEP while ooering substantially improved performance. In order to perform parallel view maintenance, we solve two issues: detecting maintenance-concurrent data updates in a parallel mode, and correcting the problem that the DW commit order may not correspond to the DW update processing order due to parallel maintenance handling. By decomposing SWEEP into an architecture of modular components, we then can insert a local timestamp assignment module for detecting maintenance-concurrent data updates without requiring any global clock synchronization. We introduce the negative counter concept as a simple yet suucient solution to solve the Variant-DW-Commit problem of variant orders of committing eeects of data updates to the DW. We have proven the correctness of PSWEEP to guarantee that our strategy indeed generates the correct nal DW state. An evaluation of both SWEEP and PSWEEP is given that shows that PSWEEP has the potential of multi-fold performance improvement over SWEEP depending on the number of threads supportable in the given DW system implementation.


The purpose of this study is to investigate how corporate reforms in organizational structures and human resource management affect the effective use of information technology based on the nation-wide survey data from 3141 firms. Multiple comparison analysis revealed four observations. First, reforms in organizational structures and human resource management significantly affect the effectiveness of information technology. Second, small size firms have difficulties on human resource management in their use of the technology. Third, some industries such as medical service and education are less enthusiastic to effective use of information technology. Fourth, heavy users of information technology are located in Tokyo Metropolitan, but they are not always successful in the "effective" use of the technology due to the mismatch of corporate reforms.


In da Silva et al. (2005) is presented the detailed spectroscopic analysis of 60 evolved stars, which were previously studied for accurate radial velocity variations (Setiawan et al. 2003). The observations were made with FEROS and the 1.52m ESO telescope of La Silla, partially in the ESO-Observatório Nacional (Brazil) agreement. The main goal of this study is to determine precise atmospheric fundamental data (Teff, log g, [Fe/H] and micro-turbulence velocity) to derive ages and masses of the stars, trying to link them to the detected radial velocity variabilities. Here, due the short space at our disposal, we discuss only the effective temperature determination, comparing the values obtained from the excitation equilibrium of FeI and from (V-K) index with those from (B-V).


New opportunities for research in computer aided diagnosis (CAD) of pulmonary nodules resulted from the emergence of publicly available clinical case studies, containing expert radiologist-defined truth. Access to high-quality labeled data affords non-clinical image analysis groups the opportunity to pursue diagnostic imaging research. Historically, clinical research centers reported results based upon in-house datasets, not typically shared or publicly available. Questions about the generalization of methods to other clinical cases or the comparison of methods on the same cases have been often cited in the literature. The lack of benchmarked results has led to a federally funded effort to provide a research resource by the National Cancer Institute Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) for the development, training, and evaluation of computer aided diagnosis (CAD) for pulmonary nodule detection and diagnosis. The database contains over 100 computed tomography (CT) scans containing over 800 nodules. This paper introduces the basic process of CAD for pulmonary nodules, the issues of defining ground truth for nodules, the information newly available from the lung image database, and possible research strategies for contributing to the knowledge of the detection of pulmonary nodules. 1 Overview of Computer Aided Diagnosis of Pulmonary Nodules Reported research on CAD of lung nodule follows a basic detection and classification approach. This approach begins with the detection of candidate pulmonary nodules by selecting (thresholding) the brighter pixels (possible nodules) from the darker background of the lung (air and parenchyma). Neighborhoods with numerous, brighter pixels are combined and isolated from the remaining, background image by various segmentation algorithms. Once segmented, the potential nodule candidates are measured and identified as nodules if they are similar to other known nodules but different from normal lung tissue. Various features of the candidate regions of interest are employed to find (extract) useful properties which can discriminate a "true" nodule from other "false" non-nodule regions of the lung such as scars, non-malignant nodules, vessels, airways, pleura, and artifacts. Using the measured properties of "true" nodules and "false" regions, a statistical or machine learning (classification) technique finds an appropriate combination and range of measurements to discriminate between "true" pulmonary nodules and non-nodules. This method relies entirely upon accurately defined truth about whether a candidate is a "true" pulmonary nodule or a false, non-nodule. Datasets of nodules are collected, labeled with ground truth, and used in the training and testing of the classifier. Truth (gold-standard, ground truth) is provided by radiologists when they confirm or reject the results of the CAD system. Rejection occurs in two forms: false positive, when the CAD identifies a pulmonary nodule that the radiologist does not confirm; and, false negative, when the radiologist discovers a pulmonary nodule missed by the CAD. These two error rates form the basis of CAD performance analysis. Sensitivity reports the detection rate of true nodules: did CAD detect all the nodules identified by the radiologist. Specificity shows rate of false positive detections: how often did CAD detect a nodule rejected by the radiologist. An alternate reporting method is often used to represent the CAD ability to reject false positive candidate nodules. False positives are reported as a count per scan (single image slice) or per case (patient). This count of false positives better represents the increased load placed upon the radiologist from the use of CAD as a decision support system. 2 Lung Image Database Consortium The LIDC pulmonary nodule database [2] contains patient CT cases representing a diverse set of pulmonary nodules as well as normal cases without abnormalities or with non-cancerous focal anomalies. Four (4) radiologists, at different medical centers, read these cases and indicate the presence or absence of nodules. Small (less than 3mm) nodules receive only a location mark and larger nodules are marked with an outline. The radiologists rate these nodule according to nine (9) diagnostic criteria, describing shape, texture, and other visual characteristics. After reading a case, the radiologist submits their findings to the LIDC. Once read by all four (4) medical centers (one radiologist reading per center), the marked and annotated patient cases are reviewed by all 4 radiologists who may choose to modify their markings, adopt the markings of other radiologists, or maintain their original diagnosis and labeling. No forced or encouraged consensus is suggested by the LIDC. The final LIDC dataset contains the final markings by all four (4) radiologists: location for small nodules, outlines for larger nodules, and nine (9) ranked scores for diagnostic characteristics: calcification, internal structure, lobulation, malignancy, margin, sphericity, spiculation, sublety, and texture. These new descriptors and outlines expand the possible forms of truth from the binary true/false confirmation previously available. 3 Prior Work in CAD Research in pulmonary nodule detection, segmentation, classification, and diagnosis continues in academic and industrial labs to improve each task of CAD. Research to improve detection remains active since only 80% of nodules are detected by CAD (with 3.8 false positives per case), though this exceeds the estimated 70% detection rate of radiologists [4]. Efforts to increase the sensitivity (detection rate) typically increases the false positive detection rate as demonstrated by [3] which reports 95% sensitivity but 6.9 false positives per case. Research to improve specificity is often considered the "classification task" and includes methods to better segment or measure the nodules; or improve the classification by different statistical or machine learning methods. One segmentation approach was discussed in [1] where they investigate a "region melting technique" in 3D to better isolate and measure suspected nodules. [9] segmented nodules by minimizing the energy of radial basis functions while others have reported on active contours. Finding feature measurements that differ between nodules and non-nodules improves the classification as shown by [6,7] which measured nodules by cooccurrence textures and shape. [10] suggest wavelet coefficients. Experiments with different machine learning strategies have resulted in the massive artificial neural network approach by [14]. Numerous other approaches attempt to improve on one or many steps of the CAD process. 4 Prior Work in LIDC Research Several research reports are available but mainly focus on extending existing research to LIDC datasets. [15] compare their segmentation to the union of the contours of the radiologists marking the nodule. [9] reports sensitivity of 89% with 2 false positives per patient, while [12] reports a CAD observer study where radiologists read cases alone, then with the CAD, and report a sensitivity of 79% with almost 5 false positives per patient. Research specific to the types of data available only through the LIDC has been performed by few researchers, most notably the seminal work by Raicu et. al 2007 [11]. [11] bridges the semantic gap between the conceptual descriptive data ranked by radiologists and computer measurable image features of the actual nodules. The semantic mappings allow for computer measurement and prediction of the radiologists' descriptions of the nodules. Much work remains in this area due to the significant lack of agreement among the radiologists. Work in this area may lead to a greater understanding of the differences in radiologist assessments of pulmonary nodule diagnostic truth or assist in improving the agreement among radiologists. Other inter-observer agreement research on the LIDC was performed by [8], comparing the agreement among radiologists for varying size nodules. 5 Variation of Radiologists Outlines of Pulmonary Nodules Radiologists often disagree about whether or not a nodule exists, its likelihood of malignancy, and, now, about the descriptive features of pulmonary nodules [11]. Analyzing disagreement formed the basis for a suite of receiver operator characteristics (ROC) studies and methodologies, now employed to analyze CAD or compare CAD to radiologists. Within the pulmonary nodule detection, the primary disagreement focused on the existence or not of pulmonary nodules. With the LIDC, the analysis of disagreement contains more detail about the descriptions and the outlines of pulmonary nodules. As observed in the LIDC, radiologists draw markedly different outlines for the "same" pulmonary nodule. A potential area of research will attempt to characterize these differences and exploit this understanding for improving CAD performance. The characterization of radiologists' outlines (markings) will attempt to determine whether radiologists are outlining different diagnostic opinions about the pulmonary nodule, such as isolating a central region, while ignoring the outer region included by other radiologists (see Figure 1). This disagreement illustrates of a conservative versus an aggressive approach to radiology, a common disagreement of medical opinion. Other disagreements might result from the variable selection of adjacent regions even among aggressive radiologists (Figure 2), or other less useful disagreements which might result from inconsistent marking or human computer interactions rather than intentional choice. Figure 1 Radiologist Opinion Difference [1]: Black contour represents conservative core, white indicates the aggressive, non-solid component. Figure 2 Unexplained difference between radiologist outlines where disagreement appears between extent of non-solid component not between solid/non-solid opinion [LIDC document]. 6 Potential Research Strategies A first


first settlement was an unqualified failure, the second was a limited success. For the period under discussion, however, the Reserves were both an economic grievance and the outstanding issue in the relations of church and state, and a contemporary olitician deP scribed them accurately, ff metaphorically, when he called the Clergy Reserves "Pandora's Box." The Church of England had successfully monopolized the Clergy Reserves in Upper Canada despite a two-sided attack on its position. On one side stood the Church of Scotland which claimed to be co-


BDUST aims at the management - at the national, district and commune (sub-district) level - of the data that characterize at large-scale the agricultural soil/land of Romania. It is hierarchically organized on soil survey works, communes and districts. The data content is determined by use requirements at different levels (national, district, commune, farm) and by European compatibility. There were taken into account the data requirements of the land suitability and capability evaluation models, but also of some simulation models of soil processes and crop yields. The soil/land characteristics are defined according to the existing Romanian soil survey methodologies which are completed with some specifications, extensions and new concepts. The elementary spatial entity is the land mapping unit (UT), yielded from the superposition of three spatial layers/entities: climatically homogeneous area (ACO) – a subdivision of a pedo-geo-climatic microzone area, soil unit (US) and "ecologically" homogeneous territory (TEO), so that a UT is completely characterized by the triplet ACO-US-TEO. There were defined also complex spatial units (associations of simple units that can not be represented on maps): complex USs and complex UTs (pseudo-complex, simple-complex, associative double-complex and dissociative double-complex), which are compounds of simple USs and/or TEOs – either possibly "actual" or "fictive". The existing soil profiles are pointed to the corresponding UTs (USs). Primary (input) data are validated and some of possible lost data and other necessary data are determined from primary data. A large set of user-reports (processing's) are provided: land evaluations at UT-level (land rating marks, quality/suitability/capability classes, requirements of land improvement and agro-pedo-ameliorative works), descriptive formulae of US's and capability units, decoding of formulae, and a set of synthetic data of land evaluation and characterization at commune level.


1533Background: 24% of familial breast cancer (BC) and/or ovarian cancer (OC) cases analyzed within the framework of the German Consortium for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (GC-HBOC) are due to pathogenic BRCA1/2 mutations. However, the mutation prevalence of non-BRCA1/2 genes associated with familial BC and/or BC/OC is largely unknown. Methods: Here, we present the first NGS data generated using the GC-HBOC-designed TruRisk gene panel. In this study a cohort of 737 high-risk, BRCA1/2 and CHEK2 c.1100delC negative index cases was analyzed which comprises 282 patients from BC families and 455 cases from BC/OC families. Sequencing was performed on the MiSeq or HiSeq 2000 system (Illumina) using customized SureSelect XT enrichment (Agilent). Data analysis was carried out using an in house bioinformatics pipeline (Cologne Center for Genomics, varpipe_v2.X). Results: By focusing on 22 BC/OC associated genes (ATM, BARD1, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, FAM175A, FANCM, MLH1, MRE11A, MSH2, MSH6, NBN, PALB2, PMS2, PTEN...


From the Publisher:
Learning Computers, Speaking English gives ESL students greater options and opportunities in today's technology-based economy by helping them practice English as they learn about computers and word processing.
The book develops skills cumulatively. Students are led through cooperative computer-based activities that cover the basic concepts of word processing, from learning to use the mouse to the features of a basic word processing program. By completing the book, students will have learned how to compose business and cover letters on the computer. Through interactive activities, students will improve reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills and review grammar.
The textbook can be used with any computer that has Windows 95 or higher as an operating system. Lessons are based upon Microsoft Wordpad, which is available in Windows 95 or higher. Teachers working on other PC or Macintosh applications can use this book as a resource and adapt the lessons; information on how to adapt lessons is included. It can be used as the entire curriculum for a class, as supplementary material for just a portion of class time, or as a guide to self-study. It can be used in classrooms where there are very few computers or in classrooms that offer a computer to each student. The textbook may be purchased with a disk that contains instructional files and allows students to save their work to a disk.


Seed processing plays the most important role in determining the final quality of seeds. Mechanical methods of seed processing are precise, fast, accurate and cost effective if they are calibrated, standardized and fine tuned to do so. In these studies, Wall Mounted Vacuum Separator is evaluated at different vacuum pressure and feed rates for processing seeds of bell pepper cv. California Wonder. The studies showed that a feeder rate of 6 (20 kg seeds/hour) and vacuum pressure of 38.0 lbs/hour is optimum for the processing of seeds of bell pepper. The combination has resulted in significant improvement of seed quality in terms of physical purity, 1000 seed weight, germination and vigour index with a good seed recovery of 95.2%.


Demonstrating and implementing innovative technologies that are more effective, can lower costs, and that require less personnel exposure to radiological and chemical contaminants are key elements of the US DOE Hanford C reactor interim safe storage (ISS) decontamination and decommissioning technology demonstration project. This project will help the DOE determine what to do with the Hanford site`s eight deactivated, surplus production reactors. This article discusses the following aspects of the project: project objectives; facility location; facility history; reactor building; existing conditions; selecting technologies to demonstrate. 8 figs.


Abstract: A design of a rotating condenser is suggested. The maximum radius under the effect of rotation is estimated analytically .It is found that it decreases with the angular velocity . This in turn increases the rate of sweeping the surface by departing droplets . The appearance of droplets with smaller radii will be predominant . These small droplets offer small thermal resistances , thus enhancing heat transfer through the condenser surface .It is found also that the maximum radius is a function of the distance from the axis of the rotating condenser . Thus the value of the maximum radius under rotation is not unique . This in turn makes the heat flux through the condenser surface not to be uniform. Key words: Dropwise condensation – Dropwise rotating condenser- Heat transfer. 1. Introduction  Dropwise condensation has aroused considerable interest among investigators owing to the fact that heat transfer coefficient dropwise condensation is much larger in order of magnitude than that of filmwise condensation [1-3] Increasing the intensification of heat transfer during dropwise mode of condensation is still a serious problem due to the fact that many factors affect the process. Micro-cine studies show that the droplets form by nucleation process at specific locations on the surface known as nucleation centers (sites) [4] with minimum radius determined by Thomson equation [2]


In a Sodium cooled Fast Reactors (SFR), different phenomena such as gas entrainment or nucleation can lead to gaseous microbubbles presence in the liquid sodium of the primary vessel. Although this free gas presence has no direct impact on the core neutronics, the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) currently works on its characterization to, among others, check the absence of risk of large gas pocket formation and to assess the induced modifications of the sodium acoustic properties. The main objective is to evaluate the void fraction values (volume fraction of free gas) and the radii histogram of the bubbles present in liquid sodium. Acoustics and electromagnetic techniques are currently developed at CEA: . The low-frequency speed of sound measurement, which allows us to link - thanks to Wood's model - the measured speed of sound to the actual void fraction. . The nonlinear mixing of two frequencies, based on the nonlinear resonance behavior of a bubble. This technique allows knowing the radius histogram associated to a bubble cloud. Two different mixing techniques are presented in this paper: the mixing of two high frequencies and the mixing of a high and a low frequency. . The Eddy-current flowmeter (ECFM), the output signal of which is perturbed by free gas presence and in consequence allows detecting bubbles. For each technique, initial results are presented. Some of them are really promising. So far, acoustic experiments have been led with an air-water experimental set-up. Microbubbles clouds are generated with a dissolved air flotation device and monitored by an optical device which provides reference measurements. Generated bubbles have radii range from few micrometers to several tens of micrometers. Present and future air/water experiments are presented. Furthermore, a development plan of in-sodium tests is presented in terms of a device set-up, instrumentation, modeling tools and experiments.


SUMMARYA case of epidural meningioma associated with raised intracranial tension was reported. The patient showed remarkable recovery after the meningioma was removed surgically, and signs of raised intracranial tension disappeared within six months.


Abstract Background Climate & environmental change are disproportionally impacting small states, given higher costs per capita associated with coping with the immediate risks of environmental & climatic events. Climate change has been identified as a serious public health threat. This is especially true for heatwaves in the Mediterranean Basin, with poor air quality worsening the health impacts during periods of extreme heat, often affecting already high levels of chronic diseases. Promoting climate change adaptation measures is crucial to address the negative socio-economic impacts brought by heatwaves, & its interactions with poor air quality. While awareness about the link between poor air quality & heat-waves is gaining momentum, there is still a gap in policy responses, especially in small states. This research assesses the level of preparedness of the European Union, with a focus on adaptation to heat-waves since the extreme European heat-wave of 2003. A case study on Malta is also presented, aiming at discovering what measures the island is adopting to tackle the problems arising from the interaction between poor air quality & heatwaves. Methods A systematic literature review is conducted, investigating the links between heat-waves & air pollution post 2003, followed by a qualitative content analysis to assess the preparedness of climate change adaptation measures in this regard. Results and conclusions The findings of this research show that the link between heat waves & poor air quality has not been sufficiently acknowledged by academia, with evident gaps in applied small states research. Also, a closer look at key adaptation policies & measures in Malta finds that heat waves & poor air quality are hardly been linked, leaving much scope to introduce policy & economic instruments to tackle both public health risks to address growing chronic diseases, & not to compromise current & future socioeconomic wellbeing.


The stability of deformation monitoring network is the most important issue in the analysis and deformation monitoring of buildings.Based on the big and powerful analytical function of the Matlab and the deformation monitoring network stability analysis method,this paper discussed in depth the resolution and process of the mean spacing method.The data-handling software was built by systematization to resolve the problem of deformation monitoring network stability.Calculations of actual examples were made to demonstrate the practicality and superiority of the software.


In relation to the fact that mountain highway in vulnerable environment is of environmental vulnerability and geological disaster susceptibility, the paper got hold of the relations between mountain highway route selection,environment and geological disaster,by the aid of highway CAD,3S technique and mathematical theory,expected to weaken the effect of route selection on vulnerable environment from the beginning of highway construction,and further reduce or avoid geological disasters.


In 2001, Swedish scientists reported the presence of decabromodiphenylether (DBDE) in peregrine falcons. Subsequently, we have carried out an extensive study on the presence and time trends of DBDE in predatory birds and water birds in order to provide information on this subject for the European environmental risk assessment of DBDE. The UK Environment Agency and the Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF) initiated the study.


Infectious diseases are one of the most important problems of the modern world, for example, the periodic outbreaks of coronavirus infections caused by COVID-19, influenza, and many other respiratory diseases have significantly affected the economics of many countries. Hence, it is therefore important to minimize the economic damage, which includes both loss of work and treatment costs, quarantine costs, etc. Recent studies have presented many different models describing the dynamics of virus spread, which help to analyze the epidemic outbreaks. In the current work we focus on finding solutions that are robust to noise and take into account the dynamics of future changes in the process. We extend previous results by using a nonlinear model-predictive-control (MPC) controller to find effective controls. MPC is a computational mathematical method used in dynamically controlled systems with observations to find effective controls.


This study was conducted in the / Spring season / 2010 at green house of Plant Protection Department, Agriculture College, University of Baghadad under temperature (25 + 2 C ْ ), to evaluate the effect of different levels of root knot nematodes inoculum (500, 1000, 5000, 10000 nematode juvenile / pot + the control treatment ). Growth shoot parameters (the plant height, Foliar weight (fresh weight ), root weight ( fresh weight ) and pod weight of common bean ( Local variety ) and cowpea (Local variety). Results was recordes After 128 days from planting the addition of 500 nematode juvenile / pot caused an increase in plant height, foliar , root system (fresh weight) and pods fresh weight for common bean , while it caused decrease in plant height, foliar, root system weight , and pods weight compared to control treatment. An increase in inoculums levels of 1000 nematode juvenile / pot oncommon bean caused increase in shoot system, and root system weight, decrease in plant height and pod weight and on cowpea caused decrease in plant height, green system, root system and pod weight. An Increase 5000 and 10000 nematode juvenile / pot caused on common bean an decrease in plant height, green system, and pod weight, increase in root system and on cowpea caused decrease in plant height, foliar( fresh weight), root system and pod weight. Results of the nematode inoculums level of 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000 nematode juvenile / pot on cowpea caused an increase in shoot (fresh weight), root system, and pods weight .


For the last eight years ShiKai Products, a manufacturer of natural hair and skin care products, has been pioneering the use of Borage Oil as a treatment for extreme dry skin conditions. Recently ShiKai launched a new Borage Oil treatment: Borage Dry Skin Therapy Foot Cream. This breakthrough cream offers real benefits for those with extremely dry, cracked skin on their feet and lower legs. Borage oil is the richest known source of GLA (gamma-linolenic acid), an essential fatty acid used by the skin to prevent water loss. Persons who suffer from diabetes or atopic dermatitis tend to be chronically deficient in GLA. Clinical studies have shown that topical applications of Borage Oil are effective in relieving persistent dry skin. Borage Dry Skin Therapy Foot Cream is available in a 4.2 oz foot cream in natural food stores and selected pharmacies. Visit www.shikai.com.


Interview with Harold Aiken, a veteran of the Korean War from Highlands, Texas. The transcript includes a list of questions and Aiken's responses about his service in the U.S. Army (1946-1949) and impressions while stationed in Korea. While in the service, Aiken served as a truck mechanic for the 7th Division.


Objective To determine the choice and application of unconventional intercostal minimal incision in chest surgery.Methods We operated by various intercostal minimal incision in minimal incision group including 56 patients.The control group comprised of 25 patients with the same disease in the same term was operated by standard posterior lateral incision.The operative time,blood loss during operation,sternal closure time,the amount and time of thoracic drainage,postoperative pain assessment,postoperative recovery of affected limbs,cough condition,incidence rate of pulmonary atelectasis and postoperative hospitalization days were contrasted.Results Compared with the control group,there were shorter operation time,less blood loss during operation,less amount and time of thoracic drainage,lower postoperative pain assessment,better the postoperative recovery of affected limbs,cough more efficiently,less postoperative hospitalization days and no incidence of pulmonary atelectasis in minimal incision group.The difference is significant(P 0.01).Conclusion By the unconventional intercostal minimal incision,the doctor performed the operation with satisfied exposure of surgical site,less damage and bleeding,faster procedure,satisfied postoperative function recovery and less complication.Unconventional intercostal minimal incision can partly substitute routine posterior lateral incision.


A dynamic financial insurance model is an integrated model of the assets and liabilities of an insurer. In the United Kingdom, these models may be called 'model offices'. Modeling the insurer as a whole entity differs from individual policy or portfolio approaches to modeling in that it allows for interactions and correlations between portfolios, as well as incorporating the effect on the organization of decisions and strategies, which depend on the performance of the insurer as a whole. For example, profit distribution is most sensibly determined after consideration of the results from the different insurance portfolios that comprise the company, rather than at the individual portfolio level. The insurance enterprise model takes a holistic approach to asset–liability modeling, enabling synergies such as economies of scale, and whole insurer operations to be incorporated in the modeling process.

Keywords:

dynamic financial analysis;
solvency;
stochastic simulation;
insurance


This paper proposes Line-by-line Adaptive Threshold Pre-processing Algorithm for real-time lane detection in irregular noise image and night-time image. The proposed method applies two step. The first step, Setting a dynamic threshold in the line of pixels using the morphological features of the lane to be a binary image. In the second step, edge detect using the relationship between the peripheral pixel based on a regular pixel value in the horizontal direction. Lane was detected using hough transform in the environment with a lot of irregular noise and night-time from various video images of black boxes. To show the effectiveness of our method, we compared our method with the well-known existing methods in terms of visual quality and processing time. The experimental result indicates that the proposed method is superior to the existing method.


Objective To investigate the efficacy and mechanism of action of Huoxue Jiedu Formula(HXJD) on spontaneous Sj(o|¨)gren's syndrome(SS) in non-obese diabetic(NOD) mice.Methods;Eighteen NOD/Ltj mice were randomly divided into a model group,HXJD group and a total glucosides of paeony(TGP) group,6 cases in each one,and 6 C57BL/6J mice were set as the normal group.The mouse submandibular gland and serum were get to detect the expression of toll-like receptor TLR4,CD14 mRNA and protein by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) method and ELISA method respectively after 8 weeks of intragastric administration.Results Compared with the normal group,the expression of TLR4 and CD14 mRNA and protein in the model group was increased significandy(P 0.05);Compared with the model group,the expression of TLR4 and CD14 mRNA and protein in the TGP and HXJD group was significandy decreased(P 0.05);The expression of TLR4 and CD14 mRNA and protein between the TGP group and HXJD group had no significant difference(P 0.05).Conclusion HXJD has a better effect on SS for the NOD mice,and its mechanism might be related to the TLR4/CD14 signal transduction pathway.


In this mimeo, I construct the share of routine-task labor at detailed industry level (iRShare) to proxy for firms' RShare in Zhang (2019). I then replicate two key findings in Zhang (2019). First, betas decrease monotonically for both equal-weighted and value-weighted portfolios sorted by iRShare within broad industry sectors. Second, when GDP growth is low, firms with a high iRShare invest more in machines (but not in other capital) compared to other firms in the same sector with a low iRShare. The full iRShare series can be downloaded at https://www.MiaoBenZhang.com/.


An adaptive recursive filter based on a sequential approach of identifying each delay, pole location and coefficient value is proposed. It is observed that if the unknown system to be modeled contains long decaying intervals in its impulse response, this filter has better performance than adaptive FIR (finite impulse response) delay filters or conventional approaches. Its stability monitoring and computational complexity are comparable to the most efficient IIR (infinite impulse response) realizations. >


This study aims to elaborate problems related to the validation model of teacher-made learning test on 4 (four) basic problems that can be formulated as follows: (1) how the form of student learning outcomes made by elementary school teachers, (2) steps in preparing test results of student learning outcomes, (3) the steps taken by elementary teachers in the validation of learning outcomes test, (4) how is the quality of test result of learning made by elementary school teachers. The results obtained form the results of learning test made by elementary school teachers is a multiple choice with various variations. The steps undertaken by teachers in preparing the test of student learning outcomes is still very simple and not in accordance with the guidance of the preparation of the test of good learning results. The quality of test results of teacher-made learning on elementary school learning program can be stated most have validity criteria or valid items at sufficient and good stages 58% while those with low quality stages 42%. Development of the learning result test, the teacher stated that they consider all aspects as a guide in developing a good problem. The choice of less valuable aspects in developing test results is to determine the different power index, and on the difficulty level of the problem. Keywords-Test Result, Teacher's Made


This article describes the use of Gaussian Processes in model reduction techniques with application to inverse problems. Mainly, the work is focused on the proper construction of the model approximation, namely on training process based on minimal number of learning samples, by making use of automatic samples selection through computed standard deviation of model prediction. An example of application of stochastic surrogate model for the paperboard characterization through biaxial tensile test and DIC measurements is also presented.


This study aims to figure out marketing distribution, margin, and
marketing problems of crystal brown sugar faced by producers and sellers in
Gumelem Kulon Village, Susukan Sub-district of Banjarnegara Regency. The
method used in this study is survey. The data are collected through direct
interview to the 40 producers, one distributor, and one retailer as the respondents
who were selected through census.
The result, shows that there are three types of marketing distributions; (1)
direct selling, (2) producers distributor than to consumer (PT. Pondok Jaya
Purbalingga), (3) producers to distributor retailer (other districts) and lastly to
consumers. The marketing margin on Marketing Distribution II and III is equal
with Rp 3.000 /kg, while there is no margin on Marketing Distribution I. One side
of price determination, mold - brown sugar selection, connection between
producers and consumers. For are the main problems 0f the prodecers of brown
sugar. While for the distributor is marketing period, of and then for the retailer is
capital.


(57) Abstract: The present invention relates to novel serine protease polypeptide termed Prost 07, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptide, a method for generating the polypeptides, expression vectors, and genetic constructs for the expression of the polypeptide It relates to a host cell. The present invention further study on how to use the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the diagnostic and therapeutic applications.


Growth and reproductive capacity in perch (Perca fluviatilia L.) and roach (Rutilus rutilus (L.)) were studied during 1983, 1984 and 1985 in a coastal area of the Bothnian Sea affected by bleached pulp mill effluents. Comparative investigations were made at a mill producing unbleached pulp. In perch exposed to bleachery effluents effects were observed on length increase rates, somatic condition factors and on gonad development. The fraction of fishes displaying inhibited gonadal recrudescence was high close to the mill, and the size of developing gonads was comparatively small. Growth was faster in exposed fishes, in young-of-the-year as well as in older fish. Effects on length growth could be distinguished as far back as in 1975. Energy storage, expressed as the condition factor, was highest in exposed fishes. The effect pattern was more diffuse in roach, but examples of reduced gonad growth were noted. In conclusion, these studies provided evidence for changes in the energy allocation system in fish exposed to a bleached pulp mill effluent.


The S1(n,π*) ← S0 cavity ringdown spectrum of 2-cyclohexen-1-one vapor has been recorded in the vicinity of the 00 0 band, which is at 26 089.1 cm -1 . Observation of hot bands in the spectrum has permitted the determination of several low-frequency fundamentals and overtones in the ground electronic state. The lowest two excited quantum states for the inversion vibration (ν39) were found to be at 99.0 and 197.0 cm -1 . Together with previously published far-IR spectra and vapor-phase Raman spectra, the fundamental frequencies for ν39, ν38, and ν37 have been determined. From observed ν39 levels, the barrier to inversion has been determined experimentally to be 1900 ± 300 cm -1 , which is very different from values of 935 and 3379 cm -1 previously reported from Raman and far-IR data, respectively. Density functional calculations carried out in this paper give a barrier value of 2090 cm -1 when the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) basis


This paper explores the design and implementation of college student management information system to promote the systematization, standardization, information and scientific process of college student management, to improve management and service level of college student management. In the system implementation, it uses the three-layer B / S structure and the modular design concept, which greatly improve system security and maintainability.


The author discusses the oral health needs of incarcerated individuals. Topics include a report on the oral health of Americans issued by the Assistant Secretary of Health and Surgeon General David Satcher in 2000, the lack of national data sets and surveys on institutionalized populations, and the impact of oral health on overall health.


Pain and stiffness in the metatarso-phalangeal joint of the great toe is quite commonly encountered in adolescent patients. In most cases symptoms regress if the joint is protected for a few weeks or months; in the remaining few, however, the symptoms persist and the condition progresses to established hallux rigidus. It is with the latter group of patients that the present work is concerned. CLINICAL MATERIAL Nine adolescent patients with hallux rigidus, bilateral in one, which had failed to respond to conservative treatment were seen and treated. In addition, a number of adults who showed features of special interest relating to the etiology of hallux rigidus were studied.


Almost half of missing women in India are of postreproductive ages. Can intrahousehold gender inequality and asymmetry in poverty explain a portion of these missing women? Using a natural experiment, I link women's intrahousehold bargaining power to their mortality risk. Using a structural household model, I estimate the age profile of women's bargaining power and construct women's relative poverty rates. I find that women's bargaining power declines with age, with older women's poverty rates closely matching their mortality rates by age. This suggests that many missing women might be accounted for by measuring poverty at the individual rather than the household level.


With the theoretical backdrop of social disorganization and "resilient youth" perspectives, we hypothesize that individual religiosity is protective in helping at-risk youths such as those living in poor inner-city areas to escape from drug use and other illegal activities. To test this hypothesis, we draw data from an interview survey of 2,358 youth black males from tracts in poverty in Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia, conducted in 1979 and 1980. Results from a series of multilevel analyses indicate that church attendance (the frequency of attending religious services) has significant inverse effects on nondrug illegal activities, drug use, and drug selling among disadvantaged youths. Religious salience (the perceived importance of religion in one's life), however, is not significantly linked to reductions in juvenile delinquency. We discuss the implications of our findings, focusing on individual religiosity as a potentially important protective factor for disadvantaged youths.


Abstract Built-up area is a particularly important element of the content of topographic maps. Its presentation changes significantly when map scales are reduced, due to both conceptual and graphic generalization. What is more, historically, changes in the depiction of built-up area were consequences of changes in the intended use of topographic maps, development of technology and changes in the cultural landscape, of which the built-up area is an important component.1 The authors describe the method of presentation of built-up areas on six Polish topographic maps or series of maps. The above-mentioned maps include the following: – Topograficzna Karta Królestwa Polskiego (Topographic Map of the Polish Kingdom) at the scale of 1:126,000 developed in 1822–1843; – topographic maps of the Polish Military Geographical Institute (MGI) at the scales of 1:25,000 and 1:100,000, published in 1930s; – a series of military maps (or military-civilian maps) at the scales of 1:10,000, 1:25,000, 1:50,000 and 1:100,000, developed in 1956–1989, in accordance with the instruction for developing Soviet maps; – a series of civilian maps at the scales of 1:10,000, 1:25,000, 1:50,000 and 1:100,000 developed after 1995. The basis for a quantitative comparison of the content of the maps was the number of categories of objects (identifications) which constitute part of built-up area and are presented on individual maps as symbols, as well as the number of characteristics represented by these symbols. These characteristics are divided into two basic types: functional characteristics and physiognomic characteristics. The analysis shows that military maps issued after the Second World War differ from the civilian maps, as they contain a much larger share of physiognomic characteristics, which is caused mainly from the fact that the vast majority of military maps distinguish between wooden and brick buildings. This difference was to large extent already noticeable among the oldest of the analysed maps – the Quartermaster's Map and nineteenth-century Russian maps, which were partly modelled on the Quartermaster's Map, and later also Soviet maps. Due to political reasons, the model of these Soviet maps was later adopted for the development of post-war Polish military maps. Out of all maps drawn up by military services, the inter-war MGI map serves special attention, as it was modelled on German maps. The main difference between military and civilian maps is foremost the fact that civilian maps include more functional characteristics of buildings and take into consideration new physiognomic characteristics related to residential development (compact, dense, multifamily dwellings, single family dwellings). The analysed maps include not only the characteristics of buildings and built-up area, but also information on the features of the town – population size, number of village houses and the administrative function.


In this work the different electrocatalytic systems PtIn/C, PtRu/C, PtRuIn/C and their different mass proportions were synthesized by the sodium borohydride reduction method, in order to be used as an anode in the alkaline direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The obtained materials were characterized by EDX, DRX and MET techniques. The reduction method applied in the synthesis was effective, since the particles showed good dispersion in the carbon support Vulcan XC72, according to the EDX and MET analyzes. The results obtained by XRD showed in all the diffractograms presented the CFC structure of platinum and a relative displacement of the equivalent peak to the plane (220) for values greater than and less than 2Ɵ. The mean crystallite size and the calculated net parameters indicated the insertion of Indium and Ruthenium atoms to the Platinum structure, assuming the formation of alloys. The electrochemical oxidation of methanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and polarization curves. The electrochemical experiments showed that in the binary electrocatalysts with higher composition of Indium and Ruthenium, the catalytic efficiency against the oxidation of the fuel demonstrated a better result. Meanwhile the ternary, the electrocatalyst with the higher Ruthenium composition was more efficient. In terms of the practical experiments in fuel cells, the polarization curves showed divergences of results with those obtained by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry, which can be justified by issues of pressing and detachment of MEA's in systems that presented higher amounts of cocatalysts such as Indium and Ruthenium.


It is shown that the signal of intracellular and extracellular sodium of red blood cells can be separated by a difference in diffusion. Comparison with proton diffusion experiments conducted in parallel showed that this difference was caused by restriction to the cell volume. The measured proton and sodium root mean square displacements agreed well with the cell dimensions. However, this experiment is limited to use in vitro by the required gradient strength.