Every mobile robot mission starts with the robot being moved to the task site. From there, the robot executes its tasks. A control system is required to move the mobile robot's actuator (which may be in the shape of wheels or legs) and comprehend the environment around the robot to perform these movements (perception). This research aims to develop a technique to control a robot's movement while detecting obstacles and distances toward an object. The robot is equipped with LIDAR and a camera to perform these tasks. The control is divided into two major parts, low-level and high-level controller. As part of a low-level controller robot, the Model Predictive Control (MPC) method is proposed to help with the control of the wheel while the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach to use in this study to identify obstacles and the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) method for detecting objects, both ANN and CNN as a control for high-level part of the robot. The results of this study can prove that CNN can help detect existing objects with a value of 45% for detecting some objects. The obtained result from the MPC method, which has been combined with an ANN as an obstacle detector, is that the smaller the horizon value, the shorter the time needed to reach the desired coordinates with the result being 45 seconds.


Sugarcane covers 10.6 Mha of Brazilian agricultural land (13 % of all cropland), mainly in the south-central region. In tropical climate conditions, the physiological characteristics of sugarcane allow a wide range of management systems with contrasting soil erosion outcomes. Models can assess these differences and the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) based models are the most frequently used. The cover-management factor (C Factor) is the USLE input variable that represents the changes in soil cover and management. We collected, compared, and evaluated sugarcane C Factor values reported in technical and scientific literature to support modelers and soil scientists on the adequate choice of these values. We analyzed references reporting primary C Factor values and sources that applied these values or described them. We found 50 references, showing a wide value variation ranging from 0.0012 to 0.5800. Thirteen references were primary sources. We found seven primary sources for Brazilian sugarcane growing conditions, but only two papers were peer-reviewed. Sugarcane C Factor modelers frequently used C values based on a poor understanding and description of the methodological and geographical origin of these values and out of the context of the specific crop management systems of application. Therefore, the results may not be compatible with the study site conditions. The primary sources lack clarity in the description of the site–specific environmental and management conditions in which the C Factors were obtained, hindering the use of these specificities by the end user.


Being sure that sanctions turbulence in economic and, first of all, energy relations, both on the international and Russia scale, will not last for decades, the author reviews the problems of energy law, which will remain in the post-sanctions era. At the same time, a number of basic provisions in the energy sector will remain unchanged, but the changes, in general, will be drastic, as the world order will change. According to the author, we need to be ready to address the problems of improving energy law and legislation of the post-sanctions era, which will require appropriate scientific support, first of all, the efforts of scholars capable of solving fundamental problems, whom we need to train today. The author believes that these steps shall be part of a federal target comprehensive program that we need to start developing.


ABSTRACT An emerging body of studies has claimed that exposure to phonetically varying speech sounds results in strictly phonological representations of speech sounds by the brain's auditory prediction system (Cornell et al., 2011; Eulitz & Lahiri, 2004; Hestvik et al., 2020; Hestvik & Durvasula, 2016; Phillips et al., 2000). We test this claim by measuring mismatch negativity (MMN) to a subcategorical contrast with two sets of phonetically varying standards. When controlling for non-prediction related contributors to the MMN, we find a mismatch in a late time window. However, the mismatch effect is only significant for participants who perceived the contrast as an across-category contrast (/t/ vs /d/). Additionally, we find no modulation of mismatch amplitude predicated on phonetic distance between standards and deviant. Taken together, this indicates that the prediction generated by the auditory system in response to phonetically varying speech sounds is indeed phonological and lacks any fine-grained phonetic content.


Two major efficiency parameters for garbage collectors are the throughput overheads and the pause times that they introduce. Highly responsive systems need to use collectors with as short as possible pause times. Pause lengths have decreased significantly during the years, especially through the use of concurrent garbage collectors. For modern concurrent collectors, the longest pause is typically created by the need to atomically scan the runtime stack. All practical concurrent collectors that we are aware of must obtain a snapshot of the pointers on each thread's runtime stack, in order to reclaim objects correctly. To further reduce the length of the collector pauses, incremental stack scans were proposed. However, previous such methods employ locks to stop the mutator from accessing a stack frame while it is being scanned. Thus, these methods introduce a potential long and unpredictable pauses for a mutator thread. In this work we propose the first concurrent, incremental, and lock-free stack scanning for garbage collectors, allowing high responsiveness and support for programs that employ fine-synchronization to avoid locks. Our solution can be employed by all concurrent collectors that we are aware of, it is lock-free, it imposes a negligible overhead on the program execution, and it supports the special in-stack references existing in languages like C#.


The recent period in the growth of economics has witnessed a
surprising revival of interest in the problems of development. Many of the profession's "big names"—Stiglitz, Sachs, Barro, Krugman, Helpman, and North, to mention only a few—have lent their names to the rediscovery of a field whose independent existence was denied not too long ago in many teaching departments. With this recently gained respectability, the current professional mainstream seems almost to be saying, "We are all development economists now."


The addition of lenalidomide to cediranib failed to improve progression-free survival outcomes in patients with iodine 131–refractory differentiated thyroid cancer.


Purchasing behavior is a kind of consuming behavior caused by visual stimulation of and attraction to a consumer. In other words, consumers are visual creatures. Although existing literature has explored the influences of the senses and perception on purchasing behavior, there is very little literature deeply exploring the influence of the visual sense on dish preferences in the catering industry. This study adopted purposive sampling and importance-performance analysis. A total of 38 questionnaires were collected, and Excel 2013 was used to analyze the influences of consumers' visual preferences on their levels of love for a dish. The study results show proper color matching can effectively increase the purchase behavior of consumers. The important preference factors include color contrast, harmony, shape matching, and the space design between food and receptacle. The study results can be used as references for the operational practices of the catering industry, and as an academic basis for subsequent studies on food aesthetics by researchers and teachers.


Synopsis. Crayfish routinely encounter waters of reduced oxygen ten? sion, resulting in a broad array of behavioral and physiological responses. Many animals when faced with this stress will simply remove themselves from the irritating environment through voluntary migration. When an animal, either by choice or through physical constraints remains in a hypoxic environment it must compensate for the reduction in 02 avail? ability. Many crayfish have the ability to maintain oxygen consumption independent of water Po2 down to some critical level; below this the animal can no longer maintain normoxic levels of aerobic metabolism. Regulation of oxygen uptake is thought to be due to a hypoxia-induced hyperventilation along with an increase in hemocyanin 02 affinity and an improvement in the ability of the respiratory surfaces to transfer 02. Crayfish exposed to a reduction in water oxygen also show a strong brad? ycardia, which is compensated for by an increase in stroke volume, result? ing in a maintenance of cardiac output. The adaptive advantage of this response is uncertain. As water Po2 drops crayfish have been shown to redistribute cardiac output, presumably through the action of the cardioarterial valves. Hemolymph is shunted to the anterior end of the animal, resulting in a greater perfusion of nervous tissue. The animals' ability to detect changes in water Po2 appear to result from 02 sensitive receptors located on the gills or in the branchiocardiac veins. The integrated physiological response toward environmental hypoxia allows the crayfish to not only deal with the stress but to maintain activity.


Metallurgical coke plays a role as not only a reducing agent but also a spacer that maintains gas and liquid permeability in the blast furnace, so that the high strength is required for the coke.1) However, since CO–CO2 gas atmosphere forms in the blast furnace, the coke is degraded by the CO2 gasification reaction and its strength decreases. Because the coke degraded by the CO2 gasification reaction is fractured and pulverized by the load from the upper part of the blast furnace, the gas and liquid permeability in the furnace decreases, and the reduction efficiency of the iron decreases. Also, a new blast furnace in which hydrogen is supplied from the shaft has been being developed to reduce CO2 emissions from the iron making process.2) In the new blast furnace, coke will be degraded by H2O gasification in addition to the conventional CO2 gasification.3) Thus, the production of the coke with high strength after both CO2 and H2O gasification reactions is needed to realize the stable Effect of Changes in Mechanical Properties of Coke Matrix Caused by CO2 or H2O Gasification Reaction on the Strength of Lump Coke


The polymorphism of the exon2 of LHβ gene in the Simmental and Charolais cattle was analyzed by PCR-SSCP.The results showed that the polymorphisms were not detected by PCR-SSCP in the 5′UTR,exon1 and exon3 of the LHβ gene.Two alleles,A,and B,three genotypes AA,AB and BB were detected in the exon2 of the LHβ gene.The polymorphism fragments were cloned and sequenced.The sequencing results indicated that there was one single nucleotide mutation: G→A in the exon2 of the LHβ gene.The Chi-square test for goodness of fit showed that the frequencies of the LHβ genotypes in the population of Simmental and Charolais cattles agreed with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.The genetic correlations were obtained between genotypes of the exon 2 of LHβ gene and semen quality by the least square analysis.The results indicated that different LHβ genotypes significantly affected the abnormal ejaculation and semen volume.It implied that LHβ gene should be a major gene or a QTL linked gene which associated with bovine semen quality.


I would like to think that I have two favourite hats in my life at the moment. My first hat is that of someone with a keen interest and hopefully a future career in the fields of exercise physiology and sports nutrition. My second hat is that of an ''elite amateur'' sportswoman. I am one of those people who have accepted that they will never be an Olympian, yet still train long hours purely for enjoyment and self-challenge. From underneath my first hat this book is primitive at best and gives a very basic outline of some aspects of sports science. But from underneath my second hat, this is a stimulating, informative, practical, and usable guide to the training required to maximize endurance sports performance. At 297 pages, the author Jon Ackland has packed a lot of information and a vast array of working examples into this book. The text is in three sections: ''Training basics''; ''Taking it to the next level''; and ''Specific sample programs''. Training basics has six subsections detailing the components of a successful training programme and the concepts that must be incorporated into training programmes for them to be successful. The section touches on the biochemistry of the different energy systems, but this is altogether too basic for anyone with any knowledge of exercise physiology. Also covered is the distance versus duration debate and, in easy-to-understand language, the concepts of periodization, training cycles and sub-phases, tapering, recovery, and overcompensation are introduced and discussed. The author gives advice on using tools such as heart rate monitoring to govern and guide training sessions. There is then a chapter on ''Manipulation of training principles''. This starts to be more specific to individuals depending on their sport, their level of competition, and their competitive timetable. It also highlights common pitfalls to be avoided by athletes during the training periods, particularly in the run in to major competitions. The last chapter of this section looks at the ''Fundamentals that aid performance'', including warming up and down, stretching, psych-ups and psych-outs, fitness testing, overtraining, and returning to training after injury/illness. The second section of the book focuses on training at the ''next level''. This section is aimed at those designing and working through their own programmes, or who are not necessarily part of a team or in a coach-led environment. Some of the aspects of training covered in this section are of vital importance to the high-level recreational athlete, such as sections providing specific guidance on writing and analysing training programmes, information on nutrition and hydration, advice for coping with exercise in varying environmental temperatures, and tips for race-day preparation. Some of the exercise physiology within the areas discussed is touched upon, but once again only at a superficial level. Some of the practical information given in this section is almost too advanced for the target audience. For example, the section on altitude, revised and updated for this edition of the book, seems too advanced for an elite amateur athlete. These sportsmen and women are unlikely to have access to any of the methods of altitude training discussed, or the time or money to execute them properly. Athletes with the time and resources to train in this way are likely to have access to full-time coaching staff and probably also other sports science support staff, and therefore are not the target audience of this book. The third and final section of the book is specific sample programmes. There are 82 pages of detailed potential training programmes. Programmes are presented for triathlon, duathlon, multisport/adventure racing, rowing, kayaking, road cycling, mountain biking, and running distances from 10 km to a full marathon. Several sample programmes are given for most of the sports, varying for the level of the athlete, the distance of the event or both. The start of the chapter provides some useful tips on how to follow programmes and also reiterates some of the points raised earlier in the book about monitoring and learning from the programme. There is also information on the codes and abbreviations used throughout the subsequent programmes to allow individuals to interpret them accurately. Journal of Sports Sciences, November 2008; 26(13): 1473–1474


Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neuropsychiatric condition associated to mutations in the gene coding for the methyl-CpG- binding protein 2 (MECP2). It is primarily observed in girls and affects individuals globally. The understanding of the neurobiology of RTT and patient management has been improved by studies that describe the demographic and clinical presentation of patients with RTT. However, in Ireland, there is a scarcity of data regarding patients with RTT, which impedes the ability to fully characterize the Irish RTT population. Together with the Rett syndrome association of Ireland (RSAI), we prepared a questionnaire to determine the characteristics of RTT patients in Ireland. Twenty families participated to the study to date, providing information about demographics, genetics, familial history, clinical features, and regression. The main finding of this study is the limited number of genetic tests conducted to support the clinical diagnosis of RTT. The results shows that Irish patients with RTT have comparable presentation with respect to patients in other countries, however, they had a better response to anti-epileptic drugs and fewer skeletal deformities were reported. Nonetheless, seizures, involuntary movements and regression were more frequently observed in Irish patients. Despite the limited sample size, this study is the first to characterise the RTT population in Ireland and highlights the importance of genetic testing for patients with RTT in order to sharpen the characterization of the phenotype and increase the visibility of Irish patients in the international RTT community.


Abstract In 1977, under the direction of the participants of the Long Beach Unit, the Department of Oil Properties of the City of Long Beach and the Long Beach Operations staff of the California State Lands Commission commenced discussion with Dames & Moore to determine if a computer mapping technique existed which could be used to process data, prepare isopach maps, and calculate oil sand volume underlying each 1,000 foot grid square and/or for each of 91 Long Beach Unit Tracts. There was an abundant supply of computer programs which could plot isolines utilizing various algorithms, however there was no system or set of programs readily available which would do all that was desired for this particular application. Apparent sand thickness is determined from electric logs. Nearly all of the wells are directionally drilled, hence the sand thickness must be corrected for hole angle and formation dip. These adjustments result in a net vertical sand thickness which is assigned to the mid-point of each sand interval. Productive limits based on the oil-water interfaces are then determined for each sub-interval sand by using electric log and core data. Net oil sand isopach maps are prepared after the addition of fault boundaries. Dames & Moore worked with the city and State representatives for about 20 months developing the necessary techniques and programs which could, (1) input the oil sand thickness data, (2) plot a map of the well data points, (3) draw isopach contour lines through the data points, (4) input the isopach data in the pinch-out zone, and (5) calculate and report volumes in 1,000 foot grids and under each of the 91 tracts. Standard programs in Dames & Moore's "software" library were utilized to perform most of the functions and these programs were modified and linked together into one system. However, difficulty arose when attempting to utilize grid cells to accurately calculate volumes in the pinch-out zone. The solution for this problem combines the techniques of polygon overlay with those of area-moment calculations. In practice, the technique parallels the hand calculations method previously utilized by the Long Beach Unit, thus permitting an accurate check. The procedure was tested for one sand interval and was found to vary less than 0.01 percent from the previous manual calculation.


Experience involving the utilization of autologous tissue injections in more than 2000 procedures over some 17 years is presented. Details of harvesting and preparing the tissue, the injection technique as well as the cryopreservation of unused tissue are described. Two types of autologous tissues were employed to include centrifuged fat harvested with low suction and a "tissue cocktail" composed of diced dermis, fat, and muscle. The rationale for utilization of these with the soft tissue substitutes is discussed. Emphasis is on the need for repetitive injections (in most patients, three) and the use of this modality in combination with other excisional and repositional procedures. Representative pre-and postoperative photographs of treated patients are included.


This paper discusses unsupervised concept acquisition in autonomous agents. Autonomous agents build their knowledge from action and perception in their environment. A structure inspired in Piaget's schema mechanism was used in order to represent functional concepts, that is, concepts related to conditions, actions and results. This kind of mechanism was first implemented by Dresher (1992). This paper presents a new approach that uses a kind of competitive neural network (the Schemata) to find the condition/action/result correlation when the concepts are presented as fuzzy signals.


Knowledge is a vital resource in most organizations. This is because it has the potential to contribute to competitive advantage, and corporate governance and ensures growth performance. However, with the paucity of information and knowledge generated on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in Nigeria, it is hard to measure the performance of such projects in terms of accountability, transparency, and openness. Therefore, this study examined the factors inhibiting the implementation of sustainable knowledge management in PPP projects in Nigeria. The study utilized the clustering sampling method to select the research partakers in this study which included construction professionals, contractors, concessionaires, financiers, and the public sector. The sample size was calculated using the simple random sampling method. The study focused on Lagos State and Abuja (F.C.T.). The study utilized a survey research design. A well-structured questionnaire instrument was designed for the study. A total of three hundred and ninety-three (393) research participants took part in this study. The findings of the study revealed that Microsoft Office tools, paper-based storage, and lessons learned were the most frequently used knowledge management strategies in managing the knowledge generated on PPP projects in Nigeria. However, the main factors inhibiting the implementation of sustainable knowledge management in PPP projects in Nigeria were limited funds for promoting knowledge management of PPP projects, entrenched corruption in the public space, and low ICT training among PPP stakeholders. The study revealed statistically significant factors inhibiting the implementation of sustainable knowledge management in PPP projects in Nigeria. The study recommended the need to increase funding and training of PPP stakeholders on sustainable knowledge management strategies specifically for PPP projects in Nigeria.


The incidence of supernumerary or accessory human chromosomes in clinically normal and abnormal cases lead to a variety of questions. Thus genetic counselling in such cases is often a difficult task.


Clostridium difficile enteritis is a serious compli-cation caused by broad-spectum antibiotics therapy.From April 1985 to January 1989, 6 cases ofClostriolium difficile enteritis admitted in our hospitalwere investigated. Clinical manifectation of theenteritis, diagnosis and treatment were described andthe relationship between pathogenesis of the diseaseand antibiotics theapy were also discussed in this pa-per.


The thermal ene addition of chloral to (–)-β-pinene affords a 17 : 83 mixture of the two diastereoisomers (1) and (2), the ratio of which is altered appreciably if a Lewis acid is employed to enhance the rate of the ene addition; with ferric chloride the 97 : 3 ratio of (1) : (2) indicates that the reaction has become almost completely stereoselective, and the results can be rationalised by a simple steric model.


Network traffic identification is important for traffic engineering, resource allocation, network management, attack detection and improving network QoS. However, with the rapid development of computer network technology, various VPN technologies and applications have emerged, which use encryption and decryption technology, tunneling technology and authentication technology to obfuscate and hide traffic characteristics, making VPN traffic difficult to identify. The recent rise of V2Ray makes up for and completes the shortcomings of previous VPN technologies with a more complete protocol, more robust performance and richer functionality, using V2Ray's customised VMess protocol, and the VMess protocol supports TLS-based implementations, making it a full-featured and powerful application. These undoubtedly pose a huge challenge for network traffic identification and auditing, as well as a huge risk for network security. Therefore, the identification of VPN traffic is of great importance. In this paper, we propose a VPN traffic identification method based on byte sample entropy and session interaction time difference. We use the byte sample entropy and session interaction time difference of some message sequences in network traffic as feature data, and use Random Forest RF (RF) algorithm to identify V2Ray VMess traffic, TLS-based VMess traffic and ISCX VPN-NonVPN public dataset, achieving 95.97%, 90.32% and 91.78% recognition accuracy, respectively. The experimental results show that the method can be used for the detection and identification of V2Ray traffic, and also supports the detection and identification of the rest of VPN traffic.


This study introduces a new method of disease prediction for mango leaves by breaking it down into four main steps: preprocessing, image segmentation, feature extraction, and disease prediction. Firstly, noise and other undesired artifacts are removed from the acquired raw image by median filtering & histogram equalization to improve the image's quality. The Otsu Threshold Method is then used to segment the preprocessed images. Then, from the segmented images, the most pertinent Texture Features Extraction are made, such as the Upgraded local binary pattern (ULBP) and grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), colour features and pixel features. The framework for detecting mango leaf disease uses these features as input, and it is represented by an improved recurrent neural network (RNN). Additionally, the weight function of the improved RNN will be fine-tuned by employing Arithmetic Operators Customized with Dingoes Optimization (AOCDO) to improve the accuracy of illness identification. The traditional Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA) and the dingo optimizer are combined to create the new hybrid optimization model (DOX). A comparative assessment is also conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed AOCDO+RNN model.


Tourism enclave is common in tourism resorts.With the case of Nanguo Peach Garden,this paper analyzes the characters of its enclave,then find out the solutions to tourism enclave of Nanguo Peach Garden,such as enlarging the resort,increasing the products,setting the establishment.


Summary Currently available drugs for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis can confuse clinicians in daily practice. The number of new oral and therapeutic agents with a different mechanism of action can make a clinical decision to start more complex treatment than previously. This may confirm that in order to know how, when and whom to treat in postmenopausal osteoporosis, specific recommendations based on medical scien-tific evidence are needed. This manuscript offers compact and easily available information about antiresorptive drugs which can be used by physicians in clinical practice.


Since Tang Dynasty,Chinese Zen has permeated into the daily life of the Chinese people,which is in pursuit of simplicity,naturalness,quietness and implicitness.Zen has also greatly influenced Vietnam,Korea and Japan because of international academic exchange.These countries share similar spiritual pursuit,forming the eastern system of aesthetic conceptions in such aspects as literature art.This article gives a brief talk on the incarnating of Zen's implication in terms of 3 aspects such as the traditional Chinese painting,garden and plane design in the hope of exploring the way for the more widespread use of Zen's ideology in modern visual art.


Objective To understand the current state and problems of hospital patents management, and explore countermeasures for improving management level of hospital patent, enhancing the core competitiveness of the hospital's intellectual property. Methods The authorized patents during 2004-2013 of the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University were analyzed statistically, and the date was overall analyzed combined with the patent inventors' educational background, title and subject. Results Most Patents were the utility model patents, which account for 85.57% of the total numbers; the nursing staff that made up 67.01% of all the patent inventors was the main part. Most patent inventors majored in clinical subject or medical science, they were turned out to be a mere formality and few were translated into productivity. Conclusion Based on the data analysis, the author put forward the following countermeasures: the hospital should pay more attention to the popularity of patent knowledge, strengthen the construction of the patent management team, promote the transfer and the implementation of the patent and implement tracking management of intellectual property rights.


In order to explore the high-beta attainability of a spherical tokamak, theoretical and simulation researches on the stability and relaxation phenomena problems were reviewed. By classifying various magnetohydrodynamic activities by the impact on the high beta stability, the problems to be solved were identified.


VP closure to make sure that no air is escaping through the nose. High-pressure consonants include stops (e.g., "p, b, t, d, k, g"), fricatives (e.g., "f, v, s, z, sh, th"), and affricates (e.g., "ch, j"). If the VP mechanism is dysfunctional for any reason (velum is too short, other structural limitations, neurological involvement, etc.), a child may exhibit hypernasal resonance for vowels and low-pressure consonants or nasal air emission for high-pressure consonants. Nasal air emission can be turbulent or nonturbulent on the basis of the size on the VP gap. A small VP gap will often have more turbulent and louder nasal air emission than a larger gap ( Kummer, Briggs, & Lee, 2003 ).


This paper present the development steps of an multi stress accelerated aging chamber for polymeric distribution network accessories. Aiming to adequate many accelerated ageing methodologies as UV weather aging chamber and dielectric compatibility which are methods who usually melt the material to produce samples and modify its dielectric properties, the accessories are aged without any modifications on its shape. The chamber is provided with a power transformer to energize the samples, salt spraying nozzles and UV light bulbs. The verification of the ageing process was made by tests before and after the ageing process, showing the modifications on the surfaces and a statistic evaluation of the accessories leakage current, evidencing the efficiency of the developed equipment.


With rapid breakthroughs in power conversion efficiency (PCE), hybrid halide perovskites (HHPs) based solar cells have been considered as the potential candidates for the next generation solar cell technology. However, these perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are still far from the door of the photovoltaic market owing to their instability issue involved with various used materials during fabrication. In this work, we deal with the numerical simulation of PSC devices via SCAPS-1D software. For better performance, several prominent materials for absorber layer have been proposed with a combination of La-doped BaSnO 3 as ETL and CuI as HTL. The strong dependency of proper ETL, absorber layer and HTL on the overall device performance has been observed. Moreover, the FAPbI 3 -based device outperformed other devices with different absorber materials, yielding an overall PCE of 22.09 %. Thus, the dry lab approach using computer simulations will be helpful for experimentalists to design and fabricate similar PSCs by reducing the cost of experimental trials.


We have investigated the hydrodynamic response of plastic and aluminum foils accelerated by a pulse formed by an x‐ray prepulse followed by the main laser pulse. This illumination scheme, so‐called indirect‐direct drive scheme, has been proposed as an alternative to the direct and indirect drive. The advantages of such a scheme are that it can contribute to solve the problem of uniformity of the direct drive and, at the same time, it can be much more efficient and use simpler targets than the indirect‐drive. Experiments about this hybrid drive scheme have been performed at Limeil with the PHEBUS facility and the standard experimental set‐up and diagnostics. The agreement between experiments and simulations is good for quantities such as the energy of the laser converted into x‐rays and the burnthrough time of the converter foil. To simulate the full hydrodynamic evolution of the converter and target foils separated a distance of 1 mm, 2‐D effects should be taken into account. The basic goals have been to ...


- Digital economy is the activity that results from billions of online interactions among individuals, organizations, and gadgets. The foundation of the digital economy-hyper-connectivity -implies the developing interconnectivity of individuals and associations that emerge from the internet. [1]. As per Statista, India's apparel market made a revenue of $96.47 million in 2023 and will grow by 3.34 % in the next 4 years. India's fashion industry is in an ardent effort to create technological methods that revolutionize the way fashion brands market themselves and how consumers purchase products. With the 'Digital India' program launch in 2015, internet users have grown from 350 million in 2015 to 692 million in 2023[2]. Leading to cost-effective marketing methods as brands sell their goods according to consumer preferences. India's e-commerce has played a role in advancing India's digital economy. With the Indian e-commerce market size growing from $20 billion - $74.8 billion in 2022[3], growth in e-commerce allows Indian consumers the comfort of shopping at home and Indian fashion brands to improve supply chains. This dissertation analyses India's digital economy and how technology has enhanced the marketing strategy of India's fashion brands.


A forensic and pharmaceutical study of interaction of law enforcement bodies of Ukraine in countering drug-related crimes, perpetrated by citizens of other countries on the territory of Ukraine was made. The example of forensic and pharmaceutical practice indicates that cannabis is in illegal circulation was shown. Proved that the public health care is a priority for socio-economic, medical, pharmaceutical and criminal policy in Ukraine.


The issue of green consumerism has been extensively researched, but its impact on the growth of the green product market is small. This happens because intentions that did not manifest in behavior. Emotions had the potential to encourage individuals to carried out the intended behavior. Therefore intentions that reinforced by emotions will soon turn into behavior. The research was conducted with an experimental design. The results show that emotions strengthen the relationship between behavioral intentions to buy and green products buying behavior. Research findings became valuable input for the creation of a green product marketing communication strategy. Giving advertising exposure with emotional appeal was expected to change intention to buy green product to actual purchases


it is a railroad crossing which he is approaching, the "Stop, Look, Listen" being taken for granted as part of the functioning of a reasoning human being. Pretty much the same attitude appears to be the rule in other departments of activity. Everywhere are advertisements setting forth the attractiveness of goods and nicknacks as the desirable things to exchange for money. So the world goes on piling up consumption goods and the people buy without thought of the future. It is in reality high time to put up the sign "Stop, Look, Listen" over every door in the land. Perhaps such a statement needs explanation. It may even appear dogmatic-it probably is-but the purpose of an opening paragraph is acknowledged if attention has been attracted to the real import of the statement. In the face of the demand


In the current days, interest in Location and detection based routing has increased, leading to widespread use of location and detection based protocol techniques in fields such as Avionics, Communications, Bluetooth, Rescue operations, Banking applications, Tactical military oriented applications and Cellular mobile systems. Location and Detection based Routing Protocol adapt to the environmental and mobility changes and search for the QoS parameters based information.


There have been controversies regarding the emerging proactive role being played by the judiciary. It is termed as judicial over-reach and transgression of the principles of separation of powers and a delicate jurisdictional balance between the three organs qf the government because such directions come to mean an intrusion in the domains of the Legislature and the Executive. It is a fact at the same time, that judiciary has earned an increasing public trust and support for its active role in course of its correction of the government policies. Frustrated with the indifference to and negligence of the present and future needs of the society, inefficiency, ineffectiveness and corruption on the part of the public services and the politicians, people see a ray of hope in the responsive judiciary, which is seeking to fill the gaps between promise and performance.


We have studied the implementation of social representations in the process of decision making. The method was developed which allowed organizing a net-like (but not hierarchical) search space for strategy identification (behavioral scripts choosing) during the decision making concerning social objects. We used 8 female faces as social objects. In preliminary study the implicit constructs of these objects were revealed. We used two-step classification to extract three categories which discriminate sufficiently the implicit constructs («appearance», «literature preferences», «temperament»). On the basis of these constructs the verbal portraits of social objects were composed. Subjects had to find social object using the quest procedure. It is shown that during the social categorization subjects are guided by social representations.


The traveling salesman problem (TSP) describes a salesman who needs to travel through a list of given cities exactly once by taking the shortest possible tour. The problem is NP-Complete since there are no known polynomial time algorithms to solve it. The main motivation to solve this problem is that the applications of Traveling Salesman are immense. It can be used by banks to find an optimal route for updating cash in ATMs, by delivery companies to chalk out the best possible route between the delivery centers and save up on fuel and man hours. It can be used outside of delivery based applications too. For example it can be used for drilling holes in circuits. The easiest way to solve the traveling salesman problem would be by using brute force search which is also called as exhaustive search. The algorithm involves going through each possible ordered permutation of cities and finding out the cheapest route. The running time for this approach is O(n!) which is the factorial of the number of cities. One can easily say that this kind of solution is not feasible even for computing the route between 20 cities. This is a serious limitation. Recent advances by vendors like Amazon, Google and Microsoft have made cloud services easily accessible to the public. One can easily harness the power of the cloud to solve huge problems at a fraction of the cost in parallel by making use of multiple cores on multiple nodes. Traveling salesman is one such problem that can be modified for such infrastructure.


The states of America were classified on the basis of the homicide and suicide rates into violent, nonviolent, inwardly violent and outwardly violent. Social differences between these four groups of states were identified. The usefulness of this type of regional analysis was discussed.


The heat transfer of superfluid helium (He II) in a rectangular channel has been investigated both experimentally and numerically. The channel end is kept open to a He II bath under an atmospheric pressure condition. A one-dimensional heat transfer model, which can predict the temperature rise at the end of the He II channel and λ-transition heat flux, is proposed in the present study. This model is developed on the basis of heat conduction by taking into account heat transfer not only in the channel but also in the He II bath. The supply of heat to the channel results in a temperature rise at the channel end. Larger temperature rise at the channel end leads to a smaller value of λ-transition heat flux in the channel. In the case of λ-transition heat flux being supplied to the channel, an increase in aspect ratio, which is defined as the ratio of the gap to the length of the channel, results in an increase in the value of temperature rise at the channel end. A satisfactory agreement between the measured data and the results of calculation on the basis of the present model is observed for the range of aspect ratio tested in this study.


The possibility of a significant increase in the level of antibacterial peptide warnerin production by ultraviolet irradiation of cells producing strain Staphylococcus warneri IEGM KL-1 is proved. The probability of chromosomal localization of genes of synthesis, modification, and secretion of the peptide lantibiotic family warnerin is showed.


Millions of tons of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are manufactured worldwide and most of them will reach conventional sewage disposal systems after industrial utilization. This raises environmental concerns, but not much is known about the environmental fate of these polymers. The main goals of this research were to evaluate sorption and mobility of PEG in sandier soils of Brazil. PEG 4000 was applied to the soils either freely in solution or as a simulated bioassay residue. The bioassay was prepared to simulate PEG as it is present in the animal feces. It allowed us to compare PEG mobility for both forms of environment disposal. PEG showed very low sorption (<22% of the applied PEG) and high mobility potential (>43% of the applied amount in the free-PEG and >24% of the applied amount in the bioassay-PEG experiment) in the studied soils. When PEG was applied, simulating its supply to animal diets, about 30% of its applied amount was retained into the bioassay residues and its leaching potential was reduced, whereas the remaining amount (about 70%) was readily available in solution and could be directly released into the environment.


]Ihe armed conflict which erupted in East Bengal (East Pakistan) following the Pakistani Army's suppression of the independence movement after March 25, 1971, has attracted world attention. At the initial stage of the civil fighting, public attention was focused on the thousands of civilians reported killed and the several million refugees who, according to foreign press reports, fled to India.' No one really knows the correct figure about these as strict censorship prevailed over news from Pakistan. There were stories of atrocities and mass executions published all over the world. At the later stage, however, the world press began to focus more on the misery and suffering of -the huge number of refugees who had been seeking shelter in India. The refugee issue also contributed to the mounting tension between India and Pakistan, eventually leading to a war between the two countries in December 1971. The Pakistani Government had since March 25 built up an elaborate scenario justifying military action in East Bengal and presenting its steps ,as moderate and restrained.2 It has laid the blame almost entirely on the Awami League leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, for his alleged intransigence and complicity in a plot to split the country. It also blamed the Awami League "extremists" for killing many non-Bengali residents in East Bengal since the disturbances started on March 1. Within 72 hours of the military action, 'the Pakistani Government announced that 'the situation had been brought under control and life was "fast returning to normal." Reality, however, was different. Independent sources of information did not support the claims of the Pakistani Government.


It is the key of surgical operation success or failure to rebuild good mechanical axes in the total knee arthroplasty(TKA).Positioning and multi-osteotomy of the traditional surgery are often depending on doctors′ experiences,which may often result in postoperative mechanical axes deviation,while during computer-assisted navigation in TKA surgery by entering anatomical marks,a direct line image is generated to guide the surgeon to perform the osteotomy more accurately,ensuring the accuracy of mechanical axes.Here is to carry on comparison and summary in the aspects of rebuilding the mechanical axes for the computer assisted navigation total knee arthroplasty and conventional total knee arthroplasty,and elaborate the existing controversies in the pros and cons.


This paper considers modeling of processes occurring in the cycle of three-phase automatic circuit recloser (ACR) on the overhead line in order to determine the optimal duration of dead time pause. All calculations were performed in the program complex ATPDraw, which took into account both electromagnetic transients using the arc model and electromechanical processes taking into account the intragroup motion of generator rotors. A channel model of a vertical arc stabilized by upward convective gas flows was used as an electric arc model. In addition to three-phase reclosure, the case of single-phase reclosure operation on a 500 kV transmission line was also considered.


The Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) evaluates existing technology and develops new technology to ensure that nursery and reforestation managers have appropriate equipment, materials, and techniques for accomplishing their tasks. Projects underway at MTDC for fiscal year 1992 are described, and recent publications, journal articles, audiovisuals, and drawings are listed. Tree Planters' Notes 43(3):97-104: 1992.


The vertex function is derived for electron–electron interactions which includes all ladder diagrams on all vertices. The equation has a fractal character because the end of each ladder has a vertex which is dressed by more ladders. Numerical solutions are presented show the vertex function gives excellent Hubbard corrections to the dielectric function.


Industry 4.0 is one of the biggest industrial revolutions with the creation of new technology and artificial intelligence solutions. In this context, Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) is one of the reasons to expand productivity and logistical flexibility due to its adaptability to new environments. However, only recently the AMR has had greater acceptance, much due to its complexity and cost. In this sense, this article presents a ROS-based mobile platform to evaluate the possibility of navigation only with monocular cameras. The hardware and software stack structure will be detailed evidencing the most critical components for the success of the implementation of omnidirectional AMR. To ensure a reduced cost while maintaining the advanced ability to detect and change the trajectory whenever an object is detected during its path, it is proposed to use an artificial intelligence system to create an estimated depth image from the 2D RGB images. Finally, to ensure its ability to generalize and navigate, the system accuracy and behavior were evaluated and validated in several environments. The main contribution of this work is the assessment and validation of an AMR navigation solution using only Ai-based depth estimation from 2D RGB cameras without performance impact in an embedded computational system.


Purpose – The present study aims to investigate the impact of organizational capabilities in the successful implementation of e-business. More specifically, the study proposes a three-dimensional conceptual framework, including "organizational learning capabilities", "knowledge management capabilities" and "organizational readiness". Such a multidimensional approach has randomly been explored in the existing literature, making the examination of the proposed conceptual framework an interesting research topic. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed conceptual framework was tested on a sample of Greek companies with an online involvement. Information System executives were used as key respondents. The final sample consisted of 213 companies. The reliability and the validity of the newly developed questionnaire were thoroughly examined. Empirical data were analyzed using the "structural equation modeling" technique. Findings – The results of the study reveal that "training availability", "knowledge level...


For coordination and cooperation among the four motors in the same position of four manipulators, in order to make the manipulator motors have the precision and same speed, the double-layer control strategy is adopted in this paper. In the lower control, only the single mechanical arm motor can be stably controlled, the multiple manipulator motors can be synchronized. Therefore, fuzzy PID is used as the control compensator. And the control strategy of single motor based on fuzzy PID is designed. In the high-level control, considering the four motors system in the same position of four manipulators needs to meet the requirements of rapidity in the reality. Based on the prediction mechanism, a multi-motor synchronous consistency control strategy based on network multi-agent prediction mechanism is proposed. To ensure that multiple manipulator system can quickly achieve the same synchronization. Respectively, simulation experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed control strategy as described above.


FIELD: mechanical engineering. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to gerotor-type mechanisms of helical hydraulic machine, located in wells. Stator of helical gerotor-type hydraulic machine contains external pipe, installed inside it bush sleeve with inner helical multithreaded teeth, and also fixed in bush sleeve armature made of elastomer, for instance, from rubber, forming inner helical multithreaded teeth, provided for placement of rotor, allowing external surface with helical multithreaded teeth, number of rotor teeth for one less than number of bush sleeve's teeth. Central longitudinal axis of rotor and bush sleeve are displaced to each other for value of eccentricity. External pipe contains by edges connecting units, restricting bush sleeve's axial movement. Bush sleeve is implemented with long slot, passing through its whole length and thickness of wall. Long slot is filled by elastomer, from which it is formed stator armature. Maximal width of long slot is equal to the thickness of armature made of elastomer lengthwise radially directed inside helical teeth. Between butts of bush sleeve and connecting units there are installed back-up plates. Butts of bush sleeve, back-up plates and, at least, one of connecting units are outfitted by fastening device of its mutual peripheral position. EFFECT: there are increased resort, reliability and energy characteristics of gerotor hydraulic motors. 8 cl, 5 dwg


A significant challenge in encapsulation process of solar cell module is to reduce breakage rates. In encapsulation and service process of the solar cell module, since the mismatch of heat expansion coefficients of various materials, and temperature difference of material interface in service of module, the residual stresses is caused in each material layer of solar cell module. Analytical model was established to analyze the distribution of temperature and residual stress in encapsulation and service process of the solar cell module. The validity of the analytical model is verified by comparing with finite element method (FEM) results. The residual stresses are obtained during encapsulation of solar cell module, and the thermal stress is reverse in encapsulation and service process of the solar cell module. The effect of thermal stress on structure strength of solar cell module is discussed in detail.


Energy consumption rates in residential buildings rely heavily on the modularity of construction.

 Traditional building models in Jordan are considered the dominant models in which modern technology is not taken into account in building in order to reduce energy consumption. Recently, interest in modern construction schemes has appeared in Jordan with the intention of saving energy because of its high costs. The objective of this research is to help convert a building in Amman into one that generates more energy than it needs in what is known as surplus energy buildings.Several retrofit systems were considered for this purpose, including insulation, water heating, lighting, air recycling, and photovoltaic systems. This work was handled through a detailed calculation based on the basic fundamental of each subsystem used in the refurbishment process. using refurbishing techniques, the estimated payback period was found 5.08 years for all integrated systems.

 The work started with a closer look at the reality of energy use in the residential sector based on the reports provided by the Ministry of Energy and the National Electricity and Energy Company.

 Afterward, the study sample was decided to be home in the city of Amman - Jordan, then several suggestions for improving and verifying ways to conserve energy were discussed.


The present invention provides preparation process of composite polymer material containing carbon nanotube. By means of multiple effects of surfactant or coupling agent, mechanical force and ultrasonic wave, polymer and carbon nanotube are first dispersed homogeneously in solvent to prepare stable mixture liquid, and one other kind of solvent is then added to separate out the polymer from the mixture liquid, complete the coating on carbon nanotube and form the composite polymer material containing carbon nanotube.


The paper attempts to investigate the value relevance of major corporate financial variables in the context of Indian FMCG companies using price level based approach. Using a cross section of BSE FMCG firms over the 2001-2010 period, the study empirically determines the extent to which stock prices are supported by fundamentals in Indian FMCG companies. The results of this study indicate that fundamental variables play an important role in stock pricing in Indian FMCG companies. The study provides support for the value relevance of dividend and investment policy suggesting that earnings distributed as dividends have a greater impact on firm value than does earning retained within the firm confirming the signaling effect of dividend policy. The study finds that dividend policy and investment policy are value relevant and helps provide a signal regarding the market information not contained in accounting publications. The study however fails to establish the value relevance of capital structure in Indian FMCG sector context.


The problem of deliberate deception in self-presentation is always of concern in situations where persons have something definite to gain by being viewed in a particular manner. The authors sought to confirm that the item content of the "faking-good" dimensions and the "faking-bad" dimensions are distinct from each other, and to identify the item content that is central to each dimension.


Black liquor gasification is dependent on minimizing heat loss to the surroundings and thus needs to be well insulated. In combination with the high temperature and basic black liquor, a very corro ...


This paper discusses the suitable positions of two wholly turnable arms and an efficient procedure of rotations and passes for changing the position of an object. The position has three degrees of freedom. Firstly, this paper deals with the reachable region of the direction of the object face that has two degrees of freedom by means of the two-arm operations under the conditions that the relative angle of arm directions is fixed and that the object is passed N times and rotated N+1 times. The results are that the angle of 90 degrees is suitable as the relative angle of arm directions and that three rotations are sufficient for an arbitrary changing of the direction of the object face. Secondly, this paper shows that three rotations are also sufficient for an arbitrary change of the object position, and it also shows the procedures.


In the third lesson of his Della Poesia Benedetto Varchi discusses the origin of blank verse2. He tells us that there has been some doubt as to whether its first user in sixteenth-century Italy was Giangiorgio Trissino or Luigi Alamanni. He himself would attribute primacy to Trissino, not just because he was the older man, but because he can recall that when he (Varchi) was a boy, Luigi Alamanni used to go to the Rucellai gardens in Florence with Zanobi Buondelmonti and Niccolb Machiavelli, and there, in the company of Cosimo Rucellai, they listened to Trissino, whom "they regarded more as a master and superior than as a companion or equal" ("e I'osservavano piu tosto come maestro o superiore che come compagno o eguale"). Trissino was born in 1478: at the time of his visit to Tuscany in 1513 he was nearly thirty-five years old. Alamanni, as Varchi remarks, was certainly his junior: he was barely eighteen. But Machiavelli, who is included in the company listening so respectfully to Trissino, was almost forty-four. It is certainly probable that Trissino wrote blank verse before Alamanni, for he used it in his tragedy Sofonisba, which was completed in 1515, and he may well have advocated its use while he was in Florence, as he did in another of his early works, the first four divisions of the Poetica. What is more important, it was his example and precept which influenced later tragedians, like Giraldi, just as it was he who in this, as in other respects also, was to influence Torquato Tasso. But the anecdote from Varchi is perhaps less interesting to us now for its bearing on the chronology of blank verse, for which we have other


Two nonhomologous polypeptide toxins, tityustoxin Ka (TsTX-Ka) and tityustoxin Kit (TsTX-K(J), purified from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tilyus serruaws, selectively block voltage-gated noninactivating K+ channels in synaptosomes (IC,5 values of 8 nM and 30 nM, respectively). In contrast, a-dendrotoxin (a-DTX) and charybdotoxin (ChTX) block voltage-gated inactivating K+ chantels in synaptosomes (ICso values of 90 nM and 40 nM, respectively). We studied interactions among these toxins in 12'I-a-DTX binding and "Rb efflux experiments. Both TsTX-Ka and ChTX completely displaced specifically bound 'mI-a-DTX from synaptic membranes, but TsTX-Kfi had no effect on bound a-DTX. TsTX-Ka and TsTX-K13 blocked the same noninactivating component of 100 mM K+-stimulated "Rb efflux in synaptosomes. Both a-DTX and ChTX blocked the same inactivating component of the K+-stimulated "Rb efflux in synaptosomes. Both the inactivating and the noninactivating components of the 100 mM K+-stimulated "Rb efflux were completely blocked when 200 nM TsTX-Kfi and either 600nM a-DTX or 200 u ChTX were present. The effects ofTsTX-Ka and ChTX on "Rb efflux were also additive. When TsTX-Ka was added in the presence of a-DTX, however, only the noninactivating component of the K+-stimulated efflux was blocked. The inactivating component could then be blocked by ChTX, which is structurally homologous to TsTX-Ka. We conclude that TsTX-Ka unblocks the voltage-gated inactivating K+ channels in synaptosomes when they are blocked by a-DTX, but not when they are blocked by ChTX. TsTX-Ka binds to a site on the inactivating K+ channel that does not occlude the pore; its binding apparently prevents a-DTX (7054 Da), but not ChTX (4300 Da), from blocking the pore. The effects of TsTX-Ka on 125I-a-DTX binding and "Rb efflux are mimicked by noxiustoxin, which is homologous to TsTX-Ka and ChTX. K+ channels with distinctive activation-inactivation properties and pharmacological sensitivities play critical physiological roles in many types of cells. The study of these channels and their physiological effects has been aided by the identification of a number of small polypeptides from the venoms of scorpions and snakes that block particular types of K+ channels with high selectivity and affinity (1-3). For example, a-dendrotoxin (a-DTX), from the venom ofthe Eastern green mamba, Dendroaspis angusticeps (4), selectively blocks voltage-gated inactivating K+ channels in synaptosomes (5). Venoms from several Old World scorpions also contain polypeptides that block only voltage-gated inactivating K+ channels (6), although some toxins from Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus,-notably, charybdotoxin (ChTX)-block high-conductance ("maxi") Ca2+-activated K+ channels (7) as well as voltage-gated inactivating K+ channels (6, 8, 9). In contrast, venoms from several New World scorpions contain polypeptides that selectively block only voltage-gated, noninactivating K+ channels (6). The present report describes an interaction between a-DTX and one of the voltage-gated noninactivating K+ channel blockers from the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus, tityustoxin Ka (TsTX-Ka). METHODS Toxins. TsTX-Ka and TsTX-K,8 [originally called TsK4 and TsK2 (6)] and ChTX were purified as described (6, 7). Noxiustoxin (NTX), from the Mexican scorpion Centruroides noxius, was a gift from L. D. Possani (Inst. Biotec., UNAM, Cuernevaca, Mexico) and J. S. Smith (Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Labs, West Point, PA). a-DTX was purified from the venom of D. angusticeps (5). 125I-a-DTX was prepared as described (10). The amino acid sequences ofTsTX-Ka and TsTX-Kp were determined by automated Edman degradation. Cysteine residues were identified unambiguously as blank cycles during the sequencer run; all other amino acids yielded identifiable derivatives. The TsTX-Ka sequence was confirmed by expression of active toxin by recombinant DNA methods (11). Experimental Procedures. The rat brain synaptosome 86Rb+ efflux assay was used to study K+ channel activity (6). The assay for specific binding of1251-a-DTX to its receptor on rat brain synaptic membranes has been published (10). The standard (5K) incubation solution was 145 mM NaCl/5 mM KCl/0.1 mM RbCl/2 mM MgCl2/10 mM glucose/0.5 mM NaH2PO4/10 mM HIepes adjusted to pH 7.4 with NaOH: The depolarizing (1OOK) solution contained 100 mM KCl and only 50 mM NaCl. RESULTS TsTX-Ka and TsTX-Kfl Block Delayed Rectifier K+ Channels; a-DTX and ChTX Block A-Type K+ Channels. Depolarization of 86Rb+-loaded synaptosomes with Ca2+-free, K+-rich medium evokes a large increase in 86Rb+ effiux (AK) whose three components can readily be identified in timecourse experiments (Fig. 1A) (6). The K+-stimulated increase in the (extrapolated) ordinate intercept of the efflux curve corresponds to a component that inactivates within 1 sec. This component represents voltage-gated inactivating (possibly "A-type") K+ channels (6, 12). The increase in the slope of the curve (relative to the efflux into 5K solution) includes two components that do not inactivate within 5 sec and that are approximately equal in magnitude in 100K solution at 5 sec (6, 12): One noninactivating component is due to the increase in electrodiffusion that results from the depolarization: the second corresponds to an increase in K+ conductance via voltage-gated noninactivating (possibly Abbreviations: a-DTX, a-dendrotoxin; ChTX, charybdotoxin; NTX, noxiustoxin; TsTX, tityustoxin. 1475 The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. 1476 Pharmacology: Rogowski et al.


Background: Depression is frequently associated with C.O.P.D. patients. Currently available treatment modalities are having limitations and chronic progression of the disease process in general causes decreased effort tolerance and poor socialization due to chronic cough and dyspnoea. Poor socialization and chronic symptoms result in mild depression to dysthymia and clinical depression. Three or more comorbidities associated with C.O.P.D. results in higher morbidity and mortality. Physician treating C.P.O.D. patients can use simple questionnaire based Hamilton depression scale to identify the patients having depressive symptoms. Methods: 50 diagnosed COPD patients as per GOLD guidelines were enrolled in the study after consideration of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each patient was screened for depression using 17-point Hamilton depression scale. The results were tabulated and analyzed for statistical significance and compared with the data available on this topic. Results: Out of 50 stable COPD (diagnosed as per GOLD guidelines) patients enrolled for the study, 36 (72%) were males and 14 (28%) were females and in 19 (38%), (15 males and 4 females) patients HAM-D score was suggestive of depression. 10 (62.5%) patients from severe obstruction category (GOLD III) had mild depressive symptoms on HAM-D scale. Conclusions: Considering the fact that a significant number of COPD patients enrolled for the study had depressive symptoms, it is advisable to screen the patients for depression and psychiatrist consultations should be considered when required.


Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of using iodixanol(270mg I/mL)with 100kVp technique in CT pulmonary angiography(CTPA).Methods:57contiguous cases had CTPA were divided into 2groups,Group A included 27patients using iopamidol 370mg I/mL,35ml,with 120kVp technique;Group B included 27patients using iodixanol 270mg I/mL, 35mL with 100kVp technique.The CT radiation dose index(CTDI),dose length product(DLP)were recorded,effective dose(ED)and size specific dose estimate(SSDE)were calculated.Subjective gradation of image quality were done,the CT values of different segments of pulmonary artery of each patient were measured,statistical analyses were performed between these two groups.Results:No significant statistical difference was existed in sex,age and body mass index(BMI)of these two groups(P=0.785,P=0.416and 0.311respectively).The total amount of iodine in Group B was lower than that of Group A(9.45g vs 12.95g).The CTDIvol,DLP,ED and SSDE of Group B were lower than that of Group A,with significant statistical difference(P0.05).The image quality of the two groups met the requirement of diagnosis,no significant statistic difference was existed in subjective gradation of the two groups(P0.05).No statistical difference between two groups was assessed in the CT value of various segments of pulmonary artery(P0.05).Conclusion:Using 100kVp technique and iodixanol(270mg I/mL)for CTPA,the image quality could meet the requirement for clinical diagnosis,the radiation dose and the volume of contrast medium could be lowered.


We consider the partitioned scheduling of a set of periodic tasks T = {τ1, . . . , τn} on m identical processors. A periodic task τi = (oi, ci, di, pi) ∈ N4 releases a job at each time point oi + kpi for k ∈ N. Every job released by τi has an execution time requirement of ci time units and a deadline di time units after its release. We say that T is synchronous if oi = 0 for all τi (and asynchronous otherwise). We say that T has implicit deadlines if di = pi for all τi and has constrained deadlines if di ⩽ pi for all τi (and has arbitrary deadlines otherwise). We want to understand the complexity of the following family of decision problems.


Data were collected with Canadian e-POP instruments to measure electric fields (10 Hz to 30 kHz) with the Radio Receiver Instrument (RRI) and the 3-axis magnetometer (MGF) in the 62.5 pt to 65.536 μt range. The electric field measurements showed waves ULF (210 Hz) and VLF (14 kHz) range that varied along the orbit and were disturbed by the firing of the Cygnus satellite rocket motor 50 km away. A number of questions are raised by the observations including: Are the observations attributable to Cygnus? Are the observed harmonics instrumental or physical? What are the plasma wave generation and propagation modes? The observations are used to infer natural and artificial changes in the ionosphere.


Sidewalk is the most essential component of the street and it reflects how much the country is civilized and developed, the more the country is advanced the use of the sidewalk is easier and there is an inverse relationship between the height of the sidewalk and the development of the country. The higher the sidewalk the undeveloped and uncivilized the country. For a long time Egypt has been suffering from the absence of sidewalks which can be used by passers-by from the elderly, children and the handicapped, or even utilize it by going up and down comfortably; because of its high height which sometimes exceeds 60 cm, the pedestrians suffered during the ups and downs, even in affluent areas which characterized by a large number of foreign embassies such as El Maadi, critical areas such as Ramses, as we can see in the research's pictures.


Study question: Is it possible to use cell-free mRNA (cfs-mRNA) in seminal plasma as a diagnostic biomarker of obstruction in azoospermic patients? Summary answer: Our results showed that the seminal plasma samples from non-obstructive azoospermic donors differed significantly in contents of cell-free mRNA when compared to obstructive azoospermic men.


The English costs rules were amended in April 2013 to implement Sir Rupert Jackson's Costs Inquiry (2010). Proportionality has become (see sections II to IV of this paper) the final determinant when assessing standard basis costs, supplementing but also trumping the pre-existing criteria of necessity (was the relevant item necessary?) and reasonableness (was the item reasonable in amount?). It will be contended in this article that, of the several possible rationales for reducing costs in the name of 'proportionality' (on these rationales see section V), such a reduction is justified only when there is something on the receiving party's side which has gone procedurally awry, some element of misconduct which warrants a reduction in recoverable costs (section V). And so proportionality should be invoked only when the receiving party has unreasonably conducted the claim in a manner which is too heavy-handed and over-blown, having regard to the case's scale, or his conduct of the case has been otherwise seriously unsatisfactory.


Summary. Climate change causes are becoming an increasingly persistent challenge for the country's agri-food sector. The results of agricultural activities vary according to the impact of climate change. The agricultural producers are looking for new solutions to adapt to the respective challenges and to identify the models of stability of the level of production or even to increase it under these conditions. The soil tillage technology recommended by a large part of the well-known scientists in the field is the no till technology that today in the Republic of Moldova is at a stage of know-ledge and experiment. In the application of this technology a role is played by the use of plant protection products and their profitability in relation to the economic results. This paper presents a comparative study of the application of plant protection products in the no till technology compared to the traditional one. This work is due to the increasing interest that has been emerging lately with this technology from farmers regarding its reasoning.


Flood has negatively affected Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. This work is aimed at mapping the vulnerability of the area to flood. Its objectives addressed the ranking of various natural and artificial factors causing flood, the determination and delineation of vulnerability to flood in the study area. Using remote sensing and GIS techniques, coordinates of flooded sites were acquired with Global Navigation Satellite System receiver; Landsat 8 data were acquired from the USGS website. To map land use, elevation data were acquired from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission Digital Elevation Models, soil data was obtained from the Nigerian Geological Survey website, and rainfall data was acquired from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellit. Using Pairwise Comparison, the various weights of factors constituting flood in the area were acquired. Weighted Linear Combination and Analytical Hierarchical Process was used in producing the flood hazard and flood vulnerability maps. ArcGIS 10.2 Software was used in spatial and attribute data acquisition, processing, and information presentation. The Pairwise Comparison method adopted was validated and observed to have a consistency ration of 0.003. Results obtained show that 9.2% of the study area is highly prone to flood hazards 20.4% is prone to flood hazard and 44.3% is moderately prone to flood hazard. The method adopted correctly identifies all existing flood incidence areas within the flood- prone areas in the hazard map. The maps produced will serve as an effective tool to aid the prevention and mitigation of flood disaster in the flood-prone area.


This paper presents a development of CD-ROM-based online information services at the Center of Academic Resources, Chulalongkorn University. The service provides various CD-ROM-based informations for academic research purpose, which can be accessed through the university campus network, ChulaNet. We provide two different access methods; network drive mapping and remote access (using telnet and Citrix's Winframe ICA protocol). The network drive mapping generally uses more network traffic than the others do. So it is used mainly in the main library's LAN whereas the remote access allows access via the WWW in the campus network. We developed a telnet Java applet to emulate DOS-based terminal session and capable of downloading saved search result file from the server. This applet is embedded in a Web page for accessing CD-ROMs using DOS-based access software. If the CD-ROMs require Windows-based accesss software, they are installed in a Winframe server where access is done by a thin-client PC with Winframe client installed.


The present paper deals with the Chinese species of the genus Eriophora. Totally, eight species are described and figured in details. The study shows that Araneus baotianmanensis Hu, Wang et Wang, 1991, A. himalayaensis Tikader, 1975 and Zilla poecila Zhu et Wang, 1994 should be transferred to the genus Eriophora; Eriophora wangi Zhu et Song, 1994 and E. shaanxiensis Zhu et Wang, 1994 are conspecific, both regarded the junior synonyms of E. baotianmanensis(Hu, Wang et Wang, 1991); and A. pineus Yin et al., 1990 is considered as a new synonym of E. sachalinensis (Saito, 1934).


Starting from the basic principles and rules of eco-control of crop pests, this paper discussed the main characters and analysis methods of the eco-control, reviewed the major eco-control techniques of crop pests at present and put forward the designs, programs, the consideration of feedback and the development prospects of the eco-control.


Food irradiation is one of the established and growing technologies in the world to improve food safety and quality. Research have proven that food irradiation is a safe technology. This technology has enormous potential and has been widely applied in various countries. However, in its application is always faced with various challenges that hamper the optimization of its utilization. The purpose of this study is to identify the critical factors in the opportunities and challenges of food irradiation applications in various countries. This research was conducted through meta-analysis method by using 40 journals as references. Based on the results of the assessment, there are various critical factors that affect the optimization of food irradiation applications. The critical factors include resources, technology, processes, product safety, consumer perceptions and regulation. By knowing the position of all these aspects, it is necessary to design the action so that the optimization process can be realized. This can be done by exploring, mapping and inventory of existing resources, improving the quality and quantity of facilities and research activities, tightening packaging and labeling techniques, monitoring and supervising product quality throughout the process and distribution chains from producers and distributors to consumers, education to consumers related to the terminology of food irradiation, and the establishment of relevant regulations both within the country and elsewhere through bilateral agreements. The optimization is expected to be applied for food sustainably. This is in line with the challenge of increasing human population and limited agricultural land, globalization and international trade issues requiring security and even food security. All of this can be realized by cooperation of various parties, the government, the food industry, market holders and


The review by Dr. Rowland (2007) focuses upon the premise that the term "sexual medicine" is used to describe the field of sexual medicine, in lieu of terms such as "sexological science" and "sex therapy." The term "sexual medicine" implies and suggests that sexual dysfunctions are necessarily treated with medical therapies at the expense of psychotherapy, the latter commonly known as the "biopsychosocial model" of sexual function. The author suggests that the "biopsychosocial model" represents a broadly defined interdisciplinary approach to the research, diagnosis, and treatment of sexual problems. The author argues that the "sexual medicine" label benefits the medical community at the expense of the psychological-based therapeutic community. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Examination of the field of male erectile dysfunction (ED) will bear this out. Those familiar with the modern history of ED recall that until the 1970s when penile prosthesis were introduced into the mainstream of urologic care for the man with ED, ED had been predominant a disease under the purview of the psychologist or other mental health professional. There was little to offer from a medical perspective. Penile prostheses revolutionized the field and brought novel therapies to the patient. These novel therapies, however, were now governed by the urologist. Introduction of vacuum erection device therapy (VED), intracavernosal penile injection therapy (ICIT), and medicated urethral system for erections (MUSE), further solidified the position of the urologist in the area of male ED. The introduction of oral phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor (PDE-5i) therapy into the mainstream of medical practice permitted entre of primary care and other healthcare professionals into the diagnosis and management scheme of male ED. However, in spite of these novel therapies, the requisite interplay between the physical and psychological elements that contribute to male ED has never been more pronounced. The "medicalization" of male ED has


More than two decades ago, William Goode (1982) observed that when members of a superordinate group are even partly nudged from their positions of social centrality, they often experience this as a major displacement, and respond defensively. This, Goode concluded, is why men have so often resisted the movement for women's equality. Goode's analysis rested on an assumption fundamental to a feminist sociology: collectively, men have shared interests, opposed to those of women. In recent decades, social scientists have observed, measured, and described these opposing gendered interests with hundreds of studies of occupational segregation, glass ceilings, wage gaps, domestic labor, sex work, emotional labor, interpersonal violence, and media imagery. The upshot of much of this research has been this: it is in men's collective interests to maintain the current relations in the gender order; it is in women's collective interests to change them. Casual observation will bear out the truth of this: overwhelmingly, it has been women who have put gender issues on the social agenda. While a few men throughout history have actively supported feminism (Kimmel & Mosmiller 1992), pro-feminist organizing by men never got much beyond the level of a loosely connected national and international network of men, most of them academics and therapists (Messner 1997). Twenty years ago, as I drove one of those therapists back to Berkeley from my "men and masculinity" class at Cal State Hayward, to which he had delivered a guest lecture, he pointed at a young white guy speeding by in a pick-up truck with a gun rack. "I want that guy in the men's movement," he told me emphatically, "and to get him involved, we have to be able to convince him that the masculinity he has learned is self-destructive and toxic, and that feminist change is in his interests." I'm pretty sure that the guy in the pick-up never joined up. And I still wonder: is that because he didn't really see his "true" interests - he suffered from some kind of false consciousness? Or, is it perhaps because he did understand that his interests lie not in changing, but


AbstractInfinite-dimensional linear conic formulations are described for nonlinear optimalcontrol problems. The primal linear problem consists of finding occupation mea-sures supported on optimal relaxed controlled trajectories, whereas the dual linearproblem consists of finding the largest lower bound on the value function of theoptimal control problem. Various approximation results relating the original opti-mal control problem and its linear conic formulations are developed. As illustratedby a couple of simple examples, these results are relevant in the context of finite-dimensional semidefinite programming relaxations used to approximate numericallythe solutions of the infinite-dimensional linear conic problems. 1 Motivation In [8, 9], J.-B. Lasserre described a hierarchy of convex semidefinite programming (SDP)problems allowing to compute bounds and find global solutions for finite-dimensionalnonconvex polynomial optimization problems. Each step in the hierarchy consists ofsolving a primal moment SDP problem and a dual polynomial sum-of-squares (SOS) SDPproblem corresponding to discretizations of infinite-dimensional linear conic problems,namely a primal linear programming (LP) problem on the cone of nonnegative measures,and a dual LP problem on the cone of nonnegative continuous functions. The number ofvariables (number of moments in the primal SDP, degree of the SOS certificates in the dualSDP) increases when progressing in the hierarchy, global optimality can be ensured bychecking rank conditions on the moment matrices, and global optimizers can be extractedby numerical linear algebra. For more information on the moment-SOS hierarchy and itsapplications, see [11].This approach was then extended to polynomial optimal control in [10]. Whereas the keyidea in [8, 9] was to reformulate a (finite-dimensional) nonconvex polynomial optimiza-tion on a compact semi-algebraic set into an LP in the (infinite-dimensional) space of


Based on consumers' perception,this thesis applies semantic analysis and project psychology to the LOGO design and assessment of garment brands.It also investigates and chooses experiment materials on the premise that experiment plan is designed.In addition,it chooses semantic adjective pairs and experiment interface,designs processes,implements consumers' perception experiments and achieves lots of experimental data.After the data analysis,it constructs the assessment system of LOGO design for garment brands and studies empirical cases.According to the assessment system,garment enterprises can implement evaluation on LOGO design of garment branded for targeted consumers to confirm whether consumers' perception of LOGO design accorded with the brand positioning.In addition,newly built brands can select schemes for LOGO design of brands according to the evaluated results of LOGO design of garment brands and the fitting degree of brand positioning.


A tolerant control design technique based on the model reference adaptive control and Takagi-Sugeno(T-S) model is investigated to guard against the actuator failures.Unlike the usual T-S model method,the matrix parameters of the local linear model are unknown.Therefore the controller parameters are adjusted on-line in order to make the system tracking the reference system.While faults occurred,the tolerant control laws are reconfigured to cancel the effects of the failed actuators,the stability and desired tracking property are guaranteed.The matching conditions and the controller adjusting laws are given based on Lyapunov theory.A simulation example shows that the reconfigurable method receives a good effect.


Based on field's investigation,the problems about the energy saving alteration in existing residential buildings are analyzed,especially about the multiple-layer residential buildings.The idea of integrated energy saving alteration is proposed,which is the combination of energy saving alteration and building repairing and renovation.Moreover,the solutions for some difficulties existing in Taiyuan are expounded.


We demonstrate analytically and numerically the existence of exact solitons in the form of double-kink and fractional-transform, supported by a symmetric transversally modulated defocusing nonlinearity acting as a psuedopotential combined with an antisymmetric gain-loss profile. We explicate here that the $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry is never broken in the dynamical system under study, even in the absence of any symmetric modulation of linear refractive-index, and the transversally modulated defocusing nonlinearity comes in the way as a requirement to establish the ensuing $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry.


Fifteen sequential images of the core of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae taken in ultraviolet light with the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed one star that increased in brightness by more than 2 mag in less than an hour. By the end of our observations, this star was the brightest object in the core of the cluster in our bandpass. Aurière et al. first cataloged this star as a blue object (AKO 9), considering it as a potential visible counterpart of the then still single X-ray source. Edmonds et al. found it to be an eclipsing binary, located in the color-magnitude diagram in the vicinity of the main-sequence turnoff. Possible causes for such a brightening are (1) a very large flare on a magnetically active star (RS CVn), (2) an increase in the brightness due to an accretion disk instability in a cataclysmic variable or (3) in a soft X-ray transient, or (4) a nova. There are arguments against every one of these possibilities, and more observations will be needed to understand this system.


The objectives of this research are: 1) to determine and analyze the influence of motivation, work ethos, and work discipline on civil servants' performance in The Department of Forestry and Plantations, Morowali Regency; 2) to determine and analyze the influence of motivation on civil servants' performance; 3) to determine and analyze the influence of work ethos on civil servants' performance; 4) to determine and analyze the influence of work discipline on civil servants' performance. The type of this research is descriptive to verify relationships between variables and to answer the research questions by involving 35 respondents who are selected through census method.   Based on multiple linear regressions analysis results, it is found that: 1) motivation, work ethos, and discipline simultaneously influence civil servants' performance positively and significantly; 2) motivation positively and significantly influences civil servants' performance; 3) work ethos positively and significantly influences civil servants' performance; 4) work discipline positively and significantly influences civil servants' performance.


Interspecific hybridization occurs among Cucurbia species it is commonly used for grafting, yield increasing and production of pest resistant rootstocks. In the present research probability of interspecies hybrid generation among seven lines of Cucurbita pepo (P1, P4, P5, P6, P10, P22, P25) and six lines of Cucurbita moschata (MO3, MO5, MO6, MO9, MO11, MO12) were investigated. After crossing of fruit set, fruit set with normal seed and viability were recorded. 25.66% and 19.41% of total fruit set and fruit set with normal seed were recorded when C. moschata were used as female parent while 19.44% and 13.88% and 13.88% of total fruit set and fruit set with normal seed when C. pepo were used as female parent. The highest total fruit set were obtained when MO11 and MO9 were used as female parent while the highest fruit set with normal seed were obtained MO6 and MO9 were used as female parent in different interspecies crosses. Using line O5 as male parent lead ti the highest seed viability in different interspecies crosses. The highest total fruit set and fruit set normal seed were obtained when P5 were used as female parent in different interspecies crosses. Results showed that C. moschata as female parent is more successful C. pepo. However hybrid vigor and heterosis have to be tested in future.


The recommendations made in a report to the California Energy Commission (CEC) on the data needed to support its activities in residential passive solar heating and cooling are outlined. The data required to validate and normalize simulation models and a suggested procedure for accomplishing this are discussed as are the data needed for the establishment of public credibility. A plan to collect the necessary data is also presented.


Highly insulating layers are a prerequisite for gallium nitride (GaN)‐based power electronic devices. For this purpose, carbon doping is one of the currently pursued approaches. However, its impact on the optical and electrical properties of GaN has been widely debated in the scientific community. For further improvement of device performance, a better understanding of the role of related defects is essential. To study optically active point defects, photoluminescence is one of the most frequently used experimental characterization techniques. Herein, the main recent advances in the attribution of carbon‐related photoluminescence bands are reviewed, which were enabled by the interplay of a refinement of growth and characterization techniques and state‐of‐the‐art first‐principles calculations developed during the last decade. The predicted electronic structures of isolated carbon defects and selected carbon‐impurity complexes are compared to experimental results. Taking into account both of these, a comprehensive overview on the present state of interpretation of carbon‐related broad luminescence bands in bulk GaN is presented.


Recently it has been observed that internet of things (IoT) technology is being introduced in medical environment to achieve a global connectivity with the patient, sensors and everything around it. The main goal of this global connectivity is to provide a context awareness to make the patient's life easier and the clinical process more effective. IPv6, the new Internet Protocol has made every grain of sand on earth addressable and thus emergence of a new technology called IoT. IoT is simply a machine to machine M2M communication and Sensor nodes are proved to be best suited for this new technology. IPv6 over low power wireless personal area network (6LoWPAN) has attracted lots of attention recently as it can be used for communication of IoT. This paper provides a framework for medical environment, for reducing handoff (HO) latency and signaling overhead while the patient is on the move inside the hospital premises and further it can be applied to other domains also where can be applicable. Sensor nodes can be used for collecting the particular parameters of human body which constitutes wireless body area network (WBAN). The proposed framework surely reduces the signaling overhead and thus the HO latency and hence there will be an improvement in QoS.


Inspirations found in nature became more and more famous for an innovative product development. An interdisciplinary approach of scientifi c research and industrial development has shown that identifi cation and transfer of biological principles to technical applications uncover secrets of specifi c adaptations resulting in innovations with remarkable potential. Investigating the functional morphology of moisture harvesting lizards revealed the underlying principles of an adaptation to a life in arid environments. To survive water scarcity these lizards have developed different water catchment strategies. Special skin structures enable them to acquire water from moist substrate and transport the collected water to the snout. The former is a micro ornamentation, which can hold a water fi lm to render the surface superhydrophilic, the latter is a network of half-open capillary channels that transports the collected water. Transferring these structures to a producible structure design and to technical surfaces requires a fundamental understanding of the biological principles as well as an abstraction and modifi cation. Additionally enabling manufacturing technologies like laser structuring are needed to realize a functional surface structuring on complex shaped products. It is concluded that a biomimetic liquid transport can increase the product performance, improves product life time or saves resources.


identifying a "mind," he gravitates more toward Hegel than Barbara Ehrenreich on the professional, middle class: the problem of our time and place is its Geist, its metaphysics rather than the physics of things like the distribution of resources or the status of labor. I don't think that metaphysics is what makes people do what they do; rather, their habits and conditions make them do what they do. To change how they live, you need to give them ways to do things, to meet their situations and change them. The strange thing about The Spirit ofDisobedience is that the closing chapter records interviews with three people who have done something to provide a way out of our predicament. It is as if the person ranting has finally wound down and stops to listen to the other people at the pub. The section seems tacked on to the rest of the book, but it is the book's one mitigating virtue, at least to my mind. It tells us about John de Graaf and his work on Take Back Your Time Day, to counter the overwork—and in turn overconsumption— that most Americans are locked into. And James Howard Kunstler, who researches and writes on the ways that the physical attributes of modem American culture—especially after the automobile, with its corollaries of suburban housing and the global energy industry—have depleted our lives. And Michael Ableman, director of the Center for Urban Agriculture, recounts his work on better, more sustainable, natural food. It's not clear why these three, and why not more, and the interviews would benefit from some focused editing, as those in Tamara Draut's Strapped: WhyAmerica 's 20and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead (2005), which builds a far better diagnosis of our impoverished times, particularly those who would like even a middle-class toehold. But one could imagine a book reporting on a spectrum of those likewise engaged in social experiments. To White's list I would add White himself. He has countered the corporate tide best by working to get into print the books from Fiction Collective. In one of the interviews, White mentions that his goal is to make people want to live differently. Rather than correcting our Spirit, I think we need more examples of DIY, telling how people are opposing the ills of early-twenty-first-century life, and less punditry.


contributions add up to a sufficient consideration of such important issues as the impact of the emerging North-South debate on detente and relations among communist states or the effects which energy and resource limitations may have on elite strategies and options in these countries. The advantages of a thematic rather than country-by-country approach are evident in two chapters in the volume. Focusing on recent economic developments in Eastern Europe and East-West trade, these chapters are concise, well-considered analyses of important substantive issues. For readers interested in the general issues raised by detente, theserthapters, as well as Adam Bromke's concluding essay which summarizes and discusses the obstacles to detente which have become evident in the most recent past, will be more interesting than the individual country studies.