Bosmina (Eubosmina) coregoni Baird, 1857 has been recorded for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula. It is a planktonic cladoceran widely distributed in the Holarctic region which was never previously referred in the Iberian Peninsula in spite of the numerous and intensive studies on freshwater planktonic fauna in this geographic area in the last three decades. The species appeared in five reservoirs located in the Northwest quadrant. Excepting Valdecanas reservoir, which can be considered eutrophic, the others (Barcena, Peares, Belesar and Aguieira) were classified as meso-eutrophic. The only morphotype found corresponds to Bosmina (Eubosmina) coregoni ssp. coregoni . The maximum abundance of this species occurred during the winter period. It is plausible to consider that waterfowl migration and the presence of recreational boats might be the dispersion vector of this species in Iberian Peninsula.


Abstract This paper reports on secondary analysis of TIMSS 2003 data, based on a sound conceptual model, aiming to explain differential science achievement in South Africa from the perspective of educational effectiveness research. The conceptual framework was developed by refining existing school effectiveness models and including factors related to science achievement. The refined model integrated psychological and sociological aspects and reflected the multilevel-structure of schools. The model added resources and climate to the quality factors at class/school level. It was applied to the South African results of TIMSS 2003. Data from the student (n=8,952), teacher (n=255) and school questionnaires (n=255) were analysed in conjunction with achievement data by means of factor, reliability, correlation and multilevel analysis. The multilevel analysis revealed that at student level the strongest predictor of science achievement is attitude towards science. At classroom/school level, the strongest predictors are resource-and climate-related factors such as the safety in school, physical resources and class size. Factors at class/school level influenced performance more than student level factors with 59% of the total variance in science achievement occurring at class/school level. Such results indicate that the model developed is well suited to science education in developing countries.


ABSTRACT This paper is concerned with the problem of global finite-time control for switched nonlinear systems whose nonlinear terms satisfy homogenous growth conditions. At first, we design homogenous output feedback controllers for nominal switched nonlinear systems by adding a power integrator method. Then, we employ the homogeneous domination approach to scale homogeneous observers and controllers to render switched nonlinear systems with lower-triangular homogenous growth condition globally finite-time stable. Finally, the proposed control method can be extended to switched nonlinear systems satisfying with upper-triangular homogeneous growth condition. Two examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.


Executive summary, by the Secretariat Considering the discussion at the roundtable and the delegates written submissions, and taking into account the hearing on Competition and Credit Rating…


Preface Accountability and Change Drivers in the Public Sector by Ronald R. Sims Reinvention in Public Housing: The Case of the Norfolk Redevelopment Housing Authority by Andrea B. Bear and Ronald R. Sims Toward 2007: Accountability and Change in Local Government (Steering the Course) by Rona Vrooman and Serbrenia J. Sims Accountability and Change in Higher Education: A Case History by Ralph S. Foster, Jr. Reinventing in the Public Sector: Some Lessons and Limits by Carl E. Lutrin and A. B. (Rami) Shani Reinventing Training in the Public Sector by Ronald R. Sims Can Reengineering Be Transplanted from the Private to the Public Sector? Should it Be? by Arie Halachmi The Promise and Practice of the National Performance Review by Richard F. Cullins Canada and the United States: A Quest for World Class Science Standards by Adriane E.L. Dorrington Public Administration for Results in Latin America: Design and Sustainability in Institutional Development and Civil Service Reform by Rene Salgado In Praise of Incremental Change in Public Sector Organizations: A Consultant's View by John G. Veres, III and Katherine A. Jackson Evaluating Change in Public Organizations: An Alpha, Beta, Gamma Change Perspective by M. Ronald Buckley et al. Staying Sane in an Ever Changing World: A Survival Guide for Public Managers by William I. Sauser, Jr. Index


Novel iminophosphorane based heterotridentate SNS and SNSe ligands with the general formula MeSC6H4P(Ph2)=NC6H4ER (ER= SMe 3a, SPh 3b, SeMe 3c, SePh 3d) and their corresponding Pd(II) cationic complexes with tetrafluoroborate...


This study investigates the efficacy of machine learning techniques and correlation methods for predicting heat transfer performance in a dimpled tube under varying flow conditions, including the presence of nanoparticles. A comprehensive numerical analysis involving 120 cases was conducted to obtain Nusselt numbers and friction factors, considering different dimple depths and velocities for both pure water and water-Al2O3 nanofluid at 1%, 2%, and 3% volume concentrations. Utilizing the data acquired from the numerical simulations, a correlation equation, SVM ANN architectures were developed. The predictive capabilities of the statistical approach, ANN, and SVM models for Nusselt number distribution and friction factor were meticulously assessed through mean average percentage error (MAPE) and correlation coefficients ( R2). The research findings reveal that machine learning techniques offer a highly effective approach for accurately predicting heat transfer performance in a dimpled tube, with results closely aligned with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Particularly noteworthy is the superior performance of the ANN model, demonstrating the most precise predictions with an error rate of 2.54% and an impressive R2 value of 0.9978 for Nusselt number prediction. In comparison, the regression model achieved an average error rate of 6.14% with an R2 value of 0.8623, and the SVM model yielded an RMSE value of 2.984% with an R2 value of 0.9154 for Nusselt number prediction. These outcomes underscore the ANN model's ability to effectively capture complex patterns within the data, resulting in highly accurate predictions. In conclusion, this research showcases the promising potential of machine learning techniques in accurately forecasting heat transfer performance in dimpled tubes. The developed ANN model exhibits notable superiority in predicting Nusselt numbers, making it a valuable tool for enhancing thermal system analyses and engineering design optimization.


The background of the conditions causing the formation of corallite crusts, constituted by the fine-fibrous spherulites, is considered. The corallite crusts are the specific form of karstic relief forming in cold climate in an area of perennial cryotic rocks distribution. The scientific interpretation of corallite crusts condensation genesis, being practically absent in scientific literature, is given.


A fundamental study was carried out to develop a process for recycling tungsten and cobalt from WC-Co hardmetal sludge generated in the manufacturing process of hardmetal tools. The complete extraction of cobalt and simultaneous formation of tungstic was achieved by treating the sludge using aqua regia. The effect of aqua regia concentration, reaction temperature and time, pulp density on cobalt leaching and tungstic acid formation was investigated. The complete leaching of cobalt was attained at the optimum conditions: 100 vol.% aqua regia concentration, temperature, 60 min. reaction time and 400 g/L pulp density. A complete conversion of tungsten carbide of the sludge to tungstic acid was however, obtained at the pulp densities lower than 150 g/L under the above condition. The progress of reaction during the aqua regia treatment of the sludge was monitored through the XRD phase identification of the residue. The metallic impurities in the tungstic acid so produced could be further removed as insoluble residues by dissolving the tungsten values in ammonia solution. The ammonium paratungstate() of 99.85% purity was prepared from the ammonium polytungstate solution by the evaporation crystallization method.


• The panel recognise a strong expectation to demonstrate value for money in the current environment and would welcome SG's views on how this could be shown. For example, what metrics might be appropriate measures and why? What outcomes would be realistic outcomes that the SG might value and why? Are there other indices apart from monetary value that the SG would like to see I.e. please describe what 'value' means?


The property bank, an ingenious new institution that provided badly needed capital for southern mercantile and agricultural operations, appears to have been the creation of one man's imagination. It is ironical that he died in financial embarrassment, leaving behind few clues for the curious historian.


Which phenomenon slows down the dynamics in super-cooled liquids and turns them into glasses is a long-standing question of condensed-matter. Most popular theories posit that the dynamics becomes cooperative as the temperature decreases: many events must occur in a coordinated fashion on a growing length scale for relaxation to occur. Instead, other approaches consider that local barriers associated with the elementary rearrangement of a few particles or `excitations' govern the dynamics. Here, we introduce a new algorithm, SEER, to resolve this conundrum. SEER can systematically extract hundreds of excitations and their energy from any given configuration. Remarkably, we find that the excitation density of states is essentially shifted to higher energy under cooling. This observation directly predicts how local barriers slow down the dynamics. We compare this prediction with the observed dynamics in liquids that can be equilibrated by swap algorithms up to millisecond time scales. The agreement is quantitative, revealing that cooperative effects are not controlling the fragility of the liquid, and suggesting new perspectives on the glass transition.


How is the momentum toward multistakeholderism in Internet governance playing out in Latin America? What broader implications does this have to open democracy in the region? In this report, Internet Policy Observatory affiliate Celia Lerman, analyzes the distinct evolution of the multistakeholder model in the context of Latin America's democracies, which traditionally have not incorporated deliberative processes and multistakeholder participation into governance structures. Lerman asserts that this evolution can be explained by the effect of external events rather than by internal driving forces, concluding that this policy evolution moved from the international to the regional and national due to the fact Internet policy issues only recently became a matter of perceived importance to citizens in the region. The study looks at Latin America as a whole, highlighting several national case studies and exploring in greater depth Brazil's much earlier adoption of the multistakeholder model. Disciplines Communication Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License. This report is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/internetpolicyobservatory/16


The paper presents a critique of the dominant temporality of higher education policy in the UK and globally. It argues that the temporality of 'employability' is what Barbara Adam and Chris Groves describe as the 'present future'; a conception of the future as empty and open. Drawing on the work of Margaret Archer, the paper explores the differing existential temporalities associated with different forms of reflexivity and explores the complex temporalities of personal development planning. The increasing tempo of university life makes imagining otherwise, based on an ethical care for the future, increasingly difficult but nonetheless imperative.


With the help of a clinical study during the acute phase of the myocardial infarction the behaviour of the triiodothyronine (T3) in correlation to the creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) and clinical parameters was examined. The CPK and T3 exhibit a reciprocal behaviour. In dependence on the clinical stage of the acute myocardial infarction three reaction patterns of the T3 behaviour are described and discussed. It is referred to the relation of the neuro-hormonal regulation mechanism to the changed metabolic behaviour in the acute myocardial infarction. Possibilities of the importance of T3 and its peripheral metabolism in the metabolic regulation are shown.


This paper will analyse the debate about official dollarization in Latin America. Because of the opportunity cost of dollarization, replacing a national currency by a foreign currency is a solution of last resort to the financial instability of emerging economies. To clarify the discussion, a taxonomy of dollarization regimes is drawn up in order to make an inventory of officially dollarized countries, territories and dependencies. The foundations for adopting complete dollarization are analysed through three elements : an account of the limits to corner solutions, the identification of the economic contexts which are favourable to the adoption of foreign currencies and the reasons behind the legitimacy crisis of national currencies. To determine what is at stake in such decisions, cost advantage analysis mentions, first of all, the expected benefits highlighted by the advocates of complete dollarization. A detailed study of its potential impact will then allow us to evaluate the induced costs of the disappearance of national currencies. Finally, by looking at emerging countries that have adopted this exchange regime, the limits of adopting such a solution are underlined, particularly by the fact that the disappearance of national currencies implies an abandonment of monetary sovereignty and a loss of a powerful symbol of national assertion and identity.


Study on ultrasonic-solvent assisted extraction technology of soluble polysaccharide from pine nut shell.Through single factor test and orthogonal experimentL9(34)optimize extraction process.The removal efficiency of pine nut shell polysaccharide on hydroxyl radicals(OH·) and superoxide anion(O-2·) detected was investigated through removal experiment.The result demonstrate that the ultrasonic-assisted extraction optimum technological conditions as follows: ultrasonic time 30.0 min,extraction temperature 60 ℃,solid-liquid ratio 1∶50(m∶V),and ultrasonic extraction times 1;the pine nut shell polysaccharides have a strong scavenging capacity effect on hydroxyl radicals(OH·),but a general scavenging capacity effect on superoxide anion(O-2·).


[Objective]To evaluate the effect of surgery to correct fixed esotropia with high myopia by using the improved surgical of folding lateral rectus and orbital periosteum fixation.[Methods]16 eyes of 16 patients were performed lateral rectus line anti-crease after folding to the temporal side of the orbital periosteum to correct eye position for the correct positions,followed up for 6 months to 2 years.[Results]All were correct expect 3 eyes were less than 5°correction and function of eye movement in all directions had different degrees of improvement.Patients were satisfied with the appearance.[Conclusion]Improved surgical of folding lateral rectus and orbital periosteum fixation to correct fixed esotropia with high myopiais is a simple and safe method.


In this paper we analyze the content reconstruction problem with the use of a revised erasure communication channel. Based on this approach, we propose a reconfigurable self-embedding system which can be adapted to different requirements. Our approach eliminates two major problems with the design of efficient content reconstruction algorithms and allows for theoretical analysis of the reconstruction performance. The presented theoretical results are verified using Monte Carlo simulations. The proposed scheme is experimentally evaluated in a number of possible configurations, and allows to achieve high reconstruction quality even with high tampering rates.


1. Blasi C, Pierelli F, Rispoli E, Saponara M, Vingolo E, Andreani D: Wolfram's syndrome: a clinical, diagnostic, and interpretative contribution. Diabetes Care 9:521-28, 1986 2. Fishman L, Ehrlich RM: Wolfram syndrome: report of four cases and a review of literature. Diabetes Care 9:405-408, 1986 3. Peden NR, Gay JDL, Jung RT, Kuwayti K: Wolfram (DIDMOAD) syndrome: a complex long-term problem in management. Q] Med 58:167-80, 1986 4. Wolfram DJ: Diabetes mellitus and simple optic atrophy among siblings: report of four cases. Proc Mayo Clin 13:715-18, 1938 5. Ikkos DG, Fraser GR, Matsouki-Gavra E, Petrochilos M: Association of juvenile diabetes mellitus, primary optic atrophy and perceptive hearing loss in three sibs, with additional idiopathic diabetes insipidus in one case. Acta Endocrinol 65:95— 102, 1970 6. Hyams SW, Adar H, Friedman E: Optic atrophy, diabetes mellitus, hypothalamic dysfunction and a small sella turcica. J Pediatr Ophthalmol 14:106-108, 1977 7. Gunn T, Bortolussi R, Little JM, Andermann F, Fraser FC, Belmonte MM: Juvenile diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, sensory nerve deafness and diabetes insipidus: a syndrome. ] Pediatr 89:565-70, 1976 8. Cooper IS, Rinearson EH, Baily AA, MacCarthy CS: The relation of spinal cord diseases to gynecomastia and testicular atrophy. Proc Mayo Clin 25:320-26, 1950


In a portable power tool (100) having a switchable at least between a first and a second gear, planetary gear (200) which is associated with an at least between a first and a second switching position displaceable switching ring (300), the first in first gear and the second gear having the second switching position, is the switching ring (300) a synchronization unit (216) is assigned, which is designed to, upon displacement of the Schalthohlrads (300) between first and second switching position for switching over the planetary gear (200) a synchronization of the Schalthohlrads (300) with a planet carrier (500) or a blocking element (600) of the planetary gear (200) to enable.


World on a Maple Leaf: A Treasury of Canadian Multicultural Folktales. Edited by Asma Sayed and Nayanika Kumar Edmonton: United Cultures of Canada Association, 2011. 102 pp.World on a Maple Leaf is a compilation of twenty-five folktales by twentyfour authors with the aim of fostering understanding and respect for cultural differences in the multicultural contexts of Canadian life. These stories are folktales in a generous sense of the term in that they include rewritings of published tales, oral tales from grandparents, and original compositions. The brief directive given to contributors was "to re-imagine . . . stories . . . heard from parents, grandparents, friends and families, and to write them for Canadian children" (vii). The first thousand copies are for free distribution to libraries; further sales will support children in need. The writers and editors show such idealism and the project is so manifestly worthwhile that any criticism may sound peevish, but from a folklorist's perspective questions arise.I had hoped, from the title, for a collection of newly recorded oral folktales from recent immigrants to Canada. Surprisingly, all but six of the contributors were bom in Canada or the United States. All are highly literate, identifying themselves as storytellers (nine), writers (eight), academics (three), and graduate students (four), with three of the students studying comparative literature at the University of Alberta. I would have expected Edmonton immigrant communities to have been canvassed, and perhaps they were because the introduction mentions a call that elicited "an overwhelming response" and the "painful" rejection of some "fascinating" stories (vii-viii). It is not clear whether any of the included stories came as the result of inquiry among new immigrants. This is a pity, especially because the final contributor, Roxanne Felix, writes eloquently about the value of "ask[ing] about a person's journey" (94). If this is just the first in a series, as the editors hope, it will be worth going to new Canadians and recording their stories directly, rather than relying on others, no matter how refined their storytelling skills, to speak for them.It would surely be empowering for immigrants to know that their oral literature is valued in their new country This raises my second question: Why is this compilation so liter acentric1. Although all the contributors speak highly of oral storytelling, the average reader would assume from this collection that oral tales are just an imperfect stage on the way to becoming written stories. …


Abstract Context Ovarian estradiol supports female sexual behavior and metabolic function. While ovariectomy (OVX) in rodents abolishes sexual behavior and enables obesity, OVX in nonhuman primates decreases, but does not abolish, sexual behavior, and inconsistently alters weight gain. Objective We hypothesize that extra-ovarian estradiol provides key support for both functions, and to test this idea, we employed aromatase inhibition to eliminate extra-ovarian estradiol biosynthesis and diet-induced obesity to enhance weight gain. Methods Thirteen adult female marmosets were OVX and received (1) estradiol-containing capsules and daily oral treatments of vehicle (E2; n = 5); empty capsules and daily oral treatments of either (2) vehicle (VEH, 1 mL/kg, n = 4), or (3) letrozole (LET, 1 mg/kg, n = 4). Results After 7 months, we observed robust sexual receptivity in E2, intermediate frequencies in VEH, and virtually none in LET females (P = .04). By contrast, few rejections of male mounts were observed in E2, intermediate frequencies in VEH, and high frequencies in LET females (P = .04). Receptive head turns were consistently observed in E2, but not in VEH and LET females. LET females, alone, exhibited robust aggressive rejection of males. VEH and LET females demonstrated increased % body weight gain (P = .01). Relative estradiol levels in peripheral serum were E2 >>> VEH > LET, while those in hypothalamus ranked E2 = VEH > LET, confirming inhibition of local hypothalamic estradiol synthesis by letrozole. Conclusion Our findings provide the first evidence for extra-ovarian estradiol contributing to female sexual behavior in a nonhuman primate, and prompt speculation that extra-ovarian estradiol, and in particular neuroestrogens, may similarly regulate sexual motivation in other primates, including humans.


Approximately one third of the enlisted crew of an attack carrier (N = 738) was studied during a six-month deployment to Vietnam. Questionnaires about personal background and military status were given at the beginning of the cruise, and the illnesses developed by these men during the cruise were tabulated. This paper discusses the relationship of 16 demographic variables to illness onset: job specialty, pay grade, age, race, religion, birth region, marital status, number of dependents, education, intelligence level, parents' status (living or deceased), birth order, father's occupation, father's education, socioeconomic status, and active duty status (regular vs reserve). On the basis of analyses of variance, the following demographic variables were found to have a significant overall relationship to illness incidence: job specialty, age, pay grade, race, birthplace, and number of dependents. The remaining ten variables were statistically unrelated to illness incidence. Relatively high illness rates occu...


The environmental adaptation of the Chenopodiaceae (placed in Amaranthaceae s. l. in APG IV 2016) species is correlated with a physiological adaptation. Indeed, several species of this family are characterized by a C4 photosynthetic pathway. The aim of this work is to evaluate the lipid structure of two plant species of the genus Atriplex (halimus and canescens) in order to elucidate the effect of mineral nutrition on lipid peroxidation. Thus, the effect of three concentrations of Na Cl (100 300 and 600 mMl-1) was studied at the level of the two organs (roots and leaves) through the assay of Malondialdehyde (MDA) which represents a biomarker of lipid destruction. The results shows variability in the accumulation of MDA which indicate the variability of inter and intra specific responses. Nevertheless, the integrity of membrane lipids is little affected in both species and more in Atriplex halimus L.


In this study, I want to find out some design characteristics
through analyzing whether the structure of high-rise apartments
is formed by application of what type of design principle, and
then to provide design recommendations of high-rise apartments
through researching and analyzing the aesthetic consciousness
of it's users.


This chapter reviews the expression, signaling mechanisms, and functions of integrins on phagocytes, summarizing their central roles in host defense and inflammatory processes. Expression of integrins on the plasma membrane requires interaction of the α- and β-chains in the endoplasmic reticulum; unpaired chains are presumably recognized as unfolded and ultimately degraded. Mutations in the β2 gene that lead to severe reduction in expression of the entire family cause leukocyte adhesion deficiency type I (LAD-I), a severe immunodeficiency. Neutrophils express fewer β1 integrins than β2, and most of the β1 integrins are in secretory granules prior to neutrophil activation. Recent studies showed that overexpression of Rap1, or of one of its effectors, regulator of adhesion and cell polarization enriched in lymphoid tissues (RAPL), leads to increased adhesion through αLβ2. In recent years there has been increasing appreciation that ligation of activated integrins not only leads to cell adhesion and spreading, but also transmits signals into cells, a phenomenon called outside-in signaling, to contrast it with inside-out signaling mediating integrin activation. Integrins can associate with several other proteins within the plane of the plasma membrane, which often results in enhanced integrin-mediated signaling. The chapter finally talks about phagocyte-endothelium interactions, neutrophil migration, and monocyte migration.


Regional Development Bank is one potential area that should have a major role in improving the regional economy. As a bank founded by the provincial government based on regional regulations which related to the performance of regional banks can not be separated from policies issued by respective local governments. The purpose of this research is to know the 26 Assets Quality Regional Development Banks by analyzing based on Current Assets, Special Supervision, Substandard, Doubtful and Loss Based on the results of this research analysis, in general it is known that every BPD Earning Assets Quality within 2005-2006 period have increased and decreased. This is due to high or low level of credit to third parties, the issuance of letters of value to third parties and BI, or a form of investment funds in other banks.. In this case local government's role is vital in making certain policy to a percentage of nonperforming loans can be minimized.


Noel Pearson's book, Up From the Mission: Selected Writings is more than worth a read. It is a shaker. In the Kimberley, we are feeling its impact on the ground.


postexposure rabies vaccination in patients with human immunodeficiency virus with low CD4 ϩ T lymphocyte cell counts. Reply Sir—We thank Drs. Mary and David War-rell [1] for noting the error in the percentage of patients with seroconversion presented in table 2 of our article [2]; the rate should have appeared as 27%, not 7%. On day 7 of the regimens, the levels of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in all patient groups ranged from undetectable to 0.4 IU/mL (geometric mean titer [GMT], 0.04 IU/mL) [3]. This titer is 10 times less than the lowest acceptable titer (0.5 IU/mL) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) [4, 5]. compared levels of NAbs in patients on days 0, 5, 7, and 14 of each of the 4 reg-imens followed. The regimens included the Essen regimen, the Thai Red Cross regimen (TRC-ID), the Oxford 8-site reg-imen, and the " double-dose " TRC-ID (for dosages, see [2]). On day 5 of the regi-mens, NAb levels were undetectable. On day 7 of the regimens, the GMT was only 0.13 IU/mL (range, 0.03–0.5 IU/mL) in the group receiving the 8-site intradermal regimen. We suggest that these NAb levels are unlikely to intercept the virus before it enters the peripheral nerves [6]. If rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) was unavailable, use of the 8-site regimen was recommended by the WHO, but they cited no scientific evidence to support this recommendation [4]. We had reservations when Briggs et al. [7] performed a study in which only 0.1 mL of vaccine was used per injection site, rather than the WHO-recommended dose of 0.2 mL of vaccine from 1.0 mL of reconstituted purified chick embryo vaccine [7]. TRC-ID was developed for the use of purified Vero cell vaccine that is reconstituted in 0.5 mL of saline. Both vaccines have approximately equivalent antigen contents (6–14 IU), amounts that are several times greater than the WHO-recommended level of 2.5 IU. Briggs et al. [7], nevertheless, demonstrated that their vaccine regimen had good immunogen-icity. This led to early application of TRC-ID with 0.1 mL of purified chick embryo vaccine per intradermal dose. There were no treatment failures among 7227 patients treated in a province in which canine rabies was endemic [8]. Only 216 (3%) of these 7227 patients also received RIG. Unlike the Warrells, we are not aware of any confusion about these issues in Thailand. This country used TRC-ID for 5 years before it became the …


This paper considers criteria for regulators to accept non-official currencies that could make a contribution in reducing systemic risks and costs. Cell phone technology has made practical the re-introduction of negative interest rate/cost carrying money widely introduced privately in Europe and the US during the Great Depression. Fisher and Keynes supported the private issue of cost carrying notes and in this century Buiter has described the benefits of negative interest rate money. Four options for regulators to accept it are considered: (1) a government issue redeemable into legal tender as proposed by the US Bankhead-Pettengill Bill of 1933; (2) private issues redeemable into official money as occurred during the Great Depression that has remerged in Germany; (3) private issues convertible into specified commodities as occurred in Europe in the 1920's; and (4) a unit of value defined by the retail value of electricity generated from benign sustainable resources of the host bio-region. Arguments for regulators to accommodate the emergence of bio-regional Sustainable Energy Dollars are: (i) establish a stable unit of value not directly affected by governments, their central banks or alien markets; (ii) protect regional financial systems from contagion and improve their resilience; (iii) reduce the cost of finance and democratise its availability; (iv) improve the efficiency and equity of the financial system; (v) allow the creation of money to be controlled in each bio-region by mutually owned and controlled organisations rather than by governments or alien for-profit technology firms; (vi) establish market values, prices and costs to distribute the global population according to the carrying capacity of each bio-region; (vii) reduce market failure in allocating sustainable resources and mitigate the need for carbon taxing and/or trading.


Trees in urban paved environments are highly exposed to heat, low air humidity, periods of critical water stress, high soil lime content and soil pH, limited soil volume, pollutants, and de-icing salts. Combined with the challenges of climate change and the threat of disease and pest infestations, this has led to considerable and persistent arguments for using a more varied range of trees, including stress-tolerant species, at urban paved sites. Extensive fieldwork was carried out in the Qinling Mountains, China, in a search for tree species suitable for urban paved sites in northern parts of central Europe and in adjoining milder parts of northern Europe (CNE-region), where tree species are exposed to seasonally dry and harsh conditions. The study identified habitats in the Qinling Mountain range that are similar to those at sites in paved environments, and analyzed the growth and performance of different tree species in these habitats. A total of 25 tree species representing 21 genera were found, of which 14 species were identified as specialist colonizers of warm, dry south-facing slopes where site conditions are similar to those in paved environments of the CNE-region.


Twenty‐eight states and the District of Columbia currently provide due process for gifted students. When parents or administrators cannot settle a dispute at the local school board level, some states by law and/or regulation offer aggrieved parties the right to mediation or due process. Seven states reported holding 26 due process hearings during the years 1992–1995. This article examines these due process hearings describing the types of issues involved and the outcomes of the hearings. The authors report that disparate issues are handled in due process hearings, and they conclude that due process hearings are an inexpensive and relatively expeditious way to resolve disputes in gifted education in comparison to going to court.


We recall a concept called sub-independence, which is defined in terms of the convolution of the distributions of random variables, providing a stronger sense of dissociation between random variables than that of uncorrelatedness. In risk and decision analysis, the investigator may encounter a stochastic model whose components are uncorrelated dependent random variables. The marginal distributions of the components are known but not their joint distribution. The investigator, however, is interested in (or in need of) the distribution of the sum of some or all of the components. The concept of sub-independence will allow the determination of the distribution of the sum of the components based on the marginal distributions of the summands. This concept is much weaker than that of independence and yet can be employed to determine the distribution of the sum of random variables from their marginal distributions. We shall mention some possible applications of the concept of sub- independence to risk and decision analysis.


English,is a basic course of our country's college students.Machine translation software is a newly developing information industry technology.At present,more and more college students apply machine translation software to English learning.What advantages and disadvantages does machine translation software have on college students' English learning? How does college students apply it scientifically and reasonably to English learning? Throught the statistics on the current English learning situation of our country's college students and the current common domestic machine translation software market,making an analysis and comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of machine translation software on college students English learning.


An orthopaedic consultant who has been obliged to go on extended leave for more than two years is set to return to work after completing 12 months of refresher training.

Sian Caiach initially went on what was called extended maternity leave in April 2000 when allegations were made about her clinical practice. These came shortly after the Audit Commission began to investigate complaints she had made about private practice at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli. That investigation subsequently found irregularities in the charging of private patients at the hospital.

"I …


To test the hypothesis that fetal skeletal growth decreases in late gestation because the reported decline in serum sulfate conc ([SO4]) limits SO4 for incorporation into glycosaminoglycans by cartilage, 6 fetal sheep were perfused with Na2SO4 2.2 g/h i.v. for 7 d. As controls, the twin of each fetus was perfused with equimolar NaCl. Costal cartilage was harvested at [xmacr ] GA=134 d and assayed in vitro for 35SO4 uptake (QSO4, μ g/24h/mg cartilage adjusted per mg SO4/tube) in the presence of 0, 10% and 20% normal human serum (NHS). Sera sampled before and during perfusion were assayed for [SO4].Pairwise comparison of twin fetuses reveals SO4-perfusion produces a 34-47% increase in QSO4 independent of [NHS], compared to the ∼300% increase in QSO4 produced by 20% NHS. Fetal wt, length, and sex were not different between groups. These results demonstrate that although late fetal cartilage in vitro QSO4 may be increased by elevating the fetal serum [SO4], other serum factors are more important determinants of fetal cartilage metabolic activity. The decrease in [SO4] observed from mid-gestation to term likely represents depletion of the SO4 pool by fetal growth processes rather than a decreased availability of SO4 that restricts growth.


This paper presents a formalism describing the dynamics of a quantum particle in a one-dimensional, tilted, time-dependent lattice. The description uses the Wannier-Stark states, which are localized in each site of the lattice, and provides a simple framework leading to fully analytical developments. Particular attention is devoted to the case of a time-dependent potential, which results in a rich variety of quantum coherent dynamics.


The present technology of paddy production leaves behind ecological foot prints caused by overuse of fossil fuels and synthetic fertilizers that pollute almost a quarter to one third of world's annual fresh water supply. Overuse of water contributes to emission of greenhouse gases causing more global warming. Besides, input costs are high and the additional inputs, particularly synthetic fertilizers to increase production are leading to diminishing or constant returns over the years. The method is ill suited for rain-fed areas. Despite this, India has relied on such input management practices attempting to improve yield for its food security. Such highly intensive agriculture dependent on fossil fuels, damaging to soil and fresh water, and crop diversity is becoming questionable today.


DETAILS ARE GIVEN OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MODEL FOR PRODUCING POPULATION FORECASTS OF THE LONDON BOROUGHS. THE FORECASTS WILL INCORPORATE DATA FROM THE 1971 CENSUS.


The pattern of injury in deaths from falls from heights is described. The mechanisms of injury are compared with the primary site of impact and the heights from which the victims fell.


Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity, formerly known as Statistical Policy Directive 15, is a classification system that governs the U.S. government's collection and presentation of data on race and ethnicity. The directive underwent a public evaluation between 1993 and 1997 to determine whether the racial and ethnic group categories should be revised. This article links theories of the role of the state in the social order and the social construction of identity to explain how conflictual political processes modify administrative policy. Two narratives on the debates over the reclassification of "Native Hawaiians" and the addition of a "multiracial" category illustrate recent political conflicts over group identities established by state agencies. The author argues that the main explanation for administrative policy changes was the responsiveness of state agencies to political demands of significantly mobilized groups with claims to state re sources.


The main aim of this article is to study the effectiveness of using Zoom technology to prepare useful lessons to improve the success of students studying foundation of foreign languages by distance mode at a university. We would like to share our analyze the experience of using the Zoom virtual platform in the process of organizing distance learning from the point of view of the students. The article presents the results of students' surveys that illustrate the perception of students in terms of the usefulness and ease of use of the utilized software. The article pays particular attention to the estimation of the main characteristics and didactic capabilities of the Zoom virtual platform for organizing distance learning foreign language classes at a university. The article draws conclusions on the advantages and disadvantages of the software, describes the stages of work and offers methodological recommendations as well as lists the main difficulties that teachers and students at Tashkent State University of Economics have encountered in the course of language education.


Dear Editor, Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) inhibitors have been approved for treating plaque psoriasis. Paradoxically, such treatment has been shown to aggravate psoriasis, which is treated by continuing with the same anti-TNF-a therapy or switching to another biologic. Safa et al. reported a case in which paradoxical reaction induced by one biologic was exacerbated by another biologic. We present an interesting case of infliximab-induced paradoxical psoriasis that was aggravated after ustekinumab therapy, a biologic agent that targets the p40 subunit common to interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23. A 30-year-old man with a 6-year history of psoriasis was referred to our department after treatment with the third infusion of infliximab (Fig. 1a). He had psoriatic lesions on the whole body and was treated with phototherapy and acitretin or cyclosporine. However, the therapies failed to control psoriasis. He was administrated 5 mg/kg infliximab at weeks 0, 2 and 6. Two weeks after the first injection, he developed erythematous patches on the lower extremities, and scattered erythematous patches on the whole body after the third injection. The infliximab was discontinued, and treatment with acitretin in combination with topical corticosteroids and calcipotriol agent was initiated. Even after 1 month, his condition did not improve. Treatment with 45 mg of s.c. ustekinumab at weeks 0 and 4 was initiated. One week after the first injection, scattered erythematous patches with scales appeared on the trunk, lower extremities and scalp (Fig. 1b,c). Two weeks after the second injection, his condition worsened rapidly, and pustules appeared on the palms and soles (Fig. 1d,e). The biologic was discontinued, and treatment with oral cyclosporin and a topical agent was initiated. The skin lesions markedly improved (Fig. 1f). Tumor necrosis factor-a inhibitor-induced psoriasis has been estimated to occur in 1.5–5% of cases, but the mechanisms remain unclear. TNF-a inhibitors induce cytokine imbalance and might induce interferon (IFN)-a overexpression in tissues. They could induce T-cell migration to the dermis and thus promote psoriatic lesion induction. Recently, ustekinumab was found to be an effective therapeutic alternative for patients showing therapeutic failure with TNF-a inhibitors. The mechanism may involve multiple cytokines such as IL-17 and IL-22, which are not solely related to decreased TNF-a. However, paradoxical adverse reactions have been reported, and their pathophysiology remains unknown. Ustekinumab is known to block IL-23 activity and decrease IL-23 and T-helper 17 cell-induced TNF-a levels; however, IFN-a levels continue to increase. This might cause the paradoxical psoriasis. Patients having an inadequate response to at least one biologic agent might have an increased risk of an insufficient response to (a)


Photon heat current tunneling through a series coupled two mesoscopic Josephson junction (MJJ) system biased by dc voltages has been investigated by employing the nonequilibrium Green's function approach. The time-oscillating photon heat current is contributed by the superposition of different current branches associated with the frequencies of MJJs ωj (j = 1, 2). Nonlinear behaviors are exhibited to be induced by the self-inductance, Coulomb interaction, and interference effect relating to the coherent transport of Cooper pairs in the MJJs. Time-oscillating pumping photon heat current is generated in the absence of temperature difference, while it becomes zero after time-average. The combination of ωj and Coulomb interactions in the MJJs determines the concrete heat current configuration. As the external and intrinsic frequencies ωj and ω0 of MJJs match some specific combinations, resonant photon heat current exhibits sinusoidal behaviors with large amplitudes. Symmetric and asymmetric evolutions versus time t with respect to ω1t and ω2t are controlled by the applied dc voltages of V1 and V2. The dc photon heat current formula is a special case of the general time-dependent heat current formula when the bias voltages are settled to zero. The Aharonov–Bohm effect has been investigated, and versatile oscillation structures of photon heat current can be achieved by tuning the magnetic fluxes threading through separating MJJs.


A method is introduced to calculate the displacement of soft-clay foundation under the action of cyclic loads.By equalizing the cyclically accumulated deformation as a process of static creep,a corresponding cyclic creep model is created.Then by the finite element method the model is used to calculate the deformation of soft-soil foundation in a series of load units to conclude the curve in which cyclically accumulated deformation varies with the times of cyclic shock.Finally,the rationality of the method is identified by the comparison with the result of model experiment.


The Haber–Bosch process is one of the most widely utilized approaches for the synthesis of ammonia, and has many disadvantages, such as the high energy consumption and generation of large amounts of greenhouse gases. Therefore, the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) has received significant attention, as it is more sustainable and environmentally friendly. In this study, we report a CuAg/Ti3C2 MXene catalyst for the electrocatalytic NRR. This MXene-based composite material exhibits remarkable performance for electrochemical synthesis of ammonia under ambient conditions. When measured in a 0.1 M KOH solution at an applied potential of −0.5 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), the catalyst achieved an ammonia production rate and faradaic efficiency of 4.12 μmol cm−2 h−1 and 9.77%, respectively. These values indicate excellent stability and selectivity compared with the previously reported 2D NRR electrocatalysts. Moreover, the results of density functional theory calculations illustrate that with preferable adsorption of N2, desorption of NH3, and suppression of the HER, CuAg/Ti3C2 is a promising catalyst for the NRR. The excellent electrical conductivity and fast electron transport in the CuAg/Ti3C2 catalyst are favorable for the evaluated electrocatalytic reaction. Both experimental results and DFT calculations reveal that CuAg plays a crucial role in the catalytic activity and electrical conductivity enhancement for Ti3C2 based materials.


145 I read with interest a prospective validation study by Chang et al. on the use of the AIMS65 score, Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS), and Rockall score (RS) for the prediction of clinical outcomes in patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB). The authors studied 337 patients who demonstrated overt signs of AUGIB. They used the area under the receiving operator characteristic (AUROC), which is a performance metric that enables clinicians to discriminate between events and nonevents in patients, to determine the utility of each score type. In general, an AUROC of <0.7 is considered a sub-optimal performance. In a single hospital, the AIMS65 score, with an AUROC of 0.747, was found to be better at predicting hospital mortality than the GBS and RS, which had AUROC values of 0.671 and 0.660, respectively. The performances of the AIMS65, GBS, and RS for predictions of the need for endoscopic intervention were only moderate, with AUROCs of 0.619, 0.645, and 0.600, respectively. Similarly, these scores were not useful for predicting recurrent bleeding, with AUROCs around 0.6. In this cohort, none of the scores performed sufficiently to predict the clinical events. The AIMS65 was useful only for predicting mortality. Stanley et al. have published the largest validation study of the AIMS65, GBS, RS, and Progetto Nazionale Emorragie Digestive (PNED) score to date. They examined these scores in 3,012 patients from six hospitals worldwide and determined that the GBS was the best predictor of death or the need for intervention (AUROC=0.86). A GBS of ≤1 is the threshold for predicting survival without intervention. The authors concluded that AUROCs for the other endpoints were <0.8 and therefore had limited clinical utility. In the 2019 International Guidelines from the Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Conference Group, the consensus group suggested using a GBS of ≤1 to identify those at a very low risk for outpatient management. The group could not make a recommendation regarding the use of the RS and advised against the use of the AIMS65 scores for identifying those at low risk, as 20% of high-risk patients are misclassified due to a low cut-off value. Obviously, one risk score is better at predicting outcomes than the other. The candidate predictors include low albumin level, an altered mental state, an international normalized ratio >1.5, systolic blood pressure ≤90 mmHg, and age >65 years. Our intuition is that those who score high on the AIMS65 are very sick patients with an increased risk of mortality. We can conclude from this study (and others) that current risk scores for the management of patients with AUGIB are mostly useless; at least, none of them have been widely implemented in clinical practice. Since these scores use different chosen variables and were created for different purposes, COMMENTARY


In this paper, EMC analysis on stacked packages using different simulation methods is presented. A large part of the EMC control is the understanding of different resonances emerging in the package. At the resonances frequencies, both the internal noise sources inside the package and the external noise sources outside the package are generating strong fields and voltages, and the package is most vulnerable for EMC problems causing malfunction. As the level of integration in mobile devices continues to grow, the control of EMC/EMI performance in electronic packages becomes more and more challenging. With well-defined EMC verification simulations, the designs can be improved and many of the potential problems can be avoided before the manufacturing. After the resonance analysis, interconnect bondwire simulation results using RLC equivalent circuit models are presented. At the end, the validation of simulation results is discussed


1. I N T R O D U C T I O N Many recent proposals for the support of Video-on-Demand (VoD) use a form of periodic broadcast scheduling and assume Constant Bi t -Rate (CBR) encoded videos [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10]. The few existing proposals [5, 9] for support of the more efficient Variable Bit-Rate (VBI:t) video encoding schemes, employ forms of lossy multiplexing. Thus they can be used for VBR video but at the cost of data losses. In this paper we address the issue of the VBR encoded video broadcast and we propose an inherently Loss-Less and Bandwidth-Efficient (LLBE) scheme. Given ample client storage, LLBE can satisfy any a-priori prescribed per-video startup latency, w. In LLBE, the bandwidth necessary for the transmission and downloading of a video is minimized through an optimization process. We also note that minimization of the server bandwidth can be stated as a shortest path problem and solved in polynomial time.


The key reasons that have led to the success of Stacks: The Law Firm are discussed. The major contributors to the same are the retention of quality staff and a culture of expert, friendly and cost-effective.


When information asymmetry is high, stakeholders do not have sufficient resource, incentives, or access to relevant information to monitor manager's actions, which gives rise to the practice of earnings management. This paper develops and tests hypotheses of how the presence of information asymmetry affects management incentives to manage earnings via real transaction structuring activities (Real Earnings Management). The sample data used for the research consisted of financial reporting by companies listed of the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). We examined the data of 110 companies from 1385-1390. Using a pooled cross-sectional least squares regression of the proxies for REM with information asymmetry and other risk factors. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between information asymmetry and abnormal cash flow and abnormal production. But there is not a significant relationship between information asymmetry and abnormal discretionary expenditure.


In this study, a gallium nitride (GaN)‐based current linear regulator (GBCLR) was developed and implemented to control 450 nm laser diodes, and the laser beams could be concentrated by the fiber optic cable. The GBCLR consisted of a GaN high‐electron‐mobility transistor (HEMT) and wide‐bandwidth operational amplifiers. When using the GBCLR, the driving current of the laser diode can be operated in either continuous constant‐current mode for a continuous‐wave laser or pulse‐width modulation mode to achieve a short‐pulsed time laser. In the high‐frequency pulse‐width modulation mode of the GBCLR, the parasitic elements of the GaN HEMT, laser diodes, and printed circuit board must be evaluated because they can cause the gate–source voltage to overshoot and influence the laser operating current; however, few studies have analyzed these phenomena. This study adopted the complex equivalent circuits of the GaN HEMT and laser diode to establish a complete GBCLR simulation schematic with the same physical configurations and packages; thus, the GBCLR simulation circuit was able to obtain the critical simulation waveform, and the unknown parasitic element parameters could be inferred for the GBCLR design. However, the complete equivalent circuit of the GBCLR was quite complex; therefore, this study proposed a new simplified model and method to demonstrate that this method was practicable. Finally, a GBCLR prototype was developed, and the critical experimental waveforms were measured to verify the simulations and analyses.


The objective of the study was to know the relationship between nutritional status, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the level of physical displacement of older people. 168 people older than 65 years participated (control group = 84 active people and experimental group = 84 sedentary people). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured with the MEDIS-FFQ questionnaire, the level of physical activity practice through a question created for that purpose, and the different physical tests with the specific instruments. The results revealed that 63.1% showed low adherence to the Mediterranean diet and 34.5% high, according to the sedentary subject's greater adherence than the active ones (p≤0.05, 46.4% versus 22.6%). Active subjects have better physical income than sedentary people (p≤0.001). Therefore, most elderly people want to increase their adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the practice of physical activity as a mechanism to reduce their health.


Stream Tube Analysis for Prediction of Cross-ventilation Rate : Part 5 : Characteristics of Stream Tube Analysis on CFD Analysis


Changing characteristics of precipitation extremes have been reported mainly using parameters like the frequency of occurrence and the magnitude. As climate changes, the spatio-temporal characteris...


Landsvirkjun, the owner of the Krafla Power Plant, decided in 2006 to continue exploration drillings for further utilization. A comprehensive research program in NE-Iceland was initiated focusing on geothermal potential with the main purpose to generate electricity. The research program included surface investigations and exploration drilling within four geothermal areas. Several wells were drilled in Krafla, Bjarnarflag (Námafjall), Gjástykki and Þeistareykir to support existing conceptual models and geothermal assessments. The exploration and drilling activities in the Krafla geothermal area will be emphasized in this paper. The strategy was to expand previous drilling fields and identify new ones on the basis of a comprehensive TEMand MT-resistivity survey as well as re-evaluation of previous research work. In this paper emphasis is placed on the preparation and success of two wells in Krafla, KJ-36 and KT-40. The strategy was to focus on selected targets, according to surface observation, tectonics and CO2 emissions, inside the resistivity anomaly close to one of the main up-flow zones of the geothermal fluid. The operations were successfully completed and permeable fracture zones located. Indications of this potential had been under discussion for some years. After completion of these drilling operations the knowledge of the interior of the geothermal reservoir increased as well as the learning experience. Figure 1 demonstrates the distribution of wells in Krafla and their trajectories as well as revealing the tectonic outlines. Figure 1: Distribution of wells in the Krafla geothermal area and the main tectonic outlines. Gudmundsson and Mortensen 2


Two novel photochromic and photomagnetic complexes actuated by nonphotochromic ligands have been hydrothermally synthesized through the pillar-layer strategy. After Xe lamp irradiation at room temperature, compound 1 shows naked-eye detectable photochromism, while 2 exhibits an efficient photodemagnetization effect.


Recently, according to the rapid development of location positioning technology and wireless communications technology and increasement of usage of moving object data, many researches and developments on the real-time locating systems which provides real time service of moving object data stream are under proceeding. However, MO (Moving Object) DBMS used based system in the in these systems is the inefficient management of moving object data streams, and the existing DSMS (Data Stream Management System) has problems that spatio-temporal data are not handled efficiently. Therefore, in this thesis, we designed and implemented spatio-temporal DSMS for efficient real-time management of moving object data stream. This thesis implemented spatio-temporal DSMS based STREAM (STanford stREam dAta Manager) of Stanford University is supporting real-time management of moving object data stream and spatio-temproal query processing and filtering for reduce the input loading. Specifically, spatio-temporal operators of the spatio-temporal DSMS support standard interface of SQL form which extended "Simple Feature Specification for SQL" standard specifications presented by OGC for compatibility. Finally, implemented spatio-temporal DSMS in this thesis, proved the effectiveness of the system that as applied real-time monitoring areas that require real-time locating of object data stream DSMS.


On June 8, 2012, PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. (PJM) filed revisions to its Attachment K – Appendix to the PJM Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) and Schedule 1 of the Amended and Restated Operating Agreement (OA), and Definitions O-P of the OA. PJM states that this ministerial filing is necessary to reflect accurate Commission-approved language in section 3.2 of PJM's OATT and OA, and Definitions O-P of the OA, as of June 1, 2012.


Information technology (IT) is a strategic element in business as it is fundamental to create value to organizations. To be efficient, project managers need to develop other competencies besides their technical skills (" hard skills" ). This paper aims to show the importance of  soft skills  in the development of IT project managers' competencies by answering the following questions (1) "which is the impact of " soft skills " on IT projects management?" and (2) "the personality type of the project manager can influence the development of his/her  soft skills ?". To answer these questions, we conducted an exploratory and qualitative research. To collect data, we interviewed IT project managers and applied the MBTI test to identify their personality type. As we crossed the results of MBTI tests and content of the interviews, we noticed that some professionals have a personality type that might hinder them from developing some  soft skills . Another important finding is that leadership and communication are the most important  soft skills  in project management according to IT project managers.  This research contributes to the academia as it indicates opportunities for further studies on the relationship of personality type and competence development. A managerial implication of research results is that managers and leaders can use personality tests such as MBTI to prevent relationship conflicts in teams as well as to design training programs that best suit their subordinates' personality traits.


Space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has the capability to image subsurface features down to several meters in arid regions. A first demonstration of this capability was performed in the Egyptian desert during the early eighties, thanks to the first Shuttle Imaging Radar mission. Global coverage provided by recent SARs, such as the Japanese ALOS/PALSAR sensor, allowed the mapping of vast ancient hydrographic systems in Northern Africa. We present a summary of palaeohydrography results obtained using PALSAR data over large deserts such as the Sahara and the Gobi. An ancient river system was discovered in eastern Lybia, connecting in the past the Kufrah oasis to the Mediterranean Sea, and the terminal part of the Tamanrasett river was mapped in western Mauritania, ending with a large submarine canyon. In southern Mongolia, PALSAR images combined with topography analysis allowed the mapping of the ancient Ulaan Nuur lake. We finally show the potentials of future low frequency SAR sensors by comparing L-band (1.25 GHz) and P-band (435 MHz) airborne SAR acquisitions over a desert site in southern Tunisia.


As result of investigation it is established that optimization of the ways of boosting the resource potentials of winter wheat agrocenoses results in essential saving of moisture resources under the conditions of adaptation of the norms and terms of seeding to climatic conditions of the region as well as applying mineral fertilizers, microelements and plant growth regulators in accord with the rated norms.


Dear Editor,We would like to reply to the letter to the Editor of Steverding (2018) on our research article "Drug combination studies of curcumin and genistein against rhodesain of Trypanosoma bruc...


The article examines possibilities of tolerance development in the process of language learning. This possibility begs the question of foreign language teaching content correction.


: Using a quantum field theoretic description of the photon it is shown that, as intuitively expected but not before theoretically proven, the vector potential of a photon has a likely amplitude associated with a discrete frequency and therefore energy, and momentum. In particular, by finding the wave-functional for the vector potential, it is shown that the likely absolute amplitude spectrum has delta function at a given frequency. This analysis is extended to n -photon systems. It shows that such systems have a vector potential distribution whose most likely element has a strong sinusoidal component which has an amplitude corresponding to n -fold more energy than a single photon system. An analogous result for photons of different energy is also derived. Through the use of Parseval's theorem for stochastic systems, the calculations and associated analyses introduces a simple tool for exploring the nature of QFT Schrödinger wave-functional generally.


Textile materials are one of the most favored reinforcement materials in the composite industry. In this study, thermo-mechanical properties of six various fabrics which are woven with three different yarns (jute, E-glass and carbon) are investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods. According to DMA results, moduli of E-glass and carbon samples decrease with increasing temperature while it increases at jute samples. DSC graphs showed that there is not any phase change between 25°C 200°C at any of the samples. Considering the TGA results, it is realized that while jute fabrics have two sharp weight losses at about 255°C and 340°C, carbon fabrics have a weight loss at about 530°C.


Iodine is an essential micronutrient for human health required for the production of thyroid hormones, which are critical for vital physiological processes including energy metabolism, growth and brain function. The biogeochemical cycling of iodine is governed by many complex processes. Soil properties, such as pH and the concentration of organic matter and Fe/Al/Mn hydrous oxides, influence the speciation of iodine and its availability to plants, which can then impact human consumption. Our current understanding of iodine bioavailability to plants and iodine geodynamics following inputs (e.g. rainfall, fertilisation) would be significantly improved with a greater understanding of soluble iodine interactions with soil. In this study we report the first use of microdialysis to extract native (I) and isotopically labelled (I) iodine from soils in order to observe short-term sorption and fixation processes without disturbing the system dynamics.


Objective:To explore how to do peritoneum and rectus suture in the econdary cesarean section with abdominal transverse incision in order to reduce the adhesion and lower secondary operating difficulties.Methods:In our hospital secondary cesarean section with transverse incision 162 cases,there were two different kinds of suture methods in previous cesarean section: group A(continuous peritoneal suture,no or less sewing rectus abdominis),Group B(no sewing peritoneum,rectus abdominis interrupted suture 2~3 times similar word "8").In secondary cesarean section observed the extent of adhesion,two times operative time,intraoperative blood loss and compared A with B group.Results:In A group adhesion was less than in B,the former operative time was shorter,less blood loss,little operative difficulty.Conclusion: The difference between the two groups was significant.


The absorbent article includes an odor control agent deposited in a visible pattern on a material layer of the absorbent article. Deodorant provides a distinct contrast ever patterns for background limited by the material layer. In one particular embodiment, the absorbent article is a feminine care. Visible, patterned, deodorants, contrast, activated carbon


There is a piston, in particular piston, provided for an internal combustion engine which comprises at least in sections, in particular sections on the piston shaft, a sliding layer, said sliding layer comprising: a) a coating 1 which comprises a cross-linked matrix, and b) one or more applied directly to this coating (s) solid lubricant conglomerate (s). 2


Objective: To determine if a brief, one-on-one pain neuroscience education (PNE) session delivered by a physical therapist (PT) can influence depression.
Methods: A convenience sample of patients with persistent low back pain (LBP) (n = 23) attending PT with moderate to severe depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) participated in the study. Patients received a standardized, one-on-one 30-minute PNE session by a PT with pre- and post-intervention measures of low back and leg pain (Numeric Pain Rating Scale [NPRS]), pain catastrophization (Pain Catastrophization Scale [PCS]), pain knowledge (Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire [rNPQ] and depression (PHQ-9).
Results: Immediately following PNE, all measures improved, with low back and leg pain not being significant (pback = 0.345 and pleg = 0.633), while pain catastrophization (p = 0.047), pain knowledge (p = 0.001) and depression (p = 0.004) reaching significant improvements. The PNE session shifted various patients to lower levels of depression, with 21.8% of the patients' improvement in depression meeting or exceeding the minimal clinical important difference.
Conclusion: PNE may be a safe, clinically effective way to help a subgroup of patients attending PT with depression. More studies are needed to further explore the results from this pilot study.


This investigation seeks to understand, why and how social means join in the teaching of a university teacher. The social means are considered to be interactive platforms of communication related to the web 2.0 (social web), which allow to generate contents, to construct and to share information and knowledge between diverse users, favoring the collaborative social learning or the learning called 2.0, Framed in the vision of reflexive citizens, compromised with his individual and group develop. The qualitative approach of this work allowed the utilization of biographical - narrative technologies of the social investigation, centring on the method of study of the only case. Interviews were applied in depth to the study of case, which later they were transcribed, realizing a statement that demonstrated communicative and didactic processes, paths, transitions and transformations of his educational practice.


I n s t ag r a m is a marketing tool that is popularly used in the creative industries. Adidas has been using this tool because of Instagram's wide coverages and cheap marketing costs. Currently, Adidas ranks second in terms of sales. Adidas' strategy to overcome this sales p r ob l e m is through Adidas Originals. This research aims to test the variables' influences o f social media marketing perception, visual communication perception, and celebrity endorser perception towards consumer's buying interest using online word of mouth as the intervening variable. This study focuses on consumers who recognise Adidas Originals, have an Instagram account and follow @adidasoriginals in Semarang. This research employs a purposive sampling technique on 100 respondents. The method used is Structural Equation Model with AMOS 22.0 Software. Th e results in this research show that social media marketing perception, visual communication  perception,  and  celebrity  endorser  perception  have  positively  and significantly influenced the intervening variable, which is online word of mouth. While online word of mouth has positively and significantly influenced consumer's buying interest.


Social capital is a popular current concept in the development literature and in development agencies. But is it real enough to be measured in the field and validated with reference to the achievement of desired outcomes of development programs? Is it something that could be purposefully increased? This paper reports on the observed relationship between capital and development outcomes in 64 villages of Rajasthan, India. All of these participated for the last seven years in an Indian government and World Bank-funded program for watershed conservation and development. They provide an empirical basis for evaluating whether social capital can be identified and evaluated in quantitative terms. The authors find that an index of such social capital variables is related positively and consistently with superior development outcomes both in watershed conservation and in cooperative development activities more generally. In addition to social capital, they found two variables--political competition and literacy--also having some significant associations with the measured developed performance. Other factors that were expected to be associated with superior outcomes based on theories and hypotheses in the literature are not, however, confirmed by data analysis using correlation, regression, and factor analysis techniques.


Objective To study the TPS dose distribution of the radiation therapy with wedge for upper-thoracic esophageal cancer.Methods Adopting spiral CT scanning,three dimensional data of the focus of infection and the other tissues were acquired.The radiotherapy plans with 45° wedges and without wedge were designed in TPS.The dose-volume histogram were calculated and compared.Results Although the average of dose of irradiated target was very close in the two plans,but there was remarkable difference in the dose uniformity.The Std(standard deviation) of dose in irradiated target was 6.31 in plan without wedge,and it was 4.45 in plan with the 45° wedge.The results show that the dose distri-butions of irradiated target are optimized by using the wedge.Conclusion It is a simple and effective method to use wedge for improving dose distribution in the radiation therapy for upper-thoracic esophageal cancer.


The invention relates to a system for securing risk of tipping furniture and utensils with an attached to the bottom rail and at least one of the furniture or the equipment mounted roller. an extension is provided according to the invention at the roller or a roller retainer, which so engages in the rail so that it forms a form fit with the latter.


The reaction of trans-stilbene-2-carboxylic acid with m-chloroperbenzoic acid yields trans-3,4-dihydro-4-hydroxy-3-phenylisocoumarin. The epoxide of trans-stilbene-2-carboxylic acid was detected as an intermediate by n.m.r. spectroscopy. The rates of reactions of pent-4-en-1-ol and hex-5-en-1-ol with m-chloroperbenzoic acid are similar to that of hex-1-ene, and that of o-allylphenol is about twice as great as that of o-ailylbenzene. It was concluded that these reactions also involved initial formation of an epoxide.


Based on analyzing headstream poverty phenomenon and eco- compensation necessity, this paper studies the experience and revelation of other exploitation eco- compensation Jinpan Model integrating Jinpan exploitation area so as to realize corresponding development of environment and economy and society. The countermeasures and suggestions of making healthiness and consummating eco- compen-sation system are put forwards, which are of great importance for region sustainable development.


We discuss the propagation characteristics of surface plasmon modes supported by a thin lossy metal film of finite width deposited on a uniaxially anisotropic substrate, numerically evaluated using the method of lines. The metal film with finite width (strip waveguide) has been a subject of intensive study, both theoretically and experimentally, since it is the platform of choice for constructing plasmon circuits for optoelectronic integration, over the past few years. Plasmon waveguides with anisotropic dielectric environment have gained importance in research recently. Specifically, artificial substrate materials with strong anisotropy have been proposed as a means of improving the propagation range of plasmon polaritons in wide metal films. In our investigation, it is observed that the anisotropic nature of the substrate removes the degeneracy of the fundamental pair modes which are degenerate in an asymmetric strip waveguide with isotropic substrates.


Here, the computation begins with the inversion of E; then B, D, F and H are obtained each by a matrix multiplication; finally, A, C, G and J are found from the previous ones, each by a matrix multiplication and an addition. Incidentally, the notations for the last four matrices are equivalent to TV, A / / 1 , J~T and W respectively, used in the first part of this note. The occurrence of plus and minus signs must be carefully observed. In a third and final series of steps, the sought reciprocal is found from the second auxiliary array in the following wav:


Introduction: Soft tissue sarcomas are malignant tumors that require management in specialized centers. The aim of our study is to evaluate the benefit of the multidisciplinary meeting (RCM) on the management of these tumors. Materials and methods: It is a prospective study, which is conducted in the HASSAN II University Hospital Center in Fez. This research project has lasted for a period of 28 months. Results: ninety-seven (97) cases were selected, the average age was 52 years. The lower limb is the most frequent site (77%) with deep localization in 92.8% of cases. Eighty-two patients (88%) have had a prior biopsy. Seventy-three patients (75.3%) have received MRI before surgery. Fifty-six patients were operated, with R0 resection in 34 patients, R1 in 16 patients and R2 in 6 patients. Liposarcomas were the most frequent (26.5%), followed by synovialosarcomas (14.4%), leiomyosarcomas (10.3%) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (10.3%). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was indicated in 30 patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy was indicated in 22 patients. The overall survival rate was 15.19 months, with a significant improvement in survival in patients with multidisciplinary management. Conclusion: The presented data are similar to the literature one with respect to the interest of multidisciplinary management of soft tissue sarcomas, specifically on the prognosis and survival of patients.


This work evaluated the feasibility of replacing the current stamped-steel floor-pan bulkhead assembly (FBA) of a popular street car with one made of fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite material. To evaluate the feasibility, a finite element model was constructed which incorporated much of the midsection of the vehicle's chassis. Each part of the chassis section assembly was modeled, meshed, and constrained such that the actual physical assembly relations were upheld. Shell elements were used to model the FBA, and brick and tetrahedron elements modeled the surrounding chassis. Six loading cases were considered: a torsion case, a bending case, and four seat load cases. The chosen composite consisted of an intermediate modulus fiber (AS4) and a typical thermal-set epoxy (3501-6). Four laminate stacking sequences were studied: two quasi-isotropic laminates, a zero-dominated laminate, and a symmetric laminate. A sandwich laminate case was also studied, which utilized quasi-isotropic face-sheets and an isotropic foam core. For comparison a steel case was also simulated. The overall result of the model showed that the sandwich case proved to be superior with the smallest displacements and stresses while reducing weight. The overall weight saving was an astonishing 3% of total vehicle weight which represents a significant savings for an automobile. Based on the results it was determined that the replacement of the steel FBA with a composite FBA is feasible.Copyright © 2004 by ASME


Cold‐season methane (CH4) emissions may be poorly constrained in wetland models. We examined cold‐season CH4 emissions simulated by 16 models participating in the Global Carbon Project model intercomparison and analyzed temporal and spatial patterns in simulation results using prescribed inundation data for 2000–2020. Estimated annual CH4 emissions from northern (>60°N) wetlands averaged 10.0 ± 5.5 Tg CH4 yr−1. While summer CH4 emissions were well simulated compared to in‐situ flux measurement observations, the models underestimated CH4 during September to May relative to annual total (27 ± 9%, compared to 45% in observations) and substantially in the months with subzero air temperatures (5 ± 5%, compared to 27% in observations). Because of winter warming, nevertheless, the contribution of cold‐season emissions was simulated to increase at 0.4 ± 0.8% decade−1. Different parameterizations of processes, for example, freezing–thawing and snow insulation, caused conspicuous variability among models, implying the necessity of model refinement.


In Christine Froula's essay "When Eve Reads Milton: Undoing the Canonical Economy" (Critical Inquiry 10 [December 1983]: 321-47), she says many interesting things about Paradise Lost. But in conceiving of John Milton's text as mystifying its own bases of authority, Froula is wrong. If there is any mystification involved, it is in Froula's own assumptions, methodology, and rhetorical strategies. Let me explain. According to Froula, Paradise Lost is aimed at affirming or reaffirming the power of orthodox authority, by locating its source in an invisible being beyond understanding or question. In this respect, Milton's own authority is analogous to that of the metaphorical priest in the Virginia Woolf passage quoted at the beginning of Froula's essay, who can claim a direct connection, presumably derived from the laying on of hands, with this original authority to which the rest of us have no access. It is an odd analogy: Milton and a priest. It sorts very badly with everything we know about Milton, who was dedicated to the eradication of formal institutional authority in favor of freedom of conscience. What is more important, such a view sorts oddly with the workings of Paradise Lost itself.


This study reports an arrangement directed at the development of 12 pre-service teachers' TPACK, by guiding them in developing, practicing and teaching lessons that integrate technology for the first time. Interview, observation, and survey data were collected throughout the study. Results from the study confirmed the contention of Koehler and Mishra (2008) that teachers' TPACK can be expressed in different ways for different students and in different contextual conditions. Analysis of lesson plan documents showed a well presented theoretical development of the teachers' TPACK. This seemed to have aligned with their self-reported beliefs which reported slightly higher competencies of TPACK. Observation data however, indicated that teachers had acquired technology integration skills but demonstrated relatively low competencies in blending the components of TPACK. The study leaves no doubts that these teachers' stated pedagogical beliefs did not align with their instructional practices


In this study, the effect of annealing temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties of as-rolled Mg-9wt.%Li-3wt.%Al-1wt.%Zn (LAZ931) alloy sheet was studied. As-extruded LAZ931 alloy plates was rolled from 3mm to 1mm in thickness(67% of reduction ratio), and then annealed at the temperature in the range of 100℃ to 350℃ with increasing steps of 50℃ for the 1 minute to 2 hours. The mechanical properties of the LAZ931 alloy sheet were examined by tensile and Vickers hardness tests. The crystalline structure and microstructures were examined by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. The elongation of the as-rolled LAZ931 alloy sheet increased from room temperature to 150℃, and then decreased at temperature higher than 200℃. In particular, the specimens had remarkably high tensile strength and extremely low elongation (only about 0.5%) at temperature higher than 300℃. The results of vickers hardness testing indicate that hardness of β phase (bcc Li) increases by quenching after isothermal holding for 2 hours at a temperature higher than 200℃, and show similar trend with tensile strength. This means that β phases is the key phases after annealing treatment. According to the XRD and the microstructural observations, the growth of brittle AlLi phase lead to the decreasing of elongation at temperature higher than 200℃. In addition, the AlLi phase dissolved in bcc Li matrix at temperature higher than 300℃. The dissolution of the AlLi phase into the β phase (bcc Li) matrix maybe was the reason lead to the increasing of tensile strength at temperature higher than 300℃. The phenomenon of annealing embrittlement (annealing temperature higher than 300℃) could be related to the formation of low ductility α phase (hcp Mg) and brittle AlLi phase in the grain boundary of bcc Li phase.


Beekeeping for honey and other bee products is an age old practice. Besides the popular honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera, stingless bees belonging to the tribe Meliponini, subfamily Apinae and family Apidae (Michener, 2007) are also reared for honey, having high medicinal value. Stingless bees are exclusive to tropics and their size ranges from 2mm to slightly bigger than the popular honeybee A. mellifera (O'Toole & Raw, 1999). The practice of keeping stingless bees is called meliponiculture, and once it was an integral part of the culture of indigenous people of South and Central America. It held a social and religious signif icance in the meso-American culture, mainly the ancient Mayans (Sommeijer, 1999). Stingless bee products such as honey, wax and propolis formed a small-scale economy in their livelihood as well (Cortopassi-Laurino et al., 2006). Although least explored, meliponiculture is an age old practice in India also. Kani tribe in Western Ghats is the only reported reference, keeping stingless bees (Kumar et al., 2012). Trigona iridipennis is the widespread stingless bee species in the Indian subcontinent and used for meliponiculture. Stingless bees nest in a variety of habitats ranging from cracks, crevices of trees, walls and sometimes even underground. Some species may construct exposed nests on tree trunks, walls or cliff faces. The nests are built using wax, secreted from the metastomal terga, mixed with plant resins and gums. Certain species build different portions of nest with particular materials such as mud, faeces etc. (Rasmussen & Camargo, 2008). These nests are enclosed in batumen, a black waxy bee product which is also used to f ill in unused spaces. The nest has different chambers for brood (queen and larvae), honey and pollen pots largely made from wax making them soft, which are separated by an involucrum (Barbosa et al., 2013; Michener, 2007; O'Toole & Raw, 1999). However, T. iridipennis colonizes cavities in trees, walls etc. (Danareddi et al., Notes on Natural History


Properties of the biodegradable polymers like PDLLA and PCL can be modified by blending them with each other and with other polymers like Starch. In the present study we have prepared blends of PDLLA, PCL and starch in different proportions and then subjected to microwave radiation. Using microwave, time of reaction has been reduced to 3–30 min as microwave radiation is associated with more even distribution of heat. The results indicate a direct linkage between the polymers indicating the formation of a chemical linkage between the two molecules as opposed to just a physical blend.


Aviation sector becomes one of the largest-developing public transportation nowadays, the number of air passangers always increases year by year. However, this number are proportionally related to the enhance of jet-fuel worldwide demand. The conventional jet-fuel are commonly known as a carbon dioxde emission source and the world has more concern to this pollutant due to its contribution to the climate change. The usage of renewable materials to produce jet fuel is more glanced. One of the renewable sources can be used to generate green jet fuel is palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) which is a by-product of palm oil production. This bio-jet fuel is converted via hydrogenation and isomerization reaction by using HZSM-12 catalyst which is a one dimensional zeolite structure. Cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and bimetallic Co-Ni were used to increase the catalyst activity. The catalysts prepared by various methods i.e. incipient wetness impregnation, ion exchange, and melt infiltration. The best metal used in this study to produce high selectivity of bio-jet fuel is cobalt with selectivity about 44.6% followed by bimetallic Co-Ni (32.8%) and Nickel (30.3%) under identical condition. Based on the experiment, Co/HZSM-12 prepared via melt infiltration showed the highest selectivity of bio-jet fuel which was 55.5% followed by incipient wetness impregnation 51.6% and ion exchange 50.5%. The optimum condition gained for this reaction was 350 ?C, 20 bar and LHSV of 1.5 h??. In addition, Co/HZSM-12 exhibited higher selectivity to bio-jet fuel (51.6%) than Co/HZSM-22 (31.1%) under identical condition and preparation.


In this study, gaseous ozone was used as a fungicide to preserve stored wheat. The following operating parameters were investigated for their effects on the fungicidal efficacy of ozone: (1) the applied ozone dose; (2) ozonation time; (3) water activity of the wheat; and (4) temperature of the wheat. The effect of ozonation on germination of the wheat was also studied. Experimental results revealed that gaseous ozone was very effective in the inactivation of fungi associated with the wheat. Within 5 min of ozonation, 96.9% of the fungal spores were inactivated by applying 0.33 mg of ozone (g wheat)−1 min−1. It was also found that increases in both water activity and temperature of the wheat enhanced the fungicidal efficacy of ozone. In addition, results of this study indicated that the inactivation processes could be controlled by simply monitoring the ozone exiting from the reactor and, consequently, the time-consuming microbial examination processes could be avoided. This finding would make the application of ozone in the preservation of cereal grains easier, simpler, and more cost-effective. It was also found that although the applied ozone doses above certain thresholds may reduce the germination of wheat, the inactivation of fungi could be achieved using applied ozone doses far below those thresholds. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry


Organolead halide perovskite have attracted much attention over the past three years as the third generation photovoltaic due to simple fabrication process via solution process and their great photovoltaic properties. Many structures such as mesoporous scaffold, planar heterojunction or 1-D TiO2 or ZnO nanorod array structures have been studied to enhance performances. And the photovoltaic performances and carrier transport properties were studied depending on the cell structures and shape of perovskite film. For example, the perovskite cell based on TiO2/ZnO nanorod electron transport materials showed higher electron mobility than the mesoporous structured semiconductor layer due to 1-D direct pathway for electron transport. However, the reason for enhanced performance was not fully understood whether either the shape of perovskite or the structure of TiO2/ZnO nanorod scaffold play a dominant role. In this regard, for a clear understanding of the shape/structure of perovskite layer, we applied anodized aluminum oxide material which is good candidate as the inactive scaffold that does not influence the charge transport. We fabricated vertical one dimensional (1-D) nanostructured methylammonium lead mixed halide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3-xClx) solar cell by infiltrating perovskite in the pore of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO). AAO template, one of the common nanostructured materials with one dimensional pore and controllable pore diameters, was successfully fabricated by anodizing and widening of the thermally evaporated Al film on the compact TiO2 layer. Using AAO as a scaffold for perovskite, we obtained 1-D shaped perovskite absorber, and over 15% photo conversion efficiency was obtained. I-V measurement, photoluminescence, impedance, and time-limited current collection were performed to determine vertically arrayed 1-D perovskite solar cells shaped in comparison with planar heterojunction and mesoporous alumina structured solar cells. Our findings lead to reveal the influence of the shape of perovskite layer on photoelectrical properties.


altering collectivities along this fault line would have been interesting to see addressed. At times, a deeper engagement with particular case studies seems to beckon – this is not a book stacked with proper nouns – but these would also date the book and preclude and emphasise certain (Western) contexts, something which is studiously avoided. As the preface states, a 'temporary resting point' is what is sought and admirably located. And indeed, while there's much of the sense of a definitive, all-encompassing weight to the text – from the title down – this tendency is consistently checked which makes this a substantial provocation of a work rather than anything overweening. This might be the greatest achievement here: this is a tool to teach with and a foundation for those trying to translate and communicate sociological imaginataries and understandings of the contemporary digital environment. The insights here may not be of direct use to the student, but the clarity of thought and generosity of analysis render it a key volume for researchers.


: In the present corporate scenario employees" need to look beyond their assigned duties at work and adopt a holistic approach .Competitive employee tends to exceed the required role demands and goes that extra mile in order to excel in their overall performance. Contextual performance refers to this discretionary behaviour which goes beyond the boundary of assigned duties and contributes to the overall functioning of the organization. Through this study, the researcher attempts to study the relationship between contextual performance and its psychological correlates i.e. work engagement, psychological empowerment and spirit at work. A sample of 80 corporate executives was considered for the purpose of the study. Through application of correlational analysis, the hypothesized positive relationship between contextual performance and all psychological correlates was found to be significant. Further, through regression analysis psychological empowerment was found to be the strongest predictor of contextual performance among all the psychological correlates under study.


We develop a fully non-parametric, easy-to-use, and powerful test for the missing completely at random (MCAR) assumption on the missingness mechanism of a dataset. The test compares distributions of different missing patterns on random projections in the variable space of the data. The distributional differences are measured with the Kullback-Leibler Divergence, using probability Random Forests (Malley et al., 2011). We thus refer to it as "Projected Kullback-Leibler MCAR" (PKLM) test. The use of random projections makes it applicable even if very few or no fully observed observations are available or if the number of dimensions is large. An efficient permutation approach guarantees the level for any finite sample size, resolving a major shortcoming of most other available tests. Moreover, the test can be used on both discrete and continuous data. We show empirically on a range of simulated data distributions and real datasets that our test has consistently high power and is able to avoid inflated type-I errors. Finally, we provide an R -package PKLMtest with an implementation of our test.


The mechanisms of alcohol-induced cancer in humans are unclear. We used the immunocompetent mice implanted with B16F10 cells to evaluate the effects of physiologically relevant EtOH intake on tumor growth and angiogenesis of melanoma. 6-wk-old male mice (C57BL/6J) were given 1% EtOH in drinking water for 12-hrs during the night which was then replaced with regular water during the remaining 12-hrs each day for 4 wks (n=10). The control mice received regular drinking water only. In the 2nd wk, all mice were inoculated subcutaneously on the right proximal dorsal with ~5×105 B16F10 cells. In the end, the tumors were isolated for measuring tumor size, average microvascular density (AMVD) using CD31 immunohistochemistry, and the expression of VEGF and its receptor (Flt-1) using Northern blot, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. EtOH intake caused a 2.16-fold increase in tumor weight over the control (4.81±0.39 vs. 2.23±0.48 g; n=10; P=0.003), a 2.02-fold increase in AMVD (60.63±5.56 vs. 30.01±7.41/mm2; P=0.0014), and a significant increase in VEGF mRNA and protein expression plus Flt-1 protein levels in melanoma compared to the control group (P


The problem of representing a manager's general problem environment is addressed. A traditional funds flow model embedded in an objected-oriented programming environment is suggested as a potentially robust approach to modeling the managerial problem domain. Methods from qualitative causal modeling and structural modeling are incorporated. The resulting design appears to have attractive properties, including focused hypothesis generation and the ability to derive behavior from structure.<<ETX>>


To search for multiple moving targets in ocean surveillance by space-based sensors, an Information-driven approach is developed based on information theoretic metrics including Kullback-Leibler discrimination and entropy. Use probability distribution to represent of target positions. Calculate information gain from target probability distributions between motion prediction and hypothetical observations, and select the sensing action yielding maximum information gain. Monte Carlo method is used to approximate target states for motion prediction and hypothetic state enumeration to decrease memory and calculation consumption when grid number of search region and targets' number is large. Finally the effectiveness of the proposed approach is qualified by simulations.


Whilst China has become home to the second largest doctoral education system in the world, with over 20% of its doctoral graduates taking up postdoctoral researcher positions inside and outside of China, a lack of information regarding the expectations of these doctoral graduates in pursuing postdocs has resulted in a failure to meet their expectations, leading to insufficient institutional support for their career development. In order to improve this situation and provide more tailored institutional support for Chinese postdocs, we conducted interviews with 30 doctoral graduates from elite Chinese universities from February 2020 to December 2021 to understand their expectations for and experiences of postdocs. The data identified four expected‐to‐accumulated capitals during postdoc experiences: personal scientific capital, discipline‐related social capital, institution‐related social capital and family‐related social capital. Among these, the primary consideration for engaging in postdocs is to enhance personal scientific capital in both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Chinese doctoral graduates who choose domestic postdocs have higher expectations for increasing institution‐based social capital, while those who go abroad expect to develop discipline‐related social capital within the international academic community. Understanding these expectations will be instrumental in developing optimal approaches to providing institutional support for the career development of Chinese postdocs.