In order to enhance the light intensity received by the detector of the system,the paper designs a light intensity automaticly adjusting system based on focal length changeable lens. It gives the design schemeof the system,detailedly describes the design method of software and hardware. At last,the performance of the system is tested through the experiment,the light intensity collected by detector is increased substantially,the analog quantity from the original 1.72 V to 3.14 V.


Electric vehicles (EVs) are developing more and more rapidly because of their low carbon, environmental protection, and many other advantages. However, the charging behavior of a lot of EVs will bring shocks to the grid. For electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS), it is beneficial to formulate a reasonable power dispatching strategy to improve economic efficiency and reduce power grid loss. This paper proposes a two-stage efficient power-dispatching strategy. In the first stage, the charging station develops a real-time power purchase strategy based on the deep Q-learning network (DQN) to maximize profit. In the second stage, the charging station distributes power to each electric vehicle (EV) through a heuristic priority-based power distribution method to minimize cost. Simulation results show that reinforcement learning plays a significant role in the power dispatching of EVCS. The net profit of charging stations has also improved significantly. At the same time, the application of the heuristic power distribution mechanism further highlights the superiority of reinforcement learning.


The Victorian terminal gate pricing scheme commenced in August 2001. This paper will quantify the impact of the scheme on relative Melbourne and country Victoria retail petrol prices. This is done through autoregressive integrated moving average modelling coupled with intervention analysis using weekly price data. For Melbourne it was found the scheme was associated with an increase of around 2.2 cents per litre from late October 2001. For country Victoria it was associated with an increase of around 2.1 cents per litre from early November 2001. Claims the increase in relative Melbourne retail petrol prices was part of some wider trend across mainland capital cities was tested and found to be without empirical support. It is concluded terminal gate pricing made Melbourne and country Victoria motorists unambiguously worse off.


Since its outbreak in late 2019, the COVID-19 (the new coronavirus pandemic disease) has spread throughout the globe at an unexpectedly rapid pace. It brought severe negative effects to all walks of life, and this paper analyzes especially its impacts on Chinese students studying or planning to study abroad by sending out a survey. As the United States has become the country with most confirmed cases as well as most related deaths since May 27th, 2020, the survey mainly focused on the Chinese students planning to study in the U.S. It asked the respondents about their decisions regarding their plan of studying abroad, and the reasons behind them by different scales of significance. Considering that the questions of the survey are relatively detailed and that the number of respondents (269) is limited, this paper applied qualitative analysis to the study. The hypothesis is that students making different decisions (generally either choosing in-person study or virtual/online study) are impacted by different considerations, which is generally tested as effective. However, the epidemic-related elements are the most influential among all options for those who decide not to go abroad for their studies. The result of the study is partially consistent with the hypothesis that the number of students staying home exceeds that of students going abroad. There are also unexpected outcomes, including that the deteriorating U.S.-China relationship plays an overwhelming part in the avoidance of going to the States.


Objective: To screen and verify an optimal photochemical method to inactivate the lipid enveloped virus in blood.Methods: The bacteriophage f2 was used as testing virus,the optimal photochemical method of viral inactivation was screened by plaque count techniques and the optimal condition of viral inactivation was selected by means of orthogonal experiments.Under the optimal condition,the efficacy of inactivation of HIV-1 and Japanese encephalitis virus in blood by methylene blue(MB) photochemical method were verified by the cells infected test.Results: The efficiency of inactivation of bacteriophage f2 in blood by MB photochemical treatment was significantly higher than those by hypericin and riboflavin(p0.05).If the level of phage f2 was going to be reduced over 5 Log grades,10 μmol/L MB,40 000 Lux(640 nm) light and 40 min irradiation time were the optimal treatment condition.At the same dose of MB and intensity of irradiation,the levels of HIV-1 decreased more than 5.78 Log by irradiation for 10 min and Japanese encephalitis virus decreased more than 7.00 Log by irradiation for 20 min. Conclusion: MB photochemical method can inactivate bacteriophage f2,HIV-1 and Japanese encephalitis virus in blood effectively.AAbstract:Objective:To screen and verify an optimal photochemical method to inactivate the lipid enveloped virus in blood.Methods: The bacteriophage f2 was used as testing virus,the optimal photochemical method of viral inactivation was screened by plaque count techniques and the optimal condition of viral inactivation was selected by means of orthogonal experiments.Under the optimal condition,the efficacy of inactivation of HIV-1 and Japanese encephalitis virus in blood by methylene blue(MB) photochemical method were verified by the cells infected test.Results:The efficiency of inactivation of bacteriophage f2 in blood by MB photochemical treatment was significantly higher than those by hypericin and riboflavin(p0.05).If the level of phage f2 was going to be reduced over 5 Log grades,10μmol/L MB,40 000 Lux(640 nm) light and 40 min irradiation time were the optimal treatment condition.At the same dose of MB and intensity of irradiation,the levels of HIV-1 decreased more than 5.78 Log by irradiation for 10 min and Japanese encephalitis virus decreased more than 7.00 Log by irradiation for 20 min.Conclusion:MB photochemical method can inactivate bacteriophage f2,HIV-1 and Japanese encephalitis virus in blood effectively.


This paper introduce the concept of the energy-efficient Information gathering algorithms for improving lifetime of WSNs and wirelessly recharge the sensor nodes. Here we have assumed that the sensor nodes and base-station are not mobile. The more over location and initial energy of the sensor nodes is known and number of sensor nodes is randomly distributed over a monitoring region. For the heterogeneity the three types of nodes: a normal, advanced and super node with some fraction in terms of their initial energy has been taken. In this work, we have proposed new distributed energy efficient algorithms PEIPSH and ILBPSH, based on the distance from the base station and sensor residual energy as well as scheduling of sensor nodes to alternate between sleep and active mode. The simulation results shows that the proposed algorithms PEIPSH and ILBPSH balance the energy dissipation over the whole network and improve the network lifetime.


The Merrison Committee method for the inplane stress analysis in the end diaphragms of box girders is compared with the three dimensional membrane analysis. The Merrison method is found to be open to improvement, while a hybrid approach based on the above two methods yields satisfactory results efficiently. (Author/TRRL) (TRRL)


Internet search data could be a useful source of information for policymakers when formulating decisions based on their understanding of the current economic environment. This paper builds on earlier literature via a structured value assessment of the data provided by Google Trends. This is done through two empirical exercises related to the forecasting of changes in UK unemployment. Firstly, economic intuition provides the basis for search term selection, with a resulting Google indicator tested alongside survey-based variables in a traditional forecasting environment. Secondly, this environment is expanded into a pseudo-time nowcasting framework which provides the backdrop for assessing the timing advantage that Google data have over surveys. The framework is underpinned by a MIDAS regression which allows, for the first time, the easy incorporation of internet search data at its true sampling rate into a nowcast model for predicting unemployment.


Based on the author's experience at the OECD 2002 Higher Education Conference and the papers presented at the conference, the article gives an overall review on the conference which centers around five themes as the following: (1)Humanism: the shift and the development of global emphasis on higher educational system;(2)Carrot and stick: the developing trend of the interaction between governmental policy and institutional behavior;(3)The transnational of universities and the academic ideal: incentives and co-operations of international education market; (4)The individual development of human resource: career path and incentive mechanism; (5) Institutional identity: how we should run an university nowadays.


Solar wind turbulence is anisotropic with respect to the mean magnetic field. Anisotropy leads to ambiguity when interpreting in situ turbulence observations in the solar wind because an apparent change in the measurements could be due to either the change of intrinsic turbulence properties or to a simple change of the spacecraft sampling direction. We demonstrate the ambiguity using the spectral index and magnetic compressibility in the inertial range observed by the Parker Solar Probe during its first seven orbits ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 au. To unravel the effects of the sampling direction, we assess whether the wave-vector anisotropy is consistent with a two-dimensional (2D) plus slab turbulence transport model and determine the fraction of power in the 2D versus slab component. Our results confirm that the 2D plus slab model is consistent with the data and the power ratio between 2D and slab components depends on radial distance, with the relative power in 2D fluctuations becoming smaller closer to the Sun.


This paper presents the development of an algorithm to analyze the stability of a MSR during the execution of a sequence to bring the robot to pose for recognition. Parameters which enable the modeling of the surface structure and which is thus defined as the information is obtained that allows to calculate the forces at the points of contact without the use of sensors, by performing an approximation of main components. Stability margin based on the metrics defined by the configuration-Terrain Robot system is calculated.


Compared with the traditional automatic focusing method, the photoelectric automatic focusing technology has become the main research direction due to its advantages, such as high intelligence, speediness, accuracy and convenient control. In this paper, the principle photoelectric automatic focusing based on imaging processing is stated in detail, and two common automatic focusing methods are introduced in brief. Then, this automatic focusing scheme is designed and put forward. At last, the automatic focusing test is carried out, and its feasibility is verified.


This paper discusses the development of individual-choice models of the destination choice of nongrocery shopping locations. Two key features of the approach are the use of perceptual data for characterizing alternative destinations and an attempt to segment the population before the model building on the basis of homogeneity of perceptions of destinations. Data were obtained about the perceptions of shoppers of several shopping locations and on their preferences for various attributes of the shopping locations. The attributes were selected as those that make up the image of a shopping location independent of the transportation system. Several techniques are discussed for segmenting the population by perception, all of which are based on analysis of the psychological distance between shopping locations. Given the special properties of psychological distances, two forms of analysis were undertaken. First, correlations were computed for the set of interpoint distances for each socioeconomic group identified in the data. High correlations indicate similarity of perceptual space, while low correlations indicate lack of similarity. Second, the group interpoint distances were used as inputs to an individual scaling process that attempts to fit the perceptions into a common perceptual space by stretching or compressing the axes of the space by obtaining weights on each axis for each observation. In this case, market segmentation was sought through a hierarchic, fusion clustering process on the axis weights for each socioeconomic group. The results of these analyses converge well. Length of residence and age were found to be important segmentation variables. Sex and income were not found to be very powerful segmentation variables, but occupation may be worth study as a basis for segmentation.


The rapid progress of the Internet has exposed networks to an increased number of threats. Intrusion detection technology can effectively protect network security against malicious attacks. In this paper, we propose a ReliefF-P-Naive Bayes and softmax regression (RP-NBSR) model based on machine learning for network attack detection to improve the false detection rate and F1 score of unknown intrusion behavior. In the proposed model, the Pearson correlation coefficient is introduced to compensate for deficiencies in correlation analysis between features by the ReliefF feature selection algorithm, and a ReliefF-Pearson correlation coefficient (ReliefF-P) algorithm is proposed. Then, the Relief-P algorithm is used to preprocess the UNSW-NB15 dataset to remove irrelevant features and obtain a new feature subset. Finally, naïve Bayes and softmax regression (NBSR) classifier is constructed by cascading the naïve Bayes classifier and softmax regression classifier, and an attack detection model based on RP-NBSR is established. The experimental results on the UNSW-NB15 dataset show that the attack detection model based on RP-NBSR has a lower false detection rate and higher F1 score than other detection models.


Despite considerable researches on IS use, a comprehensive understanding of IS use remains elusive, including m-government (mobile government) use. In an attempt to address this situation, we propose a detailed theoretical model based on a broad theoretical model relying on several IS adoption theories. This detailed model explains three constructs determinants: the m-government use, the relationships of m-government use with three context-related constructs (top leaders' support for IS, top leaders' participation in ISs and facilitating conditions for ISs), two technology-related constructs (mobility and personalization), and three constructs representing the environment-related constructs (mimetic pressures, coercive pressures, and normative pressures). Implications for theory and practice as well as limitations and further research direction are then discussed.


Partial array selects a subset of all the elements in an array to have weights. For this,two syntheses,partial amplitude and phase weighting and phase-only weighting are used to form nulling in array pattern. The algorithm performances are analyzed from two aspects of nulling depth and sidelobe disturbances based on computer simulation.


Magnetic annealing can reorient the domain moments, improving dramatically the magnetostriction of Tb–Dy–Fe oriented polycrystals without applying any prestress. In this paper, totally different stress dependences of magnetization and magnetostriction were observed in ⟨110⟩ oriented Tb0.36Dy0.64(Fe0.85Co0.15)2 polycrystals after perpendicular magnetic annealing. Under compressive prestress, no obvious increase in magnetostriction occurred but the linear magnetostriction performance was improved. The magnetization initially decreased and approached to saturation at relatively higher magnetic fields with increasing the stress magnitude. Such variation can be contributed mainly by the redistribution of initial magnetic moments and enlargement of 71° wall energy.


Serum lithium determinations are of value for the adjustment of dosage during lithium treatment of manic-depressive psychosis. A study has been made of the chemical and physical variables which may influence the flame photometric lithium determination, and a practical method for serum lithium determinations is described.


The method of the invention comprises transmitting to a controller (8) of the pulse width modulated alternator (PWM1) having a duty cycle representative of a reference value (Vref) continuously between a first duty cycle reference (DC1) and a second reference duty cycle (DC2), and the detection of these pulses by the controller to generate the reference value. According to the invention, the method also includes transmitting to the other pulse width modulated controller (PWM2) having a specific duty ratio (EXOF_R) lower than the first reference duty cycle (DC1) and between a low cyclic ratio ( DCL) and a cyclic highest gear (DCH), and the detection of such other pulses by the controller in a first step, and generating an opening signal (EXOF) of a drive circuit of the alternator, in a second step, following the last detection.


A collection of some of the brand new and recently launched dental products featured at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting.


This paper discusses the utilization of plug-in-Hybrid Electrical Vehicle (PHEVs) charging station for supporting a microgrid. The charging and discharging of Electric Vehicles (EVs) without any control will result in to fluctuations in grid voltage. However, with the use of an intelligent control scheme, this charging and discharging of EVs can make the same PHEVs act as distributed energy systems that can provide support to the grid. This work considers five different profiles of PHEVs based on real life situations and proposes a fuzzy logic based control scheme for charging / discharging of the EVs while providing support to the grid for maintaining the load profile. The proposed architecture is supported by a diesel generator to provide a balance between the supply and demand.


Mainstream presolar SiC grains from primitive meteorites show a clear s-process signature in the isotopic composition of heavy trace elements. These grains most likely condensed in the winds of a variety of AGB stars. However, the non-solar and correlated Si and Ti isotopic compositions measured in these grains are inconsistent with a pure s-signature. We present a possible solution to this much-discussed problem by assuming a spread in the original composition of parent AGB stars due to small chemical inhomogeneities in the interstellar medium at the time of their birth. These inhomogeneities may naturally arise from variations in the contributions of each nuclide to the interstellar medium by the relevant stellar nucleosynthetic sites, SNII and different subtypes of SNIa.


The electric current during abnormal condition in power system network is known as fault current and the situation is known as fault. When it occurs it must be cleared as soon as possible within seconds to prevent the power system network from being damaged due to this fault. Before clearing the fault it is very important to detect the nature of fault and determine the location of fault, whether it has actually happened or not, it must be detected and where it has happened that location must be determined. The detection, performance and location determination will be more efficient with intelligent methods like fuzzy logic, neural network. In conventional methods fault can be detected easily but which type of fault has occurred and in which part of transmission line it has occurred could not be determined easily. Here a new approach for fault detection, classification and fault location in transmission line using fuzzy logic has been


Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is one of the most widely applied forms of adaptive immunotherapy. Both the detrimental graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects occurring after allo-HSCT are largely mediated by alloantigen-reactive donor T cells in the graft. Separating GVHD from GVL effects is a formidable challenge, and a greater understanding of donor T cell biology is required to accomplish the uncoupling of GVHD from GVL. Here, we tested a novel mouse model of β-catenin (Cat-Tg) in an allo-HSCT model. Our data show that T cells from Cat-Tg mice did not cause GVHD. Surprisingly, Cat-Tg T cells maintained the GVL effect. Donor T cells from Cat-Tg mice exhibited significantly lower inflammatory cytokine production and reduced donor T cell proliferation, while upregulating cytotoxic mediators that resulted in enhanced cytotoxicity. RNA sequencing data revealed changes in the expression of over 150 genes for CD4, and over 250 genes for CD8+T cells involved in essential aspects of immune response and GVHD pathophysiology. Transgenic over-expression of human β-catenin primarily affects CD8+ T cell phenotype. Altogether, our data suggest that β-catenin is a druggable target for developing therapeutic strategies to reduce GVHD while preserving the beneficial GVL effects following allo-HSCT treatment.


Lithium-ion 18650-cell capacity has been increased dramatically because of the fierce market competition. GP, as one of major lithium-ion cell manufacturers around the world, had introduced GP L210, the UL certified 18650 cell into the market in the middle of 2001. Here we report our major evaluation results on this product including the cycle life, rate capability from room temperature to -30/spl deg/C at various rates, high temperature stability, UL over charge, impact, crush, flaming particle, and 150/spl deg/C oven tests. Our test results confirm that GP L210 not only obtains the highest cell capacity in the existing market but also achieves a high abuse tolerance.


The paper summarizes 63 cases of nursing intervention with the combination of Chinese and Western medicine for the patients with the disease of pre-rectal cancer resection of the preventive ileum colostomy before and after the operation. Through psychological intervention before the operation and observation and nursing of the stoma after the operation and Chinese and Western medicine combination prevention of the stoma complication and processing method and at the same time elongate the nursing service, it tracks on a regular basis, applies strategies according to different disease causes, and provides personal instruction. The method can promote the patients' life quality and reduce the complication of the stoma and reach the goal of assuring the smooth promotion of the two-stage operation(failed fistula) for the patients.


In this study, we investigated extreme droughts in the Indochina peninsula and their relationship with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) mode. Areas most vulnerable to drought were analyzed via statistical simulations of the IOD based on historical observations. Results of the long-term trend analysis indicate that areas with increasing spring (March–May) rainfall are mainly distributed along the eastern coast (Vietnam) and the northwestern portions of the Indochina Peninsula (ICP), while Central and Northern Laos and Northern Cambodia have witnessed a reduction in spring rainfall over the past few decades. This trend is similar to that of extreme drought. During positive IOD years, the frequency of extreme droughts was reduced throughout Vietnam and in the southwestern parts of China, while increased drought was observed in Cambodia, Central Laos, and along the coastline adjacent to the Myanmar Sea. Results for negative IOD years were similar to changes observed for positive IOD years; however, the eastern and northern parts of the ICP experienced reduced droughts. In addition, the results of the statistical simulations proposed in this study successfully simulate drought-sensitive areas and evolution patterns of various IOD changes. The results of this study can help improve diagnostic techniques for extreme droughts in the ICP.


There have been contradictory reports as regards to the karyotype of Cassia obtusifolia L.,this research aimed to systematically study the chromosome number,karyotype and chromosome volume of Cassia obtusifolia L.by conventional sections combined with micrographics in order to make a clarification and thus to lay a basis for further studies.Results show that Cassia obtusifolia L.has normal diploid 2n=24;karyotype formula is K(2n) = 24 = 24 m.The relative length of chromosomes was 2n=24=4L+8M2+6M1+6S,which belongs to"1B" type.The total length of the chromosome groups was 54.17 μm;the total length of long arms of the chromosome group was 31.49 μm;the AS.K% was 58.13%;the total volume of chromosomes was 53.17 μm3.Thus the chromosomes of Cassia obtusifolia L..were morphologically well-defined 2n=24 filamentous chromosomes,different from 2n=22 small dot chromosomes and 2n=26 reported by others.


In this paper, the effective atomic numbers and electron densities representing interaction of gamma rays with oxides of lanthanides have been studied. The effective atomic numbers for photon energy-absorption ( Z PEAeff ) and photon interaction ( Z PIeff ), and relative to air Z Reff , the effective electron densities for photon energy-absorption ( N PEAeff ) and photon interaction ( N PIeff ) were calculated using the values of the mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients. The variation of Z PEAeff , Z PIeff , Z Reff , N PEAeff and N PIeff with energy were shown graphically. In the continuous energy region, it was observed that there are agreements and disagreements between photon interaction and photon energy-absorption for effective atomic numbers and electron densities of compounds in different energy regions. In addition, absorption edge effects on effective atomic numbers leading more than a single value of effective atomic number at a specific energy have been discussed for the given compounds. Comparisons with experiments wherever possible have been carried out for calculated values of Z eff and N eff .


The present invention discloses a Yang Tao juice acid and its preparation method, Yang Tao fresh acid as raw material by soaking, cleaning and disinfection, spray rinse, hot water blanching, coarse crushing, juice, pasteurized, chilled water cooling, chilling aseptic filling, made acid Yang Tao juice press, then squeezed juice fine filter at a low temperature, addition of sugar, the deployment of pure water, filtered, filling and vacuum sealing pasteurized , Yang Tao juice made from acid cooling. Compared with the prior art processes, the entire process of the present invention is prepared by low temperature processing ≤80 ℃ and Controlling the juice content of more than 40%, so that it can maximize the preservation acid Yang Tao color and odor peculiar to AIDS, can properly resolve long presence of an acid Yang Tao juice products cooked taste, color, browning, the product is easy to precipitate turbidity cold technical problem like occurs, and with an acid Yang Tao specific natural antibacterial ingredients in a prolonged storage time. The present invention is easy to operate, suitable for large-scale production enterprises.


Under certain circumstances an acoustic wave exerts an average force (on particles) several orders of magnitude greater than the force arising from radiation pressure. Preliminary measurements of the force generated in a wave containing second harmonic distortion were reported previously. The force was 11 orders of magnitude greater than that caused by radiation pressure. The dependence of this force has been evaluated from Oseen's relation for the drag on a sphere. If the sound particle velocity is u = u0[sinωt + f sin(2ωt + φ)], the average force is FAv = − 3r2ρ0u02f sin φ to within 10 percent provided f < 0.4; but FAv = − 2.05r2ρ0u02 sin φ if f = 1; and FAv→ − 2.25r2ρ0u02 sin φ as f→ ∞. Here r is the radius of the sphere, small compared with wavelength; ρ0 is the density of the medium; and f is the fraction of second harmonic. The sphere is supposed not to follow the first order motion of the medium. The previously reported experiment, for which f = 1 and φ = ±π/2 is found to agree well with the theory...


Jones(1991),Rayburn et al.(1992), and Magnan et al. (1999) respectively examine the earnings management of firms which would benefit from import relief during antidumping investigations in the United States and Canada. They all conclude that the managers of those firms attempt to decrease earnings through earnings management during such investigations. This study tests whether Chinese firms behave similarly in the first case of antidumping in China. Results suggest that various factors affect earnings management, and that it is possibly difficult to predict earnings management in many cases.


Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue Room 1-235AB published 12 May 2010)Thealpha-helix tobeta-sheettransition( - transition)isauniversaldeformationmechanisminalpha-helix rich protein materials such as wool, hair, hoof, and cellular proteins. Through a combination ofmolecular and theoretical modeling, we examine the behavior of alpha-helical coiled-coil proteins withvarying lengths under stretch. We find that the occurrence of the - transition is controlled by the lengthof constituting alpha-helical proteins. In the asymptotic limit, short proteins with less than 26 amino acidsor 3.8 nm length reveal interprotein sliding, whereas proteins with greater lengths feature an -transition, leading to a significant increase in the protein's stiffness, strength, and energy dissipationcapacity at large deformation. Our study elucidates the fundamental physics of this mechanism andexplains why the - transition typically occurs in protein filaments with long alpha-helical domains.


In this paper, we provide complete classification of classes of bipartite graphs defined by a single forbidden induced bipartite subgraph with respect to bounded/unbounded clique-width.


We study the propagation of a massless minimally coupled scalar in the near horizon geometry of non-extremal NS5-branes. Using the holographic principle for dilatonic backgrounds we compute the two-point function of an operator in Little String Theory at the Hagedorn temperature. We then comment on relations with correlation functions in two dimensional string theory.


Pressure-driven membrane technology has gained increasing popularity in municipal/domestic and industrial wastewater treatment, desalination, and water reclamation. Careful manipulation of surface shear stress, which plays a vital role in membrane fouling control from a purely hydrodynamic perspective, can minimise concentration polarisation of solute on flat sheet membranes, or enhance the particle back transport from hollow fibre membranes. This review considers the techniques to generate turbulence and shear at the membrane surface, the magnitude of shear stress, and the experimental, as well as numerical methods for evaluation of shear stress. The findings are presented in terms of the amount of shear stress reported to control membrane fouling in these systems. Operational disadvantages of fouling control via application of shear stress occur while changing the properties of the solute or particles, such as cell breakup, bacterial population change, or shear stress classification. The literature teaches that future developments on shear stress for membrane systems must be addressed, in addition to energy consumption, shear stress distribution and the development of combined analytical methods to characterise and visualise shear in situ for different membrane configurations. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry


The Love Affair of Soul and Spirit The Call Descent into the Underworld Road of Trials and Sorrows Contemplative Listening Vision versus ideals Integration and its Problems Mindfulness and Stress Mindfulness and Depression Contemplative Psychotherapy.


Updates to the Los Alamos laser-driven high-energy-density Shock/Shear mixing- layer experiment are reported, which have collectively increased the platform's shot and data acquisition rates. The strategies employed have included a move from two-strip to four-strip imagers (allowing four times to be recorded per shot instead of two), the implementation of physics-informed rules of engagements allowing for the maximum flexibility in a shot's total energy and symmetry performance, and splitting the laser's main drive pulse from a monolithic single pulse equal to all beams into a triply-segmented pulse which minimizes optics damage.


PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a weed-control structure and a construction method of the weed-control structure, preventing the growth of weeds over the whole area in need of weed-control and surely maintaining the end fixation of a weed-control sheet over a long period of time while keeping fine appearance in the case of laying the weed-control sheet particularly on a face of slope. SOLUTION: The construction method of the weed-control structure for installing the weed-control structure including the weed-control sheet, in the weed-control area, includes steps of: arranging a weed-control sheet body in the weed-control area; fixing at least part of the end of the weed-control sheet body; and covering the at least part of the fixed end with a spraying material by spraying the spraying material. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT


We propose a new theoretical framework based on the large deviations theory to select an optimal investment strategy for a large portfolio such that the probability of the portfolio return underperforming an investable benchmark (we hereafter call this probability as the risk) is minimal. This problem is of practical importance because hedge funds' optimal investment strategies often involve a large number of risky assets. In particular, we examine the effect of two types of asymmetric dependence: (1) asymmetry in a portfolio return distribution, and (2) asymmetric dependence between asset returns on the optimal holdings in two risky assets. We calibrate our method with equity data, namely, S&P 500 and Bangkok SET. The empirical evidence confirms that there is a significant impact of asymmetric dependence on optimal portfolio and risk.


The utility model discloses a novel cement produced with dry method kiln preheats predecomposition system, including a plurality of grades of pre -heaters, the air -supply line of each grade pre -heater and the air outlet intercommunication of next stage pre -heater, so connect gradually up to last one -level pre -heater, the air -supply line of last one -level pre -heater and dore furnace top intercommunication, dore furnace bottom and kiln tail smoke -box intercommunication in other pre -heaters except last one -level pre -heater, have the discharge opening of at least one pre -heater bottom to install meticulous feed divider, and meticulous feed divider's discharging pipe divides into two the tunnel, all the way with the air -supply line intercommunication of pre -heater at the corresponding levels, and the air -supply line intercommunication of another way and next stage pre -heater. The beneficial effect of the utility model: it installs meticulous feed divider, steerable branch material volume and number of cycles additional to divide at needs under the pre -heater of expecting, can make the outlet airflow of this system temperature reduce under the condition that does not increase former pre -heater progression, can increase solid gas through meticulous branch material and circulation heat transfer and compare, improve heat exchange efficiency, realize the raising the output.


In Hong Kong, many buildings are high-rise blocks constructed close to each other resulting in severe sky obstructions, more particularly for rooms at the lower floors. Innovative daylighting technologies that transport natural light from outside towards the inner part of deep plan rooms are appropriate devices to improve daylight uniformity and visual comfort. Good visual effects and less lighting energy use may result if proper designs are employed. This paper studies the performance of light redirection systems via scale model under real sky conditions. The results demonstrate that laser cut panels can generally increase the interior daylight in the rear of the scale model room, improve the daylight uniformity and have the potential to reduce the electric lighting energy use.


Traces of potassium acetate present in commercial poly(oxyethylene) diols (Fluka) were shown to catalyze the cyclotrimerization reaction of isocyanates. This reaction interferes with the determination of hydroxy groups by using the phenylisocyanate method. After the removal of potasium acetate (e. g. by means of ion exchangers) the phenylisocyanate method gives reproducible results which can be compared with those obtained by other methods. Reaction conditions suitable for the determination of OH groups in poly(oxyethylene) diols were found.


Within the fossil fuel subsidy reform literature to date, little attention has been paid to the role of informal transgovernmental networks in promoting what might be regarded as an emerging fossil fuel subsidy reform norm at the international level (see also Chapter 5). A coalition of nine non-Group of 20 (G20) countries known as the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFFSR) is a prominent example. The FFFSR has been variously described as a 'norm entrepreneur' (Rive 2016), 'ginger group' (Gerasimchuk and Zamudio 2012: 5) and 'influential epistemic community' (Interview 2). Since 2010, the group has been active both publicly and behind the scenes in a range of activities and contexts ostensibly directed towards the stated objective 'to support implementation of the existing commitment made by G20 Leaders in Pittsburgh in September 2009 to "rationalise and phase-out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies"' (NZMFAT 2010: 2). This chapter subjects the background, approach and strategies of the FFFSR to scrutiny. Drawing on constructivist-influenced frameworks for analysing international norm development, the analysis focuses on three aspects of the norm emergence cycle: (1) the framing of fossil fuel subsidies and fossil fuel subsidy reform, (2) the securing of support of state and non-state actors and (3) the strategic use of expertise and information to influence the behaviour of other states. An analysis of the role and approach of the FFFSR in framing fossil fuel subsidies and subsidy reform confronts a perennial definitional issue – that is, whether and how to categorise particular subsidies and classes of subsidies as 'inefficient' and therefore in need of phasing out. The analysis also confronts another issue that has caught the attention of some sections of the international community: whether in the process of framing and addressing undesirable fossil fuel subsidies, production subsidies ought to be treated any differently from


This paper reports on outcomes of a residency undertaken at STEIM, Amsterdam, in July 2007. Our goal was to explore methods for working with sound and whole body gesture, with an open experimental approach. In many ways this work can be characterised as prototype development. The sensor technology employed was three-axis accelerometers in consumer gamecontrollers. Outcomes were intentionally restrained to strippedback experimental results. This paper discusses the processes and strategies for developing the experiments, as well as providing background and rationale for our approach. We describe "vocal prototyping" – a technique for developing new gesture-sound mappings, the mapping techniques applied, and briefly describe a selection of our experimental results.


An elastance-based control (EBC) algorithm has been developed to produce a Frank-Starling response in a mockloop used for evaluation of ventricular assist devices. In this paper, the EBC has been tested for changes in contractility and afterload in order to evaluate its capabilities of mimicking the natural heart response. The results have shown that the end-systolic pressure-volume relationship remains fixed despite changes in afterload and reduction in end systolic pressure with decreasing contractility changes. The EBC algorithm has shown performance similar to the natural heart in response to afterload and contractility changes.


This chapter focuses on the alleged unearthing of the head of al-Husayn by the Fatimid vizier Badr al-Din al-Jamali in Ascalon, as recorded in a epigraph of 484/1091, inscribed on a wooden minbar. Positioning this episode in the career of al-Jamali, and in the geo-political circumstances of Egypt and Syria under the imam-caliph al-Mustansir, and in light of the attitude of Muslims towards Ahl al-Bayt, it concludes by suggesting that the shrine established for the relic was intended as an 'ecumenical' Islamic sacred space.


This article throws into relief the tropes by which Hollywood has come to churn out identical Arabs bent on destruction, yet ones that need to be salvaged. However, the salvation process is never complete(d) because the Arabs are not worthy of redemption, which sinks them further into the abyss of darkness. The representation of Arabs in Hollywood movies mostly aims at disseminating a stereotypical image that demeaninglyhomogenizestheir cultures and identities. Hollywood here participates in a process of imperial hegemony. The repetition in producing suchimagined cultureof Arabs and Muslims is seen as a hegemonic act of naturalizing orientalist ideologies that tend to over-idealize the Western culture and relegate the Eastern counterpart. In this light, this article attempts to deconstruct the visual representations (ideologies) produced to malign and vilify Arabs in Hollywood movies. Such movies are always premised upon a structure of binary oppositions that establish a motion picture of a civilized center dominating the margins, the so-called uncivilized subjects.


It is shown that for any Banach space B every positive p-summing operator from Lp (ß) in B, 1/p + 1/p' = 1, is also cone absolutely summing. We also prove here that a necessary and sufficient condition that B has the Radon-Nikodym property is that every positive p-summing operator T: Lp (p) —> B is representable by a function / in Lp(p, B).


In simple binary detection, cross correlation gives the best possible output signal-to-noise ratio only if the background noise is white. But, because of the ease of implementation, optical cross correlators are often used even in nonwhite-noise situations. General expressions and tight bounds are derived to quantify the loss in signal-to-noise ratio when a cross correlator is used instead of the truly optimal filter. Such a quantification should enable the designer of any optical detection scheme to determine whether the extra effort involved in using the truly optimal filters is worth the signal-to-noise ratio improvements.


Atomic manipulation using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip enables the construction of quantum structures on an atom-by-atom basis, as well as the investigation of the electronic and dynamical properties of individual atoms on a one-atom-at-a-time basis. An STM is not only an instrument that is used to 'see' individual atoms by means of imaging, but is also a tool that is used to 'touch' and 'take' the atoms, or to 'hear' their movements. Therefore, the STM can be considered as the 'eyes', 'hands' and 'ears' of the scientists, connecting our macroscopic world to the exciting atomic world. In this article, various STM atom manipulation schemes and their example applications are described. The future directions of atomic level assembly on surfaces using scanning probe tips are also discussed.


In general relativity, analyzing causality is central to the study of black holes, to cosmology, and to each of the major recent mathematical theorems. By causality we refer to the general question of which points in a space-time can be joined by causal curves; relativistically which events can influence (be influenced by) a given event. Various causality conditions have been developed for space-times of the problems associated with examples of causality violations (2, 4). Causally continuous space-times were defined by Hawking and Sachs (5). Budic and Sachs (3) established causal completion. A metrizable topology on the causal completion of a causally continuous space-time was studied by Beem(1). Recently the region of space-time where causal continuity is violated was studied by Ishikawa (6) and Vyas and Akolia (8). In this paper we show characterization for reflectingness in terms of continuity of set valued functions. We investigate some properties of the region related to a causally continuous space-time where distinguishingness is violated, and characterize the chronology condition in terms of distinguishing-violated region.


Halotag which is an artificially developed HaloalkaneDehalogenase can form ester bonds with a chloro-alkane functionalized surface was used with thiol chemistry to achieve this goal. For the covalent attachment of proteins to surface, the procedure of using a Halotag is becoming popular. As an example we can look at the successful use of fusion proteins and terminal Halotag to label live cells and purify proteins with increased purity and high yield. Another example is the use of Halotag in single molecule force spectroscopy to immobilize poly Filamin to beads through DNA spacers and poly 127 polyprotein to mica surfaces [2].


G.E. Mullin et al. (eds.), Integrative Weight Management: A Guide for Clinicians, Nutrition and Health, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4939-0548-5_2, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 Abstract Weight management is the practice of aiming for and achieving a healthy body weight, a major tool in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. An expanded defi nition determines the line between a healthy and unhealthy weight considering absence of disease, body size and shape, and physical and psychological ability to function. The defi nition of body weight standards is important to health professionals in planning and providing guidance for lifestyle choices about food, eating, physical activity, and using weight-related products and services as are mind-body infl uences, natural healing power, and cultural beliefs and preferences. Many terms, "obesity," "overweight," "fat," and "big," are used by health professionals and the media. Is obesity a disease? Since 2002, many key agencies have changed their position on the question which involves discussions of the cost, cost-effectiveness, and safety of interventions employed in weight management; questions remain about public perception and the role of personal and collective responsibility for prevention and treatment. Standard defi nitions based on body mass index (BMI) do not distinguish between body fat and other body tissues (muscle, bone, water). BMI is used by government and international health organizations to establish weight standards for given heights. Measurements of waist circumference, waisttohip ratio, skinfold thickness, and bioelectrical impedance are useful in clinics and community settings to determine percentage of weight that is body fat. Weight management intervention includes physical and psychological screening, dietary assessment, intensive behavioral therapy, and monitoring weight-loss maintenance. Measurable indicators of effectiveness include improved quality of life with increased functional and physical activity, qualitative changes in food consumption, and overall health regardless of body size.


If an adults sexual life is to be that of a matured adolescent rather than a misguided child a period of innocence from ages 5 to 10 should be preserved. Many theoretical arguments and the case of Andre Gide in particular indicate that preadolescent masturbation helps create adult sexual misfits. Gide a famous twentieth century French writer explained that during his life he never felt sexually attracted to a woman; instead he always tried to recreate an early experience of sexual gratification with a young boy. Kinseys report of 317 adult male biographies indicates that conditioned reflexes form most easily in youth and if formed are more difficult to erase than those formed later. It is felt that in the past most parents have discouraged masturbation at an early age hence very few preadolescents practiced it. People must beware of being too permissive with children or allowing indiscriminate sexual knowledge for the young for fear of interfering with instinctive societal controls of such behavior.


Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) are autoimmune diseases characterized by extensive infiltration of T cells and myeloid cells into the CNS. Treatments for MS are typically either non-specific immunosuppressive drugs or target adaptive immune cells. However, mounting evidence shows that myeloid cells have essential roles in MS/EAE pathology, but few, if any, MS drugs specifically target myeloid cells. A promising strategy for bridging this gap in treatment modalities for MS may be targeting CSF-1R, a receptor tyrosine kinase with important roles in myeloid cells, including survival and differentiation. We found that blocking CSF-1R signaling attenuated EAE and our analysis of the CNS these mice revealed substantially diminished numbers of inflammatory myeloid cells. These data demonstrate that inhibiting CSF-1R signaling is a viable strategy for attenuating myeloid cell responses during autoimmune neuroinflammation. These studies also suggest that targeting CSF-1R signaling may be an effective approach for treating MS.


Since 2001 Catalonia has experienced a tremendous inflow of international immigrants, who at this moment account for about 14 per cent of the total population. Immigration however is not a new phenomenon in Catalonia. A close look at figure 1 shows that the immigration rate as a share of the total population in the second half of the 60 ́s was similar to the one experienced between 2001 and 2006. The main difference however is that while in the 60's migration flows came mainly from elsewhere in Spain, in the last few years the migrants come from about everywhere in the world.


closer the zones of the natural and the unnatural become, to the point that one begins to wonder if these categories are of much signifi cance. We could all describe a list of realities that beginning in early childhood struck us as impossible or unnatural, then, as we learned about and got used to them, gave way to new impossibilities. In some ways, we remain children throughout our lives, learning and adjusting to an everchanging understanding of the world. In Examined Lives: From Socrates to Nietzsche, James Miller describes Socrates as starting his philosophical quest partly out of sheer irritation with the complacent, false confi dence of experts he queried in various fi elds of knowledge. Aft er going around Athens and talking at length with many of the presumed masters of a range of subjects, he decided that most of what they commonly accepted as true was either wrong or highly questionable. His quest for understanding began with a learned and quite essential mistrust of the accepted. As much as we recently have gleaned from various fi elds of thought, we continue to uncover new facts and even new zones of knowledge almost by the year. Th e latest example, according to science writer Michael Specter ("Germs Are Us," Th e New Yorker, October 27, 2012), may be our new understandings about bacteria. Th e century-long, all-out battle against germs is now being called into question, as biologists are learning that the over ten thousand diff erent species of bacteria, viruses and fungi that most of us carry—and which congregate in various places in our bodies, The Unnatural World ( f o r e w o r d )


The function of traditional GPS positioning system is simply.System like this can only provide the longitude and latitude,so it is difficult to meet the needs of users.Catering to the need of users,a multi-sensor positioning system uses a GPS module,an electronic compass module and an acceleration sensor module was presented.The system can provide four messages including longitude,latitude,acceleration and direction of motion and keep updating the data,which allows users to grasp the real-time target motion conditions.The system also extends the number of serial port;some other sensors could be added according to demands.It does not require hardware changes and has easily access to other sensor signals.Various requirements of the target location could be matched.


Objectives: To assess communication barriers between healthcare providers and African patients. Method: Following the Grounded Theory. Results: There were 31 resulting categories which were organized under two main categories: non-professional interpreters and no communication/translation. Discussion: The use of non-professional interpreters has negative consequences which should be taken into account. The lack of translation intrudes on the patient's principle of autonomy as they cannot understand the information about their situation and hence cannot take part in the decision making process. The new multicultural reality requires the presence of professionals having the necessary tools to overcome the increasing language barriers. © 2014 Plaza del Pino FJ and Veiga M. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Encarnación Soriano, Christine Sleeter and María Antonia Casanova.


Underyearling salmon in a circular pond of moving water at 20–25 °C. swam during the day and rested on the bottom at night. Before feeding they translocated actively upstream in rapid shallow water and in all directions in slow deep water. During feeding they held position in slow water, but made short excursions to seize food. After feeding, most moved into rapid, shallow water, the largest into the most rapid water.Translocating salmon usually went upstream and swam faster in more rapid water so that the rate of translocation remained constant. The rate of translocation increased with the size of the fish, more than doubling from 3 to 4 cm. in length.While steady illumination caused the salmon to swim up in the water from the bottom, a sudden change in light intensity when they were swimming, as by an object moving against the sky, caused them to swim quickly from shallow to deep water.Eels translocated upstream regularly only in the more rapid water, the swimming rate increasing with current rate. Eels...


Conservancy advocates are bringing some domestic farmyard animals back from the brink of extinction. Disregard for the environment was an alarming feature of the 20th century. The catalogue of incidents of soil erosion, degradation of the atmosphere, water pollution, and destruction of forests might almost be interpreted as a death wish by the human race. But it is disregard for other species, many of them driven to extinction, that carries the most poignant message. A few well-known and dramatic events in the history of species extinction are indelibly imprinted in the debit record of biodiversity. In 1627, illegal hunting in Jaktorowka Forest in Poland led to the demise of the last wild aurochs, ancestor of our domestic cattle. In New Zealand, settlers eliminated the dodo--a large flightless bird that had no natural predators--in the late 17th century. These events have left a psychological legacy of guilt that is expressed in futile attempts to recreate extinct species. Between the two world wars, the Heck brothers in Berlin and Munich pursued their joint dream of restoring aurochs to the inventory of genetic diversity by combining appropriate characteristics of some modern breeds of domestic cattle. Similar attempts are being made with the quagga--a close relative of the zebra--in South Africa, and Chantecler poultry in Canada. Researchers in Japan are even trying to recreate the long-extinct woolly mammoth with DNA found in a specimen preserved in the permafrost of Siberia. In all cases, these are vain attempts, for the loss is irretrievable. The common factor is the failure to recognize the finality of extinction. Many other species, breeds, and varieties have a lower profile and pass into extinction without any fanfare or outcry. In the British Isles alone more than 30 breeds of large domestic livestock have become extinct during the 20th century. These losses represent significant and unnecessary genetic erosion--a waste of genetic material with a potential value that never will be known. The losses are significant because some vanished breeds possessed distinctive characteristics. The losses were also unnecessary because the last animals were killed or allowed to disappear even though people knew perfectly well what they were doing and recognized the finality of these extinctions. Conservation Groups In 1973 the Rare Breeds Survival Trust was established as a prototype for organizations devoted to preserving rare breeds. Since then, no further breeds have become extinct in Britain. The work of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in the British Isles was a catalyst for the creation of similar groups in many other countries during the late 1970s and 1980s. Several followed the nongovernmental organization model of RBST, but in other cases conservation programs grew from government initiatives, and in a few instances there were state/private hybrids. By 1989, national organizations to conserve domestic livestock had been established in more than 20 countries, and in that year, a global conference was called at the University of Warwick in England to identify progress and compare experiences. The result was the formation of Rare Breeds International as an umbrella organization to coordinate international activities and spread the message of genetic conservation. RBI was given legal status at a meeting in Budapest in 1991, and subsequent global meetings were held in Kingston, Canada, in 1994; Kathmandu, Nepal, in 1998; and the Millennium Congress in Brasilia in 2000. An increasing awareness by governmental agencies of the importance of genetic conservation paralleled activities by nongovernmental organizations. Early expressions of concern during the 1970s led to a conference--Expert Consultation on Animal Genetic Resources Conservation and Management--sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization/United Nations Environmental Programme in Rome in 1980. …


PURPOSE: Attenuated Salmonella bacteria and the use thereof are provided, thereby the attenuated Salmonella bacteria can be useful as a medicine or an alive vaccine for prevention of a disease associated with Salmonella bacteria. CONSTITUTION: The attenuated Salmonella bacteria show acid sensitivity under anaerobic condition, in which the attenuated Salmonella bacteria contain the aatA::MudJ mutation gene and is deposited to KCTC by the accession number of KCTC 0931BP. A pharmaceutical composition for vaccination against the infection of Salmonella bacteria contains the attenuated Salmonella bacteria showing acid sensitivity under anaerobic condition and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, in which the attenuated Salmonella bacteria contain the aatA::MudJ mutation gene and are deposited to KCTC by the accession number of KCTC 0931BP; the pharmaceutical composition is administrated orally or intravenously; and the amount of Salmonella bacteria administered in one dosage is 108 or less CFU.


This thesis presents a cross-sectional study of psychological meaning making processes involving religious beliefs and the construction of a sense of purpose in life. Previous research has studied ...


Erythema exudativum multiforme (EEM) is an acute but sometimes also relapsing dermatosis of the skin and mucous membranes and is clinically manifested by characteristic polymorphic efflorescences in a cockade form. It most frequently occurs in young population of the second and the third decade of life as inadequate immunologic reaction to various medications or infectious agents, but the etiology remains unknown almost in 50 % of the cases. The minor form of the disease is commonly caused by Herpes simplex viral infection, and the changes appear in good general condition and almost exclusively are localized on the skin but can be accompanied by slight itch and uneasiness.


Let G be a graph. Let L(G) denote the line graph of G. A graph G is r-covered if each edge of G belongs to a r-factor of G. We show the following results: Suppose m≥2 is an even integer. If d_G(v)≥m+1 for all v∈V(G), then L(G) is 2m-covered. Suppose m is a positive integer, and G is a connected graph with E(G) even. If d_G(v)≥m+3 for all v∈V(G), then L(G) is (2m+1)-covered.


In the copolymerization of α-methylstyrene (α-MeSt) and N-phenylmaleimide (NPMI), the resulting copolymers were found to have a high alternating structure regardless of the ratio of comonomers in the feed. The monomer reactivity ratios were r1 = 0.21 (NPMI) and r2 = 0.03 (α-MeSt) (Kelen–Tudos method), the equilibrium constant of CT complex K was 0.02 L mol−1, and the energy of activation EA was 73 kJ mol−1. From the equation Rp = Rp(f) + Rp(CT) proposed by Shirota and coworkers, Rp(f) and Rp(CT) were calculated, and it was found that in toluene the copolymerization proceeds predominantly by the addition of free monomers. Copolymers prepared at an equimolar ratio of comonomers in the feed have a glass transition temperature Tg of 539 K (DSC method).


'Albitization' is a widespread alteration process affecting sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. Albitized facies usually show a pinkish to red colour, depending on the degree of alteration. The main mineralogical process of this phenomenon is the pseudomorphic replacement of the primary Ca-Na plagioclases by secondary albite (Na). During this replacement biotite is often transformed to chlorite and inclusions of hematite, apatite, titanite, and calcite develop.


This paper predigests and improves PCNN (pulse couple neural network) based on the characteristics of image binary segmentation, and research its parameters preliminarily. Experimental results prove that it is superior to tradition methods on noise or shade image.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the Shariah view on the legitimacy of requiring the entrepreneur to prove that he/she has complied with all business requirements in case the actual profit was below the expected profit in trust-based contracts such as mudarabah and musharakah.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is part of the research which applies qualitative research approaches, including among others, content analysis, interviews, observations and descriptive analysis using fiqh muqaran (comparative analysis of jurists' arguments) in few phases.

Findings

The study found that shifting the burden of proof to the fiduciary is the weightier view and necessary to ensure that both sides are protected. The considerations of protecting people's wealth (ḥifẓ amwāl al-nās) and mitigating widespread greed (ṭamaʿ) are among the reasons for allowing elements such as ʿurf, tuhmah and dalālat al-ḥāl to be treated as bayyinah in trust-based contracts when the fiduciary is obliged to defend himself from litigation.

Research limitations/implications

The study is meant to strengthen the practices of Islamic banks world wide.

Practical implications

Few protections can be applied for capital provider.

Social implications

This study is meant to give solution in dealing with moral hazard of both parties, and to provide solution to the regulator for policy drafting and to increase confidence to the industry.

Originality/value

The finding is important in assisting the regulators in drafting the policy to protect both parties without neglecting the essence of trust-based contracts.


As an influential writer in contemporary American literature,Raymond Carver is hailed for his contribution to the renaissance of American short fiction.From the minimal quality in his early stories to the humane sparks in those later ones,Carver's writing style has experienced a transformation with great change in his life.This essay aims to explore Carver's transformation in creation by means of analyzing the unreliable narration and the implied author reflected in his masterpiece Cathedral.


Objective : Evaluate the efficacy of music therapy for the management of anxiety during the period of hospitalization in pediatric cancer patient and caregiver. Method : Measurement was performed before and after a single music session and compared result of the evaluation of anxiety with control group. 112 patients and 128 caregivers collaborated. The level of anxiety was assessed using Manifest Anxiety Scale (CMAS-R, Reynolds & Richmond, 1997) applied to patients and the Hamilton Scale (HAS; Hamilton, 1959) for caregivers. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 program. Results : No significant change was detected in the group of patients in whom the size of the effect is minimal, whereas caregivers provided significant results in 12 of the 13 dimensions of anxiety assessed with a medium effect size. Conclusions : The use of music therapy helps to decrease the anxiety level significantly in caregiver, while the results obtained from the cancer patients did not support the idea of the benefits of releving anxiety.


IntroductionFinancial literacy on Islamic life insurance is considered low. Various things can be the causes of this low literacy including the lack of socialization, education, and professional collaboration programs.ObjectivesThis study aims to analyze the literacy level of health workers regarding Islamic life insurance considering the phenomenon of still very low penetration and density of such product. MethodThis research uses descriptive quantitative methods. Primary data was obtained through a questionnaire. The population of this study was 38 health workers who worked at the Ofa Padang Mahondang Village Health Center, Pulau Rakyat District, Asahan Regency, North Sumatra Province.Results57.9% of respondents had a high level of financial literacy, being able to answer correctly above 80%. 34.2% of respondents were in the middle category, being able to answer correctly between 60%-80%. Only 7.9% respondents were in low category, being able to answer correctly below 60%. ImplicationsThe study highlights the importance of continuous education and awareness campaigns about Islamic insurance among healthcare professionals and the broader population.Originality/NoveltyThis study contributes to efforts to increase knowledge about Islamic life insurance for health workers as the spearhead of health services in Indonesia.


Based on National High Technology Research and Development Program of China,combined with current hot technology such as cloud computing,internet of things,new human-machine interaction,this paper expounds the necessity and feasibility of the research and development of independent TV operating system,as well as the R D content and strategy,in a customer and scenario oriented way.This paper also forecast the developing trend of establishing an independent ecosystem where we combine together the independent TV operating system,CPU and SoC.


Olive pomace is the main by-product generated by the olive oil mills, representing 80% of total fruit weight, which has high water content (60–70%). Reducing its moisture to 10–15%, the dry olive pomace (DOP) is obtained, which is a very interesting biofuel with a high calorific value (~4,100 kcal/kg). Annually, large quantities of this product are produced, nevertheless only part of it is used for self-consumption through electrical and thermal energy generation, by combustion. Olive oil mills are industries with high electrical energy consumption. The present study aims to give added value to this material, in order to supply electrical energy to the industries for self-consumption. The pelletized DOP (PDOP) has been subject to a gasification process using a downdraft fixed-bed gasifier in a pilot plant. The gas produced – syngas – has been cleaned through different filtering stages. Subsequently, it is introduced into a genset in order to generate electrical and thermal energy. The generated syngas has very promising characteristics, such as an upper calorific value (HHV) of 1,337.11 kcal/Nm3 and a high content of nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2), 47.29% and 19.54%, respectively. With this syngas, an average instantaneous power of 10 kW has been generated for 6 hours. The outcomes show the potential of using DOP as raw materials in the gasification process on an industrial scale. This allows to valorize the generated DOP in the olive oil mills and it contributes to reduce CO2, it is favored the transition to the circular economy in the olive sector.


Quantification of allogenic controls in rift basin‐fills requires analysis of multiple depositional systems because of marked along‐strike changes in depositional architecture. Here, we compare two coeval Early‐Middle Pleistocene syn‐rift fan deltas that sit 6 km apart in the hangingwall of the Pirgaki‐Mamoussia Fault, along the southern margin of the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. The Selinous fan delta is located near the fault tip and the Kerinitis fan delta towards the fault centre. Selinous and Kerinitis have comparable overall aggradational stacking patterns. Selinous comprises 15 cyclic stratal units (ca. 25 m thick), whereas at Kerinitis 11 (ca. 60 m thick) are present. Eight facies associations are identified. Fluvial and shallow water facies dominate the major stratal units in the topset region, with shelfal fine‐grained facies constituting ca. 2 m thick intervals between major topset units and thick conglomeratic foresets building down‐dip. It is possible to quantify delta build times (Selinous: 615 kyr; Kerinitis: >450 kyr) and average subsidence and equivalent sedimentation rates (Selinous: 0.65 m/kyr; Kerinitis: >1.77 m/kyr). The presence of sequence boundaries at Selinous, but their absence at Kerinitis, enables sensitivity analysis of the most uncertain variables using a numerical model, 'Syn‐Strat', supported by an independent unit thickness extrapolation method. Our study has three broad outcomes: (a) the first estimate of lake level change amplitude in Lake Corinth for the Early‐Middle Pleistocene (10–15 m), which can aid regional palaeoclimate studies and inform broader climate‐system models; (b) demonstration of two complementary methods to quantify faulting and base level signals in the stratigraphic record—forward modelling with Syn‐Strat and a unit thickness extrapolation—which can be applied to other rift basin‐fills; and (c) a quantitative approach to the analysis of stacking patterns and key surfaces that could be applied to stratigraphic pinch‐out assessment and cross‐hole correlations in reservoir analysis.


Phylogenetic relationships among twenty two tetraploid wheats of Triticum dicoccon coming from various European countries and from Near East region were estimated by means of RAPD polymorphism. Based on neighbour-joining clustering method we find out, that all tested accessions were clustered with taxonomic classification in line. Samples from Yugoslavia, Turkey, India, Ethiopia and an American variety Vernal created one cluster and all belong to the supraconvariety asiaticum. Our analyse proved that Slovak relic dicoccon wheats are related to the Yugoslavian emmer and belong to the convar. serbicum. All the rest European accessions together with accessions from Morocco and Israel were included in the second very clearly separated cluster of genotypes which can be classified in supraconvar. dicoccon. Iranian accession is phylogenetic intermediate stage between these two supraconvarieties.


A familiar criticism of bioethics charges it with being more conceptual than practical—having little application to the "real world." In order to answer its critics and keep its feet on the ground, bioethics must utilize the social sciences more effectively. Empirical research can provide the bridge between conceiving a moral vision of a better world, and actually enacting it.


We consider a novel multiclass subscription admission control network service problem, where the decision maker has complete knowledge of duration and resource requirement of incoming subscription requests. We model it as discounted MDP problem, and prove structural results. In a given state, if it is optimal to admit a certain class, then it is also optimal to admit a more or equally profitable class in a corresponding state. However the optimal policy does not exhibit a structure leading to a simpler implementation of the policy and we numerically solve the finite-state discounted dynamic programming equation using policy iteration algorithm for a two-class problem. We compare the optimal policy with approximate greedy and threshold policies, which are simpler to implement. Computational results for small sizes of the problem suggest that they perform very close to the optimal policy.


The answer is unequivocally "yes" and applies to institutions of all sizes and types, although the organization of a particular service may vary according to the philosophy and goals of the hospital involved. In all instances, says Dr. Weinberg, the development of a highly skilled nursing staff is crucial to the effectiveness of the unit and to the achievement of significant reduction in mortality from myocardial infarction.


In the framework of the Skyrme model we calculate the Skyrmion-Skyrmion interaction allowing for deformations in the chiral field. Significant changes in the potentials compared to the ones with the pure hedgehog ansatz appear. This strongly suggests that no convincing calculation of the static N-N potential as constructed from the Skyrmion-Skyrmion interaction has been done up to now. Our results therefore indicate that a reliable N-N potential can only be gained by more elaborate methods such as, e.g., lattice calculations.


The Maloorchikov structural embayment, which is located in the south border zone of the Dnieper-Donets depression, is one of the large structural elements of the third order of the region. It has been studied in detail by drilling on the Tertiary sediments (base of the marls of the Kiev stage, in less detail on the Mesozoic sediments, and very little by deep drilling. Along the base of the marls of the Kiev stage there is a structural terrace that rises gently to the southeast; it is complicated by numerous local uplifts. On the base of the Oxfordian stage the structure appears to be monoclinal. Seismic surveys on the Lower Carboniferous (reflecting horizon V B2 - top of upper Vizean) also show a monocline. Southwest of the line Novo-Grigor'yevka-Pereshchepino there is a broad structural embayment. Seven new uplifts have been found in this region by geophysical surveys: Vostochno-Razumov, Gusarov, Rassokhovatov, Romanov, Orchikov, Kotov, and Lychkov. Subsequent study suggested that the upper Vizean structural plan is complicated by a large number of brachyanticlinal and terrace uplifts. See Fig. 1. There is a definite east-west zonality in the distribution of the predicted uplifts. On the southernmost structural line are located the Kotov uplift and Solomkov terrace, which is complicated by the Lychkov brachy-anticline. To the north is a structural belt formed by the Rassokhovat, Ryas, Orchikov, and Zarech uplifts and the Osipov structural terrace. Above this belt is a line that consists of the Gusarov, Vodorazdel, Pedashkov, Skalonov, and


Background: Psoriasis requires lifelong treatments that depend on the extent, clinical forms and associated conditions. Objective: To retrospectively analyze which topical treatments were used, their efficacy, and potential advantages and disadvantages. Methods: A total of 666 patients admitted for the first time over 15 years who were topically treated were retrospectively reviewed and subdivided using clinical forms and PASI into four groups and four subgroups for the applied treatments. For each treatment the mean PASI was calculated daily: on the first, third and sixth day. An X sample statistical analysis and Mann‐‐Whitney U‐test were performed. The hospitalization time and correlation with the response to treatment were analyzed. Results: A statistically significant response was recorded for every regimen. The best combination was clobetasol propionate plus eosin on alternate days with eosin plus cade oil. The highest score was recorded for the 'en plaques' psoriasis. The average length of treatment was of 7.5 days in the best combination. No statistically significant difference among the groups was recorded with respect to the length of hospitalization and PASI. Conclusion: The statistically significant response for all the topical treatments analyzed and recorded in this study does not exclude a potential benefit due to hospitalization per se.


Companies are sometimes less aware of the importance of environment upon the success of the business. Problems related to the environment, such as environmental pollution, should not occur if the company's activity is accompanied by a concern for society and the environment. Such conditions require that firms are not only oriented towards profit, but also accompanied by attention to the surrounding environment. This study examines the effect of audit quality and institutional ownership of corporate social disclosure responcibility. Key word: corporate social responcibility, institutional ownership, audit quality


Background/Aim: The prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma is poor; therefore, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE2) is one of the 11 families (PDE1–PDE11) of the phosphodiesterase superfamily that regulates the intracellular concentrations and effects of cAMP and cGMP. This in vitro study was performed to investigate the role of PDE2 in human oral osteosarcoma HOSM-1 cells. Materials and Methods: PDE2 expression was measured by a cAMP-PDE assay and real-time-PCR. The effects of the PDE2-specific inhibitors, erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA), 8-bromo-cAMP, and 8-bromo-cGMP on cell proliferation and migration were assessed. Results: PDE2 activity and PDE2A mRNA expression were detected in HOSM-1 cells. Cell proliferation was inhibited by EHNA and 8-bromo-cAMP but not by 8-bromo-cGMP. Cell migration was stimulated by EHNA and 8-bromo-cGMP, but it was inhibited by 8-bromo-cAMP. Conclusion: Cell proliferation is regulated by PDE2-cAMP signaling and cell migration is regulated by PDE2-cGMP signaling in HOSM-1 cells.


Trauma center intervention is the rate-limiting step that will decide the degree of functional recovery of persons with brain injuries. If these persons are to attain maximal functional recovery, then there must be a system of intensive, organized care that begins at the scene of the trauma and continues until disposition from the trauma center either to home or an acute rehabilitation hospital. The success of this system of care within a trauma center is dependent on five disciplines: prehospital care, emergency medicine, trauma teams or services, critical care medicine, and rehabilitation medicine.


A cutting edge series of books on cult cities London, Paris, New York and San Francisco, captures the key moments of the sixties through key images, accompanied by a succinct narrative by film critic George Perry. With the passing of the twentieth century into history, the 1960s can be confirmed as one of its most crucial decades, an era of unprecedented social and cultural revolution. Across the world, barriers collapsed, new freedoms were claimed and an explosion of creative energy electrified the arts, fashion, politics and general lifestyles, often with accompanying anguish. Certain world cities - London, Paris, New York and San Francisco - were, in their very different ways, at the vanguard of this global ferment. The series of books reveals the arts, fashions, passions, people and events in each of these cities during this extraordinary era, by means of candid, striking images by contemporary photographers. The selection has been made with the advantage of hindsight, and offers both insights and surprises. London in the Sixties includes the famous - Mick Jagger, Terence Stamp, Michael Caine - and the beautiful - Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy and Marianne Faithfull. Seminal moments are captured of Swinging London to give a thrilling taste of how it was to live in this exciting decade.


BACKGROUND
Moderate isometric handgrip exercise is an effective tool in the management of systemic hypertension.

AIM
To evaluate the effectiveness of a high intensity isometric handgrip exercise protocol for the reduction of blood pressure in older people with pre or stage-1 hypertension.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Twenty-three participants aged 73.8 ± 6.6 years (range 61-90) completed eight weeks of high intensity isometric handgrip training 2 times per week, performing 32 contractions maintained for 5 seconds, with breaks of 5 seconds. Blood pressure (BP) was measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention.

RESULTS
Systolic blood pressure decreased from 141 ± 11 to 127 ± 10 mmHg (p < 0.01). The decrease in diastolic blood pressure was from 79 ± 7 to 74 ± 6 mmHg (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS
A blood pressure reduction was recorded in these participants after a period of high intensity isometric handgrip exercise.


Since the first U.S. manned entry, Mercury (May 5, 1961), seventy-five manned entries have been made resulting in significant progress in the understanding and development of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) for manned rated spacecraft. The TPS materials and systems installed on these spacecraft are compared. The first three vehicles (Mercury, Gemini, Apollo) used ablative (single-use) systems while the Space Shuttle Orbiter TPS is a multimission system. A TPS figure of merit, unit weight lb/sq ft, illustrates the advances in TPS material performance from Mercury (10.2 lb/sq ft) to the Space Shuttle (1.7 lb/sq ft). Significant advances have been made in the design, fabrication, and certification of TPS on manned entry vehicles (Mercury through Shuttle Orbiter). Shuttle experience has identified some key design and operational issues. State-of-the-art ceramic insulation materials developed in the 1970's for the Space Shuttle Orbiter have been used in the initial designs of aerobrakes. This TPS material experience has identified the need to develop a technology base from which a new class of higher temperature materials will emerge for advanced space transportation vehicles.


MANO, R.S. Captacao residencial de agua da chuva para fins nao potaveis em Porto Alegre: aspectos basicos da viabilidade tecnica e beneficios do sistema. 2004. Dissertacao (Mestrado em Engenharia) – Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia Civil, UFRGS, Porto Alegre. During the past few decades the building industry was becoming increasingly responsible for a large portion of environmental degradation. In addition, considering the life cycle analysis of buildings, the building utilization phase is gaining importance in building environmental impact. Alterations in the water cycle, often resulting in human and economic loses because of urban flooding, is an example where the building utilization phase plays a significant role in environmental degradation. One answer to these problems is alternative technical solutions that are being developed and presented to environmental forums throughout the world; however, most of the alternative solutions are not economically feasible for sub-developed countries like Brazil. The objective of this research is to characterize the direct and indirect benefits provided by residential urban rainwater catchment systems and the implementation for non-potable use in the urban environment for economic gain. Towards this goal, the dissertation reviews some contexts and technical viability concerns about urban water interactions and drainage systems. A study, developed simultaneously with the research, was conducted on the building Prototipo Alvorada to gain an understanding of the variables of system dimensions, rain water distribution and volume. The study also explores existing systems, principal types of systems and components of existing systems. The results of this study have shown that, from an economic standpoint, the cost of system implementation is generally the main barrior to implemention of rainwater catchment systems. One reason that rainwater catchment systems are not economically feasible choice for the city of Porto Alegre is in large part due to the availability of potable water in the city. Water distribution to residences within the city is very inexpensive and widely available. The study about the indirect benefits of rainwater catchment systems has shown the potential of systems to help alleviate urban drainage problems. Despite the necessity for further studies, the feasibility of system implementation here in Porto Alegre/RS counts on the possibility of initial public funding in order to maximize the direct benefits of catchment systems. Installation of rainwater catchment systems would ultimately save money for the municipal government of Porto Alegre. Key-words: rainwater catchment; urban drainage; sustainability


FIELD: vacuum cleaners, namely dust collecting devices of vacuum cleaners that may be made by simple and rational process. SUBSTANCE: dust collector includes body with large number of filtering chambers for filtering foreign objects and accumulation chamber for accumulating foreign objects filtered in filtering chambers. In order to close lower part of body of dust collector, sealing member is used. Partition plate is arranged horizontally on body of dust collector; said plate has outlet member arranged on upper side of body of dust collector. Outlet member is made with possibility of guiding airflow. First filtering chamber is arranged in inner space restricted by inner wall passing downwards from partition plate. Second accumulating chamber is defined as space between inner wall and intermediate wall arranged outside said inner wall. First accumulating chamber is defined as inner space restricted by outer wall arranged outside intermediate wall. Second filtering chamber passing vertically from partition plate has lower end arranged inside second accumulating chamber while said filtering chamber and accumulating chamber are made integrally one with other. EFFECT: enhanced operational reliability of dust collector device due to lowered number of its parts, improved efficiency of dust collection due to making inner structure of device with use of minimum number of parts. 20 cl, 9 dwg


The alcoholic brevage are producted after fermentation of juice of "Tohounvi", a local variety of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. The processing of tomato juice into alcohol using traditional method of distillation was investigated. The volatile compounds of the alcohol obtained from this distillation were studied by combination gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. The results of the study showed that the chromatographic analysis of differents alcohol obtained from the distillation of tomato juice by using traditional method of distillation, contained twenty (20) components: Ethanol, Propanol, Isobutanol, Acetic acid, Ethyl acetate, Butane-2,3-dione, 3-hydroxy-Butanone, 2-methylbutanol, 3-methylbutanol, 2-methylsilane, Isopropyl propanoate, Butanoic acid, Ethyl butanoate, Butane-2,3-diol, Furanecarboxaldehyde, Pentanoic acid, Ethane-1,2-diol diformate, Ethyl pentanoate, Hexanoic acid, Ethyl hexanoate. The improved traditional method of alcoholic beverage production resulted in an excellent quality of a kind of brandy. The alcohol is mostly composed of ethanol (99,58%) and traces of ethyl butanoate and isobutanol. The alcohol obtained from the distillation of tomato juice, showed that it possible to use the traditional method of alcoholic beverage to product a kind of brandy, to reduce the risks of intoxication related to this brandy and to train the producers on the good processing methods of alcoholic drinks using fruits.


An analysis of the dependence of the acceleration rate of charged particles by a surface wave arising when a la-ser pulse/(plane wave) is incident on the interface between two dielectric media on the phase velocity of the excited wave is carried out. It is shown that at resonance acceleration this dependence has a maximum, for ultra-relativistic particles the acceleration rate tends to zero. The dependences of the acceleration rate on the phase velocity of the excited wave for various refractive indices (dielectric permittivities) of optically transparent medias are investigated analytically and numerically.


We investigated performances and functions of the noncontact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM) method. As a result, we found that the NC-AFM functions not only as the atomic resolution microscope but also novel atomic tools based on a mechanical method as follows; a three-dimensional mapping tool of atomic force between the tip and sample atoms, a discrimination tool of atomic force mechanisms and atom species of the sample surface, a control tool of atomic force and atom position on the sample surface, and an atom manipulation tool. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2003.158]


1099 tural impact of the Brazos River on regional identity. This deliberate turn to cultural artifacts supports her central argument that the struggle with the Brazos River is at the bedrock of regional culture. Additionally, the author discusses power relationships and how varying socioeconomic groups viewed and interacted with the river. Future work could build on these discussions regarding plantation slavery, prison farming, and western ranching culture as well as a discussion of modern indigenous claims to and interactions with the Brazos. While Archer references broader national themes throughout the book, more historiographical discussion of both water and technology history could make it more accessible to non-specialists. Overall, Unruly Waters is an excellent contribution to American environmental, social, and water history.


This paper investigates whether judge political affiliation contributes to racial and gender disparities in sentencing using data on over 500,000 federal defendants linked to sentencing judge. Exploiting random case assignment, we find that Republican-appointed judges sentence black defendants to 3.0 more months than similar nonblacks and female defendants to 2.0 fewer months than similar males compared to Democratic-appointed judges, 65 percent of the baseline racial sentence gap and 17 percent of the baseline gender sentence gap, respectively. These differences cannot be explained by other judge characteristics and grow substantially larger when judges are granted more discretion. (JEL D72, J15, J16, K41, K42)


The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of competency and individual characteristics on the job performance  with organizational commitment as  mediator  in Rembang Regional Civil Service Board. The population in this study is the civil service of Rembang Regional Civil Service Board that amounts to 58 people. This study  use cencuss methode for collecting data , which is  the whole population is taken into account. The results of this study correctly proved that model's ability to explain correctly , competence variable's influence , individual characteristic and organizational com mitment to job performance  is amounted 53% . Whereas the other's is amounted 47% as explained by variables outside the data- model. Mediating effect test proved that the effects of competency and individual characteristics on the job performance are not mediated by organizational com mitment . Kata Kunci : kompetensi, karakteristik individu, komitmen organisasional dan kinerja pegawai


Silver nanoparticles were prepared by chemical reduction method using sodium citrate as reducing agent, followed by capping with various concentrations of β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) and characterized by various physicchemical characterization techniques. Antibacterial activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) was determined by Well-Diffusion method. The nano-silver were spherical under Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the XRD result shows average diameters of capped particles are smaller than their equivalent uncapped particles. Capped nano silver particles of four different concentrations were demonstrated as superior for photo stability, when exposed to intense ultraviolet (UV-Vis) radiation for 4 hours, as well as significantly higher antibacterial activity. The influence of β-CD concentration (5 mM, 10 mM and 15 mM) was seems to be delay in bacterial growth, showing that a Trojan horse mechanism may be owing to occur bacterial affinity, thereby improving silver ion absorption.


Cough is one of the most common symptoms in all respiratory diseases. In cases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma, acute and chronic Bronchitis and the recent pandemic Covid-19, the early identification of cough is important to provide healthcare professionals with useful clinical information such as frequency, severity, and nature of cough to enable better diagnosis. This paper presents and demonstrates best feature selection using MFCC which can help to determine cough events, eventually helping a neural network to learn and improve accuracy of cough detection. The paper proposes to achieve performance of 97.77% Sensitivity (SE), 98.75% Specificity (SP) and 98.17% F1-score with a very light binary classification network of size close to 16K parameters, enabling fitment into smart IoT devices.


An ab initio microkinetic model (MKM) is developed to understand the reactivity trends of the terrace (111) and step (211) sites of transition metal catalysts for biogas reforming (BGR) to produce syngas. Over the (111) sites, Ni, Rh and Pd show high turnovers for CH4 consumption (>1 s−1), however, with enhanced coke formation (>0.1 s−1). In comparison, Co and Ru exhibit reduced coke formation rates ( 1 s−1) via methane dissociation. Here also on the (211) surface, Ru shows significantly reduced coke formation rates (0.1 s−1).


The purpose of this study were to evaluate the effect on the reversion of sedation induced by midazolam with flumazenil and to determine the plasma concentration of flumazenil according to the method of administration. Intranasal and intravenous flumazenil were administered to sedated health volunteers aged from 23 to 25 years, in doses typical of those used clinically to induce sedation with midazolam and for reversal with flumazenil. Objective assessment for degree of sedation and vital signs, plasma concentration were made for 2 hours period. 1. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, were not changed by adminstration of flumazenil in sedated subject with midazolam, but pulse rate was increased temporarily. 2. Flumazenil showed the reversal of the sedative effect induced by midazolam regardless of administration methods. But intravenous administration showed more effect on the degree and the duration of reversion than intranasal administration with the exception of on set time. 3. Peak plasma concentration of flumazenil administered by intranasal route reached after 2 min and that of flumazenil administered by intravenous route was 4 min. Thus uptake of flumazenil did not showed any difference in accordance with the adminstration route. 4. Administration of flumazenil resulted in the temporary increase of midazolam plasma concentration.


An animal is an ideal tool using a non-human species handed down in medical research because it can mimic the attitude of a disease found in humans. Animal models are used to bring to successful completion of the information about a disease and its avoidance, diagnosis, and treatment.