India is today recognized as one of the leading global players in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, as it holds the 4th position in terms of volume and 13th in terms of value of production. It is also recognized that the cost of drugs produced in India is amongst the lowest in the world.


the section on bird protection, for instance, where there is much good material, one finds the following statement: "Interest in nature as a form of enjoyment is a characteristic of the British, Teutonic, and Scandinavian cultures. It is less apparent in Latin, Slavic, Oriental, and other cultures. The underlying motives for this would surely be a fruitful source of philosophical inquiry." (p. 416). To say that this is a dubious assertion is to put it mildly, and further comment can best be left to members of the allegedly less appreciative societies. In reviewing this work, I have assumed that students of ornithology are entitled to texts that maintain the same standards of accuracy and intellectual discipline that are demanded as a matter of course in other, less "popular," sciences. This book is the only attempt at a comprehensive text on birds that is available in the English language, and many people here and abroad may assume that it is an authoritative representation of the status of ornithological knowledge in America. I feel, therefore, that special responsibilities are inherent in a work of this kind. The final authority on whether or not a book measures up to its responsibilities is not the reviewer, of course, but the book itself. This one should be carefully examined and evaluated by everyone with a serious interest in ornithology.--T•o•As R. HowELL.


The aim of this article is to discuss possible directions of interdisciplinary studies on obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is proposed that while examining the cognitive basis of the disorder one's beliefs about the way cognitive processes work and the actual functioning of these processes should be taken into consideration, with executive functions in particular. Interdisciplinary studies combining psychiatry, clinical psychology and cognitive sciences may not only improve the understanding of the nature of cognitive processes, but also provide important data on how they are associated with specifi c symptoms of mental disorders. From a broader perspective such an approach may be potentially useful in developing new therapeutic techniques.


Over recent decades, the incidence and mortality of malignant melanoma have increased in older adults. Older Americans have much higher incidence rates of advanced melanoma than younger Americans, and the rates increased fast in the last decade. In 2012, almost half of advanced melanoma patients are 65 years or older. We also found that melanomarelated mortality rates increased 4% during 2005–2012 in older patients but decreased in younger patients. Ipilimumab (Yervoy) is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor approved by the US FDA in 2011 on the basis of its survival improvement in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma at any line of therapy [1]. Patients with advanced melanoma historically had a dismal prognosis, with median survival of about 6–9 months [2,3]. Significant improvements in overall survival were demonstrated in advanced melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab in phase III trials [1,4]. Ipilimumab was also well tolerated and associated with a manageable safety profile in trials. Although enthusiasm in patients and physicians for immunotherapies is high, several factors – such as the unproven concern of more severe adverse events outside clinical trials, the need for toxicity management, and steep costs – could limit their utilization and accessibility in community practices [5]. There have not been research efforts to evaluate the integration of ipilimumab into community practices. We examined the use of ipilimumab therapy in the Medicare Fee-ForService (FFS) beneficiaries.


One of the salient features of the recent populist turn in Europe has been a redefinition of the European. Traditionally, (far) right-wing parties defined themselves as Eurosceptic and focused on national identity. Increasingly, however, they have referred to pan-European heritage, although against the mainstream conceptualization of it. The article looks at the case of Hungary and the image of Europe constructed by the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose rhetoric has become a key reference point for other European populist movements. The past decade his government has witnessed, on the one hand, a tendency to redefine what is European against the dominant and institutionalized interpretations, and, on the other, an attempt to single-out the concept of Central Europe as the locus for maintaining and nurturing European values in contrast to perceived Western decline. This paper examines this discourse through a close reading of major speeches delivered by Orbán on the anniversaries of historical events. Analysis of these speeches reveals the ideological foundations of his political project and presents historical and philosophical interpretations of the European political situation. It seeks to identify how Orbán's discourse evolved across time, by putting the speeches about the past into the present political context.


Indigenous participation in the early growth of the World Wide Web was vigorous and successful. This was mainly due to the emergence of the Web as a new medium where conventiuonal media forces were not able to control participation at the same time as Indigenous Australians were willing and able to get involved. In addition, properties of the new medium - hypertext, multimedia, and collaborativity - were ones that tended to encourage Indigenous participation. Non-Indigenous persons also created sites about Indigenous issues. The standard of Indigenous sites was generally good and the proportion of sites run by Indigenous bodies remained high. Some of Australia's earliest Web sites were Indigenous, expressing a diverse range of styles and purposes. Since then, the number of Indigenous sites has increased, predictions of appropriation and misrepresentation have been unrealised, and Indigenous publishing has become an important part of the Web landscape.


Organization, conditions, character and modes of work on various ships cause intensive psychophysiologic strain. Thus psychophysiologic occupational selection is required among fleet employees.


In the first part of this paper, the author presents the main concepts of the "corpus grammar" and he discusses it. He disagrees with the claim that the corpus grammar could compete with generative grammar and with other modern linguistic theories. The second part of the paper deals with the "Italant" project, that aims to constitute a grammar of Old Italian (i.e. of the Old Florentin linguistic veriety, written between the middle of the 13th till 1300, approximatly). The author argues that such a grammar has to be made basically using the same criteria which lead the linguist when he tries to describe a living language, although this could sound paradoxical.


The crystallization behaviour and the processability of P 2 O 5 -modified glasses in the MgO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -TiO 2 system were investigated. The hot-press furnace system Empress IPS 500 was used to estimate the processability of the glasses. The crystallization process of the glasses was changed with increasing P 2 O 5 content. The stability range of the α-quartz solid solution crystal phase decreases and cristobalite becomes the main crystalline phase in glass-ceramics with high P 2 O 5 amounts. Magnesium orthophosphate was detected as a phosphorus-containing crystal phase. Glass-ceramics with high mechanical strength crystallize from these modified glasses. The investigations show that the high mechanical strength of the glass-ceramics is related to the crystallization of crystal phases with a high coefficient of thermal expansion


Response needs of teams charged with handling spills of hazardous volatile materials on land are considered by Battelle-Columbus. Items of hardware which could be adapted or developed to improve spill response capabilities are suggested. The report examines the available technology (and the lack thereof) being employed in current spill responses. An assessment of the phenomena that accompany spill volatilization is provided to determine and justify physical/chemical mechanisms that could potentially be used to control the hazards arising from volatility. As a result, approximately 60 items of hardware, which either exist or could be developed to improve hazardous volatile spill control responses, are discussed. A set of spill scenarios is developed to compare the new suggested technology items with current spill response procedures.


The 'Valley of Flowers' –a National Park, is located in the upper reaches of the Bhyunder Ganga in the far interior of the Garhwal Himalaya. This Alpine Valley, reputed for a variety of blooming plant species, is now facing an abrupt peril of losing its charm, owing to human encroachment in various ways. The present article attempts to describe its vegetation from the phyto-sociological point of view alongwith the floristics. It is revealed that some of the species reported from this locality during the past 2-3 decades earlier, have been completely eliminated. The greatest danger which the valley is facing stems from the rapidly increasing population of the pernicious weed Persicaria polystachya, Osmunda claytoniana, a tall fern, is also spreading very fast and in due course will definitely prove yet another hazard. It is alarming to note that 'Himalayan Blue Poppy' (Meconopsis aculeata) for which the valley has been so famous, can hardly be seen now. Our list includes 330 plant species encountered in this area, alongwith a separate enumeration of plant species which have become rare. Some suggestions have been offered towards restoring the grandeur of this beautiful abode of Nature.


Bath salts and herbal incense—synthetic legal intoxicating drugs (so-called SLIDs)—have potentially serious adverse effects—including acute psychosis, delirium, violent behavior, seizures, and cardiovascular emergencies.


If H is a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra acting on a finite-dimensional algebra A, we investigate the transfer of the Frobenius and symmetric properties through the algebra extensions AH⊂A⊂A#H.


IT is surpnsmg how many current textbooks of psychiatry continue to use such words as "irreversible" and "permanent" in their definitions of dementia. In one sense this is accurate--destroyed neurons can never regenerate-but it denies the fact that should the responsible process be arrested before undue destruction has occurred, the brain is capable of considerable functional recuperation. As Ulett and Goodrich1 have put it, although there will be "an irreducible minimum of brain tissue destruction which cannot be reversed-the loss offunction may be almost imperceptible clinically". In 1915 Goldberger demonstrated conclusively that pellagra, which in the southern States of the U.S.A. accounted for some 10% of mental hospital admissions, was due to a dietary deficiency; and though it was not until 1937 that the importance of nicotinic acid was demonstrated, treatment and prevention of this serious disorder became possible. More dramatic was the discovery of an effective treatment, just two years later, for general paresis, which was also responsible for 10% or so of admissions to many mental hospitals. Malaria therapy, introduced by Wagner von Jauregg on the basis of astute epidemiological observation, proved highly successful; though it carried a heavy mortality, this had to be set against the fact that at that time nearly every patient with general paresis died within two years of admission to hospital. In 1927 Wagner von Jauregg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. 2 -That there were no cases of general paresis in the Neuropsychiatric Institute (N.P.I.) series described by J. S. Smith and his colleagues in this issue (page 403) is a tribute to the near universal administration of antibiotics, often for inappropriate reasons, rather than any improvement in the morality of Western societies. Although cerebral tumours may present with dementia, many prove to be inoperable owing to their deep mid-line situation and their malignancy. 3 Occasionally a frontal meningioma may present in this way and prove therapeutically rewarding.4 A chronic subdural haematoma is another possibility. These


A new method for determination of benzene in water is presented by using a dynamic approach combined with the stripping cell directly to a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). A flow of pure N2 bubbling through a solution continuously stripped benzene in water and the partial pressure of benzene in headspace of water was measured by PTR-MS. The Henry′s law constant (HLC) was investigated through recording the partial pressure of benzene dependence on time. The concentration of benzene in water was obtained by the HLC and the partial pressure of benzene in headspace of water through Henry′s Law. Experiments tested the equilibrium of benzene components between gas-bubbles and water as a function of liquid depth; The HLC of benzene was measured at 28 ℃. The validation of this method was demonstrated by measuring the known concentration of benzene in water. Our PTR-MS coupling the stripping cell has the limits of detection as low as 1 μg/L for benzene in water. The method described has fast response, low limit of detection and high sensitivity, and can be extended to other VOCs analysis in water.


Indonesian wastewater sector management has been marked as having low coverage and slow in development, even though the system has been initiated since 1969 and the first masterplan for Jakarta Sewerage System and Sanitation Project was developed in 1977. In addition, two other master plans were developed in 1991 and 2012. The long history of planning to develop the citywide sewerage coverage resulted in only marginal coverage. As a complementary and short-term strategy, the Indonesian government also developed community-based sanitation to solve local sanitation problems such as RW Kumuh. In this paper, ideas will be proposed on how to improve the latter strategy and integrate it to the citywide sanitation.


Abstract This study compared the effect of 5, 10 and 20 min of cold-water (14°C) immersion on rectal and muscle temperature and neuromuscular function. Twelve cyclists performed four cycling time-to-exhaustion trials in hot conditions (40°C and 40%rh), followed 25 min later by cold-water immersion for 5, 10 or 20 min or 20 min in room temperature (24°C; control). Rectal temperature was measured continuously, and muscle temperature was measured before, immediately after and 45 min after the time-to-exhaustion-test, as well as before and after water immersion. Sixty-second maximal voluntary isometric torque and isokinetic torque of the knee extensors were measured before, immediately after and 55 min after time-to-exhaustion-test. A greater rate of decrease in rectal temperature was observed in all water immersion conditions 45–80 min after time-to-exhaustion-test compared with control. Compared with control, muscle temperature 45 min after time-to-exhaustion-test was lower for all water immersion conditions; however, muscle temperature was lower for the 10- and 20-min conditions compared with 5 min. Isometric torque measured 55 min after time-to-exhaustion-test was lower for all conditions. Isokinetic torque was lower for all conditions immediately and 55-min post-time-to-exhaustion-test. Of the durations measured, 5 min of cold-water immersion appeared as the most appropriate duration for reducing rectal temperature but limiting decreases in muscle temperature.


China is the largest energy user in Asia and the second largest in the world after the US. This paper documents substantial changes of the structure of China's energy use over the past decades. It explores the puzzling phenomena of China's low gross domestic product elasticity of energy consumption. Econometric analysis applying the AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average model finds that factors such as institutional reforms and structural change can account for a substantial fraction of the downward impacts on the elasticity level. The paper also studies the future energy growth and energy security issues in China, and examines the regional and global impacts of China's rapidly growing energy consumption.


In the wake of the green energy transition, the European Union is using solar energy as its focal point. Different supporting development schemes aim to bring energy closer to the hands of the citizens. In various European countries, the integration of solar energy in households has made significant steps forward, but in Croatia, the process has been lagging, with just humble results of installed rooftop solar capacity being integrated in recent years. The uptake of this process is happening, and it is important to facilitate the process to make it more efficient. In this regard, there are two main aspects covered in this paper. The first deals with the problem by disseminating the statistics and findings of the online tool accessible to the public, which aims to widely promote the integration of solar using the provision of precise and on-the-spot information for all interested citizens. The second aspect deals with the simulation segment, aiming to provide deeper insights into the solar integration process and its legal and administrative framework based on the insights gathered from the PV sizing optimization tool expanded with additional multi-scenario simulation analysis.


Ana Jelinek, 'The Field: An Experiment in Levinasian Ethics', in Penny Dransart, ed., Living Beings: Perspectives on Interspecies Engagements (London: Bloomsbury, 2014), ISBN: 9780857858412.


With the rapid development of wireless techniques and growth of mobile digital equipment,mobility has been of importance in the Internet.Due to the non-optimal routing and redundant encapsulations of the Network mobility Basic Support Protocol proposed by the Internet Engineering Task Force,it always produces quite long transmission delay and excessively long large packets,which makes it unable to get low-latency handoff.To solve the Protocol's high latency problem in nested mobile networks,a new route optimization strategy is proposed for nested networks.The strategy deals with the usage of the binding update to reduce the communications delay between mobile route and correspondent nodes or mobile network nodes,based on the hierarchical structure with binding update tree;for intra-network mobility,the routing latency of top level mobile route can be reduced by means of adding home address option to the packet header.Simulation results show that,compared to the Basic Support Protocol,the route optimization strategy can significantly reduce the packet latency in nested networks,which means reduced packet overhead and handoff latency,so the strategy achieves the optimal routing.


Abstract As a continuation from Dr. Rajan Sankaran's Plant and Mineral Kingdom Series with Homoeopathic LINKS, this article will focus on the animal kingdom along with an illustrative case example from The other song Academy in Mumbai, India.


Different structures of the silver nanoparticles embedded in the silica layer atop the silicon substrate are simulated by the finite-difference time-domain method. The effects of nanoparticle size, period, and the silica layer thickness are studied and the comparisons of the structures with and without the silica layers are given. It is found that the optical transmissions are enhanced for the cases with the silver nanoparticles embedded in the silica layer.


Sir: Nachtwey et al. [2] recently reported a case of hilar traumatic neuroma causing compression and secondary thrombosis of the hepatic artery. They cite our study and our finding of frequent development of hilar amputation neuromas larger than 1 cm in diameter in liver grafts (prevalence of 27.9 % when systematically searched for in a series of 93 lost grafts) [I]. Only one of our cases was symptomatic (extrahepatic cholestasis caused by a neuroma obstructing the main bile duct), but neuromas developed more frequently in liver grafts in this series after long intervals post-transplantation. These observations suggest that further symptomatic cases can be expected, with an increasing number of patients surviving for longer periods of time after liver transplantation. Eight months after the publication of our work, we retransplanted a patient who lost his liver graft due to ischemic cholangitis secondary to thrombosis of the hepatic artery; the thrombus was found encased in a hilar traumatic neuroma. Our previous experience prompts us to present this new case and to comment on some observations from the work of Nachtwey et al. [2]. A 38-year-old male with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh grade C) underwent orthotopic liver transplantation with an ABO-identical graft. An arterial anastomosis was created at the celiac artery bifurcation, both in the recipient and in the graft. Bile duct reconstruction was a duct-to-duct anastomosis without a T tube. Immunosuppression consisted of cyclosporin, azathioprine, and steroids. One episode of acute cellular rejection on the 11 th postoperative day was treated with steroid boluses, and liver dysfunction resolved. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 28. After a year and a half, the patient presented with a mild alteration in liver function tests: aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was 119 IU/l; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 220 IUA, bilirubin (Bil) 2.9 mg/dl, alkaline phosphatase (AP) 464 IU/l, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) 2461 UI/l. He was eventually diagnosed as having biliary intrahepatic stenoses and cholangiectasis, most likely caused by post-ischemic cholangitis due to irregular dilatations of the intrahepatic bile ducts with deposition of biliary sludge, as shown by ultrasound and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Stenosis of the biliary anastomosis was also observed and surgery was indicated. The biliary confluence was stenosed and both donor and recipient bile ducts were dilated with mucosal necrosis. Arterial bleeding was found at the ends of both bile ducts when the anastomosis was resected. Choledochojejunostomy to a Roux-en-Y limb was performed. The liver hilum was fibrotic and dissection of the hepatic vessels was not considered necessary. Histological examination of the resected specimen showed pigmented coagulative necrosis of the wall of the stenotic perianastomotic biliary ducts surrounded by inflammatory tissue. The patient showed some improvement in liver function tests, with only mild cholestasis (AST 45 IUA; ALT 46 IUA, Bi13.7 mg/dl, AP 731 IU/l, and GGT 197 IU/l). Resolution of the dilatation of the main bile duct, persistence of hyperechogenic material in the intrahepatic biliary tract, and absence of arterial flow were observed by echo-Doppler.


Cognitive radio is a new and exciting technology that, among other applications, has the potential to unlock the spectrum necessary for the deployment of next generation high data rate systems. Spectrum sensing is the key component of cognitive radio technology. However, detection is compromised when a user experiences shadowing or fading effects. In such cases, user cannot distinguish between an unused band and a deep fade. Thus, cooperative spectrum sensing is proposed to optimize the sensing performance. We have studied performance analysis of cooperative spectrum sensing in Cognitive Radio. This paper presents a simulation comparison of cooperative with non-cooperative spectrum sensing over Rayleigh fading channel based on AND, OR and MAJORITY rules. Comparing the non-cooperative curve with the cooperative curve over Rayleigh fading channel, we observed that spectrum sensing is better in presence of cooperation. We also observed that the OR rule has the better performance than AND and MAJORITY rule.


ABSTRACT This study provides basic information about how Norwegian nature preschools differ from other Norwegian preschools and how they organize their daily activities. Fifty-six nature preschools and 52 other preschools were included in the study. A total of 106 headmasters and 98 pedagogical leaders filled out questionnaires about the characteristics of their preschool and the characteristics of their preschool's outdoor activities. Two women and four men from nature preschools were interviewed about organizing a nature preschool. Most nature preschools are private and have less children and staff than other preschools. Nature preschools have more reference areas in nature and visit these areas more frequently than other preschools. Nature preschools spend a large amount of time in nature and have routines and rules that allow the children a significant amount of trust.


To address the lack of targeted research into quality of life and well-being in clinical psychology, an exploratory search of the literature was undertaken of studies demonstrating an association between life domains and increased well-being. Ten domains were identified: relationships, work, money, health and leisure (objective); and mindfulness, self-esteem, resolution of past life events, mental style and life management skills (subjective). It was proposed that unidimensional interventions to improve well-being are not sufficient and that practitioners target a range of quality of life domains when delivering treatment. In response to findings and the lack of clinical multiple utility instruments that assess quality of life, facets extracted from the identified domains were transformed into items to form a composite scale administered to 210 subjects. A principal components analysis produced seven factors: relationships, work, money, health, leisure, life management, and mental state. A revised seven factor scale (Clinical Quality of Life Scale) was evaluated against five standardised scales, demonstrating suitable reliability and concurrent validity. An intervention based on the above factors was subsequently designed using mindfulness training and goal setting (Mindfulness-based Quality of Life and Well-being Program) and administered to 191 participants. Increases in mindfulness, quality of life, subjective well-being, and positive and negative affect were greater in treated participants than controls at post-test, providing preliminary evidence that multi-dimensional mindfulness training may be beneficial. A limitation of the quality of life and subjective well-being research to deliver a construct and indicators of trait versus state well-being was discussed. This inquiry explored alternative models of well-being including non-dualism theory and evaluated supportive data from the field of mindfulness that suggest that well-being could be sourced independent of conventional subjective processes and life conditions. Recommendations are made to expand both the paradigm and direction of the current quality of life and well-being research.


An effective way to obtain the optimal parameters of a process or experiment is the response surface method. Using the Box–Behnken design further decreases the number of experiments needed to obtain sufficient data to obtain a reliable equation. From the equation, it is possible to predict the behavior of the response with respect to the combination of variables involved. In this study we evaluated the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized TiO2 for the degradation of acetaminophen, a frequently used and uncontrolled drug that has been detected with increasing frequency in wastewater effluents. The variables used for this study were pH, contaminant concentration (acetaminophen) and catalyst dose. We found, with a 95% confidence level, that 99% of the contaminant can be degraded to pH 10, contaminant to 35 mg/L and a catalyst dose of 0.15 g TiO2.


The effect of plasma treatment on the chemical reactivity of the surface of porous layers based on methyl-doped silicon dioxide is considered. A principal difference between the effects of plasma on materials with the pores of different sizes is demonstrated. It is shown that the VUV irradiation passivates the surface of the layers with smaller pores (1.1 nm in radius), while the films with larger pores (5.5 nm) do not get passivated (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


In this paper, we propose a network propagation model that quantifies the diffusion phenomenon of an ERP in industrial network via a simulation approach. The proposed simulation model is influenced by external and internal factors which take into account the network structure. This approach allowed us to describe ERP systems diffusion with an epidemiological angle, and keep track of periodical development of the diffusion phenomenon for each enterprise within a business network.


At present the multi-stage transformation topology are more used in photovoltaic (PV) grid-connected system, although the control of this structure is relatively simple but the conversion efficiency is difficult to improve due to increase in transformation series. The single stage topology has a simple topology with high reliability and efficiency because of low power consumption, but control algorithm is more complex because of its power convert main circuit without DC-DC. This paper describes a method for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in the single-stage and single-phase PV grid-connected system. In the paper, the nonlinear output characteristics of the PV including I-V & P-V are obtained in changed solar insulations or temperature based on MATLAB, and the MPPT algorithm which is based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO) method is also described. The simulation model of the single-stage and single-phase PV grid-connected system is built , and simulation results show the MPPT algorithm has excellent dynamic and static performances ,which verifies the PSO method is effective for MPPT in the single-stage and single-phase PV grid-connected system.


We have done a study to compare the performance of different optical receivers in both static light scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy experiments. We have compared the results of a commercially available pinhole receiver and three different self-constructed fiber receivers using respectively single-mode, few-mode, and multimode optical fibers. Collection efficiency and spatial coherence factor were experimentally determined and linked to the fiber parameters. Four different monomodal and three different bimodal colloidal suspensions were prepared and measured by photon correlation spectroscopy using different optical receivers. Five different analysis algorithms were used to retrieve particle parameters and size distribution functions:  the cumulant method, the non-negatively least-squares method, the exponential sampling method, CONTIN, and the double-exponential method. All programs were part of the Brookhaven ISDA software analysis packet. Special attention was focused on the reproducibili...


Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (Linnaeus) G. L. Nesom is native to almost every area in North America east of the Rocky Mountains, but excluding the far north of Canada as well as some of the southern States. Due to the attractive fl owers, numerous cultivars of have been developed. Furthermore, as a result of its increased usage in the garden, it has been introduced to many area beyond its natural range. In many places Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is escaped from cultivation and naturalized as an alien species. According to Euro+Med PlantBase there is a presumption that the species is introduced in the countries of the Former Yugoslavia. Based on our research in the fi eld and the studies of herbarium material, we have found that S. novae-angliae is present in Serbia, both as cultivated ornamental plants, as well as a naturalized alien species. We have registered this species on 25 localities that are situated in 18 UTM 10 km x 10 km squares. Twenty two of the localities refer to a small group of individuals which are cultivated, while the remaining 3 fi ndings relate to plants that have escaped from cultivation and have naturalized as a alien species. Size estimation of naturalized populations and detailed chorological data (locations of occurrences recorded with GPS, and distribution map presented at UTM grid squares of c. 10 km × 10 km) are presented.


Based on Kolb's learning styles theory,this empirical study explores the effect of students' learning styles on their performance in an online course offered at a military academy in Shanghai.Data were collected through the use of questionnaires,interviews,and surveys.And the results reveal a correlation between the evaluation of online courses and online learning performance among learners with different learning styles.The study has implications for better designing online courses,for instance,to assess students' learning styles at the beginning of the class and to design course content and activities to accommodate their learning styles.


Introduction 99m Tc (T1/2= 6 h) in various chemical forms is the most commonly used radiotracer in nuclear medicine, covering more than 70% of all nuclear medical diagnosis due to its multiple advantages. It decays with a suitable half-life and emits a 140.5 keV γ-ray, which is ideally suited for imaging via single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and causes minimal radiation dose to the patient. It is popular due to its convenient availability through a 99 Mo/ 99m Tc generator system and its capability to form a wide variety of complexes with organic ligands, which can be obtained instantaneously as kit formulations [1]. The parent radionuclide 99 Mo (T1/2=66 h) is generally produced via neutron-induced fission of highly enriched 235 U in a nuclear reactor. Two reactors, NRU Canada and HFR Netherlands, which together meet about 70% of the world demand of 99 Mo. Owing to various problems from these suppliers, an alternative method for the production of 99 Mo and 99m Tc is suggested using the proton induced reaction of highly enriched 100 Mo target. Further, there are large discrepancies in published reaction cross section data for 100 Mo(p,2n) 99m Tc reaction[2]. Experimental details: In the present work, generation of 99 Mo and 99m Tc were carried out via 24 hours irradiation of the enriched 100 Mo targets at an incident proton energy of 17.6 MeV using the stacked foil activation technique at the 14 MV Pelletron , TIFR, Mumbai. Stacks of highly enriched foils of molybdenum 100 Mo of thickness 1mg/cm 2


Scalar dissipation rate is an essential parameter in combustion theory; understanding its behavior is necessary for developing and improving combustion models. In most cases, the scalar dissipation rate shows different trends under different combustion conditions, and it is thus case-dependent. Spray combustion is categorized as a partiallypremixed combustion system, leading to very complex processes. The objective of this work is to investigate the behavior of scalar dissipation rate in turbulent spray combustion using Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS). For this purpose, a temporally-evolving jet (TEJ) configuration has been examined. 3D simulations have been conducted using the inhouse code DINO. This configuration constitutes a perfect numerical setting to investigate scalar dissipation rate, mixing, and shear in spray combustion. The conditional mean of scalar dissipation rate shows a non-monotonic behavior in mixture fraction space, highlighting the complexity of the interaction between spray, flame, and turbulence.


The 'Sufi message' series is devoted to the works of Hazrat Inayat Khan. Each volume deals with a specific aspect of Sufism, showing the path to inner peace and providing an insight into understanding and spirituality.


Objective:To evaluate the curative effect of intra-aortic balloon pumping(IABP) on cardiac pump failure after coronary artery bypass graft.Methods:Retrospective analysis of 58 patients who were undergone IABP for low cardiac output syndrome after coronary artery bypass graft.Results: 30 minutes after using IABP,the diastolic counter-pulsation pressures reach to 65-130mmHg,cardiac indexes increased to 2.27±0.20L·min-1·m-2 from 1.60±0.20L·min-1·m-2(P0.001),mean arterial pressures went up to 85.3±25.5 mm Hg from 47.1±16.0 mm Hg(P0.001),and patients,conditions were improved.8 patients died,including IABP-depended in 5 cases,complication with IABP in 1 case,and other reason in 2 case.Conclusions: IABP not only increased the coronary blood flow and oxygen supply significantly,but also reduced cardiac after load significantly,thus resulted in the improvement of the myocardial oxygen supply-demand balance and the increase of the cardiac output.So IABP was effective to treat the patients with the cardiac pump failure after coronary artery bypass graft.


Membrane separation is a cost-effective and energy-saving technology compared with physical adsorption, chemical absorption, distillation, and other conventional methods. With high surface area, uniform and adjustable pore aperture size/shape, etc., porous coordination polymers or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have demonstrated outstanding potentials for storage, separation, catalysis, sensing and many other applications. MOFs are also emerging as promising membrane materials in recent years. Nevertheless, most MOF-based membranes still suffer from complicated synthesis, low stability, low permeability, and/or low selectivity. SOD-[Zn(mim)2] (MAF-4 or ZIF-8, Hmim=2-methylimidazole) with a very small aperture size (0.34 nm) is a zeolitic MOF material having high chemical stability and thermal stability. Besides adsorption, catalysis, and many other functions, MAF-4 has also been extensively studied as a membrane material, and many membrane synthesis methods and membrane supports have been reported. As a Zn(II)-based MOF, MAF-4 crystals/membranes can grow on ZnO surface by partial conversion of the oxide to the MOF component. Therefore, porous ZnO may be a suitable support for a MAF-4 membrane. However, for known MAF-4 membrane synthesis methods, the ZnO layers need to be coated on the surface of conventional supports such as porous α-Al2O3, silica, and titania, by complicated procedures. To utilize the advantage of ZnO and simplify the membrane preparation process, porous ZnO supports were used in this work, and MAF-4 membranes were successfully grown by the facile secondary growth method. Powder X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope showed that the obtained membranes were compact and continuous with thickness of 4 μm. Single-component gas permeation experiments gave an H2/CO2 ideal selectivity of 7.5 and an H2 permeance of 2.1×10-7 mol/(m2 Pa s) under a pressure drop of 100 kPa at 25°C. When the temperature increased to 100°C, the H2/CO2 ideal selectivity increased to 25, while the H2 permeance remained 2.0×10-7 mol/(m2 Pa s). For equimolar H2/CO2 mixture, the obtained MAF-4 membrane showed a selectivity of 5.7 for H2/CO2 and a H2 permeance of 1.2×10-7 mol/(m2 Pa s) under a pressure drop of 100 kPa at 25°C. This work indicates porous ZnO as a suitable support for fabrication of other Zn-based MOF membranes.


Collisional activation spectra and deuterium labelling show that the C2H4O2+· ion formed by McLafferty rearrangement in aliphatic acids does not isomerise to the acetic acid molecular ion.


Carrier for stacked semiconductor device of the present invention, the lower carrier 3 having a first housing portion 12 for housing the first semiconductor device 110 comprising a lower, second to be stacked on the first semiconductor device 110 accommodating the semiconductor device 120, it is configured with a upper carrier 2 having a second housing portion 14 to place the second semiconductor device 120 to a predetermined position on the first semiconductor device 110. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to provide a dedicated equipment for lamination, it is possible to reduce the cost.


This paper deals with the effect of shield wires on lightning overvoltage reduction and the energy relief of MOV (Metal Oxide Varistor) arresters from direct strokes to distribution lines. The subject of discussion is the enhancement of lightning protection in Finnish distribution networks where lightning is most severe. The true index of lightning severity in these areas is based on the ground flash densities and return stroke data collected from the Finnish meteorological institute. The presented test case is the IEEE 34‐node test feeder injected with multiple lightning strokes and simulated with the Alternative Transients Program/Electromagnetic Transients program (ATP/EMTP). The response of the distribution line to lightning strokes was modeled with three different cases: no protection, protection with surge arresters and protection with a combination of shield wire and arresters. Simulations were made to compare the resulting overvoltages on the line for all the analyzed cases.


The principle of HDB3 code is analyzed firstly.Then,the simulation scheme of the HDB3 code system based on the MAX+plusII platform is proposed and the symbol of HDB3 code is designed.Furthermore,a useful way to design user-defined symbols is elucidated using an example of HDB3 code.The debug results and analysis indicate that the proposed scheme is reasonable and an effectual method to implement a special module with MAX+plusII for general users is provided.


Background: Maxillary reconstruction with a free fibula flap is widely used after oncologic resection because it allows functional and esthetic restoration of the maxillary arch and implant-retained prostheses. The purpose of this study was to explore the application of digital design, 3D printing technology and surgical navigation on maxillary reconstruction with free fibula flap. Methods: Eleven patients requiring maxillary reconstruction were enrolled in our study. Each case underwent digital design and 3D printing technique to get the 3D model. The lost maxilla model was copied from the opposite side. According to the 3D model, the titanium mesh was then rebuilt to have an accurate stereo shape. Demographic data, surgical factors, and perioperative and postoperative results were evaluated. Results: All patients underwent digital design, 3D printing technology preoperative planning and surgical navigation for resection of the tumor and reconstruction. 11 cases were followed up for 8-22 months, all flaps were successful, no complications such as infection, diplopia or exophthalmos had occurred. Only one patient local recurrence, no recurrence of the remaining cases. Conclusion: Digital design, 3D printing technology, and surgical navigation allowed for precise planning of the tumor resection and accurate size of the fibula flaps. Maxillary reconstruction with a free fibular flap can obtain excellent functional and acceptable esthetic outcomes. Introduction Maxillary defects resulting from tumor resection or trauma can cause severe functional and cosmetic deformities. A maxillectomy can cause defects of the alveolar bone, gingiva, palate, maxilla, zygomatic bone, and orbital floor. Loosing of these key structures can lead to enophthalmos, orbital dystopia, feeding and speech problems, and midfacial projection loss. Surgical reconstruction might provide a better phonation and deglutition function than prosthetic reconstruction [1]. The main goals of maxillary reconstruction are to heal the wound, separate the oral and sinonasal cavities, recreate the alveolar ridge, restore the midfacial projection, and provide orbital support [2,3]. It has been proved feasible in maxillary reconstruction with vascularized free fibula flap, scapular flap, iliac crest free flap, etc [4,5]. Free fibula flap as a source of vascularized bone has gained widespread use since its first description by Taylor in 1975 [6]. In 1993, Schusterman reported the first midface reconstruction with a free fibula flap [7]. The using of this flap with osseo integrated implants can provide satisfactory results esthetically and functionally in the long term. Thus, fibula flaps are the ideal choice for maxillary reconstruction. Traditionally, fibular shaping is done after cutting the pedicle. Adjusting the length of the bone designing and performing the osteotomies increase ischemia time, this may be crucial for flap survival. This process also lengthens the total operative time. In addition, using traditional techniques makes it difficult to recreate the original maxillary contour accurately. Achieving good bony contraction may also be difficult, which compromises the ossification process. A functional and esthetically good outcome is important for the patient's quality of life. In order to address these problems, three-dimensional (3D) technology has been utilized in reconstructive surgery [8,9]. Digital design, 3D printing technology, and surgical navigation have been developed to avoid errors in the traditional model process. Utilization of digital design, 3D printing technology, which allows for preoperative virtual planning and the manufacture of customized cutting guides and prebend plates, has become more popular in maxillary reconstruction. Zhang et al demonstrated that Application of computer-assisted techniques such as virtual planning and surgical navigation significantly Research Article | Short Name: Syntax J Biotechnol Bioeng | Copyright© all rights reserved by Xiaojuan Tang Syntax Journal of Biotechnology and Bioengineering Application of Digital Design, Three-Dimensional Printing and Surgical Navigation Technique on Maxillary Reconstruction with Free Fibula Flap 02 Citation: Tang X. Application of Digital Design, Three-Dimensional Printing and Surgical Navigation Technique on Maxillary Reconstruction with Free Fibula Flap. Syntax J Biotechnol Bioeng. 2018; 1: 101. improve the clinical outcomes of maxillary reconstruction with free fibula flaps [10]. Avraham et al. evaluated a large series of mandibular defects reconstructed with fibula flaps utilizing this technique and also reported reduced operative times and a very high dental rehabilitation rate [11]. These previous findings support the application of Digital design, 3D printing technology, and surgical navigation prior to surgical reconstruction. We studied the effects of Digital design, 3D printing technology and surgical navigation in 11 consecutive patients undergoing maxillary reconstruction with a free fibula flap. We aimed to improve the outcomes of reconstruction with free fibula flap and titanium mesh by using these new techniques. Materials and Methods The Ethical Review Board of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University granted our study. Eleven consecutive patients (7 men and 4 women) with maxillary defects underwent reconstruction of the maxilla using the free fibula flap at Department of Stomatology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2013 to February 2016. Patient ages ranged from 28 to 63 years, with a median age of 45 years. The primary diseases in the 11 patients were benign tumors in 5patients, malignant tumors in 6 patients. All patients met the following inclusion criteria: they had clinical and radiographic evidence of dental maxillofacial deformities and no craniofacial syndrome; had no previous orthognathic operation or previous maxillary or mandibular trauma. Surgical Planning and Procedure Preoperatively, patients underwent high-resolution Computed Tomography (CT) of the maxillofacial and lower leg regions. After CT scanning, a Web meeting was organized and 3D virtual planning of the tumor resection and reconstruction was done using ProPlan CMF. The resection planes of the maxillary, positioning of the plate, fibula length, and osteotomy angles were established. Customized cutting guides for maxillary resections and fibular osteotomies and prebend plates were manufactured according to the plan. A three-dimensional resin stereo-model was printed, based on the mirrored plan through rapid prototyping techniques. Figure 1: A three-dimensional resin stereo-model. The model was used to pre-bend one pieces of titanium mesh (0.6 mm, AO CMF, Synthes, Switzerland), which would be used to support the orbital floor and restore the maxillary contour Figure 2: Titanium mesh pre-bent on a printed 3D resin model. A two-team approach was used for the operation; routine pre-operative lower limbs CTA check the lower limbs peroneal artery and vein in order to understand the blood supply and vascular patency of variation. Figure 3: Pre-operative lower limbs CTA. Tumor resection and maxillary resection were performed according to the virtual plan by using the navigation system. Application of Digital Design, Three-Dimensional Printing and Surgical Navigation Technique on Maxillary Reconstruction with Free Fibula Flap 03 Citation: Tang X. Application of Digital Design, Three-Dimensional Printing and Surgical Navigation Technique on Maxillary Reconstruction with Free Fibula Flap. Syntax J Biotechnol Bioeng. 2018; 1: 101. Figure 4: The position of the maxillary resection is confirmed using the navigation system. The donor's leg was ipsilateral to the maxillary resection site. The fibula flap was harvested, as described by Hidalgo, A resin surgical plate was printed before the surgery, according to the virtual plan, and used as a template for fibula molding. Figure 5: A resin template used for flap molding. The fibula flap was transferred to the recipient site, and the pedicle was placed within a tunnel in the submandibular region to promote anastomosis. Intraoperative arterial anastomosis uses 8-0 atraumatic suture conventional hand-stitched arteries. Artery anastomosis select blood reflux good accompanying veins use of the venous coupler for vascular anastomosis. Figure 6: Venous coupler device used in free fibula flap transfers. The three-dimensional fibular and titanium mesh position was confirmed to match the position in the virtual plan. Figure 7: The prepared fibula and titanium mesh were inserted into the maxillary defect. Patient demographic data, surgical factors, and perioperative and postoperative results were collected and analyzed. Results All patients underwent Digital design, 3D printing technology and surgical navigation for resection of the tumor and reconstruction. The length of the fibula bone for maxillary reconstruction ranged from 5.6 to 7.8 cm, with a mean length of 6.56 cm. The height of the fibula bone ranged from 1.0 to 2.1 cm, with a mean height of 1.4cm. The length of vascular pedicles ranged from 7.5 to 10.5cm, with a mean length of 8.9 cm. One patient with squamous cell carcinoma had a local recurrence on the 10 months after surgery. No local recurrence or distant metastases were found in the other patients. Dental implants were placed for two patients. The mean total operative time for all patients was 475 minutes. One patient had local recurrence was found in this patient during the follow-up period. Symmetric appearance and ideal fibular segment position were achieved, as indicated by the three-dimensional CT reconstructions. All patients were satisfied with their postoperative appearance. Mean ischemia time was 75 minutes (range 57-95 minutes). They were found to be good and the flaps fitted into the defects precisely. There were no significant gaps between bone surfaces and therefore autologous b


Digital content, and the encrypted data, as a combination of a data processing operation that allows the use of an approved reproduction environment, is mastered. Player device having a data processing operation compatible with the processing environment of the content can be decrypted content reproduction. The player device, loading data from the medium, performing network communication, reproduction environment configuration determination, decoding / playback control, and / or, the basic functions such as execution of cryptographic operations using the keys of the player, the content It can also be provided to. These features, content can be protected to implement its own security policy. Pirate is, if the individual player of the content title was compromised, it is possible to use the new security features to prevent the old attack, to mastering the new content. Selective decoding functions may be provided, thereby, to allow trace attacks back to a particular player, allows running the watermark insertion ongoing. Function for the transition from traditional format is also provided.


In this paper, we propose a service mobility management system using XML security in the OSGi service platform. We design a method that includes service order information to XML signature to reduce processing, and propose a service bundle authentication mechanism, which is signed by XML signature. As a result, the mobility of services in OSGi-based residential gateways can be supported more safely and efficiently.


There is a lot to know about the food we eat. The ingredients for a jar of spaghetti sauce, a box of cereal, or a cup of coffee could come from around the corner or around the world; they could be grown with numerous pesticides or just a few; they could be grown on huge corporate organic farms or on small family-run conventional farms, they could be harvested by children or by machines; they could be stored in hygienic or pest-infested storage facilities; or they could increase or decrease the risk of cancer. A description of any food product could include information on a myriad of attributes (Golan, Kuchler & Mitchell, 2009, p. 1).


The present invention relates to immunoassay using the antibodies in determination of human BNP or human BNP fragments in the antibody and the test sample that specifically bind to human BNP.


in her own firsthand experience of the market. She stresses the importance of her experiences of working as a runner for Perkins Silver on the Board of Trade's trading floors and of simulating taking positions in the markets in real time. In Zaloom's view, trading becomes ethnographically accessible only through such embodied experience. As she was told by a Chicago trader on day 1 of her fieldwork, "I can't tell you anything. It is just something that you have to see for yourself" (p. 8). Implicitly, then, Zaloom moves back and forth between a view of the collapsed distance between trading and social theory and a view of the unbridgeable distance between the two. She does not explicitly discuss the work this oscillation does in her analysis, but the tension that it generates points to a distinctively intertwined way in which the market cannot stand outside knowledge of it, and vice versa. Zaloom must be commended for writing Out of the Pits in a highly accessible style free of anthropological and financial jargon. This is no small accomplishment. One of the most difficult tasks any ethnographer of financial markets faces is to describe the technical details of financial techniques, instruments, and technologies in an ethnographically compelling manner. The more detailed one's account of these aspects of the markets gets, the less compelling it can become. At the same time, however, one would not want one's ethnographic analysis to fall into the well-established genre of popular writ


Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication effectively reduces acid reflux and reflux symptoms. Little is known about the effect on reflux mechanisms, especially on transient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxations (TLOSRs).


This paper discusses the role of meta-governance in developing integrative territorial strategies at regional level. Evidence is drawn from analysing three cases in the Randstad (Netherlands) of regional strategy making within the context of the long-term central government investment programme on infrastructure and spatial development, in short: MIRT. A novelty of the MIRT programme as opposed to its predecessor, the MIT programme (without the 'R' of ruimte, or territory), is that it asks for developing a territorial agenda as a basis for further project implementation. The territorial agenda is developed in order to provide a strategic framework to assess which programmes and projects should be taken up. The agendas are drawn up cooperatively by central and lower tier government in each region. They constitute the underpinning with respect to central government investments in new programmes and projects. They are also meant to stimulate the coherence between the different policy fields and between central and regional policy. So the general idea is that decisions about (central) government investments and the multilevel negotiations which lead to these decisions need a territorial argumentative basis. Meta-governance is seen as the 'governance of governance', or the 'regulation of selfregulation' (Jessop, 2004). The purpose of meta-governance is to create some form of coordination, coherence and integration in the fragmented structures of network governance without completely undermining the autonomy, engagement and self-regulation in governance networks (Sorensen, 2006). In so doing the concept of meta-governance provides an analytical tool to analyse processes of network governance, which is relevant in the Randstad region where governance arrangements stumble over each other. In terms of findings we observe amongst others that the MIRT programme creates an institutional context which enables governmental stakeholders to deal effectively with the fragmented governance situation in their part of the Randstad. Also it is effective, in a number of ways, in relating strategy and vision to the concrete implementation of projects and investments. Yet, there are a few drawbacks too, in particular referring to the limited set of involved stakeholders and legitimacy as well as to the difficulty in aligning with other policy programmes and initiatives, especially those of regional and local governments. These


System employs spray facility located within ventilated plastic booth to uniformly coat exterior of large cylindrical tanks with polyurethane foam insulation. Coating target is rotated on turntable while movable spray guns apply overlapping spirals of foam. Entire operation may be controlled by single operator from remote station.


This volume contains the papers presented at the Leiden Conference on Canonization and Decanonization, held in January 1997. The emphasis is on the processes of canonization and decanonization in several religions, and on the phenomenon of religious canons. The two sections discuss (de)canonization and the history of religions, and (de)canonization and modern society. In the first section, processes out of which canons eventually emerge are highlighted in contributions devoted to particular religions, such as African religions, Judaism and Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism. The articles in the second section are of particular relevance to the contemporary situation in the Western world. They deal with aspects such as forms of the survival of a canon in processes of modernization, canonization and the challenge of plurality, and canonization and hermeneutics.


Abstract The effect of introducing the perfluoro(alkoxy)alkyl groups into liquid crystalline one-ring derivatives on the appearance of the mesophases and their physico-chemical properties is discussed and compared with that of the corresponding (alkoxy)alkyl groups.


INTRODUCTION: The utility of photosensitizers (PS), such as 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), has been limited to fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) and photodynamic therapy. The downstream metabolism of 5-ALA results in tumor-specific, highly selective accumulation of PpIX, an endogenous porphyrin, in tumor cells. We have previously reported evidence of PpIX in EVs derived from the plasma of glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Here, we characterize the tumor-specific nature of PpIX fluorescent EVs through quantification of their cargo, demonstrating their utility in the advancement of liquid biopsy for GBM diagnosis and management.
 METHODS: Fluorescence activated cell sorting was adapted for nanoparticle isolation and PpIX fluorescent EVs were sorted from plasma collected from patients (N = 8) diagnosed with GBM, undergoing FGS. RNA cargo was extracted and quantified via low input RNA-Seq. Matching patient tumor and total plasma EVs along with healthy control plasma EVs (N = 8) were sequenced in parallel.
 SUMMARY: Through sequencing analysis, we have demonstrated a distinct landscape of long RNAs (mRNA and lncRNA) in PpIX EVs, with isolation of this EV population resulting in an enrichment of lncRNAs. Considering the emerging diagnostic and prognostic potential of lncRNAs in GBM, exploration of such EVs provides valuable insight into the pathobiology of the tumor of origin. On a broader scale, gene expression analysis of PpIX EV cargo demonstrates at least a ten-fold enrichment of genes that are otherwise buried in the heterogeneous plasma EV background. Furthermore, downstream KEGG orthological analysis of PpIX EV cargo has revealed alignment of 78% of the significant pathways to processes implicated in cancer development and progression. We have identified a panel of genes unique to PpIX EVs, and reflective of the native tumor, that are implicated in GBM pathogenesis including GREM1, MAP4K4, and STAG2. Validation via quantitative and digital PCR of total plasma EVs from patient and healthy cohorts (N = 10, respectively) have yielded similar expression levels, as reflected in sequencing gene expression. Isolation of PpIX EVs, however, insinuates enriched genetic detection.
 CONCLUSION: In summary, this preliminary cohort of GBM patients has demonstrated the utility of 5-ALA induced PpIX fluorescence outside of its original intentions: facilitating tumor-specific EV identification for the progression of liquid biopsy. These findings are an inviting breakthrough in the development of individualized disease detection and monitoring.
 Citation Format: Tiffaney Hsia, Anudeep Yekula, Syeda M. Batool, Bob S. Carter, Leonora Balaj. Novel approach for glioblastoma characterization via tumor specific extracellular vesicles [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5175.


It is a great honour and a pleasure to have been invited to join the 22 birthday celebrations of SIM, the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights. Like so many in Europe and the wider world I have long been an admirer and supporter of the work of SIM. It has been truly a leader in the field of human rights programmes and not alone in the Netherlands. It has influenced many other institutes and centres including my own at Essex in the United Kingdom. I have known I think all the directors, Hans Thoolen, Manfred Nowak, Peter Baehr, and of course Cees Flinterman who is the current director. I have been a member of the editorial board of the Netherlands Human Rights Quarterly for at least a decade. I should mention that the NQHR has consistently covered the work of the United Nations human rights system and is an indispensable source for high quality analysis of the bodies that I will refer to later, such as the Commission and the Sub-Commission. So I feel almost a member of the family in being here. But I am also going to ask you to mark another birthday: that of another important centre a kind of scaled up SIM – the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The post of High Commissioner is ten years old. Well, you do not have to be too exact on dates unlike human birthdays. It is either 10 years old in two months time, on 20 December 2003, the tenth anniversary of the Resolution of the General Assembly establishing the post of High Commissioner (GA Resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993) or it could be the anniversary of the date on which the first High Commissioner José Ayala-Lasso, a UN diplomat from Ecuador, took up his post in April 1994. José Ayola Lasso served three years in the post and the second High Commissioner, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, took up the post for five years from September 1997 to September 2002. The third High Commissioner, Sergio Vierra de Mello, a distinguished UN official of Brazilian nationality, tragically spent only 11 months in the post. He was, as we all know, killed in a horrific bomb attack at the UN Headquarters in Baghdad in August of this year. That outrage in which 22 PART C: APPENDICES


The development of fetal brain is influenced by nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) and choline. Phosphatidylethanolamine-Nmethyltransferase (PEMT) catalyzes the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) from phosphatidylethanolamine that is enriched in DHA and many humans have functional genetic polymorphisms in the PEMT gene. Previously, it was reported that Pemt-/mice have altered hippocampal development. The present study explores whether abnormal PtdCho biosynthesis causes altered incorporation of DHA into membranes, thereby influencing brain development, and determines whether supplemental dietary DHA can reverse some of these changes. Pregnant C57BL/6 wild type (WT) and Pemt-/mice were fed control diet, or diet supplemented with 3g/kg DHA, from gestational day 11-17. Brains from embryonic day 17 fetuses derived from Pemt-/dams fed the control diet had 2550% less phospholipid-DHA as compared to WT (p<0.05). Also, they had 60% more neural progenitor cell proliferation (p<0.05), 60% more neuronal apoptosis (p<0.01) and 30% less calretinin expression (p<0.05; a marker of neuronal differentiation) in the hippocampus compared to WT. The DHA supplemented diet increased fetal brain Pemt-/phospholipid-DHA to WT levels, and abrogated the neural progenitor cell proliferation and apoptosis differences. While this diet did not change proliferation in the WT group, it halved the rate of apoptosis (p<0.05). In both genotypes, the DHA supplemented diet increased calretinin expression 2-fold (p<0.05). These results suggest that the changes in hippocampal development in the Pemt-/mouse could be mediated by altered DHA incorporation into membrane phospholipids, and that maternal dietary of DHA can influence fetal brain development.


Objective To compare the clinical efficacy and toxicity of OLF-H(L-OHP/LV/5-Fu/HCPT) regimen and OLF(L-OHP/LV/5-Fu) regimen in treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. Methods Thirty cases were treated with OLF-H regimen (L-OHP 130 mg/m2, d1; LV 100 mg/m2 , d1~ 5; 5-Fu 500 mg/m2, d1~ 5 and HCPT 6 mg/m2,d1~ 5) and the other 30 cases were treated with OLF regimen. Both regimens were repeated every 4 weeks. Results The results showed no significant difference in response rates between the OLF-H group and OLF group (53.3% vs 36.7% , P 0.05), but the time to progression (TTP), in the OLF-H group which was 34 weeks, was significantly longer than that in OLF group, which was 25 weeks ( P 0.05) .All the side effects were mild and tolerable. Conclusion OLF-H regimen may be promising for treating advanced colorectal cancer and is worthy of further clinical trial.


This study investigated whether the effect of circadian effect can be characterized by midnight pupil size. A phosphor-converted LED and an RGB LED with the same photopic luminance and color temperatures but different circadian luminance were selected as the experimental light sources. The steady-state pupil diameters stimulated by these two LEDs' lighting were obtained by the infrared video, which were affected by photopic and circadian effects together. Twenty healthy volunteers were tested at different times of a day for five working days. It was found that the steady-state pupil size stimulated by these two LEDs were significantly different at midnight, but showed no significant difference in daytime, which indicated the circadian effect can be characterized by midnight pupil size. This study was very important for the design and evaluation of healthy lighting.


Mechanical properties of road subgrades and pavement layers, which consequently result in better performance, both in paved and unpaved roads. In this study, both laboratory experiments and finite element analysis were conducted to evaluate the performance of lime and cement treated base layers on soft clay subgrade. To achieve this, a number of mixtures with different lime and cement contents were defined and modelled, using finite element software, namely PLAXIS, as base layers under different loadings. The models were then analysed and compared in terms of vertical deformation under loads and the maximum applicable load. Analytical and numerical modelling of lime and cement treated soils require a number of soil parameters, which are usually obtained from expensive and time-consuming laboratory experiments. An alternative method was proposed in this study, in which the soil parameters required for the finite element analysis were obtained from the unconfined compressive strength tests, and estimated using the estimating functions available in available literature. The results of this study have showed that the application of the mixture with the highest modulus of elasticity for a base layer does not necessarily result in a pavement with the greatest bearing capacity. Rather, a correspondence should exist between the stiffness of the subgrade and that of the base layer.


Given the common use of compost in agriculture, forestry, landscaping and environmental restoration, it is essential that it is perfectly compatible with plant growth and, if possible, that it increases production and quality of plant biomass. It is therefore necessary to evaluate the absence of phytotoxic substances in the compost, which not only informs about its quality, but also on the proper handling of the composting process. Procedures for assessing the phytotoxicity as an indicator of compost maturity can be grouped into two types: a) seed germination and seedling elongation tests with extracts of compost; b) direct seeding tests on substrates made wholly or partly by compost. For the compost to be considered mature, the results of germination and elongation, or plant biomass, should be at least 80-90% of those obtained in a control. These tests have proven to be sensitive to various toxins, such as salts, organic acids, ammonia, or metals, and can be used to evaluate the process conditions and the degree of stabilization of organic matter, and the suitability of the raw materials. However, the great variability in testing methods make difficult the comparison and interpretation of results, so it is necessary to advance in the standardization of procedures and determine phytotoxicity thresholds for potential phytotoxic compounds in compost. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Abstract A new wideband multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system able to operate in a frequency band ranging between 3.3 and 7.1 GHz is proposed for fifth-generation (5G) new radio applications for future smartphones. The design structure contains four pairs of compact microstrip-fed slot antennas, located at the corners of an FR-4 printed circuit board. Each pair of antennas consists of a radiator with two concentric annular slots, fed by two L-shaped microstrip-feeding lines and provides polarization and radiation pattern diversity function due to the orthogonal placement of their feed-line. In order to reduce the mutual coupling characteristic, we have inserted a rectangular slot under each microstrip feed-line. Besides, we have coupled and linked the two rings by a small gap to combine and move the resonant modes so as to achieve wideband coverage. The measured and simulated results show that the proposed design achieves the desired performance, such as isolation >12 dB, a total efficiency >48%, and an envelope correlation coefficient <0.07. In addition, the radiation pattern, the total efficiency, the realized gain, and the channel capacity are also studied. According to the reached results, the proposed MIMO antenna may be a suitable application-oriented design for 5G mobile communication.


Both boron nitride and boron carbide were synthesized by the pyrolysis of the boric acid/1,2,3-propanetriol condensation product above 1300 °C in N2, whereas the thermal treatment in an Ar flow yielded boron carbide.


The inactivation of the bacteriophage, Q β, with specific antiserum was studied. The reaction exhibited a continual decrease in rate that was evident from the beginning. The same limiting value of the surviving fraction was reached by all concentrations of a serum. The deviation from first order kinetics was not attributable to dissociation or pre-existing phage heterogenity. The results support the idea of the development of resistant phages by interaction with antiserum components. The curve of neutralization could be approximated mathematically.


Rapid and complete switching between the N6 and the N5O donor set induced by changing the metal oxidation state has been observed for a new structural motif based on a ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complex.


Taking the ZFD-1 neutron generator as an example,the axial distribution of neutrons in the neutron tube under several suitable acceleration voltages and the key factor that affected the detecting performance of the 3He gas-based neutron monitor are studied in the experiment.Some fitting curves and its fitting function are given after processing the experimental data.So that the yield of this(D-D) reaction neutron tube in the neutron tube axial center line is calibrated.


The current circulating pandemic El Tor biotype of Vibrio cholerae has persisted for over sixty years and is characterized by its acquisition of two unique genomic islands called the Vibrio Seventh Pandemic Islands 1 and 2 (VSP-I and VSP-II). However, the functions of most of the genes on VSP-I and VSP-II are unknown and the advantages realized by El Tor through these two islands are not clear. Recent studies have broadly implicated these two mobile genetic elements with phage defense. Still, protection against phage infection through these islands has not been observed directly in any V. cholerae El Tor biotype. Here we report the isolation of a circulating phage from a cholera patient stool sample and demonstrate that propagation of this phage in its native host is inhibited by elements in both VSP-I and VSP-II, providing direct evidence for the role of these genomic islands in phage defense. Moreover, we show that these defense systems are regulated by quorum sensing and active only at certain cell density. Finally, we have isolated a naturally occurring phage variant that is resistant to the defense conferred by the VSP islands, illustrating the countermeasures used by phages to evade these defense mechanisms. Together, this work demonstrates a functional role for the VSPs in V. cholerae and highlights the key regulatory and mechanistic insights that can be gained by studying anti-phage systems in their native contexts. SIGNIFICANCE (AUTHOR SUMMARY) The current pandemic strain of Vibrio cholerae carries two unique genomic islands. How these two islands confer evolutionary advantage to the pathogen is unknown. We show here the identification of a circulating phage that is sensitive to the defense systems present on these two islands and demonstrate how phage variants can evade these defenses. Our studies provide the first direct evidence showing the importance of these genomic islands in defending against phage in their native environments; and in doing so provide novel insight into the mechanisms of these highly conserved defense elements.


The article considers issues on application of information and analytics expert system in the stage of the development of a strategy of business processes modelling resistant to real conditions of market risk. Variants of business-processes reconfiguration are described together with decomposition of connection structure in the framework of expert system.


Platinum‐based chemotherapy and radiotherapy are standard treatments for non‐small cell lung cancer, which is the commonest, most lethal cancer worldwide. As a marker of treatment‐induced cancer cell death, we have developed a radiodiagnostic imaging antibody, which binds to La/SSB. La/SSB is an essential, ubiquitous ribonuclear protein, which is over expressed in cancer and plays a role in resistance to cancer therapies.


Indonesian have long empirical use of the Sanrego plant (Lunasia amara Blanco) as antidiabetic, but the active compounds of Sanrego that acts as antidiabetic is not yet known. This study aimed to know the active compound from the ethyl acetate extract (EEA) of Sanrego stems and leaves and predict its ability as an anti- diabetic by in-silico. The dried leaves and stems of Sanrego were grounded into powder and extracted using ethyl acetate. The active compounds were detected using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and Liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Anti-diabetic activity was predicted by molecular docking approach compared to acarbose and vildagliptin. The TLC results showed that Sanrego EEA contained alkaloid and flavonoid compounds include scopoletin. The LC-HRMS results showed 11 active compounds in EEA and all of them had anti-diabetic activity. The detected main compounds were hesperidin, scopoletin, tangeritin, and trigonelline. Based on the results of molecular docking, the four compounds showed anti-diabetic activity through α-glucosidase inhibition and dipeptidyl peptides- 4 (DPP-4) inhibition. Hesperidin has the highest energy affinity as an α-glucosidase inhibitor (-7.4) and DPP4 inhibitor (-9.8), followed by tangeritin, scopoletin, and trigonelline. This study concluded that the EEA of Sanrego contains hesperidin, tangeritin, scopoletin, and trigonelline which has anti-diabetic activity through α-glucosidase inhibition and DPP4 inhibition.


producers ultimately compelled all to adopt new machinery, and the learning arising from its diffusion further enhanced the relative position of shoe machinery firms and inventors at the technological frontier. He argues that the rise of such firms, and other such changes in the context or structure of the industry, were far more important determinants of invention than the slowly evolving demand conditions or distribution of skills. Thomson's interpretation is fascinating, if not always persuasive. Although he is certainly correct in suggesting that Jacob Schmookler neglected the impact of changes in technology on the extent of the market in his effort to dramatize the reverse causal pathway, the same point could be made about Thomson's emphasis on the role of institutions in shaping the market. One of the most novel elements of the case he presents is a creative analysis of information in patent records. This evidence, which must have required a great deal of tedious data linkage, indicates that professional inventors captured a larger share of shoerelated patents after the industry had mechanized, and that there were considerable technical spillovers between mechanized industries as well as between different aspects of shoemaking. The Path to Mechanized Shoe Production is a careful and provocative study of invention and innovation in one of the most important nineteenth-century manufacturing industries. It deserves to be read by all scholars of this critical period in American industrialization or of processes of technical change in general.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the unexpected consequences in the operation of urban environments. Prediction within the urban planning process often presents difficulties and unintended consequences. It is not enough to develop a good project. Unexpected consequences are possible because of the environment. The authors argue that these problems of uncertainty can be minimized with citizen participation and the use of new technologies.

Design/methodology/approach
The problem of how urban planning initiatives result in unexpected consequences is described. These effects are determined by studying a series of cities and real urban environments. A case study on urban accessibility is developed for a better understanding of the problem.

Findings
Avoiding unexpected consequences in the operation of urban environments is strongly linked to the concept of Smart City 3.0. This concept is based on the co-creation. In this line to address the problem, a citizen-centric methodology using the latest information and communications technologies and internet of things technologies is presented. As a practical application, different categories of unexpected events related to the Faculty of Education building at the University of Alicante have been identified as a consequence of the impact of its environment. An uncomfortable or non-accessible environment causes unforeseen behaviour of individuals.

Originality/value
There are no analytical tools to investigate how aspects of the urban environment cause uncertainty about the acceptance of projects by future citizen users. This work takes a step forward in that direction.


Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) is a common autoimmunological disorder characterized by infiltration of exocrine glands by autoreactive immune cells that lead to the disease's two most common symptoms — dry eyes and a dry mouth, also known as sicca syndrome. The etiopathogenesis considers the coexistence of genetic predisposition and environmental factors, such as viral infections or sex hormones imbalance.The aim of the study was to determine whether major stressful life events are also risk factors for developing SS.We performed a matched case-control study. Cases were patients with an established diagnosis of primary SS (pSS) within the previous five years. Controls were patients with osteoarthritis in whom systemic connective tissue disease has been ruled out. Data on major stressful life events were collected using the modified Holmes-Rahe stress scale. Data were collected for the period of the year before the disease onset.100 patients were enrolled in the study (pSS group = 50, control group = 50), mean age was 55.8±10.4 years for pSS and 61.3±9.59 years for control group, in both groups 96 % of patients were female. pSS patients had significantly higher total score on Holmes-Rahe stress scale within the preceding 1 year before the onset of disease symptoms than control group (pSS group = 152±66.3 vs control group = 50±54.6; p<0.001). In pSS group 50 % of patients reported the subjective impression that the symptoms were caused by stress, while in control group it was 12 % (p<0.001). The most frequently mentioned life events in the pSS group were divorce or marital separation, death or change in health of family member and stress related to work.Patients with pSS are significantly more likely to have had a major stressful life event within the preceding 1 year before the disease onset. The relationship between stress and the occurrence of many diseases and their exacerbations is well documented, especially within autoimmune diseases. Stress is a ubiquitous problem these days, therefore it is of fundamental importance to understand the biological mechanisms underlying its influence on the development of diseases. It is crucial to properly recognize the stressful situation in the patient's life and undertake appropriate interventions in order to prevent health consequences.[1]Sandhya P, Kurien BT, Danda D, Scofield RH. Update on Pathogenesis of Sjogren's Syndrome. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2017;13(1):5-22. doi: 10.2174/1573397112666160714164149. PMID: 27412602; PMCID: PMC5280579.[2]Sharif K, Watad A, Coplan L, Lichtbroun B, Krosser A, Lichtbroun M, Bragazzi NL, Amital H, Afek A, Shoenfeld Y. The role of stress in the mosaic of autoimmunity: An overlooked association. Autoimmun Rev. 2018 Oct;17(10):967-983. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2018.04.005. Epub 2018 Aug 14. PMID: 30118900.[3]Skopouli FN, Katsiougiannis S. How stress contributes to autoimmunity-lessons from Sjögren's syndrome. FEBS Lett. 2018 Jan;592(1):5-14. doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.12933. Epub 2017 Dec 22. PMID: 29223133.[4]Roberts AL, Malspeis S, Kubzansky LD, Feldman CH, Chang SC, Koenen KC, Costenbader KH. Association of Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Longitudinal Cohort of Women. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017 Nov;69(11):2162-2169. doi: 10.1002/art.40222. Epub 2017 Oct 12. PMID: 28929625; PMCID: PMC5659907.[5]Lee YC, Agnew-Blais J, Malspeis S, Keyes K, Costenbader K, Kubzansky LD, Roberts AL, Koenen KC, Karlson EW. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Risk for Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016 Mar;68(3):292-8. doi: 10.1002/acr.22683. PMID: 26239524; PMCID: PMC4740283.[6]Warren S, Greenhill S, Warren KG. Emotional stress and the development of multiple sclerosis: case-control evidence of a relationship. J Chronic Dis. 1982;35(11):821-31. doi: 10.1016/0021-9681(82)90047-9. PMID: 7142361.None declared


Using the local version of the Hard and Soft Acids and Bases (HSAB) principle we have studied the reactive regions of the GaAs[110] surface upon chemical attack of atoms. Based on properties of the isolated reactants, the HSAB principle allow us to predict the most reactive sites of a polyatomic system. The surface was simulated by a cluster of 44 atoms and the calculations are performed at the ab initio Hartree-Fock level to determine its electronic properties.


The study assesses the level of integration of public health measures into national climate change adaptation strategies or action plans in the EU 28 countries in 2017-8, as part of the Pagoda WHO project. Areas covered in the analysis are: governance and policies on climate change and health impact, vulnerability assessment of climate change, integrated climate information into infectious disease surveillance, early warning systems for extreme weather, recent projects on climate change and human health, health effects of climate change, best practices, main risks and priorities protecting from climate change. A qualitative approach was applied in this research study based on responses of 20 questionnaires of WHO European Member States. 15 of the responding countries had developed a climate change health adaptation strategy and an associated implementation plan (75%), and these were approved by the government in 13 countries (65%). The results revealed certain specific areas for technical improvement mainly in strengthening of capacities to ascertain the climate-sensitive disease burden in populations.


The thesis entitled Emerging of The Issues RMS and Its Influence in Ambon Conflicts
1999. Aims to explain how the RMS issue emerged and its influence on the conflict in Ambon.
RMS issue was never discussed and never become a dominant topic in the social and political
life of the community in Ambon since this movement annihilated out by TNI troops in 1962.
RMS issues began bustling as a major issue after the 1999 conflict occurred. The conflict
that started by two young men who come from different ethnic conflict and develop into
conflicts between religions. In the process of this conflict arise statements came from several
parties claimed that RMS was the responsible party for the killing of Muslims and want to
establish a state-based sectarian Christian in the South Moluccas. As a result of this framing,
mobilization appear in large numbers by one religious organization to Ambon. One factor could
be the process of framing and mobilization is due to a Political Opportunity after the fall of the
authoritarian government under Soeharto.
RMS issues developed by the media, citing statements from some religious leaders and
the state as the responsible party in the conflict. Has brought this issue into the broader realm
involving groups such as Laskar Jihad were sympathic and emotionally moved by a sense of
religious solidarity and nationalism as well. In addition to the religious solidarity was also
motivated to fight separatism movement RMS. The presence of FKM (Maluku Sovereignty
Front) as the existence of the issue of RMS with activities then the bottleneck would affect the
peace process and increased the escalation of the conflict in Ambon.


By means of equivalence operator, binary relation is converted into equivalence relation. A concept of rough set of pansystems, which makes rough set deal with the matters based on non equivalence relation, is put fonvard to expand the range of application of rough set, and provide idea for dealing with the problems of fragmentary information. Features of some given equivalence operator are discussed.


The manual is a user guide for the suite of programs SORACOS V3.2. SORACOS is designed to simulate the non-linear rolling motion of a ship in regular beam waves at zero speed. It can supply the user with a wide variety of tabular and graphical output including the frequency response of the rolling ship, some measure of its stability, and/or a time dependent rolling response. The user can select the mathematical model he wishes to use. Currently there are two, (i) 'Model 1' was developed by the University of Southampton by Wright and Feat. (1) (ii) 'Model 2' was developed by the University of Newfoundland by Bass. (2)


where $\lambda$>0 is a bifurcation parameter. We say that f(u) is semipositone if f(0)<0. Semipositone problems arise in many different areas of applied mathematics and physics, such as the buckling of mechanical systems, the design of suspension bridges, chemical reactions and population models with harvesting effort; see e.g. [3, 16, 23, 28, 29]. Note that it is possible that (1.1) has non‐negative solutions with interior zeros (see [10]). In this paper we will only consider the positive solutions of (1.1). The study of semipositone problems was formally introduced by Castro and Shivaji in [10]. In general, studying positive solutions for semipositone problems is more difficult than that for positone problems. The difficulty is due to the fact that in the semipositone case, solutions have to live in regions where the nonlinear term is negative as well as positive. Due to its importance, one dimensional semipositone problems have been widely studied by many authors; see e.g. [1, 5, 8, 10, 15, 24, 31, 34]. For high dimensional results of semipositone problems; see e.g. [2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14]. In this paper, we assume that nonlinearity f \in C[0, \infty ) \cap C^{2}(0, \infty) satisfies hypotheses (\mathrm{H}1)-(\mathrm{H}3) as follows:


ABSTRACT Megophrys parva is currently considered to be among the most widely dispersed species within the genus, however, recent studies have provided compelling evidence that this species represents a complex of morphologically similar, deeply divergent taxa. The focus of this paper is to take a closer look at species from Northeast India (NEI) and Bangladesh that are currently, or were until recently, considered to represent M. parva, now comprising the M. (Xenophrys) megacephala species group. We investigate their troublesome taxonomic histories, identify hidden cryptic species diversity using morphological and molecular data, and resolve many of the historical misidentifications that have led to a proliferation of taxonomic confusion in this group. Molecular analyses extend the geographic distribution of the M. (X.) megacephala species group east into northern Myanmar based on available sequence data. A detailed redescription of the paralectotypes of M. parva is provided to better define this poorly known species. The geographic distributions of the taxonomically obscure species, M. serchhipii and M. zunhebotoensis, are extended far beyond their respective type localities, and both are considerably better defined taxonomically based on detailed descriptions of referred specimens, and comparison with relevant congeners. Significant geographic range extensions are also provided for the recently described species M. oropedion and M. megacephala. Three new species from the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur are identified using a combination of morphological characters, supported by significant genetic divergence. Examination of historical specimen collections and scrutiny of published literature provide sufficient evidence to remove M. parva and M. wuliangshanensis from the checklist of Indian species. Previous records of M. parva from Bangladesh are demonstrated to represent M. serchhipii. Recent reports of M. glandulosa and M. robusta from Meghalaya are also revised and are considered to be based on misidentifications of known species from the state. The revised distributions of NEI's small-sized horned frogs provide insights into the biogeography of the group. One of the newly described species known only from the high-elevation Dzükou Valley, Nagaland, might require immediate conservation action due to increased tourist activity at its type locality. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CE06A188-88E4-44CD-86A4-A62DD902B0A5


Increasing variability is a hallmark of aging populations. Although demographic trends are often described in terms of average experiences, in this paper we argue that variability in the health experiences of older men and women is key to understanding aging. The variations in outcomes among older people are not merely nuisances obscuring the more salient averages and trends. The deviations from the mean are a central part of the story: the patterning of these variations reveals factors that influence health for everyone and indicates what sort of advances in healthy aging might be possible under optimal circumstances.


Conventional observation data,especially the sea level pressure data in South China are used to analyze the forecast failure of a weak cold air supplement during the 14th Asian Sailing Contest(21-29 March,2010).Results show that the supplement of the weak cold air was neglected because the pressure rise by the second cold air was still lower than the pressure drop when the first cold air mass moved out,and what's more,the solar radiation and the lunar forcing atmospheric tide also contributed to the diurnal change of sea level pressure.However,relative climate averaged 3-hour pressure departure can reveal the east-path weak cold air movement.In the operational forecast practices,besides the real time data analysis,understanding the climatic characteristics of the local weather elements are also very important.


PurposeThis paper aimed to investigate the determinants of loans and advances from commercial banks in the case of Ethiopian private commercial banks.Design/methodology/approachThe study randomly selected seven commercial banks to represent the population stratified on their asset, deposit and paid-up capital amounts. The study utilized an unbalanced panel data model as each bank started operation at a different period of time and considered the period 1995–2016 for secondary details.FindingsThe findings showed that the deposit size, credit risk, portfolio investment, average lending rate, real gross domestic product (GDP) and inflation rate had significant and optimistic effects on the lending and advancement of private commercial banks. On the contrary, liquidity ratio had significant and negative effects on private commercial bank loans and advances. Finally, the study forwarded a feasible recommendation for concerned organs to focus on deposit size, credit risk, portfolio investment, average lending rate, real GDP, inflation rate and liquidity ratio. The results of this study will help banking industry policymakers and planners understand how to minimize inflation and unemployment by improving development and sustainable economic growth.Originality/valueThe findings of this study can also affect the general attitudes of a society by increasing knowledge and improve the quality of life for the general public.


In the spring of 2013, Alberta experienced significant flooding. According to the government of Alberta, this flood was "the largest and most expensive natural disaster in Alberta's history" [1]. Siksika Nation was severely impacted, with almost 170 homes devastated by the flood [2]. Recovery was slow, with many families left in temporary housing or without power for several years. A community engagement program developed by the IEEE Southern Alberta Section has been taking place on the Siksika First Nation reservation. A student team from the University of Calgary with the IEEE Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT) affinity is leading these activities. The IEEE volunteers are currently working with the reservation's community members to build an astronomical observatory located in a dark area as part of the educational program. The team worked on installing an off-the-grid solar kit to power the observatory. The solar kit was assembled and tested by the students at the university and then installed at the observatory. After the installation of the solar kit, the community members will be trained to maintain the solar kit system while using the telescopes for observation.


Treated herein is the vibration of isotropic Reddy plates. The plates considered are of general polygonal shape and their edges are all simply supported. Complicating effects such as the presence of initial stresses and a Winkler-Pasternak foundation are also considered. It is shown herein that the vibration solution can be readily obtained from the classical Kirchhoff plate vibration results because of the mathematical similarity of the two kinds of problems. The mathematical analogy permits the development of an exact relationship that links the natural frequencies of the initially stressed Reddy plates resting on a Winkler-Pasternak foundation to the corresponding classical Kirchhoff plate solutions without the presence of complicating effects.


Consumption expenditure is part of a person's disposable income. At the macro (aggregate) private consumption is directly proportional to the national income. The greater the income, the greater the consumption expenditure. Consumption expenditure consists of government consumption and household consumption. economic growth is essentially defined as a process in which the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita real or real income increases continuously through increased productivity per capita. In general, economic growth means an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country. Keywords: government consumption, household consumption, Gross Domestic Product