[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN A SEMINAR I ATTENDED, media analyst Tad Simons once estimated that 30 million PowerPoint presentations are given every day. Multiply that by an average of 30 people in each presentation, and you are looking at 90 million people a day who are at best in a daze--at worst dying from boredom. On the education stage, the classic example of the talking-head syndrome is actor Ben Stein as the dorky high school economics teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. (Watch the clip one more hilarious time on YouTube: "Anyone, anyone....") A big part of the problem for teachers and presenters in general is that there is a limit to the time humans can just "sit and get" (what deluded teachers have been calling for years "listen and learn"). In his multimedia book Brain Rules, cognitive psychologist and University of Washington professor John Medina records this time limit as 10 minutes. Yup. Even when listening to someone as entertaining as John Medina, students start tuning out like clockwork as lectures approach the 10-minute mark. Schools are beginning to take this timing to heart, with teachers stopping to give students the opportunity to pair share, answer questions, discuss what they just learned or project what's coming next. At Grimmer Elementary School in Fremont, CA, after each 10-minute chunk of teacher-driven content, students have two minutes of discussion with a partner. The school calls this "10:2" and teachers observe the practice almost religiously. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Breaks might be used to show illustrative videos. For example, when discussing career options, it might be fun to see how talents manifest at a young age, as in the charming YouTube video of the precocious Casanova shown above. Teachers and older students alike can also be swept away by the passion of violinist Drew Tretick playing Time to Say Goodbye. As I recently wrote to Drew, not only has he given the world exquisitely beautiful music, but he has also inspired many listeners to "find their own violin." Access to videos such as these was the reason I moved from PowerPoint to Keynote. Apple allows me to embed videos in Keynote slideshows. I use at least four to five video clips in an hourlong presentation and love the security of knowing I can plug my Keynote (backed up onto a flash drive) into any Mac's USB port and all the video clips will play flawlessly. Of course, the fact that Keynote will open existing PowerPoints has made the transition a lot easier! Compare and Contrast [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More subtle changes of pace flow out of small group discussion of juxtaposed images. In his classic publication What Works in Schools, Robert Marzano ranked "identifying similarities and differences" as the No. 1 strategy for effective teaching and learning. With that knowledge, armed with LCD projectors and overlay writing devices, we can display (and annotate) images side-by-side while small groups of students discuss those similarities and differences. You can access my YouTube video "Teaching the Teacher to Use Visuals and Music" to see groups observing the maple leaf and the daffodil shown above. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Or you can elicit laughter every time as you invite discussion of options for toilet paper orientation. On a more serious note, teachers can increase interactivity by encouraging small group discussion of before-and-after slides. …


Innovations and developments in technology have laid the foundations for an economy based on digital goods and servicesthe digital economy. Digital Economics: How Information and Communication Technology is Shaping Markets, Businesses, and Information invites you to take an in-depth look at the impact that technological innovations such as social media, cryptocurrencies, crowdsourcing, and even online gaming has had on todays business landscape. Learn about the various business models available for the digital economy, including the business models used by Bitcoin, Spotify, Wikipedia, World of Warcraft, Facebook, and Airbnb. Peppered with anecdotes on the various technological innovations which have shaped markets throughout history, Digital Economics details the evolution of contemporary economics within the digital stratosphere and highlights the complex ecosystem that makes up the field of digital economics. Including models and tools that are essential for analysis and better understanding of the digital economy, as well as activities which will allow the reader to reflect, analyze, and apply the knowledge and tools presented in each chapter, Digital Economics is a definitive guide to the complexities and nuances of this burgeoning and fascinating field of study.


Stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems are designed to operate independently from the electric utility grid, and are generally designed and sized to supply certain DC and/or AC electrical loads. Generally, components in the stand-alone system are in discrete form; therefore, the number of components, costs and power losses are higher. This article presents an approach to model and simulate 1.12 kW integrated maximum power point tracking charge controller and inverter. MATLAB/Simulink software is used in the implementation of system modeling and simulation in order to simulate and predict the behavior of the real stand-alone PV system.


We describe a formulation of electronic density functional theory using localized Gaussian basis functions for systems periodic in three dimensions (bulk crystals) or two dimensions (crystal slabs terminated by surfaces). Our approach generalizes many features of molecular density functional methods to periodic systems, including the use of an auxiliary Gaussian basis set to represent the charge density, and analytic gradients with respect to nuclear coordinates. Existing quantum chemistry routines for analytic and numerical integration over basis functions can be adapted to our scheme with only slight modifications, as can existing extended Gaussian basis sets. Such basis sets permit accurate calculations with far fewer basis functions (and hence much smaller matrices to diagonalize) than plane‐wave based methods, especially in surface calculations, where in our approach the slab does not have to repeat periodically normal to the surface. Realistic treatment of molecule–surface interactions is facilitate...


Sharing of procedure code among user-programs is a controversial concept in computer systems operating in a virtual machine and a time-sharing environment. In some systems the sharing can be effected at a segment level while in others it is effected at a page level. A model for sharing of pages in a CP-67/360 environment is developed and the results of experiments are presented.


The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) would be exempt from the mandatory federal budget cuts that began taking effect in March under legislation introduced in the House of Representatives on June 28 by three Democratic lawmakers. Reps. Anna G. Eshoo (Calif.), Michael M. Honda (Calif.), and Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) note that even though PTO is funded solely by patent user fees, the so-called sequestration requires cuts of nearly $150 million from the agency's $2.9 billion budget for fiscal 2013. Without a legislative remedy, the lawmakers say, the budget squeeze will put on hold patent office plans to open satellite branches next year in Dallas, Denver, and California's Silicon Valley. PTO has a backlog of nearly 600,000 patent applications, which include chemically related inventions. The new offices, announced in 2012, are meant to help speed the patenting process for start-ups and inventors, who can face a costly two-year wait for ...


Like humans, other animals are also able to smell and differentiate a large number of odours with great accuracy. Chemosensory signals play a vital role in locating host plants by insects.

Drosophila has a well-developed olfactory system which can differentiate between different odours and recognize food, oviposition sites and potential mates. Studies of olfactory
behaviour in invertebrates may aid in understanding the link between odour recognition and behaviour. Some selected olfactory receptors from Spodoptera (Slit-ORs) were co-expressed in Drosophila with its olfactory receptor Or92-a in the Drosophila ab1B neuron type by means of existing DmelOR92a-Gal4 and UAS-SlitOR lines. Drosophila olfactory receptor 92-a responses to acetoin. Acetoin is also detected by Drosophila olfactory receptor Or9-a which is located in ab8B neuron. Olfactory mediated behavioural responses of flies having modified olfactory systems were investigated to different odours, to determine which (if any) of the receptor modifications would change odour preference of flies. An olfactory attraction assay was employed for this purpose. In parallel, DNA sequences were cloned to prepare a transformation vector construct for stable expression of the Slit-ORs in DmelOR92-a neurons,
containing the promoter sequence for Drosophila olfactory receptor Or92-a and selected olfactory receptor sequences from Spodoptera. The sequences were aimed to be cloned into a suitable Drosophila germ line transformation vector attB. There was no significant effect of co-expressing SlitOR in OR92-a neuron on the olfactory behaviour of D. melanogaster OR-a, OR-b, OR-c and OR6 receptors. Most strains were significantly attracted to acetoin, similar to wild type flies. In contrast, very few were attracted to the corresponding ligands for the Slit-ORs, regardless whether the Spodoptera OR was expressed or not.


The behavior of isothermal plasma waves has been analyzed near the Schwarzschild horizon. We consider a non-rotating background with non-magnetized and magnetized plasmas. The general relativistic magnetohydrodynamical equations for the Schwarzschild planar analogue spacetime with an isothermal state of the plasma are formulated. The perturbed form of these equations is linearized and Fourier analyzed by introducing simple harmonic waves. The determinant of these equations in each case leads to a complex dispersion relation, which gives complex values of the wave number. This has been used to discuss the nature of the waves and their characteristics near the horizon.


The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division is currently involved in the commercialization of the Weapons Team Engagement Trainer (WTET) through a non traditional technology transfer program. Funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Defense Laboratory Partnership for Technology Transfer, represents an opportunity for the Department of Defense to transition research and development products to the commercial sector through partnership with industry. This effort will produce a commercially available special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team trainer that will satisfy both military and law enforcement requirements. This effort has benefits in terms of speed of transition and opportunities for user involvement that will result in a higher quality product than traditional acquisition methods. Details of the system and the transfer process are provided.


Journal of Transplant Coordination, Vol. 9, Number 4, December 1999 (eg, throwing) potentially infectious blood or body fluids, or even attacking providers and/or other patients. The negative effects of these types of behaviors may be minimal, moderate, or severe; however, in most instances, the effects are felt not only by the patient but by those around the patient as well. When patients act in ways that healthcare providers find undesirable or counterproductive, the provider's initial impression may be that the patient is simply choosing to be difficult. However, it is important to consider the potential causes for the patient's behavior. For instance, a patient who is not taking medication properly may have forgotten the doctor's instructions. A patient may not be able to read and may be too embarrassed to ask anyone else for assistance, or may choose not to take the medication in the way it was prescribed (or at all) because of the unpleasant side effects it causes. A heart patient may not be following the prescribed "heart healthy" diet because of certain social or cultural norms in the community. Perhaps the prescribed diet is too expensive in light of the fact that the rest of the family won't eat it and the patient cannot afford to buy additional food. In some cases, the problem may have more to do with distrust of the healthcare system or of specific providers; patients may simply not believe what the physician or other provider has told them or may be worried that they are being lied to or taken advantage of by the provider. And, of course, it is always possible that in The "noncompliant" transplant patient: a persistent ethical dilemma


Pre-B cell ALL is the most common pediatric malignancy. More than a third of cases acquire loss-of-function mutations of PAX5 , a regulatory transcription factor which is required for the differentiation of B lymphocytes. Additionally, germline loss of function PAX5 mutation is a cause of familial pre-B cell ALL. These observations indicate that loss of PAX5 activity drives leukemogenesis. We have seen that PAX5 re-expression in PAX5 -mutated pre-B cell ALL restores differentiation capacity and promotes apoptosis. However, because the gene is deleted or otherwise mutated it may not be possible to easily repair or restore PAX5 expression in leukemic cells. Nevertheless, PAX5 possesses two closely related paralogs, PAX2 and PAX8 , which are structurally and functionally similar to PAX5, yet are neither expressed in lymphocytes nor mutated in ALL. Toward the goal of exploiting PAX family genomic redundancy for therapeutic purposes, we have tested the ability of PAX2 and PAX8 to replace PAX5 in pre-B ALL cell lines. Preliminary results indicate that both PAX2 and PAX8 rescue B cell differentiation and function similarly to PAX5 in this context. These results include modulation of B cell developmental markers, CD10, CD19 and CD22, as well as induction of PAX5 target genes, CD79a and BACH2 . Cells also display a reduction in size which may be indicative of the large to small B cell transition and importantly show increased levels of cell death following PAX2 and PAX8 expression. We have further investigated the epigenetic status of PAX2 and PAX8 promoters in B cells and find that both loci are hypermethylated, suggesting that demethylation with agents such as methotrexate, may represent a therapeutic entry point for activating expression of PAX5 paralogs. Finally, based on observations that electrical polarization during early embryogenesis regulates developmental transcription factor expression, including for PAX genes, we have tested the ability of approved drugs targeting ion channels for their ability to induce PAX factor expression and thereby complement for loss of PAX5 in pre-B cell ALL. The anti-parasitic drug ivermectin, which activates chloride channels, is one of several compounds that appear promising in early studies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Smoke generated from a fire consists primarily of ultrafine particles. Exposure to combustion aerosols may cause various adverse health outcomes, including respiratory problems and impairment of cardiovascular function. The Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs), including N95-certified ones [filter efficiency ≥95%, i.e. penetration <5%, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)] are commonly used for protecting the wearers from various aerosol exposures, including smoke. The filter performance of these respirators is usually determined using conventional aerosol challenges such as chargeequilibrated NaCl particles. However, it has not been examined how well the data obtained with these challenges represent the actual protection offered by an N95 FFR filter against combustion aerosols. The objective of this study was to evaluate the penetration of combustion particles of different sizes through an N95 FFR filter under different flow rates and exposure time conditions and compare the data to the corresponding penetration values obtained using the charge-equilibrated NaCl particles. The study was carried out using the University of Cincinnati's Respirator Evaluation Facility. The tested N95 FFRs were fully sealed on a breathing manikin and challenged with a specific aerosol being evaluated. First, we used NaCl particles generated by a Particle Generator (TSI Inc.) and passed through a Kr particle equilibrator. A constant inhalation flow (Q = 15, 30, 55, and 85 L/min) was established, and the aerosol concentrations inside (Cin) and outside (Cout) of the respirator were measured size-selectively with a Nanoparticle Spectrometer (PMS Inc.) at time points of 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes. The filter penetration was calculated as Cin/Cout. Second, the same respirator was exposed to one of the three combustion aerosols generated by burning a specific material being tested. The experiments were performed with plastic, wood and paper. The first measurement (time t=0) was conducted after 15 minutes of active burning to allow the aerosol system to stabilize. The experimental results showed that penetration curves produced with both NaCl and combustion aerosols did not change dramatically during the 90-min exposure period. Additionally, the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) for both NaCl and combustion aerosols was found to be in a range from 30 to 40 nm, suggesting that the MPPS was not significantly affected by the characteristics of a challenge aerosol. It was found that the combustion particles might penetrate the respirator filter more readily than the NaCl challenge particles. This was especially pronounced for plastic aerosol with a particle sizes below 100 nm. Under some conditions, the penetration exceeded 5%, which is not expected for an N95 respirator filter. This finding can be partially attributed to the influence of highly charged combustion particles on the pre-charged filter media fibers, which may inhibit the efficiency of the filter. The other explanation involves the combustionoriginated vapors that may condense on the electret filter material and thus affect its properties. Overall, the results suggest that the performance data obtained with the well-established NaCl aerosol challenge may not accurately predict (and rather overestimate) the protection level provided by the N95 respirator filters against combustion aerosol particles. The outcomes of this pilot study call for a more extensive investigation of the interaction between the combustion aerosol particles and different filter materials using a study design that is capable of accounting for various aerosol properties and filter characteristics. The data will be useful in an effort to enhance the present NIOSH respirator testing and certification program. This research was funded by the NIOSH Targeted Research Training Program and Pilot Research Project Training Program (University of Cincinnati, Education and Research Center, Grant T42/OH008432-07). The authors also acknowledge support from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).


The symbiotic properties of 42 isolates of Rhizobium meliloti collected from widely separated sites in the upper basin of the Darling River were tested in bacteriologically controlled culture with 18 species and varieties of Medicago, three species of Melilotus, and one species of Trigonella. Seven strains of Rh. Meliloti of commercial interest were included in the experiments for comparative purposes. Nodule formation occurred on all plants in 889 out of 974 symbiotic combinations examined. Only Medicago laciniata (L.) Mill, among the hosts and the isolate from M. laciniata among the rhizobia exhibited distinctive nodule formation behaviour. Nitrogen fixation occurred in 637 combinations. On the basis of nitrogen fixation, eight groups of Rh. Meliloti were recognized; there were nine host groups. The groups could be arranged in an interlocking pattern of increasing host and bacterial specificity. These results, which modified to a small degree the bacterial and host groupings previously reported, strongly suggested that the pattern will be widely applicable to Rh. meliloti of diverse origin. In general, the isolates examined were promiscuous and 24 were capable of effective symbioses in association with 10 or more of the hosts. M. laciniata, Trigonella suavissima Lindl., and Medicago rugosa Desr. were the hosts most highly strain-specific in their requirements for nitrogen fixation, and Medicago sativa L. was the most promiscuous. A system for classifying host species into compatibility groups is proposed.


Abstract Pain causes significant morbidity in cancer patients. The total pain experienced by these patients encompasses physical, social, spiritual and psychological dimensions. A multidisciplinary approach is essential in their effective management. Following simple well-established guidelines the majority of cancer pain can be controlled; however, there is evidence that these guidelines are not well adhered to and that many patients have unnecessarily poorly controlled pain. This article looks at the background principles underlying effective pain management before examining how recent advances in neurophysiology and pharmacology have broadened our options in the use of opioid and adjuvant analgesics.


Relevance-based selectivity and high energy cost are two distinct features of long-term memory (LTM) formation that warrant its default inhibition. Spaced repetition of learning is a highly conserved cognitive mechanism that can lift this inhibition. Here, we questioned how the spacing effect integrates experience selection and energy efficiency at the cellular and molecular levels. We showed in Drosophila that spaced training triggers LTM formation by extending over several hours an increased mitochondrial metabolic activity in neurons of the associative memory center, the mushroom bodies (MBs). We found that this effect is mediated by PKCδ, a member of the so-called 'novel PKC' family of enzymes, which uncovers the critical function of PKCδ in neurons as a regulator of mitochondrial metabolism for LTM. Additionally, PKCδ activation and translocation to mitochondria result from LTM-specific dopamine signaling on MB neurons. By bridging experience-dependent neuronal circuit activity with metabolic modulation of memory-encoding neurons, PKCδ signaling binds the cognitive and metabolic constraints underlying LTM formation into a unified gating mechanism.


Turner's syndrome (TS) is the most frequent pathology compromising the sexual chromosomes, being caused by the complete or partial absence of chromosome X. The reproductive implications for these patients (i.e. infertility caused by early ovarian failure and gonad disgenesis) have suggested that the indicated management for this condition lies in anonymous ovodonation, followed by embryos being produced  in vitro  and their subsequent transfer, after suitable endometrial preparation. This article reports oocyte donation to two patients suffering from TS and their clinical implications for pregnancy: cephalo-pelvic imbalance due to small maternal size and cardiovascular complications producing lymphoedema, aortic dissection and preeclampsy.


Prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) cannot differentiate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), from prostatitis, or prostate cancer in the range of 4.0–10 ng/ml. An accurate cytologic or histologic assessment is necessary to confirm the proper diagnosis. The nature of a biopsy tends to make it a selective test not frequently repeated. We are reporting a technique employing semen as a source for the differential diagnosis of prostate epithelial cells.


Excerpt Enterococci are isolated from 10% to 15% of patients with endocarditis (1-3) and rank as the third commonest cause of endocarditis, behind viridans streptococci andStaphylococcus aureus(3)....


Influence of Culture, Faith, Environment, and Building Technology on the Built Form: The Case of Nineteenth Century Catholic Churches in Galveston, Texas. (August 2006) David Mark Dubbelde, B.S., Texas A&M University; M.Ed., Texas A&M University; M.S. Texas A&M University. Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Anat M. Geva Why do churches of the same faith built in the same location and era of time differ in their built form? The focus of this dissertation led to the identification of four variables that influence the built form. These are culture, faith, environment and building technology. The physical location (Galveston, Texas), Catholicism, and era of time (last half of the nineteenth century (19C)) are significant to the framework of this study. A single location held constant the physical environment—climate and topography. Catholicism held constant faith. The era of time exposed the study churches to the same, but evolving, built environment and building technology. Galveston, in particular, during the era of study, presented a dynamic confluence of these variables. The city emerged as the commercial entrepôt and financial center for Texas. It was Texas's cultural capital and its most dynamic urban center boasting the most advanced architecture. It had the best newspapers and theater in the state and was the first city in Texas to provide electricity and telephones. During this era Galveston was a gateway for thousands of European Catholic immigrants, who brought to Texas a diversity of culture, traditions and skills.


Regimented experience in the military is believed to train internal managers in the military to focus their attention on internal hierarchical orders with relatively lesser attention given to considerations of outside stakeholders. Data from 102 managers working in U.S. military were used to empirical test the impact of stakeholder considerations on action orientation.  Findings show military managers' perceptions of stakeholders' impact their intentions to act.  The study also found the perceived strength of the stakeholder attributes had a direct relationship to both intention to take action and timeliness of intended response.  The paper concludes with implications for future research


Successful integrated health systems see value in bringing precision medicine to their patient populations. Progress starts in the laboratory. Discover the latest pharmacogenetics facts and trends.


In this experiment,the effects of transplanting density,transplanting period,nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium on the fresh potato yield of high starch sweet potato variety Chuanshu 217 in the hilly region of middle Sichuan were studied with orthogonal experiment by a quadrotic,orthogonal and pivoting regression for five factors.The result showed that the influence of five factors on the fresh potato yield of 'Chuanshu 217' was in order of nitrogen,potassium,phosphorus,transplanting density and transplanting period.To gain high fresh potato yield,the certain transplanting density,ample nitrogen and increasing phosphorus and potassium were needed.The optimal agronomic conditions were described as follows: transplanting density was 57 750-60 255 plants/hm2,transplanting period was 6/3 to 6/5,applying pure nitrogen 56.44-61.56 kg/hm2,P2O5 36.8-43.2 kg/hm2,K2O 53.79-66.21 kg/hm2,and then the high yields of fresh sweet potato above 37 500 kg/hm2 were obtained in the hilly region of middle Sichuan.


The orally available chymase inhibitor BAY 1142524 is currently being developed as a first‐in‐class treatment for left‐ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction. Results from 3 randomized, single‐center, phase 1 studies in healthy male volunteers examining the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of BAY 1142524 are summarized. In this first‐in‐human study, single oral doses of 1‐200 mg were administered in fasted state as liquid service formulation or immediate release (IR) tablets. The relative bioavailability and the effect of a high‐fat/high‐calorie meal were investigated at the 5‐mg dose. In a multiple‐dose escalation study, doses of 5‐50 mg twice daily and 100 mg once daily were given for 5 consecutive days. BAY 1142524 was safe and well tolerated and had no effects on heart rate or blood pressure compared with placebo. BAY 1142524 was absorbed with peak concentration 1‐3 hours after administration for IR tablets; it was eliminated from plasma with a terminal half‐life of 6.84‐12.0 hours after administration of liquid service formulation or IR tablets. Plasma exposures appeared to be dose‐linear, with a negligible food effect. There was only low accumulation of BAY 1142524 after multiple dosing. BAY 1142524 exhibited a pharmacokinetic profile allowing for once‐daily dosing. The absence of blood pressure effects after administration of BAY 1142524 supports the combination of this novel anti‐remodeling drug with existing standard of care in patients with left‐ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction.


In the drug development process, clinical trials are conducted for different diseases or indications. Generally, the assessment of drug effectiveness is performed by only utilizing data from clinical trials within a particular indication. However, in some cases, different indications are closely related. They may be etiologically or pathophysiologically similar. Even if the indications are less closely related, the general purpose of therapy may be very similar. Evaluating data from all of these related studies together enables researchers to access the information, and give a systematic overview of the treatment effect in a broader scope. In this paper, we use an example in the allergy therapeutic area to illustrate a Bayesian approach to synthesizing evidence from trials aimed at closely related indications. This approach accounts for the heterogeneity of treatment effects across different indications as well as across different studies. It also allows us to quantify the treatment benefit difference between different indications in a more meaningful way. Demonstration of beneficial drug effects on different indications in the context of all related data can cross-substantiate a claim of effectiveness for each indication and hence strengthen the evidence of treatment efficacy.


Use of insecticides to manage the emerging pest problems in the different crop being taken by farmers in their field. Today, due to indiscriminate use of insecticide, the agriculture produces getting contaminated and traced in food channel. For the reason, many farmers moving towards organic farming to produce pesticide free foods. In this context, control of emerging pest problem through biological control could be the better alternative. The egg parasitoids, Trichogramma being a major and efficient biocontrol agent for management of major lepidopteran pests in different corps. In India, great diversity of Trichogramma reported, hence, use of these egg parasitoids can cut the insecticidal application and same time cost of protection of farmers.


Aim: The first aim of this study was to evaluate the healing outcome after periapical surgery performed using an ultrasonic cleaning technique in conjunction with the use of either Intermediate Restorative Material (IRM) or mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as a retrograde root-end seal in teeth with apical periodontitis. A second aim was to determine if the type of coronal restoration had any impact on the healing outcome. Methodology: One hundred eighty-six consecutive teeth in 177 patients referred for periapical surgery were randomly allocated into two parallel groups, receiving either IRM or MTA as a retrograde root-end seal. The patients were reviewed 12 months after surgery. Fisher's exact test and Z-test analysis were performed. Results: One hundred sixty-six teeth in 158 patients were reviewed 12 months after surgery. Radiological evaluation and clinical examination revealed an 86% success rate for the IRM group and 85% for the MTA group. There was no statistically significant difference (p=0.829) between the two groups regarding the healing outcome (Fisher's test). The type of coronal restoration (p=0.575) had no impact on the healing outcome (Z-test). Conclusions: The tested materials, IRM and MTA, are both suitable as retrograde root-end filling materials in conjunction with an ultrasonic root-end preparation technique according to the results at the 12-month follow-up. The results of this study also show that the type of coronal restoration had no impact on the healing outcome following periapical surgery.


What constituted acceptable protest in the colonial Nigeria? Put differently, were there justifiable protests? Addressing these posers, this paper examined the activities of women in colonial Egbaland, against a backdrop of an unfriendly tax regime imposed on them by the British colonial administration. Adopting primary and secondary sources, this study posits that the British parasitic tax impositions on women disrupted the unstable balance between them and traditional authorities. Although taxes were imposed by colonial machineries, exacting the levies was the responsibility of Sole Native Authorities, whose exaction methods were exceedingly demanding for and unacceptable to women. The women revolts showed clearly that the indigenous Egba women, led by Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti, refused to be ignored as they stridently and vociferously demanded for their rights from British colonial administration. The paper found out that the immediate post-colonial Nigerian women did not, sadly, build on the modicum of success which was achieved by the indefatigable colonial women. The paper concluded that the colonial government attempts at incorporating the women folks into her taxation policy led to hiccups, which, consequently, generated variegated reactions from individuals and women groups in colonial Yorubaland. The women's calculated responses climaxed in concessions, which, though not total, went a long way in ameliorating the socio-economic and political challenges faced by Egba women.


tag=1 data=Northern Territory Tourism: Ministerial Statement

tag=2 data=Stone, Hon Shane L. MLA

tag=6 data=02 December, 1998

tag=8 data=TOURISM%NT

tag=9 data=REGIONAL TOURISM ASSOCIATIONS%NORTHERN TERRITORY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT MASTERPLAN-YEAR 2005

tag=10 data=Attachments in the form of statistics and advertisements included.

tag=13 data=V/F

tag=32 data=STONE, SHANE


The utility model discloses a vacuum pump mounting structure of a vacuum cabin. The vacuum pump mounting structure comprises a vacuum pump and a vacuum cabin, wherein an extraction opening is formed in the vacuum cabin, an air suction port and an exhaust port are formed in the vacuum pump, the vacuum pump is sealed in a housing, an air inlet and an air outlet are formed in the housing, the air suction port of the vacuum pump is communicated with the air inlet of the housing through an air inlet pipe, and the exhaust port is communicated with the air outlet of the housing through an exhaust pipe; and a pressure sensor is further arranged in the housing and is connected with a control device, and the control device is connected with the vacuum pump and can control the vacuum pump to work. Due to the adoption of the structure, the mounting of the vacuum pump is more convenient, and the sealing property of the vacuum cabin can be effectively guaranteed.


Cosmogenic radionuclide data retrieved from natural archives, such as ice cores, are excellent tools to use for reconstruction of past solar activity and geomagnetic field intensity, and to study past climate changes. To interpret the data correctly, however, it is essential to separate these different signals. The physics of the production rate of the cosmogenic radionuclides as a function of solar and geomagnetic activity is known, but their transport from the atmosphere into natural archives is not well understood. The main goal of this thesis is to fill this gap and to improve our understanding of the atmospheric transport of the cosmogenic radionuclides Be and Be. This was made using new observational data and performing modeling experiments with the ECHAM5–HAM general circulation model. This model is a three–dimensional atmospheric circulation model that includes aerosol physics and chemistry. New Be and Be data measured in precipitation at a high (Jungfraujoch, 3580 m) and a low (Dübendorf, 440 m) altitude stations in Switzerland are presented. These data are used to study the altitudinal dependence of the Be/Be ratio, which is a proxy for the age of air and is sensitive to intrusions of stratospheric air into the troposphere. The comparison of the Be/Be ratio between the two stations shows a different seasonal dependence indicating that the Be/Be ratio measured at the high altitude station Jungfraujoch is more influenced by the stratospheric air than the ratio in Dübendorf. In the next step, the model was validated by comparing modeled and observed surface air concentrations and deposition fluxes of Be worldwide. The results showed good agreement between observational data and model results. Another model experiment was performed to simulate the Be concentrations and deposition fluxes during the Maunder Minimum (1645–1715 AD), a period characterized by low solar activity and a cooler climate. Comparison with a present day simulation shows that the dominant signal in the Be flux is the production increase caused by the lower solar activity. The fluctuations caused by meteorology are less important. Nevertheless, in polar regions these fluctuations are relatively large because of the very low Be deposition. In the last step, the influence of the solar activity induced production changes on the Be deposition was modeled especially in polar regions. The results were compared with high resolution (seasonal) Be concentrations measured at Summit, Greenland within the Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP). Excellent agreement between the modeled and measured Be concentrations was obtained. Also a clear trend was observed in both the measured and modeled concentrations, parallel with the trend in the solar activity. This confirms that the measured Be concentrations in polar ice reflect mainly production changes, such as those caused by solar activity and geomagnetic field intensity. The effect of local meteorology is significantly smaller.


We show by numerical calculations that a chaotic neuron model driven by a weak sinusoid has resonance. This resonance phenomenon has a peak at a drive frequency similar to that of noise-induced stochastic resonance (SR). This neuron model was proposed from biological studies and shows a chaotic response when a parameter is varied. SR is a noise induced effect in driven nonlinear dynamical systems. The basic SR mechanism can be understood through synchronization and resonance in a bistable system driven by a subthreshold sinusoid plus noise. Therefore, background noise can boost a weak signal using SR. This effect is found in biological sensory neurons and obviously has some useful sensory function. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the driven chaotic neuron model is improved depending on the drive frequency; especially at low frequencies, the SNR is remarkably promoted. The resonance mechanism in the model is different from the noise-induced SR mechanism. This paper considers the mechanism and proposes possible explanations. Also, the meaning of chaos in biological systems based on the resonance phenomenon is considered. key words: driven chaotic system, chaotic neuron model, biological information processing, stochastic resonance, numerical calculation


The structure and magnetic properties of Tb2Fe16.5Cr0.5 compound have been investigated by means of x-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements. The Tb2Fe16.5Cr0.5 compound has a hexagonal Th2Ni17-type structure. Negative thermal expansion was found in Tb2Fe16.5Cr0.5 compound from 293 to 522 K by x-ray dilatometry. The coefficient of the average thermal expansion is α¯=−1.53×10−6K−1 from 293 to 500 K, and α¯=−1.53×10−4K−1 from 500 to 522 K, respectively. The magnetostrictive deformations from 293 to 522 K have been calculated by means of the differences between the experimental values of the lattice parameters and the corresponding values extrapolated from the paramagnetic range. The magnetization measurement shows that small amount of Cr atoms substitute for Fe atoms can increase obviously the Curie temperature of the Tb2Fe17 compound.


Three new compounds: two flavonoids [(S)-8-formyl-3',5-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-6methylflavanone (1) and 3'-formyl-3,4',6'-trihydroxy-2'-methoxy-5'-methylchalcone (2)] and one phenylpropanoid [ethyl 3,4-methylenedioxy-5-methoxy-7,8-dihydrocinnamate (3)] were isolated from dried branches of Piper montealegreanum. Their structures were established by UV, IR, MS, 1D and 2D (1H and 13C) NMR spectroscopic techniques, besides interpretation of spectral data (1H and 13C NMR) of methylated derivatives of 1 and 2 compounds.


This research uses a correlational research and SITOREM analysis which consists of two independent variables, namely Serving Leadership and Self-Efficacy and one variable that is tied to Teacher Creativity. This research was conducted at MA Negeri in Bogor Regency in 2021, with a research population of 147 and there are 108 samples selected using proportional random sampling. The method used in this research is survey and data analysis techniques, with statistical statistics and simple linier regression and multiple linier regression. The research result, namely: first, there is a significant positive relationship between the variable serving leadership (X1 and teacher creativity (Y) in the form of the regression equation Ŷ= 65,167 + 0,504 X1 and the validity is ry1 = 0,511 and the coefficient of determination r2y1 = 0,261. Second, there is a significant positive relationship between sel efficacy (X2) and teacher creativity (Y) with regression of the equation form Ŷ= 62,883 + 0,482 X2 and the path coefficient ry2 = 0,584 and the coefficient of determination r2y2 = 0,342. Third, there is a positive and significant relationship between the serving leadership variable (X1 and self efficacy (X2) together with teacher creativity (Y) expressed in the form of regression equation Ŷ= 39,904 + 0,305 X1 + 0,366 X2 with the subordinate coefficient ry12 = 0,646 and the coefficient of determination r2y12 = 0,417. Based on these things, it can be argued that teacher creativity can be increased throught increased serving leadership and self efficacy.


N-Phenylmaleimide undergoes Diels–Alder cycloaddition predominantly to the face of cis-cyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-diol (3) syn to the oxygen functions. Derivatization can be used to alter the π-facial diastereoselectivity in a synthetically useful manner. The best cases are the exclusive, high yield, production of the syn-addition product with the trimethylsilyl ether derivative (8), and the exo-benzylidine derivative (26) gave a 96:4 anti/syn ratio of adducts.


Waterless hydrocarbon based grouting mortar composition and technology for selective water influx isolation in producing wells with carbonate reservoirs, and also for consolidation of isolating compositions in wells with terrigenous reservoirs are developed. High selective and isolating properties of the given grouting mortar by the example of fields of the Orenburg and Tyumen Oblasts are confirmed.


This chapter continues the thesis of Chapter 10 in demonstrating that a kinesthetic shift occurred in the arts from a centrifugal to a more tensional pattern of motion over the course of the Middle Ages. This chapter demonstrates that same thesis in the arts of perspective, keyboard music, and epistolography. The argument is that each of these major fields is defined predominately by a distinctly tensional pattern of motion and a relational aesthetics. All the newly dominant arts of the Middle Ages are defined by the kinesthetic pattern of relational or linked tensional motions holding images together and apart. The brilliant insight of the Middle Ages is that aesthetic form is nothing other than the polygonal intersection of a network of material kinetic relations.


Congenital malformations are important not only because of their prevalence, but for the infantile mortality and the disability that most of them cause. The study of the temporary evolution of mortality and prevalence in Spain shows a decrease of these facts; however, we should consider the possible influence that the prevailing law 9/1985 about the voluntary interruption of the pregnancy may have caused on these figures . When studying the risk factors of congenital malformations, four etiological groups are usually taken into consideration: unknown cause, genetic cause, environmental cause and multifactorial cause (in which there is an interaction between genetic and environmental factors). On the other hand, the most frequent embryopathies in Spain are caused by the alcohol, the chronic diabetes and anticonvulsant drugs. These factors facilitate a preventive action against these diseases. This review talks about the different risk factors related to these processes. Finally, the text deals with the primary prevention of the neural tube defects by the folic acid supplementation, previous to the conception, and the controversy generated by this fact.


Artificial Insemination (A.I.) can complement or replace traditional breeding programs for youth swine projects and other small swine operations. A.I. provides instant access to the nation's top boars and allows rapid improvement of breeding stock and show pigs. It can eliminate inbreeding problems and minimize health risks associated with buying a new boar. Best of all, even inexperienced producers can easily learn swine A.I. techniques.


The observational evidence leading to the classification, following Oosterhoff, of globular clusters containing RR Lyrae stars into two distinct groups, is summarized and discussed in the light of results of stellar evolution theory and pulsation theory. The dichotomy is caused, at least in part, by a dichotomy in the 'transition period' between the type-ab and type-c stars which reflects a difference in effective temperature at the transition point. When this difference is accounted for, there remains a smaller average difference between the groups, though no longer a clear dichotomy, that is probably a mass and luminosity effect. If this remaining difference is interpreted as a luminosity effect the average difference in luminosity between the two Oosterhoff groups is at most 0.1 mag. It is suggested that Christy's theoretical relationship between transition period and luminosity cannot be valid, at least not for clusters of different Oosterhoff groups. It is conjectured that the transition-temperature dichotomy may be a reflection of different predominant directions of evolution along the horizontal branch, accompanied by a hysteresis effect in the pulsations.


An participatory action research study together with seven young adults with ID. The purpose of the study was to examine how to involve and increase influence and participation for persons with ID ...


A combined convective heat transfer and fluid dynamics investigation in a turbulent round jet impinging on a flat surface is presented. The experimental study uses a high resolution liquid crystal technique for the determination of the convective heat transfer coefficients on the impingement plate. The heat transfer experiments are performed using a transient heat transfer method. The mean flow and the character of turbulent, flow in the free jet is presented through five hole probe and hot wire measurements, respectively. The flow field character of the region near the impingement plate plays an important role in the amount of convective heat transfer. Detailed surveys obtained from five hole probe and hot wire measurements are provided. An extensive validation of the liquid crystal based heat transfer method against a conventional technique is also presented. After a complete documentation of the mean and turbulent flow field, the convective heat transfer coefficient distributions on the impingement plate are presented. The near wall of the impingement plate and the free jet region is treated separately. The current heat transfer distributions are compared to other studies available from the literature. The present paper contains complete sets of information on the three dimensional mean flow, turbulent velocity fluctuations and convective heat transfer to the plate. The experiments also prove that the present non-intrusive heat transfer method is highly effective in obtaining high resolution heat transfer maps with a heat transfer coefficient uncertainty of 5.7 % . N o m e n c l a t u r e c specific heat CCD charge coupled device Cf skin friction coefficient, Cf = Tw/^pU^ Cp pressure coefficient D jet nozzle diameter Η distance between the nozzle exit and the impingement plate h convective heat transfer coefficient h = q/(Tw Trcc) (W/mK) h' convective heat transfer coefficient h' = q/(Tw Tjmax) H S I normalized hue, saturation and intensity k thermal conductivity ln jet nozzle length η normal distance from the wall surface NTSC National Television System Committee Nu Nusselt number, Nu = hD/k Nu' Nusselt number, Nu' = h'D/k ρ pressure ( N / m 2 ) q heat flux, q = -kfdT/dn (W/m) r radial coordinate Re Reynolds number R G B normalized red, green and blue R35C1W chiral nematic liquid crystal starting to respond at about 35° C with an approximate bandwidth of 1 °C Τ temperature t time Tu turbulent intensity, Tu = u/U U mean velocity u_ RMS value of the fluctuating velocity U absolute magnitude of velocity x, y cartesian coordinates or pixel coordinates <* thermal diffusivity of air, a = k/(pcp) β nondimensional time, β = h\/t/y/pclc θ normalized temperature, θ = (Τ Ti)/(Trcc Τ,·) θ' normalized temperature, θ' = ( Τ Ti)/(Tjmax Τ Λ ρ density τ shear stress


The metal ion in industrial wastewater should be accurately determined for its contamination to water environment and its harm to human health. In this paper, the principle of using atomic absorption spectrophotometer to determine the metal ion in industrial wastewater is discussed; the factors (including condition, range and inference etc.) in Zn determination are emphasized and the condition of Zn determination and the results are summarized. It is proved in the experiment that satisfactory results could be obtained through using atomic absorption spectrophotometer to determine Zn in industrial wastewater.


The presence and bioavailability of potentially toxic elements in the soil–plant system are major limitations to the application of compost to agricultural soils. In this study, the content changes of nutrients and potentially toxic elements in four organic wastes, namely household waste, sewage sludge, chicken manure, and cow/sheep manure, were analyzed during composting, and the quality of compost products was assessed in view of their impact on the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the evolution of 21 metal elements, including macroelements (Na, K, Ca, Mg), microelements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ni), and potentially toxic elements (Ti, Al, Cr, Cd, Pb, Sb, Li, Co, Be, In, and Sn) during composting. Results showed that the contents of these elements varied considerably between different organic wastes. The contents of some elements (Na, K, Ca, Fe, Ti, Cu) increased substantially after composting due to organic matter decomposition and weight loss, whereas other elements (Mg, Co, Mo, Cr, In) decreased due to water leaching. The compost obtained was characterized by heavy metal contents not exceeding the permissible limits. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out to further analyze the relationships between the studied elements in different organic waste and compost products. The PCA results revealed that the macroelements (Na, K, Ca, Mg) contents negatively correlated with PC1, whereas microelements and potentially toxic elements positively correlated with PC1. From the results of the PCA, it was possible to classify the different compost products.


This study focused on establishing how the university teacher-education curriculum affects the performance of secondary school teachers. Following a descriptive survey research design, lecturers, university students, secondary school teachers and students assessed teaching and learning in their institutions. This study established that most lecturers and secondary school teachers use lecture (teacher-centred) methods. Theoretical teaching is widely practiced at both school and university levels. Teachers appreciated academic empowerment from lecturers but expressed reservation about the methodologies and management of school practice. Other factors, such as national examinations, instructional materials and teachers' remuneration also infl uence teachers' performance. It was recommended that lecturers undergo short pedagogical courses and that school practice be improved upon. The university teacher education curriculum and the examination system need to be reviewed. There exists a gap between training and practice. Universities have no mechanisms of following up and supporting their former graduates while in the field. Universities need to be more active in analyzing and improving issues concerning secondary school education than is the case now. Keys words: Teacher Effectiveness, curriculum, pedagogy, school practice, secondary school education, secondary school teachers


From 2011 to 2017, the U.S. government paid farmers $6 billion annually in decoupled subsidies. Around 60% of cropland is rented, so if landlords raise rents in response to subsidy payments, the subsidies may not benefit the farmers as much as intended by policy. The Agricultural Act of 2014 linked subsidy payments to county characteristics and idiosyncratic yields. Instead of payments tied to farm-level productivity, which challenged identification under earlier programs, the programs offer a new path for identifying subsidy incidences. We find rents increase by approximately $0.45–$0.65 for every dollar received, roughly double what prior research found.


NO-dependent arterial relaxation is impaired in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Exercise may be beneficial in PAH, just as it is for systemic vascular disease, via upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and activity. However, exercise-induced cardiac stress in PAH could also promote detrimental RV inflammation. We investigated pulmonary pressure and eNOS, as well inflammatory indicators in the RV, following a single 45 min run bout at moderate intensity in a rat model of PAH. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received either monocrotaline to induce PAH, or saline, for healthy controls. A subset of PAH and healthy controls performed 4 wks of progressive TM familiarization (15-30min, 8-20 m/min) in preparation for their final 45 min run @ 75% of VO2max. Immediately following the run, RV systolic pressure was measured and RV and lung tissues were harvested and cryofixed. eNOS and phosphorylated (at Ser1177) eNOS (p-eNOS) was measured via immunoblotting in lung homogenates and expressed normalized to vinculin. Immunofluorescence for inflammatory markers CD45/68 in cryofixed RV sections evaluated the acute inflammatory response to exercise. MCT reduced VO2max and caused RV hypertrophy (expressed as RV/LV+septum) as consistent with this model. RVSP (normalized by systemic BP) was lower in PAH-Ex vs. unexercised PAH with no difference between exercised and unexercised controls. Greater p-eNOS was measured in PAH-Ex lung compared to unexercised PAH, with no difference between exercised and unexercised controls. PAH-Ex also tended to have greater pulmonary eNOS than their unexercised counterparts. No greater exerciseinduced CD45/68 infiltration was observed in RV of PAH compared to that of controls. In rats with moderate MCT-induced PAH, a single exercise bout does not increase acute RV inflammation but lowers pulmonary pressure, possibly mediated in part via pulmonary eNOS activation.


All-optical OFDM data transmission opens up a new realm of advanced optical transmission at extreme data rates, as subcarriers are multiplexed and demultiplexed by all optical discrete Fourier transforms (DFT). This paper reviews the principles of all optical OFDM transmission and its system application techniques, providing the generic ideas and the practical implementation issues to achieve 100Gbps or higher data rates with a spectral efficiency of 1 bps/Hz or better. This paper also include discussions on all-optical OFDM implementation variants such as an AWG-based OFDM multiplexer and demultiplexer, a receiver design without optical sampling, a transmitter design with frequency-locked cw lasers, an OFDM cyclic prefix designs, and a chromatic dispersion mitigation technique.


The research in leakage characteristics of scroll compressors in the past few years was reviewed over.The concept of micro scroll compressor was put forward,it focuses on the theoretical calculation of the leakage in a micro scroll compressor.The leakage and related factors was analyzed with a simplified model, the affected performance resulted from gas loss was discussed due to both leakages from radial and axial directions in micro scale compressors.The discussion and related results are helpful to determine some parameters in design and manufacture of micro scroll compressors.


Abstract An analysis of the effective coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thermal conductivity (TC) of metal-matrix composites was conducted, focusing on composites with potential for use in electronic packaging applications. Using the finite element method, these thermal properties were simulated on discontinuous SiC-particle and continuous three-dimensional SiC-network-reinforced Al-matrix composites. The calculated CTEs of particle-reinforced composites agree well with those predicted by the Kerner model. While these CTEs increase with increasing temperature, the composites with SiC networks were found to exhibit the opposite trend in the high-temperature region (above about 250 °C). The TCs of the three-dimensional SiC-network-reinforced composites are found to be much less sensitive to volume fraction of reinforcement than those of particle-reinforced composites. Continuous three-dimensional network-reinforced composites possess a higher TC than particulate composites, and their CTEs agree well with those of the electronic devices. Therefore, it is possible to use three-dimensional SiC-network-reinforced Al-matrix composites as electronic packaging materials to achieve a high heat dissipation rate and yet to minimize interfacial stresses resulting from a CTE mismatch.


Measurements of fast neutron and gamma ray dose rates in water along the centerline of the Bulk Shielding Reactor (BSR) are compared with predictions made by use of three available computer programs. It is found that the predictions are very dependent on the assumptions made concerning power distribution and that the more accurate descriptions of the source lead to predictions that agree with measurements to within 20% throughout thickness ranges as great as 100 centimeters of water. (auth)


Bone awls and utilized antler tines from Arnold Research Cave in central Missouri were microscopically examined to determine the type, location, and orienta tion of wear on them. It is assumed that similar wear patterns indicate similar use and, conversely, dissimilar wear patterns indicate divergent use. The awls were first divided into morphological types as proposed by Kidder (1932). The wear patterns on the awls were then compared both on members within a single morpho logical type and on members in different morphological types. It is concluded: (1) awls within a single morpho logical type may exhibit evidence of divergent use, and (2) members of different morphological types may exhibit evidence of similar use. Since the antler tines are morphologically similar, they are classified on the basis of wear patterns. Four different patterns of striations and the presence of abrasion on the distal end indicates there are five classes of antler tine tools in the sample.


An effective White House staff, Howard Baker tells us, is an extension of the president. Drawing on their own experience, other White House veterans explain why. Richard Cheney sees a good White House staff as absolutely essential to a president's success. "A President can do a lot based on his own personal skills, but there's a limit. His reach, his ability to guide and direct the government, to interact with the cabinet, to deal effectively with the Congress, to manage his relationship with the press ... are all key ingredients to his success," and the presidential staff gives him these capacities.(1) David Gergen (who served in communication posts in four administrations) points out that the presidential staff has become "his intelligence-gathering operation, his media management team, his congressional team, and the formulation of his policy."(2) Because of these staff contributions, W. Bowman (Bo) Cutter (who held economic positions in the Carter and Clinton White Houses) adds that the staff maximizes the most valuable commodity in government, the president's time. Who are the critical players in carrying out these responsibilities? Interestingly, there is a bipartisan consensus on this point. With small variations, Democrats Leon Panetta and Harrison Wellford (who worked on reorganization and administration in the Carter Office of Management and Budget [OMB]) and Republicans Roger Porter (who held economic/ domestic posts in three administrations) and Jerry Jones (staff secretary in the Nixon and Ford White Houses) list the same positions: chief of staff, congressional relations chief, press secretary, national security assistant, economic adviser (usually including the OMB director and sometimes another source of economic guidance), chief domestic aide, and counsel. These persons give vital advice to the president and direct important staffs of their own. Whether the president is a Democrat or a Republican, he or she needs skilled professionals in these positions. Returning to Howard Baker's fundamental point, how does the White House staff allow the president to extend his own governance throughout a complex political environment? Since the staff serves as intermediary between the president and all the other institutions that make up the political environment, it must be anchored at both ends. That is, presidential aides must adapt to the president's way of doing business and also must adapt to the work styles of legislators, journalists, diplomats, economists, and the rest who inhabit the political jungle surrounding the White House. Only when the staff is secure in their relations with the president and all the presidential clienteles can they bring essential stability to the president's relations with his political environment. The Need to Adapt to Presidents Presidents, of course, differ from one another. Clinton was different from Bush, who was different from Reagan, who was different from Carter, and so on-all the way back to Washington himself. Yet Roger Porter calls our attention to an important characteristic they have in common. Presidents come to office as mature individuals. "They're not in the formative stage of their life; they're not figuring out how they're going to do things.... Given [that and] all of the pressures that are attendant with that job, the notion that they are going to adapt is rarely the case."(3) The result, in the words of James Cicconi (a deputy of the chief of staff in the Reagan and Bush administrations), is that you usually "have to adapt the system in the White House to the President's work style rather than expect [presidents] to adapt their work style to the system."(4) Hence, White House staffers must discover how each president likes to work, how he likes to make decisions, the degree of detail with which he is comfortable, what types of things he wants to see himself, and what types of things he is willing to let others handle for him. …


This paper is an attempt to develop writing assessment in process-based EFL college writing classes, shifting it form product-based to process-based. This is attained through proposing a process-based writing assessment module. The proposed module advocates the idea that in process-based EFL college writing classes, learners' writing competence (i.e. knowledge of writing process strategies) need to be assessed side by side with other writing aspects, through their writing performance (i.e. written product). It has been ascertained that providing EFL college learners with process-based writing instruction enhances their writing performance and assists them to become better writers. However, for such innovative instruction to be effective and prominent, its objectives and content have to be reflected and highlighted in the components of the test to be conducted in the assessment stage. The process-based module proposed in this study provides innovative testing ideas and techniques, mainly designed to evaluate writing of EFL college learners who had received process-based instruction. The module stresses the assessment of learners' writing competence (writing process) more than their writing performance (written product). The aim beyond such shift of assessment focus (i.e. from product to process), in addition to assessing learners' acquaintance with the various stages and strategies of the writing process, is to draw learners' and teachers' attention to the important role of such writing process aspects in producing better writing, as well as to avoid any potential test backwash effect on learners. Furthermore, such shift is expected to enhance writing assessment and help learners become proficient and skilled writers, particularly in EFL college process-based writing classes.


Cellular neural networks (CNNs) constitute a class of recurrent and locally coupled arrays of identical dynamical systems (cells). The underlying equation governing the dynamics of each cell is nonlinear and the cells are assumed to operate in parallel. The connectivity among the cells is determined by a set of parameters denoted as a template set. A specific task is implemented by determining the appropriate template set. Signal processing via CNNs only becomes efficient if the network is implemented in analog hardware. In view of the physicallinlitations that analog implementations entail, robust operation of a CNN chip with respect to parameter variations has to be insured. By far not all mathematically possible CNN tasks can be carried out reliably on an analog chip, some of them are inherently too sensitive. We define a robustness measure to quantify the degree of robustness and propose an exact and direct analytical design method for the synthesis of optimally robust network parameters. This method is restricted to the class of so-called locally regular templates, which is rigorously defined. It turns out that the complementary class, the locally irregular templates, constitute precisely the class of inherently sensitive templates, which makes the synthesis method generally applicable to all tasks that allow robust operation. Processing speed is always crucial when discussing signal processing devices. In the case of the CNN, it is shown that the settling time of locally regular templates can be specified in closed analytical expressions, which permits, on the one hand, template optimization with respect to speed and, on the other hand, efficient numerical integration of CNNs. Interdependence between robustness and speed issues are also addressed.


A 55-year-old white man presented at our outpatient department with numerous erythematous brownish plaques with a yellow halo on the trunk and upper and lower extremities (Fig. 1a,b). Four weeks before presentation he had first noticed the lesions, which did not itch or bleed and had not grown since first noticed. His general practitioner had diagnosed the lesions as purpura. The patient's medical history showed he had had a varicella zoster virus infection in 1990 and urethral gonorrhoea infection in 2005. In addition, during the past 12 months he had experienced recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and a 5-kg weight loss. He also reported having unprotected sex with other men.


Health is a human right for everyone. Health financing is one of the health economics, which is the amount of funds that must be provided to take advantage of various health efforts needed by individuals, families, groups, and communities. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the health financing model and control compliance on improving health status. The design of this research is a correlational study with a cross sectional approach. The study population was all outpatients of Internal Medicine Polyclinic, dr. H. Moh. Anwar Sumenep during January to August 2020 as many as 5,341 people. The research sample was some of the outpatients of the Internal Medicine Poly Hospital, dr. H. Moh. Anwar Sumenep during the research process as many as 302 people. The sampling technique uses Accidental Sampling. Data analysis using chi-square. The results of the data analysis of the financing model variable (X1) with the health degree variable (Y) obtained by Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) (0.000) <0.05, which means that there is a relationship between the financing model and the degree of health. Data analysis of control compliance variable (X2) with health degree variable (Y) was obtained by Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) (0.000) <0.05, which means that there is a relationship between control compliance and health status. Outpatients must invest in the health of themselves and their families by utilizing the National Health Insurance as a form of anticipating health care because of the high cost of health financing through general methods.


A modified blind MUD algorithm in the cooperation network is presented. By improving the subspace model and subspace tracking algorithm, it resolves the problem of fast matrix decomposition in the blind MUD algorithm. The paper analyzes convergence rate, anti-interference and algorithm complexity, and so on. The simulation results have been presented the modified algorithm can improve the convergence rate, reduce the complexity of receivers, and enhance the performance of cooperation network.


We demonstrate on-chip tunable true-time-delay (TTD) lines based on photonics crystal waveguides. Measurement results show a maximum time delay of 260pS with a 3mm PCW.


We describe four algorithms for neural network training, each adapted to different scalability constraints. These algorithms are mathematically principled and invariant under a number of transformations in data and network representation, from which performance is thus independent. These algorithms are obtained from the setting of differential geometry, and are based on either the natural gradient using the Fisher information matrix, or on Hessian methods, scaled down in a specific way to allow for scalability while keeping some of their key mathematical properties. The most standard way to train neural networks, backpropagation, has several known shortcomings. Convergence can be quite slow. Backpropagation is sensitive to data representation: for instance, even such a simple operation as exchanging 0's and 1's on the input layer will affect performance (Figure 1), because this amounts to changing the parameters (weights and biases) in a non-trivial way, resulting in different gradient directions in parameter space, and better performance with 1's than with 0's. (In the related context of restriced Boltzmann machines, it has been found that the standard training technique by gradient ascent favors setting hidden units to 1, for very much the same reason [AAHO11, Section 5].) This specific phenomenon disappears if, instead of the logistic function, the hyperbolic tangent is used as the activation function. Scaling also has an effect on performance: for instance, a common recommendation [LBOM96] is to use 1.7159 tanh(2x/3) instead of just tanh(x) as the activation function. It would be interesting to have algorithms whose performance is insensitive to particular choices such as scaling factors in network construction, parameter encoding or data representation. Such invariance properties mean more robustness for an algorithm: good performance on a particular problem presumably indicates good performance over a whole class of problems equivalent to the first one by simple (e.g., affine) transformations. Ways exist to deal with these issues, such as Hessian methods or the natural gradient, which are invariant (and thus preserve performance) over a wide class of changes in the representation of the data and of the network. However, these are generally not scalable (the cost of maintaining the whole


Nowadays, according to the high penetration of renewable energy sources, the importance of inertia estimation has become more critical than ever. Renewables cause uncertainty and stochasticity and reduce the total inertia of the power system. Therefore, transmission system operators in a changing environment are going to face transient instability increasingly. Thus, a fast and accurate technique for real-time estimation is required. It allows the operator to monitor the system immediately and make an appropriate decision. This paper proposes a real-time inertia estimation method based on the swing equation for a multi-area interconnected power system using the Phasor Measurement Units. The proposed approach's efficiency is validated through time-domain simulation on the two-area four-generator test power system. The numerical results demonstrate the potential and precision of the proposed approach in estimating inertia and confirming the modeling assumptions.


Background: People experiencing homelessness face significant medical and psychiatric illness, yet few studies have characterized the effects of multimorbidity within this population. This study aimed to (a) delineate unique groups of individuals based on medical, psychiatric, and substance use disorder profiles, and (b) compare clinical outcomes across groups. Methods: We extracted administrative data from a health system electronic health record for adults referred to the Durham Homeless Care Transitions program from July 2016 to June 2020. We used latent class analysis to estimate classes in this cohort based on clinically important medical, psychiatric and substance use disorder diagnoses and compared health care utilization, overdose, and mortality at 12 months after referral. Results: We included 497 patients in the study and found 5 distinct groups: "low morbidity" (referent), "high comorbidity," "high tri-morbidity," "high alcohol use," and "high medical illness." All groups had greater number of admissions, longer mean duration of admissions, and more ED visits in the 12 months after referral compared to the "low morbidity" group. The "high medical illness" group had greater mortality 12 months after referral compared to the "low morbidity" group (OR, 2.53, 1.03–6.16; 95% CI, 1.03–6.16; p = 0.04). The "high comorbidity" group (OR, 5.23; 95% CI, 1.57–17.39; p < 0.007) and "high tri-morbidity" group (OR, 4.20; 95% CI, 1.26–14.01; p < 0.02) had greater 12-month drug overdose risk after referral compared to the referent group. Conclusions: These data suggest that distinct groups of people experiencing homelessness are affected differently by comorbidities, thus health care programs for this population should address their risk factors accordingly.


Increasing financial pressures have resulted in a need to consider the economic value of hydrologic data to justify continued data collection. This paper investigates the implications of the length of available historical streamflow records on reservoir storage and capital costs of construction. It is shown that the overyear storage estimates derived from sequential storage analysis will generally be larger if longer sequences are used for analysis compared with shorter sequences. As such, the sequence length used for analysis should be equal to the relevant design life rather than the length of available record. For a given design life and using simulations based on generation of synthetic streamflow sequences, the paper also shows how dollar values can be estimated for increments in streamflow data records based on reduced expected capital costs of storage construction resulting from reduction in uncertainty.


For writing argumentative essays, second-language postgraduate students must have a comprehensive task representation for academic argumentation - i.e., they must understand their audience, the purpose of argumentation, and how to critically review and contribute to the literature. Despite the importance of this theme, researchers have focused on L2 postgraduate students' citation and writing strategies. To fill a gap in research, this study investigated how two successful L2 postgraduate learners conducted critical reviews of literature for argument construction. The approach to thematic analysis developed by Braun and Clarke (2006) was applied to analyse the interview data. The findings suggested that the two learners' awareness of critical reading increased as they planned their essays for the academic audience. As they read selected review articles, they became more adept at participating in academic debate and were able to critically review researchers' previous studies, and effectively use evaluation in their academic arguments.


Experimental studies (M. Mandal, B. Boese, J.E. Barrick, W.C. Winkler and R.R. Breaker, Riboswitches control fundamental biochemical pathways in bacillus subtilis and other bacteria, Cell 113 (2003), pp. 577–586) demonstrated that, besides recognising guanine with high specificity, guanine riboswitch could also bind guanine analogues, but the alteration of every functionalised position on the guanine heterocycle could cause a substantial loss of binding affinity. To investigate the nature of guanine riboswitch recognising metabolites, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were carried out on diverse guanine analogues. The calculation results reveal that (1) most guanine analogues could bind to guanine riboswitch at the same binding pocket, with identical orientations and dissimilar binding energies, which is related to the positions of the functional groups; (2) the two tautomers of xanthine adopt different binding modes, and the enol-tautomer shows similar binding mode and affinity of hypoxanthine, which agrees well with the experimental results and (3) the riboswitch could form stable complexes with guanine analogues by hydrogen bonding contacts with U51 and C74. Particularly, U51 plays an important role in stabilising the complexes.


This paper presents a new large\|scale system model for Yanghe River in Hebei Province, China, which includes a multi\|dimension, multi\|objective dynamic programming model, a flood dispatching model and a water quality model. A new algorithm of discrete differential dynamic programming with changeable penalty term is put forward. The results of case study show that the mathematical model and its solution techniques are feasible and effective in practice.


We analyze a model of gene transcription and protein synthesis which has been previously presented in the biological literature. The model takes the form of an ODE (ordinary differential equation) coupled to a DDE (delay differential equation), the state variables being concentrations of messenger RNA and protein. The delay is assumed to depend on the concentration of mRNA and is therefore state-dependent. Linear analysis gives a critical time delay beyond which a periodic motion is born in a Hopf bifurcation. Lindstedt's method is applied to the nonlinear system, resulting in closed form approximate expressions for the amplitude and frequency of oscillation.


This paper redefines the concepts of English as a universitydiscipline, quality education, patterns of training Englishmajors and the demand for them in the market. Through carefulanalysis the paper points out that it is difficult or unnecessaryfor English departments to shoulder the sole responsibility oftraining students "with multiple skills". The introduction ofnon-English courses into English departments is both shortsightedand misleading. One of the reasons why English departments inChina are eager to deviate from the norm of EFL teaching is thatthey fail to understand properly their own position in highereducation. The paper maintains that what English majors presentlylack is not the technical knowledge and/or skills for a particularjob but the ability to think creatively and adapt themselves to theever-changing market. The paper makes a prediction thatEnglish departments in China will sooner or later return to their"proper business" of teaching English language and culture.


textabstractPublic health policies and services are increasingly scrutinized for their quality and accountability and 'evidence-based' ways of working are becoming more important in most public sector activities. In the Netherlands this led to the development of academic collaborative centers (ACCs) for public health: formal, long-term collaborations between municipal health services, university departments and other stakeholders. In this paper we argue that discussing issues of research uptake or research utilization in terms of 'gaps' that need to be 'bridged' is unproductive when analyzing structural collaborations or partnerships between researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. Within collaborative settings such as the ACCs, the clear distinction between what counts as 'science' and what counts as 'policy' is only one side of the story. We use the notions of 'boundary organization' and 'front stage and back stage settings' to analyze a case study of a collaborative project conducted within one of the ACCs.


Poonch is one of the most backward districts of Jammu & Kashmir state (India) having 86% of area as rainfed. Zea mays Oryzae sativa and Triticum aestivum are the three main cereals grown in the district. Farm Service Centre known as Krishi Vigyan Kendra laid down Front Line Demonstrations on these three cereal crops by introducing some new varieties and applying scientific package of practices in their cultivation. The yield and economic returns of maize, paddy and wheat in demonstrated plots were calculated and compared with the corresponding traditional plots. All the three cereal crops recorded higher gross returns, net return and B:C ratio in demonstrated plots as compared to the plots where farmers were using traditional practices in their cultivation. It is suggested that location-specific integrated approaches would be needed to bridge the yield gap of the cereals grown in the district. Keeping in view the results of Front Line Demonstrations, several trainings for farmers on scientific cultivation of maize, paddy and wheat are being conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra Poonch for the farmers of the district. However, efforts restricted to selected farmers of the adopted villages need to be augmented further to cover the untouched areas of the district.


The Navier-Stokes Computer (NSC) consists of multiple local memory parallel processors interconnected in a hypercube network. Efficient implementation of algorithms on the NSC thus requires the effective utilization of both the coarse and fine grain paralelism inherent in the architectural design. The basic approach to implementing an algorithm on the NSC is presented herein. The particular finite-difference algorithm considered was developed for performing transition and turbulence simulations by direct solution of the time-dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. The suitability of this algorithm for performing simulations of the isotropic turbulence problem is verified from computations performed on a Cray 2. Projected timing results for the algorithm on the NSC itself are presented for both the isotropic turbulence and laminar turbulent transition problems.


This research is quasi-experimental research aimed at determining whether Jigsaw's collaborative learning has a positive effect on the learning outcomes of Grade X SMK Negeri 2 PINRANG (on straight motion material) students. The research design was "Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design". The variables in this study are the learning model and the learning outcomes. The independent variable in this study is cooperative jigsaw learning and direct learning, while the dependent variable is student learning outcomes. The population in this study were all grade X SMK NEGERI 2 PINRANG students. The sample in this study consisted of two classes, namely Class X APH1 as the experimental class and Class X APH2 as the control class with the sampling technique by random sampling. There are 12 students in class X APH1 and 12 students in class X APH2 in each class. The results of the analysis show that the mean of the experimental class is 75 and the control class is 42.5 with a standard deviation of 9.29 and 15, respectively. The results of the SPSS analysis using the t-test show that the value of t => is t table = 6.38> 1.717144. Therefore tcount> ttable means that H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted.


The invention the battle game according to the game skill of the player provides a game system which is realized in the target hitting game. In the game system, the target hitting game can be played in a game machine. Game system win-loss influence information control device, and a target for changing the information based on the measurement strength measured for the hit in the criterial strength determination device, and a game for determining the criterial strength of the player having the influence on the opponent's game outcome and if it does not hit on the basis of the reference intensity win-loss influence for changing the information having the influence on win or loss of the player information control device, on the basis of the information having the influence on the player and win or loss of the opponent to determine the outcome of a game and a win-loss judgment device. Gaming machines, gaming systems, battle games, players, opponents


Objective:To observe effect of Clostridium butyricum that change the fur on the tongue in children with Helicobacter pylori(Hp) gastritis who eradicated.Methods:230 casese were randomly divided into two groups who treated by antimicrobial for two weeks,180 cases were added to Clostridium butyricum 0.5 g(3 a) or 1.0 g(3 a),tid.for two weeks,and control group added to nothing.The changing of fur on tongues were divited into normal,light,middle and serius degree. Results:151 cases become normal and 29 cases got better in treatment group;38 cases were normal and 12 cases were no changed in the control group.The effective rate was 100% and 76.00% respectively(χ 2=40.46,P0.01).Conclusion:The fur on tongue could be removed better with Clostridium butyricum in children with Hp gastritis that eradicated.


In the age of economic globalization,the national interest of China has become a focus of attention,whose maintenance requires integrated means.The implementation of the strategy of opening to the outside world,the establishment of the international passageways and the free trade zone,and the close bilateral or multi-lateral cooperation are the requirements of China's reform and the mission of Yunnan for building itself into an international gateway.Pianma Trading-port in Lushui County of Lujiang Prefecture is a case in point,whose construction ushers in a new direction for the socio-economic development of Yunnan Province.


New bifunctional chemical catalysts for the hydration of nitriles are described. cis-Ru(acac)2(PPh2py)2 exhibited high activity, with a turnover frequency of up to 20,900 (mol of amide)/((mol of catalyst)h). Newly synthesized iridium complexes bearing a PPh2py ligand have a 16e- square planar structure. The catalytic hydration of nitriles proceeded at 80 °C within few hours to give corresponding amides in almost quantitative yield. Moreover, the iridium complexes acted as a catalyst for the hydration under solvent-free conditions. In addition, new catalysts based on palladium nanoparticles for the hydration are described. Copper compounds containing oxygen atom acted as effective co-catalysts in the catalytic system.


Thematic Mapper (TM) images, with 30 m pixel resolution in six spectral bands, are available for most of North America and for many other regions. If digital TM and topographic data with suitable computer imaging systems were widely available for undergraduate instruction, they could change the teaching of geology in a way comparable to the change produced by the widespread adoption of USGS topographic maps in the 1890s and stereographic aerial photographs in the 1930s. Under various NASA research grants, the Andes Project at Cornell University has acquired nearly complete TM coverage of the central Andes from 15°S to 35°S, plus extensive holdings of digital topographic, radar, seismic, and gravity data and some SPOT scenes. Through an NSF instrumentation and laboratory-improvement grant we are integrating our research materials into all levels of undergraduate instruction to produce computer-literate geology majors who are capable of interpreting and analyzing remotely sensed images of the earth. Cloud-f...