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Sample records for possessing good mechanical

  1. 19 CFR 7.3 - Duty-free treatment of goods imported from insular possessions of the United States other than...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... INSULAR POSSESSIONS AND GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL STATION § 7.3 Duty-free treatment of goods imported from...) The goods became a new and different article of commerce as a result of production or manufacture... possession or the United States results from the original commercial transaction between the importer and the...

  2. The qualified possession turn into ownership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popov Danica

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Possession is prima facie evidence of ownership. Possession is ninetents of the law, means that possession is good against all other, except the true owner. The possession ripens into ownership if it is qualified and by effluxion of time. In Serbian law there are two kinds of adverse possession ripens into ownership. The first one is named ordinary and second one extraordinary adverse possession. Ordinary possession need to be legal, conscientious and genuine. Extraordinary possession is only conscientious, but in a wide sense. Adverse possession destroys the title of the owner and vests it in possessor. An occupation of land inconsistent with the right of the true owner: the possession of those against whom a right action has accured to the true owner. It is actual possession in the absence of possession by the rightful owner and without lawful title. If the adverse possession continues, the effect at the expiration of the prescribed period is that not only the remedy but the title of former owner is extinguished. The person in adverse possession gains a new possessory title which cannot, normally exceed in extent of duration the interest of the former owner.

  3. Sociality as a natural mechanism of public goods provision.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elliot T Berkman

    Full Text Available In the recent literature, several hypotheses have been offered to explain patterns of human behavior in social environments. In particular, these patterns include 'prosocial' ones, such as fairness, cooperation, and collective good provision. Psychologists suggest that these prosocial behaviors are driven not by miscalculations, but by salience of social identity, in-group favoritism, emotion, or evolutionary adaptations. This paper imports psychology scholarship into an economic model and results in a sustainable solution to collective action problems without any external enforcement mechanisms. This natural mechanism of public goods provision is created, analyzed, and observed in a controlled laboratory environment using experimental techniques.

  4. POSSESSION VERSUS POSITION: STRATEGIC EVALUATION IN AFL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darren M. O'Shaughnessy

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available In sports like Australian Rules football and soccer, teams must battle to achieve possession of the ball in sufficient space to make optimal use of it. Ultimately the teams need to score, and to do that the ball must be brought into the area in front of goal - the place where the defence usually concentrates on shutting down space and opportunity time. Coaches would like to quantify the trade-offs between contested play in good positions and uncontested play in less promising positions, in order to inform their decision-making about where to put their players, and when to gamble on sending the ball to a contest rather than simply maintain possession. To evaluate football strategies, Champion Data has collected the on-ground locations of all 350,000 possessions and stoppages in the past two seasons of AFL (2004, 2005. By following each chain of play through to the next score, we can now reliably estimate the scoreboard "equity" of possessing the ball at any location, and measure the effect of having sufficient time to dispose of it effectively. As expected, winning the ball under physical pressure (through a "hard ball get" is far more difficult to convert into a score than winning it via a mark. We also analyse some equity gradients to show how getting the ball 20 metres closer to goal is much more important in certain areas of the ground than in others. We conclude by looking at the choices faced by players in possession wanting to maximise their likelihood of success

  5. Using donation mechanisms to value nonuse benefits from public goods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patricia A. Champ; Richard C. Bishop; Thomas C. Brown; Daniel W. McCollum

    1997-01-01

    This paper discusses an experiment in which the value for an unfamiliar environmental good, whose total value has a large nonuse component, is verified using a revealed-preference method. As we were unable to observe preferences via an incentive compatible mechanism, we collected voluntary contributions toward the provision of the good. We make a case for interpreting...

  6. Substantial Goodness and Nascent Human Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Floyd, Shawn

    2015-09-01

    Many believe that moral value is--at least to some extent--dependent on the developmental states necessary for supporting rational activity. My paper rejects this view, but does not aim simply to register objections to it. Rather, my essay aims to answer the following question: if a human being's developmental state and occurrent capacities do not bequeath moral standing, what does? The question is intended to prompt careful consideration of what makes human beings objects of moral value, dignity, or (to employ my preferred term) goodness. Not only do I think we can answer this question, I think we can show that nascent human life possesses goodness of precisely this sort. I appeal to Aquinas's metaethics to establish the conclusion that the goodness of a human being--even if that being is an embryo or fetus--resides at the substratum of her existence. If she possesses goodness, it is because human existence is good.

  7. Game design as marketing: How game mechanics create demand for virtual goods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lehdonvirta, V.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Selling virtual goods for real money is an increasingly popular revenue model for massively-multiplayer online games (MMOs, social networking sites (SNSs and other online hangouts. In this paper, we argue that the marketing of virtual goods currently falls short of what it could be. Game developers have long created compelling game designs, but having to market virtual goods to players is a relatively new situation to them. Professional marketers, on the other hand, tend to overlook the internal design of games and hangouts and focus on marketing the services as a whole. To begin bridging the gap, we propose that the design patterns and game mechanics commonly used in games and online hangouts should be viewed as a set of marketing techniques designed to sell virtual goods. Based on a review of a number of MMOs, we describe some of the most common patterns and game mechanics and show how their effects can be explained in terms of analogous techniques from marketing science. The results provide a new perspective to game design with interesting implications to developers. Moreover, they also suggest a radically new perspective to marketers of ordinary goods and services: viewing marketing as a form of game design.

  8. Investigating the Impact of Possession-Way of a Smartphone on Action Recognition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zae Myung Kim

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available For the past few decades, action recognition has been attracting many researchers due to its wide use in a variety of applications. Especially with the increasing number of smartphone users, many studies have been conducted using sensors within a smartphone. However, a lot of these studies assume that the users carry the device in specific ways such as by hand, in a pocket, in a bag, etc. This paper investigates the impact of providing an action recognition system with the information of the possession-way of a smartphone, and vice versa. The experimental dataset consists of five possession-ways (hand, backpack, upper-pocket, lower-pocket, and shoulder-bag and two actions (walking and running gathered by seven users separately. Various machine learning models including recurrent neural network architectures are employed to explore the relationship between the action recognition and the possession-way recognition. The experimental results show that the assumption of possession-ways of smartphones do affect the performance of action recognition, and vice versa. The results also reveal that a good performance is achieved when both actions and possession-ways are recognized simultaneously.

  9. Improvement of microstructure and mechanical properties of high dense SiC ceramics manufactured by high-speed hot pressing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voyevodin, V.; Sayenko, S.; Lobach, K.; Tarasov, R.; Zykova, A.; Svitlychnyi, Ye.; Surkov, A.; Abelentsev, V.; Ghaemi, H.; Szkodo, M.; Gajowiec, G.; Kmiec, M.; Antoszkiewicz, M.

    2017-01-01

    Non-oxide ceramics possess high physical-mechanical properties, corrosion and radiation resistance, which can be used as a protective materials for radioactive wastes disposal. The aim of the present study was the manufacturing of high density SiC ceramics with advanced physical and mechanical parameters. The high performance on the properties of produced ceramics was determined by the dense and monolithic structure. The densified silicon carbide samples possessed good mechanical strength, with a high Vickers micro hardness up to 28.5 GPa.

  10. Influence of the endowment effect on the valuation of goods. An experimental verification.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Gawrońska

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The article refers to the issue of the endowment effect, which acts as a mechanism that influences valuation. The paper’s main aim is to verify the endowment effect phenomenon for branded, fast-moving consumer goods. The subject of this paper also includes examining whether short-term possession, generates the endowment effect. It also studies how the possibility of using a product influences the power of the examined phenomenon. In order to verify the proposed hypothesis, an economic experiment was used. Its results were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics and econometric methods. The study demonstrated that the endowment effect determines the perception of goods and influences their valuation.

  11. Possession Zone as a Performance Indicator in Football. The Game of the Best Teams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio A. Casal

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Possession time in football has been widely discussed in research but few studies have analyzed the importance of the field area in which possession occurs. The objective of this study was to identify the existence of significant differences in the field zone of ball possession between successful and unsuccessful teams and to acknowledge if the match status modulates the possession model. To this end, 2,284 attacks were analyzed corresponding to the matches in the final phase of the UEFA Euro 2016 France, recording possession time and field zone in which possession occurred. Video recordings of matches were analyzed and coded post-event using notational analysis. We have found that successful offensive game patterns are different from unsuccessful ones. Specifically, field zone in which major possession occurs changes significantly between successful and unsuccessful teams (x2 = 15.72, p < 0.05 and through Welch’s T significant differences were detected in possession time between successful and unsuccessful teams (H = 24.289, p < 0.001. The former are characterized by longer possession times, preferably in the middle offensive zone, on the other hand, unsuccessful teams have shorter possession times and preferably on the middle defensive zone. Logistic regression also allowed us to identify that greater possession in the middle offensive zone is a good indicator of success in the offensive game, allowing us to predict a greater chance of victory in the match. Specifically, every time the teams achieve possession in the middle offensive zone, the chance of winning the match will increase 1.72 times and, the probability of winning the match making longer possessions in the middle offensive zone is 44.25%. Applying the Kruskal–Wallis test we have also been able to verify how match status modulates the teams possession time, specifically, when teams are winning they have longer possessions x2 = 92.628, p = 0.011. Results obtained are expected to

  12. 8 CFR 316.10 - Good moral character.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... was not a single offense for simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana; (iv) Admits...) Proof of good moral character in certain cases—(1) Effect of probation or parole. An applicant who has...

  13. Good faith in the context of restitution of cultural property

    OpenAIRE

    Midorović Sloboda D.

    2016-01-01

    The paper examines international and supranational rules on good faith in the context of restitution of cultural property. Deviations from the general rules on good faith with regard to the good faith acquisition and adverse possession have been indicated. Instead of insuring acquisition of ownership in conjunction with other preconditions, good faith only entitles an acquirer of the stolen or illegally exported cultural object to a fair compensation. The good faith presumption was abandoned ...

  14. Predicative possession in Medieval Slavic Bible translations Predicative Possession in Early Biblical Slavic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia McAnallen

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Late Proto-Slavic (LPS had an inventory of three constructions for expressing predicative possession. Using the earliest Slavic Bible translations from Old Church Slavic (OCS, and to a lesser degree Old Czech, a number of conclusions can be drawn about the status of predicative possession for LPS. The verb iměti ‘have’ was the most frequent and least syntactically and semantically restricted predicative possessive construction (PPC. Existential PPCs with a dative possessor appear primarily with kinship relations, abstract possessums, and in a number of other fixed construction types; existential PPCs with the possessor in an u + genitive prepositional phrase primarily appear with concrete and countable possessums. Both existential PPCs call for an animate, most often pronominal, possessor. The u + genitive was the rarest type of PPC in LPS, though it had undoubtedly grammaticalized as a PPC.

  15. The protection of possession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popov Danica

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Protection in disputes for the protection of possession can be attained through the following actions a for dispossession (interdictum recuperande possessionis and b with an action for the disturbance of possession (interdictum retinendae possessionis. The general feature of these disputes is that there is only discussion on the facts and not a legal matters. Subject matter jurisdiction for the resolution of such disputes belongs to the court of general jurisdiction, while the dispute itself is a litigation. The special rule of proceedings of action for disturbance are: provisionality of the protection of possession; urgency in proceedings; initiation of the proceedings; limiting of objection; prescribing temporary measures; rendering a ruling in the form of order; appeals which may be filed within a short deadline and which does not have suspensive effect (do not delay the execution of the order; revision is not allowed etc.

  16. Multifunctional Hydrogel with Good Structure Integrity, Self-Healing, and Tissue-Adhesive Property Formed by Combining Diels-Alder Click Reaction and Acylhydrazone Bond.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Feng; Cao, Xiaodong; Du, Jie; Wang, Gang; Chen, Xiaofeng

    2015-11-04

    Hydrogel, as a good cartilage tissue-engineered scaffold, not only has to possess robust mechanical property but also has to have an intrinsic self-healing property to integrate itself or the surrounding host cartilage. In this work a double cross-linked network (DN) was designed and prepared by combining Diels-Alder click reaction and acylhydrazone bond. The DA reaction maintained the hydrogel's structural integrity and mechanical strength in physiological environment, while the dynamic covalent acylhydrazone bond resulted in hydrogel's self-healing property and controlled the on-off switch of network cross-link density. At the same time, the aldehyde groups contained in hydrogel further promote good integration of the hydrogel to surrounding tissue based on aldehyde-amine Schiff-base reaction. This kind of hydrogel has good structural integrity, autonomous self-healing, and tissue-adhesive property and simultaneously will have a good application in tissue engineering and tissue repair field.

  17. Electrospun meshes possessing region-wise differences in fiber orientation, diameter, chemistry and mechanical properties for engineering bone-ligament-bone tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samavedi, Satyavrata; Vaidya, Prasad; Gaddam, Prudhvidhar; Whittington, Abby R; Goldstein, Aaron S

    2014-12-01

    Although bone-patellar tendon-bone (B-PT-B) autografts are the gold standard for repair of anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, they suffer from drawbacks such as donor site morbidity and limited supply. Engineered tissues modeled after B-PT-B autografts are promising alternatives because they have the potential to regenerate connective tissue and facilitate osseointegration. Towards the long-term goal of regenerating ligaments and their bony insertions, the objective of this study was to construct 2D meshes and 3D cylindrical composite scaffolds - possessing simultaneous region-wise differences in fiber orientation, diameter, chemistry and mechanical properties - by electrospinning two different polymers from off-set spinnerets. Using a dual drum collector, 2D meshes consisting of an aligned polycaprolactone (PCL) fiber region, randomly oriented poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) fiber region and a transition region (comprised of both PCL and PLGA fibers) were prepared, and region-wise differences were confirmed by microscopy and tensile testing. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) cultured on these meshes exhibited random orientations and low aspect ratios on the random PLGA regions, and high aspect ratios and alignment on the aligned PCL regions. Next, meshes containing an aligned PCL region flanked by two transition regions and two randomly oriented PLGA regions were prepared and processed into 3D cylindrical composite scaffolds using an interpenetrating photo-crosslinkable polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel to recapitulate the shape of B-PT-B autografts. Tensile testing indicated that cylindrical composites were mechanically robust, and eventually failed due to stress concentration in the aligned PCL region. In summary, this study demonstrates a process to fabricate electrospun meshes possessing region-wise differences in properties that can elicit region-dependent cell responses, and be readily processed into scaffolds with the shape of B-PT-B autografts.

  18. Punishment Mechanism with Self-Adjusting Rules in Spatial Voluntary Public Goods Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zhong-Wei; Xu, Zhao-Jin; Zhang, Lian-Zhong

    2014-11-01

    The phenomena of cooperation in animal and human society are ubiquitous, but the selfish outcome that no player contributes to the public good will lead to the “tragedy of the commons”. The recent research shows that high punishment can improve the cooperation of the population. In this paper, we introduce a punishment mechanism into spatial voluntary public goods games with every individual only knowing his own payoff in each round. Using the self-adjusting rules, we find that the different cost for punishment can lead to different effects on the voluntary public goods games. Especially, when the cost for punishment is decreased, a higher contribution region will appear in the case of low r value. It means even for the low r value, individuals can form the contributing groups in large quantities to produce a more efficient outcome than that in moderate r value. In addition, we also find the players' memory can have effects on the average outcome of the population.

  19. POSSESSION, REVIEW FROM CULTURAL AND PSYCHIATRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ni Ketut Sri Diniari

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Possession is a culture related syndrome, commonly found in Indonesia including Bali. We can see this event in religion and cultural ceremony and at other times at school, home, and in society. This syndrome consist of temporary loss of self identification and environment awareness; in several events a person acts as if he/she was controlled by other being, magic force, spirit or ‘other forces’. There are still several different opinions about trance-possession, whether it is related to certain culture or is a part of mental disorder. DSM-IV-TR and PPDGJ-III defined trance-possession as mental disorder (dissociative for involuntary possession, if it is not a common activity, and if it is not a part of religion or cultural event. (MEDICINA 2012;43:37-40.

  20. Individual ball possession in soccer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Link

    Full Text Available This paper describes models for detecting individual and team ball possession in soccer based on position data. The types of ball possession are classified as Individual Ball Possession (IBC, Individual Ball Action (IBA, Individual Ball Control (IBC, Team Ball Possession (TBP, Team Ball Control (TBC und Team Playmaking (TPM according to different starting points and endpoints and the type of ball control involved. The machine learning approach used is able to determine how long the ball spends in the sphere of influence of a player based on the distance between the players and the ball together with their direction of motion, speed and the acceleration of the ball. The degree of ball control exhibited during this phase is classified based on the spatio-temporal configuration of the player controlling the ball, the ball itself and opposing players using a Bayesian network. The evaluation and application of this approach uses data from 60 matches in the German Bundesliga season of 2013/14, including 69,667 IBA intervals. The identification rate was F = .88 for IBA and F = .83 for IBP, and the classification rate for IBC was κ = .67. Match analysis showed the following mean values per match: TBP 56:04 ± 5:12 min, TPM 50:01 ± 7:05 min and TBC 17:49 ± 8:13 min. There were 836 ± 424 IBC intervals per match and their number was significantly reduced by -5.1% from the 1st to 2nd half. The analysis of ball possession at the player level indicates shortest accumulated IBC times for the central forwards (0:49 ± 0:43 min and the longest for goalkeepers (1:38 ± 0:58 min, central defenders (1:38 ± 1:09 min and central midfielders (1:27 ± 1:08 min. The results could improve performance analysis in soccer, help to detect match events automatically, and allow discernment of higher value tactical structures, which is based on individual ball possession.

  1. 50 CFR 20.38 - Possession of live birds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Possession of live birds. 20.38 Section 20... WILDLIFE AND PLANTS (CONTINUED) MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING Possession § 20.38 Possession of live birds. Every migratory game bird wounded by hunting and reduced to possession by the hunter shall be immediately killed...

  2. Pricing Mechanism in Information Goods

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Xinming; Wang, Huaqing

    2018-01-01

    We study three pricing mechanisms' performance and their effects on the participants in the data industry from the data supply chain perspective. A win-win pricing strategy for the players in the data supply chain is proposed. We obtain analytical solutions in each pricing mechanism, including the decentralized and centralized pricing, Nash Bargaining pricing, and revenue sharing mechanism.

  3. Casein films: effects of formulation, environmental conditions, and addition of citric pectin on the structure and mechanical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thin casein films for food packaging applications reportedly possess good strength and low oxygen permeability, but low water-resistance and elasticity. Modifying and customizing the mechanical properties of the films to target specific behaviors depending on environmental conditions would enable a...

  4. Volunteering as Red Queen mechanism for cooperation in public goods games

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hauert, C.; De Monte, Silvia; Hofbauer, J.

    2002-01-01

    The evolution of cooperation among nonrelated individuals is one of the fundamental problems in biology and social sciences. Reciprocal altruism fails to provide a solution if interactions are not repeated often enough or groups are too large. Punishment and reward can be very effective but require...... that defectors can be traced and identified. Here we present a simple but effective mechanism operating under full anonymity. Optional participation can foil exploiters and overcome the social dilemma. In voluntary public goods interactions, cooperators and defectors will coexist. We show that this result holds...

  5. 50 CFR 648.164 - Possession restrictions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Atlantic Bluefish Fishery § 648.164 Possession restrictions. (a) No person shall possess more than 15 bluefish in, or harvested from, the EEZ unless that person is the owner or operator of a fishing vessel issued a bluefish commercial permit or is issued a bluefish dealer permit. Persons aboard a vessel that...

  6. Rheological behaviors of edible casein-based packaging films under extreme environmental conditions, using humidity-controlled dynamic mechanical analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thin casein films for food packaging applications possess good strength and low oxygen permeability but low water-resistance and elasticity. Customizing the mechanical properties of the films to target specific behaviors depending on temperature and humidity changes would enable a variety of commerc...

  7. Possession States: Approaches to Clinical Evaluation and Classification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. McCormick

    1992-01-01

    Full Text Available The fields of anthropology and sociology have produced a large quantity of literature on possession states, physicians however rarely report on such phenomena. As a result clinical description of possession states has suffered, even though these states may be more common and less deviant than supposed. Both ICD-10 and DSM-IV may include specific criteria for possession disorders. The authors briefly review Western notions about possession and kindred states and present guidelines for evaluation and classification.

  8. Radiation protective agents possessing anti-oxidative properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anzai, Kazunori; Ueno, Emi; Yoshida, Akira; Furuse, Masako; Ikota, Nobuo [National Inst. of Radiological Sciences, Research Center for Radiation Safety, Chiba, Chiba (Japan)

    2005-11-15

    The purpose of studies is to see mechanisms of radiation protection of agents possessing anti-oxidative properties because the initial step resulting in radiation hazard is the formation of radicals by water radiolysis. Agents were commercially available or synthesized proxyl derivatives (spin prove agents), commercially available spin-trapping agents, edaravone and TMG (a tocopherol glycoside). Mice and cultured cells were X-irradiated by Shimadzu Pantak HF-320 or 320S. Survivals of cells were determined by colony assay and of mice, to which the agents were given intraperitoneally before or after X-irradiation, within 30 days post irradiation. Plasma and marrow concentrations of proxyls were estimated by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. Mechanisms of their radiation protective effects were shown different from agent to agent. TMG was found effective even post irradiation, which suggests a possibility for a new drug development. Some (spin trapping agents and TMG), virtually ineffective at the cell level, were found effective in the whole body, suggesting the necessity of studies on their disposition and metabolism. (S.I.)

  9. Radiation protective agents possessing anti-oxidative properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anzai, Kazunori; Ueno, Emi; Yoshida, Akira; Furuse, Masako; Ikota, Nobuo

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of studies is to see mechanisms of radiation protection of agents possessing anti-oxidative properties because the initial step resulting in radiation hazard is the formation of radicals by water radiolysis. Agents were commercially available or synthesized proxyl derivatives (spin prove agents), commercially available spin-trapping agents, edaravone and TMG (a tocopherol glycoside). Mice and cultured cells were X-irradiated by Shimadzu Pantak HF-320 or 320S. Survivals of cells were determined by colony assay and of mice, to which the agents were given intraperitoneally before or after X-irradiation, within 30 days post irradiation. Plasma and marrow concentrations of proxyls were estimated by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry. Mechanisms of their radiation protective effects were shown different from agent to agent. TMG was found effective even post irradiation, which suggests a possibility for a new drug development. Some (spin trapping agents and TMG), virtually ineffective at the cell level, were found effective in the whole body, suggesting the necessity of studies on their disposition and metabolism. (S.I.)

  10. Irradiation of goods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lunt, R.E.

    1987-01-01

    Mechanical handling apparatus is adapted to handle goods, such as boxed fruit, during a process of irradiation, in palletized form. Palletized goods are loaded onto wheeled vehicles in a loading zone. Four vehicles are wheeled on a track into an irradiation zone via a door in a concrete shield. The vehicles are arranged in orthogonal relationship around a source of square section. Turntables are positioned at corners of the square shaped rail truck around the source selectively to turn the vehicles to align then with track sections. Mechanical manipulating devices are positioned in the track sections opposed to sides of the source. During irradiation, the vehicles and their palletized goods are cylically moved toward the source to offer first sides of the goods for irradiation and are retraced from the source and are pivoted through 90 0 to persent succeeding sides of the goods for irradiation

  11. Volunteering as Red Queen Mechanism for Cooperation in Public Goods Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hauert, Christoph; De Monte, Silvia; Hofbauer, Josef; Sigmund, Karl

    2002-05-01

    The evolution of cooperation among nonrelated individuals is one of the fundamental problems in biology and social sciences. Reciprocal altruism fails to provide a solution if interactions are not repeated often enough or groups are too large. Punishment and reward can be very effective but require that defectors can be traced and identified. Here we present a simple but effective mechanism operating under full anonymity. Optional participation can foil exploiters and overcome the social dilemma. In voluntary public goods interactions, cooperators and defectors will coexist. We show that this result holds under very diverse assumptions on population structure and adaptation mechanisms, leading usually not to an equilibrium but to an unending cycle of adjustments (a Red Queen type of evolution). Thus, voluntary participation offers an escape hatch out of some social traps. Cooperation can subsist in sizable groups even if interactions are not repeated, defectors remain anonymous, players have no memory, and assortment is purely random.

  12. Possession divestment by sales in later life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekerdt, David J; Addington, Aislinn

    2015-08-01

    Residential relocation in later life is almost always a downsizing, with many possessions to be divested in a short period of time. This article examines older movers' capacities for selling things, and ways that selling attenuates people's ties to those things, thus accomplishing the human dis-possession of the material convoy. In qualitative interviews in 79 households in the Midwestern United States, older adults reported their experience with possession sales associated with residential relocation. Among this group, three-quarters of the households downsized by selling some belongings. Informal sales seemed the least fraught of all strategies, estate sales had mixed reviews, and garage sales were recalled as laborious. Sellers' efforts were eased by social relations and social networks as helpers and buyers came forward. As selling proceeded, sentiment about possessions waned as their materiality and economic value came to the fore, easing their detachment from the household. Possession selling is challenging because older adults are limited in the knowledge, skills, and efforts that they can apply to the recommodification of their belongings. Selling can nonetheless be encouraged as a divestment strategy as long as the frustrations and drawbacks are transparent, and the goal of ridding is kept in view. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. 22 CFR 72.14 - Nominal possession; property not normally taken into physical possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... possession. (a) When a consular officer take articles of a decedent's personal property from a foreign... Department discharging the consular officer of any responsibility for the articles transferred. (b) A... effects; (2) Motor vehicles, airplanes or watercraft; (3) Toiletries, such as toothpaste or razors; (4...

  14. Possessive Pronouns in European Portuguese and Old French

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matilde Miguel

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to bring European Portuguese (EP data into light, showing that, in spite of the lack of morphological evidence, the syntactic behaviour of possessives, across EP dialects, shows evidences for a tripartite possessive system (Cardinaletti, 1998; Cardinaletti & Starke, 1999. It will be argued that the syntactic position of possessives parallels the positions assumed for EP sentential subjects in non interrogative contexts: [Spec, AgrsP], [Spec, TP] and [Spec, VP]. As a matter of fact, depending on their syntactic properties and assuming, as null hypothesis, that the nominal head moves to Numb'º', possessives may occur in [Spec, AgrsNP], [Spec, NumbP] and [Spec, NP]. Furthermore, would it be so, this dialectal variation would be useful in order to understand the changes that have occurred in other romance languages in previous stages. It might be the case that the loss of weak possessive forms (“mien” in French parallels, among other things, the lack of sentential subjects in [Spec, TP].

  15. LEGAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PROTECTION OF POSSESSION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vojo Belovski

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper it will be discussed the legal significance and protection of possession in the Republic of Macedonia. Below it will be listed the kinds of possession, and finally the rules for possession termination will be explained. The possession is an indicator that the person who rules one item is also a right holder of that item. The possession itself occurs in two types specially authorized by a law and pure factual power behind which stands no right. The possession enjoys legal protection. Below in the paper it is processed the judicial protection of the possession which is given based on complaint for disturbance of possession and action to recover the possession. The important thing at the judicial protection is that the rulers’ protection is given to the last actual possession of the item, but it is not disputed the right of possession. Further in this paper it is included the protection of indirect possession where a complaint can be made by the indirect holder of the item, the judicial protection of possessory, possession protection of the heirs and permitted self – help for unauthorized harassment and revoking of the possession. With respect to the termination of the actual power of the item, listed and processed are the ways when the item failed, when the item was lost, when it is obvious that it won’t be returned, when the ruler had freely left it and when the item is not taken from him and the ruler hasn’t realized the right to possession.

  16. The epistemological significance of possession entering the DSM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, Craig

    2015-09-01

    The discourse of the American Psychiatric Association's DSM reflects the inherently dialogic or contradictory nature of its stated mandate to demonstrate both 'nosological completeness' and cultural 'inclusiveness'. Psychiatry employs the dialogic discourse of the DSM in a one-sided, positivistic manner by identifying what it considers universal mental disease entities stripped of their cultural context. In 1992 the editors of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders proposed to introduce possession into their revisions. A survey of the discussions about introducing 'possession' as a dissociative disorder to be listed in the DSM-IV indicates a missed epistemological break. Subsequently the editors of the DSM-5 politically 'recuperated' possession into its official discourse, without acknowledging the anarchic challenges that possession presents to psychiatry as a cultural practice. © The Author(s) 2015.

  17. Subself theory and reincarnation/possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lester, David

    2004-12-01

    A subself model of the mind is used to account for multiple personality, possession, the spirit controls of mediums, reincarnation, and the auditory hallucinations of schizophrenics, with suggestions for empirical research.

  18. Effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possessions in a random series of team possessions from Norwegian professional soccer matches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tenga, Albin; Holme, Ingar; Ronglan, Lars Tore; Bahr, Roald

    2010-02-01

    Methods of analysis that include an assessment of opponent interactions are thought to provide a more valid means of team match performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possession by assessing opponent interactions in Norwegian elite soccer matches. We analysed a random series of 1703 team possessions from 163 of 182 (90%) matches played in the professional men's league during the 2004 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from ten ordered categorical variables were used. Offensive tactics were more effective in producing score-box possessions when playing against an imbalanced defence (28.5%) than against a balanced defence (6.5%) (P tactics on producing score-box possessions, and improves the validity of team match-performance analysis in soccer.

  19. Possession experiences in dissociative identity disorder: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Colin A

    2011-01-01

    Dissociative trance disorder, which includes possession experiences, was introduced as a provisional diagnosis requiring further study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.). Consideration is now being given to including possession experiences within dissociative identity disorder (DID) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.), which is due to be published in 2013. In order to provide empirical data relevant to the relationship between DID and possession states, I analyzed data on the prevalence of trance, possession states, sleepwalking, and paranormal experiences in 3 large samples: patients with DID from North America; psychiatric outpatients from Shanghai, China; and a general population sample from Winnipeg, Canada. Trance, sleepwalking, paranormal, and possession experiences were much more common in the DID patients than in the 2 comparison samples. The study is preliminary and exploratory in nature because the samples were not matched in any way.

  20. The Failed Image and the Possessed

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Suhr, Christian

    2015-01-01

    This article asks if the recurrent queries regarding the value of images in visual anthropology could find new answers by exploring responses to visual media in neo-orthodox Islam. It proposes that the visual display of the photographic image shares a curious resemblance to the bodies of people...... possessed by invisible spirits called jinn. The image as a failed example or model of reality works like the possessed body as an amplifier of invisibility pointing towards that which cannot be seen, depicted visually, or represented in writing. This suggests a negative epistemology in which images obtain...

  1. The Impact of Banning Juvenile Gun Possession.

    OpenAIRE

    Marvell, Thomas B

    2001-01-01

    A 1994 federal law bans possession of handguns by persons under 18 years of age. Also in 1994, 11 states passed their own juvenile gun possession bans. Eighteen states had previously passed bans, 15 of them between 1975 and 1993. These laws were intended to reduce homicides, but arguments can be made that they have no effect on or that they even increase the homicide rate. This paper estimates the laws' impacts on various crime measures, primarily juvenile gun homicide victimizations and suic...

  2. The goalkeeper influence on ball possession effectiveness in futsal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicente-Vila Pedro

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identify which variables were the best predictors of success in futsal ball possession when controlling for space and task related indicators, situational variables and the participation of the goalkeeper as a regular field player or not (5 vs. 4 or 4 vs. 4. The sample consisted of 326 situations of ball possession corresponding to 31 matches played by a team from the Spanish Futsal League during the 2010–2011, 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 seasons. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from 10 ordered categorical variables were used. Data were analysed using chi-square analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. Overall, the highest ball possession effectiveness was achieved when the goalkeeper participated as a regular field player (p<0.01, the duration of the ball possession was less than 10 s (p<0.01, the ball possession ended in the penalty area (p<0.01 and the defensive pressure was low (p<0.01. The information obtained on the relative effectiveness of offensive playing tactics can be used to improve team’s goal-scoring and goal preventing abilities.

  3. The challenges of achieving good electrical and mechanical properties when making structural supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciocanel, C.; Browder, C.; Simpson, C.; Colburn, R.

    2013-04-01

    The paper presents results associated with the electro-mechanical characterization of a composite material with power storage capability, identified throughout the paper as a structural supercapacitor. The structural supercapacitor uses electrodes made of carbon fiber weave, a separator made of Celgard 3501, and a solid PEG-based polymer blend electrolyte. To be a viable structural supercapacitor, the material has to have good mechanical and power storage/electrical properties. The literature in this area is inconsistent on which electrical properties are evaluated, and how those properties are assessed. In general, measurements of capacitance or specific capacitance (i.e. capacitance per unit area or per unit volume) are made, without considering other properties such as leakage resistance and equivalent series resistance of the supercapacitor. This paper highlights the significance of these additional electrical properties, discusses the fluctuation of capacitance over time, and proposes methods to improve the stability of the material's electric properties over time.

  4. The expected value of possession in professional rugby league match-play.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kempton, Thomas; Kennedy, Nicholas; Coutts, Aaron J

    2016-01-01

    This study estimated the expected point value for starting possessions in different field locations during rugby league match-play and calculated the mean expected points for each subsequent play during the possession. It also examined the origin of tries scored according to the method of gaining possession. Play-by-play data were taken from all 768 regular-season National Rugby League (NRL) matches during 2010-2013. A probabilistic model estimated the expected point outcome based on the net difference in points scored by a team in possession in a given situation. An iterative method was used to approximate the value of each situation based on actual scoring outcomes. Possessions commencing close to the opposition's goal-line had the highest expected point equity, which decreased as the location of the possession moved towards the team's own goal-line. Possessions following an opposition error, penalty or goal-line dropout had the highest likelihood of a try being scored on the set subsequent to their occurrence. In contrast, possessions that follow an opposition completed set or a restart were least likely to result in a try. The expected point values framework from our model has applications for informing playing strategy and assessing individual and team performance in professional rugby league.

  5. Pathological spirit possession as a cultural interpretation of trauma-related symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecker, Tobias; Barnewitz, Eva; Stenmark, Hakon; Iversen, Valentina

    2016-07-01

    Spirit possession is a phenomenon frequently occurring in war-torn countries. It has been shown to be an idiom of distress entailing dissociative symptoms. However, its association with trauma exposure and trauma-related disorders remains unclear. This study aimed to explore subjective disease models and the relationship between pathological spirit possession and trauma-related disorders in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Seventy-three (formerly) possessed persons (74% female, mean age = 34 years), referred by traditional and spiritual healers, were interviewed about their experiences of pathological spirit possession, trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, shame and guilt, psychotic symptoms, somatic complaints, and the impairment of psychosocial functioning. The most common disease model for pathological spirit possession was another person having sent the spirit, mostly a family member or a neighbor, out of jealousy or conflict over resources. Significant correlations were found between spirit possession over lifetime and PTSD symptom severity, feelings of shame and guilt, depressive symptoms, somatic complaints, and psychotic symptoms. Spirit possession during the preceding 4 weeks was associated with PTSD symptom severity, impairment of psychosocial functioning, and psychotic symptom severity. The results of this study indicate that pathological spirit possession is a broad explanatory framework for various subjectively unexplainable mental and physical health problems, including but not limited to trauma-related disorders. Understanding pathological spirit possession as a subjective disease model for various mental and physical health problems may help researchers and clinicians to develop culturally sensitive treatment approaches for affected individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Mental illness complicated by the santeria belief in spirit possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alonso, L; Jeffrey, W D

    1988-11-01

    Santeria, a religious system that blends African and Catholic beliefs, is practiced by many Cuban Americans. One aspect of this system is the belief in spirit possession. Basic santeria beliefs and rituals, including the fiesta santera (a gathering at which some participants may become possessed), are briefly described, and four cases in which the patients' belief in possession played a role in their mental illness are presented. The belief in possession can complicate the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, but it should not be considered a culture-bound syndrome. Rather, it may be a nonspecific symptom of a variety of mental illnesses and should be evaluated in the context of the patient's overall belief system and ability to carry out usual activities.

  7. The good midwife: commencing students' views.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carolan, Mary

    2011-08-01

    to explore commencing students' views of the good midwife. This study was set against a background of high course attrition and concerns that discordant students' views of midwifery practice may have been associated with course attrition. qualitative thematic analysis. Melbourne, Australia. all commencing midwifery students, in 2008, were invited to participate (n = 41). students spoke of a series of key attributes they felt were important to the role of the midwife. Most fell into the affective domain and four themes were identified: personal qualities and attitudes; a belief in women and natural birth; compatible work ethic; and the possession of additional attributes. commencing students showed a clear understanding of the affective attributes required of a good midwife but a lesser understanding of requirements of knowledge and competence. A small number of students felt that they were already equipped to advise pregnant women, despite their early stage in the course. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Dynamics of the spirit possession phenomenon in Eastern Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marja-Liisa Swantz

    1976-01-01

    Full Text Available The discussion on the spirit possession phenomenon is related in this study to the more general question of the role of religious institutions as part in the development process of a people living in a limited geographical area of a wider national society. It is assumed that religion, like culture in general, has its specific institutional forms as result of the historical development of a society, but at the same time religion is a force shaping that history. People's cultural resources influence their social and economic development and form a potential creative element in it'. Some of the questions to be asked are: "How are specific religious practices related to the dynamics of change in the societies in question? What is the social and religious context in which the spirit possession phenomenon occurs in them? What social and economic relations get their expression in them? To what extent is spirit possession in this case a means of exerting values and creatively overcoming a crisis or conflict which the changing social and economic relations impose on the people? The established spirit possession cults are here seen as the institutional forms of religious experience. At the same time it becomes evident that there is institutionalization in process as well as deinstitutionalization of spirit possession where it occurs outside established institutional forms. Institution is taken as a socially shared form of behaviour the significance of which is commonly recognized by those who share it. By the term spirit possession cult is meant a ritual form of spirit possession of a group which is loosely organized and without strict membership. The context of the study is four ethnic groups in Eastern Tanzania, near the coast of the Indian Ocean. The general theme of the project is The Role of Culture in the Restructuring of Tanzanian Rural Areas. The restructuring refers to a villagisation programme carried out in the whole country. People are being

  9. Emotional regulation, attachment to possessions and hoarding symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phung, Philip J; Moulding, Richard; Taylor, Jasmine K; Nedeljkovic, Maja

    2015-10-01

    This study aimed to test which particular facets of emotion regulation (ER) are most linked to symptoms of hoarding disorder, and whether beliefs about emotional attachment to possessions (EA) mediate this relationship. A non-clinical sample of 150 participants (108 females) completed questionnaires of emotional tolerance (distress tolerance, anxiety sensitivity, negative urgency - impulsivity when experiencing negative emotions), depressed mood, hoarding, and beliefs about emotional attachment to possessions. While all emotional tolerance measures related to hoarding, when considered together and controlling for depression and age, anxiety sensitivity and urgency were the significant predictors. Anxiety sensitivity was fully mediated, and urgency partially mediated, via beliefs regarding emotional attachment to possessions. These findings provide further support for (1) the importance of anxiety sensitivity and negative urgency for hoarding symptoms, and (2) the view that individuals with HD symptoms may rely on items for emotion regulation, leading to stronger beliefs that items are integral to emotional wellbeing. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Taking Possession: Rituals, Space and Authority

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Mara DeSilva

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In early modern Europe authority over communities, both people and spaces, was visualized through ritual gestures and processions. Communities gathered to witness ceremonial entries that drew on accepted forms of gestures and speech identifying individuals and articulating their place in the urban power relationship. Ceremonial entries by rulers, ambassadors, bishops, and other office-holders drew on ritual acts projecting messages of possession in order to establish reputations of prestige and authority. This introductory essay draws on cultural anthropology and recent historiography to build a framework for understanding rituals of possession that went beyond the tradition triumphal entry to incorporate substitutes, new modes of prestigious display, and attend to conflicts. By “taking possession” of communities, offices, and spaces using accepted ritual forms, early moderns initiated conversations about authority and power that were far more flexible in their scope, practice, and participants than expected.

  11. Highly tilted liquid crystalline materials possessing a direct phase transition from antiferroelectric to isotropic phase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milewska, K.; Drzewiński, W. [Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Czerwiński, M., E-mail: mczerwinski@wat.edu.pl [Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Dąbrowski, R. [Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland); Piecek, W. [Institute of Applied Physics, Military University of Technology, 00-908 Warsaw (Poland)

    2016-03-01

    Pure compounds and multicomponent mixtures with a broad temperature range of high tilted liquid crystalline antiferroelectric phase and a direct phase transition from antiferroelectric to isotropic phase, were obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms these kinds of materials form a high tilted anticlinic phase, with a fixed layer spacing and very weak dependency upon temperature, after the transition from the isotropic phase. Due to this, not only pure orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals but also those with a moderate tilt should generate a good dark state. Furthermore, due to the increased potential for forming anticlinic forces, such materials could minimize a commonly observed asymmetry of a rise and fall switching times at a surface stabilized geometry. - Highlights: • The new class of liquid crystalline materials with the direct SmC{sub A}*. • Iso phase transition were obtained. • Materials possess the layer spacing fixed and very weak dependent upon temperature. • Smectic layers without shrinkage are observed. • A good dark state can be generate in SSAFLC.

  12. From distress to disease: a critique of the medicalisation of possession in DSM-5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padmanabhan, Divya

    2017-12-01

    This paper critiques the category of possession-form dissociative identity disorder as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5) published in 2013 by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The DSM as an index of psychiatry pathologises possession by categorising it as a form of dissociative identity disorder. Drawing upon ethnographic fieldwork, this paper argues that such a pathologisation medicalises possession, which is understood as a non-pathological condition in other contexts such as by those individuals who manifest possession at a temple in Kerala, South India. Through medicalising and further by creating distinctions between acceptable and pathological possession, the DSM converts a form of distress into a disease. This has both conceptual and pragmatic implications. The temple therefore becomes reduced to a culturally acceptable site for the manifestation of a mental illness in a form that is culturally available and possession is explained solely through a biomedical framework, denying alternative conceptualisations and theories which inform possession. By focussing on the DSM-5 classification of possession and the limitations of such a classification, this paper seeks to posit an alternative conceptualisation of possession by engaging with three primary areas which are significant in the DSM categorisation of possession: the DSM's conceptualisation of self in the singular, the distinction between pathological and non-pathological forms of possession, and the limitations of the DSM's equation of the condition of possession with the manifestation of possession. Finally, the paper briefly highlights alternative conceptualisations of possession, which emerged from the perspective of those seeking to heal possession at the Chottanikkara temple.

  13. Traumatic Experience and Somatoform Dissociation Among Spirit Possession Practitioners in the Dominican Republic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaffler, Yvonne; Cardeña, Etzel; Reijman, Sophie; Haluza, Daniela

    2016-03-01

    Recent studies in African contexts have revealed a strong association between spirit possession and severe trauma, with inclusion into a possession cult serving at times a therapeutic function. Research on spirit possession in the Dominican Republic has so far not included quantitative studies of trauma and dissociation. This study evaluated demographic variables, somatoform dissociative symptoms, and potentially traumatizing events in the Dominican Republic with a group of Vodou practitioners that either do or do not experience spirit possession. Inter-group comparisons revealed that in contrast to non-possessed participants (n = 38), those experiencing spirit possession (n = 47) reported greater somatoform dissociation, more problems with sleep, and previous exposure to mortal danger such as assaults, accidents, or diseases. The two groups did not differ significantly in other types of trauma. The best predictor variable for group classification was somatoform dissociation, although those items could also reflect the experience of followers during a possession episode. A factor analysis across variables resulted in three factors: having to take responsibility early on in life and taking on a professional spiritual role; traumatic events and pain; and distress/dissociation. In comparison with the non-possessed individuals, the possessed ones did not seem to overall have a remarkably more severe story of trauma and seemed to derive economic gains from possession practice.

  14. 50 CFR 92.6 - Use and possession of migratory birds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Use and possession of migratory birds. 92... INTERIOR (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS MIGRATORY BIRD SUBSISTENCE HARVEST IN ALASKA General Provisions § 92.6 Use and possession of migratory birds. You may not sell, offer for sale, purchase, or offer...

  15. Co-possession of phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors (PDE5-I) with nitrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Li-Ling; Ma, Mark; Allmen, Heather von; Henderson, Scott C; Harper, Kristine; Hornbuckle, Kenneth

    2010-06-01

    Estimate the proportion of phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor (PDE5-I) patients who co-possess nitrates and compare the proportion of tadalafil patients dispensed nitrates to a matched control group. Secondarily, examine the percentage of co-possession of PDE5-Is and nitrates where the products were dispensed on the same day or written by the same prescriber. Male patients aged 18+ years filling PDE5-I prescriptions between December 2003 and March 2006 were identified using a U.S. longitudinal prescription database (IMS Health LRx). Similar patients not dispensed a PDE5-I during this period were matched to the tadalafil-dispensed cohort using a propensity score approach. Co-possession, as a proxy for concurrent use, was defined as an overlap in time on therapy for a PDE5-I and nitrate and was compared for the three PDE5-Is and for tadalafil to the matched control group. Among 601,063 tadalafil patients, 3.31% were dispensed a nitrate during the study period, compared to 6.18% in control patients (n = 601,063). When co-possessed prescriptions were defined by overlapping exposure periods, the proportion of PDE5-I patients with co-possessed nitrates ranged from 1.44% (tadalafil) to 1.72% (vardenafil) and 2.13% (sildenafil). Co-possession percentages of PDE5-I prescriptions were 0.83% for tadalafil and 1.07% for sildenafil and vardenafil. The majority (54.29%) of co-possessed PDE5-I and nitrate prescriptions had the nitrate dispensed prior to the PDE5-I prescription identified in the study cohort. Keeping in mind the limitations of observational studies, these results suggest that co-dispensing of nitrates and PDE5-Is is low. Compared to control patients, the proportion of nitrate co-possession was lowest for patients filling tadalafil. Tadalafil patients also had the lowest co-possessed proportion among the three PDE5-I cohorts. While the majority of co-possessed drug pairs were prescribed by different providers, the highest percentage of co-prescribing from the same

  16. Mechanical and electro-mechanical properties of three-dimensional nanoporous graphene-poly(vinylidene fluoride composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. P. Zheng

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Three-dimensional nanoporous graphene monoliths are utilized to prepare graphene-poly(vinylidene fluoride nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical and electro-mechanical properties. Pre-treatment of the polymer (poly(vinylidene fluoride, PVDF with graphene oxides (GOs facilitates the formation of uniform and thin PVDF films with a typical thickness below 100 nm well coated at the graphene nano-sheets. Besides their excellent compressibility, ductility and mechanical strength, the nanoporous graphene-PVDF nanocomposites are found to possess high sensitivity in strain-dependent electrical conductivity. The improved mechanical and electro-mechanical properties are ascribed to the enhanced crystalline β phase in PVDF which possesses piezoelectricity. The mechanical relaxation analyses on the interfaces between graphene and PVDF reveal that the improved mechanical and electro-mechanical properties could result from the interaction between the –C=O groups in the nanoporous graphene and the –CF2 groups in PVDF, which also explains the important role of GOs in the preparation of the graphene-polymer nanocomposites with superior combined mechanical and electro-mechanical properties.

  17. The Regulation of the Possession of Weapons at Gatherings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pieter du Toit

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The Dangerous Weapons Act 15 of 2013 provides for certain prohibitions and restrictions in respect of the possession of a dangerous weapon and it repeals the Dangerous Weapons Act 71 of 1968 as well as the different Dangerous Weapons Acts in operation in the erstwhile TBVC States. The Act also amends the Regulation of Gatherings Act 205 of 1993 to prohibit the possession of any dangerous weapon at a gathering or demonstration. The Dangerous Weapons Act provides for a uniform system of law governing the use of dangerous weapons for the whole of South Africa and it furthermore no longer places the onus on the individual charged with the offence of the possession of a dangerous weapon to show that he or she did not have any intention of using the firearm for an unlawful purpose. The Act also defines the meaning of a dangerous weapon. According to our court’s interpretation of the Dangerous Weapons Act 71 of 1968 a dangerous weapon was regarded as an object used or intended to be used as a weapon even if it had not been designed for use as a weapon. The Act, however, requires the object to be capable of causing death or inflicting serious bodily harm if it were used for an unlawful purpose. The possession of a dangerous weapon, in circumstances which may raise a reasonable suspicion that the person intends to use it for an unlawful purpose, attracts criminal liability. The Act also provides a useful set of guidelines to assist courts to determine if a person charged with the offence of the possession of a dangerous weapon had indeed intended to use the weapon for an unlawful purpose. It seems, however, that the Act prohibits the possession of a dangerous weapon at gatherings, even if the person carrying the weapon does not intend to use it for an unlawful purpose. The state will, however, have to prove that the accused had the necessary control over the object and the intention to exercise such control, as well as that the object is capable of

  18. Digital possessions after a romantic break up

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Herron, Daniel; Moncur, Wendy; van den Hoven, Elise

    2016-01-01

    With technology becoming more pervasive in everyday life, it is common for individuals to use digital media to support the enactment and maintenance of romantic relationships. Partners in a relationship may create digital possessions frequently. However, after a relationship ends, individuals

  19. Are symptoms of spirit possessed patients covered by the DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria for possession trance disorder? A mixed-method explorative study in Uganda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Duijl, M.; Kleyn, W.; de Jong, J.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction and aims As in many cultures, spirit possession is a common idiom of distress in Uganda. The DSM-IV contains experimental research criteria for dissociative and possession trance disorder (DTD and PTD), which are under review for the DSM-5. In the current proposed categories of the

  20. "Satan has afflicted me!" Jinn-possession and mental illness in the Qur'an.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, F; Campbell, R A

    2014-02-01

    Mental health stigma in Muslim communities may be partly due to a commonly held belief among some Muslims about the supernatural causes of mental illness (i.e. jinn-possession brought on by one's sinful life). A thematic analysis was carried out on four English translations and the Arabic text of the Qur'an to explore whether the connection between jinn-possession and insanity exists within the Muslim holy book. No connection between spirit-possession and madness or mental illness was found. Pagans taunted and labelled people as jinn-possessed only to ostracize and scapegoat. Linking the labelling of people as jinn-possession to a pagan practice may be used to educate Muslims, so they can reassess their community's stigma towards the mentally ill.

  1. Effect of sintering processing on microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of Ti–24Nb–4Zr–7.9Sn alloy for biomedical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Shibo; Chu, Aimin; Wu, Haijiang; Cai, Chunbo; Qu, Xuanhui

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Ti–24Nb–4Zr–7.9Sn alloy is prepared by powder metallurgy method. • The alloy prepared at 1250 °C for 2 h has more β-matrix and tiny α-precipitation. • The alloy prepared at 1250 °C for 2 h possesses good mechanical properties. • The alloy prepared at 1250 °C for 2 h exhibits better corrosion resistance. - Abstract: Ti–24Nb–4Zr–7.9Sn alloy was prepared by Powder Metallurgy (PM) method using titanium hydride powder, niobium powder, zirconium powder, and tin powder as raw materials. The effect of sintering processing on microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance was investigated in details. The alloy possessed dominant β-matrix and a little α-precipitation. The mechanical properties of the alloy sintered at 1250 °C for 2 h were better than those of the alloys with other sintering processing, which would avoid stress shielding and thus prevent bone resorption in orthopedic implants applications. As long-term stability in biological environment is required, the electrochemical behaviors in a simulated body fluid (Hank’s solution and simulated saliva solution) were also evaluated. Potentiodynamic polarization curves exhibited that the sample sintered at 1250 °C for 2 h had better corrosion properties than those of other sintering processing. The good corrosion resistance combined with better mechanical biocompatibility made the Ti–24Nb–4Zr–7.9Sn alloy suitable for use as orthopedic implants

  2. Are symptoms of spirit possessed patients covered by the DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria for possession trance disorder? A mixed-method explorative study in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Duijl, Marjolein; Kleijn, Wim; de Jong, Joop

    2013-09-01

    As in many cultures, spirit possession is a common idiom of distress in Uganda. The DSM-IV contains experimental research criteria for dissociative and possession trance disorder (DTD and PTD), which are under review for the DSM-5. In the current proposed categories of the DSM-5, PTD is subsumed under dissociative identity disorder (DID) and DTD under dissociative disorders not elsewhere classified. Evaluation of these criteria is currently urgently required. This study explores the match between local symptoms of spirit possession in Uganda and experimental research criteria for PTD in the DSM-IV and proposed criteria for DID in the DSM-5. A mixed-method approach was used combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. Local symptoms were explored of 119 spirit possessed patients, using illness narratives and a cultural dissociative symptoms' checklist. Possible meaningful clusters of symptoms were inventoried through multiple correspondence analysis. Finally, local symptoms were compared with experimental criteria for PTD in the DSM-IV and proposed criteria for DID in the DSM-5. Illness narratives revealed different phases of spirit possession, with passive-influence experiences preceding the actual possession states. Multiple correspondence analysis of symptoms revealed two dimensions: 'passive' and 'active' symptoms. Local symptoms, such as changes in consciousness, shaking movements, and talking in a voice attributed to spirits, match with DSM-IV-PTD and DSM-5-DID criteria. Passive-influence experiences, such as feeling influenced or held by powers from outside, strange dreams, and hearing voices, deserve to be more explicitly described in the proposed criteria for DID in the DSM-5. The suggested incorporation of PTD in DID in the DSM-5 and the envisioned separation of DTD and PTD in two distinctive categories have disputable aspects.

  3. Genetic control and regulatory mechanisms of succinoglycan and curdlan biosynthesis in genus Agrobacterium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dan; Li, Ang; Ma, Fang; Yang, Jixian; Xie, Yutong

    2016-07-01

    Agrobacterium is a genus of gram-negative bacteria that can produce several typical exopolysaccharides with commercial uses in the food and pharmaceutical fields. In particular, succinoglycan and curdlan, due to their good quality in high yield, have been employed on an industrial scale comparatively early. Exopolysaccharide biosynthesis is a multiple-step process controlled by different functional genes, and various environmental factors cause changes in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis through regulatory mechanisms. In this mini-review, we focus on the genetic control and regulatory mechanisms of succinoglycan and curdlan produced by Agrobacterium. Some key functional genes and regulatory mechanisms for exopolysaccharide biosynthesis are described, possessing a high potential for application in metabolic engineering to modify exopolysaccharide production and physicochemical properties. This review may contribute to the understanding of exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and exopolysaccharide modification by metabolic engineering methods in Agrobacterium.

  4. The Regulation of the Possession of Weapons at Gatherings | du Toit

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The Act also amends the Regulation of Gatherings Act 205 of 1993 to prohibit the possession of any dangerous weapon at a gathering or demonstration. ... (b) possession of dangerous weapons during the participation in any religious or cultural activities or lawful sport, recreation or entertainment or (c) legitimate collection, ...

  5. The Secret Prover : Proving Possession of Arbitrary Files While not Giving Them Away

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teepe, Wouter

    2005-01-01

    The Secret Prover is a Java application which allows a user (A) to prove to another user (B), that A possesses a file. If B also possesses this file B will get convinced, and if B does not possess this file B will gain no information on (the contents of) this file. This is the first implementation

  6. Feature interpretability and the positions of 2nd person possessives in Brazilian Portuguese

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruna Karla Pereira

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Interpretability and valuation of φ-features (Chomsky, 2001; Pesetsky and Torrego, 2007 have played a central role in the investigation of language universals. With regard to that, in standard Brazilian Portuguese (BP, as well as in other Romance languages, possessives have uninterpretable number features, which are valued via nominal agreement. However, dialects of BP, especially the one spoken in Minas Gerais, have shown that 2nd person possessives, in postnominal position, do not have number agreement with the noun. In order to account for these facts, I will argue that, in this grammar, number features on 2nd person possessives are reanalyzed as being: (i associated with the person (rather than the noun and (ii interpretable. From the first postulation, ‘seu’ is expected to be the possessive for 2nd person singular, and ‘seus’ for 2nd person plural. From the second postulation, no number concord is expected to be triggered on the possessive. In addition, based on Danon (2011 and Norris (2014, I will argue that cardinals divide BP DPs into two domains in that phrases located above NumP are marked with the plural morpheme, while phrases below it are unmarked. In this sense, because prenominal possessives precede cardinals (NumP, they must be marked with the plural morpheme for nominal agreement; whereas postnominal possessives, which follow NumP, must be unmarked. Free from the plural marking associated with nominal agreement, postnominal 2nd person possessives favor the reanalysis of the morpheme ‘-s’ as indicating the number associated with person features.

  7. Prediction of Mechanical Properties of LDPE-TPS Nanocomposites Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Sabetzadeh

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The changes in the behaviour of mechanical properties of low densitypolyethylene-thermoplastic corn starch (LDPE-TPCS nanocompositeswere studied by an adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system. LDPE-TPCScomposites containing different quantities of nanoclay (Cloisite®15A, 0.5-3wt. % were prepared by extrusion process. In practice, it is difficult to carry out several experiments to identify the relationship between the extrusion process parameters and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. In this paper, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS was used for non-linear mapping between the processingparameters and the mechanical properties of LDPE-TPCS nanocomposites. ANFIS model due to possessing inference ability of fuzzy systems and also the learning feature of neural networks, could be used as a multiple inputs-multiple outputs to predict mechanical properties (such as ultimate tensile strength, elongation-at-break, Young’s modulus and relative impact strength of the nanocomposites. The proposed ANFIS model utilizes temperature, torque and Cloisite®15A contents as input parameters to predict the desired mechanical properties. The results obtained in this work indicatedthat ANFIS is an effective and intelligent method for prediction of the mechanical properties of the LDPE-TPCS nanocomposites with a good accuracy. The statistical quality of the ANFIS model was significant due to its acceptable mean square error criterion and good correlation coefficient (values > 0.8 between the experimental and simulated outputs.

  8. A Review of Sex Determining Mechanisms in Geckos (Gekkota: Squamata)

    OpenAIRE

    Gamble, T.

    2010-01-01

    Geckos are a species-rich clade of reptiles possessing diverse sex determining mechanisms. Some species possess genetic sex determination, with both male and female heterogamety, while other species have temperature-dependent sex determination. I compiled information from the literature on the taxonomic distribution of these sex determining mechanisms in geckos. Using phylogenetic data from the literature, I reconstructed the minimum number of transitions among these sex determining mechanism...

  9. Criminalization of 'Possession of Unexplained Property' and the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Worku_Y

    government operating costs, increases government spending for wages and ... revenues by plundering revenue generating agencies such as tax collection, ..... a) the assets under the ownership or possession of himself and his family; and.

  10. The presence of a perseverative iterative style in poor vs. good sleepers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barclay, N L; Gregory, A M

    2010-03-01

    Catastrophizing is present in worriers and poor sleepers. This study investigates whether poor sleepers possess a 'perseverative iterative style' which predisposes them to catastrophize any topic, regardless of content or affective valence, a style previously found to occur more commonly in worriers as compared to others. Poor (n=23) and good sleepers (n=37) were distinguished using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), from a sample of adults in the general population. Participants were required to catastrophize 2 topics: worries about sleep, and a current personal worry; and to iterate the positive aspects of a hypothetical topic. Poor sleepers catastrophized/iterated more steps to a greater extent than good sleepers to these three interviews, (F(1, 58)=7.35, ptopics, suggesting that anxiety may mediate some of the association between catastrophizing and sleep. However there was still a tendency for poor sleepers to iterate more steps to the 'hypothetical' topic, after controlling for anxiety and worry, which also suggests that poor sleepers possess a cognitive style which may predispose them to continue iterating consecutive steps to open-ended tasks regardless of anxiety and worry. Future research should examine whether the presence of this cognitive style is significant in leading to or maintaining insomnia.

  11. Constitutional Law: Right of Privacy--Possession of Marijuana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohrer, David E.

    1976-01-01

    The Alaska Supreme Court in Ravin v. State accepted the defendant's contention that the prohibition of possession of marihuana infringed on his constitutional right to privacy. The significance of the case is discussed. (LBH)

  12. Microstructures, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the Zr−xTi (Ag) alloys for dental implant application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cui, W.F., E-mail: cuiwf@atm.neu.edu.cn; Liu, N.; Qin, G.W.

    2016-06-15

    The Zr−xTi (Ag) alloys were designed for the application of dental implants. The microstructures of Zr−20Ti and Zr−40Ti alloy were observed using optical microscope and transmission electronic microscope. The hardness and compressive tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of the Zr−xTi alloys. The electrochemical behavior of the Zr−xTi alloys with and without 6% Ag was investigated in the acidified artificial saliva containing 0.1% NaF (pH = 4). For comparison, the electrochemical behavior of cp Ti was examined in the same condition. The results show that the quenched Zr−20Ti and Zr−40Ti alloy exhibit acicular martensite microstructures containing twin substructure. They display good mechanical properties with the hardness of ∼330HV, the yield strength of ∼1000 MPa and the strain to fracture of ∼25% at room temperature. Adding 6% Ag to Zr−20Ti alloy enhances the passivity breakdown potential and the self-corrosion potential, but hardly affects the corrosion current density and the impedance modulus. 6% Ag in Zr−40Ti alloy distinctly increases pitting corrosion resistance, which is attributed the formation of thick, dense and stable passive film under the joint action of titanium and silver. In comparison with cp Ti, Zr−40Ti−6Ag alloy possesses the same good corrosion resistance in the rigorous oral environment as well as the superior mechanical properties. - Highlights: • The quenched Zr20Ti and Zr40Ti obtain acicular martensite microstructure. • Zr20Ti and Zr40Ti possess high hardness, strength and strain to fracture. • Increasing Ti content decreases corrosion current density. • Adding Ag enhances passivation breakdown potentials of Zr20Ti and Zr40Ti. • Zr40Ti6Ag has optimum mechanical properties and pitting corrosion resistance.

  13. Security and Peace Mechanisms for Good Governance in Nigeria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In Nigeria, governments at all levels have intensified efforts to address issues bordering on insecurity with a view to building security and peace for good governance. It is however, disheartening that despite various security measures put in place to tackle the problem, Nigeria is yet to be free from recurrent cases of armed ...

  14. O olhar dos psiquiatras brasileiros sobre os fenômenos de transe e possessão Brazilian psychiatrists’ approaches on trance and possession phenomena

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angélica A. Silva de Almeida

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXTO: Os fenômenos de transe e possessão despertaram o interesse da comunidade psiquiátrica brasileira, gerando posturas diversificadas. OBJETIVOS: Descrever e analisar como os fenômenos de transe e possessão foram tratados pelos psiquiatras brasileiros: seu impacto na teoria, na pesquisa e na prática clínica entre 1900 e 1950. MÉTODO: Análise de artigos científicos e leigos, teses e livros sobre transes e possessões produzidos pelos psiquiatras brasileiros entre 1900 e 1950. RESULTADOS: Identificam-se duas correntes de pensamento entre os psiquiatras. A primeira, vinculada às Faculdades de Medicina do Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, sob forte influência de autores franceses, deteve-se mais na periculosidade do espiritismo para a saúde mental. Defendia a adoção de medidas repressivas com o poder público. O segundo grupo de psiquiatras, ligado às Faculdades de Medicina da Bahia e Pernambuco, embora não desconsiderasse o caráter patológico ou "primitivo" dos fenômenos de transe e possessão, apresentou uma visão mais antropológica e culturalista. Considerando tais fenômenos como manifestações étnicas ou culturais, alguns defenderam o controle médico e a educação do povo para o abandono dessas práticas "primitivas". Outros não consideravam os fenômenos mediúnicos como desencadeadores da loucura, mas manifestações não-patológicas de um universo cultural, além de não vinculá-los ao atraso cultural da população. CONCLUSÕES: As religiões mediúnicas foram objeto de estudo por longo período, resultando hipóteses e práticas diferenciadas por parte da comunidade psiquiátrica brasileira, constituindo-se oportunidade privilegiada para o estudo do impacto dos fatores socioculturais na atividade psiquiátrica.BACKGROUND: Trance and possession experiences have raised interest among Brazilian psychiatrists resulting in a variety of approaches. OBJECTIVES: To describe and analyze how Brazilian psychiatrists

  15. Study on the Chinese Goods Market Structure and Related Integrated Marketing Strategy

    OpenAIRE

    Qishen Zhou; Mingxing Yang

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the Chinese goods market structure and related integrated marketing strategy. In recent years, it is becoming more and more popular for Chinese consumers to go on luxury consuming in a variety of large cities in China, showing the increasing demand of luxury for Chinese people possessed relatively high fortune. Further, dozens of international famous luxury brands are pouring into the Chinese market such as LVMH and Gucci, recognizing the huge consumption demand...

  16. Stability properties of solutions to nonlinear models possessing a sign-undefined metric

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barashenkov, I.V.

    1983-01-01

    Multicomponent field systems possessing a sign-undefined internal space metric, in particular models with a noncompact global invariance group are investigated. It is shown that the energy cannot have even a conditional relative minimum. It is demonstrated, nevertheless, that the corresponding nonlinear equations of motion are permitted to possess stable particle-like solutions

  17. Themes in Spirit Possession in Ugandan Christianity | James ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    . This paper discerns a number of common themes that run through many of these experiences. In particular, sex as a motif for deviance and evil is noted as a common feature of many of the possession stories and all contact with spirits is seen ...

  18. 20 CFR 404.1093 - Possession of the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Employment, Wages, Self-Employment, and Self-Employment Income Self-Employment... figuring your net earnings from self-employment, the term possession of the United States shall be deemed...

  19. Stability properties of solutions to nonlinear models possessing a sign-undefined metric

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barashenkov, I.V.

    1983-01-01

    Multicomponent field systems possessing a sign-undefined internal space metric, in particular models with a noncompact global invariance group, are investigated. It is shown that the energy cannot have even a conditional relative minimum. It is demonstrated, nevertheless, that the corresponding nonlinear equations of motion are permitted to possess stable particle-like solutions. (Auth.)

  20. The Influence of Good Corporate Governance Mechanism on Earnings Management: Empirical Study in Indonesian Stock Exchange Listed Company for Periods of 2006-2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hermiyetti Hermiyetti

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of good corporate governance mechanism about earnings management in companies listed in Indonesian Stock Exchange during 2006 to 2010. The independent variables include the size of commissioner board, independent commissioner board percentage, size of audit committee, and commissioner meeting frequency. The dependent variable is earnings management which is measured by discretionary revenue model (Stubben, 2010. Size of company is used as the control variable in this research. The population of this research is 465 samples from companies listed at Indonesian Stock Exchange during 2006 to 2010. The sampling method used in this research is purposive sampling method. In addition, the data analysis method used is regression analysis and descriptive statistics. The result of this research indicates that the mechanism of good corporate governance which is represented by the size of commissioner board, independent commissioner board percentage, size of audit committee, and commissioner meeting frequency do not have any significant impact on earnings management. However, the result shows that company size gave positive influence toward earning management. Keywords: Good corporate governance, size of commissioner board, independent commissioner board percentage, size of audit committee, commissioner meeting frequency, earnings management

  1. Incremental Design of Perishable Goods Markets through Multi-Agent Simulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuo Miyashita

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In current markets of perishable goods such as fish and vegetables, sellers are typically in a weak bargaining position, since perishable products cannot be stored for long without losing their value. To avoid the risk of spoiling products, sellers have few alternatives other than selling their goods at the prices offered by buyers in the markets. The market mechanism needs to be reformed in order to resolve unfairness between sellers and buyers. Double auction markets, which collect bids from both sides of the trades and match them, allow sellers to participate proactively in the price-making process. However, in perishable goods markets, sellers have an incentive to discount their bid gradually for fear of spoiling unsold goods. Buyers can take advantage of sellers’ discounted bids to increase their profit by strategic bidding. To solve the problem, we incrementally improve an online double auction mechanism for perishable goods markets, which promotes buyers’ truthful bidding by penalizing their failed bids without harming their individual rationality. We evaluate traders’ behavior under several market conditions using multi-agent simulations and show that the developed mechanism achieves fair resource allocation among traders.

  2. Effect of nano-ZrO2 addition on microstructure, mechanical property and thermal shock behaviour of dense chromic oxide refractory material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Lixia; Ding, Chunhui; Zhanga, Chi; Yanga, De'an; Di, Lizhi

    2015-01-01

    To obtain a good performance hot-face lining material in gasifier, nano-ZrO 2 , up to 5 wt %, was added into chromic oxide powder with 3 wt % TiO 2 followed by sintering at 1500°C for 2.5 h. The effect of nano-ZrO 2 addition on microstructure, mechanical property and thermal shock behaviour was studied. ZrO 2 promoted densification at contents higher than 1 wt %. Microcracks and phase transformation toughened the dense chromic oxide refractory material. The main reason for decrease of strength was the existence microcracks in specimens and weakening of intergranular fracture. Dense chromic oxide refractory material with 2∼3 wt % nano-ZrO 2 possessed good densification, uniform microstructure, normal mechanical property and proper thermal shock resistance. The rupture strength retention ratio was nearly twice than that of chromic oxide material without ZrO 2 after three cycles of quenching test from 950°C to cold water. (author)

  3. Descending with Angels: Jinn Possession, Islamic Exorcism, and Psychiatry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Suhr, Christian

    What is it like to be a Muslim possessed by a jinn spirit? How do you find refuge from madness and evil in a place like Denmark? In this book I explore some of the ways in which Muslims in the West have sought to protect themselves. Over several years I followed Muslim patients being treated.......” In the book I analyze how these broader social and political issues are paralleled in the invisible dynamics of jinn possession and psychosis, proposing new theoretical perspectives on religious and psychiatric healing as ritual practices for dealing with the invisible in human life....... hypervisible in public discourse through intensive state monitoring, surveillance, and media coverage. Yet their religion of Islam remains poorly understood and is frequently identified by politicians, commentators, and even healthcare specialists as the underlying invisible cause of “integration problems...

  4. Gun Possession among Massachusetts Batterer Intervention Program Enrollees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rothman, Emily F.; Johnson, Renee M.; Hemenway, David

    2006-01-01

    Batterers with access to firearms present a serious lethal threat to their partners. The purpose of this exploratory study is to estimate the prevalence of and risk markers for gun possession among Massachusetts men enrolled in batterer intervention programs. The authors found that 1.8% of the men reported having a gun in or around their home.…

  5. Good leadership for good quality

    OpenAIRE

    Franzon, Vilma Maria

    2016-01-01

    Good leadership is important if you like to have high quality in the results. My experience in the production of the television industry is that conditions for good leadership is insufficient. Therefore, I have tried to get answers for those two questions in my exam report: What are the characteristics of good leadership? What are the prerequisites for good leadership out of production? The method I used is a literature study and observation. I have read a number of books and research studies...

  6. Effects of graphene plates' adoption on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and in vivo biocompatibility of calcium silicate coating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Youtao; Li, Hongqin; Ding, Chuanxian; Zheng, Xuebin; Li, Kai

    2015-01-01

    Calcium silicate (CS) ceramic is a good coating candidate for biomedical implants to improve biocompatibility and accelerate early osseointegration. However, the poor fracture toughness and wear resistance of this ceramic material restricts the long-term performance of implants. In this study, graphene plates (GPs) were used as reinforcement to improve the mechanical properties of CS coating. Composite coating containing 1.5 weight % GPs was prepared by vacuum plasma spraying technology. The good survival of the GPs in the composite coating was demonstrated by Raman analysis, although the defects of the GPs were increased after plasma spraying. Effects of the GPs' adoption on the microstructure of the coating were studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that the GPs were homogenously distributed in the CS grains interface or enwrapped on the particles, and exhibited good wetting behavior with the CS matrix. The wear properties of the composite coating were obviously enhanced by the reinforcement of GPs. The reinforcement mechanism was attributed to the enhanced micro-hardness and interfacial bonding of the particles in the coating. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the composite coating possessed similarly good biocompatibility compared to pure CS coating. The bone-implant contact ratio reached 84.3%±7.4% for GPs/CS coating and 79.6%±9.4% for CS coating after 3 months' implantation.

  7. Effects of graphene plates’ adoption on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and in vivo biocompatibility of calcium silicate coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Youtao; Li, Hongqin; Ding, Chuanxian; Zheng, Xuebin; Li, Kai

    2015-01-01

    Calcium silicate (CS) ceramic is a good coating candidate for biomedical implants to improve biocompatibility and accelerate early osseointegration. However, the poor fracture toughness and wear resistance of this ceramic material restricts the long-term performance of implants. In this study, graphene plates (GPs) were used as reinforcement to improve the mechanical properties of CS coating. Composite coating containing 1.5 weight % GPs was prepared by vacuum plasma spraying technology. The good survival of the GPs in the composite coating was demonstrated by Raman analysis, although the defects of the GPs were increased after plasma spraying. Effects of the GPs’ adoption on the microstructure of the coating were studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Results showed that the GPs were homogenously distributed in the CS grains interface or enwrapped on the particles, and exhibited good wetting behavior with the CS matrix. The wear properties of the composite coating were obviously enhanced by the reinforcement of GPs. The reinforcement mechanism was attributed to the enhanced micro-hardness and interfacial bonding of the particles in the coating. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the composite coating possessed similarly good biocompatibility compared to pure CS coating. The bone-implant contact ratio reached 84.3%±7.4% for GPs/CS coating and 79.6%±9.4% for CS coating after 3 months’ implantation. PMID:26089662

  8. Thermal and mechanical properties of selected 3D printed thermoplastics in the cryogenic temperature regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, K-P; Bagrets, N; Lange, C; Goldacker, W; Wohlgemuth, J

    2015-01-01

    Insulating materials for use in cryogenic boundary conditions are still limited to a proved selection as Polyamid, Glasfiber reinforced resins, PEEK, Vespel etc. These materials are usually formed to parts by mechanical machining or sometimes by cast methods. Shaping complex geometries in one piece is limited. Innovative 3D printing is now an upcoming revolutionary technology to construct functional parts from a couple of thermoplastic materials as ABS, Nylon and others which possess quite good mechanical stability and allow realizing very complex shapes with very subtle details. Even a wide range of material mixtures is an option and thermal treatments can be used to finish the material structure for higher performance. The use of such materials in cryogenic environment is very attractive but so far poor experience exists. In this paper, first investigations of the thermal conductivity, expansion and mechanical strength are presented for a few selected commercial 3D material samples to evaluate their application prospects in the cryogenic temperature regime. (paper)

  9. Licenses for possessing and applying radioactive sources, materials, etc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1977-01-01

    Commercial and governmental institutions have been licensed by Dutch authorities to possess and apply radioactive sources, materials, etc. A summary is given and the list is subdivided into a number of sections such as radioactive sources, radioactive materials, X-ray equipment and technetium-generators

  10. 46 CFR 308.504 - Definition of territories and possessions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Definition of territories and possessions. 308.504 Section 308.504 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS WAR RISK INSURANCE War Risk Cargo Insurance I-Introduction § 308.504 Definition of territories and...

  11. Ti-O/TiN films synthesized by plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition on 316L: Study of deformation behavior and mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, G.J.; Huang, N.; Yang, P.; Leng, Y.X.; Sun, H.; Chen, J.Y.; Wang, J.

    2005-01-01

    Ti-O/TiN gradient films have been synthesized on 316L stainless steel using plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition (PIII and D). The coated samples were subjected to tensile testing and observed in situ by scanning electron microscopy. No delamination, peeling or cracking was found on the film after plastic deformation of 0.16 mm residual displacement. Nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests revealed that the prepared films possess high nanohardness and good adhesion strength to the metal substrate. The mechanical properties of the synthesized Ti-O/TiN films are thought to be attributed to the good nanostructure, high density, smooth surface, slow transition from Ti-O to TiN and broad film/matrix interface achieved by the PIII-D process

  12. Skeletal muscle myoblasts possess a stretch-responsive local angiotensin signalling system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Adam P W; Baker, Jeff; De Lisio, Michael; Parise, Gianni

    2011-06-01

    A paucity of information exists regarding the presence of local renin-angiotensin systems (RASs) in skeletal muscle and associated muscle stem cells. Skeletal muscle and muscle stem cells were isolated from C57BL/6 mice and examined for the presence of a local RAS using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blotting and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Furthermore, the effect of mechanical stimulation on RAS member gene expression was analysed. Whole skeletal muscle, primary myoblasts and C2C12 derived myoblasts and myotubes differentially expressed members of the RAS including angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin II (Ang II) type 1 (AT(1)) and type 2 (AT(2)). Renin transcripts were never detected, however, mRNA for the 'renin-like' enzyme cathepsin D was observed and Ang I and Ang II were identified in cell culture supernatants from proliferating myoblasts. AT(1) appeared to co-localise with polymerised actin filaments in proliferating myoblasts and was primarily found in the nucleus of terminally differentiated myotubes. Furthermore, mechanical stretch of proliferating and differentiating C2C12 cells differentially induced mRNA expression of angiotensinogen, AT(1) and AT(2). Proliferating and differentiated muscle stem cells possess a local stress-responsive RAS in vitro. The precise function of a local RAS in myoblasts remains unknown. However, evidence presented here suggests that Ang II may be a regulator of skeletal muscle myoblasts.

  13. Whose name is it anyway? Varying patterns of possessive usage in eponymous neurodegenerative diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael R. MacAskill

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available There has been long-standing debate over whether use of the possessive form of the names of eponymous neurological disorders should be abandoned. Which view has actually predominated in practice? We empirically assessed current and historical usage in the scientific literature. The PubMed database was queried for the percentage of titles published each year from 1960–2012 which contained the possessive form of Parkinson’s (PD, Alzheimer’s (AD, Huntington’s (HD, Wilson’s (WD, and Gaucher’s (GD diseases (e.g. Huntington’s disease or chorea vs Huntington disease or chorea. Down syndrome (DS, well known for its changes in terminology, was used as a reference. The possessive form was nearly universal in all conditions from 1960 until the early 1970s. In both DS and GD it then declined at an approximately constant rate of 2 percentage points per year to drop below 15%. The possessive forms of both PD and AD began to decline at the same time but stabilised and have since remained above 80%, with a similar but more volatile pattern in HD. WD, meanwhile, is intermediate between the DS/GD and PD/AD/HD patterns, with a slower decline to its current value of approximately 60%. Declining possessive form usage in GD and DS papers has been remarkably uniform over time and has nearly reached completion. PD and AD appear stable in remaining predominantly possessive. The larger volume of papers published in those fields and their possibly greater public recognition and involvement may make that unlikely to change in the short-term. In a secondary analysis restricted to PD, we found that practices have switched dramatically several times in each of three US-published general neurology journals. Meanwhile, in two UK-published journals, and in the specialist title “Movement Disorders”, the possessive form has been maintained consistently. The use of eponyms in neurology shows systematic variation across time, disorders, and journals.

  14. FEATURES FOR TRANSPORT AND AIR MECHANICAL SYSTEMS OF DANGEROUS GOODS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugen Dumitru BUSA

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Transport of dangerous goods are regulated activities, they take place under the direction and control of the authorities and specialized bodies in an institutional framework determined by national and international law. Of economic, transport infrastructure is the crucial element without which both production and trade would become meaningless, it is an essential element of a civilization, is also a necessary accessory of other economic activities.

  15. Ultra-thin films of polysilsesquioxanes possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as gate insulator for organic field-effect transistors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakahara, Yoshio; Kawa, Haruna; Yoshiki, Jun; Kumei, Maki; Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Oi, Fumio; Yamakado, Hideo; Fukuda, Hisashi; Kimura, Keiichi

    2012-01-01

    Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as an organic moiety of the side chain were synthesized by sol–gel condensation copolymerization of the corresponding trialkoxysilanes. The ultra-thin PSQ film with a radical initiator and a cross-linking agent was prepared by a spin-coating method, and the film was cured integrally at low temperatures of less than 120 °C through two different kinds of polymeric reactions, which were radical polymerization of vinyl groups and sol–gel condensation polymerization of terminated silanol and alkoxy groups. The obtained PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to acetone, which is a good solvent of PSQ before polymerization. It became clear by atomic force microscopy observation that the surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. Furthermore, pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor (OFET) with the PSQ film as a gate insulator showed typical p-channel enhancement mode operation characteristics and therefore the ultra-thin PSQ film has the potential to be applicable for solution-processed OFET systems. - Highlights: ► Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups were synthesized. ► The ultra-thin PSQ film could be cured at low temperatures of less than 120 °C. ► The PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to organic solvent. ► The surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. ► Pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor with the PSQ film was fabricated.

  16. Gun possession among American youth: a discovery-based approach to understand gun violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruggles, Kelly V; Rajan, Sonali

    2014-01-01

    To apply discovery-based computational methods to nationally representative data from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions' Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to better understand and visualize the behavioral factors associated with gun possession among adolescent youth. Our study uncovered the multidimensional nature of gun possession across nearly five million unique data points over a ten year period (2001-2011). Specifically, we automated odds ratio calculations for 55 risk behaviors to assemble a comprehensive table of associations for every behavior combination. Downstream analyses included the hierarchical clustering of risk behaviors based on their association "fingerprint" to 1) visualize and assess which behaviors frequently co-occur and 2) evaluate which risk behaviors are consistently found to be associated with gun possession. From these analyses, we identified more than 40 behavioral factors, including heroin use, using snuff on school property, having been injured in a fight, and having been a victim of sexual violence, that have and continue to be strongly associated with gun possession. Additionally, we identified six behavioral clusters based on association similarities: 1) physical activity and nutrition; 2) disordered eating, suicide and sexual violence; 3) weapon carrying and physical safety; 4) alcohol, marijuana and cigarette use; 5) drug use on school property and 6) overall drug use. Use of computational methodologies identified multiple risk behaviors, beyond more commonly discussed indicators of poor mental health, that are associated with gun possession among youth. Implications for prevention efforts and future interdisciplinary work applying computational methods to behavioral science data are described.

  17. Gun possession among American youth: a discovery-based approach to understand gun violence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly V Ruggles

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To apply discovery-based computational methods to nationally representative data from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions' Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to better understand and visualize the behavioral factors associated with gun possession among adolescent youth. RESULTS: Our study uncovered the multidimensional nature of gun possession across nearly five million unique data points over a ten year period (2001-2011. Specifically, we automated odds ratio calculations for 55 risk behaviors to assemble a comprehensive table of associations for every behavior combination. Downstream analyses included the hierarchical clustering of risk behaviors based on their association "fingerprint" to 1 visualize and assess which behaviors frequently co-occur and 2 evaluate which risk behaviors are consistently found to be associated with gun possession. From these analyses, we identified more than 40 behavioral factors, including heroin use, using snuff on school property, having been injured in a fight, and having been a victim of sexual violence, that have and continue to be strongly associated with gun possession. Additionally, we identified six behavioral clusters based on association similarities: 1 physical activity and nutrition; 2 disordered eating, suicide and sexual violence; 3 weapon carrying and physical safety; 4 alcohol, marijuana and cigarette use; 5 drug use on school property and 6 overall drug use. CONCLUSIONS: Use of computational methodologies identified multiple risk behaviors, beyond more commonly discussed indicators of poor mental health, that are associated with gun possession among youth. Implications for prevention efforts and future interdisciplinary work applying computational methods to behavioral science data are described.

  18. The effect of playing tactics and situational variables on achieving score-box possessions in a professional soccer team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lago-Ballesteros, Joaquin; Lago-Peñas, Carlos; Rey, Ezequiel

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of playing tactics, opponent interaction and situational variables on achieving score-box possessions in professional soccer. The sample was constituted by 908 possessions obtained by a team from the Spanish soccer league in 12 matches played during the 2009-2010 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from 12 ordered categorical variables were used. Sampled matches were registered by the AMISCO PRO system. Data were analysed using chi-square analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. Of 908 possessions, 303 (33.4%) produced score-box possessions, 477 (52.5%) achieved progression and 128 (14.1%) failed to reach any sort of progression. Multiple logistic regression showed that, for the main variable "team possession type", direct attacks and counterattacks were three times more effective than elaborate attacks for producing a score-box possession (P tactics on producing score-box possessions.

  19. Mechanical characteristics of connection for GFRP plates using tapping screws

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, Yuya; Duong, Nguyen Ngoc; Satake, Chito; Matsumoto, Yukihiro

    2017-10-01

    FRP material has good characteristics such as light-weight, high-strength and high-corrosion resistance. Light-weight structure possesses some advantages over the rational constructing procedure such as self-building structures. In recent years, mechanical characteristics of FRP joints using bolts and/or rivet are investigated in detail, and they are used in many FRP structures. However, the bolts lack bearing strength compared with material strength and the joint needs the prepared bolt hole. In this paper, an alternative joint system for FRP structures using tapping screw is proposed and mechanical characteristics are investigated through experiment. Tapping screw has some advantages; easy-to-use, light-weight and high bearing strength. Then, the results of double-lapped tensile shear tests having one, four and eight tapping screws along longitudinal direction are shown. Moreover, it is shown that longitudinal stress distribution is approximately corresponding to the theoretical stress distribution of double-lapped adhesively bonded joints. Based on these, it is proposed that joint strength can be estimated by using the present calculation method.

  20. 10 CFR 70.20a - General license to possess special nuclear material for transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General license to possess special nuclear material for transport. 70.20a Section 70.20a Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DOMESTIC LICENSING OF... transport. (a) A general license is issued to any person to possess formula quantities of strategic special...

  1. A Review of Sex Determining Mechanisms in Geckos (Gekkota: Squamata)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamble, T.

    2010-01-01

    Geckos are a species-rich clade of reptiles possessing diverse sex determining mechanisms. Some species possess genetic sex determination, with both male and female heterogamety, while other species have temperature-dependent sex determination. I compiled information from the literature on the taxonomic distribution of these sex determining mechanisms in geckos. Using phylogenetic data from the literature, I reconstructed the minimum number of transitions among these sex determining mechanisms with parsimony-based ancestral state reconstruction. While only a small number of gecko species have been characterized, numerous changes among sex determining mechanisms were inferred. This diversity, coupled with the high frequency of transitions, makes geckos excellent candidates as a model clade for the study of vertebrate sex determination and evolution. PMID:20234154

  2. Microstructure and mechanical properties of a novel near-α titanium alloy Ti6.0Al4.5Cr1.5Mn

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Hong-bin; Wang, Shu-sen; Gao, Peng-yue; Jiang, Tao; Lu, Xiong-gang; Li, Chong-he

    2016-01-01

    Based on previous Ti-Al-Cr-Mn quaternary system thermodynamic database, a novel near-α titanium alloy Ti-6.0Al-4.5Cr-1.5Mn alloy was designed and successfully prepared by the water-cooled copper crucible. Microscopic observation showed that both as-cast and annealing status consist of α phase, which coincides with the theoretical expectation. The mechanical properties at room temperature were measured and this alloy possesses good mechanical properties, its average yield-strength reaches 1051.5 MPa and tensile-strength is up to 1091.2 MPa while its average elongation is just 8.3%. Compared with the TA15, it has better mechanical strength and worse elongation. In the new alloy Laves phase Cr 2 Ti were detected by XRD pattern and TEM, which may cause the alloy's poor plasticity.

  3. Microstructure and mechanical properties of a novel near-α titanium alloy Ti6.0Al4.5Cr1.5Mn

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Hong-bin [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Special Steel & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Ferrometallurgy & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Shanghai Special Casting Engineering Technology Research Center, Shanghai 201605 (China); Wang, Shu-sen; Gao, Peng-yue; Jiang, Tao [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Special Steel & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Ferrometallurgy & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Lu, Xiong-gang; Li, Chong-he [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Special Steel & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Ferrometallurgy & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Shanghai Special Casting Engineering Technology Research Center, Shanghai 201605 (China)

    2016-08-30

    Based on previous Ti-Al-Cr-Mn quaternary system thermodynamic database, a novel near-α titanium alloy Ti-6.0Al-4.5Cr-1.5Mn alloy was designed and successfully prepared by the water-cooled copper crucible. Microscopic observation showed that both as-cast and annealing status consist of α phase, which coincides with the theoretical expectation. The mechanical properties at room temperature were measured and this alloy possesses good mechanical properties, its average yield-strength reaches 1051.5 MPa and tensile-strength is up to 1091.2 MPa while its average elongation is just 8.3%. Compared with the TA15, it has better mechanical strength and worse elongation. In the new alloy Laves phase Cr{sub 2}Ti were detected by XRD pattern and TEM, which may cause the alloy's poor plasticity.

  4. Land use, worker heterogeneity and welfare benefits of public goods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teulings, Coen N.; Ossokina, Ioulia V.; de Groot, Henri L.F.

    2018-01-01

    We show that investments in public goods change the optimal land use in their vicinity, leading to additional welfare benefits. This occurs through two sorting mechanisms. First, availability of public goods leads to higher population densities. Second, population groups sort according to their

  5. 19 CFR 7.2 - Insular possessions of the United States other than Puerto Rico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... than Puerto Rico. 7.2 Section 7.2 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF... NAVAL STATION § 7.2 Insular possessions of the United States other than Puerto Rico. (a) Insular possessions of the United States other than Puerto Rico are also American territory but, because those insular...

  6. 50 CFR 600.1204 - Shark finning; possession at sea and landing of shark fins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Shark finning; possession at sea and landing of shark fins. 600.1204 Section 600.1204 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND... PROVISIONS Shark Finning § 600.1204 Shark finning; possession at sea and landing of shark fins. (a)(1) No...

  7. Schizophrenia-The spirit possessed 23 year old male from rural ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A case of a twenty-three year old rural Ghanaian male suffering from schizophrenia and presenting as “possessed by spirits” is reported. Treatment, and outcome by physical means with chlorpromazine; and implications for further research are discussed.

  8. Relationship between length of A-bomb survivor's health handbook possession and mortality risk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Otani, Keiko; Ohtaki, Megu; Satoh, Kenichi; Tonda, Tetsuji

    2012-01-01

    The title handbook was first issued to support the health of A-bomb survivors by Japan MHLW in 1957, and about 220 thousands possess it in 2010. Its major supports contain free medicare, 2 periodic and 2 optional medical examinations/year and other various benefits. This study was performed to elucidate the relationship in the title for evaluation of its life prolonging effect on Hiroshima survivors. The length of handbook possession was defined the period from acquiring it to death. The cohort was 17,335 (7,607 men) registered survivors who had had the handbook for 1 year or more, and before Nov. 1965 or later, until Dec. 2010. Causes of death event were classified to be the cerebrovascular, cardiac and cancerous disease, and others were censored. The objective variable was mortality risk, and predictors were the exposed dose, age at the exposure, chronological age and length of handbook possession. Risk of cerebrovascular or cardiac death was estimated by the model of exponential function, and of cancer death, of power function based on multi-stage theory of carcinogenesis. Results revealed that the cerebrovascular mortality of women and men was 8.1 and 7.2%, respectively; cardiac, 8.7 and 7.2%; and cancerous, 10.1 and 14.9%. Significant reduction of relative risk of cerebrovascular death, about 4% per 1 year handbook possession, was observed in men alone; negative correlations of period effect were seen in cerebrovascular and cardiac death of women; and positive correlation between cancer death and exposed dose was observed. The prophylaxis and continuous treatment of cerebrovascular disease due to the handbook possession were thought effective in men. (T.T.)

  9. Demonic possessions and mental illness: discussion of selected cases in late medieval hagiographical literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espí Forcén, Carlos; Espí Forcén, Fernando

    2014-01-01

    During the Middle Ages, demonic possession constituted an explanation for an erratic behavior in society. Exorcism was the treatment generally applied to demoniacs and seems to have caused some alleviation in the suffering of mentally distressed people. We have selected and analyzed some cases of demonic possession from thirteenth-century hagiographical literature. In the description of demoniacs we have been able to find traits of psychotic, mood, neurotic, personality disorders and epilepsy. The exorcisms analyzed in our article are the result of literary invention more than the description of a contemporary event. Nevertheless, the writers were witnesses of their time, transferred their knowledge about exorcism and possession in their narrative and presumably incorporated their actual experience with demoniacs.

  10. Genome Defense Mechanisms in Neurospora and Associated Specialized Proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranjan Tamuli

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Neurospora crassa, the filamentous fungus possesses widest array of genome defense mechanisms known to any eukaryotic organism, including a process called repeat-induced point mutation (RIP. RIP is a genome defense mechanism that hypermutates repetitive DNA sequences; analogous to genomic imprinting in mammals. As an impact of RIP, Neurospora possesses many fewer genes in multigene families than expected. A DNA methyltransferase homologue, RID was shown to be essential for RIP. Recently, a variant catalytic subunit of translesion DNA polymerase zeta (Pol zeta has been found to be essential for dominant RIP suppressor phenotype. Meiotic silencing and quelling are two other genome defense mechanisms in Neurospora, and proteins required for these two processes have been identified through genetic screens.

  11. Elementary Continuum Mechanics for Everyone - and Some More

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Byskov, Esben

    Quite trivially, Continuum mechanics per se deals with the description of deformations of three-dimensional continua i.e. models whose properties are independent of scale in that the continuum does not possess a structure. Thus, continuum mechanics does not try to model the atomic structure...

  12. Elementary Continuum Mechanics for Everyone - And Some More

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Byskov, Esben

    Quite trivially, Continuum mechanics per se deals with the description of deformations of three-dimensional continua i.e. models whose properties are independent of scale in that the continuum does not possess a structure. Thus, continuum mechanics does not try to model the atomic structure...

  13. The Public Goods Hypothesis for the evolution of life on Earth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McInerney, James O; Pisani, Davide; Bapteste, Eric; O'Connell, Mary J

    2011-08-23

    It is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile the observed extent of horizontal gene transfers with the central metaphor of a great tree uniting all evolving entities on the planet. In this manuscript we describe the Public Goods Hypothesis and show that it is appropriate in order to describe biological evolution on the planet. According to this hypothesis, nucleotide sequences (genes, promoters, exons, etc.) are simply seen as goods, passed from organism to organism through both vertical and horizontal transfer. Public goods sequences are defined by having the properties of being largely non-excludable (no organism can be effectively prevented from accessing these sequences) and non-rival (while such a sequence is being used by one organism it is also available for use by another organism). The universal nature of genetic systems ensures that such non-excludable sequences exist and non-excludability explains why we see a myriad of genes in different combinations in sequenced genomes. There are three features of the public goods hypothesis. Firstly, segments of DNA are seen as public goods, available for all organisms to integrate into their genomes. Secondly, we expect the evolution of mechanisms for DNA sharing and of defense mechanisms against DNA intrusion in genomes. Thirdly, we expect that we do not see a global tree-like pattern. Instead, we expect local tree-like patterns to emerge from the combination of a commonage of genes and vertical inheritance of genomes by cell division. Indeed, while genes are theoretically public goods, in reality, some genes are excludable, particularly, though not only, when they have variant genetic codes or behave as coalition or club goods, available for all organisms of a coalition to integrate into their genomes, and non-rival within the club. We view the Tree of Life hypothesis as a regionalized instance of the Public Goods hypothesis, just like classical mechanics and euclidean geometry are seen as regionalized

  14. The public goods hypothesis for the evolution of life on Earth

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McInerney, James O

    2011-08-23

    Abstract It is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile the observed extent of horizontal gene transfers with the central metaphor of a great tree uniting all evolving entities on the planet. In this manuscript we describe the Public Goods Hypothesis and show that it is appropriate in order to describe biological evolution on the planet. According to this hypothesis, nucleotide sequences (genes, promoters, exons, etc.) are simply seen as goods, passed from organism to organism through both vertical and horizontal transfer. Public goods sequences are defined by having the properties of being largely non-excludable (no organism can be effectively prevented from accessing these sequences) and non-rival (while such a sequence is being used by one organism it is also available for use by another organism). The universal nature of genetic systems ensures that such non-excludable sequences exist and non-excludability explains why we see a myriad of genes in different combinations in sequenced genomes. There are three features of the public goods hypothesis. Firstly, segments of DNA are seen as public goods, available for all organisms to integrate into their genomes. Secondly, we expect the evolution of mechanisms for DNA sharing and of defense mechanisms against DNA intrusion in genomes. Thirdly, we expect that we do not see a global tree-like pattern. Instead, we expect local tree-like patterns to emerge from the combination of a commonage of genes and vertical inheritance of genomes by cell division. Indeed, while genes are theoretically public goods, in reality, some genes are excludable, particularly, though not only, when they have variant genetic codes or behave as coalition or club goods, available for all organisms of a coalition to integrate into their genomes, and non-rival within the club. We view the Tree of Life hypothesis as a regionalized instance of the Public Goods hypothesis, just like classical mechanics and euclidean geometry are seen as

  15. Pathogen-avoidance mechanisms and the stigmatization of obese people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Park, Justin H.; Schaller, Mark; Crandall, Christian S.

    2007-01-01

    Humans possess pathogen-avoidance mechanisms that respond to the visual perception of morphological anomalies in others. We investigated whether obesity may trigger these mechanisms. Study I revealed that people who are chronically concerned about pathogen transmission have more negative attitudes

  16. What is a good midwife? Insights from the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borrelli, Sara Elisabetta

    2014-01-01

    to review the literature around what is considered to be a good midwife and in particular what women value in a midwife, in order to identify the gaps in the evidence for future research. this paper reviews the research in the area of interest over the past 30 years. The literature search focused on the concept of good midwife using synonyms and antonyms. The inclusion criteria included language (English or Italian). The examined databases were Medline, Maternity and Infant Care, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstract and CINAHL. studies conducted in high-income countries were taken into account. A focused review of papers which explicitly investigated what a good midwife means and a thematic analysis on what women value in a midwife were carried out. different standpoints have been considered (midwives, student midwives, women and their partners), focusing in particular on women viewpoint. the literature review reveals information about what is considered to be a good midwife from a range of perspectives and what women value in a midwife. A good midwife should possess several attributes: theoretical knowledge, professional competencies, personal qualities, communication skills and moral/ethical values. According to the thematic analysis around what childbearing women value in a midwife, frequent key-themes emerging from the literature were: support, possibility of choice, feeling in control and having appropriate information. the meaning of good midwife might change according to different actors involved in midwifery care and there is no agreement on the definition of what constitutes a good midwife. Furthermore, it is not clear if what women value in a good midwife corresponds to the midwives' perception of themselves as good professionals. There is a dearth of information around women's expectations and experiences specifically of a good midwife, and even less around whether this changes according to where they give birth. this literature review seeks to

  17. Ultra-thin films of polysilsesquioxanes possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as gate insulator for organic field-effect transistors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakahara, Yoshio; Kawa, Haruna [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakae-dani, Wakayama 640-8510 (Japan); Yoshiki, Jun [Division of Information and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1 Mizumoto-cho, Muroran 050-8585 (Japan); Kumei, Maki; Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Oi, Fumio [Konishi Chemical IND. Co., LTD., 3-4-77 Kozaika, Wakayama 641-0007 (Japan); Yamakado, Hideo [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakae-dani, Wakayama 640-8510 (Japan); Fukuda, Hisashi [Division of Engineering for Composite Functions, Faculty of Engineering, Muroran Institute of Technology, 27-1 Mizumoto-cho, Muroran 050-8585 (Japan); Kimura, Keiichi, E-mail: kkimura@center.wakayama-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakae-dani, Wakayama 640-8510 (Japan)

    2012-10-01

    Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups as an organic moiety of the side chain were synthesized by sol-gel condensation copolymerization of the corresponding trialkoxysilanes. The ultra-thin PSQ film with a radical initiator and a cross-linking agent was prepared by a spin-coating method, and the film was cured integrally at low temperatures of less than 120 Degree-Sign C through two different kinds of polymeric reactions, which were radical polymerization of vinyl groups and sol-gel condensation polymerization of terminated silanol and alkoxy groups. The obtained PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to acetone, which is a good solvent of PSQ before polymerization. It became clear by atomic force microscopy observation that the surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. Furthermore, pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor (OFET) with the PSQ film as a gate insulator showed typical p-channel enhancement mode operation characteristics and therefore the ultra-thin PSQ film has the potential to be applicable for solution-processed OFET systems. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polysilsesquioxanes (PSQs) possessing 3-methacryloxypropyl groups were synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ultra-thin PSQ film could be cured at low temperatures of less than 120 Degree-Sign C. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The PSQ film showed the almost perfect solubilization resistance to organic solvent. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The surface of the PSQ film was very smooth at a nano-meter level. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor with the PSQ film was fabricated.

  18. New families of conservative systems on $S^2$ possessing an integral of fourth degree in momenta

    OpenAIRE

    Selivanova, Elena N.

    1997-01-01

    There is a well-known example of integrable conservative system on $S^2$, the case of Kovalevskaya in the dynamics of a rigid body, possessing an integral of fourth degree in momenta. Goryachev proposed a one-parameter family of examples of conservative systems on $S^2$ possessing an integral of fourth degree in momenta which includes the case of Kovalevskaya. In this paper we proposed new examples of conservative systems on $S^2$ possessing an integral of fourth degree in momenta.

  19. Prepositions in Use: Prepositions of Standard, Prepositions of Possession and Prepositions of Accompaniment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naji Masned AlQbailat

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The current research paper attempted at investigating the use of prepositions of standard, prepositions of possession and prepositions of accompaniment by some Jordanian learners of English. A total of 53 Jordanian English Majors participated in the study from the department of English language at Princess Alia University College. In collecting the needed data for the purpose of the study, the researchers employed fifteen items of a multiple choice test. The results of the study showed that Jordanian learners of English encountered moderate difficulty in learning the three aforesaid usages of prepositions. This difficulty is ascribed mainly to first language interference more than intralingual interference. It was also found that prepositions of standard are the most difficult to learn by the participants, followed by prepositions of accompaniment and prepositions of possession respectively.       Keywords: First language Interference, Intralingual Interference, Prepositions of Standard, Prepositions of Accompaniment, Prepositions of Possession

  20. How the expanded crowd-funding mechanism of some southern rural areas in China affects cooperative behaviors in threshold public goods game

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Qiao; Chen, Tong; Wang, Yongjie

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • The influence of emotions on the public goods game can not be ignored. • Individuals’ emotions will be influenced by list and lobbyists’ words when making decisions. • Unless the synergy factor is larger than a certain value, it is necessary to encourage more people to act as lobbyists. • Whether and how to publish the list depend on the situation. - Abstract: The pursuit of high cooperation rates in public goods games has attracted many researchers. However, few researchers attach much weight to the influence of emotions on decision-making, especially on public goods games. From ancient to modern times, publishing the list of cooperators to stimulate cooperation has been a common phenomenon in some southern rural areas in China. Actually, the published list can influence individuals’ behaviors by affecting their emotions. Here we extend the method of publishing the list and optimize it by adding a lobbyist mechanism. Through numerical simulations, we find that the role of lobbyists can not be ignored unless the synergy factor is larger than a certain value. Additionally, we find that publishing the list certainly has a great effect on individual’s cooperative behavior. But whether to publish the list or not and how to publish the list depend on the situation.

  1. Association between socio-economic status and childhood undernutrition in Bangladesh; a comparison of possession score and poverty index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohsena, Masuda; Mascie-Taylor, C G Nicholas; Goto, Rie

    2010-10-01

    To determine how much of the variation in nutritional status of Bangladeshi children under 5 years old can be attributed to the socio-economic status of the family. Nutritional status used reference Z-scores of weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ). A 'possession score' was generated based on ownership of a radio, television, bicycle, motorcycle and telephone, and the availability of electricity, with categories of 0 to 4+ possessions. A five-point (quintile) 'poverty index' was created using principal component analysis. The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004 was the source of data. A sample of 4891 children aged <5 years was obtained. Some 57.8 % of the sample was either stunted, wasted or underweight (7.7 % were stunted, wasted and underweight). Of those stunted (48.4 %), 25.7 % were also underweight. Underweight and wasting prevalences were 40.7 % and 14.3 %, respectively. Mean WAZ, HAZ and WHZ did not differ by sex. Children of mothers with no education or no possessions were, on average, about 1 sd more underweight and stunted than those with higher educated mothers or with 4+ possessions. The possession score provided much greater discrimination of undernutrition than the poverty index. Nearly 50 % of children from households with no possessions were stunted, wasted or underweight (only 27 % in the poorest quintile), compared with only 3-6 % of children from households with 4+ possessions (over 13 % in the richest quintile). Maternal education and possession score were the main predictors of a child's nutritional status. Possession score was a much better indicator of undernutrition than the poverty index.

  2. 27 CFR 479.105 - Transfer and possession of machine guns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof; or any lawful transfer or lawful possession... distribution to any department or agency of the United States or any State or political subdivision thereof, or... entities expressing a need for a particular model or interest in seeing a demonstration of a particular...

  3. Composition design and mechanical properties of ternary Cu–Zr–Ti bulk metallic glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan, Ye; Zeng, Yuqiao; Jing, Lijun; Zhang, Lu; Pi, Jinhong

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Newly designed monolithic bulk metallic glasses are of good glass-forming ability. • Cu 50 Zr 44 Ti 6 exhibits excellent plastic deformation up to ∼7.4%. • Copious and intersected shear bans are observed in the fractography of Cu 50 Zr 44 Ti 6 . • Cu 50 Zr 44 Ti 6 has the best plasticity in the ternary Cu–Zr–Ti bulk metallic glasses. - Abstract: The new compositions of ternary Cu–Zr–Ti bulk metallic glasses are predicted by integrating calculation of vacancy formation energy, mixing enthalpy and configuration entropy of the alloys based on thermodynamics of glass formers. The monolithic amorphous rods of 3 mm diameter have been successfully fabricated, and characterized by X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy and compression tests. The results show that the designed alloys possess good glass forming ability and excellent mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of the samples can be effectively improved by regulating their composition. The monolithic amorphous rod of Cu 50 Zr 44 Ti 6 exhibits a high fracture strength of 1855 MPa and excellent plastic deformation up to ∼7.4%. The formation and propagation of shear bands in samples are also investigated. The enhancement of plastic deformation is mainly contributed to multiplication and intersection of shear bands

  4. Research on Effective Supply Mode of Rural Public Goods

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2011-01-01

    On the basis of definition and classification of rural public goods, this paper analyses the status quo of public goods supply in vast rural areas of China, and it indicates that the electricity and communication facility in rural areas have not yet been popularized; the culture and education facility is critically backward; the medical care and social warfare institutions are short. It points out the rational supply model of public goods as follows: the government plays dominant role in the public goods supply with a large amount of investments, related to the quality of living and production of multitudinous farmers; small wieldy quasi-public goods that can be easily supplied and marginalized public goods can introduce multiplex supply main body under the framework of government guidance. According to this model, corresponding policy suggestions are put forward as follows: increase financial inputs, and perfect local financial system; actively encourage the majority of farmers in rural areas to participate in public goods supply mechanism, so that the supply has pertinence; vigorously develop multiplex supply system of rural public goods, to ensure effective supply.

  5. Rulings in Argentinean and Colombian courts decriminalize possession of small amounts of narcotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cozac, David

    2009-12-01

    Two recent court decisions in South America have reflected a growing backlash in the region against the so-called, U.S.-led "war on drugs". In Argentina, the Supreme Court of Justice ruled unanimously on 25 August 2009 that the second paragraph of Article 14 of the country's drug control legislation, which punishes the possession of drugs for personal consumption, was unconstitutional. In Colombia, the Supreme Court of Justice ruled on 8 July 2009 that the possession of illegal drugs for personal use was not a criminal offence.

  6. 50 CFR 648.322 - Skate allocation, possession, and landing provisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Skate allocation, possession, and landing provisions. 648.322 Section 648.322 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Management Measures for the NE Skate...

  7. What Does it Take to Become a Good Engineer?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Haase, Sanne Schioldann; Chen, Helen L.; Sheppard, Sheri

    2013-01-01

    Engineers of the future are expected to possess a range of competencies in addition to math and science skills. This paper turns to engineering students to explore what they think it takes to become a good engineer. Profiles are identified by means of a large-scale survey-based investigation...... of the perceptions of first year engineering students in the US and in Denmark with respect to the importance of math/science skills and interpersonal and professional skills for successful engineering. Four groups of first year engineering students are defined according to combinations of high and low importance...... assessments of each of the two skill types in both countries. This leads to analytically derived groups emphasizing math/science skills, interpersonal and professional skills, both skill types, and none of the skills. Differences and similarities between these groups are explored in terms of relative group...

  8. Novel Imidazopyridine Derivatives Possess Anti-Tumor Effect on Human Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew A Ingersoll

    Full Text Available Prostate cancer (PCa is the second leading cause of cancer-related death afflicting United States males. Most treatments to-date for metastatic PCa include androgen-deprivation therapy and second-generation anti-androgens such as abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide. However, a majority of patients eventually develop resistance to these therapies and relapse into the lethal, castration-resistant form of PCa to which no adequate treatment option remains. Hence, there is an immediate need to develop effective therapeutic agents toward this patient population. Imidazopyridines have recently been shown to possess Akt kinase inhibitory activity; thus in this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of novel imidazopyridine derivatives HIMP, M-MeI, OMP, and EtOP on different human castration-resistant PCa cells. Among these compounds, HIMP and M-MeI were found to possess selective dose- and time-dependent growth inhibition: they reduced castration-resistant PCa cell proliferation and spared benign prostate epithelial cells. Using LNCaP C-81 cells as the model system, these compounds also reduced colony formation as well as cell adhesion and migration, and M-MeI was the most potent in all studies. Further investigation revealed that while HIMP primarily inhibits PCa cell growth via suppression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, M-MeI can inhibit both PI3K/Akt and androgen receptor pathways and arrest cell growth in the G2 phase. Thus, our results indicate the novel compound M-MeI to be a promising candidate for castration-resistant PCa therapy, and future studies investigating the mechanism of imidazopyridine inhibition may aid to the development of effective anti-PCa agents.

  9. Novel Imidazopyridine Derivatives Possess Anti-Tumor Effect on Human Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingersoll, Matthew A; Lyons, Anastesia S; Muniyan, Sakthivel; D'Cunha, Napoleon; Robinson, Tashika; Hoelting, Kyle; Dwyer, Jennifer G; Bu, Xiu R; Batra, Surinder K; Lin, Ming-Fong

    2015-01-01

    Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death afflicting United States males. Most treatments to-date for metastatic PCa include androgen-deprivation therapy and second-generation anti-androgens such as abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide. However, a majority of patients eventually develop resistance to these therapies and relapse into the lethal, castration-resistant form of PCa to which no adequate treatment option remains. Hence, there is an immediate need to develop effective therapeutic agents toward this patient population. Imidazopyridines have recently been shown to possess Akt kinase inhibitory activity; thus in this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of novel imidazopyridine derivatives HIMP, M-MeI, OMP, and EtOP on different human castration-resistant PCa cells. Among these compounds, HIMP and M-MeI were found to possess selective dose- and time-dependent growth inhibition: they reduced castration-resistant PCa cell proliferation and spared benign prostate epithelial cells. Using LNCaP C-81 cells as the model system, these compounds also reduced colony formation as well as cell adhesion and migration, and M-MeI was the most potent in all studies. Further investigation revealed that while HIMP primarily inhibits PCa cell growth via suppression of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, M-MeI can inhibit both PI3K/Akt and androgen receptor pathways and arrest cell growth in the G2 phase. Thus, our results indicate the novel compound M-MeI to be a promising candidate for castration-resistant PCa therapy, and future studies investigating the mechanism of imidazopyridine inhibition may aid to the development of effective anti-PCa agents.

  10. Adducin family proteins possess different nuclear export potentials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chia-Mei; Hsu, Wen-Hsin; Lin, Wan-Yi; Chen, Hong-Chen

    2017-05-10

    The adducin (ADD) family proteins, namely ADD1, ADD2, and ADD3, are actin-binding proteins that play important roles in the stabilization of membrane cytoskeleton and cell-cell junctions. All the ADD proteins contain a highly conserved bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS) at the carboxyl termini, but only ADD1 can localize to the nucleus. The reason for this discrepancy is not clear. To avoid the potential effect of cell-cell junctions on the distribution of ADD proteins, HA epitope-tagged ADD proteins and mutants were transiently expressed in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and their distribution in the cytoplasm and nucleus was examined by immunofluorescence staining. Several nuclear proteins were identified to interact with ADD1 by mass spectrometry, which were further verified by co-immunoprecipitation. In this study, we found that ADD1 was detectable both in the cytoplasm and nucleus, whereas ADD2 and ADD3 were detected only in the cytoplasm. However, ADD2 and ADD3 were partially (~40%) sequestered in the nucleus by leptomycin B, a CRM1/exportin1 inhibitor. Upon the removal of leptomycin B, ADD2 and ADD3 re-distributed to the cytoplasm. These results indicate that ADD2 and ADD3 possess functional NLS and are quickly transported to the cytoplasm upon entering the nucleus. Indeed, we found that ADD2 and ADD3 possess much higher potential to counteract the activity of the NLS derived from Simian virus 40 large T-antigen than ADD1. All the ADD proteins appear to contain multiple nuclear export signals mainly in their head and neck domains. However, except for the leucine-rich motif ( 377 FEALMRMLDWLGYRT 391 ) in the neck domain of ADD1, no other classic nuclear export signal was identified in the ADD proteins. In addition, the nuclear retention of ADD1 facilitates its interaction with RNA polymerase II and zinc-finger protein 331. Our results suggest that ADD2 and ADD3 possess functional NLS and shuttle between the cytoplasm and nucleus. The discrepancy in the

  11. 48 CFR 52.236-11 - Use and Possession Prior to Completion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... possession or use shall not be deemed an acceptance of any work under the contract. (b) While the Government... adjustment shall be made in the contract price or the time of completion, and the contract shall be modified...

  12. Zonal Articular Cartilage Possesses Complex Mechanical Behavior Spanning Multiple Length Scales: Dependence on Chemical Heterogeneity, Anisotropy, and Microstructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahlquist, Joseph A.

    This work focused on characterizing the mechanical behavior of biological material in physiologically relevant conditions and at sub millimeter length scales. Elucidating the time, length scale, and directionally dependent mechanical behavior of cartilage and other biological materials is critical to adequately recapitulate native mechanosensory cues for cells, create computational models that mimic native tissue behavior, and assess disease progression. This work focused on three broad aspects of characterizing the mechanical behavior of articular cartilage. First, we sought to reveal the causes of time-dependent deformation and variation of mechanical properties with distance from the articular surface. Second, we investigated size dependence of mechanical properties. Finally, we examined material anisotropy of both the calcified and uncalcified tissues of the osteochondral interface. This research provides insight into how articular cartilage serves to support physiologic loads and simultaneously sustain chondrocyte viability.

  13. Puzzling Mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Deventer, M. Oskar

    2009-01-01

    The basis of a good mechanical puzzle is often a puzzling mechanism. This article will introduce some new puzzling mechanisms, like two knots that engage like gears, a chain whose links can be interchanged, and flat gears that do not come apart. It illustrates how puzzling mechanisms can be transformed into real mechanical puzzles, e.g., by…

  14. Global mental health and trauma exposure: the current evidence for the relationship between traumatic experiences and spirit possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecker, Tobias; Braitmayer, Lars; van Duijl, Marjolein

    2015-01-01

    We present a literature review on trauma exposure and spirit possession in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite the World Health Organization's objective of culturally appropriate mental health care in the Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, and the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to consider local idioms of distress and to collaborate with local resources, this topic still receives very little attention. Pathological spirit possession is commonly defined as involuntary, uncontrollable, and occurring outside of ritual settings. It is often associated with stigmatization, suffering, and dysfunctional behavior. While spirit possession has been discussed as an idiom of distress in anthropological literature, recent quantitative studies have presented support for a strong relationship between traumatic experiences and pathological possession states. The aim of this review was to investigate this relationship systematically in LMICs, in view of the debate on how to address the mental health gap in LMICs. Twenty-one articles, published in peer-reviewed English-language journals between 1994 and 2013, were identified and analyzed with regard to prevalence of possessive trance disorders, patients' sociodemographic characteristics, and its relation to traumatic experiences. The review and analysis of 917 patients with symptoms of possessive trance disorders from 14 LMICs indicated that it is a phenomenon occurring worldwide and with global relevance. This literature review suggests a strong relationship between trauma exposure and spirit possession with high prevalence rates found especially in postwar areas in African countries. More attention for possessive trance disorders in mental health and psychosocial intervention programs in humanitarian emergency settings as well as in societies in transition in LMICs is needed and justified by the results of this systematic literature review.

  15. The premature possession briefing according to paragraph 44b EnWG. The legal situation according to the infrastructure planning acceleration law; Die vorzeitige Besitzeinweisung nach paragraph 44b EnWG. Die Rechtslage nach dem Infrastrukturplanungs-Beschleunigungsgesetz

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Riedel, D. [Kanzlei Dombert Rechtsanwaelte, Potsdam (Germany)

    2008-03-15

    On 17th December 2006, the infrastructure planning acceleration law comes into force. This law plans to tighten the realization of urgent infrastructure projects. Above all, this concerns to changes, which follow from this law for the right of the expropriation. Under this aspect, the author of the contribution under consideration reports on the objective of the infrastructure planning acceleration law as well as on the conditions and factual characteristics of the possession briefing. The straight premature possession briefing represents a good starting point to clearly shorten the time of the filing of an application in the planning procedure up to the actual commencement of construction. The legislative fundament for this is existent.

  16. Investigation of corrosion resistance of alloys with high mechanical characteristics in some environments of food industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tremoureux, Yves

    1978-01-01

    This research thesis aimed at improving knowledge in the field of stress-free corrosion of alloys with high mechanical characteristics in aqueous environments, at highlighting some necessary aspects of their behaviour during cleaning or disinfection, and at selecting alloys which possess a good stress-free corrosion resistance in view of a later investigation of their stress corrosion resistance. After a presentation of the metallurgical characteristics of high mechanical strength alloys and the report of a bibliographical study on corrosion resistance of these alloys, the author presents and discusses the results obtained in the study of a possible migration of metallic ions in a milk product which is submitted to a centrifugation, and of the corrosion resistance of selected alloys with respect to the different media they will be in contact with during ultra-centrifugation. The following alloys have been used in this research: Marval 18, Marphynox, Marval X12, 17-4PH steel, Inconel 718 [fr

  17. 31 CFR 601.5 - Penalty for unauthorized control or possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... CURRENCY AND OTHER SECURITIES § 601.5 Penalty for unauthorized control or possession. The Secretary of the... heretofore adopted for the printing of paper currency or other obligations or securities of the United States, is and will be subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. 474A which provides, in part, that it is...

  18. Global mental health and trauma exposure: the current evidence for the relationship between traumatic experiences and spirit possession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecker, Tobias; Braitmayer, Lars; van Duijl, Marjolein

    2015-01-01

    Background We present a literature review on trauma exposure and spirit possession in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite the World Health Organization's objective of culturally appropriate mental health care in the Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020, and the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to consider local idioms of distress and to collaborate with local resources, this topic still receives very little attention. Pathological spirit possession is commonly defined as involuntary, uncontrollable, and occurring outside of ritual settings. It is often associated with stigmatization, suffering, and dysfunctional behavior. While spirit possession has been discussed as an idiom of distress in anthropological literature, recent quantitative studies have presented support for a strong relationship between traumatic experiences and pathological possession states. Objective The aim of this review was to investigate this relationship systematically in LMICs, in view of the debate on how to address the mental health gap in LMICs. Methods Twenty-one articles, published in peer-reviewed English-language journals between 1994 and 2013, were identified and analyzed with regard to prevalence of possessive trance disorders, patients’ sociodemographic characteristics, and its relation to traumatic experiences. Results The review and analysis of 917 patients with symptoms of possessive trance disorders from 14 LMICs indicated that it is a phenomenon occurring worldwide and with global relevance. This literature review suggests a strong relationship between trauma exposure and spirit possession with high prevalence rates found especially in postwar areas in African countries. Conclusions More attention for possessive trance disorders in mental health and psychosocial intervention programs in humanitarian emergency settings as well as in societies in transition in LMICs is needed and justified by the results of this systematic literature review

  19. Global mental health and trauma exposure: the current evidence for the relationship between traumatic experiences and spirit possession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tobias Hecker

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: We present a literature review on trauma exposure and spirit possession in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs. Despite the World Health Organization's objective of culturally appropriate mental health care in the Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020, and the recommendations of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to consider local idioms of distress and to collaborate with local resources, this topic still receives very little attention. Pathological spirit possession is commonly defined as involuntary, uncontrollable, and occurring outside of ritual settings. It is often associated with stigmatization, suffering, and dysfunctional behavior. While spirit possession has been discussed as an idiom of distress in anthropological literature, recent quantitative studies have presented support for a strong relationship between traumatic experiences and pathological possession states. Objective: The aim of this review was to investigate this relationship systematically in LMICs, in view of the debate on how to address the mental health gap in LMICs. Methods: Twenty-one articles, published in peer-reviewed English-language journals between 1994 and 2013, were identified and analyzed with regard to prevalence of possessive trance disorders, patients’ sociodemographic characteristics, and its relation to traumatic experiences. Results: The review and analysis of 917 patients with symptoms of possessive trance disorders from 14 LMICs indicated that it is a phenomenon occurring worldwide and with global relevance. This literature review suggests a strong relationship between trauma exposure and spirit possession with high prevalence rates found especially in postwar areas in African countries. Conclusions: More attention for possessive trance disorders in mental health and psychosocial intervention programs in humanitarian emergency settings as well as in societies in transition in LMICs is needed and justified by the results of this

  20. Effect of different lay-ups on the microstructure, mechanical properties and neutron transmission of neutron shielding fibre metal laminates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, Xuelong; Tang, Xiaobin; Hu, Yubing; Li, Huaguan; Tao, Jie

    2016-01-01

    A novel neutron shielding fibre metal laminates (NSFMLs) with different lay-ups, composed of stacking layers of AA6061 plates, neutron shielding composite and carbon fibre reinforced polyimide (CFRP), were fabricated using hot molding process in atmospheric environments. The microstructure, mechanical properties and neutron transmission of the NSFMLs were evaluated, respectively. The results indicated that the NSFMLs possessed good mechanical properties owing to the good interfacial adhesion of the components. Tensile strength and elastic modulus of the NSFMLs increased with the numbers of lay-ups, while the elongation to fracture exhibited obvious declining tendency. Flexural strength and modulus of the NSFMLs were improved obviously with the increasing of stacking layers. Neutron transmission of the NSFMLs decreased obviously with increasing the number of lay-ups, owing to the increase of "1"0B areal density. Besides, the effect of carbon fibres on the neutron shielding performance of the NSFMLs was also taken into consideration. - Highlights: • A novel neutron shielding fibre metal laminates (NSFMLs) with different lay-ups was successfully fabricated using hot molding process. • Mechanical properties of the NSFMLs were performed in accordance with relative standards. • Neutron transmission of the NSFMLs was conducted according to the testing results. • The effect of carbon fibres on the neutron transmission of the NSFMLs was also investigated.

  1. Effect of different lay-ups on the microstructure, mechanical properties and neutron transmission of neutron shielding fibre metal laminates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fu, Xuelong [College of Material Science & Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Nanjing, 211100 (China); Department of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu Polytechnic of Finance & Economics, Huai' an, 223003 (China); Tang, Xiaobin; Hu, Yubing; Li, Huaguan [College of Material Science & Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Nanjing, 211100 (China); Tao, Jie, E-mail: taojie@nuaa.edu.cn [College of Material Science & Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Nanjing, 211100 (China)

    2016-07-15

    A novel neutron shielding fibre metal laminates (NSFMLs) with different lay-ups, composed of stacking layers of AA6061 plates, neutron shielding composite and carbon fibre reinforced polyimide (CFRP), were fabricated using hot molding process in atmospheric environments. The microstructure, mechanical properties and neutron transmission of the NSFMLs were evaluated, respectively. The results indicated that the NSFMLs possessed good mechanical properties owing to the good interfacial adhesion of the components. Tensile strength and elastic modulus of the NSFMLs increased with the numbers of lay-ups, while the elongation to fracture exhibited obvious declining tendency. Flexural strength and modulus of the NSFMLs were improved obviously with the increasing of stacking layers. Neutron transmission of the NSFMLs decreased obviously with increasing the number of lay-ups, owing to the increase of {sup 10}B areal density. Besides, the effect of carbon fibres on the neutron shielding performance of the NSFMLs was also taken into consideration. - Highlights: • A novel neutron shielding fibre metal laminates (NSFMLs) with different lay-ups was successfully fabricated using hot molding process. • Mechanical properties of the NSFMLs were performed in accordance with relative standards. • Neutron transmission of the NSFMLs was conducted according to the testing results. • The effect of carbon fibres on the neutron transmission of the NSFMLs was also investigated.

  2. Molecular biological mechanisms I. DNA repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friedl, A.A.

    2000-01-01

    Cells of all living systems possess a variety of mechanisms that allow to repair spontaneous and exogeneously induced DNA damage. DNA repair deficiencies may invoke enhanced sensitivity towards DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation. They may also enhance the risk of cancer development, both spontaneously or after induction. This article reviews several DNA repair mechanisms, especially those dealing with DNA double-strand breaks, and describes hereditary diseases associated with DNA repair defects. (orig.) [de

  3. Male homosexuality and spirit possession in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fry, P

    1985-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between male homosexuality and the Afro-Brazilian possession cults in Belém do Parà. After a discussion of the literature follows a description of the cults' beliefs, rites and social organization. Male sex roles are then discussed and the two categories, bicha and man, analyzed. It is noted that there is no term which is equivalent to the western category of "homosexual" in this taxonomic system. After putting forward folk explanations for the presence of many bichas in the cults, an analysis is put forward of the social rewards available to bichas within these cults, and the structural relationship between homosexuality and these regions in terms of their congruent marginality vis-à-vis "normal society."

  4. Dissociative trance disorder: clinical and Rorschach findings in ten persons reporting demon possession and treated by exorcism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferracuti, S; Sacco, R; Lazzari, R

    1996-06-01

    Although dissociative trance disorders, especially possession disorder, are probably more common than is usually though, precise clinical data are lacking. Ten persons undergoing exorcisms for devil trance possession state were studied with the Dissociative Disorders Diagnostic Schedule and the Rorschach test. These persons had many traits in common with dissociative identity disorder patients. They were overwhelmed by paranormal experiences. Despite claiming possession by a demon, most of them managed to maintain normal social functioning. Rorschach findings showed that these persons had a complex personality organization: Some of them displayed a tendency to oversimplify stimulus perception whereas others seemed more committed to psychological complexity. Most had severe impairment of reality testing, and 6 of the participants had an extratensive coping stile. In this group of persons reporting demon possession, dissociative trance disorder seems to be a distinct clinical manifestation of a dissociative continuum, sharing some features with dissociative identity disorder.

  5. Animal Hairs as Water-stimulated Shape Memory Materials: Mechanism and Structural Networks in Molecular Assemblies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Xueliang; Hu, Jinlian

    2016-05-01

    Animal hairs consisting of α-keratin biopolymers existing broadly in nature may be responsive to water for recovery to the innate shape from their fixed deformation, thus possess smart behavior, namely shape memory effect (SME). In this article, three typical animal hair fibers were first time investigated for their water-stimulated SME, and therefrom to identify the corresponding net-points and switches in their molecular and morphological structures. Experimentally, the SME manifested a good stability of high shape fixation ratio and reasonable recovery rate after many cycles of deformation programming under water stimulation. The effects of hydration on hair lateral size, recovery kinetics, dynamic mechanical behaviors and structural components (crystal, disulfide and hydrogen bonds) were then systematically studied. SME mechanisms were explored based on the variations of structural components in molecular assemblies of such smart fibers. A hybrid structural network model with single-switch and twin-net-points was thereafter proposed to interpret the water-stimulated shape memory mechanism of animal hairs. This original work is expected to provide inspiration for exploring other natural materials to reveal their smart functions and natural laws in animals including human as well as making more remarkable synthetic smart materials.

  6. Se soigner ou soigner les autres  ? Dimensions thérapeutiques d’un culte de possession vietnamien Healing Myself, Healing Others : Therapeutic Skills of a Vietnamese Possession Cult

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claire Chauvet

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Les médiums des esprits des Quatre Palais, en articulation avec d’autres spécialistes religieux, participent à l’espace thérapeutique vietnamien. Ils contribuent de longue date, et ce malgré les aléas de l’histoire, à prendre en charge les maladies par le biais de la pratique rituelle et, plus généralement, par le biais des interventions des esprits. Si ces dimensions thérapeutiques ne constituent qu’un aspect du culte, à côté des enjeux religieux, politiques et territoriaux, les requêtes de guérison sont parmi les principales requêtes formulées aux esprits. Cet article examine les dimensions thérapeutiques de la pratique du culte qui s’articulent autour de deux pôles : pratiquer la possession pour soigner les autres ou pour se soigner soi-même. C’est, en effet, la santé, avec l’harmonie au sein de la vie familiale, la réussite dans le commerce ou les études, que les disciples viennent chercher auprès des esprits et de leurs intermédiaires. Par ailleurs, comme pour de nombreux cultes de possession, la maladie est très souvent à l’origine du processus qui mène à la pratique médiumnique. Certains médiums, ainsi que quelques esprits, ont à cet effet des pouvoirs spécialisés dans la guérison. Enfin, l’article envisage certaines transformations du rôle social des médiums.Spirits mediums of the Four Palaces have been taking part for a long time, along with other religious specialists, in the Vietnamese therapeutic area. They have helped, and still do despite historical upheavals, taking care of different kind of illnesses through rituals and, more generally, through spirits’ interventions. If healing is only one side of the worship, beside religious, political and territorial issues, it is one of the main issues addressed to the spirits. This paper investigates healing dimensions of the worship which are of two kinds : performing spirit possession in order to cure others or in order to cure

  7. One-trial conditioned taste aversion in Lymnaea: good and poor performers in long-term memory acquisition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugai, Rio; Azami, Sachiyo; Shiga, Hatsuki; Watanabe, Takayuki; Sadamoto, Hisayo; Kobayashi, Suguru; Hatakeyama, Dai; Fujito, Yutaka; Lukowiak, Ken; Ito, Etsuro

    2007-04-01

    In the majority of studies designed to elucidate the causal mechanisms of memory formation, certain members of the experimental cohort, even though subjected to exactly the same conditioning procedures, remember significantly better than others, whereas others show little or no long-term memory (LTM) formation. To begin to address the question of why this phenomenon occurs and thereby help clarify the causal mechanism of LTM formation, we used a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) procedure on individuals of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis and analyzed their subsequent behavior. Using sucrose as an appetitive stimulus and KCl as an aversive stimulus, we obtained a constant ratio of ;poor' to ;good' performers for CTA-LTM. We found that approximately 40% of trained snails possessed LTM following a one-trial conditioning procedure. When we examined the time-window necessary for the memory consolidation, we found that if we cooled snails to 4 degrees C for 30 min within 10 min after the one-trial conditioning, LTM was blocked. However, with delayed cooling (i.e. longer than 10 min), LTM was present. We could further interfere with LTM formation by inducing inhibitory learning (i.e. backward conditioning) after the one-trial conditioning. Finally, we examined whether we could motivate snails to acquire LTM by depriving them of food for 5 days before the one-trial conditioning. Food-deprived snails, however, failed to exhibit LTM following the one-trial conditioning. These results will help us begin to clarify why some individuals are better at learning and forming memory for specific tasks at the neuronal level.

  8. Cooperation and Noise in Public Goods Experiments: Applying the Contribution Function Approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brandts, J.; Schram, A.

    2001-01-01

    We introduce a new design for experiments with the voluntary contributions mechanism for public goods. Subjects report a complete con-tri-bution function in each period, i.e., a contribution level for various marginal rates of transformation between a public and a private good. The results show that

  9. HOW GOOD IS GOODS AND SERVICES TAX

    OpenAIRE

    Dr. Sreemoyee Guha Roy

    2016-01-01

    Goods and Services Tax is a broad based and a single comprehensive tax levied on goods and services consumed in an economy. GST is levied at every stage of the production-distribution chain with applicable set offs in respect of the tax remitted at previous stages. It is basically a tax on final consumption. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a value added tax to be implemented in India, the decision on which is pending. GST is the only indirect tax that directly affects all sectors and sect...

  10. Review: Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday (2011 Buchbesprechung: Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday (2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jigal Beez

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Review of the monograph:Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday, Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8300-5806-9, 216 pagesBesprechung der Monographie:Lisa Mackenrodt, Swahili Spirit Possession and Islamic Healing in Contemporary Tanzania: The Jinn Fly on Friday, Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač, 2011, ISBN 978-3-8300-5806-9, 216 Seiten

  11. Bioinspired Bouligand cellulose nanocrystal composites: a review of mechanical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natarajan, Bharath; Gilman, Jeffrey W.

    2017-12-01

    The twisted plywood, or Bouligand, structure is the most commonly observed microstructural motif in natural materials that possess high mechanical strength and toughness, such as that found in bone and the mantis shrimp dactyl club. These materials are isotropically toughened by a low volume fraction of soft, energy-dissipating polymer and by the Bouligand structure itself, through shear wave filtering and crack twisting, deflection and arrest. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are excellent candidates for the bottom-up fabrication of these structures, as they naturally self-assemble into `chiral nematic' films when cast from solutions and possess outstanding mechanical properties. In this article, we present a review of the fabrication techniques and the corresponding mechanical properties of Bouligand biomimetic CNC nanocomposites, while drawing comparison to the performance standards set by tough natural composite materials. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue `New horizons for cellulose nanotechnology'.

  12. 'Good Governance' dan 'Governability'

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    - Pratikno

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available The article endeavors to trace the outset of governance concept, its dominant meanings and discourse, and its implication towards governability. The central role of government in the governing processes has predominantly been adopted. The concept of governance was emerged precisely in the context of the failure of government as key player in regulation, economic redistribution and political participation. Governance is therefore aimed to emphasize pattern of governing which are based both on democratic mechanism and sound development management. However, practices of such good governance concept –which are mainly adopted and promoted by donor states and agencies– tend to degrade state and/or government authority and legitimacy. Traditional function of the state as sole facilitator of equal societal, political and legal membership among citizens has been diminished. The logic of fair competition has been substituted almost completely by the logic of free competition in nearly all sectors of public life. The concept and practices of good governance have resulted in decayed state authority and failed state which in turn created a condition for "ungovernability". By promoting democratic and humane governance, the article accordingly encourages discourse to reinstall and bring the idea of accountable state back in.

  13. Design and Application of Automatic Falling Device for Different Brands of Goods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xudong; Ge, Qingkuan; Zuo, Ping; Peng, Tao; Dong, Weifu

    2017-12-01

    The Goods-Falling device is an important device in the intelligent sorting goods sorting system, which is responsible for the temporary storage and counting of the goods, and the function of putting the goods on the conveyor belt according to certain precision requirements. According to the present situation analysis and actual demand of the domestic goods sorting equipment, a vertical type Goods - Falling Device is designed and the simulation model of the device is established. The dynamic characteristics such as the angular error of the opening and closing mechanism are carried out by ADAMS software. The simulation results show that the maximum angular error is 0.016rad. Through the test of the device, the goods falling speed is 7031/hour, the good of the falling position error within 2mm, meet the crawl accuracy requirements of the palletizing robot.

  14. On the combustion mechanisms of ZrH2 in double-base propellant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yanjing; Zhao, Fengqi; Yuan, Zhifeng; Wang, Ying; An, Ting; Chen, Xueli; Xuan, Chunlei; Zhang, Jiankan

    2017-12-13

    Metal hydrides are regarded as a series of promising hydrogen-supplying fuel for solid rocket propellants. Their effects on the energetic and combustion performances of propellants are closely related to their reaction mechanisms. Here we report a first attempt to determine the reaction mechanism of ZrH 2 , a high-density metal hydride, in the combustion of a double-base propellant to evaluate its potential as a fuel. ZrH 2 is determined to possess good resistance to oxidation by nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. Thus its combustion starts with dehydrogenation to generate H 2 and metallic Zr. Subsequently, the newly formed Zr and H 2 participate in the combustion and, especially, Zr melts and then combusts on the burning surface which favors the heat feedback to the propellant. This phenomenon is completely different from the combustion behavior of the traditional fuel Al, where the Al particles are ejected off the burning surface of the propellant to get into the luminous flame zone to burn. The findings in this work validate the potential of ZrH 2 as a hydrogen-supplying fuel for double-base propellants.

  15. 32 CFR 552.122 - Personnel not authorized to possess or retain personal weapons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... THE ARMY MILITARY RESERVATIONS AND NATIONAL CEMETERIES REGULATIONS AFFECTING MILITARY RESERVATIONS... person who has been convicted in any court of the possession, use, or sale of marijuana, dangerous or...

  16. Does possession of assets increase women's participation in reproductive decision-making? Perceptions of Nigerian women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omeje, Joachim C; Oshi, Sarah N; Oshi, Daniel C

    2011-01-01

    This study is based on a population-based, descriptive questionnaire survey, the objective of which was to elicit the perceptions of women in south-eastern Nigeria on whether possession of economic/household assets by women enhanced their capacity to negotiate reproductive issues with their husbands. The findings show that the respondents believed that possession of economic/household assets by women in their communities might not necessarily increase their negotiation power in their reproductive decision-making. Other factors tend to attenuate the effects of women's possession of economic/household assets on their reproductive bargaining power. Notable among these may be social norms that implicitly arrogate control of the assets owned by the conjugal couple to the man, even when they are bought by the women. Planners of reproductive health intervention projects, policy-makers and researchers need to be aware of such sociocultural specific phenomena, which do not fit with widely held international beliefs.

  17. Hierarchical remote data possession checking method based on massive cloud files

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Haifeng

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Cloud storage service enables users to migrate their data and applications to the cloud, which saves the local data maintenance and brings great convenience to the users. But in cloud storage, the storage servers may not be fully trustworthy. How to verify the integrity of cloud data with lower overhead for users has become an increasingly concerned problem. Many remote data integrity protection methods have been proposed, but these methods authenticated cloud files one by one when verifying multiple files. Therefore, the computation and communication overhead are still high. Aiming at this problem, a hierarchical remote data possession checking (hierarchical-remote data possession checking (H-RDPC method is proposed, which can provide efficient and secure remote data integrity protection and can support dynamic data operations. This paper gives the algorithm descriptions, security, and false negative rate analysis of H-RDPC. The security analysis and experimental performance evaluation results show that the proposed H-RDPC is efficient and reliable in verifying massive cloud files, and it has 32–81% improvement in performance compared with RDPC.

  18. Tribological and corrosion behaviour of electroless Ni-B coating possessing a blackberry like structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bülbül, Ferhat; Altun, Hikmet; Küçük, Özkan; Ezirmik, Vefa

    2012-08-01

    This study aims to evaluate the tribological and corrosion properties of the electroless Ni-B coating deposited on AISI 304 stainless steels. The microstructure of the coating was characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). XRD analysis revealed that the prepared coating possessed an amorphous character. SEM-EDS investigation also indicated that a non-stoichiometric Ni-B coating was deposited with a columnar growth mechanism on the stainless steel substrate and the morphology of the growth surface was blackberry-like. The hardness and tribological properties were characterized by microhardness and a pin-on-disc wear test. The electroless Ni-B coated sample had a higher degree of hardness, a lower friction coefficient and a lower wear rate than the uncoated substrate. The electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization method was used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the coating. The electroless Ni-B coating offered cathodic protection on the substrate by acting as a sacrificial anode although it was electrochemically more reactive than the stainless steel substrate.

  19. 27 CFR 478.40 - Manufacture, transfer, and possession of semiautomatic assault weapons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Manufacture, transfer, and... COMMERCE IN FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION Administrative and Miscellaneous Provisions § 478.40 Manufacture, transfer, and possession of semiautomatic assault weapons. (a) Prohibition. No person shall manufacture...

  20. Nanocrystalline cellulose-dispersed AKD emulsion for enhancing the mechanical and multiple barrier properties of surface-sized paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Luming; Lu, Sheng; Li, Juanjuan; Zhang, Fengshan; Cha, Ruitao

    2016-01-20

    In this study, we employed nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) as an efficient dispersant to perpare alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) emulsion. The particle size and zeta potential of AKD/NCC emulsion were measured, which were approximately 5 μm and -50 mV, respectively. The surface-sized paper possessed multiple barriers properties. The air permeability of surface-sized paper was 0.29 μm/Pas and the sizing degree reached 42 s when the amount of sizing was 12.58 g/m(2) with a 96.83% decrease and a 40.00%, increase, respectively. Furthermore, the mechanical properties were optimal when the amount of sizing was about 8 g/m(2). AKD/NCC emulsion acted as a good reinforcing agent in surface-sized paper. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Disentangling value creation mechanism in cross-border acquisitions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Daojuan; Sørensen, Olav Jull; Moini, Hamid

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the value creation mechanism in cross-border acquisitions ( CBAs ) by employing a structural equation modeling technique and surveying 103 CBAs performed by Nordic firms. The results reveal that resource possession, resource picking, and resource utilization are three impo...... in this study, is an important step forward in merger and acquisition (M&A) research. Moreover, numerous research findings offer tactical implications for international acquirers.......This study investigates the value creation mechanism in cross-border acquisitions ( CBAs ) by employing a structural equation modeling technique and surveying 103 CBAs performed by Nordic firms. The results reveal that resource possession, resource picking, and resource utilization are three...... important strategic dimensions for realizing synergy and creating value in CBAs . Furthermore, mediation analysis shows that the two acquisition-based dynamic capabilities—value identification and resource reconfiguration—act as important mediators in how the joining firms’ resource base impacts acquisition...

  2. Assessment of Accounting Competencies Possessed by Postgraduate University Business Education Students to Handle Entrepreneurship Business Challenges in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okoro, James

    2014-01-01

    University Business Education graduates, by the nature of their programme, ought to possess relevant accounting competencies for successful entrepreneurship but casual observation and empirical reports indicate that they are not doing well in this aspect. Therefore, this study assessed the accounting competencies possessed by university…

  3. On the co-variation between form and function of adnominal possessive modifiers in Dutch and English

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rijkhoff, Jan

    2009-01-01

    in the noun phrase (section 3); a tentative explanation is given in section 4. The more general point this paper wants to make is that functional modifier categories like CLASSIFYING MODIFIER or QUALIFYING MODIFIER can be characterized in grammatical terms and, furthermore, that important grammatical...... that the remarkable variation in the grammatical properties of this possessive construction directly correlates with the kind of modifier function it has in the noun phrase. It is first shown that lexical possessive modifiers with van ‘of’ (“adnominal possessives” for short) are used to express most of the modifier...... functions recognized in a semantic, five-layered model of the noun phrase (section 2). I will then argue that the values for certain grammatical parameters (here subsumed under the labels MODIFICATION, PREDICATION, REFERENCE) correlate with the kind of modifier function the adnominal possessive has...

  4. Entropy, Topological Theories and Emergent Quantum Mechanics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Cabrera

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The classical thermostatics of equilibrium processes is shown to possess a quantum mechanical dual theory with a finite dimensional Hilbert space of quantum states. Specifically, the kernel of a certain Hamiltonian operator becomes the Hilbert space of quasistatic quantum mechanics. The relation of thermostatics to topological field theory is also discussed in the context of the approach of the emergence of quantum theory, where the concept of entropy plays a key role.

  5. Novel powder/solid composites possessing low Young’s modulus and tunable energy absorption capacity, fabricated by electron beam melting, for biomedical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeo, Naoko; Ishimoto, Takuya; Nakano, Takayoshi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We fabricated novel porous composites by electron beam melting. • The composites consist of necked powder and melted solid framework. • Unmelted powder that is usually discarded was mechanically functionalized by necking. • The composites possess controllably low Young’s modulus and excellent toughness. • The composites would be promising for utilization in biomedical applications. - Abstract: A novel, hierarchical, porous composite from a single material composed of necked powder and melted solid, with tunable mechanical properties, is fabricated by electron beam melting and subsequent heat treatment. The composite demonstrates low Young’s modulus (⩽31 GPa) and excellent energy absorption capacity, both of which are necessary for use in orthopedic applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis of a material combining controllably low Young’s modulus and excellent toughness

  6. Assessment of Management Competencies Possessed by Postgraduate University Business Education Students to Handle Entrepreneurship Business Challenges in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okoro, James

    2015-01-01

    University Business Education graduates, by the nature of their programme, ought to possess relevant management competencies for successful entrepreneurship but casual observation and empirical reports indicate that they are not doing well in this aspect. Therefore, this study assessed the management competencies possessed by the university…

  7. Can the DSM-5 differentiate between nonpathological possession and dissociative identity disorder? A case study from an Afro-Brazilian religion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delmonte, Romara; Lucchetti, Giancarlo; Moreira-Almeida, Alexander; Farias, Miguel

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this article is to examine whether the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), are able to differentiate between nonpathological religious possession and dissociative identity disorder (DID). We use the case study of an individual who leads an Afro-Brazilian religious group (Umbanda), focusing on her personal development and possession experiences from early childhood to the present, spanning a period of more than 40 years, and examine these data following DSM-5 criteria for DID (300.14). Her experiences of possession can be broken into 2 distinct stages. In the 1st stage (childhood and early adulthood), she displayed intrusive thoughts and a lack of control over possession states, which were associated with a heightened state of anxiety, loneliness, amnesia, and family conflict (meeting all 5 criteria for DID). In the 2nd stage (late 20s up to the present), she regularly experienced possession states but felt in control of their onset and found them religiously meaningful. In this 2nd stage, she only fulfilled 3 criteria for DID. We question the accuracy of diagnosing this individual with DID in her earlier life and suggest that the DSM-5 criteria fail to address the ambiguity of affect surrounding possession experiences (positive at the individual level, negative at the interpersonal level) and lack a clearer acknowledgment of the prevalence of possession and other unusual experiences in general populations.

  8. Bioprinting of hybrid tissue constructs with tailorable mechanical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schuurman, W; Khristov, V; Pot, M W; Dhert, W J A; Malda, J [Department of Orthopaedics, University Medical Center Utrecht (Netherlands); Van Weeren, P R, E-mail: j.malda@umcutrecht.nl [Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Department of Equine Sciences, Utrecht University (Netherlands)

    2011-06-15

    Tissue/organ printing aims to recapitulate the intrinsic complexity of native tissues. For a number of tissues, in particular those of musculoskeletal origin, adequate mechanical characteristics are an important prerequisite for their initial handling and stability, as well as long-lasting functioning. Hence, organized implants, possessing mechanical characteristics similar to the native tissue, may result in improved clinical outcomes of regenerative approaches. Using a bioprinter, grafts were constructed by alternate deposition of thermoplastic fibers and (cell-laden) hydrogels. Constructs of different shapes and sizes were manufactured and mechanical properties, as well as cell viability, were assessed. This approach yields novel organized viable hybrid constructs, which possess favorable mechanical characteristics, within the same range as those of native tissues. Moreover, the approach allows the use of multiple hydrogels and can thus produce constructs containing multiple cell types or bioactive factors. Furthermore, since the hydrogel is supported by the thermoplastic material, a broader range of hydrogel types can be used compared to bioprinting of hydrogels alone. In conclusion, we present an innovative and versatile approach for bioprinting, yielding constructs of which the mechanical stiffness provided by thermoplastic polymers can potentially be tailored, and combined specific cell placement patterns of multiple cell types embedded in a wide range of hydrogels. (communication)

  9. Bioprinting of hybrid tissue constructs with tailorable mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schuurman, W; Khristov, V; Pot, M W; Dhert, W J A; Malda, J; Van Weeren, P R

    2011-01-01

    Tissue/organ printing aims to recapitulate the intrinsic complexity of native tissues. For a number of tissues, in particular those of musculoskeletal origin, adequate mechanical characteristics are an important prerequisite for their initial handling and stability, as well as long-lasting functioning. Hence, organized implants, possessing mechanical characteristics similar to the native tissue, may result in improved clinical outcomes of regenerative approaches. Using a bioprinter, grafts were constructed by alternate deposition of thermoplastic fibers and (cell-laden) hydrogels. Constructs of different shapes and sizes were manufactured and mechanical properties, as well as cell viability, were assessed. This approach yields novel organized viable hybrid constructs, which possess favorable mechanical characteristics, within the same range as those of native tissues. Moreover, the approach allows the use of multiple hydrogels and can thus produce constructs containing multiple cell types or bioactive factors. Furthermore, since the hydrogel is supported by the thermoplastic material, a broader range of hydrogel types can be used compared to bioprinting of hydrogels alone. In conclusion, we present an innovative and versatile approach for bioprinting, yielding constructs of which the mechanical stiffness provided by thermoplastic polymers can potentially be tailored, and combined specific cell placement patterns of multiple cell types embedded in a wide range of hydrogels. (communication)

  10. Good Looking Is Looking Good / Märt Milter

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Milter, Märt

    1998-01-01

    Meloodilist drum ǹ̀bassi viljelevatest välismaa plaadifirmadest Good Looking Recordsist ja Looking Good Recordsist, mida juhib LTJ Bukem ja temaga koostööd tegevatest muusikutest Blame, Seba, Tayla, MC Conrad, Artemis

  11. CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM IN FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY'S NOVEL "THE POSSESSED" ("DEMONS"

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergei Leonidovich Sharakov

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The article raises a question of Christian symbolism in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel The Possessed (Demons. The introductory part identifies the purpose of a symbol in Christian poetics through the parallel with ancient symbolism. The author makes a conclusion that the functional role of a symbol in the ancient world and Christian tradition is different. Therefore, the ancient symbol involves a number of interrelated categories, such as fate, intuition or conjecture, inspiration, and predictions. Christian symbolism is based on the idea of redemption and moral innocence. Methodologically, the article is based on a cultural and historical approach, as well as on the comparative academic tradition. The overview of Dostoyevsky’s pre-materials for The Possessed (Demons enables us to suggest the use of Christian symbolism in this novel. Hence, the objective of the study is to investigate a composition of images and symbols in this piece of writing, with a special focus on the image of a chronicler since the storyline of the novel is developed through his perception. We make a supposition that there are several levels of Gospel perception in the artistic vision or consciousness of the chronicler, that form the basis of the symbolical composition of the novel. The article sequentially examines the examples of Christian symbolism, including the connection of ideas, characters and storylines of the novel with the Gospel. Then it gives evidence and reasons for the thesis that the Gospel gives the characters of the novel the grounds for shaping their destiny.

  12. Ductile Bulk Aluminum-Based Alloy with Good Glass-Forming Ability and High Strength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Long-Chao, Zhuo; Shu-Jie, Pang; Hui, Wang; Tao, Zhang

    2009-01-01

    Based on a new approach for designing glassy alloy compositions, bulk Al-based alloys with good glass-forming ability (GFA) are synthesized. The cast Al 86 Si 0.5 Ni 4.06 Co 2.94 Y 6 Sc 0.5 rod with a diameter of 1 mm shows almost fully amorphous structure besides about 5% fcc-Al nucleated in the center of the rod. The bulk alloy with high Al concentration exhibits an ultrahigh yield strength of 1.18 GPa and maximum strength of 1.27 GPa as well as an obvious plastic strain of about 2.4% during compressive deformation. This light Al-based alloy with good GFA and mechanical properties is promising as a new high specific strength material with good deformability. (condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties)

  13. Possessão e inversão da subalternidade: com a palavra, Pombagira das Rosas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sônia Regina Corrêa Lages

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Este artigo é decorrente de uma pesquisa de campo que analisou a possessão na religião afro-brasileira da Umbanda no terreiro de Umbanda Caboclo Pena Branca, na cidade de Juiz de Fora, MG. No presente recorte é apresentada a narrativa da Pombagira das Rosas, com o propósito de observar a relação de alteridade que se estabelece entre a médium e a entidade. A partir de um quadro conceitual definido por Michael De Certeau, as narrativas são analisadas buscando compreender de que forma a possessão se articula com a realidade histórica das mulheres no Brasil e com a trajetória pessoal da mulher médium que incorpora o referido espírito, redefinindo seu cotidiano. A intenção é focalizar na voz subalterna da entidade as dinâmicas individuais e coletivas que, fazendo uso do imaginário nacional sobre a entidade, possibilitam compreender a possessão como significando solidariedade social.

  14. Access to nutritious food, socioeconomic individualism and public health ethics in the USA: a common good approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azétsop, Jacquineau; Joy, Tisha R

    2013-10-29

    Good nutrition plays an important role in the optimal growth, development, health and well-being of individuals in all stages of life. Healthy eating can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. However, the capitalist mindset that shapes the food environment has led to the commoditization of food. Food is not just a marketable commodity like any other commodity. Food is different from other commodities on the market in that it is explicitly and intrinsically linked to our human existence. While possessing another commodity allows for social benefits, food ensures survival. Millions of people in United States of America are either malnourished or food insecure. The purpose of this paper is to present a critique of the current food system using four meanings of the common good--as a framework, rhetorical device, ethical concept and practical tool for social justice. The first section of this paper provides a general overview of the notion of the common good. The second section outlines how each of the four meanings of the common good helps us understand public practices, social policies and market values that shape the distal causal factors of nutritious food inaccessibility. We then outline policy and empowerment initiatives for nutritious food access.

  15. The possession game? A comparative analysis of ball retention and team success in European and international football, 2007-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collet, Christian

    2013-01-01

    Possession is thought of as central to success in modern football, but questions remain about its impact on positive team outcomes (Bate, 1988; Hughes & Franks, 2005; Pollard & Reep, 1997; Stanhope, 2001). Recent studies (e.g. Bloomfield, Polman, & O'Donoghue, 2005; Carling, Williams, & Reilly, 2005; James, Mellallieu, & Holley, 2002; Jones, James, & Mellalieu, 2004; Lago, 2009; Lago & Martin, 2007; Lago-Peñas & Dellal, 2010; Lago-Peñas, Lago-Ballesteros, Dellal, & Gómez, 2010; Taylor, Mellalieu, & James, 2005; Tucker, Mellalieu, James, & Taylor, 2005) that have examined these questions have often been constrained by an exclusive focus on English or Spanish domestic play. Using data from five European leagues, UEFA and FIFA tournaments, the study found that while possession time and passing predicted aggregated team success in domestic league play, both variables were poor predictors at the individual match level once team quality and home advantage were accounted for. In league play, the effect of greater possession was consistently negative; in the Champions League, it had virtually no impact. In national team tournaments, possession failed to reach significance when offensive factors were accounted for. Much of the success behind the 'possession game' was thus a function of elite teams confined in geographic and competitive space. That ball hegemony was not consistently tied to success suggests that a nuanced approach to possession is needed to account for variant strategic environments (e.g. James et al., 2002) and compels match analysts to re-examine the metric's overall value.

  16. Non-Fixed Investment in Voluntary Public Goods Games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shuai; Xu, Zhaojin; Zhang, Lianzhong

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we introduce a non-fixed investment ratio to the public goods games in which players can determine whether or not to participate and how much money to invest into the common pool, and with it a new mechanism has been established. We explicitly demonstrate a different rockscissors- paper dynamics which is a consequence of this model. Meanwhile, it is shown how the mechanism of non-fixed investment ratio influences the players' decision. In addition, we found that the length of memory has an important effect on the average payoff of the population by this introduction.

  17. Quantum chi-squared and goodness of fit testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Temme, Kristan [IQIM, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Verstraete, Frank [Fakultät für Physik, Universität Wien, Boltzmanngasse 5, 1090 Wien, Austria and Faculty of Science, Ghent University, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)

    2015-01-15

    A quantum mechanical hypothesis test is presented for the hypothesis that a certain setup produces a given quantum state. Although the classical and the quantum problems are very much related to each other, the quantum problem is much richer due to the additional optimization over the measurement basis. A goodness of fit test for i.i.d quantum states is developed and a max-min characterization for the optimal measurement is introduced. We find the quantum measurement which leads both to the maximal Pitman and Bahadur efficiencies, and determine the associated divergence rates. We discuss the relationship of the quantum goodness of fit test to the problem of estimating multiple parameters from a density matrix. These problems are found to be closely related and we show that the largest error of an optimal strategy, determined by the smallest eigenvalue of the Fisher information matrix, is given by the divergence rate of the goodness of fit test.

  18. Bioenergy good practice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birse, J.; Chambers, K.

    2000-07-01

    This report gives details of a project to make the Good Practice Guidelines, which were developed to help the UK Bioenergy industry, the national and local governments, and the public, more widely available. Details concerning the designing of a Good Practice Programme, and the proposed codes of Good Practice programme are given, and general relevant good practice guidance documents are discussed. The stakeholder survey and workshop, and the proposed codes of a Good Practice Programme are presented in Annexes. (UK)

  19. Volunteering leads to rock-paper-scissors dynamics in a public goods game

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semmann, Dirk; Krambeck, Hans-Jürgen; Milinski, Manfred

    2003-09-01

    Collective efforts are a trademark of both insect and human societies. They are achieved through relatedness in the former and unknown mechanisms in the latter. The problem of achieving cooperation among non-kin has been described as the `tragedy of the commons', prophesying the inescapable collapse of many human enterprises. In public goods experiments, initial cooperation usually drops quickly to almost zero. It can be maintained by the opportunity to punish defectors or the need to maintain good reputation. Both schemes require that defectors are identified. Theorists propose that a simple but effective mechanism operates under full anonymity. With optional participation in the public goods game, `loners' (players who do not join the group), defectors and cooperators will coexist through rock-paper-scissors dynamics. Here we show experimentally that volunteering generates these dynamics in public goods games and that manipulating initial conditions can produce each predicted direction. If, by manipulating displayed decisions, it is pretended that defectors have the highest frequency, loners soon become most frequent, as do cooperators after loners and defectors after cooperators. On average, cooperation is perpetuated at a substantial level.

  20. Classical mechanics

    CERN Document Server

    Benacquista, Matthew J

    2018-01-01

    This textbook provides an introduction to classical mechanics at a level intermediate between the typical undergraduate and advanced graduate level. This text describes the background and tools for use in the fields of modern physics, such as quantum mechanics, astrophysics, particle physics, and relativity. Students who have had basic undergraduate classical mechanics or who have a good understanding of the mathematical methods of physics will benefit from this book.

  1. 75 FR 58993 - Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-24

    ... Part V Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 20 Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal...-1231-9BPP-L2] RIN 1018-AX06 Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for...

  2. Mechanical Properties and Fractographic Analysis of High Manganese Steels After Dynamic Deformation Tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jabłońska M.B.

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Since few years many research centres conducting research on the development of high-manganese steels for manufacturing of parts for automotive and railway industry. Some of these steels belong to the group of AHS possessing together with high strength a great plastic elongation, and an ideal uniform work hardening behavior. The article presents the dynamic mechanical properties of two types of high manganese austenitic steel with using a flywheel machine at room temperature with strain rates between 5×102÷3.5×103s?–1. It was found that the both studied steels exhibit a high sensitivity Rm to the strain rate. With increasing the strain rate from 5×102 to 3.5×103s?–1 the hardening dominates the process. The fracture analysis indicate that after dynamic test both steel is characterized by ductile fracture surfaces which indicate good plasticity of investigated steels.

  3. Mechanisms in environmental control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindeneg, K.

    1994-01-01

    The theory of implementation provides methods for decentralization of decisions in societies. By using mechanisms (game forms) it is possible (in theory) to implement attractive states in different economic environments. As an example the market mechanisms can implement Pareto-efficient and individual rational allocations in an Arrow-Debreu economic environment without market failures. And even when there exists externalities the market mechanism sometime can be used if it is possible to make a market for the goods not allocated on a market already - examples are marketable emission permits, and deposit refund systems. But environmental problems can often be explained by the existence of other market failures (e.g. asymmetric information), and then the market mechanism do not work properly. And instead of using regulation or traditional economic instruments (subsidies, charges, fees, liability insurance, marketable emission permits, or deposit refund systems) to correct the problems caused by market failures, some other methods can be used to deal with these problems. This paper contains a survey of mechanisms that can be used in environmental control when the problems are caused by the existence of public goods, externalities, asymmetric information, and indivisible goods in the economy. By examples it will be demonstrated how the Clarke-Groves mechanism, the Cournot-Lindahl mechanism, and other mechanisms can be used to solve specific environmental problems. This is only theory and examples, but a recent field study have used the Cournot-Lindahl mechanism to solve the problem of lake liming in Sweden. So this subject may be of some interests for environmental policy in the future. (au) 23 refs

  4. Experiences of possession and paranormal phenomena among women in the general population: are they related to traumatic stress and dissociation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sar, Vedat; Alioğlu, Firdevs; Akyüz, Gamze

    2014-01-01

    This study sought to determine the prevalence of experiences of possession and paranormal phenomena (PNP) in the general population and their possible relations to each other and to traumatic stress and dissociation. The study was conducted on a representative female sample recruited from a town in central eastern Turkey. The Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder sections of the Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV Axis-I and Personality Disorders, and the Childhood Abuse and Neglect Questionnaire were administered to 628 women. Of these, 127 (20.2%) women reported at least 1 type of PNP and 13 (2.1%) women reported possession. Women with a dissociative disorder reported all types of possession and PNP (except telepathy) more frequently than those without. Whereas women with a trauma history in childhood and adulthood or PTSD reported possession more frequently than those without, PNP were associated with childhood trauma only. Factor analysis yielded 4 dimensions: possession by and/or contact with nonhuman entities, extrasensory communications, possession by a human entity, and precognition. These factors correlated with number of secondary features of dissociative identity disorder and Schneiderian symptoms. Latent class analysis identified 3 groups. The most traumatized group, with predominantly dissociative and trauma-related disorders, had the highest scores on all factors. Notwithstanding their presence in healthy individuals, possession and PNP were associated with trauma and dissociation in a subgroup of affected participants. Both types of experience seem to be normal human capacities of experiencing that may be involved in response to traumatic stress. Given the small numbers, this study should be considered preliminary.

  5. Resveratrol, a red wine antioxidant, possesses an insulin-like effect in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Hui-Chen; Hung, Li-Man; Chen, Jan-Kan

    2006-06-01

    Aberrant energy metabolism is one characteristic of diabetes mellitus (DM). Two types of DM have been identified, type 1 and type 2. Most of type 2 DM patients eventually become insulin dependent because insulin secretion by the islets of Langerhans becomes exhausted. In the present study, we show that resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxylstilbene) possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in streptozotocin-induced DM (STZ-DM) rats. In resveratrol-treated STZ-DM rats, the plasma glucose concentration on day 14 was reduced by 25.3 +/- 4.2%, and the triglyceride concentration was reduced by 50.2 +/- 3.2% compared with the vehicle-treated rats. In STZ-nicotinamide DM rats, the plasma glucose concentration on day 14 was reduced by 20.3 +/- 4.2%, and the triglyceride concentration was reduced by 33.3 +/- 2.2% compared with the vehicle-treated rats. Resveratrol administration ameliorates common DM symptoms, such as body weight loss, polyphagia, and polydipsia. In STZ-nicotinamide DM rats, resveratrol administration significantly decreased insulin secretion and delayed the onset of insulin resistance. Further studies showed that glucose uptake by hepatocytes, adipocytes, and skeletal muscle and hepatic glycogen synthesis were all stimulated by resveratrol treatment. Because the stimulation of glucose uptake was not attenuated in the presence of an optimal amount of insulin in insulin-responsive cells, the antihyperglycemic effect of resveratrol appeared to act through a mechanism(s) different from that of insulin.

  6. Immobilized cells of Candida rugosa possessing fumarase activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, L.; Zhone, L.

    1980-01-01

    Immobilized cells of C. rugosa that possessed fumarase activity were prepared by different methods; the most active immobilized cells were entrapped in polyacrylamide gels. The effects of pH temperature, and divalent cations on the fumarase activity of both immobilized and native cells were the same. Mn/sup 2 +/, Mg/sup 2 +/, Ca/sup 2 +/, and Fe/sup 2 +/ did not protect the immobilized enzyme against thermal inactivation. The activity of immobilized fumarase remained constant during 91 days of storage of 4-6 degrees. The immobilized cell column was used for the continuous production of L-malic acid from 1M fumarate at 30 degrees and pH 8.5. The immobilized column operated steadily for 2 months. Half life of the immobilized fumarase at 30 degrees was 95 days.

  7. Mechanical and Microstructural Evaluations of Lightweight Aggregate Geopolymer Concrete before and after Exposed to Elevated Temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulkareem, Omar A; Abdullah, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri; Hussin, Kamarudin; Ismail, Khairul Nizar; Binhussain, Mohammed

    2013-10-09

    This paper presents the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of a lightweight aggregate geopolymer concrete (LWAGC) synthesized by the alkali-activation of a fly ash source (FA) before and after being exposed to elevated temperatures, ranging from 100 to 800 °C. The results show that the LWAGC unexposed to the elevated temperatures possesses a good strength-to-weight ratio compared with other LWAGCs available in the published literature. The unexposed LWAGC also shows an excellent strength development versus aging times, up to 365 days. For the exposed LWAGC to the elevated temperatures of 100 to 800 °C, the results illustrate that the concretes gain compressive strength after being exposed to elevated temperatures of 100, 200 and 300 °C. Afterward, the strength of the LWAGC started to deteriorate and decrease after being exposed to elevated temperatures of 400 °C, and up to 800 °C. Based on the mechanical strength results of the exposed LWAGCs to elevated temperatures of 100 °C to 800 °C, the relationship between the exposure temperature and the obtained residual compressive strength is statistically analyzed and achieved. In addition, the microstructure investigation of the unexposed LWAGC shows a good bonding between aggregate and mortar at the interface transition zone (ITZ). However, this bonding is subjected to deterioration as the LWAGC is exposed to elevated temperatures of 400, 600 and 800 °C by increasing the microcrack content and swelling of the unreacted silicates.

  8. The N-terminal of a heparin-binding sperm membrane mitogen possess lectin-like sequence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mor, Visesato; Chatterjee, Tapati

    2007-01-01

    Glycosaminoglycans like heparin and heparin sulfate in follicular fluid induce changes in the intracellular environment during the spermatozoal functional maturation. We previously reported the isolation, purification and partial characterization of a heparin binding sperm membrane protein (HBSM). In the present study, the amino acids analysis provided evidence of a single sequence, which suggest the homogeneity of the purified HBSM. Fourteen amino acids- 1 A D T I V A V E L D T Y P N 14 -correspond to the amino terminal sequence of Concanavalin A (Con A) and contain 45.2% carbohydrate by weight. HBSM possess mitogenic property on lymphocytes with comparable magnitude to the well-known mitogen; Con A, inducing 83% radiolabel thymidine incorporation in growing lymphocytes. Unlike Con A, there was no agglutination of cell by HBSM upto 5 ng/ml concentration. Interestingly, we found that heparin and chondroitin sulfate-conjugated HBSM inhibit the proliferative activity. Similar effect was also found with an in-house isolate sulfated glycans; G-I (28% sulfate). In contrast, there was no inhibition by the desulfated form; G-ID. Altogether, our data suggest that the mechanism of cell proliferative pathway may be different for HBSM and Con A

  9. Competences possessed and required by European graduates. REFLEX Report to HEFCE No 4

    OpenAIRE

    Little, Brenda; Braun, Edith; Tang, Win-Yee

    2008-01-01

    The report is based on the results of a major international study of graduate employment some five years after graduation. It presents an analysis of graduates' perceptions of what competences they need to do their current jobs and whether they possess these competences.

  10. Resolution No. 96/03 About possession of ionic smoke detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2004-01-01

    The resolution states that: first: all the entities of the country having Ionic smoke detectors in use are to be communicated to the National Center for Nuclear safety in correspondence with the format that is shown in the annex to the present. This formation must be updated every three years. Second: Entities possessing Ionic smoke detectors in use, must be corresponding management as radioactive waste of such detectors in the term of one year from the entry into force of this resolution with the center of protection and of radiation hygiene purposes ensure safe and proper management as radioactive material into disuse. Third: Importing entities, distributors, and that made the Assembly of ionic smoke detectors, continue to be governed by the provisions of the resolution No.. 25/98 of this Ministry, R ules for the authorization of practices associated the employment of las radiation ionizing . Fourth: Entities in which ionic smoke detectors are installed must complete information according to the annex to the present format and send it to the National Center for Nuclear safety within a period of 30 days from the installation of such detectors. Fifth: Entities that possess Ionic smoke detectors and decide to continue using them should not be the evacuation of the same with the center of protection and hygiene of radiation, for the purpose of ensuring a safe and proper management as radioactive material in disuse, notifying this Act to the National Center for Nuclear safety.

  11. Unravelling the spirits’ message: a study of help-seeking steps and explanatory models among patients suffering from spirit possession in Uganda

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    As in many cultures, also in Uganda spirit possession is a common idiom of distress associated with traumatic experiences. In the DSM-IV and -5, possession trance disorders can be classified as dissociative disorders. Dissociation in Western countries is associated with complicated, time-consuming and costly therapies. Patients with spirit possession in SW Uganda, however, often report partial or full recovery after treatment by traditional healers. The aim of this study is to explore how the development of symptoms concomitant help-seeking steps, and explanatory models (EM) eventually contributed to healing of patients with spirit possession in SW Uganda. Illness narratives of 119 patients with spirit possession referred by traditional healers were analysed using a mixed-method approach. Treatments of two-thirds of the patients were unsuccessful when first seeking help in the medical sector. Their initially physical symptoms subsequently developed into dissociative possession symptoms. After an average of two help-seeking steps, patients reached a healing place where 99% of them found satisfactory EM and effective healing. During healing sessions, possessing agents were summoned to identify themselves and underlying problems were addressed. Often-mentioned explanations were the following: neglect of rituals and of responsibilities towards relatives and inheritance, the call to become a healer, witchcraft, grief, and land conflicts. The results demonstrate that traditional healing processes of spirit possession can play a role in restoring connections with the supra-, inter-, intra-, and extra-human worlds. It does not always seem necessary to address individual traumatic experiences per se, which is in line with other research in this field. The study leads to additional perspectives on treatment of trauma-related dissociation in Western countries and on developing effective mental health services in low -and middle-income countries. PMID:24940355

  12. Unravelling the spirits' message: a study of help-seeking steps and explanatory models among patients suffering from spirit possession in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Duijl, Marjolein; Kleijn, Wim; de Jong, Joop

    2014-01-01

    As in many cultures, also in Uganda spirit possession is a common idiom of distress associated with traumatic experiences. In the DSM-IV and -5, possession trance disorders can be classified as dissociative disorders. Dissociation in Western countries is associated with complicated, time-consuming and costly therapies. Patients with spirit possession in SW Uganda, however, often report partial or full recovery after treatment by traditional healers. The aim of this study is to explore how the development of symptoms concomitant help-seeking steps, and explanatory models (EM) eventually contributed to healing of patients with spirit possession in SW Uganda. Illness narratives of 119 patients with spirit possession referred by traditional healers were analysed using a mixed-method approach. Treatments of two-thirds of the patients were unsuccessful when first seeking help in the medical sector. Their initially physical symptoms subsequently developed into dissociative possession symptoms. After an average of two help-seeking steps, patients reached a healing place where 99% of them found satisfactory EM and effective healing. During healing sessions, possessing agents were summoned to identify themselves and underlying problems were addressed. Often-mentioned explanations were the following: neglect of rituals and of responsibilities towards relatives and inheritance, the call to become a healer, witchcraft, grief, and land conflicts. The results demonstrate that traditional healing processes of spirit possession can play a role in restoring connections with the supra-, inter-, intra-, and extra-human worlds. It does not always seem necessary to address individual traumatic experiences per se, which is in line with other research in this field. The study leads to additional perspectives on treatment of trauma-related dissociation in Western countries and on developing effective mental health services in low -and middle-income countries.

  13. Software licenses: Good fences make good neighbors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McCreary, J.G.; Woodyard, A.

    1995-01-01

    The basis for a good contract is that it is beneficial to both parties. A good foundation will cement the responsibilities and obligations of the parties after areas of agreement have been negotiated. Unfortunately, software licenses do not always reflect what is best for all. Some clauses are definitely for the benefit of the vendor, while others are required by a prudent client. The resulting contract is then a matter of reasonable compromise to achieve a good business relationship. Major issues of warranty, liability, training, support, and payment may be in conflict. Such topics as maintenance, testing, patents, extent of use, and return of software are often overlooked or addressed unevenly. This paper addresses these subjects and provides guidelines for software licenses. An understanding of legal phrases is of value. A better understanding of the viewpoints of both the vendor and the client results in a better working relationship

  14. Study on the Mg-Li-Zn ternary alloy system with improved mechanical properties, good degradation performance and different responses to cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang; Wu, Yuanhao; Bian, Dong; Gao, Shuang; Leeflang, Sander; Guo, Hui; Zheng, Yufeng; Zhou, Jie

    2017-10-15

    Novel Mg-(3.5, 6.5wt%)Li-(0.5, 2, 4wt%)Zn ternary alloys were developed as new kinds of biodegradable metallic materials with potential for stent application. Their mechanical properties, degradation behavior, cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility were studied. These potential biomaterials showed higher ultimate tensile strength than previously reported binary Mg-Li alloys and ternary Mg-Li-X (X=Al, Y, Ce, Sc, Mn and Ag) alloys. Among the alloys studied, the Mg-3.5Li-2Zn and Mg-6.5Li-2Zn alloys exhibited comparable corrosion resistance in Hank's solution to pure magnesium and better corrosion resistance in a cell culture medium than pure magnesium. Corrosion products observed on the corroded surface were composed of Mg(OH) 2 , MgCO 3 and Ca-free Mg/P inorganics and Ca/P inorganics. In vitro cytotoxicity assay revealed different behaviors of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) and Human Aorta Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMCs) to material extracts. HUVECs showed increasing nitric oxide (NO) release and tolerable toxicity, whereas VSMCs exhibited limited decreasing viability with time. Platelet adhesion, hemolysis and coagulation tests of these Mg-Li-Zn alloys showed different degrees of activation behavior, in which the hemolysis of the Mg-3.5Li-2Zn alloy was lower than 5%. These results indicated the potential of the Mg-Li-Zn alloys as good candidate materials for cardiovascular stent applications. Mg-Li alloys are promising as absorbable metallic biomaterials, which however have not received significant attention since the low strength, controversial corrosion performance and the doubts in Li toxicity. The Mg-Li-Zn alloy in the present study revealed much improved mechanical properties higher than most reported binary Mg-Li and ternary Mg-Li-X alloys, with superior corrosion resistance in cell culture media. Surprisingly, the addition of Li and Zn showed increased nitric oxide release. The present study indicates good potential of Mg-Li-Zn alloy as

  15. Logarithmic residues of analytic Banach algebra valued functions possessing a simply meromorphic inverse

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H. Bart (Harm); T. Ehrhardt; B. Silbermann

    2001-01-01

    textabstractA logarithmic residue is a contour integral of a logarithmic derivative (left or right) of an analytic Banach algebra valued function. For functions possessing a meromorphic inverse with simple poles only, the logarithmic residues are identified as the sums of idempotents. With the help

  16. Restitutionary Road: Reflecting on Good Governance and the Role ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Restitution of land as a land reform mechanism is a unique temporal process that involves various role players. This contribution focuses on the role that the Land Claims Court has to play within the context of “good governance”. In this regard the legislative and policy frameworks within which restitution and the Land Claims ...

  17. Benefits of a good quality assurance program to an electric utility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahoney, W.J. (Detroit Edison, Detroit, MI (United States))

    1994-10-01

    A good quality assurance program at a coal mine or power plant should be timely and consistent. The quality analysis is accurate due to a complete sampling of the coal stream loaded into the unit train. The sample analysis is accurate because standardized testing procedures are applied. A good coal quality assurance program includes: coal quality analysis of the delivered coal; bias testing of mechanical coal samplers; dust control during coal handling; and freeze conditioning during the winter. 2 figs., 2 plates

  18. Energy flow and mineral cycling mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogers, L.E.

    1977-01-01

    Analysis of energy flow patterns and mineral cycling mechanisms provides a first step in identifying major transport pathways away from waste management areas. A preliminary food web pattern is described using results from ongoing and completed food habit studies. Biota possessing the greatest potential for introducing radionuclides into food chains leading to man include deer, rabbits, hares, waterfowl, honeybees and upland game birds and are discussed separately

  19. Depreciation of public goods in spatial public goods games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Dong-Mei; Zhuang, Yong; Li, Yu-Jian; Wang, Bing-Hong

    2011-10-01

    In real situations, the value of public goods will be reduced or even lost because of external factors or for intrinsic reasons. In this work, we investigate the evolution of cooperation by considering the effect of depreciation of public goods in spatial public goods games on a square lattice. It is assumed that each individual gains full advantage if the number of the cooperators nc within a group centered on that individual equals or exceeds the critical mass (CM). Otherwise, there is depreciation of the public goods, which is realized by rescaling the multiplication factor r to (nc/CM)r. It is shown that the emergence of cooperation is remarkably promoted for CM > 1 even at small values of r, and a global cooperative level is achieved at an intermediate value of CM = 4 at a small r. We further study the effect of depreciation of public goods on different topologies of a regular lattice, and find that the system always reaches global cooperation at a moderate value of CM = G - 1 regardless of whether or not there exist overlapping triangle structures on the regular lattice, where G is the group size of the associated regular lattice.

  20. Effect of Formulation Methods on the Mechanical and Release ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The mechanical properties of the tablets were assessed using the crushing strength (CS), friability(F) and crushing strength-friability ratio (CSFR) of the tablets, while drug release properties were assessed using disintegration time and dissolution profile. The granules possessed better flow properties than the powder ...

  1. Effects of Offense, Defense, and Ball Possession on Mobility Performance in Wheelchair Basketball

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Witte, Annemarie M. H.; Berger, Monique A. M.; Hoozemans, Marco J. M.; Veeger, Dirkjan H. E. J.; van der Woude, Lucas H. V.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine to what extent mobility performance is influenced by offensive or defensive situations and ball possession and to what extent these actions are different for the field positions. From video analysis, the relative duration of the various wheelchair movements

  2. Effects of offense, defense, and ball possession on mobility performance in wheelchair basketball

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    De Witte, Annemarie M.H.; Berger, Monique A.M.; Hoozemans, Marco J.M.; Veeger, H.E.J.; van der Woude, Lucas H.V.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine to what extent mobility performance is influenced by offensive or defensive situations and ball possession and to what extent these actions are different for the field positions. From video analysis, the relative duration of the various wheelchair movements

  3. A mosaic adenovirus possessing serotype Ad5 and serotype Ad3 knobs exhibits expanded tropism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takayama, Koichi; Reynolds, Paul N.; Short, Joshua J.; Kawakami, Yosuke; Adachi, Yasuo; Glasgow, Joel N.; Rots, Marianne G.; Krasnykh, Victor; Douglas, Joanne T.; Curiel, David T.

    2003-01-01

    The efficiency of cancer gene therapy with recombinant adenoviruses based on serotype 5 (Ad5) has been limited partly because of variable, and often low, expression by human primary cancer cells of the primary cellular-receptor which recognizes the knob domain of the fiber protein, the coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CAR). As a means of circumventing CAR deficiency, Ad vectors have been retargeted by utilizing chimeric fibers possessing knob domains of alternate Ad serotypes. We have reported that ovarian cancer cells possess a primary receptor for Ad3 to which the Ad3 knob binds independently of the CAR-Ad5 knob interaction. Furthermore, an Ad5-based chimeric vector, designated Ad5/3, containing a chimeric fiber proteins possessing the Ad3 knob, demonstrates CAR-independent tropism by virtue of targeting the Ad3 receptor. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that a mosaic virus possessing both the Ad5 knob and the Ad3 knob on the same virion could utilize either primary receptor, resulting in expanded tropism. In this study, we generated a dual-knob mosaic virus by coinfection of 293 cells with Ad5-based and Ad5/3-based vectors. Characterization of the resultant virions confirmed the incorporation of both Ad5 and Ad3 knobs in the same particle. Furthermore, this mosaic virus was able to utilize either receptor, CAR and the Ad3 receptor, for virus attachment to cells. Enhanced Ad infectivity with the mosaic virus was shown in a panel of cell lines, with receptor profiles ranging from CAR-dominant to Ad3 receptor-dominant. Thus, this mosaic virus strategy may offer the potential to improve Ad-based gene therapy approaches by infectivity enhancement and tropism expansion

  4. 78 FR 76152 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Transportation Entry and Manifest of Goods Subject to...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-16

    ... Activities: Transportation Entry and Manifest of Goods Subject to CBP Inspection and Permit AGENCY: U.S... the Paperwork Reduction Act: Transportation Entry and Manifest of Goods Subject to CBP Inspection and..., mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information. Title: Transportation Entry and...

  5. Fabrication of Multiple-Layered Hydrogel Scaffolds with Elaborate Structure and Good Mechanical Properties via 3D Printing and Ionic Reinforcement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaotong; Wei, Changzheng; Cao, Bin; Jiang, Lixia; Hou, Yongtai; Chang, Jiang

    2018-05-30

    A major challenge in three-dimensional (3D) printing of hydrogels is the fabrication of stable constructs with high precision and good mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Existing methods typically feature complicated reinforcement steps or use potentially toxic components, such as photocuring polymers and crosslinking reagents. In this study, we used a thermally sensitive hydrogel, hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC), for 3D-printing applications. For the first time, we demonstrated that this modified polysaccharide is affected by the specific ion effect. As the salt concentration was increased and stronger kosmotropic anions were used, the lower critical solution temperature of the HBC decreased and the storage modulus was improved, indicating a more hydrophobic structure and stronger molecular chain interactions. On the basis of the thermosensitivity and the ion effects of HBC, a 25-layered hydrogel scaffold with strong mechanical properties and an elaborate structure was prepared via a 3D-printing method and one-step ionic post-treatment. In particular, the scaffold treated with 10% NaCl solution exhibited a tunable elastic modulus of 73.2 kPa to 40 MPa and excellent elastic recovery, as well as biodegradability and cytocompatibility, suggesting the potential for its applications to cartilage tissue repair. By simply controlling the temperature and salt concentrations, this novel approach provides a convenient and green route to improving the structural accuracy and regulating the properties of 3D-printed hydrogel constructs.

  6. What does it mean to be possessed by a spirit or demon? Some ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The visible growth in possession and exorcism in Southern Africa can, amongst others, be attributed to the general impression in Christianity that, since Jesus was a successful exorcist, his followers should follow his example. Historical Jesus research generally endorses a view of Jesus as exorcist, which probably also ...

  7. Effect of Annealing on Mechanical Properties and Formability of Cold Rolled Thin Sheets of Fe-P P/M Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trivedi, Shefali; Ravi Kumar, D.; Aravindan, S.

    2016-10-01

    Phosphorus in steel is known to increase strength and hardness and decrease ductility. Higher phosphorus content (more than 0.05%), however, promotes brittle behavior due to segregation of Fe3P along the grain boundaries which makes further mechanical working of these alloys difficult. In this work, thin sheets of Fe-P alloys (with phosphorus in range of 0.1-0.35%) have been developed through processing by powder metallurgy followed by hot rolling and cold rolling. The effect of phosphorus content and annealing parameters (temperature and time) on microstructure, mechanical properties, formability in biaxial stretching and fracture behavior of the cold rolled and annealed sheets has been studied. A comparison has also been made between the properties of the sheets made through P/M route and the conventional cast route with similar phosphorus content. It has been shown that thin sheets of Fe-P alloys with phosphorous up to 0.35% possessing a good combination of strength and formability can be produced through rolling of billets of these alloys made through powder metallurgy technique without the problem of segregation.

  8. Provable Data Possession of Resource-constrained Mobile Devices in Cloud Computing

    OpenAIRE

    Jian Yang; Haihang Wang; Jian Wang; Chengxiang Tan; Dingguo Yu

    2011-01-01

    Benefited from cloud storage services, users can save their cost of buying expensive storage and application servers, as well as deploying and maintaining applications. Meanwhile they lost the physical control of their data. So effective methods are needed to verify the correctness of the data stored at cloud servers, which are the research issues the Provable Data Possession (PDP) faced. The most important features in PDP are: 1) supporting for public, unlimited numbers of times of verificat...

  9. Good government and good governance: record keeping in a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This article addresses the challenges that arise when record keeping systems are advocated as a necessary under-pinning for good government and good governance. The relationship between record keeping and accountability is analysed and contextualised in relation to transparency and Freedom of Information ...

  10. Depreciation of public goods in spatial public goods games

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Dong-Mei; Zhuang, Yong; Li, Yu-Jian; Wang, Bing-Hong

    2011-01-01

    In real situations, the value of public goods will be reduced or even lost because of external factors or for intrinsic reasons. In this work, we investigate the evolution of cooperation by considering the effect of depreciation of public goods in spatial public goods games on a square lattice. It is assumed that each individual gains full advantage if the number of the cooperators n c within a group centered on that individual equals or exceeds the critical mass (CM). Otherwise, there is depreciation of the public goods, which is realized by rescaling the multiplication factor r to (n c /CM)r. It is shown that the emergence of cooperation is remarkably promoted for CM > 1 even at small values of r, and a global cooperative level is achieved at an intermediate value of CM = 4 at a small r. We further study the effect of depreciation of public goods on different topologies of a regular lattice, and find that the system always reaches global cooperation at a moderate value of CM = G − 1 regardless of whether or not there exist overlapping triangle structures on the regular lattice, where G is the group size of the associated regular lattice

  11. IFNy+ and IFNy- Treg subsets with stable and unstable Foxp3 expression in kidney transplant recipients with good long-term graft function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trojan, Karina; Unterrainer, Christian; Aly, Mostafa; Zhu, Li; Weimer, Rolf; Bulut, Nuray; Morath, Christian; Opelz, Gerhard; Daniel, Volker

    2016-10-29

    Treg are a heterogenous cell population. In the present study we attempted to identify Treg subsets that might contribute to stable and good long-term graft function. Lymphocyte and Treg subsets were studied in 136 kidney transplant recipients with good long-term graft function and in 52 healthy control individuals using eight-color-fluorescence flow cytometry. Foxp3 TSDR methylation status was investigated in enriched IFNy+ and IFNy- Treg preparations using high resolution melt analysis. Compared with healthy controls, patients showed strong associations of IFNy secreting Helios+ and Helios- Treg with Treg that co-expressed perforin and/or CTLA4 (CD152; pterm graft function possess IFNy+ and IFNy- Treg with stable and unstable Foxp3 expression in the blood. They co-express CD28, HLADR, CTLA4, CXCR3, Lselectin, TGFβ, perforin and FasL and might contribute to the establishment and maintenance of good long-term graft function. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. 26 CFR 1.937-3 - Income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in a possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... operates an active financing business from offices in, Possession I. Interests in G are owned by D, a bona... of a trade or business in a possession. 1.937-3 Section 1.937-3 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE... United States § 1.937-3 Income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in a...

  13. Effects of La2O3 Content and Rolling on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of ODS Molybdenum Alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jingling; Li, Wuhui; Wang, Guangxin; Li, Yaqiong; Guo, Hongbo; Zhao, Zeliang; Li, Wei

    2017-10-01

    In order to study the effects of La2O3 content and rolling on microstructure and mechanical properties of Mo-La2O3 alloys, Mo-0.5% (1%) La2O3 alloys were prepared by liquid-solid doping technique, subsequently rolled either by a single-direction rolling or a cross-rolling. As a result, three different materials were prepared for this study. After being annealed at 1800 °C, the single-directionally rolled Mo-1% La2O3 alloy shows the best mechanical properties in terms of strength, hardness, and sagging deformation among the three materials. This is attributed to the observation that the alloy is only recovered with a microstructure of subgrains and dislocations. The single-directionally rolled Mo-0.5% La2O3 exhibits the worst mechanical property among the three materials. In this material, coarse grains, but no subgrains and dislocations, can be observed after annealing, indicating that it is fully recrystallized. For the cross-rolled Mo-1% La2O3 alloy, grains of dispersed sizes, but no dislocations, are visible after annealing, implying that this alloy is partially recrystallized. Accordingly, the mechanical property of this material is in between the other two materials. Thus, the mechanical properties of the three materials can be well understood based on OM, SEM, and TEM results. Overall, the single-directionally rolled Mo-1% La2O3 alloy possesses good mechanical properties and is more suitable for high-temperature applications.

  14. "Good mothering" or "good citizenship"?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porter, Maree; Kerridge, Ian H; Jordens, Christopher F C

    2012-03-01

    Umbilical cord blood banking is one of many biomedical innovations that confront pregnant women with new choices about what they should do to secure their own and their child's best interests. Many mothers can now choose to donate their baby's umbilical cord blood (UCB) to a public cord blood bank or pay to store it in a private cord blood bank. Donation to a public bank is widely regarded as an altruistic act of civic responsibility. Paying to store UCB may be regarded as a "unique opportunity" to provide "insurance" for the child's future. This paper reports findings from a survey of Australian women that investigated the decision to either donate or store UCB. We conclude that mothers are faced with competing discourses that force them to choose between being a "good mother" and fulfilling their role as a "good citizen." We discuss this finding with reference to the concept of value pluralism.

  15. Improved mechanical and functional properties of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites prepared by latex compounding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang Jian [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Key Laboratory on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Tian Ming [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Jia Qingxiu [Key Laboratory on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Shi Junhong [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Zhang Liqun [Key Laboratory for Nano-materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Ministry of Education of China, Beijing 100029 (China); Key Laboratory on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)], E-mail: zhanglq@mail.buct.edu.cn; Lim Szuhui; Yu Zhongzhen [Centre for Advanced Materials Technology (CAMT), School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering (J07), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Mai Yiuwing [Centre for Advanced Materials Technology (CAMT), School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering (J07), University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia)], E-mail: y.mai@usyd.edu.au

    2007-10-15

    The facile latex approach has been adopted to finely incorporate graphite nanosheets into elastomeric polymer matrix to obtain high-performance elastomeric nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties and functional properties. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments show that the nanostructures of the final nanocomposites exhibit a high degree of exfoliation and intercalation of graphite in the nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) matrix. Mechanical and dynamic-mechanical tests demonstrate that the NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess greatly increased elastic modulus and tensile strength, and desirably strong interfaces. The unexpected self-crosslinking of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites was discovered and then verified by oscillating disc rheometry and equilibrium swelling experiments. After critically examining various polymer types by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spin resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, a radical initiation mechanism was proposed to explain the self-crosslinking reaction. These NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess significantly improved wear resistance and gas barrier properties, and superior electrical/thermal conductivity. Such versatile functional properties make NBR nanocomposites a promising new class of advanced materials.

  16. Improved mechanical and functional properties of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites prepared by latex compounding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Jian; Tian Ming; Jia Qingxiu; Shi Junhong; Zhang Liqun; Lim Szuhui; Yu Zhongzhen; Mai Yiuwing

    2007-01-01

    The facile latex approach has been adopted to finely incorporate graphite nanosheets into elastomeric polymer matrix to obtain high-performance elastomeric nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties and functional properties. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction experiments show that the nanostructures of the final nanocomposites exhibit a high degree of exfoliation and intercalation of graphite in the nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) matrix. Mechanical and dynamic-mechanical tests demonstrate that the NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess greatly increased elastic modulus and tensile strength, and desirably strong interfaces. The unexpected self-crosslinking of elastomer/graphite nanocomposites was discovered and then verified by oscillating disc rheometry and equilibrium swelling experiments. After critically examining various polymer types by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spin resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, a radical initiation mechanism was proposed to explain the self-crosslinking reaction. These NBR/graphite nanocomposites possess significantly improved wear resistance and gas barrier properties, and superior electrical/thermal conductivity. Such versatile functional properties make NBR nanocomposites a promising new class of advanced materials

  17. Membrane-active mechanism of LFchimera against Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia thailandensis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kanthawong, S.; Puknun, A.; Bolscher, J.G.M.; Nazmi, K.; van Marle, J.; de Soet, J.J.; Veerman, E.C.I.; Wongratanacheewin, S.; Taweechaisupapong, S.

    2014-01-01

    LFchimera, a construct combining two antimicrobial domains of bovine lactoferrin, lactoferrampin265-284 and lactoferricin17-30, possesses strong bactericidal activity. As yet, no experimental evidence was presented to evaluate the mechanisms of LFchimera against Burkholderia isolates. In this study

  18. What does it mean to be possessed by a spirit or demon? Some ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-07-08

    Jul 8, 2015 ... Commons Attribution. License. .... Klass (2003:3) I therefore want to ask the question: 'What is actually .... help to categorise possession in terms of possible causal ... control of life. .... a social structure, the complex formed by all his [her] social ... a way to cope with stressful experiences and, together with.

  19. 7 CFR 330.300 - Soil from foreign countries or Territories or possessions. 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Soil from foreign countries or Territories or possessions. 1 330.300 Section 330.300 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FEDERAL PLANT PEST REGULATIONS; GENERAL; PLANT PESTS; SOIL, STONE, AND QUARRY...

  20. Poly (L-lactic acid) porous scaffold-supported alginate hydrogel with improved mechanical properties and biocompatibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Jiaqi; Zeng, Shaodong; Gao, Liyang; Groth, Thomas; Li, Zhiwen; Kong, Junchao; Zhao, Mingyan; Li, Lihua

    2016-10-10

    Polymer porous scaffolds and hydrogels have been separately employed and explored for a wide range of applications including cell encapsulation, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. In this study, a three-dimensional poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffold with interconnected and homogeneously distributed pores was fabricated to support the alginate hydrogel (Alg). The gels were filled into the porous scaffold, which acted as an analogue of native extracellular matrix (ECM) for entrapment of cells within a support of predefined shape. The mechanical strength of the composite scaffold was characterized by compression testing. The chondrocyte behavior in the scaffold was determined by inverted microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and MTT viability assay. The repair efficiency of such a composite scaffold was further investigated in dog spinal defects by histological evaluation after implantation for 4 weeks. Results showed that the composite scaffold possessed superior mechanical properties and hierarchical porous structure in comparison to pure Alg. Cell culture revealed that the cells presented a specific cartilage status in the composite scaffold in line with higher adherence and proliferation ratio. The histological analyses suggested that the composite scaffold substantially promotes its integration in the host tissue accompanied with a low inflammatory reaction and new tissue formation. The method thus provides a useful pathway for scaffold preparation that can simultaneously achieve suitable mechanical properties and good biocompatibility.

  1. Bond Strength Mechanism of Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Mortars: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zailani, W. W. A.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Razak, R. A.; Zainol, M. R. R. M. A.; Tahir, M. F. M.

    2017-11-01

    Geopolymer possess many excellent properties such as high compressive and bond strength, long term durability, better acid resistance and also known as a “Sustainable Material” due to its low carbon emission and low energy consumption. Thus, it is a good opportunity to develop and explore not only for cement and concrete but also as geopolymeric repair materials. This reviews showed that good bonding properties between geopolymeric repair material and concrete substrate is important in order to acquire an enhanced resistance against penetration of harmful substances and avoiding respalling of the repair material by understanding the bonding behaviour. Bond strength depends to the properties of the repair materials itself and also the surface preparations of concrete substrate.

  2. How Risky Is Marijuana Possession? Considering the Role of Age, Race, and Gender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Holly; Reuter, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Arrest rates per capita for possession of marijuana have increased threefold over the last 20 years and now constitute the largest single arrest offense category. Despite the increase in arrest numbers, rates of use have remained stable during much of the same period. This article presents the first estimates of the arrest probabilities for…

  3. Optimalisasi Penerapan Prinsip Good Governance Bidang Akademik dalam Upaya Mewujudkan Good University Governance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hery Harjono Muljo

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available This study wants to know and understand whether good governance principles have been well applied as well as the factors influencing optimization of the implementation of good governance principles on the academic field in an effort to realize good university governance in Bina Nusantara University. The study aims to evaluate the implementation of good governance principles on the academic field, know the factors that affect the implementation of good governance principles on the academic field, and improve and develop the academic areas in accordance with good governance principles in order to maximize the role of Bina Nusantara University as Good University Governance. The approach model used to understand the implementation of good governance principles was a model to educational institution using the 8 principles, namely academic freedom, shared governance, clear rights and responsibilities, selection at merit, financial stability, accountability, regular testing of standards, and the importance of close cooperation. Research used qualitative method with descriptive analysis, by analyzing the factors influencing optimization of the implementation of good governance principles, particularly on academic areas. The results achieved there were 18 factors that affect the optimization of the implementation of good governance principles. Then the factors affected the optimization ofthe implementation of good governance principles the most are operational centralization and academic decentralization which were the novelty of this study.

  4. Power, slavery, and spirit possession in East Africa: A few reflections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beatrice Nicolini

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Spirit possession and its relationship with power aims to offer here a better understanding not only of East African societies, but, most of all, of their historical role in numerous political and military conflicts and also within peace-building processes that represent a continuation of a topic of longstanding concern in East African history. The relationships between religions, local cultures and institutional powers throughout contemporary East African history will be re-read through regional and transnational, as well as international dynamics.

  5. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH AND TEACHING: THE CHART OF POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS IN PORTUGUESE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Lennertz Marcotulio

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to investigate the relationship between research and teaching, concerning the rearrangements operated in the chart of possessive pronouns,  observing in which way sociolinguistic studies have been applied to the teaching of Portuguese through the didactic material prepared for High School and the courses of Portuguese as a Foreign Language.

  6. Family Farming Goods Distribution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guilherme Soares Loiola

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Farmers need interaction mechanisms closer to customers interested in purchasing their products. The lack of communication between producer and potential buyers impacts on producers financial performance (that could have losses in sales volume, and buyers, which ultimately acquire lower-quality products. Thus, this paper aims to provide a technological solution proposal, the Buscagro: a software application that can be used on mobile devices and towards to enable a better interaction between family farmers and buyers, allowing a greater display of products from the farmer and disclosure of interests of potential buyers. The features of this technology are based on farmers goods data and information products demanded by potential buyers. In this way, the software application performs combinations based on supply and demand data, generating results for producers to have access in how to find buyers and for consumers to find products a greater agility.

  7. Social forces for team coordination in ball possession game

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoyama, Keiko; Shima, Hiroyuki; Fujii, Keisuke; Tabuchi, Noriyuki; Yamamoto, Yuji

    2018-02-01

    Team coordination is a basic human behavioral trait observed in many real-life communities. To promote teamwork, it is important to cultivate social skills that elicit team coordination. In the present work, we consider which social skills are indispensable for individuals performing a ball possession game in soccer. We develop a simple social force model that describes the synchronized motion of offensive players. Comparing the simulation results with experimental observations, we uncovered that the cooperative social force, a measure of perception skill, has the most important role in reproducing the harmonized collective motion of experienced players in the task. We further developed an experimental tool that facilitates real players' perceptions of interpersonal distance, revealing that the tool improves novice players' motions as if the cooperative social force were imposed.

  8. Unravelling the spirits' message: a study of help-seeking steps and explanatory models among patients suffering from spirit possession in Uganda

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Duijl, M.; Kleijn, W.; de Jong, J.

    2014-01-01

    As in many cultures, also in Uganda spirit possession is a common idiom of distress associated with traumatic experiences. In the DSM-IV and -5, possession trance disorders can be classified as dissociative disorders. Dissociation in Western countries is associated with complicated, time-consuming

  9. Love and Art Strike Back: A.S. Byatt’s Possession: A Romance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, Tine Engel

    2004-01-01

    Possession can be seen as an enactment of the conflicts between a number of powerful - and quite classic - extremes (anatomy-romance, intellectual experience-sensuous experience, theory-art, reason-love, irony-pathos), which, in the aesthetic experience of the reader, it overcomes and transcends....

  10. Tourette's syndrome: from demonic possession and psychoanalysis to the discovery of gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco M.B. Germiniani

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we make a brief historical review of the hypothesis concerning the etiology of Tourette's syndrome (TS, focusing on varying trends over time: at first, its presumed relation to witchcraft and demonic possessions, followed by the psychoanalytical theory, which attributed TS to a masturbatory equivalent. Then, progressing to modern time, to the immunological theory and finally the advent of genetics and their role in the etiology of TS.

  11. Promoting reading and good reading culture through the use of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper is the findings from existing literature on the mechanics of using book talks and story books to inculcate reading and the steps to develop good reading culture in children. This work is an ongoing action research work in selected private and public schools in Lagos Mainland. It has so far been established that the ...

  12. Nanostructured titanium–silver coatings with good antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility fabricated by one-step magnetron sputtering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bai, Long [Research Institute of Surface Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China); Hang, Ruiqiang, E-mail: hangruiqiang@tyut.edu.cn [Research Institute of Surface Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China); Gao, Ang [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Zhang, Xiangyu; Huang, Xiaobo; Wang, Yueyue; Tang, Bin [Research Institute of Surface Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China); Zhao, Lingzhou, E-mail: zhaolingzhou1983@hotmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an (China); Chu, Paul K. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

    2015-11-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We fabricate Ti–Ag coatings with different Ag contents and surface morphologies. • The Ti–Ag coatings possess long-term antibacterial ability. • Increased Ag contents in the coatings leads to enhanced osteoblast functions. - Abstract: Bacterial infection and loosing are serious complications for biomedical implants in the orthopedic, dental, and other biomedical fields and the ideal implants should combine good antibacterial ability and bioactivity. In this study, nanostructured titanium–silver (Ti–Ag) coatings with different Ag contents (1.2 to 21.6 at%) are prepared on Ti substrates by magnetron sputtering. As the Ag concentration is increased, the coatings change from having dense columnar crystals to sparse ones and eventually no columnar structure. The Ti–Ag coatings can effectively kill Staphylococcus aureus during the first few days and remain moderately antibacterial after immersion for 75 days. Compared to pure Ti, the Ti–Ag coatings show good cytocompatibility as indicated by good osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, intracellular total protein synthesis, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. In addition, cell spreading, collagen secretion, and extracellular matrix mineralization are promoted on the coatings with the proper Ag contents due to the nanostructured morphological features. Our results indicate that favorable antibacterial activity and osseointegration ability can be simultaneously achieved by regulating the Ag contents in Ti–Ag coatings.

  13. Mechanical properties of nanostructured nickel based superalloy Inconel 718

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mukhtarov, Sh; Ermachenko, A, E-mail: shamil@anrb.r [Institute for Metals Superplasticity Problems RAS, 39, Khalturina, Ufa, 450001 (Russian Federation)

    2010-07-01

    This paper will describe the investigations of a nanostructured (NS) state of nickel based INCONEL alloy 718. This structure was generated in bulk semiproducts by severe plastic deformation (SPD) via multiple isothermal forging (MIF) of a coarse-grained alloy. The initial structure consisted of {gamma}-phase grains with disperse precipitations of {gamma}{sup -}phase in the forms of discs, 50-75 nm in diameter and 20 nm in thickness. The MIF generated structures possess a large quantity of non-coherent plates and rounded precipitations of {delta}-phase, primarily along grain boundaries. In the duplex ({gamma}+{delta}) structure the grains have high dislocation density and a large number of nonequilibrium boundaries. Investigations to determine mechanical properties of the alloy in a nanostructured state were carried out. Nanocrystalline Inconel 718 (80 nm) possesses a very high room-temperature strength after SPD. Microcrystalline (MC) and NS states of the alloy were subjected to strengthening thermal treatment, and the obtained results were compared in order to determine their mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures.

  14. A Comparison of Self-reported Medication Adherence to Concordance Between Part D Claims and Medication Possession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savitz, Samuel T; Stearns, Sally C; Zhou, Lei; Thudium, Emily; Alburikan, Khalid A; Tran, Richard; Rodgers, Jo E

    2017-05-01

    Medicare Part D claims indicate medication purchased, but people who are not fully adherent may extend prescription use beyond the interval prescribed. This study assessed concordance between Part D claims and medication possession at a study visit in relation to self-reported medication adherence. We matched Part D claims for 6 common medications to medications brought to a study visit in 2011-2013 for the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. The combined data consisted of 3027 medication events (claims, medications possessed, or both) for 2099 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study participants. Multinomial logistic regression estimated the association of concordance (visit only, Part D only, or both) with self-reported medication adherence while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, veteran status, and availability under Generic Drug Discount Programs. Relative to participants with high adherence, medication events for participants with low adherence were approximately 25 percentage points less likely to match and more likely to be visit only (PDiscount Programs were 3 percentage points more likely to be visit only. Part D claims were substantially less likely to be concordant with medications possessed at study visit for participants with low self-reported adherence. This result supports the construction of adherence proxies such as proportion days covered using Part D claims.

  15. The common good

    OpenAIRE

    Argandoña, Antonio

    2011-01-01

    The concept of the common good occupied a relevant place in classical social, political and economic philosophy. After losing ground in the Modern age, it has recently reappeared, although with different and sometimes confusing meanings. This paper is the draft of a chapter of a Handbook; it explains the meaning of common good in the Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy and in the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church; why the common good is relevant; and how it is different from the other uses...

  16. Mechanics of additively manufactured biomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zadpoor, Amir A

    2017-06-01

    Additive manufacturing (3D printing) has found many applications in healthcare including fabrication of biomaterials as well as bioprinting of tissues and organs. Additively manufactured (AM) biomaterials may possess arbitrarily complex micro-architectures that give rise to novel mechanical, physical, and biological properties. The mechanical behavior of such porous biomaterials including their quasi-static mechanical properties and fatigue resistance is not yet well understood. It is particularly important to understand the relationship between the designed micro-architecture (topology) and the resulting mechanical properties. The current special issue is dedicated to understanding the mechanical behavior of AM biomaterials. Although various types of AM biomaterials are represented in the special issue, the primary focus is on AM porous metallic biomaterials. As a prelude to this special issue, this editorial reviews some of the latest findings in the mechanical behavior of AM porous metallic biomaterials so as to describe the current state-of-the-art and set the stage for the other studies appearing in the issue. Some areas that are important for future research are also briefly mentioned. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Trade in goods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Karsten Engsig

    2006-01-01

    An analysis of the rules governing trade in goods under the GATT agreement and the Agreement on Safeguards......An analysis of the rules governing trade in goods under the GATT agreement and the Agreement on Safeguards...

  18. Return on research investments: personal good versus public good

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, P. A.

    2017-12-01

    For some time the outputs, i.e. what's produced, of publicly and privately funded research while necessary, are far from sufficient, when considering an overall return on (research) investment. At the present time products such as peer-reviewed papers, websites, data, and software are recognized by funders on timescales related to research awards and reporting. However, from a consumer perspective impact and value are determined at the time a product is discovered, accessed, assessed and used. As is often the case, the perspectives of producer and consumer communities can be distinct and not intersect at all. We contrast personal good, i.e. credit, reputation, with that of public good, e.g. interest, leverage, exploitation, and more. This presentation will elaborate on both the metaphorical and idealogical aspects of applying a "return on investment" frame for the topic of assessing "good".

  19. Microstructure and mechanical properties of laminated Al–Cu–Mg ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2017-11-29

    Nov 29, 2017 ... Initially, aluminium, copper and magnesium strips were alternatively stacked together. Then these ... These differences in mechanical behaviour have been attributed to ... hand, Cu has a good formability and a good corrosion resis- tance [16]. .... Under ideal conditions, for two layers with the same mechan-.

  20. The impact of possession on legality of mortgage registered on a building under construction: With case law

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicković Tanja

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The expansion of the subject of a mortgage to buildings under construction is a considerable step forward in regulating mortgages. It is not possible to register ownership rights on buildings under construction. A person acquiring ownership does not have the possibility to protect his rights. Acquiring ownership rights to a building under construction is tied to possession. This is detrimental to the principle of publicity which in turn erodes the principle of reliance. Validity of the mortgage is tied to the possession over the mortgaged real estate at the time of its registration. Such position of the courts challenges the very essence of mortgage.

  1. Emerging Good Practices for Transforming Value Assessment: Patients' Voices, Patients' Values.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perfetto, Eleanor M; Harris, Jason; Mullins, C Daniel; dosReis, Susan

    2018-04-01

    Patient engagement is a transformative strategy for improving value assessment. US value framework developers have increased engagement activities, but more needs to be learned about how to best achieve meaningful patient engagement in value assessment. The objective was to glean good practices in patient engagement emerging from patient community experiences, to be used in value assessment. The National Health Council Value Workgroup conducted a survey and held a focus group with its member advocacy organizations to gather experiences with value framework developers and views on emerging good practices. Ten of 13 organizations completed the survey; reporting 13 interactions with four framework developers. Most rated experiences as "good" to "very good." Emerging good practices included (1) engage early; (2) engage a range of patients; (3) leverage patient-provided information, data resources, and outreach mechanisms; (4) be transparent; and (5) appreciate and accommodate resource constraints. Twelve of 13 organizations participated in the focus group, and this produced 30 emerging good practices in four areas: (1) timing; (2) methodology and data; (3) partnering; and (4) characterizing engagement. Patient engagement was limited in early development of value frameworks but has increased in the past few years. Patient groups report positive experiences that can serve as emerging good practices. These groups also reported experienced challenges in their interactions and recommended good practices to mitigate those challenges. The growing pool of patient engagement experiences can be translated into good practices to advance a patient-centered, value-driven health care ecosystem. Lessons learned from these early experiences can help establish recommend emerging good practices that can eventually result in best practices and standards in the field. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc

  2. Resistive switching properties and physical mechanism of europium oxide thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xie, Wei; Zou, Changwei [School of Physical Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang (China); Bao, Dinghua [State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou (China)

    2017-09-15

    A forming-free resistive switching effect was obtained in Pt/Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Pt devices in which the Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films were fabricated by a chemical solution deposition method. The devices show unipolar resistive switching with excellent switching parameters, such as high resistance ratio (10{sup 7}), stable resistance values (read at 0.2 V), low reset voltage, good endurance, and long retention time (up to 10{sup 4} s). On the basis of the analysis of the current-voltage (I-V) curves and the resistance-temperature dependence, it can be concluded that the dominant conducting mechanisms were ohmic behavior and Schottky emission at low resistance state and high resistance state, respectively. The resistive switching behavior could be explained by the formation and rupture of conductive filament, which is related to the abundant oxygen vacancies generated in the deposition process. This work demonstrates the great potential opportunities of Eu{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin film in resistive switching memory applications, which might possess distinguished properties. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  3. Sandwich-Architectured Poly(lactic acid)-Graphene Composite Food Packaging Films

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goh, Kunli; Heising, Jenneke K.; Yuan, Yang; Karahan, Huseyin E.; Wei, Li; Zhai, Shengli; Koh, Jia Xuan; Htin, Nanda M.; Zhang, Feimo; Wang, Rong; Fane, Anthony G.; Dekker, Matthijs; Dehghani, Fariba; Chen, Yuan

    2016-01-01

    Biodegradable food packaging promises a more sustainable future. Among the many different biopolymers used, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) possesses the good mechanical property and cost-effectiveness necessary of a biodegradable food packaging. However, PLA food packaging suffers from poor water vapor

  4. Measurement and quasi-states in quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harper, C.D.

    1987-01-01

    Part of the task of quantum logic is to account for the collapse of the state vector during measurement. A difficulty in this is that it is not obvious how to describe measurement quantum mechanically as the interaction of two or more systems; interacting quantum-mechanical systems do not possess states, so their states cannot collapse. This dissertation shows that component systems of a composite system possess families of state-like vectors. These are the quasi-projections of the state vector of the composite system, each associated with a family of commutable observables. Often these quasi-projections cluster so closely around a quasi-state that they are practically indistinguishable from it. A description of measurement based on quasi-projections reveals the apparent collapse of the state vector during measurement to be illusory. The continuous evolution of the state of the composite system give rise to abrupt changes in the quasi-projections which make it appear that the state has changed. The quasi-projections cease to cluster near one quasi-state, are momentarily scattered, and then cluster again near another quasi-state. The concept of quasi-projection is also used to generalize the quantum logic of Birkhoff and von Neumann in such a fashion that a proposition can always be assigned a truth value

  5. Haunted by ghosts: prevalence, predictors and outcomes of spirit possession experiences among former child soldiers and war-affected civilians in Northern Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neuner, Frank; Pfeiffer, Anett; Schauer-Kaiser, Elisabeth; Odenwald, Michael; Elbert, Thomas; Ertl, Verena

    2012-08-01

    Phenomena of spirit possession have been documented in many cultures. Some authors have argued that spirit possession is a type of psychopathology, and should be included as a category in diagnostic manuals of mental disorders. However, there are hardly any quantitative studies that report the prevalence of spirit possession on a population level and that provide evidence for its validity as a psychopathological entity. In an epidemiological study that was carried out in 2007 and 2008 with N = 1113 youths and young adults aged between 12 and 25 years in war-affected regions of Northern Uganda we examined the prevalence, predictors and outcomes of cen, a local variant of spirit possession. Randomly selected participants were interviewed using a scale of cen, measures of psychopathology (PTSD and depression) as well as indicators of functional outcome on different levels, including suicide risk, daily activities, perceived discrimination, physical complaints and aggression. We found that cen was more common among former child soldiers then among subjects without a history of abduction. Cen was related to extreme levels of traumatic events and uniquely predicted functional outcome even when the effects of PTSD and depression were controlled for. Our findings show that a long-lasting war that is accompanied by the proliferation of spiritual and magical beliefs and propaganda can lead to high levels of harmful spirit possession. In addition, we provide evidence for the incremental validity of spirit possession as a trauma-related psychological disorder in this context. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Reaction of Non-Symmetric Schiff Base Metallo-Ligand Complexes Possessing an Oxime Function with Ln Ions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Pierre Costes

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The preparation of non-symmetric Schiff base ligands possessing one oxime function that is associated to a second function such as pyrrole or phenol function is first described. These ligands, which possess inner N4 or N3O coordination sites, allow formation of cationic or neutral non-symmetric CuII or NiII metallo-ligand complexes under their mono- or di-deprotonated forms. In presence of Lanthanide ions the neutral complexes do not coordinate to the LnIII ions, the oxygen atom of the oxime function being only hydrogen-bonded to a water molecule that is linked to the LnIII ion. This surprising behavior allows for the isolation of LnIII ions by non-interacting metal complexes. Reaction of cationic NiII complexes possessing a protonated oxime function with LnIII ions leads to the formation of original and dianionic (Gd(NO352− entities that are well separated from each other. This work highlights the preparation of well isolated mononuclear LnIII entities into a matrix of diamagnetic metal complexes. These new complexes complete our previous work dealing with the complexing ability of the oxime function toward Lanthanide ions. It could open the way to the synthesis of new entities with interesting properties, such as single-ion magnets for example.

  7. [Health technology assessment for decision-making in Latin America: good practice principles].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pichon-Riviere, Andrés; Soto, Natalie C; Augustovski, Federico Ariel; García Martí, Sebastián; Sampietro-Colom, Laura

    2018-02-19

    Identify the most relevant, applicable, and priority good practice principles in health technology assessment (HTA) in Latin America, and potential barriers to implementing them in the region. HTA good practice principles postulated worldwide were identified and then explored through a deliberative process in a forum of evaluators, funders, and technology producers. Forty-two representatives from ten Latin American countries participated in the forum. The good practice principles postulated at the international level were considered valid and potentially applicable in Latin America. Five principles were identified as priorities and as having greater potential to be expanded at this time: transparency in carrying out HTA; involvement of stakeholders in the HTA process; existence of mechanisms to appeal decisions; existence of clear mechanisms for HTA priority-setting; and existence of a clear link between assessment and decision-making. The main challenge identified was to find a balance between application of these principles and available resources, to prevent the planned improvements from jeopardizing report production times and failing to meet decision-makers' needs. The main recommendation was to gradually advance in improving HTA and its link to decision-making by developing appropriate processes for each country, without attempting to impose, in the short term, standards taken from examples at the international level without adequate adaptation to the local context.

  8. "Everyone just ate good food": 'Good food' in Islamabad, Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasnain, Saher

    2018-08-01

    In recent years, consumption of alternatively produced foods has increased in popularity in response to the deleterious effects of rapidly globalising and industrialised food systems. Concerns over food safety in relation to these changes may result from elevated levels of risk and changing perceptions associated with food production practices. This paper explores how the middle class residents of Islamabad, Pakistan, use the concept of 'good food' to reconnect themselves with nature, changing food systems, and traditional values. The paper also demonstrates how these ideas relate to those of organic, local, and traditional food consumption as currently used in more economically developed states in the Global North. Through research based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews, this paper illustrates that besides price and convenience, purity, freshness, association with specific places, and 'Pakistani-ness' were considered as the basis for making decisions about 'good food'. The results show that while individuals are aware of and have some access to imported organic and local food, they prefer using holistic and culturally informed concepts of 'good food' instead that reconnect them with food systems. I argue that through conceptualisations of 'good food', the urban middle class in Islamabad is reducing their disconnection and dis-embeddedness from nature, the food systems, and their social identities. The paper contributes to literature on food anxieties, reconnections in food geography, and 'good food' perceptions, with a focus on Pakistan. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Optional contributions have positive effects for volunteering public goods games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Qi-Qing; Li, Zhen-Peng; Fu, Chang-He; Wang, Lai-Sheng

    2011-11-01

    Public goods (PG) games with the volunteering mechanism are referred to as volunteering public goods (VPG) games, in which loners are introduced to the PG games, and a loner obtains a constant payoff but not participating the game. Considering that small contributions may have positive effects to encourage more players with bounded rationality to contribute, this paper introduces optional contributions (high value or low value) to these typical VPG games-a cooperator can contribute a high or low payoff to the public pools. With the low contribution, the logit dynamics show that cooperation can be promoted in a well mixed population comparing to the typical VPG games, furthermore, as the multiplication factor is greater than a threshold, the average payoff of the population is also enhanced. In spatial VPG games, we introduce a new adjusting mechanism that is an approximation to best response. Some results in agreement with the prediction of the logit dynamics are found. These simulation results reveal that for VPG games the option of low contributions may be a better method to stimulate the growth of cooperation frequency and the average payoff of the population.

  10. Mechanisms of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and methods for laboratory detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jorgensen, J H

    1991-01-01

    Three distinctly different mechanisms of methicillin resistance have been described in Staphylococcus aureus. The best-documented and probably most important mechanism is production of a unique, low affinity penicillin-binding protein, PBP 2a. Strains possessing PBP 2a are resistant to methicillin, oxacillin, and probably all other currently available beta-lactam antibiotics. Two additional mechanisms of reduced susceptibility to methicillin have been described. Borderline resistance (BORSA) to the semi-synthetic penicillins has been attributed to the hyperproduction of normal staphylococcal beta-lactamase. A third mechanism has recently been advanced that describes an intermediate level of resistance to methicillin due to production of modified, normal PBPs with reduced affinity for beta-lactams (MODSA). Little is known regarding the prevalence or clinical significance of the BORSA and MODSA strains. The most reliable in vitro susceptibility test methods for detecting MRSA (strains possessing PBP 2a) include the microdilution minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test (with 2% NaCl supplemented broth), the oxacillin agar screen plate test (incorporating 6 micrograms/ml oxacillin in 4% NaCl supplemented agar), and the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) disk diffusion test with oxacillin. All three methods use direct inoculum preparation and incubation of tests at 35 degrees C for a full 24 hours.

  11. Transport of hazardous goods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    The course 'Transport of hazardous goods' was held in Berlin in November 1988 in cooperation with the Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung. From all lecturs, two are recorded separately: 'Safety of tank trucks - requirements on the tank, development possibiities of active and passive safety' and 'Requirements on the transport of radioactive materials - possible derivations for other hazardous goods'. The other lectures deal with hazardous goods law, requirements on packinging, risk assessment, railroad transport, hazardous goods road network, insurance matters, EC regulations, and waste tourism. (HSCH) [de

  12. Reactions of N,N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)oxalamide with Ethylene Carbonate and Use of the Obtained Products as Components of Polyurethanes Foams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niemiec, I.Z.

    2010-01-01

    N,N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)oxalamide (BHEOA) was subject to hydroxy alkylation with ethylene carbonate (EC). By means of instrumental methods (IR, 1H-NMR, MALDI ToF, GC, and GC-MS), an influence of the reaction conditions on structure and compositions of the obtained products was investigated. The hydroxyalkyl and hydroxy alkoxy derivatives of oxalamide (OA) were obtained by reaction of BHEOA with 210-molar excess of ethylene carbonate (EC, 1,3-dioxolane-2-one). The products have a good thermal stability and possess suitable physical properties as substrates for foamed polyurethanes. The obtained products were used in manufacturing the rigid polyurethane foams which possess enhanced thermal stability and good mechanical properties.

  13. GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MECHANISMS IN MEASURING QUALITY OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND TRANSFER INVESTOR LEVELS

    OpenAIRE

    Hani, Syafrida; UMSU, Hafsah

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACTThis study aims to develop a theory of determining the quality of financial statement reports that can increase  investor  confidence  in  financial  information  presented  by management.  This  research would like to find the role of good corporate governance  in improving the quality of financial statements as measured by accounting conservatism and earnings management, then it will be seen how the quality ability of financial statement can influence investor confidence level. The ...

  14. A good patient?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Campbell, Catherine; Scott, Kerry; Skovdal, Morten

    2015-01-01

    , physical cleanliness, honesty, gratitude and lifestyle adaptations (taking pills correctly andcoming to the clinic when told). As healthcare workers may decide to punish patients who do not live up the‘good patient persona’, many patients seek to perform within the confines of the ‘good patient persona...

  15. On good ETOL forms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skyum, Sven

    1978-01-01

    This paper continues the study of ETOL forms and good EOL forms done by Maurer, Salomaa and Wood. It is proven that binary very complete ETOL forms exist, good synchronized ETOL forms exist and that no propagating or synchronized ETOL form can be very complete.......This paper continues the study of ETOL forms and good EOL forms done by Maurer, Salomaa and Wood. It is proven that binary very complete ETOL forms exist, good synchronized ETOL forms exist and that no propagating or synchronized ETOL form can be very complete....

  16. On Having a Good

    OpenAIRE

    Korsgaard, Christine M.

    2014-01-01

    In some recent papers I have been arguing that the concept ‘good-for’ is prior to the concept of ‘good’ (in the sense in which final ends are good), and exploring the implications of that claim. One of those implications is that everything that is good is good for someone. That implication seems to fall afoul of our intuitions about certain cases, such as the intuition that a world full of happy people and animals is better than a world full of miserable ones, even if the people and animals a...

  17. [A nosology for supernatural phenomena and the construction of the 'possessed' brain in the nineteenth century].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goncalves, Valeria Portugal; Ortega, Francisco

    2013-06-01

    At the end of the twentieth century, supernatural phenomena such as so called trances and possession by spirits received a scientific classification, which includes the numerous diagnoses of the dominant psychiatry. At the end of the nineteenth century we can observe a process of scientific categorization of phenomena considered to have originated in superstition or popular imagination. In this work we show how trances and spiritual possession were studied by Franz Anton Mesmer and his followers when developing the concept of magnetism; by James Braid during the creation of his theory of hypnosis; and by Jean Martin Charcot, which marked the entry of hysteria into nosological classification. Despite the differences between these schools, we identify the use of the brain and cerebral metaphors as the foundation of theories of the mind.

  18. Accidental goodness?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Richter, Anne

    In postmodern capitalist market economies, management of the single organisation is bound to be guided by several rationales, which are in conflict with each other. For some writers this perception leads to the argument, that conceptions of management should strive towards goals beyond the present...... society. For others, the handling of plural perspectives is just a management discipline. However these positions seem to share a focus on organization as a the arena for the organization of the good. The contribution looks at the management of occupational accidents as an example of striving for good...

  19. Tuning of the microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of a-C:H films by bias voltage of high frequency unipolar pulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jia; Cao, Zhongyue; Pan, Fuping; Wang, Fuguo; Liang, Aimin; Zhang, Junyan

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • a-C:H films deposited by high frequency unipolar pulse PECVD. • The film structures can be adjusted by bias voltage. • More graphitic structures form at high bias voltage. • The mechanical and tribological properties are improved by these structures. - Abstract: Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films were prepared by high frequency unipolar pulse plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in CH 4 , Ar, and H 2 atmosphere with the bias voltage in the range of −800 –−1600 V. The microstructures and mechanical properties of a-C:H films were investigated via high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, and Nanoindenter. The results reveal that the curved and straight graphitic microstructures appear in amorphous carbon matrix, and their contents increase obviously with the bias voltage. At the same time, the corresponding hardness decreases and elastic recovery increases, however even in such a case films still possess excellent mechanical properties. According to the tribological property characterization, we believe that the bias voltage also influences their tribological performances significantly, the higher the bias voltage finally gets, the lower the friction coefficient and wear rate occur. These results indicate that the microstructures of a-C:H films can be tuned efficiently by bias voltage and the films with good mechanical and tribological properties can be obtained at a higher range.

  20. Tuning of the microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of a-C:H films by bias voltage of high frequency unipolar pulse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Jia; Cao, Zhongyue; Pan, Fuping [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Fuguo, E-mail: fgwang@licp.cas.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Liang, Aimin [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Zhang, Junyan, E-mail: zhangjunyan@licp.cas.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

    2015-11-30

    Highlights: • a-C:H films deposited by high frequency unipolar pulse PECVD. • The film structures can be adjusted by bias voltage. • More graphitic structures form at high bias voltage. • The mechanical and tribological properties are improved by these structures. - Abstract: Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films were prepared by high frequency unipolar pulse plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in CH{sub 4}, Ar, and H{sub 2} atmosphere with the bias voltage in the range of −800 –−1600 V. The microstructures and mechanical properties of a-C:H films were investigated via high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, and Nanoindenter. The results reveal that the curved and straight graphitic microstructures appear in amorphous carbon matrix, and their contents increase obviously with the bias voltage. At the same time, the corresponding hardness decreases and elastic recovery increases, however even in such a case films still possess excellent mechanical properties. According to the tribological property characterization, we believe that the bias voltage also influences their tribological performances significantly, the higher the bias voltage finally gets, the lower the friction coefficient and wear rate occur. These results indicate that the microstructures of a-C:H films can be tuned efficiently by bias voltage and the films with good mechanical and tribological properties can be obtained at a higher range.

  1. Private Financing of Public Goods by Means of 'Eco-Goods' Schemes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ueda, Yoshifumi; Wegener, Andreas; Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard

    2010-01-01

    With a view to applying to the problem of collective action for the global commons, we analyze a three-stage game model where public goods are provided by the costly leadership of a social entrepreneur for undertaking 'eco-goods' scheme. We derive (i) the conclusion that the social entrepreneur can...... finance more for the collective action under not-for-profit constraint than without the constraint, and (ii) the conditions under which he prefers the not-for-profit constraint on a rational basis. The main results are applied to some social experiments on the natural common-pools of a public-goods nature...

  2. A comparative study of the mechanical behaviour of thermally oxidised commercially pure titanium and zirconium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alansari, A; Sun, Y

    2017-10-01

    The objective of this study is to compare the mechanical behaviour of thermally oxidised commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and commercially pure zirconium (CP-Zr). For this purpose, these two bio-metals were thermally oxidised under the same condition (650°C for 6h) and the oxidised specimens were characterised using various analytical and experimental techniques, including oxygen uptake analysis, layer thickness and hardness measurements, scratch tests, dry sliding friction and wear tests and tribocorrosion tests in Ringer's solution. The results show that under the present thermal oxidation condition, 4 times more oxygen is introduced into CP-Zr than into CP-Ti and the oxide layer produced on CP-Zr is nearly 6 times thicker than that on CP-Ti. Thermally oxidised CP-Zr possesses a higher hardness, a deeper hardening depth and better scratch resistance than thermally oxidised CP-Ti. Under dry sliding and tribocorrosion conditions, thermally oxidised CP-Zr also possesses much better resistance to material removal and a higher load bearing capacity than thermally oxidised CP-Ti. Thus, thermally oxidised Zr possesses much better mechanical behaviour than thermally oxidised Ti. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The Varieties of Good Design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ylirisku, Salu; Arvola, Mattias

    2018-01-01

    This chapter explores the philosopher and logician Georg Henrik von Wright’s metaethical treatise of the varieties of goodness in the context of design. von Wright investigated the use of notion of ‘good’ in language, and he identified six kinds of goodness: namely utilitarian goodness, instrumen......This chapter explores the philosopher and logician Georg Henrik von Wright’s metaethical treatise of the varieties of goodness in the context of design. von Wright investigated the use of notion of ‘good’ in language, and he identified six kinds of goodness: namely utilitarian goodness...

  4. Nurturing Good Ideas

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.C.M. van den Ende (Jan); R.C. Kijkuit (Bob)

    2009-01-01

    textabstractManagers know that simply generating lots of ideas doesn’t necessarily produce good ones. What companies need are systems that nurture good ideas and cull bad ones—before they ever reach the decision maker’s desk. Our research shows that tapping the input of many people early in the

  5. Giant panda׳s tooth enamel: Structure, mechanical behavior and toughening mechanisms under indentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weng, Z Y; Liu, Z Q; Ritchie, R O; Jiao, D; Li, D S; Wu, H L; Deng, L H; Zhang, Z F

    2016-12-01

    The giant panda׳s teeth possess remarkable load-bearing capacity and damage resistance for masticating bamboos. In this study, the hierarchical structure and mechanical behavior of the giant panda׳s tooth enamel were investigated under indentation. The effects of loading orientation and location on mechanical properties of the enamel were clarified and the evolution of damage in the enamel under increasing load evaluated. The nature of the damage, both at and beneath the indentation surfaces, and the underlying toughening mechanisms were explored. Indentation cracks invariably were seen to propagate along the internal interfaces, specifically the sheaths between enamel rods, and multiple extrinsic toughening mechanisms, e.g., crack deflection/twisting and uncracked-ligament bridging, were active to shield the tips of cracks from the applied stress. The giant panda׳s tooth enamel is analogous to human enamel in its mechanical properties, yet it has superior hardness and Young׳s modulus but inferior toughness as compared to the bamboo that pandas primarily feed on, highlighting the critical roles of the integration of underlying tissues in the entire tooth and the highly hydrated state of bamboo foods. Our objective is that this study can aid the understanding of the structure-mechanical property relations in the tooth enamel of mammals and further provide some insight on the food habits of the giant pandas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The Good Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly

    2003-01-01

    Examines the working lives of geneticists and journalists to place into perspective what lies behind personal ethics and success. Defines "good work" as productive activity that is valued socially and loved by people engaged in it. Asserts that certain cultural values, social controls, and personal standards are necessary to maintain good work and…

  7. Bio-mimetic mechanisms of natural hierarchical materials: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qiang; Pugno, Nicola M

    2013-03-01

    Natural selection and evolution develop a huge amount of biological materials in different environments (e.g. lotus in water and opuntia in desert). These biological materials possess many inspiring properties, which hint scientists and engineers to find some useful clues to create new materials or update the existing ones. In this review, we highlight some well-studied (e.g. nacre shell) and newly-studied (e.g. turtle shell) natural materials, and summarize their hierarchical structures and mechanisms behind their mechanical properties, from animals to plants. These fascinating mechanisms suggest to researchers to investigate natural materials deeply and broadly, and to design or fabricate new bio-inspired materials to serve our life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Mechanical transduction via a single soft polymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Ruizheng; Wang, Nan; Bao, Weizhu; Wang, Zhisong

    2018-04-01

    Molecular machines from biology and nanotechnology often depend on soft structures to perform mechanical functions, but the underlying mechanisms and advantages or disadvantages over rigid structures are not fully understood. We report here a rigorous study of mechanical transduction along a single soft polymer based on exact solutions to the realistic three-dimensional wormlike-chain model and augmented with analytical relations derived from simpler polymer models. The results reveal surprisingly that a soft polymer with vanishingly small persistence length below a single chemical bond still transduces biased displacement and mechanical work up to practically significant amounts. This "soft" approach possesses unique advantages over the conventional wisdom of rigidity-based transduction, and potentially leads to a unified mechanism for effective allosterylike transduction and relay of mechanical actions, information, control, and molecules from one position to another in molecular devices and motors. This study also identifies an entropy limit unique to the soft transduction, and thereby suggests a possibility of detecting higher efficiency for kinesin motor and mutants in future experiments.

  9. Development of LTCC Materials with High Mechanical Strength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawai, Shinya; Nishiura, Sousuke; Terashi, Yoshitake; Furuse, Tatsuji

    2011-01-01

    We have developed LTCC materials suitable for substrates of RF modules used in mobile phone. LTCC can provide excellent solutions to requirements of RF modules, such as down-sizing, embedded elements and high performance. It is also important that LTCC material has high mechanical strength to reduce risk of fracture by mechanical impact. We have established a method of material design for high mechanical strength. There are two successive steps in the concept to achieve high mechanical strength. The first step is to improve mechanical strength by increasing the Young's modulus, and the second step is either further improvement through the Young's modulus or enhancement of the fracture energy. The developed material, so called high-strength LTCC, thus possesses mechanical strength of 400MPa, which is twice as strong as conventional material whose mechanical strength is approximately 200MPa in typical. As a result, high-strength LTCC shows an excellent mechanical reliability, against the drop impact test for example. The paper presents material design and properties of LTCC materials.

  10. Papillary Thyroid Cancer: The Good and Bad of the "Good Cancer".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randle, Reese W; Bushman, Norah M; Orne, Jason; Balentine, Courtney J; Wendt, Elizabeth; Saucke, Megan; Pitt, Susan C; Macdonald, Cameron L; Connor, Nadine P; Sippel, Rebecca S

    2017-07-01

    Papillary thyroid cancer is often described as the "good cancer" because of its treatability and relatively favorable survival rates. This study sought to characterize the thoughts of papillary thyroid cancer patients as they relate to having the "good cancer." This qualitative study included 31 papillary thyroid cancer patients enrolled in an ongoing randomized trial. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants at the preoperative visit and two weeks, six weeks, six months, and one year after thyroidectomy. Grounded theory was used, inductively coding the first 113 interview transcripts with NVivo 11. The concept of thyroid cancer as "good cancer" emerged unprompted from 94% (n = 29) of participants, mostly concentrated around the time of diagnosis. Patients encountered this perception from healthcare providers, Internet research, friends, and preconceived ideas about other cancers. While patients generally appreciated optimism, this perspective also generated negative feelings. It eased the diagnosis of cancer but created confusion when individual experiences varied from expectations. Despite initially feeling reassured, participants described feeling the "good cancer" characterization invalidated their fears of having cancer. Thyroid cancer patients expressed that they did not want to hear that it's "only thyroid cancer" and that it's "no big deal," because "cancer is cancer," and it is significant. Patients with papillary thyroid cancer commonly confront the perception that their malignancy is "good," but the favorable prognosis and treatability of the disease do not comprehensively represent their cancer fight. The "good cancer" perception is at the root of many mixed and confusing emotions. Clinicians emphasize optimistic outcomes, hoping to comfort, but they might inadvertently invalidate the impact thyroid cancer has on patients' lives.

  11. Logarithmic residues of analytic Banach algebra valued functions possessing a simply meromorphic inverse

    OpenAIRE

    Bart, Harm; Ehrhardt, T.; Silbermann, B.

    2001-01-01

    textabstractA logarithmic residue is a contour integral of a logarithmic derivative (left or right) of an analytic Banach algebra valued function. For functions possessing a meromorphic inverse with simple poles only, the logarithmic residues are identified as the sums of idempotents. With the help of this observation, the issue of left versus right logarithmic residues is investigated, both for connected and nonconnected underlying Cauchy domains. Examples are given to elucidate the subject ...

  12. Mechanically Activated Combustion Synthesis of MoSi2-Based Composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shafirovich, Evgeny [Univ. of Texas, El Paso, TX (United States)

    2015-09-30

    SHS compaction (quasi-isostatic pressing after combustion) significantly improves oxidation resistance of the obtained MoSi2-Mo5Si3 composites. The “chemical oven” technique has been successfully employed to fabricate low-porous Mo5SiB2–TiC, Mo5SiB2–TiB2, and Mo–Mo5SiB2–Mo3Si materials. Among them, Mo5SiB2–TiB2 material possesses good mechanical properties and simultaneously exhibits excellent oxidation resistance at temperatures up to 1500 °C.

  13. Mechanics of Suture Joints

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yaning; Song, Juha; Ortiz, Christine; Boyce, Mary; Ortiz Group/DMSE/MIT Team; Boyce Group/ME/MIT Team

    2011-03-01

    Biological sutures are joints which connect two stiff skeletal or skeletal-like components. These joints possess a wavy geometry with a thin organic layer providing adhesion. Examples of biological sutures include mammalian skulls, the pelvic assembly of the armored fish Gasterosteus aculeatus (the three-spined stickleback), and the suture joints in the shell of the red-eared slider turtle. Biological sutures allow for movement and compliance, control stress concentrations, transmit loads, reduce fatigue stress and absorb energy. In this investigation, the mechanics of the role of suture geometry in providing a naturally optimized joint is explored. In particular, analytical and numerical micromechanical models of the suture joint are constructed. The anisotropic mechanical stiffness and strength are studied as a function of suture wavelength, amplitude and the material properties of the skeletal and organic components, revealing key insights into the optimized nature of these ubiquitous natural joints.

  14. Long-Term Capital Goods Importation and Minimum Wage Relationship in Turkey: Bounds Testing Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tastan Serkan

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In order to examine the long-term relationship between capital goods importation and minimum wage, autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL bounds testing approach to the cointegration is used in the study. According to bounds test results, a cointegration relation exists between the capital goods importation and the minimum wage. Therefore an ARDL(4,0 model is estimated in order to determine the long and short term relations between variables. According to the empirical analysis, there is a positive and significant relationship between the capital goods importation and the minimum wage in Turkey in the long term. A 1% increase in the minimum wage leads to a 0.8% increase in the capital goods importation in the long term. The result is similar for short term coefficients. The relationship observed in the long term is preserved in short term, though in a lower level. In terms of error correction model, it can be concluded that error correction mechanism works as the error correction term is negative and significant. Short term deviations might be resolved with the error correction mechanism in the long term. Accordingly, approximately 75% of any deviation from equilibrium which might arise in the previous six month period will be resolved in the current six month period. This means that returning to long term equilibrium progresses rapidly.

  15. The possession law suit, caused by forbidden immissions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popov Danica D.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In the Serbian Law and in most of jurisdictions, there are limits on exercising the right of property. The real estate owner must refrain from activities by which the use of other real estate is being impoded through the immission of execive gasses, vapors, smoke, heat noise, tremors etc. The property ownership whose is affected by immission exceeding the set limits, has the right to request a stop of immisions which exceeded the allowed volume of immissions. In article author describes various kinds of immissions. The general feature of this law suit is that there is only discussion on the facts and not for a legal matters. Subject matter jurisdiction for the resolution of such disputes belongs to the court of general jurisdiction, while the disputes itself is a litigation. The special rule of proceedings of action of disturbance are: provisionality of the protection of possession; urgency in proceedings; initiation of proceedings; limiting of objection; prescribing temporary measures; rendering a ruling in the form of order; appeals which may be filed within a short deadline and which does not have suspensive effect (do not delay the execution of the order; revision is not allowed etc.

  16. Xenon preconditioning: molecular mechanisms and biological effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Wenwu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Xenon is one of noble gases and has been recognized as an anesthetic for more than 50 years. Xenon possesses many of the characteristics of an ideal anesthetic, but it is not widely applied in clinical practice mainly because of its high cost. In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated that xenon as an anesthetic can exert neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects in different models. Moreover, xenon has been applied in the preconditioning, and the neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects of xenon preconditioning have been investigated in a lot of studies in which some mechanisms related to these protections are proposed. In this review, we summarized these mechanisms and the biological effects of xenon preconditioning.

  17. Mechanized hyperbaric welding by robots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aust, E.; Santos, J.F. dos; Bohm, K.H.; Hensel, H.D.

    1988-01-01

    At the GKSS-Forschungszentrum investigations are carried out on mechanized welded test plates produced under working pressure between 10 to 110 bar in breathable TRIMIX-5-atmosphere. The welds are performed by a modified industrial robot, which was adapted in its components to withstand these severe conditions. Variations on the welding parameters were made to maintain a stable arc as well as to provide on indication of the effect of the variables on the mechanical properties of the welded joint. During all tests the robot showed a very good function. Good reliable welds were achieved meeting the requirements according API II04 or BS 4515-1984. (orig.) [de

  18. Multi-scale Modelling of Fracture in Open-Cell Metal Foams

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mangipudi, K. R.; Onck, P. R.; Ganghoffer, JF; Pastrone, F

    2010-01-01

    Metal foams possess attractive mechanical properties like high stiffness to weight ratio.When used to build light-weight structures they require a good combination of strength and ductility. They are ductile under compression but rather brittle in tension with a few percent of overall strain to

  19. studies on the properties of chitosan-starch beads and their

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    as components in packaging materials (Sudha et al.,. 2012). They have been used to produce biodegradable materials to partially or entirely replace plastic polymer films because of their low cost and renewability, as well as their possessing good mechanical properties. However, compared to common synthetic polymers ...

  20. The Role Of Good Corporate Governance In Minimizing Earning Management To Increase Value Of Firm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mardiani Tanjung

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The theory of an agency problem describes about the conflict of the agents interests and the principal which influence the value of a firm. The gap of information between them puts an agent in certain places to become more superior than the principal to do earning management. Good corporate governance is as a controlling mechanism and a balancing system in the company in accommodating the interest of the agent and the principal. The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model of best corporate governance role earning management the value of the firm by adding a compensation as another variable to minimize earning management. Good corporate governance consists of the three mechanisms which are Institutional shareholders Independent commissioner and executive compensation.

  1. Polyphenol Oxidase as a Biochemical Seed Defense Mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Patrick Fuerst

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Seed dormancy and resistance to decay are fundamental survival strategies, which allow a population of seeds to germinate over long periods of time. Seeds have physical, chemical, and biological defense mechanisms that protect their food reserves from decay-inducing organisms and herbivores. Here, we hypothesize that seeds also possess enzyme-based biochemical defenses, based on induction of the plant defense enzyme, polyphenol oxidase (PPO, when wild oat (Avena fatua L. caryopses and seeds were challenged with seed-decaying Fusarium fungi. These studies suggest that dormant seeds are capable of mounting a defense response to pathogens. The pathogen-induced PPO activity from wild oat was attributed to a soluble isoform of the enzyme that appeared to result, at least in part, from proteolytic activation of a latent PPO isoform. PPO activity was also induced in wild oat hulls (lemma and palea, non-living tissues that cover and protect the caryopsis. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that seeds possess inducible enzyme-based biochemical defenses arrayed on the exterior of seeds and these defenses represent a fundamental mechanism of seed survival and longevity in the soil. Enzyme-based biochemical defenses may have broader implications since they may apply to other defense enzymes as well as to a diversity of plant species and ecosystems.

  2. Mutual punishment promotes cooperation in the spatial public goods game

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Han-Xin; Rong, Zhihai

    2015-01-01

    Punishment has been proved to be an effective mechanism to sustain cooperation among selfish individuals. In previous studies, punishment is unidirectional: an individual i can punish j but j cannot punish i. In this paper, we propose a mechanism of mutual punishment, in which the two individuals will punish each other if their strategies are different. Because of the symmetry in imposing the punishment, one might expect intuitively the strategy to have little effect on cooperation. Surprisingly, we find that the mutual punishment can promote cooperation in the spatial public goods game. Other pertinent quantities such as the time evolution of cooperator density and the spatial distribution of cooperators and defectors are also investigated

  3. Veracity in big data: How good is good enough.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reimer, Andrew P; Madigan, Elizabeth A

    2018-01-01

    Veracity, one of the five V's used to describe big data, has received attention when it comes to using electronic medical record data for research purposes. In this perspective article, we discuss the idea of data veracity and associated concepts as it relates to the use of electronic medical record data and administrative data in research. We discuss the idea that electronic medical record data are "good enough" for clinical practice and, as such, are "good enough" for certain applications. We then propose three primary issues to attend to when establishing data veracity: data provenance, cross validation, and context.

  4. Effect of vibrating drawing on the mechanical properties of tungsten wire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shapoval, A.N.; Izotov, V.M.; Mosolev, V.D.

    1986-01-01

    Mechanical properties of tungsten wire produced according to different versions of drawing are investigated. It is established that a wire produced by means of drawing through two draw plates vibrating in contrast phases possesses a lower (by 90 %) ultimate strength and a higher (by 10 %) ductility characteristic as compared with a wire produced without vibration

  5. A Good Suit Beats a Good Idea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machiavelli, Nick

    1992-01-01

    Inspired by Niccolo Machiavelli, this column offers beleaguered school executives advice on looking good, dressing well, losing weight, beating the proper enemy, and saying nothing. Administrators who follow these simple rules should have an easier life, jealous colleagues, well-tended gardens, and respectful board members. (MLH)

  6. Prepositions in Use: Prepositions of Standard, Prepositions of Possession and Prepositions of Accompaniment

    OpenAIRE

    Naji Masned AlQbailat; Islam M. Al-Momani; Yazan Shaker Almahameed

    2016-01-01

    The current research paper attempted at investigating the use of prepositions of standard, prepositions of possession and prepositions of accompaniment by some Jordanian learners of English. A total of 53 Jordanian English Majors participated in the study from the department of English language at Princess Alia University College. In collecting the needed data for the purpose of the study, the researchers employed fifteen items of a multiple choice test. The results of the study showed that J...

  7. Stinging Nettle: the Bad, the Good, the Unknown

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dennis J. Baumgardner

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica is native to most of the United States. It has a characteristic description and distribution in the environment. Physical contact with numerous tiny needlelike hairs present on leaves and stems of this plant may result in a contact urticarial dermatitis due to chemical and mechanical irritation triggered by skin penetration of the hairs. The manifestations are self-limited in humans and may be treated by washing the skin, topical preparations and oral antihistamines. Explanation of the natural history of these encounters to the patient is helpful in reducing the sometimes significant anxiety. Preparations and extracts of stinging nettle have been proposed for treatment of a variety of inflammatory and other disorders including osteoarthritis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, allergic rhinitis and asthma, bleeding problems and diabetes. While in vitro studies have shown that stinging nettle possesses a number of potentially beneficial anti-inflammatory and modulating properties, beneficial effects have often not been confirmed by well-designed clinical trials. Further study, perhaps with novel types of extracts, are needed to determine the clinical utility of this plant in human inflammatory-related conditions and diabetes mellitus.

  8. Archaeal promoter architecture and mechanism of gene activation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Peng, Nan; Ao, Xiang; Liang, Yun Xiang

    2011-01-01

    element named ara box directing arabinose-inducible expression and the basal promoter element TATA, serving as the binding site for the TATA-binding protein. Strikingly, these promoters possess a modular structure that allows an essentially inactive basal promoter to be strongly activated. The invoked...... mechanisms include TFB (transcription factor B) recruitment by the ara-box-binding factor to activate gene expression and modulation of TFB recruitment efficiency to yield differential gene expression....

  9. Intrinsic resonance representation of quantum mechanics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carioli, M.; Heller, E.J.; Møller, Klaus Braagaard

    1997-01-01

    an optimal representation, based purely on classical mechanics. ''Hidden'' constants of the motion and good actions already known to the classical mechanics are thus incorporated into the basis, leaving the quantum effects to be isolated and included by small matrix diagonalizations. This simplifies...

  10. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that deoxyhemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin, and glycated hemoglobin under compression and shear exhibit an anisotropic mechanical behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yesudasan, Sumith; Wang, Xianqiao; Averett, Rodney D

    2018-05-01

    We developed a new mechanical model for determining the compression and shear mechanical behavior of four different hemoglobin structures. Previous studies on hemoglobin structures have focused primarily on overall mechanical behavior; however, this study investigates the mechanical behavior of hemoglobin, a major constituent of red blood cells, using steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations to obtain anisotropic mechanical behavior under compression and shear loading conditions. Four different configurations of hemoglobin molecules were considered: deoxyhemoglobin (deoxyHb), oxyhemoglobin (HbO 2 ), carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1C ). The SMD simulations were performed on the hemoglobin variants to estimate their unidirectional stiffness and shear stiffness. Although hemoglobin is structurally denoted as a globular protein due to its spherical shape and secondary structure, our simulation results show a significant variation in the mechanical strength in different directions (anisotropy) and also a strength variation among the four different hemoglobin configurations studied. The glycated hemoglobin molecule possesses an overall higher compressive mechanical stiffness and shear stiffness when compared to deoxyhemoglobin, oxyhemoglobin, and carboxyhemoglobin molecules. Further results from the models indicate that the hemoglobin structures studied possess a soft outer shell and a stiff core based on stiffness.

  11. Mycobacterium tuberculosis UvrB Is a Robust DNA-Stimulated ATPase That Also Possesses Structure-Specific ATP-Dependent DNA Helicase Activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, Manoj; Kumar, Mohan B J; Muniyappa, K

    2016-10-18

    Much is known about the Escherichia coli nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway; however, very little is understood about the proteins involved and the molecular mechanism of NER in mycobacteria. In this study, we show that Mycobacterium tuberculosis UvrB (MtUvrB), which exists in solution as a monomer, binds to DNA in a structure-dependent manner. A systematic examination of MtUvrB substrate specificity reveals that it associates preferentially with single-stranded DNA, duplexes with 3' or 5' overhangs, and linear duplex DNA with splayed arms. Whereas E. coli UvrB (EcUvrB) binds weakly to undamaged DNA and has no ATPase activity, MtUvrB possesses intrinsic ATPase activity that is greatly stimulated by both single- and double-stranded DNA. Strikingly, we found that MtUvrB, but not EcUvrB, possesses the DNA unwinding activity characteristic of an ATP-dependent DNA helicase. The helicase activity of MtUvrB proceeds in the 3' to 5' direction and is strongly modulated by a nontranslocating 5' single-stranded tail, indicating that in addition to the translocating strand it also interacts with the 5' end of the substrate. The fraction of DNA unwound by MtUvrB decreases significantly as the length of the duplex increases: it fails to unwind duplexes longer than 70 bp. These results, on one hand, reveal significant mechanistic differences between MtUvrB and EcUvrB and, on the other, support an alternative role for UvrB in the processing of key DNA replication intermediates. Altogether, our findings provide insights into the catalytic functions of UvrB and lay the foundation for further understanding of the NER pathway in M. tuberculosis.

  12. The Humanitarian Bailment of Foreign Possessed Territories: A Proactive Method of Legal Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    1996-04-01

    entrusts an employee with the employer’s lawn mower to mow the employer’s lawn .220 This is analogous to the permissive entry situation where a host...accompanying text. 82 If an employee feloniously takes the lawn mower from the employer’s place of business to the employee’s house the servant has...committed larceny because the employee never had 230possession of the mower, only custody. If the employee picked up the lawn mower from the repair

  13. Effect of pretreatment with epoxy compounds on the mechanical properties of bovine pericardial bioprosthetic materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xi, T; Liu, F; Xi, B

    1992-07-01

    Early failures of bovine pericardial heart valves are due to leaflet perforation, tearing and calcification. Since glutaraldehyde fixation has been shown to produce marked changes in leaflet mechanics and has been linked to development of calcification, bovine pericardium fixed with the four hydrophilic epoxy formulations and their mechanical properties are studied in this paper. We measured the thicknesses, shrinkage temperatures, stress relaxations and stress-strain curves of bovine pericardiums after different treatments with (1) non-treatment (fresh), (2) glutaraldehyde (GA), (3) epoxy compounds followed by the posttreatment with GA (EP 1#, EP 2#), and (4) epoxy compounds (EP 3# and EP 4#). Results of this study showed that the hydrophilic epoxy compounds are good crosslinking agents. There are no significant differences of shrinkage temperature and ultimate tensile stress among all tissue samples pretreated with GA, EP 1# and EP 2#. However, the stress relaxations of tissue-samples pretreated with epoxy compounds followed by the posttreatment with GA (EP 1# and EP 2#) are significantly slower than that pretreated with GA, and the strains at fracture of EP 1# and EP 2# are also significantly larger than that of GA or epoxy compounds. These facts show that the bovine pericardium pretreated with the epoxy compound followed by the posttreatment with GA (EP 1# and EP 2#) possesses greater tenacity and potential durability in dynamic stress.

  14. Effectiveness of physical, social and digital mechanisms against laptop theft in open organizations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dimkov, T.; Pieters, Wolter; Hartel, Pieter H.

    2010-01-01

    Organizations rely on physical, digital and social mechanisms to protect their IT systems. Of all IT systems, laptops are probably the most troublesome to protect, since they are easy to remove and conceal. When the thief has physical possession of the laptop, it is also difficult to protect the

  15. Laptop theft: a case study on effectiveness of security mechanisms in open organizations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dimkov, T.; Pieters, Wolter; Hartel, Pieter H.

    2010-01-01

    Organizations rely on physical, technical and procedural mechanisms to protect their IT systems. Of all IT systems, laptops are the probably the most troublesome to protect, since they are easy to remove and conceal. When the thief has physical possession of the laptop, it is difficult to protect

  16. Reduction of Conflicts in Mining Development Using "Good Neighbor Agreements"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masaitis, A.

    2013-05-01

    New environmental and social challenges for the mining industry in both developed and developing countries show the obvious need to implement "responsible" mining practices that include improved community involvement. Good Neighbor Agreements (GNA's) are a relatively new mechanism for improving communication and trust between a mining company and the community. The focus of a GNA will be to provide a written and enforceable agreement, negotiated between the concerned public and the respective mining company to respond to concerns from the public, and also provide a mechanism for conflict resolution, when there is mutual benefit to maintain a working relationship. Development of GNA's, a recently evolving process that promotes environmentally sound relationships between mines and the surrounding communities. Modify and apply the resulting GNA formulas to the developing countries and countries with transitional economies. This is particularly important for countries that have poorly functioning regulatory systems that cannot guarantee a healthy and safe environment for the communities. The fundamental questions addressed by this research. 1. This is a three-year research project started in August 2012 at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) to develop a Good Neighbor Agreements standards as well as to investigate the details of mine development. 2. Identify spheres of possible cooperation between mining companies, government organizations, and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's). Use this cooperation to develop international standards for the GNA, to promote exchange of environmental information, and exchange of successful environmental, health, and safety practices between mining operations from different countries. Discussion: The Good Neighbor Agreement currently evolving will address the following: 1. Provide an economically viable mechanism for developing a partnership between mining operations and the local communities that will increase mining industry

  17. Quantum mechanics on Riemannian manifold in Schwinger's quantization approach II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chepilko, N.M.; Romanenko, A.V.

    2001-01-01

    The extended Schwinger quantization procedure is used for constructing quantum mechanics on a manifold with a group structure. The considered manifold M is a homogeneous Riemannian space with the given action of an isometry transformation group. Using the identification of M with the quotient space G/H, where H is the isotropy group of an arbitrary fixed point of M, we show that quantum mechanics on G/H possesses a gauge structure, described by a gauge potential that is the connection 1-form of the principal fiber bundle G(G/H, H). The coordinate representation of quantum mechanics and the procedure for selecting the physical sector of the states are developed. (orig.)

  18. Good Concrete Activity Is Good Mental Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonough, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    Early years mathematics classrooms can be colourful, exciting, and challenging places of learning. Andrea McDonough and fellow teachers have noticed that some students make good decisions about using materials to assist their problem solving, but this is not always the case. These experiences lead her to ask the following questions: (1) Are…

  19. Self-renewal molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer stem cells

    OpenAIRE

    Pan, Tianhui; Xu, Jinghong; Zhu, Yongliang

    2016-01-01

    Colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) represent a small fraction of the colorectal cancer cell population that possess self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential and drive tumorigenicity. Self-renewal is essential for the malignant biological behaviors of colorectal cancer stem cells. While the self-renewal molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer stem cells are not yet fully understood, the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Notch, transforming growth facto...

  20. Vector correlation analysis for inelastic and reactive collisions between partners possessing spin and orbital angular momentum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balint-Kurti, Gabriel G; Vasyutinskii, Oleg S

    2009-12-31

    A general reactive collision of the type A + B --> C + D is considered where both the collision partners (A and B) or the products (C and D) may possess internal, i.e., spin, orbital or rotational, angular momenta. Compact expressions are derived using a rigorous quantum mechanical analysis for the angular momentum anisotropy of either of the products (C or D) arising from an initially polarized distribution of the reactant angular momentum. The angular momentum distribution of the product is expressed in terms of canonical spherical tensors multiplied by anisotropy-transforming coefficients c(K(i)q(k))(K)(K(r),L). These coefficients act as transformation coefficients between the angular momentum anisotropy of the reactants and that of the product. They are independent of scattering angle but depend on the details of the scattering dynamics. The relationship between the coefficients c(K(i)q(k))(K)(K(r),L) and the body-fixed scattering S matrix is given and the methodology for the quantum mechanical calculation of the anisotropy-transforming coefficients is clearly laid out. The anisotropy-transforming coefficients are amenable to direct experimental measurement in a similar manner to vector correlation and alignment parameters in photodissociation processes. A key aspect of the theory is the use of projections of both reactant and product angular momenta onto the product recoil vector direction. An important new conservation rule is revealed through the analysis, namely that if the state multipole for reactant angular momentum distribution has a projection q(k) onto the product recoil vector the state multipoles for the product angular momentum distribution all have this same projection. Expressions are also presented for the distribution of the product angular momentum when its components are evaluated relative to the space-fixed Z-axis. Notes with detailed derivations of all the formulas are available as Supporting Information.

  1. Effect of the depreciation of public goods in spatial public goods games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Dong-Mei; Zhuang, Yong; Wang, Bing-Hong

    2012-02-01

    In this work, the depreciation effect of public goods is considered in the public goods games, which is realized by rescaling the multiplication factor r of each group as r‧=r( (β≥0). It is assumed that each individual enjoys the full profit r of the public goods if all the players of this group are cooperators. Otherwise, the value of public goods is reduced to r‧. It is found that compared with the original version (β=0), the emergence of cooperation is remarkably promoted for β>0, and there exist intermediate values of β inducing the best cooperation. Particularly, there exists a range of β inducing the highest cooperative level, and this range of β broadens as r increases. It is further presented that the variation of cooperator density with noise has close relations with the values of β and r, and cooperation at an intermediate value of β=1.0 is most tolerant to noise.

  2. Numerical simulation of mechanisms of deformation,failure and energy dissipation in porous rock media subjected to wave stresses

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2010-01-01

    The pore characteristics,mineral compositions,physical and mechanical properties of the subarkose sandstones were acquired by means of CT scan,X-ray diffraction and physical tests.A few physical models possessing the same pore characteristics and matrix properties but different porosities compared to the natural sandstones were developed.The 3D finite element models of the rock media with varied porosities were established based on the CT image processing of the physical models and the MIMICS software platform.The failure processes of the porous rock media loaded by the split Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB) were simulated by satisfying the elastic wave propagation theory.The dynamic responses,stress transition,deformation and failure mechanisms of the porous rock media subjected to the wave stresses were analyzed.It is shown that an explicit and quantitative analysis of the stress,strain and deformation and failure mechanisms of porous rocks under the wave stresses can be achieved by using the developed 3D finite element models.With applied wave stresses of certain amplitude and velocity,no evident pore deformation was observed for the rock media with a porosity less than 15%.The deformation is dominantly the combination of microplasticity(shear strain),cracking(tensile strain) of matrix and coalescence of the cracked regions around pores.Shear stresses lead to microplasticity,while tensile stresses result in cracking of the matrix.Cracking and coalescence of the matrix elements in the neighborhood of pores resulted from the high transverse tensile stress or tensile strain which exceeded the threshold values.The simulation results of stress wave propagation,deformation and failure mechanisms and energy dissipation in porous rock media were in good agreement with the physical tests.The present study provides a reference for analyzing the intrinsic mechanisms of the complex dynamic response,stress transit mode,deformation and failure mechanisms and the disaster

  3. Possession, Transportation, and Use of Firearms by Older Youth in 4-H Shooting Sports Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, David J.; Williver, S. Todd

    2014-01-01

    Thirty years ago we would think nothing of driving to school with a jackknife in our pocket or rifle in the gun rack. Since then, the practices of possessing, transporting, and using firearms have been limited by laws, rules, and public perception. Despite restrictions on youth, the Youth Handgun Safety Act does afford 4-H shooting sports members…

  4. The investigation of crimes refering to forgery of documents and possession of forged documents

    OpenAIRE

    Kotovienė, Danutė

    2011-01-01

    THE INVESTIGATION OF CRIMES REFERING TO FORGERY OF DOCUMENTS AND POSSESSION OF FORGED DOCUMENTS Constantly improving informational technologies more and more get into our daily routine: nowadays it is widely spread internet payments, purchases, signing on-line agreements using electronic signatures. However, paper documents or other made of appropriate materials, which have material evidence, still have a very significant impact on our life. Its convey different aspects of states’ public work...

  5. Abusing Good Intentions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamas Bereczkei

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study aims to understand how Machiavellians switch from one kind of response to another in different circumstances to maximize their profit. We set up a specific experimental paradigm that involved both a cooperative and competitive version of a public goods game. We found that Machiavellianism accounts for the total amount of money paid by the players (N = 144 across five rounds in the cooperative but not in the competitive game. Compared with the others, individuals with higher scores on Mach scale contributed less to the public goods in the cooperative condition, but no difference was found in the competitive condition. Finally, this relationship was influenced by the sequence of the games. These results indicate that Machiavellians skillfully evaluate social environments and strive to exploit those with abundant contributions to public goods.

  6. Global Public Goods and The Role of Emerging Power: Considering the Concept of Impure Public Goods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Rieshøj Yi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The existing analysis of global public goods over-emphasizes the significance of public. Great power as a main provider has played an active role in these strategic initiatives, which may be ignored. In fact, main power has thought about the possible free-riders when providing public goods and making its foreign strategic plan. China’s announcement to “welcome the neighbouring countries to be a free-rider and benefit from China’s rise” is a good example. It is necessary to think about the theory of public goods and take another look at the free-riding phenomenon. The concept of impure public goods may be useful and effective when we understand the reason why global public goods are being provided and are relatively efficient. As an emerging power, China should have a clear strategy on global public goods with a possible “marketing” viewpoint, including more initiatives and specific measures, so that the global public goods provision may be more diverse and well-planned.

  7. Benchmark Two-Good Utility Functions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jaegher, K.

    Benchmark two-good utility functions involving a good with zero income elasticity and unit income elasticity are well known. This paper derives utility functions for the additional benchmark cases where one good has zero cross-price elasticity, unit own-price elasticity, and zero own price

  8. Doing Good, Feeling Bad

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sharma, Devika

    2017-01-01

    For decades humanitarianism has captured and shaped the dreams of the populations of the global North, dreams of a better world, of a common humanity, of goodness, of solidarity, and of global healing. In this article I argue that when taking art and cultural objects into account humanitarian......, Danmarks Indsamling [Denmark Collects], and the second is from Norwegian playwright Arne Lygre’s 2011 play, I Disappear. What is at stake in both of these scenes is the status of humanitarianism as a good-enough fantasy and promise of doing good....

  9. The problem of intermixing of metals possessing no mutual solubility upon explosion welding (Cu–Ta, Fe–Ag, Al–Ta)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenberg, B.A.; Ivanov, M.A.; Rybin, V.V.; Elkina, O.A.; Antonova, O.V.; Patselov, A.M.; Inozemtsev, A.V.; Plotnikov, A.V.; Volkova, A.Yu.; Besshaposhnikov, Yu.P.

    2013-01-01

    On the basis of the results obtained for joints of dissimilar metals such as copper–tantalum and iron–silver, the reason of immiscible suspensions mixing upon explosion welding has been cleared out. It has been found that the interface (plain or wavy) is not smooth and contains inhomogeneities, namely, cusps and local melting zones. The role of granulating fragmentation providing partitioning of initial materials as a main channel of input energy dissipation has been revealed. It has been shown that in joints of metals possessing normal solubility the local melting zones are true solutions, but if metals possess no mutual solubility the local melting zones are colloidal solutions. Realization of either emulsion or suspension variant takes place. The results can be used in the development of new joints of metals possessing no mutual solubility. - Highlights: ► Immiscible pairs Ta/Cu and Fe/Ag are welded successfully by explosive welding. ► Fragmentation provides for partitioning as the main energy dissipation channel. ► Immiscible metals form colloidal solid solutions during solidification. ► Melting and boiling temperatures ratio determines the colloidal solution type. ► Local melting zones being in suspension form enhance welds hardening.

  10. Theory of brain function, quantum mechanics and superstrings

    CERN Document Server

    Nanopoulos, Dimitri V.

    1995-01-01

    Recent developments/efforts to understand aspects of the brain function at the {\\em sub-neural} level are discussed. MicroTubules (MTs) participate in a wide variety of dynamical processes in the cell especially in bioinformation processes such as learning and memory, by possessing a well-known binary error-correcting code with 64 words. In fact, MTs and DNA/RNA are unique cell structures that possess a code system. It seems that the MTs' code system is strongly related to a kind of ``Mental Code" in the following sense. The MTs' periodic paracrystalline structure make them able to support a superposition of coherent quantum states, as it has been recently conjectured by Hameroff and Penrose, representing an external or mental order, for sufficient time needed for efficient quantum computing. Then the quantum superposition collapses spontaneously/dynamically through a new, string-derived mechanism for collapse proposed recently by Ellis, Mavromatos, and myself. At the moment of collapse, organized quantum exo...

  11. Bounded rationality leads to equilibrium of public goods games

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zhaojin; Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Lianzhong

    2009-12-01

    In this work, we introduce a degree of rationality to the public goods games in which players can determine whether or not to participate, and with it a new mechanism has been established. Existence of the bounded rationality would lead to a new equilibrium which differs from the Nash equilibrium and qualitatively explains the fundamental role of loners’ payoff for maintaining cooperation. Meanwhile, it is shown how the potential strategy influences the players’ decision. Finally, we explicitly demonstrate a rock-scissors-paper dynamics which is a consequence of this model.

  12. GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DAN PENGARUHNYA TERHADAP NILAI PERUSAHAAN MELALUI CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I Gusti Ayu Purnamawati

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This research explained the relationship between Good Corporate Governance mechanism to company’s value, and the extent disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility as moderation variable. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine modernization impact in the relationship between dependent and independent variable. Sample gathering was undertaken from 2012 to 2014. Tobin’s Q was used to assess the company’s value. Whereas Good Corporate Governance mechanism that was proxy by the number of managerial ownership and institutional ownership quantity was taken from ownership scale existed in company financial report. Extent measurement of Corporate Social Responsibility expressing was carried out by calculating each company’s CSR Index. This research used 44 samples of manufacturing companies meeting the criteria of purposive sampling. The testing of moderation effect and the main effect in the research was done using hierarchical regression analysis. The result showed that there were positive and significant relationship between GCG mechanism and company value, whereas between CSR extent disclosure and company value there was insignificant result. For examining the moderation impacts, CSR extent disclosure succeeded to moderate the relationship between managerial ownership and company value, but the extent of CSR expression did not succeed in moderating the relationship between institutional ownership and company value.

  13. Nanocrystalline-grained tungsten prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment: Microstructure and mechanical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Hong-Yan; Xia, Min; Wu, Zheng-Tao; Chan, Lap-Chung; Dai, Yong; Wang, Kun; Yan, Qing-Zhi; He, Man-Chao; Ge, Chang-Chun; Lu, Jian

    2016-01-01

    A nanostructured surface layer was fabricated on commercial pure tungsten using the method of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). The microstructure evolution of the surface layer was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its formation mechanism was discussed as well. Both refinement and elongation of the brittle W grains were confirmed. The elongated SMATed W was heavily strained, the maximum value of the strain at the grain boundaries reaches as high as 3–5%. Dislocation density in the SMATed W nanograins was found to be 5 × 10 12  cm −2 . The formation of the nanograins in the top surface layer of the W was ascribed to the extremely high strain and strain rate, as well as the multidirectional repetitive loading. Bending strength of commercial W could be improved from 825 MPa to 1850 MPa by SMAT process. Microhardness results indicated the strain range in SMATed W can reach up to 220 μm beneath the top surface. The notched Charpy testing results demonstrated that SMATed W possess higher ductility than that of commercial W. The top surface of the W plates with and without SMATe processing possesses residual compressive stress of about −881 MPa and −234 MPa in y direction, and −872 MPa and −879 MPa in x direction respectively. The improvement of toughness (DBTT shift) of SMATed W may be the synergistic effect of residual compressive stress, dislocation density improvement and microstructure refinement induced by SMAT processing. SMAT processing could be a complementary method to further decrease the DBTT value of tungsten based materials.

  14. Nanocrystalline-grained tungsten prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment: Microstructure and mechanical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Hong-Yan [State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Institute of Nuclear Materials, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tae Chee Avenue Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077 (China); Xia, Min, E-mail: xmdsg@ustb.edu.cn [Institute of Nuclear Materials, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Wu, Zheng-Tao [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005 (China); Chan, Lap-Chung [Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tae Chee Avenue Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077 (China); Dai, Yong; Wang, Kun [Laboratory for Nuclear Materials, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5323 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Yan, Qing-Zhi [Institute of Nuclear Materials, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); He, Man-Chao [State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083 (China); Ge, Chang-Chun, E-mail: ccge@mater.ustb.edu.cn [Institute of Nuclear Materials, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Lu, Jian, E-mail: jianlu@cityu.edu.hk [Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tae Chee Avenue Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077 (China)

    2016-11-15

    A nanostructured surface layer was fabricated on commercial pure tungsten using the method of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). The microstructure evolution of the surface layer was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its formation mechanism was discussed as well. Both refinement and elongation of the brittle W grains were confirmed. The elongated SMATed W was heavily strained, the maximum value of the strain at the grain boundaries reaches as high as 3–5%. Dislocation density in the SMATed W nanograins was found to be 5 × 10{sup 12} cm{sup −2}. The formation of the nanograins in the top surface layer of the W was ascribed to the extremely high strain and strain rate, as well as the multidirectional repetitive loading. Bending strength of commercial W could be improved from 825 MPa to 1850 MPa by SMAT process. Microhardness results indicated the strain range in SMATed W can reach up to 220 μm beneath the top surface. The notched Charpy testing results demonstrated that SMATed W possess higher ductility than that of commercial W. The top surface of the W plates with and without SMATe processing possesses residual compressive stress of about −881 MPa and −234 MPa in y direction, and −872 MPa and −879 MPa in x direction respectively. The improvement of toughness (DBTT shift) of SMATed W may be the synergistic effect of residual compressive stress, dislocation density improvement and microstructure refinement induced by SMAT processing. SMAT processing could be a complementary method to further decrease the DBTT value of tungsten based materials.

  15. Aspiration dynamics and the sustainability of resources in the public goods dilemma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Jinming, E-mail: jmdu@pku.edu.cn [Center for Systems and Control, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Wu, Bin, E-mail: bin.wu@evolbio.mpg.de [School of Science, Beijing University of Posts and Communications, Beijing 100876 (China); Department of Evolutionary Theory, Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Straße 2, 24306 Plön (Germany); Wang, Long, E-mail: longwang@pku.edu.cn [Center for Systems and Control, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

    2016-04-01

    How to exploit public non-renewable resources is a public goods dilemma. Individuals can choose to limit the depletion in order to use the resource for a longer time or consume more goods to benefit themselves. When the resource is used up, there is no benefit for the future generations any more, thus the evolutionary process ends. Here we investigate what mechanisms can extend the use of resources in the framework of evolutionary game theory under two updating rules based on imitation and aspiration, respectively. Compared with imitation process, aspiration dynamics may prolong the sustainable time of a public resource. - Highlights: • We establish a game model to capture the sustainable time of public goods. • We propose a theoretical method to study how fast an evolutionary process ends. • Strong selection shortens the evolutionary time of public resource dilemma. • Compared with imitation process, aspiration dynamics prolong the sustainable time. • The sustainable time is the shortest for the intermediate aspiration level.

  16. Aspiration dynamics and the sustainability of resources in the public goods dilemma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, Jinming; Wu, Bin; Wang, Long

    2016-01-01

    How to exploit public non-renewable resources is a public goods dilemma. Individuals can choose to limit the depletion in order to use the resource for a longer time or consume more goods to benefit themselves. When the resource is used up, there is no benefit for the future generations any more, thus the evolutionary process ends. Here we investigate what mechanisms can extend the use of resources in the framework of evolutionary game theory under two updating rules based on imitation and aspiration, respectively. Compared with imitation process, aspiration dynamics may prolong the sustainable time of a public resource. - Highlights: • We establish a game model to capture the sustainable time of public goods. • We propose a theoretical method to study how fast an evolutionary process ends. • Strong selection shortens the evolutionary time of public resource dilemma. • Compared with imitation process, aspiration dynamics prolong the sustainable time. • The sustainable time is the shortest for the intermediate aspiration level.

  17. Lack of basic and luxury goods and health-related dysfunction in older persons; findings from the longitudinal SMILE study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groffen, Daniëlle A I; Bosma, Hans; van den Akker, Marjan; Kempen, Gertrudis I J M; van Eijk, Jacques T M

    2008-07-17

    More so than the traditional socioeconomic indicators, such as education and income, wealth reflects the accumulation of resources and makes socioeconomic ranking manifest and explicitly visible to the outside world. While the lack of basic goods, such as a refrigerator, may affect health directly, via biological pathways, the lack of luxury goods, such as an LCD television, may affect health indirectly through psychosocial mechanisms. We set out to examine, firstly, the relevance of both basic and luxury goods in explaining health-related dysfunction in older persons, and, secondly, the extent to which these associations are independent of traditional socioeconomic indicators. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data from 2067 men and women aged 55 years and older who participated in the Study on Medical Information and Lifestyles Eindhoven (SMILE) were gathered. Logistic regression analyses were used to study the relation between a lack of basic and luxury goods and health-related function, assessed with two sub-domains of the SF-36. The lack of basic goods was closely related to incident physical (OR = 2.32) and mental (OR = 2.12) dysfunction, even when the traditional measures of socioeconomic status, i.e. education or income, were taken into account. Cross-sectional analyses, in which basic and luxury goods were compared, showed that the lack of basic goods was strongly associated with mental dysfunction. Lack of luxury goods was, however, not related to dysfunction. Even in a relatively wealthy country like the Netherlands, the lack of certain basic goods is not uncommon. More importantly, lack of basic goods, as an indicator of wealth, was strongly related to health-related dysfunction also when traditional measures of socioeconomic status were taken into account. In contrast, no effects of luxury goods on physical or mental dysfunction were found. Future longitudinal research is necessary to clarify the precise mechanisms underlying these effects.

  18. Advice on Good Grooming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tingey, Carol

    1987-01-01

    Suggestions are presented from parents on how to help children with disabilities (with particular focus on Downs Syndrome) learn good grooming habits in such areas as good health, exercise, cleanliness, teeth and hair care, skin care, glasses and other devices, and social behavior. (CB)

  19. Customs control of goods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mentor Gashi

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Customs control, is regulated by law in different countries. Different countries define through the law, the control of goods.. Main purpose of this paper is to analyze two types of customs controls, and their effect in reducing avoidance of duty or tax evasion which may be caused by the import of goods of certain companies. For this reason we researched which model is implemented in developing countries and what results were reached through questionnaires. In this sense the next research question, consists in defining the moment of customs control pre or post-clearance control of goods.

  20. TRANSPORT OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dagmar Babčanová

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper is focused on a current problem of transport of counterfeit goods in the European Union. Counterfeiting has a strong influence on the distribution organizations worldwide because most of counterfeit goods threaten the health and safety of consumers. Counterfeiting is a serious problem in the world economy today. The purpose of this paper is to point out the danger of counterfeiting in connection with the transport of Intellectual Property (IP rights - infringing goods. Background of the paper’s content is based on secondary data research of publicly available sources - international statistics and world reports.

  1. Acoustic Emission Technique Applied in Textiles Mechanical Characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rios-Soberanis Carlos Rolando

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The common textile architecture/geometry are woven, braided, knitted, stitch boded, and Z-pinned. Fibres in textile form exhibit good out-of-plane properties and good fatigue and impact resistance, additionally, they have better dimensional stability and conformability. Besides the nature of the textile, the architecture has a great role in the mechanical behaviour and mechanisms of damage in textiles, therefore damage mechanisms and mechanical performance in structural applications textiles have been a major concern. Mechanical damage occurs to a large extent during the service lifetime consequently it is vital to understand the material mechanical behaviour by identifying its mechanisms of failure such as onset of damage, crack generation and propagation. In this work, textiles of different architecture were used to manufacture epoxy based composites in order to study failure events under tensile load by using acoustic emission technique which is a powerful characterization tool due to its link between AE data and fracture mechanics, which makes this relation a very useful from the engineering point of view.

  2. Do tropical wetland plants possess a convective gas flow mechanism?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Dennis Konnerup; Sorrell, Brian Keith; Brix, Hans

    2011-01-01

    Internal pressurization and convective gas flow, which can aerate wetland plants more efficiently than diffusion, are common in temperate species. Here, we present the first survey of convective flow in a range of tropical plants. The occurrence of pressurization and convective flow was determined...... in 20 common wetland plants from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The diel variation in pressurization in culms and the convective flow and gas composition from stubbles were examined for Eleocharis dulcis, Phragmites vallatoria and Hymenachne acutigluma, and related to light, humidity and air temperature....... Nine of the 20 species studied were able to build up a static pressure of >50Pa, and eight species had convective flow rates higher than 1mlmin-1. There was a clear diel variation, with higher pressures and flows during the day than during the night, when pressures and flows were close to zero...

  3. An overview of GOOD

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paredaens, J.; Van den Bussche, J.; Andries, M.; Gemis, M.; Gyssens, M.; Thyssens, I.; Van Gucht, D.; Sarathy, V.; Saxton, L.V.

    1992-01-01

    GOOD is an acronym, standing for Graph-Oriented Object Database. GOOD is being developed as a joint research effort of Indiana University and the University of Antwerp. The main thrust behind the project is to indicate general concepts that are fundamental to any graph-oriented database

  4. Good Faith and Game Theory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rose, Caspar

    2016-01-01

    This article shows how game theory can be applied to model good faith mathematically using an example of a classic legal dispute related to rei vindicato. The issue is whether an owner has a legal right to his good if a person has bought it in good faith by using updated probabilities. The article...

  5. Characterizing the Effective Bandwidth of Nonlinear Vibratory Energy Harvesters Possessing Multiple Stable Equilibria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panyam Mohan Ram, Meghashyam

    conditions. The third part investigates the response and performance of tri-stable energy harvesters possessing a symmetric hexic potential function under harmonic excitations and provides a detailed analysis to approximate their effective frequency bandwidth. As a platform to achieve these objectives, a piezoelectric nonlinear energy harvester consisting of a uni-morph cantilever beam is considered. Stiffness nonlinearities are introduced into the harvester's design by applying a static magnetic field near the tip of the beam. Experimental studies performed on the proposed harvester are presented to validate some of the theoretical findings. Since nonlinear energy harvesters exhibit complex and non-unique responses, it is demonstrated that a careful choice of the design parameters namely, the shape of the potential function and the electromechanical coupling is necessary to widen their effective frequency bandwidth. Specifically, it is shown that, decreasing the electromechanical coupling and/or designing the potential energy function to have shallow wells, widens the effective frequency bandwidth for a given excitation level. However, this comes at the expense of the output power which decreases under these design conditions. It is also shown that the ratio between the mechanical period and time constant of the harvesting circuit has negligible influence on the effective frequency bandwidth but has considerable effect on the associated magnitude of the output power.

  6. Doing Good Parenthood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    This edited collection shows that good parenthood is neither fixed nor stable. The contributors show how parenthood is equally done by men, women and children, in and through practices involving different normative guidelines. The book explores how normative layers of parenthood are constituted...... by notions such as good childhood, family ideals, national public health and educational strategies. The authors illustrate how different versions of parenthood coexist and how complex sets of actions are demanded to fulfil today’s expectations of parenthood in Western societies. This interdisciplinary book...

  7. Fabrication and characterization of stable superhydrophobic surface with good friction-reducing performance on Al foil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Peipei [Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Special Functional Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China); Chen, Xinhua, E-mail: xuc0374@hotmail.com [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xuchang University, Xuchang 461000 (China); Yang, Guangbin; Yu, Laigui [Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Special Functional Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China); Zhang, Pingyu, E-mail: pingyu@henu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Special Functional Materials, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004 (China)

    2014-05-01

    angle lower than 5°, while it retains good friction-reducing ability during extended sliding and possesses good self-cleaning ability as well. This demonstrates that the etched-immersed Al/STA rough surface may favor the applications of Al and its alloys in various industrial fields.

  8. Fabrication and characterization of stable superhydrophobic surface with good friction-reducing performance on Al foil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Peipei; Chen, Xinhua; Yang, Guangbin; Yu, Laigui; Zhang, Pingyu

    2014-01-01

    angle lower than 5°, while it retains good friction-reducing ability during extended sliding and possesses good self-cleaning ability as well. This demonstrates that the etched-immersed Al/STA rough surface may favor the applications of Al and its alloys in various industrial fields

  9. Reactive, anxious and possessive forms of jealousy and their relation to relationship quality among heterosexuals and homosexuals

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Barelds, Dick P. H.; Dijkstra, Pieternel

    2006-01-01

    The present study examined the relationship between relational quality and three different types of jealousy-reactive, anxious and possessive jealousy. The sample consisted of 76 gay men, 79 lesbians, 70 heterosexual women and 70 heterosexual men. Findings show that different types of jealousy

  10. HFCVD Diamond-Coated Mechanical Seals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raul Simões

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available A mechanical seal promotes the connection between systems or mechanisms, preventing the escape of fluids to the exterior. Nonetheless, due to extreme working conditions, premature failure can occur. Diamond, due to its excellent properties, is heralded as an excellent choice to cover the surface of these devices and extend their lifetime. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to deposit diamond films over mechanical seals and test the coated seals on a water pump, under real working conditions. The coatings were created by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD and two consecutive layers of micro- and nanocrystalline diamond were deposited. One of the main difficulties is the attainment of a good adhesion between the diamond films and the mechanical seal material (WC-Co. Nucleation, deposition conditions, and pre-treatments were studied to enhance the coating. Superficial wear or delamination of the film was investigated using SEM and Raman characterization techniques, in order to draw conclusions about the feasibility of these coatings in the WC-Co mechanical seals with the purpose of increasing their performance and life time. The results obtained gave a good indication about the feasibility of this process and the deposition conditions used, with the mechanical seals showing no wear and no film delamination after a real work environment test.

  11. Mechanical Properties and Tensile Fatigue of Graphene Nanoplatelets Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Yuan Shen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs are novel nanofillers possessing attractive characteristics, including robust compatibility with most polymers, high absolute strength, and cost effectiveness. In this study, GNPs were used to reinforce epoxy composite and epoxy/carbon fiber composite laminates to enhance their mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of GNPs/epoxy nanocomposite, such as ultimate tensile strength and flexure properties, were investigated. The fatigue life of epoxy/carbon fiber composite laminate with GPs-added 0.25 wt% was increased over that of neat laminates at all levels of cyclic stress. Consequently, significant improvement in the mechanical properties of ultimate tensile strength, flexure, and fatigue life was attained for these epoxy resin composites and carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite laminates.

  12. Preparation and characterization of intelligent starch/PVA films for simultaneous colorimetric indication and antimicrobial activity for food packaging applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bin; Xu, Han; Zhao, Huiying; Liu, Wei; Zhao, Liyun; Li, Yuan

    2017-02-10

    We have developed an intelligent starch/poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) film that is capable of monitoring pH changes and inhibiting undesired microbial growth in foods. Starch and PVA polymers in the film were doubly cross-linked by sodium trimetaphosphate and boric acid to improve their water-resistance and mechanical strength. Anthocyanins (ANT) and limonene (LIM) were used to achieve simultaneous colorimetric indication and antimicrobial activity. Firstly, the characterization of surface morphology using SEM confirmed that the starch-PVA-ANT-LIM film possessed a smooth surface. Secondly, the results of the mechanical strength test showed that starch-PVA-ANT-LIM possesses the highest mechanical strength. Additionally, there was a distinguishable change of colors as the film was immersed in solutions of pH ranging from 1.0 to 14.0. Moreover, the film showed excellent antimicrobial activity for three typical undesired microorganisms in foods, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, and Staphylococcus aureus. Finally, the film exhibited good color indication and antimicrobial activity on pasteurized milk. The results suggest that the intelligent film reported here shows good capability for both alerting and inhibiting food spoilage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Structural insight into molecular mechanism of poly(ethylene terephthalate) degradation

    OpenAIRE

    Joo, Seongjoon; Cho, In Jin; Seo, Hogyun; Son, Hyeoncheol Francis; Sagong, Hye-Young; Shin, Tae Joo; Choi, So Young; Lee, Sang Yup; Kim, Kyung-Jin

    2018-01-01

    Plastics, including poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), possess many desirable characteristics and thus are widely used in daily life. However, non-biodegradability, once thought to be an advantage offered by plastics, is causing major environmental problem. Recently, a PET-degrading bacterium, Ideonella sakaiensis, was identified and suggested for possible use in degradation and/or recycling of PET. However, the molecular mechanism of PET degradation is not known. Here we report the crystal ...

  14. Topological mechanics: from metamaterials to active matter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vitelli, Vincenzo

    2015-03-01

    Mechanical metamaterials are artificial structures with unusual properties, such as negative Poisson ratio, bistability or tunable acoustic response, which originate in the geometry of their unit cell. At the heart of such unusual behavior is often a mechanism: a motion that does not significantly stretch or compress the links between constituent elements. When activated by motors or external fields, these soft motions become the building blocks of robots and smart materials. In this talk, we discuss topological mechanisms that possess two key properties: (i) their existence cannot be traced to a local imbalance between degrees of freedom and constraints (ii) they are robust against a wide range of structural deformations or changes in material parameters. The continuum elasticity of these mechanical structures is captured by non-linear field theories with a topological boundary term similar to topological insulators and quantum Hall systems. We present several applications of these concepts to the design and experimental realization of 2D and 3D topological structures based on linkages, origami, buckling meta-materials and lastly active media that break time-reversal symmetry.

  15. Transportation of hazardous goods

    CERN Multimedia

    TS Department

    2008-01-01

    A general reminder: any transportation of hazardous goods by road is subject to the European ADR rules. The goods concerned are essentially the following: Explosive substances and objects; Gases (including aerosols and non-flammable gases such as helium and nitrogen); Flammable substances and liquids (inks, paints, resins, petroleum products, alcohols, acetone, thinners); Toxic substances (acids, thinners); Radioactive substances; Corrosive substances (paints, acids, caustic products, disinfectants, electrical batteries). Any requests for the transport of hazardous goods must be executed in compliance with the instructions given at this URL: http://ts-dep.web.cern.ch/ts-dep/groups/he/HH/adr.pdf Heavy Handling Section TS-HE-HH 73793 - 160364

  16. The global public good concept: a means of promoting good veterinary governance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eloit, M

    2012-08-01

    At the outset, the concept of a 'public good' was associated with economic policies. However, it has now evolved not only from a national to a global concept (global public good), but also from a concept applying solely to the production of goods to one encompassing societal issues (education, environment, etc.) and fundamental rights, including the right to health and food. Through their actions, Veterinary Services, as defined by the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (Terrestrial Code) of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), help to improve animal health and reduce production losses. In this way they contribute directly and indirectly to food security and to safeguarding human health and economic resources. The organisation and operating procedures of Veterinary Services are therefore key to the efficient governance required to achieve these objectives. The OIE is a major player in global cooperation and governance in the fields of animal and public health through the implementation of its strategic standardisation mission and other programmes for the benefit of Veterinary Services and OIE Member Countries. Thus, the actions of Veterinary Services and the OIE deserve to be recognised as a global public good, backed by public investment to ensure that all Veterinary Services are in a position to apply the principles of good governance and to comply with the international standards for the quality of Veterinary Services set out in the OIE Terrestrial Code (Section 3 on Quality of Veterinary Services) and Aquatic Animal Health Code (Section 3 on Quality of Aquatic Animal Health Services).

  17. Structural mechanics of nuclear plant components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roche, R.

    1986-10-01

    Sound structural analysis are needed for designing safe and reliable components, hence his play is very important in nuclear industry. This report is a provisional writing on the good practice in structural mechanics. Emphasis is put on non elastic analysis, damage appraisal, fatigue, fracture mechanics and also on elevated temperature behaviour [fr

  18. Adsorption of Heavy Metals From Industrial Wastes Using Membranes Prepared by Radiation Grafting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hegazy, E. A.; Kamal, H.; Maziad, N.; Dessouki, A.M.; Aly, H.F.

    1999-01-01

    Preparation of synthetic membranes using simultaneous radiation grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) and styrene (Sty) individually and in a binary monomers mixture onto polypropylene (PP) has been carried out. The effect of preparation conditions such as irradiation dose, monomer and inhibitor concentration, comonomer composition on the grafting yield was investigated. The thermal stability and mechanical properties were also investigated as a function of degree of grafting. Accordingly the possibility of its practical use in industrial waste treatment is determined. The prepared cation-exchange membranes possess good mechanical properties, high thermal stability and good characteristics for separation processes. These membranes have also good affinity toward the adsorption or chelation with Fe 3+ , Pb 2+ , and Cd 2+ ions either in a mixture or exists alone in the solution

  19. The problem of intermixing of metals possessing no mutual solubility upon explosion welding (Cu-Ta, Fe-Ag, Al-Ta)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greenberg, B.A., E-mail: bella@imp.uran.ru [Institute of Metal Physics, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, S. Kovalevskoi str. 18, Ekaterinburg, 620990 (Russian Federation); Ivanov, M.A. [Kurdyumov Institute of Metal Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Vernadskogo blvd. 36, Kiev, 03680 (Ukraine); Rybin, V.V. [State Polytechnical University, Politekhnicheskaya str. 29, St. Petersburg, 195251 (Russian Federation); Elkina, O.A.; Antonova, O.V.; Patselov, A.M.; Inozemtsev, A.V.; Plotnikov, A.V.; Volkova, A.Yu. [Institute of Metal Physics, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, S. Kovalevskoi str. 18, Ekaterinburg, 620990 (Russian Federation); Besshaposhnikov, Yu.P. [OJSC Ural Chemical Machine Building Plant, Khibinogorskii Lane 33, Ekaterinburg, 620010 (Russian Federation)

    2013-01-15

    On the basis of the results obtained for joints of dissimilar metals such as copper-tantalum and iron-silver, the reason of immiscible suspensions mixing upon explosion welding has been cleared out. It has been found that the interface (plain or wavy) is not smooth and contains inhomogeneities, namely, cusps and local melting zones. The role of granulating fragmentation providing partitioning of initial materials as a main channel of input energy dissipation has been revealed. It has been shown that in joints of metals possessing normal solubility the local melting zones are true solutions, but if metals possess no mutual solubility the local melting zones are colloidal solutions. Realization of either emulsion or suspension variant takes place. The results can be used in the development of new joints of metals possessing no mutual solubility. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Immiscible pairs Ta/Cu and Fe/Ag are welded successfully by explosive welding. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fragmentation provides for partitioning as the main energy dissipation channel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Immiscible metals form colloidal solid solutions during solidification. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Melting and boiling temperatures ratio determines the colloidal solution type. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Local melting zones being in suspension form enhance welds hardening.

  20. Prospective study on human fecal carriage of Enterobacteriaceae possessing mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes in a regional hospital in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Wai-Sing; Au, Chun-Hang; Ho, Dona N; Chan, Tsun-Leung; Ma, Edmond Shiu-Kwan; Tang, Bone Siu-Fai

    2018-02-13

    Human fecal carriage of Enterobacteriaceae possessing mobilized colistin resistance genes (mcr-1 and mcr-2) remains obscure in Hong Kong. As part of routine surveillance on emerging antibiotic resistance, we conducted a prospective study on this topic in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. From October 31 to November 25, 2016, all fecal specimens submitted for routine analysis were included in this surveillance study. These comprised 672 consecutive routine fecal specimens collected from 616 individuals. Fecal specimens were screened for colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae by culture-based method, and the presence of mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes in resistant isolates was identified by polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of mcr-1-possessing Escherichia coli strains was facilitated using Illumina® MiSeq® followed by sequence analysis with appropriate bioinformatics tools. Fourteen mcr-1-positive E. coli strains were isolated from 14 separate individuals (2.08% of total fecal specimens), with 9 of them being asymptomatic, healthy clients coming for health assessment. No mcr-2-possessing Enterobacteriaceae was identified. Colistin minimum inhibitory concentrations of these mcr-1-positive isolates ranged from 2 to 4 μg/mL. All these isolates were susceptible to carbapenems with 2 being extended spectrum β-lactamase producers. WGS data revealed that these isolates belonged to at least 12 different sequence types (STs) and possessed diversified plasmid replicons, virulence and acquired antibiotic resistance genes. Further study on an E. coli ST201 strain (Pasteur scheme) revealed coexistence of 47,818-bp IncP-1 and 33,309-bp IncX4 types of mcr-1 plasmids, which was a combination of stability and high transmissibility. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on human fecal carriage of Enterobacteriaceae possessing mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes in Hong Kong. Our data further revealed asymptomatic carriage of mcr-1-possessing

  1. HONESTY AND GOOD PRACTICE IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jože Trontelj

    2008-01-01

    public, but also mutual trust among scientiststhemselves. Moreover, false results and conclusions may mislead other scientists and usersof scientific achievements.European incentives have been launched to encourage awareness of ethical dimensionsof science, to accept and follow rules of good practice in scientific research and scholarship,and to set up mechanisms for investigating cases of alleged violation of good practice,misconduct and fraud. Most countries have codes of good scientific practice or otherwritten ethical standards of scientific research.Advantages of such codes include educational and preventive effects, they can increaseethical sensitivity of the individual researcher. On the other hand, a code of good scientificpractice can provide useful guidelines in evaluating complex situations. Finally, theknowledge that such codes exist and are used may increase public confidence in science.Complete prevention of dishonesty is equally impossible in science as it is in other walks oflife. However safeguards can and must be established. What is necessary is that not onlyevery individual scientist and scholar, but especially institutions of science – universities,research institutes, learned societies, scientific journals, funding organizations – developa consciousness of good scientific practice and apply it in their day-to-day work. On theother hand, environment fostering moral integrity in science should be created. An importantpart of this should be development of an evaluation system which is not based onquantity but rather on quality of scientific achievements. A national code of conduct andgood practice in scientific research is needed. A system of efficient handling cases of allegedmisconduct should be put in place. Special attention must be devoted to the education ofyoung scientists towards responsible research.

  2. 21 CFR 211.68 - Automatic, mechanical, and electronic equipment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE FOR FINISHED PHARMACEUTICALS Equipment § 211.68 Automatic, mechanical, and electronic equipment. (a) Automatic, mechanical, or electronic... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Automatic, mechanical, and electronic equipment...

  3. Paradoxes around good governance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.G. Dijkstra (Geske)

    2013-01-01

    textabstract Good governance is not a new concept Ambrogio Lorenzetti made his frescoes on good and bad governance already in the years 1338-1340 They can be viewed in the Palazzo Publicco on one of the most beautiful squares of the world, the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy I assume many of you

  4. "Act in Good Faith."

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKay, Robert B.

    1979-01-01

    It is argued that the Supreme Court's Bakke decision overturning the University of California's minority admissions program is good for those who favor affirmative action programs in higher education. The Supreme Court gives wide latitude for devising programs that take race and ethnic background into account if colleges are acting in good faith.…

  5. 42 CFR 93.210 - Good faith.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Good faith. 93.210 Section 93.210 Public Health... MISCONDUCT Definitions § 93.210 Good faith. Good faith as applied to a complainant or witness, means having a... allegation or cooperation with a research misconduct proceeding is not in good faith if made with knowing or...

  6. 76 FR 54657 - Migratory Bird Hunting; Early Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-01

    ... Migratory Game Birds in the Contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands... Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds in the Contiguous United States, Alaska...; migratory game birds in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and some extended falconry...

  7. 18 CFR 2.20 - Good faith requests for transmission services and good faith responses by transmitting utilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Good faith requests for transmission services and good faith responses by transmitting utilities. 2.20 Section 2.20 Conservation of... Power Act § 2.20 Good faith requests for transmission services and good faith responses by transmitting...

  8. An analogy of a magnetic mirror in mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lal, Amit; Badiger, Shrikrishna M

    2005-01-01

    The motion of a charged particle in a magnetic mirror device is compared to the motion of a bead spiralling into a smooth hollow cone. The complete solution of the motion of the bead is derived and physical aspects of the solution obtained are discussed. Similarities between the motion of the bead and that of a charged particle in a magnetic mirror device are pointed out. The effort is primarily aimed at enhancing the physical understanding of the mechanics of a charged particle in a magnetic mirror device and secondarily at proposing an equivalent mechanics problem, devoid of any electro-dynamical aspect but still possessing all the interesting features of the original problem. The proposed problem can be taught at upper-division undergraduate level

  9. Good question, nice answer, but why without happiness?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.C. Ott (Jan Cornelis)

    2013-01-01

    textabstractIn their book "How much is enough?" Robert and Edward Skidelsky observe that philosophers and societies have always been critical about greed and insatiability. The pursuit of money and possessions was always subordinated to higher ideals, which were associated with views on ‘the

  10. Conceptions of Good Teaching by Good Teachers: Case Studies from an Australian University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duarte, Fernanda P.

    2013-01-01

    This paper contributes to the debate on what constitutes good teaching in early 21st Century higher education, through an examination of the experience of five outstanding lecturers from a business school in an Australian university. It is based on a qualitative study that explored their perceptions on what constitutes "good teaching".…

  11. Asymmetric News Effects on Volatility: Good vs. Bad News in Good vs. Bad Times

    OpenAIRE

    Laakkonen, Helinä; Lanne, Markku

    2008-01-01

    We study the impact of positive and negative macroeconomic US and European news announcements in different phases of the business cycle on the highfrequency volatility of the EUR/USD exchange rate. The results suggest that in general bad news increases volatility more than good news. The news effects also depend on the state of the economy: bad news increases volatility more in good times than in bad times, while there is no difference between the volatility effects of good news in bad and go...

  12. A conserved mechanism for sulfonucleotide reduction.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kate S Carroll

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available Sulfonucleotide reductases are a diverse family of enzymes that catalyze the first committed step of reductive sulfur assimilation. In this reaction, activated sulfate in the context of adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (APS or 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS is converted to sulfite with reducing equivalents from thioredoxin. The sulfite generated in this reaction is utilized in bacteria and plants for the eventual production of essential biomolecules such as cysteine and coenzyme A. Humans do not possess a homologous metabolic pathway, and thus, these enzymes represent attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Here we studied the mechanism of sulfonucleotide reduction by APS reductase from the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using a combination of mass spectrometry and biochemical approaches. The results support the hypothesis of a two-step mechanism in which the sulfonucleotide first undergoes rapid nucleophilic attack to form an enzyme-thiosulfonate (E-Cys-S-SO(3- intermediate. Sulfite is then released in a thioredoxin-dependent manner. Other sulfonucleotide reductases from structurally divergent subclasses appear to use the same mechanism, suggesting that this family of enzymes has evolved from a common ancestor.

  13. 'She sort of shines': midwives' accounts of 'good' midwifery and 'good' leadership.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrom, Sheena; Downe, Soo

    2010-02-01

    to explore midwives' accounts of the characteristics of 'good' leadership and 'good' midwifery. a phenomenological interview survey. Participants were asked about what made both good and poor midwives and leaders. two maternity departments within National Health Service trusts in the North West of England. qualified midwives, selected by random sampling stratified to encompass senior and junior grades. thematic analysis, carried out manually. ten midwives were interviewed. Sixteen codes and six sub-themes were generated. Across the responses, two clear dimensions (themes) were identified, relating on the one hand to aspects of knowledge, skill and competence (termed 'skilled competence'), and on the other hand to specific personality characteristics (termed 'emotional intelligence'). This study suggests that the ability to act knowledgeably, safely and competently was seen as a basic requirement for both clinical midwives and midwife leaders. The added element which made both the midwife and the leader 'good' was the extent of their emotional capability. this small-scale in-depth study could form the basis for hypothesis generation for larger scale work in this area in future. The findings offer some reinforcement for the potential applicability of theories of transformational leadership to midwifery management and practice. Copyright 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Green marketing, renewables, and free riders: increasing customer demand for a public good

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wiser, R.; Pickle, S.

    1997-09-01

    Retail electricity competition will allow customers to select their own power suppliers and some customers will make purchase decisions based, in part, on their concern for the environment. Green power marketing targets these customers under the assumption that they will pay a premium for ``green`` energy products such as renewable power generation. But renewable energy is not a traditional product because it supplies public goods; for example, a customer supporting renewable energy is unable to capture the environmental benefits that their investment provides to non-participating customers. As with all public goods, there is a risk that few customers will purchase ``green`` power and that many will instead ``free ride`` on others` participation. By free riding, an individual is able to enjoy the benefits of the public good while avoiding payment. This report reviews current green power marketing activities in the electric industry, introduces the extensive academic literature on public goods, free riders, and collective action problems, and explores in detail the implications of this literature for the green marketing of renewable energy. Specifically, the authors highlight the implications of the public goods literature for green power product design and marketing communications strategies. They emphasize four mechanisms that marketers can use to increase customer demand for renewable energy. Though the public goods literature can also contribute insights into the potential rationale for renewable energy policies, they leave most of these implications for future work (see Appendix A for a possible research agenda).

  15. A Mechanism for Fair Distribution of Resources without Payments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christoforou, Evgenia; Anta, Antonio Fernández; Santos, Agustín

    2016-01-01

    We design a mechanism for Fair and Efficient Distribution of Resources (FEDoR) in the presence of strategic agents. We consider a multiple-instances, Bayesian setting, where in each round the preference of an agent over the set of resources is a private information. We assume that in each of r rounds n agents are competing for k non-identical indivisible goods, (n > k). In each round the strategic agents declare how much they value receiving any of the goods in the specific round. The agent declaring the highest valuation receives the good with the highest value, the agent with the second highest valuation receives the second highest valued good, etc. Hence we assume a decision function that assigns goods to agents based on their valuations. The novelty of the mechanism is that no payment scheme is required to achieve truthfulness in a setting with rational/strategic agents. The FEDoR mechanism takes advantage of the repeated nature of the framework, and through a statistical test is able to punish the misreporting agents and be fair, truthful, and socially efficient. FEDoR is fair in the sense that, in expectation over the course of the rounds, all agents will receive the same good the same amount of times. FEDoR is an eligible candidate for applications that require fair distribution of resources over time. For example, equal share of bandwidth for nodes through the same point of access. But further on, FEDoR can be applied in less trivial settings like sponsored search, where payment is necessary and can be given in the form of a flat participation fee. FEDoR can be a good candidate in a setting like that to solve the problem of starvation of publicity slots for some advertisers that have a difficult time determining their true valuations. To this extent we perform a comparison with traditional mechanisms applied to sponsored search, presenting the advantage of FEDoR. PMID:27227992

  16. A Mechanism for Fair Distribution of Resources without Payments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christoforou, Evgenia; Anta, Antonio Fernández; Santos, Agustín

    2016-01-01

    We design a mechanism for Fair and Efficient Distribution of Resources (FEDoR) in the presence of strategic agents. We consider a multiple-instances, Bayesian setting, where in each round the preference of an agent over the set of resources is a private information. We assume that in each of r rounds n agents are competing for k non-identical indivisible goods, (n > k). In each round the strategic agents declare how much they value receiving any of the goods in the specific round. The agent declaring the highest valuation receives the good with the highest value, the agent with the second highest valuation receives the second highest valued good, etc. Hence we assume a decision function that assigns goods to agents based on their valuations. The novelty of the mechanism is that no payment scheme is required to achieve truthfulness in a setting with rational/strategic agents. The FEDoR mechanism takes advantage of the repeated nature of the framework, and through a statistical test is able to punish the misreporting agents and be fair, truthful, and socially efficient. FEDoR is fair in the sense that, in expectation over the course of the rounds, all agents will receive the same good the same amount of times. FEDoR is an eligible candidate for applications that require fair distribution of resources over time. For example, equal share of bandwidth for nodes through the same point of access. But further on, FEDoR can be applied in less trivial settings like sponsored search, where payment is necessary and can be given in the form of a flat participation fee. FEDoR can be a good candidate in a setting like that to solve the problem of starvation of publicity slots for some advertisers that have a difficult time determining their true valuations. To this extent we perform a comparison with traditional mechanisms applied to sponsored search, presenting the advantage of FEDoR.

  17. A Mechanism for Fair Distribution of Resources without Payments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evgenia Christoforou

    Full Text Available We design a mechanism for Fair and Efficient Distribution of Resources (FEDoR in the presence of strategic agents. We consider a multiple-instances, Bayesian setting, where in each round the preference of an agent over the set of resources is a private information. We assume that in each of r rounds n agents are competing for k non-identical indivisible goods, (n > k. In each round the strategic agents declare how much they value receiving any of the goods in the specific round. The agent declaring the highest valuation receives the good with the highest value, the agent with the second highest valuation receives the second highest valued good, etc. Hence we assume a decision function that assigns goods to agents based on their valuations. The novelty of the mechanism is that no payment scheme is required to achieve truthfulness in a setting with rational/strategic agents. The FEDoR mechanism takes advantage of the repeated nature of the framework, and through a statistical test is able to punish the misreporting agents and be fair, truthful, and socially efficient. FEDoR is fair in the sense that, in expectation over the course of the rounds, all agents will receive the same good the same amount of times. FEDoR is an eligible candidate for applications that require fair distribution of resources over time. For example, equal share of bandwidth for nodes through the same point of access. But further on, FEDoR can be applied in less trivial settings like sponsored search, where payment is necessary and can be given in the form of a flat participation fee. FEDoR can be a good candidate in a setting like that to solve the problem of starvation of publicity slots for some advertisers that have a difficult time determining their true valuations. To this extent we perform a comparison with traditional mechanisms applied to sponsored search, presenting the advantage of FEDoR.

  18. 78 FR 53199 - Migratory Bird Hunting; Early Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-28

    ... Migratory Game Birds in the Contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands... Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds in the Contiguous United States... seasons; migratory game birds in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; youth waterfowl day...

  19. 77 FR 53751 - Migratory Bird Hunting; Early Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-08-31

    ... Migratory Game Birds in the Contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands... Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds in the Contiguous United States... seasons; migratory game birds in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; youth waterfowl day...

  20. Bacillus sp.CDB3 isolated from cattle dip-sites possesses two ars gene clusters

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Somanath Bhat; Xi Luo; Zhiqiang Xu; Lixia Liu; Ren Zhang

    2011-01-01

    Contamination of soil and water by arsenic is a global problem.In Australia, the dipping of cattle in arsenic-containing solution to control cattle ticks in last centenary has left many sites heavily contaminated with arsenic and other toxicants.We had previously isolated five soil bacterial strains (CDB1-5) highly resistant to arsenic.To understand the resistance mechanism, molecular studies have been carried out.Two chromosome-encoded arsenic resistance (ars) gene clusters have been cloned from CDB3 (Bacillus sp.).They both function in Escherichia coli and cluster 1 exerts a much higher resistance to the toxic metalloid.Cluster 2 is smaller possessing four open reading frames (ORFs) arsRorf2BC, similar to that identified in Bacillus subtilis Skin element.Among the eight ORFs in cluster 1 five are analogs of common ars genes found in other bacteria, however, organized in a unique order arsRBCDA instead of arsRDABC.Three other putative genes are located directly downstream and designated as arsTIP based on the homologies of their theoretical translation sequences respectively to thioredoxin reductases, iron-sulphur cluster proteins and protein phosphatases.The latter two are novel of any known ars operons.The arsD gene from Bacillus species was cloned for the first time and the predict protein differs from the well studied E.coli ArsD by lacking two pairs of C-terrninal cysteine residues.Its functional involvement in arsenic resistance has been confirmed by a deletion experiment.There exists also an inverted repeat in the intergenic region between arsC and arsD implying some unknown transcription regulation.

  1. Lack of basic and luxury goods and health-related dysfunction in older persons; Findings from the longitudinal SMILE study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kempen Gertrudis IJM

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background More so than the traditional socioeconomic indicators, such as education and income, wealth reflects the accumulation of resources and makes socioeconomic ranking manifest and explicitly visible to the outside world. While the lack of basic goods, such as a refrigerator, may affect health directly, via biological pathways, the lack of luxury goods, such as an LCD television, may affect health indirectly through psychosocial mechanisms. We set out to examine, firstly, the relevance of both basic and luxury goods in explaining health-related dysfunction in older persons, and, secondly, the extent to which these associations are independent of traditional socioeconomic indicators. Methods Cross-sectional and longitudinal data from 2067 men and women aged 55 years and older who participated in the Study on Medical Information and Lifestyles Eindhoven (SMILE were gathered. Logistic regression analyses were used to study the relation between a lack of basic and luxury goods and health-related function, assessed with two sub-domains of the SF-36. Results The lack of basic goods was closely related to incident physical (OR = 2.32 and mental (OR = 2.12 dysfunction, even when the traditional measures of socioeconomic status, i.e. education or income, were taken into account. Cross-sectional analyses, in which basic and luxury goods were compared, showed that the lack of basic goods was strongly associated with mental dysfunction. Lack of luxury goods was, however, not related to dysfunction. Conclusion Even in a relatively wealthy country like the Netherlands, the lack of certain basic goods is not uncommon. More importantly, lack of basic goods, as an indicator of wealth, was strongly related to health-related dysfunction also when traditional measures of socioeconomic status were taken into account. In contrast, no effects of luxury goods on physical or mental dysfunction were found. Future longitudinal research is necessary to

  2. Extreme Pressure Synergistic Mechanism of Bismuth Naphthenate and Sulfurized Isobutene Additives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xin; Hu, Jianqiang; Yang, Shizhao; Xie, Feng; Guo, Li

    A four-ball tester was used to evaluate the tribological performances of bismuth naphthenate (BiNap), sulfurized isobutene (VSB), and their combinations. The results show that the antiwear properties of BiNap and VSB are not very visible, but they possess good extreme pressure (EP) properties, particularly sulfur containing bismuth additives. Synergistic EP properties of BiNap with various sulfur-containing additives were investigated. The results indicate that BiNap exhibits good EP synergism with sulfur-containing additives. The surface analytical tools, such as X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), were used to investigate the topography, composition contents, and depth profile of some typical elements on the rubbing surface. Smooth topography of wear scar further confirms that the additive showed good EP capacities, and XPS and EDX analyzes indicate that tribochemical mixed protective films composed of bismuth, bismuth oxides, sulfides, and sulfates are formed on the rubbing surface, which improves the tribological properties of lubricants. In particular, a large number of bismuth atoms and bismuth sulfides play an important role in improving the EP properties of oils.

  3. Good Faith

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fomcenco, Alex

    2017-01-01

    This article outlines the current state of law in Canada in respect to good faith in contratial relations. The topic is highly relevant due to expected growth in the numbers of contracts concluded between European and Canadian enterprises in the wake of adoption of the Comprehensive Economic...

  4. A practical iterative PID tuning method for mechanical systems using parameter chart

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, M.; Cheong, J.; Do, H. M.; Son, Y.; Niculescu, S.-I.

    2017-10-01

    In this paper, we propose a method of iterative proportional-integral-derivative parameter tuning for mechanical systems that possibly possess hidden mechanical resonances, using a parameter chart which visualises the closed-loop characteristics in a 2D parameter space. We employ a hypothetical assumption that the considered mechanical systems have their upper limit of the derivative feedback gain, from which the feasible region in the parameter chart becomes fairly reduced and thus the gain selection can be extremely simplified. Then, a two-directional parameter search is carried out within the feasible region in order to find the best set of parameters. Experimental results show the validity of the assumption used and the proposed parameter tuning method.

  5. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND TRANSFORMATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans-Jürgen WAGENER

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Transformation of a totalitarian, basically administratively coordinated system into a democratic one that is coordinated predominantly by markets and competition has been triggered by, among others, the perception of a serious deficit in welfare and happiness. Public policy has a special task transforming the economic order by liberalisation, privatisation, stabilisation and the installation of institutions that are supportive for competition. After 15 years since transformation began, there are sufficiently differentiated success stories to test the hypothesis: it was good governance that is responsible for success and bad governance for failure. The empirical results support the “Lorenzetti hypothesis”: where freedom, security and trust prevail, the economy flourishes, where they are lacking, the costs of long-term investment are too high. The initial conditions of transition countries seem to be quite similar, nevertheless, even there one can discern good and bad governance. The extent of socialist lawfulness, planning security, cronyism and corruption differed widely between East Berlin and Tashkent. And a good deal of such variations can be found in the pre-socialist history of these countries. However, the main conclusion is that the co-evolution hypothesis states that both, welfare and good governance, go together.

  6. TENDENCIES OF REGIONAL ELITE GOODS MARKET DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.I. Tatarkin

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available During the period of planned economy only a limited section of society with high social status had an access to elite goods in our country. At present an access to these goods is not regulated, and elite goods trade market in Russia is developing rapidly. In the article the essence of "elite good" and "regional elite goods market" concepts is defined, the classification of elite goods markets is given, also the main factors and tendencies of elite goods market development in the Ural Region is analyzed.

  7. Evaluating relative contribution of osmotolerance and tissue tolerance mechanisms toward salinity stress tolerance in three Brassica species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Koushik; Bose, Jayakumar; Shabala, Lana; Eyles, Alieta; Shabala, Sergey

    2016-10-01

    Three different species of Brassica, with differential salt sensitivity were used to understand physiological mechanisms of salt tolerance operating in these species and to evaluate the relative contribution of different strategies to cope with salt load. Brassica napus was the most tolerant species in terms of the overall performance, with Brassica juncea and Brassica oleracea being much more sensitive to salt stress with no obvious difference between them. While prominent reduction in net CO2 assimilation was observed in both sensitive species, physiological mechanisms beyond this reduction differed strongly. Brassica juncea plants possessed high osmotolerance and were able to maintain high transpiration rate but showed a significant reduction in leaf chlorophyll content and efficiency of leaf photochemistry. On the contrary, B. oleracea plants possessed the highest (among the three species) tissue tolerance but showed a very significant stomatal limitation of photosynthesis. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that the high tissue tolerance in B. oleracea was related to the ability of leaf mesophyll cells to maintain highly negative membrane potential in the presence of high apoplastic Na(+) . In addition to high osmotolerance, the most tolerant B. napus showed also lesser accumulation of toxic Na(+) and Cl(-) in the leaf, possessed moderate tissue tolerance and had a superior K(+) retention ability. Taken together, the results from this study indicate that the three Brassica species employ very different mechanisms to cope with salinity and, despite its overall sensitivity to salinity, B. oleracea could be recommended as a valuable 'donor' of tissue tolerance genes to confer this trait for marker-assisted breeding programs. © 2016 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  8. Who is good at this game? Linking an activity to a social category undermines children's achievement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cimpian, Andrei; Mu, Yan; Erickson, Lucy C

    2012-05-01

    Children's achievement-related theories have a profound impact on their academic success. Children who adopt entity theories believe that their ability to perform a task is dictated by the amount of natural talent they possess for that task--a belief that has well-documented adverse consequences for their achievement (e.g., lowered persistence, impaired performance). It is thus important to understand what leads children to adopt entity theories. In the experiments reported here, we hypothesized that the mere act of linking success at an unfamiliar, challenging activity to a social group gives rise to entity beliefs that are so powerful as to interfere with children's ability to perform the activity. Two experiments showed that, as predicted, the performance of 4- to 7-year-olds (N = 192) was impaired by exposure to information that associated success in the task at hand with membership in a certain social group (e.g., "boys are good at this game"), regardless of whether the children themselves belonged to that group.

  9. Quantum mechanics selected topics

    CERN Document Server

    Perelomov, Askold Mikhailovich

    1998-01-01

    It can serve as a good supplement to any quantum mechanics textbook, filling the gap between standard textbooks and higher-level books on the one hand and journal articles on the other. This book provides a detailed treatment of the scattering theory, multidimensional quasi-classical approximation, non-stationary problems for oscillators and the theory of unstable particles. It will be useful for postgraduate students and researchers who wish to find new, interesting information hidden in the depths of non-relativistic quantum mechanics.

  10. Quantum mechanics of black holes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witten, Edward

    2012-08-03

    The popular conception of black holes reflects the behavior of the massive black holes found by astronomers and described by classical general relativity. These objects swallow up whatever comes near and emit nothing. Physicists who have tried to understand the behavior of black holes from a quantum mechanical point of view, however, have arrived at quite a different picture. The difference is analogous to the difference between thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The thermodynamic description is a good approximation for a macroscopic system, but statistical mechanics describes what one will see if one looks more closely.

  11. Draft Genome Sequence of Methyloferula stellata AR4, an Obligate Methanotroph Possessing Only a Soluble Methane Monooxygenase

    OpenAIRE

    Dedysh, Svetlana N.; Naumoff, Daniil G.; Vorobev, Alexey V.; Kyrpides, Nikos; Woyke, Tanja; Shapiro, Nicole; Crombie, Andrew T.; Murrell, J. Colin; Kalyuzhnaya, Marina G.; Smirnova, Angela V.; Dunfield, Peter F.

    2015-01-01

    Methyloferula stellata AR4 is an aerobic acidophilic methanotroph, which, in contrast to most known methanotrophs but similar to Methylocella spp., possesses only a soluble methane monooxygenase. However, it differs from Methylocella spp. by its inability to grow on multicarbon substrates. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this bacterium.

  12. Fabrication of ceramic dispersoid reinforcement by using mechanical activation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Ji Soon; Kim, Jin Chun

    2010-07-01

    For fabrication of ceramic dispersoid with good wettability, disreputably and homogeneity to metal melt by Mechanical Surface Activation method the followings have been investigated: (1) Processing optimization for surface activation of ceramic dispersoids by mechanical activation (mechanical alloying) (2) Wetting behavior of mechanically-activated ceramic dispersoids (3) Effect of second element on the improvement of wettability and dispersibility

  13. IMPLEMENTASI GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SEBAGAI UPAYA MEMINIMALKAN EKSPROPRIASI DALAM MENINGKATKAN KINERJA PERUSAHAAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dito Rinaldo

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research is to analyze does good corporate governance mechanism had a good function in order to solve the agents problem in Indonesia such as the ekspropriation to minority share holders through panel data regression. The result of this research is institutional and managerial ownership had a positive influence to MLO but not to NPM. Meanwhile, the institutional ownership had a negative influence to PP, this result has a justification that there had been an expropriation in the company. The managerial ownership variable had a positive influence to PP, this result shown that the debt establishment had pushed the company to incrase the income for paying the fixed cost such as interest. DOI: 10.15408/etk.v11i2.1889

  14. A novel aluminum based nanocomposite with high strength and good ductility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ramezanalizadeh, Hossein, E-mail: hralizadeh@ut.ac.ir [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Emamy, Masoud [School of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokouhimehr, Mohammadreza [School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-11-15

    Aluminum based nanocomposite containing nano-sized Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2} reinforcing was fabricated via mechanical milling followed by hot extrusion techniques. For this, Al and Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2} powders were mixed mechanically and milled at different times (0, 2, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 h) to achieve Al–10 wt.% Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2} composite powders. Hot extrusion of cold pressed powders was done at 400 °C with extrusion ratio of 6:1. Microstructures of the powders and consolidated materials were studied using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. Fracture surfaces were also investigated by scanning electron microscopy equipped with EDS analyzer. The results showed that an increase in milling time caused to reduce the grain size unlike the lattice strain of Al matrix. In addition, the fabricated composites exhibited homogeneous distribution and less agglomerations of the n-Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2} with increasing milling time. The mechanical behavior of these nanocomposites was investigated by hardness and tensile tests, which revealed it has four times the strength of a conventional Al along with good ductility. It was found that the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation of the nanocomposites were significantly improved with increases in milling time up to 15 h. This improvement was attributed to the grain refinement strengthening and homogeneous distribution of the n-Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2}. Fracture surfaces showed that the interfacial bonding between Al and Al{sub 3}Mg{sub 2} could be improved with increasing in milling time. Also HRTEM results from interface showed that a metallurgical clean interface and intimate contact between matrix and second phase. By extending the milling process up to 20 h, there was no significant improvement in mechanical behavior of materials, due to the completion of milling process and dynamic and static recovery of composite at higher milling times. - Highlights: • A novel aluminum

  15. Conspicuous Public Goods and Leadership Selection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jennings, C.; Roelfsema, H.J.

    If voters care for the relative supply of public goods compared to otherjurisdictions, decentralized provision of public goods will be too high.Potentially, centralization internalizes the negative externalities fromthe production of these `conspicuous' public goods. However, in amodel of strategic

  16. Good governance as perceived by Dabawenyos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian M. Tamayo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The debate on good governance had shaped public policies of many governments. This study was conducted to obtain latent perspectives of good governance. A survey was conducted using two-stage cluster sampling in the first congressional district of Davao City involving 351 respondents. Findings reveal that the notion of good governance of Dabawenyos is primarily a government to implement the rule of law; peace and order is a necessity to facilitate market efficiency. Also, it was found that political leadership creates notions of good governance; public bestowed power to its political leaders as a matter of trust. On the other hand, leaders incorporate soft and hard forms of power in delegating powers without losing control, causing a widespread and significant impact on the formation and development of Davao’s perspectives of good governance. This is the rubber band effect of good governance leadership.

  17. Mechanical rebar splicing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milosavljević Branko

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Different mechanical rebar splicing systems are presented, and design situations where mechanical splicing has advantage over reinforcement splicing by overlapping and welding are defined in this paper. New international standards for testing and proof of systems for mechanical rebar splicing quality are considered. Mechanical splicing system for rebar and bolt connection, usable in steel and reinforced concrete structural elements connections, is presented in this paper. There are only few examples of mechanical rebar splicing in our country. The most significant one - the pylon and beam connection at Ada Bridge in Belgrade is presented in the paper. Intensive development of production and use of mechanical rebar splicing systems, research in this area, as well as the publication of international standards prescribing requirements for quality and procedures for proof of quality, represent very good base for development of the corresponding technical norms in Serbia. The legislation in this area would quicken proof of quality procedures, attest and approval issuing for individual products, leading to wider use of this system in all situations where it is in advantage over the classical reinforcement splicing.

  18. Evolution of global contribution in multi-level threshold public goods games with insurance compensation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Jinming; Tang, Lixin

    2018-01-01

    Understanding voluntary contribution in threshold public goods games has important practical implications. To improve contributions and provision frequency, free-rider problem and assurance problem should be solved. Insurance could play a significant, but largely unrecognized, role in facilitating a contribution to provision of public goods through providing insurance compensation against the losses. In this paper, we study how insurance compensation mechanism affects individuals’ decision-making under risk environments. We propose a multi-level threshold public goods game model where two kinds of public goods games (local and global) are considered. Particularly, the global public goods game involves a threshold, which is related to the safety of all the players. We theoretically probe the evolution of contributions of different levels and free-riders, and focus on the influence of the insurance on the global contribution. We explore, in both the cases, the scenarios that only global contributors could buy insurance and all the players could. It is found that with greater insurance compensation, especially under high collective risks, players are more likely to contribute globally when only global contributors are insured. On the other hand, global contribution could be promoted if a premium discount is given to global contributors when everyone buys insurance.

  19. Tomato leaves methanol extract possesses anti- inflammatory ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GREGORY

    2011-12-16

    Dec 16, 2011 ... demonstrated, the anti-inflammatory effect of tomato leaves and its associated molecular mechanisms have not yet .... dissolved in 10% of culture-grade dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO; Sigma-. Aldrich .... In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol.

  20. Does the copolymer poly(vinylidene cyanide-tricyanoethylene) possess piezoelectricity?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhi-Yin; Su, Ke-He; Xu, Qiong

    2012-10-01

    The geometry, energy, internal rotation barrier, dipole moment, and molecular polarizability of the α- and β-chain models of poly(vinylidene cyanide-tricyanoethylene) [P(VDCN-TrCN)] were studied with density functional theory at the B3PW91/6-31G(d) level. The effects of the chain length and the TrCN content on the copolymer chain stability, the chain conformation, and the electrical properties of P(VDCN-TrCN) were examined and compared with those of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) and PVDCN to gauge whether P(VDCN-TrCN) would be expected to possess substantial piezoelectricity. The results of this study showed that the stability of the β conformation increases and the energy difference per monomer unit between the β- and α-chains decreases with increasing TrCN. However, introducing TrCN into VDCN will not significantly enhance the radius of curvature of the P(VDCN-TrCN) chains. The average dipole moment per monomer unit in the β-chain is affected by the chain curvature and the TrCN content. The amount of piezoelectricity present in P(VDCN-TrCN) is slightly smaller than that in PVDCN, and is less than that in poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene).

  1. Novel β-amyloid aggregation inhibitors possessing a turn mimic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamada, Yoshio; Miyamoto, Naoko; Kiso, Yoshiaki

    2015-04-01

    Amyloid β peptide, the main component of senile plaques found in the brain of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, is a molecular target for AD therapeutic intervention. A number of potential AD therapeutics have been reported, including inhibitors of β-secretase, γ-secretase, and Aβ aggregation, and anti-amyloid agents, such as neprilysin, insulin degrading enzyme (IDE), and Aβ antibodies. Recently, we reported potent small-sized β-secretase (BACE1) inhibitors, which could serve as anti-AD drugs. However AD is a progressive disorder, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over several decades, and therefore may require many years to get cured. One possible way to achieve a greater therapeutic effect is through simultaneous administration of multiple drugs, similar to those used in Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) used to treat AIDS. In order to overcome AD, we took a drug discovery approach to evaluate, novel β-amyloid aggregation inhibitors. Previously, we reported that a tong-type compound possessing a turn mimic as the inhibitor of HIV-1 protease dimerization. Oligomerized amyloid β peptides contain a turn structure within the molecule. Here, we designed and synthesized novel β-amyloid aggregation inhibitors with a turn-mimic template, based on the turn conformer of the oligomerized amyloid β peptides. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Wearable supercapacitors on polyethylene terephthalate fabrics with good wash fastness and high flexibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guixia; Babaahmadi, Vahid; He, Nanfei; Liu, Yixin; Pan, Qin; Montazer, Majid; Gao, Wei

    2017-11-01

    All solid-state micro-supercapacitors (MSC) have emerged as attractive energy-storage units for portable and wearable electronics. Here, we describe a textile-based solid-state MSC via laser scribing of graphene oxide (GO) coatings on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric. The laser-scribed graphene oxide layers (LGO) possess three-dimensionally porous structure suitable for electrochemical-double-layer formation. To improve the wash fastness and the flexibility of the as-prepared MSCs, glutaraldehyde (GA) was employed to crosslink the GO layers and PVA-gel electrolyte onto the PET fabric. The resultant all solid-state MSCs exhibited excellent flexibility, high areal specific capacitance (756 μF·cm-2 at 20 mV·s-1), and good rate capability when subject to bending and laundering. Furthermore, the MSC device showed a high power density of about 1.4 W·cm-3 and an energy density of 5.3 × 10-5 Wh·cm-3, and retained 98.3% of its initial capacitance after 1000 cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA·cm-2. This work is the first demonstration of in-plane MSCs on PET fabric surfaces with enhanced durability and flexibility.

  3. Microstructure and mechanical properties of plasma sprayed HA/YSZ/Ti-6Al-4V composite coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khor, K A; Gu, Y W; Pan, D; Cheang, P

    2004-08-01

    Plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings on titanium alloy substrate have been used extensively due to their excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. However, the erratic bond strength between HA and Ti alloy has raised concern over the long-term reliability of the implant. In this paper, HA/yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/Ti-6Al-4V composite coatings that possess superior mechanical properties to conventional plasma sprayed HA coatings were developed. Ti-6Al-4V powders coated with fine YSZ and HA particles were prepared through a unique ceramic slurry mixing method. The so-formed composite powder was employed as feedstock for plasma spraying of the HA/YSZ/Ti-6Al-4V coatings. The influence of net plasma energy, plasma spray standoff distance, and post-spray heat treatment on microstructure, phase composition and mechanical properties were investigated. Results showed that coatings prepared with the optimum plasma sprayed condition showed a well-defined splat structure. HA/YSZ/Ti-6Al-4V solid solution was formed during plasma spraying which was beneficial for the improvement of mechanical properties. There was no evidence of Ti oxidation from the successful processing of YSZ and HA coated Ti-6Al-4V composite powders. Small amount of CaO apart from HA, ZrO(2) and Ti was present in the composite coatings. The microhardness, Young's modulus, fracture toughness, and bond strength increased significantly with the addition of YSZ. Post-spray heat treatment at 600 degrees C and 700 degrees C for up to 12h was found to further improve the mechanical properties of coatings. After the post-spray heat treatment, 17.6% increment in Young's modulus (E) and 16.3% increment in Vicker's hardness were achieved. The strengthening mechanisms of HA/YSZ/Ti-6Al-4V composite coatings were related to the dispersion strengthening by homogeneous distribution of YSZ particles in the matrix, the good mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V and the formation of solid solution among HA

  4. An evolutionary model of cooperation, fairness and altruistic punishment in public good games.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moritz Hetzer

    Full Text Available We identify and explain the mechanisms that account for the emergence of fairness preferences and altruistic punishment in voluntary contribution mechanisms by combining an evolutionary perspective together with an expected utility model. We aim at filling a gap between the literature on the theory of evolution applied to cooperation and punishment, and the empirical findings from experimental economics. The approach is motivated by previous findings on other-regarding behavior, the co-evolution of culture, genes and social norms, as well as bounded rationality. Our first result reveals the emergence of two distinct evolutionary regimes that force agents to converge either to a defection state or to a state of coordination, depending on the predominant set of self- or other-regarding preferences. Our second result indicates that subjects in laboratory experiments of public goods games with punishment coordinate and punish defectors as a result of an aversion against disadvantageous inequitable outcomes. Our third finding identifies disadvantageous inequity aversion as evolutionary dominant and stable in a heterogeneous population of agents endowed initially only with purely self-regarding preferences. We validate our model using previously obtained results from three independently conducted experiments of public goods games with punishment.

  5. An evolutionary model of cooperation, fairness and altruistic punishment in public good games.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hetzer, Moritz; Sornette, Didier

    2013-01-01

    We identify and explain the mechanisms that account for the emergence of fairness preferences and altruistic punishment in voluntary contribution mechanisms by combining an evolutionary perspective together with an expected utility model. We aim at filling a gap between the literature on the theory of evolution applied to cooperation and punishment, and the empirical findings from experimental economics. The approach is motivated by previous findings on other-regarding behavior, the co-evolution of culture, genes and social norms, as well as bounded rationality. Our first result reveals the emergence of two distinct evolutionary regimes that force agents to converge either to a defection state or to a state of coordination, depending on the predominant set of self- or other-regarding preferences. Our second result indicates that subjects in laboratory experiments of public goods games with punishment coordinate and punish defectors as a result of an aversion against disadvantageous inequitable outcomes. Our third finding identifies disadvantageous inequity aversion as evolutionary dominant and stable in a heterogeneous population of agents endowed initially only with purely self-regarding preferences. We validate our model using previously obtained results from three independently conducted experiments of public goods games with punishment.

  6. The Relational Nature of the Good

    OpenAIRE

    Korsgaard, Christine M.

    2013-01-01

    This chapter argues that the relation of being good-for someone is prior to the property of being good. After discussing the views of Moore, Geach, Foot, and Rawls, the author argues that there are final goods because there are conscious animals. Hedonists also believe this, but think of goodness as an intrinsic property of certain conscious states—pleasant ones. This is because they mistake pleasure for sensation and so for an object of experience. After advancing an alternative conception o...

  7. Children enacting idioms of witchcraft and spirit possession as a response to trauma: therapeutically beneficial, and for whom?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reis, R.

    2013-01-01

    This article examines children’s enactment of spirit possession idioms and witchcraft in Africa including the meanings such idioms provide and the local healing resources they mobilize. Idioms of haunting spirits in Northern Uganda and witch-children elsewhere in Africa can be interpreted as

  8. Isovanillin derived N-(un)substituted hydroxylamines possessing an ortho-allylic group: valuable precursors to bioactive N-heterocycles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulla, Balakrishna; Tangellamudi, Neelima D; Balasubramanian, Sridhar; Yellanki, Swapna; Medishetti, Raghavender; Kumar Banote, Rakesh; Hari Chaudhari, Girish; Kulkarni, Pushkar; Iqbal, Javed; Reiser, Oliver; Pal, Manojit

    2014-04-28

    The intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of isovanillin derived N-aryl hydroxylamines possessing ortho-allylic dipolarophiles affords novel benzo analogues of tricyclic isoxazolidines that can be readily transformed into functionalized lactams, γ-aminoalcohols and oxazepines. The corresponding N-unsubstituted hydroxylamines give rise to tetrahydroisoquinolines. Anxiogenic properties of these compounds are tested in zebra fish.

  9. Learning from evolutionary optimisation: what are toughening mechanisms good for in dentine, a nonrepairing bone tissue?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaslansky, Paul; Currey, John D; Fleck, Claudia

    2016-09-12

    The main mass of material found in teeth is dentine, a bone-like tissue, riddled with micron-sized tubules and devoid of living cells. It provides support to the outer wear-resistant layer of enamel, and exhibits toughening mechanisms which contribute to crack resistance. And yet unlike most bone tissues, dentine does not remodel and consequently any accumulated damage does not 'self repair'. Because damage containment followed by tissue replacement is a prime reason for the crack-arresting microstructures found in most bones, the occurrence of toughening mechanisms without the biological capability to repair is puzzling. Here we consider the notion that dentine might be overdesigned for strength, because it has to compensate for the lack of cell-mediated healing mechanisms. Based on our own and on literature-reported observations, including quasistatic and fatigue properties, dentine design principles are discussed in light of the functional conditions under which teeth evolved. We conclude that dentine is only slightly overdesigned for everyday cyclic loading because usual mastication stresses may come close to its endurance strength. The in-built toughening mechanisms constitute an evolutionary benefit because they prevent catastrophic failure during rare overload events, which was probably very advantageous in our hunter gatherer ancestor times. From a bio-inspired perspective, understanding the extent of evolutionary overdesign might be useful for optimising biomimetic structures used for load bearing.

  10. Calculating the C operator in PT-symmetric quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bender, C.M.

    2004-01-01

    It has recently been shown that a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian H possessing an unbroken PT-symmetry (i) has a real spectrum that is bounded below, and (ii) defines a unitary theory of quantum mechanics with positive norm. The proof of unitarity requires a linear operator C, which was originally defined as a sum over the eigenfunctions of H. However, using this definition it is cumbersome to calculate C in quantum mechanics and impossible in quantum field theory. An alternative method is devised here for calculating C directly in terms of the operator dynamical variables of the quantum theory. This new method is general and applies to a variety of quantum mechanical systems having several degrees of freedom. More importantly, this method can be used to calculate the C operator in quantum field theory. The C operator is a new time-independent observable in PT-symmetric quantum field theory. (author)

  11. A Mini Review on Nanocarbon-Based 1D Macroscopic Fibers:Assembly Strategies and Mechanical Properties

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Liang Kou; Yingjun Liu; Cheng Zhang; Le Shao; Zhanyuan Tian; Zengshe Deng; Chao Gao

    2017-01-01

    Nanocarbon-based materials, such as carbon nanotubes(CNTs) and graphene have been attached much attention by scientific and industrial community. As two representative nanocarbon materials, one-dimensional CNTs and twodimensional graphene both possess remarkable mechanical properties. In the past years, a large amount of work have been done by using CNTs or graphene as building blocks for constructing novel, macroscopic, mechanically strong fibrous materials. In this review, we summarize the assembly approaches of CNT-based fibers and graphene-based fibers in chronological order, respectively. The mechanical performances of these fibrous materials are compared, and the critical influences on the mechanical properties are discussed. Personal perspectives on the fabrication methods of CNT-and graphene-based fibers are further presented.

  12. Assessing the Degree of Possessing Study Skills by the Students of Tafila Technical University from Their Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Roud, Atallah A.; Thawabiah, Ahmad

    2016-01-01

    The study aimed to identify the degree of possessing study skills (SS) by the students of Tafila Technical (TTU) University from their perspectives. The population of the study consisted of 5015 students in TTU for the second semester of the academic year 2015/2016. The sample of the study was chosen randomly from the population of the study with…

  13. Draft Genome Sequence of Methyloferula stellata AR4, an Obligate Methanotroph Possessing Only a Soluble Methane Monooxygenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dedysh, Svetlana N; Naumoff, Daniil G; Vorobev, Alexey V; Kyrpides, Nikos; Woyke, Tanja; Shapiro, Nicole; Crombie, Andrew T; Murrell, J Colin; Kalyuzhnaya, Marina G; Smirnova, Angela V; Dunfield, Peter F

    2015-03-05

    Methyloferula stellata AR4 is an aerobic acidophilic methanotroph, which, in contrast to most known methanotrophs but similar to Methylocella spp., possesses only a soluble methane monooxygenase. However, it differs from Methylocella spp. by its inability to grow on multicarbon substrates. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this bacterium. Copyright © 2015 Dedysh et al.

  14. Modern Welfare and ‘Good Old’ Philanthropy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villadsen, Kaspar

    2011-01-01

    This article identifies a number of parallels between nineteenth-century philanthropy and contemporary social work that have so far received little attention in the ongoing debate on the relation between philanthropy and modern welfare. While adopting a critical perspective on social philanthropy...... importantly, the philanthropists gave twentieth-century social policy a recipient who is not a subject of formal rights, but possesses a series of social duties and responsibilities....

  15. Advanced intelligence and mechanism approach

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHONG Yixin

    2007-01-01

    Advanced intelligence will feature the intelligence research in next 50 years.An understanding of the concept of advanced intelligence as well as its importance will be provided first,and detailed analysis on an approach,the mechanism approach.suitable to the advanced intelligence research will then be flolowed.And the mutual relationship among mechanism approach,traditional approaches existed in artificial intelligence research,and the cognitive informatics will be discussed.It is interesting to discover that mechanism approach is a good one to the Advanced Intelligence research and a tmified form of the existed approaches to artificial intelligence.

  16. Zār Spirit Possession in Iran and African Countries: Group Distress, Culture-Bound Syndrome or Cultural Concept of Distress?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fahimeh Mianji

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Zār is the term used to describe a form of spirit possession common in northern African, eastern African, and some Middle-Eastern societies. Although these regions share some cultural similarities arising from their history of slavery, in these places, zār varies in prevalence, clinical characteristics, and social context. Based on a selective review of the literature, this paper looks at the place of zār spirit possession in both DSM-IV and DSM-V; it also examines how zār is manifested in Iran and in African countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt; and it aims to provide practical information to mental health clinicians so that they can better understand how this cultural concept is practiced by Iranians and Middle Eastern and African immigrants living near the Persian Gulf coast.

  17. Insights into the Lactonase Mechanism of Serum Paraoxonase 1 (PON1): Experimental and Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Quang Anh Tuan; Kim, Seonghoon; Chang, Rakwoo; Kim, Yong Hwan

    2015-07-30

    Serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a versatile enzyme for the hydrolysis of various substrates (e.g., lactones, phosphotriesters) and for the formation of a promising chemical platform γ-valerolactone. Elucidation of the PON1-catalyzed lactonase reaction mechanism is very important for understanding the enzyme function and for engineering this enzyme for specific applications. Kinetic study and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method were used to investigate the PON1-catalyzed lactonase reaction of γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and (R)-γ-valerolactone (GVL). The activation energies obtained from the QM/MM calculations were in good agreement with the experiments. Interestingly, the QM/MM energy barriers at MP2/3-21G(d,p) level for the lactonase of GVL and GBL were respectively 14.3-16.2 and 11.5-13.1 kcal/mol, consistent with the experimental values (15.57 and 14.73 kcal/mol derived from respective kcat values of 36.62 and 147.21 s(-1)). The QM/MM energy barriers at MP2/6-31G(d) and MP2/6-31G(d,p) levels were also in relatively good agreements with the experiments. Importantly, the difference in the QM/MM energy barriers at MP2 level with all investigated basis sets for the lactonase of GVL and GBL were in excellent agreement with the experiments (0.9-3.1 and 0.8 kcal/mol, respectively). A detailed mechanism for the PON1-catalyzed lactonase reaction was also proposed in this study.

  18. Reconsidering the “Good Divorce”

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amato, Paul R.; Kane, Jennifer B.; James, Spencer

    2011-01-01

    This study attempted to assess the notion that a “good divorce” protects children from the potential negative consequences of marital dissolution. A cluster analysis of data on postdivorce parenting from 944 families resulted in three groups: cooperative coparenting, parallel parenting, and single parenting. Children in the cooperative coparenting (good divorce) cluster had the smallest number of behavior problems and the closest ties to their fathers. Nevertheless, children in this cluster did not score significantly better than other children on 10 additional outcomes. These findings provide only modest support for the good divorce hypothesis. PMID:22125355

  19. Good Towers of Function Fields

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bassa, Alp; Beelen, Peter; Nguyen, Nhut

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we will give an overview of known and new techniques on how one can obtain explicit equations for candidates of good towers of function fields. The techniques are founded in modular theory (both the classical modular theory and the Drinfeld modular theory). In the classical modular...... setup, optimal towers can be obtained, while in the Drinfeld modular setup, good towers over any non-prime field may be found. We illustrate the theory with several examples, thus explaining some known towers as well as giving new examples of good explicitly defined towers of function fields....

  20. How Good is OpenMP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timothy G. Mattson

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The OpenMP standard defines an Application Programming Interface (API for shared memory computers. Since its introduction in 1997, it has grown to become one of the most commonly used API's for parallel programming. But success in the market doesn't necessarily imply successful computer science. Is OpenMP a "good" programming environment? What does it even mean to call a programming environment good? And finally, once we understand how good or bad OpenMP is; what can we do to make it even better? In this paper, we will address these questions.

  1. Good Old-Fashioned Artificial Consciousness and the Intermediate Level Fallacy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riccardo Manzotti

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Recently, there has been considerable interest and effort to the possibility to design and implement conscious robots, i.e., the chance that robots may have subjective experiences. Typical approaches as the global workspace, information integration, enaction, cognitive mechanisms, embodiment, i.e., the Good Old-Fashioned Artificial Consciousness, henceforth, GOFAC, share the same conceptual framework. In this paper, we discuss GOFAC's basic tenets and their implication for AI and Robotics. In particular, we point out the intermediate level fallacy as the central issue affecting GOFAC. Finally, we outline a possible alternative conceptual framework toward robot consciousness.

  2. Remarks on the formulation of quantum mechanics on noncommutative phase spaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muthukumar, Balasundaram

    2007-01-01

    We consider the probabilistic description of nonrelativistic, spinless one-particle classical mechanics, and immerse the particle in a deformed noncommutative phase space in which position coordinates do not commute among themselves and also with canonically conjugate momenta. With a postulated normalized distribution function in the quantum domain, the square of the Dirac delta density distribution in the classical case is properly realised in noncommutative phase space and it serves as the quantum condition. With only these inputs, we pull out the entire formalisms of noncommutative quantum mechanics in phase space and in Hilbert space, and elegantly establish the link between classical and quantum formalisms and between Hilbert space and phase space formalisms of noncommutative quantum mechanics. Also, we show that the distribution function in this case possesses 'twisted' Galilean symmetry

  3. Prediction of mechanical properties for hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets using molecular mechanics model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Natsuki, Toshiaki [Shinshu University, Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Ueda (Japan); Shinshu University, Institute of Carbon Science and Technology, Nagano (Japan); Natsuki, Jun [Shinshu University, Institute of Carbon Science and Technology, Nagano (Japan)

    2017-04-15

    Mechanical behaviors of nanomaterials are not easy to be evaluated in the laboratory because of their extremely small size and difficulty controlling. Thus, a suitable model for the estimation of the mechanical properties for nanomaterials becomes very important. In this study, the elastic properties of boron nitride (BN) nanosheets, including the elastic modulus, the shear modulus, and the Poisson's ratio, are predicted using a molecular mechanics model. The molecular mechanics force filed is established to directly incorporate the Morse potential function into the constitutive model of nanostructures. According to the molecular mechanics model, the chirality effect of hexagonal BN nanosheets on the elastic modulus is investigated through a closed-form solution. The simulated result shows that BN nanosheets exhibit an isotropic elastic property. The present analysis yields a set of very simple formulas and is able to be served as a good approximation on the mechanical properties for the BN nanosheets. (orig.)

  4. Prediction of mechanical properties for hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets using molecular mechanics model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Natsuki, Toshiaki; Natsuki, Jun

    2017-01-01

    Mechanical behaviors of nanomaterials are not easy to be evaluated in the laboratory because of their extremely small size and difficulty controlling. Thus, a suitable model for the estimation of the mechanical properties for nanomaterials becomes very important. In this study, the elastic properties of boron nitride (BN) nanosheets, including the elastic modulus, the shear modulus, and the Poisson's ratio, are predicted using a molecular mechanics model. The molecular mechanics force filed is established to directly incorporate the Morse potential function into the constitutive model of nanostructures. According to the molecular mechanics model, the chirality effect of hexagonal BN nanosheets on the elastic modulus is investigated through a closed-form solution. The simulated result shows that BN nanosheets exhibit an isotropic elastic property. The present analysis yields a set of very simple formulas and is able to be served as a good approximation on the mechanical properties for the BN nanosheets. (orig.)

  5. 76 FR 59271 - Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-26

    ...-0014; 91200-1231-9BPP-L2] RIN 1018-AX34 Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Final rule... of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule...

  6. Modeling mechanical properties of cast aluminum alloy using artificial neural network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jokhio, M.H.; Panhwar, M.I.

    2009-01-01

    Modeling is widely used to investigate the mechanical properties of engineering materials due to increasing demand of low cost and high strength to weight ratio for many engineering applications. The aluminum casting alloys are cost competitive material and possess the desired properties. The mechanical properties largely depend upon composition of alloys and their processing method. Alloy design involves controlling mechanical properties via optimization of the composition and processing parameters. For optimization the possible root is empirical modeling and its more refined version is the analysis of the wide range of data using ANN (Artificial Neural Networks) modeling. The modeling of mechanical properties of the aluminum alloys are the main objective of present work. For this purpose, some data were collected and experimentally prepared using conventional casting method. A MLP (Multilayer Perceptron) network was developed, which is trained by using the error back propagation algorithm. (author)

  7. Facile approach to the fabrication of a micropattern possessing nanoscale substructure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Qiang; Jiang, Xuesong; Yin, Jie

    2007-12-04

    On the basis of the combined technologies of photolithography and reaction-induced phase separation (RIPS), a facile approach has been successfully developed for the fabrication of a micropattern possessing nanoscale substructure on the thin film surface. This approach involves three steps. In the first step, a thin film was prepared by spin coating from a solution of a commercial random copolymer, polystyrene-r-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-r-PMMA) and a commercial crosslinker, trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA). In the second step, photolithograph was performed with the thin film using a 250 W high-pressure mercury lamp to produce the micropattern. Finally, the resulting micropattern was annealed at 200 degrees C for a certain time, and reaction-induced phase separation occurred. After soaking in chloroform for 4 h, nanoscale substructure was obtained. The whole processes were traced by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and the results supported the proposed structure.

  8. Bad is stronger than good

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baumeister, R.F.; Bratslavsky, E.; Finkenauer, C.; Vohs, K.D.

    2001-01-01

    The greater power of bad events over good ones is found in everyday events, major life events (e.g., trauma), close relationship outcomes, social network patterns, interpersonal interactions, and learning processes. Bad emotions, bad parents, and bad feedback have more impact than good ones, and bad

  9. Good veterinary governance: definition, measurement and challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Msellati, L; Commault, J; Dehove, A

    2012-08-01

    Good veterinary governance assumes the provision of veterinary services that are sustainably financed, universally available, and provided efficiently without waste or duplication, in a manner that is transparent and free of fraud or corruption. Good veterinary governance is a necessary condition for sustainable economic development insomuch as it promotes the effective delivery of services and improves the overall performance of animal health systems. This article defines governance in Veterinary Services and proposes a framework for its measurement. It also discusses the role of Veterinary Services and analyses the governance dimensions of the performance-assessment tools developed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). These tools (OIE PVS Tool and PVS Gap Analysis) track the performance of Veterinary Services across countries (a harmonised tool) and over time (the PVS Pathway). The article shows the usefulness of the OIE PVS Tool for measuring governance, but also points to two shortcomings, namely (i) the lack of clear outcome indicators, which is an impediment to a comprehensive assessment of the performance of Veterinary Services, and (ii) the lack of specific measures for assessing the extent of corruption within Veterinary Services and the extent to which demand for better governance is being strengthened within the animal health system. A discussion follows on the drivers of corruption and instruments for perception-based assessments of country governance and corruption. Similarly, the article introduces the concept of social accountability, which is an approach to enhancing government transparency and accountability, and shows how supply-side and demand-side mechanisms complement each other in improving the governance of service delivery. It further elaborates on two instruments--citizen report card surveys and grievance redress mechanisms--because of their wider relevance and their possible applications in many settings, including Veterinary

  10. Generating and exploring good building layouts

    KAUST Repository

    Bao, Fan

    2013-07-16

    Good building layouts are required to conform to regulatory guidelines, while meeting certain quality measures. While different methods can sample the space of such good layouts, there exists little support for a user to understand and systematically explore the samples. Starting from a discrete set of good layouts, we analytically characterize the local shape space of good layouts around each initial layout, compactly encode these spaces, and link them to support transitions across the different local spaces. We represent such transitions in the form of a portal graph. The user can then use the portal graph, along with the family of local shape spaces, to globally and locally explore the space of good building layouts. We use our framework on a variety of different test scenarios to showcase an intuitive design, navigation, and exploration interface. Copyright © ACM. Copyright © ACM 2013.

  11. Origami-inspired, on-demand deployable and collapsible mechanical metamaterials with tunable stiffness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhai, Zirui; Wang, Yong; Jiang, Hanqing

    2018-03-01

    Origami has been employed to build deployable mechanical metamaterials through folding and unfolding along the crease lines. Deployable metamaterials are usually flexible, particularly along their deploying and collapsing directions, which unfortunately in many cases leads to an unstable deployed state, i.e., small perturbations may collapse the structure along the same deployment path. Here we create an origami-inspired mechanical metamaterial with on-demand deployability and selective collapsibility through energy analysis. This metamaterial has autonomous deployability from the collapsed state and can be selectively collapsed along two different paths, embodying low stiffness for one path and substantially high stiffness for another path. The created mechanical metamaterial yields load-bearing capability in the deployed direction while possessing great deployability and collapsibility. The principle in this work can be utilized to design and create versatile origami-inspired mechanical metamaterials that can find many applications.

  12. 7 CFR 51.1011 - Good green color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good green color. 51.1011 Section 51.1011 Agriculture... Standards for Persian (Tahiti) Limes Definitions § 51.1011 Good green color. Good green color means that the skin of the lime is of a good green color characteristic of the Persian variety. ...

  13. Optimal Scheduling of Railway Track Possessions in Large-Scale Projects with Multiple Construction Works

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Rui; Roberti, Roberto

    2017-01-01

    satisfying different operational constraints and minimizing the total construction cost. To find an optimal solution of the RTPSP, this paper proposes an approach that, first, transfers the nominal market prices into track-possession-based real prices, and then generates a schedule of the construction works...... by solving a mixed-integer linear-programming model for the given track blocking proposal. The proposed approach is tested on a real-life case study from the Danish railway infrastructure manager. The results show that, in 2 h of computing time, the approach is able to provide solutions that are within 0...

  14. 29 CFR 570.128 - Good faith defense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Good faith defense. 570.128 Section 570.128 Labor... Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as Amended Enforcement § 570.128 Good faith defense. Link... commerce goods which he acquired in good faith in reliance on written assurance from the producer...

  15. 12 CFR 220.6 - Good faith account.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith account. 220.6 Section 220.6 Banks... BY BROKERS AND DEALERS (REGULATION T) § 220.6 Good faith account. In a good faith account, a creditor...) Securities entitled to good faith margin—(1) Permissible transactions. A creditor may effect and finance...

  16. Benefits of tolerance in public goods games.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szolnoki, Attila; Chen, Xiaojie

    2015-10-01

    Leaving the joint enterprise when defection is unveiled is always a viable option to avoid being exploited. Although loner strategy helps the population not to be trapped into the tragedy of the commons state, it could offer only a modest income for nonparticipants. In this paper we demonstrate that showing some tolerance toward defectors could not only save cooperation in harsh environments but in fact results in a surprisingly high average payoff for group members in public goods games. Phase diagrams and the underlying spatial patterns reveal the high complexity of evolving states where cyclic dominant strategies or two-strategy alliances can characterize the final state of evolution. We identify microscopic mechanisms which are responsible for the superiority of global solutions containing tolerant players. This phenomenon is robust and can be observed both in well-mixed and in structured populations highlighting the importance of tolerance in our everyday life.

  17. Presenting a new kinetic model for methanol to light olefins reactions over a hierarchical SAPO-34 catalyst using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javad Azarhoosh, Mohammad; Halladj, Rouein; Askari, Sima

    2017-10-01

    In this study, a new kinetic model for methanol to light olefins (MTO) reactions over a hierarchical SAPO-34 catalyst using the Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW) mechanism was presented and the kinetic parameters was obtained using a genetic algorithm (GA) and genetic programming (GP). Several kinetic models for the MTO reactions have been presented. However, due to the complexity of the reactions, most reactions are considered lumped and elementary, which cannot be deemed a completely accurate kinetic model of the process. Therefore, in this study, the LHHW mechanism is presented as kinetic models of MTO reactions. Because of the non-linearity of the kinetic models and existence of many local optimal points, evolutionary algorithms (GA and GP) are used in this study to estimate the kinetic parameters in the rate equations. Via the simultaneous connection of the code related to modelling the reactor and the GA and GP codes in the MATLAB R2013a software, optimization of the kinetic models parameters was performed such that the least difference between the results from the kinetic models and experiential results was obtained and the best kinetic parameters of MTO process reactions were achieved. A comparison of the results from the model with experiential results showed that the present model possesses good accuracy.

  18. Experimental and Numerical Investigations on the Mechanical Characteristics of Carbon Fiber Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salem Bashmal

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Carbon fiber-based materials possess excellent mechanical properties and show linear piezoresistive behavior, which make them good candidate materials for strain measurements. They have the potential to be used as sensors for various applications such as damage detection, stress analysis and monitoring of manufacturing processes and quality. In this paper, carbon fiber sensors are prepared to perform reliable strain measurements. Both experimental and computational studies were carried out on commercially available carbon fibers in order to understand the response of the carbon fiber sensors due to changes in the axial strain. Effects of parameters such as diameter, length, and epoxy-hardener ratio are discussed. The developed numerical model was calibrated using laboratory-based experimental data. The results of the current study show that sensors with shorter lengths have relatively better sensitivity. This is due to the fact short fibers have low initial resistance, which will increase the change of resistance over initial resistance. Carbon fibers with low number of filaments exhibit linear behavior while nonlinear behavior due to transverse resistance is significant in fibers with large number of filaments. This study will allow researchers to predict the behavior of the carbon fiber sensor in real life and it will serve as a basis for designing carbon fiber sensors to be used in different applications.

  19. Change is good: variations in common biological mechanisms in the epsilonproteobacterial genera Campylobacter and Helicobacter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbreath, Jeremy J; Cody, William L; Merrell, D Scott; Hendrixson, David R

    2011-03-01

    Microbial evolution and subsequent species diversification enable bacterial organisms to perform common biological processes by a variety of means. The epsilonproteobacteria are a diverse class of prokaryotes that thrive in diverse habitats. Many of these environmental niches are labeled as extreme, whereas other niches include various sites within human, animal, and insect hosts. Some epsilonproteobacteria, such as Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori, are common pathogens of humans that inhabit specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract. As such, the biological processes of pathogenic Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. are often modeled after those of common enteric pathogens such as Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. While many exquisite biological mechanisms involving biochemical processes, genetic regulatory pathways, and pathogenesis of disease have been elucidated from studies of Salmonella spp. and E. coli, these paradigms often do not apply to the same processes in the epsilonproteobacteria. Instead, these bacteria often display extensive variation in common biological mechanisms relative to those of other prototypical bacteria. In this review, five biological processes of commonly studied model bacterial species are compared to those of the epsilonproteobacteria C. jejuni and H. pylori. Distinct differences in the processes of flagellar biosynthesis, DNA uptake and recombination, iron homeostasis, interaction with epithelial cells, and protein glycosylation are highlighted. Collectively, these studies support a broader view of the vast repertoire of biological mechanisms employed by bacteria and suggest that future studies of the epsilonproteobacteria will continue to provide novel and interesting information regarding prokaryotic cellular biology.

  20. Good for God? Religious motivation reduces perceived responsibility for and morality of good deeds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gervais, Will M

    2014-08-01

    Many people view religion as a crucial source of morality. However, 6 experiments (total N = 1,078) revealed that good deeds are perceived as less moral if they are performed for religious reasons. Religiously motivated acts were seen as less moral than the exact same acts performed for other reasons (Experiments 1-2 and 6). Religious motivations also reduced attributions of intention and responsibility (Experiments 3-6), an effect that fully mediated the effect of religious motivations on perceived morality (Experiment 6). The effects were not explained by different perceptions of motivation orientation (i.e., intrinsic vs. extrinsic) across conditions (Experiment 4) and also were evident when religious upbringing led to an intuitive moral response (Experiment 5). Effects generalized across religious and nonreligious participants. When viewing a religiously motivated good deed, people infer that actually helping others is, in part, a side effect of other motivations rather than an end in itself. Thus, religiously motivated actors are seen as less responsible than secular actors for their good deeds, and their helping behavior is viewed as less moral than identical good deeds performed for either unclear or secular motivations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  1. 32 CFR 552.121 - Possession or retention of prohibited weapons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... as a sling shot, sand club, metal knuckles, spring blade knife, or any knife from which the blade is automatically released by a spring mechanism or other mechanism or other mechanical device, or any knife having a blade which opens, falls, or is effected into position by force of gravity or an outward thrust or...

  2. Lack of basic and luxury goods and health-related dysfunction in older persons; Findings from the longitudinal SMILE study

    OpenAIRE

    Groffen, Daniëlle AI; Bosma, Hans; van den Akker, Marjan; Kempen, Gertrudis IJM; van Eijk, Jacques TM

    2008-01-01

    Abstract Background More so than the traditional socioeconomic indicators, such as education and income, wealth reflects the accumulation of resources and makes socioeconomic ranking manifest and explicitly visible to the outside world. While the lack of basic goods, such as a refrigerator, may affect health directly, via biological pathways, the lack of luxury goods, such as an LCD television, may affect health indirectly through psychosocial mechanisms. We set out to examine, firstly, the r...

  3. The Essence of Good Teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Robert R.

    1986-01-01

    Compares and contrasts views of what constitutes good teaching in four recent books: "My Harvard, My Yale: Memoirs of College Life by Some Notable Americans" (Dubois, 1982); "Twenty Teachers" (Macrorie, 1984); "Artistry in Teaching" (Rubin, 1985); and "The Essence of Good Teaching: Helping Students Learn and Remember What They Learn" (Eriksen,…

  4. Fabricating interstitial-free steel with simultaneous high strength and good ductility with homogeneous layer and lamella structure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Ling; Chen, Zhen-Zhe; Wang, Yuhui

    2017-01-01

    to cold rolled one) and a uniform elongation around 17% can be realized. Microstructural observation by electron back-scatter diffraction revealed a characteristic hierarchical layer + heterogeneous lamella structure, namely L2 structure. The reasons for the good mechanical properties were discussed....

  5. [The myth of the good savage].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yampey, N

    1994-09-01

    The conquest of the New World gave way to the myth of the Good Savage. For the Renaissance intellectuals, the ancient ideas about the Golden Age (an ideal society promising an unending bliss) seemed to be brought back to life at last. Sharply contrasting with the European exacerbated unrest of the time, America stood for a redeeming hope, a symbol of a better future. The myth of the Good Savage assumes people to be naturally good, but civilization has led them into the realm of violence, hatred, and cruelty. Besides being naturally good, nice-minded people, "good savages" were also useful, obedient people, most likely to be easily exploited by Europeans--a source for the historical drama to come. On the verge of freeing itself from the Spanish rule, Latin America--fighting its way toward independence, had three enlightened mentors: Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu. There, again, another deep contrast arose between the abstract characteristics of Latin American aims to perfection, and people's actual behaviors. The former "good savage" became the modern "Latin American" embodying an utopia as well as a hope in his eagerness for setting up a plural, and humanized culture. The myth of the Good Savage represents a deep longing for an objectivation of the ego-ideal: it has been used, so to speak, in collective mobilizations as well as dogmatic crystallizations, to escape from ignominous realities or to project alternatives for a better socially-shared life.

  6. Good Governance According to Islamic Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamad Ismail Bin Mohamad Yunus

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The objectives of the professional agencies must embody provisions that promote good governance and embrace values of integrity and accountability and seek support from the public and the government of the day to provide an independent view on all matters. The universal truth is that everything should be done in the public good. Professionals form the backbone of human infrastructure in any economy, politics, social and legal growth. Their contributions through professional performance enhance the good delivery system that facilitates policies making and management for public sector. They provide the skills and talent in balancing the pursuits of maximization of services. The expression “good governance” has been constantly used lately in both public sector as well as private sector in Malaysia. In the context of a private body, it should be within the framework of the statute, which governs the body and also its constitution. In the public sector, it means that the administrators should act professionally and not to abuse or misuse the power or authority given to them. They are regarded as the trustees of the public at large. The scope of this article is on good public governance in the public sector or to be exact, good governmental administration as interpreted by the judiciary especially through its judicial review power and Islamic Perspective based on the principles of Maqasid As Shariah (Objectives of Islamic Law.   Keywords: Good Governance, Public Sector, Malaysian Law, Islamic Perspective, Maqasid As-Shariah.

  7. The Common Good in Classical Political Philosophy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, V. Bradley

    2006-01-01

    The term "common good" names the end (or final cause) of political and social life in the tradition of moral thought that owes its main substance to Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas. It names a genuine good ("bonum honestum") and not merely an instrumental or secondary good defeasible in the face of particular goods. However, at the same time, it…

  8. Magnesium alloys as body implants: fracture mechanism under dynamic and static loadings in a physiological environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhary, Lokesh; Raman, R K Singh

    2012-02-01

    It is essential that a metallic implant material possesses adequate resistance to cracking/fracture under the synergistic action of a corrosive physiological environment and mechanical loading (i.e. stress corrosion cracking (SCC)), before the implant can be put to actual use. This paper presents a critique of the fundamental issues with an assessment of SCC of a rapidly corroding material such as magnesium alloys, and describes an investigation into the mechanism of SCC of a magnesium alloy in a physiological environment. The SCC susceptibility of the alloy in a simulated human body fluid was established by slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) testing using smooth specimens under different electrochemical conditions for understanding the mechanism of SCC. However, to assess the life of the implant devices that often possess fine micro-cracks, SCC susceptibility of notched specimens was investigated by circumferential notch tensile (CNT) testing. CNT tests also produced important design data, i.e. threshold stress intensity for SCC (KISCC) and SCC crack growth rate. Fractographic features of SCC were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The SSRT and CNT results, together with fractographic evidence, confirmed the SCC susceptibility of both smooth and notched specimens of a magnesium alloy in the physiological environment. Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Mechanical behavior of chemically treated Jute/Polymer composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murali B

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Fiber which serves as a reinforcement in reinforced plastics may be synthetic or natural past studies show that only artificial fibers such as glass, carbon etc., have been used in fiber reinforced plastics. Although glass and other synthetic fiber reinforced plastics possess high specific strength, their fields of application are very limited because of their inherent higher cost of production. In this connection, an investigation has been carried out to make use of jute , a natural fiber abundantly available in India. Natural fibers are not only strong and lightweight but also relatively very cheap. In the present work, jute composites are developed and their mechanical properties are evaluated. Mechanical properties of jute/polymer and compared with glass fiber/epoxy. These results indicate that jute can be used as a potential reinforcing material for making low load bearing thermoplastic composites.

  10. From Goods to Solutions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chakkol, Mehmet; Johnson, Mark; Raja, Jawwad

    2014-01-01

    Purpose – This paper aims to adopt service-dominant logic (SDL) to empirically explore network configurations resulting from the provision of goods, goods and services, and solutions. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a single, in-depth, exploratory case study in a truck manufacturer......: dyadic, triadic and tetradic. The extent to which different network actors contribute to value co-creation varies across the offerings. Research limitations/implications – This paper is based on a single, in-depth case study developed in one industrial context. Whilst this represents an appropriate...

  11. The attributive possessive in Moroccan Arabic spoken by young bilinguals in the Netherlands and their peers in Morocco

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boumans, L.P.C.

    2006-01-01

    Quantitative evidence shows that the use of the SG in MA depends on the lexical item that heads the possessive, while it is more frequent with pronominal dependents. The AG is used more in Tangier than in Casablanca, Rabat or Oujda, and this is true for both pronominal and NP dependents. Immigrants'

  12. Good soldiers and good actors: prosocial and impression management motives as interactive predictors of affiliative citizenship behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Adam M; Mayer, David M

    2009-07-01

    Researchers have discovered inconsistent relationships between prosocial motives and citizenship behaviors. We draw on impression management theory to propose that impression management motives strengthen the association between prosocial motives and affiliative citizenship by encouraging employees to express citizenship in ways that both "do good" and "look good." We report 2 studies that examine the interactions of prosocial and impression management motives as predictors of affiliative citizenship using multisource data from 2 different field samples. Across the 2 studies, we find positive interactions between prosocial and impression management motives as predictors of affiliative citizenship behaviors directed toward other people (helping and courtesy) and the organization (initiative). Study 2 also shows that only prosocial motives predict voice-a challenging citizenship behavior. Our results suggest that employees who are both good soldiers and good actors are most likely to emerge as good citizens in promoting the status quo.

  13. Paying for International Environmental Public Goods

    OpenAIRE

    Arriagada, Rodrigo; Perrings, Charles

    2011-01-01

    Supply of international environmental public goods must meet certain conditions to be socially efficient, and several reasons explain why they are currently undersupplied. Diagnosis of the public goods failure associated with particular ecosystem services is critical to the development of the appropriate international response. There are two categories of international environmental public goods that are most likely to be undersupplied. One has an additive supply technology and the other has ...

  14. Electro-mechanical properties of hydrogel composites with micro- and nano-cellulose fillers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shahid U N, Mohamed; Deshpande, Abhijit P; Rao, C Lakshmana

    2015-01-01

    Stimuli responsive cross-linked hydrogels are of great interest for applications in diverse fields such as sensors and biomaterials. In this study, we investigate polymer composites filled with cellulose fillers. The celluloses used in making the composites were a microcrystalline cellulose of commercial grade and cellulose nano-whiskers obtained through acid hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose. The filler concentration was varied and corresponding physical, mechanical and electro-mechanical characterization was carried out. The electro-mechanical properties were determined using a quasi-static method. The fillers not only enhance the mechanical properties of the composite by providing better reinforcement but also provide a quantitative electric potential in the composite. The measurements reveal that the polymer composites prepared from two different cellulose fillers possess a quantitative electric potential which can be utilized in biomedical applications. It is argued that the mechanism behind the quantitative electric potential in the composites is due to streaming potentials arising due to electrical double layer formation. (paper)

  15. Mechanisms of tail resorption during anuran metamorphosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakai, Yuya; Nakajima, Keisuke; Yaoita, Yoshio

    2017-09-26

    Amphibian metamorphosis has historically attracted a good deal of scientific attention owing to its dramatic nature and easy observability. However, the genetic mechanisms of amphibian metamorphosis have not been thoroughly examined using modern techniques such as gene cloning, DNA sequencing, polymerase chain reaction or genomic editing. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding molecular mechanisms underlying tadpole tail resorption.

  16. Students' and teachers' cognitions about good teachers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beishuizen, J J; Hof, E; van Putten, C M; Bouwmeester, S; Asscher, J J

    2001-06-01

    Good teachers have been studied ever since Plato described how Socrates taught by asking questions of his audience. Recent findings shed light on two characteristics of good teachers: their personality and their ability. However, more attention has been paid to teachers' practices and opinions than to students' views. The study reported here attempted to deepen our understanding of what students think about good teachers. Students of four age groups (7, 10, 13, and 16 years of age) and teachers from primary and secondary schools were asked to write an essay on the good teacher. The correspondence between conceptual items in the essays was investigated by determining the extent to which they were used in the same essays to describe good teachers. Correspondence analysis revealed two dimensions. The first dimension reflected the preference of students and teachers for describing the good teacher in terms of either personality or ability characteristics. The second dimension was interpreted as an orientation in the essays towards either attachment to, detachment from or commitment to school and teachers. Students and teachers were compared to establish the amount of (dis)agreement about what makes a good teacher. Primary school students described good teachers primarily as competent instructors, focusing on transfer of knowledge and skills, whereas secondary school students emphasised relational aspects of good teachers. Teachers, however, considered good teachers in the first place a matter of establishing personal relationships with their students. Consequently, primary school students and teachers disagreed about the characteristics of good teachers. In secondary education, disagreements between teachers and students were relatively small. The research method of collecting free essays and utilising correspondence analysis to represent conceptual items and groups of participants seems promising as long as a theoretical framework is available to interpret the

  17. Self-renewal molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Tianhui; Xu, Jinghong; Zhu, Yongliang

    2017-01-01

    Colorectal cancer stem cells (CCSCs) represent a small fraction of the colorectal cancer cell population that possess self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential and drive tumorigenicity. Self-renewal is essential for the malignant biological behaviors of colorectal cancer stem cells. While the self-renewal molecular mechanisms of colorectal cancer stem cells are not yet fully understood, the aberrant activation of signaling pathways, such as Wnt, Notch, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Hedgehog-Gli (HH-GLI), specific roles mediated by cell surface markers and micro-environmental factors are involved in the regulation of self-renewal. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms behind self-renewal may lead to the development of novel targeted interventions for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

  18. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Advance Directive Possession: Role of Demographic Factors, Religious Affiliation, and Personal Health Values in a National Survey of Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ivy A; Neuhaus, John M; Chiong, Winston

    2016-02-01

    Black and Hispanic older Americans are less likely than white older Americans to possess advance directives. Understanding the reasons for this racial and ethnic difference is necessary to identify targets for future interventions to improve advance care planning in these populations. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether racial and ethnic differences in advance directive possession are explained by other demographic factors, religious characteristics, and personal health values. A general population survey was conducted in a nationally representative sample using a web-enabled survey panel of American adults aged 50 and older (n = 2154). In a sample of older Americans, white participants are significantly more likely to possess advance directives (44.0%) than black older Americans (24.0%, p personal health values. These findings support targeted efforts to mitigate racial disparities in access to advance care planning.

  19. A Theory of Finitely Durable Goods Monopoly with Used-Goods Market and Transaction Costs

    OpenAIRE

    S. Huang; Y. Yang; K. Anderson

    2001-01-01

    We construct a dynamic game to model a monopoly of finitely durable goods. The solution concept is Markov-perfect equilibria with general equilibria embedded in every time period. Our model is flexible enough to simultaneously explain or accommodate many commonly observed phenomena or stylized facts, such as concurrent leasing and selling, active secondary markets for used goods, heterogeneous consumers, endogenous consumption patterns, depreciation, an infinite time horizon, and nontrivial t...

  20. Good Practices for Transforming Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benavente, Ana; Panchaud, Christine

    2008-01-01

    This text is a guide to the reading and interpretation of the "good practices" that are developing in the countries participating in this project and elsewhere. A systematic approach to the factors making up a "good practice" has enabled us to share our analyses in a more structured manner and to reflect on their potential for…

  1. Why Quorum Sensing Controls Private Goods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Schuster

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Cell-cell communication, also termed quorum sensing (QS, is a widespread process that coordinates gene expression in bacterial populations. The generally accepted view is that QS optimizes the cell density-dependent benefit attained from cooperative behaviors, often in the form of secreted products referred to as “public goods.” This view is challenged by an increasing number of cell-associated products or “private goods” reported to be under QS-control for which a collective benefit is not apparent. A prominent example is nucleoside hydrolase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a periplasmic enzyme that catabolizes adenosine. Several recent studies have shown that private goods can function to stabilize cooperation by co-regulated public goods, seemingly explaining their control by QS. Here we argue that this property is a by-product of selection for other benefits rather than an adaptation. Emphasizing ecophysiological context, we propose alternative explanations for the QS control of private goods. We suggest that the benefit attained from private goods is associated with high cell density, either because a relevant ecological condition correlates with density, or because the private good is, directly or indirectly, involved in cooperative behavior. Our analysis helps guide a systems approach to QS, with implications for antivirulence drug design and synthetic biology.

  2. Preparation of a new gamma irradiated PVC-Olive oil cake plastic composite material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Messaud, F.A.; Almsmary, Y.A.; Elwerfalli, S.M.; Benayad, S.M.; Haraga, S.O.; Benfaid, N.A.; Kabar, Y.M.

    2003-01-01

    This paper dealt with the investigation on preparing new plastic composite material, utilizing polyvinyl chloride polymer (a commercial product in abu-kammash chemical complex) and olive oil cake (a waste of many olive oil production factories), followed by gamma irradiation (26.3 Kg ry) o induce crosslinking of the polymer. The new material possess good, electrical and mechanical properties as compared to plastic products of (PVC plastic pipe factory), and which could be used as new construction anti corrosive material, such as special roofing and partitioning or household goods

  3. Everybody needs good neighbours

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoffman, G. [Peabody Energy (United States)

    2006-05-15

    The paper outlines the possibilities for mines to work with surrounding communities to bring about effective land reclamation. Last year Peabody Energy teams reclaimed more than 5000 acres of land and planted nearly 750,000 trees, demonstrating that sustainable development is possible in a way that is compatible with environmental improvement in coal mining. The company has won over 20 awards over the last two years. The North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Wyoming earned a Gold Good Neighbour Award for promoting best practices in environmental conservation and mining education. The Black Mesa and Kayenta mines, which operate on Navajo and Hopi lands in Arizona, were honoured with a Silver Good Neighbour Award and a National Excellence in Mining and Reclamation Award. These mines partnered with the tribes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and local residents to give residents access to grazing land still under Peabody's control. The Farmersburg Mine in Indiana received the Bronze Good Neighbour Award for commitment to industry education and outreach activities. 5 photos.

  4. Images of eyes enhance investments in a real-life public good.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Damien Francey

    Full Text Available A key issue in cooperation research is to determine the conditions under which individuals invest in a public good. Here, we tested whether cues of being watched increase investments in an anonymous public good situation in real life. We examined whether individuals would invest more by removing experimentally placed garbage (paper and plastic bottles from bus stop benches in Geneva in the presence of images of eyes compared to controls (images of flowers. We provided separate bins for each of both types of garbage to investigate whether individuals would deposit more items into the appropriate bin in the presence of eyes. The treatment had no effect on the likelihood that individuals present at the bus stop would remove garbage. However, those individuals that engaged in garbage clearing, and were thus likely affected by the treatment, invested more time to do so in the presence of eyes. Images of eyes had a direct effect on behaviour, rather than merely enhancing attention towards a symbolic sign requesting removal of garbage. These findings show that simple images of eyes can trigger reputational effects that significantly enhance on non-monetary investments in anonymous public goods under real life conditions. We discuss our results in the light of previous findings and suggest that human social behaviour may often be shaped by relatively simple and potentially unconscious mechanisms instead of very complex cognitive capacities.

  5. Business Climate and Good Governance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Besmira Manaj

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper consists of three factors, namely: Good Governance, Business Climate and Corruption. How they affect the development product of Albania, not only as a concept, and a principle but mostly as a sensitive aspect in the integration process. There are some interpretations of this concept, but I intend to analyze the key factors and actors, their cooperation and concrete production in society. Improving governance is necessary to have an integrated long term strategy based upon a continuous cooperation between institutions and citizens. But in developing countries like Albania there are some important questions such as: How can we measure the improvement of Good Governance through policies? Has Good Governance indicated an effective way for the sustainable development? (Meisel, 2008, 6. These question give us the orientation to reflect about the process of development, social economic political behavior and how this multidimensional is transformed in product of good governance. The business cycle is strongly connected with many aspects of political-, social-, juridical aspects and good governance. Despite attempts to draft law regulations, the level of corruption and informality in Albania continues to be a major obstacle. The credibility level in the implementation of law is an indicator that affects democratization and institutional integration. At present, different reports of international institutions, define Albania as the country with the highest level of Corruption in the Balkans, which is a key factor influencing business. The ways with

  6. ANTI – CORRUPTION INITIATIVES, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS: THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena ANDREEVSKA

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In fighting corruption, good governance efforts rely on principles such as accountability, transparency and participation to shape anti-corruption measures. Initiatives may include establishing institutions such as anti-corruption commissions, creating mechanisms of information sharing, and monitoring governments’ use of public funds and implementation of policies. Good governance and human rights are mutually reinforcing. Human rights principles provide a set of values to guide the work of governments and other political and social actors. They also provide a set of performance standards against which these actors can be held accountable. Moreover, human rights principles inform the content of good governance efforts: they may inform the development of legislative frameworks, policies, programmers, budgetary allocations and other measures. Corruption is recognized as a serious crime in the EU, which is reflected in its many anti-corruption instruments covering existing member states. Countries wishing to join still face considerable systemic corruption issues in their public institutions. In Macedonia as one of these countries the most significant human rights problems stemmed from pervasive corruption and from the government’s failure to respect fully the rule of law. This article introduces anti-corruption work, good governance, and attempts to identify the various levels of relationship between that work and human rights with particular reference to Macedonia as an EU candidate country

  7. Electronic and Mechanical Properties of GrapheneGermanium Interfaces Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-27

    that graphene acts as a diffusion barrier to ambient contaminants, as similarly prepared bare Ge exposed to ambient conditions possesses a much...in-plane order underneath the graphene (Figure 1b,f). The stabilization of Ge terraces with half-step heights indicates that the graphene modifies the...Electronic and Mechanical Properties of Graphene −Germanium Interfaces Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition Brian Kiraly,†,‡ Robert M. Jacobberger

  8. A Truthful Incentive Mechanism for Online Recruitment in Mobile Crowd Sensing System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao Chen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigate emerging mobile crowd sensing (MCS systems, in which new cloud-based platforms sequentially allocate homogenous sensing jobs to dynamically-arriving users with uncertain service qualities. Given that human beings are selfish in nature, it is crucial yet challenging to design an efficient and truthful incentive mechanism to encourage users to participate. To address the challenge, we propose a novel truthful online auction mechanism that can efficiently learn to make irreversible online decisions on winner selections for new MCS systems without requiring previous knowledge of users. Moreover, we theoretically prove that our incentive possesses truthfulness, individual rationality and computational efficiency. Extensive simulation results under both real and synthetic traces demonstrate that our incentive mechanism can reduce the payment of the platform, increase the utility of the platform and social welfare.

  9. A Truthful Incentive Mechanism for Online Recruitment in Mobile Crowd Sensing System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiao; Liu, Min; Zhou, Yaqin; Li, Zhongcheng; Chen, Shuang; He, Xiangnan

    2017-01-01

    We investigate emerging mobile crowd sensing (MCS) systems, in which new cloud-based platforms sequentially allocate homogenous sensing jobs to dynamically-arriving users with uncertain service qualities. Given that human beings are selfish in nature, it is crucial yet challenging to design an efficient and truthful incentive mechanism to encourage users to participate. To address the challenge, we propose a novel truthful online auction mechanism that can efficiently learn to make irreversible online decisions on winner selections for new MCS systems without requiring previous knowledge of users. Moreover, we theoretically prove that our incentive possesses truthfulness, individual rationality and computational efficiency. Extensive simulation results under both real and synthetic traces demonstrate that our incentive mechanism can reduce the payment of the platform, increase the utility of the platform and social welfare.

  10. Mechanisms of visual memory formation in bees: About immediate early genes and synaptic plasticity

    OpenAIRE

    Sommerlandt, Frank M. J.

    2016-01-01

    Animals form perceptual associations through processes of learning, and retain that information through mechanisms of memory. Honeybees and bumblebees are classic models for insect perception and learning, and despite their small brains with about one million neurons, they are organized in highly social colonies and possess an astonishing rich behavioral repertoire including navigation, communication and cognition. Honeybees are able to harvest hundreds of morphologically divergent flower typ...

  11. 19 CFR 10.594 - Originating goods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... States Free Trade Agreement Rules of Origin § 10.594 Originating goods. Except as otherwise provided in... good otherwise satisfies any applicable regional value content or other requirements specified in...

  12. Theoretical physics. Quantum mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rebhan, Eckhard

    2008-01-01

    From the first in two comprehensive volumes appeared Theoretical Physics of the author by this after Mechanics and Electrodynamics also Quantum mechanics appears as thinner single volume. First the illustrative approach via wave mechanics is reproduced. The more abstract Hilbert-space formulation introduces the author later by postulates, which are because of the preceding wave mechanics sufficiently plausible. All concepts of quantum mechanics, which contradict often to the intuitive understanding formed by macroscopic experiences, are extensively discussed and made by means of many examples as well as problems - in the largest part provided with solutions - understandable. To the interpretation of quantum mechanics an extensive special chapter is dedicated. this book arose from courses on theoretical physics, which the author has held at the Heinrich-Heine University in Duesseldorf, and was in numerous repetitions fitted to the requirement of the studyings. it is so designed that it is also after the study suited as reference book or for the renewing. All problems are very thoroughly and such extensively studied that each step is separately reproducible. About motivation and good understandability is cared much

  13. The law on the streets: Evaluating the impact of Mexico's drug decriminalization reform on drug possession arrests in Tijuana, Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arredondo, J; Gaines, T; Manian, S; Vilalta, C; Bañuelos, A; Strathdee, S A; Beletsky, L

    2018-04-01

    In 2009, Mexican Federal Government enacted "narcomenudeo" reforms decriminalizing possession of small amounts of drugs, delegating prosecution of retail drug sales to the state courts, and mandating treatment diversion for habitual drug users. There has been insufficient effort to formally assess the decriminalization policy's population-level impact, despite mounting interest in analagous reforms across the globe. Using a dataset of municipal police incident reports, we examined patterns of drug possession, and violent and non-violent crime arrests between January 2009 and December 2014. A hierarchical panel data analysis with random effects was conducted to assess the impact of narcomenudeo's drug decriminalization provision. The reforms had no significant impact on the number of drug possession or violent crime arrests, after controlling for other variables (e.g. time trends, electoral cycles, and precinct-level socioeconomic factors). Time periods directly preceding local elections were observed to be statistically associated with elevated arrest volume. Analysis of police statistics parallel prior findings that Mexico's reform decriminalizing small amounts of drugs does not appear to have significantly shifted drug law enforcement in Tijuana. More research is required to fully understand the policy transformation process for drug decriminalization and other structural interventions in Mexico and similar regional and international efforts. Observed relationship between policing and political cycles echo associations in other settings whereby law-and-order activities increase during mayoral electoral campaigns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Good performance in nuclear projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    The nuclear industry has demonstrated good performance in many areas relating to the design, engineering, construction and operation of nuclear facilities. This report of an international symposium held in Tokyo highlights examples of good performance in nuclear projects which can aid the industry in seeking even better performance, thus strengthening the contribution nuclear energy can make to sustainable economic growth

  15. The physics of quantum mechanics

    CERN Document Server

    Binney, James

    2014-01-01

    The Physics of Quantum Mechanics aims to give students a good understanding of how quantum mechanics describes the material world. It shows that the theory follows naturally from the use of probability amplitudes to derive probabilities. It stresses that stationary states are unphysical mathematical abstractions that enable us to solve the theory's governing equation, the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. Every opportunity is taken to illustrate the emergence of the familiarclassical, dynamical world through the quantum interference of stationary states. The text stresses the continuity be

  16. Response Mechanisms in Serratia marcescens IBBPo15 During Organic Solvents Exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stancu, Mihaela Marilena

    2016-12-01

    Serratia marcescens strain IBB Po15 (KT315653) which possesses serratiopeptidase (ser) gene (KT894207) exhibited good solvent tolerance. During the exposure of S. marcescens IBB Po15 cells to 5 % organic solvents, n-decane was less toxic for this bacterium, compared with n-hexane, cyclohexane, ethylbenzene, toluene, and styrene. The exposure of the S. marcescens IBB Po15 cells to n-hexane, cyclohexane, ethylbenzene, toluene, and styrene induced the formation of large clusters, while in control and n-decane-exposed cells, only organization into small clusters was observed. The data obtained suggested that S. marcescens IBB Po15 cells produced some secondary metabolites (i.e., surfactant serrawettin, red pigment prodigiosin) which are well known as valuable molecules due to their large applications. The exposure of the bacterial cells to organic solvents induced secondary metabolites profile modifications. However, S. marcescens IBB Po15 possesses only alkB1, todM, rhlAB, pswP, mpr, and ser genes, the unspecific amplification of other fragments being acquired also when the primers for alkM1, xylM, ndoM, and C23DO genes were used. Modifications of DNA patterns were not depicted in S. marcescens IBB Po15 cells exposed to organic solvents.

  17. Good news, bad news on proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spector, L.S.

    1985-01-01

    While Argentina and Brazil now seem less likely to acquire nuclear weapons, Indian and Pakistani intentions remain uncertain. The Israeli nuclear program and recent allegations of black-marketing are even more disturbing. The author notes the positive developments in Latin America and some hopeful signs in South Asia, despite uncertainties over their final outcome. He finds Israel's program the most disturbing because of the deployment of Jericho II missiles and indications that Israel possesses a fully militarized nuclear force which was developed by illegal means. These activities could politicize the Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference. 14 references

  18. Good Teachers, Good Schools: How to Create a Successful School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, David

    2009-01-01

    "Good schools think 'with' people and not 'to' people" argues David Hudson in this thought provoking practical guide for those wanting to bridge the gap between middle and senior management roles, and make a difference in their schools. Accessibly and engagingly written and packed with real-life examples, this book will prove essential…

  19. On the evaluation of cultural and environmental public goods, and its implications for social innovation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graffeo, Michele; Bonini, Nicolao

    2013-01-01

    Public goods (e.g., parks) and welfare services (e.g., garbage disposal and transportation policies) are extremely important for the citizens' well-being but in the complex modern societies their influence and effectiveness are affected by the citizens' support. For this reason, it is crucial to understand which are the factors that influence the citizens' perception of the benefits, costs, and risks associated to public goods and welfare services. In this chapter, we describe some psychological variables that are relevant for the evaluation process of the public goods, but that are not considered by the standard economic models. At the same time, we show that some variables of central importance for the economic models do not significantly affect the citizens' evaluations. Finally, we discuss the concept of Nudge, a policy-making approach that suggests the use of psychological mechanisms to increase the citizens' support to public provision of welfare services. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Niacin to Boost Your HDL "Good" Cholesterol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niacin can boost 'good' cholesterol Niacin is a B vitamin that may raise your HDL ("good") cholesterol. But side effects might outweigh benefits for most ... been used to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the "good" cholesterol that helps remove low-density ...

  1. Insight into the Mechanism of Hydrolysis of Meropenem by OXA-23 Serine-β-lactamase Gained by Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Calculations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sgrignani, Jacopo; Grazioso, Giovanni; De Amici, Marco

    2016-09-13

    The fast and constant development of drug resistant bacteria represents a serious medical emergency. To overcome this problem, the development of drugs with new structures and modes of action is urgently needed. In this work, we investigated, at the atomistic level, the mechanisms of hydrolysis of Meropenem by OXA-23, a class D β-lactamase, combining unbiased classical molecular dynamics and umbrella sampling simulations with classical force field-based and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics potentials. Our calculations provide a detailed structural and dynamic picture of the molecular steps leading to the formation of the Meropenem-OXA-23 covalent adduct, the subsequent hydrolysis, and the final release of the inactive antibiotic. In this mechanistic framework, the predicted activation energy is in good agreement with experimental kinetic measurements, validating the expected reaction path.

  2. Annealing effects on structure and mechanical properties of CoCrFeNiTiAlx high-entropy alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, K B; Fu, Z Y; Zhang, J Y; Wang, W M; Lee, S W; Niihara, K

    2011-01-01

    Novel CoCrFeNiTiAl x (x:molar ratio, other elements are equimolar) high-entropy alloys were prepared by vacuum arc melting and these alloys were subsequently annealed at 1000 deg. C for 2 h. The annealing effects on structure and mechanical properties were investigated. Compared with the as-cast alloys, there are many complex intermetallic phases precipitated from the solid solution matrix in the as-annealed alloys with Al content lower than Al 1.0 . Only simple BCC solid solution structure appears in the as-annealed Al 1.5 and Al 2.0 alloys. This kind of alloys exhibit high resistance to anneal softening. Most as-annealed alloys possess even higher Visker hardness than the as-cast ones. The as-annealed Al 0.5 alloys shows the highest compressive strength while the Al 0 alloy exhibits the best ductility, which is about 2.6 GPa and 13%, respectively. The CoCrFeNiTiAl x high-entropy alloys possess integrated high temperature mechanical property as well.

  3. Synergistic effects from graphene and carbon nanotubes endow ordered hierarchical structure foams with a combination of compressibility, super-elasticity and stability and potential application as pressure sensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuang, Jun; Dai, Zhaohe; Liu, Luqi; Yang, Zhou; Jin, Ming; Zhang, Zhong

    2015-01-01

    Nanostructured carbon material based three-dimensional porous architectures have been increasingly developed for various applications, e.g. sensors, elastomer conductors, and energy storage devices. Maintaining architectures with good mechanical performance, including elasticity, load-bearing capacity, fatigue resistance and mechanical stability, is prerequisite for realizing these functions. Though graphene and CNT offer opportunities as nanoscale building blocks, it still remains a great challenge to achieve good mechanical performance in their microarchitectures because of the need to precisely control the structure at different scales. Herein, we fabricate a hierarchical honeycomb-like structured hybrid foam based on both graphene and CNT. The resulting materials possess excellent properties of combined high specific strength, elasticity and mechanical stability, which cannot be achieved in neat CNT and graphene foams. The improved mechanical properties are attributed to the synergistic-effect-induced highly organized, multi-scaled hierarchical architectures. Moreover, with their excellent electrical conductivity, we demonstrated that the hybrid foams could be used as pressure sensors in the fields related to artificial skin.

  4. Generating and exploring good building layouts

    KAUST Repository

    Bao, Fan; Yan, Dongming; Mitra, Niloy J.; Wonka, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Good building layouts are required to conform to regulatory guidelines, while meeting certain quality measures. While different methods can sample the space of such good layouts, there exists little support for a user to understand

  5. Slow angled-descent forepaw grasping (SLAG): an innate behavioral task for identification of individual experimental mice possessing functional vision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gil-Pagés, Macarena; Stiles, Robert J; Parks, Christopher A; Neier, Steven C; Radulovic, Maja; Oliveros, Alfredo; Ferrer, Alejandro; Reed, Brendan K; Wilton, Katelynn M; Schrum, Adam G

    2013-08-23

    There is significant interest in the generation of improved assays to clearly identify experimental mice possessing functional vision, a property that could qualify mice for inclusion in behavioral and neuroscience studies. Widely employed current methods rely on mouse responses to visual cues in assays of reflexes, depth perception, or cognitive memory. However, commonly assessed mouse reflexes can sometimes be ambiguous in their expression, while depth perception assays are sometimes confounded by variation in anxiety responses and exploratory conduct. Furthermore, in situations where experimental groups vary in their cognitive memory capacity, memory assays may not be ideal for assessing differences in vision. We have optimized a non-invasive behavioral assay that relies on an untrained, innate response to identify individual experimental mice possessing functional vision: slow angled-descent forepaw grasping (SLAG). First, we verified that SLAG performance depends on vision and not olfaction. Next, all members of an age-ranged cohort of 158 C57BL/6 mice (57 wild-type, 101 knockout, age range 44-241 days) were assessed for functional vision using the SLAG test without training or conditioning. Subjecting the population to a second innate behavioral test, Dark Chamber preference, corroborated that the functional vision assessment of SLAG was valid. We propose that the SLAG assay is immediately useful to quickly and clearly identify experimental mice possessing functional vision. SLAG is based on a behavioral readout with a significant innate component with no requirement for training. This will facilitate the selection of mice of known sighted status in vision-dependent experiments that focus on other types of behavior, neuroscience, and/or cognitive memory.

  6. Governing for the Common Good.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruger, Jennifer Prah

    2015-12-01

    The proper object of global health governance (GHG) should be the common good, ensuring that all people have the opportunity to flourish. A well-organized global society that promotes the common good is to everyone's advantage. Enabling people to flourish includes enabling their ability to be healthy. Thus, we must assess health governance by its effectiveness in enhancing health capabilities. Current GHG fails to support human flourishing, diminishes health capabilities and thus does not serve the common good. The provincial globalism theory of health governance proposes a Global Health Constitution and an accompanying Global Institute of Health and Medicine that together propose to transform health governance. Multiple lines of empirical research suggest that these institutions would be effective, offering the most promising path to a healthier, more just world.

  7. Opto-mechanical subsystem with temperature compensation through isothemal design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodwin, F. E. (Inventor)

    1977-01-01

    An opto-mechanical subsystem for supporting a laser structure which minimizes changes in the alignment of the laser optics in response to temperature variations is described. Both optical and mechanical structural components of the system are formed of the same material, preferably beryllium, which is selected for high mechanical strength and good thermal conducting qualities. All mechanical and optical components are mounted and assembled to provide thorough thermal coupling throughout the subsystem to prevent the development of temperature gradients.

  8. E2-EPF UCP Possesses E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Activity via Its Cysteine 118 Residue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Jung Hwa; Shin, Hee Won; Chung, Kyung-Sook; Kim, Nam-Soon; Kim, Ju Hee; Jung, Hong-Ryul; Im, Dong-Soo; Jung, Cho-Rok

    Here, we show that E2-EPF ubiquitin carrier protein (UCP) elongated E3-independent polyubiquitin chains on the lysine residues of von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL) and its own lysine residues both in vitro and in vivo. The initiation of the ubiquitin reaction depended on not only Lys11 linkage but also the Lys6, Lys48 and Lys63 residues of ubiquitin, which were involved in polyubiquitin chain formation on UCP itself. UCP self-association occurred through the UBC domain, which also contributed to the interaction with pVHL. The polyubiquitin chains appeared on the N-terminus of UCP in vivo, which indicated that the N-terminus of UCP contains target lysines for polyubiquitination. The Lys76 residue of UCP was the most critical site for auto-ubiquitination, whereas the polyubiquitin chain formation on pVHL occurred on all three of its lysines (Lys159, Lys171 and Lys196). A UCP mutant in which Cys118 was changed to alanine (UCPC118A) did not form a polyubiquitin chain but did strongly accumulate mono- and di-ubiquitin via auto-ubiquitination. Polyubiquitin chain formation required the coordination of Cys95 and Cys118 between two interacting molecules. The mechanism of the polyubiquitin chain reaction of UCP may involve the transfer of ubiquitin from Cys95 to Cys118 by trans-thiolation, with polyubiquitin chains forming at Cys118 by reversible thioester bonding. The polyubiquitin chains are then moved to the lysine residues of the substrate by irreversible isopeptide bonding. During the elongation of the ubiquitin chain, an active Cys118 residue is required in both parts of UCP, namely, the catalytic enzyme and the substrate. In conclusion, UCP possesses not only E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme activity but also E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, and Cys118 is critical for polyubiquitin chain formation.

  9. E2-EPF UCP Possesses E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Activity via Its Cysteine 118 Residue.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung Hwa Lim

    Full Text Available Here, we show that E2-EPF ubiquitin carrier protein (UCP elongated E3-independent polyubiquitin chains on the lysine residues of von Hippel-Lindau protein (pVHL and its own lysine residues both in vitro and in vivo. The initiation of the ubiquitin reaction depended on not only Lys11 linkage but also the Lys6, Lys48 and Lys63 residues of ubiquitin, which were involved in polyubiquitin chain formation on UCP itself. UCP self-association occurred through the UBC domain, which also contributed to the interaction with pVHL. The polyubiquitin chains appeared on the N-terminus of UCP in vivo, which indicated that the N-terminus of UCP contains target lysines for polyubiquitination. The Lys76 residue of UCP was the most critical site for auto-ubiquitination, whereas the polyubiquitin chain formation on pVHL occurred on all three of its lysines (Lys159, Lys171 and Lys196. A UCP mutant in which Cys118 was changed to alanine (UCPC118A did not form a polyubiquitin chain but did strongly accumulate mono- and di-ubiquitin via auto-ubiquitination. Polyubiquitin chain formation required the coordination of Cys95 and Cys118 between two interacting molecules. The mechanism of the polyubiquitin chain reaction of UCP may involve the transfer of ubiquitin from Cys95 to Cys118 by trans-thiolation, with polyubiquitin chains forming at Cys118 by reversible thioester bonding. The polyubiquitin chains are then moved to the lysine residues of the substrate by irreversible isopeptide bonding. During the elongation of the ubiquitin chain, an active Cys118 residue is required in both parts of UCP, namely, the catalytic enzyme and the substrate. In conclusion, UCP possesses not only E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme activity but also E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, and Cys118 is critical for polyubiquitin chain formation.

  10. A critical analysis of debtor’s right to reinstate a credit agreement & resume possession of property

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hlako Choma

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In terms of section 129(3(a of the South African National Credit Act 34 of 2005 a consumer may reinstate a credit agreement that is in default by paying all the money that is overdue together with default charges incurred by the credit provider and also the costs of enforcing the agreement until the agreement is reinstated. A consumer should pay costs of reinstating agreement if the credit provider has not yet cancelled the agreement. A consumer who paid the required costs will also resume possession of goods that were repossessed by the credit provider pursuant to attachment order. However a consumer is prohibited from reinstating a credit agreement after the property is sold pursuant to attachment order or surrender of property in terms of section 127 (section 129(4. A consumer is also prohibited from reinstating a credit agreement after the execution of court order enforcing that agreement or after termination of agreement in terms of the NCA (section 129(4. Therefore a question arise as to whether a consumer who fell in arrears can reinstate a credit agreement by paying the arrears and preclude a credit provider from proceeding to sell the property. In other words whether a consumer who paid arrears on credit agreement can reinstate such credit agreement and disentitling the credit provider from selling the property. This was the crisp question put to the court in the recent decision in Nkata v Firstrand Bank Limited and Others (CCT73/15 [2016] ZACC 12; 2016 (6 BCLR 794 (CC; 2016 (4 SA 257 (CC (21 April 2016. The purpose this article is to critically analyse the decision in Nkata v Firstrand Bank Limited and Others (CCT73/15 [2016] ZACC 12; 2016 (6 BCLR 794 (CC; 2016 (4 SA 257 (CC (21 April 2016 in view of the application and interpretation of section 129(3 and (4 of the NCA.

  11. How do user experiences with different transport modes affect the risk of traffic accidents? From the viewpoint of licence possession status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakai, Hiroshi; Usui, Shinnosuke

    2017-02-01

    Road accidents between different modes of transport-such as between automobiles and pedestrians, automobiles and bicycles, or automobiles and motorcycles-are frequent. In such cases, it is important to consider the other side's perspective. This involves the ability to correctly judge, for every given situation, how other people on the road perceive their surroundings and what they intend to do next. In this paper, we conduct two types of studies assuming that this kind of ability to consider perspectives is higher when the person is licenced to drive the mode of transport used by the other party. For Study 1, we analysed accidents involving senior citizens between the ages of 65 and 74 years, who collided with automobiles as pedestrians or cyclists (1656 and 3192 cases respectively), in terms of the accident category and type of road at the accident spot. The results indicate that possession or non-possession of a licence was irrelevant for accidents involving cyclists, but for accidents with pedestrians, senior citizens who did not possess a licence are likely to be involved in a greater number of accidents in places that require interaction with automobiles, such as while crossing at crosswalks or at intersections. For Study 2, we reviewed 875 ordinary first-class licence practical test examinees, categorised them according to their licence possession status (motorcycle licence, moped licence, or no licence), and made a category-wise comparison of the test instructor's assessment of their ability to make a left turn. The results showed that those who had a motorcycle or moped licence tended to make a left turn more safely. Thus, the results indicate that experience with different modes of transport is likely to reduce the risk of accidents. These findings may be used to popularise educational interventions encouraging users of various transport modes to consider the perspective of others (i.e. via perspective-taking). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  12. Mechanisms of sintering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohan, Ashok; Soni, N.C.; Moorthy, V.K.

    1980-01-01

    The basic mechanisms by which the material moves during sintering have not only held a strange fascination but are also very important in determining the properties of the end product. Kuczynski's exponent method has been subsequently refined by several schools to make it increasingly reliable. There is now a fairly good understanding of mechanisms in some of the materials. However in others the issue is complicated by their basic nature. The problems of ambiguity in criterion and that of more than one mechanism being simultaneously operative have been tackled with dexterity by Ashby for drawing sintering mechanism diagrams. The method has been modified to give Relative Contribution Diagrams (RCD). These yield additional information and have been used for analysis. The main criticism against this is that it uses a very large number of rate equations and material properties, which can communicate their inaccuracies to the diagram. A case study of UO 2 was undertaken and it has been shown quantitatively that inaccuracies in a smaller number of properties only affect the diagrams to any significant extent. (auth.)

  13. Transport of hazardous goods. Befoerderung gefaehrlicher Gueter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1989-01-01

    The course 'Transport of hazardous goods' was held in Berlin in November 1988 in cooperation with the Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung. From all lecturs, two are recorded separately: 'Safety of tank trucks - requirements on the tank, development possibiities of active and passive safety' and 'Requirements on the transport of radioactive materials - possible derivations for other hazardous goods'. The other lectures deal with hazardous goods law, requirements on packinging, risk assessment, railroad transport, hazardous goods road network, insurance matters, EC regulations, and waste tourism. (HSCH).

  14. Mechanical properties of nanodiamond-reinforced hydroxyapatite composite coatings deposited by suspension plasma spraying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiuyong; Zhang, Botao; Gong, Yongfeng; Zhou, Ping; Li, Hua

    2018-05-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings suffer from poor mechanical properties, which can be enhanced via incorporation of secondary bioinert reinforcement material. Nanodiamond (ND) possesses excellent mechanical properties to play the role as reinforcement for improving the mechanical properties of brittle HA bioceramic coatings. The major persistent challenge yet is the development of proper deposition techniques for fabricating the ND reinforced HA coatings. In this study, we present a novel deposition approach by plasma spraying the mixtures of ND suspension and micron-sized HA powder feedstock. The effect of ND reinforcement on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the coatings such as hardness, adhesive strength and friction coefficient were examined. The results showed that the ND-reinforced HA coatings display lower porosity, fewer unmelted particles and uniform microstructure, in turn leading to significantly enhanced mechanical properties. The study presented a promising approach to fabricate ND-reinforced HA composite coatings on metal-based medical implants for potential clinical application.

  15. Good breastfeeding policies -- good breastfeeding rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    In Norway, where breast-feeding policies protecting breast-feeding women's needs have been in place since the 1970s, approximately 97% of women breast feed when leaving the hospital, 80% are breast feeding at 3 months, and 20% beyond 12 months. Government family policies play an important role in enabling women to achieve good breast-feeding rates. In Norway: maternity leave is 42 weeks with full pay or 52 weeks with 80% of salary; flexible part-time is available for women from 2 months after giving birth with income supplemented from maternity benefits; after returning to work, women are entitled to 1- to 1.5-hour breaks to return home to breast feed, or to have the child brought to work. "Breast feeding is so normal," writes Hege Jacobson Lepri, "it's more embarrassing to bring out the feeding bottle in public." full text

  16. Gauge see-saw: A mechanism for a light gauge boson

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Hye-Sung, E-mail: hlee@ibs.re.kr; Seo, Min-Seok, E-mail: minseokseo@ibs.re.kr

    2017-04-10

    There has been rapidly growing interest in the past decade in a new gauge boson which is considerably lighter than the standard model Z boson. A well-known example of this kind is the so-called dark photon, and it is actively searched for in various experiments nowadays. It would be puzzling to have a new gauge boson which is neither massless nor electroweak scale, but possesses a rather small yet nonzero mass. We present a mechanism that can provide a light gauge boson as a result of a mass matrix diagonalization.

  17. The mechanisms of collinear integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cass, John; Alais, David

    2006-08-11

    Low-contrast visual contour fragments are easier to detect when presented in the context of nearby collinear contour elements (U. Polat & D. Sagi, 1993). The spatial and temporal determinants of this collinear facilitation have been studied extensively (J. R. Cass & B. Spehar, 2005; Y. Tanaka & D. Sagi, 1998; C. B. Williams & R. F. Hess, 1998), although considerable debate surrounds the neural mechanisms underlying it. Our study examines this question using a novel stimulus, whereby the flanking "contour" elements are rotated around their own axis. By measuring contrast detection thresholds to a brief foveal target presented at various phases of flanker rotation, we find peak facilitation after flankers have rotated beyond their collinear phase. This optimal facilitative delay increases monotonically as a function of target-flanker separation, yielding estimates of cortical propagation of 0.1 m/s, a value highly consistent with the dynamics of long-range horizontal interactions observed within primary visual cortex (V1). A curious new finding is also observed: Facilitative peaks also occur when the target flash precedes flanker collinearity by 20-80 ms, a range consistent with contrast-dependent cortical onset latencies. Together, these data suggest that collinear facilitation involves two separate mechanisms, each possessing distinct dynamics: (i) slowly propagating horizontal interactions within V1 and (ii) a faster integrative mechanism, possibly driven by synchronous collinear cortical onset.

  18. Lightning Strike Induced Damage Mechanisms of Carbon Fiber Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawakami, Hirohide

    Composite materials have a wide application in aerospace, automotive, and other transportation industries, because of the superior structural and weight performances. Since carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites possess a much lower electrical conductivity as compared to traditional metallic materials utilized for aircraft structures, serious concern about damage resistance/tolerance against lightning has been rising. Main task of this study is to clarify the lightning damage mechanism of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy polymer composites to help further development of lightning strike protection. The research on lightning damage to carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites is quite challenging, and there has been little study available until now. In order to tackle this issue, building block approach was employed. The research was started with the development of supporting technologies such as a current impulse generator to simulate a lightning strike in a laboratory. Then, fundamental electrical properties and fracture behavior of CFRPs exposed to high and low level current impulse were investigated using simple coupon specimens, followed by extensive parametric investigations in terms of different prepreg materials frequently used in aerospace industry, various stacking sequences, different lightning intensity, and lightning current waveforms. It revealed that the thermal resistance capability of polymer matrix was one of the most influential parameters on lightning damage resistance of CFRPs. Based on the experimental findings, the semi-empirical analysis model for predicting the extent of lightning damage was established. The model was fitted through experimental data to determine empirical parameters and, then, showed a good capability to provide reliable predictions for other test conditions and materials. Finally, structural element level lightning tests were performed to explore more practical situations. Specifically, filled-hole CFRP plates and patch

  19. Fabrication, microstructure, and mechanical properties of high strength cobalt sub-micron structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin Sumin; Burek, Michael J.; Evans, Robert D.; Jahed, Zeinab; Leung, Michael C.; Evans, Neal D.; Tsui, Ting Y.

    2012-01-01

    The mechanical properties exhibited by sub-micron scale columnar structures of cobalt, fabricated by electron beam lithography and electroplating techniques, were investigated through uniaxial compression. Transmission electron microscopy analyses show these specimens possess a microstructure with sub-micron grains which are elongated and aligned near to the pillar loading axis. In addition, small nanocrystalline cobalt crystals are also present within the columnar structure. These specimens display exceptional mechanical strength comparable with both bulk polycrystalline and nanocrystalline cobalt deposited by electroplating. Size-dependent softening with shrinking sample dimensions is also observed in this work. Additionally, the strength of these sub-micron structures appears to be strain rate sensitive and comparable with bulk nanocrystalline cobalt specimens.

  20. 77 FR 58627 - Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-21

    ... Service 50 CFR Part 20 Migratory Bird Hunting; Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal Register / Vol. 77 , No. 184 / Friday, September 21, 2012... Part 20 [Docket No. FWS-R9-MB-2012-0005; FF09M21200-123-FXMB1231099BPP0L2] RIN 1018-AX97 Migratory Bird...

  1. 12 CFR 747.7 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 747.7 Section 747.7... of Practice and Procedure § 747.7 Good faith certification. (a) General requirement. Every filing or... good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law; and the filing or...

  2. 12 CFR 509.7 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 509.7 Section 509.7... PROCEDURE IN ADJUDICATORY PROCEEDINGS Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure § 509.7 Good faith... in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or...

  3. 12 CFR 19.7 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 19.7 Section 19.7... PROCEDURE Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure § 19.7 Good faith certification. (a) General requirement... warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing...

  4. Financial Giffen Goods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Rolf; Rasmussen, Kourosh Marjani

    2008-01-01

    In the basic Markowitz and Merton models, a stock’s weight in efficient portfolios goes up if its expected rate of return goes up. Put differently, there are no financial Giffen goods. By an example from mortgage choice we illustrate that for more complicated portfolio problems Giffen effects do...

  5. 'The Good Citizen’

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Offersen, Sara Marie Hebsgaard; Vedsted, Peter; Andersen, Rikke Sand

    2017-01-01

    the Danish welfare state and the middle-class popula- tion is embodied in a responsibility for individual health. Overall, we identify a striving to be a ‘good citizen’; this entails confl icting moral possibilities in relation to experiencing, interpreting and acting on bodily sensations. We examine how...

  6. Simple and rapid mercury ion selective electrode based on 1-undecanethiol assembled Au substrate and its recognition mechanism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xian-Qing; Liang, Hai-Qing [Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Protection for Electric Power and Transportation, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Cao, Zhong, E-mail: zhongcao2004@163.com [Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Protection for Electric Power and Transportation, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Xiao, Qing [Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Protection for Electric Power and Transportation, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Xiao, Zhong-Liang, E-mail: xiaozhongliang@163.com [Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Protection for Electric Power and Transportation, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Song, Liu-Bin [Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Protection for Electric Power and Transportation, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Chen, Dan [Hunan Airbluer Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., Changsha 410014 (China); Wang, Fu-Liang [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

    2017-03-01

    A simple and rapid mercury ion selective electrode based on 1-undecanethiol (1-UDT) assembled Au substrate (Au/1-UDT) has been well constructed. 1-UDT was for the purpose of generating self-assembled monolayer on gold surface to recognize Hg{sup 2+} in aqueous solution, which had a working concentration range of 1.0 × 10{sup −} {sup 8}–1.0 × 10{sup −4} mol L{sup −1}, with a Nernst response slope of 28.83 ± 0.4 mV/-pC, a detection limit of 4.5 × 10{sup −9} mol L{sup −1}, and a good selectivity over the other tested cations. Also, the Au/1-UDT possessed good reproducibility, stability, and short response time. The recovery obtained for the determination of mercury ion in practical tremella samples was in the range of 99.8–103.4%. Combined electrochemical analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with quantum chemical computation, the probable recognition mechanism of the electrode for selective recognition of Hg{sup 2+} has been investigated. The covalent bond formed between mercury and sulfur is stronger than the one between gold and sulfur and thus prevents the adsorption of 1-UDT molecules on the gold surface. The quantum chemical computation with density functional theory further demonstrates that the strong interaction between the mercury atom and the sulfur atom on the gold surface leads to the gold sulfur bond ruptured and the gold mercury metallophilic interaction. - Highlights: • A simple and rapid mercury ion selective electrode has been well constructed. • The Au/1-UDT electrode for sensing Hg{sup 2+} has a sensitivity of 28.83 ± 0.4 mV/− pC. • The ISE method has a detection limit of Hg{sup 2+} down to 4.5 × 10{sup −9} mol L{sup −1}. • A mechanism with density functional theory for recognition of Hg{sup 2+} is developed. • The quantum chemical computation demonstrates Au-Hg metallophilic interaction.

  7. Science Academies' Refresher Course in Statistical Mechanics

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2018-02-27

    Feb 27, 2018 ... Post Graduate and Research Department of Physics. Bishop Moore ... The Course will cover the basic and advanced topics of Statistical. Mechanics ... Courses of good standing for promotion, vide notification. F3-1/2009 ...

  8. 12 CFR 308.7 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 308.7 Section 308.7... PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure § 308.7 Good faith certification. (a... in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or...

  9. 12 CFR 263.7 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 263.7 Section 263.7... RULES OF PRACTICE FOR HEARINGS Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure § 263.7 Good faith certification... in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or...

  10. 7 CFR 28.407 - Good Ordinary Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good Ordinary Color. 28.407 Section 28.407 Agriculture..., TESTING, AND STANDARDS Standards Official Cotton Standards of the United States for the Color Grade of American Upland Cotton § 28.407 Good Ordinary Color. Good Ordinary Color is color which is within the range...

  11. 7 CFR 28.401 - Good Middling Color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good Middling Color. 28.401 Section 28.401 Agriculture..., TESTING, AND STANDARDS Standards Official Cotton Standards of the United States for the Color Grade of American Upland Cotton § 28.401 Good Middling Color. Good Middling Color is color which is within the range...

  12. Evaluation of mechanical properties of hybrid fiber (hemp, jute, kevlar) reinforced composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suresha, K. V.; Shivanand, H. K.; Amith, A.; Vidyasagar, H. N.

    2018-04-01

    In today's world composites play wide role in all the engineering fields. The reinforcement of composites decides the properties of the material. Natural fiber composites compared to synthetic fiber possesses poor mechanical properties. The solution for this problem is to use combination of natural fiber and synthetic fiber. Hybridization helps to improve the overall mechanical properties of the material. In this study, hybrid reinforced composites of Hemp fabric/Kevlar fabric/Epoxy and Jute fabric/ Kevlar fabric/Epoxy composites are fabricated using Simple hand layup technique followed by Vacuum bagging process. Appropriate test methods as per standards and guidelines are followed to analyze mechanical behavior of the composites. The mechanical characteristics like tensile, compression and flexural properties of the hybrid reinforced composites are tested as per the ASTM standards by series of tensile test; compression test and three point bending tests were conducted on the hybrid composites. A quantitative relationship between the Hemp fabric/Kevlar fabric/Epoxy and Jute/ Kevlar fabric/Epoxy has been established with constant thickness.

  13. Seeing is believing: good graphic design principles for medical research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duke, Susan P; Bancken, Fabrice; Crowe, Brenda; Soukup, Mat; Botsis, Taxiarchis; Forshee, Richard

    2015-09-30

    Have you noticed when you browse a book, journal, study report, or product label how your eye is drawn to figures more than to words and tables? Statistical graphs are powerful ways to transparently and succinctly communicate the key points of medical research. Furthermore, the graphic design itself adds to the clarity of the messages in the data. The goal of this paper is to provide a mechanism for selecting the appropriate graph to thoughtfully construct quality deliverables using good graphic design principles. Examples are motivated by the efforts of a Safety Graphics Working Group that consisted of scientists from the pharmaceutical industry, Food and Drug Administration, and academic institutions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. A novel strategy for preparing mechanically robust ionically cross-linked alginate hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jejurikar, Aparna; Lawrie, Gwen; Groendahl, Lisbeth; Martin, Darren

    2011-01-01

    The properties of alginate films modified using two cross-linker ions (Ca 2+ and Ba 2+ ), comparing two separate cross-linking techniques (the traditional immersion (IM) method and a new strategy in a pressure-assisted diffusion (PD) method), are evaluated. This was achieved through measuring metal ion content, water uptake and film stability in an ionic solution ([Ca 2+ ] = 2 mM). Characterization of the internal structure and mechanical properties of hydrated films were established by cryogenic scanning electron microscopy and tensile testing, respectively. It was found that gels formed by the PD technique possessed greater stability and did not exhibit any delamination after 21 day immersion as compared to gels formed by the IM technique. The Ba 2+ cross-linked gels possessed significantly higher cross-linking density as reflected in lower water content, a more dense internal structure and higher Young's modulus compared to Ca 2+ cross-linked gels. For the Ca 2+ cross-linked gels, a large improvement in the mechanical properties was observed in gels produced by the PD technique and this was attributed to thicker pore walls observed within the hydrogel structure. In contrast, for the Ba 2+ cross-linked gels, the PD technique resulted in gels that had lower tensile strength and strain energy density and this was attributed to phase separation and larger macropores in this gel.

  15. Application of mechanical embolectomy in acute ischemic stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Haitao; Li Minghua; Zhao Jungong

    2008-01-01

    Acute ischemic stroke is a common disease serevely threatening the public health. The main management involves intravenous thrombolysis, intra-arterial thrombolysis and mechanical embolectomy. Recently, endovascular mechanical embolectomy is attracted more attention because it provides a good outcome for patients either ineligible not responsible for IV thrombolytic therapy. The article reviews the relative aspects with summerization in this field. (authors)

  16. Rules for the certification of good practices in clinical laboratories. No regulation. 3-2009. Good Laboratory Practice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    Regulation for Certification of Good Practices in clinical laboratories, hereinafter Regulation establishes the methodology and procedures for clinical laboratories to demonstrate their state of compliance with good practices, according to Regulation 3-2009, and that the CECMED can verify.

  17. Mechanical properties of a new thermoplastic polymer orthodontic archwire

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Varela, Juan Carlos; Velo, Marcos [Grupo de investigación en Ortodoncia, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela (Spain); Espinar, Eduardo; Llamas, Jose Maria [Grupo de investigación en Ortodoncia, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Sevilla (Spain); Rúperez, Elisa; Manero, Jose Maria [Dept. C. Materiales e Ing. Metalúrgica, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Centre de Recerca Nanoenginyeria, Member of Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN (Spain); Javier Gil, F., E-mail: francesc.xavier.gil@upc.edu [Dept. C. Materiales e Ing. Metalúrgica, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Centre de Recerca Nanoenginyeria, Member of Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, CIBER-BBN (Spain)

    2014-09-01

    A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained and extruded into wires with round and rectangular cross sections. We evaluated the potential of new aesthetic archwire: tensile, three point bending, friction and stress relaxation behaviour, and formability characteristics were assessed. Stresses delivered were generally slightly lower than typical beta-titanium and nickel-titanium archwires. The polymer wire has good instantaneous mechanical properties; tensile stress decayed about 2% over 2 h depending on the initial stress relaxation for up to 120 h. High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires. The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic conventional archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. This new polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. - Highlights: • A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained. • This polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. • The polymer has good mechanical properties as orthodontic wire coating. • The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. • High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires.

  18. Mechanical properties of a new thermoplastic polymer orthodontic archwire

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varela, Juan Carlos; Velo, Marcos; Espinar, Eduardo; Llamas, Jose Maria; Rúperez, Elisa; Manero, Jose Maria; Javier Gil, F.

    2014-01-01

    A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained and extruded into wires with round and rectangular cross sections. We evaluated the potential of new aesthetic archwire: tensile, three point bending, friction and stress relaxation behaviour, and formability characteristics were assessed. Stresses delivered were generally slightly lower than typical beta-titanium and nickel-titanium archwires. The polymer wire has good instantaneous mechanical properties; tensile stress decayed about 2% over 2 h depending on the initial stress relaxation for up to 120 h. High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires. The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic conventional archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. This new polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. - Highlights: • A new thermoplastic polymer for orthodontic applications was obtained. • This polymer could be a good candidate for aesthetic orthodontic archwires. • The polymer has good mechanical properties as orthodontic wire coating. • The friction coefficients were lower than the metallic archwires improving the slipping with the brackets. • High formability allowed shape bending similar to that associated with stainless steel wires

  19. 12 CFR 908.23 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 908.23 Section 908.23... OPERATIONS RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE IN HEARINGS ON THE RECORD General Rules § 908.23 Good faith... filing or submission of record is well-grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith...

  20. 12 CFR 1780.7 - Good faith certification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Good faith certification. 1780.7 Section 1780.7... DEVELOPMENT RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE General Rules § 1780.7 Good faith... record is well-grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith, nonfrivolous argument...