Academic literature on the topic 'Successive synthesis'

A mode synthesis approach is presented to calculate the eigenproperties of a structure from the eigenproperties of its substructures. The approach consists of synthesizing the substructures sequentially, one degree-of-freedom at a time. At each coupling stage, the eigenvalue is obtained as the solution of a characteristic equation, defined in closed form in terms of the eigenproperties obtained in the preceding coupling stage. The roots of the characteristic equation can be obtained by a simple Newton-Raphson root finding scheme. For each calculated eigenvalue, the eigenvector is defined by a simple closed-form expression. The eigenproperties obtained in the final coupling stage provide the desired eigenproperties of the coupled system. Thus, the approach avoids a conventional solution of the second eigenvalue problem. The approach can be implemented with the complete set or a truncated number of substructure modes; if the complete set of modes is used, the calculated eigenproperties would be exact. The approach can be used with any finite element discretization of structures. It requires only the free interface eigenproperties of the substructures. Successful application of the approach to a moderate size problem (255 degrees-of-freedom) on a microcomputer is also demonstrated.

Through various examples in history such as the early man’s carving on caves, dependence on diagrammatic representations, the immense popularity of comic books we have seen that vision has a higher reach in communication than written words. In this paper, we analyse and propose a new task of transfer of information from text to image synthesis. Through this paper we aim to generate a story from a single sentence and convert our generated story into a sequence of images. We plan to use state of the art technology to implement this task. With the advent of Generative Adversarial Networks text to image synthesis have found a new awakening. We plan to take this task a step further, in order to automate the entire process. Our system generates a multi-lined story given a single sentence using a deep neural network. This story is then fed into our networks of multiple stage GANs inorder to produce a photorealistic image sequence.

Hallachrome (1), the only known example of a naturally occurring 1,2-anthraquinone, has been synthesized by successive cycloadditions involving the dienophile (8) with the dienes (7) and (12). Synthetic intermediates (18) and (6) are known derivatives of natural hallachrome.

Background: Systematic reviews are used increasingly to synthesise research for policy and practice decisions. Systematic reviews use transparent, explicit and consistent methods to identify, appraise and integrate research evidence, to inform existing assumptions. Traditionally used to examine the effects of health care, systematic review methods have evolved to address more complex issues across health and social policy. Framework synthesis is one systematic review method employed to address such complexity. Adapted from framework analysis used in primary research, framework synthesis begins with an a priori conceptual framework, which develops iteratively as new data are incorporated and themes derived from the data. Framework synthesis has been used increasingly in qualitative and mixed-method systematic reviews, sometimes incorporating stakeholder consultation to describe and interpret review findings. Aims: This thesis will demonstrate how my development of framework synthesis methods is situated within, and contributes to, wider debates about research synthesis methods in systematic reviews. Methods: I conducted an overview of systematic reviews. A systematic review of the literature discussing or employing framework synthesis methods was conducted. Included studies were ordered and synthesised using framework synthesis methods. The resulting conceptual framework structured the assessment of each of the submitted publications (the ‘thesis reviews’). Findings were subsequently incorporated into the conceptual framework and higher order themes derived using constant comparative analysis. Results: This thesis distinguishes two key approaches to framework synthesis: one approach that constructs a framework (often in discussion with stakeholders) to accommodate research from across academic disciplines and/or policy sectors; and the ‘best-fit’ approach that borrows a framework from a related area to initiate synthesis within a narrower disciplinary or policy scope. Its utility is demonstrated in handling mixed methods and mixed sources reviews, using diverse data types and synthesis methods in order to generate, explore and/or test theory in collaboration with stakeholders. I conclude that framework synthesis is a very flexible research synthesis method that can meet the complex conditions and epistemology arising from public health policy issues.

This study addresses the criticism leveled at A.C.T. Mathematics teachers with regard to their failure to use any other method of teaching than chalk-and-talk. By considering the changed needs of society for mathematics and the changed perceptions by society of education, the criticism is placed in context. The importance of spatial ability for mathematics is examined in the context of theories of cognitive abilities and its current under utilization within the classroom. On the basis of the increased need to utilize more talent the study was designed to operationalise in the classroom the constructs of simultaneous and successive synthesis, derived from Luria's model of brain functioning. The question of gender differences in mathematics achievment and spatial ability is addressed. The possible role of the maturation of language in determining differences in the acquistion of ability to form simultaneous synthesis is briefly discussed. The study was designed to utilize and enhance simultaneous synthesis. By demonstrating an Aptitude-Treatment Interaction it was intended to confirm that students, who function at a high level in simultaneous synthesis but at a low level in successive synthesis, would achieve more with experience with spatial activates than in a more traditional chalk-and-talk classroom. Gender differences in achievement were not found. Gender differences in successive/simultaneous profiles were found in accordance with theory predictions. The need for the duration of longer treatment periods is briefly discussed in the context of funding and the appearance of greater efficiency of traditional teaching methods when the students are functioning at the highest level of symbolic thought.

Les communications numériques sont omniprésentes dans les objets communicants de la vie courante . L'évolution des standards de communications, la diminution des délais de mise sur le marché et l’hétérogénéité des cadres applicatifs complexifient les défis à relever par les concepteurs de circuits numériques. Les technologies mobiles de cinquième génération (5G) sont une illustration des enjeux actuels. Dans ce contexte, le développement de circuits numériques pour l'implantation de décodeurs de codes correcteurs d'erreurs s’avère particulièrement difficile. La synthèse haut niveau (HLS) est une des méthodologies de conception qui permet le prototypage rapide d'architectures numériques. Cette méthodologie est basée sur l’utilisation de descriptions comportementales pour générer des architectures matérielles. Cependant, le développement de modèles comportementaux efficaces est primordial pour la génération d’architectures performantes. Les travaux présentés dans le cadre de cette thèse ont pour thème la définition de modèles comportementaux efficaces pour la génération d'architectures de décodeurs de codes correcteurs d'erreurs pour les codes LDPC et les codes polaires. Ces deux familles de codes correcteurs d’erreurs sont celles qui ont été adoptées dans le standard 5G. Les modèles comportementaux développés se doivent d’allier flexibilité, rapidité de prototypage et efficacité.Une première contribution significative des travaux de thèse est la proposition de deux modèles comportementaux permettant la génération d'architectures matérielles efficaces pour le décodage de codes LDPC. Ces modèles sont génériques et associés à une méthodologie flexible. Ils favorisent l’exploration de l'espace des solutions architecturales. Ainsi une multitude de compromis entre le débit, la latence et la complexité matérielle est obtenue. En outre, cette contribution constitue une avancée significative vis-à-vis de l'état de l'art concernant la génération automatique d'architectures de décodeurs LDPC. Enfin les performances atteintes par les architectures synthétisées sont similaires à celles d’architectures conçues manuellement à l’aide d’un flot de conception traditionnel. Une deuxième contribution des travaux de thèse est la proposition d’un premier modèle comportemental favorisant la génération d'architectures matérielles de décodeurs de codes polaires à l’aide d’un flot de synthèse de haut niveau. Ce modèle générique permet lui aussi une exploration efficace de l'espace des solutions architecturales. Il est à noter que les performances des décodeurs polaires synthétisés sont similaires à celles des architectures de décodage rapportés dans l’état de l’art. Une troisième contribution des travaux de thèse concerne le développement d'un modèle comportemental de décodeur de codes polaires implantant un algorithme "à Liste", à savoir l'algorithme de décodage par annulation successive à liste. Cet algorithme de décodage permet d’obtenir de meilleures performances de décodage au prix d’un surcoût calculatoire important. Ce surcoût se répercute sur la complexité matérielle de l’architecture de décodage. Il est à souligner que le modèle comportemental proposé est le premier modèle pour des décodeurs de codes polaires basés sur un algorithme "à Liste"
Digital communications are ubiquitous in the communicating objects of everyday life. Evolving communication standards, shorter time-to-market, and heterogeneous applications make the design for digital circuit more challenging. Fifth generation (5G) mobile technologies are an illustration of the current and future challenges. In this context, the design of digital architectures for the implementation of error-correcting code decoders will often turn out to be especially difficult. High Level Synthesis (HLS) is one of the computer-aided design (CAO) methodologies that facilitates the fast prototyping of digital architectures. This methodology is based on behavioral descriptions to generate hardware architectures. However, the design of efficient behavioral models is essential for the generation of high-performance architectures. The results presented in this thesis focus on the definition of efficient behavioral models for the generation of error-correcting code decoder architectures dedicated tp LDPC codes and polar codes. These two families of error-correcting codes are the ones adopted in the 5G standard. The proposed behavioural models have to combine flexibility, fast prototyping and efficiency.A first significant contribution of the research thesis is the proposal of two behavioural models that enables the generation of efficient hardware architectures for the decoding of LDPC codes. These models are generic. They are associated with a flexible methodology. They make the space exploration of architectural solutions easier. Thus, a variety of trade-offs between throughput, latency and hardware complexity are obtained. Furthermore, this contribution represents a significant advance in the state of the art regarding the automatic generation of LDPC decoder architectures. Finally, the performances that are achieved by generated architectures are similar to that of handwritten architectures with an usual CAO methodology.A second contribution of this research thesis is the proposal of a first behavioural model dedicated to the generation of hardware architectures of polar code decoders with a high-level synthesis methodology. This generic model also enables an efficient exploration of the architectural solution space. It should be noted that the performance of synthesized polar decoders is similar to that of state-of-the-art polar decoding architectures.A third contribution of the research thesis concerns the definition of a polar decoder behavioural model that is based on a "list" algorithm, known as successive cancellation list decoding algorithm. This decoding algorithm enables to achieve higher decoding performance at the cost of a significant computational overhead. This additional cost can also be observed on the hardware complexity of the resulting decoding architecture. It should be emphasized that the proposed behavioural model is the first model for polar code decoders based on a "list" algorithm

This dissertation examines treaty succession, the extent to which new states take on treaties signed by their predecessor political entities. The last twenty years have witnessed the emergence of complex inheritance of international obligations by new countries, which have often invoked the practice of postcolonial and post-Soviet governments when either accepting or renouncing preexisting legal ties. Although international lawyers have perennially provided prescriptions to solve attendant predicaments in this area, the topic has rarely been addressed by international relations theorists. Through historical research, this dissertation tracks the development of and interaction between two competing telic behaviors among nascent states confronted by vexing questions about the inheritance of international obligations since the end of the Second World War. Its central findings are that, (1) during decolonization, states renounced many preexisting treaties according to notions of self-determination, aimed at autonomously defining their relationship to the international community; whereas, (2) amid the dissolution of the Soviet Union, quite divergent state behavior emerged, namely that states developed a competing approach based on custodianship to existing international legal relations. Finally, in a third period leading up to 2014, this study documents the interplay between these two purposeful forms of inheritance of international obligations, illustrating that their underlying conceptions may sometimes serve as complementary forces. Empirical research proceeds by examining dominant understandings of relevant law as well as the practice of states in three distinct periods. The conduct of states is evaluated in aggregate and through case studies. This dissertation advances a critique of recent scholarship suggesting that the practice of post-colonial states and the 1978 Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties have become largely irrelevant to contemporary treaty succession.

A unique process of fabricating a strained layer GexSi1-x on insulator is demonstrated. Such strained heterostructures are useful in the fabrication of high-mobility transistors. This technique incorporates well-established silicon processing technology e.g., ion implantation and thermal oxidation. A dilute GeSi layer is initially formed by implanting Ge+ into a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. Thermal oxidation segregates the Ge at the growing oxide interface to form a distinct GexSi1-x thin-film with a composition that can be tailored by controlling the oxidation parameters (e.g. temperature and oxidation ambient). In addition, the film thickness can be controlled by implantation fluence, which is important since the film forms pseudomorphically below 2×1016 Ge/cm2. Continued oxidation consumes the underlying Si leaving the strained GeSi film encapsulated by the two oxide layers, i.e. the top thermal oxide and the buried oxide. Removal of the thermal oxide by a dilute HF etch completes the process. Strain relaxation can be achieved by either of two methods. One involves vacancy injection by ion implantation to introduce sufficient open-volume within the film to compensate for the compressive strain. The other depends upon the formation of GeO2. If Ge is oxidized in the absence of Si, it evaporates as GeO(g) resulting in spontaneous relaxation within the strained film. Conditions under which this occurs have been discussed along with elaborated results of oxidation kinetics of Ge-ion implanted silicon. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), ion channeling, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used as the characterization techniques.

L’utilisation de terres rares dans des dispositifs d’enregistrement de données est très coûteux et polluant. Leur remplacement par de l’oxyde de fer permettrait de s’affranchir de cela. En-dessous d’une taille de 20 nm, les nanoparticules d’oxyde de fer ne peuvent pas être considérées comme des aimants permanents. Une alternative consiste à les combiner à une autre phase magnétique pour permettre d’augmenter leur anisotropie magnétique via un couplage d’échange interfacial au sein de nanoparticules de type coeur@coquille. En revanche la stabilité magnétique de ces dernières reste insuffisante. L’objectif de cette thèse est de concevoir un nouveau type de nanoparticules magnétiques de type coeur@coquille@coquille avec un cœur de Fe3-dO4 et des coquilles de CoFe2O4, CoO ou NiO qui a permis d’augmenter encore les propriétés magnétiques tout en conservant une taille inférieure à 18 nm. L’étude approfondie de leur relation structure-propriété a été réalisée au moyen d’un large éventail de techniques
The use of rare earths in data storage devices is expensive and polluting. Their replacement with iron oxide would make it possible to avoid this. Below a size of 20 nm, iron oxide nanoparticles cannot be considered as permanent magnet. An alternative is to combine them with another magnetic phase to enhance their magnetic anisotropy via interfacial exchange coupling within core@shell nanoparticles. However, the magnetic stability of the latter remains insufficient. The scope of this thesis is to design a new type of magnetic nanoparticles of core@shell@shell structure with a Fe3-dO4 core and CoFe2O4, CoO or NiO as shells which has further enhance the magnetic properties while maintaining a size below 18 nm. The in-depth study of their structure-properties relationship was carried out using a wide set of analytical techniques

La synthese de l'acetylcholine (accho) depend de l'approvisionnement en choline libre (cho) et de l'acetylcoenzyme a. La cho peut etre transportee du milieu extracellulaire mais aussi synthetisee par methylations successives de l'ethanolamine (etn). Cette these montre que les cellules de neuroblastome humain la-n-1 et la-n-2 sont capables de methyler l'etn et la phosphoetn en cho et en phosphatidylcholine (ptdcho). En absence de cho extracellulaire (choe), les cellules cholinergiques la-n-2 sont capables de methyler l'etn pour palier au manque de choe et la cho ainsi synthetisee peut etre utilisee pour la synthese de l'accho. Apres differenciation cellulaire par l'acide retinoique, les resultats ont montre une augmentation de la methylation des composes hydrosolubles et une diminution des composes phospholipidiques de l'etn dans les deux cellules. La voie de methylation de phosphatidyletanolamine en ptdcho dans les cellules la-n-1 et la voie de methylation de phosphoryl-etn en phosphoryl-cho dans les cellules la-n-2 sont sous controle des recepteurs muscariniques. Dans les cellules la-n-2, l'isoproterenol stimule la synthese de cho et de ptdcho. La methylation des composes hydrosolubles de l'etn existe donc dans les cellules de neuroblastome humain et peut etre activee par la differenciation

A meta do trabalho é propor e testar a hipótese que a contagem de tráfego nas interseções da rede de transportes, ao invés de contagem de tráfego nos arcos, reduz o grau de indeterminação e torna mais precisa a matriz OD estimada pelo modelo sintético. Ademais, é proposto e detalhado um método de estimação da matriz OD através de médias sucessivas (MEMS). É apresentada a descrição matemática das propostas e o detalhamento dos experimentos elaborados para testá-las. Três métodos de estimação, QUEENSOD, TransCAD e MEMS, foram utilizados na verificação da hipótese. A inserção de \"arcos virtuais\" na rede de transportes constituiu um artifício que permitiu aos programas QUEENSOD e TransCAD realizarem a estimação utilizando fluxos observados nas interseções. A utilização de contagens de fluxo nas interseções propiciou à matriz OD estimada, melhorias que acarretaram sua aproximação com a matriz OD \"real\". O experimento mostrou que a matriz OD estimada ao considerar contagens de tráfego nas interseções apresenta melhor desempenho em comparação a matriz estimada ao considerar contagens nos arcos da rede de transportes. A matriz estimada gradativamente aproximou-se da \"real\" à medida que foi aumentada a quantidade de informação de fluxo e sua distribuição na rede. Assim, a hipótese formulada para este trabalho não pôde ser refutada.
The aim of this work is to propose and test the hypothesis that traffic counts collected at network intersections, instead of traffic counts collected at links, reduce indeterminacy and make more accurate the OD matrix estimated by the synthetic model. Furthermore, a method is proposed and described in detail to estimate the OD matrix based on successive averages (MEMS). The model formulation of the proposals and a description of the experiments are presented. Three estimation methods, QUEENSOD, TransCAD, and MEMS were used in the hypothesis verification. The use of \"virtual links\" in the network consists of an artifice that enable the QUEENSOD and TransCAD to estimate the OD matrix based on traffic counts at intersection. By using flow counts conducted at intersections, improvements could be made to the estimated OD matrix bringing it closer to \"real situations\". The experiments results show that the OD matrix estimation based on traffic counts collected on network intersection has a better performance in contrast to the estimation based on traffic counts collected on network links. The estimated matrix gradually becomes closer to \"real situations\" while the quantity of information flow and its distribution to the network is increased. Therefore, the formulated hypothesis for this work cannot be refuted.

Anticosti Island, located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in eastern Canada, is one of the few places in the world where the Ordovician/Silurian boundary is well preserved and exposed. Its relatively undeformed shallow-water carbonate sequence of approximately 900 m in thickness is rich in fossils and is known to contain traces of hydrocarbons. The island has been for decades the subject of several geological studies, but its stratigraphic succession was never successfully mapped precisely because of its dense forest cover present over almost 95% of its vast territory. This study provides new mapping tools and techniques to support the geological representation of the island stratigraphic succession. Airborne SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data acquired with the active radar system onboard of the former CCRS (Canada Centre for Remote Sensing) Convair-580 aircraft, in single and fully polarimetric modes and with different viewing geometry, were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated by means of image interpretation and polarimetric analysis for their mapping potential over the densely forested study area. The airborne SAR data, supported with ancillary geoscience data sets and derivative topographic related products, have resulted in the availability of valuable and accurate terrain information such as topographic variations associated with the gently inclined recessive and resistant strata of the island succession. It also provided with information on the polarimetric scattering mechanism of the vegetation cover overlying the surface deposits and bedrock geology, suggesting a possible preferential distribution. With almost 50% of the Canadian territory covered by forest, radar remote sensing, as demonstrated by this study, is a cost-effective tool to produce more accurate regional structural and geological map in areas where traditional mapping campaigns failed due to the presence of an extensive vegetation cover.

The tutorial deals with modern methods stadial analysis which allows you to retroactively recreate the stages of the successive changes in the substance of sludge as its transformation into the breed and during the stay of the breed in stratisphere. Seems some of the techniques of deciphering and mineral structural and textural transformations, corresponding to different stages of lithogenesis and early metamorphism using optical and electron microscopy, as well as methods of synthesis of such observations on genetic (lithofacies and formational) basis, theoretical understanding of the mechanisms of multivariate processes of sedimentary rock formation, the problems of their classification and relationships with Genesis. Meets the requirements of Federal state educational standard of higher education of the last generation. For students of geological specialties, undergraduates, graduate students and research generalists.

Brazil is one of the most important but puzzling countries in the world. A nation of 200 million people, it has vast natural resource reserves, rich cultural traditions, a middle class undergoing explosive growth, and social welfare policies that are models for much of the world (‘la bolsa familia,’ which provides a guaranteed income to poor families). And, after decades of authoritarian rule, it is a stable democracy. Yet it is beset by problems that no other advanced economy suffers from: staggeringly high crime rates, sky-high inequality levels, and endemic political corruption. Emblematic of these two sides of Brazil is the selection of Rio as site of both the next Summer Olympics and the next World Cup. While the choice of Rio for these events points to Brazil’s expanding presence on the world stage, so far the construction and planning for the events have been disastrous, threatening to deeply embarrass the nation. In Brazil: What Everyone Needs to Know, Riordan Roett, an eminent scholar of Brazil and Latin America, will provide a rich overview of Brazil, covering Brazilian society, politics, culture, and the economy. The book begins with a series of chapters on Brazilian history, beginning with the pre-colonial period and moving on, in succession, to the long era of Portuguese rule, the birth of independent Brazil, the emergence of modern Brazil in the 1930s, the era of the dictators, and - finally - to the democratic regime that came into being in the 1980s. Throughout the book, Roett will focus sharply on the fault lines -- racial, economic, political, and cultural - that have plagued Brazil from its beginnings to this day. As the 2016 World Cup and Summer Olympics approach, interest in Brazil is sure to rise. Roett’s synthesis will provide interested readers with an accessible, authoritative overview of this troubled yet fascinating giant.

Bones are multifunctional passive organs of movement that supports soft tissue and directly attached muscles. They also protect internal organs and are a reserve of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Each bone is covered with periosteum, and the adjacent bone surfaces are covered by articular cartilage. Histologically, the bone is an organ composed of many different tissues. The main component is bone tissue (cortical and spongy) composed of a set of bone cells and intercellular substance (mineral and organic), it also contains fat, hematopoietic (bone marrow) and cartilaginous tissue. Bones are a tissue that even in adult life retains the ability to change shape and structure depending on changes in their mechanical and hormonal environment, as well as self-renewal and repair capabilities. This process is called bone turnover. The basic processes of bone turnover are: • bone modeling (incessantly changes in bone shape during individual growth) following resorption and tissue formation at various locations (e.g. bone marrow formation) to increase mass and skeletal morphology. This process occurs in the bones of growing individuals and stops after reaching puberty • bone remodeling (processes involve in maintaining bone tissue by resorbing and replacing old bone tissue with new tissue in the same place, e.g. repairing micro fractures). It is a process involving the removal and internal remodeling of existing bone and is responsible for maintaining tissue mass and architecture of mature bones. Bone turnover is regulated by two types of transformation: • osteoclastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone resorption • osteoblastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone formation (bone matrix synthesis and mineralization) Bone maturity can be defined as the completion of basic structural development and mineralization leading to maximum mass and optimal mechanical strength. The highest rate of increase in pig bone mass is observed in the first twelve weeks after birth. This period of growth is considered crucial for optimizing the growth of the skeleton of pigs, because the degree of bone mineralization in later life stages (adulthood) depends largely on the amount of bone minerals accumulated in the early stages of their growth. The development of the technique allows to determine the condition of the skeletal system (or individual bones) in living animals by methods used in human medicine, or after their slaughter. For in vivo determination of bone properties, Abstract 10 double energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography scanning techniques are used. Both methods allow the quantification of mineral content and bone mineral density. The most important property from a practical point of view is the bone’s bending strength, which is directly determined by the maximum bending force. The most important factors affecting bone strength are: • age (growth period), • gender and the associated hormonal balance, • genotype and modification of genes responsible for bone growth • chemical composition of the body (protein and fat content, and the proportion between these components), • physical activity and related bone load, • nutritional factors: – protein intake influencing synthesis of organic matrix of bone, – content of minerals in the feed (CA, P, Zn, Ca/P, Mg, Mn, Na, Cl, K, Cu ratio) influencing synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bone, – mineral/protein ratio in the diet (Ca/protein, P/protein, Zn/protein) – feed energy concentration, – energy source (content of saturated fatty acids - SFA, content of polyun saturated fatty acids - PUFA, in particular ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA), – feed additives, in particular: enzymes (e.g. phytase releasing of minerals bounded in phytin complexes), probiotics and prebiotics (e.g. inulin improving the function of the digestive tract by increasing absorption of nutrients), – vitamin content that regulate metabolism and biochemical changes occurring in bone tissue (e.g. vitamin D3, B6, C and K). This study was based on the results of research experiments from available literature, and studies on growing pigs carried out at the Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences. The tests were performed in total on 300 pigs of Duroc, Pietrain, Puławska breeds, line 990 and hybrids (Great White × Duroc, Great White × Landrace), PIC pigs, slaughtered at different body weight during the growth period from 15 to 130 kg. Bones for biomechanical tests were collected after slaughter from each pig. Their length, mass and volume were determined. Based on these measurements, the specific weight (density, g/cm3) was calculated. Then each bone was cut in the middle of the shaft and the outer and inner diameters were measured both horizontally and vertically. Based on these measurements, the following indicators were calculated: • cortical thickness, • cortical surface, • cortical index. Abstract 11 Bone strength was tested by a three-point bending test. The obtained data enabled the determination of: • bending force (the magnitude of the maximum force at which disintegration and disruption of bone structure occurs), • strength (the amount of maximum force needed to break/crack of bone), • stiffness (quotient of the force acting on the bone and the amount of displacement occurring under the influence of this force). Investigation of changes in physical and biomechanical features of bones during growth was performed on pigs of the synthetic 990 line growing from 15 to 130 kg body weight. The animals were slaughtered successively at a body weight of 15, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kg. After slaughter, the following bones were separated from the right half-carcass: humerus, 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone, femur, tibia and fibula as well as 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone. The features of bones were determined using methods described in the methodology. Describing bone growth with the Gompertz equation, it was found that the earliest slowdown of bone growth curve was observed for metacarpal and metatarsal bones. This means that these bones matured the most quickly. The established data also indicate that the rib is the slowest maturing bone. The femur, humerus, tibia and fibula were between the values of these features for the metatarsal, metacarpal and rib bones. The rate of increase in bone mass and length differed significantly between the examined bones, but in all cases it was lower (coefficient b <1) than the growth rate of the whole body of the animal. The fastest growth rate was estimated for the rib mass (coefficient b = 0.93). Among the long bones, the humerus (coefficient b = 0.81) was characterized by the fastest rate of weight gain, however femur the smallest (coefficient b = 0.71). The lowest rate of bone mass increase was observed in the foot bones, with the metacarpal bones having a slightly higher value of coefficient b than the metatarsal bones (0.67 vs 0.62). The third bone had a lower growth rate than the fourth bone, regardless of whether they were metatarsal or metacarpal. The value of the bending force increased as the animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. The rate of change in the value of this indicator increased at a similar rate as the body weight changes of the animals in the case of the fibula and the fourth metacarpal bone (b value = 0.98), and more slowly in the case of the metatarsal bone, the third metacarpal bone, and the tibia bone (values of the b ratio 0.81–0.85), and the slowest femur, humerus and rib (value of b = 0.60–0.66). Bone stiffness increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. Abstract 12 The rate of change in the value of this indicator changed at a faster rate than the increase in weight of pigs in the case of metacarpal and metatarsal bones (coefficient b = 1.01–1.22), slightly slower in the case of fibula (coefficient b = 0.92), definitely slower in the case of the tibia (b = 0.73), ribs (b = 0.66), femur (b = 0.59) and humerus (b = 0.50). Bone strength increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, bone strength was as follows femur > tibia > humerus > 4 metacarpal> 3 metacarpal> 3 metatarsal > 4 metatarsal > rib> fibula. The rate of increase in strength of all examined bones was greater than the rate of weight gain of pigs (value of the coefficient b = 2.04–3.26). As the animals grew, the bone density increased. However, the growth rate of this indicator for the majority of bones was slower than the rate of weight gain (the value of the coefficient b ranged from 0.37 – humerus to 0.84 – fibula). The exception was the rib, whose density increased at a similar pace increasing the body weight of animals (value of the coefficient b = 0.97). The study on the influence of the breed and the feeding intensity on bone characteristics (physical and biomechanical) was performed on pigs of the breeds Duroc, Pietrain, and synthetic 990 during a growth period of 15 to 70 kg body weight. Animals were fed ad libitum or dosed system. After slaughter at a body weight of 70 kg, three bones were taken from the right half-carcass: femur, three metatarsal, and three metacarpal and subjected to the determinations described in the methodology. The weight of bones of animals fed aa libitum was significantly lower than in pigs fed restrictively All bones of Duroc breed were significantly heavier and longer than Pietrain and 990 pig bones. The average values of bending force for the examined bones took the following order: III metatarsal bone (63.5 kg) <III metacarpal bone (77.9 kg) <femur (271.5 kg). The feeding system and breed of pigs had no significant effect on the value of this indicator. The average values of the bones strength took the following order: III metatarsal bone (92.6 kg) <III metacarpal (107.2 kg) <femur (353.1 kg). Feeding intensity and breed of animals had no significant effect on the value of this feature of the bones tested. The average bone density took the following order: femur (1.23 g/cm3) <III metatarsal bone (1.26 g/cm3) <III metacarpal bone (1.34 g / cm3). The density of bones of animals fed aa libitum was higher (P<0.01) than in animals fed with a dosing system. The density of examined bones within the breeds took the following order: Pietrain race> line 990> Duroc race. The differences between the “extreme” breeds were: 7.2% (III metatarsal bone), 8.3% (III metacarpal bone), 8.4% (femur). Abstract 13 The average bone stiffness took the following order: III metatarsal bone (35.1 kg/mm) <III metacarpus (41.5 kg/mm) <femur (60.5 kg/mm). This indicator did not differ between the groups of pigs fed at different intensity, except for the metacarpal bone, which was more stiffer in pigs fed aa libitum (P<0.05). The femur of animals fed ad libitum showed a tendency (P<0.09) to be more stiffer and a force of 4.5 kg required for its displacement by 1 mm. Breed differences in stiffness were found for the femur (P <0.05) and III metacarpal bone (P <0.05). For femur, the highest value of this indicator was found in Pietrain pigs (64.5 kg/mm), lower in pigs of 990 line (61.6 kg/mm) and the lowest in Duroc pigs (55.3 kg/mm). In turn, the 3rd metacarpal bone of Duroc and Pietrain pigs had similar stiffness (39.0 and 40.0 kg/mm respectively) and was smaller than that of line 990 pigs (45.4 kg/mm). The thickness of the cortical bone layer took the following order: III metatarsal bone (2.25 mm) <III metacarpal bone (2.41 mm) <femur (5.12 mm). The feeding system did not affect this indicator. Breed differences (P <0.05) for this trait were found only for the femur bone: Duroc (5.42 mm)> line 990 (5.13 mm)> Pietrain (4.81 mm). The cross sectional area of the examined bones was arranged in the following order: III metatarsal bone (84 mm2) <III metacarpal bone (90 mm2) <femur (286 mm2). The feeding system had no effect on the value of this bone trait, with the exception of the femur, which in animals fed the dosing system was 4.7% higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed ad libitum. Breed differences (P<0.01) in the coross sectional area were found only in femur and III metatarsal bone. The value of this indicator was the highest in Duroc pigs, lower in 990 animals and the lowest in Pietrain pigs. The cortical index of individual bones was in the following order: III metatarsal bone (31.86) <III metacarpal bone (33.86) <femur (44.75). However, its value did not significantly depend on the intensity of feeding or the breed of pigs.

This chapter describes the successive stages in the long history of anti-Jesuitism from the 1550s to 1759—that is, before and until it became part of a European-wide movement for positive Catholic reform. A largely French story, its stages are Gallican and Jansenist, followed by the eighteenth-century synthesis of the two. The chapter also makes a case for the preponderance of the French role in the formation of Catholic anti-Jesuitism despite long forays to England, the Dutch Republic, China, and New Spain (or Mexico). Largely if not exclusively a French creation, by 1759 Catholic anti-Jesuitism had recovered and synthesized all of its successive phases and stages while assimilating to its corpus every other gravamen against the Society from every other corner of Europe and the European-influenced globe.

The Chemical Society publication Annual Reports on the Progress of Chemistry for 1963 attempted to inform readers of all the highly significant advances in all the major fields of pure chemistry during that year. Fortunately, the section on peptide chemistry drew attention to a paper by R. B. Merrifield which had just been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society: A novel approach to peptide synthesis has been the use of a chloromethylated polystyrene polymer as an insoluble but porous solid phase on which the coupling reactions are carried out. Attachment to the polymer constitutes protection of the carboxyl group (as a modified benzyl ester), and the peptide is lengthened from its amino-end by successive carbodiimide couplings. The method has been applied to the synthesis of a tetrapeptide, but incomplete reactions lead to the accumulation of by products. Further development of this interesting method is awaited. I remember thinking at the time that in this paper we had possibly seen both the beginning and the end of the interesting new technique of solid phase peptide synthesis. To many organic chemists, the described result was that anticipated—difficulty in bringing heterogeneous reactions to completion resulting in impure products. Both this and purification problems were expected to worsen as the chain length was increased beyond Merrifield’s tetrapeptide limit. In fact, I probably had at the time an inadequate appreciation of the difference between truly heterogeneous or surface reactions and those in the solvated gel phase. The latter approaches much more closely the solution situation. However, the new technique also flouted many of the basic principles of contemporary organic synthesis which required rigorous isolation, purification, and characterization regimes following each synthetic step. In Merrifield’s new technique, isolation consisted simply of washing the solid resin, there was no other purification of the products of each reaction, and little or no characterization of resin-bound intermediates was attempted. The first two of these are of course the important characteristics which give the method its speed and simplicity and contribute to its efficiency. Small wonder, though, that in many minds there was doubt about the future of the new technique.

Dendrimers are highly branched macromolecules with unique structural properties. They may be thought of as core–shell type macromolecules wherein they amplify their mass and terminal groups as a function of growth stages. These growth stages are referred to as generations (i.e. G= 0, 1, 2, . . .). They possess three key architectural features: (i) a core region; (ii) interior shell zones containing cascading tiers of branch cells (generations) with radial connectivity to the initiator core; and (iii) an exterior or surface region of terminal moieties attached to the outermost generation. With this architecture, a careful choice of building blocks and functional groups can provide control over shape, dimensions, density, polarity, reactivity, and solubility. One of the earlier dendrimers made, using a divergent strategy, is the Starburst® poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer family (Scheme 1). This method involved assembling repeat units to introduce branch cells around the initiator core through successive chemical reactions at the periphery of the growing macromolecule. The first step of PAMAM synthesis involves Michael addition of four moles of methyl acrylate to the nucleophilic ethylenediamine core. This leads to an electrophilic carbomethoxy surface, which is then allowed to react with an excess of 1,2-diaminoethane to give a nucleophilic surface at generation zero. Reiteration of these two steps now involves addition of 8 mol of methyl acrylate to give G = 0.5 (electrophilic, carbomethoxy surface). This is followed by amidation to return to a nucleophilic surface at G = 1.0. As a result of this reiterative branch cell assembly, it is apparent that these constructions follow systematic dendritic branching rules, with radial symmetry giving a well-defined three-dimensional geometry to the final dendritic product. In general, the placement of reactive functionalities on the exterior surface of the dendrimers allows introduction of a wide variety of terminal moieties. In alternate synthetic approaches, spacer groups have been deliberately introduced to relieve the steric hindrance in order to facilitate construction of the next generation. This may provide the possibility of enhancing interior cargo spaces for ‘guest–host’ type chemistry.

The regulation of chemical substances involves a negotiation between social actors to translate controversial scientific evidence about risks into legal norms. This chapter addresses the discussion elicited by a public consultation on a voluntary regulation guide on silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in workplaces. It examines the comments made from 2016 to 2018 by diverse social actors – business representatives, non-governmental organizations (NGO), and independent researchers – to two successive draft versions of a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) in working environments with AgNP. The REL is a voluntary guideline on permissible exposure limits elaborated by the NIOSH in the U.S. The methodology used was a qualitative content analysis, structured upon a historical and sociotechnical contextualization of nanotechnologies carried out through literature review. The findings show how different social actors position themselves in the controversy, revealing a pattern of behavior consistent with their position in the research, production, and commercialization of this new nanomaterial. While a group of actors, aligned with the interests of AgNP producers, proposed the restriction of mandatory and AgNP-specific regulation, another group of more heterogeneous actors, identified with the interests of workers and consumers, demanded more scientific and technical information and stricter health protection measures.

The CIM, PIM, and PSM models are the main levels of the MDA approach. Model transformation is an important step in the MDA process. Indeed, in MDA there are two elementary transformation kinds: CIM to PIM transformation and PIM to PSM transformation. However, most searches propose approaches transforming PIM to PSM, since there are multiple points in common between PIM and PSM. Nevertheless, transforming CIM to PIM is rarely addressed in research because these two levels are mainly different. However, there is not a synthesis work that makes it possible to carry out a model transformation from CIM to PIM towards PSM until obtaining the code. This synthesis methodology allows controlling models transformation from CIM to PIM to PSM, indeed, up to obtaining code according the MDA. This approach makes it possible to limit the intervention of computer scientists in the life cycle of software development. Indeed, this methodology allows modeling only CIM, the business process, and then obtains the source code through successive semi-automatic transformations.

The selection of measurements in multi-station machining systems is currently not a systematic process and it involves expert human intervention. In this paper, the recently introduced formal methods for quantitative characterization of measurement schemes in multi-station machining systems are employed in devising systematic measurement scheme synthesis procedures. The newly proposed synthesis procedures were applied in devising measurement schemes in the process used to machine a car engine cylinder head. It was observed that the measurement scheme synthesis procedure based on a genetic algorithm robustly outperformed the synthesis procedures based on the heuristics of successive measurement removal.

Abstract Flexure based compliant mechanisms suited for a large range of motion can be designed by handling the challenges arising from combining low compliance in the desired directions, high support stiffness, low stresses and high unwanted natural frequencies. Current topology optimization tools typically can’t model large deflections of flexures, are too conceptual or are case specific. In this research, a new spatial topological synthesis algorithm based on building blocks is proposed to optimize the performance of an initial design. The algorithm consists of successive shape optimizations and layout syntheses. In each shape optimization the dimensions for some layout are optimized. The layout synthesis strategically replaces the most “critical” building block with a better option. To maximize the first unwanted natural frequency the replacement strategy depends the strain energy distribution of the accompanying mode shape. The algorithm is tested for the design of a 1-DOF flexure hinge. The obtained final layout agrees with results known from literature.

Abstract A method of describing a function by a number of successive polynomials of unrestricted and varying degree has been developed to synthesize a cam motion for mixed constraints. The algorithm is based on the expression of the coefficients of a polynomial in terms of the constraints at interval boundaries. It enables the designer to satisfy numerous motion constraints while at the same time preserving the continuity of motion derivatives up to a high order. Unconstrained boundary values are calculated automatically by using an objective function that minimizes the oscillations of a motion derivative.

Abstract Coupled serial mechanism is a class of mechanisms that couple the relative rotation of successive links utilizing gears or cable-pulley systems. They can be used to generate complex end-effector trajectories or motions with a single actuator. With the employment of Fourier descriptors, a novel approach to integrate type synthesis and dimensional synthesis of such mechanisms is proposed in this paper. Through the Fourier analysis of two arbitrary trajectories from the given motion, the simplest trajectory that contains the least number of harmonic components is identified. Then, characteristic information of those harmonics such as their numbers, amplitudes and initial phases are used to determine the topology and dimensions of the corresponding coupled serial mechanism, thus effectively solving the motion synthesis problem of this type of mechanisms. Finally, three examples are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.

Boreal ecosystems store large quantities of carbon but are increasingly vulnerable to carbon loss due to disturbance and climate warming. The boreal region in Alaska and Canada, largely underlain by discontinuous permafrost, presents a challenging landscape for itemizing carbon sources and sinks in soil and vegetation. The roles of fire, forest succession, and the presence/absence of permafrost on carbon cycle, vegetation, and hydrologic processes have been the focus of multidisciplinary research in boreal ecosystems for the past 20 years. However, projections of a warming future climate, an increase in fire severity and extent, and the potential degradation of permafrost could lead to major landscape and carbon cycle changes over the next 20 to 50 years. To assist land managers in interior Alaska in adapting and managing for potential changes in the carbon cycle, this paper was developed incorporating an overview of the climate, ecosystem processes, vegetation, and soil regimes. The objective is to provide a synthesis of the most current carbon storage estimates and measurements to guide policy and land management decisions on how to best manage carbon sources and sinks. We provide recommendations to address the challenges facing land managers in efforts to manage carbon cycle processes. The results of this study can be used for carbon cycle management in other locations within the boreal biome which encompasses a broad distribution from 45° to 83° north.