Security Assurance for One-stage Resection of Left Colon Cancer with Acute Obstruction—Thorough and Prompt Enteral Decompression without Contamination

Objective: Thorough, prompt enteral decompression technique without contamination was de- veloped to ensure safety for emergent colon resection and primary anastomosis. Methods: After isolating the mesentery, the “to be resected colon segment” was cut at its lower end, then the proximal cut end was put into a plastic bag which was adhered to one side of the operating table. After releasing the clamp, the content could ?ow into this bag. The operator could squeeze the bowel with two hands by turns, from proximal to farness, and from small bowel to large bowel, until the entire bowel content was fully discharged. Then the upper end of this “to be resected colon segment” was cut, and was removed together with the plastic bag. Results: 31 cases of left colon cancer with acute obstruction were decompressed with this technique. They all recovered smoothly, without anastomosis ?stula. Another 6 cases of hepatic seg- mentectomy with incidental colonectomy were decompressed with this technique and had the same results. This technique was also used in di?erent kinds of acute small intestinal obstruction and gained satisfactory results. Conclusion: This technique could be considered as the preferable choice for intraoperative enteral decompression.

Relevant theoretic account of humor in sketches

Based on the relevant theory, this paper makes an analysis of humor in Chinese popular art form --sketch. It is believed that the maximal relevance and the optimal relevance of utterances, explicature and implicature of utterances, and the efforts made by hearers in dealing with utterances are three important aspects in showing humorous effects in sketches, among which sketch actors＇ violating the mutual cognitive environment so as to create an unexpected effect on hearers is the core in creating humor in sketches. Through analyzing some excerpts from the sketch Yesterday.Today.Tomorrow, the author tries to explore the relevance nature of language in sketch and creation of humor in it.

Phase field method simulation of faceted dendrite growth with arbitrary symmetries

A numerical simulation based on a regularized phase field model is developed to describe faceted dendrite growth morphology. The effects of mesh grid, anisotropy, supersaturation and fold symmetry on dendrite growth morphology were investigated, respectively. These results indicate that the nucleus grows into a hexagonal symmetry faceted dendrite. When the mesh grid is above 640×640, the size has no much effect on the shape. With the increase in the anisotropy value, the tip velocities of faceted dendrite increase and reach a balance value, and then decrease gradually. With the increase in the supersaturation value, crystal evolves from circle to the developed faceted dendrite morphology. Based on the Wulff theory and faceted symmetry morphology diagram, the proposed model was proved to be effective, and it can be generalized to arbitrary crystal symmetries.

TWO IMPROVED GRAPH-THEORETICAL CLUSTERING ALGORITHMS

Graph-theoretical approaches have been widely used for data clustering and image segmentation recently. The goal of data clustering is to discover the underlying distribution and structural information of the given data, while image segmentation is to partition an image into several non-overlapping regions. Therefore, two popular graph-theoretical clustering methods are analyzed, including the directed tree based data clustering and the minimum spanning tree based image segmentation. There are two contributions： （1） To improve the directed tree based data clustering for image segmentation, （2） To improve the minimum spanning tree based image segmentation for data clustering. The extensive experiments using artificial and real-world data indicate that the improved directed tree based image segmentation can partition images well by preserving enough details, and the improved minimum spanning tree based data clustering can well cluster data in manifold structure.

THE APPLICATION OF THE BRANCH AND BOUND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE MINIMUM FLOW OF A TRANSPORT NETWORK

Blockage is a kind of phenomenon frequently occurred in a transport network, in which the human beings are the moving subjects. The minimum flow of a network defined in this paper means the maximum flow quantity through the network in the seriously blocked situation. It is an important parameter in designing and operating a transport network, especially in an emergency evacuation network. A branch and bound method is presented to solve the minimum flow problem on the basis of the blocking flow theory and the algorithm and its application are illustrated by examples.

MULTI-SCALE GAUSSIAN PROCESSES MODEL

A novel model named Multi-scale Gaussian Processes (MGP) is proposed. Motivated by the ideas of multi-scale representations in the wavelet theory, in the new model, a Gaussian process is represented at a scale by a linear basis that is composed of a scale function and its different translations. Finally the distribution of the targets of the given samples can be obtained at different scales. Compared with the standard Gaussian Processes (GP) model, the MGP model can control its complexity conveniently just by adjusting the scale pa-rameter. So it can trade-off the generalization ability and the empirical risk rapidly. Experiments verify the fea-sibility of the MGP model, and exhibit that its performance is superior to the GP model if appropriate scales are chosen.

Filtering detecting signal of rockbolt with harmonic wavelet

Harmonic wavelets not only possess the traditional advantages of a wavelet function,they also have other merits such as clear expressions,more flexible time-frequency divisions,a simple transformation algorithm,a finer box-like frequency spectrum and others.Given the frequency distribution characteristics of the nondestructive testing signals from a rockbolt support system and based on the discrete harmonic wavelet transformation theory,we have effectively abstracted signals from frequency ranges concerned by removing useless high and low frequency signals from the testing signals of the rockbolt support system and obtained filtered signals with a reconstruction algorithm of harmonic wavelets.Finally,we applied the harmonic wavelet transformation in filtering analog signals and measured response signals of rockbolts.The results indicate that harmonic wavelets also have excellent filtering characteristics.

Effects of sulfur fertilization and short-term high temperature on wheat grain production and wheat flour proteins

The content of wheat flour proteins affects the quality of wheat flour. Sulfur nutrition in wheat can change the protein content of the flour. The inconsistency and instability of wheat grain quality during grain filling under high temperature stress(HTS) are a major challenge to the production of high-quality wheat. The effects of sulfur fertilization and HTS on wheat flour protein and its components are unknown. In this study, treatments varying two factors: sulfur fertilization and exposure to short-term HTS, at 20 days postanthesis, were applied to two wheat cultivars with differing gluten types. Plants of a stronggluten wheat(Gaoyou 2018) and a medium-gluten wheat(Zhongmai 8) were grown in pots in Beijing in 2015–2017. HTS significantly increased the contents of total protein, albumin,gliadin, glutenin, Cys, and Met in wheat kernels, but reduced grain yield, grain weight,protein yield, globulin content, and total starch accumulation. The HTS-induced increase in total protein amount was closely associated with nitrate reductase(NR) and glutamine synthetase(GS) activities in flag leaves. Sulfur fertilization increased grain and protein yields; grain weight; total protein, albumin, gliadin, glutenin, and globulin contents; protein yield; total starch; Cys, Met; and NR and GS activities. HTS and sulfur fertilization had larger effects on the strong-than on the medium-gluten cultivar. Sulfur fertilization also alleviated the negative effects of HTS on grain yield, protein yield, and starch content.Thus, growing wheat with additional soil sulfur can improve the quality of the flour.

Evaluation of Training Program for New Nurses to Enhance Caring Behavior

This research was aimed to evaluate the training program enhancing caring behaviors of new nurses by Kirkpatrick＇s four level for evaluation model： reaction, learning, behavior, and result of the program. The participants were new nurses, preceptors of new nurses, administrators, patients and members of the patients＇ family cared by new nurses. The research instruments were： （1） five questionnaires toward program suitability, knowledge, attitude, caring expression, and result to organization. The mean, standard deviation and dependent sample t-test were used for data analysis; （2） guidelines for focus group discussion and semi-structural questionnaire analyzed by content analysis. The study revealed that： （1） the mean of suitability was at the very high level （X = 4.49, SD. = .30）; （2） the knowledge and attitude after training were significantly higher than before training at .000 level, [t =-21.65, p = .000 and t = -19.30, p = .000）; {3} caring behavior after training was significantly higher than before training at the .000 level; and {4} the result of the program was at the high level { X = 4.25, SD. = .17}, related to the result of semi-structured interview and focus group discussion. These evaluation research finding suggested that administrators can use for improving the preparation of any project and apply to evaluate other training programs, developing human resource system.

On closed weak supplemented modules

A module M is called closed weak supplemented if for any closed submodule N of M, there is a submodule K of M such that M=K+N and K∩N<<M. Any direct summand of closed weak supplemented module is also closed weak supplemented. Any nonsingular image of closed weak supplemented module is closed weak supplemented. Nonsingular V-rings in which all nonsingular modules are closed weak supplemented are characterized in Section 4.

Audience-Performer Interface as a Battlefield of Expression： A Study of Ateso Oral Narratives

The purpose of the study was to investigate and illustrate the challenges faced by performers and audiences during Ateso oral narratives in Ateso speaking communities in Uganda. The study used ethnographic and discurssive analyses methods of research. The topic was Audience-Performer Interface as a Battlefield of Expression： A Study of Ateso Oral Narratives. Ethnographic method of study was used in Ateso speaking communities of Serere, Ngora, Bukedea and Pallisa districts of Uganda. The author stayed with communities for four to seven days in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The study analysed the interpretational dimensions of the oral narrative episodes. Questionnaires and focused group discussions were used to solicit data from a total of 20 （33.3%） out of 60 persons. The study saw that there was dire need to revive the cultural media of communication in Teso. In Serere, Bukedea and Ngora there was more of unpleasant intrusion than in Pallisa and Serere. Performers should consider their audiences complementary to the narration and establish rapport. Audiences should appreciate the efforts of the narrators to keep the cultural norm of story-telling alive in Teso. The Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda should encourage local languages at all levels of education.

A Non-inferiority Trial Design without Need for a Conventional Margin

The NI （non-inferiority） trial design based on the likelihood ratio test eliminates the dependency on the conventional NI margin, and it explicitly uses the MCID （minimum clinical important difference） that links the statistical analysis to the clinical sense. Different from the conventional trial design, the new methodology is self-adaptive to the change in the sample size and overall cure rate, and it has an asymptotic property. It is shown that MCID is de-composite into constant MCID and statistical MCID. Along with this concept, the concept of the allowed inferiority does not exist, the interpretation of the trial result is more accurate and consistent to the statistical theory as well as the clinical interpretations.

Soft measurement model on torque of alternating current electrical dynamometer including copper loss and iron loss

Alternating current electrical dynamometer is a common device to measure the torque of engines, such as the gasoline engine. In order to solve the problems such as high cost, high energy consumption and complicated measurement system which exists in the direct measurement on the torque of alternating current electrical dynamometer, copper loss and iron loss are taken as two key factors and a soft-sensing model on the torque of alternating current electrical dynamometer is established using the fuzzy least square support vector machine (FLS-SVM). Then, the FLS-SVM parameters such as penalty factor and kernel parameter are optimized by adaptive genetic algorithm, torque soft-sensing is investigated in the alternating current electrical dynamometer, as well as the energy feedback efficiency and energy consumption during the measurement phase of a gasoline engine loading continual test is obtained. The results show that the minimum soft-sensing error of torque is about 0.0018, and it fluctuates within a range from -0.3 to 0.3 N·m. FLS-SVM soft-sensing method can increase by 1.6% power generation feedback compared with direct measurement, and it can save 500 kJ fuel consumption in the gasoline engine loading continual test. Therefore, the estimation accuracy of the soft measurement model on the torque of alternating current electrical dynamometer including copper loss and iron loss is high and this indirect measurement method can be feasible to reduce production cost of the alternating current electrical dynamometer and energy consumption during the torque measurement phase of a gasoline engine, replacing the direct method of torque measurement.

Tess - A Pure but Tragic Woman

Thomas Hardy had a developing conception of tragedy in the process of his novel creation. When he wrote Tess of D'Urbervilles, he became fully aware that the human tragedy resulted far more from society than characters themselves. The article is to elaborate how society imposes on Tess the tragedy in a planned way.

Minimum Diameter Orientations of K_m∨

For a graph G, let D denote an orientation of G having minimum diameter. Define f（G） =diamD. In this paper, we concentrate on exploring the minimum diameter of Km ∨ Kn（m ≥ 1, n ≥ 1）. Some special cases are known： f（Km ∨ Kn） = ∞, 2, 3, where m = landn ≥ 1, m = 2 or m ≥ 4 andn = 1, m=3 and n = 1, respectively. So we only consider the case when m ≥ 2 and n ≥ 2. The following results are obtained. （1） f（Km ∨ Kn） = 3, where m = 2, 3, n ≥ 2 and m = n = 4. （2） f（Km ∨ Kn） = 2, m where m ≥ 5 andmisodd, 2 ≤ n ≤ （m[m/2]）-m. （3） f（Km ∨ Kn） = 2, whereto ≥ 4 and m≡ 0（rood4）, 2 ≤ n ≤ （m m/2）-（m/2＋1）. （4） ]（Km ∨ Kn） = 2, where m ≥ 6 and m ≡ 2（mod4）, 2 ≤ n ≤ （m m/2）-m/2. （5）/（Km ∨ Kn） = 3, where m ≥ 4, n 〉 （m[m/2]）.

The prescription rule analysis of the New Theory on Spleen Dampness Syndrome by Academician TONG Xiaolin

Objective To analyze the basic characteristics,drug features,prescription rules,and drug-symptom relationships of patients in the splenic deficiency and impairment stage,by data mining of medical records under the New Theory on Spleen Dampness Syndrome(Pi Dan Xin Lun,《脾瘅新论》).Methods Medical records listed in the“New Theory on Spleen Dampness Syndrome-Under-standing and Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome from the Perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine”,and which were diagnosed with the spleen dampness syndrome at the splenic de-ficiency and impairment stage,during January 2004 and December 2016 were selected.These patients’data,including basic information,clinical symptoms,laboratory examination res-ults,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and western medicine diagnoses,treatment meth-ods,prescriptions,etc.,were collected.The collected data were subsequently compiled into a medical record database using the Epidata 3.1 data management software,followed by the use of Apriori algorithm provided in the SPSS Modeler 14.2 statistical software to investigate the association rules between drug-drug,drug-symptom,and drug-western medicine indices.Results(i)A total of 51 medical records were included,involving 17 types of syndromes.Among them,the top three with frequency≥3 included“Phlegm and blood stasis,and thoracic obstruction”“Deficiency-weakness of the spleen Qi,and static blood blocking collat-erals”,and“Deficiency-weakness of the spleen Qi,and static blood blocking collaterals”.Al-ternatively,of the 14 treatment methods,the top three treatments with frequency of≥3 in-cluded“Activating Yang and eliminating turbidity,and removing phlegm and dredging chan-nel blockage”“Strengthening the spleen and benefiting Qi,and eliminating phlegm to activ-ate the channels”,and“Warming Yang and benefiting Qi,and expelling cold to remove ob-structions”.Among the 15 prescriptions,the top three used with frequency≥3 included Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang(黄芪桂枝五物汤),Gualou Xiebai Banxia Tang(瓜蒌薤白半夏汤),and Ganjiang Huangqin Huanglian Renshen Tang(干姜黄芩黄连人参汤).Lastly,of the 83 drugs used for a total of 476 times,those with frequency≥15 included Huanglian(Coptid-is Rhizoma),Huangqi(Astragali Radix),Jiudahuang(Wine-processed Rhei Radix et Rhizoma),Jixueteng(Spatholobi Caulis),Shengjiang(Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens),Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix),and Guizhi(Cinnamomi Ramulus).(ii)For the drug-drug associations,under the criteria of support≥15%and confidence=100%,seven second-order association rules,seven third-order rules,and six fourth-order roles were identified.The top-ranking rule of each was“Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix)→Huanglian(Coptidis Rhizoma)”“Ganjiang(Zingiberis Rhizoma)+Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix)→Huanglian(Coptidis Rhizoma)”,and“Baishao(Paeoniae Radix Alba)+Guizhi(Cinnamomi Ramulus)+Jixueteng(Spatho-lobi Caulis)→Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix)”,respectively.Alternatively,the drug-symptom associations were analyzed under the criteria of support≥5%and confidence=100%,which derived eight second-order association rules,31 third-order rules,and 30 fourth-order rules.The top-ranking association rule of each order was“Huangqi(Astragali Radix)→Limb ed-ema”“Guizhi(Cinnamomi Ramulus)+Jixueteng(Spatholobi Caulis)→Limb numbness and pain”,and“Guizhi(Cinnamomi Ramulus)+Jixueteng(Spatholobi Caulis)+Huangqi(As-tragali Radix)→Limb numbness and pain”,respectively.Similarly,the drug-western medi-cine index associations were investigated under the criteria of support≥5%and confidence=100%,and five second-order association rules,16 third-order rules,and 16 fourth-order rules were identified.In this category,the top-ranking association rule of each order was“Qinpi(Fraxini Cortex)→Uric acid”“Huanglian(Coptidis Rhizoma)+Ganjiang(Zingiberis Rhizoma)→Glycated hemoglobin”,and“Huanglian(Coptidis Rhizoma)+Ganjiang(Zing-iberis Rhizoma)+Huangqin(Scutellariae Radix)→Glycated hemoglobin”,respectively.Conclusion Through association rule mining,this study objectively and quantitatively demonstrated the drug-drug,drug-symptom,and drug-physicochemical index associations of patients with the spleen dampness syndrome at the splenic deficiency and impairment stage treated by Academician TONG Xiaolin.The results indicated that treatment for these patients adopted the“state-target”syndrome differentiation method.The drug combination was characterized by“small prescriptions”,targeting both the patient’s symptoms and signs(syndrome target)and western medicine indices(treatment target).This study could provide references for future research on the academic thoughts and medical experience of Academi-cian TONG Xiaolin.

Harnessing the Potential of Community Radio in Empowering Rural Women in Malawi

This paper examines the extent to which community radio has the empowering and transformation potential. It draws on Nkhotakota community radio station in Malawi to analyze how community radio can empower women especially in rural areas. Although the whole of the rural population can be considered as marginalized, women are the most affected as they face marginalization in the family and village setting. Based on the data drawn from semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, and participant observation, the paper observes that inequality and high illiteracy rate are the major hindrances among rural women which prevent them from accessing information necessary for their improvement. This paper argues that community radio has the potential to empower women in rural areas by providing them with access to information necessary to empower and transform their lives and enable them to participate in development activities.

On the Total Domination Number of Graphs with Minimum Degree at Least Three

Let G be a simple graph with no isolated vertices. A set S of vertices of G is a total dominating set if every vertex of G is adjacent to some vertex in S . The total domination number of G , denoted by γ t (G) , is the minimum cardinality of a total dominating set of G . It is shown that if G is a graph of order n with minimum degree at least 3, then γ t (G)≤n/2 . Thus a conjecture of Favaron, Henning, Mynhart and Puech is settled in the affirmative.

Homegardens as a Source of Income for Rural Households A Case Study of Bieha District, Southern Burkina Faso

This exploratory research studied the contribution of homegardens to household income generation. In Burkina Faso, the Bieha department was purposively selected. The initial rapid rural appraisal was complemented by a household survey. Tools of data collection included observation, key informant interview, and focus group discussion. For the survey, eighty households were selected based on systematic sampling. Data was collected by individual interviews at household level, and for statistical calculations, the households were subsequently categorized as small, medium and commercial based on their homegarden size. It was found that all the surveyed households managed homegardens composed of trees, crops and animals. Majority of the farmers （43%） belonged to the small category due to land constraints. Generally, farms contributed more income than the plant component of homegardens. However, when the livestock component of homegardens was added, homegardens became far more important than farms and accounted for over 60% of income generation for all categories. It can be concluded that homegardens are important to rural people for food and cash income.

Uses of Invasive Alien Plant Species in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary of Bangladesh

An exploratory survey was conducted on the uses and role of invasive alien species(IAS) to local livelihoods in the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary in the northeastern hilly region of Bangladesh.Vegetation was sampled in 50 quadrates,each 10 m×10 m,and 25 line transects,each 50 m×20 m,through a combination of random and systematic sampling.Group discussions were also arranged with fifty local inhabitants(17 % of the total inhabitants) to learn the various uses of IAS.A total of 17 alien plant species belonging to 10 different families,of which Leguminosae constitutes the highest number(5 species),include tree(53%) followed by herb(12%),shrub(12%) and others(weed,climber and palm).The majority of the identified species were found to be used for fuel,followed by timber production,medicinal or curative uses,fodder,and many others.In addition to providing various forest products,alien tree species planted in forest plantation help provide many vital ecosystem services such as soil amelioration through nitrogen fixation.It is true that the alien species have some negative impacts on local ecosystems,and not all of them are harmful.Therefore,a national programme must be initiated to distinguish the harmful from the harmless species and to identify the uses and impacts of the former and latter.