Chemical flux analysis of low-temperature plasma-enhanced oxidation of methane and hydrogen in argon

Plasma can be used to enhance the reactivity of combustible mixtures at low temperatures. In this article, the chemical pathways predicted by three different reaction mechanisms are investigated for the low-temperature oxidation of hydrogen and methane. To validate our model and the reaction mechanisms, the numerical results are compared against experimental results in a diluted flow reactor. Our model with all three reaction mechanisms predicts trends similar to those observed in the experiments. Moreover, all predicted quantities show reasonable quantitative agreement with the experiments. Flux analysis is used to identify the main pathways of oxidation at different temperatures. Three different modes, each active in a different temperature range, are identified in the oxidation of hydrogen. When the temperature is increased, these modes become increasingly self-sustained. Similarly, three different pathways are identified in the oxidation of methane. Below 1000K, methane quickly removes hydroxyl radicals from the radical pool, inhibiting self-sustained oxidation. From our analysis, we conclude that plasma provides activation of the low-temperature chemistry by the generation of radicals

Здійснення колективного управління авторськими і суміжними правами

Стаття присвячена основним тенденціям розвитку національного законодавства про колективне управління майновими правами суб’єктів авторського права і суміжних прав. Виявлення суперечностей між національним та міжнародним законодавством, розробка пропозицій подолання цих суперечностей та внесення пропозицій щодо створення та діяльності в Україні єдиної організації, яка б опікувалась проблемами захисту авторських і суміжних прав, справедливо контролювала не тільки збір, а й розподіл відрахувань за авторськими і суміжними правами, що б і поліпшило захист прав її учас­ників.Статья посвящена основным тенденциям развития национального законодатель­ства о коллективном управлении имущественными правами субъектов авторского права и смежных прав. Выявлению противоречий между национальным и международ­ным законодательством, разработка предложений о преодолении этих противоречий и внесение предложений о создании и деятельности в Украине единой организации, которая бы опекалась проблемами защиты авторских и смежных прав, и которая бы справедливо контролировала не только сбор, но и распределение отчислений по авторским и смежным правам, в следствии чего и улучшилась бы защита прав ее участни­ков.The article is dedicated to the main national legislation trends which is regulated relations in the sphere of the collective management of copyrights and related rights of subjects’ copyrights and related rights. Detection of collision between national and international legislation, elaboration of suggestions for theirs overcoming. Also making a motion about creat­ing and working the single collective management of copyrights and related rights in Ukraine for monitoring not only collection but also distribute royalties. Thus the defence of subjects’ copyrights and related rights would be improved

Drylands, frontiers, and the politics of change

Change is of all times, but it would appear that in the drylands of Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia/Inner Asia it is happening in an overwhelming manner. Climate change, growing political instability, and increasing enclosures of large expanses of land are some of the changes with far-reaching consequences for those who make their living in the drylands. This edited volume is about the changes that arise from the entanglement of global interests and narratives with the local struggles that have always existed in the drylands. In this chapter, the notion of ‘frontier’ is proposed as a metaphor to frame this entanglement and as a way to bring the different chapters in the volume together. Overviews of the chapters show that to understand the full politics of frontier processes, analytical approaches are necessary that take into account historical institutional changes and different forms of power relations

Effect of the Gene doublesex of Anastrepha on the Somatic Sexual Development of Drosophila

8 pages, 4 figures and 2 tables.[Background] The gene doublesex (dsx) is at the bottom of the sex determination genetic cascade and is transcribed in both sexes, but gives rise to two different proteins, DsxF and DsxM, which impose female and male sexual development respectively via the sex-specific regulation of the so-called sexual cyto-differentiation genes. The present manuscript addressed the question about the functional conservation of the tephritid Anastrepha DsxF and DsxM proteins to direct the sexual development in Drosophila (Drosophilidae).[Methodology] To express these proteins in Drosophila, the GAL4-UAS system was used. The effect of these proteins was monitored in the sexually dimorphic regions of the fly: the foreleg basitarsus, the 5th, 6th and 7th tergites, and the external terminalia. In addition, we analysed the effect of Anastrepha DsxF and DsxM proteins on the regulation of Drosophila yolk protein genes, which are expressed in the fat body of adult females under the control of dsx.Conclusions The Anastrepha DsxF and DsxM proteins transformed doublesex intersexual Drosophila flies into females and males respectively, though this transformation was incomplete and the extent of their influence varied in the different sexually dimorphic regions of the adult fly. The Anastrepha DsxF and DsxM proteins also behaved as activators and repressors, respectively, of the Drosophila yolk protein genes, as do the DsxF and DsxM proteins of Drosophila itself. Finally, the Anastrepha DsxF and DsxM proteins were found to counteract the functions of Drosophila DsxM and DsxF respectively, reflecting the normal behaviour of the latter proteins towards one another. Collectively, these results indicate that the Anastrepha DsxF and DsxM proteins show conserved female and male sex-determination function respectively in Drosophila, though it appears that they cannot fully substitute the latter's own Dsx proteins. This incomplete function might be partly due to a reduced capacity of the Anastrepha Dsx proteins to completely control the Drosophila sexual cyto-differentiation genes, a consequence of the accumulation of divergence between these species resulting in the formation of different co-adapted complexes between the Dsx proteins and their target genes.This work was financed by grant BFU2005-03000 awarded to L. Sa´nchez by the D.G.I.C.Y.T. (Spanish Government).Peer reviewe

LTSmin: high-performance language-independent model checking

In recent years, the LTSmin model checker has been extended with support for several new modelling languages, including probabilistic (Mapa) and timed systems (Uppaal). Also, connecting additional language front-ends or ad-hoc state-space generators to LTSmin was simplified using custom C-code. From symbolic and distributed reachability analysis and minimisation, LTSmin’s functionality has developed into a model checker with multi-core algorithms for on-the-fly LTL checking with partial-order reduction, and multi-core symbolic checking for the modal μ calculus, based on the multi-core decision diagram package Sylvan.\ud In LTSmin, the modelling languages and the model checking algorithms are connected through a Partitioned Next-State Interface (Pins), that allows to abstract away from language details in the implementation of the analysis algorithms and on-the-fly optimisations. In the current paper, we present an overview of the toolset and its recent changes, and we demonstrate its performance and versatility in two case studies

How does the general public balance convenience and cognitive pharmaceutical services in community pharmacy practice

Background: Community pharmacy is shifting its focus from traditional, product-focused roles to the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS). Previous research has indicated that community pharmacists predominantly want to devote their capacity to CPS. Ideally, services provided also address users' needs. The general public's preferences regarding the services provided by community pharmacists are currently less understood. Aim: This study investigates the general public's preferences and perceived importance of CPS versus convenience in community pharmacy practice. Method: An online survey of 1.500 members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel containing questions regarding preferences for CPS and convenience was distributed. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis were performed to investigate the relationship between preferences and participant characteristics. Results: 516 panel members completed all questions regarding preferences and importance of the availability of services. The majority preferred convenience (68.2%) and a smaller proportion preferred CPS (27.7%). However, participants considered it important from a societal viewpoint that CPS is provided (45.0%). Participants who preferred CPS over convenience were generally older (p < 0.001) and used more medicines (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Convenience of community pharmacy services is most preferred by the general public. However, CPS is perceived as important, especially for elderly who use more medicines. Elderly patients who use more medicines more often rate CPS as more important than convenience. These findings suggest that community pharmacists should ensure that pharmacy logistics are organized efficiently before focusing on the provision of CPS

Longitudinal Associations Between Adolescents' Bullying‐Related Indirect Defending, Outsider Behavior, and Peer‐Group Status

During adolescence, youth become more likely to avoid involvement in witnessed bullying and less likely to support victims. It is unknown whether-and how-these bystander behaviors (i.e., outsider behavior and indirect defending) are associated with adolescents' peer-group status (i.e., popularity and social acceptance) over time. Cross-lagged path modeling was used to examine these longitudinal associations in a sample of 313 Dutch adolescents (Mage-T1 = 10.3 years). The results showed that status longitudinally predicted behavior, rather than that behavior predicted status. Specifically, unpopularity predicted outsider behavior and social acceptance predicted indirect defending. These findings suggest that a positive peer-group status can trigger adolescents' provictim stance. However, adolescents may also strategically avoid involvement in witnessed bullying to keep a low social profile