521 results about "Sample quality" patented technology

The invention discloses a system for detecting quality parameters of livestock meat, which comprises a light source system emitting point light sources for irradiating a sample to be detected, an imaging spectrometer connected with an optical condenser thereon and used for acquiring a scattered spectrum image on the surface of the sample to be detected, a CCD camera connected with the imaging spectrometer and used for converting an acquired spectrum image optical signal into a digital electric signal, a data acquisition system connected with the CCD camera and used for acquiring the digital electric signal converted by the CCD, and a control computer connected with the data acquisition system and used for receiving and processing the digital electric signal transmitted by the data acquisition system. The invention also relates to a method for detecting the quality parameters of the livestock meat, which comprises the following steps of: imaging acquiring, imaging correcting, imaging fitting, optimal wavelength acquiring, and sample quality parameters detecting. The system and the method are people oriented and have advanced skill, rapid and pollution-free detection processes, evaluation of beef quality in a nondestructive and non-contact way, and the potential for real-time on-line detection application.

A microfabricated mass-sensitive chemical preconcentrator actively measures the mass of a sample on an acoustic microbalance during the collection process. The microbalance comprises a chemically sensitive interface for collecting the sample thereon and an acoustic-based physical transducer that provides an electrical output that is proportional to the mass of the collected sample. The acoustic microbalance preferably comprises a pivot plate resonator. A resistive heating element can be disposed on the chemically sensitive interface to rapidly heat and release the collected sample for further analysis. Therefore, the mass-sensitive chemical preconcentrator can optimize the sample collection time prior to release to enable the rapid and accurate analysis of analytes by a microanalytical system.

The invention discloses a transfer learning method and device. The method comprises setting relevant parameters of transfer learning and performing initialization; starting transfer learning iteration to obtain automatic annotation data; when the number of the iteration meets an iteration cycle, performing error detection on the automatic annotation data serving as samples in the iteration cycle to determine the sample relative quality of the iteration cycle; according to the sample relative quality, determining whether to delete or retain the samples and determining whether to continue the transfer learning iteration; when the transfer learning iteration is stopped, outputting the retainer samples and a transfer classifier. The transfer learning method has the advantage that, during a transfer learning process, the learning process is divided according to the transfer cycle, error detection is performed every full cycle, the samples are screened according to the sample relative quality determined through the error detection, so that low-quality samples can be eliminated to achieve the aim of improving the sample quality of automatic annotation data during the transfer learning process and further to improve the accuracy of a system applying the transfer learning method.

A liquid aspiration method which includes a method for determining the quality of the aspirated sample through mathematical analysis of the standard deviation of the residuals of the linear regression analysis of the aspiration pressure profile generated between the onset of actual aspiration and the end of actual aspiration and comparison of the results with predetermined known values.

The invention belongs to the technical field of agricultural product constituent inspection and relates to the technical field of physical and chemical analysis of rice, in particular to a near-infrared inspection method for rice quality and application thereof. The method is characterized in that samples to be tested are subjected to near-infrared scanning to obtain an original wave spectrogram of light absorption values based on wavelengths; next, the original wave spectrogram is subjected to noise elimination processing and pre-processing, and characteristic wavelengths are filtered from processed spectra; lastly, the characteristic wavelengths are substituted into a prediction model of sample quality indexes to obtain near-infrared inspection values of sample quality. The rice includes unhusked rice, unpolished rice and polished rice. Inspection quality includes protein, fat, moisture, total sugar, ash content and the broken rice rate, the husking rate, the rice bran powder rate and the head rice rate of the rice. Inspection application includes rice quality prediction through the model and modification of the model. The near-infrared inspection method for rice quality and the application thereof have the outstanding advantages that the test speed is high, and the samples will not be damaged.

Apparatus and methods for withdrawing nasopharyngeal fluid samples from a patient are disclosed. A kit including a catheter and a manual suction device is disclosed, wherein the catheter can be self-navigating and define aspiration holes through which aspiration fluid can be emitted and nasopharyngeal fluid samples can be withdrawn. The catheter may also include an insertion depth scale to ensure patient comfort and optimum sample quality. The methods for obtaining nasopharyngeal fluid samples include the steps of inserting the catheter into a patient's nasopharynx, and aspirating the nasal pharynx to withdraw a specimen.

The invention discloses a method for comprehensively evaluating quality of batch tobacco leaves. The method comprises the steps of acquiring a preliminary flue-cured tobacco sample in a batch transferring process, measuring data of appearance, chemical and sensory quality evaluation data of the flue-cured tobacco, calculating the score of each quality evaluation index through constructing a conformity function model and dimensionless processing, and finally integrating a final score in flue-cured tobacco quality evaluation and grade number information in batch transferring for obtaining an evaluation result. The flue-cured tobacco quality evaluation indexes comprise the appearance quality index of the flue-cured tobacco, the routine chemical component index, and the sensory quality characteristic index. The appearance quality index of the flue-cured tobacco is the weighting mean value of single-grade different sample quality inspection data of an industrial enterprise in batch transferring. The routine chemical component index is the comprehensive value of single-grade chemical component conformity. The sensory quality characteristic index is the comprehensive score of the single-grade sensory quality characteristic, wherein the comprehensive score is calculated according to the YC / T 530-2015 flue-cured tobacco and tobacco leaf quality stylistic feature sensory evaluation method. The method realizes more comprehensive and effective analysis evaluation on the tobacco leaf in different transferring batches, thereby performing an industrial transferring guiding function in a contract requirement.

The invention provides a transformer fault prediction method based on monitoring data of a dissolved gas in the oil of a transformer. The method includes the following steps of: optimization of historical online data of the dissolved gas in the oil of the transformer, model identification of the optimized data, estimation of auto-regression moving average model parameters, model checking and establishment. With the transformer fault prediction method adopted, the content of the characteristic gas in the oil of the transformer at any time point in the future can be predicted, and therefore, the faults of the transformer can be judged, and maintenance measures can be put forward. Compared with the prior art, the method can improve sample quality, embody individual characteristics of the transformer and reflect a characteristic that the dissolved gas in the oil changes with time. Since data obtained through adopting the method do not change abruptly, the method can make more stable and concise physical interpretation compared with a prediction model which is established through adopting traditional machine learning. With the transformer fault prediction method adopted, the accuracy of online data prediction of the dissolved gas in the oil of the transformer can be improved, and fault prediction and maintenance measures can be more accurate and reliable; a reliable guarantee can be provided for the maintenance and use of the transformer; and the service life of the transformer can be prolonged.

The invention provides a method for accurately calculating the real adsorption quantity of methane on shale. The method comprises the following steps: crushing muddy shale samples; drying in a thermostat; obtaining the change data of quality of the muddy shale samples along the gas pressure, and calculating the initial volume and quality of samples and a sample cylinder; calculating the excessive adsorption quantity of the samples under different pressures; making a plot of the quality and gas density of measured samples at high-pressure section in a rectangular Cartesian coordinate system, and fitting to obtain an analytic expression, requiring fitting R<2>=1; calculating the saturated adsorption quality and saturated adsorption phase volume of the samples, wherein the ratio of the two is density value of an adsorption phase; and correcting the excessive adsorption quantity of saturated adsorption points on an absolute line through the adsorption phase volume, and correcting the excessive adsorption quantity on front other points through adsorption phase density, thus obtaining the true adsorption quantity of methane on shale.

The invention provides an automatic storing and taking control system for biomedical sample refrigeration. The system comprises a refrigerating chamber, an automatic storing and taking gate, a sample database, an automatic sample conveying mechanism, a bar-code scanner, a programmable logic controller and a host computer. Specifically, the refrigerating chamber is an obturator, the automatic storing and taking gate unit is disposed between the external environment and the refrigerating chamber environment, and the sample database and the automatic sample conveying mechanism are both arranged inside the refrigerating chamber; the bar-code scanner is mounted on a sample conveying path; sensors and dynamic components in the automatic storing and taking gate, the sample database and the automatic sample conveying mechanism are all connected to the programmable logic controller; the bar-code scanner and the programmable controller are both in connection with the host computer. Characterized by simple structure and high capacity for sample storage, the system of the invention realizes automatic sample storing and taking and intelligent data management. Installed with two gates, the system of the invention effectively isolates the internal and external environments and avoids refrigeration environment fluctuation caused by door opening, thus guaranteeing stable refrigeration environment and sample quality and safety and being easy to realize remote monitoring.

The invention provides a liquid sampling device which comprises a liquid storage device, a liquid inlet one-way valve, a liquid inlet automatic piston, a liquid outlet one-way valve, a liquid outlet automatic piston, a horn-shaped liquid guide port, a round liquid inlet filter screen, a conical liquid outlet filter screen, a conical protection cover and an air bag, wherein a liquid outlet is formed on the upper end surface of the liquid storage device; the liquid outlet automatic piston, the liquid outlet one-way valve and the conical protection cover are sequentially arranged above the liquid outlet; the conical liquid outlet filter screen is arranged in the protection cover; the liquid inlet one-way valve, the liquid inlet automatic piston and the round liquid inlet filter screen are sequentially arranged at the lower end of the liquid storage device; the air bag is arranged between the liquid inlet automatic piston and the liquid inlet one-way valve; and the horn-shaped liquid guide port is formed below a round hole in the middle of the round liquid inlet filter screen. The liquid sampling device provided by the invention has the characteristics of better sample quality, simplicity in operation, relatively high practicability, relatively low cost and the like, and can be applied to the fields of sample acquisition and analysis and the like.

Array-based clinical assays and compositions for use in practicing the same are provided. A feature of the subject array-based clinical assays is that they include a sample quality evaluation step that is independent from the clinical assay step of the assays, where the sample quality evaluation step may be performed in a number of different ways. Also provided are compositions, devices and kits for use in practicing the subject methods.

The invention discloses a cigarette processing quality evaluation and diagnosis method. The cigarette processing quality evaluation and diagnosis method includes drawing a contour map of sample probability by collecting and processing historical data, diagnosing the abnormal technological parameters or indexes by the contour map and computing the quality. By computing of the sample probability, diagnosis of the abnormal parameters or indexes and computing of the sample quality, more complete and practical quality evaluation references are provided for quality management personnel, and a fast channel is provided for quality improvement. The cigarette processing quality evaluation and diagnosis method can evaluate product quality and physical quality of cigarettes during cigarette tobacco production, and can further diagnoses and indicates the technological parameters or indexes deviated from the statistics controlled states when small-probability events (such as quality inconformity) appear. The cigarette processing quality evaluation and diagnosis method has the advantages of universality and applicability to other production processes besides the tobacco industry.

Methods and apparatus for evaluating the quality of a sample of a product, an ingredient, an environment or process by measuring multiple parameters thereof, including light emitted from a reacting sample containing ATP, ADP, alkaline phosphatase or other parameters such as pH, temperature, conductivity, reduction potential, dissolved gases, specific ions, and microbiological count. The apparatus comprises an integrated sample testing device used to collect a sample, mix reagents, react the sample, and collect it in a measurement chamber. The apparatus also comprises an instrument having a photon detection assembly for use with the sample testing device. The instrument can also comprise one or more sensing probes and a communication port to facilitate data collection, transfer and analysis.

A method for casting-in-place composite and / or non-filled structures which are useful as sorptive or reactive media or for size-based separations. Any particular housing size or configuration can be used, and the inclusion of a large amount of adsorptive particles in polymer is achieved while still maintaining the membrane three dimensional structure. In a first preferred embodiment, the composite structures comprise particles entrapped within a porous polymeric substrate, and are cast in-place into a housing such as a pipette tip, thereby providing an effective platform for micromass handling. With the appropriate selection of particle chemistry, virtually any separation or purification operation can be conducted, including selective bind / elute chromatography operations, on sample mass loads less than 1 microgram in volumes of a few microliters, as well as larger mass loads and volumes. The present invention also encompasses the composite structures as well as sample preparation devices containing the same. In a second preferred embodiment, self-retaining, self-supporting structures are cast in situ in a suitable housing and can be used for size-based separations wherein the cast structure acts as a semi-permeable barrier. The present invention also encompasses these structures as well as housings containing these structures.

A card or insert having a plurality of recesses for a sample preparation device, the card containing cast-in-place composite and / or non-filled structures which are useful as sorptive or reactive media or for size-based separations. Any particular card size or configuration can be used, and the inclusion of a large amount of adsorptive particles in polymer is achieved while still maintaining the membrane three dimensional structure. In a first preferred embodiment, the composite structures comprise particles entrapped within a porous polymeric substrate, and are cast in-place into a plurality of recesses in an insert for a multi-well sample preparation device, thereby providing an effective platform for high throughput micromass handling. With the appropriate selection of particle chemistry, virtually any separation or purification operation can be conducted in multiplicity, including selective bind / elute chromatography operations, on sample mass loads less than 1 microgram in volumes of a few microliters, as well as larger mass loads and volumes. Manufacturing flexibility and high throughput is achieved. The card can be configured for direct analysis of bound sample without elution.

The invention discloses a channel quality indicator information correction method and an apparatus thereof, and belongs to wireless communication field. The method comprises the following steps: after obtaining first CQI information at a first time, calculating a cumulative adjustment amount of CQI corresponding to the first time; after obtaining second CQI information at a second time, calculating a period cumulative CQI adjustment amount between the first time and the second time; adding the period cumulative CQI adjustment amount with the cumulative CQI adjustment amount corresponding to the first time multiplied by corresponding first degree of confidence to obtain a cumulative CQI adjustment amount corresponding to the second time; adding the second CQI information with the cumulative CQI adjustment amount corresponding to the second time multiplied by corresponding second degree of confidence with to obtain corrected second CQI information. The apparatus in the invention comprises a corresponding accumulation module, a corresponding calculation module, a corresponding adding module, and a corresponding correction module. According to the invention, through preserving cumulative CQI adjustment amounts, utilizing prior CQI adjustment information, present CQI is corrected, sample quality of CQI adjustment is increased, and accuracy of CQI correction is effectively improved.

The invention provides a method and a device for determining sample labels. The method for determining the sample labels comprises the following steps of extracting on-line feedback data to acquire initial model training data; extracting scene features from the initial model training data; adding the scene features into the initial model training data to acquire sample data; calculating the sample quality score of each group of sample data; labeling each group of sample data according to the corresponding sample quality score of the corresponding group of sample data; learning the labeled sample data to generate a model; and predicting labels of the sample data by using the model. In a multi-example learning problem, labor is reduced when the sample is labeled, a large amount of labor is saved, and the labeling efficiency can be improved.

The invention discloses an environmental protection water quality sampling detection device, which comprises a base, an electric lifting rod and a water pump. A water storage tank is installed above the base, and uniformly distributed sampling chambers are arranged inside the water storage tank. The top of the sampling bin is provided with a water injection port, the water storage tank above the sampling bin is provided with a water injection bin, the bottom of the water injection bin is connected to the water injection port, the top of the water storage tank is provided with a water inlet, and the water inlet A filter screen is installed inside, a sealing cover is installed at the bottom of the water inlet, and a water pump is installed on the top of the water storage tank on one side of the water inlet, and the water pump is connected to the water inlet through a pipeline passing through the sealing cover. The present invention is provided with a series of structures so that the device has the advantages of convenient movement, high sampling and detection efficiency, fast speed, convenient operation and the like in the process of water quality sampling and detection.

The invention relates to a preparation method of a fluorescent transparent ceramic disk for an LED (Light-emitting Diode). The preparation method comprises the following steps of adding rare-earth-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (RE:YAG) raw material powder with the mass ratio to water being 2:1 to 5:1, sintering aids and a dispersant into deionized water; mixing and performing ball milling for 0.5 to 4 hours to obtain homogeneously dispersed aqueous slurry; respectively adding water-solubility epoxy resin and a curing agent, and respectively performing ball milling for 1 to 4 hours and 0.1 to 1 hour; injecting the aqueous slurry into an assembling die formed by clamping a filler strip clamped in the middle of a two-layerbetween two layers of plates, forming to obtain a ceramic disk biscuit, and obtaining the fluorescent transparent ceramic disk through sintering procedure and annealing treatment. The ceramic disk prepared by the invention is controllable in size and thickness, high in sample quality, simple in process, high in preparation efficiency, and low in cost, and the preparation way of the RE:YAG transparent ceramic disk for the LED is greatly expanded.

The invention relates to a method for detecting and grading internal quality of fruits based on a support vector machine (SVM) model and near infrared spectrum (NIRS) detection technology. The method is characterized by introducing the concept of degree of membership to quality analysis of the fruits aiming at the ambiguity of the fruit taste, simultaneously considering the NIRS characteristics and physically and chemically measured quality parameters of the fruits in the process of determining the degree of membership of fruit quality determining and adopting the degree of membership based on support vector domain description to correct the degree of membership of determining which is determined based on the sugar degree and the acidity, thereby establishing the effective SVM model for fruit grading. The non-destructive detecting and grading method based on the SVM model and the NIRS detection technology not only realizes grading of the fruit sample quality by the traditional methods but also can measure the degree of membership of the samples to the subordinate quality grade via the degree of membership and can obtain higher grading precision according to the difference between the predicted value and the measured value of the degree of membership of the fruit samples, thereby better recognizing the internal quality of the fruits.

The invention relates to a comprehensive evaluation method for quality of traditional Chinese medicine. According to the method, the comprehensive index of the quality of a sample is taken as a quantitative index for evaluating sample quality, the comprehensive index of the quality is calculated by adopting a triangle area method; first, normalization processing for data is performed by adopting a ratio method, so as to eliminate dimensions, and different evaluation result data are changed to be numerical values from 0 to 1; second, the triangle area method is adopted for carrying out integrated processing on data in three dimensions of experience, chemistry and biology, so as to obtain quality embedded values (triangle area numerical values) of samples in different batches; finally, when the all data in the three dimensions are 1, the triangle area is the maximal, and triangle areas of all samples are used for dividing the maximal triangle area, so as to obtain the comprehensive index of the quality. According to the method in the application, the comprehensive index of the quality embodies the integral view of the traditional Chinese medicine, blends traditional cognition and modern cognition, and connects efficacy and safety.

Methods and apparatus for evaluating the quality of a sample of a product, an ingredient, an environment or process by measuring multiple parameters thereof, including light emitted from a reacting sample containing ATP, ADP, alkaline phosphatase or other parameters such as pH, temperature, conductivity, reduction potential, dissolved gases, specific ions, and microbiological count. The apparatus comprises an integrated sample testing device used to collect a sample, mix reagents, react the sample, and collect it in a measurement chamber. The apparatus also comprises an instrument having a photon detection assembly for use with the sample testing device. The instrument can also comprise one or more sensing probes and a communication port to facilitate data collection, transfer and analysis.

Methods and apparatus for evaluating the quality of a sample of a product, an ingredient, an environment or a process by measuring multiple parameters thereof, including light emitted from a reacting sample containing ATP, ADP, alkaline phosphatase or other parameters such as pH, temperature, conductivity, oxidation reduction potential, dissolved gases, specific ions, and microbiological count. The apparatus comprises an integrated sample testing device used to collect a sample, mix reagents, react the sample, and collect it in a measurement chamber. The apparatus also comprises an instrument having a photon detection assembly for use with the sample testing device. The instrument can also comprise one or more sensing probes and a communication port to facilitate data collection, transfer and analysis. The method further comprises a mechanism for storing data, evaluating data, graphing data, and determining conformance to established criteria.

The invention discloses a fruit hardness nondestructive detection method and device based on laser doppler vibration measurement. The detection method comprises the following steps of: collecting representative fruits to form a modeling sample set; detecting the quality of samples; acquiring vibration signals; processing the vibration signals; detecting a hardness standard value; and establishing and testing a hardness prediction model. The detection device comprises a vibration control system and a vibration signal acquisition system. Filtering, infinitesimal analysis, FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) and amplitude frequency response are performed on output signals of a laser doppler vibration measurement controller and an ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) acceleration sensor by signal analysis software in a laser doppler vibration measurement module. The fruit hardness nondestructive detection method and device have the advantages of causing no damage to the detected fruits, being not affected by environmental noises, causing no harm to the free vibration of the fruits and being good in adaptability, and realizes the nondestructive detection on fruit hardness.

The invention relates to an automatic bone marrow sample processing device, and an automatic analyzing and radiograph reading method thereof. The device combines automatic staining technology, sample quality automatic detection technology, encrpytion technology, microscopical technology and image processing technology, and can realize the all-around automation of staining, scanning and radiograph reading. The automatic radiograph reading method comprises the steps of firstly, performing low-power lens complete sample scanning and splicing, so as to obtain a low-power lens complete sample panoramic image, then inputting an interested characteristic parameter set, and finally performing high-power lens interested region scanning and splicing, so as to obtain a high-power lens interested region panoramic image set. Compared with the traditional bone marrow sample processing and radiograph reading method, the automatic analyzing and radiograph reading method has the advantages that the problem that the complete marrow sample quality cannot be checked by doctors on the whole is solved, and the radiograph reading speed and accuracy of doctors are improved. The low-power lens panoramic image and the high-power lens panoramic image set obtained can serve as an objective base and experimental data for clinical diagnosis and provide a necessary support for the development of myelopathy diagnostics, and are huge in social benefit.

The invention provides a method for predicting the machining quality of a machine tool on the basis of virtual measurement (VM). The method comprises the steps of correlating each product accuracy item to the machining paths of a plurality of machine tool, at the modeling stage, firstly, operating the machine tools to obtain a plurality of modeling workpiece samples and collecting a plurality of groups of workpiece sample sensing data of the modeling samples associated with the machining paths in the operating period of the machine tool, secondly, after denoising the sensing data, converting the sensing data of each modeling sample and corresponding to the sample characteristic data of each characteristic pattern, and finally, measuring the accuracy item of each workpiece sample, and establishing the quality prediction model of the workpieces by use of the key characteristic data selected by the method, thereby obtaining the sample quality prediction data of each product accuracy item, and at the use stage, after inputting the key characteristic data of the machined workpiece into the quality prediction model, predicting the value of each accuracy item of the workpiece.

The invention discloses a sampling quality inspection method and a system in a calling center. The method comprises steps of screening out voice media stream data which is related to telephone traffic from a calling center platform database and storing the voice media stream data in a telephone traffic quality inspection server, taking corresponding telephone traffic data according to the sampling task set by the telephone traffic quality data server and storing the telephone traffic data in a sampling data caching zone, performing quality inspection on the data in the sampling data caching zone and generating a telephone traffic detection result, transmitting the telephone traffic detection result to a telephone operator terminal for pre-publishing, performing quality inspection on the unqualified data afresh if the telephone operator questions the quality inspection result, and transmitting all quality inspection results to the calling center platform for displaying and storing. The sampling quality inspection method realizes the real-time monitoring on the conversation content according to the practical work, realizes the comprehensive control of the business capability, improves the service control and promptness, enhances the objectivity, fairness and efficiency of the quality inspection result, and improves the service quality of the calling center.

The invention discloses a fuzzy-intelligence-based rail traffic car suspension system fault analysis method. The method comprises the steps that 1, a rail traffic car suspension system model is constructed, and dynamic characteristic analysis is performed on the model; 2, according to the dynamic characteristic analysis result of the rail traffic car suspension system model, an acceleration sensor is arranged; 3, multiple data time domain and frequency domain characteristics collected by the acceleration sensor are extracted, and distance characteristics are extracted through power spectrum analysis; 4, dimension reduction processing is performed on an original characteristic sample in the step 3, and a fault characteristic sample is obtained; 5, on the basis of the fault characteristic sample, fuzzy intelligence is utilized for performing fault classification on the car suspension system. According to the scheme, the defect that time frequency domain characteristic indexes describe signal changes from a certain aspect of a time domain or a frequency domain is overcome, meanwhile, meanwhile, the defects that time frequency domain characteristic indexes are easily added and average calculating operation submerge difference characteristics are obtained are overcome, and the characteristic sample quality is improved.

The invention discloses a fast-heating wide-range thermogravimetric analyzer, which comprises a weighing system, a reaction system, a heating system, and a control system, the weighing system comprises a base cabinet and an electronic scale, the reaction system comprises a sample support, a sample-loading metal mesh, a high-temperature alundum tube, and a thermocouple for measuring sample temperature, and the heating system comprises an automatic lifter, a cooling water protector, a lower heat-insulating layer, a high-temperature heating furnace, an upper heat-insulating layer, and a sealing cover; and the control system is used for controlling gas intake, water flow in the cooling water protector, the furnace temperature and temperature adjustment of the high-temperature heating furnace and recording sample quality, sample temperature, gas intake and water flow data in real time. The thermogravimetric analyzer disclosed by the invention is low in pile-up effect and close to actual working conditions, the electronic scale is stable, the fast heating of high temperature can be realized, quality and temperature data measured by a wide-range sample isothermal method are accurate and stable, and the fast-heating wide-range thermogravimetric analyzer has the advantages of small error, convenience in operation, simple structure and the like.