Computer networks are constantly emerging, and in today's world, we see new needs and new kinds of networks addressing these needs. Situations such as emergency and rescue operations present a demand for mobile ad-hoc networks, a kind of networks with fundamentally different characteristics than traditional wired networks. Scarce resources and possibly low connectivity call for new techniques and approaches to traditional problems. Where possible, resource localization tools will probably be included in the applications needing it, enabling them to tune the search to the applications needs and characteristics. However, such needs are not always possible to predict a priori, and we then need a system enabling nodes to autonomously localize needed resources that are not present in the node itself. In this thesis, we propose a general-purpose resource localization solution for mobile ad-hoc networks. Nodes in mobile ad-hoc networks should function autonomously with as little outside intervention as possible, preserving the self-* properties. Such systems are common in nature, and may be used as inspiration when designing computer systems. In this thesis, we look at how stigmergy — the foraging behavior of ants — may be used to localize resources in a mobile adhoc network. When walking between their nest and a food source, ants leave pheromone trails on the ground, and by probabilistically choosing branches with the most pheromone, they are able to find the shortest path between their nest and the food. This behavior has inspired a lot of solutions to optimization problems like routing. We have designed and implemented a system exploiting what we call opposite stigmergy, where artificial ants are released from a resource-requesting node and at each intermediate node probabilistically choose the least recently used neighbor as next hop. This makes ants search every nook and cranny of the network, as opposed to regular ant-inspired algorithms, where ants are concentrated on one or a few most optimal paths. Our preliminary performance tests show that our ant-inspired approach has, if tuned correctly, the potential to outperform the much simpler floodingbased solution in certain scenarios. The ant solution has shown to be able to localize resources with less sent and received messages if more than one node requests the same (or similar) resources. For scenarios where nodes have a high number of neighbors, however, we see that the ant approach requires a lot of time and resources to localize a resource. We also suggest a few potential fixes that may be able to lower both the response time as well as the resource consumption, enabling the ant solution to perform even better.


Abstract The study explored feelings of European identity and attitudes towards Europe manifested in two groups within the British population: the indigenous white British population (N = 58) and the South-Asian ethnic minority (N = 44). A social survey approach was used with scales to evaluate British, European and ethnic identities and also attitudes towards Europe. Perceived compatibility of identities was also assessed using a visual representation of identities task. Previous research findings were confirmed with the indigenous white British respondents, who displayed a strong sense of national identity negatively correlated with European identity. In contrast, the South Asian respondents displayed positive feelings of identification on all three levels, and a British identity that correlated positively with European identification.


At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the focus of hydrological prediction had been on the development of empirical tools and simulation models that relied heavily on calibration. These pre...


This paper explores the implications of financial repression, specifically, imperfect competition in the financial sector and capital controls for equilibrium interest rates and current account imbalances; and the implications of liberalization. I find that (1) interest differentials between home and foreign markets exist and are higher the fewer the number of domestic financial institutions (2) liberalization of the domestic financial sector - i.e. increasing the number of players - exacerbates current account imbalances in growing economies and reduces revenues from repression (3) revenues from financial repression decline when capital controls become porous (which may be a consequnce of trade liberalization), making liberalization of domestic financial sector more palatable to the domestic governments. An empirical exercise validates several predictions of the model.


Summary. Studies were performed to investigate the influence of long‐term lead acetate treatment on morphology of rat testis. No marked changes were observed by means of light microscopy. At all stages (I—XIV) of the seminiferous epithelium cycle, all generations and layers of spermatogenic cells were present. Electron‐microscopic studies did not reveal any ultrastructural changes neither in seminiferous epithelium nor in Sertoli cells. In Leydig cells also, no ultrastructural abnormalities were visible. Macrophages of testicular interstitial tissue contained electron‐dense inclusions, usually located inside phagoliso‐some‐like vacuoles. X‐ray micro‐analysis revealed that the inclusions contained lead.


Report on Numerical methods for fluid dynamics, 5th int. conf., Reading University, 1-4 April 1985, organised by the Institute for Computational Fluid Dynamics and IMA.


As industry prepares to introduce extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology for the coming sub-10-nm lithography, this paper presents metrology approaches that utilize the prevalent Critical Dimension Scanning Electron Microscope (CD-SEM). Two technical approaches will be discussed. One is comprehensive solutions for new EUV characterized features, such as low resist-shrinkage electron beam optics and high efficiency metrology/inspection for EUV process monitoring. The other, like conventional minimization processes, is down-to-ångström-order metrology methodologies required for stricter CD process control. This paper is the first to conceptualize specifications for a stringent and multi-index tool matching, namely "atomic matching," which is considered as a crucially important feature of any in-line metrology tools in the EUV era.


An improved solid phase synthesis of vasopressin is described. The thiol groups of two Cys were protected by p methoxybenzyl, and all other functional groups on the side chain of amino acids were not protected. For loading the C terminal Gly on to the Merrifield resin, the cesium salt of Boc Gly OH was used instead of the potassium salt with over 99% yield of ester formation. The final protected peptide resin was treated with ammonia in methanol to get p methoxybenzyl protected nonapeptide amide. After removal of the two p methoxybenzyl groups with mercuric acetate, the two Cys at the position 1 and 6 of the product were oxidized by air to form disulfide bond.


At the University of Melbourne's Burnley Campus near Richmond, Victoria, Australia's largest green roof research and outreach project is underway.


A new method for artificially inducing the cough reflex in the unrestrained and unanesthetized dog has been devised. The present method can be utilized for testing the relative effectiveness of antitussive drugs. A monopolar electrode is inserted into the dog tracheal mucosa in such a way as to minimize surgical stress. The most successful electrical stimulation has been obtained from square-wave pulses which were produced by a 1-3 volt, 20 Hz. The duration of the square-wave pulse was 1.0 msec and the stimulation was applied for 5 sec. This stimulation usually produced 3-5 cough reflex. It has been found that electrical stimulation of the tracheal mucosa induces the cough reflex and this phenomenon can be successfully reproduced at intervals of at least 5 minutes duration. Our method allows for a lower threshold voltage for cough induction than those previously published, a greater utilization of each dog and a reduction of time required to standardize the cough reflex and the drug dosage for each animal. As the dogs are caged, there is more freedom of movement, thus the drug effect on posture and general behaviour can be better observed. The method described may be applicable to induction of the cough reflex in a variety of experimental animals.


A lack of significant iron in the normal red blood cells leads to iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Plummer Vinson Syndrome (PVS) is a syndrome with the clinical triad of symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia, dysphagia and oesophageal webs. Repeated injury to epithelia due to iron deficiency leads to atrophy of mucosa and degradation of pharyngeal muscles, leading to the development of oesophageal webs. Oral manifestations are the initial symptoms and oral cavity is the mirror of the systemic conditions of the body. Henceforth dentists play a major role in promptly diagnosing the oral health of an individual. Under this background, we present a case of Plummer Vinson Syndrome with oral manifestations.

Keywords: Anaemia, Iron deficiency, Plummer Vinson Syndrome, Haemoglobin, Dysphagia, Oesophageal webs, Endoscopy, Oral Health.


'Common. costly and deadly'. This in a nutshell describes the condition we traditionally refer to as Cardiac Failure. Indeed 'Circulatory failure' \\iould be a more appropriate teml as it is a combination of factors that involve not only the heart but other organs such as the kidney and brain as well as tl1e peripheral circulation. The management of this condition includes pharmacological and surgical approaches as well as a number of devices that have been developed in recent years in order to improve the significant morbidity as well as mortality associated with it.


The aim of this study was to examine correlation between anti-inflammator y activity and molecular properties of the Boswellic acid derivatives in search of a lead compound through molinspiratio n cheminformatics software. Twelve naturally occurring and semisynthetic derivatives of Boswellic acid were selected for bioactivity prediction and drug likeness score on the basis of Lipinski's rule. Aceclofenac and Hydrocortisone (cortisol) were used as reference standard for comparing the molecular properties and bioactivity score. None of the com pounds fulfilled Lipinski's rule as their Milog P score was above 5 suggesting these compounds are highly lipophilic with v ery poor aqueous solubility. All the screened compounds had minimum one and maximum three violations of Lipinski rule. BA and its derivatives showed good bioactivity score for drug targets including nuclear receptor ligand, pro tease inhibitor and enzyme inhibition and thus expected to have excellent pharmacological activity in vivo. The results of this study justify their topical application in arthritic conditions but some structural modifications in order to make the compound more polar will definitely improve oral bioavailability and thus the usefulness and therapeutic efficacy of BAs. Among all the boswellic acid derivatives, only compound number 2 is predicted to be orally active and is considered as a potential candidate for the further research as its bioactivity score due to high affinity for various drug targets was better than the standard (Cortisol and Aceclofenac) as well as among other tested compounds.


Objective To study the clinicopathological features of florid reactive periostitis.Methods Four cases of florid reactive periostitis were observed clinically with X-ray and pathologically with HE staining and immunohistochemistry.Results Four cases of florid reactive periostitis patients aged from 12 to 56 years(mean 27.75).The main clinical manifestations were finger or toe pain,swelling,restricted activities.X-ray showed the characteristics associated with a periosteal mass,with some cases of periosteal reaction and cortical bone destruction.Histological features were a large number of reactive proliferation of trabecular bone tissue and woven bone around the osteoblasts,active fibroblasts and epithelioid osteoblasts.Immunophenotyping showed features of fibroblast and myofibroblast.Conclusion Florid reactive periostitis is benign periosteal reactive fibrous bone lesions.Differential diagnosis includes myositis ossificans,parosteal osteosarcoma,and osteoblastoma.Final diagnosis relies on combination of clinical data,X-ray and pathology.Prognosis of florid reactive periostitis is good.


This paper contributes to the growing literature on the milex-growth nexus, by providing a case study of South Africa and considering the possibility of structural breaks by applying newly developed econometric methods. Using full sample bootstrap Granger non-causality tests, no Granger causal link is found between military expenditure and GDP for 1951–2010, but parameter instability tests show the estimated VARs to be unstable. Using a bootstrap rolling window estimation procedure, however, finds evidence of bidirectional Granger causality in various subsamples. This implies standard Granger non-causality tests, which neither account for structural breaks nor time variation may be invalid.


An evaluation of a system for data transfer and display for airport air traffic control (ATC) by practicing controllers is described. The system is computer based, handling the data normally used in airport ATC at Heathrow. The system displays the controller's data on a single screen. Data transfer and modification are enabled via a touch-sensitive surface on the display. Sinaiko's term "indelicate experiment" is used since the evaluation fell into middle ground of system design, between "expert knowledge" and "controlled and lengthy experimentation." The major objective was to judge the opinions and attitudes of controllers. The study used a simulation of normal operations. Fifteen controllers-five groups of three-participated in 5-h-long exercises over 3 days. The main source of information was a questionnaire completed after the exercises. There was also a limited use of video tape. The results and implications of the study are discussed.


Modern approaches to studying of freak waves at ocean by means of computing experiments are consi-dered. The description of computing experimental installation is given, used numerical methods are described, and the review of the received results is given too.


the mitral orifice measured 3A inches or less. If the measurement exceeded 3i inches (2 fingers), the stenosis was considered doubtful, and neglected. The stenosed orifice exceeded 24 inches (I finger) in circumference in io8 instances, and measured 24 inches (i finger) or less in 85. It is not clear from the statistics in which of tlle two catalogues 3 cases should be included. Of the 196 cases, I07 were females and 89 males. The average age of death for the males was 38k years, that for the females was also 381 years. The average age of death for the cases of severe stenosis (i finger or less) was 33.6 years; for the less severe cases (I to 2 fingers, or 21 to 31 inches), 43.6 years. The average was the same for males and for females. In 32 cases the heart is stated to have weighed 20 ounces or upwards. Of these 24 were males and 8 females. The heaviest, that of a female, is entered, probably incorrectly, as 31 ounces. In 32 instances tricuspid and mitral stenosis were present together. Of these 21were females and II males. The tricuspid stenosis accompanied almost exclusively the severe form of mitral, which included 24 Of the total 32 cases. In 28.2 per cent., therefore, of the more severe cases (I finger or less) of mitral stenosis, tricuspid stenosis was also present, whereas in only 7.4 per cent. of the less severe was stenosis remarked on the right side. The presence of tricuspid stenosis at all with these less severe forms would seem to indicate that it was not consequent on the severity of the mitral stenosis; and that its frequent association with the more severe stenosis is due to a common cause, severe or geneial enough to affect both orifices, while producing considerable contraction of the mitral. The tricuspid orifice measured less than 3 inches in circumference in 4 cases only, and between 3 and 4 inches in the remaining 28. The orifice was not considered stenosed if the circumference exceeded 4 inches. In a large proportion of all the cases the aortic valves were thickened, distorted, or otherwise defective, but were seldom referred to as stenosed. Neglecting the reports for the year i886 (which were not made with sufficient care to be useful for most statistical purposes), there remain 77 cases of the severe, and 96 of the slighter form of mitral stenosis for the nine other years. In the 77 severe cases the left auricle is entered as greatly hypertrophied in 22 instances, as hypertrophied (to what extent is not indicated) in 17 others, and as slightly hypertrophied in 5 more. In the 96 less severe cases it was considerably hypertrophied in 14, hypertrophied (amount not indicated) in 2 others, and slightly in 5 more. Auricular hypertrophy, more or less considerable in amount, was therefore recorded as present in 44 of the 77 cases of severe mitral stenosis, and in 21 of the 96 slighter cases, that is in more than half of the one, and in less than a quarter of the others; it is therefore associated especially with severe stenosis. The left auricle is recorded in the 77 cases of severe stenosis as much dilated in 14, dilated (amount not stated) in i8 others, and slightly dilated in 7. Among the 96 less severe cases it was much dilated in 8, dilated (amount not indicated) in 15, and slightly dilated in 6. Dilatation would, therefore, seem on the whole to be more marked at the necropsies on the severe than on the slighter cases, but the statistics are not carefully enough recorded for conclusions of much value to be drawn on this point. In the 77 cases of severe stenosis the right ventricle was given as considerably hypertrophied in 22 cases, hypertrophied (amount not defined) in I5 others, and slightly hypertrophied in 4. Hypertrophy, therefore, was present in 41 of the 77 cases; making thus about the same proportion as given for the hypertrophy of the left auricle. In the g6 cases of slighter stenosis hypertrophy of the right ventricle was considerable in iI, was present (amount not recorded) in 8, and slight in 6; which again differs but little from the proportion given for the auricle in these cases. In the, 77 severe eases the right ventricle was stated to be greatly dilated in I6, dilated (amount unrecorded) in i8, and slightly in 6. Among the 96 slighter cases dilatation of the right ventricle was considerable in 7. was present (amount unrecorded) in 17, and slight in 3. The right ventricle is therefore evident,ly more likely to be found dilated at the necropsy in cases of severe than of slight stenosis of the mitral orifice. The left ventricle was generally normal or small; rarely enlarged by either hypertrophy or dilatation. Of the total number of cases 23 were from the surgical wards where death was not due to asystole frcom organic lesion. In these instances, though stenosis was present, dilatation of the left auricle was only found on 4 occasions. Dilatation of the auricle would therefore appear to be but rarely associated with mitral stenosis not directly fatal, hence it probably appears late in the disease, causing or accompanying cardiac failure. My statistics, published last year, led me then to the same conclusion. Pericarditis had been present in nearly one-third of all the cases, and frequently where no definite pericarditis could be traced there was an unusual quantity of fluid in the pericardium. The pericardium in 35 instances was universally adherent. The influence of this pericarditis ori cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation could not be determined from the statistics. Sudden death occurred in at least 7 cases. Advancing age-6o and upwards-seems to be a factor in the development of stenosis of the mitral orifice, as it was found on I9 occasions in persons of this age, in only 3 of whom was there a history of previous rheumatism. Dilatation of the mitral orifice appears more likely to be followed by dilatation of the left auricle than does stenosis. My statistics further indicate that a presystolic murmur is heard some time in the course of the disease in about threefifths of all cases, and a thrill in about one-third or rather less; while a history of rheumatism may be traced in upwards of 6o per cent. of all cases. The above statistics are, unfortunately, limited in theirvalue and accuracy by the post-mortem reports, from which, with some assistance from the ward reports, they are taken. The recoris of necropsies are sometimes very vague and unsystematic in their account of cardiac lesions. 'rhis applies especially to the manner in which hypertropby and dilatation of the ventricles and auricles are recorded anddistinguished.


Human resource management is a field of management that specializes in studying the relationship and role of humans in organizations, facing the current of globalization, human resources are very dominant in playing a role in organizational activities and activities, human resources are also seen as the most valuable asset and have a very important role. In the survival of the organization, the purpose of this study is to analyze and test, the effect of ASN Training and Competence on ASN Performance through ASN Work Discipline as an Intervening Variable at the Department of Agriculture and Food Security in Bondowoso Regency. Bondowoso district. The sampling method was determined by non-probability sampling. Data analysis and hypothesis testing in this study used the Structural Equation Model - Partial Least Square (PLS-SEM).
The results of the direct influence hypothesis test using the Smart PLS 3.0 application, indicate that Education and Training has a significant effect on work discipline, Competence has a negative but not significant effect on work discipline, Education and training has a negative but not significant effect on ASN Performance, Competence has a significant positive but not significant effect on ASN Performance, Work discipline has a significant positive effect on the performance of ASN. The results of the indirect effect hypothesis test show that Training and Education on ASN Performance, through work discipline, has a significant positive effect, Competence on ASN Performance through work discipline has a negative but not significant effect.


This study aims to determine the effectiveness of providing exercises on improving emotional intelligence in early childhood in Pembina Kaliwungu Kindergarten, Kudus regency with a research sample of 2 early childhood groups of 24 each. The research design used is quasi-experimentation by comparing the experimental group and the control group. Data collection uses observation and deed tests. Meanwhile, the data were analyzed with the t-test, which was previously tested for the normality of the data and the homogeneity of the variant. The results of the study obtained an average in the experimental class before being given treatment of 67.25 and the control group of 57.00. Meanwhile, after being given treatment, a score was obtained in the experimental class of 69.33 greater than the average control class of 57.00. Thus there is a difference in average between the experimental class and the control class. The difference test obtained that the average score of the experimental class has increased. the child achieves completeness of learning compared to the control class.


OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to identify gene networks and pathways induced by Nabiximols treatment by analyzing the transcriptional profiling of whole blood in MS patients and to identify a baseline signature of response to treatment.
BACKGROUND: Nabiximols (Sativex®) treatment is effective in reducing muscle spasticity and pain in MS patients.
DESIGN/METHODS: We collected whole blood at baseline and 4-week (4-wk) follow-up of 93 Nabiximols-treated MS patients, and of 34 at 14-week (14-wk) follow-up. We used a whole-genome microarray-based transcriptome profiling using Illumina® technology. Functional enrichment analysis was run using WebGestalt, DAVID and EnrichNet, and relevant pathways were defined as those significant in 2/3 tools. Network analysis was performed using STRING interactome resource.
RESULTS: We selected 19 patients who were high responders (R) (> 20[percnt] improvement in the spasticity numerical rating scale (NRS) at 4-week, and > 30[percnt] at 14-week; mean change: -2.9 and -3.6 score respectively) and compared to 14 non-responders (NR) (< 20[percnt] improvement in the NRS at 4-week; mean change: +0.1). After quality-control steps, we identified a signature which discriminates between R and NR at baseline that includes 22 genes, of which 18 are influenced by Interferon-beta administration in ex-vivo experiments. Moreover, genes down-regulated by drug treatment at 4-week follow-up are enriched in immune-related pathways including chemokine signaling, antigen processing and presentation and toll-like receptor signalling pathway. The induction is evident only in R patients, while in NRs there are no major effects.
CONCLUSIONS: Even if used for spasticity and pain, there is a strong modulation of the drug on the immune system found only in R patients, suggesting that the action of the drug at central system parallels the one in peripheral system. An additional interesting finding of the study is the potential link between interferon-beta and endocannabinoids, which needs to be further explored. Disclosure: Dr. Martinelli Boneschi has received personal compensation for activities with Teva CNS as a speaker and/or an advisor. Dr. Sorosina has nothing to disclose. Dr. ferre9 has nothing to disclose. Dr. Clarelli has nothing to disclose. Dr. Martinelli has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Bayer Schering Pharma, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and sanofi-aventi. Dr. Esposito has nothing to disclose. Dr. Comi has received personal compensation for activities with Teva, Novartis, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Biogen, Bayer, Actelion, Almirall, and Serono Symposia International Foundation.


We consider the following urn model. At the beginning of trials the urn contains a given number of balls of N colours. In each trial, a ball is randomly drawn from the urn, independently of the results of the other trials. If we draw a ball of some colour, then before the next trial the number of balls of this colour in the urn is changed according to a certain rule. Before the trials, a level Vj is determined for each colour j, j = 1, . . . , N\ we assume that v\ , . . . , z/yy are independent integervalued random variables. The drawings stop when the numbers of balls of arbitrary k colours attain or exceed the corresponding levels for the first time. Decomposable statistics (DS) are studied, where g\ , . . . , g N are functions of the integer argument and η\ , . . . , η Ν are the numbers of balls of corresponding colours at the stopping time. The characteristic functions of DS Z/w* are obtained by embedding the urn scheme in a suitable Markov pure birth process. Some special cases including sampling with and without replacement and Polya sampling are considered.


A numerical analysis of the influence of pump reflections on the carrier generation rate and the uniformity of carrier population in the quantum wells (QWs) of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is presented. We have applied an approach allowing us to study the carrier distribution over the absorbing layers and the QW layers of the structure which is quite general and for an arbitrary function of the local carrier generation rate. When analysing the dual-wavelength VECSEL (Leinonen T et al 2007 Opt. Express 15 13451–6), we have found that application of carrier transport blocking layers can result in a highly uniform QW carrier population. The pump reflections are shown to have a great impact on the carrier distribution in the device under study.


C. Yun and Y. Wang contributed equally to this paper. Correspondence to Mary Dasso: email@example.com C. Yun ' s present address is Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611. Abbreviations used in this paper: Ni-NTA, nickel – nitrilotriacetic acid; RNAi, RNA interference; rRNA, ribosomal RNA; SUMO, small ubiquitin-like modifi er protein; Ulp/SENP, ubiquitin-like protein/sentrin-specifi c protease; XEE, Xenopus laevis egg extract; xSENP3, Xenopus SENP3. The online version of this article contains supplemental material. Introduction


Abstract Background Physical exercise is an important component of respiratory rehabilitation because it re-verses skeletal muscle dysfunction, a clinically important manifestation of COPD asso-ciated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQL) and survival. However, thereis controversy regarding the components of the optimal exercise protocol. We systemat-ically evaluated and summarised randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing differ-ent exercise protocols for COPD patients. Methods We searched six electronic databases, congress proceedings and bibliographies of includ-ed studies without imposing language restrictions. Two reviewers independentlyscreened all records and extracted data on study samples, interventions and method-ological characteristics of included studies. Results The methodological quality of the 15 included RCTs was low to moderate. Strength ex-ercise led to larger improvements of HRQL than endurance exercise (weighted meandifference for chronic respiratory questionnaire 0.27, 95 % CI 0.02 to 0.52). Interval exer-cise seems to be of similar effectiveness compared to continuous exercise, but there arefew data on clinically relevant outcomes. One small RCT including patients with mildCOPD compared the effect of high and low intensity exercise (at 80 % and 40 % of themaximum exercise capacity, respectively) exercise intensities and found larger physio-logical training effects from high intensity exercise.


Bicyclic zirconacyclopentenes in situ generated by the reactions of different enynes with ZrCl2(Cp)2 undergo chemo- and stereoselective insertion of (het)aryl and alkyl aldehydes providing the corresponding alcohols.


The aim of the research is to show the effectiveness of using the variable-interval method on the process of developing speed endurance in young men aged from 14 to 15, in a 400-meter run.
The problem of the research is using various means and methods in the educational and training process to help to increase the speed endurance of 400 meter runners.
Training sprinter athletes is one of the most difficult tasks that requires a systematic approach, where the trainer must take into account many factors.
It is a set of methodological foundations, organizational forms and conditions of the training process, optimally interacting with each other on the basis of certain principles and ensuring the best level of readiness of an athlete for high sporting achievements.
At the beginning of testing, the boys recorded the following average results: running 800m. – 2.36 min., running 4X400m – 1.31 min., running 1000m – 3.29 min., squats with a barbell 20kg., 30 squats.
The final testing showed the following results: 800m run - 2.26min., 4X400m run - 1.22min., 1000m run - 3.17min., squat with a 20kg barbell - 41 squats.
The implementation of serious special physical work to improve the speed endurance of athletes should begin exactly at the age of 15-16, at the initial stage of in-depth specialization.


CITATION: Esler, K. J., Shackleton, L. & Chinsamy-Turan, A. 2006. SAWISE and HERS-SA : raising the profile of women in science. South African Journal of Science, 102(7-8):275-276.


In this article, we present Web‐based Engineering Numerical Software (WENS) developed using MATLAB and its Web Server Toolbox (WST) in order to provide basic solution tools in linear algebra, including eigenvalue problems, which are extensively used in engineering applications and education. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 11: 67–74, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.10038


Abstract Data for this study originated the Oklahoma 100 Year Life Project. A total N = 7 volunteer actors (n = 5 women; n = 2 men) were recruited to participant as actors to play the role of centenarians in a living history play based on oral historical narratives. Actors participated in preliminary (prior to play performance) and post (after play performance) focus group sessions. Focus group questions addressed four key ideas: (1) Perceptions of aging and human longevity; (2) Loss and decline in aging; (3) Narrative storytelling and; (4) Personal life goal(s). Qualitative content analysis was performed to assess general thematic evidence stemming from actor perspectives. Four predominant themes emerged suggestive of adaptation in actor perceptions about human aging and longevity. These themes included: (1.) Purpose seeking (e.g. "It was interesting to see how much you can get out of life."); (2.) Age-embodiment (e.g., "I really wanted to focus on my facial movements and the way I talked"); (3.) Creative curiosity (e.g., "It takes a little bit of creativity. . . someone who has curiosity"); and (4.) Self-actualization (e.g., "You just think it's not going to happen to me. . . and then you're like. . . I am probably going to live to 100 now."). Results have implications relative to how oral historical narratives can be used to enhance the personification of aging on stage, as well as demystify personal myths about longevity. Applications for use within educational and community settings for theatrical performances will be shared.


A microring resonator, a circular waveguide adjacent to a straight waveguide, performs selective band-stop filtering for optical telecommunications. Small size and versatility of functionality allow many microrings to be incorporated into a single integrated optic circuit. We desire small size, less than 20 micron radius; low insertion loss in band-stop outside resonance; perfect cancellation to zero in band-stop at resonance; and low refractive index difference between core and cladding. These requirements are conflicting: conventional silicon waveguides cannot achieve low enough loss at the desired bend radius. Current approaches use different materials with higher refractive index differences. Analysis and simulation provide evaluation of the trade-offs. Further, we propose, for the first time, conventional waveguides using Bragg reflectors surrounding the microring to reduce loss for improved performance. Simulation shows feasibility of this approach.


The process and methods of software cost estimation is described in this paper. Based on constructor cost model (COCOMO),considering code reuse a better COCOMO model is presented .


Choosing the number of electrodes is crucial for a multi-plane electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor to obtain satisfactory capacitance data and good image quality. In this paper, issues with the number of electrodes in three-plane ECT sensors are discussed. The number of electrodes on each plane for the three sensors is 4, 8, and 12, respectively. Three quality measures of resolution matrix, i.e. the amplitude response, relative position error, and spatial resolution, are defined and used for evaluating the preliminary performance of ECT sensors. Based on numerical simulation, the noise-free and noisy capacitance data obtained from the three sensors are used for image reconstruction by linear back projection (LBP) and Landweber iteration algorithms. The image quality is evaluated quantitatively in terms of image error and correlation coefficient. Based on static experiment, the effect of the number of electrodes on the quality of the capacitance data and reconstructed images is also analyzed. According to the numerical simulation and experiment results, the selection of the number of electrodes under different conditions is suggested.


abstract This article explores the successes and challenges women face in their attempt to feed and take care of their families in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, and uses primary and secondary sources. Due to climate change and policy fragmentation household food security and nutrition remain a perpetual challenge, especially for women eking out a living on the periphery. One of the premises that this paper is based on is the assumption that women are prime producers of their communities' food, which is mainly for food security. Inqolobane Yobumbano Secondary Co-operative (IYSC) could be seen as an initiative that entrenches this role, adding to the burden of women's care work and 'subordination'. Contradictorily, the initiative offers women the opportunity to transform this role, empowering them and enabling them to take control of their lives in many ways. Issues pertaining to food security and insecurity are intertwined with women's struggle for land, which mirrors the unfinished business in post-apartheid South Africa. The case of IYSC is used to interrogate opportunities and challenges besetting the efforts of mainly women in Inanda township. The Secondary Co-Operative is an apex co-operative body formed in 2013 and it has four primary co-operatives. This association was formed with the primary purpose of improving the functioning of agricultural co-operatives within the Inanda area in dealing with food insecurity, poverty, unemployment and inequality.


This paper describes an instrument environment monitoring system based on GSM. It first presents the system design as a whole, then the hardware and software design of this system. Thus the system could accomplish the functions such as real-time measurement of temperature and humidity, sending of the measured results to data platform or the instrument user's mobile phone by short message at any time through the GSM network.


A study examined the problems students confront as they try to advance th,,ir own ideas when they are also asked to synthesize their interpretations of wtat others have said in developing a written argument. The researcher spent 15 weeks in a class of 15 students that focused on the theme of literacy. Discussions were observed and taped and protocols collected from six students who were then interviewed. All 15 student essays were analyzed. The focus was particularly on an autobiographical literacy essay and an argumentative essay in which students were to take a position on a literacy issue while drawing on some texts they had read. Although students were encouraged in a number of ways to use their own experiences as a legitimate basis for developing an argument, all but one appeared to rely almost exclusively on the assigned reading. A substantive analysis of how an Asian student went about writing the two essays shows important relationships between personal experience and positions taken on literacy. The way this student represents himself in his autobiography is a function of the position of difference from which he speaks; he experiences a real disjunction between the assumptions, expectations, and requirements that define him and those that define his readers. In the argumentative essay, the student chooses to talk about his concerns through describing others' struggles; it offers insights into the ways students appropriate other texts. (Contains 11 references.) (TB) ********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************A** Composing Oneself through the Nairativk._ of Others Composing Oneself through the Narratives of Others in Writing an Academic Argument' .r..) in crN U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Stuart Greene (Are or r OLeaborw np,earch are Irnormernen1 rs4 "PERMISSION TO Rr:PRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION 00 MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) M University of WisconsinMadison This document has been reproduced as In 5 . originating it received from the person or organization T.14 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy As a way to think abou, the uses and limits of students' literacy narratives as a tool for research, I want to talk about a study that traced the emergence of authorship in a beginning college writing class .2 Part of my project as a researcher has entailed looking at the problem students confront as they try to ad vafice their own ideas when they are also asked to synthesize their interpretations of what others have said in developing a written argument. To examine this problem, I spent fifteen weeks in a class of fifteen students that focused on the theme of literacy. I took field notes and audiotaped class discussions to develop a broad picture of the classroom context and interviewed the instructor on several occasions to get a sense of his goals for teaching this course. I also collected protocols from six students and then interviewed them in order to understand how they interpreted the assignments they were given. Finally, I analyzed all fifteen students' essays, I This paper is based on an article, "'Making Sense of My Own Ideas:' Problems of Authorship in an Beginning Writing Classroom," that will appear in the April 1995 issue of Written Communication. 2By authorship (as opposed to just writing), I mean the critical thinking skills that students use in their efforts to contribute knowledge to a scholarly conversation, knowledge which is not necessarily found in source texts but is nonetheless carefully linked to the texts they read. Authoring a school-assigned text is an inherently rhetorical process that includes the ways in which students interpret, not simply, report information, as well as represent their readers and the larger context of what it means to write in school. In authoring a text, they invoke this context when they begin to account for what readers know, gauging how much given information to include to insure that readers understand what is new. Thus, the content of one's text not only shapes what is said but who will be interested. As a number of educators have suggested, the labels used to describe students' abilities as writers, such (-1c as underprepared, remedial, and basic, are all problematic (e.g., Fox, 1990; Rose, 1989). Following Bartholomae (1979), I use the term "beginning" to talk about student writers who may be adept at thinking Cti through and solving problems, but who lack the options that might enable them to apply what they know flexibly and appropriately in different rhetorical situations. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 Composing Oneself through the Narratives of Others examining the strategies they used to advance their own ideas. For the purpose of this presentation, I will focus on the literacy autobiography and the argumentative essay they were asked to write. In the literacy autobiography, students explored their own practices as readers and writers, which served as a starting point for their inquiry into issues about which others had written. In the written assignment they received, their instructor asked them to consider the following: the role language (including talk) played in their family and different social groups; how reading and writing figured into their relationship with their friends at various stages of their lives; the kinds of reading and writing they had done in school; the significant memorie,:. ley had of successes and failures; and the role reading and writing played in developing their identity. For four weeks, these students shared their autobiographies in writing groups, read Richard Rodriguez's (1982) Hunger of Memory and Mike Rose's (1989) Lives on the Boundary, and began to formulate their own theories about what constitutes literate practice, critically examining those conditions which both foster and impede the development of literacy. After completing their literacy narratives, which the instructor distributed to the class in the form of a packet, the students turned their attention for the next four weeks to writing an argumentative essay while reading such works as E. D. Hirsch's (1986) Cultural Literacy, and excerpts from Eudora Welty's (1984) One Writer's Beginnings and Alice Walker's (1983) In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. Again, they had the opportunity to share their evolving drafts in groups. He told them that they could base their essays both on their own experiences (e.g., their literacy autobiographies) and the reading. Ideally, the argumentative essay individual students wrote would grow out of the issues they began to frame in their narratives. The main statement of the assignment he gave them was this: "Construct an argument that stakes out your position on the issue [of literacy] and that also reveals your understanding of what others have said about this issue." In class, after he read the assignment aloud, the instructor emphasized that his


Controlled agglomeration tests, using six representative biomass fuels (bark, Lucerne, reed canary grass, bagasse, olive flesh, and cane trash) were performed in a bench-scale fluidized bed (5 kW) during both gasification and combustion conditions. The resulting bed materials were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and chemical equilibrium calculations were performed to facilitate the interpretation of the experimental findings. Layers of fuel-ash-derived compounds were built up on the bed particles during processing of all studied fuels. The accumulated material was determined to consist of two layers:  (i) an inner thicker and more homogeneous layer that consisted of mainly K−Ca-silicates and (ii) a thinner, particle-rich outer layer. For all fuels except Lucerne, no major differences in bed agglomeration tendencies or bed particle layer characteristics could be detected between gasification and combustion, which suggested no major difference in layer f...


A novel impedance based electrochemical sensor was fabricated on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film to detect various bio/chemicals. The flexible electrochemical sensor was developed using a thin metallic copper foil tape (electrodes) and PET (substrate). The copper tape was attached to the PET substrate and a two-electrode device configuration, including the working and circular electrodes, was created by patterning and cutting the copper on the PET substrate using a laser-assisted patterning process. The capability of the fabricated sensor was investigated by performing electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for the detection of a heavy metal: cadmium sulfide (CdS). An impedance change of 69.9±3.4%, 77.8±2.1 %, 92.1±1.0% and 99.5±0.2% was obtained as the concentration of the CdS increased from 100 pM to 100 nM to 100 f.1M to 100 mM, respectively. The EIS based response demonstrated the detection capability of the sensor for concentrations as low as picomolar (pM) levels and was also able to successfully distinguish among varying concentrations (pico, nano, micro and milli) of CdS. The fabrication of the sensor and its EIS based response towards CdS has been analyzed and is presented in this paper.


Hakka people once played a positive role in the woodcut movement.Starting with Hakkaology,the author regards Hakka woodcut engraver′s as groups.Based on a large number of documents,the article puts the national and native woodcut activities of Hakka people in order,and then analyzes why Hakka people participated in the movement so actively.


From the illustration of phenomenon and reasons of sexism in English,it sets out to discuss various existences of sexism by analyzing different words,word structures and phrases;masculine and feminine lexicons concerning the same concept;views on gender issues in English proverbs,idioms and literatures;and the language used by different genders in social communications.Furthermore,the sexism is mainly influenced by social and economic factors,cultural prejudices,traditional ideas as well as the influence of political activities.With regard to the phenomenon,some countermeasures are explored in practice.


PURPOSE: To economically produce a calcium salt of heparin or a fraction or segment thereof. CONSTITUTION: This process for producing a calcium salt of heparin or a fraction or segment thereof is characterized in that a soln. of a sodium salt of heparin or a fraction or segment thereof and a soln. of a water-soluble calcium salt are circulated through an electrodialysis apparatus comprising anion- permeable membranes and cation-permeable membranes arranged alternately so as to enable liq. circulation. COPYRIGHT: (C)1992,JPO


Abstract : The performance of welds on superaustenitic stainless steels (SASS) such as AL-6XN has been improved through the use of a new microstructutal development sequence. Thermodynamic calculations were used to isolate the range of possible filler metal compositions, the results of which were confirmed experimentally through alloy construction and EPMA analysis. HED welds on the alloys were used to induce the massive transformation, which is capable of producing fully-austenitic welds with uniform distributions of Mo. SASS welds using such a filler metal should display improved corrosion resistance and weldability over current Ni-base filler metal solutions. The tensile, fracture toughness, and fatigue properties of AL-6XN plate material in the short-transverse (S-T) orientation were studied. The presence of brittle second-phase particles in the form of microstructutal packets has been shown to be detrimental to the mechanical properties of AL-6XN.


The combination of natural environment changes and human activities affects the growth of grasslands. In order to quantitatively assess the causes of spatial and temporal variation of grasslands in Xilingol, this study assessed the spatial and temporal evolution patterns of grassland health based on MOD13A1 long time series Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from 2000–2019 using trend analysis. The geodetector model was used to explore the dominant drivers of spatial variation in grassland NDVI, combined with 34 factors covering natural environmental changes and human disturbances over the same period. The results show that the grasslands of Xilingol showed an overall recovery trend from 2000 to 2019, with an average annual NDVI growth rate of 0.0028/a, a monthly increasing rate of 0.0005/month, and 68.06% of the grassland at an average recovery level. Moisture-dominated natural climate change factors, such as Growing Season Precipitation (Prep2), Annual Mean Water Vapor Pressure (WVP), and Annual Mean Relative Humidity (RH), were the underlying cause of grassland health changes during the study period, with the highest explanatory factor being growing season precipitation (q value of 0.59 on a multi-year average). The influence of primary production value among human activities was greater, and the explanatory factor of tertiary production value showed an increasing trend. The interactions among natural and anthropogenic factors significantly enhances their explanatory credibility for NDVI, with the type of interaction dominated by the two-factor enhancement. Risk detection of the top 10 dominant drivers in terms of q statistic were carried out to obtain the threshold range of each driver in the high zone of grassland NDVI, which can provide a scientific reference for the sustainable restoration of grassland.


Double Cross webzine has posted their interview with Craig Ahead, the legendary NYHC musician associated with lots of punk icons such as STRAIGHT AHEAD, ...


Let Ω be a bounded convex open set of ℝ n , n ≥ 2, ∂Ω of class C 2. We consider the following Cauchy–Dirichlet problem where f ∈ L 2,λ(0, T; L 2(Ω, ℝ N )), 0 < λ < 1. F satisfies Campanato's Condition A x and is measurable on Ω × [0, T ]. We show that there exists ϵ that depends on the constants appearing in Condition A x such that for any μ ∈ (0, λ] with μ < ϵ, Moreover, if F is continuous on (x, t) then


Objective To investigate the death cause of the residents so as to provide data for making health policy.Methods Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the death data in Yichang,2009.Results The average death rate was 558.81/100 000.The death rate of male was 642.10/100 000,the death rate of female was 470.53/100 000.The main death cause in turn was,tumor(144.09/100 000),Heart disease(110.82/100 000),cerebro-vascular disease(87.64/100 000),respiratory system disease(70.82/100 000),injury and poisoning,(49.55/100 000).Conclusions The main death causes of the residents in Yichang city,2009,were tumor,heart disease,cerebro-vascular disease,respiratory system disease and injury and poisoning.Infective disease was still one of the important death causes.


History, it has been said, is a sign of the modern, and subsistence "without history" or "on the margins of history" was long a metonymic sign of backwardness and a pretext and justification for colonial occupation.1 A somewhat less noted fact is that an excess of historical invocation — or a historical obsession — is a diagnostic sign of failed modernities, and especially of what Wolfgang Schivelbusch has called "the culture of defeat," that is, the process of mourning and recovery that follows national trauma. To the extent that it is attributed to external forces, economic collapse such as that suffered in Mexico in 1982 and again in 1995, or in Argentina in 2002, can also be assimilated as national trauma and has spurred this kind of historical excess.2 In such contexts, the present all too frequently exposes the wounds of the past and thereby prompts the sort of historical stance that Walter Benjamin favored when he wrote: "The historical materialist approaches a historical object solely and alone where he encounters it as a monad. In this structure he cognizes the sign of a messianic zero-hour of events, or put differently, a revolutionary chance in the struggle for the suppressed past."3 Indeed, the messianic historical approach


Major importance in stone formation in children the hereditary factors in combination with common metabolic disorders and abnormalities of biliary system are given. Forming concretions in children are not accompanied by an acute inflammation of the gall bladder. Functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are factors contributing to the development of cholelithiasis in children. The clinical picture of gallstone disease in preschool children recalls attack hypertonic biliary dyskinesia, and the older children takes place under the guise of esophagitis, chronic gastroduodenitis, peptic ulcer disease.


In the past 10 years, many thousands of research papers covering the many different aspects of endocrine disruption in the environment have been published. What has been learned from all this research? We have tried to reduce this very large volume of research into a relatively small number of "lessons". Hence, this paper is not a typical review, but instead it summarizes our personal opinions on what we consider are the major messages to have come from all this research. We realize that what has been a lesson to us may have been obvious from the outset to someone more knowledgeable on that particular aspect of the burgeoning field of endocrine disruption. In addition, it is inevitable that others will consider that we have "missed" some lessons that they would have expected to find included in our list. If so, we encourage them to submit them as responses to our paper. Our own lessons range widely, from the design and interpretation of data from fieldwork studies, through some key messages to come out of...


The Wood Penetration Test described in the present paper was set up almost 20 years ago to evaluate the timber vaulted roof decay of Palazzo della Loggia in Brescia (Italy). The test can be regarded as an extension to timber structures of the dynamic soil penetration test, as it is based on the insertion into timber structural members of a steel graduated rod, which advances by means of repeated constant energy blows transmitted by a rebound hammer. The test makes possible to distinguish between different degrees of decay as a function of the number of blows necessary for each centimetre layer penetration. This technique proved to be effective and reliable for investigating the extent and depth of wood decay and thanks to the assessment campaign the possibility of restoring the ancient vault gained strength. The test was then frequently proposed and adopted by the Structural Engineering Laboratory of Brescia University and several ancient building timber structures were checked by means of this methodology. Some significative examples will be briefly described. A recent investigation has been done on the rim beams at the basis of the Palazzo della Loggia timber vault by using the penetration test and the Resistograph and the comparison of the results is also illustrated. The test is easy to perform and the output data can be interpreted very clearly by structural engineers: it is possible to determine the depth of the decayed layers and consequently the reliable dimensions of the resisting timber sections.


Aiming at the stator winding internal abnormal operating of 330MW generating unit in a power plant because of corrision of stator water cooling system,impurity entry and improper anti-corrosion method,the paper makes analysis on the impurity source of generator winding,and proposes effective prevention measures.Finally,the water quality index reaches the requirement in order to ensure safe and stable operation of units.


This work investigates the use of the Locus of Perturbed Relay System (LPRS) to analyze oscillations in homogenous sliding mode controllers in the condition of absence of parasitic dynamics. The homogenous sliding mode controllers produce either finite time convergence or non-vanishing oscillations under different combinations of system and controller parameters. The undertaken LPRS analysis reveals that multiple frequency solutions exist for the systems of different relative degrees. Solutions of the nonlinear equations of the LPRS are computed numerically to determine these frequency points. Simulations are done to see the behavior of these solution frequencies, which shows that some of these are stable frequency points while others are unstable.


Career lines in any occupation are patterned sequences between jobs and between locations. A particular recurring combination of motivations, stimuli, and opportunities tends to direct some into certain career lines, while others are directed elsewhere. As an illustration of how the reasons for such career decisions can be systematically identified, the internship appointments of 222 medical students were correlated with their responses to questionnaires. Specialized internships are secured more often as the outcome of a career stage in which the medical student has definite career plans pointing toward specialization and academic medicine, academic success, strong commitment to a medical career, and reliance upon the guidance of the full-time faculty. In addition, specialized internships depend upon freedom from excessive family obligations and financial need and upon appointments at teaching hospitals. Rotating internships are most likely to result from a combination of conditions representing the opposite of these.' William A. Glaser is a research associate in the Bureau of Applied Social Research, Columbia University.


The accuracy and computational complexity of five methods to impute missing genotypes in high density SNP data was investigated. The haplotype reconstruction package fastPHASE reached the highest accuracies (91% to 98%) for varying proportions (0.2% to 8%) of missing genotypes. Alternative methods based on principal component analysis were less accurate (67% to 94%), but their computational demand was an order of magnitude lower.


Abstract Albert N. Shiryaev's reminiscence of 50-years old results is astonishing. They look much more modern than their age. Here, some notes on statistics literature peculiarities, a fix of the stationary density figure, and some relations to discrete time numerics are provided.


The living condition of Chinese landless peasants is worrisome,because peasants have difficulties in getting employed,the social security system is not perfect,and the current land acquisition system is not reasonable.To solve these problems,we should improve the employability of peasants,perfect the social security network,reform land acquisition system and achieve the social stability based on the needs of balancing the development of rural and urban areas,perfecting social security system,achieving social stability,and safeguarding the needs of the farmers reasonably.


both physically and metaphorically. We told the students, "Don't listen to our opinion on what might be an important problem to tackle or a desirable solution to chase. We are likely to be wrong. Go interact with the world." So the students left the design studio. They modeled themselves on interaction design practitioners— conducting interviews, observing people in different environments, testing prototypes. Nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, in the context of a university course, we observed that students often face time constraints and geographical barriers. They can interact with only a few people, so their probes are rich but provide a thin slice of understanding. How might we scale this so that student designers will consider a wider range of alternatives and interpretations? For us the Internet became a frontier for expanding this notion of a design probe. For example, we taught students to rapidly create user-scenario storyboards and to post them online for feedback, a kind of a social-networkfueled version of Scott Davidoff's speed dating technique [4]. The speed at which early-stage design concepts can be shared enables a "conversation with the world," aimed not at finding specific solutions, but rather at identifying potential stakeholders and discovering their diverse needs and desires. Concrete solutions come later in the process. To help students measure the potential value of a service business concept, we invented a new probe. Well, OK, we borrowed techniques from marketing. Students create multiple variations of a homepage for their mobile startup concept. This is before they mock up any mobile UIs. Then we give student teams a small budget to P robes provide a powerful way of exploring a space. Bill Gaver and his colleagues gave people in elderly communities small packages of beautiful maps, cameras, and postcards that could be mailed back with intimate fragments of life [1]. They probed for glimpses of local culture to inspire their design process. David Kirsh observed how ballet choreographers make small body movements in ways that at first blush look irrelevant to the task [2]. The choreographer's seemingly random shoulder shrug turns out to be quite intentional. They recruit their bodies to perform "epistemic actions"—dynamic probes—to visualize and feel movement possibilities. What can interaction designers learn from shoulder shrugs and bespoke packages that serve as creative inspiration? Such probes are tiny little excursions into a complex space. If done well, they reveal a lot. Consider space probes, congressional probes, or surgical probes. People leverage a unique human ability to think through probes—objects, bodies, other structures—to extend their reach and learn about the world. This is essential in design, where one must learn the complexities of a problem before trying to solve it. Probes enter a design space, allowing a designer to strike up a conversation and to grapple with ambiguity. Why not embrace probes of all shapes and sizes? My research group has been exploring how to use the Internet to probe various design spaces [3]. It started the year I first taught design courses and evolved with the Mobile Service Innovation course I co-taught with Jim Morris at Carnegie Mellon University. With a goal of innovating startup solutions for real problems, we wanted students to step outside the Probe to Learn, Probe to Design


A letter to the hero in Daniel Deronda offers an interpretation of George Eliot's novel, an account of its rhetorical principles: the Deronda plot discloses not the "effects of causes" but the "present causes of past effects." This metaleptic plot structure contradicts the linking of origin, cause, and identity affirmed in the story of Deronda's Jewish birth. The story must shift between constative and performative conceptions of language and must finally invoke the notion of an actual, nonlinguistic fact or act. The relevant referent is Deronda's circumcision, which the novel must occlude; otherwise the story of discovering identity could not unfold. The scandal of this referent is its status as an exemplary signifier, alluding to the divine pact with Abraham, a story of the institution of signification. Circumcision is an emblem of the novel's allusive or citational mode: the narrative makes its starting point, not a subject, but a rhetorical operation.


1 ©Meir Kohn 2014 8. THE COMMERCIAL SYSTEM OF PAYMENTS AND REMITTANCE Merchants constantly needed to make and receive payment—often in large amounts. They did so when buying and selling goods and services, when borrowing and lending, when paying tolls and taxes, and when discharging debts and distributing profits. Also, because merchants operated in multiple locations distant from one another, they frequently needed to remit funds from one place to another. The costs of payment and remittance were a significant part of transactions costs. The means of payment and remittance available initially—coin and bullion—were quite inadequate to the needs of commerce. So commerce developed its own system of payment and remittance based on the transfer of IOUs. This system developed where the need was greatest—in the organized markets of major commercial cities. We will examine how this system of payment and remittance evolved—first its initial development during the Commercial Revolution, and then its continuing evolution in subsequent centuries. We will conclude by asking how the evolution of this system contributed to the development of commerce and to economic progress in general.


The antero‐lateral thigh free flap (ALT) is conventionally designed as a fasciocutaneous flap (FALT). However, the thickness of the flap can be designed in at least in two more variants: myocutaneous (MYALT), and myofascial (MALT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of ALT flap as a universal solution for head and neck soft tissue reconstruction and development of an algorithm for flap selection in different clinical scenarios.


Methods and Materials The weight of the thyroid was estimated in 125 Jamaican negro infants aged 3 months to 3 years. The nutritional state of most of the infants was easy to assess, but in a few instances it had to be decided by paying attention to the social and dietary history and by comparing heights and weights with percentile values quoted by Stuart and Stevenson (1950). Of the 125 infants, 56 were judged to be malnourished and 69 relatively well nounished. The malnourished infants included examples of kwashiorkor and marasmus, and cases showing features of both conditions. The thyroids were removed soon after death or obtained from refrigerated cadavers. They were dissected clean of fat and connective tissue and weighed on an analytical balance. In order to plot the growth of the gland an additional 25 thyroids from foetuses and infants under 3 months were dissected and weighed. Increasing the time between death and fixation of the thyroid by removing portions of thyroid from the cadaver at varying times led to loss of colloid and desquamation of epithelium in many, but not in all, thyroids. Therefore the histological appearances were studied in a further 50 thyroids removed within four hours of death. These thyroids were not weighed or dissected but fixed immediately in 10% formol-saline to avoid possible artefacts due to autolysis and handling. Paraffin sections were cut at 5[L and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Other stains were tried but found to be unhelpful. Of these 50 infants, 29 were judged to be malnourished and 21 relatively well nourished.


Food Security as an issue became prominent in 1970s and has been a topic of considerable attention since then. It is a global menace, the intensity of which may differ from nation to nation. The facts and figures show that Pakistan is a food sufficient country. The proportion of undernourished population was 24% during 1989-91, dropped to 19% during 1995-97 and then again rose to 24% during 2002-04. But during 2007-08, it has become a major problem in Pakistan. Therefore the current study was conducted to investigate into the food security situation in slum areas of Faisalabad. The major objectives were (i) to estimate the extent of food insecurity, (ii) to delineate the role of women in food security and (iii) to document the present food security strategies of household. For this purpose 100 respondents were randomly selected from slum areas of District Faisalabad. A reasonable number of respondents indicated that they have knowledge about the balance diet but they have limited resources to provide a balance diet for their families. Majority of the respondents were not satisfied with the quality of their food. A major proportion of the respondents suffered from Diarrhoea caused by drinking water. Therefore, it is need of the day to devise facilities to ensure easy and in-time access of quality food on affordable price to the masses.


The article describes the use of Archicad and Unreal Engine software products in extracurricular classes on creating interactive three-dimensional models of buildings and adjacent territories with students of 7-10 grades of the Regional Center of Education (RCE) of Novosibirsk. The result of the course is an individual project implemented in the form of an application that allows taking a virtual walk through the created models of buildings with the possibility of interaction with objects. The article describes the results obtained by students when attending extracurricular classes, describes the peculiarities of the perception of educational material, and presents work tasks that caused the greatest difficulties in solving them. In general, the knowledge, skills and abilities acquired by students can further strengthen their interest to three-dimensional modeling, as well as in the development of interactive applications and games.


In this article are reviewed observations and studies concerning the influence of first names on interpersonal interactions. Investigations of desirability of names and research relating first names to personality development, teachers' and peers' attitudes are considered. Data are limited; it is important to investigate the ways in which a person's first name may affect self-attitudes, interpersonal interactions, and achievement.


We calculate the equilibrium latitude and the period of oscillations about this equilibrium latitude for plasma in a centrifugally dominated tilted dipole magnetic field representing Jupiter's inner magnetosphere. For a hot plasma the equilibrium latitude is the magnetic equator; for a cold plasma it is the centrifugal equator; for a warm plasma it is somewhere in between. In the small-tilt-angle approximation, the latitudinal oscillation period of a cold particle in the centrifugal potential field is P0=PJ/31/2, where PJ is the rotation period of Jupiter. For a warm plasma the magnetic mirror force causes the bounce period to be decreased slightly. These results are applicable to the plasma injected by Io to form the torus of plasma surrounding Jupiter. We adopt an illustrative model in which atoms are sputtered from the Jupiter-facing hemisphere of Io and escape Io's gravity to be subsequently ionized some distance from Io. Ionization generally does not take place at the equilibrium latitude, and the resulting latitudinal oscillations provide an explanation for the irregularities in electron concentration within the torus, as reported by the radio astronomy experiment aboard Voyager 1.


Airborne radioactivity surveys by the Geological Survey of Japan have already [1960] covered an area of about 90, 000 sq. km . On the basis of a semi-empirical theory on attenuation of gamma rays, with reference to the effect of scattering, the intensity distribution of gamma rays in the atmosphere was calculated by assuming several ideal forms of sources. 3 The fundamental constants in the theory are determined so as to conform to the relationship between the altitude and the experimental values of gamma ray intensity. From the results of calculations, the relationship between the altitude and the intensity of atmospheric gamma rays originating in a uniformly widespread source are discussed, and altitude correction is examined. It is concluded that the altitude correction is affected by the topographic variations, the existence of a thin surface layer, and by the variation of quantities of atmospheric radioactive materials. Anomalous gamma ray intensity, as observed in the airborne survey, and the determ...


The  study period was from  February to  March , with a plus two-day visit in  and  April (after a weekly visit to the University of Manchester, as an Erasmus+ visiting lecturer). The objective was to complete the research at the PEF store rooms, check the relevant archives and explore other collections in London and the UK for comparative material and even to identify if any objects from Tell el-Hesi were send or kept away from PEF. As a result, the entire store room has been examined, namely the drawers of the 'boiler room' and the 'wine cellar', as well as the exhibit cases of the 'museum' within the PEF facilities. The examined material can be grouped in four major categories:


The invention relates to a pure Chinese medicinal composition for treating the nematodosis of poultry. The pure Chinese medicinal composition is characterized in that the pure Chinese medicinal composition is prepared by mixing the following components in part by weight: 15 to 35 parts of pharbitis seed, 15 to 25 parts of almond, 25 to 45 parts of areca catechu, 10 to 20 parts of realgar, 15 to 35 parts of stone-like omphalia, 15 to 35 parts of rhizoma coptidis, 30 to 50 parts of hawthorn, 20 to 40 parts of white paeony root, 25 to 45 parts of dark plum fruit, 25 to 45 parts of sessile stemona root and 25 to 45 parts of Szechwan chinaberry fruit. The invention has the advantages that the pure Chinese medicinal composition is rational in formula, easy to prepare, free of toxic or side effects, medicament residues and medicament resistance and high in superfine grinding degree and bioavailability, can treat both symptoms and root causes and has remarkable curative effects, and clinical results prove that the pure Chinese medicinal composition has a special effect of treating the infectious bursal disease of the poultry.


In a meeting with pharmaceutical executives last week, President Donald J. Trump said his Administration will speed up drug approvals and significantly cut regulations. The sit-down included the head of the main drug industry trade group, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and executives from Amgen, Celgene, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly & Co., Merck & Co., and Novartis. Much of the public portion of the event focused on the time it takes to get a new drug onto the market. Trump spoke about a theoretical terminal patient being denied access to experimental drugs. "They say the patient within four weeks will be dead, and they say, 'Well, we still can't approve the drug,' " Trump told the pharma executives. "We don't know whether the drug works or doesn't work, but we can't approve the drug because we don't want to hurt the patient." He proposed streamlining the process


The price impact for a single trade is estimated by the immediate response on an event time scale, i.e., the immediate change of midpoint prices before and after a trade. We work out the price impacts across a correlated financial market. We quantify the asymmetries of the distributions and of the market structures of cross-impacts, and find that the impacts across the market are asymmetric and non-random. Using spectral statistics and Shannon entropy, we visualize the asymmetric information in price impacts. Also, we introduce an entropy of impacts to estimate the randomness between stocks. We show that the useful information is encoded in the impacts corresponding to small entropy. The stocks with large number of trades are more likely to impact others, while the less traded stocks have higher probability to be impacted by others.


The Energiebunker in Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg used to be an abandoned and overgrown flak and air raid bunker—a relic of World War II. After the war, the interior of the bunker was blown up, and only the upper floors and the three- to- four meter thick concrete walls remained. For more than 60 years the building was not in use. The building was transformed during the International Building Exhibition in Hamburg between 2006 and 2013 and is now used to generate renewable electricity and heat for more than 1500 households. This adaptive reuse not only enabled the bunker to be integrated into the redesigned neighborhood, but also to fulfill certain societal needs. The historic building was conserved and given a new sustainable use. Nowadays it is a tourist attraction and a war memorial. This paper explores the economic and environmental sustainability of this transformation. Could this be a second use scenario for other bunker facilities from World War II?


Our aim was to retrospectively review the imaging findings of patients with neonatal ovarian torsion, emphasizing prenatal and postnatal sonographic findings.


Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a group of genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness of both lower extremities. Here we report a novel missense mutation [c.1105A>C (p.Thr369Pro)] of SPG4 in a Korean family with an autosomal dominant-inherited pure HSP. The mutation is located in exon 8, and results in a heterozygote of the c.1105A>C mutation. It is likely that the mutation of exon 8 leads to spastin dysfunction and causes the typical symptoms and signs of HSP. J Korean Neurol Assoc 29(4):365-367, 2011


Design procedures against brittle fracture are either based on empirical experience based methods or theoretical fracture mechanics based methods. Frequently, the fracture mechanics based assessment procedures are suspected to be tools by which to get acceptance for poor quality. In reality, these suspicions are somewhat unfounded, since the manufacturing standards, implicitly, also assume some specific defect size. The standards contain specific inspection criteria, which in themselves lead to some specific possible accepted defect size. The problem has been that the manufacturing standards have not been evaluated based on an advanced fracture mechanics analysis. Here the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) rules for ships and mobile offshore units are analysed, applying the state-of-the-art fracture mechanics assessment method SINTAP. Based on the assessment, the consistency of the DNV rules, with respect to strength level and inspection criteria is revealed. The assessment, also creates the possibility to extend the rules to thinner and higher strength steels.


From 1860 to 1936 China switched from a virtually closed economy to an open economy deeply integrated to the world market. Large-scale industrialization also took place since 1890s. Using the first-hand China Maritime Customs dataset, this paper first collects the nominal wages of Custom employees of different positions all over the country in this period. Nominal wage data showed very strong rising trend, as well as the widening skill premium. Deflated by the newlyconstructed cost of living indexes for different income levels and different regions, the rising trend of real wages is still conspicuous. Because the prices of food and fuel increased faster than those of manufacturing products and unskilled labor spent a much larger share of income in food and fuel than skilled labor, the skill premium shown from the real wage estimation was further widened. These findings give different results predicted by Stopler-Samuelson theorem of impact of trade on factor income, but are consistent with Kuznets' prediction of inequality. * Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. The project is still in progress. The author would like to thank Ken Sokoloff, Jean-Laurent Rosenthal, Naomi Lamoreaux, R. Bin Wong, Lee Ohanian, Ramon H. Myers and Hans van de Ven for guidance and support. All the errors are mine.


In this paper, a finite mixture of m-Erlang distributions is proposed Different moments, shape characteristics and parameter estimates of the proposed model are also provided The proposed mixture has the property that it has a bounded hazard function A special case of the mixed Erlang distribution is introduced and discussed In addition, a predictive technique is introduced to estimate the needed number of mixture components to fit a certain data A real data concerning the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Egypt is introduced to utilize the predictive estimation technique Two more real datasets are used to examine the flexibility of the proposed model © 2021 World Scientific Publishing Company


In this paper we obtain sufficient conditions for univalence,which generalize some well known univalence criteria for analytic functions in the unit disk.


In order to increase the stability of grid connection of photovoltaic plant, effort has been made to study the grid connection principle of photovoltaic plant, mathematical model of grid-connected photovoltaic inverter and power grid distributed parameters, and improve traditional space vector control theory to keep d axis of d-q rotating coordinates consistent with the rotating space vector of network voltage and realize decoupling control over active power and reactive power of grid-connected photovoltaic system, through real-time detection of fluctuations in grid-connected current and network voltage, get voltage current dual-loop to place feedback control, which effectively compensates the modulating signal of inverter, reduces photovoltaic grid-connected output voltage and current harmonics so that the system has better robustness, and improves the reliability of grid connection.


Sir, In an earlier article,[1] the author described a locally assembled, TV compatible, Windows XP desktop computer‐based image viewer system, connected to Apple iPod Classic and flash drive for storage, display, and transmission of medical images. In a subsequent update of this article,[2] the newly emerging technologies, such as ultrabook, iPad‐like tablet personal computers (PCs), and smart phones (including iPod Touch) along with the use of commercially available US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐cleared novel medical imaging software (MIM software) were discussed. These articles also dwelt on the various aspects of testing and quality assurance (QA) of the display systems, wireless transmission of images, the salient features of the MIM software, and the advantages of using these devices among medical professionals. Readers are urged to peruse these articles since this letter forms a logical continuation of them. In the second article above, the author predicted the advent of tablet PCs based on Windows 8 in the near future. Among these new systems, the versatile, comprehensive, less expensive, and easily portable one from the point of view of the medical professionals appears to be the ultrabook. Ultrabooks are ideally defined by Intel as slim, lightweight (less than 1.5 kg) 'notebook' PCs, using their latest processor, that have long battery life. The author made a search of the various types of ultrabooks, based on the latest Windows 8, marketed by several manufacturers, which are suited for medical imaging use in developing countries. Since the storage of images from various equipments (ultrasound (US), X‐ray, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single‐photon emission CT (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear medicine) in medical institutions in these countries is still finally in the CD‐ROM form (the cloud storage concept has yet to emerge here), a relatively less expensive ultrabook with the optical drive feature will be of great advantage. In this article, further work pursued by the author using a low‐cost (730$) Acer ultrabook with optical drive feature (Aspire M5‐481PT) employing the MIM software is described. In addition, for those needing a bigger display than the pocket‐type iPod Touch, but still very light to carry, the use of an optional iPad Mini (330$) is also suggested. The various features and utilities of these new systems/devices with MIM software for image processing, cloud storage, remote display, and transfer/ transmission to other similar devices were examined with a variety of test patient and phantom images for education/ training and for their diagnostic use. The author intends to share his experiences he had with these devices and hopes this will be beneficial particularly to physicists and medical professionals in this region.


Abstract Although 2015 marks the target year for attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the United Nations member states are in the process of defining a global development framework to succeed these goals, the MDGs nevertheless remain a development tool for countries' wider development planning frameworks. In South Africa, various sectors, institutions and organisations are making efforts to attain these goals. Accordingly, the library and information sector is well placed to contribute towards the realisation of the MDGs, as libraries provide a critical support structure for education, economic development and poverty eradication. As time runs out in terms of meeting the 2015 deadline, this paper seeks to demonstrate that school libraries may be instrumental in influencing the pace and extent of progress needed to realise the MDGs beyond 2015. The research on which this article is based adds to the body of knowledge advocating the importance of libraries in realising the MDGs. It will also generate insights for policymakers on the important role of school library in development.


ABSTRACT Professional journalism's relationship with democracy has been tested in recent years. A so-called crisis of journalism has shaken several of the bedrocks upon which both journalism and liberal democracy are based. One response has been to try and rediscover and strengthen these foundations, and in the process for journalism to reaffirm its central place within democratic societies. In this paper, I theorise what might happen if we were to understand journalism in relation to a different form of democracy, a radical democracy. How might our understandings (public and academic) of journalism change, and how might journalism itself transform if it were to comprehend its vital public role in relation to a set of values, practices and systems radically different to those of dominant models of rational consensus? The article presents three main arguments. (1) The current crisis of journalism is predominantly built upon journalistic values associated with liberal and deliberative democracy. (2) This particular construction of crisis ignores the exclusions and inequalities of its rationalist foundations. (3) A radical democratic perspective provides a model through which to understand the crisis of journalism in a way that may address such exclusions.


Designed to define common data items (parameters) for monitoring the targets of the St. Vincent Declaration by measuring the outcomes and quality in health care, the DIABCARE Basic Information Sheet (BIS) is the most known and used European dataset. This has been the basic tool of the approach of data comparison between diabetes centres related to primary care and to secondary care in diabetes. DIABCARE was created as the main tool for data collection both in hard copy (DIABCARE BIS form) and as Computer Program (DIABCARE Epi Info). Both tools have been used extensively across Europe over the last 20 years for the implementation of the St Vincent Declaration initiative. The DIABCARE dataset filled out by the doctors or medical nurses (by voluntary bases) working in diabetes in countries from Black Sea area allowed an exchange of information for monitoring, continuing diabetes care in comparative evaluations between diabetes centres in the region. In order to measure the outcomes and quality in diabetes care an overall 3,079 patients were included in this survey, 627 (20.4%) with type 1 and 2,428 (78.9%) with type 2 diabetes. About 24 (0.8%) had unknown type of diabetes. Most of the study participants were females 1838 (59.8%) and 1238 (40.2%) were men. The distribution of BMI categories among the patients revealed that 32.3% were classified as normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m2), 34.6% as overweight (BMI 25-30 kg/m2), 25.7% as obese (BMI equal and above 30 kg/m2) and 7.5% were not known or not measured. This paper addresses the targets of the St Vincent Declaration implementation in terms of measuring the outcomes and quality in diabetes care in Black Sea region.


There are now more adults living with a history of congenital heart disease than there are children. Modern electrophysiologists must familiarize themselves with the most common congenital lesions requiring electrophysiologic care as adults. Advancements in this field have been made most notably with high resolution 3D imaging and electroanatomic mapping, left ventricular cannulation techniques, alternative pacing strategies, intracardiac echo, and transeptal access tools.


Software metrics are useful quantitative indicators to assess and predict software quality attributes; a commonly measured attribute is software complexity. The main drawbacks are: they can only be calculated after a major development effort has been committed to produce the source codes; they cannot provide early feedback during the specification phase; and subsequently it is expensive to make changes to the system, if so indicated by the metrics. To date, there is hardly any work done on measuring the complexity of a system early in its specification phase. In this paper, we describe how the complexity of a Z specification can be measured. We also found that there is a significant correlation between the specification metrics proposed and the widely adopted OO metrics, thus demonstrating that our proposed metrics are a reliable means of measuring the system early in the specification phase.


To investigate the effect of different types of bioreators on N_2O production.N_2O production and emission in nitrogen removal process treating real domestic wastewater was studied utilizing oxic-anoxic SBR system and intermittent hybrid biological reactor(HBR),filling rate of 30% and operation mode of instantaneous water inflow,aeration (360 min),sedimentation (40 min) and drainage (20 min).The influence of different bioreactors on N_2O production in nitrogen removal was investigated mainly.In the SBR system,N_2O was mainly produced in nitrification.N_2O production in HBR and SBR nitrification was 0.76 mg/L and 1.48 mg/L,respectively.Under the condition of the SBR bioreactor,N_2O production was obviously lower than that in the HBR bioreactor.


The key notion underlying the research presented in this dissertation is my conviction that the cognitive mechanisms giving rise to human analogy-making form the very basis of intelligence. Our ability to perceive and create analogies is made possible by the same mechanisms that drive our ability to categorize, to generalize, and to compare different situations.
A theory of concepts and analogy-making, and a computer model of that theory--"Tabletop"--are presented. The computer model operates in a microworld that was carefully designed to be rich enough to allow the mechanisms posited by the theory to be put to the test, yet not so complex that the program would be overwhelmed by irrelevant details typical of real-world situations. This work can be considered midway between traditional symbolic and the more recent connectionist approaches to the modeling of intelligence.
The architecture of the program relies on a context-sensitive concept network modeling long-term memory, in which concepts gain, lose, and spread activation. This network continually interacts with a workspace modeling short-term memory, in which structures are dynamically built, modified and destroyed. All of the work of the program is done by a large number of competing, semi-independent, local agents. Nondeterminism in the form of biased probabilistic decision-making permeates every level of the program. Nonetheless, robust coherent behavior, in the form of high-level representation-building and analogy-making, emerges as a statistical result of the myriad decisions made during processing.
The details of Tabletop's behavior are shown by watching the program's progress as it solves a single problem. In addition, the program's "personality" is revealed by statistics summarizing key features of large numbers of runs on several families of systematically related analogy problems.


Constructed wetlands using surface flow systems and floating aquatics have been used with success for the treatment of light load effluent. However heavy load wastewater has generally been treated through the use of subsurface flow reed beds, particularly the Soil Based Reed Bed (SBRB). SBRB has been used widely throughout the world to effectively treat domestic wastewater, as well as a diverse range of highly contaminated industrial and agricultural effluents. A subsurface flow soil based reed bed is a combination of three interdependent elements: the growing media, the plants and the micro-organisms. In this system the wastewater comes into contact with a wide range of microorganisms that occur in high densities on the surface of the growing media and around the plant roots. Systems constructed correctly from these three components offer sustainable long term treatment capabilities. Usually, this results in substantial reduction of nutrients (N and P) as well as other characteristics that determine water quality, such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Suspended Solids (SS) and Faecal Coliforms (FC). However, nitrogen removal through reeds that are commonly used (e.g. Phragmites) has not always been satisfactory. GELITA Australia manufactures food grade gelatine from cattle hide, and in doing so generates 1.3 ML/day of effluent high in nitrogen (ammonia). While interested in using biological systems for effluent purification, GELITA beliefs that only plants with a high nitrogen uptake capacity will be able to reduce the nitrogen load in their wastewater to an acceptable level. Consequently, a plant was needed which thrives in water logged conditions, tolerates high level of pollutants, has a high capacity of absorbing these pollutants, particularly nitrogen and has also high biomass production under these extremely adverse conditions. Vetiver grass has all these qualities and holds considerable promise for use in soil based reed beds where high nutrient loads need to be removed. GELITA Australia has initiated field research in order to: • demonstrate the suitability of vetiver grass for use in the SBRB system to treat nitrogen rich industrial effluent; • use the research findings in order to develop and establish a SBRB system that


This thesis studies the estimation of the motion of a rigid-body from body-point motion data. This study is closely related to the direct kinematics problem in robotics, its solution being particularly challenging, at the displacement level, for parallel manipulators.
The concept of measurement subspaces is used to characterize the motion of the end-point of three-degree-of-freedom serial manipulators of general geometry for any joint-sensor layout. Once the motion of a redundant set of body points is characterized by its measurement subspaces, the pose estimation problem reduces to a linear least-square problem subject to the nonlinear constraint of proper orthogonality over the orientation variables. Although the solution of this problem requires a nonlinear numerical procedure, we proposed two alternative linear least-square estimates for its solution. The polar least-square estimate (PLS) is based on the polar decomposition of the unconstrained least-square solution, while the decoupled polar least-square estimate (DPLS) uses the same approach, but solves a decoupled version of the kinematic relationships. A decoupling equation is derived for general combinations of measurement subspaces, for which sufficient conditions for isotropic decoupling are proposed and illustrated with an industrial parallel manipulator. Isotropic decoupling is defined in this thesis. The computational cost and estimation accuracy of the proposed procedures are analysed through simulation and experimental studies. Some procedures exhibit fair estimation accuracy and low computational cost, and hence, are well suited for the purpose of on-line implementation.