Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgements. A note for students and teachers. 1 Fundamentals of hydrology. 1.1 Properties of water. 1.2 Common water quality parameters. 1.3 Hydrologic cycle and global water distribution. 1.4 Units and dimensions. 1.5 Significant figures and digits. 2 Surface water hydrology. 2.1 Lakes. 2.2 Glaciers. 2.3 Streams. 2.4 Watershed concept. 2.5 Instrumentation and monitoring. 2.6 Runoff processes and flow measurement. 2.7 Rainfall-runoff analysis and modelling. 2.8 Stream processes. 2.9 Stream characteristics. 2.10 River and reservoir routing. 2.11 Scales and scaling. 2.12 The invisible resource: groundwater. 2.13 Tutorial. 3 Groundwater hydrology. 3.1 Occurrence of groundwater. 3.2 Movement of groundwater. 3.3 Hydraulic head. 3.4 Dispersion. 3.5 Specialized flow conditions. 3.6 Groundwater measurements. 3.7 Groundwater pollution. 3.8 Composite nature of surfacewater and groundwater. 3.9 Conjunctive use of surfacewater and groundwater. 3.10 Tutorial. 4 Well hydraulics and test pumping. 4.1 Steady flow. 4.2 Superposition in space and time. 4.3 Boundaries and images in flow modelling. 4.4 Well flow under special conditions. 4.5 Well losses. 4.6 Tutorial. 5 Surface and groundwater flow modelling. 5.1 Surface water flow modelling. 5.2 Groundwater flow modelling. 5.3 Surface and groundwater interactions and coupled/integrated modelling. 6 Aqueous chemistry and human impacts on water quality. 6.1 Principles and processes controlling composition of natural waters. 6.2 Natural hydrochemical conditions in the subsurface. 6.3 Presenting inorganic chemical data. 6.4 Impact of human activities. 6.5 Geochemical modelling. 6.6 Chemical tracers. 6.7 Groundwater - numerical modelling of solute transport. 6.8 Relation between use and quality of water. 6.9 Industrial use. 6.10 Tutorial. 7 Hydrologic tracing. 7.1 Isotopes and radioactivity. 7.2 Hydrologic tracers. 7.3 Tracers and groundwater movement. 7.4 Stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen. 7.5 Dissolved noble gases. 7.6 Models for interpretation of groundwater age. 7.7 Tracers for estimation of groundwater recharge. 7.8 Tutorial. 8 Statistical analyses in hydrology. 8.1 Descriptive statistics. 8.2 Probability theory. 8.3 Hydrologic frequency analysis. 8.4 Nonparametric density estimation methods. 8.5 Error analysis. 8.6 Time series analysis. 8.7 Tutorial. 9 Remote sensing and GIS in hydrology. 9.1 Principle of remote sensing. 9.2 Approaches to data/image interpretation. 9.3 Radar and microwave remote sensing. 9.4 Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 9.5 Applications in hydrology. 10 Urban hydrology. 10.1 Water balance in urban areas. 10.2 Disposal of waterborne wastes. 10.3 New approaches and technologies for sustainable urbanization. 11 Rainwater harvesting and artificial groundwater recharge. 11.1 Historical perspective. 11.2 Rainwater harvesting - some general remarks. 11.3 Watershed management and water harvesting. 11.4 Tutorial. 12 Water resource development: the human dimensions. 12.1 The global water crisis. 12.2 Global initiatives. 12.3 Water and ethics. 12.4 Global water tele-connections and virtual water. 13 Some case studies. 13.1 The Yellow River Basin, China. 13.2 The Colorado River Basin, United States. 13.3 The Murray-Darling River Basin, Australia. 13.4 The North Gujarat-Cambay region, Western India. 14 Epilogue. 14.1 Water and its properties, quality considerations, movement, and modelling of surface- and groundwater. 14.2 Distribution of water in space and time. 14.3 Water resource sustainability. Bibliography. Index. Plate section.


In the present work an optimization analysis of the main operating costs of the Black Sea water demineralization processes has been carried out. Several conventional and unconventional technologies utilizing membrane and ion exchange methods were considered. It is demonstrated that a double-stage reverse osmosis employing medium and low density membranes can be successfully used instead of conventional high pressure reverse osmosis for the demineralization of the Black Sea water. This allows decreasing main operating costs by 15–28%. Potable water can be obtained in membrane process without final remineralization by applying double-stage process based on nanofiltration and low density membrane elements. Main operating costs are by 15–35% lower compared with conventional seawater treatment processes.


Antigen expression of a human endogenous retrovirus family, HERV-W, in normal human brain and multiple sclerosis lesions was studied by immunohistochemistry by three independent groups. The HERV-W multicopy family was identified in human DNA from the previously characterized multiple sclerosis-associated retroviral element (MSRV). A panel of antibodies against envelope (ENV) and capsid (GAG) antigens was tested. A physiological expression of GAG proteins in neuronal cells was observed in normal brain, whereas there was a striking accumulation of GAG antigen in axonal structures in demyelinated white matter from patients with MS. Prominent HERV-W GAG expression was also detected in endothelial cells of MS lesions from acute or actively demyelinating cases, a pattern not found in any control. A physiological expression of ENV proteins was detected in microglia in normal brain; however, a specific expression in macrophages was apparently restricted to early MS lesions. Thus, converging results from three groups confirm that GAG and ENV proteins encoded by the HERV-W multicopy gene family are expressed in cells of the central nervous system under normal conditions. Similar to HERV-W7q ENV (Syncitin), which is expressed in placenta and has been shown to have a physiological function in syncytio-trophoblast fusion, HERV-W GAG may thus also have a physiological function in human brain. This expression differs in MS lesions, which may either reflect differential regulation of inherited HERV-W copies, or expression of "infectious" MSRV copies. This is compatible with a pathophysiological role in MS, but also illustrates the ambivalence of such HERV antigens, which can be expressed in cell-specific patterns, under physiological or pathological conditions.


In this article, the concept of lifestyle is traced to its early roots in personality psychology and in marketing. In the latter field, many commercial marketing firms have made strong claims as to the explanatory power of lifestyle dimensions, often based on procedures which have been kept secret, but researchers have seldom been able to verify such claims. In spite of this, the approach is very popular, has wide credibility and is often given very favorable media coverage. Probably because of this, it is often considered as a very important and promising approach by administrators working with the regulation of risk and risk communication. It may also be credible in some quarters because it affords a way of 'explaining' risk perception as being non-rational. In this paper, we give results from an empirical study of nuclear waste risk perception which is related to a basic risk perception model and three approaches to lifestyles: Kahle's List of Values, a Swedish adaptation of the 'Agorame´trie' approach suggested by a group of French researchers, and Dake and Wildavsky's Cultural Theory dimensions. It was found that nuclear waste risk perception could be modeled successfully with risk attitudes and perception data (basic model about 65% of the variance explained), but that lifestyle dimensions added virtually nothing to the explanatory power of the model.


This chapter argues that medievalism in Australian culture needs to be understood through a postcolonial theory alert to a new historicist reading of cultural artefacts while nuanced by psychoanalysis. The focus of such a reading is the work of memory. 'Medievalism' is taken to mean the re-use of the medieval past and thus includes cultural, economic and academic practices. The artefacts read are dispersed across nineteenth-century records of property sale, a stone tower and a Gothic building, documents of twenthieth-century debate around the value of education and a range of memoirs.


Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a protein that may explain why tumors in a low-oxygen environment are more deadly. The findings, published April 27, 2006 in the journal Nature, reveal that tumors that are hypoxic—low in oxygen—make a protein called lysyl oxidase that helps the tumor spread to other organs. Lysyl oxidase, or LOX, could be a good target for future cancer therapies, the researchers say. "All tumors have the potential to spread," said lead author Amato Giaccia, MD, professor of radiation oncology. "A low-oxygen environment dials up that potential, and now we know why." Dr. Giaccia is also an Associate Editor of Cancer Biology and Therapy. Hypoxia is caused when the supply of oxygen from the bloodstream fails to meet demand from body tissues, such tumors. Hypoxic tumors can be found in many parts of the body. For this study, the researchers examined both breast tumors and head and neck tumors. In each case, patients whose tumors made high levels of LOX were more likely to have cancers that spread and to die of the disease. The question is whether blocking LOX could also slow the cancer's spread. To find out, the researchers grew human cancers making high levels of LOX in mice. Using three different methods of shutting down LOX production, they found that the tumors were less likely to spread than tumors producing LOX unchecked. Giaccia said blocking LOX in patients with hypoxic tumors has promise as a new therapy. He added that there are several ways of telling whether a tumor is hypoxic and therefore likely to be producing LOX. What's more, one of the methods used to block LOX in mice was an antibody, the same type of protein as HER2/Neu, which has dramatically improved outcomes in people with some types of breast tumors. A therapy that specifically treats tumors producing LOX would be particularly exciting given that these are often among the deadliest cancers. Giaccia said trials in people could start as soon as three years from now. The group is now looking at the relationship between LOX-production and hypoxia in other types of tumors including lung and colon. Other Stanford researchers who were closely involved in the work include postdoctoral fellows Janine Erler, PhD, and Kevin Bennewith, PhD; Monica Nicolau, PhD, research mathematician; Christina Kong, MD, assistant professor of pathology; Quynh-Thu Le, MD, associate professor of radiation oncology, and Stefanie Jeffrey, MD, associate professor of surgery. For more information, contact Amy Adams at (650) 723-3900 (firstname.lastname@example.com)


Background: Myofascial Pain Syndrome is a condition causing pain at myofascial trigger points. Kinesio Taping has been widely used to decrease pain and improve range of motion. Objective: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic programs that include kinesio taping on reducing myofascial pain syndrome symptoms. Methods: Independent research was performed for legit studies using the following electronic databases: PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORT Discus, EM base, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from February 2017 to March 2017. The keywords were "keniso tape myofascial" AND "taping myofascial" AND "myofascial pain Syndrome" AND "myofascial trigger points." The research resulted in 5,793 articles that eventually included 6 articles that had met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the data extracted data from the articles was about the pain severity, and was measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results: The collected data was pooled from the results of 256 subjects (199 females and 57 males). Using KT showed improvement but not significant statistically in three of the analyzed studies, and the remaining three studies showed a statistical significant reduction in VAS score. The overall P value that computed by the European Scientific Journal February 2018 edition Vol.14, No.6 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 337 Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 2.0 software was statistically significant (P value= 0.001) between the KT group and the control group. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed on six studies in regarding to the efficacy of KT on the myofascial pain in the upper trapezius muscle. The meta-analysis suggests KT with other therapeutic protocols to treat myofascial pain syndrome and increase cervical range of motion as well as the functional activities.


Few studies have looked at the relation between mental fatigue (MF) and motivation. In particular, it remains unclear whether the reduced performance sometimes observed following MF is caused by a progressive loss of cognitive resources or by a decrease in motivation to engage in mental activity. To tackle this question 18 healthy subjects were asked to participate in a 3,5 hour-long experiment where MF was induced by performing Sudoku tasks. The behavioural effects of MF were then measured at regular intervals, by means of a Simple Reaction Time task (SRT) and a Working Memory task (WMT) in which motivation was manipulated by different levels of monetary reward. Psychophysiological measurements (Pupillometry, Skin conductance, EEG and ECG) were also conducted during the execution of each task. Results in the SRT showed that the subjects were faster for higher incentives indicating the validity of the reward manipulation. We found that during the WMT, the participants' performance got gradually worse across block repetition, reflecting the appearance of MF. Psychophysiological and behavioural measures concur in showing that this performance drop was not associated to decreased motivation and that the level of mental effort exerted during the task was maintained. This suggests that MF is mainly the consequence of a decline in mental resources.


This paper considers pilot-based channel estimation in large-scale multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems, also known as "massive MIMO," where there are hundreds of antennas at one side of the link. Motivated by the fact that computational complexity is one of the main challenges in such systems, a set of low-complexity Bayesian channel estimators, coined Polynomial ExpAnsion CHannel (PEACH) estimators, are introduced for arbitrary channel and interference statistics. While the conventional minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimator has cubic complexity in the dimension of the covariance matrices, due to an inversion operation, our proposed estimators significantly reduce this to square complexity by approximating the inverse by a L-degree matrix polynomial. The coefficients of the polynomial are optimized to minimize the mean square error (MSE) of the estimate. We show numerically that near-optimal MSEs are achieved with low polynomial degrees. We also derive the exact computational complexity of the proposed estimators, in terms of the floating-point operations (FLOPs), by which we prove that the proposed estimators outperform the conventional estimators in large-scale MIMO systems of practical dimensions while providing a reasonable MSEs. Moreover, we show that L needs not scale with the system dimensions to maintain a certain normalized MSE. By analyzing different interference scenarios, we observe that the relative MSE loss of using the low-complexity PEACH estimators is smaller in realistic scenarios with pilot contamination. On the other hand, PEACH estimators are not well suited for noise-limited scenarios with high pilot power; therefore, we also introduce the low-complexity diagonalized estimator that performs well in this regime. Finally, we also investigate numerically how the estimation performance is affected by having imperfect statistical knowledge. High robustness is achieved for large-dimensional matrices by using a new covariance estimate which is an affine function of the sample covariance matrix and a regularization term.


Images comprising clusters of objects can induce aversion and certain symptoms of anxiety, fear and disgust (so-called "trypophobia") in about 13% of the population. This thesis is an investigation of the stimulus and response characteristics of the condition. First, a symptom questionnaire (Trypophobia Questionnaire) was developed and validated based on reports of different categories of symptoms. The questionnaire demonstrated a single construct that predicted discomfort from trypophobic images, but not neutral or unpleasant images, and did not correlate with anxiety. Second, filtering images reduced the excess energy at mid-range spatial frequencies (previously associated with both trypophobic and uncomfortable images). Relative to unfiltered trypophobic images, the discomfort from filtered images experienced by observers with high TQ scores was less than that experienced with neutral images, and by observers with low TQ scores. Clusters of concave objects (holes) did not induce significantly more discomfort than clusters of convex objects (bumps), suggesting that trypophobia (previously referred to as "fear of holes") involves clusters not of holes but of objects with particular spectral profile involving excess energy at mid-range spatial frequencies. These visual characteristics have been previously shown to induce discomfort and a strong cortical oxygenation. The same abnormal oxygenation occurred for trypophobic images, but only for individuals with high TQ scores. Three lines of evidence suggest that trypophobia is a response of disgust rather than fear: (1) trypophobia was associated with an aversion to spiders, and not snakes; (2) trypophobic stimuli did not produce a bias in the subjective estimation of stimulus duration but (3) increased the heart rate and its variability. Fear inducing stimuli generally give effects opposite to those listed as 2 and 3. In conclusion, trypophobia is a reaction of disgust to clusters of objects with particular spectral profile that may resemble contamination sources (e.g., skin lesions).


A big challenge for a successful colon cancer treatment is the lack of eradication of the entire tumour cell population and consequent development of chemoresistance. Control of cell number from tissues and elimination of cells predisposed to malignant transformation, having an aberrant cell cycle or presenting DNA mutations, might be performed by a cellular 'suicide' mechanism — the programmed cell death, or apoptosis. Coordinated activation and execution of multiple subprograms are needed, added by a good knowledge of the basic components of the death machinery, besides their interaction to regulate apoptosis in a coordinated manner. Triggering apoptosis in target cells is a key mechanism by which chemotherapy promotes cell killing. Many anti‐cancer drugs act during physiological pathways of apoptosis, leading to tumour cell destruction. New therapeutic approaches in cancer induce tumour cells to undergo apoptosis and break the cancer cell resistance to apoptosis commands. Administra‐ tions of natural compounds that prevent induction, inhibit or delay the progression of cancer, or induce inhibition or reversal of carcinogenesis at a premalignant stage represent chemoprevention strategies. Several natural compounds have been shown to be promising based on their anti‐cancer effects and low toxicity; alternative ap‐ proaches might be taken into account to obtain a stronger anti‐tumour response when lower concentrations of anti‐cancer drugs are used, and to diminish the undesirable side‐effects.


A large literature has argued that offensive advantage makes states worse off because it can induce a security dilemma, preemption, costly conflict, and arms races. We argue instead that state welfare is u-shaped under increasing offensive advantage. We assess the offense-defense balance by considering a model where two states choose arms levels and decide whether to attack. High defensive advantage is first-best because attacking is difficult and the arms burdens required to deter attacks and maintain peace are low. High offensive advantage is comparatively worse because war is likely, but war tends to be smaller in scale, quicker, and less costly. Intermediate offensive advantage is worst because high arms burdens are required to deter attacks while wars, when they occur, are larger, longer, and more destructive. We discuss historical examples of this phenomenon including from the Warring States periods in China and Japan, the Federalist papers, and the World Wars.


Octave spanning all-normal dispersion supercontinuum generation (SCG) was experimentally demonstrated in a solid, suspended-core fiber (SCF) infiltrated with water. Replacement of air with water in the cladding air-holes leads to a dramatic modification of the dispersion profile of the fiber, significantly flattening the characteristic over the visible and much of the near-infrared wavelength range at normal values. In such a fiber infiltrated with water, all-normal dispersion supercontinuum was generated with the spectral coverage from 435 nm to 1330 nm using femtosecond pumping with the output peak power of 150 kW and 800 nm central wavelength. The SCF without water infiltration – air in the cladding region – had a zero-dispersion wavelength at 760 nm and enabled the generation of the anomalous dispersion dynamics-based SCG in the wavelength range from 450 nm to 1250 nm. We also numerically calculated the coherence of simulated supercontinuum pulses with one-photon-per-mode noise seeds and point out that the all-normal dispersion SCG in suspended-core fiber infiltrated with water has the potential for high temporal coherence, while the fiber without water infiltration shows gradual decoherence of generated supercontinuum pulses with increasing pump power, over similar peak power range.


Similar to people, airway obstruction is a potentially preventable cause of combat and line of duty death for civilian law enforcement Operational K9s (OpK9) and military working dogs (MWD). Basic (i.e., body positioning, manual maneuvers, bag-valve-mask ventilation) and advanced (i.e., endotracheal intubation, surgical airways) airway techniques are designed to establish a patent airway, oxygenate and ventilate, and protect from aspiration. A surgical airway (cricothyrotomy [CTT] or tracheostomy [TT]) is warranted for difficult airway scenarios in which less invasive means fail to open an airway (aka "Cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate"). In people, the surgical CTT is the preferred surgical airway procedure; most human prehospital providers are not even trained on the TT. Currently, only the TT is described in the veterinary literature as an emergent surgical airway for MWDs. This article describes the novel approach of instituting the surgical CTT for managing the canine difficult airway. The information provided is applicable to personnel operating within the US Special Operations Command as well as civilian tactical emergency medical services that may have the responsibility of providing medical care to an OpK9 or MWD.


In comparison to traditional windrow composting, in-vessel composting techniques often represent more effective waste management options due to the reduced production of bioaerosols and leachate and the potential for better process control. Chemical processes occurring during the cocomposting of three common wastes (green waste, biosolids and paper processing waste) were studied using the forced aeration, static pile, in-vessel EcoPOD® composting system. Since no turning of the compost occurs within the static piles, spatial differences in the vessel were also monitored. These measurements revealed significant spatial gradients in temperature; however, this did not result in spatial differences in nutrients within the composting vessel. Significant differences in soluble N production were observed during the composting process following the series: green plus paper waste < green waste < green waste plus biosolids. After the active compost phase was over, and the compost was removed from the vessel and matured outside, we demonstrated that covering the compost was essential to preserve compost quality. Our study clearly shows that cocomposting of common waste feedstocks can be used to successfully manipulate the chemistry of the final compost making it suitable for multiple end uses. In addition, our study demonstrated that careful management of the compost maturing phase is also required to maximise quality and minimize pollution.


Shape classification has long been a field of study in computer vision. In this work, we propose an ensemble of approaches using the weighted sum rule that is based on a set of widely used shape descriptors inner-distance shape context, shape context, and height functions. Features are obtained by transforming these shape descriptors into a matrix from which a set of texture descriptors are extracted. The different descriptors are then compared using the Jeffrey distance. We validate our ensemble on seven widely used datasets MPEG7 CE-Shape-1, Kimia silhouettes, Tari dataset, a leaf dataset, a tools dataset, a myths figures dataset, and motif pottery dataset, where the parameters of each method and the weights of the weighted fusion are kept the same across all seven datasets, thereby producing a general-purpose shape classification system. Our experimental results demonstrate that our new generalised approach offers significant improvements over baseline shape matching algorithms.


The risks of hormone therapy have received much attention in the medical and popular press. However, current evidence shows that hormone therapy given to symptomatic, otherwise healthy, peri- and postmenopausal women under 60 years of age can be safe and effective. The main indication for HT should be for symptom relief. Hormone therapy must be individualised so that the immediate symptoms are managed and the potential risks may be reduced. Early initiation of hormone therapy in symptomatic patients enables both relief of menopausal symptoms and protects against the consequences of oestrogen deficiency, such as osteoporosis. The beneficial effects of hormone therapy can be achieved at lower doses, allowing the maintenance of benefits of hormone therapy while side effects may be minimised.


Prioritization of machine learning projects requires estimates of both the potential ROI of the business case and the technical difficulty of building a model with the required characteristics. In this work we present a technique for estimating the minimum required performance characteristics of a predictive model given a set of information about how it will be used. This technique will result in robust, objective comparisons between potential projects. The resulting estimates will allow data scientists and managers to evaluate whether a proposed machine learning project is likely to succeed before any modelling needs to be done. The technique has been implemented into the open source application MinViME (Minimum Viable Model Estimator) which can be installed via the PyPI python package management system, or downloaded directly from the GitHub repository. Available at https://github.com/john-hawkins/MinViME.


To, T. H., Brenner, T. L., Cavey, M. J. and Wilkens, J. L. 2004. Histological organization of the intestine in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii . — Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 85 : 119-130 Six longitudinal ridges span the length of the intestine in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii . A simple columnar epithelium with tetralaminar cuticle lines the lumen. Folds of the epithelium overlie a dense irregular connective tissue packed with mixed acinar (alveolar) glands. Mucous secretions are probably involved with formation and lubrication of faecal strings; neither the nature nor the role of the serous secretions is immediately apparent. Aggregations of cells with large cytoplasmic vacuoles, called bladder cells, appear in the subepithelial connective tissue near the tops of the intestinal ridges. The bladder cells are suitably positioned to bolster the integrity of the ridges. Striated muscle of the intestine occurs in inner longitudinal and outer circular layers. The inner longitudinal layer consists of six strips, with one strip associated with the base of each intestinal ridge. The outer circular layer is essentially complete, but there are periodic apertures in this layer on the left and right sides of the intestine, providing nerves and haemolymph vessels with access to the interior of the gut. Based on histo- logical features, and consistent with reports on other crayfish, we conclude that the intestine of P. clarkii has a proctodeal (ectodermal) origin.


Designers are always in search of an approach to help them deal with the question of aesthetics in product design and development and thus meet the demands of their clients. As one experienced designer, Heufler admits, theory and practice are always clashing as designers cannot freely express their aesthetic feelings without considering the demands of the clients and this, he says, has always been a burden for them. Christopher Alexander, who is known as one of the founders of design methodology, believes problems faced by designers are often so complex that they cannot be resolved through a merely emotional approach or artistic creativity. He suggests that such problems necessitate a proper market analysis. This approach is known as "form affected by market" and is one of the most familiar approaches for designers. Its main objective is to make specific clients interested enough in a product to convince them to buy it. Unfortunately, a lot of people mistakenly conclude that designers are trying to come up with one universal approach to face the problems of product design. However, the fact is different problems warrant different approaches. The first question that should be raised at the beginning of all industrial design projects is which approach works better aesthetically. If we accept the fact that there are different approaches to address the issue of aesthetics and consider aestheticism as a form of language while identifying customer demands by analyzing the market, the next important question would be, is the market-based approach the only approach that designers can adopt? Are there any alternative practical approaches? This article studies the objectives of a number of designers before presenting a general perspective. It examines the pros and cons of various approaches to help the reader make the best decision. The main question is "Can designers adopt an approach other than the market-driven one?" or rather "Has there been any alternative approaches?"


Green leaves are responsible for natural photosynthesis in plants and their unique structures offer the most efficient blueprint for artificial materials in terms of solar energy capture and utilisation. The full architecture of the leaf photosystem was successfully replicated at both the nano and micro levels using biotemplating with TiO2. This approach resulted in a highly porous structure that can be used as a photocatalyst with enhanced properties such as improved visible light-harvesting ability. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy images of the final products confirmed that the detailed microscale framework and nanostructures, such as the chloroplast and the thylakoids were well replicated. Biotemplated artificial TiO2 leaves with the architecture of Camellia tree leaves outperformed well-known P25 TiO2 in photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light: more than twofold in the case of blue (440 nm) and ca. one and a half times under green (515 nm) light. Also, the carbon dioxide yield of photocatalytic oxidation of ethanol catalysed by the biotemplated TiO2 material was approximately 1.3 times higher than the CO2 produced by P25 under green light. We attributed this enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance to the light-harvesting features and to the high surface area imparted by the interconnected nanosheets (replicating the thylakoids) resulting from our improved biotemplating method. The method reported in this work presents a facile route for the production of synthetic inorganic materials which possess morphologies similar to that present in the natural template materials.


The three-dimensional analysis of contact mechanics is still not an easy task. Frozen stress techniques in photoelasticity have been used very much to obtain the stress fields developed in the models. Although the means to avoid the introduction of residual stresses are well established, these techniques remain time consuming. Owing to the recent developments in technology of image recording and processing, new non-destructive methods have been developed to circumvent these difficulties. In this paper, a new non-destructive method of optical slicing of a photoelastic model was used to analyse stresses developed in a half space by a rigid cylinder. The basic idea is to use the properties of polarization of the scattered light. The slice is isolated in the model by two laser sheets. A speckle pattern due to the interference of the light beams of each section in the direction perpendicular to these plans can be observed. The possibility of interference depends on the birefringence of the isolated slice. A high resolution CCD camera is used to take pictures of the two illuminated sections. The stress field can then be analyzed using software. This technique allows us to visualise photoelastic fringes at any given position within the model. Comparisons are made between experimental fringes and calculated fringes obtained by a numerical analysis using "Castem" package. The obtained results show close agreement between numerical predictions and the experimental results.


Understanding disease etiology is key for effective preventive or therapeutic interventions. Knowledge about risk factors is useful to the clinician to answer patients' questions about the possible cause(s) of their presenting disorders. This article describes the three most common types of etiologic studies using examples from the published literature on the risk factors for back pain. Cohort studies typically follow a group of "healthy" people forward in time to assess disease outcome after risk factors have already been measured. Case-control studies use people selected on the basis of outcome status: risk factors are assessed after the fact. Although more prone to bias than cohort studies, case control studies are more common in back pain research because of the ease of examining several risk factors simultaneously and the expense of cohort studies. Prevalance studies use a random sample of people collected at a single point in time; consequently there is no predetermined number of "cases" and "controls," their numbers depending on the prevalence of disease and exposures in the samples. To assist in the interpretation of research findings this paper presents a general framework for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of an individual study. Case-control studies are discussed in more detail becasue they are so commonly encountered in the etiologic literature. Finally, because the evidence from a single study, no matter how well designed and executed, is never enough on its own to decide if a risk factor is causal or not the paper concludes by briefly summarizing the criteria for inferring causation using the full body of available biologic and epidemiologic literature.


Conceptualizing away the sketch processing details in a user interface will enable general users and domain experts to create more complex sketches. There are many domains for which sketch recognition systems are being developed. But they entail image-processing skill if they are to handle the details of each domain, and also they are lengthy to build. The implemented system goal is to enable user interface designers and domain experts who may not have proficiency in sketch recognition to be able to construct these sketch systems. This sketch recognition system takes in rough sketches from user drawn with the help of mouse as its input. It then recognizes the sketch using segmentation and domain classification, the properties of the user drawn sketch and segments are searched heuristically in the domains and each figures of each domain, and finally it shows its domain, the figure name and properties. It also draws the sketch smoothly. The work is resulted through extensive research and study of many existing image processing and pattern matching algorithms.


Abstract This article sheds light on the impacts and dynamics of the latest decentralization phase in Ethiopia, which seeks to professionalize and democratize local government. Based on recent field research in Oromiya Region, we draw attention to the paradoxes inherent in the top-down decentralization of public administration within an authoritarian one-party state. On the one hand, decentralization in Oromiya has empowered kebele administrations and facilitated the expansion of service delivery into rural hinterlands. In particular the sub-kebele state and party structure is instrumentalized by local governments to mobilize and control households. On the other hand, state authority remains limited as peasants resist and subvert state-led development works and kebele officials must rely on clientelistic networks to implement policies. Consequently, decentralization and kebele reform in post-1991 Ethiopia have so far neither altered the tradition of hierarchical state–society relations nor improved the lack of genuine representative democracy at kebele level.


A large part of the literature on learning disentangled representations focuses on variational autoencoders (VAEs). Recent developments demonstrate that disentanglement cannot be obtained in a fully unsupervised setting without inductive biases on models and data. However, Khemakhem et al., AISTATS, 2020 suggest that employing a particular form of factorized prior, conditionally dependent on auxiliary variables complementing input observations, can be one such bias, resulting in an identifiable model with guarantees on disentanglement. Working along this line, we propose a novel VAE-based generative model with theoretical guarantees on identifiability. We obtain our conditional prior over the latents by learning an optimal representation, which imposes an additional strength on their regularization. We also extend our method to semi-supervised settings. Experimental results indicate superior performance with respect to state-of-the-art approaches, according to several established metrics proposed in the literature on disentanglement.


Diets rich in fruit and vegetables promote health and delay the onset of diseases associated with oxidative stress. The benefit, especially of different berries, has been largely attributed to their content of numerous phytochemicals, and their effects in terms of antioxidant capacity are often evaluated chemically by different methods. We have instead used a highly relevant biological model, a modified CAP-e assay (Cell-based Antioxidant Protection in erythrocytes), to evaluate bioefficacy of antioxidants in Swedish berries. Extracts of twelve fruit and berries were analysed both by chemical and biological analyses: apple (Malus domestica, peel), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), black currant (Ribes nigrum), purple chokeberry (Aronia x prunifolia), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), rose hips (Rosa spp.), sea buckthorn (Hippohae rhamnoides), sloe (Prunus spinosa) and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa). Purple chokeberry, sloe and rose hips showed high antioxidant capacity in the chemical assays. Rose hips showed the highest degree of antioxidant protection also in the biological model, however, chokeberry and sloe showed medium or low protection. Furthermore, strawberry showed overall high protection in the biological assay but low antioxidant capacity in the chemical assays. The chemical and biological models showed different results and future studies of the biological model and in vivo situations are necessary.


This study began in the winter of 2008, when a city official in Niagara Falls, New York asked if we could verify whether anything remained of the bridge that Harriet Tubman used to escort refugees from slavery in the United States to freedom in Canada. There is no doubt that in the course of rescuing enslaved African Americans before the Civil War and moving them safely to Canada, Harriet Tubman crossed the Niagara River by the Suspension Bridge. The issue is complicated by the fact that six historic suspension bridges have spanned the Niagara River at three different points at one time or another. Such bridges crossed the river just north of the Falls, just south of the Niagara River Whirlpool, and below the Niagara Escarpment in Lewiston, New York. Which ones were used by Tubman? While asserting that the Whirlpool site was used by Tubman, one noted authority suggests that Tubman "may also have crossed over on the suspension bridge constructed in 1851 between Lewiston and Queenston, Ontario." (3) Some local tradition denies that Niagara Falls was an Underground Railroad crossing at all. Moreover, even those who think that the city was an Underground Railroad crossing are confused about which remnants of several different bridges are associated with Tubman. Our purpose is to replace "urban legend" with rigorous evidence as to which bridge Tubman used, and what remains of the bridge today. This task first requires finding reliable narratives that connect Underground Railroad activities to Niagara Falls, then connecting those activities to specific sites within the present city. We have found such narratives and through the use of maps, photographs, and even a bit of high school trigonometry we can demonstrate that Niagara Falls was indeed an important Underground Railroad crossing; that Harriet Tubman was one of a number of Underground Railroad operatives who escorted refugees across the international border there; and that the remains of the bridge that they used are still intact. In fact, at Niagara Falls the quest for freedom intersected with one of the most remarkable achievements in nineteenth century bridge-building. The Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman at Niagara Falls, New York We know from a number of narratives published by the Philadelphia abolitionist and Underground Railroad organizer, William Still, that Niagara Falls was both an Underground Railroad crossing point into Canada, and a place in which refugees, and those who assisted them, regularly stayed. Using those accounts, we need to establish where in the present city of Niagara Falls, New York Underground Railroad activity took place, what was the nature of the activity, and what part Harriet Tubman herself took in it. By the 1850s two towns existed at the site now encompassed by the City of Niagara Falls, New York. One, Niagara Falls, was above the cataracts near the southern end of the old portage to Lewiston below the Niagara Escarpment. By the 1830s it was a thriving milling and light industrial site, as well as a tourist destination, connected to Lockport, Buffalo, and towns below the escarpment by railroad and horse-drawn coaches. It was formally incorporated as a village in 1848. The second, originally known as Bellevue, was two miles north and owed its genesis in the mid-1840s to plans to build an international railroad bridge there at what was the narrowest point along the Niagara River. It was formally incorporated as Niagara City in 1854. (4) While the incorporated name of the village at the American end of Roebling's bridge was Niagara City, (5) by the mid-1850s it was popularly known as "Suspension Bridge." Railroad timetables listed stops at both "Suspension Bridge" and "Niagara Falls" (6) When Franklin Pierce appointed Jacob Henning deputy postmaster in 1856, it was to a post in "Suspension Bridge, in the county of Niagara, State of New York. (7) In 1856, a letter from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Underground Railroad agent, Joseph C. …


The project was motivated by an ASME 2016 design challenge. The challenge was to design and manufacture a device that would turn a single sheet of paper into a paper airplane and launch it. The project is divided into three portions. The three portions are the frame and paper loading, folding mechanism, and launching. The circumference equation is used, to determine what the proper speed of the paper loading motor is. Notably, a slow rpm motor is needed for the loading mechanism to prevent the paper from being damaged. To avoid any deflection in the frame, the total weight of the machine had to be considered. The shear and moment diagram is used to calculate the reaction forces, and to calculate the proper thickness of the material being used. Four motors are used for the paper loading and folding processes, in which each motor has fifteen RPM. Additionally, two linear actuators are used in the paper folding process. Moreover, the launching process requires two motors, each has fifteen thousand RPM. All of the motors that have been mentioned require a twelve-volt battery. Both the launcher motors and the actuators are connected to a single battery. For the other motors, each two motors are connected to one battery. Each battery is connected to on-off switch. As a result, the machine is able to fold a standard sheet of paper into an airplane shape and launch it within 2 minutes. The launcher is able to shoot the paper airplane 10 meters. Table of


Perhaps the most significant development of the Georgian theater was its multiplication of ethnic, colonial, and provincial character types parading across the stage. In Theatrical Nation, Michael Ragussis opens up an archive of neglected plays and performances to examine how this flood of domestic and colonial others showcased England in general and London in particular as the center of an increasingly complex and culturally mixed nation and empire, and in this way illuminated the shifting identity of a newly configured Great Britain. In asking what kinds of ideological work these ethnic figures performed and what forms were invented to accomplish this work, Ragussis concentrates on the most popular of the "outlandish Englishmen," the stage Jew, Scot, and Irishman. Theatrical Nation understands these stage figures in the context of the government's controversial attempts to merge different ethnic and national groups through the 1707 Act of Union with Scotland, the Jewish Naturalization Bill of 1753, and the Act of Union with Ireland of 1800. Exploring the significant theatrical innovations that illuminate the central anxieties shared by playhouse and nation, Ragussis considers how ethnic identity was theatricalized, even as it moved from stage to print. By the early nineteenth century, Anglo-Irish and Scottish novelists attempted to deconstruct the theater's ethnic stereotypes while reimagining the theatricality of interactions between English and ethnic characters. An important shift took place as the novel's cross-ethnic love plot replaced the stage's caricatured male stereotypes with the beautiful ethnic heroine pursued by an English hero.


Different types of rating scales have been developed to guide the qualitative analysis of sports technique and improve rating accuracy However, it remains unclear what type of scale is more accurate and how rating accuracy is influenced by scale effects. This study aimed to: I) investigate the accuracy of rating scale type (analogue, numerical analogue, Likert and numerical Likert) for the rating of kinematic variables; and ii) explore how rating accuracy is influenced by scale effects. One experienced rater constructed the 100 mm-long scales and a group of 327 novice analysts rated the video-recorded soccer kick performance of 32 school children. Estimation error was calculated as the difference between estimated values and objective digitized values. Over-and under-estimation tendencies were assessed. The scale range was divided into equal-length intervals (e.g., low, middle, high angular range) to assess scale effects Statistical analysis consisted of an exploratory principal components analysis with varimax rotation, where items were forced into a three-factor solution. Numerical Likert scale designs may be suggested as optimum for the instruction of novice raters. Central-tendency error adversely affected visual estimations; however, other scale effects enhanced accuracy. The findings have implications for optimum scale design and improved instruction in qualitative analysis.


Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a national health care emergency in the United States and exposed resource shortages, particularly of health care providers trained to provide critical or intensive care. This article describes how digital health technologies are being or could be used for COVID-19 mitigation. It then proposes the National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network (NETCCN), which would combine digital health technologies to address this and future crises. Methods: Subject matter experts from the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center examined the peer-reviewed literature and science/technology news to see what digital health technologies have already been or could be implemented to (1) support patients while limiting COVID-19 transmission, (2) increase health care providers' capability and capacity, and (3) predict/prevent future outbreaks. Results: Major technologies identified included telemedicine and mobile care (for COVID-19 as well as routine care), tiered telementoring, telecritical care, robotics, and artificial intelligence for monitoring. Several of these could be assimilated to form an interoperable scalable NETCCN. NETCCN would assist health care providers, wherever they are located, by obtaining real-time patient and supplies data and disseminating critical care expertise. NETCCN capabilities should be maintained between disasters and regularly tested to ensure continual readiness. Conclusions: COVID-19 has demonstrated the impact of a large-scale health emergency on the existing infrastructures. Short term, an approach to meeting this challenge is to adopt existing digital health technologies. Long term, developing a NETCCN may ensure that the necessary ecosystem is available to respond to future emergencies.


Improving safety at nighttime work zones is important because of the extra visibility concerns. The deployment of sequential lights is an innovative method for improving driver recognition of lane closures and work zone tapers. Sequential lights are wireless warning lights that flash in a sequence to clearly delineate the taper at work zones. The effectiveness of sequential lights was investigated using controlled field studies. Traffic parameters were collected at the same field site with and without the deployment of sequential lights. Three surrogate performance measures were used to determine the impact of sequential lights on safety. These measures were the speeds of approaching vehicles, the number of late taper merges and the locations where vehicles merged into open lane from the closed lane. In addition, an economic analysis was conducted to monetize the benefits and costs of deploying sequential lights at nighttime work zones. The results of this study indicates that sequential warning lights had a net positive effect in reducing the speeds of approaching vehicles, enhancing driver compliance, and preventing passenger cars, trucks and vehicles at rural work zones from late taper merges. Statistically significant decreases of 2.21 mph mean speed and 1 mph 85% speed resulted with sequential lights. The shift in the cumulative speed distributions to the left (i.e. speed decrease) was also found to be statistically significant using the Mann-Whitney and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. But a statistically significant increase of 0.91 mph in the speed standard deviation also resulted with sequential lights. With sequential lights, the percentage of vehicles that merged earlier increased from 53.49% to 65.36%. A benefit-cost ratio of around 5 or 10 resulted from this analysis of Missouri nighttime work zones and historical crash data. The two different benefit-cost ratios reflect two different ways of computing labor costs.


This study aims at the development of an optimization model based on artificial immune systems (AIS) to minimize cost designs of water distribution networks (WDNs). Clonal selection algorithm (Clonalg), a class of AIS, was used as an optimization technique in the model, and its mutation operation was modified to increase the diversity (search capability). EPANET, a widely known WDN simulator, was used in conjunction with the proposed model. The model was applied to four WDNs of Two-loop, Hanoi, Go Yang, New York City, and the results obtained were compared with other heuristic and mathematical optimization models in the related literature, such as harmony search, genetic algorithm, immune algorithm, shuffled complex evolution, differential evolution, and non-linear programming-Lagrangian algorithm. Furthermore, the modified Clonalg was compared with the classic Clonalg in order to demonstrate the impact of the modification on the diversity. The proposed model appeared to be promising in terms of cost designs of WDNs.


Many case–control studies have researched the associations between PINK1 Q115L polymorphisms and the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the results exist controversies. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the possible association between the PINK1 Q115L gene polymorphisms and PD. Here we searched the Pubmed, CNKI, CBM and Web of Science databases up to 2015 to identify published related studies. The meta-analysis was then conducted to analysis the possible associations between the PINK1 Q115L polymorphisms and PD. A total of six studies were included in the meta-analysis. The crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to evaluate the association. Heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using the I2 and Egger's test was used to evaluate publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was also performed. After exclusion of articles deviating from HWE in controls. The meta-analysis also showed no significant association between the T allele and increased risk of PD in allele model (FEM: OR=0.790, 95% CI=0.568-1.098); dominant model (FEM: OR=1.344, 95% CI=0.952-1.897); heterozygote model (FEM: OR=0.736, 95% CI=0.519-1.043). In subgroup analysis, for Caucasian, there was no significantly association in all three models. Our suggested that the PINK1 Q115L polymorphism might not be associated with PD.


This thesis is first and foremost an investigation of the actual infinite. It draws on the work of Richard T. W. Arthur in defense ofG. W. Leibniz's view that the infinite, while actual, should be understood syncategorematically. The actual infinite has now, due to the work of Georg Cantor (along with Bernard Bolzano and Richard Dedekind), found a permanent home within the foundations of mathematics. This was made possible by the stipulation that the part-whole axiom does not apply to infinite collections in the way it applies to finite ones: an actual infinite set is defined as a collection that can be placed in a one-to-one correspondence with a proper subset of itself. In my view, however, something more than a stipulation is required to guarantee the coherence of an infinite set. It has not been sufficiently demonstrated that an actual infinite multiplicity can be one and whole, fixed and definite-that is, can be categorematic-but this is being assumed. Satisfactory justification is required, I believe, if the actual infinite is to play such a fundamental role in the discipline of mathematics. Georg Cantor does attempt to provide such justification in the form of three philosophical arguments, which I have called the argument from irrationals, the divine intellect argument, and the domain argument. His arguments, however, rely on an equation of the terms "actual" and "potential" with the terms "categorematic" and "syncategorematic" respectively. But based on the work ofG. W. Leibniz, such an equation is faulty. It is completely legitimate to maintain that the infinite is both actual and syncategorematic, a possibility not considered by Cantor. Once such a position is on the table-that is, once it is no longer necessary that the actual implies the categorematic-Cantor's arguments are no longer sound and the actual (and categorematic) infinite stands in need of further justification.


The generation of concepts in the construction industry involves the interpretation of syntactically defined symbolic notations, such as logic, frames, semantic networks, natural language, and of other forms such as visual rep-resentations. These notations are deliberately organized to define concepts. Models as forms of representations are based on symbols that are aimed at referring to some entities of the world with properties and relations apprehended within them. Models involve grouping a set of relations, which characterize concepts, with the purpose of sharing and understanding these concepts by members of the community. However, models suffer the limitations that logic and the symbolic notations bear, because they cannot capture the richness of the phenomena of the world in their syntactic no-tation nor other intentionality features. Other forms of representations such as visual representations suffer the same limitations. An analysis of the nature of the representations employed in the construction industry suggests the inclusion of the ac-tor's role in a new stratum for generating representations of construction concepts. This actor, who manipulates or generates the representation for communicating concepts, is committed to the intentionality aspects of the represented concept that are not captured in current forms of the representation. The inclusion of these and other phenomenological aspects concerning the nature of the representation are intended to generate representations for accurate interpreta-tions. The modus operandi with these representations indicates a subsequent interpretation by other actors or project participants. The inclusion of this stratum promises a significant progress in creating efficiency in interoperability on construction projects. The assumption is that the representations are cognitive manifestations of common, shared con-cepts employed by the construction industry community. This analysis is supported and developed through the semiotic theory which addresses the nature of the representations through signs and the role of agents with the representations and with the external physical domain. This study attempts to approximate semiotics as an experience that illustrates the reasoning process from external rep-resentations and the role of intentionality in employing external representations. This experience inquires about the form of the correspondence of the perceived, entity, event, and relations, or, in other words, a correspondence of a phe-nomenon in the world with the concept in the construction participant's mind. In addition, the purpose of this experi-ence is to provide direction to the method of how semantics aspects should be understood to give interpretations for concepts employed in the construction industry.


Spontaneous mutation or chance seedling: discovered in the mid-1990s as a superior plant growing in a commercial field of "Common" Cynodon dactylon on Jimboomba Turf Company's farm at Jimboomba in south-east Queensland. Selection criteria: vigorous lateral spread, high shoot density and turf quality, low inflorescence numbers, and darker green colour. In 1999 after observing the superior turf performance of this mutant plant as a small patch within a much larger paddock of "Common", vegetative material was taken and propagated in clean ground elsewhere on the farm for multiplication and further trials in a variety of turf situations in south-east Queensland. Propagation: vegetative. Breeder: Lynn Davidson, Jimboomba, QLD. PBR Certificate Number 2640, Application Number 2002/282, granted 24 February 2005.


This paper proposes an alternative method for pulse oximetry processing based on time-frequency analysis. Instead of using the fast Fourier transform (FFT), the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) together with the median calculation was proposed for finding the frequency components of the normalized first derivative red and infrared photoplethysmographic signals (PPG). In order to estimate the arterial oxygen saturation (%SpO2), the ratio of each red CWT modulus to each corresponding infrared CWT modulus was computed at each frequency, and then converted to the oxygen saturation by using the saturation equation obtained from calibration. All of the oxygen saturation data were plotted on a histogram. The greatest oxygen saturation with the most occurrences was considered to represent the %SpO2. The experiments were held to evaluate the performance of the proposed processing method compared with the conventional pulse oximetry (CPO) processing. The red and infrared PPGs were acquired from left and right index fingers simultaneously by using the PPG measurement system constructed in the laboratory. During measurement, the left index finger was stationary, while the right index finger was performed the finger bend to induce the motion artifact (MA) in transient and periodic manners. All detected PPGs were processed by the proposed method and the CPO processing. The %SpO2 obtained from different processing methods and positions were compared. Experimental results showed that the proposed method was more resistant to the MA than the conventional method.


Used in an analytical and non‐normative way, the concept of governance may be taken to refer to any organised method of delivering public or collective services and goods according to specific logics and norms, and to specific forms of authority. This article applies the concept to analysis of local arenas in which public goods and services are delivered or co‐delivered in Niger and other countries of West Africa. The analysis proposes eight 'modes of local governance' and describes their main characteristics drawing on fieldwork evidence collected over an extended period. Chiefly, associational, municipal (municipal council), project‐based, bureaucratic, sponsorship‐based, religious and merchant modes of governance are distinguished. The article concludes by defining and delimiting a concept of local political culture, referring to a set of shared modern practices and representations relating to the practical operation of modes of local governance in specific local arenas.


The position of Real Estate within a multi-asset portfolio has received considerable attention recently. Previous research has concentrated on the percentage holding property would achieve given its risk/return characteristics. Such studies have invariably used Modern Portfolio Theory and these approaches have been criticised for both the quality of the real estate data and problems with the methodology itself. The first problem is now well understood, and the second can be addressed by the use of realistic constraints on asset holdings. This paper takes a different approach. We determine the level of return that Real Estate needs to achieve to justify an allocation within the multi asset portfolio. In order to test the importance of the quality of the data we use historic appraisal based and desmoothed returns to examine the sensitivity of the results. Consideration is also given to the Holding period and the imposition of realistic constraints on the asset holdings in order to model portfolios held by pension fund investors. We conclude, using several benchmark levels of portfolio risk and return, that using appraisal based data the required level of return for Real Estate was less than that achieved over the period 1972-1993. The use of desmoothed series can reverse this result at the highest levels of desmoothing although within a restricted holding period Real Estate offered returns in excess of those required to enter the portfolio and might have a role to play in the multi-asset portfolio.


In the current economic climate the circumstances and the environment for companies constantly change and organizations which in the future want to be competitive have to adapt to these new conditions and market requirement else they are forced to be out of business. Seeing the rapid change in telecom sector with flat sales in many countries during 2008, 2009 and 2010 Ericsson decided to do a major re organization in 2010. Ericsson management set out to restructure the company to trim off fat and to help the company function as a leaner and more productive entity by assigning transformational leaders that can help company cope with the changing market conditions with focus on business performance, growth, new market segments and getting more close to customer. As a result of that change Ericsson Saudi Arabia that was known as Market Unit Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MU KSA) part of 23 Market Units across the globe transformed to Customer Unit Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (CU KSA) part of Region Middle East (RMEA) with new Head and management team. By 2009-2010 Ericsson CU KSA was facing issues like flat sales, operators were cautious to spend more money since revenues were declining, emergence of Chinese players in the marker resulted in dramatic culture shift in industry where business models and ways of working changed and Ericsson in Saudi Arabia was having direct impact on revenue and market share. During 2008, 2009 and 2010 Ericsson in Saudi Arabia lost local market share from 60% to 50% and a complete overhaul was inevitable. One of the primary objectives of this study will be to determine the relationship of transformational leadership to organizational performance by analyzing data collected from Ericsson Saudi Arabia. It will be analyzed if new management in Ericsson Saudi Arabia has the capabilities of transformational leadership. Later I'll try to establish correlation of transformational leadership towards strategic management, Organizational culture and Employee Motivation & Commitment to see if there is any significant impact of these that will help overcome existing market challenges explore new opportunities and redefine strategies while resulting in positive business growth and performance. For the purpose of research a study a mix of qualitative and quantitative approach was chosen. Questionnaire surveys were used as part of quantitative research. Interview surveys together with Sales reports and balanced score cards were used as part of qualitative research. A total of 48 questionnaire surveys along with 8 interviews form different members of management in CU KSA were conducted. Data analysis tool function in Excel was used to figure out mean, median and standard deviation for Transformational leadership attributes. Data analysis tool was also used to calculate correlation coefficient factor between transformational leadership with strategic management, organizational culture and business performance. It was discovered after analysis conducted using interview and survey results that Ericsson CU KSA Head and Management fulfill the criterion of transformational leadership having strong presence of transformational leadership attributes namely vision, Inspirational, role model, support for personal growth, trust and consideration for followers needs. It was also discovered that transformational leadership has a strong correlation towards strategic management, organizational culture, employee Motivation and business performance. Data collected from Interviews, Sales reports and Balanced Score Card supported the data analysis of questionnaire. This means that if companies want to experience growth in their business especially in these days of tough competition, there should be focus on making sure the leadership is transformational with strong emphasis on process of Strategic Management, fostering organization culture and boosting employee motivation & commitment that will lead towards positive Business Performance.


ABSTRACT Australian education policies advocate equal opportunities and non-discrimination through legislation that people with disabilities willing to attend 'main-stream' schools must be accommodated for. In this paper, people with mobility disabilities talk about their high school experiences in New South Wales, Australia. We are particularly interested in how these men and women talk about the affirmation of bodily differences within various high school spaces. Adopting narrative analysis and a feminist approach we understand identity as constructed spatially. Our interpretation is focused upon how school spaces helped to shape participants' sense of self and in turn how participants shaped school spaces. We present a series of vignettes which illustrate how participants with mobility disabilities negotiated their bodily differences in and through school space.


abstract:Computed tomography (CT) scans provide anthropologists with a resource to generate three-dimensional (3D) digital skeletal material to expand quantification methods and build more standardized reference collections. The ability to visualize and manipulate the bone and skin of the face simultaneously in a 3D digital environment introduces a new way for forensic facial approximation practitioners to access and study the face. Craniofacial relationships can be quantified with landmarks or with surface-processing software that can quantify the geometric properties of the entire 3D facial surface. This article describes tools for the generation of dense facial tissue depth maps (FTDMs) using deidentified head CT scans of modern Americans from the Cancer Imaging Archive public repository and the open-source program Meshlab. CT scans of 43 females and 63 males from the archive were segmented and converted to 3D skull and face models using Mimics and exported as stereolithography files. All subsequent processing steps were performed in Meshlab. Heads were transformed to a common orientation and coordinate system using the coordinates of nasion, left orbitale, and left and right porion. Dense FTDMs were generated on hollowed, cropped face shells using the Hausdorfff sampling filter. Two new point clouds consisting of the 3D coordinates for both skull and face were colorized on an RGB (red-green-blue) scale from 0.0 (red) to 40.0-mm (blue) depth values and exported as polygon (PLY) file format models with tissue depth values saved in the "vertex quality" field. FTDMs were also split into 1.0-mm increments to facilitate viewing of common depths across all faces. In total, 112 FTDMs were generated for 106 individuals. Minimum depth values ranged from 1.2 mm to 3.4 mm, indicating a common range of starting depths for most faces regardless of weight, as well as common locations for these values over the nasal bones, lateral orbital margins, and forehead superior to the supraorbital border. Maximum depths were found in the buccal region and neck, excluding the nose. Individuals with multiple scans at visibly diffferent weights presented the greatest diffferences within larger depth areas such as the cheeks and neck, with little to no diffference in the thinnest areas. A few individuals with minimum tissue depths at the lateral orbital margins and thicker tissues over the nasal bones (>3.0 mm) suggested the potential influence of nasal bone morphology on tissue depths. This study produced visual quantitative representations of the face and skull for forensic facial approximation research and practice that can be further analyzed or interacted with using free software. The presented tools can be applied to preexisting CT scans, traditional or cone beam, adult or subadult individuals, with or without landmarks, and regardless of head orientation, for forensic applications as well as for studies of facial variation and facial growth. In contrast with other facial mapping studies, this method produced both skull and face points based on replicable geometric relationships, producing multiple data outputs that are easily readable with software that is openly accessible.


The Spanish American War of 1898 is often viewed as a disjointed series of colorful episodes; young Americans who would later become famous, fighting a Spanish colonial army putting up a token resistance. Military commentator and historian Albert A. Nofi presents the war as a coherent military narrative, showing the confluence of the American command's Civil War experience and recent developments in technology. Serious attention is also given to the Spanish forces, the army of an empire in decline, but well-equipped and tactically sophisticated. Detailed coverage is given of both American and Spanish aims, assumptions and strategy. The author's colorful narrative is supplemented by 50 illustrations, most of which have not appeared in print since the era of the war. Specially commissioned maps highlight the most tactically significant land and naval engagements, such as the Spanish defense of El Caney and the Spanish fleet's dramatic but futile attempt to break out of Santiago harbor. Military operations are placed in the context of a growing American nation in a wider world, 35 years after the Civil War. The Spanish American War features a detailed treatment of the war in Puerto Rico. This theater was under the command of Indian fighter Nelson A. Miles and included some of the best tactical maneuvering of the war. The Puerto Rican aspect has not been covered in detail in modern works. Albert Nofi has made use of works covering the Spanish that have not been widely used in English-language works, as well as American eyewitness accounts that have not been examined in nearly a century.


Cognitive poetics is a movement in literary theory that researches the cognitive processes involved in understanding literary texts. Mostly, this research results in models of how processes of comprehension work in the minds of human beings. This chapter investigates the relationship of text understanding with the formation of knowledge on the basis of narrative fiction. The central question addressed is which cognitive processes of text understanding are involved in and contribute to the formation of knowledge about an extra-literary field on the basis of narrative fiction. Two tutor texts that enable an especially fruitful discussion of this question in the exemplary field of knowledge of cognition are David Lodge's novel Thinks… (2001) and Richard Powers's novel Galatea 2.2 (1995).


The human brain has a remarkable ability to generate plans for sequences of actions that allow human agents to co-operate with and to manipulate the behaviour of others. It is widely claimed that the operations underlying plan developments, behaviour sequencing and inhibition of inappropriate responses to the environment are carried out in the prefrontal cortex. This implies that the prefrontal cortex is a natural system with the capacity to utilise cognitive technology. The present paper argues that social competence is a manifestation of action planning in which other agents feature as plan elements. Accordingly, plans that involve other agents are expected to be more complex than plans which do not. In the light of evidence that negative information makes particularly heavy processing demands, social judgements involving prohibition or unacceptability are expected to create most difficulty for the human action planning system. These assumptions were tested by measuring the ability of patients with prefrontal injuries to detect anomalous action sequences, using a specially constructed Action Acceptability Test. It was hypothesised that if the frontal lobes play a major role in action planning, patients with frontal lobe injuries should show impaired ability to detect faulty action plans, particularly when such plans relate to complex social action sequences, and action sequences involving unacceptable behaviours. The hypotheses were generally supported as frontal-injury patients proved to be worse at detecting both complex social sequences and deviant action sequences than participants with non-frontal injuries and normal control participants. The results of the study are consistent with the view that human social competence results from the cognitive processes associated with action planning and the data also supports the claim that action planning processes are specifically disrupted by damage to the prefrontal cortex. The findings provide some confirmation for the Cognitive Technology perspective, in that action planning does seem to be physically associated with a specific brain area, and including social agents and deviations from acceptability in action plans do seem to be manipulations that operate to make action plans more difficult to process, hence causing more errors in individuals with damage to the prefrontal cortex. The results also provide some encouragement for the belief that new cognitive tools can be constructed that link brain processes to other levels of description, such as social behaviour. The Action Acceptability Test, a prognostic tool developed to predict the social competence of frontal-injury patients, is offered as one such example.


Despite a rapid worldwide expansion of the biofuel industry, there is a lack of consensus within the scientific community about the potential of biofuels to reduce reliance on petroleum and decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although life cycle assessment provides a means to quantify these potential benefits and environmental impacts, existing methods limit direct comparison within and between different biofuel systems because of inconsistencies in performance metrics, system boundaries, and underlying parameter values. There is a critical need for standardized life-cycle methods, metrics, and tools to evaluate biofuel systems based on performance of feedstock production and biofuel conversion at regional or national scales, as well as for estimating the net GHG mitigation of an individual biofuel production system to accommodate impending GHG-intensity regulations and GHG emissions trading. Predicting the performance of emerging biofuel systems (e.g., switchgrass cellulosic ethanol) poses additional challenges for life cycle assessment due to lack of commercial-scale feedstock production and conversion systems. Continued political support for the biofuel industry will be influenced by public perceptions of the contributions of biofuel systems towards mitigation of GHG emissions and reducing dependence on petroleum for transportation fuels. Standardization of key performance metrics such as GHG emissions mitigation and net energy yield are essential to help inform both public perceptions and public policy.


What do you do when your squeaky new Microsoft operating system doesn't work? You moan and complain and get personal about Bill Gates's haircut while you wait for Microsoft to figure it out and issue a fix in a hefty service pack in a year or so. Or youi¾ could take the smart way out and use this definitive troubleshooting book that will cure your illin' Vista PC in no time flat.This book exposes the flaws and nuances of Vista and teaches you how to work with its quirky personality and fix the problems you have with it so you can get back to your regularly scheduled life. Microsoft Windows Vista Help Desk digs deep inside the operating system to unveil expert-level tools and techniques. It offers a step-by-step, head-patting, hand-holding experience on how to use Vista as if you are a trained professional. This book covers hiccups, coughs, crashes, blue screens, reboots, system failures, malware infections, and other forehead-aching issues that make happy users clench their fists and profane the good name of the sweet and kind geeks in Redmond, Washington.Andy Walker is one of North America's top technology journalists and is the author of Que's Absolute Beginner's Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware & Viruses. Since 1995, he has written about technology for dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites. His personal technology advice column was syndicated across Canada and today it is published at Cyberwalker.com, where millions read the advice annually. He hosted the internationally syndicated TV show Call for Help with Leo Laporte and now he is the star of his own DVD series at GettingStartedVideo.com. He also co-hosts Lab Rats (labrats.tv), a massively popular video podcast. Andy was born in the UK and now lives in Toronto with two cats and a finely tuned Vista computer. Troubleshoot your Vista PC every inch of the wayi¾–including Internet problems, printing problems, network problems, and user interface problems Use the troubleshooting flowcharts to step your way through a problem to find the right solution Designed for home users, cubicle dwellers, and students everywhere Quickly sort through complex problems to determine whether Vista, your hardware, or a random piece of software is the culprit Track down and eradicate viruses, spyware, and other Internet nasties Deal with annoying networking issues that have brought your wireless network to its knees Set up and troubleshoot multiple user accounts so that you, your spouse, your kids, and even the family pooch can share the same PCCategory: Microsoft Operating SystemCovers:i¾ i¾ i¾ Microsoft Windows VistaUser Level:i¾ i¾ i¾ Beginningi¾–Intermediate


"Searching for Dark Matter with Cosmic Gamma Rays" summarizes the evidence for dark matter and what we can learn about its particle nature using cosmic gamma rays. It has almost been 100 years since Fritz Zwicky first detected hints that most of the matter in the Universe that doesn't directly emit or reflect light. Since then, the observational evidence for dark matter has continued to grow. Dark matter may be a new kind of particle that is governed by physics beyond our Standard Model of particle physics. In many models, dark matter annihilation or decay produces gamma rays. There are a variety of instruments observing the gamma-ray sky from tens of MeV to hundreds of TeV. Some make deep, focused observations of small regions, while others provide coverage of the entire sky. Each experiment offers complementary sensitivity to dark matter searches in a variety of target sizes, locations, and dark matter mass scales. We review results from recent gamma-ray experiments including anomalies some have attributed to dark matter. We also discuss how our gamma-ray observations complement other dark matter searches and the prospects for future experiments.


Author(s): Schmid, Kendra K | Abstract: One of the challenges of teaching is engaging students in a subject they may not see as relevant to them. This issue is especially prevalent when teaching statistics to health science students as many do not consider statistics an important piece of their medical training. Additional difficulty is presented when teaching courses via distance technology or courses that are partially or completely online as the valuable class discussion component is lost. This paper focuses on fostering "discussion" about statistical concepts and how they relate to each student on an individual level. This paper describes the online discussion board as a tool incorporated to supplement classroom activities and not as one to be limited to the online class. Two activities where the discussion board can be utilized are described: one where students participate in a series of guided discussions through instructor provided, thought-provoking questions and another where students critique an article related to their field of study and post for discussion. The objectives are to enhance knowledge, develop critical thinking, gain an appreciation of how statistics is used in different fields, and provide opportunities for discussion outside the classroom. Students are able to discuss issues with classmates who can be in the classroom or abroad using a virtual environment. This approach has been successfully used in both purely online classes and in large graduate level biostatistics classes including both synchronous and asynchronous distance learners.


Abstract:South Korea (hereafter Korea) is following global trends as it slides toward a "democratic depression." Both the spirit of democracy and actual liberal-democratic standards are under attack. The symptoms of democratic decline are increasingly hard to miss, and they are appearing in many corners of Korean society, the hallmarks of zero-sum politics in which opponents are demonized, democratic norms are eroded, and political life grows ever more polarized. Unlike in countries where far-right elements play on populist sentiments, in Korea these aggressive and illiberal measures are the work of a leftist government. Disturbingly, the key figures in Korea's democratic backsliding are former prodemocracy activists who have now risen to become a new power elite.


Formerly in England as well as in Holland and in pre-Union days a notary had much more varied kinds of work than in the present day, the reason being that any kind of deed had to be drawn notarially in those days. In many respects, however, the law in regard to this has since been changed and many underhand or non-notarial deeds - e.g. wills - are now accepted when formerly a notarial deed was absolutely necessary.


With the competition in the games market focus is placed on entertaining the user for the sale of their products. This brings entertainment to the safe environment of the home. To play these games the user needs to use a keyboard and mouse.

For somebody without finger dexterity and limited arm movement, pressing keys on the keyboard is impossible without pressing other keys at the same time. The mouse is also impossible to use.

This project involves the design of a wireless controller made for an individual who has no finger dexterity, limited arm movement and has access to an optical head tracker to move the mouse cursor. The inputs are done by buttons and joysticks. The project requires careful design and testing to ensure the inputs can be operated by this individual.

The average time spent comfortably playing on the game controller was four hours. The delay coming from the controller was not noticeable for all the button presses. The processing time to do a key press by the controller was tested to be less than thirty two milliseconds. The battery that is in the controller will last for 16 hours of gameplay. The controller is mostly operated by the user so that less work is done by the carers. The only other method of playing games before the controller was to have a pointer glued into his splint. This could then be used to operate the mobile phone by using the pointer on the touch screen. The user found that computer gaming is more entertaining than playing games on a mobile phone.


Abstract : Rogue waves have presented unpredictable, dire hazards to mariners since the dawn of seafaring. Even in benign seas, isolated rogue waves can severely endanger ships and crews, even accounting for their disappearance. Better understanding of rogue wave generation will enhance safety of maritime operations. This study examines surface height data from wave resolving drifters (WRDs) deployed in groups of 30 50 in the Mouth of the Columbia River (MCR) during the peak of ebb tide in May and June of 2013. Over three separate collection days, effects of opposing currents and bathymetry on swell and wind waves were analyzed as WRDs headed to sea from the MCR. Wave significance was identified based on the local sea state within 1 km of the drifter location. Wave height histograms were calculated from regional wave ensembles and compared with the theoretical Rayleigh distribution of a narrow band, Gaussian wave field. Generally, wave height data in the MCR follow Rayleigh distribution well. Areas over shallower bathymetry of the MCR Bar and predominant waves from the west create intense sea state amplification and rogue wave occurrence, and right-tail deviation from the Rayleigh pdf. Isolated extreme waves and trains of large waves were observed on the Bar.


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Many important traits in plants, animals and humans are quantitative, and most such traits are generally believed to be affected by multiple genetic loci. Standard computational tools for mapping of quantitative traits (i.e. for finding Quantitative Trait Loci, QTL, in the genome) use linear regression models for relating the observed phenotypes to the genetic composition of individuals in an experimental population. Using these tools to simultaneously search for multiple QTL is computationally demanding. The main reason for this is the complex optimization landscape for the multidimensional global optimization problems that must be solved. This thesis describes parallel algorithms, implementations and tools for simultaneous mapping of several QTL. These new computational tools enable genetic analysis exploiting new classes of multidimensional statistical models, potentially resulting in interesting results in genetics. We first describe how the standard, brute-force algorithm for global optimization in QTL analysis is parallelized and implemented on a grid system. Then, we also present a parallelized version of the more elaborate global optimization algorithm DIRECT and show how this can be efficiently deployed and used on grid systems and other loosely-coupled architectures. The parallel DIRECT scheme is further developed to exploit both coarse-grained parallelism in grid systems or clusters as well as fine-grained, tightly-coupled parallelism in multi-core nodes. The results show that excellent speedup and performance can be archived on grid systems and clusters, even when using a tightly-coupled algorithm such as DIRECT. Finally, we provide two distinctly different front-ends for our code. One is a grid portal providing a graphical front-end suitable for novice users and standard forms of QTL analysis. The other is a prototype of an R-based grid-enabled problem solving environment. Both of these front-ends can, after some further refinement, be utilized by geneticists for performing multidimensional genetic analysis of quantitative traits on a regular basis.


During the 1850s, Thoreau increasingly engaged in participatory observation of nature. At the same time, he became increasingly radical in his political beliefs. These concurrent developments were closely related manifestations of an underlying trend of increasing commitment to a materialist understanding of the ecosocial world, of human society in nature. Walden is a transitional text; it articulates a materialist analysis of capitalist social relations and the moral effects of the market and competition, but it offers an idealist response, centered on individual self-reform, to that clearly drawn problem. Wild Fruits, the guide book Thoreau left in manuscript, offers a second answer to the same problem. Wild Fruits is an almanac with a communal subject, which focuses on collective experience of endemic New England plants that produce edible fruits. The book argues that commerce and private property limit access to the wild, alienating urbanites and the poor from fulfilling relationships with nature. In response, the book convokes a utopian democratic community, bound together by the collective devotional exercise of gathering and eating wild fruits. The book concludes with a call for collective direct action to protect tracts of wild land by holding them as "a common possession forever." ********** "Think of our life in nature--daily to be shown matter, to come in contact with it,--rocks, trees, wind on our cheeks! the solid earth! the actual world! the common sense. Contact! Contact! Who are we? where are we?" Thoreau's retrospective outburst about climbing Ktaadn is so etravagantly fractured that its argument can get lost. It begins with relaxed contemplation of the central Romantic idea, "our life in nature," and then descends rhythmically from the abstract to the concrete until it grounds that idea in the irreducible facticity, the thingness, of the planet. Having found a point d'appui, it rises again, the rhythm more insistent and confident now, opening outward from the actuality of the non-human "earth," to the materiality of the complete ecosocial "world," and finally to the patterns of human understanding that bind its communities. The climactic ejaculation--"Contact! Contact!"--occurs only now, with the thought that we live together not only with nature but with each other. We, people, and the earth, are in material fact a "we." (1) The movement of this soliloquy mirrors Thoreau's intellectual growth over the course of his adult life. Beginning in the thin atmosphere of Romantic idealism, with its sharp distinctions between spirit and matter, "man" and nature, he came over time to see the natural and social worlds as inseparably integrated and concrete. His thinking about natural and human history developed in parallel until, in his final years, he connected issues of environmental and social justice into a synthetic critique of the priorities of capitalism. Moreover, rather than remain satisfied with attempting to reform ideas, he began to experiment with strategies for intervening materially to change the society around him. In other words, he moved gradually away from Transcendental idealism and individualism, becoming not only the scientific ecologist we see in the late natural history manuscripts but increasingly a political radical as well, one who stressed the need to make ideas into tools for collectively transforming the existing ecosocial order. This essay begins by briefly surveying competing theories of Thoreau's ideas on the relations between mind and matter, and then turns to the critique of capitalism framed in the first chapter of Walden, showing that the recently published Wild Fruits proposes a second answer to the question of "Economy." Emerson famously scolded Thoreau for his habit of contradiction. And readers frequently encounter, as James McIntosh argues, "opposed attitudes vibrating against each other in the crucible of an essay, a poem, or a day's journal. …


Today's manufacturers are using a mechatronics-based approach to integrate the electronic, mechanical and software components of their increasingly complex products. Digital Prototyping allows disparate engineering teams to work from a single digital model, saving time and reducing errors throughout the design process. The Autodesk solution for Digital Prototyping enables manufacturers to achieve the full benefits of mechatronics product development.


Pollutant transport in overland flow over surfaces with spatially varying microtopography, roughness, and infiltration was investigated using the diffusion wave equation and transport rate-based equation. The finite volume method in space and an implicit backward difference scheme in time were employed in the numerical solution of the 2D governing equations. The developed model was first tested against an analytical solution and an experimental study involving overland flow and the associated pollutant transport, subsequently a series of numerical tests were carried out. Non-point source pollution was investigated under spatially varying microtopography, roughness, and infiltration. The simulation results showed that microtopography and roughness were the dominant factors causing significant spatial variations in solute concentration. When the spatially varying microtopography was replaced by a smooth surface, the result was an overestimation of the solute rate at the outlet of the upland. On the other hand, when the spatially varying roughness was replaced by the average roughness and spatially varying infiltration rate by the average infiltration rate, the pollutant discharge at the outlet of the upland was not significantly affected. The numerical results further showed that one cannot ignore the spatial variations of slope and roughness when investigating the local pollutant concentration distribution.


ABSTRACT Tourism destination planning and marketing are fundamentally place making actions intended to shape the image and imageability of a place. Place making is an innate human behavior, ranging from the organic and unplanned actions of individuals, defined here as 'place-making,' to planned and intentional global theming by governments and tourism authorities, defined here as 'placemaking.' Place-making and placemaking are ends on a continuum of options, with most places have a mix of local and global elements. These elements also range from the tangible (base in urban design) to the intangible (peoplescapes and imaginations). The tools of place making are essentially the same for both organic place-making and planned placemaking, but the intentions and outcomes can vary enormously. Tourism development, as an economic activity, almost always has a neoliberal planned placemaking agenda. Organic place-making emerges through individual agency, which if allowed to proceed, will make its imprint even in a heavily master planned tourism landscape. An understanding of place-making and placemaking gives insight into research questions on the political economy of tourism and the roles of hosts and guest in co-producing tourism places. Examining the elements of place making in a tourism landscape can more clearly identify how different worldview perspectives have contribute over time to the making of tourism places, and thereby assist in planning for the future development of destination communities.