The dengue virus (DENV) with its four unique serotypes is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito vector in tropical countries worldwide. All serotypes can cause illness ranging from asymptomatic, self-limiting flu, Dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). DHF and DSS are characterized by a sudden increase in vascular permeability due to a unique set of cytokines released by DENV-infected monocytes. The method by which DHF/DSS arises is largely accepted to be due to Antibody Dependent Enhancement (ADE) whereby upon secondary infection with a different serotype, the immune system generates non-neutralizing antibody-antigen complexes that permit a greater number of viruses to enter monocytes via Fc-receptors than DENV alone. These DENV-infected monocytes release cytokines resulting in DHF/DSS, the severe and life-threatening forms of the disease. Although the number of people that develop potentially fatal DHF/DSS is relatively small, the effect of all symptomatic DENV infections on Dengue endemic areas is impetus for the large-scale prevention of viral transmission. Given the serotype specific immunity to DENV infections and the possibility of ADEinduced DHF/DSS, prevention of DF is critical. There is currently no Dengue vaccine for the estimated 2.5 billion people at risk of infection; however vaccines under development are being designed to provide protective immunity against all four DENV serotypes to minimize the devastating consequences of ADEinduced DHF/DSS.


Abstract. Architectural barriers are physical elements that limit the freedom of movement and use of services of a person. The lack of accessibility is one of the physical barriers that most limit people with motor disabilities, as recognised by the World Health Organization. The work aims to identify the optimal methodology to map accessible ways and critical barriers, in order to produce cartographic support for people with motor disabilities. It should also be a tool that allows citizens to report barriers to public authority. The work is part of the ViaLibera?! project, which aims to apply the methodology in the Municipality 9 of the city of Milan. The project is founded by Fondazione di Comunit`a Milano; Politecnico di Milano is the scientific partner, while the other partners are associations that represent people with disabilities: Spazio Vita Niguarda Onlus, Ledha Milano and AUS Niguarda Onlus. The mapping elements of interest for the project were identified in collaboration with the other partners, also studying the state of the art. In the framework of Open Street Map, a comparison between different existing mapping techniques was done to select the optimal compromise between rigour and simplicity. In addition, the different techniques must be suitable for the chosen tagging scheme to map accessibility elements. The techniques analysed involve the use of paper maps, Field Papers, and street-level images or applications for smartphones. They are compared to identify the best one.


This essay is about a group of neo-Pentecostal evangelists who decided to represent their church in the New York Dance Parade, which they regarded as an opportunity to promote worship as the true purpose of art and engage in spiritual warfare. Their participation was predicated on a distinction between "performance" and "ministry," privileging the latter. I argue that upholding this distinction in the immersive context of a secular festival required a process of intensive ritualization, involving physical and spiritual preparations and symbolic boundary maintenance. I further argue that anthropological perspectives on such instances of public religion should seek to account for how ritual forms produce and are shaped by the effects of what I call proximation, a condition of "closeness" between categories of activity otherwise regarded as separate and autonomous (e.g., religion and the arts). The concept is a means to explore how religious ministries are influenced by ostensibly external factors and the need to manage them, and by the various opportunities, tensions, and moral associations that arise when ritual strategies evoke comparisons with secular genres and domains. The proximations of religion highlight the ethnographic significance of ideal-typical categories and spheres, including their potential to intersect, which is a byproduct of how they have been differentiated. [Christianity, ritual, performance, evangelicalism, secularism]


In this essay, I attempt to take seriously Schumpeter's perspective on competition as fundamentally about innovation. Drawing on literatures that concern themselves centrally with the patterns and processes of technological change, I focus on a set of issues very much on the present-day agenda: antitrust policy toward network industries in which technological standards are important. As both scholars and legal cases have suggested, one might logically view a set of standards as an "essential facility" a technological bottleneck for those who wish to connect to the network.. I attempt to define the limits of the standard price-theoretic account for understanding the problem of essential facilities and offer instead a perspective drawing on the theory property rights in a regime of innovation. Contrary to what is suggested by traditional economic analysis, I argue that, as a logical matter, refusals to deal by essential-facility monopolists are not always equivalent to the exercise of existing monopoly power through price, and there are good theoretical reasons for an essential facility doctrine to concern itself with refusals to deal even when it fails to touch other exercises of market power by a legally acquired monopoly. I introduce the concept of the scope of an essential facility, understood in analogy with a similar concept in the economics of patents, and suggest that the degree to which antitrust policy should concern itself with the ownership or control of a technical standard ought to be proportional to the scope of the standard. At the same time, however, a Schumpeterian perspective reminds us that, in a world of dynamic technological competition, even possession of a standard with wide scope may afford only temporary protection, and the winds of Schumpeterian creative destruction may be a better bulwark against monopoly than the cumbersome and interest-laden processes of antitrust law and policy. Nonetheless, the notion of the scope of a standard may prove useful in many cases, including those involving regulated (or formerly regulated) industries or involving tradeoffs in intellectual property rights.


Beet tops harvesting is a complex task of the sugar beet growing industry which forms the qualitative indicators of root crops during their further digging out from the soil and determines the loss of tops and sugar-bearing mass. In the development of theoretical foundations of the optimal tops cutting from heads of sugar beet root by different types of topping working bodies should take into account forces which act at the same time and the rational cutting height. Theoretical researches having been carried out hitherto concerned only the detailed analytical description of the functioning of the new designs of topping working bodies and practically did not concern the general provisions of the separation tops from the head of root crop. The aim of this study is the theoretical determination of the forces that occur at the contact point of cutting working body of topper machines with root crops head of sugar beet root crop. When carrying out theoretical studies are used the methods of mathematics, theoretical mechanics, strength of materials, methods of programming and numerical calculations on PC. As a result, of the theoretical research new analytical dependencies of force describing the processes of crumpling and subsequently cutting of sugar beet heads by topping working body, depending on the size and shape of root crops heads and design parameters of topper have been obtained. As a result, of numerical calculations on PC critical level value of penetration of the cutting element of topping working body into root crops head of sugar beet and maximum value of cutting force at which ejection of root vegetables from the soil doesn't take place, was defined. The obtained theoretical dependencies and values of normal reaction and cutting forces are the basis for the further working out of a mathematical model of dynamic interaction system of cutting working bodies with the heads of sugar beet.


1. The behaviour of A. gambiae and A. melas in houses is described in relation to possible use of pyrethrum and DDT. P yrethrum . 2. Mass spraying of isolated villages with pyrethrum in kerosene four times a week reduces the day-time catch of Anopheles to one-third. The sporozoite rate of mosquitos in sprayed villages remains much the same as before treatment. 3. Observations in experimental huts with window traps attached show that pyrethrum exerts a repellent effect on many hungry Anopheles for a day or two after spraying, provided blood meals can be obtained easily in adjacent untreated houses. 4. Where all available huts occupied by man are sprayed, there is no great repellence to hungry mosquitos, which continue to feed in large numbers even in huts sprayed every day. 5. In untreated huts about 20 per cent. of the blood-fed females leave the house at dawn after feeding. In huts sprayed daily the proportion increases to about 80 per cent. 6. The fall in the house catch in villages sprayed 4–6 times a week is not due to any great reduction in the mosquito population, but to a shift from indoor to outside resting places. 7. As intense house spraying with pyrethrum fails to bring about any substantial reduction either in the mosquito population or in their infectivity, it is not likely to be of great anti-malaria value in West Africa. DDT. 8. Mass spraying of village houses with 5 per cent. DDT in kerosene produces a dramatic fall in the day catch of resting Anopheles in houses. The catch remains very low for 4 weeks after treatment and it is still fairly low after 2 months. 9. Observations in experimental huts (fitted with window traps) treated with DDT in kerosene show that mosquitos may enter and feed within a few days of treatment. By the second week after treatment large numbers of Anopheles may feed every night in treated huts. 10. There is no evidence of mosquitos succumbing to the effects of DDT in kerosene inside the hut. Nearly all the Anopheles feeding in such huts leave after feeding and show no appreciable mortality in the following 48 hours. 11. The DDT in kerosene has a marked residual irritant effect on Anopheles , driving them out of the house after they have fed, and preventing mosquitos resting long enough on treated surfaces to absorb a lethal dose of DDT. 12. The few days complete protection from biting mosquitos which follows spraying inside the house with DDT in kerosene, is shown to be due mainly, if not entirely, to the repellent effect of the heavy dose of kerosene which accompanies the DDT. 13. Treatment of all rooms in an isolated village reduced the day catch to nil during 5 weeks after treatment. In outside resting places beside the village, bloodfed and gravid Anopheles , of which 2 per cent. had sporozoites in the salivary glands, Were taken regularly during this period. 14. The apparent elimination of mosquitos from houses following treatment of rooms with DDT in kerosene is due to a complete shift from inside to outside resting places, on account of the residual irritant, but not lethal, effect of DDT-in-kerosene treated surfaces. 15. The sharp fall in the house catch of Anopheles following treatment Of West African village houses with DDT in kerosene can not, therefore, be accepted as evidence of mosquito reduction or effective control.


Communications in a wireless network are susceptible to unauthorized traffic analysis by eavesdroppers. Although cryptography can protect the contents of communication, the transmission times of packets alone can reveal significant networking information such as source- destination pairs and routes of traffic flow. This article focuses on analytical approaches to anonymous networking for the prevention of information retrieval through packet timing analysis. In particular, an analytical measure for route anonymity is proposed using information theoretic equivocation. Based on the metric, provably anonymous countermeasures are described for wireless ad hoc and sensor networks, where traffic is subjected to strict constraints on medium access and latency. A key objective is to bridge a long standing gap between the information theoretic approach to secrecy in communication, and a more pragmatic approach of Chaum mixing used in anonymous systems on the Internet. The efficacy of the proposed approach is demonstrated using an orthogonal transmitter directed signaling network.


We present an analysis of the circumnuclear structure of NGC 1316 using both near-infrared imaging and stellar kinematics. 2D decomposition of the images suggests the presence of a structure that resembles inner gaseous spiral arms, at about 5–15 arcsec from the centre (≈500 to 1500 pc). We also find a disc-like stellar structure with radius less than 200 pc. Analysis of previously published SINFONI integral field kinematics data indicates a kinematically decoupled core in the same spatial scale, further evidence that indeed the nuclear stellar structure found is a kinematically cold stellar disc. We suggest that both newly found structural components are the result of a recent accretion of a companion galaxy.


Today anyone can purchase technology that can track, quantify, and measure the body and its environment. Wearable or portable sensors detect heart rates, glucose levels, steps taken, water quality, genomes, and microbiomes, and turn them into electronic data. Is this phenomenon empowering, or a new form of social control? Who volunteers to enumerate bodily experiences, and who is forced to do so? Who interprets the resulting data? How does all this affect the relationship between medical practice and self care, between scientific and lay knowledge? Quantified examines these and other issues that arise when biosensing technologies become part of everyday life. The book offers a range of perspectives, with views from the social sciences, cultural studies, journalism, industry, and the nonprofit world. The contributors consider data, personhood, and the urge to self-quantify; legal, commercial, and medical issues, including privacy, the outsourcing of medical advice, and self-tracking as a "paraclinical" practice; and technical concerns, including interoperability, sociotechnical calibration, alternative views of data, and new space for design.ContributorsMarc Bhlen, Geoffrey C. Bowker, Sophie Day, Anna de Paula Hanika, Deborah Estrin, Brittany Fiore-Gartland, Dana Greenfield, Judith Gregory, Mette Kragh-Furbo, Celia Lury, Adrian Mackenzie, Rajiv Mehta, Maggie Mort, Dawn Nafus, Gina Neff, Helen Nissenbaum, Heather Patterson, Celia Roberts, Jamie Sherman, Alex Taylor, Gary Wolf


Uterine prolapse refers to the uterus descending into the vaginal canal because of weakened pelvic floor muscles and overstretched ligaments. It can occur at any age, but most often affects post-menopausal women. Common causes of uterine prolapse include childbirth, surgery, menopause, aging, extreme physical activity, and heavy lifting. There is also a genetic component. Uterine prolapse can be categorized as incomplete or complete: Incomplete uterine prolapse refers to partial displacement of the uterus into the vagina without protrusion to the exterior; complete prolapse refers to the uterus protruding from the vaginal opening. The severity of uterine prolapse is graded by how far the uterus descends: Grade I refers to the uterus descending to the upper vagina; Grade II refers to the uterus descending to the introits; Grade III refers to the cervix descending outside of the introitus; in Grade IV, the cervix and uterus have both descended outside the introitus. Symptoms depend on the severity of the prolapse; however, most women have a feeling of fullness or heaviness in the pelvic area that often worsens when coughing, standing, or lifting. Other symptoms include lower back pain, urinary incontinence or retention, bulging in the vagina, and problems with sexual intercourse. Uterine prolapse is generally diagnosed during a pelvic examination. Treatment depends on the severity of the prolapse. Self-care measures include Kegel exercises, avoidance of heavy lifting, managing chronic cough, and treatment of constipation. These can reduce the risk of uterine prolapse and prevent it from worsening. Nevertheless, in severe cases, a vaginal pessary, reduction of the uterus to its normal position, or hysterectomy may be needed. Here, we present a patient with a severe case of uterine prolapse. A vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension and excision of redundant vaginal tissue was performed.


The (trivalent) lanthanides exhibit a common sequence of phases upon the application of pressure: hcp → dhcp → fcc → "distorted-fcc". The "distorted-fcc"' phase (d-fcc), observed in the light lanthanides is known to be related by geometric distortions to the fcc unit cell, yet the d-fcc phase has been reported to comprise of one or two structures, with no prevailing consensus as to the solution(s). This thesis contains a detailed study of the d-fcc phase of the light lanthanides Pr and Nd. High-pressure angle-dispersive powder-diffraction techniques were employed to systematically study the phases adopted by Pr (up to 25GPa) and Nd (up to 44GPa). Particular attention was paid to solving the d-fcc of each of these elements, the structure of which is very unclear in published work. In Pr, the d-fcc between 7 and 20GPa is shown to comprise of two phases, the solutions of which are shown to be hR24 (R3m) and oC16 (Ibam) for the regions 7-14GPa and 14-20GPa, respectively. The pressuredependence of each of these structures over their stability range is presented. Revisions to previously-published volume vs. pressure data are made, with a different value for the volume collapse at the 4f electron delocalisation transition reported. Similarly, the d-fcc phase of Nd, stable over the pressure range 16-40GPa, is studied in detail. Nd differs from Pr by undergoing a further transition, to a hP3 (P63) structure, on pressurisation above 40GPa, before transforming to a α-Uranium phase. The distorted-fcc phase is shown, like that of Pr, to comprise of two phases, hR24 (R3m) and oC16 (Ibam) for the pressure regions 16-26GPa and 26-40GPa, respectively. Data on Nd are presented up to the maximum pressure achieved, 44GPa. Data from a preliminary study of La are also presented, along with a brief report on attempts to prepare a single crystal of Pr within a diamond anvil cell, by laser annealing of a powder of Pr.


Well-known as a brilliant general and politician, Julius Caesar also played a fundamental role in the formation of the Latin literary language and remains a central figure in the history of Latin literature. With twenty-three chapters written by renowned scholars, this Companion provides an accessible introduction to Caesar as an intellectual along with a scholarly assessment of his multiple literary accomplishments and new insights into their literary value. The Commentarii and Caesar's lost works are presented in their historical and literary context. The various chapters explore their main features, the connection between literature, state religion and politics, Caesar's debt to previous Greek and Latin authors, and his legacy within and outside of Latin literature. The innovative volume will be of great value to all students and scholars of Latin literature and to those seeking a more rounded portrait of the achievements of Julius Caesar.


We investigate a new problem of detecting hands and recognizing their physical contact state in unconstrained conditions. This is a challenging inference task given the need to reason beyond the local appearance of hands. The lack of training annotations indicating which object or parts of an object the hand is in contact with further complicates the task. We propose a novel convolutional network based on Mask-RCNN that can jointly learn to localize hands and predict their physical contact to address this problem. The network uses outputs from another object detector to obtain locations of objects present in the scene. It uses these outputs and hand locations to recognize the hand's contact state using two attention mechanisms. The first attention mechanism is based on the hand and a region's affinity, enclosing the hand and the object, and densely pools features from this region to the hand region. The second attention module adaptively selects salient features from this plausible region of contact. To develop and evaluate our method's performance, we introduce a large-scale dataset called ContactHands, containing unconstrained images annotated with hand locations and contact states. The proposed network, including the parameters of attention modules, is end-to-end trainable. This network achieves approximately 7\% relative improvement over a baseline network that was built on the vanilla Mask-RCNN architecture and trained for recognizing hand contact states.


A picosecond flat-top pulse shaper using an abrupt taper interferometer is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. A theoretical model based on coupled mode equations is also derived to simulate the propagation of picosecond pulses through the abrupt taper interferometer. Through properly designing the abrupt taper interferometer, a 3.8-ps flat-top pulse with less than 4% ripple is successfully generated from a 2.2-ps Gaussian pulse. The proposed technique can also be used in the sub-picosecond regime.


In this document, we classify concepts, terminology and notations with respect to their usability in IOI competition tasks. We distinguish three usability classes: basic knowledge (can be used without further ado), to-be-defined (can be used, bu tm ust be defined explicitly), and to-be-avoided (must not be used). The classification primarily concerns the use in task descriptions, which are presented to contestants at the beginning of the competition. But it also concerns solutions handed out after the competition. This classification can benefit both organizers and participants in their preperations for an IOI competition. Status: Content to be discussed; not approved for official use.


To ensure equal access to high quality education, the global expansion of universal basic education has included accountability measures in the form of academic tests. Presently the majority of countries participate in national testing; however, the past two decades have seen a substantial shift in test characteristics and aims. This article investigates the global transformation toward testing for accountability, where intentional or unintentional positive or negative consequences are applied to educators (teachers and administrators) based on their student's test scores, in light of the emerging global culture, identified by World Culture theorists. Elements of the world culture – including the expansion of western education models, an emphasis on academic intelligence, faith in science as a rational path to truth, and the decentralization of authority to the local level – justify the establishment of testing for accountability systems. Descriptive evidence from regional and international datasets, such as PISA, PIRLS, and TIMSS, illustrate the speed at which this transformation occurs. The  convergence of countries toward testing for accountability and its position as an increasingly normative policy lever is illustrated in brief vignettes from the diverse systems of Hungary, Mexico, and South Korea. As testing for accountability becomes embedded in the world culture as a legitimate tool for education reform it is less prone to critical reflection. If the potential benefits and concerns of testing for accountability, outlined in this article, are not thoughtfully evaluated this global transformation will lead to a testing culture that is internalized as normative and adopted as individual values.


Quantum information is a promising new paradigm for fast computations that can provide substantial speedups for many algorithms we use today. Among them, quantum machine learning is one of the most exciting applications of quantum computers. In this paper, we introduce q-means, a new quantum algorithm for clustering. It is a quantum version of a robust k-means algorithm, with similar convergence and precision guarantees. We also design a method to pick the initial centroids equivalent to the classical k-means++ method. Our algorithm provides currently an exponential speedup in the number of points of the dataset, compared to the classical k-means algorithm. We also detail the running time of q-means when applied to well-clusterable datasets. We provide a detailed runtime analysis and numerical simulations for specific datasets. Along with the algorithm, the theorems and tools introduced in this paper can be reused for various applications in quantum machine learning.


Today there is an enormous gender disparity among collegiate head coaches and athletic administrators in the United States. Women fill less than a quarter of head coach and athletic director positions in college athletics and are even minorities among coaches of women's teams. Few other professions are as impervious to gender integration. Leadership in college athletics is, in the words of one scholar, one of the "few male bastions remaining," which raises the question: Why are women so starkly underrepresented in leadership positions within college athletics? There is no easy answer, but rather a variety of factors that exclude, deter, or cause an early exit for women who would have otherwise pursued careers in college athletics. After presenting the demographics of leadership in college athletics to illustrate this gender disparity, this Chapter considers the unique barriers women face when seeking entry to the profession, the ways in which athletic departments operate to constrain women's advancement and retention in their jobs, and the combined effect of these and other factors on women's interest and motivation to pursue or remain in leadership positions in college athletics.


This article explores the contentious position of improvisation in the contemporary Baroque music revival. Paradoxically, historical performers aim to obey the composer's intentions by paying careful attention to the written instructions of the musical score yet they also seek to recreate the performative conventions—and freedoms—of an earlier era. The performance practice literature, the recording industry, and the conservatory education of historical performers reinforce a text-centered approach to music that is antithetical to spontaneous creativity. While in-depth understanding of Baroque performing conventions and repertoire is important, greater rapprochement with living improvisatory traditions might result in more liberatory performances of early music.


This guide is a reference book that provides a comprehensive view of all aspects of the cotton value chain from a market perspective, and an overview of the world cotton market. It outlines factors influencing supply and demand, and market trends; considers major issues of the sector, including trade policy and WTO issues; deals with textile processing of cotton, cotton quality and its determinants, and cotton contamination; covers various aspects of cotton trading and export marketing; looks at e-commerce, the ICE Futures U.S. and other futures markets for cotton; reviews the market for different types of cotton, including organic cotton; and, presents market profiles of the main importing countries in Asia (Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand) and Turkey, with recommendations on how to approach their cotton-consuming textile industries. Annexes contain a list of international cotton associations, as well as lists of useful addresses and web resources.


Background Cardiovascular diseases are associated with disturbances in calcium metabolism, including increased urinary calcium, vitamin D insufficiency, and decreased bone mineral density. Antihypertensive drugs may increase the risk of falling. However, risk of fracture in patients treated with non-diuretic cardiovascular drugs is largely unknown. Aim We investigated associations between fracture risk and treatment with commonly used cardiovascular drugs: beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium-channel blockers. Design A population-based pharmaco-epidemiological case–control study with fracture in year 2000 as outcome and drug use during the previous 5 years as exposure. We used nationwide computerized registers to assess individual use of drugs and related these data to individual fracture records and information on socio-economic and health-related confounders. Results We included 124 655 cases that sustained a fracture and 373 962 age and gender-matched controls. After adjustment for potential confounders, risk of any fracture was reduced by 9% [odds ratio (OR) 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.88–0.93] in users of beta-blockers, by 6% (OR, 0.94; 95%CI, 0.91–0.96) in users of calcium-channel blockers, and by 7% (OR, 0.93; 95%CI, 0.90–0.96) in users of ACE inhibitors. Moreover, risk of hip fractures was reduced significantly by 7–14% in users of the three groups of drugs. No major differences were found between men and women or in subjects younger or older than 70 years of age. Sub-analyses indicated differences between groups of calcium-channel blockers, as use of non-dihydropyridine drugs was associated with a larger risk reduction than use of dihydropyridine drugs. Conclusion Treatment with beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and calcium-channel blockers is associated with a small but significantly reduced risk of fracture.


Impacts and Insights of Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal offers a practical perspective on disaster risk management using lessons learned and considerations from the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal, which was the worst disaster to hit Nepal since the 1934 Nepal?Bihar earthquake. Using a holistic approach to examine seismicity, risk perception and intervention, the book serves as a detailed case study to improve disaster resilience globally, including social, technical, governmental and institutional risk perception, as well as scientific understanding of earthquake disasters. Covering the details of the Gorkha earthquake, including damage mapping and recovery tactics, the book offers valuable insights into ways forward for seismologists, earthquake researchers and engineers and policy-makers.Includes the latest status of seismic risk, risk perception, to-date interventions and historical scenarios in NepalExamines details of Gorkha earthquake, including geo-seismicity, damage statistics, casualties, effect on cultural heritage, gender-risk mechanics, case studies of social institutions, urban-risk mechanics, rural-risk mechanics, resilience dimensions, social institutions in risk management, stories of resilience and failures and a critical review of efficacy of interventions in risk mitigationOffers future insights and ways forward in terms of risk reduction studies, socio-cultural dimensions of risk management, scientific intervention and policy making, implementation of existing frameworks and endorsement of resilient practices for NepalIncludes damage mapping in all affected areas


The widely distributed Australian desid spider genus, Phryganoporus Simon, is taxonomically reviewed and validated. Phryganoporus nigrinus is removed from synonymy with P. candidus, while Amaurobius gausapatus, P. g. occidentalis and P. tubicola are synonyms of P. candidus. The species recognised here belong to two clades, ( P. candidus (L. Koch), Phryganoporus vandiemeni (Gray) n.comb.) and (P. nigrinus Simon, P. davidleei n.sp., P. melanopygus n.sp.). These clades are distinguished by the possession of a divided or entire cribellum and genitalic characters. Distribution maps and notes on relationships are given.


Traditional models for developing and managing corporate portfolios are based on financial frameworks, business synergies or leveraging core competencies into related businesses. In this article, the author goes beyond those traditional approaches and offers an alternative ? the corporate sphere of influence. Like nations, says the author, companies build spheres of influence that protect their cores, project their power outward to weaken rivals and prepare the way for future moves. By recognizing the strategic purpose of each part of the portfolio, the sphere of influence model focuses attention on the company's overall strategy, including how it wants to structure the division of product and geographic markets in an industry, which threats it will address or ignore, and how the company's portfolio enhances or detracts from its competitive or alliance strategy.

Thinking in terms of building a sphere of influence forces managers to draw together corporate- and business-level strategic analyses that are often treated as separate. The corporate-level concern about where to fight and the business-level concern about with whom and how to fight are brought together into a coherent view.

In this article, the author defines the components of a sphere of influence and explains how senior executives can use his framework to assess their company's current sphere and map their desired one. Then he offers examples of how companies have managed their spheres.

He draws examples from a wide range of industries and companies, including Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Anheuser-Busch, Nokia, Harley-Davidson and Mexican cement company CEMEX.


Humor that takes as its comedic object the beliefs, practices, and culture of Christianity has flourished in the digital age via journalistic satire, video sharing, and social network websites. Theory of the comic's use as a moderator between the sacred and the profane provide by Conrad Hyers, and the carnivalesque literary theory of Mikhail Bakhtin, reminds us that humor made at the expense of elements of Christian doctrine and culture can serve to reify and strengthen Christianity in the United States, a conclusion justified by textual analysis of three websites featuring this material. The analysis supports that an essential rule for successfully blending humor and religion together is to avoid directly leveling the humor at God or at Christianity as a valid religion but rather restricting the ludic treatment to church practices, church culture, and individual behavior. Comments made by readers reveal that a majority approve of the ludic turn, but vehement dissent shows a strong tension between the ludic and the presupposition that religion must remain sacrosanct and solemn. The specific mechanisms that lead from humor at the expense of Christianity to bolstering of Christian belief include inducing humility, providing reflection on one's beliefs and attitudes, offering corrective (termed parabolic) lessons regarding sin and folly, boosting the salience of Christian practices and beliefs, inoculation, and a negative reaction to perceived sacrilege that inspires recommittment to core beliefs. Christian humor is increasingly available and popular, and is fast becoming a constructive alternative mode through which Christians can address, explore, and consider their faith. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Communication First Advisor John L. Jackson


Improvements in the luminous efficiency of outdoor lamps might not result in energy savings or reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The reason for this is a rebound effect: when light becomes cheaper, many users will increase illumination, and some previously unlit areas may become lit. We present three policy recommendations that work together to guarantee major energy reductions in street lighting systems. First, taking advantage of new technologies to use light only when and where it is needed. Second, defining maximum permitted illuminances for roadway lighting. Third, defining street lighting system efficiency in terms of kilowatt hours per kilometer per year. Adoption of these policies would not only save energy, but would greatly reduce the amount of light pollution produced by cities. The goal of lighting policy should be to provide the light needed for any given task while minimizing both the energy use and negative environmental side effects of the light.


This paper presents, first, a critique of the response of the literature in public administration to the enormous tragedy of 9/11/01. That literature—more accurately, a proxy that was selected for that literature—reflects several flaws. Public administration's focus, the paper suggests, is narrow and rigid, it tends not to generate creative frameworks with which to view a significantly changed policy environment. It continues, instead, to be fascinated with policies as they are handed down and reveals no curiosity about the pressures that shape them. In its response to 9/11, it remains largely concerned with the description of how public agencies reacted to that tragedy and presentation of thoughtful proposals for organizational coordination that might improve performance and produce better results at a lower cost in the future. Second, the paper provides alternative ways of interpreting the tragedy of 9/11. The motivations of terrorists that the dominant view expresses, and public administration literature accepts, may not be definitively known for some time. It is possible that they were neither impressed by American material goods nor its political freedoms, but infuriated by its accumulated record of foreign interventions. The paper identifies the consequences of this and other alternative interpretations for public administration. And, third, the paper reveals that, with the exception of one article, the treatment of civil liberties in recent public administration literature leaves a lot to be desired. It is remarkably abstract and distant, and the minority whose civil liberties were most threatened remains virtually invisible.


Bank stability and trust levels have been seriously affected by the 2007–2008 Global Financial Crisis, which led to the identification of a range of policies based on past experience intended to overcome the consequences of the crisis. The idea of cryptocurrency was introduced to handle the mistrust of financial intermediaries that led to the liquidity crisis. This study investigates whether the new cryptocurrencies have been able to perform the functions of financial intermediaries and offer the confidence level required by bank depositors, examining their long-run effect on banks' deposit mobilization. The study applies a cointegration test analysis with a vector error correction model to examine this relationship. Overall results indicate that in the countries studied increases in the market capitalization of the cryptocurrency industry have a significant negative impact on banks' deposit variability, while decreases have a positive impact, with a long-run equilibrium relationship. The outcomes of the study suggest that in order to regain the trust of depositors and avoid the effects of the cryptocurrency industry, banks should be encouraged to invest directly in cryptocurrency or should consider cryptocurrencies as an alternative investment asset for their portfolio investment diversification strategies during bullish market conditions and avoid them during bearish market conditions. Also, banks can incorporate blockchain technology into their operation system and compete with the cryptocurrency industry side by side in the financial market. If neither of these options is taken, however, the banking system may not be able to compete and sustain in the long term using the current operational model. The outcomes of this study can be used as policy guidance by central banks and the banking industry for the betterment of the industry. TOPICS: Financial crises and financial market history, real assets/alternative investments/private equity, statistical methods, portfolio construction


Background: Hyponatremia is a common complication occurring in one third of patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). One mechanism that likely mediates the development of hyponatremia in SAH is cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS), which induces natriuresis and reduces total blood volume, resulting in a risk of symptomatic vasospasm (SVS). The mineral corticoid fludrocortisone acetate enhances sodium reabsorption in the renal distal tubules and may help prevent post-SAH hyponatremia. However, management with fludrocortisone acetate is ineffective if hyponatremia is advanced, because CSWS and subsequent SVS develop rapidly. Therefore, an additional earlier marker is required to predict the development of hyponatremia for the initiation of immediate treatment in select patients. However, no conclusive evidence exists showing that hyponatremia influences the risk of SVS, and no standard treatment protocol exists for treating hyponatremia in patients with SAH. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether selective early treatment of hyponatremia prevents SVS in patients with increased urinary sodium excretion in the early phase following SAH. Methods: A total of 103 patients with aneurysmal SAH were managed for a postoperative electrolyte disorder after aneurysmal clipping or coil embolization. Between 2004 and 2007 (period 1), 54 patients started treatment to correct the electrolyte disorder after hyponatremia had occurred. Between 2007 and 2011 (period 2), 49 patients were prospectively subjected to sodium replacement treatment according to their daily sodium balance, and inhibition of natriuresis with fludrocortisone acetate was initiated just after an increase in urinary sodium excretion >300 mEq/day. The occurrence of hyponatremia, SVS, and outcomes were compared between the two periods. Results: Hyponatremia was observed in 14 patients (26%) in period 1 and 7 patients (14%) in period 2. The incidence of fludrocortisone acetate administration was significantly higher, and initiation of electrolyte correction was significantly earlier, in period 2 patients. We observed a significant difference in the frequency of SVS, which occurred in 10 patients (18.5%) in period 1 and 3 patients (6.1%) in period 2. Both urinary sodium excretion and urine volume at day 7 were significantly different between the two periods. However, no significant difference was observed in overall outcome between the two periods. Conclusions: Early inhibition of natriuresis with fludrocortisone acetate before the occurrence of hyponatremia prevented SVS after aneurysmal SAH. Increased urinary sodium excretion in the early phase of SAH is a good indicator for the initiation of electrolyte correction with fludrocortisone acetate.


The supply and management of fresh water for the world's billions of inhabitants is likely to be one of the most daunting challenges of the 21st century. For countries that share river basins with others, questions of how best to use and protect precious water resources always become entangled in complex political, legal, environmental, and economic considerations. This text focuses on the issues that face all international river basins by examining in detail the Nile Basin and the ten countries that lay claim to its waters. John Waterbury applies collective action theory and international relations theory to the challenges of the ten Nile nations. Confronting issues ranging from food security and famine prevention to political stability, these countries have yet to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of how to manage the Nile's resources. Waterbury proposes a series of steps leading to the formulation of environmentally sound policies and regulations by individual states, the establishment of accords among groups of states, and the critical participation of third-party sources of funding like the World Bank. He concludes that if there is to be a solution to the dilemmas of the Nile Basin countries, it must be based upon contractual understandings, brokered by third-party funders, and based on the national interests of each basin state.


This study compared the extraction efficiency of 3 different techniques, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwaveassisted extraction (MAE), and the classical extraction method, in obtaining some bioactive and allergen compounds, namely liquiritin (LQ), glycyrrhizin (GL), glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), and carbenoxolone (CBX), from liquorice samples of Glycyrrhiza glabra grown in Turkey. Extraction parameters for each technique were optimised by the response surface methodology-central composite design approach. Concentrations of LQ, GL, GA, and CBX, which were selected as the responses of selected independent variables, were determined by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry. One-way variance analysis was performed to evaluate the significance of the results. MAE was revealed as the most effective technique for extracting LQ (mean: 8.52 mg g-1), GL (mean: 76.65 mg g-1), and GA (mean: 1138.84 μg g-1) from liquorice, while the classical technique was the most effective for obtaining CBX (mean: 5.75 μg g-1).


A Foucauldian discourse analysis of Canadian immigration policies and state practices reveals the ableist foundations of the Canadian nation-state. Throughout much of Canadian history, people with disabilities have been excluded through the immigration system. People with disabilities are often times prohibited from obtaining legal status, and even when status is obtained, it is often marked with precariousness. In order to contextualize ableism in the immigration system, I argue that borders are socially constructed, serving to segregate the labour market and to create precarious circumstances for workers in the contexts of capitalism and neoliberalism. These foundations of the Canadian immigration system, which have existed throughout Canada's history and can be seen in today's policies, serve to pathologize, playing a major role in the marking of bodies as disabled. Furthermore, immigration policies construct people with disabilities as societal burdens who are unable to contribute to the community.

Keywords: Ableism, immigration, racism, deportation, excessive demand, pathologization


Decades of atmospheric research have focused on the Western North Atlantic Ocean (WNAO) region because of its unique location that offers accessibility for airborne and ship measurements, gradients in important atmospheric parameters, and a range of meteorological regimes leading to diverse conditions that are poorly understood. This work reviews these scientific investigations for the WNAO region, including the East Coast of North America and the island of Bermuda. Over 50 field campaigns and long‐term monitoring programs, in addition to 715 peer‐reviewed publications between 1946 and 2019, have provided a firm foundation of knowledge for these areas. Of particular importance in this region has been extensive work at the island of Bermuda that is host to important time series records of oceanic and atmospheric variables. Our review categorizes WNAO atmospheric research into eight major categories, with some studies fitting into multiple categories (relative %): aerosols (25%); gases (24%); development/validation of techniques, models, and retrievals (18%); meteorology and transport (9%); air‐sea interactions (8%); clouds/storms (8%); atmospheric deposition (7%); and aerosol‐cloud interactions (2%). Recommendations for future research are provided in the categories highlighted above.


Here we present reflectivity measurements of long throw sputtered aluminum coatings at normal and oblique incidence angles on glass test chips. Experimental results indicate that water vapor partial pressure, not incident angle, is the dominant factor for front surface reflectivity of sputtered aluminum. These results highlight the importance of water vapor pumping in telescope mirror coating vacuum chambers and indicate that long-throw sputtering is an economical and reliable technique for producing high uniformity, high reflectivity mirror coatings across large substrates.


An Internet-based Document Delivery Service (DDS) has been developed within the framework of the CNR ( the Italian Research National Council) Project BiblioMIME, in order to take advantage of new Internet technologies and promote cooperation among CNR and Italian university libraries. Adopting such technologies changes the traditional organisation of DDS and may drastically reduce costs and delivery times.
An information system managing DDS requests and monitoring the temporal evolution of the service has been implemented, running on the local-area network of a test-site library. It aims to track number and types of documents requested and received, user distribution, delivery times and types (surface mail, fax, Internet), to automate repetitive manual procedures and to deal with the various accounting methods used by other libraries. Transmission of documents is carried out by means of an e-mail/Web gateway system supporting document exchange via Internet, which assists receiving libraries in retrieving requested documents.
This paper describes the architecture and main design features of the e-mail/Web gateway server (the BiblioMime server). This approach permits librarians to continue using e-mail service to send large documents, while resolving problems that users may encounter when downloading large size files with e-mail agents. The library operator sends the document as an attachment to the destination address; on fly the e-mail server extracts and saves the attachments in a web-server disk file and substitutes them with a new message part that includes an URL pointing to the saved document. The receiver can download these large objects by means of a user-friendly browser.
We further discuss the data gathered during the triennium 1998-2000; this consists of about 5,000 DDS transactions per annum with 300 other Italian scientific and bio-medical libraries and commercial document suppliers. Use of the instruments described above allowed us to evaluate the performance of service "before" and "after" the use of Internet Document Delivery and to extract some critical data regarding DDS. Those include:
a) libraries with which we have greater numbers of exchanges and their turnaround times;
b) extraordinary reduction in costs and delivery times;
c) the most frequently requested serial titles (allowing cost-effective decisions on new subscriptions);
d) impact on DDS of library participation in consortia which allow user access to greater numbers of online serials.


This paper presents an extensive review of empirical studies that analyze the various impacts of the globalization phenomenon on corporate activities, using micro data. First, we set up a flow chart describing how globalization leads to national productivity enhancement. Secondly, we summarize the hypotheses and the methods explored in eight lines of literature on globalization, which this flow chart maps. Thirdly, we illustrate rich implication for economic consequences of trade liberalization and then discuss possible avenues for micro-data analyses


INTRODUCTION
Since its introduction, robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) has gained widespread popularity, but is associated with a variable learning curve. Herein, we report the positive surgical margin (PSM) rates during the RARP learning curve of a single surgeon with significant previous laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) experience.

METHODS
We performed a prospective cohort study of the first 400 men with prostate cancer treated with RARP by a single surgeon (BS) with significant LRP experience. Our primary outcome was the impact of case timing in the learning curve on margin status. Our analysis was conducted by dividing the case numbers into quartiles (Q1-Q4) and determining if a case falling into an earlier quartile had an impact on margin status relative to the most recent quartile (Q4).

RESULTS
The Q1 cases had an odds ratio for margin positivity of 1.74 compared to Q4 (p=0.1). Multivariate logistic regression did not demonstrate case number to be a significant predictor of PSM. The mean Q1 operative time was 207.4 minutes, decreasing to 179.2 by Q4 (p<0.0001). The mean Q1 estimated blood loss was 255.1 ml, decreasing to 213.6 by Q4 (p=0.0064). There was no change in length of hospitalization within the study period.

CONCLUSIONS
Even when controlling for copredictors, a statistically significant learning curve for PSM rate of a surgeon with significant previous LRP experience was not detected during the first 400 RARP cases. We hypothesize that previous LRP experience may reduce the RARP PSM learning curve.


The increased awareness of the new religions with the counterculture of the 1960s saw various responses, including a "counter-cult" approach by evangelicals. The counter-cult approach has tended to view new religions as "cults" and to respond to them as heretical systems of belief in need of refutation by doctrinal and apologetic arguments. Over the last decade or so a new evangelical paradigm has emerged based in missiology which, while recognizing theological disagreements that the new religions have with Christianity, approaches new religions as religious cultures rather than as cults. Various resources have been produced as a result of the new evangelical paradigm. A case study is found in the resource titled Bridges: Helping Mormons Discover God's Grace, which presents a culturally-sensitive understanding of Mormons and Mormonism for evangelicals.


We assessed the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and cause-specific mortality and lung cancer incidence using data from an ongoing cohort study: the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer (NLCS). The NLCS study was initiated in September 1986 with the enrollment of 120,852 subjects aged 55-69 years living in 204 municipalities located throughout the Netherlands. Long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), black smoke (BS), fine particles less than 2.5 ?m (PM2.5) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) was estimated. Exposure at each home address was considered as a function of a regional, an urban and a local component. The regional component was estimated using inverse distance weighed interpolation of measurement data from regional background sites in the national monitoring network. The urban component was estimated using regression models with urban concentrations as dependent variables, and number of inhabitants in different buffers and land use variables, derived with a Geographic Information System (GIS), as predictor variables. The local component was assessed using a GIS and a digital road network with linked traffic intensities. Traffic intensity on the nearest road and the total traffic intensity in a 100 m buffer around each home address were assessed. The methods that were developed explained a relatively large percentage of the spatial variance of the air pollution components. Air pollution and several traffic exposure variables were associated with mortality, but the relative risks were generally small. Statistically significant associations between NO2 and black smoke exposure and natural cause and respiratory mortality were found. The highest relative risks were found for respiratory mortality. We found suggestive evidence for larger effects of black smoke exposure in those with low education and in those with low fruit consumption. We found no association between air pollution concentrations, traffic variables and lung cancer incidence in the full study population. In never smokers, associations between black smoke concentrations and traffic variables with lung cancer incidence were (borderline) significant, however. This is the first time that the effects of air pollution, traffic intensity and traffic noise on cardiovascular mortality have been studied together. We observed an association between traffic intensity on the nearest road and overall cardiovascular mortality, which was driven by an association with ischemic heart disease mortality. Relative risks for background black smoke concentrations were elevated for cerebrovascular and heart failure mortality. These associations were not affected by adjustment for traffic noise. There was an indication of an effect of traffic noise in the highest noise exposure category (> 65 dB(A)), which was largely restricted to heart failure mortality. The relative risk for the association between ischemic heart disease mortality and high traffic noise was reduced to unity after adjustment for background black smoke concentrations and traffic intensity. The associations between traffic intensity on the nearest road with overall cardiovascular mortality and ischemic heart disease mortality were not explained by traffic noise. Overall, the results provide evidence that exposure to background and to traffic-related air pollution increases the risk of cardiovascular, respiratory and lung cancer mortality.


Using a charcoal technique, we determined the relative binding affinity of some anabolic compounds for the androgen and glucocorticoid receptors in cytosol from rat skeletal muscle. Only a few of the compounds analyzed competed for the receptor-binding sites. The androgen and glucocorticoid receptors were analyzed in rat and mouse skeletal muscle cytosols by Scatchard analysis. In rats grouped according to sex and age, the cytosolic protein content was about the same in all groups, but the DNA content decreased with increased weight of the animal regardless of sex (male, female, or castrated male). The glucocorticoid receptor did not differ in concentration (2-3 pmol/g tissue) or ligand affinity (Kd, 10-40 nM) among the groups, but the androgen receptor concentration decreased with increased weight and age of the animals, more in the case of males than in the case of females or castrates. The Kd for the androgen receptor increased with age in males but was constantly about 0.2 nM for castrates or females. In adult intact rats, the androgen and glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in muscle cytosol from females were about 100 and 3000 fmol/g tissue, respectively, the corresponding values for males being about 50 and 2000 fmol/g tissue, respectively. Short term castration or adrenalectomy increased the concentration of and ligand affinity for the androgen and glucocorticoid receptors, respectively. After long term castration of male rats, the concentration of both receptors increased during 5 weeks to about the female level, only to decrease later. Neonatally castrated male rats had about the same androgen receptor concentrations and Kd values as female rats. Female mice had higher androgen receptor concentrations (approximately 700 fmol/g tissue) than rats. Intact male mice had about 200 fmol androgen receptor-binding sites/g tissue, and the same amount was found in mice bearing the testicular feminization (Tfm) mutant gene. In summary, the concentrations of androgen and glucocorticoid receptors in rat skeletal muscle are regulated at least by the testes. The presence of androgen receptors in skeletal muscle from Tfm mice is surprising and may motivate a reinvestigation of the regulation of androgen receptors in Tfm animals.


Female twin pairs were identified from birth records, and their families invited to participate in a prospective study of the determinants of alcohol problems in women. We investigated sampling biases arising because of failure to locate families, or non-cooperation of families. Out of 2644 families with a live-born pair (born between July 1975 and December 1986) who survived beyond infancy, contact was established and a brief screening interview completed with 90% (N = 2380). Fewer than 6% of located families declined to participate in the initial screening interview. Predictors of failure to locate a family or to obtain a screening interview were identified from information recorded in birth records, and from neighborhood characteristics identified from 1990 US Census block group data for the family residence when the twins were born. African-American families were under-represented in the final sample, but this effect was barely significant when other variables were controlled for. Under-represented were families where the mother was 19 or younger at the birth of the twins, where the mother herself was born out-of-state, or where information about biological father was not reported in the birth record. Non-participating families on average came from neighborhoods with a higher proportion of residents living in poverty, and with a higher proportion of African-American residents. Sampling biases were however small. The unusual cooperativeness in research of families with twins persists.


Climate change is imposing a large burden on the most vulnerable populations, particularly in the developing world. Establishing consistent causal relationships, however, is difficult because a multiplicity of climatic, economic and sociodemographic elements are combined to create the conditions for an outbreak of vector-borne disease. Based on a two-step procedure, this paper presents and tests an approach to estimating the effects of epidemic outbreaks on health vulnerability. The model proposed is empirically tested for five countries in Latin America where dengue is a national health priority. Using data from national censuses, satellite climate information and data from a newly developed disease outbreak surveillance online platform, the paper finds that climate has nonnegligible effects on health vulnerability. The evidence found and the vulnerability index constructed can be used to analyze the main determinants of vulnerability in order to address policy concerns.


This short overview briefly summarizes the prominent evolutions and scientific breakthroughs in the development of end-of-pipe technologies with respect to the standard regulations of atmospheric pollutant emissions from automotive exhaust. Up to now, several strategies have been implemented to fulfill more and more stringent emission limits and to overcome the extensive use of critical materials. This led to the elaboration of cheaper and more compact systems with close-coupled technologies suitable for light duty vehicles and also to preserve the competitiveness of car manufacturers. But all these improvements could not be sufficient to face short-term, more severe limitations as well as more realistic test driving cycles since the actual ones usually underestimate the emissions of current atmospheric pollutants especially from diesel powered engines. Presently, several scenarios have been envisioned which account for the partial replacement of liquid fossil fuels by alternative fuels for urban travel and the emergence of hybrid engines powered by natural gas or bio-fuels accompanied by more simple and efficient end-of-pipe systems. In this short overview, particular attention was paid to the past and present academic contributions which led and/or inspired important technical and commercial applications.


The current global economic slowdown is unprecedented in scale and has severe implications on policy formulation among emerging market economies. A prolonged period of sub-par growth driven by the substantial weakening of the financial sectors will have multiple effects on these economies. In this article we shall explore the transmission mechanisms through which the global crisis impacts emerging market economies, particularly South Asia. After studying the shock amplifiers and shock absorbers present in South Asia we offer some crucial policy suggestions. In the short term, with inflation under control, aggressive monetary policy easing would be appropriate. This should be complemented by cautious fiscal stimuli. Material currency devaluation should be considered only in the event of clear misalignment. Policy coordination at the regional level should also be practised. In the longer term, structural enhancements such as increased economic diversification, infrastructure development and augmented regional integration will be the primary tools to help bolster resilience against future external shocks.


We report a novel three-contact vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) for use in polarization-sensitive optical applications. The device consists of two vertical cavities, coupled by a common mirror. We demonstrate that one can independently choose both the power of the output beam-through the current in the first cavity-and the polarization state-through the bias applied to the second cavity. The control of the polarization state is performed with a control voltage in the range -2 to 0 V. Within this interval, the structure exhibits a bistable behavior. We present the very first experimental proof of nonthermal, electrically induced polarization switching in coupled-cavities VCSELs.


Gas flaring is commonly used by industrial plants for processing oil and natural gases in the atmosphere, and hence is an important anthropogenic source for various pollutants including CO2, CO, and aerosols. This study evaluates the feasibility of using satellite data to characterize gas flaring from space by focusing on the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug in Russia, a region that is well known for its dominant gas flaring activities. Multiple satellite-based thermal anomaly data products at night are intercompared and analyzed, including MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Terra level 2 Thermal Anomalies product (MOD14), MODIS Aqua level 2 Thermal Anomalies product (MYD14), VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) Active Fires Applications Related Product (VAFP), and VIIRS level 2 Nightfire product (VNF). The analysis compares and contrasts the efficacy of these sensor products in detecting small, hot sources like flares on the ground in extremely cold environments such as Russia. We found that the VNF algorithm recently launched by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the unprecedented accuracy and efficiency in characterizing gas flares in the region owing primarily to the use of Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) bands. Reconciliation of VNF's differences and similarities with other nighttime fire products is also conducted, indicating that MOD14/MYD14 and VAFP data are only effective in detecting those gas flaring pixels that are among the hottest in the region; incorporation of shortwave infrared (1.6 µm) band used in VNF may improve the detection of relatively cooler gas flares. The gas flaring locations from the VNF product are validated using Google Earth images. It is shown that VNF's estimates of the area of gas flaring agree well with the Google image counterparts with a linear correlation of 0.91, highlighting its potential use for routinely monitoring emissions of gas flaring from space.


ZhelyaZkov, S., G. ZSivanovitS, B. BraShlyanova and M. Marudova-ZSivanovitS, 2014. Shelf-life extension of fresh-cut apple cubes with chitosan coating. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 20: 536-540 the possible use of chitosan coating on fresh-cut apples was investigated in this research. Manually sliced apples were treated with solutions of 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 g.kg-1 chitosan in acetic acid and then stored at 4°C for 17 days. Physical, physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of the samples were monitored during the storage period. it was found that chitosan coatings inhibited the growth of microorganisms and affected significantly and positively the storage time of the products. Changes in the sensory qualities of taste were evaluated. a chitosan coating retarded water loss and the drop in sensory quality, increasing the soluble solid content and titratable acidity. the data revealed that applying a chitosan coating preserved effectively the quality and extended the shelf-life of fresh-cut apples.


Objectives: Traumatic brain injury is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. The aim of this study is to highlight the demographic characteristics of traumatic brain injury in Egypt as one of the common health problem in the country. Patients and Methods: A 2124 patients admitted to our neurosurgical trauma unit with traumatic brain injury were included. Patients underwent complete neurological and radiological evaluation as per trauma protocol. Results: 1756 (82.7%) patients were male; the mean age of the patients was 26.57 ± 18.4 year. Road traffic accident was the commonest cause of trauma in 73.7% of the patients. 62.1% of the patients had mild head injury, 17.5% of the patients had moderate head injury, while the remaining 20.3% had severe head injury. Brain contusions, Brain edema, and epidural hematoma were the commonest traumatic pathology in 39.1%, 36.5%, 17.6% respectively. 63.6% of the patients had associated injuries rather than head injury. Good recovery was reported in 62.7% of the patients, moderate disability in 12.1% of the patients, while the mortality rate was 14.3% of the patients. Age <10 years old, mild head injury, absent or mild associated injuries, patients with no post-traumatic convulsion and patients with direct trauma had better outcome. Conclusion: Traumatic brain injury affects mainly young male Egyptians with road traffic accidents are the commonest cause. Such pathology requires more attention from local researchers and policy makers to decrease the rate of road traffic accidents as the major cause of traumatic brain injury in Egypt.


Many European and American observers of the EC have criticized "intergovemmentalist" ac counts for exaggerating the extent of member state control over the process of European integra tion. This essay seeks to ground these criticisms in a "historical institutionalist" account that stresses the need to study European integration as a political process which unfolds over time. Such a perspective highlights the limits of member-state control over long-term institutional de velopment, due to preoccupation with shorHerm concerns, the ubiquity of unintended conse quences, and processes that "lock in" past decusions and make reassertions of member-state control difficult. Brief examination of the evolution of social policy in the EC suggests the limita tions of treating the EC as an international regime facilitating collective action among essentially sovereign states. It is ore useful to view integration as a "path-dependent" process that has pro duced a fragmented but still discernible "multitiered" European polity.


The prevalence of pulmonary methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has increased over the last 2 decades. Two concentrations—a postdistributive and a trough—are currently used to estimate the area under the curve (AUC) of vancomycin, an antibiotic routinely used to treat these infections, to achieve the target AUC/minimum inhibitory concentration of ≥400 mg·h/L in ensuring optimal dosing of this drug. This study evaluated precision and bias in estimating vancomycin AUCs obtained either from a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model by using a single trough concentration or from standard PK equation–based 2‐point monitoring approach. AUCs were either obtained from a single trough concentration–fitted model or derived from a model fitted by 2 concentration points. Children ≥2 years of age with CF received intravenous vancomycin at 2 centers from June 2012 to December 2014. A population PK model was developed in Pmetrics to quantify the between‐subject variability in vancomycin PK parameters, define the sources of PK variability, and leverage information from the population to improve individual AUC estimates. Twenty‐three children with CF received 27 courses of vancomycin. The median age was 12.3 (interquartile range [IQR] 8.5–16.6) years. From the individual vancomycin PK parameter estimates from the population PK model, median AUC was 622 (IQR 529–680) mg·h/L. Values were not significantly different from the AUC calculated using the standard PK equation‐based approach (median 616 [IQR 540–663] mg·h/L) (P = .89). A standard PK equation‐based approach using 2 concentrations and a population PK model‐based approach using a single trough concentration yielded unbiased and precise AUC estimates. Findings suggest that options exist to implement AUC‐based pediatric vancomycin dosing in patients with CF. The findings of this study reveal that several excellent options exist for centers to implement AUC‐based pediatric vancomycin dosing for patients with CF.


The development of conjugated materials bearing electron-rich and electron-poor units along their backbone introduces new possibilities to control functionality for organic electronic applications through charge transfer character in ground and excited states. A thorough understanding of intramolecular dipoles and their evolution during excited state relaxation is necessary in order to fully exploit this opportunity. PCDTBT is an alternating donor–acceptor copolymer with high photovoltaic efficiency in bulk heterojunction solar cells. We use time-resolved femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in solution and in the solid state to study PCDTBT and the dTBT and CDTBT model compounds, fragments of the polymer chain. Higher solubility and slower relaxation make CDTBT particularly suitable to understand the mechanism of charge transfer relaxation in this class of materials. A progressive increase of charge transfer character from the initially moderately polar excited state is mainly driven by solvent reorganization and some torsional rearrangements. Similar relaxation in solid state CDTBT might ultimately lead to the formation of separate charges.


This paper characterizes the trade performance of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) over the past 15 years. Cross-section results show that MENA's exports to the outside world were only one third of their potential in recent years, after controlling for the standard determinants of trade. Results from panel data show that MENA's exports have been expanding more rapidly than exports from the rest of the world, offering some evidence of convergence. Still, at historical growth rates, it would take 20 years for MENA countries to reach potential trade. When we exclude natural resources, exports are also only one third of the benchmark, but the improved export performance over time is much slower and implies it could take twice as long to reach potential. Interestingly, while MENA also under-trades within the region, the extent of under-trading is less acute than with the outside world. There is, however, no indication of more rapid regional integration over time, suggesting that recent trade agreements among MENA countries have not stimulated regional trade to a greater extent than external trade. Finally, the report examines intra-industry trade, which has characterized world trade growth over the period. East Asia and Europe show large and rising intra-industry trade, both globally and regionally, reflecting increased trade in differentiated goods and the expansion of supply chains. Despite neighboring these regions, the MENA countries have been largely left out of this transformation.


Study of a dense (~1021 m-3) plasma heating by a relativistic electron beam and confinement of the plasma in multimirror magnetic field is carried out at the GOL-3 facility. The high-resolution spectral system in the visible region is used for investigation of plasma parameters. The analysis of the shape of Dα spectral line shows that wings of this line are determined by the Doppler broadening from atoms being in the hot plasma core at high-temperature operation regime. A survey spectrometer with spatial and time resolution was used in addition to high-resolution spectrometer for detail study of this regime. Results of radial distribution measurements of Dα line radiation show the presence of neutral deuterium in the hot plasma core. Ion temperature of the hot plasma achieves 2 keV. The evolution of radial distribution of Dα line radiation, diagnostics features and results on ion temperature dynamics in the hot plasma core are presented in the paper.


Design and Build is a range of procurement routes believed to effectively transmit client value through the supply chain owing to its integrative nature. However, the tender process is characterised as complex and there is a lack of practical guidance for practitioners. The aim of this research is to critically evaluate Design and Build Tendering in the UK construction industry using a modified grounded theory methodology and mixed-method approach. A number of important themes emerged during the analysis.Client-main contractor tender processes were mapped and several areas of best practice were articulated. Alternatives and menu pricing emerged as being important as they allow contractors to add value in developed forms of Design and Build. In addition, a Value Management-based tender evaluation process was developed which more closely relates the client's value system to the selection of the main contractor. The study of main contractor-subcontractor tender processes and contractor-centric SCM was carried out using a case study. It was found that effective tender processes overwhelmingly rely on healthy relationships. The properties found to be necessary to cultivate and maintain these relationships include trust, communication, collaboration, commitment, integrity and honesty, concern for each other's interests, recognition and incentives, and transferability. Similarly, a number of important findings relating to the actual tender processes emerged including, for example, 'secondary sendouts' and unsolicited tenders. This research represents a unique synthesis of Design and Build tendering, VM and SCM. It provides numerous and significant contributions to knowledge in the field by focusing on the different levels of the supply chain. The research highlights the importance of transitioning client value through the wider supply chain by focusing on main contractor-subcontractor tender processes, in addition to the client-main contractor tender process. It draws on a number of new findings to make the case for contractor-centric SCM. The number of recommendations which are made for Design and Build tendering strategy, at both the client-main contractor and main contractor-subcontractor level of the supply chain, will collectively help enhance the effectiveness of Design and Build tendering.


ABSTRACT This article analyzes the Chinese fan translations of the film Carol and relevant paratexts by Jihua subtitling group, one of the most well-known Chinese lesbian fansubbing groups actively and explicitly advocating for LGBTQ rights in China, in order to develop an understanding of transnational and translational queer fandom in China. There are thriving fan translation communities in China that work to translate media products that are not officially imported into the country, including LGBTQ media. The article first puts forward a theory of translational fandom in order to explain the role of translation in fandom, before exploring how Jihua network uses fan translation as part of its queer world making, focusing on its translation of Todd Haynes's Carol, reviews of the film and the paratextual materials created by Jihua network that position its translation. Rather than solely importing ideas about female homosexuality through the film, we argue that Jihua has strategically used this film to make a cultural intervention in domestic debates.


Several kinds of biometric authentications have been used as countermeasures against identity spoofing. Recently, some approaches have utilized time-series biosignals for biometrics, and one of the approaches is photoplethysmogram (PPG)-based authentication. PPG sensing has the advantage of fewer restric-tion of measurement sites than other time-series physiological signals. Moreover, it can connect the authentication and the healthcare applications seamlessly with one sensor. However, identity spoofing against PPG-based authentication may occur by exploiting this advantage. To develop a PPG-based authentication system with countermeasures, we propose the feasibility of a presentation attack against PPG-based authentication. The attack stealthily records PPGs on non-genuine measurement sites, and transmits the signals to the authentication device, thereby utilizing the advantage of PPG sensing in which signals can be recorded on various sites of a subject ' s body. We conducted an experiment to investigate the feasibility of the attack. We developed a PPG-based authentication system comprising a PPG sensing system including PPG sensors for multiple measurement sites, and an authentication algorithm based on an existing PPG-based identification algorithm. We recorded PPGs on three measurement sites on the subjects ' bodies using the developed system. Then, we investigated the feasibility of the attack by inputting the feature values extracted from the PPGs recorded on non-genuine measurement sites to the classifier generated by the values from the PPGs recorded on genuine measurement sites. The results indicate that the attack can occur within a short time without any mapping under an ideal condition. Therefore, countermeasures such as liveness detection and utilization of unique information of measurement sites are required against the attack. implemented PPG-based authentication. The values are extracted from each PPG segment.


Deliberate efforts to develop teamwork in most work groups can clearly improve productivity, communication, schedule maintenance, cost control, work quality, individual satisfaction, and (in the private sector) profitability. Project teams and task forces need faster team development because they are often transitory, subject to blitz schedules and/or difficult conditions. Executive committees, boards, and management groups of all kinds would benefit from team development to help deal with their often hard-charging, impatient executive personalities.


We illustrate a case of midventricle obstructive HCM and apical aneurysm diagnosed with appropriate use of multimodality imaging. A 75-year-old African American woman presented with a 3-day history of chest pain and dyspnea with elevated troponins. Her electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm, left atrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy, prolonged QT, and occasional ectopy. After medical therapy optimization, she underwent coronary angiography for an initial diagnosis of non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. Her coronaries were unremarkable for significant disease but her left ventriculogram showed hyperdynamic contractility of the midportion of the ventricle along with a large dyskinetic aneurysmal apical sac. A subsequent transthoracic echocardiogram provided poor visualization of the apical region of the ventricle but contrast enhancement identified an aneurysmal pouch distal to the midventricular obstruction. To further clarify the diagnosis, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with contrast was performed confirming the diagnosis of midventricular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with apical aneurysm and fibrosis consistent with apical scar on delayed enhancement. The patient was medically treated and subsequently underwent elective implantable defibrillator placement in the ensuing months for recurrent nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and was initiated on prophylactic oral anticoagulation with warfarin for thromboembolic risk reduction.


There exists two types of semi-direct products between a Lie group G and a vector space V . The left semi-direct product, G n V , can be constructed when G is equipped with a left action on V . Similarly, the right semi-direct product, G o V , can be constructed when G is equipped with a right action on V . In this paper, we will construct a new type of semi-direct product, G 1 V , which can be seen as the 'sum' of right and left semi-direct products. We then proceed to the parallel existing semi-direct product EulerPoincaré theory. We find that the group multiplication, the Lie bracket, and the diamond operator can each be seen as a sum of the associated concepts in right and left semi-direct product theory. Finally, we conclude with a toy example and the group of 2-jets of diffeomorphisms above a fixed point. This final example has potential use in the creation of particle methods for problems on diffeomorphism groups.


A major ice storm struck Georgia and the Carolinas in February of 2014, damaging or destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares of timber worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Losses were particularly severe in pine plantations in west-central South Carolina, including many on the Savannah River Site (SRS). An array of paired, mid-rotation loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.) pine plantations on the SRS provided an opportunity to evaluate speciesand size-based tree responses to this storm. A preliminary assessment of these recently thinned plantations found that longleaf pines experienced higher mortality rates than loblolly pines; in part, this result was confounded with tree size (dbh). A more detailed analysis found that longleaf pines, even when controlled for dbh, experienced higher mortality rates and a greater degree of certain types of injuries than comparably sized loblolly pines. These results suggest that longleaf pine planted in glaze-prone regions of the southeastern United States may need to be managed with different planting densities, thinning regimes, and/or rotation ages than loblolly pine.


Abstract The project's main objective is to verify the existence of local colours and colour schemes in the exteriors of buildings. The research focused on 19th century dwellings in the rural areas of southern Sweden. The results and furthermore the conclusions are presumed to reveal locally differentiated colours used and to indicate rules governing the way in which the colours were combined during different periods within the delimited time and in various geographical local areas. One point of specific interest concerns the possibility of presenting the original layer of paint, since this could be considered as the choice indicating the expressions of the architectural grammar of the facades at the time when the building was erected. To find out of the colours during the 19th century, certain geographical areas containing adequate building objects had to be chosen. Short interviews with building archaeologists took place to find out of the right geographical areas. The criterion was facades with building materials covered with paint that could be assumed to date from the delimited time. Ten geographical areas were established and, on the strength of findings from the ocular investigations, four geographical areas were selected for further investigation. This final part of the thesis is based on an investigation conducted in local areas in Lister hundred, Blekinge County. The investigations mainly involved studies of archival materials, iconographic materials, short interviews, Scanning Electronic Microscopic analyses, colour steps and microscopic analyses of cross-sections. When co-ordinated, the different sources indicated the presence of local colours and colour schemes. To corroborate the thesis, further research was undertaken. The investigations were therefore intensified within one of the geographical areas identified. In this area more microscopic analyses were performed of cross-sections, partly on new buildings in the areas but also on new structural details of buildings investigated previously. Through this deepened investigation it was possible to make the results more distinct and reliable. To reach a deeper understanding of the context at the time when the buildings were erected, actor network theory was tried out. This made it possible to achieve a wider interpretation of the materials from the other sources and so to draw conclusions with a clearer relation to the situation underlying the decision to paint the dwellings. The results will be used to discern rules for local differentiations, presented as reconstructions of the colour schemes from the local areas within the project's delimitations. Though the colour schemes will be indicated at the building objects within the project's delimitations, the results will be applicable to new colour schemes for different settlements, both new and historical, and the method of investigating groups of buildings is an approach amenable to generalisation in other areas as well. (Less)


Business incubators in China were deployed by the Chinese Government solely as a critical instrument to develop and industrialize its technological advancements and are only open to technology-based ventures. This article reviews the development of Chinese business incubators over the past two decades, addressing such key issues as the Chinese business incubators' founding and funding, service offerings and tenant selection criteria, and discusses the future development of the technology business incubation industry in China. The role and funding by government is very important, though recent efforts are being made to diversify ownership and funding. Incubator specialisms, relating to the industrial areas they are located, are increasing. Selection criteria, based on technology focus, commercial potential and management team, are seen as important. It appears that business incubators in China have been a booster for the transformation of the Chinese economy from the 'Made in China' model to a new 'Created...


This paper presents a theoretical model of flow and chemical transport processes in subterranean estuaries (unconfined brackish groundwater aquifers at the ocean‐land interface). The model shows that groundwater circulation and oscillating flow, caused by wave setup and tide, may constitute up to 96% of submarine groundwater discharge (SGWD) compared with 4% due to the net groundwater discharge. While these local flow processes do not change the total amount of land‐derived chemical input to the ocean over a long period (e.g., yearly), they induce fluctuations of the chemical transfer rate as the aquifer undergoes saltwater intrusion. This may result in a substantial increase in chemical fluxes to the ocean over a short period (e.g., monthly and by a factor of 20 above the averaged level), imposing a possible threat to the marine environment. These results are essentially consistent with the experimental findings of Moore [1996] and have important implications for coastal resources management.


Open partial nephrectomy is evolving as the standard of care for treatment of all amendable renal masses with laparoscopic and robotic assisted surgery being reported with increasing frequency. We reviewed the literature to assess the current state of knowledge regarding various outcomes with open, laparoscopic, and robotically assisted partial nephrectomy. Many studies report excellent long-term functional and oncological outcomes when evaluating open partial nephrectomy for both imperative and elective reasons. Preservation of renal function as compared with radical nephrectomy seems to be major benefit. With limited data and follow-up, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is an evolving technique with oncological outcomes, in experienced hands, similar to those seen in large open partial nephrectomy series. However, laparoscopic partial nephrectomy seems to be associated with longer ischemia times, increased reoperative rates, and complication rates. Robotic nephrectomy is technically feasible but the overall virtues of such an approach remain to be determined. Concerns over preservation of renal function with any approach are paramount with continued efforts to limit warm ischemia without compromising oncological efficacy.


Optical fibers were produced by the system manufactured for this purpose and then, PMMA core of polymer optical fiber (POF) and PMMA doped Rhodamine B (RhB) claddings were studied and determine their UV–vis absorption and emission. The study adopted the mechanism of lateral pumping of the product polymer optical fiber by using laser with 404 nm excitation to study optical specifications of the factory fiber. It was noted that there were blue shift in maximum peak wavelength in absorption and fluorescence from the doped polymer before use it as clad. The obtained results by using the doping polymer with (RhB) for clad the amplified spontaneous emission ASE seems in fluorescence study. The side excitation shows that there were no an overlap between the excitation laser source and the RhB molecule fluorescence. The results indicate that POF can be a strong candidate for the development of optical fiber sensors.


Continued genetic control of the cereal rusts depends on the availability of effective resistance genes. The wild relatives of wheat (Triticum aesti- vum L.) constitute a source of such genes. Wheat leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) resistant Aegilops neglecta accession 155 was crossed with 'Chinese Spring'. Resistant progeny were initially backcrossed to Chinese Spring and later to Chinese Spring-Short (a short-strawed near-isogenic line) to develop an addition line. Advanced backcross progeny segregated for a resistance gene (designated Lr62) located on an addition chromosome, as well as a resistant phenotype apparently contributed by dominant complementary genes of the wheat genomes. On its own, Lr62 produced infection type (IT); however, in the presence of the two complementary genes its expression was modified to an intermediate response. The addition chromosome appeared to have homeology with group 3 chromosomes of wheat. While attempting to transfer the resistance through allosyndetic pairing induction to a group 3 wheat chromosome, a spontaneous translocation occurred. Aneuploid and microsatellite analyses showed that the translocation involved wheat chromosome 6A, suggesting that the addition chromosome may also have partial homeology to group 6. Microsatellite and meiotic pairing data suggested the presence of a large segment of foreign chromatin replacing the entire 6AS arm and a proximal part of 6AL. Lr62 was effective against a wide range of South African and western Canadian Puccinia triticina pathotypes. In addition to Lr62, the translocation line, 03M119-71A, carried a seedling stripe rust resistance gene (designated Yr42) effective against South African pathotypes of P. striiformis. The resistance genes can be of significant commercial value, however, it may be necessary to further tailor this fairly big translocation through allosyndetic pairing induction.


Even though the technology of cryogenic rocket engines is well mastered today, and has been applied successfully in many launchers all over the world, research activities on the various elementary or coupled processes involved in these complex systems are still relevant and useful for future developments, cost reduction, and knowledge improvement.
The Mascotte test facility was designed and built with this in mind twenty years ago.
Since then, numerous configurations have been tested, enabling almost all of the phenomena
involved in the operation of a rocket engine to be investigated, in a research lab environment, but nevertheless under representative conditions.
Research items addressed on the Mascotte test rig include: injector concepts ; liquid oxygen jet atomization and combustion, new propellant combinations (methane instead of hydrogen), ignition, heat transfer at the chamber walls, high frequency instabilities, flow-separation in an over-expanded nozzle, plume and infrared signature.


Thanks to an extraordinary synergy between many heterogeneous factors, the fertile seedlings planted in the Sixties flourished and bore fruit in the 1970s. Slowly, their branches entwined throughout Western society up until the end of that decade and beyond. The elements influencing this metamorphosis are brought to light and discussed in the rich, in-depth articles collected in this monographic issue of Espacio, Tiempo y Educación, entitled The Sixties Reloaded. Exploring social movements, student protests and youth rebellion –a new exploration of the decade that has generally been relegated to the body of sociological and philosophical research. They were rich and dense years: the goal of the younger generations was to create a new symbolic imaginary, which took shape through music, fashions and alternative lifestyles that stood out in stark contrast to those enjoyed by their parents and grandparents. They went to the streets to protest: they alarmed the politicians in power who tried to convey through the media a very simplified version of the young, so missing the most significant development in the 1960s –the youth taking on a new role, becoming visible in "other" places, beyond the traditional spaces for protest, fighting for pacifism and civil rights, in an attempt to unite the utopian desire to change the world with a recognition of a strong subjectivity.