Cretaceous mafic dykes in the Moyar Shear Zone (MSZ) area, north Kerala, India, provide signatures to probe into the nature of their source and thereby the evolution of the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle beneath the South Indian Granulite Terrain (SIGT). Bulk of the dykes in northern parts of Kerala is broadly in spatial association with the shear system. Mafic dykes striking NE-SW, NWSE, NNW-SSE and ENE-WSW are widespread in the MSZ and surrounding areas. Width of these dykes varies from 30cm to 5m in general, while dykes wider than 10m also occur. These mafic dykes are olivine/quartz normative tholeiites showing strong correlation to N-Type MORB and within plate basalt affinity. Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) data imply normal magnetic fabrics nearly parallel to dyke trends, but with highly variable plunge of magnetic lineation. The compositions of the least altered and least metamorphosed dykes help to define the properties of their mantle source region, as well as the nature of the crust through which the magma traveled. The present contribution on the mafic dyke swarms in Moyar Shear Zone (MSZ) provides new interpretations on the temporal relations of magmatism and tectono-metamorphic evolution of the south Indian high grade terrain.


BACKGROUND
The successful treatment of intraabdominal infection requires a combination of anatomical source control and antibiotics. The appropriate duration of antimicrobial therapy remains unclear.

METHODS
We randomly assigned 518 patients with complicated intraabdominal infection and adequate source control to receive antibiotics until 2 days after the resolution of fever, leukocytosis, and ileus, with a maximum of 10 days of therapy (control group), or to receive a fixed course of antibiotics (experimental group) for 4±1 calendar days. The primary outcome was a composite of surgical-site infection, recurrent intraabdominal infection, or death within 30 days after the index source-control procedure, according to treatment group. Secondary outcomes included the duration of therapy and rates of subsequent infections.

RESULTS
Surgical-site infection, recurrent intraabdominal infection, or death occurred in 56 of 257 patients in the experimental group (21.8%), as compared with 58 of 260 patients in the control group (22.3%) (absolute difference, -0.5 percentage point; 95% confidence interval [CI], -7.0 to 8.0; P=0.92). The median duration of antibiotic therapy was 4.0 days (interquartile range, 4.0 to 5.0) in the experimental group, as compared with 8.0 days (interquartile range, 5.0 to 10.0) in the control group (absolute difference, -4.0 days; 95% CI, -4.7 to -3.3; P<0.001). No significant between-group differences were found in the individual rates of the components of the primary outcome or in other secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS
In patients with intraabdominal infections who had undergone an adequate source-control procedure, the outcomes after fixed-duration antibiotic therapy (approximately 4 days) were similar to those after a longer course of antibiotics (approximately 8 days) that extended until after the resolution of physiological abnormalities. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; STOP-IT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00657566.).


Age‐related sarcopenia is characterized by a progressive loss of muscle mass with decline in specific force, having dramatic consequences on mobility and quality of life in seniors. The etiology of sarcopenia is multifactorial and underlying mechanisms are currently not fully elucidated. Physical exercise is known to have beneficial effects on muscle trophism and force production. Alterations of mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis regulated by mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) have been recently shown to affect muscle trophism in vivo in mice. To understand the relevance of MCU‐dependent mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in aging and to investigate the effect of physical exercise on MCU expression and mitochondria dynamics, we analyzed skeletal muscle biopsies from 70‐year‐old subjects 9 weeks trained with either neuromuscular electrical stimulation (ES) or leg press. Here, we demonstrate that improved muscle function and structure induced by both trainings are linked to increased protein levels of MCU. Ultrastructural analyses by electron microscopy showed remodeling of mitochondrial apparatus in ES‐trained muscles that is consistent with an adaptation to physical exercise, a response likely mediated by an increased expression of mitochondrial fusion protein OPA1. Altogether these results indicate that the ES‐dependent physiological effects on skeletal muscle size and force are associated with changes in mitochondrial‐related proteins involved in Ca2+ homeostasis and mitochondrial shape. These original findings in aging human skeletal muscle confirm the data obtained in mice and propose MCU and mitochondria‐related proteins as potential pharmacological targets to counteract age‐related muscle loss.


Introductions: As the life expectancy of people of Nepal rises, geriatric population is also on constant rise. Prevalence of diseases in this population is not well studied in Nepal. This study is carried out to assess the disease burden in geriatric in-patients and the cause of death in Patan Hospital to inform the planning process. Methods: A retrospective prevalence survey of geriatric in-patients in Internal Medicine Department in Patan Hospital was carried out using the data base record and patient's files over a period of one year. The demographics of patients, disease entity and the cause of death were recorded in Microsoft XL and were analyzed. Results: There were 1,587 patients' charts available for analysis (out of total 1,599 admissions, 12 were excluded because charts were not found). There were 840 (52.93%) diseases of the respiratory system followed by cardio-vascular diseases 184 (11.59%) and infectious diseases 122 (7.68%). Of the 89 deaths (5.61% of 1587), 58 (65%) were due to non-communicable diseases while 31 (35%) were due to communicable diseases. The commonest cause of death was due to diseases of respiratory system 44 (COPD 20, pneumonia 18, others 6), followed by cerebrovascular accidents in 14. Conclusions: Respiratory disease was common findings in more than half of geriatric patients admitted to Patan Hospital and was also the major cause of death. Overall, non-communicable diseases accounted for two thirds of the death. Keywords: cause of death, elderly patient, geriatric patient, non-communicable diseases


ABSTRACT Background: Emotion regulation difficulties are central to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While cultural differences exist in the ways in which individuals regulate their emotions, researchers have not examined cultural differences in emotion regulation in PTSD.Objective: This study explored emotion regulation in individuals from European and East Asian cultures with and without PTSD. Method: Emotion regulation measures were administered to Caucasian Australian (n = 31) and East Asian Australian (n = 38) trauma survivors with and without PTSD. Results: Caucasian Australians with PTSD scored significantly higher on measures of worry, expressive suppression, thought suppression, rumination, experiential avoidance, and general emotion dysregulation compared to Caucasian Australians without PTSD. Similarly, East Asian Australians with PTSD scored significantly higher on measures of rumination and experiential avoidance than East Asian Australians without PTSD. However, worry, expressive suppression, thought suppression and general emotion dysregulation did not differentiate between East Asian Australians with and without PTSD. Conclusion: These findings suggest that there may be cultural differences in emotion regulation difficulties in PTSD and highlight the need for further research in this area.


The objective of our synthesis technique is to find the refractive indices ni and the thicknesses ei of the layers in a nonabsorbing multilayer stack with prescribed properties. By introducing the constraint that each layer should have an optical thickness niei = ki λ0/4, where ki is an integer and λ0 a simple parameter as small as we wish, we have developed a calculation method for the optical properties, expressed as R/T, which is particularly advantageous. The form of the solution is a series of cosine terms. Given the reflectance R0 and the transmittance T0 of the filter to be synthesized, its R0/T0 curve is expanded in a Fourier series over a given frequency interval. The integers ki and the refractive indices of the layers are then adjusted until the coefficients of the cosine terms approximate those of the Fourier series of the filter being synthesized. The technique is demonstrated in the synthesis of a beamsplitter and a dichroic mirror.


Purpose: is to materialize the theme here. Methodology: The content analysis method is applied herewith respect to developmental-applied research. The attributes (data) are extracted and adjusted through the Delphi technique and Documentation method. The statistical population consists of 14 experts in the field of manuscripts' studies, and the field of information and knowledge organization. The sampling follows the targeted sampling method. For data accumulation a researcher designed questionnaire is applied to identify the attributes herein. Findings: 19 main attributes and 224 sub-attributes are necessary to describe and organize Iranian-Islamic information contexts' manuscripts. The importance of these attributes was explained in the Iranian-Islamic information context. The two main attributes of note and related objects rank the highest sub-attributes. Practical implications: Applicable in: 1) devising a useful metadata application profile for describing and organizing the Iranian-Islamic information contexts' manuscripts, especially in the electronic environment and 2) applicable in strengthening or completing the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI). Originality/value: In general, the focus of the extracted attributes' descriptions here is more on manuscriptology attributes than bibliographic attributes. The diagnosis and determine the manuscripts' attributes, provide appropriate access points to improve accessibility to these valuable resources for researchers, which would lead to the development of manuscriptology studies and increase the relevant scientific outputs. Keyword: manuscripts, attribute, Iranian-Islamic information context, description and organization of information, manuscriptology


Parkinson's disease (PD) affects at least 10 million people worldwide. It is a neurodegenerative disease, which is currently diagnosed by neurological examination. No neuroimaging investigation or blood biomarker is available to aid diagnosis and prognosis. Most effort toward diagnosis using magnetic resonance (MR) has been focused on the use of structural/anatomical neuroimaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). However, deep brain stimulation, a current strategy for treating PD, is guided by MR imaging (MRI). For clinical prognosis, diagnosis, and follow-up investigations, blood oxygen level-dependent MRI, DTI, spectroscopy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation have been used. These techniques represent the state of the art in the last 5 years. Here, we focus on MR techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease.


Abstract Scale influences habitat selection. We used data from 30 global positioning system radiocollared lions (Panthera leo) collected between 2003 and 2007 in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, and information from 227 locations where lions had made kills, to assess how lions select habitat at 3rd-order habitat selection (selection of habitats within home ranges) and 4th-order habitat selection (selection of kill sites within the habitats used). Within home range, lions preferentially selected bushed grasslands and sites close to water holes, which are both characterized by high prey abundance. However, lions preferentially killed in thickets, where prey abundance was not the highest but where prey catchability may be higher because of dense vegetation. Our results support the suggestion that there are different determinants of habitat selection at different scales with prey abundance being the main driver of habitat selection at 3rd-order and prey catchability the main driver at 4rth-order habitat selection.


Here we investigate spatial variation in shell shape of Littorina saxatilis, an ovoviviparous species, and Melarhaphe neritoides, a species with planktonic eggs and larvae. Populations of both species were sampled in 6 sites located along the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Shell shape was studied using landmarkbased morphometric methods. Landmark data was used to estimate individual size and to describe shell shape. Prior to statistical analysis specimens were aligned using Generalised Procrustes Analysis (GPA). Ordinations based on GPA of landmark data and using Principal Components Analysis (PCA), revealed a clear spatial segregation of sites for both species, although this was more evident for L. saxatilis than M. neritoides. Statistical analysis revealed significant multivariate variation in shape among sites and a significant effect of allometry on shape for both species. In contrast to this last result, there was no significant linear relationship between any of the first three PC axes and size in L. saxatilis but highly significant associations between the first and third PC axes and size for M. neritoides. Spatial variation in the shape of both species was primarily related to variation in the height of the apical whorls and in the width of the aperture for L. saxatilis. Further variation in shape was related to the shape of the last whorl in L. saxatilis and shell elongation and a change in aperture shape in M. neritoides.


The polymorphic angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene was one of the first genetic elements to demonstrate a significant impact on human performance. Since then, it has been shown to play a role in coronary artery disease. The functional genetic alleles have been determined. The ACE phenotypes have been associated with improvements in athletic performance, endurance, as well as association with blood pressure variations. The I allele has been connected with endurance events, while the D allele is associated with strength and power athletic events, as well as coronary disease. The objectives for this study were twofold, first to provide a guided inquiry research experience for undergraduate students based on a topic in class, and second, to examine the ACE gene alleles present in five distinct populations: Men's and Women's hockey teams, elite (Olympic level) bobsledders, Ironman Triathletes, members of the college's track team, and African American college students. The results showed significant differences (p<0.05) observed in the distribution of ACE genotype polymorphisms between the control group and both the men's and women's hockey teams, but not in the African American population and international bobsledders or track team members.


The extent of the diversity of marine prokaryotes is not well known, primarily because of poor cultivability. However, new techniques permit the characterization of such organisms without culturing, via 16S rRNA sequences obtained directly from biomass. We performed such an analysis by polymerase chain reaction amplification with universal primers on five oligotrophic open-ocean samples: from 100-m (three samples) and 500-m depths in the western California Current (Pacific Ocean) and from a 10-m depth in the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda. Of 61 clones, 90% were in clusters of two or more related marine clones obtained by ourselves or others. We report 15 clones related to clone SAR 11 found earlier near Bermuda (S. J. Giovannoni, T. B. Britschgi, C. L. Moyer, and K. G. Field, Nature [London] 345:60-63, 1990), 11 related to marine cyanobacteria, 9 clustered in a group affiliated with gram-positive bacteria, 9 in an archaeal cluster we recently described (mostly from the 500-m sample), 4 in a novel gamma-proteobacterial cluster, and 6 in three two-membered clusters (including other archaea). One clone was related to flavobacteria. Only the cyanobacteria plus one other clone, related to Roseobacter denitrificans (formerly Erythrobacter longus Och114), were within 10% sequence identity to any previously sequenced cultured organism in a major data base. We never found more than two occurrences of the same sequence in a sample, although four times we found identical sequences between samples, two of which were between oceans; one of these sequences was also identical to SAR 11.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Using additive layer manufacturing techniques, such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), it is possible to produce complex geometry relatively quickly and cheaply. For this reason these processes offer intriguing possibilities for tooling in metal forming processes. A common material utilised in the FDM process is Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). A series of compression and tensile tests were carried out on FDM ABS test specimens built in a range of orientations. The tensile tests were carried out until fracture and the specimen cross-sections analysed to investigate the cause of failure. In uniaxial tension the vertical build direction was found to be the weakest, failing in a brittle fashion. The FDM material elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio were found to be isotropic in nature within experimental scatter. The 'yield' strength in compression was found to be higher than that observed for equivalent tensile orientations. Following a series of strip pull friction tests using commercially pure titanium as the blank material, it was found that without the utilisation of an interfacial lubricant a favourable frictional performance was achievable on ABS tool surfaces. Due to tool wear however, the frictional performance of these tool pieces deteriorated with increasing sliding distance.


This thesis analyzes the potential strategic capability that can be improved from the deployment of business intelligence (BI) applications. AOK Niedersachsen (AOKN), a German health insurance company in the north of Germany (Lower-Saxony), is used as the case study for primary qualitative research and analysis. For many years, information and data have been considered even "factors of production" for companies; but data and information have become more complex, requiring processing and structural analysis to get the needed transparency in the company. Data from different operational sources must be extracted and structured to provide information for management accounting employees, top management, and end-users throughout an organization. In the healthcare industry, BI systems have played a crucial role for decades. For organizations such as AOKN, the application of BI tools and technologies can create and support sustainable capability.
Several research questions are answered in this thesis through structured one-to-one interviews with different AOKN employees, and the resulting analysis of interview data. A qualitative approach to this case study is used, allowing the researcher to get in-depth information about a specific context. When case studies are conducted, the one-to-one interview is considered to be an optimal instrument and a significant source of evidence.
BI technologies and tools are classified within an appropriate conceptual framework which integrates the complex BI demands and structures of AOKN, identifying different components as part of the framework - systems infrastructure, data provision, reporting, and information receiver. The framework is further enhanced by four factors of a competitive advantage model drawn from existing literature to develop capabilities. The use and integration of BI technologies and tools in the strategy development process are then analyzed. Different BI tools, that have an important function during the whole strategy process, are recommended for each strategy phase. The final area of research examines the possible addition of new functions and solutions to current BI technologies and
tools to enhance the potential of these systems in gaining capabilities. Research findings encompass system access, report characteristics, and BI end users profiles and capabilities. To this end, a structured model gives examples of practical AOKN BI projects that have generated strategic capabilities for the organization. At the end, the conclusion chapter stresses the needs of contribution to knowledge (theory and practice).


A serious problem in analysing traffic count data is what to do when missing or extreme values occur, perhaps as a result of a breakdown in automatic counting equipment. The objectives of this current work were to attempt to look at ways of solving this problem by:

1)establishing the applicability of time series and influence function techniques for estimating missing values and detecting outliers in time series traffic data;

2)making a comparative assessment of new techniques with those used by traffic engineers in practice for local, regional or national traffic count systems

Two alternative approaches were identified as being potentially useful and these were evaluated and compared with methods currently employed for `cleaning' traffic count series. These were based on evaluating the effect of individual or groups of observations on the estimate of the auto-correlation structure and events influencing a parametric model (ARIMA).

These were compared with the existing methods which included visual inspection and smoothing techniques such as the exponentially weighted moving average in which means and variances are updated using observations from the same time and day of week.

The results showed advantages and disadvantages for each of the methods.

The exponentially weighted moving average method tended to detect unreasonable outliers and also suggested replacements which were consistently larger than could reasonably be expected.

Methods based on the autocorrelation structure were reasonably successful in detecting events but the replacement values were suspect particularly when there were groups of values needing replacement. The methods also had problems in the presence of non-stationarity, often detecting outliers which were really a result of the changing level of the data rather than extreme values. In the presence of other events, such as a change in level or seasonality, both the influence function and change in autocorrelation present problems of interpretation since there is no way of distinguishing these events from outliers.

It is clear that the outlier problem cannot be separated from that of identifying structural changes as many of the statistics used to identify outliers also respond to structural changes. The ARIMA (1,0,0)(0,1,1)7 was found to describe the vast majority of traffic count series which means that the problem of identifying a starting model can largely be avoided with a high degree of assurance.

Unfortunately it is clear that a black-box approach to data validation is prone to error but methods such as those described above lend themselves to an interactive graphics data-validation technique in which outliers and other events are highlighted requiring acceptance or otherwise manually. An adaptive approach to fitting the model may result in something which can be more automatic and this would allow for changes in the underlying model to be accommodated.

In conclusion it was found that methods based on the autocorrelation structure are the most computationally efficient but lead to problems of interpretation both between different types of event and in the presence of non-stationarity. Using the residuals from a fitted ARIMA model is the most successful method at finding outliers and distinguishing them from other events, being less expensive than case deletion. The replacement values derived from the ARIMA model were found to be the most accurate.


While working on the articles submitted to Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, I realised that statistical approach and notably the concept of "P value" is somehow poorly understood and has taken surrealistic credibility within the community of medial toxicologists. In this editorial, common flaws on the subject have been summarized. P value, which is ranged from 0 to 1, is the probability of observing the result found from a study at least as extreme as the one that was actually observed when the null hypothesis (H0) is not rejected (1). The famous arbitrary cut-off point of 0.05 (alpha level) for separating the probable from the improbable was suggested by Sir Ronald Fisher in 1926 and still stands to date (2). This level was selected to distinguish real differences from random variability, and to minimise the contribution of random variability (3). Despite its advantages, P value realm of importance has recently been shaken in clinical studies. A significant P value means that there is a sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis, when the statistical design has been formulated before conducting the study (4). The P value ability to determine the truth about measured effects; however, is usually quite limited (5), as P value is confounded by a number of factors. If the sample size increases or the standard deviation decreases, the P value becomes smaller for the same mean difference (6). Any difference in very large samples would eventually become significant unless zero difference exists. P value has been widely misinterpreted in medical toxicology, especially when rare outcomes (number of deaths in each group) in very large samples (number of poisonings) are studied. P value is just hypothesis testing which makes it less interesting in clinical settings (7). Interpretation of P value is rather an area of philosophical uncertainty (5). The following notions are incorrect - as are commonly stated - to assume that P value (a) demonstrates a null hypothesis is true or false (b) excludes false significance (a P value of 0.01 means that repeated experiments might even lead to a non-significant P value) (c) likely reflects a causal relationship. In addition, P value provides no insight into the clinical relevance. It cannot tell how large or small the observed effect was (1). P value does not provide usefulness compared to the magnitude of differences between two findings (6). No theoretical basis exists for 5% probability or less to be strong enough evidence to reject all null hypotheses (5). P value should not be treated as "absolute". The actual difference between 0.049 and 0.051 is very limited.  When multiple independent hypotheses are tested in one study the risk that one of the significant results is false positive increases. Comparison of P values across repeated studies with similar design is also not correct. It should be kept in mind that a low P value is not equivalent to a high level of precision (6). Reviewers should be aware that P value can be manipulated. By changing the arbitrary cut-off points in continuous data, statistical analysis may provide more than one answer, implying "data interpretation is more an art than science" (8). Authors may also push a "near significant P value" to a level that is considered significant (9), as non-significant results might be subjected to publication bias during the review process. Confidence interval (CI) is a type of interval estimate of a population parameter. CI is used to indicate the reliability of an estimate. Unlike P value, CI gives a range of outcome values, which is mathematically constructed using the standard deviation as the principal determinant of width and a user-determined coverage percentile (usually 95%) (5). CI provides information about a range in which the true value lies with a certain degree of probability. It also reveals the direction and strength (effect size) of the demonstrated effect. CI is independent from the sample size. This enables conclusions to be drawn about both the statistical plausibility and clinical relevance of study findings (4). CI is easy to understand and gives a much better and direct insight into the observed clinical results and so it is more interesting than P value (10). CI is a better indicator of precision. A given finding may have a low P value but wide confidence intervals, suggesting low precision and wide variance in potential results (6). It shows what effects are likely to exist in the population, and means values excluded from the CI are thus not likely to exist in the population (10). Despite all these, how the products of a research should be presented? It seems that descriptive statistics should be focused. Analysis of data and the need for boundaries in our studies; however, are understandably important. In the past, P value has been successfully used to minimise the potential incorrectness in reporting of the findings. It is fanatic to wish "P value" fade away for now. It keeps helping us in making decisions. CI has many advantages over P value. Hence, widespread misinterpretation of P values in medical toxicology substantiates asking for CI in our articles.


In the last years, many multimedia systems have been developed for videoconferencing. These systems, every day better, have still the problem of being manually controlled, or at least partially. In the present work, we try to introduce an approach to a Smart Videoconferencing System, which one should be capable to automatically search who is speaking, focus him and track him. This idea, requires an intelligent computer vision system, capable to find the areas or regions of interest (where something or somebody could be suitable to focus in), understand what is in that region, and act consequently. We have studied two main subjects here. One concerns to the part of finding the region of interest (Focus of attention finding) and the other corresponding to a low level image analysis. In the first one, a moving region detection based on a statistical $


The processes of initial plastic deformation of single crystal Cu in nanoindentation are simulated by using quasicontinuum method.The indenters with three different widths are used and the corresponding curves of load-displacement are analyzed to determine the critical loads of dislocation emission,which are basically in agreement with the loads predicted from energy point of view.The mechanical and microstructural characteristics of dislocation nucleation are revealed by analyzing the displacement field beneath the indenters.The general regularity of the increase of geometrically necessary dislocations beneath the indenter is presented.The motions and annihilations of dislocations in the unloading are discussed qualitatively.


In Prostate, benign as well as malignant conditions are seen frequently with advancing age. By this study we aim to analyse the various lesions in patients presenting to our rural hospital. Total of 88 specimens were studied from October 2014 to September 2015. Lesions were graded into inflammatory, infectious, benign and malignant lesions. PSA levels were correlated wherever available. Gleason grading was used to grade all adenocarcinoma. 72 cases of TURP specimen, 06 cases & 10 cases of prostatectomies & needle biopsies respectively were found. Most common age was 6th-8thdecade. Most common complaints were urgency and difficulty in voiding. PSA levels were normal in 23 cases, others showed variable increase. BPH constituted majority of the cases, 45(51%) with 28(31.81%) of PIN, 10 (11.36%) of adenocarcinoma, 2 of granulomatous & ANH & 1 of Xanthogranulomatous prostatitis. BPH was most commonly encountered lesion followed by PIN and adenocarcinoma. PSA levels are not specific for prostate cancer as they can be alleviated in various other conditions. The degree of elevation of PSA along with clinical correlation can aid in diagnosis.


The need to invest in alternative energy solutions to supplement the increasing demand for power by the growing national economy of Sri Lanka has become a significant issue at present. One of the approaches adopted by the country to address this issue is to promote the use of solar power in the household sector in order to reduce its dependence on the national power grid and to increase the energy efficiency in their daily activities. As the participation of the private sector is involved in this undertaking, the problem of identifying the most appropriate marketing methods that can be used to promote solar power in the household sector arises. This research by focusing on the problem has contributed to the green power marketing literature by identifying and applying four selected marketing strategies that can be used to market solar power in Sri Lanka. A descriptive research methodology has been used in this study by conducting a survey that was administered to a selected sample from a population that included 110 households and 25 marketing experts. The Study that was carried out over a period of eight months used a questionnaire and the online interview as survey instruments. It proposes a green power marketing framework for a solar power industry in Sri Lanka. The findings of this study present a convincing case that Cause-related, Community-based and personal selling strategies may work to promote solar power in Sri Lanka. Traditional methods like promotional marketing have little influence on customers. Potential customers also suggested that the marketing approach needs to be more environment-friendly and community based. In future researches it is advisable to study in different contexts such as emerging, developing and developed economies and making comparisons.  Research paper Keywords: Cause-related marketing, Community-based marketing, Green Power Marketing, Personal selling marketing, Promotional marketing, Solar power  Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Ambepitiya, K. (2018). Possible Green Power Marketing Strategies to Promote Solar Power in Sri Lanka, Journal of Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics , 6 (1), 166–204.


OBJECTIVES
We explored the notion that social disadvantage increases vulnerability to the health effects of environmental hazards. Specifically, we examined (1) whether race modifies the association between blood lead and blood pressure and (2) whether socioeconomic status (SES) plays a role in this modifying effect.

METHODS
Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2008) and linear regression, we estimated the association between blood lead and blood pressure. Using interactions among race, SES, and lead, we estimated this association by levels of social disadvantage.

RESULTS
Black men and women showed a 2.8 (P < .001) and 4.0 (P < .001) millimeters mercury increase in SBP, respectively, for each doubling of blood lead. White adults showed no association. This lead-SBP association exhibited by Blacks was primarily isolated to Blacks of low SES. For example, poor but not nonpoor Black men showed a 4.8 millimeters mercury (P < .001) increase in SBP for each doubling of blood lead.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that social disadvantage exacerbates the deleterious health effects of lead. Our work provides evidence that social and environmental factors must be addressed together to eliminate health disparities.


Motion planning and control problems are embedded and essential in almost all robotics applications. These problems are often formulated as stochastic optimal control problems and solved using dynamic programming algorithms. Unfortunately, most existing algorithms that guarantee convergence to optimal solutions suffer from the curse of dimensionality: the run time of the algorithm grows exponentially with the dimension of the state space of the system. We propose novel dynamic programming algorithms that alleviate the curse of dimensionality in problems that exhibit certain low-rank structure. The proposed algorithms are based on continuous tensor decompositions recently developed by the authors. Essentially, the algorithms represent high-dimensional functions (e.g. the value function) in a compressed format, and directly perform dynamic programming computations (e.g. value iteration, policy iteration) in this format. Under certain technical assumptions, the new algorithms guarantee convergence towards optimal solutions with arbitrary precision. Furthermore, the run times of the new algorithms scale polynomially with the state dimension and polynomially with the ranks of the value function. This approach realizes substantial computational savings in "compressible" problem instances, where value functions admit low-rank approximations. We demonstrate the new algorithms in a wide range of problems, including a simulated six-dimensional agile quadcopter maneuvering example and a seven-dimensional aircraft perching example. In some of these examples, we estimate computational savings of up to 10 orders of magnitude over standard value iteration algorithms. We further demonstrate the algorithms running in real time on board a quadcopter during a flight experiment under motion capture.


Despite a lot of research work on innovative work behavior, the research is not only inconclusive but still to develop a consensus on a single best antecedent of innovative work behavior. Innovative work behavior remains in the limelight of research due to its direct relationship with organizational innovation. Innovative work behavior is an employee's behavior that demands to be investigated with employee's specific antecedent. Internal marketing is an emerging concept of human resource management that is the only employee's specific antecedent to consider the employee as an internal customer and his/her job as a domestic product. Management literature has yet not investigated internal marketing as an antecedent of innovative work behavior. While conducting any research, the target sector for research is of paramount importance. Public and private sectors differ in culture, organizational structure and an administrative point of view. The private sector contributes more than the public sector and specifically the industrial sector. Industrial sector contributes 25% of the economy and in the industrial sector, engineering sector contributes 13.5% in the GDP. In Pakistan, the focus of the past research has been in the service sector and neglected the manufacturing sector which is a backbone of the country. Similarly, the past studies in the manufacturing sector focused the organizational specific variables and overlooked internal marketing with innovative work behavior. This study is based on social exchange theory to develop an integrated model of innovative work behavior which is mandatory for innovation in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. In the model, innovative work behavior is dependent variable with independent variable internal marketing and its dimensions like strategic rewards, internal communication, training and development, leadership and empowerment. In the model, job embeddedness is a mediating variable, social capital and intrinsic motivations are the moderating variables. Data were collected from the sample of the manufacturing sector. There are more than 450 auto parts manufacturing firms in Pakistan located in different cities.


OBJECTIVE To assess the use of a portable retinal camera in diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening in multiple settings and the presence of associated risk factors among children, adolescents, and young adults with type 1 diabetes. DESIGN AND METHODS Five hundred youth with type 1 diabetes of at least 1 year's duration were recruited from clinics, diabetes camp, and a diabetes conference and underwent retinal imaging using a nonmydriatic fundus camera. Retinal characterization was performed remotely by a licensed ophthalmologist. Risk factors for DR development were evaluated by a patient-reported questionnaire and medical chart review. RESULTS Of the 500 recruited subjects aged 9–26 years (mean 14.9, SD 3.8), 10 cases of DR were identified (nine mild and one moderate nonproliferative DR) with 100% of images of gradable quality. The prevalence of DR was 2.04% (95% CI 0.78–3.29), at an average age of 20.2 years, with the youngest affected subject being 17.1 years of age. The rate of DR was higher, at 6.5%, with diabetes duration >10 years (95% CI 0.86–12.12, P = 0.0002). In subjects with DR, the average duration of diabetes was 12.1 years (SD 4.6, range 6.2–20.0), and in a subgroup of clinic-only subjects (n = 114), elevated blood pressure in the year before screening was associated with DR (P = 0.0068). CONCLUSION This study in a large cohort of subjects with type 1 diabetes demonstrates that older adolescents and young adults (>17 years) with longer disease duration (>6 years) are at risk for DR development, and screening using a portable retinal camera is feasible in clinics and other locations. Recent elevated blood pressure was a risk factor in an analyzed subgroup.


PURPOSE: The objective of this paper is to propose a concept of network resource distribution that systematically unifies the resource-based and network-based perspectives on interfirm networks and enables integrated analysis of how firm resources and network structure interact to affect firm performance. METHODOLOGY: This conceptual paper first reviews the extant literature on interfirm networks and then develops the unifying concept of network resource distribution. FINDINGS: The literature review indicates that strategy scholars have long sought to integrate the resource-based view and the social network explanations of firm performance but, thus far, only a partial integration has been achieved. In particular, studies on the resource-level heterogeneity of interfirm networks have largely been limited to the analysis of firm dyads. How firm resources and network structure beyond the immediate network partners interact to affect firm performance has not yet been adequately addressed. The proposed unified concept of network resource distribution systematizes prior research and illuminates how network structure and firm resources interact to affect firm performance beyond the immediate network partners. IMPLICATIONS FOR THEORY AND PRACTICE: For theory, this paper highlights gaps in the extant literature on interfirm networks and proposes a unifying concept that can be utilized to address these gaps and to develop further theory in the area. For practice, this paper encourages managers not to limit their analyses of strategic alliances to immediate partnerships; it is also crucial to consider the partners and their resources, and reflect on how they are related to one another outside of the immediate partnership portfolio. ORIGINALITY AND VALUE: Network resource distribution is a novel concept that ties together and systematizes various strands of research on interfirm networks, thus providing a foundation for future research in the area. The concept is also amenable to detailed operationalization, facilitating subsequent quantitative testing of theoretical arguments combining firm resources and the structure of a network.


In low-temperature combustion concepts such as partially premixed combustion, the ignition delay should be large enough in order to ensure sufficient fuel and air mixing before the start of combustion. It is also necessary that the combustion timing is sufficiently well phased for high thermal efficiency. Since the ignition delay and combustion timing are intimately coupled, the decoupling of these two quantities gives rise to an interesting multiple input, multiple output control problem where the control of the air system and the fuel injection system have to be combined. In a multi-cylinder engine this problem becomes underdetermined or uncontrollable with more outputs than inputs. This article investigates model-based cycle-to-cycle cylinder-individual closed-loop control of the ignition delay and the combustion phasing in a multi-cylinder heavy-duty DI engine running on a gasoline fuel mixture. The controller design of choice was model predictive control (MPC) which is a suitable design for multiple input/output systems with actuator constraints. Ignition delay and combustion phasing were extracted from cooled in-cylinder pressure sensors and controlled by manipulating injection timings, the gas mixture temperature and exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) ratio using a dual EGR-path system and a fast thermal-management (FTM) system. (Less)


Northern leaf blight (NLB) can cause severe yield loss in maize; however, scouting large areas to accurately diagnose the disease is time consuming and difficult. We demonstrate a system capable of automatically identifying NLB lesions in field-acquired images of maize plants with high reliability. This approach uses a computational pipeline of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that addresses the challenges of limited data and the myriad irregularities that appear in images of field-grown plants. Several CNNs were trained to classify small regions of images as containing NLB lesions or not; their predictions were combined into separate heat maps, then fed into a final CNN trained to classify the entire image as containing diseased plants or not. The system achieved 96.7% accuracy on test set images not used in training. We suggest that such systems mounted on aerial- or ground-based vehicles can help in automated high-throughput plant phenotyping, precision breeding for disease resistance, and reduced pesticide use through targeted application across a variety of plant and disease categories.


The static reinforcement is consisting by anchorages injected within the thickness of he walls by long perforations with a continuous perforation in order to the introduction of steel bars specifically quith the purpose of improving the statico or dynamic behavior in the seismic action of the existing buildings. To perform coring with this system it is achieved (after various versions) a prototype machine which has, as part propulsive, a high-performance motor with reduced consumption of electric energy which uses, for all the moving parts (including the diamond head), a special cooling system in a closed cycle and a suction system which is also in a closed cycle without dispersions of powders in the environment resulting in greater healthiness of the place of work. In this last conceived and patented system entirely, developed in laboratory, is not used the water but a specific fluid appropriately controlled, that totally eliminating the huge consumption of water usually employed in the perforations, thus avoid the chemical physical phenomena produced by the contact of the water with the mortar of the masonry and thus safeguarding an increasingly valuable resource and essential for life of living beings. This system performs drilling with extreme precision both in direction and in diameter without impact or vibration through stones such as marble, granite, natural stone, concrete and reinforced concrete and all materials normally used in construction without any limit. Designed to perform long perforations for the consolidation of the buildings in elevation it is able to accurately advance also in inhomogeneous materials up to about 25/30 meters in any direction. The diameters for which the system has been studied, in the most frequently used applications, ranging from a minimum of 40mm. To a maximum of 80mm.


The study estimated heritability for lamb growth and carcass performance, hogget ewe wool production, and worm egg count among crossbred progeny of maternal breed sires, as well as the genetic and phenotypic correlations among the traits. The data were from crossbred progeny of 91 sires from maternal breeds including Border Leicester, East Friesian, Finnsheep, Coopworth, White Suffolk, Corriedale, and Booroola Leicester. The sires were mated to Merino ewes at 3 sites over 3 years (and also Corriedale ewes at one site), with 3 common sires used at each site and year to provide genetic links. These sheep comprised part of the national maternal sire central progeny test program (MCPT) to evaluate the genetic variation for economically important production traits in progeny of maternal and dual-purpose (meat and wool) sires and the scope for genetic improvement. The matings resulted in 7846 first-cross lambs born, with 2964 wether lambs slaughtered at an average age of 214 days, and wool data from 2795 hogget ewes. Data were analysed using univariate mixed models containing fixed effects for site, year, sex and type of birth and rearing, dam source and sire breed, and random terms for sire and dam effects. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated based on variances from progeny of 70 sires by fitting the same mixed models using a REML procedure in univariate and multivariate analyses. Estimates of heritability were low for lamb growth traits (0.07–0.29), meat colour and meat pH (0.10–0.23), and faecal worm egg count (0.10), moderate for carcass fat and muscle traits (0.32–0.47), and moderate to high for wool traits (0.36–0.55). Estimates of direct genetic correlations among liveweights at various ages were high and positive (0.41–0.77) and those between liveweights and most carcass and meat quality traits were small and varied in sign. Liveweights were moderately to highly positively correlated with most wool traits, except fibre diameter (–0.28–0.08). The study indicates that there is genetic variation for wool, growth, carcass, and meat quality traits, as well as for faecal worm egg count, with scope for selection within Australian maternal sire breeds of sheep.


Abstract: With the purpose to improve the mechanical properties and cut costs of chitosan films, a series of gelatin-chitosan films were prepared. The effect of gelatin content on the mechanical properites of films was studied. FT-IR spectrum and X-ray diffraction analysis showed good compatibility between gelatin and chitosan. The composite films exhibited a higher TS(tensile strengths) and ES(elongation at break) compared with chitosan film, especially when the content of gelatin in blends was 30%. The TS and ES revealed that the interaction between chitosan and gelatin was the strongest when the content of gelatin in blends was 30%. The results obtained from percent water absorption indicated these two biopolymers were high hydrophilicity polymer. The water solubility of composite films was higher than chitosan films. The results suggest that the interactions between gelatin and chitosan was good for the mechanical properties of composite films.


This study is designed to examine the chemical composition and in vitroantioxidant activity of the essential oil and various extracts of Origanum rotundifolium Boiss. from Turkey. The total of the 40 identified components accounted for 97.23% (GC) and 95.10% (FID) of the total oil. Major components of the oil were borneol, terpinen-4-ol, and spathulenol. To determine the presence of well known and widespread phenolic compounds, water-soluble extract of O. rotundifolium was analyzed by HPLC. In the methanol-soluble extract, caffeic acid,p-coumaric acid, (+)-catechin, and ferulic acid were found in several quantities. Antioxidant activity of the essential oil and extracts of O. rotundifolium has been determined by four different test systems namely DPPH, b-carotene/linoleic acid, chelating effect and reducing power. A strong correlation was observed between the radical scavenging capacity and polarity of the extracts. The methanol-soluble extract which contains the most polar phytochemicals showed the strongest antioxidant effect in all test systems. As expected, amount of the total phenolics and flavonoids was very high in methanol-soluble extract.

 Key words: Origanum rotundifolium, extract, essential oil, antioxidant activity, HPLC.


Photoresist-based lithography has major limitations when applied to micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) with mechanically fragile and/or chemically functionalised surfaces. As a remedy, alternative, complementary nanopatterning methods have been developed, e.g. thermo-mechanical indentation (nanoimprint lithography), local printing of molecular layers (soft lithography), and shadow-mask deposition (nanostencil patterning). The nanostencil method is a resistless patterning method based on direct, local deposition of material on an arbitrary surface through a solid-state silicon nitride (SiN) membrane. In addition, the method offers the possibility of simultaneous deposition of micrometer and nanometer scale structures. Patterning of such mesoscopic structures (10^9 - 10^5 m) through stencils fabricated by MEMS processes in combination with focused ion beam (FIB) milling has been demonstrated within a limited area. In order to produce larger membranes enabling increased throughput of the nanostencil method, we developed a 100-mm wafer-scale (deep-UV) DUV/MEMS fabrication process. The mesoscopic patterns were first defined by a 4× reduced projection exposure using an ASML wafer stepper and then transferred into a SiN layer by means of reactive ion etching (RIE). The membranes were released by wafer-through etching using potassium hydroxide (KOH). Patterning of nano-scale structures using stencils allows for a large choice of materials and surfaces to be nanopatterned since no etch steps need to be applied. We have studied the nanopatterning of metals (Al, Au, Bi, and Cr) on various surfaces (silicon, oxides, freestanding SiN cantilevers, and self-assembled monolayers (SAM)) for different mesoscopic experiments. We will present details on the DUV/MEMS process and the application of the full-wafer stencil for specific applications such as templates for molecular electronics, nano-mechanical devices with a 90 MHz resonance frequency, as well as nano-scale Hall-sensor devices.


A rate control technique for video encoding under complex transmission scenarios is presented. A typical application for this method is the transmission of video over variable bit rate channels while accounting for restrictions on the end-to-end delay and decoder buffer size. That the resulting multiple constraints on the source and channel rates may be relaxed without loss of optimality into a set of linear inequality constraints-though they are usually expressed in nonlinear form-is a key insight of this paper. This allows for a systematic treatment of a large class of rate constraints and leads to a convex programming (CP) formulation for rate control. Approximation of the frame distortion-rate data by piecewise linear functions further facilitates an efficient solution based on linear programming (LP), a special case of CP. The LP method provides bounds for the deviation from optimality. Results for a standard video test set show that the proposed method provides solutions with mean square error (MSE) distortion value within 2% of the global minimum across a range of rates. The proposed technique is also applied in conjunction with a perceived distortion measure. Results exhibit significant reduction in blocking artifacts and flicker compared to the use of MSE


After 17 years in service, a 3 ft by 3 ft closure pour section of an Interstate 81 (I-81) bridge deck failed by punching through near Marion, Virginia. Visual inspection noted that there was considerable corrosion on some of the reinforcing bars in the vicinity of the construction joint, while other failure bars had little or no corrosion. Sections of the bridge deck were cut and delivered to Virginia Tech for further investigation. It was clear from an initial investigation that shrinkage of the deck concrete had caused the construction joints to open and thereby allow water and chlorides to enter the joint. In addition, it was observed that several bars across the closure pour construction joints had suffered significant section loss due to corrosion, but it was not clear if fatigue and strength failure of the reinforcing bars were also contributing factor in the closure pour failure. To study the problem four fatigue tests and five strength tests performed. The specimens included six slab strips cut from the I-81 bridge deck, with the 3-ft closure pour included, and three additional specimens that were cast in the laboratory to represent a base line for performance. A three-point loading setup was used for both fatigue and strength tests. However, for the final strength and fatigue tests, a jacking system was designed and implemented in an effort to open the closure pour construction joints to simulate the open joints of the I-81 bridge. The objectives of this research program are to provide a better understanding of the closure pour failure mechanism, develop inspection procedures for Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to assess its bridge inventory containing similar construction joints, and to develop recommendations for future construction of similar construction joints.


In the "old" Gilded Age, the barons of business accumulated vast wealth and influence from their railroads, steel mills, and banks. But today it is culture that stands at the heart of the American enterprise, mass entertainment the economic dynamo that brings the public into the consuming fold and consolidates the power of business over the American mind. For a decade The Baffler has been the invigorating voice of dissent against these developments, in the grand tradition of the muckrakers and The American Mercury. This collection gathers the best of its writing to explore such peculiar developments as the birth of the rebel hero as consumer in the pages of Wired and Details; the ever-accelerating race to market youth culture; the rise of new business gurus like Tom Peters and the fad for Hobbesian corporate "reengineering"; and the encroachment of advertising and commercial enterprise into every last nook and cranny of American life. With its liberating attitude and cant-free intelligence, this book is a powerful polemic against the designs of the culture business on us all.


Requirement of fuel to resident earn middle downwards and also is impecunious, especially in rural, mostly fulfilled by kerosene for to ripe requirement, which is true felt to be to be reached because subsidized by government. But because used to be industrial or other effort, sometime happened the rare of supply of kerosene in market. Target of which is expected is to get a design and a stove installation with fuel of biogas organic waste, so that can replace oil stove and also gas burner of elpiji to fulfill ripe requirement in 1 family every day. Step in designing and developing stove installation of biogas this is to determine correct installation design, then assemble the installation component pursuant to design which have been determined. After formed a stove installation of biogas, then we try to fill in organic garbage which in the form of vegetable, rest of dry leaf and rice into dissolved tank and at the same time perceive the happening of gas methane. If gas of methane have gone out from dissolved tank, therefore we try to animate stove which have been designed. Pursuant to result of calculation at installation got by Volume of dissolved tank : 1100 L, Waste volume : 0,5367 m3, Capacities Gas of Methane : , Pressure Gas of methana at pipe : 9,0334 Pa, Speed of gas of methane. Keyword : Energi alternatif; sampah; biogas; gas methana; Pipa gas Related Link : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/304/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2009-rizafirman-15189-pendahul-n.pdf


Study Design. The assessment of sacrum angular motions and stress across sacroiliac joint (SIJ) articular surfaces using finite element lumbar spine-pelvis model and simulated posterior fusion surgical procedures. Objective. To quantify the increase in sacrum angular motions and stress across SIJ as a function of fused lumbar spine using finite element lumbar spine-pelvis model. Summary of Background Data. A review of the literature suggests that for 20% to 30% of spine surgery patients, failed back surgery syndrome as a possible complication. The SIJ might be a contributing factor in failed back surgery syndrome in 29% to 40% of cases. The exact pathomechanism which leads to SIJ pain generation is not well understood. We hypothesized that lumbar spine fusion leads to increased motion or stresses at the SIJ; this alone could be a trigger of the pain syndrome. Methods. A finite element model of the lumbar spine-pelvis was used to simulate the posterior fusion at L4–L5, L4–S1, and L5–S1 levels. The magnitude of the sacrum angular motion and average of stresses across SIJ articular surfaces were compared with intact model in flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation motions. Results. The computed sacrum angular motions in intact spine, after L4–L5, L5–S1, and L4–S1 fusion gradually increased with maximum value in L4–S1 fusion model. Also, the average stress on SIJ articular surfaces progressively increased from minimum in L4–L5 to maximum in L4–S1 fusion models. Conclusion. The fusion at the lumbar spine level increased motion and stresses at the SIJ. This could be a probable reason for low back pain in patients after lumbar spine fusion procedures.


This paper analyzes the effect of agglomeration economies on firms' total factor productivity. We propose the use of a control function approach to overcome the econometric issue inherent to the two-stage approach commonly used in the literature. Estimations are conducted separately for four industry groups, defined by technological intensity, to allow for non-uniform effects of agglomeration economies on firms given their technological level. In addition, R&D is included to account for the firms' own efforts to foster productivity through creating and absorbing knowledge. Finally, radii as well as administrative boundaries are used for defining regions. The results confirm differences in the strength and even in the direction of agglomeration economies: While urban economies have the largest effect on TFP for firms in high-tech industries, they have no effect on TFP in low-tech industries. For firms in the latter industries, however, the variety of the local economic structure has an impact, while this is irrelevant for the TFP of firms in high-tech industries. Only localization economies have a positive and significant effect on TFP throughout, but the effect increases with technological intensity of industries. Throughout, R&D is also found to have a positive effect that increases with technological intensity.


We discuss the question whether competition policy should provide entrants with special protection in the Indian competition law context. Under an effects based approach, competition enforcement should to protect consumers rather than the interests of individual competitors. Entrants deserve special protection only in recently liberalized markets characterized by the presence of a former state monopoly or a current SOE that display specific characteristics such as natural monopoly. Barring such highly specific circumstances, promoting competitors over consumers hurts consumer welfare and innovation. India's Competition Act is an essential tool for policymakers to promote a transition to greater country competitiveness, innovation, and economic prosperity for India. To achieve these objectives, CCI must implement the Competition Act in a manner that promotes consumers over competitors, and minimizes the distortions of industrial policies instead of amplifying them.


The systems community in both academia and industry has tremendous success in building widely used general purpose systems for various types of data and applications. Examples include database systems, big data systems, data streaming systems, and machine learning systems. The vast majority of these systems are ill equipped in terms of supporting spatial data. The main reason is that system builders mostly think of spatial data as just one more type of data. Any spatial support can be considered as an afterthought problem that can be supported via on-top functions or spatial cartridges that can be added to the already built systems. This article advocates that spatial data and applications need to be natively supported in special purpose systems, where spatial data is considered as a first class citizen, while spatial operations are built inside the engine rather than on-top of it. System builders should consider spatial data while building their systems. The article gives examples of five categories of systems, namely, database systems, big data systems, machine learning systems, recommender systems, and social network systems, that would benefit tremendously, in terms of both accuracy and performance, when considering spatial data as an integral part of the system engine.


Introduction From its infancy, the Internal Revenue Code has contained an exclusion from taxable income for damages received on account of personal injuries. For decades, courts have worked at deciphering its meaning, dealing with issues such as what constitutes a personal injury, whether there should be a distinction between physical and non-physical personal injuries, and whether punitive damages were also excluded. The last decade has largely focused on the taxability of awards under federal statutes prohibiting discrimination, specifically Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964(1) and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA),(2) as well as the taxability of punitive damages. In its 1992 decision, United States v. Burke,(3) the United States Supreme Court held Title VII damages taxable. The Court determined that because of its limited remedies available to successful plaintiffs the statute did not redress a tort or tort-type injury.(4) In 1991, however, in a change not addressed in Burke, Congress amended Title VII to provide a more expansive list of remedies and remediable injuries.(5) In the midst of lower court struggles with the Burke legacy, the Supreme Court added to the confusion by its reasoning in a 1995 ADEA case.(6) Holding both the backpay and the liquidated damage components of the award taxable, the Court rather unpersuasively opined that the ADEA redressed neither tort or tort-type rights nor a personal injury.(7) It further held that, contrary to Burke, these were separate tests ("based upon tort or tort type rights" and "received on account of personal injuries or sickness"), that ADEA's liquidated damages were punitive in nature, and that the ADEA's more generous (than Title VII) remedies were not extensive enough to meet Burke's requirements for excludability.(8) The better reasoned dissent of Justices O'Connor, Souter, and Thomas took serious issue with the majority's revisionist reading of Burke. As part of the background to the recent developments, the Scheiler case will be discussed. Another contentious issue over the last decade has been the taxability of punitive damages. A 1989 congressional attempt at resolution of the issue was leas than successful. That legislation made punitives paid for nonphysical injuries taxable.(9) In the latter half of 1996, however, the Supreme Court(10) and Congress(11) seemed to have taken the requisite definitive steps to making all these awards taxable. Importantly, the congressional Act amending Internal Revenue Code [sections] 102(a)(2) generally made damages paid for nonphysical personal injuries taxable.(12) A review of the O'Gilvie v. United States(13) decision and the new legislation highlight the resolved and remaining unresolved areas. Yet another high visibility area within [sections] 104(a)(2) involves settlement agreement allocations between taxable and nontaxable components. Frequently, parties enter such agreements without tax forethought. After signing off on a general release they are forced to argue allocation issues in hindsight. Alternatively, the agreement may contain an allocation which the Internal Revenue Service challenges. The issue in these cases is the enforceability of the designated allocation. Recent cases on these points will be discussed. Often linked to the allocation issue is the issue of the taxability of statutory pre-judgment interest. Two courts of appeals have dealt with the question, both finding it taxable, although the First Circuit clearly has left the door open to revisit the issue. These cases will likewise be explored. After explicating these issues, the Article analyzes the state of the law and makes several recommendations. Future problem areas are mentioned, as well as some suggestions for a plaintiff's tax or litigation counsel. A short concluding section ends the Article. Background I. The Scope of [sections] 104(a)(2) Prior to August 21, 1996, [sections] 104(a)(2) provided: (a) In General. …


This study focuses on the characterization and optimization of calixarene modified carbon nanotube thin films for gas detection. Calixarene molecules were synthesized individually by considering their functional groups to attract the gas. Calixarene modified carbon nanotube based sensors were fabricated using drop-casting method on a quartz crystal microbalance gold electrode. Carbon monoxide, carbondioxide, oxygen and dry air were used as active gases for adsorption process, while high-purity nitrogen gas was used for desorption process. The selectivity and sensitivity of calixarene modified carbon nanotube are investigated in detail. Our experimental results show that functional calixarene modified carbon nanotube coated quartz crystal microbalance sensors are very sensitive and selective to gas of CO2 at room temperature operation.


We present measured radial velocities and complete space motions for 116 white dwarf stars with M dwarf companions. Thirteen pairs have "halo-like" velocities. According to a recent study by Oppenheimer et al., all these high-velocity white dwarfs should be considered part of the dark matter heavy halo of the Galaxy, based on their kinematics. Based on the near-solar abundance levels of the M dwarf companions, we conclude that 12 of our 13 high-velocity white dwarfs are actually part of the high-velocity tail of the thick disk, rather than the dark matter halo of the Galaxy, in agreement with the results of a recent study of 514 M dwarfs performed by Reid, Sahu, & Hawley. We find only one potential stellar halo white dwarf (LP 164-52) in our sample. The M dwarf companion of LP 164-52 is a metal-poor, intermediate subdwarf with high-velocity UVW-space motions. In view of the similarity to our sample, we conclude that the majority of the dark matter halo white dwarfs identified by Oppenheimer et al. are most likely to be members of the thick disk, and hence their contribution to the dark matter content of the halo is very much overestimated. Our results suggest that the assignment of population membership solely on incomplete kinematical information is not definitive and that a more robust examination of suspected halo white dwarfs must be performed.


The process modeling and optimization of carbon dioxide (CO2) separation from carbon dioxide-methane (CH4) binary gas mixture through hydrotalcite (HT)-silica membrane using statistical design of experiments (DoE) is reported in this study. The effect of three important process variables, pressure difference across the membrane (100-500 kPa), temperature (30-190oC) and CO2 feed concentration (10-50%) on the CO2 separation performance of the membrane were investigated. The response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with central composite design (CCD) was used to build up two models to correlate the effect of process conditions to CO2 permeance and CO2/CH4 separation selectivity. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the quadratic model at 95% confidence interval confirmed that the model was highly significant. The CO2 feed concentration with 43% showed the best performance with a CO2 permeance of 6.0x10-7 mol.m-2.s-1.Pa-1 and a CO2/CH4 separation selectivity of 109 at 100 kPa pressure difference across the membrane and temperature of 30oC


Award-winning writer Paul Theroux tells four exhilarating stories of desire in which nothing is as it seems in "The Stranger at the Palazzo d'Oro". A young American walks into Sicily's Palazzo d'Oro during the '60s. Penniless, but swaggering with youth and burgeoning artistic talent, he accepts a proposition to become the companion to a beautiful and beguiling aristocrat. Their affair- formal and restrained by day, torrid and passionate by night - leads him to a place where nothing, not even his lover, is what it seems. This novella and three other tales explore the underbelly of sexual desire and together make up one of Paul Theroux's most compelling works yet. "Theroux is a distinctive and daring writer...he is at his best when shadowing the fugitive feelings which are the outriders of desire". ("Independent"). "A decadent, engrossing collection. Whether evoking the bored sophistication of European aristocrats, or the compulsive smuttiness of American teenagers, Theroux writes with an economy and grace which is hard to resist". ("Mail on Sunday"). "Theroux's eye for detail is seductive and imagination compelling". ("Irish Independent"). American travel writer Paul Theroux is known for the rich descriptions of people and places that is often streaked with his distinctive sense of irony; his novels and collected short stories, "My Other Life", "The Collected Stories", "My Secret History", "The Lower River", "A Dead Hand", "Millroy the Magician", "The Elephanta Suite", "Saint Jack", "The Consul's File", "The Family Arsenal", "The Mosquito Coast", and his works of non-fiction, including the iconic "The Great Railway Bazaar" are available from Penguin.


Abstract In order to maximize the environmental benefits of fusion power generation, it is important to clearly define the parameters governing the back-end of the materials cycle. A fusion-specific approach is necessary and needs to be developed. Recycling of materials and clearance (i.e. declassification to non-radioactive material) are the two recommended options for reducing the amount of fusion waste, while the disposal as low-level waste could be an alternative route for specific materials and components. Both recycling and clearance criteria have been recently revised by national and international institutions. These revisions and their consequences for fusion material management are examined in this paper. It is also important to define the various processes and routes to avoid generating active waste from fusion as much as possible. Two ways are explored within the fusion community: first, the development of materials leading to low activation levels, avoiding the generation of long lived radionuclides through a strict control of the impurity content in materials; second, the development of suitable and reliable processes allowing either clearance of as much material as possible (potentially after adequate treatment) or recycling most of the remaining materials within the nuclear industry.


At the junction of glycolysis and the Krebs cycle in cellular metabolism, the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDHc) catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. In mammals, PDHc is tightly regulated by phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of three serine residues in the thiamin-dependent pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component. In vivo, inactivation of human PDHc correlates mostly with phosphorylation of serine 264, which is located at the entrance of the substrate channel leading to the active site of E1. Despite intense investigations, the molecular mechanism of this inactivation has remained enigmatic. Here, a detailed analysis of microscopic steps of catalysis in human wild-type PDHc-E1 and pseudophosphorylation variant Ser264Glu elucidates how phosphorylation of Ser264 affects catalysis. Whereas the intrinsic reactivity of the active site in catalysis of pyruvate decarboxylation remains nearly unaltered, the preceding binding of substrate to the enzyme's active site via the substrate channel and the subsequent reductive acetylation of the E2 component are severely slowed in the phosphorylation variant. The structure of pseudophosphorylation variant Ser264Glu determined by X-ray crystallography reveals no differences in the three-dimensional architecture of the phosphorylation loop or of the active site, when compared to those of the wild-type enzyme. However, the channel leading to the active site is partially obstructed by the side chain of residue 264 in the variant. By analogy, a similar obstruction of the substrate channel can be anticipated to result from a phosphorylation of Ser264. The kinetic and thermodynamic results in conjunction with the structure of Ser264Glu suggest that phosphorylation blocks access to the active site by imposing a steric and electrostatic barrier for substrate binding and active site coupling with the E2 component. As a Ser264Gln variant, which carries no charge at position 264, is also selectively deficient in pyruvate binding and reductive acetylation of E2, we conclude that mostly steric effects account for inhibition of PDHc by phosphorylation.


Intestinal parasitic infections have been found to form at least a quarter of all human infections globally. School-going children are the worst affected by these infections as it impairs their growth and cognitive development. Following the WHO recommendation, the Government of Kenya rolled out a school deworming programme under the School Health Programme in 2009. The study was embedded in the School Health Programme. The main objective of the study was to investigate the effects of public health interventions against intestinal parasitic infections among school going children in Murang'a County. It was a quasi-experimental study with schools assigned to intervention and control groups. The schools were selected through multi-stage sampling. Data was collected in three phases: baseline, intervention and post intervention evaluation. A total of 446 pupils from six primary schools provided stool samples for examination of intestinal parasitic infections. Structured interview guides and observation were used to collect more information on school sanitation, pupils' hygiene practices and their level of knowledge of intestinal parasites. Qualitative data was collected through Key Informants Interviews and observations of school sanitation and hygiene practices compared with School Health Policy. Installation of tippy taps, provision of soap and water, and health education were some of the public health interventions which were implemented in intervention group. A post intervention evaluation was conducted to determine the effect of these interventions. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Association of variables was tested using chi-square while t-test was used to compare means. At the baseline phase the overall prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections was 51.2% and 55.1% in the intervention and control group respectively. Prevalence of intestinal helminthic infections was 12% and 16.5% in intervention and control groups respectively. A comparison of mean percentage of infected pupils at baseline revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of intestinal parasites between intervention and control groups (t =0.32, P = 0.37). Level of knowledge of intestinal parasites was 52.3% and 48.8% in the intervention and control group respectively. The difference between the two was not statistically significant ( 2 = 3.4, df = 5, P=0.13). There was a statistically significant relationship between protozoan infections and school sanitation ( 2 = 10.3, df = 1, P = 0.001). Association between helminthic infections and school sanitation was also found to be significant ( 2 = 2.4, df = 1, P=0.01). Key informants interview revealed that there were no health clubs at schools through which health promotion would be propagated among the pupils. After intervention a comparison of mean percentage of infected pupils revealed that there was a statistically significant reduction in intestinal protozoan infections in intervention group from 55.1% to 6.0% (t=12.6, P=0.001). There was also a statistically significant reduction in the prevalence of helminthic infections in the intervention group from 12.4% to 0.0% (t = -3.78, P<0.001). This has led to the conclusion that public health interventions influenced the reduction of the prevalence of intestinal parasites. The findings of this study are useful to the ministry of Education in formulating policies that will shape the future of the School Health Programme in Kenya. There is a suggestion to conduct a community based study to rule out the infections from the home environment.


The second population survey of the Swiss MONICA project took place in 1988-89 in the cantons of Vaud, Fribourg and Ticino. Blood lipids (total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol as well as apolipoproteins A-I and B) were measured in 3341 individuals aged 25-74 years belonging to a representative sample of the three cantons' population. Total and LDL cholesterol values were high on average, especially among patients aged 45 and over: total cholesterol was > 6.5 mmol/l in 27% (age 25-34) to 58% (age 45-54) and in 15% (age 25-34) to 64% (age 65-74) of men and women, respectively. HDL cholesterol values were relatively stable with age, at a higher level in women (median 1.5 mmol/l) than in men (median 1.2 mmol/l). To summarize, about 1 out of 5 people had cholesterol values placing them at low risk for the development of coronary heart disease, whereas 1 out of 4 were at increased risk. Apolipoprotein B, a component of LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A-I, a component of HDL cholesterol, were measured for the first time in a large representative sample of the Swiss population. The distribution of both apolipoproteins was, in the aggregate, very similar to the distribution of the corresponding LDL and HDL cholesterol. A comparison of cholesterol values measured in 1988-89 with values previously measured in the same population (MONICA population survey 1984-85) did not show any reduction with time.


Marketing is having various components and functions for different kind of applications, requirements and objectives. Advertisement is one of the key components of marketing practise. The major challenges are facing by the advertising industry is the tremendous growth of the technology and its acceptance by the people with the same pace. Due to this fast paced advancement of technology, many new media vehicles have introduced and accepted by all. But for advertisers and academicians, it is still challenging and interesting to know the effectiveness of these media vehicles to achieve the advertising objectives. Sales revenue is one of the key performance indicators of the advertising campaign.

This is an attempt to do a comparative study of the sales effects of traditional and contemporary media vehicles. This document is the dissertation report for MSc. Marketing course, 2014-15. It starts with the commentary of high levels of the topic which covers the general area of the subject and fast food industry of the Irish market. Then it covers the rationale of choosing this topic and what the gaps are, which is going to be filled with this research.

In the literature review section is having collection of various literatures which have been reviewed to design and frame the research by broadening the knowledge through various advertising theories and comparison of the contemporary and traditional media vehicles. In later sections researcher has framed the thesis statement, objectives, sub-objectives and research questions.

Based on these studies, philosophy and theoretical framing have been done. The type of philosophy, in this study is "epistemology" which discuss about the interdependency factors, key performance indicators and relationship between the various factors to achieve the advertising objectives. Further research and studies, says that there are two major actors viz. consumers and marketers. To know the points of view of both and get the deeper knowledge of the subjects researcher have adopted mixed method approach which includes quantitative, qualitative, primary and secondary research. The primary research has done for both consumers and marketers.

Then analyse the results and findings got from primary research and secondary research analysis. The findings from primary research and secondary research analysis are discussed in the "discussion" section. This is also discussed about the advertising objectives can be related ultimately to sales goal and branding objectives.

To execute this research everything was not very simple there were many limitations. Further researcher has highlighted that how these are taken care. Also discussed about the future possibility of this research.


A conceptual framework is developed which provides insight into the factors affecting the impact of market advisory service (MAS) recommendations on producer pricing decisions. Data from a survey of 656 U.S. producers reveal that the perceived performance of the MAS, the way in which MAS recommendations are delivered, as well as the match between MAS and producers' marketing philosophy, are important factors explaining the impact of MAS recommendations. Risk attitude does not affect the impact of MAS recommendations on producers' decisions, suggesting producers are more interested in the price-enhancing characteristics of MAS advice than in its risk-reducing features. Key words: market advisory services, ordered probit model, producers' marketing decisions


The aim of this Hypothesis and Theory is to question the recently increasing use of the "race" concept in contemporary genetic, psychiatric, neuroscience as well as social studies. We discuss "race" and related terms used to assign individuals to distinct groups and caution that also concepts such as "ethnicity" or "culture" unduly neglect diversity. We suggest that one factor contributing to the dangerous nature of the "race" concept is that it is based on a mixture of traditional stereotypes about "physiognomy", which are deeply imbued by colonial traditions. Furthermore, the social impact of "race classifications" will be critically reflected. We then examine current ways to apply the term "culture" and caution that while originally derived from a fundamentally different background, "culture" is all too often used as a proxy for "race", particularly when referring to the population of a certain national state or wider region. When used in such contexts, suggesting that all inhabitants of a geographical or political unit belong to a certain "culture" tends to ignore diversity and to suggest a homogeneity, which consciously or unconsciously appears to extend into the realm of biological similarities and differences. Finally, we discuss alternative approaches and their respective relevance to biological and cultural studies.


Traditionally, cancer patients are managed mostly within the secondary healthcare system. As the burden of the disease increases, secondary care has to work with the primary care to provide good support for healthy population, the patients, etc. The community pharmacists are one of the primary care providers because they are the most accessible healthcare providers in the community. For this group to meet these demands of an evolving new role and improve the health outcomes, continuous professional development (CPD) is essential. This study was set to gather information about the professional practice of Ghanaian community pharmacists on cancer health, their interest and importance in receiving continuous education on cancer.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using electronic questionnaires.
Key Findings: Majority (67.1%) spent less than or ten minutes of their time interacting with patients and 70.8% referred patients who consistently request for medication to a hospital. Majority of participants (43.4%) have never attended cancer continuous education and 67.6% indicated their interest in receiving cancer continuous education in the future. There was statistically significant difference between the educational level and professional interaction with cancer patients (p=0.004). Provision of cancer printed materials (p=0.00) and interest in attending cancer continuous education in the future (p=0.007) were also significantly affected by educational level. 'Handout/booklet with self- test' was the preferred mode of delivery for cancer education. Conclusion: community pharmacists strongly play a significant role in cancer health through their professional practice. The challenges observed can be overcome through a well-organized cancer continuous education using participants preferred medium of delivery.


The Pulley Ridge and Dry Tortugas coral reefs are among the most pristine, but also fragile, marine ecosystems of the continental United States. Understanding connectivity processes between them and with surrounding shelf and deep areas is fundamental for their management. This study focuses on the physical processes related to the connectivity of these reefs. Unprecedented in situ time series were used at these specific reef locations, together with satellite observations and numerical simulations, to investigate the dynamics controlling local circulation on the Southwestern Florida Shelf (SWFS) under oceanic influence. The approach of the Loop Current and Florida Current (LC/FC) system to the SWFS slope can induce 0.5 to 1m/s offshore flows impacting the Pulley Ridge and Dry Tortugas reefs. On the other hand, when the LC/FC system retreats from the slope, onshore flows can carry open-sea waters over the coral reefs. Local formation of cyclonic eddies is possible near the Dry Tortugas reefs in the LC approach case and passage of upstream LC Frontal Eddies is possible in the LC retreat case. Offshore currents ∼1m/s over the SWFS slope were also found during periods of anticyclonic LC Eddy separation. A novel finding is the shedding and northward propagation of mesoscale anticyclonic eddies from the core of the LC along the West Florida Shelf. Eddy shedding may have a broader effect on the dynamics of the shelf around the study reef areas. Long periods of LC/FC domination over these coral reefs (reaching several weeks to months) are characterized by strong (∼1m/s) along-shelf currents and continuous upwelling processes, which may weaken the slope stratification and bring colder, deeper waters over the shelf-break and toward the shallower shelf region.


This study compares head impact dynamics between post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS) and the Polar-II pedestrian crash dummy in vehicle–pedestrian impacts with a small sedan and a large sports utility vehicle (SUV). A total of 15 (8 sedan and 7 SUV) full-scale vehicle pedestrian impact tests were performed at 40 km/h. For each vehicle, two (SUV) or three (sedan) PMHS tests and five dummy tests were performed, with three of the dummy tests in the same configuration to show repeatability, and the other two tests utilising slightly different configurations. Head linear and angular kinematics were captured from PMHS and dummy head instrumentation, and dummy upper neck load cell data were used to determine neck forces and calculate head impact forces. Differences in head impact locations, timing and kinematics between the dummy and PMHS were minimised when the dummy was positioned higher above the ground reference level to match the pelvis height of the PMHS. On average, the dummy recorded higher resultant impact forces (2930 N vs. 1862 N) in windshield impacts to the sedan than in hood impacts to the SUV, which resulted in higher 15-ms Head Injury Criteria (HIC15) values and higher peak and averaged angular accelerations. While there are differences in dummy injury risk metrics, both the dummy and PMHS data show that the difference in injury risk metrics predicted by the dummy can be explained by the variation in impact velocity between the sedan (14.1 ± 1.2 m/s) and the SUV (10.7 ± 2.3 m/s), the differences in injury risk predicted by the PMHS are not as clear due to confounding factors. The data and analyses presented in this study also show that neck forces during head impacts contribute a substantial and additive effect to the head impact accelerations (and thus HIC15 values) measured in the dummy, and that for the SUV, neck forces affect head accelerations more than impact forces. Despite analysing only lateral impacts with two vehicle geometries at 40 km/h, this study provides the only comparison of PMHS and dummy pedestrian head impact kinematics data available.


Seismic data users and people managing a seismic network take a great interest in the potentiality of the data, with the difference that the former look at stability, the latter at improvements. This work measures the performances of the Italian Telemetered Seismic Network in the years 1985-2002 by defining basic significant parameters and studying their evolution during those years. Then, we deal with the geological methods used to characterise or to plan seismic station deployments in a few cases. Last, we define the gain of the network as the percentage of well-located earthquakes with respect to the total recorded earthquakes. By analysing the distribution of non-located («missed») earthquakes, we suggest possible actions to take to increase the gain. Results show that completeness magnitude is 2.4 in the average over the analysed period, and it can be as low as 2.2 when we consider non-located earthquakes as well. Parameters such as the minimum recording distance and the RMS of the location decrease with time, reflecting improvements in the location quality. Methods for geologic and seismological characterisation of a possible station site also proved effective. Finally, we represent the number of missed earthquakes at each station, showing that nine stations control more than 50% of all missed earthquakes, and suggesting areas in Italy where the network might easily be improved.


The small island of St Barthelemy was a Swedish colony 1784–1878 and saw its greatest population growth and trade during the turn of the nineteenth century. This was because of Gustavia, the Swedish founded free port, which attracted mariners from the Caribbean, North America and Europe. Their goal was to become Swedish subjects, as Swedish neutrality provided a benefit during the various wars at this time between France, Great Britain and the United States. As these mariners changed their national allegiance from their country of origin to Sweden, questions about their political rights emerged. The makeup, as well as the role, of the local council became a contested issue between native and naturalized Swedes. This conflict, as well as many other local and global issues, was discussed in various mediums. I have examined petitions, the newspaper The Report of Saint Bartholomew and discussions within the council, to create an understanding of how political expression was formed by the population, as well as controlled by Swedish administrators. This analysis has been performed through an intersectional framework considering gender, race and ethnicity. My study shows that while most native and naturalized Swedes believed in input from the population, they had different perceptions of what the purpose of this input was. The Swedish administration saw the political participation of the naturalized population as purely advisory, without any obligation to perform its wishes, which the population resented and protested. Gender played a significant role in the formation of political expression, as masculinity was essential to the identity of white men and free men of colour as political subjects. Yet ethnicity, in terms of place of birth, had no significant impact among the free population's political identity, although it did render them politically unreliable in the eye of native Swedish administration.