The main focus of this thesis lies on the critical properties of twodimensional (2D) superconductors in zero magnetic field. Simulations based on variants of the 2D XY model are shown to give characteristic features close to the phase transition which agree qualitatively with experimental data. Thus, it is concluded that these common characteristic features are caused by two-dimensional vortices.The thesis consists of an introductory part and five separate publications. In the introductory part of the thesis the basic results of the Ginzburg-Landau model, which gives a phenomenological description of superconductors, are described. In 2D systems, the superconductive phase transition in the absence of a magnetic field is governed by the unbinding of thermally created vortices and is called the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) phase transition. An introduction to this kind of transition is given. The important features of the current-voltage (IV) characteristics and the nonlinear conductivity, which can be used to study the KT transition, are discussed. The scaling analysis procedure, a powerful tool for the analysis of the properties of a system in the vicinity of phase transition, is reviewed. A scaling form for the nonlinear dc conductivity, which takes into account finite-size e ects, is discussed.The static 2D XY model, which is usually used to describe superfluids, superconducting films as well as the high-Tc superconductors with high anisotropy, is introduced. Three different types of dynamic models, namely resistively shunted junction, relaxational, and Monte Carlo dynamics are superimposed on the 2D XY model for the evaluation of the dynamic properties. TheVillain model and a modifiedXY model using a p-type interaction potential exhibit different densities of the thermally created vortices. Since the dominant characteristic physical features close to the KT transition are associated with vortex pair fluctuations these two models are investigated.The introductory part closes with a short introduction to each of the five published articles.


In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable's girlfriend for a bear. Both the twelve-year-old and his father become fugitives, forced to run from Coos County - to Boston, to southern Vermont, to Toronto - pursued by the implacable constable. Their lone protector is a fiercely libertarian logger, once a river driver, who befriends them. In a story spanning five decades, Last Night in Twisted River - John Irving's twelfth novel - depicts the recent half-century in the United States as 'a living replica of Coos County, where lethal hatreds were generally permitted to run their course'. From the novel's taut opening sentence - 'The young Canadian, who could not have been more than fifteen, had hesitated too long' - to its elegiac final chapter, Last Night in Twisted River is written with the historical authenticity and emotional authority of The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany. It is also as violent and disturbing a story as John Irving's breakthrough bestseller, The World According to Garp. What further distinguishes Last Night in Twisted River is the author's unmistakable voice - the inimitable voice of an accomplished storyteller. Near the end of this moving novel, John Irving writes: 'We don't always have a choice how we get to know one another. Sometimes, people fall into our lives cleanly - as if out of the sky, or as if there were a direct flight from Heaven to Earth - the same sudden way we lose people, who once seemed they would always be part of our lives'.


This article describes the attributes of transnational cinema in general and of transnational terrorism cinema in particular and then presents a survey of representative films since the 1970s about terrorism from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as films from South America and India. The survey shows that, due to the forces of globalization and international terrorism, a transnational, albeit U.S.-European-dominated, cinematic discourse of terrorism is evolving. The discourse is due to the willingness of filmmakers, especially European filmmakers, to challenge their own nations' public perceptions and cultural discourses of terrorism and the willingness of audiences to consider those challenges.


Some building sites with perennially frozen soil profiles are developed using nonelevated, conventional-appearing foundation systems. These sites consist of frozen sands and gravels and frozen silts recently thawed in geologic time. This construction is feasible and economical if non-catastrophic thaw strain does not cause significant distress to a building's foundation system. Frozen sand and gravel soil profiles are among the most non-homogenous dealt with in arctic geotechnical engineering. Boundaries between perennially frozen soils and recently thawed soils are typically inclined. Fingers and pockets of frozen ground are observed within areas that are otherwise non-permafrost. Typical exploration is limited in scope. A reasonable number of exploratory borings made to some economical depth at a given site may fail to detect a finger of frozen ground intruding within an otherwise non-permafrost location. The discovery of limited frozen ground within a given site is a strong indicator of other limited pockets in some proximity.


The present study aims to assess the distribution patterns of mudsnail populations in the Evros Delta lagoons and to investigate the key environmental variables affecting them. As a correct species assignment is crucial for ecological studies, the data presented here are substantiated using DNA sequences from the mitochondrial genome to verify the systematic status of the mudsnail taxon in question. A comparative molecular analysis involving almost all brackish-water taxa of Hydrobiinae indicates that the populations from the Evros Delta belong to the Pontic species Ventrosia maritima, a taxon that was not reported before from the Mediterranean. Moreover, it appears that in previous studies, the mudsnail populations from the Evros Delta were misidentified. Principal Component Analyses using environmental variables defined station groups among which V. maritima showed a significant variation in density. Mudsnail specimens were absent at stations with an immediate access to the sea (salinity 32-34 PSU, very fine to fine sand, organic matter 0.3-1.4 %), they showed intermediate densities (up to 3,000 ind./m 2 ) in innermost lagoonal parts (34-35 PSU, very fine sand, organic matter 1.0-1.4 %) and relatively high densities (up to 7,000 ind./m 2 ) only in isolated parts (15-17 PSU, fine sand, organic matter 0.5-0.8 %). Contact with the sea, which is strongly correlated with seawater renewal rate and hydrodynamism, was found to be the most important factor affecting mudsnail distributions. The data presented, being the first detailed ecological information available for V. maritima, are compared with the available information for other mudsnail taxa. The present study not only lays the foundation for future comparative eco-genetic works of mudsnail taxa, it also stresses the absolute need for the routine usage of molecular markers in ecological studies involving frequently utilized but systematically poorly understood invertebrate species.


An ab initio study of gaseous clusters of O −2 and O−3 with water is presented. Based on thorough scans of configurational space, we determine the thermodynamics of cluster growth. The results are in good agreement with benchmark computational methods and existing experimental data. We find that anionic O −2 (H2O)n and O − 3 (H2O)n clusters are thermally stabilized at typical atmospheric conditions for at leastn = 5. The first 4 water molecules are strongly bound to the anion due to delocalization of the excess charge while stabilization of more than 4 H 2O is due to normal hydrogen bonding. Although clustering up to 12 H2O, we find that the O2 and O3 anions retain at least ca. 80 % of the charge and are located at the surface of the cluster. The O−2 and O − 3 speicies are thus accessible for further reactions. We consider the distributions of cluster sizes as function of altitude before finally, the thermodynamics of a few relevant cluster reactions are considered.


MCT-1 oncoprotein accelerates p53 degradation by means of the ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Our present data show that induction of MCT-1 increases chromosomal translocations and deregulated G2-M checkpoint in response to chemotherapeutic genotoxin. Remarkably, increases in chromosome copy number, multinucleation, and cytokinesis failure are also promoted while MCT-1 is induced in p53-deficient cells. In such a circumstance, the Ras–mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase–mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling activity and the expression of metastatic molecules are amplified. Given a p53-silencing background, MCT-1 malignantly transforms normal breast epithelial cells that are satisfactory for stimulating cell migration/adhesion and tumorigenesis. Detailed analyses of MCT-1 oncogenicity in H1299 p53-null lung cancer cells have shown that ectopically expressed MCT-1 advances xenograft tumorigenicity and angiogenesis, which cannot be completely suppressed by induction of p53. MCT-1 counteracts mutually with p53 at transcriptional levels. Clinical validations confirm that MCT-1 mRNA levels are differentially enriched in comparison between human lung cancer and nontumorigenic tissues. The levels of p53 mRNA are comparatively reduced in a subset of cancer specimens, which highly present MCT-1 mRNA. Our results indicate that synergistic promotions of chromosomal imbalances and oncogenic potency as a result of MCT-1 expression and p53 loss play important roles in tumor development. (Mol Cancer Res 2009;7(4):536–48)


Graphics processing units provide a large computational power at a very low price which position them as an ubiquitous accelerator. Efficient primitives that can expand the r ange of operations performed on the GPU are thus important. Discrete Range Searching(DRS) is one such primitive with direct applications to string processing, document and text retrieval systems, and least common ancestor queries. In this work, we present a GPU specific implementation of DRS with an optimal space-time trade off. Toward this end, we also present GPU amenable succinct representations and discuss limitations on the GPU. Our method uses 7.5 bits of additional space per element. The speedup achieved by our method is in the range of 20–25 for preprocessing, and 25–35 for batch querying over a sequential implementation. Compared to an 8-threaded implementation, our methods obtain a speedup of 6–8. We study applications of the DRS on the GPU. Also, we suggest that most graph algorithms which focus on using least common ancestor, can easily be enabled on the GPU based on range minima primitive. Beyond this, we show applications of DRS in string querying and tree queries, and suggest how DRS can be helpful in implementing tree based graph algorithms on the GPU.


Previous modeling of wood materials has included many assumptions of unknown mechanical properties associated with the hierarchical structure of wood. The experimental validation of previous models did not account for the variation of mechanical properties present in wood materials. Little research has explored the uncertainties of mechanical properties in earlywood and latewood samples as well as wood strands. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of the intra-ring properties and grain angles on the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of different orientation wood strands and to analyze the sensitivity of the MOE and UTS of wood strands with respect to these variables. Tension testing incorporating digital image correlation (DIC) was employed to measure the MOE and UTS of earlywood and latewood bands sampled from growth ring numbers 1-10 and growth ring numbers 11-20. A similar technique adjusted for strand size testing was also applied to measure the MOE and UTS of different orientation wood strands from the two growth ring numbers. The stochastic finite element method (SFEM) was used with the results from the earlywood and latewood testing as inputs to model the mechanical property variation of loblolly pine wood strands. A sensitivity analysis of the input parameters in the SFEM model was performed to identify the most important parameters related to mechanical response. Modulus of elasticity (MOE), Poisson ratio, and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) from earlywood and latewood generally increased as the growth ring number increased except for the UTS of latewood, which showed a slight decrease. MOE and UTS from radial, tangential, and iii angled grain orientation strands increased as the growth ring numbers increased while MOE and UTS from cross-grain strands decreased as the growth ring number increased. Shear modulus of wood strands increased as the growth ring number increased while shear strength decreased as the growth ring number increased. Poisson ratio from radial and angled grain strands decreased as the growth ring number increased while Poisson ratio from tangential and cross grain orientation strands increased as the growth ring number increased. The difference of average MOE from different grain strands between experimental results and SFEM results ranged from 0.96% to 22.31%. The cumulative probability distribution curves from experimental tests and SFEM results agreed well except for the radial grain models from growth ring numbers 11-20. From sensitivity analysis, earlywood MOE was the most important contributing factor to the predicted MOE from different grain orientation strand models. From the sensitivity analysis, earlywood and latewood participated differently in the computation of MOE of different grain orientation strand models. The predicted MOE was highly associated with the strain distribution caused by different orientation strands and interaction of earlywood and latewood properties. In general, earlywood MOE had a greater effect on the predicted MOE of wood strands than other SFEM input parameters. The difference in UTS between experimental and SFEM results ranged from 0.09% to 11.09%. Sensitivity analysis showed that grain orientation and growth ring number influenced the UTS of strands. UTS of strands from growth ring numbers 1-10 showed strength indexes (Xt, Yt, and S) to be the dominant factors while UTS of strands from growth ring numbers 11-20 showed both strength indexes and stress components (σ1, σ2, and τ12) to be the dominant factors. Grain orientations of strands were a strong indicator of mechanical properties of wood strands.


The design of an active leg orthosis for tumble protection is proposed in this paper. The orthosis would be applied to assist elders or invalids in rebalancing while they fall unexpectedly. We observe the regain balance motion of healthy and youthful people, and find the difference to elders or invalids. First, the physical model of leg would be established, and we consider the leg motions are achieve through four joints (phalanx stem, ankle, knee, and hip joint) and five links (phalanges, talus, tibia, femur, and hip bone). To formulate the dynamic equations, the coordinates which can clearly describe the position in 3D space are first defined accordance with the human movement of leg, and the kinematics and dynamics of the leg movement can be formulated based on the robotics. For the purpose, assisting elders and invalids in avoiding tumble, the posture variation of unbalance and regaining balance motion are recorded by the motion-capture image system, and the trajectory is taken as the desire one. Then we calculate the force and moment of each joint based on the leg motion model through programming MATLAB code. The results would be primary information of the active leg orthosis design for tumble protection. Keywords—Active leg orthosis, Tumble protection


Explainable AI (XAI) has established itself as an important component of AI-driven interactive systems. With Augmented Reality (AR) becoming more integrated in daily lives, the role of XAI also becomes essential in AR because end-users will frequently interact with intelligent services. However, it is unclear how to design effective XAI experiences for AR. We propose XAIR, a design framework that addresses when, what, and how to provide explanations of AI output in AR. The framework was based on a multi-disciplinary literature review of XAI and HCI research, a large-scale survey probing 500+ end-users' preferences for AR-based explanations, and three workshops with 12 experts collecting their insights about XAI design in AR. XAIR's utility and effectiveness was verified via a study with 10 designers and another study with 12 end-users. XAIR can provide guidelines for designers, inspiring them to identify new design opportunities and achieve effective XAI designs in AR.


Photographs of clinical trachoma and of inclusion bodies are presented to prove that trachoma exists amongst the South African Bantu. Trachoma was found in 94% of the children in 2 villages near the Jane Furse Memorial Hospital in Sekukuniland. Of the 503 children examined, 68 had apparently normal lids. When 47 of these cases were examined by loupe, 38 were found to have pannus. This indicates that trachoma heals not infrequently without scarring but leaves diagnostic blood vessels in the cornea.


To assess whether dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) substitution, superimposed on GH substitution, improves quality of life of patients with secondary adrenal failure, we studied the effects of DHEA (50 mg/d, 16 wk) vs. placebo (16 wk) in GH- and ACTH-deficient men (n = 15; age, 52 +/- 3 yr), and postmenopausal women (n = 16; age, 61 +/- 2 yr) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. All patients were receiving stable hormone replacement therapy, including a fixed dose of human recombinant GH during the study. The men received testosterone substitution. The female patients did not receive estrogen substitution. At baseline, multiple parameters of quality of life were impaired compared with age- and sex-matched controls, especially in female patients. These parameters were not improved by DHEA treatment. DHEA only slightly improved the depression score (women) and health perception (women and men), although these parameters were not abnormal at baseline. DHEA increased serum IGF-I concentrations in female patients (by approximately 18%; P < 0.001), but not in male patients. In neither group did DHEA affect IGF-binding protein-3 levels. We conclude that DHEA, superimposed on GH substitution, does not substantially improve quality of life in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency regardless of gender. In addition, DHEA increases IGF-I levels only in estrogen-depleted females, but not in testosterone-treated males, with secondary adrenal insufficiency.


Purpose – This paper tests whether organisations in the public domain have embraced a corporate type of discourse, mirroring the private sector's preferred orientation towards expertise, or whether they maintain their traditional discourse of goodwill towards the publics they serve. At a critical time for the public sector with inadequate funding and dominance of New Public Management approaches, will it be more motivated to portray itself as expert and efficient rather than altruistic? Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies a rhetorical framework to provide a detailed analysis of organisational value statements posted on the websites of public and private organisations. The research considers the value priorities of fifty organisations in the UK and Scandinavia in order to gauge the extent of convergence between the two sectors' preferred discourses. Findings – The research shows that the public sector sticks to its guns in maintaining a webtransmitted values discourse which forefronts goodwill towards its clients. It also shows that the public and private sectors take different approaches to goodwill. Originality/value – Strategists and communication specialists are encouraged to contemplate the extent to which their organisation ́s projected Web image equate their desired image to avoid alienating important public audiences and reinforce levels of trust. The current framework brings attention to the complex nature of goodwill and may be employed to better balance a discourse of organisational expertise against a discourse of goodwill in planning authentic value statements.


This research was undertaken to address a number of problems identified in the literature, the most fundamental issue being, the lack of evidence of effective physiotherapy intervention for stroke patients. It appeared that a contributing factor was a lack of appropriate measuring tools that fulfilled both the theories of measurements and the theoretical basis of current physiotherapy practice.The purpose of the study was therefore, to choose a measure, define and validate the measure and to use the measure to develop knowledge and understanding of not only the outcome of physiotherapy, but also the physiotherapy process itself. The Bobath Approach was chosen for evaluation as this appeared, from the literature, to be the least evaluated and the most frequently used approach in the UK.A triangulation of qualitative and quantitative methodology was used in a research programme that was divided into four phases: 1. Identifying the measurement needs in stroke rehabilitation and choosing a measure that fulfilled the required specification. 2. Having chosen the TELER method, developing TELER Indicators definitions in a patient driven study, involving the clinical knowledge of practising physiotherapists and 'expert' physiotherapists in the area of neurological rehabilitation. 3. Validating the definitions of the TELER Indicators using the Motor Assessment Scale. 4. Using the developed measure in 4 single case studies.The research involved 71 stroke patients on 12 stroke units, scored on a total of 322 functional goals, 247 demonstrating a consolidation and acquisition pattern. The study established the characteristics of functional recovery during physiotherapy, providing information and knowledge regarding the model of intervention used, and the pattern of selective trunk muscle recovery occurring. It was concluded that, motor relearning does occur during the implementation of the Bobath Approach for the treatment of stroke patients and furthermore, it was established that, there is a misunderstanding of the concept of spontaneous recovery within the literature. The similarities and differences between the Bobath Approach and the Motor Relearning Programme were identified, establishing a theoretical basis for stroke rehabilitation.


Cryptographic end-to-end verifiable voting technologies concern themselves with the provision of a more trustworthy, transparent, and robust elections. To provide voting systems with more transparency and accountability throughout the process while preserving privacy which allows voters to express their true intent. Helios Voting is one of these systems—an online platform where anyone can easily host their own cryptographically end-to-end verifiable election, aiming to bring verifiable voting to the masses. Helios does this by providing explicit cryptographic checks that an election was counted correctly, checks that any member of the public can independently verify. All of this while still protecting one of the essential properties of open democracy, voter privacy. In spite of these cryptographic checks and the strong mathematical assertions of correctness they provide, this thesis discusses the discovery and exploit of three vulnerabilities. The first is the insufficient validation of cryptographic elements in Helios ballots uploaded by users. This allows a disgruntled voter to cast a carefully crafted ballot which will prevent an election from being tallied. The second vulnerability is the insufficient validation of cryptographic parameters used in ElGamal by an election official. This leads to an attack where the election official can upload weak parameters allowing the official to cast arbitrary votes in a single ballot. The final attack is a cross-site scripting attack that would allow anyone to steal or re-cast ballots on behalf of victims. We coordinated disclosure with the Helios developers and provided fixes for all the vulnerabilities outlined in the thesis. Additionally, this thesis adds to the body of work highlighting the fragility of internet voting applications and discusses the unique challenges faced by internet voting applications.


In this work we study the persistent luminescence properties of europium-doped alkaline earth silicon oxynitrides (CaSi2O2N2, SrSi2O2N2 and BaSi2O2N2). All compounds show afterglow emission, with an emission spectrum which is similar to the steady state photoluminescence. The afterglow decay time for BaSi2O2N2:Eu and SrSi2O2N2:Eu is about 50 and 100 minutes respectively, while for CaSi2O2N2:Eu the afterglow intensity is very low. Although the persistent luminescence can be induced by ultraviolet light (250-300 nm) in all three phosphors, only for BaSi2O2N2:Eu low energy radiation (350-500 nm) allows filling of the traps responsible for the afterglow.


Franz Kafka was the poet of his own disorder. Throughout his life he struggled with a pervasive sense of shame and guilt that left traces in his daily existence-in his many letters, in his extensive diaries, and especially in his fiction. This stimulating book investigates some of the sources of Kafka's personal anguish and its complex reflections in his imaginary world. In his query, Saul Friedlander probes major aspects of Kafka's life (family, Judaism, love and sex, writing, illness, and despair) that until now have been skewed by posthumous censorship. Contrary to Kafka's dying request that all his papers be burned, Max Brod, Kafka's closest friend and literary executor, edited and published the author's novels and other works soon after his death in 1924. Friedlander shows that, when reinserted in Kafka's letters and diaries, deleted segments lift the mask of "sainthood" frequently attached to the writer and thus restore previously hidden aspects of his individuality.


Configuring range based packet classification rules in network switches is crucial to all network core functionalities, such as firewalls and routing. However, OpenFlow, the leading management protocol for SDN switches, lacks the interface to configure range rules directly and only provides mask based rules, named flow entries. In this work we present, ORange, the first solution to multi dimensional range classification in OpenFlow. Our solution is based on paradigms used in state of the art non-OpenFlow classifiers and is designed in a modular fashion allowing future extensions and improvements. We consider switch space utilization as well as atomic updates functionality, and in the network context we provide flow consistency even if flows change their entrance point to the network during policy updates, a property we name cross-entrance consistency. Our scheme achieves remarkable results and is easy to deploy.


Catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) is a conversion process that integrates rapid thermochemical depolymerization of solid feedstocks with catalytic transformation to yield small molecules for fuel and chemical products. This process is well‐suited for the conversion of nonfossil feedstocks such as biomass and waste plastics, and thereby holds great potential for the production of renewable commodities. In spite of many technological developments in various aspects of CFP achieved over decades of research, this technology has yet to attain commercial success for the production of fuels and chemicals from renewable feedstocks. Effective CFP processes require careful coordination of chemical and physical phenomena that span very large length and time scales. A broad spectrum of scientific progress in both pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading has provided the foundation for successful deployment of CFP, although additional progress in process‐scale integration is yet required for commercial realization. Modeling and simulation tools provide an important framework wherein the CFP technologies by be better understood and evaluated from a holistic perspective. Here we provide a detailed description of the multiscale phenomena underlying CFP, describe challenges and associated technical progress, and suggest strategies for an integrated approach to advance this technology toward commercialization.


Punishment has been regarded as an important instrument to sustain human cooperation. A great deal of experimental research has been conducted to understand human punishment behavior, in particular, informal peer punishment. What drives individuals to incur cost to punish others? How does punishment influence human behavior?
 Punishment behavior has been observed when the individual does not expect to meet the wrongdoers again in the future and thus has no monetary incentive to punish. Several reasons for such retributive punishment have been proposed and studied. Punishment can be used to express certain values, attitudes, or emotions. Egalitarianism triggers punishment when the transgression leads to inequality. The norm to punish the wrongdoers may also lead people to incur costs to punish even when it is not what they intrinsically want to do.
 Individuals sometimes punish wrongdoers even when they are not the victim. The motivation underlying the third-party punishment can be different than the second-party punishment. In addition, restricting the punishment power to a third party can be important to mitigate antisocial punishment when unrestricted second-party peer punishment leads to antisocial punishments and escalating retaliation.
 It is important to note that punishment does not always promote cooperation. Imposing fines can crowd out intrinsic motivation to cooperate when it changes people's perception of social interactions from a generous, non-market activity to a market commodity and leads to more selfish profit-maximizing behavior. To avoid the crowding-out effect, it is important to implement the punishment in a way that it sends a clear signal that the punished behavior violates social norms.


[1] Adjoint model sensitivity analyses were applied for the loop current (LC) and its eddy shedding in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) using the MIT general circulation model (MITgcm). The circulation in the GoM is mainly driven by the energetic LC and subsequent LC eddy separation. In order to understand which ocean regions and features control the evolution of the LC, including anticyclonic warm-core eddy shedding in the GoM, forward and adjoint sensitivities with respect to previous model state and atmospheric forcing were computed using the MITgcm and its adjoint. Since the validity of the adjoint model sensitivities depends on the capability of the forward model to simulate the real LC system and the eddy shedding processes, a 5 year (2004–2008) forward model simulation was performed for the GoM using realistic atmospheric forcing, initial, and boundary conditions. This forward model simulation was compared to satellite measurements of sea-surface height (SSH) and sea-surface temperature (SST), and observed transport variability. Despite realistic mean state, standard deviations, and LC eddy shedding period, the simulated LC extension shows less variability and more regularity than the observations. However, the model is suitable for studying the LC system and can be utilized for examining the ocean influences leading to a simple, and hopefully generic LC eddy separation in the GoM. The adjoint sensitivities of the LC show influences from the Yucatan Channel (YC) flow and Loop Current Frontal Eddy (LCFE) on both LC extension and eddy separation, as suggested by earlier work. Some of the processes that control LC extension after eddy separation differ from those controlling eddy shedding, but include YC through-flow. The sensitivity remains stable for more than 30 days and moves generally upstream, entering the Caribbean Sea. The sensitivities of the LC for SST generally remain closer to the surface and move at speeds consistent with advection by the high-speed core of the current, while sensitivities to SSH generally extend to deeper layers and propagate more slowly. The adjoint sensitivity to relative vorticity deduced from the sensitivities to velocity fields suggests that advection of cyclonic (positive) relative vorticity anomalies from the YC or the LCFEs accelerate the LC eddy separation. Forward model perturbation experiments were performed to complement and check the adjoint sensitivity analysis as well as sampling the predictability and nonlinearity of the LC evolution. The model and its adjoint can be used in four-dimensional variational assimilation (4D-VAR) to produce dynamically consistent ocean state estimates for analysis and forecasts of the circulation of the GoM.


The involvement of two R2R3-MYB genes from Pinus taeda L., PtMYB1 and PtMYB8, in phenylpropanoid metabolism and secondary cell wall biogenesis was investigated in planta. These pine MYBs were constitutively overexpressed (OE) in Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, used as a heterologous conifer expression system. Morphological, histological, chemical (lignin and soluble phenols), and transcriptional analyses, i.e. microarray and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used for extensive phenotyping of MYB-overexpressing spruce plantlets. Upon germination of somatic embryos, root growth was reduced in both transgenics. Enhanced lignin deposition was also a common feature but ectopic secondary cell wall deposition was more strongly associated with PtMYB8-OE. Microarray and RT-qPCR data showed that overexpression of each MYB led to an overlapping up-regulation of many genes encoding phenylpropanoid enzymes involved in lignin monomer synthesis, while misregulation of several cell wall-related genes and other MYB transcription factors was specifically associated with PtMYB8-OE. Together, the results suggest that MYB1 and MYB8 may be part of a conserved transcriptional network involved in secondary cell wall deposition in conifers.


Nurturing democratic virtues: A case study of a primary school in Khayelitsha The study sought to explore the priorities and practices of educators with regard to the mediation of moral qualities/democratic virtues related to education for citizenship by means of a case study in one school. In South Africa educators are regarded as among the stakeholders responsible for the mediation of values and morals in children and youth so that they will be effective citizens of democracy. Hence the school is seen as an important context in which this could take place. Citizenship education usually contains a moral element. Practices of moral development generally draw on the work of Kohlberg, which is linked to a Piagetian understanding of development. Vygotsky's approach focuses on the contribution that the context has on cognitive development and suggests that this may also be important for moral development. However there is little evidence available concerning the effectiveness of specific interventions. Two groups of educators and one group of learners were interviewed. Educators were asked what moral qualities/democratic virtues they regarded as important to nurture in the learners at this school and what they did to nurture these virtues. Learners were also asked the same question and what they saw their educators doing in order to mediate these moral qualities/democratic virtues. Any constraints and successes were explored together with what educators thought could be done to improve the situation. The theoretical understanding of the research was constructivist and it followed a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Before the research was undertaken permission was sought from the Western Cape Education Department and the study was conducted following the guidelines for ethical research set by the American Psychological Association. The main priorities that emerged as moral qualities/ democratic virtues that educators thought were important to nurture, were accountability, respect, and commitment to "being good." Socially desirable behaviours that were highlighted were the following: economic initiative, citizenship, and politeness and consideration. Cognitive qualities that they thought were important to nurture were the following: open mindedness, literacy, and numeracy. There were also skills that the educators thought were important to nurture in their learners which did not seem to have a moral dimension. The main practices mentioned were: modelling, active instruction and discussion, and discipline. Educators highlighted the importance of consistency throughout the school. Constraints mentioned were the following: lack of discipline, socio-economic factors, and lack of parental involvement. Supportive factors mentioned were parental support, and consistency


Final Report Summary DIGISOIL (Integrated system of data collection technologies for mapping soil properties) Executive Summary: The multidisciplinary DIGISOIL consortium intends to integrate and improve in situ and proximal measurement technologies for the assessment of soil properties and soil degradation indicators, going from the sensing technologies to their integration and their application in (digital) soil mapping (DSM). In addition, our SMEs experiences contribute to take into account the feasibility of developments based on economical constraints, reliability of the results and needs of the DSM community. In order to assess and prevent soil degradation and to benefit from the different ecological, economical and historical functions of the soil in a sustainable way, there is an obvious need for high resolution and accurate maps of soil properties. The core objective of the project was to explore and exploit new capabilities of advanced geophysical technologies for answering this societal demand (Figure 1). To this aim, DIGISOIL addressed four issues covering technological, soil science and economic aspects: (i) the validation of geophysical (in situ, proximal and airborne) technologies and integrated pedo-geophysical inversion techniques (mechanistic data fusion) (ii) the relation between the geophysical parameters and the soil properties, (iii) the integration of the derived soil properties for mapping soil functions and soil threats, (iv) the evaluation, standardisation and sub-industrialization of the proposed methodologies, including technical and economic studies. With respect to these issues, the milestones of the DIGISOIL project were: 1. To develop, test and validate the most relevant geophysical technologies for mapping soil properties: geoelectric, seismic, GPR/EMI, magnetic and airborne hyperspectral; 2. To establish correlations between the measured geophysical measurements and the soil properties involved in soil functions / threats (erosion, compaction, organic matter decline, salinisation and shallow landslides) by using innovative data processing (inversion) and correlation protocols; 3. To evaluate the societal impact of the developed techniques by investigating their relevance relative to the end-user needs, the technical feasibility and the cost effectiveness; 4. To produce an exploitation plan, including the standardization of the processes and the technical specifications of the developed methodologies describing the system components in terms of equipment (sensors, acquisition system, mobile vector), techniques (signal processing, inversion or fusion processes, specialization) and operational protocols.


This paper presents a methodology for low-voltage AC surge protective device (SPD) coordination. As motivation, the required nuclear plant reliability and safety criteria, in which the surge protection coordination can assume an important role, are emphasized. Due to the characteristics of the protection system, and the surge phenomena, an iterative methodology is applied. The SPD selection and specifications are based on the equipment immunity level, insulation and on SPD characteristics, like absorbed energy. Some results are presented and discussed, showing the suitability of the proposed methodology.


The paper first reviews the meaning and causes of globalization. It indicates that globalization is not a new phenomenon in history, but the current phase seems to have new elements that did not exist previously. Regarding the consequences of the various aspects of globalization at the national level, it is shown that there can be both positive and negative aspects in the short and long runs. However, empirical investigations seem to suggest largely positive implications. The structure of poverty in rural areas is subsequently discussed, and it is shown that rural poverty takes very different forms in different parts of the world. Exploring the various aspects of the incomes of the rural poor, reveals that there are both opportunities, but also dangers of detrimental impacts from global integration. On balance, it appears that globalization creates both opportunities as well as risks, and the impacts on the rural poor will depend on the extent to which they manage to seize the opportunities while managing the increased risks.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Thulium laser coagulation of bleeding spots of endometriosis in left residual ureter in a patient underwent ureteral reimplantation METHODS: We present this case report of a 36-years-old woman suffering from deep infiltrating endometriosis since 2009. In the past medical history she had exploratory laparotomy for hemoperitoneum due to tubaric vasal haemorrage, toracoscopy and biopsy for pleural effusion and pneumothorax in 2009, appendicectomy, ureterolysis and left salpingectomy and a following left ureteral reimplantation with Leadbetter-Politano technique and psoas-hitch in 2011. Renal function was preserved, with no signs of hydroureteronephrosis during the annual renal ultrasounds. In May 2018 the patient underwent hormonal stimulation for ART with the following appearance of macrohematuria, refractory to conservative treatment. A flexible cystoscopy and a semirigid ureteroscopy was performed with the evidence of a endometrial bleeding spot in the left residual ureter. RESULTS: The latter was controlled with thulium laser coagulation (fiber 272 micron, 15W) of the lesion with an immediate resolution of haematuria. Pre-operative hemoglobine was 13,5 g/dl and after surgery was 12,7 g/dl. No bladder irrigation was required post-operatively. Urinary catheter was removed on the first postoperative day and the patient was discharged the same day. No further episodes of macrohematuria occurred during the six-months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Thulium laser can succesfully coagulate bleeding spots in residual ureteral tissue. Source of Funding: none


Maryland farmers understand the importance of leases in their operations. From land to equipment, Maryland farmers use varying forms of agreements in their business operations. With the leasing of land, leases for a period of less than one year can be oral and there is no requirement the lease be in writing. Even if the lease can be oral, the landlord and tenant should still consider putting the lease in writing to provide both with a written record of the terms agreed to. Any lease longer than one year will be required to be in writing and signed by the parties involved. The tenant will be the one to request a renewal and a landlord can never force a tenant to renew a lease. Termination will depend on either the termination process in the lease or when the lease is silent on termination on state law which requires either the landlord or tenant to give at least 6 months' notice of the desire to terminate the lease. Unless specified in the lease, a landlord retains no right to reenter the property or to allow new tenants to enter the property to begin preparing fields for planting before the current lease terminates. The landlord can specifically request the right to reenter in the lease. Other issues to consider when negotiating a lease are how to split repair costs, which party will be responsible for noxious weed control, and when the tenant will be required to purchase crop insurance or how crop insurance costs will be split, depending on the type of lease the parties have. This publication will provide an overview of some issues to be considered by both landlords and tenants when negotiating lease agreements.


Large housing estates (LHE) found in CEE countries can be seen as a legacy of socialism. Their endurance in these countries is still evident: the future of LHEs is substantially linked to their physical and social characteristics formed during socialism and their decline in status in Hungary and Latvia. The Western European practice of urban rehabilitation and community initiatives has gained more and more ground (sometimes literally) as of late. Our paper examines this phenomenon by analysing examples of converted green space of LHEs in two former socialist cities a neglected and underused former "traffic park" in Budapest and a typical LHE "courtyard" overgrown and unused in Riga. We focus on the conversational process and the participatory approach of inhabitants and analyse how the redesigning of green areas involving local communities can lead to inhabitants feeling more at home in this housing structure.


The authors reflects on the progress of anthroponymy and patronomy sounds tendency and its applied linguistic policy in the last century and the beginning of the new millennium. The research is carried out in two periods: during and post-communism. The authors have done a long-time research on this topic, which has resulted in an accurate argumentative discourse on pre-linguistic choices of these sonoric complex usages in family discourse. The authors have listed carefully the entry of Illyrian/Albanian names and the tendency of sonoric usages, which were part of language planning process; and everything is argued on the basis of national spirit of the time. The linguistic policy of entering of Illyrian names into family discourse is also seen as a general trend of Renaissance (1730-1912) for the purpose of restoring historic memory to Albanians. After the 1990-s, the beginning of democracy in Albania, nonetheless the publishing of the study on newborn names, the linguistic policy has never been applied for many reasons. For the last two years, 2015-2016, linguistics, students, surveyors, educational secretaries, members of civil status, have listed a number of reasons on the choices of the names of newborns in Albania. The freedom of choice of the sonoric complex, the trend of names, the tendency of names in the western world, emigration, etc., are some of the reasons to justify the choices and the linguistic behavior of sonoric complexes. The study is carried out in several municipalities and it is noticed that sonoric choices are highly influenced by the trends in media. There is an avoidance of inherited muslim, catholic and orthodox names and of those names claimed by linguistic policy of 1970-1990. Such linguistic tendency is argued on national basis by making comparisons on the frequency of uses. Diachronic comparisons of Albanian names found in registers of different years reflect the cultural trends of the parents. Albanian families have been quite generous with the borrowings of names from other cultures. Borrowings, as an integral part of linguistic policy, are result of foreign literature, movies, history and fashion.


A stress-coping strategy of the ER is needed in every cell cycle, show Bicknell et al. (page 1017). The ER's unfolded protein response (UPR), previously associated only with unusual or stressful conditions, is needed for the routine event of cytokinesis.

Figure 1

While a normal cell (left) has finished cytokinesis, a UPR mutant (right) is still stuck.

The UPR is activated when the ER is overloaded with misfolded proteins. It increases ER capacity and helps reduce the load. But the authors wondered whether everyday ER fluctuations might also tweak the UPR.

One particularly taxing process, the group reasoned, is cell division. Sure enough, cytokinesis was slowed in budding yeast cells that lacked the UPR. The stalls required no additional stress; division was enough. No other mitotic stages were affected.

The ER supports cytokinesis by making new phospholipids for the pinching process and as the first stage of the secretory pathway, which provides necessary vesicles to the bud neck. Either of these cytokinetic duties might put enough strain on the ER to activate the UPR slightly.

Artificially induced ER stress prevented yeast cells from completing cytokinesis. This blockade might stem from the absence of the required secretory vesicles or phospholipids. Or it might be activated as a checkpoint, stalling division until the ER is in better shape.

Unlike yeast, the mammalian UPR dampens translation, which stalls cells in G1 by limiting cyclin D1 levels. If pushed through this blockade, however, the cells might reveal a need for the UPR in breaking apart mammalian daughter cells.


Two efficient strategies for a direct catalytic and regioselective acetoxylation of terpenes are described. Acetoxylated limonene derivatives were synthesized via palladium-catalyzed C–H activation utilizing para-benzoquinone (BQ) as reoxdidation agent and acetic acid as solvent and reactant. Addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to the catalytic system led to highly selective functionalization of the exocyclic double bond of limonene. This catalytic acetoxylation of limonene was further optimized with regard to a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly procedure. On the other hand, the use of an aerobic tandem catalytic system using iron(II) phthalocyanine (Fe(Pc)) as co-catalyst, which acts as electron transfer mediator (ETM), enabled a highly selective acetoxylation of the endocyclic double bond of limonene with high conversions. Moreover, diacetoxylated products were prepared by a reaction sequence applying the aforementioned catalytic systems.


Performance and distribution of phytophagous insects are driven by direct and indirect competitive interactions. Plant-feeding arthropods have been shown to interact indirectly through the plants' response to herbivory. In the case of systemically induced plant responses, this interaction extends to herbivores inhabiting different parts of a plant, for example, above- and belowground herbivores. Plant-induced responses elicited by root herbivores have been shown to affect feeding and development of aboveground herbivores. However, little is known about how root feeding affects host choice behavior of aboveground herbivores, including both adult oviposition behavior and larval host acceptance. Here, we report that root feeding by the wireworm, Agriotes lineatus, influences oviposition decisions and larval leaving rate of an aboveground herbivore, Spodoptera littoralis. In choice experiments, female S. littoralis deposited more and larger egg batches on undamaged plants when compared with wireworm-infested plants. In a larval feeding experiment, a higher percentage S. littoralis larvae moved away from the wireworm-infested plant onto a neighboring undamaged plant as compared with larvae feeding on previously undamaged plants. Larvae did not show an increased tendency to leave when feeding on plants previously exposed to conspecific larvae. Our results show that indirect interactions between belowground and aboveground herbivores extend to behavioral avoidance, both in terms of oviposition and larval feeding decisions. This allows the foliar herbivore to avoid systemic plant responses elicited by root herbivory, which likely represent reduced food quality and increased apparency toward natural enemies. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.


As part of a process of academic legitimization, design has made claims to be epistemologically and methodologically distinct from the Arts and Sciences. Among the multiple propositions that have been made about this distinctiveness little has been said about the fundamentally pragmatic nature of design research and practice. Pragmatism in both instrumental and critical forms is a robust epistemological and methodological terrain for design research, which architecture and built environment disciplines have explored as a basis for their methodological pluralism. In the newer design disciplines of industrial, interior, and communication design, theory fashions and the market (e.g. human-centred design, interaction design, retail design) predominate, and the rich heritage and relevance of pragmatism is poorly understood. An expanded pragmatist inquiry paradigm, incorporating visual and material argumentation and the opportunity for engagement with critical pragmatism, offers away beyond the current "conceits" of design. Such a theoretically and philosophically informed epistemology has particular relevance to the current debates about scholarship in design as it proposes a provisional metanarrative– pragmatism – as the broad epistemological and methodological base for methodological pluralism in design research and practice.


The article chooses an unusual perspective on the Arab Spring by analyzing Algerian literature. Unlike its neighbouring countries, Algeria was not largely effected by the revolutionary changes in 2011. However, the country has a revolutionary past: it had its own "Algerian spring" in 1988, followed by a civil war in the 1990's. This time gap allowed literature to reflect upon the consequences of such massive political and social changes. The article analyses two different literary approaches of this period of Algerian history – a novel and an essay – from well-known Algerian writers, Maїssa Bey and Boualem Sansal, with the intention to shed light upon the current developments within the region. The consequences of the Algerian civil war have been a social and political taboo for a long time. To include the topic in political or academic discussions, intellectuals recognized and emphasized the importance of literary works. In this context the article points out two literary functions: literature as a medium for cultural and collective memories and the literary potential to extend past the national and cultural boundaries in order to develop timeless and transcultural significance.


Cloud top entrainment instability (CTEI) is a hypothesized positive feedback between entrainment mixing and evaporative cooling near the cloud top. Previous theoretical and numerical modeling studies have shown that the persistence or breakup of marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds may be sensitive to the CTEI parameter. Collocated thermodynamic profile and cloud observations obtained from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments are used to quantify the relationship between the CTEI parameter and the cloud‐topped MBL transition from stratocumulus to trade cumulus in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Results derived from AIRS and MODIS are compared with numerical results from the UCLA large eddy simulation (LES) model for both well‐mixed and decoupled MBLs. The satellite and model results both demonstrate a clear correlation between the CTEI parameter and MBL cloud fraction. Despite fundamental differences between LES steady state results and the instantaneous snapshot type of observations from satellites, significant correlations for both the instantaneous pixel‐scale observations and the long‐term averaged spatial patterns between the CTEI parameter and MBL cloud fraction are found from the satellite observations and are consistent with LES results. This suggests the potential of using AIRS and MODIS to quantify global and temporal characteristics of the cloud‐topped MBL transition.


Abstract. Amorphous (semi-)solid organic aerosol particles have the potential to serve as surfaces for heterogeneous ice nucleation in cirrus clouds. Raman spectroscopy and optical microscopy have been used in conjunction with a cold stage to examine water uptake and ice nucleation on individual amorphous (semi-)solid particles at atmospherically relevant temperatures (200–273 K). Three organic compounds considered proxies for atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) were used in this investigation: sucrose, citric acid and glucose. Internally mixed particles consisting of each organic and ammonium sulfate were also investigated. Results from water uptake experiments followed the shape of a humidity-induced glass transition (Tg(RH)) curve and were used to construct state diagrams for each organic and corresponding mixture. Experimentally derived Tg(RH) curves are in good agreement with theoretical predictions of Tg(RH) following the approach of Koop et al. (2011). A unique humidity-induced glass transition point on each state diagram, Tg'(RH), was used to quantify and compare results from this study to previous works. Values of Tg'(RH) determined for sucrose, glucose and citric acid glasses were 236, 230 and 220 K, respectively. Values of Tg'(RH) for internally mixed organic/sulfate particles were always significantly lower; 210, 207 and 215 K for sucrose/sulfate, glucose/sulfate and citric acid/sulfate, respectively. All investigated SOA proxies were observed to act as heterogeneous ice nuclei at tropospheric temperatures. Heterogeneous ice nucleation on pure organic particles occurred at Sice = 1.1–1.4 for temperatures below 235 K. Particles consisting of 1:1 organic-sulfate mixtures took up water over a greater range of conditions but were in some cases also observed to heterogeneously nucleate ice at temperatures below 202 K (Sice= 1.25–1.38). Polynomial curves were fitted to experimental water uptake data and then incorporated into the Community Aerosol Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA) along with the predicted range of humidity-induced glass transition temperatures for atmospheric SOA from Koop et al. (2011). Model results suggest that organic and organic/sulfate aerosol could be glassy more than 60% of the time in the midlatitude upper troposphere and more than 40% of the time in the tropical tropopause region (TTL). At conditions favorable for ice formation (Sice > 1), particles in the TTL are expected to be glassy more than 50% of the time for temperatures below 200 K. Results from this study suggests that amorphous (semi-)solid organic particles are often present in the upper troposphere and that heterogeneous ice formation on this type of particle may play an important role in cirrus cloud formation.


In early 2017, Carolina Academic Press published an anthology of excerpts of the scholarship of Michael Olivas, along with accompanying essays from about 20 notable U.S. legal scholars, titled Law Professor and Accidental Historian: The Scholarship of Michael A. Olivas (ed. Ediberto Roman). Given Michael's influence in the field of immigration law and policy, I reflected on his article The Chronicles, My Grandfather's Stories, and Immigration Law: The Slave Traders Chronicle as Racial History," St. Louis University L.J. 34 (1990). As one of the first legal writers on the Latina/o experience, Olivas in that article responded to Derrick Bell's much-discussed chronicle of the space traders. As Olivas posited, Derrick Bell's seemingly "fantastic" vision of a trade for the once-enslaved U.S. black population was neither fantastic nor unlikely to occur. Rather, it had already occurred throughout our sorry racial history with targets across the color line. In my essay, I examine and suggest a number of current groups the U.S. might readily bargain away, some even without the demand for valuable consideration in return. Sadly, should Bell's alien spaceships arrive on U.S shores today, no doubt they might have several vulnerable groups to barter for their undisclosed needs for mass deportation. And perhaps a U.S. leader anxious to make that despicable bargain.


"The Answer," a poem by Bei Dao first published in 1978, marks the emergence of a defiant voice in contemporary Chinese poetry and asserts skepticism as the political stance of a young generation in post–Cultural Revolution China. It also heralds a historic transition from an era of sonic agitation to an aesthetics based on visual perception and contemplation. This rereading of Bei Dao's canonical poem and other related texts goes back to the late 1970s, when the political implications of the human senses were firmly grasped and heatedly debated. The author shows that an ocular turn occurs in "The Answer" and drives the aesthetic as well as political pursuits of a new generation of poets. He further argues that, in a moment still enthralled with a revolutionary sonic culture, Misty poetry disavowed aural excitement and was part of the reconditioning of the human senses in preparation for a postrevolutionary order and sensibility.


Games have always been popular for connecting people, from local single-player and couch co-op, to massively multiplayer online. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, remote games that involved and fostered social interactions and connections were a highlight among strategies for staying connected. For this year's games and play SIG, we come together to discuss the relevant and timely topic of social and playful technologies, and how they can be designed to best foster meaningful social connections over a distance. We bring together attendees from not only the games community, but also those in the broader field of CHI focusing on social and playful technologies.


Free/libre and open source software are frequently described as a single community or movement. The difference between free software and open source ideology may influence founders, resulting in different types of companies being created. Specifically, the relationship between free/libre software ideology and social entrepreneurships is investigated. This paper presents seven case studies of businesses, five of which were founded by people who identify with the free/libre software movement. The result is a theory that small businesses founded by free/libre software advocates have three characteristics of social entrepreneurships. First, social benefit is prioritized over wealth creation. Second, the business's social mission is not incidental but is furthered through its for-profit activities, rather than supported by the company's profits. Third, the company's success is defined in part by the success of its social mission. Free/libre software entrepreneurs who recognize their activities as social entrepreneurships can benefit from the existing literature on the unique challenges faced by socially-oriented businesses.


Estimated expected returns are important for pension plans, as they influence many plan characteristics including required asset levels, annual contributions, and the extent of plan under- or overfunding. Yet, there seems to be little prior literature on the factors influencing these estimated future returns. In an attempt to fill this gap, this paper presents the results of a panel analysis of data on the determinants of such returns used by US public defined-benefit (DB) pension plans for the period 2001–2011. As expected, we find that real return estimates by DB public pension funds are positively related to fund size, fund age, international asset diversification, state income, and corruption levels. However, more interestingly and importantly, we document that real return estimates by public US DB pension funds are positively related to cultural measures of individualism and masculinity, and negatively related to uncertainty avoidance. These results should be of much interest not only to scholars and pension beneficiaries, but also to fund managers, other capital market participants, and policymakers.


Purpose: To assess the effect of intravitreal ranibizumab and aflibercept on retinal pigment epithelial detachment (RPED) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of data from a prospectively designed and implemented clinical audit. Analysis included change in RPED dimensions and visual acuity in 92/233 treatment-naive eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and RPED 6 months after treatment with either aflibercept or ranibizumab. Results: There was no significant between-group difference in the adjusted mean change for maximum RPED height (P = 0.195), diameter (P = 0.522) or visual acuity (P = 0.836) at 6 months. Injection frequency was the only clinical variable that affected RPED height (P = 0.050) and visual acuity change for both treatment groups (P = 0.004). Around 30% of eyes in each group had complete resolution of RPED at 6 months. Conclusion: Eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and RPED showed significant functional and anatomical responses after 6 months of intravitreal anti–vascular endothelial growth factor injections. However, we found no significant difference in anatomical response or change in visual acuity between eyes treated with ranibizumab compared with aflibercept. Larger, prospectively designed, randomized studies with longer term follow-up may identify a difference between the two drugs that we did not detect.


This study explores particular features of the discourse of French-language blogs, both to provide a general understanding of the discourse of these blogs and to provide a model for teachers wishing to perform similar analyses with their students. The chapter begins with an overview of the format of blogs and their development in the francophone world, with a particular focus on France and Canada. Next, using a corpus-driven approach, ten French-language blogs are analyzed in terms of their interactional structure and the use of the second-person address pronouns tu and vous. The data demonstrate that both interactional structure and second-person address pronoun use patterns are highly complex and not consistently predictable based on blog category or country of origin. The chapter concludes with specific suggestions for accessing and analyzing French-language blogs, both in terms of tu and vous use and other aspects of language variation.


Ecosystem services and economic returns from semi‐arid rangelands are threatened by land degradation. Policies to improve ecosystem service delivery often fail to consider uncertainty in economic returns gained through different land uses and management practices. We apply an analytical framework using stochastic simulation to estimate the range of potential monetary outcomes of rangeland ecosystem services under different land uses, including consideration of the uncertainty and variability of model parameters. We assess monetary and non‐monetary dimensions, including those ecosystem services with uncertain and missing information, for communal rangelands, commercial ranches, game farms and Wildlife Management Areas in southern Kgalagadi District, Botswana. Public land uses (communal grazing areas and protected conservation land in Wildlife Management Areas) provide higher economic value than private land uses (commercial ranches and game farms), despite private land uses being more profitable in their returns from meat production. Communal rangelands and protected areas are important for a broader range of ecosystem services (cultural/spiritual services, recreation, firewood, construction material and wild food), which play a key role in sustaining the livelihoods of the largest share of society. The full range of ecosystem services should therefore be considered in economic assessments, while policies targeting sustainable land management should value and support their provision and utilisation. By forecasting the range of plausible ecosystem values of different rangeland land uses in monetary terms, our analysis provides policymakers with a tool to assess outcomes of land use and management decisions and policies. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


NASA's Solar Probe Plus (SPP) will travel closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft. During its 7-year, 24-orbit mission, SPP will make scientific measurements of the solar corona, reaching minimum perihelion at ~9.5 solar radii (Rs) from the center of the Sun. The solar array wings powering the spacecraft will operate under wide-ranging temperature and irradiance conditions, of 0 to 27×AM0 and -70 to +160°C nominally, with transient off-nominal survivability required up to 80×AM0. Over the mission duration, portions of the array may accumulate a total of over 200,000 sun hours. To properly size the array, its performance must be quantified through end-of-life, with the greatest uncertainty coming from our understanding of UV-induced degradation at high irradiance and high temperature (HIHT). The array's short-term ability to function with no measurable degradation at the peak irradiances expected at 9.5 Rs has already been demonstrated with adequate margin on small-scale but otherwise flight-like test articles. However over 90% of the mission time will be spent by the array operating at relatively more moderate irradiances at or below 10×AM0. This paper gives an overview of results from two SPP-specific HIHT UV-exposure experiments we have performed at ~10×AM0, over durations of ~1000 hours each. The first experiment was performed in the facilities of the Boeing Radiation Effects Laboratory in Kent, WA, and it focused on the dependence of UV-induced array performance degradation on the choice of materials used in fabricating the coverglass-interconnect-cell (CIC) assemblies, at a fixed temperature of ~180°C. The second experiment was performed in the facilities of the JAXA Inner Planetary test laboratory in Sagamihara, Japan, and its focus was on measuring the temperature dependence of UV-induced array performance degradation between 120 and 240°C.


Species diversity promotes the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality). However, the relative functional importance of rare and common species in driving the biodiversity–multifunctionality relationship remains unknown. We studied the relationship between the diversity of rare and common species (according to their local abundances and across nine different trophic groups), and multifunctionality indices derived from 14 ecosystem functions on 150 grasslands across a land-use intensity (LUI) gradient. The diversity of above- and below-ground rare species had opposite effects, with rare above-ground species being associated with high levels of multifunctionality, probably because their effects on different functions did not trade off against each other. Conversely, common species were only related to average, not high, levels of multifunctionality, and their functional effects declined with LUI. Apart from the community-level effects of diversity, we found significant positive associations between the abundance of individual species and multifunctionality in 6% of the species tested. Species-specific functional effects were best predicted by their response to LUI: species that declined in abundance with land use intensification were those associated with higher levels of multifunctionality. Our results highlight the importance of rare species for ecosystem multifunctionality and help guiding future conservation priorities.


To establish a method for determination of cantharidin content in Mylabris phalerata. Pallas, and to study its inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects on human hepatoma cell line HepG2. Agilent column (TC-C18, 250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm); mobile phase: methanol-water (volume ratio: 20:80); flow rate: 1.0 ml/min; UV detection wavelength: 230 nm; and column temperature: 30°C. MTT assay was used to determine cell viability, and flow cytometry was used to detect the effects of cantharidin on cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Cantharidin had a good linearity (R=0.9993) within a 0.056~0.504 μg range, and had an average recovery of 98.55%. Different concentrations of cantharidin all markedly induced the apoptosis of human hepatoma HepG2 cells. After treatment for 24, 36 and 48 h, respectively, HepG2 cells were inhibited to varying degrees in a dose and time dependent manner. PI staining with flow cytometry showed that the test concentrations of cantharidin could induce HepG2 cell apoptosis, and impact the cell cycle to varying degrees by increasing the proportion of G0/G1 phase cells. Compared with the control group, apoptosis was positively correlated with drug concentration, presenting a marked dose-dependence. The method proposed is simple, fast, accurate and reproducible, which can be used for the determination of cantharidin content in Mylabris phalerata. Pallas. Cantharidin has an inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells.


This book is for business people who want to know how cloud computing will facilitate new breakthroughs in business innovation, how work gets done in organizations, how companies will interact with each other in value chains, and how management will change. If you are in some way responsible for the success of your company, you should read this book. If you are a CEO or CIO, you should definitely read this book. Modern Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and IT managers are entering a new era of information technology, the era of the 'cloud'. While many critics claim that there is not a great deal that is actually new with the concept of cloud computing; few would deny the likelihood of it becoming a dominant force in years to come. Regardless of which definition of cloud computing that you subscribe to (and there are many), the continual drive for increased cost-effectiveness, agility, quality and responsiveness will mean that no CIO can ignore exploring the business case for its potential adoption. Some may claim exemption due to real (or imagined) risks in security, privacy, visibility, availability or latency as reasons for their resistance. But like all technological revolutions, the marketplace and economy will eventually respond as the possibility of strategic disadvantage looms. As with all practical and common sense approaches though, first consider the problem(s) that cloud computing offers may offer solutions to. While many vocal supporters praise the benefits that cloud computing models bring, fewer have clearly defined the actual problems that have been solved or reasoned why other possible alternatives were not as suitable. So before CIOs spend large amounts of time investigating the virtues of different vendor offerings, thought should be given as to why their current offerings and management practices may (or may not) be stifling business growth, productivity or profitability. To help individuals navigate through these largely uncharted waters, Managing Services in the Cloud analyzes and explains the strategies, methods and challenges involved with the adoption and ongoing management of cloud computing models as part of their IT service provision.


The goal of this article is to provide guidance for clinicians starting new law school clinics through "field notes" of the author's experience starting a new Economic Development Clinic. Using personal experience as a reference point by which to discuss the new clinician's experience generally, the article first discusses the role of clinicians in the contemporary legal academy. Second, the article discusses how to find and choose clinic clients, which is arguably the most difficult part of starting a clinic. This section also offers a digression on framing community and economic development clinics, which the author argues also provides a valuable test case for contemplating client selection in all subject clinics. Third, the article addresses non-client serving components of new clinics, such as class structure, readings, writings, and the like. Fourth, the article addresses the client-serving component of new clinics, including a number of logistical issues in running a clinic that are often a surprise to new clinicians. This section also discusses grading clinics. Fifth, the article addresses publicizing a new clinic. Sixth, the article addresses student recruitment for new clinics. Seventh, the article concludes by discussing ways new clinicians can get to know the legal clinic professorial community.


Introduction: Neonatal mortality contributes to 40% of infant mortality rate (IMR). Over the years, the IMR has reduced worldwide, as well as in India, but neonatal mortality rate has not decreased proportionately. We have taken up this study so as to ascertain the causes of morbidity prevalent in the neonates admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a teaching hospital. The teaching hospitals cater to a large population, being a referral center and having majority of facilities required for the adequate care of sick newborn babies. Materials and Methods: The study is conducted in NICU of a teaching hospital admitted within 24 h of birth in central India over a period of 1-year. Results: One thousand three hundred and eighty-eight newborns admitted within 24 h of birth were included in the study. About 63.4% were male neonates, (Male:female 1.7:1). The low birth weight babies were 63.5% in our study. Respiratory distress was present in 47.2% of neonates, meconium aspiration syndrome being the most common cause of respiratory distress. Neonatal sepsis accounted for morbidity in 45.10% of neonates, with Klebsiella being the most common organism grown in the blood culture. The incidence of congenital anomalies was 5.4% with cardiac anomalies being most common. The neonatal mortality was found to be 26.6% in our study. Neonatal sepsis and birth asphyxia were the two most common causes of neonatal mortality in the study. Extremely low birth weight neonates had the highest case fatality rate in the study, which indicates the need to develop an efficient group of professionals in teaching hospitals who will provide highly specialized and focused care to this cohort of vulnerable neonates. Conclusion: Our study has shown respiratory distress, perinatal asphyxia, and sepsis as the predominant causes of neonatal morbidity. All three are preventable causes, and our health-care programs should be directed toward addressing the risk factors in the community responsible for the development of these three morbidities. The preterm and low birth weight babies had significantly high mortality even with standard intensive care; therefore a strong and effective antenatal program with extensive coverage of all pregnant females specifically in outreach areas should be developed which will help in decreasing preterm deliveries and also lower the incidence of low birth weight babies.


Mozambique is highly vulnerable to clime change induced hazards. The extreme weather impacts are directly related to the temperature and precipitation variations leading to more frequent and devastating events as floods, droughts and cyclones. Even though Mozambique has committed to international policies and has adopted mitigation measures, still it is lacking of sufficient capacity on various levels to lower the country's vulnerability level. A consortium of eight partner countries, along with Mozambique, commenced a Climate Change Induced Disaster Management in Africa (CIDMA) project which aims at building education capacity through implementing geospatial information technology for improved disaster management in Mozambique. The core of the project is in developing three 10 ECTS courses that will implement state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies for dealing with climate change induced hazards. The courses are intended from one hand to university students and staff, but on the other to local authorities, organisations and companies occupied with disaster management, and local communities. As one of course, "Public Participatory GIS and Spatial Data Infrastructure in Disaster Management" is designed to prepare students to be able to produce thematic maps through GIS and crowdsourced data, as well as various EO data. With the presented course it is expected for the students to gain valuable theoretical and practical knowledge of GIS, VGI and SDI for exploiting, managing and processing geospatial data for risk mitigation and hazard mapping. Moreover, they will be skilled in using free and open-source GIS software, desktop and mobile mapping techniques, and free web-based dissemination and processing services. In addition, it is expected for the students to develop critical judgement for analysing data with the correct tools in case of climate induced disasters. This paper describes the design, structure and topics of the "Public Participatory GIS and Spatial Data Infrastructure in Disaster Management".


This article presents a new approach to interactive spatial sonification of multidimensional data as a tool for spatial sound synthesis, for composing temporal–spatial musical materials, and as an auditory display for scientists to analyze multidimensional data sets in time and space. The approach applies parameter-mapping sonification and is currently implemented in an application called Cheddar, which was programmed in Max/MSP. Cheddar sonifies data in real time, where the user can modify a wide variety of temporal, spatial, and sonic parameters during the listening process, and thus more easily uncover patterns and processes in the data than when applying non-real-time, noninteractive techniques. The design draws on existing literature concerning perception and acoustics, and it applies the author's practical experience in acousmatic composition, spectromorphology, and sound semantics, while addressing accuracy, flexibility, and ease of use. Although previous sonification applications have addressed some degree of real-time control and spatialization, this approach integrates space and sound in an interactive framework. Spatial information is sonified in high-order 3-D ambisonics, where the user can interactively move the virtual listening position to reveal details easily missed from fixed or noninteractive spatial views. Sounds used as input to the sonification take advantage of the rich spectra and extramusical attributes of acoustic sources, which, although previously theorized, are investigated here in a practical context thoroughly tested alongside acoustic and psychoacoustic considerations. Furthermore, when using Cheddar, no specialized knowledge of programming, acoustics, or psychoacoustics is required. These approaches position Cheddar at the junction between science and art. With one application serving both disciplines, the patterns and processes of science are more fluently appropriated into music or sound art, and vice versa for scientific research, science public outreach, and education.


We present a novel algorithm, called "Simulated Annealing Multiplicative Weights", for approximately solving large (discrete-time) finite-horizon stochastic dynamic programming problems. The algorithm is "asymptotically efficient" in the sense that a finite-time bound for the sample mean of the optimal value function over a given finite policy space can be obtained, and the bound approaches the optimal value as the number of iterations increases. The algorithm updates a probability distribution over the given policy space with a very simple rule, and the sequence of distributions generated by the algorithm converges to a distribution concentrated only on the optimal policies for the given policy space. We also discuss how to reduce the computational cost of the algorithm to apply it in practice.


This paper describes an application of Social Network Analysis methods for identification of knowledge demands in public organisations. Affiliation networks established in a postgraduate programme were analysed. The course was executed in a distance education mode and its students worked on public agencies. Relations established among course participants were mediated through a virtual learning environment using Moodle. Data available in Moodle may be extracted using knowledge discovery in databases techniques. Potential degrees of closeness existing among different organisations and among researched subjects were assessed. This suggests how organisations could cooperate for knowledge management and also how to identify their common interests. The study points out that closeness among organisations and research topics may be assessed through affiliation networks. This opens up opportunities for applying knowledge management between organisations and creating communities of practice. Concepts of knowledge management and social network analysis provide the theoretical and methodological basis.


The article explores the reception of Boris Uspenskij's writings and ideas outside of the Soviet Union, primarily in Western European and North American academic contexts. The present brief overview of Uspenskij's academic reception covers the translations of his best-known scholarly works [first and foremost "Historia sub specie semioticae" and "Istoriya i semiotika (Vospriyatie vremeni kak semioticheskaya problema)"] into English, French, Spanish, German and other European languages, as well as various references to Uspenskij's ideas on what nowadays would be categorized as 'semiotics of history', or thoughts at least in some way related to the 'cultural-semiotic approach to history' of the Tartu-Moscow School of Semiotics.


Background: Gastroesophageal refl ux disease (GERD) is prevalent in morbidly obese patients, and its severity appears to correlate with body mass index (BMI). Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the status of GERD after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Materials and Methods: A prospectively maintained database of all the patients who underwent LSG from February 2008 to May 2011 was reviewed. Results: A total of 131 patients were included. The mean age and the BMI of the patients were 49.4 years and 48.9 kg/ m2, respectively. Prior to LSG, subjective refl ux symptoms were reported in 67 (51%) patients. Anatomical presence of hiatal hernia was endoscopically confi rmed in 35 (52%) patients who reported refl ux symptoms prior to LSG. All these patients underwent simultaneous hiatal hernia repair during their LSG. The overall mean operative time was 106 min (range: 48-212 min). There were no intraand 30-day postoperative complications. Out of the 67 preoperative refl ux patients, 32 (47.7%) reported resolution of their symptoms after the operation, 20 (29.9%) reported clinical improvement, and 12 (22.2%) reported unchanged or persistent symptoms. Three patients developed new-onset refl ux symptoms, which were easily controlled with proton pump inhibitors. No patient required conversion to gastric bypass or duodenal switch because of the severe refl ux symptoms. At 18 months, the follow-up data were available in 60% of the total patients. Conclusion: LSG results in resolution or improvement of the refl ux symptoms in a large number of patients. Proper patient selection, complete preoperative evaluation to identify the presence of hiatal hernia, and good surgical techniques are the keys to achieve optimal outcomes.


The authors introduce an application-level I/O facility, the Alloc Stream Facility, that addresses three primary goals. First, ASF addresses recent computing substrate changes to improve performance, allowing applications to benefit from specific features such as mapped files. Second, it is designed for parallel systems, maximizing concurrency and reporting errors properly. Finally, its modular and object-oriented structure allows it to support a variety of popular I/O interfaces (including stdio and C++ stream I/O) and to be tuned to system behavior, exploiting a system's strengths while avoiding its weaknesses. On a number of standard Unix systems, I/O-intensive applications perform substantially better when linked to the Alloc facility. Also, modifying applications to use a new interface provided by the facility can improve performance by another factor of two. These performance improvements are achieved primarily by reducing data copying and the number of system calls. Not visible in these improvements is the extra degree of concurrency the facility brings to multithreaded and parallel applications.<<ETX>>


Formation of new atmospheric aerosol particles is known to occur almost all over the world and the importance of these particles to climate and air quality has been recognized. Recently, it was found that atmospheric aerosol particle formation begins at the diameter of around 1.5–2.0 nm and a pool of sub-3 nm atmospheric particles – consisting of both charged and uncharged ones – was observed at the ground level. Here, we report on the first airborne observations of the pool of sub-3 nm neutral atmospheric particles. Between 2 and 3 nm, their concentration is roughly two orders of magnitude larger than that of the ion clusters , depending slightly on the altitude. Our findings indicate that new particle formation takes place throughout the tropo-spheric column up to the tropopause. Particles were found to be formed via neutral pathways in the boundary layer, and there was no sign of an increasing role by ion-induced nucle-ation toward the upper troposphere. Clouds, while acting as a source of sub-10 nm ions, did not perturb the overall budget of atmospheric clusters or particles.


Nonlinear elasticity of coil deformation is profound in polymer rheology. The structural asymmetry between the middle part of the chain and the chain end is supposed to be the origin of internal tension for coil deformation of driven single linear polymers. We performed dynamic Monte Carlo simulations on driven single ring polymers without the abovementioned asymmetry, and compared their deformation behavior to that of the linear counterparts of the same chain length. The comparison proved that the chain ends are not the cause of internal tension for coil deformation, and rather, their relatively high mobility suppresses the coil–stretch transition upon large coil deformation. Therefore, the "cracking-the-whip" effect, as an integration of local acceleration caused by dynamic heterogeneity of nearby monomers on the polymer chain, is the sole origin of internal tension for the observed coil deformation of driven single linear and ring polymers. This study opens an extensive investigation on the intramolecular source of nonlinearity for nonequilibrium polymer dynamics.


Fabry-Perot etalons using electro-optic (EO) organic materials can be used for devices such as tunable filters and spatial light modulators (SLM's) for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) communication systems1-5 and ultrafast imaging systems. For these applications the SLM's need to have: (i) low insertion loss, (ii) high speed operation, and (iii) large modulation depth with low drive voltage. Recently, there have been three developments which together can enhance the SLM performance to a higher level. First, low loss distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) mirrors are now used in SLM's to replace thin metal mirrors, resulting in reduced transmission loss, high reflectivity (>99%) and high finesse. Second, EO polymer materials have shown excellent properties for wide bandwidth optical modulation for information technology due to their fabrication flexibility, compatibility with high speed operation, and large EO coefficients at telecommunication wavelengths. For instance, the EO polymer AJL8/APC (AJL8: nonlinear optical chromophore, and APC: amorphous polycarbonate has recently been incorporated into waveguide modulators and achieved good performance for optical modulation. Finally, very low loss transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrodes have drawn increasing attention for applications in optoelectronic devices. Here we will address how the low loss indium oxide (In2O3) electrodes with an absorption coefficient ~1000/cm and conductivity ~204 S/cm can help improve the modulation performance of EO polymer Fabry-Pérot étalons using the advanced electro-optic (EO) polymer material (AJL8/APC). A hybrid etalon structure with one highly conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode outside the etalon cavity and one low-absorption In2O3 electrode inside etalon cavity has been demonstrated. High finesse (~234), improved effective applied voltage ratio (~0.25), and low insertion loss (~4 dB) have been obtained. A 10 dB isolation ratio and ~10% modulation depth at 200 kHz with only 5 V applied voltage have been achieved. These results indicate that such etalons are very promising candidates for ultrafast spatial light modulation in information technology.


The paper presents an experimental study on the residual shear strength of different clayey soils at varying total suctions. In a first part of the paper some insight into the behaviour of residual shear strength of a filled rock discontinuity is presented to bring into light the sensitivity to hydraulic states of a clayey gouge material subjected to shearing along large displacements. An adapted Bromhead ring shear apparatus, in which the sample is enclosed in a controlled relative humidity chamber, has been used to control total suction during shearing. Afterwards, results on different types of clayey materials are presented to discuss the importance of the plasticity of the clay on the residual friction angle changes. These changes show an important increase in the residual friction angle with imposed total suction that may reach 15° for medium plastic clay and without cohesion component. The reasons for this increase have been explained by the more granular character of the dry clay as a result of aggregate densification and desaturation during strong drying. The changes have been interpreted using a simple model inspired in both macroscopic and microstructural observations, which is based on the stiffness of the soil (or aggregates) and depends on the product of the total suction applied and the degree of saturation. A microstructural model, already developed to take into account microstructural aspects on water retention and following an equivalent behavioural response to the macroscopic shrinkage curve, has been used to estimate the degree of saturation at the microstructural level (inside aggregates). To highlight its applicability in geotechnical practice, the different parameters used in the water retention and residual shear strength models have been shown to depend on the plasticity index of the different clayey soils studied.


The standard manual wheelchair is commonly found in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, senior housing and airports for allowing patients, people with physical disabilities or elder people to move. In this thesis, a CAD model of the standard wheelchair is first obtained. Then, an optimization design is carried out based on this model. A sliding seat is designed to facilitate people moving by themselves from the wheelchair to any chair close by. On the other hand, a reclining backrest is also designed to make users feel more comfortable. Computer Simulations are performed to evaluate this design under static and dynamic conditions. A displacement range for the sliding seat in which the wheelchair will not overturn is determined. The optimization design shows significant improvements that can conveniently be introduced on the mechanical wheelchair in order to make it more useful and comfortable to the users.


Transposon mutagenesis was used to isolate nonpathogenic mutants of Xanthomonas campestris pv. glycines 8ra, which causes bacterial pustule disease in soybean. A 6.1-kb DNA region in which a mutation gave loss of pathogenicity was isolated and found to carry six open reading frames (ORFs). Four ORFs had homology with hrcU, hrcV, hrcR, and hrcS genes of Ralstonia solanacearum and X. campestris pv. vesicatoria. One nonpathogenic mutant, X. campestris pv. glycines H80, lost pathogenicity on soybean but was able to elicit the hypersensitive response (HR) on nonhost pepper and tomato plants. This mutant still multiplied as well as the wild type in the leaves or cotyledons of soybean. Although the DNA and amino acid sequences showed high homology with known hrp genes, the hrcU-homolog ORF is not required for HR induction on nonhost plants, pepper and tomato, or for the multiplication of bacteria in the host plant. This gene was only required for the pathogenic symptoms of X. campestris pv. glycines 8ra on soybean.


In temperate insects, winters are typically endured by entering diapause, which comprises a deep resting stage. Correct timing of diapause termination is vital for synchronization of emergence with conspecifics and for mobilizing resources when conditions for growth and reproduction become favourable. Although critical to survival, the intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of diapause termination timing are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigate diapause development under a range of durations (10–24 weeks) spent at different temperatures (−2 to 10 °C) in the pupal diapausing butterfly Pieris napi Linnaeus (Lepidoptera:Pieridae). We determine: (i) the maximum cold temperature for diapause development; (ii) if pupae in diapause count cold days or cold sums; and (iii) whether diapause termination is distinct or gradual. The results indicate large and idiosyncratic effects of high and low nonlethal temperatures on diapause development in P. napi. Although all temperatures tested lead to diapause termination, a thermal optimum between 2 and 4 °C is observed. Lower temperatures lead to decreased eclosion propensity, whereas higher temperatures slow down development and increase emergence desynchronization. These data suggest that, rather than a simple cold‐summing process with a distinct diapause termination point, there are trade‐offs between time and temperature at the low and high end of the thermal range, resulting in a nonlinear thermal landscape showing a ridge of increasing eclosion propensity at moderate temperatures. The present study suggests that the effects of temperature on diapause development should be included in projections on post‐winter phenology models of insects, including pest species.