Plastics are relatively new materials used in almost all areas of human activity, and also in various branches of live and industries. Given the annually growing produce of plastics, their volume are evenly growing up also in the waste, therefore it is necessary to solve the waste from the increasing volume of waste plastic. The contribution deals with the using and testing of sorted plastic waste. From the plastic waste as a semiproduct is prepared the plastic plates by extruding technology, it means recycled plastics processing and verifying of their selected mechanical properties. It also deals with testing of selected plastic shaped plates. There are mentioned also the most usual impurities in the testing samples, created during the production. Contribution was originated as collaboration with TOPlast, Inc. Kosice.


Using a positive selection system for isolating DNA replication and repair related mutants, we isolated a clone from a rat kangaroo cell line (PtK2) that has increased sensitivity to UV light. Characterization of this clone indicated normal post-replication repair after UV irradiation, and normal removal rates of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoproducts by excision repair. However, this cell line has decreased ability to make early incisions on damaged DNA, possibly indicating a defect in preferential repair of actively transcribed genes, and a slower cell proliferation rate, including a longer S-phase. This phenotype reinforces the present notion that control of key mechanisms in cell metabolism, such as cell cycle control, repair, transcription and cell death, can be linked.


A basic battery management system (BMS) permits the safe charge/discharge of the batteries and the supply of loads. Batteries are protected to avoid fast degradation: the minimum and maximum state-of-charge ( SOC ) limits are not exceeded and fast charge/discharge cycles are not permitted. A more sophisticated BMS connected to a photovoltaic (PV) generator could also work with the double purpose of protecting storage and reducing peak demand. Peak reduction by storage generally requires the forecast of consumption and PV generation profiles to perform a provisional energy balance. To do it, it is required to have accurate information about production profiles, that is, to have at disposal accurate weather forecasts, which are not easily available. In the present work, an efficient BMS in grid-connected PV plants for residential users is described. Starting from raw 1-day ahead weather forecast and prediction of consumption, the proposed BMS preserves battery charge when it is expected high load and low PV production and performs peak shaving with a negligible reduction in self-sufficiency.


Libya is a signifi cant transit country for irregular migration to Europe and is therefore the site of much eff ort by external policy makers, notably the European Union. External actors have been unable to formalize workable agreements with Libyan authorities to address or stop onward migration to Europe. Instead, they have been forced to develop arrangements with Libya's neighboring countries to work around this impasse. Th is article examines the rhetoric behind eff orts by individual European countries and the European Union to implement externally produced migration policies. From crisis narratives to invoking a humanitarian imperative to "save lives," it is argued that these tropes justify various, at times competing, agendas. Th is results in almost no tangible improvement to the situation of irregular migrants or the capacity of authorities to deal with irregular migration, with one exception being that of the Libyan coast guard.


The on-going development of a compact centrifugal compressor as a first stage or pre-compressor for cold climate operation of heat pumps is described. Positioned in the low pressure vapor portion of the refrigerant loop, this compressor will, on cold days, operate automatically to boost refrigerant pressure, in a manner similar to the way an automotive supercharger pressurizes air. The single stage motor driven centrifugal compressor runs on oil-free bearings. It is being configured to work in concert with a traditional heat pump compressor. The goal of this work is to enable air source heat pumps to efficiently extract heat from even the coldest ambient air without backup heat and without changing refrigerant type or the basic design of the positive displacement style compressors widely used in today's heat pumps. Doing so will allow air source heat pumps to operate effectively in virtually all major population centers. To date, a first article supercharger has been designed and built, and its performance mapped. Work to integrate it with a commercially available positive displacement (PD) heat pump compressor is underway.


Becoming an Archaeologist: A Guide to Professional Pathways is an engaging handbook on career paths in archaeology. It outlines the process of getting a job in archaeology, including various career options, the training required, and how to get positions in the academic, commercial, government and charity sectors. This new edition has been substantially revised and updated. The coverage has been expanded to include many more examples of archaeological lives and livelihoods from dozens of countries around the world. It also has more interviews, with in-depth analyses of the career paths of over twenty different archaeologists working around the world. Data on the demographics of archaeologists has also been updated, as have sections on access to and inclusion in archaeology. The volume also includes revised and updated appendices and a new bibliography. Written in an accessible style, the book is essential reading for anyone interested in a career in archaeology in the twenty-first century.


Elliptic Curve Cryptosystems (ECC) have recently received significant attention by researchers due to their high performance such as low computational cost and small key size. In this paper a novel untraceable blind signature scheme is presented. Since the security of proposed method is based on difficulty of solving discrete logarithm over an elliptic curve, performance of the proposed scheme is quite commendable in comparison with the previous work in terms of security and time complexity.


Abstract Discovery of a single specimen of cirolanid isopod from the Late Cretaceous of Lebanon permits definition of a new species, Cirolana garassinoi. Preservation with the ventral surface exposed is unique among isopod fossils. The evidence of a thin, apparently transparent cuticle and three pairs of dermoliths suggests that the specimen died while in the pre-molt condition. The ability to sequester calcium and possibly other mineral salts in a marine isopod may indicate a preadaptation to terrestrial lifestyles where the process is common in extant forms.


The present study describes a follow‐up of a prospective and observational cohort of patients infected with HIV‐1 and treated with raltegravir for salvage therapy in Brazil. Two groups of patients were analyzed: switching from T20 to RAL (Group 1, n = 9) and salvage therapy containing RAL (Group 2, n = 10). Blood samples were drawn for CD4+ T‐cell counts and HIV‐1 viral load determinations. Protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase genotyping were performed at baseline and at the time of virologic failure. CD4+ T‐cells increased at 6 and 12 months in both groups; HIV‐1 viral load was continuously suppressed for Group 1, and for Group 2 it significantly decreased after starting a RAL‐containing regimen. Three out of 10 patients from Group 2 could not suppress HIV‐1 viral load. The mutations Q148H + G140S were observed for two patients and for the third patient only mutations to PR/RT inhibitors were detected. The genotypic sensitivity score (GSS) was analyzed for all patients of Group 2 and both patients who developed resistance to raltegravir presented a GSS < 2.0 for the RAL‐containing scheme, which could be associated to the lack of effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The present study describes, for the first time in Brazil, the close follow‐up of a series of patients using a raltegravir‐containing HAART, showing the safety of the enfuvirtide switch to RAL and the effectiveness of a therapeutic regimen with RAL in promoting immune reconstitution and suppressing HIV replication, as well as documenting the occurrence of resistance to integrase inhibitors in the country. J. Med. Virol. 84:1869–1875, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Tons of sugar cane bagasse are produced in Brazil as waste of the sugar and ethanol industries. This lignocellulosic material is a potential source for second-generation ethanol production. Diluted acid hydrolysis is one of the most efficient pretreatments for hemicellulosic solubilization. The hydrolysate obtained is rich in xylose, which can be converted to ethanol by Pichia stipitis. This work used a statistical approach and the severity factor to investigate the effects of factors associated with the diluted acid hydrolysis process (acid concentration, solid:liquid ratio and time of exposure) on various response variables (xylose concentration, hydrolysis yield, inhibitor concentration and hydrolysate fermentability). The severity factor had a strong influence on the generation of inhibitors. The statistical analysis was useful for determining the effects of the individual factors and their interactions on the response variables. An acid concentration of 1.09% (vv), an S:L ratio of 1:2.8 (g:ml), and an exposure time of 27 min were established and validated as the optimum pretreatment conditions for the generation of hydrolysates with high xylose concentration and low contents of inhibitors. In such conditions, hydrolysate with 50 g/l of xylose was obtained.


This book presents an extensive dictionary of the Dagaare language (Niger-Congo; Gur (Mabia)), focussing on the dialect of Central Dagaare, spoken in the Upper West region of Ghana. The dictionary provides comprehensive definitions, example sentences and the English translations, phonetic forms, inflected forms, etymological notes as well as information dialectal variation. This work is intended as a resource for linguists, but also as a resource for Dagaare speakers. Also included is a grammatical sketch of Dagaare contributed by Prof. Adams Bodomo.


Ormarsdottir, S. 2001. Osteoporosis in Chronic Liver Disease. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine 1037. 60 pp. Uppsala. ISBN 91-554-5021-0. Osteoporosis is a well-known and frequently reported complication of chronic liver disease (CLD) with a high fracture rate contributing to significant morbidity after liver transplantation. The pathogenesis is unknown and controversy exists about many risk factors for osteoporosis in CLD. In the present thesis, bone mineral density (BMD) was found to be significantly lower at the lumbar spine (p<0.01) in a cohort of patients with CLD compared with age- and gender -matched individuals. Osteoporosis was found in 30% of the patients and 15% of the controls, respectively. Low body mass index (BMI), corticosteroid treatment, prothrombin time, age and female gender were independent risk factors for osteoporosis in the patients. In a follow-up study, 43 of 72 patients were available for a second BMD measurement 25 months (median) after the first. Bone loss at the femoral neck was 1.5 ± 2.4% in females and 2.9 ± 2.0% in males with a significant decrease in BMD Z-score over time (p=0.005 and p=0.02 for females and males, respectively), indicating increased bone loss at this site. Hyperbilirubinaemia and low circulating levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 predicted increased bone loss at the femoral neck. These findings suggest that cortical bone, in addition to trabecular bone, may be affected in CLD and bilirubin and vitamin D3 may be involved in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis in CLD. In order to elucidate the suggested role of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and leptin in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis in CLD, we studied the relationship between these factors and BMD. Levels of IGFs were extremely low (p<0.0001 compared with the controls) and related to liver function but no correlation was found between the IGFs and BMD. Serum leptin adjusted for BMI correlated negatively with BMD in female patients (p=0.003 and p=0.04 at the lumbar spine and the femoral neck, respectively) and in male patients at the femoral neck (p=0.04). Thus, the IGFs appear not to be involved in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis in CLD but a role of circulating leptin is possible.


ABSTRACT:The goal of this paper is to problematize the use of sex categories in medical contexts. We question the benefits of categorizing all individuals as either male or female in medical contexts and argue that we should focus instead on the relevant sex-related properties of patients. Contrary to what many people believe, the classificatory system by which sexed bodies are neatly divided into male and female is anything but clear. An abundance of evidence shows that a binary sex system does not accurately describe the reality of human bodies. Given the complexity of sex with its many markers, variations, and combinations, why is medicine still based on the assumption that there are only two sexes? Why is binary sex still systematically used as a proxy in medical contexts, even when it doesn't help, but can actually hinder diagnoses, care, and treatments? The complexity and heterogeneity of sexed bodies is critical in medical contexts. We argue that the use of female/male categories overlooks and obscures this complexity and variety, thereby resulting in a variety of harms, poor health care, oversimplification, and over-pathologization.


ABSTRACT This scoping review was prompted by the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia, with a focus on young children with disabilities. The review began by investigating individualized outcomes measures used within Early Intervention (EI). The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was chosen as it is a widely used goal identification and outcome measurement tool. This paper explores how the COPM is used with young children with disabilities alongside other developmental assessments, what it contributes to the goal identification and outcome measurement process and the formulation of possible recommendations for early intervention (EI) services and the NDIS. This review highlighted that the COPM is currently used across several countries, with children aged birth-seven years with a range of disabilities. The COPM is being utilized to support the identification of functional goals and accurately track parent's satisfaction and their perception of their child's performance. This review indicated that the COPM builds in key elements of family-centered practice and would be a valuable tool to trial in the NDIS and to implement more broadly in early intervention internationally.


The first edition of this book and its accompanying eLearning course is regarded as a classic in its field. Now, in an expanded and updated version of The Art of Service's book, the authors once again present a step-by-step guide to getting your ITIL v3 PPO Certificate. Who Knew ITIL Certification E-Learning This Quick and Easy Could Make You Look This Good. 'The Art of Service has dramatically changed the way we deliver employee training. We can now deliver more training at less cost to a wider audience in a shorter period of time.' On-demand eLearning: Don't pay over $ 3,000.00 for a 5 day class room based course - you're out of touch with your work for 5 days and including the course fee: the costs are insurmountable - take the online learning option instead and study at your own pace. Course Description: This online learning course immerses learners in the practical aspects of the ITIL v3 Service Lifecycle and processes associated with the Planning, Protection and Optimization of services and service delivery. The main focus of this course is on the PPO process activities and supporting methods and approaches to executing these processes in a practical, hands-on learning environment. This training is intended to enable the holders of the certificate to apply the practices in Planning, Protection and Optimization of the Service Management Lifecycle. This course uses an engaging, interactive and flexible online approach to learning the core disciplines of the ITIL best practice and positions the student to successfully complete the associated exam: the APMG/EXIN Intermediate Level Certificate Planning, Protection and Optimization. Learning Objectives: At the end of this course, the learner will gain competencies in: * Plan key activities for the Planning, Protection and Optimization processes in the context of the Service Lifecycle * Attain operational excellence by using the Planning, Protection and Optimization processes, activities and functions * Measure the success of Planning, Protection and Optimization by applying key metrics * Utilize capacity and availability management to realize successful Service Design * Ensure that services are fit-for-purpose and fit-for-use * Identifying and mitigating risks * Apply Continual Service Improvement As well as preparing participants for the exam. Pre-requisites: ITIL v3 Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management or ITIL v2 Foundation Certificate plus Bridge Certificate. It is highly recommended that you read the Planning, Protection and Optimization book prior to commencement of this program. Delivery: The program combines short presentations supported by accredited trainer audio. There are also quizzes and exercises (marking scheme provided) to ensure learners are testing their knowledge and competency to enhance understanding of key concepts. Revision questions and a mock examination help to prepare for the multiple-choice APMG/EXIN examination. This program is an eLearning Program, your access details to the elearning course are in the book. Program Materials: * Access to presentations with trainer audio * The Art of Service Planning, Protection and Optimization Book * Exercises + Answers * Mock Exam questions Considering the increasing number of IT Professionals and their Organizations who want to be actively involved in IT Service Management, this book, which leads to ITIL v3 PPO and paves the way to ITIL v3 Expert Certification, should do at least as well as the first edition, which is a bestseller.


Pliocene strata (4–3 Ma) in the Togakushi area, central Japan, yield significant ostracods, which allow investigation of the origins of high-latitude (Arctic–Atlantic) taxa and the Japan Sea endemic species, together with their post-Miocene history of extinction-speciation and migration. Three types of extinct species are found here: (1) cryophilic species in common with, or closely related to, species in Plio-Pleistocene assemblages described from the Japan Sea; (2) species closely related to, or comparable with, species that characterize Miocene Japan; and (3) species endemic to the Pliocene Japan Sea. Type (1) contains species closely related to high-latitude species known from the Arctic and northern Atlantic Oceans. Their presence suggests migration from the northwestern Pacific to the northern Atlantic through the Arctic seas since the Late Pliocene after the opening of the Bering Strait. Both Types (2) and (3) contain genera originating in the south, which show high specific diversity in regions affected by the modern warm Kuroshio Current. Ancestral ostracods of Types (2) and (3) invaded the Japan Sea from the Pacific from the Middle Miocene, and diversified to produce closely related species in the semi land-locked Japan Sea until the Early Pliocene. Two new species Aurila togakushiensis sp. nov. and Aurila shigaramiensis sp. nov. are described.


A cost-effective method for fabricating antireflective subwavelength structures on silicon carbide is demonstrated. The nanopatterning is performed in a 2-step process: aluminum deposition and reactive ion etching. The effect, of the deposited aluminum film thickness and the reactive ion etching conditions, on the average surface reflectance and nanostructure landscape have been investigated systematically. The average reflectance of silicon carbide surface is significantly suppressed from 25.4% to 0.05%, under the optimal experimental conditions, in the wavelength range of 390-784 nm. The presence of stochastic nanostructures also changes the wetting properties of silicon carbide surface from hydrophilic (47°) to hydrophobic (108°).


Our previous studies have demonstrated that the urotensin (UII) and its receptor are up-regulated in the skeletal muscle of mice with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the significance of UII in skeletal muscle insulin resistance remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of UII on NADPH oxidase and glucose transport signaling pathways in the skeletal muscle of mice with T2DM and in C2C12 mouse myotube cells. KK/upj-AY/J mice (KK) mice were divided into the following groups: KK group, with saline treatment for 2 weeks; KK+ urantide group, with daily 30 µg/kg body weight injections over the same time period of urantide, a potent urotensin II antagonist peptide; Non-diabetic C57BL/6J mice were used as normal controls. After urantide treatment, mice were subjected to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, in addition to measurements of the levels of ROS, NADPH oxidase and the phosphorylated AKT, PKC and ERK. C2C12 cells were incubated with serum-free DMEM for 24 hours before conducting the experiments, and then administrated with 100 nM UII for 2 hours or 24 hours. Urantide treatment improved glucose tolerance, decreased the translocation of the NADPH subunits p40-phox and p47-phox, and increased levels of the phosphorylated PKC, AKT and ERK. In contrast, UII treatment increased ROS production and p47-phox and p67-phox translocation, and decreased the phosphorylated AKT, ERK1/2 and p38MAPK; Apocynin abrogated this effect. In conclusion, UII increased ROS production by NADPH oxidase, leading to the inhibition of signaling pathways involving glucose transport, such as AKT/PKC/ERK. Our data imply a role for UII at the molecular level in glucose homeostasis, and possibly in skeletal muscle insulin resistance in T2DM.


Details of Current Appeals

You can find details of all current planning appeals and all appeals decided since January 1 2004 by using the advanced planning search of our planning applications register.

You can also see them at 160 Tooley Street, SE1 2TZ , just behind City Hall.

If you need a certified copy of an appeal decision letter held on our statutory register of decisions you can order one from us. There is a £10 charge for providing copies so please contact us to find out how much this will be and how you can make your payment.

Planning appeals are decided by the Planning Inspectorate and further information about the appeal process, including the forms you need to complete to make an appeal, can be found on their website.


xii, 108 leaves%%%%Unit testing is an important part of software testing that aids in the discovery of bugs sooner in the software development process. Extreme Programming (XP), and its Test First Design technique, relies so heavily upon unit tests that the first code implemented is made up entirely of test cases. Furthermore, XP considers a feature to be completely coded only when all of its test cases pass. However, passing all test cases does not necessarily mean the test cases are good. Extreme Coverage (XC) is a new approach that helps to assess and improve the quality of software by enhancing unit testing. It extends the XP requirement that all test cases must pass with the requirement that all defect-prone testable methods must be invoked by the tests. Furthermore, a set of flexible rules are applied to XC to make it as attractive and light-weight as unit testing is in XP' One example rule is to exclude all methods containing one line of code from analysis. I designed and implemented a new tool, called JBlanket, that automates the XC measurement process similar to the way that JUnit automates unit testing. JBlanket produces HTML reports similar to JUnit reports which inform the user about which methods need to be tested next. In this research, I explore the feasibility of JBlanket, the amount of effort needed to reach and maintain XC, and the impact that knowledge of XC has on system implementation through deployment and evaluation in an academic environment. Results show that most students find JBlanket to be a useful tool in developing their test cases, and that knowledge of XC did influence the manner in which students implemented their systems. However, more studies are needed to conclude precisely how much effort is needed to reach and maintain XC. This research lays the foundation for future research directions. One direction involves increasing its flexibility and value by expanding and refining the rules of XC. Another direction involves tracking XC behavior to find out when it is and is not applicable.


Clouds play an important role in Arctic amplification. This term represents the recently observed enhanced warming of the Arctic relative to the global increase of near-surface air temperature. However, there are still important knowledge gaps regarding the interplay between Arctic clouds and aerosol particles, and surface properties, as well as turbulent and radiative fluxes that inhibit accurate model simulations of clouds in the Arctic climate system. In an attempt to resolve this so-called Arctic cloud puzzle, two comprehensive and closely coordinated field studies were conducted: the Arctic Cloud Observations Using Airborne Measurements during Polar Day (ACLOUD) aircraft campaign and the Physical Feedbacks of Arctic Boundary Layer, Sea Ice, Cloud and Aerosol (PASCAL) ice breaker expedition. Both observational studies were performed in the framework of the German Arctic Amplification: Climate Relevant Atmospheric and Surface Processes, and Feedback Mechanisms (AC)3 project. They took place in the vicinity of Svalbard, Norway, in May and June 2017. ACLOUD and PASCAL explored four pieces of the Arctic cloud puzzle: cloud properties, aerosol impact on clouds, atmospheric radiation, and turbulent dynamical processes. The two instrumented Polar 5 and Polar 6 aircraft; the icebreaker Research Vessel (R/V) Polarstern; an ice floe camp including an instrumented tethered balloon; and the permanent ground-based measurement station at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, were employed to observe Arctic low- and mid-level mixed-phase clouds and to investigate related atmospheric and surface processes. The Polar 5 aircraft served as a remote sensing observatory examining the clouds from above by downward-looking sensors; the Polar 6 aircraft operated as a flying in situ measurement laboratory sampling inside and below the clouds. Most of the collocated Polar 5/6 flights were conducted either above the R/V Polarstern or over the Ny-Ålesund station, both of which monitored the clouds from below using similar but upward-looking remote sensing techniques as the Polar 5 aircraft. Several of the flights were carried out underneath collocated satellite tracks. The paper motivates the scientific objectives of the ACLOUD/PASCAL observations and describes the measured quantities, retrieved parameters, and the applied complementary instrumentation. Furthermore, it discusses selected measurement results and poses critical research questions to be answered in future papers analyzing the data from the two field campaigns.


We consider a model of medium-term commodity contracts management. Randomness takes place only in the prices on which the commodities are exchanged, whilst state variable is multi-dimensional, and decision variable is integer. In our previous article, we proposed an algorithm based on the quantization of random process and a dual dynamic programming type approach to solve the continuous relaxation problem. In this paper, we study the multi-stage stochastic mixed integer linear program (SMILP) and show the difficulty when using dual programming type algorithm. We propose an approach based on the cutting plane method combined with the algorithm in our previous article, which gives an upper and a lower bound of the optimal value and a sub-optimal integer solution. Finally, a numerical test on a real problem in energy market is provided.


Handwritten Arabic, like other handwritten (such as Latin, Chinese, etc.), have re-ceived increasing attention from several researchers. To preserve and promote wider access to the invaluable cultural and literary heritage held in both public and private collections of manuscripts, the researchers have proposed and developed several approaches based on annotation, metadata, and transcription. The need to access to the manuscript text is increasing on a large scale. For this reason, traditional methods of indexing such as annotation or transcription will be outdated as they require a considerable and unreliable manual effort. It is, therefore, necessary to develop new tools for the identification and recognition of handwritten text contained in images. However, despite the development that has been shown by Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) in different computer vision tasks, the latter has not known many uses in the field of Arabic manuscripts. Even if, the use of these methods based on deep learning to predict the class of characters, such as the Handwritten numbers, has achieved a great result. Hence, the idea of using methods based on deep learning techniques to classify words and characters in images of Arabic manuscripts. In this paper, we propose two classification methods to predict the class of each word, using the HADARA80P dataset. The first one uses a simple neural network and the last one uses a convolutional neural network. The experimental results obtained by these two methods are very interesting


The dynamics of O((3)P) + CO(2) collisions at hyperthermal energies were investigated experimentally and theoretically. Crossed-molecular-beams experiments at = 98.8 kcal mol(-1) were performed with isotopically labeled (12)C(18)O(2) to distinguish products of nonreactive scattering from those of reactive scattering. The following product channels were observed: elastic and inelastic scattering ((16)O((3)P) + (12)C(18)O(2)), isotope exchange ((18)O + (16)O(12)C(18)O), and oxygen-atom abstraction ((18)O(16)O + (12)C(18)O). Stationary points on the two lowest triplet potential energy surfaces of the O((3)P) + CO(2) system were characterized at the CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ level of theory and by means of W4 theory, which represents an approximation to the relativistic basis set limit, full-configuration-interaction (FCI) energy. The calculations predict a planar CO(3)(C(2v), (3)A'') intermediate that lies 16.3 kcal mol(-1) (W4 FCI excluding zero point energy) above reactants and is approached by a C(2v) transition state with energy 24.08 kcal mol(-1). Quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations with collision energies in the range 23-150 kcal mol(-1) were performed at the B3LYP/6-311G(d) and BMK/6-311G(d) levels. Both reactive channels observed in the experiment were predicted by these calculations. In the isotope exchange reaction, the experimental center-of-mass (c.m.) angular distribution, T(θ(c.m.)), of the (16)O(12)C(18)O products peaked along the initial CO(2) direction (backward relative to the direction of the reagent O atoms), with a smaller isotropic component. The product translational energy distribution, P(E(T)), had a relatively low average of = 35 kcal mol(-1), indicating that the (16)O(12)C(18)O products were formed with substantial internal energy. The QCT calculations give c.m. P(E(T)) and T(θ(c.m.)) distributions and a relative product yield that agree qualitatively with the experimental results, and the trajectories indicate that exchange occurs through a short-lived CO(3)* intermediate. A low yield for the abstraction reaction was seen in both the experiment and the theory. Experimentally, a fast and weak (16)O(18)O product signal from an abstraction reaction was observed, which could only be detected in the forward direction. A small number of QCT trajectories leading to abstraction were observed to occur primarily via a transient CO(3) intermediate, albeit only at high collision energies (149 kcal mol(-1)). The oxygen isotope exchange mechanism for CO(2) in collisions with ground state O atoms is a newly discovered pathway through which oxygen isotopes may be cycled in the upper atmosphere, where O((3)P) atoms with hyperthermal translational energies can be generated by photodissociation of O(3) and O(2).


This paper reflects on trade unionism and politics in Africa in general and South Africa in particular, from colonisation to post-colonial Africa and constitutional democratic order. It first deals with the origins of trade unions, their relationship with political parties, their critical role in the struggle for independence, and their contribution to present day struggles for democracy. Special emphasis is on South Africa as an illuminating case of the African experience with trade unionism and politics, particularly because South African trade unionism is the most developed on the continent and post-apartheid South Africa is one of the few democratic and constitutional states in Africa. The paper then focuses on the particular origins of trade unionism in South Africa, its relationship with political parties, its contribution to the struggle against apartheid, and the current status, strengths and weaknesses of the South African trade unionism with reference to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), which is the largest federation of trade unions in South Africa. It argues that trade unions remain critical for democratic consolidation and will continue to play a meaningful role in this process. However, despite their relationship with political parties, trade unions should remain autonomous.


Background: Plaque is the main cause of caries and diseases of the oral cavity. Caries and periodontal disease can be prevented by removing plaque. One of the way to inhibit the formation of plaque is by brushing the teeth with toothpaste. In this study used toothpaste with the content of apples (Pyrus malus) because, according to previous studies, into apples there are catechins that can inhibit the formation of dental plaque by inhibiting the glycosylation process and kill the bacteria in plaque.
Methods: The research design of clinical trials conducted by the post test only control group design. The sample of this study is the boarding school students Qosim Al-Hadi, Mijen, Semarang, as many as 30 students were divided into two groups of randomized control group and treatment group. As an independent variable is the provision of toothpaste containing apples, while the dependent variable is the score of dental plaque. Data analysis was processed with SPSS for Windows 15.0 with a standard test of significance p <0.05.
Result: Difference score of plaque in the control groups (student without action) is higher than the treatment groups (student who are brushing them teeth with
toothpaste content of apples). The result of the statistic with Independent Sample T-Test showed a significant difference of 0,015 (p<0,05) between the control
groups with the treatment groups.
Conclusion: There are significant differences between the scores of plaque in the control groups with the treatment groups.
Keywords: tooth paste, apple fruit, dental plaque formation
1) Student of Medical Faculty Diponegoro University
2) Lecturer of Department of Dentistry, Medical Faculty
Diponegoro University


ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS BONE LOSS QUANTIFICATION FOLLOWING EXTRACTION IN RATS: A FOUNDATION FOR GRAFTING AND REGENERATIVE STUDIES Emily S. Willett, D.D.S., M.S. University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2016 Advisor: Richard A. Reinhardt, D.D.S., Ph. D. Background: Loss of the alveolar ridge width and height following extraction is well-documented and several techniques, including grafting, have been proposed to reduce bone loss. Purpose: To characterize the pattern of bone turnover and inflammation after extraction and to initiate a study of the effect of grafting and local administration of simvastatin (SIM). Methods: Thirty-two retired-breeder rats underwent extraction of the right maxillary first molar and standard surgical defect creation under inhalation anesthesia. The left side of each animal served as the unmanipulated control. Comparison of groups (n=8, ANOVA) was done at days 0, 7, 14, and 28 for alveolar bone height and width and for markers of inflammation and bone turnover by micro-computed tomography (μCT) and histology/ELISA. Seventeen additional specimens had the defects grafted with either bone mineral matrix (BMM) or a BMM+SIM conjugate. Results: μCT and histologic analysis demonstrated extraction-induced bone loss is most evident on the palatal (p < 0.001) and interproximal (p < 0.05) aspects of the socket. After the first week, a more intense inflammatory reaction corresponded to a reduction in alveolar bone height in the interproximal areas and alveolar bone height and width on the palatal aspect (p < 0.05). Increased numbers of osteoblasts were evident at the periphery of the socket at later time periods, particularly in the grafted specimens. BMM+SIM also reduced inflammation at 28 days (p < 0.001) and enhanced ridge width (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The standard defect used in the current study paralleled human post-extraction alveolar bone loss and defect grafting partially preserved bone.


A full scale experimental setup was designed and commissioned for testing of swelling elastomer seals against a casing (cased hole) and formation (open hole). Actual replicate of wellbore was designed with varying inside diameters and roughness to reproduce the effect of actual formation. The Dynaset packer mounted on 7" tubular was allowed to swell against a 9-5/8" casing, while the fast swell packer mounted on 9-5/8" tubular was allowed to swell against the 12-1/4" replicated well bore. The fast swell elastomer will bridge the annulus between casing and OH to prevent total losses and to allow cement to surface. Recent drilling condition required the development and testing of fast swell packers to isolate shallow aquifers. Under actual shallow-aquifer field conditions (50oC and 0.5% salinity) 70% swelling was expected in 24 hours. However, under fresh water the swelling was achieved in more than 24 hours. It took approximately ten days for the elastomers to completely fill the irregular cavities in the replicated well bore. The test demonstrated the way the elastomers fill the asperities and was worth of observation for field engineers. The Dynaset packer at low salinity took 4 weeks to completely seal the gaps. Under high salinity it takes approximately 3 weeks for complete sealing. The measured-cum-calculated results showed that the swelled elastomers have developed an internal pressure of 50-70 bars against the leakage. Dismantling of the test setup showed that the elastomer has swelled to brain like surface structure, which was a startling observation and needs further work. Isolation of shallow aquifers and fractured formations has been a major challenge for many years in Oman. The requirement for zonal isolation of the shallow aquifers is often compromised by the total losses. The simplicity of solution using swellables will avoid a cocktail of chemicals and will open new applications to materialize low cost wells.


A comparison of two hypothetical Nuclear Energy Systems (NES) has been performed: • NES-1 – GEN III/III + evolutionary design (LWR) and • NES-2 – GEN IV – so called innovative design: LFR technology /SFR technology Two cases for GEN IV NES have been considered: NES-2 (at present time) and NES-3 (in 10–15 years); for example, ALFRED demonstrator is expected to be commissioned by 2030. The comparison was done by means of INPRO KIND-ET (Evaluation Template) using country specific conditions for Bulgaria (small nuclear technology user country). The paper includes the Key indicators set developed in the framework of IAEA INPRO KIND Project and also a brief description of KIND – ET methodology. The results of the before mentioned Nuclear Energy Systems evaluation, according to considered Key Indicators, have been presented and discussed. Benefits and risks of possible new nuclear energy system development in Bulgaria were addressed, using suggested judgment aggregation methodology based on the MAVT (MultiAttribute Value Function) method.


The covalent bond formed between a N-heterocyclic carbene and an aryl-isothiocyanate was discovered to be thermally-reversible. This bond was incorporated into the backbone of an aromatic polymer which, when subjected to heat and excess monomer, would depolymerize to smaller oligomers. In addition these small molecules contain active chain ends and could be repolymerized to reform the original polymer. The high molecular weight material was made into freestanding sheets with desirable mechanical properties and could be made conductive by treatment with iodine.

A new poly(triazene) was formed from the reaction of a facially opposed, annulated, bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and an organic bis-azide. The NHC as well as the azide were varied and combined to produce a series of polymers which were characterized by GPC, TGA, and NMR. These thermally robust polymers were also coated onto glass slides and rendered electrically conductive by exposure to iodine vapor.
A new reagent for Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization (RAFT) is described. This imidazolium based reagent shows unusually fast kinetics which allows it to control polymerizations at significantly reduced loadings compared to the more traditional neutral dithiocarbamates or dithioesters. The fast kinetics is explained by the rapid rotation of the dithioester about the plane of the cationic N-heterocycle.
Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) membranes were blended with imidazoles with varying pKas. The proton conductivity of the membranes was evaluated as a function of pKa and temperature. Interestingly, the conductivity of the dry membranes showed a non-monotonous profile over a temperature range of 25 – 150 C. We use a theoretical model to better understand the mechanistic origins of the observed temperature–conductivity profiles. This model is based on the reaction equilibria between sPEEK's sulfonic acid groups and the basic sites of the added heterocycles.
Using the copper-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar "click" cycloaddition reaction, poly(sulfone)s containing pendant azide moieties were functionalized with various amounts of sodium 3-(prop-2-ynyloxy)propane-1-sulfonate and crosslinked with 1,7-octadiyne. The degree of sulfonation as well as the degree of cross-linking was systematically varied by changing the ratios of the aforementioned reagents. The polymers were cast into membranes, acidified, and then tested for proton conductivity, methanol permeability, and membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) performance.


In response to the volume and sophistication of malicious software or malware, security investigators rely on dynamic analysis for malware detection to thwart obfuscation and packing issues. Dynamic analysis is the process of executing binary samples to produce reports that summarise their runtime behaviors. The investigator uses these reports to detect malware and attribute threat type leveraging manually chosen features. However, the diversity of malware and the execution environments makes manual approaches not scalable because the investigator needs to manually engineer fingerprinting features for new environments. In this paper, we propose, MalDy (mal~die), a portable (plug and play) malware detection and family threat attribution framework using supervised machine learning techniques. The key idea of MalDy portability is the modeling of the behavioral reports into a sequence of words, along with advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) techniques for automatic engineering of relevant security features to detect and attribute malware without the investigator intervention. More precisely, we propose to use bag-of-words (BoW) NLP model to formulate the behavioral reports. Afterward, we build ML ensembles on top of BoW features. We extensively evaluate MalDy on various datasets from different platforms (Android and Win32) and execution environments. The evaluation shows the effectiveness and the portability MalDy across the spectrum of the analyses and settings.


Corruption is one of many tenacious problems associated with government failure. It is an example of the affinity of government —and life—with problems and failure. These are traceable to various causes or conditions, and include deficiencies and misdirections in group decision-making and in the disciplines of public administration and social science. Aside from corruption, there are other difficulties of a less morally reprehensible nature that are nonetheless wasteful and harmful and may contribute to corruption, poverty, inequality, and other "deep" problems. Issues of malfeasance deserve focal attention but should not overshadow those of misfeasance and nonfeasance. This essay attempts to maintain a balance among these concerns. After briefly discussing some aspects of corruption, it turns to the basic concepts of "wicked problems" and government failures and cites the results of studies that tend to substantiate their persistence in some sectors of development, including information and communication technology, automated elections, and transportation infrastructure projects abroad and in the Philippines.


International Journal of Exercise Science 7(3) : 186-193, 2014. Long-term physical exercise has been shown to noticeably reduce blood pressure (BP) and remarkably attenuate symptoms of hypertension. It is believed that physical exercise induces these beneficial effects by increasing the blood supply to the brain, enhancing the release of growth factors from skeletal muscles into the bloodstream, facilitating neurogenesis, stimulating angiogenesis, and influencing endothelial cell proliferation and subsequent endothelial cell membrane permeability. Previous findings also revealed that physical exercise significantly elevates brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations which appear to increase dramatically in BPsensing neurons during hypertension. Elevating BDNF levels is the proposed mechanism by which physical exercise reduces BP and lowers hypertension risk. Relatively effective measures exist today to prevent or delay much of the burden of hypertension and curtail or remediate the devastating consequences of chronic elevated BP over time. Nevertheless, this medical problem contributes to excess risk for morbidity and mortality and is a major public health concern, especially among minority populations. To date, however, it appears as though few studies have focused on the impact of non-pharmacological, behavioral interventions such as physical exercise on BP in minorities. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of long-term exercise on BP in an African American sample. Specifically, the aim was to determine whether a 12-week moderate intensity physical exercise program would significantly decrease BP. Because data provided evidence to support the hypothesis tested, it was concluded that physical exercise resulted in a significant reduction in BP in the African Americans sampled.


A number of innovative geotechnical methods were used at the extension of the Milan, Italy, subway. Jet grouting, a technique used only a few times in the United States, was notable among these. In this method air, water and slurry are pressure-injected into soils and mixed in place with the soil particles, and cement or chemical grout. In some instances, depending on the project requirements, the procedure is modified to replace soils with the grout and undesirable soils are removed through water jetting to the surface. At some sections of the Milan project, jet grouting is used horizontally to stabilize soils and ahead of the tunnel and allow for excavation by conventional equipment. Elsewhere it is used vertically to form retaining walls. In other sections of the tunnels, boring machines were used, but in most cases in the sandy alluvial soils, jet-grouting proved more economical. Risk-sharing contractual arrangements are also discussed for the 28 km, 32 station expansion, which will cost $1.8 billion when it is completed in 1992.


Video sharing (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, TikTok) accounts for the majority of internet traffic, and video processing is also foundational to several other key workloads (video conferencing, virtual/augmented reality, cloud gaming, video in Internet-of-Things devices, etc.). The importance of these workloads motivates larger video processing infrastructures and – with the slowing of Moore's law – specialized hardware accelerators to deliver more computing at higher efficiencies. This paper describes the design and deployment, at scale, of a new accelerator targeted at warehouse-scale video transcoding. We present our hardware design including a new accelerator building block – the video coding unit (VCU) – and discuss key design trade-offs for balanced systems at data center scale and co-designing accelerators with large-scale distributed software systems. We evaluate these accelerators "in the wild" serving live data center jobs, demonstrating 20-33x improved efficiency over our prior well-tuned non-accelerated baseline. Our design also enables effective adaptation to changing bottlenecks and improved failure management, and new workload capabilities not otherwise possible with prior systems. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to discuss video acceleration at scale in large warehouse-scale environments.


Poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy cause poor foetal growth, poor foetal mammary gland development and susceptibility to oxidative stress damages all causing poor reproductive performance in adulthood. Inadequate supply of nutrients for metabolic use of animals during pregnancy stages is the most prominent route of this problem at both pre and post natal lives of animals. Rabbits because of their ability to survive on forage and non-conventional animal feeds resources coupled with poor commercial production value attached to rabbits in some countries; are left out of fetal programming science. However, foetal programming at early, mid and late pregnancy as well as early post-birth periods in rabbit, can be a vital means of improving rabbit reproductive performance because these are the periods of gonads development and acquisition of important reproductive traits by the offspring. Fetal programming is a potential reproductive technology for improving rabbit reproductive performance because it is now clear that full range of altered offspring phenotypes includes impaired reproductive function occurred as results of failures during foetal development. In rats, sheep and non human primates, reproductive capacity is altered by challenges experienced during critical periods of foetal development and early post-birth period. This paper will discuss fetal programming practice as a potential reproductive technology for improving reproductive performance and overall productive life-time in rabbit. It also gave an overview of the current state of fetal programming research focusing on improving rabbit reproductive performance through exploration of functional properties in microalgae.


A 52 year old intellectually disabled woman with myotonic dystrophy type 1 and a history of malignant melanoma underwent an elective thoracoscopic neoplasm resection. Pre-operatively she had very poor pulmonary function tests with a vital capacity of 1.99 L. The operation was conducted under total i.v. anesthesia with a single dose of 20 mg rocuronium and one lung ventilation was achieved with left double lumen tube. At the end of the surgery the patient regain conciseness and was extubated. Following extubation the patient quickly deteriorated into type 2 respiratory failure with significant hypoxemia. She was alternately ventilated with face mask and breathing spontaneously for about 2 h until fully recovered.


Belden and Barlowe found that yeast deficient for the family of p24 proteins involved in trafficking cargo through the secretory pathway also secreted the yeast endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone Kar2p (known as BiP in mammals). Loss of p24, loss of the ER retrieval receptor that recognizes luminal proteins with the HDEL consensus sequence, or overexpression of Kar2p activated the unfolded protein response (UPR). Furthermore, all conditions that activated the UPR also caused the secretion of Kar2p, suggesting that secretion of resident ER proteins is an indicator of the UPR. Activation of the UPR may up-regulate the expression of resident ER proteins to a point that saturates that retrieval and retention machinery, leading to the secretion of the excess up-regulated proteins, and interference with proteins involved in trafficking through the secretory pathway activates UPR. W. J. Belden, C. Barlowe, Deletion of yeast p24 genes activates the unfolded protein response. Mol. Biol. Cell 12, 957-969 (2001). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Partially as a response to community concerns related to sexual abuse, men's interactions with other people's children have become highly regulated. This paper documents media deliberations regarding the maintenance of barriers to men's interactions with children. Attention is given to news coverage of an incidence where a man was asked to shift seats on an aircraft due to an airline policy prohibiting men from sitting next to unaccompanied children. Media framing of controversy surrounding this incidence occurred across television, radio and newspaper reports and letters to the editor and talkback radio calls. Coverage reveals tensions between negative constructions of pedophiles and positive constructions of family men. The analysis highlights dilemmas within popular knowledge regarding children's safety and discrimination against men. Implications of media framing of such issues are explored through the experiences of 12 men participating in ongoing research into bloke culture in New Zealand. Seven of these men raised the airline case to invoke tensions they face when interacting with children. Of particular note are the ways in which men use media items as shared reference points for making sense of their own situations. The research strategy of analysing media items identified by research participants enables us to demonstrate the legacy of media and community deliberations in the accounts and relational practices of men. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Due to advanced segmentation and tracking algorithms, a video can be divided into numerous objects. Segmentation and tracking algorithms output different low-level object features, resulting in a high-dimensional feature vector per object. The challenge is to generate feature vector of objects which can be mapped to human understandable description, such as object labels, e.g., person, car. MPEG-7 provides visual descriptors to describe video contents. However, generally the MPEG-7 visual descriptors are highly redundant, and the feature coefficients in these descriptors need to be pre-processed for domain specific application. Ideal case would be if MPEG-7 visual descriptor based feature vector, can be processed similar to some functional simulations of human brain activity. There has been a established link between the analysis of temporal human brain oscillatory signals and chaotic dynamics from the electroencephalography (EEG) of the brain neurons. Neural signals in limited brain activities are found to be behaviorally relevant (previously appeared to be noise) and can be simulated using chaotic series. Chaotic series is referred to as either a finite-difference or an ordinary differential equation, which presents non-random, irregular fluctuations of parameter values over time in a dynamical system. The dynamics in a chaotic series can be high - or low -dimensional, and the dimensionality can be deduced from the topological dimension of the attractor of the chaotic series. An attractor is manifested by the tendency of a non-linear finite difference equation or an ordinary differential equation, under various but delimited conditions, to go to a reproducible active state, and stay there. We propose a feature binding method, using chaotic series, to generate a new feature vector, C-MP7 , to describe video objects. The proposed method considers MPEG-7 visual descriptor coefficients as dynamical systems. Dynamical systems are excited (similar to neuronal excitation) with either high- or low-dimensional chaotic series, and then histogram-based clustering is applied on the simulated chaotic series coefficients to generate C-MP7 . The proposed feature binding offers better feature vector with high-dimensional chaotic series simulation than with low-dimensional chaotic series, over MPEG-7 visual descriptor based feature vector. Diverse video objects are grouped in four generic classes (e.g., has [barbelow]person, has [barbelow]group [barbelow]of [barbelow]persons, has [barbelow]vehicle, and has [barbelow]unknown ) to observe how well C-MP7 describes different video objects compared to MPEG-7 feature vector. In C-MP7 , with high dimensional chaotic series simulation, 1). descriptor coefficients are reduced dynamically up to 37.05% compared to 10% in MPEG-7 , 2) higher variance is achieved than MPEG-7 , 3) multi-class discriminant analysis of C-MP7 with Fisher-criteria shows increased binary class separation for clustered video objects than that of MPEG-7 , and 4) C-MP7 , specifically provides good clustering of video objects for has [barbelow]vehicle class against other classes. To test C-MP7 in an application, we deploy a combination of multiple binary classifiers for video object classification. Related work on video object classification use non-MPEG-7 features. We specifically observe classification of challenging surveillance video objects, e.g., incomplete objects, partial occlusion, background over lapping, scale and resolution variant objects, indoor / outdoor lighting variations. C-MP7 is used to train different classes of video objects. Object classification accuracy is verified with both low-dimensional and high-dimensional chaotic series based feature binding for C-MP7 . Testing of diverse video objects with high-dimensional chaotic series simulation shows, 1) classification accuracy significantly improves on average, 83% compared to the 62% with MPEG-7 , 2) excellent clustering of vehicle objects leads to above 99% accuracy for only vehicles against all other objects, and 3) with diverse video objects, including objects from poor segmentation. C-MP7 is more robust as a feature vector in classification than MPEG-7 . Initial results on sub-group classification for male and female video objects in has [barbelow]person class are also presentated as subjective observations. Earlier, chaos series properties have been used in video processing applications for compression and digital watermarking. To our best knowledge, this work is the first to use chaotic series for video object description and apply it for object classification


The Unified Animal Feeding Operation Strategy requires that field application of animal waste, a common fertilization and disposal practice, may not exceed crop nutrient needs. Additional guidelines set forth by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality state that animal waste applications on agricultural fields in designated Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) must be made in a manner such that the total N applied to the field cannot exceed the uptake from the crop grown. Because alfalfa is grown year round and can take up large quantities of N, many operators of CAFOs apply animal waste to their production alfalfa fields as method of waste disposal. In this research, fresh and composted dairy manure was applied to plots in a production alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) field to determine the impact on alfalfa yield, soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and electrical conductivity (EC) levels and the potential for nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO4) leaching. Unfertilized plots were maintained as controls. Fresh and composted manure was applied to fertilized plots after each harvest at a rate intended to replace N removed from the previous cutting. After 1.5 yr and 13 cuttings, soil analysis down to 150 cm depth showed no significant difference in soil N between treatments. At study end, NO3–N made up 1.1% of total N in the fertilized plots but only 0.6% in control plots. Changes in soil N were not significant. Soil P content increased in fertilized plots but remained stable in control plots. Final soil PO4 measurements were 16, 99, and 116 kg ha 21 in the control, manure-treated, and compost-treated plots, respectively. Leachate from three drainage lysimeters contained no detectable NO3 or PO4 from any of the treatments. LSD showed no difference in EC between the beginning and the end of study, and alfalfa yield did not vary among treatments.


In this paper, a new multirate optical network based on a hybrid slotted-ALOHA (S-ALOHA)/overlapped code division multiple access (O-CDMA) system is proposed as an effective way of integrating multiclass traffic. The key issue in this proposal is to exploit the potential of the optical O-CDMA using fiber Bragg gratings when jointly used with the S-ALOHA protocol in a link layer. The newly proposed system is modeled using a general Markov chain from which both the system throughput and the average packet delay are derived. The system stability passing through a general finite user model is also envisaged. The system is then compared to the classical S-ALOHA/variable processing gain (VPG) CDMA system. Numerical results show that the proposed system outperforms the latter one, especially at high transmission rates. In addition, stability measures demonstrate that the overlapped system tends to be more stable than the VPG system.


Development projects often entail displacement of population. Every year millions of people in the world are involuntarily displaced due to infrastructure building programs. The affected population is seldom properly rehabilitated and is sacrificed for rather than benefited from development. The severe economic, social, cultural and environmental problems faced by the people often lead them to impoverishment. During any involuntary displacement, there exist eight general sub-processes that converge in impoverishment. Proper knowledge about these impoverishment processes can influence resettlement planning and implementation and they can also be purposively used to counteract the adverse effects. About 4000 acres of land have been acquired for the construction of the Jamuna Bridge. The Project has displaced people living at the vicinity of the bridge site and affected the income and livelihood of about one lac people. The project authority (Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority, JMBA) adopted a Resettlement Action Plan for proper resettlement of the Project Affected Persons (PAPs). The main objective of the resettlement plan was at least to restore the standards of living and income earning capacity of the PAPs, if not improved after resettlement. This dissertation attempts to explore the impact and effects of resettlement on the economic life and livelihood of the project affected people. Firstly, it analyzes the impoverishment processes as risks and entitlement packages of the resettlement plan as counter risk measures in the context of Jamuna Bridge Project. Secondly, it examines whether the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) have restored their pre-project standard of living or not. It also attempts to shed some light on the reasons for non-restoration of former standard of living. It is evident from the study that despite the adoption of a generous Resettlement Action Plan the Project Affected Persons of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Project have not been able to reconstruct & restore completely their pre-project living standards in the post-project stage. The major failure was the inability of the affected population to regain or recoup the amount of land lost due to acquisition. Despite this deprivation the resettlement program attained considerable success in other dimensions. There has been a marked increase in the average annual income of the indirectly affected households. The directly affected households have been able to virtually restore the status of pre-project income. The quality of housing for the displaced people has also improved. Programs like providing squatters and uthulies with a piece of homestead land and providing project affected persons with access to health services, drinking water and sanitation have been very successful. This dissertation, finally, discusses some strategies that may be adopted by the implementing agency in future projects entailing displacement and resettlement.


The investment into sausage drying technology based on traditional technics using large-scale air handling unit, air ducts, boiler and traditional refrigerator is over the budget of the national agriculturist. The technological development has enabled the meat drying technology also for low budget enterprises nowadays. The object of this research was to investigate the sausage drying process in a small-scale test chamber with a novel direct current inverter condensing unit including the significant elements such as scroll compressor, electronic expansion valve and proportional-integral-derivative controller system. To achieve this object, the test facility was installed in the introduction room of Kassai-Klima Limited-Liability Company in which the drying process of 200 kg fresh sausages was investigated by experiments. During the tests, the electricity consumption of the condensing units was also measured. The total electrical consumption of the system was 5,160 kWh based on the electricity meter during the five days of experiment. This way the energy efficiency and emissions could be monitored and compared with traditional sausage drying technologies.


Extracted from text ... 4 October 2005 Moneyweb's TAX BREAKS
FOREIGN TAXES
SA courts won't enforce tax
owed to another country
By KATHY THERSBY
A FOREIGN government cannot
use the South African courts to
enforce the payment of tax owing
to it, says Celia Becker, an associate
director at Pricewaterhouse
Coopers.
Under the "revenue rule" of
international law, the courts of one
country will not enforce revenue
laws of another - and South Africa
subscribes to this governing principle,
notes Becker.
There are rare exceptions to the
international "revenue rule", usually
covered by double-tax agreements,
which commonly contain a
reciprocal undertaking between
two ..


When we talk about the PhD process, what we present is a clean, objective image, and well-rounded examples of research. However, there's much more to it than that.

The complexities and contradictions, the uncertainties and step-backs are all part of the process and challenge us to improve our research. Although unpredicted at first, it is a welcome battle where we play many roles; we are warriors, detectives, victims, cheerleaders, academics, brothers and sisters, hermits, and passionate advocates…

PhD Behind the Scenes aimed to be a tool for us as reflective practitioners: a reflection on our personal path and on the resonance of the PhD process within us. Above all, this project was an opportunity to bring the PhD community closer together. Behind our research, we are still people – and our network becomes stronger when we can share the personal stories underpinning our research approach.

The idea for this project was triggered by a discussion between some PhD and Masters students from the School of Design focusing on the personal experiences within our work. A call was sent to all PhD students at The Glasgow School of Art, and ten of us decided to embark on this six-month inter-school project. Each of us built a personal archive of artefacts (words, images, sounds, drawings, colours…), regularly gathered in a variety of ways. These archives stand as distinctive interpretations of an internal process, sparked by our studies. The focus was on us, as individuals – not on our research topic.

This exhibition presented a snapshot of an ongoing process of self-reflection. An assemblage of each individual archive. It was not a showcase of artistic skills, but an offering of our experience to initiate conversations about what's behind a PhD at The Glasgow School of Art.


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to explore the features of the decision-making processes used by self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) when considering an international assignment. It does this by examining expatriates' decision processes through the lens of prominent theories of consumer decision making. Design/methodology/approach - – An abductive, exploratory research design was employed, based on in-depth qualitative case studies of nine SIEs. Findings - – In general, the expatriates in the study tended to deploy high-involvement decision-making processes. Rational decision models drawing on multiple high-quality information sources were common, especially for expatriates with career-oriented motivations and no prior experience in the target country. Three types of expatriates are distilled: "career building" (high involvement, career oriented, compensatory decision model), "risk minimizing" (high/medium involvement, non-compensatory decision model), and "emotionally driven" (low involvement, affective decision model). Originality/value - – While research into expatriates' motivations is plentiful, this is the first study to examine the decision-making processes that define the way in which these motivations are enacted. Its originality stems from combining two previously unrelated strands of research (consumer decision making and expatriation). The resulting tentative typology of decision-making approaches provides a platform for organisations seeking to better target talent recruitment, and for researchers seeking to further examine the decision processes of SIEs.


Transient epileptic amnesia (TEA) is a distinct syndrome affecting middle-aged persons without concurrent brain disease or disposition to epileptic seizures. Seizures are characterized by amnesia, usually lasting less than one hour, and interictal memory deficits that are common. Effective antiseizure treatment is usually rapid in patients with TEA, which underlines the need for prompt diagnosis. Here, we report a 58-year-old male patient with recurrent episodes of antero- and retrograde amnesia. MRI was normal and diagnosis was made using long-term EEG (27 hours), revealing 10 right-sided temporal lobe seizures with subtle clinical symptoms lasting up to 86 seconds. Details of the video-EEG are presented. Treatment with levetiracetam resulted in complete recovery and seizure freedom that was confirmed on a second long-term EEG. Given the favourable outcome with antiseizure treatment, our case study illustrates the role of long-term EEG monitoring in patients with recurrent transient amnesia to establish a correct diagnosis [Published with video sequence].


How do we make sense of the environment at a moment when human beings have declared themselves "geographic leviathans"? To live in an epoch that is shaped by extensive environmental transformations is to be confronted with uncertainties at the scale of the planet. Paradoxically, we remain so little mobilized in part because of our failures to represent the scales of a story that is difficult both to tell and to hear. The Pacific Aquarium project appropriates the object of the aquarium to take aim at the scalar dissonance between our selfish economic worries and the expansive scales of the Earth. The project constructs the future of the ocean in relation to anthropogenic dynamics—of gyres of marine debris, deep-sea mining plumes, and ocean acidification. Thus, the miniature channels our cultural enchantment with natural history and its propensity to make universal knowledge a personal experience and attempts to reclaim environmental externalities as an intimate part of the political constituency of the Earth.


This paper explores some new challenges facing universities in a global multimediated Internet-based environment, as they seek alternative paradigms and options to remain true to their core business. At a time of rapid technological change, and contested, complex concepts associated with globalisation, knowledge is becoming a primary factor of production in a global economy. Universities face macro challenges of responding to the exponential demand for higher education, decreasing government funding, and the changing nature of knowledge, student expectations and global competition. While advances in the Internet can support constructivist, self-directed interactive learning, its implications for higher education remains complex and problematic. The paper examines potential challenges of new educational approaches within the framework of more traditional open learning and e-learning environments. The main challenge is to develop a university that shifts the paradigm from the conventional national university to a sustainable global learning system that maintains quality in teaching, learning, processing and applying knowledge to real-life problems in diverse cultural contexts.


For a large proportion of the world's population, the provision of a reliable, sustained and safe water supply has become a top priority. As water stress increases, the need for effective water management becomes more pressing. However, the conventional approaches to water assessment are inappropriate for describing the increasing complexity of water issues. Instead, a multi-faceted approach is required to achieve real water poverty reduction.
In order to link the biophysical, social, economic and environmental aspects which are influencing sustainable development of water resources, as well as the existing pressures and policy responses into one single, comparable, dynamic indicator, an enhanced Water Poverty Index (eWPI) has been developed and is proposed in this study. A pressure – state – response function is combined with the original Water Poverty Index (WPI) framework to produce a holistic tool for policy making. In particular, the index is aimed at allowing resource managers to determine and target priority needs in the water sector, while assessing development process. This paper is concerned not with the development or the underlying methodology of the index, but with how the tool can best be applied in practice to generate useful data, which then may be used to support decision-making. It highlights some of the applications of the index at different spatial scales, and two different case studies are presented: in Bolivia, at local scale; and in Peru, at watershed scale.


ABSTRACT Theory of Mind (ToM) is an individual's ability to understand the cognitive states of others, including their desires, beliefs, and knowledge. ToM describes how children, by the age of four, understand how others may be thinking or feeling. It is the ability to understand the thinking or viewpoints of their peers. This paper will describe ToM levels with preschool-aged children (n = 5). The current research used a storybook task battery to measure children's ToM, as well as developed observational measures, focused on three domains from the task battery. Results of this exploratory study indicate that three of the children had a high level of ToM while the other two were low, as they were not of age. Results also indicate that ToM was observed but challenging to measure as it is primarily an internal process. Future studies can use these suggested tools in conjunction to get a better understanding of ToM with groups preschool-aged children.


This study addresses two questions. The first question is about how children integrate linguistic, prosodic and kinesic resources into organised discourse behaviour such as oral narratives. Three event reports produced spontaneously by 9- to 11-year-old French children during interviews with an adult were extracted from a video corpus. A detailed analysis of these on four dimensions (discourse construction, voice and prosody, co-speech gestures and facial expressions, gaze direction) reveals a remarkable ability in children of this age to use prosodic and kinesic resources to frame and structure their narrative, to dramatise and enliven the recounted events, and to comment on them or on the narration. The second question stresses the developmental aspect of multimodal narrative behaviour. 32 event reports extracted from the same corpus and produced by French children aged from 6 to 11 years were analysed in a similar way and rated by two independent coders. This second study leads us to distinguish between three levels of narrative performance which appear to coincide by age. The multimodal study of oral narratives thus shows how and when children gradually become genuine narrators.


Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive disease with dismal prognosis. Despite the discovery of several promising drug candidates, recent trials with targeted therapies have shown limited or no benefit. For a number of cancers, subclasses have been uncovered that allow the use of therapies that target specific molecular alterations present in only a subset of patients. Recently three distinct subtypes of PDAC have been identified based on gene expression profiles derived from laser-microdissected human tumor tissue. This raised the possibility that differences between such subclasses could be exploited to stratify patients and develop novel targeted therapies. However, a major bottleneck for subtype-specific drug discovery was the lack of pre-clinical models that faithfully recapitulate the full heterogeneity of human pancreatic cancer.
The aim of this thesis was the development and verification of such models, analysis of subtype-specific differences and the subsequent discovery of novel treatment options for human PDAC. Our newly developed culture, termed PACO, preserves the molecular features of the corresponding primary tumors, and describes the first models of the exocrine-like subtype. Moreover, orthotopic transplantation of PACO cells re-initiates patient similar tumors that recapitulate these features in vivo, including the characteristic histopathology of the primary tumor specimens. The PACO-cells thus provide a consistent platform for subtype specific in vitro discovery and subsequent in vivo verification.
The power of our system is demonstrated by the identification of a novel set of biomarkers that can be easily integrated into routine pathology. Application of this marker set on a tissue microarray representing a cohort of >200 patients revealed that the three subtypes significantly differ in frequency and overall survival.

A combined approach of in silico predictions coupled with biochemical and immunohistochemical verification demonstrated that the three subtypes differ in activation of important oncogenic pathways. Moreover we could show that the three PDAC subtypes vastly differ in their response to cytotoxic and targeted therapy.

Taken together our data demonstrate the need for stratification of PDAC-patients to individualize and improve treatment. Our study introduces novel patient-specific pre-clinical models for pancreatic cancer. Importantly these models are phenotypically consistent from the in vitro to the in vivo application, providing major improvements in pre-clinical drug studies. The PACO model thus enables stratification of individual patients and concomitant personalized treatment according the specific subtypes of human PDAC.


Fault scarps of strongly varying height cut glacial and alluvial sequences mantling the faulted front of the Teton Range (western USA). Scarp heights vary from 11.2 to 37.6 m and are systematically higher on geomorphically older landforms. Fault scarps cutting a deglacial surface, known from cosmogenic radionuclide exposure dating to immediately postdate 14.7 ± 1.1 ka, average 12.0 m in height, and yield an average postglacial offset rate of 0.82 ± 0.13 m/k.y. using simple scarp height (average 11.2 m, offset rate 0.76 ± 0.11 m/k.y. using vertical separation). We apply the offset rate to higher fault scarps to develop preliminary age estimates for the geomorphically older landforms, with an initial assumption of constant offset rate through time. The landform age estimates of 16.2 ± 3.9 ka to 45.9 ± 11.0 ka imply that glaciation and alluviation influenced the range front during marine isotope stages 2 and 3. However, fault offset rate variability, suggested by previous work to be attributable to Yellowstone ice cap deglacial processes, suggests that the fault scarp height pattern might also be interpreted as a reflection of strongly variable offset rates in landforms of only slightly contrasting age. These results demonstrate the need for detailed geochronology of isochronous landforms and sediments of multiple ages, in order to understand both faulting and glaciation on faulted range fronts.


Herein, we describe a case who presented with abnormal sexual behaviour during sleep. Video-electroencephalography monitoring during sleep revealed an abnormality suggesting an epileptic basis. The patient was successfully treated with carbamazepin. The psychiatric symptoms that were thought to be related to abnormal sexual behaviours were controlled with antipsychotic treatment. Our findings strongly emphasize the fact that efforts should be spent to increase awareness of seizure activity at night, which can be misinterpreted as benign parasomnias. Such a misinterpretation may have serious consequences, such as insufficient seizure control, progressive personality changes, and cognitive impairment.


Objective: To examine age-specific patterns in the ability of major cardiovascular risk factors to explain relative and absolute socioeconomic inequalities in mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: South Korea. Subjects: 575 377 male public servants aged 30–64 with 16 998 deaths between 1995 and 2003. Main outcomes: All-cause, CVD, and IHD mortality. Results: Four cardiovascular risk factors (cigarette smoking, blood pressure, fasting serum glucose, and serum total cholesterol) were significantly associated with mortality risk. Changing relationships in socioeconomic distribution of risk factors with age were observed. The magnitude of reduction in percent change in absolute risk was greater than that in relative risk. While the risk factors explained only 15.2% of excess RR for all-cause mortality in low-income men aged 30–44, the absolute excess risk of all-cause mortality was reduced by 48.3% when the risk factors were removed from the whole population. This pattern was generally true for all causes, CVD, and IHD, and true for all age groups and risk factors examined. Cigarette smoking and hypertension were the leading contributors in explaining relative and absolute inequality in mortality. Conclusion: Policy efforts to eliminate major cardiovascular risk factors in the general population may have a significant effect on reducing the absolute burden of socioeconomic inequality in mortality. Policy efforts to attenuate socioeconomic inequality in cardiovascular risk factors need to be directed to younger age groups in South Korea.


Although water storage is an important variable to understand the hydrological functioning of a catchment, it is challenging to estimate the total water storage in a catchment. Catchment water storage can be estimated on the basis of water balance, but this approach is prone to errors in the different water balance terms. Here, an approach is presented to estimate the daily dynamics of catchment‐wide soil water and groundwater storage on the basis of groundwater‐level observations, soil properties and an assumption of hydrological equilibrium above the water table. This approach was applied to a 6300‐m2 till catchment in Southwest Sweden. The predicted mean catchment water storage between April 1991 and June 1992 was 210 mm and ranged from 190 to 260 mm. The estimated water storage followed runoff rates closely especially during recession periods. On average, 79% of the water storage was held in the unsaturated zone, and the remaining 21% was groundwater, but this proportion varied strongly with runoff and total storage. During dry conditions, unsaturated storage accounted for at maximum 95% of the water storage; during wet conditions, this number dropped to 40%. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The nature and extent of political conflict between Soviet leaders under first secretary N. S. Khrushchev has recently become a matter of considerable dispute. Since the late 1960's, Western specialists have generally endorsed Carl Linden's conclusion that a reformist Khrushchev was locked in constant conflict with orthodox elements in the Soviet leadership over a wide range of political, economic, and social issues.l However, a recent study of the Khrushchev and Brezhnev regimes by George Breslauer has charged that Linden and others had produced historically inaccurate portraits of the Khrushchev administration. For one thing they oversimplified the choices facing Soviet leaders in each issue area. For another, they sought to document conflict without first documenting the policy consensus within which that conflict was taking place. The result was that the books in question exaggerated the level of polarization in the Soviet leadership.


This work is concerned with a numerical simulation of the thermal behaviour of an electrolysis cell for the production of the aluminium. Aluminium is produced by an electrolytic reduction of alumina dissolved in a bath of molten cryolite. In this reduction process, called Hall-Heroult process, the metal is produced at about 965 °C. A frozen bath layer, called ledge, arises in the boundary region and protects the side walls of the cell from corrosive electrolyte. This ledge may change the magnetohydrodynamical equilibrium of the cell and reduce the heat loss through the walls. The ledge is thus playing a significant role in both the thermal and magnetohydrodynamical behaviour of the cell. A precise knowledge of the ledge is thus an imporant ingredient in the optimization process of the cell. The temperature field and the ledge shape in a whole smelter are obtained by simultaneously solving the system of equations formed by: a non-linear convection-diffusion heat equation, which can be considered as a Stephan problem in enthalpy and temperature in the domain of the cell occupied by fluids and ledge, Navier-Stokes equations with a free interface in the fluid domains and Maxwell equations in the whole space. The source term of the heat equation results from the Joule effect due to the electrical current crossing the cell. A Chernoff scheme is used to numerically solve Stephan problem. Three dimensional numerical calculations showing ledge shape, temperature and velocity fields as well as electrical potential for an operating cell are obtained. The effect of thermal field on the electrical current and the effect of fluid motions on the ledge shape in the aluminium cells are presented.


Migrant remittances have received unprecedented attention over the past decade and scholars have interpreted remittance flows from a range of vantage points. In this article, we explore the meaning of remittances from three perspectives – (1) as an ingredient of terrorism and crime; (2) as a contribution to development; and (3) as an obstacle to integration. We explore these perspectives through an analysis of eight years of public debate in Norway and a review of the academic literature. Our analysis shows that remittances are open to public scrutiny, often within a strongly normative framework. Such public scrutiny is at odds with the private nature of remittances and affects migrants' everyday lives both structurally and emotionally. This scrutiny of remittances also suggests underlying assumptions about migrants' legitimate loyalties and belonging that fail to take adequate account of their multiple attachments.


Designing an effective framework for financing higher education is a major issue facing policymakers in developed and developing countries. While we have a good understanding of how college financing options affect students college outcomes in developed countries, less is known about the impact of these programs in developing countries. In general, not much work has been done on how need-based financing programs alter students work-study trade-off and their labor market outcomes after college. In this paper, I employ several quasi-experimental designs and novel administrative data from Jamaica to estimate the effect of need-based grants and student-loan financing on students' college outcomes and labor market behavior during college and in the early years after college. The results indicate that the students who benefited from either program had a higher GPA, graduated at higher rates and were more likely to remain in college beyond their third year. While both programs induce treated students to reduce labor market engagement during college, I found that they affected annual earnings differently in the early years after expected graduation.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a selected bibliography of recent resources on library instruction and information literacy.Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies and annotates periodical articles, monographs, and audiovisual material, in the area of library instruction and information literacy.Findings – The paper provides information about each source, discusses the characteristics of current scholarship, and describes sources that contain unique scholarly contributions and quality reproductions.Originality/value – The information in the paper may be used by librarians and interested parties as a quick reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.


In a famous paper of 1984, Packard and Wolfram describe the properties of two-dimensional cellular automata, 2D CA. The authors describe the behavior of some 2D CA of class IV. This class of CA shows interesting behavior with a mixture of chaotic, static, and periodic ingredients. One famous such rule is the Game of Life, which has been extensively described in the literature.I have investigated a family of 2D CAs that all exhibits the behavior of class IV. In particular I have investigated what happens when such a CA evolves from small seeds in restricted spaces. It was found that for most seeds a growing structure evolves, but as soon as this encounters the border of the CA universe, the symmetry is broken and the CA settles in a state consisting of distributed static or periodic small structures. However, there seems to exist a critical size where the growth will result in a dynamical resonance. Such a resonance consists of a single periodically changing structure often with a high degree of symmetry, with some static cells and others dynamically changing. We call this a resonance since it only appears in certain combinations of seed and universe size. We can assess a measure of the "energy" of such a resonance in terms of how many cells that change on average per CA time step. In the evolution of such a CA from the initial seed, several temporal but unstable resonances are formed. We can often see distinct phases of successive resonances of lower and lower energy. Each time a temporal resonance emits gliders (photons), its energy is reduced until it finally settles down into a resonance pattern of the lowest possible energy.There is a large number of possible initial seeds of size 2 x 2 cells. Many of these are redundant, and we can find that there is actually only a limited set of types of such seeds that gives characteristically different resonances. Type 1 shows a resonance that is symmetrical with respect to rotation as well as mirror reflection in the x- and y-planes. Type 2 is likewise symmetrical but has a hole in the middle. Type 3 is also symmetrical except for a small area around the center that is only diagonally symmetric. Type 4 is diagonally symmetrical but not rotationally or in terms of mirror reflection. It also has a center area that shows a different symmetry. Type 5 is interesting, it has the properties of type 2 but has a small particle in the center hole that is slowly rotating around the inside. You could say that this resonance possesses some kind of momentum. Type 6 shows symmetrical properties except for the center area where there is a periodic right to left oscillatory movement.The notion of having a confined space for the CA to evolve seems very constraining. There seems to be a need for some "resistance" in order to develop the resonance. What if instead of encountering a border the growing CA would encounter another growing CA? It turns out that this indeed works to produce resonances. Some CA seeds make up nice grids together in this way. Others interfere destructively with each other no matter the separation between the seeds. But with this notion of seeds making up constrained spaces for each other it is possible to build grids of a whole variety. Most specificially the kind of grids normally used in material sciences.Now, having the possibility to construct grids, we can study what happens when we emit "light" in the forms of rays of photons against such grids. We can see that depending on the phase relation between the photon and the resonances in the grid the photon is either absorbed, scattered with a change of wavelength or reflected back from the material surface.In summary, resonances in 2D CA of Class IV seem to exhibit many interesting "physics-like" behavior. We can see discrete energy states, excitation, emission of particles, reflection, asorbtion, and scattering phenomena. We can also see that a photon can be scattered by "virtual particles" interpreted as temporal resonances. We can also see some quantum-like phenomena as the particular outcome of an interaction that seems random as seen from a distance. The resonances also show an ability to self-synchronize. If they start out being out of phase, they spontaneously synchronize with each other, the result being a combined resonance completely phase-tuned.


Abstract. In this work, existing and modified activity coefficient models are examined in order to assess their capabilities to describe the properties of aqueous solution droplets relevant in the atmosphere. Five different water-organic-electrolyte activity coefficient models were first selected from the literature. Only one of these models included organics and electrolytes which are common in atmospheric aerosol particles. In the other models, organic species were solvents such as alcohols, and important atmospheric ions like NH4+ could be missing. The predictions of these models were compared to experimental activity and solubility data in aqueous single electrolyte solutions with 31 different electrolytes. Based on the deviations from experimental data and on the capabilities of the models, four predictive models were selected for fitting of new parameters for binary and ternary solutions of common atmospheric electrolytes and organics. New electrolytes (H+, NH4+, Na+, Cl-, NO3- and SO42-) and organics (dicarboxylic and some hydroxy acids) were added and some modifications were made to the models if it was found useful. All new and most of the existing parameters were fitted to experimental single electrolyte data as well as data for aqueous organics and aqueous organic-electrolyte solutions. Unfortunately, there are very few data available for organic activities in binary solutions and for organic and electrolyte activities in aqueous organic-electrolyte solutions. This reduces model capabilities in predicting solubilities. After the parameters were fitted, deviations from measurement data were calculated for all fitted models, and for different data types. These deviations and the calculated property values were compared with those from other non-electrolyte and organic-electrolyte models found in the literature. Finally, hygroscopic growth factors were calculated for four 100 nm organic-electrolyte particles and these predictions were compared to experimental data and to predictions from other models. All of the newly fitted models show good agreement with experimental water activity data in binary and ternary solutions. One of the models is for activities of non-electrolytes only, but the other three models show quite small deviations from measured electrolyte activities. Because there were not enough experimental data for organic and electrolyte activities, some models show bigger deviation for mutual deliquescence relative humidities of organic-electrolyte particles, but calculated growth factors for liquid droplets are quite close to the experimental data. Even in cases with somewhat bigger deviations, the results can be considered satisfactory, because they were calculated based mainly on the predictive properties of the models.