ABSTRACT
 With the popularity of wind energy increasing globally, concerns surfaced in the 1980s as to the potential adverse effects of wind turbines on migrating birds. Understanding how weather conditions influence passage rates can help determine the potential for increased avian-turbine collisions. Using vertical and horizontal mounted marine radars, raptor stand watch observations, and portable handheld weather stations, we studied how temperature, cloud cover, barometric pressure, wind direction, and wind speed affected avian passage rates and height of migrants over 3 ridges (Wartenbe, North Dokie, and South Dokie) being developed for wind energy in northern British Columbia. Using an Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC), we determined that a reduced model combining wind speed, barometric pressure, and cloud cover was best at explaining and predicting higher passage rates (expressed as no. birds/hr) in the fall migration for both diurnal and nocturnal migrants. Wind speed proved the most important predictor of passage rates for spring nocturnal migrants and a combination of cloud cover, temperature, and wind direction for diurnal spring migrants. Wind speed also predicted decreases in flight altitude among nocturnal migrants but increased altitude in diurnal migrants. This information coupled with migration timing and topographical areas of higher migrant activity can be useful to wind energy proponents who wish to mitigate collision risk with migrating birds.


This study modeled changes in pre-service teacher efficacy in mathematics and science over the course of the final year of teacher preparation using latent transition analysis (LTA), a longitudinal form of analysis that builds on two modeling traditions (latent class analysis (LCA) and auto-regressive modeling). Data were collected using the STEBI-B, MTEBI-r, and the ABNTMS instruments. The findings suggest that LTA is a viable technique for use in teacher efficacy research. Teacher efficacy is modeled as a construct with two dimensions: personal teaching efficacy (PTE) and outcome expectancy (OE). Findings suggest that the mathematics and science teaching efficacy (PTE) of pre-service teachers is a multi-class phenomena. The analyses revealed a four-class model of PTE at the beginning and end of the final year of teacher training. Results indicate that when pre-service teachers transition between classes, they tend to move from a lower efficacy class into a higher efficacy class. In addition, the findings suggest that time-varying variables (attitudes and beliefs) and time-invariant variables (previous coursework, previous experiences, and teacher perceptions) are statistically significant predictors of efficacy class membership. Further, analyses suggest that the measures used to assess outcome expectancy are not suitable for LCA and LTA procedures.


Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD), is generally caused by excess gastric reflux back to the oesophagus where damage to the mucosa results in injury. GORD is a very common disease in western countries, more than a quarter of western people are suffering from this disease and there is a trend that the percentage population in eastern countries who are diagnosed as GORD is increasing. GORD and its complications damage the quality of life and can lead to serious oesophageal diseases including Barrett's disease and oesophageal carcinoma. Sodium alginate dissolved in water forms a viscous liquid and can coat on oesophageal mucosa for a period of time. In this study the ability of the liquid alginate to adhere to the oesophageal mucosa was investigated and the factors that affect this retention were examined. The potential of this liquid alginate as a drug delivery vehicle to extend the duration of contact with the oesophageal mucosa was confirmed by this study. The capacity of an alginate coating to retard acid and pepsin diffusion, the two main aggressive factors in gastric reflux, was investigated. A significant reduction in acid and pepsin diffusion by alginate gel layer was demonstrated in this project, indicating that alginate has great potential to protect against damage caused by acidic reflux. A novel method was introduced using an independent score system to assess the protection of oesophageal tissue by a coating of liquid alginate using microscopy as a technique. This technique demonstrated that alginate can protect the oesophageal epithelial tissue from the damage caused by gastric acid and pepsin. Many techniques were used in this study. The experimental results suggested that liquid sodium alginate is a very promising candidate in treating local oesophageal diseases through forming a coating on the oesophageal mucosal surface, retarding the diffusion of components of gastric refluxate and thus reducing the contact of these noxious factors with the epithelium and minimising injury.


In this paper we study the swash processes generated by a nonbreaking solitary wave running up and down a steep slope (1:3). We use experimental data to study flow features and velocities inside the boundary layer, and numerical modelling to investigate variables not measured during the laboratory experiments, such as pressures and bottom shear stress. We focus on the mechanisms that produce flow separation and vortex formation. Particularly, we study a system of vortices generated under a hydraulic jump during the rundown phase, which was first observed by Matsunaga & Honji (1980).


This study provides evidence that pure alexia, or letter-by-letter reading, may be attributed to a general perceptual de® cit that extends beyond an orthographic disorder. The perceptual problem may be unmasked when appropriate perceptual cues are not available to aid in the derivation of an integrated structural description. Four pure alexic patients and eight nonbrain-damaged controls participated in this study. In the ® rst two experiments, subjects' reading abilities were assessed on a naming latency and a lexical decision task. Experiment 3 replicated Farah and Wallace's (1991) results that the pure alexia de® cit was not speci® c to orthography. Experiments 4 and 5 further explored the nature of the perceptual disorder using nonorthographic stimuli. In Experiment 4, patient performance on a target detection task was unaŒ ected by the number of parts comprising the object but was impaired when the perceptual cue of good continuation was absent. Patient performance also declined when the perceptual cue of symmetry was not available to aid in the integration of occluded object parts in Experiment 5. Overall, the results imply that pure alexia is most likely to arise from a more general, nonorthographic de® cit, and that the nature of the disorder is revealed when the perceptual context lacks strong perceptual cues.


Results from the first full year of measurements (1998–1999) of above canopy CO 2 and energy fluxes at the AmeriFlux site in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest, IN, USA, are presented. The site is located in an extensive secondary successional broadleaf forest in the maple-beech to oak-hickory transition zone. The minimum fetch is 4 km. Turbulent flux measurements are obtained by an eddy-covariance system at 46 m (1.8 times the canopy height) with a closed-path infrared gas analyzer. Peak vegetation area index (VAI) was determined as 4.7 ±0 5 and the mean albedo during the vegetative period was 0.15±0.02. The aerodynamic roughness length was estimated as 2.1 ±1.1 m. It showed little variation with wind direction or season. The seasonal variations of energy partitioning and of net CO 2 exchange are discussed in terms of the phenological development of the forest. To estimate the annual net ecosystem production (NEP) and carbon sequestration, eddy-covariance measurements during periods of poorly developed turbulence at night, and missing data were replaced by a simple parametric model based on measurements of soil temperature and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The night-time flux correction reduces the annual sequestration estimate by almost 50%. The corrected estimate of annual NEP for the 1998–1999 season is 2.4 t C ha−1 per year±10%. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


Central Asian countries depend highly on water resources from snow and glacier melt, which has to be studied thoroughly to estimate water availability. However, the observation network in Central Asia is poor to carry out such studies in detail. Observations from space using remote sensing techniques might fill this observation gap, which needs to be validated. Therefore, this study evaluates the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) daily snow cover product in Central Asia. For the evaluation, in situ snow depth data from 30 meteorological stations and higher resolution Landsat data are used. The results show an overall snow agreement between MODIS and ground observations of 93.1 and 92.7% for MODIS Terra and MODIS Aqua snow products, respectively. The agreement between MODIS and Landsat is 91.9% when considering snow and land agreements. The snow fraction product from MODIS is also validated using Landsat data, and varying accuracies are obtained. The main disadvantage of the MODIS snow cover product are the cloud induced gaps. Therefore, cloud covered pixels are eliminated using the ModSnow algorithm. Using the in situ data, the snow agreement of cloud removed snow cover data is checked, and an accuracy of 84.4% is achieved.


Abstract Objectives: To determine whether a home based exercise programme can improve outcomes in patients with knee pain. Design: Pragmatic, factorial randomised controlled trial of two years' duration. Setting: Two general practices in Nottingham. Participants: 786 men and women aged—45 years with self reported knee pain. Interventions: Participants were randomised to four groups to receive exercise therapy, monthly telephone contact, exercise therapy plus telephone contact, or no intervention. Patients in the no intervention and combined exercise and telephone groups were randomised to receive or not receive a placebo health food tablet. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome was self reported score for knee pain on the Western Ontario and McMaster universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index at two years. Secondary outcomes included knee specific physical function and stiffness (scored on WOMAC index), general physical function (scored on SF-36 questionnaire), psychological outlook (scored on hospital anxiety and depression scale), and isometric muscle strength. Results: 600 (76.3%) participants completed the study. At 24 months, highly significant reductions in knee pain were apparent for the pooled exercise groups compared with the non-exercise groups (mean difference -0.82, 95% confidence interval -1.3 to -0.3). Similar improvements were observed at 6, 12, and 18 months. Regular telephone contact alone did not reduce pain. The reduction in pain was greater the closer patients adhered to the exercise plan. Conclusions: A simple home based exercise programme can significantly reduce knee pain. The lack of improvement in patients who received only telephone contact suggests that improvements are not just due to psychosocial effects because of contact with the therapist.


Intense precipitation events increase the risk of flash floods in the New MexicoTexas-Mexico border region. Compounding effects of changing land use and precipitation pattern can influence rainfall-runoff processes that govern flash flooding. Paradoxically, this southwestern semiarid watershed has substantial water conflict that may get worse by 2025 due to changing climate and increasingly competitive demands for over-appropriated water resources. Using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), we investigate the impact of changes in precipitation intensity and land use on runoff and arroyo flows in the dry, mountainous terrains. The baseline watershed simulation model shows that for a statistically insignificant change in the precipitation from 1996-2005 to 2006-2015, the water balance components (e.g. evapotranspiration, surface runoff, soil water content and water yield) showed a statistically significant decrease. Three extreme precipitation scenarios − largest 24-hr rainfall event in 1994-2015 period, 24-hr precipitation with 100-year and 200-year recurrence intervals−were modeled using NOAA precipitation frequency estimation data. The effect of these precipitation scenarios was also assessed under future land use/land cover scenarios using the USGS FOREcasting-SCEnarios (FORE-SCE) 2050 land use maps under A1B, A2 and B1 storylines developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), representing different economic growth paths. The study identified the spatial location of sub-basins that are vulnerable to surface runoff and demonstrated that both extreme rainfall event and land use land cover change affect the hydrology of the watershed. Surface runoff is mostly governed by extreme rainfall events, but it shows spatial variability under future land use land cover scenarios. Results improve understanding of spatial and temporal variation of runoff associated with precipitation and land vii use patterns, which has important implications for planning watershed management practices that mitigate flash flooding and sediment transport.


The article reveals the mechanisms of entrepreneurial activity encouragement. Much attention is given to legal incentives as a kind of legal norms and an integral part of law. Legal incentives and their effect on business entities are considered through the prism of modern legal understanding. As the object of the study, the authors chose the formation of legal incentives' theory considering the achievements of both Russian and foreign legal framework, philosophy, economics, psychology, biology.The article also includes the analysis of legal incentives' discussion issues. Particularly, authors considered not only positive but also negative consequences of legal incentives and the possibility of legal incentives' applicability for the environmental legal framework development.As a result, the authors concluded that the theory of legal incentives should be considered by authorities when developing concepts and programs to support entrepreneurial activities.Legal incentives are the vital tool of public administration that allows combining public and private interests in the process of legal regulation of entrepreneurial activity.


1738 years (AD 262–1999) of temperature variability are inferred from tree‐ring widths of Siberian pine at Solongotyn Davaa (Sol Dav), a timberline (2420 m) site in Mongolia. This chronology can account for 33% of the temperature variance from 1882–1993. The warmest conditions over the past millennium are during the 20th century. The 1999 ring width has the highest index value over the past millennium. Both warmer and colder intervals are inferred during the "Medieval Warm Epoch". The most severe cold occurred in the 19th century. Unusual cold and frost in AD 536–545 coincide with extremes in other proxies and historical accounts, confirming a widespread, catastrophic event. Trends resemble those of other Eurasian paleoseries, and hemispheric‐scale reconstructions over the past millennium. More chronologies such as Sol Dav are essential to improve coverage in the uncertain earlier centuries of these reconstructions and their estimates of natural variability relative to recent anthropogenic change.


In this inspirational yet practical book, the man Parade called "the most important coach in America," subject of the national bestseller Season of Life, Joe Ehrmann, describes his coaching philosophy and explains how sports can transform lives at every level of play, from the earliest years to professional sports. Coaches have a tremendous platform, says Joe Ehrmann, a former Syracuse University All-American and NFL star. Perhaps second only to parents, coaches can impact young people as no one else can. But most coaches fail to do the teaching, mentoring, even life-saving intervention that their platform provides. Too many are transactional coaches; they focus solely on winning and meeting their personal needs. Some coaches, however, use their platform. They teach the Xs and Os, but also teach the Ys of life. They help young people grow into responsible adults; they leave a lasting legacy. These are the transformational coaches. These coaches change lives, and they also change society by helping to develop healthy men and women. InSideOut Coaching explains how to become a transformational coach. Coaches first have to "go inside" and articulate their reasons for coaching. Only those who have taken the InSideOut journey can become transformational. Joe Ehrmann provides examples of coaches in his life who took this journey and taught him how to find something bigger than himself in sports.He describes his own InSideOut experience, starting with the death of his beloved brother, which helped him understand how sports could transcend the playing field. He gives coaches the information and the tools they need to become transformational. Joe Ehrmann has taken his message about the extraordinary power of sports all over the country. It has been warmly endorsed by NFL head coaches, athletic directors at major universities, high school head coaches, even business groups and community organizations. Now any parent-coach or school or community coach can read Ehrmann's message and learn how to make sports a life-changing experience.


Abstract: Up to two years long time series of ice draft and coverage were obtained between 1990 and 1994with moored Upward Looking Sonars (ULSs) at six locations in the Weddell Sea. The six mooring locations,between the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and Kapp Norvegia, cover the flow into and out of the southernWeddell Sea. The measurements are analyzed for the temporal and regional variations, and used to estimatethe relative contribution of thermodynamic growth and deformation to the ice draft distribution in the WeddellSea.Whereas the ice draft in the gyre centre undergoes a distinct annual cycle, temporal changes occur ratherirregularly in the boundary regions, especially in the east. The mean ice draft varies between 0.8 m in the centralWeddell Gyre, 2.2 m in the eastern inflow and 2.8 m in the western outflow. In opposition to this, the mode of theice draft is highest (0.7 m) in the gyre centre and lowest (0.2 m) in the boundary regions. In the western outflow asecond maximum at 1.1 m results from advection of deformed ice. During circulation with the Weddell Gyremainly ice with a draft of less than 1 m is transformed into thicker ice; the major transformation occurs from draftsof 0.2 m to drafts of 1.2 m. It is concluded that deformation (rafting and ridging) contributes a minimum of 30 % tothe total amount of ice formed in the inner Weddell Sea and a minimum of 50 % in the boundary regions.


This is the first book-length historical critique of psychiatry's mainstream ideology, the biopsychosocial (BPS) model. Developed in the twentieth century as an outgrowth of psychosomatic medicine, the biopsychosocial model is seen as an antidote to the constraints of the medical model of psychiatry. Nassir Ghaemi details the origins and evolution of the BPS model and explains how, where, and why it fails to live up to its promises. He analyzes the works of its founders, George Engel and Roy Grinker Sr., traces its rise in acceptance, and discusses its relation to the thought of William Osler and Karl Jaspers. In assessing the biopsychosocial model, Ghaemi provides a philosophically grounded evaluation of the concept of mental illness and the relation between evidence-based medicine and psychiatry. He argues that psychiatry's conceptual core is eclecticism, which in the face of too much freedom paradoxically leads many of its adherents to enact their own dogmas. Throughout, he makes the case for a new paradigm of medical humanism and method-based psychiatry that is consistent with modern science while incorporating humanistic aspects of the art of medicine. Ghaemi shows how the historical role of the BPS model as a reaction to biomedical reductionism is coming to an end and urges colleagues in the field to embrace other, less-eclectic perspectives.


The enhancement in electrical transport properties of exfoliated individual RuO2 NSs was systemically investigated for their application in flexible electronics and optoelectronics. Decoration of Ag NPs on the surface of the RuO2 NSs provides donor electrons and dramatically increases the electrical conductivity of the monolayer RuO2 NSs by up to 3700%. The n-type doping behavior was confirmed via Hall measurement analysis of the doped RuO2 NSs. The layer number- and temperature-dependence of the conductivity were also investigated. Moreover, carrier concentration and mobility were obtained from Hall measurements, indicating that the undoped RuO2 NSs had ambipolar transport and semi-metallic characteristics. Moreover, the Ag-doped RuO2 NS multilayer films on polycarbonate substrates were demonstrated by the Langmuir-Blodgett assembly methods, showing one-third reduction in the sheet resistance and extraordinarily high bending stability that the change in the resistance was less than 1% over 50 000 cycles.


Technology has revolutionised every aspect of our lives and how we learn is no exception. The trouble is; the range of elearning technologies and the options available can seem bewildering. Even those who are highly experienced in one aspect of elearning will lack knowledge in some other areas. Wouldn't it be great if you could access the hard-won knowledge, practical guidance and helpful tips of world-leading experts in these fields? Edited by Rob Hubbard and featuring chapters written by global elearning experts: Clive Shepherd, Laura Overton, Jane Bozarth, Lars Hyland, Rob Hubbard, Julie Wedgwood, Jane Hart, Colin Steed, Clark Quinn, Ben Betts and Charles Jennings this book is a practical guide to all the key topics in elearning, including: getting the business on board, building it yourself, learning management, blended, social, informal, mobile and game-based learning, facilitating online learning, making the most of memory and more.


Recent theoretical studies raised the possibility of a realization of spin nematic states in the S = 1 triangular lattice compound NiGa2S4. We study the bilinear-biquadratic spin 1 chain in a zig-zag geometry by means of the density matrix renormalization group method and exact diagonalization. We present the phase diagram focusing on antiferromagnetic interactions. Adjacent to the known Haldane-double Haldane and the extended critical phase with dominant spin nematic correlations we find a trimerized phase with a nonvanishing energy gap. We discuss results for different order parameters, energy gaps, correlation functions, and the central charge, and make connection to field theoretical predictions for the phase diagram.


The usefulness of prosthetic hands and arms for their wearers is presently limited by the size. and weight of the mechanical components and the power supply. The next limitation will be the control system, which lacks a data path from the prosthesis to the wearer which prevents it from reporting back to the wearer and can limit the flow of command data. This thesis describes a data path using electrocutaneous stimulation as the communication medium.

The underlying premiss is that future control systems will be very sophisticated, with a large vocabulary of commands. To promote quick progress with the system, new wearers will have access to a few commands only. As expertise and demands develop, facilities can be unlocked and used without the expense, trouble and learning time of new prostheses

The idea of using electrocutaneous stimulation is not new. Previous systems and some mechanical and other alternatives are reviewed. By a new approach to the quantisation and encoding of the data, the objections to the earlier systems are overcome. Parallel transmission of data was preferred for speed, but the poor spatial resolution of the nervous system prevents an electrode array small enough for a prosthetic environment. A new technique is described in which data in word or analogue fonn is presented as a trajectory through an array of sequentially energised electrodes. The wearer's needs impose time constraints for the presentation and recognition of words which are met. The controls required to ensure reliable signalling without discomfort or pain are investigated, and can be provided conveniently.

Design criteria for the electrode array are given, based upon experimental observation. A suitable design is described. The trajectories need to be easily distinguishable for early success, so an analytical technique for assessing trajectories has been devised. The model is imperfect because the afferent nervous system is severely non-linear, and that non-linearity is not well understood, but one may write a set of well differentiated trajectories and add more as expertise is gained, with little risk of confusion.
The information channel thus provided has several applications. These include feedback to improve control, the reporting of position, a substitute for tactile sensation, and facilitating the progressive development of expertise.

The investigations are not yet relevant to lower limbs because electronic controls have only recently been found useful in them, and the command channel is not yet a design constraint.


For linear models, compressed sensing theory and methods enable recovery of sparse signals of interest from few measurements-in the order of the number of nonzero entries as opposed to the length of the signal of interest. Results of similar flavor have more recently emerged for bilinear models, but no results are available for multilinear models of tensor data. In this contribution, we consider compressed sensing for sparse and low-rank tensors. More specifically, we consider low-rank tensors synthesized as sums of outer products of sparse loading vectors, and a special class of linear dimensionality-reducing transformations that reduce each mode individually. We prove interesting "oracle" properties showing that it is possible to identify the uncompressed sparse loadings directly from the compressed tensor data. The proofs naturally suggest a two-step recovery process: fitting a low-rank model in compressed domain, followed by per-mode decompression. This two-step process is also appealing from a computational complexity and memory capacity point of view, especially for big tensor datasets.


The financial operations which carried out by economic unity are proven treatment and documenting and continuous down to makers decision by relevance objective and time and then to reflect on the decision maker in any center of responsibility. That 's provided by the system accounting information where the source is the basis for producing important accounting information, And the cost accounting information systems of the most important information systems that deal with data processing and conversion to information of relative importance to the beneficiaries. Which is consist with The objective of the research that emphasize the importance of accounting systems in general and systems cost in particular to achieve the highest c The research has led to a number of results, the most important of which is the difficulty in controlling quality costs as well as the waste of economic resources in the company. The researchers recommended adherence to the technical standards to achieve the quality of performance as well as conducting a thorough examination of samples and focusing on the quality of raw materials and testing before use to reduce the proportion Damage.


Abstract In this paper, we investigate the stability of patterns embedded as the associative memory distributed on the complex-valued Hopfield neural network, in which the neuron states are encoded by the phase values on a unit circle of complex plane. As learning schemes for embedding patterns onto the network, projection rule and iterative learning rule are formally expanded to the complex-valued case. The retrieval of patterns embedded by iterative learning rule is demonstrated and the stability for embedded patterns is quantitatively investigated.


Deep rocky banks and outcrops, underwater pinnacles, and submarine canyons, ranging in depth from 30 m to >1,000 m, are important habitats in California waters. These deepwater habitats comprise 75% of the seafloor in state waters within the Central Coast region, and are home to hundreds of species of fishes and macroinvertebrates. Flatfishes, combfishes, poachers, and eelpouts are the dominant fish taxa on soft sediments, along with invertebrates such as sea pens and seastars. Rocky areas are dominated by more than 40 species of rockfishes and many invertebrate taxa such as feather stars, anemones, and gorgonian corals. Although deep habitats on the continental shelf and upper slope contain a high diversity of species that have been fished for decades, far less is known about these habitats and associated communities than those occurring in shallow water. On September 21, 2007, 29 marine protected areas (MPAs) were established off Central California, including two types in deep water: State Marine Reserves (SMR) and State Marine Conservation Areas (SMCA). These MPAs are a result of the 1999 California Marine Life Protection Act that increased protection to coastal marine habitats and species. The creation of this large network of MPAs is a new approach to marine resource management, and has been initiated with a scientific monitoring program that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and the network. In 2007, through a competitive grant program, the California Ocean Protection Council and the California Department of Fish and Game provided funding for our team to collect baseline data in the deep portions of eight of the new MPAs and associated Reference sites. We used the manned submersible Delta to survey all fishes and structure-forming invertebrates (e.g., deepsea coral communities) in 164,000 m2 of seafloor habitats from 24–365 m deep in Monterey Bay and along the Big Sur coast. During 337 quantitative transects, we observed nearly 66,000 fishes from 110 taxa, and 158,000 aggregating and 14,000 structure-forming invertebrates from 70 taxa. This comprehensive baseline will be used in the future to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the new MPAs by assessing changes in the diversity, density, and size composition of species using seafloor habitats in the new MPAs.


OBJECTIVE
Endoscopic skull base surgery has become increasingly popular among the skull base surgery community, with improved illumination and angled visualization potentially improving tumor resection rates. Intraoperative MRI (iMRI) is used to detect residual disease during the course of the resection. This study is an investigation of the utility of 3-T iMRI in combination with transnasal endoscopy with regard to gross-total resection (GTR) of pituitary macroadenomas.

METHODS
The authors retrospectively reviewed all endoscopic transsphenoidal operations performed in the Advanced Multimodality Image Guided Operating (AMIGO) suite from November 2011 to December 2014. Inclusion criteria were patients harboring presumed pituitary macroadenomas with optic nerve or chiasmal compression and visual loss, operated on by a single surgeon.

RESULTS
Of the 27 patients who underwent transsphenoidal resection in the AMIGO suite, 20 patients met the inclusion criteria. The endoscope alone, without the use of iMRI, would have correctly predicted extent of resection in 13 (65%) of 20 cases. Gross-total resection was achieved in 12 patients (60%) prior to MRI. Intraoperative MRI helped convert 1 STR and 4 NTRs to GTRs, increasing the number of GTRs from 12 (60%) to 16 (80%).

CONCLUSIONS
Despite advances in visualization provided by the endoscope, the incidence of residual disease can potentially place the patient at risk for additional surgery. The authors found that iMRI can be useful in detecting unexpected residual tumor. The cost-effectiveness of this tool is yet to be determined.


We present an update of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing jets, missing transverse momentum, and one isolated electron or muon, using 1.04 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s =7 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in the first half of 2011. The analysis is carried out in four distinct signal regions with either three or four jets and variations on the (missing) transverse momentum cuts, resulting in optimized limits for various supersymmetry models. No excess above the standard model background expectation is observed. Limits are set on the visible cross section of new physics within the kinematic requirements of the search. The results are interpreted as limits on the parameters of the minimal supergravity framework, limits on cross sections of simplified models with specific squark and gluino decay modes, and limits on parameters of a model with bilinear R-parity violation.


A new participatory approach that makes use of and improves local end-users knowledge has been used to design a new portable mechatronic system for humanitarian demining applications in Sri Lanka, using power tillers as core module. They are very simple and versatile machines with large scale diffusion in developing countries, where they are commonly used for agriculture and transportation purposes. The system, composed by a tractor unit, a ground processing tool and a vegetation cutting tool is firstly introduced. The paper then focuses on the portable control unit allowing to control the machine from remote distance, in case unexploded ordnance or other fragmentation weapons are known to be present. The module allows forward motion by acting on the clutch, differential and acceleration of the power tiller; steering is controlled by additional brakes, mounted on the driving axle. Two wheels supporting the ground processing tool on the front of the machine are connected to the rear driving ones through tracks. The module can be fit to every kind of power tiller actuated by levers, using differential gear, after only little adjustments. The control is pneumatic and it is powered by the engine of the power tiller itself. The unit, like the others modules, responds to the requirements of safety, low-cost and simpleffectiveness.


In the present study, a novel plant transformation system for Doritaenopsis and Phalaenopsis has been developed. The pollen-mediated activation tagging system was established by artificial pollination. The pollens, co-cultured with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105 harbouring an activation tagging vector (pTAG-8), were used for pollination. In order to optimize the transformation efficiency, several factors (concentration of A. tumefaciens , concentration of acetosyringone during co-cultivation and the duration of co-cultivation) known to influence Agrobacterium -mediated DNA transfer were examined. A concentration of 0.5-1 x 10 8 CFU/ml for A. tumefaciens, 0.1 mM acetosyringone, and 6 hrs of co-culture period were found to be the optimal condition for high transformation efficiency. Integration of T-DNA into the genome of putative transgenic plants was confirmed by PCR and DNA blot analyses. Single copy of the transgene was observed in all transgenic plants analyzed. Most of the transgenic plants had a morphologically normal phenotype and the overall capsule formation efficiency was similar to control plant. Our results showed a new approach of genetic transformation in orchids and this method can be employed for genetic improvement of the orchids.


Exercise in overweight patients with liver disease has improved liver enzymes, insulin levels and quality of life. Scientific evidence is incomplete regarding the role of exercise in the prevention of cirrhosis. We investigated the effect of exercise on the occurrence of cirrhosis in obese and overweight adults.


Extracted from text ... Mfsa membership gets an injection of new energy
Gillian Tyers is the mfsa's new national membership manager. This is she...
In 1994, when the cellular wave came to South Africa, I was fortunate enough to join the industry, and be there with one of South Africa's firsts. I started at Teljoy Cellular in Claim Street, Johannesburg. Teljoy at the time was a household name for television rentals and so they were automatically a trusted name. When they introduced the industry to wireless technology, it was not very difficult because they were already a well-established, trusted brand and ..


Adaptive management is the problem-solving approach of choice proposed for complex and multistakeholder environments, which are, at best, only partly predictable. We discuss the implications of this approach as applicable to scientists, who have to overcome certain entrained behaviour patterns in order to participate effectively in an adaptive management process. The challenge does not end there. Scientists and managers soon discover that an adaptive management approach does not only challenge conventional scientific and management behaviour but also clashes with contemporary organisational culture. We explore the shortcomings and requirements of organisations with regard to enabling adaptive management. Our overall conclusion relates to whether organisations are learning-centred or not. Do we continue to filter out unfamiliar information which does not fit our world view and avoid situations where we might fail, or do we use new and challenging situations to reframe the question and prepare ourselves for continued learning? Conservation implications: For an organisation to effectively embrace adaptive management, its mangers and scientists may first have to adapt their own beliefs regarding their respective roles. Instead of seeking certainty for guiding decisions, managers and scientists should acknowledge a degree of uncertainty inherent to complex social and ecological systems and seek to learn from the patterns emerging from every decision and action. The required organisational culture is one of ongoing and purposeful learning with all relevant stakeholders. Such a learning culture is often talked about but rarely practised in the organisational environment.


Microbiome surveys indicate that pharmaceuticals are the top predictor of inter-individual variations in gut microbial community structure1, consistent within vitroevidence that non-antibiotic (i.e. host-targeted) drugs inhibit gut bacterial growth2and are subject to extensive metabolism by the gut microbiome3,4. In oncology, bacterial metabolism has been implicated in both drug efficacy5,6and toxicity7,8; however, the degree to which bacterial sensitivity and metabolism can be driven by conserved pathways also found in mammalian cells remains poorly understood. Here, we show that anticancer fluoropyrimidine drugs broadly inhibit the growth of diverse gut bacterial strains. Media supplementation, transcriptional profiling (RNA-seq), and bacterial genetics implicated pyrimidine metabolism as a key target in bacteria, as in mammalian cells. Drug resistant bacteria metabolized 5FU to its inactive metabolite dihydrofluorouracil (DHFU) mimicking the major host pathway for drug clearance. Functional orthologs of the bacterial operon responsible (preTA) are widespread across human gut bacteria from the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla. The observed conservation of both the targets and pathways for metabolism of therapeutics across domains highlights the need to distinguish the relative contributions of human and microbial cells to drug disposition9, efficacy, and side effect profiles.


Harold Bloom, the doyen of American literary critics and author of The Western Canon, has spent a professional lifetime reading, writing about and teaching Shakespeare. In this magisterial interpretation, Bloom explains Shakespeare's genius in a radical and provocative re-reading of the plays. How to understand Shakespeare, whose ability so far exceeds his predecessors and successors, whose genius has defied generations of critics' explanations, whose work is of greater influence in the modern age even than the Bible? This book is a visionary summation of Harold Bloom's reading of Shakespeare and in it he expounds a brilliant and far-reaching critical theory: that Shakespeare was, through his dramatic characters, the inventor of human personality as we have come to understand it. In short, Shakespeare invented our understanding of ourselves. He knows us better than we do: 'The plays remain the outward limit of human achievement: aesthetically, cognitively, in certain ways morally, even spiritually. They abide beyond the end of the mind's reach; we cannot catch up to them. Shakespeare will go on explaining us in part because he invented us...' In a chronological survey of each of the plays, Bloom explores the supra-human personalities of Shakespeare's great protagonists: Hamlet, Lear, Falstaff, Rosalind, Juliet. They represent the apogee of Shakespeare's art, that art which is Britain's most powerful and dominant cultural contribution to the world, here vividly recovered by an inspired and wise scholar at the height of his powers.


Rate setting methods for crop yield and revenue contracts employ methods that presume that correlations are state invariant. Whether this is true matters. If yield-yield correlations strengthen when crops are subject to widespread stress then diversification opportunities for private insurers weaken when most needed. For the government's book of business, such tail dependence will increase the transactions and political costs of inter-agency reallocation of funds. In this paper we propose a simple model of yields according to interactions between the weather outcome and land limitations as in the United States Soil Conservation Service's land capability classification. Our model shows that yield-yield tail dependence is to be expected and, furthermore, should take a particular form. Yield correlations should be stronger in the left and right tails than in the center, i.e., U shaped state-conditional correlation is hypothesized. Using Risk Management Agency unit level data and a variety of statistics, we find strong evidence in favor of the U shaped tail dependence hypothesis. But the goodness-of-fit test fails to reject the standard Gaussian Copula model, which can be due to power of the tests, sampling error, and/or relatively weak tail dependence over the sample years. We conclude that existing RMA rate-setting methods are deficient.


We present results which identify some of the bottlenecks of the
Concurrency Workbench (CWB). Our results concentrate on the Minimize
command which computes an agent with the smallest state space that is
observation equivalent with a supplied agent. Measurements show that three
major bottlenecks can be identified and that the performance of the CWB
depends heavily on the amount of available primary memory.


In 2014–2015, Aksu Akçao ğ lu was a visiting scholar in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he had come to work with Loïc Wacquant on his research on "the conservative habitus" in contemporary Turkey (with the support of the TÜB İ TAK Science Program). In this dialogue, he invites Wacquant to explicate the philosophy and pedagogy of his celebrated Berkeley seminar on Pierre Bourdieu. This provides an opportunity to revisit key conceptual nodes in Bourdieu's work, to spotlight its anti-theoreticist cast as well as the influences of Bachelard and Cassirer; to clarify the relationships between social space, field, and symbolic power; and to warn against the seductions of "speaking Bourdieuese."


A.E. Housman was one of the best-loved poets of his day, and "A Shropshire Lad and Other Poems" is a collection of poems whose elegant simplicity of form belies their hidden complexities. This "Penguin Classics" edition is introduced by Nick Laird with revisions by Archie Burnett and an afterword by John Sparrow. 'What are those blue remembered hills, What spires, what farms are those?' In this collection, A. E. Housman's poems, including "To an Athlete Dying Young", "Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now" and "When I Was One-and-Twenty", conjure up a potent and idyllic rural world imbued with a poignant sense of loss and sadness. Their scope is wide - ranging from religious doubt and doomed love to intense nostalgia for the countryside and patriotic celebration of the life of the soldier - and they are made all the more memorable by their distinctive diction and perfectly modulated rhythm and sound. This volume brings together the works Housman published in his lifetime, "A Shropshire Lad" (1896) and "Last Poems" (1922), along with the posthumous selections "More Poems" and "Additional Poems", and three translations of extracts from Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides that display his mastery of Classical literature. This edition has been revised by Archie Burnett and includes updated notes on the text and indexes of first lines and titles. In his afterword, John Sparrow discusses Housman's methods of writing and melancholic temperament. Alfred Edward Housman (1859-1936) usually known as A.E. Housman, was an English poet and classical scholar, now best known for his cycle of poems "A Shropshire Lad". If you enjoyed "A Shropshire Lad and Other Poems", you might like John Clare's "Selected Poems", also available in "Penguin Classics".


The field of recommender systems has seen substantial progress in recent years in terms of algorithmic sophistication and quality of recommendations as measured by standard accuracy metrics. Yet, the systems mainly act as black boxes for the user and are limited in their capability to explain why certain items are recommended. This is particularly true when using abstract models which do not easily lend themselves for providing explanations. In many cases, however, recommendation methods are employed in scenarios where users not only rate items, but also provide feedback in the form of tags or written product reviews. Such user-generated content can serve as a useful source for deriving explanatory information that may increase the user's understanding of the underlying criteria and mechanisms that led to the results. In this paper, we describe a set of developments we undertook to couple such textual content with common recommender techniques. These developments have moved from integrating tags into collaborative filtering to employing topics and sentiments expressed in reviews to increase transparency and to give users more control over the recommendation process. Furthermore, we describe our current research goals and a first concept concerning extraction of more complex argumentative explanations from textual reviews and presenting them to users.


Based on the idea of the complex filters suggested by Toraldo di Francia in 1952 [Nuovo Cimento Suppl. 9, 426 (1952)], superresolved imaging has been achieved by use of interferometric image multiplication. A resolution limit of 55% of the Sparrow limit was achieved for incoherent objects.


ABSTRACT Background: In addition to health problems or increasing the significant risk of health problems, obesity is also negatively associated with several socioeconomic outcomes. Obesity could negatively influence academic outcomes. The relationship between obesity rates and academic performance deserves attention because obesity rates have been steadily increasing over the last few decades. Purpose: Most of the existing studies assess the effect of student obesity on the student's own educational outcomes. In this study, we examine the relationship in the context of obesity at the student grade level, which allows us to partially examine the influence of stigmatisation. Design & methods: The main variables of interest are obesity rates and academic proficiency rates. We study public school students, grades kindergarten (K) through to 12, in Arkansas. Multilevel methods are employed to account for similar factors at various levels in the school hierarchy, i.e., at the grade-, school- and school district-level. Results: Obesity prevalence is positively associated with the percentage of students performing below proficiency levels in both literacy and maths. Our findings also suggest that stigmatisation experienced by obese children may be one mechanism behind this association. Conclusions: The findings favour the hypothesis that obese students could face greater psychological consequences in school settings with a smaller percentage of obese students and vice versa.


The development of analytical models to analyze the behavior of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) is a challenging aim. Adaptive methods are suitable for many algorithms (e.g., choice of forwarding paths, dynamic resource allocation, channel control congestion) and services (e.g., provision of multimedia services, message dissemination). These adaptive algorithms help the network to maintain a desired performance level. However, this is a difficult goal to achieve, especially in VANETs due to fast position changes of the VANET nodes. Adaptive decisions should be taken according to the current conditions of the VANET. Therefore, evaluation of transient measures is required for the characterization of VANETs. In the literature, different works address the characterization and measurement of the idle (or busy) time to be used in different proposals to attain a more efficient usage of wireless network. This paper focuses on the idle time of the link between two VANET nodes, which we denote as <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T_{{idle}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>. Specifically, we have developed an analytical model based on a straightforward Markov reward chain to obtain transient measurements of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T_{{idle}}$</tex-math></inline-formula>. Numerical results from the analytical model fit well with simulation results.


We present a measurement of the inclusive production cross section for Z bosons decaying to tau leptons in pp collisions at s=1.96TeV. We use a channel with one hadronically-decaying and one electronically-decaying tau. This measurement is based on 350pb-1 of CDF Run II data. Using a sample of 504 opposite sign eτ events with a total expected background of 190 events, we obtain σ(pp→4Z)•B(Z→ττ)=264±23(stat) ±14(syst)±15(lumi)pb, in agreement with the next-to-next-to- leading order QCD prediction. This is the first CDF cross section measurement using hadronically-decaying taus in Run II. © 2007 The American Physical Society.


Abstract China remains the pre-eminent recipient of inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) among developing countries. FDI flows to the country continued to rise even during and after the recent global financial and economic crises, when many multinational enterprises (MNEs) found themselves in difficulties, demonstrating the continuing popularity of China as an investment destination. Nonetheless, other developing countries, such as Indonesia and Vietnam, are starting to steal China's thunder, offering themselves as cheaper alternatives. Although FDI stock in China reached a new high of US$ 711 billion in 2011, IFDI attraction is losing its former high priority in the Government's arsenal of economic policies, especially as the focus is turned ever more sharply on promoting outward investment. Now that domestic enterprises have taken over most of the functions provided by foreign investment in the first two decades of economic reform (i.e., the 1980s and 1990s), IFDI policies are being concentrated on honing the investment attraction effort to bring in foreign investments capable of filling gaps in the country's industrial structure and helping China meet policy goals such as environmental protection and energy conservation.


Data for 1977-82 obtained from the Cardiac Surgical Register, established by the Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1977, were analysed for trends in incidence and mortality of cardiac surgery and regional workload in the United Kingdom. Operative mortality for most types of cardiac operation showed a general decline. The numbers of operations performed for valvular and congenital heart disease had remained unchanged, but a striking increase had occurred in the number of coronary bypass graft operations: 2297 in 1977 to 6008 in 1982. The figure for 1982, representing an annual rate of 107 operations per million population, was still well below that for other countries such as Australia (410 per million in 1982) and the United States (750 per million in 1981). A wide variation was seen in the regional provision of cardiac surgical services within the United Kingdom. This was particularly appreciable for coronary bypass graft surgery, in which there was a 10-fold difference in numbers of operations performed between the various regions. The UK Cardiac Surgical Register provides an important source of information on trends within the specialty that could well be followed by other surgical specialties.


This thesis analyses innovation and technology strategy within a primary industry, notably the upstream oil and gas industry. Industries that exploit and produce finite natural resources are challenged by specific external risks that do not receive much attention from management literature otherwise, especially with regard to organizational innovation behaviour, and thus merit such research focus. On one hand, primary sector firms are confronted with exhaustible nature of finite natural resources. On the other hand, those finite natural resources are fixed to certain locations and companies have to operate in numerous countries in order to exploit resource deposits. In this context, they are often confronted with tremendous socio-political constraints that may have a negative impact on their businesses. This research work raises questions specific to natural resource based industries, notably (1) how can firms defend or even expand their competitive position when they are challenged by the depletion of their core resources? How can firms compensate for an exhaustible resource? (2) How do we evaluate contingencies like political risk for competitive advantage and what role does innovation play in this context? This dissertation takes the format of a "compilation thesis", in this case, three compiled articles. Within the first paper we focus on the resource based view (RBV), a central theoretical approach in management science, which explains how unique firm resources and capabilities contribute to value creation and lead to sustained competitive advantage. We1 apply the assumptions of RBV to the context of finite natural resources and ask if its analytical power is sufficient to explain competitive advantage of companies active in the primary sector, such as hydrocarbon and ore production. Paper 2 analyses how firms respond to geophysical constraints, such as natural resource depletion, and how these depletion issues affect organizational capability building and operational performance in terms of resource exploration and recovery. Paper 3 asks if political risk as external threat influences firm technology and innovation strategies. We find that time horizons of political risk play an important role and analyse why mid-and long term threats positively influence the development of technology and innovation strategies. The dissertation makes several important contributions. First, it contributes to our understanding of innovation and technology strategy within a natural resource based industry. Second, the idea that finite natural resources with their exhaustible nature are different than the "usual" resources investigated by RBV is novel. Third, the analysis also shows how RBV applies to natural resources extracting industries, and how RBV would gain in explicatory power if it was able to integrate factors like "geophysical constraints" and 'exposure to political risk' into the approach. Fourth, the thesis applies RBV and capability approaches to the specific context of primary industries, which is important as it helps to extend the frameworks' usefulness. Fifth, the current thesis combines political risk theory and research on innovation and technology management, and answers why political risk influences firm strategies, differentiation, and entry into new fields. ______________________________ 1 I am going to use the personal pronoun "we" to refer to first person's actions or opinions in this paper. I do so because I want to acknowledge the contributory effort of all who provided ideas and support. Nevertheless, any errors and omissions are completely my own responsibility.


Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration may cause low back pain which has a tremendous impact on the society and economy in the United States. It is important to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate its pathophysiology in order to diagnose and treat disc degeneration. Recently, we have developed a multiphasic computational model for investigating cell mediated disc degeneration as well as exploring new strategies for disc therapies. The objective of this study was to verify this new computational model according to the guidelines of ASME V&V40. The model was discretized with finite element method and implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics. Several benchmark problems and method of manufactured solutions (MMS) were used to verify the numerical implementation. For all the benchmark problems tested, the numerical results were in excellent agreement with those analytical solutions or other numerical solutions. In addition, the observed convergence rates of primary unknowns obtained with MMS were in excellent agreement with theoretical convergence rates. This study showed that our model has been verified and found no evidence of coding errors.


Large arrays of silicon field emitters are being produced at MCNC for use in RF and microwave amplifiers and other high-intensity electron beam source applications. Significant levels of both total emitted current (up to 7 mA) and current density (7 A/cm/sup 2/) are obtained using gate electrode potentials less than 250 V with emission efficiencies as high as 99%. Large arrays of field emitters are operated at 100% duty cycle for over 18 hours. Data from devices with 1197 and 232 630 tips are presented, along with electrical yield statistics for arrays of other sizes. >


Fusion parameters in a Staged pinch are studied numerically. The imploding Z-pinch plasma traps an axial magnetic field Bz, compressing it to large values (of the order of several megagauss) in an extremely short time (in nanosecond). Fastly changing magnetic flux then induces an azimuthal (I¸) current on the surface of the co axially placed fiber, with a rise time an order of magnitude shorter than the applied current. We have investigated the dynamics of staged pinch with different stability criterion defined to mitigate the R-T instability. First of all, spinning effect in the thick and thin shells is introduced to reduce the initial perturbations. To study the dynamics of the D-T fiber MHD model was used. To study the dynamics of gas puff, snowplow model along with thin shell model were used. We have also introduced Kr impurity in the fiber to incorporate radiation losses so as to enhance the compression. Thick puffs are considered stable as compared with the thin shells but from the numerical results we conclude that fusion parameters cannot be achieved in the presence of large values of spin velocity. It was also observed that bremsstrahlung reduction caused by opacity has very minor effects on the temperature profiles. In order to minimize the effect of the R-T instability on the implosion dynamics and to achieve the plasma parameters of interest, it was proposed to have finite thickness and multicascade liner system for the imploding shells. From numerical results of multicascade system we found that the multicascade system is good for achieving thermonuclear fusion conditions. For the optimum choice of puff-thickness and mass ratios, one may achieve a pinch plasma close to thermonuclear fusion conditions. To have better understanding of Z-pinch dynamics, we have made use of MHD model. In this model we have included bremsstrahlung radiation losses and end losses, along with magnetic field diffusion. It was found that MHD model gives relatively better results and fusion parameters are achievable.


Bcl-2 is an antiapoptotic protein that has also been found to function as a proangiogenic signaling molecule. Improvements in antiangiogenic therapy can be engendered by metronomic dosing. Thus, we hypothesized that BH3-mimetic drugs that antagonize Bcl-2 family proteins may exert a greater efficacy when dosed metronomically. To examine this hypothesis, we employed AT101, an orally available and well-tolerated BH3-mimetic drug that has been established as effective. In a mouse xenograft model of human squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) that includes a humanized vasculature, we explored the effects of docetaxel in combination with either daily (metronomic) or weekly (bolus) doses of AT101. In addition, we explored the effect of single or combination therapy on angiogenesis and survival of endothelial or SCC cells in vitro. Metronomic AT101 therapy increased mouse survival, decreased tumor mitotic index, and decreased tumor microvessel density, compared with bolus therapy. Therapeutic potentiation was achieved by similar overall drug exposure and without altering systemic toxicities. Combinations of AT101 and docetaxel produced additive toxicity in both endothelial and SCC tumor cells. Notably, subapoptotic concentrations of AT101 potently inhibited the angiogenic potential of endothelial cells. Taken together, our findings unveil the efficacious benefits that can be achieved by metronomic delivery of BH3-mimetic drugs, in particular suggesting that SCC patients with might benefit from low-dose continuous administration of these drugs.


Despite years of preclinical efforts and hundreds of clinical studies, therapeutic cancer vaccines with the routine ability to limit or eliminate tumor growth in humans have been elusive. With advances in genome sequencing, it is now possible to identify a new class of tumor-specific antigens derived from mutated proteins that are present only in the tumor. These "neoantigens" should provide highly specific targets for antitumor immunity. Although many challenges remain in producing and testing neoantigen-based vaccines customized for each patient, a neoantigen vaccine offers a promising new approach to induce highly focused antitumor T cells aimed at eradicating cancer cells. Cancer Immunol Res; 1(1); 11–15. 2013 AACR.


Neutrophils are the most abundant leukocyte in human blood and essential components of our defense against microbial pathogens. These cells can neutralize microbial pathogens by phagocytosis, which involves engulfment and degradation of microbes intracellularly, as well as by the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are structures released from neutrophils made up of DNA and proteins that capture microbes extracellularly. One characteristic of neutrophils is that they can produce massive amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon activation of a specialized enzyme system, the NADPH oxidase. The ROS can be produced at different cellular sites, inside the phagosome, intracellularly inside granules, and at the plasma membrane leading to the release of ROS extracellularly. Whereas ROS produced inside phagosomes are crucial for microbial killing, much less is known about intracellular ROS produced inside granules, which is therefore in focus in this thesis. Neutrophils contain multiple types of granules that are storage organelles for soluble proteins, receptors, and effector molecules. Part of the NADPH oxidase is found in granule membranes and upon activation, ROS can be produced inside granules where they may be processed by myeloperoxidase (MPO) to yield other types of ROS. In paper I, MPO-processing of intracellular ROS was shown to be dependent on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. However, PLA2 was not directly involved in the processing but rather indirectly by mediating the fusion of different granule types, which enables the ROS and MPO to meet inside the cell. It has previously been suggested that the autoinflammatory disorder SAPHO syndrome, characterized by neutrophil dermatosis and typically sterile inflammation of the bone, is associated with neutrophils lacking the production of intracellular ROS. In paper IV, four patients with SAPHO syndrome were investigated with respect to ROS production and other neutrophil functions. All patients, however, produced normal amounts of intracellular ROS demonstrating that decreased intracellular ROS production is not a general feature of SAPHO syndrome. In paper II and III, the role of intragranular ROS for the formation of NETs was studied. Paper II demonstrates that intragranular ROS are essential to drive active NET formation and that intracellular processing of these ROS by MPO is a critical step. Paper III shows that NETs are not only the result of an active process but can also be induced by alternative means, e.g., by cytotoxic peptides released from bacteria. Unlike the process described in the literature and in paper II, this type of NET formation was not dependent on ROS or MPO. In conclusion, the processing of intracellularly produced ROS in neutrophils has been characterized and both production and processing were found to be essential for active NET formation. Further, an alternative mechanism of NET formation was described that is independent of ROS production.


Clinical ethics is a relatively new discipline within medicine, generated not so much by the -Can we . . . ?- questions of fact and prognosis that physicians usually address, but primarily by the more uncomfortable gray areas having to do with -Should we . . . ?- questions: Should we use a feeding tube for Mom? How should we deal with our baby about to be born with life-threatening anomalies? Should our son be taken off dialysis, even though he'll die without it? What should we do with our mentally ill sister, who has proven that she is untreatable? In this book Robert Orr draws on his extensive medical knowledge and experience to offer a wealth of guidance regarding real-life dilemmas in clinical ethics. Replete with instructive case studies, Medical Ethics and the Faith Factor is an invaluable resource that reintroduces the human element to a discussion so often detached from the very people it claims to concern.


Introduction: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most serious microvascular complications of diabetes and the main cause of end-stage renal disease. Various herbs have been used to control diabetes complications. This study aimed at investigating the effect of Citrullus colocynthis pulp on diabetes-induced renal damage in male rats. Methods: A total of 36 rats were divided into 6 groups: 1normal (N), 2normal + 10 mg/kg colocynth (N+C10), 3normal + 30 mg/kg colocynth (N+C30), 4diabetic (D), 5diabetic+10 mg/kg colocynth (D+C10), and 6diabetic+30 mg/kg colocynth (D+C30). The rats received colocynth pulp through gavage for two weeks. The obtained data were analyzed through ANOVA and Tukey test using SPSS 16. Results: The diabetic rats showed a sharp rise in the volume of urine, clearance of albumin, clearance of creatinine, and serum urea. Administration of colocynth in diabetic rats improved the changes to normal. Conclusion: The results of this study show that colocynth pulp has the potential to treat diabetes and to prevent the relevant kidney damages.


In the history of constitutional changes in Europe, the making of a new constitution is often linked to violent incidents like a revolution, a coup d'état or a war. That is why the change of the constitution was mostly preceded by a change of the holder of the constituent power. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, however, is currently engaged in a process of constitution making in compliance with the revision procedure established by the existent document. The Constitution of the Grand Duchy, one of the oldest constitutional documents in Europe still in force, is undergoing a far-reaching revision aiming at a general overhaul.1 According to the parliamentary committee in charge, this revision shall finally give birth to a 'new' constitution, meaning that a modified and updated edition of the constitution shall be published in the national official journal (Mémorial). The revised text will then be considered as the Constitution of 2013 or, more likely, of 2014. The Constitution of 1868 is to be repealed. After the previous charters from 1841, 1848 and 1856 and the present text from 1868, it would thus become the fifth constitution of the Grand Duchy. As constitutional history also shows, this would not be the first time that Luxembourg adopts a new constitution following the formal amendment procedure foreseen by the previous document.2 Local politicians and lawyers seem to consider that the academic distinction between 'constitution making' by the will of an original pouvoir constituant and 'constitutional revision' through a parliamentary procedure prescribed by the constitution itself represents rather a gradual difference than a fundamental one. A number of good reasons convinced the Committee on Institutions and Constitutional Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies to introduce on 21 April 2009 a revision proposal aiming to modify and re-arrange the out-dated Constitution of 1868. While several initiatives for a general revision of the Constitution have been undertaken since the 1970s, none has been successful. Only fractional revisions were adopted in a century and a half. Between 1919 and 2009, no less than thirty-four amendments are listed, the last dating from 12 March 2009. Having occurred at different times and on various aspects, they have certainly undermined the coherence of the initial text. Nonetheless, the Constitution still includes a majority of provisions dating back to its origins. The main reasons put forward by the drafters of the revision proposal are: first, to modernize a terminology somewhat out-dated; second, to adapt the legal text to the political reality by re-writing the constitution and make it coincide with the 'living constitution' as reflected in the functioning of institutions, and third, to incorporate into the written constitution provisions relating to succession to the throne currently contained in a legal document of uncertain value, namely the Family Compact of the House of Nassau (Nassauischer Erbfolgeverein) of 1783. Almost four years after its launch, this amendment procedure, still far from being accomplished, is now, in February 2013, in a sufficiently advanced stage to allow some general commentaries. Given the limited format of this country report, the following remarks will focus on a brief presentation of the applicable revision procedure and a provisional scrutiny of some of the most substantial amendments under discussion.


Azadirachta excelsa Jack. is a fast growing timber species that has
been newly chosen as a potential forest plantation species to overcome
timber deficit for domestic consumption in future. This species like
Azadirachta indica is suspected to contain biologically active compounds
that is detrimental on insects. Many studies have been done on the A.
indica, a relative species to A. excelsa, however, studies on A. excelsa are
still in preliminary stages. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate
the effect of A.excelsa crude extractives towards three selected insect pests,
(i.e. Spodoptera Iitura, Callosobruchus chinensis and Coptotermes
curvignathus). A preliminary test to evaluate the susceptibility of A. excelsa
wood towards termites, compared to Koompasia malaccensis, Hevea
brasiliensis and Pinus caribaea was also conducted. In the first part of the study, the A.excelsa plant extracts were extracted
from different plant parts (i.e. leaf, bark, trunk, twigs and branch) using a range of
polar to non-polar solvents, namely hexane, petroleum ether, toluene, ethyl acetate
and methanol. The plant extractives were sampled and analysed through Thin
Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Infrared Spectrocopy (IR). In the second part of
the study, bioassay tests were conducted on the selected insects. The insects were
exposed to the plant extractives prepared at three concentration levels (i.e. 250
ppm, 500 ppm and 1000 ppm) and the solvents (0 ppm) as the control, by feeding
the insects with treated food source. The S. litura larvae were fed with castor leaf
discs soaked in the respective extractives. The C. chinensis adults were exposed to
mungbean seeds that had been soaked in the plant extrctives while the C.
curvignathus were fed with treated filter paper. In the last part of this study, the A.
excelsa wood together with the other three wood species mentioned earlier, were
exposed to the termites both in the laboratory and field.


This paper addresses an important question on the consequences of relegation from some of Europe's top football leagues: What is the team's performance following relegation, compared to the situation without relegation? We compare the performance of relegated and non-relegated teams that battled until the last match to escape relegation in four large European leagues. We find that, on average, up to six seasons are necessary to completely reabsorb the negative relegation shock in sports outcomes. Additionally, we exploit current information on future TV rights revenues to forecast the extra cost of an 'unlucky' relegation in the 2013-14 season. The results show that, on average, relegation will cause an extra cost of about €135m to 'combative' teams relegated from the English Premier League. Smaller extra losses apply to the Italian Serie A (€60m), the Spanish La Liga (€38m), and the French Ligue 1 (€32m).


Starting on the 18th of August 1969, the third complete Census of Uganda was carried out. The enumeration proceeded well, and was completed in four days, less than time expected, due to a sufficient number of enumerators and a cooperative population. The success was aided greatly by the declaration of a curfew on Census night. All places of public entertainment were closed, and special passes issued to employees in essential services and others who needed to be out on census night. Consequently, the Census was completed overnight in all towns and urban areas, and in the areas along Lake Victoria where the population is dense and highly mobile. As a result, it is felt that the 1969 Census is probably the most complete of the series of three that was started in 1948.


Sensory information is believed to be encoded in neuronal spikes using two different neural codes, the rate code (spike firing rate) and the temporal code (precisely-timed spikes). Since the sensory cortex has a highly hierarchical feedforward structure, sensory information-carrying neural codes should reliably propagate across the feedforward network (FFN) of the cortex. Experimental evidence suggests that inhibitory interneurons, such as the parvalbumin-positive (PV) and somatostatin-positive (SST) interneurons, that have distinctively different electrophysiological and synaptic properties, modulate the neural codes during sensory information processing in the cortex. However, how PV and SST interneurons impact on the neural code propagation in the cortical FFN is unknown. We address this question by building a five-layer FFN model consisting of a physiologically realistic Hodgkin-Huxley-type models of excitatory neurons and PV/SST interneurons at different ratios. In response to different firing rate inputs (20-80 Hz), a higher ratio of PV over SST interneurons promoted a reliable propagation of all ranges of firing rate inputs. In contrast, in response to a range of precisely-timed spikes in the form of pulse-packets [with a different number of spikes (α, 40-400 spikes) and degree of dispersion (σ, 0-20 ms)], a higher ratio of SST over PV interneurons promoted a reliable propagation of pulse-packets. Our simulation results show that PV and SST interneurons differentially promote a reliable propagation of the rate and temporal codes, respectively, indicating that the dynamic recruitment of PV and SST interneurons may play critical roles in a reliable propagation of sensory information-carrying neural codes in the cortical FFN.


Current methods for characterizing near-surface marine sediments rely on extensive coring/penetrometer
testing and correlation to seismic facies. Little quantitative information is regularly derived
from geophysical data beyond qualitative inferences of sediment characteristics based on seismic
facies architecture. Even these fundamental seismostratigraphic interpretations can be difficult to
correlate with lithostratigraphic data due to inaccuracies in the time-to-depth conversion of geophysical data and potential loss and/or compression of high-porosity and under-consolidated seafloor
material during direct sampling. To complicate matters further, when quantitative information
is derived from marine geophysical data, it often describes the sediments using terminology (e.g.,
acoustic impedance and seismic quality factor) that is impenetrable to geologists and engineers. In
contrast, for hydrocarbon prospecting, reservoir characterization using quantitative inversion of
geophysical data has developed enormously over the past 20 years or more. Impedance and amplitude-
versus-angle inversion techniques are now commonplace, whereas computationally expensive
waveform inversions are gaining traction, and there is a well-developed interface between these
geophysical and reservoir engineering fields via rock physics.
In this paper, we collate and review the different published inversion methods for high-resolution
geophysical data. Using several case study examples spanning a broad range of depositional environments, we assess the current state of the art in remote characterization of shallow sediments from a multidisciplinary viewpoint, encompassing geophysical, geological, and geotechnical angles. By
identifying the key parameters used to characterize the subsurface, a framework is developed
whereby geological, geotechnical, and geophysical characterizations of the subsurface can be
related in a less subjective manner. As part of this, we examine the sensitivity of commonly derived
acoustic properties (e.g., acoustic impedance and seismic quality factor) to more fundamentally
important soil properties (e.g., lithology, pore pressure, gas saturation, and undrained shear
strength), thereby facilitating better integration between geological, geotechnical, and geophysical
data for improved mapping of sediment properties. Ultimately, we present a number of ideas for
future research activities in this field.


Detractors of Schon's notion of "reflection in action" often point out that there is seldom time for reflection when a person is engaged in work. Such comments indicate an overly narrow conception of what reflection is. In this article it is argued that a practice, which occurs over a span of time, may be reflective without any particular activity called "reflection" being carried out. Though there is a diversity of forms of reflection in practice, it is argued that Schon's notion of "conversation"or "dialogue" can be developed so as to exhibit a structural similarity to various reflective practices. Reflection in action emerges, then, as a form of knowledge in action, as fallible as any other form of empirical knowledge.


This work identifies 'social ideology' as an example of a crucial mover in the emergence of a complex society, and one that helps explain the developments visible in the archaeological record of fourth millennium BC Mesopotamia. It is argued that these developments were the result of an expansion in the exploitation of resources (flora and fauna); acquisition of rare materials, such as stones and metals, probably played a role but not as the primary basis for the resulting pattern. The shape this expansion took was conditioned by a unique ideology, known as 'The Uruk Phenomenon' and the point of departure for this study.


Ball and beam balancer system is the most popular laboratory model used in control system due to its simple modeling and low in cost. However this system is an open loop of unstable. Due to this problem, controllers need to be designed to stabilize the system. A ball will roll on the top of long beam with an acceleration that is proportional to the angle of the beam. The important objective of the system is to regulate the position of the ball along the beam to its reference position which is to center of the beam. This project will be implemented in hardware using PIC18F452 microcontroller. Controller that will be used in this project is PID controller which has been verify before using MATLAB. The PID controller will be programmed using Mikroelektronika software and then will be embedded into microcontroller. Programmer will be used to interface between the software and hardware.


This paper describes experiments that were performed involving a professional downhill skier equipped with a low-cost L1 GPS receiver and a MEMS-IMU composed of 3 single axis gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers. In addition, the skier carried an L1/L2 GPS receiver and a tactical-grade IMU (LN200). The experiments aimed to assess the navigation performance of different GPS/MEMS-IMU integration strategies compared to high-quality GPS/INS integration. After presenting an overview of currently applied integration methods, the unscented Kalman filter approach in loosely coupled mode. The relevance of the simple MEMS-IMU sensor error model was verified by comparing the filter output to the reference data.


The most significative text of the European Commission on the construction of a strategy for an Information Society is, undoubtly the document on "Job Opportunities in the Information Society". The major dimension of the change process was not anymore the technological evolution one. Information society should integrate the social-economical dimensions with industries that use information and communication products and services, beside those of so-called "Information Society industries". Is not only this sector that is growing in terms of employment, but also the other sectors can be also important ICT users. Employment in the information society leads the employment growth in EU. In this study are analysed the different national programs and strategies, and with particular relevance the Portuguese case.


Abstract This paper provides an analysis of spatial and temporal patterns in housing supply in Australia over the period 2005–06 to 2015–16. It shows that by international standards, per capita housing supply is very strong in Australia. However, housing supply is concentrated in areas with relatively high prices. Over time, some changes in the geography of housing supply are emerging, including a closer match between the supply of units and "job-rich" locations. This paper concludes by discussing how understanding patterns of new supply can help policymakers determine interventions that increase housing supply's impact to alleviate inflationary pressures, hence improving housing affordability.


. Leaching losses of nitrate-nitrogen were measured from a set of eight hydrologically isolated plots on a clay loam soil over the period from September 1987 to February 1990. Variable drainflow recovery from the plots hampered accurate estimation of nitrate loading, but results suggest that, when inorganic nitrogen fertilizer is applied up to the recommended amount, there is little influence of the amount applied on the amount leached. We did, however, observe the following effects on nitrate leaching: leguminous green manure incorporated in autumn increased leaching of nitrate-nitrogen by 10–15 kg per hectare during the winter; autumn cultivation caused some increase in leaching compared with no cultivation in one year; some systematic variations in nitrate leaching occurred between years and between plots, but were unrelated to treatments.

From the results we conclude that green manuring does not provide sufficient nitrogen for organically grown crops on this soil but contributes significantly to nitrate leaching, and that growing spring cereals, with the land remaining in stubble as long as possible in autumn, may be the best strategy to minimize nitrate leaching.


It is known that every continuous symmetric (invariant under the composition of its argument with each Lebesgue measurable bijection of $[0,1]$ that preserve the Lebesgue measure of measurable sets) polynomial on the Cartesian power of the complex Banach space $L_\infty$ of all Lebesgue measurable essentially bounded complex-valued functions on $[0,1]$ can be uniquely represented as an algebraic combination, i.e., a linear combination of products, of the so-called elementary symmetric polynomials. Consequently, every continuous complex-valued linear multiplicative functional (character) of an arbitrary topological algebra of the functions on the Cartesian power of $L_\infty,$ which contains the algebra of continuous symmetric polynomials on the Cartesian power of $L_\infty$ as a dense subalgebra, is uniquely determined by its values on elementary symmetric polynomials. Therefore, the problem of the description of the spectrum (the set of all characters) of such an algebra is equivalent to the problem of the description of sets of the above-mentioned values of characters on elementary symmetric polynomials.
In this work, the problem of the description of sets of values of characters, which are point-evaluation functionals, on elementary symmetric polynomials on the Cartesian square of $L_\infty$ is completely solved. We show that sets of values of point-evaluation functionals on elementary symmetric polynomials satisfy some natural condition. Also, we show that for any set $c$ of complex numbers, which satisfies the above-mentioned condition, there exists an element $x$ of the Cartesian square of $L_\infty$ such that values of the point-evaluation functional at $x$ on elementary symmetric polynomials coincide with the respective elements of the set $c.$


This book sets out a thematic presentation of human action, especially as it relates to morality, in the three most significant figures in Medieval Scholastic thought: Thomas Aquinas, John Duns Scotus, and William of Ockham. Thomas, along with his teacher Albert the Great, was instrumental in the medieval reception of the action theory of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Scotus and Ockham were part of a later Franciscan theological tradition. Thomas, Scotus, and Ockham worked in the context of a new moral theology that focused on the description and evaluation of human acts. Organised thematically, discussing the causes of human action, the role of practical reasoning, the stages of action, the specification of moral action, and an act's supernatural and natural worth, each chapter compares the three main figures on the same set of issues. The book shows that although the different philosophies of action cannot be explained in terms of any one major difference or principle, there are some common themes that deserve attention. The most notable themes are a developing separation between nature and the will; an increased emphasis on the will's activity, and a changing view of mental causation. The book is important for those who are interested in medieval philosophy, the philosophy of action, and the intellectual background to Reformation and early modern thought.


The 'active audience' has theoretically been conceptualized from two perspectives: in political economy, it is suggested that television audiences work for the networks while watching and that they contribute to the valorization process with their labour. Although contested, it has survived among media scholars, also feeding into the discussion on web surveillance techniques. The other conceptualization comes from reception theory, media ethnography and cultural studies, where the interpretive work by audiences is seen as productive and resulting in identities, taste cultures and social difference. This article relates these perspectives by considering audiences as involved in two production–consumptions circuits: (1) the viewer activities produce social difference (identities and cultural meaning) in a social and cultural economy, which is then (2) made the object of productive consumption as part of the activities of the media industries, the end product being economic profit. This article argues for the relevance of analysing these as separate circuits, with different kinds of labour at their centre, and that recent debates on the active audience often misrecognize the difference.


In this article, we compare accounts given by young carers and specialist support workers about the riskiness of becoming a carer relatively early in life. We argue that since the mid-1990s, the policy response has problematised the comparatively early adoption of a caring role as a risk factor for future personal development. This temporal issue has become societally organised around concern about NEETs (young adults not in education, employment or training). Such a concern is predicated on cultural assumptions, now being undermined in response to economic crisis, about the existence of a critical age for transition to adulthood, successful navigation of which requires a time-limited period of personal freedom. Our findings suggest that, whereas support workers mostly see young caring in terms of risks to future prospects, young carers themselves identify not only current stresses, but also personal gains, from their experiences. Instead of categorising the timing of their caring as a source of risk, young carer respondents questioned service shortcomings which they felt made it harder for them to cope in the present, particularly inadequate social service support for relatives with disabilities and insensitivities in the education system. They did not see service providers as helping them to manage their futures. We locate this tension in risk social science debates about individualisation, transition to adulthood in late-modern society and risk management for those deemed vulnerable.


Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are a class of polymer networks which involve the incorporation of liquid crystal (LC) molecules into their polymer backbone or side chain. This results in anisotropy in their mechanical, optical, and electromagnetic properties similar to those exhibited by traditional LC materials. Their mechanical properties are highly coupled to the internal state of LC order, which can result in large mechanical deformations as LC order changes. This can occur in response to a variety of external stimuli such as changes in temperature, exposure to light, and application of external fields. The interplay between LC order and mechanical properties makes LCEs a highly promising class of functional materials and subsequently, they have been the subject of much research over the past several decades. However, developing an application of LCEs remains difficult in that their mechanical response is both complex and coupled to the state of liquid crystal order prior to cross-linking. Their physics are sufficiently complicated that in most cases, the use of pen-and-paper analysis is precluded. Additionally, the LCE fabrication process is complex and expensive, making trial-and-error experimental design methods unsuitable. This motivates the development and use of simulation-based methods to augment traditional experimental design methods. The two main contributors to the complexity of the design of LCE applications are the choice and imposition of liquid crystal order, or "texture", prior to cross-linking. In this work, simulation-based methods are developed and partially validated for use in applications-focused design of temperature-responsive nematic LCEs. These methods enable the simulation of LCEs of macroscopic size and of non-trivial geometry through the use of continuum mechanics and suitable numerical methods (the finite element method). LC texture is an input parameter in the presented method, allowing many choices of texture to be explored at low cost given that the textures are physically accessible. In addition to methods development and validation results, proof-of-concept simulation-based design studies were performed for two types of LCE-based actuators that are of current interest in the field: grippers and hinge mechanisms. Finally, preliminary results are presented resulting from the integration of nematic texture dynamics simulation (pre-cross-linking) and LCE mechanical simulations (post-cross-linking) which address the two main sources of complexity in the design process of LCE functional materials.


The Japanese criteria for diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome (SS) were revised in 1999, and consist of four major areas: histopathology, oral examination, ocular examination, and serological examination. A diagnosis of SS can be made when the patient meets at least two of these four criteria. This report describes how the revised Japanese criteria were established. After the publication of the revised Japanese criteria (1999), a research study which focused on evaluating its availability and validity was carried out in 2001 using funds from Grant-in-Aids for Scientific Research supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The availability of the revised criteria was investigated by a questionnaire study through the Japanese Medical Society for Sjögren's Syndrome, and the use of the revised criteria for diagnosing SS in these medical facilities was found to be 76%. To evaluate the validity of the revised criteria, the records of 900 patients, including SS patients and non-SS controls, from 54 clinical centers were registered and analyzed to calculate the accuracy of the criteria. The revised Japanese criteria were found to have 96.0% sensitivity, 90.5% specificity, and 94.5% accuracy for diagnosing SS.


Copyright © 2021 The Korean Association of Clinical Ultrasound This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. pISSN 2465-7786•eISSN 2465-7794 www.clinicalultrasound.org clinical ultrasound


Visible human data has been widely used in various medical research and computer science applications. We present a new application for this data: a method to classify which body segment a transverse cross section image belongs to. The labeling of the data is created with the guidance of an online body cross section tutorial. The visual properties of the images are represented using a variety of feature descriptors. To avoid problems that arise from the large dimensionality of features, feature selection is applied. The multi-class SVM is employed as the classifier. Both the CT scans and the color photographs of cryosections of the whole body (male and female) are used to test the proposed method. The high performance with overall accuracy above 98% on both the 2160 CT dataset and the 1870 cryosectional photos show the method is very promising. Because of its observed effectiveness on visible human data, we will extend our approach to classify figures in biomedical articles.


have been synthesised by using two Schiff base ligands derived from 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole, following two different preparative routes, either using the pre-formed ligand (for L1) or via a metal-mediated template synthesis (for L2). The {MnIII 5 } structure is unusual, being based on two corner-sharing perpendicular {Mn3} triangles forming a twisted bow-tie. The magnetic studies reveal antiferromagnetic coupling between Mn(III) ions while electrochemical experiments are consistent with a quasi-reversible Mn(III)↔Mn(IV) redox process at the central manganese ion.


In CAS literature, one finds numerous examples of the usage of directly measured surfaces. Those surfaces are usually measured using so called "Surface Scanners" which employ structured light (pattern projection or laser) to measure the surface. From an integration standpoint, it would be beneficial for many applications to have all patient data in a common repository and since in many cases radiology images are involved as well, a PACS is a natural option for storage of this data. DICOM - the major standard used for storage and transmission of data within a PACS - has recently been extended by the option to store surface meshes using a newly introduced data structure. This new Surface Mesh Module can serve as a basis for storage of data generated by an optical surface scanner. Nonetheless, a new Information Object Definition for this kind of data has to be introduced to reflect the specific needs: Device specific parameters have to be stored and, in addition to the Surface Mesh Module, there must be the possibility to store textures as well. This paper gives an overview about the specific requirements and an outline of a Work Item leading to an Optical Surface Scan Information Object Definition (IOD).


A novel electrochemical redox process for the manipulation of adhesion of polybenzoxazine thermosets on metal surfaces is reported. The method pertains to the electrochemically driven hydroquinone–quinone redox couple. Several antraquinone based bisbenzoxazines possessing phenyl, benzyl and methyl furfuryl substituents were synthesized and characterized. The antraquinone bisbenzoxazines were shown to readily undergo thermally activated ring-opening polymerization in the absence of a catalyst forming cross-linked networks on metal surfaces. The substituent effect on thermal curing behaviour and thermal stability of the cured polymers were investigated. The strong binding affinities of phenolic hydroxyl groups of the anthraquinone moiety in the cured polymers promote adhesion on the metal surface. Electrochemical oxidation converts hydroquinone groups into quinone moieties resulting in the dismantling of the coated films. The generality of this electrochemical method is demonstrated by initial results on platinum electrodes as well as steel plates.


We show that any real flow without fixed points is the homomorphic image of a suspension of the shift on a bisequence space and the homomorphism is one-to-one between invariant residual sets. If the original flow is onedimensional this homomorphism is an isomorphism. We then use this model of a real flow to lift .J^-expansiveness for any class &~ of continuous functions from the reals into the reals fixing zero, and thus generalize the results of Bowen and Walters [2]. Various other properties of the suspension model are discussed.