IntroductionCall Detail Records (CDRs) are collected by mobile network operators in the course of service provision, and they are increasingly being used in health research. It has been identified that further work is needed to show that CDRs can be used within an ethically-founded framework that meets with social acceptability.
Objectives and ApproachThe published research literature was reviewed to identify data governance arrangements, challenges and potential opportunities for the greater use of the location element of CDRs in health research. A series of 3 workshops with members of the public (N=61) were conducted to gain views on the use of CDRs for health research. Data use scenarios of CDRs for health research were constructed to consider risk and mitigating controls. The findings were drawn together against a backdrop of legislative and regulatory requirements.
ResultsThe majority of published studies focused on low and middle income countries, often modelling the transmission of infectious diseases, and population movement following natural disasters. CDRs were used in anonymised or aggregated form, and gaining regulatory approvals varied with data provider and by jurisdiction. Only 2 people knew CDR data was being used for health research, but ultimately, most (N=49) were happy for their anonymised CDRs to be used, provided that safeguards were in place. Recommendations towards an ethically-founded framework for using CDR locations in health research are proposed, including the need for greater transparency, accountability, and the incorporation of public views for social acceptability.
Conclusion/ImplicationsDespite limitations inherent in the data, mobile phone CDRs have been used successfully in health research. People are generally amenable to the use of anonymised CDR data, but they want to be properly informed. The proposed recommendations should be taken into consideration to contribute towards a consistent, socially-acceptable, ethically founded framework.


A paper presents a study in which rates of release of small particles from Mars lander spacecraft into the Martian atmosphere were estimated from first principles. Because such particles can consist of, or be laden with, terrestrial microbes, the study was undertaken to understand their potential for biological contamination of Mars. The study included taking account of forces and energies involved in adhesion of particles and of three mechanisms of dislodgement of particles from the surface of a Mars lander: wind shear, wind-driven impingement of suspended dust, and impingement of wind-driven local saltating sand particles. Wind shear was determined to be effective in dislodging only particles larger than about 10 microns and would probably be of limited interest because such large particles could be removed by pre-flight cleaning of the spacecraft, and their number on the launched spacecraft would thus be relatively small. Dislodgement by wind-driven dust was found to be characterized by an adhesion half-life of the order of 10,000 years judged to be too long to be of concern. Dislodgement by saltating sand particles, including skirts of dust devils, was found to be of potential importance, depending on the sizes of the spacecraft-attached particles and characteristics of both Mars sand-particle and spacecraft surfaces.


The drive to introduce superhydrophobic materials into real-world applications requires the development of robust and effective surfaces. Efforts to formulate a collective understanding of the design approaches required to engineer resilience are hindered significantly by inconsistencies in the evaluation methods used throughout the literature. Herein, we report a technique that accurately quantifies both the superhydrophobicity, and superhydrophobic resilience under fluid shear stress, using slip-length measurements. Two types of superhydrophobic surface are used (micro-rough PTFE, and nano/micro-rough nanoparticle coatings), in order to demonstrate the different mechanisms of superhydrophobic degradation, in addition to the versatility of the slip-length technique to study the phenomena. The shear stress testing is symptomatic of real-world conditions (applied fluid stress), an environment where superhydrophobic materials are relatively vulnerable due to their comparative fragility. The technique is both a comprehensive, sensitive and quantitatively reproducible, assessment method of superhydrophobic interfaces, which if widely adopted, would accelerate progress in this area.


We report the description of a new species of freshwater flatworm of the genus Dendrocoelum inhabiting the chemoautotrophic ecosystem of Movile Cave as well as several sulfidic wells in the nearby town of Mangalia, thus representing the first planarian species fully described from this extreme biotope. The species was also found in non-sulfidic wells localized in villages in the vicinity of the cave with a total of nine examined populations. Dendrocoelum obstinatum Stocchino & Sluys, sp. nov. represents the first triclad being able to live in both sulfidic and non-sulfidic waters. Among the fauna of the Mangalia sulfidic ecosystem it is the only species found also outside of the current boundaries of the sulfidic aquifer. One possible explanation of this peculiar distribution is that the new species is limited to the old boundaries of the sulfidic aquifer. The latter became much smaller during the hydrogeological history of the region, so that D. obstinatum may be considered to be an indicator of the extension of the sulfidic aquifer in the past of the Mangalia region. In the context of a biogeographic discussion on the distribution of the genus Dendrocoelum we provide an annotated checklist of species reported from Romania.


The human hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor comprises two homologous polypeptides designated H1 and H2. Two distinct complementary DNA clones encoding these receptor subunits have been previously isolated from the human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2. We discovered that multiple variants of H2 transcripts exist both in HepG2 cells and in the normal human liver that, at least in part, appear to be the result of alternative splicing events. We have found that (a) the complementary DNA clone for H2 previously isolated from HepG2 cells, characterized by a 57‐nucleotide insertion within the 5′ end of the complementary DNA that is absent from H1, represented only one third of H2‐related sequences in an unamplified normal human liver complementary DNA library and less than 10% of H2 clones in HepG2 cells; (b) the predominant message for H2 expressed in the liver and HepG2 cells, designated L‐H2, appeared to represent the fully processed product of the gene encoding both L‐H2 and H2; and (c) a variant H2 transcript existed in HepG2 cells, designated H2′, that contained a novel, 5′ 88‐bp nucleotide insertion. Poly(A+) RNA analysis of the normal liver and HepG2 cells by complementary RNA hybridization and ribonuclease protection corroborated the observations made during the screening of complementary DNA libraries regarding the abundance of the various messages. A striking incongruity was found between the levels of messenger RNA containing the H2‐specific 57‐nucleotide sequence and the levels of polypeptide expressed in the liver and HepG2 cells as recognized by antiserum specifically raised against this sequence. (Hepatology 1992;15:395–402).


Objective: To understand the effects of combination treatment of pamidronate with isolated Quercus infectoria semi-purified fraction (QIsm-F) on human foetal osteoblast cell model (hFOB 1.19 cell line) through assessment of Runt related transcription fraction-2 (Runx2) and Osterix (Osx). Methods: The isolation and purification of QIsm-F were conducted by chromatographic technique. In order to assess relative efficacy of QIsm-F to the osteoblast model, the determination of half maximal effective concentration (EC50) was performed by MTT assay. hFOB 1.19 cells were cultured in DMEM F-12 and supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum along with 1% penicillin-streptomycin incubated in 5% CO2 at 37 °C. Expression of Runx2 and Osx was assessed through western blotting and confirmed with immunofluorescence staining. Results: Results of western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that compared to hFOB 1.19 cells treated with single individual treatment of QIsm-F and control groups, levels of Runx2 and Osx were elevated with higher fluorescence intensity and more rapid proliferation in hFOB 1.19 cells treated with combined treatment of QIsm-F and pamidronate. Conclusions: The finding demonstrates the synergistic effect between osteoporotic drug pamidronate and established QIsm-F. The combination treatment helps increase the efficiency of pamidronate acting on osteoblast cells by stimulating osteoblast proliferation and differentiation via expression of Runx2 and Osx.


Viral aesthetics have become increasingly present in representations of health and illness. Since electron microscopy was first used to graphically isolate HIV, the 'viral look' has influenced academic and popular discussions about life and death. Commonly, the virus is associated with rapid and unseen transmission, hiding and genetic recoding that make identification and elimination difficult, and 'sleeper cell' behavior that delays detection and treatment. Visually isolating, eliminating and controlling molecular matter suggests that, in order to preserve life, foreign matter must be visually as well as biologically controlled. Recent attempts at imaging molecular space have shifted the practices of researchers. Using algorithms, models, and graphical interfaces, researchers now gain visual access to molecular space via simulation rather than photography, enrolling the public in the production of scientific research. Games such as Foldit use competitive play as a research method. Overcoming the problem of molecular scale using computer processing, and operationalizing the critique of 'expert knowledge' formulated by ACT UP in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, some successes have already been reported. This article demonstrates how scalar travels, the practices of visualization that disclose them, and the participatory possibilities of research remind us of the power of cultural practices in creating scientific knowledge.


Mr D. N. Holt, Chairman of the Engineering Group, welcomed the large audience to the Meeting, designed to promote the interchange of ideas between Clay Mineralogists, Engineering Geologists and Geotechnical Engineers. Nine papers were presented and discussed: Engineering geology of clay minerals: swelling, shrinking and mudrock breakdown by Dr R. K. Taylor of University of Durham who introduced the theme of the Meeting. Argillaceous sediments make up about 60% of the geological column, clay minerals accounting for about two-thirds of the constituents of over-consolidated clays and mudrocks. In North America, expansive clays are regarded as the principal hazard, whilst in southeast England shrinkage of heavy clays is the main geotechnical problem. Expansive clays are rarer in the older rocks, and in the UK there are virtually none below the Silurian. After summarizing the structure of clay minerals Dr Taylor discussed problems caused by expanding seat earths and roof seams in coal mines. Formation waters are generally saline, creating Na-montmorillonite which is more expansive than the Ca variety, exacerbating the problems. Swelling is divided into mechanical or physicochemical in origin; a mechanical origin is more common in soil mechanics problems, clay minerals may not be involved. Samples recovered from depth with high KQ values may swell in a total stress oedometer because of high suctions generated by stress release on sampling. In long-term excavations mechanical and physicochemical swelling can take place. The swelling process of clays is a function of absorbed water; there is strongly bonded water near the surface of


ABSTRACT Once the excitement of creating a new journal fades and publication begins, a new challenge arises in sustainability. Augusta University published the first issue of their undergraduate research journal, The Arsenal, in 2016. Although the first two issues received consistent submissions and timely processing by the peer-reviewers, several unanticipated factors have influenced the journal's continued publication. Some of these factors include graduation of the student editorial board, faculty turnover, research agendas for mentoring faculty, and institutional review board (IRB) requirements. This article identifies the challenges of sustaining publication of The Arsenal and discusses possible solutions to ensure continued publication.


Previous research has been inconsistent in the prediction and empirical findings regarding work–family enrichment and satisfaction. The current research seeks to clarify this inconsistency by examining both directions of work–family enrichment (work-to-family enrichment and family-to-work enrichment) with both job satisfaction and family satisfaction to determine if their effects are similar or diverse. Building on the theoretical foundation of Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory, the authors explore the mediating roles of psychological distress and positive mood in this process. Using a sample of 310 working respondents, the authors found that psychological distress was a mediator to both job satisfaction and family satisfaction, while positive mood was a mediator to job satisfaction but not family satisfaction. Further, the authors found that the direct effect of work-to-family enrichment was on job satisfaction, the originating domain. In addition, the total effect of enrichment to satisfaction (through the mediation mechanisms of distress and mood) was again in the pattern of the originating domain such that work-to-family enrichment more strongly influenced job satisfaction. However, family-to-work enrichment did not directly impact family satisfaction, nor was it significantly stronger than work-to-family in its total effect on family satisfaction.


Generating production-quality plans is an essential element in transforming planners from research tools into real-world applications. However most of the work to date on learning planning control knowledgehas beenaimed at improving the efficiency of planning ; this work has been termed "speed-up learning". This paper focuses on learning control knowledge to guide a planner towards better solutions, i.e. to improve the quality of the plans produced by the planner, as its problem solving experience increases. We motivate the use of quality-enhancing search control knowledge and its automated acquisition from problem solving experience. We introduce an implemented mechanism for learning such control knowledge and some of our preliminary results in a process planning domain.


The unstable expression of introduced genes poses a serious problem for the application of transgenic technology in plants. In transformants of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, expression of a eubacterial aadA gene, conferring spectinomycin resistance, is transcriptionally suppressed by a reversible epigenetic mechanism(s). Variations in the size and frequency of colonies surviving on different concentrations of spectinomycin as well as the levels of transcriptional activity of the introduced transgene(s) suggest the existence of intermediate expression states in genetically identical cells. Gene silencing does not correlate with methylation of the integrated DNA and does not involve large alterations in its chromatin structure, as revealed by digestion with restriction endonucleases and DNase I. Transgene repression is enhanced by lower temperatures, similar to position effect variegation in Drosophila. By analogy to epigenetic phenomena in several eukaryotes, our results suggest a possible role for (hetero)chromatic chromosomal domains in transcriptional inactivation.


The overall objective of the paper is to examine how states that face an overarching (perceived) existential threat may be at a disadvantage when developing their National Security Strategies (NSS). The main hypothesis is that states facing an overarching threat tend to focus almost exclusively on that and may subsequently ignore or under-estimate other potential great threats, while at the same time they may miss out on opportunities to enhance their domestic, and even regional, security and geopolitical standing. A secondary hypothesis aims to test whether these myopic situations develop due to the sociopolitical expectations for a single-issue NSS focus. Furthermore, being an EU Member State may potentially exacerbate a false sense of both insecurity (from the overarching threat) and security (from other potential threats). This raises questions on i) whether the EU is in a position to understand the localized security perceptions and thus provide the necessary support to mitigate those fears, and ii) whether it can act as a security provider, not only in real terms (point i), but also by re-orienting the Member States' view of security and threats.


17beta-estradiol (E2), the main circulating estrogen hormone, is involved in a wide variety of physiological functions ranging from the development to the maintenance of many tissues and organs. The effects of E2 on cells are primarily conveyed by the transcription factors, estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta. The regulation of responsive genes by the well-defined ER alpha in response to E2 relies on complex and highly organized processes that dynamically integrate functions of many transcription regulators to induce spatiotemporal alterations in chromatin state and structure. Changes in gene expressions result in cell-specific responses that include proliferation, differentiation and death. Deregulation of E2-ER alpha signaling contributes to the initiation and progression of target tissue malignancies. We aim here to provide a review of recent findings on dynamic transcriptional events mediated by E2-ER alpha with the anticipation that a better understanding of complex regulatory mechanisms underlying ER actions would be a critical basis for the development of effective prognostic tools for and therapeutic interventions against estrogen target tissue malignancies.


Liming increased species richness, in accordance with the species pool hypothesis, and number of plants of individual species in beech forest field-layer vegetation, by increasing establishment by seedlings and vegetative offspring. Turnover rates also increased, suggesting the explanatory value of the carousel model. Plant size, absolute measures of reproduction, and poportional measures of sexual (SRE) and vegetative (VRE) reproduction were unaffected by liming in the clonal, stoloniferous herb Lamiastrum galeobdolon. Absolute measures of sexual and vegetative reproduction were positively related to L. galeobdolon size, both in a population of unmanipulated plants growing on limed and unlimed plots, and in plants in which plant size was increased after flower buds were cut off. Neither SRE nor VRE showed any changes after flowering was prevented. Both measures were negatively related to plant size in the unmanipulated plants.

Forest liming and wood-ash application seem to have positive rather than negative effects on the field-layer vegetation. When forest thinning occurs in limed areas the effects of liming on the field-layer vegetation are accelerated and possibly also magnified. Liming is not likely to restore forest ecosystems to a pre-acidified state, however, and liming could not be taken as an argument against decreasing acidifying emissions.


The work described in this paper is benchmark calculations of pressurization transient turbine trip tests performed at the Peach Bottom boiling water reactor (BWR). It is part of an overall effort in providing qualification basis for the INER/TPC BWR transient analysis method developed for the Kuosheng and Chinshan plants. The method primarily utilizes an advanced system thermal hydraulics code, RETRAN02/MOD5, for transient safety analyses. Since pressurization transients would result in a strong coupling effect between core neutronic and system thermal hydraulics responses, the INER/TPC method employs the one-dimensional kinetic model in RETRAN with a cross-section data library generated by the Studsvik-CMS code package for the transient calculations. The Peach Bottom Turbine Trip (PBTT) tests, including TT1, TT2, and TT3, have been successfully performed in the plant and assigned as standards commonly for licensing method qualifications for years. It is an essential requirement for licensing purposes to verify integral capabilities and accuracies of the codes and models of the INER/TPC method in simulating such pressurization transients. Specific Peach Bottom plant models, including both neutronics and thermal hydraulics, are developed using modeling approaches and experiences generally adopted in the INER/TPC method. Important model assumptions in RETRAN for the PBTT test simulations are described in this paper. Simulation calculations are performed with best-estimated initial and boundary conditions obtained from plant test measurements. The calculation results presented in this paper demonstrate that the INER/TPC method is capable of calculating accurately the core and system transient behaviors of the tests. Excellent agreement, both in trends and magnitudes between the RETRAN calculation results and the PBTT measurements, shows reliable qualifications of the codes/users/models involved in the method. The RETRAN calculated peak neutron fluxes of the PBTT tests are higher than the measurements, which ensures the conservatism of using the INER/TPC method for Kuosheng and Chinshan licensing safety analyses.


The running innovation processes of the microwave transistor technologies, used in the implementation of microwave circuits, have to be supported by the study and development of proper design methodologies which, depending on the applications, will fully exploit the technology potentialities. After the choice of the technology to be used in the particular application, the circuit designer has few degrees of freedom when carrying out his design; in the most cases, due to the technological constrains, all the foundries develop and provide customized processes optimized for a specific performance such as power, low-noise, linearity, broadband etc. For these reasons circuit design is always a "compromise", an investigation for the best solution to reach a trade off between the desired performances.
This approach becomes crucial in the design of microwave systems to be used in satellite applications; the tight space constraints impose to reach the best performances under proper electrical and thermal de-rated conditions, respect to the maximum ratings provided by the used technology, in order to ensure adequate levels of reliability. In particular this work is about one of the most critical components in the front-end of a satellite antenna, the High Power Amplifier (HPA). The HPA is the main power dissipation source and so the element which mostly engrave on space, weight and cost of telecommunication apparatus; it is clear from the above reasons that design strategies addressing optimization of power density, efficiency and reliability are of major concern.
Many transactions and publications demonstrate different methods for the design of power amplifiers, highlighting the availability to obtain very good levels of output power, efficiency and gain. Starting from existing knowledge, the target of the research activities summarized in this dissertation was to develop a design methodology capable optimize power amplifier performances complying all the constraints imposed by the space applications, tacking into account the thermal behaviour in the same manner of the power and the efficiency.
After a reminder of the existing theories about the power amplifier design, in the first section of this work, the effectiveness of the methodology based on the accurate control of the dynamic Load Line and her shaping will be described, explaining all steps in the design of two different kinds of high power amplifiers. Considering the trade-off between the main performances and reliability issues as the target of the design activity, we will demonstrate that the expected results could be obtained working on the characteristics of the Load Line at the intrinsic terminals of the selected active device.
The methodology proposed in this first part is based on the assumption that designer has the availability of an accurate electrical model of the device; the variety of publications about this argument demonstrates that it is so difficult to carry out a CAD model capable to taking into account all the non-ideal phenomena which occur when the amplifier operates at such high frequency and power levels. For that, especially for the emerging technology of Gallium Nitride (GaN), in the second section a new approach for power amplifier design will be described, basing on the experimental characterization of the intrinsic Load Line by means of a low frequency high power measurements bench.
 Thanks to the possibility to develop my Ph.D. in an academic spin-off, MEC – Microwave Electronics for Communications, the results of this activity has been applied to important research programs requested by space agencies, with the aim support the technological transfer from universities to industrial world and to promote a science-based entrepreneurship. For these reasons the proposed design methodology will be explained basing on many experimental results.


Magnetic beads play an important role in the miniaturization of clinical diagnostics systems. In lab-on-chip platforms, beads can be made to link to a target species and can then be used for the manipulation and detection of this species. Current bead actuation systems utilize complex on-chip coil systems that offer low field strengths and little versatility. We demonstrate a novel system based on an external rotating magnetic field and on-chip soft-magnetic structures to focus the field locally. These structures were designed and optimized using finite element simulations in order to create a number of local flux density maxima. These maxima, to which the magnetic beads are attracted, move over the chip surface in a continuous way together with the rotation of the external field, resulting in a mechanism similar to that of a conveyor belt. A prototype was fabricated using PDMS molding techniques mixed with iron powder for the magnetic structures. In the subsequent experiments, a quadrupole electromagnet was used to create the rotating external field. We observed that beads formed agglomerates that rolled over the chip surface, just above the magnetic structures. Field rotation frequencies between 0.1-50 Hz were tested resulting in magnetic bead speeds of over 1 mm s-1 for the highest frequency. With this, we have shown that our novel concept works, combining a simple design and simple operation with a powerful and versatile method for bead actuation. This makes it a promising method for further research and utilization in lab-on-chip systems.


The analysis of comorbidity is an open and complex research field in the branch of psychiatry, where clinical experience and several studies suggest that the relation among the psychiatric disorders may have etiological and treatment implications. In this paper, we are interested in applying latent feature modeling to find the latent structure behind the psychiatric disorders that can help to examine and explain the relationships among them. To this end, we use the large amount of information collected in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) database and propose to model these data using a nonparametric latent model based on the Indian Buffet Process (IBP). Due to the discrete nature of the data, we first need to adapt the observation model for discrete random variables. We propose a generative model in which the observations are drawn from a multinomial-logit distribution given the IBP matrix. The implementation of an effcient Gibbs sampler is accomplished using the Laplace approximation, which allows integrating out the weighting factors of the multinomial-logit likelihood model. We also provide a variational inference algorithm for this model, which provides a complementary (and less expensive in terms of computational complexity) alternative to the Gibbs sampler allowing us to deal with a larger number of data. Finally, we use the model to analyze comorbidity among the psychiatric disorders diagnosed by experts from the NESARC database.


Background and Aims Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii, clinical features varying from asymptomatic infection to severe systemic manifestations. Brazil has one of the highest incidence rates of congenital toxoplasmosis in the world with estimated rates of 1:3000 live births. Knowledge of the incidence, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of infections during pregnancy, childbirth and neonatal period is relevant because it may cause damage to the fetus and newborn, representing a public health problem worldwide. The aim of this study is evaluate the quality of neonatal screening for congenital toxoplasmosis. Methods Retrospective study based on data collected from the medical records of 39 newborns Alcides Carneiro Hospital (HAC) in Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 2010 to February 2012 whose mothers had seroconversion for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. We analyzed maternal serology and treatment and clinical manifestations, laboratory and radiological newborn. Results Forty percent of pregnant women under which seroconverted in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, 33% at 2 and 13% in first trimester. Underwent treatment 35%, 15% and 0% respectively. There were no clinical manifestations of congenital toxoplasmosis, all showed negative IgM and IgG positive 62%. In imaging tests, 5% had changed transfontanel ultrasound (49% unknown), 1% fundoscopy losses (51% ignored), and skull radiography unchanged (23% ignored). Conclusion Given the survey data, we conclude that there was poor adherence to native implementation of adequate prenatal care, underestimation of suspected cases with disabilities in serological screening, limited availability of laboratory diagnostic capabilities and imaging.


The aim of this study is to test the level of convergence between the IFRS for SMEs and the Spanish GAAP. To do this, we develop a Convergence Index with the full IFRS, which we apply the local GAAP and the IFRS for SMEs. Results show that the Convergence Index is considerably greater for the local GAAP after the accounting reforms. Furthermore, results also show that values of the Convergence Index are qualitatively similar among local GAAP and IFRS for SMEs, what is line with our hypothesis that the accounting reform has achieved its objective of convergence towards IFRS, considering that national GAAP are mainly intended for private companies.


At CoDaWork'03 we presented work on the analysis of archaeological glass composi-
tional data. Such data typically consist of geochemical compositions involving 10-12
variables and approximates completely compositional data if the main component, sil-
ica, is included. We suggested that what has been termed `crude' principal component
analysis (PCA) of standardized data often identi ed interpretable pattern in the data
more readily than analyses based on log-ratio transformed data (LRA). The funda-
mental problem is that, in LRA, minor oxides with high relative variation, that may
not be structure carrying, can dominate an analysis and obscure pattern associated
with variables present at higher absolute levels. We investigate this further using sub-
compositional data relating to archaeological glasses found on Israeli sites. A simple
model for glass-making is that it is based on a `recipe' consisting of two `ingredients',
sand and a source of soda. Our analysis focuses on the sub-composition of components
associated with the sand source. A `crude' PCA of standardized data shows two clear
compositional groups that can be interpreted in terms of di erent recipes being used at
di erent periods, re
ected in absolute di erences in the composition. LRA analysis can
be undertaken either by normalizing the data or de ning a `residual'. In either case,
after some `tuning', these groups are recovered. The results from the normalized LRA
are di erently interpreted as showing that the source of sand used to make the glass
di ered. These results are complementary. One relates to the recipe used. The other
relates to the composition (and presumed sources) of one of the ingredients. It seems
to be axiomatic in some expositions of LRA that statistical analysis of compositional
data should focus on relative variation via the use of ratios. Our analysis suggests that
absolute di erences can also be informative


1. Increasing landscape heterogeneity by restoring semi‐natural elements to reverse farmland biodiversity declines is not always economically feasible or acceptable to farmers due to competition for land. We hypothesized that increasing the heterogeneity of the crop mosaic itself, hereafter referred to as crop heterogeneity, can have beneficial effects on within‐field plant diversity.
2. Using a unique multi‐country dataset from a cross‐continent collaborative project covering 1,451 agricultural fields within 432 landscapes in Europe and Canada, we assessed the relative effects of compositional and configurational crop heterogeneity on within‐field plant diversity components. We also examined how these relationships were modulated by the position within the field.
3. We found strong positive effects of configurational crop heterogeneity on within‐field plant alpha and gamma diversity in field interiors. These effects were as high as the effect of semi‐natural cover. In field borders, effects of crop heterogeneity were limited to alpha diversity. We suggest that a heterogeneous crop mosaic may overcome the high negative impact of management practices on plant diversity in field interiors, whereas in field borders, where plant diversity is already high, landscape effects are more limited.
4. Synthesis and applications. Our study shows that increasing configurational crop heterogeneity is beneficial to within‐field plant diversity. It opens up a new effective and complementary way to promote farmland biodiversity without taking land out of agricultural production. We therefore recommend adopting manipulation of crop heterogeneity as a specific, effective management option in future policy measures, perhaps adding to agri‐environment schemes, to contribute to the conservation of farmland plant diversity.


BACKGROUND
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the performance and feasibility of tuberculosis diagnosis by sputum microscopy after bleach sedimentation, compared with by conventional direct smear microscopy, in a setting of high prevalence of HIV.

METHODS
In a community-based study in Kenya (a population in which 50% of individuals with tuberculosis are infected with HIV), individuals with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis submitted 3 sputum specimens during 2 consecutive days, which were examined by blind evaluation. Ziehl-Neelsen-stained smears were made of fresh specimens and of specimens that were processed with 3.5% household bleach followed by overnight sedimentation. Two different cutoffs for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) per 100 high-power fields (HPF) were used to define a positive smear: >10 AFB/100 HPF and 1 AFB/100 HPF. Four smear-positive case definitions, based on 1 or 2 positive smears with the 1 AFB or 10 AFB cutoff, were used.

RESULTS
Of 1879 specimens from 644 patients, 363 (19.3%) and 460 (24.5%) were positive by bleach sedimentation microscopy, compared with 301 (16.0%) and 374 (19.9%) by direct smear microscopy, with use of the 10 AFB/100 HPF (P < .001) and 1 AFB/100 HPF (P < .001) cutoffs, respectively. Regardless of the case definition used, bleach sedimentation microscopy detected significantly more positive cases than did direct smear microscopy: 26.7% (172 of 644) versus 21.7% (140 of 644), respectively, with the case definition of 1 positive smear and the 1 AFB/100 HPF cutoff (P < .001), and 21.4% (138 of 644) versus 18.6% (120 of 644), respectively, with the case definition of 1 positive smear and the 10 AFB/100 HPF cutoff (P < .001). Inter- and intrareader reproducibility were favorable, with kappa coefficients of 0.83 and 0.91, respectively. Bleach sedimentation was relatively inexpensive and was not time consuming.

CONCLUSIONS
Bleach sedimentation microscopy is an effective, simple method to improve the yield of smear microscopy in a setting of high prevalence of HIV. Further evaluation of this method, under operational conditions, is urgently needed to determine its potential as a tool for tuberculosis control.


Disorder erupted in Ukraine in 2014, involving the overthrow of a sitting government, the Russian annexation of the Crimean peninsula, and a violent insurrection, supported by Moscow, in the east of the country. This Adelphi book argues that the crisis has yielded a ruinous outcome, in which all the parties are worse off and international security has deteriorated. This negative-sum scenario resulted from years of zero-sum behaviour on the part of Russia and the West in post-Soviet Eurasia, which the authors rigorously analyse. The rivalry was manageable in the early period after the Cold War, only to become entrenched and bitter a decade later. The upshot has been systematic losses for Russia, the West and the countries caught in between. All the governments involved must recognise that long-standing policies aimed at achieving one-sided advantage have reached a dead end, Charap and Colton argue, and commit to finding mutually acceptable alternatives through patient negotiation.


The smart grid discusses to next generation power grids, with multi-directional streams of electricity and evidence to make aextensive distributed network. Through smart grid, the power system converts smart by communicating, sensing, control and applying intelligence. For superlative system, the smart grid technologies are furthercompanionable to certify many roles which can elevate with the amalgamation of the use of substance generation and transmission. The Smart grid is also kept the environment free from pollution; diminish the cost, effective operations, against all categories of threats and danger. Machine learning process isthe calculations which help in information handling to discover concealed examples or the forecast of results. The target of this archive is to look at the most utilized strategies of machine learning, for example, Vector Machine Backing, Descriptive Discriminant Analysis, Decision Trees what's more, Neural Networks, in Smart Grid applications. To this end, an examination is done in important distributions of the current writing.


Restructuration and Systemtic Change: Hua-gaard's Discussion of the Importance of Others in the Theory of Structuration. vol. no. 87-101. Purpose of this paper is to outline Mark Haugaard's reconstructive critique of Anthony Giddens' account of systemic stability and change within the framework of the theory of structuration. This position argues that while the theory explains societal reproduction on the level of the individual, it leaves the intersubjective and relational dimension of human existence undertheorized. As a result, it tends to appear too voluntaristic in relation to systemic change and, at the same time, biased towards systemic stability. The paper begins with a brief overview of the theory of structuration before moving on to Haugaard's critique and reformulation that allows for theorization of systemic stability and change through modalities of interaction between multiple structuring agents.


The Tsumeb base-metal deposit contained one of the most diverse examples of mineralogical paragenesis ever observed within a single mineral deposit (Keller 1977). The deposit hosted approximately 307 minerals and 232 of those minerals are most likely formed in the oxidation zone. Of the total number, 69 minerals were first described from the deposit. Arsenic minerals show the greatest diversity in the Tsumeb deposit: 63 arsenates, 6 arsenites, and 7 arseno-sulfate minerals (see Appendix 1). Typically, As content was around 1% in the ore zone, and was intermittently produced as a by-product (white As oxide).

Mineralization is hosted in the Otavi dolomite. The main ore body is a pipe that comprises of massive peripheral ores, manto-style ores, and disseminated and stringer ores. These ores were subjected to extensive oxidation not just from surficial surface weathering but also along deep-seated permeable faults that developed complex secondary mineral assemblages at depth.

Due to the karstic nature of the host dolomite, there has been considerable water flow through the deposit and during operations into the mine workings, even during early mining. As such, water chemistry within the mine has a varied composition reflecting the different areas of the mine, water source, and geochemical reactions with host rock and the ore. In addition to water, which has been locally enriched from sulfide oxidation, saline and dilute water can be observed in the mine.

With such a complex mineralogy and paragenesis, it is possible to describe the geochemical conditions that influenced the mineral evolution of the deposit and predict interactions with groundwater. The extent to which current mine water reflects mineral paragenesis and the observed As-mineral assemblage in the mine is reviewed and used to provide an understanding of the formation of the oxide zone and the geochemical conditions at the time of formation compared …


We describe an automated approach for detecting concurrency defects from design diagrams of a software, in particular, sequence diagrams. From a given sequence diagram, we automatically infer a formal, parallel specification that generalizes the communication behavior that is designed informally and incompletely in the diagram. We model-check the parallel specification against generic concurrency defect patterns. No additional specification of the software is needed. We present several case-studies to evaluate our approach. The results show that our approach is technically feasible, and effective in detecting nasty concurrency defects at the design level.


A new statistical non-linear model of GaAs FET MMIC's which allows to represent distance-dependent technological parameter variations by means of equivalent circuit parameters is presented. An automatic procedure to extract the statistical model parameters from a database of DC and S-parameter measurements has been developed. The procedure performs the extraction of the covariance matrices of two FET devices at different mutual distances and uses them to build the multi-device MMIC covariance matrix. Capability to reproduce statistical distribution has been successfully checked by performing hypothesis tests of equivalence on S-parameters at different distances in the 1-5 GHz frequency range.


This case study aims at presenting Tajikistan's perspective of, experiences with, and challenges to foreign aid. The objective of the study is to raise awareness about different dimensions of aid fragmentation, volatility and associated costs to help defi ne the way to better coordinate offi cial development assistance and private aid flows in Tajikistan. This study is targeted for development practitioners, government officials and all development partners focusing on aid effectiveness. [Working Paper No.13].


Radar offers advantages as a robotic perception modality because it is not as vulnerable to the vacuum, dust, fog, rain, snow and light conditions found in construction, mining, agricultural and planetary-exploration environments. However radar has shortcomings such as a large footprint, sidelobes, specularity effects and limited range resolution—all of which result in poor environment maps. The fusion of successive radar observations can alleviate radar shortcomings and improve map fidelity. Sensor models exist for the fusion of sonar, laser and stereo into evidence grids. However radar outputs richer data and cannot use those existing models. This paper presents a sensor model that uses constant false alarm for occupancy detection and incorporates heuristic rules to approach occlusions. The resulting radar-based map of outdoors can suit robot obstacle avoidance, navigation and tool deployment. The limited map detail achieved suggests the need for a more rigorous probabilistic approach to encode the dependencies and estimate the model parameters.


The mechanical properties of an all-acrylate liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) with a glass transition of 14 ± 1 °C are reported. The highly nonlinear load curve has a characteristic shape associated with semi-soft elasticity (SSE). Conversely, measurements of the director orientation throughout tensile loading instead indicate a "mechanical-Fréedericksz" transition (MFT). Values of the step length anisotropy, r, are independently calculated from the theories of SSE (r = 3.2 ± 0.4), MFT (9.3 < r < 30.0) and thermally-induced length change (r = 3.8 ± 0.5). From simultaneously recorded polarising microscopy textures, the consequences of the above discrepancies are considered. Further, a mechanically-induced negative order parameter is observed. Results show the tensile load curve shape cannot solely be used to determine the underlying physics. Consequently, the LCE properties cannot be fully described by theories of SSE or MFTs alone. This suggests that the theory of LCEs is not yet complete. The conclusions suggest that both the LC order parameter and r must be functions of the mechanical deformation.


We describe an experimental investigation of Ti:Al2O3 unstable-resonator lasers. A near-diffraction-limited output of 430 mJ in a 10-nsec pulse at 10 Hz has been obtained, which is to our knowledge the highest peak power from a Ti:Al2O3 laser reported. We report results for both standing-wave and traveling-wave oscillators, demonstrating line narrowing by means of prism tuning and injection seeding.


This thesis focuses on the relationship between Indonesian kiai ('ulama: religious leaders) in Jombang to their wider social and political situation. There are three kinds of kiai discussed in the thesis, that is the pesantren kiai, the tarekat kiai, and the kiai involved in politics. Two important aspects of kiai leadership are highlighted. The first is the strong attachment of the kiai to Islam. As a religious leader, this attachment to Islam has resulted in his leadership being generally seen as charismatic. One might therefore pose the question as to whether a change in society's political and social attitudes has an effect on the pattern of kiai leadership. The second is the independence of each kiai and hence the specific following he maintains. This independence from other kiai indicates that Muslims in Jombang are socially fragmented along the lines of allegiance to various local kiaiship. This means that the authority of the kiai is dispersed. This structural situation creates the possibility of conflict. The unity of Muslim society as a whole can be threatened when conflicts occur between kiai especially in the field of politics. The persistent attachment of the kiai to Islam, moreover, imbues any political conflict with religious justification. I argue in this thesis that the charismatic authority exerted through the leadership of the kiai in Java has limitations in terms of its legitimacy. At the very least it has boundaries that determine areas or circumstances for its legitimate expression. These boundaries are normative and are loosely expressed by the concept of 'to struggle for Islam'. This concept can be used by any kiai follower or by groups within society tacitly to evaluate a kiai. As holders of charismatic authority, the kiai can often induce action or emotional responses from their followers since they are held in the high regard. However, in certain situations such authority may be rendered useless when the kiai's entrenched lines of authority are perceived to deviate from a socially accepted religious base. At this point followers have a possible basis to challenge the legitimacy of the kiai's pronouncements particularly on social and political issues. Voting in a general election is a good example. The kiai's encouragement to support a party other than the Islamic party, for example, has incurred negative responses from followers. A few kiai have even been deserted by a large number of their followers because of their political stand. This thesis further argues that the kiai's influence in politics is not as strong as in other domains. Despite his being a charismatic figure, only a minority of followers feel compelled to follow the kiai's political example. Differences between the kiai and his followers in relation to political behaviour are common, especially after the transformation of the Islamic political party. Nevertheless, the role of the kiai in general remains important in the eyes of Muslim society, since the


Istanbul is a city on the water and historically has been a link between East and West. Unlike most cities, ferry boats are one of the most commonly used means of travel, along with rail and bus lines. There is a contrast between the grandeur of the historic buildings as seen from the water and the unpleasantness of disembarking from the ferry, which berths at a small shed-like structure on the edge of the water which has old tires attached to piles driven into the bank of the Golden Horn. Some distance away there is a bus terminal and train stop. The paths of travel between these are unclear and the area is chaotic. Architecture has the potential to join and connect people, physical forces, the past and present at various scales. This project seeks to accomplish this connection on a particular site by building a new structure out in the water as a central focal point and joining it to rail and bus links with a tunnel and elevated covered walkways. Joints and Connections Seth Gavin Fischer


We examine whether acquisitions are more profitable for acquirers when the firms they target disclose higher-quality accounting information. If accounting information reduces uncertainty in the value of the target firm by facilitating a more precise valuation, we predict that managers of the acquiring firm can bid more effectively and pay less to acquire a target firm that has high-quality accounting information. Using a large sample of acquisitions of public firms from 1990 to 2010, we find evidence consistent with our prediction. Specifically, when target firms have higher-quality accounting information, acquirer returns around the acquisition announcement are higher and target returns are lower—consistent with acquirers capturing a greater portion of acquisition gains by paying less for target firms. These findings, which are robust to a variety of controls and alternative measures of uncertainty and accounting quality, suggest that higher-quality accounting information leads to better bidding decisions in acquisitions.


If youre an experienced Java developer in the enterprise, this practical, hands-on book shows you how to use OSGi to design, develop, and deploy modular cloud applications. Youll quickly learn how to use OSGi, through concise code examples and a set of best practices derived from the authors experiences with real-world projects. Through the course of this book, youll learn to develop modern web applications with tools and techniques such as RESTful Web Services, NoSQL, provisioning, elasticity, Auto Scaling, hotfixes, and automatic failover. Code samples are available from GitHub.Work with dynamic OSGi services to create modular applications Explore the basics of OSGi bundles and modular application design Learn advanced topics, including semantic versioning, integration testing, and configuring components Understand OSGi pitfalls, anti-patterns, and features you should avoid Create a modular architecture for cloud-based web applications Discover how maintainability, extensibility, scalability, and testability are affected by modular design Get a look at various options for creating web applications with a modular approach Interact with persistent storage services, including relational databases and NoSQL Examine alternatives for deploying modular applications to the cloud


Writing Africa's history before the 10th century almost always means relying on sources other than written documents, which increase in number especially from the 16th century onward. Archaeology (including the study of art objects), the comparative study of historically related languages, paleo-environmental studies, and oral traditions provide the bulk of information. Writing Africa's early history ideally involves collaboration among experts in using each kind of source, an increasingly common practice. Despite the challenges of analysis and interpretation posed by this base of sources, early African history has a depth and breadth akin to the histories made from the written sources in archives. Even so, whereas written documents provide details about individuals and precise dates, the sources for writing early African histories more often provide detail about conceptualization, for example, of time, hospitality, and individualism and about larger, environmental contexts shaping those concepts and shaped by the actions of the people who held them. Translating such concepts and scales of action into accounts accessible to those—including many historians—not steeped in the methodological conventions underlying the analysis of each source is a major challenge facing historians of Africa's earlier past.


The House of Habsburg was one of the wealthiest dynasties in Europe, and many of its members were also great collectors and patrons of the arts. Their love of magnificence is reflected in the quality and diversity of the objects in Viennas Kunstkammer, one of the most important collections of decorative arts in the world. This book features around 150 of the masterpieces from the Habsburg collections, ranging from sublime works of sculpture and fine metalwork to exotic objects fashioned from ostrich eggs, nautilus shells, rhinoceros horns and sharks teeth. Alongside the Saliera, Benvenuto Cellinis famous golden salt cellar, and the High Gothic sculpture known as the Krumau Madonna, are extraordinarily delicate works carved from ivory, gorgeous tapestries and mechanical marvels. The emperors, princes and archdukes who shaped these collections wanted not only to create a sense of wonder in all who gazed upon them but also to symbolize their own dominion over the world. Filled with lavish photographs and fascinating insights, this is a worthy tribute to the Habsburgs and their lasting artistic legacy.


Background and aim: There is limited information available on the association of plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) with dietary TAC in DM. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma TAC and its association with dietary antioxidant status in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Methods: Thirty outpatients diagnosed with type 2 DM (diabetics, n = 29) and 15 healthy subjects (control, n = 15) aged 40-70 with BMI≤ 30 kg/m2 were recruited to the study. Energy and nutrients intake, anthropometric measurements, dietary and plasma TAC, and some biochemical parameters were evaluated. The calculation of dietary TAC was based on previously published databases in which modified version of the FRAP. Results: Serum triglyceride, uric acid, and HbA1c levels in diabetics were higher than controls. A negative and statistically significant correlation was found between plasma TAC and HbA1c for diabetics. A negative and statistically significant correlation was observed between dietary TAC, HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose in diabetics. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between plasma TAC and dietary intake of niacin in diabetics. No remarkable differences were found between dietary and plasma TAC in either group.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that dietary TAC is not an important modulator of antioxidant status in diabetic subjects. But, it showed that the increase in niacin and antioxidant taken with foods can be effective in controlling  HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose.


Human life on land is vitally dependent on fresh water along with food and air. Many areas in the world do not have access to fresh water. Growing demands of freshwater resources are creating an urgent need to develop self sustained system to meet the demand. At present, many distillation methods are available like reverse osmosis, thin film distillation multi-effect fresh evaporation but they are energy intensive or contribute to environmental degradation. Distillation is one technique used for treating available brackish water into fresh water. However, solar energy can be used as an alternative source of energy for water distillation. In this paper, carbon dioxide emission, mitigation and carbon credit earned from a double slope active solar still under forced circulation mode has been carried out. It has been observed that carbon dioxide emission and carbon credit earned over the life time of 15 years are 2.55 tons and €220 respectively.


We propose a new linear method for dimension reduction to identify non-Gaussian components in high dimensional data. Our method, NGCA (non-Gaussian component analysis), uses a very general semi-parametric framework. In contrast to existing projection methods we define what is uninteresting (Gaussian): by projecting out uninterestingness, we can estimate the relevant non-Gaussian subspace. We show that the estimation error of finding the non-Gaussian components tends to zero at a parametric rate. Once NGCA components are identified and extracted, various tasks can be applied in the data analysis process, like data visualization, clustering, denoising or classification. A numerical study demonstrates the usefulness of our method.


A device has been designed and built to carry out both static and cyclic direct shear tests on specimens of soil and rock and on interfaces of soil or rock and construction materials. The device has the special capability of allowing the shear deformation to proceed under conditions of constant normal stiffness. This is in contrast to the more conventional direct shear devices, which permit shearing under conditions of constant normal stress. It is expected that the constant normal stiffness conditions will be more representative of many in-situ conditions of shear deformation; an important example occurs at the interface of a pile and the formation in which it is placed (particularly those piles that are grouted into the formation). When used with a servo-controlled testing machine the device is capable of applying either static or cyclic shear loading to the test specimens utilizing either load or displacement control. The device is described in this paper, and typical results are presented for static and cyclic loading of a variety of interfaces including some that dilate on shearing and others that collapse as they are sheared.


This paper reports on the nesting phenology, breeding biology, and attrition rates at different stages of the breeding cycle of a population of rock ptarmigan ( Lagopus mutus ) at Windy Lake, Northwest Territories, from 1987 to 1989. By early May, males were on the study area, mostly in flocks numbering in the tens and hundreds. Females arrived two to three weeks later, about one week after males had dispersed and established territories. All males succeeded in establishing a territory, but only 83% were successful in attracting a mate. There were no unmated females. All but one male were monogamous. The initiation of laying was highly synchronous both within and between years, beginning shortly after ground snow cover receded below 50% (early June). Initiation of laying and clutch size were not correlated with either pre-incubation body weight or wing chord of females. The majority (71%) of hens that deserted or had their first nest depredated during laying renested. However, renesting was rare once incubation had commenced. Clutch size of first nests (mean=8.7) was significantly larger than that of renests (mean=5.0). In one year, adults laid larger clutches than yearlings; this did not result, however, in adults' fledging larger broods than yearlings that year. Pooling years, yearling females were as successful as adults: the proportion of first nests initiated that fledged was 0.56 for yearling hens and 0.55 for adult hens. Of all the hens that settled to breed at Windy Lake in 1988 and 1989, 57% were successful in fledging a brood. Predation was the major cause of complete nest failures. Predation of clutch caused most failures (72%), followed by depredation of the hen (24%) and brood predation (4%). Key words: reproduction, population attributes, rock ptarmigan, Lagopus mutus , Northwest Territories


Proposal: The healthcare system in the United kingdomis passing through transformation and change for improvement and innovation. Within this context, healthcare facilities are being developed in a complex multi-stakeholder environment, which usually have diverse and conflicting interests and no experience in design. This contributes for difficulties in managing their requirements, leading to low quality of design. Aiming to contribute for the management of these projects, a benefits management model is being developed and introduced in the sector by the University of Salford. This model intends to support the consideration of different stakeholders' expectations in project development. In this sense, the aim of this paper was to bring discussions about how such approach could be adopted to support the design process within those projects. This research was developed through the participation on the model implementation, in addition to a literature review on benefits management and design approaches that are used in the UK and that could support benefits management in the design process. Main findings are related to a need for anticipating the participation of designers on project development and straightening the relationship between designers and decision makers. As a result, recommendations could be done to support benefits management throughout the design process. Keywords: Design process, project management, benefits realisation


The article examines changing employment relations in Norwegian warehouses, and conceptualises the increasing use of temporary agency workers as a redrawing of workplace geographies. The empirical basis for the analysis is four qualitative warehouse workplace studies, including focus group and interview data. The theoretical framework of the article combines an adapted version of the territory-place-scale-network (TPSN) framework developed by Bob Jessop, Neil Brenner and Martin Jones with the concepts of labour control and labour agency. The analysis shows how a networked recruitment system based on Swedish labour migrants, mediated via temporary work agencies, encourage workers to work their way through levels of employment insecurity in order to secure permanent employment. The article argues that the blurring and redrawing of legal boundaries through labour hire can be understood as a territorial strategy of control that affects the workplace as a scale of justice for trade unions. Moreover, the analysis shows how managerial control is conditioned by workers' individual, habitual and collective agency.


Data from 10 sites of the NICHD/NIDCD Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism were combined to study the distribution of head circumference and relationship to demographic and clinical variables. Three hundred thirty‐eight probands with autism‐spectrum disorder (ASD) including 208 probands with autism were studied along with 147 parents, 149 siblings, and typically developing controls. ASDs were diagnosed, and head circumference and clinical variables measured in a standardized manner across all sites. All subjects with autism met ADI‐R, ADOS‐G, DSM‐IV, and ICD‐10 criteria. The results show the distribution of standardized head circumference in autism is normal in shape, and the mean, variance, and rate of macrocephaly but not microcephaly are increased. Head circumference tends to be large relative to height in autism. No site, gender, age, SES, verbal, or non‐verbal IQ effects were present in the autism sample. In addition to autism itself, standardized height and average parental head circumference were the most important factors predicting head circumference in individuals with autism. Mean standardized head circumference and rates of macrocephaly were similar in probands with autism and their parents. Increased head circumference was associated with a higher (more severe) ADI‐R social algorithm score. Macrocephaly is associated with delayed onset of language. Although mean head circumference and rates of macrocephaly are increased in autism, a high degree of variability is present, underscoring the complex clinical heterogeneity of the disorder. The wide distribution of head circumference in autism has major implications for genetic, neuroimaging, and other neurobiological research. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Global commons are areas and resources defined as being beyond sovereign jurisdiction. They are socially constructed and this article identifies four: the high seas and deep seabed, Antarctica, outer space and the global atmosphere although attempts to designate new areas as commons are also noted. The construction of global commons, it is argued, has been determined by shifts in human knowledge, capability and perceptions of scarcity. The commons problem, as defined by Hardin and other analysts arises from the ecological consequences of open access, but also from the renewed concerns of strategists about the military use of common spaces. In the international system a primary response has been to extend sovereignty and the degree to which the global commons have been enclosed is assessed. An alternative model is provided by the negotiation of common heritage status, but since the experiment with the deep sea bed this has not found favour in the Arctic, Antarctic and elsewhere. In terms of the continuing management of the commons the international community has resorted to an array of regulatory regimes of varying coverage and effectiveness


Three different principal stresses can be applied in fixed directions to a cubical specimen in this apparatus. The requirements and the construction and operation principles for the cubical triaxial apparatus are presented. The loading system and the deformation measurement principles are described, and procedures for preparing sand and clay specimens are presented. The advantages and limitations of the cubical triaxial apparatus are discussed. The apparatus is relatively inexpensive to build, and it fulfills all basic requirements for high quality soil testing in three dimensions.


Classical algebraic specification is an accepted framework for specification. A criticism which applies is the fact that it is functional, not based on a notion of state as most software development and implementation languages are. We formalise the idea of a state-based object or abstract machine using algebraic means. In contrast to similar approaches we consider dynamic logic instead of equational logic as the framework for specification and implementation. The advantage is a more expressive language allowing us to specify safety and liveness conditions. It also allows a clearer distinction of functional and state-based parts which require different treatment in order to achieve behavioural abstraction when necessary. We shall in particular focus on abstract behaviour and observation. A behavioural notion of satisfaction for state-elements is needed in order to abstract from irrelevant details of the state realisation.


This paper argues that Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart reflects what Giorgio Agamben refers to as the "sovereign paradox" on two levels: first—as reflected by the subject of the novel—on the juridico-political level, and second, on the level of the language and structure of the novel itself.  The relationship between these two levels is made clear by Agamben, who uses language as the prime example of the "sovereign paradox" implicit to the juridical order.  "Language," he writes, "is the sovereign who, in a permanent state of exception, declares that there is nothing outside language and that language is always beyond itself" (21).  Obeirika's words in Things Fall Apart: "There is no story that is not true" (Achebe 14), illustrates this "sovereign paradox" by pointing on the one hand to the omniscient authority of the narrative text, while on the other directly undermining that authority.  I argue that it is by doing away with the binary system of what can and should be considered true and untrue that the reflexive narrative – of which Achebe's novel is a prime example – positions itself in a "permanent state of exception" (Agamben 21). Things Fall Apart establishes for itself "a zone of indistinction" (Agamben 47) characterized by the very impossibility of arriving at the "truth" as such, or "of distinguishing between outside and inside, nature and exception" (37). A "zone of indistinction" is constructed on a textual as well as a political-historical level by the novel's transgression of its own narrative borders.


Now is a particularly important time to consider the relationship between antitrust and innovation. Both US and European antitrust en forcement authorities are taking a look at the state of competition on the Internet, an inquiry that puts into clear focus the need for antitrust to take seriously its relationship with innovation policy.How would the enforcement of antitrust look if the promotion of innovation were its paramount concern? I present 3 suggestions: (1) law enforcement would be primarily concerned with the exclusion of competitors. (2) A competition law centered on promoting innovation would take very seriously its oversight of "innovation catalysts." Oversight of standard setting, platforms, and patents would be of paramount importance. (3) The timing of intervention would become a more crucial issue than it is today — as a matter of prosecutorial discretion considered independent of illegality.


The objective of this thesis is to study and compare different plant layouts for the fulfilment of the energy needs of an hospital facility located in Chicago, IL. A cogeneration and a trigeneration plant, driven by a gas turbine, were modeled and analyzed using a simulation software called eQuest® (QUick Energy Simulation Tool). In particular, the benefits of the introduction of a hot thermal storage system was evaluated and discussed.
Partial improvements to the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 prototype hospital model were introduced in order to guarantee the achievement of the required design conditions, enabling every section of the structure to reach the intended temperature.
An upgrade of the eQuest® model describing the gas turbine was introduced. In particular, the new model brought an improvement in the e ciency of the equipment at partial load conditions. Various turbine sizes were studied (from 600 kW to 1,300 kW) in terms of energy output and wasted products. Among various performance parameters, the percentage reduction in source energy consumption (PRSEC) was considered for the optimal sizing of the plant, since it was the one better describing the overall performance of the system. In the cogeneration system, the highest value of PRSEC reached 19.0%, resulted from the operation of a 700 kW turbine. This system enabled a better utilization of the source energy compared to a traditional separated generation system, in particular, it permitted a reduction in the boiler's fuel consumption due to the exploitation of the heat coming from the exhaust gasses of the turbine.
Moreover a trigeneration plant was analyzed. In this second case, like in the previous, the heating needs of the hospital were satisfied by the recovery of the heat coming from the prime mover, in addition the cooling loads were partially fulfilled by an absorption chiller driven by the exhaust gasses of the turbine. To guarantee the best accuracy of the results, an improvement in the absorption chiller model was implemented starting from the technical sheet of the Millennium YIA TM, manufactured by YORK ®. The same turbine sizes considered in the cogeneration plant were investigated. It emerged that a 800 kW gas turbine was able to reach the highest value of PRSEC of 22.7%. Major improvements in the performance resulted in a lower electricity consumption and electricity peak demand. Furthermore, especially during warmer months, the introduction of the absorption chiller guaranteed a better usage of the waste heat deriving from the turbine.
To conclude the analysis, the effects of the introduction of a hot thermal storage were evaluated in both types of plant's layouts. A fully mixed water tank model was created and implemented in eQuest® starting from the information provided by Advance Tank, Co. Various capacities were studied ranging from 11,800 gal to 53,000 gal. For both types of plant a feasibility study and an optimal sizing procedure was elaborated.
In the cogeneration system, a 14,000 gal tank paired to a 700 kW turbine enabled to reach a value of PRSEC of 20.3%, resulting in an improvement of 1.3% compared to the case of a cogeneration plant without storage. The major benefit introduced by the use of the tank resulted in lower boiler's fuel consumption due to an increment of the recovered heat used for heating purposes.
Much more evident were the benefits brought by the thermal storage in the case of a trigeneration layout. In fact, it resulted in an increase of the size of the prime mover compared to the original layout (from 800 kW to 900 kW). In particular, a reduction in overall electricity consumption and total fuel consumption was observed. These benefits must be attributed to a higher availability of recovered heat, which also resulted in a more extensive use of the absorption chiller. A 39,500 gal tank coupled to a 900 kW turbine allowed to have a 25.1% PRSEC, 2.4% higher than a 800 kW trigeneration plant.


Increased CDK4 activity occurs in the majority of melanomas and CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with BRAF and MEK inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of melanoma. We hypothesize that the timing of the addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors to the current BRAF and MEK inhibitor regime will impact on the efficacy of this triplet drug combination. The efficacy of BRAF, MEK and CDK4/6 inhibitors as single agents and in combination was assessed in human BRAF mutant cell lines that were treatment naïve, BRAF inhibitor tolerant or had acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. Xenograft studies were then performed to test the in vivo efficacy of the BRAF and CDK4/6 inhibitor combination. Melanoma cells that had developed early reversible tolerance or acquired resistance to BRAF inhibition remained sensitive to palbociclib. In drug‐tolerant cells, the efficacy of the combination of palbociclib with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors was equivalent to single agent palbociclib. Similarly, acquired BRAF inhibitor resistance cells lost efficacy to the palbociclib and BRAF combination. In contrast, upfront treatment of melanoma cells with palbociclib in combination with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors induced either cell death or senescence and was superior to a BRAF plus MEK inhibitor combination. In vivo palbociclib plus BRAF inhibitor induced rapid and sustained tumor regression without the development of therapy resistance. In summary, upfront dual targeting of CDK4/6 and mutant BRAF signaling enables tumor cells to evade resistance to monotherapy and is required for robust and sustained tumor regression. Melanoma patients whose tumors have acquired resistance to BRAF inhibition are less likely to have favorable responses to subsequent treatment with the triplet combination of BRAF, MEK and CDK4/6 inhibitors.


PT-symmetric structures, such as a pair of coupled waveguides with balanced loss/gain, exhibit a singularity of their eigenvalues around an exceptional point, hence a large apparent differential gain. In the case of fixed losses and variable gain, typical of plasmonic systems, a similar behavior emerges but the singularity is smoothened, especially in more confined structures. This reduces the differential gain around the singular point. Our analysis ascribes the origin of this behavior to a complex coupling between the waveguides once gain is present in an unsymmetrical fashion, even if guides feature the same modal gains in isolation. We demonstrate that adjunction of a real index variation to the variable waveguide heals the singularity nearly perfectly, as it restores real coupling. We illustrate the success of the approach with two geometries, planar or channel, and with different underlying physics, namely dielectric or plasmonic.


Municipalities must try to make constant incomes and development and economic splendor for themselves. One of the optimum policy in this direction is development and promotion the culture of investment with using the potential of public and private sectors in the direction of constant and durable incomes in order to manage the affaires. Without doubt with proving to be true this aim, municipalities can take big steps to manage their policies and desires for economic development and welfare of citizenships. This present research has been done with the use of descriptive and measurement method in south province of west Azerbaijan. Statistical and research community was consist of 100 people; investment experts and managers in the south province of west Azerbaijan. These people are chosen with the use of sampling census method, data was collected with the use of constant and admissible questionnaire and analyzed with the SPSS 22 software. The result of investigations showed that political dimension is effective in encouraging investment for facilitate encouragement investment in municipalities.


This paper presents an experimental investigation carried out to study the effects of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) on strength development of mortar and the optimum use of slag in mortar. Cement was partially replaced with seven percentages (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70%) of slag by weight. Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) mortar was also prepared as reference mortar. A total of 400 cube and briquet mortar specimens were cast and compressive as well as tensile strength of the mortar specimens were determined at curing age of 3, 7, 14, 28, 60, 90 and 180 days. Test results show that strength increases with the increase of slag up to an optimum value, beyond which, strength values start decreasing with further addition of slag. Among the seven slag mortars, the optimum amount of cement replacement is about 40%, which provides 19% higher compressive strength and 25% higher tensile strength as compared to OPC mortar. K EY W ORDS : Slag; Cement; Mortar; Compressive Strength; Tensile Strength; Hydration. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/mist.v3i0.8053


The world of design is enmeshed with discourses concerning the application of linear and non-linear concepts, systems and methods. Both academics and practitioners have debated the values; use and location of both types of approach in design and the density of either type of system can be observed across diverse creative disciplines, sometimes fluctuating according to historical circumstances. Industrial design and engineering have long enjoyed the cohabitation of a problem space composed of a sophisticated mixture of linear and non-linear systems which narrate the breadth of thinking from the innate through to the ultra rationalist approach. The relationship of these systems illustrates the diversity of problem solving that in many ways is mirrored across the whole spectrum of art and design disciplines and maps the range of problem types from the definable through to the meta and the wicked.


In this article, the authors study the influence of the Internet on human cognitive abilities using a phenomenological and hermeneutical approach. They characterize the Internet as an electronic or technological form of media communication facilitating nearly instantaneous and active dissemination of information, in particular image-based information. The authors study the Internet's influence on the cognitive abilities of humans using a definition of the Internet as multilaterally connected information networks. Applying the theoretical approach, they reach the conclusion that newly formulated thinking strategies feature a network-like character to the detriment of the ability to observe, remember and other higher levels of thinking. The empirical approach is based on neurological and sociological studies which reveal the fact that new ways or strategies of thinking are being fixed in the brain, thereby driving long-term and permanent changes in human thinking. In such a case, the inability to concentrate on one idea for an extended period of time in order to reach a deeper state of contemplation proves to be at risk. In connection to this, we may encounter, as the authors believe, symptoms of knowledge deficiency resulting from a loss of interest in linear, chronological thinking. The authors claim that knowing these risks should lead to a more careful and more critical approach to the Internet, or even Internet communication, which may partially mitigate its negative influence.


Through cross-site authentication schemes such as OAuth and OpenID, users increasingly rely on popular social networking sites for their digital identities--but use of these identities brings privacy and tracking risks. We propose Crypto-Book, an extension to existing digital identity infrastructures that offers privacy-preserving, digital identities through the use of public key cryptography and ring signatures. Crypto-Book builds a privacy-preserving cryptographic layer atop existing social network identities, via third-party key servers that convert social network identities into public/private key-pairs on demand. Using linkable ring signatures, these key-pairs along with the public keys of other identities create unique pseudonyms untraceable back to the owner yet can resist anonymous abuse. Our proof-of-concept implementation of Crypto-Book creates public/private key pairs for Facebook users, and includes a private key pickup protocol based on E-mail. We present Black Box, a case study application that uses Crypto-Book for accountable anonymous whistle-blowing. Black Box allows users to sign files deniably using ring signatures, using a list of arbitrary Facebook users -- who need not consent or even be aware of this use -- as an explicit anonymity set.


The aim of present research work was to formulate an intravenous injection of Omeprazole sodium. Omeprazole drug is very slightly soluble in water. Hence in-situ conversion of Omeprazole into Omeprazole sodium was opted. But Omeprazole sodium is not stable in solution form. It is stable only for 1-2 days. Hence lyophilization technology was adopted to increase the stability of Omeprazole sodium injection. The lyophilization was carried out in different batches by varying the total cycle time, freezing and holding time, primary drying and secondary drying time while keeping the quantities of all the active pharmaceutical ingredients constant. Lyophilization was carried out in five different batches with five different lyophilization-cycles of 24.5 hours, 28.5 hours, 30.5 hours, 32.5 hours, and 35 hours respectively. Melt pack was found in Batch 1, Partial melt pack was found in batch 2, cake was sticking to the bottom of vial in batch 3, moisture content was high in batch 4, the optimized good cake was found in batch 5. lyophilization cycle of 35 hours was optimized. The optimized lyophilized product was subjected to evaluation parameters such as cake appearance, reconstitution time, pH, assay, impurities, particulate matter, water content and DSC. After considering all product characteristics batch-5 was considered as an optimized formulation. All the evaluation parameters complies the limits as per the specification of USP. Accelerated stability studies were also conducted for a period of three months and from the results obtained, it was found that the optimized formulation was found to be stable. Finally, it was concluded that the lyophilization is a suitable technique to enhance the stability of Omeprazole sodium for intravenous injection with a single dose of 40mg/vial.


Topographical and chemical cues drive migration, outgrowth and regeneration of neurons in different and crucial biological conditions. In the natural extracellular matrix, their influences are so closely coupled that they result in complex cellular responses. As a consequence, engineered biomaterials are widely used to simplify in vitro conditions, disentangling intricate in vivo behaviours, and narrowing the investigation on particular emergent responses. Nevertheless, how topographical and chemical cues affect the emergent response of neural cells is still unclear, thus in silico models are used as additional tools to reproduce and investigate the interactions between cells and engineered biomaterials. This work aims at presenting the synergistic use of biomaterials-based experiments and computation as a strategic way to promote the discovering of complex neural responses as well as to allow the interactions between cells and biomaterials to be quantitatively investigated, fostering a rational design of experiments.


Using data from the 2011 Demographic and Health Survey in Mozambique this paper checks whether women empowerment has an impact on the nutritional status of children. We evaluate the degree of empowerment of women via multidimensional approaches, making a distinction between five domains: decision making, use of violence by husband/partner, attitude of the woman towards this use of violence, available information, material resources. Each domain includes several questions reflecting different aspects of empowerment. For each domain of empowerment, three different methods of aggregation are used: correspondence analysis, the so‐called Alkire and Foster methodology and the "fuzzy sets" approach. The impact of women empowerment on the nutritional status of children is analyzed via the MIMIC approach. No clear‐cut conclusion concerning the possible impact of women's empowerment on the nutritional status of children could be drawn. But, ceteris paribus, the material wealth of the household, the educational level of the mother and her BMI are positively correlated with the nutritional status of children which is also higher when the child is female. Finally, there are important differences in the nutritional status of children between the various regions of Mozambique and this nutritional status is in most regions lower in rural areas.


OF DISSERTATION STATE CHILD WELFARE POLICY: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES On any given day almost 400,000 children in the United States are living in an out-of-home care placement due to government intervention. Federal law allows for substantial variance in state child welfare policy on a number of topics. These policy decisions, however, are understudied both in terms of the forces driving them and also the impacts the policies have on actual outcomes for children in care. Utilizing a unique panel data set comprised of thirteen child welfare policies that vary both between states and over time we examine how well redistributive theory (constituent, institutional, paternalistic and resource pressures) explains state policy decisions from 2004-2010. The results provide very little confidence that redistributive pressures are driving state variance, though there are some noteworthy patterns. Within the four categories of explanatory variables, it would seem that child welfare policies are much more sensitive to changes in the social factors associated with a paternalistic response (unmarried birth rate and program utilization) and resource pressures than to constituent or institutional characteristics. Subsequently, a series of hazard models were conducted for each possible discharge outcome, using child level data from the 2010 AFCARS foster care dataset, with primary interest in the influence of policy and state level factors. Policy-level predictors primarily had negative impacts on discharge outcomes for children. Exceptions include better outcomes for children in states with higher generosity of access, increased rates of adoption and aging out with higher ASFA timeline compliance, and more discharges to reunification and adoption with more flexible adoption policy. State level factors consistently showed strong influences on child outcomes. While increased unemployment was associated with worse child outcomes, all other state level factors considered were associated with positive discharge outcomes for children in outof-home care. This research broadens the theoretical application of redistributive theory to a new policy arena and adds an additional layer of state level explanatory variables to the muchstudied outcomes for children in out-of-home care. It establishes that children and families do not exist in a vacuum and that child welfare research must take broader state and policy factors into account for a complete picture.


A technological solution for the management of diabetes in people who require intensive insulin therapy has been sought for decades. The last 10 years have seen substantial growth in devices that can be integrated into clinical care. Driven by the availability of reliable systems for continuous glucose monitoring, we have entered an era in which insulin delivery through insulin pumps can be modulated based on sensor glucose data. Over the past few years, regulatory approval of the first automated insulin delivery (AID) systems has been granted, and these systems have been adopted into clinical care. Additionally, a community of people living with type 1 diabetes has created its own systems using a do-it-yourself approach by using products commercialized for independent use. With several AID systems in development, some of which are anticipated to be granted regulatory approval in the near future, the joint Diabetes Technology Working Group of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes and the American Diabetes Association has created this consensus report. We provide a review of the current landscape of AID systems, with a particular focus on their safety. We conclude with a series of recommended targeted actions. This is the fourth in a series of reports issued by this working group. The working group was jointly commissioned by the executives of both organizations to write the first statement on insulin pumps, which was published in 2015. The original authoring group was comprised by three nominated members of the American Diabetes Association and three nominated members of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Additional authors have been added to the group to increase diversity and range of expertise. Each organization has provided a similar internal review process for each manuscript prior to submission for editorial review by the two journals. Harmonization of editorial and substantial modifications has occurred at both levels. The members of the group have selected the subject of each statement and submitted the selection to both organizations for confirmation.


The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) Transpolar Earth Reflectometry exploriNg system (G-TERN) was proposed in response to ESA's Earth Explorer 9 revised call by a team of 33 multi-disciplinary scientists. The primary objective of the mission is to quantify at high spatio-temporal resolution crucial characteristics, processes and interactions between sea ice, and other Earth system components in order to advance the understanding and prediction of climate change and its impacts on the environment and society. The objective is articulated through three key questions. 1) In a rapidly changing Arctic regime and under the resilient Antarctic sea ice trend, how will highly dynamic forcings and couplings between the various components of the ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere modify or influence the processes governing the characteristics of the sea ice cover (ice production, growth, deformation, and melt)? 2) What are the impacts of extreme events and feedback mechanisms on sea ice evolution? 3) What are the effects of the cryosphere behaviors, either rapidly changing or resiliently stable, on the global oceanic and atmospheric circulation and mid-latitude extreme events? To contribute answering these questions, G-TERN will measure key parameters of the sea ice, the oceans, and the atmosphere with frequent and dense coverage over polar areas, becoming a "dynamic mapper" of the ice conditions, the ice production, and the loss in multiple time and space scales, and surrounding environment. Over polar areas, the G-TERN will measure sea ice surface elevation (<10 cm precision), roughness, and polarimetry aspects at 30-km resolution and 3-days full coverage. G-TERN will implement the interferometric GNSS reflectometry concept, from a single satellite in near-polar orbit with capability for 12 simultaneous observations. Unlike currently orbiting GNSS reflectometry missions, the G-TERN uses the full GNSS available bandwidth to improve its ranging measurements. The lifetime would be 2025–2030 or optimally 2025–2035, covering key stages of the transition toward a nearly ice-free Arctic Ocean in summer. This paper describes the mission objectives, it reviews its measurement techniques, summarizes the suggested implementation, and finally, it estimates the expected performance.


Initially developed for the min-knapsack problem, the knapsack cover inequalities are used in the current best relaxations for numerous combinatorial optimization problems of covering type. In spite of their widespread use, these inequalities yield linear programming (LP) relaxations of exponential size, over which it is not known how to optimize exactly in polynomial time. In this paper we address this issue and obtain LP relaxations of quasi-polynomial size that are at least as strong as that given by the knapsack cover inequalities. For the min-knapsack cover problem, our main result can be stated formally as follows: for any e > 0, there is a (1/e)O(1) nO(log n)-size LP relaxation with an integrality gap of at most 2 + e, where n is the number of items. Prior to this work, there was no known relaxation of subexponential size with a constant upper bound on the integrality gap. Our construction is inspired by a connection between extended formulations and monotone circuit complexity via Karchmer-Wigderson games. In particular, our LP is based on O(log2 n)-depth monotone circuits with fan-in 2 for evaluating weighted threshold functions with n inputs, as constructed by Beimel and Weinreb. We believe that a further understanding of this connection may lead to more positive results complementing the numerous lower bounds recently proved for extended formulations.


Amid the continued rise of big data in both the public and private sectors, spatial information has come to play an increasingly prominent role. This article defines big data as both a sociotechnical and epistemic project with regard to spatial information. Through interviews, job shadowing, and a review of current literature, both academic researchers and private companies are shown to approach spatial big data sets in analogous ways. Digital footprints and data fumes , respectively, describe a process that inscribes certain meaning into quantified spatial information. Social and economic limitations of this data are presented. Finally, the field of geographic information science is presented as a useful guide in dealing with the "hard work of theory" necessary in the big data movement.


The dielectric properties of methylene blue (MB)-doped hydrogels were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The real part (ε') and the imaginary part (ε") of the complex dielectric constant and the energy loss tangent/dissipation factor (tan δ) were measured in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 100 MHz at room temperature for pH 5.5 value. Frequency variations of the resistance, the reactance, and the impedance of the samples have also been investigated. The dielectric permittivity of the MB-doped hydrogels is sensitive to ionic conduction and electrode polarization in low frequency. Furthermore, the dielectric behavior in high-frequency parts was attributed to the Brownian motion of the hydrogen bonds. The ionic conduction for MB-doped samples was prevented for Cole-Cole plots, while the Cole-Cole plots for pure sample show equivalent electrical circuit. The alternative current (ac) conductivity increases with the increasing MB concentration and the frequency.