PURPOSE
To assess the effect of ruboxistaurin (RBX) on vision loss through a prospectively defined combined analysis of two phase 3 trials (MBDL and MBCU).

METHODS
Patients in both of these 3-year randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked trials had best-corrected Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity (VA) ≥ 75 letters (∼20/32 Snellen), ETDRS retinopathy level 20 to 47D (MBDL) or 35B to 53E (MBCU), and no prior panretinal or focal photocoagulation in at least one eye at baseline. Patients received oral placebo (N = 508 total from both studies) or RBX 32 mg/d (N = 520 total). Best-corrected ETDRS VA was measured at 6-month intervals for 3 years (MBDL) or for 18 to 48 months (MBCU). Sustained moderate visual loss (SMVL) was defined as a 15-letter or more reduction from baseline in VA sustained for a patient's last 6 months of study participation.

RESULTS
In the combined studies (N = 1028 total), SMVL occurred in 4.4% of placebo- versus 2.3% of RBX-treated patients (P = 0.069). In patients with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up (N = 825 total), there was less SMVL in the RBX group (4.4% placebo versus 2.1% RBX, P = 0.045). Other VA-related measures (mean VA, contrast sensitivity, Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 [VFQ-25]) either trended toward a benefit for RBX or were also statistically significant in favor of RBX. In contrast, diabetic macular edema (DME) morphology-related measures (occurrence of significant center of macula involvement, optical coherence tomography [OCT]-determined center of macula thickness, application of focal photocoagulation) did not show a consistent trend in favor of or against RBX.

CONCLUSIONS
SMVL data in a prospectively defined combined analysis from these two phase 3 trials suggest a magnitude of effect of RBX on vision loss similar to that seen in two prior studies (approximately 50% reduction above standard care). However, event rates were low and statistical significance was not achieved. (ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00133952, NCT00090519.).


The clinically important suppression of high-frequency discharges of excitable cells by local anesthetics (LA) is largely determined by drug-induced prolongation of the time course of repriming (recovery from inactivation) of voltage-gated Na+ channels. This prolongation may result from periodic drug-binding to a high-affinity binding site during the action potentials and subsequent slow dissociation from the site between action potentials ("dissociation hypothesis"). For many drugs it has been suggested that the fast inactivated state represents the high-affinity binding state. Alternatively, LAs may bind with high affinity to a native slow-inactivated state, thereby accelerating the development of this state during action potentials ("stabilization hypothesis"). In this case, slow recovery between action potentials occurs from enhanced native slow inactivation. To test these two hypotheses we produced serial cysteine mutations of domain IV segment 6 in rNav1.4 that resulted in constructs with varying propensities to enter fast- and slow-inactivated states. We tested the effect of the LA lidocaine on the time course of recovery from short and long depolarizing prepulses, which, under drug-free conditions, recruited mainly fast- and slow-inactivated states, respectively. Among the tested constructs the mutation-induced changes in native slow recovery induced by long depolarizations were not correlated with the respective lidocaine-induced slow recovery after short depolarizations. On the other hand, for long depolarizations the mutation-induced alterations in native slow recovery were significantly correlated with the kinetics of lidocaine-induced slow recovery. These results favor the "dissociation hypothesis" for short depolarizations but the "stabilization hypothesis" for long depolarizations.


Name of the headquarters of Distric/Taluks, their rural-urban status and distance from District headquarters, 2001, CD block, their rural-urban status and distance from District headquarters, Population of the District at each census from 1901 to 2001, Area, number of village/towns and population in district and taluks, CD block wise number of village and rural population 2001, Population of urban agglomerations (including constituent units/towns), Village with population of 5,000 and above at CD block level as per 2001 census and amenities available, statutory towns with population less than 5,000 as per 2001 census and amenities available, Houseless and institutional population of Taluks, rural and urban, 2001.


Two important requirements when aggregating the preferences of multiple agents are that the outcome should be economically efficient and the aggregation mechanism should not be manipulable. In this article, we provide a computer-aided proof of a sweeping impossibility using these two conditions for randomized aggregation mechanisms. More precisely, we show that every efficient aggregation mechanism can be manipulated for all expected utility representations of the agents' preferences. This settles an open problem and strengthens several existing theorems, including statements that were shown within the special domain of assignment. Our proof is obtained by formulating the claim as a satisfiability problem over predicates from real-valued arithmetic, which is then checked using a satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) solver. To verify the correctness of the result, a minimal unsatisfiable set of constraints returned by the SMT solver was translated back into a proof in higher-order logic, which was automatically verified by an interactive theorem prover. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of SMT solvers in computational social choice.


Hearing people argue opposing sides of an issue can be a useful way to understand the topic; however, these debates or conversations often don't exist.  Unfortunately, generating interesting natural language conversations is a difficult problem and typically requires a deep model of both a domain and its language.  Fortunately, there is a huge amount of interesting text, written both by professional writers and amateurs, already available on the web.   In this paper, we describe a system that builds compelling conversations between two characters—not by generating wholly new natural language, but by gathering, assembling, and processing existing online textual content.  Our initial system authors conversations between two simulated movie reviewers, in a style similar to "Siskel and Ebert."  Using various online repositories, the system searches for a variety of facts and opinions about a given film.  The system then uses this mined data to choose between various conversational templates and construct the dialogue.  Using this information, the system is able to generate natural-sounding, colorful conversations and arguments without a deep representation of the subject being discussed.


This paper investigates the relation between amenities and skills by looking at the sorting behavior of skilled individuals across neighbourhoods within British cities. Using a detailed micro dataset on housing transactions we recover a composite measure of local amenities that captures the level of attractiveness of each neighbourhood. By combining the amenity measure with data on British individuals we analyse how the cost associated with the consumption of amenities is distributed across education groups and across neighborhoods within cities defined as integrated labour markets. Results show that, holding constant the availability of job opportunities, high skilled individuals exhibit a moderate preference bias towards amenity consumption as they tend to sort into more attractive neighborhoods than lower skilled individuals with the same income.


To the Editor: Sapovirus is the distinct genus within the family Caliciviridae; these viruses cause sporadic cases and outbreaks of gastroenteritis in humans worldwide (1). The sapovirus genome contains 2 open reading frames (ORFs). ORF1 encodes nonstructural and capsid proteins while ORF2 encodes a small protein (2). Sapovirus has a typical "Star of David" configuration by electron microscopic examination. The prototype sapovirus is the Sapporo virus (Hu/SaV/Sapporo virus/1977/JP), which was originally discovered from an outbreak in a home for infants in Sapporo, Japan, in 1977 (3). Sapovirus is divided into 5 genogroups, among which only genogroups I, II, IV, and V are known to infect humans (4).

A fecal specimen was collected from a 1-year-old boy with acute gastroenteritis in Osaka, Japan, in March 2005. The viral genome was extracted by using a QIAamp kit (Quigen, Hilden, Germany). By using multiplex reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 2 groups of diarrheal viruses were identified. The first group included astrovirus, norovirus, and sapovirus; the second group included rotavirus and adenovirus (5). Sapovirus polymerase region was also amplified to identify recombinant sapovirus by using primers P290 and P289 (6). To eliminate the possibility of co-infection of 2 different sapovirus genotypes, to localize the potential recombination site, and to understand a possible recombination mechanism of recombinant sapovirus, flanking polymerase and capsid regions, with their junction of HU/5862/Osaka/JP, were amplified with primers P290 and SLV5749 to produce a 1,162-bp product (5,6). Products were directly sequenced, and capsid- and polymerase-based phylogenetic trees showed recombinant sapovirus.

The fecal specimen was positive for sapovirus. HU/5862/Osaka/JP clustered into the genogroup I genotype 8 (GI/8 the 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44 cluster) (Figure) by using the recent sapovirus capsid region classification (7). HU/5862/Osaka/JP with GI/8 capsid was classified into GI/1 (the Sapporo/82 cluster) when polymerase-based grouping was performed. When the sequence of HU/5862/Osaka/JP was compared with that of Sapporo/82 by using SimPlot Version 1.3 (available from http://sray.med.som.jhmi.edu/SCRoftware/simplot), the recombination site was identified at the polymerase-capsid junction. Before this junction, sequences of HU/5862/Osaka/JP and Sapporo/82 were highly homologous. However, homology between them was notably different after the junction, with a sudden drop in the identity for HU/5862/Osaka/JP. By using ClustalX, HU/5862/Osaka/JP shared a 96% identity in polymerase sequence and an 85% identity in capsid sequence with Sapporo/82. In contrast, homology was 99% in the capsid region between HU/5862/Osaka/JP and 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44. Since a polymerase sequence of 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44 was not available in GenBank because of the unsuccessful amplification, homology in the polymerase region between HU/5862/Osaka/JP and 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44 was unknown.

Figure

Changing genotypes of sapovirus on the basis of phylogenetic trees. Trees were constructed from partial amino acid sequences of capsid and polymerase of HU/5862/Osaka/JP highlighted in italics. Phylogenetic tree with 1,000 bootstrap resamples of the nucleotide ...

Altogether, the findings underscored that HU/5862/Osaka/JP represented a novel, naturally occurring, recombinant sapovirus with GI/8 capsid and GI/1 polymerase. To determine whether the child was infected with this novel recombinant sapovirus or whether the novel recombinant sapovirus resulted from co-infection with 2 different viruses, Svppo (Sapporo/82-specific primer), Svdcc (8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44-specific primer), and SLV5749 were used to amplify the capsid region (5). However, no amplicon was found. These negative results indicate no co-infection in this child.

Even though many molecular epidemiologic studies on sapovirus infection have been performed worldwide, reports documenting recombination in sapovirus are still limited. The first recombinant sapovirus identified was the Thai isolate Mc10 or the Japanese isolate C12 (8); the Japanese isolate Ehime1107 and the SW278 isolate from Sweden were identified later (9). Recombination occurred only in sapovirus genogroup II, which is more capable of recombination than other genogroups (8,9). In this study, we identified HU/5862/Osaka/JP with a novel recombination between 2 distinct genotypes within genogroup I. This is the first report of acute gastroenteritis caused by recombinant sapovirus genogroup I. The findings underscore that natural recombination occurs not only in sapovirus genogroup II but also in genogroup I.

In recent studies of sapovirus recombination, evidence for the location of the recombination event is lacking because of the distant geographic relationship of parent and progeny strains. HU/5862/Osaka/JP shared the closest sequences of polymerase and capsid with Sapporo/82 and 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44, respectively. Sapporo/82 was first isolated in 1982, and 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44 was isolated in 2000, both in Japan. Possibly, Sapporo/82 and 8/DCC/Tokyo/JP/44 were parental strains of HU/5862/Osaka/JP, and the event leading to the novel recombination might have occurred in Japan.

The capsid region was used for genotype classification of sapovirus (7). When capsid-based grouping was performed, HU/5862/Osaka/JP distinctly belonged to genotype 8. When polymerase-based grouping was performed, HU/5862/Osaka/JP distinctly belonged to genotype 1. Therefore, sapovirus classification based on capsid sequence is questionable. We suggest that sapovirus classification should rely not only on capsid sequence but also on polymerase sequence.


The University of Teesside is located in Middlesbrough, a major North East town at the heart of the Teesside region. Over 14,000 students are currently studying at Teesside on a range of courses, from diplomas and first degrees to postgraduate qualifications. The University's £11 mill. Learning Resource Centre is at the heart of the Teesside learning experience and is a landmark for the region.


Innovation is creating robots and computers that are able to perform many tasks previously accomplished by man. The place occupied by men in the job field will shrink. The current organization and the existence of many jobs are in danger. In the article we discuss the treats and opportunities of using ICT in business and the impact on business models and on the human's job. Through a survey on Italian business context we observe the awareness of the people directly involved in decision making and in designing future work in the firms. The consciousness of the people on the effects of the diffusion of ICT matches with the opportunities for doing business. How to find the right equilibrium between the two perspectives?


Since the 1980s the export oriented readymade garment (RMG) industry of Bangladesh has experienced an extraordinary evolution: having started with 9 enterprises in the late seventies, the number has now grown to over 3000. This trend was accompanied by a tremendous rise in the export share from 0.2% in 1980 to nearly 75% in 1997-98. High concentration on low value-added products, strong dependence on imported textiles and high regional concentration of exports characterize Bangladesh's RMG sector.
The main policy framework is given by the WTO's Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC), which follows the former Multifibre Arrangement (MFA). By 2005, the sector is to be fully integrated into GATT rules and existing quotas currently hampering trade will come to an end. Also the European Union enlargement, the China accession to WTO and the further liberalization of textile sector announced by the WTO Doha Round will influence greatly the development of clothing and textile sector. Thus, it can be expected that worldwide trade in textile and clothing will expand and that production in now discriminated regions will increase. However, existing import tariffs for textiles, strongly supported by local textile producers, hinder the current RMG production in Bangladesh. The similar effects are generated by export subsides introduced by Bangladeshi trade partners for clothing and textile products exported to Bangladesh. In this paper we will discuss how the expected clothing and textile trade liberalization may influence the development of the Bangladeshi economy and as well as how future policy measures may affect this development.
The experiments simulate a full phase-out of the MFA quotas, WTO accession of China as well as WTO Doha Round effects on the Bangladeshi economy. The preliminary results indicate that ATC implementation will lead to an increase in production in Bangladesh, but compared to China and particularly India growth rates will be quite modest since Bangladesh looses in competitiveness against China and India (Herok and van Tongeren, 2002). Therefore, we also simulate how the available policy instruments can be used to improve the Bangladeshi position on the world market. In particular, we will simulate the reduction of import tariffs in the textile and clothing sector and the elimination of clothing and textile export subsidies between Bangladesh and India. Modeling the import tariff reduction will take into consideration that the Bangladeshi exporters already enjoy duty free import facilities.

Reference
Herok, C. A., and van Tongeren, F. (2002). Bangladesh: Textiles versus Clothing, Paper presented ETSG conference, Kiel, 13- 15 September.


Murine dermis contains functionally and spatially distinct fibroblast lineages that cease to proliferate in early postnatal life. Here we propose a mathematical model in which a negative feedback loop between extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and fibroblast proliferation determines dermal architecture. Our model faithfully recapitulates dermal maturation, predicting a loss of spatial segregation of fibroblast lineages and dictating that fibroblast migration is only required for wound healing. To test this we performed in vivo live imaging of dermal fibroblasts, which revealed that homeostatic tissue architecture is achieved without active cell migration. In contrast, both fibroblast proliferation and migration are key determinants of tissue repair following wounding. The results show that tissue-scale coordination is driven by the interdependence of cell proliferation and ECM deposition, paving the way for identifying new therapeutic strategies to enhance skin regeneration.


BACKGROUND
Most prenatal preventive interventions for unmarried mothers do not integrate fathers or help the parents plan for the development of a functional coparenting alliance after the baby's arrival. Furthermore, properly trained professionals have only rarely examined the fidelity of these interventions.

PURPOSE
This report examines whether experienced community interventionists (home visitors, health educators, fatherhood service personnel) with no formal couples' therapy training are capable of pairing together to deliver with adequate fidelity a manualized dyadic intervention designed for expectant unmarried mothers and fathers.

METHODS
Three male and four female mentors (home visitors, health educators, fatherhood personnel) working in paired male-female co-mentor teams delivered a seven-session "Figuring It Out for the Child" curriculum (six prenatal sessions, one booster) to 14 multirisk, unmarried African American families (parent age ranging from 14 to 40). Parental well-being and views of fatherhood were assessed before the intervention and again 3 months after the baby's birth. Quality assurance analysts evaluated mentor fidelity (adherence to the curriculum, competence in engaging couples with specified curricular content) through a review of the transcripts and audiotapes from the sessions. Mentors also rated their own adherence.

RESULTS
Although the mentors overestimated adherence, quality assurance analyst ratings found acceptable levels of adherence and competence, with no significant male-female differences in fidelity. Adherence and competence were marginally higher in sessions that required fewer direct couples' interventions. Parents reported satisfaction with the interventions and showed statistically significant improvement in the family dimensions of interest at 3-4 months posttreatment.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Findings support the wisdom of engaging men both as interventionists and as recipients of prenatal coparenting interventions-even in families where the parents are uncoupled and non-co-residential.


Background: Advances in breast cancer diagnosis and management have produced significant improvements in disease-free and breast cancer related survival. Consequently, there is increasing focus on the quality of long-term cancer survivorship. Of the 44,000 women diagnosed annually in the United Kingdom, 30% to 40% are required to undergo mastectomy. During the past 30years, significant technical advances in breast reconstruction have increased performance of this surgical practice as a means to potentially improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for breast cancer survivors. Breast reconstruction studies increasingly aim to assess more discriminating outcomes based on the patients' own perception of the surgical result and its effect on HRQoL. This incremental output in HRQoL evaluation is being fuelled by both healthcare providers and official bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration, together with demands for more comprehensive comparative effectiveness data to permit fully informed consent by patients. Methods: In this systematic review, the authors apply inclusion and exclusion criteria to effectively screen 1012 abstracts identified in the field of HRQoL in breast reconstruction between 1978 and 2009. Each study was evaluated with respect to its design and statistical methodology. Each was reviewed with a recommended standard checklist of methodological requirements as described by Efficace et al (J Clin Oncol. 2003;21:3502–3511). Results: A total of 34 papers that included HRQL outcomes in breast reconstruction were identified and reviewed in detail. The majority of studies were retrospective in nature with significant inherent limitations. Specifically, they were compromised by potentially biased patient recall. Most of these studies lacked both an a priori outcome of interest and statistical rigor jeopardizing estimations of potential effect size. In addition, more than 90% of the studies failed to report or describe missing data. Thirteen studies provided level I (n = 2) and II (n = 11) evidence. While these studies benefited from more robust design, the majority used generic instruments such as 36-item short form (SF-36), which may not be sufficiently sensitive to measure changes consequent to breast reconstruction (ie, effect on body image or psychosocial well-being). Furthermore, these studies were generally underpowered to detect meaningful clinical difference or to permit subgroup analyses. Further limitations included reliance on single center design that may negatively impact generalizability and deficiencies in reporting the number and types of surgical complications, which potentially has an effect on HRQoL outcomes. Conclusions: This systematic review reveals tendency for sound scientific methodology in HRQoL to be undermined by poorly designed and underpowered studies. In the current healthcare environment, patients and providers increasingly seek meaningful data to guide clinical decisions; policy makers are similarly in need of a rigorous patient-centered, comparative effectiveness data to inform national level decision-making. In light of this and the limitations of the existing published data, there is a pressing need for further Level I and II evidence in the form of randomized controlled trials as well as well-designed, multicenter prospective longitudinal studies in breast reconstruction. Such studies should incorporate sensitive and condition–specific patient-report outcome measures, provide adequate sample sizes, and respect established guidelines for rigorous HRQoL methodology.


A series of experimental hypereutectoid pearlitic steels were tested under rolling contact sliding conditions using a lubricated twin-disc setup to study the influence of different chemical compositions and heat treatments on rolling contact fatigue life. Tested samples were then characterised using microscopy and synchrotron measurements as a function of depth from the contact surface. Results, analysed through neural networks, indicate that the most influential factor in lengthening the number of cycles to crack initiation of hypereutectoid steels is hardness, attained by increasing the cooling rate from the hot rolling temperature, but adequate alloying additions can enhance it further. The harder, fast-cooled samples displayed less plastic flow at the surface than the softer slow-cooled ones. With regard to chemical composition, silicon was found to strengthen the ferrite thus reducing strain incompatibilities with the cementite, preventing in this way the fragmentation and eventual dissolution of the lamellae. This is beneficial since larger depths of cementite dissolution were found in samples with lower cycles to crack initiation for a given cooling rate (hardness). Samples containing vanadium lasted longer and displayed less plastic deformation at the surface than those without, at a similar hardness.


This study was aimed at determining serum copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) levels and the occurrence of oxidative stress in cattle performing tongue-playing stereotypies. The study material comprised of 25 healthy cattle and 50 stereotypic cattle performing tongueplaying, which were of a varying age and sex composition. The stereotypic animals were observed to display non-physiological tongue movements either by raising their heads and stretching their tongue out at long or short time intervals, or by contorting, rolling or swinging their tongue and making circular tongue movements in their mouth. These animals were confirmed to perform tongue-playing stereotypies. 10 mL blood samples were taken from each animal included in the study, and the sera extracted were analysed for serum Cu, Mn, Zn, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels. While the serum Mn levels of the stereotypic animals were lower than those of the healthy animals (P<0.001), it was observed that the serum Cu and Zn levels of the stereotypic and healthy animals did not differ (P>0.05). While the MDA (P<0.001), NO (P<0.001) and TOS (P<0.05) levels of the stereotypic animals were found to be higher than those of the healthy animals, the TAS (P>0.05) levels did not differ between the two groups. In result, it was concluded that Mn deficiency has an important role in the aetiology of tongue-playing stereotypies, and that this behavioural disorder is associated with oxidative damage or inflammation. Oxidative stress in tongue playing disease is thought to be formed due to cellular damage or stress.


The complexities of healthcare situations often include the religious commitments of patients. They should include those of healthcare professionals as well. In this fresh approach to problems in medical ethics, contributors provide case studies, interviews, and personal narratives that help ethicists listen more attentively and offer wiser critiques of the moral issues involved.


Comparison of five X-ray observations of the intermediate polar FO Aqr reveals that the morphology of the X-ray light curve changes considerably with time. In particular, power spectra of the 1988 Ginga and 1993 ASCA data reveal strong sideband and orbital variations, whereas the 1990 Ginga observation does not. This suggests that the amount of stream-fed accretion varies with epoch, and the system was accreting predominantly from a disc in 1990. In contrast to other intermediate polars, the X-ray spin-pulse profiles show significant variations between observations, ranging from relatively sinusoidal to sawtooth-shaped at medium energies. During the 1988 and 1990 observations a notch is visible at spin phase zero, due to the presence of an interpulse at phase 0.85, which is absent during the other observations. At lower energies a narrow pulse of emission is seen at spin phase 0.2. We interpret the pulse profile from the 1990 Ginga observation using a model for accretion from a disc on to a dipolar magnetic field, the axis of which is offset from the white dwarf centre by ~ 0.15 white dwarf radii. In order to account for the later occurrence of the hardness-ratio maximum in 1988 and 1993, we suggest that the accretion-rate profile changes so that accretion is favoured along the field lines which trail the magnetic pole. This also accounts for the disappearance of the interpulse and notch in 1993.


Retention, or nanoparticle deposition, on the walls of porous media has been shown to cause alterations in rock properties, such as porosity and permeability. This thesis investigated the possible alterations in wetting preferences of Berea sandstone as an effect of silica nanoparticle (SNP) adsorption on the pore surfaces. Reservoir wettability governs the behaviour of several physical properties in the pore spaces, making it an important parameter in multiphase fluid flow and more importantly; in petroleum recovery. Through experimental studies, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic SNPs with an average particle size of 7 nm have been tested as wettability changers. Nanofluids with particle concentrations of 0,01 wt. %, 0,1 wt. % and 0,5 wt. % were mixed for each particle type. Hydrophilic SNPs were suspended in 3 wt. % brine and hydrophobic in absolute ethanol. Tests were conducted on pairs of Berea core plugs with compatible porous and permeable properties. The Amott-Harvey method was employed to determine the wetting preferences of the rock, both before and after injection of silica nanofluids. Contact angle measurements by the imaging method were conducted to see how SNPs affect fluid interfaces at a solid surface. Porosity testing showed evidence of particle retention while permeability impairment was only seen for the highest nanoparticle concentrations. This indicated that adsorption was the functioning retention mechanism. None of the nanofluids, regardless of concentration, had any apparent effect on the resulting Amott-Harvey wettability index (WI). However, hydrophobic SNPs affected the rate of spontaneous imbibition. Contact angles between oil, brine and glass was changed due to the presence of SNPs demonstrating that the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups have the ability to alter the interfacial tensions (IFT) in the system.


There has been a major switch from equity to debt finance in recent years, associated with a fall in the long-term rate of interest. The paper explores the macro-economic causes of the sea change in interest rates (lower budget deficits, independent central banks, lower inflation expectations) and the micro-economic consequences. Firms are taking on more debt partly for tax reasons and partly because at lower interest rates they have better interest cover. This means they can increase their borrowing at lower risk and hence at lower cost. An examination of a cross section of UK firms from the FTSE 350 shows two major influences on the debt-to-value ratio of large firms. Firms with healthy cash flow are allowed to borrow against that income; and firms whose income is relatively invariant across the economic cycle (as measured by a low asset beta) can afford a higher level of debt.


In order to make the transfer of biological principles to engineering problems successful, it is important to study the fundamental properties of biological systems. The goal is to arrive with useful abstractions that are (1) implementable, (2) testable by experiments and sample implementations, (3) retain the, for the engineering problems, essential good properties and features of the biological systems. At BIRG, we are interested in the fundamentals of locomotion control and their possible applications to robotics. In this contribution, we present a simple, adaptive locomotion toy system that is of oscillatory nature. It is composed of two parts: an adaptive controller based on a nonlinear oscillator, and a mechanical system made of two blocks attached by an active and a passive spring. The controller is designed to be robust against perturbations, and to adapt its locomotion control to changing body kinematics or added external load. The tools to develop such a toy-system are a 2-scale nonlinear dynamical system -- a Hopf oscillator with adaptive frequency -- and a understanding of synchronization behavior of oscillators. A further central ingredient that will be discussed is the concept of asymmetric friction forces. We show that the system possess es several critical parameters. It is illustrated that the bifurcations connected with some of these parameters can be identified as non-smooth phase transitions and power law behavior. Links to biology and possible applications to robotic s are discussed.


Biological carbonate hard tissues, such as the shell of the bivalve Mytilus edulis, are composites of biopolymers and minerals. M. edulis has two distinct layers, the outer layer consists of fibrous calcite and the inner layer is composed of nacreous aragonite. Close to the interface between nacreous aragonite and fibrous calcite, a 1-2 micrometer wide zone exists that consists of granular aragonite. Aragonite granules and tablets as well as calcite fibrous are embedded into matrix biopolymers.
In order to understand the composite nature of these hard tissues, biomimetic experiments using hydrogels were carried out. Hydrogels are able to model biogenic matrix environments due to their ability to confine space and to determine diffusion rates, local concentrations and supersaturation of the solutes. Hydrogels have local crystallization microenvironment that is distinguished from that in solution by confinement of solutes in the hydrogel pores. However, hydorgels only mimic biological extracellular matrices to some extent as the hydrogel fiber organization lacks any order, unlike it is in the case of the cholesteric liquid phase, e. g. chitin. The hydrogel strength is adjustable by changing its solid content. It further increases local hydrogel fiber co-aligments that to some extent will mimic organic matrices in biological hard tissues. Different kinds of hydrogels were used to study calcite crystallization (silica, agarose, gelatin). As each hydrogel has different characteristics, hydrogels can act differently in promoting or inhibiting crystallization. Hydrogels have an ability to mechanically impede the growth of a crystal depending on the strength of the hydrogel. Gelatin hydrogel is a poly-peptide material derived from natural collagen through hydrolytic degradation. The hyrolitic degradation breaks the triple-helix structure of collagen into single-strand molecules. Gelatin contains both acidic and basic amino acids with isoelectric point values near ∼5 and with predominance of acidic moieties. Agarose hydrogel is a linear polysaccharide extracted from marine red algae. It consists of beta-1,3 linked D-galactose and alpha-1,4 linked 3,6-anhydro-alpha-L-galactose residues. Gelatin and agarose hydrogels are composed of a fibrous structure that have varying mesh void dimensions depending on the hydrogel solid content. Hydrogel with 2.5 wt % gelatin solid content exerts less pressure against the growing calcite crystal aggregate than a hydrogel with 10 wt % gelatin solid content. Silica hydrogel does not exert strong pressure against the growing calcite crystal aggregate due to its nature as it is composed of minute (less than 20 nm) sized spherical particles that do not appear to form a network. The hydrogel strength together with the growth rate of the crystal defines the amount of incorporated hydrogel into the growing calcite crystal aggregate such that a strong hydrogel will incorporate more gel into the calcite crystal than a weak hydrogel.
Calcite grown in Mg-free silica hydrogels has a rhombohedral shape and is elongated on the c-axis. It grows as dumbbell-shaped aggregates in the presence of Mg. Silica hydrogel either Mg-free or Mg-bearing does not give a major influence on the co-orientation of the obtained crystal aggregate. Calcite grown in Mg-free agarose has two morphologies: rhombohedron-shaped calcite crystals and calcite radial aggregates. Calcite grown in Mg-bearing agarose has sheaf-like and peanut like morphologies. The presence of Mg in agarose influences the co-orientation of calcite crystals within calcite Mg-bearing agarose composites. The calcite/Mg-free agarose composite has several large crystal subunits while the calcite/Mg-bearing agarose composite shows a spherulitic microstructure. In the case of gelatin hydrogel, the precipitate consists of calcite aggregates that have a variety of features i.e. the formation of mosaic crystals and mesocrystal-like subunits in one aggregate, the formation of aggregates with a fan-like distribution of the c-axis orientation and the formation of spherulitic aggregates. The formation of aggregates with different characteristic in the subunits can be explained as a result of a combination between local differences in gelatin matrix arrangement and physicochemical conditions such as the change in Mg/Ca ratio, pH, saturation, etc. The development of a fan-like distribution of the c-axes orientation in the calcite aggregate subunits can be explained as a result of Mg intrasectorial zoning. A different degree of Mg incorporation in different growth steps will accumulate misfit strain in the lattice. This misfit strain could be released through the formation of dislocations at regular intervals, such that small-angle boundaries develop. This growth further leads to the extreme split growth and the formation of fan-like and spherulitic crystal aggregates.
The etching experiments of calcite/hydrogel composites reveal the structure of the incorporated hydrogel within the calcite crystals and aggregates. In the case of Mg-bearing silica hydrogel more silica hydrogel is incorporated into the calcite crystal than in the case of Mg-free silica hydrogel. Thick hydrogel membranes are observed when Mg-free gelatin and agarose hydrogels are used. These membranes do not occur when Mg is present. The formation of these membranes in Mg-free gelatin and agarose hydrogels is a result of an accumulation of the hydrogel fibers that are driven back by growing crystals or aggregates. The stiffness of the gelatin and agarose hydrogel fibers increase as Mg is added into the hydrogel. The hydrogel becomes stiffer and exerts more pressure against the growing aggregates. No hydrogel membranes are observed in aggregates grown in Mg-bearing gelatin and in agarose hydrogels.
On the basis of biopolymer and mineral composites, gypsum (CaSO4)/cellulose fiber composites were prepared. The purpose of the addition of cellulose fiber to gypsum was to create a composite with a high ecological value and interesting mechanical properties such as high Young's modulus, high bending strength and high compression strength. The cellulose fiber affects the mechanical property of the composites depending on the fiber characteristics, e.g. the nature of the cellulose (natural or synthetic), water retention value, degree of swelling, etc. Lyocell fiber, a synthetic fiber, is found to be able to increase the Young's modulus of the final composite.


NELF and DSIF collaborate to inhibit elongation by RNA polymerase IIa in extracts from human cells. A multifaceted approach was taken to investigate the potential role of these factors in promoter proximal pausing on the hsp70 gene in Drosophila. Immunodepletion of DSIF from a Drosophila nuclear extract reduced the level of polymerase that paused in the promoter proximal region of hsp70. Depletion of one NELF subunit in salivary glands using RNA interference also reduced the level of paused polymerase. In vivo protein-DNA cross-linking showed that NELF and DSIF associate with the promoter region before heat shock. Immunofluorescence analysis of polytene chromosomes corroborated the cross-linking result and showed that NELF, DSIF, and RNA polymerase IIa colocalize at the hsp70 genes, small heat shock genes, and many other chromosomal locations. Finally, following heat shock induction, DSIF and polymerase but not NELF were strongly recruited to chromosomal puffs harboring the hsp70 genes. We propose that NELF and DSIF cause polymerase to pause in the promoter proximal region of hsp70. The transcriptional activator, HSF, might cause NELF to dissociate from the elongation complex. DSIF continues to associate with the elongation complex and could serve a positive role in elongation.


What is the range of diversity in linguistic types, what are the geographical distributions for the attested types, and what explanations, based on shared history or universals, can account for these distributions? This collection of articles by prominent scholars in typology seeks to address these issues from a wide range of theoretical perspectives, utilizing cutting-edge typological methodology. The phenomena considered range from the phonological to the morphosyntactic, the areal coverage ranges in scale from micro-areal to worldwide, and the types of historical contingency range from contact-based to genealogical in nature. Together, the papers argue strongly for a view in which, although they use distinct methodologies, linguistic typology and historical linguistics are one and the same enterprise directed at discovering how languages came to be the way they are and how linguistic types came to be distributed geographically as they are.


Magnetic reconnection can occur in current sheets separating magnetic fields sheared by any angle and of arbitrarily different amplitudes. In such asymmetric and non-coplanar systems, it is not yet understood what the orientation of the X-line will be. Studying how this orientation is determined locally by the reconnection process is important to understand systems such as the Earth magnetopause, where reconnection occurs in regions with large differences in upstream plasma and field properties. This study aims at determining what the local X-line orientation is for different upstream magnetic shear angles in an asymmetric set-up relevant to the Earth's magnetopause. We use two-dimensional hybrid simulations and vary the simulation plane orientation with regard to the fixed magnetic field profile and search for the plane maximizing the reconnection rate. We find that the plane defined by the bisector of upstream fields maximizes the reconnection rate and this appears not to depend on the magnetic shear angle, domain size or upstream plasma and asymmetries.


Abstract. The project Viable Alternative Mine Operating System (¡VAMOS!) develops a novel underwater mining technique for extracting inland mineral deposits in flooded open-cut mines. From a floating launch and recovery vessel a remotely-operated underwater mining vehicle with a roadheader cutting machine is deployed. The cut material is transported to the surface via a flexible riser hose. Since there is no direct intervisibility between the operator and the mining machine, the data of the sensor systems can only be perceived via a computer interface. Therefore, part of the efforts in the project focus on enhancing the situational awareness of the operator by providing a 3D model of the mine combined with representations of the mining equipment and sensor data. We present a method how a positioning and navigation system, perception system and mapping system can be used to create a replica of the physical system and mine environment in Virtual Reality (VR) in order to assist remote control. This approach is beneficial because it allows visualizing different sensor information and data in a consistent interface, and enables showing the complete context of the mining site even if only part of the mine is currently observed by surveying equipment. We demonstrate how the system is used during tele-operation and show results achieved during the field trials of the complete system in Silvermines, Ireland.


The conventional interpretive protocols of current Anglophone critical discourse create a historical disjunction between a declasse "comics" tradition and an emerging culturally legitimated form of "graphic narrative." These protocols, which assume a unified, fully intentional author possessing a functionally unlimited degree of technical competence, serve to align the aesthetic criteria for evaluating the consecrated graphic novel with previously legitimated cultural forms, resulting in a narrowly conceived set of approved thematic concerns and a truncated and ahistorical understanding of contemporary artistic practice. I begin a project of historicizing the aesthetic evaluation of comics by considering the critical challenges posed by the anomalous work of three creators working in the lowest circles of the commercial comics industry in the United States: Lee Sherman, whose almost boundless ineptitude reveals previously unsuspected criteria for artistic competence; Don Sherwood, who explores the boundaries of professional task avoidance in commercial illustration; and Enrique Nieto, whose visually extravagant and narratively unmotivated character and page designs violate both the implicit critical requirement that "pictures must serve the story" and any reasonable cost/benefit analysis of artistic labor to financial reward. Examining such creators is, I hope, a useful step in developing a critical discourse that conceives of contemporary and future artistic practice as continuous with, rather than a transcendence of, the entirety of comics history.


Livestock sector forms an important livelihood activity for farmers, through supporting agriculture and supplementing income in India. The lack of availability of sufficient feed is one of the major limiting factors for better productivity of livestock. The feed are of two types as roughages (high in crude fibrous material) available at public forest, farm lands, etc. and concentrates (high in nutrients and mixture of oil, coarse grain, and cereals). The general degradation of forest reduces the fodder availability, severely. Therefore, improving forest condition may provide pathways for sustainability of both, livestock and forest. This may be addressed through sustainable forest management, which requires scientific inputs and may be shifting of some demand of locals to other resources. This requires huge amount from government. Presently, livestock sector is part of the Agriculture and Allied Activities sector in the accounting system of India, and therefore, all related shares and expenditure is part of the component. This results into under allocation for the actual shares of forestry contribution to livestock, in the Forestry and Logging sector. This occurs primarily, due to the lack of scientific information on the share and value of fodder from forest. This study has been undertaken to estimate the share and economic value of forests derived livestock feed. Primary data has been collected as per pretested questionnaire from 316 randomly selected households engaged in livestock rearing from 66 villages distributed across the Uttarakhand, India. Information pertaining to the fodder to livestock from all sources and socio-economic attributes were collected from each household to understand the feed consumption behavior of livestock. The feed sources were classified in forests, other than forests and market. The shares and economic value of livestock feed derived from different sources has been estimated for all livestock. The prices of various feeds were either collected directly from market or estimated through non market valuation techniques based on two scenarios (contingent valuation and ratio of dry and green matter basis of 0.40). The average proportion of feed quantity consumed by livestock was 58% from forests, 39% from other than forests and 3% from markets for hilly region. It was 97% from other than forests and 3% from markets for plain region. For hilly region, the proportion of economic value varies from 40– 41% for forest; 40– 41% for agriculture and 18– 20% from market. The total value of forest fodder was Rs 4811 millions in scenario 1 and Rs 5209 millions in scenario 2 for the Uttarakhand. The study concludes and recommends that these proportions may be utilized to allocate the appropriate share of livestock feed into Forestry and Logging sector, which may results into the realistic share of the sector.


Abstract. Lunar topographic information, e.g., lunar DEM (Digital Elevation Model), is very important for lunar exploration missions and scientific research. Lunar DEMs are typically generated from photogrammetric image processing or laser altimetry, of which photogrammetric methods require multiple stereo images of an area. DEMs generated from these methods are usually achieved by various interpolation techniques, leading to interpolation artifacts in the resulting DEM. On the other hand, photometric shape reconstruction, e.g., SfS (Shape from Shading), extensively studied in the field of Computer Vision has been introduced to pixel-level resolution DEM refinement. SfS methods have the ability to reconstruct pixel-wise terrain details that explain a given image of the terrain. If the terrain and its corresponding pixel-wise albedo were to be estimated simultaneously, this is a SAfS (Shape and Albedo from Shading) problem and it will be under-determined without additional information. Previous works show strong statistical regularities in albedo of natural objects, and this is even more logically valid in the case of lunar surface due to its lower surface albedo complexity than the Earth. In this paper we suggest a method that refines a lower-resolution DEM to pixel-level resolution given a monocular image of the coverage with known light source, at the same time we also estimate the corresponding pixel-wise albedo map. We regulate the behaviour of albedo and shape such that the optimized terrain and albedo are the likely solutions that explain the corresponding image. The parameters in the approach are optimized through a kernel-based relaxation framework to gain computational advantages. In this research we experimentally employ the Lunar-Lambertian model for reflectance modelling; the framework of the algorithm is expected to be independent of a specific reflectance model. Experiments are carried out using the monocular images from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) (0.5 m spatial resolution), constrained by the SELENE and LRO Elevation Model (SLDEM 2015) of 60 m spatial resolution. The results indicate that local details are largely recovered by the algorithm while low frequency topographic consistency is affected by the low-resolution DEM.


With manufacturing efficiencies and technological innovation the computing power of commodity machines has been increasing accompanied by decreasing costs. With the very favorable price/performance ratio the computing community has shifted from monolithic machines to networked machines. This has created the need for software to manage the parallelism of the network. One such work has been the Parallel Toolkit Library. The Parallel Toolkit Library provides support for common design functionalities used throughout parallel programs. This work extends the PTK C library for C++ parallel programs. The motivation for the current project stems from the need to let parallel programs reap the benefits of a library with an object oriented programming approach. This also fits well with the introduction of C++ bindings in MPI. The library has been structured on objectoriented concepts. The functionality of the PTK-C has been encapsulated into various classes. Individual functionalities have also been split into multiple classes leading to modularity and reusability of code. Template programming has been used to ensure type safety. The testing results are consistent with expectations in that the PTK-C++ is very much comparable to the PTK-C in terms of performance. In most cases, it would be more efficient to use the toolkit than to rewrite the code to recreate the efficiencies already present in the library. v


Water-atomized steel powder grades pre-alloyed with Cr are cost effective, robust and versatile materials which are suitable for PM steel parts in demanding structural applications. By choosing the right processing route, these materials enable efficient manufacturing of PM components with high mechanical performance. In this paper properties obtained after different sintering and heat treatment operations are presented for two different Cr-alloyed steel powder grades. Results from high temperature sintering, sinter-hardening and low pressure carburizing tests are reviewed with focus on static mechanical data, bending fatigue properties and microstructures.


Dynamic markets require that supply chain partners work together in a timely and efficient manner. This paper introduces e-Connectivity, a construct describing how technology and process standards enable cross-company collaboration amongst partners in the networked supply chain. The paper highlights the collaborative and often short-term relationships where partners coordinate their mutual capabilities to address a transitory, but important, business opportunity in order to achieve collectively beneficial outcomes. Through a literature review and exploratory interviews, the paper proposes and defines the construct of the dynamically networked supply chain. It then introduces how information technology and related processes enable dynamic collaborative practices in the supply chain. Subsequently, e-Connectivity is discussed as a key success factor in the development and deployment of informally networked supply chains. Further empirical validation and testing may reveal that informal coordination in networked supply chains, enabled by e-Business, is an important capability that impacts the operational effectiveness and competitive advantage of a firm.


Two records of seawater sulfate isotope composition from the Early Jurassic demonstrate that large isotopic gradients existed between the European epicontinental sea and the open Tethys Ocean. These differences can be explained by the modification of open-ocean sulfate isotopic compositions by water-mass isolation, sea-level rise, and the effects of changing regional weathering and pyrite burial fluxes, during a time of rapid environmental change. Both records contain large positive isotopic excursions. In the section from Europe (Yorkshire, UK), a 6‰ excursion begins in the early exaratum subzone of the Toarcian in the middle of the organic-rich shale representing a well-known oceanic anoxic event. An open Tethyan margin record from Tibet records a much larger 19‰ excursion, but the section is less well dated. Two age interpretations are possible: sparse biostratigraphic evidence places this excursion in the Aalenian, but we suggest that it may correlate with the positive excursion in Yorkshire. Hence these records may document both a Toarcian event and an Aalenian sulfur isotope event, or the early Toarcian anoxic event alone. Conservative estimates of the rate of isotopic change with time based on the Tibetan section suggest that Early Jurassic seawater sulfate concentrations were between 1 and 5 mM, much lower than previously thought.


Reaction monitoring using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool that provides detailed information on the characteristics and mechanism of the reaction. Although high-field NMR provides more accurate and abundant data, which can be explained in terms of Boltzmann factors, benchtop NMR is commonly used because of its low cost and simple maintenance. Therefore, hyperpolarization of the sample in benchtop NMR is a suitable protocol for real-time reaction monitoring. Herein, the principle-based experimental setup, integrating the reaction monitoring system in a 60-MHz benchtop NMR instrument with a parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) system, is used. Enhanced signals by the ALTADENA mechanism were obtained after PHIP on styrene, and reasonable kinetic data were collected, supporting the known reactivity of Wilkinson's catalyst. These results should provide a foundation for future applications of NMR-based reaction monitoring systems utilizing hyperpolarization.


Aviation biofuel is technically viable and nearing the commercial stage. In the last 5 years aviation biofuel has moved from relative obscurity to become fully certified for commercial use in up to 50% blends with standard jet fuel. There have since been 15 successful commercial flight tests using aviation biofuels including Lufthansa s six month trial operating on a passenger revenue generating route in 2011. Airlines and biofuel companies such as British Airways and Solena are furthermore beginning to form partnerships to finance specialised aviation biofuel production facilities. However, aviation biofuels have yet to become widely commercialised. In fact, there are a series of issues preventing the emergence, development and uptake of aviation biofuels. The main issues are perceived as high costs of manufacture, limited availability of feedstocks, controversy surrounding the effect on food prices and the emissions output from land use change. Furthermore, there is a significant lack of academic peer reviewed literature which investigates these issues or offers solutions to support the development of the technology.
This thesis aims to investigate the factors that affect the emergence, development and uptake of aviation biofuels by drawing upon in-depth stakeholder interviews and survey data. Strategic niche management (SNM) theory is used and extended to analyse the contemporary issues and develop recommendations to support the continued emergence, development and uptake of aviation biofuels.
It is concluded that the emergence, development and uptake is being driven mainly by rising jet fuel prices, growing concern regarding aviation emissions legislation and fuel (in)security. Airlines, biofuel producers and specialised supply chain companies are driving emergence, development and uptake due to commercial opportunities. Despite these drivers, the emergence, development and uptake is being constrained by a combination of ineffective policy provision, high costs of production, limited feedstocks and uncertainty surrounding sustainability. Ineffective and unsuitable policy is exacerbating the issues of high production costs, limited feedstocks and sustainability. In particular, competition between aviation and road biofuels is limiting aviation biofuel expansion. Recommendations are to develop nurtured niche markets for aviation biofuels using principles from SNM. Within these markets, aviation biofuels are afforded commercial viability in order to learn about supply chain development, longer term infrastructural requirements and technological development. Information should be shared between the niche markets in order to maximise learning by doing and speed up efficiency gains. Once niche markets are established, the incentives and protection should be gradually reduced to allow a competitive aviation biofuel industry to develop.


The Looking for Shakespeare program has evolved over a period of eight years at New York University and at Goldsmiths University in London.  Its non-traditional rehearsal processes are designed to support young people by challenging them to deepen their understanding of one another, and their engagement with Shakespeare.  Since issues of identity are of paramount importance for young people, we explore the relationship between identity and character.  We seek to challenge and extend the identities of adolescents, so that the Shakespeare characters they create will be extensions of themselves. In our Pericles rehearsal process, the theme of death and resurrection became a focus and catalyst of forging new identities from disruptive personal experiences.  Our company of young people was challenged to examine the implications of Shakespeare's narrative in their own lives: The play's events, especially the resurrection of Thaisa from the dead, stimulated their awareness of their own death and resurrection experiences and helped them to work together as a team.


The inherent optical properties of absorption and scattering, the population density of virus‐like particles, and the particle size distribution (PSD) for particles <0.7 µm of the filamentous cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya boryana were monitored for 72 h at 9‐h intervals following infection with cyanophage LPP‐1. Lorenz‐Mie scattering theory and the anomalous diffraction approximation were used to derive the refractive index representative of the bulk of particles and to model the particulate backscattering coefficient [bbp(λ)]. Upon lysis, particulate absorption [ap(λ)] and scattering [bbp(λ)] decreased, the number of free virus‐like particles increased drastically, the PSD shifted to relative abundance of small particles, and average trichome length decreased sharply. The complex refractive index of the bulk of particles was comparable with literature values for cyanobacteria. Modeled bbp(λ) spectra were lowered upon lysis, while backscattering probability increased. The effect of underrepresentation of particles below the measurement limit of the particle sizer was studied; more small particles in the PSD resulted in higher, but still relatively low, backscattering probability. The consequences of the studied optical behavior on spectral reflectance was explored. Significant spectral changes at longer wavelengths were mostly masked by water absorption at nominal population densities. However, strongly reduced ap(λ) in the red pigment absorption bands resulted in a pronounced green peak in reflectance spectra, and it was concluded that reflectance band ratio algorithms targeted at the absorption of the pigments phycocyanin and chlorophyll a can be used to detect the mass mortality caused by viral infection. The integrated intensity of reflected light was too variable to serve as an optical indicator for lytic events.


Crude oil and natural gas are usually transmitted in metallic pipelines. These pipelines, in some cases extending for hundreds of kilometers, are inevitably exposed to harsh environment such as extreme temperature, internal pressure, corrosive chemicals, etc. Thus, at some point in their lifetime, metallic pipelines are highly expected to develop serious metal-loss defects such as corrosions, which, if left undetected and improperly managed, can cause catastrophic consequences in terms of both damaging the environment and loss of human life, not to mention millions of dollars as maintenance cost to be paid by the owning companies. To avoid such undesirable impacts, the oil and gas industry has recommended that pipeline monitoring and maintenance systems follow a standard safety procedure. The industry standard identifies three types of metal-loss defects, namely sever, moderate, and superficial, based on estimated dimensions of the defect. According to the standard procedure, a defect's depth plays a major role in determining its severity level. To detect a metal-loss defect and estimate its depth, autonomous devices, equipped with strong magnets and arrays of magnetic sensors, are used on a regular and constant basis to scan the walls of the targeted pipelines, utilizing a well-established technology known as magnetic flux leakage (MFL). The principal concept behind the MFL technology is that when magnetized with two magnets of opposite polarities, a pipeline wall constitutes a magnetic field, in which lines of magnetic force flow through the wall (from the south pole to the north pole). In the presence of a defect, such as a crack, two new poles appear at the edges of the crack. The air gap between the new edges causes the magnetic lines of force to bulge out. The defect depths can be accurately estimated from the amplitudes of the observed MFL signals. However, due to the huge amount of obtained MFL data, manual and visual inspection of such data has proven to be time-consuming, tedious, inefficient, and error prone. Moreover, the cause-and-effect relationship between pipe defects and the shapes of MFL signals is not well-understood, meaning that traditional mathematical models are not available. Therefore, machine learning techniques seem very suitable for managing big data for ill-posed problems such as pipeline defects. Machine learning is a generic term for the "artificial" creation of knowledge from experience. An artificial system learns from examples and is able, after completion of the learning phase, to generalize, i.e., the system does not just memorize the examples, but it "detects" regularities in the learning data. In this, way the system can also evaluate unknown data. Machine learning techniques are applied in a wide range of fields such as automated diagnostic methods, detection of credit card fraud, stock market analysis, classification of nucleotide sequences, voice and text recognition, autonomous systems, etc. In this work, we propose a machine learning-based approach for defect depth estimation in oil and gas pipelines. To reduce data dimensionality, representative and discriminant features were first extracted from the MFL signals; this in turn, resulted in speeding up the learning process and increasing the new approach performance in terms of estimation accuracy. Statistical methods, as well as polynomial series, were used to extract such meaningful features from 1353 data samples, and in total, 33 features were obtained. The data were organized as follows: 70% for training, 15% for testing, and 15% for validation. The features were fed into a Generalized Regression Neural Network (GRNN), a Radial Basis Neural Network (RBNN), and a decision tree. With the exception of the decision tree technique, both neural network-based techniques achieved a superior performance in terms of defect depth estimation accuracy compared to those obtained by service providers such as GE and ROSEN. For the GRNN, the estimation accuracies obtained are 87%, 81%, and 83% for the training, testing, and validation data, respectively (see Fig. 1 (a)). For the RBNN, the estimation accuracies obtained are 89%, 84%, and 85% for the training, testing, and validation data, respectively (see Fig. 1 (b)). The estimation accuracy obtained by GE is 80% within ± 10 of error-tolerance, and the estimation accuracy obtained by ROSEN is 80% within ± 15 of error-tolerance. The decision tree yielded the worst performance with estimation accuracy at 75% within ± 10 of error-tolerance.


In the traditional Indian medicine, the roots and leaves of Cissampelos pareira are administered for the relief of diarrhoea and antiseptic against inflammation. The present investigation is to optimize the suitable extraction method and thereby isolating and characterizing various bioactive leads from the leaf and stem portion. Preliminary phytochemical screening reveals the presence of maximum alkaloids and moderate quantity of flavonoids and saponins with dichloromethane as solvent. In leaf portion, the hot extraction method was suited as the alkaloid content seems to be maximum, whereas in stem portion, the cold maceration was suited with more flavonoid content. This was evidenced further with higher yield values obtained for leaf extract (56% w/w) rather than stem extract (39.5% w/w). Two pure bioactive leads were isolated, each one from leaf (CP*) and stem (CP**). CP* of leaf (80% CHCl3-MeOH) was identified as alkaloid by qualitative analysis (Dragendroff's reagent); TLC analysis (Rf: 0.88, Toluene: EtoAc: GAA (7:2:1)); U.V analysis (lmax: 265nm, Chromophore: C=N; Transition: p-p* (forbidden)); I.R spectra (2919-2850 cm–1; 2346 cm–1; 1724 cm–1; 1166 cm–1; 720 cm–1) and Mass spectra (M-229) fragmentation peak for the presence of Bebecrine after elucidation. In addition CP** of stem (60% CHCl3–MeOH) was identified as isoquinoline alkaloid by qualitative analysis (Hager's reagent); TLC analysis (Rf : 0.95; Toluene: EtoAC: Diethylanine (7:2:1); U.V analysis (lmax: 265nm); I.R. spectra (3774–3378 cm–1; 2926–2974 cm–1; 23.47–2132 cm–1; 1927 cm–1; 1728–1665 cm–1; 1378–1256 cm–1; 1089–1049 cm–1; 880–758 cm–1); and Mass spectra (M+1 607) for the presence of cissampareine, which is reported for the first time from stem portion.


Data communication in the Internet is based on the borderless interplay of Autonomous Systems (ASes). An AS abstracts one or multiple IP networks, which may be globally distributed, but is owned by an organization located in a country. Current research on the Internet structure mainly focuses on a global perspective or considers local, intra-domain properties. In this paper, we analyze nation-centric subsets of the Internet taken from the AS-level graph of Germany. Each subset reflects a public or industrial sector. Based on a classified set of relevant German ASes, we are able to perform detailed investigations of structural dependencies for the critical Internet infrastructure. We identify and visualize the importance of dedicated ASes within specific sectors, and quantify robustness of the communication communities. Our preliminary results indicate that members of sectoral groups tend to avoid direct peering, but connect via a small group of common ISPs. This results in an enhanced dependence (betweenness) on selected hubs as compared to the characteristics of larger networks.


We propose a novel switching architecture of multigranularity optical cross-connects (MG-OXCs) for dealing with multigranularity traffic in the optical domain. MG-OXCs can cooperate with the generalized multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) control plane, which provides the advantages of cost reduction, better scalability in physical size, and unified traffic management. Detailed discussions are provided on the characteristics and implementation issues for the switching architecture. Based on the proposed MG-OXCs, two routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) with tunnel allocation algorithms are presented: dynamic tunnel allocation (DTA) and capacity-balanced static tunnel allocation (CB-STA). In the former, we use fixed alternate routing with k-shortest paths to inspect network resources along each alternate path for dynamically setting up lightpaths. For the latter, fiber and waveband tunnels are allocated into networks at the planning stage (or off-line) according to weighted network link-state (W-NLS). We will show that with the proposed algorithms, the RWA problem with tunnel allocation in the optical networks containing MG-OXCs can be solved effectively. Simulation is conducted on networks with different percentages of switching capacity and traffic load. The simulation results show that DTA is outperformed by CB-STA in the same network environment due to a well-disciplined approach for allocating tunnels with CB-STA.. We also find that the mix of the two approaches yields the best performance given the same network environment apparatus.


This research applies Nelson's (1993) primary typology of enterprises to understand why the propensity for innovation varies across ceramics district innovation systems in Europe. We use innovation systems and industrial district theories to explore the innovation capacity of the two most important ceramic tile industrial districts in Europe—Emilia Romagna in Italy and Castellon in Spain. Our analysis shows that, in both districts, innovation plays a decisive role in allowing companies to maintain competitiveness in a globalizing market. However, by comparing the composition of their district innovation systems, our analysis shows that: (i) although levels of competition in both districts are similar, cooperation is stronger in Italy; (ii) scarce technology and advanced service providers in Spain make it predominantly a follower in the adoption of innovation; (iii) higher innovation intensity in Italy is due to diffusion of technology from firms in neighbouring districts specialized in other industry sectors. We provide strong evidence indicating that differences in the industry mix shape both national and district innovation systems.


Abstract This article starts from the finding that (1) in spite of the numerous publications on restorative justice, relevant others have been a limited research topic and (2) when reference is made to relevant others, their presence is almost automatically assumed to be positive. However, the prevailing penal climate that seems to be focusing on the responsibilisation of offenders, makes us question why such importance is attached to these relevant others. Combining the information deduced from restorative justice literature and three studies, the authors conclude that some criticism of restorative justice, such as offender orientation, instrumentalisation and responsibilisation, needs to be examined at the level of relevant others too, and that it is time to breach the obviousness with which they are almost automatically involved, regardless of possible pitfalls.


Background: The thermogenic effects of green tea catechin have been repeatedly reported, but their mechanisms are poorly understood.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute and chronic effects of catechin on brown adipose tissue (BAT), a site specialized for nonshivering thermogenesis, in humans.Design: Fifteen healthy male volunteers underwent fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography to assess BAT activity. To examine the acute catechin effect, whole-body energy expenditure (EE) after a single oral ingestion of a beverage containing 615 mg catechin and 77 mg caffeine (catechin beverage) was measured. Next, to investigate the chronic catechin effects, 10 men with low BAT activity were enrolled. Before and after ingestion of the catechin beverage 2 times/d for 5 wk, cold-induced thermogenesis (CIT) after 2 h of cold exposure at 19°C, which is proportional to BAT activity, was examined. Both the acute and chronic trials were single-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, season-matched crossover studies.Results: A single ingestion of the catechin beverage increased EE in 9 subjects who had metabolically active BAT (mean ± SEM: +15.24 ± 1.48 kcal, P < 0.01) but not in 6 subjects who had negligible activities (mean ± SEM: +3.42 ± 2.68 kcal). The ingestion of a placebo beverage containing 82 mg caffeine produced a smaller and comparative EE response in the 2 subject groups. Multivariate regression analysis revealed a significant interaction between BAT and catechin on EE (β = 0.496, P = 0.003). Daily ingestion of the catechin beverage elevated mean ± SEM CIT (from 92.0 ± 26.5 to 197.9 ± 27.7 kcal/d; P = 0.009), whereas the placebo beverage did not change it.Conclusion: Orally ingested tea catechin with caffeine acutely increases EE associated with increased BAT activity and chronically elevates nonshivering CIT, probably because of the recruitment of BAT, in humans. These trials were registered at www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/ as UMIN000016361.


This paper assesses the heavy metal absorption capacity
of a natural zeolite to evaluate whether it can be used to
reduce metal mobility and bioavailability, and also to recover
polluted soil. In the experiments zeolite was artificially
polluted at controlled pH and temperature values
with solutions containing increasing concentrations of three
heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Cd). The results showed that the
zeolite absorption preference for the heavy metals was as
follows: Pb > Cd > Zn. The isotherm for Pb was L-TYPE,
which is typically found when metal affinity is high in the
initial steps of the absorption. Zn and Cd were absorbed
less by the zeolites. Their isotherms were C and L-TYPE,
respectively. After contamination all samples were treated
with solutions of gradually increasing extracting capacity
(H 2 O, Ca(NO 3 ) 2 0.1N, EDTA 0.05N) to study the role of different heavy metal-zeolite interaction mechanisms. The results showed that the non-extracted Pb fraction was constant in the different metal concentrations in solution.
By contrast, the non-extracted Zn and Cd fractions increased
as the concentrations of the two heavy metals increased.
Thus we conclude that the zeolite examined may
be profitably used for recovering soils polluted with Pb, Zn
and Cd, but in different amounts depending on the particular
chemical species.


William Golding, an English novelist, an essayist and poet, wrote his great novel Lord of the Flies. This novel talks about a fat asthmatic boy, Piggy, who cannot do anything at first, but there is power inside him that can make his life change. The thesis writer is interested to know what enables Piggy to overcome his problems and also she wants to know how Piggy can overcome his problems. She found out that there is a power inside him, that is fortitude that enables him to overcome the problem he faces. In discussing about how he gains this fortitude, the thesis writer devides the analysis into three parts. First, the thesis writer discusses Piggy?s problems with his friends, named Ralph and Jack. Second, the thesis writer discusses Piggy?s problem with himself and finally, the thesis writer discusses about Piggy?s fortitude. In the analysis, the thesis writer shows how the main character changes. The thesis writer analyzes how Piggy gains the fortitude through his conflicts with himself and with his friends. The thesis writer uses some theories, which are characterization, conflicts and also she describes the meaning of fortitude. In the conclusion, the thesis writer finds out that Piggy as the main character gains the fortitude through hard efforts. Because of many conflicts that he faces, he turns into a brave boy and also he can overcome his problems bravely. After he gains fortitude, he becomes a boy who can influence his friends and makes them respect him. His friends consider him as a brave boy that they have ever met.


For a long time, Arab and Muslim writers and
intellectuals have not been able to agree on clearly defined
causes of "al-Takhalluf" (social, cultural and economic
retardation) in their societies. One group attributed it to
ignorance and illiteracy, while another lay the blame on the
lack of technological know-how or colonialism etc. Every
effort to get rid of "al-Takhalluf" was frustrated due to the
fact that, rather than being directed to an analysis of the
problem, such efforts usually focused on the symptoms and
consequences. As a result, the Arab and Muslim world is still
suffering from economic, technological and cultural
retardation. However, the issue of development continued as
a major preoccupation of a large section of Arab and Muslim
intellectuals.
Malek Bennabi is ranked among the very few who have
profoundly and systematically contributed to the debate
concerning the issue of development. This thesis is intended
to discuss Malek Bennabi's singular ideas on "al- Takhalluf",
development and social transformation. Compared to other Arab
and Muslim writers and intellectuals who have dealt with the
subject and achieved a consensus on its vitality, Malek
Bennabi's thought singularly provides a realistic perspective
based on a more comprehensive methodology. In the discourse of this thesis, Malek Bennabi's ideas will be compared to
those expressed by geographers, economists, sociologists, and
management scientists as well as to those specifically
advocated by Arab and Muslim intellectuals, with a view to
delineate the comprehensiveness of Malek Bennabi's approach
vis-a-vis his predecessors and contemporaries.
The study comprises an introduction, three chapters
and the conclusion.
Chapter One deals with the atmosphere prevailing in
Malek Bennabi's country of origin and his own intellectual,
cultural and educational itinerary both in Algeria and in
France. It will also discuss the intellectual elements that
have influenced his thoughts and are reflected in his works.
Chapter Two is an elaborate account of Malek Bennabi's
ideas on "al-Takhalluf" (retardation), development and social
change in the Arab and Muslim world, and his analysis of the
causes rather than symptoms of social and economic
retardation as outlined in his nineteen books.
Chapter Three is an assessment of Malek Bennabi's ideas
on "al-Takhalluf" (retardation), development and social change
in comparison to theories formulated by other experts in the
field. It demonstrates the singularity, comprehensiveness and
profundity of his thought and the success be achieved in diagnosing the phenomenon of "al- Takhalluf" as "deprivation
of civilization" rather than a consequence of colonialism,
ignorance or poverty.
The conclusion sums up Malek Bennabi's ideas on
"al-Takhalluf" and social change. It also includes
recommendations towards a greater consideration of his work
in order to reveal its more substantial aspects. This is
followed by two appendices containing:
(a) The various theories of backwardness, development
and social change as propounded by selected geographers,
economists and management scientists, and
(b) The various ideas proffered by Arabs and Muslims on
"al-Takhalluf" s well as their proposals to eliminate this
malady from the Arab and Muslim world.
A comprehensive bibliography of references used in the
thesis follows the conclusion.


Technologies are being developed for significantly altering the traits of existing persons (or fetuses or embryos) and of future persons via germ line modification. The availability of such technologies may affect our philosophical, legal, and everyday understandings of several important concepts, including that of personal identity. I consider whether the idea of personal identity requires reconstruction, revision or abandonment in the face of such possibilities of technological intervention into the nature and form of an individual's attributes. This requires an account of the work done by the concept of personal identity, and an explanation of what "conceptual impacts of technology" and "conceptual reconstruction" might mean. Our existing notions of personal identity and related ideas such as personhood and autonomy may seem unable to comfortably accommodate the possibilities of technologically directed trait formation and development. This is a matter of moral and legal importance because the idea of personal identity embeds major values and reflects value-laden beliefs and attitudes. The assumed endurance of identity underlies interpersonal relationships, the assignment of rewards and punishments, and the very idea of what constitutes an autonomous person. Perhaps radical restructuring or even abandonment of concepts are sometimes called for when the world changes drastically, but I suggest that conceptual modification is not "compelled" for personal identity except under extreme circumstances—the remote possibility of rapid human "shape shifting" where physical and mentational attributes can be transformed quickly and continuously. Efforts to enhance human traits, including merit attributes and other resource-attractive characteristics (e.g., intellectual and athletic aptitudes, physical size and appearance), may generate legal problems wherever the persistence of identity is presupposed. Some advance speculation is thus warranted on how trait change generally will be managed within our legal and socioeconomic systems, and more particularly on rights of access to trait-altering technologies. I mention the possible distributive effects of enhancing highly-resource attractive traits, including the strengthening individual powers to acquire still more increments in such traits in a self-reinforcing cycle. A brief review of some constitutional issues bearing on trait change completes the discussion. I conclude that existing and projected technologies do not impel the abandonment or remodeling of the idea of personal identity. We may, however, have to reconsider some uses of this concept in different settings, to rethink our understandings of ideas of merit and desert, and to deal with the distribution of resources that may enlarge and entrench the "distances" between social and economic groups.


Deep classifiers are known to rely on spurious features $\unicode{x2013}$ patterns which are correlated with the target on the training data but not inherently relevant to the learning problem, such as the image backgrounds when classifying the foregrounds. In this paper we evaluate the amount of information about the core (non-spurious) features that can be decoded from the representations learned by standard empirical risk minimization (ERM) and specialized group robustness training. Following recent work on Deep Feature Reweighting (DFR), we evaluate the feature representations by re-training the last layer of the model on a held-out set where the spurious correlation is broken. On multiple vision and NLP problems, we show that the features learned by simple ERM are highly competitive with the features learned by specialized group robustness methods targeted at reducing the effect of spurious correlations. Moreover, we show that the quality of learned feature representations is greatly affected by the design decisions beyond the training method, such as the model architecture and pre-training strategy. On the other hand, we find that strong regularization is not necessary for learning high quality feature representations. Finally, using insights from our analysis, we significantly improve upon the best results reported in the literature on the popular Waterbirds, CelebA hair color prediction and WILDS-FMOW problems, achieving 97%, 92% and 50% worst-group accuracies, respectively.


The causal graph of a planning instance is an important tool for planning both in practice and in theory. The theoretical studies of causal graphs have largely analysed the computational complexity of planning for instances where the causal graph has a certain structure, often in combination with other parameters like the domain size of the variables. Chen and Gimenez ignored even the structure and considered only the size of the weakly connected components. They proved that planning is tractable if the components are bounded by a constant and otherwise intractable. Their intractability result was, however, conditioned by an assumption from parameterised complexity theory that has no known useful relationship with the standard complexity classes. We approach the same problem from the perspective of standard complexity classes, and prove that planning is NP-hard for classes with unbounded components under an additional restriction we refer to as SP-closed. We then argue that most NP-hardness theorems for causal graphs are difficult to apply and, thus, prove a more general result; even if the component sizes grow slowly and the class is not densely populated with graphs, planning still cannot be tractable unless the polynomial hierachy collapses. Both these results still hold when restricted to the class of acyclic causal graphs. We finally give a partial characterization of the borderline between NP-hard and NP-intermediate classes, giving further insight into the problem.


ABSTRACT Many fish encounter hypoxia in their native environment, but the role of mitochondrial physiology in hypoxia acclimation and hypoxia tolerance is poorly understood. We investigated the effects of hypoxia acclimation on mitochondrial respiration, O2 kinetics, emission of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and antioxidant capacity in the estuarine killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus). Killifish were acclimated to normoxia, constant hypoxia (5 kPa O2) or intermittent diel cycles of nocturnal hypoxia (12 h:12 h normoxia:hypoxia) for 28–33 days and mitochondria were isolated from liver. Neither pattern of hypoxia acclimation affected the respiratory capacities for oxidative phosphorylation or electron transport, leak respiration, coupling control or phosphorylation efficiency. Hypoxia acclimation also had no effect on mitochondrial O2 kinetics, but P50 (the O2 tension at which hypoxia inhibits respiration by 50%) was lower in the leak state than during maximal respiration, and killifish mitochondria endured anoxia–reoxygenation without any impact on mitochondrial respiration. However, both patterns of hypoxia acclimation reduced the rate of ROS emission from mitochondria when compared at a common O2 tension. Hypoxia acclimation also increased the levels of protein carbonyls and the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in liver tissue (the latter only occurred in constant hypoxia). Our results suggest that hypoxia acclimation is associated with changes in mitochondrial physiology that decrease ROS production and may help improve hypoxia tolerance. Summary: Hypoxia acclimation reduces mitochondrial release of reactive oxygen species, without affecting mitochondrial respiration, in estuarine killifish.


This paper deals with the interaction between the ser/estar distinction and wordorder. In Spanish the VSX order imposes a thetic, wide focus interpretation(Leonetti, 2014a). This word order pattern is compatible with estar predication.In contrast, ser predication is typically excluded with VSX in spoken Spanish,with the only exception of a small set of cases that share an exclamative/mirative/emphatic interpretation. The well-formedness of estar VSX sentencescan be explained assuming that thetic constructions always include a stagetopic: as estar requires the predication to be dependent on a topical situation(Maienborn, 2005), and such situation is identified as a possible stage topic, theconditions for a thetic interpretation are easily met. With ser, in contrast, thepredication is not connected to a topical situation, and thus cannot be linked toa stage topic. Exceptions are accounted for by invoking a strategy of mismatchresolution that leads the hearer to interpret the utterance as a manifestation ofan exclamative/mirative attitude.


Non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) is a relatively common disorder regardless of ethnicity, but most cases are never diagnosed, especially in males. A baseline 17-hydroxyprogesterone measurement may be used for screening, but 17-hydroxyprogesterone measurement after ACTH-stimulation is the gold standard. We advocate a CYP21A2 mutation analysis to verify the diagnosis, for genetic counselling and for better prognostic and treatment guidance. Most patients are diagnosed in adolescence and adult life with hirsutism, acne, a PCOS-like picture and fertility issues. Many men with NCAH never seek medical attention and escape diagnosis. Although treatment is somewhat controversial, an early diagnosis and start of treatment may have positive implications on growth and be relevant for preventing and ameliorating the symptoms and consequences of androgen excess that develop over time, including fertility issues. Long-term treatment with glucocorticoids will improve the androgen symptoms but may result in long-term complications, such as obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, osteoporosis and fractures. The glucocorticoid doses should be kept low. However, complications seen in NCAH, assumed to be caused by the glucocorticoid treatment, may also be associated with long-term androgen exposure. Oral contraceptive pills is a common treatment option for young females with NCAH. Regular clinical monitoring to improve the clinical outcome is recommended. It is important to acknowledge that glucocorticoid treatment will lead to secondary cortisol insufficiency and the need for stress dosing. Studies focusing on the specific difficulties patients with NCAH face, both those with a late clinical diagnosis and those with a neonatal diagnosis obtained by screening, are warranted.


In the article an approach to aesthetics is suggested with the focus on the education of the designer rather than on the outcome of the design. Design is taken to be an interpretative intervention into a social context which requires a sensibility for the context. The forming of this sensibility is the goal of an aesthetic education. Through discussions of different approaches to aesthetics like Grant Kester's dialogical aesthetics and Kant's critique of the faculty of judgement, it is emphasized how sensibility as the key focus of aesthetics rather than art and beauty makes the ability to manoeuvre in the social context a central issue of aesthetics. Here, is the argument, is the link to an aesthetic education understood as an education of our senses through cultural products which is also a link to a perspective that appears to be absent in present debates on aesthetics in relation to design. Taking up this approach to aesthetics, is the argument, is to suggest a more profitable view on aesthetics in relation to design and an educational aspects of the designers competences.


The chase is a sound and complete algorithm for conjunctive query answering over ontologies of existential rules with equality. To enable its effective use, we can apply acyclicity notions; that is, sufficient conditions that guarantee chase termination. Unfortunately, most of these notions have only been defined for existential rule sets without equality. A proposed solution to circumvent this issue is to treat equality as an ordinary predicate with an explicit axiomatisation. We empirically show that this solution is not efficient in practice and propose an alternative approach. More precisely, we show that, if the chase terminates for any equality axiomatisation of an ontology, then it terminates for the original ontology (which may contain equality). Therefore, one can apply existing acyclicity notions to check chase termination over an axiomatisation of an ontology and then use the original ontology for reasoning. We show that, in practice, doing so results in a more efficient reasoning procedure. Furthermore, we present equality model-faithful acyclicity, a general acyclicity notion that can be directly applied to ontologies with equality.


Current low-level networking abstractions on modern operating systems are commonly implemented in the kernel to provide sufficient performance for general purpose applications. However, it is desirable for high performance applications to have more control over the networking subsystem to support optimizations for their specific needs. One approach is to allow networking services to be implemented at user-level. Unfortunately, this typically incurs costs due to scheduling overheads and unnecessary data copying via the kernel. In this paper, we describe a method to implement efficient application-specific network service extensions at user-level, that removes the cost of scheduling and provides protected access to lower-level system abstractions. We present a networking implementation that, with minor modifications to the Linux kernel, passes data between "sandboxed" extensions and the Ethernet device without copying or processing in the kernel. Using this mechanism, we put a customizable networking stack into a user-level sandbox and show how it can be used to efficiently process and forward data via proxies, or intermediate hosts, in the communication path of high performance data streams. Unlike other user-level networking implementations, our method makes no special hardware requirements to avoid unnecessary data copies. Results show that we achieve a substantial increase in throughput over comparable user-space methods using our networking stack implementation.


We propose a novel concept for supervised learning of image registration for large deformations. Based on ideas from discrete graphical models in image registration, we design a network architecture that learns to predict discrete heatmaps for the relative displacement of a number of sparse keypoints between two scans. Graph convolutions are used to model a globally smooth transformation and deformable convolutions are used to learn suitable features representations and a similarity metric to estimate sparse displacements based on the volumetric scans in an end-to-end manner. Experimental validation for weakly-supervised label-driven registration demonstrates an improvement of 10% points of overlap accuracy compared to a state-of-the-art deep learning approach.


Seismic tomography techniques are frequently used to obtain velocity models of the weathering layer, which are then used to calculate static corrections times. The main idea in tomography is to use the misfit between synthetic and observed first-arrival (refraction) times to correct an initial velocity model. Due to the nature of the seismic method where, in general, sources and receivers are placed on only one edge of the medium, the Earth surface, it can be shown that inverting for velocities using the observed times does not give a unique solution. Instead, a family of solutions is obtained that explains the same data set. To give a meaning to a nonunique solution, uncertainty analysis techniques are necessary. They can give information about the family of solutions such as which zones have a larger error, which zones are better resolved, is there a dispersion measurement (such as variance) associated with the solution model family, and is there a more probable solution model. To give clues to the answ...


This special issue of AVANT is all about Cognitive Innovation. It is not about CogNovo, the interdisciplinary and international doctoral training programme that produced three different Off the Lip events. It is not about Off the Lip 2017, the novel symposium format we developed to collaboratively create a publication resulting in this special issue of AVANT. It is not about the seemingly heterogeneous collection of papers that follow this preface.  Collaborative Approaches to Cognitive Innovation  required something else, something we are starting to capture in the four GIFT principles. While this special issue is not solely about CogNovo, Off the Lip events, or the content of the following submissions, all these aforementioned elements were necessary to shape our current understanding of Cognitive Innovation, the very process which led to numerous publications, exhibitions, and events during the past three years. In a sense, all of our previous endeavours have culminated in this collection of 26 distinct pieces of work, yet we hope and believe that this special issue also marks a beginning. Let us explain.