The Wildlife and Pollution contract covers a long-term monitoring programme aimed to examine the levels of pollutants in selected wildlife species in Britain. The programme was started when there were serious concerns over the effects of organochlorine insecticides and organomercury fungicides on various species of birds and mammals. This early work demonstrated the effects of the organochlorines, and eventually contributed to the ban on their use in this country and abroad. The programme has measured levels of these compounds in predatory and fish-eating birds since then. Investigations have also been made into the levels of industrial polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), following their identification as pollutants in 1966. Mercury levels, derived from both agricultural and industrial sources, have also been tracked. In addition, the contract supports a wildlife incident investigation service, which can examine the causes of unexpected mortality incidents that are not obviously related to oil pollution or to agricultural pesticides. In recent years, investigations have been made into the effects of the newest generation of rodenticides on barn owls. Gannet eggs are regularly collected biennially from two colonies and, when available, from other sites; eggs were collected from three sites in 1998. No major incidents were investigated in 1998.

As this programme is now the longest running of its kind anywhere in the world, the findings stimulate considerable interest internationally, as well as in Britain. Annual reports (like the present one) give an interim summary of results. Every three years these annual results are gathered together into a more substantial report in which they are integrated with previous findings. In addition, results are published periodically in the scientific literature. Recent key papers are listed in this report under sub-project summaries.


We present the H3 layout technique for drawing large directed graphs as node-link diagrams in 3D hyperbolic space. We can lay out much larger structures than can be handled using traditional techniques for drawing general graphs because we assume a hierarchical nature of the data. We impose a hierarchy on the graph by using domain-specific knowledge to find an appropriate spanning tree. Links which are not part of the spanning tree do not influence the layout but can be selectively drawn by user request. The volume of hyperbolic 3-space increases exponentially, as opposed to the familiar geometric increase of euclidean 3-space. We exploit this exponential amount of room by computing the layout according to the hyperbolic metric. We optimize the cone tree layout algorithm for 3D hyperbolic space by placing children on a hemisphere around the cone mouth instead of on its perimeter. Hyperbolic navigation affords a Focus+Context view of the structure with minimal visual clutter. We have successfully laid out hierarchies of over 20,000 nodes. Our implementation accommodates navigation through graphs too large to be rendered interactively by allowing the user to explicitly prune or expand subtrees.


Reducing uncertainty is a very important issue in construction projects and recently some methods have been developed to deal with it. Particularly, the Last Planner System (LPS) which has been designed to improve planning reliability and project performance; however, its use does not guarantee a total success of projects. Thus, there is still an opportunity to develop new tools that can help to further reduce uncertainty and reliably predict project performance for the decision making process. This paper reports the results of a data analysis from more than thirty six Chilean projects that used LPS, where weekly information was available, in an attempt to identify indicators and patterns that could best anticipate project performance. Indicators included in this research were strategically chosen to analyze patterns regarding reliability of planning in the LPS and performance index from conventional planning methods. The indicators include: PPC (Planned Percent Complete), SPI (Schedule Performance Index), PCR (Percent Constraint Removed), and curves of actual & scheduled progress. Data and indicators were extracted from IMPERA (a software tool used based on the Last Planner methodology). The projects were classified as "Successful" or "Unsuccessful" according to their schedule performance in order to perform statistical analyses. Specifically, this research considers that projects are deemed successful when planning, organization, direction and control are developed in such a way that allows for the compliance of initially established objectives for Costs and Schedule. The results indicate that there is a close relationship between the variability of PPC, SPI and success of the projects. Additionally, different indicators trends were identified for "Successful" and "Unsuccessful" projects in different stages of projects progress. Consequently, comprehension of the relationship between the indicators and project performance could make it possible to predict whether or not a project will be "Successful" at different stages of its life cycle.


Abstract. This study explores a domain-filling trajectory approach to generate a global ozone climatology from relatively sparse ozonesonde data. Global ozone soundings comprising 51 898 profiles at 116 stations over 44 yr (1965–2008) are used, from which forward and backward trajectories are calculated from meteorological reanalysis data to map ozone measurements to other locations and so fill in the spatial domain. The resulting global ozone climatology is archived monthly for five decades from the 1960s to the 2000s on a grid of 5° × 5° × 1 km (latitude, longitude, and altitude), from the surface to 26 km altitude. It is also archived yearly for the same period. The climatology is validated at 20 selected ozonesonde stations by comparing the actual ozone sounding profile with that derived through trajectory mapping of ozone sounding data from all stations except the one being compared. The two sets of profiles are in good agreement, both overall with correlation coefficient r = 0.991 and root mean square (RMS) of 224 ppbv and individually with r from 0.975 to 0.998 and RMS from 87 to 482 ppbv. The ozone climatology is also compared with two sets of satellite data from the Satellite Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) and the Optical Spectrography and InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS). The ozone climatology compares well with SAGE and OSIRIS data in both seasonal and zonal means. The mean differences are generally quite small, with maximum differences of 20% above 15 km. The agreement is better in the Northern Hemisphere, where there are more ozonesonde stations, than in the Southern Hemisphere; it is also better in the middle and high latitudes than in the tropics where reanalysis winds are less accurate. This ozone climatology captures known features in the stratosphere as well as seasonal and decadal variations of these features. The climatology clearly shows the depletion of ozone from the 1970s to the mid 1990s and ozone increases in the 2000s in the lower stratosphere. When this climatology is used as the upper boundary condition in an Environment Canada operational chemical forecast model, the forecast is improved in the vicinity of the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere (UTLS) region. This ozone climatology is latitudinally, longitudinally, and vertically resolved and it offers more complete high latitude coverage as well as a much longer record than current satellite data. As the climatology depends on neither a priori data nor photochemical modeling, it provides independent information and insight that can supplement satellite data and model simulations of stratospheric ozone.


Paget's disease (PD) is a focal disorder of bone remodelling that occurs commonly in older people. In this article, we review clinical aspects of PD with an emphasis on recent findings. The epidemiology of PD appears to be changing rapidly, with several groups in different parts of the world reporting a marked reduction in the prevalence and incidence of PD, as well as in the severity of disease seen by clinicians. These findings seem most likely to be caused by changes in exposure to unknown environmental factors that have a role in the development of PD. However, genetic factors are also important. Mutations in SQSTM1 occur in 25–50% of familial PD. Genotype–phenotype relationships are present, as PD develops at an earlier age and is more extensive and severe in those with SQSTM1 mutations, and these findings are more pronounced in those with truncating mutations. However, the prevalence of PD in adults with SQSTM1 mutations is uncertain, and it is not known how such mutations might cause PD. Ultimately, if the cause of PD is determined, it seems likely that it will include both genetic and environmental factors. Lastly, clinical trials have shown that potent bisphosphonates are highly effective treatments for active PD, and reduce pain, improve quality of life, normalise bone turnover and heal lytic lesions on radiographs. They can also induce sustained remission that persists for many years.


This case report describes the orthodontic treatment of an 18-year-old male patient who presented with the prognathic maxilla, deep bite, low mandibular plane angle, and proclined incisors. Modified three-piece base arch was used for the intrusion and retraction of maxillary incisor. En masse retraction was achieved in 6 months. Reduced time for retraction was attributed to a single stage of retraction, unlike burrstone three-piece intrusion base arch where canines are individually retracted followed by retraction of incisors. A modified utility arch was used in lower arch followed by a continuous archwire technique. The case was finished using bite settling elastics on a continuous archwire. The step between canine and premolar was corrected in the finishing phase of treatment. The final treatment outcomes were satisfactory, and true intrusion was achieved with proper selection of biomechanics.


A pioneering treatise presenting how the new mathematical techniques of holographic duality unify seemingly unrelated fields of physics. This innovative development morphs quantum field theory, general relativity and the renormalisation group into a single computational framework and this book is the first to bring together a wide range of research in this rapidly developing field. Set within the context of condensed matter physics and using boxes highlighting the specific techniques required, it examines the holographic description of thermal properties of matter, Fermi liquids and superconductors, and hitherto unknown forms of macroscopically entangled quantum matter in terms of general relativity, stars and black holes. Showing that holographic duality can succeed where classic mathematical approaches fail, this text provides a thorough overview of this major breakthrough at the heart of modern physics. The inclusion of extensive introductory material using non-technical language and online Mathematica notebooks ensures the appeal to students and researchers alike.


Causal knowledge is vital for effective reasoning in science, as causal relations, unlike correlations, allow one to reason about the outcomes of interventions. Algorithms that can discover causal relations from observational data are based on the assumption that all variables have been jointly measured in a single dataset. In many cases this assumption fails. Previous approaches to overcoming this shortcoming devised algorithms that returned all joint causal structures consistent with the conditional independence information contained in each individual dataset. But, as conditional independence tests only determine causal structure up to Markov equivalence, the number of consistent joint structures returned by these approaches can be quite large. The last decade has seen the development of elegant algorithms for discovering causal relations beyond conditional independence, which can distinguish among Markov equivalent structures. In this work we adapt and extend these so-called bivariate causal discovery algorithms to the problem of learning consistent causal structures from multiple datasets with overlapping variables belonging to the same generating process, providing a sound and complete algorithm that outperforms previous approaches on synthetic and real data.


Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in India. The rising incidence of multi drug resistant tuberculosis and unusual presentations of the disease is posing a great challenge for clinicians. We report an interesting case of 27 year old male who initially presented with submandibular abscess, subsequently developed velopharyngeal insufficiency during hospital stay and finally diagnosed as a case of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.


The Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a set (more than 25) of proprietary web-based services owned by Amazon.com. All these services ranging from simple storage to sophisticated database services constitute the cloud platform oered by Amazon. An extensive list of customers for AWS include Dropbox, UniLever, Airbnb, Nasdaq, Netflix. As of 2007, there are more than 300K developers actively using AWS. It is one of the pioneers which brought the cloud computing closer to masses helping number of start ups bootstrap their businesses. AWS is a true testimony of how a just-Internet-enabled business grew into a complete-technology-company competing with dedicated technology companies- the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Apple. In the following case study, we analyze the various aspects of AWS and the business and economic principles that drove their creation and design.


Immunosuppression is the mainstay of treatment for myasthenia gravis (MG). In this paper, we review the mechanisms of action and clinical application of corticosteroids and different classes of immunosuppressive drugs that are currently used in MG patients, and present the results of their use in more than 1000 patients with MG seen at our two centers. Immunosuppressive treatment was considered along with, or as an alternative to thymectomy in MG patients with disabling weakness, not adequately controlled with anticholinesterase drugs. Overall, 82% of our patients received immunosuppressants for at least 1 year, with frequencies varying according to disease severity, from 93–95% of those with thymoma or MuSK antibodies to 72% in ocular myasthenia. Prednisone was used in the great majority of patients, azathioprine was the first-choice immunosuppressant; mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine were used as second-choice agents. All clinical forms of MG benefited from immunosuppression: the rate of remission or minimal manifestations ranged from 85% in ocular myasthenia to 47% in thymoma-associated disease. Treatment was ultimately withdrawn in nearly 20% of anti-AChR positive early-onset patients, but in only 7% of thymoma cases. The risk of complications appears to depend on drug dosage, treatment duration, and patient characteristics, the highest rate of serious side effects (20%) having been found in late-onset MG and the lowest (4%) in early-onset disease. Although nonspecific, current immunosuppressive treatment is highly effective in most MG patients. Lack of randomized evidence, the need for prolonged administration, and unwanted effects are still relevant limitations to its use.


The article discusses the difficulties facing EU nationals who are living in the UK but who are unable to demonstrate that they have acquired and retained 'residence' rights. The analysis and commentary considers the UK immigration regime's right to reside - a restrictive gateway to a range of social rights, including the right to access State benefits, social housing, and community care. Notwithstanding the right to move to other EU countries in accordance with the free movement rights accorded by the EU Treaties, in practice residents can be ineligible for social assistance like State Pension Credit if they are treated as 'economically inactive'. The article examines the decision of the UK Supreme Court in Patmalniece, and related EU legislation and case-law; and the court's acceptance of the need for older residents like Galina Patmalniece to either have sufficient resources to avoid becoming a burden on the community, or paid employment.


Mangrove forest is a complex ecology and it refers to a group of tropical trees and shrubs that grows in the intertidal zone. It contains various microorganisms including rare actinobacteria that can produce bioactive compounds with interesting bioactivities. The goals of this research were to describe the taxonomic status of novel rare actinobacteria and to screen their bioactivity for antibacterial, neuroprotective and cytotoxic properties. Three rare actinobacteria strains namely MUSC 115T, MUSC 117T and MUSC 78T were successfully isolated from mangrove sediments, collected from Tanjung Lumpur river, Peninsular Malaysia. Characterization using polyphasic approach showed that strains MUSC 115T and MUSC 117T have many differences with other species of the genus Microbacterium and Sinomonas, respectively. Combined phylogenetic, genotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phenotypic analyses proved that strain MUSC 115T represent a novel species, Microbacterium mangrovi sp. nov., while strain MUSC 117T represent a novel species namely Sinomonas humi sp. nov. Meanwhile, strain MUSC 78T was also characterized by polyphasic approach and results showed that it was different from other genera of the family Intrasporangiaceae. Thus, it can be described as a novel genus, Monashia gen. nov., the type species of which is Monashia flava sp. nov. The successfully characterization of the novel strains have led to the screening of bioactivities on antibacterial, neuroprotective and anticancer properties. The crude extract from all novel strains were prepared using solvent extraction method. Antibacterial screening of the crude extracts demonstrated inhibitory effects against 10 bacteria tested including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC 43300, ATCC 70069, ATCC 33591, ATCC BAA-44, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus NBRC 13006, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 31098, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NBRC 112582, Salmonella typhi ATCC 19430, Vibrio parahaemolyticus VP103, and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922. On the other hand, the neuroprotective studies revealed that Microbacterium mangrovi MUSC 115T extract exhibited significant neuroprotective activity in oxidative stress and dementia model. Meanwhile, the extract of strain Monashia flava MUSC 78T was able to protect the SHSY5Y neuronal cells in hypoxia model. Furthermore, the extracts of Microbacterium mangrovi MUSC 115T and Monashia flava MUSC 78T exhibited anticancer effect against Ca Ski cell line. Based on the findings of this study, mangrove environment is a potentially rich source for the discovery of novel rare actinobacteria with interesting bioactivities for the new drugs development.


Extracted from text ... 8 - IMIESA OCTOBER 2005 INSIGHTIt is gratifying to note that lately South African public attention has been riveted (at least between Springbok victories) on major public infrastructure. Along with human capital, such infrastruc- ture is the asset base that makes South Africa the economic giant of the continent, yet we have allowed much of it to seriously dete- riorate during two decades of under-investment in its maintenance and expansion. One of the reasons we are now hearing a lot more about infrastructure investment is a cheerful one - the government has at last committed sufficient funds to reverse the ..


Abstract. A newly developed method for determining spin axis offsets of magnetic field instruments on spacecraft is applied to THEMIS. The formerly used determination method, relying on solar wind Alfvenic fluctuations, was rarely applicable due to the orbital restrictions of the mission. With the new procedure, based on magnetic field observation of mirror modes in the magnetosheath, updated spin axis offsets can be estimated approximately once per year. Retrospective calibration of all THEMIS magnetic field measurements is thereby made possible. Since, up to this point, spin axis offsets could hardly ever be calculated due to the mission's orbits, this update represents a substantial improvement to the data. The approximate offset stability is estimated to be


Tragic acts of school violence such as what occurred in Columbine, Newtown, and, most recently, Parkland, provoke intense feelings of anger, fear, sadness, and helplessness. Understandably, in response to these incidents (and for other reasons), many schools have intensified the manner in which they monitor and control students. Some schools rely on combinations of security measures such as metal detectors, surveillance cameras, drug-sniffing dogs, locked and monitored gates, random searches of students' belongings, lockers, and persons, and law enforcement officers. Not only is there little empirical evidence that these measures actually make schools safer, but overreliance on extreme security measures can create prison-like environments that are inconsistent with students' best interests. Specifically, overreliance on intense surveillance measures often engenders distrust and discord among members of the school community in the long term, leading to increased disorder and dysfunction. Extreme security measures also play a role in pushing more students out of school and into the criminal justice system, which can have devastating consequences on students and their families.

Although all schools do and should monitor students to some extent, empirical evidence demonstrates that not all students experience these intense, prison-like conditions. Rather, schools serving higher concentrations of students of color are more likely to rely on coercive surveillance measures than schools serving primarily white students. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that legitimate safety concerns do not fully explain these racial disparities, but that implicit racial bias influences school officials' decisions to rely on intense surveillance methods to some degree. Indeed, empirical studies repeatedly document that many people unconsciously and unfairly associate minorities, particularly African-Americans, with aggression, violence, crime, and danger.

Recognizing that our current constitutional jurisprudence establishes prime conditions for these racial disparities to develop, this Article proposes a reformulated legal framework to evaluate the constitutionality of coercive surveillance methods that is firmly grounded in the U.S. Supreme Court's current Fourth Amendment jurisprudence. Applying this reformulated framework in connection with other strategies will ameliorate the effects of implicit racial bias, help address the disproportionate application of coercive security measures on students of color, and motivate school officials working in majority-minority schools to rely on alternative, evidence-based methods to enhance school safety without harming the learning climate.


Case studies of mill-out operations in the Permian Basin which evaluate chemical programs and processes used. Results show how existing processes and chemicals used or lack thereof, can affect equipment and undo the preventative chemical treatments used during the hydraulic fracturing process. The study looks at field water testing performed during various mill-out operations and considered workover rig vs coiled tubing, equipment set up, water & chemicals used, and operational challenges. Water analyses were completed on the injection water and returns at various intervals of the mill-out. Effectiveness of chemical treatment was also monitored when biocide was used.
 Field case studies of horizontal wells for two operators in the Permian Basin are presented. Wells were milled-out utilizing workover rigs or coiled tubing units. Testing results show the impact of equipment setup and operations process on the water quality and efficiency of the chemicals used. Water fouling was prevalent in all cases, with coiled tubing jobs showing the highest degree of water contamination and chemical inefficiency. Changes in the water treatment program during operations showed significant improvement and sustainable results. Potential corrosion of the work string due to water fouling and water composition were also observed. The effects of changes to chemical dosages were also monitored. This was important because it identified operational improvements that can reduce equipment replacement costs, reduce chemical overuse and help protect wells from fouling due to high bacteria. These case study provides a comprehensive review of mill-out operations, which provides guidelines for improving chemical efficiency and potential of extending life of the work string.


This work attempts to analyse the ability of high free fatty acid (FFA) crude rice bran oil (CRBO) in replacing diesel partially in a compression ignition (CI) engine. It was observed that the delay period and the maximum rate of pressure rise for CRBO blends are lower than diesel and is almost inversely proportional to FFA content. Maximum heat release rate for CRBO blends are lower and occur earlier than that of diesel. CRBO blends require longer duration to release 90% of heat than diesel and it decreases with increase in FFA content of CRBO. When operating with CRBO blends, all emission parameters were decreased significantly with a marginal increase in CO emission than that of diesel without affecting the brake thermal efficiency of the engine. It is concluded that higher FFA of CRBO blends does not inhibit its ability to be utilised as a fuel in CI engines.


[1] In this paper the potential advantages and relative performances of different techniques for constructing multimodel ensemble seasonal predictions are examined. Two commonly used methods of constructing multimodel ensemble predictions are analyzed. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of the schemes themselves. In the first technique--simple multimodel ensemble (SME) predictions-equal weights are assigned to the ensemble mean predictions of each of the atmospheric general circulation models (AGCM). In the second approach-optimal multimodel ensemble (OME) predictions the weights are obtained using a multiple linear regression. A theoretical analysis of these techniques is complemented by the analyses based on seasonal climate simulations for 45 January-February-March seasons over the 1950-1994 period. A comparison of seasonal simulation skill scores between SME and OME indicates that for the bias corrected data, i.e., when the seasonal anomalies of each of the AGCMs are computed with respect to its own mean state, the performance of seasonal predictions based on the simpler SME approach is comparable to that of the more complex OME approach. A major reason for this result is that the data record of historical predictions may not be long enough for a stable estimate of weights at individual geographical locations to be obtained. This problem can be reduced by extending the multiple linear regression approach to include the spatial domain. However, even with this algorithm change, the performance of OME in seasonal predictions does not improve over that using the SME approach. Results, therefore, indicate that the use of more sophisticated techniques for constructing multimodel ensembles may not be any more advantageous than the use of simpler approaches. Results also show that on average the skill scores for the predictions based on multimodel ensemble prediction techniques are only marginally better than those of the best AGCM. However, an advantage of multimodel ensemble prediction techniques may be that they retain the best performance of each AGCM on a regional basis in the merged forecasts.


PURPOSE
To develop a computer-aided detection (CAD) system for masses in digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) which can make use of an existing CAD system for detection of breast masses in full-field digital mammography (FFDM). This approach has the advantage that large digital screening databases that are becoming available can be used for training. DBT is currently not used for screening which makes it hard to obtain sufficient data for training.

METHODS
The proposed CAD system is applied to reconstructed DBT volumes and consists of two stages. In the first stage, an existing 2D CAD system is applied to slabs composed of multiple DBT slices, after processing the slabs to a representation similar to that of the FFDM training data. In the second stage, the authors group detections obtained in the slabs that detect the same object and determine the 3D location of the grouped findings using one of three different approaches, including one that uses a set of features extracted from the DBT slabs. Experiments were conducted to determine performance of the CAD system, the optimal slab thickness for this approach and the best method to establish the 3D location. Experiments were performed using a database of 192 patients (752 DBT volumes). In 49 patients, one or more malignancies were present which were described as a mass, architectural distortion, or asymmetry. Free response receiver operating characteristic analysis and bootstrapping were used for statistical evaluation.

RESULTS
Best performance was obtained when slab thickness was in the range of 1-2 cm. Using the feature based 3D localization procedure developed in the study, accurate 3D localization could be obtained in most cases. Case sensitivities of 80% and 90% were achieved at 0.35 and 0.99 false positives per volume, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that there may be a large benefit in using 2D mammograms for the development of CAD for DBT and that there is no need to exclusively limit development to DBT data.


Microwave Non-Destructive Testing (MNDT) are fast, contact-less, accurate and continuous techniques for the evaluation of physical properties of wood such as moisture content, slope-of-grain and density using microwave. The Free Space Microwave Measurement (FSMM) system has been developed for this purpose. The system consists of a pair of spot-focusing horn lens antennas mounted on a table connected to the two ports of Wiltron37269B Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) using precision coaxial cables, rectangular-to-circular and coaxial-to-rectangular waveguide adapters. A calibration and optimization procedure was performed to the FSMM system before using it. Microwave at the frequency range of 8 to 12GHz was propagated through the wood specimen placed between two antennas and the reflection coefficient (Sn) and transmission coefficient (S21) was measured. In this research, the S21 coefficient has been used to measure the permittivity of wood. The permittivity of wood comprises of two components, the dielectric constant {s') and loss factor {e"). Since wood is an anisotropic material, therefore s' ande" of the wood varies when measured at different angles to the wood grain. A data base of f'and^"of twenty-five Malaysian wood species, measured at (/(parallel), 30°, 60° and 90°(perpendicular) to wood grain has been developed for future use. All measurements were made in the laboratory at temperatures of between 25±2°C was undertaken. A study on measuring the moisture content and wood grain angle using the FSMM system of three wood species specimen of Kempas {Koompassia malaccensis),Yellow Meranti {Shorea spp) and Petai (Parkia spp) was undertaken. The measurement of wood grain angle only was carried on Medang specie {Specie of Lauraceae) was carried out. The wood specimen <?' and s" were measured at several moisture content levels from saturated to oven-dry states at an angle from 0° to 90° to the wood grain. The measured s' was then used to calculate the wood's moisture content based on several new models adopted from the Mixture Theory and Theory of Grain Angle measurement. The study shows that the measured f'and moisture content is dependent on wood grain angle and density and microwave's frequency.


This article outlines the fundamental consequences for the legal regime of public contracts which result from the substantial modifications of such contracts within the meaning of EU law. The authors conclude that an EU law-compliant understanding of the term "substantial modification to public contracts" may result, in some national legal systems, in the "privative novation" of the original contract, i.e. in its complete discharge and replacement with a new contract. However, this may be associated with a number of negative implications impairing the principle of legal certainty, thereby indirectly affecting the efficient functioning of the EU's internal market. This conclusion appears to be contrary to the objectives pursued by the doctrine of indirect effect of EU law. The authors show some viable solutions to this problem, both from the position of contracting authorities and courts, and from the perspective of the member states in the forthcoming implementation of the new EU Public Procurement Directives.


If By Sea: The Forging of the American Navy-From the Revolution to the War of 1812. By George C. Daughan. (New York: Basic Books, 2008. Pp. 521. Cloth, $30.00.)Commodore Abraham Whipple of the Continental Navy: Privateer, Patriot, Pioneer. By Sheldon S. Cohen. (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2010. Pp. 232. Cloth, $69.95.)Reviewed by David HeadThe military history of the American Revolution has been largely landbased, and for good reason: The Continental Navy underperformed its potential, despite the sacrifices and heroism of individuals. In their very different works, George C. Daughan and Sheldon S. Cohen seek a fresh appraisal of the early American Navy. Daughan has produced a broad, synthetic survey of the attempts to build a navy during the War of Independence as well as the new national government's efforts to create a navy appropriate for the new nation. Cohen, meanwhile, focuses on one captain, Abraham Whipple, and his services at sea in the revolutionary era. Taken together, Daughan and Cohen use naval affairs to offer glimpses of the origins, progress, and effects of the American Revolution.Daughan organizes his work around the fundamental naval policy debate of the day: Should America build a large, British-style force capable of blue-water cruising and confronting enemies abroad? Or should it build a small navy capable of guerilla-style attacks on a larger force and designed to operate close to home? According to Daughan, the nation's leaders consistently chose the wrong option, giving America a large navy when it should have had a small one and a small navy when it needed a large one.When the Continental Congress created a navy, it imitated Britain. The position had its logic. The Royal Navy was the world's most powerful. Thus, the Continental Congress did as the British did: It created separate chains of command for the army and navy; committed to building thirteen frigates and ships of the line; dispatched naval vessels on prestige missions, such as transporting diplomats to Europe; and assigned the navy to raid British commerce.Each of these choices proved costly. Army and navy commanders foiled to coordinate. Building thirteen large new vessels was more expensive than anticipated (of course) and simply added to the competition for scarce war materials. John Adams may have enjoyed the dignity of arriving in France aboard a national vessel, but a merchantman would have delivered him just as well. Privateers could have handled commerce raiding. Worst of all, the most talented commanders and the most powerful vessels were often far from the most critical battles. For example, during the Battle of Yorktown,John Paul Jones was in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, not fighting but waiting. He was sent there to take command of the 74-gun America, a vessel that had been under construction since 1776. Jones never did command the vessel. By the time it was finished, the war was over and the government gave her to France.Daughan builds a convincing case that a navy of row galleys, whaleboats, and gun boats could have performed much better. In fact, early in the war, before Royal Navy admiration took hold, swarms of small boats made effective raids on British vessels. These boats allowed the colonists to take advantage of their local knowledge: They could hide in creeks, strike at the enemy, and escape into the shallows. This was precisely the strategy British commanders feared most, but the Continental Congress wanted a large navy. Overall, Daughan offers a strong explanation for the poor performance of the Continental Navy and issues an important challenge for policymakers today: Fight the war you are faced with by using the strategy it demands.Moving into the early republic, Daughan frames the large navy-small navy debate against the formation of parties and the foreign affairs challenges of the Napoleonic Wars. Here he navigates seas well known to early republic scholars. …


Perhaps because of its very popularity and cult status, science fiction in all its forms has long suffered from critical neglect. This is especially true of the science fiction film - a genre as old as cinema itself - which has rarely received the serious attention devoted to such genres as the western, the film noir and recently, under the aegis of feminist film theory, the so-called ""woman's film."" Alien Zone aims to bring science fiction cinema fully into the ambit of cultural theory in general and of film theory in particular. The essays in this book - some newly written, others gathered from scattered sources - look at the ways in which contemporary science fiction films draw on, rework, and transform established themes and conventions of the genre: the mise-en-scene of future worlds; the myth of masculine mastery of nature; power and authority and their relation to technology. This material is ordered and contextualized by the editor with a view to exploring how science fiction cinema has been approached critically and theoretically by commentators on the genre: as a mirror of society, as bearing or producing ideology; as caught up in an intertext of media productions, or as expressing unconscious desires. Contributors include Giuliana Bruno, Scott Bukatman, Thomas B. Byers, Barbara Creed, Anne Cranny-Francis, Daniel Dervin, H. Bruce Franklin, James H. Kavanagh, Douglas Kelner, Steve Neale, Judith Newton, Constance Penley, Hugh Ruppersberg, Michael Ryan, Vivian Sobchack, Michael Stern, J.P. Telotte, and Paul Virilio.


Fasting [(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake is increased in viable, chronically dysfunctional myocardium, but the relationship to acute episodes of ischemia remains undefined. To investigate FDG uptake in acute stunning, chronically instrumented pigs (n = 9) and sham controls (n = 8) were studied while in a fasted, closed-chest, anesthetized state. One-hour partial occlusion reduced subendocardial flow from 1.24 +/- 0.14 to 0.35 +/- 0.06 ml. min(-1). g(-1) and wall thickening from 16.8 +/- 2.1 to 3.7 +/- 0.7%. Regional function remained depressed during reperfusion (8.3 +/- 1. 4%) despite the return of flow to resting levels. Triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining showed no irreversible injury. FDG uptake in stunned myocardium was variably increased and averaged 1. 5-fold higher than that of normal regions, with no consistent transmural variation. Subgroup analysis showed that variability in FDG uptake was related to alterations in insulin levels that varied directly with ischemic risk region.


One of the most distinct features of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) is that it combines an extensive victim participation scheme with a reparations mandate, although civil parties are limited to seeking 'collective and moral reparations'. This article looks at recent developments in the ECCC's collective reparations mandate and the result of the Court's first trial in which no tangible reparations were awarded to civil parties. It will then examine recent rule amendments under which the Victims Support Section was given responsibility for designing and implementing reparations projects for civil parties and other non-judicial measures addressing the broader interests of victims. Based on these developments, the article discusses the main challenges for implementing collective reparations in Cambodia and beyond. The article concludes with some preliminary observations and lessons following the completion of the ECCC's first trial.


Golder Associates monitored turboscouring effects on water quality and striped bass (Morone saxatilis) reproductive success at the CITGO Asphalt Refinery in the lower Savannah River, Georgia. The majority (67-70%) of entrained eggs and gum pellets were partially damaged or completely destroyed by entrainment. Water quality monitoring showed that scouring increased turbidity levels only along the river bottom up to 160 ft from the Turbo-scour unit. Scouring did not appear to alter salinity or dissolved oxygen throughout the water column. Physical destruction of entrained eggs may be the most detrimental impact of turbo-scour operations on the striped bass fishery. Egg destruction rates from a single scour system are insignificant when compared to overall natural mortality. However, future installation of scouring systems could have an additive effect on egg and larval mortality.


A revelatory look at the decisions that led to the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, drawing on the insights and reassessments of one of the war's architects"I had a part in a great failure. I made mistakes of perception, recommendation and execution. If I have learned anything I should share it."These are not words that Americans ever expected to hear from McGeorge Bundy, the national security adviser to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. But in the last years of his life, Bundy--the only principal architect of Vietnam strategy to have maintained his public silence--decided to revisit the decisions that had led to war and to look anew at the role he played. He enlisted the collaboration of the political scientist Gordon M. Goldstein, and together they explored what happened and what might have been. With Bundy's death in 1996, that manuscript could not be completed, but Goldstein has built on their collaboration in an original and provocative work of presidential history that distills the essential lessons of America's involvement in Vietnam. Drawing on Goldstein's prodigious research as well as the interviews and analysis he conducted with Bundy, "Lessons in Disaster" is a historical tour de force on the uses and misuses of American power. And in our own era, in the wake of presidential decisions that propelled the United States into another war under dubious pretexts, these lessons offer instructive guidance that we must heed if we are not to repeat the mistakes of the past.


The high latency of memory operations is a problem in both sequential and parallel computing. Multithreading is a technique, which can be used to eliminate the delays caused by the high latency. This happens by letting a processor to execute other processes (threads) while one process is waiting for the completion of a memory operation. In this paper we investigate the implementation of multithreading in the processor-level. As a result we outline and evaluate a MultiThreaded VLIW processor Architecture with functional unit Chaining (MTAC), which is specially designed for PRAM-style parallelism. According to our experiments MTAC offers remarkably better performance than a basic pipelined RISC architecture and chaining improves the exploitation of instruction level parallelism to a level where the achieved speedup corresponds to the number of functional units in a processor.


Watt-level short fiber lasers side-pumped through fiber-to-waveguide couplers are demonstrated. The fiber lasers are fabricated from Nd-doped phosphate glass with large numerical aperture of 0.2 and rectangular cross section of 1.5 x 0.5 (mm). Single transverse mode output is achieved by the gain-guiding effect. Average power of 1 W is generated from a 4.0-cm-long fiber laser with a slope efficiency of 10%.


The effect of directional orientation of Chopped steel wool fiber in a friction material matrix / Brake pads that influences Friction, Wear and Mechanical properties of the Brake pads have been evaluated in a phenolic resin-based asbestos-free semi-metallic friction material composition. Brake pad compositions widely use chopped steel wool fibers having a nominal length of less than 10 mm; diameter of about 500 microns; carbon content between 0.05 – 0.15 % as reinforcement. During compounding and mixing of friction material formulation, chopped Steel wool fibers along with dozen other raw materials are mixed/homogenized using plough shear mixer resulting in the steel fibers dispersed and oriented randomly in different plan and direction in the mixture and so over the final brake pad matrix too. Trials have been carried out in Fricmart's prototype Lab to orient chopped steel wool fiber in an uni directional plan in various semi-metallic formulations and progress has been achieved only in a medium- steel brake pad formulation that contains about 25% chopped steel fibers. Fricmart's S-428 grade Steel wool fiber conforming to the above said specification has been used in the experiments. Fibers were initially classified using a set of sieves to remove the fines having diameter and length less than 200 microns and 3 mm respectively to meet the desired loose density / bulk density limit of 0.55 – 0.70 gm/cc to support the process of orientation. Further, a brake pad model that has rectangular geometry ( Merc. W-123 Pad) with an area of about 50 sq. cm was chosen to conduct the trials and to support the process of orientation. Brake pads were molded using conventional compression molding process at temp. of 150 deg. C with specific pressure of 250 bar and 6 minutes curing followed by 4 hours step curing ( post-baking ) to max. temp. of 180 deg. C in an air oven . Preparation of Samples: Sample 1 -By employing bi-directional magnetic field coupled with other special charging chute and dispersing techniques, the desired orientation of chopped steel wool fiber that was targeted to be parallel to the sliding direction of the brake (pad) was achieved to a level of more than 90% evenly oriented throughout the layer and matrix of the brake pad. Fricmart's PLM – Stereo Microscope surveillance facility is used to ascertain percentage orientation during trials. Sample - 2: Brake pads processed as above by "parallel orientation to sliding direction'' have later been used to study the effect of "orientation in perpendicular to the sliding direction'' just by "inverting the new sample" specimen at the time of testing. Sample - 3: One set of brake pads were processed as per industries standard using the same batch/composition of raw materials with a random distribution of chopped steel wool fiber under identical process condition without carrying out directional orientation. Testing & Evaluation:The samples were cut from the brake pad and tested in Chase Type Friction Tester as per SAE J661 – small sample testing and the following are the observations. Internal shear measured as per ISO 6311 of sample -1 was significantly higher than sample – 2 & least in the case of sample 3 Faster bedding or faster adaptability to the disc in case of the sample- 1. 80% bedding achieved within 10 minutes of burnishing as compared to 20 minutes in case of samples- 2 & 3. The coefficient of friction is also dependent on the fiber orientation and µ for the developed pad ranges between 0.35 and 0.40. Fade resistance for samples 1 & 2 is superior when compared to sample 3.Further, it was observed that as temperature increases, initially there was abrasion/plowing and on a further rise in temperature, a transfer film was developed making the steady-state friction. The wear rates decreased if the sliding path/direction changes from parallel to the perpendicular direction. The worn surface morphology was studied using FESEM and found that wear resistance is found to relate to the stability of the developed film. Sample 1 with the fibers oriented parallel to the sliding direction exhibited smoother running whereas sample 2 created undesirable judder noise. Hence it can be concluded that the Orientation of fibers with respect to sliding direction is preferable to the randomly oriented fibers towards frictional characteristics.


The argument developed in this paper holds that critical realism is stronger than many other forms of post-positivism but that it is itself open to criticism. While critical realists are polemical about positivism they do share with positivism the concern positively to develop knowledge. This stands in contrast to social constructionism which embraces relativism and scepticism in an attempt to delegitimize knowledge claims by exposing them as symptoms of underlying discursive power relations. For critical realists we need to defend knowledge from relativist and sceptical challenges while seeking to avoid the empiricist theory of knowledge that underpinned positivism. To do this critical realists turn from empiricism – and epistemology more generally – to ontology, and argue that the natural and social sciences need to be based on a coherent definition of reality. As regards the social sciences, critical realists argue that a meta-theory which defines social reality in terms of agents interacting with structural emergent properties is required to underpin empirical research. This non-positivist emphasis on generating knowledge about causal processes in society is stronger than social constructionism, which cannot move beyond the purely negative position of scepticism. However, we may consider problem-solving challenges to critical realism. These focus on the need for conceptual revision in contrast to the critical realist argument that the meta-theory of structure and agency is the condition of possibility of a mature social science.


Kosciuszko National Park is located around 350km south-west of Sydney and is the largest National Park in NSW. Kosciuszko National Park is home to a horse population of an estimated 6000 horses. The presence of these horses within the park is highly controversial due to a range of stakeholders having different perspectives based on different contexts that horses can be placed in. With the 2008 Horse Management Plan up for review in 2013, the re-introduction of aerial culling as a control method was being considered. This created a large divide and subsequent debates around factors such as actual horse numbers in the park, horse impacts, horse control methods and the ideas around the horses' right to belong in the Park. Data for this project was accessed through a range of sources such as semi-structured interviews and online content that was made available through discussion forums and social media. A main focus of the methodology involved situating myself within the project to experience an entirely embodied approach to the research, therefore introducing the idea of 'brumbiness'. Analysis of the debate was approached by using the conceptual tool of assemblage thinking. By investigating the assemblages of the horse, the horse was deconstructed which allowed the debate to be analysed through these various horse constructs. An analysis of the 2008 Horse Management Plan opened up the view of the NPWS as seeing the horse as feral. Analysis of the public debate saw the horse assembled as 'brumby' or 'feral', and the politics of blame were explored to uncover different perspectives towards impacts within Kosciuszko National Park. Horse narratives were also analysed to give further insight into the assemblage of the horse as a brumby, and how connections that develop between humans and horses play an integral part in the forming of people's experiences of brumbiness.


As food has become unknowable, untrustworthy, and deleterious to all involved, people have responded with alternatives to the industrial agrifood system. One method in particular is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in which shares of a farming project are sold in advance of production. Although many particular aspects of production and distribution are unique to each endeavor, all CSAs allow members to act reflexively with their food source. Reflexivity is presented as a process of understanding the situation at-hand while matching it with ones' own identity to produce social action. To examine reflexivity in CSA more intimately, a qualitative inquiry was undertaken. During the 2012 growing season, participants of The People's Republic of Delicious Foods CSA were utilized to highlight reflexive practices. Reflexive eating was shown in members through the development of deeper connections with food and the strengthening of trust with farmers. Reflexive farming manifested as the application of knowledge and ethics by the farmer in order to cultivate relationships with members and to continue improving upon CSA. Reflexivity, both in farming and eating, exhibits meaningful engagement that expresses and promotes motives and concerns, imbued with politics. CSA provides the farming space to actively engage in reflexive behavior while nourishing a personal experience with agriculture and food. Working in tandem, reflexive farming and eating act as a mode to build trust for those involved and may alleviate problems associated with CSA. Although relatively small in size, CSA encourages reflexive behavior that may spark change well in to the future.


China experienced a near 5-fold increase in annual Higher Education (HE) enrolment in the decade starting in 1999. Using the China Household Finance Survey, we show that the expansion has exacerbated the large pre-existing urban-rural gap in educational attainment underpinned by the hukou (household registration) system. We then instrument years of schooling using the interaction of childhood urban hukou status and the timing of the expansion, which is analogous to a Difference-in-Differences estimator which uses rural students to control for any common time trend. The 2SLS estimates of 17% and 12% for men and women respectively are substantially larger than their OLS counterparts of 5% and 6%, both allowing for county fixed-effects. Our 2SLS results can be interpreted as a Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE), i.e. the average treatment effect of HE attendance on earnings for urban students who enrolled in HE as a result of the higher education expansion.


A second academic revolution, integrating a mission for economic and social development is transforming the traditional teaching and research university into an entrepreneurial university. The Triple Helix thesis postulates that the interaction among university-industry-government is the key to improving the conditions for innovation in a knowledge-based society. More than the development of new products in firms, innovation is the creation of new arrangements among the institutional spheres that foster the conditions for innovation. Invention of organisational innovations, new social arrangements and new channels for interaction becomes as important as the creation of physical devices in speeding the pace of innovation. This paper draws for data on interviews conducted by the author in the USA, Sweden, Brazil, Italy, Portugal and Denmark.


When a people tolerates being compelled, this tells much about a people.1 -Aleksandr Veshnyakov Chairman of Russia's Central Election Commission Russia does not influence the election because Lukashenka offered factories in return for his victory. But the situation is very bad for him. Russian oligarchs will receive no factories for their support because Lukashenka will cheat them; this is when Russia voices its clear and unequivocal position. That is why I believe we should start thinking now about what to do after the election.2 -Pavel Sheremet Head of the Special Information Project Department Russian Public Television Channel (ORT) During the September 10, 2001, celebration in honor of his victory in the Belarusian presidential election conducted the previous day, President Aleksandr Lukashenka3 indicated that those who criticized his policies in the past would have to accept the decision of the Belarusian electorate.4 He seemed confident that in the aftermath of his overwhelming victory, the leaders in principal Western countries would have to learn to deal with him and that he welcomed such a situation.5 President Lukashenka exuded similar confidence that complaints about the nature of his rule and his treatment of political opponents would fade over time.6 The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and subsequent events appear to demonstrate President Lukashenka's prescience. Nonetheless, the apparent rapprochement between the United States and Russia, as well as Belarus' alleged training of Iraqi military personnel and export of weapons to states that make those weapons available to terrorist organizations, as discussed more fully below, might ultimately prove President Lukashenka to be wrong. This Article examines the domestic and international context of the September 9, 2001, Belarusian Presidential Election (Election), its implications for the member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the potential consequences for the Belarusian state and people.7 section I offers an overview of the political situation and the basis of political power in Belarus. section II discusses the Election's legal framework, its political context, and the results of the balloting, including the OSCE's evaluation of it. section III examines the international legal framework for the recognition of governments under international law. Section IV addresses the political consequences of the Belarusian election for the OSCE, with an emphasis on the United States and Russia. Section V analyzes the implications of the Election for both international law and the international community's policy towards President Lukashenka's government. This analysis contends that where an election does not comply with internationally recognized electoral norms irrespective of whether they are deemed to be "political" or "legal," its outcome should be treated as illegitimate by the world community through the withholding of diplomatic recognition of the resulting "government." The failure by states to do so hinders the development of international law and the furtherance of human rights, while undermining existing international legal norms. I. OVERVIEW OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION AND THE BASIS OF POLITICAL, POWER IN BELARUS The Republic of Belarus (Belarus), achieved its independence upon the official demise of the Soviet Union in December 1991.8 In November 1996, President Aleksandr Lukashenka organized a referendum on a number of issues, including the introduction of major amendments to the country's 1994 Constitution (1994 Constitution).9 Although a majority of voters purportedly voted to amend the 1994 Constitution, the Presidium of the Belarusian Supreme Soviet (the legislature at the time), the Belarusian Constitutional Court, the European Union (EU), the OSCE Troika, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the United States have refused to recognize the results as "legitimate" for multiple reasons. …


A series of experiments has been conducted in the Caltech indoor smog chamber facility to investigate the water uptake properties of aerosol formed by oxidation of various organic precursors. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from simple and substituted cycloalkenes (C 5-C8) is produced in dark ozonolysis experiments in a dry chamber (RH∼5%). Biogenic SOA from monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and oxygenated terpenes is formed by photooxidation in a humid chamber ( ∼50% RH). Using the hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA), we measure the diameter-based hygroscopic growth factor ( GF) of the SOA as a function of time and relative humidity. All SOA studied is found to be slightly hygroscopic, with smaller water uptake than that of typical inorganic aerosol substances. The aerosol water uptake increases with time early in the experiments for the cycloalkene SOA, but decreases with time for the sesquiterpene SOA. This behavior could indicate competing effects between the formation of more highly oxidized polar compounds (more hygroscopic), and formation of longer-chained oligomers (less hygroscopic). All SOA also exhibit a smooth water uptake with RH with no deliquescence or efflorescence. The water uptake curves are found to be fitted well with an empirical three-parameter functional form. The measured pure organic GF values at 85% RH are between 1.09–1.16 for SOA from ozonolysis of cycloalkenes, 1.01–1.04 for sesquiterpene photooxidation SOA, and 1.06–1.10 for the monoterpene and oxygenated terpene SOA. TheGF of pure SOA ( GForg) in experiments in which inorganic seed aerosol is used is determined by assuming volume-weighted water uptake (Zdanovskii-StokesRobinson or "ZSR" approach) and using the size-resolved Correspondence to: J. H. Seinfeld (firstname.lastname@example.com) organic mass fraction measured by the Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer. Knowing the water content associated with the inorganic fraction yieldsGForg values. However, for each precursor, the GForg values computed from different HTDMA-classified diameters agree with each other to varying degrees. Comparing growth factors from different precursors, we find that GForg is inversely proportional to the precursor molecular weight and SOA yield, which is likely a result of the fact that higher-molecular weight precursors tend to produce larger and less hygroscopic oxidation products.


The U.S.-South Korean alliance faces significant challenges caused by transitions in both countries, including political and demographic change in South Korea and fast-paced adjustments to America's national security strategy in the face of a new global and regional strategic landscape. These are stressful circumstances, but they also present opportunities for improving alliance relations. Careful planning and effective communication at various levels (including the public level) is needed to minimise the stress and to capitalise on the opportunities. The study examines the complex dynamics at work and explores how U.S. policy makers can work with their counterparts in Seoul to diversify the alliance and prepare it to better serve the national interests of both the United States and a future united Korea.


Given a large graph, how can we calculate the relevance between nodes fast and accurately? Random walk with restart (RWR) provides a good measure for this purpose and has been applied to diverse data mining applications including ranking, community detection, link prediction, and anomaly detection. Since calculating RWR from scratch takes long, various preprocessing methods, most of which are related to inverting adjacency matrices, have been proposed to speed up the calculation. However, these methods do not scale to large graphs because they usually produce large and dense matrices which do not fit into memory. In this paper, we propose BEAR, a fast, scalable, and accurate method for computing RWR on large graphs. BEAR comprises the preprocessing step and the query step. In the preprocessing step, BEAR reorders the adjacency matrix of a given graph so that it contains a large and easy-to-invert submatrix, and precomputes several matrices including the Schur complement of the submatrix. In the query step, BEAR computes the RWR scores for a given query node quickly using a block elimination approach with the matrices computed in the preprocessing step. Through extensive experiments, we show that BEAR significantly outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in terms of preprocessing and query speed, space efficiency, and accuracy.


Recently AASHTO adopted a load and resistance factor design code for highway bridges. The new code provides a rational basis for the design of steel and concrete structures. However, the calibration was not done for wood bridges. Therefore, there is a need to fill this gap. The development of statistical models for wood bridge structures is discussed. Recent test results provided a considerable amount of new data for sawed wood and glulam components. Statistical methods provide a good tool for development of rational models for loads and resistance. Because of the random nature of load and resistance, reliability is a convenient measure of structural performance that also provides a rational basis for comparison of wood and other structural materials. The results of a recent project that led to development of rational design criteria for wood bridges are presented. The structural reliability of selected wooden bridges designed by the AASHTO codes are determined, and inadequacies in load distribution and material resistance in the current specifications are identified.


Levins (1969) and Hanski (1982a,b) presented dynamic models that describe the fraction of population sites occupied by species. Levins' model predicts a unimodal distribution of species at sites, whereas Hanski's model yields a bimodal distribution: a mode of widespread "core" species, and a mode of rare "satellite" species. The existence of this dichotomy is the core-satellite hypothesis. Hanski's model also predicts a positive correlation between the fraction of sites occupied by a species (distribution) and the average population size within occupied sites (abundance). Levins' model generates no such correlation between distribution and abundance. We find that a large set of quadrat data on tallgrass prairie plants matches some of the predictions of Hanski's model: for plants of seven different soil series, distribution and abundance are positively correlated, and the distribution of species at sites is bimodal. The bimodality is obscured if distributions from the seven soil series are aggregated. Two earlier hypotheses have been proposed to explain the core-satellite dichotomy. Williams (1964) showed that the degree of bimodality in species distributions depends on the number of quadrats examined: specifically, the smaller the sample, the larger the size of the core mode, and this is true even for randomly assembled communities of species. For our data, the size of the core mode correlates negatively with sample size, as Williams predicted. However, a computer simulation showed that the observed core modes were significantly larger than would be expected by chance. Thus, Williams' sampling hypothesis does not entirely account for the bimodal distribution of prairie plant species. Raunkiaer (1934, see "law of distribution of frequencies") argued that the core mode represented those species best adapted to a particular habitat. He also noted that when quadrats of dissimilar habitat were combined, the bimodality disappeared. The distributions of tallgrass prairie plants, however, do not conform to Raunkiaer's explanation: core species tend to be widespread across all soil series. If Raunkiaer's hypothesis were correct, each species would be widespread on only a few soil series, and each soil series would support a different assemblage of core species. Although our analyses confirm the existence of the core-satellite dichotomy, they do not provide an explicit test of Hanski's model. The essence of the models by Hanski and Levins is that the distribution of each species is dynamic and fluctuates owing to stochastic variation in immigration and local extinction. The strongest test of Hanski's model would be to demonstrate that the distribution of each species varied through time and that the composition of the core and satellite modes was not constant. Long-term data about the distribution of species in a community are needed for such comparisons.


Background and Aims: Statins are the first-line medication to treating hypercholesterolemia. Several studies have investigated the impact of statins on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the extent to which statins may prevent HCC remains uncertain. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis of relevant studies to quantify the magnitude of the association between statins use and the risk of HCC. Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus was performed for studies published between January 1, 1990, and September 1, 2019, with no restriction of language. Two reviewers independently evaluated the literature and included observational and experimental studies that reported the association between statin use and HCC risk. The random-effect model was used to calculate the overall risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI), and the heterogeneity among the studies was assessed using the Q statistic and I2 statistic. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was also used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. Results: A total of 24 studies with 59,073 HCC patients was identified. Statin use was associated with a reduced risk of HCC development (RR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.47–0.61, I2 = 84.39%) compared with nonusers. Moreover, the rate of HCC reduction was also significant among patients with diabetes (RR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28–0.70), liver cirrhosis (RR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.30–0.42), and antiviral therapy (RR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.08–0.59) compared with nonusers. Conclusion: This study serves as additional evidence supporting the beneficial inhibitory effect of statins on HCC incidence. The subgroup analyses of this study also highlight that statins are significantly associated with a reduced risk of HCC and may help to direct future prevention efforts. Additional large clinical studies are needed to determine whether statins are associated with a lower risk of HCC.


Standard setting organizations often require their members to declare which of their patents are essential to the practice of a prospective standard, and to agree to license any such standard-essential patents (SEPs) on "fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory" (FRAND) terms. Among the issues that have arisen in recent disputes involving FRAND-encumbered SEPs are (1) whether a FRAND commitment creates a binding contract for the benefit of third parties, obligating the SEP owner to forgo the right to seek injunctive relief for the infringement of the SEP; (2) whether the law of remedies, or other principles of generally applicable civil law such as the doctrine of "abuse of right," can limit the prevailing SEP owner's ability to obtain injunctive relief; (3) the circustances under which competition law (antitrust) may play a role in resolving these matters; (4) whether the patentee is entitled to relief in the form of ongoing damages, if one or more of these bodies of law eliminates the possibility of an injunction; and (5) if so, how should courts calculate those damages. This article provides both an overview of how courts and other entities have begun to address these questions in the United States and elsewhere, and my analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of different possible approaches. I argue, among other things, first that courts generally should not allow SEP owners to obtain injunctions, but rather only ongoing damages; second, that in principle though perhaps not always in practice, it is preferable to use contract and patent law to achieve this result, as opposed to antitrust; and third, that in awarding monetary relief for the infringement of SEPs courts should apply the same methodology the use to calculate reasonable royalties generally, subject to a few modifications.


Over the last fifteen years researchers studying Australian Aboriginal skeletal material have found depressed fractures to be common upon Aboriginal crania observed. Added to this are the many examples of intra-group conflicts and disputes that appear in the Australian ethnographical literature, which seem unusually common amongst Australian Aborigines when compared with traditional and semi-traditional social systems from other parts of the world. It has been assumed that the depressed fractures observed on crania are the direct physical manifestations of disputes, examples of which are described by the ethnographers. This research project was undertaken to establish through a methodical approach, how real the relationship is between the two bodies of evidence. An application for access to the South Australian Museum's Human Biology Collection was made in late 1990 to pursue this approach, and access was granted in February 1991. A total of 409 crania were examined for evidence of depressed fractures and through a survey of the ethnographical, anthropological, and archaeological literature available, the physical evidence was analysed to establish any possible relationship between the fractures recorded and the evidence of physical assaults as described ethnographically. The research has demonstrated that physical contacts between individuals account for a majority of the injuries present and also suggests that physical contacts were invariably the result of conflicts and disputes. Age (of the individual) and sex determinations were carried out where possible; 62% of the sample was positively sexed and 99% of the sample was successfully aged. Observations included two distinct trends apparent amongst crania that possessed depressed fractures. Amongst the sexed crania with fractures there appeared to be no bias toward either sex having more fractures present than the other, and among the aged crania there appeared a definite trend toward fractures becoming more frequent as individual age increased. Further analysis of the results showed that the majority of fractures found upon crania in the sample were indeed the result of conflict behaviour but that this behaviour seemed most frequently to be used as a means of settling intra-communal disputes. It is suggested, on the strength of the evidence presented, that 'violent' behaviour was not seen as such by Aborigines, rather that it was an effective tool used in the social sphere for two important reasons; firstly to settle disputes quickly and efficiently between individuals in an environment that required everyone to work together for the survival of the group; and secondly because it allowed individuals to constantly reassure themselves personally, of their position within the social system.


A necessary condition for socially desirable regulation is that total social benefits outweigh total social costs. We report available information regarding the costs of pesticide regulation in California, and evaluate the likelihood that the generated benefits outweigh these costs. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for future policy research and reforms.


Supremely American: Popular Song in the 20th Century: Styles and Singers and What They Said About America. By Nicholas Tawa. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2005. [xvi, 352 p. ISBN 0-8108-5295-0. $40.00.] Selected bibliography, index. Nicholas Tawa, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, is the author of numerous volumes on the history of music in America. His most recent book, Supremely American: Popular Song in the 20th Century: Styles and Singers and What They Said About America, is a study of popular music and how it has been influenced by changes in American life and culture. Tawa examines the way popular music fits within the context of twentieth-century society, why musical styles changed, and what the new styles that emerged suggested. Songs of the jazz age and swing era are considered in terms of their relationship to the time, while post-World War II songs are classified more by styles and the audiences the variations in styles created. The book is written for the general reader with little or no formal training in music. As the author states: "I have not concentrated on a technical analysis and explanation of songs" (p. ix). The arrangement of the first three chapters of the book seemed to flow more fluidly than later chapters, as Tawa's survey of popular song is organized chronologically. Beginning around chapter 4, the emphasis is on popular music after World War II, with the chronological arrangement being replaced by classification of styles and the audiences the variations in styles created. Perhaps there are just too many overlapping musical styles that flourished after World War II, but I found that I had to reread passages in some places to remember where I was and to what the author was referring. As the title suggests, the book examines many types of song that were popular throughout the twentieth century. Preliminary consideration is given to the close of the nineteenth century, and Tawa continues his survey with the jazz and swing eras. He explores the torch song, novelty and dance songs, and both light and serious love songs. There is early emphasis on the art of the crooner, and in the variety of singing styles that arose in the early to mid-1900s. As America changed, popular music changed with it. Prohibition, war, crisis, and controversy led people to seek out entertainment like never before (p. 31). The types of entertainment sought by the American public varied according to ethnicity and economic status. Brought to the fore are influences from African American musical styles such as soul, funk, the Motown sound, reggae, hip hop, and rap. Influences derived from British traditional music are discussed as precursors to the more political folk music that gained popularity in the United States after the Vietnam War, with singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, and Joan Baez. …


In response to competing group claims and the challenge to achieve pre-set triple national goals recognising and accommodating ethnic diversity, achieving national unity and political stability, successive Nigerian governments from the colonial era to the present, have at various periods negotiated, constitutionalised and/or decreed state building strategies. This thesis offers detailed discussion and evaluation of some of these competing group claims and strategies using principles derived from the theoretical arguments of Michal Walzer, Charles Taylor and Will Kymlicka, and prescriptions based on the empirical arguments of Crawford Young, Eric Nordlinger, Donald Horowitz and Donald Rothchild. The thesis argues that some of the strategies adopted in response to the competing group claims were defensible in the very circumstances in which they were introduced, but were either not deep enough to offer an adequate political inclusion, or lacked the appropriate instruments that would have minimised recurrence of ethno-political conflicts and institutional instabilities. There were some strategies that either generated tension among groups, or were purely driven by strategic considerations for national unity, but were defensible. There were other strategies that were pragmatic at the very period they were adopted, but not defensible. The core theoretical finding of the thesis is that, the normative and empirical prescriptions validate the country's various strategies for coping with diversity. However, application of some elements of the prescriptions in the Nigerian multicultural society has the potential to generate tensions leading to ethno-political conflicts and institutional instabilities. The important empirical finding of the thesis is regarding the role the inherent tensions between the triple national goals and the state building strategies play in the generation and recurrence of ethno-political conflict and institutional instabilities. The thesis argues that the underlying factors responsible for the prevalence of ethno-political conflict and institutional instabilities in the country include among others, the ascension of the military to power and its costly dominance of the political scene for about thirty five years, the immediate post-civil war period which coincided with the era of petroleum boom that created a deepening crisis of corruption, the perpetuation of large scale electoral and financial corruption, and manipulation of ethnic loyalties. Given the above underlying factors, this work observes that state building and Constitutional politics in Nigeria's multi-ethnic society is a difficult task, especially taking into account the ethno-political conflicts and institutional instabilities associated with the Armed Forces over the years. On the basis of a detailed and interdisciplinary analysis, the thesis recommends constitutional and institutional safeguards for mitigating ethno-political conflicts and institutional instabilities in the course of future political development of Nigeria.


Japanese-language table-top role-playing games (TRPG) stayed mostly under the radar of gamers and scholars in Europe and the US until 2008, when a first English translation of such a game was released. TRPGs made by Japanese game designers had been overshadowed by their digital cousins, computer RPGs such as Final Fantasy , and Japan has subsequently been imagined as a digital game heaven. Instead of engaging a computer interface, however, TRPG players come together and narrate a shared adventure or story. Using character avatars and following often complex rules, their game world and the plot line of their play exist mostly in their imagination. One of the first English translations of a commercial Japanese game was Tenra Banshō Zero (Inoue, Kitkowski) in 2014, chosen for its "Japaneseness," that is, a plethora of elements, such as samurai, Shintō priests, and creatures from Japanese folklore. Using Tenra 's English translation as a key example, this paper traces how "cultural brokerage" in the case of this game does not simply translate between cultures (e.g., a supposed to be authentic Japanese one and a vaguely "Western" one) but necessarily assembles and constitutes them as single coherent wholes. By tracking the translation process, this paper seeks to show that the "Japaneseness" of Tenra was its selling point but also nothing it simply carried with it: The "Japaneseness" of this game needed to be created first by telling a putative audience what "authentic" Japan looks like.


Biochar land application is commonly assumed to be an effective way to improve soil fertility. Biochar amendment can alter soil physico-chemical properties, sorption, degradation and leaching of different chemicals. The objectives of this study were to determine the sorption, persistence and mobility of three carbamate pesticides in six different soils in 1, 2, 5% (w/w) biochar amended and 2% aged (4 months) biochar amended soils. By the addition of biochar as compared to control, the sorption of three carbamate pesticides on all the studied soils increased significantly; the enhancement in sorption was directly correlated with amount of biochar added. The increase in pesticide sorption in biochar amended soils may be due to availability of sorption sites on biochar and the presence of micro pores in biochar. However, the sorption retards in aged biochar amended soils which might be due to covering of micro pores by organic and inorganic substances and oxidation of functional groups on the biochar surface. The sorption of three carbamate pesticides on all the studied soils belongs to 'L type'. The low heat of sorption (<50 kJ mole-1) indicates that the sorption of pesticides was primarily via physical process in to soil organic matter. The degradation of the pesticides during the study obeys first order kinetics; the biochar retards the degradation of the pesticides and the degradation was more inhibited in fresh biochar amended soils than in aged biochar amended. The DT50 (50% dissipated) for three carbamate pesticides was in the order II > I > III denoting that pesticide III is most stable followed by I and II. The relatively strong and quick soil sorption of the carbamate pesticides in biochar amended soils accounts for limited soil leaching of the pesticides. These results indicate that the amendment of fresh biochar retards the degradation of carbamate pesticides, while this effect is retarded in aged biochar amended soils.


Although gambling accessibility is generally viewed as a multidimensional construct, few studies have successfully untangled the specific role of spatial accessibility in determining gambling outcomes relative to other forms (i.e. temporal, social and psychological). In this paper, we explore the association between gambling outcomes and the distance travelled from a person's home to their most-frequented gambling venue. To this end, we conducted a geocoded mail survey of 7044 households in the Northern Territory of Australia. We employed a geographic information system to calculate the network distance from each household to all visited electronic gaming machine (EGM) venues (n = 64). Multivariate regression modelling revealed that, when adjusted for individual and neighbourhood-level characteristics, frequency of venue visitation and gambling participation were inversely related to residential distance from venue. There was no additional distance effect for problem gambling. Spatial accessibility of EGMs is an important determinant of gambling risk and should be explicitly considered by regulators.


The story of Islay, Jura and Colonsay is one of the most fascinating amongst all the Hebrides. They have had substantial human occupation since earliest times and man has left many relics across the islands, from tools and artefacts of mesolithic times to the modern-day distilleries of Islay and Jura. From the period between survive chambered cairns, iron age forts, magnificent early crosses, enigmatic carvings, early monasteries, relics of the Lordship of the Isles, deserted townships and shielings, planned villages, corn mills, kelp kilns and lead mines and much else besides. Far more than a gazetteer, this book is based on a great deal of intensive primary research and local knowledge and is essential reading for local and tourist alike. Islay, Jura and Colonsay is part of Birlinn's Historical Guides series, which will eventually cover the whole of Scotland.


Opening A Closing Door : Feminist and Queer Artists as Historians

Considering the interest in the history of feminism, and particularly in female and feminist artists, in the work of feminist and queer artists, this essay considers the archival turn within recent projects by artists including Emily Roysdon, K8 Hardy, Wynne Greenwood and their work with and independently of LTTR, Luis Jacob, Oliver Plender, Kajsa Dahlberg, Sharon Hayes and Paulina Olowska. Too young to participate in the women's liberation movement at their height, these artists forge affective connections to important precursors that exceed citation or homage. They know that they cannot reproduce earlier times faithfully or return to a coherent past. Rather than enacting the one-to-one identifications of identity politics, this art spans gender, race and generation. Women and gay male artists channel female artistic icons work while lesbians "strap on" elements of gay male culture. They pillage collective archives to update and replenish them. The American artist Mary Kelly's 2005-07 series Love Songs is cited for its examination of feminist mentorship and inheritance, of what survives after a historical movement is over, and how radical movements can nonetheless affect those who encounter them, however belatedly. Exploring processes of channelling the past, a number of artists considered posit re-enactment as a way to bridge generation and – on occasion - gender. I touch on Elizabeth Freeman's ideas of 'temporal drag', with its play on anachronism, awkwardness and inappropriateness, as a way to explore such identifications.


The study was conducted with the objectives of analyzing and developing Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) equation for predicting nutritional value and mineral constituents of chickpea haulm, and to determine the relationship between fodder quality and agronomic traits of chickpea. The samples were collected from Akaki, Alem Tena, Chefe Donsa, Debre-zeit and Minjar field experimental sites of Debre zeit Agricultural Research Center and the laboratory work was conducted at Animal Nutrition laboratory of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa. A total of 105 tested and 8 control genotypes with 1348 samples of chickpea haulms from preliminary and national variety trials were used for NIRS prediction. Calibration models were developed between chemical and NIRS spectral data. Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 replications was used in the experiment. The plot size was 4m x 1.2m (4rows/plot), 30cm between rows and about 10cm between plants spacing was used. All management activities were done. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS (Statistical Analysis System) used for analyzing the data with samples of 597 chickpea haulms from national variety trials. The model developed by NIRS for the prediction of chickpea haulm Crude Protein (CP), ME (Metabolizable Energy), TIVOMD(True In Vitro Organic Matter Digestibility) values and fiber fractions were accurate and successful method. The coefficients of determination for Calibration (rc), validation (rv) and Ratio Performance Deviation (RPD) of chemical constituents were within the range of 0.97-0.99, 0.96-0.99 and 3.61-26, respectively. The rc, rv and RPD for minerals were between the range of 0.71-0.99, 0.68-0.92 and 1.58-3.55, respectively. Higher CP value was recorded in kabuli and desi type chickpea at Debre zeit, Alem Tena and Minjar locations. Dz2012ck0084 and dz2012ck0018 had higher (P<0.05) CP, ME, TIVOMD and lower in fiber fractions for moisture stress area. On the other hand, dz2012ck0036 had higher grain yield. The CP content of the haulm was significantly (p<0.001) higher and negatively correlated with days to 90% maturity (DTM), grain yield (GYLD), biomass (BM) and haulm yield (HYLD). Moreover, the ME and TIVOMD were negatively correlated to all agronomic traits, except hundred seed weight (HSW). The highest correlation coefficient with strong associations (p<0.001) were observed for BM with HYLD (r=0.90), BM with GYLD (r=0.82), GYLD with HYLD (r= 0.51) and DTF with DTM (r= 0.63). Grain yield was positively and significant (p<0.001) correlated with DTM and BM and also significantly (p<0.001) and negatively correlated with HSW. Genotypes which combined moderately high grain and haulm yield, better haulm quality traits and ultimately medium potential utility index were Dz2012ck000024, Ejere, Chefe and Dz2012ck0017 from kabuli for moisture stress area, Dz2012ck0007, Dz2012ck0001, Dz2012ck0012, Arerti and Dz2012ck0004 from kabuli for potential environment, Dz2012ck0036, Dz2012ck0031 and Dz2012ck0029 and Natoli from desi type chickpea. Generally, the present showed the possibility for simultaneous improvement of high grain and haulm yield with desirable haulm quality traits to address the high demand existing for dual purpose food-feed traits of chickpea genotypes in mixed-livestock system of Ethiopia.


Many economists now accept that informal institutions and culture play a crucial role in economic outcomes. Driven by the work of economists like Nobel laureates Douglass North and Gary Becker, there is an important body of work that invokes cultural and institutional factors to build a more comprehensive and realistic theory of economic behavior. This book provides a comprehensive overview of research in this area, sketching the main premises and challenges faced by the field. The first part introduces and explains the various theoretical approaches to studying culture in economics, going back to Smith and Weber, and addresses the methodological issues that need to be considered when including culture in economics. The second part of the book then provides readers with a series of examples that show how the cultural approach can be used to explain economic phenomena in four different areas: entrepreneurship, trust, international business and comparative corporate governance.


We are interested in the problem of word extraction from Chinese text collections. We define a word to be a meaningful string composed of several Chinese characters. For example, percent, and, more and more, are not recognized as traditional Chinese words from the viewpoint of some people. However, in our work, they are words because they are very widely used and have specific meanings. We start with the viewpoint that a word is a distinguished linguistic entity that can be used in many different language environments. We consider the characters that are directly before a string (predecessors) and the characters that are directly after a string (successors) as important factors for determining the independence of the string. We call such characters accessors of the string, consider the number of distinct predecessors and successors of a string in a large corpus (TREC 5 and TREC 6 documents), and use them as the measurement of the context independency of a string from the rest of the sentences in the document. Our experiments confirm our hypothesis and show that this simple rule gives quite good results for Chinese word extraction and is comparable to, and for long words outperforms, other iterative methods.


We report an experimental study of second-harmonic generation at a silver diffraction grating when counterpropagating surface plasmons are excited with a single pump beam. In the surface plasmon minigap, no second-harmonic light is observed in the specular direction, whereas a strong signal is detected in the direction normal to the mean plane of the grating.


Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) or hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLcs) are classified as anionic clays in which their structure is based upon brucite and are represented by the following general chemical formula: [M1-xM x(OH)2](A)x/y.yH2O where M and M represent various possible divalent cations, e.g., Mg, Zn, Ni, Co and Fe and trivalent cations, e.g., Al, Fe and Cr respectively. The value x is equal to the stoichiometric ratio of M/(M+M) and A represents exchangeable anions such as CO3, Cl and SO4. It is these exchangeable interlayer anions, which make layered double hydroxide compounds excellent carriers of negatively charged or anionic containing biomolecules, such as DNA and hence can be exploited in their use in gene therapy. In this study, a variety of Mg-Al hydrotalcites (HTs), Zn-Al, Zn-Fe and Mg-Fe LDHs were synthesized using co-precipitation. The synthesized compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). XRD patterns for the synthesized HTs and LDHs exhibited characteristic features indicative of an ordered layered material. Elemental analysis of the compounds revealed a measured value of x in the range of 0.25-0.33 for Mg-Al HTs and Zn-Fe LDHs, 0.11-0.16 for Zn-Al LDHs and 0.55-0.58 for Mg-Fe LDHs. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups and interlayer anions. From electron microscopy, the compounds exhibited classical morphologies typical of HT and LDH compounds and had a lateral size range of 200-300 nm. These compounds were studied in their ability to bind DNA with the use of a gel retardation or band shift assay. This assay confirmed that these compounds are indeed able to bind DNA. The binding mechanism of DNA to the HT and LDH compounds was evaluated and plausible mechanisms were proposed. Furthermore, nuclease digestion assays were carried out in order to evaluate the potential protecting ability that these compounds afford towards the bound DNA in the presence of serum. It was observed that all compounds protected most of the bound DNA. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was evaluated in the HEK293, HepG2 and HeLa mammalian cell lines using the MTS (3(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-5(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salts) assay with a concentration range of 20-100 μg of respective HT/LDH compound. For most of the compounds, cell viability was observed in excess of 80 %. Finally, transfection studies were carried out utilizing green fluorescent protein (GFP) analysis and luciferase gene expression using the same mammalian cells in culture. It was noted that all HTs and LDHs were able to release DNA in a controlled prolonged manner over a period of three days. Green fluorescent protein gene expression commenced after 27 hours and reached a maximum at 72 hours. Efficient luciferase gene expression was observed with luciferase activities for DNA: HTs ranging from 0.05 x 10 2.0 x 10 RLU / mg protein and DNA: LDHs ranging from 0.05 x 10 16.7 x 10 RLU / mg protein. Highest luciferase activity was recorded as 16.7 x 10 RLU / mg protein.


We introduce a natural variant of the parallel chip-firing game, called the diffusion game. Chips are initially assigned to vertices of a graph. At every step, all vertices simultaneously send one chip to each neighbour with fewer chips. As the dynamics of the parallel chip-firing game occur on a finite set the process is inherently periodic. However the diffusion game is not obviously periodic: even if $2|E(G)|$ chips are assigned to vertices of graph G, there may exist time steps where some vertices have a negative number of chips. We investigate the process, prove periodicity for a number of graph classes, and pose some questions for future research.


Long after they die, cultural icons such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Jimi Hendrix continue to earn millions of dollars annually. Despite the tremendous amount of money earned by marketing the images of certain late celebrities, the laws conferring and governing the postmortem right of publicity are varied and often unpredictable. Most states recognize that the right to profit from the image of a deceased person falls under the jurisdiction of wherever the deceased was domiciled at the time of death. Certain state legislatures have passed statutes conferring this right on persons domiciled outside of their respective borders, and these statutes may have potentially dramatic effects on businesses marketing products incorporating the images of celebrities. This Note argues that statutes of this nature are unconstitutional under the Due Process Clause, the Full Faith and Credit Clause, and the dormant Commerce Clause, and that the postmortem right of publicity should be governed in all states by the jurisdiction in which the deceased was domiciled at the time of death.