Hardly could projects be executed in Nigeria without alteration of design. This cannot be dissociated from designs which are not practically buildable or arising from changing taste of client. A study on factors influencing the buildability of designs in Nigerian construction industry was carried out to determine these factors and develop strategy to mitigate them. A total of one hundred (100) questionnaires were administered by the means of convenience and eighty six (86) was retrieved from a target population comprising; Architects, Builders, Engineers and Quantity Surveyors. The central tendency statistical tool was used for the analysis of data. The result of data analysis indicated that, clients briefing is an important factor for buildability of design. Among the influencing factors on buildability, complexity of the project followed by professional knowledge about construction ranks first and second and lastly cost economic value with no influence. On the current practice of buildability in Nigeria, the study revealed that Architects are mainly involved at the briefing stage to the award stages. While at the construction stage the Builder/Constructor features prominently at the various phases of construction. The study recommended the integration of Builder/Constructor at the early stage of building design.


The effects of boundary mixing on the transport of a buoyant cloud along an incline were investigated using a laboratory experiment. A fixed volume of a negatively buoyant substance (a suspension of aluminium particles or a saline solution) was introduced onto a rough inclined plane, which was submerged in homogeneous water and could make planar oscillations so as to produce turbulence. At weak turbulence intensities, the buoyant input flowed down the slope as a well-defined gravity current. As the intensity of turbulence became stronger, however, the buoyant input diffused away into the interior of the fluid. The frontal velocity of the gravity current, the density structure and the growth of the thickness of the buoyant cloud were measured, and their dependencies on the intensity of turbulence at the boundary were determined. A criterion which predicts the transition from gravity-current-dominated transport to turbulent-diffusion-dominated transport was found. Scaling arguments were developed to explain the experimental results.


This is a foundational text in urban geography, now updated to include the essay 'The Right to the City'. Throughout his distinguished and influential career, David Harvey has defined and redefined the relationship among politics, capitalism, and the social aspects of geographical theory. Laying out Harvey's position that geography could not remain objective in the face of urban poverty and associated ills, "Social Justice and the City" is perhaps the most widely cited work in the field. Harvey analyzes core issues in city planning and policy - employment and housing location, zoning, transport costs, concentrations of poverty - asking in each case about the relationship between social justice and space. How, for example, do built-in assumptions about planning reinforce existing distributions of income? Rather than leading him to liberal, technocratic solutions, Harvey's line of inquiry pushes him in the direction of a 'revolutionary geography', one that transcends the structural limitations of existing approaches to space. Harvey's emphasis on rigorous thought and theoretical innovation gives the volume an enduring appeal. This is a book that raises big questions, and for that reason geographers and other social scientists regularly return to it.


ABSTRACTFairbanks, Alaska has some of the highest measured ambient PM2.5 concentrations in the United States, with wintertime levels often exceeding the 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 35 µg/m3. In an effort to understand the sources of PM2.5 in the Fairbanks airshed, source apportionment using Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) modeling was conducted at four locations in Fairbanks over a three-winter period (2008/2009, 2009/2010, and 2010/2011).
At each of the four sites, PM2.5 concentrations averaged between 22.5 ± 12.0 µg/m3 and 26.5 ± 18.9 µg/m3, with frequent exceedances of the 24-hour NAAQS on the scheduled sample days. The results of the CMB modeling revealed that wood smoke (likely residential wood combustion) was the major source of PM2.5 throughout the winter months in Fairbanks, contributing between 60% and nearly 80% of the measured PM2.5 at the four sites. The other sources of PM2.5 identified by the CMB model were secondary sulfate (8–20%), ammonium nitrate (3–11%), diesel exhaust (not detected-10%), and automobiles (not detected-7%). Approximately 1% of the PM2.55 was unexplained by the CMB model. Additional research is needed to confirm the woodsmoke results of the CMB model, as well as determine which sources (fuel oil residential heating, coal combustion, etc.) contribute to the measured secondary sulfate.


This paper presents an efficient algorithm on P/G networks with mesh-tree topology in ASIC. The new algorithm combines equivalent circuit modeling and transmission-line modeling alternative direction implicit (TLM-ADI) methods to speedup the simulation of P/G networks with mesh-tree topology with linear time complexity. Specifically, it uses the equivalent circuit approach to suppress the mesh-tree P/G circuit into a mesh-only circuit in a linear and error-free manner. Then, it applies the TLM-ADI approach to linearly solve the reduced mesh-only circuit. Experiments show that our method indeed scales linearly to analyze P/G networks with mesh-tree topologies in ASIC with two orders of magnitude speedup over HSPICE.


In this Discussion Paper we analyse how Europe's ICT ambition can be translated into a policy agenda. To achieve this, we provide a quantitative overview of the importance of ICT and the relative position of Europe versus the US. Next we provide a discussion of potential explanations for the differences in ICT use and production. We find that Europe's position with respect to ICT use and production is not only worse compared to that of the US. In some areas Europe is ahead of the US, whereas in others Europe lags on an aggregate level. Our main conclusion is that Europe should not aim at creating an ICT-production cluster but it should aim at removing barriers to ICT use. The reasons are as follows. It is not a sensible strategy to specialise in industries where one has a comparative disadvantage. Moreover, the largest benefit from ICT is in its use not in its production.


Expressions for describing Gaussian beams focused by a lens with spherical aberration have been derived. Numerical results show that, when the coefficient of the spherical aberration is negative, one can obtain flattened laser irradiance at two positions along the focused field. The larger the coefficient of negative spherical aberration, the larger the flatness is. The effect of the Fresnel number of the focusing lens on the flattened laser irradiance is also investigated.


Polymers provide extraordinary opportunities for functionalizing surfaces integrated into flexible devices contributing to a significant advancement in thin-film technologies. Both the advantageous characteristics of conventional polymers (e.g. low weight, flexibility) and the functional physical properties of conventional semiconductors (e.g. absorption and emission of light and a tuneable conductivity) can be found in polymers providing innovative materials. Among polymers with heterocyclic structures, called conjugated polymers, polythiophene remains one of the most intensely researched materials in the field of so called organic electronics owing to the relatively facile and well-established synthetic modifications of the corresponding monomers and its derivatives. In particular, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is one of the most promising owing to its exceptional stability, transparency, and electrical conductivity. Nevertheless it is difficult to process PEDOT into thin-films by traditional solution-based methods. Plasma Radicals Assisted Polymerisation via Chemical Vapour Deposition (PRAP-CVD) is a novel tech- nique able to overcome the challenges caused by the conventional techniques.


Objective: The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate a possible alternative etiology related to dopamine may exist for foreign accent syndrome (FAS).
Methods: A 79-year-old, 205 pound, Caucasian woman originally presented to the department of Neurology for treatment and subsequently to the pharmacist pharmacotherapy service for evaluation of bilateral upper extremity tremor of high amplitude but was found to also exhibit FAS.
Discussion: This case report contributes to the limited literature regarding foreign accent syndrome and adds to the few case reports of psychogenic origin, as opposed to the majority, which are of neurogenic origin. This also represents the first case that seems related to withdrawal of medication rather than psychotic exacerbation and ranks a six on the Naranjo algorithm.
Conclusion: FAS is a rare disorder and little is understood about it. This case presentation also suggests that chronic use of high-dose dopamine and/or anticholinergic agents may alter pathways in the brain, which in this case, may have potentially contributed to the development of FAS. There remain many unanswered questions regarding FAS, but hopefully more clarity may be found as more cases are discovered and published.
Conflict of Interest
I declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties.

Type: Case Study


Despite considerable evaluator investment in examining partnership activity in UK public policy initiatives, little attention has been paid to the role of strategy in supporting the generation and harnessing of the resources necessary to collaborate effectively. This paper focuses on one of the first New Labour initiatives - Health Action Zones (HAZ) - and draws on national evaluation findings to delineate local strategies, assess their application in practice and reflect on their contribution to collaborative action. The paper argues that even within nationally constrained policy initiatives there is sufficient flexibility for local actors to select strategies to steer collaborative effort, but these strategies are informed by their operating context and are liable to change in response to experience and changes in context. In addition, the evaluation findings suggest that effective strategies are those which harness collaborative capacity across a range of dimensions. The paper concludes by identifying implications for theory, policy and evaluation. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2006.


A great number of investigations on fatigue analysis and liquid sloshing has been carried out in different fields of application such as space vehicles, large ground tanks, cargo ships, and highway truck tankers. A variety of approaches to solve the sloshing problem due to different requirements, tank characteristics, and peculiarities of input disturbance gives different, sometimes contradictory, results which are not directly applied to the car tank system. One of the most important components in the fuel tank system is strap, which has vital role in road safety. Fuel tank strap can be separated due to fatigue during vehicle operation, causing the tank to be unsupported and increasing the risk of fuel leak. Its failure can cause very dangerous accidents. The effect of sloshing load, one of the main applied loads on the tank structure, on life of the strap has not been studied carefully before. This thesis presents the numerical analysis of liquid behaviour in sloshing situation and the fatigue analysis of the fuel tank straps due to slosh loads exerted on the tank walls in an accelerating car. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element method (FEM) are employed to simulate transient sloshing of fuel inside the tank and find the location of the critical point of crack initiation and predict the life of the fuel tank strap. Using the volume of fluid (VOF) method, a new developed method in CFD, the range of loads on the walls of the fuel tank is determined for the operational conditions that the vehicle experience. An equivalent mechanical model is developed to verify the CFD sloshing simulation result through the normal impact load applied by the effective mass of a pendulum system. The finite element (FE) is further used to create the virtual model of the strap and perform a static analysis. The stresses and strains from the static analysis are then used as input to locate the critical point and predict the life expectancy of the strap under slosh loading.


Sulphate and methanesulphonate (MSA), the two major sulphur species trapped in polar ice, have been extensivelyh studied in Antarctic and Greenland ice cores spanning the last centuries, as well as the entire last climatic cycle. Data from the cores are used to investigate the past contribution of volcanic and biogenic emissions to the natural sulphur budget in high latitude regions of both Hemispheres. Sulphate concentrations in polar ice very often increased during one or two years after large volcanic eruptions. Sulphate records show that fossil fuel combustion has enhanced sulphate concentrations in Greenland snow by a factor of 4 since the beginning of this century, and that no similar trend has occurred in Antarctica. At present, sulphate in Antarctic snow is mainly marine and biogenic in origin and the rate of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) emissions may have been enhanced during pst developments of El Nino Southern Oscillations (ENSO). Marine biota and non–eruptive volcanic emissions represent the two main contributors to the natural high northern latitude sulphur budget. Whele these two sources have contributed equally to the natural sulphur budget of Greenland ice over the last 9000 years BP, non–eruptive volcanic emissions largely dominated the budget at the beginning of the Holocene. A general negative correlation is observed between surcace air temperatures of the Northern Hemisphere and Greenland snow MSA concentrations over the last two centuries. Positive sea–ice anomalies also seem to strengthen DMS emissions. A steady decrease of MSA is observed in Greenland snow layers deposited since 1945, which may either be related to decreasing DMS emissions from marine biota at high northern latitudes or a changing yield of MSA from DMS oxidation driven by modification of the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere in these regions. Slightly reduced MSA concentrations are obvserved in Greenland glacial ice with respect to interglacial levels. In contrast, sulphate and calcium levels are strongly enhanced during the ice age compared to the present day. These long–term variations in Greenland cores are opposite in sign to those revealed by Antarctic ice cores. Such a difference suggests that climate changes led to a quite different sulphur cycle response in the two Hemispheres.


Biodosimetry, that is the application of microorganisms for the measurement of radiation, is already in wide use in the field of UV disinfection. The measurement of the mean fluence in flow-through systems with a biodosimeter (microorganisms with calibrated UV sensitivity) results in the Reduction Equivalent Fluence (REF). In the case of quasi monochromatic radiation (mercury low pressure lamp, 253.7 nm), the flow pattern of the water through the inhomogeneous radiation field, together with some other parameters, strongly influences the REF but the spectral sensitivity of the biodosimeter plays no role. If microorganisms with shouldered survival curves are used as biodosimeters two parameters (k and d) are necessary to describe their survival curves. In general, both parameters are wavelength dependent and the functions k(λ) and d(λ) must be known if medium pressure mercury lamps are used, which emit polychromatic UV radiation. The knowledge of k(λ) also is necessary for selecting an appropriate UV sensor which controls the function of the UV lamps during the operation of the disinfection plant. In literature many different spectral sensitivity curves were published but they all differ somehow. The functions k(λ) and d(λ) were measured for spores of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 in using quasi-monochromatic UV radiation and the results were tested in using polychromatic UV radiation.


Abstract:This experimental article considers the aesthetic and durational implications of the Savannah River Site in South Carolina (a largely hidden node in the American nuclear project, where 40 percent of the Cold War's plutonium was produced). As we come to understand the Anthropocene as a process-state at the edge of geo-history—or, in other words, an always "being-towards-death"—this article asks how a slippery (and often deceitful, in a white settler imaginary) relationship with time in the American South affects how we can imagine 20,000 years of living with a nuclear hangover. This sight- and site-based investigation looks at historical markers, nuclear semiotics, public sculpture, spatial and racial histories, and atomic ecologies to wonder how we are able, or unable, to perceive the radioactive leftovers of empire.


Overall, a high-quality atlas, likely to be very beneficial to a junior otolaryngology resident, medical student, primary care physician or emergency room physician. It is pocket-sized for easy portability, and the bullet format makes it very user friendly. This text will be a very quick reference guide for many commonly encountered otolaryngology entities, and will serve as a good introduction to our specialty. -- Melanie Seybt, MD, Head and Neck, August, 2011 Returning in a new edition, this popular color atlas is a concise visual guide for the diagnosis of the full range of ENT conditions. Incorporating the latest developments in the field, this edition opens with an overview of examination techniques, providing descriptions of instruments, imaging, and diagnostic tests. Separate sections cover common and uncommon disorders of the ear, nose, pharynx and larynx, and the head and neck. High-quality photographs are complemented by guidelines for the effective diagnosis and treatment of each clinical problem. Features of the fifth edition: * Expanded discussion of such topics as facial plastic surgery, care for the pediatric patient, and head and neck disorders * More than 660 high-quality full-color photographs and illustrations that demonstrate key concepts Ideal for medical students and residents in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, this atlas is also a valuable reference for physicians in related specialties. Tony R Bull, FRCS, is Honorary Consultant Surgeon, Royal National Throat, Nose, and Ear Hospital; Honorary Senior Lecturer to the Institute of Laryngology and Otology; Honorary Consultant Surgeon, Charing Cross Hospital; and Consultant Surgeon, King Edward VII Hospital; London, United Kingdom. John S Almeyda, FRCS, is Consultant ENT Surgeon, West Middlesex University Hospital, Isleworth, Middlesex, United Kingdom.


How might we understand and make the city differently? What role do people and their collective geometries play in shaping our recording and representation of urban landscapes? This paper presents creative-critical methods that question how we directly engage with the built environment via different spatial practices. Collective movement here is positioned as a method of activating geometry, to develop material knowledge and sense-making of our environment. Spatial readings of urban environments are essential to our ability to navigate, demarcate and appropriate them for new uses. Importantly, their geometry is understood tacitly. We use the term speculative anthropology to define spatial provocations which are made temporally by human collectives in the lived world to redefine and change the nature of places. Our action-research practice of 'collaborative urbanism' is a means of defining and re-examining our sense of place in the world and how it can be transformed. Key to this is the plurality of different experiences and knowledges constructed through imaginative and creative engagement with urban places by participants to project and inscribe them in meaningful ways. Our paper consists of three elements: to frame our action-research practice of 'collaborative urbanism' in the context of Glasgow; to illustrate the findings of our practice via a short film; and to open up a dialogue concerning the insights into human aspects of geometry that collective movement in urban environments provides. To conclude we will discuss the implications for urban design that the choreography and knowledge of this practice of speculative anthropology offers.


Stress has been shown to modulate many aspects of physiology and behavior. In particular, substantial work has confirmed that stress is a strong modulator of learning and memory processes. It is more than a century that Yerkes and Dodson have shown that relationship between stress intensity and memory function follows an inverted-U-shaped curve; memory increases with stress to an optimal point, above or below which memory decreases. Despite the great popularity of the Yerkes-Dodson law, the validity of the law has been criticized due to significant methodological problems in the study performed by Yerkes and Dodson (1908) and their data being judged insufficient to substantiate conclusions, among other reasons. Moreover the existing evidence has not yet illustrated this phenomenon under the same experimental conditions for relational learning tasks. On the other hand, stress is not the only factor that modulates cognitive abilities. Different types of learning and memory might be affected by other factors such as individual differences in personality. While the relationship between personality and learning has been studied in human, animal studies addressed to understanding the relationship between personality and learning have been rare. In addition, exposure to stress during pregnancy can have deleterious emotional effects on women. However, the mechanisms underlying these emotional effects are not well understood, and the development of suitable animal models for stress-induced depression in females still remains scarce. The goal of this Thesis was to investigate how stress affects cognitive and emotional processes in different animal models, and to explore the importance of individual differences in the mediation of stress effects. On a first study, we investigated the relationship between stress intensity and memory function. For this purpose cognitive abilities of rats to learn a radial arm water maze were assessed under different stress intensities, using behavioural and endocrine approaches. Our results confirm, for the first time, the existence of an inverted-U-shape memory function according to stressor intensity during the early learning and memory phases in a hippocampus-dependent task. Furthermore, we present evidence that these stress effects are not shown uniformly by all individuals; rather, performance at either the high or the low stress intensities is differentially affected in individuals with different personality-like profiles. In a second study, we investigated whether different personality traits in the Wistar outbred strain of rats were associated with performance in specific types of learning and memory tasks that have been reported to depend on specific brain areas, such as the amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using a wide variety of behavioral tests, we identified three personality factors: anxiety, exploration and locomotion. According to our results, the locomotion trait displayed no correlation with learning and memory. However curiosity trait predicted extinction of fear memories and spatial reversal learning, and the anxiety traits was related to extinction of fear. These results suggest that behavioral traits, anxiety and curiosity, might be linked to the functioning of specific brain areas (i.e. amygdala and PFC). Our findings are consistent with recent human studies showing that certain personality traits can predict academic achievement and point out the importance of constructing learning environments that could optimize individual strengths. In a third study, we used a model of stress during pregnancy in an attempt to mirror more closely than other experimental approaches based mainly on movement restraint procedures the human condition where stress is often persistently imposed by a male aggressive partner. For that purpose we used aggressive male rats that cohabitated with (and therefore can be considered a stressor) female rats during their pregnancy and, then, characterized the behaviour of these females after weaning. Similar to effects reported in humans, mother rats displayed anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviours, with the females presenting a high anxiety trait being the more vulnerable to the deleterious effects resulting from exposure to the aggressive male. These results propose an interesting animal model to study the effect of stress during pregnancy. Taken together, our results reinforce the view that stress has a strong impact on cognitive function and emotion. They also stress the importance of taking into account individual differences to characterize individuals with different vulnerability to be affected in both cognitive and emotional domain by exposure to stress. Our approach is novel and original in that it takes into account several behavioural (personality-like) traits simultaneously and shows the importance of different traits for different aspects of the relationship between stress, emotion and cognition. The approaches and findings provide valuable models to address the neurobiological mechanisms underlying stress effects on behavior.


Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a public health concern in China. However, the incidence and prevalence of CE in the Chinese province of Gansu is not well known. CE diagnosis is often limited to ultrasonography (US) and serological tests. We have assessed the use of these two approaches for diagnosis of CE in the Xiahe county (Gannan prefecture, Gansu province), an endemic area in the northwest of China. This was a community-based cross-sectional study involving 972 people selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling. CE was investigated by US and serology, using a commercially available ELISA test. Eighty-four individuals tested positive for serology, out of whom 74 (88.10%) were 21-60 years old. Twelve individuals were diagnosed by US. Overall, seroprevalence was 8.63%, and the rate of individuals diagnosed by US was 1.23%. Seroprevalence was higher among females than males (10.16% vs. 6.5%), while the rate of individuals diagnosed by US was slightly higher among males (1.22% vs. 0.89%). Our  results demonstrate that CE remains prevalent in the Gansu province. Serological monitoring can be a valuable tool for detection of infected individuals.


Sensorimotor experiences of going against the flow can affect the choices consumers make. Eight experiments show that consumers who experience the sensation of going against the flow pick alternatives that are normatively not preferred (experiments 1a and 1b). These effects are evident only when the sensations are dynamic and self-experienced (experiments 2a and 2b), subjective feelings are elicited (experiments 4a and 4b), and no other objective, external norm information is supplied (experiment 5). Experiences of going against the flow typically involve both movement and direction and are represented in memory schematically. Re-experiencing these sensations leads to the activation of this schematic representation and elicits a feeling-based behavioral disposition to do something different, or to go against one's initial inclination (experiment 3), leading participants to pick an option that is normatively not preferred.


Analysis of a reaction on a solid surface is an important task for understanding the catalytic reaction mechanism. In this study, we studied CO oxidation on the Pt(111) surface by using the artificial force induced reaction (AFIR) method. A systematic reaction path search was done, and the reaction route network was created. This network included not only bond rearrangement paths but also migration paths of adsorbed species. Then, the obtained network was analyzed using a kinetics method called rate constant matrix contraction (RCMC). It is found that the bottleneck of the overall reaction is the CO2 generation step from an adsorbed CO molecule and an O atom. This result is consistent with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood (LH) mechanism with O2 dissociation discussed in previous studies. The present procedure, i.e., construction of the reaction route network by the AFIR method followed by application of the RCMC kinetics method to the resultant reaction route network, was fully systematic and uncovered two aspects: the impact of the existence of multiple paths in each bond rearrangement step and an entropic contribution arising from short-range migration of adsorbed species.


BACKGROUND
Screening is intended to advance diagnosis thereby shifting the stage distribution towards more locally confined stages. Consequently we aimed to estimate trends in stage-specific breast cancer in relation to the introduction of population-based screening.

METHODS
From the Cancer Registry of Norway we retrieved cancer stage, age and year of diagnosis on all women aged 20 or older diagnosed with breast cancer during the period 1987-2010 in Norway (approximate source population: 1.8 million). Three calendar-time periods were defined: before (1987-95), during (1996-2004), and after (2005-10) screening was introduced; and two age groups: women eligible for screening (50-69 years) or younger (20-49 years). Poisson regression was used to estimate the incidence of localized (stage I) and more advanced cancer (stages II+), respectively, and logistic regression to estimate the proportion of localized cancer.

RESULTS
The annual incidence of localized breast cancer among women aged 50-69 years rose from 63.9 per 100 000 before the introduction of screening to 141.2 afterwards, corresponding to a ratio of 2.21 (95% confidence interval: 2.10; 2.32). The incidence of more advanced cancers increased from 86.9 to 117.3 per 100 000 afterwards, corresponding to a 1.35 (1.29; 1.42)-fold increase. Advanced cancers also increased among younger women not eligible for screening, whereas their incidence of localized cancers remained nearly constant.

CONCLUSION
Incidence of localized breast cancer increased significantly among women aged 50-69 years old after introduction of screening, while the incidence of more advanced cancers was not reduced in the same period when compared to the younger unscreened age group.


"Shibori Knits" highlights the intersection between shibori and knitting, offering 20 patterns that utilise this transformative technique. Internationally acclaimed knitwear designer Gina Wilde guides knitters through three dynamic ways to add shibori to knitting. The first method uses physical resists (marbles or corks) that prevent specific areas of knitting from felting; where there are no resists, the garment does felt, creating unique fabric with bobbles and dimensionality. Another method uses nonfelting fibres as resists - for instance, a silk yarn knit with a wool yarn - to create windowpane effects or even mimic woven strips of fabric when felted. The third method creates ruffles and spirals when the fibres are worked in more than one direction; when felted, the work will shrink differently in the alternate directions. The textures created from each method offer a unique way to redefine felting and bring the beautiful and unexpected world of shibori to the knitter. Knitters of every skill can explore this exciting method of creating art out of knitting. With detailed information on fibres and their shibori potential, a primer on technical felting concepts and a thorough resource guide, "Shibori Knits" shows knitters how to create colourful, sculptural and delicate projects, transforming knitting into something new.


"The most honored discussion of American religion in mid-twentieth century times is Will Herberg's "Protestant-Catholic-Jew." . . . [It] spoke precisely to the mid-century condition and speaks in still applicable ways to the American condition and, at its best, the human condition."-Martin E. Marty, from the Introduction "In "Protestant-Catholic-Jew" Will Herberg has written the most fascinating essay on the religious sociology of America that has appeared in decades. He has digested all the relevant historical, sociological and other analytical studies, but the product is no mere summary of previous findings. He has made these findings the basis of a new and creative approach to the American scene. It throws as much light on American society as a whole as it does on the peculiarly religious aspects of American life. Mr. Herberg. . . illumines many facets of the American reality, and each chapter presents surprising, and yet very compelling, theses about the religious life of this country. Of all these perhaps the most telling is his thesis that America is not so much a melting pot as three fairly separate melting pots."-Reinhold Niebuhr, "New Yorks Times Book Review"


Purpose: Traumatic bowel and mesenteric injury (TBMI), although an uncommon entity, can be lethal if not detected and treated in a timely manner. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) for the detection of TBMI in patients at our level 1 trauma centre. Methods: We used our hospital's trauma registry to identify patients with a diagnosis of TBMI from January 1, 2006, to June 30, 2013. Only patients who had a 64-slice MDCT scan at presentation and subsequently underwent laparotomy or laparoscopy were included in the study cohort. Using the surgical findings as the gold standard, the accuracy of prospective radiology reports was analyzed. Results: Of the 4781 trauma patients who presented to our institution, 44 (0.92%) had surgically proven TBMI. Twenty-two of 44 were excluded as they did not have MDCT before surgery. The study cohort consisted of 14 males and 8 females with a median age of 41.5 years and a median injury severity score of 27. In total 17 of 22 had blunt trauma and 5 of 22 had penetrating injury. A correct preoperative imaging diagnosis of TBMI was made in 14 of 22 of patients. The overall sensitivity of the radiology reports was 63.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 41%-82%), specificity was 79.6% (95% CI: 67%-89%), PPV was 53.9% (95% CI: 33%-73%), and the NPV was 85.5% (95% CI: 73%94%). Accuracy was calculated at 75.3%. However, only 59% (10 of 17) of patients with blunt injury had a correct preoperative diagnosis. Review of the findings demonstrated that majority of patients with missed blunt TBMI (5 of 7) demonstrated only indirect signs of injury. Conclusion: The detection of TBMI in trauma patients on 64-slice MDCT can be improved, especially in patients presenting with blunt injury. Missed cases in this population occurred because the possibility of TBMI was not considered despite the presence of indirect imaging signs. The prospective diagnosis of TBMI remains challenging despite advances in CT technology and widespread use of 64-slice MDCT.


The cerebellum receives information from the hindlimbs through several populations of spinocerebellar tract neurons. Although the role of these neurons has been established in electrophysiological experiments, the relative contribution of afferent fibres and central neurons to their input, their organization and mechanisms of control of transmission has only been estimated approximately so far. The present study aimed to investigate the input properties of four populations of spinocerebellar tract neurons: dorsal spinocerebellar tract neurons located in Clarke´s column (ccDSCT) and in the dorsal horn (dhDSCT) and ventral spinocerebellar tract (VSCT) neurons including spinal border (SB) neurons. There were three major aims: (1) to investigate the excitatory inputs to four types of spinocerebellar tract neurons in the cat and rat thoraco-lumbar spinal cord; (2) to analyze the inhibitory inputs to four types of spinocerebellar tract neurons in the cat and rat thoraco-lumbar spinal cord; (3) to determine the origin of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to four types of spinocerebellar tract neurons in the cat and rat thoraco-lumbar spinal cord.
Two series of experiments were carried out. In the first series of experiments in cats, spinocerebellar tract neurons were identified electrophysiologically and labelled intracellularly with rhodamine-dextran and Neurobiotin. In the second series of experiments in rats, cells were labelled by retrograde transport of b-subunit of Cholera toxin (CTb) from the cerebellum. In addition, to address the third aim, reticulospinal (RetS) and corticospinal (CS) terminals were identified by anterograde transport of CTb from the caudal medulla and hindlimb sensory motor cortex respectively in rats along with labelling of spinocerebellar tract neurons by retrograde injection of Fluorogold in the cerebellum. Following this, immunohistochemistry was carried out.
The first aim was achieved by utilizing the difference in the immunohistochemistry of glutamatergic terminals of peripheral afferents and of central neurons with vesicular glutamate transporters, VGLUT1 or VGLUT2, respectively. All SB neurons with dominating inhibitory input from the periphery possessed very few VGLUT1 contacts and remarkably higher numbers of VGLUT2 contacts. In VSCT neurons with excitatory primary afferent input, the number of VGLUT1 contacts was relatively high although VGLUT2 contacts likewise dominated. In contrast, DSCT neurons were associated with numerous VGLUT1 contacts; ccDSCT neurons with strong input from group I afferents had higher density of VGLUT1 contacts than dhDSCT neurons with major input from group II and cutaneous afferents.
In order to fulfill the second aim, quantification of contacts formed by inhibitory axon terminals on spinocerebellar tract neurons along with excitatory terminals was carried out. Inhibitory axon terminals were characterised as either GABAergic, glycinergic or both GABAergic/glycinergic by using antibodies against vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and gephyrin. Similarly, excitatory terminals were characterised by using combination of VGLUT1 and 2. The comparison revealed the presence of much higher proportions of inhibitory than excitatory contacts on SB neurons but similar proportions were found on VSCT, ccDSCT and dhDSCT neurons. In all types of cell, the majority of inhibitory terminals were glycinergic. The density of contacts was higher on somata and proximal in comparison with distal dendrites of SB and VSCT neurons but more evenly distributed in ccDSCT and dhDSCT neurons.
To achieve the third aim, a series of immunohistochemical reactions was performed to characterize contacts that originate from proprioceptors, different types of interneurons and descending RetS and CS pathways. Among the four populations of spinocerebellar tract neurons, ccDSCT neurons had the highest proportion of contacts formed by VGLUT1 terminals double labeled with parvalbumin (PV) which indicated that majority of direct excitatory sensory inputs to ccDSCT neurons are derived from proprioceptors. A small proportion of excitatory and inhibitory contacts on these neurons originated from Calbindin/ Calretinin/ PV expressing neurons. Quantitative analysis revealed that SB and VSCT neurons have significantly higher numbers of appositions from VGLUT2 expressing RetS axon terminals than DSCT neurons. A small proportion of the RetS contacts on these neurons were VGAT positive. In contrast, DSCT neurons had higher numbers of appositions made by CS axon terminals in comparison to SB and VSCT neurons.
The present findings provide a new basis for understanding the organization and functional connectivity of four populations of spinocerebellar tract neurons and strengthen previous indications of their functional differentiation. SB and VSCT neurons principally receive inputs from spinal and supraspinal neurons although direct input from primary afferents is also stronger in VSCT neurons. DSCT neurons have major direct input from primary afferents and also to some extent from the CS pathway but monosynaptic inputs from proprioceptors dominated in ccDSCT neurons and dhDSCT neurons have mixed proprioceptive and low threshold cutaneous afferent input.


A Review of:
Jones, G. F., Cassidy, E. D., McMain, L., Strickland, S. D., Thompson, M., & Valdes, Z. (2015). Are serials worth their weight in knowledge? A value study. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41(5), 578-582. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2015.07.004

Objective – To determine the faculty assessed value of print and electronic serials.

Design – Qualitative survey.

Setting – Doctoral research institution in the southern United States of America.

Subjects – 122 tenured or tenure-track faculty from the School of Criminal Justice and the School of Education.

Methods – A survey was designed to measure the value of online and print serials for key faculty activities: research, publishing, course preparation and development, service, and personal interests. Measures included: recentness of use, the extent to which library journals supported work in the key activities (minor, moderate, or major), requirement of students to use online or print journals in their courses, cancellations of personal journal subscriptions in favor of library subscriptions, and travel to other libraries to use library journals.

Main Results – Twenty-seven faculty responded to the survey (22%). Two of the respondents (7%) had never used the library journals, though the majority (93%) had. Of those who used library journals, the most recent use was of online over print publications.

For each key activity, 40%-87% of the respondents reported they had never used print journals, and those who did use print reported that it supported their work only to a minor extent, primarily in the area of research. Respondents noted they used online journals most frequently for research (92%), publishing (83%), and course preparation and development (76%). Service is the least supported by journal use in either print or online, with 87% of the respondents never using print and 50% never using online journals for service.

The respondents who taught undergraduates required the use of online journals over print journals at a ratio of 3:1 for assigned readings, course activities, and writing assignments. The ratio increased to a range of 4.5:1 to 8.5:1 across activities for graduate students. Respondents indicated that print (22%) and online journals (72%) had the highest use in assigned readings. The majority of respondents required graduate students to use online journals in all activities and less than a quarter required the use of print.

Twenty respondents (80%) had not dropped personal subscriptions, but among those who did, print subscriptions were more likely to be dropped than online. If institutional access were available, 55% indicated that they would drop a personal subscription for online access, and only 27% indicated they would cancel personal subscriptions for print access. Those who did drop subscriptions cited cost, storage space, and ease of access to library journals as their motivation. Faculty comments praised the serials holdings, especially the holdings of back issues.

Finally, the majority of respondents (74%) reported not having traveled to another library for journal access, but those who did, accessed materials for research, class preparation, and publishing. Many of those who went to other libraries did so because they were closer to their residence or they needed to access original manuscripts.

Conclusion – Participants used journal subscriptions for all of the key activities surveyed, with research and publishing the top reasons for use and service the lowest. Both undergraduate and graduate students were required to use both print and online journals, with graduate student use being greater for online access. Faculty acknowledged their use of print and online journals for key activities to a major extent, with a strong preference for online journals.


In this paper, we present a fast iterative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction algorithm taking advantage of the prevailing GPGPU programming paradigm. In clinical environment, MRI reconstruction is usually performed via fast Fourier transform (FFT). However, imaging artifacts (i.e. signal loss) resulting from susceptibility-induced magnetic field inhomogeneities degrade the quality of reconstructed images. These artifacts must be addressed using accurate modeling of the physics of the system coupled with iterative reconstruction. We have developed a reconstruction algorithm with improved image quality at the expense of computation time and hence an implementation on GPUs achieving significant speedup. In this work, we extend our previous work on GPU implementation by adding several new features. First, we enable Sensitivity Encoding for Fast MRI (SENSE) reconstruction (from data acquired using a multi-receiver coil array) which can reduce the acquisition time. Besides, we have implemented a GPU-based total variation regularization in our SENSE reconstruction framework. In this paper, we describe the different optimizations employed from levels of algorithm, program code structures, and specific architecture performance tuning, featuring both our MRI reconstruction algorithm and GPU hardware specifics. Results show that the current GPU implementation produces accurate image estimates while significantly accelerating the reconstruction.


In today's competitive business environment, a well thought out business plan is more important than ever before. Not only can it assist you in raising the money needed to start or expand a business-by attracting the interest of potential investors-but it can also help you keep tabs on your progress once the business is up and running. Completely revised and updated to reflect today's dynamic business environment, The Ernst & Young Business Plan Guide, Third Edition leads you carefully through every aspect involved in researching, writing, and presenting a winning business plan. Illustrating each step of this process with realistic examples, this book goes far beyond simply discussing what a business plan is. It explains why certain information is required, how it may best be presented, and what you should be aware of as both a preparer and reviewer of such a proposal. Divided into three comprehensive parts, The Ernst & Young Business Plan Guide, Third Edition outlines the essential elements of this discipline in a straightforward and accessible manner. Whether you're considering starting, expanding, or acquiring a business, the information found within these pages will enhance your chances of success. * Advice on how to write and develop business plans * A realistic sample plan * All new sections on funding and financing methodswith provisions for restructuring and bankruptcy * Tips for tailoring plans to the decision makers


Divorce rates in America have soared with many
divorces in the United States caused by infidelity; it is the
number one reason cited for divorce. Due to the severe consequences
of infidelity, researchers have attempted to determine its causes.
For example, researchers from evolutionary theory, socialization
theory, attachment theory, and investment theory have attempted to
explain infidelity from a theoretical perspective. Conversely,
based on a literature review Blow and Hartnett (2005) provided
numerous categorical findings for infidelity including attachment
and infidelity, attitudes towards infidelity, types of infidelity,
and numerous demographic variables related to infidelity. Given the
vast amount of research on infidelity, the current study sought to
create an instrument that could assess individual's risk of
infidelity. The current research followed three steps wherein the
questionnaire was developed, critiqued, and finally administered
and tested by couple's therapists. The item development phase was
based on the literature. The critique phase was completed by
participants, including mental health practitioners and individuals
who identified as having multiple diversity variables (e.g., age,
gender, religion) that were also in a heterosexual relationship.
These participants critiqued the items for clarity of wording and
potential discriminatory impact. Finally, the administration phase
of the questionnaire was completed by mental health practitioners
that were able to give the questionnaire to individuals seeking
couples therapy or individual therapy with an emphasis on
relationship issues. The feedback indicated the questionnaire was
helpful and easy to administer.


Objective: To review the correlation between prostate specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason score and Cav-1 for diagnosing prostate adenocarcinoma. Methods: Data were collected from one hundred fifty-nine patients with prostate adenocarcinoma at the Department of Urology, Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital in the period of January 2008–December 2010. The PSA levels were measured and classified into 10 ng/ml. The results were then analyzed and compared to the imunohistochemistry (caveolin-1) staining in the literature. The Gleason score was also noted and analyzed. Results: This study confirmed that positive caveolin-1 expression was related to the clinical markers of disease progression and was predictive of poor clinical outcome after surgery. The PSA results showed that one hundred fourty-one adenocarcinoma patients had a PSA level of >10 ng/ml with Gleason score of gleason 5–6 as the most common score. However, there was no correlation between PSA and Gleason score and caveolin-1 for diagnosing prostate adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: Caveolin-1 cannot be used to measure Gleason and PSA score due to different markers that have various advantages and disadvantages to predict carcinoma prostate. Therefore, further studies are needed. Keywords: Gleason score, imunohistochemistry, prostate adenocarcinoma, prostate specific antigen DOI: 10.15850/ijihs.v4n1.679


The highly phosphorylated Pc3 proteins, major components of the sandcastle worm adhesive, are sequestered with Mg as spherical sub-granules within heterogeneous secretory granules in adhesive gland cells. The phase behavior of a synthetic phospho-polymethacrylate analog of the Pc3 phosphoproteins, in the presense of Mg(ii), was characterized to determine whether it is chemically possible for the natural adhesive components to be packaged and stored as liquid complex coacervates. Of several multivalent metal salts tested, only MgCl induced complex coacervation of the phospho-copolymer. Complex coacervates formed at Mg/P ratios from 0.5-8, and in [NaCl]s from 0-3 M. At low temperature and pH, the complex coacervates were clear and homogeneous. At higher temperatures and pH, the coacervate phases were translucent. The elastic and viscous moduli initially decreased as temperature increased, but then increased significantly near the temperature boundary between clear and translucent forms. A mechanism is proposed in which relatively weak, ionic strength-independent, outer shell crossbridging of -PO32- sidechains by Mg[H2O]62+ complex ions is responsible for the clear homogeneous lower viscosity coacervate form. At higher temperature and pH, displacement of inner shell H2O molecules by phosphate O- ligands creates stronger crossbridges, additional dehydration, and more viscous coacervates. The results demonstrate that Pc3 phosphoproteins can exist as condensed phospho/Mg(ii) complex coacervates under conditions expected in the adhesive glands of sandcastle worms in their natural environment. Considering the common regulatory role of phosphorylation and the intracellular abundance of Mg2+ it is possible that soft bridging of phosphate groups by Mg[H2O]n2+ may promote other regulated cellular liquid liquid phase separation phenomena.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://rsc.li/journals-terms-of-use


The figure of the female masochist, along with her desires and experiences, has been largely ignored within theories of masochism and examinations of masochistic aesthetics. With the rise of more graphic and challenging representations of female sexuality in cinema, it is time to readdress the female masochist and her representation in film. This thesis aims to fill this gap by examining representations of heterosexual female masochism in Michael Haneke's film La Pianiste (2001) and Lars von Trier's film Nymphomaniac (2013). Both films centre around a female protagonist whose masochistic desires and impulses propel the narrative forward. While these masochistic desires lead to ugly and violent sexual encounters with the main male character in each film, masochism is not condemned as the reason for this violence. It is, instead, normatizing world views that violently restrict notions of female subjectivity and sexuality. In this thesis, I examine the empowering aspects of masochism presented in these films. The female masochist exercises control over her desires and fantasies by creating and establishing a masochistic contract with her partner. In analyzing the contract in both films, it becomes clear that it allows for the female protagonist to be empowered. That the contract is betrayed and the female masochist is subjected to violence is indicative of how she continues to be restricted by gendered expectations of female behaviour. Such a conclusion is further supported through both films' use of an anti-aesthetic. In contrast to the normative aesthetics of S/M, which emphasize pleasure over pain, the aesthetic in La Pianiste and Nymphomaniac insists on showing the infliction of pain and its effects on the female masochist. It is through this depiction of pain that both films invite spectators to reconsider the dangerous comfort of views that allow for such violence to persist.


Crafty casing. The best in international package design. Packaging is a highly underrated art form. As the first thing a consumer sees when looking at a product, the packaging can make or break a sale. Every year, the Pentawards celebrate the art of the package by presenting awards to designs from around the world. Designers compete in five main categories-beverages, food, body, luxury, and other markets - and no fewer than 44 sub-categories. Featuring a selection of over 400 works from 30 countries, this book brings together all the Pentawards winners from 2013 and 2014, providing a vivid demonstration of creativity in every form of packaging. Readers will discover, through introductory essays, product descriptions and plenty of images, what drives design industry leaders and agencies behind these creations which are so much part of our everyday lives. This well of inspiration is not just aimed at design and marketing professionals but anyone with an interest in the creative process of packaging.


Title of Document: SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE AND KNOWLEDGE-FIT IN DECISION RIGHTS: HOW DISTRICTS RECRUIT AND HIRE SCHOOL LIBRARIANS. Jeffrey Michael DiScala, Doctor of Philosophy, 2016 Directed By: Co-Chair, Dr. Ann Carlson Weeks, College of Information Studies Co-Chair, Dr. Brian Butler, College of Information Studies This study examines the organizational structures and decision-making processes used by school districts to recruit and hire school librarians. For students to acquire the information and technology literacy education they need, school libraries must be staffed with qualified individuals who can fulfill the librarian's role as leader, teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator. Principals are typically given decision rights for hiring staff, including school librarians. Research shows that principals have limited knowledge of the skills and abilities of the school librarian or the specific needs and functions of the library program. Research also indicates that those with specific knowledge of school library programs, namely school district library supervisors, are only consulted on recruiting and hiring about half the time. School districts entrust library supervisors with responsibilities such as professional development of school librarians only after they are hired. This study uses a theoretical lens from research on IT governance, which focuses on the use of knowledge-fit in applying decision rights in an organization. This framework is appropriate because of its incorporation of a specialist with a specific knowledge set in determining the placement of input and decision rights in the decision-making processes. The method used in this research was a multiple-case study design using five school districts as cases, varying by the involvement of the supervisors and other individuals in the hiring process. The data collected from each school district were interviews about the district's recruiting and hiring practices with principals, an individual in HR, library supervisors, and recently hired school librarians. Data analysis was conducted through iterative coding from themes in the research questions, with continuous adjustments as new themes developed. Results from the study indicate that governance framework is applicable to evaluating the decision-making processes used in recruiting and hiring school librarians. However, a district's use of governance did not consistently use knowledge-fit in the determination of input and decision rights. In the hiring process, governance was more likely to be based on placing decision rights at a certain level of the district hierarchy rather than the location of specific knowledge, most often resulting in site-based governance for decision rights at the school-building level. The governance of the recruiting process was most affected by the shortage or surplus of candidates available to the district to fill positions. Districts struggling with a shortage of candidates typically placed governance for the decision-making process on recruiting at the district level, giving the library supervisor more opportunity for input and collaboration with human resources. In districts that use site-based governance and that place all input and decision rights at the building level, some principals use their autonomy to eliminate the school library position in the allotment phase or hire librarians that, while certified through testing, do not have the same level of expertise as those who achieve certification through LIS programs. The principals in districts who use site-based governance for decision rights but call on the library supervisor for advisement stated how valuable they found the supervisor's expertise in evaluating candidates for hire. In no district was a principal or school required to involve the library supervisor in the hiring of school librarians. With a better understanding of the tasks involved, the effect of district governance on decision-making, and the use of knowledge to assign input and decision rights, it is possible to look at how all of these factors affect the outcome in the quality of the hire. A next step is to look at the hiring process that school librarians went through and connect those with the measurable outcomes of hiring: school librarian success, retention, and attrition; the quality of school library program services, outreach, and involvement in a school; and the perceptions of the success of the school librarian and the library program as seen from students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other community stakeholders. SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE AND KNOWLEDGE-FIT IN DECISION RIGHTS: HOW DISTRICTS RECRUIT AND HIRE SCHOOL LIBRARIANS.


The present work aims to study the high‐temperature strength of coke. Mechanisms of disintegration were evaluated using basket samples charged into LKAB's experimental blast furnace prior to quenching and dissection. Coke charged into basket samples was analysed with CSR/CRI tests and compared with treated coke from the blast furnace. Results from tumbling tests, chemical analyses of coarse and fine material, as well as light optical microscopy studies of original and treated coke have been combined and evaluated. The results indicate a correlation between the ash composition and the CSR values. Differences in the texture of the coke were noted with light optical microscopy, and a significant change in the coke texture during the CSR/CRI test conditions was found. The results suggest that the main reaction between coke and CO2 took place in isotropic areas, which was especially pronounced in coke with a low CSR. Signs of degradation were apparent throughout the coke pieces that have undergone CSR/CRI testing, but were less observable in coke reacted in the blast furnace. The results indicate that reaction with CO2 is generally limited by the chemical reaction rate in the CSR/CRI test, while in the blast furnace the reaction is limited by the diffusion rate. Coke degradation is therefore mostly restricted to the coke surface in the blast furnace.


In this study self-reported stress and burn-out levels between general and special education teachers in the Netherlands are compared. More than eight hundred teachers were assessed with the Utrechtse Burnout Schaal (UBOS-L/MBI) to determine their levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment within the school context. We also used instruments to measure different stress indicators (personal characteristics: self-efficacy, negative affect, and student characteristics: student responsibility and discipline, studentpeer relationships, and class size). Contrary to recent findings in the United States (Shoho, 2002), results regarding burnout did not show any significant differences between general education teachers (n=604) and special education teachers (n=206). However, we do find significant differences in stress indicators explaining burnout. We also looked for factors other than those intrinsic to teaching, by crossnationally comparing teacher stress and burnout. Teachers in the U.S. and the Netherlands differ significantly in burnout level. U.S. teachers experience more burnout.


Many school districts with centralized school choice adopt strategyproof assignment mechanisms to relieve applicants of the need to strategize on the basis of beliefs about their own admissions chances. This paper shows that beliefs about admissions chances shape choice outcomes even when the assignment mechanism is strategyproof by influencing the way applicants search for schools, and that "smart matching platforms" that provide live feedback on admissions chances help applicants search more effectively. Motivated by a model in which applicants engage in costly search for schools and over-optimism can lead to under-search, we use data from a large-scale survey of choice participants in Chile to show that learning about schools is hard, that beliefs about admissions chances guide the decision to stop searching, and that applicants systematically underestimate non-placement risk. We then use RCT and RD research designs to evaluate live feedback policies in the Chilean and New Haven choice systems. 22% of applicants submitting applications where risks of non-placement are high respond to warnings by adding schools to their lists, reducing non-placement risk by 58%. These results replicate across settings and over time. Reducing the strategic burden of school choice requires not just strategyproofness inside the centralized system, but also choice supports for the strategic decisions that inevitably remain outside of it.


Influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are two of the leading causes of respiratory tract infections worldwide. Annually, influenza kills more than 250,000 people worldwide despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. RSV is primarily a pathogen of the very young and elderly populations. More than 90% of children are infected with RSV in their first year of life. We developed a dual influenza and RSV vaccine composed of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein of influenza and the fusion (F) protein of RSV to combat both viruses. Our vaccine is designed to be given in an annual vaccine regimen, like the current influenza vaccine, but unlike the current influenza vaccine, the addition of the RSV F protein will help to additionally protect vaccine recipients against RSV. A major aim of this research was to determine if the F protein could enhance the immune response to the poorly immunogenic HA protein, thus serving as an immunological adjuvant as well as a vaccine antigen. We found that the F protein was effective at enhancing the antibody response to the HA protein and dual vaccination reduced the influenza viral burden. During these vaccination experiments we discovered that, surprisingly, anti-F antibodies not only bound to influenza H3N2 viruses but also neutralized them. We were able to demonstrate that a peptide (120-140) generated from the stalk region of the F protein was able to interfere with binding of anti-F antibodies to influenza X31 virus, an H3N2 influenza virus strain. Another aim of this research was to determine if prior exposure to the RSV F protein modulated the immune response to a subsequent influenza infection. We determined that immunization with the F protein modified the recruitment of innate and adaptive immune cells to the site of infection, as well as modified the chemokine and cytokine response to a subsequent influenza virus infection. Together, these findings demonstrate the dynamic properties of the RSV F protein as it pertains to influenza virus


Ferroelectric materials exhibit the largest dielectric permittivities and piezoelectric responses in nature, making them invaluable in applications from supercapacitors or sensors to actuators or electromechanical transducers. The origin of this behavior is their proximity to phase transitions. However, the largest possible responses are most often not utilized due to the impracticality of using temperature as a control parameter and to operate at phase transitions. This has motivated the design of solid solutions with morphotropic phase boundaries between different polar phases that are tuned by composition and that are weakly dependent on temperature. Thus far, the best piezoelectrics have been achieved in materials with intermediate (bridging or adaptive) phases. But so far, complex chemistry or an intricate microstructure has been required to achieve temperature-independent phase-transition boundaries. Here, we report such a temperature-independent bridging state in thin films of chemically simple BaTiO3. A coexistence among tetragonal, orthorhombic, and their bridging low-symmetry phases are shown to induce continuous vertical polarization rotation, which recreates a smear in-transition state and leads to a giant temperature-independent dielectric response. The current material contains a ferroelectric state that is distinct from those at morphotropic phase boundaries and cannot be considered as ferroelectric crystals. We believe that other materials can be engineered in a similar way to contain a ferroelectric state with gradual change of structure, forming a class of transitional ferroelectrics. Similar mechanisms could be utilized in other materials to design low-power ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, dielectrics, or shape-memory alloys, as well as efficient electro- and magnetocalorics.Ferroelectric materials exhibit the largest dielectric permittivities and piezoelectric responses in nature, making them invaluable in applications from supercapacitors or sensors to actuators or electromechanical transducers. The origin of this behavior is their proximity to phase transitions. However, the largest possible responses are most often not utilized due to the impracticality of using temperature as a control parameter and to operate at phase transitions. This has motivated the design of solid solutions with morphotropic phase boundaries between different polar phases that are tuned by composition and that are weakly dependent on temperature. Thus far, the best piezoelectrics have been achieved in materials with intermediate (bridging or adaptive) phases. But so far, complex chemistry or an intricate microstructure has been required to achieve temperature-independent phase-transition boundaries. Here, we report such a temperature-independent bridging state in thin films of chemically simple BaT...


To date, only seven women with Stage Ib1 to IIb cervical cancer during pregnancy treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery have been reported. We describe three cases of pregnant women with Stage Ib1 to IIa cervical cancer who were treated with paclitaxel plus platinum neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical surgery. The first patient had a Stage Ib1 small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix, the second had a Stage IIa, 8 cm squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and the third had a Stage Ib2 squamous cell carcinoma and positive lymph nodes. The three patients and their newborns were followed up. All patients had a partial or complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Two of these patients developed recurrences and one died due to progressive disease at 49 months. All neonates were healthy and had no abnormalities. In conclusion, neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and platinum followed by radical surgery may be an option for pregnant women with invasive cervical cancer.


Purpose: The topic of corporate social responsibility is already present in many areas and spheres of economic life. In many cases, it determines the strategies of companies. Therefore, the article aims to examine the development and role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in management and sustainable economy. Emphasis will be placed on an overview of the most important international promotion initiatives. Finally, CSR and its development in Poland were discussed. Design/Methodology/Approach: The article uses the descriptive method. It consisted in the separation and identification of a specific phenomenon, which is the development of corporate social responsibility initiatives. Findings: Our findings suggest that the common element in all definitions is a broad category of stakeholders and the CRS definition determined by the standard quality, the ISO 26000. The important place in CSR idea is currently caring for the natural environment. Practical Implications: Efforts to encourage enterprises to the implementation of CSR principles which it is possible to build a positive image of the company and the trust and loyalty of its stakeholders. Therefore, such initiatives should be supported by government funding schemes and heavily promoted. Originality/Value: To the authors' best knowledge, the present study is one of the few critical analyzes of the literature on the subject.


We give algorithms with provable guarantees that learn a class of deep nets in the generative model view popularized by Hinton and others. Our generative model is an n node multilayer network that has degree at most nγ for some γ < 1 and each edge has a random edge weight in [-1, 1]. Our algorithm learns almost all networks in this class with polynomial running time. The sample complexity is quadratic or cubic depending upon the details of the model.

The algorithm uses layerwise learning. It is based upon a novel idea of observing correlations among features and using these to infer the underlying edge structure via a global graph recovery procedure. The analysis of the algorithm reveals interesting structure of neural nets with random edge weights.


Functional food is a whole ingredient or a part of food that used as food for specific therapeutic purposes. It is divided into two wide categories: Conventional and modified functional foods. Conventional functional Foods are composed of natural or whole-food ingredients that provide functional substances while modified functional is food or food products in which add additional ingredients for specific health purposes. Plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, cereals, nuts and beans contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phenolic compounds that play a functional role in the human body against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and GIT-related disease. Some other foods or food products like juices, dairy products, fortified eggs and seafood are composed of functional components. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that are played a functional role in heart health and brain development.


The financial crisis exposed the potentially unsavoury results of the interaction between low- and moderate income households and alternative and mainstream financial institutions. Many households were overleveraged or paid high costs for financial services, while others lacked access to useful financial products that can cushion against economic instability. The financial services system is not well designed to serve low- and moderate-income households, leaving them without financial slack: they did not have adequate breathing room for making the financial adjustments that would permit them to better meet their own needs. No Slack shows us why these families were the least prepared to handle the shock of the deep recession. This pivotal analysis focuses on the Detroit metropolitan area's low- and moderate-income neighbourhoods, which are similar to those of other Rust Belt communities. The Detroit Area Household Financial Services study --conducted at the height of the subprime lending boom --examines these households' decision-making processes, behaviours, and attitudes toward a full range of financial transactions. No Slack reveals widespread problems in home mortgage lending, the common threads among people who file for bankruptcy, the reasons so many households are unbanked, and how behaviourally informed financial regulation can make the market work better. Drawing on his deep policy experience, Michael Barr advocates helping families seek financial stability in three primary ways: enhancing individuals' financial capability, using technology to promote access to financial products and services that meet their needs, and establishing strong protections for consumers.


Abstract: Sedimentary basin migration and microcontinent formation could be the result of deformation redistribution, in which the emplacement of an underplated mafic body (UPMB) may play an important role. In this study, a 2D finite-element model is used to examine the redistribution of the deformation that can be triggered by a UPMB. It is shown that three modes of deformation redistribution can exist: (1) a shift-completed mode where the deformation is completely redistributed into the newly weakened region; (2) a transition mode where the deformation is redistributed, but extension is accommodated by thinning in both regions; (3) a shift-failed mode where the deformation is not redistributed. Whether or not the deformation is redistributed depends on the configuration of the UPMB and on the initial rheological heterogeneity in the initially deformed region. However, it becomes difficult for any UPMB to initiate the redistribution of the deformation once the stretching factor in the first deformed region exceeds a critical value. The microcontinent formations observed in the Indian Ocean, in the Norwegian–Greenland Sea, in the Red Sea–Afar region and in the western Mediterranean are particularly discussed in relation to the transition mode, providing some important geodynamic implications.


We report on the electron yield spectra of doubly excited magnesium atoms in electric fields in the region 50–1600 V/cm. One electron is excited to a stationary Rydberg state around n516, either a nonmixing state with low angular momentum or a Stark state. Subsequently the second isolated-core electron is excited with a narrow-band nanosecond laser pulse. The isolated-core excitation induces a shake-up which is measured as a function of excitation frequency. An initial low-angular-momentum state leads to a much broader shakeup than an initial Stark state, i.e., many more autoionization peaks are observed for an initial low-angular-momentum state than for an initial Stark state. Full quantum calculations introduced in the preceding paper @F. Robicheaux, preceding paper Phys. Rev. A 61, 033406 ~2000!# show excellent agreement with the recorded spectra. We discuss the implications of this experiment for dielectronic recombination and compare the frequency spectra to previously reported time-dependent measurements on magnesium @J.B.M. Warntjes et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 512 ~1999!#.


Enzootic pneumonia (EP) of pigs, caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae has been a notifiable disease in Switzerland since May 2003. The diagnosis of EP has been based on multiple methods, including clinical, bacteriological and epidemiological findings as well as pathological examination of lungs (mosaic diagnosis). With the recent development of a real-time PCR (rtPCR) assay with 2 target sequences a new detection method for M. hyopneumoniae became available. This assay was tested for its applicability to nasal swab material from live animals. Pigs from 74 herds (average 10 pigs per herd) were tested. Using the mosaic diagnosis, 22 herds were classified as EP positive and 52 as EP negative. From the 730 collected swab samples we were able to demonstrate that the rtPCR test was 100% specific. In cases of cough the sensitivity on herd level of the rtPCR is 100%. On single animal level and in herds without cough the sensitivity was lower. In such cases, only a positive result would be proof for an infection with M. hyopneumoniae. Our study shows that the rtPCR on nasal swabs from live pigs allows a fast and accurate diagnosis in cases of suspected EP.


A research group at University of Skovde has developed an interphase element for implementation in the commercial FE-software Abaqus. The element is using the Tvergaard & Hutchinson cohesive law and is implemented in Abaqus Explicit version 6.7 using the VUEL subroutine. This bachelor degree project is referring to evaluate the interphase element and also highlight problems with the element. The behavior of the interphase element is evaluated in mode I using Double Cantilever Beam (DCB)-specimens and in mode II using End Notch Flexure (ENF)-specimens. The results from the simulations are compared and validated to an analytical solution. FE-simulations performed with the interphase element show very good agreement with theory when using DCB- or ENF-specimens. The only exception is when an ENF-specimen has distorted elements. When using explicit finite element software the critical time step is of great importance for the results of the analyses. If a too long time step is used, the simulation will fail to complete or complete with errors. A feasible equation for predicting the critical time step for the interphase element has been developed by the research group and the reliability of this equation is evaluated. The result from simulations shows an excellent agreement with the equation when the interphase element governs the critical time step. However when the adherends governs the critical time step the equation gives a time step that is too large. A modification of this equation is suggested.


We examine the diffusion of real-time gross settlement (RTGS) technology across all 174 central banks. RTGS reduces settlement risk and facilitates financial innovation in the settlement of foreign exchange trades. In 1985, only three central banks had implemented RTGS systems, and by year-end 2005, that number had increased to ninety. We find that the RTGS diffusion process is consistent with the standard S-curve prediction. Real GDP per capita, the relative price of capital, and trade patterns explain a significant part of the cross-country variation in RTGS adoption. These determinants are remarkably similar to those that seem to drive the cross-country adoption patterns of other technologies.


Visiting patients is a positive and effective strategy to help patients and their families to adapt better with stress and crisis of Intensive Care Units. This study designed with the aim of "exploring the perception of patients, families and staff of Intensive Care Units about visiting hour's policies". In this qualitative study, the perspective of 51 participants including patients, their families and staff regarding "Visitation Policies" investigated using semistructured interviews. Conventional content analysis method used. Two categories of restricted and non-restricted visitation obtained from the data. Based on the comments received from participants, fourteen subcategories including advantages and disadvantages of visitations obtained from both restricted and non-restricted visitation categories. Restricted visitation is a policy of visitation that allows the visitor to be present in a specified time while non-restricted visitation is a kind of respect for the wishes and needs of patients and families. It is recommended that with more studies, the foundation of visitations should be established in a way that harmonious balance between the concerns of patients and families on one hand and concerns of staff on the other hand should be obtained.


Changes since 1855 in reported section-line lengths and positions of survey monuments that span the San Andreas fault (SAF) were used to measure displacement interpreted to be from the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake in south-central California. In 1855-1856 James E. Freeman established township and range lines across the SAF between Rancho Cholame and the northern Carrizo Plain. At least 26 1-mile sections lines spanned the SAF in the area between present-day California Highways 46 and 58. Each section line was marked by monuments at the midpoint and endpoints. Section lines across portions of the SAF were resurveyed in 1893 by J. M. Gore. We projected changes in line length onto the fault zone to measure displacement. The measurements indicate right lateral displacement of 16.2 ± 6.0 m across the fault zone. The resulting tectonic displacement exceeds the maximum reported geomorphic offsets (∼6.7 m) attributed to the 1857 earthquake along the Cholame segment. Although we recognize great uncertainties in the accuracy of our small, historical data set, we tentatively conclude that total displacement in the 1857 earthquake along the SAF over this ∼2 km wide aperture was significantly greater than the 3- to 6-m slip previously reported for the Cholame segment from narrower aperture geomorphic and trenching studies. These differences may be compatible if slip along the fault increases down dip rapidly from ∼3-6 m at the surface to ∼20 m within several hundred meters of the surface. Our inference of high slip along this portion of the Cholame segment in 1857 is at odds with most rupture models of the central SAF and suggests that geomorphic offsets may not represent total displacement across the fault zone.


This paper presents a new methodology for making strategic dozer deployment plans for wildfire initial response planning for a given fire season. This approach combines a fire behaviour simulation, a wildfire risk model and a probabilistically constrained stochastic integer programming model, and takes into account the level of risk the decision-maker is willing to take when making deployment and dispatching plans. The new methodology was applied to Texas District 12, a Texas A&M Forest Service fire planning unit located in East Texas. This study demonstrates the effect of the decision-maker's risk attitude level on deployment decisions in terms of the dozers positioned at each operations base, fires contained and their associated wildfire risk, and total containment cost. The results show that the total number of fires contained and their associated total expected cost increase when the tolerance towards risk decreases. Thus, more dozers are deployed to operations bases in areas with high wildfire risk and a high need for initial response.


Oncogenic signaling pathways regulate gene expression in part through epigenetic modification of chromatin including DNA methylation and histone modification. Trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine-27 (H3K27), which correlates with transcriptional repression, is regulated by an oncogenic form of the small GTPase Ras. Although accumulation of trimethylated H3K27 (H3K27me3) has been implicated in transcriptional regulation, it remains unclear whether Ras-induced changes in H3K27me3 are a trigger for or a consequence of changes in transcriptional activity. We have now examined the relation between H3K27 trimethylation and transcriptional regulation by Ras. Genome-wide analysis of H3K27me3 distribution and transcription at various times after expression of oncogenic Ras in mouse NIH 3T3 cells identified 115 genes for which H3K27me3 level at the gene body and transcription were both regulated by Ras. Similarly, 196 genes showed Ras-induced changes in transcription and H3K27me3 level in the region around the transcription start site. The Ras-induced changes in transcription occurred before those in H3K27me3 at the genome-wide level, a finding that was validated by analysis of individual genes. Depletion of H3K27me3 either before or after activation of Ras signaling did not affect the transcriptional regulation of these genes. Furthermore, given that H3K27me3 enrichment was dependent on Ras signaling, neither it nor transcriptional repression was maintained after inactivation of such signaling. Unexpectedly, we detected unannotated transcripts derived from intergenic regions at which the H3K27me3 level is regulated by Ras, with the changes in transcript abundance again preceding those in H3K27me3. Our results thus indicate that changes in H3K27me3 level in the gene body or in the region around the transcription start site are not a trigger for, but rather a consequence of, changes in transcriptional activity.


Both adaptive beamforming methods and interference management systems improve the capacity of wireless communications systems, however they may require direction of arrival (DOA) information of signals. On the other hand, most of the DOA estimation systems suffer from computational complexity, high costs, and bulky size which prevents mobility. Antenna array inflexibility of DOA estimation systems also prevents prevalence over the whole wireless spectrum. In this paper, a solution to these problems which benefits from the advantages of switched antenna systems along with the time-variant sequential sampling process is proposed: a two-antenna, single radio-frequency (RF) front-end DOA estimation system which extends the measurements to different locations by shifting the antenna tuple together as a single entity. The system adjusts the antenna spacing for adaptive spectrum coverage. An extension to total measurement time is introduced, however, when compared to DOA estimation systems which have separate RF front-end for each antenna, the system has moderate complexity and size. A measurement setup is developed and performance of the proposed system is provided for extensive set of wireless standards and measurement parameters. Multiple signal classification is selected as DOA method for the proposed system and the DOA estimation performance is compared with the pseudo-Doppler system.


In Higher Education (HE) institutions, as in many other organisations Information Systems (IS) started as in house developments that tended to satisfy the immediate needs of the different departments and schools. As the universities continued to grow and become international organisations, incorporating students from all over the world, their needs changed and the need for integration across the institution processes intensified.

It appears that Higher Education institutions make huge investments on integrated information systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems; however they do not seem to achieve the full potential of these systems while these new systems significantly alter the way academia is doing things nowadays.

Therefore, the focus of this paper is to provide a review of this literature in order to gain insights of the implementation of integrated IS in the HE sector with a special focus on Higher Education in the UK. We start by looking into the use of IS in the HE sector. This sets the scene in order to understand how the HE environment has changed due to the extensive use of IS. From our comprehensive review we develop a number of themes that show the link between integrated IS and the HE environment.


This paper argues that increased factor mobility incurs the risk of dismantling the welfare state, even though this state may have useful allocative functions. It will be difficult to finance the welfare state with taxes on capital and it may even be necessary to subsidize this factor in the sense that some of the infrastructure it uses will have to be covered by taxes on other factors. In general, redistribution activities are underprovided since they provide other countries with positive policy externalities. To overcome these difficulties and to make competition among welfare states workable, the paper suggests taxing capital income on a cash flow basis and other incomes on the basis of a nationality principle.


CONTEXT
Medicare Part C, or Medicare Advantage (MA), now almost 30 years old, has generally been viewed as a policy disappointment. Enrollment has vacillated but has never come close to the penetration of managed care plans in the commercial insurance market or in Medicaid, and because of payment policy decisions and selection, the MA program is viewed as having added to cost rather than saving funds for the Medicare program. Recent changes in Medicare policy, including improved risk adjustment, however, may have changed this picture.

METHODS
This article summarizes findings from our group's work evaluating MA's recent performance and investigating payment options for improving its performance even more. We studied the behavior of both beneficiaries and plans, as well as the effects of Medicare policy.

FINDINGS
Beneficiaries make "mistakes" in their choice of MA plan options that can be explained by behavioral economics. Few beneficiaries make an active choice after they enroll in Medicare. The high prevalence of "zero-premium" plans signals inefficiency in plan design and in the market's functioning. That is, Medicare premium policies interfere with economically efficient choices. The adverse selection problem, in which healthier, lower-cost beneficiaries tend to join MA, appears much diminished. The available measures, while limited, suggest that, on average, MA plans offer care of equal or higher quality and for less cost than traditional Medicare (TM). In counties, greater MA penetration appears to improve TM's performance.

CONCLUSIONS
Medicare policies regarding lock-in provisions and risk adjustment that were adopted in the mid-2000s have mitigated the adverse selection problem previously plaguing MA. On average, MA plans appear to offer higher value than TM, and positive spillovers from MA into TM imply that reimbursement should not necessarily be neutral. Policy changes in Medicare that reform the way that beneficiaries are charged for MA plan membership are warranted to move more beneficiaries into MA.


The University of Sheffield has a non-linear finite element analysis program called VULCAN which has been developed in-house over a number of years and has been thoroughly validated. A parametric study has been conducted using this software, which assesses the influence of such factors as
load, geometric imperfection, material properties,
temperature profile and axial and rotational restraint on the behaviour, of isolated steel columns in fire. This study is then extended to investigate the behaviour of steel columns as part of a larger multi-storey frame, in which axial restraint to thermal expansion of the heated column is provided by the floors above. A method of modelling these effects in VULCAN using a linear spring element to provide axial restraint has been developed and validated. An experimental partner project has been carried out at the University of Ulster, in which steel columns were furnace-tested with various levels of load, slenderness and
axial restraint. These tests have been paralleled with analyses using VULCAN and a good correlation with test results has been shown. The VULCAN program was then used
to examine the effects of parameters outside the range of the physical constraints imposed by the test facility.
A numerical model, capable of assessing the level of axial restraint imparted on a column by a general multi-storey
framed structure has been developed, which has a number of levels of complexity, each giving a higher degree of accuracy. Once the level of restraint for a structure has been assessed, the parametric studies and test data can be applied, and conclusions drawn about the behaviour of the frame. The applicability of different mathematical solution procedures to the analysis of these columns, which exhibit snap-through and snap-back behaviour, has been conducted. The arc-length method has been identified as applicable in
such cases and a skeleton version of the procedure introduced into the VULCAN program. The program structure of VULCAN has been improved and the format for data input and output has been developed to allow flexibility. A graphical
file-viewer program has also been created. Details of these changes are shown in appendices.


Policy makers generally see
community-based health insurance as a means of improving access to
expensive
medical
care,
particularly among
the
poor
and preventing indebtedness
secondary to
medical
expenidures.
However,
there is a paucity of
empirical evidence on the impact
of CBHI, and
how its impact is influenced by a
scheme's design,
management
and context.
This research examined the
cconornic and
social impact
of
two CBHI schemes in Gujarat,
India, and explored potential
determinants
of impact.
A
case study
approach was
employed. Data were collected
using a variety
of methodologies:
a
cross-sectional
household survey,a review
of insurance
scheme
utilisation
data, focus
group
discussions,
and in-depth interviews.
The CBHI schemes
had
achieved minor successes.
Both
provided financial protection to
those who actually used the
schemes and
one
of the schemes
was successful in including the poor. These successes,
however,
were overwhelmed
by
very
low
rates,
of utilisation.
Demand for membership in the
schemes
was
determined
in part
by their
strong links with
larger parent organisations
(a
dairy
co-operative and
a
worker's union)
and
by
other
services that were packaged with the health insurance. Factors
responsible for low
rates of health insurance utilisation included
a
lack
of awareness
among
members of the schemes and their
benefits,
and
perceived
problems
with the
cost.
quality and
or
accessibility of benefits provided. The findings support a
cautious
approach among those
wishing, to
foster
CBHI
in
developing countries.
Schemes
should
not
be
expected to
contribute
rapidly to
broad
health system goals.
Consistent
with
past
research
on
CBHI. this
study
finds that
scheme
design and management are of
utmost importance in
determining
whether
or
not the scheme will have the
desired
impact.
Specific
areas are identified
where
government
might intervene to optimise the impact
of a
CBHI
scheme.


The present and future challenges of a new product design, forecasting and risk management launch strategy for a new product modelling decision process. This paper intends to propose and to look towards the development of a low-cost integrated CAD-CAPP-CAD/CAM product modelling system for the design and manufacture of a proposed product. It is a mapping between several design phases like functional design, technical design and physical design. The modelling data generation process begins with the drafting of a product to be maintained using the drafting software package. From the CAD drawing, the data are transferred to be used as the product models and a CAPP software package will then prepare the operational parameters for the manufacturing of the product. These process data are relayed to a CAM software package, which will then generate the automating information-processing functions. The final stage of the function is to support design and manufacturing operations that may have reaped many benefits in terms of its initial equipment and software costs.


This paper describes a system, referred to as model-based expectation-maximization source separation and localization (MESSL), for separating and localizing multiple sound sources from an underdetermined reverberant two-channel recording. By clustering individual spectrogram points based on their interaural phase and level differences, MESSL generates masks that can be used to isolate individual sound sources. We first describe a probabilistic model of interaural parameters that can be evaluated at individual spectrogram points. By creating a mixture of these models over sources and delays, the multi-source localization problem is reduced to a collection of single source problems. We derive an expectation-maximization algorithm for computing the maximum-likelihood parameters of this mixture model, and show that these parameters correspond well with interaural parameters measured in isolation. As a byproduct of fitting this mixture model, the algorithm creates probabilistic spectrogram masks that can be used for source separation. In simulated anechoic and reverberant environments, separations using MESSL produced on average a signal-to-distortion ratio 1.6 dB greater and perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) results 0.27 mean opinion score units greater than four comparable algorithms.