In order to adopt pertinent management strategies for a species, it is imperative to have an understanding of its distribution and requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) are broadly applied in ecological studies to generate hypotheses on both current and future distributions of a species. These models utilise statistical approaches to link where a species occurs with environmental data from those locations to infer hypotheses about factors limiting the species' distribution. SDMs have many applications in conservation biology, including being one of the few tools capable of predicting the impacts of climate change on a species. However, applications of SDMs are often limited to using long-term climate means and some measure of variability to represent 'environment'. Although climate is an important factor determining a species distribution, it is not the sole driver. These models exclude important influences such as biotic interactions, physiological limitations, and extreme weather events. Models based only on long-term climate overlook these factors. As these models are used for assessing conservation goals, it is critical to assess their limitations and usefulness.

I address the limitations of current SDM applications in my thesis, with the goal of improving their theoretical underpinning. I used the endangered northern bettong (Bettongia tropica), a tropical rat-kangaroo, as a study species for my research. The northern bettong is an ideal SDM candidate: it is a small, narrowly endemic species, restricted in habitat and diet. The ecology of the species is well understood, with knowledge on key process, interactions, and dietary requirements. I examined the links between climate, limiting resources, biotic interactions (competition with the more generalist rufous bettong (Aepyprymnus rufescens)) and extreme weather events to enhance the ecological theory of SDMs. Additionally, I developed suggestions for the proactive management of the northern bettong. In order to do this, this thesis had several components: 1) examination of the distribution and limits of northern bettong key resources for inclusion into SDMs; 2) assessment of the role of biotic interactions in SDMs; and 3) investigation of the impact of extreme weather events on current distributions.

Two crucial food resources for the northern bettong are 'truffles' and cockatoo grass (Alloteropsis semialata); I assessed site- and regional-scale effects of short-term weather, long-term climate and habitat on the distribution of these resources. Habitat type did have an influence on truffles, as did key soil nutrients, although these factors could only explain a small percentage of the variation in truffle availability. The availability of truffles was directly influenced by weather and climate, with temperature and precipitation driving productivity at both the site and regional scale. The long-term reliability of truffles as a resource may be linked to weather and could be detrimentally affected by increasing seasonality and dry season severity, particularly within the range edges of northern bettong distribution. Key 'extreme' weather events were identified to limit truffle abundance, which in turn would limit the distribution of the northern bettong; thus this resource provided a good modelling candidate for use in biotic interaction assessment. Cockatoo grass has a broad tolerance to temperature and precipitation values although appears to be limited by drought conditions in the dry season. Habitat features have a strong role in determining cockatoo grass density, with a positive response to a late dry season burn indicating this species may benefit from fire. Cockatoo grass distribution was also affected by climate, making it an appropriate variable for inclusion into biotic interaction models, although more research on the affect of fire and climate change on its distribution is warranted.

In order to assess the influence of biotic interactions on SDM predictions under climate change, the spatial distribution of the northern bettong was modelled with and without biotic interactions (two resources and the potential competitor) and their predictions compared under varying degrees of global warming. Climate-only models increasingly diverged from those including biotic interactions with increasing global warming. I showed that SDM exercises that explicitly include known biological interactions provide better, ecologically realistic predictions under climate change. As interactions are currently not included in the vast majority of SDMs, this has ramifications for the usefulness of current climate change impact assessments that employ SDM.

Long-term climate data masks short-term weather events; these weather events may be 'extreme' relative to a species and as such, have huge implications on local population densities. To explore this, I defined extreme weather events in terms of the ecology of the northern bettong. These extreme weather events (e.g. droughts and heat waves) were used to model the temporal variability in the short-term suitability of habitat for both the northern bettong and its potential competitor, the rufous bettong. Severe drought and temperature variability limited local population densities of the northern bettong at the edge of this species' range, and induced contractions in its distribution and niche tracking. Such contractions coincided with beneficial outcomes for the rufous bettong. Populations close to the edge of the range of this species occur in low densities as a result of frequent changes in the suitability of weather and increased pressure from their competitor. Traditional SDMs utilise data limited to spatial scale and do not detect dynamic processes such as temporal shifts in suitable weather and competitive outcomes between species. Failure to include extreme events can lead to overestimation of suitable habitat, which has implications for use in management decisions.

I integrated all of the results from my data chapters to improve our ecological understanding of the northern bettong. Northern bettongs may be vulnerable to climate change, particularly within populations at the edge of its range. Proactive conservation planning to mitigate the impacts of climate change can begin with the knowledge of predicted distributions, identified refugial areas (areas likely to maintain resources under climate change), and the impacts of extreme weather events, variable weather, and competitive pressure from the rufous bettong.

I demonstrate that although the use of SDM in climate change impact assessments is beneficial as a first pass for conservation and adaptation efforts, they can be improved with species-specific, ecologically relevant knowledge. The importance of my study was to highlight how climate-only models are limited in detecting important influences on a species distribution in time, as well as space. Improving on models by addressing these limitations provides for more realistic model outputs that can be utilized with greater confidence in proactive conservation efforts. The models developed here will be used in management decisions for the endangered northern bettong, to help ensure its continued persistence in a changing climate.


There is a dearth of studies on librarians' information practices, in particular their information use. At the same time the professional field of librarianship is infused with an imperative dictating that the work of librarians should be evidence based. This paper presents an ethnographic study of academic librarians' information use in professional practice. On the basis of the analysis, which is rooted in practice theory, it is concluded that in the academic library under investigation, information use is an ongoing practice shaped in and by the specific areas in which the work is carried out. Rather than primarily relying on evidence in terms of formal research results, the librarians in the study relate to and make use of a multitude of both formal and informal information sources.


[1] Frost boils in the Arctic are a manifestation of patterned ground in the form of nonsorted circles. Active frost boils involve convection of water through the soil that can bring basic salts from depth to the surface. As such, active frost boils can mitigate acidification and thereby strongly influence the type of vegetation supported by Arctic soils. The presence or absence of active frost boils is thought to play a pivotal role in establishing the sharp demarcation between moist nonacidic tundra (MNT) and moist acidic tundra (MAT) in the Arctic. The focus of this paper is to corroborate the predictions of a mathematical model that relates observable patterned ground features to ecosystem parameters with observations at the field sites along the North American Arctic Transect (NAAT) established by the Biocomplexity of Patterned-Ground Ecosystems Project. Model predictions indicate that recurrent one-dimensional frost heave can become unstable and evolve into multidimensional differential frost heave (DFH). A laboratory frost heave simulation produced a 28-cm pattern in an active layer of 10 cm, which agrees with linear stability theory predictions. A finite element solution predicts three-dimensional patterns with approximately 3-m spacing develop in a 1.0-m active layer with a surface n factor of 0.35, which agrees well with field observations from the NAAT. The lack of significant frost boil activity in the MAT is a result of suppression of DFH owing to denser surface vegetation characterized by low n factors. Prominent active frost boils are observed in the MNT at higher latitudes with more sparse vegetation characterized by higher n factors that promote DFH. However, at the northernmost field sites frost boils cannot be generated even though the n factors are relatively high owing to very rapid freezing conditions that mitigate DFH.


Since its founding in Rome in 1884, Bulgari has become synonymous with ingenuity and luxury in jewellery design. This volume focuses on the 1950s through the 1980s - a period of eclectic creativity that helped to establish the signature Bulgari look and its status in the world of celebrity and high society. Along with a history of the jeweller, the book features approximately 150 pieces from this pivotal period. High-quality photographs of the objects share the spotlight with sketches, photographs and vintage advertisements from the Bulgari archives, as well as images of the celebrities who adorned themselves with these opulent works, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren. An introduction by Martin Chapman examines Bulgari in an American context, focusing on its famous clients and social history. An essay by Amanda Triossi provides a deeper look at Bulgari - its founding, history, designers, and innovations. Section introductions for the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s illuminate the trends in jewellery design for each decade, in addition to a chapter dedicated to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor collection.


Transactional memory appears promising for democratizing concurrent programming. Its potential lies in producing code that is extensible as atomicity is preserved under composition of transactions. This new abstraction raises several challenges such as the compliance of transactions with alternative synchronization techniques of legacy code and memory consistency models that favor transactional programming. The objective of the Second Workshop on the Theory of Transactional Memory was to discuss new theoretical challenges and recent achievements in the context of transactional computing. We report on some of the issues raised during this workshop.


Since the 2000 presidential election, debate over the role of religion in public life has followed a narrow course as pundits and politicians alike have focused on the influence wielded by conservative Christians. But what about more mainstream Christians? Here, Steven M. Tipton examines the political activities of Methodists and mainline churches in this groundbreaking investigation into a generation of denominational strife among church officials, lobbyists, and activists. The result is an unusually detailed and thoughtful account that upends common stereotypes while asking searching questions about the contested relationship between church and state. Documenting a wide range of reactions to two radically different events - the invasion of Iraq and the creation of the faith-based initiatives program - Tipton charts the new terrain of religious and moral argument under the Bush administration from Pat Robertson to Jim Wallis. He then turns to the case of the United Methodist Church, of which President Bush is a member, to uncover the twentieth-century history of their political advocacy, culminating in current threats to split the Church between liberal peace-and-justice activists and crusaders for evangelical renewal. "Public Pulpits" balances the firsthand drama of this internal account with a meditative exploration of the wider social impact that mainline churches have had in a time of diverging fortunes and diminished dreams of progress. An eminently fair-minded and ethically astute analysis of how churches keep moral issues alive in politics, "Public Pulpits" delves deep into mainline Protestant efforts to enlarge civic conscience and cast clearer light on the commonweal and offers a masterly overview of public religion in America.


1. Urea kinetics were measured using prime/intermittent oral doses of [15N15N]urea in six healthy men taking diets adequate in energy and containing either 74 or 30 g of protein/day. 2. On 74 g of protein/day, urea production (199 mg of N day-1 kg-1) was 121% of intake, with 60% of the urea produced being excreted in the urine and 40% being salvaged in the colon; 69% of the salvaged nitrogen was retained in the metabolic nitrogen pool. 3. Nitrogen balance was not maintained on 30 g of protein/day. There was a significant decrease in the urea production rate (123 mg of N day-1 kg-1) and 54% of production was excreted in urine, with 46% being salvaged. 4. The pattern of urea production and salvaging on 30 g of protein/day was different to that seen in an earlier study on 35 g of protein/day, with a significant decrease in both production (71%) and salvaging (50%). 5. These data reinforce the conclusions drawn from an earlier study, that the salvaging of urea nitrogen by the colon is an integral part of the process of adaptation to low protein diets. The salvage system appears to fail on an intake of 30 g of protein/day and nitrogen is no longer conserved in sufficient amounts for balance to be maintained. 6. The changes seen in urea kinetics reinforce the conclusion based upon nitrogen balance that the minimum physiological requirement for protein in normal adult man lies between 30 and 35 g of protein/day.


The Gpdh locus was sequenced in a broad range of Drosophila species. In contrast to the extreme evolutionary constraint seen at the amino acid level, the synonymous sites evolve at rates comparable to those of other genes. Gpdh nucleotide sequences were used to infer a phylogenetic tree, and the relationships among the species of the obscura group were examined in detail. A survey of nucleotide polymorphism within D. pseudoobscura revealed no amino acid variation in this species. Applying a modified McDonald-Kreitman test, the amino acid divergence between species in the obscura group does not appear to be excessive, implying that drift is adequate to explain the patterns of amino acid change at this locus. In addition, the level of polymorphism at the Gpdh locus in D. pseudoobscura is comparable to that found at other loci, as determined by a Hudson-Kreitman-Aguade test. Thus, the pattern of nucleotide variation within and between species at the Gpdh locus is consistent with a neutral model.


Title of dissertation: MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NORMAL AND CANCEROUS BREAST TISSUE SPECIMENS USING ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY Rajarshi Roy Dissertation directed by: Professor Jaydev P. Desai Department of Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory. Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide. Conventional breast cancer diagnostic methods involve needle-core biopsy procedures, followed by careful histopathological inspection of the tissue specimen by a pathologist to identify the presence of cancerous lesions. However, such inspections are primarily qualitative and depend on the subjective impressions of observers. The goal of this research is to develop approaches for obtaining quantitative mechanical signatures that can accurately characterize malignancy in pathological breast tissue. The hypothesis of this research is that by using contact-mode Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), it is possible to obtain differentiable measures of stiffness of normal and cancerous tissue specimens. This dissertation summarizes research carried out in addressing key experimental and computational challenges in performing mechanical characterization on breast tissue. Firstly, breast tissue specimens studied were 600 μm in diameter, about six times larger than the range of travel of conventional AFM X-Y stages used for imaging applications. To scan tissue properties across large ranges, a semiautomated image-guided positioning system was developed that can be used to perform AFM probe-tissue alignment across distances greater than 100 μm at multiple magnifications. Initial tissue characterization results indicate that epithelial tissue in cancer specimens display increased deformability compared to epithelial tissue in normal specimens. Additionally, it was also observed that the tissue response depends on the patient from whom the specimens were acquired. Another key challenge addressed in this dissertation is accurate data analysis of raw AFM data for characterization purposes. Two sources of uncertainty typically influence data analysis of AFM force curves: the AFM probe's spring constant and the contact point of an AFM force curve. An error-in-variable based Bayesian Changepoint algorithm was developed to quantify estimation errors in the tissue's elastic properties due to these two error sources. Next, a parametric finite element modeling based approach was proposed in order to account for spatial heterogeneity in the tissue response. By using an exponential hyperelastic material model, it was shown that it is possible to obtain more accurate material properties of tissue specimens as opposed to existing analytical contact models. The experimental and computational strategies proposed in this dissertation could have a significant impact on high-throughput quantitative studies of biomaterials, which could elucidate various disease mechanisms that are phenotyped by their mechanical signatures. MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NORMAL AND CANCEROUS BREAST TISSUE SPECIMENS USING ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY


Two recent articles from the Chen lab investigate the intrinsic ability of neurons to regenerate and define the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 as a key player in this capability. Whether a neuron is capable of regenerating is only half of the story, though; the neuron must also be in a permissive environment. Understanding these two elements of neuronal regeneration can aid in developing therapies for the repair of central nerve damage due to injury or disease. Expression of bcl-2 is high in the embryonic central nervous system and decreases during development and acquisition of the nonregenerative phenotype. In the first article, Cho et al. show that if postnatal day 3 (P3) transgenic mice that overexpress Bcl-2 (Bcl-2tg) are subjected to optic nerve crush injury, the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) regenerate and extend axons to the ipsilateral brain targets. (This is in contrast to the normal innervation path, which is to the contralateral side.) However, it was previously reported that if the injury occurs at P5, regeneration does not occur. Cho et al. show that RGCs from adult Bcl-2tg mice extended axons into embryonic brain slices, but this regenerative capacity diminished with the age of the target brain slice, such that essentially no neurites extended into the slices from animals older than P4. Thus, loss of regenerative capacity seems to reflect a target environment that is nonpermissive to growth, rather than an inability of the Bcl-2tg neurons to regenerate. Growth inhibition did not correlate with the appearance of myelin markers and was not prevented in mice deficient for CNS myelin; however, if 2- to 3-month-old wild-type or Bcl-2tg mice were treated with the astrocyte toxin L-a-aminoadipate immediately after optic nerve crush injury, then slight (wild-type) or robust (Bcl-2tg) nerve regeneration was observed. This and data from mice lacking glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin (two proteins associated with mature and embryonic glia, respectively) indicated that the glial response to injury in older brains is responsible for creating a nonpermissive environment for RGC regeneration. In the second article, Jiao et al. investigate the mechanism by which Bcl-2 allows neurons to retain their regenerative capacity. Optic nerves subjected to crush injury in P3 mice overexpressing Bcl-2 or the related protein Bcl-XL (Bcl-xLtg) showed decreased apoptosis compared with RGCs from wild-type mice; however, only the Bcl-2tg showed a regenerative response. Both Bcl-2-overexpressing and Bcl-xLtg-overexpressing cells exhibited enhanced survival compared with wild-type RGCs or PC12 cells, but only RGCs from Bcl-2tg mice or Bcl-2-transfected PC12 cells showed enhanced neurite extension in culture. Localization to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was necessary and sufficient for Bcl-2 or Bcl-XL (when targeted to the ER) to allow neurite outgrowth in response to growth factors in transfected PC12 cells. The ER is involved in calcium signaling, and PC12 cells overexpressing Bcl-2, which is normally targeted to the ER, showed decreased ER calcium storage based on cytosolic calcium concentration measurements made after depletion of the ER with the ER Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor thapsigargin. Indeed, a link between ER calcium concentration and neurite outgrowth was established by showing that overexpression of SERCA2b in PC12 cells reduced neurite outgrowth in the Bcl-2-overexpressing cells and that inhibition of SERCA increased neurite outgrowth. The authors propose that by inhibiting calcium reuptake into the ER by decreasing the abundance of SERCA, Bcl-2 increases the cytosolic calcium concentration during nerve injury. This was confirmed by measuring calcium concentration in the Bcl-2-overexpressing PC12 cells, which showed increased cytosolic calcium concentration in response to various stimuli. Furthermore, in the Bcl-2-overexpressing PC12 cells, there was enhanced phosphorylation of the transcriptional regulator CREB and the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK and enhanced activation of CREB-reporter gene expression. Enhanced signaling in the ERK and CREB pathways was observed in the Bcl-2tg RGCs after optic nerve crush injury. Thus, Bcl-2 appears to have two roles in promoting axon regeneration: an antiapoptotic role and a neurite extension role related to the effect of Bcl-2 on calcium signaling in response to injury. K.-S. Cho, L. Yang, B. Lu, H. F. Ma, X. Huang, M. Pekny, D. F. Chen, Re-establishing the regenerative potential of central nervous system axons in postnatal mice. J. Cell Sci. 118, 863-872 (2005). [Abstract] [Full Text] J. Jiao, X. Huang, R. A. Feit-Leithman, R. L. Neve, W. Snider, D. A. Dartt, D. F. Chen, Bcl-2 enhances Ca2+ signaling to support the intrinsic regenerative capacity of CNS axons. EMBO J. 24, 1068-1078 (2005). [Abstract] [Full Text]


We show that the effects of taxes on labor supply are shaped by interactions between adjustment costs for workers and hours constraints set by firms. We develop a model in which firms post job offers characterized by an hours requirement and workers pay search costs to find jobs. In this model, micro elasticities are smaller than macro elasticities because they do not account for adjustment costs and firm responses. We present evidence supporting three predictions of the model by analyzing bunching at kinks using the universe of tax records in Denmark. First, larger kinks generate larger taxable income elasticities because they are more likely to overcome search costs. Second, kinks that apply to a larger group of workers generate larger elasticities because they induce changes in hours constraints. Third, firms tailor job offers to match workers' aggregate tax preferences in equilibrium. Calibrating our model to match these empirical findings, we obtain a lower bound on the intensive-margin macro elasticity of 0.34, an order of magnitude larger than the estimates obtained using standard microeconometric methods for wage earners in our data.


The EU Framework Programmes (FPs) foster the collaboration and the research structuring across Europe. In FP6, the Antenna Centre of Excellence (ACE) is a Network of Excellence project created to improve the efficiency of antenna research in Europe. Starting 1 January 2004, it has a duration of 4 years and 51 participants from 17 European countries. 323 researchers and 130 PhD students are involved. The ACE activities are focused on mm-wave and integrated antennas, wideband and multiband antennas, small and smart antennas, active and passive planar and conformal arrays, software, testing, education and dissemination in the antenna area. After ACE, EurAAP, the European Association for Antennas and Propagation will continue the coordination work.


Solar energy has many advantages over conventional sources of energy. It is abundant, clean and sustainable. One way to convert solar energy directly into electrical energy is by using the photovoltaic solar cells (PVSC). Despite PVSC are becoming economically competitive, they still have high cost and low light to electricity conversion efficiency. Therefore, increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost are key elements for producing economically more competitive PVSC that would have significant impact on energy market and saving environment. A significant percentage of the PVSC cost is due to the materials cost. For that, thin films PVSC have been proposed which offer the benefits of the low amount of material and fabrication costs. Regrettably, thin film PVSC show poor light to electricity conversion efficiency because of many factors especially the high optical losses. To enhance conversion efficiency, numerous techniques have been proposed to reduce the optical losses and to enhance the absorption of light in thin film PVSC. One promising technique is the nanowire (NW) arrays in general and the silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays in particular. The purpose of this research is to introduce vertically aligned SiNW arrays with enhanced and broadband absorption covering the entire solar spectrum while simultaneously reducing the amount of material used. To this end, we apply new concept for designing SiNW arrays based on employing diversity of physical dimensions, especially radial diversity within certain lattice configurations. In order to study the interaction of light with SiNW arrays and compute their optical properties, electromagnetic numerical modeling is used. A commercial numerical electromagnetic solver software package, high frequency structure simulation (HFSS), is utilized to model the SiNW arrays and to study their optical properties. We studied different geometries factors that affect the optical properties of SiNW arrays. Based on this study, we found that the optical properties of SiNW arrays are strongly affected by the radial diversity, the arrangement of SiNW in a lattice, and the configuration of such lattice. The proper selection of these parameters leads to broaden and enhance the light absorption of the SiNW arrays. Inspired by natural configurations, fractal geometry and diamond lattice structures, we introduced two lattice configurations: fractal-like array (FLA) that is inspired by fractal geometry, and diamond-like array (DLA) that is inspired by diamond crystal lattice structure. Optimization, using parametric analysis, of the introduced arrays parameters for the light absorption level and the amount of used material has been performed. Both of the introduced SiNW arrays show broadband, strong light absorption coupled with reduction of the amount of the used material. DLA in specific showed significantly enhanced absorption covering the entire solar spectrum of interest, where near-unity absorption spectrum could be achieved. We studied the optical properties of complete PVSC devices that are based on SiNW array. Moreover, the performance of PVSC device that is based on SiNW has been investigated by using numerical modeling. SILVACO software package is used for performing the numerical simulation of the PVSC device performance, which can simultaneously handle the different coupled physical mechanisms contributing to the photovoltaic effect. The effect of the geometry of PVSC device that is based on SiNW is investigated, which shows that the geometry of such PVSC has a role in enhancing its electrical properties. The outcome of this study introduces new SiNW array configurations that have enhanced optical properties using a low amount of material that can be utilized for producing higher efficiency thin film PVCS. The overall conclusion of this work is that a weak absorption indirect band gap material, silicon, in the form of properly designed SiNW and SiNC arrays has the potentials to achieve near-unity ideal absorption spectrum using reduced amount of material, which can lead to produce new generation of lower cost and enhanced efficiency thin film PVSC.


The notion of sustainable development is mainly based on innovation in order to keep the life cycle of the domain under study alive, by involving new requirements that will change the methods and practices of the various stakeholders. The construction sector, whether being commercial or residential, is also integrated in the sustainable development approach since its implementation until its exploitation by the occupants. Several countries around the world, including Morocco, are engaged in the sustainable construction process to build energy-efficient buildings capable of offering thermal comfort, a considerable reduction in energy expenditure and a significant decrease in emissions. The building sector is considered to be the most energy intensive and the second largest source of CO2 emissions after transport. The main sources of energy consumption in buildings can be due to lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, heating and hot water sanitary. A house with low energy consumption must be planned from its conception stage and must be submitted to modifications for its energy consumption patterns by the choice of its orientation and the types of energies used in order to limit the energy consumption. In addition, energy savings can be further gained with the proper choice of innovative building materials evolved by building and civil engineering companies capable of providing thermal inertia in buildings. This is achieved by either incorporating new materials into the usual building products or by changing their basic formulas. These materials are able to provide buildings with thermal inertia since they have a low thermal conductivity able to keep lime buildings in winter and cold in summer without resorting to other energy-consuming means namely ventilation and heating. In this context, several materials that have been proposed by previous researchers are discussed. These materials are considered sustainable solutions to ensure thermal insulation of tomorrow and can be either mineral or synthetic. Examples of mineral materials that can be used for thermal insulation are the natural basalt fiber for panels insulation and the use of pozzolan in building materials. On the other hand, examples of synthetic materials can be the corrugated cardboard panels recycled from packaging industries and hemp fibers, flax, rapeseed, date palm wood that can be used for reinforcement in building materials. The general objective of this project is mainly to propose solutions to ensure a good thermal comfort to the buildings which can be through the development of innovative building materials based on natural fibers with focus on the date palm leaflets which are very abundant in Morocco. In this context, several analysis are possible on the leaflets and on the construction materials prepared in order to study their behavior vis-a-vis the energy efficiency in the buildings.


PURPOSE
To provide dosimetric data for a 50-100 kV X-ray unit for skin cancer treatments. Discrepancy of measurements using two different types of chambers was investigated.

METHODS
Two superficial treatment units SRT-100 from Sensus were studied. The unit has three energies: 50, 70 and 100 kV x-ray and five cones from 1.5 to 5 cm diameters. Data collected during commission were: (a) HVL, (b) dose rate, cGy/minute at 15 cm target-to-skin distance in air under a 5 cm cone, and (c) cone size factors. A Farmer-type thimble chamber, PTW 23333, and a thin-window parallel plate (PP) ion-chamber, PTW23342 were used. Measured data were compared with vendor provided values.

RESULTS
Average HVL values for 50, 70 and 100 kV of the two units were 0.52, 1.15 and 2.2 mm Al, respectively. HVL values were 5-9 % lower if the thimble chamber was used for 70 and 100 kV. Dose rate were found 3-4% lower with the thimble chamber compared with the value from the PP chamber. As expected, the two type chambers measured the same cone size factors, from 0.97 to 1.0 for 1.5 to 5 cm cone. When the same PP chamber was used for another SRT-100 unit with a similar HVL value, the dose rates were found with a 2-9% difference for 50-100 kV between the two units. Dosimetric data from vendor should be used as a reference only.

CONCLUSIONS
Data obtained from a thimble chamber underestimated the dose by 3-4% compared with measured by a PP chamber. Dose rate from two identical treatment units can differ by 9%. Commissioning of a soft X-ray machine should be done with proper dosimetric methods.


Due to the normal histology of this area and the multifocal nature of vulvar intraepithelial disease, vulvoscopy is more difficult and less objective than the cervix examination. Basis of vulvar colposcopy as well as benign vulvar skin disorders that are usually found in a routine gynecology examination will be reviewed.


Vaccination with A β 1–42 and treatment with NCX-2216, a novel nitric oxide releasing flurbiprofen derivative, have each been shown separately to reduce amyloid deposition in transgenic mice and have been suggested as potential therapies for Alzheimer's disease. In the current study we treated doubly transgenic amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1 (APP+PS1) mice with A β 1–42 vaccination, NCX-2216 or both drugs simultaneously for 9 months. We found that all treatments reduced amyloid deposition, both compact and diffuse, to the same extent while only vaccinated animals, with or without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment, showed increased microglial activation associated with the remaining amyloid deposits. We also found that active A β vaccination resulted in significantly increased cerebral amyloid angiopathy and associated microhemorrhages, while NCX-2216 did not, in spite of similar reductions in parenchymal amyloid. Co-administration of NCX-2216 did not attenuate this effect of the vaccine. This is the first report showing that active immunization can result in increased vascular amyloid and microhemorrhage, as has been observed with passive immunization. Co-administration of an NSAID agent with A β vaccination does not substantially modify the effects of A β immunotherapy. The difference between these treatments with respect to vascular amyloid development may reflect the clearance-promoting actions of the vaccine as opposed to the production-modifying effects proposed for flurbiprofen.


Regardless of the future of the Kyoto compliance system, much of its work will continue to be important both for the climate change regime and for other MEAs. While it is impossible to make accurate predictions about the substance of the climate change regime after 2012, it is nevertheless important to reflect on the experience with the Kyoto compliance system to date for MEA compliance generally. Adjustments to the Kyoto compliance system necessitated by post 2012 changes to the substantive obligations can, of course, only be considered once those changes are known. The central question posed in this article is therefore the following: Assuming the obligations under the climate change regime were to remain unchanged, what adjustments to the Kyoto compliance system would be warranted in light of the experience to date? In addressing this central question, the aim of this article is to help inform the design of future compliance systems under any MEAs that recognize the value of seeking to combine facilitative compliance strategies with enforcement.


Abstract: Molting is a stressful event in insect development. When an insect molts, the individual discards its exoskeleton and sheds and renews the interior lining of substantial portions of the respiratory (tracheal) system. We profiled for the first time the disruptive pattern of respiration during the molting process in larvae of the mayfly Cloeon dipterum (Ephemeroptera:Baetidae). Molting induces a precipitous drop in O2 consumption immediately followed by a surge in O2 consumption that appears to be compensatory in nature. Postmolt metabolic suppression is consistently observed during which O2 consumption rates lag relative to those of nonmolting larvae. Furthermore, the magnitude of respiratory disturbance during the molt increases as a function of temperature. Increasing temperatures increase molting frequency and the apparently stressful nature of the molt itself. Thus, the insect molt appears to be a previously unappreciated route by which warming conditions may affect aquatic insects.


The divide between art and language has historically functioned as a metaphor of the division between high and low culture. Many artistic practices have challenged this binary, where the concept of gallery enclosure can be understood as a literal and figurative qualifier of art: a space that is distinct from, yet exists within, the wider social sphere.

Especially in twentieth and twenty-first century art, the use of language has facilitated a material and discursive transgression beyond the traditional art-object and its institutional isolation. Works that combine image and text have appeared on gallery walls, the popular press, and other public sites such as billboards and pavements. Such activities widen the engagement with art and open new channels of communication and participation. They also challenge, and often alter, the traditional hierarchies that underline the artworld, from the production of art to its display and consumption.

Acknowledging the manifold social practices of contemporary art, as well as the diversity of scholarship that IAWIS-AIERTI embraces, this session wishes to address the presence of image and text in the public sphere from both a historical and critical perspective. In what ways can the use of language in art practices transform the domain of the artworld? How have art institutions shifted their policies in response to such practices? With this session, we also hope to consider the sociality of art, as this becomes evident by artistic practices that transgress the gallery enclosure of art.


Exploration of electrocatalysts for clean and sustainable hydrogen generation from water splitting has received huge attention due to the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental pollution. Although platinum (Pt) is the most efficient catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), it has limitations for widespread applications due to its towering cost, scarcity and instability. Various catalysts such as precious/non-precious metal and metal-free catalysts have been developed for a viable HER process. Among them, ruthenium (Ru) based catalysts, which possess appropriate hydrogen bonding energy and reasonable price, have demonstrated strong potential as an alternative to Pt for the HER. In this review article, we summarize recently developed Ru-based electrocatalysts with superior HER performance, i.e., Ru on carbon supports, Ru phosphide based catalysts, and Ru coupled with transition metals. Finally, we discuss the challenges and perspectives of Ru-based catalysts in the HER research field.


Title: The experiences of children diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness Background: Exploring children's experiences when diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting diagnosis is essential in offering appropriate care for them. Although a number of studies have been conducted to explore the experiences of children diagnosed with serious illnesses, there are limited studies which explored the experiences of both children and parents who were from the same cohort in a palliative care setting. The study was conducted in Romania, which is situated in the Southeastern Europe, where paediatric palliative care is in its infancy. Aim: To advance the understanding of the experiences of children diagnosed with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions through both their first-hand accounts and those of their parents in a palliative care setting. Method: A qualitative study was conducted with ten children diagnosed with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses using in-depth interviews. Interviews were also held with the parents who were the main carer for the child to give an additional perspective of the experiences of their children regarding their illness. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: The data produced six major themes: awareness of the illness, death and dying, the spiritual response to illness, the emotional response to illness, striving for normality and independence and coping strategies. There is a gap in the child's experience and understanding compared to what their parents believe they know. Awareness contexts and developmental theory were used as frameworks to discuss the experiences of children diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness from both their perspective and that of their parents. Results suggest that awareness contexts are not fixed and children can at times move back and forth from one context to another. Results also indicate that children are able to understand and describe their experiences related to their illness depending on their developmental stage as well as personal experiences. Conclusion: This study makes a unique contribution to knowledge as it is the first study to present the perspectives of both parents and children diagnosed with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions in receipt of palliative care.


Limited research has been conducted to explore the factors that support or obstruct collaboration between traditional healers and public sector mental health services. The first aim of this study was to explore the reasons underpinning the widespread appeal of traditional/faith healers in Ghana. This formed a backdrop for the second objective, to identify what barriers or enabling factors may exist for forming bi-sectoral partnerships. Eighty-one semi-structured interviews and seven focus group discussions were conducted with 120 key stakeholders drawn from five of the ten regions in Ghana. The results were analysed through a framework approach. Respondents indicated many reasons for the appeal of traditional and faith healers, including cultural perceptions of mental disorders, the psychosocial support afforded by such healers, as well as their availability, accessibility and affordability. A number of barriers hindering collaboration, including human rights and safety concerns, scepticism around the effectiveness of 'conventional' treatments, and traditional healer solidarity were identified. Mutual respect and bi-directional conversations surfaced as the key ingredients for successful partnerships. Collaboration is not as easy as commonly assumed, given paradigmatic disjunctures and widespread scepticism between different treatment modalities. Promoting greater understanding, rather than maintaining indifferent distances may lead to more successful co-operation in future.


""Roots and Wings" will open doors to beginners in cultural diversity education, and will enrich the more experienced readers. It is a grand tool for assisting early childhood educators to address the many-faceted and complex issues of cultural diversity and racial prejudice. . . . I recommend this book to any teacher, caregiver, or parent who wants to begin learning what it means to foster young children s respect for themselves and others." Louise Derman-Sparks, author, "AntiBias Curriculum"More than a decade ago, "Roots and Wings" was published as the first practical resource for early childhood teachers on the then new topic of multicultural education. This invaluable guide is now completely updated to respond to present day anti-bias issues in educating young children."Roots and Wings" provides a thorough, clear, and practical introduction to working with diverse children and families in early childhood settings. With more than 100 new and revised activities, practical examples, and staff training recommendations, the revised edition includes new chapters on bilingual education, culturally responsive teaching, and children and prejudice. Seamlessly blending theory and practice, Roots and Wings is an ideal resource for preschool teachers, early childhood programs at colleges and universities, and training workshops.Stacey York is an instructor in the Child Development Department at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Minneapolis, Minnesota. She conducts multicultural workshops around the country and is also the author of "Big As Life: The Everyday Inclusive Curriculum.""


Diagnosis, treatment, and management of invasive mould infections (IMI) are challenged by several risk factors, including local epidemiological characteristics, the emergence of fungal resistance and the innate resistance of emerging pathogens, the use of new immunosuppressants, as well as off-target effects of new oncological drugs. The presence of specific host genetic variants and the patient's immune system status may also influence the establishment of an IMI and the outcome of its therapy. Immunological components can thus be expected to play a pivotal role not only in the risk assessment and diagnosis, but also in the treatment of IMI. Cytokines could improve the reliability of an invasive aspergillosis diagnosis by serving as biomarkers as do serological and molecular assays, since they can be easily measured, and the turnaround time is short. The use of immunological markers in the assessment of treatment response could be helpful to reduce overtreatment in high risk patients and allow prompt escalation of antifungal treatment. Mould-active prophylaxis could be better targeted to individual host needs, leading to a targeted prophylaxis in patients with known immunological profiles associated with high susceptibility for IMI, in particular invasive aspergillosis. The alteration of cellular antifungal immune response through oncological drugs and immunosuppressants heavily influences the outcome and may be even more important than the choice of the antifungal treatment. There is a need for the development of new antifungal strategies, including individualized approaches for prevention and treatment of IMI that consider genetic traits of the patients.

LAY ABSTRACT
Anticancer and immunosuppressive drugs may alter the ability of the immune system to fight invasive mould infections and may be more important than the choice of the antifungal treatment. Individualized approaches for prevention and treatment of invasive mold infections are needed.


The comparative study of Romanian and Hungarian neopagan organizations with an ethnocentric or, "ethno-pagan," ideology is an exploratory research aimed at mapping the similarities and the differences between these religious minorities, with a highlight on their level of institutionalization, their core values and degree of political mobilization. Zalmoxian groups and organizations promote the revival of Romanian spirituality through a process of reconnection to its ancient, supposedly Dacian and Thracian roots. By the same token, Hungarian Shamanist movements are aimed at recovering a supposedly lost spirituality, built in the deepest layers of Hungarian language and cultural practices. A web rhetoric analysis of these organizations is carried out in order to assess audience involvement, communication style and the use of multimedia tools to convey their messages.


The "management sciences" concern disciplines that . identify, extend, or unify scientific knowledge pertaining to the process and substance of management. The field of management science is often closely allied with the area called operations researcK through common analytical methods and models. The application and implementation of management science recognizes well the behavioral and economic realities of management practice in organizations. During the past twenty-five years, the management sciences and management's use of information systems technology have evolved together· In this survey we highlight three aspects of this mutual evolution: first, as a basis for enunciating and understanding issues involved in theory and practice; second, as providing tools and techniques to solve managerial (and technical) problems related to MIS design and development; and third, as a component of "MIS Technology" available for application and use. The "management sciences" concern


Modification of dipole emission that is due to its optical environment is calculated for planar layered structures. The layers are optically described by standard matrix techniques, and the dipole is included by using additive source terms for the electric field that depend on dipole orientation and wave polarization. These source terms also allow coupling through evanescent waves. We emphasize the applicability of this method to cases in which the power distribution into various modes is affected: dipole emission into guided modes and emission distribution into the various modes of structures that contain multilayer reflectors, such as microcavities.


Indirect laryngoscopy allows practitioners to "see around the corner" of a patient's airway during intubation. Inadequate airway management is a major contributor to patient injury, morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the video quality of commercially available video laryngoscopy systems. A team of four investigators at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Peter Kiewit Institute performed intubation simulations using a number of video laryngoscopy systems. Testing was done with a Laerdal Difficult Airway Manikin (Laerdal Medical Corp., Wappingers Falls, NY) in a setting that simulated difficult airways, adverse lighting conditions and various system configurations (e.g., maximizing screen contrast, minimizing screen brightness, maximizing screen color hue, etc.). Systems included the STORZ C-MACTM (KARL STORZ Endoscopy, Tuttlingen, Germany), a prototype developed by STORZ (a McIntosh #3 video blade with USB connectivity to an ultra mobile PC; "UMPC") and a GlideScope® Portable GUL (Verathon Inc., Bothell, WA). Equipment was evaluated based on investigator's perceptions of the color ("C"), clarity ("L") and brightness ("B") of the image onscreen for each of the systems. Perceptions were given one of three possible ratings: High=3, Moderate=2 or Low=1. Statistics were performed using a two-tailed Wilcoxon Rank Sum test for independent samples. A summary of the results of the testing are shown below (shown as "Mean±Standard Deviation"):• C-MAC–L=2.13±0.99, C=1.75±0.89, B=2.5±0.93, Total=6.38±2.5• GlideScope®–L=2.38±0.92, C=1.38±0.52, B=2.38±0.92, Total=6.13±1.96• UMPC–L=1.88±0.83, C=1.75±1.04, B=1.88±0.83, Total=5.5±2.2Testing showed that there were no significant differences between image clarity, color, brightness or overall score of any of the tested systems (α=0.05). Since there were no significant differences in video quality between the three systems, the choice of system falls to user preference, which can vary from person to person, and qualitative analysis of features that are outside the scope of this study. Investigators plan to evaluate additional video laryngoscopy solutions in an effort to create a platform-agnostic video laryngoscopy suite. Funding by KARL STORZ Endoscopy. Investigators were blinded to funding source until after testing was completed. The authors wish to thank Dr. W. Bosseau Murray for his insightful comments.


This thesis concerns a randomised-controlled trial of the effects of adding psychosocial stimulation to the nutritional treatment of the malnourished children on their development and behaviour. The effect on their mothers' knowledge of parenting was also examined. Moderately and severely malnourished children attending 20 Community Nutrition Centres (CNC) of the Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Programme (BINP) were enrolled in the study. Subsequently, the CNCs were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups and the malnourished children attending the intervention CNCs participated in an intervention for one year. Another group of adequately nourished children, matched for age (6 months), gender and village was compared with the malnourished children. Preceding the intervention, focus group discussions were held with rural mothers to determine their knowledge and attitudes about child development and the information was used in the design of the intervention. The intervened children were visited at home biweekly and then weekly and mothers attended weekly group meetings at the CNCs. The mothers were shown how to play with their child in such a way as to promote good development. They were also shown how to make toys from the waste materials. On enrolment all children had their mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) development assessed using the Revised Version of Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II). Their behaviour during the test was rated using Wolke's behaviour rating scale and mothers' knowledge of parenting, health, and hygiene was assessed. All children and mothers were re-evaluated at the end. The children's growth was monitored every three months throughout the study. The intervention significantly benefited mental development of malnourished children and their behaviour compared with the control malnourished children. Their psychomotor development was not affected. The malnourished children came from poorer homes than the adequately nourished children When socioeconomic variables were controlled, the malnourished children initially had significantly poorer levels of psychomotor development than the adequately nourished children. There was no significant difference in their mental development or behaviour. By the end of the study the control malnourished children had significantly lower scores from the adequately nourished children in both their mental and motor development. They also had poorer behaviour. In contrast, the intervened malnourished children were not significantly different in mental development and behaviour from the adequately nourished children but remained behind them in motor development. The mothers of intervened children showed benefits from intervention in knowledge of child rearing. Neither malnourished group improved in nutritional status during the year and the intervention had no effect on their nutritional status It may be concluded that it is feasible to integrate child development activities into the nutrition services in Bangladesh and it is an effective means of improving the development of malnourished children.


English learner (EL) education is widely conceived as services for immigrant-origin students, however nearly one in ten American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students are classified in school as EL. Title III of the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) defines EL eligibility differently for Indigenous, compared to non-Indigenous, students with implications for who is identified as an EL and how best to serve their academic and linguistic interests. This study presents findings from a 50-state review of Indigenous EL identification policy. We find that states fall into four categories ranging from no differentiation in Indigenous EL identification to clear differentiation. We describe each of these four categories and conclude with reflections on how this wide variation in state policies has implications for Indigenous students' educational resources and experiences.


This paper investigates the Data for Development (D4D) challenge [3], an open challenge set by the French mobile phone company, Orange, who have provided anonymized records of their customers in the Ivory Coast. This data spans a 5 month (150 day) horizon spread across 4 different sets containing antenna-to-antenna traffic, trace data for 50,000 customers at varying spatial resolution, and social graphs for 5,000 customers. By leveraging cloud-based and open-source analytics infrastructure to (1) merge the D4D datasets with Geographic Information System (GIS) data and (2) apply data mining algorithms, this paper presents a number of techniques for detecting mobility patterns of Orange customers in the Ivory Coast. By applying a k-medoid clustering algorithm to the antenna locations and their average distance to nearby antennas, we show how the high spatial resolution mobile phone dataset reveals a number of daily mobility patterns and properties, including trends in week-day versus weekend, public holiday mobility behavior, and distributional properties of daily trip distances across each cluster. With a view towards providing tools to assist with transport infrastructure planning, we combine the high spatial resolution D4D dataset with GIS data for transport infrastructure and demonstrate an approach for detecting whether a mobile phone user is traveling on a segment of transport infrastructure. This work culminates in a preliminary cloud-based GIS tool for visualizing mobility traces.


The present study explores the use of conjunctions in simple versus complex argumentative tasks performed by second language (L2) learners as a specific measure for the amount of reasoning involved in task performance. The Cognition Hypothesis (Robinson, 2005) states that an increase in cognitive task complexity promotes improvements in L2 performance. This effect should become particularly visible when task‐specific performance measures are used (Robinson & Gilabert, 2007). This article evaluates these claims by investigating the oral performance of 64 L2 learners on cognitively simple, as compared with cognitively complex, oral argumentative reasoning tasks. The analysis focuses first on the overall frequency and occurrence of conjunctions. Next, 5 conjunctions that are considered to be highly task‐relevant are examined more closely. Results are discussed in light of the speech production of 44 native speakers who performed the same tasks under the same conditions. The discussion addresses implications of the findings for the cognitive approach to task‐based L2 research in light of Robinson's (2005) Cognition Hypothesis. From the standpoint of research methodology it highlights the benefits of native speaker data as a baseline for comparison.


from the continental shelf of the Gulf of California lacking thoracic neuropodial hooks confirmed that a new species, Leitoscoloplos multipapillatus, described herein, is present along with Leitoscoloplos panamensis (Monro. 1933), already recorded there. The new species is closely related to L. panamensis, but can be clearly separated from this, and all other species of Leitoscoloplos, by the unique presence of up to 14 stomach papillae per chaetiger. A third taxon was identified, Leitoscoloplos sp., which is morphologically indistinguishable from L. panamensis, except for the presence of 1-2 stomach papillae on 1-2 segments, a feature that although important was not considered significant enough to erect a new species. Morphometric analyses between the closely related species, L. panamensis (including its type material) and L. multipapillatus sp. nov., in addition to Leitoscoloplos sp., were used to verify the new species. The generic diagnosis is emended to include species with numerous stomach papillae. Anatomical examination of these species was carried out with SEM to illustrate their characteristic features and corroborate the presence of capillary chaetae only along the thorax of the analysed specimens, as well as the unusual occurrence of stomach papillae.


Interactions between a three-level atom and two amplitude-fluctuating lasers are studied theoretically. One interesting feature of the interactions is the influence of the finite laser bandwidth and the two-laser cross-bandwidth on the absorption rate into the third level. As an example, it is shown how the partially saturated absorption process depends on both the autocorrelated and cross-correlated laser bandwidths.


Background: Age-related differences in standing balance are not detected by testing the ability to maintain balance. Quality of standing balance might be more sensitive to detect age-related differences. Objective: To study age-related differences in quality of standing balance, center of pressure (CoP) movement was evaluated using a wide range of CoP parameters in several standing conditions in healthy young and old participants. Methods: In 35 healthy young (18-30 years) and 75 healthy old (70-80 years) participants, CoP movement was assessed in eight standing conditions on a force plate, including side-by-side, one-leg, semi-tandem and tandem stance, both with eyes open and eyes closed. Direction-specific CoP composite scores were calculated from standardized single CoP parameters (mean amplitude, amplitude variability, mean velocity, velocity variability and range) in anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) direction. Linear regression analysis was used to detect age-related differences in single CoP parameters and composite scores - adjusted for gender, height and weight. Results: Overall, single CoP parameters were higher in old compared to young participants, but no single CoP parameter consistently demonstrated the largest effect size for all standing conditions. Age-related differences were demonstrated for CoP composite scores in AP direction (tandem eyes open; semi-tandem eyes closed; p < 0.001). CoP composite scores in ML direction were consistently higher for all standing conditions in old compared to young participants (p < 0.001). Conclusion: CoP composite scores in ML direction were the most consistent parameters to detect age-related differences in quality of standing balance in healthy participants and might be of clinical value to detect subtle changes in quality of standing balance.


In Clinical Supervision of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, psychotherapy supervisors from the fields of psychology, psychiatry, social work, and dance movement therapy deal with the ambiguity and complexity of the supervisory role. They attend to the need to establish open, respectful, verbal and non-verbal communication, a trusting relationship, a shared language, and a commitment to examining unconscious conflict in the supervisory encounter as well as the patienttherapist dynamics. The contributors show how the supervisor makes room for the supervisee to express her anxieties without becoming her therapist, thereby providing a model for empathic listening but within appropriate boundaries. They also describe the many ways in which the therapist's issues reflect or are triggered by those of the patient, are further reflected in the dynamics of the supervisory pair, and in the institution where supervisee and supervisor work.


In this research nanoparticles are fabricated using a method that is a combination of chemical and femtosecond laser ablation methods. The resulting nanoparticles are used to coat glass substrates in order to test the biocompatibility of nanoparticles with human adipose-tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells. Nanoactuators made from nanoparticulate Co-Ti shape memory alloy show potential in mechanical stimulation of bone tissue formation from stem cells. We have represented the fabrication of Co, Ti and Co-Ti shape memory alloy nanoparticles and their biocompatibility to human adipose derived stem cells. The stoichiometry and phase transformation property of the bulk alloy is protected during attrition by femtosecond laser ablation in liquid, giving access to colloidal nanoactuators. No unfavorable effect on cell growth and attachment is observed in proliferation assay and environmental electron scanning microscopy, making this material attractive for mechanical stimulation


Earthquake engineering is the ultimate challenge for structural engineers. Even if natural phenomena involve great uncertainties, structural engineers need to design buildings, bridges, and dams capable of resisting the destructive forces produced by them. These disasters have created a new awareness about disaster preparedness and mitigation. Before a building, utility system, or transportation structure is built, engineers spend a great deal of time analyzing those structures to make sure they will perform reliably under seismic and other loads. The purpose of this book is to provide structural engineers with tools and information to improve current building and bridge design and construction practices and enhance their sustainability during and after seismic events. The author explains the latest theory, design applications and Code Provisions. This book features seismic design and retrofitting techniques for low and high raise buildings, single and multi-span bridges, dams and nuclear facilities. The author also compares and contrasts various seismic resistant techniques in the United States, Russia, Japan, Turkey, India, China, New Zealand, and Pakistan.


SUMMARY: Global food demand will strongly rise over the next decades, due to population growth, average income increases, and trends towards higher consumption of animal products. Agricultural and food production already account for 70 percent of total freshwater withdrawals in the world. In addition, future water demand from private households, industry and for environmental purposes will also rise. Over the next 25 years global agricultural production has to be increased by about 40 percent, while reducing agricultural water use by 15–20 percent to avoid water scarcity. This can only be achieved through a smart combination of efficiency gains in agricultural production and irrigation, institutional and policy reforms, changes in dietary habits, and virtual water trade between nation states. However, due to conflicting interests many of these options face serious barriers and water crises with global implications may still occur in many vulnerable regions.


Chlamydia trachomatis is the most widely disseminated bacterial sexually transmitted infection and a leading cause of pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. The last five years have witnessed a technological revolution in the analysis and characterisation of the function of chlamydia virulence factors and how they modulate host cellular functions. As a result, we are gaining unprecedented insights into the mechanisms underlying chlamydia-mediated inflammation and tissue damage as well as learning how chlamydia adapts to the human host environment. Prominent among these new technologies are methods to perform genetic and molecular genetic analysis in these bacteria, which until very recently were considered to be "genetically intractable". I will review some of the key developments in the emerging field of chlamydia genetics and provide examples of how these approaches are leading to the discovery of new virulence factors and strategies used by this pathogen to modulate innate immune responses. Finally, I will discuss recent progress in how these molecular genetic approaches are being used for the design of new vaccines and to better understand adaptive and innate immune responses to chlamydia infections.


The characteristics of narrow-band atomic fluorescence filters intended for separating out the useful signal on the background of broad-band noise radiation have been studied. Cesium vapors in a vacuum chamber and with additives of buffer gases are used as the working medium of the filters. It is shown that, under certain conditions, adding a buffer gas increases the quantum efficiency.


Taupo volcanic centre has been active for c. 300 000 years. Since the c. 26.5 ka caldera‐forming Oruanui eruption 28 eruptions have occurred from Taupo, varying between 0.1 and >45 km3 in minimum bulk volume, and with repose periods ranging from c. 20 to 6000 years. All magma erupted post‐26.5 ka is compositionally and mineralogically distinct from pre‐Oruanui and Oruanui eruptives, and is inferred to have formed at or after 26.5 ka. Four post‐Oruanui magma types are identified on the basis of whole rock and mineral compositions: one dacitic, forming three eruptions between 20.5 ka and 17 ka, and three subtly distinct rhyolite compositions erupted in discrete periods from 11.8 to 9.95, 7.05 to 2.75 and 2.15 to 1.74 ka. Stepwise compositional variations between, and limited variation within, rhyolite groups suggest emplacement of three petrogenetically separate batches of magma within only 10 000 years. The 15–35 km3 of magma erupted at 1.77 ka evidently appeared in <103 years; this short residence time may have contributed to the lack of zonation within this magma chamber. Taupo is unusual amongst large rhyolite volcanoes in terms of the high frequency of activity since 26.5 ka, rapid stepwise changes in rhyolite compositions, and insignificant differentiation within individual subgroups. These traits are attributed to the combined effects of the extensional arc setting, thermal energy from mafic magma, and the shallow slope of the plagioclase‐saturated rhyolite liquidus.


J.J.C. Smart once opined that if we were able to keep a human brain alive outside the skull, there would be no philosophical reason to believe that it could not think, and every physiological reason to believe that it could ("Materialism," Journal of Philosophy, LX (1963), 651–662, pp. 659–660). Only a short time later, Wilfred Sellars asserted that if one were to deflesh and de-bone a human being, keeping the nervous system intact and discarding the rest, what one would have left would be, in all essentials, a person: a "core person," Sellars says, thinking perhaps of apples ("The Identity Approach to the Mind-Body Problem," Review of Metaphysics, XVIII (1965), 430–451, pp. 441–442). Since then, Bernard Gert has provided this view with an argument, describing an example which proves, in his opinion, that it makes sense to speak of brains as thinking. ("Can a Brain Have a Pain?" Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, XXVII (1967), 432–436).


This thesis describes complementary theoretical and experimental investigations into polymorphism of several structurally similar small organic molecules. Five biologically important molecules (DNA/RNA bases) and five barbiturate type compounds were subjected to a wide range of crystallisation conditions which resulted in the characterisation of new products, including new polymorphs of barbituric acid and 6- methyluracil. These results were correlated with computational polymorph predictions and in some cases rationalised to investigate why some structures have unused hydrogen bond acceptors. The crystal structure prediction process was evaluated on hydantoin as part of the formal third crystal structure prediction blind test organised by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre. This involved performing the calculations from just the known molecular structure. The compounds 3-oxauracil and 5-hydroxyuracil were also studied in an informal blind test scenario in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline. In all cases the experimental crystal structure was found within the lowest energy structures. This work demonstrates that structurally similar organic molecules can have different patterns of the relative energies of the hypothetical low energy crystal structures, along with differences in the experimental polymorphic behaviour. Molecular flexibility and the model applied for the intermolecular forces can reorder the relative stabilities of the low energy structures. These variations are often comparable to the differences in the energies of the different crystal structures which considerably decrease the confidence in the computational predictions. The kinetics of crystallisation and the limitations in the range of crystallisation techniques available are important in determining which polymorphs are seen experimentally. The range of experimental and computational polymorphic behaviour exhibited by the molecules described in this thesis highlights the challenges involved in polymorph prediction.


This essay on choice of law (private international law) appears in the second edition of the Blackwell Companion to Philosophy of Law and Legal Theory, edited by Dennis Patterson. It is a revision of an entry on the same topic in the first edition of the book. The essay focuses on the epic battle over the course of the last century between two very different traditions - classical choice of law, articulated most completely by Joseph Beale in the 1930s, and modernist choice of law, which inspired a massive and still controversial revolution in choice of law thinking. The essay isolates eight distinct jurisprudentially significant premises of classicism, including territorialism, a commitment to a regime of rules, and a conception of law and legal rights that I have called "vestedness." It then discusses the modernist challenges to most, but significantly not all, of those premises. It also emphasize, however, the degree to which the eight pillars of the classical tradition are actually conceptually independent, and could, at least in principle, be mixed and matched in various combinations and in the service of very different account of choice of law enterprise. Finally, the essay turns to other debates, both within the classical and modernist traditions separately and transcending the differences between them.


Coastal engineering deals with complex systems that involve processes that are not fully understood. Physical modeling has become an important tool in the study of these processes. It allows researchers to control the conditions that are being studied, and simplify the system to include only what is desired. In a coastal system waves are often one of the main driving forces of these processes. Because of this it is of great importance to have the ability to reproduce the natural wave conditions in the laboratory settings.
When generating waves with a low relative water depth, and/or a high wave steepness using first order wavemaker theory the resulting waves are contaminated with an unwanted secondary wave, which causes the generated wave profile to change as the wave travels along the wave flume. The aim of this study is to find under which conditions this issue takes place in the CIEMito wave flume of the Laboratori d'Enginyeria Maritima (LIM), and to implement a second order wavemaker theory capable of suppressing it.
Several wavemaker theories were studied, the first order wavemaker theory, and several second order wavemaker theories. Due to issues arising with the implementation of most of the second order theories, only the first order wavemaker theory and the second order wavemaker theory given by Madsen (1971) were applied to the CIEMito wave flume.
Thirty-seven different wave conditions were tested in the CIEMito wave flume using first order wavemaker theory. From this the issues with first order wave generation were studied. Due to issues with the physical wave flume the second order theory could not be tested there. Instead, a numerical wave flume based on PFEM (particle finite element method) was validated so that the CIEMito wave flume could be simulated with this numerical model. Four of the wave conditions tested in the physical wave flume were simulated using both first order and second order Madsen wavemaker theory. From this the capability of Madsen's second order wavemaker theory of suppressing the unwanted secondary waves was assessed.


The natural next step in improving the realistic experience in multimedia services is interactive multiview video (IMV). IMV promises to enable the users to freely navigate through a scene by selecting their preferred viewpoints from any view position for which the corresponding view is generated. A smooth navigation could be achieved with camera views and views synthesized at the decoder. However, the large amount of data required for such navigation experience still represents a challenge for the current systems, which implies the need for new efficient coding strategies that permit to save on storage and transmission resources, while preserving interactivity in the navigation. In this thesis, we focus on the optimization of coding strategies for IMV systems. First, we address the issues related to the coding techniques for IMV in a multiview video plus depth (MVD) scenario, where texture and depth maps are available for view synthesis at the decoder. We propose a low complexity algorithm for the selection of the interview prediction structures (PSs) and associated texture and depth quantization parameters (QPs) for IMV under transmission and storage constraints. Simulation results show that our novel low complexity algorithm has near-optimal compression efficiency while preserving interactivity properties at the decoder. Then, considering the limited and heterogeneous capabilities of current networks and decoding devices, we propose a novel adaptive solution for IMV based on a layered multiview representation where camera views are organized into layered subsets to offer different levels of navigation quality depending on the different client constraints. We propose an optimal and a reduced computational complexity greedy algorithms that jointly select the different view subsets and their encoding rates. Simulation results show the good performance of our novel algorithms compared to a baseline algorithm, proving that an effective IMV adaptive solution should consider the scene content, the client capabilities and their preferences, in building adaptive systems for multiview navigation. Finally, we build on the solution proposed in our second problem and present a general solution to rate allocation problems in multiview video. In particular, we propose a new algorithm to find the optimal Lagrange multiplier in a Lagrangian-based rate allocation problem. We show the performance of our proposed algorithm in both multiview and monoview video scenarios and show that the proposed method is able to compete with complex state-of-the-art rate control techniques. In summary, this thesis addresses important issues for coding multiview video in the design of efficient IMV systems under resource constraints. Our algorithm to select the optimal PS and QPs in a MVD scenario can improve the quality of the rendered views and it can indeed provide new insights for a deeper understanding of specific IMV coding requirements. We show that our algorithm for a layered representation of multiview video provides an effective adaptive streaming solution for IMV systems with users with limited and heterogeneous capabilities. Finally, our proposed Lagrangian-based rate allocation algorithm with an optimized selection of the Lagrange multiplier represents a general contribution that can be used in multiple video scenarios.


It has long been argued that expanding commercial relations between countries acts as an incentive for countries to avoid hostilities up to and including armed conflict. The case of Venezuela and Colombia may provide an example of how economic integration can establish important incentives to conflict resolution.


We
report, for the first time, new insights into the nature of the band gap of CuGeO3 (CGO) nanocrystals synthesized from a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method in the presence of citrate. To the best
of our knowledge, this synthetic approach has the shortest reaction time and it
works at the lowest temperatures reported in the literature for the preparation
of these materials. The influence of the
surfactant on the structural, electronic, optical, and photocatalytic
properties of CGO nanocrystals is discussed by a combination of experimental
and theoretical approaches, and that results elucidates the nature of the band
gap of synthetized CGO nanocrystals. We believe that this particular strategy
is one of the most critical parameters for the development of innovative
applications and that result could shed some light on the emerging material design
with entirely new properties.


Jeffrey James is one of the relatively few academics to have systematically taken on the topic of IT and development. In this timely book he undertakes a methodological critique of prominent topics in the debate. Challenging the existing literature by international and governmental institutions, the book looks not only at the digital divide but also at issues such as digital preparedness, leapfrogging and low-cost computers. James also raises important issues which have been largely neglected in the literature, such as the implications for poverty in developing countries and the macroeconomics of mobile phones. The book argues that benefits from IT are captured in a different form in developing as opposed to developed countries. In the latter, gains come from technology ownership and use, whereas in the former, benefits cannot be captured as much in this way because ownership is more limited. Interestingly, the author shows that developing countries have responded to this distinction with a series of local innovations which are often low-cost and pro-poor. This finding contradicts the widely held view that poor countries are unable to generate major innovations within their own borders. Accessible and clearly written, this book will be of great interest to scholars of development economics and development studies, and is relevant to both policy-makers and academics.


Therapeutic proteins have become an important class of drugs. One of those proteins currently on the market is recombinant human interferon beta (rhIFN?), used to treat multiple sclerosis. After prolonged treatment, a substantial proportion of patients form antibodies against the protein. The immunological response generally starts with the appearance of binding antibodies possibly affecting the clearance of the drug, followed by neutralizing antibodies that block the biological activity of the protein. Such immune response is not expected, since human proteins are in principle tolerated by the human immune system. Several factors contribute to immunogenicity but protein aggregates are believed to play a major role. To study the relation between protein structure and immunogenicity, transgenic animal models immune tolerant for the protein were developed. This thesis aimed at providing mechanistic insight into the relation between rhIFN? aggregation and its immunogenicity. Transgenic C57Bl/6 mice immune tolerant for hIFN? have been applied as tools to study the breaking of immune tolerance by rhIFN?. RhIFN?-1a products formulated with HSA failed to induce antibodies in wildtype C57Bl/6 mice, which led to the conclusion that the transgenic C57Bl/6 mice cannot be used to study the immunogenicity of these products. For this reason, a second mouse model was developed by crossing the original transgenic C57Bl/6 mice with wildtype FVB/N mice. Both wildtype and transgenic C57Bl/6 x FVB/N hybrid offspring were used to evaluate the immunogenicity of three marketed products, Rebif (rhIFN?-1a), Avonex (rhIFN?-1a) and Betaferon (rhIFN?-1b). All products were immunogenic in wildtype hybrid mice, while the immunogenicity in transgenic hybrid mice was product dependent and in line with clinical observations. In conclusion, the hybrid mouse model offered unique possibilities to analyze the immunogenicity of a wide range of rhIFN? preparations, study factors that are of influence and look into the mechanism that is responsible for overcoming immune tolerance. The research described in this thesis led to greater insight in the mechanism by which rhIFN? aggregates overcome immune tolerance for the human protein. The transgenic immune tolerant mouse model that was developed acted as useful instrument for investigating the immunogenicity of a wide range of aggregated products. The transgenic mice enabled us to look into the features of the immune response induced by rhIFN? aggregates, the results of which indicate that CD4+ T cells as well as MZ B cells are involved but NABs and immunological memory are lacking within the time frame of the experiments. Not all rhIFN? aggregates were equally immunogenic, but removing aggregates eliminated the immune response against rhIFN? in transgenic mice. Aggregated rhIFN? preparations that were immunogenic in transgenic mice appeared to contain native-like protein. Moreover, it was shown that different pathways of oxidizing rhIFN? may lead to the formation of aggregates with greatly enhanced immunogenicity. Finally, it was demonstrated that rhIFN? adsorbs readily to common surface materials such as glass, metal and polystyrene. In particular complexes of rhIFN? with metal microparticles induced high levels of anti-rhIFN? IgG in transgenic mice, highlighting the importance of measuring and characterizing (sub)visible particulates in protein formulations


Intense rainfall can generate storm sewer system failures along with large surface runoff events which represent an issue for industrial sites' security assessment. Numerical modelling tools, including standard bi-dimensional (2D) free surface flow models, are applied in a wide variety of flood risk practical studies straight from the purpose for which they had originally been designed. This study focuses on possibilities, performances and limits of the use of standard modelling tools for high resolution runoff simulations over an industrial site. Two categories of runoff scenarios are tested over this industrial site test case, with three modelling tools relying on different numerical schemes. Simulated water depth evolutions are found to be comparable between modelling tools, nevertheless, the possibilities of these modelling tools' optimal use with a highly refined topographical resolution for runoff scenarios are revealed to be unequal. Used indicators for computation reliability checks do not point out major inconsistencies in calculation under critical models' optimisation. Indeed, emphasis is placed on restrictive aspects to achieve with standard modelling tools a balance between computational stability, swift and precise in high resolution runoff modelling.


In this paper we discuss two cases of contact-induced language change where lexical and grammatical borrowing appear to have gone in opposite directions: one language has borrowed large amounts of vocabulary from another while at the same time being the source of structural borrowings into the other language. Furthermore, it appears in both cases that the structural borrowing has come about through bilingualism in L1 speakers of the source language, while L1 speakers of the language undergoing the structural change are largely monolingual. We propose that these two unusual factors are not unrelated, but that the latter is the cause of the former: Under circumstances where the numerically much smaller language in a contact situation is the contact language, the L2 speakers' variety, influenced by their L1, may spread into the monolingual community. e lexical borrowing naturally happens from the bilingual speakers' L2 into their L1, resulting in opposite directions of lexical and structural borrowing. Similar processes have been described in cases of language shift, but we show that it may take place even in situations where shift does not occur.


Extensible programming languages allow users to create fundamentally new syntax and translate this syntax into language primitives. The concept of compile-time meta-programming has been around for decades, but systems that provide such abilities generally disallow the creation of new syntactic forms, or have heavy restrictions on how, or where, this may be done.

Genesis is an extension to Java that supports compile-time meta-programming by allowing users to create their own arbitrary syntax. This is achieved through macros that operate on a mix of both concrete and abstract syntax, and produce abstract syntax. Genesis attempts to provide a minimal design whilst maintaining, and extending, the expressive power of other similar macro systems.
The core Genesis language definition lacks many of the desirable features found in other systems, such as quasi-quote, hygiene, and static expression-type dispatch, but is expressive enough to define these as syntax extensions. User-defined macros produce only well-formed syntactic structures via the use of a predefined set of classes that define a Java abstract syntax.

At the heart of Genesis is a flexible parser that is capable of parsing any context-free grammars - even ambiguous ones. The parser is capable of arbitrary speculation and will consider all possible parses. The parser constructs a graph of possible paths, and is capable of dynamically pruning this graph, or combining nodes, based on precedence or associativity rules. This general parser allows macro programmers to forget about parsing, and concentrate on defining new syntax.

One key goal of this system was to address the programmer's learning curve by providing as simple a system as possible. This was achieved by the use of the flexible parser, the introduction of only one new construct to standard Java, and extensions to make programming macros more user friendly.
The expressiveness of Genesis is wide ranging; it is capable of providing small scale limited use macros, large scale semantic modifications, through to complete language replacements.

To demonstrate this expressiveness, we implement many of the simple test cases found in other systems, such as a type-safe printf, assertions, and iteration statements. These test cases require an ability to perform static type-checking and to manipulate compile-time values and abstract syntax trees. As additional examples of Genesis' expressive power we also provide implementations of embedded subsets of SQL and Haskell. As a final proof of power, the Haskell subset can operate as a stand-alone extension independent of any recognisable Java code.


This Paper examines some of the benefits and dangers of Taiwan's deepening economic ties to China. In brief, the expansion of cross-Strait economic relations has benefited Taiwan economically, but may pose serious dangers to Taiwan's democratic sovereignty. China's rising Comprehensive National Power - which aims to suppress Taiwan's sovereignty and self-government - has been significantly enhanced by investment from Taiwan itself. China's trade policies are directed for political purposes, particularly for drawing the people of Taiwan into a subordinate relationship with the Chinese dictatorship. China's strategy has already succeeded in imposing self-censorship on many Taiwanese voices, including many businesses and more and more of the media, and in forcing Taiwan businesses with Chinese investments to support Beijing's agenda. To address the problem, Taiwan should make sure that all trade policy decisions are made with long-term security considerations foremost. With security as the prime consideration, Taiwan should consider the following policy approaches:* Continue to expand in-bound tourism from China, and follow through on plans to allow Chinese students to study in Taiwan. Both approaches can help the people of Taiwan change the hearts of the Chinese people - a crucial step towards Taiwan's long-term survival.* Do not expand the list of currently allowed imports of any Chinese products intended for human or animal consumption. The poisoning danger is too high, and no system of inspection can provide sufficient safety.* Reform the new lobbying law so that it does not prevent face-to-face meetings between Taiwan government officials and non-Chinese foreign business people.* Take all possible steps to promote trade with Taiwan's non-Chinese regional neighbors. Look for ways to orient Taiwan's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) away from China and towards India.* Dramatically reform Taiwan's overgrown regulatory system, which greatly impedes business formation in Taiwan.* Require that all new Taiwanese FDI in China go exclusively to businesses which allow workers to elect members to a council which will present workers' concerns to the management. This reform may help promote democracy and civil liberty within China, and thus enhance Taiwan's security in the long run.


The electrical energy system is in transition. There is continuing expansion of renewable generation, which causes a spatial and temporal shift of energy flows at different voltage levels of the power grid. On the consumption side, demand patterns are expected to change. The limited availability of data with high spatial resolution hinders independent and transparent assessments. In view of this, the research project open_eGo is developing methods focusing on electricity networks and open-science principles. In this work, electricity demand and power generation are allocated to their corresponding voltage levels and network nodes. By combining data on municipal boundaries with Voronoi cells we created catchment areas for each substation. On the demand side, OpenStreetMap data is used for mapping different demand sectors. We show that a consistent data set can be produced in a high spatial resolution using geographical data processing. Our results apply to Germany but the methodology can be adopted to other countries or regions where sufficient open data is available.


We study the impact of product margins on pharmacies' incentive to promote generics instead of brand-names. First, we construct a theoretical model where pharmacies can persuade patients with a brand-name prescription to purchase a generic version instead. We show that pharmacies' substitution incentives are determined by relative margins and relative patient copayments. Second, we exploit a unique product level panel data set, which contains information on sales and prices at both producer and retail level. In the empirical analysis, we find a strong relationship between the margins of brand-names and generics and their market shares. This relationship is stronger for pharmaceuticals under reference pricing rather than coinsurance. In terms of policy implications, our results suggest that pharmacy incentives are crucial for promoting generic sales.


Since the signing the Kyoto Protocol, the international community has focused a great deal of attention on measures designed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Much less attention has been paid to climate change adaption. This is unfortunate because, even if the Kyoto Protocol is fully implemented, climate change will generate substantial costs requiring substantial adaptation efforts, especially in the less developed countries (LDCs) of the world's tropical regions. This paper considers what those countries should be doing in preparation for the effects of climate change, and what the countries of the developed world, including the United States, can and should do to assist them. Contrary to the opinions of many economists (but consistent with the opinion of Thomas Schelling), this paper argues that the best thing developing countries can do to prepare for climate changes is to develop adaptively efficient market and governmental institutions to increase their per capita income. The wealthier LDCs become between now and the second half of the twenty-first century, the greater their capacity will be to cope with the unavoidable consequences of climate change. Of course, economic development is more easily prescribed than achieved. Few LDCs will likely be able to improve and diversify their economies without substantial international assistance. The Framework Convention on Climate Change obligates developed countries to provide both specific climate change assistance and more general economic development assistance. However, the history of economic development aid during the last half century has seen at least as many failures as successes. This paper seriously considers the problems of development assistance,and makes some recommendations based on what seems to work best: specifically targeted, tailored, and conditioned aid projects. Such projects may, or may not, be able to improve adaptive efficiency in LDCs. But they should, at least, help offset some of the expected costs of climate change.


Introduction: Noise and spatial resolution (SR) are the main characteristics of image quality in CT scanning affected by different radiation and technical parameters. One of the important parameters are reconstruction kernels. Different reconstruction kernels are used for noise reduction and/or edge-enhancement purposes. In this study, we investigate some reconstruction kernels about noise and SR on a commercial CT scanner. Methods and Materials: To evaluate the noise and SR, a standard quality control phantom was used with the diameter of 16cm. Images were taken and reconstructed with 5 different kernels. Reconstructed kernels were H10, H30, H40, H50 and H70. For SR estimation we used point spread function (PSF) around narrow tungsten wire and full width at half maximum (FWHM) for each image. All measurements were performed on Siemens Emotion 6 CT scanner. Results: Noise of images in H10, H30, H40, H50 and H70 were 2.61±0.67, 4.33±1.20, 5.94±1.89, 8.58±3.30 and 19.59±4.53 respectively. FWHM in H10, H30, H40, H50 and H70 were 1.80±0.19, 1.44±0.11, 1.32±0.17, 1.24±0.09 and 1.04±0.17 respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: In this study, the effect of implementing 5 different reconstruction kernels on noise and SR of CT images were investigated. Based on the results, the noise increased and FWHM decreased with the increment of kernels' number from H10 to H70.