The purpose of this study was to compare the Pacific League baseball teams in terms of the brand associations that consumers have with team attributes, benefits, and attitudes. This paper assessed the brand attributes using qualitative data with free associations, and benefits and attitudes using quantitative data. An internet survey of local residents living in each of the six teams' hometowns was conducted. A total of 1,967 free associations were obtained from 915 valid samples, and then categorized into 15 groups. Consumer benefits consisted of "Symbolic benefits" and "Experiential benefits." Consumer attitudes were assessed by "Like and Dislike." The One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that the "Symbolic benefits" (F (5, 909) = 20.15, p <.001), "Experiential benefits" (F (5, 909) = 9.12, p <.001), and "Attitudes" (F (5, 909) = 7.09, p <.001) were significantly different across teams. The comparison of associations among teams is discussed.


This research-in-progress analyses the meaning of computer-mediated information and how it can contribute to the different aspects of human development. By explicitly recognising that the notion of human development goes beyond indicators of material progress, it adopts the view of human freedom as development. The unit of analysis are individuals who entered New Zealand as refugees, who received a refurbished computer with Internet access upon the successful completion of a government- sponsored, basic computer-training course. Following an inductive approach according to the tenets of grounded theory, the data collected through 10 in-depth interviews is analysed. Although the point of theoretical saturation has not been reached yet, the analysis so far reveals a twofold pattern of the meaning of computer-mediated information. This twofold pattern is expressed in the form of a metaphor by referring to two objects used to produce image representations: the rear-view mirror and the periscope. As a rear-view mirror, computer-mediated information makes possible for the refugees to connect back to their roots. As a periscope, computer-mediated information allows refugees to observe - and to some extent being part of - the activities happening in the host country without necessarily being exposed to other members of the community.


Algorithmic Design (AD) is no longer foreign to architecture and its methodology embraces one of the most recent technological revolutions in the field. This approach lays on Programming Languages (PLs) to define rules and constraints within an algorithm that, in return, generates geometry in modeling and analysis tools. PLs can either be visual (VPLs) or textual (TPLs). In architecture, there is a clear propensity to the use of VPLs over TPLs, due to all the visual features and mechanisms they provide that make programming more intuitive for architects. Nevertheless, and even though TPLs are less appealing to learn and use, they offer clear advantages when dealing with complex programs. Therefore, in order to bring TPLs closer to their users, we discuss, explore, and implement Visual Input Mechanisms (VIMs) in Khepri, a new textual programming tool for architecture.


The composition of Plio-Pleistocene fine-grained sediments from different areas of Calabria (southern Italy), have been studied to unravel the interplay of provenance. The use of multivariate statistical methods ( e.g. , PCA) based on biplot, allows for the discrimination of different groups of sediments. The general chemical composition of the fine-grained samples reflects the mineralogical variation observed in the sediments, which are composed of phyllosilicates, quartz, calcite, dolomite and feldspars. The I-S mixed layers, 10 A-minerals (illite and micas) are the most abundant phyllosilicates, chlorite and kaolinite are present in variable amounts, and smectite and chlorite/smectite mixed layers are presents in trace amounts. These chemical and mineralogical variations are also confirmed by SEM analysis, which also demonstrates that phyllosilicates are characterized by open and folded structures with generation of neoformed clay minerals. Provenance proxies and element ratios testify greater input of felsic source rocks, with lack of a marked mafic-ultramafic detritus input for all studied sediments, and the minero-petrographical features of the studied fine-grained sediments. These chemical and mineralogical variations are also confirmed by SEM analysis showing abundant phyllosilicate minerals for Groups 1 (Crotone Basin) and 2 (Crati Graben) and high content of quartz and feldspars grains for Group 4 (Catanzaro Graben) samples, probably due to abundant siliciclastic input coming from plutonic-metamorphic source and associated Mesozoic to Miocene sedimentary sources (Sila and Serre Massifs), and abundant calcium-carbonate phases mainly related to the presence of planktonic calcareous microfossils (Globigerina and coccoliths) for Groups 3 (southern Ionian coast) and 5 (southern Tyrrhenian coast).

Furthermore, paleogeographic reconstructions characterized by re-establishment of open-marine conditions in the Mediterranean following the Messinian salinity crisis at the beginning of the Pliocene, play an important role. A progressive increase in the connectivity of Mediterranean sub-basins with the Atlantic ( e.g. , sub-basins at the south of the Catanzaro Strait, characterized by normal water supply) and Paratethys ( e.g. , sub-basins at the north of the Catanzaro Strait, characterized by freshwater supply) can be envisaged during the Neogene period; this paleogeographic reconstruction may also explain the different composition among the studied samples.


Background: Lateral cephalogram can now be traced using android-based smartphones making dentist's work easier and time saving. Various orthodontic analysis can also be carried out using these smart apps. This study was undertaken to assess the reliability of the android smartphone-based app with the manual tracing using Tweed analysis. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken randomly from patients below 15 years reported for orthodontic problems. Tweed analysis was carried out for each radiograph; incisal mandibular plane angle, facial mandibular angle, and facial mandibular incisal plane angle were recorded, first manually traced, followed by digitally using android-based OneCeph digital cephalometric tracer. Values obtained by android-based OneCeph and manual methods are compared. Results: The values showed normal distribution, therefore parametric test was used to analyze the data; there was no statistically significant difference between the values obtained for Tweed analysis by android-based tracing and manual cephalometric tracing. Conclusion: This study showed that the digital tracing with the OneCeph software had the same accuracy in comparison to manual tracing and could be used instead of the traditional methods for various orthodontic analysis.


Some of the only Afromontane forest in northern Ethiopia today is on lands managed by followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, where for centuries priests and communities have conserved forest groves around church buildings. The ecological value of the thousands of church forests in Ethiopia has been widely acknowledged, but little is known about the diverse local institutions that govern these resources, or how such institutions might be changing in response to Ethiopia's rapid recent economic development. This study uses a unique panel survey to explore changes in community perspectives on the social and ecological roles of church forests, and rules governing church forest use, in four Orthodox communities over time. Our sample consists of 122 household surveys conducted in 2002 and a further 122 surveys from 2014, with 71 households interviewed in both periods. We find that reported uses of church forests vary across forests and over time, with larger forests more likely to be used for extractive purposes such as firewood and construction timber, while smaller forests have become more restricted to renewable or non-extractive uses such as natural medicines, honey, and prayer. Results of logistic regression suggest church followers' support for preserving church forests increases with age and access to alternative sources of firewood – including exotic Eucalyptus spp. plantations which are increasingly widespread in northern Ethiopia. We also observe a shift since 2002 away from an expectation that church followers themselves hold responsibility for rule enforcement in church forests to a perceived sharing of responsibility by church authorities (i.e. priests) and government (i.e. police) in 2014. Together the progressive introduction of exotic tree species in church forests combined with the erosion of religious norms surrounding local forest governance may threaten the integrity and diversity of these unique social-ecological systems.


While oxy-fuel combustion research is developing and large scale projects are proceeding, little information is available on oxy-biomass combustion and cocombustion with coal. To address this knowledge gap, this research conducted has involved comprehensive laboratory based fundamental investigation of biomass firing and co-firing under oxy-fuel conditions and compared it to conventional air firing conditions. First, TGA was employed to understand the fundamental behaviour of biomass devolatilisation, char combustion and nitrogen partitioning between volatiles and residual char. The results revealed that C02 did not have effect on the devolatilisation of sawdust at temperatures below 1100 grad. C due to higher mass transfer resistance of primary volatiles in C02 than in N2 at low temperatures. Secondly,. by optimising the devolatilisation procedure in a combustion system that simulates closely to an industrial scale such as drop tube furnace (DTF), the devolatilisation/char combustion characteristics of sawdust was investigated. The effect of CO2 on volatile yields, nitrogen partitioning and char burnout were all significant in relation to N2• While coal combustion additives are being used to enhance coal burnout, this study observed improved coal char burnout when biomass char was co-fired with coal char, again a faster burnout was observed in oxy-firing condition compared to air firing. This was due to the catalytic effect of biomass inherent alkali and alkaline earth metals. Similarly, improved volatile yields were observed during codevolatilisation. These fundamental results have provided insight into oxybiomass' firing and co-firing and the data can be used in appropriate CFD modelling to aid the design of oxy-biomass co-firing burners.


The role of race in the apportionment of political power is one of the thorniest problems at the heart of American democracy, and reappears with dogged consistency on the docket of the Supreme Court. Most recently, the Court resolved a case from Alabama involving the Voting Rights Act and the appropriate use of race in redistricting. But though the Court correctly decided the narrow issue before it, the litigation posture of the case hid the fact that Alabama is part of a disturbing pattern. Jurisdictions like Alabama have been applying not the Voting Rights Act, but a hamhanded cartoon of the Voting Rights Act -- substituting blunt numerical demographic targets for the searching examination of local political conditions that the statute actually demands.This short and timely Article is the first to survey the ways in which multiple jurisdictions in this redistricting cycle have substituted a rough sketch of the Voting Rights Act for the real thing. It argues that while the actual statute is tailored and nuanced, appropriately calibrated for a millennial approach to race relations, the demographic shorthand has at its heart a profound and pernicious racial essentialism. Replacing the real statute with the imagined one has a detrimental policy impact -- but perhaps more sinister, it also creates unnecessary constitutional danger for the Voting Rights Act as a whole. Courts must see the cartoon for what it is.


On July 22, 2010, the International Court of Justice (the court or the ICJ) rendered an Advisory Opinion, Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in Respect of Kosovo (Kosovo Advisory Opinion or Opinion), considering whether the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo is in accordance with international law. This Paper contrasts the court's narrow interpretation of the question put to it by the General Assembly, and its subsequent narrow conclusions, with the broader consequences of its reasoning, in particular in relation to the questions of the legality of Kosovo's attempted secession and the legality of the recognition of Kosovo's independence by third States. By analyzing the court's reasoning in relation to the scope and meaning of the question as well as to whether the adoption of the declaration of independence was in violation of general international law, Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and the Constitutional Framework, this Paper reveals an Opinion far more damaging to Serbia's interests than its narrow conclusions might suggest. The Paper concludes that the court's ultimate message is that while secessionist movements are free to declare independence, achieving it in practice should be left to the international community to decide through political fora. In this light, this Paper urges Serbia and Kosovo to take up the European Union's (EU) offer to facilitate a dialogue and begin their journey on the path towards peace, security and stability in the region.


Many families of pattern-avoiding permutations can be described by a generating tree in which each node carries one integer label, computed recursively via a rewriting rule. A typical example is that of $123$-avoiding permutations. The rewriting rule automatically gives a functional equation satisfied by the bivariate generating function that counts the permutations by their length and the label of the corresponding node of the tree. These equations are now well understood, and their solutions are always algebraic series. Several other families of permutations can be described by a generating tree in which each node carries two integer labels. To these trees correspond other functional equations, defining 3-variate generating functions. We propose an approach to solving such equations. We thus recover and refine, in a unified way, some results on Baxter permutations, $1234$-avoiding permutations, $2143$-avoiding (or: vexillary) involutions and $54321$-avoiding involutions. All the generating functions we obtain are D-finite, and, more precisely, are diagonals of algebraic series. Vexillary involutions are exceptionally simple: they are counted by Motzkin numbers, and thus have an algebraic generating function. In passing, we exhibit an interesting link between Baxter permutations and the Tutte polynomial of planar maps.


In this study, we consider the capacitated multifacility Weber problem which is concerned with locating m facilities in the plane, and allocating their limited capacities to n customers at minimum total cost. In this group of location-allocation problems, the only cost dealt with is the transportation cost that is proportional to the distance between the facility and the customer. The capacities of each facility and the demands and the locations of each customer are predetermined and given as parameters. This problem is an intractable non-convex optimization problem and difficult to solve. Therefore, using approximation strategies to compute efficient and accurate lower and upper bounds for the capacitated multifacility Weber problem can be a good approach. We first concentrate on the alternating location allocation heuristics. Then we continue with the discretization strategies and the Lagrangean relaxations of the approximating models. Some specific lower bounding algorithms are also defined by using the special properties of some of the distance functions. In addition to them, the relaxation of the main model is investigated and a Lagrangean heuristic is devised. In this heuristic, either a linear relaxation or exact solution of the Lagrangean subproblem is found by using column generation and branch and price algorithms combined with concave minimization. Although an exact solution methodology is not found, the approximation methods give accurate results. The tight bounds calculated by using these algorithms can be convenient in searching the exact solutions for this group of problems.


Analysis and wind tunnel testing performed as part of a development program for a family of ducted fan unmanned aircraft has generated a significant database of wind tunnel data. These include force and moment data as well as duct lip surface pressures over a range of flight velocities, fan speeds, and vehicle tilt angles. In recognition of the need for a simple, lightweight, and robust air data system for this class of UAV, a study was undertaken to correlate duct pressure data to freestream flow velocities. Sample pressure data and a simple correlation methodology is presented in this paper. Results from this study indicate a strong correlation is present between duct pressures and freestream flow velocities, with very good system sensitivities at flow speeds at and well below 5 knots for the vehicles studied.


The project will allow users of the "STEAM" platform to trade & bet their virtual game items inside the project platform. These virtual game items are offered to players as cosmetic enhancements for the weapons or characters in a game. Players can choose to buy these items from Steam directly.

The project gives users the ability of storing their own virtual items on the platform for use in trading and betting. These stored items are accessed via web hosted GUI, this allows users to import items from their Steam account or export their items from the platform back to their Steam account. "Trade Offer", is an offer of trade between two users of the Steam platform, a trade offer contains the items you want from the receiver and items you're willing to give. Trade-Offers are used extensively in the project as means of transferring items between the users and the project platform.

Cloud computing services & infrastructure provide the basis of the project's technical footing. A cloud hosted No-SQL database holds user information as well as information about the user's game items. Cloud queue messaging services act as buses of information between the cloud components. Cloud hosted "Bots" interact with the Steam platform and are instructed to carry out tasks for the project via a cloud messaging queue. These bots hold the platform users virtual game items. When a user wants to export an item from the project platform a bot interfaces with the Steam API and sends that user a trade offer with the item they requested. The bots can be scaled horizontally, with each bot capable of holding 1,000 virtual game items.


This paper explores the basic mechanism underlying the remarkable phenomenon that a forcing excitation stationary in character and sustained at near resonance in a shallow channel of uniform water depth generates a non-stationary response in the form of a sequential upstream emission of solitary waves. Adopting the forced Korteweg-de Vries (fKdV) model and using two of its steady forced solitary wave solutions as primary flows, the stability of these two transcritical steady motions is investigated, and their bifurcation diagrams relating these solutions to other stationary solutions determined, with the forcing held fixed. The corresponding forcing functions are characterized by a velocity parameter for one, and an amplitude parameter for the other of the steadily moving excitations. The linear stability analysis is first pursued for small arbitrary perturbations of the primary flow, leading to a singular, non-self-adjoint eigenvalue problem, which is solved by applying techniques of matched asymptotic expansions with suitable multiscales for singular perturbations, about the isolated bifurcation points of the parametric space pertaining to the stationary perturbations. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are then obtained for the full range of the parameters by numerical continuation of the eigenvalues branching off from the stationary-perturbation solutions that were determined by the local analysis. A highly accurate numerical scheme is developed as required for this purpose. The linear stability analysis identifies three categories of evolution of infinitesimal disturbances superimposed to the steady state; they occur in three different parametric regimes. The first, called periodical bifurcating regime, is characterized by complex eigenvalues, with a real part much smaller than the imaginary part, signifying that small departures from the steady state will oscillate with an amplitude growing at a slow exponential rate. In the second regime, called the aperiodical bifurcating regime, the eigenvalues are purely real, implying that small departures from the steady state grow exponentially. For the third regime, linear stability theory is unable to find any eigenvalue (including zero) to exist. In this last case, however, a nonlinear analysis based on the functional hamiltonian formulation is possible, with the hamiltonian conserved for forcings of constant velocity, and the steady state is shown to be stable. For this reason, this regime will be called the stable supercritical regime. Finally, extensive numerical simulations using various finite difference schemes are carried out to find how the solution evolves once the instability of the solution manifests, with results fully confirming the predictions obtained analytically for the various regimes. The numerical simulations show that the instability in the periodical bifurcating regime, for the type of forcings considered, causes the steady solutions to evolve into the phenomenon of periodical production of upstream-advancing solitary waves.


Abstract Background: Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) is essential in the treatment of HIV/AIDS; however, a holistic approach to HIV/AIDS management is important. This study was done to confirm the findings of two studies done previously in the eThekwini Metro of KwaZulu-Natal on private sector doctors' management of HIV-infected patients and to obtain more in-depth information about their nonpharmacological management of HIV-infected patients. Methods: Two focus group discussions were conducted amongst private sector doctors in the eThekwini Metro, after obtaining their consent. The focus group sessions were scripted, audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Prevalent themes were identified and reported. Results: Eight doctors participated. Of the total patient population seen annually by the majority of the doctors, an average of 43.8% was HIV infected. Doctors in this study managed their patients both pharmacologically and nonpharmacologically. Seventy-five per cent of doctors indicated that the taste of medicine played an important role in nonadherence to treatment, but all agreed that cultural beliefs also influenced the patient's adherence to medication. Theft of medicines and the out- of-stock situation prevented antiretroviral drug access, which impacted negatively on adherence. Five doctors mentioned that depressed patients abused alcohol, resulting in nonadherence. One doctor reported that he used the biopsychosocial approach to improve adherence in his patients. Doctors indicated that the disability grant given by the South African Government caused patients not to adhere to treatment in order to maintain a CD4 count of 200 or less so as to qualify for the grant. Conclusions: The study confirmed the previous study findings in that it showed that private sector doctors manage their HIV-infected patients both pharmacologically and nonpharmacologically. It further provided new and interesting information with regard to the nonpharmacological methods employed in HIV/AIDS management, that is the incorporation of cultural beliefs in the management of HIV-infected patients to improve adherence to treatment, and the role of the disability grant and pharmaceutical formulations in contributing to nonadherence by HIV-infected patients.


We present TestbedProfiler, a wireless sensor network application suite developed to help guide the installation of WSN testbeds. TestbedProfiler can be used to assist the deployment of a WSN testbed by evaluating proposed mote locations in terms of connectivity and signal strength. We developed TestbedProfiler and used it to evaluate the Casino Lab and the Edgar Mine testbeds owned by the Colorado School of Mines. We found TestbedProfiler to be instrumental in understanding how the motes communicate and how the testbeds could be improved. We believe that TestbedProfiler can improve testbed deployments, leading to improved real-life wireless sensor network applications.


The thesis examines the problem of infant mortality in Merthyr Tydfil 1865-1908. In particular it investigates why Merthyr Tydfil, an iron, steel and coal producing town in south Wales, experienced high infant mortality rates throughout the nineteenth century which rose by the end of the century despite sixty years of public health reforms. The historiography of infant mortality in nineteenth-century Britain includes few Welsh studies although the south Wales Coalfield played an important part in industrial and demographic change in Britain during the second half of the nineteenth century. The thesis argues that conditions of industrial development shaped the social, economic and public health experience in Merthyr, ensnaring its citizens in social disadvantage, reflected in the largely unacknowledged human toll among mothers and babies in that process.

The thesis analyses the causes of over 17, 000 infant deaths in Merthyr Tydfil from the primary evidence of an unusually complete series of Medical Officer of Health Reports to identify the principal attributed causes of infant death and explain their social origins and context. The thesis examines the work of Dr. Thomas Jones Dyke, MOH from 1865-1900, who was the author of most of these reports, and assesses his career in public health, but suggests that there were limits to his capacity to address the problem of infant mortality. The analysis showed convulsions, tuberculosis, measles and whooping cough, lung diseases, diarrhoea, nutritional causes of death and infant deaths from antenatal causes of maternal origin to be those which drove up infant mortality rates in Merthyr from the 1880s. From 1902 antenatal causes of infant death, independent of the sanitary environment, and directly linked to the health of mothers, were the only ones still rising.

Public health reforms were unable to address the social factors which engendered poverty and ill-health. Large families dependent mainly on male breadwinners had little margin of economic safety. Industrial conflicts in Merthyr revealed the inability of the Poor Law to address the problems of mass destitution in an urban setting. Women experienced few employment opportunities, married early and undertook heavy domestic labour reflected in early death rates for women and high perinatal infant death rates due to the poor health and socio-economic status of mothers. The training of midwives from 1902, with the potential to save many infant lives and to advocate for working-class mothers, failed to do so in Merthyr by 1908.

Although specifically addressing the issues of infant mortality in nineteenthcentury Britain, the issues raised are of contemporary relevance since infant deaths reflect many social dynamics of inequality through which infant lives are inevitably sacrificed.


Abstract The bridge network is an essential part of the transportation infrastructure for mobility. However, bridges are susceptible to seismic activity that produces damages and affects the entire transportation system. Their fragilities have been studied based mostly on analytical models but neglecting empirical data from reports. Few studies compared fragility curves from different development methods, analyzing their similarities, advantages, and limitations for a better risk assessment. This article aims to develop and compare fragility curves for bridges based on empirical and analytical methods. The empirical approach is based on damage reports from the 8.8Mw Maule earthquake, while the analytical approach is based on numerical simulations of the seismic response using ground motion components from stations that recorded the Maule earthquake. The curves are developed for bridges with steel and concrete beams, representative of 57% of Chilean bridges. The comparative Kolmogorov–Smirnov test revealed significant compatibility in moderate and severe damage curves when comparing these approaches, unlike the slight damage curves. The lognormal mean parameter varies between the methods by 36%, 1.5%, and 7.5% for the slight, moderate, and severe damage curves respectively for a particular bridge configuration, showing considerable differences in the slight damage curve between methods.


This dissertation presents the validation of a universal impeller test rig, designed by the author and constructed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The research was conducted as part of UKZN's Aerospace Systems Research Group's (ASReG) work into liquid rocket propulsion. The rig will be used to evaluate the performance of an impeller, developed as part of ASReG's research, for use in a hypothetical launch vehicle's fuel turbopump. Head rise versus flow rate characteristics, as well as cavitation performance will be assessed by the rig. The power requirements of the impeller necessitated the reduction in rotational speed and geometric size of the test case. Scaling laws and dimensionless numbers were used to predict the test case performance based on the design performance. This predicted performance was then used to determine specific parameters used in the rig design. Validation of the rig and testing procedures was performed using a standard industrial KSB ETA 125 – 200 centrifugal pump, by comparing the experimental results with those of the supplier. Head rise characteristics were determined by measuring the change in pressure between the inlet and discharge of the pump and then plotted against the flow rate for varying system heads. Cavitation performance was assessed by decreasing the inlet pressure while maintaining a constant flow rate. This was performed at various flow rates within the range of operation. Head breakdown, vibration and noise levels, both in the time and frequency domains, were used to assess the cavitation performance. The head rise versus flow characteristics of the pump, determined on the rig, showed good agreement with the supplier's data. Cavitation performance, determined by head breakdown, was also in accordance with the supplier. It was found that both the vibration and general noise levels increased, indicating the presence of cavitation, before any head breakdown was detected. By monitoring the level of the high frequency noise in particular, > 10 kHz, the presence of cavitation was detected at a significantly higher inlet pressure than would be suggested by the head breakdown approach.


[1] Key climate feedback due to water vapor and clouds rest largely on how relative humidity ℛ changes in a warmer climate, yet this has not been extensively analyzed in models. General circulation models (GCMs) from the CMIP3 archive and several higher-resolution atmospheric GCMs examined here generally predict a characteristic pattern of ℛ trend with global temperature that has been reported previously in individual models, including increase around the tropopause, decrease in the tropical upper troposphere, and decrease in midlatitudes. This pattern is very similar to that previously reported for cloud cover in the same GCMs, confirming the role of ℛ in controlling changes in simulated cloud. Comparing different models, the trend in each part of the troposphere is approximately proportional to the upward and/or poleward gradient of ℛ in the present climate. While this suggests that the changes simply reflect a shift of the ℛ pattern upward with the tropopause and poleward with the zonal jets, the drying trend in the subtropics is roughly 3 times too large to be attributable to shifts of subtropical features, and the subtropical ℛ minima deepen in most models. ℛ trends are correlated with horizontal model resolution, especially outside the tropics, where they show signs of convergence and latitudinal gradients become close to available observations for GCM resolutions near T85 and higher. We argue that much of the systematic change in ℛ can be explained by the local specific humidity having been set (by condensation) in remote regions with different temperature changes, hence the gradients and trends each depend on a model's ability to resolve moisture transport. Finally, subtropical drying trends predicted from the warming alone fall well short of those observed in recent decades. While this discrepancy supports previous reports of GCMs underestimating Hadley cell expansion, our results imply that shifts alone are not a sufficient interpretation of changes.


Trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi is considered to be one of
the diseases of economic importance affecting dairy cattle in Malaysia. An
investigation into the epidemiology, diagnosis and chemoprophylaxis of T. evansi
infection in these animals was carried out. F our studies were conducted in this
investigation.In the first study, random blood samples were collected from animals of
different age/physiological status for parasitological, serological, haematological and
biochemical tests between August 1995 and July 1996 The mean prevalence was
highest in the lactating animals ( 134 %) followed by those in the dry herd (88%), late
pregnant animals (81%), early pregnant animals (47 %), calves (03 %) and yearlings
(02%) The mean prevalence was significantly different (p<0.05) between cows and
the other groups (calves and yearlings) Among the cows there was significant
difference in the mean prevalence between the early pregnant and lactating animals
(p<0.05) The association between the prevalence in lactating cows and rain days
was significant (p< 0 05) Infected dry cows had a significant decrease in the PCV,
Hb and albumin levels (p< 0 05) The antigen-detection ELISA was a useful
diagnostic tool for detection of T. evansi infections as it was capable of detecting
9 1 % of trypanosome-positive ammals


ABSTRACT The jellyfish species Clytia hemisphaerica (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) has emerged as a new experimental model animal in the last decade. Favorable characteristics include a fully transparent body suitable for microscopy, daily gamete production and a relatively short life cycle. Furthermore, whole genome sequence assembly and efficient gene editing techniques using CRISPR/Cas9 have opened new possibilities for genetic studies. The quasi-immortal vegetatively-growing polyp colony stage provides a practical means to maintain mutant strains. In the context of developing Clytia as a genetic model, we report here an improved whole life cycle culture method including an aquarium tank system designed for culture of the tiny jellyfish form. We have compared different feeding regimes using Artemia larvae as food and demonstrate that the stage-dependent feeding control is the key for rapid and reliable medusa and polyp rearing. Metamorphosis of the planula larvae into a polyp colony can be induced efficiently using a new synthetic peptide. The optimized procedures detailed here make it practical to generate genetically modified Clytia strains and to maintain their whole life cycle in the laboratory. This article has an associated First Person interview with the two first authors of the paper. Summary: We developed a reliable whole life cycle culture method for the hydrozoan jellyfish Clytia hemisphaerica, a model animal for genetics and developmental biology.


Plant cell walls, which serve as structural support for individual plant cells and ultimately for the plant as a whole, are constructed under the direction of perhaps as many as 1000 different genes. However, these cell walls have many other functions. Analysis from a systems approach, reviewed by Somerville et al., promises new insight into the complex functions of cell walls, which include regulating growth, development, responses to pathogens, and signaling. C. Somerville, S. Bauer, G. Brininstool, M. Facette, T. Hamann, J. Milne, E. Osborne, A. Paredez, S. Persson, T. Raab, S. Vorwerk, H. Youngs, Toward a systems approach to understanding plant cell walls. Science 306, 2206-2211 (2004). [Abstract] [Full Text]


This paper analyzes the evolution of multidimensional poverty and inequality between 2004 and 2011 in Uruguay, based on data from Estudio Longitudinal del Bienestar en Uruguay (ELBU), which follows a cohort of Uruguayan children enrolled in primary school in primary schools In 2004. Children trajectories are assessed in four basic domains: access to resources (durable goods and income), nutrition, education and housing conditions. Considering the multidimensional poverty indexes developed by Alkire and Foster and inequality indexes (Bourguignon and Maatsumi), we observe how the different deprivations within households are combined, with improvements in both groups of indicators, although improvements are notoriously slower thin the multidimensional case in relation to income. Specifically, the increased access to resources coexisted with a reduction in school attendance for the group of children studied. Disagreggations by sex and ethnicity of the household head uncover strong disparities: Afro-descendant children exhibit levels of income and multidimensional poverty that duplicate the rest of households. The study also revealed that approximately 28% of children remained in multidimensional poverty in both periods (with k = 1), while 50% did so in terms of income. Those who were able to overcome the poverty condition (income or multidimensional) were households with heads of non-Afro-descent, higher educational levels and fewer members.


Objective: The planning of orthodontic treatment within a public health system requires information on the orthodontic treatment needs of the population. The aims of this study were to assess the student, parent and clinician normative need and demand for orthodontic treatment in a sample of Iranian students using the IOTN and to compare the treatment need levels according to sex and socio-economic status of the students and parents in urban and rural areas. Material and Methods: A sample of 427, 17-year-old students was selected randomly from schools in Abade. A questionnaire of family socioeconomic status was proposed to the parents. All the students were examined according to the Aesthetic and Dental Health components (AC and DHC) of Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need. Students' and parents' perceived need was also assessed using AC. Results: According to DHC classification, 18.7% of the students were in the "no need"; 35.6% in the "border line" and 45.7% in the "definite need" groups. The same categories for students assessed by the dentist were 66%, 30.2% and 3.7% respectively. AC assessment by students and parents entitled even more students in "no need" category. Sex and family income were the major factors in predicting orthodontic treatment demand (P<0.05). Conclusion: Orthodontic demand was highly related to the AC score and this component is of more value in predicting students demand instead of DHC.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a case of propylthiouracil-induced lupus, complicated with antiphospholipid syndrome and acute ischemic stroke.

DESIGN
Case report.

SETTING
Academic medical center.

PATIENT
A 27-year-old man with a diagnosis of Graves disease developed multiple ischemic strokes 2 weeks after starting treatment with propylthiouracil. Thyrotoxicosis and abnormal hypercoagulable and rheumatological profiles were remarkable, with prolonged partial thromboplastin time, elevated anticardiolipin antibody level, and positive antinuclear antibody, lupus anticoagulant, Sjögren antibody, and anti-double-stranded DNA antibody test results, which were more than 8-fold greater than normal values. No clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus were present.

INTERVENTION
Discontinuation of propylthiouracil and treatment with radioactive iodine.

RESULTS
Hyperthyroidism resolved and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies returned to normal levels. Eventually, antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed. He was treated with oral anticoagulation and remained asymptomatic for 1 year of follow-up.

CONCLUSION
In this young man with Graves hyperthyroidism, treatment with propylthiouracil was associated with transient autoimmune reactions suggestive of drug-induced lupus, antiphospholipid syndrome, and acute ischemic stroke.


This research is a case study at PG Krebet Baru Bululawang Malang with title ?Analysis of Production Cost Control to Rising Up, the efficiency at PG Krebet Baru Bululawang Malang. The research?s aim is to know controlling and asserting the efficiency level of production cost that done lot the company The research analyzer is Varian?s analysis that is the different point of curate material cost, between crude material price and crude material quantity, analysis of direct labor cost that separated by different point of fee terrify and the efficiency of direct fell. Meanwhile factory overhead analysis used there method differences, that are, credit budget differences, capacity differences and variable and mix that is, crude material cost efficiency, differences. To measure the production cost efficiency level. That is crude material cost efficiency, direct labor, and factory overhead. This analysis result and measurement of production cost of efficiency level that conduct by writer is that in 2004 shads negative on crude material price, meanwhile is 2005 and2006 shows positive point. In 2004, 2005 and 2006 there is negative point in crude material quantity. Tariff differences is 2004 is negative, 2005 is balance and in 2006 is negative. Direct labor fee differences in 2004 is positive, in 2005 and 2006 is negative. Credit budget differences in 2004-2006 is negative. Factory overhead differences in 2004 are negative, in 2005 and 2006 is positive. Variable efficiency differences in 2004 is positive and in 2005 and 2006 is negative. Mix efficiency differences in 2004 are positive, in 2005 and 2006 is negative. From the analysis result production cost level efficiency in 2004, 2005and 2006 shows that production cost is unreachable yet. Base an analysis result, the writer summarizing that to analyzing the differences are not to the point, because its only assessing total budget and production of cost realization. It?s can summarizing that PG Krebet Baru Bululawang Malang better conduct some controlling an production cost with analysis variants and to pointing on factory overhead, needs separated between mix factory overhead cost and variable factory overhead. Keyword : EFISIENSI PADA PABRIK GULA KREBET Link Terkait : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/237/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2008-maelaniern-11840-01+PENDA-N.PDF


Tropical Medicine and International Health is a multidisciplinary journal publishing work throughout the field of tropical medicine and international health, including: infectious and non-infectious disease; parasitology; clinical diseases and medicine of the tropics; epidemiological theory and fieldwork; tropical medical microbiology; medical entomology; tropical public health and community medicine at levels from village and practice to international policy.


Purpose – This paper considers the models, methodologies, techniques and data utilised in articles published in The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation over the period 1999‐2003, in an attempt to determine theoretical and methodological trends and themes emerging from within the literature. Design/methodology/approach – The paper considers articles published in the journal from multiple perspectives including: methods of data analysis, epistemological frameworks deployed, dominant academic disciplines and geographical location of the authors. Topic areas and keywords associated with each article are examined in order to identify particular foci for publication and to broadly determine the "topography" of published output. Findings – The broad publication profile was of more quantitative than qualitative papers, with some consideration of policy issues. Research limitations/implications – Analysis is confined to an example of one journal in the field and thus its comparative validity is limited. Practical implications – A very useful account of publication trends in the discipline. The article is of value to academics who are seeking to publish. Indicates the methodological trends that are utilised in the discipline. Originality/value – This is an innovative investigation into publication trends in the discipline.


Abstract We consider twin-peak quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in the accreting low-mass neutron star (NS) binaries and explore restrictions to NS properties that are implied by various QPO models. For each model and each source, the consideration results in a specific relation between the NS mass M and the angular-momentum j rather than in their single preferred combination. Furthermore, the inferred restrictions on NS properties (or QPO models) are weaker for the low-frequency sources than for the high-frequency sources.


Application of As as monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) to soil has become the common practice for rice (Oryza Sativa L.) straighthead evaluation, a physiological disorder. So far, no study has reported on soil mineral availability and plant mineral uptake as aff ected by MSMA. Understanding how MSMA infl uences the availability and uptake should help reveal the causal factors of straighthead. Six cultivars rated as resistant (3), susceptible (2), and moderately susceptible (1) to straighthead were studied in soils receiving 0 and 6.7 kg MSMA ha −1 in 2004 and 2005. Soil, fl ag leaves, and heading panicles were sampled and analyzed. Straighthead induced by MSMA was so severe that the susceptible cultivars yielded no grain, which validated the study. MSMA incorporation decreased soil pH, P, Mg, and Ca, increased As, S, and Mn, but had no infl uence on soil EC, Na, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, and organic matter. Decreased soil pH resulting from the MSMA was associated with less Ca, Mg, and P but more S, Mn, and As in the soil. MSMA increased As, Cu, Mn, Fe, S, and K but decreased B contents in the fl ag leaves, and increased As, Mn, S, K, and P but decreased Zn and Ca contents in the panicles. Straighthead reduced grain yield and was associated with decreased Ca, Mn, and S, but not with As in fl ag leaves. Comparisons between reported naturally occurring straighthead and the artifi cially induced one from this study indicate plant and soil nutrients may behave diff erently when MSMA is applied.


Diffusive boundary layers, photosynthesis, and respiration in Phaeocystis colonies were studied by the use of microelectrodes for oxygen and pH during a bloom in the Barents Sea, 1993, and in the Marsdiep, Dutch North Sea, 1994. The oxygen microenvironment of a Phaeocystis colony with a mean diameter of 1.4 mm was mapped from 346 O2 measurements and showed gradients of oxygen concentration in the water phase up to 1 mm distance from the colony surface. The effective diffusive boundary layer was 0.4–0.9 mm thick. Oxygen concentrations inside colonies reached 180% of the bulk water, and pH increased up to 0.4 units when measured in light at saturating intensities (>90 µmol photons m−2 s−1 ). The respiration in the dark was low, resulting in a 6% lowering in oxygen concentration and 0.04 units lowering in pH inside colonies, compared to the bulk water phase. Such colonies were net heterotrophic communities at light intensities up to 10 µmol photons m−2 s−1. A week later, colonies were net heterotrophic at light intensities up to 80 µmol photons m−2 s−1. The effective diffusion coefficient for oxygen in the gelatinous colonies was not significantly different from that in sea water.


Homestead exemptions to personal bankruptcy allow households to retain their home equity up to a limit determined at the state level. Households that may experience bankruptcy thus have an incentive to bias their portfolios towards home equity. Using US household data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation for the period 1996-2006, we find that especially households with low net worth maintain a larger share of their wealth as home equity if a larger homestead exemption applies. This home equity bias is also more pronounced if the household head is in poor health, increasing the chance of bankruptcy on account of unpaid medical bills. The bias is further stronger for households with mortgage finance, shorter house tenures, and younger household heads, which taken together reflect households that face more financial uncertainty.


This thesis describes the findings of an experimental and numerical investigation into the mechanical behaviour of a soft clay.

Chapter 1 outlines the need for continued research on soft clay behaviour. The aims and objectives of the work are set out, as well as the structure of the research.

The mechanical behaviour of soft clays has been reported by a large number of researchers and the findings of thee are considered in Chapter 2. A review of Bothkennar clay is given.

Chapter 3 sets out the details of two constitutive models, whose purpose is to model the efforts of plastic anisotropy and destructuration.

In Chapter 4 the experimental apparatus and procedures used in the testing programme are described. The majority of testing was carried out in triaxial cells and the arrangement of this equipment is detailed.

In Chapter 5, the main experimental programme is described.

Chapter 6 contains results from triaxial tests on vertically oriented samples. These tests include multi-stage stress path tests and standard drained shearing tests to failure.

Triaxial tests on horizontally oriented samples are presented in Chapter 7. These provide a more generalized assessment of the role of anisotropy and destructuration, aided by the use of local strain measuring devices.

In Chapter 8 tests results on both vertical and horizontal samples are compared with simulations from the constitutive model S-CLAY1 in order to assess how well this constitutive model predicts the stress-strain response of the soil, with particular respect to plastic anisotropy.

Chapter 9 is concerned with the constitutive modelling of both plastic anisotropy and destructuration.

In Chapter 10, it is concluded that the constitutive models introduced in Chapter 4 have provided considerably improved predictions of the mechanical behaviour of natural soft clays when compared to commonly used modelling techniques.


A fixed bandwidth expansion can be achieved either by coding or spreading, while each have different effect on the resultant signal space. Coding increases both Shannon and Fourier bandwidth whereas spreading only increases the Fourier bandwidth. In this document we are looking for the optimum combination of coding and spreading, in a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, that minimizes the average frame error rate under fading channel with multiple antennas at transmitter and receiver. Using the theory of lattice code, we show that in a system with K users, the optimum spreading factor N equals K. Simulation results support the analysis. In simulations we used Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE), and Matched Filter (MF) as multi-user detector. We also assumed that receiver knows the Channel State Information (CSI). In case of multiple antennas Alamouti scheme [Ala98] at transmitter and Maximum Ratio Combining (MRC) at the receiver are applied.


Interference in wireless networks is one of the key capacity-limiting factors. Recently developed interference-embracing techniques show promising performance on turning collisions into useful transmissions. However, the interference-embracing techniques are hard to apply in practical applications due to their strict requirements. In this paper, we consider utilizing the interference-embracing techniques in a common scenario of two interfering sender-receiver pairs. By employing opportunistic listening and analog network coding (ANC), we show that compared to traditional ARQ retransmission, a higher retransmission throughput can be achieved by allowing two interfering senders to cooperatively retransmit selected lost packets at the same time. This simultaneous retransmission is facilitated by a simple handshaking procedure without introducing additional overhead. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed cooperative retransmission.


Soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) are a small class of high-energy transients characterized by the emission of repetitive, brief bursts of hard X-rays and soft gamma-rays. The SGR sky distribution (four are located very close to the Galactic plane, one is in the Large Magellanic Cloud) and the discovery of X-ray pulsations indicates that they are young neutron stars, an inference currently supported by the potential association of two SGRs with massive star clusters. The currently favored model attributes the various SGR properties to neutron stars with superstrong ($>1 OA { 1415) $ G) magnetic fields, so-called magnetars. Recently, however, a number of models involving accretion from a circumstellar disk were also proposed to explain the persistent behavior of the SGRs. Unraveling the nature of these objects has been hampered by the lack of optical/IR counterparts to SGRs which could potentially distinguish between the two models. We recently obtained Chandra observation of the field of SGR 1627$-$4 1, which provide the first precise localization of the source. We also present near-IR observations of the field acquired with the CTIO 4m telescope and will report on the search for the IR counterpart of SGR 1627$-$41.


Matrices with low autocorrelation are very useful in applications such as digital watermarking. This thesis introduces a new class of matrices with low autocorrelation, and presents a new method of constructing such matrices to unbounded sizes. In 2001, Arasu and de Launey presented several recursive constructions of perfect and what they call "almost perfect" arrays over the quaternary (4th roots of unity) alphabet. Recursive means that under certain conditions, the construction can be applied repeatedly, thereby generating larger and larger arrays while preserving low autocorrelation. Arasu and de Launey employed Laurent polynomials over two indeterminates to state and prove the recursive constructions. While this policy made the proofs expedient, it also obfuscated the simple yet powerful nature of the constructions themselves. In this thesis, we present some of those recursive constructions in the language of arrays, with no recourse to polynomials. This research direction has led to three new contributions: (1) A translation of an algorithm by Arasu and de Launey to "inflate" perfect quaternary arrays, leading to joint work with Barerra Acevedo giving infinitely large perfect arrays over the basic quaternions; (2) A new algebra of arrays involving array convolution as the multiplicative operation as well as special functions called "index functions", culminating in a simpler statement and proof of Arasu and de Launey's recursive construction of almost perfect arrays; (3) A new recursive construction of what we call "n-perfect" arrays, which extends both the concept and recursive construction of Arasu and de Launey's almost perfect arrays.


Abstract : This paper provides an accurate analysis of the performance of coherent dense wavelength division multiple access (WDMA) schemes introduced for use in high-capacity optical networks. In our analysis the effects of interference from other signals due to the frequency overlap caused by the instability of the carrier frequency of laser, or to mistakes in frequency coordination and assignment, are taken into account. Phase noise and thermal noise are also taken into consideration. Dense WDMA is then coupled with spread-spectrum direct-sequence modulation in order to mitigate the effect of interference from other signals. The performance of this hybrid of WDMA and code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme is also analyzed and compared to that of pure WDMA. The average bit error probability of dense WDMA and WDMA/CDMA schemes is evaluated by integrating the characteristic function of other user interference at the output of the matched optical filter. Gaussian approximation techniques are also employed. Time synchronous and as asynchronous systems are analyzed in this context. Binary phase shift keying (BPSK) data modulation is considered. Our analysis quantifies accurately for first time the multiple access capability of dense WDMA schemes and the advantages offered by employing hybrids of WDMA and CDMA.


An investigation has been carried out into the effects of three common oxide impurities, TiO2, A12O3, and SiO2/ on the properties and behaviour of Y-T.Z.P. These impurities are present in varying amounts in almost all commercially available Y-T.Z.P. materials, and substantial costs are incurred in removing them in the purest systems.However, the effects of these impurities, both individually and in combination have received relatively little study in the published literature, and it has not been made clear to what degree these impurities influence the properties and behaviour of the material.To carry out the investigation it has been necessary to develop a novel technique for introducing the impurities as dopants into a high purity, commercially available Y-T.Z.P., whilst retaining a high degree of chemical homogeneity in the material. The technique developed uses a variant on the alkoxide sol-gel process to coat the individual powder particles with a thin layer of dopant atoms and offers a number of advantadges over other doping techniques. The process could be exploited to solve a variety of ceramic processing problems. The results obtained from impurity doped materials showed that alumina and silica reduced the sintering temperature and promoted enhanced densification at lower sintering temperatures, whilst titania impaired the sintering at lower temperatures. Alumina additions resulted in pronounced grain growth and associated destabilisation of the tetragonal phase of zirconia, particularly for higher sintering temperatures. A factorial experiment was carried out to obtain additional, and previously unreported information. This showed that there were significant interactions occurring between all of the additives investigated some of which appeared to be beneficial.An investigation into the effect of the additives on the mechanical properties (hardness and fracture toughness) was carried out for a range of sintering temperatures.The results of these experiments suggested that the impurities had very limited direct effects on the transformation toughening mechanism, although there were differences in properties associated with the effects of the impurity additions on the microstructures of the sintered materials.


Aim/Purpose: In this paper, we highlight the need to monitor and diagnose adaptive e-learning systems requirements at runtime to develop a better understanding of their behavior during learning activities and improve their design. Our focus is to reveal which learning requirements the adaptive system is satisfying while still evolving and to provide specific recommendations regarding what actions should be taken and which relevant features are needed to help meet the specified learning requirements.

Background: Adaptive e-learning systems research has long focused on user modeling and social learning to personalize each learner experience, while fewer instruments are reported to assess the quality of the solutions provided by such adaptive systems and to investigate their design problems. The design problems may emerge due to ever-evolving requirements being statically specified at design stages and to the changing environments that can be difficult to control and observe. The combination of some or all of these factors can lead to a definition of inconsistent or insufficient adaptation rules, which in turn may prevent these systems from providing appropriate resources to learners even if the needed ones have been accounted for within the knowledge space.

Methodology: An empirical study has been performed to check and validate the behavior of a real-world adaptive e-learning system under four stated requirements. The study used a novel monitoring and diagnosing tool that reads the collected data from the system and checks its behavior against constraints that are derived automatically from the requirements specification.

Contribution: The results provide statistical insights and highlight some issues related to requirements compliance at runtime, which helped us detect unforeseen instructional design issues.

Recommendations for Practitioners: The study suggests that diagnosing requirements compliance at runtime can be an essential means to increase the confidence about their adaptive e-learning systems capabilities at runtime.

Recommendation for Researchers: The study suggests that further research for developing specific indicators related to requirements compliance is needed in the field of adaptive e-learning systems.

Future Research: Future work includes the study of possible improvement of our diagnostic tool using probabilistic reasoning.


Deep learning algorithms can fare poorly when the training dataset suffers from heavy class-imbalance but the testing criterion requires good generalization on less frequent classes. We design two novel methods to improve performance in such scenarios. First, we propose a theoretically-principled label-distribution-aware margin (LDAM) loss motivated by minimizing a margin-based generalization bound. This loss replaces the standard cross-entropy objective during training and can be applied with prior strategies for training with class-imbalance such as re-weighting or re-sampling. Second, we propose a simple, yet effective, training schedule that defers re-weighting until after the initial stage, allowing the model to learn an initial representation while avoiding some of the complications associated with re-weighting or re-sampling. We test our methods on several benchmark vision tasks including the real-world imbalanced dataset iNaturalist 2018. Our experiments show that either of these methods alone can already improve over existing techniques and their combination achieves even better performance gains.


IThis paper analyses the modernisation hypothesis in the sub-Saharan African region. Using a sample of 48 countries from 1960 to 2010 and dynamic panel data analysis, we find a significant and negative relationship between income and democracy, an indication that the hypothesis may not hold in the region. We also investigate further by distinguishing between exogenous and endogenous democracy. The former explains whether external factors, such as the end of the Cold War, as well as regional influence, play a role in the process of democratisation in sub-Saharan Africa. Results indicate that the end of the Cold War has a significant influence on the democratisation process probably because of the pro-democracy policies advocated by international organisations, while regional organisations play no significant role in the region. We also obtain significant results for democracy when we proxy for international organisations with an IMF programme variable.


The effects of 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) on the force-velocity relation were studied in single fibres from the anterior tibialis muscle of Rana temporaria (2.2 microns sarcomere length, temperature 1.9-2.4 degrees C). BDM (1.0 and 1.8 mM) suppressed the maximum tetanic force (P0) and the maximum speed of shortening (Vmax), and increased the main curvature of the force-velocity relation. The biphasic shape of the force-velocity curve was maintained well in the presence of BDM, but the interrelation between the two portions of the force-velocity relation was significantly changed. Caffeine (0.5 mM) added in the presence of BDM increased the initial rate of rise of force during twitch and tetanus, increased the twitch amplitude, but did not affect the maximum tetanic force. The latter finding suggests that the contractile system was fully activated during tetanus in the presence of BDM. The results support the view that BDM affects the cross-bridge function by exerting a direct action upon the contractile apparatus. The decrease in tetanic force and the change of the force-velocity relation induced by BDM may be interpreted to show that a larger fraction of the attached cross-bridges is in a state of low force production under the influence of BDM. This view is further supported by the observation that the instantaneous stiffness of the muscle fibre is reduced proportionally less by BDM than the tetanic force.


The seismic S-wave structure of the Lofoten Margin, N. Norway, has been obtained from the modelling of three-component Ocean Bottom Seismograph (OBS) data. The relatively high V P V,-ratios estimated for the sediments in most of the area suggest the abundant presence of shales, with the exception of the basin south of the Rost High, where the very low V P/V,-ratio indicates a higher sand/shale ratio. The V P V,-ratio in the crystalline crust is estimated to 1.75 beneath the continental shelf and seawards to the V oring Escarpment, and 1.9 beneath the seaward-dipping reflectors (SDR) seaward of the V oring Escarpment. These values confirm that the crust is of oceanic origin beneath the SDR, and that the crust landward of the V oring Escarpment is continental. On the continental shelf, a strong S-wave anisotropy is observed in the sediments and in the lower crust, and the modelling of the S-waves also reveals a strong P-and S-wave anisotropy in the upper mantle. The sedimentary anisotropy can be explained by the presence of liquid-filled microcracks aligned vertically along the direction of the present-day maximum horizontal compressive stress in the area, whereas the lower crustal anisotropy might be related to the ( steep) alignment of pore space influenced by ductile strain fabrics inherited from Jurassic-Cretace ous and older extension episodes, or by present ductile strain fabrics in case of a still active deformation. The upper mantle anisotropy can be explained by the steep alignment of the strongly anisotropic mineral olivine. The steep inclination of the minerals might possibly be caused by shearing close to a postulated master fault cutting the crust and upper mantle in this area. The OBS-experiment on the Lofoten Margin has shown that S-waves can be easily included in the modelling, and that they provide valuable geological information that cannot be extracted from P-wave studies alone.


Machine learning models are vulnerable to adversarial inputs that induce seemingly unjustifiable errors. As automated classifiers are increasingly used in industrial control systems and machinery, these adversarial errors could grow to be a serious problem. Despite numerous studies over the past few years, the field of adversarial ML is still considered alchemy, with no practical unbroken defenses demonstrated to date, leaving PHM practitioners with few meaningful ways of addressing the problem. We introduce "turbidity detection" as a practical superset of the adversarial input detection problem, coping with adversarial campaigns rather than statistically invisible one-offs. This perspective is coupled with ROC-theoretic design guidance that prescribes an inexpensive domain adaptation layer at the output of a deep learning model during an attack campaign. The result aims to approximate the Bayes optimal mitigation that ameliorates the detection model's degraded health. A proactively reactive type of prognostics is achieved via Monte Carlo simulation of various adversarial campaign scenarios, by sampling from the model's own turbidity distribution to quickly deploy the correct mitigation during a real-world campaign.


We use information from the new OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) to investigate the link between job tasks and cognitive skill demand in 22 advanced economies. Skill demand is operationalized by the assessed literacy and numeracy skills of workers with well-matched skills to their job duties. Jobs are categorised according to the nature of tasks, including the intensity of abstract reasoning, employee latitude, interactivity or manual work. The analysis confirms the significant relation between task complexity and higher skill needs. The significant relation holds independently of the endogenous supply of formal human capital, occupational or industrial structure and other job or individual characteristics. The results confirm the (indirect) mapping between tasks and skills as predicted by the task approach to labour economics. Given the marked heterogeneity in workplace practices adopted by employers, it is clear that enterprise level workplace development policies are warranted as enablers of skills matching and higher labour productivity.


On the basis of a decade's work on syntactic-comprehension disorders, primarily in the Neurolinguistics Laboratory of the Montreal Neurological Hospital, David Caplan and Nancy Hildebrandt present an original theory of these disturbances of language function. They suggest in this wide-ranging study that syntactic structure breaks down after damage to the brain because of specific impairments in the parsing processes and a general decrease in the amount of computational space that can be devoted to that function.Disorders of Syntactic Comprehension includes detailed single-case analyses and large-group studies, as well as a broad review of the literature on aphasia. It also provides introductions to syntactic structures and parsing for the reader unfamiliar with these subjects. It develops a general framework for viewing disorders in this area and for identifying a number of specific aspects of the breakdown of syntactic comprehension.The authors' richly detailed empirical linguistic database and their careful use of experimental materials enable them to bring the results of their research to bear on several aspects of theories of syntactic structure (Chomsky's theory) and parsing (the Berwick-Weinberg parser) and to use these theories to describe and explain aphasic phenomena. Moreover, the combination of population and group studies allows them to investigate the neurological basis of syntactic disorders in addition to the psychological and linguistic aspects.David N. Caplan is Associate Professor of Neurology and Linguistics at McGill University. Nancy Hildebrandt is in the Neurolinguistics Laboratory at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Disorders of Syntactic Comprehension is included in the series Issues in the Biology of Language and Cognition, edited by John C. Marshall.


A growing body of research shows that democracies have more liberal trade policies than do autocracies. I argue, in contrast, that democracy has contradictory effects on different types of trade policies because electoral competition generates more information about some than about others. It generates considerable information about policies whose effects on consumer welfare are easy to explain to voters, but less information about policies whose effects are more complex. By increasing the transparency of some policies relative to others, democracy induces politicians to reduce transparent trade barriers but also to replace them with less transparent ones. I test this hypothesis by examining the impact of democracy on tariffs, "core" nontariff barriers (NTBs) such as quotas, and "quality" NTBs such as product standards in 75 countries in the 1990s. I find that democracy leads to lower tariffs, higher core NTBs, and even higher quality NTBs. I conclude that democracy promotes "optimal obfuscation" that allows politicians to protect their markets while maintaining a veneer of liberalization.


Intelligent agents embedded in physical environments need the ability to connect, or anchor, the symbols used to perform abstract reasoning to the physical entities which these symbols refer to. Anchoring must deal with indexical and objective references, definite and indefinite identifiers, and a temporary impossibility to perceive physical entities. Furthermore it needs to rely on sensor data which is inherently affected by uncertainty, and to deal with ambiguities. In this thesis, we outline the concept of anchoring and its functionalities. Moreover we define the general structure for an anchoring module and we present an implementation of the anchoring functionalities in two different domains: an autonomous airborne vehicle for traffic surveillance and a mobile ground vehicle performing navigation.


Over the past several years, there has been increasing concern that chemicals and pesticides found in the environment may mimic endogenous estrogens, potentially producing adverse effects in wildlife and human populations. Because estrogenicity is one of the primary concerns, a 90-day/one-generation reproduction study with 17 beta-estradiol was designed to set dose levels for future multigenerational reproduction and combined chronic toxicity/oncogenicity studies. The purpose of these studies is to evaluate the significance of a range of responses as well as to provide benchmark data for a risk assessment for chemicals with estrogen-like activities. This 90-day/one-generation reproduction study was conducted in male and female Crl:CD BR rats using dietary concentrations of 0, 0.05, 2.5, 10, and 50 ppm 17 beta-estradiol. Endpoints were chosen in order to evaluate both subchronic and reproductive toxicity. In addition, several mechanistic/biochemical endpoints were evaluated for their usefulness in follow-up studies. In the P1 generation, dietary administration of 2.5, 10, and 50 ppm 17 beta-estradiol produced dose-dependent decreases in body weight, body weight gain, food consumption, and food efficiency. At 10 and 50 ppm 17 beta-estradiol, minimal to mild nonregenerative anemia, lymphopenia, decreased serum cholesterol (50 ppm only), and altered splenic lymphocyte subtypes were also observed in the P1 generation. Additionally, at these concentrations, there were changes in the weights of several organs. Evidence of ovarian malfunction, characterized by reduced numbers of corpora lutea and large antral follicles, was observed at 2.5 ppm 17 beta-estradiol and above. Other pathologic changes in males and females fed 10 and 50 ppm 17 beta-estradiol included centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy; diffuse hyperplasia of the pituitary gland; feminization of the male mammary glands; mammary gland hyperplasia in females; increased number of cystic follicles in the ovary; hypertrophy of the endometrium and endometrial glands in the uterus; degeneration of seminiferous epithelium; and atrophy of the testes and the accessory sex glands. In the reproduction portion of this study, rats fed 10 or 50 ppm 17 beta-estradiol did not produce litters. While there was no evidence that the 50 ppm treated rats mated, 33.3% of the rats fed 10 ppm mated but did not produce litters. No effects on mating and fertility indices were observed in rats fed 0.05 and 2.5 ppm 17 beta-estradiol. Pup weights at birth were statistically decreased relative to control in the groups fed 0.05 and 2.5 ppm 17 beta-estradiol. Weights of the rats in the 0.05 ppm group recovered by postnatal day 4 and remained similar to control throughout the remainder of the study. The mean gestation length of the 0.05 ppm group was slightly, albeit not statistically significantly, shorter (0.5 days) than that of the control group, which may have contributed to the decrease in birth weight of the 0.05 ppm group. In contrast, the weights of the F1 generation rats fed 2.5 ppm 17 beta-estradiol remained decreased relative to the control group throughout the study. Parental administration of 17 beta-estradiol did not alter anogenital distance in male or female pups. The onset of sexual maturation, as measured by day of preputial separation in males and day of vaginal opening in females, was delayed in male rats fed 2.5 ppm (by 8.2 days) and was hastened in female rats fed 0.05 and 2.5 ppm (by 1.6 and 8.8 days, respectively). The age at vaginal opening ranged from 26 to 37, 26 to 35, and 21 to 25 days for rats fed 0, 0.05, and 2.5 ppm 17 beta-estradiol, respectively. Hence, the range of age at vaginal opening was similar between the control and 0.05 ppm group. The organ weight and pathologic alterations observed in the adult F1 generation rats were similar to those observed in the P1 generation rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)


Background: There is increase in use of direct assays for analysis of high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol by clinical laboratories despite differences in performance characteristics with conventional precipitation methods. Calculation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in precipitation methods is based on total cholesterol, triglycerides and high density lipoproteins, thus may cumulatively carry errors of individual methods. Adoption of direct assays is expected to decrease turnaround time and save on cost. Objectives: To compare direct and precipitation methods for estimation of major serum lipoproteins. Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Subjects: Three hundred and eighty four (384) participants were recruited for the study. Results: There was no significant difference in high density lipoprotein cholesterol estimated by direct and precipitation methods p=0.091 as well as low density lipoprotein cholesterol estimated by direct method and Friedwald's formulae p=0.093. Conclusion: Both direct and precipitation methods give similar results. Selection should be based solely on workload, availability and technical expertise.


This study investigates how Japanese and American English speakers use modal/ evidential forms and body movments to identify and assess an unfamiliar drink at a taster lunch. Results show that the Japanese used more sensory evidential forms, truth approximation forms, and final particles to request agreement, while Americans used more forms to express their personal belief/ opinion directly. A comparison of the conversational development in which belief/ opinion forms were used showed that while Americans used I think in successive utterances, Japanese speakers used to omou '(I) think' after a differing opinion(s) had been expressed to finalize their opinion and summarize the discussion. Results contribute to research on modality/ evidentiality in conversational interaction, cross-cultural understanding, and language and food.


Sparse signal representations have gained much interest recently in both signal processing and statistical communities. Compared to orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) and basis pursuit, which solve the L0 and L1 constrained sparse least-squares problems, respectively, least angle regression (LARS) is a computationally efficient method to solve both problems for all critical values of the regularization parameter λ. However, all of these methods are not suitable for solving large multidimensional sparse least-squares problems, as they would require extensive computational power and memory. An earlier generalization of OMP, known as Kronecker-OMP, was developed to solve the L0 problem for large multidimensional sparse least-squares problems. However, its memory usage and computation time increase quickly with the number of problem dimensions and iterations. In this letter, we develop a generalization of LARS, tensor least angle regression (T-LARS) that could efficiently solve either large L0 or large L1 constrained multidimensional, sparse, least-squares problems (underdetermined or overdetermined) for all critical values of the regularization parameter λ and with lower computational complexity and memory usage than Kronecker-OMP. To demonstrate the validity and performance of our T-LARS algorithm, we used it to successfully obtain different sparse representations of two relatively large 3D brain images, using fixed and learned separable overcomplete dictionaries, by solving both L0 and L1 constrained sparse least-squares problems. Our numerical experiments demonstrate that our T-LARS algorithm is significantly faster (46 to 70 times) than Kronecker-OMP in obtaining K-sparse solutions for multilinear leastsquares problems. However, the K-sparse solutions obtained using Kronecker-OMP always have a slightly lower residual error (1.55% to 2.25%) than ones obtained by T-LARS. Therefore, T-LARS could be an important tool for numerous multidimensional biomedical signal processing applications.


In this paper, we study the problem of multiple antenna spectrum sensing by using cyclostationary features of Primary Users (PUs) signals in Cognitive Radios (CRs). We consider the general case of multiple antenna sensing in the presence of spatially and temporally correlated noise when the PU signal has more than one cyclic frequency. We model and formulate the multiple antenna sensing problem as a composite hypothesis testing problem and use the Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) to derive a detector for the general model mentioned above. Then, we also propose the GLRT-based detectors for the two special cases of: 1) spatially uncorrelated but colored noise; 2) spatially white noise. Moreover, in order to calculate the decision threshold, the asymptotic performance of the proposed detectors under the null hypothesis is given. The provided simulation results show the superiority of the performance of the proposed detectors compared to the recently-proposed cyclostationary-based detectors.


Disentangling proximate and ultimate factors of dispersal and assessing their relative effects requires an appropriate measure of fitness. Yet there have been few theoretical attempts to coherently define fitness from demographic "first principles", when space-related traits like dispersal are adaptive. In this chapter, we present the framework of adaptive dynamics and argue that "invasion fitness" is a robust concept accounting for ecological processes that operate at the individual level. The derivation of invasion fitness for spatial ecological scenarios is presented. Spatial invasion fitness involves the effect of neighbors on a focal individual, mediated by coefficients analogous to relatedness coefficients of population genetics. Spatial invasion fitness can be used to investigate the joint evolution of dispersal and altruism - two traits that both have a direct influence on, and are strongly responsive to, the spatial distribution of individuals. Our deterministic predictions of dispersal and altruism evolution based on spatial invasion fitness are in good agreement with stochastic individual-based simulations of the mutation-selection process acting on these traits.


The philanthropic landscape is changing dramatically as a new generation of wealthy donors seeks to leave its mark on the public sphere. Peter Frumkin reveals in "Strategic Giving" why these donors could benefit from having a comprehensive plan to guide their giving. And with this thoughtful and timely book, he provides the much-needed framework to understand and develop this kind of philanthropic strategy. After listening for years to scores of individual and institutional funders discuss the challenges of giving wisely, Frumkin argues here that contemporary philanthropy requires a thorough rethinking of its underlying logic. Philanthropy should be seen, he contends, as both a powerful way to meet public needs and a meaningful way to express private beliefs and commitments. He demonstrates that finding a way to simultaneously fulfill both of these functions is crucial to the survival of philanthropy and its potential to support pluralism in society. And he goes on to identify the five essential elements donors must consider when developing a philanthropic strategy the vehicle through which giving will flow, the way impact will be achieved, the level of engagement and profile sought, the time frame for giving, and the underlying purpose of the gift. Frumkin s point is that donors must understand strategic giving as the integration of these five critical dimensions to giving. Essential reading for donors, researchers, and anyone involved with the world of philanthropy, "Strategic Giving" provides a new basis for understanding philanthropic effectiveness and a promising new way for philanthropy to achieve the legitimacy that has at times eluded it. "


Abstract
In this chapter, the approach of radical interactionism is juxtaposed against symbolic interactionism, its older conservative turned rival cousin, to highlight primarily the major differences between them. The five key differences identified are as follows: (1) the major progenitors for symbolic interactionism are Mead and Blumer, while those for radical interactionism are Park and, by default, myself; (2) although radical interactionism presumes that domination and power are always of great importance for understanding human group life, symbolic interactionism assumes that they now have only limited importance for understanding it; (3) radical interactionism makes it mandatory for researchers to examine the role of dominance and power during social interaction, whereas symbolic interactionism makes it only discretionary; (4) while radical interactionism stresses the impact of individuals' and groups' unstated assumptions on their interaction with one another, symbolic interactionism de-emphasizes their impact on it; and finally (5) radical interactionism discourages, while symbolic interactionism encourages researchers falling into the trap of linguistic phenomenalism. Thus, unlike radical interactionism, symbolic interactionism facilitates sociologists not only falling prey to linguistic phenomenalism, but also conservative and idealistic biases, while allegedly conducting "value-free research."


Pyrochlore- and perovskite-group minerals are relatively common accessory constituents of agpaitic murmanite lujavrites at the Lovozero alkaline complex (Russia). These rocks contain euhedral crystals of niobian calcian loparite-(Ce) and, more commonly, ceroan lueshite that occurs as discrete oikocrysts and rims on the loparite-(Ce). The overall compositional range exhibited by these phases is (Na0.44-0.79 REE0.14-0.37 Ca0.02-0.12 Sr0.04-0.09 Th0-0.01) (Nb0.12-0.66 Ti0.33-0.85 Fe0-0.01 Ta 0-0.01) O3; it agrees well with the evolutionary trend established previously for perovskite-group minerals from Lovozero. The murmanite lujavrites also contain early-crystallizing uranoan pyrochlore that subsequently underwent alteration to uranpyrochlore (5.0-26.4 wt.% UO2 for both) through interaction with a deuteric fluid. The alteration pattern involves a decrease in Na, Ca and Sr contents from the core outward, increasing ionic deficiency in the A and Y sites, and progressive hydration. The proportion of relatively higher-charged cations does not change or slightly decreases toward the rim. The occurrence of lueshite and U-bearing pyrochlore in the murmanite lujavrites indicates that these rocks crystallized from the most evolved portion of a parental phonolitic magma. Pyrochlore-group minerals also occur in albite-rich, magnesio-arfvedsonite- and aegirine- bearing metasomatic rocks. These parageneses typically contain "silicified" varieties of pyrochlore exhibiting an oscillatory zoning pattern and, in some cases, superimposed secondary zoning. The metasomatic pyrochlore ranges from nearly stoichiometric Na-Ca-rich compo- sitions to cation-deficient strontiopyrochlore (up to 10.3 wt.% SrO) and plumbopyrochlore (up to 37.9 wt.% PbO). The oscillatory zoning involves variations in cation occupancy of the A site (primarily Na, Ca and Sr), and Si content. Elevated levels of Si (up to 16.8 wt.% SiO2) are invariably associated with the zones having the highest cation deficiency and H2O contents. A negative correlation observed between the Si and (Nb+Ti) contents is interpreted to result from changes in pH, a(SiO2), a(Na1+), a(Ca2+), and activities of minor components during the crystal growth. Primary pyrochlore-group minerals from both lujavrites and albitites are characteristically poor in Ta (< 2.6 wt.% Ta2O5), and enriched in Sr and light rare-earth elements. Comparative data on pyrochlore-group minerals from other alkaline-rock occurrences are presented.


While it is now well-established in the literature that countries with better policies and institutions, as measured by the Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) index, have better outcomes in terms of prosperity, growth, and measures of human well-being. However, we know little about the process of institutional reform — that is why and how country policies undergo major changes either upward or downward in their levels of economic freedom. This research attempts to provide a systematic overview of this process, by uncovering what the data really show about this transition process. Institutional declines occur more abruptly than institutional improvements, and free trade appears to be a key 'first mover' in cases of large institutional change.


Since 2004, the number of people living with HIV (PLWH) has steadily increased by about 5% and currently, the number in Texas is about 86,000. Though the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan seeks to ensure "unfettered access to quality healthcare", barriers to access still exist especially among minority populations. This study examines the relationship between HIV infection rates and the geographic location of HIV service centers with a focus on 4 counties: namely, Dallas, Denton, Harris and Tarrant. The goal is to show whether there is a spatial mismatch between HIV rates and service providers. Are service facilities located in zip codes where they are most needed? Using the vulnerability framework and the Inverse Care Law (ICL), we address the research question using demographic variables (race/ethnicity, sex, poverty, education attainment) and HIV data. Our results show that extreme vulnerable zip codes have high HIV rates and closest proximity to HIV service providers.


We don't usually think that lawyers and comic book readers have much in common. Certainly, unflattering representations and stereotypes of each abound. Less obviously, perhaps, each also has a disciplinary veneration of the accumulation of textual knowledge and of often obscure narrative detail. For the contemporary comic book reader, there are voluminous collections of past stories, reprinted in hardcover, paperback, and digitally. Taken together, these offer a rich body of fictional work to be consumed for its own sake, as well as to enhance the enjoyment of new stories printed in hundreds of monthly titles. For lawyers, the corpus of case law, an archive whose mastery is one of the ostensible aims of legal training in common law jurisdictions, acts in a similar fashion, having meaning itself as well as giving legal consequence and context to the matter in dispute.


We used a high-resolution acoustic telemetry array to study the effect of seasonal hypoxia (defined as dissolved oxygen concentration [DO] < 2 mg l−1) on the movements of quillback rockfish Sebastes maliger and copper rockfish S. caurinus at Cape Perpetua Reef, Oregon, USA. Over 18 weeks in summer 2010, a period with both normoxic and hypoxic conditions at the reef, both species showed high site fidelity. Home range was variable within species, was much larger than previously shown, and was influenced by foray and relocation behavior. Several quillback rockfish forayed well off of the reef into sand and gravel areas. Foray departure time was synchronous among individuals and related to time of day (sunset). Hypoxic conditions reduced home range for copper rockfish by 33%, but home range was variable for quillback rockfish, with no change in foray behavior. We propose that the origin, chemistry, and temperature of the hypoxic water mass and the species' innate behavioral tendencies must be considered, along with DO, in determining the effects of hypoxia on fish.


This study explored the motivational factors of elementary students participating in AWANA, an evangelical Christian religious club. A qualitative research design was employed to gather data from 52 participants in six states. Participants consisted of 24 male and 28 female sixth grade students in the final year of club participation who were eligible to complete the program in Spring 2004. Involvement with AWANA entails Scripture memory and other character-building activities. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions regarding their overall club experience and motivation. Results were analyzed to assess motivational factors contributing to long-term club participation and completion of the program. By long-term, we indicate that the majority of students had participated in the program enough years to complete the required books for the Timothy Award. Overall, we found that award recipients began AWANA with an outside-in, or extrinsic, motivation. However, by the time they achieved their awards, they seemed to have converted to more of an inside-out, or intrinsic, motivation.


We present a Python extension to the massively parallel HPC framework WALBERLA. WALBERLA is a framework for stencil based algorithms operating on block-structured grids, with the main application field being fluid simulations in complex geometries using the lattice Boltzmann method. Careful performance engineering results in good scalability to over 400,000 cores. To increase the usability and flexibility of the framework, a Python interface was developed. Python extensions are used at all stages of the simulation pipeline: They simplify and automate scenario setup, evaluation, and plotting. We show how our Python interface outperforms the existing a text-filebased configuration mechanism, providing features like automatic nondimensionalization of physical quantities and handling of complex parameter dependencies. Furthermore, Python is used to process and evaluate results while the simulation is running, leading to smaller output files and the possibility to adjust parameters dependent on the current simulation state. C++ data structures are exported such that a seamless interfacing to other numerical Python libraries is possible. The expressive power of Python and the performance of C++ make development of efficient code with low time effort possible.


Given the pivotal roles that CD4+ T cell imbalance plays in human immune disorders, much interest centres on better understanding influences that regulate human helper T‐cell subset dominance in vivo. Here, using primary CD4+ T cells and short‐term T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2‐like lines, we investigated roles and mechanisms by which neurotransmitter receptors may influence human type 1 versus type 2 immunity. We hypothesized that N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors (NMDA‐R), which play key roles in memory and learning, can also regulate human CD4+ T cell function through induction of excitotoxicity. Fresh primary CD4+ T cells from healthy donors express functional NMDA‐R that are strongly up‐regulated upon T cell receptor (TCR) mediated activation. Synthetic and physiological NMDA‐R agonists elicited Ca2+ flux and led to marked inhibition of type 1 but not type 2 or interleukin‐10 cytokine responses. Among CD4+ lines, NMDA and quinolinic acid preferentially reduced cytokine production, Ca2+ flux, proliferation and survival of Th1‐like cells through increased induction of cell death whereas Th2‐like cells were largely spared. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that (i) NMDA‐R is rapidly up‐regulated upon CD4+ T cell activation in humans and (ii) Th1 versus Th2 cell functions such as proliferation, cytokine production and cell survival are differentially affected by NMDA‐R agonists. Differential cytokine production and proliferative capacity of Th1 versus Th2 cells is attributable in part to increased physiological cell death among fully committed Th1 versus Th2 cells, leading to increased Th2‐like dominance. Hence, excitotoxicity, beyond its roles in neuronal plasticity, may contribute to ongoing modulation of human T cell responses.


Neuroscience will certainly change law. In fact, neuroscience research has the potential to influence a vast range of legal decisions. To the extent that neuroscientists increasingly make claims that neuroimaging reveals cognition, even the most unimaginative prognosticator might predict: (1) the preliminary investigative use of neuroimages to enhance witness interviews and police interrogations (including but not limited to lie-detection), (2) jury selection based on neuroimages that appear to reveal jurors' unconscious stereotypes or biases, and (3) arguments about intent or sentencing based on neuroimage-enhanced explanations of behavior and predictions of dangerousness. In anticipation of a brave new world of neuroscience 'enhanced' law, this Article suggests that if we want to predict or control future social and legal responses to cognitive neuroscience research, we must carefully and explicitly consider two basic preexisting realities: (1) our shared assumptions about the validity of the medical field of neuroscience and the accuracy of diagnostic neuroimaging technologies; and (2) our increasingly frequent exposure (even within the mainstream media) to uncritical reports of cognitive neuroscience research that purports to correlate brain activity with cognition, deception,or social behavior. The risk, is that if we ignore these realities, judges, jurors, and the general public will likely view all or most neuroscience-based evidence as legitimate 'hard' science because researchers rely on technologically sophisticated neuroimaging tools of demonstrated accuracy. The problem is that judges and jurors will mistakenly assume that technologies that are demonstrably valid medical diagnostic tools yield equally valid conclusions when they are used to map the neural correlates of deception and other forms of cognition.