Mobile browsers are increasingly being relied upon to perform security sensitive operations. Like their desktop counterparts, these applications can enable SSL/TLS to provide strong security guarantees for communications over the web. However, the drastic reduction in screen size and the accompanying reorganization of screen real-estate significantly changes the use and consistency of the security indicators and certificate information that alert users of site identity and the presence of strong cryptographic algorithms. In this paper, we perform the first measurement of the state of critical security indicators in mobile browsers. We evaluate ten mobile and two tablet browsers, representing over 90% of the market share, against the recommended guidelines for web user interface to convey security set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). While desktop browsers follow the majority of guidelines, our analysis shows that mobile browsers fall significantly short. We also observe notable inconsistencies across mobile browsers when such mechanisms actually are implemented. We show where and how these failures on mobile browsers eliminate clues previously designed for, and still present in, desktop browsers to detect attacks such as phishing and man-in-the-middle. Finally, we offer advice on where current standards are unclear or incomplete.


We report on the first, to the best of our knowledge, studies of photorefraction in nematic liquid crystal (LC) doped with nanoferroelectric particles. We found the strong enhancement of two-beam coupling in the colloid of ferroelectric nanoparticles in LC. The effect originated from an increased birefringence of the colloid and a stronger LC reorientation torque. Our measurements allowed us to suggest that increased birefringence is caused by the contribution of polarizability anisotropy of the ferroelectric particles. Stronger reorientation torque is caused by the permanent dipole moment of the particles contributing to the dielectric anisotropy of the colloid eacol. The enhancement of two-beam coupling in LCs by doping with ferroelectric nanoparticles at extremely small concentration shows the strong potential of ferroelectric nanoparticles for improving the optical response of LCs, especially for those materials where a method of chemical synthesis has reached its limit.


In 1983, the International Conference on Afghan Alternatives brought together a small but diverse group of scholars and officials to discuss at length and in depth the issues raised by the tragic conflict that continues between the overwhelming majority of the Afghan people and the Soviet invaders since December 1979. In Afghan Alternatives, the participants have expanded and updated their conference remarks to illuminate the issues, present policy options, and offer wide-ranging and provocative solutions to the Afghan conflict, which they all view as a dangerous and illegitimate use of force by the Soviet Union. Afghan Alternatives answers these questions: Why did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan? What options do they have now? What are the long-term strategic dangers for the region should the Soviets be allowed to absorb Afghanistan? What is the effect of Islamic ideology on the conflict? What are the security and political aspects of Afghan refugees in Pakistan? What are the broader aspects of the relationship of the Afghan resistance to the international order? What international developments could help resolve the conflict? What is the role of the international community in providing aid to Afghanistan? How does this conflict affect Pakistani-Afghan relations? Contents and Contributors: Ralph Magnus, "Introduction"; Jiri Valenta, "Soviet Aims, Policies, and Alternatives in Afghanistan"; Eden Naby, "The Afghan Resistance Movement"; Marvin G. Weinbaum, "The International Community and Afghanistan"; Responses and Options"; Harmon E. Kirby, "U.S. Policy on Afghanistan"; Thomas E. Gouttierre, "The Role of Perceptions Concerning American Interests in the Afghan Resistance"; Noor A. Husain, "Alternative Future for Afghanistan"; and commentaries by Marian K. Leighton, Gregory M. Kortanek, Seyed Qassem Reshtia, Seyed Bahauddin Majrooth, Katarina Sabahuddin Kushkaki, Louis Dupree, and Gerald C. Steibel.


The aims of this study were to explore the nature of comorbid Tourette syndrome and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (TS+ADHD), in particular whether additive, independent or symptomatic phenocopy models of comorbidity can explain the co-occurrence of these two conditions, and to investigate the impact of comorbid ADHD symptoms on cognitive functions related to the control of tic symptoms in young people with TS. Electrophysiological activity and behavioural performance were measured during three cognitive tasks designed to assess goal-directed reinforcement learning, habit-based reinforcement learning, and cognitive control and were compared between young people with TS, ADHD, TS+ADHD and unaffected young people aged 9 to 17 years. The extent to which severity of tics, ADHD and comorbid oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms predicted behavioural and electrophysiological correlates of reinforcement learning and cognitive control was also examined. The TS+ADHD and ADHD groups were impaired in goal-directed learning and modification of new behaviours using reinforcement feedback. ADHD symptoms were negatively associated with adaptive changes in the feedback-related negativity (FRN) ERP that were indicative of compensatory strategies employed to improve learning in the TS+ADHD group. In contrast, the TS+ADHD and ADHD groups showed intact habit-learning performance compared with unaffected controls. The TS+ADHD and ADHD groups were impaired in the ability to withhold inappropriate responses to Nogo stimuli during the Go/Nogo cognitive control task compared with TS and controls. Both ADHD groups also showed greater intra-individual variability than TS and controls. Concurrently, the TS+ADHD group were enhanced in the ability to withhold inappropriate Nogo responses and showed enhancement of the error-related negativity (ERN) ERP relative to the ADHD group. The TS group exhibited enhanced ERN ERPs and post-error slowing, a measure of the ability to adjust performance following errors. These findings are consistent with an additive, but interactive, model of comorbidity, and indicate that comorbid ADHD symptoms introduce impairments in young people with TS that will negatively impact upon the ability to control tics.


Policy must anticipate conflict over geographic shifts The ocean is a critical source of nutrition for billions of people, with potential to yield further food, profits, and employment in the future (1). But fisheries face a serious new challenge as climate change drives the ocean to conditions not experienced historically. Local, national, regional, and international fisheries are substantially underprepared for geographic shifts in marine animals driven by climate change over the coming decades. Fish and other animals have already shifted into new territory at a rate averaging 70 km per decade (2), and these shifts are expected to continue or accelerate (3). We show here that many species will likely shift across national and other political boundaries in the coming decades, creating the potential for conflict over newly shared resources.


EACS 2016 Paper No. 105This paper investigates the impact of inerter nonlinearities on the performance of tunedinerter- dampers (TID). The inerter completes the force-current analogy between mechanical and electrical networks, and it represents the mechanical element equivalent to a capacitor. The TID is a vibration suppression system designed to limit unwanted vibrations of civil engineering structures and has a layout similar to that of a tuned-mass-damper (TMD), where the mass element was replaced by an inerter, making it a two-terminal device. The TID offers significant advantages over TMDs, in terms of performance over a wider frequency band, installation and dimensions. Nevertheless, the study carried out to date has been mainly numerical, considering a linear, purely inertial model of the inerter, where the generated force was proportional to the relative acceleration between the devices terminals. In practice, the dynamics of an inerter include nonlinearities, especially at the low frequencies associated with civil engineering applications. Here, the identification of these nonlinearities is done experimentally, based on an off-the-shelf inerter. The structural system, a single-degree-of-freedom host structure with an attached TID, is tested using Real Time Dynamic Substructuring (RTDS). The inerter represents the physical substructure, while the remaining elements of the TID and the host structure form the numerical substructure. This split allows the optimisation of the TID parameters, since the values of the spring and the damper can be changed without altering the experimental setup. In addition, this configuration takes into account the inerters potentially complex dynamics by testing it experimentally together with the characteristics of the host structure. The experimental and numerical results show that with appropriate retuning of the stiffness and damping components of the nonlinear TID system, the performance of the linear TID can be regained.


The sequences of oligomeric molecules equipped with interacting side-chains encode the three-dimensional structure, the supramolecular assembly properties, and ultimately function. In an attempt to replicate the duplex forming properties of nucleic acids, an oligoester containing an alternating sequence of hydrogen bonding donor (D) and acceptor (A) residues was synthesised. Characterisation of assembly properties of the ADAD oligomer revealed a supramolecular architecture that resembles the kissing stem-loops motif found in folded RNA. NMR dilution and melting experiments in chloroform and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane show that intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between the terminal phenol and phosphine oxide recognition sites in the ADAD 4-mer leads to 1,4-folding. This folded stem-loop structure can be denatured to give the single strand by heating. At higher concentrations or lower temperatures, the stem-loop dimerises via intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions between the two inner recognition sites, leading to a kissing stem-loops structure. The results suggest a rich supramolecular chemistry for these recognition-encoded oligoesters and lay strong foundations for the future development of new functional materials based on synthetic information molecules.


Bioremediation of tetra-and trichloroethene-contaminated aquifers is frequently hampered due to incomplete dechlorination to the more toxic dichloroethene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC), indicating insufficient knowledge about the biological mechanisms related to aquifer functioning. A methodology based on the joint analysis of geochemical and microbiological datasets was developed to assess the presence of the biochemical potential for complete reductive dechlorination to harmless ethene and to explain the reasons for which degradation often stalls at the more toxic intermediates. This methodology is composed of three successive steps, with i) the acquisition of geochemical data including chlorinated ethenes, ii) the detailed analysis of the bacterial community structures as well as the biochemical potential for complete dechlorination using microcosms and molecular detection of organohalide-respiring bacteria and key reductive dehalogenases, and iii) a statistical Multiple Factor Analysis combining the above mentioned abiotic and biotic variables in a functional modelling of the contaminated aquifer. The methodology was validated by analyzing two chlorinated ethenes-contaminated sites. Results from the first site showed that the full biochemical potential for ethene production was present in situ. However, redox potential was overall too high and locally manganese reduction out-competed chlorinated ethenes reduction, explaining the reasons for the local accumulation of DCE and VC to a lesser extent. The second contaminated aquifer was under bioremediation by successive cheese whey injections. Analysis demonstrated that cheese whey additions led to increasingly reduced redox conditions and that hampered reductive dechlorination was not due to competition with other anaerobic respiration processes. Complete reductive dechlorination to ethene was preferentially occurring under methanogenic conditions. DCE and VC accumulation was probably induced first by low pH resulting from whey fermentation and at a later stage by phosphate limitation. In conclusions, the proposed methodology successfully allowed the identification of biogeochemical processes limiting or supporting complete dechlorination in both aquifers. The integrative approach provided fundamental information about the functional heterogeneity of the contaminated aquifers in time and space, and can be used as a reliable tool to support corrective decision-making in the development of remediation strategies based on natural attenuation of chlorinated ethenes.


The broad development needs of rural areas place numerous demands on the power utility systems. There are a number of different schemes to supply electrical power to rural areas, such as extension of the power grid (network), local diesel generation, renewable energies including photovoltaic, wind energy, and small hydropower plants. Each of these techniques may have different types, each with its specific advantages and disadvantages. For example, extending the power grid may be performed with different distribution system configurations with different levels of complexity, cost and reliability. In this paper, these various options will be discussed. Then, the paper will focus on the technologies used in Australia. Especially, a cost-effective distribution technique, called Single-Wire Earth-Return (SWER) system, will be explained. Its advantages and disadvantages will be discussed. Some issues with regard to the increase in load demands in rural areas related to the SWER systems will be raised, with possible solutions using the emerging technologies. The possibility of implementing this distribution system in some rural areas in Iran will be investigated.


Sheared and unsheared xenoliths of garnet-harzburgite from the K1 Venetia kimberlite pipe (South Africa) are composed primarily of olivine and orthopyroxene (partially replaced by serpentine, magnetite and chlorite) and abundant porphyroblasts of garnet with kelyphitic rims of orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and spinel. Mylonitized, orthopyroxene defines a mineral elongation lineation whereas bent orthopyroxene and sigmoidal garnet with wings of orthopyroxene define consistent senses of motion within individual xenoliths. The kelyphite surrounding both deformed and undeformed garnet grains is not deformed and appears to have resulted from the inversion of garnet and olivine to orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and spinel, corresponding to the isograd separating garnet peridotite from spinel peridotite. Subsequent hydration around rims and along fractures within xenoliths resulted in the formation of serpentine, magnetite and chlorite from olivine and orthopyroxene. This hydration apparently resulted from reaction with the entraining kimberlite magma. The preservation of mylonite rather than its annealing and recrystallization to coarse-grained rocks at high temperature strain free mantle conditions requires quenching shortly after mylonite formation. This preservation taken with the presence of undeformed kelyphite around garnet grains implies that mylonitization and entrainment of garnet-harzburgite into kimberlite magma and kelyphite formation occurred during very rapid magma ascent.


Tax compliance studies usually focus on the effect of enforce-ment spending on tax evasion. Reliable estimates are difficult to obtain because evasion data are often suspect. This note shows how tax revenues can be used instead of evasion data to estimate the impact of changes in enforcement spending. Applying our method to Chilean data, we find that 1 (USD) of additional enforcement spending increases VAT revenues by 31. Moreover, current levels of spending could increase by 40 and still be within sample values. Hence, a 10 increase in spending could reduce evasion from its current rate of 23 to 20.


A recently published analysis by Lewis and Maslin (Lewis SL and Maslin MA (2015) Defining the Anthropocene. Nature 519: 171–180) has identified two new potential horizons for the Holocene−Anthropocene boundary: 1610 (associated with European colonization of the Americas), or 1964 (the peak of the excess radiocarbon signal arising from atom bomb tests). We discuss both of these novel suggestions, and consider that there is insufficient stratigraphic basis for the former, whereas placing the latter at the peak of the signal rather than at its inception does not follow normal stratigraphical practice. Wherever the boundary is eventually placed, it should be optimized to reflect stratigraphical evidence with the least possible ambiguity.


This paper presents a methodology to integrate life cycle assessment (LCA) in models used to design energy conversion systems. It is illustrated by an application to a thermo-economic model for the multi-objective optimization of synthetic natural gas (SNG) production from woody biomass. The life cycle inventory (LCI) is written as a function of the parameters of the thermo-economic model. The obtained environmental indicators from the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) are thus adapted to process design and scale. The conceived thermo-environomic model allows for taking into account the environmental impacts as a criterion in addition to economic and thermodynamic criteria in the process design and optimization.


The problem of belief tracking in the presence of stochastic actions and observations is pervasive and yet computationally intractable. In this work we show however that probabilistic beliefs can be maintained in factored form exactly and efficiently across a number of causally closed beams, when the state variables that appear in more than one beam obey a form of backward determinism. Since computing marginals from the factors is still computationally intractable in general, and variables appearing in several beams are not always backward-deterministic, the basic formulation is extended with two approximations: forms of belief propagation for computing marginals from factors, and sampling of non-backward-deterministic variables for making such variables backward-deterministic given their sampled history. Unlike, Rao-Blackwellized particle-filtering, the sampling is not used for making inference tractable but for making the factorization sound. The resulting algorithm involves sampling and belief propagation or just one of them as determined by the structure of the model.


Working on a participatory arts project with former child soldiers and young survivors of conflict in Colombia's indigenous Nasa community led to the development of an alternative to the qualitative interview, which we call 'storylistening'. Storylistening is a methodology for peacebuilding that took shape within a narrative based culture and embraces the importance of acknowledging the everyday, as perceived and lived by young indigenous people. Within the context of conflict and reintegrating former child soldiers, storylistening emerged from a strong oral storytelling tradition to offer a dynamic and local approach to peacebuilding. This methodology shaped the production of an animated documentary, El árbol del amor (The Tree of Love), which explores the world of forced recruitment and child soldiering. The storylistening concept contains elements of auto/biography, in that it engages with memory and identity, where space and time are important. Based on Durkheimian notions of the socioemotional, storylistening shows how sharing emotions contributes to creating, maintaining and strengthening social bonds that can inspire change. It is an active process and has a shared impact on the 'listener' and the 'teller', whereas storytelling is an individual process that does not always carry the guarantee of being listened to. For the individual, storylistening offers the potential of catharsis, while for the community, it offers the opportunity for collective reflection. In the particular case of former child soldiers, storylistening engenders effective reintegration and more broadly fosters reconciliation, which underpins peacebuilding at the community level.


Algorithmic procedures for the cutting and splicing of audio can be iterated to explore the technique of recursive audio cutting. The author investigates both implicit (intuitive) and explicit (analytic) methodologies applicable either to prerecorded signals or to continuous streams in real time, with an emphasis upon practical implementation. The techniques can be of immediate use as special effects for audio processing, as well as in deeper explorations of fractal music. This work has grown out of a broader search for new audio cutting procedures. Analysis is also provided of the trends exposed by such routines in relation to the order of recursion employed. An appendix connects this work to the subject of time-map representations, and a glossary is provided for the terminology of cuts employed.


Aerosol variability is examined as function of particle size for data collected over the Northern Indian Ocean in February 1999 as part of the INDOEX experiment. It was found that for particles believed to be of terrestrial or oceanic origin, the variability correlated with the average number concentration. For particles that are thought to be 5 formed and grow in the atmosphere through coagulation and condensation an anticor-relation was observed, the minimum in variability coinciding with the maximum in the number concentration. Three altitude ranges were examined (0–1, 4–8 and 8–13 km) and the minimum in variability was found to occur at lower particle sizes in the free tro-posphere (0.065 µm) than in the boundary layer (0.165 µm). The observed variability 10 has been compared to that generated by a numerical model in order to determine the relative importance of the physical processes. Modelled variability of 0.02 µm particles caused by nucleation was not observed in the measurements. A previously derived empirical relationship for aerosol residence time was compared with the measured variability as a function of bin size. The aerosol variability / residence time relation-15 ship was characterised by a coefficient (b) at all altitudes and for both correlating and anticorrelating regimes. By combining the derived coefficient with the model predicted lifetime for 0.020 µm particles we estimated residence times and ages as a function of particle size and altitude. General agreement was found with previous estimates of aerosol residence time. In the upper atmosphere aerosols of 0.065 µm in size have 20 residence times of approximately 1 month and can be transported on a hemispheric scale. The same size aerosol has a lifetime one order of magnitude less in the boundary layer and therefore will not be transported far from the source regions.


Real estate valuation is often cost- and time-intensive. This is particularly the case for mass appraisal in portfolio management or time critical valuations for acquisition or risk management purposes. Therefore, investors, operators and service providers are looking for solutions to automate real estate valuation. From the institutional perspective, it should be considered that banks, insurance companies, larger housing companies and their service providers, are potential users."Automatic Valuation Models" (AVMs) are often based on and tested by regression models, in particular hedonic models. Hedonic models are fast and cost-efficient as the calculation as well as the data management related to internal and external parameters can get highly automated. The definition and calibration of these models requires large data sets with appropriate parameters.In a first step, a valuation model can be developed based on the data collection and its statistical analysis. On the next level model validations, adjustments and optimizations are carried out. The results of the developed valuation models and their underlying regression equations should be manually examined, interpreted and documented, in order to assure optimal results for various valuation scenarios. The model automation is considered as a crucial step for the efficiency of mass appraisals. As a result of this automation, manual inputs, valuations, controls and other processing steps are mainly avoided. This increases the speed of the processing and at the same time decreases resource consumption. AVM has been established as the main term for this group of models and processes. The goal of efficient valuations with simultaneous quality assurance has been discussed for several years. The current status of the model development and its application on the valuation process are subjects of current research. To identify the gap between the demand of excellent AVM and achievements to date the study examines 1) past research in scientific theory, 2) the past development projects in the valuation practice, and 3) the perspective of associations, political systems and legislations on AVMs.The evaluation of the three research components assesses the achieved interim level and indicates further research requirements. Analyzing these three research components across several countries, similarities and differences can be identified. In particular, this refers to a certain acceptance and intensity of use of AVMs.


By a balance of cell production and cell loss, B-cell and T-cell populations are generally maintained at a relatively stable size throughout life. Following lymphocyte-depleting therapies however, for example for the treatment of hematological malignancies, reconstitution of some lymphocyte subsets typically takes months to years. Such long-term immunodeficiency results in an increased susceptibility to infectious and malignant diseases and is associated with an increased mortality.
Why recovery of these lymphocyte subsets takes so long is poorly understood. To be able to understand the process of immune reconstitution, and how for example advanced aging, and chronic infections affect the lymphocyte compartment, it is essential to first understand how lymphocyte populations are maintained in healthy conditions. The studies in this thesis were focused on investigation of B-cell and T-cell dynamics in healthy conditions and in conditions in which lymphocyte numbers are reduced. By performing in vivo stable isotope labeling studies in healthy volunteers and in lymphopenic stem-cell transplanted and kidney-transplanted patients, we studied how healthy aging, therapeutic lymphocyte depletion, and immunosuppressive therapy affect lymphocyte production and survival rates. In combination with T-cell receptor excision circle analyses and mathematical modeling, we also investigated the relative contributions of thymic output and peripheral cell division to maintenance of the naive T-cell population. The main findings of these studies are that (i) thymic output contributes very little to T-cell production from young adulthood onward, and declines approximately tenfold between the third and seventh decade of life, (ii) the turnover rate of B-cell and T-cell subsets is not substantially altered during healthy aging and despite declining thymic output and naive T-cell numbers with age, the level of peripheral naive T-cell division is not increased in elderly, (iii) in severely lymphocyte-depleted stem-cell transplanted individuals, the cell production rates of deficient B-cell and T-cell subsets are significantly increased, (iv) thymic output and peripheral cell division both contribute substantially to T-cell reconstitution, and (v) in kidney transplantation patients treated with immunosuppressive therapy, low lymphocyte counts do not result in increased cell production rates. These results suggest that in conditions of severe lymphopenia, a homeostatic response enhances the production rate of deficient lymphocyte subsets. At the same time, lymphocyte maintenance during healthy aging does not require substantial alterations in cellular turnover rates.
In addition to the human studies, we also performed thymus transplantation and stable-isotope labeling studies in mice to investigate the composition and dynamics of the naive T-cell population in more detail. Our findings suggest that T cells that have recently been produced by the thymus, the recent thymic emigrants, form a subpopulation with distinct kinetics, and are relatively short-lived cells in the naive T-cell pool.
Altogether, our fundamental insights into the dynamics of lymphocyte populations will aid the interpretation of past, current, and future investigations in a variety of interventions and diseases, and may form the basis for the development of improved therapeutic strategies that either limit the damage to the lymphocyte compartment, or accelerate immune reconstitution following lymphocyte depletion.


We have recently developed analysis methods (GREML) to estimate the genetic variance of a complex trait/disease and the genetic correlation between two complex traits/diseases using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data in unrelated individuals. Here we use analytical derivations and simulations to quantify the sampling variance of the estimate of the proportion of phenotypic variance captured by all SNPs for quantitative traits and case-control studies. We also derive the approximate sampling variance of the estimate of a genetic correlation in a bivariate analysis, when two complex traits are either measured on the same or different individuals. We show that the sampling variance is inversely proportional to the number of pairwise contrasts in the analysis and to the variance in SNP-derived genetic relationships. For bivariate analysis, the sampling variance of the genetic correlation additionally depends on the harmonic mean of the proportion of variance explained by the SNPs for the two traits and the genetic correlation between the traits, and depends on the phenotypic correlation when the traits are measured on the same individuals. We provide an online tool for calculating the power of detecting genetic (co)variation using genome-wide SNP data. The new theory and online tool will be helpful to plan experimental designs to estimate the missing heritability that has not yet been fully revealed through genome-wide association studies, and to estimate the genetic overlap between complex traits (diseases) in particular when the traits (diseases) are not measured on the same samples.


The objective of this research was to determine: 1) the individual toxicity of cadmium and chromium on E. fetida on protein content; 2) the combined toxicity of cadmium and cadmium on E. fetida in lou soil. In individual toxicity, the increased heavy metal concentration can decrease the protein content (P<0.01); the protein content increased as the time goes by (P<0.05). Different concentrations of Cd were the main factors influencing in individual Cd toxicity. Time was the main factor influencing in individual Cr toxicity. Combination of metals, no obvious regulations of time toxicological effects were identified, and the protein contents were significantly affected by Cd concentrations.


ABSTRACT Aim: FFX has been adopted as first-line treatment in patients with good performance status (PS) and liver function. This registry further investigates this regimen in clinical practice and collects disease outcomes in an unselected population. Methods: This retrospective cohort study with PC patients who completed at least one cycle of FFX. Results: 132 evaluable patients with unresectable PC (metastatic 72%, locally advanced disease 28%) enrolled between December 2012 and May 2014 in 3 Canadian centers (TOHCC 53%, SRI 39%, WRH 8%); 55% were male; 42% were 65 years or older; median age was 64 years (range 24-80); 51%/33%/2%/14% had PS 0/1/2/non-evaluable, location 64% head and 36% body/tail (33% had a biliary stent). 36% patients started FFX at standard dose while 20% had more than 1 drug dose adjusted and 44% received no 5FU bolus. Patients received a median of 7.7 (range1-34) cycles of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy. Relative dose intensity was 69% oxaliplatin, 67% irinotecan, 72% infusional 5FU. Most common grade 3+ toxicities were neutropenia 25%, febrile neutropenia 7.6%, nausea / vomiting 15%, fatigue 11%. Colony stimulating factors (G-CFS) prophylaxis was used in 27% patients (primary 14%, secondary 13%). Mean duration of follow up was 18.6 months. The median PFS and OS were respectively 5.5 mths (95%CI 3.4-6.7) and 7.5 mths (95%CI 6.3-9.5). While PFS shows no relevant variation by the FFX starting dose, OS differs if FFX dose is reduced (standard 11.4 mths 95%CI [6.5-13.1] vs. reduced 7.14 mths, 95%CI [5.5-8.1]; HR 1.67, 95%CI [1.1-2.5], p = 0.02) or if 5FU bolus is cancelled (with 5FUb 8.7 mths 95%CI [6.6-11.9] vs. without 5FUb 6.3 mths 95%CI [5.0-8.2]; HR 1.46, 95%CI [0.9-2.2], p = 0.06). Conclusions: In our study, the majority of patients received FFX with dose modifications. When FFX was delivered as per the ACCORD study, the outcomes were comparable and associated with a reduced incidence of grade 3+ haematological toxicities showing that the toxicity is manageable. Additional analyses are underway to delineate the impact on efficacy and safety of prognostic and predictive factors (e.g. patients' age, PS, G-CSF use, systematic vs. personalized dose adjustments, RDI). Accrual continues to reach the goal of 200 patients. Supported by sanofi-aventis Canada. Disclosure: J.A. Maroun: Advisory board and invited speaker by Sanofi; T.R. Asmis: Consultant/research funding : Sanofi; R. Goodwin: - financial support to attend conference - $1500 ad board honorarium; H. Marginean: - financial support to attend conference - $1500 ad board honorarium. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


Abstract:The world's largest democracy is sliding toward competitive authoritarianism, and the covid-19 pandemic has sped it along the way. In responding to the virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government not only imposed a strict nationwide lockdown—with devastating collateral damage—but also adopted a governing style that weakened the position of India's states and cut the parliamentary opposition out of decision making. The hollowing-out of judicial review and the government's attacks on the media have intensified the threat to democratic governance. It will take a herculean effort for a weak opposition, acting in an adverse institutional environment, to confront the BJP's authoritarian politics head on and halt India's backsliding before the country has passed the point of no return.


This paper argues that, even if one does not endorse anti-abortion politics or agree with the intemperate attacks visited on the judges who were called upon to decide the Theresa Schiavo case, one ought still to conclude that the manner in which the federal courts handled the case offers cause for regret. The federal courts rushed the case, and in so doing failed to provide meaningful consideration to the Schindlers' nonfrivolous claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The state court ordered Schiavo's feeding and hydration terminated for reasons that had everything to do with her medical condition - a condition that is clearly a "disability" under the ADA. Although there may be good arguments that the state court did not violate the statute, the federal courts did not so much as advert to those arguments. And the case touched on a core concern of many disability rights advocates: the fear that nondisabled people, relying on erroneous understandings of the "quality of life" of people with disabilities, will unjustifiably terminate life-sustaining treatment. Given that background, the federal courts should have taken the time to give the Schindlers' ADA claim at least some serious consideration. It is certainly understandable that the federal judges assigned to the case wanted to rush things. By the time the case got to federal court, the state courts had considered the matter with care and deliberation through six years of contested litigation. There was no particular reason to believe that the state courts had overlooked something, or that federal court intervention was necessary. But it was not up to the federal courts to decide that question; Congress had explicitly directed them to address and resolve the Schindlers' claims de novo, notwithstanding any state court proceedings that came before. Federal judges might understandably have been put off by the way the statute singled out a particular case, by the lack of meaningful congressional deliberation in the highly charged atmosphere in which the statute was adopted, and by the attempts by many politicians to use the courts (as weapons or targets) in a political battle. But neither the district judge nor any of the judges on the three-judge appellate panel assigned to the case was willing to conclude that the statute was unconstitutional. In the absence of such a ruling, the federal courts should have given the parties and themselves enough time to give meaningful consideration to the Schindlers' claims.


The book highlights the dramatic rise of Type 2 diabetes in children, adolescents and the elderly throughout the world. One new section features prevention and screening of both Type1 and Type 2 diabetes. Other new chapters cover the epidemiology of obesity and the impact of nutrition, and review available guidelines for better worldwide glycemic control. Future challenges, including the effects of antipsychotic treatment and HIV infection and therapy on diabetes, are also addressed.


This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Language and Automata Theory and Applications, LATA 2013, held in Bilbao, Spain in April 2013. The 45 revised full papers presented together with 5 invited talks were carefully reviewed and selected from 97 initial submissions. The volume features contributions from both classical theory fields and application areas (bioinformatics, systems biology, language technology, artificial intelligence, etc.). Among the topics covered are algebraic language theory; algorithms for semi-structured data mining; algorithms on automata and words; automata and logic; automata for system analysis and program verification; automata, concurrency and Petri nets; automatic structures; cellular automata; combinatorics on words; computability; computational complexity; computational linguistics; data and image compression; decidability questions on words and languages; descriptional complexity; DNA and other models of bio-inspired computing; document engineering; foundations of finite state technology; foundations of XML; fuzzy and rough languages; grammars (Chomsky hierarchy, contextual, multidimensional, unification, categorial, etc.); grammars and automata architectures; grammatical inference and algorithmic learning; graphs and graph transformation; language varieties and semigroups; language-based cryptography; language-theoretic foundations of artificial intelligence and artificial life; parallel and regulated rewriting; parsing; pattern recognition; patterns and codes; power series; quantum, chemical and optical computing; semantics; string and combinatorial issues in computational biology and bioinformatics; string processing algorithms; symbolic dynamics; symbolic neural networks; term rewriting; transducers; trees, tree languages and tree automata; weighted automata.


Check out the new Hyper-V, find new and easier ways to remotely connect back into the office, or learn all about Storage Spacesthese are just a few of the features in Windows Server 2012 R2 that are explained in this updated edition from Windows authority Mark Minasi and a team of Windows Server experts led by Kevin Greene. This book gets you up to speed on all of the new features and functions of Windows Server, and includes real-world scenarios to put them in perspective. If you're a system administrator upgrading to, migrating to, or managing Windows Server 2012 R2, find what you need to do the job in this complete resource.Learn all about:Installing or upgrading to and managing Windows Server 2012 R2Understanding Microsoft NIC teams 2012 and PowerShellSetting up via GUI or updated Server Core 2012Migrating, merging, and modifying your Active DirectoryManaging address spaces with IPAMUnderstanding new shared storage, storage spaces, and better toolsControlling access to file sharesa new and improved approachUsing and administering Remote Desktop, Virtual Desktop, and Hyper-V


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the significance of keratinized mucosa (KM) around dental implants both clinically and biochemically for 12 months.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Fifteen edentulous patients treated with implant-retained overdentures in edentulous mandible (four implants per patient). Based on the presence of keratinized mucosa on the buccal surfaces, implants were divided into two groups: Implants having minimal 2 mm of KM on their buccal surfaces and implants having no KM on their buccal surfaces. Thirty-six implants were included in the evaluations; 19 implants in 15 patients had minimal 2 mm of KM on their buccal surfaces and 17 implants in 15 patients had no KM on their buccal surfaces. Clinical measurements of Plaque Index, Gingival Index, probing depths, and Bleeding on Probing were performed and peri-implant crevicular fluid (PICF) were collected immediately before loading (baseline) and at 6th, 12th months after loading. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) have been assessed in the crevicular fluid. Results were analyzed by repeated-measures of variance (ANOVA) and Wilcoxon signed rank tests.

RESULTS
After 12 months of evaluation the results of ANOVA showed that implants with KM had lower levels of TNF-α total amounts than implants without KM (P < 0.05). Additionally, TNF-α total amounts were significantly higher at 12(th)  month compared to baseline for implants without KM (P < 0.05). Plaque index and Gingival index values were also found significantly higher for implants without KM (P < 0.05). For IL-1 β and PICF volume levels the differences between the implant groups were non significant, whereas the differences between the periods were significant. (P < 0.05) Additionally, both of the groups had higher levels of PII and BoP scores when compared to baseline (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study showed that an adequate band of keratinized mucosa was related with less plaque accumulation and mucosal inflammation as well as pro-inflammatuar mediators, suggesting that it may be critical especially for plaque control and plaque associated mucosal lesions around dental implants.


This article explores the enforceability of employee non-compete agreements, with particular attention to their use in information-based industries as a response to increased worker mobility. Non-compete agreements have long been viewed with skepticism by courts and scholars due to historical concerns about employee bargaining power. This article argues that the current approach to assessing the fairness of these agreements is misdirected. Courts attempt to distinguish proper from improper restraints by looking to whether the non-compete protects an employer interest that is separate and distinct from the employer's desire simply to retain the employee. Such an approach is unworkable in an economy where human capital is considered a valuable corporate asset. Rather, the crucial issue in crafting an approach to enforcement is the tension between fixed terms contained in the written non-compete and the norms that develop between companies and employees which informally govern employees' loyalty and commitment to their work. In negotiating that difficulty, the article draws on the law of premarital agreements, an area of domestic relations law that has been influenced by many of the same policy concerns at stake in non-compete enforcement. Relying on uniform legislation in that context, the piece proposes a formation-based model of non-compete enforcement that rejects a pure contract-based approach, as well as approaches that rewrite non-competes based on relational norms, in favor of a rigorous inquiry into the quality of the parties' bargaining process and the terms of their exchange.


This chapter explores some surprising and underappreciated commonalities between F.A. Hayek and Henri Lefebvre's writings on the market. The hope is that a richer conception of the market might result – i.e. one that corrects for Lefebvre's "anti-market bias" and Hayek's "abstractness" – by facilitating an exchange between these two thinkers. Along with Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek is one of the two most significant figures in the Austrian school of economics. His reach, however, extends beyond Austrian economics. He has also made significant contributions to political theory and jurisprudence and has influenced complexity theory and psychology. Lefebvre is an important Marxian philosopher and sociologist who has critically explored dialectal materialism, alienation, the political aspects of everyday life, and most famously, the production of social space. He has been quite influential in urban studies, geography, philosophy, musicology, and applied sociology.


Developmental Dyslexia is a reading disorder that affects individuals that possess otherwise normal intelligence. Until the four candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes were discovered, the cause of cortical malformations found in post mortem dyslexic brains was unclear. Normal brain development is crucial for the proper wiring of the neural circuitry that allow an individual to perform cognitive tasks like reading. For years, familial and twin studies have suggested that there was a genetic basis to the causation of dyslexia. Kiaa0319 was among the candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes that were ascertained. KIAA0319 is located on Chromosome 6p22.2-22.3 and has been found to exhibit differential spatial-temporal expression patterns in the brain throughout development, which suggests that the polycystic kidney disease (PKD) domain encoded by KIAA0319 facilitates cell-cell adhesion to enable neuronal precursors to crawl up the radial glia during neuronal migration. With the knowledge of KIAA0319 involvement in early neurogenesis, we were interested in determining how different KIAA0319 expression may impact cortical neurons in layer II and III during early adulthood. We show that KIAA0319 knockdown in cortical pyramidal neurons significantly reduces the dendritic spine density. Studies have shown that changes in dendritic spine morphology and density affect properties of neural circuitry. Henceforth, this finding may reveal a link between the Kiaa0319 gene and the deficit of the neural processing task of reading due to reduced spines density. Finding a correlation between Kiaa0319 expression and its influence on dendritic spine development may lead to a greater insight of a direct link between the dyslexia susceptibility gene and the biological mechanism that causes dyslexia.


In terms of risk, many appraisals of very large infrastructure investments assume, or pretend to assume, that infrastructure policies and projects exist in a predictable Newtonian world of cause and effect where things go according to plan. In reality, the world of policy and project preparation and implementation is a highly stochastic one where things happen only with a certain probability and rarely turn out as originally intended. The failure to reflect the probabilistic reality of investment preparation and implementation is a central reason for the poor track record that can be documented for many major projects. The article describes lessons and recommendations on how to improve accountability in decision making on very large infrastructure investments in Denmark and Germany. The conventional approach to infrastructure investments is replaced by an alternative focusing on accountability. Redrawing the borderlines of private and public involvement, four specific measures to increase accountability are suggested and detailed: (1) Transparency, (2) Performance specifications, (3) Explication of regulatory regimes, and (4) Involvement of risk capital. The decision on whether or not to build a multi-billion dollar fixed link across the Baltic Sea connecting Scandinavia and Germany is used as an illustrative case. The cyclical process about the promotion of the German MAGLEV technology gives another good example for identifying basic failures in the political process. Beyond these examples from two countries, the approach developed is likely to be relevant for other major projects in other countries as well.


Bell's non-locality theorem can be understood in terms of classical thermodynamics, which is already considered to be a complete field. However, inconsistencies in classical thermodynamics have been discovered in the area of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The use of samarium-doped ceria electrolytes in SOFCs lowers the open-circuit voltage (OCV) to less than the Nernst voltage. This low OCV has been explained by Wagner's equation, which is based on chemical equilibrium theory. However, Wagner's equation is insufficient to explain the low OCV, which should be explained by fluctuation and dissipation theorems. Considering the separation of the Boltzmann distribution and Maxwell's demon, only carrier species with sufficient energy to overcome the activation energy can contribute to current conduction, as determined by incorporating different constants into the definitions of the chemical and electrical potentials. Then, an energy loss equal to the activation energy will occur because of the interactions between ions and electrons. This energy loss means that an additional thermodynamic law based on an advanced model of Maxwell's demon is needed. In this report, the zero-point energy can be explained by this additional ther-modynamic law, as can Bell's non-locality theorem.


Flexible and transparent graphene photodetector technology allows non-invasive monitoring of vital signs. Wearable health and wellness trackers based on optical detection are promising candidates for public health uses due to their noninvasive tracking of vital health signs. However, so far, the use of rigid technologies hindered the ultimate performance and form factor of the wearable. Here, we demonstrate a new class of flexible and transparent wearables based on graphene sensitized with semiconducting quantum dots (GQD). We show several prototype wearable devices that are able to monitor vital health signs noninvasively, including heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2), and respiratory rate. Operation with ambient light is demonstrated, offering low-power consumption. Moreover, using heterogeneous integration of a flexible ultraviolet (UV)–sensitive photodetector with a near-field communication circuit board allows wireless communication and power transfer between the photodetectors and a smartphone, offering battery-free operation. This technology paves the way toward seamlessly integrated wearables, and empowers the user through wireless probing of the UV index.


The development of this monograph has synergised with the evolution of carbon trading in a few key ways. As such, it has also gone through several stages, over a period that may seem long but is quite short in relative terms. Carbon trading in its current guise began with the Kyoto Protocol in 2005, and work on this monograph started just a few years later. Both the Protocol and this monograph have faced various difficulties, but both have endured, sometimes in the face of reason, and through sheer persistence.


Chronic Disease Self-Management Program by Raquel Biati MS, Texas Tech University, 2010 BS, Texas Tech University, 2008 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University August 2016 Abstract The World Health Organization noted that 2 global health problems have reached epidemic proportions: obesity and type 2 diabetes. These conditions affect nearly 170 million people worldwide. The clinical practice problem addressed by this project was the prevalence of adults ages 50 and older in an ambulatory care setting who suffer from obesity and diabetes and may benefit from a tailored weight management and nutrition education intervention. The purpose of this project was to design a program that would decrease body mass index and hemoglobin A1c in older patients through adaption of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. The evidence supporting this project was obtained through a systematic literature review. The self-efficacy theory guided the project, and the evidence-based practice model used to plan the translation of the evidence into practice was the plan-do-check/study-act cycle, a continuous process improvement model used in many health care settings. The product of the project was an education intervention implementation plan that will be agreed upon by the project team and tracked using a Gantt chart. The program's effectiveness will be evaluated byThe World Health Organization noted that 2 global health problems have reached epidemic proportions: obesity and type 2 diabetes. These conditions affect nearly 170 million people worldwide. The clinical practice problem addressed by this project was the prevalence of adults ages 50 and older in an ambulatory care setting who suffer from obesity and diabetes and may benefit from a tailored weight management and nutrition education intervention. The purpose of this project was to design a program that would decrease body mass index and hemoglobin A1c in older patients through adaption of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. The evidence supporting this project was obtained through a systematic literature review. The self-efficacy theory guided the project, and the evidence-based practice model used to plan the translation of the evidence into practice was the plan-do-check/study-act cycle, a continuous process improvement model used in many health care settings. The product of the project was an education intervention implementation plan that will be agreed upon by the project team and tracked using a Gantt chart. The program's effectiveness will be evaluated by analyzing the themes of qualitative feedback from patients who complete the program and through comparisons using t test statistics of body mass index and A1c that will be collected at 12 weeks and 12 months after the program start. The social change expected of this program, when implemented, is an increase in patients' engagement in and selfmanagement of their care and a more trusting relationship among patients and the health care team. The recommendations from this project also may be useful in addressing health disparities often experienced by patients suffering from obesity and diabetes. Chronic Disease Self-Management Program by Raquel Biati MS, Texas Tech University 2010 BS, Texas Tech University 2008 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University August 2016


Mid-way through the second decade of the twenty-first century, young people are still being touted as digital natives in a world where technology is increasingly ubiquitous in nature. Technology appears in all levels of society, from the grocery store self-serve, Internet banking and shopping, to the classroom. This paper reports on the initial findings of a much larger study conducted in a Thai university that explores how students use technology for learning. The paper also discusses ownership of technology and examines the myth of the digital native. The research is based on an earlier PhD study conducted across 2 universities in Western Australia. Findings from the current research indicate that attitudes to technology and cultures of technology use amongst young people have changed little since the original study's data collection 7 years ago. However, there are subtle differences in how Thai university students use technology for learning.


Several studies have highlighted the need for multiscale water–energy–land–food (WELF) nexus studies to ensure sustainable food production without endangering water and energy security. However, a systematic attempt to evaluate the efficiency of such multiscale studies has not yet been made. In this study, we used a data-intensive crop water requirement model to study the multiscale WELF nexus in southern India. In particular, we estimated the groundwater and energy consumption for cultivating five major crops between 2017 and 2019 at three distinct spatial scales ranging from 160 000 km2 (state) to 11 000 km2 (district) to 87 km2 (block). A two-at-one-time approach was used to develop six WELF interactions for each crop, which was used to evaluate the performance of each region. A gross vulnerability index was developed at multiple scales that integrated the WELF interactions to identify vulnerable hotspots from a nexus perspective. Results from this nexus study identified the regions that accounted for the largest groundwater and energy consumption, which were also adjudged to be vulnerable hotspots. Our results indicate that while a finer analysis may be necessary for drought-resistant crops like groundnut, a coarser scale analysis may be sufficient to evaluate the agricultural efficiency of water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane. We identified that vulnerable hotspots at local scales were often dependent on the crop under consideration, i.e. a hotspot for one crop may not necessarily be a hotspot for another. Clearly, policymaking decisions for improving irrigation efficiency through interventions such as crop-shifting would benefit from such insights. It is evident that such approaches will play a critical role in ensuring food-water-energy security in the coming decades.


SPINE 2019 celebrates Lancaster University's globally significant research through commissioning two art/science collaborations: "SPINE highlights the critical role that artists and scientists play in our understanding of the world, exploring ways in which academic disciplines establish a common language to share stories and pass on knowledge" (SPINE website, 2019).

Dialogue with researchers in the Physics department of Lancaster University led to an art/science collaboration with Dr Sarah Badman, STFC Ernest Rutherford Research Fellow. Her original Hubble Space Telescope observations of Jupiter's ultraviolet aurorae were mostly captured at the same time that Juno was orbiting Jupiter and receiving radio waves in response to magnetospheric activity. The complex connection between the auroral brightness and magnetospheric processes has been researched by Badman (Grodent et al., 2017):

"We are entering a new era of understanding of giant planet environments thanks to the Juno mission at Jupiter and concurrent Hubble Space Telescope images of Jupiter's UV aurora. The combination of these measurements allow us to probe how the vast magnetosphere responds to changes in the external (e.g. solar wind) and internal (e.g. the volcanic moon Io) conditions." (Badman, 2019)

The sonification and sound visualisation of this interrelationship between Jupiter's auroral ionosphere and its magnetospheric activity became the focus of the dual screen installation 'Remote Sensing Sonification: Jupiter Aurorae'. The nearest projection focused on sonifications of Badman's Hubble observations of Jupiter's aurorae. The furthest projection focused on sound visualisations of radio signals received by Juno from Jupiter and recorded by the Waves instrument (University of Iowa). These included radio waves of the bow shock of Juno passing between the interplanetary solar wind environment and Jupiter's magnetosphere; receiving plasma wave signals at an increasing density while the Juno spacecraft interacted with the charged particles of Jupiter's ionosphere on Perijove 4; and Juno receiving signals from Jupiter's intense auroras (Kurth, 2016).

The remotely sensed auroral data from Jupiter was processed through sonification software, Sonic Photo, allowing digital images to be converted into sound. This sonic data was then re-analysed back into a visualisation using Overtone Analyzer software, showing some partial glitching through slowing down the sound. The sonified and re-visualised auroral research data was projected through large acrylic tubes to become revolving striated structures that recall Echelle spectrographs. In the SPINE underpass they were back projected onto 140 x 140 cm acrylic screens coated with holographic rear projection film

Although sonification might be perceived to be far less accurate than other ways of interpreting scientific data, it has been inclusively explored by astrophysicist, Wanda Diaz Merced, who became blind after she had become a professional astronomer (Ted Talk, 2016). Sonification and sound visualisation of astrophysical data could allow for a more inclusive experience for the visually impaired to interpret this data in equivalent ways. "Science is for everyone," Wanda says. "It has to be available to everyone, because we are all natural explorers." The re-analysis of sound back into image creates evidence of an interpretive equivalence for the visually sighted: mediated through digital processes and refraction it becomes a visual experience of sound.

Professor Jim Wild (Space Physics) said: "What is fascinating about this project is that it takes precise scientific data from high-quality instruments such as the Hubble Space Telescope and turns that data into something that is more about emotion and experience which helps people to engage with our science through a new route." Lancaster University News

'SPINE: Patterns of the Universe' coincided with the launch of the National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2019) at Lancaster University on 30th June 2019. NAM 2019's funders included the Royal Astronomical Society, Science & Technology Facilities Council, UK Research & Innovation and Oxford University Press.


We develop a neoclassical trade model with heterogeneous factors of production. We consider a world with two factors, labor and "managers", each with a distribution of ability levels. Production combines a manager of some type with a group of workers. The output of a unit depends on the types of the two factors, with complementarity between them, while exhibiting diminishing returns to the number of workers. We examine the sorting of factors to sectors and the matching of factors within sectors, and we use the model to study the determinants of the trade pattern and the effects of trade on the wage and salary distributions. Finally, we extend the model to include search frictions and consider the distribution of employment rates.


As staffing in Catholic K-12 schools has transitioned to a predominantly lay teaching corps over the past 50 years, a parallel process of secularization has taken place in teacher education programs at Catholic colleges and universities. The tradition of teaching as a vocation in the formation of vowed religious has been replaced by standard programs of educational foundations, course work, and field experiences with a primary emphasis on the issues and needs of public schools. Many factors contribute to this focus in Catholic higher education: financial concerns; teacher candidate preference; state laws; lack of proximity, affiliation, or experience with Catholic schools. Many programs function under a mission to prepare teachers for any school setting, public, private, or parochial, and view an intentional focus on Catholic Education as limiting or debilitating to the professional development of teacher candidates. This article asks the question: can an alternative teacher program based in service to Catholic education prepare teachers to be effective in both parochial and secular settings? The study investigated the professional preparedness of M.Ed. in program teacher candidates (n= 163) working in Catholic Schools and program graduates (n= 137) and these graduates' principals (n= 112) working in either Catholic or public schools. Results of the administration of a professional preparedness inventory indicated teacher self-reported and principal reported rates at comparable levels to replicated national surveys. Comparison of graduate and principal responses by school context indicated no statistically significant difference for overall measures of preparedness. Specific areas of significant difference were identified in the Catholic school context (higher preparedness rates in curriculum and instruction and questioning and discussion skills) and public school context (higher rates of preparedness in encouraging critical thinking, reflective practice, and use of technology). Discussion focuses on the Catholic school context as a viable alternative for the preparation of teachers for multiple school contexts.


Tuning the catalytic performance of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is very important in nanocatalysis. Herein, we report that amine-rich mesoporous silica hollow nanospheres (HS-NH2) synthesized by one-pot condensation could efficiently stabilize ultra-small Pd NPs and also increase the surface electron density of Pd NPs due to the coordinating and electron-donating effects of the amine group. Pd NPs supported on HS-NH2 afford TOF as high as 5052 h−1 in quinoline hydrogenation reaction and are much more active than Pd/C with a TOF of 960 h−1 as well as most reported solid catalysts. The intrinsic activity of Pd NPs increases as the particle size of Pd decreases, revealing that quinoline hydrogenation is a structure-sensitive reaction. The results of TEM, XPS, CO adsorption and CO stripping voltammetry indicate that the high activity of Pd NPs supported on HS-NH2 is mainly attributed to their ultra-small particle size and high surface electron density. Our primary results demonstrate that the organo-modified silica nanospheres are promising solid supports for modifying the electronic properties of metal NPs supported and consequently tailoring their catalytic functions.


The main aim of this thesis was to explore the effectiveness and acceptability of alternative interventions for facilitating help-seeking and improving the mental health of young adult males. Based on recommendations for innovative ways to develop interventions that facilitate mental health help-seeking specific to men (Addis & Mahalik, 2003), the interventions employed in this thesis integrate exercise and psychotherapeutic strategies, and make use of sport as a vehicle for mental health promotion. Findings from the Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) comprising study 1 provided support for a team-sport/psychosocial intervention (Back of the Net; BTN programme) for improving depressive symptoms among men. Employing qualitative methodology, study 2 explored menâ?Ts perceptions and experiences of receipt, implementation and acceptability of the BTN programme. Findings from this process evaluation reported positively on the use of sport as a vehicle for accessing and engaging men in a mental health intervention. The RCT employed in study 3 found that the combined strategies of exercise and a sports-based psychotherapeutic intervention delivered via the internet were not beneficial for mental health beyond the effects of exercise alone. Thus, the studies comprising this thesis further provide both quantitative and qualitative evidence in support of the effectiveness of exercise for improving mental health. With respect to the therapeutic processes that may mediate the antidepressant effect of exercise, study 4 reports on exercise self-efficacy, physical self-concept and global self-esteem as potential mechanisms of change. Temporal findings from study 4 suggest that these psychosocial mechanisms may be important factors associated with the effect of exercise on depression. Overall, the findings from this thesis advance our understanding of the effectiveness and acceptability of exercise and CBT-based interventions delivered within the context of sport for young menâ?Ts mental health.


One particularly practical role for an expert system (ES) is as an interface between a complex computer model and an inexperienced user or novice. The software is applied to the USEPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM3), particularly the Runoff module in the PC implementation known as PCSWMM3. The new software conducts a sensitivity and error analysis on parameters which are not unique, or specifically known or which may be subject to variability for various reasons. Output functions considered include the peak flows, volumes of outflows, time to peak outflow, number of exceedances of a specified flow, duration of exceedance, and hydrograph shape. First order sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of input variability are carried out by computing a large matrix of sensitivity co-efficients. Input variables are ranked according to sensitivity and to error. The analysis is geared to monitor those parameters which most affect the outcome. The resultant output hydrograph should consist of a fuzzy band of likely results as opposed to a definite value. Such graphical presentation will allow the novice to visually evaluate model uncertainty.


Objective : This is an investigation into the prevalence and patterns of childhood forcible sexual abuse and victim-perpetrator relationship among secondary school students in the Northern Province (South Africa).
Method : 414 secondary school students in standard 9 and 10 in 3 secondary schools filled in a retrospective self-rating questionnaire in a classroom setting. The questionnaire asked for the demographic variables of the subjects, (physical contact forms of) sexual experiences of participants before the age of 17 years where the perpetrator used physical force to intimidate and dominate the victim or to achieve sexual gratification, and the victim-perpetrator relationship.
Result : It shows an overall prevalence rate for childhood forcible sexual abuse to be 16.4%; 8.8% for males, 15.7% for females. 9.9% were kissed sexually by force, 6.8% were touched sexually by force, 6.1% were victims of oral/anal/vaginal intercourse using force. The majority of the perpetrators were acquaintances or relatives of the victims.
Conclusion : The author pointed out some possible health and behavioural implications of forcible sexual abuse for the victims, and call for more research in the area of forcible sexual abuse in the Province, more publicity of the possible situation of raped or forcibly sexually abused children, and for more campaigns against childhood forcible sexual abuse and sexual abuse in general in the Province.


Fast answers and reliable solutions for all widely-used Cisco router features - all in one time-saving guide Organized for maximum efficiency: describes actual commands and options in the sequence they should be used Helps network pros eliminate time-consuming documentation searches Extensive updates: IPv6, MPLS, AutoQoS, SIP, MGCP, voice troubleshooting, VPNs, security, and more "At-a-glance" illustrations offer fast answers and easy double-checking Locating reliable Cisco router configuration command information can require extensive, time-consuming research. Cisco Router Configuration Handbook, 2/e, is the solution: a day-to-day reference to the most widely used Cisco router features and configurations. Straight from Cisco experts, it covers every facet of router configuration, including fundamentals, network protocols, packet processing, voice/telephony, security, and more. This book is organized for maximum efficiency. Related features are covered together, and features and options are covered in the sequence in which they are typically used. Shaded tabs mark each section for quick reference. Information on each feature, technology, or protocol is presented in a concise one- or two-page format, with sections presenting quick facts, configuration information, and step-by-step examples, including both required and optional commands. Simply put, this book brings together all the Cisco routing configuration information most network professionals will ever need - and organizes it more efficiently than any other resource.


If you can't bill it, don't launch it" is a basic principle with every operator before launching any service. Optimized billing systems are business critical for network operators, since they ensure that customers are billed for the services they use. Analysts believe that the key to success in next generation networks (IP core fixed+mobile) will not be single services or one killer application but an apt mix of value added services. In such markets the traditional charging and billing methods are no longer sufficient and have to be adapted to the new needs. This paper will focus on complexities in charging use cases and provide insights on topics related to: a. network services (voice, bearer, SMS, streaming), b. basic IN services (number translation, VPN), c. session & event related (location based, presence based), d. IP charging in the new IMS scenario, e. contracts (prepaid, post paid, hybrid), f. payment scenarios (micro, macro)


This paper examines the relation between state contract law and the use of accounting information in debt contracts. Contract theory suggests that balance sheet based covenants resolve debtholder-shareholder conflicts ex ante, whereas income statement based covenants serve as trip- wires that trigger the switch of control rights ex post. It is more difficult for lenders to exert their control rights ex post if the contract law is more favorable to debtors (i.e., the law is pro-debtor), suggesting that balance sheet based covenants are more efficient in these jurisdictions. We therefore test and find evidence that lenders using pro-debtor (pro-lender) law are more (less) likely to rely on balance sheet based covenants. We measure reliance using both the weight of balance sheet covenants relative to income statement covenants and the covenant strictness. Our analysis further shows that contracts with performance pricing grids are less likely to include interest increasing grids when the law is more favorable to debtors. The results provide initial evidence that contract law is an important determinant for the design of debt contracts.


Type IV collagens influence localization of the morphogen Dpp in Drosophila embryos and ovaries. During embryonic development, gradients of secreted morphogens provide cues to target cells, thereby playing a critical role in tissue patterning. Noting that, in the absence of a protein complex, diffusion of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) Decapentaplegic (Dpp) in the Drosophila embryo is limited, Wang et al. investigated the role of the extracellular matrix in Dpp signaling. Biologically active Dpp bound to the C termini of the type IV collagens Viking (Vkg) and DCg1, as did heterodimers of Dpp and the BMP Screw (Dpp-Scw); mutational analysis of Vkg identified a Dpp-binding sequence that was conserved in mosquito, worm, mouse, and human type IV collagens. Vkg was present in Drosophila embryos at the time the Dpp gradient arises and also in the germarium of the ovary (where Dpp secreted from nearby somatic niche cells inhibits germline stem cells from differentiating). The phenotypes of embryos expressing reduced amounts of Vkg or DCg1 resembled those of embryos with reduced Dpp; moreover, Dpp was found in a narrower protein domain. In contrast, Vkg overexpression expanded the area in which the Dpp target gene Race was expressed. In germaria of flies lacking Vkg, however, there were more germline stem cells, a phenotype consistent with Dpp overexpression. Addition of the two BMP-binding proteins Short gastrulation and Twisted gastrulation (required for formation of the Dpp-Scw gradient in early embryos) released Dpp-Scw from a glutathione S-transferase-Vkg C-terminal tail fusion protein. Conversely, the Vkg C terminus promoted interaction of Dpp-Scw with a BMP receptor. The authors conclude that type IV collagens regulate Dpp signaling, promoting gradient formation in the embryo and restricting Dpp localization (and thereby its signaling range) in the germarium. X. Wang, R. E. Harris, L. J. Bayston, H. L. Ashe, Type IV collagens regulate BMP signalling in Drosophila. Nature 455, 72-77 (2008). [PubMed]


The contribution of fisheries sector to Indian merchandise trade and to world fishery trade is substantial. The items traded have gained reputation over the years which will help to keep the momentum of growth in the future. However, the imposition of food safety standards may blur its performance especially in the case of developing countries including India. Thus the whole question of comparative cost advantage comes into the picture of this dynamic trading system. The items traded enter the market in some processed form and the comparative advantage may be taken as an indicator to see whether India could continue with export specialization in this sector. The paper tries to see the revealed comparative advantage of India of this sector with its competitors, the intense trade relationship with its partners and the direction of trade in the WTO framework. The analysis suggests that India is comparatively in an advantageous position compared to its competitors. Furthermore, the changing food standards for enhancing quality content have not affected its competitiveness. Undeniably, the industry has undergone a structural change which equipped the sector to maintain its consistency and competency in the global fishery trade.


The physiological basis for musical hallucinations (MH) is not understood. One obstacle to understanding has been the lack of a method to manipulate the intensity of hallucination during the course of experiment. Residual inhibition, transient suppression of a phantom percept after the offset of a masking stimulus, has been used in the study of tinnitus. We report here a human subject whose MHwere residually inhibited by short periods of music. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) allowed us to examine variation in the underlying oscillatory brain activity in different states. Source-space analysis capable of single-subject inference defined left-lateralised power increases, associated with stronger hallucinations, in the gamma band in left anterior superior temporal gyrus, and in the beta band in motor cortex and posteromedial cortex. The data indicate that these areas form a crucial network in the generation of MH, and are consistent with a model in which MH are generated by persistent reciprocal communication in a predictive coding hierarchy. a 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Kappa-casein (CSN3) and beta-lactoglobulin (LGB) loci affect milk yield traits and the quality of milk protein. Their polymorphisms explain the role of genetic variance and facilitate estimation of breeding value. Our research was aimed at estimating the effect of beta-lactoglobulin and kappa-casein genotypes on milk yield and the chemical composition of milk, for cows bred in three herds in the kujawsko-pomorskie province. We divided the cows into three groups depending on their beta- lactoglobulin and kappa-casein polymorphisms: AA, AB and BB. The percentage of AB LGB heterozygotes in the examined population was the highest, at 44%; whereas the frequency of both gene alleles was at a similar level. In the kappa-casein gene, we found that there was a predominance of AA CSN3 genes (0.69), and a small percentage of BB CSN3 genotypes (0.07). We also observed a higher frequency of the A allele (0.81) as compared to the B allele (0.19), which is desired in breeding. Analysing the influence of the examined factors, we established a statistically significant influence of the barn as well as interactions between the barn and the LGB and CSN3 genotype on the percentage of fat and protein in milk from all examined lactations. Milk yield is influenced by the interaction between examined genotypes and the LGB genotype. The highest fat and protein content in the first lactation was found in animals with the AB LGB genotype: 4.53% of fat and 3.41% of protein. In lactations 2 and 3, the highest values for these parameters were noted for cows with the AA LGB genotype. As to the kappa-casein gene, we observed that cows with the AA CSN3 genotype constituted the largest group. Heterozygous animals produced the highest amount of milk with higher fat and protein yield as compared to the other groups.


With the organ-balance technique, we studied amino acid and glucose metabolism by hepatic and extrahepatic splanchnic tissues in awake dogs in the postabsorptive state and during a 3-h intravenous amino acid infusion. Dogs received a high (1.4 g/kg body wt, n = 5) or low (0.7 g/kg body wt, n = 8) dose of amino acids. In four of the latter dogs, the dose was delivered into a mesenteric vein. During the basal period there was a net removal of gluconeogenic amino acids (particularly alanine), but not branched-chain amino acids, and a net production of glucose by the liver in all dogs. During this time there was a net removal of glucose and production of alanine by the extrahepatic splanchnic tissues. During either high- or low-dose amino acid infusion, net hepatic glucose release increased; despite this, arterial plasma glucose declined due to an increase in tissue glucose uptake at extrasplanchnic sites. The net amount of glucogenic amino acids removed by the liver during high-dose (9.1 ± 1.0 mmol · kg−1 · 3 h−1) and low-dose (4.8 ± 0.6 mmol · kg−1 · 3 h−1) infusion equaled or exceeded the infused load of these amino acids. In addition, the liver contributed to the net disposal of branched-chain amino acids during high-dose (536 ± 147 μmol · kg−1 · 3 h−1) and low-dose (341 ± 70 μmol · kg−1 · 3 h−1) infusion. During high-dose infusion, extrahepatic splanchnic tissues participated in the net removal of branched-chain amino acids (436 ± 162 ¼mol · kg−1 · 3 h−1) but not glucogenic amino acids, and net alanine production continued (410 ± 91 μmol · kg−1 · 3 h−1). The route (peripheral or mesenteric) did not appear to influence the subsequent disposal of the amino acid load. We conclude that during intravenous amino acid administration in the dog, the splanchnic bed is the major site of net amino acid disposal. The liver contributes to the net disposal of both glucogenic and branched-chain amino acids, whereas extrahepatic splanchnic tissue contributes to the net disposal of only the branched-chain amino acids. Overall, only 10–15% of the total infused amino acids was removed by extrasplanchnic (peripheral) sites, despite increased concentrations of plasma amino acids and elevated plasma insulin concentrations. These tissues may replete nitrogen stores during feeding by mechanisms other than removal of circulating amino acids.


• Objective: To review the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in young women. • Methods: Qualitative assessment of the literature. • Results: Endometriosis is one of the most common conditions affecting young women and may result in considerable patient suffering. Primary symptoms include dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, noncyclic pelvic pain, and subfertility. Diagnosis is reliably made only by laparoscopy, but extent of disease on laparoscopy often does not correlate with symptoms. Medical therapy emphasizes ovarian suppression, but large lesions respond poorly and recurrence is common following medication cessation. If endometriosis is diagnosed at the time of laparoscopy, laparoscopic surgery is the treatment of choice, particularly in reproductive-age women with endometriomata, in which excision should be performed. Recurrence of endometriosis following laparoscopic surgery is common. Further studies are needed to determine whether postoperative medical treatment is beneficial. • Conclusion: Endometriosis may result in considerable patient suffering and should be suspected in any woman of reproductive age who presents with chronic dysmenorrhea or pelvic pain. Once a diagnosis is made, treatment goals include optimal pain management, preservation of fertility, and prevention of recurrence.


Large-scale investment in transmission and distribution networks are planned over the next 10-15 years to meet future demand and changes in power generation. However, it is important that existing assets continue to operate reliably and their health maintained. A research project is considering the increased use of simulation models that could provide accurate prognostics, targeting maintenance and reduce in service failures. Such models could be further refined with parameters obtained from on-line measurements at the asset. It is also important to consider the future development of the research agenda for condition monitoring of power networks and with colleagues from National Grid, PPA Energy and the Universities of Manchester and Strathclyde, the research team are preparing a Position Paper on this subject.


Among various models for estimating interfacial thermal conductance (ITC) across different material interfaces, the diffuse mismatch model (DMM) has been generally evaluated as a reliable approach for material interfaces at high temperatures. The previous works by DMM have indicated the correct order of magnitude of ITC in isotropic material interfaces. However, it cannot accurately reproduce the ITC for low-dimensional anisotropic layered materials that are desired for many potential applications. Also, the inappropriate mode matching process approximation of the phonon dispersion curve tends to overestimate the ITC. In this paper, we revisited and updated the numerical method in our previous work that utilizes a mode-to-mode comparison within the DMM framework to predict ITC with the first-principles accuracy. We employed this model to calculate ITCs between layered materials such as MoS2 and graphite and metals such as Al, Au, and Cr. We then compared our values with previous literature data from calculations of phonon dispersion curve and experimental data from time-domain thermoreflectance measurements. With a better mode matching algorithm, the updated numerical method can predict the ITCs with improved accuracy. Further analysis also confirmed that counting only the three acoustic modes and neglecting the low-frequency optical modes lead to significant underestimation of the ITC using DMM.


In one of Robert Gernhardt's humorous sketches, a man calls on Sigmund Freud to consult him and tells him about a strange dream. In this dream, his id expressed libidinal urges which the superego tried to repress and the ego finally sublimated. Freud claims that the interpretation of the dream is quite simple: the man's id was repressed by the superego when it expressed libidinal urges which the ego finally sublimated. The patient rejects this interpretation, declaring that it is not an interpretation but the dream itself. Freud gets upset and sends away the patient, who is thenceforth tormented by a terrible inferiority complex (140–41).


Entry Encyclopedia for the History of the Life Sciences In the autobiographical report on his laboratory work at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, the French molecular biologist François Jacob remarked a decade and a half ago: " In biology, any study … begins with the choice of a 'system.' Everything depends on this choice: the range within which the experimenter can move, the character of the questions he is able to ask, and often also the answers he can give " (Jacob 1987, p. 261). In the biological research literature, the notion of " experimental system " for the characterization of experimental arrangements has been in regular use since the first decades of the twentieth century, in particular in connection with the establishment of a vigorous in vitro biology (see, e.g., Gale and Folkes 1954, p. 1224) and with the coming into use of a variety of model organisms, especially bacteria and viruses, two features of experimental systems to which I will come back later. When Jacob speaks about " system, " the term is used in exactly this sense. A comparison may help set the stage. Two centuries ago, toward the end of the eighteenth century, when natural historians and biologists talked about " systems, " they meant systems of thought such as the " system of the eggs " or the " system of the sperms " with respect to the then concurring theories of generation, into which, sporadically, experimental arguments were inserted. Two hundred years later, it is experimental systems that determine the research context into which theorems can eventually become inserted.


This paper proposes a model for calculating the characteristics of the radiation of solid-fuel rocket engines (SFREs). The plume of an SFRE is regarded as a gas-dynamic system in which the characteristics of the rocket flight and the distribution profiles of the speed, density, and temperature are linked with the parameters of the gas at the engine's nozzle section. A basis is provided for the assumptions that have been made to simplify the computational procedure for the plume in its various projections. Calculations of the spatial brightness distributions of the plumes under various conditions showed that the model is adequate when compared with the experimental data.


Efforts to improve teaching in higher education have often focused on individual faculty. However, there is a growing consensus that the academic department is a more productive focus of change initiatives. Yet, academic departments are not all the same. Understanding the structure of relationships within a department is important for identifying who should be involved in the change effort and in what roles. It is also likely that a successful change effort will modify the structure of relationships within a department. This paper presents the preliminary results from a study of two academic departments at a research university. A social network for each department was constructed based on a web survey that asked faculty to identify colleagues with whom they had teaching-related conversations. We identify characteristics of the individuals and departments and describe how learning about this hidden structure can be beneficial to change agents.


: A series of new benzofuran linked tetralones (5a-h) have been prepared by chalcone route of Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction in the presence of sodium hydroxide, 1-(benzofuran-6-yl)-ethanone (1) reacts with substituted benzaldehyde (2a-h) followed by cyclopropanation of 1-(benzofuran-6-yl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (3a-h) with trimethylsulfoxonium iodide (TMSOI) in the presence of sodium hydride and Friedel-Craft's intramolecular cyclization reaction of benzofuran-6-yl(2-phenylcyclopropyl)methanone (4a-h) in the presence of anhyd. stannic chloride and acetic anhydride. The target molecules were characterized by spectral and elemental analysis and also screened for their antimitotic activity by onion root method. Taken together, our results indicated that among the entire synthesized analogues, the two new compounds 5e and 5f bearing electron donating methoxy group on para and 3,4,5-position of the phenyl moiety respectively exhibits even good antimitotic activity than other compounds.


The service-oriented architecture (SOA) approach offers many promises for the development of high-quality Health Information Systems (HISs) that utilize information such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs) from different parties. However, extreme privacy preservation requirements and the variety of deployment systems make development of HISs particularly challenging. To support HIS developers, we propose effective mechanisms and tools to become part of the development process. We use model-driven engineering to switch the focus of the developers from technologies used for implementing SOA to domain specific concepts of the HISs under study. Our approach relies on a modeling framework based on Web rules, which allows us to represent business processes and policies of service-oriented HISs in a unified rule framework. The framework supports development of tools for a formal analysis of existing services and their policies by using rule-based reasoning engines (e.g., HP's Jena). The tools that we are developing can identify inconsistencies between Web services from different parties, propose solutions for mismatched policies, and verify security and privacy requirements of service-oriented HISs.


Women play a key role in nature conservation, yet they often lack the inputs, technologies, training and extension services, and various enablers and linkages that can enhance the effectiveness of their efforts. Evidence indicates that gender-inclusive and gender-sensitive conservation practices have far-reaching multiplier impacts. This report includes four research articles and four research reports that bring out gender-specific knowledge for ecosystem management in mountain regions. Insights are collated from India, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, and the Togo-Ghana Highlands. The chapters capture diverse approaches to nature stewardship examined through a gender lens at the regional, national and sub-national level


This study is a continuation of previous work designed to further explore the mechanism of the bioleaching of sulfide concentrate at neutral pH by heterotrophic bacteria Bacillus megaterium QM B1551. The concentrate contained 13.2 percent nickel (Ni) and 0.2 percent cobalt (Co), which presented primarily as pentlandite and pyrrhotite. Contact and noncontact bioleaching experiments were conducted with finely ground ore at an initial pH of 6, resulting in 44.7 percent of Ni and 38.2 percent of Co leached in the contact-bioleaching treatment. Oxidation experiments of sulfur, thiosulfate (S2O32−) and ferrous ions (Fe2+) by cell membrane were performed to verify whether sulfur transferase, thiosulfate quinone reductase and enzyme cytochrome B558 on the surface of the bacteria could be expressed to oxidize the sulfide. The results show that thiosulfate quinone reductase and cytochrome B558 could be expressed to oxidize S2O32− and Fe2+ to SO42− and Fe3+, respectively.


Over the past 10 years, Aboriginal women from a northern Ontario urban community have been gathering to hand drum as a way to revive their culture and support one another. As a member of an Aboriginal women's hand-drumming circle called the Waabishki Mkwaa (White Bear) Singers, I had a vision of exploring the connection between hand-drumming practices and health promotion, and was the primary researcher for the study described in this article. Adhering to Aboriginal protocols as part of an Indigenous research methodology, I offered traditional tobacco to members of the Waabishki Mkwaa Singers, as an invitation for them to be both co-researchers and participants in the study. In accepting the tobacco, the members agreed to help facilitate the research process, as well as to journal their experiences of the process and of their own hand-drumming practices. Using an Aboriginal Women's Hand Drumming (AWHD) Circle of Life framework—a framework developed by the co-researchers of the study—we explored the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional benefits of Aboriginal women's hand-drumming practices, and examined how culture and social support networks are key determinants of Aboriginal women's health. Results of the qualitative analysis show that the Aboriginal women's involvement in hand-drumming circles has many health promoting benefits and builds on strengths already existent within their community. Through their experiences with hand drumming, the women reported gaining a voice and a sense of holistic healing, empowerment, renewal, strength and Mino-Bimaadiziwin ("good life"). These findings are consistent with evolving Aboriginal perspectives on health promotion.


Abstract. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) instruments have been widely utilized in measuring vegetation canopy structural parameters, being capable of providing high density point clouds. However, less attention has been paid to using TLS intensity data in estimating vegetation biochemical attributes, and calculating water status metrics, that can help in early detection of vegetation stress and risk of wildfire. Water status metrics, such as the leaf Equivalent Water Thickness (EWT) and the Fuel Moisture Content (FMC), are being commonly estimated from optical remote sensing data. However, such estimates mainly reflect the water status of canopy top and ignore the vertical heterogeneity of water content distribution within the canopy. The estimates are also affected by canopy structure and understory reflectance. Such limitations can potentially be addressed using TLS intensity data, as observations are performed in three dimensions (3D). This study therefore investigated the potential of using dual-wavelength TLS intensity data to estimate FMC in 3D. The calculated Normalized Difference Index (NDI) of 808 nm near infrared and 1550 nm shortwave infrared wavelengths was found to be correlated to FMC at leaf level for four different tree species. The correlation was moderate, and the relationships were not consistent between species. NDI was subsequently used to estimate FMC at canopy level in seven trees in a small tree plot with an average error < 5 %. The 3D estimates of FMC revealed vertical heterogeneity in all trees measured, which varied between species and also between trees from the same species.