Psychological Well-Being and Dietary Quality of College Women: Examining the Confounding Influence of Season, Sleep, and Physical Activity Whitney A. Hebbert Department of Exercise Sciences, BYU Master of Science Objective. To determine the relationship between overall psychological well-being and stress on diet quality among young adult women and to examine the potential confounding influence of season, physical activity and sleep on these relationships. Design/Participants. The study used a cross-sectional design. Three hundred and fifty-one women were recruited to participate in the study. All participants were university students (20.2 ± 1.6 y). Overall psychological well-being was assessed using the General Well-being Schedule (GWB) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Diet intake was measured using three 24-hour recalls over a seven day period. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was calculated to assess diet quality. Physical activity (PA) and sleep were both measured objectively using accelerometers over seven consecutive days. Season of assessment was also included as a covariate. Results. The average HEI score was 59.3 ± 12.5 out of 100 and is classified as "Needs Improvement." The average GWB score was 72.8 ± 13.1 out of 110 which is on the border between "moderate distress" (61 to 72) and "positive wellbeing" (73 to 110). Significant relationships were seen with specific aspects of psychological well-being, however global psychological well-being as measured by the General Well-being schedule was not related to any measure of diet quality. Chronic stress was related to low adherence to dietary guidelines (F = 11.46 and p = 0.0008). Chronic stress was also related to low consumption of fruits and vegetables (F = 5.03, p = 0.0256). Feeling in control of emotions and behaviors was related to low consumption of non-nutrient dense foods (NNDF) (F = 3.33, p = 0.0198). Controlling for PA and sleep time reduced the magnitude of all of these relationships between 11% and 42%. Results from the PSS were positively related to the consumption of NNDF (F = 3.97, p = 0.0472). Controlling for PA and sleep time increased the magnitude of this relationship by 34%. Season had a negligible impact on any of the relationships between psychological well-being and any measure of diet quality. Conclusion. Subscales of psychological well-being such as chronic stress, acute stress, emotional behavioral control, and depression were related to diet quality. While these observed relationships were independent of the influence of season, physical activity and sleep, controlling for these variables had a moderating effect.


Whole-body hyperthermia is currently under investigation as a method to treat systemic malignancies; however, available techniques induce a derangement in serum and urine chemistries. This study was done to determine whether veno-venous perfusion induced hyperthermia (vv-PISH) that incorporated a parallel dialysis system to control blood chemistries would eliminate these heat induced derangements. Adult female Yorkshire swine were divided into perfusion only (group P, n = 6, 62.8 ± 2.5 kg), and perfusion with dialysis (group PD, n = 6, 63.8 ± 4.3 kg). In both groups, hyperthermia was induced with a computer assisted jugular-to-femoral venovenous heat exchange/perfusion system primed with a balanced electrolyte solution, operating at 30 ml/min-'Ag1/kg1 which used a thermal gradient induced by blood heated to a maximum of 48°C and a perfusate-to-blood temperature gradient <10°C during heating. The target core temperature was 43°C for 120 min as measured by the average of the rectal, bladder, esophageal, bilateral tympanic, and pulmonary artery temperatures. Including ramp-up and cool down, the total perfusion interval was 263 ± 29 min in group P and 240 ± 18 min in group PD (ns). Serum and urine chemistry values expressed as the mean value ± SEM were compared before and after hyperthermia treatment. Variables include blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, glucose, total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), creatinine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), plasma free hemoglobin, urine specific gravity, pH and urine creatinine. All variables remained within normal ranges for the PD group. In the P group, the following final values were outside the normal range: (normal range) creatinine 2.1 ± 1 (0.4–1.4) mg/dl, Ca2+ 5.1 ± 1 (6–13) mg/dl, Mg2+ .8 ± 0.1 (1.2–10) mg/dl, ALKP 134 ± 6 (34–122) U/L, ALT 69 ± 3 (9–51) U/L, and LDH 1291 ± 237 (300–600) U/L. We conclude that the significant changes in serum and urine chemistries associated with vv-PISH are normalized with the use of a parallel dialysis system and may decrease the incidence of electrolyte associated complications. ASAIO Journal 1997; 43:M806-M811.


Abstract: Uranium occurs in the North Park(?) formation of Pliocene(?) age in the Miller Hill area, about 25 miles south of Rawlins, Carbon County, Wyo. As much as 0. 5 percent uranium is contained in grab samples, but only about 1000 tons of rock are known to contain as much as 0. 03 percent uranium. Beds of brecciated, silicified limestone 3 to 10 feet thick contain the principal concentrations of uranium. Lesser concentrations are found in calcareous sandstone and quartzite. Uranophane, Ca(UOz)2SizO 7 . 6HZO, the principal uranium'mineral, has been deposited in vugs, as fracture and surface coatings, and as a disseminated constituent of the rock. Uranium also occurs in quantities too small to be megascopically visible in dark-colored chalcedony, lime stone, sandstone, and quartzite beds.


Michael D. Coomes, Advisor As women entered higher education, positions were created to address their specific needs. In the 1890s, the position of dean of women proliferated, and in 1903 groups began to meet regularly in professional associations they called conferences of deans of women. This study examines how and why early deans of women formed these professional groups, how those groups can be characterized, and who comprised the conferences. It also explores the degree of continuity between the conferences and a later organization, the National Association of Deans of Women (NADW). Using evidence from archival sources, the known meetings are listed and described chronologically. Seven different conferences are identified: those intended for deans of women (a) Of the Middle West, (b) In State Universities, (c) With the Religious Education Association, (d) In Private Institutions, (e) With the Association of Collegiate Alumnae, (f) With the Southern Association of College Women, and (g) With the National Education Association (also known as the NADW). Each of the conferences is analyzed using seven organizational variables: membership, organizational structure, public relations, fiscal policies, services and publications, ethical standards, and affiliations. Individual profiles of each of 130 attendees are provided, and as a group they can be described as professional women who were both administrators and scholars, highly-educated in a variety of disciplines, predominantly unmarried, and active in social and political causes of the era. The primary conclusions are: There was little continuity between the conferences and the NADW; the nature of the professional groups and the profiles of the deans of women suggest that the profession underwent a change around 1920; and the careers and lives of the early deans of women were filled with important accomplishments, and are worthy of study. A deeper understanding of the early deans of women and their professional activities can inform research on the history of student affairs and the roles of women in higher education. Finally, the stories of iv these remarkable women can provide inspiration and illumination for those who continue the work with students in higher education.


Enliven: Journal of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine is an Open access, peer reviewed international journal and it aims to publish different types of articles on emerging developments and supports current and upcoming research in the field of anesthesia. This journal also allows articles on resuscitation and critical care. This journal will support the budding scientists, scholars, academicians, researchers, and students by providing Open access platform for publishing their work. This journal will follow the peer review policies and will bode Open access in having quality research output. This journal combines the innovative scientific ideas and ways in anesthesia, critical care, resuscitation and all other related disciplines to have an innovative output. This journal accepts articles from different disciplines as below but not constrained to only these Anesthesia and anatomy Clinical anesthesia Surgery and anesthesia Pain management Anesthesia and pharmacology Anesthesia and immunology Anesthesia drugs and adjutants Anesthesia and physiology Post anesthesia care Emergency medicine Etiology Critical care and anatomy Resuscitation Toxicology and critical care Intensive care medicine Critical care and pharmaceutics Emergency anesthesia Enliven: Journal of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine invites articles from authors and we assure authors that articles received will be processed with the best policies and will disseminate the articles to the right field.


Amputation is a medical procedure that is required to cut part of or all of the extremity, i.e. upper limbs or lower limbs. In the final phase of the procedure, patients have to adapt to their new condition including the use of prostheses. Nowadays, Prosthetic hand have had a lot of improvements that enable patients to do normal activities by exploiting their myoelectric signal. This study has a goal to produce prosthetic hand that can respond to patient generating myoelectric signal. Three muscle leads (2 on  muscle flexor digitorum, 1 on muscle extensor digitorum) were processed by 3 channels surface electromyography (sEMG) that contain of instrument amplifier i.e. high-pass filter, rectifier, and notch filter. Myoelectric signal is processed to extraction feature and classified by artificial neural network (ANN) that had been offline-trained before and had 21 neurons input layer, 10 neurons hidden layer, and 3 neurons output layer to detect 3 hand movements, i.e. grasping, pinch, and open grasp. ANN and prosthetic hand control was embedded on Arduino Due microcontroller so that the system could be used in stand-alone and real time mode. The results of the testing from 4 research subjects shown that the hand prostheses system had success rate of 87% – 91%.


Light extraction efficiency of GaN-based light emitting diodes were significantly enhanced using silver nanostructures incorporated in periodic micro-hole patterned multi quantum wells (MQWs). Our results show an enhancement of 60% in the wall-plug efficiency at an injection current of 100 mA when Ag nano-particles were deposited on side facet of MQWs passivated with SiO2. This improvement can be attributed to an increase in the spontaneous emission rate through resonance coupling between localized surface plasmons in Ag nano-particles and the excitons in MQWs.


In this thesis, we study methods to detect, localize and overcome performance problems experienced by end-users in communication networks. These problems are extremely difficult to solve when the only available information are end-to-end data. We first consider the simple problem of identifying poorly performing links in a network. Even though end-to-end data do not provide sufficient information to calculate link loss rates exactly, we show that in many settings they provide enough information to identify the lossy links. We introduce an inference technique based on the maximum likelihood inference principle, which handles well noisy measurements and routing changes. We apply our technique to locate lossy links in sensor networks. Compared to wired networks, sensor networks pose two additional challenges for monitoring functions: they support much less probing traffic, and they change their routing topologies much more frequently. A Boolean performance model that requires a small number of probes is therefore particularly suited to sensor networks. We evaluate the performance of our inference algorithm in simulation and on real-network traces. We find that the proposed technique achieves high detection and low false positive rates. In IP networks where the network topology is stable and the number of end-to-end probes is large, we consider a second approach to the Boolean tomography problem where we take multiple measurements of the network to learn the probability that a link is going to be congested. We show that these probabilities can be uniquely identified from a small set of measurements by using properties of Boolean algebra. We can then use the learnt probabilities as priors to find rapidly the congested links at any time, with an order-of-magnitude gain in accuracy over existing algorithms. We validate our results both by simulation and real implementation in the PlanetLab network. Taking multiple snapshots of the network also allows us to calculate link loss rates from end-to-end measurements exactly. This operation is possible despite that the system of equations relating link loss rates with end-to-end loss rates has multiple solutions. The main reasons are that losses due to congestion occur in bursts, hence the loss rates of congested links have high variances. On the contrary, most links on the Internet are un-congested, hence the averages and variances of their loss rates are virtually zero. We first prove that the variances of link loss rates can be uniquely calculated from the covariances of the measured end-to-end loss rates in any realistic topology. After calculating the link variances, we remove the un-congested links with small variances from the first-order moment equations in order to obtain a full-rank linear system of equations, from which we can calculate precisely the loss rates of the remaining congested links. Our proposed solution uses only regular unicast probes and thus is applicable in today's Internet. It is accurate and scalable, as shown in our simulations and experiments on PlanetLab. After locating the performance bottlenecks, we study methods that mitigate these performance problems using relay nodes, end-hosts that act as intermediary points to bridge connections. Efficiently selecting a relay node is not a trivial problem, especially in a large-scale unstructured overlay system where end-hosts are heterogeneous and do not have the full knowledge of all available relays. Despite these facts, good relay selection algorithms should effectively balance the aggregate load across the set of relay nodes. We address these problems using algorithms based on the two random choices method. In the presence of the relay heterogeneity, we first prove that the classic load-based algorithm can effectively balance the load, even when relays are heterogeneous, and that its performance depends directly on relay heterogeneity. Second, we propose an utilization-based random choice algorithm to distribute load in order to balance relay utilization. Numerical evaluations through simulations illustrate the effectiveness of this algorithm, indicating that it might also yield provable performance (which we conjecture). Finally, we support our theoretical findings through simulations of various large-scale scenarios, with realistic relay heterogeneity. When end-hosts have only a limited knowledge of available relays, we prove that even if each end-host knows only a small fraction of the number of relays, the two-random-choice algorithm still guarantees good load balancing performance. However, when the number of known relays for each end-host does not grow fast enough with the total number of relays, a modified two-choice algorithm is needed to guarantee good load balancing. This algorithm consists in first selecting two relay sets and then sampling two relays, one from each of them.


This article is intended to examine the role of creative education in the design of the national curriculum and the division of lesson hours during the period 2010-2014. During this process, pupils, private citizens and experts from different fields were given the opportunity to submit their contributions to the exercise. The article intends to examine whether the curriculum development exercise fulfilled the conditions for a wide democratic consultation process. Three professional groups, elementary school teachers, artists (writers, visual arts teachers, musicians) and academic engineers (n= 1163) were the main focus of this research project. Creativity related claims, which were posted on the internet, were presented to the research subjects. The results from the study indicated that in many respects, the subjects' concept of creativity and creative education differed statistically from each other considerably. The views from the teachers and artists revealed that creativity is seen as a source of joy and wellbeing. Engineers tend to view creativity from its utilitarian perspective, particularly with reference to product development and innovation. The results also reveal the challenges of developing a national curriculum through a wide democratic consultation process, an apparently simple exercise, which however failed in its objectives and intentions.


Familial glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD) is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by resistant of ACTH receptor at adrenal cortex leading to (usually) isolated glucocorticoid deficiency with normal mineralocorticoid secrete. Patients with FGD usually presented in neonatal–childhood period with signs/symptoms of glucocorticoid deficiency such as hypoglycemia, hyperpigmentation, Failure to thrive, shock and death if treatment was delayed. Labs usually revealed high ACTH, low cortisol but normal 17 OHP, electrolyte, androgen. Here we describe a 3-yearsold Saudi girl, with history of progressive hyperpigmentation for first year of life, but no history of hypoglycaemia or neonatal jaundice, no history of a lacrimation or dysphagia and positive similar family history. She had generalized Hyperpigmentation with normal female genitalia. Her cortisol was low with high ACTH level, but normal electrolyte 17, Hydroxyprogesterone, aldosterone, renin, androgen. Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency was diagnosed, and maintenance dose of hydro cortisol was started, and patient pigmentation was improved few week latter.


The steady-state cleavage of catechols by 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (DHBD), the extradiol dioxygenase of the biphenyl biodegradation pathway, was investigated using a highly active, anaerobically purified preparation of enzyme. The kinetic data obtained using 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl (DHB) fit a compulsory order ternary complex mechanism in which substrate inhibition occurs. TheK m for dioxygen was 1280 ± 70 μm, which is at least 2 orders of magnitude higher than that reported for catechol 2,3-dioxygenases. K m andK d for DHB were 22 ± 2 and 8 ± 1 μm, respectively. DHBD was subject to reversible substrate inhibition and mechanism-based inactivation. In air-saturated buffer, the partition ratios of catecholic substrates substituted at C-3 were inversely related to their apparent specificity constants. Small organic molecules that stabilized DHBD most effectively also inhibited the cleavage reaction most strongly. The steady-state kinetic data and crystallographic results suggest that the stabilization and inhibition are due to specific interactions between the organic molecule and the active site of the enzyme. t-Butanol stabilized the enzyme and inhibited the cleavage of DHB in a mixed fashion, consistent with the distinct binding sites occupied byt-butanol in the crystal structures of the substrate-free form of the enzyme and the enzyme-DHB complex. In contrast, crystal structures of complexes with catechol and 3-methylcatechol revealed relationships between the binding of these smaller substrates andt-butanol that are consistent with the observed competitive inhibition.


In this paper, we consider a common unicast beamforming network where Alice utilizes the communication to Carol as a cover and covertly transmits a message to Bob without being recognized by Willie. We investigate the beamformer design of Alice to maximize the covert rate to Bob when Alice has either perfect or imperfect knowledge about Willie's channel state information (WCSI). For the perfect WCSI case, the problem is formulated under the perfect covert constraint, and we develop a covert beamformer by applying semidefinite relaxation and the bisection method. Then, to reduce the computational complexity, we further propose a zero-forcing beamformer design with a single iteration processing. For the case of the imperfect WCSI, the robust beamformer is developed based on a relaxation and restriction approach by utilizing the property of Kullback-Leibler divergence. Furthermore, we derive the optimal decision threshold of Willie, and analyze the false alarm and the missed detection probabilities in this case. Finally, the performance of the proposed beamformer designs is evaluated through numerical experiments.


This article draws on ethnography of a South Indian mass-literacy movement to develop an argument about the role of obligation in the political mobilization of marginalized subjects. It seeks in particular to understand the use of language in a literacy movement that ended up being more important for being a women's movement than for the literacy it tried to impart. The article begins by examining two different modes of address in the activism I studied, one premised on modernist self-assertion in the name of society and the other by appeals to culture as a propelling resource. It then turns to a third type, based on reciprocity, which is underdeveloped in much thought on agency in contemporary politics, and the analysis of which might help us escape some of the logics of late liberal governmentality in our ethnography.


Why democracy? Most often this question is met with an appeal to some decidedly moral value, such as equality, liberty, dignity, or even peace. But in contemporary democratic societies, there is deep disagreement and conflict about the precise nature and relative worth of these values. And when democracy votes, some of those who lose will see the prevailing outcome as not merely disappointing, but morally intolerable. How should citizens react when confronted with a democratic result that they regard as intolerable? Should they revolt, or instead pursue democratic means of social change? In this book, Robert B. Talisse argues that each of us has reasons to uphold democracy – even when it makes serious moral errors – and that these reasons are rooted in our most fundamental epistemic commitments. His original and compelling study will be of interest to a wide range of readers in political philosophy and political theory.


This paper expands the exploratory analysis undertaken by Vigoroux-Steck (1990), who used statistical cost techniques, in conjunction with UIC published data, to estimate cost functions for 13 Western European railway operations. Four improvements have been made to Steck's work. Firstly, the data has been up-dated from 1987 to 1990 and re-indexed to incorporate the most recent information on international prices. Secondly, consistency is introduced into the Returns to Scale and Density measures by including all relevant estimated parameter values. Thirdly, we constrain the repssion model to insure linear homogeneity of degree one in factor prices. Fourthly, we attempt to reduce statistical problems by redefining variables around the sample mean (although there is further work to be undertaken in this respect). Three further amendments were undertaken with limited success. Attempts to introduce a more complex treatment of technological change led to implausible returns to scale. Attempts to re-define the returns to density measure by using a length of line variable rather than a density (train kilometres divided by length of line) variable also led to some implausible results. A re-definition of Steck's returns to density measure gave more plausible results.
Despite these statistical problems, some common results do come hmgh. In particular, it appears that Western Europe's largest railways exhibit decreasing returns to scale and increasing returns to density. This does suggest that some European railways are operating beyond the point of maximum efficient scale and re-organisation into smaller units may be sensible. Our findings are less robust on how small these units should be. Railways with less than 3,000 km of route may be below the minimum efficient scale. Another important finding is that some Western Europe railways do exhibit diseconomies of density most notably those of Switzerland and the Netherlands. Proposed expansion of infrastructure in these countries may be sensible. Lastly, in terms of an index of managerial efficiency, we find that the railway of Sweden is a consistently high performer and those of Austria and Belgium poor performers.


This is the first in a series of short books on probability theory and random processes for biomedical engineers. This text is written as an introduction to probability theory. The goal was to prepare students, engineers and scientists at all levels of background and experience for the application of this theory to a wide variety of problems—as well as pursue these topics at a more advanced level. The approach is to present a unified treatment of the subject. There are only a few key concepts involved in the basic theory of probability theory. These key concepts are all presented in the first chapter. The second chapter introduces the topic of random variables. Later chapters simply expand upon these key ideas and extend the range of application. A considerable effort has been made to develop the theory in a logical manner—developing special mathematical skills as needed. The mathematical background required of the reader is basic knowledge of differential calculus. Ever effort has been made to be consistent with commonly used notation and terminology—both within the engineering community as well as the probability and statistics literature. Biomedical engineering examples are introduced throughout the text and a large number of self-study problems are available for the reader.


The progression of anatomical symptoms of Pierce's disease in susceptible Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay grapevines was studied over a time course following controlled inoculation of Y—shaped, two-shooted plants with Xylella fastidiosa . Leaf, petiole, and stem tissue samples collected from locations on inoculated and noninoculated shoots were taken at 10, 14, and 18 weeks following inoculation. After 10 weeks, leaf necrosis was visible in the inoculated shoots. Leaf and petiole xylem was predominantly occluded with gums and bacteria, whereas stem xylem was occluded almost exclusively with tyloses. After 14 weeks, bacteria and gums were found in noninoculated shoots, but tyloses were absent from these stem tissues. At 18 weeks, tylose development was observed in the xylem in stems of noninoculated shoots. Consequently, basipetal movement of bacteria occurred from the inoculated shoot into a noninoculated shoot. Results indicate that there is a predictable initial sequence of symptoms within infected shoots: gum and bacterial accumulation in leaves and petioles followed by tylose formation in stem tissue. This pattern is repeated with colonization of new shoots, eventually creating a systemic presence of the disease.

Acknowledgments: Funding for this research was provided from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, agreement no. 01-0712. The authors would like to thank the cooperative efforts in maintaining bacterial cultures and inoculating grapevines from the Bruce Kirkpatrick lab, including M. Caroline Roper, and the preliminary anatomical contributions made by Philip Bates.


In the last few years, we have witnessed impressive demonstrations of aggressive flights and acrobatics using quadrotors. However, those robots are actually blind. They do not see by themselves, but through the "eyes" of an external motion capture system. Flight maneuvers using onboard sensors are still slow compared to those attainable with motion capture systems. At the current state, the agility of a robot is limited by the latency of its perception pipeline. To obtain more agile robots, we need to use faster sensors. In this paper, we present the first onboard perception system for 6-DOF localization during high-speed maneuvers using a Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS). Unlike a standard CMOS camera, a DVS does not wastefully send full image frames at a fixed frame rate. Conversely, similar to the human eye, it only transmits pixel-level brightness changes at the time they occur with microsecond resolution, thus, offering the possibility to create a perception pipeline whose latency is negligible compared to the dynamics of the robot. We exploit these characteristics to estimate the pose of a quadrotor with respect to a known pattern during high-speed maneuvers, such as flips, with rotational speeds up to 1,200 °/s. Additionally, we provide a versatile method to capture ground-truth data using a DVS.


We present the quality-of-service query service (QQS) a CORBA service which provides quality-of-service-related "decisions" for the configuration and parameterization of CORBA applications. Applications and services query QQS for those QoS-related decisions, and input data into QQS, so that evaluators have the necessary information to execute their decision-making algorithms. QQS consists of a database, a registration, naming and dramatic-loading facility for evaluators, and a registration and dynamic-loading facility for data collectors. The data model underlying the database is a QoS-oriented data model specially designed for QQS, such that a maximum amount of relevant queries and evaluators fit into QQS. This paper describes the motivation, design, implementation and use of the QoS query service.


In a recent paper, John Wigglesworth explicates the notion of a set's being grounded in  or ontologically depending on  its members by the modal statement that in any world (possible or impossible), that a set exists in that world entails that its members exist as well. After suggesting that variable-domain S5 captures an appropriate account of metaphysical necessity, Wigglesworth purports to prove that in any set theory satisfying the axiom Extensionality  this condition holds, that is, that sets ontologically depend on their members with respect to extraordinarily weak notions of set. This paper diagnoses a number of problems concerning Wigglesworth's formal argument. For one, we will show that Wigglesworth's argument is invalid as it requires an appeal to hidden, extralogical theses concerning rigid designation and the persistence of sets across possible worlds. Having demonstrated the indispensability of these principles to Wigglesworth's argument, we will then show that even granted the enthymematic premises, the argument only proves the ontological dependence of singletons on their members and does not extend to sets in general. Finally, we will consider strengthenings of Wigglesworth's reasoning and suggest that even the weakest generalization will bear undesirable consequences.


Several cases of nonlinear-wave propagation are studied numerically in two dimensions within the framework of potential flow. The Laplace equation is solved with the Harmonic Polynomial cell (HPC) method, which is a field method with high-order accuracy. In the HPC method, the computational domain is divided into overlapping cells. Within each cell, the velocity potential is represented by a sum of harmonic polynomials. Two different methods denoted as Immersed Boundary (IB) and Multi-grid (MG) are used to track the free surface. The former treats the free surface as an immersed boundary in a fixed, Cartesian background grid, while the latter uses a free-surface fitted grid that overlaps with a Cartesian background grid. The simulated cases include several nonlinear wave mechanisms, such as high steepness and shallow-water effects. For one of the cases, a numerical scheme to suppress local wave breaking is introduced. Such scheme can serve as a practical mean to ensure numerical stability in simulations where local breaking is not significant for the result. For all the considered cases, both the IB and MG method generally give satisfactory agreement with known reference results. Although the two free-surface tracking methods mostly have similar performance, some differences between them are pointed out. These include aspects related to modelling of particular physical problems as well as their computational efficiency when combined with the HPC method.


Borders are often understood as 'tools' of sovereign power and as establishing the very possibility for authority in the international system of sovereign states (Salter, 2012). This paper seeks to problematise this perspective by looking at the case of the Unist'ot'en Action Camp in northern British Columbia, which has engaged bordering practices including having established a checkpoint on the roadway into the Unist'ot'en territory and actively policing helicopter traffic into the territory. Looking at the Camp, this paper argues that such bordering practices draw upon traditional Indigenous ways of being in order to contest and undo settler sovereign authority, in contrast to the traditional understanding of borders as working to organise settler authority. Understood this way, the paper argues that when inscribed with Indigenous knowledge and when relying on Indigenous authorities, borders and bordering practices can be read as gateways to 'meaningful decolonisation.'


The UK Government is proposing to include 'burden of illness' criteria in its scheme for value based pricing of branded medicines, potentially according higher rewards to medicines that treat more burdensome diseases. The 2010 Consultation Document includes a definition of burden of illness that incorporates both severity (length or quality of life) and 'unmet need' (whether and what treatment exists). Little empirical evidence is available, however, on societal attitudes towards these definitions. In this exploratory study, Shah and Devlin tested one approach to eliciting public preferences about allocating health care resources based on disease severity and unmet need. They found that maximising health gain was considered by most of those interviewed to be more important than giving priority to the severely ill or treating patients with unmet medical needs. The authors note that some of the study's findings contradict other empirical studies and caution that framing effects can have a powerful influence on any such research.


The following paper examines adverse selection concerns facing health insurance companies from the coverage of high-cost, but highly-effective, cures for chronic diseases. This problem has arisen over the past several years with the development of Sovaldi, a cure for hepatitis C. However, it will become more prevalent as more expensive cures, particularly gene therapies, are developed and come to market. Health insurers, when deciding to cover the expensive cures, incur the risk that a disproportionate number of high-cost individuals will enroll in their plan while they are ill, but leave once they are cured and healthy. This adverse selection problem may lead health insurers to avoid risking this possibility, and as a result not cover the cures at all. Policymakers have posited several solutions to address this market failure. One potential policy solution is the establishment of a risk-stabilization program for insurance plans that cover these therapies. This risk-stabilization program would de-risk the potential adverse selection and allow chronically ill patients to access revolutionary, curative therapies. A second potential policy solution is the institution of annuity-like "pay-for-performance" models in which insurers pay for expensive but curative treatments over several years, contingent on the treatment's performance.


ABSTRACT The ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila contains two distinct nuclei within a single cell—the mitotic micronucleus and the amitotic macronucleus. Although microtubules are required for proper division of both nuclei, macronuclear chromosomes lack centromeres and the role of microtubules in macronuclear division has not been established. Here we describe nuclear division defects in cells expressing a mutant β-tubulin allele that confers hypersensitivity to the microtubule-stabilizing drug paclitaxel. Macronuclear division is profoundly affected by the btu1-1 (K350M) mutation, producing cells with widely variable DNA contents, including cells that lack macronuclei entirely. Protein expressed by the btu1-1 allele is dominant over wild-type protein expressed by the BTU2 locus. Normal macronuclear division is restored when the btu1-1 allele is inactivated by targeted disruption or expressed as a truncated protein. Immunofluorescence studies reveal elongated microtubular structures that surround macronuclei that fail to migrate to the cleavage furrows. In contrast, other cytoplasmic microtubule-dependent processes, such as cytokinesis, cortical patterning, and oral apparatus assembly, appear to be unaffected in the mutant. Micronuclear division is also perturbed in the K350M mutant, producing nuclei with elongated early-anaphase spindle configurations that persist well after the initiation of cytokinesis. The K350M mutation affects tubulin dynamics, as the macronuclear division defect is exacerbated by three treatments that promote microtubule polymerization: (i) elevated temperatures, (ii) sublethal concentrations of paclitaxel, and (iii) high concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) with 3-methyladenine or wortmannin also induces amacronucleate cell formation in a btu1-1-dependent manner. Conversely, the myosin light chain kinase inhibitor ML-7 has no effect on nuclear division in the btu1-1 mutant strain. These findings provide new insights into microtubule dynamics and link the evolutionarily conserved PI 3-kinase signaling pathway to nuclear migration and/or division in Tetrahymena.


The principal aim of this roadmap is to place the US and Fermilab in the best position to host the International Linear Collider (ILC). The strategy must be resilient against the many vicissitudes that will attend the development of such a large project. Pier Oddone will explore the tension between the needed concentration of effort to move a project as large as the ILC forward and the need to maintain the breadth of our field.


Internationalisation is a global phenomenon that is changing the way in which educational systems need to look at their education delivery in order to be competitive and meet the needs of the global economy. The Swedish education system currently has a competitive advantage because it is free from tuition fees. However, what is of particular interest in this research is the impact that the proposed introduction of fees to non EU students will have on the Swedish educational system ability to continue to attract non EU students. The number of international students choosing to study in Sweden is increasing by 14% each year. Part of the reason behind this is that Swedish higher education systems have an overcapacity for students in addition to a decline in the number of Swedish students' choosing to study. The intention of this thesis is to address the following questions; How can Swedish higher education institutions meet the needs of its culturally diverse student base? What are the implications of this on the employees at the institutions? And What are the institutional measures that can be introduced to meet the needs of the culturally diverse student base and its employees? To answer these questions an exploratory case study approach was taken with the intention being to maximise the variation and capture the true essence of the internationalisation situation in the Swedish higher education system. The case study area chosen was the BTH School of Management. Primary data was collected via Student programme evaluations, focus groups and field notes. Secondary data consisted of International and national education documents, EU documents and policies, Geert Hofstede and other relevant cultural and Educational documents. The research identified that there was a link between addressing student's needs and an institution's attractiveness. Therefore, in addressing the needs of the international students their cultural needs and expectations must be considered. Some recommendations on what could be done to meet the cultural needs of the students have been derived from the research conducted in this thesis. These recommendations are also well utilised in other industries and other educational systems.


Abstract The document presents two separate articles with the same title –"What is Hamasteghtsakan Art" – by artist Arman Grigoryan and art critic Nazareth Karoyan, published in Armenia in 1994 and 1996 respectively. Translated from Armenian and introduced by Angela Harutyunyan both articles have been formative for the development of contemporary art in Armenia. While presenting diverging views on the meaning of hamasteghtsakan (translated as collectively created), the concept was circulated as a definition for a broad range of post-medium artistic practices in late Soviet and post-Soviet Armenia. These practices formed an oppositional discourse to both Socialist Realism and Armenian National modernism. Harutyunyan's introduction locates the texts in a broader context of artistic institutional transformations in the late 1980s and early 1994 in Armenia.


We demonstrate laser-scanning coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging with two excitation laser beams delivered by a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber. The group-velocity dispersion and self-phase modulation effects are largely suppressed due to the large mode area of the fiber and the use of picosecond pulses. The fiber delivery preserves the signal level and image spatial resolution well. High-quality images of live spinal cord tissues are acquired using the fiber-delivered laser source. Our method provides a basic platform for developing a flexible and compact CARS imaging system.


The collapse of communism in late 1989 released the Czechs to freely consider and shape the social and economic structures of their country. The diverse formulations of the contours that a democratic and market competitive Czech Republic should take were closely intertwined with the visions of Europe and the European Union. Two prominent postcommunist politicians, Vaclav Havel and Vaclav Klaus, offered two perspectives. While Vaclav Havel stressed the cultural, socially liberal anchoring represented by European democracy, Vaclav Klaus initially focused on Europe as a market-liberal economic model. By the time Vaclav Klaus replaced Vaclav Havel in the presidential office, Klaus shifted his European rhetoric from economic to sociocultural matters, opposing Europe as a limitation on Czech sovereignty.

The discrete visions proposed by these statesmen are reflected in Czech public opinion, shaped between economic and sociocultural considerations. While Czech public opinion initially viewed the EU in economic terms, this changed around the time of the Czech Republic's accession to the Union in 2004. By the early 2000s Czechs started to view the EU rather as a sociocultural project. It was also around this time that public support for the Union starts to significantly decline.

The European Union, as a multifaceted organization with an encompassing legal framework, has been both an inspiration and a scarecrow in Czech politics. While for Havel it has provided an imperfect but stable sociocultural expression of liberty and openness, for Klaus it was initially a symbol of free market economics, only to later become a much-opposed damper on Czech national independence. Klaus's economic view dominated public understanding of the EU in the 1990s; however, the 2000s have seen a shift as the EU comes to be understood as a value-based, socially liberalizing project. While this development coincides with Havel's vision of the EU, it, paradoxically, has led to increased public opposition to European integration.


The historical paradigm of data globalization is fragmenting. Fragmentation of transnational data flows and related governance frameworks is emerging globally as the result of evolving differences between major economies, heightened by technological and geopolitical competition and conflicts. The irreconcilable positions of the three major economies and standard-setting jurisdictions – the United States, the European Union, and the People's Republic of China – are breaking down the global data economy and threaten to fracture its core infrastructure, the Internet. We provide a framework to analyze this emerging landscape and assess its implications. Each jurisdiction is characterized by an evolving and distinct data governance style based on its attitude towards markets and governance, the normative principles supporting the exercise of control over data, and the mode of regulating data. As these domestic governance styles consolidate into competing and conflicting data governance regimes, their transnational export and impact are fracturing the existing transnational data governance paradigm, based on free data movement, and hindering international coordination in the global data economy. We characterize this dynamic as the wicked problem of transnational data governance, as no single solution can address it. The paper highlights three approaches to address this wicked problem: (1) a bilateral approach that draws from the riparian system for water rights; (2) a plurilateral approach allowing the free circulation data along sector-specific regulatory coalitions; (3) a multilateral approach, entailing a hard law Digital Bretton Woods or a soft law Digital Stability Board. The implementation of a combination of these approaches offers a basis for a workable foundation for transnational data governance that harnesses the benefits of data globalization without undermining domestic sovereign priorities.


This paper describes a generic speech synthesis system called CHATR which is being developed at ATR. CHATR is designed in a modular way so that module parameters and even which modules are actually used may be set and selected at runtime. Although some interdependencies exist between modules, CHATR offers a useful research tool in which functionally equivalent modules may be easily compared. It also acts as a simple system for those less interested in the internals of speech synthesis but just wish their computer to talk.


Main objective of this research work is to improve the checkpoint efficiency for integrated multilevel checkpointing algorithms and prevent checkpointing from becoming the bottleneck of cloud data centers. In order to find an efficient checkpoint interval, checkpointing overheads has also considered in this paper. Traditional checkpointing methods stores persistently snapshots of the present job state and use them for resuming the execution at a later time. The attention of this research is strategies for deciding when and whether a checkpoint should be taken and evaluating them in regard to minimizing the induced monetary costs. By varying rerun time of checkpoints performance comparisons are which will be used to evaluate optimal checkpoint interval. The purposed fail-over strategy will work on application layer and provide highly availability for Platform as a Service (PaaS) feature of cloud computing.


This paper explores the current rising rates of online learning in higher education. It examines how disability is activated differently online and the impact of this on learning and teaching through the internet and the accessibility of two of the most popular learning management systems, Blackboard and Moodle, and the different approaches, benefits and problems associated with each system. It then explores the eLearning environment beyond the structure of a LMS to a broader digital campus that includes social networks, video hosting sites and micro blogging, where students and staff are increasingly expanding the learning and social environment in higher education. It also questions the legal and moral responsibilities of universities to make all their online activities accessible to all students, regardless of disability.


The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of the support group meetings organized for breast cancer patients. The period of time taken into account is one year. In the 23 meetings, there were 26 patients, 11 participating to only one meeting, while the highest rate of attendance was 19, for 2 patients. We are analyzing the number of patients who attended the support group sessions, the debated subjects, the group's structure and the patients' motivation. The profile of a frequent participant to the support group is represented by a lady with the age between 50 de 69 years old (p=0.009), married (p=0.035), with a medium level of education (p=0.038), for whom the magnitude of the operation (p=0.056), the time elapsed from the diagnosis (p=0.65), the information received from the treating physician (p=0.31) or the quality of the family support (p=0.16) did not influence the attendance.


Community-Unity-Communion: Essays in Honour of Mary Tanner. Edited by Colin Podmore. London: Church House Publishing, 1998. ix + 294 pp. 9.95 (paper). This collection of twenty-six essays on the three related subjects named in its title is a worthy volume to celebrate the retirement of Dr. Mary Tanner after sixteen years of distinguished service as the General Secretary of the Church of England Council for Christian Unity. There is also a select bibliography of her publications. Her ecumenical activities and achievements in England and in the Anglican Communion internationally, as well as in the World Council of Churches, have been considerable, and these essays well illustrate the range of her interests and influence. The contributors include, with some overlap, no fewer than nine bishops, fourteen non-Anglicans, and no fewer than seven Lutherans. It is perhaps significant that of the three American essayists two are Lutherans, and that there is no contribution from any American Episcopalian. Perceived differences between the approaches of the Episcopal Church and the Church of England toward relations with the Lutherans may have something to do with this fact, given the comment of the editor that "Questions about the goal of unity underlie the tensions between the proposed Lutheran-Episcopal Concordat in America and the Porvoo Agreement in Northern Europe." There is much food for thought in the contents of this volume, and here it will not be possible to do more than indicate briefly my own observation upon some of the more important assertions made. Questioning "A Future for the World Council of Churches," the ecumenical institution to which Mary Tanner has given so much of her creative energy, John Habgood, retired archbishop of York, prophesies: "It is obvious that the present state of the WCC is not a happy one. I feel it has reached a transition point.... It can either become a slimmer, more centrally directed body, in line with those churches which believe that clarity and conviction, at whatever cost in the suppression of alternative opinions, constitute the right response in an age of confusion. Or it can embrace greater diversity, and take seriously the need to root ecumenism more firmly in local structures . . . while accepting the cost in terms of united prophetic witness." John Arnold, the dean of Durham, aptly describes William Tyndale as "the most Lutheran of Anglican martyrs"; it was Tyndale's translation of the New Testament, done in 1524 and for which he died at the stake in 1535, that largely influenced Coverdale's work on the Great Bible of 1539 and provided the earliest English translation of the liturgical Epistles and Gospels that entered the first Book of Common Prayer in 1549. Eric Kemp, bishop of Chichester, commenting on the importance of a universally acknowledged ministry in the fourth point of the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, delves back into the statement of the Lambeth Conference of 1920 that "Bishops and clergy of our Communion would willingly accept from [the authorities of other Communions] a form of commission or recognition which would commend our ministry to their congregations." He then urges, interestingly, the question of whether this "spirit of humility" might also be a way forward for Anglicans today in their relations with the Church of Rome, since the same Lambeth Appeal also remarked that "We believe that for all, a truly equitable approach to union is by the way of mutual deference to one another's consciences." In an essay that seems strangely at odds with the tendency of the Virginia Report and the Anglican unity resolutions of the last Lambeth Conference, Paul Avis, who has been chosen to be Mary Tanner's successor as General Secretary of the Church of England Council for Christian Unity, locates "the distinctiveness of Anglicanism" in what he calls "the sphere of authority," not in any distinctiveness of belief but in the fact that "Anglicans do not recognize any central teaching authority (magisterium) with power to make binding interpretations of Scripture and tradition. …


In order to investigate the effects of climate on the shell colour and banding polymorphism of Cepaea nemoralis, surveys were carried out, in 1962 and 1963, in two extensive valley complexes in the Pyrenees; populations were sampled over a wide altitudinal range, such that considerable differences in the climatic environment were apparent, both within and between the valley complexes. The valleys selected for study were that of the Garonne in the central Pyrenees and on the north side of the watershed, and that of the Segre and its major tributary, the Valira, nearer the Mediterranean and on the southern side. The unbanded phenotype exhibits a parallel frequency distribution in colonies sampled near the rivers in both regions. It is at higher frequencies at high altitudes, and also in the lower parts of the valleys sampled, intermediate altitudes having populations which are predominantly fivebanded. There is, however, a marked difference between the two regions in the extent of the changes between the intermediate-altitude banding zones and the lower and upper zones; unbanded reaches much higher frequencies regularly in the upper zones of the Garonne compared with those in the Segre-Valira, whereas it is the latter region which exhibits really high frequencies in the lower zone. The distribution of frequencies of the yellow morph in the Garonne resembles that of unbanded; only intermediate-altitude populations have appreciable frequencies of pink, other populations having high or very high frequencies of yellow. In the Segre-Valira, there are some parallels in frequency distribution, but yellow is at a high overall frequency almost everywhere. The species is polymorphic for lip colour in the Pyrenees, and the results agree with Lamotte's for other Pyrenean valleys; the white-lipped morph is rare or infrequent in the foothills, and reaches high frequencies in the higher parts of the mountains. The relative constancy of morph frequencies over considerable distances, and their regular distribution between valleys and between the two regions (for example) show that selection is operating. It is argued that the colour and banding zones are area effects as there is no evidence for variation with habitat in districts where this can be tested by comparing open habitat samples with samples taken from woods, despite the occurrence of visual predation; and certain morph frequencies characterize quite clearly geographical areas rather than habitats. The broad correlation between morph frequencies--particularly banding morph frequencies-and altitude in the upper parts of the valleys suggested that some climatic aspects might be acting selectively. Comparison of samples made from hill slopes with those made by the rivers shows that the former tend to have less extreme morph frequencies; thus, at similar altitudes, hillside populations have lower frequencies of unbanded and of white-lip, and tend to have lower frequencies of yellow. This indicates that the factors favouring these morphs at higher altitudes do not act at the same strength on the hill slopes as in the valleys. It seems likely, from the accepted generalization that hill slopes are usually more temperate than valley bottoms, that cold air and concomitant low temperatures favour unbanded, yellow, and white-lip. Consideration of aspect of the valleys, and of certain colonies exceptional for banding frequencies concur with this: north-facing valleys and occluded situations tend to have populations with higher frequencies of unbanded than south-facing ones and sunny open localities. A comparison of morph frequencies in the Garonne and Segre-Valira regions with their climates also supports this interpretation for colour and banding. Similarly, the increase in frequencies of unbanded and of yellow at lower altitudes in the Garonne, and the very marked rise in frequency of unbanded in the Segre-Valira suggests that these two morphs are also favoured in conditions which tend to be warm and dry. The extent of the changes agrees, for the lower Segre-Valira, unlike the lower surveyed reaches of the Garonne, is essentially mediterranean in climate, and the frequency of unbanded is overall much higher there. Other field evidence, both from the Pyrenees and elsewhere, is in broad agreement with yellow and unbanded being favoured in more extreme climatic conditions, and most of the artificial resistance experiments performed with Cepaea accord in that these two morphs survive better when subjected to severe temperatures. The results are discussed with relevance to morph frequency distributions elsewhere; it is suggested that area effects in unbanded and yellow may occur when climate becomes sufficiently extreme, and some evidence is presented that this may be so on high country in the English counties Of Staffordshire and Cumberland. It is also suggested that if the strength of visual selection is relaxed in open country, as recent work indicates, then area effects in pink and fivebanded may occur in mild conditions; some evidence is produced in support of this idea. The clines in banding in the lower valleys are stepped; banding morph frequencies change apparently suddenly from one relatively stable frequency to another in both regions, without relation tO topographical features which might cause climatic disjunction in the vicinity of the step. It is tentatively suggested that co-adaptive selection may interact with climatic selection in the intermediate and lower zones, to produce sharp steps in frequency with stability despite change in altitude and climate on either side.


Over the past several decades, Saudi cities have experienced rapid urban developments and land use and land cover (LULC) changes. These developments will have numerous short- and long-term consequences including increasing the land surface temperature (LST) of these cities. This study investigated the effects of LULC changes on the LST for the eastern coastal city of Dammam. Using Landsat imagery, the study first detected the LULC using the maximum likelihood classification method and derived the LSTs for the years 1990, 2002, and 2014. Using the classified results, it then modeled the future LULC for 2026 using the Cellular Automata Markov (CAM) model. Finally, using three thematic indices and linear regression analysis, it then modeled the LST for 2026 as well. The built-up area in Dammam increased by 28.9% between 1990 and 2014. During this period, the average LSTs for the LULC classes increased as well, with bare soil and built-up area having the highest LST. By 2026, the urban area is expected to encompass 55% of the city and 98% of the land cover is envisioned to have average LSTs over 41 °C. Such high temperatures will make it difficult for the residents to live in the area.


Background: Opioid errors are a leading cause of patient harm and adversely impact palliative care inpatients' pain and symptom management. Yet, the factors contributing to opioid errors in palliative care are poorly understood. Identifying and better understanding the individual and system factors contributing to these errors is required to inform targeted strategies. Objectives: To explore palliative care clinicians' perceptions of the factors contributing to opioid errors in Australian inpatient palliative care services. Design: A qualitative study using focus groups or semi-structured interviews. Settings: Three specialist palliative care inpatient services in New South Wales, Australia. Participants: Inpatient palliative care clinicians who are involved with, and/or have oversight of, the services' opioid delivery or quality and safety processes. Methods: Deductive thematic content analysis of the qualitative data. The Yorkshire Contributory Factors Framework was applied to identify error-contributing factors. Findings: A total of 58 clinicians participated in eight focus groups and 20 semi-structured interviews. Nine key error contributory factor domains were identified, including: active failures; task characteristics of opioid preparation; clinician inexperience; sub-optimal skill mix; gaps in support from central functions; the drug preparation environment; and sub-optimal clinical communication. Conclusion: This study identified multiple system-level factors contributing to opioid errors in inpatient palliative care services. Any quality and safety initiatives targeting safe opioid delivery in specialist palliative care services needs to consider the full range of contributing factors, from individual to systems/latent factors, which promote error-causing conditions.


Social media have played an essential role in the jihadists' operational strategy in Syria and Iraq, and beyond. Twitter in particular has been used to drive communications over other social media platforms. Twitter streams from the insurgency may give the illusion of authenticity, as a spontaneous activity of a generation accustomed to using their cell phones for self-publication, but to what extent is access and content controlled? Over a period of three months, from January through March 2014, information was collected from the Twitter accounts of 59 Western-origin fighters known to be in Syria. Using a snowball method, the 59 starter accounts were used to collect data about the most popular accounts in the network-at-large. Social network analysis on the data collated about Twitter users in the Western Syria-based fighters points to the controlling role played by feeder accounts belonging to terrorist organizations in the insurgency zone, and by Europe-based organizational accounts associated with the banned British organization, Al Muhajiroun, and in particular the London-based preacher, Anjem Choudary.


This Technical brief is a short summary of the results obtained from the field trials conducted at Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India to understand the Pest dynamics at elevated temperature. Among the major food crops, rice (Oryza sativa L.) forms the stable food for more than half of the world's population. Among various constrains in rice production, losses due to pest is a major concern. Climate change resulting in increased temperature could impact crop insect pest populations in several complex ways. Although some climate change temperature effects might tend to depress insect populations, most researchers seem to agree that warmer temperatures in temperate climates will result in more types and higher populations of insects. Hence, it is important to understand the population growth of the important insect pests such as yellow stem borer (Scirpophaga incertulas) and brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) of rice. The results revealed that there was an inverse correlation between temperature and total life span, developmental time and also fecundity. However there was a positive correlation between temperature and net reproductive rate and development rate.


Owing to its outstanding electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties; as well as to its unique one-atom-thick two-dimensional carbon structure, graphene has attracted tremendous interest from both academia and industry. Although various synthesis protocols exist for graphene (i.e., top-down and bottom-up approaches), the development of eco-friendly green synthesis processes that are simple and scalable is currently still of great importance. Due to the significant detrimental effects on the environment caused by the toxic chemicals and complicated manufacturing procedures often employed in the synthesis of graphene, its practical applications are very limited, as we have experienced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this context, a wide range of facile and green synthesis strategies have been extensively investigated. Examples of such methods include the efficient reduction of graphene oxide using non-poisonous reducing agents and/or procedures, and the direct exfoliation of graphene from pristine graphite using eco-friendly processes under mild conditions. In this review, we summarize the general aspects and recent progress that have contributed to the development of eco-friendly green synthesis procedures for graphene, including mechanisms, properties, and applications. In addition, challenges and perspectives on the future of this field are also discussed.


Effective vaccines should confer long-term protection against future outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by a novel zoonotic coronavirus (SARS-CoV) with unknown animal reservoirs. We conducted a cohort study examining multiple parameters of immune responses to SARS-CoV infection, aiming to identify the immune correlates of protection. We used a matrix of overlapping peptides spanning whole SARS-CoV proteome to determine T cell responses from 128 SARS convalescent samples by ex vivo IFN-γ ELISPOT assays. Approximately 50% of convalescent SARS patients were positive for T cell responses, and 90% possessed strongly neutralizing Abs. Fifty-five novel T cell epitopes were identified, with spike protein dominating total T cell responses. CD8+ T cell responses were more frequent and of a greater magnitude than CD4+ T cell responses (p < 0.001). Polychromatic cytometry analysis indicated that the virus-specific T cells from the severe group tended to be a central memory phenotype (CD27+/CD45RO+) with a significantly higher frequency of polyfunctional CD4+ T cells producing IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2, and CD8+ T cells producing IFN-γ, TNF-α, and CD107a (degranulation), as compared with the mild-moderate group. Strong T cell responses correlated significantly (p < 0.05) with higher neutralizing Ab. The serum cytokine profile during acute infection indicated a significant elevation of innate immune responses. Increased Th2 cytokines were observed in patients with fatal infection. Our study provides a roadmap for the immunogenicity of SARS-CoV and types of immune responses that may be responsible for the virus clearance, and should serve as a benchmark for SARS-CoV vaccine design and evaluation.


In spite of its robust syntax, semantic cohesion, and less ambiguity, lemma level analysis and generation does not yet focused in Arabic NLP literatures. In the current research, we propose the first non-statistical accurate Arabic lemmatizer algorithm that is suitable for information retrieval (IR) systems. The proposed lemmatizer makes use of different Arabic language knowledge resources to generate accurate lemma form and its relevant features that support IR purposes. As a POS tagger, the experimental results show that, the proposed algorithm achieves a maximum accuracy of 94.8%. For first seen documents, an accuracy of 89.15% is achieved, compared to 76.7% of up to date Stanford accurate Arabic model, for the same, dataset.


Fast Marching (FM) Methods were introduced by J. A. Sethian in 1996 to solve the eikonal equation on with Dirichlet boundary conditions in the case that does not change sign. Since then some improvements have been proposed in order to extend the FM technique to more generale equations. The main assumptions for these methods is the convexity of the Hamiltonian . We present an extension of the FM method based on a semi-Lagrangian discretization to (non-convex) minmax Hamiltonians which appear in pursuit-evasion games and an extension of FM method for the eikonal equation to the case that changes sign and it is time-dependent. [ DOI : 10.1685 / CSC06059] About DOI


In Ericsson, the Automation Team automates test cases that are frequently rerun. This process involves copying data related to a particular Configured Test Case from a database and then pasting it into a java file created to run a test case. In one java file, there can be more than one Configured Test Cases. So information can vary. Then the tester has to add package name, necessary imports, member variables, preamble and post amble methods, help methods and main execution methods. A lot of time and effort are consumed in writing the whole code. The Automation Team came up with a proposal of having a tool that can generate this whole information and the tester just has to add or remove minor changes. This will save time and resources. So the development of tool started and finally a tool named Automatic Test Builder developed in java was created to help automation teams in Ottawa, Kista and Linkoping. This document elaborates problem statement, opted approach, tools used in development process, a detailed overview of all development stages of Automatic Test Builder. This document also explains issues what came during the development, evaluation and usability analysis of Automatic Test Builder.


PURPOSE
To investigate technical feasibility, test-retest reproducibility, and the ability to differentiate healthy subjects from subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) with diffusion-tensor (DT) imaging parameters and T2 relaxation time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was approved by the institutional review board and was HIPAA compliant. All subjects provided written informed consent. DT imaging parameters and T2 (resolution=0.6×0.6×2 mm) of patellar cartilage were measured at 7.0 T in 16 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with OA with subtle inhomogeneous signal intensity but no signs of cartilage erosion at clinical magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Ten volunteers were imaged twice to determine test-retest reproducibility. After cartilage segmentation, maps of mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA), and T2 relaxation time were calculated. Differences for ADC, FA, and T2 between the healthy and OA populations were assessed with nonparametric tests. The ability of each MR imaging parameter to help discriminate healthy subjects from subjects with OA was assessed by using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

RESULTS
Test-retest reproducibility was better than 10% for mean ADC (8.1%), FA (9.7%), and T2 (5.9%). Mean ADC and FA differed significantly (P<.01) between the OA and healthy populations, but T2 did not. For ADC, the optimal threshold to differentiate both populations was 1.2×10(-3) mm2/sec, achieving specificity of 1.0 (16 of 16) and sensitivity of 0.80 (eight of 10). For FA, the optimal threshold was 0.25, yielding specificity of 0.88 (14 of 16) and sensitivity of 0.80 (eight of 10). T2 showed poor differentiation between groups (optimal threshold=22.9 msec, specificity=0.69 [11 of 16], sensitivity=0.60 [six of 10]).

CONCLUSION
In vivo DT imaging of patellar cartilage is feasible, has good test-retest reproducibility, and may be accurate in discriminating healthy subjects from subjects with OA. ADC and FA are two promising biomarkers for early OA.


Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among people aged 50 and over. Retinal deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates in AMD patients has suggested a potential link between AMD and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have evaluated the differential retinal expression profile of miRNAs in a rat model of AMD elicited by Aβ. A serum profile of miRNAs in AMD patients has been also assessed using single TaqMan assay. Analysis of retina from rats intravitreally injected with Aβ revealed that miR-27a, miR-146a, and miR-155 were up-regulated in comparison to control rats. Seven miRNA (miR-9, miR-23a, miR-27a, miR-34a, miR-126, miR-146a, and miR-155) have been found to be dysregulated in serum of AMD patients in comparison to control group. Analysis of pathways has revealed that dysregulated miRNAs, both in the AMD animal model and in AMD patients, can target genes regulating pathways linked to neurodegeneration and inflammation, reinforcing the hypothesis that AMD is a protein misfolding disease similar to AD. In fact, miR-9, miR-23a, miR-27a, miR-34a, miR-146a, miR-155 have been found to be dysregulated both in AMD and AD. In conclusion, we suggest that miR-9, miR-23a, miR-27a, miR-34a, miR-146a, miR-155 represent potential biomarkers and new pharmacological targets for AMD.


The relationship between predator and prey has traditionally focused on the act of consumption. More recently, interest has shifted to the intimidation of prey through predator presence and the resulting alterations in prey morphology, behavior, or development. These prey responses, broadly called non-consumptive effects, are energetically costly to prey and can result in changes in prey populations. The study of non-consumptive effects can help further explain complicated trophic level relationships and food webs. The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a small, phloem-feeding insect that has developed an array of antipredator responses when threatened. Dropping from a host plant, the costliest of the pea aphid's behaviors, has been subject to a wealth of previous literature. This thesis work explored the relationship between dropping behavior, alarm cues (an indication of predator threat), aphid density, and plant health. Pea aphids were added to broad bean plants (Vicia faba) at a low (five aphids) and high (fifty aphids) density and also for a short (one day) and long (five day) feeding period. The treatments were then exposed to a simulated predator via a present or absent alarm cue. The number of aphids that dropped were counted for all treatments. The presence of an alarm cue resulted in significantly more dropping than with alarm cue absent. The density of aphids and length of feeding time did not affect dropping behavior despite a reduction of new plant growth in the high density/long feeding period treatment from control.


The molecular dynamic (MD) simulation and quantum chemical calculations for the adsorption of [2-(2-Henicos-10-enyl-4,5-dihydro-imidazol-1-yl)-ethyl]-methylamine (HDM) and 2-(2-Henicos-10-enyl-4,5-dihydro-imidazol-1-yl)-ethanol (HDE) on iron surface was studied using Materials Studio software. Molecular dynamic simulation results indicate that the imidazoline derivative molecules uses the imidazoline ring to effectively adsorb on the surface of iron, with the alkyl hydrophobic tail forming an n shape (canopy like covering) at geometry optimization and at 353 K. The n shape canopy like covering to a large extent may prevent water from coming in close contact with the Fe surface. The quantum chemical calculation based on the natural atomic charge, the frontier molecular orbital and the Fukui indices values and plots shows the active sites of the molecules to be mainly the N=C-N region in the imidazoline ring, others include the nitrogen and oxygen heteroatoms in the pendant part and the double bonded carbon atoms in the hydrophobic tail of the imidazoline derivative molecules. The quantum chemical calculations also reveal that the amine group in HDM and the hydroxyl group in HDE which is attached to the imidazoline ring do not result in a significant increase in the HOMO nor the LUMO density which can aid adsorption.HDM has a lower energy gap of 4.434 eV and 3.824 eV, a higher E HOMO of -4.273 eV and -4.152 eV and a higher global softness of 0.45 and 0.52 compared to HDE which have an energy gap of 4.476 eV and 4.084 eV, a E HOMO of -4.349 eV and -4.607 eV and a global softness of 0.45 and 0.49 at geometry optimization and at 353 K. The adsorption ability of the molecule is given as at geometry optimization HDM > HDE and at 353 K HDM > HDE. Theoretically HDM is a better inhibitor than HDE. The adsorption ability of the molecule is in line with the binding energy at the temperature studied.


Abundant bryozoans occur in the uppermost Gerster Limestone (Permian) in a saddle directly west of the main Medicine Range section of the Gerster Limestone of northeastern Nevada. The stratigraphic position of this shaly limestone is confirmed by the conodont Merrilina praedivergens (late Wordian), which occurs elsewhere in the uppermost Gerster Limestone. Three new genera and five new species of bryozoans have been discovered in this shaly limestone. Subsequent analyses identified the new genera as Autospinifera n. gen., Utgaardostylus n. gen., and Wyseotrypa n. gen. The new species are Autospinifera rossae n. sp., Utgaardostylus stylata n. sp., Wyseotrypa parallela n. sp., Dyscritella triangulara n. sp., and Dyscritellina laminata n. sp. Other species of bryozoans present were previously described from the Russian Far East, Murdock Mountain Formation of the Leach Mountains of northeastern Nevada, Phosphoria Formation of eastern Idaho, and Gerster Limestone of the Medicine Range section of Nevada. This bryozoan fauna represents a late middle-Permian boreal fauna.


Favorable agro-climatic conditions and comparatively cheaper and readily available human resources offer a promising business opportunity to cut flower production in Pakistan. Presently, growers are limited to traditional cut flower crops such as rose (Rosa hybrids), gladiolus (Gladiolus hybrids), marigold (Tagetes erecta), and tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) because of unavailability of improved new species and cultivars. To diversify cut flower production in Pakistan, a study was conducted to evaluate the production and postharvest performance of different cultivars of delphinium (Delphinium hybrids), snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus), and stock (Matthiola incana) in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. 'Guardian White' delphinium had the shortest time to harvest first marketable stems (160 days) with comparatively shorter stems (87.7 cm). Whereas 'Aurora White' and 'Aurora Blue' were high-temperature tolerant and produced attractive racemes with longer stems; 112.0 and 99.7 cm, respectively. All cultivars lasted about 7 days in distilled water (DW). 'Cheerful White' stock had the shortest cropping time and produced highest quality double flowers with longest stems (51.8 cm) compared with other cultivars tested. Vase solution of 4% sucrose supplemented with 100 mg L silver nitrate (AgNO3) extended the vase life of 'Cheerful White' stock up to 11.8 days compared with 8.2 days in DW. Pulsing with 10% sucrose supplemented with 100 mg L AgNO3 extended the longevity of 'Lucinda Dark Rose Double' stock (10.2 days) similar to vase solution of 4% sucrose plus 100mg L AgNO3; however, 'LucindaDarkRoseDouble' stock produced shorter stems than 'CheerfulWhite'. 'Appleblossom' snapdragon produced >10marketable stems per plant with highest quality attractive flowers, and stout stems, which lasted 10.8 days in 4% sucrose vase solution supplemented with 100 mg L AgNO3. Among tested species/cultivars, all exotic species/cultivars produced uniform high quality stems resulting in higher productivity as compared with local cultivars and were favorably appraised by flower growers/retailers and are best suited for diversification of local cut flower industry.


Triathlon is a popular sport with world wide participation. It combines three different endurance modalities - swimming, cycling and running - within a single event. There is a variety of distances on which triathlon events are made, the Ironman race being the longest. Many authors have already reported injury occurrence after intense exertion, either directly, through histological sarcomere alterations, or indirectly, over the quantification of specific muscle proteins concentration (injury biomarkers) in the plasma. Among these markers of muscle injury, Myoglobin and Creatine Kinase stand out. In fact, creatine kinase is the most used biochemical indicator of muscle injury occurrence. Within this context, it is justified the purpose of this study, that intends to verify exercise effects on serum levels of creatine kinase in ultra-distance triathletes in the course of a competition period. Serum levels of CK from 10 triathletes who competed in the Ironman Brazil event, 2007 were evaluated. Blood analyses were done at five distinct periods: 19 days before Ironman Brazil competition (CK1), 48 hours before it (CK2), immediately after it (CK3), five days after the competition (CK4) and 12 days after the event (CK5). The results showed significant increase on CK concentrations at periods 3 and 4, when compared to the other evaluated periods. These alterations evidence the influence of the Ironman competition exhaustive exercise over the CK concentrations, revealing the possibility of muscle injuries development during the event. This fact enhances the importance of biomarkers' monitoring, like CK, that allow coaches and athletes to adapt training loads to increase their benefits and to avoid overtraining, improving performance, health and quality of life.


Given a Zd topological Markov shift S and a d×d integer matrix M with det(M) ¹ 0, we introduce the M-rescaling of S, denoted S(M). We show that some (internal) power of the Zd-action on S(M) is isomorphic to some (Cartesian, or external) power of S, and deduce that the two Markov shifts have the same topological entropy. Several examples from the theory of group automorphisms are discussed. Full shifts in any dimension are shown to be invariant under rescaling, and the problem of whether the reverse is true is interpreted as a higher-dimensional analogue of William's problem.


In this paper an attempt has been made to design and analyze integrated circuit interconnects for unshielded four conductors with three levels systems using Finite Element Method (FEM). The computational and simulation work has been carried out with help of COMSOL Multiphysics software. We illustrate that FEM is as accurate and effective for modeling multilayered multiconductor transmission lines in strongly inhomogeneous media. We mainly focus on designing of two electrostatic models of unshielded four interconnected lines with three levels system. We computed the capacitance and inductance matrices for these configurations. Also, we determine the quasi-static spectral for the potential distribution of the integrated circuits.


Big Data of Complex Networks presents and explains the methods from the study of big data that can be used in analysing massive structural data sets, including both very large networks and sets of graphs. As well as applying statistical analysis techniques like sampling and bootstrapping in an interdisciplinary manner to produce novel techniques for analyzing massive amounts of data, this book also explores the possibilities offered by the special aspects such as computer memory in investigating large sets of complex networks. Intended for computer scientists, statisticians and mathematicians interested in the big data and networks, Big Data of Complex Networks is also a valuable tool for researchers in the fields of visualization, data analysis, computer vision and bioinformatics. Key features: Provides a complete discussion of both the hardware and software used to organize big data Describes a wide range of useful applications for managing big data and resultant data sets Maintains a firm focus on massive data and large networks Unveils innovative techniques to help readers handle big data Matthias Dehmer received his PhD in computer science from the Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany. Currently, he is Professor at UMIT The Health and Life Sciences University, Austria, and the Universitt der Bundeswehr Mnchen. His research interests are in graph theory, data science, complex networks, complexity, statistics and information theory. Frank Emmert-Streib received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Bremen, and is currently Associate professor at Tampere University of Technology, Finland. His research interests are in the field of computational biology, machine learning and network medicine. Stefan Pickl holds a PhD in mathematics from the Darmstadt University of Technology, and is currently a Professor at Bundeswehr Universitt Mnchen. His research interests are in operations research, systems biology, graph theory and discrete optimization. Andreas Holzinger received his PhD in cognitive science from Graz University and his habilitation (second PhD) in computer science from Graz University of Technology. He is head of the Holzinger Group HCI-KDD at the Medical University Graz and Visiting Professor for Machine Learning in Health Informatics Vienna University of Technology.


During dynamic exercise, the response of the cardiorespiratory system is structured to maintain homeostasis at the cellular level. The rate at which homeostasis is established is largely dependent on the system's structural and physiological integrity. Evidence suggests that any impairment in the functioning of the system might be reflected in a determination of oxygen uptake (VO[2]) kinetics.The kinetics of VO[2] have been quantified in response to step, impulse, ramp and sinusoidal changes in work rate (WR). An alternative approach uses a technique in which the WR is perturbed according to a pseudorandom binary signal. Pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) WR forcings have the advantage of being able to provide a determination of vo2 kinetics from a single test session of ~30 min duration.The assessment of VO[2]kinetics using PRBS WR forcings demands that the controlling process behaves in a linear manner. To minimise the contribution of non-linear influences, changes in work intensity must be constrained to the sub-lactate threshold domain. When examining clinical, untrained or young subjects, the necessary reduction in the upper work limit of a PRBS forcing can effect a fall in the distribution of power across the bandwidth of the sequence. If the distribution of power should fall below a critical level, then it can become difficult to elicit discernible responses from the forcing. To resolve this problem, this thesis investigated the potential for developing a multifrequent WR forcing altered to enhance identification of the underlying VO[2] response.The multifrequent WR forcing developed for use in this thesis took the form of a binary sequence. Binary transitions were determined according to a specially constructed multifrequent signal. Signal construction involved redistributing the available signal power to specific harmonics in a chosen range of frequencies. To validate estimates of VO[2] kinetics derived from the multifrequent binary sequence (MFBS) WR forcing, comparisons were made with the data obtained from an established PRBS forcing.When comparing physiological data, it is necessary to consider the amount of variability between trials. Therefore, prior to assessing the agreement between data obtained from the MFBS and PRBS methods, this thesis sought to establish the degree of variability in estimates of VO[2] kinetics derived from PRBS exercise tests.The results presented in this thesis show estimates of the mean response time (MRT) of VO[2] derived from the MFBS method to be 46.8 (4.2) s (mean (standard deviation) seconds), compared with 45.2 (5.0) s for the PRBS method. This suggests that the two methods yield comparable determinations of VO[2] kinetics. Supporting evidence is provided by the limits of agreement. These indicate that the maximum difference likely to occur between the MRT obtained from the two methods (-6.5 to +9.6 s) is less than that expected due to variability in the MRT derived from PRBS forcings (-11.6 to +8.0 s). However, the limits also reveal the poor repeatability of VO[2] response data obtained from the PRBS used in the thesis. Consequently, the use of this data to assess the validity of t the MRT derived from MFBS forcings is not recommended.In addition to poor repeatability, the possibility exists that assessments of VO[2] kinetics derived from MFBS WR forcings will also depend on the distribution of power across the harmonic content of the sequence. Therefore, whilst MFBS WR forcings may be suited to the assessment of VO[2] kinetics in subjects with a reduced tolerance to exercise, there remain doubts concerning both the validity of the response data and applicability of the method. Until these issues have been resolved, care would need to be taken when using estimates of VO[2] kinetics derived from MFBS WR forcings to determine the functional state of the cardiorespiratory system.


There was in early-nineteenth-century France a widespread revival of religious sentiment, after the turmoil of the Revolution and the intellectual onslaught on religion so central to the French Enlightenment. Simultaneously, political economy became more prominent among "publicists"—educated people or theoreticians writing as journalists—and political elites. These two developments influenced those who sought to modernize society and who in their different ways expressed a new approach known as industrialisme. These writers put forward several versions of the links that should exist in industrial society between political economy and religion. A truly a-religious political economy based on self-interested behavior and utilitarianism, such as the one presented in Jean-Baptiste Say's writings, gained acceptance for most people interested in the "new" science. This point of departure is important not only because Say's thought became a major reference for the different conceptions of industrialisme but also because it provided a utilitarian evaluation of religious institutions and feelings. Some other conceptions of industrialisme can be found in the leading members of two distinct schools of thought: the Groupe de Coppet, with Germaine de Stael and Benjamin Constant; and the less homogeneous group formed by Claude-Henri Saint-Simon, the Saint-Simonians, and Auguste Comte. Both approaches presumed that self-interest was incapable of uniting the social body and emphasized religious feelings to explain how societies could function harmoniously. We examine how Stael and Constant dealt with these issues and how, while they accepted the principle of competition in economic activity, their conception of the specific nature of liberty in a modern society led them to a critique of utilitarianism and morals based on interest and also to the idea that the harmonious functioning of industrial society requires a morality based on religion. We then study how industrialisme was modified to fit the views of modern society held by Saint-Simon, the Saint-Simonians, and Comte. Political and civil liberty was not a central matter for these writers. Instead, they favored the creation of organizations capable of regulating a chaotic social order, and in this perspective new forms of religion were given a prominent place, specifically formed to suit the industrial social order and based on philanthropy or altruism. In the conclusion we briefly note that, after all such criticism, some leading liberal economists reacted in defense of political economy and developed their own conceptions of the links between economics and religion: they rejected the idea of the necessity of a new religion and insisted instead on traditional Catholic ideas. As a result, political economy and religion were conceived as two pillars of a conservative order following the rise of socialist ideas.


The proliferation of personal computing power and its associated affordability has seen an explosion in the use of computing and interactive systems of all kinds. This growth has brought with it an awareness among developers of interactive systems about the importance of user centered design and usability. In the Virginia Tech Usability tools lab, efforts are underway to develop tools and processes that assist in usability evaluation. This has led to the development of the User Action Framework (UAF) (Andre et al., 1999), a framework that forms the basis of several usability inspection tools like the Explorer, UPI (Usability Problem Inspector), UPC (Usability Problem Classifier) and the usability problem database. The UAF explorer is the tool in the toolkit, which allows users to explore and learn the structure of the UAF. The framework, in its final stages of development, is based on an interaction cycle derived from Norman's action model (1986). For its acceptance, the user action framework, which is based on human factors and cognitive concepts, needed a training program to make it accessible and understandable to the usability practioners in industry and academia. This thesis addressed the following research activities: (1) Developing a webbased training tool for the User Action Framework explorer and (2) Evaluating a webbased training tool using various formative evaluation techniques and a final summative evaluation to measure effectiveness of the training, transfer of training, knowledge/skill acquisition and reaction to the training. The summative evaluation used a pretest-posttest between subjects experimental design to determine the effectiveness of the training tool with the use of lecture-based training as a control group. The data collection included objective measures of performance and subjective measures through questionnaires and rating scales. The summative evaluation found no significant differences between gain scores on lecturebased training and web-based training under controlled conditions. Opportunities for future research were identified and the training tool is expected to contribute to the efforts of the VT usability tools lab towards educating usability professionals and researchers alike on the usefulness of the User Action Framework and its associated tools. This work also seeks to proliferate the use of web based training methods as a valuable way to train remote learners on such developing frameworks and toolkits.


Atlas of the Irish Revolution John Crowley 2017-09-01 The Atlas of the Irish Revolution is a definitive resource that brings to life this pivotal moment in Irish history and nation-building. Published to coincide with the centenary of the Easter Rising, this comprehensive and visually compelling volume brings together all of the current research on the revolutionary period, with contributions from leading scholars from around the world and from many disciplines. A chronological and thematically organized treatment of the period serves as the core of the Atlas, enhanced by over 400 color illustrations, maps and photographs. This academic tour de force illuminates the effects of the Revolution on Irish culture and politics, both past and present, and animates the period for anyone with a connection to or interest in Irish history.


An iodine-promoted sequential dual oxidative Csp3–H amination of aryl methyl ketones and Csp3–H iodination of pyridin-2-ylmethylamines have been realized for the first time. This simple and efficient approach constructed 1-iodoimidazo[1,5-a]pyridines in moderate to good yields. Based on the preliminary experimental results, a self-sequenced process featuring the iodination/Kornblum oxidation/dual amination/oxidation/iodination mechanism was proposed.


PURPOSE
To assess agreement between digital and film photography for research classification of diabetic retinopathy severity.

METHODS
Digital and film photographs from a 152-eye cohort with a full spectrum of Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) severity levels were assessed for repeatability of grading within each image medium and for agreement on ETDRS discrete severity levels, ascending severity thresholds, and presence or absence of diabetic retinopathy index lesions, between digital and 35-mm slides (film). Digital photographs were color balanced to match film.

RESULTS
There was substantial agreement (κ = 0.61, κ(w) [linear weighted] = 0.87) in classification of ETDRS diabetic retinopathy severity levels between digital images and film. Marginal homogeneity analyses found no significant difference in frequency distributions on the severity scale (P = 0.21, Bhapkar test). The κ results ranged from 0.72 to 0.95 for presence or absence of eight ascending diabetic retinopathy severity thresholds. Repeatability of grading between readers viewing digital images was equal to or better than that obtained with film (pair-wise interreader κ for digital images ranged from 0.47 to 0.57 and for film from 0.43 to 0.57. The κ results for identifying diabetic retinopathy lesions ranged from moderate to almost perfect. Moderate agreement of intraretinal microvascular abnormalities and venous beading between digital images and film accounted for slightly lower concordance for severity thresholds ≥47 and for slightly lower interreader agreement within digital and film images at severity thresholds ≥43 and ≥47.

CONCLUSIONS
Under controlled circumstances, digital photography can equal the reliability of 35-mm slides for research classification of ETDRS severity level.


In Kenya, maternal mortality ratios remain high and the number of births attended by skilled health attendants hovers at just 44%. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, a study was conducted to determine the uptake of antenatal care and skilled attendance in Malindi District and to explore factors that contribute to the low use of maternal health services during delivery. It was found that after the first antenatal visit attendance to health facilities begins to decline ending in low rates of births attended by skilled care and that socio-cultural and economic factors play a larger role than access alone in women's health-seeking behavior during childbirth. A pervasive lack of birth preparedness and the view that health facilities are for the treatment of complications added yet another barrier to the uptake of skilled care. We conclude that the eradication of TBAs is not a realistic measure in the context of poverty and traditional practices.