This article proposes an analysis of local politics through an ethnographic exploration of headship. It approaches the experience and enactment of politics by describing a day in the life of a headman in rural lowland Myanmar to show how an individual embodies and fashions headship through successive social settings. More specifically, this ethnographic device is a way to analyze what a headman, as a situated figure and a political institution embedded in a local society, mediates in context. The paper discusses how a headman composes with multiple layers of responsibilities and chains of relationships, delineating uncertain boundaries between the personal, the political, and the government domains that partly organize local politics. While updating the literature on Bamar lowland society after more than half a century of dictatorship, the paper suggests a position from which we might reconsider the village headman as an ethnographic starting point for an anthropology concerned with history.


Abstract Household consumption patterns were investigated to determine the impact of an income shock on household expenditure and to establish the potential for demand-led growth in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal. Household consumption data were collected from sample households in the Embo ward of Umbumbulu, KwaZulu-Natal during October 2004 and March 2005. Budget shares and expenditure elasticities were estimated for household consumption categories for the two study periods, allowing for a comparison of expenditure elasticities between the two seasons. Results suggest that expenditure elasticities for consumer expendables, durables and transport were highly elastic, while expenditure elasticities for the aggregate food category were negative (October) and highly inelastic (March). Analysis of the expenditure categories of tradable and non-tradable goods and services showed expenditure on tradable non-farm goods and services to have the greatest potential for demand-led growth with expenditure elasticities of 2.88 and 2.91, respectively. The category of non-tradable non-farm goods and services was not statistically significant for both periods and the category non-tradable farm goods and services was not statistically significant for October. A seasonal difference in expenditure patterns was apparent, suggesting that responses to income changes vary at different times of the year.


A random lasing based on Rayleigh scattering (RS) in a passive fiber directly pumped by a high-power laser diode (LD) has been demonstrated. Owing to the RS-based random distributed feedback (RDFB) the low-quality LD beam (938 nm) is converted into the high-quality laser output (980 nm). Because of the relatively low excess above the threshold with the available LD, the RDFB laser output is not stationary and limited in power at the 0.5 W level. In the used gradient-index fiber, the output beam has 4.5 lower divergence as compared with the pump beam thus demonstrating a new way for development of high-power fiber lasers with high-quality output.


A traceless variant of the Johnson-Segalman viscoelastic model is presented and applied
 to blood flow simulations. The viscoelastic extra stress tensor is decomposed into its
 traceless (deviatoric) and spherical parts, leading to a reformulation of the classical
 Johnson-Segalman model. The equivalence of the two models is established comparing model
 predictions for simple test cases. The new model is validated using several 2D benchmark
 problems, designed to reproduce difficulties that arise in the simulation of blood flow in
 blood vessels or medical devices. The structure and behaviour of the new model are
 discussed and the future use of the new model in envisioned, both on the theoretical and
 numerical perspectives.


Abstract Institution is an important determinant of economic growth and development. Contract institution represents a major institution governing economic transactions between private agents. This paper examines how quality of contract institution in source and destination countries influences exports of homogeneous and heterogeneous goods. Using a large sample of cross-country bilateral disaggregate export data, we show that competitive advantages of firms in exports of both homogeneous goods (such as agricultural commodities and minerals) and heterogeneous goods (such as manufactured goods) are eroded by weak contract institution in their source countries. We also find that weak contract institution in the destination countries exerts significant negative impacts on heterogeneous but not homogeneous exports. To explain for the differential source and destination countries' contract institutional constraints on differentiated exports, we extend the conventional institutional cost theory by taking the differences in relationship specificity of heterogeneous and homogeneous goods into account. Our analysis has policy implications on institutional reform and provides practical location and production strategies for exporting firms.


The SR 99--Spokane Street over-crossing is located in Seattle, Washington, and was built in the late 1950s. Its construction is mostly of reinforced concrete; the reinforcement detailing is poor by modern seismic standards, particularly with respect to confinement, and the underlying soils are also weak. Furthermore, the structure contains many "outrigger bents," in which columns are displaced from their ideal locations to accommodate passage of railroad tracks beneath the structure. These outrigger bents cause significant asymmetry in the structure that could lead to unusual and undesirable seismic response. In this study, the seismic response of the structure was evaluated analytically, and seismic retrofit strategies were developed and evaluated. In a companion experimental study by Washington State University, the as-existing structure was investigated by testing scale models of representative bents, and one retrofit strategy was also tested. In this report, modeling approaches are discussed in detail, and the results of evaluations of the as-existing structure as well as the retrofit strategies are presented. Some components of the structure (e.g., the deck, the already jacketed columns, and the soil-foundation-structure system) were found to be critical to an accurate determination of the response and were therefore modeled in some detail. Site-specific ground motions at three different hazard levels were used. The structure was found to be vulnerable, especially to 72- and 475-year ground motions. The knee-joints that connect the outrigger beams and columns were found to be the most critical components, and their vulnerability was shown to be influenced by the type of retrofit performed on the outrigger column. Retrofit strategies included some designed to increase the strength and ductility of the components, and some intended to reduce the demands on them.


Summary
The toxicity of DDT for Southeast Asian buffalo leeches, Hirudinaria manillensis, was tested with a modification of the standard WHO procedures for determining susceptibility-resistance of mosquito larvae to insecticides. Specimens of H. manillensis from Bangkok, Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, showed a high degree of tolerance. LC50 values after 120 hours' continuous exposure were 100 ppm for leeches from Kuala Lumpur and 60 ppm for specimens from Bangkok.
The absorption of DDT by specimens of Hirudo nipponia from Japan and of H. manillensis from Malaysia was determined by radioactive assessment of chloroform extracts of leeches that had been exposed for 24 hours in aqueous solution containing 7.1 ppm of ringlabeled C14 DDT. Results showed that 16% of exposed DDT was recovered from H. nipponia, and 17.4% from H. manillensis.
After assessment of absorption of DDT by the leeches, the chloroform extracts were evaporated to dryness, taken up in acetone, and chromatographed. The chromatogram of H. nipponia extract showed that 49% of the absorbed DDT had been converted to the nontoxic DDE. Chromatograms of extracts by H. manillensis showed neither production of DDE nor other metabolites of DDT analogues. This, as far as could be determined, was the first demonstration of dehydrochlorination of DDT by an annelid.


Executed with the requisite tenacity, intensity and precision, Purposefully Primitive methods can and will favourably alter the compositional makeup of the human body. Primitive tools and simple modes are used to power sparse methods. We force the body to favourably reconfigure itself by generating physical and psychological fierceness during training. Commonsense nutritional strategies and Old School training tactics are synchronised and placed within a periodised timeframe.The three interrelated Purposefully Primitive disciplines (weight training, cardiovascular training and nutrition) need to be regularly and routinely practised in a balanced and proportional fashion. Lock down all aspects of the program and within seven days of full implementation tangible results appear; by the end of the first month, body composition (the fat-to-muscle ratio) undergoes a dramatic turnaround; those who commit completely for 90 days undergo a total metamorphosis. No matter how deep a physical hole you are currently standing in, 90 days of maniacal discipline and teeth-gritting effort will enable you to utterly and completely change the shape, texture, efficiency and hardness of your body.


Author(s): Tillman, Eric A.; Genchi, Ann C.; Lindsay, James R.; Newman, James R.; Avery, Michael L. | Abstract: Through accidental and intentional introductions, the monk parakeet, native to South America, is now established in several parts of the United States. In Florida, it occurs in 21 of 67 counties. Monk parakeets build a bulky nest structure of sticks, and they often build on electric utility substations and support structures for distribution and transmission lines. This nesting activity is incompatible with reliable electric service because nest material creates short circuits that cause power outages. Nest removal by electric utility personnel is ongoing but provides only short-term relief, as birds readily rebuild their nests. In this study, we evaluated passive and active methods to trap monk parakeets, and we documented the effectiveness of trapping to reduce rates of nest rebuilding on distribution poles. At electric substations, we tested two passive trap designs: a drop-in style trap, and a walk-in style trap. Monk parakeets were wary of traps, however, and were not easily captured even with extensive pre-baiting and the use of decoy birds. At distribution poles, we actively trapped birds at 47 nest sites using specially designed nets placed over nest entrances at night while birds roosted. Birds were then caught as they flew out of the nests into the net. Capture success at individual nest sites ranged from 0 to 100% with an overall average of 51%. Of the 47 sites where birds were trapped at night, 43 nests were removed immediately or shortly after netting. Subsequent monitoring revealed that higher nest site capture rates resulted in slower rates of nest rebuilding. We conclude that while more research is needed to design an effective passive trapping system, monk parakeets can be readily trapped from distribution pole nests at night thereby enhancing nest removal efforts.


ABSTRACT In order to provide psychosocial services to children with sexual abuse (SA) histories, their needs and problems should be initially identified. In this study, it is intended to determine the psychosocial problems of victims. Participants were 73 victims between aged between 16 and 21. A telephone interview form was used to collect the study data. It is found that there were several problems noted by victims, including underage marriage (15.1%), teenage pregnancy (6.9%), revictimization (13.7%), need for psychiatric support (21.9%) as well as negative social reaction (84.4%) and not being supported by family (41.1%). One-third of the victims (30.1%) had withdrawn the complaint for reasons such as SA being heard among social circle, the negative effect of court process on psychological well-being, make a new beginning and reasons related to the suspects. Finally, it was found out that 21.9% of the parents did not know the outcome of the litigation, 34.2% of them were satisfied with the case result, 43.8% of them were not satisfied with the penalty, 43.8% of the litigation process was ended in favor of the suspect and 43.9% of the suspects were punished. This study shows the need for prevention and intervention studies to solve the problems of SA victims, and it is essential to make the justice system child-friendly.


Trust is a complex relational construct which has received much attention in marketing literature in recent years. Indeed it has been seen to be at the philosophical heart of Relationship Marketing with its focus on establishing, developing and maintaining effective, ongoing relational exchanges (Morgan and Hunt, 1994; Takala and Uusitalo, 1996) and it has been positioned as an important antecedent, mediator and outcome of buyer seller relationships.In the service industries where demand is variable and fixed costs are a high proportion of total costs, the practice of Revenue Management through variable pricing has become widely accepted as a method for maximising financial returns. However, price discrimination which is implicit in Revenue Management systems may undermine trust in an organisation, when consumers' level of knowledge of the rules in which variable pricing operates is low or non-existant (McMahon-Beattie, 2009). Trust is at the heart of Relationship Marketing strategies, therefore there would appear to be a potential conflict between the aims and operation of Relationship Marketing/Customer Relationship Management and Revenue Management.There is considerable evidence of a widespread lack of sophistication in pricing methods used within the services industries, with a suggestion that various forms of cost-based pricing predominate (Zeithaml et al., 1985). This lack of sophistication implies lost profit opportunities, and Revenue Management tries to reconcile supply and demand though the price mechanism and exploit "consumer surplus". This is understood by economists as the difference between the price that a consumer actually pays for a product, and the highest price that they would actually be prepared to pay for it. Research on the perceptions of price differentials remains fragmented, especially within the context of capacity constrained services industries, and little is known about the impact of types of policies that may influence perceptions of fairness or trust in pricing (Guiltinan, 2006). This becomes an issue where modern IT based systems of individual pricing allow multiple prices to be charged for ostensibly identical units of output, and the "rules" associated with price differentials may not be transparent and may only be compared indirectly. This lack of openness in pricing creates conditions for mistrust. Garbarino and Lee (2003) have noted that dynamic pricing that results in unexplained price differentials leads to diminished trust in the seller. Kahneman et al. (1986) have examined how consumers' perceptions of the "fairness" of price increases were influenced by the circumstances that led to them. In line with the theory of dual entitlement, they found that buyers typically perceive a given price increase as "fair" if it is a reaction to an increase in seller costs, but as unfair if it is a reaction to increased consumer demand. Furthermore Haws and Bearden (2006) suggest fairness concerns limit consumer acceptance of individual level price discrimination while Bolton et al. (2010) indicate that consumer acceptance of the practice may vary over cultures. In relation to Revenue Management, Kimes (1994) noted that a lack of information regarding discounts was an issue of concern to buyers. Furthermore Choi and Mattila (2006) have contended that the provision of an appropriate level of information on the hotels' pricing policy is believed to have a positive impact on customers' perceived fairness of Revenue Management. Rohlfs and Kimes (2005) indicate that consumers (in hotels) will accept the idea of variable prices as long as they understand that they are receiving the 'best-available-rate' for each night of a multiple night stay. Thus perceptions of fairness and trust seem to have a reciprocal relationship. Connected to the concept of fairness is that of procedural justice. Thibaut and Walker (1975) found that the primary element of this, in terms of the law, was process control or influence. As the concept was extended to organisational research additional elements were added in relation to policies or procedures e.g. consistency of application across individuals and time and ensuring that accurate and complete information is exchanged (Colquitt et al., 2001; Guiltinan, 2006). Inherent within procedural justice is the dimension of informational justice which is 'concerned with the communication of the process about the rules for obtaining a discount' such as the quality of the explanations' (Guiltinan, 2006:389). In relation to Revenue Management, Kimes (1994) found that customers perceive discounting unfair when they do not have the full information about options available. There is a shortage of studies in the area of Revenue Management that seek to integrate operational efficiency with human perceptions and attitude change.This research seeks to build on the theoretical foundations of social justice theories by exploring the hypothesis that individuals' familiarity with the rules of price variability influence trust in an organisation. Faced with perceptions of variable prices, it can be hypothesised that the buyer who is familiar with the rules of pricing will remain trusting in the company, whereas the buyer who perceives variability that is not familiar with the rules may have their trust in the company reduced. Preliminary quasi-experimental research has been undertaken involving an ongoing longitudinal study in which manipulated price messages relating to a real service offer were sent to 2273 customers on a hotel chain's database. The results have indicated that variable pricing in itself does not cause consumer trust/distrust. The results indicate that consumers' level of knowledge of the "rules" in which variable pricing operates may well cause trust/distrust. From experience of the benefits that variable pricing may bring to a consumer, and based on an understanding of how and why these benefits may be obtained (for example, low hotel prices to clear spare capacity at a quiet time of year), consumers may come to trust a business' use of variable pricing as a legitimate business practice.The effect of rule familiarity on the level of consumer trust remains under-researched and is the subject of this presentation. It will discuss the need for further research into a proposed construct for Rule Familiarity and the development of appropriate items for the construct. In practical terms consideration of the impact of rule familiarity on consumer trust will allow for more effective framing and presentation of price offer information and will therefore contribute to the development and maintenance of ongoing buyer-seller relationships. It will also potentially highlight any differences between customer segments and indeed between cultures.


The objectives of this review are twofold. Our first objective is to evaluate the evidence supporting a role for genetics in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Specific examples of the associations of genetic variation and symptoms, syndromes, and intermediate phenotypes, including neurotransmitter (serotonergic, α(2)-adrenergic, and cannabinoid) mechanisms, inflammatory pathways (IL-10, TNFα, GNβ3, and susceptibility loci involved in Crohn's disease), and bile acid metabolism, are explored. The second objective is to review pharmacogenetics in IBS, with the focus on cytochrome P-450 metabolism of drugs used in IBS, modulation of motor and sensory responses to serotonergic agents based on the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and 5-HT(3) genetic variants, responses to a nonselective cannabinoid agonist (dronabinol) based on cannabinoid receptor (CNR1) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) variation, and responses to a bile acid (sodium chenodeoxycholate) and bile acid binding (colesevelam) based on klothoβ (KLB) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) variation. Overall, there is limited evidence of a genetic association with IBS; the most frequently studied association is with 5-HTTLPR, and the most replicated association is with TNF superfamily member 15. Most of the pharmacogenetic associations are reported with intermediate phenotypes in relatively small trials, and confirmation in large clinical trials using validated clinical end points is still required. No published genome-wide association studies in functional gastrointestinal or motility disorders have been published.


We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy, particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of merger and core-collapse events.


Tailings reservoirs generally consist of a tailings dam, a tailings conveying system and a drainage system, which are indispensable facilities and provide security and environmental protection for storing tailings and clarifying water in some industries (e.g., metallurgy, non-ferrous building materials, nuclear and chemical industries). Consequently, consolidating seepage prevention and treatment is important. When applied to seepage prevention works for tailings reservoirs, current seepage prevention technologies can cause destruction of the dam and require further construction sites. It is therefore essential to adopt new types of advanced and practical technologies. Aimed at studying the feasibility of the application of non-water reaction polymer grouting technology in seepage prevention of tailings reservoirs and acquiring the properties for practical engineering, an analysis of the environmental impact, chemical resistance and permeability of the polymer material, and the main technical characteristics of the polymer cutoff wall was conducted. The test results showed that the polymer grouting technology applied to seepage prevention works of a tailings reservoir caused little disturbance to the dam, possessed good anti-seepage performance and perfect durability. This study may provide a reference for the seepage control of tailings reservoirs.


This research investigated the behaviour of a novel form of composite framed shear wall system (CFSWS) under lateral loading. The CFSWS consisted of a composite wall (made of two skins of profiled steel sheeting and an infill of concrete) connected to pinned steel or fixed concrete filled steel tube (CFST) frame. The experimental investigations on one and two-storey four CFSWS models of 1/6th scale provided information on shear load-deformation response, shear strength/stiffness, energy absorbing capacity, stress-strain characteristics and failure modes. The failure of CFSWS was associated with buckling of steel sheets and development of diagonal concrete core cracking as well as the wall-frame fastener and CFST frame joint failure. Overall, the failure was governed by wall failure rather than frame. Analytical models for the shear strength of CFSWS were developed and found to be in close agreement with experiments. This research confirmed the viability of using novel CFSWS in practical construction.


Abstract. The paper discusses street vendors' spatial appropriations and the governance of public space in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The much debated question in social geography how people's position in social space relates to their position in physical space (and vice versa) stands at the centre of the analysis. I use Bourdieu's Theory of Practice to discuss this dialectic relation at two analytical levels. On a micro-political level it is shown that the street vendors' social positions and the informal rules of the street structure their access to public space and thus determine their "spatial profits". At a macro-political level, it is not only the conditions inside the "field of street vending" that matter for the hawkers, but also their relation to the state-controlled "field of power". The paper demonstrates that Bourdieu's key ideas can be linked to current debates about spatial appropriation and informality. Moreover, I argue that Bourdieu's theory builds an appropriate basis for a relational, critical, and reflexive social geography in the Urban South.


The emergency of infection by highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) subtype H5N1 has focused the attention of the world scientific community, requiring the prompt provision of effective control systems for early detection of the circulation of low pathogenic influenza H5 viruses (LPAI) in populations of wild birds to prevent outbreaks of highly pathogenic (HPAI) in populations of domestic birds with possible transmission to humans. The project stems from the aim to provide, through a preliminary analysis of data obtained from surveillance in Italy and Europe, a preliminary study about the virus detection rates and the development of mathematical models, an objective assessment of the effectiveness of avian influenza surveillance systems in wild bird populations, and to point out guidelines to support the planning process of the sampling activities. The results obtained from the statistical processing quantify the sampling effort in terms of time and sample size required, and simulating different epidemiological scenarios identify active surveillance as the most suitable for endemic LPAI infection monitoring in wild waterfowl, and passive surveillance as the only really effective tool in early detecting HPAI H5N1 circulation in wild populations. Given the lack of relevant information on H5N1 epidemiology, and the actual finantial and logistic constraints, an approach that makes use of statistical tools to evaluate and predict monitoring activities effectiveness proves to be of primary importance to direct decision-making and make the best use of available resources.


Self-expression and interpersonal sharing of emotion have been shown to strengthen groups. However, how to accomplish such interpersonal sharing in public settings is a challenge. In a pilot study of a prototype system, we sought to facilitate public self-expression and sharing of affective information. We followed five design principles around the concept of art-mediated self-expression and created a collective doodling installation. The pilot trial demonstrated positive results around engagement of end users. As we reflected on the results from this trial, we found implications for building trust and collaboration in teams.


Background and Aim: Birth in the 21 st century is characterized by interventions. That interventions increase the risk for mother and baby without improving outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of physiological birth and routine normal delivery on some of maternal and fetus outcomes. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 160 pregnant women. The participants were allocated in two groups of physiological birth (n=80) and routine normal delivery (n=80). Inclusion criteria were as following: Apgar score between one and five; dilatation between three and four cm; maternal age between 18-35 years; gestational age between 37-40 weeks; cephalic presentation and neonatal birth weight of 2500 -4000 gr. Physiological birth care included labor begins on its own, freedom of movement throughout labor, continuous labor support, spontaneous pushing, no separation of mother and baby. Routine birth cares include routine interventions in labor or birth. Rate of cesarean, Apgar score and neonatal intensive care unit were evaluated in both groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16. The t-test, chi-square and Mann Whitney were the statistical tests of choice. Results: Rate of cesarean was significantly different between two groups (p=0.005). First minute Neonatal Apgar score was significantly different (p=0.011), but fifth minute Apgar was similar in both groups (p=0.470). The transmission to neonatal intensive care unit had also significant difference among two groups (p=0.029). Conclusion: The present study showed that the physiological birth is safe. It seems that the physiological birth decreases the rate of cesarean and transmission to neonatal intensive care unit, also improves the first minute neonatal Apgar scores.


Abstract:This essay explores the implications of legal history for historians of the early republic who do not usually think about the importance of law or scholarship in the field for their own work. The essay develops two, related themes. First, it shows how recent work in legal history broadens our understanding of the law, which flourished in a variety of institutional contexts and even in rural byways and city streets, where it structured broad-reaching economic and cultural dynamics as well as the ordinary relationships of daily life. The law's proximity to people's lives, however, did not make it simple or straightforward, which is the second point of this essay. In fact, the law's very complexity made it more accessible to a wide range of people in the early republic. As the article argues, the contributions of scholarship in legal history make it impossible to cordon off the law and place it in a separate subfield, and to characterize legal rules and procedures in the past—particularly the early republic—as both clearer and less complicated than they are today. Scholars of the early republic more broadly can benefit from these recent findings, which affect many other areas of research—from the social histories of women and African Americans to our understandings of state formation, citizenship rights, and the fundamental aims of the law itself.


Tantalum is an important metal for high-technology applications of the modern world. It is recovered from oxide minerals that are present as minor constituents in rare-metal granites (RMG) and granitic rare-element pegmatites (REP). Significant potential exists as a by-product of spodumene mining from pegmatites, and from Nb-Zr-rare earth element (REE) mining from carbonatites and peralkaline igneous rocks. Columbite-group minerals (CGM) account for the majority of the current Ta production; other Ta-Nb oxides such as tapiolite, wodginite, ixiolite, rutile and pyrochlore-supergroup minerals are of minor importance. The estimated Ta resources of Africa are >50,000 tons of contained Ta 2 O 5 , representing 16% of the world resources. Currently, the economically most important mining districts in Africa are located within the Kibara Belt (mainly Rwanda and the DR Congo), around the Kenticha mine (Ethiopia) and in the Alto Ligonha Province (Mozambique). Production from pegmatites and related placer deposits is mostly from hundreds of artisanal and small-scale workings with only a handful of semi-industrial Ta mines. Collectively, African operations are currently responsible for more than half of the world's primary Ta. Rare-metal granite and REP districts in Africa are part of Archaean, Palaeoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic, Palaeozoic and Mesozoic provinces. Each period of Ta ore formation is characterised by specific mineralogical and geochemical features. Compositions of CGM are variable:
 Fe-rich types predominate in the Man Shield (Sierra Leone), the Congo Craton (DR Congo), the Kamativi Belt (Zimbabwe) and the Jos Plateau (Nigeria); Mn-rich columbite-tantalite is typical of the Alto Ligonha Province (Mozambique), the Arabian-Nubian Shield (Egypt, Ethiopia) and the Tantalite Valley pegmatites (southern Namibia) and Large compositional variations through Fe-Mn fractionation, followed by Nb-Ta fractionation are typical for pegmatites of the Kibara Belt of Central Africa, pegmatites associated with the Older Granites of Nigeria and many pegmatites in the Damara Belt of Namibia. Trace element concentrations in CGM and other Ta-Nb oxides are highly variable, with Ti, W, Sn, Zr, Hf, Y, Sc and REE displaying significant regional differences that may be used to discriminate Ta provinces.


Shrubs, grasses, sedges, and forbs form the understory of ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper ecosystems. They cover the natural openings in these two ecosystems - openings that were much more extensive historically than they are today. While restoration treatments in these ecosystems typically focus on trees, it is also important to restore the natural diversity and productivity of the understory plant community because a healthy understory provides wildlife habitat and fuel for low-intensity fires that maintain forest structure. Restoring a healthy understory may require little or a great deal of effort, depending upon the site conditions and site history.Many sites still support some native understory species, either living or in the seedbank, in which case thinning of overstory trees and conducting some prescribed fires is often enough to promote the growth of a healthy understory. In situations where the treated area is adjacent to a weed-free area with a highly diverse understory, it may be possible to simply let nature reseed the treated site. Still other sites lack native understory species and their seeds, in which case it may be necessary to reintroduce those species as either seeds or seedlings. In this working paper, we cover this last situation - one where active seeding is needed.


BAYESIAN METHODS AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR PROCESSING TEXT AND IMAGE DATA by Yingying Gu The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017 Under the Supervision of Professor Jun Zhang Classification/clustering is an important class of unstructured data processing problems. The classification (supervised, semi-supervised and unsupervised) aims to discover the clusters and group the similar data into categories for information organization and knowledge discovery. My work focuses on using the Bayesian methods and machine learning techniques to classify the free-text and image data, and address how to overcome the limitations of the traditional methods. The Bayesian approach provides a way to allow using more variations(numerical or categorical), and estimate the probabilities instead of explicit rules, which will benefit in the ambiguous cases. The MAP(maximum a posterior) estimation is used to deal with the local maximum problems which the ML(maximum likelihood) method gives inaccurate estimates. The EM(expectation-maximization) algorithm can be applied with MAP estimation for the incomplete/missing data problems. Our proposed framework can be used in both supervised and unsupervised classification. For natural language processing(NLP), we applied the machine learning techniques for sentence/text classification. For 3D CT image segmentation, MAP EM clustering approach is proposed to auto-detect the number of objects in the 3D CT luggage image, and the prior knowledge and constraints in MAP estimation are used to avoid/improve the local maximum problems. The algorithm can automatically determine the number of classes and find the optimal parameters for each class. As a result, it can automatically detect the number of objects ii and produce better segmentation for each object in the image. For segmented object recognition, we applied machine learning techniques to classify each object into targets or non-targets. We have achieved the good results with 90% PD(probability of detection) and 6% PFA(probability of false alarm). For image restoration, in X-ray imaging, scatter can produce noise, artifacts, and decreased contrast. In practice, hardware such as anti-scatter grids are often used to reduce scatter. However, the remaining scatter can still be significant and additional software-based correction are desirable. Furthermore, good software solutions can potentially reduce the amount of needed anti-scatter hardware, thereby reducing cost. In this work, the scatter correction is formulated as a Bayesian MAP (maximum a posteriori) problem with a non-local prior, which leads to better textural detail preservation in scatter reduction. The efficacy of our algorithm is demonstrated through experimental and simulation results.


Book synopsis: Through a series of case studies this book demonstrates the wide-ranging impact of demographic dynamics on social, economic and political structures in the Graeco-Roman world. The individual case studies focus on fertility, mortality and migration and the roles they played in various aspects of ancient life. These studies – drawn from a range of populations in Athens and Attica, Rome and Italy, and Graeco-Roman Egypt – illustrate how new insights can be gained by applying demographic methods to familiar themes in ancient history. Methodological issues are addressed in a clear, straightforward manner with no assumption of prior technical knowledge, ensuring that the book is accessible to readers with no training in demography. The book marks an important step forward in ancient historical demography, affirming both the centrality of population studies in ancient history and the contribution that antiquity can make to population history in general.


The reproductive sequence of sexuparae of the sycamore aphid, Drepanosiphum platanoidis (Schrank) (Homoptera: Callaphididae), observed in the field and glasshouse was examined to elucidate the relationship between host nutrition and sex ratio. The observations were made in autumn when the transition from parthenogenetic to sexual reproduction occurred. A switch occurred in the reproductive sequence of the sexuparae. The production of apterous sexual females (oviparae) was followed by alate males, after a brief reproductive pause lasting 2.5–4.0 days. The switchover period was relatively constant across treatments and years. On poor hosts, the first appearance of the oviparae was a day later, whereas the first appearance of males was a day earlier than those on good nutrition. The primary sex ratio (i.e., proportion of males) was numerically female biased. Under semi‐natural field conditions it was 0.22, but altered to 0.18 and 0.29, respectively, under poor and good host nutrition in the glasshouse. In both the field and glasshouse, nymphal development time was significantly longer in oviparae (ca. 22 days) than in males (ca. 18 days). The time from birth to adult was significantly shorter on good hosts (oviparae: 20 days; males: 17 days) than on poor hosts (oviparae: 23 days; males: 19 days). The proportion of nymphs surviving to the adult moult was not dependent on sex in both the field and glasshouse, but the chances of survival were slightly enhanced under good (88%) compared with poor (82%) host nutritive status. In conclusion, the order of morph production and differences in maturation times ensured the synchronisation of the sexes so that mating and oviposition opportunities were optimised before the onset of winter. The female‐bias in the sex ratio maximised the fitness of sexuparae, and reduced the chances of local mate competition by economising in members of the competing sex.


Normalizing flows and variational autoencoders are powerful generative models that can represent complicated density functions. However, they both impose constraints on the models: Normalizing flows use bijective transformations to model densities whereas VAEs learn stochastic transformations that are non-invertible and thus typically do not provide tractable estimates of the marginal likelihood. In this paper, we introduce SurVAE Flows: A modular framework of composable transformations that encompasses VAEs and normalizing flows. SurVAE Flows bridge the gap between normalizing flows and VAEs with surjective transformations, wherein the transformations are deterministic in one direction -- thereby allowing exact likelihood computation, and stochastic in the reverse direction -- hence providing a lower bound on the corresponding likelihood. We show that several recently proposed methods, including dequantization and augmented normalizing flows, can be expressed as SurVAE Flows. Finally, we introduce common operations such as the max value, the absolute value, sorting and stochastic permutation as composable layers in SurVAE Flows.


This document describes the set of Remote Authentication Dial-In User
Service Vendor-Specific Attributes (RADIUS VSAs) defined by the DSL
Forum. These attributes are designed to transport Digital Subscriber
Line (DSL) information that is not supported by the standard RADIUS
attribute set. It is expected that this document will be updated if
and when the DSL Forum defines additional vendor-specific attributes,
since its primary purpose is to provide a reference for DSL equipment
vendors wishing to interoperate with other vendors' products. This
memo provides information for the Internet community.


OBJECTIVE
To provide a preliminary comparison of traditional clinical neurosensory examination (CNE) and current perception threshold (CPT).

METHOD AND MATERIALS
This is a retrospective chart audit of patients with trigeminal nerve injuries related to dental treatment who were evaluated with both CNE and CPT assessments (electrical stimulus tests) after presenting with altered sensation involving either the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) or lingual nerve (LN) distributions. The tests were performed on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue for LN injuries and the lower lip and chin for IAN injuries. Results were defined as hyper-, hypo-, or normal sensory response.

RESULTS
Twelve charts were reviewed; 10 of the 12 nerve injuries occurred secondary to mandibular third molar extraction affecting 7 LN and 5 IAN branches. Following LN injuries, the C, and A-delta fibers assessment demonstrated hyposensitivity in the affected nerve territory in CPT and the CNE tests with the exception of 1 normal nerve response in 5-Hz CPT. Within the LN injury group, good correlation was observed between the CNE and CPT tests with the exception of brush stroke and 250-Hz CPT stimuli. Following IAN injuries, sensory testing results were more varied. A-beta fiber evaluation demonstrated hyposensitivity to VF in all patients and in 4 of 5 for brush test. One patient was hypersensitive for the brush test. The response to 2,000-Hz electrical stimulus demonstrated hyposensitivity in 3 patients, hypersensitivity in 1 (the same patient that was hypersensitive for brush), and normal sensitivity in 1 patient. Good correlations were found only between the CPT 5-Hz and heat and cold tests. Only 1 patient (IAN injury) reported pain that was hypersensitive for heat, cold, pinprick, brush, and 250-Hz and 2,000-Hz stimuli.

CONCLUSION
Following LN injuries, CNE and CPT tests provided similar findings. More disparity was observed between the CNE and CPT methods in the IAN injury evaluation. For LN injury assessments, CNE alone appears to be adequate for assessing nerve injuries.


Relation extraction (RE) aims to label relations between groups of marked entities in raw text. Most current RE models learn context-aware representations of the target entities that are then used to establish relation between them. This works well for intra-sentence RE, and we call them first-order relations. However, this methodology can sometimes fail to capture complex and long dependencies. To address this, we hypothesize that at times the target entities can be connected via a context token. We refer to such indirect relations as second-order relations, and describe an efficient implementation for computing them. These second-order relation scores are then combined with first-order relation scores to obtain final relation scores. Our empirical results show that the proposed method leads to state-of-the-art performance over two biomedical datasets.


This paper attempts to examine the role of business functions in the corporate change in light of the traditional Chinese medicine and provide a unique view that the corporate change hinges on the timely termination of the old business model. The five elements theory has been successfully applied to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). If organizations are considered as human bodies, what could be learned from their organic reactions to the change in the environment from the perspective of TCM? There are three organs-the liver, spleen, and lung-bearing a close relationship to the body's reaction to the external change. The functions of the liver, spleen and lung could be understood as those of the research and development (R&D), operations, and accounting/financial functions respectively.

The Nei-Jing says, "The liver is the foundation of terminating extremes." The extremes characterize the critical points of the occurrence of the fundamental changes in the human body. As extremes and disharmonies occur during the interplay of the natural elements, plagues and disease arise to cause suffering in people. The dramatic change in the weather always necessitates a fundamental change in the human body. What is the organ that can monitor and control the critical points in time to prevent the effects of imbalance from the macrocosm upon human beings? It is the liver that is responsible for detecting and making adjustment to dramatic environmental changes. Likewise, the R&D function is expected to assume the role of a terminator of the extremes and a matchmaker between the innovation and marketing function when a firm is confronted with serious threats. The terminator focuses on how to stop in time the obsolete business plans and actions while the matchmaker is responsible for reconstructing market boundaries through differentiations in marketing related areas or activities. Nevertheless, the R&D function cannot perform these two tasks well without its cooperation with the other two functions related to the corporate change: operations and accounting/financial functions. The operations function should be responsible for screening out useful the practice or knowledge for the next innovation. On the other hand, the accounting/financial function could contribute to the evaluation of the cost and benefit of the plans and execution concerning the planned change.


This thesis studies algorithmic aspects of deadlock analysis for parameterized networks of discrete-event systems. A parameterized network consists of a finite, but arbitrarily large, number of interacting finite-state subsystems, each within one of a fixed, finite number of isomorphism classes. While deadlock analysis of such systems is generally undecidable, decidable subproblems have recently been identified. The decision procedure rests on the construction of a finite dependency graph for the network, and the computation of its full, consistent subgraphs . We present a software tool for such computations, and apply it to a train network example that extends beyond the current theoretical framework. The results suggest ways in which the framework could usefully be extended.


Feature selection is an important technique for data mining. Despite its importance, most studies of feature selection are restricted to batch learning. Unlike traditional batch learning methods, online learning represents a promising family of efficient and scalable machine learning algorithms for large-scale applications. Most existing studies of online learning require accessing all the attributes/features of training instances. Such a classical setting is not always appropriate for real-world applications when data instances are of high dimensionality or it is expensive to acquire the full set of attributes/features. To address this limitation, we investigate the problem of online feature selection (OFS) in which an online learner is only allowed to maintain a classifier involved only a small and fixed number of features. The key challenge of online feature selection is how to make accurate prediction for an instance using a small number of active features. This is in contrast to the classical setup of online learning where all the features can be used for prediction. We attempt to tackle this challenge by studying sparsity regularization and truncation techniques. Specifically, this article addresses two different tasks of online feature selection: 1) learning with full input, where an learner is allowed to access all the features to decide the subset of active features, and 2) learning with partial input, where only a limited number of features is allowed to be accessed for each instance by the learner. We present novel algorithms to solve each of the two problems and give their performance analysis. We evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms for online feature selection on several public data sets, and demonstrate their applications to real-world problems including image classification in computer vision and microarray gene expression analysis in bioinformatics. The encouraging results of our experiments validate the efficacy and efficiency of the proposed techniques.


Abstract The current crisis and pause in development of the EU–Russia relations provide a unique chance to shed the burden of past problems and start new relations from scratch. Both sides should sort out their values and get rid of the ballast generated by the bureaucratic inertia or false understandings of partnership. Russia and Europe are unlikely to evolve a common vision for the future. Their future is not in unity but in co-existing next to each other. It is time that Russia and the EU clearly formulate their real interests and try to make relations predictable. To achieve this, however, both sides need to answer some basic questions.


The materials include a general discussion of privacy that raises points and questions to engage students in the subject before they complete the hypothetical case study that follows in a three-part, workbook format. (Purpose) The purpose is to engage students in a critical thinking exercise that requires students to analyze a developing situation from a variety of perspectives. (Method) The case study is divided in three parts so that students must adjust their responses to a changing situation. They are to use a variety of moral values, obligations and principles that the instructor of the class may select and define. (Results) The case study often engages students at an emotional level. Further, students in my classes are asked to do some parts in small groups, some by themselves and some with the class as a whole, which leads to often robust discussions. (Conclusion) The students in the ethics class come from a wide range of majors, and the exercise seems to clearly fulfill the purpose of helping them develop critical thinking skills in the area of moral decision-making, even though the content uses a journalism context. (Recommendation) Instructors may wish to only give students the study one part at a time so they cannot base conclusions to part one or two with the knowledge of future developments. I use moral concepts/rules when considering values and principles, whereas obligations refer to duties to different people involved in the case study.


Economic activity in the United States has been growing more slowly than average for the past three years, and it is not likely to speed up soon. The slow growth has been due primarily to pessimism among consumers about their long-run personal income. That pessimism—and its extension to the U.S. economy as a whole—is confirmed by data on real estate prices and labor force participation and by the 1992–93 forecast of a Bayesian vector autoregression model.


Results on penetration measurements through different materials at the terahertz band (0.1 - 10 THz) are reported. These materials include common materials found at any home or office, i.e., plastic, glass, paper, and hardboard. The measurements were conducted with terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) method and with the TeraView TeraPulse measurement device. The results show that the THz radiation penetrates through these materials and the losses through the materials are small enough to theoretically allow communication through them. However, the propagation through the materials does not only introduce loss, but delay as well. It may cause problems in delay sensitive detection, e.g., the symbol to be detected may slide off the detection window if the signal is shadowed by an object. Also, it can cause inter-symbol interference if the symbol separation is small. Furthermore, we show frequency domain results for the penetration which show that the higher frequencies are more prone to the penetration loss than the lower end of the THz band.


Produced to accompany a major exhibition at the British Museum, on view 24 September 2009 - 24 January 2010, this catalogue will explore the dramatic events surrounding the Spanish assault on the Aztec Empire, focusing on the Emperor Moctezuma II who ruled from AD 1502 from his capital Tenochtitlan (the site of modern-day Mexico City). Key works of art will be shown together for the first time, including iconic objects such as the British Museums turquoise snake and masks, and intriguing but less well-known material such as sculptures, codices, intricate featherwork, gold and treasures from Mexico and other major international museums. The book will open with an examination of the origin of Mexico and the role of the king as a military, political and religious leader. At the heart of the story unfolding around the arrival of the Spanish stands the enigmatic and semi-mythical figure of Moctezuma himself. Attention will be drawn to the fascinating but often very different accounts of key events given by Mexican and Spanish sources. Moctezuma's own contribution to his eventual downfall and death at the hands of his own people will be examined afresh, drawing upon the latest international research and the ongoing archaeological discoveries in Mexico City. The book will finally reassess the legacy of these momentous events, including the role they played in shaping modern Mexican identity. With chapters by international authorities and stunning photography, this book will be an outstanding contribution to the understanding of Mexico and its last Aztec ruler.


Six cruises were carried out in the lower St. Lawrence Estuary (LSLE) and the NW Gulf of St. Lawrence (NW GSL) in spring and fall 1998, 2000, and 2001 to study the species composition, abundance, and distribution of macrozooplankton in relation to the physical environment. Our results confirm that the LSLE and the NW GSL represent 2 different physical environments. These differ- ences are likely due to different circulation patterns observed between the 2 regions: the estuarine circulation in the LSLE and a quasi-permanent cyclonic gyre in the NW GSL. The dominant species found in both environments (LSLE and NW GSL) is the mysid Boreomysis arctica, but we observed no significant regional and interannual variations in its abundance. In contrast, 2 distinct groups characterized the LSLE and the NW GSL when we examined the other macrozooplankton groups. Two euphausiid species, Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Thysanoessa raschii, dominated in the LSLE. Their abundances were 6 and 15 times higher in the LSLE than in the NW GSL, respectively. On the other hand, the NW GSL was dominated by chaetognaths, hyperiid amphipods, and siphonophores. These groups were twice as abundant in the NW GSL as in the LSLE. Such inter- regional variations were attributed to different circulation patterns and different trophic systems. Furthermore, important interannual variations in the abundance of the major macrozooplankton species were also observed between 1998 and 2001 in the LSLE and the NW GSL. In the NW GSL, the arctic and boreo-arctic species were more abundant in 1998 than in 2000 and 2001. In contrast, their abundance was lowest in 1998, and highest in 2000 and 2001 in the LSLE. We hypothesize that stronger inflow of Labrador Shelf waters in the GSL via the Strait of Belle Isle may increase the advec- tion of macrozooplankton into the LSLE.


Most patients experience decreased physical, psychosocial, and spiritual comfort while receiving mechanical ventilation. Regarding the Muslim patients, diminished comfort might be associated with alterations in performing daily rituals, such as saying prayers (salat) and reciting the Holy Qur'an. This pilot study aimed to determine the effects of comfort care integrated with the Holy Qur'an recitation on comfort in Muslim patients being mechanically ventilated.Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on a group of participants using pretest-posttest design. The samples consisted of ten Muslim patients under mechanical ventilation who met the inclusion criteria. Each participant was provided with the comfort care integrated with the Holy Qur'an recitation for three days. A modified version of Shortened General Comfort Questionnaire was utilized to evaluate comfort of the participants. The data were analyzed by SPSS using paired t-test. Results: Mean score of total comfort increased significantly after receiving the comfort care integrated with recitation of the Holy Qur'an (t=11.42, p=0). In addition, mean score of each context of comfort (i.e. physical, psychospiritual, environmental, and sociocultural comforts) also augmented significantly post-intervention.Conclusion: This pilot study showed that the comfort care integrated with the Holy Qur'an recitation can be an effective way of enhancing comfort of Muslim patients under mechanical ventilation.


The central research aim in the present thesis was to increase our understanding of multisensory processing abilities in individuals with autism, and investigate how possible impairments might be related to clinical features of the disorder. Impairments in sensory perception have repeatedly been associated with autism, and might ultimately result in impairments of social communication. An important aspect of everyday social processing is that signals arrive from different modalities at the same time. Integration across sensory systems plays an essential role in communication, especially during face-to-face interactions. We can, for instance, hear a laughing face and see what someone is saying. Given the impairments in those domains of communication in which crossmodal associations are particularly important (e.g., emotions and speech), there is good reason to hypothesize that multisensory processing will be especially impaired in individuals with autism. Using several research techniques (EEG and EMG) and paradigms, this thesis provides clear improvements in our knowledge of multisensory integration (MSI) in individuals with autism. On a point by point basis, the evidence given in this thesis comprises the following findings: Automatic facial muscle activity in response to seeing happy and fearful faces is larger in individuals with autism than matched controls. These results can be interpreted as an increased physiological responsiveness in individuals with autism to the presentation of facial stimuli. Possibly, individuals with autism develop a kind of homeostasis-driven behavior, such as the typical gaze avoidance, to control for hyperactive physiological responses to faces. Low-level MSI, as measured by a crossmodal EEG gating paradigm, is intact in individuals with autism. Intact rapid crossmodal associations indicate normal functional connectivity between primary visual and auditory processing areas in autism. Atypical crossmodal gating was found in a group of schizophrenia individuals, which makes the crossmodal sensory gating paradigm a potential psychophysiological measure from which autism and schizophrenia can be distinguished. Using naturalistic audiovisual (AV) speech stimuli, we found normal low-level, but atypical higher-order MSI in individuals with autism. Although these findings could indicate abnormal MSI of phonological information, one should not overlook the possibility that the observed results are due to others factors, such as attention impairments, as these are known to influence the way in which crossmodal associations are made. Individuals with autism are able to integrate emotional signals from face and voice, on low-level as well as higher-order levels of processing, although there are several factors that have an atypical influence on MSI in autism. Together with anomalies in the perceptual processing of emotional signals-in-noise, inappropriate attention mechanisms may cause aberrant multisensory EEG responses. Importantly, in combination with the observed hyper-responsiveness to emotional faces at the level of reflex-like motor activity, this pattern of information processing may cause overloading of higher-cognitive processes under naturalistic multisensory situations, and consequently lead to the specific deficits in social cognition associated with autism.


BACKGROUND
Reducing length of hospital stay (LOS) is a policy aim for many health care systems and is thought to indicate efficiency.

METHODS
A MedLine search was undertaken for articles relating to 'LOS', 'early discharge' or 'patient discharge' between 1983 and 1997 and a selective search was undertaken for material published before 1983.

RESULTS
Routine data showed that there were variations in LOS between countries, regions and hospitals. The trends in LOS showed a decrease over time in all regions. Research consistently fails to show an adverse effect on health outcomes of reducing LOS, but there may nevertheless be an ethical or moral minimum LOS. Two recent examples illustrate this. There has been an outcry at some ultrashort stays, for example 'drive-through mastectomy' and 'lunchtime abortion' and these are discussed in the review.

CONCLUSIONS
There are a number of reasons for the perceived lack of relationship between LOS and health outcomes. Clearly reducing days of care at the low-intensity end of a hospital stay may not necessarily affect health outcomes. There is a case to be made for tailoring care more exactly to an individual's needs by looking at the actual components of care rather than the place of care--within or outside hospital walls.


Aims: This study was conducted to evaluate the genotoxic effects of fruit and leaf ethanolic extracts of Ecaballium elateruim on clinical and reference strains of E. coli (E. coli ATCC 25922). Methodology: The genotoxic effects of fruit and leaf ethanolic extracts were determined by using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC-PCR) and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Results: The results showed an alteration in DNA and protein profiles of both tested Escherichia coli strains treated with fruit and leaf extracts compared with untreated control. The alterations ranged between decreased or increased intensity of some bands, absence or appearance of new amplified fragments. Moreover, increased concentrations of E. elaterium extracts and increased time intervals seems to yield a more profound increase in total protein concentrations in both tested E. coli strains. Original Research Article Abu-Hijleh et al.; JABB, 19(2): 1-11, 2018; Article no.JABB.43882 2 Conclusions: Such findings strongly indicate the genotoxic effects of E. elaterium extracts on both E. coli strains. The results draw attention to the unsafe, improper use of E. elaterium extracts in folkloric medicine and point out the capability of using E. elaterium to treat E. coli infections. Future studies should be needed to find out the exact mechanisms responsible for the observed genotoxicity.


Abstract More and more attention has been paid to environmental chlamydiae in recent years. They were classified as pathogenic bacteria for both humans and animals. Thanks to molecular biology techniques, the following nine families of environmental chlamydiae were assigned to the order of Chlamydiales: Candidatus Clavichlamydiaceae, Criblamydiaceae, Parachlamydiaceae, Candidatus Piscichlamy- diaceae, Rhabdochlamydiaceae, Simkaniaceae, Waddliaceae, Candidatus Actinochlamydiacae and Candidatus Parilichlamydiaceae. These bacteria are considered the infectious factors of zoonoses due to the fact that they can be found among pets and livestock such as cats, guinea pigs, sheep, cattle, and even fish. Many of these animals also suffer from diseases caused by these bacteria. In this study, while characterizing environmental chlamydiae, special attention has been paid to illnesses of the respiratory tract caused by Simkania negevensis, and to the abortions among people and ruminants caused by Waddlia chondrophila. Furthermore, the species of the Rhabdochlamydiaceaefamily , as well as the bacteria from the Parachlamydiaceae family responsible for eye illnesses in humans and animals, are also characterized in this work. Lastly, newly discovered fish chlamydiae, which are potential factors of illnesses in humans and terrestial animals, are also presented in this paper. 1. Introduction. 2. Pathogenicity of environmental chlamydiae for humans and animals. 2.1. Pathogenicity of the Parachlamydiaceaefamily. 2.2. Pathogenicity of the Simkaniaceae family. 2.3. Pathogenicity of the Rhabdochlamydiaceae family. 2.4. Pathogenicity of the Waddliaceae family. 2.5. Pathogenicity of other chlamydia. 3. Diagnostics of environmental chlamydiae. 4. Conclusions


We find a canonical decomposition of a geodesic current on a surface of finite type arising from a topological decomposition of the surface along special geodesics. We show that each component either is associated to a measured lamination or has positive systole. For a current with positive systole, we show that the intersection function on the set of closed curves is bilipschitz equivalent to the length function with respect to a hyperbolic metric. We show that the subset of currents with positive systole is open and that the mapping class group acts properly discontinuously on it. As an application, we obtain in the case of compact surfaces a structure theorem on the length functions appearing in the length spectrum compactification both of the Hitchin and of the maximal character varieties and determine therein an open set of discontinuity for the action of the mapping class group.


The effect of the two-point spatial correlation function of human tissue on the spectrum of scattered light is considered within the accuracy of the first Born approximation. An expression for the maximum of the spectrum of the scattered light at various scattering angles is derived. It is shown that for most biological tissues the spectrum of the backscattered light is centered at a higher frequency with respect to the incident spectrum.


Although infection with the dengue virus (DENV) causes severe dengue, it causes a mild self-limiting illness in the majority of individuals. There is emerging evidence that an aberrant immune response in the initial stages of infection lead to severe disease. Many inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and lipid mediators are significantly higher in patients with severe dengue compared to those who develop mild infection, during febrile phase of illness. Monocytes, mast cells, and many other cells of the immune system, when infected with the DENV, especially in the presence of poorly neutralizing antibodies, leads to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibition of interferon signaling pathways. In addition, production of immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10 further leads to inhibition of cellular antiviral responses. This dysregulated and aberrant immune response leads to reduced clearance of the virus, and severe dengue by inducing a vascular leak and excessive inflammation due to high levels of inflammatory cytokines. Individuals with comorbid illnesses could be prone to more severe dengue due to low grade endotoxemia, gut microbial dysbiosis and an altered phenotype of innate immune cells. The immunosuppressive and inflammatory lipid mediators and altered phenotype of monocytes are likely to further act on T cells and B cells leading to an impaired adaptive immune response to the virus. Therefore, in order to identify therapeutic targets for treatment of dengue, it would be important to further characterize these mechanisms in order for early intervention. In this review, we discuss the differences in the innate immune responses in those who progress to develop severe dengue, compared to those with milder disease in order to understand the mechanisms that lead to severe dengue.


The theoretical framework for this empirical study extends a trail of thinking from a social constructivist view of learning to the areas of assessment, evaluation and leadership. The relationship between social constructivist learning principles, formative approaches to assessment and evaluation, and collaborative leadership styles is explored and discussed. Learning and teaching developments in secondary schools have often fragmented the intrinsic elements of learning, teaching, assessment, evaluation and leadership. As Palmer (2007) so aptly puts it: '...we think the world apart.' (p. 64). This study seeks to 'think education together' by taking a more integrated perspective. The aims of this study were to add to the body of knowledge in the area of assessment and evaluation through the adoption of the aforementioned integrated perspective, develop formative assessment and evaluation policies and practices in a secondary school to the extent that they are embedded in the school's working culture and paradigm, and finally to chart the means by which change has been achieved. The research is argued to be located in the critical paradigm, adopts an action research methodology in which the researcher assumes a participatory, practitioner researcher role in conducting an ethnographic case study of a secondary school. A social constructivist theme was retained throughout the research design and although both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered, the study was conducted within an interpretative framework informed by symbolic interactionism. Data were gathered via a multi-method approach that included focus groups and semistructured interviews, observation and accompanying field notes, document and classroom artefact analysis, and non-inferential statistics. Focus groups were used to check data sources, confirm interpretations, develop and disseminate new ideas and approaches, and refine developments based on feedback received. This process was informed by Gladwell's (2000) notion of ideas taking on the qualities of viruses which in turn develop into epidemics. D Walters EdD Thesis 2 Participants' early reluctance to accept a need to change was overcome through an initial 'internal' audit of current policy and practice relating to learning, teaching, assessment and evaluation, the results of which confirmed the 'external' judgements made by OfSTED and the Local Authority (LA) in terms of the need for the school to develop formative approaches to assessment and evaluation. A purposively selected assessment and evaluation focus group showed a commitment to formative ways of working, and was instrumental in defining and refining new policies for assessment and evaluation in collaboration with other focus groups, nonfocus group colleagues, pupils and parents. Additional focus groups for pupil behavioural aspects and mentoring were embraced by the research rather than discouraged in order to retain an integrated 'real world' perspective. The aims of the study are shown to have been met in that new formative ways of working are now embedded in assessment policy and practice and the researcher has developed a new approach to whole school leadership. This study proposes a new way of thinking that embraces paradox rather than preserving divisions. Moreover, it argues a case for transformative education being reliant on taking this stance. The study also presents a picture of leadership and research based on co-existence and proposes a new 'Stenhousian' philosophy where research becomes the basis for leadership. D Walters EdD Thesis 3


This study is concerned with the phenomenological exploration of individuals who have been deemed, by their colleagues, to express spirituality in the workplace (SiW). Specifically, the exploration looks at the interviewees' experiences of the phenomenon SiW in relation to their beliefs, values and behaviours. Further, this study explores these individuals' perceptions about the effects that the expression of SiW has on themselves, others and the organisation. This current study also explores what these individuals believe has enabled their particular expression of SiW.Within the body of, the mostly non-empirical, literature reviewed the picture of the expression of spirituality and/or SiW we see the propensity to describe an individual who is internally self-reflective, self-focused and self-referenced, with respect to that expression. We also see an individual who must be externally enabled to express their SiW, whether that be through organisationally created culture, (which includes the direction of spiritual leaders and leadership) or organisationally led processes, procedures and/or development programmes. Through the literature filter, we see individuals, who neither positively affect organisational success through themselves and/or others, nor affect organisational culture. Instead, we see individuals who must be affected through the culture of the organisation, specifically, to express their SiW.However, we get a picture of the expression of SiW, from the interviewees' descriptors, being about a conscious, proactive, self-aware and self-enabled individual choosing (even when it's not easy) to congruently express their beliefs/values with a focus on quality relationships.


Table 1 contains the final sunspot-numbers for 1937, for the whole disc of the Sun, based on observations made at the Zurich Observatory, supplemented by series furnished by other cooperating observatories for days (indicated by asterisks) on which no observations were possible at Zurich.

Table 2 gives the yearly means of the relative numbers, R, since the last minimum 1933 and the number of days without spots.


Sweden: Growing Interest in Ethics Since the publication of the first doctoral thesis in Sweden on medical ethics, Clarence Blomquist's Medicinsk etik (Medical Ethics) in 1971,[1] the medical ethics books of scholarly interest have been few and far between in Sweden.[2] In the 1980s a number of books have been published, however, indicating a growing interest in the field. To some extent these books are an outflow of ongoing debates focused by public policy concerns. During the 1960s and 70s the questions of abortion and euthanasia were preeminent. In the 80s developments in reproductive medicine and genetics and the question of introducing brain-related criteria for death have been the center of attention. These discussions led to the current Swedish abortion act (1975), improved official recommendations for the care of patients in the terminal phase of life (1978-79), a new law on artificial insemination (1985), and the adoption of brain-death criteria (1988). Regulation of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and genetic research is presently under intense discussion. One of the most successful recent publications is Medicinsk etik och manniskosyn (Medical Ethics and View of Man), edited by Holsten Fagerberg,[3] which is widely used as a textbook in both medical and nursing curriculae. The contributors, two theological ethicists and two physicians, succeed in combining a general introduction to medical ethics with the development of a normative ethics and a theory of human nature. The book starts by presenting the ethical platform, developed from a theory initially formulated by Peter Knauer,[4] that an action is morally right if, on a long view and as a whole, it is not counterproductive. Their view of man is inspired by Arthur Koestler's concept `holon'--the tension between the individual's self-assertion and adaptability--and based on: evidence for freedom of choice and (moral) responsibility from genetic and neurophysiological research. The topics treated, such as the concepts `health' and `disease', the use of contraceptives, abortion, prenatal diagnostics, artificial insemination, IVF, organ transplantation, euthanasia, suicide, psychiatric care, alcohol and drug abuse, and issues in medical research, are placed in their historical and medical context. Most of these topics are also treated in Gert Wretmark, et al., Etik i varden: teori, praktik, forskning (Ethics in Medical Care: Theory, Practice, Research.)[5] Written in the style of personal reflections by two physicians and a hospital priest, the book is imbued with life by examples based on their everyday experiences. Besides medical ethics issues like truthfulness, respect for human life, euthanasia, suicide, abortion, artificial insemination by donor, IVF, prenatal diagnostics, and research ethics, the authors address psychological aspects of the care of patients. One chapter is devoted to ethics in the medical care of children, where attention is called to how our views on children and children's rights have changed in recent decades. In Sweden the increased legal protection of children has manifested itself not only in the prohibition of corporal punishment and in the right and obligation of medical personnel to suspend professional secrecy when there is evidence of assault or battery of children, but also in the stipulation that parents (guardians) shall increasingly take the child's wishes and viewpoints into consideration as he or she grows and develops.[6] A valuable complement to these two books is Medicinsk etik. En praktisk exempelsamling som utgangspunkt for diskussioner (Medical Ethics. A Practical Selection of Examples as Point of Departure for Discussion) by Ake Andren-Sandberg.[7] The author approaches ethical problems in twenty-five concrete, mostly clinical examples partly based on his own experience as a clinician. …


NEIL3 is the largest of three homologs of the bacterial Nei protein in mammalian cells. It has been shown to have DNA glycosylase activity in vitro, excising oxidised purine and pyrimidine bases from both single- and double-stranded DNA. Additionally, NEIL3 has recently been shown to release oxidised bases from telomeric regions of DNA. While NEIL3 shows a restricted expression pattern in normal human cells, previous studies have shown that NEIL3 is highly expressed in various cancer cell lines when compared with normal counterparts. Furthermore, high expression levels of NEIL3 were associated with development of metastases in patients with primary malignant melanoma. However, no one has looked at the expression of NEIL3 in paediatric cancer cells, or attempted to correlate the expression of NEIL3 with proteins involved in telomere length maintenance. Therefore, the aim of this project was to determine the gene expression levels of NEIL3 in paediatric cancer cell lines and to determine any association between the levels of NEIL3 expression and the presence or absence of telomerase in these cells. Gene expression of NEIL3, hTERT and POT1 was measured by qRT-PCR in two cell lines of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL; steroid sensitive and steroid resistant cells), osteosarcoma, hepatoblastoma and medulloblastoma tumours. An initial assessment of whether the levels of NEIL3 expression are indicative of the response of paediatric tumours to sensitivity to DNA damaging agents was also carried out using the hepatoblastoma and the ALL cells. The results confirmed that NEIL3 was highly expressed in all cell lines tested and that the relative levels of NEIL3 and telomerase mRNA was significantly higher in steroid resistant ALL cells than in the steroid sensitive ALL cells. However, there was no correlation between the expression of NEIL3 and the presence or absence of telomerase. ALL and hepatoblastoma cells were sensitive to cisplatin, doxorubicin and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP), as a decrease in cell growth was observed at each concentration of the compounds tested. Results also indicate that following treatment with t-BHP, growth of the steroid sensitive ALL cells was significantly more inhibited than that of the resistant ALL cell line. Therefore, NEIL3 could be a resistance factor to cancer chemotherapy in paediatric cancer cells and may be a novel target for the treatment of paediatric cancers.


Inherently distributed systems are systems that are distributed by their own nature; in other words, they are composed of subsystems, which are physically and geographically separated. Examples of such systems are the distributed computer systems with various hosts geographically located; the wireless systems with a number of base and subscriber stations geographically separated; the satellite constellations, the military battlefields and so on. Such systems have, in many cases, been studied by use of Local Simulation (LS), in other words, a simulation run by a single host, or by use of Distributed Simulation (DS) in which the simulation system is divided into a number of federates, run by separate hosts for the scope of obtaining resource scalability and simulator reusability. In this paper, the DS approach is seen from a different point of view: a way to give higher representativeness to the simulation of inherently distributed systems. The approach consists of locating the federates in the same geographic positions of the subsystems that are designed to become part of the inherently distributed system. In this way, the distributed system can be studied in a very realistic way before being implemented. In this paper the problems and the advantages of this new DS approach are discussed and the technology is presented that supports and facilitates its introduction.


With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technology, the analysis of metagenomic sequencing data and the accurate and efficient estimation of relative microbial abundance have become important ways to explore the microbial composition and function of microbes. In addition, the accuracy and efficiency of the relative microbial abundance estimation are closely related to the algorithm and the selection of the reference sequence for sequence alignment. We introduced the microbial core genome as the reference sequence for potential microbes in a metagenomic sample, and we constructed a finite mixture and latent Dirichlet models and used the Gibbs sampling algorithm to estimate the relative abundance of microorganisms. The simulation results showed that our approach can improve the efficiency while maintaining high accuracy and is more suitable for high-throughput metagenomic data. The new approach was implemented in our CoreProbe package which provides a pipeline for an accurate and efficient estimation of the relative abundance of microbes in a community. This tool is available free of charge from the CoreProbe's website: Access the Docker image with the following instruction: sudo docker pull panhongfei/coreprobe:1.0.


We provide the first description of a virus responsible for a systemic hemorrhagic disease causing high mortality in farmed rice field eels Monopterus albus in China. Typical signs exhibited by the diseased fish were extensive hemorrhages in the skin and viscera and some neurological signs, such as loss of equilibrium and disorganized swimming. Histopathological examination revealed various degrees of necrosis within the spleen and liver. Virus isolation was attempted from visceral tissues of diseased fish by inoculation on 6 fish cell lines. Typical cytopathic effects (CPE) were produced in bluegill fry (BF2) cells, so this cell line was chosen for further isolation and propagation of the virus. Electron microscopy observation showed that the negative stained viral particles had the characteristic bullet shape of rhabdoviruses and an estimated size of 60 × 120 nm. We therefore tentatively refer to this virus as Monopterus albus rhabdovirus (MoARV). Molecular characterization of MoARV, including sequence analysis of the nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), and glycoprotein (G) genes, revealed 94.5 to 97.3% amino acid similarity to that of Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus. Phylogenetic analysis based on the amino acid sequences of N and G proteins indicated that MoARV should be a member of the genus Vesiculovirus. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by infecting healthy rice field eels with MoARV, which produced an acute infection. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that MoARV RNA could be detected in both naturally and experimentally infected fish. The data suggest that MoARV was the causative pathogen of the disease.


Objectives: The review on scopes of practice tends to gain importance in Human Resource in Health agenda in Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the scope of practice of physicians and nurses who work in the Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS) (Primary Healthcare) and their main barriers. Methods: this is an exploratory qualitative study conducted in 2015 and 2016, through interviews with 26 physicians and 26 nurses who work in the APS in 12 cities distributed in five Brazilian health regions. Results: physicians and nurses in the health region of the North and Northeast performed a great number of procedures, and those physicians who work in units located in rural areas. Both professional categories indicated that they knew how to carry out several procedures that were not performed in practice. The main barriers for not performing those procedures include, lack of access to exams, materials and inadequate infrastructure, protocols and city guides restrictions, legal restrictions and lack of training. Conclusions: the results suggests the need to ease the health professionals' attributions, facilitate the integration between the professionals' practices and optimizing their work, especially in remote and unassisted regions, in order to be in favor of expanding the access and problem solving in APS.


The death of David Antony Long at the age of 98 severs one of the last direct links with the era that followed the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928, an event that was to change the course of medical practice in the 20th century. Long's long and distinguished career in microbiology and molecular science began shortly after he qualified, with a series of papers on the clinical effects of penicillin in humans.

Long was born on 27 February 1917 in London after his father, who had been a professor of Classics in Dublin, had moved to England. He was educated at Eastbourne College and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he qualified with honours and distinction in medicine, pharmacology, and therapeutics. He won the Brackenbury scholarship in medicine at St Bartholomew's and the Mathews Duncan prize and gold medal.

On qualifying he was appointed house physician to the medical unit at St Bartholomew's, and the following year he became lecturer in bacteriology there. Bart's had played a major part in evaluating penicillin from the earliest days. Long's work on the effect of penicillin in the treatment of diphtheria stimulated an early research interest in methods of assaying antigens and antibodies and led to several early papers. Later, at the National Institute for Medical Research, which he joined in 1948, he showed that diphtheria antitoxin as used in humans failed to neutralise toxin injected into …


Fashion is everywhere! Fashion transcends domains and applies to almost any kind of product (e.g., apparel, cars, digital devices, food, literature, trips, music, house decoration, personal wellness). Fashion greatly influences public interest, media coverage, and product success. The global fashion apparel industry, for example, is one of the most important in terms of investments, trade, and employment while depending upon unpredictable demand. In the world of fashion, companies face a dilemma: On one hand, they create products with shorter life cycles; on the other hand they expect such products to repeatedly reap large profits. One of the main challenges fashion product managers face is to create and launch fashion products that will continuously meet the same success with customers. For example, will the long skirt have the same success than the skinny jean, or will the high heel prevail over the flats? Moreover, the fashion industry deals with products that greatly impact personal appearance, seduction, thus, relationships with others. Indeed, a fashion dress is more than just a dress, as it can change one's appearance and reveal the consumer's identity. Consequently, fashion managers not only are responsible for their product lines, but also for the symbolic image they help customers convey. This book focuses on the fashion apparel and accessories industry. It introduces the concept of fashion equity--the value fashion adds to products--a key concept to explain fashion products attractiveness and success, despite their constant renewal. This book will help managers answer the following questions: Why and how fashion products consistently appeal to consumers despite their renewal? What symbolic and experiential benefits fashion products bring to consumers and how fashion product managers can leverage them better? What marketing strategy and tactics companies should use to increase fashion products success while managing customers' image? How companies can maintain customers' loyalty and generate higher profits with fashion products? Based on deep analyses of manufacturers and retailers' best practices, customers' and companies' interviews, and the latest academic research on fashion marketing, this book will assist companies to manage the value fashion adds to products, extract larger profits despite their shorter life cycles, and help them create long-term loyal customers.


In this paper, we investigate the problem of optimal sequential learning, viewed as a problem of estimating an underlying function sequentially rather than estimating a set of parameters of the neural network. First, we arrive at a suboptimal solution to the sequential estimate that can be mapped by a growing gaussian radial basis function (GaRBF) network. This network adds hidden units for each observation. The function space approach in which the estimates are represented as vectors in a function space is used in developing a growth criterion to limit its growth. A simplification of the criterion leads to two joint criteria on the distance of the present pattern and the existing unit centers in the input space and on the approximation error of the network for the given observation to be satisfied together. This network is similar to the resource allocating network (RAN) (Platt 1991a) and hence RAN can be interpreted from a function space approach to sequential learning. Second, we present an enhancement to the RAN. The RAN either allocates a new unit based on the novelty of an observation or adapts the network parameters by the LMS algorithm. The function space interpretation of the RAN lends itself to an enhancement of the RAN in which the extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm is used in place of the LMS algorithm. The performance of the RAN and the enhanced network are compared in the experimental tasks of function approximation and time-series prediction demonstrating the superior performance of the enhanced network with fewer number of hidden units. The approach adopted here has led us toward the minimal network required for a sequential learning problem.


The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs funded a project aimed at developing tools for water management in the Bekaa valley, Lebanon. The Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water implemented the project, supported by the University of Milan Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DISAA).The geologic framework consists of a Cretaceous-Eocene carbonatic structure, crossed by a fracture system parallel to the anticlines of the Anti-Lebanon and Mount Hermon ranges and to the synclinal constituting the Bekaa valley. The carbonatic structure is overlain by a Neogene-Quaternary sequence of lacustrine limestones, marls and conglomerates outcropping in the lower valley.In the study area, groundwater bodies fed by precipitation along the mountain ridges, give origin to the Orontes river. Surficial and ground water feed the population, agriculture and fish farming and, since 2011, over one million of Syrian refugees.A Decision Support System (DSS) was set up based on WEAP, a software that represents the interaction between water resources and users by simulating flow mechanisms directly or coupled to external models. MODFLOW-2000, one of such models, was used to represent groundwater flow in the carbonatic and in the overlying Quaternary aquifer, which is present in the lower valley.By coupling WEAP with MODFLOW, it is possible to represent physically-based scenarios of water management, with the aim of optimizing both water extraction and distribution. Moreover, the groundwater flow model could support negotiations between Lebanon, Syria and Turkey for the distribution of surface and ground water through joint data and knowledge.


The aim of this study is to check if there is a relationship between the seismic activity and the whistlers observed by the micro-satellite DEMETER. Whistlers are the waves emitted by lightning strokes during thunderstorm activity. They use to propagate in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide but also in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere mainly along the magnetic field lines. Due to this reason we have checked the whistler occurrence not close to earthquake epicenters but close to the magnetically conjugate point of these epicenters at the satellite altitude. The number of whistlers is given by a neural network in operation onboard the satellite. It appears that the whistler amplitude is attenuated at the satellite altitude around the magnetic equator. It is why we have removed the earthquakes occurring at low geomagnetic latitudes in the statistic. The whistler rate is normalized with a background value to take into account the seasons and the epicenter locations. A superposed epoch method is used to display the results between -15 and +5 days around the earthquake day and up to 1000 km from the conjugate point of the epicenters. It is shown that the whistler rate is higher the day before the earthquake at a distance less than 200 km. It would be unrealistic to believe in the possibility to use this study for earthquake prediction because everyday thunderstorm activity reliably masks seismic effects. But it is further evidence that there is a lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling at the time of the seismic activity.


This study focuses on how practitioners view learning activities in projects and how these activities are influenced by the approach or emphasis espoused in different reference texts. The perceived importance of learning lessons in projects was surveyed in the literature, establishing the difficulties encountered, various methods for process improvement and the realities of current practice. The practices of individuals working within two major project management frameworks used in developed English-speaking economies were compared. A survey was constructed to address the question. Data from a pilot survey support the theory that the PMBoK and PRINCE2 are not perceived as synonymous and that differences will be more evident with a larger dataset. Inferences are drawn linking the pilot survey to the outcomes of previous studies and making recommendations for further research.


In this thesis, the flow and hydrographic characteristics of the boundary circulation off Angola are investigated, with particular emphasis on the mean properties and the seasonal cycle of the Angola Current. Moored velocity observations acquired at the Angolan shelf at 11°S between 2013 and 2016 reveal a highly variable alongshore flow with velocities in the range of ±40 cm/s superimposed on a weak poleward mean current with core velocities not exceeding 8 cm/s. These measurements question the former view of a permanently poleward flowing Angola Current, which was based on results from few ship campaigns. During the observational period a mean Angola Current southward transport of 0.32±0.05 Sv is determined. Pronounced annual and semiannual oscillations are found in the alongshore current characterized by distinct baroclinic structures. In the equatorial Atlantic, annual and semiannual oscillations are associated with resonant equatorial basin-modes of the fourth baroclinic mode for the annual cycle and the second baroclinic mode for the semiannual cycle. Equatorial basin-modes represent standing modes in a zonally bounded basin being composed of equatorial Kelvin and Rossby waves. A series of shallow water model experiments differing in the basin geometry and/or the applied forcing show a structural robustness of the corresponding horizontal patterns associated with the annual and semiannual cycles. The off-equatorial lobes of the basin-modes also impact alongshore velocity at the eastern boundary off Angola. In a suite of shallow water model simulations the remote equatorial forcing related to basin-modes is isolated from the effects of local forcing. The observed annual cycle of alongshore velocity at 11°S is well reproduced by the remote equatorial forcing. For the semiannual cycle, the inclusion of local forcing improves the agreement between observed and simulated velocity oscillations at 11°S.