In February 2005 Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan noticed that the 10-year Treasury yields failed to increase despite a 150-basis-point increase in the federal funds rate as a "conundrum." This paper shows that the connection between the 10-year yield and the federal funds rate was severed in the late 1980s, well in advance of Greenspan's observation. The paper hypothesize that the change occurred because the Federal Open Market Committee switched from using the federal funds rate as an operating instrument to using it to implement monetary policy and presents evidence from a variety of sources supporting the hypothesis. The analysis has implications for central banks' interest rate policies.


Recognition and quantitative characterization of subsurface stratigraphic units in coarse unconsolidated fluvial deposits are difficult because large grain size and the large scale of sedimentary structures make direct interpretation from core difficult or impossible. In this paper, we use porosity data from well logs and grain-size distribution (GSD) data from core to investigate four pebble- and cobble-dominated units that have been identified in porosity logs in deposits at a research well field (Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site). Lacking direct observation at an appropriate scale, questions about distribution of parameters and textural composition in these units are analyzed with statistical tests. The four pebble- and cobble-dominated "porosity stratigraphic" units may be grouped into two types: (1) Units 1 and 3 have low porosity (mean ∼0.17–0.18) and low porosity variance; and (2) Units 2 and 4 have higher porosity (mean ∼ 0.23–0.24) and higher porosity variance. Based on GSD data, core samples are subdivided into five lithotypes. The five lithotypes occur in different proportions and have different vertical transition probability characteristics in the two types of units: (1) Units 1 and 3 have only framework-gravel–dominated lithotypes and have random vertical transition probability between these two lithotypes; and (2) Units 2 and 4 consist of both framework-gravel–dominated and sand- or matrix-dominated lithotypes and have structured vertical transition probability. The two framework-gravel–dominated lithotypes occur in all four stratigraphic units but have distinctly lower porosity in Units 1 and 3 (i.e., tighter packing) than in Units 2 and 4 (looser packing). Considering the repeated stratigraphic occurrence of (and the statistical significance of differences between) the two types of units, both the individual unit distinctions and the two unit groupings appear to be valid. It is reasonable to interpret that the observed packing differences associated with Units 1 and 3 compared with Units 2 and 4 are related to different sedimentary processes that produce different bedforms or grain fabrics, perhaps under different bedload transport rates.


Summary 1. Maintenance of ecological integrity and biodiversity must be based on well-grounded principles of disturbance ecology. However, non-equilibrium aspects of ecosystems, such as unpredictability, instability and stochasticity due to various natural disturbances, have not been satisfactorily integrated into practical application. Failure to acknowledge the dynamic nature of systems will inevitably lead to unexpected changes and unachieved conservation goals. 2. This review discusses non-equilibrium ecology in terms of natural disturbances and the conservation and management of terrestrial ecosystems and landscapes. 3. Several key components, which require further ecological consideration, are specifically discussed. These include the hierarchical disturbance regime, disturbance legacy, multiple post-disturbance pathways, climate instability, spatial and temporal variability, and resilience. 4. Natural disturbance regimes are complex and difficult to define. This is because some disturbances can be nested, and they interact with other qualitatively and quantitatively different disturbances, constituting a hierarchy of natural disturbances. Large temporal and spatial perspectives are therefore required to incorporate the hierarchical context of natural disturbance regimes into regional management plans. 5. Conservation managers may often seek some kind of dynamic equilibrium based on protection of species and seral stages from extinction. However, because climate instability interrupts any shift toward an equilibrium, most terrestrial vegetation systems are inherently prone to large environmental changes and diverse disturbances, and thus, are dynamic and non-equilibrating. 6. Synthesis and applications. Resiliency is the key to conserving ecological integrity via the ability to cope with inevitable changes. As long as ecosystems are resilient and disturbances are natural, we should not impede natural shifts in disturbance regimes and resultant ecosystem changes, even if changes are abrupt and unpredictable and thus have large consequences. If ecological resilience has already been eroded by humans, it is important that resilience should be enhanced by restoring keystone features of vegetation systems to prevent disturbance-induced undesirable ecosystem degradation.


Refrigeration systems are common in the natural gas processing industry and processes related to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and chemical industries. Several applications for refrigeration include natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) recovery, hydrocarbon dew point control, reflux condensation for light hydrocarbon fractionators, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants. In the present work, simple-to-use predictive tool is formulated to arrive at an appropriate estimation of main design parameters in three-stage propane refrigerant systems. The proposed tool is suitable for the range of evaporator temperatures between -40 °C and 60 °C and the refrigerant condensing temperatures range between 10 °C to 70 °C. Results show that the proposed predictive tool has a very good agreement with the reported data wherein the average absolute deviation percent hovered around 1.4%. The tool developed in this study can be of immense practical value for the engineers and scientists to have a quick check on the performance of propane refrigerant systems at various conditions. In particular, gas processing and chemical engineers would find the proposed approach to be user-friendly with transparent calculations involving no complex expressions.


Permafrost thaw is altering northern ecosystems and the services they provide at scales ranging from local subsidence to global climate feedbacks. In organic-rich peatlands, thermokarst initiation and spread rates are increasing with rising mean annual air temperatures, changes in wildfire, and human land use. This presentation will outline empirical and modeling approaches to better understand the consequences of thermokarst in peatlands as well as other types of northern terrains on carbon cycling, wildlife, and other aspects of ecosystem services.  We are using fine scale datasets and remote sensing to map thermokarst coverage and expansion in both the Northwest Territories, Canada and interior Alaska. Using chronosequences and regional gradients, we are studying thermokarst impacts along gradients of time-since-thaw. Through a Permafrost Carbon Network synthesis, we developed conceptual and numerical models to understand how thermokarst development (formation, stabilization, re-accumulation of permafrost in some conditions) affects carbon storage and release. We are using a combination of empirical and modelled data to test hypotheses about climatic, ecological, and Quaternary controls on thermokarst rates and subsequent impacts on ecosystem services. We demonstrate that thermokarst in peat-rich landscapes are hotspots for permafrost carbon release primarily through methane emissions, have the potential to impact hunter movement and safety, and affect caribou habitat quality.


Here, we report an extremely rare case of local recurrence of rectal cancer 10 years after initial tumor resection. A 53-year-old man underwent abdominoperineal resection for advanced rectal cancer at a local hospital. The tumor was graded as pStage II (pA, pN0, pH0, pP0, pM0, curA)as per the Japanese Classification of Colorectal Carcinoma, seventh edition, and diagnosed as a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma on histopathological examination. Subsequently, the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy for 5 years. Although the patient lived without any recurrences after adjuvant chemotherapy, unfortunately, blood examination showed a high carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)level 10 years after the initial surgical treatment. Computed tomography(CT)and positron emission tomography(PET)/CT revealed a perineal tumor, 40mm in size, without other distant metastases. On diagnosis of local recurrence of rectal cancer, the patient underwent surgical tumor resection at Okayama University Hospital. The tumor was determined to be a well- to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma by histopathological examination, suggesting local recurrence of the primary rectal adenocarcinoma. Moreover, the radial margin was free of cancer. The patient is now doing well without any re-recurrence 30 months after the second surgical treatment, without any adjuvant chemotherapy.


ABSTRACT Fifteen ewes had data-loggers affixed under the tail, programmed to record temperature (T) every 5 min, storing up to 72 h of data. Ewes were monitored to identify time of lambing (time 0). Lambing period lasted 5 d; thereafter seven ewes which yielded data for 24 h before and after lambing were selected. Mean T (±S.E.M.) was 39.03±0.02°C. Mean T in the 24 h preceding lambing (38.68±0.02°C) was lower than it was in the 24 h following parturition (39.38±0.03°C) (P< 0.0001). T was lower in the 12 h preceding lamb birth (38.56±0.10°C) than it was in the previous 12 h (−24 to −12, 38.76±0.02°C) (P<0.0001); thereafter, T was lowest precisely at parturition (mean T = 38.18±0.03°C) and increases rapidly and peaked (mean T = 39.70±0.04°C) 2 h after lambing. In the 12 h following delivery (39.28±0.02°C), T increased, especially in the window +12 to +24 h (39.51±0.03°C). In conclusion, T of ewes changed around parturition, with a reduction 12 h before lambing, followed by a rapid increase in the hours following parturition. The data-loggers used proved a high degree of sensitivity to detect physiological T changes, which confirmed that they are appropriate for use in sheep studies.


Lately in Japan, the supply of most of crude drugs depends on the imports from China. However, from the standpoint of securing resources and risk diversification in the long term perspective, the resumption of domestic production has been attracting much attention. Recently, a local government and a pharmaceutical company presented their own policies on promotion and revival of the domestic production of medicinal plants. However, in Japan facing with the problem of aging society with a falling birthrate, the farming population is dwindling and the seeds and seedlings as well as the techniques for growing medicinal plants in formerly established production areas have mostly disappeared. Since the uses of these crops are deeply associated with pharmaceutical products and human health, the safety and the quality of products need to be treated as the priority issues. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of business management, the production cost needs to be reduced to a low level. Consequently, what is at stake is to produce safe medicinal plants of high quality at a low cost. The efforts of research and development in this sector have to address such issues as the facilitation of acquisition of seeds and seedlings, the training of manpower, the development of mechanisation and labor saving technologies suited for large-scale cultivation. Furthermore, it is needed to develop the cultivars suitable for medicinal purposes as well as the methods of processing to produce products with high quality which are safe. Our centre is committed to carry out the research on production, evaluation of product quality, and collection and preservation of resources of medicinal plants in Japan. We also offer, in response to the requests from local governments, the services of supplying seeds and seedling and of provision of technical assistance. Moreover, we carry out research programs in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies in order to develop labour saving techniques for large-scale mechanised cultivation aiming at cost reduction. The present report shall examine the relevant issues of the sector and the roles of agricultural sciences, through the presentation of research programs implemented by the Hokkaido Division of the Center, concerning the technologies for producing medicinal plants.


Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of three different organic amendments (cow manure, pig manure, and organic fertilizer) on the Cd phytostabilization potential of Eucalyptus camaldulensis grown on Cd-contaminated soil. The application of all amendments, particularly organic fertilizer, improved plant growth (i.e., height and biomass production) when compared to the control (Cd-contaminated soil alone), in both greenhouse and field experiments. E. camaldulensis treated with organic fertilizer experienced the greatest height (39 cm and 3.8 m) and biomass production (2.0 g and 3.3 kg) in greenhouse and field experiments, respectively. Plants grown on amended soils had lower Cd accumulation than those grown on the Cd soil alone. Among the treatments, organic fertilizer resulted in a translocation factor< 1 and a bioconcentration factor for the root (BCFR) > 1, indicating the potential of this species to stabilize Cd in the roots. The results showed that E. camaldulensis is a promising species for phytostabilization of Cd-contaminated soil. The wood of the mature tree is used in the manufacture of commercial products; given the low Cd uptake by E. camaldulensis, it is feasible to harvest the wood grown on Cd-affected soils for making paper and furniture.


An advertising experiment was conducted to test the advertising wearout of four anti-speeding ads, each with varying underlying "patterns" of fear arousal. The patterns of fear were established beforehand by using a dial designed to track viewers' reactions in terms of tenseness felt. The advertising experiment involved 284 participants from a first-year University marketing class. Four experimental groups were exposed to the same antispeeding ad each week, for three sequential weeks. Measures were obtained, via a questionnaire, of the participants' attention paid to the ad, expected effect on speeding behaviour, emotions felt, perceptions of the relevance, believability, realism of the ad, and demographic and driving history. The groups comprised participants with homogenous demographic characteristics (with the exception of gender) and driving histories, thus allowing the different mean scores of various effectiveness measures to be attributed to the ads themselves rather than the differences between the participants' characteristics. Repeatedmeasures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the results of the advertising experiment. Wearout, in terms of emotions felt (shock, fear and tension), attention paid, and expected speeding behaviour, did occur, with some fear patterns rapidly declining in effect in comparison with the other patterns of fear.


ABSTRACT Kurosawa Akira's 1950 film Rashōmon is frequently understood as an exploration of truth in the face of four irreconcilably conflicting testimonies. Frequently missing from the critical conversation is the originary crime of rape committed against the wife which is an absent presence in the film: despite its suppression, we are keenly aware of its essential role in driving the narrative and its simultaneous effacement from what we see on the screen. The trace it leaves exists in, and because of, the historical context of Article 14 in the Japanese constitution, yet this promise of gender equity in Japan was not achieved in Rashōmon. This unrealized promise provides one avenue for apprehending the rape's implications. Linguistic intimations and visual hints, subtle yet omnipresent in the male narratives that seek to occlude the wife's tale of rape, ask the audience to consider the role of the wife and the crime against her in the face of a stifling phallocractic order that seeks not liberation but the status quo in which the male narratives are dominant. In this way, the visual and linguistic confront the sexual power dynamics at play in Rashōmon and offer both a record of the difficult struggle gender equality will face, and an intimation that the struggle might succeed.


The aim of the present chapter was to analyze whether measures of cortisol in saliva were associated with measures of sleep and to explore if divergent results were related to underlying differences in theoretic assumptions and methods. Measures of sleep quality included sleep duration, overall sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, disturbed sleep, and sleep deprivation. Twenty-three papers were found to fulfil the inclusion criteria. Cortisol measures were grouped into single time points at different times during the day, deviations at different time periods during the day, reactivity and recovery after a standardized laboratory test, area under the curve and response to dexamethasone test. A large proportion of the studies included showed nonsignificant findings, which, in several cases, may be a result of low power. The most consistent results were a positive association between sleep duration and single measures of salivary cortisol at awakening, which was observed in 3 studies. In these studies, sleep duration was also associated with low evening cortisol levels, steep diurnal deviation of cortisol and/or high area under the curve. Together these findings suggest that longer sleep duration is related to a more dynamic cortisol secretion. Two of the 6 studies on disturbed or restless sleep showed relations to flat diurnal deviation and low laboratory stress test reactivity. This to some extent corroborates the findings on sleep duration. However, the many nonsignificant findings as well as the theoretical and methodological differences (e.g., heterogeneity in measures) complicate comparisons. Conflicting results may be at least partially due to differences in methods and underlying assumptions.


While uncovered interest parity (UIP) fails unconditionally, UIP conditional on monetary policy actions remains a cornerstone of macroeconomic models used for monetary policy analysis. We posit that monetary policy actions are partially revealed by FOMC statements and propose a new identification strategy to uncover the degree to which such policy actions induce comovement in exchange rates and long-term interest rates consistent with uncovered interest parity. We reach three conclusions. First, there is evidence in favor of UIP at long horizons, conditional on monetary policy actions, for Dollar/Euro and Dollar/Yen exchange rates. Second, short-run movements in exchange rates following monetary policy surprises are consistent with the overshooting prediction of Dornbusch (1976), although our approach cannot test UIP at short horizons. Finally, we examine the degree to which monetary policy statements since the onset of the zero-lower bound (ZLB) on the short-term interest rate in the United States have engendered different comovement between long-term interest rates and exchange rates and find little evidence for a change in relationships.


Despite a rapid development in ion beam cancer therapy there is still a great lack in understanding the fundamental mechanisms linking physical energy deposition and biological response on the subcellular scale. A cell-fluorescent ion track hybrid detector (Cell-Fit-HD) was thus developed for direct correlation of single ion tracks and subcellular damage sites in clinical ion beams. It is based on the fluorescent nuclear track detector (FNTD) read out by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The FNTD was coated with various cell lines to create the actual hybrid composite. Different cell compartment specific fluorescent stains were tested on the Cell-Fit-HD. A protocol was developed to read out the hybrid in-situ by a single CLSM. Single ion tracks detected were reconstructed in the biological compartment and correlated to radiation-induced DNA double strand break sequences as well as to cell survival kinetics. Cell-Fit-HD enables the investigation of radiation-related cellular events along single ion tracks on the subcellular scale. Microscopic physical parameters of each incident ion can be extracted and correlated to the cellular damage response pattern. The unique spatial resolution of Cell-Fit-HD could help to gain a deeper understanding between particle hits and resulting biological effects beyond the statistical relations we know today.


Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a disease characterized by persistent and progressive disease within the hemithorax. However, after aggressive local-regional treatment using surgery, regional chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and systemic chemotherapy, metastases outside of the pleural space may become the chief obstacle to long-term survival. One possible direction of cancer dissemination is direct extension through the hemidiaphragm into the peritoneal space by the disease itself or as a result of diaphragm resection. In those patients who have isolated progression of disease within the peritoneal space, evaluation of their clinical condition using prognostic indicators is essential. Patients with a limited extent of disease and favorable radiologic findings by CT should be considered for cytoreductive surgery using peritonectomy procedures and perioperative combined intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy. Although few patients with pleural to peritoneal disease extension have been treated, some favorable long-term results suggest that selected patients should be thoroughly evaluated for disease control within the abdominal and pelvic space.


Three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography (3D ERT) is a geophysical imaging
technique that has developed rapidly in recent years. The great strength of the technique is that it
is a relatively low cost non-invasive method of providing high-resolution spatial information that
reveals the structure of the subsurface. Despite its obvious suitability, 3D ERT has not yet been
applied by the minerals industry to the investigation of sand and gravel deposits. The
DRAGNET project was therefore established to begin the process of researching and developing
3D ERT for sand and gravel reserve assessment. More specifically, we have demonstrated the
technique at UK extraction sites, we have sought to establish procedures to integrate 3D ERT
with conventional investigation methods, we have developed best practice guidance for the
future use of the technique in this area, and we have begun to consider the economics of the 3D
ERT for minerals surveys.
The DRAGNET demonstration studies were carried out at Marfield Quarry, North Yorkshire,
and Bull's Lodge Quarry, Essex. These sites were selected due to their challenging geologies.
The Marfield Quarry site comprised extremely coarse gravels, which have proved to be nearly
impossible to drill, whilst the Bull's Lodge test area had overburden to mineral thickness ratios
of as much as 2:1, with in excess of 10 m of till overburden. Integrated models were generated
for both sites to demonstrate our methodology for 3D data fusion, visualisation and interpretation
using combined 3D ERT and conventional data sets.
The 3D ERT model of the Marfield Quarry site was used to identify the distribution of
overburden, depth to bedrock and quality variations within the gravels. Operationally relevant
information derived from the Marfield 3D ERT model was presented in a form that could be
directly used by minerals industry geologists for reserve calculations.
The Bull's Lodge 3D ERT model successfully defined the overburden, but was not able to
resolve the base of the mineral. The failure of ERT in this case was due to the unfavourable
overburden to mineral ration, and the very low resistivity of the till, and highlights the limitations
of the technique. Synthetic modelling studies carried out as part of this project were used to
determine the range of overburden to mineral rations over which 3D ERT would be successful,
and to trial a new survey strategy that has the potential to resolve thin mineral layers buried
beneath thick overburden. The results from the synthetic modelling and the case studies
represent an invaluable resource with which to inform the planning of future minerals surveys,
and have provided a foundation on which to begin developing best practice guidance.
The key elements of our best practice guidance for 3D ERT mineral reserve assessment surveys
are as follows: (1) Overview of ERT; (2) Limitations of ERT; (3) Survey planning and design
(including array type, vertical and lateral resolution); (4) Data collection; (5) Data processing
and interpretation (including inversion and visualisation); (6) Data quality assessment; (7) Case
studies.
Based on our experience during the project, and other published sources, we assess the likely
cost benefits of applying 3D ERT to sand and gravel investigations. Due to the limited scope and
resources available to us this assessment is necessarily qualitative. We consider the relative costs
of ERT (particularly compared to drilling), its effectiveness for sand and gravel deposit
investigations, and the added value that it can provide to site operators. It is probable that 3D
ERT will be most suited both to the investigation of complex deposits with significant lateral
heterogeneity, and those sites that are difficult to drill. In such situations 3D ERT can be used to
reveal the structure of the deposit between intrusive sample points, it can provide targets for
drilling, and can potentially reduce the number of intrusive sample points required.


Even as federal policymakers debate the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) legislation, state-level activists are beginning to discuss the best ways to implement the policy in their locales. The District of Columbia has experienced the lowest reduction in percentage of welfare caseloads in the country since the 1996 welfare reauthorization. This study explores implementation of welfare policy that both facilitates and hinders the ability of DC welfare clients to become self-sufficient. The study features in-depth interviews with twenty-six welfare clients in the District to add individual voices to the quantitative data gathered on the topic. Specifically, this paper explores the context of welfare clients' lives before and once on welfare, and asks which welfare policies they perceive to be obstacles to their own self-sufficiency. A limited ability to save money, few childcare options, strict transportation and job search requirements, and poor relationships with caseworkers all hinder a client's ability to support herself without assistance from TANF. A qualitative analysis will show that welfare recipients want and are ready to be self sufficient and have clear ideas of the current barriers embedded within the welfare systems that make their personal escape from poverty more difficult.


Hamartin and tuberin are products of the tumor suppressor genes TSC1 and TSC2, respectively. Mutations affecting either gene result in the tuberous sclerosis syndrome, a neurologic genetic disorder characterized by the formation of multiple benign tumors or hamartomas. In this study, we report the identification of TSC2, but not TSC1, as a substrate of HtrA1, a member of the human HtrA family proteins of serine proteases. We show the direct interaction and colocalization in the cytoplasm of HtrA1 and TSC2 and that HtrA1 cleaves TSC2 both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we show that alterations in HtrA1 expression cause modifications in phosphorylation status of two downstream targets of TSC2: 4E-BP1 and S6K. Our data suggest that, under particular physiologic or pathologic conditions, HtrA1 degrades TSC2 and activates the downstream targets. Considering that HtrA1 levels are significantly increased during embryogenesis, we speculate that one of the targets of HtrA1 activity during fetal development is the TSC2-TSC1 pathway. Mol Cancer Res; 8(9); 1248–60. ©2010 AACR.


This paper describes the mapping of embodied metaphors found within physical systems to the spatial organization of voices and timbral processes. The intention of such an approach is to enhance the clarity and richness of connections between performance gestures and sonic structures. Previ- ous system iterations have presented mappings informed by ecological–embodied metaphors of dynamic forces as a means to bridge cross-domain performance events across physical and figurative planes. The first iteration sought to reify gravitationally based tonal pitch space models by map- ping melodic syntax computations (such as attraction, tension, and inertia analogues) to in–kind parameters of a flocking algorithm as a method of dynamic audio spatialization. Given the embodied physical bases implied by musical models proposed by Lerdahl and Smalley, we present a system that further explores the ecological bases of musical abstraction through the lens of force–based mapping models for spatial audio and timbral processing. The present iteration of the system utilizes a physics engine in a game development environment as a base for a practice–led explora- tion of mappings encompassing a wider variety of force–relational dynamics (derived from instrumental note–events) as applied to the evolution of spatial and timbral gestures. A particular focus is the treatment of energy-motion trajectories within the system's mapping. While spatialization and diffusion is an obvious output modality for such a mapping, practice–led explorations of these embodied concepts, as facilitated by this system, may also inform a relational model of timbral connections.


Praise for IT Portfolio Management Step-by-Step "Bryan Maizlish and Robert Handler bring their deep experience in IT 'value realization' to one of the most absent of all IT management practices--portfolio management. They capture the essence of universally proven investment practices and apply them to the most difficult of challenges--returning high strategic and dollar payoffs from an enterprise's IT department. The reader will find many new and rewarding insights to making their IT investments finally return market leading results." --John C. Reece, Chairman and CEO, John C. Reece & Associates, LLC Former deputy commissioner for modernization and CIO of the IRS "IT Portfolio Management describes in great detail the critical aspects, know-how, practical examples, key insights, and best practices to improve operational efficiency, corporate agility, and business competitiveness. It eloquently illustrates the methods of building and integrating a portfolio of IT investments to ensure the realization of maximum value and benefit, and to fully leverage the value of all IT assets. Whether you are getting started or building on your initial success in IT portfolio management, this book will provide you information on how to build and implement an effective IT portfolio management strategy." --David Mitchell, President and CEO, webMethods, Inc. "I found IT Portfolio Management very easy to read, and it highlights many of the seminal aspects and best practices from financial portfolio management. It is an important book for executive, business, and IT managers." --Michael J. Montgomery, President, Montgomery & Co. "IT Portfolio Management details a comprehensive framework and process showing how to align business and IT for superior value. Maizlish and Handler have the depth of experience, knowledge, and insight needed to tackle the challenges and opportunities companies face in optimizing their IT investment portfolios. This is an exceptionally important book for executive leadership and IT business managers, especially those wanting to build a process-managed enterprise." --Peter Fingar, Executive Partner Greystone Group, coauthor of The Real-Time Enterprise and Business Process Management (BPM): The Third Wave "A must-read for the non-IT manager who needs to understand the complexity and challenges of managing an IT portfolio. The portfolio management techniques, analysis tools, and planning can be applied to any project or function." --Richard "Max" Maksimoski, Senior Director R&D, The Scotts Company "This book provides an excellent framework and real-world based approach for implementing IT portfolio management. It is a must-read for every CIO staff considering how to strategically and operationally impact their company's bottom line." --Donavan R. Hardenbrook, New Product Development Professional, Intel Corporation


An insider's revealing look at the hidden world of major league baseballDoug Glanville, a former major league outfielder and Ivy League graduate, draws on his nine seasons in the big leagues to reveal the human side of the game and of the men who play it. In "The Game from Where I Stand," Glanville shows us how players prepare for games, deal with race and family issues, cope with streaks and slumps, respond to trades and injuries, and learn the joyful and painful lessons the game imparts. We see the flashpoints that cause misunderstandings and friction between players, and the imaginative ways they work to find common ground. And Glanville tells us with insight and humor what he learned from Jimmy Rollins, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling, and other legendary and controversial stars.In his professional career, Glanville experienced every aspect of being a player--the first-round pick, the prospect, the disappointment, the can't-miss, the cornerstone, the veteran, the traded, the injured, the comeback kid. His eye-opening book gives fans a new level of understanding of day-to-day life in the big leagues.


Gut-resident microbial populations may influence intestinal homeostasis during HIV disease. Gut Reaction to HIV Despite the value placed on individuality in the western world, no human is an island. Indeed, every person carries trillions of microorganisms in their intestine, and it's becoming increasingly clear that the composition and interaction of these microorganisms can directly affect human health. Vujkovic-Cvijin et al. now demonstrate that this is the case for individuals infected with HIV, even those where viral load is controlled by therapy. The authors screened the intestinal microbiome for microbial drivers of HIV-associated immunopathology. They found that a dysbiotic mucosal microbial community associated with mucosal immune disruption, T cell activation, and chronic inflammation in HIV-infected subjects, even in patients controlled with antiviral therapy. They then looked further into the mechanism of this association and found that the extent of dysbiosis correlated with tryptophan catabolism and plasma concentrations of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), two established markers of disease progression. Indeed, gut-resident bacteria with the capacity to metabolize tryptophan were found to be enriched in HIV-infected subjects. These data link gut-resident microbial populations with the immunopathogenesis of HIV and suggest that modulating this community could provide a new therapeutic strategy for managing HIV disease progression. Progressive HIV infection is characterized by dysregulation of the intestinal immune barrier, translocation of immunostimulatory microbial products, and chronic systemic inflammation that is thought to drive progression of disease to AIDS. Elements of this pathologic process persist despite viral suppression during highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and drivers of these phenomena remain poorly understood. Disrupted intestinal immunity can precipitate dysbiosis that induces chronic inflammation in the mucosa and periphery of mice. However, putative microbial drivers of HIV-associated immunopathology versus recovery have not been identified in humans. Using high-resolution bacterial community profiling, we identified a dysbiotic mucosal-adherent community enriched in Proteobacteria and depleted of Bacteroidia members that was associated with markers of mucosal immune disruption, T cell activation, and chronic inflammation in HIV-infected subjects. Furthermore, this dysbiosis was evident among HIV-infected subjects undergoing HAART, and the extent of dysbiosis correlated with activity of the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan catabolism and plasma concentrations of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), two established markers of disease progression. Gut-resident bacteria with capacity to catabolize tryptophan through the kynurenine pathway were found to be enriched in HIV-infected subjects, strongly correlated with kynurenine levels in HIV-infected subjects, and capable of kynurenine production in vitro. These observations demonstrate a link between mucosal-adherent colonic bacteria and immunopathogenesis during progressive HIV infection that is apparent even in the setting of viral suppression during HAART. This link suggests that gut-resident microbial populations may influence intestinal homeostasis during HIV disease.


Nitric oxide (NO) biosynthesis in cerebellum is preferentially activated by calcium influx throughN-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors, suggesting that there is a specific link between these receptors and neuronal NO synthase (nNOS). Here, we find that PSD-95 assembles a postsynaptic protein complex containing nNOS and NMDA receptors. Formation of this complex is mediated by the PDZ domains of PSD-95, which bind to the COOH termini of specific NMDA receptor subunits. In contrast, nNOS is recruited to this complex by a novel PDZ-PDZ interaction in which PSD-95 recognizes an internal motif adjacent to the consensus nNOS PDZ domain. This internal motif is a structured "pseudo-peptide" extension of the nNOS PDZ that interacts with the peptide-binding pocket of PSD-95 PDZ2. This asymmetric interaction leaves the peptide-binding pocket of the nNOS PDZ domain available to interact with additional COOH-terminal PDZ ligands. Accordingly, we find that the nNOS PDZ domain can bind PSD-95 PDZ2 and a COOH-terminal peptide simultaneously. This bivalent nature of the nNOS PDZ domain further expands the scope for assembly of protein networks by PDZ domains.


Background and Aims

Monitoring of canopy vigour is an important tool in vineyard management to obtain balanced vines (vegetative vs reproductive organs). Leaf area index is the main parameter representing canopy vigour. Our aim was to test an automated computational method to obtain leaf area index and canopy vigour parameters from grapevines with digital photography and video analysis using MATLAB programming techniques for rapid data uptake and gap size analysis.
Methods and Results

The proposed method was tested against allometry at a Chilean experimental site planted with cv. Merlot. A temporal and spatial assessment of the method was also tested in a drought and drought/recovery experiment with cv. Chardonnay in the Riverland, South Australia. These data were geo-referenced and compared to the normalised difference vegetation index extracted from the WorldView-2 satellite images at a 2 m2 per pixel resolution.
Conclusions

The maximum leaf area index data obtained with cover digital photography and video analysis are an accurate, cost-effective and easy-to-use method to estimate spatial and temporal canopy LAI and structure when compared to standard measurements (allometry and plant canopy analyser).
Significance of the Study

This study has demonstrated that the method proposed is an accurate and inexpensive tool for application in experiments and by the industry to monitor spatio-temporal distribution of vigour.


Background: Antimicrobials are widely prescribed agents in clinical practice. Overuse of antimicrobials has led to emergence of drug resistance. Aims: The present study was aimed at knowing the choice of antimicrobial prescribing and to understand the rationality of antimicrobial usage . Materials and Methods: A retrospective prescription audit was done of all 655 prescriptions issued between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2012 at the outpatient department of Urban Health Centre attached to a medical college. Demographic information, diagnosis, and medication details (dose, duration, frequency ) were recorded and analyzed, and data was expressed as percentages. Results: Of the total number of prescriptions, 46% prescriptions were containing at least one or more than one antimicrobial agent. Average number of antimicrobials prescribed per prescription was 1.35. Cotrimoxazole was the most common antimicrobial agent prescribed. Of the total 307 items of prescribed antimicrobials , 57% were prescribed by proprietary name and 43% by nonproprietary name. Out of the antimicrobial items prescribed, 44% were available at the pharmacy of the Urban Health Centre. Fifty eight percent of antimicrobials prescribed were from WHO Essential Drug List. Conclusion: Among the various antimicrobials prescribed at the Urban Health Centre, cotrimoxazole was found to be the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agent in the year 2012. More than half of the antimicrobials were pres cribed by proprietary name. Less than half of the antimicrobials prescr ibed were available at the Urban Health Centre. Majority of the antimicrobials prescribed were from the WHO Essential Drug List.


Graphical models simplify the analysis of multivariate observations by summarizing conditional independences in the data. Variables are represented by nodes, and the absence of an edge between two nodes signifies their conditional independence. While graphical modelling has been used in several applications of statistics, credit scoring has only recently been suggested as a suitable candidate. This paper suggests the following potential uses for graphical models: to display and interpret the associations between variables taken from a credit-card application form; to compare the credit scoring of subpopulations; to give a description of the credit-scoring selection process in terms of influence diagrams; and to assess the effect of selection bias and stratification on the interdependency of variables. These methods are discussed in relation to the analysis of a subset of variables from a stratified sample of credit-card applicants. The large number of variables measured in an application form requires the statistical analysis of large sparse contingency tables. It is shown here that tractable graphical models can be extracted from fitting the relatively simple all-two-way interaction model.


In 1973, in the midst of violence in Northern Ireland, there was a need to explicitly articulate the importance of central values and principles informing the development of professional training for community youth work practitioners. In 2015, if staff, volunteers, organisations and institutions are to sustain a voluntary and statutory youth service that is future oriented and locally promotes the concept of young people within a shared society, there is still the need to explicitly articulate certain fundamental principles of fair treatment, (equity); valuing difference (diversity) and promoting experiences about our mutual interdependence (interdependence) as being central to youth work practice. Such principles need wedded to core practice values of respect, humility and non-violence and aligned to a form of practice that empowers staff, volunteers, young people and members of governing boards exercising their power of human agency to work towards this vision. This text argues that, without any equivocation, we continually and explicitly assert the central importance of building relationships with and between different young people. Relationships, if they are open, inclusive and accepting, are central to our personal development and identity as human beings and are the transformative centre of the lives of young people and ours too, as practitioners. Such relational understandings, when they underpin our informal educational practice and the working practices and cultures of our organisations serving young people are that: "in new relationships trust can be experienced and built; and with more trust new structures that carry hope, change and a shared vision can be promoted locally and internationally." The wider landscape within which we need to locate our training, organisational visions and the need to equip our young people to live constructively and hopefully within includes:• Addressing the growing gap between rich and poor within states; • The challenges of global sustainability and climate change that impact on us all • The emerging challenges of excluding ethnocentric political positions and the growth of religious fundamentalism• The huge population movements of those seeking new lives, asylum and sanctuary and whether they will be embraced as interdependent citizens or excluded.• The needs of vulnerable children and young people in this society.• The local, North-South and British-Irish reconciliation axes• The political responses often associated with societies moving on, post conflict, is that the narrative of victims is pushed aside in favour of the new political narrative. There also can be a political and civil society preference to ignore, rather than engage with, the need to explicitly acknowledge and promote a 'never, never again' position. We need a wider vision for all to be central to our practice; we need to support a youthwork culture and a wider citizenship agenda, in both formal and informal education, that supports young people grow and develop their abilities; and that encourages them to face into a wider world that needs their hope, energy and vision.


The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies in the digital age offers increased opportunities for worldwide information dissemination and self-expression. However, the capture, archive, and future use of this user generated content as a scholarly resource has been seldom addressed in the either the library or archive context. This poster presents a case study regarding the virtual exchanges and events that followed the April 2009 Parliamentary elections in Moldova. The civil unrest in the ex-Soviet republic was first presented in the international media as a "Twitter revolution" and the buzz 'web 2.0' label stayed with the events as they garnered the increased attention of a global public (see references). The events, the information flow and the emotional outpouring surrounding the Moldova election were primarily manifested through Twitter. The community-driven use of this online platform to convey instantaneous coverage illustrates the increasing use of digital spaces as a public extension for social interaction. Introduced in 2006, Twitter has become one of the most popular internet applications for personally conveying brief textual messages to a group of potentially interested individuals (microblog); preliminary research has been conducted regarding the intentions for using this type of microblog by individuals and the communities formed (Java, 2007). The aggregation of these messages (tweets) based on a common identifier (hashtag), which links with an issue or event, presents an invaluable record of social memory with immense contextual and research value. Tweets containing the hashtag created for Moldova events (#pman) were archived by the authors. Using this raw data, we will explore the value of such information from an interdisciplinary, scholarly perspective. By analyzing the #pman archive, this poster will address the following questions: What does the content in the archived messages tell us about the events from Moldova and the people involved? Who might use such an archive of user-contributed content in the future? How is preservation of this type of digital content made possible? Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. iConference 2010, Champaign, Illinois Copyright 200X ACM X-XXXXX-XX-X/XX/XX ...$10.00. Through the investigation of the archived Twitter content, we will explore what these messages tell the public about the events in Moldova. We will look at the depth of data contained in tweets and in the meta-information available through Twitter. The content will be examined for information on how communication and information sharing transpired. Special attention will be given to: the language used (Romanian, English, or Russian) in the same online space to describe the events; the structure of the messages (how the statements were constructed and how they circulated) and hyperlinks (the outside information sources that were attached to the posted messages, i.e. URLs to multimedia sources). Patterns, observations and further areas of inquiry will be presented in the attempt to establish the value of preserving such a unique data set. Based on its social and contextual richness, this data set would be of interest to scholars from a variety of fields. During the election and subsequent protests, this content became part of not only the local but also the global community memory. It also serves as an essential resource which documents the entire scope of events for future users to confront and interpret. Our analysis of the Moldova election response demonstrates a potential application for the development of a civic society by recognizing community memory and identity, and its lasting impact on social participation and democracy. From this perspective, the individual messages and images shared have sustainable value in the aftermath of such intense social and historical events. Inherited values of the community as well as memories of the event remain alive and continue to emerge at different levels of society as well as in individual thought, patterns which could be potentially traced through the preserved record of the #pman archive. With the limitation of 140 characters, tweets and other types of user-generated content in Web 2.0 environments have generally been considered ephemeral in nature where long term preservation of such information has not been observed. Our case study illuminates an opportunity to learn more about the preservation needs for such unique content by examining the process and the types of information that have been captured (i.e. time stamp for when tweet was posted, native language of the tweet) while also considering the additional details and components that would make this data set more robust for potential reuse by another researcher. The archiving initiatives of electronic mail that have been undertaken by government, institutional organizations, and repositories along with the emergence of online archival services that specialize in Twitter-produced content (i.e. www.twapperkeeper.com) will serve as a comparative framework for determining the preservation criteria of our dataset (Lukesh, 1999). As part of the microblogging and Web 2.0 phenomena, Twitter presents a crucial reflection of modern social culture in the digital realm. Our exploratory case study of the Moldova "revolution" shows the importance of this online venue in its capability to document informal exchanges from a worldwide network of participants on a variety of social, political and cultural issues and events as they occur and unfold. The content generated through Twitter helps to strengthen the knowledge of specific historical and social contexts if attention is directed to its preservation. Investigation of the #pman archive will reveal the depth of community participation and the impact of such a resource for long-term study while introducing a new primary source for preservation consideration. Following the Moldova elections in April, another "Twitter Revolution"complemented the Iran election protests in June 2009. The international media and public reactions were even more prominent and pervasivethis time, tweets were more efficient in carrying these messages around the world as seen in the increased number of internet users archiving tweets with #iran and #iranelections. Through the construction of these archives and the provision of public access to them, the inherent value of this content is not only reflective of those thoughts and emotions expressed by the people behind the tweets but also of those individuals who sought to protect the ideas they embody.


We live in a mobile society where we are constantly surrounded by technology. Users are becoming technologists and many have been introduced to programming at some level. Previous work in HCI has been based on involving end-users in the design process. Now there is also focus on end-user development, which allows end-users to develop and customize systems. Embodied Social Interaction is another field that is getting attention these days. The main idea is to move computing out of the desktop and into physical objects. It integrates technology into everyday environments, and incorporates human?s un- derstandings of the physical and social world. Embodied social interaction is closely related to location-aware computing. Technology has become mobile and there is a need to keep track of where it has gone. By embodying location-awareness, we can free the hands of users and present information in the periphery of a person?s attention, limiting distraction. This master thesis combines end-user development and embodied location-awareness. We wish to provide users with tools to tailor applications to fit their needs. The main research question concerns how to support end-user customization of embod- ied location-awareness applications. As a result we have developed a prototype, the aWearable toolkit for end-users. We started out with an exploratory study of embodied social interaction, which was continued with a research study of embodied location-aware applications and end- user toolkits. Results of the research studies were used to define a set of scenarios that helped us identify requirements. After implementing the toolkit we conducted user evaluations where we looked at how well users were able to customize and use an application. These user-evaluations, along with the research studies, helped us answer the research questions.


A viable approach to addressing the nursing shortage has been the advent of accelerated models of nursing education (205 programs in 2007) to produce new baccalaureate-prepared nurses. This article provides a brief description of an online accelerated second-degree program and the accelerated students, followed by a discussion of the important collaborative role that hospital educators provide, along with nursing faculty, in the development of coaches for students' clinical experiences. Graduates of the program report feeling well prepared for the clinical arena after participating in this 12-month coach-student-faculty triad. Employment opportunities after graduation in the student's assigned clinical facility have led to an exciting outcome of "growing your own" nursing staff. Timely communication remains important among students, faculty, coaches, and the health care facility.


Bacteriophage M102 is a virulent siphophage that propagates in some serotype c Streptococcus mutans strains, but not in S. mutans of serotype e, f or k. The serotype of S. mutans is determined by the glucose side chain of rhamnose–glucose polysaccharide (RGP). Because the first step in the bacteriophage infection process is adsorption of the phage, it was investigated whether the serotype specificity of phage M102 was determined by adsorption. M102 adsorbed to all tested serotype c strains, but not to strains of different serotypes. Streptococcus mutans serotype c mutants defective in the synthesis of the glucose side chain of RGP failed to adsorb phage M102. These results suggest that the glucose side chain of RGP


This article utilises historical information to throw light on the forces shaping British aid policies towards Africa. It outlines key long-term policy developments, summarises the influences shaping these policies and comments on the present juncture of UK policies. It shows that, while there have been many influences, governments have enjoyed considerable policy autonomy, being largely unconstrained in pursuing their preferences in a top-down manner. This autonomy has mainly been used for the pursuit of long-term development, as against the promotion of the UK's national interest. The present thrust of UK policies to achieve massive increases in aid to Africa is a prime example of this policy autonomy.


Structural, thermobarometric, and thermochronologic investigations of the Kangmar Dome, southern Tibet, suggest that both extensional and contractional deformational histories are preserved within the dome. The dome is cored by an orthogneiss which is mantled by staurolite + kyanite zone metasedimentary rocks; metamorphic grade dies out up section and is defined by a series of concentric kyanite‐in, staurolite‐in, garnet‐in, and chloritoid‐in isograds. Three major deformational events, two older penetrative events and a younger doming event, are preserved. The oldest event, D1, resulted in approximately E‐W trending tight to isoclinal folds of bedding with an associated moderately to steeply north dipping axial planar foliation, S1. The second event, D2, resulted in a high strain mylonitic foliation, S2, which defines the domal structure, and an associated approximately N‐S trending stretching and mineral alignment lineation. Shear sense during formation of S2 varied from dominantly top S shear on the south dipping flank of the dome to top N shear on the north dipping flank. The central part of the dome exhibits either opposing shear sense indicators or symmetric fabrics. Microtextural relations indicate that peak metamorphism occurred post‐D1 and pre‐ to early D2 deformation. Quantitative thermobarometry yields peak metamorphic conditions of ∼445°C and 370 MPa in garnet zone rocks, increasing to 625°C and 860 MPa in staurolite + kyanite zone rocks. Pressures and temperatures increase with depth and northward within a single structural horizon across the dome and the apparent gradient in pressure is ∼20% of the expected gradient, suggesting that the rocks were subvertically shortened after the pressure gradient was frozen in. Mica 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology yields 15.24 ± 0.05 to 10.94 ± 0.30 Ma cooling ages that increase with depth and young northward within a single structural horizon across the dome. Diffusion modeling of potassium feldspar 40Ar/39Ar spectra yield rapid cooling rates (∼10–30°C/Myr) between ∼11.5 and 10 Ma and apatite fission track ages range from 7.9 ± 3.0 to 4.1 ± 1.9 Ma, with a mean age of ∼5.5 Ma. Both data sets show symmetric cooling across the dome between ∼11 and 5.5 Ma. The S2 mylonitic foliation, peak metamorphic isobars and isotherms, and mica 40Ar/39Ar isochrons are domed, whereas potassium feldspar 40Ar/39Ar and apatite fission track isochrons are not, suggesting that doming occurred at ∼11 Ma. Our data do not support simple, end‐member metamorphic core complex‐type extension, diapirism, or duplex models for gneiss dome formation. Rather, we suggest that the formation of extensional fabrics occurred within a zone of coaxial strain in the root zone of the Southern Tibetan Detachment System (STDS), implying that normal slip along the STDS and extensional fabrics within the Kangmar Dome were the result of gravitational collapse of overthickened crust. Subsequent doming during the middle Miocene is attributed to thrusting upward and southward over a north dipping ramp above cold Tethyan sediments. Middle Miocene thrust faulting in the Kangmar Dome region is synchronous with continued normal slip along the STDS and thrust motion along the Renbu Zedong thrust fault, suggesting that extension and contraction was occurring simultaneously within southern Tibet.


This essay pursues questions relating to scholarly motivation. What motivates the production of scholarship, and what ought to motivate it? Is it appropriate for a scholar to seek a reputation for its own sake, or for the associated invitations, recognitions, and lateral offers a reputation might produce? Or should the scholar be more like the (stereotypical) artist, seeking to pursue her conception of truth regardless of whether the world rewards her vision? This essay begins with work considering related questions in the world of art, then turns to an examination of scholarly motivation and its relationship to academic freedom and academic responsibility. On most accounts, individual scholars enjoy academic freedom as a means of furthering the social goal of knowledge production. That freedom, like most freedoms, is qualified. It is a freedom not to do as one wishes, but to pursue truth, and to do so in a scholarly manner, using scholarly methods. It thus entails certain responsibilities, including to act free from financial and, under most accounts, overtly political motivations. This essay pushes these questions further, considering as well the more prosaic forces associated with efforts to build a reputation as a scholar and gain prominence in the world, and how those forces might sway a scholar from the sincere pursuit of truth. It concludes that, although scholars (and especially legal scholars) cannot divorce themselves from the world, their aim should be to bend their audiences to their view of the truth, rather than to shape their output to the perceived truths of their audiences. Notably, such a conception of the scholar's role does not entail that the scholar engage solely in esoterica or abstraction, but rather also embraces pedagogically oriented work and, in the case of legal academia, doctrinal scholarship.


BACKGROUND
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) is a retrovirus that influences cellular metabolism modifying biological responses. This results in oncogenic, degenerative or inflammatory changes. The myelopathy associated to HTLV-I or tropical spastic paraparesia (HAM/TSP) is a mainly degenerative response to the virus infection. On the other hand, Sjögren syndrome has an inflammatory appearance. The immunohistochemical study of CD-4, CD-8 and CD45 lymphocytes, metalloproteinase MMP-9 and viral Tax protein in pathological samples of salivary glands may help to differentiate primary from viral Sicca syndrome.

AIM
To perform an immunohistochemical study of salivary glands of patients with HAM/TSP and Sicca syndrome and control subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Pathological samples of salivary glands from 53 patients with HAM/TSP and Sicca syndrome and 10 control subjects, were studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against CD-4, CD-8 and CD-45 lymphocytes, metalloproteinase MMP-9 and viral Tax protein.

RESULTS
Only in patients with HAM/TSP and Sicca syndrome, the presence of Tax protein was observed in CD-4 and CD-8 lymphocytes and in glandular acini.

CONCLUSIONS
Patients infected with HTLV-I express Tax protein in salivary glands. This finding has diagnostic and pathogenic implications.


We developed a three-dimensional (3D) digitized atlas of the human brain to visualize spatially complex structures. It was designed for use with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging data sets. Thus far, we have used this atlas for surgical planning, model-driven segmentation, and teaching. We used a combination of automated and supervised segmentation methods to define regions of interest based on neuroanatomical knowledge. We also used 3D surface rendering techniques to create a brain atlas that would allow us to visualize complex 3D brain structures. We further linked this Information to script files in order to preserve both spatial information and neuroanatomical knowledge. We present here the application of the atlas for visualization in surgical planning far model-driven segmentation and for the teaching of neuroanatomy. This digitized human brain has the potential to provide important reference information for the planning of surgical procedures. It can also serve as a powerful teaching tool, since spatial relationships among neuroanatomical structures can be more readily envisioned when the user is able to view and rotate the structures in 3D space. Moreover, each element of the brain atlas is associated with a name tag, displayed by a user controlled pointer. The atlas holds a major promise as a template for model-driven segmentation. Using this technique, many regions of interest can be characterized simultaneously on new brain images.


The battle for the possession of the villages of Messines Ridge, Messines, Wytchaete, St. Eloi, took place in 1914-17, and the final battle for Messines in 1918. The 1917 Battle of Messines was preceded by 19 giant mine explosions and was the biggest military mining effort in history. This book gives comprehensive details of what happened where and when, together with what can be seen today, including maps of all the remnants and sites.


We used SILAC (stable isotope labelling of amino acids in cell culture) and high-throughput quantitative MS mass spectrometry to analyse the protein composition of highly purified WT wild type adenoviruses, mutant adenoviruses lacking an internal protein component (protein V) and recombinant adenoviruses of the type commonly used in gene therapy, including one virus that had been used in a clinical trial. We found that the viral protein abundance and composition were consistent across all types of virus examined except for the virus lacking protein V, which also had reduced amounts of another viral core protein, protein VII. In all the samples analysed we found no evidence of consistent packaging or contamination with cellular proteins. We believe this technique is a powerful method to analyse the protein composition of this important gene therapy vector and genetically engineered or synthetic virus-like particles. The raw data have been deposited at proteomexchange, identifer PXD001120.


Depression and anxiety after stroke negatively affect patient outcomes; however, health care professionals may overlook poststroke depression and anxiety while they focus on the physical disabilities of patients soon after a stroke. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety, or both concurrently at one month after stroke. We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study in a sample of 231 hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke in Korea. Data were collected by interviews using a series of structured questionnaires in addition to clinical data retrieved from patients' medical records. More than 70% were identified as depressed, 45.9% experienced anxiety, and 43.7% had concurrent depression and anxiety. Using a multiple logistic regression analysis, we identified anxiety as a predictor of depression; depression as a predictor of anxiety; and female sex, headaches, and swallowing difficulty as predictors of the comorbidity of depression and anxiety. Periodical screenings for poststroke depression and anxiety from an early stage in a hospital to years after stroke in a community are recommended to provide better chances for early identification of patients at risk because depression and anxiety may manifest at any stage of recovery. Special attention should be given to individuals with culturebound somatic symptoms in addition to female patients and those who have difficulty swallowing among Korean stroke patients.


The nervous system seamlessly integrates perception and action. This ability is essential for stable representation of and appropriate responses to the external environment. How the sensorimotor integration underlying this ability occurs at the level of individual neurons is of keen interest. In Caenorhabditis elegans, RIA interneurons receive input from sensory pathways and have reciprocal connections with head motor neurons. Through separate physiological mechanisms, RIA simultaneously encodes both head orientation and sensory stimuli. Based on these observations, we proposed a model for how RIA may integrate these two signals to detect the spatial distribution of stimuli across head sweeps and generate directional head responses. Here, we show that blocking synaptic release from RIA disrupts head orientation behaviors in response to unilaterally presented stimuli. We found that sensory encoding in RIA is gated according to head orientation. This dependence on head orientation is independent of motor encoding in RIA, suggesting a second, posture-dependent pathway upstream of RIA. This gating mechanism may allow RIA to selectively attend to stimuli that are asymmetric across head sweeps. Attractive odor removal during head bends triggers rapid head withdrawal in the opposite direction. Unlike sensory encoding, this directional response is dependent on motor inputs to and synaptic output from RIA. Together, these results suggest that RIA is part of a sensorimotor pathway that is dynamically regulated according to head orientation at two levels: the first is a gate that filters sensory representations in RIA, and the second is a switch that routes RIA synaptic output to dorsal or ventral head motor neurons.


In the mountainous subtropical karsts of central China, detritic fillings are formed from allogenic elements like soils. They are related to climatic breaking. In the giant Dadong cave (Wufeng county), two sections were studied. The older one, 25 m thick, is located in an old fossil gallery, 100 m above the sinkhole. This laminated deposit shows an important hydroclimatic change which could be Middle or Lower Quaternary. The other deposit is younger: a fossil wood (18 590 ± 160 y BP) lies on the bottom of 20 to 30 m of brown laminated deposits. These subtropical karsts, especially at medium altitude, are very good recorders of the climatic evolution since the end of Tertiary. In-situ neoformations certify the role of sulfo-bacteries and algae in the biosedimentation and registration of paleoclimate under the soil surface. Moreover, some cave fillings contain charcoal (Yanziping, Wufeng). These pieces of coal, like the polje fillings, are the proof of the destruction of the forests by man during the last millenaries. These deposits are subactual (beginning of the 20 th century and before 1950 by C 14 ). Some are corresponding to a long period of destabilisation due to forest exploitation for metallurgy of steel. Others are witnesses of extensive cultivation of the Mao era.


Evidence that treating people with HIV early in infection prevents transmission to sexual partners has reframed HIV prevention paradigms. The resulting emphasis on HIV testing as part of prevention strategies has rekindled the debate as to whether laws that criminalise HIV transmission are counterproductive to the human rights-based public health response. It also raises normative questions about what constitutes 'safe(r) sex' if a person with HIV has undetectable viral load, which has significant implications for sexual practice and health promotion. This paper discusses a recent high-profile Australian case where HIV transmission or exposure has been prosecuted, and considers how the interpretation of law in these instances impacts on HIV prevention paradigms. In addition, we consider the implications of an evolving medical understanding of HIV transmission, and particularly the ability to determine infectiousness through viral load tests, for laws that relate to HIV exposure (as distinct from transmission) offences. We conclude that defensible laws must relate to appreciable risk. Given the evidence that the transmissibility of HIV is reduced to negligible level where viral load is suppressed, this needs to be recognised in the framing, implementation and enforcement of the law. In addition, normative concepts of 'safe(r) sex' need to be expanded to include sex that is 'protected' by means of the positive person being virally suppressed. In jurisdictions where use of a condom has previously mitigated the duty of the person with HIV to disclose to a partner, this might logically also apply to sex that is 'protected' by undetectable viral load.


A short (50-cm-long) sediment core from Ebinur Lake in arid central Asia has been analyzed for various environmental proxies, including organic matter content, δ 13 C in organic matter, magnetic susceptibility, heavy metal contents, and stable isotopic compositions of bulk carbonate (δ 18 O and δ 13 C). The results reveal that the evolutionary stages inferred from environmental indicators have an asynchronous nature. If the asynchrony of periodic changes in multi-environmental proxies is ignored, important information may be lost, especially regarding anthropogenic influences. On the basis of magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal contents, human activities appear to have resulted in increases in surface erosion and measurable heavy-metal accumulation from the mid-1960s, whereas the organic matter contents, which display an obvious shift in the late 1930s, correlate with regional climate. However, the changes in the stable isotopes of bulk carbonate are mainly controlled by the isotopic composition of the host water which is generally consistent with the lake level. From the late 1870s to the 1960s, the lake was in a natural evolutionary state. From the 1960s to the mid-2000s, the runoff feeding Ebinur Lake dropped rapidly, in association with a sharp increase in agricultural development. Finally, beginning in the early twenty-first century, the climate became wetter than during the earlier two stages, and as agricultural water demand decreased, surface runoff once again increased. It is noted that, although the different proxies respond differently to climate changes and human activities, any analysis of environmental evolution should consider them each individually, in order to fully understand the complex interactions between climate and human influence.


Abstract. We use a chemical transport model to examine the change of sulfate-nitrate-ammonium (SNA) aerosols over China due to anthropogenic emission changes of their precursors (SO2, NOx and NH3) from 2000 to 2015. From 2000 to 2006, annual mean SNA concentrations increased by about 60% over China as a result of the 60% and 80% increases in SO2 and NOx emissions. During this period, sulfate is the dominant component of SNA over South China (SC) and Sichuan Basin (SCB), while nitrate and sulfate contribute equally over North China (NC). Based on emission reduction targets in the 12th (2011–2015) Five-Year Plan (FYP), China's total SO2 and NOx emissions are projected to change by −16% and +16% from 2006 to 2015, respectively. The amount of NH3 emissions in 2015 is uncertain, given the lack of sufficient information on the past and present levels of NH3 emissions in China. With no change in NH3 emissions, SNA mass concentrations in 2015 will decrease over SCB and SC compared to their 2006 levels, but increase over NC where the magnitude of nitrate increase exceeds that of sulfate reduction. This suggests that the SO2 emission reduction target set by the 12th FYP, although effective in reducing SNA over SC and SCB, will not be successful over NC, for which NOx emission control needs to be strengthened. If NH3 emissions are allowed to keep their recent growth rate and increase by +16% from 2006 to 2015, the benefit of SO2 reduction will be completely offset over all of China due to the significant increase of nitrate, demonstrating the critical role of NH3 in regulating nitrate. The effective strategy to control SNA and hence PM2.5 pollution over China should thus be based on improving understanding of current NH3 emissions and putting more emphasis on controlling NH3 emissions in the future.


The piston compression ring's primary function is to seal the combustion chamber, thus mitigating gas leakage to the crankcase and avoiding loss of pressure loading. As a result, the ring is meant to conform closely to the cylinder surface which promotes increased friction. The compression ring is subjected to combustion pressure loading, ring tension, varying inertial force and friction. It is a slender ring of low mass, thus undergoes complex elastodynamic behaviour, when subjected to a multitude of forces. These motions occur in the ring's radial in-plane and axial out-of-plane dynamics, which comprise flutter, ring axial jump, compression-extension, ring twist and rotational drag. An implication of these motions can be loss of sealing, gas blow-by, loss of power and lubricant degradation/oil loss, to name but a few. Consequently, understanding and accurately predicting ring dynamic behaviour under transient conditions is an important step in any subsequent modelling for evaluation of cylinder system efficiency. There have been a plethora of investigations for ring dynamics, often decoupling the ring behaviour in its in-plane and out-of-plane motions. This approach disregards any transfer of dynamic energy from one degree of freedom to another which is only applicable to rectangular ring cross-sections. Alternatively, there are computationally intensive approaches such as finite element analysis which are not conducive for inclusion in any subsequent system level engine modelling where ring response alters in an instantaneous manner. This would require embedded finite element analysis within a transient analysis. This paper presents a finite difference numerical analysis for coupled in-plane and out-of-plane motions of compression rings with practical cross-sectional geometries, which are mostly not rectangular. The formulated method can be integrated into a system level transient cyclic analysis of ring-bore contact. The presented approach takes into account the energy transfer between different degrees of freedom. The predictions are validated against precise non-contact measurements of ring elastodynamic behaviour under amplitude-frequency sweeps. This approach has not hitherto been reported in literature and constitutes the main contribution of the paper.


This thesis is concerned with the liberalisation of the European Energy markets and the affects this has had on total energy systems. The work concentrates on a number of case studies all of which are located in the area surrounding Gelsenkirchen - Bottrop - Gladbeck, the centre of the Ruhr region of Germany.The thesis describes briefly how the legislation of the parliament of the extended European Union has been interpreted and enacted into German legislation and its affects on production, transport, sales and customers. Primarily the legislation has been enacted to reduce energy costs by having a competitive market while enabling security of supply. The legislation whose development has accelerated since 1999 can lead to negative effects and these have been highlighted for the case studies chosen.The legislation and technological advances, each of them successful by themselves, do not provide the expected reduction of carbon dioxide emissions when applied to total energy system. The introduction of human behaviour as a missing link makes the problems evident and gives a theoretical basis to overcome these problems. The hypothesis is proven by eight detailed research projects and four concisely described ones.The base of the research is the experience gained on approximately 1,000 operation years of the simplest total energy system, that of centralised heating. This experience is transferred to different solutions for total energy systems and their economics in combination with the changing legislation and observation of human behaviour.The variety of topics of the case studies includes the production of heat by boiler, solar or combined heat and power and the use of fuel cells. Additionally the transfer of heat, at the place of demand is considered, either as an individual boiler in a building or as de-centralised district heating.The various results of these projects come together in a final project which covers four different heating systems in identical buildings each with five apartments.Based on the experience described a schematic of the energy system is developed demonstrating the interdependence of actors within energy systems, the energy system itself and the outer frame which includes legislation and the environment. In parallel a financial solution is proposed for a future carbon dioxide free heating and hot potable water supply.To combine both systems a missing link that of human behaviour is introduced. This linkage requires changes of legislation which are described.The solution proposed enables future energy consumption and in parallel the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.


Digitalization is leading to a growing need for training. Firms which have digitalized further are thus more likely to be active in further training and to invest more time and money in developing their workers' skills. Moreover, as the use of digital technologies spreads within a company, staff acquire more and more IT skills. However, non-digital fields of competence, such as professional expertise and social and communication skills have not lost their relevance. Digitalization not only adds to the range of further training required, but also offers new ways of learning, which 84 per cent of those enterprises which offer further training already exploit. Indeed, digitalized companies make more frequent use of digital learning methods than other firms, highlighting the interaction between increasing training needs and new opportunities for knowledge transfer. According to companies, the most important motive for the use of digital learning offerings is that they can easily be integrated into the normal working day.


We investigated how allochthonous and autochthonous sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) affected the optical conditions and chemical characteristics of two contrasting tropical freshwater systems (Dom Helvecio-DH and Pampulha reservoir) in a dry and rainy period in 2013. We analyzed PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) and UV (ultraviolet) attenuation coefficients, nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), dissolved organic matter (DOC) and spectral characteristics of CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter). Significant differences in CDOM sources and quantity were observed, with a dominantly terrestrial input in DH during the rainy period with approximately 50% higher DOC and Chl-a levels, and a doubling in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) compared to the dry winter period. The eutrophic Pampulha had several fold higher levels of DOC, Chl-a, TN and TP, with organic matter of mostly originating from phytoplankton in both seasons. Differences in source and quantity had strong implications on water transparency, DOC concentrations, CDOM quality and its susceptibility to photo- and biodegradation. DH was several fold clearer in both the UV and PAR spectrum. In DH transparency to both UV and PAR radiation was highest during the summer, suggesting elevated photo- and biodegradation during stratification. Pampulha was most transparent in the dry period even during period of algal bloom. In both systems we observed seasonal variations in concentrations of nutrients and Chl-a, and in DH differences were also found in DOC concentrations as well as the specific UV absorbance (SUVA 254 ) and molecular size (M). Our results documents that different sources of DOM and seasonal inputs reflect in the seasonality of apparent and inherent optical properties and nutrients availability with implications for water quality and aquatic community.


Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, performances and ideologies of two organizations is the process for benchmarking. Benchmarking is essentially the procedure of measuring the execution of one's organization against the best in the same or other industry (Stevenson 1996). It helps the organization in implementing the best practices and also accelerates the rate of change and provides realistic improvement goals. Benchmarking enables to scrutinize our own process and learn from others. Benchmarking now a days has been a widely used management tool to identify who is best and what makes them successful, in both manufacturing and service companies. It is being used as extension of existing total quality management program. This article discusses on different accepts of bench marking and analysis between two touristic destinations, namely Mardin(Located in Turkey) and Andhra pradesh(Located in India).


Emerging approaches in social sciences and new media studies involve inquiry into social issues via the web. By collecting, analysing and visualising digital traces (i.e. posts, tweets, comments), a "issue map" can be created in order to make visible and understandable the network of the actors involved and their position in any public debate. Drawing on experiences gathered during a European project, we identified a two-phases-approach for the creation of issue maps. In the two phases exploration and communication visualisations play a key role, with two different connotations: in the first, they act as analytical devices used by researchers. In the second, they become communicative artefacts for a larger public. In this paper, we describe how we defined this approach, outlining the theoretical background and its connections with communication design. We highlight the main criticalities found in designing the issue maps before finally presenting our results.


Headache is the most frequently reported pain in children and is associated with missed schooldays, anxiety, depressive symptoms and various physical symptoms. A secular trend of increasing headache prevalence has been suggested. Few studies have focused on tension-type headache among children from the general population. The aims of this thesis were to describe the prevalence, incidence and prognosis of tension-type headache, migraine and overall headache in schoolchildren, to identify medical, psychological and social factors associated with these headache types, and to determine whether the prevalence of headache has increased over the last decades.In 1997, 1850 schoolchildren aged 7-15 years from the city of Uppsala participated in a questionnaire study and 1371 (74.1%) responded. Out of these, a randomly selected, stratified sample of 131 children and their parents were interviewed. Three years later, 122 children from the interview sample replied to an identical headache questionnaire.Compared with a similar study in 1955, a significantly lower proportion of schoolchildren reported no headache. The prevalence of tension-type headache increased with age and was significantly higher in girls than boys after the age of twelve. Similar age and gender differences were obtained for migraine. A higher proportion of girls reported frequent headache than boys. Children with headache, especially those with migraine, as well as their first-degree relatives suffered from other pains and physical symptoms more frequently than headache-free children and their first-degree relatives. Although the likelihood of experiencing the same headache diagnosis and symptoms at follow-up was high, about one fifth of children with migraine developed tension-type headache and vice versa. Female gender was a predictor of migraine and frequent headache a predictor of overall headache at follow-up. The estimated annual incidence for tension-type headache, migraine and overall headache was 81, 65 and 131 per 1000 children, respectively. In conclusion, the results indicate that headache has become increasingly common among schoolchildren over the last decades. Prevention and treatment of headache is particularly important for girls since they have high prevalence of headache, frequent headache episodes and a poor outcome. In children with headache, diagnoses and treatment should be reassessed regularly and other pains should be asked about and treated as well.


In this paper an improved SEIR model for an infectious disease is presented which includes logistic growth for the total population. The aim is to develop optimal vaccination strategies against the spread of a generic disease. These vaccination strategies arise from the study of optimal control problems with various kinds of constraints including mixed control-state and state constraints. After presenting the new model and implementing the optimal control problems by means of a first-discretize-then-optimize method, numerical results for six scenarios are discussed and compared to an analytical optimal control law based on Pontrygin's minimum principle that allows to verify these results as approximations of candidate optimal solutions.


Background Subjects with neurological disease (ND) usually show impaired performance during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks, with a consequent reduction in their mobility levels. Objective To determine the measurement properties and feasibility previously investigated for clinical tests that evaluate sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit in subjects with ND. Method A systematic literature review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol was performed. Systematic literature searches of databases (MEDLINE/SCIELO/LILACS/PEDro) were performed to identify relevant studies. In all studies, the following inclusion criteria were assessed: investigation of any measurement property or the feasibility of clinical tests that evaluate sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit tasks in subjects with ND published in any language through December 2012. The COSMIN checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Results Eleven studies were included. The measurement properties/feasibility were most commonly investigated for the five-repetition sit-to-stand test, which showed good test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient:ICC=0.94-0.99) for subjects with stroke, cerebral palsy and dementia. The ICC values were higher for this test than for the number of repetitions in the 30-s test. The five-repetition sit-to-stand test also showed good inter/intra-rater reliabilities (ICC=0.97-0.99) for stroke and inter-rater reliability (ICC=0.99) for subjects with Parkinson disease and incomplete spinal cord injury. For this test, the criterion-related validity for subjects with stroke, cerebral palsy and incomplete spinal cord injury was, in general, moderate (correlation=0.40-0.77), and the feasibility and safety were good for subjects with Alzheimer's disease. Conclusions The five-repetition sit-to-stand test was used more often in subjects with ND, and most of the measurement properties were investigated and showed adequate results.


Reinforcement learning algorithms are typically designed to learn a performant policy that can repeatedly and autonomously complete a task, usually starting from scratch. However, in many real-world situations, the goal might not be to learn a policy that can do the task repeatedly, but simply to perform a new task successfully once in a single trial. For example, imagine a disaster relief robot tasked with retrieving an item from a fallen building, where it cannot get direct supervision from humans. It must retrieve this object within one test-time trial, and must do so while tackling unknown obstacles, though it may leverage knowledge it has of the building before the disaster. We formalize this problem setting, which we call single-life reinforcement learning (SLRL), where an agent must complete a task within a single episode without interventions, utilizing its prior experience while contending with some form of novelty. SLRL provides a natural setting to study the challenge of autonomously adapting to unfamiliar situations, and we find that algorithms designed for standard episodic reinforcement learning often struggle to recover from out-of-distribution states in this setting. Motivated by this observation, we propose an algorithm, $Q$-weighted adversarial learning (QWALE), which employs a distribution matching strategy that leverages the agent's prior experience as guidance in novel situations. Our experiments on several single-life continuous control problems indicate that methods based on our distribution matching formulation are 20-60% more successful because they can more quickly recover from novel states.


Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) provides a non-invasive approach to modulate brain functions. Some studies have shown that tDCS combined with working memory training can alter the effect of training. This study aims to investigate the effect of HD-tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex combined with N-back task on the amplitude of event related potentials (ERP). In the experiment, subjects performed N-back training for 30min every day with active or sham tDCS for 10 days. EEG data were recorded when subjects performing N-back tests prior to the training, 1 day and 20 days post the training, respectively. With the analyses of ERP components, it was found that there were no significant differences between active and sham groups. However, the results of post-test were significantly different from the pre-test. Subsequently, both in active group and in sham group, the amplitude of ERP increased in the frontoparietal and occipital regions 1 day post training. Those alterations were enhanced 20 days post training in the active group but not in the sham group. The results indicated the aftereffect of HD-tDCS to promote the effects of cognitive training, showing accumulative positive aftereffects on ERP 20 days after the stimulation.


Abstract : A new method is presented for flexible regression modeling of high dimensional data. The model takes the form of an expansion in product spline basis functions, where the number of basis functions as well as the parameters associated with each one (product degree and knot locations) are automatically determined by the data. This procedure is motivated by the recursive partitioning approach to regression and shares its attractive properties. Unlike recursive partitioning, however this method produces continuous models with continuous derivatives. It has more power and flexibility to model relationships that are nearly additive or involve interactions in at most a few variables. In addition, the model can be represented in a form that separately identifies the additive contributions and those associated with the different multivariable interactions.


ABSTRACT Cross-race friendships can promote the development of positive racial attitudes, yet they are relatively uncommon and decline with age. In an effort to further our understanding of the extent to which children expect cross-race friendships to occur, we examined 4- to 6-year-olds' (and adults') use of race when predicting other children's friendship patterns. In contrast to previous research, we included White (Studies 1 and 2), Black (Study 3), and Multiracial (Study 4) participants and examined how they predicted the friendship patterns of White, Black, and Multiracial targets. Distinct response patterns were found as a function of target race, participant age group, and participant race. Participants in all groups predicted that White children would have mostly White friends and Black children would have mostly Black friends. Moreover, most participant groups predicted that Multiracial children would have Black and White friends. However, White adults predicted that Multiracial children would have mostly Black friends, whereas Multiracial children predicted that Multiracial children would have mostly White friends. These data are important for understanding beliefs about cross-race friendships, social group variation in race-based reasoning, and the experiences of Multiracial individuals more broadly.


This thesis describes the procedures and resul.ts of research conducted on pulsed ultrasonic piezoceramic transducers and arrays which operate in the megahertz range. These transducers and arrays are typical of the types employed currently i.n biomedical diagnostic systems. Two areas vere addressed: The verification of the Impulse Response Approach as a method to predict the spatial and temporal characteristics of the acoustic field pressures of ultrasonic transducers of general shapes and excitations, and the investigation of the element interaction and spatial resolution of field pressures of arrays of piezoceramic elements. An automated computer controlled high frequency acoastic measuring system was constructed. Several high frequency transducers were buiit to obtain acoustic nearfield data with this system. The data were subsequently processed using computer programs which were created to obtain impulse responses via the deconvolution of the far field on axis and nearfield time dependent pressures. The acoustic fields of an array driven under focussed and unfocussed conditions were also extensively mapped. The experimentally derived impulse responses were in good agreement with the theoretical responses and thus provided important new verification of the Impulse Response Approach. The results of the experiment also indicated that extraneous modes of vibration of piezoceramic discs i~t were, in this case, insignificant. A multi-element transducer array was constructed and operated in such a manner as to focus the acoustic energy, confining it to a narrow regi~n as opposed to a continuous beam. The element to element interaction effects caused by electrical and acoustic coupling were found to be of significant importance in the single driven element case. The effects of interaction were not great enough to cause a perturbation from the expected field pressure pattern vhen the array was driven for focussing.