Disaster, loss, and failure preoccupy the minds of many digital preservation professionals, and yet, despite the prominence of digital disaster planning guidelines which seem to anticipate failure, there is limited discussion of experience with preservation system or network failures, which are often framed as inevitable in digital preservation. Despite this framing, negative perceptions of failure influence the digital preservation discourse by associating failure with poor planning, unreliability, and untrustworthiness on the part of institutions. This article will interrogate the issue of failure within the digital preservation field and consider the need for more conversations around network failure and recovery. The authors will argue that failure is part of the process of digital preservation and more honest conversations around this topic will contribute to the practice of openness and transparency within the digital preservation community. To illustrate these issues, the authors will discuss the actual hardware failures experienced by the MetaArchive Cooperative, a community-based distributed digital preservation network, and how the Cooperative's utilization of the LOCKSS software allowed it to recover from those failures. Additionally, the lessons learned and resulting changes the Cooperative made to technical infrastructure, hardware diversity, policies and procedures will be shared.


Current AI systems lack several important human capabilities, such as adaptability, generalizability, self-control, consistency, common sense, and causal reasoning. We believe that existing cognitive theories of human decision making, such as the thinking fast and slow theory, can provide insights on how to advance AI systems towards some of these capabilities. In this paper, we propose a general architecture that is based on fast/slow solvers and a metacognitive component. We then present experimental results on the behavior of an instance of this architecture, for AI systems that make decisions about navigating in a constrained environment. We show how combining the fast and slow decision modalities, which can be implemented by learning and reasoning components respectively, allows the system to evolve over time and gradually pass from slow to fast thinking with enough experience, and that this greatly helps in decision quality, resource consumption, and efficiency.


This report examines the possibility of giving preferential treatment to imports of meat products that meet improved standards in terms of animal welfare in production. Three specific forms of preferential treatment are considered here as possible measures for increasing levels of animal welfare in meat production in the EU and its exporting partners: labelling of products (either voluntary or compulsory), differentiated import tariffs and differentiated consumer taxes. The likely admissibility of such measures under WTO rules is assessed by means of an analysis of previous decisions by WTO dispute settlement panels. It is concluded that all of the measures analysed have a possibility of being upheld, based on a defence relying on Article XX of the GATT and perhaps also the TBT Agreement. While the incentives offered by labelling could be reinforced with differentiated tariffs or taxes, these financial instruments involve various additional complications. They could best be considered after the possibilities of regulated labelling schemes have been exhausted.


Over the past two decades, the New York City government has responded to a growing housing demand and need for affordable housing by upzoning certain neighborhoods to allow higher-density residential development. While upzoning creates new housing units, there is concern that it accelerates displacement through the influx of White residents. Whether upzoning materially changes a neighborhood's demographic composition is crucial to understanding the policy's outcomes and unintended consequences. We examine demographic changes before and after city-initiated upzonings occurring between 2000 and 2007 with a focus on the White population. Our research uses a fixed effects regression model to compare upzoned census tracts with census tracts that were not upzoned but had a similar demographic makeup and historic trends in the period preceding the upzoning. We find that large upzonings are associated with a five to nine percentage point increase in the share of White people, while smaller upzonings had no significant impact. Although we do not claim that displacement has taken place per se, we find that the new housing units created by an upzoning become predominantly occupied by White and Asian residents. ____________________________________________________________________________


The results from guide field studies on the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) are compared with results from Hall magnetohydrodynamic (HMHD) reconnection simulation with guide field. The quadrupole field, a signature of two-fluid reconnection at zero guide field, is modified by the presence of a finite guide field in a manner consistent with HMHD simulation. The modified Hall current profile contains reduced electron flows in the reconnection plane, which quantitatively explains the observed reduction of the reconnection rate. The present results are consistent with the hypothesis that the local reconnection dynamics is dominated by Hall effects in the collisionless regime of the MRX plasmas. While very good agreement is seen between experiment and simulations, we note that an important global feature of the experiments, a compression of the guide field by the reconnecting plasma, is not represented in the simulations.


Cytostatic factor (CSF) is an activity responsible for the metaphase II arrest in vertebrate oocytes. This activity maintains a high level of maturation promoting factor (MPF) in the oocyte and both activities are destroyed after fertilization or parthenogenetic activation. To study some of the characteristics of the mechanism involved in MPF and CSF destruction, we constructed hybrid cells between metaphase II arrested oocytes and early embryos obtained after fertilization or artificial activation. We found that the behavior of hybrid cells differed depending upon the type of oocyte activation. Initially, the reaction of both types of hybrid cells was similar, the nuclear envelope broke down and chromatin condensation was induced. However, while metaphase II oocytes fused with parthenogenetic eggs remained arrested in M-phase, the oocytes fused with fertilized eggs underwent activation and passed into interphase. This ability of fertilized eggs to induce oocyte activation was still present at the beginning, but not at the end of the second embryonic cell cycle. Oocyte activation induced by fusion with a fertilized egg could be prevented when calcium was chelated by BAPTA. Thus, element(s) of the mechanism involved in calcium release triggered by a sperm component at fertilization remain(s) active until the second cell cycle and is (are) inactivated before the end of the 2-cell stage.


The current status of intestinal helminthes was assessed among schools children in Ifedore Local Government of Ondo State, Nigeria. A total of 180 faecal samples were collected randomly from each of the primary schools sampled. Detection and identification were by direct microscopy. Questionnaires were administered to identify the major activities and behaviour of pupils, their knowledge about the aetiology and control of intestinal helminthes. Chisquare was used to determine if there was any relationship between age and sex on the occurrence of the helminthes. Of the 180 pupils examined, 88 (48.9%l) were infected. Three parasite species observed were Ascaris lumbricoides (22.2%), Strongyloides stercoralis (12.8%), Hookworm (10.6%) and for multiple infection (3.3%). Females had higher prevalence (25.6%) than males (23.3%). No significant association was observed among worm infectivity, age and sex in the population studied. The study revealed that poor hygienic practices and unsanitary condition were responsible for the high prevalence of these helminthes. Health Education through primary health care could be used as a control measure.


The present paper examines the linguistic behaviour of the first wave of Pontic Greek immigrants to Cyprus based on their internalized language attitudes and dominant language ideologies. Since the time of its settlement in Cyprus in the early/mid 1990s, the predominantly Turkish-speaking community of Pontic Greeks has experienced a rapid linguistic and cultural transformation. This occurred primarily due to the local population's (i.e. Greek-Cypriots') reluctance to recognize the Turkish-speaking Pontic Greeks as belonging to the Greek linguistic and cultural 'world' in light of the former's historical and socio-political tensions with the Turkish-Cypriot minority. More specifically, I will analyse the factors that have contributed to this rapid language shift and show what (non-) linguistic means are employed by the members of the Pontic Greek community to index their ethnic identity and belonging.


This article presents strategies for the development and practical modelling of biogas processes under economy market conditions. Herewith, anaerobic digestion results out of practical tests in different scales (lab to pilot) and different substrate mixtures were taken into account. Two lab-scale reactors on the one hand and pilot-scale examinations of chosen substrate mixtures on the other hand led to workable conclusions such as mixture suitability for biogas production, gas amounts and technical demands for full-scale implementation under market economy conditions. A comparison of both laboratory and pilot system performance with a full-scale biogas system has been done; herewith, the suitability of the corresponding practical process upscaling simulation has been proven. On the basis of the results, calculations regarding the necessary full-scale fermenter sizes and the required substrate amounts as well as the disposable (reusable) fermentation residues were made. The conclusion of outputs on biogas technology particularly with regard to the demand-driven production of electricity (500 + 250 kW flexible) as a special request for energy from renewable sources is given. As a further result, a general outlook and estimation for the economical implementation on a common Baltic Sea region country basis have been developed.


Background: Inhabitants of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa use the roots of Dianthus thunbergii and corms of Hypoxis argentea to treat diabetes mellitus and other ailments. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of the aqueous and ethanol extracts of the roots and corms of two plants. Materials and Methods: Total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, proanthocyanidins, tannins, and alkaloids were determined by standard methods. The scavenging activities of the extracts against 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and their ferric-reducing antioxidant potentials (FRAPs) were measured. Results: The ethanol extract of H. argentea had the highest content of phenolics (66.71 ± 2.71 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and tannins (1.18 ± 0.07 mg TAE/g), while the ethanol extract of D. thunbergii gave higher contents of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins (62.21 ± 1.75 mg Qe/g and 432.62 ± 2.43 mg Ca/g, respectively). Flavonols were the most predominant in the aqueous extract of H. argentea (25.51 ± 1.92 mg Qe/g). We observed a concentration-dependent response in the ABTS- and H2O2-scavenging activities and FRAP values of the extracts and standards (Vitamin C, butylated hydroxytoluene, and rutin). The ethanol extracts of both plants generally demonstrated better antioxidant activities against H2O2, NO, and ABTS while also possessing better reducing power than the aqueous extracts. The aqueous extract of D. thunbergii, however, showed the best DPPH scavenging activity. Conclusion: The higher content of phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity obtained for the ethanol extracts of D. thunbergii and H. argentea may prove to be valuable information in selecting suitable extraction solvents for the medicinal applications of both plants. Abbreviations used: ABTS: 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid); BHT: Butylated hydroxytoluene; DPPH: 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl; DTA: Dianthus thunbergii aqueous extract (16.6%); DTE: Dianthus thunbergii ethanol extract (2.4%); Fe3+-TPTZ: Ferric tripyridyltriazine; FRAP: Ferric-reducing antioxidant potentials; GAE: Gallic acid equivalent; HAA: Hypoxis argentea aqueous extract (3.2%); HAE: Hypoxis argentea ethanol extract (1.8%); Qe: Quercetin equivalence; ROS: Reactive oxygen species; TBA: Thiobarbituric acid;TCA: Trichloroacetic acid.


Building Co-operation traces the development of The Co-operative Group and its predecessor, the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS), over the course of 150 years.

Born from the efforts of the Rochdale Pioneers and others who established successful consumer co-operatives across Britain in the mid-nineteenth century, by the 1860s the proponents of the CWS were ready to pioneer a new effort: a federation, democratically run and collectively owned, that would enable co-operatives to become their own suppliers. From humble origins, the CWS grew into one of Britain's largest businesses within a generation, pioneering modern retailing and distribution on a national scale, expanding into factory production and financial services, and establishing an international supply network that stretched across Europe, and beyond. Throughout the late nineteenth century and well into the twentieth, co-operative societies provided essential services to millions of members across Britain, ranging from food and clothing to banking, insurance, travel agency, pharmacy and even funeral services.

However, in the second half of the twentieth century co-operatives experienced a protracted period of decline, facing a series of internal structural challenges, fierce competition amongst food retailers, and a rapidly-changing marketplace. By the turn of the twenty-first century, when many commentators were ready to consign co-operatives to the past, The Co-operative Group emerged with a revitalised business model that has helped to re-invigorate the British co-operative sector and bring new attention to the important role of co-operative and mutual enterprises worldwide.

Based on extensive archival research, including many records available to historians for the first time, Building Co-operation is the story of a distinctive business model as it evolved over time. While since the inauguration of the CWS in 1863 the commercial landscape has changed nearly beyond recognition, the values at the heart of The Co-operative Group have remained relevant to succeeding generations, focusing on member benefits and a commitment to ethical trading.


We present the solution of an inverse boundary value problem for harmonic functions arising in electrostatic imaging through conformal mapping techniques. The numerical method consists of two parts. In a first step, by successive approximations a nonlinear equation is solved to determine the boundary values of a holomorphic function on the outer boundary circle of an annulus. Then in a second step an ill-posed Cauchy problem is solved to determine the holomorphic function in the annulus. The method extends and modifies an earlier analysis of Idemen and Akduman (Idemen M and Akduman I 1988 SIAM J. Appl. Math. 48 703–18). We establish a convergence result for the iteration procedure and through numerical examples we illustrate the feasibility of the method.


The transcription factor CtBP associates with transcriptional repressors for the regulation of genes involved in development, cell cycle regulation, and transformation. Zhang et al. show that the corepressor activity of CtBP can be regulated by the redox state of the cell. Mammalian CtBP is regulated by physiological concentrations of nuclear nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides (NADs). When the nuclear concentration of free NAD and NADH increases, CtBP increases its affinity for viral and cellular repressors and represses transcription. This regulatory mechanism suggests how protein interactions might respond to metabolic balances for the regulation of transcription. Q. Zhang, D. W. Piston, R. H. Goodman, Regulation of corepressor function by nuclear NADH. Science 295, 1895-1897 (2002). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Eurasian otters Lutra lutra (L.) are known to be opportunistic, exploiting the most abundant prey available, however, there have been few studies of otter diet in lowland areas of Britain. The Somerset Levels and Moors, a coastal flood plain and marsh area of 64 000 ha in SW England, is an otter stronghold where a number of introduced, non-native fishes (common carp Cyprinus carpio, pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus) have been introduced, with the latter species occurring locally in high abundances. The present study aimed to determine whether otters of the Somerset Levels are preying on, and thus represent 'biological resistance' to, these non-native fishes. In 2004-2005, otter spraints (feces) were collected seasonally in areas of the Levels also subjected to fisheries surveys, and the data were used to determine diet composition and preferences. Otter diet was dominated by European eel Anguilla anguilla and threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, and non-native species occurred relatively rarely (carp, sunbleak) or not at all (pumpkinseed) in the otter spraints. Seasonal variations in otter diet were observed, with birds notable for summer and sticklebacks for winter. Despite their relative prominence in the Somerset Levels, non-native fish species represented minor components of the otter's diet, a pattern also observed in Spain. In particular, the popular angling species (carp) was taken infrequently, but the species of high conservation interest (eel) was a preferred and common item in otter diet.


Crotamiton, a scabicide and antipruritic agent persistent during biological treatment processes, is frequently detected in secondary effluent. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) and high-silica zeolite (HSZ-385) composites were synthesized and applied for the treatment of crotamiton in secondary effluent. Crotamiton was rapidly adsorbed by HSZ-385, and the adsorption performance of crotamiton in the secondary effluent was quite close to that in the test using ultrapure water. Even though the TiO2-zeolite composites showed lower adsorption rates than that of HSZ-385, similar crotamiton adsorption capacities were revealed using both test materials. The photocatalytic decomposition of crotamiton was significantly inhibited by the water matrix at low initial concentrations. The TiO2-zeolite composites rapidly adsorbed crotamiton from secondary effluent, and then the crotamiton was gradually decomposed under ultraviolet irradiation. Importantly, when using TiO2-zeolite composites, coexisting material in the secondary effluent did not markedly inhibit crotamiton removal at low initial crotamiton concentration. The behaviors of the main intermediates during treatment demonstrated that the main degradation intermediates of crotamiton were also captured by the composites.


The problem of providing an integrated scientific, methodological and information support of the innovation process, covering all its stages including the creative phase, at which novelties are created (solving the problem of conceptual design), is considered. The generic heurorithm (heuristic algorithm) of the innovation management serves as the methodological basis for the implementation of the information support and management innovation system. It is a standard program tool for corporative innovation infrastructure for use in universities, and is intended for describing, accounting and management of ideas at different stages of the innovation cycle. Heurorithm has a modular structure and is represented by a graphical notation systems working schemes. Its schemes reflect a variety of means to support innovation: scientific and methodological support, methods, instructional materials, information resources and a program toolkit (including components of information support and innovation management system). These means correspond to the heuristic components of activities and heuristic information facilities: weakly formalized creative processes and experience gained during their realization. Availability and detailing of heuristics generated and used at different stages of the innovation process for its intensification, is one of the main differences between the developed heurorithm and known organizational charts of innovative activity. On the basis of the generic heurorithm in the system of information support and innovation management an interactive navigator on the stages of the innovation process and means of its support is developed. The research was conducted at the financial support of the state e represented by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (the unique identifier of the research work RFMEFI57314X0007).


This IFS investigated the post-compulsory education and career choices of a sample of 'access to social work' students at an FE college with which I have professional links. A qualitative methodology was used to interview seven students, and quantitative methods were used to analyse a social background questionnaire. The following research questions were posed: (1) Are the post-compulsory education decisions that 'access to social work' students make influenced by particular 'turning points'?; (2) Why do such students' choose 'caring' routes to HE?; (3) Are there any interconnections between 'turning points' and the pursuit of 'caring' routes to HE? and (4) How do 'non-traditional' students consider they are depicted in widening participation policy discourse and more generally?

Significant findings include, post-compulsory education and career decision-making are generally inextricably linked, complex, non-linear and unique to the individual. Decisions in these areas are often the result of significant life events characterised by particular 'turning points', which can be both 'primary' and 'secondary'. However, the more cumulative effects of what I termed 'secondary turning points' had the most impact on the development of self-identity and caring dispositions. Students' motivation to pursue particular education and 'caring' options can be classified as follows: 'turning bad experiences into good', 'gradual recognition', 'the philanthropic drive' and 'the education imperative', suggesting influential factors are varied.

Extreme competition for places, problems with basic skills and limited economic, social and cultural capital created considerable barriers to higher education entry for the students in my study, a situation that has arguably been compounded by the marketisation of higher education. Only one student's application to study social work at a post-1992 University was successful, with the others having to consider taking longer routes to achieve their goals. Whilst social reproduction is a recognised problem among 'non-traditional' students, it may be a bigger issue than is currently recognised among students pursuing specific vocational routes, resulting in these students being doubly disadvantaged. My findings are pertinent to my professional practice within a post-1992 university, suggesting that 'access to social work' students need to be valued for the contribution they can make, and that more needs to be done to support their progression to higher education. Whilst more joint-working between higher education institutions and FE colleges may help, more direct government action is needed to address the pressing problems of social reproduction identified in this study.


Bioactive peptides are present in all living organisms and have critical roles ranging from protection against infection as the key element of innate immunity, regulating blood pressure and glucose levels, to reducing signs of ageing by killing senescent cells. Bioactive peptides are also encrypted within food protein sequences that can be released during proteolysis or food processing. These specific food protein fragments are reported to have potential for improving human health and preventing metabolic diseases through their impact on inflammation, blood pressure, obesity, and type-2 diabetes. This review mainly focuses on the molecular targets and the underlying mechanisms of bioactive peptides against various metabolic syndromes including inflammation, high blood pressure, obesity, and type-2 diabetes, to provide new insights and perspectives on the potential of bioactive peptides for management of metabolic syndromes.


The amount of open and free satellite earth observation data combined with available data from other sectors (e.g. biodiversity, landscape elements, cadaster data) has the potential to enhance decisionmaking processes in various domains. An example of such a domain is agriculture, where the ability to objectively and automatically identify different types of agricultural features (e.g., irrigation patterns and landscape elements) can lead to more effective agriculture management. In this paper we show the possibility to publish and integrate multi-sectoral data from several sources into an existing data-intensive service targeting better and fairer Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) funds assignments to farmers and land owners. We show an end-to-end approach for integrating multi-sectoral data and publishing the result as Linked Data with the help of the DataGraft platform. To demonstrate the use of the resulted dataset, we developed a visualization system prototype showing various information about agricultural parcel features.


As web search providers seek to improve both relevance and response times, they are challenged by the ever-increasing tax of automated search query traffic. Third party systems interact with search engines for a variety of reasons, such as monitoring a web site's rank, augmenting online games, or possibly to maliciously alter click-through rates. In this paper, we investigate automated traffic (sometimes referred to as bot traffic) in the query stream of a large search engine provider. We define automated traffic as any search query not generated by a human in real time. We first provide examples of different categories of query logs generated by automated means. We then develop many different features that distinguish between queries generated by people searching for information, and those generated by automated processes. We categorize these features into two classes, either an interpretation of the physical model of human interactions, or as behavioral patterns of automated interactions. Using the these detection features, we next classify the query stream using multiple binary classifiers. In addition, a multiclass classifier is then developed to identify subclasses of both normal and automated traffic. An active learning algorithm is used to suggest which user sessions to label to improve the accuracy of the multiclass classifier, while also seeking to discover new classes of automated traffic. Performance analysis are then provided. Finally, the multiclass classifier is used to predict the subclass distribution for the search query stream.


The source rock and reservoir characteristics of the Upper Cretaceous' A' Member of the Karababa Formation (Santonian–Coniacian) and the Karabogaz Formation (Campanian) and their relationships to the crude oils produced from the Ikizce and the Tokaris oil fields, were studied using a variety of organic geochemical methods. The Karabogaz Formation is composed of limestone and chert, while the Karababa-A Member consists of clayey limestones. Both formations constitute important source rocks in the Adiyaman Basin. The crude oils examined in this study were produced from reservoir rocks of the same age in two adjacent oil fields. Biomarker characteristics in source rock samples from the Ikizce-A and Tokaris-A wells show that the Karababa-A Member and the Karabogaz Formation were deposited in reducing environments and are characteristic of carbonate facies. Correlations between the source rocks and the crude oils, based on qualitative and quantitative biomarker distributions, indicate that the oils from the Ikizce and Tokaris fields are mixed oils that were derived from both the Karababa-A Member and the Karabogaz Formation source rocks.


In imperfect-information games, the optimal strategy in a subgame may depend on the strategy in other, unreached subgames. Thus a subgame cannot be solved in isolation and must instead consider the strategy for the entire game as a whole, unlike perfect-information games. Nevertheless, it is possible to first approximate a solution for the whole game and then improve it by solving individual subgames. This is referred to as subgame solving. We introduce subgame-solving techniques that outperform prior methods both in theory and practice. We also show how to adapt them, and past subgame-solving techniques, to respond to opponent actions that are outside the original action abstraction; this significantly outperforms the prior state-of-the-art approach, action translation. Finally, we show that subgame solving can be repeated as the game progresses down the game tree, leading to far lower exploitability. These techniques were a key component of Libratus, the first AI to defeat top humans in heads-up no-limit Texas hold'em poker.


This book offers a scientific approach to understanding the practice of hatha yoga. Through four-colour, three-dimensional illustrations of major muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Ray Long describes the practice and benefits of hatha yoga. Specific anatomical and physiological descriptions highlight the agonist, antagonist, and synergist muscles that come into play with each pose. Volume II of the series illustrates the correct muscle use during key poses of hatha yoga. From beginners to experts, this book will become a constant companion.


We have prospectively collected information during resuscitation in 24 children with life-threatening malaria. All had clinical respiratory distress and 16 were severely anemic (hemoglobin < or = 5 g/dL) on admission. Central venous pressure (CVP) measurements were normal (< or = 5 cm of water) prior to treatment but all had a metabolic acidosis. The geometric mean lactate level was significantly higher in children admitted with severe anemia than in those without severe anemia (11.2 mmol/l versus 4.2 mmol/l; P = 0.009). Hypovolemia (a CVP on admission < 0 cm of water) was associated, although not significantly, with a higher admission plasma creatinine concentration (94 mumol/l versus 64 mumol/l; P = 0.06) and probably contributed to the severely reduced creatinine clearances (0-39 ml/min/1.73 ml2) found in 12 of the 13 children in whom this was assessed in the first 24 hr. Treatment resulted in a rapid decrease in blood lactate in 16 of the 13 children in whom this was assessed in the first 24 hr. Treatment resulted in a rapid decrease in blood lactate in 16 of the 20 children transfused, which was most dramatic in severely anemic children, who were rapidly resuscitated. In nonanemic children, early and rapid administration of normal saline usually resulted in both metabolic and clinical improvement. However, in three children, two of whom died, acidosis persisted despite resuscitation. Metabolic acidosis often accounts for respiratory distress in life-threatening childhood malaria. Severe anemia and hypovolemia appear to play major roles in its pathogenesis, are readily treatable, and there appears to be little risk of congestive cardiac failure even with an aggressive approach to fluid replacement.


Diabetes is fast gaining the status of a potential epidemic in India with more than 62 million diabetic individuals currently diagnosed with the disease. There are atleast 10 different drug classes for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but metformin is recommended as the initial medication for treatment of T2DM. Inter-individual variability in response and few clinical or biomarker predictors of response reduces its optimal use. Personalized medicine promises a path for individually optimized treatment, but realizing this promise will require a more comprehensive characterization of disease and drug response. As per American Medical Association, pharmacogenomics is the study of genetic variations that influence individual response to drugs. Knowing whether a patient carries any of these genetic variations can help prescribers individualize drug therapy, decrease the chance for adverse drug events, and increase the effectiveness of drugs. There are variety of genes controlling metformin transport in the body, for egSLC22A1, SLC22A2, SLC22A3, SLC22A4 etc. The purpose of this review article is to explain in brief pharmacogenomics of metformin and its application and practical hurdles in its translation.


Abstract Trepostome bryozoan Dianulites borealis Astrova, 1965, the earliest known member of this genus, has been identified from the Early Ordovician of Severnaya Zemlya, Arctic Russia. This species developed hemispherical colonies which indicate that it lived on a relatively soft substrate with moderately low rates of sedimentation and erosion. The new record from Severnaya Zemlya expands the palaeogeographical distribution of Dianulites, known before from the Early Ordovician of Novaya Zemlya, Arctic Russia.


The underlying aim of this thesis is to reconsider the subject of public archaeology, as it
today seems to search for new directions in which to develop, reflecting the current state
of flux in archaeology. The thesis builds on a case study that investigates the
relationship between local people and the excavation of the 'Villa of Augusts' in Somma
Vesuviana, Italy, carried out by a team of Japanese archaeologists.
The case study highlights various ways in which local people in Somma Vesuviana
engaged with the archaeology of the Villa: knowing about the Villa; visiting its
excavation; contextualising the Villa on the site; interpreting the Villa and the
excavation project according to special interest and stake in it; associating the Villa with
a local legend; talking and writing about and using the Villa, which resulted in
strengthening the old/historical sense of the town; identifying with the Villa through the
concept of the local; and making a value judgement of the Japanese excavation project.
The results of the case study research indicate that public archaeologists should study
and understand the public in detail and, at the same time, carry out outreach work and
involve themselves in socio-political critiques and actions. Bearing in mind the
physically intrusive nature of archaeological investigation, it is particularly important
for pubic archaeologists to carry out action research on the local level, directly engaging
with local people, if their work is to have a broader meaning.


The use of smartcards as a new media for ticketing for transport servicesis now becoming quite commonplace in many countries, including in parts of the UK. However for a technology that has been in effective use for almost two decades, the take up of such systems is probably not as widespread as one would expect when considering the benefits that smartcard-based systems seem to offer. One well stated reason for this is that in many transport networks where the use of a smartcard ticketing system has been considered - the business case has not been fully made. One feature of public transport smartcard systems that could have an impact in improving the business case for smartcard investment and deployment is the more effective useof the data generated by the system. Vast amounts of card-operation and card-holder data are gathered during operation, however, in almost all cases, they are not yet being utilised to their full potential. Each time a card is used the passenger behaviour, such as the boarding and alighting location and time, is recorded, either in the electronic ticket machine (ETM)and/or in the smartcard itself. This provides the possibility for a much more coherent and in-depth understanding of user demand. The purpose of this paper is to question whether it is possible to create a service that isresponsive and relevant to user needs, using this additional knowledge ofhow customers use public transport (captured from smartcard data analysis). Thus, creating a service more centric upon meeting user demands could enhance the appeal of public transport, potentially resulting in increased rider-ship, and thus, creating a more positive business case for smartcardticketing systems and associated infrastructure. For the covering abstract see ITRD E134522


Heavy metal-contaminated soil and water is a major environmental issue in the mining areas. However, as the heavy metals migrate frequently, the traditional method of estimating the soil's heavy metal content by field sampling and laboratory chemical analysis followed by interpolation is time-consuming and expensive. This chapter intends to use field hyperspectra to estimate the heavy metals in the soil in Bai-ma, De-sheng and YuanBaoshan mining areas, Miyi County, Sichuan Province. By analyzing the spectra of soil, the spectral features derived from the spectra of the soils can be found to build the models between these features and the contents of Mn and Co in the soil by using the linear regression method. The spectral features of Mn are 2142 and 2296 nm. The spectral features of Co are 1918, 1922 and 2205 nm. With these feature spectra, the best models to estimate the heavy metals in the study area can be built according to the maximal determination coefficients (R2). The determination coefficients (R2) of the models of retrieving Mn and Co in the soil are 0.645 and 0.8, respectively. The model significant indexes of Mn and Co are 2.04507E-05 and 7.73E-06. These results show that it is feasible to predict contaminated heavy metals in the soils during mining activities for soil remediation and ecological restoration by using the rapid and cost-effective field spectroscopy.


The effect of the macrocyclic host compounds cucurbit[n]urils (Qn), with on the fluorescence of the biologically active compound curcumin has been studied. Curcumin, the main constituent of the Indian spice turmeric, is of growing interest because of its wide-ranging pharmaceutical properties. This compound forms strong 2:1 host–guest inclusion complexes with Q6 (the original cucurbituril), with an overall equilibrium constant of (1.9±0.8)×104 M−2. It is postulated that a Q6 host partially encapsulates each of the two phenyl groups at the ends of the curcumin molecule. The difference in magnitude of the equilibrium constants K 1 (72±2 M−1) and K 2 (260±120 M−1) for stepwise encapsulation of the two ends of the curcumin molecule indicates that encapsulation by the first Q6 significantly alters its entire electronic structure, resulting in a more favorable second encapsulation. A very large enhancement of the fluorescence of curcumin results from this complex formation, on the order of 5.0; this is a significant fraction of the polarity sensitivity factor (PSF) of 39 measured for curcumin, that is the ratio of fluorescence intensity in ethanol vs. water. Surprisingly, no such enhancement could be observed in the case of Q7, indicating that the interactions between the guest and the host cavity are not favorable in this case, contrary to expectations. Similarly, no enhancement was observed in the case of Q5, which is not unexpected, because of the extremely small size of the host cavity and portal in this case.


While MSB has many years of experience of implementing environmental and gender perspectives in its humanitarian work; disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation present a different set of opportunities and challenges. Thesefurther emphasise the inclusion of a social change component that overlaps somewhat with more conventional development work. MSB commissioned the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to prepare this report, noting that women and men (as well as girls and boys) are affected differently by: i) the impacts of climate change, ii) efforts related to climate change adaptation (CCA), and iii) disaster risk reduction (DRR).


As a central component of political discourse and a prolific resource for argument, political humor targets leaders, politicians, or representatives as well as political institutions, groups, actions, and parties. Each of these groups is liable to be a political humor theme. Although previous literature has proved that analyzing the themes of political wisecracks presents valuable information about the socio-political concerns, thematic analysis of political jokes, particularly, in Iranian and American contexts, as a necessary clue for understanding serious sociopolitical issues seems to be an area in need of further analysis. In order to address this problem, this study investigated the most popular themes in Iranian and American political humor. Analysis showed that the general themes of Iranian and American political humor are more similar than different. However, while sexual infamy, racism, and gun control marked considerable themes of American humor, despotic forces and religion-related humor seemed to be exclusively Iranian. © 2021 IJSCL. All rights reserved. 1 Professor, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com (Corresponding Author) Tel: +98611-3367008 2 PhD Candidate, Email: email@example.com 3 Assistant Professor, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com a Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran b University of New South Wales, Australia ARTICLE HISTORY:


Globalization, seen as a simultaneous transformation in economics, politics and culture, has led to more intense competition in different sectors of the economy. In the banking sector the analysis of customer satisfaction, loyalty and trust has been considered of great interest in recent years. In this study, we analyse the development of bank customer satisfaction and loyalty and, with more detail, the development of customer trust, using the results of surveys carried out with relevant statistical samples in Portugal and, for the first time, we also extend this analysis to bank customers in Spain. Scientific development, particularly in the field of behavioural economics, which includes many contributions from psychology and sociology, as well as in the field of neurology, which gave rise to neuroeconomics, allowed for the adaptation and change of traditional economic decision-making theories, based only on economic rationality, in the wake of the Cartesian dualism and Newtonian atomism, allowing for a better understanding of decision-making. It has been demonstrated in previous studies that the currently most relevant element for customer approval and loyalty to their main banking institution in Portugal is trust. Therefore, the growth or downward trend of these two variables will be a good indicator to understand the development of customer trust in banking evolution. It has been verified that customer trust in banking and in the development of banks in the last years is not as negative as could be expected, considering all the problems that have affected this sector, mainly in Portugal. However, customer satisfaction has been declining over the past two years. A significant change in the banking activity is taking place, a different approach has been implemented, and this change may lead to a decline in customer trust.


Instrumental data from seven speakers of Jordanian Arabic are analysed to gain further understanding of the production of the laryngeal and pharyngeal phonemes and their phonetic and phonological relationships. Results from nasoendoscopy and videofluoroscopy show that the extent of retraction of the epiglottis into the pharynx and over the glottis is an important factor distinguishing between laryngeals on the one hand and pharyngeals on the other. Spectrographic analysis identifies degree of approximation of F1 and F2 as the principal acoustic correlate of the distinction, and psychoacoustic analysis shows that auditory integration of F1 and F2 takes place in open vowels in the context of the pharyngeals but not the laryngeals. The chapter concludes by suggesting that Esling's model of the laryngeal articulator can coherently justify a phonological analysis in which the pharyngeals are regarded as the emphatic counterparts of the laryngeals, i.e. as emphatic laryngeals.


Majority of the people in the poorest regions of the tropics rely on poultry production as their major source of protein supply. However, poultry production is hindered by the harsh environmental conditions in this regions therefore, reducing the daily supply of protein. It is believed that understanding heat stress in birds by paying detail attention to the sources of heat generation in a poultry house can help manage the heat stress situation in this region. This text reviews the internal climatic conditions of the poultry houses, how the birds respond to them, and their implications for heat management in poultry production. Thus, it provides perti-nent information for guidance on parameters for open poultry houses architectural design that ensures optimum climatic conditions that will alleviate heat stress problem in poultry production in hot and humid climate.


The characterization of CIM® DEAE monolithic columns in terms of dynamic binding capacity is presented in this paper. Breakthrough experiments were performed for capacity determination. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein. It is shown that CIM® monolithic columns have good batch-to-batch reproducibility as well as long-term stability. The experiments performed under different linear velocities demonstrated that the dynamic capacity is unaffected at least up to a linear velocity of 2450 cm/h. Furthermore, the breakthrough curve slope is constant, indicating that the capacity would remain constant at even higher linear velocities. The adsorption isotherm of BSA dissolved in 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer shows a constant capacity of around 30 mg/mL of support down to a concentration of 20 μg/mL. The capacity is substantially influenced by the ionic strength; however, 20% of the maximal capacity is still preserved at 0.3 M NaCl.


In recent years, an increasing number of liver tumor indications were treated by minimally invasive laparoscopic resection. Besides the restricted view, a major issue in laparoscopic liver resection is the enhanced visualization of (hidden) vessels, which supply the tumorous liver segment and thus need to be divided prior to the resection. To navigate the surgeon to these vessels, pre-operative abdominal imaging data can hardly be used due to intra-operative organ deformations mainly caused by appliance of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum and respiratory motion. While regular respiratory motion can be gated and synchronized intra-operatively, motion caused by pneumoperitoneum is individual for every patient and difficult to estimate. Therefore, we propose to use an optically tracked mobile C-arm providing cone-beam CT imaging capability intra-operatively. The C-arm is able to visualize soft tissue by means of its new flat panel detector and is calibrated offline to relate its current position and orientation to the coordinate system of a reconstructed volume. Also the laparoscope is optically tracked and calibrated offline, so both laparoscope and C-arm are registered in the same tracking coordinate system. Intra-operatively, after patient positioning, port placement, and carbon dioxide insufflation, the liver vessels are contrasted and scanned during patient exhalation. Immediately, a three-dimensional volume is reconstructed. Without any further need for patient registration, the volume can be directly augmented on the live laparoscope video, visualizing the contrasted vessels. This superimposition provides the surgeon with advanced visual aid for the localization of veins, arteries, and bile ducts to be divided or sealed.


Hydrophobic and highly porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membranes with isotropic cross section as well as tunable and narrow barrier pore size distribution in the range from ~0.1 to ~1 μm have been prepared using the non-solvent vapor induced phase separation (VIPS) technique. The process conditions have been tuned to suit an industrial scale up, using a short production time and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent for PVDF, instead of commonly used hazardous chemicals. Factors like kind of solvent, the relative humidity of air, the exposure time to humid air and the mass fraction of PVDF in the casting solutions have been used to tune membrane characteristics. Interestingly, it was revealed that DMSO as a less common solvent for PVDF shows better qualities regarding upscaling than other more frequently used polar aprotic solvents (e.g. dimethylacetamide) when using VIPS under suited conditions. The phenomenon was explained through investigations of the membrane formation step, in particular by water uptake and cloud point measurements, as well as structure and performance analyses, e.g. by scanning electron microscopy, gas flow/liquid dewetting permporometry, gas and water vapor permeability analyses and liquid water entry pressure measurements. Lab-scale manufactured membranes showed pore characteristics and performance desired for membrane contactor applications. Furthermore, fabrication on a roll-to-roll machine using a nonwoven support and the established VIPS conditions was realized in a short manufacturing time; resulting membranes structure and characteristics were found to be similar to the ones for the lab-scale membranes.
By rising the dissolution temperature above a critical value, the membrane structure changes from a sponge like to a spherulitic morphology. The size and the construction of the spherulites can be influenced by the above-mentioned factors. Interestingly, for some factors a linear change resulted in a non-linear change of the resulting polymer structure. These findings were investigated through scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and dynamic scanning calorimetry. Although interpretation of the results via ternary phase diagram plots and comparison with recent literature was done, a clear explanation is still missing. This gives rise to further studies in this field.
Overall, the combination of PVDF with DMSO gives promising opportunities for a more eco-friendly industrial fabrication of porous membranes with advanced properties via VIPS.


When applying sparse representation techniques to images, the standard approach is to independently compute the representations for a set of overlapping image patches. This method performs very well in a variety of applications, but the independent sparse coding of each patch results in a representation that is not optimal for the image as a whole. A recent development is convolutional sparse coding, in which a sparse representation for an entire image is computed by replacing the linear combination of a set of dictionary vectors by the sum of a set of convolutions with dictionary filters. A disadvantage of this formulation is its computational expense, but the development of efficient algorithms has received some attention in the literature, with the current leading method exploiting a Fourier domain approach. The present paper introduces a new way of solving the problem in the Fourier domain, leading to substantially reduced computational cost.


Impact assessment (IA) is a key method for the legislator to evaluate policies, norms or regulations currently under development. Experts use IA to gather and analyze input from many individuals to obtain clear problem statements, estimations regarding policies etc., and use this information to compare policy alternatives. Currently, the opinions, expertise etc. gathered for IA need to be structured by hand. Thus, the analysis steps of IA are time-consuming, and IA does not scale with the number of persons involved. In this paper, we introduce a collaborative approach for IA. Based on a Web 2.0 architecture, we let a community of individuals derive the potential, downsides and design alternatives of policies collaboratively. An important characteristic of our approach is that it guides individuals through the process of creating structured input. Our approach is fully implemented, and we have evaluated it together with legal experts using the structured-case method. While our evaluation reveals that the acceptance of web-based IA strongly depends on the user interface, it also acknowledges that our approach can be an important tool for future IA.


Emerging evidence demonstrates that subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex are specifically mutated at high frequency in a variety of human cancer types. SNF5 (SMARCB1/INI1/BAF47), a core subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, is inactivated in the vast majority of rhabdoid tumors (RT), an aggressive type of pediatric cancer. SNF5-deficient cancers are diploid and genomically stable, suggesting that epigenetically based changes in transcription are key drivers of tumor formation caused by SNF5 loss. However, there is limited understanding of the target genes that drive cancer formation following SNF5 loss. Here we performed comparative expression analyses upon three independent SNF5-deficient cancer data sets from both human and mouse and identify downregulation of the BIN1 tumor suppressor as a conserved event in primary SNF5-deficient cancers. We show that SNF5 recruits the SWI/SNF complex to the BIN1 promoter, and that the marked reduction of BIN1 expression in RT correlates with decreased SWI/SNF occupancy. Functionally, we demonstrate that re-expression of BIN1 specifically compromises the proliferation of SNF5-deficient RT cell lines. Identification of BIN1 as a SNF5 target gene reveals a novel tumor suppressive regulatory mechanism whose disruption can drive cancer formation.


Visual search is extended from the domain of polygonal figures presented on a uniform field to photo-realistic scenes containing target objects in dense, naturalistic backgrounds. The target in a trial is a computer-rendered rock protruding in depth from a "wall" of rocks of roughly similar size but different shapes. Subjects respond "present" when one rock appeared closer than the rest, owing to occlusions or cast shadows, and "absent" when all rocks appeared to be at the same depth. Results showed that cast shadows can significantly decrease reaction times compared to scenes with no cast shadows, in which the target was revealed only by occlusions of rocks behind it. A control experiment showed that cast shadows can be utilized even for displays involving rocks of several achromatic surface colors (dark through light), in which the shadow cast by the target rock was not the darkest region in the scene. Finally, in contrast with reports of experiments by others involving polygonal figures, we found no evidence for an effect of illumination direction (above vs. below) on search times.


Productive development policies (PDPs) are notoriously hard. They involve a daunting level of technical detail, require public-private collaboration, are in constant danger of capture, and demand time consistency hard to achieve in a politically volatile region. Nevertheless, the potential of PDPs to revitalize the region's economic performance and spur productivity growth cannot be ignored. This book takes an in-depth look at 17 cases involving productive development agencies from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica and Uruguay, identifying key features of institutional design and agency-level practices that make success more likely in this difficult policy arena. Careful study of these experiences might help successful productive development policies gain currency across the region. The cases in this book should not be seen as the exceptions that prove the rule of lackluster PDP performance, but rather as examples that demonstrate the rule can be broken.


We simulate corporate tax reform in a single good, five-region (U.S., Europe, Japan, China, India) model, featuring skilled and unskilled labor, detailed region-specific demographics and fiscal policies. Eliminating the model's U.S. corporate income tax produces rapid and dramatic increases in the model's level of U.S. investment, output, and real wages, making the tax cut self-financing to a significant extent. Somewhat smaller gains arise from revenue-neutral base broadening, specifically cutting the corporate tax rate to 9 percent and eliminating tax loop-holes.


Owing to their small size and unique optical properties, carbon nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention due to their promising biomedical applications. In this work, we report a silica (SiO2) protected calcination strategy to fabricate mesoporous carbon nanoframes (mCNFs) from zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) precursors. The resulting mCNFs have many merits including drug loading capability, excellent photothermal efficiency (21%), dual pH/near-infrared (NIR) responsive controlled drug release and good biocompatibility. When 5-FU-loaded mCNFs were subjected to NIR irradiation, a burst release of 5-FU occurs owing to the heat produced by the mCNFs. Furthermore, mCNFs are successfully employed for photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and synergistic chemo-photothermal cancer therapy. Taken together, mCNFs can be developed as a promising theranostic agent for cancer treatment.


This study investigates the potential for computational models informed through automated lexical indices to simulate human ratings of word concreteness, word familiarity, and word imageability. The goal of the study is to provide word information estimates for words with human ratings, thereby affording greater textual coverage and permitting a better understanding of features that underlie word properties. This study uses traditional automated word features such word length, word frequency, hypernymy, and polysemy along with novel automated word features such as word type attributes taken from WordNet, LSA dimensions, and inverse entropy weights as predictor variables. The model reported in this study for word concreteness predicted 61% of the variance in human ratings of word concreteness and demonstrated that more concrete words contain attributes related to people, animals, and food, have higher hypernymy levels, are related to two LSA dimensions, are more frequent, and are shorter. The model for word familiarity predicted 62% of the variance in the human ratings reported in the MRC database and demonstrated that more familiar words are found in a greater number of text samples and are more frequent. The model for word imageability ratings explained 42% of the variance in the human ratings and demonstrated that more concrete words contain attributes related to artifacts, animals, and plants, are related to two LSA dimensions, are more frequent, and are shorter.


Justice Breyer's opinion for the Court in Whole Women's Health v Hellerstedt claims to be nothing more than a faithful application of Casey v Planned Parenthood's undue-burden standard. According to Breyer, Casey's undue-burden standard requires courts to balance an abortion regulation's burdens on access to abortion against its expected benefits, and entails an unspecified degree of heightened scrutiny with regard to the legislature's factual premises. Applying this test, Breyer held that Texas' admitting-privileges and surgical-center requirements imposed undue burdens: their maternal-health benefits were found to be negligible, while their burdens – which were found to have caused the closing of many Texas abortion clinics – created a substantial obstacle to abortion access.
Although the result Justice Breyer reached is defensible, his interpretation of Casey is not. As the joint opinion in Casey explained, "[a] finding of an undue burden is a shorthand for the conclusion that a state regulation has the purpose or effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus." This substantial-obstacle test has two prongs: the effects prong, which focuses solely on whether a regulation's burdens create a substantial obstacle, and the purpose prong, which focuses solely on whether the regulation is reasonably related to a legitimate state interest. Casey's applications of the undue-burden standard demonstrate that neither prong of the substantial-obstacle test involves balancing regulatory burdens. Nor does Casey envision or employ a third step, in which the court weighs the benefits and burdens it previously considered separately.
Justice Breyer offers no normative defense of his new balancing test, which tilts the undue-burden standard against state abortion regulations, whether they aim to protect maternal health or fetal life. Balancing is especially inappropriate when it comes to fetal-protective regulations. The Court has never explained how fetal lives can be balanced against women's liberty interests, and any such balancing would replicate the very problem the undue-burden test attempts to solve: the undervaluing of fetal life in Roe and subsequent pre-Casey decisions.
As for Casey's reasonably-related test, Justice Breyer is correct that it is less deferential than minimal rational-basis review, and thus entails some degree of heightened scrutiny. But he overshoots the mark. Casey's version of reasonableness review asks whether, in light of evidence about its actual or expected effects, a regulation will plausibly advance the state's asserted interests to some extent. Breyer's opinion, by contrast, relies instead on more exacting heightened-scrutiny techniques – including balancing, least-restrictive-alternative analysis, and overbreadth – that have no place in Casey's reasonableness review.
Justice Breyer's misinterpretations of Casey should receive no protection from stare decisis. As between Casey and Whole Women's Health – which offers no defense of its approach other than fidelity to Casey – the Court should choose Casey. The Court should overrule Breyer's balancing test and make clear that Casey's reasonably-related test calls for deferential reasonableness review, rather than the stricter scrutiny implicit in Breyer's analysis of the challenged Texas regulations. Failing that, it should confine Breyer's innovations to review of maternal-health regulations to ensure that Casey's undue-burden standard, rightly understood, continues to govern regulations aimed at protecting fetal life.


Burns are the most frequently recognized severe form of trauma occurring in childhood. The association of acute gastrointestinal tract disease with burn injury is known since first half of the 19th century. Curling's ulcer is a recognized complication of burn shock which occurs in the gastrointestinal tract in burned patient. It manifest during the second week, when infection and toxic absorption from the separating sloughs is predominant. It will be diagnosed only in the event of haemorrhage, perforation,
or at necropsy, and presumably these do not occur in every case. Prognosis in Curling's ulcer is always serious, especially in children, death occurring most often from haemorrhage or perforation. A rare case of acute duodenal ulcer in a nine-month-old infant after deep burns of both lower extremities is described. It gives the impression that it is necessary to take into consideration the possibility of Curling's ulcer in every case of deep and extensive burns in children.


While much work is proceeding with regard to the preservation and restoration of audio documents in general and compositions for tape in particular, relatively little research has been published with regard to the issues of preserving compositions for live electronics. Such works often involve a distinct performance element difficult to capture in a single recording, and it is typically only in performance that such works can be experienced as the composer intended. However, performances can become difficult or even impossible to present over time due to data and/or equipment issues. Sustainability here therefore refers to the effective recording of all the information necessary to set up the live electronics for a performance. Equally, it refers to the availability of appropriate devices, as rapid technological change soon makes systems obsolete and manufacturers discontinue production. The authors have had a range of experience re-working performances over a number of years, including compositions by Luigi Nono and Jonathan Harvey, amongst others. In this paper we look at the problem as a whole, focusing on Jonathan Harvey's works with electronic elements, which span some twenty-six years, as exemplars of the types of problems involved.


Abstract Although Wallace Thurman is a well-recognized figure of the Harlem Renaissance, scholarly treatments of him tend to misinterpret his role in the period. Thurman's life is usually used as an example of the tragic end of the era or he is characterized as a bright, yet demonic, cynic who was devoured by his inability to live up to his own high expectations.(1) While there is validity in each of these portrayals, they both divert attention from Thurman's role as the ideological leader of the younger set of Renaissance artists. These depictions also minimize the effects his efforts had on developing unencumbered creative space for writers whose works fell outside of the proposed literary canon. Many scholars misconstrue Thurman and his contributions to the Harlem Renaissance because they concentrate their inquiries on his characterization in Langston Hughes' autobiography The Big Sea. Hughes described Thurman as a "strangely brilliant black boy" who "wanted to be a great writer, but none of his own work ever made him happy" (234). To deal with his own shortcomings and depression Thurman, in Hughes view, "contented himself by writing a great deal for money ... drinking more and more gin, and then threatening to jump out of windows at people's parties and kill himself" (235). When coupled with Interne and Infants of the Spring, Thurman's two depressing last novels, Hughes' depiction highlights the cynicism and despair which were so much a part of the young genius' last years. But, if one looks closely at Wallace Thurman's creative production of the 1920's, the heart of the Harlem Renaissance, another image presents itself. Prior to his arrival in New York, Thurman wrote a column called "Inklings" in a local Los Angeles newspaper. In an effort to jump start a Negro Renaissance on the West Coast he even published and personally financed a magazine, The Outlet, for almost half a year (Henderson 149). At this point in his life, he was not the depressed cynic so often alluded to in historical interpretations. Rather, he was a young man who was so impressed by Jean Toomer's Cane and the literary ferment of Harlem, that he dedicated his life to fulfilling the promise which these opportunities engendered. Simply heating that H.L. Menken, Fannie Hurst, and Carl Van Vecten were discussing literature with Black artists no older than himself caused him to get excited and "to feel inspired" (West 77-78). Thurman came to Harlem on Labor Day 1925 in hopes of finding the "New Negro" (Henderson 147). Commenting on his arrival, he explained, "I lived out in Los Angeles ... and I heard about the `new negro' but I didn't see any signs of him on the Pacific Coast. I tried to be a movement all by myself ... Then I began to think about Harlem for that seemed to be the home of this `new negro' and soon after I graduated from the University of Southern California I came here" (Hicks 10). During his initial years in Harlem, Thurman was the epitome of youthful exuberance and idealism. His demeanor was that of an individual who felt an extreme level of optimism towards the opportunities and responsibilities which the Harlem Renaissance presented for young Black artists. As his good friend Dorothy West noted, "he wanted to get in on the ground floor and not get off the crowded lift until it banged the roof off and skyrocketed him ... to the stars" (77). When Thurman did not find the creative space he had envisioned in Harlem, his idealism drove him to create it. On one side, he confronted a White literary community so consumed with sycophantic praise that it could neither distinguish quality art, nor adequately promote it. On the other, he faced a Black establishment which he saw as overly sensitive, elitist, and mired in the maintenance of a social hierarchy based on skin colon Given this context, a person exhibiting the pessimism and defeatism normally associated with Thurman would have simply packed his bags and gone back to his Post Office job in California. …


Mobile robots suffer from sensory data corruption due to body oscillations and disturbances. In particular, information loss on images captured with onboard cameras can be very high, and such loss may become irreversible or computationally costly to undo. In this paper, we propose a novel method to minimize average motion blur captured by such mobile visual sensors. To this end, we derive a motion blur metric (MMBM) that can be computed in real-time by using only inertial sensor measurements and validate it through comparisons with optic flow computations. The applicability of MMBM is illustrated through a motion blur minimizing system implemented on the SensoRHex hexapod robot by externally triggering an onboard camera based on MMBM values computed in real-time while the robot is walking straight on a flat surface. The resulting motion blur is compared to motion blur levels obtained with a regular, fixed frame-rate image acquisition schedule by both qualitative inspection and using a blind blur metric on captured images. MMBM based motion blur minimization system not only reduces average motion blur, but also avoids frames with extreme motion blur before an image gets corrupted by appropriately delaying the triggering of frame acquisition.


A study is reported on haematological alterations in buffalo calves from subchronic oral exposure to the pesticide fipronil, sodium fluoride alone, and the two in combination. Twenty-four male buffalo calves, 6 to 12 months old, were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals each. Group I without treatment served as the control. Groups II and III were orally administered commercial fipronil at 0.5 mg/kg bw/day and sodium fluoride (NaF) at 6.67 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, for 98 days. An additional group IV was co-administered fipronil and NaF at the same dosages as groups II and III. Although blood haemoglobin and total erythrocyte count were not appreciably altered by fipronil alone in group II, they were lowered by NaF in group III and in the combined group IV. On the other hand, total leukocyte count increased in the NaF group III and in the combined group IV but not in the fipronil alone group II. The present study indicates that fipronil aggravates the toxic effects of NaF on the hematopoietic system as haematological alterations were more pronounced with concomitant exposure to fipronil and NaF.


Globally about 800 million people live without electricity at home, over two thirds of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. Ending energy poverty is a key development priority because energy plays an enabling role for human wellbeing and economic activities. Planning electricity access infrastructure and allocating resources efficiently requires a careful assessment of the diverse energy needs across space, time, and sectors. However, because of data scarcity, most country or regional-scale electrification planning studies have been based on top-down electricity demand targets. Yet, poorly representing the heterogeneity in the electricity demand can lead to inappropriate energy planning, inaccurate energy system sizing, and misleading cost assessments. Here we introduce M-LED, Multi-sectoral Latent Electricity Demand, a geospatial data processing platform to estimate electricity demand in communities that live in energy poverty. The key novelties of the platform are the multi-sectoral, bottom-up, time-explicit demand evaluation and the assessment of water-energy-agriculture-development interlinkages. We apply the methodology to the country-study of Kenya. Our findings suggest that a bottom-up approach to evaluating energy needs across space, time, and sectors is likely to improve the reliability and accuracy of supply-side electrification modelling and therefore of electrification planning and policy.


This paper examines the links between innovation and productivity in service enterprises. For this purpose, we use micro data from the Community Innovation Survey 2008 in Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom, and estimate an augmented structural model. Our results indicate that innovation in service enterprises is linked to higher productivity. In all three countries analysed, among the innovation types that we consider, the strongest link between innovation and productivity was found for marketing innovations. Our empirical evidence highlights the importance of internationalisation in the context of innovation outputs in all three countries. The determinants of innovation in service enterprises appear remarkably similar to the determinants of innovation in manufacturing enterprises.


Nowadays in medicine and biotechnology a wide range of applications involves magnetic micro/nano-object manipulation including remote control of magnetic beads, trapping of drug vectors, magnetic separation of labelled cells and so on. Handling and positioning magnetic particles and elements functionalized with these particles has greatly benefited from advances in microfabrication. Indeed reduction in size of the magnet while maintaining its field strength increases the field gradient. In this context, arrays made of permanent micromagnets are good candidates for magnetic handling devices. They are autonomous, suitable for integration into complex systems and their magnetic action is restricted to the region of interest.In this thesis we have elaborated an original approach based on AFM and MFM for quantitative study of the magnetic force and associated force gradients induced by TMP micromagnet array on an individual magnetic micro/nano-object. For this purpose, we have fabricated smart MFM probes where a single magnetic (sub)micronic sphere was fixed at the tip apex of a non-magnetic probe thanks to a dual beam FIB/SEM machine equipped with a micromanipulator.Scanning Force Microscopy conducted with such probes, the so-called Magnetic Particle Scanning Force Microscopy (MPSFM) was employed for 3D mapping of TMP micromagnets. This procedure involves two main aspects: (i) the quantification of magnetic interaction between micromagnet array and attached microsphere according to the distance between them and (ii) the complementary information about micromagnet array structure. The main advantage of MPSFM is the use of a probe with known magnetization and magnetic volume that in combination with modelling allows interpreting the results ably.We conducted MPSFM on TMP sample with two types of microparticle probes: with superparamagnetic and NdFeB microspheres. The measurements carried out with superparamagnetic microsphere probes reveal attractive forces (up to few tens of nN) while MFM maps obtained with NdFeB microsphere probes reveal attractive and repulsive forces (up to one hundred of nN) for which the nature of interaction is defined by superposition of microsphere and micromagnet array magnetizations. The derived force and its gradient from MFM measurements are in agreement with experiments on microparticle trapping confirming that the strongest magnetic interaction is observed above the TMP sample interfaces, between the areas with opposite magnetization. Thanks to 3D MFM maps, we demonstrated that intensity of magnetic signal decays fast with the distance and depends on micromagnet array and microsphere properties.Besides the magnetic interaction quantification, we obtained new information relevant to TMP sample structure: we observed and quantified the local magnetic roughness and associated fluctuations, in particular in zones of reversed magnetization. The variation of detected signal can reach the same order of magnitude as the signal above the micromagnet interfaces. These results complete the experiments on particle trapping explaining why magnetic microparticles are captured not only above the interfaces, but also inside the zones of reversed magnetization.Quantitative measurements of the force acting on a single (sub)microsphere associated to the modelling approach improve the understanding of processes involved in handling of magnetic objects in microfluidic devices. This could be employed to optimize the parameters of sorting devices and to define the quantity of magnetic nanoparticles required for labelling of biological cells according to their size. More generally these experimental and modelling approaches of magnetic interaction can meet a high interest in all sorts of applications where a well-known and controlled non-contact interaction is required at micro and nano-scale.


Modern lasers now routinely allow experiments where large populations of highly excited molecules can be prepared with perfect quantum state selection. In a sense, the laser has become the physical chemist's synthetic tool, allowing "optical distillation" of chemical reactants in the most purified form imaginable, individual quantum states. This article describes applications from the authors' laboratory of these methods to studies in chemical reaction dynamics. A detailed description of the PUMP, DUMP, and PROBE technique is presented with specific emphasis on the use of stimulated emission pumping in scattering experiments. Many aspects of the behavior of highly vibrationally excited molecules are presented. These topics include infrared emission, rotational energy transfer, vibrational energy transfer, super-excited molecules colliding with surfaces, and the role of highly vibrationally excited O2 in the stratosphere.


X-ray microanalysis was used in the qualitative and quantitative study of titanium carbides obtained by deposition of thin titanium films on steel substrates using reactive r. f. sputtering of a pure titanium target. The samples are subjected to high vacuum annealing at a temperatures between 200 and 1000°C for 60 min. The morphological analysis by SEM shows that all films exhibited a dense microstructure. The EDS pattern of X-ray microanalysis shows that the non treated samples mainly consist of titanium. The concentration of Ti decreases progressively with the annealing temperature therefore the carbon and iron concentrations increases, this is as result of atomic interdiffusion between the substrate and the thin film. In the highest temperatures of annealing we note the diffusion of the elements of substrate towards outside layers even for those having weak concentrations. The relationship between mechanical properties and the reaction is carried out by Vickers micro-hardness measurements.


This study explores the experience of adolescent fatherhood using the techniques of discourse analysis as developed by Potter and Wetherell (1987). Twelve adolescent fathers were interviewed (ages 16 to 20 years). All had become fathers before turning 19 years of age. They were recruited from either the local community or were referred to the researcher by guidance counselors at select secondary schools. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Six major discourses were used to construct the experience of adolescent fatherhood. These were: (a)The responsibility discourse. All said they had made major personal and social adjustments to ensure the welfare of their child: (b)The compromised discourse. This positioned their role as a father compromised by societal disinterest and disdain : ( c )The agent for change discourse. Fatherhood disposed them to discard self-injurious habits and to cease asocial behavior: (d)Duel identities discourse. Parenthood during adolescence acted to bifurcate their identity: (e)The premature discourse. Accelerated entry into adult roles attenuated their performance as a father: (f)The improvement discourse. Many spoke of wishing to raise their offspring without the detractions which featured in their own childhood. Fatherhood gave many a powerful sense of purpose. Except for those who were prohibited access to their children, all stated the role of being a father was their primary identity and it had an overall beneficial effect upon their lives.


The study of conflict has been of primary interest in various fields such as organisational psychology for decades (e.g. Barki & Hartwick, 2004). In sport psychology, however, conflict research has been almost nonexistent (Lavoi, 2007) with few exceptions (e.g. Holt et al., 2012; Sullivan & Feltz, 2001). The importance of understanding conflict in sport and in groups, however, has been acknowledged because it has potentially serious implications for group outcomes (Lavoi, 2007). The present study investigated competitive sport athletes' perceptions of intra-group conflict in sport. Ten intercollegiate athletes: (N=5 males, N=5 females; Mage=25.00, SD=2.87) participated in semi-structured interviews. Athletes perceived the nature of conflict to manifest itself in several ways including: (a) disagreements; (b) negative emotions; and (c) interference/antagonistic behaviors. In addition, conflict episodes were perceived to arise in task and social situations. The findings are discussed in terms of their contributions to current perspectives on intra-group conflict in sport.


Brain functional integration can be disrupted in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), but the clinical relevance of this disruption is not completely understood. The authors hypothesized that disrupted functional integration over brain regions remote from, as well as adjacent to, the seizure focus could be related to clinical severity in terms of seizure control and memory impairment. Using resting-state functional MRI data acquired from 48 TLE patients and 45 healthy controls, the authors mapped functional brain networks and assessed changes in a network parameter of brain functional integration, efficiency, to examine the distribution of disrupted functional integration within and between brain regions. The authors assessed whether the extent of altered efficiency was influenced by seizure control status and whether the degree of altered efficiency was associated with the severity of memory impairment. Alterations in the efficiency were observed primarily near the subcortical region ipsilateral to the seizure focus in TLE patients. The extent of regional involvement was greater in patients with poor seizure control: it reached the frontal, temporal, occipital, and insular cortices in TLE patients with poor seizure control, whereas it was limited to the limbic and parietal cortices in TLE patients with good seizure control. Furthermore, TLE patients with poor seizure control experienced more severe memory impairment, and this was associated with lower efficiency in the brain regions with altered efficiency. These findings indicate that the distribution of disrupted brain functional integration is clinically relevant, as it is associated with seizure control status and comorbid memory impairment.


Real-world machine learning deployments are characterized by mismatches between the source (training) and target (test) distributions that may cause performance drops. In this work, we investigate methods for predicting the target domain accuracy using only labeled source data and unlabeled target data. We propose Average Thresholded Confidence (ATC), a practical method that learns a threshold on the model's confidence, predicting accuracy as the fraction of unlabeled examples for which model confidence exceeds that threshold. ATC outperforms previous methods across several model architectures, types of distribution shifts (e.g., due to synthetic corruptions, dataset reproduction, or novel subpopulations), and datasets (WILDS, ImageNet, BREEDS, CIFAR, and MNIST). In our experiments, ATC estimates target performance 2–4ˆ more accurately than prior methods. We also explore the theoretical foundations of the problem, proving that, in general, identifying the accuracy is just as hard as identifying the optimal predictor and thus, the efficacy of any method rests upon (perhaps unstated) assumptions on the nature of the shift. Finally, analyzing our method on some toy distributions, we provide insights concerning when it works.


The complexity of future societies will be reflected not only in the buildings that are created but also in the processes that evolve such buildings. Within the construction industry, and specifically in relation to large, complex multi-user buildings, operational planning and design processes will assume greater importance than ever before. Given that increasing complexity is likely to lead to increasing specialism and differentiation amongst the main contributing parties in a construction procurement project, it is also likely that there will be more disruption of the communication and organisation processes central to project procurement. These effects will be transmitted through the procurement process and manifest themselves in various ways in the final product. The most important of these will be the damaging effect which they will have on building function, where function determines the buildings' ability to serve as a facilitator of intended user group activities. Research has been undertaken to rationalise building design, operational planning and building function in the construction procurement process. Maintaining unity between the different parties responsible for building design and operational planning decisions is hypothesised as the key factor in evolving successful project procurement outcomes in terms of building function. Research into hospital food service building procurement processes has demonstrated that when building design and operational planning processes are not developed in concordance with one another, then deficiencies in the functioning of the food service system resulted. Seventeen design/operation mis-match outcome deficiencies were identified across three hospital construction projects. On further analysis of these project outcome deficiencies, it was apparent that the majority were due to problems that had arisen because design team members and user specialists had been unable to relate different aspects of system functioning adequately. In particular, there appeared to be an inability to incorporate effectively the catering technological and associated service aspects into the design solution, i.e. the elements that were not purely architectural. Some of these functional relationship problems were relatively simple and did not require significant design or user expertise. The most problematic deficiencies emerged when different components of the food service system (central production unit, distribution system and ward service) were not effectively integrated. Proposals are made for a planning framework which will maintain greater congruence between building design, operational planning and building function during the procurement process by allowing project contributors to assess the impact of different building design and operational planning decisions on the human/building interface. The planning framework focuses decision making around a set of critical relationships identified between the components of the building solution, so that any potential divergence caused by environmental pressures can be offset by corrective action using the critical relationships as the parameters upon which successful function must be based. This approach is a pre-requisite for the future construction procurement process in order to improve building function, particularly for complex, multi-user buildings.


ABSTRACT Ethnically mixed households signify decreasing social distance between ethnic groups, and have potential to transform urban ethnic landscapes. Quantitative research has revealed mixed-ethnicity couples' distinctive residential geographies, which interrupt established segregation patterns. Mixed-ethnicity couples often concentrate in diverse neighborhoods. Yet few studies have asked these couples to explain the reasons behind their residential decision-making. We respond to this gap, drawing on 48 interviews with mixed-ethnicity couples in Australia. Conventional concerns prevailed in discussions of neighborhood choice: dwelling characteristics, affordability, proximity to workplace and family and accessibility of services. Most expressed affinity for ethnically diverse neighborhoods, but rarely cited this as a primary decision-making factor. Our findings counter assumptions that ethnic differences are front-and-center of mixed-ethnicity families' everyday decision-making, and highlight their ordinariness. Mixed-ethnicity couples' seeming lack of focus on neighborhood ethnic composition shows that being surrounded by ethnically similar people is not always a driving force in people's residential lives.


A numerical rate equation model has been developed to describe the dynamics of a solid-state laser during continuous wave or Q-switched operation. The model allows the optimization of parameters such as the output coupler transmission percentage, crystal length and beam diameters, with the aim of improving the laser output performance. To validate the model, it was applied to a Nd:YLF laser, and proved successful in predicting and explaining the laser dynamics. It also satisfied our objective of creating a useful laser design tool.


Distributed estimation based on measurements from multiple wireless sensors is investigated. It is assumed that a group of sensors observe the same quantity in independent additive observation noises with possibly different variances. The observations are transmitted using amplify-and-forward (analog) transmissions over nonideal fading wireless channels from the sensors to a fusion center, where they are combined to generate an estimate of the observed quantity. Assuming that the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) is used by the fusion center, the equal-power transmission strategy is first discussed, where the system performance is analyzed by introducing the concept of estimation outage and estimation diversity, and it is shown that there is an achievable diversity gain on the order of the number of sensors. The optimal power allocation strategies are then considered for two cases: minimum distortion under power constraints; and minimum power under distortion constraints. In the first case, it is shown that by turning off bad sensors, i.e., sensors with bad channels and bad observation quality, adaptive power gain can be achieved without sacrificing diversity gain. Here, the adaptive power gain is similar to the array gain achieved in multiple-input single-output (MISO) multiantenna systems when channel conditions are known to the transmitter. In the second case, the sum power is minimized under zero-outage estimation distortion constraint, and some related energy efficiency issues in sensor networks are discussed.


The idea of corporate responsibility has had some concrete effects, but much depends on the willingness of a company to develop robust codes of conduct and to monitor its own activities and those of its subsidiaries, as well as contracted outsourced manufacturers and suppliers.The argument developed here is that labour rights should be central to business ethics. Labour advocates and labour organisations feel that independent monitoring and verification of factories can only be effective if codes of responsible conduct are properly implemented.In raising awareness of labour standards violations in developing countries, local, regional and international labour advocacy groups have highlighted the working and living conditions of those who 'labour behind the label'. This chapter provides case studies in Asia and Africa on how these groups are now moving from advocacy into partnerships. For 'labour rights' to become properly established, however, we need not just binding international agreements, but also legal provisions at other levels.


As users start carrying multiple mobile devices, we propose a novel, token based mobile device unlocking approach. Mobile devices are conjointly shaken to transfer the authentication state from an unlocked token device to another device to unlock it. A common use case features a wrist watch as token device, which remains unlocked as long as it is strapped to the user's wrist, and a locked mobile phone, which is unlocked if both devices are shaken conjointly. Shaking can be done single-handedly, requires little user attention (users don't have to look at the device for unlocking it), and does not cause additional cognitive load on users. In case attackers gain control over the locked phone, forging shaking is difficult, which impedes malicious unlocks. We evaluate our approach using acceleration records from our 29 people sized ShakeUnlock database and discuss influence of its constituent parts on the system performance. We further present a performance study using an Android implementation and live data, which shows the true negative rate of observational attacks to be in the range of 0.8—if an attacker manages to gain control over the locked device and shake it in parallel to the device owner shaking the token device.


If you attend a performance of a Handel opera or oratorio these days, the chances are it may still be billed, perhaps rather self-consciously, as being 'historically-informed' – though increasingly it is no longer considered necessary to draw attention to such exceptionality, because this has become the norm. Our ears (and eyes) are now fully acclimatised to the light and agile playing of gut-strung instruments with short, light bows; the pungent, stringy sounds of baroque oboes and bassoons; the almost reedy, piercing quality of narrow-bore, valveless trumpets and horns; and the dry crack of shallow, calf-skin headed timpani beaten with hardwood sticks.


The 2019 AIDAA Congress is the biennial Congress of the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Italian no-profit cultural association dedicated to the aerospace community. AIDAA was formed in 1969 through a merging of the former Societies AIDA (Associazione Italiana di Aerotecnica formed in 1920) and AIR (Associazione Italiana Razzi).In 1951, AIDA was among the founders of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and in 1957 of the International Council of Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS). In 1992 AIDAA joined the Confederation of European Aerospace Societies (CEAS).The Congress is jointly hosted by AIDAA Rome Section, the Departments of Astronautic, Electric and Energetic Engineering (DIAEE) and of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMA) of Civil and Industrial Engineering Faculty and the School of Aerospace Engineering (SIA) of Sapienza University of Rome. The degree courses in Aerospace Engineering are attended by almost 1500 students.


This book deals with the analysis of the structure of complex networks by combining results from graph theory, physics, and pattern recognition. The book is divided into two parts. 11 chapters are dedicated to the development of theoretical tools for the structural analysis of networks, and 7 chapters are illustrating, in a critical way, applications of these tools to real-world scenarios. The first chapters provide detailed coverage of adjacency and metric and topological properties of networks, followed by chapters devoted to the analysis of individual fragments and fragment-based global invariants in complex networks. Chapters that analyse the concepts of communicability, centrality, bipartivity, expansibility and communities in networks follow. The second part of this book is devoted to the analysis of genetic, protein residue, protein-protein interaction, intercellular, ecological and socio-economic networks, including important breakthroughs as well as examples of the misuse of structural concepts.


A new method for recycling ionic liquids (ILs) from a cellulose spinning process is suggested. The method involves the combination of freeze crystallization and evaporation of H2O from IL + H2O mixtures to recycle the ILs. Processes with EmimAc and EmimDep were used as references to develop this IL recycling method. EmimAc + 12.5 wt% H2O and EmimDep + 4 wt% H2O were selected for a quantitative mass and energy analysis of the cellulose spinning and IL recycling process (the maximal initial H2O levels in the ILs + H2O mixtures for cellulose dissolution were determined experimentally). The energy requirement for the freeze crystallization + evaporation method was compared to evaporation only for recycling of EmimAc and EmimDep. To produce 1 kg dry cellulose fiber, 45.4 MJ and 62.6 MJ are required for recycling EmimAc and EmimDep respectively by the freeze crystallization + evaporation recycling method. Using evaporation only, 66.9 MJ is required for EmimAc recycling and 99.9 MJ for EmimDep recycling per kg cellulose fiber produced. Thus, to fabricate 1 kg dry cellulose fiber using freeze crystallization + evaporation rather than evaporation, 21.5 MJ can be saved for EmimAc and 37.3 MJ for EmimDep recycling. We also show that compared to a classical Lyocell fiber production method using N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) as solvent, use of ILs is energy saving in itself. Hence, significantly less H2O is required in the cellulose spinning process with ILs than with NMMO, and in turn less H2O has to be evaporated for the solvent recycling.


Photoinduced CRP of methyl methacrylate initiated by in situ generation of copper (I) complex from higher oxidation state species in methanol was investigated. The polymerizations proceeded in a well-controlled manner under UV light at room temperature as evidenced by kinetic and chain extension studies. The evolution of molecular weight with conversion showed good correlation between experimental and theoretical molecular weights, which confirmed good control over polymerization and ensured a narrow MWD. The effect of the methanol on the polymerization was also investigated, and a better agreement between experimental and theoretical molecular weights with a quite narrow MWD was obtained by using methanol as solvent.