Originally published in 1974. Scientific Knowledge and Sociological Theory centres on the problem of explaining the manifest variety and contrast in the beliefs about nature held in different groups and societies. It maintains that the sociologist should treat all beliefs symmetrically and must investigate and account for allegedly "correct" or "scientific" beliefs just as he would "incorrect" or "unscientific" ones. From this basic position a study of scientific beliefs is constructed. The sociological interest of such beliefs is illustrated and a sociological perspective upon scientific change is developed.


This survey reviews the theoretical literature on high impact entrepreneurship. The survey is guided in part by the recent classification changes at the Journal of Economic Literature (JEL) regarding entrepreneurship. The board voted to create a new classification code, L26, for entrepreneurship. The JEL intends to use this code for all articles and books that focus on economic questions related to entrepreneurial activity. Publications related to questions on occupational choice issues will be cross classified with J23; those focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship will be cross classified with O31; those focusing on finance will be cross classified with G24 Investment Banking, venture capital, brokerage and rating agencies; those focusing on new firms, start ups; and business related publications on how to be an entrepreneur will be cross classified (or solely classified) with M13. What does this economic literature tell us about entrepreneurship? In order to answer the questions this review covers the intersection of entrepreneurship with labor markets, innovation, and capital markets — the three pillars of high impact entrepreneurship.


In the experimental study of the micro-mechanics of granular materials, measuring inter-particle contact forces is still a challenging task, if compared to the well-established tools and techniques for the kinematic characterisation at particle scale. This doctoral thesis addresses this problem. The proposed approach consists of two parts: an experimental characterisation of the granular network geometry and of particle-scale kinematics, which can be carried out with common imaging techniques such as Digital Image Correlation; a numerical approach aiming to exploit these measurements for the estimation of forces.One imposed constraint was to only make use of the rigid motions of particles, together with the knowledge of the contact network, to infer contact forces. Three different numerical techniques have been proposed to this purpose, referred to as Contact Elasticity Method (CEM), Contact Dynamics-based Method (CDM) and Quasi-Static Method (QSM). Each of these techniques is based on the formulation of common approaches in the family of Discrete Element Methods, respectively the classical Cundall-like DEM, the Non Smooth Contact Dynamics and a quasi-static approach accounting for both contact elasticity and plasticity. It is shown that memory of the history of the packing is the main concern with all the chosen techniques.The three methods are first presented and validated by applying them to the estimation of forces in 2D granular systems generated by means of explicit-time DEM simulations. We refer to these simulations as "ideal" experiments since they are meant to provide the same information that can be extracted from experiments, but without any measurement error. An obvious benefit of this strategy is to get reference force sets that are taken as ground truth. Based on this, the main aspects that affect the determination of forces can be investigated. In particular, the crucial role of history is emphasised here, and some solutions to take it into account in the force inference have been investigated.An assessment of the influence of measurement error has also been carried out, to predict the applicability of each method to real experiments. A short analysis of the variability of the solutions is also provided.Finally, some attempts have been made to infer forces from experiments carried out in the 1gamma2epsilon device. Particle kinematics and connectivity have been assessed by means of the Digital Image Correlation technique.The benefits and drawbacks of the three methods have been demonstrated. They conduct us to envision a combined usage of the three methods. In the future, studying the stability of equilibrium might help reducing the variability of the solutions.


Latin America has been central to the main debates on development economics, ranging from the relationships between income inequality and economic growth, and the importance of geography versus institutions in development, to debates on the effects of trade, trade openness and protection on growth and income distribution. Despite increasing interest in the region there are few English language books on Latin American economics. This Handbook, organized into five parts, aims to fill this significant gap. Part I looks at long-term issues, including the institutional roots of Latin America's underdevelopment, the political economy of policy making, the rise, decline and re-emergence of alternative paradigms, and the environmental sustainability of the development pattern. Part II considers macroeconomic topics, including the management of capital account booms and busts, the evolution and performance of exchange rate regimes, the advances and challenges of monetary policies and financial development, and the major fiscal policy issues confronting the region, including a comparison of Latin American fiscal accounts with those of the OECD. Part III analyzes the region's economies in global context, particularly the role of Latin America in the world trade system and the effects of dependence on natural resources (characteristic of many countries of the region) on growth and human development. It reviews the trends of foreign direct investment, the opportunities and challenges raised by the emergence of China as buyer of the region's commodities and competitor in the world market, and the transformation of the Latin America from a region of immigration to one of massive emigration. Part IV deals with matters of productive development. At the aggregate level it analyzes issues of technological catching up and divergence as well as different perspectives on the poor productivity and growth performance of the region during recent decades. At the sectoral level, it looks at agricultural policies and performance, the problems and prospects of the energy sector, and the effects on growth of lagging infrastructure development. Part V looks at the social dimensions of development; it analyzes the evolution of income inequality, poverty, and economic insecurity in the region, the evolution of labor markets and the performance of the educational sector, as well as the evolution of social assistance programs and social security reforms in the region. The contributors are leading researchers that belong to different schools of economic thought and most come from countries throughout Latin America, representing a range of views and recognising the diversity of the region. This Handbook is a significant contribution to the field, and will be of interest to academics, graduate students and policy makers interested in economics, political economy, and public policy in Latin America and other developing economies. Contributors to this volume - Jose Antonio Ocampo, Columbia University Jaime Ros, University of Notre Dame Luis Bertola, Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay Mariano Tommasi, Universidad de San Andres, Argentina Martin Ardanaz, Columbia University Carlos Scartascini, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Nancy Birdsall, Center for Global Development Augusto de la Torre, World Bank Felipe Valencia Caicedo, World Bank Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira, Getulio Vargas Foundation Carlos de Miguel, ECLAC Osvaldo Sunkel, ECLAC Ricardo Ffrench-Davis, Universidad de Chile Stephany Griffith-Jones, Columbia University Roberto Frenkel, CEDES, Argentina Martin Rapetti, CEDES, Argentina Pablo Garcia, Central Bank of Chile Manuel Marfan, Central Bank of Chile Jose Maria Fanelli, CEDES, Argentina Guillermo Perry, Fedesarrollo Mauricio Cardenas, Brookings Institution Javier Santiso, OECD Development Centre Pablo Zoido, OECD Development Centre Diana Tussie, FLACSO, Argentina Paolo Giordano, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Robert Devlin, OAS Eduardo Lora, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Edmar Bacha, Institute of Economic Policy Studies, Casa das Garcas Albert Fishlow, University of California and Columbia University Francisco Rodriguez, UNDP Jose Gregorio Pineda, UNDP Joao Carlos Ferraz, BNDES, Brazil Michael Mortimore, ECLAC Marcia Tavares, ECLAC Kevin Gallagher, Boston University Roberto Porzecanski, Tufts University Alejandro Canales, Universidad de Guadalajara Ricardo Hausmann, Harvard University Mario Cimoli, ECLAC Gabriel Porcile, University of Parana Jose Gabriel Palma, University of Cambridge Salomon Salcedo, FAO Fernando Soto-Baquero, FAO Jose Graziano da Silva, FAO Rodrigo Castaneda, FAO Sergio Gomez, FAO Humberto Campodonico, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos Cesar Calderon, World Bank Luis Serven, World Bank Leonardo Gasparini, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata Nora Lustig, Tulane University Rebeca Grynspan, UNDP Luis Felipe Lopez Calva, UNDP Robert Vos, United Nations Victor Tokman, formerly ILO Maria Victoria Murillo, Columbia University Lucas Ronconi, CIPPEC Andrew Schrank, University of New Mexico Miguel Urquiola, Columbia University Francisco Ferreira, World Bank David Robalino, World Bank Andras Uthoff, Universidad de Chile


BACKGROUND
Recent studies have suggested an effect of metformin on mortality for patients with both diabetes and colorectal cancer (crc). However, the literature is contradictory, with both positive and negative effects being identified. We set out to determine the effect of metformin with respect to prognosis in crc patients.

METHODS
After a retrospective chart review of crc patients treated at the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario, Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to compare overall survival (os) in patients with and without diabetes.

RESULTS
We identified 1304 crc patients treated at the centre. No significant differences between the diabetic and nondiabetic groups were observed with respect to tumour pathology, extent of metastatic disease, time or toxicity of chemotherapy, and the os rate (1-year os: 85.6% vs. 86.4%, p = 0.695; 2-year os: 73.6% vs. 77.0%, p = 0.265). In subgroup analysis, diabetic patients taking metformin survived significantly longer than their counterparts taking other diabetes treatments (os for the metformin group: 91% at 1 year; 80.5% at 2 years; os for the group taking other treatments, including diet control: 80.6% at 1 year, 67.4% at 2 years). Multivariate analysis suggests that patients with diabetes taking treatments other than metformin experience worse survival (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that crc patients with diabetes, excluding those taking metformin, might have a worse crc prognosis. Taking metformin appears to have a positive association with prognosis. The protective nature of metformin needs further evaluation in prospective analyses.


The notion of Q-Gorenstein smoothings has been introduced by Kollar. ([KoJ], 6.2.3). This notion is essential for formulating Kollar's conjectures on smoothing components for rational surface singularities. He conjectures, loosely speaking, that every smoothing of a rational surface singularity can be obtained by blowing down a deformation of a partial resolution, this partial resolution having the property (among others) that the singularities occuring on it all have qG-smoothings. (For more details and precise statements see [Ko], ch. 6.). It is therefore of interest to construct singularities having qG-smoothings.


Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties in recognizing one's own emotions and others'
emotions, specially fear. Recognizing emotions is associated with remarkable changes in
somatosensory and sensory (particularly visual) processing. For instance theories about
emotion processing suggest a strong association between emotion processing and somatic
markers. The aim of the present thesis is to assess whether the difficulties in emotion
processing shown by alexitimic subjects can affect somatosensory and sensory (especially
visual) processing. To this end different somatosensory modalities (e.g. temperature, pain,
tactile, touch, etc) and visual stimuli (e.g. face and body expressions) were used to compare the
somatosensory and sensory processing in people with high and low scores of alexithymia.
These experiments provided evidence that emotional processing deficit seems to be related to
the alterations in somatosensory processing (Experiments 1, and 2), in visual processing, early
visual encoding (Experiments 3, 4, and 6), and in physiological reactivity, particularly visceral
reactivity (Experiment 5), which prevents these individuals to correctly perceive emotions.
Together, these studies suggest that the emotional difficulties in alexithymia might be grounded
in the specific low-level somatosensory system. Moreover, the lack of emotional modulation at
the early stage of visual processing indicates that the rapid modulation of the amygdala over the
visual cortices may be reduced, thus suggesting a hyporeactivity of the amygdala in individual
with high levels of alexithymia.


We aimed to determine whether primary school teachers' motivational regulations to exercise and self efficacy in delivering a physical education (PE) lesson are different based on prior PE training. Two groups of qualified primary school teachers were recruited; PE specialists and a group of generalist primary school teachers who also teach PE. All teachers completed the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2, International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale. PE specialists demonstrated significantly higher levels of intrinsic motivation towards exercise participation and took part in more physical activity in comparison to the generalist teachers. Regression analysis showed that being a PE specialist predicted higher scores in instructional strategies and classroom management in PE. Our findings support the use of Self Determination Theory concepts in understanding teacher's exercise participation motivations. These findings have implications for the modelling role of teachers in encouraging children to be physically active.


(ABSTRACT) We analyze the lattice walk performed by a tagged member of an infinite 'sea' of particles filling a d-dimensional lattice, in the presence of a single vacancy. The vacancy is allowed to be occupied with probability 1/2d by any of its 2d nearest neighbors, so that it executs a Brownian walk. Particle-particle exchange is forbidden; the only interaction between them being hard core exclusion. Thus, the tagged particle, differing from the others only by its tag, moves only when it exchanges places with the hole. In this sense, it is a random walk " driven " by the Brownian vacancy. The probability distributions for its displacement and for the number of steps taken, after n-steps of the vacancy, are derived. Neither is a Gaussian! We also show that the only nontrivial dimension where the walk is recurrent is d = 2. As an application, we compute the expected energy shift caused by a Brownian vacancy in a model for an extreme anisotropic binary alloy. In the last chapter we present a Monte-Carlo study and a mean-field analysis for interface erosion caused by mobile vacancies. (ABSTRACT) We study a random walk on a one-dimensional periodic lattice with arbitrary hopping rates. Further, the lattice contains a single mobile, directional impurity (defect bond), across which the rate is fixed at another arbitrary value. Due to the defect, translational invariance is broken, even if all other rates are identical. The structure of Master equations lead naturally to the introduction of a new entity, associated with the walker-impurity pair which we call the quasi-walker. Analytic solution for the distributions in the steady state limit is obtained. The velocities and diffusion constants for both the random walker and impurity are given, being simply related to that of the quasi-particle through physically meaningful equations. As an application, we extend the Duke-Rubinstein reptation model of gel electrophoresis to include polymers with impurities and give the exact distribution of the steady state.


Introduction The incidence of early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is high in Europe and North America with numbers rising in recent decades. An accurate indication of the current incidence and temporal trends experienced by a whole population is useful in understanding possible aetiological factors and is essential for the planning of future specialist healthcare provision. Method This study reports the incidence of early-onset IBD within the Scottish population over a 6-year period (2003–2008), comparing the incidence and demographic attributes to previous figures. Three paediatric gastroenterology networks provide care for all paediatric IBD patients in Scotland. Retrospective data regarding incident cases of IBD diagnosed <16 years old were collected using a centrally coordinated database. Duplicates and diagnoses outwith Scotland were excluded. General Register Office for Scotland population statistics were used to calculate incidence. Statistical comparisons were made by Mann-Whitney U test. Results During the study period 430 patients <16 years were diagnosed with IBD in Scotland giving an overall incidence of 7.7/100 000/year. The incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) was 4.7/100 000/year, ulcerative colitis (UC) 2.0/100 000/year and inflammatory bowel disease unspecified (IBDU) 1.0/100 000/year. When compared with previous data from 1990–1995, significant rises in the incidence of IBD from 4.4/100 000/year (p=0.002) and CD from 2.8/100 000/year (p=0.002) were seen. The rise in UC from 1.6/100 000/year was not significant (p=0.13). The median age at diagnosis between 2003–2008 was 11.8 years for IBD and UC, and 11.9 years for CD. When compared with 1990–1995 data, there was a significant decrease in the age at diagnosis of CD from 12.8 yrs (p=0.009), but not in UC from 12.3 years (p=0.49). Conclusion The number of Scottish children diagnosed with IBD continues to rise with the rates of IBD and CD rising significantly by 70% and 61%, respectively. Although UC has risen by 25%, this was not significant. This continuing rise has clear implications for the health of Scotland's children and the local provision of specialist healthcare. A greater understanding of the changing demographic of early-onset IBD may give us clues as to the aetiology of this chronic condition and aid future disease prevention measures.


We demonstrate experimentally and numerically a method using the incoherent delayed self-interference (DSI) of chaotic light from a semiconductor laser with optical feedback to generate wideband chaotic signal. The results show that, the DSI can eliminate the domination of laser relaxation oscillation existing in the chaotic laser light and therefore flatten and widen the power spectrum. Furthermore, the DSI depresses the time-delay signature induced by external cavity modes and improves the symmetry of probability distribution by more than one magnitude. We also experimentally show that this DSI signal is beneficial to the random number generation.


Synopsis Charles Darwin met Andrew Smith in Cape Town, southern Africa on the last leg of his voyage aboard HMS Beagle (1831–1836). Both men shared a common background of having attended medical school at the University of Edinburgh although there was no apparent overlap of their times there; the latter became a career medic whereas the former did not. Evidence from the Beagle Collection of geological samples held at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences reveals that as well as accompanying Darwin on geological fieldwork around Cape Town, Smith supplied him with rocks which he had collected personally during his expedition to central southern Africa the previous year (1835). The two men remained firm correspondents until the year before Smith's death in 1872.


Ribbon Technology Corporation's use of steel fiber reinforced concrete in the construction of their new manufacturing and office facility in Gahanna, Ohio. Cost savings are obtained by labor savings and the reduced volume of material. In the construction three different lengths of steel fiber were used. The three inch Xorex material was used for the major structural elements in the construction. Two inch fiber was used for slab on grade and one inch was used in applications where gunning was required. The strength and toughness of the concrete increases with the fiber length while the ease of handling decreases. In all cases one hundred pounds of fiber per cubic yard was used for the concrete mix design. Several major first established on this program were: tilt wall construction with 100% steel fiber concrete; barrel vault roof construction using sprayed concrete techniques; a 100 ft dome with a raised tension ring design.


This study was conducted to isolate, partially purify and characterize keratinolytic microbes and their enzymes for commercial exploitation. A feather degrading bacterial strain was isolated from soil where poultry feathers were dumped by the poultry farms as a waste product. The isolated bacteria grew well at 37°C and the pH of 7.5. This isolate showed maximum feather degrading activity at 37°C. The enzyme activity could be detected in the temperature range of 30 to 37°C. Keratinolytic activity was detected during growth of microbes and complete degradation of keratin was achieved. The proteolytic character of crude enzymes was assessed using azo-casein as substrate. Crude keratinase was extracted and purified by salt precipitation and dialysis. The organism was pigment producing, rod-shaped, endospore forming, catalase positive and Gram negative bacteria. Fermentation of sugars, SIM test, indole production test, citrate test, nitrate reduction test, MR test, VP test, starch and gelatin hydrolysis test were also done. The isolated bacteria produced green pigment during its growth and the media turned greenish. Phenotypic characterization carried out in laboratory showed that this Gram negative bacterium might belonged to Bacillus or Alteromonas genus. The cell free supernatant had feather hydrolyzing activity. Therefore, it can be said that it was an extracellular protease, that is, keratinase enzyme. This keratinolytic isolate could be a potential candidate for degradation and utilization of feathers. It might also be an efficient method for the production of microbial enzymes and metabolites.


In this paper, the error rate performance and diversity gain of amplify-and-forward (AF) wireless relay networks are studied. The distributed space-time block code (DSTBC) in a synchronous relay network with multiple relay nodes is considered. The distributed linear dispersion code is used at the relays. The symbol (or codeword) error rate is studied in terms of upper and lower bounds through rigorous derivations, and the diversity gain of the DSTBC is derived, for any number of relay nodes. As a corollary, a necessary and sufficient condition is obtained for achieving full cooperative diversity. Arbitrary coding matrices at the relays, path loss and general linear power allocation are considered.


Defined as the "twilight zone of the 21st century" (Cirucci and Vaker, 2018)  Black Mirror,  the British anthology science fiction tv series created by Charlie Brooker, has reached the status of a sort of philosophical classic that echoes the angst of an era. Through an in-depth analysis of the volume  I riflessi di Black Mirror. Glossario su immaginari, culture e media della societa digitale  (The Reflections of Black Mirror. A glossary of imaginaries, culture and media in the digital society) edited by Mario Tirino and Antonio Tramontana (2018), the paper sets out to investigate how the semantic nuclei of  Black Mirror  may be analysed in terms of a glossary confronting the existential conditions of modern technological civilization and the tuly radical challenges we face.


The purpose of this study was to explore the research question: what are the key elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that make it effective when working with people with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? Using a qualitative design, 6 participants from mental health agencies in Twin Cities, MN were interviewed. A semistructured interview of fourteen questions was used based on the literature review to further explore the research question. Findings suggest that there is not one main element that makes DBT effective when using DBT with people with a diagnosis of BPD, but several elements that come together in order to make it an effective treatment approach. The therapists provided supporting evidence that DBT is an effective treatment model with this population.


This thesis aims to assess characteristics for a framework of ICZM as a basis for an analysis of coastal management in New Zealand using the Hauraki Gulf as a case study. This would determine whether efficient, equitable and effective policy and environmental outcomes are occurring amongst different organisations and stakeholders. Research design followed an action research methodology. A literature review relating to various aspects of ICZM has been compiled and summarised into criteria for application to coastal management in the Hauraki Gulf. Interviews were carried out with key stakeholders associated with policy and implementation in the Gulf The interviews are analysed by evaluating change based on the theoretical criteria in three areas: target groups, innovative organisations, and the interactive setting. This has allowed a framework to be developed and subsequently sent to interview participants for review. The conclusions for the thesis concern issues associated with achieving ICZM for the Hauraki Gulf and the applicability of an ICZM based framework. Issues relate to lack of clarity, interpretation of roles, relationship building, education and promoting a culture change, cynicism about integrated management based on statutory interpretation of roles, bureaucratic interactions between central, regional and local government agencies as disincentives for effective ICZM. A process framework and recommendations have been developed to enhance stakeholder input into coastal management and the first iteration has highlighted a need for further simplification.


Following intracerebral or peripheral inoculation of mice with scrapie prions, infectivity accumulates first in the spleen and only later in the brain. In the spleen of scrapie-infected mice, prions were found in association with T and B lymphocytes and to a somewhat lesser degree with the stroma, which contains the follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) but not with non-B, non-T cells; strikingly, no infectivity was found in lymphocytes from blood of the same mice. Transgenic PrP knockout mice expressing PrP restricted to either B or T lymphocytes show no prion replication in the lymphoreticular system. Therefore, splenic lymphocytes either acquire prions from another source or replicate them in dependency on other PrP-expressing cells. The essential role of FDCs in prion replication in spleen was shown by treating mice with soluble lymphotoxin-beta receptor, which led to disappearance of mature FDCs from the spleen and concomitantly abolished splenic prion accumulation and retarded neuroinvasion following intraperitoneal scrapie inoculation.


Solid waste management remains a daunting task for small municipalities found in the Lake Victoria Basin. The situation is aggravated by low prioritisation of solid waste management, limited revenues for financing waste management and the ever increasing population in these municipalities. Cooperation offers an option that can be considered as it would allow neighbouring municipal councils to pool their resources together to address this common challenge. This is pegged on achieving economies of scale and internalising externalities. Using interviews, stakeholders workshop, observation and documents review, this paper presents findings and conclusions to a study that was carried out to assess opportunities for cooperation amongst three small neighbouring municipal authorities in the Lake Victoria Basin namely Kisii, Homa Bay and Migori municipalities. This paper concludes that cooperation provides a necessary strategy to addressing solid waste management challenges and that there are indeed various opportunities within the institutional organisation and along the waste chain for cooperation in order to jointly accomplish this.


The market for recombinant therapeutic proteins (including antibodies) is estimated to be greater than $50-billion and has a compounded annual growth rate of around 20%. More than 50% of all approved processes for manufacturing recombinant proteins use mammalian cells as expression hosts due to their ability to carry out complex assembly and processing, human-like glycosylation and secretion of proteins. This percentage is not expected to change and should even increase with time. Classically, these manufacturing processes use stable cell lines for protein expression, wherein the plasmid coding for the protein of interest is stably integrated into the host cell chromosomes (Stable Gene Expression, SGE). An alternative method for expressing recombinant proteins is Transient Gene Expression (TGE). Herein, the expression of the protein of interest takes place from plasmids which are transfected into the cells and are maintained extra-chromosomally. TGE has become a rapid and easy method for obtaining proteins for structural, biochemical or pre-clinical studies, where only small amounts of one or more proteins might be required. As yet, TGE has not been used for manufacturing recombinant proteins for clinical testing or approved clinical use due to the requirement of large amounts of protein of consistent quality. Even though TGE has been scaled-up to the 100-liter scale and is being attempted at the 1000-liter scale, due to low specific productivity, low volumetric yields and the high cost of DNA, TGE processes are not able to economically produce sufficient amounts of proteins for such purposes. Therefore, the goal of this thesis was to improve TGE in order to create high-titer processes, which would be economically more feasible for manufacturing large-amounts of recombinant proteins. This was achieved by: Improving and simplifying gene delivery – by the combination of high cell density at time of transfection and in-situ complex formation (as apposed to a-priori complex formation), we could enhance protein expression levels and gene delivery. This made implementation more robust and easy, with greater choice of media which could be used and cell density which could be maintained. Improving gene expression – by using a combination of inhibitors of histone deacetylases like valproic acid, and growth factors like acidic fibroblast growth factor, we could enhance specific productivity by ∼20-fold. Enhancing the cell densities at which cells could be maintained after transfection – by the combination of cell cycle regulators like human p18 and p21 and treatment with inhibitors of histone deacetylases, we blocked cell growth which allowed cells to be maintained at significantly higher cell densities, allowing us to enhance volumetric productivity by ∼100-fold. Overall these improvements allowed antibody titers in excess of 1 g/l. The gram per liter range of volumetric productivity has previously only been reported for optimized SGE based manufacturing processes. We therefore improved the economic feasibility of TGE for manufacturing recombinant proteins and reduced the difference in manufacturing costs between TGE and SGE, for a given amount of protein, by an estimated 50-fold. With some further development work and study of related issues like protein quality, TGE based processes can be expected to become part of mainstream recombinant protein manufacturing in the future.


This Essay is the third in a series of pieces exploring elements of the Court's past and present equal protection jurisprudence. Here, we consider the concept of equality endorsed within the Fourteenth Amendment by looking to constitutional text and structure, and most importantly, the historical moment that produced the Reconstruction Amendments. We argue specifically that even though equality has previously been described as a nondescript or "empty" concept - capable of being interpreted as either a formalist mandate to treat all persons the same or as a means to ensure equal outcomes for certain historically disfavored groups - it should be read in light of the societal changes the Reconstruction Amendments ostensibly sought to achieve in the lives of freed slaves. We then consider what measure of equality can be ensured given the Court's contemporary approach to adjudicating constitutional discrimination claims. We critique two of the Court's jurisprudential innovations in the area of antidiscrimination law as particularly unhelpful: (1) reliance on a tiered-system of analysis for suspect classification claims; and (2) the requirement of the presence of purposeful governmental discrimination, rather than disparate impact, for proving constitutional discrimination claims. We argue that these approaches foreclose all but a very narrow scope of claims and undermine the type of protection the Fourteenth Amendment could and should guarantee, especially in light of its origins.


Over the last few decades, deforestation and climate change have caused increasing number of forest fires. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia has been the most affected country by tropical peatland forest fires. These fires have a significant impact on the climate resulting in extensive health, social and economic issues. Existing forest fire prediction systems, such as the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System, are based on handcrafted features and require installation and maintenance of expensive instruments on the ground, which can be a challenge for developing countries such as Indonesia. We propose a novel, cost-effective, machine-learning based approach that uses remote sensing data to predict forest fires in Indonesia. Our prediction model achieves more than 0.81 area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, performing significantly better than the baseline approach which never exceeds 0.70 area under ROC curve on the same tasks. Our model's performance remained above 0.81 area under ROC curve even when evaluated with reduced data. The results support our claim that machine-learning based approaches can lead to reliable and cost-effective forest fire prediction systems.


Basic health system data such as the number of patients utilising different health facilities and the types of illness for which they are being treated are critical for managing service provision. These data requirements are generally addressed with some form of national Health Management Information System (HMIS) which coordinates the routine collection and compilation of data from national health facilities. HMIS in most developing countries are characterised by widespread under-reporting. Here we present a method to adjust incomplete data to allow prediction of national outpatient treatment burdens. We demonstrate this method with the example of outpatient treatments for malaria within the Kenyan HMIS. Three alternative modelling frameworks were developed and tested in which space-time geostatistical prediction algorithms were used to predict the monthly tally of treatments for presumed malaria cases (MC) at facilities where such records were missing. Models were compared by a cross-validation exercise and the model found to most accurately predict MC incorporated available data on the total number of patients visiting each facility each month. A space-time stochastic simulation framework to accompany this model was developed and tested in order to provide estimates of both local and regional prediction uncertainty. The level of accuracy provided by the predictive model, and the accompanying estimates of uncertainty around the predictions, demonstrate how this tool can mitigate the uncertainties caused by missing data, substantially enhancing the utility of existing HMIS data to health-service decision-makers.


Dystrobrevin is a component of the dystrophin-associated protein complex and has been shown to interact directly with dystrophin, alpha1-syntrophin, and the sarcoglycan complex. The precise role of alpha-dystrobrevin in skeletal muscle has not yet been determined. To study alpha-dystrobrevin's function in skeletal muscle, we used the yeast two-hybrid approach to look for interacting proteins. Three overlapping clones were identified that encoded an intermediate filament protein we subsequently named desmuslin (DMN). Sequence analysis revealed that DMN has a short N-terminal domain, a conserved rod domain, and a long C-terminal domain, all common features of type 6 intermediate filament proteins. A positive interaction between DMN and alpha-dystrobrevin was confirmed with an in vitro coimmunoprecipitation assay. By Northern blot analysis, we find that DMN is expressed mainly in heart and skeletal muscle, although there is some expression in brain. Western blotting detected a 160-kDa protein in heart and skeletal muscle. Immunofluorescent microscopy localizes DMN in a stripe-like pattern in longitudinal sections and in a mosaic pattern in cross sections of skeletal muscle. Electron microscopic analysis shows DMN colocalized with desmin at the Z-lines. Subsequent coimmunoprecipitation experiments confirmed an interaction with desmin. Our findings suggest that DMN may serve as a direct linkage between the extracellular matrix and the Z-discs (through plectin) and may play an important role in maintaining muscle cell integrity.


Challenges to federal law requiring insurance coverage of contraception are occurring on the eve of the 50th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Griswold v. Connecticut. It is a good time to reflect on the values served by protecting women's access to contraception.In 1965, the Court ruled in Griswold that a law criminalizing the use of contraception violated the privacy of the marriage relationship. Griswold offered women the most significant constitutional protection since the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote, constitutional protection as important as the cases prohibiting sex discrimination that the Court would decide in the next decade - perhaps even more so. Griswold is conventionally understood to have secured liberty for women. But the right to contraception also secures equality for women, as Ruth Bader Ginsburg saw clearly in the 1970s and as the Court eventually would explain in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.Those who appreciate contraception's singular importance to women call recent attacks on contraception a "war on women." Yet, it is not immediately clear that the right to contraception is a sex-equality right. Both men and women use contraception, even if the forms of contraception that they use are sex-differentiated. The Connecticut statute banning contraception applied to both sexes.Analyzing the right to contraception in historical context helps to clarify the ways in which the right to contraception secures equality, as well as liberty, for women. As Griswold turns fifty, we return to the historical record to demonstrate that the ban on contraception struck down in that case was enforced in ways that reflected and reinforced traditional gender roles. Even though the law was written to apply to both sexes, the state applied the law to men and women differently, in at least two important respects. In recovering this history, we show how the regulation of contraception is tied to "double standards" in sex and parenting. Recognizing these deep and enduring differences in gender roles demonstrates why denying women control over the timing of childbearing denies them equal citizenship. With these concerns in view, it becomes clear why judicial decisions and laws securing access to effective and affordable contraception vindicate both equality and liberty values - both and.


Courts, scholars, and advocacy organizations across the political spectrum are calling on the Supreme Court to limit qualified immunity or do away with the defense altogether. They argue—and offer compelling evidence to show—the doctrine bears little resemblance to defenses available when Section 1983 became law, undermines government accountability, and is both unnecessary and ill-suited to shield government defendants from the burdens and distractions of litigation. Some Supreme Court justices appear to share critics' concerns. Indeed, Justice Thomas recently wrote that, "[i]n an appropriate case we should reconsider qualified immunity jurisprudence." If the Court does reconsider qualified immunity, it will find compelling reasons to abolish or greatly limit the defense. Yet the Court may be reluctant to take this type of dramatic action for fear that doing so would harm government and society as a whole.

In this Article, I offer five predictions about how constitutional litigation would function in a world without qualified immunity that should assuage these concerns. First, there would be clarification of the law, but modest if any adjustment to the scope of constitutional rights. Second, plaintiffs' and defendants' litigation success rates would remain relatively constant. Third, the cost, time, and complexity associated with litigating constitutional claims would decrease. Fourth, more civil rights lawsuits would likely be filed, but other doctrines and financial considerations would mean that attorneys would continue to have strong incentives to decline insubstantial cases. Fifth, indemnification and budgeting practices would continue to shield most government agencies and officials from the financial consequences of damages awards.

If my predictions are correct, abolishing qualified immunity would clarify the law, reduce the costs of litigation, and shift the focus of Section 1983 litigation to what should be the critical question at issue in these cases—whether government officials have exceeded their constitutional authority. But eliminating qualified immunity would not significantly alter the scope of constitutional protections, dramatically increase plaintiffs' success rates, or alter government practices that dampen the effects of lawsuits on officers' and officials' decisionmaking. Doomsday scenarios imagined by some commentators—of courthouses flooded with frivolous claims—would not come to pass. And constitutional litigation would often still fail to hold government officials accountable when they exercise power irresponsibly. The Supreme Court should not avoid reconsidering qualified immunity for fear that doing so would dramatically magnify the effects of lawsuits against government officials. And government accountability advocates should recognize that eliminating qualified immunity would not fundamentally shift dynamics that make it difficult for plaintiffs to redress constitutional violations and deter government wrongdoing.


The importance of strategic allocation for traditional asset classes has been widely accepted. However, its importance in hedge fund allocation is still a matter of debate and draws interest both from academics and those in the industry, in particular, funds of hedge funds. In the present study, an attempt to highlight the importance of tactical strategy allocation in fund-of-hedge-funds allocation is presented. For this purpose, comparisons of the historical performance of various hedge fund trading strategies over various time periods have been performed. It has been shown that the performance of the hedge fund strategies (across various time periods chosen in the present study) can be best described by a univariate skewed t-distribution. Comparisons of the cumulative distribution function of the various trading strategies show significant differences in their probability of delivering absolute returns, hence emphasizing the significance of tactical strategic allocation. Furthermore, it has been shown that these probabilities vary vastly across time periods, thus requiring active fund management.


Objective To assess the failure rate of cemented, uncemented, hybrid, and reverse hybrid total hip replacements in patients aged 55 years or older. Design Register study. Setting Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association database (combined data from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland). Participants 347 899 total hip replacements performed during 1995-2011. Main outcome measures Probability of implant survival (Kaplan-Meier analysis) along with implant survival with revision for any reason as endpoint (Cox multiple regression) adjusted for age, sex, and diagnosis in age groups 55-64, 65-74, and 75 years or older. Results The proportion of total hip replacements using uncemented implants increased rapidly towards the end of the study period. The 10 year survival of cemented implants in patients aged 65 to 74 and 75 or older (93.8%, 95% confidence interval 93.6% to 94.0% and 95.9%, 95.8% to 96.1%, respectively) was higher than that of uncemented (92.9%, 92.3% to 93.4% and 93.0%, 91.8% to 94.0%), hybrid (91.6%, 90.9% to 92.2% and 93.9%, 93.1% to 94.5%), and reverse hybrid (90.7%, 87.3% to 93.2% and 93.2%, 90.7% to 95.1%) implants. The survival of cemented (92.2%, 91.8% to 92.5%) and uncemented (91.8%, 91.3% to 92.2%) implants in patients aged 55 to 64 was similar. During the first six months the risk of revision with cemented implants was lower than with all other types of fixation in all age groups. Conclusion The survival of cemented implants for total hip replacement was higher than that of uncemented implants in patients aged 65 years or older. The increased use of uncemented implants in this age group is not supported by these data. However, because our dataset includes only basic information common to all national registers there is potential for residual confounding.


Abstract Boa constrictor was first documented on the island of Aruba in April of 1999. By the end of December, 2003, 273 B. constrictor had been captured. These snakes ranged in size from neonates (0.30 m total length) to large adults (2.8 m total length) and included at least two gravid females. Boa constrictor is currently distributed islandwide with the highest frequency of occurrence in the southern and southeastern portions of the island. The increasing frequency of occurrence, extensive distribution, and size diversity of B. constrictor indicate that a large, reproductively successful population is established on Aruba. The diet of the B. constrictor on Aruba was determined from the examination of stomach content and scat samples (N = 47). Birds comprised 40.4%, lizards 34.6% and mammals 25.0% of 52 separate prey items identified. A correlation was found between snake total length and prey mass (r(28) = 0.49, P < 0.01) suggesting an ontogenetic shift in the diet at a total length of approximately 1.0 m. In view of the diverse diet and increasing population of B. constrictor, there is concern about the potential impact of this invasive predator on the Aruban fauna. A government instituted euthanization program for all captured B. constrictor has proven ineffective at controlling the population.


Abstract Physical inactivity is a major contributor to low-grade systemic inflammation. Most of the studies characterizing interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) release from exercising legs have been done in young, healthy men, but studies on inactivity in older people are lacking. The impact of 14 days of one-leg immobilization (IM) on IL-6 and TNF-α release during exercise in comparison to the contralateral control (CON) leg was investigated. Fifteen healthy men (age 68.1 ± 1.1 year (mean ± SEM); BMI 27.0 ± 0.4 kg·m2; VO2max 33.3 ± 1.6 ml·kg‒1·min‒1) performed 45 min of two-leg dynamic knee extensor exercise at 19.5 ± 0.9 W. Arterial and femoral venous blood samples from the CON and the IM legs were collected every 15 min during exercise, and thigh blood flow was measured with ultrasound Doppler. Arterial plasma IL-6 concentration increased with exercise (rest vs. 45 min, main effect p < .05). IL-6 release increased with exercise (rest vs. 30 min, main effect p < .05). Furthermore, IL-6 release was borderline (main effect, p = .085, effect size 0.28) higher in the IM leg compared to the CON leg (288 (95% CI: 213–373) vs. 220 (95% CI: 152–299) pg·min‒1, respectively). There was no release of TNF-α in either leg and arterial concentrations remained unchanged during exercise (p > .05). In conclusion, exercise induces more pronounced IL-6 secretion in healthy older men. Two weeks of unilateral immobilization on the other hand had only a minor influence on IL-6 release. Neither immobilization nor exercise had an effect on TNF-α release across the working legs in older men.


The daily life and media consumption of our children has been radically transformed through the introduction of digital devices and services. Reading is no longer limited to physical books and is increasingly performed online via social media, games etc. The role of the public library as a cornerstone in children's reading habits is also changing. But reading is as important as ever. So how do we create a strong culture of reading in this vast array of new settings for reading?

The Danish Think Tank 'Libraries of the Future' has produced the largest national studies of children's reading habits. The study "Children's Reading Habits 2017" is a mix of two data sets: 1) A quantitative analysis based upon data from almost 9,000 children aged 9-14 studying children's media usage, reading and library habits. 2) An in-depth qualitative analysis focusing on children in 6th grade where the reading behavior is changing radically.

Main findings
• Children are spending less time on reading in their spare time and the decline is greatest among girls
• Children mainly read in school and not at home.
• Children find it difficult to read longer text.
• 57% of the children read only because their parents tell them to.
• 70% of all children read text messages every day on a digital device
• 79% of all children don't read e-books
• The public library gets the lowest rank as a source of inspiration for reading. Top 3 is friends, movies and their mother.

Strategic recommendations
- It's a shared task to ensure literate generations – both schools, libraries and parents must partake
- Children aged 9-14 still need adults actively helping them with a good culture of reading.
- The school and public library partnership is essential.
- Public libraries must rethink their outreach effort – all children go to school, but not all children go to the library.
- The lack of digital reading calls for action.


Official poverty figures in Uganda are flawed by the fact that the underlying poverty lines are based on a single national food basket that was constructed in the early 1990s. In this paper, we estimate a new set of poverty lines that accounts for the widely divergent diets throughout the country using the latest available household survey. Using these updated poverty lines, we then look at poverty dynamics using four waves of the Uganda National Panel Survey. We classify households into categories depending on their change in poverty status over time and relate this to characteristics that are likely to change only slowly. This enables us to explore the characteristics of households that, for instance, grow out of poverty and how they differ from households that appear to be trapped in poverty. Our approach generates poverty measures that are more credible from a theoretical point of view and are more in line with what other researchers find.


Empirical research repeatedly shows cross-country differences in the extent and distribution of socioeconomic inequalities in educational achievement. This observation is the starting point for the comparative DICE-project (Development of Inequalities in Child Educational Achievement: A Six-Country Study). It aims to improve the understanding of child development by socioeconomic status, operationalised in terms of parental education in six countries: France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The project moves beyond cross-sectional and single country snapshots and examines the development of inequalities from 3 years of age up to the end of lower secondary schooling. In this contribution, we introduce the six countries. First, by synthesizing data from a range of international databases we provide a rich and multidimensional characterisation of macrostructural conditions in each country. Linking the contextual situation in the DICE-countries to general theoretical assumptions about the effects of macrostructural conditions, we highlight the implications for cross-national differences in inequalities in educational achievement. Second, we analyse PISA data providing information about achievement test scores at age 15. We study how the different packages of macrostructural characteristics described in the contextual section are reflected in terms of educational inequalities by the end of lower secondary schooling in each country.


The nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway is activated upon the phosphorylation-dependent ubiquitination and degradation of the inhibitor of κB (IκB). The E3 ligase primarly responsible for this ubiquitination is a member of the Skp1, Cul1, F-box protein (SCF)-type E3s, called SCFβ-TrCP. The F-box subunit of this complex is E3RS, which is localized in the nucleus, whereas IκB is cytoplasmic. Davis et al. determined that nuclear localization of E3RS was due to interactions with the nuclear protein heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (hnRNP U). These interactions occurred through the same WD domain through which E3RS interacted with its substrate IκB. Indeed, in vitro these interactions were competitive. The entire functional SCFβ-TrCP was capable of interacting with hnRNP U through binding to the F-box subunit; and despite the ability of SCFβ-TrCP to ubiquitinate IκB, hnRNP U was not ubiquitinated under any conditions. Thus, hnRNP U appears to act as a low-affinity pseudosubstrate that can be displaced by the higher-affinity substrate IκB. Investigations into the nuclear localization due to this interaction between E3RS and hnRNP U determined that the nuclear localization signal of hnRNP U was essential and that disruption of hnRNP U nuclear localization also disrupted E3RS localization. However, forcing E3RS to the cytoplasm by the attachment of a nuclear export signal did not cause the redistribution of hnRNP U. Mutations that disrupted the hnRNP U and E3RS interaction led to decreased stability of the E3RS complex regardless of whether the proteins were cytoplasmic or nuclear. Thus, the hnRNP U interaction serves three functions: (i) it sequesters the F-box substrate recognition subunit of SCFβ-TrCP in the nucleus, (ii) it inhibits the E3 ligase activity of the complex by acting as a pseudosubstrate, and (iii) it stabilizes the E3RS subunit. How E3RS shuttles in and out of the nucleus to serve as the substrate recognition subunit for SCFβ-TrCP and what processes regulate its movement remain unknown. M. Davis, A. Hatzubai, J. S. Andersen, E. Ben-Shushan, G. Z. Fisher, A. Yaron, A.Bauskin, F. Mercurio, M. Mann, T. Ben-Neriah, Pseudosubstrate regulation of the SCFβ-TrCP ubiquitin ligase by hnRNP-U. Genes Dev. 16, 439-451 (2002). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Three species of the actinian genus Telmatactis Gravier, 1916, viz. T. forskalii (Ehrenberg, 1834), T. solidago (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) and T. cricoides (Duchassaing, 1850), occurring in Greece and the eastern Mediterranean, are described and discussed. Detailed data on the cnidom of the three species are provided. The characteristic penicilli of members of the genus Telmatactis are discussed. These penicilli were classified by Schmidt (1969, 1972) as p-rhabdoids (= penicilli) B1b, but it is here claimed that they actually belong in Schmidt's B2 group (provisionally as penicilli B2c). They correspond in general form and as to their distribution in the actinian polyp with the more usual penicilli B2a sensu Schmidt (1969), but unlike these, they lack a terminal tube (= amastigophores sensu stricto) and a folded portion of the shaft. So far, the presence of these nematocysts has exclusively been established with certainty in species of Telmatactis but presumably this presence is shared with other members of the family Isophelliidae. Telmatactis forskalii basically has a subtropical East Atlantic/Mediterranean distribution penetrating also in the tropical Cape Verde Islands. Telmatactis Solidago and T. cricoides are species of the amphiAtlantic subtropical/tropical warm water fauna, but they are apparently absent in the mid-Atlantic Azores. T. Solidago is here reported for the first time from the relatively warm eastern part of the Mediterranean, and the occurrence of T. cricoides, recently recorded for the first time from the Central Mediterranean (Ates, 1990), is confirmed and supplemented with records from the eastern Mediterranean. Present-day winter temperatures in the western Mediterranean, although possibly not being lethal, would at least seem unfavourable to these two species, but it is obvious that they can not have survived the considerably lower temperatures in this region during the last glacial period, 18,000 years B.P. Hence, the isolated eastern Mediterranean populations of both species probably represent interglacial relicts.


Background. The Health Professions Council of South Africa is drafting guidelines to regulate the practice of telemedicine. These emphasise the need for signed informed consent for all aspects of the consultation process, including data transmission and storage. Objective. To survey current practices relating to gaining informed consent both in routine clinical practice and when using information communication technologies (ICT). Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken using a self-administered questionnaire. It surveyed healthcare professionals' habits and practices of obtaining informed consent in clinical practice scenarios and when using the telephone, fax and email for communication and healthcare provision. Results. A total of 193 doctors and 207 nurses completed the questionnaire. Fewer doctors took written consent than nurses, with a range of 2.6% when examining a patient to 8.3% when ordering a special examination. A significant difference was observed for all activities. Of the 67.4% doctors and 50.7% nurses who faxed patient information, only 35.3% of doctors and 42.9% of nurses obtained informed consent to do so and less than half of those obtained written consent. Few used email to send patient information, with specialists being most likely to do so among doctors (p<0.0001). Of all healthcare professionals who used email, 40.7% obtained informed consent to do so. Conclusions. Written informed consent is not routinely obtained from patients during clinical examination or when using ICT for the transfer of patient information. The issue of informed consent for telemedicine remains unresolved in South Africa.


Nutrient enrichment is one of the most serious threats to wetland ecosystems. Information is lacking, particularly concerning the response of wetland plants species in Kenya in regard to nutrient enrichment of wetlands. Understanding the mechanisms and adaptations that allow only certain species to thrive in the potentially stressful wetland environment requires the study of the biology of these plants. This study was carried out to investigate the growth and nutrient uptake among some selected wetland plant species in Lake Victoria basin, Kenya. Seedlings of Cyperas esculentus L., Aframomum angustifolium (Sonn.) and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steudel) were grown outdoors in pots. The pots were arranged in a completely randomised design under out-door conditions in the Botanic garden at Maseno University. Plants were provided with four nutrient dosage levels of 0 mg [no fertiliser added], 50 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg fertilizer [N: P: K, 10:26:10] per pot and replicated five times. The plants were irrigated daily with tap water for eight weeks. Data on growth which included shoot height, stem diameter, leaf number per plant, leaf area, leaf width, leaf length, shoot and root weights were determined. Leaf N and P was also determined. The data were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SAS statistical package. Nutrient availability treatments significantly (P ≤ 0.05) influenced the growth and biochemical parameters investigated. Cyperas esculentus and A. angustifolium had higher rate of biomass accumulation as evidenced by increase in shoot and root weights compared to P. australis. Root-shoot ratios reduced with increasing nutrient concentration in C. esculentus and A. angustifolium, while that of P. australis increased up to 100mg treatment, then slightly reduced at 150mg treatment. Phragmites australis had significantly higher foliar P and N content than the other two species with increasing nutrient availability. There were significant interactions between nutrient treatments and species in most of the parameters measured. We recommend Phragmites australis as a better agroforestry plant species for reclaiming wetland areas.


The Correctional Service of Canada is currently re-instituting animal-based agribusiness programs in two federal penitentiaries. To situate the contemporary function of such programs, I provide a historical overview of prison agriculture in relation to Canadian nation-making. I argue that penitentiary farms have functioned as a means of prison expansion and settler territorialisation. While support for agricultural programming is rooted in its perceived facilitation of rehabilitation and vocational training, I show that these justifications are untenable. Rather the prison farm ought to be viewed as an institution made possible by and that reproduces, settler colonial power relations to animals, labour, and territory. Prison agribusiness is then an expression of colonial, agricultural, and carceral powers.


Results are reported from a search for the effects of contact interactions using events with a high-mass, oppositely charged muon pair. The events are collected in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using the Compact Muon Solenoid detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.3 inverse femtobarns. The observed dimuon mass spectrum is consistent with that expected from the standard model. The data are interpreted in the context of a quark- and muon-compositeness model with a left-handed isoscalar current and an energy scale parameter Lambda. The 95% confidence level lower limit on Lambda is 9.5 TeV under the assumption of destructive interference between the standard model and contact-interaction amplitudes. For constructive interference, the limit is 13.1 TeV. These limits are comparable to the most stringent ones reported to date.


ABSTRACT Entering the German market would present Wal-Mart with many obstacles to overcome. When Wal-Mart decided to do business in Germany the company had to adhere to the many rules and regulations surrounding German businesses. According to German law, selling merchandise below cost is illegal. The sixth amendment of the Act against Restrictions of Competition (ARC) is a ban on undertakings with superior market power offering goods or services below their cost price without justification. This action limited the effectiveness of Wal-Mart's low cost leader strategy. Another German restriction requires stores to limit their amount of operational hours. German shopping hours are strictly regulated under Paragraph 3 of the BGBI (B9-74/00, Seite 875). No German stores are allowed to be open 24 hours a day, nor are they allowed to be open on Sundays and must close by 4 P.M. on Saturdays. In response, Wal-Mart began to open its stores earlier to avoid violating any regulations. The response from consumers was positive resulting in increased business. Another barrier to Wal-Mart was the limitation placed on the number of sales it could have in a single year. According to German law, sales are only permitted during a uniform two-week period twice a year. Wal-Mart is looking forward to changing the laws in the German lower house to allow them to offer the two for one deal popular in the United States. The final barrier to Wal-Mart is the law concerning the German workforce. Article 2 of Convention 87 states that German workers have the right to organize. About 25 percent of Wal-Mart's 18,000 workers in Germany are organized in the union called the Uni Commerce affiliate ver.di (Vereinte Dienstleistungsgesellschaft). Wal-Mart traditionally rejects trade unions so they could keep wages and labor costs down. If however the company signs the collective agreement, stating that Wal-Mart workers can unionized, it will show the company cares about the improvement of the relationship with their workforce, equal opportunity, and non-discrimination. Retailing is, by its nature, a dynamic industry. There have been an almost overwhelming number of changes during the past 50 years. Today's consumer will demand more for less from the shopping experience: more quality, choice, consistency, convenience, and service, for less money, time, effort, and risk. Another major factor in the changing consumer atmosphere is the changing German demographic. Due to the shrinking younger population, older consumers dominate the market. This will drastically affect Wal-Mart's marketing approach to the German people. Today the German people are looking for more convenience and comfort. As life styles are becoming busier, the time devoted to household shopping and meal preparation is shrinking. Wal-Mart will have to adapt to these changes and offer a variety of healthy, prepared meals evidenced by the organic market increase 20 % from 2000 to 2001. Most importantly, however, consumers in the German market want to indulge themselves with small pleasures and personal rewards. Wal-Mart will have to continue to find new ways to keep the German consumer excited and interested in Wal-Mart's products. WAL-MART STRATEGIC GOALS To complete the advancement and domination of Wal-Mart in domestic and foreign markets, the company has outlined a four-point plan of marketing and logistical strategies. The first of these strategies is simply to dominate the retail market by positioning itself as a low cost leader in retail merchandising. Using its vast volume-buying resources Wal-Mart is in an enviable position to drive competition revenues down by offering its customers an immense variety of quality merchandise. Another important strategic objective of the Wal-Mart Company is to grow through US and International expansion. Wal-Mart has been a success in the US market and has now focused its resources on the expansion and growth of its stores in international markets. …


Physical models indicate that, in general, reflectance is a complicated function of wavelength and geometry. An analysis of general reflectance models, however, shows that approximate reflectance models exist that preserve much of the structure of the more-detailed models. In particular, I show from general models that Shafer's dichromatic reflection model [ Color Res. Appl.10, 210 ( 1985)] is a reasonable approximation for a large class of inhomogeneous dielectrics. I also show that a unichromatic reflection model is a useful approximation for metals. The approximate color-reflectance model is the basis for two algorithms that use color information. The first algorithm uses normalized color to classify surfaces according to material composition and is insensitive to geometrical variation in the scene. The second algorithm is used to identify metal and dielectric materials from their images. Experimental results are presented.


The present work focuses on the planning of water distribution networks (WDNs). The research proposes an innovative strategy which aims at helping water managers formulate flexible investment plans while allowing for adaptive management under the increasing unawareness of medium-long term planning. This innovative strategy differs from existing strategies accounting for flexibility in WDN design. It allows for developing flexible investment plans without assuming that statistic or deterministic assumptions can account for all unawareness. The strategy introduces the key idea of technical contiguity of actions/solutions by post-processing a Pareto front obtained by a classic optimization technique in order to obtain sequential actions. This means retrieval of a set of 'technically contiguous' actions from the Paretian solutions, namely, by increasing the investment each action needs to contain the previous one. The application to the Apulian network allows discussion of the need for post-processing the Pareto front of solutions returned by the classic multi-objective design optimization and presenting the general strategy to obtain adaptive and flexible investment plans. We discuss further perspectives of the proposed strategy based on the integration of different flexible plans, each obtained with different assumptions, which could be statistic or deterministic, for the system boundary conditions.


The objective of the chapter is to show current trends in robot navigation systems related to indoor environments. Navigation systems depend on the level of abstraction of the environment representation. The three main techniques for representing the environment will be described: geometric, topological, and semantic. The geometric representation of the environment is closer to the sensor and actuator world and it is the best one to perform local navigation. Topological representation of the environment uses graphs to model the environment and it is used in large navigation tasks. The semantic representation is the most abstract representation model and adds concepts such as utilities or meanings of the environment elements in the map representation. In addition, regardless of the representation used for navigation, perception plays a significant role in terms of understanding and moving through the environment.


The stability of levees in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is threatened by continued subsidence of Delta peat islands. Up to 6 meters of land-surface elevation has been lost in the 150 years since Delta marshes were leveed and drained, primarily from oxidation of peat soils. Flooding subsided peat islands halts peat oxidation by creating anoxic soils, but net accumulation of new material in restored wetlands is required to recover land-surface elevations. We investigated the subsidence reversal potential of two 3 hectare, permanently flooded, impounded wetlands re-established on a deeply subsided field on Twitchell Island. The shallower wetland (design water depth 25 cm) was almost completely colonized by dense emergent marsh vegetation within two years; whereas, the deeper wetland (design water depth 55 cm) which developed spatially variable depths as a result of heterogeneous colonization by emergent vegetation, still had some areas remaining as open water after nine years. Changes in land-surface elevation were quantified using repeated sedimentation-erosion table measurements. New material accumulating in the wetlands was sampled by coring. Land-surface elevations increased by an average of 4 cm/yr in both wetlands from 1997 to 2006; however, the rates at different sites in the wetlands ranged from -0.5 to +9.2 cm/yr. Open water areas of the deeper wetland without emergent vegetation had the lowest rates of land-surface elevation gain. The greatest rates occurred in areas of the deeper wetland most isolated from the river water inlets, with dense stands of emergent marsh vegetation (tules and cattails). Vegetated areas of the deeper wetland in the transition zones between open water and mature emergent stands had intermediate rates of land-surface gain, as did the entire shallower wetland. These results suggest that the dominant component contributing to land-surface elevation gain in these wetlands was accumulation of organic matter, rather than mineral sediment, and that accumulation of organic matter in emergent marshes is strongly affected by hydrologic factors. Re-established, non-tidal wetlands with managed hydrology can produce significant increases in land-surface elevations, which can help to improve levee stability and protect subsided islands from future flooding.


Tin (Sn) and its alloys have been at people's service since 3000 BC when bronze (alloy of tin and copper) was produced in large scale. They have unique properties and find applications in various engineering fields. Correspondingly, there is abundant information waiting to be clarified surrounding these Sn-related materials. As the key element used for solder alloys, the properties of Sn alloys have been of great interest to the electronic packaging community. At the same time, the intriguing phenomenon of spontaneous Sn whisker growth from Sn / Sn-alloy thin films have bothered, yet also inspired materials scientists for over 60 years. The most commonly seen Sn-containing compound, SnO2, is in high demand as well due to its exceptional electronic and chemical properties. In addition, nanostructures of SnO2 are intensively studied for their potential applications as solid-state sensors, transparent conducting materials, lithium-ion batteries, high-efficiency solar cell and recently, supercapacitors. The objective of this proposed research is to explore the amazing properties of Sn and Sn-alloys from several different perspectives. Firstly, ever since the banish of lead in solder alloys, lead-free alloys such as Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) has been put under the spotlight. We intend to use our expertise in nanomechanics to give an in-depth and thorough investigation on a popular SAC387 alloy. The mechanical properties of each phase and the local deformation mechanisms have been considered. Secondly, the Sn whisker growth phenomenon is to be re-visited. With the aid of digital image correlation (DIC) techniques, it was found that magnitude of the strain gradient plays an important role in whisker growth. Moreover, DIC helps to visualize the dynamic growth process in which the alteration of strain field has been identified to cause growth of subsequent whiskers. Last but not least, the performance of SnO2 nanowires is to be evaluated in several aspects including mechanical properties, gas sensing properties and energy applications. Through state-of-the-art technologies such as high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and DIC, we have already successfully correlated the magnificent properties of SnO2 nanowires with its atomistic structure near the surface.


Introduction: Exam stress may cause anxiety, worry, emotion and condition changes in university students. Students use various methods to cope with exam stress. Music is a method used to cope with anxiety that reduces the stress level of individuals by creating a deep relaxation and providing a therapeutic environment. This research was carried out in a randomized controlled pre-test and post-test to examine the effect of regular Classical Turkish and Western music on university students' exam stress level, blood pressure and pulse findings. Material and Method: The sample of the study consisted of 88 students (40 experiments, 48 controls) studying in different departments at this University between November 2017 and February 2018. Data were collected by exam anxiety scale and personal information form. The experiment group was played 25 minutes 4 days a week total 6 weeks and Classic Western and Classical Turkish music just before the exam. Examination anxiety scale was re-applied to the experimental and control groups just before the examination, and the vital sign findings of the students were examined. Findings: The mean score of the experimental group was 41.40±9.40 and the postest mean score was 23.20±4.16 and there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.01). In addition, diastolic, systolic blood pressure and pulse rate of the students in the group who listen to music were lower than those who did not listen to music. Conclusion: It has been determined that regular music performance is an effective method in reducing the stress levels and anxiety levels of the students.


Drum shearer is the most important component of production chain in longwall mining. This machine is driven along the face by a powerful haulage system. In this paper, the reliability of haulage system of shearer has been analysed. The result showed that Time Between Failures (TBF) data of this system obeys the three-parameter Weibull distribution. On the basis of the achieved reliability model, the Preventive Maintenance (PM) scheduling has been suggested for different reliability levels. The reliability-based maintenance intervals for 90, 80, 70 and 50% reliability are 19.4, 35, 49 and 96.8 h, respectively. If 35 h are considered as the PM intervals, mean TBF will be increased by 16.2%.


The human cytomegalovirus DNA polymerase is composed of a catalytic subunit, UL54, and an accessory protein, UL44, which has a structural fold similar to that of other processivity factors, including herpes simplex virus UL42 and homotrimeric sliding clamps such as proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Several specific residues in the C-terminal region of UL54 and in the "connector loop" of UL44 are required for the association of these proteins. Here, we describe the crystal structure of residues 1-290 of UL44 in complex with a peptide from the extreme C terminus of UL54, which explains this interaction at a molecular level. The UL54 peptide binds to structural elements similar to those used by UL42 and the sliding clamps to associate with their respective binding partners. However, the details of the interaction differ from those of other processivity factor-peptide complexes. Crucial residues include a three-residue hydrophobic "plug" from the UL54 peptide and Ile135 of UL44, which forms a critical intramolecular hydrophobic anchor for interactions between the connector loop and the peptide. As was the case for the unliganded UL44 structure, the UL44-peptide complex forms a head-to-head dimer that could potentially form a C-shaped clamp on DNA. However, the peptide-bound structure displays subtle differences in the relative orientation of the two subdomains of the protein, resulting in a more open clamp, which we predicted would affect its association with DNA. Indeed, filter binding assays revealed that peptide-bound UL44 binds DNA with higher affinity. Thus, interaction with the catalytic subunit appears to affect both the structure and function of UL44.


Transmission electron microscope examination of more than 250 fragments, >1 μm from comet Wild 2 and a giant cluster interplanetary dust particle (GCP) of probable cometary origin has revealed four new calcium‐aluminum‐rich inclusions (CAIs), an amoeboid olivine aggregate (AOA), and an additional AOA or Al‐rich chondrule (ARC) object. All of the CAIs have concentric mineral structures and are composed of spinel + anorthite cores surrounded by Al,Ti clinopyroxenes and are similar to two previous CAIs discovered in Wild 2. All of the cometary refractory objects are of moderate refractory character. The mineral assemblages, textures, and bulk compositions of the comet CAIs are similar to nodules in fine‐grained, spinel‐rich inclusions (FGIs) found in primitive chondrites and like the nodules may be nebular condensates that were altered via solid–gas reactions in the solar nebula. Oxygen isotopes collected on one Wild 2 CAI also match FGIs. The lack of the most refractory inclusions in the comet samples may reflect the higher abundances of small moderately refractory CAI nodules that were produced in the nebula and the small sample sizes collected. In the comet samples, approximately 2–3% of all fragments larger than 1 μm, by number, are CAIs and nearly 50% of all bulbous Stardust tracks contain at least one CAI. We estimate that ~0.5 volume % of Wild 2 material and ~1 volume % of GCP is in the form of CAIs. ARCs and AOAs account for <1% of the Wild 2 and GCP grains by number.


The IceCube neutrino observatory has detected two cascade events with energies near 1 PeV. Without invoking new physics, we analyze the source of these neutrinos. We show that atmospheric conventional neutrinos and cosmogenic neutrinos (those produced in the propagation of ultra-high- energy cosmic rays) are strongly disfavored. For atmospheric prompt neutrinos or a diffuse background of neutrinos produced in astrophysical objects, the situation is less clear. We show that there are tensions with observed data, but that the details depend on the least-known aspects of the IceCube analysis. Very likely, prompt neutrinos are disfavored and astrophysical neutrinos are plausible. We demonstrate that the fastest way to reveal the origin of the observed PeV neutrinos is to search for neutrino cascades in the range below 1 PeV, for which dedicated analyses with high sensitivity have yet to appear, and where many more events could be found.


Background Celiac disease has been linked to decreased quality of life and certain mood disorders. The effect of the gluten free diet on these psychological aspects of the disease is still unclear. Objectives The objective of this article is to review the literature on psychological morbidity of celiac disease. Methods We performed a PubMed search for the time period from 1900 until June 1, 2014, to identify papers on psychological aspects of celiac disease looking specifically at quality of life, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Results Anxiety, depression and fatigue are common complaints in patients with untreated celiac disease and contribute to lower quality of life. While aspects of these conditions may improve within a few months after starting a gluten-free diet, some patients continue to suffer from significant psychological morbidity. Psychological symptoms may affect the quality of life and the dietary adherence. Conclusion Health care professionals need to be aware of the ongoing psychological burden of celiac disease in order to support patients with this disease.


Exploration strategy is an essential part of learning agents in model-based Reinforcement Learning. R-MAX and V-MAX are PAC-MDP strategies proved to have polynomial sample complexity; yet, their exploration behavior tend to be overly cautious in practice. We propose the principle of Increasingly Cautious Optimism (ICO) to automatically cut off unnecessarily cautious exploration, and apply ICO to R-MAX and V-MAX, yielding two new strategies, namely Increasingly Cautious R-MAX (ICR) and Increasingly Cautious V-MAX (ICV). We prove that both ICR and ICV are PACMDP, and show that their improvement is guaranteed by a tighter sample complexity upper bound. Then, we demonstrate their significantly improved performance through empirical results.


Introduction 1 Part I: Set It Up, Solve It, Graph It 7 Chapter 1: Pre-Pre-Calculus 9 Chapter 2: Playing with Real Numbers 21 Chapter 3: The Building Blocks of Pre-Calc: Functions 33 Chapter 4: Digging Out and Using Roots to Graph Polynomial Functions 67 Chapter 5: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions 97 Part II: The Essentials of Trigonometry 117 Chapter 6: Circling in on Angles 119 Chapter 7: Simplifying the Graphing and Transformation of Trig Functions 149 Chapter 8: Identifying with Trig Identities: The Basics 181 Chapter 9: Advanced Identities: Your Keys to Pre-Calc Success 201 Chapter 10: Taking Charge of Oblique Triangles with the Laws of Sines and Cosines 223 Part III: Analytic Geometry and System Solving 243 Chapter 11: Plane Thinking: Complex Numbers and Polar Coordinates 245 Chapter 12: Slicing Cones or Measuring the Path of a Comet with Confidence 261 Chapter 13: Streamlining Systems, Managing Variables 291 Chapter 14: Sequences, Series, and Expanding Binomials for the Real World 325 Chapter 15: Scouting the Road Ahead to Calculus 349 Part IV: The Part of Tens 363 Chapter 16: Ten Habits to Develop as You Prepare for Calculus 365 Chapter 17: Ten Habits to Quit Before Calculus 373 Index 379


Most studies of digital media focus on elements familiar from traditional media. For example, studies of digital literature generally focus on surface text and audience experience. Interaction is considered only from the audience's perspective. This study argues that such approaches fail to interpret the element that defines digital media-computational processes. An alternative is proposed here, focused on interpreting the internal operations of works. It is hoped that this will become a complement to (rather than replacement for) previous approaches.
The examples considered include both processes developed as general practices and those of specific works. A detailed survey of story generation begins with James Meehan's Tale-Spin, interpreted through "possible worlds" theories of fiction (especially as employed by digital media theorists such as Marie-Laure Ryan). Previous interpretations missed important elements of Tale-Spin's fiction that are not visible in its output. Other story generation systems discussed include Minstrel, Universe, Brutus, and Terminal Time. These reveal the inevitably authored nature of simulations of human behavior. Further, the persistently anthropomorphizing approach to computational processes present in traditional artificial intelligence (and many critiques) is contrasted with authorship.
Also discussed is Christopher Strachey's love letter generator for the Manchester Mark I---likely the first work of digital literature, and arguably the first digital art of any kind. As with Tale-Spin, an interpretation of its processes offers more than output-focused approaches. In addition, this study considers works with algorithmic processes carried out by authors and audiences (rather than within the works) created by Raymond Queneau, Tristan Tzara, and Claude Shannon.
Prior theoretical concepts are engaged, including Espen Aarseth's "cybertext," Michael Mateas's "expressive AI," and Chris Crawford's "process intensity." A set of concepts and vocabulary are proposed, beginning with the simple distinction between "surface," "data," and "process." Further chapters introduce the terms "implemented processes," "abstract processes," and "works of process." The most unfamiliar new term, "operational logics," names behavioral elements of systems that can be as elemental as gravity or as high-level as a quest structure. The computer game Fable embodies the strengths and weaknesses of using the same logics to drive graphical and linguistic behavior.


Have you ever been bored by a speaker before he finished his first sentence? What about when you step up to the front of a room to speak. Do you know exactly what your first words will be? Whether welcoming new students to the first class of a semester, making a presentation at a 4-H event or speaking at a conference, your introductory statement can make or break you. In fact, your first two or three words can determine a successful launch or leave you stalled-out. This paper describes eight strategies that both novice and seasoned speakers may use to successfully launch presentations.


Abstract During the study of rotifers collected in Eastern DR Congo, we rediscovered specimens that correspond to Monostyla dorsicornuta Van Oye, 1926. This species, which we redescribe, had not been seen since it's summary description, and lacked type material. Our analysis reveals that the animal belongs to Trichotriidae rather than to Lecane (presently considered to include Monostyla) or Lecanidae, but is nevertheless characterised by a foot structure that is remarkably convergent to that of Lecanidae, and different from all other genera of Trichotriidae. We conclude that the species and the closely related South American Macrochaetus kostei (José de Paggi, Branco & Kozlowsky-Suzuki, 2000) belong to a new genus of Trichotriidae; the two offer a rare example of African-South American vicariance in rotifers.We further provide emended diagnoses of the remaining genera of Trichotriidae, to conform these to the new information and to address some inconsistencies in these.


Abstract Prenatal disruptive injuries within one or both cerebellar hemispheres, which are mostly caused by hemorrhages, are well known. Primary disruptive lesions of the brainstem, however, are exceptional. Here we report on clinical and neuroimaging findings, as well as outcome of four male infants with prenatal brainstem disruptions that have been seen between 2005 and 2015. Two infants with extensive brainstem defects (from the midbrain to the medulla) had respiratory insufficiency and died at the age of 12 weeks and 22 months, respectively. Two patients had smaller, unilateral/asymmetrical lesions in the pontomesencephalic and medullary regions, respectively, and presented with permanent multiple cranial nerve deficits and long-tract signs. Recognition of prenatal brainstem disruptions and distinction from malformations are essential for the management and the estimation of a recurrence risk.


Limitations in the performance of coherent transmission systems employing digital back-propagation due to four-wave mixing impairments are reported for the first time. A significant performance constraint is identified, originating from four-wave mixing between signals and amplified spontaneous emission noise which induces a linear increase in the standard deviation of the received field with signal power, and linear dependence on transmission distance.


The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to publish discriminatory housing advertisements. This has long been applied to newspapers, which have effectively screened all discriminatory housing ads from sight. However, in 1996 Congress created a loophole when it immunized website operators from liability for the content posted to their sites by third parties. Without publisher liability, websites have no incentive to screen out discriminatory housing ads. The result is that such ads are proliferating in cyberspace. While this situation is problematic from a fair housing standpoint, it presents a valuable opportunity. For the first time in a generation discriminatory housing advertisements are out in the open and available for analysis. This article contains a comprehensive review of discriminatory housing ads appearing on the popular website craigslist, which yields a number of interesting findings, including: (1) The vast majority of those who post discriminatory on-line advertisements for housing are placed by people seeking roommates. (2) The overwhelming majority of problematic ads discriminate on the basis of familial status. There are very few that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, or religion. (3) The few roommate ads that do mention race, ethnicity, or religion are more likely to discriminate in favor of minority groups. Thus, they appear more as expressions of individual diversity of backgrounds and beliefs than exclusionary tools of a majoritarian power structure. This information can and should inform changes to the legislative and enforcement regime for dealing with discriminatory housing advertisements. For example, we should recognize that the roommate relationship is different from traditional rental housing, and accord roommate-seekers protection from the law – protection which is currently given to small landlords (who arguably do not need it) but not co-lessees. Fair housing advocates also must address the unique problems presented by familial status as a protected category, both in terms of public awareness and acceptance of the law.


Among the Yanomae-speakers of Brazilian Amazonia the close relationship between language, culture and the environment is revealed in the use of metaphor, metonymy, and euphemism in a wide range of words and phrases. For example, euphemistic metonymy demonstrates how not speaking of the dead can provide insights into Yanomami culture as the deceased are referred to by specific items of material culture that identify each individual's role in traditional Yanomami society. This paper provides abundant examples from field data to demonstrate how the traditional culture and rain forest lifestyle are reflected in images created by the Yanomae language. Deeply rooted in rain forest culture, the language will continue to thrive only as long as Yanomami lands remain protected from outside exploitation.


Patient with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has considerable variability in outcome and mortality risk. The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk index (TRI) for unstable angina/non ST elevation myocardial infarction & ST elevation myocardial infarction were a convenient bedside clinical risk score for predicting 30 days mortality at presentation with ACS. This study was done to predict and validate major adverse cardiac events in patients of ACS thus it will help us to quantify risk, observe the prognostic value and to guide appropriate therapy by using TRI. This prospective study was carried out in the department of cardiology, BSMMU, Dhaka from April, 2011 to March, 2012. After considering all ethical issues, data were collected from 279 patients attending at cardiac emergency department with the presentation of ACS. History & physical examinations were done. TIMI risk index were calculated for each patient. The major adverse cardiac events (recurrent myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, and all-cause mortality) were measured for next 30 days in hospital setting & outpatient department by follow up. After follow-up, Cox univariate and multivariate regression analysis were used to evaluate the influence of potential risk factors on duration of event-free survival, and likelihood ratio tests to assess the outcome. Major adverse events of TIMI risk index group 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 were 0%, 0%, 3.7%, 12.9% & 19.2% respectively in UA/NSTEMI group. In STEMI group major adverse cardiac events of TIMI risk index group 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 were 0%, 4.7%, 12.5%, 17.1% & 24.1% respectively. Increasing TRI were associated with increased risk of major adverse cardiac events. These score were a valid tool for risk assessment. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jdnmch.v18i2.16024 J. Dhaka National Med. Coll. Hos. 2012; 18 (02): 52-57


A new method for gain enhancement in a S-band thulium-doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) co-doped with aluminum is demonstrated using a macro-bending approach. The macrobending of the doped fiber in a small radius suppresses both amplified spontaneous emissions (ASEs) at 800 and 1800 nm band and thus increases the population inversion in the S-band region. The numerical aperture and core radius of the doped fiber are optimized so that 800 nm ASE propagates with higher order modes to achieve a significant suppression while the loss is minimum in the S-band region. Meanwhile, the 1050 nm pump wavelength should propagate in the fundamental mode to maximize the overlap factor and thulium ion absorption so that the ASE loss is maximum at the 1800 nm region. Gain enhancements of about 5-8 dB are obtained with macrobending at the wavelength region between 1420 and 1470 nm.


This article presents a complete set of calculations (referred to as Model) PG&E developed to monitor, assess and approve strength tests on insitu (pipelines currently in service) gas transmission pipelines. How the Model is used in the field, 2017 test results, and process improvements that resulted from the implementation of the model are also discussed.
 In compliance with CPUC directives, the Code of Federal Regulations[1] and PG&E's internal standards, PGE has performed strength tests on approximately 1,100 miles of insitu pipelines from 2011 through 2017. The model was specifically designed to assess the strength test of a closed section of gas pipeline for both leaks and ruptures.
 The model was originally designed for strength tests using water as the test medium and updated to accommodate nitrogen as a test medium. A future enhancement will be to incorporate a blend of Nitrogen and Helium as the test medium. The model plots the pressure-temperature and pressure-volume curves over the test duration (field test measurements) and compares them to the theoretically calculated curves. The curves are used to determine if the change in pressure is due to temperature influence or leakage. When water is the test medium, the model calculates the net corrected medium volume change from start to end of the static test period. When nitrogen is the test medium, the model calculates and analyzes net mass change of the medium by considering nitrogen under both the real gas state and the ideal gas state.
 By calculating restrained (buried) pipeline section and unrestrained (exposed) pipeline section separately, the model gains more accuracy. Accurate temperature measurements play a critical role in the model.
 The model makes it possible for engineers to monitor, analyze and direct strength tests with real-time test data. The model is also used to evaluate the pipeline fill condition on the day prior to the actual test, which resulted in fewer test restarts due to incomplete fill or temperature stabilization issues. An additional benefit is the tests were typically completed earlier in the day. The model is utilized on all PG&E insitu pipeline strength projects today. Authors also provide improvement suggestions of this model in future application.