The Pliocene to Holocene limestones of Barbuda have formed on a wide, shallow, outlying bank of the Lesser Antilles island arc, some 50 km east of the older axis of the Limestone Caribbees and 100 km east of the newer axis of the active Volcanic Caribbees. Contrasts with neighbouring islands of similar size include the lack of exposed igneous basement or mid-Tertiary sediments, the dominance of younger flat-lying carbonates, and the greater frequency of earthquake shocks. The history of emergence of the island has been studied through aerial reconnaissance, mapping, logging, hand coring, facies and microfacies analysis. These show a pattern of progressively falling high sea level stands (from more than + 50 m down to the present level) on which are superimposed at least three major phases of subaerial exposure, when sea levels were close to, or below, their present level. This sequence can be summarized as follows: 1, bank edge facies (early Pliocene Highlands Formation) deposited at not more than c. 50–100 m above the present sea level; 2, emergence with moderate upwarping in the north, associated with the Bat Hole subaerial phase forming widespread karst; 3, older Pleistocene transgression with fringing reefs and protected bays formed at + l0 to + l5 m high sea level stands (Beazer Formation); 4, Marl Pits subaerial phase with widespread karst and soil formation; 5, late Pleistocene transgression up to +6 m high stand with fringing and barrier reefs, protected backreefs and bays (Codrington Formation Phase I); 6, gradual regression resulting in emergence of reefs, enclosure of lagoons, and progradation of beach ridges at heights falling from c. 5 m to below present sea level (Codrington Phase II); 7, Castle Bay subaerial phase produced karst, caliche and coastal dunes that built eastwards to below present sea level; and 8, Holocene transgression producing the present mosaic, with reefs, lagoons and prograding beach ridge complexes, with the present sea level reached before c. 4085 years BP. The evidence suggests that slight uplift took place in the north of the island after early Pliocene times. Subsequent shoreline fluctuations are consistent with glacio-eustatic changes in sea level, indicating that the island has not experienced significant uplift during the Quaternary.


Author(s): Garcon, V; Karstensen, J; Palacz, A; Telszewski, M; Aparco Lara, T; Breitburg, D; Chavez, F; Coelho, P; Cornejo-D'Ottone, M; Santos, C; Fiedler, B; Gallo, ND; Gregoire, M; Gutierrez, D; Hernandez-Ayon, M; Isensee, K; Koslow, T; Levin, L; Marsac, F; Maske, H; Mbaye, BC; Montes, I; Naqvi, W; Pearlman, J; Pinto, E; Pitcher, G; Pizarro, O; Rose, K; Shenoy, D; Van der Plas, A; Vito, MR; Weng, K | Abstract: © Copyright © 2019 Garcon, Karstensen, Palacz, Telszewski, Aparco Lara, Breitburg, Chavez, Coelho, Cornejo-D'Ottone, Santos, Fiedler, Gallo, Gregoire, Gutierrez, Hernandez-Ayon, Isensee, Koslow, Levin, Marsac, Maske, Mbaye, Montes, Naqvi, Pearlman, Pinto, Pitcher, Pizarro, Rose, Shenoy, Van der Plas, Vito and Weng. Multidisciplinary ocean observing activities provide critical ocean information to satisfy ever-changing socioeconomic needs and require coordinated implementation. The upper oxycline (transition between high and low oxygen waters) is fundamentally important for the ecosystem structure and can be a useful proxy for multiple observing objectives connected to eastern boundary systems (EBSs) that neighbor oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). The variability of the oxycline and its impact on the ecosystem (VOICE) initiative demonstrates how societal benefits drive the need for integration and optimization of biological, biogeochemical, and physical components of regional ocean observing related to EBS. In liaison with the Global Ocean Oxygen Network, VOICE creates a roadmap toward observation-model syntheses for a comprehensive understanding of selected oxycline-dependent objectives. Local to global effects, such as habitat compression or deoxygenation trends, prompt for comprehensive observing of the oxycline on various space and time scales, and for an increased awareness of its impact on ecosystem services. Building on the Framework for Ocean Observing (FOO), we present a first readiness level assessment for ocean observing of the oxycline in EBS. This was to determine current ocean observing design and future needs in EBS regions (e.g., the California Current System, the Equatorial Eastern Pacific off Ecuador, the Peru–Chile Current system, the Northern Benguela off Namibia, etc.) building on the FOO strategy. We choose regional champions to assess the ocean observing design elements proposed in the FOO, namely, requirement processes, coordination of observational elements, and data management and information products and the related best practices. The readiness level for the FOO elements was derived for each EBS through a similar and very general ad hoc questionnaire. Despite some weaknesses in the questionnaire design and its completion, an assessment was achievable. We found that fisheries and ecosystem management are a societal requirement for all regions, but maturity levels of observational elements and data management and information products differ substantially. Identification of relevant stakeholders, developing strategies for readiness level improvements, and building and sustaining infrastructure capacity to implement these strategies are fundamental milestones for the VOICE initiative over the next 2–5 years and beyond.


Abstract. Observations of tsunamis away from shore are critically important for improving early warning systems and understanding of tsunami generation and propagation. Tsunamis are difficult to detect and measure in the open ocean because the wave amplitude there is much smaller than it is close to shore. Currently, tsunami observations in deep water rely on measurements of variations in the sea surface height or bottom pressure. Here we demonstrate that there exists a different observable, specifically, ocean surface roughness, which can be used to reveal tsunamis away from shore. The first detailed measurements of the tsunami effect on sea surface height and radar backscattering strength in the open ocean were obtained from satellite altimeters during passage of the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami. Through statistical analyses of satellite altimeter observations, we show that the Sumatra-Andaman tsunami effected distinct, detectable changes in sea surface roughness. The magnitude and spatial structure of the observed variations in radar backscattering strength are consistent with hydrodynamic models predicting variations in the near-surface wind across the tsunami wave front. Tsunami-induced changes in sea surface roughness can be potentially used for early tsunami detection by orbiting microwave radars and radiometers, which have broad surface coverage across the satellite ground track.


As geophysicists, we find it difficult to imagine our daily professional and personal lives without the Internet. Emails have been the mainstay of scientific communication since the 1980's and websites, since their inception in the 1990's, have grown to represent the heart of public information dissemination. Now, scientific data flow in real-time around the world through custom protocols, portals, and web services, and the advent of social media services such as Facebook and Twitter offer both a new mechanism to communicate ideas and a potential resource for collecting data. [...]


The proving substance Hemachatus haemachatus commonly known as the Rinkhals belongs to the family of Elapidae. This spitting-cobra is a local snake found only in Southern Africa. This proving tested the effects of the thirtieth centesimal (30CH) potency of venom from Hemachatus haemachatus on healthy provers. OBJECTIVES It was hypothesised that Hemachatus haemachatus 30CH would produce clearly observable signs and symptoms in healthy provers, and that the comparison of Hemachatus haemachatus to those yielding the highest numerical value and total number of rubrics on repertorisation of the proving symptoms would highlight differences and similarities between the remedy symptoms so that confusion as to the indication is eliminated. It was hypothesised that a fuller understanding of Hemachatus haemachatus and its relationship to other remedies would be gained following this comparison. METHODOLOGY A double blind, placebo controlled proving of Hemachatus haemachatus 30CH was conducted on thirty healthy volunteers who met the inclusion criteria. Six of these thirty provers randomly received placebo, with neither prover nor researcher knowing whom received placebo. Provers had a homoeopathic case history taken and a physical examination performed on them prior to commencement of the proving. The provers recorded their signs and symptoms 6 by means of a journal before, during and after administration of the remedy. On completion of the proving, the information obtained was correlated and assessed by the two researchers, De la Rouviere and Cahill. The symptoms elicited during the proving were translated into materia medica and repertory language, and a homoeopathic picture of the remedy was subsequently formulated. Data from the case histories, physical examinations and group discussions were also considered in the assessment. RESULTS During the period of investigation, provers experienced a variety of symptoms on the mental, emotional and physical spheres. On the mental emotional sphere there was a marked degree of irritability and changeability in moods as is commonly seen in many of the snake remedies. Along with this, it was noted that there were feelings of anxiety for reasons unknown, a sense of having lost something or someone close, and a desire to be left alone. There were also a great number of feelings regarding the home, where there were feelings of the home being a place of safety and wanting order in the home. On a physical level, many of the provers noted varying degrees of abdominal discomfort and headaches. Along with anxiety, provers experienced palpitations and sensations of chest restriction or constriction with shortness of breath. There were a variety of musculoskeletal symptoms ranging from painful joints in the fingers to stiffness and tightness in the neck and back. Provers noted flushes of heat and alterations of their internal thermostat. Provers experienced marked dryness of the mucus membranes and the skin, and there was also a general feeling of weakness and heaviness as well as a marked aggravation in the mornings on waking. 7 CONCLUSIONS Symptoms obtained from the proving of Hemachatus haemachatus 30CH were studied and evaluated. Those symptoms that appeared to represent the remedy picture of Hemachatus haemachatus most accurately in the researchers" opinion were used in the repertorisation of the remedy. The investigation supported the hypothesis that Hemachatus haemachatus 30CH would produce clearly observable signs and symptoms in healthy provers. The subsequent comparison of the proving symptoms of Hemachatus haemachatus to Lycopodium (Club moss), Sulphur, Alumina (Aluminium oxide), Sepia (Cuttle fish) and Calcarea carbonica (Carbonate of Lime) highlighted differences and similarities between these remedies and Hemachatus haemachatus. The further comparison of remedies that came up on repertorisation restricted to the plant, mineral and animal kingdoms respectively provided a further comparison of remedies, which aimed at enhancing the differentiation of Hemachatus haemachatus to other similar remedies.


The journal continues to provide comprehensive literature surveys which will be published in most issues. These are a continuation of the literature surveys begun in 1986 in the Journal of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence, and which have, up to 1998, encompassed more than 6000 references cited by year or specialized topic. With this newly named Journal these searches are expanded to reflect the Journal's wider scope. In future we will cover all fundamental and applied aspects of biological and chemical luminescence and include not only bioluminescence and chemi--luminescence but also fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, electrochemiluminescence, phosphorescence, sonoluminescence, lyoluminescence and triboluminescence, etc. The compilers would be pleased to receive any comments from the readership. Contact by E-mail: L. J. Kricka (email@example.com. upenn.edu), and P. E. Stanley (email@example.com). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) species and their host plants of coniferous forests of the Mediterranean region of Western Turkey were determined between 2006 and 2008. A total of 27 species of Scolytinae were collected from 59 different sites in Afyonkarahisar, Antalya, Burdur, Denizli, Isparta, and Mugla provinces. Hylastes angustatus (Herbst), H. linearis Erichson, Tomicus destruens (Wollaston), Hylurgus ligniperda (Fabricius), Pityogenes calcaratus (Eichhoff), P. pennidens Reitter, Orthotomicus robustus (Knotek), and O. suturalis (Gyllenhal) were recorded as new species for the Scolytinae fauna of the Mediterranean region of Western Turkey. Orthotomicus robustus (Knotek) was recorded for the first time from Turkey.


Cardiotoxicity (CT) involving diminished cardiac contractility and heart failure is a major adverse event associated with otherwise efficacious protein kinase inhibitors (KIs). Here, we sought to develop clinically-weighted transcriptomic signatures to predict risk of CT and to better understand the biological processes associated with CT risk. We obtained transcriptome-wide response profiles in four human primary cardiomyocyte cell lines that were treated with 22 different KIs using mRNA sequencing with 3' digital gene expression. The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System was used to derive relative risk scores for four types of CT for different KIs. We used elastic net regression to associate these transcriptomic profiles with KI-associated risk scores for CT subtypes to obtain clinically-weighted transcriptomic signatures, which showed good predictive properties (cross-validation R2 >0.87). Our clinically-weighted transcriptomic signatures for KI-associated CT may be of relevance in early drug development for the prediction of KI-associated CT.


A country's human capital has been neglected as a potential determinant of inwards foreign direct investment (FDI), both in theory and empirical research. When human capital has been included in models of the determinants of FDI, it appears simply as a control variable or one of the variables in a "kitchen sink" approach, usually without any theoretical rationale for its inclusion or critical discussion of the measures used. The mis-specification that may result from this is advanced as one of the potential explanations for the very diverse findings in previous literature and the failure of the meta-regression analysis (MRA) reported in this thesis to find an 'authentic' effect of human capital on inwards FDI. Accordingly, this research seeks to fill this gap, by identifying the mechanisms through which human capital is expected to attract FDI to European transition economies and drawing conclusions about the most appropriate measures of human capital given the characteristics of the former communist (education) system. The 'productivity-enhancing' skills and traits that (foreign) investors are likely to value in such economies are identified and the manner in which these skills are developed is analysed. In the light of this analysis the conventional human capital measures used in empirical analyses are critically assessed. These contributions are used to develop an empirical model for estimating the effect of human capital on inwards FDI at country-, sector- and industry-level in 12 European transition economies during the period 1995-2008. Consistent with the results of previous studies, as suggested by the MRA, no significant effect of traditional volume measures of human capital on FDI inflows/stocks is found. However, some evidence is presented in this thesis indicating that the quality dimension of human capital as measured by cognitive skills proxies may affect inwards FDI in the manufacturing sector. Accordingly, several potential explanations for the findings and some of their implications for future macro-level research focusing on the effects of human capital are explored.


The Alzheimer's brain is affected by multiple pathophysiological processes, which include a unique, organ-specific form of insulin resistance that begins early in its course. An additional complexity arises from the four-fold risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) in type 2 diabetics, however there is no definitive proof of causation. Several strategies to improve brain insulin signaling have been proposed and some have been clinically tested. We report findings on a small allosteric molecule that reverses several indices of insulin insensitivity in both cell culture and in vitro models of AD that emphasize the intracellular accumulation of β -amyloid (A β i). PS48, a chlorophenyl pentenoic acid, is an allosteric activator of PDK-1, which is an Akt-kinase in the insulin/PI3K pathway. PS48 was active at 10 nM to 1 μ M in restoring normal insulin-dependent Akt activation and in mitigating A β i peptide toxicity. Synaptic plasticity (LTP) in prefrontal cortical slices from normal rat exposed to A β oligomers also benefited from PS48. During these experiments, neither overstimulation of PI3K/Akt signaling nor toxic effects on cells was observed. Another neurotoxicity model producing insulin insensitivity, utilizing palmitic acid, also responded to PS48 treatment, thus validating the target and indicating that its therapeutic potential may extend outside of β -amyloid reliance. The described in vitro and cell based-in vitro coupled enzymatic assay systems proved suitable platforms to screen a preliminary library of new analogs.


Wind power now represents a major and growing source of renewable energy. Large wind turbines (with capacities of up to 6–8 MW) are widely installed in power distribution networks. Increasing numbers of onshore and offshore wind farms, acting as power plants, are connected directly to power transmission networks at the scale of hundreds of megawatts. As its level of grid penetration has begun to increase dramatically, wind power is starting to have a significant impact on the operation of the modern grid system. Advanced power electronics technologies are being introduced to improve the characteristics of the wind turbines, and make them more suitable for integration into the power grid. Meanwhile, there are some emerging challenges that still need to be addressed. This paper provides an overview and discusses some trends in the power electronics technologies used for wind power generation. First, the state-of-the-art technology and global market are generally discussed. Several important wind turbine concepts are discussed, along with power electronics solutions either for individual wind turbines or for entire wind farms. Some technology challenges and future solutions for power electronics in wind turbine systems are also addressed.


Background Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is one of the main causes of poor outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The early identification of DCI by noninvasive imaging modalities would provide valuable information of therapeutic intervention for improving the patient outcomes. We aimed to describe the clinical features of cerebral blood flow (CBF) data obtained from the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) during the risk period for DCI after SAH. Material/Methods Clinical data from 94 SAH patients who underwent surgical clipping of anterior circulation aneurysms were reviewed retrospectively. 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT images were visually and semiquantitatively analyzed on days 7 and 14 after SAH. Results In all cases, the areas of hypoperfusion were found in the middle cerebral artery territories. By contrast, the areas of mild hyperperfusion were always detected on the surgical side, the prevalence which increased from days 7 (n=28; 30%) to 14 (n=48; 51%) without neurological defects. Univariate analysis revealed that the hyperperfusion on day 14 had a significant relationship with functional outcome at 3 months (P=0.04). Multivariate analysis including age, clinical SAH grade, DCI, and hyperperfusion on day 14 showed that DCI (P=0.004; odds ratio [OR], 0.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02–0.48) and hyperperfusion on day 14 (P=0.002; OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.40–4.29) were independently associated with functional outcome at 3 months. Conclusions Delayed mild hyperperfusion around the surgical site can predict good prognosis after SAH, although it may hinder the CBF diagnosis of focal ischemia attributable to DCI.


The implementation of news design studios has sparked questions among news professionals. Little research has been done about the removal of the designers from the newsroom, and this could be some of the first academic work. This study used 10 semi-structured interviews with print designers to investigate what facets of job satisfaction designers in newsrooms and news design studios derive. Two sets of attitudes were found, but the difference was driven by whether the designer self-identified as a journalist, not necessarily from the organizational structure the designer worked in. Seven of the ten designers self-identified as journalists, and they valued the quality of the whole newspaper, content creation and how their work impacted readers. They also felt collaboration produced the highest quality. Three of the ten designers did not self-identify as journalists. They focused on creative freedom and using artistic elements to tell the story. These findings provided further evidence that designers who self-identified as journalists shared similar facets of satisfaction as other journalists. By identifying what the designers value, the designers and newspaper editors can determine if they share expectations on job responsibilities and quality.


One of the most contentious health care issues of the past decade—aside from debating the merits of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—is whether there is a looming shortage of physicians and, if so, what its magnitude will be.

What appears to be clear is that past studies and projections have produced highly variable and frequently contradictory responses and that past projections have sometimes not even been directionally correct. For example, in the 1970s there was concern that the United States was facing an imminent shortage of physicians. This led to a push to expand the number of both medical schools and students enrolled in existing schools, which resulted in a 66% increase in the number of medical students between 1970 and 1984. A decade later, the conventional wisdom was that the country was facing an oversupply of physicians as a result of the growth in managed care.1

Once again, various projections are suggesting that a significant shortage of physicians is likely in our future, given the aging of the population and the expansion in coverage resulting from the ACA. However, the data underlying these projections and, more important, the assumptions underlying the predictions vary between being problematic and erroneous. Several researchers have cited the need for more timely and accurate data for physicians, nurses, and other health care workers.2 But the more significant and more challenging issue is the underlying assumptions about physicians' future productivity. The most common type of projections use past physician-provider ratios, assuming that they are good predictors of the future need for physicians, either what it will be or what it should be.

This assumption of a fixed "production function"—the idea that there is only 1 way to produce a particular type and quality of health care service—rarely makes sense and helps explain why past projections have not proved useful. Furthermore, this assumption is especially irrelevant now, given the changes in the delivery system currently under way as the government and private payers promote the use of more coordinated, affordable, and patient-centered care by changing how they reimburse physicians and other health care professionals; make better and more extensive data available to both professionals and patients; and raise patients' level of engagement.

Other studies document how much the expanded roles for advanced-practice nurses and other health care professionals, the expanded use of technologies such as electronic medical records and telemedicine, and the greater adoption of different delivery systems such as patient-centered medical homes, shared savings programs, and more formally integrated delivery systems could affect physicians' productivity and, therefore, projections of a sufficient number.

A 2013 study reviewed the literature estimating the effects of a full implementation of health IT.3 The adoption of health IT by only 30% of community-based physicians was estimated to reduce the demand for physicians by 4% to 9%. The use of health IT to support the delegation of tasks from specialist physicians to generalists could reduce the demand for specialists by 2% to 5% and also could enable 12% more care to be delivered remotely. If as much as 70% of the care provided in ambulatory settings were supported by health IT, it was estimated that the effects would double. Moreover, the effects of patient-centered medical homes and nurse-managed health centers are thought to have an even greater potential to reduce shortages of primary care physicians.4 The most important features of these innovations in delivering primary care are the use of team-based care and the adoption of technology.

In 2013, Bodenheimer and Smith used the phrase "demand-capacity mismatch" to define what has too frequently been labeled a physician workforce problem.5 They concluded that primary care practices could substantially increase their capacity to provide health care services by reallocating clinical responsibilities to nonphysician team members and to patients through a greater adoption of current technologies and the increased use of self-care. They also discussed the importance of payment reform, changes in the scope of practice laws, and increased innovations in technology, particularly in the area of self-care.

Achieving the legislative changes that would be required at both the national and state levels to increase primary care obviously would be challenging. If history is any guide, the existing power structures, such as national and state medical and specialty societies, are likely to resist these changes. Their first line of defense probably will be that any changes in the mix of personnel providing services will endanger the quality of care received by patients, although these claims are rarely backed up by credible data. Therefore, those who believe the changes are necessary for the delivery of high-quality care must have empirical evidence to support their claims.

According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), overall enrollment in US medical schools rose in the decade ending in 2012 by nearly 28% (from 80,180 to 102,498), with 4 new allopathic and 3 new osteopathic medical schools opening in 2013 alone. The number of residency positions also rose by 17.5% in the last decade, despite the cap on Medicare funding in 1996. In addition, there appear to be ample residency positions available to accommodate the expansion, despite claims to the contrary. In 2014, 7,000 more first-year residency positions were available than there were US applicants. What is equally clear is that increasing the numbers of physicians by itself is unlikely to resolve future workforce shortages, since there has not been a rise in the proportion of physicians choosing to practice primary care or locating in rural or underserved areas. Reaching these goals will require different policies.


To determinine the inhibitory mechanism of antibacterial Maillard reaction products (PRM), heated mixtures containing GL (glukosa-tisin) and TU (molasses-urea) were were studied fcx their effect on uptake oxygen and iron solubility. It was found that the tested PRM had an inhibitory effect on the uptake of oxygen was observed. The PRM also had an effect on the solttbirity of iron in nutrient broth and in phosphate buffer. While the GL mixture reduced the solubility of iron it was increased by the TU mixture.


Ancient Jewish Magic, by Gideon Bohak. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. 483 pp. £70.00 / $135.00. This book represents an academic tour- de-force, based on die author's vast knowledge of ancient source material and modern scholarship; the 44-page bibliography is an important resource in itself. It is written in a clear and often lively and entertaining style, full of such memorable vignettes as R. Shimeon b. Shetah and the eighty witches of Ashkelon, and is almost entirely free from misprints. Bohak leads the reader through the difficult material carefully, with frequent summaries and cross-references. None of the three words of the title is entirely self-explanatory, as the Introduction acknowledges (Bohak returns to the issue in Chapter 5). "Ancient" as opposed to medieval, but Bohak makes much use of Genizah material whose origin is often undatable; the cut-off date he uses, at least theoretically, is the 7th century CE. "Jewish" as opposed to non-Jewish, but there was considerable borrowing and overlap, although Bohak ultimately emphasises what was distinctively Jewish. And what exactly is "magic" (as opposed to, e.g., medicine, miracle, astrology, prayer)? Bohak largely avoids giving his own direct answer to this hotly-debated question. The book is divided into six chapters. 1: "Jewish magic: a contradiction in terms?" The Hebrew Bible does not forbid magic per se, as sometimes claimed, only certain practices or practitioners. In fact, biblical holy men were praised for magical actions, and the prohibition on consulting foreign practitioners actually encouraged the development of Jewish magic, Jewish magicians might not be able to coerce God, but there were plenty of angelic and demonic powers they could work on. Magical techniques were apparently considered to "work" even where it is very difficult for us to see what effect they could have had; one might note that many of the practices of ancient medicine seem to have survived a similar shortcoming. 2: "Jewish magic in the Second Temple period" and 3: "Jewish magic in late antiquity - the 'insider' evidence." Bohak stresses the difference between insider and outsider evidence, i.e., between evidence provided by practitioners of magic themselves (sometimes in the form of "finished products" such as written spells or inscribed objects with magical properties) and discussion of magic by non-practitioners. There is little evidence of either sort from the Second Temple period, when exorcism is the best-attested magical practice, but a vast amount of insider evidence from Late Antiquity due to a cultural change in which writing became an important aspect of Jewish magic as "professional" practitioners took over. Metal amulets with Aramaic texts are a particularly important source, and of course much more likely to survive than texts written on papyrus or leather. A gold amulet found near the Roman fort at Caernarfon in Wales (Roman Inscriptions of Britain, 436) has a Greek text but many ttansliterated Hebrew words and phrases not normally found in Greek magic, leading Bohak to see its origin as Jewish (p, 210). 4: "Non-Jewish elements in late-antique magic. …


Background Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. Ultrasound guided percutaneous lavage of calcific tendinopathy (UGPL) is indicated when conservative treatments have failed. It has been shown that dense calcifications are associated with a higher risk of treatment failure. Sodium thiosulfate (STS) has recently been used with success in the treatment of tumoral calcinosis. We hypothesised that STS lavage could be of interest in the treatment of dense calcification of the rotator cuff. Objectives To evaluate the tolerance and efficacy of sodium thiosulfate lavage in the treatment of calcific tendinitis Methods This was a prospective phase II open label study. We included only patients with a type A calcification according to the Molé classification. Patients were treated with a US-guided single needle technic. When backflow of calcific material could be identified in the syringe, lavage of the deposit was performed using STS 25% until the backflow becomes clear followed by the injection of 1 mL (250 mg) of STS inside the calcific deposit. Finally, 1.5 mL of cortivazol was injected in the subacromial bursa. All patients had follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after intervention. At each time point, VAS pain at rest and during activities was recorded and US and X-ray were performed. Our primary outcome was the percentage of patients with more than 50% of decrease of the calcification size at 1 month. Based on our experience and on the literature, we expected than more than 60% of the patients should have more than 50% of decrease in their calcification for the results to be significant. Results A total of 17 patients were included. Mean age was 50±11 years. There were 9 female (52.9%). Baseline VAS at rest and during daily activities was a mean 40.2±25.9 and 65.5±21.6 (27–91) respectively. Calcification involved the supraspinatus in 12 cases (70.6%) and the infraspinatus in 5 cases (29.4%). Mean surface on radiography was 80.7 mm2 ±52.4 and the calcification longest size was 18.8±7.1 mm. All patients underwent the entire procedure with no adverse event apart of a mild and transient vasovagal reaction. Calcium backflow could be obtained in 15 patients (88.2%) with a small amount of calcium in 8 cases (53.3%) and a large quantity in 7 cases (46.7%). We found that 5 patients (30%) had more than 50% decrease of their calcific deposit at 1 month and 8 (47%) patients at 3 months. VAS pain during activities and at rest decreased significantly from 65±22 and 40.2±26 at baseline to 37.8±31 and 24.1±24 at 3 month respectively (p=0.0004; p=0.001) Conclusions Overall, our study is the first to evaluate the tolerance and efficacy of sodium thiosulfate for the treatment of the calcifications of the rotator cuff. We could not demonstrate a significant effect of one STS lavage and injection in patients with dense calcification. This treatment was well tolerated with no side effect occurring during the procedure and the follow-up. New studies using larger volume and repeated injections of STS will be needed to definitely conclude on the interest of this molecule in the treatment of calcific tendinopathies. Disclosure of Interest None declared


The food ladders approach is a novel, evidence-based approach for creating and household and community resilience by capitalising on the capacity of food to bring people together. Food Ladders is not like existing household food insecurity approaches that focus on the lack of good food within households and then feeds that gap. Instead, Food Ladders activates food and its related practices progressively to reduce local vulnerability to food insecurity and its knock-on effects.At the core of Food Ladders is a conceptual framework of practices that can be used to evaluate, assess, and implement activities that enhance resilience. The framework is based on three levels. Level 1 focuses on activities that result in coping resilience. These activities act as a safety net and catch people when they are in crisis. Level 2 fosters adapting resilience and is produced by practices that are asset recognising and asset building. Level 3 enables transformation resilience, which reduces the vulnerabilities to existing mechanisms that cause shock. These activities are typically self-organised, build on existing assets, may have reach beyond the community itself. These are capacity mobilising activities. Evaluation should occur within the scale of the locality, rather than the organisational or household scale. One important dimension of this evaluation is in not just determining the levels that might be present within the locality, but also considering the degree to which they are connected to each other and enable a pathway for people. Food Ladders was developed through a series of research projects funded by the ESRC, MRC, and the N8 AgriFood Programme. This interdisciplinary work is a collaboration between Dr. Blake and a wide range of partners, including local authorities, food industry actors, national charities and community organisations across the UK.


Strong over-expression of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 receptors (GLP-1-R) in human
pancreatic β cells and in insulinoma provide an attractive target for imaging. This is
relevant since the preoperative localisation of insulinomas remains a challenge whilst
serial measurements of functional β cell mass (BCM) may improve monitoring of novel
diabetes therapies such as islet cell replacement. The aim of the thesis was to develop
and evaluate GLP-1-R imaging probes and translate these into clinical applications,
including insulinoma and β cell imaging.
After extensive preclinical evaluation (internalization, externalization, biodistribution,
pharmacokinetic, imaging and detailed dosimetry studies) of different GLP-1-R
imaging tracers, the most promising probe, [Lys40(Ahx-DOTA-111In)NH2]-exendin-4,
was selected for a first in man study. This novel probe was then prospectively
evaluated in the management setting of benign and malignant insulinoma.
An additional proof of concept study was performed in a patient after intramuscular
transplantation of islet cells.
The GLP-1-R planar imaging study showed focally raised tracer uptake in functional β
cells transplanted into the brachioradialis muscle of a 48 years old woman. In patients
with benign insulinomas GLP-1-R imaging was superior to conventional imaging (CT,
MRI, somatostatin receptor imaging and endoscopic ultrasound) and detected the
insulinoma in all 6 patients pre- and intra-operatively. This is in contrast to patients with
malignant insulinoma where conventional imaging (CT and somatostatin receptor
imaging) was superior to GLP-1-R imaging, which detected the primary tumour and
metastases in only 4/11 patients.
In conclusion, these data, based on the development and evaluation of a novel probe,
strongly suggest that GLP-1-R imaging offers a new approach to localise benign
insulinomas. With further refinements of the labelling agent and the imaging methodology, it is
expected that GLP-1-R imaging may have the potential for non-invasive imaging of
pancreatic islets and the early diagnosis of β cell graft rejection.
This thesis has led to six original publications and one review article. These are listed
at the end of each chapter. For a full list please see appendix.


Each year the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the USDA releases estimated average farm real estate values by state. The estimates are based on surveys of farmers from selected geographical areas. The surveys follow strict statistical guidelines. Estimated values maybe revised the following year based on additional information. Revisions may also be made based on data from the 5-year Census of Agriculture. The methodology and timing of the study has changed over time but the statistical information provides some insight as to the changes in farm real estate values from year to year.


The introduction of a mannose residue on carbon 3 of lithocholic acid gives rise to an asymmetric and rigid bolaamphiphilic molecule, which self-assembles in water to form elongated tubular aggregates with an outer diameter of about 20 nm. These tubular structures display a temporal evolution, where the average tube diameter decreases with time, which can be followed by time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering experiments. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy images collected as a function of time show that at short times after preparation tubular scrolls are formed via the rolling of layers, after which a complex transformation of the scrolls into single-walled tubules takes place. At long time scales, a further evolution occurs where the tubules both elongate and become narrower. The observed self-assembly confirms the tendency of bile acids and their derivatives to form supramolecular aggregates with an ordered packing of the constituent molecules. It also demonstrates that scrolls can be formed as intermediate structures in the self-assembly process of monodisperse single-walled tubules.


We present high angular resolution (0.″6) observations made with the Very Large Array of the radio continuum at 8.3 and 43 GHz, as well as H92α and H53α radio recombination lines from the nearby (~3 Mpc) starburst galaxy M82. In the continuum we identify 58 sources at 8.3 GHz, of which 19 have no counterparts in catalogs published at other frequencies. At 43 GHz we identify 18 sources, unresolved at 0.″6 resolution, of which five were unknown previously. The spatial distribution of the H92α line is inhomogeneous; we identify 27 features; about half of them are associated with continuum emission sources. Their sizes are typically in the range 2-10 pc. Although observed with poorer signal-to-noise ratio, the H53α line is detected. The line and continuum emission are modeled using a collection of H II regions at different distances from the nucleus. The observations can be interpreted assuming a single-density component, but equally well with two components if constraints originating from previous high-resolution continuum observations are used. The high-density component has a density of ~4 × 104 cm-3. However, the bulk of the ionization is in regions with densities that are typically a factor of 10 lower. The gas kinematics, using the H92α line, confirms the presence of steep velocity gradient (26 km s-1 arcsec-1) in the nuclear region, as previously reported, in particular from observations of the [Ne II] line at 12 μm. This gradient has about the same amplitude on both sides of the nucleus. Since this steep gradient is observed not only on the major axis but also at large distances along a band at P.A. ~ 150°, the interpretation in terms of x2 orbits elongated along the minor axis of the bar, which would be observed at an angle close to the inclination of the main disk, seems inadequate. The observed kinematics cannot be modeled using a simple model that consists of a set of circular orbits observed at different tilt angles. Ad hoc radial motions must be introduced to reproduce the pattern of the velocity field. Different families of orbits are indicated since we detect a signature in the kinematics at the transition between the two plateaus observed in the NIR light distribution. These H92α data also reveal the base of the outflow where the injection toward the halo on the northern side occurs. The outflow has a major effect on the observed kinematics, present even in the disk at distances close to the nucleus. The kinematic pattern suggests a connection between the gas flowing in the plane of M82 toward the center; this behavior most likely is due to the presence of a bar and the outflow out of the plane.


Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are involved in various bioprocess such as protein metabolism, gene expression, insulin resistance and proliferation of hepatocytes. BCAAs have also been reported to suppress the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro and to be required for immune cells to perform the function. In advanced cirrhotic patients, it has been clarified that serum concentrations of BCAA are decreased, whereas those of aromatic amino acids (AAAs) are increased. These alterations are thought to be the causes of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), sarcopenia and hepatocarcinogenesis and may be associated with the poor prognosis of patients with these conditions. Administration of BCAA-rich medicines has shown positive results in patients with cirrhosis.


Wage and hour cases are common in New York, yet courts calculate damages inconsistently when plaintiffs pursue their unpaid wages under both federal and state law. Overlapping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the New York Labor Law both authorize private actions for the recovery of certain unpaid wages, and each also provides an additional 100 percent of the unpaid wages as liquidated damages unless the employer establishes a good-faith defense. Given these similarities, New York wage and hour cases regularly flirt with the double recovery doctrine, which prevents plaintiffs from receiving duplicative awards.Historically, courts in the Second Circuit have been split over whether awarding both sets of liquidated damages offends double recovery. An old New York statute authorized only 25 percent of the unpaid wages as liquidated damages and allowed them only if an employee could demonstrate that the employer's violation was willful. Based upon the old law's scienter requirement and upon its legislative history, courts considered the state provision punitive in purpose, as opposed to the federal provision, which is compensatory. Consequently, some courts reasoned that because each provision served a different purpose, the awards were not duplicative. Others disagreed.Although the New York Labor Law's current liquidated damages provision bears little resemblance to its predecessor, some courts continue to apply analyses of the old statute to the new one. This Note analyzes the effects that amendments enacted in 2009 and 2010 should have upon the preexisting split and contends that neither the current statutory text nor its legislative history conclusively supports characterizing the state provision exclusively as either compensatory or punitive. Instead, the evidence suggests a dual purpose. Since the awards overlap, courts can only avoid double recovery by awarding one set of liquidated damages.


On November 26, 2020, Andrew Dalip presented at the 2020 CASIS West Coast Security Conference, where he spoke about intelligence and corruption. This presentation was followed by a group panel for questions and answers, whereby conference attendees were provided with an opportunity to engage in discussion with Mr. Dalip and other panel presenters for that day. Primary discussion topics included operational concerns for security in Trinidad and Tobago, corruption related to lack of due diligence and reporting, and the limitations for COVID-19 preparation that resulted from corruption in Trinidad and Tobago.


The nucleon resonances are investigated within a dynamical coupled-channels model of pi N and gamma N reactions up to the invariant mass W = 2 GeV. The meson-baryon (MB) channels included in the calculations are MB = pi N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma, and pi pi N that has pi Delta, rho N, and sigma N resonant components. The meson-baryon amplitudes T_{M'B',MB}(W) are calculated from solving a set of coupled-channels integral equations defined by an interaction Hamiltonian consisting of (a) meson-exchange interactions v_{M'B',MB} derived from phenomenological Lagrangian, and (b) vertex interactions N* --> MB for describing the transition of a bare excited nucleon state N* to a channel MB. The parameters of v_{M'B',MB} are mainly constrained by the fit to the data of pi N --> pi N in the low energy region up to W =1.4 GeV. The bare masses of N* and the N* --> MB parameters are then determined in simultaneous fits to the data of pi N --> pi N up to W =2.3 GeV and those of pi N --> eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma and gamma N --> pi N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma up to W = 2.1 GeV. The pole positions and residues of nucleon resonances are extracted by analytically continuing the meson-baryon amplitudes T_{M'B',MB}(W) to the complex Riemann energy surface. From the extracted residues, we have determined the N* --> pi N, gamma N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma transition amplitudes at resonance poles. We compare the resonance pole positions from our analysis with those given by Particle Data Group and the recent coupled-channels analyses by the Juelich and Bonn-Gatchina groups. Four results agree well only for the first N* in each spin-parity-isospin (J^P,I) channel. For higher mass states, the number of states and their resonance positions from four results do not agree well. We discuss the possible sources of the discrepancies and the need of additional data from new hadron facilities such as J-PARC.


ABSTRACT This study aims to estimate attenuation characteristics of the central Himalayan region of India concerning various strong-motion parameters such as Kappa value (κ) and site effects. We have tried to elaborate on the regional structural heterogeneities and their implications towards the seismic hazard assessment of the study region. A total of 81 earthquakes recorded at 50 stations situated in the central Himalayan region of India are used for the purpose. The particular focus is kept on Kappa value, which shows variability from 0.03 s to 0.095 s, inferring the higher values obtained in plains with deep sediment accumulations proving high-frequency energy dissipation and stiff-soil/rocky sites exhibit comparatively limited attenuation accordingly. To substantiate these results various attenuation parameters such as coda wave quality factor (Qc), intrinsic attenuation parameter (Qi), and scattering attenuation parameter (Qs), have been estimated for two regions in the central seismic gap Himalayan region of India employing the single backscattering model and Wennerberg formulation. The estimated values of Qc, Qi, and Qs are found to be highly dependent on frequency in the frequency range 1.5–24 Hz for both the regions. The average frequency-dependent relationships ( ) estimated for both regions are and , respectively. The low value of Q0 shows that the region is highly heterogeneous while the higher value of η indicates higher seismicity in the area. It is also found that intrinsic attenuation is predominant over the scattering attenuation, envisaging the behavior of the wave attenuation through the absorption within the granitic layer at shallow depths. At lower frequencies, Qc values are found close to Qs values, which is in agreement with the theoretical measurements suggesting the presence of complex crustal heterogeneities beneath the region affecting the propagation of seismic waves experiencing considerable decay of energy through scattering. To confirm the aggregate attenuation on the stations, the site characteristics are also determined for examining the behavior of the amplification as the ground motion is comprised of the combined effect of the source, path, and site. The sites are amplified at a predominant frequency ( fpeak ) in between 1.5 to 10 Hz for the central Himalayan region. The different attenuation and amplification parameters like kappa, Q, and site effects can be utilized for detailed seismic hazard analysis (based on ground motion prediction equations) of the area as this region is of great importance from a socio-economic point of view.


Well-designed mathematics instruction focused on concepts and problem-solving skills associated with measurement and data analysis can build a foundational understanding for more advanced mathematics. This study investigated the efficacy of the Precision Mathematics Level 1 (PM-L1) intervention, a Tier 2 print- and technology-based mathematics intervention designed to increase first-grade students' conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills around the areas of measurement and data analysis. Employing a randomized controlled trial, 96 first-grade students at risk for mathematics difficulties were randomly assigned within classrooms to either a treatment (PM-L1) or a control (business-as-usual) condition. A statistically significant positive effect was found on one of five outcome measures, with the other four showing positive but nonsignificant results. Results also suggested preliminary evidence of differential response based on students' number sense and early literacy risk status. Implications for using mathematics interventions focused on measurement and data analysis to build comprehensive, multitiered service delivery models in mathematics are discussed.


The Constitutional Court of Indonesia plays significant role in securing democracy in Indonesia. In exercising their authorities, including the election result dispute and judicial review, the Court continues to affirm institutional judicial legitimacy and pursue their role to guard 1945 Constitution. The first Chief Justice Jimly Asshiddiqie showed how within five years of the Court's establishment, he could strategically maximize its momentum and build the Court as a respectful institution. The Chief Justice Mahfud M D was then elected to reduce the judicial activism started by Jimly's bench. However, against promises and expectations, Mahfud M D brought the Court to a level far beyond the imagination of the Constitution drafters. Parliament and President tried to limit the Court's authority, not ones, and the Court was able to overcome those constrain. Current various available studies observed only how the Court issued their decisions and solely focus to the impact of the decisions. Scholars slightly ignore other constitutional actors in studying about the Court. In fact, political environment where the Court operated is one of the most important aspects which strengthen the Court's institutional legitimacy. This paper attempts to discover the rise of the Court from political environment view outside the court. Political parties' maturity and political constraint are the key factors that support the development of the Court's institutional power.


While job search theory predicts that active labour market policies (ALMPs) can affect post-unemployment outcomes, empirical evaluations investigating transition rates have mostly focused on the impact of ALMPs on exit rates from the current unemployment spell. We use a social experiment, which was conducted in Denmark in 2005-6, to investigate the effects of a dramatic intensification of ALMPs on reemployment stability. We investigate the nature of this impact. We estimate a duration model with lagged duration dependence to separately identify "indirect" (via shorter unemployment duration) and "direct" (through a more efficient matching process) effects of ALMPs on subsequent employment duration. We find that overall intensive activation significantly reduces unemployment recurrence for men, but not for women. When we control for dynamic selection into employment and lagged duration dependence, the positive impact of the treatment becomes smaller but remains significant. 80% of the global impact of intensification acts through the direct channel for men.


Roughly 50,000 people are
injured in bicycle collisions with motor
vehicles each year. The Hank Bicycle
Simulator provides a virtual environment
to study and reduce this risk by safely
investigating the interaction of bicycle
riders and traffic, particularly for
bicyclists crossing streets. The bicycle
simulator design focuses on the bicycle and
rider inertia, the predominant dynamic
element for riders moving from a stopped
position. The Hank Bicycle Simulator's
flywheel provides instantaneous inertial
response while a servomotor provides
simulated wind resistance to pedaling.
This work describes the simulator design
and a validation experiment that compares
the simulator performance to theoretical
predictions. The Hank Bicycle Simulator
achieved initial acceleration with less than
0.20% error at realistic rider weights. The
observed terminal velocity achieved less
than 3.75%, with smaller errors for
heavier riders. This allowed the rider to
cross a street with about a 60 ms time
difference between the simulator and a
real-life rider. The Hank Bicycle
Simulator was also validated through
various physical experiments measuring
the system inertia, the time delay of the
electrical components, and overall system
performance. Such careful system
validation for a mechanical feedback
system is relatively rare in simulation
research and is unique among previous
reports of bicycle simulators.


Abstract The Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) are non-selective cation channels predominantly localized on capsaicin-sensitive sensory neurons; however both receptors have been described in non-neuronal tissues. It has been published that both receptors upregulated in peritoneal endometriosis in humans. Our research group demonstrated that TRPA1 and TRPV1 expression is elevated in human deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) lesions and the receptors have an estrogen-dependent expression pattern in rat endometrium. Here, we investigated the expression changes of TRPA1/V1 and the role of the capsaicin-sensitive sensory-nerve endings in a rat model of peritoneal endometriosis. Peritoneal endometriosis was surgically induced in 8-week-old female rats (n=7-7) for 2-weeks (acute condition) and 8-weeks (chronic condition). TRPA1/V1 mRNAs were quantified with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The expression levels were compared with the results obtained earlier from human DIE samples. The blockade of the TRPA1/V1 expressing capsaicin-sensitive nerve endings was induced with resiniferatoxin (RTX), followed by the measurement of the weight and size of the endometriosis lesions. We detected TRPV1 and TRPA1 mRNA in normal rat endometrium, their expression was not altered in sham-operated animals. In chronic, but not in acute endometriosis the expression was significantly elevated in the lesions, which results are consistent with our previous findings in human DIE. The elimination of capsaicin-sensitive nerve endings decreased the weight of the endometriosis lesions while the size of the ectopic tissue was not altered. Taken together, our results obtained from the rat endometriosis model are consistent with the previous human results, therefore this model is considered to have translational significance and it is suitable for functional analysis of the ion channels. The local, non-neuronal TRPA1 and TRPV1 might play a role in inflammation and sensory neuronal activation in endometriosis related pain, which is mediated by a broad range of pro-inflammatory molecules.


The plutons of Cairnsmoor of Fleet (392±2 Ma) and Criffel-Dalbeattie (397±2 Ma, both mineral isochron ages) comprise two of four major post-tectonic granitic complexes emplaced into the Southern Uplands, an Ordovician–Silurian back-arc and foreland basin complex formed at the northern margin of the Iapetus Suture. To expand the palaeomagnetic record of the Southern Uplands we have studied palaeomagnetism and magnetic fabrics in traverses spanning contacts of these intrusions with host mudrocks. A uniform anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) fabric across the Cairnsmoor of Fleet contact has been enhanced by recrystallization into hornfels near the contact and records a late Acadian regional stress operative during, or soon after, emplacement of the pluton in Middle Devonian times. Magnetization during slow cooling recorded a dual polarity ('A') remanence in granite and hornfels with mean direction D/I = 92/−2° (α95 = 6.5°) yielding a palaeopole (Q = 6) at 2°N, 265°E linked to cooling at c. 392 Ma. Subsidiary magnetizations are overprints imparted during Variscan tectonism ('B', D/I = 194/6°) and Jurassic rifting within the adjoining Irish Sea Basin ('C', c. 160–140 Ma, D/I = 172/−52°). The Criffel-Dalbeattie pluton has more complex AMS fabrics recording both deformation and emplacement effects. Hematite of secondary hydrothermal origin is a significant feature of the rock magnetic record in the aureole, which is otherwise dominated by paramagnetism. The granodiorite is more strongly magnetized than the country rocks, accounting for a positive aeromagnetic anomaly. A fairly dispersed dual polarity remanence (mean D/I = 115/55°, α95 = 18°) in granodiorite and late tectonic porphyrite dykes is probably the oldest magnetization preserved in this pluton because it correlates with an excursion of Britain into southerly palaeolatitudes at c. 410 Ma and indicates an Early Devonian emplacement age. The palaeofield at c. 397 Ma, the currently accepted isotopic age, is recorded by a minority overprinted remanence (mean D/I = 272/2°, α95 = 12°) similar to the record in the Cairnsmoor of Fleet pluton and granites from the adjoining Lake District terrane. Granite complexes of the Southern Uplands Block collectively record regional rotation and excursion of Britain into southerly latitudes between c. 410 and 390 Ma. Comparable Silurian–Devonian palaeomagnetic poles identify common apparent polar wander (APW) in paratectonic and orthotectonic terranes from the Variscan Front in the south to the Laurentian foreland in the north following climactic Acadian deformation. APW between 430 and 390 Ma embracing the (post-closure) history of the Caledonian orogen is a loop executed at rates much higher than typical rates of plate motion and appears to record a component of true polar wander. The ∼110° arc length is identical to polar shift identified between mid-Silurian and Lower–Middle Devonian poles from Gondwana. The two paths superimpose to show that the western margin of Gondwana was in proximity to the SE margin of Laurentia during Acadian deformation in Early–Middle Devonian times and remote from the Caledonides; the residual Rheic Ocean subsequently closed by a combination of pivotal and left lateral strike-slip motions.


A ligand may not be necessary for the nuclear receptor PPARγ to promote adipogenesis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is necessary for adipogenesis--ectopic expression drives preadipocytes to differentiate into adipocytes, and cells lacking PPARγ fail to form adipocytes. Although several endogenous molecules, as well as synthetic molecules, can bind to and increase the activity of PPARγ, which is a member of the nuclear receptor family, a biologically relevant endogenous ligand has not been conclusively identified. Walkey and Spiegelman compared the agonist-binding properties and adipogenic activities of wild-type PPARγ and two mutants---Q286P and E499Q, both of which disrupt agonist binding. E499Q also disrupts the AF-2 domain, which serves as a docking site for coactivators in nuclear receptors. Wild-type PPARγ and Q286P exhibited basal transcriptional activity when transfected into HEK293 cells along with a reporter gene; E499Q had very little basal activity. Only transcriptional activity of the wild-type PPARγ was stimulated by the addition of various agonists. Despite the lack of stimulation by agonists, introduction of Q286P into PPARγ-null fibroblasts restored their ability to differentiate into adipocytes based on morphological characteristics and the induction of the expression of genes associated with the adipocyte phenotype. In contrast, the E499Q mutant failed to restore adipogenesis to the PPARγ-null cells. Fat pads formed when cells expressing either the wild-type PPARγ or Q286P were injected into the skin of nude mice. These data suggest that a ligand may not be necessary for PPARγ to promote adipogenesis. C. J. Walkey, B. M. Spiegelman, A functional peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ ligand-binding domain is not required for adipogenesis. J. Biol. Chem. 283, 24290-24294 (2008). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Integrating sphere theory is developed for restricted field of view (FOV) detectors using a simple series solution technique. The sphere throughput, sample reflectance, and sphere wall reflectance are calculated. The effects of the sample's scattering characteristics on sphere measurements are determined. It is shown that although the generalized equations incorporating detector FOV dependence reduce to the hemispherical FOV equations in some cases, in general integrating sphere behavior is altered through restriction of the detector FOV.


SUMMARY To determine the tendency and phenology of reproductive swarming and migration of the honey bee populations of Ethiopia, 240 beekeepers from 57 localities representing different ecological areas of the country were interviewed based on a pre-structured questionnaire. Extent of reproductive swarming and migration, number of swarms per colony, occupation rate of bait hives and periods of swarming and migration were assessed for about 3000 honey bee colonies. Significantly high reproductive swarming proportions were noted for Apis mellifera jemenitica and A. m. scutellata, and low proportions for A. m. bandasii, A. m. woyi-gambella and A. m. montícola. Temporal distribution of swarming varies both within and between subspecies and is related to physiographic and climatic factors of the areas. The proportions of migrated colonies differed significantly among the five subspecies and resource depletion was the most persistent factor associated with migration.


To achieve its aim to be a developed nation in 2020, Malaysia has envisaged biotechnology as an important field to be focused as a new engine for economic growth. This is evidenced through the introduction of National Biotechnology Policy 2005 where a special focus will be given to the development of agriculture, and industry. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is one of the products. Much ado has been said to the development of GMOs and most of consumers are very concern on the safety and the halalness of the products. This paper is an attempt to highlight the development of GMOs and some issues that relate to the safety and the halalness of the products in Malaysia. To achieve this objective data was collected from both conventional and Islamic sources. This includes policy papers, rules and regulations that relate to the governance of GMOs in Malaysia, and Shariah materials which include classical literatures as well as current fatwas on the issue. The paper concludes that although some mechanisms have been introduced to govern GMOs in Malaysia there is still lacking on the part of the Shariah standards that can be used as a reference in order to govern the practice of GMOs. It is suggested therefore that Shariah standards be developed so as to be incorporated in the existing mechanisms in order to sure that the products are not only safe but also halal to consumers.


Despite the growing availability of big data in many fields, historical data on socioevironmental phenomena are often not available due to a lack of automated and scalable approaches for collecting, digitizing, and assembling them. We have developed a data-mining method for extracting tabulated, geocoded data from printed directories. While scanning and optical character recognition (OCR) can digitize printed text, these methods alone do not capture the structure of the underlying data. Our pipeline integrates both page layout analysis and OCR to extract tabular, geocoded data from structured text. We demonstrate the utility of this method by applying it to scanned manufacturing registries from Rhode Island that record 41 years of industrial land use. The resulting spatio-temporal data can be used for socioenvironmental analyses of industrialization at a resolution that was not previously possible. In particular, we find strong evidence for the dispersion of manufacturing from the urban core of Providence, the state's capital, along the Interstate 95 corridor to the north and south.


In a study of rat adrenal chromaffin cells, which have dense-core secretory granules, Chen et al. reported that release of Gβγ in response to activation of Gi/o-coupled receptors inhibited secretion by reducing quantal size. The reduction in quantal size was measured by amperometry in response to application of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), opioids, or somatostatin. Although each agonist partially inhibited calcium signaling, each also inhibited secretion induced by caffeine, which bypasses plasma membrane calcium channels to promote release of calcium directly from intracellular stores. Thus, application of ATP, for example, which can inhibit plasma membrane calcium channels, does not affect calcium transients induced by caffeine, yet still inhibits secretion. The agonists did not inhibit secretion stimulated by activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR), but pharmacological inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC), which is downstream of the Gq-coupled mAChR, restored ATP-, opioid,-, and somatostatin-mediated inhibition of secretion. ATP was confirmed to act through the Gi/o-coupled receptor P2Y. Somatostatin and the opioid agonist tested also act through a Gi/o-coupled receptor; however, the effects of these agonists appeared to be mediated through the βγ and not the α subunits. The mechanism by which βγ inhibited secretion appeared not to involve the known kinases downstream of βγ, because pharmacological inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), phospholipase β2, serine-threonine kinases, or tyrosine kinases did not affect caffeine-induced secretion. Sequestration of βγ with a membrane-permeable peptide blocked ATP-induced inhibition of caffeine-induced secretion, and whole-cell dialysis of Gβ1γ2 into the cells inhibited depolarization-induced secretion. The authors propose that Gβγ limits the open time of the fusion pore, but the exact target of βγ for this effect remains to be determined. X.-K. Chen, L.-C. Wang, Y. Zhou, Q. Cai, M. Prakriya, L.-K. Duan, Z.-H. Sheng, C. Lingle, Z. Zhou, Activation of GPCRs modulates quantal size in chromaffin cells through Gβγ and PKC. Nat. Neurosci. 8, 1160-1168 (2005). [PubMed]


We present a new approach to example-guided program synthesis based on counterexample-guided abstraction refinement. Our method uses the abstract semantics of the underlying DSL to find a program P whose abstract behavior satisfies the examples. However, since program P may be spurious with respect to the concrete semantics, our approach iteratively refines the abstraction until we either find a program that satisfies the examples or prove that no such DSL program exists. Because many programs have the same input-output behavior in terms of their abstract semantics, this synthesis methodology significantly reduces the search space compared to existing techniques that use purely concrete semantics. While synthesis using abstraction refinement (SYNGAR) could be implemented in different settings, we propose a refinement-based synthesis algorithm that uses abstract finite tree automata (AFTA). Our technique uses a coarse initial program abstraction to construct an initial AFTA, which is iteratively refined by constructing a proof of incorrectness of any spurious program. In addition to ruling out the spurious program accepted by the previous AFTA, proofs of incorrectness are also useful for ruling out many other spurious programs. We implement these ideas in a framework called Blaze, which can be instantiated in different domains by providing a suitable DSL and its corresponding concrete and abstract semantics. We have used the Blaze framework to build synthesizers for string and matrix transformations, and we compare Blaze with existing techniques. Our results for the string domain show that Blaze compares favorably with FlashFill, a domain-specific synthesizer that is now deployed in Microsoft PowerShell. In the context of matrix manipulations, we compare Blaze against Prose, a state-of-the-art general-purpose VSA-based synthesizer, and show that Blaze results in a 90x speed-up over Prose. In both application domains, Blaze also consistently improves upon the performance of two other existing techniques by at least an order of magnitude.


Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) was the principal English actor of his times, and the first ever actor to receive a knighthood. His interpretation of Shakesperean roles, in particular Hamlet, brought him to public attention as a tragedian of real power and originality. His later association with the actress Ellen Terry further established his great reputation. The Drama Addresses includes four lectures delivered to university audiences between 1881 and 1891. They are entitled: The Stage As It Is; The Art of Acting (1), Four Great Actors; and The Art of Acting (2). In each address the author reveals his depth of understanding of his profession and his acute perception of hte skills of his fellow professionals. First published in 1893, the work is of great historical value, particularly for those studying the history of English theatre.


Title of Document: THE IMPACT OF THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA DISPLAY QUALITY ON FIRE FIGHTER TASK PERFORMANCE Justin Lawrence Rowe, Master of Science, 2008 Directed By: Associate Professor Dr. Frederick W. Mowrer, Department of Fire Protection Engineering Thermal imaging cameras (TIC) have become a vital fire fighting tool for the first responder community but there are currently no standardized quality control regulations. The purpose of the study was to understand the impact of TIC display image quality on a fire fighter's ability to perform a hazard recognition task. Test subjects were asked to identify a fire hazard by observing infrared images. The image matrix considered the interactions of several image characteristics including contrast, brightness, spatial resolution, and noise. The results were used to create a model function to predict the effect of image quality on user performance. This model was recommended to be incorporated in image quality test methods in development at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. These recommendations will also be provided to the National Fire Protection Association for use in an upcoming standard on fire fighting TIC. THE IMPACT OF THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA DISPLAY QUALITY ON FIRE FIGHTER TASK PERFORMANCE.


Medulloblastoma (MB) is a highly aggressive cancer that mostly affects children, through developmental impairment of the cerebellum. Several miR34a targets belong to the Notch pathway, a signaling pathway that is involved in cerebellum development and that is aberrantly activated during MB tumorigenesis. We show here that miR34a over-expression transiently down-regulates the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (DLL1) protein levels and also results in Notch1 activation and Notch2 signaling inhibition, an effect that we see in the MB Daoy and D283-MED cells. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR34a in MB cells results in impairment of proliferation rate and soft agar colony formation, while inducing apoptosis and differentiation processes. Noteworthy, the induction of apoptosis was inhibited by ectopic expression of DLL1, suggesting the involvement of DLL1 down-regulation in this process. We also provide evidences that the endogenous expression of miR34a can down-regulate DLL1 protein levels and contribute to the p53-induced apoptosis in Daoy cells, upon doxorubicin stimulation. Induction of miR34a correlates with DLL1 protein down-regulation also in neuroblastoma and breast cancer cells and expression of miR34b and miR34c can contribute to the DLL1 down-regulation. Finally, we report that miR34a, miR34b and miR34c, are down-regulated in human MB tumors. These results suggest that miR34a has an onco-suppressor function in MB and that it can thus be targeted for future therapeutic applications.


Toward A Grand Strategy Against Terrorism is a cohesive series of essays prepared by noted academics and counterterrorism practitioners within and associated with the counterterrorism program of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. These chapters address both the use of military force and the employment of non-military tools, the role of international cooperation, and the importance of the ideological contest. Collectively, they push toward a grand strategy against terrorism. This volume makes the prudence and research and experience of the Program on Terrorism and Security Studies available to all who want to help in countering terrorism: students; those at military graduate schools; private experts on security in the business world; members of police forces and defense departments; conflict resolution experts; and many other sorts of practitioners seeking a sober and highly international approach.


This easy readible and thoroughly scientifically-backed book by australian professor Felica Jacka, explains the recent science on how diet can affect the brain and mental health, with a specific focus on the risk to anxiety and depression. The scientific evidence is drawn from the results with larger cohorts and randomized controlled trials including amongst others: ALSPAC (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, United Kingdom); HELFIMED (Healthy Eating for Life with a Mediterranean Diet, Australia); HUSK (Hordaland Health Study, Norway); PREDIMED (Prevencíon con Dieta Mediterránea, Spain); SMILES (Supporting the Modification of Lifestyles in Lowered Emotional States, Australia). These and other studies show that wherever the geographical area, plant-based Mediterranean-like diets improve the health outcomes of children, adolescents, adults and ageing individuals affected by mental health illnesses, in cost-effective ways. Consecutive chapters illustrate recent understandings of the effects of diets on the immune system, their influence on brain plasticity (which also occurs in older humans), epigenetics, food sensitivities, inflammation, and centrally, the importance of food to the gut microbiota (including the consumption of fermented foods). These effects are explained simply and efficiently in relation to mental health, as well as briefly to psychotic illnesses, autism and ADHD. By doing so, it is possible for every physical-activity researcher or athlete interested in the combination of nutrition, lifestyles and good habits, to get up to date easily, or to make a first aquaintance with the fields of nutrition and brain health. The appendix contains a reference list that restricts itself to the most influential studies like systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Also included is the Modified Mediterranean Diet (ModiMED) food pyramid, and several ModiMEd recipies (used in the SMILES study), as well a weekly meal planner, that all could be of use to get started with an easy intervention study. Although it is intended for the general public, the book is recommended for scholars of any life sciences. With her to-the-point and easy language writing gift, professor Jacka manages to explain the complicated matters of brain health effortlessly. She does this convincingly, but not superficially, relevant and correct, without any simplification. To influence mental health through nutritious, whole foods will be an essential topic to come, also in the fields of sports. In that sense Brain Changer, can be exactly that.


An Exploration of Male Batterers' Perceptions of a Standardized Batterers' Treatment Program by Dionne L. Spooner MSW, Florida State University, 2006 BSW, Minot State University, 1997 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human Services Walden University August 2016 Abstract The focus of this hermeneutic phenomenological, qualitative study was to gather an indepth understanding of the lived experiences of male batterers participating in aThe focus of this hermeneutic phenomenological, qualitative study was to gather an indepth understanding of the lived experiences of male batterers participating in a standardized Duluth-model batterers' treatment group. The study had three main goals: (a) to understand the experience of male batterers participating in a standardized male batterers' treatment program, (b) to improve the treatment being provided to male batterers, and (c) to improve services to those impacted by domestic violence. Results from previous studies indicated that treatment for male batterers is ineffective and inconsistent and that the treatment provided, regardless of framework or modality, has little or no effect on recidivism. This study advances understanding of male-batterer treatment by exploring treatment from the perspective of those who receive it. The study included 9 men currently participating in a Duluth model batterer's treatment program in Minot, North Dakota. From the study results, 3 overall themes emerged: (a) overall group experience, (b) facilitators, and (c) Duluth model. Results indicated that the current delivery of the treatment is not effective for batterers. Findings suggested that the facilitators played an essential role in the treatment program. Findings further suggested that participants believed the Duluth model could be an effective treatment modality for batterers. Study findings may inform a more responsive and comprehensive treatment modality for male batterers. Such an intervention may improve service delivery for both batterers and victims as well as improve recidivism. These changes may result in positive social change for not only families caught in the cycle of violence but also for every sector of society. An Exploration of Male Batterers' Perceptions of a Standardized Batterers' Treatment Program by Dionne L. Spooner MSW, Florida State University, 2006 BSW, Minot State University, 1997 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Human Services


Cognitive impairment, including deficits in memory, attention, visual perception, executive functioning, and self-awareness, is a common consequence of acquired brain injury (ABI). Subsequently, these cognitive impairments result in functional impairments in daily life activities for clients with ABI. Rehabilitation efforts are categorized under two broad approaches: remediation and adaptation. Computer-assisted cognitive retraining (CACR) is a remediation approach using a computer platform to deliver cognitive exercises. CACR therapy can lead to improvements in memory and attention for adults with chronic ABI. However, memory and attention improvements from CACR may not carry over to functional improvements in occupational performance. Research suggested that therapy using an adaptive approach can yield functional improvements. The purpose of this project was to design a systematic cognitive retraining curriculum, Bridge/Adapt, to bridge the gap between memoryand attention-skill gains from CACR to functional improvements in occupational performance using adaptive strategies. The Bridge/Adapt curriculum incorporates the cognitive orientation of occupational performance (CO-OP) intervention approach, multicontext approach, and goaloriented attentional self-regulation training. The curriculum includes eight modules that provide grading options so that occupational therapists can choose which difficulty level best suits the client. Clients practice adaptive strategies during simulations of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), including financial management, appointment scheduling, and grocery shopping, utilizing the three themes in Bridge/Adapt: salience, context, and hierarchy. Clients use salience to choose meaningful goals to work on at home. Context refers to clients working on goals in varying environments. Lastly, clients work on tasks that increase in complexity with the hierarchical theme.


SUMMARY An attempt is made to simulate two general-circulation-model-produced February climatologies in the tropics (from the GISS and the LMD GCMs), using a linear steady-state multi-layer primitive equations model which is forced thermally. A hypothesis-testing strategy is used to quantify the simulations of the target climatologies taking into account the natural variability of the GCM fields. When the zonal-mean flow and the diabatic heating field are prescribed from the GCM, the linear model is found to be generally consistent with both GCMs at the 5% level of statistical significance. The linear model simulation of the GCM is most successful for the vertical velocity. The horizontal wind field is moderately well simulated at low and high levels, but poorly in the mid troposphere. More than 40% of the spatial variance at 850 and 950mb between 30"s and 15"N is explained in the LMD GCM climatology whereas the corresponding figure for the GISS climatology is 34% at 850mb, falling off toward the surface. The linear model's skill at simulating the LMD climatology near the ground is little diminished when the forcing is restricted to the trade-cumulus layer only. However, midtropospheric heating is found to be important for the zonal component of the flow at low levels, especially close to the equator. Sensitivity, especially at upper levels, was found to the inclusion of the zonal component of the mean wind in the linearization, but little to the mean meridional circulation. Sensitivity to the linear model dissipation is also discussed.


This paper serves to addresses the issue of environmental racism in relation to New York City, and more specifically comparing the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, often characterized as lowincome and high-minority populations with their white counterparts. New York, among other urban centers in the United States serves as an example of environmental racism because of the discrepancy in high air pollution levels in marginalized communities, the subsequent negative health effects (specifically asthma), and the lack of green spaces. The root of this issue is prominent in the history and construction of New York during the 1900s. The construction of public housing, discrimination in public spaces and the practice of redlining, overseen by Robert Moses, created a divided New York that is still evident today. Whether Moses was aware or not, the construction of New York would have consequences for the next years to come. The lack of access to the benefits the environment must offer has negative effects on these communities, including both health and mental consequences. The truth is, poor urban blacks have the worst health of any ethnic group in the United States, with the possible competition of Native Americans. Asthma rates are significantly higher among African American and Hispanic communities because of the disproportionate levels of air pollution. The New York State and local New York City governments are taking steps to helping incorporate green spaces and roof gardens in these afflicted and underserved communities. The proposal of incentivizing the construction of green infrastructure can be encouraged through tax breaks as the services these elements add to the city are innumerable.


The discussion between J. Allan Hobson and Michael Schredl covers a broad variety of topics that are still"hot" in dream research. The starting point is the continuity hypothesis of dreaming which is complemented by AllanHobson's theory of protoconsciousness. Whereas there is no disagreement that waking life is reflected in dreams, thediscussion evolves around discontinuity, i.e., how dream activities are explained that the dreamer never experienced inhis/her waking life, and possible functions of dreaming. These functions might include preparation for waking life or personalgrowth. The aim of this paper is to stimulate a discussion among the researchers in the field on these topics whichare of fundamental importance for neurophysiological and psychological dream research.


Music education should start from an early age. Theories of child development and learning emphasize the importance of manipulating physical objects. Music learning and teaching has traditionally been carried out mainly by visual and auditory activities. With this in mind, we combine music learning with tangible interfaces to stimulate senses toward music in children over six years old. We present a token+constraint tangible interface for children to learn musical skills such as musical notes, rhythm and the sound of different instruments. The work describes a low-cost tangible interface addressed to children that allows learning music in an intuitive, incremental and collaborative manner. The system recognizes in real-time preestablished patterns and associates them with musical notes and instruments to allow composing music. The system was designed to be usable and to benefit from the advantages that tangible interfaces can provide to children. Furthermore, it was implemented with low cost and easy to get tools and resources, such as wooden boards and a standard webcam. K


The use of tightly packed arrays of probes can achieve the much desirable goal of increasing the throughput of scanning probe devices. However the proximity of the probes induces coupling in their dynamics, which increases the complexity of the overall device. In this paper we analyze and model the behavior of a pair of electrostatically and mechanically coupled microcantilevers. For the common case of periodic driving voltage, we show that the underlying linearized dynamics are governed by a pair of coupled Mathieu equations. We provide experimental evidence that confirms the validity of the mathematical model proposed, which is verified by finite element simulations as well. The coefficients of electrostatic and mechanical coupling are estimated respectively by frequency identification methods and noise analysis. Finally, we discuss parametric resonance for coupled oscillators and include a mapping of the first order coupled parametric resonance region.


In this paper we examine the problem of searching for some information item in the nodes of a fully interconnected computer network, where each node contains information relevant to some topic as well as links to other network nodes that also contain information, not necessarily related to locally kept information. These links are used to facilitate the Internet users and mobile software agents that try to locate specific pieces of information. However, the links do not necessarily point to nodes containing information of interest to the user or relevant to the aims of the mobile agent. Thus an element of uncertainty is introduced. For example, when an Internet user or some search agent lands on a particular network node, they see a set of links that point to information that is, supposedly, relevant to the current search. Therefore, we can assume that a link points to relevant information with some unknown probability p that, in general, is related to the number of nodes in the network (intuitively, as the network grows, this probability tends to zero since adding more nodes to the network renders some extant links less accurate or obsolete). Consequently, since there is uncertainty as to whether the links contained in a node's Web page are correct or not, a search algorithm cannot rely on following the links systematically since it may end up spending too much time visiting nodes that contain irrelevant information. In this work, we will describe and analyze a search algorithm that is only allowed to transfer a fixed amount of memory along communication links as it visits the network nodes. The algorithm is, however, allowed to use one bit of memory at each node as an 'already visited' flag. In this way the algorithm has its memory distributed to the network nodes, avoiding overloading the network links as it moves from node to node searching for the information. We work on fully interconnected networks for simplicity reasons and, moreover, because according to some recent experimental evidence, such networks can be considered to be a good approximation of the current structure of the World Wide Web.


The purpose of this paper is to investigate the threshold effect of the U.S. generic fluid milk and cheese advertising programs. A threshold delineates the level of advertising intensity that has to be met to generate a specific level of sales effect. Given that promotional organizations face budget constraints, it is of particular interest to ascertain if there exists a minimum threshold that an advertising campaign has to overcome to yield a non-trivial sales effect. To the best of our knowledge, there is no study focusing on the threshold effects of generic advertising of agricultural products. The estimation results confirm that, for both fluid milk and cheese advertisings, there exist three thresholds which partition the quarterly observations between 1975 and 2004 into four possible regimes depending on the level of advertising intensity in each period. The generic fluid milk advertising goodwill coefficient is found to be relatively small for the regime with the lowest advertising intensity, building up to a higher level as the regime progresses, but eventually drops to lower levels as the intensity continues to grow, reflecting the eventual arrival of the diminishing returns of advertising. The pattern of initial build up, however, is not detected in the cheese equation in which the estimated goodwill parameter starts at a rather large magnitude in the first regime, but declines monotonically and drastically in the second and third regimes, only to become statistically not different from zero in the fourth regime. To evaluate the performance of the National Dairy Board (NDB) programs over time, the estimated demand equations are used to simulate the effect on sales of a change in the fluid milk and cheese advertising expenditure paths, focusing on the first ten years and the second ten years of the NDB's operation since 1984. While an increase in advertising expenditures has the effect of increasing sales (holding regime configuration constant), it is found that this scale effect of additional advertising may be outweighed by the negative effect of a downward shift in the goodwill coefficient arising from regime change. In other words, sales can be made lower as the result of increased advertising, a feature not supported by the conventional model of no threshold. Indeed, in the cheese case advertising elasticity is found to be negative when evaluated at some levels larger than the historical pattern. Compared to the result pertaining to the first ten years, the benefit-cost ratio of the fluid milk program suggests that the NDB has moved its fluid milk operation scale closer to optimal during the second ten years. The optimal fluid milk advertising expenditure level for the second ten years is found to be between 105 and 110 percent of the historical level. This paper will contribute to the discussion among researchers, program managers, and industry participants on the importance of entertaining the threshold effect of advertising when examining program effectiveness and the optimal allocation of program dollars. Researchers need to be aware of the potential pitfalls of their conventional econometric estimates (and, hence, the limitations of their policy suggestions) when the true model is of threshold type. Program managers have argued that advertising effectiveness may vary, depending on the intensity of their campaigns and have long sought this information in their spending allocation decisions. The insights provided in this paper will enhance our understanding of the threshold effect of advertising.


Interstellar, from acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, takes us on a fantastic voyage far beyond our solar system. Yet in The Science of Interstellar, Kip Thorne, the physicist who assisted Nolan on the scientific aspects of Interstellar, shows us that the movie's jaw-dropping events and stunning, never-before-attempted visuals are grounded in real science. Thorne shares his experiences working as the science adviser on the film and then moves on to the science itself. In chapters on wormholes, black holes, interstellar travel, and much more, Thorne's scientific insights-many of them triggered during the actual scripting and shooting of Interstellar-describe the physical laws that govern our universe and the truly astounding phenomena that those laws make possible. Interstellar and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (c) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s14).


Various attempts have been made to build a dextrous hand and to study the control and planning issues involved in dextrous manipulation. However, in many practical situations, the following problems make the real time control and planning of dextrous manipulation very difficult: (1) the discrepancy between the model and reality (for example, imprecise knowledge of inertia, friction, and the geometric dimensions), (2) the inadequacy of the control theory used in controlling a highly non-linear manipulator, (3) the numerous computations required in the dynamic and kinematic calculations, and (4) the lack of abstract level manipulation primitives.
This thesis investigates several issues in relation to dextrous manipulation and control. We designed and built a planar manipulator, the Four Finger Manipulator, for studying of the dextrous manipulation. We also developed a prototype software structure for multi-finger manipulators. Models for quasi-static control and real time calculation are presented which make the real time control possible. Heuristics are described for: (a) choosing the finger gripping forces of a force controlled adaptive frictional grasp, (b) estimating the trajectory in compliant motions, and (c) coordinating finger groups to perform tasks that require multiple finger groups. A set of manipulation primitives and algorithms have been developed on the Four Finger Manipulator. Successful performance is demonstrated for various tasks.


The purpose of this capstone was to raise awareness of the importance of implementing the Hmong culture into classrooms, especially due to many Hmong students' lack of academic performance in schools. Hmong students have suffered tremendously in school due to language barriers and culture shock. The research involved interviewing a sample of Fresno County teachers and students. Fresno has the largest population of Hmong people in California. The results suggest that creating a diverse and comfortable environment for Hmong students requires incorporating their culture into classrooms by using icebreakers or teaching a whole unit about the Hmong people. This will help make Hmong students feel more connected and comfortable with their peers and teachers and thus be more likely to continue coming to school to learn. A brochure was created with information about the Hmong people, the issues they are facing and what we can do as teachers, future teachers, or parents to help implement the culture into classrooms. The brochure contained information about lesson plans and icebreakers and how they are significant when it comes to creating a comfortable learning environment for Hmong students. 3 TIGER BITE Tiger Bite: Implementing the Hmong Culture into Classrooms