Abstract. This paper presents the findings from a study aimed at understanding whether video games (or serious games) can be effective in enhancing volcanic hazard education and communication. Using the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent, we have developed a video game – St. Vincent's Volcano – for use in existing volcano education and outreach sessions. Its twin aims are to improve residents' knowledge of potential future eruptive hazards (ash fall, pyroclastic flows and lahars) and to integrate traditional methods of education in a more interactive manner. Here, we discuss the process of game development including concept design through to the final implementation on St. Vincent. Preliminary results obtained from the final implementation (through pre- and post-test knowledge quizzes) for both student and adult participants provide indications that a video game of this style may be effective in improving a learner's knowledge. Both groups of participants demonstrated a post-test increase in their knowledge quiz score of 9.3 % for adults and 8.3 % for students and, when plotted as learning gains (Hake, 1998), show similar overall improvements (0.11 for adults and 0.09 for students). These preliminary findings may provide a sound foundation for the increased integration of emerging technologies within traditional education sessions. This paper also shares some of the challenges and lessons learnt throughout the development and testing processes and provides recommendations for researchers looking to pursue a similar study.


Objective Alternative cerebral fuels are reputed to provide neuroprotection during hypoglycaemia, particularly in breastfed babies. We measured concentrations of alternative cerebral fuels in hypoglycaemic babies in the first 48 h. Patient and methods Babies were ≥35 weeks, ≤48 h old and at risk of hypoglycaemia (infant of diabetic, preterm, small or large). Plasma glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate, lactate and insulin concentrations were measured in babies who had been hypoglycaemic (<2.6 mM) for >1 h. Results Samples were taken from 35 hypoglycaemic babies at 3.7; 1.8–39.6 (median; range) hours after birth. Concentrations of glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate were low (2.03; 0.19–3.39 mM and 0.06; 0.00–1.20 mM), but lactate concentrations varied widely (3.06; 0.02–7.96 mM). Infants of diabetics had lower β-hydroxybutyrate and higher insulin concentrations, but mode of feeding did not influence plasma concentrations of alternative cerebral fuels. Conclusions Hypoglycaemic babies within the first 48 h after birth are unlikely to receive neuroprotection from ketones. However, lactate may provide an alternative cerebral fuel for many. Lactate, rather than ketones, may provide alternative cerebral fuel in hypoglycaemic newborns. Trial registration number ACTRN12608000623392.


With the emergence of video as an affordable and accessible technology, its use as a research tool has become increasingly commonplace. As affirmed in the preface to Video in Qualitative Research, as well as by myriad other scholars (see Heritage, 1995; Liddicoat, 2011) this has been a promising development, allowing researchers to capture, review, share, and disseminate data in unprecedented ways. However, the potential advantages of employing video in research are accompanied by the uncertainty of the new: questions of ethics, practicalities, and implications. Video in Qualitative Research situates itself at this juncture. Taking into consideration ethical issues, data collection, data analysis, and communication of findings, Heath, Hindmarch, and Luff aim to provide practical guidance to researchers in the social sciences who wish to use video as a tool. While their book prioritizes the frameworks of ethnomethodology and conversation analysis, their informed recommendations are applicable to a wide range of methodologies within the social sciences.


Now there is interest in finding factors that, once in the ovum, can affect the development of offspring. The sbr ( Dm nxf1 ) gene in D. melanogaster belongs to the evolutionarily conserved family of nxf (nuclear export factor). It is involved in controlling of male fertility and forming the factor that affects the segregation of maternal and paternal chromosomes after fertilization. The Dm NXF1 (SBR) protein seems to play a role in forming this mysterious factor during the meiotic period of spermatogenesis. Male germ cells develop as a syncytium, and success of spermatid individualization depends, to a great degree, on gene expression in primary spermatocytes. Most transcripts formed in primary spermatocytes are long-lived. The presence of the Dm NXF1 protein in the nucleus as well as in the cytoplasm suggests that it plays a role in the biogenesis of long-lived RNA and in cytoskeletal reorganization.


Abstract : This research tests the feasibility, accuracy, and reliability of a predictive rendering and holistic comparison algorithm with use of an optical sensor to provide relative distance and position behind a lead or tanker aircraft. Using an accurate model of a tanker, an algorithm renders image(s) for comparison with actual collected images by a camera installed on the receiver aircraft. Based on this comparison, information used to create the rendered image(s) is used to provide the relative navigation solution required for autonomous air refueling. Given enough predicted images and processing time, this approach should reliably find an accurate solution. Building on previous work, this research aims to minimize the number of required rendered images to provide a real-time navigational solution with sufficient accuracy for an auto-pilot controller installed on future Unmanned Aircraft Systems.


It is well known that Raman scattering and fluorescence can be enhanced by the presence of metallic nanoparticles. Here, we derive simple equations to analyze the influence of metallic nanoparticles on upconversion processes such as nonradiative energy transfer or excited state absorption. We compare the resulting expressions with the more familiar Raman and fluorescence cases and find significant differences. We use numerical simulations to calculate the upconverted signal enhancement achievable by means of metallic spheres of different radii and find particles of 100–400 nm radius at infrared frequencies to be favorable. We also discuss the considerable challenges involved in using metallic particles to enhance upconversion for solar energy.


This paper presents a semi-analytical approach for electrical performance modeling of complex electronic packages with multiple power/ground planes and large number of vias. The method is based on the modal expansion technique and the method of moments. For the inner package domain with multiple power/ground planes and many vias, the modal expansion method is employed to compute the electromagnetic fields from which the multiport network parameters, e.g., the admittance matrix can be easily obtained. For the top/bottom domain of signal layers, the moment method is used to extract the equivalent resistance, inductance, capacitance, and conductance (RLCG) parameters. The equivalent circuit for the entire package is then generated by combining the results for both package domains. The equivalent circuit can be used in a SPICE-like simulator to study the signal and power integrity of an electronic package. Numerical examples demonstrate that the new approach is able to provide fast yet accurate signal and power integrity analysis of multilayered electronic packages.


Matthew Clayton claims that 'comprehensive enrolment' – raising one's children in accordance with one's own conception of the good – is illegitimate. In his argument against comprehensive enrolment, Clayton refers to Rawls's idea of public reason. In a recent response to Clayton, Christina Cameron not only rejects Clayton's conclusions, but also denies that the idea of public reason can be applied to the parent–child relationship. This article responds to both Clayton and Cameron: It is stated, first, that political arrangements concerning children's upbringing must be acceptable in the light of public reason. Second, it is claimed that comprehensive enrolment can nevertheless be considered as legitimate.


The construction market has, as a result of the crisis in Europe been uncertain in recent years. During the year 2013, the construction will be stabilized, in particular Finland. The geographical proximity between Sweden and Finland and similarities in cultures and climates makes Finland a coveted market for many Swedish companies.Differences in national regulations and guidelines, which are produced by the authorities in different countries, are examples of barriers that may hamper the process, including for Swedish villa suppliers, to establish themselves on the Finnish market. It may be useful when facing a new export drive, to look up what similarities and differences there are between the countries building codes, to prevent mistakes and unnecessary costs to the project work.


Rework in construction projects has brought in two major challenges: cost overruns and delay. In this regards a study was conducted by considering various construction projects in the South West part of Nigeria to understand the causes of rework and the interventions to mitigate it. Survey research methodologies followed by the conceptual system dynamics (SD) modelling were used in the analysis. This study identified the sources of rework in construction projects from the design related, the client related and the contractor related issues and attempted to derive policy/strategic interventions to limit or eliminate rework on construction projects and its delivery by using conceptual SD models based on the influence of the variables on rework. The findings include that inappropriate scheduling for time pressure or delay at the planning stage, lack of adherence to specifications, and non-availability of skilled human resource are the major causes of rework. However, rework in construction projects would be reduced or eliminated through policy interventions, such as, achieving client satisfaction with scheduling for time pressure or delay at the planning stage, adherence to specifications ensuring quality of work resulting in client satisfaction, and the availability of skilled manpower ensuring quality management.


Boron minerals exhibit an array of solubilities depending upon the cations in the lattice structure. A classification of semisoluble (colemanite and ulexite) and soluble salts (borax) may be appropriate as each group of minerals behaves differently in flotation. While borax has to be concentrated from its saturated brine, colemanite can be recovered by conventional flotation as other semisoluble salt-type minerals. A common problem encountered in both classes of boron minerals is the presence of significant amounts of clay minerals, which adversely affect flotation recoveries in the form of slime coatings. Flotation is typically accomplished by means of both anionic and cationic collectors. Pure boron and clay minerals and their mixtures have therefore been subjected to a series of microflotation, electrokinetic, adsorption, and atomic force microscopy studies with cationic and anionic collectors. The effect of mono- and multivalent ions in the absence and presence of clay is presented to elucidate their effect as activators in certain pH regions. Flotation chemistry studies on the interaction of boron minerals with anionic and cationic surfactants over the last 10 years together with new findings are reviewed to illustrate the role of electrostatic interactions even in saturated brine solutions.


Since "Agility" is ability to respond to unpredictable changes with quick response and profitability, it is not industry specific. This "not industry specific" nature of agility makes it hard to assess and measure it on a fixed scale. Measurement of agility of an enterprise has been a major topic of research since inception of agility in 1991. Though some methods have been developed to measure agility, they mainly remain tied to manufacturing industry. As agility is present in all the industries, comprehensive tool to measure it is a necessity in order to determine responsiveness of an enterprise to external turbulences. Comprehensive Agility Measurement Tool (CAMT) measures agility on the scale of 1-5; 1 being least agile and 5 being highly agile. This tool captures agility using 10 agility enablers and thus also points out areas lacking agility. Use of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) gives flexibility to this tool and also solves the problem of changing priorities of agility enablers from enterprise to enterprise. This paper describes methodology used to develop Comprehensive Agility Measurement Tool. CAMT considers most important factor responsible for agility – human resource management and uses training of employees, attrition rate and percent increase in yearly profit to measure human resource agility and visionary leadership.


The complex relationships within the water-energy-food security nexus tend to be place-specific, increasing the importance of identifying transferable principles to facilitate implementation of a nexus approach. This paper aims to contribute transferable principles by using global model data and concepts to illustrate and analyze the water history of Central Asia. This approach builds on extensive literature about Central Asia and global change as well as recent advances in global water modeling. Decadal water availability and sectorial water consumption time series are presented for the whole 20th century, along with monthly changes in discharge attributable to human influences. Concepts from resilience and socio-ecological system theory are used to interpret the results and identify five principles relevant to managing the transboundary nexus: (1) the subsystems included/excluded from the nexus are case-specific and should be consciously scrutinized; (2) consensus is needed on what boundaries can acceptably be crossed within the nexus; (3) there is a need to understand how reducing trade-offs will modify system dependencies; (4) global stakeholders have both a responsibility and right to contribute to the shaping of the nexus; (5) combining data with global and local perspectives can help to enhance transferability and understanding of shared problems in our globalized world.


Present work aims at identifying the conformational, spectroscopic profile and non-linear optical properties of Indole-3-carbinol compound by means of experimental and computational methods. To achieve this vivid and holistic view of the structural profile of Indole-3-carbinol compound, a complete conformational search using 3D potential energy scan has been obtained by varying selected dihedral angles. To ascertain the existence of two conformers of Indole-3-carbinol theoretical IR and Raman spectra have been calculated at different functionals and basis sets and compared with experimental Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectra. Precise normal coordinate analysis has been performed and detailed interpretations of the vibrational spectrum of the molecule have been made, based on the calculated potential energy distribution (PED). The molecular properties like Dipole moment, polarizability and first static hyperpolarizability have been computed. UV spectrum of the title compound has also been calculated and compared with the experimental spectra in different medium. A good agreement between theoretical and experimental values has been observed.


This up-to-date and comprehensive title covers the entire field of corporate finance, including the recent changes stemming from the Dodd-Frank Act. In addition to discussing accounting and valuation concepts, it provides extensive coverage of the legal and financial underpinnings of debt securities, preferred and common stock, and derivative instruments (options, forward contracts, futures contracts and swap contracts). It also provides sample valuation problems, answers, and explanations. Written in "plain-English", you will find the work particularly useful, with or without any business background.


Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a powerful technique widely used in computer vision area, which also demands much more computations and memory resources than traditional solutions. The emerging metal-oxide resistive random-access memory (RRAM) and RRAM crossbar have shown great potential on neuromorphic applications with high energy efficiency. However, the interfaces between analog RRAM crossbars and digital peripheral functions, namely Analog-to-Digital Converters (AD-Cs) and Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs), consume most of the area and energy of RRAM-based CNN design due to the large amount of intermediate data in CNN. In this paper, we propose an energy efficient structure for RRAM-based CNN. Based on the analysis of data distribution, a quantization method is proposed to transfer the intermediate data into 1 bit and eliminate DACs. An energy efficient structure using input data as selection signals is proposed to reduce the ADC cost for merging results of multiple crossbars. The experimental results show that the proposed method and structure can save 80% area and more than 95% energy while maintaining the same or comparable classification accuracy of CNN on MNIST.


The rise in digital technology has also rose the use of digital images. The digital imagesrequire much storage space. The compression techniques are used to compress the dataso that it takes up less storage space. In this regard wavelets play important role. Inthis thesis, we studied the Haar wavelet system, which is a complete orthonormal systemin L2(R): This system consists of the functions j the father wavelet, and y the motherwavelet. The Haar wavelet transformation is an example of multiresolution analysis. Ourpurpose is to use the Haar wavelet basis to compress an image data. The method ofaveraging and differencing is used to construct the Haar wavelet basis. We have shownthat averaging and differencing method is an application of Haar wavelet transform. Afterdiscussing the compression by using Haar wavelet transform we used another method tocompress that is based on singular value decomposition. We used mathematical softwareMATLAB to compress the image data by using Haar wavelet transformation, and singularvalue decomposition.


Mice lacking Rho-associated kinase have impaired sensitivity to the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin. The adipose-derived hormone leptin suppresses appetite by regulating distinct sets of neurons, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and AgRP/neuropeptide Y (NPY)–producing neurons, in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Defects in leptin or its receptor result in uncontrolled eating (hyperphagia) and obesity. Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) isoforms mediate insulin signaling in peripheral tissues. Huang et al. reported that ROCK1 was also involved in leptin signaling. Treatment of the rat hypothalamic GT1-7 cell line with leptin activated Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), which was blocked when ROCK1 was inhibited. In response to leptin, ROCK1 associated with and phosphorylated JAK2, which resulted in activation of JAK2 and its target, the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Compared with control mice, mice deficient in ROCK1, specifically in POMC neurons or in AgRP neurons, had increased body weights and adipose tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis of brain sections showed that leptin-induced STAT3 phosphorylation was inhibited in mice deficient in ROCK1 in POMC neurons. Administration of leptin to control mice reduced their food intake but had no effect on mice with POMC-specific deficiency in ROCK1. Electrophysiological studies showed that leptin induced neuronal activity in POMC neurons from control mice but not in those from mice with ROCK1-deficient POMC neurons. Loss of ROCK1 in POMC neurons had no effect on insulin-induced neuronal activity. Wild-type mice injected in the hypothalamus with adenovirus expressing ROCK1 showed decreased food intake and body weight compared with those of control mice. Together, these data suggest that ROCK1 mediates leptin signaling in the hypothalamus to inhibit food intake and suppress weight gain. H. Huang, D. Kong, K. H. Byun, C. Ye, S. Koda, D. H. Lee, B.-C. Oh, S. W. Lee, B. Lee, J. M. Zabolotny, M. S. Kim, C. Bjørbæk, B. B. Lowell, Y.-B. Kim, Rho-kinase regulates energy balance by targeting hypothalamic leptin receptor signaling. Nat. Neurosci. 15, 1391–1398 (2012). [PubMed]


Most programs are repetitive, where similar behavior can be seen at different execution times. Algorithms have been proposed that automatically group similar portions of a program's execution into phases, where samples of execution in the same phase have homogeneous behavior and similar resource requirements. In this paper, we present an automated profiling approach to identify code locations whose executions correlate with phase changes. These ''software phase markers" can be used to easily detect phase changes across different inputs to a program without hardware support. Our approach builds a combined hierarchical procedure call and loop graph to represent a program's execution, where each edge also tracks the max, average, and standard deviation in hierarchical execution variability on paths from that edge. We search this annotated call-loop graph for instructions in the binary that accurately identify the start of unique stable behaviors across different inputs. We show that our phase markers can be used to accurately partition execution into units of repeating homogeneous behavior by counting execution cycles and data cache hits. We also compare the use of our software markers to prior work on guiding data cache reconfiguration using data-reuse markers. Finally, we show that the phase markers can be used to partition the program's execution at code transitions to pick accurately simulation points for SimPoint. When simulation points are defined in terms of phase markers, they can potentially be re-used across inputs, compiler optimizations, and different instruction set architectures for the same source code.


Why aren't English teachers creative writers? Why is there little to no emphasis on creative writing in ELA classes? What are the implications of popular media portrayals of the writer on students' perception of writing? In my classroom practice, I encouraged a variety of writing styles that allowed students to grow as readers, but, more importantly, as writers. This paper attempts to understand how we can integrate creative writing with traditional academic writing, to imagine its possibilities, and to examine how we can do more of it.


There is strong published and unpublished evidence that our CD105 Mab E9, which is highly reactive with angiogenic endothelial cells, could be a useful reagent to target the vasculature of solid tumors in man. Since Mab E9 does not cross‐react with animal tissues, we undertook here to evaluate its localization using human kidney as an ex vivo model. Perfusion was performed through the renal artery of 99Tcm‐labeled purified CD105 Mab in freshly excised kidneys from 7 patients with renal carcinoma. In all 7 cases, immunoscintigraphs showed the presence of well‐defined radioactive hot spots, which matched the positions of the tumors as identified by presurgery MRI scans and subsequent histopathologic examination. Importantly, in one instance, where a presurgery MRI scan had identified only one tumor, immunoscintigraphs showed 2 distinct hot spots of radioactivity. The pathology report confirmed that the additional hot spot corresponded to a small secondary well‐vascularized tumor. The implication of this finding is that the radiolabeled Mab, E9, may be of use in the detection of metastatic disease. That the labeling of tumors was specific was confirmed when prior perfusion of unlabeled mab E9 in 2 kidneys completely blocked the localization of 99Tcm‐conjugated Mab E9. Radioactivity in samples of tumor and normal tissue taken from 7 kidneys was counted in a gamma counter. In all cases, there was a greater uptake of radioactivity in tumors compared with the corresponding normal kidneys. The median values, adjusted per gram wet weight, for 99Tcm were 14.8 times (range, 4.8–113.0) greater in kidney tumors than in normal kidney tissue (p < 0.007). Immunofluorescent staining of cryostat sections of tumor tissues in each of the 7 cases showed strong and uniform localization of Mab E9 in tumor microvessels. Interestingly, chimeric staining of endothelial cells (ECs) was seen in an occasional microvessel segment. That is, while most of the ECs lining a microvessel were strongly stained, an occasional EC was negative. This was not an artifact of staining. Unstained ECs may be nonangiogenic or apoptotic since CD105 is a proliferation/activation‐associated antigen. Further investigations are warranted to establish the pharmacokinetics of 99Tcm‐labeled CD105 antibody in vivo. This would enable us to determine whether an apparently highly successful ex vivo study has the potential for tumor imaging/therapeutic vascular targeting in patients with cancer. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Introduction . Learning difficulties (LD) is a recent construct. It has been agreed that the individual who suffers from learning difficulty has a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes, including attention, cognition, formation of concepts, memory, problem solving, understanding or reading, speaking or writing, or computing. Method .This study was designed to test the construct (convergent and discriminate) validity of this conception of LD with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Also, responses of normal students were compared to responses of students identified as having learning difficulty. The sample comprised 410 children from Muscat School Zone, who were rated by their teachers (30) teachers based on the newly questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed by six domains and each measures one component of difficulties. These components are difficulties in: perception, attention, memory, writing, arithmetic and reading. Results. Reliability analysis and factor analysis revealed that the measure possesses both reliability and factorial validity. Discussion and conclusion. The CFA confirmed the structure of the measure. ANOVA revealed significant differences between normal and LD children on most of the LD components, the providing further support to its construct validity.


In this study, a new colorimetric chemosensor based on ion imprinted polymer nanoparticles was designed for quantitative detection of uranyl ions at trace levels in environmental water samples. The removal and pre-concentration of uranyl ions using the synthesized imprinted polymer was performed under optimized conditions and the color of the sorbent changed from yellow to violet. UO22+-imprinted polymer nanoparticles were synthesized by a precipitation polymerization technique. The sorbent was characterized using solid state UV-vis analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental analysis (CHN) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR). The color change provides a simple, rapid and reliable method for the sensitive and selective visual detection of trace levels of uranyl ions without the need of sophisticated instruments. The color of the sorbent in the absence and presence of uranyl ions shifts from yellow to violet. The method detection limit of the synthesized chemo-sensor for uranyl ions was 0.0005 ppm. The method was successfully applied for trace detection of uranyl ions in distilled, tap, Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf water samples.


Abstract The heat loading on plasma facing components (PFCs) provides a critical limitation for design and operation of the first wall, divertor, and other special components. Power plants will have high power entering the scrape-off layer and transporting to the first wall and divertor. Although the engineering design for steady heat loads is understood, characterizing the steady heat load and the approach for transient and off-normal loading is not. The characterization of heat loads developed for ITER can be applied to power plants to better develop the operating space of viable solutions and point to research focus areas.


Knowledge plays a vital role in our life in that it reflects how we understand the world around us and thus determines how we act upon it. In this sense, knowledge is of particular importance for designers because they act to shape our world. Conventionally, knowledge creation has been assumed by (design) research. However developments of using practice within research have pointed to knowledge creation within and through practice. This has raised the question about the meaning, role and format of knowledge in both research and practice, and about the compatibility between both. In due course, the research presented in this article has set out to investigate the concept of knowledge with regard to this question. The article begins by considering some of the main problems with knowledge in research in design, and more generally in the creative and practice-led disciplines. It then examines the meaning of knowledge in relation to its philosophical foundations. On this basis, the discussion reconsiders the meaning, role and format of knowledge, and the impact of this for the conduct of research.


Hysteresis is the extent to which the strain in a material reflects the stress
to which it has been subjected; it also refers to the time lag exhibited by
the material in reacting to this stress. In this project the material is our
constructed place. Spatial hysteresis makes reference to theories in
spatial history, particularly perceptions of place and landscape in postcolonial
Australia.
The project examines the signs of strain as points of rupture in our urban
veneer, which offer poetic potential and an opportunity for an intimate
engagement within the prosaic urban realm. It also investigates the way
things within their framework fall apart, and it is the ongoing maintenance
of the framework that is as interesting as the emergence within the
fractures. The project considers our imprint on our place, and the varying
degrees to which the pressure of the print is sustained and maintained.
The project reveals glimpses of a yielding urban landscape under stress.
The research has been pursued through a series of notional clusters,
which serve to group the various investigations of the hysteresis in
question. These clusters house pertinent artists and writers whose work
inform and contextualise the project. The scope of artists is broad as their
work may resonate with the project through concept and/or material.
Artists such as Robert Smithson, Charles Simonds and Joan Grounds
have been important for their ability to poetically and intimately describe a
place within the perfunctory urban realm. Sophie Ristelhueber and Leni
Hoffman have been influential for their works which deal with wounds,
scars and cracks. Writers such as Susan Stewart, Gaston Bachelard,
Miwon Kwon and Paul Carter have offered the project a contextual
structure through concepts of intimacy and immensity, souvenir, poetic
space, locational aesthetics and how landscape is claimed and absorbed.
The thematic nature of the groups has acted as anchors and departure
points from which the bodies of work that make up the project have been
produced.
There are four main clusters that provide the conceptual basis for the four
groups of work. Briefly these clusters are:
• an invisible ongoing creepage of place;
• the construction and reconstruction of place;
• intervention and emergence;
• cracks and scars - the erasure and memory of place.
This research project incorporates a body of work that combines off-site
installations and interventions that respond directly with a place, and
studio-based gallery work, which brings the outside in and explores how
the discrete may evoke the monumental. Some of the work has grown
conceptually and materially from my previous practice, while other work
produced within the project has been significant for trying new mediums,
applications and ideas.
The work speaks of a yielding, groaning urban landscape. It acts as a
document of the performance of repair/maintenance implicit in the
constructed landscape, revealing an intimacy within the repair. The work
examines the blur between fact and fiction in the recounting of a
landscape changed, as a conceptual indication of the hysteresis at large.
In our urban constructed environment, the sites of impermanence, fray
and repair can be seen as sites of vitality, offering opportunities for an
intimate engagement within the typically perfunctory urban realm. The
work speaks to these sites of intimacy; it accentuates an act of encounter
and encourages space for a simultaneous and imaginary life. These sites
are like anecdotes; they are not part of the official history or constructed
reality of the place, yet their presence induces an emotional engagement
with it.


Summary Objectives: As technology continues to evolve and rise in various industries, such as healthcare, science, education, and gaming, a sophisticated concept known as Big Data is surfacing. The concept of analytics aims to understand data. We set out to portray and discuss perspectives of the evolving use of Big Data in science and healthcare and, to examine some of the opportunities and challenges. Methods: A literature review was conducted to highlight the implications associated with the use of Big Data in scientific research and healthcare innovations, both on a large and small scale. Results: Scientists and health-care providers may learn from one another when it comes to understanding the value of Big Data and analytics. Small data, derived by patients and consumers, also requires analytics to become actionable. Connectivism provides a framework for the use of Big Data and analytics in the areas of science and healthcare. This theory assists individuals to recognize and synthesize how human connections are driving the increase in data. Despite the volume and velocity of Big Data, it is truly about technology connecting humans and assisting them to construct knowledge in new ways. Concluding Thoughts: The concept of Big Data and associated analytics are to be taken seriously when approaching the use of vast volumes of both structured and unstructured data in science and health-care. Future exploration of issues surrounding data privacy, confidentiality, and education are needed. A greater focus on data from social media, the quantified self-movement, and the application of analytics to "small data" would also be useful.


Intra-operative instrument breakage is a potential complication that not only leads to increased surgical time and agony to the patient but also is a source of frustration to the surgeon. The retrieval of the broken hardware may pose another challenge and sub optimal outcome in certain cases. There are numerous reports describing breakage of different sorts of medical devices and instruments and improvised methods of their successful retrieval. Orthopedic surgery requires use of manual force with instrumentation and thus the risk for important hardware failure remains omnipresent. The hexagonal screw-driver is widely used to fasten bone screws and is subjected to higher torque leading to rotation and torsion forces that may lead to excessive stress on it that at times goes past its yield point. The present case report describes an untoward event of breakage of screwdriver tip during surgery and its management. The presented report underlines importance of anticipation of this underreported complication of a common procedure.


The concerns of the technology of the reusable component are increasing for producing the software effectively and developing the products quickly on demand of customers. Technologies of composition and dynamic reconfiguration of the component are needed to develop the simulator of the weapon system in field of national defense. It is needed to develop the surface to air missile simulator as the example of the weapon system through component-based development. In order to develop the simulator, creation of components of the simulator is required and the process of reconfiguration is defined and realized. The process of reconfiguration consists of four parts: management, semantic test, composition and performance evaluation. In first part, the developer can easily create lots of component models including characteristics of the product of the weapon system and quickly manage them by using the management tool. In second part, semantic tester tests that whether the reconfiguration and import in the simulator are possible or not. In next part, the composer constructs the product models configuring surface to air simulator by composing existing component and newly created component. Then the results of construction can be entities of detecting radar, the surface to air missile, the launcher of the missile and aircrafts of the simulator of the weapon system. In last part, the existing 3Dbased simulator for evaluating the performance of the component of the weapon system confirms the effects of reconfigured components by importing it. Therefore, this study provides basic framework to simulate common weapon systems through the technology of composition and the process of dynamic reconfiguration.


We assessed potential economic losses and transmission to residential houses from wildland fires in a rural area of central Navarra (Spain). Expected losses were quantified at the individual structure level (n = 306) in 14 rural communities by combining fire model predictions of burn probability and fire intensity with susceptibility functions derived from expert judgement. Fire exposure was estimated by simulating 50,000 fire events that replicated extreme (97th percentile) historical fire weather conditions. Spatial ignition probabilities were used in the simulations to account for non-random ignitions, and were estimated from a fire occurrence model generated with an artificial neural network. The results showed that ignition probability explained most of spatial variation in risk, with economic value of structures having only a minor effect. Average expected loss to residential houses from a single wildfire event in the study area was 7955€, and ranged from a low of 740 to the high of 28,725€. Major fire flow-paths were analyzed to understand fire transmission from surrounding municipalities and showed that incoming fires from the north exhibited strong pathways into the core of the study area, and fires spreading from the south had the highest likelihood of reaching target residential structures from the longest distances (>5 km). Community firesheds revealed the scale of risk to communities and extended well beyond administrative boundaries. The results provided a quantitative risk assessment that can be used by insurance companies and local landscape managers to prioritize and allocate investments to treat wildland fuels and identify clusters of high expected loss within communities. The methodological framework can be extended to other fire-prone southern European Union countries where communities are threatened by large wildland fires.


Copadichromis chrysonotus is a zooplanktivorous cichlid member of the diverse fish community inhabiting Lake Malawi's rocky, littoral habitat. Like most Lake Malawi cichlids, this species' reproductive strategy is based on maternal mouthbrooding, but it is the only littoral species known to spawn in the open water without a substrate-based territory. This studyinvestigated length at maturity, sexual dimorphism, spawning behaviour, breeding seasonality, fecundity, fertility, egg size, and brooding habits of C. chrysonotus in southern Lake Malawi. Males in breeding colouration aggregated in sheltered areas at least several metres deep, and each male defended a mobile breeding territory near the surface while attempting toattract females. Breeding was mostly continuous from August to May, with peaks in August–September and January–March. A major lull in breeding activity occurred in May and June. Mean fecundity and fertility increased significantly with female total length, while mean egg length, mean egg mass and gonadosomatic index did not increase significantly with female totallength. Females brooded their young up to 15–16 mm total length before abandoning them. Open-water spawning by C. chrysonotus may be an adaptation to reduce both egg predation during spawning and competition for substrate-based breeding territories.


introduction: Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by recurrent seizures unprovoked by an acute systemic or neurologic insult. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) this neurological disorder is affecting about 0.5-1.0% of the population of the World. New, modern radiological studies are of great importance in the diagnosis of pathogenesis and clinical manifestation of epilepsy. The PET / CT study in epileptic assays has never been performed in Lithuania. This case demonstrates one of the first PET/CT scans of the brains in Lithuania for patient with epilepsy. The aim: To report the case of epilepsy patient who undergone PET/CT scan of the brain before neurosurgical operation. Case: Patient Z. B. is a 28-year-old female with a history of epileptic seizures since she was seven. Despite medical treatment she continued to have seizures and surgical treatment was recommended. Before the first surgery epileptogenic focus was evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and clinical data. However, after the intervention she still experienced multiple seizures every day. Later she underwent positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG PET) which showed that the lesion of the brain was bigger compared with lesion showed by MRI. Outcome: After second surgery patient remained seizure free. Conclusion: Our case demonstrates that 18F-FDG PET is a useful diagnostic tool to evaluate epileptogenic focus in patients with refractory epilepsy.


This volume offers a comprehensive and original analysis and reconceptualisation of the compendium of struggles that wracked the collapsing Tsarist empire and the emergent USSR, profoundly affecting the history of the twentieth century. Indeed, the reverberations of those decade-long wars echo to the present day - not despite, but because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, which re-opened many old wounds, from the Baltic to the Caucasus. Contemporary memorialising and 'de-memorialising' of these wars, therefore form part of the book's focus, but at its heart lie the struggles between various Russian political and military forces which sought to inherit and preserve, or even expand, the territory of the tsars, overlain with examinations of the attempts of many non-Russian national and religious groups to divide the former empire. The reasons why some of the latter were successful (Poland and Finland, for example), while others (Ukraine, Georgia and the Muslim Basmachi) were not, are as much the author's concern as are explanations as to why the chief victors of the 'Russian' Civil Wars were the Bolsheviks.Tellingly, the work begins and ends with battles in Central Asia - a theatre of the 'Russian' Civil Wars that was closer to Mumbai than it was to Moscow.


This article considers what Australian responses to climate change may teach us about the concept of ownership. Through a close analysis of laws aimed at encouraging specific land uses in order to mitigate emissions, it argues that these laws support the increasingly uncontroversial claim that ownership of estates or interests in land places obligations and responsibilities on owners to exercise the resulting rights for the benefit of others. However, although land ownership is flexible enough to support the environmental objectives of these laws, their failure to adequately accommodate the practicalities of ownership, such as anticipating the position of successors in title, increases the risk of conflict between owners of estates and interests in land, and compromises the ability of both environmental and property law regimes to achieve their intended objectives.


This research investigates the impact of local conditions on the use of information technology in a public organization, and how the use of that technology affects the organization. It focuses on a case study of the state-owned oil corporation of Mexico, Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). Since its foundation in 1940 as an integrated national oil company, Pemex has been in a continuing process of modernization. In recent years, this process has involved substantial use of information technology and organizational restructuring, based on models imported from industrialized countries. This has been done without always explicitly considering local conditions, although information systems research has widely emphasized the need to consider the social aspects when implementing information technology. Such research has argued the need to explore how the local conditions shape information systems, as they are constructed and enacted by actors when making sense of their use of systems in their daily work environment. The research uses institutional theory and a contextualist framework to examine both how local social values and historical conditions shape the use of information technology and what impact its use has on the social environment and the organization changes that take place. Although the research highlights the local context, it deals more broadly with processes that are occurring in many organizations in various developing countries because of the global transformations linked to the widely pervasive diffusion of information technology. It therefore also provides an understanding of the generic process of information technology utilization in developing countries, with the aim of guiding practice.


The EU has been engaged in democracy promotion, human rights, and civil liberties in the Mediterranean countries for over two decades with results ranging from very limited success to total failure. The revolutions in the Arab world – that have caught the EU and Western countries by surprise – provide a window of opportunity for real democratic reforms in the region. The successful democratization in Tunisia will send positive messages to the neighboring countries. Why should the EU be more involved in supporting Tunisia's democratic transition? And what can the EU do to support Tunisia's efforts to build and reform its institutions and to move towards a consolidated democracy with a functioning market economy? Answering these research questions requires understanding the major failures of the EU in the Mediterranean region – the Union of the Mediterranean is on hold and conditionality (at least political conditionality) is problematic and questionable. Prior to the Dignity Revolution, security and stability were moving in the opposite direction to democracy –leading the EU to focus more on the former. Now, consolidating democracy, economic development, stability, and security on the EU's Southern borders are moving in the same direction. This paper argues that, first, supporting democracy is a necessary condition for guaranteeing stable and secure southern borders and, secondly, economic growth is a necessary condition for consolidating democracy and political reforms in Tunisia.


Text describes action on various war fronts: New Guinea -- China -- Philippines -- Siberia --Mediterranean -- Western Europe -- Russia. Large world map is keyed to text and illustrates time zones around the world.

Includes inset maps: Action in New Guinea -- Drive to the Caucasas -- Vital distances in Europe, Africa, and Western Asia.

Photographs: Combat photo taken through a submarine's periscope of a sinking Japanese destroyer -- U.S. aid to Russia -- Tommy goes over [method of crossing a river] -- Jap 'Belly tank' -- Stingers on the Flying Fortress.


This study is carried out to test the stability of antibiotic dry suspensions reconstituted with various water temperatures. The testing included physical, microbial and chemical changes of samples reconstituted with water at 40, 60, 70 and 80ᵒC. These changes were compared to control samples prepared with water at temperature 25ᵒC. HPLC method was followed qualitatively to identify antibiotic active constituent in addition to quantitative analysis to evaluate antibiotic contents compared to control samples. The changes were assessed within one hour after reconstitution and after four days of reconstitution. Physical tests showed changes of amoxicillinclavulenic acid suspension's colour prepared at 80ᵒC. Sedimentation ratio, sedimentation rate and sedimentation volume decreased as temperature increased were these parameters were tested only for amoxicillin suspension. Upon centrifugation there was a decrease in sediment volume accompanied with an increase in supernatant volume resulting in changes in sediment/supernatant ratio. Microbial study showed a marked decrease in antimicrobial activity for both amoxicillin and amoxicillin/clavulenic acid suspensions. HPLC results showed a decrease in amoxicillin and clavulanate in samples prepared with heated water compared to those prepared with cooled water at 25ᵒC.


This Almanac highlights recent papers on congenital heart disease in the major cardiac journals. Over 100 articles are cited. Subheadings are used to group relevant papers and allow readers to focus on their areas of interest, but are not meant to be comprehensive for all aspects of congenital cardiac disease.


Dolichoiulus typhlocanaria sp. nov., D. oromii sp. nov. and D. longunguis sp. nov. are described from caves and the mesovoid shallow stratum (MSS) on Gran Canaria. The genus Anagaiulus Enghoff, 1992 is synonymized under Dolichoiulus Verhoeff, 1900, resulting in Dolichoiulus blancatypa (Enghoff, 1992) comb nov.


Yeung, Tsz Him, MSAE, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, May 2019. Optimal Battery Weight Fraction for Serial Hybrid Propulsion System in Aircraft Design. This thesis focuses on electric propulsion technology associated with serial hybrid power plants most commonly associated with urban air mobility vehicles. While closed form analytical solutions for parallel hybrid aviation cases have been determined, optimized serial hybrid power plants have not seen the same degree of fidelity. Presented here are the analytical relationships between several preliminary aircraft design objectives and the battery weight fraction. These design objectives include aircraft weight, range, operation cost, and carbon emissions. The relationships are based on a serial hybrid electric propulsion architecture from an energy standpoint, and can be applied to hybrid aircraft of different weights, aerodynamic designs, and propulsive efficiencies. Three hybrid electric propulsion design related variables are also defined in the process to help clarify novel specifications unique to hybrid propulsion systems. For all design objectives, the optimal battery weight fraction is found to be either zero or one in unconstrained cases. When a minimum range requirement is applied, non-integer weight fraction solutions can be found for minimizing cost and emissions.


The variance of the log-amplitude of a laser beam is evaluated for a horizontal propagation path through the atmosphere. The treatment is based upon results obtained by Schmeltzer. It is found that the log-amplitude variance can be separated into two factors, one of which is simply the log-amplitude variance of a spherical wave, as derived by Tatarski. The second factor, which contains the dependence upon the size α0 of the transmitted beam, can be written as a function of kα02/z, where k is the wave number and z is the path length. This second factor shows a significant oscillation around kα02/z = 1 when the transmitted beam is collimated, and starts to roll off strongly for kα02/z>1 when the transmitted beam is focused at a range z.


Background Feedback delivery is deemed as a key element during a students' clinical education. It keeps students on track to meet their goal and increase students' motivation and confidence. Objective The aim of this study was to compare the quality of feedback delivery in oral versus written feedback delivery to nursing students in clinical education. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted between February and August 2012 in the city of Bojnurd in Iran. Using purposive sampling, last semester's nursing students (n=44) had been randomly assigned to oral and written feedback delivery groups. Three Instructors received orientation and training on methods of feedback delivery before study initiation. Then, they gave necessary oral and written feedback to the students. Clinical settings of the study included coronary care, surgical, and neonatal units of hospitals. Data collection tools were quality of feedback delivery, students' satisfaction questionnaire and students' reactions checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 11.5 with chi-square test and the t-test. Results Most of the students (52%, n=23) were male. There were no significant differences between the scores of quality of oral and written feedback delivery (p>0.05). The study did not show a difference of satisfaction level between the oral and written feedback groups. The relationship between students' reactions and feedback type at the confidence level of 90% was significant, so that students who received oral feedback showed more severe reactions as compared to the written feedback group. Conclusion According to the results, the type of feedback is not an important factor in clinical education quality and satisfaction level. They may achieve a better outcome by focusing on the other aspects of quality of feedback delivery rather than feedback type. Trial registration The trial was registered at the Iranian Registration Center for Clinical Trials with the Irct id: (IRCT: 201111128076N1). Funding North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences (permission no. 89/p/209).


Aim/Purpose IStation is an adaptive computer-based reading program that adapts to the learner's academic needs. This study investigates if the Istation computer-based reading program promotes reading improvement scores as shown on the STAR Reading test and the IStation test scaled scores for elementary school thirdgrade learners on different reading levels. Background Prior literature provided a limited evidence base for incorporating computeradaptive learning technologies to improve reading comprehension in the context of early childhood education. Methodology Using a mixed-method case study research approach, this study purports to investigate the effects of IStation and examine the perspectives of teachers and students. Supported by survey and interview data, this case study employed a sample of 98 public school third-grade students in an urban elementary school in the southeastern United States as well as the three classroom teachers. Findings The results of this study show a strong correlation between the usage of IStation and the rise of STAR reading scores during the time IStation was integrated. There were differing opinions regarding the effectiveness of IStation between students and teachers, as well as between low and high achieving students. Teachers recognized that intervening variables of teachers' whole and small group lessons individualized for each class, as well as students' practice sessions both at home and at school, could have also resulted in improved STAR reading scores. Recommendations for Practitioners There is no one-size-fits-all solution when implementing such technology to a diverse array of learners on different reading levels, such as Tier 1 (high reader), Incorporating IStation into Early Childhood Classrooms 248 Tier 2 (medium average benchmark reader), and Tier 3 (low reader). It is essential to provide professional development and training opportunities for teachers. Teachers can also train and elevate the higher achieving students with using IStation to monitor their own progress as well as set their own individual learning goals. Recommendation for Researchers We recommend studies with a larger sample size that would likely yield more definitive and generalizable results, studies using a randomized control group that would have teased out extraneous factors and truly measuring the effects of IStation alone on STAR, as well as longitudinal studies examining the long-term effects of IStation. Contribution This study has provided a) additional data to show evidence for the effectiveness of a computer-based reading program, IStation, by using the students' and teachers' viewpoints as well as reading comprehension test scores data; and b) recommendations for practitioners and researchers regarding professional development for IStation implementation.


Abstract A multi-methodological study of the (K,Ca)-variety of the zeolite merlinoite from Fosso Attici, Sacrofano, Italy was carried out on the basis of electron microprobe analysis in wavelength dispersive mode, singlecrystal X-ray diffraction (at 100 K), Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The chemical formula of the merlinoite from Fosso Attici is (Na0.37K5.69)Σ=6.06(Mg0.01Ca1.93Ba0.40)Σ=2.34(Fe3+ 0.02Al10.55Si21.38)Σ=31.9O64· 19.6H2O, compatible with the ideal chemical formula K6Ca2[Al10Si22O64]·20H2O. Anisotropic structure refinements confirmed the symmetry and the framework model previously reported (space group Immm, a = 14.066(5),b = 14.111(5), c = 9.943(3) Å at 100 K). Refinement converged with four cationic sites and six H2O sites; refined bond distances of the framework tetrahedra suggest a highly disordered Si/ Al-distribution. The Raman spectrum of merlinoite (collected between 100 and 4000 cm−1) is dominated by a doublet of bands between 496−422 cm−1, assigned to tetrahedral T-O−T symmetric bending modes. T−O−T antisymmetric stretching is also observed; stretching and bending modes of the H2O molecules are only clearly visiblewhen using a blue laser. The single-crystal near-infrared spectrum shows a very weak band at 6823 cm−1, assigned to the first overtone of the O−H stretching mode, and a band at 5209 cm−1, due to the combination of H2O stretching and bendingmodes.Avery broad and convoluted absorption, extending from 3700 to 3000 cm−1 occurs in the H2O stretching region, while the ν2 bending mode of H2O is found at 1649 cm−1. The powder midinfrared spectrum of merlinoite between 400−1300 cm−1 is dominated by tetrahedral T−O−T symmetric and antisymmetric stretches. Raman and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectra of merlinoite and phillipsite provide a quick identification tool for these zeolites, which are often confused due to their close similarity.


The substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease (PD) is depleted of dopaminergic neurons and contains fibrillar Lewy bodies comprising primarily α-synuclein. We screened a library to identify drug-like molecules to probe the relation between neurodegeneration and α-synuclein fibrilization. All but one of 15 fibril inhibitors were catecholamines related to dopamine. The inhibitory activity of dopamine depended on its oxidative ligation to α-synuclein and was selective for the protofibril-to-fibril conversion, causing accumulation of the α-synuclein protofibril. Adduct formation provides an explanation for the dopaminergic selectivity of α-synuclein–associated neurotoxicity in PD and has implications for current and future PD therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.


Rank-order relative-performance evaluation, in which pay, promotion and symbolic awards depend on the rank of workers in the distribution of performance, is ubiquitous. Whenever firms use rank-order relative-performance evaluation, workers receive feedback about their rank. Using a real-effort experiment, we aim to discover whether workers respond to the specific rank that they achieve. In particular, we leverage random variation in the allocation of rank among subjects who exerted the same effort to obtain a causal estimate of the rank response function that describes how effort provision responds to the content of rank-order feedback. We find that the rank response function is U-shaped. Subjects exhibit 'first-place loving' and 'last-place loathing', that is subjects increase their effort the most after being ranked first or last. We discuss implications of our findings for the optimal design of firms' performance feedback policies, workplace organizational structures and incentives schemes.


Since the performance of a character recognition system is mainly determined by the classifier, we introduce one that is especially tailored to our application. Working with 100 different classes, the most important properties of a reliable classifier are a high generalization capability, robustness to noise and classification speed. For this reason, we designed a classifier that is a combination of two types of classifiers, in which the advantages of both are united. The fundamental structure is given by a decision tree that has in its nodes either a support vector machine or an artificial neural network. The performance of this classifier is experimentally proven and the results are compared with both individual classifier types.


As counteract against deficiency in livestock, dietary treatments are supplemented with selenium (Se), usually as the inorganic form sodium selenite (SS). Since Se is considered as toxic as well as an essential element, SS is added to prevent an increase of Se in edible chicken parts. However, in many countries, populations suffer from suboptimal Se intake and even Se deficiency, by increasing the use of organic Se sources such as Se‐ enriched yeast or wheat in animal feed, there will be a subsequent increase in meat and egg products for human consumption. One could argue that the chickens do not need the extra pool of Se in muscles, as the inorganic form will be sufficient to meet the chickens Se requirements. Since the feed is fortified with selenite, the chickens will always have adequate access to the essential trace element. However, global gene set functional enrichment analysis revealed statistically significant enrichment of a number of biological processes that were dependent on the Se feed sources, such as cell growth, organ development and protein metabolism in favour of organic Se.


Techniques such as cellular automata and agent-based modelling have long been used to capture and simulate the temporal dynamics of spatial information. Tools commonly employed to implement spatial simulation models include code libraries and pre-compiled models; the former require advanced programming skills while the latter impose relevant constraints on application scope. Previous attempts to produce domain specific languages in the field have invariably resulted in new textual programming languages (e.g. SELES, NetLogo, Ocelet) that are platform specific and in some cases with weak GIS support and interoperability. The Domain Specific Language for Spatial Simulation Sce narios (DSL3S) is a Domain Specific Language (DSL) for spatial simulation in the GIS context. It tries to ease the development of simulation models through a Model-Driven Development (MDD) approach, whereby models are developed through the arrangement of graphical elements and their relationships, dispensing formal programming knowledge. These graphical models can then be translated into ready to run simulations through the application of a code generation infrastructure. This language has been implemented using the Model Driven Development (MDD) tools distributed with the Eclipse IDE. Model-Driven Development for Spatial Simulation Scenarios (MDD3S) is the resulting code generation infrastructure, that produces ready to run simulations from DSL3S models. The MDD3S framework currently relies on MASON, a modern Java library for spatial simulation. This option also guarantees interoperability with geographic data, namely through the GeoMASON extension. This framework was developed using the Eclipse MDD ad-ons Papyrus, for UML modelling, and Acceleo, for code generation. Both the DSL3S UML profile, the MDD3S framework and the example models presently in the public domain. This article reviews previous DSLs attempted in the field, noting the differences to DSL3S. It briefly describes the abstract syntax of the language and MDD3S, its implementation prototype, detailing the tools on which it relies. The usage of DSL3S is exemplified through a set of use cases that portrait its application to common spatial simulation scenarios. The MDD approach has proved to raise the level of abstraction at which development takes place, thus simplifying the communication between programmers and analysts, and other stakeholders lacking programming skills (Mohagheghi et al., 2013). MDD should also be applicable to other fields of simulation, allowing the development of complex models from a relatively simple graphical constructs. It may also be the foundation for a standard language in simulation, as the successful examples of SysML and ModelicaML in the field of Systems Engineering attest to.


Occupational noise-induced hearing loss continues to be one of the most pervasive health problems in the mining industry, despite over 25 years of regulation. One of the loudest pieces of equipment used in underground mining is the continuous mining machine. Noise sample data collected by the Mine Safety and Health Administration indicate that 42% of noise overexposures between 2000 and 2005 involved continuous mining machine operators. Previously conducted field and laboratory tests have determined that the continuous mining machine conveyor system is a dominant noise source. Loud impacts occur as the conveyor chain flight bars, used to move the mined aggregate, traverse their path from the top to the underside of the conveyor deck. Various noise control treatments have been applied to abate noise caused by the conveyor system. A durable polyurethane coating has been developed for the conveyor flight bars, resulting in a time-weighted average reduction of 3 dB(A) for an eight-hour work shift. In an attempt to further reduce continuous mining machine operator overexposures, a similar urethane coating has been applied to the tail roller component of the conveyor system. Laboratory results showed a 2 dB(A) reduction in sound power levels, but the component failed during underground durability testing. An outer steel sleeve has been added to the urethane coating of the tail roller to enhance wear resistance during mining. The urethane jacketed tail roller is the latest effort, combined with previous noise treatments, to bring the continuous mining machine into compliance with federal noise regulations.


This paper defines the concept of national innovative development and national innovation capacity, and develops the national innovative development index and the national innovation capacity index with a view to monitor the progress in China's innovation development. The international comparison of national innovative development index indicates that China is still far behind of developed countries, especially the level of industrialisation and the level of science and technology and innovation although China's national innovative development index has increased very fast during past years. The main sources for the growth of China's national innovative development index from 2000 to 2006 came from the progress in urbanisation, informatisation, education and health, and science and technology and innovation. The study also shows that China's national innovation capacity has increased very fast recently and ranked the 17th place in 38 countries in 2007, though the effectiveness index of national innovation only ranked the 37th place. The results imply that China's growth of national innovation capacity index primarily come from its expansion of its economy and R&D inputs, though the system efficiency is still far behind many other countries.


Efficient induction of apoptosis requires not only the activation of death-promoting proteins but also the inactivation of inhibitors of cell death. ARC (apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain) is an endogenous inhibitor of apoptosis that antagonizes both central apoptosis pathways. Despite its potent inhibition of cell death, cells that express abundant ARC eventually succumb. A possible explanation is that ARC protein levels decrease dramatically in response to death stimuli. The mechanisms that mediate decreases in ARC protein levels during apoptosis and whether these decreases initiate the subsequent cell death are not known. Here we show that endogenous ARC protein levels decrease in response to death stimuli in a variety of cell contexts as well as in a model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in intact mice. Decreases in ARC protein levels are not explained by alterations in the abundance of ARC transcripts. Rather, pulse-chase experiments show that decreases in steady state ARC protein levels during apoptosis result from marked destabilization of ARC protein. ARC protein destabilization, in turn, is mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway, as mutation of ARC ubiquitin acceptor residues stabilizes ARC protein and preserves its steady state levels during apoptosis. In addition, this degradation-resistant ARC mutant exhibits improved cytoprotection. We conclude that decreases in ARC protein levels in response to death stimuli are mediated by increased ARC protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasomal pathway. Moreover, these data demonstrate that decreases in ARC protein levels are a trigger, and not merely a consequence, of the ensuing cell death.


Introduction Despite being less of a problem today than it was in the past, information on the extent of corporate and organizational crime is still difficult to find. The most commonly used and cited measure of the extent of crime in the United States, the Crime Index, includes only street crimes, and thus by definition excludes both white-collar and corporate crimes. Therefore, only a segment of all crimes is compiled in the Crime Index. Without such ready access, researchers are forced to collect their own data sets from a variety of sources. Commonly used sources include the records of federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (e.g., Simpson, 1986). In some instances, researchers may obtain access to court-related documents such as pre-sentence investigation reports (e.g., Weisburd et al., 1991). Previously, we contributed to this process by suggesting the use of newspapers as a data source (Gerber and Fritsch, 1993). Using The Wall Street Journal as our information base, we traced the corporate activities of General Electric (GE) throughout the 1980s. We were particularly interested in determining the value of GE's defense-related contracts, which violations it had allegedly been engaged in, the sanctions received for these violations (e.g., fines), and the consequences of such sanctions in terms of obtaining future contracts. Relying on what must be one of the most conservative records of white-collar crime, we were able to show that GE obtained defense contracts worth at least $43 billion during the 1980s, was accused of numerous unethical and illegal practices, admitted to having engaged in many of these practices, but suffered virtually no negative consequences. The fines it was required to pay were minimal (they represented .17% of the value of GE's contracts during the 1980s) and the company continued to receive contracts, even while nominally "banned" from new contracts. Furthermore, we showed that GE was able to mitigate the negative publicity it received partially by nominating to its board of directors individuals who had extensive ties to the Pentagon and various branches of the federal government. Thus, we documented the participation of GE's directors in what had been termed the "power elite" by Mills (1956) and studied subsequently in detail by Domhoff (1983) and Useem (1984). In particular, we were able to show the existence of a "revolving door" that lets individuals move freely within the executive branch of government, the military, and corporate leadership. The present project represents an extension of our earlier study by focusing on another agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which has the ability to award large sums of money to contractors who provide defense-related goods and services. However, although the GE study focused on a single corporation that had obtained contracts from one agency of the federal government, the Department of Defense, the current study is more ambitious in three important ways. First, we study all corporations that deal with a federal agency, NASA. Second, though our earlier study focused on the wrongdoing of the corporation alone, this study will also examine the illegal practices of the agency itself. Third, although the Pentagon is a national governmental agency whose interactions with corporations can easily be monitored through a national newspaper such as The Wall Street Journal, NASA has several regional centers. Hence, we decided that the regional press is of importance for this study. The current project will therefore demonstrate the feasibility of using the regional press as a data source for corporate and organizational crime. Methods One goal of our earlier study had been the development of a research technique that relies on an unusual source of white-collar crime data: The Wall Street Journal. This newspaper is the leading source of business news and maintains one of the most complete indexes of all major newspapers, yet it has been underutilized as a research tool for social scientists interested in white-collar crime. …


Mitochondrial function has been implicated and studied in numerous complex age-related diseases. Understanding the potential role of mitochondria in disease pathophysiology is of importance due to the rise in prevalence of complex age-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). These two diseases specifically share common pathophysiological characteristics which potentially point to a common root cause or factors for disease exacerbation. Studying the shared phenomena in Mexican Americans is of particular importance due to the disproportionate prevalence of both T2D and AD in this population. Here, we assessed the potential role of mitochondria in T2D and cognitive impairment (CI) in a Mexican American cohort by analyzing blood-based indices of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNACN) and cell-free mitochondrial DNA (CFmtDNA). These mitochondrial metrics were also analyzed for correlation with relevant neuropsychological variables and physiological data collected as indicators of disease and/or disease progression. We found mtDNACN to be significantly decreased in individuals with CI, while CFmtDNA was significantly elevated in T2D; further, CFmtDNA elevation was significantly exacerbated in individuals with both diseases. MtDNACN was found to negatively correlate with age and fatty acid binding protein concentration, while positively correlating with CFmtDNA as well as CERAD total recall score. Candidate gene SNP-set analysis was performed on genes previously implicated in maintenance and control of mitochondrial dynamics to determine if nuclear variants may account for variability in mtDNACN. The results point to a single significant locus, in the LRRK2/MUC19 region, encoding leucine rich repeat kinase 2 and mucin 19. This locus has been previously implicated in Parkinson's disease, among others; rs7302859 was the driver SNP. These combined findings further indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction (as assessed by proxy via mtDNACN) is intimately linked to both T2D and CI phenotypes as well as aging.


In the design and development phase, the structural design life of aircrafts is assessed by structural analyses and tests with the baseline design load spectra. The structural life should be reassessed and updated periodically with actual and operational load spectra in the structural life management phase. According to ASIP (Aircraft Structural Integrity Program), an initial FSMP (Force Structural Maintenance Plan) containing inspection, repair and maintenance plans should also be updated with results of reassessed structural life for cost-effective maintenance and operational sustainability. The actual load spectrum is generated by using structural responses like strains, load factors and various flight parameters. In order to collect these kinds of data for military aircrafts, a data collection and analysis system which is named SIDAS(Structural Integrity Data Acquisition System) is currently under development as an SHM(Structural Health Monitoring) system. The architecture of SIDAS is similar to conventional usage monitoring systems, and it is composed of an onboard device and a ground analysis device. The onboard device includes two analog sensor modules, an fiber optic sensor module, a power supply module and a recorder modules. Strain gages, accelerometers and FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensors are attached on major structures and they measure structural responses. Additionally, various flight parameters that are related to structural behavior are recorded through MIL-STD-1553B communication protocol in the onboard device. The ground analysis device consists of a set of hardware and software, and downloads collected data in the onboard device using Ethernet or a memory card to analyze those data and construct database. This paper contains basic design concepts of SIDAS and analysis results of its collected data from fatigue and taxi ing tests of a military aircraft in a design and development phase. The analysis results will ultimately be used for the structural life management.


Managing international teams with geographically distributed participants is a complex task. The risk of communication breakdowns increases due to cultural and organizational differences grounded in the geographical distribution of the participants. Such breakdowns indicate general misunderstandings and a lack of shared meaning between participants. In this paper, we address the complexity of building shared meaning. We examine the communication breakdowns that occurred in two globally distributed virtual teams by providing an analytical distinction of the organizational context as the foundation for building shared meaning at three levels. Also we investigate communication breakdowns that can be attributed to differences in lifeworld structures, organizational structures, and work process structures within a virtual team. We find that all communication breakdowns are manifested and experienced by the participants at the work process level; however, resolving breakdowns may require critical reflection at other levels. Where previous research argues that face‐to‐face interaction is an important variable for virtual team performance, our empirical observations reveal that communication breakdowns related to a lack of shared meaning at the lifeworld level often becomes more salient when the participants are co‐located than when geographically distributed. Last, we argue that creating translucence in communication structures is essential for building shared meanings at all three levels.


This thesis investigates the feasibility of developing a mathematical model to provide quantitative measures of total ship safety. Safety is an intuitive concept and is a subset of economic utility. There is economic pressure to transport goods at minimum cost and, without regulation, the frequency of shipping casualties could be unacceptably high. Mathematical methods associated with elements that influence ship safety are reviewed. Techniques for analysing ships' structures, stability, motions and engineering reliability are well established, but those for assessing the effect of human involvement, and operational and organisational influences on safety are less developed. Data are available for winds, waves, currents and tidal movements, and their variability suggests that probabilistic models are appropriate. Given the complexity of the international shipping industry, a simple computer model is developed in which 50 ships serve four ports. This allows safety to be assessed when input variables are adjusted. Obstacles to developing a mathematical model of ship safety are identified, and it is concluded that the feasibility of such a model depends on its required inclusiveness and utility. iii


Antioxidant activity of the javanese ginseng root was investigated. The root extracts were prepared by solvent extraction using methanol, ethanol (96%), ethanol (70%), acetone, and hexane.Total antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured by ferric thiocyanate method, whereas radical scavenging capacity and reducing power were measured by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and the reducing potential methods, respectively. The result showed that the highest total antioxidant activity was observed in acetone and methanol extracts. It appread that the ability of these extracts for partitioning at the interface of the emulsion in the tested oxidation system was the highest among other extracts, therefore it had the best activity to inhibit oxidation.The highest radical scavenging capacity measured by EC 50 was observed in acetone extract. The type of phenolic compounds of this extract appeared to be responsible for the highest radical scavenging capacity. Different phenomena occurred for reducing power.Methanol extract had the highest reducing power and the least were found with the hexane and acetone extract. It was suggested that each extracts comprised different types of phenolic based on different polarity of solvents used for extraction. The antioxidant compounds of javanese ginseng root extracts were primary antioxidant based on the ability to scavenge free radical. It could be concluded that acetone was the best solvent for antioxidant extraction of the javanese ginseng root.However, all tested antioxidant mechanisms in this research showed that vitamin E (1000 ppm) used as control had better activity than javanese ginseng root extracts (1000 ppm) for all types of solvent.Javanese ginseng extracts might contain other compounds which were not responsible for antioxidant activity, therefore at the same concentration the activity were lower than that of vitamin E. Key words: total antioxidant activity, radical scavenging capacity, reducing power, javanese ginseng


Abstract This study examines the trade-off between agricultural production and groundwater contamination potential for ten potential herbicide cancellations. Theoretical and empirical models are developed for estimating losses in consumer and producer benefits in the agricultural commodity market and changes in groundwater quality. Using com and soybean production in the southeastern Coastal Plain as a study area, the analysis concludes that (1) effects of herbicide cancellations on groundwater quality can be very significant; (2) a cancellation does not guarantee groundwater quality improvement; (3) effects of a multiple cancellation are different from the summation of the effects of independent cancellations; and (4) weed density has a very strong effect on losses to farmers and consumers from cancellations, but output demand and supply elasticities do not.


Abstract. UAV based imaging and 3D object point generation is an established technology. Some of the UAV users try to address (very) highaccuracy applications, i.e. inspection or monitoring scenarios. In order to guarantee such level of detail and accuracy high resolving imaging systems are mandatory. Furthermore, image quality considerably impacts photogrammetric processing, as the tie point transfer, mandatory for forming the block geometry, fully relies on the radiometric quality of images. Thus, empirical testing of radiometric camera performance is an important issue, in addition to standard (geometric) calibration, which normally is covered primarily. Within this paper the resolving power of ten different camera/lens installations has been investigated. Selected systems represent different camera classes, like DSLRs, system cameras, larger format cameras and proprietary systems. As the systems have been tested in wellcontrolled laboratory conditions and objective quality measures have been derived, individual performance can be compared directly, thus representing a first benchmark on radiometric performance of UAV cameras. The results have shown, that not only the selection of appropriate lens and camera body has an impact, in addition the image pre-processing, i.e. the use of a specific debayering method, significantly influences the final resolving power.


For this thesis, a Japanese/English machine translation system with reversible components has been designed and implemented in PROLOG. Sublanguage co-occurrence patterns have been used to address the problems of lexical and structural selection in the transfer between the internal representations of a pair of natural languages. The system has been tested translating Japanese into English in the domain of programming language manuals. The evaluation of the test outputs provides some assessment of the utility of the sublanguage approach as a method for the development and refinement of a machine translation system. The thesis also explores the roles that a reversible grammar would play in sharing linguistic knowledge between parsing and generation.
The system has been developed with the goal of using sublanguage word co-occurrence patterns to simplify the description of syntactic/semantic knowledge needed in both the transfer rules and the analysis of the source language. In particular, sublanguage co-occurrence patterns are introduced to provide semantic constraints and ellipsis recovery in parsing Japanese.
This thesis introduces a right-to-left parsing scheme for Japanese. The idea for the right-to-left parsing algorithm evolved from the desire to produce partial syntactic analyses of Japanese in a more deterministic manner than was achieved by conventional left-to-right parsing schemes. The algorithm makes efficient use of sublanguage co-occurrence patterns as semantic knowledge to help disambiguate Japanese parses. The enforcement of syntactic and semantic constraints is tightly interwoven during the course of parsing. The performance in parsing Japanese has thereby been significantly enhanced.
A procedure has been implemented for translating a Definite Clause Grammar dually into a PROLOG parser and PROLOG generator, so that one grammar can be used for parsing and generation. In current natural language processing systems, separate grammars are used for parsing and generation. However, there has long been an interest in designing a single grammar for both parsing and synthesis for reasons of efficiency and integrity, as well as linguistic elegance and perspicuity. As part of the current implementation, a strategy has been developed for creating efficient grammars for both parsing and generation using a goal reordering technique within the logic programming framework.


Eating Disorders are a growing mental health concern with serious consequences for those who struggle. The individual and complex nature of eating disorders presents a need for new, innovative treatment modalities. One such treatment that is gaining interest in the eating disorder field is the holistic modality of yoga. The benefits of yoga on mental health have been addressed in previous research. While previous research focuses on quantitative studies and outcomes of clients, this paper administers a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews done with licensed therapists and yoga instructors who practice yoga with the eating disorder population. The study focuses on why yoga is being used with the eating disorder population and how practitioners are implementing yoga interventions effectively. The themes that emerged from the data were: 1) a mindful experience of the body; 2) the power of yoga philosophy; 3) partnered with therapy; 4) a careful and thoughtful use of yoga; 5) a personal yoga practice; 6) safety comes first; 7) benefits for clients who are willing. The theme safety comes first included three subthemes: yoga preparation, assessing for trauma, and modifications. Implications for the use of yoga in clinical social work and recommendations for future research are discussed. YOGA AND EATING DISORDERS iii


Many researchers and commentators on sanitation have recognised that relevant and effective policies play an important
role in ensuring sanitation is addressed at sufficient scale that progress is made towards national sanitation targets in
support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With this in mind, the Environmental Health Programme (EHP)
of USAID developed a written 'Guidelines for the Assessment of National Sanitation Policies' in 2002, to help countries
assess the effectiveness of policy in enabling an environment that encourages effective programmes and strategies. Nepal
was selected as one of two countries for field-testing the EHP Guidelines as part of DFID-funded research carried out by
WEDC in collaboration with Development Network, a national consulting research firm in Nepal. This paper highlights
key findings based on the research process, with implications for challenges facing Nepal in effectively implementing
sanitation policy.


Lovastatin is an anti-cholesterol lactone drug indicated for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. It is converted to the β-hydroxy acid form (lovastatin acid) in vivo, which is the major pharmacologically active metabolite. Here, we describe the development and validation of an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS)-based method utilizing polarity switching for the simultaneous quantification of lovastatin and lovastatin acid in human plasma. Simple protein precipitation extraction and direct injection of the extracted samples without drying/reconstitution showed good recoveries of both analytes (~70%). The developed method exhibited satisfactory intra-day and inter-day accuracy and precision. The interconversion between lovastatin and lovastatin acid during sample preparation and storage was minimal (< 1.9%). The lower limits of quantification were 0.5 and 0.2 nM (or 0.2 and 0.084 ng/mL) for lovastatin and lovastatin acid, respectively, using only 50 μL of plasma during extraction. The validated method was successfully applied to analyze plasma samples obtained from a healthy human subject who enrolled in a clinical drug interaction study involving lovastatin.


Like students, teachers must work hard and be on their best behavior at all times. When necessary, district officials have the power to deploy legal means to fire a classroom instructor--even one who has earned tenure--if his or her conduct puts students' academic well-being in jeopardy or reflects badly on the school system. Three common scenarios can prompt dismissal proceedings: behavior on campus, behavior off campus, and egregious actions that inspire a district to challenge previously attained tenure. Below are several court cases that provide cautionary examples of how teachers and administrators can be drawn into the dismissal vortex. What happens off campus does not stay off campus The leading case on the rights of a tenured teacher occurred 17 years ago at the U.S. Supreme Court. In Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill, the Court explained that nonprobationary employees who are threatened with dismissal are entitled to notice of the charge against them, an opportunity to present their perspective in a fair hearing, and a chance to examine the evidence gathered to support the decision. Fairly or not, the reality is that teachers are deemed role models for students and pillars within the community. Bad acts away from school that undercut that elevated status can inspire serious consequences. Consider the case of Nancy Zelno, a tenured teacher in Pennsylvania at an alternative high school. Zelno, who led a drug and alcohol avoidance program, pled guilty on May 5, 1999, to her third driving under the influence offense and her second driving with a suspended license violation. As punishment, Zelno was sentenced to jail time on weekends during the school year and full-time the following summer. The Lincoln Intermediate Unit No. 12 Board fired her under a state law permitting termination for "immorality" or "intemperance." When the Pennsylvania secretary of education backed the school system, Zelno went to court, explaining that her crimes did not diminish her teaching ability, and she did not corrupt the morals of students. In a 2001 decision, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected Zelno's arguments. While immorality was not specifically defined in the law, the court concluded that " ... Zelno's behavior offends the morals of the community and sets ... a bad example to students whose ideals she as a teacher is supposed to foster. This affects her credibility and impacts her ability to teach." on campus teachers must take care of business Roberta Weisbecker, a pregnant probationary teacher in the Sayville (N.Y.) Union Free School District took her maternity leave and failed to complete key duties before exiting in 2009. According to court papers, Weisbecker did not leave the substitute teacher enough information to finalize report card grades; in addition, academic assessments necessary to determine the grades went undone. Based on those serious oversights, the principal and superintendent recommended to the Sayville Board of Education that Weisbecker be fired. She resigned before the board could vote. Weisbecker then sued in federal court under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits gender discrimination (including pregnancy) in the workplace. The school district won the case at summary judgment, a litigation stage at which both sides have submitted preliminary evidence and the court decides if there is enough proof to earn a trial. The District Court for the Eastern District of New York said Weis-becker's claim of an "adverse job action" and pregnancy discrimination were both flawed. The ruling stated that no adverse action existed because Weisbecker resigned ahead of a scheduled hearing that would have allowed her to explain her side. Evidence of gender bias was slim, the court observed. The opinion also noted that Weis-becker was on maternity leave, so a jury could not reasonably conclude she was essentially forced from her job due to intolerable working conditions. …


Remote sensing of aerosols provides important information on atmospheric aerosol abundance. However, due to the hygroscopic nature of aerosol particles observed aerosol optical properties are influenced by atmospheric humidity, and the measurements do not unambiguously characterize the aerosol dry mass and composition, which complicates the comparison with aerosol models. In this study we derive aerosol water and chemical composition by a modeling approach that combines individual measurements of remotely sensed aerosol properties (e.g., optical thickness, single-scattering albedo, refractive index and size distribution) from an AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) Sun-sky radiometer with radiosonde measurements of relative humidity. The model simulates water uptake by aerosols based on the chemical composition (e.g., sulfates, ammonium, nitrate, organic matter and black carbon) and size distribution. A minimization method is used to calculate aerosol composition and concentration, which are then compared to in situ measurements from the Intensive Measurement Campaign At the Cabauw Tower (IMPACT, May 2008, the Netherlands). Computed concentrations show good agreement with campaign-average (i.e., 1-14 May) surface observations (mean bias is 3% for PM10 and 4-25% for the individual compounds). They follow the day-to-day (synoptic) variability in the observations and are in reasonable agreement for daily average concentrations (i.e., mean bias is 5% for PM10 and black carbon, 10% for the inorganic salts and 18% for organic matter; root-mean-squared deviations are 26% for PM10 and 35-45% for the individual compounds). The modeled water volume fraction is highly variable and strongly dependent on composition. During this campaign we find that it is >0.5 at approximately 80% relative humidity (RH) when the aerosol composition is dominated by hygroscopic inorganic salts, and <0.1 when RH is below 40%, especially when the composition is dominated by less hygroscopic compounds such as organic matter. The scattering enhancement factor (f(RH), the ratio of the scattering coefficient at 85% RH and its dry value at 676 nm) during 1-14 May is 2.6 ± 0.5. The uncertainty in AERONET (real) refractive index (0.025-0.05) is the largest source of uncertainty in the modeled aerosol composition and leads to an uncertainty of 0.1-0.25 (50-100%) in aerosol water volume fraction. Our methodology performs relatively well at Cabauw, but a better performance may be expected for regions with higher aerosol loading where the uncertainties in the AERONET inversions are smaller. © Author(s) 2014.