Exxon's Mississippi Canyon 280-A (Lena) platform represents the first commercial application of the guyed tower concept for offshore drilling and production platforms. Unlike a conventional offshore platform, the guyed tower is held upright by an array of guylines attached near the upper end of the structure and radiating outward to anchor piles driven into the seabed. This paper describes the functional requirements of the various components of this unique guying system and shows how each component was designed to meet those requirements. Among the design parameters discussed are guying system stiffness and strength, fatigue and wear life, corrosion protection, and assembly. The major length of the guyline consists of spiral-wound bridge strand, most of which is sheathed in polyethylene. The cable constructions and terminations are described. Near the tower, the sheathed cable is connected to a length of bare cable which passes through a special fairlead arrangement to direct the cable to the upper attachment above the water line. The fairlead arrangement and the upper attachment are described as well as the means provided to protect the bare cable from corrosion. Unique pinned connections in the system are designed to ease assembly while still providing the required load capacity and service life. A special anchor pile attachment eye design allows for large tolerances in anchor pile orientation. A description of the clump weight shows how this component is designed to achieve the desired system stiffness while also providing stability against overturning or excessive settlement into the seabed.


Multi-agent teamwork is governed by the same principles that underlie human cooperation. This paper describes how to give agents the same cooperative capabilities, observability and proactivity, that humans use. We show how agents can use observation of the environment and of teammates' actions to estimate the teammates' beliefs without generating unnecessary messages; we also show how agents can anticipate information needs among the team members and proactively communicate the information, reducing the total volume of communication. Finally, we present several experiments that validate the system developed, explore the effectiveness of different aspects of observability and introduce the scalability of the use of observability with respect to the number of agents in a system.


OF PROJECT Developing a Podcast: Decoding Creativity Details the process of a student creating a podcast about creativity. The show's goal is to entertain as well as inform, a tone that can be hard to achieve. As well as entertain and inform, the podcast is intended to attract clients to the creativity coaching business found at www.decodingcreativity.com . Discusses the three phases of the production – content, production, and promotion – and gives resources, timeline and process as to how each phase was achieved. For content guidance, influences included: Wilfred, and How I Met Your Mother and Homestarrunner, and existing radio series like Welcome to Nightvale. For educational tone, the Torrance Incubation Model and Beyonder traits were consulted. Many formats were considered and discussed, and a newscast parody format was ultimately chosen and produced. For production, Adobe's Audition software and freeconferencecallHD.com were used. Both were effective platforms for quality audio product. For promotion, a webpage was dedicated to two episodes per month. Audience development got a boost by engaging 20+ voices in the first two shows and by using Facebook to keep people aware of the show's progress. Postcards were developed as the graphic on the webpage, as well as an inexpensive print marketing tactic.


The mechanism of decolorization of crude maize and sunflower oils was studied by means of adsorption of β-carotene by a low-grade bentonite, containing mixed-layered illite-smectite. Decolorization depends on temperature and the time required for equilibrium decreases with increasing temperature. The study of the kinetics of adsorption showed that decolorization of maize oil is a first-order process which occurs in two steps: a first fast step with higher activation energy (25.6 kJ mol−1), indicating the influence of a chemical interaction between the pigment and the clay surface, followed by a second slow step with low activation energy (12.3 kJ mol−1), characteristic of physical adsorption on the previously adsorbed molecules. Decolorization of sunflower oil is also a first-order process, described by a single mechanism with intermediate activation energy (19.0 kJ mol−1). Adsorption isotherms of decolorization of maize oil follow the Freundlich equation, indicating the existence of heterogeneous adsorption sites on the solid's surface. Heterogeneity is attributed both to different active centers on the smectite surface (Brönsted and Lewis centers) and to the different phases present in bentonite, such as illitic layers and clinoptilolite, which also have active centers on their surfaces.


There are well-known theoretical concerns regarding the use of price correlations to determine antitrust markets. However, this has not deterred their use or the application of Granger causality, stationarity, and cointegration tests in the determination of antitrust markets. In this paper, we explore the empirical performance of these various tests. In particular, we want to know whether these tests are capable of generating the correct inference both when two products are in the same relevant market and when they are not. Our results imply that, in the absence of common shocks, simple price correlations may be capable of providing reliable evidence on market delineation. However, in samples sizes similar to those currently available, the performance of other commonly employed price-based tests suggests that they provide little economically meaningful information to antitrust practitioners.


Effect of NH4Cl and NH4Br has been studied on combustion and decomposi tion of polystyrene (PS). NH4Br, at low concentrations showed unfavourable ef fects on burning rate, which is surprising for an accepted fire retardent. NH4Br accelerated degradation and combustion of PS. Thermogravimetric (TG) studies of PS + NH4Br samples in N 2 showed that these samples degraded at lower temperatures and with faster rates compared to neat PS. In O2 atmosphere the sensitization of the degradation started after about 30-40% weight loss. The dif ferential thermal analysis (DTA) of these samples gave some additional informa tion : both NH4Cl & NH4Br shifted the degradation temperature to a lower value than PS and exhibited exothermic reactions in the temperature range 400- 450 °C (more exothermicity in NH4Br samples).


Unable to attract enough voluntary recruits, many rebel groups rely on force to fill their ranks. Given that the group used force to compel individuals to join, a coerced conscript would be presumed unlikely to be loyal and would be expected to desert at the first opportunity. Yet, groups that have relied on coerced recruitment retain their members just as well as, if not better than, rebel armies that rely on voluntary methods of recruitment. This is a puzzle. How do rebel groups maintain allegiance and prevent desertion, especially if they rely on abduction to staff their ranks? A recruit can be forced to join a rebel group, but continuing to rely on coercion to enforce retention is too costly and not sustainable. These groups must find a way to reduce the costs of retention. The solution to this puzzle rests in the mechanisms of socialization that shape the allegiance of forcibly recruited soldiers. Socialization mechanisms are traced through three outcomes: compliance (or Type 0 socialization), role learning (Type I socialization), and norm internalization (Type II socialization). Integrating socialization theory and a rational choice analysis demonstrates that mechanisms that alter preferences through Type II socialization are effective in retaining recruits; the highest level of retention occurs when several mechanisms work in concert. Illustrative case studies of the Lord's Resistance Army from Uganda, the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, the Maoists in Nepal, and the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) show that a reliance on child soldiers, group assets (pecuniary and non-pecuniary), organizational structure, and the nature of military contestation shape when different mechanisms are effective or not.


We consider the problem of covering an environment with a robot when the robot has limited energy budget. The environment is represented as a polygon with a grid, whose resolution is proportional to the robot size, imposed on it. There is a single charging station in the environment. At each time step, the robot can move from one grid cell to an adjacent one.The energy consumption when moving in the environment is assumed to be uniform and proportional to the distance traveled. Our goal is to minimize both the total distance and the number of visits to the charging station. We present a coverage path planning algorithm which has O(ln D) approxima-tion factor for both objectives, where D is the distance of thefurthest cell in the environment measured on the grid.


Recent years have witnessed rapid developments in e-government as well as e-business within nations across the world. Although both e-government and e-business contribute toward national economic performance, few studies have analyzed the two jointly in a single research model. Using the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the literature on information and communication technology (ICT) impact; we empirically examine facilitators of e-government and e-business development, the relationship between e-government and e-business, and their collective impact on national economic performance. Our results, which emphasize the differential importance of factors associated with the development of e-government and e-business, can be used by national policy makers for designing effective ICT policies. Specifically, national ICT infrastructure appears to be important for both e-government and e-business. Quality of national human capital emerges as a significant facilitator for e-government but not for e-business, whereas national environment (institutional and macro-economic) appears to be the key enabler for e-business, but not for e-government. Our findings demonstrate the significant and intertwined roles of e-government and e-business in enhancing the national economic performance. With a view to enhancing national economic gains, this research suggests that policy makers should consider measures to enhance development of e-government and e-business collectively rather than in silos.


Abstract This article looks at translanguaging practices in four Yucatec Maya communities with a high incidence of deafness in the peninsula of Yucatán, Mexico. Deaf and hearing community members draw from a broad spectrum of semiotic resources to interact with each other and with people from other villages in the region: they sign with different degrees of fluency, speak Yucatec Maya and/or Spanish, gesture, draw, point and incorporate objects in their physical surroundings. Human beings have a general tendency to communicate between and beyond different languages and modalities and to creatively adapt their semiotic repertoires to each other to negotiate meaning. On top of that, I show that sociolinguistic and cultural features of Yucatec Maya communities scaffold translanguaging practices. The rich inventory of conventional co-speech gestures of Yucatec Maya speakers, positive attitudes towards deafness and signed language and a critical amount of shared cultural knowledge facilitate communication between deaf and hearing and contribute to the emergence of similar sign languages in historically unrelated communities. The investigation of Yucatec Maya signing communities through a translanguaging lens allows us to critically deconstruct existing classifications of sign languages and varieties. Yucatec Maya Sign Languages are portrayed as a multi-layered network of different villages, families, generations and overlapping deaf and hearing spaces, where translanguaging takes place.


The inverse problem of recovering the Earth's density distribution from data of the first or second derivative of the gravitational potential at satellite orbit height is discussed for a ball-shaped Earth. This problem is exponentially ill-posed. In this paper a multiscale regularization technique using scaling functions and wavelets constructed for the corresponding integro-differential equations is introduced and its numerical applications are discussed. In the numerical part the second radial derivative of the gravitational potential at 200 km orbitheight is calculated on a point grid out of the NASA/GSFC/NIMA Earth Geopotential Model (EGM96). Those simulated derived data out of SGG (satellite gravity gradiometry) satellite measurements are taken for convolutions with the introduced scaling functions yielding a multiresolution analysis of harmonic density variations in the Earth's crust. Moreover, the noise sensitivity of the regularization technique is analyzed numerically.


In this paper, we investigate the design of optimal state estimators for Markovian jump linear systems. We consider that the state has two components: the first component is finite valued and is denoted as mode, while the second (continuous) component is in a finite dimensional Euclidean space. The continuous state is driven by a zero mean, white and Gaussian process noise. The observation output has two components: the first is the mode and the second is a linear combination of the continuous state observed and zero mean, white Gaussian noise. Both output components are affected by delays, not necessarily equal. Our paradigm is to design optimal estimators for the current state, given the current output observation. We provide a solution to this paradigm by giving a recursive estimator for the continuous state, in the minimum mean square sense, and a finitely parameterized recursive scheme for computing the probability mass function of the current mode conditioned on the observed output. We show that when the mode is observed with a greater delay then the continuous output component, the optimal estimator nonlinear in the observed outputs.


Abstract. This paper compares disjunction in Kannada and Korean and examines the morpho-syntactic properties of it in these languages, focusing on Kannada -oo/illa and Korean -na. Kannada and Korean are genealogically unrelated, but share SOV word order. It is thus expected that the disjunction head follow its complement. Indeed, Kannada -oo and Korean -na follow their comple-ments. What is truly intriguing is that it shows surprisingly parallel properties. For example, Kan-nada -oo and Korean -na not only yield disjunction but also invoke indirect question interpretation. That is, both of them are used as a disjunctive conjunct as well as a question marker. In this paper, we examine the parallels and differences between the disjunction in these languages and show that the conjunctive and disjunctive reading is expressed in different modes. Under the present analysis, we can readily explain the indirect question formation, wh-scope marking, and the dummy wh-phrases in the oo-complementation. We also show that the existential quantifier interpretation of wh-indefinites plus -oo can be accounted for, assuming -oo to be a wh-question marker. Unlike what Amritavalli (2003) predicts, wh-indefinites plus disjunctive morpheme yields universal quantifier interpretations in languages like English, Japanese, and Korean.


A Chezy-based hydraulic model was run to estimate the magnitude of extreme floods of Middle Holocene age in the Lower Rhine Valley (Germany). Input parameters were gathered from the field and literature, and used in ten scenarios to calculate a best guess estimate for the minimum size of extreme floods. These events have been registered as slackwater deposits on elevated terrace levels and in a palaeochannel fill. The modelled minimum discharge is 13,250 m3 sec-1 for a Middle Holocene flood with an estimated recurrence interval between 1,250 and 2,500 years. A sensitivity analysis on different input parameters enables evaluation of factors which cause the relatively large range in modelled discharges. Understanding the origin of uncertainties in modelled discharges is important for making geologically based calculations of palaeoflood magnitudes important in modern flood frequency analyses, which generally lack information on the magnitudes of rare events. © 2013 IWA Publishing.


Cytoskeletal rearrangements can occur when cells respond to certain extracellular stimuli. One of the signaling cascades implicated in this process involves communication between the small GTP-binding proteins Ras and Rac. Scita et al. now show that fibroblast cell lines derived from knockout mice that lack the protein Eps8 do not remodel actin when treated with growth factors. Rac activity was regulated by a complex containing the proteins Eps8, E3b1, and Sos-1. The authors suggest that the formation of this complex stimulates the Rac-GEF activity of Sos-1. In addition, Eps8 activity was localized downstream of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate kinase, an immediate downstream effector of Ras. Hence, this complex may facilitate the transfer of signals between Ras and Rac. Scita, G., Nordstrom, J., Carbone, R., Tenca, P., Giardina, G., Gutkind, S., Bjarnegard, M., Betsholtz, C., and Di Fiore, P.P. (1999) EPS8 and E3B1 transduce signals from Ras to Rac. Nature 401: 290-293. Online Journal


Adherence to prescribed medications is one of the most important aspects contributing to successful treatment. Medication adherence through self‐management of chronic diseases is thought to be necessary to achieve improvements in quality of life for patients. Many models and interventions have been tested to enhance self‐management, but to date none have been convincingly successful. The challenges inherent to disease self‐management are fundamentally socio‐behavioural issues, and the use of a model such as the transtheoretical model (TTM) has potential to be of assistance. Described here is a brief summary of a systematic review that was conducted to assess the potential for the use of the TTM in improving disease self‐management activities for patients with chronic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetic patients. Seven studies describing the effect of the TTM on different aspects of medication adherence were reviewed. All the studies reviewed suggest that a TTM approach can help patients with chronic diseases change their behaviour to incorporate more desirable characteristics that will help them manage chronic conditions. However, at present there are still not enough studies to definitively determine whether pharmacists could practically use the TTM to enhance medication adherence.


IMPACT OF TRUCK REGULATION AND 65MPH SPEED LIMIT ON TRUCK ACCIDENTS IN NEW JERSEY by Rajat Rajbhandari The state of New Jersey enacted two regulations with significant importance to the highway operations: 65 mph speed limit and truck restriction on the National Network. The speed limit of 65mph was used on limited sections of interstate system highways with an objective to reduce energy consumption by vehicles and truck restriction was used on the interstate system and other state highway system to reduce large truck accidents and thereby increase truck safety. In this research, the safety impacts of these two regulations on truck crashes were studied. The research focused on monthly truck crashes along the highway sections where the regulations were implemented to determine whether there was an increase or decrease in truck crashes. In addition to simple before-after average comparisons, a complex time series method was used to analyze the monthly truck statistics. The effect of regulation was analyzed as an intervention parameter in a Box-Jenkins Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model of monthly truck crashes along entire routes and section of the routes. In general, the results were inconclusive. IMPACT OF TRUCK REGULATION AND 65MPH SPEED LIMIT ON TRUCK ACCIDENTS IN NEW JERSEY by Rajat Rajbhandari A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of New Jersey Institute of Technology In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering


People affected by a paraplegic disability or many other walking disabilities have to face every day the difficulties of a perpetual sitting life. Is not possible for them to reach a life where there is no
need of external help for the daily activities.
In this project will be studied the kinematics of a device that allows the user to drive while standing, to train his legs and arms without any external help, to transfer himself to different sitting places;
briefly said: to give more independence to the user.
During this study, data about the population sizes will be applied to define the device dimensions, CAD programs will be used to simulate the ergonomic movement, a dynamic study will be carried out for finding the proper force mechanism to support the user during standing and sitting movement
and both the parameters and their ranges will be defined in order to build up an adjustable and ergonomic device.
With the collaboration of a specialized institution in spinal cord injuries, theoretical results will be tested with paraplegic patients. Finally, the device ergonomics must fulfill all the standards according to the market regulations in order to ensure user safety and offer to disabled people the chance to improve their independence.


We study the homogenization of a reaction-diffusion-convection system posed in an $\varepsilon$-periodic $\delta$-thin layer made of a two-component (solid-air) composite material. The microscopic system includes heat flow, diffusion and convection coupled with a nonlinear surface chemical reaction. We treat two distinct asymptotic scenarios: (1) For a fixed width $\delta>0$ of the thin layer, we homogenize the presence of the microstructures (the classical periodic homogenization limit $\varepsilon\to 0$); (2) In the homogenized problem, we pass to $\delta\to 0$ (the vanishing limit of the layer's width). In this way, we are preparing the stage for the simultaneous homogenization ($\varepsilon\to 0$) and dimension reduction limit ($\delta\to 0$) with $\delta=\delta(\epsilon)$.
We recover the reduced macroscopic equations from [25] with precise formulas for the effective transport and reaction coefficients.
We complement the analytical results with a few simulations of a case study in smoldering combustion. The chosen multiscale scenario is relevant for a large variety of practical applications ranging from the forecast of the response to fire of refractory concrete, the microstructure design of resistance-to-heat ceramic-based materials for engines, to the smoldering combustion of thin porous samples under microgravity conditions.


In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education granted states the opportunity to apply for waivers from the core requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In exchange, states implemented systems of differentiated accountability in which they identified and intervened in their lowest-performing schools ("Priority" schools) and schools with the largest achievement gaps between subgroups of students ("Focus" schools). We use administrative data from Michigan in a series of regression-discontinuity analyses to study the effects of these reforms on schools and students. Overall, we find that neither reform had appreciable impacts on various measures of school staffing, student composition, or academic achievement. We find some evidence that the Focus designation led to small, short-run reductions in the within-school math achievement gap – but that these reductions were driven by stagnant performance of lower-achieving students alongside declines in the performance of their higher-achieving peers. These findings serve as a cautionary tale for the capacity of the accountability provisions embedded in the recent reauthorization of NCLB, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), to meaningfully improve student and school outcomes.


We examine the statistical properties of the brightest group galaxies (BGGs) using a complete spectroscopic sample of groups/clusters of galaxies selected from the Data Release 7 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We test whether BGGs and other bright members of groups are consistent with an ordered population among the total population of group galaxies. We find that the luminosity distributions of BGGs do not follow the predictions from the order statistics (OS). The average luminosities of BGGs are systematically brighter than OS predictions. On the other hand, by properly taking into account the brightening effect of the BGGs, the luminosity distributions of the second brightest galaxies are in excellent agreement with the expectations of OS. The brightening of BGGs relative to the OS expectation is consistent with a scenario that the BGGs on average have over-grown about 20 percent masses relative to the other member galaxies. The growth ($\Delta M$) is not stochastic but correlated with the magnitude gap ($G_{1,2}$) between the brightest and the second brightest galaxy. The growth ($\Delta M$) is larger for the groups having more prominent BGGs (larger $G_{1,2}$) and averagely contributes about 30 percent of the final $G_{1,2}$ of the groups of galaxies.


The foot and mouth disease outbreak which started in February 2001 in the UK was the most severe civil crisis that had been seen in the UK since the Second World War. The crisis has been the subject of numerous reports, but this paper examines the communication dimensions of the outbreak, in particular the work of the Communications Directorate of the lead Government department, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (now the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Within the context of the Crisis literature, this paper discusses:

the main communication activities that were undertaken;

key issues;

lessons that have been learned and applied by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Finally it provides an analysis of some of the main communication issues, concluding with a checklist that should be borne in mind for future large-scale civil crises.


Fruit and vegetables are commonly stored in refrigerated rooms and, often, for medium/long periods, in pre-defined gaseous atmospheres (CA: different combinations of N2, O2, CO2). In this study, green and yellow kiwifruits were stored at 0°C with normal atmosphere (CK) or with an atmosphere enriched with O3 (150 ppb during the day and 180 ppb during the night), for 42 days. Subsequently the fruits were placed in shelf-life conditions for 10 days. From the beginning (T0), fruits were sampled six times during the 42 days of storage, and four more times thereafter, every 3‑4 days during 10 days of shelf life. Chemical and physical analyses of total soluble solid content (SSC), titratable acidity, color, changes of firmness and total chlorophylls and carotenoids content were performed. In addition, microbial analysis was carried out. Green kiwifruits were harvested at an earlier stage than yellow kiwifruits (6.5 vs 8.0 °Brix); firmness was 3.5 and 2.5 N mm-1 for green and yellow kiwifruits, respectively. Ozone treatment maintains higher firmness retention and lower SSC in 'Hayward' kiwifruit during cold storage and shelf life and does not negatively influence it in 'Soreli'. Color analysis (color difference, ΔE) in yellow and green kiwi samples was higher in ozone-treated fruits during cold storage at 0°C and shelf-life conditions. The microbiological data showed no significant variation between cultivars or treatments. Overall, treatment using continuous gaseous ozone can be a suitable choice for the preservation of 'Hayward' and 'Soreli' kiwifruits.


The relationship between adult children aged 18 - 24 and noncustodial fathers was explored with longitudinal data from the National Survey of Families and Households (n = 359). Noncustodial fathers' commitment to their adolescent children (contact, involvement in childrearing decisions) was strongly associated with father-child relations in early adulthood. Father-adult child relations were weaker when children were born to an unmarried mother and when children had no memory of living with the father. Contrary to expectations, both mothers' and fathers' remarriage was associated with stronger father-child relationships in early adulthood. The results show continuity in the father-child relationship from adolescence into young adulthood and suggest that the life course transitions of family members influence the father-child bond. Key Words: father-child relations, noncustodial parents, nonresidential parenting, parenting and parenthood, youth/ emergent adulthood. Fathers play an important role in the development and life chances of their children. Children are harmed when fathers play a lesser role in their lives after divorce or nonmarital birth (LaumannBillings & Emery, 2000; Shulman, Scharf, Lumer, & Maurer, 2001) and benefit when nonresident fathers take an active role and provide emotional and material support (Amato & Gilbreth, 1999; Lamb, 1999; White & Gilbreth, 2001). With data from a 12-year longitudinal study, Amato (1994) found that fathers made important contributions to the well-being of their young adult sons and daughters; the quality of relations with fathers was associated with adult children's happiness, life satisfaction, and psychological distress. Noncustodial parenthood resulting from divorce or nonmarital birth is a threat to the father-child relationship. The negative effects of noncustodial parenthood on fathers' involvement with their offspring have been shown with younger children and adolescents (Munsch, Woodward, & Darling, 1995; Seltzer, 1991). Relatively little is known about noncustodial father-child relationships as sons and daughters enter the adult years or about the conditions that influence whether adult children and their nonresident fathers stay connected or grow apart. The purpose of this research is to begin to fill this gap in the literature on parentadult child relationships. Key questions center on the degree to which relationship patterns established in childhood continue to be played out in early adulthood, and whether transitions in the life course of the father, mother, and child influence patterns of father-child interaction over the transidon to adulthood. I investigate factors that influence the level of contact between young adult children and their noncustodial fathers and the degree to which young adult children view their noncustodial fathers as a potential source of emotional and instrumental support. Theoretical Framework The family life course theoretical framework guided this research. This framework emphasizes the interdependence of family members' life paths and the interplay between the individual life course of family members and the dynamics of family relationships over time (Bengtson & Alien, 1993; Elder, 1984). Family life course theory highlights the possibility of continuity over time in family relationships. The theory posits that patterns of interaction established between family members at earlier times will influence interaction patterns at later points in the life course (Caspi & Elder, 1988). Rossi and Rossi (1990) concluded, on the basis of retrospective reports, that early parent-child relationships have long-term consequences for adult intergenerational relationships, a rinding also supported by prospective analyses of parent-adult child relations (Aquilino, 1997; Thornton, Orbuch, & Axinn, 1995). Family life course theory also suggests that family relationships are influenced by the individual developmental paths of family members (Elder, 1984). …


Because of water shortage in Beijing, most ponds and moats there have not enough water. In some times of each year, there is even no water. Therefore, wastewater reclamation and reuse has been paid more and more attention. Reclaimed water used as scenic water such as to supplement city moats, lakes etc. is considered. In this paper, some experiments were done to investigate whether constructed wetlands can reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration further in order to avoid the eutrophication of water bodies through use of reclaimed water for scenic environment. As we know, phosphorus is an important factor to cause algae bloom directly in water bodies. So investigation on phosphorus elimination is a key object for this study, which is composed of two main parts. The first part is laboratory scale testing to select the appropriate substrates of constructed wetlands among some materials. The second part is pilot scale experiments to find out optimal operational condition of different kinds of constructed wetlands. Based on the lab tests, we found that foamy-brick could provide a good condition for plants and microorganisms. According to the pilot scale experiments, it could be concluded that under optimal operational conditions, horizontal flow wetlands could work well. The results of the experiments also showed that integrated vertical flow wetlands are not suitable for phosphorus elimination of reclaimed water.


Executive Summary For the last two decades, the guiding strategy of immigration enforcement along the US-Mexico border has been "prevention through deterrence," or stopping unauthorized immigrants from entering the country rather than apprehending those who have already crossed the border. "Prevention through deterrence" has entailed a massive concentration of enforcement personnel and resources along the border and at ports of entry. It has also led to the detention and removal of increasing numbers of unauthorized immigrants and far greater use of "expedited removal." As gauged by the doubling in size of the unauthorized immigrant population over the same period, "prevention through deterrence" has not been a successful enforcement strategy. Moreover, it has funneled more migrants to their death in the deserts and mountains of the southwest as they (and smugglers) resort to increasingly dangerous routes to evade border enforcement. In addition, there has been public concern over ethnic profiling and the use of extraordinary authority by Border Patrol agents to conduct arbitrary searches within 100 miles of the border. Despite these problems, the federal government continues to spend billions of dollars each year on the "prevention through deterrence" strategy. A first step in overcoming the deficiencies of this border enforcement strategy is to strengthen accountability within the Border Patrol, so that allegations of excessive force and abuse are investigated and adjudicated promptly and appropriately. The culture of the Border Patrol must be transformed to foster respect for rights. More broadly, the mission of the Border Patrol should be to capture dangerous individuals and to disrupt the operations of the transnational criminal organizations that traffic people, drugs, guns, and money. In addition, providing more pathways to legal entry through immigration reform would enhance border security by attenuating the flow of unauthorized immigrants within which dangerous criminals or terrorists can hide. Finally, the US government should pursue economic policies to promote development in Mexico and Central American countries in order to address the underlying causes of migration.


Abstract. Predictive, regional use of soil organic matter (SOM) models requires evaluation of the performance of models with datasets from long‐term experiments relevant to the scenarios of interest to the regional scale study, and relevant to the climate of the study region. Datasets from six long‐term experiments were used to evaluate the performance of RothC and CENTURY, two of the most widely used and tested SOM models. Three types of model run were completed for each site: (1) CENTURY model alone; (2) RothC model run to fit measured SOC values, by iteratively adjusting C inputs to soil; and (3) RothC model run using C inputs derived from CENTURY runs. In general, the performance of both models was good across all datasets. The runs using RothC (iteratively changing C inputs to fit measured SOC values) tended to have the best fit to model data, since this method involved direct fitting to observed data. Carbon inputs estimated by RothC were, in general, lower than those estimated by CENTURY, since SOC in CENTURY tends to turn over faster than SOC in RothC. The runs using RothC with CENTURY C inputs tended to have the poorest fit of all, since CENTURY predicted greater C inputs than were required by RothC to maintain the same SOC content. A plausible model fit to measured SOC data may be obtained with widely differing C input values, due to differences in predicted decomposition rates between models. It remains unclear which, if either, modelling approach most closely represents reality since both C inputs to soil and decomposition rates for bulk SOM are difficult to determine experimentally. Further progress in SOM modelling can only be the result of research leading to better process understanding, both of net C inputs to soil and of SOM decomposition rates.  The use of default methods for estimating initial SOC pools in RothC and CENTURY may not always be appropriate and may require adjustment for specific sites. The simulations presented here also suggest details of SOC dynamics not shown by available measured data, especially trends between sampling intervals, and this emphasizes the importance of archived soil samples in long‐term experiments.


Background and Objectives: Cigarette smoking is one of the major global health issues. Accurate measurement of smoking is essential for accepting patterns of adolescent smoking behavior and for the evaluation of health education programs aimed at reducing or preventing the habit. The aim of the present study was to estimate and compare the salivary thiocyanate levels in young adult smokers and nonsmokers and also to evaluate and correlate the cellular and nuclear changes in cytological smears with salivary thiocyanate levels. Materials and Methods: The study included a total of 70 individuals in the age range of 18–25 years comprising of 35 smokers and 35 nonsmokers. A volume of 2 ml unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected by spitting method and were carried in a vaccine carrier with ice pack to the laboratory to avoid biochemical changes. Each sample was analyzed on the same day of collection by spectrophotometric method. In addition, cytosmears were prepared using Cytobrush® plus and stained with rapid Papanicolaou stain for cytological evaluation. Results: Salivary thiocyanate levels were significantly higher in smokers than nonsmokers. When these levels were compared with pack-years, there was a progressive significant increase in salivary thiocyanate levels as the pack-years increased. Duration of habit showed no statistically significant effect on salivary thiocyanate levels. Cytological evaluation revealed increase in nuclear-cytoplasmic area ratio and number of micronuclei in smokers than nonsmokers. The correlation between salivary thiocyanate levels and cytological changes showed insignificant result. Conclusion: Salivary thiocyanate levels were significantly higher in smokers than controls and showed significant correlation with the number of pack years. Although the present study failed to reveal any significant correlation between salivary thiocyanate level and cytological alterations, few early alterations in the oral mucosa even in the absence of clinical manifestations were detected by exfoliative cytology. Salivary thiocyanate determination is a safe, inexpensive, noninvasive method to differentiate early smokers from nonsmokers.


Coronas and iridescence occur when light is diffracted by small particles of liquid water or ice in the atmosphere. Diffraction colors are particularly vivid in mountain wave clouds because of the small particles and narrow particle-size distributions. The photographs shown here provide evidence that wave cloud diffraction displays are often created by unusually tiny, quasi-spherical ice particles.


An overview of the application of the photothermal technique for optical as well as thermophysical characterizations of thin films is given. The peculiarities of this technique are discussed in some detail, and selected important results are pointed out. Emphasis is placed on the influence of both residual absorption and randomly distributed inhomogeneities in thin films on their laser-damage resistance.


In order to meet demands for crops, pasture and firewood, the rate of land use change from forested to agricultural uses has steadily increased over several decades, resulting in an increased release of nutrients towards groundwater and surface water bodies. In parallel, the degradation of riparian zones has diminished their capacity to provide critical ecosystem functions, such as the ability to control and buffer nutrient cycles. In recent years, however, the key environmental importance of natural, healthy ecosystems has been progressively recognized and restoration of degraded lands towards their former natural state has become an area of active research worldwide. Land use changes and restoration practices are known to affect both soil nutrient dynamics and their transport to neighbouring areas. To this end, in order to interpret field experiments and elucidate the different mechanisms taking place, numerical tools are beneficial. Microbiological transformations of the soil organic matter, including decomposition and nutrient turnover are controlled to a large extent by soil water content, influenced in turn by climatic and environmental conditions such as precipitation and evapotranspiration. The work presented here is part of the Swiss RECORD project (http://www.cces.ethz.ch/projects/nature/Record), a large collaborative research effort undertaken to monitor the changes in ecosystem functioning in riparian areas undergoing restoration. In this context we have developed a numerical model to simulate carbon and nitrogen transport and turnover in a one-dimensional variably saturated soil profile. The model is based on the zero-dimensional mechanistic batch model of Porporato et al. (Adv. Water Res., 26: 45-58, 2003), but extends its capabilities to simulate (i) the transport of the mobile components towards deeper horizons, and (ii) the vertical evolution of the profile and the subsequent distribution of the organic matter. The soil is divided in four compartments, each representing a different "functional unit", having different thickness. The three shallower compartments, each variably saturated, correspond to the top soil, the root zone and an intermediate soil layer between the root zone and the aquifer. The deeper compartment represents the unconfined aquifer that receives nutrients infiltrating through the soil profile and always remains water-saturated. Carbon and nitrogen infiltration in the soil profile and their cycling are described by a set of coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations that are numerically integrated. To show the model capabilities in simulating soil nutrients transformations and transport and to illustrate how the model can be used to predict the changes in soil functioning as a result of land use changes, several realistic scenarios, with different soil and vegetation types, were modelled using a stochastically generated precipitation time series.


The purpose of this volume is to provide a brief review of the previous work on model reduction and identifi cation of distributed parameter systems (DPS), and develop new spatio-temporal models and their relevant identifi cation approaches.In this book, a systematic overview and classifi cation on the modeling of DPS is presented fi rst, which includes model reduction, parameter estimation and system identifi cation. Next, a class of block-oriented nonlinear systems in traditional lumped parameter systems (LPS) is extended to DPS, which results in the spatio-temporal Wiener and Hammerstein systems and their identifi cation methods. Then, the traditional Volterra model is extended to DPS, which results in the spatio-temporal Volterra model and its identification algorithm. All these methods are based on linear time/space separation. Sometimes, the nonlinear time/space separation can play a better role in modeling of very complex processes.Thus, a nonlinear time/space separation based neural modeling is also presented for a class of DPS with more complicated dynamics. Finally, all these modeling approaches are successfully applied to industrial thermal processes, including a catalytic rod, a packed-bed reactor and a snap curing oven. The work is presented giving a unifi ed view from time/space separation. The book also illustrates applications to thermal processes in the electronics packaging and chemical industry. This volume assumes a basic knowledge about distributed parameter systems, system modeling and identifi cation. It is intended for researchers, graduate students and engineers interested in distributed parameter systems, nonlinear systems, and process modeling and control.


We examine the effects of information and information presentation format on individuals' choice of payment method in a large randomized experiment carried out with the Belgian National Office for Family Benefits. We find that a one-time mailing providing information about method of payment for child benefit support caused a fourfold increase in parents' decision to switch from payment by check to electronic payment. Simple, low-cost supplements significantly raised people's responsiveness to the mailing. Our results suggest that complexity and information (processing) costs pose significant barriers to transitioning to electronic payment methods, and that deliberate efforts to lower these costs can contribute to large behavioral changes. (JEL D83, J13)


This paper was presented at a workshop on 'The Long-term Challenges of Forced Migration: Local and Regional Perspectives from Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq' organised by the LSE Middle East Centre in June 2016. It was published as part of a collected papers volume available in English and Arabic.


In theory, a patent serves the public good because the disclosure of the invention brings new ideas and technologies to the public and induces inventive activity. But while these roles inherently depend on the ability of the patent to disseminate technical knowledge, the teaching function of patents has received very little attention. Indeed, when the document publishes, it can serve as a form of technical literature. Because patents can, at times, communicate knowledge as well as, or better than, other information sources, patents could become a competitive source of technical information. Presently, however, patents are rarely viewed in this manner. There are several reasons for this, including the lack of a working example requirement and the pervasive use of ambiguous or opaque language. My primary objective is to transform patents into readable, teaching documents. Importantly, if patents are to compete with the technical literature, then they must provide the same quality of teaching. For this to happen, two things must occur. First, at least for complex inventions, an applicant must prove, through adequate detail, that the claimed invention has been constructed and works for its intended purpose. Second, applicants must be allowed to draft the document using clear and concise language, without the fear of litigation troubles. To achieve both, I contend that working examples should replace language as the principal measure of claim scope. To implement this idea, I propose a new examination protocol which gives the U.S. Patent Office the ability to request working examples when the disclosure's teaching appears dubious. In exploring criticisms, I argue that, in contrast to the current disclosure framework, which can itself thwart innovation, the proposed regime will produce more technically robust patents, which will make it easier for subsequent inventors to improve upon existing patented technology, promote the diffusion of knowledge across disciplines, and serve as a driver for more creative innovation.


A training was organised by the Evidence Management Unit of the European Food Safety Authority targeted to Member State representatives of the EFSA network on chemical occurrence data, project members of the EU Menu project and participants from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. The overall objectives of the training were to support the codification of foods according to FoodEx2, the food classification and description system of EFSA, provide guidance for the harmonised use of the system and the quality control of the codes. More specifically, this training was organised to enable participants to get familiar with the FoodEx2 catalogue browser, hierarchies and checking tool for the reporting of chemical occurrence, nutrient composition and food consumption data to EFSA. The training was evaluated positively by all participants. This event report summarises the background and rationale for the training organisation, its structure and main outcomes.


Using a sociopragmatic lens, we highlight recent strands of research focusing on two of the three main areas identified by Hamilton (1999): the use of language for reflecting and creating identities; and how discourse can reflect the norms, values and practices of society. We focus on studies of the areas of gender and the Internet to show how they emphasize the norms, values and practices of aging. We have assumed that the clinical aspects of Hamilton's third area, the decline, preservation or improvement of abilities in old age, have been incorporated in other sections of this volume, although we note several areas that have stimulated work in sociolinguistics. Growing emphases on identity, particularly as entwined with gender and language abilities, complicate perspectives on aging and language in a discipline with bifurcated if often complementary methodologies of variation and discourse analysis. Illustrations include brief case studies of specific language usage, such as extenders (and all that stuff) and media and the Internet, including the use of corpora in the sociolinguistic study of aging.


During the last two decades, there have been significant changes within the New Zealand tertiary sector due to Government, stakeholder and community demands. The result has been an altered context for learning and a need for continual reassessment of the learning environment. This paper discusses a case study that used survey and focus group data to uncover the concerns and issues faced by postgraduate research students in relation to developing and enhancing a research culture. Moreover, since a student will engage with tertiary study both cognitively and emotionally, the focus was on how the students identified their own needs within their research experience. As a university's particular context frames and supports the development of its research culture, student voices were deemed to best represent the student experience of the research community. Our study identifies that the student research experience is shaped by the support and interactions that they encounter. Coded and thematically analysed qualitative data was combined with the quantitative data to ascertain those characteristics of a research context which students identify as significant. This paper focuses on the qualitative results. Findings indicate that student engagement is enhanced when they feel part of a wider research community and have a sense of belonging. We claim that where synergies exist between student aspirations and the institutional culture in which they study, subcultures develop and there is a greater likelihood that positive outcomes will ensue. These findings have implications for the strategic development of the university's research culture and the ongoing development of supportive initiatives for research students in relation to higher degree research and enhancing teaching and learning.


Quasi-static loading process and dynamic process modelling the interaction with slip displacement friction between an elastic body and a rigid body are considered. In these processes, stick-slip motions are related to the earthquake instabilities. On the contact interface we use the friction Coulomb law with a slip dependent friction coefficient in the case of a prescribed normal pressure. In quasi-static loading, the qualitative behaviour of the solution is decided by the competition between two parameters which involve the geometry, the normal stress, the elasticity properties and the dependence on the slip displacement of the friction coefficient. We explain how slow loads generate time discontinuities and space nonhomogeneities on the contact interface at a large time scale. In the dynamic process we provide a linear stability analysis: rapidly after the initial perturbation, the dominant exponential part governs the time and space evolution of the slip during the initiation phase. For large times, the slip velocity behaves qualitatively as it would be in the case of a propagating crack. Between these two phases a transition phase exists caracterised by an extremely high apparent velocity (supersonic) of the rupture front.


"...a big, rich book ...a well-crafted book. Just like teenage girls, it is dramatic, entertaining, and endearing."?- JRAI "...an exhaustive study, theoretically sophisticated, beautifully written, and an enlightening read." - Australian Women's Book Review Through the innovative methodology of asking them to record their experiences on videotape, this book offers an evocative and fascinating cross-cultural exploration into the everyday lives of a number of teenage girls from their own broad social, cultural and ethnic perspectives. The use of the video camera by the girls themselves reveals their exploration and experimentation with possible identities, highlighting their awareness that the self is not ready made but rather constituted in the process of continuous performance. The result is an active self-conscious exploration of the continuous "art" of self-making. Through their play, the teenagers are shown to strategically test out various possibilities, while keeping such explorations within the bounds of what is acceptable and permissible in their own micro-cultural worlds. The resulting material challenges previous findings in those feminist and youth anthropological studies based on too narrow a concept of class, ethnicity or populist approaches to culture. Gerry Bloustien is a senior lecturer in Communications at the University of South Australia.


We examine sequences of dense packings of $n$ congruent non-overlapping disks inside a square which follow specific patterns as $n$ increases along certain values, $n = n(1), n(2),... n(k),...$. Extending and improving previous work of Nurmela and Ostergard where previous patterns for $n = n(k)$ of the form $ k^2$, $ k^2-1$, $k^2-3$, $k(k+1)$, and $4k^2+k$ were observed, we identify new patterns for $n = k^2-2$ and $n = k^2+ \lfloor k/2 \rfloor$. We also find denser packings than those in Nurmela and Ostergard for $n =$21, 28, 34, 40, 43, 44, 45, and 47. In addition, we produce what we conjecture to be optimal packings for $n =$51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 60, and 61. Finally, for each identified sequence $n(1), n(2),... n(k),...$ which corresponds to some specific repeated pattern, we identify a threshold index $k_0$, for which the packing appears to be optimal for $k \le k_0$, but for which the packing is not optimal (or does not exist) for $k > k_0$.


In this digital age, technology companies reign supreme. However, the power gained by these companies far exceeds the responsibilities they have assumed. The ongoing privacy protection and fake news scandals swirling around Facebook clearly demonstrate this shocking asymmetry of power and responsibility.

Legal reforms taking place in the United States in the past twenty years or so have failed to correct this asymmetry. Indeed, the U.S. Congress has enacted major statutes minimizing the legal liabilities of technology companies with respect to online infringing acts, privacy protection, and payment of taxes. While these statutes have promoted innovation, they have also had the unintended effect of breeding irresponsibility among technology companies.

Against this backdrop, this Article offers a new lens through which we can deal with the ethical crisis surrounding technology companies. It puts forward the concept of corporate fundamental responsibility as the ethical and legal foundation for imposing three distinct responsibilities upon technology companies: to reciprocate users' contributions, play their role positively, and confront injustices created by technological development. The Article further considers how these responsibilities could be applied to improve protection of private data and to encourage responsible exercise of intellectual property rights by technology companies.

The tripartite conception of corporate fundamental responsibility, this Article shows, is built upon the ethical theories of reciprocity, role responsibility, and social justice. Therefore, corporate fundamental responsibility paves the way for technology law to embrace ethics whole-heartedly, creating new legal and ethical guidance for the benevolent behavior of technology companies. In developing technologies, collecting data, and regulating speech, technology company leaders must act responsibly for the future of humanity.


We consider a category of transient processes that is usually hidden from view in coherent-transient experiments. These are the very fast noise processes that give rise to relaxation effects. We present different Markov-type models of a class of these noise processes, namely, laser phase and frequency fluctuations. These models lead to different forms for the laser-field autocorrelation function, depending on which quantity, the phase or the frequency, is the primary source of noise. We show that it is possible to establish a regime such that all these kinds of noise will lead to a Lorentzian laser power spectrum. Despite this common feature, N-photon absorption exhibits observable differences depending on the source of fluctuations. For example, for diffusive noises the absorption linewidth increases as N2, but for jumplike or shotlike phase fluctuations it can be N independent.


Equally, poor countries display similar compulsory schooling laws but different levels of child labor and school attendance. This paper provides an explanation for the existence of child labor, which relies on the imperfect enforcement of compulsory schooling laws and is consistent with the above cross-country differences. In the presence of complementarities in the production of human capital that justify legislative intervention, mandatory measures ensure that coordination failures are solved so that all parents send their children to school and the socially optimal equilibrium is reached. However, if enforcement of legislation is too low, multiple equilibria emerge. In this case, child labor occurs more often among poor households, and compulsory schooling laws may have adverse welfare effects.


Mobilizing sufficient resources is essential for supporting environmental activities in developing countries, and cofinancing is generally considered an important tool to help developing countries increase the resources they need. Moreover, cofinancing should increase ownership of projects by local authorities while improving accountability. The literature, however, has not explored why certain projects receive higher levels of cofinancing than others. This paper attempts to fill this gap by examining the cofinancing ratio and its determinants using projects financed by the GEF Trust Fund. The empirical results confirm that the rules of the fund, requiring different minimum cofinancing ratios by size and focal area of the GEF projects, do matter. Other important factors include funds' origins (foreign vs. domestic), types of cofinancing sources (reimbursable vs. non- reimbursable) and the particular GEF agencies involved.


Background Oxygen therapy is a life safe drug which should be administered in accordance with British Thoracic Society Guidelines1. Objective To assess the knowledge of medical students, foundation doctors and specialist registrars on emergency oxygen therapy in a district general hospital. Methods A questionnaire was sent to all medical students, foundation doctors and specialist registrars, studying or working at our hospital. Six clinical scenarios were given and the student or doctor was asked to indicate how much oxygen they would administer from a choice of five possible options. Results Out of a total of 283 surveys sent, there were 129 responses which included responses from 18 specialist registrars 33 foundation doctors and 77 medical students. The medical students answered 54.5% correctly, foundation doctors 58% correctly and specialist registrars 47.5% correctly. Overall, across all grades, participants were aware of the indications for high flow oxygen. However there was a poor appreciation of the need for controlled oxygen in patients with certain comorbidites such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute coronary syndrome and morbid obesity. Conclusions This survey has shown a poor understanding of oxygen therapy in many emergency situations. Of concern, the knowledge of our registrars dealing with medical emergencies was poorer than the foundation doctors and medical students. This may be a reflection that since the BTS emergency oxygen guidelines production, teaching on emergency oxygen has now become an integral part of medical student teaching which more senior doctors will not have benefited from. Education on oxygen therapy should be mandatory in medical schools and also to doctors in all grades throughout the trust. O'Driscoll BR, Howard LS, Davison AG. BTS guideline for emergency oxygen use in adult patients. Thorax 2008; 63: Supplement VI


A malicious insider in a sensor network may sabotage the network at any level of operation. While most prior work on network-layer security has focused on providing control plane integrity (specifically, routing correctness), we approach a complementary and equally important problem: data plane reliability. In a data plane attack, the attacker does not attack the routing control logic, but instead directly manipulates the data payloads flowing on the network to cause disruption. We reduce the general problem of data-plane manipulation attacks to two specific attacks: packet dropping and injection, and propose two complementary protocols to address the problem as a whole. We address packet dropping with a probabilistic probing protocol which can bound the end-to-end drop rate below a fixed threshold for a given path in the presence of multiple adversarial nodes and natural packet loss. We address packet injection with a rate-limiting mechanism based on per-epoch audit to detect nodes which exceed their allotted data origination rates. In both protocols, an adversary can misbehave by at most a fixed amount on expectation, before it is detected; after detection, one of the links under its control will be removed. Hence, the total amount of misbehavior (packet injection or dropping) an adversary can inflict is a constant regardless of the lifetime of the network.


This book critically examines the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and evaluates its impact from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The book includes both a domestic and international analysis of the effectiveness of the HRA, and also considers possible future developments in policy and practise as well as contemplating the potential for a British Bill of Rights. The editors have collected pieces from contributors drawn from diverse spheres, all of whom are internationally recognised for their impact in the field of human rights law. Contributors include members of the bench in the United Kingdom and Australia, academics, researchers, members of NGOs, and campaigners as well as people's testimony of lived experiences in relation to the Human Rights Act. Valuable contributions from the likes of Costas Douzinas, Keith Ewing, Helen Fenwick, Lady Hale, Irene Khan, Michael Kirby, Francesca Klug, Peter Tatchell and others have resulted in a book which draws out the connections between legal framework, theory, and the actual experience of the protection afforded to groups and individuals by the HRA.


Over the last few years, companies have scrambled to get their commercial websites up and running, but have seen the intranet as being a space where they can put information, without worrying about making it user friendly or even useful. This paper describes a piece of introductory research which set out to discover how much emphasis a small, a medium and a large organisation were placing on their Intranet. The resultant interviews highlight some of the issues that can then be used to provide a set of guidelines for best practice in Intranet design.


While the United States' Clean Water Act does not directly regulate nonpoint source water pollution, it does provide mechanisms that prompt states to address nonpoint source water quality problems within their borders. This prompt, however merely raises the next question: when, or under what political conditions, will states actually do so? While individual states within the United States provide many bases for comparison, this Article examines the issue of prompting nonpoint source regulation from an international comparative perspective, focusing on the nascent efforts of the Australian states of Victoria and Queensland to address nonpoint source pollution and the potential lessons from the various U.S. states' histories of nonpoint source regulation. Specifically, this Article's examination of nonpoint source management in various U.S. states suggests: (1) there will be little political will to regulate water quality until water quality problems become obvious to the relevant populace; (2) agricultural sources of nonpoint source pollution generally create the most significant political resistance to regulation; but (3) important countervailing interests in water quality — such as water-based tourism and recreational interests, drinking water quality, and/or culturally important fisheries — can sometimes overcome at least some political resistance to nonpoint source regulation. Translating these lessons to Australia, open source water supply catchments in Victoria and agriculturally-induced water quality impacts to the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland may present the best political opportunities to create regulatory requirements for up-stream agricultural nonpoint sources. Still, institutional reform and increased political will at both the state and federal levels are needed. In particular, the Australian Commonwealth Government must become the leader in improving water quality for the Great Barrier Reef.


Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have proven to be a useful means of finding optimal or near optimal solutions to hard problems that are difficult to solve by other means. However, determining which crossover and mutation operator is best to use for a specific problem can be a complex task requiring much trial and error. Furthermore, different operators may be better suited to exploring the search space at different stages of evolution. For example, crossover and mutation operators that are more likely to disrupt fit solutions may have a less disruptive effect and better search capacity during the early stages of evolution when the average fitness is low. This paper presents an automated operator selection technique that largely overcomes these deficiencies in traditional GAs by enabling the GA to dynamically discover and utilize operators that happen to perform better at finding fitter solutions during the evolution process. We provide experimental results demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach by comparing the performance of our automatic operator selection technique with a traditional GA.


Background Endovascular coil embolization for ophthalmic artery (OphA) aneurysms has the latent risk of occlusion of the OphA during the procedure, which can lead to loss of vision. We report clinical and angiographic results of endovascular treatment of OphA aneurysms together with the efficacy of the balloon occlusion test (BOT). Methods From August 2005 to December 2013, 31 consecutive patients with 33 OphA aneurysms were treated in our institution. The patients were classified into two groups according to the location of the OphA within the aneurysmal sac. The BOT was performed in 28 patients using a hypercompliant balloon before endovascular coiling. Collateral circulation between the external carotid artery and the OphA was examined and visual function tests were performed before and after treatment. Patient demographics, angiographic and clinical outcomes were reviewed. Results Among the 28 patients who underwent the BOT, intact collateral circulation was demonstrated in 26 (92.9%) patients and complete occlusion of the OphA was obtained in three patients after coiling. Retrograde filling of the OphA with choroidoretinal blush was observed on post-procedural angiography and no specific visual symptoms were reported during the follow-up period. Complete embolization was achieved in 30 lesions (96.8%) and only five patients (16.1%) had minor recanalization. Conclusions Endovascular treatment of OphA aneurysms can be performed safely and effectively in conjunction with BOT. The BOT may give useful information to predict visual outcome in patients whose OphA is likely to be threatened by the coiling procedure and to determine the optimal treatment strategy.


The results of extensive and long-lasting investigations on various geofactors in the "Lefka Ori Chania" W.Crete region revealed the major role of their interaction in the engineering geological conditions' formation. The investigated region has a specific scientific interest due to its admirable geoenvironment which is governed by an active geodynamic regime and affects the active development of all the geofactors. It also shows a rapid growth, which evolves into a fragile balance with the valuable geoenvironment thus the vision of its aeiforos development in the future, needs, among others, the wide recognition of its engineering geological conditions. The methodology was based on multidisciplinary and thorough research studies utilizing qualitative & quantitative analysis of various geofactors. The results, which are depicted on new geothematic maps, prove that these geofactors are the product of parallel progressive and interactive evolutions in an environment dominated by an active geodynamic regime, where the corresponding stress field affects in a catalytic way to many geo-developments. Besides this, a great number of striking geo-structures have been revealed, characterizing the investigated area of "Lefka Ori Chania", as a globally unique Natural Geological Laboratory. The GeoFactors' Interaction is represented graphically on a Matrix form creation, called then "Lefka Ori Western Crete GFIM". This matrix can serve us, as a useful scientific tool, for the investigated area's engineering geological conditions' recognition and we propose its application to relevant research studies.


Background: Electrochemistry was the foremost subdivision of the chemistry its interred correlated to the entire other chemistries. Primarily it can settle on the nature of compound reactions by physically depends on the applying extent of electricity. The magnitude container is agreed away in connecting the optimistic and negative electrodes at the being there of analytic nearby in solution medium. Thus the electrochemistry is essentially depended on the reaction of chemical changes are by the persuade current of applying, on this perception the electricity is on the inside associated to the chemical type which are in attendance in the chemical compounds. These genus are sensitive to the functionalised electric value of potentials, and it was seen in varying of chemical reactions. In that basis, the changing of reactions is extensive in electrochemical reactions. Methods: In this Cyclic Voltammetry experimental method, crucial principal subsequent, instrumentation, and chemical changing noticing potentiostat of the electrochemical cell and recording apparatus are studied. The working electrodes are glassy carbon electrode was used for the harvest of this research work. How the glassy carbon electrode is useful to bring good results from using analytes. The procedures for doing a modification with modifiers on the surface of the electrode are clearly discussed. Results: A quick-tempered and miniature responsive analytical advance became evolved for the electrochemical oxidation of Mesalazine (MSZ) the procedure of electro ionic deposited modified PMA altered glassy carbon electrode (MGCE). The distorted electrode specify electrocatalytic attention in the bearing of the oxidation of MSZ drug in 0.2M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) of pH 7.4 with the assist of using cyclic voltammetric (CV) technique. The restrict of detection develop into calculated to be 79.50nM at misused electrode. The impacts of experiment charge observe shows evidence of an adsorption deal with electrode phenomenon. The altered electrode might be used as an analytical apparatus for the enthusiasm MSZ drug in pharmaceutical formulations. Conclusion: The planned electrode deposited PMA MGCE grows to be engaged for the electro-oxidation and stamina of an imperative drug MSZ at physiological pH by revenue of the use of CV modus operandi. The discovery perimeter grows to be calculated to be 79.50nM on behalf of MSZ with the method of CV.


Our previously derived models of the active state of the β2-adrenergic receptor are compared with recently published X-ray crystallographic structures of activated GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors). These molecular dynamics-based models using experimental data derived from biophysical experiments on activation were used to restrain the receptor to an active state that gave high enrichment for agonists in virtual screening. The β2-adrenergic receptor active model and X-ray structures are in good agreement over both the transmembrane region and the orthosteric binding site, although in some regions the active model is more similar to the active rhodopsin X-ray structures. The general features of the microswitches were well reproduced, but with minor differences, partly because of the unexpected X-ray results for the rotamer toggle switch. In addition, most of the interacting residues between the receptor and the G-protein were identified. This analysis of the modelling has also given important additional insight into GPCR dimerization: re-analysis of results on photoaffinity analogues of rhodopsin provided additional evidence that TM4 (transmembrane helix 4) resides at the dimer interface and that ligands such as bivalent ligands may pass between the mobile helices. A comparison, and discussion, is also carried out between the use of implicit and explicit solvent for active-state modelling.


Abstract The theory of control of nonaxisymmetric perturbations is dominated by the wide sensitivity range of a tokamak plasma to externally produced magnetic perturbations. External perturbations are characterized by their normal magnetic field on the unperturbed plasma surface. The first spatial distribution of on the unperturbed plasma surface in a sensitivity series is that distribution that at the smallest amplitude has a significant effect on plasma properties. The second distribution of in that series is the distribution to which the plasma has greatest sensitivity while being orthogonal to the first. Two distributions are orthogonal if the integral of their product over the unperturbed plasma surface is zero. Only a limited number of distributions in the sensitivity series can be driven to an unacceptable amplitude by credible construction errors in ITER. Essentially any external coil set that produces a nonaxisymmetric magnetic field of adequate strength with a controllable toroidal phase can null the drive for the distribution of highest plasma sensitivity. However, the simultaneous nulling of not only the first but also of a number of other distributions in the sensitivity series is far more difficult. It is the properties of these distributions of secondary importance that determine both the machine tolerances that are required for successful control and the adequacy of a given set of error field control coils. Nonaxisymmetric fields can also have beneficial effects such as the control of edge-localized modes. Implementation requires driving a normal field distribution to which the beneficial effect is sensitive while not driving detrimental distributions of high plasma sensitivity.