The advantages of pay-as-you-go model, elasticity, and the flexibility and customization offered by virtualization make cloud computing an attractive option for meeting the needs of some High Performance Computing (HPC) users. However, there is a mismatch between cloud environments and HPC requirements. The poor interconnect and I/O performance in cloud, HPC-agnostic cloud schedulers, and the inherent heterogeneity and multi-tenancy in cloud are some bottlenecks for effective HPC in cloud. Our primary thesis is that cloud is suitable for some HPC applications not all applications, and for those applications, cloud can be more cost-effective compared to typical dedicated HPC platforms using intelligent application-to-platform mapping, HPC-aware cloud schedulers, and cloud-aware HPC execution and parallel runtime system. To address the challenges, and to exploit the opportunities offered by HPC-clouds, we make Open-Stack Nova scheduler HPC-aware and Charm++ parallel runtime system cloud-aware. We demonstrate that our techniques resulting significant improvement in cost (up to 60%), performance (up to 45%), and throughput (up to 32%) for HPC in cloud; helping cloud users gain confidence in the capabilities of cloud for HPC, and cloud providers run a more profitable business.


Adaptive optics (AO) has been applied in various fields including astronomy, ophthalmology and high power laser systems. An adaptive optics system for a high power laser is not significantly different from other AO systems in the point of configuration except that high energy absorbed by the deformable mirror distorts the deformable mirror surface and so degrades system performance. Currently we are researching a bimorph deformable mirror for beam cleaning of a high power class laser. The bimorph mirror was considered to have 99% reflective coating and 1% absorption. So this paper first presents the temperature profiles and corresponding thermal distortions of the bimorph mirror faceplate when the mirror is under a high power lasing for 10 seconds. The analysis was accomplished by the use of finite difference and finite element computer programs to generate the element arrays, calculate the temperature profiles, and determine the structural deformations. Then this paper proposes an 'embedded wafer' type water-cooling system with derived cooling parameters.


Introduction Myocardial perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a highly accurate non-invasive imaging modality in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). High-resolution (hi-res) two-dimensional (2D) perfusion CMR can better detect sub-endocardial ischaemia although with the disadvantage of lesser myocardial coverage. Three-dimensional (3D) perfusion provides whole heart coverage but has a comparatively inferior resolution. The superiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR) over visual angiographic assessment in determining functional significance of a coronary stenosis is now well established. We studied the diagnostic agreement between hi-res 2D and 3D perfusion CMR in patients with significant multi-vessel flow limiting CAD as confirmed by FFR on a per patient and per vessel basis. Methods Patients with suspected stable CAD referred for invasive coronary angiography as part of their routine clinical care were prospectively recruited. Prior to revascularisation (if performed) all patients underwent both hi-res 2D adenosine vasodilator stress and 3D adenosine stress perfusion scans during the same sitting. Visually, coronary stenoses less than 50% were deemed not to be flow limiting, whereas those 80% or more were considered as flow limiting. For stenoses between 50%–80% FFR study was performed, with FFR of 0.8 or less considered functionally significant. Blinded, independent, qualitative visual analysis by two experienced readers was performed to confirm existence of true perfusion defects on both 2D and 3D perfusion CMR datasets. Vascular territories in relation to CMR perfusion defects were assigned as per AHA 16 segment classification. Results Prevalence of CAD was 62%. Of the 29 patients studied, 6 (21%) had single-vessel disease, 8 (27%) had two-vessel disease (2VD), 4 (14%) had three-vessel disease (3VD), and 11 (38%) had no significant CAD. In view of the small sample size qualitative analysis was undertaken to determine concordance between hi-res 2D and 3D perfusion CMR. Prevalence of perfusion defects relating to the three vascular territories have been detailed in Table 1. Conclusions Our study shows an excellent agreement for both modalities in detecting FFR positive CAD on a per patient basis. On a per vessel basis, between the two, agreement in the LAD territory appears to be best. Discrepancy appears to be most in the circumflex territory. 3D perfusion CMR appears to detect circumflex ischaemia more accurately possibly due to better coverage of the basal left ventricle. (Ref Fig 1 and Fig 2) The lateral wall is often the thinnest making it more difficult to detect perfusion abnormalities – better coverage with 3D may be beneficial here. However, in the circumflex vascular territory we also observe that, in the absence of flow limiting disease in the circumflex artery (comparatively with the LAD and RCA) perfusion defects appear to be more prevalent, reflecting a limitation of the AHA classification. Abstract 114 Figure 1 3D perfusion images showing perfusion defects in LAD (see blue arrows) and circumflex territory (see red arrows)Abstract 114 Table 1 Abstract 114 Figure 2 High resolution 2D perfusion images in the same patient showing perfusion defects in the LAD territory only (see blue arrows)


Purpose To describe key success factors, derived from literature review and international case studies that enable effective integration between clinicians, teams and organizations. Theory Effective integration is dependent on consideration of diverse factors operating at macro, meso and micro levels of health care. Data sources Literature review and four international case studies. Methods A maximum variation sample of four ICOs was selected from organizations and services nominated by international experts as 'high performing'; ensuring a range of national policy contexts, organizational arrangements, and integrative approaches. Case studies in the USA, Holland and Scotland, drew on data from 10 to 15 semi-structured interviews with managers and clinicians and on document review. Interviews explored understanding of and objectives for 'integration', external influences and impact of internal characteristics (e.g. leadership, governance, IT) in facilitating/hindering integration. Clinical interviewees also described hypothetical patient journeys. Analysis focused on potential barriers and facilitators to integration. Preliminary conclusions Findings suggest integration requires four tiers of 'success factors': 1) a supportive 'operating environment' with appropriate policy, regulation, law, and payment systems; 2) organisational culture, infrastructure and processes (which may cross organizational boundaries) to support integration and enable; 3) effective inter-professional teams operating within or between organizations with linked infrastructure; shared assessments; common standards; care co-ordination and shared care plans and 4) activated patients to participate in care planning. Discussion Those wishing to develop effective ICOs will need to ensure that each of these four tiers is addressed simultaneously across all levels (i.e. macro, meso and micro) of health care.


Test pattern generation is an electronic design automation tool that attempts to find an input (or test) sequence that, when applied to a digital circuit, enables one to distinguish between the correct circuit behavior and the faulty behavior caused by particular faults. The effectiveness of this classical method is measured by the fault coverage achieved for the fault model and the number of generated vectors, which should be directly proportional to test application time. This work address the quantum process validation problem by considering the quantum mechanical adaptation of test pattern generation methods used to test classical circuits. We found that quantum mechanics allows one to execute multiple test vectors concurrently, making each gate realized in the process act on a complete set of characteristic states in space/time complexity that breaks classical testability lower bounds.


Suspension assay using optically color-encoded microbeads is a novel way to increase the reaction speed and multiplex of biomolecular detection and analysis. To boost the detection speed, a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system is of great interest for quickly decoding the color codes of the microcarriers. Imaging Fourier transform spectrometer (IFTS) is a potential candidate for this task due to its advantages in HSI measurement. However, conventional IFTS is only popular in IR spectral bands because it is easier to track its scanning mirror position in longer wavelengths so that the fundamental Nyquist criterion can be satisfied when sampling the interferograms; the sampling mechanism for shorter wavelengths IFTS used to be very sophisticated, high-cost and bulky. In order to overcome this handicap and take better usage of its advantages for HSI applications, a new wide spectral range IFTS platform is proposed based on an optical beam-folding position-tracking technique. This simple technique has successfully extended the spectral range of an IFTS to cover 350-1000nm. Test results prove that the system has achieved good spectral and spatial resolving performances with instrumentation flexibilities. Accurate and fast measurement results on novel colloidal photonic crystal microbeads also demonstrate its practical potential for high-throughput and multiplex suspension molecular assays.


OBJECTIVE
The study examined factors that help determine a good or poor fit between the psychosocial support needs of hospitalized patients and the hospital's discharge plan.

METHODS
The Mount Sinai Discharge Planning Inventory was completed weekly for 494 consecutive admissions to the hospital's adult inpatient psychiatric units. The resources that patients brought with them into the hospitalization in the areas of housing, entitlements, daily activities, and psychiatric treatment were recorded as well as the resources that would constitute an optimal discharge plan. Good or poor fit was operationally defined by the match between the optimal, first-choice plan and the implemented discharge plan.

RESULTS
One-third of admissions were found to have an optimal fit on admission in all resource categories studied. For patients who entered the hospital with suboptimal resources, discharge planing was significantly more likely to establish clinically relevant psychiatric treatment options and to strengthen daily living activities than to change housing resources. Certain diagnoses and a history of drug abuse, criminality, violence, and treatment noncompliance were associated with poorer fits with first-choice disposition options.

CONCLUSIONS
The Mount Sinai Discharge Planning Inventory provides a method to systematically evaluate discharge planning by tracking progress toward securing relevant posthospital care and support.


The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision ("the Committee") released a consultative document that included a regulatory capital charge for operational risk. Since the release of the document, the complexity of the concept of "operational risk" has led to vigorous and recurring discussions. We show that for a production unit of a bank with well-defined workflows operational risk can be unambiguously defined and modelled. The results of this modelling exercise are relevant for the implementation of a risk management framework, and the pertinent risk factors can be identified. We emphasize that only a small share of all workflows make a significant contribution to the resulting VaR. This result is quite robust under stress testing. Since the definition and maintenance of processes is very costly, this last result is of major practical importance. Finally, the approach allows us to distinguish features of quality and risk management respectively. Finally, the methodology is designed to relate risk measurement to the concerns and risk tolerance of risk management.


A crisis of contemporary democracy, long proclaimed by political analysts, and the growing discontent with its practice have given a stimulus for various remedial actions. One of these actions is the idea of deliberative democracy. Deliberative democracy is not only a multi-facet theoretical project (outlined briefly in the present article) but also a practice of promoting community participation and of introducing various, even non-standard, methods of participation. Such was the idea behind a presidential initiative in 2010 for setting up a platform for public discussion, Forum for Public Debate. The aims and objectives of the platform, its focus, underlying principles, as well as procedures in place and the results of what has been undertaken within its framework – they all show that the initiative is a clear manifestation of what is called deliberative democracy.


Today, the world is experiencing a jump in GNSS/RNSS services, advancing beyond the decades-long monopoly of GPS and GLONASS in providing worldwide PNT. BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) now offers global services, and Galileo is not far behind. QZSS and NavIC are beginning to offer regional services. We are in a transition period as the new satellite navigation service providers complete their move from initial operation to full operation over the next several years. While each system provides PNT services, these services differ in implementation and capabilities, in signals, codes, navigation data, data authentication levels, and ancillary services.

This paper examines the core service standards addressing accuracy, availability, continuity, integrity, and coverage for each of the various systems, providing a brief historical perspective, and a look at where we are today in implementing and monitoring these services. The analysis includes a table comparing and contrasting the service standards for each of the systems.

The paper provides background on standards, how they came about, and reports on their value in ensuring users have a dependable, repeatable service, able to serve as a basis for certification of safety of life PNT services. The paper reports on steps being taken by the United Nations International Committee on GNSS (ICG) to encourage a core set of standards for each GNSS with harmonized definitions and transparent methodologies. It presents steps being taken to verify the performance standards commitments, and examines recent failure events in GPS and Galileo, assessing how they reflect on the service commitments. The paper summarizes the progress to date in implementing the ICG guidelines and provides a look at future steps to be taken in implementing GNSS/RNSS performance standards.

In this article, the term "performance standard" is used. Some organizations refer to these documents by other terms, such as a service standard, open service standard, or service definition document. For the purpose of this article these terms are considered synonymous.


Several recent papers argue that contracts provide reference points that affect ex post behavior. We test this hypothesis in a canonical buyer-seller relationship with renegotiation. Our paper provides causal experimental evidence that an initial contract has a highly significant and economically important impact on renegotiation behavior that goes beyond the effect of contracts on bargaining threatpoints. We compare situations in which an initial contract is renegotiated to strategically equivalent bargaining situations in which no ex ante contract was written. The ex ante contract causes sellers to ask for markups that are 45 percent lower than in strategically equivalent bargaining situations without an initial contract. Moreover, buyers are more likely to reject given markups in renegotiations than in negotiations. We do not find that these effects are stronger when the initial contract is concluded under competitive rather than monopolistic conditions.


This article argues for the need to integrate self-regulatory processes in models of adaptive interpreting expertise. It presents the results of an analysis of self-regulatory competence of experts and novice interpreters, using data from retrospective studies, interviews, and performance analysis. The findings revealed differences between the two groups with respect to the following processes: metacognition, emotion regulation, self-observation, and self-judgment. On the basis of these findings, recommendations for training and professional development opportunities as well as for further research are discussed.


Recently there has been much interest in Gowers uniformity norms from the perspective of theoretical computer science. This is mainly due to the fact that these norms provide a method for testing whether the maximum correlation of a function $f:\mathbb{F}_p^n \rightarrow \mathbb{F}_p$ with polynomials of degree at most $d \le p$ is non-negligible, while making only a constant number of queries to the function. This is an instance of {\em correlation testing}. In this framework, a fixed test is applied to a function, and the acceptance probability of the test is dependent on the correlation of the function from the property. This is an analog of {\em proximity oblivious testing}, a notion coined by Goldreich and Ron, in the high error regime. In this work, we study general properties which are affine invariant and which are correlation testable using a constant number of queries. We show that any such property (as long as the field size is not too small) can in fact be tested by Gowers uniformity tests, and hence having correlation with the property is equivalent to having correlation with degree $d$ polynomials for some fixed $d$. We stress that our result holds also for non-linear properties which are affine invariant. This completely classifies affine invariant properties which are correlation testable. The proof is based on higher-order Fourier analysis. Another ingredient is a nontrivial extension of a graph theoretical theorem of Erd\"os, Lov\'asz and Spencer to the context of additive number theory.


In the 1920s Turkey and Iran faced political upheaval as both states attempted to find their routes to modernity. This is the first study to observe the practice of modernization in Turkey and Iran not only from above, by examining the measures adopted by the political regimes of the late Ottomans, Ataturk and Reza Shah, but also from below, exploring how different social levels contributed to the drive for modernity. It is a full and thorough analysis of how these societies reacted to reform and change. "The State and the Subaltern" offers a fresh perspective on the accommodation and resistance to modernization and the relation between the common people and the state in two Islamic societies during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a fascinating exploration of the history of subalterns - the rank and file of society - with specific reference to gender, ethnicity, industrial and non-industrial urban labour, rural labour, unemployment and the impact of immigrant labour.


Background: Low utilization of modern contraceptive is one of the key determinants of high fertility in Nigeria. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the yearly prevalence and trend of contraceptive use among women of reproductive age-group who attended a family planning clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A clinical audit of contraceptive uptake was undertaken at the family planning clinic of University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2018. Information on the client's age, type of contraceptive utilized, and total number of each contraceptive method used per year was obtained. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 20.0. Results: A total of 13,023 women utilized at least one form of contraceptive with mean age of 35.53 ± 9.1 years. Implant (31.2%) was the most widely utilized contraceptive, whereas bilateral tubal ligation (0.4%) was the least utilized. Other methods were intrauterine contraceptive device, injectable, condom (male and female), and oral contraceptive accounting for 26.9%, 19.3%, 16.7%, and 5.5%, respectively. A significant decrease was observed in the trend of use of modern hormonal contraceptive methods as compared to the nonhormonal methods over the 8 years studied (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Implant being the most utilized indicates that it is the most accepted and approved by clients in our clinic. The knowledge of contraceptive utilization trends can be used to monitor and appraise the acceptance and approval of each method and family planning programs over a period.


In this graduation thesis Sound Symbolism in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, I will be discussing the possible influence of sound symbolism in the Harry Potter books and sound symbolism in general. he novels are about a boy that is a wizard, who has to fight bad warlock to save the world. In a way it is a classic story between the battle good versus bad. In this thesis I wish to examine whether sound symbolism in the names of characters and objects has influence on reinforcing notions like good, bad, big, small, light, dark etc.
In the beginning of the thesis I write about the research in the field done by scholars like Newman and Waugh. I continue with my own research done on sound symbolism. The first part of research discusses consonants and vowels; the second part deals with consonant clusters. The third part is based on whole syllables with emphasis on vowels, and in the final section the names of the main characters in the novels of the Harry Potter series are dealt with. We were primarily interested in three main issues. How informants perceive sounds in terms of bright vs. dark, small vs. big, and good vs. bad. With this research, we wanted to see if the results are comparable with Newman's and if according to these results, we can detect usage of sound symbolism in the names of the characters in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter.
In the last part I wrote about the analysis of the sounds and clusters in these names. I based this analysis on the research.
The results show that use of sound symbolism can be observed the creation of the names in the mentioned works. When it comes to whole words, it is difficult to separate sound symbolic from lexical meaning, because they are too closely intertwined. For this reason, I examined also parts of words and single sounds


Whilst the academic year 2001/2 saw a rise in the number of students taking post-16 modern foreign language public examinations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, entries at the full A2 level in the same subject area were down, the biggest drops being for French and German. This drop has serious implications for the provision of advanced-level modern foreign language study across the post-compulsory educational sectors, including degree-level foreign language study and teacher education. The main aim of this study was to explore some of the reasons behind the drop out from German foreign language study between AS and A2 levels in England, using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The qualitative dimension of the study highlighted the following reasons as key determiners in the decision to discontinue German language study at A2 level: the difficulty of German and the German AS level curriculum (encompassing the notions of the unexpected 'jump' between GCSE and AS level German and the time-consuming nature of the subject); tactical decision-making regarding the need to accumulate the highest possible points score for university entrance; low AS level grades; the perceived lack of relevance of German to future career/study paths; the lack of subject enjoyment at AS level. The quantitative data showed that most respondents had experienced a substantial drop in their grades for German between GCSE and AS level. Regarding predicted grades at AS level, more than half of the predictions were too high by at least one grade (95 per cent confidence interval of 39 to 63%) compared with the grades actually achieved. Results concerning subject enjoyment at AS level and topics studied were inconclusive, but 83% of respondents agreed that there had been a big jump from GCSE to AS level in German. Furthermore, 64% of the participants found the German grammar at AS level off-putting and 74% felt that German at AS level was the most difficult of all the AS level subjects taken. Significantly, 69% believed that doing German at A2 would have lowered their overall grades for university entrance, whilst the same number (69%) said that they alone had been mainly responsible for their decision to drop German post AS level. In light of both the findings emerging from this study and the recently published 'Tomlinson report' (DfES 2004) which targets the 14–19 age group, it is suggested that the time is now ripe to consider the content of German curricula for this age range in some detail and to explore further ways of improving the quality and content of the learning experience


Many markets rely on information intermediation to sustain cooperation between large communities.We identify a key trade-off in costly information intermediation: intermediaries can create trust by incentivizing information exchange, but with too much information acquisition, intermediation becomes expensive, with a resulting high equilibrium default rate and a low fraction of agents buying this information. The particular pricing scheme and the competitive environment affect the direct and indirect costs of information transmission, represented by fees paid by consumers and the expected loss due to imperfect information, respectively. Moreover, we show that information trade has characteristics similar to a natural monopoly, where competition may be detrimental to efficiency either because of the duplication of direct costs or the slowing down of information spillovers. Finally, a social-welfare-maximizing policymaker optimally chooses a low information sampling frequency in order to maximize the number of partially informed agents. In other words, maximizing information spillovers, even at the cost of slow information accumulation, enhances welfare.


We study function approximation for episodic reinforcement learning with entropic risk measure. We first propose an algorithm with linear function approximation. Compared to existing algorithms, which suffer from improper regularization and regression biases, this algorithm features debiasing transformations in backward induction and regression procedures. We further propose an algorithm with general function approximation, which is shown to perform implicit debiasing transformations. We prove that both algorithms achieve a sublinear regret and demonstrate a tradeoff between generality and efficiency. Our analysis provides a unified framework for function approximation in risk-sensitive reinforcement learning, which leads to the first sub-linear regret bounds in the setting.


Aims: Following the detection of the fast radio burst FRB150418 by the SUPERB project at the Parkes radio telescope, we aim to search for very-high energy gamma-ray afterglow emission. Methods: Follow-up observations in the very-high energy gamma-ray domain were obtained with the H.E.S.S. imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope system within 14.5 hours of the radio burst. Results: The obtained 1.4 hours of gamma-ray observations are presented and discussed. At the 99 % C.L. we obtained an integral upper limit on the gamma-ray flux of (E>350 GeV) < 1.33 x 10^-8 m^-2s^-1. Differential flux upper limits as function of the photon energy were derived and used to constrain the intrinsic high-energy afterglow emission of FRB 150418. Conclusions: No hints for high-energy afterglow emission of FRB 150418 were found. Taking absorption on the extragalactic background light into account and assuming a distance of z = 0.492 based on radio and optical counterpart studies and consistent with the FRB dispersion, we constrain the gamma-ray luminosity at 1 TeV to L < 5.1 x 10^47 erg/s at 99% C.L.


The nuclear fission process is highly complex and proceeds in heavy actinide and trans-actinide nuclei either spontaneously or induced by various reactions. Photon-induced reactions are particularly well understood due to the well-known electromagnetic interaction and because only dipole and electric quadrupole excitations are possible. This dissertation presents three developments for correlation experiments in photon-induced nuclear fission and demonstrates the feasibility of such correlation experiments with bremsstrahlung and monochromatic photons in the entrance channel, measuring the full fission-fragment mass distribution with ionization chambers. First, to increase the experimental luminosity for in-beam experiments a multi-target Frisch-grid ionization chamber (FGIC) has been developed. Second, the pulse-height defect (PHD) in different gas mixtures of Ar and CF4 has been determined relative to the reference gas P-10. Third, a positionsensitive FGIC has been constructed that allows the azimuthal fragment emission angle to be determined.

The performance of the newly constructed multi-target FGIC, holding up to three targets simultaneously, was tested by an experiment utilizing bremsstrahlunginduced fission on 238U and 232Th at E0 = 8.5MeV, performed at the Darmstadt High-Intensity Photon Setup (DHIPS). Information on the mass, total kinetic energy (TKE) and polar angular distribution of the fission fragments was determined by means of the double kinetic energy technique and the drift-time method, whereas the average TKE of the fission fragments was calibrated relative to established data. The extracted pre-neutron mass distributions for 238U(γ,f) and 232Th(γ,f) are in good agreement with literature data. For the 232Th data an excellent agreement of the shape of TKE distribution with the shape of the literature data is observed. The measured angular distributions were fitted and parametrized by a function which describes the theoretically expected angular distribution. For 238U considerable E2 contributions are detected, whereas for 232Th a clear dipole pattern is evident.

The assessment of Ar+CF4 mixtures as a counting-gas in ionization chambers was conducted by using a twin FGIC and fission fragments emitted in 252Cf(sf). As fission fragments emitted in 252Cf(sf) are well studied, a reliable comparison with established data as a basis for a PHD calibration procedure was possible. A universal function describing the PHD in different mixtures of Ar+CF4 was found and was used to calculate pre-neutron mass and TKE distributions. An excellent agreement between average pre-neutron fission-fragment masses measured in all counting-gases and literature is demonstrated with deviations smaller than 0.25 amu. The TKE distributions are in good agreement with established data, and calculated ⟨TKE⟩ values are, within uncertainties, in good agreement with the recommended value of 184.15MeV. To build a more compact multi-target FGIC, one may profit from the high stopping power of the Ar+CF4 mixtures. However, a pressure dependence in the pulse-height data showed that with regard to stopping power no benefit is gained by using Ar+CF4 instead of P-10.

The performance of the position-sensitive FGIC was studied by investigating measured fission-fragment mass and TKE distributions as well as angular distributions from 238U(γ,f) at Eγ = 11.2MeV and Eγ = 8.0MeV excitation energy with linearly and circularly polarized γ-ray beams. The experiment was performed at the High Intensity γ-ray Source (HIγS), at the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL). Fission-fragment mass and TKE distributions were studied by applying the double kinetic energy technique, and angular distributions were extracted by applying the drift-time method and the read-out of the position-sensing anode structure. Calculated pre-neutron mass and TKE distributions were compared to literature data yielding good agreement. The presented fission-fragment yield as a function of TKE and pre-neutron mass number was used to extract information of fission-mode weights for the standard modes, super-long and super-short mode. A predominant standard-2 mode contribution as expected from theory is evident. The extracted super-short mode contribution of 0.1% has not been observed before in reference data and might be the first evidence of the existence of the super-short mode in light actinides. The fission-fragment polar angular distribution for 238U(γcir,f) at Eγ = 11.2MeV was analyzed for various mass splits in the fragment pre-neutron mass distribution and is in very good agreement to literature data. The evidence for a working position-sensitive structure is provided by the successful measurement of the fission-fragment azimuthal angle φ, which was measured in coincidence to the polar angle θ. For nearly 100% polarized photons, a distinct anisotropic distribution is observed, with a minimum at φ = 90◦. Normalized values for the contribution of the dipole fission channels are calculated as σγ,f (1−, 0) = 0.484 ± 0.007, σγ,f (1−, 1) = 0.439 ± 0.019 and σγ,f (1+, 1) = 0.078 ± 0.019, using the measured angular distribution coefficients. Prompt fission neutrons (PFN) were measured in coincidence with fission fragments from 238U using four liquid scintillator neutron detectors arranged around the FGIC. Neutron and γ-ray signals are distinguished by means of pulse-shape discrimination and time-of-flight information. The total neutron number detected in each liquid scintillator detector, respectively, is in the order of magnitude of previous estimations. This demonstrates the feasibility to measure prompt-neutron observables in a thin-target in-beam experiment.


In general, when an archaeologist addresses the issue of faunal procurement on the Plains, especially the northern Plains, the model used entails the communal hunting of bison. The·non-communal procurement of a secondary prey species is frequently overlooked by Plains archaeologists. It is the intent of this thesis to present a pronghorn procurement strategy that aligns itself with the current archaeological evidence, gathered from across the northern Plains. Based on the abundance of Wyoming and Great Basin communal pronghorn procurement features, along with a single northern Plains trapping structure, the procurement of pronghorn is often regarded as a communal undertaking. However, a review of the site literature reveals that archaeological pronghorn remains are present in small quantities in numerous habitation sites situated throughout their prehistork range. In addition, evidence for pronghorn kill sites on the northern Plains is minimal at present. This leaves one to ponder the question; why are small quantities ofpronghorn remains present in campsites across the northern Plains? The first part of this thesis addresses the above question through the examination of the unique behavioural and morphological characteristics of the pronghorn, as well as bow and arrow technology. This is undertaken in order to demonstrate the suitability of both the pronghorn and the aboriginal hunting technology to small-scale procurement. In addition ethnographic, historic and archaeological data concerning pronghorn procurement on the northern Plains are presented in a framework that allows for a revision of prevailing models concerning this activity. In addition, small-scale and communal procurement is analyzed within the theoretical framework of optimal foraging theory. This provides evidence that the small-scale hunting of pronghorn was an efficient hunting strategy and therefore it is reasonable to assume that it was practiced prehistorically. The remainder of this thesis addresses a secondary, yet relevant, question involving the lack of visibility ofpronghorn remains in the archaeological record. If pronghorn were an obtainable and useful secondary resource then why are such small quantities of bone present at archaeological sites situated within ideal pronghorn habitat? This question is explored within the context of bone survivorship. With both cultural and non-cultural reasons for the differential preservation of pronghorn remains being outlined. Specifically, carnivore attrition, weathering and trampling are explored as possible non-cultural agents that affect the archaeological visibility of pronghorn assemblages. Cultural processes include primary/secondary butchering and processing strategies as well as carcass transportation decisions are also investigated. In addition, the pronghorn assemblages from EbPi-75 and DIOu-72 are statistically tested to determine ifbone density has any correlation to element frequency. Finally, the two recently excavated northern Plains pronghorn assemblages from EbPi-75 and DIOu-72 are analyzed and compared to the existing body of archaeological research from the northern Plains, High Plains, and the Wyoming Basin. From this comparison and the thesis research in general, a new model for pronghorn procurement is developed that better suits the northern Plains archaeological record to date.


This paper describes studies on the recovery of metals from spent hydro-processing catalyst using mixed acidophilic culture in presence of pyrite. This culture was initially grown in the 9K- medium (absence of 9 g/L Fe(II)) where ferrous sulphate (FeSO4) was replaced by pyrite, and then applied in this bioleaching study. Bacterial action on pyrite catalysed the formation of ferric ion (Fe+3), proton (H+) and sulphate ions (SO4-2) in the solution which leached metals (Ni, Mo and V) from the spent catalyst. Experiments were conducted by varying the reaction time, amount of spent catalyst and pyrite, and temperature. After 7 days with 30 g/L of spent catalyst and 50 g/L of pyrite, the leaching of Ni, V and Mo into the solution was 85, 92 and 26%, respectively. With increasing spent catalyst loading, the extent of metal dissolution was decreased, probably due to the precipitation of Fe+3 as a residue. Under all conditions tested, Mo showed recovery due to its precipitation with leach residues as MoO3 observed by applying EDAX and XRD techniques to the leach residues.


It has been hypothesized that Candida albicans possesses integrin-like receptors on its cell surface. This is because C. albicans binds numerous fluid-phase extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on its cell surface and adheres to the same ECM proteins when immobilized. In addition, numerous antibodies to human integrins (receptors for ECM proteins) bind to the fungal cell surface and in so doing inhibit the binding of the respective proteins. To demonstrate the presence of such a cell surface integrin, a cDNA library of C. albicans yeast cells was screened with polyclonal antiserum to the human fibronectin receptor (α5β1 integrin). Clones isolated by this screening technique also reacted specifically to antiserum against the human vitronectin receptor (αvβ3 integrin). DNA sequence analysis of the cloned insert predicted a 350 aa protein (37 kDa). This predicted protein showed 75% homology at the nucleotide sequence level to alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In vitro transcription/translation of the cloned inserts yielded a 37 kDa protein that was immunoprecipated with antibodies to the α5β1 and αvβ3 integrins and an antibody to a C. albicans fibronectin receptor. These antibodies and an mAb to the human vitronectin receptor demonstrated an antigen of −37 kDa present in the cell-wall preparations of C. albicans and in spent growth medium. All four antibodies reacted with authentic ADH. The possible significance of these results in relation to C. albicans adherence is discussed.


Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs) are a class of generative neural network that are typically trained to maximize a log-likelihood objective function. We argue that likelihood-based training strategies may fail because the objective does not sufficiently penalize models that place a high probability in regions where the training data distribution has low probability. To overcome this problem, we introduce Boltzmann Encoded Adversarial Machines (BEAMs). A BEAM is an RBM trained against an adversary that uses the hidden layer activations of the RBM to discriminate between the training data and the probability distribution generated by the model. We present experiments demonstrating that BEAMs outperform RBMs and GANs on multiple benchmarks.


1. The hepatic organelle pathology of 12 patients with Gilbert9s syndrome was studied by analytical subcellular fractionation in combination with enzymic microanalysis of liver biopsy material. 2. All patients showed increased activities of the endoplasmic reticulum marker enzyme, neutral α-glucosidase. Seven patients showed a decrease in the modal density of the endoplasmic reticulum, from 1·20 to 1·15 g/ml. These patients also showed striking hypertrophy of the hepatocyte smooth endoplasmic reticulum on electron microscopy. The remaining five patients showed normal endoplasmic reticulum density distribution with a peak at 1·20 g/ml, and had normal appearance of the endoplasmic reticulum on electron microscopy. 3. All patients showed increased activity of three lysosomal marker enzymes: N -acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, acid phosphatase and β-glucuronidase. The distribution of these enzymes in the sucrose gradients showed less enzyme in the high-density region of the gradients, indicating a reduced equilibrium density of the lysosomes. Assays of latent and sedimentable N -acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, a measure of lysosomal integrity, were normal. 4. Marker enzyme activities and density gradient distribution of other organelles, including plasma membrane (5′-nucleotidase), mitochondria (malate dehydrogenase), biliary canaliculi (γ-glutamyl transferase) and cytosol (lactate dehydrogenase) were normal. Increased catalase activities were noted.


We study the outage performance of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing dual-hop opportunistic amplify-and-forward relaying in the presence of I/Q imbalance in all of the nodes' transceivers. We derive a closed-form expression for the end-to-end outage probability for the general case, where each node suffers from a different I/Q imbalance level and under the assumption that the distance between source and relay is not the same for all relays. Our simulation results show excellent match to our analysis and both demonstrate that uncompensated I/Q imbalance can be detrimental but it can also be effectively mitigated using a few relays. This result has a significant impact on relay deployment in future wireless communication networks.


It is by now an open secret that current interpretations of the meaning of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and of its relevance and mandate for contemporary problems of racial, gender, and economic justice, are deeply and, in a sense, hopelessly conflicted. The conflict, simply stated, is this: to the current Supreme Court, and to a sizeable and influential number of constitutional theorists, the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Constitution is essentially a guarantee that the categories delineated by legal rules will be rational and will be rationally related to legitimate state ends. To this group of jurists, the relevance of the equal protection clause to issues of racial justice rests on the important complementary minor premise to this guarantee of rationality: the claim, both descriptive and normative, that legislative distinctions based upon race can simply never be rational because there are no differences between the races that can in any way be relevant to state purposes, and, consequently, racial differentiation in any context cannot be a legitimate state goal. This view will be referred to as the colorblind view. For a second group of jurists, including the liberal dissenters on the Court and a sizeable number of constitutional theorists in law schools, the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires not rationality in legislation but, rather, substantive justice. For this group the guarantee of equal protection is a constitutional imperative for the states and Congress to take substantive steps toward the eradication of the unjust subordination of one group of citizens by another, including African-Americans and other peoples of color by whites, women by men, and gays and lesbians by heterosexuals. On this view, the equal protection mandate and the Fourteenth Amendment is historically grounded not in the pernicious idea of racial difference but, rather, in the pernicious practice of racial subordination: the willful and continuing attempt of white people, with the willing acquiescence of state governments, to subordinate, deny, oppress, and use black people for their own ends. The equal protection mandate for these theorists is a guarantee that either the states or, in the breach, Congress will act to reverse these patterns of subordination. This view will be referred to as the substantive anti-subordination view. One purpose of this paper is to argue against both of these understandings of equal protection and to introduce a quite different interpretation - a view grounded in human nature and governmental obligation held by the abolitionists of the early and mid-nineteenth century. These abolitionists, at least according to a number of historians, - propagated and popularized the phrase equal protection of the law in the decades immediately preceding the Civil War and the Reconstruction amendments. I will ultimately argue that this abolitionist understanding of equal protection, and of the Fourteenth Amendment, is truer to both the plain language and the history of the Amendment than either the formal colorblind view or the substantive anti-subordination view briefly outlined above. Before doing so, however, I want to discuss in a little more detail the nature of the conflict between the two conceptions that dominate current case law and scholarship, why I think that conflict is quite distinctive in our constitutional jurisprudence, and suggest why it seems to me to be imperative that we somehow find a way to break the deadlock. In the first section that follows, I will therefore discuss the schism in our current understanding of equal protection, and I will then introduce, by way of metaphor, the rather different abolitionist understanding of the phrase equal protection. In the next two sections, I will discuss modern applications of the abolitionist understanding and structural and intellectual barriers to its modern implementation.


A large number of companies are involved in the development and publication of resources for technology education. Whilst carrying information to teachers and pupils about technology in business and industrial context it is essential that the resources are of sound educational value and relate to the relevant attainment targets and programmes of study.

This paper outlines a collaborative process for the development of a series of national curriculum technology resources with a number of different industrial sponsors. The clarification of process, content and the evolution of suitable pupil activities which can be resourced from the pack is discussed in terms of the industrial context and the programmes of study for Technology and EIU.

From a number of potential start points the exemplar activities chosen offer strategies for progression and coherence in a number of different aspects of technology activity. The work of professional designers, architects and research and development engineers is seen in the context of investigating the needs of client and customer groups. Factors such as managing engineering and architectural projects to maximise energy efficiency and minimise environmental impact are discussed and illustrated. For example, interactive and managed technological systems are used in the context of travel and leisure to introduce pupils to data handling and a variety of automated and controlled systems for information display and baggage handling.


Researchers have shown that majority of the populace in the developing nations are rural dwellers that do not have access to basic financial services and are poor. This class of people are peasant farmers and petty traders who rely mostly on remittances from their wards and relations in major cities and abroad to meet their financial obligations at home. The methods of remittances are encumbered with challenges. Mobile money is a tool that allows individuals to make financial transactions using mobile cell phones. Nigeria is one of the fastest growing telecoms nations of the world and the adoption of mobile money will help a great deal to solve the problems associated with remittances. In this paper, we present a short messages services (SMS) and unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) implementation of mobile money implementation in Nigeria modelled using Django and Python as the programming language, MySQL as the data store and Apache hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) as the Web server. The system made comparative analysis with M-PESA implementation in Kenya: the first mobile money implantation in Africa. Furthermore, the system was tested among a selected few of the populace to evaluate the usability of the design. Findings revealed that the prototype implementation is user-friendly and can be used by all without many problems except for the illiterate populace; hence, the need to have a combined bank and agent-based implementation. This approach will help with time to reduce the number of unbanked populace, which is currently at 80%.


We study a calibration scheme for terahertz wave nonlinear-optical detectors based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion. Contrary to the usual low wavelength pump in the green, we report here on the observation of spontaneous parametric down-conversion originating from an in-growth poled lithium niobate crystal pumped with a continuous wave 50 mW, 795 nm diode laser system, phase-matched to a terahertz frequency idler wave. Such a system is more compact and allows for longer poling periods as well as lower losses in the crystal. Filtering the pump radiation by a rubidium-87 vapor cell allowed the frequency-angular spectra to be obtained down to ∼0.5 THz or ∼1 nm shift from the pump radiation line. The presence of an amplified spontaneous emission "pedestal" in the diode laser radiation spectrum significantly hampers the observation of spontaneous parametric down-conversion spectra, in contrast to conventional narrowband gas lasers. Benefits of switching to longer pump wavelengths are pointed out, suc...


Southern Europe is all-too familiar with irregular migration from North African countries such as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Since the early 1990s, thousands of North Africans have attempted to cross the Mediterranean to reach Spain and Italy.
But, as the migration crises in Morocco's Spanish enclaves in 2005 and Spain's Canary Islands in 2006 made clear, sub-Saharan Africans are increasingly migrating to North African countries, with some using the region as a point of transit to Europe and some remaining in North Africa.


Abstract. Chemical composition, size, and mixing state of atmospheric particles are critical in determining their effects on the environment. There is growing evidence that soot aerosols play a particularly important role in both climate and human health, but still relatively little is known of their physical and chemical nature. In addition, the atmospheric residence times and removal mechanisms for soot are neither well understood nor adequately represented in regional and global climate models. To investigate the effect of locality and residence time on properties of soot and mixing state in a polluted urban environment, particles of diameter 0.2–2.0 μm were collected in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the MCMA-2003 Field Campaign from various sites within the city. Individual particle analysis by different electron microscopy methods coupled with energy dispersed x-ray spectroscopy, and secondary ionization mass spectrometry show that freshly-emitted soot particles become rapidly processed in the MCMA. Whereas fresh particulate emissions from mixed-traffic are almost entirely carbonaceous, consisting of soot aggregates with liquid coatings suggestive of unburned lubricating oil and water, ambient soot particles which have been processed for less than a few hours are heavily internally mixed, primarily with ammonium sulfate. Single particle analysis suggests that this mixing occurs through several mechanisms that require further investigation. In light of previously published results, the internally-mixed nature of processed soot particles is expected to affect heterogeneous chemistry on the soot surface, including interaction with water during wet-removal.


Recent studies have investigated lead (Pb) concentrations in lip products but little is known about its oral bioavailability. In this study, 75 lipsticks and 18 lip glosses were assessed for Pb concentration, while 15 samples were assessed for Pb relative bioavailability (RBA, relative to Pb acetate absorption) using a mouse femur assay. Lead concentrations were 0.2-10 185 mg kg(-1), with 21 samples exceeding the Chinese limit of 40 mg kg(-1). Samples with orange and pink colors and/or low cost contained higher Pb concentrations. For samples with Pb > 7500 mg kg(-1), Pb was present due to the addition of lead chromate (PbCrO4) as a colorant, which was confirmed by X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis. Lead-RBA in 15 samples (87-10 185 mg kg(-1)) ranged from 23% to 95%, being significantly higher in moderate Pb (56-95%; 87-300 mg kg(-1)) than high Pb samples (23-48%; >300 mg kg(-1)). The calculation of Pb intake based on Pb-RBA showed that lip product ingestion contributed 5.4-68% of the aggregate Pb exposure for women depending on Pb concentration. The high Pb concentration in some lip products together with their moderate Pb-RBA suggests that lip product ingestion is a potential health concern to women.


Distributed multiparty protocols such as multicast, atomic commit, or gossip are currently underutilized, but we envision that they could be used pervasively, and that developers could work with such protocols similarly to how they work with CORBA/COM/.NET/Java objects. We have created a new programming model and a platform in which protocol instances are represented as objects of a new type called live distributed objects: strongly-typed building blocks that can be composed in a type-safe manner through a drag and drop interface. Unlike most prior object-oriented distributed protocol embeddings, our model appears to be flexible enough to accommodate most popular protocols, and to be applied uniformly to any part of a distributed system, to build not only front-end, but also back-end components, such as multicast channels, naming, or membership services.
While the platform is not limited to applications based on multicast, it is replication-centric, and reliable multicast protocols are important building blocks that can be used to create a variety of scalable components, from shared documents to fault-tolerant storage or scalable role delegation. We propose a new multicast architecture compatible with the model and designed in accordance with object-oriented principles such as modularity and encapsulation. The architecture represents multicast objects as compositions of smaller objects, glued using a decentralized membership mechanism. The benefits include support for heterogeneous networks by allowing a single multicast protocol instance to simultaneously leverage different mechanisms in different parts of the Internet.
Finally, we describe and evaluate a scalable reliable multicast prototype that incorporates a novel approach to scaling with the number of protocol instances by leveraging regular patterns of overlap. The system achieves exceptional performance, scalability, and stability in the presence of perturbations, in part thanks to a novel application of techniques such as priority scheduling or pull-based processing. We describe a previously unnoticed relationship between memory overheads and scheduling and the performance and scalability of a reliable multicast protocol. Our results demonstrate that to build a new global Web operating system that the live objects vision leads to, the distributed protocol and the local system architecture cannot be treated in isolation.


Understanding multi-phase fluid flow and transport processes within aquifers, candidate reservoirs for CO 2 sequestration, and petroleum reservoirs requires understanding a diverse set of geologic properties of the aquifer or reservoir, over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. We focus on multi-phase flow dynamics with wetting (e.g., water) and non-wetting (e.g., gas or oil) fluids, with one invading another. This problem is of general interest in a number of fields and is illustrated here by considering the sweep efficiency of oil during a waterflood. Using a relatively fine-resolution grid throughout a relatively large domain in these simulations and probing the results with advanced scientific visualization tools (Reservoir Visualization Analysis [RVA]/ParaView software) promote a better understanding of how smaller-scale features affect the aggregate behavior at larger scales. We studied the effects on oil-sweep efficiency of the proportion, hierarchical organization, and connectivity of high-permeability open-framework conglomerate (OFC) cross-sets within the multi-scale stratal architecture found in fluvial deposits. We analyzed oil production rate, water breakthrough time, and spatial and temporal distribution of residual oil saturation. As expected, the effective permeability of the reservoir exhibits large-scale anisotropy created by the organization of OFC cross-sets within unit bars, and the organization of unit bars within compound-bars. As a result, oil-sweep efficiency critically depends on the direction of the pressure gradient. However, contrary to expectations, the total amount of trapped oil due to the effect of capillary trapping does not depend on the magnitude of the pressure gradient within the examined range. Hence the pressure difference between production and injection wells does not affect sweep efficiency; although the spatial distribution of oil remaining in the reservoir depends on this value. Whether or not clusters of connected OFC span the domain affects only the absolute rate of oil production—not sweep efficiency.


Aim: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is perceived as a rare high-risk cardiomyopathy characterized by excess left ventricular (LV) trabeculation. However, there is increasing evidence contesting the clinical significance of LV hyper-trabeculation and the existence of LVNC as a distinct cardiomyopathy. The aim of this study is to assess the association of LV trabeculation extent with cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing clinical cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scans across 57 European centers from the EuroCMR registry. Methods and Results: We studied 822 randomly selected cases from the EuroCMR registry. Image acquisition was according to international guidelines. We manually segmented images for LV chamber quantification and measurement of LV trabeculation (as per Petersen criteria). We report the association between LV trabeculation extent and important cardiovascular morbidities (stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure) and all-cause mortality prospectively recorded over 404 ± 82 days of follow-up. Maximal non-compaction to compaction ratio (NC/C) was mean (standard deviation) 1.81 ± 0.67, from these, 17% were above the threshold for hyper-trabeculation (NC/C > 2.3). LV trabeculation extent was not associated with increased risk of the defined outcomes (morbidities, mortality, LV CMR indices) in the whole cohort, or in sub-analyses of individuals without ischaemic heart disease, or those with NC/C > 2.3. Conclusion: Among 882 patients undergoing clinical CMR, excess LV trabeculation was not associated with a range of important cardiovascular morbidities or all-cause mortality over ~12 months of prospective follow-up. These findings suggest that LV hyper-trabeculation alone is not an indicator for worse cardiovascular prognosis.


The present paper examines preposition+determiner amalgams in French and German. I show that French and German P+D amalgams differ with respect to coordination: while German amalgams are transparent for coordination, French amalgams block certain coordinations. I propose that this is due to ta syntactic difference: German P+D amalgams correspond to two positions in the syntax, while French P+D amalgams occupy only one position. Adopting a model where morphology is split applying before and after the syntax, I argue that this syntactic difference of P+D amalgams corresponds to a morphological difference: German amalgams are post-syntactic contractions while French amalgams are inflected prepositions that enter the syntax as a single unit.


This paper evaluates the impact of Paraguay's National Researcher Incentive Program (Programa Nacional de Incentivo a los Investigadores, or PRONII) on the gender production gap in academic science. Data has been obtained from the electronic versions of resumes provided by applicants to the program and from bibliographic databases. This paper first quantifies the impact of PRONII's gender science production gap. This is followed by an analysis of whether or not the program's selection process may be gender-biased. Finally, an evaluation is made of the impact of the gender differential of the program. The results indicate that there is a preexistent gender gap in productivity among PRONII researchers. There is no evidence, however, of intended gender discrimination in favor of male researchers at the selection stage of the program. The outcome also demonstrates that the impact of the program is heterogeneous across genders.


Abstract. Two types of temperature sensors are designed and tested: a thermocouple and a fine wire resistance thermometer. The intention of this study is to figure out which kind of measurement principle is in general more suited for atmospheric boundary layer meteorology with small remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). The sensors are calibrated in a NIST traceable climate chamber and validated in flight against tower measurements, radiosondes and remote sensing. The sensors have a measurement range of at least −10–50 °C, an absolute RMS error of less than ±0.2 K which is stable over the lifetime of the sensors, and a resolution of about 0.01 K. Both devices are tested for typical errors like radiation error and adiabatic heating, as well as for their dynamic response. Spectral resolutions of up to approximately 10 Hz can be obtained with both sensors, which makes them suitable for turbulence measurement. Their low cost of less than 100 EUR in pure hardware is a major advantage for research with small RPA.


Approximately 460 base pairs (bp) of DNA sequence that included the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) and some flanking 5.8S and 28S ribosomal RNA coding regions were compared between the two closely related and morphologically indistinguishable mosquito species Anopheles freeborni and A. hermsi and a third related species, A. occidentalis. Sequences were determined from 14 clones of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA obtained from four colonies of A. freeborni, two colonies of A. hermsi, and one individual A. occidentalis. Four clones showed independent single bp differences from the consensus for the relevant species. Eleven sites differed between the consensus sequences of A. hermsi and A. freeborni; 28 sites differed between A. hermsi and A. occidentalis. With the exception of a single bp mismatch in the 5.8S and two single bp mismatches near the undetermined junction of the ITS2 and 28S regions, all differences were confined to the ITS2 region. A PCR-based species-diagnostic assay for the cryptic species A. hermsi and A. freeborni was developed; it uses four synthetic oligonucleotides, two derived from areas of interspecies sequence difference in the ITS2, and two derived from highly conserved regions in the flanking coding sequences. Small amounts of mosquito DNA amplified in the presence of these four primers produce fragments of diagnostic size for each species: 900 bp for A. freeborni, 350 bp for A. hermsi, and approximately 1.2-1.4 kb for various other Anopheles species tested. We believe that this general approach to the development of species-diagnostic assays can be extended easily to other complexes of closely related, morphologically indistinguishable species.


White specks are fiber clusters that appear as small white flecks on dyed fabrics. Their minute size and depth of shade increases the subjectivity and complexity of detecting and/or measuring them. No standard methods exist to quantify the level of white specks. Image analysis was evaluated as a means to measure white specks in order to remove subjectivity from the classification of manual dye defects. This paper provides systematic procedures for the evaluation of white specks on dyed fabrics. Software, hardware, and methods to obtain the white speck count, average size, and percentage white area are discussed in detail. The Optimas 5.2 software program uses a computer, two monitors, a video camera, and a photographic camera stand. The study involved eight plain weave fabrics each with visually distinct levels of white speck content. These fabrics were initially used to identify the system and software best suited for white speck quantification. The manual thresholding method was precise for one operator, but showed significant differences between operators. The fabrics were evaluated for their white speck content using the manual thresholding method (very operator dependent), and again using the new auto-thresholding method to minimize operator input. The auto-thresholding method uses light meters to maintain constant lighting levels and then automatically sets the threshold levels. The system detected different levels of white specks for these fabrics as expected. The auto-thresholding method was more accurate in actual count of white specks than the manual method. This measurement system gives the textile industry a standard tool and procedure to measure fabric appearance. White speck measurements are necessary not to correct the problem on the finished fabric, but as a way to measure changes in levels of white specks as a result of breeding, fields, ginning, and mill processing studies.


Fuzzy Logic is relatively a recent development in the field of artificial intelligence. Since 1975, research and development in this field has had significant impact on industrial control including applications in many consumer products. A survey of the literature suggests that the majority of fuzzy control applications belong to the class of fuzzy PID-like or simply fuzzy PID controllers. Also the literature reveals that the existing design criteria require trial and error methods involving many computer simulations and need time to achieve satisfactory optimum control. This thesis presents a systematic study and analysis of fuzzy PID-type controllers with particular attention to process control. The work aims to remove the ad-hoc procedures and multi-dimensional complexity in the conventional fuzzy control designs and to present an analytical framework for the systematic design of fuzzy logic controllers. -- The work investigates different fuzzy PID control structures including the conventional Mamdani-type controller. By expressing the fuzzy rules in different forms, each PID structure is distinctly identified. The rules are written in terms of the feed back error signals of a closed-loop control system. Therefore a general fuzzy PID controller output may be produced with three-, two- or one-input rule inference. A simple analytical procedure is developed to deduce the closed form expressions for generating outputs for general fuzzy PID controllers. The analysis starts with a linear-like fuzzy controller. Nonlinear fuzzy controllers are then systematically developed. The solution algorithm has the capability to generate the closed-form expressions to the general three-input fuzzy inference. The two- and one-input inferences are obtained as special cases of the general solution. The linear-like fuzzy output is used to identify the fuzzy PID actions in a dissociated form. The design of fuzzy controllers is then treated as a two-level tuning problem. The first level tunes the nonlinear PID gains and the second le\'el tunes the linear PID gains. By assigning a minimum number of rules to each PID structure, the linear and nonlinear gains are explicitly presented. The tuning characteristics of each structure are evaluated with respect to their functional behaviours. The rule decoupled and one-input rule structures proposed in this thesis provide greater flexibility and better functional properties than the conventional fuzzy controllers. -- Non-linearity analysis is used to assess and rank the different fuzzy systems for fuzzy control. The normalized fuzzy output characteristics are identified for two-point control. Thus, a performance criterion is developed to identify the non-linearity tuning properties of the fuzzy controllers. For each fuzzy PID type, a basis for non-linearity-tuning is developed. Using the new evaluation approach, different fuzzy systems are assessed. The min-max-gravity fuzzy reasoning has shown better nonlinear properties for fuzzy control applications. An alternative nonlinear control using spline-based functions is proposed. The geometrically based nonlinear controller has better nonlinear properties for PID control. -- Linear PlD controllers are analyzed in detail. The study is narrowed to process systems whose dynamics can be roughly approximated to first-order plus dead-time plant systems. The PID analysis covers the process systems having normalized time delay ranging from zero to any higher value. The time-domain-based analysis produces new PID tuning expressions for each case. The proposed tuning rules accommodate actuator saturation limits and avoid integral wind-up during the control. Numerical studies are made for higher order processes having monotonic open-loop characteristics. With the new tuning rules better performance is observed than with other commonly available tuning methods. -- Fuzzy pm controllers are then evaluated for process control. A novel two-level tuning scheme is proposed for designing and tuning fuzzy controllers. For comparisons, three tuning methods are evaluated; (a) design based on a genetic algorithm (b) design based on a trial and error method of tuning and (c) design based on two-level tuning rules. The off-line design methods, such as genetic based tuning and trial and error based tuning, are unable to produce any improved control compared to linear PID controllers. The two-level tuning strategy uses the available linear control knowledge, and the resulting design always guarantees better performance than the linear controllers. The numerical simulations prove the new tuning method can be effectively used for any fuzzy PID controller type. Finally the two-level tuning is effectively implemented in a real time control problem. With the systematic two-level tuning, the fuzzy controllers are able to produce superior and improved performance to linear PID controllers. The design and tuning is simple and therefore the method can be extended to any process control problem.


ABSTRACT The article considers atypical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by Christian leaders. In a three-fold classification it first identifies a retreat from civic life in resistance to lock-down restrictions on places of worship, demanding reopening on extreme readings of rights of religious freedom, and refusal of mandatory mask-wearing. A second classification groups as 'rebuke' spiritual warfare approaches within the prosperity gospel tradition that take the virus to be demonic, from which there is a promise to be claimed of God's protection and healing. A third classification gathers a range of conspiracy theories recited by Christian preachers. In evaluating the responses, a parallel classification of entombing conspiracies, endorsing public health measures, and engaging in civic life is proposed. Drawing upon the common good as a theological critique it is concluded that extremist Christian views present a danger to global public health.


In planning for a new library that will include a limited number of open stacks, Grand Valley State University librarians were asked to identify what materials should be reserved for the browsable shelves. To accomplish this, librarians considered user behavior by discipline, material types, shelving options and the role of core collections. This paper will discuss these issues as well as differences in how library resources are located and the impact of new discovery tools, such as Innovative Interface's Encore, Bowker's Syndetics, and Google's Book Search on redefining browsability. The paper will also include a discussion of resources used in this process, such as the results from our recent LibQual study, WorldCat Collection Analysis' Circulation Analysis and Bowker Book Analysis reports.


This paper uses a new data set to study household responses to adverse income shocks in seven Latin American countries. The results show (i) that households respond to income shocks mainly by increasing their labor force participation, selling assets, and cutting back on human capital investments, (ii) that poor households are the most likely to be affected by adverse income shocks, and (iii) that lower-middle-class households are more likely to cut back on human capital investments and move abroad when faced with an adverse income shock. Taken together, these results offer ample justification for publicly funded safety nets that target the poor.


Violence against women in close relationships is one of the most worrying and controversial situations in modern society. The main goal of this study was to identify the social perception that people generally have of gender violence in order to obtain profiles of both men who resort to violence against their partners and women who are victims of abuse, identifying both individual (e.g. self-esteem) and social (power in relationship) characteristics related to gender violence. Using a questionnaire (designed between groups), 268 participants were asked to estimate the probability of men (Batterers vs. Non-batterers) and women (Victims vs. Nonvictims) displaying certain behaviours, beliefs or attitudes. The results revealed the existence of clear social profiles of both aggressors and victims, comprising both individual and psychosocial characteristics. These profiles contained aspects that coincide with the roles traditionally associated with men and women, thus highlighting inequality between both sexes, and which seems to be one of the main causes of gender violence.


BACKGROUND: Over the past half century the prevalence of childhood disability increased dramatically, coupled with notable increases in the prevalence of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. This study provides a detailed assessment of recent trends in childhood disability in relation to health conditions and sociodemographic factors. METHODS: Secondary data analysis of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) datasets 2001–2002, 2004–2005, 2007–2008, and 2010–2011 (N = 198 888) was conducted to calculate the prevalence, rate of change, severity, and sociodemographic disparities of parent-reported childhood disability. RESULTS: The prevalence of childhood disability has continued to increase, growing by 15.6% between 2001–2002 and 2010–2011. Nearly 6 million children were considered disabled in 2010–2011. Children living in poverty experienced the highest rates of disability, 102.6 cases per 1000 population in 2010–2011, but unexpectedly, children living in households with incomes ≥400% above the federal poverty level experienced the largest increase (28.4%) over this 10-year period. The percentage of disability cases related to any physical health condition declined 11.8% during the decade, whereas cases related to any neurodevelopmental or mental health condition increased by 20.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Over the past decade, parent-reported childhood disability steadily increased. As childhood disability due to physical conditions declined, there was a large increase in disabilities due to neurodevelopmental or mental health problems. For the first time since the NHIS began tracking childhood disability in 1957, the rise in reported prevalence is disproportionately occurring among socially advantaged families. This unexpected finding highlights the need to better understand the social, medical, and environmental factors influencing parent reports of childhood disability.


Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is a benign self-limiting non langerhans cell histiocytic lesion of unknown etiology and pathogenesis. It commonly affects infants and adolescents only 15% cases reported from the adult population. It characteristically appears as yellow to brown solitary papule, affecting the skin of head, neck and trunk region. Extra cutaneous JXG are reported from various sites including central nervous system, gastrointestinal system, kidney, larynx, tongue with single case report from tympanic membrane and external auditory canal. We describe a very rare case of adult JXG occurring as multiple papules from the external auditory canal and granulations from middle ear, which presented as persistent otorrhea. We discuss the clinical presentation, imaging, pathological findings and review of literature for this case. To the best of our knowledge this is first reported case of JXG from the middle ear cavity.


The aim of this survey study was to develop a current profile of department chairs at U.S. and Canadian dental schools. The survey asked respondents to identify their responsibilities; describe the competencies needed to best serve in the position; and assess their needs in terms of professional development. An online survey with 35 items was sent to 754 individuals who self-identified as department chairs, department heads, or program directors. Overall, 269 responses were received (overall response rate of 35.7%). The results include demographic information, data on length of tenure in the position, predominant responsibilities and challenges faced in the position, competencies necessary for effective service, and an understanding of the needs of department chairs in academic dentistry. This report suggests methods to support the needs of department chairs, including better defining expectations of the position, creating a successful onboarding process, and providing professional development opportunities for chairs. These measures, along with the professional competencies identified as part of the study, will allow administrators to provide more specific support to individuals in essential leadership roles at their institutions.


Stable mucoadhesive lyophilised chitosan and thiolated chitosan xerogels have been developed for potential delivery of proteins via the buccal mucosa. Membrane dialysis to eliminate sodium acetate (NaAc) and annealing during lyophilisation cycle (developed by differential scanning calorimetry; DSC) were critical for obtaining optimised porous xerogels. Based on characteristic performance and structural integrity, xerogels containing 10 % (per polymer weight) each of plasticizer (glycerol) and cryoprotectant (D-mannitol) were loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and insulin (INS) as model drugs for further development. The optimised xerogels were loaded with enzyme inhibitor (EI) and permeation enhancer (PE) to enhance permeability of the buccal mucosa and backed with impervious ethylcellulose (EC) laminate to ensure unidirectional release. Characterisation of xerogels using 1HNMR and ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy confirmed the functional groups in chitosan and TG-chitosan. The amount of thiol groups on TG-chitosan was quantified by Ellman's reaction with polymer molecular weight monitoring by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The stability of the secondary structures of BSA and INS were by ATR-FT-IR and circular dichroism (CD) while xerogel crystallinity was examined by XRPD. SEM micrographs showed highly porous xerogels due to annealing which allowed for high drug loading and hydration capacities of the dialysed and annealed xerogels which also exhibited optimal moisture content for maintaining protein stability. Disulphide bond formation in thiolated xerogels however limited the hydration capacity. Storage at 25 °C/ 60 % RH for six months led to protein instability while storage at 5 °C maintained protein stability. 2% mucin concentration was found optimum for mucoadhesion studies of the chitosan based xerogels. EI (glutathione; GSH and aprotinin; APR) effect on mucoadhesion was concentration dependent and inhibitor specific. In vitro BSA release profiles from annealed xerogels were similar and significantly higher than non-annealed xerogels but were not affected by thiolation. Crystalline NaAc in the undialysed xerogel led to a three-fold reduction in BSA release. Significant reductions in BSA and INS release were also observed with the addition of EIs to TG-chitosan-BSA and TG-chitosan-INS xerogel respectively. The drug dissolution data from xerogels fitted best with model dependent First order, Hixson-Crowell and Korsmeyer-Peppas equations. Permeation studies' using EpiOralTM showed 12- to 14-fold increase in BSA permeation but was reduced by GSH for both BSA and INS loaded xerogels. APR containing xerogel enhanced INS permeation through sheep buccal membrane and demonstrated a good linear correlation with EpiOralTM. These results demonstrate the potential application of lyophilised chitosan and thiolated chitosan xerogels for buccal mucosa delivery of proteins with improved mucoadhesion, penetration enhancing and enzyme inhibition characteristics.


Growing sequencing and assembly efforts have been met by the advances in high throughput machines. However, the presence of massive amounts of repeats and transposons complicates the assembly process. Given a library of possible repeats, this paper considers the problem of identifying repeats and transposons in the fragments (also called reads) generated from sequencing machines. This is a difficult problem as the locations of the fragments on the complete genome are not known. Furthermore, due to insertion, deletion and other evolutionary factors, different copies of repeats can diverge from each other. The presence of transposons, (also called jumping genes) makes the problem even harder as they can split other repeats and make them diverge from the actual repeats.
 We develop a graph based method named RepFrag which can efficiently identify repeats in a given set of fragments. We first align the fragments to the repeats in the given repeat library. We model the alignments as the vertices in the graphs. We create edges between two vertices if they can jointly express a potential repeat better. We traverse the paths in this graph to find a path that has a high potential of representing a complete repeat. We mask the aligned regions on the fragments corresponding to the vertices on that path. Using the unaligned regions, we create a new fragment and align it with the repeats. We modify the existing graphs based on the new alignments, if there are any. We iterate this process of path selection and modification of graph until no promising path remains.
 We compared the performance of our method to that of Repeat-Masker on 30 different fragment datasets generated from five different chromosomes of Arabidopsis Thaliana for varying coverage values and fragment lengths. On average RepFrag had a 35% better true positive-false positive ratio. RepFrag was 7.3 times faster than RepeatMasker on the average. Thus, our results suggest that, our method improves significantly over RepeatMasker in terms of speed and accuracy.


This Article explores how AIDS activists, desperate for access to potentially life-saving pharmaceuticals, permanently transformed America's "drug constitution." Their advocacy altered the FDA's interpretation and application of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) so as to expedite the availability of new, unproven drugs for critical illnesses, thus enhancing individual patients' autonomy to make therapeutic choices without government interference.The FDCA is more than simple set of instructions to a federal agency — it is a source of vitally important and deeply entrenched institutional and normative frameworks. Like major civil rights, antitrust, and environmental statutes, the FDCA should be viewed as a quasi-constitutional "superstatute." Therefore, the AIDS activists' FDA reform campaign of the late 1980s and early 1990s should be understood as a "constitutional" movement, even though it rarely invoked the United States Constitution and pursued its goals entirely outside of court. As a result of the AIDS movement's efforts, federal drug regulation today reflects not only the FDCA's original foundational principle of protecting consumers from hazardous protects, but also the (often contrary) fundamental goal of promoting the expeditious release of potentially effective treatments for severe illnesses. The AIDS activists' successful advocacy regarding drug access permanently shifted decision-making power previously exercised by the FDA to individual patients and their physicians.In addition to linking the AIDS movement to other major civil rights campaigns focused on the implementation of statutes, this Article details a particularly remarkable advocacy effort that has gone mostly overlooked in the legal literature. The Article examines how a movement composed largely of members of a scorned and marginalized population — HIV-positive gay men — significantly altered a crucial body of law administered by one of the country's most powerful federal agencies. As the Article describes, the AIDS movement achieved this success in a seemingly incongruous alliance with conservative libertarians. Rather than simply telling a triumphal story, however, this Article explores how the AIDS movement was ultimately torn apart by deep schisms that prevented it from ever coalescing around a fully coherent medical libertarian philosophy. The most profound of these divisions, rooted in the very nature of controlled clinical research, concerned the moral acceptability of limiting terminally ill people's freedom to try experimental drugs to ensure the production of reliable data regarding the treatments' effectiveness. Ambivalence about the proper resolution of this quandary — among activists and society as a whole — has inhibited a radical dissolution of the FDA's gatekeeping power. Nevertheless, as this Article concludes, federal regulation of medical products is now very different than it would have been without the AIDS activists' determined efforts.


Abstract:A central assumption in much contemporary scholarship is that a central shift has taken place over the course of the last four decades: a shift from a world largely centered on public authority to a world that is increasingly dominated by private authority. The central expression of this shift is seen to be a concurring move from public to private law and thus from legislation to contract as the central legal instrument structuring economic as well as other social processes.While developments in this direction can certainly be observed, this article provides a more nuanced perspective. Outlining a long-term historical perspective, this article reconstructs the manifold and volatile dynamic between institutionalized forms of public and private authority. It does so on the basis of the argument that, in the course of this evolutionary process, the very function and meaning of both public and private authority has been fundamentally altered. This alteration implies the transformation of both dimensions into functionally limited and more specific phenomena. With this background, it becomes possible to argue that societal evolution is characterized by a dual expansion of both public and private forms of authority.The starting point is an understanding of authority as condensed power. Asymmetric relations implying either direct or indirect forms of domination are observable throughout society and are as such an intrinsic element of all social relations and processes. Authority is, however, based on a particular institutionalization of power, typically delineated and condensed with the help of legal instruments. Under radical modern conditions, law becomes constitutive for authority to the extent that one might argue that no form of authority exists outside its legal form.With this background, the article argues that the pre-1945 world at the local, national, and transnational level of world society was characterized by a relative dominance of private forms of authority. The process leading to state-based modern public law gaining not only a formal but also a factual capacity to structure societal processes was a century-long process: a process which implied an epic struggle aimed at undermining and eradicating alternative centers of public and private authority in society. It was, however, a first in the mid-twentieth century that an outright breakthrough of this claim and aspiration could be observed. This implied a respecification of public and private authority that remains central to our understanding of authority to this day.


Sandwich and T-shaped configurations of benzene dimer, benzene-phenol, benzene-toluene, benzene-fluorobenzene, and benzene-benzonitrile are studied by coupled-cluster theory to elucidate how substituents tune pi-pi interactions. All substituted sandwich dimers bind more strongly than benzene dimer, whereas the T-shaped configurations bind more or less favorably depending on the substituent. Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) indicates that electrostatic, dispersion, induction, and exchange-repulsion contributions are all significant to the overall binding energies, and all but induction are important in determining relative energies. Models of pi-pi interactions based solely on electrostatics, such as the Hunter-Sanders rules, do not seem capable of explaining the energetic ordering of the dimers considered.


Affirmative action in India is largely caste-based and takes the form of quotas or reservations of seats in public institutions of higher education, government jobs, and elected positions. Using a mixed methods research design, this chapter examines whether and to what extent, additional stigmatization adversely affects the use of reservations for higher education or jobs. The quantitative analysis is based on a primary survey conducted by the author in the city of Delhi in 2014–15. The empirical analysis focuses on differences in perception of additional stigma of affirmative action between two groups: individuals from the Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Dalits, who belong to castes that are already highly stigmatized, and those from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) who belong to castes and communities that might be low- ranked, but not necessarily stigmatized. The results indicate that a greater proportion of SCs use reservations at least once as compared to OBCs, and a higher score in Class XII (the school-leaving examination) increases the probability that individuals will avail of reservations. As a reason behind the non-use of reservations, between 9 and 16 per cent of the non-users cite stigma as a reason. Overall, bureaucratic red tape and lack of information constitute much more substantial reasons for the non-use of reservations compared to stigma. Non-use of quotas due to possible additional stigmatization is a bigger factor for OBCs compared to SCs. The chapter also contains qualitative accounts based on in-depth interviews of 61 individuals, who got into college on reserved seats, and successfully completed their chosen course of study. These detailed accounts give insights into institutional barriers that pose challenges to the full assimilation of affirmative action beneficiaries, as well as highlight the multiple layers of disadvantage that they battle with.


The approach investigated in this work employs LADAR measurements to detect and track pedestrians over time. The algorithm can process range measurements from both line and 3D scanners. The use of line scanners allows detection and tracking at rates up to 75 Hz. However, this type of sensor may not always perform satisfactorily in uneven terrains. A 3D LADAR is used to improve operation in uneven terrains, by first estimating the local ground elevation, and then performing the detection using the measurements corresponding to a certain height above the ground. The information pipeline used to feed sensor data into the algorithm is the same for both types of sensors. The perceptual capabilities described aim to form the basis for safe and robust navigation in robotic vehicles, necessary to safeguard pedestrians operating in the vicinity of a moving robotic vehicle.


An understanding of the wetting properties and a characterization of the interface between liquid lithium (Li) and solid molybdenum (Mo) are relevant to assessing the efficacy of Li as a plasma-facing component in fusion reactors. In this work, a new second-nearest neighbor modified embedded-atom method (2NN MEAM) force field is parameterized to describe the interactions between Li and Mo. The new force field reproduces several benchmark properties obtained from first-principles quantum mechanics simulations, including binding curves for Li at three different adsorption sites and the corresponding forces on Li atoms adsorbed on the Mo (1 1 0) surface. This force field is then used to study the wetting of liquid Li on the (1 1 0) surface of Mo and to examine the Li–Mo interface using molecular dynamics simulations. From droplet simulations, we find that liquid Li tends to completely wet the perfect Mo (1 1 0) surface, in contradiction with previous experimental measurements that found non-zero contact angles for liquid Li on a Mo substrate. However, these experiments were not carried out under ultra-high vacuum conditions or with a perfect (1 1 0) Mo surface, suggesting that the presence of impurities, such as oxygen, and surface structure play a crucial role in this wetting process. From thin-film simulations, it is observed that the first layer of Li on the Mo (1 1 0) surface has many solid-like properties such as a low mobility and a larger degree of ordering when compared to layers further away from the surface, even at temperatures well above the bulk melting temperature of Li. These findings are consistent with temperature-programmed desorption experiments.


Food restriction has been recommended as an effective strategy for body weight loss. However, food restriction can alter biological rhythms and leads to physiological stress. However, relatively little is known about the physiological impact of different methods of food restriction. Therefore, we investigated whether different schedules of restricted food intake induce physiological stress and then contribute to glucose metabolism disorder. C57BL/6 mice were fed a high fat diet (60% fat) for 8 weeks and then randomly divided into three groups: the control group was continuously fed the high fat diet; the two food restriction groups were fed 50% of food consumed by the control mice with one group (FR1) being fed the full amount once a day and the other group (FR2) being fed the same total amount as FR1 twice a day for 3 days. We found increased body weight loss, the serum triglyceride levels, the expression of lipolysis-related genes, and serum corticosterone levels in the FR1 group compared with the FR2 group. The immune cell population infiltrating the adipose tissue and the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1) and toll-like receptor (TLR-4) mRNA were increased in the FR1 group compared with the control. To determine whether long-term dietary manipulation is associated with metabolic disorders, mice were fed a restricted diet for 3 days alternating with an unrestricted diet for the following 4 days and this was repeated for 8 weeks. The alternating FR1 group showed impaired glucose tolerance compared with the alternating FR2 group. These results indicate that infrequent feeding of restricted amounts of food could induce stress hormones, lipolysis, adipose tissue immune cell infiltration and inflammation, which in turn may promote glucose metabolism disorder.


In this study, a new approach to measure local electrical conductivity in tissue is presented, which is based on the propagating B  1+ phase and the homogeneous Helmholtz equation. This new MRI technique might open future opportunities for tumor and lesion characterization based on conductivity differences, while it may also find application in radio frequency safety assessment. Prerequisites for conductivity mapping using only the B  1+ phase (instead of the complex B  +1 field) are addressed. Furthermore it was found that the B  1+ phase can be derived directly from the measurable transceive phase arg(B  +1 B  −1 ) in the head. Validation for a human head excited by a 7 T‐birdcage coil using simulations and measurements showed that it is possible to measure in vivo conductivity patterns in the brain using B  1+ phase information only. Conductivity contrast between different brain tissues is clearly observed. The measured mean values for white matter, gray matter and cerebrospinal fluid differed 54%, 26%, and −13% respectively from literature values. The proposed method for B  1+ phase measurements is very suited for in vivo applications, as the measurement is short (less than a minute per imaged slice) and exposes the patient to low RF power, contrary to earlier proposed approaches. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.