Radiometric determination methods, such as alpha spectrometry require long counting times when low activities are to be determined. Mass spectrometric techniques as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) have shown several advantages compared to traditional methods when measuring long-lived radionuclides. Mass spectrometric methods for determination of very low concentrations of elemental isotopes, and thereby isotopic ratios, have been developed using a variety of ion sources. Although primarily applied to the determination of the lighter stable element isotopes and radioactive isotopes in geological studies, the techniques can equally well be applied to the measurement of activity concentrations of long-lived low-level radionuclides in various samples using "isotope dilution" methods such as those applied in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Due to the low specific activity of long-lived radionuclides, many of these are more conveniently detected using mass spectrometric techniques. Mass spectrometry also enables the individual determination of Pu-239 and Pu-240, which cannot be obtained by alpha spectrometry. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) are rapidly growing techniques for the ultra-trace analytical determination of stable and long-lived isotopes and have a wide potential within environmental science, including ecosystem tracers and radio ecological studies. Such instrumentation, of course needs good radiochemical separation, to give best performance. The objectives of the project is to identify current needs and problems within low-level determination of long-lived radioisotopes by ICP-MS, to perform intercalibration and development and improvement of ICP-MS methods for the measurement of radionuclides and isotope ratios and to develop new methods based on modified separation chemistry applied to new auxiliary equipment. and ICP-MS detection; (iii) method development for plutonium determination using anion exchange chromatography (AG 1 series) and ICP-MS detection; (iv) reliable determination of neptunium using plutonium as a tracer and anion exchange chromatography (AG 1 series) combined with ICP-MS detection; (i) method development for simultaneous determination of Pu and Np using anion exchange chromatography (macropurous AG MP-1) and ICP-MS detection. Abstract Radiometric determination methods, such as alpha spectrometry require long counting times when low activities are to be determined. Mass spectrometric techniques as Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) have shown several advantages compared to traditional methods when measuring long-lived radionuclides. Mass spectrometric methods for determination of very low concentrations of elemental isotopes, and thereby isotopic ratios, have been developed using a variety of ion sources. Although primarily applied to the determination of the lighter stable element isotopes and radioactive isotopes in geological studies, the techniques can equally well be applied to the measurement of activity concentrations of long-lived low-level radionuclides in various samples using "isotope dilution" methods such as those applied in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Due to the low specific activity of long-lived radionuclides, many of these are more conveniently detected using mass spectrometric techniques. Mass spectrometry also enables the individual determination of Pu-239 and Pu-240, which cannot be obtained by alpha spectrometry. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) are rapidly growing techniques for the ultra-trace analytical determination of stable and long-lived isotopes and have a wide potential within environmental science, including ecosystem tracers and radio ecological studies. Such instrumentation, of course needs good radiochemical separation, to give best performance. The objectives of the project is to identify current needs and problems within low-level determination of long-lived radioisotopes by ICP-MS, to perform intercalibration and development and improvement of ICP-MS methods for the measurement of radionuclides and isotope ratios and to develop new methods based on modified separation chemistry applied to new auxiliary equipment.


An increasing number of studies have shown the potential associations between corpus work and second language acquisition and teaching. Some research, for example, explores the effect of data-driven learning (DDL, Johns 1991) in the context of foreign language learning. Up till now, however, empirical quantitative studies on the topic have been limited, especially with respect to foreign languages other than English. In order to bridge this gap, a quasi-experimental longitudinal design was used in the present study to examine whether there is a statistically significant difference between the DDL approach to vocabulary learning and more traditional learning methods (e.g., dictionary approach) in the context of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) by Chinese students. The study further gauged students' attitude towards DDL activities. The results of two post-tests revealed that the DDL group of students significantly outperformed the group of students following a traditional learning method. Furthermore, a questionnaire assessment collected from the experimental group showed that the respondents generally favored DDL and adopted a positive attitude towards its future application to Spanish learning.


The objective of this study is to establish which document types are considered essential for learning at universities and, therefore, are recommended to students. Additionally, an analysis was conducted to determine if electronic resources are a part of the recommended reading lists for the various subjects across the curriculum and what exactly their weight is in relation to other document types. The current syllabi for the 2014-2015 academic year were accessed for each subject in ten majors offered at three Spanish universities: University Carlos III of Madrid, University of Leon, and University of Salamanca. The primary finding is the lack of homogeneity in the number of references by university and major which is due to the disparity observed as far as the number of references per subject. Books are the resources most frequently suggested in all of the curricula analyzed. The scarce use in course syllabi of journal articles and, particularly, conference papers, is significant. Links to institutional websites predominate, whereas the presence of electronic books is residual despite a proven inclination to prioritize recommendations for monographs and textbooks. The presence of electronic journals and electronic articles is also marginal. It is evident that traditional document types continue to be recommended despite the increase of electronic documents in academic libraries' collections.


We consider a least squares regression problem where the data has been generated from a linear model, and we are interested to learn the unknown regression parameters. We consider "sketch-and-solve" methods that randomly project the data first, and do regression after. Previous works have analyzed the statistical and computational performance of such methods. However, the existing analysis is not fine-grained enough to show the fundamental differences between various methods, such as the Subsampled Randomized Hadamard Transform (SRHT) and Gaussian projections. In this paper, we make progress on this problem, working in an asymptotic framework where the number of datapoints and dimension of features goes to infinity. We find the limits of the accuracy loss (for estimation and test error) incurred by popular sketching methods. We show separation between different methods, so that SRHT is better than Gaussian projections. Our theoretical results are verified on both real and synthetic data. The analysis of SRHT relies on novel methods from random matrix theory that may be of independent interest.


Given samples lying on any of a number of subspaces, subspace clustering is the task of grouping the samples based on the their corresponding subspaces. Many subspace clustering methods operate by assigning a measure of affinity to each pair of points and feeding these affinities into a graph clustering algorithm. This paper proposes a new paradigm for subspace clustering that computes affinities based on the corresponding conic geometry. The proposed conic subspace clustering (CSC) approach considers the convex hull of a collection of normalized data points and the corresponding tangent cones. The union of subspaces underlying the data imposes a strong association between the tangent cone at a sample $x$ and the original subspace containing $x$. In addition to describing this novel geometric perspective, this paper provides a practical algorithm for subspace clustering that leverages this perspective, where a tangent cone membership test is used to estimate the affinities. This algorithm is accompanied with deterministic and stochastic guarantees on the properties of the learned affinity matrix, on the true and false positive rates and spread, which directly translate into the overall clustering accuracy.


ABSTRACT Ten new species of Muricidae Rafinesque, 1815 are described from material collected during expeditions in Madagascar. Five species are described from the Extreme South: Vokesimurex rectaspira n. sp., Timbellus goniodes n. sp., Flexopteron akainakares n. sp., Murexsul mananteninaensis n. sp. and Typhinellus constrictus n. sp.; four from the Northwest: Vokesimurex aliquantulus n. sp., Timbellus pannuceus n. sp., Typhinellus laminatus n. sp. and Siphonochelus (Siphonochelus) aethomorpha n. sp.; and a single species, Bouchetia wareni n. sp., is described from both the Extreme South and the Northwest and is also reported from Mayotte. Similar species from Madagascar, Mozambique and from other regions of the Indo-West Pacific are compared. The radulae of Vokesimurex rectaspira n. sp., Flexopteron akainakares n. sp., Flexopteron primanova (Houart, 1985) and Bouchetia vaubanensis Houart, 1986 are illustrated.


Introduction: Esophageal cancer is a common malignancy that is fatal to a large extent. The incidence of esophageal cancer is significantly variable worldwide and squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type. About 15% of cancer cases raise in the region of the upper 1/3, 35% in the middle and 50% are in the area. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study on 102 pathology reports for 4 years between the years 2001-2004 from the Department of Pathology University of Medical Sciences carried out and the following results were obtained. This is a retrospective study conducted on 102 pathology reports for 4 years between the years 2001-2004 from the Department of Pathology in Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences and the following results were obtained. Findings: 102 cases develop 49% cancer cases and 18.5% pre-cancerous cases and normal cases developed only 12%. The most common age group has been the eighth decade of life (40%) and 92% of their age has been above 50 years old. The most common type is squamous cell carcinoma with 68% and adenocarcinoma developed 22% of cases. Among 35 cases that their area had been specified, cases develop from 11.5% upper 1/3 area, 34% middle area, 40% lower area and 14.5% of gastroesophageal junction. The average age of individuals with esophageal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, Barrett's esophagus and Esophagitis has been 68.12, 67.4, 68.3, 50.8 and 46.3 years old, respectively. Male-to-female sex ratio was obtained for Esophageal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma equal to 1.27/1, 1/1, 1.75/1, respectively. Conclusion: with regard to the results from this study, rate of incidence of esophageal cancer has reduced in men than other population and/or the rate of incidence of esophageal cancer has increased in women. The most area involved with 11 cases has been in the middle area of esophagus and by squamous cell carcinoma.


3-M syndrome is an autosomal recessive primordial growth disorder characterised by severe postnatal growth restriction caused by mutations in CUL7, OBSL1 or CCDC8. Clinical characteristics include dysmorphic facial features and fleshy prominent heels with a variable degree of radiological abnormalities. CUL7 is a structural protein central to the formation of an ubiquitin E3 ligase that is known to target insulin receptor substrate 1 for degradation. CUL7 also binds to p53 and may be involved in the control of p53-dependent apoptosis. OBSL1 is a cytoskeletal adaptor protein that was thought to play a central role in myocyte remodelling, and CCDC8 has no defined function as yet. However, the physical interaction of OBSL1 with both CUL7 and CCDC8 and its potential role in the regulation of CUL7 expression suggest all three proteins are members of the same growth-regulatory pathway. Future work should be directed to investigating the function of the 3-M syndrome pathway and in particular the role in the insulin like growth factor I signalling pathway with a view of potentially revealing new therapeutic targets and identifying key regulators of cellular growth.


Thestudy is a description of public finance in Poland made by comparing the most important features of this sector in Poland and Central and Eastern European countries, European Union and OECD in the period 2004-2014. The following topics are discussed: scope of the public sector, sources of public revenue, public spending mix, deficit and debt figures. The focus of this study is on identifying the most important similarities and differences. The main assumptions of the 2016 state budget are also analysed. The study may serve as a starting point for the debate on desired directions of the future evolution of Polish public finance.


Morality in analytical jurisprudence has always assumed a metaphysical and theoretical character. As morality and the law are connected in distinctive ways, morality plays a pivotal role in one's understanding of the concept of law. Thus far, we have taken moral norms as providing a reliable measure of right and wrong actions. But the naturalization of ethics in moral philosophy has introduced research findings from the natural sciences which suggest that morality is far more nuanced and varied than we have come to assume. Some moral norms, evolutionary biology has shown us, have less to do with propriety, righteousness, or civility, and more to do with developed biological responses to our surrounding environment. Other moral norms emerged because of political reasons rather than rectitude. This paper argues that we should consider seriously these new findings about our moral psychology in the conceptualization of law in analytical jurisprudence. Morality, if it is an unreliable source of good conscience, cannot and should not be used to provide laws with the normative force it needs to justify the imposition of obligations or to govern with legitimate authority. Until neuroscientists and developmental psychologist are able to determine with some definiteness how our capacity for moral decisions functions and establish morality as a universal feature of humankind, we need to be cautious in how much faith we place on morality as a standard setting norm to separate right from wrong.


Women in the Greensboro area, 1 and in North Carolina as a whole, have made much progress during the last few decades. The majority of women work—many in professional jobs—and women are essential to the economic health of their communities. Yet, there are some ways in which women's status still lags behind men's, and not all women are prospering equally. This fact sheet provides basic information about the status of women in the Greensboro metropolitan area—including Alamance, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Stokes, and Yadkin counties—focusing on women's earnings and workforce participation, level of education, poverty, access to child care, and health status. It also provides background demographic information about women in the region.


A primary motivation for this work arises from the contradictory results obtained in some recent measurements of the zero-crossing frequency of turbulent fluctuations in shear flows. A systematic study of the various factors involved in zero-crossing measurements shows that the dynamic range of the signal, the discriminator characteristics, filter frequency and noise contamination have a strong bearing on the results obtained. These effects are analysed, and explicit corrections for noise contamination have been worked out. New measurements of the zero-crossing frequency N0 have been made for the longitudinal velocity fluctuation in boundary layers and a wake, for wall shear stress in a channel, and for temperature derivatives in a heated boundary layer. All these measurements show that a zero-crossing microscale, defined as Λ = (2πN0)−1, is always nearly equal to the well-known Taylor microscale λ (in time). These measurements, as well as a brief analysis, show that even strong departures from Gaussianity do not necessarily yield values appreciably different from unity for the ratio Λ/λ. Further, the variation of N0/N0 max across the boundary layer is found to correlate with the familiar wall and outer coordinates; the outer scaling for N0 max is totally inappropriate, and the inner scaling shows only a weak Reynolds-number dependence. It is also found that the distribution of the interval between successive zero-crossings can be approximated by a combination of a lognormal and an exponential, or (if the shortest intervals are ignored) even of two exponentials, one of which characterizes crossings whose duration is of the order of the wall-variable timescale ν/U2*, while the other characterizes crossings whose duration is of the order of the large-eddy timescale δ/U∞. The significance of these results is discussed, and it is particularly argued that the pulse frequency of Rao, Narasimha & Badri Narayanan (1971) is appreciably less than the zero-crossing rate.


Objective: Characterization studies on demineralized dentin are important in understanding, preventing and addressing dentinal hypersensitivity. Multiple microscopy techniques, including an advanced synchrotron radiation (SR) X-ray computed tomography (CT) experiment, were used to assess the submicron morphology, composition and structure of sound and demineralization human dentin, as well as demineralized dentin treated with three different fluoride formulations. Methods: Dentin samples were obtained and prepared from extracted human bicuspids and arranged into five groups (N = 5): sound dentin; demineralized dentin; and, demineralized dentin treated with either a 0.2% NaF prophy paste, 1.1% NaF dentifrice or 5% NaF varnish. Specimens were then submitted to an advanced SR X-ray CT technique involving microscope optics providing submicron spatial resolution. Multiple comparison statistical analyses (Tukey HSD, p < 0.05) were performed on X-ray linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) for each group. Specimens were further assessed for morphology and composition using digital light microscopy (DLM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) techniques. CT, FE-SEM and FIB data files were then imported into software packages to create volume renderings for visualization purposes. Results: LAC values were obtained via SR X-ray CT and used to estimate mineral concentrations within dentin tubules as well as in the inter-tubular regions. Our investigation yielded region-specific trends in mineral concentrations for sound and demineralized dentin, and demineralized dentin treated with each of the fluoride formulations. Statistical differences were observed among treatment groups as a function of depth into dentin. Complimenting SR X-ray CT, DLM, FE-SEM and FIB provided morphological and compositional detail. Conclusion: SR X-ray CT provided submicron resolution of tubular and inter-tubular demineralized dentin treated with different fluoride modalities, including a prophy paste, dentifrice and varnish. The use of SR X-ray CT to probe region-specific processes provides important insight into dentinal structure and may find further applications in addressing and understanding dentinal hypersensitivity.


A new data set of appendicular skeletal characters
in a representative sample of fin- and limb-bearing taxa
spanning the fish–tetrapod transition is used to test the phylogenetic
utility of both girdle and paired appendage data. A
cladistic analysis retrieves most traditional taxonomic
groups, highlighting only partial conflict along internal
branches that sit deep in the phylogeny, and good to moderate
support for within-group branching sequences. Most of
the conflict affects stem tetrapods from the Devonian, with
Ichthyostega, Hynerpeton and the Catskill humerus as particularly
unstable taxa. Phylogenetic constraints that reflect
recent hypotheses of relationships do not entail significant
differences (in terms of character fit) from the shortest trees.
The data set is subjected to an analysis of trait compatibility.
Results show that predefined character partitions (i.e. shoulder
girdle, pelvic girdle, anterior paired appendages, posterior
paired appendages and autopodium plus general
features) do not reveal strong within-set correlation or any
correlation with global character compatibilities. In addition,
character clusters exhibit little logical and ⁄ or functional
interdependence.


Technological advances in medicine have changed the landscape of fetal medicine considerably. Growing knowledge in fetal physiology, ultrasound, antenatal screening and an emphasis on preventive medicine promotes the detection of a wide range of abnormalities leaving both parents and obstetricians with difficult choices at various stages during pregnancy.
Early terminations are ethically controversial. However, late terminations (>20 weeks gestation) and feticide (including post-viable fetuses) have advanced the debate on the ethics of abortion. Poignant ethical questions surround the status of the fetus as opposed to that of the newborn.While most regulations regard severe fetal abnormalities as being incompatible with life and having the potential to cause severe pain and suffering after birth, slippery-slope arguments are raised when feticide is performed for abnormalities like cleft lip and palate.
Respecting the autonomy of the mother who may request a termination late in her pregnancy raises enormous ethical conflict for the treating obstetrician who must balance this request against the principle of non-malfeasance (doing no harm) inherent in killing a viable fetus. There is a clear moral distinction between actively killing an abnormal viable fetus and allowing an abnormal newborn to die after birth. This distinction may be lacking in policy-making in countries with a permissive feticide policy and a restrictive neonatal policy in respect of non-treatment. Furthermore, where feticide is concerned, do obstetricians have a right of conscientious objection globally?
At a more complex level, destruction of a viable fetus with significant abnormalities raises concerns of eugenics. Is feticide and late termination of pregnancy discriminatory towards people with disabilities and a veiled attempt to create a genetically pure population?
This paper explores the ethical conflict and legal inconsistency in feticide and late termination of pregnancy at a global level and argues for a universal policy based on fetal status and acknowledgment of the moral distinction between killing and letting die.


Statement of the problem: The paper focuses on the design subject. The matter of what is design and how it is work has always been the concern of theorists and researchers. In the meantime, it is a significant issue that rather than the existence of a single theory, we have a variety of views and context of the attitude. When uncertainty arises, we are confronted with a phenomenon that is not linear and cannot be perceived just through the logic. Some find metaphysical aspects, some have examined unconscious from the psychological point of view and others have a mystical look at the issue. Purpose of the study : As a designer and audience, this unknown aspect of design can be mysterious, stimulant, frightening, or enjoyable. Design as creativity arises from designer's individual physical and mental world, it is created by imagination, measured by science, and once again returns to the imagination. A set of internal and external components is involved in design. Recognizing this design space and its transformation is what matters to us. An approach is process-centered. In addition to studies on the characteristics of physical space, mental space's characteristics are also should be studied. We consider this mental space to be the same as the imaginary space of the designer. Direct access to the imagination mechanism is impossible, but we can try to explain its effectiveness on the structural levels. Research Methodology: The research method is a synthesis of narrative and hermeneuticphenomenological analysis.it is process-oriented and focuses on the design process. The research is based on a set of connections and interactions. Conclusion: Creativity should be relying on the imagination. It is a lovely escape with no limits. in imagination, everything is possible. It is an experience of freedom. Everyone's having a unique imaginary space that is quite different from others. A series of individual elements forms the characteristics of this space. in a design process, designer flows in continuous transition between this imaginative space and physical space.


Emerging market bond debt has become an increasingly important asset class for portfolio managers and, over the last decade, emerged as a key source of funds for emerging market governments. Spreads on emerging market bond debt across countries tend to move in tandem over time, suggesting that one or more common factors drive their movements. Yet despite its relevance to portfolio management, the degree of common variation in spreads on emerging market debt, and the number of underlying factors that might drive this covariation, has received little attention in the asset pricing literature. This article investigates the extent to which spreads on emerging market sovereign debt react to forces that are common across markets. Similar in spirit to the Litterman and Scheinkman (1991) analysis of the US Treasury yield curve, and to the extensive work in the asset pricing literature on the factors driving equity returns, we use principal factor analysis to determine the number of common factors that drive movements in emerging market bond spreads. Three broad conclusions are supported by the analysis presented below. First, we find that common forces account for, on average, one third of the total variation in the daily movement of each spread for our primary sample of 15 emerging market issuers. This result is robust to rating differences, as well as differences in sample size. Second, we find that a single common factor explains approximately 80% of the common variation, although there is tentative evidence of a second common factor emerging in recent years. Third, the primary factor may reflect changes in investors' attitudes towards risk, as evidenced by its high correlation with economic variables that are thought to reflect changes in risk premia.


Acute pancreatitis in children is associated with abdominal trauma, drug and toxin ingestion, multi-system diseases, viral illness, and structural abnormalities [1]. Pancreatic enzyme levels decline over 3–4 days and often no specific cause is found [1,2]. Mutations in the secretory trypsin inhibitor (SPINK1) gene are associated with both hereditary and chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, its association with acute pancreatitis (AP) [3,4] and acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) [5,6] in the literature remains rare, especially in children. We present the case of a child with ARP found to be heterozygous for the N34S mutation of the SPINK1 gene.


Background: Cardiovascular-related deaths account for nearly 30% of deaths worldwide. Age, diabetes mellitus, the male gender, and use of tobacco products have been identified as risk factors in previous studies; however, most recent research is directing attention toward other causes of cardiovascular-related mortality. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), an important component in the maintenance of mineral homeostasis, has shown to be linked to cardiovascular events when the levels are high. As a result, it becomes fundamental to seek the relationship between elevated levels of PTH in a generally healthy population aged 50 and older and cardiovascular-related mortality. Methods: An exhaustive literature search was conducted using the following search engines: Medline-OVID, Web of Science, and CINAHL. For each literature search, the key words parathyroid hormone, cardiovascular, mortality, and adult were utilized to narrow the results. The following inclusion criteria were required in narrowing the search: studies including adults aged 50 and older, studies that measure cardiovascular-related mortality as the primary outcome, studies that investigate elevated PTH in generally healthy populations, and studies with a mean follow-up of at least seven years. Similarly, the following exclusion criteria were applied to the search: studies published before the year 2009, studies not performed on humans, and studies in a language other than English. All articles were assessed for quality using GRADE. Results: The search resulted in 156 articles, all of which were viewed for relevancy. After the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, two community-based cohort studies were included. Both observational studies demonstrated a position correlation between increased parathyroid hormone and cardiovascular mortality in community-dwelling adults over the age of 50. The primary outcome measured was cardiovascular mortality, and no other surrogate outcomes were used. After the GRADE assessment, both prospective cohort studies were considered to be low quality. Conclusion: Two observational studies show a correlation between high parathyroid hormone and cardiovascular-related mortality in populations of generally healthy community-dwelling adults. At this time, the low quality evidence is not enough to support the correlation. However, due to these findings, future studies may possibly confirm use parathyroid hormone as a modifiable risk factor in the prevention of cardiovascular-related mortality.


BACKGROUND
The supplementation with vitamin D and calcium has been recommended for elderly, specifically those with increased risk of fractures older than 65 years. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of vitamin D and calcium supplementation in elderly women and men with osteoporosis and therefore to assess if this recommendation is justified in terms of cost-effectiveness.

METHODS
A validated model for economic evaluations in osteoporosis was used to estimate the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained of vitamin D/calcium supplementation compared with no treatment. The model was populated with cost and epidemiological data from a Belgian health-care perspective. Analyses were conducted in women and men with a diagnosis of osteoporosis (i.e. bone mineral density T-score ≤-2.5). A literature search was conducted to describe the efficacy of vitamin D and calcium in terms of fracture risk reduction.

RESULTS
The cost per QALY gained of vitamin D/calcium supplementation was estimated at €40 578 and €23 477 in women and men aged 60 years, respectively. These values decreased to €7912 and €10 250 at the age of 70 years and vitamin D and calcium supplementation was cost-saving at the age of 80 years, meaning that treatment cost was less than the costs of treating osteoporotic fractures of the no-treatment group.

CONCLUSION
This study suggests that vitamin D and calcium supplementation is cost-effective for women and men with osteoporosis aged over 60 years. From an economic perspective, vitamin D and calcium should therefore be administrated in these populations including those also taking other osteoporotic treatments.


Monitoring the depth of anesthesia is an integral part of the modern anesthesiological practice. Historically, the classic signs for monitoring the depth of anesthesia, such as haemodynamics, patient's movements, sweating and pupil size are gradually losing weight and yielding to EEGbased techniques, the most popular in practice being the BIS-monitor, the evoked potentials and the EEG- entropy. This review aims to describe the characteristics of these techniques and the basis for their application in practice. The use of EEG-based aneshthesia monitoring techniques in intensive structures is considered, as well as the use of EEG-entropy in childhood.


ABSTRACT The aims of our study were to compare the dominant (DOM) and non-dominant (NDOM) shoulders of high-level volleyball athletes and identify possible associations of shoulder adaptations with spike speed (SS) and shoulder pathology. A total of 22 male volleyball players from two teams participating in the first division of the Cypriot championship underwent clinical shoulder tests and simple measurements around their shoulder girdle joints bilaterally. SS was measured with the use of a sports speed radar. Compared with the NDOM side, the DOM scapula was more lateralised, the DOM dorsal capsule demonstrated greater laxity, the DOM dorsal muscles stretching ability was compromised, and the DOM pectoralis muscle was more lengthened. Players with present or past DOM shoulder pain demonstrated greater laxity in their DOM dorsal capsule, tightening of their DOM inferior capsule, and lower SS compared with those without shoulder pain. Dorsal capsule measurements bilaterally were significant predictors of SS. None of the shoulder measurements was associated with team roles or infraspinatus atrophy, while scapular lateralisation was more pronounced with increasing years of experience, and scapular antetilting was greater with increasing age. Adaptations of the DOM shoulder may be linked to pathology and performance. We describe simple shoulder measurements that may have the potential to predict chronic shoulder injury and become part of injury prevention programmes. Detailed biomechanical and large prospective studies are warranted to assess the validity of our findings and reach more definitive conclusions.


This paper presents a floating-point addition algorithm and adder pipeline design employing a packet forwarding pipeline paradigm. The packet forwarding format and the proposed algorithms constitute a new paradigm for handling data hazards in deeply pipelined floating-point pipelines. The addition and rounding algorithms employ a four stage execution phase pipeline with each stage suitable for implementation in a short clock period, assuming about 15 logic levels per cycle. The first two cycles are related to addition proper and are the focus of this paper. The last two cycles perform the rounding and have been covered in a paper by D.W. Matula and A.M. Nielsen (1997). The addition algorithm accepts one operand in a standard binary floating-point formal at the start of cycle one. The second operand is represented in the packet forwarding floating-point format: namely, it is divided into four parts: the sign bit, the exponent string, the principal part of the significant, and the carry-round packet. The first three parts of the second operand are input at the start of cycle one and the carry-round packet is input at the start of cycle two. The result is output in two formats that both represent the rounded result as required by the IEEE 754 standard. The result is output in the packet forwarding floating-point format at the end of cycles two and three to allow forwarding with an effective latency of two cycles. The result is also format at the end of cycle four for retirement to a register. The packet forwarding result is thus available with an effective two cycle latency for forwarding to the start of the adder pipeline or to a cooperating multiplier pipeline accepting a packet forwarding operand. The effective latency of the proposed design is two cycles for successive dependent operations while perceiving IEEE 754 binary floating-point compatibility.


Haemophilia A and B are X-linked disorders caused by impaired synthesis of coagulation factors VIII and IX, respectively. Women who carry the haemophilia trait have about 50 % of normal factor levels. Due to skewed Xchromosome inactivation, factors in carriers may however range from levels corresponding to those in men with haemophilia up to normal levels. One hundred and twenty six haemophilia carriers and 90 controls were included in the study. In paper I, bleeding tendency was evaluated with a standardised bleeding assessment tool. We found increased bleeding tendency among the carriers of haemophilia A and B, compared to the control group. The bleeding tendency was weakly correlated to FVIII levels. In paper II, healthrelated quality of life (HRQOL) in haemophilia carriers was compared to a control group and the normative population. HRQOL was evaluated with the Short-Form 36 questionnaire. Symptomatic carriers had lower scores in the General Health, Social Functioning and Mental Health domains, compared to the control group. These differences disappeared when comparisons were made with the normative population. Paper III demonstrates that thrombin generation potential, evaluated by the calibrated automated thrombography method (CAT), did not differ significantly in symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers of haemophilia A. The results of paper IV indicate that there was no association between bleeding tendency in haemophilia A carriers and genotype, evaluated by comparison of null and non-null mutations. In conclusion, the results suggest that carriers of haemophilia may have increased bleeding tendency, especially during haemostatic stress. Carriership did not affect HRQOL in comparison to the normative population. Factor levels as well as thrombin generation capacity appear to be inadequate for prediction of bleeding tendency in carriers. The bleeding tendency in haemophilia A carriers was not influenced by the genotype.


The snow-water equivalent (SWE) of the seasonal snow cover is an important component of the water cycle in the Swiss Alps. It is used for predicting seasonal discharge, for short-range discharge forecasts and also for assessing water quality aspects. The SWE has been measured every two weeks at about 50 stations located between 860 and 2,540 m a.s.l. for more than 30 years. In addition there are special investigation areas with stations located between 600 m and 2,900 m a.s.l. where SWE is measured once per winter. The main characteristics of temporal and spatial SWE distributions are analyzed. The variations of SWE values depend in ranking order on elevation, on the year-to-year variations, on the region and on the exposition. The standardized SWE values depend mostly on the year-to-year variations and on the exposition. The standardized SWE-values depend mostly on the year-to-year variations and on the region


A Review of:
Engel, Debra, and Sarah Robbins. "Telephone Interviewing Practices within Academic Libraries." Journal of Academic Librarianship 35.2 (2009): 143-51.

Objective – To investigate the use of telephone interviews in academic libraries and identify best practices when conducting telephone interviews.

Design – Survey and open-ended questions.

Setting – Academic libraries in the United States.

Subjects – Academic institutional members of the Association of Research Libraries.

Methods – A fifteen-item survey (Appendix A, 150) concerning telephone interviewing practice was sent to 112 institutional members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The survey contained multiple choice-type questions as well as open-ended questions.

Main Results – The response rate was 66% (74 of 112 research libraries; 56 public institutions and 17 private). Of the respondents, 90% used telephone interviews to screen applicants for professional positions (ranging from occasionally to always) and only 10% never used telephone interviews. The main reason for holding telephone interviews was to "screen candidates in order to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews" (146). Other reasons given included minimizing expenses involved in interviewing out-of-town candidates (39% respondents), shortening the length of time to complete the search process (27%) and meeting library or campus hiring requirements (3%).

On average, the majority of libraries (51%) hired between 2-4 professional positions each year. For each open professional position, the number of candidates telephone-interviewed varied from less than 3 to 9 depending on library and position.

Interviews typically lasted between 16 and 45 minutes (77% respondents) with all the search committee members (staff involved in the recruitment process) being present (75%) and taking turns to ask questions to the candidates (90%). Questions were most often the same for all candidates applying for a particular position (91%) and candidates were nearly always allowed in return to ask questions of the committee (96%).

In answer to the open-ended question, "In your opinion, what best creates a collegial and effective environment for conducting telephone interviews?", the dominating responses included: all search committee members being present and participating actively, using a script and taking notes, introducing all interview participants, and giving candidates adequate notification and documentation.

The majority of respondents "would not change anything about their institution's current (telephone interview) practice" (147). Some thought that "training and/or a need for consistency in procedure for all interviews conducted" (147) would be relevant changes in practice.

The results of the survey were compared to the findings in the library, personnel management and human resources literature.

Conclusion – From the survey and responses to open-ended questions, a number of best practices when conducting telephone interviews emerged (148–150):
1. Properly train the search committee (e.g., in knowing about the position, organization and protocols for conducting interviews properly)
2. Involve the search committee throughout the recruitment process
3. Help the interviewee be prepared (e.g., by sending institutional information packages)
4. Maintain and use suitable technology (e.g., by choosing suitable conferencing facilities with the interviewee situation in mind)
5. Put the candidate at ease (e.g., by explaining who will be present, how long the interview will last and how many questions there will be)
6. Provide introductions (e.g., both in the beginning of the interview and even before individual questions)
7. Listen and take notes during the interview
8. Discuss the interviews immediately afterwards

Engel and Robbins suggest that further research could include looking into job candidate and search committee experiences of the telephone interviewing procedure.


This paper aims to investigate Allan Gibbard's norm-expressivist account of normativity. In particular, the aim is to see whether Gibbard's theory is able to account for the normativity of reason-claims. For this purpose, I first describe how I come to targeting Gibbard's theory by setting out the main tenets of quasi-realism cum expressivism. After this, I provide a detailed interpretation of the relevant parts of Gibbard's theory. I argue that the best reading of his account is the one that takes normativity to be carried by a controlled, coherent, comprehensive set of norms. Finally, I present a potential obstacle to Gibbard's approach: the regress problem. The idea is to examine the structure of the non-cognitive state expressed and find it inadequate due to the possibility of an infinite regress in the justification of the norms whose acceptance it contains. I then end the paper with some concluding remarks.


Antidepressant (AD) consumption has been steadily increasing in the last decade in most countries. The explanations suggested by researchers for this increment are still under scrutiny. This study attempts to identify the determinants of AD consumption by exploiting small area variations from Switzerland between 2003 and 2014. We observe that two specific drugs - Citalopram and Escitalopram - within the Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI) category are mainly responsible for the increasing trend in AD consumption. Socio-economic, demographic, cultural, and geographical characteristics of the area are included in multiple regression models with random and fixed effects of AD consumption per capita. While most of these factors contribute to explain cross-area variations in AD use, they provide little explanation for the temporal trend in overall AD consumption. Conversely, we find that the time trend in AD consumption is explained at least partially by the density of prescribing physicians. More precisely, generic AD turn out to be positively associated with adverse local economic conditions, while branded AD are negatively associated with adverse economic conditions and positively related to the presence of neurologists and psychiatrists in the area. This may suggest that generic AD drugs are more likely prescribed in accordance to need, whereas branded AD are more likely to respond to preferences and financial incentives affecting suppliers.


Annual reports prepared according to the standards of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board often contain more than 30 pages of notes--one recent report contains 70 pages. (See exhibits 1 and 2 on pages 93 and 94.) Although due process procedures are intended to ensure that each required disclosure specified in GASB standards is needed, the cumulative volume of information raises these questions: * Do current GASB standards require note disclosures that no longer serve a useful purpose? * Are there disclosure needs that current GASB standards don't meet? A READER SURVEY To answer these questions, the GASB sponsored a research study on note disclosures in 1987-88. A series of interviews was held with representatives of important user groups: debt rating agencies, debt insurers, underwriters, investment bankers, bond attorneys, legislative and oversight officials, public finance researchers and citizen advocate and information groups. A sample set of notes to financial statements was sent to each interviewee before the interview. A total of 55 individuals representing 28 organizations were interviewed. In every interview, the main interest of serious readers--persons whose occupations require regular use of government financial reports--was on major individual operating funds and enterprise funds with material amounts of outstanding debt. However, data presented in the general purpose financial statements are aggregated by fund type. This finding should be of special interest to auditors and their clients because only the general financial statement and its notes usually are covered by the independent auditor's report. DISCLOSURES CONSIDERED IMPORTANT Although the objectives of users in each category differed, there was general agreement that notes to financial statements should be concise presentations of essential information. Interviewees had very little interest in * General policy statements. * Recitations of financial reporting standards. * Lengthy explanations of unessential details. If a reporting entity followed accounting policies not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles--particularly policies relating to revenue recognition and expense or expenditure recognition--interviewees said notes should disclose this. Also, the entity should disclose situations in which its accounting policies differed from those used during the previous year. To the extent policy statements are needed, respondents indicated they should be presented with the appropriate note or notes explaining the items appearing in the financial statements. Also considered useful were disclosures regarding * Events of noncompliance with laws, regulations and agreements. * Material contingent liabilities. * Significant effects of subsequent events. Although these disclosures are useful as they are now presented, respondents suggested they would be even more useful if they were expanded. MORE DISCLOSURE WANTED Rather than present a financial picture at one given point in time, respondents wanted to know whether balance sheets are representative of an entity's financial position during the fiscal year. Also, they wanted to know whether the revenues and expenditures reported for the year fit the trend of revenues and expenditures over time and whether events have occurred, or are expected to occur, that may affect revenue streams or expenditures materially. Interviewees didn't expect annual forecasts but they wanted reports to contain information that would help them develop their own evaluations of financial position and results of operations of individual funds--not fund types. DISCLOSURES OF SUBSEQUENT EVENTS Specifically, serious readers wanted disclosures of events or actions that may materially affect financial data after the balance sheet date. …


Serpinins are a family of peptides derived from proteolytic cleavage of the penultimate and the last pair of basic residues at the C-terminus of Chromogranin A. Three forms of naturally occurring serpinin have been found in AtT-20 pituitary cells and rat heart. They are serpinin, pyrogutaminated (pGlu) -serpinin and a C-terminally extended form, serpinin-RRG. In addition pGlu-serpinin has been found in brain, primarily in neurites and nerve terminals and shown to have protective effects against oxidative stress on neurons and pituitary cells. Serpinin has also been demonstrated to regulate granule biogenesis in endocrine cells by up-regulating the protease inhibitor, protease nexin-1 transcription via a cAMP-PKA-sp1 pathway. This leads to inhibition of granule protein degradation in the Golgi complex which in turn promotes granule formation. More recently, pGlu-serpinin has been demonstrated to enhance both myocardial contractility (inotropy) and relaxation (lusitropy). In the Langendorff perfused rat heart, pGlu-serpinin showed a concentration-dependent positive inotropic effect exerted through a cAMP-PKA dependent pathway. In conclusion, the serpinin peptides have profound effects at many levels that affect the endocrine and nervous systems and cardiac function.


The growing presence of household robots in inhabited environments arises the need for new robot task planning techniques. These techniques should take into consideration not only the actions that the robot can perform or unexpected external events, but also the actions performed by a human sharing the same environment, in order to improve the cohabitation of the two agents, e.g., by avoiding undesired situations for the human. In this paper, we present a human-aware planner able to address this problem. This planner supports alternative hypotheses of the human plan, temporal duration for the actions of both the robot and the human, constraints on the interaction between robot and human, partial goal achievement and, most importantly, the possibility to use observations of human actions in the policy generated for the robot. The planner has been tested as a standalone component and in conjunction with our framework for human-robot interaction in a real environment.


Both the UK and the EU have called for non-regression of environmental standards and regulation in their future relationship. As environmental regulation imposes costs, there is an incentive for governments to give their industries a competitive advantage through deregulation. The EU has tried to prevent this problem in existing trade agreements by including a requirement for non-regression of environmental standards. The draft Withdrawal Agreement of November 2018 also includes requirements for non-regression of environmental standards that would apply, as part of the so-called backstop, if a future relationship agreement were not concluded by the end of the transition period. Even if (and when) the backstop is superseded by the future relationship, the UK and the EU have indicated that this relationship will build on these commitments.

In this note I first describe why this 'environmental backstop' is an innovative hybrid between the full alignment with environmental legislation required in EU Association Agreements and the EEA Agreement, and the arm's length non-regression requirements that the EU has negotiated in its trade agreements with countries such as Canada and Korea. It also has some unique features. Notably, successful implementation would require substantial reform in UK environmental monitoring and enforcement. I thus examine how it might function in practice, focusing in particular on challenges with enforcement. Finally, I analyse its applicability to different models for the future relationship. The Withdrawal Agreement links environmental non-regression to a specific UK-EU customs union. However, if the UK and EU go beyond this, pursuing deep regulatory alignment, it will also prove a source of fundamental disagreement. The UK's current position is to push for non-regression to stand in for regulatory alignment, whilst the EU will likely reject such an approach.


Secure cloud environment is essential for providing uninterrupted services to customers (individual user, company and government), since customers are relying on cloud for their computing and network service needs. As providers play the central role in cloud security, they need to establish rigorous security measures as a part of their service offerings. In order to limit liabilities for damages caused by the cloud, some form of insurance seems appropriate. For cloud security insurance, however, the question of differential security coverage is relevant as the cost of deploying special protection, detection and response tools varies and requires the coverage estimation. In this paper, we describe a framework to estimate security coverage for different type of service offerings. We have developed software prototype of this framework, called MEGHNAD and tested for various cloud service security requirements. This prototype can serve as a specialized Cloud Doctor in prescribing the right combination of security tools for different cloud services and according to the level of security assurance required.


Since the onset of the "great recession" there have been key debates around various aspects of crisis theory, most notably around the areas of the rate of profit ( Brenner 2009 ; Kliman 2012 ), under-consumption/overproduction ( Clarke 1990a , 442–467) and fiancialisation ( Dumenil and Levy 2004 ). This paper maintains that communications and the media are key though non-deterministic elements of the contemporary market system, and proposes a move towards a crisis theory of communications. This research reflects the Marxist concept of base and superstructure, beyond a perceived notion of economic determinism, but rather as a dialectical relationship between various superstructures, in this case the state and the media, and the economic base including the various aspects of class power inherent within. The mass media, advertising, and ICT play an increasingly important role in both market systems and capitalist crises. This role directly impinges on the dissemination of information to market actors as well as the reflexive and dialectical nature of the processes by which actors respond to market information. Further, the media serve as an ideological apparatus, resource or arena, which acts to naturalise the market through what this research describes as a market orientated framing mechanism ( Preston and Silke 2011b ). Peter Thompson ( 2003 ; 2013 , 208–227) contends that communication is an integral and reflexive part of the contemporary market system. As he puts it, there is a complex relationship between the producers and distributors of economic information, and those who use that information to make decisions about investment and trade. Many studies point to the convergence of flows of information such as those on 24-hour news channels, business channels and Internet blogs and sites with market activity itself. For Wayne Hope, ( 2010 , 649–669) information broadcast on such media by bankers, stockbrokers and traders themselves tends to be self-serving and inevitably leads to "a real time feedback loop that proliferates then contributes to the growth and collapse of speculative bubbles" [ibid, 665]). Finally, we must note how the mass media also play a pervasive and important role in the commodification process through advertising and indeed comprises a part of the circulation of capital itself ( Garnham 1979 , 122–146; Fuchs 2009b , 369–402; Fuchs 2009a ). This paper, by way of example, looks at three key moments in the Irish economic crisis and briefly looks at their treatment by sections of the press: The Irish property market on the run up to the 2007 general election on the cusp of the Irish crash, the blanket bank guarantee of 2008, where the state effectively guaranteed the debts of the entire Irish banking system in its totality, and finally the introduction of the National Asset Management Agency, a state sponsored bad bank aimed at cleaning up the (then) private banking industry. The paper uses these examples to consider the role of the media and its relationship to both the markets and political policy.


29 The posterior interosseous nerve is a pure motor branch of the radial nerve after passing the supinator muscle. It especially innervates the extensor muscles of fingers in the forearm. Injury of the posterior interosseous nerve is most commonly seen in Monteggia fractures, which results from a combination of ulna fracture and proximal radius head dislocation. Idiopathic-inflammatory disease, impingement of the nerve at supinator muscle, neuralgic amyotrophy, and space-occupying lesions are other non-traumatic causes of posterior interosseous neuropathy (PIN). Motor deficits of finger extensors is the main clinical manifestation in the posterior interosseous nerve injury and sensory loss is never seen. A woman aged 49 years presented due to weakness that began 4 years ago in the right 3rd and 4th fingers, which had spread to other fingers. On neurologic examination, paresis of finger and wrist extensors without sensory loss was detected. The patient underwent surgery due to carpal tunnel syndrome and later, cubital tunnel syndrome because of her symptoms. After the operations, her symptoms did not regress and she was evaluated again by us. With her clinical and electrophysiological findings, PIN was diagnosed and on radiologic imaging, a focal lesion and lipoma was found. A rare cause of PIN due to lipoma was diagnosed and she underwent surgery again. A physiotherapy program was started after the operation but after 5 months, there was no significant regression of paresis. We want to report this case because early diagnosis and treatment is important in regaining motor functions in this rare clinical entity.


© 2015 selection and editorial matter David Howarth. Ernesto Laclau has blazed a unique trail in political theory and philosophy since the early 1970s. In so doing, he has articulated a range of philosophical and theoretical currents into a coherent alternative to mainstream models and practices of conducting social and political science. The editors have focused on work in three key areas: Post-Marxist Political Theory: Discourse, Hegemony, Signification: Laclau has developed an original conception of post-Marxist political theory that is grounded on a materialist theory of discourse. The latter is constructed from a range of theoretical and philosophical sources, including poststructuralism, psychoanalysis, linguistic theory and post-analytical philosophy. The centerpiece of this approach is the category of hegemony, which develops Antonio Gramsci's seminal contribution to Marxist theory, and is in turn connected to a web of related concepts, including articulation, dislocation, the logics of equivalence and difference, political identification, myth and social imaginary. These ideas have informed a number of empirical and theoretical studies associated with the Essex School of Discourse Theory. Analyzing Populism: A central concern of Laclau's writings has been the question of populism, both in Latin America where hebegan his interrogation of the phenomenon (especially the experience of Peronism), and then in his engagement with the "new social movements" and socialist strategy more generally. The concept of populism becomes a general way of exploring the "primacy of politics" in society. Critical Engagements: Laclau is first and foremost an engaged intellectual who has consistently sought to theorize contemporary events and reality, and to debate with the leading intellectual figures of the day, with respect to questions of political principle and strategy. His recent debates with Judith Butler and Slavoj Žižek in Contingency, Hegemony, Universality: Contemporary Dialogues on the Left, published in 2011 (London: Verso), exemplify this critical ethos. He continues to elaborate his approach by challenging and articulating related approaches, and by situating his work in connection to the democratic Left.


Three previously puddled rice soils, namely the Chengai, Tebengau, and
Tualang series of the Muda Irrigation Scheme were studied both in the field and in the
glass house. The objectives of this study were to understand the processes of drying,
cracking and re-wetting and relate these to soil properties, to develop a simple model
for estimating bypass flow and bypass ratio of cracking soil during land soaking, and to
simulate the ORYZA_ W model for determining the optimum sowing date, quantifying
rice yield, net water use, and crop duration under future climate change scenarios, and
assessing the drought effect on irrigated rice yield. Calculated volumetric and linear
shrinkage of the Chengai and Tebengau series were similar and greater than those of
the Tualang series. The measured shrinkage geometric factor rs, with values of around
3 , indicated that shrinkage of these three series was isotropic. Comparatively faster
moisture depletion and absorption were observed in the Chengai and Tebengau series
than in the Tualang series both in the glasshouse and field conditions. Chengai and
Tebengau soils showed similar crack width, depth, area, length and volume, these
properties being significantly different from those of the Tualang soil. The deepest crack depth below the puddled layer measured by the paint method were 77, 73, and 52
cm in the Chengai, Tebengau, and Tualang series, respectively. A model was
developed to quantify bypass flow during land soaking. According to the model, the
amount of water that bypassed the topsoil of the three soil series accounted for 59-67%
of total input water. Higher yields (1 0.2 to 1 0.6 t ha-I) were predicted for the off season
(56-98 Day of the Year - DOY) than the main season (9.2 to 9.7 t ha-I during 1 96-238
DOY). The higher off season yields were associated with higher radiation and longer
crop duration. The impact of 15 different climatic scenarios was evaluated. Crop
duration (TGP) was shortened by 3 and 2 days during the off and main seasons,
respectively, following a 4°C increase in the daily maximum temperature. Increased
CO2 levels predicted an increase in yield in both seasons. The combinations of
increased CO2 levels and temperatures predicted increased yields for both seasons. The
scenarios of three General Circulation Models (GCM) predicted yield reduction in the
off season while in the main season, predicted yields were almost similar to current
yields. The net water use (NWU) increased with increase in temperature in both
seasons for all cases. Increments in CO2 level did not predict any change for NWU in
both seasons. The combinations of increased temperatures and CO2 levels, and the
scenarios of three GCMs predicted an increase of NWU in both seasons. Increased
NWU was mainly influenced by temperature increments. Yield differences between
crops temporarily stressed at mid-tillering and panicle initiation stages and nonstressed
crops were smaller. However, maturity was delayed in both seasons. Large
yield reductions were predicted for temporary drought stress at the flowering stage,
while maturity was delayed by 3 and I-day in the off and main seasons, respectively.


Traditional models for short text clustering ignore the time information associated with the text documents. However, existing works have shown that temporal characteristics of streaming documents are significant features for clustering. In this paper we propose a stacked Dirichlet-Hawkes process with inverse cluster frequency prior as a simple but effective solution for the task of short text clustering using temporal features in continuous time. Based on the classical formulation of the Dirichlet-Hawkes process, our model provides an elegant, theoretically grounded and interpretable solution while performing at par with recent state of the art models in short text clustering.


This report was produced to assist GOAL, an Irish NGO working in Uganda, in the provision
of water supplies for displaced persons in Agago County, part of Pader District in the north of
Uganda. The work contained within the report has been carried out on a voluntary basis,
although considerable support has been provided by GOAL in the provision of travel and
subsistence costs within Uganda, spanning the period from the 22nd September to the 12th
October 2007. Funding for preparatory work and for the writing of this report was provided
by the British Geological Survey (BGS).
The report describes the hydrogeology of five sub-counties (Lapono, Lukole, Paimol,
Parabongo and Wol) within Agago County, which cover GOAL's area of operation for water
and sanitation in Pader district. The area currently benefits from a large number of deep
boreholes, although many of these have proved to be dry at the time of drilling. GOAL aims
to meet the requirement for further water supplies largely through the provision of shallow,
hand-dug wells.
There has been no systematic geological or hydrogeological survey of the area to date and
geological maps are only available at scales of 1:1,000,000 and 1:1,250,000. Further data
collection during this visit has been restricted by limited exposures of rock, a lack of drill
cuttings and logistical difficulties arising from poor transport and continuing security
concerns. In general, however, the study area can be divided into areas of deeply weathered
crystalline basement and large inselbergs, exposing a range of high-grade metamorphic rocks.
Given the current emphasis on shallow well construction in the area, GIS layers of water
strike data and predicted depth to water have been created. The depth to the first recorded
water strikes appears to be largely controlled by the local topography and a map based on land
surface curvature (rate of change in slope) has been used to highlight topographic depressions
where water strikes are likely to be shallowest (negative curvature) and areas of raised ground
where water strikes may be more than 50 m below the surface (positive curvature). Where the
land surface curvature is below -0.001, recorded water strikes are uniformly within 40 m of
the surface. Where the land surface curvature is greater than this, however, the depth to water
strike is highly variable and recorded values range from 15 m to nearly 100 m below the
surface.
These results suggest that deep boreholes remain the most viable option for water supplies in
the majority of cases. While it is possible to highlight parts of the study area where water
strikes are likely to be shallowest, groundwater in these areas may still be more than 20 m
below the surface. As a result, shallow wells constructed in these areas would be unlikely to
succeed.
Overall aquifer productivity has also been assessed and the study area has been divided into
four domains with distinct hydrogeological characteristics. Transmissivity data from nearly
50 locations have been used in the delineation of these domains, along with topographic
considerations. The low-lying, flat land in the southwest is shown to contain the most
productive aquifers, while the areas close to the inselbergs in the north and east of the study
area are shown to have aquifers with low productivity.
The available data show no correlation between aquifer productivity and the depth of
weathering. This has implications for the continued use of resistivity surveys in identifying
suitable drilling sites, as much of the value of this technique lies in identifying the depth of
weathering.


Meiosis is the unique process in which diploid cells undergo two consecutive divisions to produce haploid daughter cells. It is indispensable for sexual reproduction in all eukaryotic organisms and maintains proper chromosome number through generations. An integral step in the meiotic program is genetic recombination; recombination is required for a successful reductional division. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, recombination is initiated by DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) that are created by ten recombination initiation proteins. Similar phenotypes are observed when any of these genes is mutated. This has made the mechanism by which these proteins function to initiate recombination difficult to unravel. One hypothesis is that these proteins form a functional complex for activity, in which all (or most) of them physically interact. The work described in Chapter 2 contributes to understanding the putative DSB-producing recombination initiation complex, suggesting there is substantial flexibility among initiation protein interactions. The results are also consistent with the view that the proteins assemble on the DNA. Studies in Chapter 3 examined the recombination initiation protein interactions during DSB formation in more detail using a novel experimental approach. While the initial experiments using this approach produced unexpected results, the assay is a promising tool for the future. In addition to creating DSBs, a subset of the initiation proteins perform a second function during early meiosis; they create a recombination initiation signal (RIS) to delay the onset of the reductional division in wild-type cells. Although the signal and the downstream target are well-defined, less is known about how the RIS is transduced to the downstream target. The work in Chapter 4 contributes to defining this transduction, and therefore enhances our understanding of the relationship between the recombination initiation proteins and the reductional division.


Abstract This scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids deals with the safety evaluation of the recycling process Gneuss 1 (EU register No RECYC0143). The input is washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post‐consumer PET containers, containing no more than 5% of PET from non‐food applications. They are extruded under vacuum into pellets or sheets. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the decontamination in the extruder under vacuum degassing is the critical step for the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control its performance are well defined and are temperature, pressure, residence time, throughput rate, rotor speed and satellite screws speed. The operating parameters of this step are at least as severe as those obtained from the challenge test. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below a conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the recycled PET obtained from the process Gneuss 1 intended for the manufacture of articles made with up to 100% recycled post‐consumer PET and intended for contact for long‐term storage at room temperature with all types of foodstuffs is not considered of safety concern. Trays made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used, and should not be used, in microwave and conventional ovens.


Business intelligence (BI) software provides an interface for multiple audiences to dissect, discover, and decide what the data means. These reporting tools make dynamic information available to all users, giving everyone the ability to manipulate results and further understand the business. There is significant power in reducing the data gatekeeper role in your organization so that each person can quickly interact with data and uncover additional value. SAS offers a BI solution that provides mechanisms to reach every level of the organization. Each tool in this solution provides a different amount of complexity and functionality to aid a broad deployment. Building Business Intelligence Using SAS: Content Development Examples, by Tricia Aanderud and Angela Hall, clarifies how you can fully leverage each SAS BI solution component to ensure a successful implementation. Focusing on the SAS BI Clients, the authors provide a quick-start guide loaded with examples and tips that will help users move quickly from using only one of the SAS BI Clients to using a significant portion of the system. So if you are a SAS BI or SAS Enterprise BI user, but you aren t yet using all the components of the solution, this book is the resource that you need. In addition, the tips and techniques provided in this book will prove invaluable for advanced SAS BI and SAS Enterprise BI users who are studying for SAS Certified BI Content Developer certification.


Abstract Constraint-based causal discovery (CCD) algorithms require fast and accurate conditional independence (CI) testing. The Kernel Conditional Independence Test (KCIT) is currently one of the most popular CI tests in the non-parametric setting, but many investigators cannot use KCIT with large datasets because the test scales at least quadratically with sample size. We therefore devise two relaxations called the Randomized Conditional Independence Test (RCIT) and the Randomized conditional Correlation Test (RCoT) which both approximate KCIT by utilizing random Fourier features. In practice, both of the proposed tests scale linearly with sample size and return accurate p-values much faster than KCIT in the large sample size context. CCD algorithms run with RCIT or RCoT also return graphs at least as accurate as the same algorithms run with KCIT but with large reductions in run time.


This paper examines the effects of meso/nanostructure in ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers on their macroscopic mechanical properties. Tensile strength and stiffness in UHMWPE fibers is achieved through a drawing process that results in the extension and alignment of the polymer chains. However, the drawing process also yields a complex fibrillar hierarchy at the meso/nanoscale. Nanoscale fibrils, the fundamental structural feature of the fibers, are consolidated through the drawing process with physical branches connecting adjacent fibrils, creating a 3-dimensional network. The interaction of fibrils through consolidation and network junctions has implications for the way load is transferred through the fiber in applications involving tensile and transverse compressive loads. A single fiber peel test has been designed to quantify fibril interaction for fibers of different levels of draw and subsequently different mechanical properties. A miniature peel test apparatus, along with high speed cameras, is used to measure and observe the peeling of the fiber and separation of the fibrillar network. Results indicate an increase in adhesive fracture energy for fiber having undergone a higher draw ratio. Images acquired during the peel test indicate that higher fracture energy is directly related to consolidation of fibrils into larger bundles influencing the deformation of the fibril network. These results are explored and the implications for the relationship between processing, structure, and properties are discussed.


Synopsis This study reports on a survey of the middle part of the Kale Water, one of the western Cheviot catchments. Field mapping has revealed the presence of weathered andesite bedrock on many hillslopes. Conversely, evidence for glaciation is limited and restricted to a few exposures of till and meltwater channels suggesting that the last (Late Devensian) ice sheet in this area was cold-based, creating a frozen patch that lay to the east of a thermal boundary related to the Tweed ice stream. A well developed solifluction sheet is found on the lower valley slopes, indicating remobilization of former glacial sediments under periglacial conditions when head formed on the upper slopes. A particular feature is the presence of stratified fine gravels forming an upper lithofacies on many hillslopes which appear to be due to reworking of weathered material. Although there has been no dating of these sediments, it is suggested that the upper part of the sequence dates from Late Devensian deglaciation with the soliflucted sediments related to periglacial processes and paraglacial adjustment in association with permafrost degradation at the end of the Dimlington Stadial, and the stratified gravels related to fluvio-nivational processes associated with snowmelt during the subsequent Loch Lomond Stadial.


Established by Congress in 1968 because the private market stopped offering flood insurance, the NFIP provides federally backed flood insurance to property owners in participating communities. This 11-page fact sheet covers topics such as: why buy flood insurance, recent changes, flood zones and insurance rate maps, ways to reduce premiums, rate increases for pre-1974 structures, and actions communities can take to lower citizen premiums related to climate change and sea-level rise. Written by Thomas Ruppert and published by the UF Department of Sea Grant, August 2015.


RN/AIDS has had a particularly devastating effect on sub-Saharan nations, including South Africa. Thus, a national rollout of antiretroviral drugs capable of mitigating the effects of the epidemic has been vigorously demanded by the South African public. Eventually bowing to public pressure, the Government began to implement the rollout of the drugs at public health facilities in early 2004. The University of KwaZulu-Natal announced in 2004 that it too would provide access to antiretroviral drugs for all students who require them. Thus, there is an urgent need for the institution to develop promotional campaigns that not only promote the service but that also deal with the fall-out from the problematic national rollout, and that address the complicated nature of antiretroviral therapy. The focus of this dissertation is on a promotional needs analysis for the antiretroviral rollout at the University. Specifically, the primary research aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of the general student population on the topic of antiretrovirals, and by doing so, identify the needs of this audience that will have to be addressed by future promotional campaigns. The theoretical framework used to inform the research design and questions is that of social marketing; a relatively new approach to social change that uses principles of commercial marketing to achieve results among target audiences. The results of the research suggest that future promotional messages and campaigns directed at the general student population will need to focus on the following issues: clarifying the distinctions between different contexts of ARV use; increasing the awareness of the rollout at UKZN as a prerequisite to stimulating demand; addressing negative beliefs and misconceptions regarding ARVs; emphasising complementary practices to be used by individuals with RN/AIDS; addressing issues of stigma and discrimination and encouraging students to act as sources of support and information for other students. In the case of certain messages, segmentation on the basis of race and campus may result in a more effective dissemination of information to the target audiences.


This article presents an analysis of the G20 which, while recognising the innovative capacity of this leaders' forum, also addresses one of its major sources of contestation, the lack of equitable regional balance. Whereas the EU has an overrepresentation within the G20 membership, other regional constituencies including the Caribbean, the Nordics, Southeast Asia and Africa have been underrepresented or excluded completely. This has consequences in terms of heightening the legitimacy gap already in place due to the summit's image as a self-selected concert of big powers. Yet the excluded regions have advocated inclusion, not rejection, of the G20. The main focus of the article is therefore on the practical means by which forms of inclusion should and can be enhanced. To its credit, South Korea as host of the November 2010 G20 has moved to address some of the problems associated with these representational imbalances. But the search for inclusion needs to be stepped up to enhance the G20's position as a model of legitimate global governance. Moreover, many of the mechanisms to promote inclusion are feasible, taking advantage of the flexibility in the design of the G20 project as it has evolved over the past two years.


Many reasoning task and combinatorial problems exhibit symmetries. Exploiting such symmetries has been proved to be very important in reducing search efforts. Breaking symmetries using additional constraints is currently one of the most used approaches. Extending such symmetry breaking techniques to quantified boolean formulae (QBF) is a very challenging task. In this paper, an approach to break symmetries in quantified boolean formulae is proposed. It makes an original use of universally quantified auxiliary variables to generate new symmetry breaking predicates and a new ordering of the QBF prefix is then computed leading to a new equivalent QBF formula with respect to validity. Experimental evaluation of the state-of-the-art QBF solver SEMPROP shows significant improvements (up to several orders of magnitude) on many QBFs instances.


We explore the sources of durability of party-based authoritarian regimes in the face of crisis. Recent scholarship on authoritarianism suggests that ruling parties enhance elite cohesion—and consequently, regime durability—by providing institutionalized access the spoils of power. We argue, by contrast, that while elite access to power and spoils may ensure elite cooperation during normal times, it often fails to do so during crises. Instead, the identities, norms, and organizational structures forged during periods of sustained, violent, and ideologically-driven conflict are a critical source of cohesion—and durability—in party-based authoritarian regimes. Origins in violent conflict raise the cost of defection and provide leaders with additional (non-material) resources that can be critical to maintaining unity and discipline, even when a crisis threatens the party's hold on power. Hence, where ruling parties combine mechanisms of patronage distribution with the strong identities, solidarity ties, and discipline generated by violent origins, regimes should be most durable. We apply this argument to four party-based competitive authoritarian regimes in post-Cold War Africa: Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In each of these cases, an established single- or dominant-party regime faced heightened international pressure, economic crisis, and a strong opposition challenge after 1990. Yet whereas ruling parties in Kenya and Zambia were organized almost exclusively around patronage, those in Mozambique and Zimbabwe were liberation parties that came to power via violent struggle. This difference is critical to explaining diverging post-Cold War regime outcomes: whereas ruling parties in Zambia and Kenya imploded and eventually lost power in these face of crises, those in Mozambique and Zimbabwe remained intact and regimes survived.


Using panel data pertaining to large Polish (non-financial) firms this paper examines the determinants of employment change during the period 1996-2002. Paying particular attention to the asymmetry hypothesis we investigate the impact of own wages, outside wages, output growth, regional characteristics and sectoral affiliation on the evolution of employment. In keeping with the 'right to manage' model we find that employment dynamics are not affected negatively by alternative wages. Furthermore, in contrast to the early transition period, we find evidence that employment levels respond to positive sales growth (in all but state firms). The early literature, (e.g. KA'llA', 1998) found that labour hoarding lowered employment elasticities in the presence of positive demand shocks. Our findings suggest that inherited labour hoarding may no longer be a factor. We argue that the present pattern of employment adjustment is better explained by the role of insiders. This tentative conclusion is hinged on the contrasting behaviour of state and privatised companies and the similar behaviour of privatised and new private companies. We conclude that lower responsiveness of employment to both positive and negative changes in revenue in state firms is consistent with the proposition that rent sharing by insiders is stronger in the state sector.


Technological choices depend on, and are part of, contests over political power, as the history of mass transit vividly illustrates. From horse-drawn omnibuses to subways to light rail, this volume highlights the technological and social struggles that have accompanied urbanization and the need for an efficient and cost-effective means of transportation in cities. Post depicts mass transit as a technology-rather, as a technological system-that provided an essential complement to industrialization, urbanization, and, ultimately, to the rise of consumer culture. He begins his narrative with the omnibus and horsecar in the 1830s and takes it to the renaissance of urban mass transit at the turn of the 21st century. Post focuses on innovations in the United States as well as worldwide developments. At the heart of the story is the streetcar, a conveyance that played a central role in the development of all U.S. cities and towns. For generations of Americans, streetcars were essential to everyday life. Once dominating the urban landscape in towns and cities throughout the United States, the streetcar has all but disappeared. Post traces its evolution and demise, debunking the urban myth that the downfall of the electric streetcar was directly attributable to the corporate malfeasance of General Motors and others from the automotive world. Post concludes with a meditation on the prospects for mass transit in a postmodern society that must face up to the contradictions of privatized mobility and the reality of dwindling natural resources.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate universal screening with an opt-out approach of pregnant women for human immunodeficiency virus infection.

DESIGN
Prospective study.

SETTING
Regional hospital, Hong Kong.

PATIENTS
All women booked or delivered in Kwong Wah Hospital from 1 January 1999 to 30 November 1999 were recruited.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Numbers of women who received the human immunodeficiency virus antibody screening test, refused the test (and the reasons why), tested positive, and tested positive with confirmation by immunoblot study.

RESULTS
A total of 5597 women were recruited and 5459 screening tests performed in this study. Of the 16 screened positive cases, three were confirmed by immunoblot study. The overall acceptance rate for the test was 97.5%. The acceptance rate among the 5191 women recruited through the hospital's booking clinic was not significantly different from that among the 406 women who did not go through the hospital's booking clinic (97.6% versus 96.6%).

CONCLUSION
Universal screening of pregnant women for human immunodeficiency virus infection with an opt-out approach is practical, feasible, and clinically acceptable in Hong Kong.


Participants judged the direction of the frequency difference between a standard tone and a comparison tone separated by a silent interval and preceded by a series of three interfering tones. The frequencies of the interfering tones were all either lower/higher than (providing interference) or the same as (providing no interference) the standard-tone frequency. When providing interference, the interfering tones were further ordered either randomly or so that they formed melodically ascending/ descending sequences toward the standard-tone frequency. Irrespective of the order of the interfering tones, the judgments were more accurate when the interfering tones and the comparison tone deviated in frequency in the opposite, rather than the same, direction from the standard tone. Reaction times of these judgments were in line with the data based on the judgment accuracy. The results suggest that the representations of individual interfering tones, and not of anticipations extrapolated from them as a compound, were involved in proactive interference with frequency-comparison performance.


Spatial cluster detection is a classical question in epidemiology: Are cases located near other cases? In order to classify a study area into zones of different risks and determine their boundaries, we have developed a spatial partitioning method based on oblique decision trees, which is called spatial oblique decision tree (SpODT). This non-parametric method is based on the classification and regression tree (CART) approach introduced by Leo Breiman. Applied to epidemiological spatial data, the algorithm recursively searches among the coordinates for a threshold or a boundary between zones, so that the risks estimated in these zones are as different as possible. While the CART algorithm leads to rectangular zones, providing perpendicular splits of longitudes and latitudes, the SpODT algorithm provides oblique splitting of the study area, which is more appropriate and accurate for spatial epidemiology. Oblique decision trees can be considered as non-parametric regression models. Beyond the basic function, we have developed a set of functions that enable extended analyses of spatial data, providing: inference, graphical representations, spatio-temporal analysis, adjustments on covariates, spatial weighted partition, and the gathering of similar adjacent final classes. In this paper, we propose a new R package, SPODT, which provides an extensible set of functions for partitioning spatial and spatio-temporal data. The implementation and extensions of the algorithm are described. Function usage examples are proposed, looking for clustering malaria episodes in Bandiagara, Mali, and samples showing three different cluster shapes.