Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). MG is frequently caused by autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and a kinase critical for NMJ formation, MuSK; however, a proportion of MG patients are double-negative for anti-AChR and anti-MuSK antibodies. Recent studies in these subjects have identified autoantibodies against low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), an agrin receptor also critical for NMJ formation. LRP4 autoantibodies have not previously been implicated in MG pathogenesis. Here we demonstrate that mice immunized with the extracellular domain of LRP4 generated anti-LRP4 antibodies and exhibited MG-associated symptoms, including muscle weakness, reduced compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs), and compromised neuromuscular transmission. Additionally, fragmented and distorted NMJs were evident at both the light microscopic and electron microscopic levels. We found that anti-LRP4 sera decreased cell surface LRP4 levels, inhibited agrin-induced MuSK activation and AChR clustering, and activated complements, revealing potential pathophysiological mechanisms. To further confirm the pathogenicity of LRP4 antibodies, we transferred IgGs purified from LRP4-immunized rabbits into naive mice and found that they exhibited MG-like symptoms, including reduced CMAP and impaired neuromuscular transmission. Together, these data demonstrate that LRP4 autoantibodies induce MG and that LRP4 contributes to NMJ maintenance in adulthood.


Abstract To evaluate the avian influenza virus (AIV) circulation in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic penguins we carried out a serosurvey on six species from Livingston, Marion and Gough islands. Seropositivity against AIV was performed on serum samples using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and haemagglutination and neuraminidase inhibition assays. Some oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were also assayed to detect influenza virus genomes by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 12.1% (n = 140) penguins were seropositive to AIV. By species, we detected 5% (n = 19) and 11% (n = 18) seroprevalence in sub-Antarctic rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes spp.) from Gough and Marion islands, respectively, 42% (n = 33) seroprevalence in macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chysolophus Brandt), but no positives in the three other species, gentoo (Pygoscelis papua Forster; n = 25) and chinstrap penguins (P. antarctica Forster; n = 16), from Livingston Island and king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller; n = 27) from Marion Island. While seropositivity reflected previous exposure to the AIV, the influenza genome was not detected. Our results indicate that AIV strains have circulated in penguin species in the sub-Antarctic region, but further studies are necessary to determine the precise role that such penguin species play in AIV epidemiology and if this circulation is species (or genus) specific.


This book explains the fundamentals of how MPEG works and how MPEG is used in cable television, satellite systems, mobile telecom and Internet television systems. You will discover the basics of audio and video digitization and compression and the standard formats that are used in MPEG files. Introduction to MPEG explains the processes that control media flow and timing synchronization along with how MPEG transmission can monitor and control audio and video quality. You will discover about video compression, streaming services and media control protocols. MPEG has the capability of providing multiple media channels including data channels that can provide media information such as play list titles, artists and media descriptions. You will learn how these channels are combined and time synchronized along with how to manage quality of service (QoS). You will learn how MPEG audio coders can range from low complexity (layer 1) to high complexity (layer 3) including a new AAC that has improved compression performance than MP3. MPEG video coders range from simple digital video compression technologies used in MPEG-1 to complex multi-object compression used in MPEG-4. Various compression technologies such as motion estimation and compression scalability are described. Discover how the MPEG system groups image elements (pixels) within each image (frame) into small blocks, which are grouped into macroblocks. Macroblocks can be combined into slices and each image may contain several slices. Learn how slices make up frames, which come in several different types and how different types of frames can be combined into a group of pictures (GOP). Explanations of how MPEG transmission can combine, send and manage the transmission of multiple forms of information (multimedia) is also provided. You will learn that MPEG systems are composed of various types of streams ranging from the basic raw data stream (elementary streams) to stream that contain a single television video (a program stream) or a stream that combines multiple programs (transport streams). The different frame types including independent reference frames (I-frames), predicted frames (P-frames), bi-directionally predicted frames (B-Frames) and DC frames (basic block reference levels) are described. Learn how MPEG transmission systems regularly broadcast tables that describe programs, program components or other information that is related to the delivery and decoding of programs. Discover how MPEG standards use profiles to define required protocols and actions that enable the providing of features and services for particular MPEG applications. These applications range from providing standard television services over a broadcast system to providing video services on a mobile wireless network. Some of the most important topics featured are: How MPEG Works Audio Compression Video Compression Digital Quantization Transmission Formats Media Streams Frame Types Program Tables Channel Multiplexing Profiles and Levels


Despite favorable responses to initial therapy, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) relapse occurs within a year and exhibits resistance to multiple drugs. Because of limited accessibility of patient tissues for research purposes, SCLC patient-derived xenografts (PDX) have provided the best opportunity to address this limitation. Here, we sought to identify novel mechanisms involved in SCLC chemoresistance. Through in-depth proteomic profiling, we identified MCAM as a markedly upregulated surface receptor in chemoresistant SCLC cell lines and in chemoresistant PDX compared with matched treatment-naïve tumors. MCAM depletion in chemoresistant cells reduced cell proliferation and reduced the IC50 inhibitory concentration of chemotherapeutic drugs in vitro This MCAM-mediated sensitization to chemotherapy occurred via SOX2-dependent upregulation of mitochondrial 37S ribosomal protein 1/ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) and the PI3/AKT pathway. Metabolomic profiling revealed that MCAM modulated lactate production in chemoresistant cells that exhibit a distinct metabolic phenotype characterized by low oxidative phosphorylation. Our results suggest that MCAM may serve as a novel therapeutic target to overcome chemoresistance in SCLC. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4414-25. ©2017 AACR.


We study spare parts inventory control for a repair shop for aircraft components. Defect components that are removed from the aircraft are sent to such a shop for repair. Only after inspection of the component, it becomes clear which specific spare parts are needed to repair it, and in what quantity they are needed. Market requirements on shop performance are reflected in fill rate requirements on the turn around times of the repairs for each component type. The inventory for spare parts is controlled by independent min-max policies. Because parts may be used in the repair of different component types, the resulting optimization problem has a combinatorial nature. Practical instances may consist of 500 component types and 4000 parts, and thus pose a significant computational challenge. We propose a solution algorithm based on column generation. We study the pricing problem, and develop a method that is very efficient in (repeatedly) solving this pricing problem. With this method, it becomes feasible to solve practical instances of the problem in minutes.


Modern technology is increasingly complex and demands an ever-widening range of knowledge and skills. No single country will possess all the knowledge and skills required for addressing global issues such as climate change. Technology collaboration between leading countries is important to promptly and efficiently address the problem. Previous studies have shown that a high level of collaboration is correlated with high paper productivity. This paper first aims to use objective data and create maps that enable us to see both the distribution of worldwide research competency and the relationship of international collaboration in clean energy research. In the international research network of wind power and solar cell, 4,189 institutions located in 121 countries and 6,600 institutions located in 125 countries are included respectively. This paper discusses various factors that would have an impact on research capability and support strong international relationships. With respect to research capability, governmental policies, stability of governmental commitment, natural conditions and historical and institutional differences have a significant impact on it. For research collaborations, factors such as geographical proximity, international science and technology policy, and developmental stage of technology have been brought to attention. This study demonstrates that bibliometrics is a methodology that is capable of providing a knowledge base that is useful in the development of the international science and technology policy and technological management strategy.


This work investigates unsupervised learning of representations by maximizing mutual information between an input and the output of a deep neural network encoder. Importantly, we show that structure matters: incorporating knowledge about locality in the input into the objective can significantly improve a representation's suitability for downstream tasks. We further control characteristics of the representation by matching to a prior distribution adversarially. Our method, which we call Deep InfoMax (DIM), outperforms a number of popular unsupervised learning methods and compares favorably with fully-supervised learning on several classification tasks in with some standard architectures. DIM opens new avenues for unsupervised learning of representations and is an important step towards flexible formulations of representation learning objectives for specific end-goals.


This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the dynamics of motion of spherical metallic particles under non-uniform fields for direct-current gas-insulated switchgear (dc GIS) and for electrostatic separators/sizers (ESS). The particle equations of motion between a pair of diverging conducting plates are numerically solved in three dimensions using a computational algorithm. The upper plate is energized by HV dc or HV ac of variable frequency, while the lower one is grounded. In the case of ESS, the lower electrode is also mounted horizontally on a vibratory conveyor. The results reveal that the particle exhibits several phenomena during motion depending on its initial position, radius and density, angle between the diverging plates, tilt angle of the electrode system, and frequency and amplitude of the applied voltage. The influence of vibratory-conveyor variables on the separation/sizing process is studied in the light of the particle trajectory in the third dimension. Moreover, the results are interpreted using dimensional analysis. The use of HV ac causes the separation/sizing process to be imprecise; the higher the applied-voltage frequency and the larger the particle radius, the higher is the risk of breakdown. Depending on the tilt angle and orientation of the earthed electrode relative to the divergent angle between the electrodes, particle trapping can be helped or hindered. Therefore, several factors should be taken into consideration in the design and installation of the particle drivers and traps in GIS. Finally, the effects of dielectric coating on the electrode and of gas pressure on the particle trajectory are also studied.


Abstract
 Herpotrichiellaceae is an interesting, but confused family in Chaetothyriales; the latter has been considered to represent a natural and well-defined group. A new genus Melanoctona was collected on decaying wood of Tectona grandis in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand and is introduced in Herpotrichiellaceae. It has a unique combination of morphological and phylogenetic characters. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU and SSU sequence data place Melanoctona in a distinct lineage in Herpotrichiellaceae. Melanoctona is distinguished from other genera in Herpotrichiellaceae by its hyphomycetous formation and muriform, ellipsoidal to ovoid, brown to dark brown conidia. Minimelanolocus yunnanensis sp. nov. is also introduced. This species inhabits decaying wood in freshwater streams and rivers in Yunnan Province, China. Maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of combined ITS, LSU and SSU sequence data, as well as a distinct morphology provide evidence for this new species. Comprehensive descriptions and illustrations of Melanoctona tectonae gen. et sp. nov. and Minimelanolocus yunnanensis sp. nov. are provided with notes on their taxonomy and phylogeny. Minimelanolocus yunnanensis is compared with morphologically similar taxa.


The AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment is an important analysis of the relationships between human population and the environment. Illustrating through text, maps, and diagrams how population factors such as rates of growth, density, movement, and resource consumption, along with the use of certain technologies, affect the world's ecosystems and natural resources both in the short and long term, the Atlas brings together a wealth of information from the most up-to-date sources. In view of the profound significance of these issues as we enter the new century, this accessible resource will be an invaluable tool for individuals, academics, governments, and corporations. The Atlas draws on research and data from a number of academic institutions and international organizations, including the United Nations, its specialist organizations and agencies; the World Resources Institute; the Center for International Earth Sciences Information Network; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; U.S. Geological Survey; and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Using sophisticated mapping and graphic techniques, it provides quantitative analyses of the important links between such factors as human population density, rates of growth, migration, resource consumption, and technologies, and the state of the global environment. While the impact of people on the environment may have seemed intuitively obvious in the past, the Atlas makes accessible a wealth of badly needed empirical evidence that will be invaluable for both specialists and general readers. This pathbreaking book tackles the difficult job of connecting the social and natural sciences to provide a thorough analysis of the interplay between population and the environment. Its interdisciplinary approach brings a unique comparative perspective to the discussion and makes it pertinent to a broad range of disciplines.


The elastic properties such as velocity, density, impedance, and VP/VS ratio take an important role in reservoir characterization because they are related to the reservoir properties. To analyze these elastic properties, rock physics knowledge is a bridge that links the elastic properties to the reservoir properties such as water saturation, porosity, and shale volume. In this study, we build up a rock physics template and plot it along with the inverted elastic properties to aid the efficient interpretation. Using this method, we can estimate the lithology and fluid content of undrilled areas if the undrilled area has the same geological deposition environment as a drilled area. The final results show that the lithology and fluid content can be efficiently interpreted for our target reservoirs using the inverted elastic properties plotted with a rock physics template, rather than only using the inverted elastic properties.


ABSTRACT In our ongoing studies of both extinct and extant hermit crabs (Paguroidea Latreille, 1802), we have observed and recorded a number of morphological changes that have taken place between Early Jurassic times (c. 185 million years ago) and the present day. Species compositions of paguroid assemblages from marine Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous rocks in Europe are here compared with those of modern marine settings. Basal paguroids with cylindrical carapaces predominated in reefal environments during the Late Jurassic, but were gradually replaced by hermit crabs with non-cylindrical carapaces. The most basal paguroids reveal a branchial groove, but branchial condensation towards a single (i.e., cervical) groove is here shown to have occurred early in their evolutionary history. In several extant, genera remnants of a branchial groove, in combination with several other basal features, can be seen. For this reason, these are here considered to be the most primitive members amongst extant paguroids. In this study, we resurrect the family Probeebeidae and erect a new family, Paguropsidae n. fam, to accommodate extant basal hermit crabs such as Paguropsis Henderson, 1888, Eopaguropsis Fraaije, Krzemiński, Van Bakel, Krzemińska & Jagt, 2012 and Paguropsina Lemaitre, Rahayu & Komai, 2018. Described are also one pair of Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) and two pairs of Middle Jurassic (Callovian) isochelous paguroid chelae, all collected recently. A new specimen of Schobertella reveals some important morphological traits of the shield that had not been observed previously. The earliest known example to date of clearly heterochelous chelae in the fossil record of hermit crabs originates from upper Kimmeridgian/Tithonian strata in the Boulonnais (northwestern France). For the first time, a phylogenetic scheme of marine Paguroidea, as based on morphological data of carapaces, is presented.


Introduction. Part I: Improving Your Profit, Cash Flow, and Solvency. Chapter 1: Managing Your Small Business Finances. Chapter 2: Understanding Your P&L and Profit Performance. Chapter 3: Getting Up to Speed on Cash Flow from Profit. Chapter 4: Keeping Your Business Solvent. Part II: Using Tools of the Trade. Chapter 5: Protecting the Family Jewels. Chapter 6: Scrutinizing Your Costs. Chapter 7: Practical Budgeting Techniques for Your Business. Chapter 8: Making Decisions with a Profit Model. Part III: Dealing with Small Business Financial Issues. Chapter 9: Jumping Through Tax Hoops. Chapter 10: Raising Capital for Your Business. Chapter 11: Diagnosing Your Financial Condition. Part IV: Looking at Service and Manufacturing Businesses. Chapter 12: When You Sell Services. Chapter 13: When You Make the Products You Sell. Part V: Reaching the End of the Line. Chapter 14: Putting a Market Value on Your Business and Selling. Chapter 15: Hanging Up the Spikes and Terminating Your Business. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 16: Ten Management Rules for Small Business Survival. Chapter 17: Ten Hard-Core Financial Tools and Tactics. Appendix: About the CD. Index.


Silas Enoch Burrows (1794-1830), a Stonington-born merchant, established a successful international shipping business operating from the cities of New York, San Francisco, Hong Kong and Montevideo among others. With his financial success, he became known for his generous charitable acts and, as a man of the sea, he took a particular interest in the aid of shipwrecked mariners. After Sir John Franklin's expedition ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were lost in the Arctic, Burrows befriended Lady Jane Franklin, the missing navigator's wife, who was determined to ascertain the fate of her missing husband and his crew. Through the public and private relationships established by Burrows over the years, Burrows managed to assist Lady Franklin in a meaningful way in obtaining assistance in the search for her husband. This article examines circumstances that led to the involvement of Silas Burrows in the search for Sir John Franklin and his efforts on behalf of Lady Franklin.


Methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) is one of the best examined catalysts for the activation of H2O2 in oxidation reactions, particularly olefin epoxidation reactions. The broad applicability and high activity of MTO and MTO Lewis base adducts combined with their selectivity for a variety of processes have also generated industrial interest. In compliance with the basic principles of green chemistry, however, the optimization of the technological properties of chemicals should be investigated in parallel with the minimization of their (eco)toxicological hazard potential. The toxicity of MTO and its complexes towards human health and the environment has not been investigated so far. Performed in close cooperation between industry and academia, the present study aims to fill this knowledge gap by systematically assessing the (eco)toxicity of MTO and its derivatives at different levels of biological organisation. Instrumental analysis was used to investigate the stability and solubility of the target compounds in biological media. The initial evaluation of the hazard potential of MTO shows that it causes strong short-term (eco)toxicological effects and offers preliminary indications of its genotoxic potential. In this light it appears important to prevent the release of MTO into the environment and the exposure of operators; the necessary safety precautions should be taken. The fast decomposition of MTO in aqueous media, on the other hand, leads to perrhenates, which exhibit a much lower (eco)toxicological hazard potential.


In October, 1953, I sent to the British Museum parts of a tripartite musical apparatus used by the Mbae (Bamanga) tribe during the initiation rites known as Kabile. These were obtained shortly before I left for furlough in Europe in 1950 and I hoped on my return a year later to visit the Mbae area and obtain records of the music used for dancing in which this apparatus played a part. In 1951, however, I had to take up work in another part of Congo and have not yet been able to visit the Mbae country. It may be worth while writing a short note on the interesting idiophone seen, for comparison with similar instruments used elsewhere in the hope that a fuller account, accompanied by musical data, may be published later.


: This chapter describes the maturation of comparative political communications as a sub-discipline and defines its conceptual core. It then lays out the concept of "political communication system". At the macro-level, this model captures the patterns of interaction between media and politics as social systems; at the micro-level it captures the interactions between media and political actors as individuals or organizations. Comparative research in this tradition focuses on the structure of political communication systems, its culture, the construction and dissemination of messages, and the effects of those messages. A wealth of empirical studies is systematized according to the dimensions of this heuristic and evaluated in terms of their contribution to a better overall understanding of comparative political communication.


This study aims to determine the shape of the rubber marketing channels, costs, margins, profits and the relationship between the rubber farmers in the village Toke Teratak. This study uses survey and sampling techniques purposive sampling. The population in this study are 208 people with the number of farmers sampled as many as 24 people and 4 samples Toke appropriate criteria. More efficient marketing channels, namely, the marketing channel III. Marketing channel III total marketing costs are smaller and farmer's share (Part Farmers received) higher and lower marketing efficiency. The amount of marketing margin analysis contained in the marketing channel of rubber channel 1 and channel Toke In the third, amounting to Rp. 2,500/kg. Marketing efficiency is more efficient (smallest) obtained at the third marketing channel that is Rp. 6.08% with a marketing fee of Rp. 730/kg and the farmer received Rp. 83.33%. The relationship between farmers and the dominant Toke comes to accounts payable, so that farmers have a high dependence on Toke Keyword: Marketing channels, Patron-Client, Rubber Farmer, Toke


Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) as an effective method to evaluate water flow processes through bedrock in a hillslope in a headwater catchment was validated by invasive hydrometric observations. Distributions of increases and decreases in electrical resistivities ρ relative to a reference ρ profile (Δρ) corresponded well with the increases and decreases in volumetric water content θ (Δθ) calculated from the directly observed pressure head ψ using tensiometers and borehole wells. This demonstrates the applicability of time‐lapse ERI measurement for qualitatively evaluating the spatial and temporal variations in θ (i.e., wetting and drying processes) for not only soil mantles but also for bedrock in a natural hillslope. There was a reasonable correlation (R2 = 0.69 to 0.77) between each average θ and ρ in regions assumed to have different degrees of weathering, indicating the potential of ERI for quantitatively evaluating moisture conditions within an entire natural hillslope, including bedrock, based on field‐scale calibrations with invasive methods. Fluctuations in groundwater tables in boreholes within bedrock along the survey line and discharge from two differently sized catchments including the study slope were both successfully reflected in the temporal variation in mean ρ in the regions located just above and below the groundwater tables. This indicates the potential of ERI for estimating groundwater levels and runoff from a watershed based on temporal ρ monitoring within an entire slope, including the bedrock; such estimations may be more difficult to achieve with invasive methods in many mountain slopes.


The development of new products in the personal finacial services (PFS) sector is an area that is being increasingly relied upon by organisations to provide competitive differentiation in the highly competitive environment that they now operate within. Despite this reliance, relatively little is known about how new product development (NPD) activity is undertaken within the PFS sector. The literature in this area is inundated with different models and techniques to aid development programmes, but how closely they are followed and implemented in the reality facing personal financial
service companies is questionable. The first stage of the research therefore examines the implementation of planned new product development in the sector, in order to highlight the gap between theory and practice, and provide for a more contingent approach to development activities.
The second and third stages of this study are concerned with providing a detailed investigation of the development, launch and distribution of a particular new PFS product. Specific attention is paid to the organisational and behavioural factors that influenced its development and eventual market outcome. Such factors are given very little consideration in the existing literature supporting NPD activity, yet it is shown that the consequences that they can have for the success of new PFS products in the marketplace can be critical. The overall value of the research is found in its questioning of the universal nature of the existing provision of theoretical approaches to, and support techniques for NPD, in addition to determining the need for companies, both within and outside of the PFS sector, to take into account highlighted behavioural and organisational factors when
involved in development programmes.


Ethics education that prepares students to address ethical challenges at work is a multifaceted and long-term endeavor. In this article, the authors propose an inductive ethics pedagogy that begins the process of ethics education by grounding students in their own individual ethical principles. The approach centers on developing students' ethical self-knowledge in three ways: using an inductive method to aid students in learning ethics from a foundation of their own beliefs, distinguishing ethics from related concepts, and examining ethical conduct at four different levels of analysis—individual, group, organizational, and international perspectives. The authors define ethics and provide a model, new to the literature, that distinguishes ethics from related concepts, such as law, morality, or values. They include a discussion of ethical and cultural relativism and ethical absolutism relevant to the global context. This article is intended for the ethics educator in undergraduate and graduate business courses.


This article resolves a long-standing controversy about the definition of "investment" in the core provisions of international investment law's keystone treaty, the ICSID Convention. Commentators and tribunals have often acted as though the Convention, by omitting any specific definition of "investment," delegated that question to arbitral tribunals for case-by-case lawmaking. This assumption has spun off increasingly complex (and incoherent) doctrinal frameworks for separating valid investments from invalid ones. The enclosed article demonstrates that this effort to impose order from above is completely mistaken. The historical record shows instead that modern investment law was structured to guarantee that states could extend ICSID protection to any form of economic activity they deemed useful. This was the crucial element of a historic compromise that settled a raging dispute about the very identity of the regime. That compromise has since been forgotten and is recovered for the first time in this article. The resulting test requires near-total deference to state choices about how to define "investment" in contracts, investment laws, and international agreements: if an activity or asset is plausibly economic in nature, it qualifies as an investment that is subject to ICSID's grand bargain. The article goes on to explain that both the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and customary international law require tribunals to adopt this understanding of the term. Far better than any of the competing definitions of "investment," the actual historical understanding coheres beautifully with the object and purpose of the Convention and aligns with considered state practice on these questions.


Nowadays, mobile devices have become one of the most popular instruments used by a person on its regular life, mainly due to the importance of their applications. In that context, mobile devices store user's personal information and even more data, becoming a personal tracker for daily activities that provides important information about the user. Derived from this gathering of information, many tools are available to use on mobile devices, with the restrain that each tool only provides isolated information about a specific application or activity. Therefore, the present work proposes a tool that allows investigators to obtain a complete report and timeline of the activities that were performed on the device. This report incorporates the information provided by many sources into a unique set of data. Also, by means of an example, it is presented the operation of the solution, which shows the feasibility in the use of this tool and shows the way in which investigators have to apply the tool.


PURPOSE
Titanium (Ti) is an excellent implantable biomaterial that can be further enhanced by surface topography optimization. Despite numerous data from orthopedics and dentistry, the effect of Ti surface topography on ocular cells is still poorly understood. In light of the recent adaptation of Ti in the Boston Keratoprosthesis artificial cornea, we attempted to perform an extended evaluation of the effect of Ti surface topography on corneal cell adhesion, proliferation, cytotoxicity, transformation, and matrix deposition.

METHODS
Different surface topographies were generated on medical grade Ti-6Al-4V-ELI (extra-low interstitial), with linearly increased roughness (polished to grit blasted). Biological response was evaluated in vitro using human corneal limbal epithelial (HCLE) cells, stromal fibroblasts (HCF), and endothelial cells (HCEnC).

RESULTS
None of the Ti surface topographies caused cytotoxicity to any of the three corneal cell types. However, rough Ti surface inhibited HCLE and HCF cell adhesion and proliferation, while HCEnC proliferation was unaffected. Long-term experiments with HCF revealed that rough Ti surface with R(a) (the arithmetic average of the profile height from the mean line) ≥ 1.15 μm suppressed HCF focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation, changed fibroblast morphology, and caused less aligned and reduced deposition of collagen matrix as compared to smooth Ti (R(a) ≤ 0.08 μm). In the presence of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) stimulation, rough Ti inhibited alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression and collagen deposition, leading to decreased myofibroblast transformation and disorganization of the collagen fibrils as compared to smooth Ti.

CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that Ti surface topography regulates corneal cell behavior in a tissue-dependent manner that varies across the corneal strata. Contrary to the accepted paradigm, smooth surface topography can enhance cell adhesion and proliferation and increase matrix deposition by corneal cells.


This article revisits the contribution of Ernst Kantorowicz's The King's Two Bodies by examining the site and tenor of political and constitutional thought in early sixteenth-century France. With the aid of recent French scholarship, it revises previous accounts by considering alternative sites of political thought and the doctrinal sources of constitutional practice. The commentaries of academic jurists offer a range of constitutional theories that informed quotidian litigation over royal power in the king's own courts. The constitutional history of early sixteenth-century France should be redirected away from spectacular public rituals and humanist treatises and towards day-to-day legal practice and its doctrinal basis.


News consumption is evolving from offline newspapers to online news. Nevertheless, no profitable business model exists for online news, and publishers are still reporting drops in revenue. Personalized news aggregators (PNAs), which rely on new information and communication technologies, provide a new way to aggregate content that might provide the basis for a revenue model in order to design a business model. Nonetheless, there is very little research about user willingness to pay (WTP) for a PNA service, in part because WTP strongly depends on the ideal configuration of a PNA. Based on an adaptive conjoint analysis (ACA) with 146 participants, this study explores the importance of different attributes in a user's estimation of total utility and a user's WTP for changing attribute levels. We show that price, contract duration, and revenue model are the most important attributes. €2.50 per month would be acceptable in combination with an advertising-based revenue model. Changing the contract duration from 12 months to one month shows the highest WTP. However, even if the importance of personalization functionalities is high, there is limited WTP for it.


The construction industry in Palestine is one of the most important sectors in the country's economy whose level of activity is an indicator of the general economic performance of the country. The recent development in Palestine has led to a boom in construction activities leading to shortages of construction materials. Labour is the most important factor influencing the performance of the construction sector since it is basically labour intensive. The welfare of national economies, as well as that of individual enterprises, is widely regarded as being dependent on a country's natural resources and on the ingenuity and productivity of its people. The objective of this paper is to identify and rank constraints factors on construction craftsmen productivity in Palestine according to their relative importance index. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey of 110 construction craftsmen. Results indicated that the five highest ranking problems are: lack of materials, safety, delay in payment, inspection delay, and lack of proper tools and equipment. The results revealed that the main reason for non-availability of materials was borders closure due to tense political situation. It was found that the greatest amount of rework is attributed to poor engineering drawings and design. By identifying the current weakness, it is hoped that the productivity should be improved. Training programs for both craftsmen and professionalism are essential for the improvement of productivity in the construction industry in Palestine.


This paper presents the results of the first investigation of vegetation change and human activity from a river valley west of the Somerset Levels. The record is contrasted with the pollen and archaeological record from South West uplands (Dartmoor and Exmoor) and the Somerset Levels. Vegetation change and archaeological evidence are shown to be generally consistent, with evidence from the middle valley of Mesolithic vegetation disturbance (with nearby lithics), Neolithic clearance of terraces and slopes in the lower valley and Neolithic-Bronze Age ceremonial and domestic activity, but in the upper reach the maintenance of wooded valley floor conditions probably with management until historic times. The valley floor and surrounding slope vegetation history is found to be significantly different to that of the uplands with lime and elm being significant components of the prehistoric woodland record. The data suggest that lime is restricted to terraces and lowlands below 200 metres OD throughout the prehistoric period. The pollen data from the valley suggests the lowlands had a rich and mixed ecology providing a wide range of resources and that, despite less visible archaeological remains, human activity is manifest through palynological evidence from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age. The largest expanse of valley-floor terrace, the Nether Exe Basin, which was at least partially deforested in the early Neolithic contains a rich assemblage of Neolithic-Bronze Age ceremonial, funerary and domestic archaeology associated with an early and clear palynological record of woodland clearance, arable and pastoral activity.


Despite substantial differences in their views of the appropriate policy response to the existence of poverty, neither the proponents of dual market theory nor its critics have proposed potentially conclusive tests of the dual market hypothesis.This paper presents a test of the two central propositions of dual market theory -- 1) the existence of two distinct labor markets with different wage setting mechanisms and 2) the existence of barriers to mobility between the labor markets. We find considerable support for both hypothesis. Estimation of a switching model of wage determination with unknown regimes yields two distinct wage equations. The one which most workers are associated with closely resembles the standard human capital regression with significant returns to education and experience. The other equation is flat with no returns to human capital. These two equations resemble the predictions of dual market theory for the "primary" and "secondary" markets respectively. Further, we present evidence that(at least) some non-white workers are involuntarily confined to the secondary market. This crowding of minority workers into the low wage labor market accounts for a substantial portion of white/non-white wage differences. We interpret these results as providing empirical support for the dual market hypothesis and for recent theoretical work on efficiency wagemodels. In addition, combining the efficiency wage argument with the observation that much of the white/non-white wage difference is explained by the exclusion of non-whites from the primary sector suggests an explanation for the persistance of wage differences.


In this paper, the skills Makers are learning are categorized according to their fit with existing and proposed ABET standards. Makers, both young and adult alike, learn a variety of skills to create technically sophisticated artifacts of personal interest. Here we argue that making (open ended, student led project based learning) and the Maker Mindset can provide a useful template for teaching some ABET applicable skills and attitudes. This paper demonstrates that 3⁄4 of makers are learning how to communicate technical details to a wider audience, 1⁄2 are learning valuable techniques to foster lifelong learning, 1⁄2 are learning how to apply engineering knowledge to solve problems, 1⁄2 are learning specific skills applicable to electrical engineering and manufacturing engineering programs, 1⁄3 are working on multidisciplinary teams, and 1⁄3 are designing systems with realistic constraints. Each of the above categories is part of ABET's accreditation process for engineering programs. Making offers a potential lens to highlight those areas which may be lagging in a more traditional engineering education. As part of ABET accreditation criteria, universities are asked to demonstrate continuous improvement. For many this means opening maker spaces and bringing project-based learning pedagogies and hands-on laboratory experiences to their undergraduate engineering programs. There is a tension rooted in ABET accreditation standards (current and proposed) for what is expected to be taught in computing and engineering undergraduate programs, how to assess it, and what is valued about the enterprise of engineering education. With recent proposed changes to ABET student learning outcomes, this work can inform and highlight practices for learning outcomes that are otherwise undervalued (those that will be contracted or combined), as well as present alternative approaches to disciplinary knowledge construction and technical competence.


Elevated whole blood serotonin 5‐HT, or hyperserotonemia, is a common biomarker in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The integrin β3 receptor subunit gene (ITGB3) is a quantitative trait locus for whole blood 5‐HT levels. Recent work shows that integrin β3 interacts with the serotonin transporter (SERT) in both platelets and in the midbrain. Furthermore, multiple studies have now reported gene–gene interaction between the integrin β3 and SERT genes in association with ASD. Given the lack of previous data on the impact of integrin β3 on brain or behavioral phenotypes, we sought to compare mice with decreased or absent expression of the integrin β3 receptor subunit (Itgb3 + / − and −/ −) with wildtype littermate controls in behavioral tasks relevant to ASD. These mice did not show deficits in activity level in the open field or anxiety‐like behavior on the elevated plus maze, two potential confounds in the evaluation of mouse social behavior. In the three‐chamber social test, mice lacking integrin β3 were shown to have normal sociability but did not show a preference for social novelty. Importantly, the absence of integrin β3 did not impair olfaction or the ability to recall familiar social odors. Additionally, mice lacking integrin β3 showed increased grooming behavior in novel environments. These preliminary studies reveal altered social and repetitive behavior in these mice, which suggests that the integrin β3 subunit may be involved in brain systems relevant to ASD. Further work is needed to fully characterize these behavioral changes and the underlying brain mechanisms.


As environmental considerations start playing a major role in consumers' choices, aluminium recycling becomes an increasingly important topic: indeed, remelting aluminium requires about 5 to 10 % of the energy used for primary production (Quinkert et al., 2001). However, scrap from wrought alloys is more and more used by refiners to produce secondary foundry alloys, which increases the share of primary aluminium in extrusion billets. Besides, a significant fraction of scrap is nowadays leaving Europe to developping countries, limiting the future potential for urban mining in the developed world. Therefore, the W2W project is a pilot case to test in France the implementation of a different end of life management strategy, whose objective is to reuse building joinery scrap to make new extruded products. For this project to be successful, pre-sorting at the beginning of the collection process is paramount: otherwise, separating high quality wrought aluminium alloys from mixed scrap becomes a challenge. The cycle of extruded aluminium in buildings and the current scrap availability in France have been studied using Material Flow Analysis (MFA). To build the model, data have been collected from Hydro internal sources and site visits. The scrap availability and the in-use stocks of extruded aluminium in buildings have been assessed using dynamic stock models based on historic production figures and assumptions on the average lifetime of products. Scenarios on the future production have been studied to estimate the future evolution of these figures. The models predict yearly outputs of post-consumer scrap from aluminium joineries of about 30kt/year, among which 10 kt/year should be reusable for the production of new billets. These numbers have been examined using the tools of sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Finally, the critical topics for a successful implantation of the W2W project are logistic issues, economic and technological feasibility and the consequences on the different stakeholders.


This thesis project will explore how multi-sensory experiences can be merged with landscape architecture as a supplement to communicate the meaning of place. The problem of landscape architects not fully understanding the senses and their processes needs to be addressed in order to create designs that are beyond our intuition. Landscape architects can better communicate the experiences humans have with built environments by better understanding how the senses work as communication tools. The problem is the lack of knowledge on the senses in this field. Landscape architects have the capacity to integrate humans into spatial elements creating meaningful places, and producing distinctive memorable designs which harbor extraordinary experiences. This thesis will reveal how the senses can communicate our world around us through a comprehensive understanding. Through the assistance of Juhani Pallasmaa's outlook on architecture, art, and the senses, this study hopes to connect how multi-sensory experiences could be a key medium for artistically yet successfully communicating concepts and meanings in landscape architecture. This project approaches the gap, understanding the process of the senses, in landscape architecture by combining theory, psychology, and relative research from studies and synthesizing the information into a successful strategy to design communication. Case studies on human senses will explore the processes and reactions in established psychological studies to express how the senses work as communicative tools. The research will then explain how to utilize the selected measures and apply each to Freeway Park in Seattle, Washington. The measures will help in determining their capabilities to create a sensual design in Freeway Park. By artfully applying multisensory experiences to the field of landscape architecture, designers can integrate the mind, body, and soul into the senses to create an optimal experience. The importance of this study is to ultimately bring attention to application of multi-sensory experiences in landscape architecture and provoke further exploration of the senses in this field to merge with the related sciences. This thesis will push the limits of what it means to design with the senses.


The thesis analyses power relations between local government, CSOs and communities in
partnerships for service production. It studies community members' agency in a temporal
dimension and identifies those structures that constrain their interaction. It focuses on community
members' own interpretations of the impact of those structures with the intention of informing
development practice on how potential changes in partnership relationships can influence
sustainability, expressed through community members' sense of ownership.
The thesis surveys analytical factors influencing partnership dynamics applying a conceptual
model. The model helps to understand the interface between partners as well as the character and
transformation of the interventions over time. Second, it studies individual community members'
agency: their capacity to exercise power through participation and the manner in which
marginalizing structures prevailing in the community enable and constrain residents' agency. The
consequent implications of the transformation of their agency on the outcome are analysed by
employing the theory 'dialectic of control' from Anthony Giddens' 'Structuration Theory' and
tested by field research carried out in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The research was grounded on
qualitative methodology.
The empirical research revealed that partnerships were successful in improving living conditions.
However, accountability and power relations tended to transform and social, political and
financial constraints circumscribed community members' agency. Their narratives provided
evidence that confining their agency during implementation reduces their social distance to the
outcome perceived as a sense of ownership, even though they had fully participated during
planning. Partnership itself was governed by the conflicting underpinnings of neo-liberal costsharing
and neo-populist participation. In addition, the field research suggested that community
members disassociated themselves from CBOs, questioning the assumed geographically-based
definition of communities, CBO's legitimacy and imposed representative role that they saw as
part of an external hegemonic structure. This led to the division of communities and reduction of
social capital.


This is a letter from the Charles B. Moore Collection. It is written by Moore to Patty Brown. In the letter, Charles discusses the Annie Laura story and gives Brown a brief, yet detailed family history. Highlighting major life events, he notes how he was born in Gallatin, moved to Texas, and moved away from Texas during the war. He also details his work with mills,how he changed career paths, and when he was married. This letter is dated March 1891.


Almost every researcher has come through observations that "drift" from the rest of the sample, suggesting some inconsistency. The aim of this paper is to propose a new inconsistent data detection method for continuous geospatial data based in Geostatistics, independently from the generative cause (measuring and execution errors and inherent variability data). The choice of Geostatistics is based in its ideal characteristics, as avoiding systematic errors, for example. The importance of a new inconsistent detection method proposal is in the fact that some existing methods used in geospatial data consider theoretical assumptions hardly attended. Equally, the choice of the data set is related to the importance of the LiDAR technology (Light Detection and Ranging) in the production of Digital Elevation Models (DEM). Thus, with the new methodology it was possible to detect and map discrepant data. Comparing it to a much utilized detections method, BoxPlot, the importance and functionality of the new method was verified, since the BoxPlot did not detect any data classified as discrepant. The proposed method pointed that, in average, 1,2% of the data of possible regionalized inferior outliers and, in average, 1,4% of possible regionalized superior outliers, in relation to the set of data used in the study.


Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important crop for sustainable farming thanks to its ability to fix the atmospheric nitrogen enhancing soil fertility and allowing substantial reduction in fertilizer use. Recently, DNA markers have been deployed in Moroccan lentil breeding program aiming molecular diversity analysis of local landraces, molecular tagging of agronomic traits and towards marker-assisted breeding. For instance, 19 Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) and seven primer combinations of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers were successfully used to characterize Moroccan landraces of lentil. Genetic differentiation according to agro-environmental origins (dry areas, highlands and favourable areas) was demonstrated allowing oriented selection of genotypes to be included in breeding programs. Landraces from dry areas especially those originating from Jemaat Shaim would result in greater genetic gain for drought tolerance, while landraces from highlands (middle Atlas mountains) would result in greater genetic gain for cold tolerance. Furthermore, genetic evidence for the differentiation of 'lentils of Ain Sbit' as a local product quality mark (produit de terroir) were obtained, thus offering efficient tools for enhanced valorization and for the protection of this landrace for the benefits of local farmers. Also, a number of SSR and AFLP alleles that were identified to be linked with drought tolerance could differentiate landraces according to their response to drought stress. These alleles could be used in marker-trait association studies. On the other hand, important molecular markers including Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) were identified to be associated with quantitative trait loci related to root and shoot traits conferring drought tolerance in a recombinant inbred line population. Also the previously developed genetic linkage map related to this population was enhanced using a combination of co-dominant and dominant markers. The use of the identified DNA markers in the lentil breeding program would result in a more efficient cultivar development and enhanced valorization of genetic resources.


This study seeks to address the barriers and facilitators that affect employee's abilities to engage at work by proposing 'Work Engagement: An exploration into the barriers and facilitators that affect Clerical Officers abilities to engage in the Irish Civil Service.' The aim of this study is to identify the barriers and the facilitators in order to increase work engagement among Clerical Officers. To date the majority of studies on engagement have been focused on human services occupations. This present study intends to add to the occupational groups outside the human services industries by examining administrative personnel within a bureaucratic setting.

The study will make two significant contributions. Firstly, it will add to the international literature in an Irish context and secondly it will be one of the first studies to examine work engagement within a bureaucratic, hierarchical structure such as the Irish Civil Service. The findings will provide insight and information for organisations both in the civil service and the public sector. In the context of increased demand, diminished resources, increased media and political criticism it is time to review the basis on which public sector are motivated to meet the challenges ahead.

The research strategy adopted was a quantitative, deductive approach using an in-depth survey. The survey consisted of five sections examining demographics, working life, management and communication, attitudes to work and engagement levels. Multiple statistical analyses such as descriptive and inferential statistics were used in conjunction with the SPSS statistical program. The findings illustrate that overall engagement levels are currently high among the responding Clerical Officers, showing 65% cognitively, 74% emotionally and 65% physically engaged with 51% displaying advocacy. However, respondents reported lower levels of engagement since 2008.

The research findings support the key themes identified within the literature. They support the prediction that perceived organisational support, job content and attitudes to work have a substantial influence on work engagement. The findings also offer insight into the perceived impact the Haddington Road Agreement will have on work engagement.


We present what we believe to be the first measurement of the spectral properties of a soft x-ray laser seeded by a high-order harmonic beam. Using an interferometric method, the spectral profile of a seeded Ni-like krypton soft x-ray laser (32.8 nm) generated by optical field ionization has been experimentally determined, and the shortest possible pulse duration has been deduced. The source exhibits a Voigt spectral profile with an FWHM of 3.1+/-0.3 mA, leading to a Fourier-transform pulse duration of 4.7 ps. This value is comparable with the upper limit of the soft x-ray pulse duration determined by experimentally investigating the gain dynamics, from which we conclude that the source has reached the Fourier limit. The measured bandwidth is in good agreement with the predictions of a radiative transfer code, including gain line narrowing and saturation rebroadening.


This article presents a novel autonomous surface vessel (ASV) that was designed and manufactured specifically for the monitoring of water resources, resources that are not only constantly drained but also face the growing threat of mass proliferation (bloom) of noxious cyanobacteria. On one hand, the distribution of these blooms in a given water body requires a surveillance of biological data at high spatial resolution on both vertical and horizontal axes, whereas on the other hand, the understanding of the temporal evolution of the cyanobacteria necessitates repeated sampling at the same location. Therefore, our ASV was designed to combine the ability to take measurements within a range of depths, with its custom-made winch, and accurate localization provided by the global positioning system (GPS), without the need for static installations. This article first describes the ASV conception, and then the results of extended field tests on the waypoint navigation mode are discussed. Finally, the first results of a sampling campaign for monitoring algal blooms in Lake Zurich are presented. This work constitutes advances in the deployment of mobile measurement platforms for environmental monitoring in lacustrine environments. Furthermore, it investigates the application of a single ASV to capture both spatial and temporal dynamics of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in lakes. Combining surface mobility with depth measurements within a single robot allows fast deployments in remote location, which is cost efficient for lake sampling. This reduces the need for fixed installations, which can be impossible in recreational areas. The high-resolution sampling of lakes will contribute to understand and predict the occurrence of harmful cyanobacterial blooms for a better management of water resources.


This thesis deals with Context Aware Services, Smart Environments, Context Management and solutions for Devices and Service Interoperability.
Multi-vendor devices offer an increasing number of services and end-user applications that base their value on the ability to exploit the information originating from the surrounding environment by means of an increasing number of embedded sensors, e.g. GPS, compass, RFID readers, cameras and so on. However, usually such devices are not able to exchange information because of the lack of a shared data storage and common information exchange methods. A large number of standards and domain specific building blocks are available and are heavily used in today's products. However, the use of these solutions based on ready-to-use modules is not without problems. The integration and cooperation of different kinds of modules can be daunting because of growing complexity and dependency.

In this scenarios it might be interesting to have an infrastructure that makes the coexistence of multi-vendor devices easy, while enabling low cost development and smooth access to services. This sort of technologies glue should reduce both software and hardware integration costs by removing the trouble of interoperability. The result should also lead to faster and simplified design, development and, deployment of cross-domain applications.

This thesis is mainly focused on SW architectures supporting context aware service providers especially on the following subjects:
- user preferences service adaptation
- context management
- content management
- information interoperability
- multivendor device interoperability
- communication and connectivity interoperability

Experimental activities were carried out in several domains including Cultural Heritage, indoor and personal smart spaces – all of which are considered significant test-beds in Context Aware Computing. The work evolved within european and national projects: on the europen side, I carried out my research activity within EPOCH, the FP6 Network of Excellence on "Processing Open Cultural Heritage" and within SOFIA, a project of the ARTEMIS JU on embedded systems. I worked in cooperation with several international establishments, including the University of Kent, VTT (the Technical Reserarch Center of Finland) and Eurotech. On the national side I contributed to a one-to-one research contract between ARCES and Telecom Italia.

The first part of the thesis is focused on problem statement and related work and addresses interoperability issues and related architecture components.

The second part is focused on specific architectures and frameworks:
- MobiComp: a context management framework that I used in cultural heritage applications
- CAB: a context, preference and profile based application broker which I designed within EPOCH Network of Excellence
- M3: "Semantic Web based" information sharing infrastructure for smart spaces designed by Nokia within the European project SOFIA
- NoTa: a service and transport independent connectivity framework
- OSGi: the well known Java based service support framework

The final section is dedicated to the middleware, the tools and, the SW agents developed during my Doctorate time to support context-aware services in smart environments.


This qualitative study aimed at describing the reasons that motivate an adolescent to get pregnant and her expectations about the future after the child's birth. Symbolic Interactionism was used as theoretical framework and Grounded Theory as the methodological one. Eight adolescent mothers aged between 15 and 19 years who lived the experience of caring for their children took part in the study. Data collection tools were observant participation and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed that becoming a mother is an experience that might be desired and even planned. Furthermore, data showed that after the child's birth, the adolescent continues to have expectations of self-realization in order to provide a better future for herself and for her child, as revealed by the categories: Making a dream come true and Having expectations about the future. The full understanding of this experience will contribute to the practice of all professionals that provide assistance to pregnant and adolescent mothers at different levels of healthcare.


Selling the Five Rings The International Olympic Committee and the Rise of Olympic Commercialism Robert K Barney, Stephen R Wenn & Scott G Martyn (2004; revised edition) The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, UT. ISBN-10: 087480809X [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the 2008 Beijing Olympics come ever closer, interest among researchers and students will inevitably be drawn towards the Olympic movement and the mega-event of the Games themselves. In the United Kingdom this is especially the case as academia gears itself up for the five-year period of expectancy leading up to the 2012 London Games. Arguably the most significant stumbling block in researching or teaching about management of the Olympics is that the main natural source of data is the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself, with its revisionist approach to history--the air-brushing out of the 1906 Intercalated Athens Olympics, for example--and its less-than-balanced view of the role of Pierre de Courbetin in establishing the modern Games by ignoring the roles of Evangelis Zappas and William Penny Brookes. Their roles have been put into a more reasonable perspective by the notable work of David C Young (2003), which is, however, of little relevance to the modern Olympic Games, given Young's chosen period of pre-modern Olympic history. While a number of authors are coming into print on the management and marketing dimensions of the Olympic Games, it is difficult to find a text that covers a full management history of the modern Olympics and has strong contemporary relevance. This work by Barney, Wenn and Martyn provides just such a text. It is essentially a very well researched account of the growing commercialism (born in the de Courbetin era, we discover) and its eventual dominance in IOC affairs. Examined in detail are the development of sponsorship, broadcasting rights, the battle between the IOC, the individual Olympic Games Organising Committees (OGOCs), National Committees and the international federations of the various Olympic sports, and the emergence of third parties as stakeholders. The historical narrative is important for our understanding of the situation today: there are fewer discontinuances than might be imagined. As well as examining the role of Juan Antonio Samaranch, the President of the IOC, due consideration is given to the roles of his predecessors, including Lord Killanin and Avery Brundage. A picture emerges of highly individualistic leadership styles of the successive presidents, with their resultant polices having far-reaching consequences for the evolution of the Olympic Games. …


An interior history as a concept brings together history and interior design with a particular emphasis on addressing the spatial and temporal qualities that are implicit in both practices. Titled 'Towards an Interior History', this paper focuses on a process of making, hence the word 'towards' an interior history. It is not yet in a position to define what an interior history is – to answer the question 'what is an interior history?' – and may never be. By the end of the paper, it is hoped that questions such as 'How does an interior history work?' 'How does it function?' will be understood as more useful to pose. Why? Because dominant models of history and interior design have produced particular kinds of histories of interior design – ones which privilege the visual, hence objects and permanent architectural elements, as well as structures of enclosure and containment. An interior history as a concept celebrates the role of history in the production of the new and seeks to respond to current forces emerging in the design of interiors – for example, temporality, movement, change, encounters. The position here is not one of criticism and a quest for a better history, an attempt to re-write the past in order to re-right. The term 'inter-story' – formed from a conjunction between interior and history – is introduced as a technique for re-thinking history and interior design and as an approach to be taken up in a movement towards an interior history in the making of an interior history.


Over recent years, there has been a marked change in the handling of criminal cases before the Courts. The introduction of the Criminal Procedure Rules in 2005, along with initiatives such as Simple Speedy Summary Justice and more recently, Stop Delaying Justice, has created a shift away from slow moving cases and ambush defences. As a result, there is a presumption that criminal cases will progress from the very first hearing, fewer hearings are being adjourned and advocates on both sides are expected to be better prepared and ready to disclose their case from the outset.
This paper will present an argument that it is now time to bring the principles behind these initiatives into the investigation stage of proceedings. By promoting better case management from the point of arrest, it is submitted that delays in resolving cases can be even further reduced, without affecting, but potentially improving fairness for all parties. Whilst the disclosure is given by many investigators, there is currently no rule that states that disclosure must be given at the police station stage. The authors contend that a requirement to provide disclosure at the police station, even in summary form, will allow more effective advice to be given to suspects and in turn improve the interview process. Early disclosure should prevent delays in bringing cases before the court and will also assist in ensuring that progress is made at the first hearing. Furthermore, by avoiding the need for unnecessary police bail appointments, and timely charging procedures, it is contended that summary justice can be achieved efficiently, fairly and in a manner that reduces tactical considerations in the police station.


We studied the interaction between the single-mode cavity and an atomic string consisting of equidistant three-level atoms (or pairs of indistinguishable two-level atoms) that is injected at such a low flux that at most one atom at a time is present inside the cavity. We investigated the trapping effect in such systems, and we obtained the trapping conditions for the flying time inside the cavity. We derived the so-called cotangent state for the proposed systems, and we examined the properties of the electromagnetic field for such state.


This study investigates the impact of package adoption of inorganic fertilizers and improved maize seed varieties on yield among smallholder households in Kenya. We used a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach combined with propensity score matching to control for both time-invariant and unobservable household heterogeneity. Our findings show that inorganic fertilizers and improved maize varieties significantly increase maize yields when adopted as a package, rather than as individual elements. The impact is greater at the lower end of the yield distribution than at the upper end. A positive effect of partial adoption is experienced only in the lower quartile of yield distribution. The policy implication is that complementary agricultural technologies should be promoted as a package, and should target households and areas experiencing low yields.


We work with geoscientists studying erosion and desertification to improve the spatial and temporal resolution of their data collection over long transects in difficult realworld environments such as deserts [1]. The Minitaur [2] robot, which can run quickly over uneven terrain and use a single leg to measure relevant ground properties such as stiffness [3], is an attractive scout robot candidate for inclusion in a heterogeneous team in collaboration with a heavily geared, sensor-laden RHex [4]. However, Minitaur is challenged by long-distance locomotion on sand dunes. Previous simulation results [5] suggested that the energetic cost of transport can be mitigated by programming a virtual damping force to slow the intrusion of a Minitaur foot into simulated granular media following a bulk-behavior force law [6]. In this paper, we present a ground emulator that can be used to test such locomotion hypotheses with a physical single-legged hopper jumping on emulated ground programmed to exhibit any compliance and damping characteristics of interest. The new emulator allows us to corroborate the conclusions of our previous simulation with physical hopping experiments. Programming the substrate emulator to exhibit the mechanics of a simplified bulk-behavior model of granular media characterized by linear stiffness and quadratic damping, we achieve a consistent energy savings of 20% in comparison with a nominal controller, with savings of up to 50% under specific conditions.


Local, state, and federal governments are currently responding to the immediate healthcare infrastructure demands created by the COVID-19 crisis. In New York City, these responses have included erecting makeshift field hospitals in Central Park, converting the Javits Convention Center into a 1,000-bed field hospital, and sailing the 1,000-bed USNS Comfort to Pier 88 in Manhattan. Such unprecedented efforts have required assistance from the New York Army National Guard, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Navy. Simultaneously, government-enacted social distancing measures have been implemented to "flatten the curve." The predominant consensus among experts is that the combined strategies of widespread social distancing and isolation in conjunction with unprecedented health infrastructure expansion is the only way to avoid reaching a crisis point within the U.S. healthcare system—a disastrous scenario in which hospitals become unable to manage the exponential influx of patients. The situation is most dire in New York City, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases approaches 165,000.
 In the background, however, an obscure evidence-based healthcare delivery program designed to serve New York's most vulnerable populations may be the most effective weapon in addressing resource shortfalls. In fact, this policy has the potential to mitigate the ongoing overflow of New York City's emergency rooms, intensive care units, and inpatient units, potentially saving countless lives while simultaneously streamlining the massive public health response. This policy is known as the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP), which derives from the current New York State Medicaid expansion program.
DSRIP—a groundbreaking and award-winning Medicaid redesign initiative—was implemented in 2015 after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a deal with the federal government that allowed $8 billion federal Medicaid dollars to directly address the social determinants of health (SDH). One of the resulting initiatives, the supportive housing program, has served over 13,000 high-acuity Medicaid patients to date. The most recent evaluation of the program demonstrated a 40 percent reduction in hospital days and a 26 percent reduction in emergency room visits. Accomplishing this, however, was no simple feat. After patients are temporarily placed in supportive housing, they are assigned a primary care provider and then integrated into a network of social services that include food assistance (subsidies), mental health counseling, and a plethora of other services designed to treat social and clinical ailments simultaneously.
Many of the program's beneficiaries suffer from multiple comorbidities including substance abuse and mental health disorders, as well as HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions. In the event they contract COVID-19, these individuals are at high risk of severe complications, including death. Consequently, SDH-inspired initiatives like the supportive housing program not only protect vulnerable Medicaid populations from institutional exposure to COVID-19 by keeping thousands out of hospitals and clinics during the pandemic, such programs also alleviate strain on an already overwhelmed NYC healthcare infrastructure.
With over 5 million Medicaid enrollees in New York State—over 3 million of whom reside in one of the five boroughs of New York City—this level of reduction in healthcare service utilization has the potential to save countless lives during the onslaught of a global pandemic. If SDH-inspired programs were scaled to meet the entire New York State Medicaid population, hospitals would be left infinitely more prepared to withstand the surge of emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Recently, frontline clinicians have raised alarms about the suspicious decrease in heart attacks and strokes showing up in emergency rooms—many experts suggest this may be the unfortunate result of reluctance by the public to seek care in an overwhelmed healthcare system. Such significant declines in healthcare utilization will also decrease personal protective equipment (PPE) use. This is critical in the context of the current national shortage.
Social scientists have long asserted that the key to ameliorating health inequities lies in addressing socioenvironmental factors such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, and inadequate healthcare access. These factors—dictated by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status— inevitably lead to health disparities evidenced by the disproportionate burden of chronic disease suffered by the Medicaid population. As early as the mid-90's, sociologists have postulated that access to flexible resources such as money, knowledge, and social capital dictate our health outcomes. This is known as the fundamental cause theory. We have long possessed the intellectual and conceptual tools necessary to identify factors that contribute to systemic health disparities.  Disparities continuously overburden the healthcare system. When New York City becomes an epicenter of a global pandemic, this burden thrusts the city's healthcare infrastructure closer to its breaking point. DSRIP remains one of the few available strategies capable of avoiding such catastrophe.
Tragically, barriers to the implementation of such socially conscious policies persist. Most healthcare institutions operate with razor-thin margins. Many fail to profit at all, only taking in enough revenue to pay their workforce. For example, the New York Presbyterian Hospital, one of the top-five academic hospitals in the country and one of the nation's largest, reported only a 2.8% profit margin in 2018. While SDH-informed initiatives stemming from DSRIP have proven cost effective in the long term, healthcare institutions are responsible for creating and implementing the infrastructure required of these programs, in addition to covering up-front costs. The most expensive and resource-intensive intervention in the DSRIP program was the creation of  health homes. These are not physical spaces like those employed in the aforementioned supportive housing program, but rather highly integrated resource networks that provide social services, housing and food services (subsidies), and healthcare management for high-risk members of the Medicaid population.
As long as the institutional cost savings of addressing social determinants of health are only realized longitudinally, revenue-conscious C-suite executives will continue to supplant humanity with corporate interests, thus avoiding implementing many of DSRIP's most efficacious interventions. Both federal and state governments must bear some of the up-front cost of these programs by increasing the flow of Medicaid dollars to DSRIP, thus incentivizing healthcare institutions to provide the program's infrastructure. The results, while not immediate, will indisputably improve health outcomes for New York City's most vulnerable populations while simultaneously increasing preparedness for the next global public health crisis.
Photo by Emma Simpson on Unsplash


I watched my daughter lean forward to hear Dr. W. ask, "What is your biggest fear?" Dr. W.'s first name was Hope, a suitable name for a young doctor, not yet forty, in the specialized practice of caring for the dying. Hope spoke warmly but with clarity and volume, aware that the Cisplatin chemotherapy had damaged Molly's hearing.


Abstract. Across ages, the rapid prevalence of cigarette smoking has consistently posed adverse threats to both human health and the environment. Moreover, smoke dispersed from a single cigarette could expose serious respiratory problems to a number of non-smokers within the area. Cigarette smoke has always been a notorious, human-induced health risk and air pollutant thus, the urgent need to develop smoke management schemes by exploring strategies on observing cigarette smoke dispersion. This research aims to incorporate the potential of optical RGB cameras in the study of smoke dispersion. Through digital image processing of experimental smoking videos, a spatiotemporal visualization of smoke dispersion for an indoor and outdoor environment were created. Smoke movement starting from the source was observed in terms of smoke pixel density and maximum horizontal extent. Quantitatively, the results showed a relative maximum extent of 1.21 meters which lasted for 2 seconds for an outdoor environment while 1.05 meters which lasted for 6 seconds for an indoor environment. The maximum relative smoke pixel density values calculated for the outdoor and indoor environment are 1.46% and 1.12% respectively. The resulting graphs were indicative of a trend that creates a normal distribution curve that can be affected by external factors and represent a function relating dispersion and distance. The results of this study prove the capability of optical RGB cameras as an alternative and cost-efficient method in studying smoke dispersion. Furthermore, this practical method of monitoring smoke dispersion could lead to comprehensive analyses of air quality management and health exposure assessments.


We propose a study on the use of laser techniques to monitor altimetric variations in the tidal flat of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. The Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel has been strongly anthropised. Because of impoldering, wandering rivers were not able to sap salt-meadow and modern tidal flooding of the Mont-Saint-Michel has lowered. Through modern studies and projects aimed at restoring the marine nature of the bay it appears that flushes are useful to discard sediment tending to silt the bay. The major aim of our work consists in the better understanding of the effect of the dam built recently (May 2009) in that purpose. Laser scanning is commonly used for topographic surveys and the generation of Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Repeating surveys, allow to quantify topographic changes and therefore sediment budgets. Our study is based on aerial topographic surveys of the intertidal zone acquired before the operational start up of the dam (in 1997, 2002, 2007 and February 2009). Sediment budgets computations confirm that the bay tends to accrete but at annual rates quite variable in time. The value computed between 2002 and 2007 is 2.3 times and 3.5 times smaller than the deposition rates compute d fo r the 1997/2002 and 2007/2009 periods. Terrestrial laser surveys acquired on a more restricted area after the beginning of the flushes are also used in a more qualitative way to investigate their impacts. The preliminary results show that flushes allow to reduce sediment deposition but also that their efficiency is geographically contrasted. Another remarkable result consists in the identification of coastal dynamics: location of erosion versus deposition zones, of evolutions of vegetation cover and drainage channels activity.


This paper deals with the CDIO course "Design Build", which is taught in the first semester of the Bachelor of Engineering education at the Technical University of Denmark's Department of Civil Engineering. A specific design build assignment has been developed for the course, and the paper describes this course activity. The "Design Build" course revolves around the activity that the students should build a model house of their own during the course. The only demands stipulated are that the house should be made as a scale 1:20 model of a realistic house and that is should be thermally insulated and tight. The students work together in groups of four. As part of the CDIO process, each group of students should work through a conceptualization phase, where the requirements for the house are defined. Then follows the phase where the house is designed as the best possible solution fulfilling the requirements the students had set. Next, for implementation, the model house is constructed in the workshop, and the measuring system is tested and installed in the house. Finally, the house will be operated by putting it on the ground in an outdoor test field where it is exposed to the Danish climate for two weeks while the indoor temperature and heat consumption are logged. The experimental findings shall be compared to a theoretical value for the heat loss, which is found from a calculation method the students learn in a parallel course. While the course has resulted in a lot of enthusiasm among the students towards the specific construction task, it has also led to some initial frustration that the course content was not given as a well described assignment, and that the course curriculum had to be to some extent self-defined. This has been a challenge to the very young students who have participated in the course.


This is a practical directory of over 80 essential oils, covering many unusual oils as well as those that are in popular use. The oils are extensively categorised, with each entry offering valuable information at a glance. Helpful descriptions are given of the oils' aromas, their chemical constituents and their effects on the mind and body. Fascinating information is also included about the oils' histories, their extraction methods, and the myths and legends associated with them. There is also useful guidance on the effects of essential oils on the skin and their use in blends and treatments.


The representation of all components of the tensor of linear thermal expansion by temperature derivatives of lattice parameters a, b, c, alpha , beta , and gamma has been extended to triclinic symmetry. The advantages of this approach are elucidated by taking data of alpha -CuMoO 4 as an example. The uncertainty due to various influences including the approximation of a(T), b(T), ... by power series is discussed quantitatively. Thermal expansion coefficients of triclinic crystals seem to be particularly sensitive to the exact procedure of their evaluation.


This study aims at determining styles of leadership in improving the performance of personnel, factors affecting the personnel performance, and inhibitors in improving the performance of personnel. This study used a qualitative approach with descriptive methods. Data collection techniques were done through observation, interview and documentation study. The subjects were principal, vice director, heads of division, and teachers of Dayah. The results showed that: 1) The leadership styles of dayah in improving the performance of personnel was a consultative, participative and instructive leadership style. 2) Factors that affected performance of personnel were the authority and charismatic of the principal in the presence of personnel, and democratic in decision making, and the religious environment, 3) The limiting factors in improving the performance of the personnel were the number of students that exceeds the capacity dormitories which were available, some of the personnel did not have the administration skill background, the minority of personnel who were less active, and were not able to provide financial support for the personnel.


An interesting question arising within the scope of the further development of the German tidal rivers Elbe and Weser, is whether tidal dunes or sand waves will be formed after the navigation channel deepenings and that the success of the development measures will thus be partially or fully undone. In order to be able to better assess the formation and regeneration of these large patterns after dredging, heightened knowledge of the sand transport in a tidal dune field is necessary. A possibility of investigating the sand transport in a tidal river with pronounced tidal dunes in the field, can be realized by measurings with luminaries or tracers. The advantage of investigations in the field is, that all laboratory required scale effects are eliminated. The more difficult measuring comprehension of the course of the test in prototype must be solved through purposefully planned investigation programs. Subsequent to observations of many years standing, on behavior of four tidal dune areas in the navigation channel of the Weser River estuary (6), investigations were carried out with luminaries above reach 1 (Fig. 1) from September till November 1974. The aim was, to obtain information on the transport mechanism for tidal dunes and heightened knowledge on the causes of regeneration after dredging.


Change in ecosystem disturbance regimes from human land-use poses a worldwide problem for management of rare species. Two important types of disturbance influencing the persistence of species in Australian ecosystems are habitat fragmentation and fire. In this study, seed dispersal and the germination ecology of Pomaderris vacciniifolia—a critically endangered, rare endemic Australian shrub—were examined to identify likely influences of fire and fragmentation on the decline of populations. The response of seed germination to simulated effects of wildfire and canopy openings was investigated, as was the unaided dispersal capability of seeds from parent plants. A significant increase in germination rate was observed following 100°C heat treatment to seeds, while smoke and light exposure had little influence. Seed imbibition was strongly influenced by heat treatment. The findings indicate a likely positive post-fire germination response, with implications for recruitment success determined by moisture availability following fire. Unaided seed dispersal was limited, which partly explains the apparent decline of populations. Understanding disturbance requirements for threatened species, and subsequent management of landscapes for disturbance, will aid conservation of rare species throughout the world.


Spray drying of ceramic slurries aims for soft and free-flowing granules with homogenous microstructure neither containing voids nor hard shells suitable for uniaxial and isostatic pressing.
The controlled destabilization of the slurries was introduced, since the unwanted formation of hard granules with voids donut-like shape could be drastically reduced. Spray drying of such modified slurries resulted in soft granules and finally leaded to sintered bodies with improved microstructure, density and strength.
Optimized slurries were atomized in a laboratory spray dryer (Hi-Tec, Niro, Denmark) both with a commercial two stream nozzle and an adapted ultra sound atomization unit. Potential advantages of the ultra sound nebulization are investigated for model systems of alumina, zirconia and a ZTA composite while focusing on solids content of slurries, yield, and granule properties (size distribution, flowability, shape, microstructure, pressability) as well as the final sinter body properties (density, microstructure, strength).
Using ultrasound nozzles in spray drying of identical slurries, as before tested and optimized for a two stream nozzle atomization process, resulted in a more suitable size distribution for dry pressing (less particles below 20 µm), a better flowability and a higher yield. Furthermore the sinter bodies produced of the ultra sound granules have higher sintered density, more homogenous microstructure without large pores and higher strength.


Abstract. In winter of 2009–2010 south-western Europe was hit by several destructive windstorms. The most important was Xynthia (26–28 February 2010), which caused 64 reported casualties and was classified as the 2nd most expensive natural hazard event for 2010 in terms of economic losses. In this work we assess the synoptic evolution, dynamical characteristics and the main impacts of storm Xynthia, whose genesis, development and path were very uncommon. Wind speed gusts observed at more than 500 stations across Europe are evaluated as well as the wind gust field obtained with a regional climate model simulation for the entire North Atlantic and European area. Storm Xynthia was first identified on 25 February around 30° N, 50° W over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. Its genesis occurred on a region characterized by warm and moist air under the influence of a strong upper level wave embedded in the westerlies. Xynthia followed an unusual SW–NE path towards Iberia, France and central Europe. The role of moist air masses on the explosive development of Xynthia is analysed by considering the evaporative sources. A lagrangian model is used to identify the moisture sources, sinks and moisture transport associated with the cyclone during its development phase. The main supply of moisture is located over an elongated region of the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean with anomalously high SST, confirming that the explosive development of storm Xynthia had a significant contribution from the subtropics.


Introduction This study describes a tele-consultation system (TCS) developed to provide a computing environment over a Wide Area Network (WAN) in North Italy (Province of Trento), that can be used by two or more physicians to share medical data and to work co-operatively on medical records. A pilot study has been carried out in oncology to assess the effectiveness of the system. The aim of this project is to facilitate the management of oncology patients by improving communication among the specialists of central and district hospitals. Methods and Results The TCS is an Intranet-based solution. The Intranet is based on a PC WAN with Windows NT Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and Internet Information Server. TCS is composed of native and custom applications developed in the Microsoft Windows (9x and NT) environment. The basic component of the system is the multimedia digital medical record, structured as a collection of HTML and ASP pages. A distributed relational database will allow users to store and retrieve medical records, accessed by a dedicated Web browser via the Web Server. The medical data to be stored and the presentation architecture of the clinical record had been determined in close collaboration with the clinicians involved in the project. TCS will allow a multi-point tele-consultation (TC) among two or more participants on remote computers, providing synchronized surfing through the clinical report. A set of collaborative and personal tools, whiteboard with drawing tools, point-to-point digital audio-conference, chat, local notepad, e-mail service, are integrated in the system to provide an user friendly environment. TCS has been developed as a client-server architecture. The client part of the system is based on the Microsoft Web Browser control and provides the user interface and the tools described above. The server part, running all the time on a dedicated computer, accepts connection requests and manages the connections among the participants in a TC, allowing multiple TC to run simultaneously. TCS has been developed in Visual C++ environment using MFC library and COM technology; ActiveX controls have been written in Visual Basic to perform dedicated tasks from the inside of the HTML clinical report. Before deploying the system in the hospital departments involved in the project, TCS has been tested in our laboratory by clinicians involved in the project to evaluate the usability of the system. Discussion TCS has the potential to support a "multi-disciplinary distributed virtual oncological meeting". The specialists of different departments and of different hospitals can attend "virtual meetings" and interactively discuss on medical data. An expected benefit of the "virtual meeting" should be the possibility to provide expert remote advice from oncologists to peripheral cancer units in formulating treatment plans, conducting follow-up sessions and supporting clinical research.


This Case Digest summarizes the 2011 California Supreme Court case of Pineda v. Williams-Sonoma Stores, Inc. Plaintiff Pineda alleged, in part, that Williams-Sonoma violated the Song-Beverly Credit Card Act of 1971 by recording consumers' ZIP codes during credit card transactions. The Act places limitations upon the type and extent of information retailers — as well as other persons and businesses — may request of consumers using credit cards, and restricts the use of a purchaser's "personal identification information." The trial court held that a ZIP code did not constitute "personal identification information" as used in section 1747.08 of the California Civil Code. After the court of appeal affirmed, the Supreme Court of California granted review, reversed the trial court's holding, and remanded the case for further proceedings. The court held that "personal identification information," as the term is used in section 1747.08, includes a cardholder's ZIP code. As such, requesting and recording a cardholder's ZIP code, without more, violates the Credit Card Act.


The Colorado Plateau contains Late Cretaceous marine strata that are at a mean elevation of ~2 km. The timing and amount of uplift since the Cretaceous has generated considerable debate. With the exception of a few studies, topography supported by vertical stresses generated by viscous fl ow in the mantle has not been explicitly considered to contribute to the elevation of this region. Herein we compute the viscous fl ow beneath North America that is driven by density anomalies inferred from joint seismic-geodynamic modeling. We fithat the Colorado Plateau overlies a strong mantle upwelling that is coupled to the sinking Farallon slab, currently beneath the eastern United States. Consequently, the Colorado Plateau is currently a focused dynamic topography high within the western U.S. Cordillera. Moreover, this strong upwelling impacts the base of the lithosphere at an oblique angle east of the plateau directly below the Rio Grande Rift. We attribute this fl ow as being responsible for some of the recent magmatic activity along the Jemez lineament as well as contributing to the recent rifting process in the Rio Grande Rift valley.