The prediction of the wet-clutch service life still remains a challenge for scientists and engineers. Previous research has shown the significance of the wet-clutch friction characteristics on the driveline dynamics. To avoid driveline vibrations an increasing friction coefficient with increasing sliding speed is desirable. Consequently, prediction of the occurrence of driveline vibrations relies on a detailed knowledge of how the friction characteristics are affected by wet-clutch degradation, as well as an understanding of the driveline dynamics. Wet clutches are used in both automatic transmissions and all-wheel-drive systems in cars, where they are referred to as limited slip couplings by manufacturers. Wet clutches used in automatic transmissions are subjected to high slip levels, but for very limited time periods. In all-wheel-drive systems, where the limited slip coupling can be used to control the torque transfer to, for example, the rear wheels, the slip levels are low but continuous. Most wet-clutch research has been performed for clutches in automatic transmissions and not for clutches used in all-wheel-drive systems. Thus, a simulation model was developed to evaluate how different operating conditions of the limited slip coupling influence degradation of the friction characteristics and the tendencies towards driveline vibrations. First, the changes in the friction characteristics with the time of ageing are simulated. The friction characteristics after ageing are used as the input to a simplified driveline model, which is used to evaluate the occurrence of vibrations. It is shown how the developed simulation model can be used as an efficient tool for engineers. The developed simulation model can be used to predict how the operating conditions for the limited slip coupling influence degradation of the friction characteristics.


Some cytokine actions can be thwarted by members of the suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family. However, when mice lacking SOCS-2 were generated, they did not exhibit any hematological abnormalities, but rather, grew larger in overall size compared with their wild-type littermates; the SOCS2 null adults were 40% heavier than the wild-type. The mass of several organs and body length increased because of an increase in cell number rather than cell size. This phenotype closely resembled that of mice with increased insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) production. Metcalf et al. found that the SOCS-2 null mice had increased IGF-I production in several of the enlarged organs and propose that SOCS-2 may be a negative regulator of IGF-I signaling. This supports previous work in cultured cells that reported the inhibitory effect of SOCS-2 on growth hormone signaling. Metcalf, D., Greenhaigh, C.J., Viney, E., Willson, T.A., Starr, R., Nicola, N.A., Hilton, D.J., and Alexander, W.S. (2000) Gigantism in mice lacking suppressor of cytokine signalling-2. Nature 405: 1069-1073. [Online Journal]


There is a remarkable continuity and coherence of
thought in the work of Patrick White. In this thesis,
an attempt has been made to show the development of the
underlying and recurring theme of suffering leading,
ultimately, to redemption. It has been possible to
trace a clear progression from the nihilism expressed
in the first two books to a positive avowal of faith in
the later and more mature novels. This seems to
reflect a personal development in the author during the
years 1939 to 1961, and, for this reason, his work has
been treated chronologically.
In chapters I and II, dealing with Happy Valley and
The Living and the Dead, the suffering of the main
characters is shown to reflect a sense of hopelessness
and despair at the inevitable loneliness of man and at
the futility of life itself. The Aunt's Story, discussed
in chapter III, contains a more positive statement that
truth is revealed to those who suffer; however, as
revelation and peace seem attainable only in madness, the
implicit hopefulness of The Aunt's Story remains
questionable. There is a decisive change in the next book and this has been noted in chapter IV. In The Tree
of Man, there is a very real attempt to see life in
broader terms and to transform suffering into a beneficent
experience, leading to humility and serenity. Humility
is the key-word to Voss and the redemptive theme
culminates in Riders in the Chariot. The author's
concepts of humility, of good and evil, of revelation and
redemption, are examined in chapters V and VI.
Throughout, the imagery used by Patrick White, his
symbolism, his mysticism, his predilection for the simple
and simple-minded, even the mad, his violent reaction
against the ugly manifestations of this "plastic" age and
its dehumanising effect on people, his use of irony and
social satire, are related to his central theme. The
theme itself is, fundamentally, religious: Patrick White
proclaims his belief that, by striving and suffering, man
is redeemable.


Two commercial reactive dyes, the azo dye Reactive Black 5 and the copper phythalocyanine dye Reactive Blue 21, have been treated at a concentration of 75 mg l-1 by titanium dioxide mediated photocatalytic (TiO2/UV), dark and UV-light assisted Fenton (Fe2+/H2O2) and Fenton-like (Fe3+/H2O2) processes in acidic medium. For the treatment of Reactive Black 5, all investigated advanced oxidation processes were quite effective in terms of colour, COD as well as TOC removal. Moreover, the relative growth inhibition of the azo dye towards the marine algae Dunaliella tertiolecta that was initially 70%, did not exhibit an increase during the studied advanced oxidation reactions and complete detoxification at the end of the treatment period could be achieved for all investigated treatment processes. However, for Reactive Blue 21, abatement in COD and UV-VIS absorbance values was mainly due to the adsorption of the dye on the photocatalyst surface and/or the coagulative effect of Fe3+/Fe2+ ions. Although only a limited fraction of the copper phythalocyanine dye underwent oxidative degradation, 47% of the total copper in the dye was already released after 1 h photocatalytic treatment.


A challenge for Africa is how to derive common values from the values of diverse communities. The challenge becomes even more difficult in the face of notions such as autonomy, multiculturalism and respect for difference which are accompanying the emergence of neo-liberalism, globalisation and cosmopolitanism. While it is important to respect diversity in a postcolonial society, it is equally important that nation-building should strive for the promotion of common values among the citizenry. This article uses the example of Zimbabwe and South Africa as a comparative case study to investigate how the ruling elites in these two southern African countries have endeavoured to apply the curriculum for nation-building and the promotion of common citizenship by inculcating common values in young citizens. The article also explores the role of the curriculum from the perspective of social constructivism, where 'curriculum' is defined as an agency to foster social, cultural and political ideals in society. The academic discipline that is highly vulnerable to the imperatives of nation-building and the interests of the political elite is history, as it is prone to manipulation by political regimes in their hegemonic projects.


This article seeks to pull together the main body of work on the security dilemma and that concerning the relatively recent move in international relations in reconceptualizing and operationalizing the concept away from its usual interstate setting. First, it will discuss some of the ways in which the security dilemma has been defined. Second, it will concentrate on the work of those writers who have conceived of `ethnic security dilemmas' and `insecurity dilemmas' occurring at the intrastate level. Third, it will suggest some possible answers to the problems that this body of writing has raised. Fourth, it will both introduce and further develop the concept of the `(inter-) societal security dilemma' as a possibly more productive way of explaining the outbreak of ethnic violence. Moreover, throughout the article the question as to if and when ethnic conflict can be seen as a `tragedy' in Herbert Butterfield's sense of the word will be addressed.


We describe realizations of the color analogue
of the Heisenberg Lie algebra by power series in non-commuting indeterminates satisfying Heisenberg's canonical commutation relations of quantum mechanics. The obtained formulas are used to construct new operator
representations of the color analogue of the Heisenberg Lie algebra. These representations are shown to be closely connected with some combinatorial identities and functional difference-differential interpolation formulae involving Euler, Bernoulli and Stirling numbers.


This thesis describes the improvements to the image replicating imaging spectrometer (IRIS) and the development of novel applications in the field of oximetry. IRIS is a snapshot multispectral device with a high transmission output and no need of inversion for data recovering, hence, with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). IRIS shows great versatility due to the possibility of choosing multiple contiguous or non-contiguous wavelengths inside its free spectral range.
IRIS uses a set of waveplates and Wollaston prisms to demultiplex the spectral information of an object and replicate the image of such object in different wavelengths. The birefringent nature of IRIS means that different wavelengths are separated by the Wollaston prisms with different angles, introducing multiple images of the same object. In addition, the spectral transmission function shows multiple spectral sidelobes that contaminate each IRIS band with light belonging to other wavelengths. These issues can lower the performance of IRIS as a multispectral imaging device. In this thesis, these problems were assessed with the introduction of a filter plate array placed in the image plane of the optical system. This filter array is a set of narrow-band filters (Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) =10 ± 2 nm ) that removes undesired wavelengths from each IRIS band. Since the spectral transmission of IRIS is replicated along the free spectral range, the filters can be designed to match any of the present spectral lobes in IRIS. The design and fabrication of a filter array enhance the performance of IRIS as a multispectral imaging device: it allows wavelength selection and improves spectral and spatial image quality. The design and manufacture of the corresponding filter holder and camera adapter were critical in terms of offering an easy filter-camera implementation. The filter plate allowed the removal of other dispersed wavelengths by the Wollaston prisms, improving image registration between the set of spectral images created by IRIS, and so, improving the quality of the registered spectral 3-D cube.
The implemented improvements on IRIS allow high quality, calibration-free oximetry using eight different wavelengths optimised for oximetry. Two main experiments were performed: 1) Using an inverted microscopy interfaced with IRIS and a linear spectral unmixing technique, we measured the deoxygenation of single horse red blood cells (RBC) in vitro in real time. The oximetry was performed with a subcellular spatial resolution of 0.5 μ m , a temporal resolution of 30 Hz, and an accuracy (standard error of the mean) of ± 1.1% in oxygen saturation. 2) Eight-wavelength calibration-free retinal oximetry performed in nine healthy subjects demonstrated an increase in the stability of the oxygen saturation measurements along retinal vessels when compared with more traditional analysis methods such as two wavelengths oximetry. The stability was measured as the standard deviation along the retinal vessels of the nine subjects and was found to be ∼ 3% in oxygen saturation for eight-wavelengths oximetry and ∼ 5% in oxygen saturation for two-wavelengths oximetry.
A modified physical model was used to improve the characterization of light propagation through the eye, retina, and blood vessels by applying a set of feasible physiological assumptions. This model was optimised by an algorithm which solves for the different variables involved in the retinal vessels transmissions in order to accurately calculate the oxygen saturation. The oximetry algorithm was applied in retinal vessels, in collaboration in vivo on rat spinal cord to assess hypoxia in inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis and on mice legs to assess hypoxia on autoimmune diseases.
A third experiment using a microscope interfaced with IRIS was performed. The experiment aimed to replicate laminar flow conditions observed in retinal vessels and to calculate oxygen diffusion between adjacent streams of blood with different oxygen saturation. For this purpose a PDMS multichannel flow cell with cross sections of 40x100 μm was designed and fabricated allowing us to replicate conditions found in retinal blood vessels. Laminar flow was replicated but the experiment failed in calculating oxygen diffusion due to flaws in the experiment. The experiment with the results and recommendations on how to improve it can be found in Apendix B for future researchers


Copolymers of m-phenylenediamine and O-Anisidine were synthesized by oxidative polymerization at different monomer ratios using ammonium persulfate as as oxidant in HCl medium. The yield and the conductivity of the copolymers increase as O-Anisidine ratios increase which leading to increase the polymer chain in the same time increasing of conjugation system. The effect of introducing a third monomer to the copolymer of m-phenylenediamine and O-Anisidine were studied by the addition of 2,3-Xyilidine to obtain different molar ratios of terpolymers. The yield, intrinsic viscosity and the conductivity of the terpolymers were studied and compare with the copolymers. The Co-Terpolymerization of m-phenylenediamine, O-Anisidine and 2,3-Xyilidine were charachterized by FTIR and UV-Visible spectroscopy.The terpolymers seem dependency on polymerization yield, conductivity and intrinsic viscosity are 89% for MPD/OA/XY (70/10/20) terpolymer, 1.511 S/m for MPD/OA/XY (70/10/20) and 1.1 dl/g for MPD/OA/XY (70/25/5) compared to the yield obtained of MPD/OA copolymer which is 83% for [(MPD(75)/OA(25)] and conductivity of 1.228 S/m for [(MPD(25)/OA(75)], which may be attributed that the terpolymers chaotic super molecular structure than the copolymer leading to increase the polymer chain and then increasing the conjugation system. The FTIR and UV-Vis investigation suggest that the polymers obtain are actual copolymer of MPD/OA and terpolymer of MPD/OA/XY.


The main objective of this thesis was to prepare samples (soluble proteins and crystals) of selected ORFan proteins for structure determination by X-ray crystallography. ORFan proteins are the proteins having no homologous sequence with any other proteins in other known organisms. Hence for ORFan proteins, structure prediction is not reliable and the only possible way to identify the protein family, fold is the determination of their three-dimensional structures. In this work, a select set of ORFan proteins from Pyrococcus furiosus (ORF PF0772), Aeropyrum pernix K1 (ORFs AP0305, AP0436, AP0371) and Clostridium thermocellum and (ORF Cthe_3042) have been expressed, purified and crystallized. Several crystallization techniques were employed to improve the quality of the diffraction of the crystals. Both seleneomethionyl (Se-Met) incorporation and heavy atom soaking were used to provide initial phase information. Diffraction quality crystals were obtained for AP0305, AP0436, AP0371 and Cthe_3042. The structure of Cthe_3042 has been determined to 2.1Å resolution using Se-Met


241 Abstract— This paper presents a fault location technique for two-terminal multisection compound transmission lines, which combine overhead lines with underground power cables, using synchronized phasor measurements acquired by global positioning system (GPS) based phasor measurement units (PMUs) or digital relays with embedded PMU or by fault-on relay data synchronization algorithms. The technique is extended from a two-terminal fault location method with synchronized phasormeasurements as inputs. A novel fault section selector is proposedto select the fault line section in advance. The proposed techniquehas the ability to locate a fault no matter where the fault is on overhead line or underground power cable. The adopted technique has a solid theoretical foundation and is direct and simple in terms of computational complexity. Both extensive simulation results and field test results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The proposed technique has already been implemented in the Taiwan power system since the year 2008. Up to the present, the proposed technique yields excellent performance in practice.


Asset prices are a valuable source of information about financial market participants.expectations about key macroeconomic variables. However, the presence of time-varying risk premia requires an adjustment of market prices to obtain the market's rational assessment of future price and policy developments. This paper reviews empirical approaches for recovering market-based expectations. It starts by laying out the two canonical modeling frameworks that form the backbone for estimating risk premia and highlights the proliferation of risk pricing factors that result in a wide range of different asset-price-based expectation measures. It then describes a key methodological innovation to evaluate the empirical plausibility of risk premium estimates and to identify the most accurate market-based expectation measure. The usefulness of this general approach is illustrated for price expectations in the global oil market. Then, the paper provides an overview of the body of empirical evidence for monetary policy and inflation expectations with a special emphasis on market-specific characteristics that complicate the quest for the best possible market-based expectation measure. Finally, it discusses a number of economic applications where market expectations play a key role for evaluating economic models, guiding policy analysis, and deriving shock measures.


One of the main reasons for environmental disturbances such as declination in pasture productivity and biodiversity losses is the high infestation of herbaceous weeds, generally referred to as "Juquira" in the Amazon region. If they are not adequately controlled, such infestation might lead to degradation of pasture, resulting in complete loss of productivity and subsequent abandonment of the area. In this sense, this chapter aims to describe the main invasive species present in the Amazon region, as well as to characterize both the old and innovative techniques of use in agriculture, in large and small scale, for the control of agricultural pests.


The federal government and the Bank of Canada have been committed for some time to achieving and maintaining price stability as a way to foster a rising standard of living for all Canadians. To support this objective, the inflation-control target range of 1to 3per cent was recently extended through to the end of 2001. By then, the government and the Bank plan to announce a long-run target for monetary policy. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the most recent empirical evidence on the benefits of lower inflation. They draw on an extensive earlier survey and on work presented at two recent conferences on price stability hosted by the Bank of Canada. They find that, when inflation and tax interactions are taken into account, there are large benefits to lowering inflation. When these benefits are compared with the transitional costs associated with lowering inflation, significant positive benefits remain. However, the authors note that the extension of the inflation-control targets to the end of 2001 allows further research to ensure an operational definition of price stability that will help Canadians achieve a high standard of living.


This paper discusses the ideal shapes of control frames (i.e., RTS/CTS frames) in the IEEE 802.11 MAC layer for efficient power control and directional beam forming in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Control frames are used to coordinate concurrent transmissions for collision avoidance. Most existing schemes are either overly conservative (i.e., using omnidirectional control frames without power control) or overly aggressive (i.e., using directional control frames with the minimal power). The former has low spatial reuse and the latter increases collisions. We propose twocontrolframeshaping schemes that encourage spatial reuse while avoiding the collisions. The first scheme, called adaptive power control, uses a single RTS/CTS exchange to solve the hidden terminal problem caused by heterogeneous transmission powers. The second scheme, called control frame relay, uses multiple RTS/CTS frames to avoid both the hidden terminal and deafness problems. In designing these schemes, we assume an existing topology control protocol. By exploiting the benefits of regulated traffic and neighbor awareness that accompany a topology control process, the shapes of control frames can be reduced significantly. Extensive simulations were conducted and simulation results show that the proposed scheme outperforms several existing protocols in terms of spatial reuse and collision avoidance.


Osteoporosis is the second most-prevalent epidemiologic disease in the aging population worldwide. Cross-sectional and retrospective evidence indicates that tea consumption can mitigate bone loss and reduce risk of osteoporotic fractures. Tea polyphenols enhance osteoblastogenesis and suppress osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Previously, we showed that (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the green tea polyphenols, increased osteogenic differentiation of murine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) by increasing the mRNA expression of osteogenesis-related genes, alkaline phosphatase activity and, eventually, mineralization. We also found that EGCG could mitigate bone loss and improve bone microarchitecture in ovariectomy-induced osteopenic rats, as well as enhancing bone defect healing partially via bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2). The present study investigated the effects of EGCG in human BMSCs. We found that EGCG, at concentrations of both 1 and 10 µmol/L, can increase mRNA expression of BMP2, Runx2, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteonectin and osteocalcin 48 h after treatment. EGCG increased ALP activity both 7 and 14 days after treatment. Furthermore, EGCG can also enhance mineralization two weeks after treatment. EGCG without antioxidants also can enhance mineralization. In conclusion, EGCG can increase mRNA expression of BMP2 and subsequent osteogenic-related genes including Runx2, ALP, osteonectin and osteocalcin. EGCG further increased ALP activity and mineralization. Loss of antioxidant activity can still enhance mineralization of human BMSCs (hBMSCs).


This study aimed to quantify the burden of childhood diarrhea morbidity and mortality of the under five children in Nairobi city using household data and hospital records. The main objective of this study was to estimate the diarrhea disease burden of aged less than five years associated with Water, sanitation and hygiene in Nairobi using available mortality and morbidity information. The study used a cross-sectional, non-interventional approach. For estimating childhood diarrhea disease burden, the study area was categorized into four exposure residential environs differentiated by WASH and SES characteristics. The delineation gave four residential environs namely Informal settlement Low Income Residential Areas (ISLI), High Density Low income residential Area (HDLI), Medium Density High income residential Area (MDHI) and Ligh Density High income residential Area (LDHI). The parameters considered included access to improved water and sanitation and diarrhea (case fatality, incidence rate, incidence duration, and prevalence) so as to calculate Disability Adjusted life Years (DALYs). Also household hygiene knowledge and practice were assessed, sanitary inspections conducted and water samples collected that were analysed for total and faecal coliform counts, turbidity and conductivity. Data obtained were subjected to relevant statistical tools including descriptive statistics, relative risk estimate, regression analysis and multivariate methods. The results of the study show ISLI and HDLI environs were receiving significantly low and unreliable amounts of water ( 20lcd/person/day) as well as inadequate sanitary facilities. The results also revealed that the microbiological quality of water in ISLI and HDLI residential environs was generally poor due to poor water handling practices and poor sanitary conditions within the surroundings. Overall, household water storage showed a significantly higher contamination (33.2%) than household tap water supplies (4.7%).These factors influence a higher childhood diarrhea burden observed in this study for diarreah the study identified a distinct pattern of childhood morbidity. The annual disability adjusted life years for children under the age of five years in Nairobi study area were approximately 106 DALYS/1000 person years (ISLI=223; HDLI=98; MDHI=56 and LDHI=47). This means that children loose approximately 10% of their quality life to diarrhea with ISLI and HDLI losing 22.3% and 9.8% respectively compared to 5.6 and 4.7 per cent for MDHI and LDHI respectively. The diarrhea patterns observed empasised the role of socioeconomic, educational, water supply and sanitation factors on diarrhea morbidity and mortality in Nairobi study area. Some of the most important factors that contributed to diarrhea morbidity were parental education, household water consumption rates household income and access to sanitation facilities. The optimal WASH and SES conditions in this study were for MDHI. There is need therefore to improve children's living conditions to match MDHI residential environs for children's diarrhea and health outcomes to be significantly reduced. To this end, multistakeholder involvement and strengthening of the institutional mechanism responsible for providing water and sanitation in the city will be key to providing improved access to water and sanitation in the city of Nairobi especially in the ISLI and HDLI residential areas of Nairobi. This should be enhanced by legislating mandatory construction of improved ventilated pit latrines, and provide health promotions on the significance of household hygiene among others.


This paper addresses the problem of self-validated labeling of Markov random fields (MRFs), namely to optimize an MRF with unknown number of labels. We present graduated graph cuts (GGC), a new technique that extends the binary s-t graph cut for self-validated labeling. Specifically, we use the split-and-merge strategy to decompose the complex problem to a series of tractable subproblems. In terms of Gibbs energy minimization, a suboptimal labeling is gradually obtained based upon a set of cluster-level operations. By using different optimization structures, we propose three practical algorithms: tree-structured graph cuts (TSGC), net-structured graph cuts (NSGC), and hierarchical graph cuts (HGC). In contrast to previous methods, the proposed algorithms can automatically determine the number of labels, properly balance the labeling accuracy, spatial coherence, and the labeling cost (i.e., the number of labels), and are computationally efficient, independent to initialization, and able to converge to good local minima of the objective energy function. We apply the proposed algorithms to natural image segmentation. Experimental results show that our algorithms produce generally feasible segmentations for benchmark data sets, and outperform alternative methods in terms of robustness to noise, speed, and preservation of soft boundaries.


This thesis is about feature-based mobile robot navigation in unknown environments. The work is focusing on solving the problem of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) including feature extraction, estimation and complete map building solution. The robot platforms used in this work have the encoders for odometry and several laser scanners for exteroperceptive sensors. Simulations, real experiments and existing well known datasets are used in order to verify the performance of the developed algorithms. The algorithms developed in this thesis are features based meaning that instead of directly using raw sensory data geometric features are first extracted. This allows the filtering of noise from the sensors and the dynamics of the environment. More importantly, feature based approaches can reduce the amount of data needed to process, enabling the algorithms to scale in large environments. Another advantage of using features is the characteristic of better isolating informative patterns so that by exploiting specific knowledge of the environment, specialized algorithms can be easily adopted with different types of features. Several geometric features (points, lines, planes) are considered in this work. In this thesis, the relative mapping approach is adopted for solving the SLAM problem. This approach has many advantages. First, the mapping is decoupled from the estimation of robot pose so that the map estimation is independent from odometry errors. In other words, odometry errors do not affect and accumulate to the map estimate as in the absolute mapping approach. Second, the estimation does not involve the dynamics model of the robot which is identity in a relative mapping algorithm, meaning that only the observation model is considered in the estimation. A relative map has extra consistency problem compared to an absolute map. It is subject to the geometrical consistency problem which may generate an inconsistent absolute map after an transformation. However, having only observation model in the estimation gives an insight to separating nonlinearities from the iterative part of the estimator and thus minimize the effects of linearization errors. In this work, these subjects are investigated and reported. For some service robotic applications, especially for indoor office-like environments, we would like to have a fast, robust and lightweight approach which is capable to perform real-time SLAM on minimal hardware platforms. By exploiting some known knowledge about the structure of the environment, we claim to be able to achieve that goal. Particularly, the OrthoSLAM algorithm has been developed for building 2D and 3D maps. The algorithm adopts the Orthogonality assumption (or constraint) on the environment. First, the complexity of the SLAM algorithm is significantly reduced. Second, the linearization error from the robot heading uncertainty is removed and thus the map consistency is greatly improved. Implementations of the developed algorithms are tested on simulated data, on existing real world datasets and on robot platforms. Existing algorithms used in this work have been also reimplemented. The performance of the algorithms are analysed and compared on well chosen criteria. Particularly, the issues on computational complexity, linearization error, map consistency, map precision, realtime capability are investigated.


We investigate glassy dynamical properties of one-component three-dimensional system of particles interacting via pair repulsive potential by the molecular dynamic simulation in the wide region of densities. The glass state is superfragile and it has high glass-forming ability. The glass transition temperature T(g) has a pronounced minimum at densities where the frustration is maximal.


With the rapid growth of new wireless devices and applications over the past decade, the demand for wireless radio spectrum is increasing relentlessly. The development of cognitive radio networking provides a framework for making the best possible use of limited spectrum resources, and it is revolutionising the telecommunications industry. This book presents the fundamentals of designing, implementing, and deploying cognitive radio communication and networking systems. Uniquely, it focuses on game theory and its applications to various aspects of cognitive networking. It covers in detail the core aspects of cognitive radio, including cooperation, situational awareness, learning, and security mechanisms and strategies. In addition, it provides novel, state-of-the-art concepts and recent results. This is an ideal reference for researchers, students and professionals in industry who need to learn the applications of game theory to cognitive networking.


Three drinking water treatment plants with different performance capacities have been constructed within the last few years. The treatment chains, developed and proven systematically over decades, were applied consistently in each of the treatment plants. Accordingly, the construction and operations costs were greatly reduced, in addition to a significant increase in the security of the treatment process. The future does not lie in extreme experimentation, but rather in the utilisation of the large investment in water resources protection through reliable drinking water treatment processes adjusted to each particular situation and able to adapt to short term disruptions in raw water quality.


Aim of the study was the description of the transcriptional profile of different vasculogenic, angiogenic and haematogenic growth factors (Flk-1, Flt-1, VEGF, c-kit, SCF, VE-Cadherin, FGF-2, Ang-1, BMP2, BMP4) in the tissues of early vessel- and blood cell formation of the chick embryo. For this purpose the quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used, with which the amount of defined transcripts in previously processed tissue samples can be determined.
In the course of the first seven days (E0 – E7) of embryologic development tissue samples of the two extraembryonic haemangiopoetic organs, the yolk sac and the allantois/chorioallantois, as well as of the embryo itself were taken and the mRNA-quantity of the numbered factors determined as mentioned above. By this means a comparison of the transcriptional levels in the different samples was achieved and enabled relative quantification. So the transcriptional activity and the approximate time course of gene expression of the investigated growth factors in the first third of chick development could be determined.
It was shown that the transcriptional activity of the genes of interest was generally higher in the allantois/chorioallantois compared to the yolk sac. This imbalance even grew constantly from embryonic age E4 to E7. Thus in the allantois/chorioallantois a more intense vasculogenesis/angiogenesis compared to the yolk sac was taking place and according to that the higher amount of VE-Cadherin suggested a higher fraction of endothelial cells in the tissues of the allantois/chorioallantois. The target genes Flk-1, Flt-1_cons, VEGF und VE-Cadherin showed only small fluctuations of the cellular mRNA content over the course of the observed development, i.e. they were transcribed with a quite stable intensity. For the target genes Flt-1_ms, c-kit, SCF, BMP2 und BMP4 minor increases as well as minor decreases of the cellular mRNA content were observed, which varied from one day of embryologic development to the next with a factor in the range of 0,2 to 5. Differential transcriptional intensities higher than that were only observed for FGF-2 and Ang-1. For FGF-2 in the yolk sac, respectively Ang-1 in the allantois/chorioallantois, an approximate sevenfold increase of the transcriptional level from E4 to E5 could be shown. This may underline the importance of the correlated proteins for the ontogenesis of these organs at that point of time. In the embryo from E1 to E2 an approximate 40fold increase of the cellular mRNA content of Ang-1 was observed, which was followed by an about 20fold increase up to E3. From E1 to E3 these increases summed up to an almost 1000fold increase, which was by far the strongest regulational activity observed in this study. In the yolk sac a similarly high amount of Ang-1 mRNA was detected, suggesting an effective translation, great importance of the correlating angiogenic proteins for the maturation of the primary capillary plexuses in the embryo as well as in the yolk sac after three days of extrauterine development can be postulated.
The determination of the individual amplification efficiency of each reaction of the real-time RT-PCR with the help of computer-based linear regression analysis resulted for the first cycles with detectable amplification and according increase in fluorescence-intensity in a multiplication to far over the double up to the fourfold RFU-value from one cycle to the next. This contradicts the theoretical maximum of an exponential amplification to the base of two and could be the result of a quantitative imbalance in the limited matrix-molecules compared to the other, prominent at the beginning of the reaction in extense present, PCR-educts. An intense observation of the reaction kinetics of exponential phase PCR-amplification seems helpful for an even more exact nucleotide-quantification.


Co oxide (Co(3)O(4)) nanotubes are shown to act as an efficient water oxidation catalyst when driven with a visible light sensitizer (pH 7). The nanotubes form the core of a Co(3)O(4)-SiO(2) core-shell nanotube design for separating the carbon dioxide photoreduction from the oxygen evolution reaction. Amorphous dense phase silica of a few nanometers depth is shown to conduct protons while blocking molecular oxygen. Organic molecular wires embedded in the silica shell provide controlled charge transport between the light absorber on one side and the Co(3)O(4) catalyst on the other side. Hence, the silica shell is suitable as a membrane of an assembly for closing the photosynthetic cycle on the nanometer scale under product separation.


The research deals with qualitative understanding of physics notions at the secondary level. It attempts to identify and to label, in the verbalizations of 12 to 16 year-old students, the tendencies that guide their cognitive itineraries through the exploration of problem-situations. The hypotheses of work were about models, conceptions and pprims. These last objects are seen, in DiSessa's epistemological perspective, as a type of habit that influences the determination of links between the parameters of a problem. In other words, they coordinate logically and mathematically. Methodology is based on explicitation interviews. Five students were invited to share their evocations as they explored the logics of a computerized microworld. This microworld is programmed on the Interactive Physics software and is made of five different situations that involve Newton's laws. An analysis of the five student's verbalizations shows the existence of elements that play a part in modelisation and qualitative construction of comprehension as well as in its qualitative/quantitative articulation. Results indicate the presence of easily discernible coordinative habits. P-prims appear to play an important part in the construction of models and in the determination of links between the variables of a problem. Implications of the research are, among others, at the praxic level; it becomes possible to imagine sequences of learning and teaching physics based on the consideration of p-prims despite the implicit nature of these objects. This is a truly constructivist practice which establishes bridges between novice and expert knowledge.


A wide range of experiments have been carried out on a 2CrMoNiWV low alloy steel to investigate the effect of various heat treatment conditions on microstructural change, alloy carbide transformation mechanism and
mechanical properties.
Two complete continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams were constructed for this steel on the basis of experimental dilatometry thermal analysis, metallographic examination and current phase transformation theory.
The significance of these two diagrams is in that they can be directly utilised in industrial practice as a reference during heat treatment for this material. Meanwhile it was confirmed that this 2CrMoNiWV steel can be transformed to a
fully bainitic microstructure over a wide range of cooling rates and this feature proved this steel suitable for large diameter steam turbine rotor application.
An innovative carbide extraction technique for the XRD identification of carbide phase has been developed. The detailed description of this new technique and its advantages are discussed in this thesis. The extensive work
using TEM/EDX has set up essential "finger prints" for the quick examination of large amounts of individual carbide existing at various heat treated conditions. Simultaneous measurements and determinations were made on particle
composition, morphological change, the type, amount and distribution of these carbide phases. Thus the sequence of carbide transformation for this 2CrMoNiWV steel during tempering has been established.
The characteristic microstructures of various heat treated specimens were carefully examined and discussed. Theoretical thermodynamic equilibria predictions were calculated using MTDATA. A very good agreement was found
between experimental results and theoretical predictions on those critical transformation temperatures and a good correlation of carbide evolution sequences was obtained. Based on experimental results and theoretical predictions, the role of tungsten in promoting creep resistance to the material is elucidated.
The usefulness of equilibrium thermodynamic calculations using MTDATA in predicting the microstructural changes and carbide evolution has been demonstrated in this work, particularly the separate effect of composition on the stable carbide dispersion where a thermodynamic approach offers great benefits.
A possibly optimised heat treatment route is suggested for the large diameter rotor forgings which involves austenitising at 980°C for 10 hours following by oil quenching and then tempering at 675°C for 20 hours following
by air cooling.
Some general conclusions are drawn from this study, especially with regard to the effect of heat treatment on the microstructure of this 2CrMoNiWV steel and suggestions for further work are made.


This dissertation accomplishes several tasks. First it surveys the literature in the resource-base theory of a firm and retailing for establishing the vital links necessary for firm heterogeneity in the retail channel for white goods. The review depicts not only the various dimensions of the concepts of resources, capabilities and competitive behaviour on competitive advantage but also the specific organisational/inter-organisational and strategic adaptation capabilities that direct some firms to outperform other firms in this retail channel.

The empirical analysis for testing competitive advantages included a main survey analysis that consisted of all retailers and another for the small retailers. A model was constructed to diffuse simultaneously the critical resources, capabilities and competitive behaviour to competitive advantages pertaining to this retail channel in the UK. Furthermore, this method of linking and ranking of key resources and capabilities to competitive advantages is expected to encourage managers to leverage existing resource positions into superior future positions. Additionally it is also expected to help regulators address competitive issues accordingly.

The results indicate that in this retail channel competitive advantages were associated to key resources and key capabilities. In this study the linking of strategic adaptive capabilities to key resources highlight retailer branding enhancements from non product activities. These non-product activities were a basis for setting ex ante limits to future competition in this retail channel.

The outcome of the analysis illustrates that efficiency and/or effectiveness of outlets (key resources) were subject to delivery of customer values from product portfolios that increased market shares (proxy for competitive advantage) for the retailer organisations. This study also demonstrates how retailer outlets became a source of competitive advantage by fulfilling the conditions of value, rarity, inimitability and insubstitutability.

Finally, this study also reviews the current retail structure of this retail channel to understand why it could be efficient and effective than its counterparts in Europe. The result of the two surveys suggests some evidence of imperfect competition and directs attention not to the concentration of firms but to the imbalances of outlet classes prevailing in this retail channel. Moreover this study also reveals that the number of small retailer outlets prevalent in this retail channel may indirectly control to a certain degree the extent of the advantages of economies of scale/scope that is available to the larger retailers.


OF PROJECT An Innovation Culture Assessment Plan for a Department of a Fortune 500 Company This project presents an approach to assess the creative climate of a department of a Fortune 500 organization. This project includes a review of the approaches other organizations have taken to assess innovation climate, an evaluation of the approach the focal company currently uses and finally, a plan to assess the innovation climate for a department of the focal company. The proposed plan incorporates learnings from the reviewed literature, best practices from companies such as ?What If!, and institutions such as International Center for Studies in Creativity (ICSC), and my perspective on my experience with innovation in Corporate America. ____________________ Signature ____________________ Date


Synthetic collateralized debt obligations (synthetic CDOs) nearly brought down the global economy by spreading the contagion of toxic assets throughout the financial system. Following the crash, government hearings exposed the ugly conflicts of interest inherent in the structuring of synthetic CDOs, as investment banks such as Goldman Sachs created, sold, and invested in synthetic CDOs, often at the expense of their clients. Some of the world's largest financial institutions bitterly complained that these synthetic CDOs had been "designed to fail" by the investment banks, so that the investment banks could profit at their expense. In this article, I argue that focusing primarily on the misconduct by investment banks, or on the harm suffered by investors, has caused regulators to miss the real issue: that the synthetic CDO is an incredibly dangerous derivative that needs to be strictly regulated and perhaps outright banned. I show that relying on the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws to manage synthetic CDOs will not be sufficient to address the dangers. Similarly, I show that the proposed SEC rules prohibiting certain conflicts of interests in the sale of synthetic CDOS do not go far enough.


ABSTRACT Introduction: The elderly are high risk for chronic diseases and multiple drug use – two problems that make geriatric medication use more complex; as a result, the possibility of duplicate prescriptions and drug interactions increase, affecting patient safety. The objective of this study was to develop an Intelligent Prescription System Combined with a National PharmaCloud for Geriatrics Care (IPSPcG) that can reduce the occurrence of duplicate prescriptions. Methods: The system was implemented in a teaching hospital in Taiwan. The IPSPcG consists of two major components: (1) the collection module and (2) Intelligent Knowledge-base Module. Data on medication prescription behaviors and medication-blocking rates were gathered from January 2015 to December 2017. Results: Overall, during the study period, the IPSPcG system included 39,678 prescriptions. Antihypertensive medications were included at the highest proportion (8962, 22.6%). The system changed physician's prescription behavior (p < .001) and decreased potential duplicate prescription times (14%). Conclusion: The results of this study show that integrating appropriate recommendations from drug messages can reduce repeated drug prescriptions. Due to the diversity of diseases, the diversity and accuracy of medical advice must improve. The results of the 'Comprehensive Prescription Information' provided by this system can serve as a reference for future research.


Recent research findings suggest that idiosyncratic variables can influence the outcomes of functional analyses (E. G. Carr, Yarbrough, & Langdon, 1997). In the present study, we examined idiosyncratic environment-behavior relations more precisely after identifying stimuli (i.e., a particular toy and social interaction) associated with increased levels of problem behavior. Two children, an 8-year-old boy with moderate mental retardation and a 5-year-old boy with no developmental delays, participated. Results of functional analyses for both children indicated that idiosyncratic antecedent stimuli set the occasion for occurrences of problem behavior (hand biting or hand flapping) and that problem behavior persisted in the absence of social contingencies. Further analyses were conducted to identify specific components of the stimuli that occasioned problem behavior. Treatments based on results of the analyses successfully reduced self-injury and hand flapping.


This research project evaluated the overall hydroperiod and effects of monitoring well design parameters on observed levels of saturation in created wetlands with high-clay subsoils at the Cedar Run 3 mitigation bank site in Prince William County, Virginia. Three complete replications of an electronic central array and an associated surrounding array of manually monitored wells and piezometers were installed. The electronic arrays contained a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) standard monitoring well, as well as piezometers and tensiometers at three depths. The manually monitored well + piezometer arrays (3 per location; 9 total) consisted of 12 variants of screen types and filter pack materials, well diameter, and unlined bore holes. The site exhibited a complex seasonal hydroperiod ranging from ponded winter conditions to deep (< -50 cm) summer dry down. The site also exhibited epiaquic (perched) conditions following summer and fall precipitation events. Apparent water levels in deep (> 1 m) piezometers exhibited an unusual hydroperiod with highest levels in summer. Differences in well/piezometer diameter, design, and packing texture/fit produced surprisingly different apparent water levels that varied from ~ 4 to over 28 cm during both the winter ponded periods and summer subsoil water table flux periods. Thus, one important finding is that relatively simple differences in well designs can have dramatic effects on observed water levels. Overall, the standard USACOE appeared to be relatively accurate for predicting saturation levels during ponded periods, but nested piezometers are preferred and more accurate for the drier summer and fall.


Fusarium wilt (FW), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4, VCG 1213/16), is increasingly impacting on banana production around the world. The disease threatens the livelihoods of many smallholders and independent banana producers, particularly those growing 'Cavendish' (AAA) in monoculture for the domestic or international supermarket trade. Depending on their circumstances, banana growers require different sets of management practices to either; protect their farms from disease incursions, to slow the spread of the disease within their farms or enable them to return to profitable banana production once decimated by FW. Currently, there are no completely resistant cultivars that achieve the same productivity and marketability as current 'Cavendish' cultivars. Experience has shown that to do nothing or to disregard the disease leads to widespread losses and promotes the spread to previously uninfected areas. Therefore, there is a need to implement management strategies at different levels of disease threat, to manage the disease epidemics in already infected areas to slow the spread and protect uninfected areas. A successful integrated FW management strategy combines knowledge of the epidemiology of Foc TR4, with knowledge of the banana production system. However, banana-producing countries and even plantations differ in their production systems, so there is no easy solution to manage FW. For example, in Australia early detection, farmer awareness, on-farm biosecurity and agro-ecological practices have slowed the spread of FW. In Taiwan and the Philippines, The inclusion of somaclonal tissue culture variants, integrated with sound eradication, exclusion and cultural practices has allowed banana production to continue in the presence of Foc TR4. As validated improvements in agro-ecological plantation management and disease management strategies are developed, they can be incorporated into commercial production systems to allow farm viability in the presence of Fusarium wilt. © International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.


The work reported here was done in close collaboration between the Forest Sector Project of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The reasons for this joint effort were twofold. As far as IIASA is concerned, the incentive was our need for a consistent and full-scale historical data set on bilateral trade flows to be used in the global model. The FAO had several interests for participating in this analysis. First, to gain a fast computerized access to the very large UN data bank on trade in forest products. Then to carry out a series of comparisons between the UN and the FAO data, and, finally, to generate a set of standardized trade matrices. It is expected that the results will provide the basis for further validation of FAO data.

Both the aims of IIASA and of FAO require an algorithm for "reconciling" the data of different origins with each other. This algorithm can then be used to calculate a set of trade matrices that may be closer to reality. The importance of such matrices is evident: past trade and other economic analyses having been based on any one of the various original trade matrices led to conclusions of a somewhat diverse and conflicting nature, reflecting sometimes the specific features - and errors - of the data set. The reconciliation method reported here produces historically consistent trade matrices. Even though some rules of the algorithm may be questioned, it is believed that the simplicity of our procedure makes it easier to use than many of the other known and more sophisticated data reconciliation techniques.


As a rising economic power in East Asia, Taiwan once served as a destination of sex tourism, now gradually it is becoming a country of buyers seeking sex abroad. Currently, China appears to be one of the most popular destinations. Drawing on data from in-depth interviews with 40 Taiwanese male sex buyers and ethnographic data collected by traveling with a group of five men, this article aims to explore how buying sex abroad appears to be the complicated site of power struggles where sexuality intersects with gender, nationality, and global economic hierarchy. By conceptualizing men's buying of sex abroad as sexual migration, I illustrate the ways in which men's border crossings for buying sex are complexly embedded in the gender, sexuality, and class relations in Taiwan, and how their sexual encounters with Chinese women are always contaminated by the politics of nationalism which derive from the unsettled political atmospheres across the Taiwan Strait. I argue that sexual migration is made attractive mainly because of the sexual discontent caused by the stratification of the Taiwanese sex industry and the sexual constraints and routineness of heterosexual monogamy. Buying sex abroad therefore appears as a temporary escape from this mundaneness and banality. Conceptualizing men's buying sex abroad in dynamic transnational contexts, we could illustrate how men actively negotiate sexual desires at both ends of the Taiwan Strait, and go further to analyse how sexuality serves to shape regional migration, and how it interweaves with gender, class and nationality.


Cloud computing theoretically offers its customers unlimited cloud resources. However, the scalability of software services is often limited by their underlying architecture. In contrast to current scalability analysis approaches, we make work parameters, quality thresholds, as well as the resource space explicit in a conceptually consistent set of equations. We propose two scalability metric functions based on these equations. The resource scalability metric function describes the relation between the capacity of the multi-tier cloud software service and its use of cloud resources, whereas the cost scalability metric function replaces cloud resources with cost. We validate using the Cloud-Store application. CloudStore follows the TPC-W specification, representing an online book store. We have experimented with 21 different public Amazon Web Service configurations and two private OpenStack configurations.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the distribution of lesions and extent of tissues infected with Mycobacterium bovis in a captive population of white-tailed deer.

DESIGN
Cross-sectional study.

ANIMALS
116 captive white-tailed deer.

PROCEDURE
Deer were euthanatized, and postmortem examinations were performed. Tissues with gross lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were collected for microscopic analysis and bacteriologic culture. Tissues from the head, thorax, and abdomen of deer with no gross lesions were pooled for bacteriologic culture. Tonsillar, nasal, oral, and rectal swab specimens, fecal samples, and samples of hay and pelleted feed, soil around feeding sites, and water from 2 natural ponds were collected for bacteriologic culture.

RESULTS
Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from 14 of 116 (12%) deer; however, only 9 of 14 had lesions consistent with tuberculosis. Most commonly affected tissues included the medial retropharyngeal lymph node and lung. Five of 14 tuberculous deer had no gross lesions; however, M bovis was isolated from pooled tissue specimens from the heads of each of these deer. Bacteriologic culture of tonsillar swab specimens from 2 of the infected deer yielded M bovis. Mean (+/- SEM) age of tuberculous deer was 2.5 +/- 0.3 years (range, 0.5 to 6 years). Mycobacterium bovis was not isolated from feed, soil, water, or fecal samples.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Examination of hunter-killed white-tailed deer for tuberculosis commonly includes only the lymph nodes of the head. Results of such examinations may underestimate disease prevalence by as much as 57%. Such discrepancy should be considered when estimating disease prevalence.


Technical challenges exist with infrastructure that can be addressed by nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods, such as detecting corrosion damage to reinforcing steel that anchor concrete bridge railings to bridge road decks. Moisture and chloride ions reach the anchors along the cold joint between the rails and deck, causing corrosion that weakens the anchors and ultimately the barriers. The Center for Nondestructive Evaluation at Iowa State University has experience in development of measurement techniques and new sensors using a variety of interrogating energies. This research evaluated feasibility of three technologies—x-ray radiation, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and magnetic flux leakage (MFL)—for detection and quantification of corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel. Controlled samples containing pristine reinforcing steel with and without epoxy and reinforcing steel with 25 percent and 50 percent section reduction were embedded in concrete at 2.5 in. deep for laboratory evaluation. Two of the techniques, GPR and MFL, were used in a limited field test on the Iowa Highway 210 Bridge over Interstate 35 in Story County. The methods provide useful and complementary information. GPR provides a rapid approach to identify reinforcing steel that has anomalous responses. MFL provides similar detection responses but could be optimized to provide more quantitative correlation to actual condition. Full implementation could use either GPR or MFL methods to identify areas of concern, followed by radiography to give a visual image of the actual condition, providing the final guidance for maintenance actions.


Teenage motherhood is a worldwide problem with 36.4 million girls giving birth before the age of 18 years in difference in adjustment of readmitted teenage mothers in select age. Mixed method research approach was used and within it Sequential Explanatory Design was adopted. The target population consisted of 288 respondents namely 23 principals, 23 guidance and counseling teachers and 242 county. The findings of the study indicated that the older readmitted teenage mothers had higher mean score in overall adjustment than the younger ones. For example, whereas the teenage mothe aged group of above 19 years had a mean of 2.63 (SD=.316, SE=.056), those who were age below 15 years only had a mean adjustment of 1.72 (SD=.244, SE=.031). It was clearly shown that there was a statistically significant difference in overall adj =144.5, p<.05]. It was therefore concluded that there was significant influence of age on adjustment, with older readmitted teenage mother reported indicated that most young teen mothers had a lot of difficulties in adjusting to school life on return to school. However, the older and more mature teen easily cope with the problems after counselling. It means th adjustment. However, it was reported that, the younger teen with the counsellors in school but had challenges in adjusting to school. The study recommends that teacher counselors teenage mothers adjust appropriately at school.


Purpose: The ephrin receptors (Eph) are found in a wide range of cancers and correlate with metastasis. In this study, we characterized the role of Eph-B2 receptor in the interaction of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) cells with the bone marrow microenvironment. Experimental Design: We screened the activity of different receptor tyrosine kinases in WM patients and found that Eph-B2 was overexpressed compared with control. Also, we tested the expression of ephrin-B2 ligand on endothelial cells and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) isolated from WM patients. We then tested the role of Eph-B2/Ephrin-B2 interaction in the adhesion of WM cells to endothelial cells and BMSCs; the cell signaling induced by the coculture in both the WM cells and the endothelial cells; WM cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle in vitro and tumor progression in vivo; and in angiogenesis. Results: Eph-B2 receptor was found to be activated in WM patients compared with control, with a 5-fold increase in CD19+ WM cells, and activated cell adhesion signaling, including focal adhesion kinase, Src, P130, paxillin, and cofilin, but decreased WM cell chemotaxis. Ephrin-B2 ligand was highly expressed on endothelial cells and BMSCs isolated from WM patients and on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and induced signaling in the endothelial cells promoting adhesion and angiogenesis. Blocking of ephrin-B2 or Eph-B2 inhibited adhesion, cytoskeletal signaling, proliferation, and cell cycle in WM cells, which was induced by coculture with endothelial cells and decreased WM tumor progression in vivo. Conclusion: Ephrin-B2/Eph-B2 axis regulates adhesion, proliferation, cell cycle, and tumor progression in vivo through the interaction of WM with the cells in the bone marrow microenvironment. Clin Cancer Res; 18(1); 91–104. ©2011 AACR.


This built project arose after FAT was selected unanimously by residents in a 2003 competition to design new houses for the
Manchester Methodist Housing Group within Urban Splash's New Islington development. Griffiths was FAT's lead designer in
this project. The £2.3 million scheme comprises 23 two-to-four bedroom family homes and gardens. The design's aim is to unify
the residents' desire for traditional homes with the masterplan commitment to innovative world-class architecture, and was
developed in close collaboration with the occupants. The Islington Square Housing scheme is designed to meet ambitious
sustainability targets, intended as an exemplar for future UK construction. The design reduces primary energy, CO2 emissions
and water consumption, 'green' specification of materials and reduction of construction waste, design for life-cycle adaptability,
etc. and has an EcoHomes 'excellent' rating. Hence the key issue was to develop a model for mass housing design, achieving a
high standard of ecological awareness and more sustainable approach to housing provision.
Once again, the scheme has been widely covered in the architectural and national press, including BBC2's 'Culture Show',
Guardian, Times, Financial Times, Daily Mirror, Evening Standard, L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui, etc. It is also reviewed in: Anglo
Files (Thames & Hudson, 2005, pp. 112-27); Gritty Brits (Carnegie Museum of Art, 2007, pp. 56-59); Building Design (28 April
2006, pp. 14-20); Building (31 March 2006, pp. 54-58); Blueprint (May 2006, pp. 84-87); Architecture Today (May 2006, pp.
56-61); Architectural Design (July/August 2006, pp. 122-128); etc. The scheme has won several awards: Best Public Housing
Project in 2006 Brick Development Association Awards; Daily Telegraph's 'What House' Award; Building Magazine's 'Best
Development' Award; Regeneration Partnership of the Year Award 2006. It was however famously rejected for a RIBA Regional
Award (2007), despite intensive pressure on the judges from RIBA's headquarters and others to recognise it.


Objective: To analyse combinational effect of pulsed dye laser and propranolol on treatment of Superficial Hemangioma (SH).
Methods: From June 2016 to June 2017, we collected 110 children with SH enrolled in Linyi No.3 People's Hospital. All patients were divided randomly and evenly into two groups (control group and study group). The patients in control group were treated with pulsed dye laser, while patient in study group were treated with pulsed dye laser and propranolol. The efficacies of those two different treatment methods were analysed and compared.
Results: The heart rate of the control group is 143.29 ± 5.96 times/min, but that of the study group is 120.03 ± 2.36 times/min. Moreover, the efficacy rate in the study group was 98.18% (54/55), which is higher than 74.55% (41/55) in the control group. Meanwhile, the adverse reaction rate in the study group is 3.64% (2/55), which is lower than 20.00% (11/55) in the control group.
Conclusion: Combination of pulsed dye laser and propranolol is effective in the treatment of superficial hemangioma.


Parasites release cyclic adenosine monophosphate when swallowed up by myeloid cells, thereby turning off a host defense pathway. African trypanosomes, responsible for human sleeping sickness, are known for their powerful strategies of immune evasion, in particular antigenic variation. Adding another facet to this adaptive potential, Salmon et al. now show that early after infection, these parasites subvert the first line of innate host defense by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor–α synthesis in myeloid cells. This occurs through the stress-induced synthesis and release of cyclic adenosine monophosphate by phagocytosed parasites. The findings provide a long-sought function for the abundant and diverse adenylate cyclases in salivarian trypanosomes. Furthermore, this altruistic host colonization strategy, in which a proportion of parasites are sacrificed so that others can thrive, also highlights the selective advantage of population behavior in infection. D. Salmon, G. Vanwalleghem, Y. Morias, J. Denoeud, C. Krumbholz, F. Lhommé, S. Bachmaier, M. Kador, J. Gossmann, F. B. S. Dias, G. De Muylder, P. Uzureau, S. Magez, M. Moser, P. De Baetselier, J. Van Den Abbeele, A. Beschin, M. Boshart, E. Pays, Adenylate cyclases of Trypanosoma brucei inhibit the innate immune response of the host. Science 337, 463–466 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Abstract Initiatives for teachers' professional development should rely on the epistemology of practice, that is, be founded on the premise that reflective teachers construct professional knowledge and develop professional skills through practice and through planning, observing or analysing practice. Reflection about teaching action and reflection in teaching action triggers innovation, especially when teachers work together to create the necessary conditions to transform learning. This paper advocates in favour of collaborative action research and innovation as a methodology to promote change in classroom practices. To illustrate this proposal, it presents a case study in which a secondary English teacher from a school which hosts adolescents at risk opens her classrooms to a researcher and a group of pre-service teachers with the objective to reflect upon her own practices and to become an agent of change. Our corpus is made of natural audio-recorded data from the discussions emerging during focus-group sessions held to evaluate the ongoing innovation and interviews to participating secondary students and trainee teachers. The analysis of those interactions will first lead us to reflect upon the challenges of promoting change in the classrooms. Then it will allow us to understand the impact of the experience and argue in favour of a model of teacher education based on team work as a tool to acquire professional skills and guarantee students' learning success.


Community workers play an important role in providing support services to parents and families whose children may be placed in out-of-home care by child protection authorities. This paper shows how the stigma attached to parents spreads to discredit community workers who are assisting them and results in stigma by association. Stigma by association was inferred from interviews with 19 community workers from nine different organizations. These workers reported being stereotyped as rejecting the principle of acting in the best interests of the child, treated in a discriminatory and hostile manner, robbed of status recognition, and undermined in their capacity to do their jobs. Most showed a degree of resistance and managed to maintain their commitment to parents and families. Institutional failure to take advantage of the knowledge and experience of community workers, however, undermined the capacity of the child protection authority to map out new pathways for family unification and safety for children.


Abstract In order to contribute to taxonomic information on Tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) in South America, surveys were conducted in Brazil (15 States and the Federal District) and Uruguay (one Department); 550 samples of 120 plant species were collected. Tetranychid mite infestations were confirmed in 204 samples, and 22 species belonging to seven genera of the Bryobiinae and Tetranychinae subfamilies were identified on 58 different host plants. Thirty-six new plant hosts were found in Brazil, South America, and worldwide for the following species: Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor); Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar); Oligonychus anonae Paschoal; O. mangiferus (Rahman and Sapra); Tetranychus bastosi Tuttle, Baker and Sales; T. desertorum Banks, 1900, T. evansi Baker and Pritchard; T. ludeni Zacher; T. mexicanus (McGregor); T. neocaledonicus André; and T. urticae Koch. Four new localities in Brazil were reported for Eotetranychus tremae De Leon; O. anonae; Panonychus ulmi (Koch); and T. gloveri Baker and Pritchard.


Communication is a huge challenge for oesophageal speakers, be it for interactions with fellow humans or with digital voice assistants. We aim to quantify these communication challenges (both human–human and human–machine interactions) by measuring intelligibility and Listening Effort (LE) of Oesophageal Speech (OS) in comparison to Healthy Laryngeal Speech (HS). We conducted two listening tests (one web-based, the other in laboratory settings) to collect these measurements. Participants performed a sentence recognition and LE rating task in each test. Intelligibility, calculated as Word Error Rate, showed significant correlation with self-reported LE ratings. Speaker type (healthy or oesophageal) had a major effect on intelligibility and effort. More LE was reported for OS compared to HS even when OS intelligibility was close to HS. Listeners familiar with OS reported less effort when listening to OS compared to nonfamiliar listeners. However, such advantage of familiarity was not observed for intelligibility. Automatic speech recognition scores were higher for OS compared to HS.


Hemodialysis treatment methods in patients with chronic kidney failure increase the life span of these patients, but hemodialysis affects all life aspects of patients and diminishes the quality of life patients. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and quality of life for hemodialysis patients .This study was a descriptive – correlational research conducted in 2014 on 98 hemodialysis patients Referred to Hospitals of University Medical Sciences in Iran Iranshahr .The tools used in this study included demographic questionnaire, Cyberia Shrink Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form Questionnaire. After obtaining informed consent, patient completed the questionnaire. Finally, raw data were collected through questionnaires and were analyzed using SPSS16 Software. To investigate the relationships between predictor and criterion variables, Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis were used .The mean age of patients was 33/36 and the majority of participants were male (58.1 percent). In terms of variable of education level, majority of participants had elementary education, and 54.54% of the mean weight of the patients was 41.06 kg. Mean score of life quality was 41.06 ± 15.95 and the mean score of emotional intelligence was 43.99 ± 10.50. Pearson correlation coefficient with 99% probability confidence showed significant positive correlation between the components of emotional intelligence and quality of life in hemodialysis patients (p<0.001) and emotional intelligence with regression coefficient 0.412 predicts 30% of the variance of quality of life in hemodialysis patients .It is recommended for nurses and nursing directors to improve the quality of life hemodialysis patients by training emotional intelligence skills.


In order to increase access to medical services, expanding coverage has long been the preferred solution of policymakers and advocates alike. The calculus appeared straightforward: provide individuals with insurance, and they will be able to see a provider when needed. However, this line of thinking overlooks a crucial intermediary step: provider networks. As provider networks offered by health insurers link available medical services to insurance coverage, their breadth mediates access to health care. Yet the regulation of provider networks is technically, logistically, and normatively complex. What does network regulation currently look like and what should it look like in the future? We take inventory of the ways private and public entities regulate provider networks. Variation across insurance programs and products is truly remarkable, not grounded in empirical justification, and at times inherently absurd. We argue that regulators should be pragmatic and focus on plausible policy levers. These include assuring network accuracy, transparency for consumers, and consumer protections from grievous inadequacies. Ultimately, government regulation provides an important foundation for ensuring minimum levels of access and providing consumers with meaningful information. Yet, information is only truly empowering if consumers can exercise at least some choice in balancing costs, access, and quality.


The blind source separation (BSS) problem with an unknown number of sources is an important practical issue that is usually skipped by assuming that the source number n is known and equal to the number m of sensors. This letter studies the general BSS problem satisfying m n. First, it is shown that the mutual information of outputs of the separation network is a cost function for BSS, provided that the mixing matrix is of full column rank and the mm separating matrix is nonsingular. The mutual information reaches its local minima at the separation points, where the m outputs consist of n desired source signals and mn redundant signals. Second, it is proved that the natural gradient algorithm proposed primarily for complete BSS (m n) can be generalized to deal with the overdetermined BSS problem (m>n), but it would diverge inevitably due to lack of a stationary point. To overcome this shortcoming, we present a modified algorithm, which can perform BSS steadily and provide the desired source signals at specified channels if some matrix is designed properly. Finally, the validity of the proposed algorithm is confirmed by computer simulations on artificially synthesized data.


The aims of this study were to measure the three-dimensional (3-D) loads exerted on the implants supporting an overdenture during function in vivo and to clarify the effect of the number of the implants on the loads. The load-measuring devices were mounted on the implants inserted in the mandible of a 62 aged female subject. Either two or four implants connected with a bar were used for supporting her overdenture. The loads on the implants were expressed three dimensionally as load vectors and were analyzed in the coordinates based on the Frankfort horizontal plane and sagittal plane. The tasks examined were maximum voluntary clenching (MVC) and gum chewing (GC). The total load exerted on the implants with a four-implant supported overdenture (4I-Od) was larger than that with a two-implants supported overdenture (2I-Od) at MVC. The maximum occlusal force on the overdenture showed the same manner (p<0.01). The directions of the loads were posterior and lateral at MVC. The total load exerted on the implants located on the working side, was larger than that on the implants located on the non-working side during GC in the case of 4I-Od. The similar manner was also observed in the 2I-Od. The tensile loads were registered during GC. The functional loads exerted on the individual implants in the case of 4I-Od were smaller than those in the 2I-Od. The loads on the implants during function are thus affected by the number of implants supporting the overdenture.


Cleanliness has seen a rapid increase in both developed and developing countries, along with a parallel rise in not only water and energy but also cleaning products consumed. Water and energy supply as well as dealing with waste are environmentally critical in securing a sustainable future. This dissertation aims to contribute to sustainability by providing new insights around how conventions change or stay stable. This knowledge will be useful in intervening and shifting conventions in more sustainable directions.To get at cleanliness conventions this dissertation uses three main data sets. First, existing data sets such as time-use surveys as well as domestic water and energy consumption; second media representations of cleanliness in five popular Swedish magazines over the past thirty years; and finally focus-group discussions with fifty-seven participants about how media representations relate to everyday life. This data provides a multi-level exploration of cleanliness developments from the aggregated to the specific. By plotting the way that cleanliness has developed in Sweden over the past thirty years, as well as the media discourses and the way that people relate to these discourses, this dissertation aims to gain a clearer understanding of how conventions come into existence, circulate and become accepted, and how to intervene and shift conventions in more sustainable directions. Cleanliness is a mundane issue, yet stills play a leading role in everyday life, quietly using water, energy and people's time and has been increasing in Sweden since at least the 1980s. I argue that the media is part of this, not as a casual factor, but rather as a reflector and amplifier of various cleanliness practices. Media represent cleanliness, or hyper-cleanliness, as ideal while deviations are presented as shameful or even medical problems. These potentially oppressive representations are, however, not naively accepted in everyday life, but rather calibrated as it is common knowledge that magazines show over-hyped perfection, but also criticised and resisted. Cleanliness is context driven and relational, so this dissertation argues that unsustainable increases in cleanliness that have led to intensifying water and energy consumption could be reversed by changing cleanliness conventions.Investigating cleanliness conventions is important in understanding how resource consuming practices are shared and reproduced. This dissertation provides new insights into ways that media plays into how cleanliness conventions, and ways that people relate to – and resist – representations in everyday life are useful considerations when designing interventions into current collective conventions to steer everyday life in more sustainable directions. (Less)


This procedure was developed to investigate the possible use of RNAi through bacterial feeding as a means of knocking down expression of particular genes. While the utility of RNAi is still being investigated, the method is effective in growing Euplotes crassus to higher densities than is possible using algae alone. Using moderately dense cultures of algae, we typically achieve cell densities of 500-1,000 cells/ml, while with the E. coli supplemented cultures we describe here, Euplotes cell densities exceed 3,000 cells/ml. In fact, preliminary studies mixing a volume of a Euplotes culture with an equal volume of resuspended E. coli have produced a density of ~8,000 cells/ml. While the described procedure involves small cultures, it can likely be scaled up as required. For some species of Euplotes, long-term culture using bacteria as a food source has not been successful (C. Miceli, personal communication), suggesting that some essential nutrient is not being provided in sufficient quantitities


This work completes the study Dr. Richardson published in 1986 as "Christian Reconstruction: The American Missionary Association and Southern Blacks, 1861-1890" by continuing the account of the American Missionary Association (AMA) from the end of Reconstruction to the post-World War II era. Even after the optimism of Reconstruction was shattered by violence, fraud, and intimidation and the white South relegated African Americans to segregated and disfranchised second-class citizenship, the AMA never abandoned its claim that blacks were equal in God's sight, that any 'backwardness' was the result of circumstance rather than inherent inferiority, and that blacks could and should become equal citizens with other Americans. The organization went farther in recognition of black ability, humanity, and aspirations that much of 19th and 20th century white America by publicly and consistently opposing lynching, segregation, disfranchisement, and discrimination.The AMA regarded education as the means to full citizenship for African Americans and supported scores of elementary and secondary schools and several colleges at a time when private schooling offered almost the only chance for black youth to advance beyond the elementary grades. Such AMA schools, with their interracial faculties and advocacy for basic civil rights for black citizens, were a constant challenge to southern racial norms, and trained thousands of leaders in all areas of black life.


The focus of this dissertation is on the evaluation of management in traffic safety, and how it is applied, using the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) as a case study. Road Traffic Management in South Africa is in a state of crisis. The constitution provides for concurrency with respect to road traffic management, however, no mechanism has been implemented for cooperation and coordination. It has been found that the current institutional arrangements are not conducive to coordination and rapid interventions. Due to the scarcity of resources and the desire to streamline the institutional arrangements, an innovative model has been developed which will perform road traffic management collectively, the Road Traffic Management Corporation, RTMC. The implementation of the RTMC will require full cooperation and acceptance by all the various departments concerned, from National Government level, through to Provincial levels, and the Local Authorities. Before the Corporation can be implemented, the funding needs to be secured, and the source of the funding must be stable and committed. The implementing of such a corporation will be delicate, and organizational structure needs to be clear to all parties. At this early stage of the RTMC, the methods of management already used by the RTMC need to be compared to proper management principles, to ensure that the RTMC will have the best structure to ensure its success. Any uncertainties or concerns that may exist among those involved at lower levels can be communicated to top-level management implementing the corporation. By conducting an independent, external investigation, any short falls can be identified which may have been over looked previously. This dissertation aims to ensure that the RTMC adheres to the relevant management principles, focussing on the objective of improving road safety. 3 A questionnaire is devised for the National Department of Transport, so that an independent view of the vision of the RTMC can be acquired. The organizational structure proposed by the RTMC is examined and evaluated to determine the relationship, communication channels, functions and responsibilities, which are intended between the various levels of management and stakeholders. The funding of a corporation such as the RTMC is considered, as the source of such funds needs to be secured before the RTMC can be implemented. A preliminary budget prepared for the RTMC is compared to what funding has been made available. The main objective of the RTMC is to improve road safety. Therefore, the process it intends …


Using data from 3,120 farm household surveyed in 2000 and 2006 the paper tests for factors that affect the degree and extent of households participation in the rural land rental market. The survey period coincided with the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) which imposes restriction on the conveyance and transfer (including rental) of all lands awarded under the program. Econometric results show that the rural land rental market is not functioning efficiently. Transaction costs in land leasing are significant resulting in high proportion of non-participants and incomplete adjustment towards desired cultivated area for households that participate in the market. Moreover, the poor and landless have limited access to the land rental market since participation in the market is not determined by agricultural ability but is strongly influenced by endowment of land and access to formal credit. While households with less land tend to rent-in more land, the demand for land increases for household owning land more than 5 hectares. On the other hand, the wealth bias of rural credit market is creating more barriers for the poor to access land. The poor has been able to participate in the rental market through share tenancy arrangements but dependence on informal credit markets constrains them to operate desired cultivated area. The twin effects of inefficient land rental market and credit market imperfections can offset labor advantages of family farms and cause farms to operate below optimal level. The need to achieve an efficient farm size is critical for rural development and should be viewed separately from land ownership. In particular, the land rental market plays a critical role in access to land by the poor and in households adjustment to an optimal farm size. It would thus be desirable for the government to improve the regulatory framework for the land rental market to operate efficiently.


While the introduction of new surgical techniques can radically improve patient care, they may equally expose patients to unforeseen harms associated with untested procedures. The enthusiastic uptake of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the early 1990s saw a dramatic increase in the rate of common bile duct injuries, and was described by Alfred Cuschieri as 'the biggest unaudited free‐for‐all in the history of surgery' due to 'a lack of effective centralised control'. Whether a new surgical intervention is considered an acceptable 'minor' variation of an established procedure, or is sufficiently 'novel' to constitute experimentation on human subjects is often unclear. Furthermore, once a new technique is identified as experimental, there is no agreed protocol for safety evaluation in a first‐in‐human setting. In phase I (first‐in‐human) pharmacological trials only small, single arm cohorts of highly selected patients are enrolled in order to establish the safety profile of a new drug. This exposes only a small number of patients to the unknown or unforeseen risks that may be associated with a new agent, in a highly regulated and scientifically rigorous manner. There is no equivalent study design for the introduction of new and experimental surgical procedures. This article proposes a practical stepwise approach to the safe introduction of new surgical procedures that surgeons and surgical departments can adopt. It includes criteria for new surgical techniques which require formal prospective ethical evaluation, and a novel study design for conducting a safety evaluation at the 'first in human' stage.


The purpose of this document is to define the structural performance of the main building of the Escuela Tecnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, such performances will be evaluated according to the new technical standards for the construction described in the D.M. 14 January 2008 of the italian minister of infrastructures. Such decree summarizes in a single text and superseeds the preceiding group of ministerial decrees. The latter D.M. defines "principi per il progetto, l'esecuzione e il collaudo delle costruzioni nei riguardi delle prestazioni loro richieste in termini di requisiti essenziali di resistenza meccanica e stabilita, anche in caso di incendio e di durabilita" and "forniscono quindi i criteri generali di sicurezza, precisano le azioni che devono essere utilizzate nel progetto, definiscono le caratteristiche dei materiali e dei prodotti e, piu in generale, trattano gli aspetti attinenti alla sicurezza strutturale delle opere"01 which can be summarized in the definition of thestate of the art for design and testing criteria of mechanical structures.
The school was opened to the public in 1936 and was part of a broader architectural projected that was meant to trigger the change in the modern architectural concept of campus, leading to the birth of the
"Ciudad Universitaria". The realization of the building is to be framed in the cultural and economical modernization effort performed by King Alfonso XIII starting in 1902 and meant to be the model-university symbolizing such modernization.
The "Ciudad Universitaria" extends over an aerea of 320 hectares situated outside of the north wester border of the City of Madrid, such choice of extension and position for this intervention were motivated by the deficitary situation of the architectural and academical context of the city at the time, moreover such choice was driven by the modernization effort mentioned above an the intention of carrying the north american campus into the Madrilean cultural background.
For the fullfillment of the ambitious project an indipendent bureau was constituted inside the state administration, such organism was supervised by the King himself and the technical management of
the opera was entrusted to the the architect Modesto Lopez Otero. Despite his classicistic background the latter was keen on giving decisional autorithy over the project to an emerging group of young
architects known as the "generation '25", that represented the new progressive school thus making the project a "vanguard" in the european rationalism. The evident contrast between vanguard and academicism, summarized in that of the plan and the front of the building, is given by the transitional period in which the opera of the Ciudad Universitaria was designed. The building of the school of architecture, designed by Pascual Bravo Sanfeliu, was chosen among
many to represent those modernity traits that were clearly expressed in the plan although almost fading in the fronts.
The structural design of the buildings of the C.U. were entrusted to Eduardo Torroja Miret engineer, pioneering expert of reinforced concrete in Spain at the time, formerly designer of the infrastructures and sporting grounds of the intervention.
The three main artists mentioned above gave birth to the building opened in June 1936 and was left untouched for a few months, the same building, actually shows today the same characteristics but a
modified appearance as it hides the marks left by the Civil War, the Ciudad Universitaria was in fact transformed into a battlefield from the place of culture that it originally was.
From chapter 8 of the construction technical standards in force , "e stato seguito un approccio prestazionale, con l'adozione di poche regole di carattere generale e alcune indicazioni importanti per la correttezza delle diverse fasi di analisi, progettazione, esecuzione"02.
02 CIRCOLARE 2 febbraio 2009, n. 617 - Istruzioni per l'applicazione delle 'Nuove norme tecniche per le costruzioni' di cui al D.M. 14 gennaio 2008, Capitolo 8 In order analize the structural performance of the building it was chosen to undergo the "percorso conoscitivo" or recognitional process regulated by the par. 8.5 of the CTS. Such process indicates the procedures for safety evaluation and design of the interventions on pre-existing buildings and is structured in the following phases:
• documental-historical analysis, in order to achieve complete enough information on the
building history to acknowledge the different building phases;
• accurate mesurement of the volumes of the building and the consuption condition of the
materials;
• Analysis of the structural geometry, in order to acknowledge the structural hinges and keystones
deduced by the the fronts and map of the building;
• mechanical characterization of the materials deduced from the technical standard of the time of
construction and lab testing;
• Definition of the confidence level on the inferences precedently enlisted;
• Definition of the statical mathematical model of the building based on the data obtained in order
to analyze the statical response of the building;
•ultimately the design of eventual improvements to the structural stability of the building based
on the analysis of the possible criticalities encountered during the interpretation of the results obtained from the preceiding process of analysis.


The federal government of the United States imposes a legal limit on its debt under an old system of fiscal control. Because the government operates close to that limit and alsohas been operating with a sizable deficit, this statutory limit must be regularly raised. Although Congress approves the spending programs and revenue structure that produces the deficit, in recent years some members of that body have chosen to use the debt limit as a method of controlling deficit increases. However, constraining debt increases does not constrain spending, but rather only constrains the ability to pay the bills for the spending. That constraint, after spending has occurred, creates the prospect of default and endangers the national credit rating.