The stabilization of nanoparticles against their irreversible particle aggregation and oxidation
reactions. is a requirement for further advancement in nanoparticle science and technology. For this reason the research aim on this topic focuses on the synthesis of various metal nanoparticles protected with monolayers containing different reactive head groups and functional tail groups. In this work cuprous bromide nanocrystals haave been synthetized with a diameter of about 20 nanometers according to a new sybthetic method adding dropwise ascorbic acid to a water solution of lithium bromide and cupric chloride under continuous stirring and nitrogen flux. Butane thiolate Cu protected nanoparticles have been synthetized according to three different syntesys methods. Their morphologies appear related to the physicochemical conditions during the synthesis and to the dispersing medium used to prepare the sample. Synthesis method II allows to obtain stable nanoparticles of 1-2 nm in size both isolated and forming clusters. Nanoparticle cluster formation was enhanced as water was used as dispersing medium probably due to the idrophobic nature of the butanethiolate layers coating the nanoparticle surface. Synthesis methods I and III lead to large unstable spherical nanoparticles with size ranging between 20 to 50 nm. These nanoparticles appeared in the TEM micrograph with the same morphology independently on the dispersing medium used in the sample preparation. The stability and dimensions of the copper nanoparticles appear inversely related. Using the same methods above described for the butanethiolate protected copper nanoparticles 4-methylbenzenethiol protected copper nanoparticles have been prepared. Diffractometric and spectroscopic data reveal that decomposition processes didn't occur in both the 4-methylbenzenethiol copper protected nanoparticles precipitates from formic acid and from water in a period of time six month long.
Se anticarcinogenic effects by multiple mechanisms have been extensively investigated and documented and Se is defined a genuine nutritional cancer-protecting element and a significant protective effect of Se against major forms of cancer. Furthermore phloroglucinol was found to possess cytoprotective effects against oxidative stress, thanks to reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are associated with cells and tissue damages and are the contributing factors for inflammation, aging, cancer, arteriosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes. The goal of our work has been to set up a new method to synthesize in mild conditions amorphous Se nanopaticles surface capped with phloroglucinol, which is used during synthesis as reducing agent to obtain stable Se nanoparticles in ethanol, performing the synergies offered by the specific anticarcinogenic properties of Se and the antioxiding ones of phloroalucinol. We have synthesized selenium nanoparticles protected by phenolic molecules chemically bonded to their surface. The phenol molecules coating the nanoparticles surfaces form low ordered arrays as can be seen from the wider shape of the absorptions in the FT-IR spectrum with respect to those appearing in that of crystalline phenol.
On the other hand, metallic nanoparticles with unique optical properties, facile surface chemistry and appropriate size scale are generating much enthusiasm in nanomedicine. In fact Au nanoparticles has immense potential for both cancer diagnosis and therapy. Especially Au nanoparticles efficiently convert the strongly adsorbed light into localized heat, which can be exploited for the selective laser photothermal therapy of cancer. According to the about, metal nanoparticles-HA nanocrystals composites should have tremendous potential in novel methods for therapy of cancer. 11 mercaptoundecanoic surface protected Au4Ag1 nanoparticles adsorbed on nanometric apathyte crystals we have successfully prepared like an anticancer nanoparticles deliver system utilizing biomimetic hydroxyapatyte nanocrystals as deliver agents.
 Furthermore natural chrysotile, formed by densely packed bundles of multiwalled hollow nanotubes, is a mineral very suitable for nanowires preparation when their inner nanometer-sized cavity is filled with a proper material. Bundles of chrysotile nanotubes can then behave as host systems, where their large interchannel separation is actually expected to prevent the interaction between individual guest metallic nanoparticles and act as a confining barrier.
Chrysotile nanotubes have been filled with molten metals such as Hg, Pb, Sn, semimetals, Bi, Te, Se, and with semiconductor materials such as InSb, CdSe, GaAs, and InP using both high-pressure techniques and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Under hydrothermal conditions chrysotile nanocrystals have been synthesized as a single phase and can be utilized as a very suitable for nanowires preparation filling their inner nanometer-sized cavity with metallic nanoparticles. In this research work we have synthesized and characterized Stoichiometric synthetic chrysotile nanotubes have been partially filled with bi and monometallic highly monodispersed nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 1,7 to 5,5 nm depending on the core composition (Au, Au4Ag1, Au1Ag4, Ag). In the case of 4 methylbenzenethiol protected silver nanoparticles, the filling was carried out by convection and capillarity effect at room temperature and pressure using a suitable organic solvent. We have obtained new interesting nanowires constituted of metallic nanoparticles filled in inorganic nanotubes with a inner cavity of 7 nm and an isolating wall with a thick ranging from 7 to 21 nm.


The aim of the study is to increase the effectiveness of automated face recognition to authenticate identity, considering features of change of the face parameters over time. The improvement of the recognition accuracy, as well as consideration of the features of temporal changes in a human face can be based on the methodology of artificial neural networks. Hybrid neural networks, combining the advantages of classical neural networks and fuzzy logic systems, allow using the network learnability along with the explanation of the findings. The structural scheme of intelligent system for identification based on artificial neural networks is proposed in this work. It realizes the principles of digital information processing and identity recognition taking into account the forecast of key characteristics' changes over time ( e.g. , due to aging). The structural scheme has a three-tier architecture and implements preliminary processing, recognition and identification of images obtained as a result of monitoring. On the basis of expert knowledge, the fuzzy base of products is designed. It allows assessing possible changes in key characteristics, used to authenticate identity based on the image. To take this possibility into consideration, a neuro-fuzzy network of ANFIS type was used, which implements the algorithm of Tagaki-Sugeno. The conducted experiments showed high efficiency of the developed neural network and a low value of learning errors, which allows recommending this approach for practical implementation. Application of the developed system of fuzzy production rules that allow predicting changes in individuals over time, will improve the recognition accuracy, reduce the number of authentication failures and improve the efficiency of information processing and decision-making in applications, such as authentication of bank customers, users of mobile applications, or in video monitoring systems of sensitive sites.


In this study, we investigate the consumer response toward fuel from second-generation, nature-inspired lignocellulose processing systems. We conduct consumer surveys with two different information treatments. We utilize a dichotomous-choice contingent valuation methodology to estimate willingness to pay for this product and analyze factors that affect consumer choice. The results suggest that the average respondent is willing to purchase second-generation bioethanol with a 4% discount compared to conventional fuel. Some demographic variables and driving behavior are found to have significant effects on consumer willingness to pay. The effect of information regarding the second-generation, nature-inspired lignocellulose process is found to be insignificant.


This volume reflects a multidisciplinary approach, with the accent on the interplay between music performance and music theory. Thomas Christensen, in his contribution, shows how the development of tonal harmonic theory went hand in hand with the practice of thoroughbass. Both Robert Gjerdingen and Giorgio Sanguinetti focus on the Neapolitan tradition of partimento. Gjerdingen addresses the relation between the realization of partimenti and contrapuntal thinking, illustrated by examples of contrapuntal imitation and combination in partimenti, leading to the "partimentofugue." Sanguinetti elaborates on the history of this partimentofugue from the early eighteenth until the late nineteenth century. Rudolf Lutz, finally, presents his use of partimenti in educational practice, giving examples of how reviving this old practice can give new insights to composers, conductors, and musicians.


This paper studies the performance of ultra-wideband (UWB) radio communications systems employing phase shift keying (PSK) modulation and fully saturated power amplifiers through additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel or Rayleigh fading channel. An impulse response method is provided to analyze the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) degradation. Both convolutional code and turbo code are employed with the Viterbi decoding and the iterative decoding, respectively. The decoding algorithms are modified for the Rayleigh fading channel. Near optimal bit error rate (BER) performance is achieved when employing either convolutional code or turbo code. The simulation results match the derivation. Therefore, fully saturated power amplifiers can be employed in UWB PSK systems to significantly reduce radio cost, simplify radio circuit, and increase battery life for portable terminals.


The basic premise of this article is that human generated electromagnetic radiation is contributing to global warming. It may do so by diverting an energy force termed KELEA (kinetic energy limiting electrostatic attraction) from its presumed association with cosmic rays. Cosmic ray delivered KELEA is viewed as normally participating in the formation of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). It may do so by transforming electrostatically inert particles into electrostatic aerosols capable of acting as CCN. The resulting clouds act as a reflective barrier to some of the infrared radiation from the sun and, thereby, reduce the earth's heat. This article proposes that increasing levels of electromagnetic radiation in the atmosphere is reducing the capacity of cosmic rays to deliver adequate KELEA to maintain climate stability through optimal cloud formation. Specifically, the fluctuating electrical fields accompanying electromagnetic radiation may do so by competitively withdrawing some of the KELEA from the incoming cosmic rays. Previously described studies by Dr. Wilhelm Reich attributed to an energy force termed orgone, are consistent with weather activity being inducible using a device that likely delivers KELEA to the atmosphere. In addition to the foregoing consideration, there are many agricultural and industrial applications of KELEA activated fluids that can reduce carbon emissions. It is important that the scope of climate science be broadened to include a detailed understanding of KELEA and of its many potential practical applications in addressing global warming.


This paper presents an investigation into the development of an efficient scheme to detect abnormal beat from lead II Electro Cardio Gram (ECG) signals. Firstly, a fast ECG feature extraction algorithm was proposed which could extract the locations, amplitudes waves and interval from lead II ECG signal. We then created 11 customized features based on the outputs of the feature extraction algorithm. Then, we used these 11 features to train an artificial neural network and an ensemble classifier respectively for detecting the abnormal ECG beats. Three manually annotated databases were used for training and testing our system: MIT-BIH Arrhythmia, QT and European ST-T database availed from Physionet databank. The results showed that for an abnormal beat detection, the neural network classifier had an overall accuracy of 98.73% and the ensemble classifier with AdaBoost had 99.40%. Using time domain processing approach, the proposed scheme reduced overall computational complexity as compared to the existing methods with an aim to deploy on the mobile devices in the future to promote early and instant abnormal ECG beat detection.


Abstract  Thermodynamic Investigation into Copper Binding  in the N-Terminal Region of the Prion Protein at Low Copper Loadings  By  Devi Praneetha Gogineni  December 2010  Chair: Rickey Hicks, Ph.D.  Major Department: Chemistry  The prion protein (PrP) is a naturally occurring protein found at high levels in central nervous system (CNS). The misfolding of the PrP is responsible for neurodegenerative diseases called transmissible spongioform encephalopathies (TSE) that include mad cow disease, scrapie in sheep and goats, kuru and Creutzfelt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. The normal function of the PrP is still unknown but demonstrates high selectivity for copper (Cu+2). The mature form of PrP consists of a highly unstructured N-terminal region (23-124). The copper binding region spans from residues 60 to 96 and contains four octarepeat segments, PHGGGWGQ, and a GGGTH segment. When fully copper loaded, each octarepeat binds to a copper and the fifth copper binding involves the GGGTH site. Although the molecular details of a fully Cu+2 loaded state are well understood, very little is known about the low copper binding state of PrP. At low Cu+2occupancy there is a possibility of PrP cross-linking. This project aims at obtaining the thermodynamic profile of the prion copper complex at low copper loading state to determine the forces that drive the complex formation. The model peptides were generated using solid phase peptide synthesis; the thermodynamic studies were done using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and supporting spectroscopic studies by circular dichroism (CD). Examination of the ITC titration data suggests an initial binding event where two PrP's are cross-linked by a single copper ion. ITC titrations were performed in both forward and reverse directions in order to examine the reversibility of the copper binding process. Fitting the ITC data with the existing models, i.e one sets of sites, two sets of sites or sequential binding, lead to unsatisfactory fits suggesting a more complex binding process. The hypothesized binding model will hopefully lead to good fits for the ITC data and will support the hypothesis that Cu+2 is cross- linking PrP molecules at low equivalents of added Cu+2 .


Rebar Cage Construction and Safety: Best Practices presents guidelines for the safe handling of steel reinforcing-bar (rebar) cages throughout the design, fabrication, and erection process. The focus is on rebar cages used for large, cast-in-place concrete columns in a variety of settings, including bridge piers, elevated highway sections, and high-rise buildings. These cages are inherently unstable, usually held together by tie-wire alone. They are challenging to fabricate, to lift from the horizontal to the vertical position, and to support in the temporary condition until concrete is cast. Engineered temporary support systems, such as bracing or cable-guy systems, can mitigate the instability of standing rebar cages and resist lateral loads, ensuring better safety for the iron workers tasked with climbing the cages. Topics include: overview of rebar cages; organizational management for rebar cages; construction engineering; checklists of best practices for construction; and summary, conclusions, and recommendations. This volume describes best practices for construction engineering and construction practice regarding rebar cages. It will be useful to construction engineers working with large columns for the first time as well as construction contractors looking to establish policies and procedures related to rebar column safety.


Among all animal species, the pig has the greatest number of anatomical and physiological traits similar to those of humans and thus it seems to be a promising donor of xenogenic organs. The greatest barrier for xenotransplantation in the pig-primate system is connected with the rejection of the transplanted organ via a cascade of immune mechanisms, including hyperacute rejection (HAR), acute humoral transplant rejection, acute cellular rejection and chronic rejection. Many different strategies of genetic modifications in pigs promote adaptation of their tissues and organs to functioning within organisms of their recipients following the transplantation procedure. These changes include e.g. expression of human factors CD39, CD47 and thrombomodulin (TM). Three expression gene constructs were designed and prepared, containing coding sequences for factors CD47, CD39 and human thrombomodulin regulated with the EF- 1α promoter. Gene constructs were used to transfect porcine embryonic fibroblasts by lipofection. Selected cell lines containing individual transgenes were subjected to molecular analysis, which showed integration of introduced transgenes. Cytogenetic analysis showed expression on the protein level in all tested lines and did not detect any chromosomal aberrations in the analyzed transgenic cell lines. Prepared gene constructs were prepared to produce transgenic animals by microinjection. Transgenic cell lines will provide nuclei to produce animals by somatic cloning.


It is widely believed that domestic outsourcing is booming. Many believe the growth of market services is a response to increasing time pressures arising from new responsibilities in the paid workforce, and to an inflexible sexual division of labour at home. The interpretation of the consequences of the purported growth of domestic outsourcing has been both divided and extreme. Paid domestic services have been declared: (1) a thing of the pre-industrial past (Coser 1973); (2) a victim of self-servicing (Gershuny 1983); and (3) the last frontier in the continuing advance of the market in post-industrial society (Ruthven 1994). Consequently, the alleged boom in outsourcing has been viewed either as the resurgence of a pre-modern form of the exploitation of labour (possibly based on race or ethnicity), heralding a deeper and more intractable form of social stratification (Arat-Koç 1989; Glenn 1992; Gorz 1994; Gregson and Lowe 1994; Probert 1997; Romero 1992), or as the future engine of opportunity (Ruthven 1997). Unfortunately all this discussion has run ahead of the facts. Two areas of research are vital - one is a study of the demand for outsourced domestic goods and services, and the other is wide-ranging comparative study of the labour relations in the domestic outsourcing industry. This paper addresses the first of these areas. It describes a study of trends in expenditure on domestic outsourcing drawing on an analysis of Australian Household Expenditure Surveys 1984-1993/4. This information is then interpreted in the light of our knowledge of trends in time use over the same period.


Nowadays, millions of Internet users watch and upload a large number of videos on User Generated Content (UGC) sites (e.g., Youtube) everyday. Moreover, online videos about hot events, such as breaking news and Olympic games, attract lots of users. In this paper, we study the characteristics of hot-event videos by collecting video traces of the largest UGC site in China for 28 days. We first empirically study statistical properties of such videos and find that hot-event videos contribute a large number of views, even though the total number of hot-event videos is relatively small. In addition, there exist extremely active uploaders and top 10% active uploaders upload over 60% videos. The video popularity demonstrates high skewness, where top 5% the most popular videos contribute over 80% views. Finally, we analyze the popularity evolution of hot-event videos using the consecutive 28-day video traces. The popularity of the studied videos decays very fast and most of these videos remain popular for only a week. Our findings reflect the most recent developments of UGC sites, which provide technical and commercial insights for engineers and UGC site owners.


Lipid molecules are amphiphilic due to hydrophilic head-group and hydrophobic alkyl chain/s. Lipids are known to self-assemble into remarkable nanostructures in the aqueous medium. In order to enhance their applicability, these nanostructures are further stabilised into nanoparticles using various stabilisers; resultant are the oil-in-water emulsions, which are common in many food and consumer products. Surfactant based stabilisers have been very popular; however, for particular applications the surfactant molecules are not completely beneficial. In this case, the solid materials are employed to obtain surfactant-free emulsions also called Pickering (or Ramsden Pickering) emulsions. Natural and synthetic clays, silica nanoparticles and hydrocolloids have been used for this purpose. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have received noteworthy attention due to their unique structural, physical and electrical properties. These properties allow use for a huge range of applications, of which this thesis will outline. In the past, the hydrophobic surface of CNTs have limited their potential in many fields, as well as their tendency to aggregate in most solutions, leading to large amassed particles which prove near-impossible to disperse. The ability to stabilise lipid and CNTs would benefit several areas and applications such as drug delivery and gene therapy. With the techniques in the following report, however, the study has proven that the combination of Dimodan U (DU) and CNTs can form stable nanostructured dispersions, which remain homogeneous for several months. This idea proposes a new way to delivery simple drugs and by tweaking the nanostructure, through alteration of the ratios of CNT to lipid, these systems could be used in targeting different organs.


Managing the growing quantity of used electronic equipment poses challenges for waste management officials. In this paper, we focus on a large component of the electronic waste stream—computer monitors—and the disposal concerns associated with the lead embodied in cathode ray tubes (CRTs) used in most monitors. We develop a policy simulation model of consumers' disposal options based on the costs of these options and their associated environmental impacts. For the stock of monitors disposed of in the United States in 1998, our preliminary findings suggest that bans on some disposal options would increase disposal costs from about $1 per monitor to between $3 and $20 per monitor. Policies to promote a modest amount of recycling of monitor parts, including lead, can be less expensive. In both cases, the costs of the policies exceed the value of the avoided health effects of CRT disposal.


Laughlin et al. show that ongoing experience is mediated by the brain and that competing neural networks are constantly entrained and re-entrained, thereby providing inexact models of ourselves and the world. Phases of "neural entrainments...punctuated by...rapid periods of reentrainments...organized about some object" are the structure of consciousness (neurological factors), while behavioural expressions of consciousness involve manipulation of symbols because society must assure that "proper associations are entrained" (cultural factors). Experiences of consciousness consist of sensations that penetrate neural entrainments thereby reaching consciousness (internal factors, such as altered states and dreams). Rituals and cosmology are "penetration devices" that "stimulate...a...theatre of mind" and provide meaning for individuals (p. 335). Our being, therefore, is "a community of cells" (pp. 34, 334) and we are "symbols to each other" (p. 232). This brief summary does not do justice to complex ideas. Laudable is the holistic approach the authors advocate and try to achieve. Nevertheless, women's work, experiences, symbols and bodies are consistently ignored and, when gender is discussed, it is from a male perspective. For example, the authors claim that there was no field work before Malinowski (p. 23), but Alice Fletcher and Harriet Martineau were early ethnographers urging field work (S. Reinharz, Feminist Methods in Social Research [Oxford University Press, 1992], pp. 49-50). Patriarchal systems, ideologies and male practitioners are used to illustrate arguments. For instance, male shamans during their magical flight are said to experience a female "psychopomp" (p. 273), but female shamanistic knowledge is left unexplored. Cross-cultural examples mention only one female yogi (p. 311) and the only Western female considered subscribed to a patriarchal framework (p. 307). Discussion of Tibetan Buddhism is also strictly from a male perspective since Tibetan women's views of their wombs, energies and consciousness are not contemplated (pp. 206-210, 351). Male bias is also expressed in interpretations of Tibetan Buddhist art in that the woman is viewed as having intuitive knowledge, as dangerous, as having raw energy and as vulnerable and submissive, while the man is portrayed as having conceptual knowledge, as grounded, non-attached and dependent on her energy (pp. 208, 209). She is said to come from nothingness, to give men energy and to return to nothingness (p. 351). All cosmologies are seen by the authors as somatocentric (p. 225) and through relationships within the body the entire cosmos is supposed to be known (p. 226). If metaphors are based on male bodies only, then the nature of the entire cosmos is now known. Claims to universality are on shaky grounds when women's experiences are ignored, while male knowledge is used to buttress arguments and gender-inappropriate language is employed throughout (pp. 226-341). Although the authors strongly criticize positivism (pp. 338-346) and call for a holistic and experiential science, feminist scholarship that criticizes positivism and supports experiential science is nowhere acknowledged. While Laughlin et al. attend to culture neurologically, some authors in Schwartz et al. approach the brain culturally. White explores ethnopsychology while D'Andrade, Keller and Holland discuss simplified knowledge structures (schemata) that, according to D'Andrade, provide direct access to psychological processes. As he calls for descriptions of "a people" (p. 56), it seems that schema theory is again an attempt to reduce human complexities to one denominator while re-labelling national character studies. Keller also appears to favour simpler levels, while Holland illustrates that schema theory cannot deal with multiple interpretations, negotiation, conflict, power and cognitive self-censorship. …


Thermo-abrasive blasting is a technique, which combines conventional abrasive blasting and HVAF processes to prepare surfaces prior coating. Thermo-abrasive blasting has a number of advantages over conventional abrasive blasting as the result of a higher nozzle pressure and heat, which helps to remove impurities from the surface. However, practice showed that the short life of blasting nozzles due to thermal stresses and excessive wear is the biggest drawback of this method. Therefore, the correct nozzle geometry and suitable materials are critical for an efficient operation of thermo-abrasive blasting systems. In this study, computational fluid dynamics and finite element analyses were used to obtain the temperature distribution and to evaluate thermal stresses in nozzle materials. The materials investigated include tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-6wt.% Co), hot pressed dense silicon carbide (SiC) and SiALON (Si3N4-Al2O3-AlN). The analysis and experiments showed that WC-CO nozzles produce the best overall results of thermal shock resistance and wear in thermo-abrasive blasting.


Opportunistic fungal infections occur with increasing frequency during chemotherapy induced granulocytopenia. A 27-year-old woman developed mucormycosis in the ileocecal region with fatal dissemination to the liver while receiving consolidation therapy for acute T-lymphoblastic leukemia. The infection occurred during a period of decreased colonization resistance in the intestinal tract. Early symptoms were high fever unresponsive to broad spectrum antibiotics, severe pain in the right lower abdominal quadrant and diarrhoea. This was followed by an infiltrate in the right abdomen, ileus, and icterus. Diagnosis was established in the living patient by thin needle aspiration from affected liver tissue. Giemsa's stain and fungal cultures revealed Mucor indicus. The fatal outcome of disseminated mucormycosis justifies a high index of suspicion and a maximal (invasive) diagnostic effort as localised infections might be cured by resection and amphotericin B.


Purpose To determine if acupuncture improves symptoms of anxiety in infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Methods A randomised clinical trial was performed in 43 patients undergoing IVF. The patients were randomised into two groups: test group (n=22) and control group (n=21). The anxiety level of each patient was analysed before and after treatment using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAS). Treatment sessions consisted of four weekly sessions. In the test group, needles were inserted at points HT7, PC6, CV17, GV20 and Yintang. In the control group, needles were inserted in areas near but not corresponding to acupuncture points. Results The mean HAS score after the 4-week experimental period was significantly lower in the test group than in the control group (19.4±3.2 vs 24.4±4.2; p=0.0008). Conclusions The results indicate that acupuncture can reduce anxiety symptoms observed by the reduction of psychological parameters of women undergoing IVF. Further evidence should be sought as to whether acupuncture might be a complementary option for patients undergoing IVF.


A two-dimensional simulation of a non-premixed ethylene–air flame was conducted by employing a detailed gas-phase reaction mechanism considering polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, an aerosol-dynamics-based soot model using a method of moments with interpolative closure, and a grey gas and soot radiation model using the discrete transfer method. Interaction of the sooting flame with a prescribed decaying random velocity field was investigated, with a primary interest in the effects of velocity fluctuations on the flame structure and the associated soot formation process for a fuel-strip configuration and a composition with mature soot growth. The temporally evolving simulation revealed a multi-layered soot formation process within the flame, at a level of detail not properly described by previous studies based on simplified soot models utilizing acetylene or naphthalene precursors for initial soot inception. The overall effect of the flame topology on the soot formation was found to be consistent with previous experimental studies, while a unique behaviour of localised strong oxidation was also noted. The imposed velocity fluctuations led to an increase of the scalar dissipation rate in the sooting zone, causing a net suppression in the soot production rate. Considering the complex structure of the soot formation layer, the effects of the imposed fluctuations vary depending on the individual soot reactions. For the conditions under study, the soot oxidation reaction was identified as the most sensitive to the fluctuations and was mainly responsible for the local suppression of the net soot production.


Neuroenteric cysts are rare congenital anonalies, presenting in infancy or childhood. Only a few cases of posterior mediastinal neuroenteric cysts have been reported. A 12-year-old girl presented to our hospital with a neglected mildly painful cyst in the posterior mediastinum and retroperitoneum. Magnetic resonance imaging revelealed scoliosis of the thoracic spine, hemivertebrae T6 - 7, and a large hyperintense (on T2-weighted images) cystic lesion in the posterior mediastinum. The lesion had no intraspinal communication, but extended into the abdomen between the liver and kidney. Despite the long history and spatial extent of the lesion, it was excised uneventfully through a right thoracotomy. Microscopy of the cyst wall revealed partially disrupted cuboidal epithelium, muscle fibres, inflammatory cells, and, bony and cartilaginous elements. Enterogenous duplication cysts of foregut origin with vertebral anomalies are referred to as neuroenteric cysts. This is a probably only the second reported case of thoraco-abdominal neurogenic cyst originating in the posterior mediastinum.


Since the initial publication in 1994, Coordination Theory (Malone and Crowston, 1994) has been referenced in nearly 300 journal articles, book chapters, conference papers and theses. This chapter will analyze the contribution of this body of research to determine how Coordination Theory has been used for user task analysis and modelling for HCI. Issues that will be addressed include: 1) how the theory has been applied; 2) factors that led to the success of the theory; and 3) identification of areas needing further research.


Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. The mortality rate between 1993 -1997 in New Zealand was about 46% and 32% worldwide. CVDs such as Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is life threatening and poses a very high risk for aneurysm patients with particular aneurysm diameter. AAA rupture is a patient-specific problem with evolving structures and on-going growth. Current ultrasound methods are used to probe for and diagnose instantaneous AAA by analysing arterial tissue deformation. However, tracking the progression of potential aneurysms, and predicting their risk of rupturing based on the diameter of the aneurysm is still an insufficient method. AAA image segmentation and analysis using the Patient-Specific Aneurysm Rupture Predictor (P-SARP) protocol is proposed to identify dependent elements that lead to a three-dimensional (3-D) aneurysm reconstructive model. Models of the patientspecific aneurysm images were designed along with biomechanical characterization and specific material properties to be incorporated. Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) is used to mathematically establish the oscillations of patient-specific cyclic pressure loading in order to visualize the impact of potential pressure distributions on the deformed arterial wall over time. The correlation between the geometric elements and the models' potential for rupture are extensively investigated to produce a possible AAA rupture mechanism. This research presents a new Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) of Patient-Specific Aneurysm Model (PSAM) which is based on the energy strain function combined with the dilated vessel wall stress-strain relationship to predict aneurysm rupture. This thesis focuses on investigating how computer simulation can be incorporated to predict AAA rupture. The personalized model is developed based on instantaneous arterial deformations obtained from ultrasound images using a 6-9 MHz doppler transducer. The PSAM relies on available vii mechanical properties and parameters obtained from the personalised model. Using the strain energy function based on historical stress-strain relationship to extrapolate cyclic loading on the PSAM along with patient-specific pressure, multi variant factors are proposed and considered to predict the actual location of the weakening points to reach rupture. The material properties of the wall are calculated using biaxial tensile tests to observe the time dependency of the material response and formation of the aneurysm wall rupture. The outcomes indicate that the proposed technique of the PSAM model has the ability correlate the wall deformation and tissue failure mode with predicting rupture. Thus, this method can positively be integrated with already established ultrasound techniques for improvements in the accuracy of future diagnoses of potential AAA ruptures.


New constraints on the timing of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction and the Chicxulub impact, together with a particularly voluminous and apparently brief eruptive pulse toward the end of the "main-stage" eruptions of the Deccan continental fl ood basalt province suggest that these three events may have occurred within less than about a hundred thousand years of each other. Partial melting induced by the Chicxulub event does not provide an energetically plausible explanation for this coincidence, and both geochronologic and magnetic-polarity data show that Deccan volcanism was under way well before Chicxulub/Cretaceous-Paleogene time. However, historical data document that eruptions from existing volcanic systems can be triggered by earthquakes. Seismic modeling of the ground motion due to the Chicxulub impact suggests that the impact could have generated seismic energy densities of order 0.1–1.0 J/m 3 throughout the upper ~200 km of Earth's mantle, suffi cient to trigger volcanic eruptions worldwide based upon comparison with historical examples. Triggering may have been caused by a transient increase in the effective permeability of the existing deep magmatic system beneath the Deccan province, or mantle plume "head." It is therefore reasonable to hypothesize that the Chicxulub impact might have triggered the enormous Poladpur, Ambenali, and Mahabaleshwar (Wai Subgroup) lava fl ows, which together may account for >70% of the Deccan Traps main-stage eruptions. This hypothesis is consistent with independent stratigraphic, geochronologic, geochemical, and tectonic constraints, which combine to indicate that at approximately Chicxulub/Cretaceous-Paleogene time, a huge pulse of mantle plume–derived magma passed through the crust with little interaction and erupted to form the most extensive and voluminous lava fl ows known on Earth. High-precision radioisotopic dating of the main-phase Deccan fl ood basalt formations may be able either to confi rm or reject this hypothesis, which in turn might help to determine whether this singular outburst within the Deccan Traps (and possibly volcanic eruptions worldwide) contributed signifi cantly to the CretaceousPaleogene extinction.


At its heart this book is about innovation and the innovation process. On the way, it considers aesthetics, design, creativity and the creative industries, and a number of other similar topics. Much of the existing economic literature on innovation has taken a particularly technological or functional viewpoint as to what sort of new products and processes are to be considered innovations. One of the key points that this book highlights is that there is a type of innovation, here labelled 'soft innovation', primarily concerned with changes in products (and perhaps processes) of an aesthetic or intellectual nature, that has largely been ignored in the study of innovation prevalent in economics. Examples of innovations that, as a result of this refocusing, are here placed at the centre of the analysis include: the writing and publishing of a new book, the writing, production, and launching of a new movie, the development and launch of a new advertising promotion, the design and production of a new range of furniture, and architectural activity in the generation of new built form designs. The realisation of the existence of soft innovation means that, not only is innovation more widespread than previously considered, but that it may also take a different form than commonly considered. Soft Innovation addresses key issues such as: * The measurement of the rate and extent of soft innovation, * The determinants of the rate and direction of soft innovation and its diffusion, * The impacts of soft innovation and diffusion upon outputs, productivity, employment, firm performance, trade, and economic welfare, * Policy, considering whether there is a rationale for government intervention in the soft innovation generation and diffusion processes, and if so what instruments can be used in such intervention? Soft Innovation breaks new ground in the study of innovation, and will be key reading for academics and researchers of Innovation, Marketing, and Design, as well as consultants, practitioners, and policy-makers concerned with the creative industries.


A portable comprehensive navigational system has been developed that both robotic and human explorers can use to determine their location, attitude, and heading anywhere on the lunar surface independent of external infrastructure (needs no Lunar satellite network, line of sight to the Sun or Earth, etc.). The system combines robust processing power with an extensive topographical database to create a real-time atlas (GIS Geospatial Information System) that is able to autonomously control and monitor both single unmanned rovers and fleets of rovers, as well as science payload stations. The system includes provisions for teleoperation and tele-presence. The system accepts (but does not require) inputs from a wide range of sensors. A means was needed to establish a location when the search is taken deep in a crater (looking for water ice) and out of view of Earth or any other references. A star camera can be employed to determine the user's attitude in menial space and stellar map in body space. A local nadir reference (e.g., an accelerometer that orients the nadir vector in body space) can be used in conjunction with a digital ephemeris and gravity model of the Moon to isolate the latitude, longitude, and azimuth of the user on the surface. That information can be used in conjunction with a Lunar GIS and advanced navigation planning algorithms to aid astronauts (or other assets) to navigate on the Lunar surface.


In this paper we define two intermediate models of textual entailment, which correspond to lexical and lexical-syntactic levels of representation. We manually annotated a sample from the RTE dataset according to each model, compared the outcome for the two models, and explored how well they approximate the notion of entailment. We show that the lexical-syntactic model outperforms the lexical model, mainly due to a much lower rate of false-positives, but both models fail to achieve high recall. Our analysis also shows that paraphrases stand out as a dominant contributor to the entailment task. We suggest that our models and annotation methods can serve as an evaluation scheme for entailment at these levels.


The purpose of this study was to integrate nature and natural materials in art activities in pre-school education setting.  Eight pre-service early childhood teachers taking practicum course participated in this study. Pre-service teachers were encouraged to use nature and natural materials in art activities through ten weeks period. Qualitative data consisted of art activities conducted with natural materials in the practicum course and interviews conducted with pre-service teachers before and after they applied their activities. Findings of the study revealed that pre-service teachers used unusual and engaging material compared to conventional stationary materials generally used in art activities. Pre-service teachers' art materials included stones, leaves, soil, sand, bones, fruits, animal products and parts but not limited to those materials. Pre-service teachers used these materials in their art activities in two different ways. First, they used these materials as substitutes of stationery materials. For instance, they filled the bird picture with stones and leaves instead of filling with colourful papers, beads and silver. Second use of natural materials fit better to aim of this study since pre-service teachers lead children to create authentic art products with natural materials that they provide to them. Moreover, throughout the course pre-service teachers' self-confidence to apply nature based art activities developed.


Corporate social responsibility (CSR), with its subdisciplines of corporate social marketing (CSM) and cause-related marketing (CRM), has an axiomatically attractive ring. The idea of publicly traded corporations doing good deeds and behaving well seems self-evidently desirable, and any addition to humankind's pool of social responsibility is surely to be welcomed. So when a multinational offers to provide books for British school children, support indigenous rights in the Americas, or fund child literacy programs in Malawi, the temptation is simply to say "thank you kind sir and more power to your elbow." However, all that glisters is not gold and good deeds are not always what they seem; a kiss can be a mark of love or an act of betrayal. So we need to look further, beyond the immediate act, and examine motives, repercussions, and morality before we decide. We marketers, of all people, should look carefully at the price tag before we make the purchase. And when we do so with CSR, CSM, and CRM, it becomes clear that the costs are simply unaffordable. In this article, I adopt an uncompromisingly critical stance. I do so because helping those in need, who have fallen on hard times or are less fortunate than ourselves, and to do so without expectation of return or advantage, is the defining quality of our humanity. When we allow this to be co-opted and distorted for commercial advantage, we create a profound moral hazard.


Occasionally, rabbinic commentary on the Bible employs legal imagery to interpret stories that, at least on the surface, do not deal with law or legal themes. For example, a handful of rabbinic comments imagine divine judgment within the context of formal legal proceedings when interpreting the Genesis stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Binding of Isaac. These scattered comments offer insights into jurisprudential issues such as the importance of procedural fairness and the nature of legal authority. This essay examines one such example of rabbinic jurisprudence in a midrash on the Garden of Eden story - in particular, on God's punishment of the serpent. The midrash points out that in the story God interrogates both Adam and Eve before punishing them and offers them each an opportunity to provide an excuse for their transgression. God does not, however, similarly interrogate the serpent or give him any chance to make an excuse, thereby denying the serpent due process. The midrash speculates that God denies the serpent an opportunity to speak out of a desire to suppress what the serpent would have said in his own defense. Some statements, it seems, are so subversive that suppressing them is more important than procedural fairness. The suggestion that God perceives a need to suppress subversive statements exposes the fragility of divine authority in the garden, a fragility that is also characteristic of human political and legal authority in the early stages of a new regime or in the face of rebellion. As we shall see, the serpent does not threaten God's power to impose His will by force, but he does undermine God's ability to project that power through commands and rules, which require obedience in order to be effective. That is, the serpent's potential legal defense poses a threat to the authority of divine law. By suggesting that God suppressed the serpent's defense, this midrash exposes a tension between due process and legal authority. On the one hand, due process requires that those accused of crimes be given an opportunity to respond to the charges against them. On the other hand, when they use that opportunity to challenge the legal system, this weakens the authority of the law and the officials who exercise power under it. Judges thus face a dilemma over whether to silence defendants who seek to use their trials as a means to attack the legal system: should they uphold due process or protect legal authority? The midrash offers no easy solutions. Instead, it seeks to elucidate the sources of this tension between due process and legal authority, to deepen our appreciation of its complexity, and to expose the inevitable shortcomings of rulings that judges must make in individual cases. The midrash aims to advance debate rather than settle it. It is this tendency to explore rather than to resolve tension, a characteristic of the genre of midrash known as aggadic midrash, that makes this particular midrash, and others like it, a rich source of jurisprudential insight.


Inherently a discovery-based pedagogy, Disassemble/Analyze/Assemble (DAA) activities start with the artefact, an instance of a typically well-engineered solution. Through systemized disassembly and the subsequent analysis of components, students engage in an iterative process of observation and follow-up probing. In-turn, this process helps students understand the function of the artefact's com ponents and their interconnection with each other and the operation of the artefact. Previous studies have provided highly descriptive accounts of curricula outcomes of DAA activities; but relatively few have compared participants doing DAA activities to a control group learning the same content in a more traditional fashion. To address this issue, a quasi-experiment was conducted as part of a first-year engineering laboratory, where a DAA activity was compared to a lecture on the same content. The results showed that students who engaged in the DAA activity were more motivated and demonstrated higher frequencies of transfer than those receiving lecture. Superior transfer by the DAA condition was found even after controlling for prior knowledge of the transferrable element.


Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), are used as an additional tool to differentiate Lower Cretaceous, morphologically closely related species of Salpingoporella. On each specimen, measurements are made on the inner and outer diameters of the thallus, the spacing of the verticils, and the number of laterals per verticil. «NeuralXL Classifier», a Microsoft Excel plug-in software, is used to calculate a user-defined number of data clusters (categories) for each test. Results are positive: in Salpingoporella, clustering dimensions with an ANN does help to make out a species, or lower rank taxon, especially when visual differences look insignificant. The quite rare Salpingoporella parapiriniae n. sp. is described from Barremian and Lower Aptian Urgonian deposits of southeast France. The protologue is based on regular criteria (essentially enumerative and dimensional values, dealt with by regression analysis) whose outcome is confirmed by the corresponding ANN study. The type-level of the new species contains an exceptional, almost complete section into the upper, fertile part of Korkyrella SOKAC ˇ & VELIC ˇ, 1981. Based on this section, Korkyrella may be a synonym of the genus Cylindroporella JOHNSON, 1954.


Introduction: Transdermal electroporation involves the application of high voltage electrical pulses for microsecond to millisecond duration to produce reversible increase in permeability of skin. It can provide an alternative route to intravenous injection for the fast delivery of macromolecules molecules such as proteins and peptide drugs in clinically effective amounts for the patient. However, the mechanism of electroporation and its safety are unclear. Hence, electrical parameters for delivery of individual drugs have to be chosen empirically or by careful optimization. -- Objectives: To carry out optimization of electrical parameters using fuzzy rat skin tissue in vitro for delivery of terazosin hydrochloride (TRZ), followed by use of these parameters in live fuzzy rats (in vivo), to study their safety and effectiveness. To design in vitro and in vivo tests to predict the safety of this technique. -- Materials: Side-by-side diffusion cells were used for in vitro and in vivo studies. Ag/AgCI electrodes of different areas were used to deliver the exponentially decaying electroporation pulses from a Gene Pulser® (BioRad Laboratories, USA). Fuzzy rats and freshly excised full thickness skin from fuzzy rats were used for in vivo and in vitro studies respectively. -- Methods: Pulse length and rate of pulsing were evaluated with respect to their ability to reverse the increased permeability caused by electroporation. The correlation between TRZ concentration and increase in electroporative delivery was studied. Based on above studies optimal parameters were chosen to deliver TRZ in vivo. Their safety and effectiveness were compared to delivery without electroporation (control). Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by giving drug intravenously and subcutaneously. In vivo impedance recovery of skin after electroporation to pre-electroporated state was studied to predict safety. Similarly, uptake of glucose by skin with or without electroporation was studied to predict change in viability (damage) in vitro. Finally, electrodes of different area were characterized in vitro with respect to the electrical parameters. These parameters in conjunction with the in vitro and in vivo drug delivery and safety studies would throw some light on the mechanism of electroporation and the effect of electrode area on drug delivery and safety by electroporation. -- Results and discussion: If electroporation is completely reversible then the rate of transport of drug through the skin after stopping electroporation pulses should be the same as that through non-pulsed skin. Using this method an applied voltage (Uelectrode.0) of 400V, a pulse length of 20 millisecond and a rate of pulsing of 10 pulse per minute (ppm) were found to be relatively safe and delivered significantly higher drug compared to passive drug delivery. Increased donor concentration gave higher delivery and may help in reducing exposure to higher electrical conditions to produce same amount of drug delivery. In vivo studies showed that TRZ can be delivered safely and effectively with electroporation. However, the effect of electrode area needs to be studied further. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated depot formation within skin after electroporation and this could be due to limited blood flow to the skin. In vitro biochemical studies showed a lag time in lactate production when a very high voltage electroporation pulse was used and there was a general stimulation of lactate production (as a result of glucose utilization) after electroporation compared to non-electroporated skin. The lag time may be used to predict damage due to electroporation. In vitro electrode characterization studies gave considerable insight into the observed drug delivery profiles and the differences in safety profiles between the different electrodes. In vivo impedance studies showed that complete recovery of skin impedance after electroporation might take hours to days. Recovery was faster with shorter pulse lengths and lower number of pulses. -- Conclusions: An applied voltage of 400 V, 20 pulses of 20 millisecond at the rate of 10 pulses per minute with 10% TRZ in contact with skin and using a small area electrode was found to be relatively safe and effective for delivery of TRZ in vitro and in vivo, with higher delivery for higher electrode area as predicted. The in vitro electrode characterization experiments could explain some of the observed differences between the drug delivery by different electrodes and in vitro viability studies could predict damaging electrical conditions. In vivo impedance studies showed that the parameters which can cause appreciable recovery of impedance after electroporation, are those that have not shown to deliver appreciable amount of drug in vitro, at least by electroporation alone. New electrode designs or new methods will have to be devised to increase safety of electroporation before electroporation can be considered useful or tested on humans.


This project presents an evaluation of seal coat materials and design method. The primary objectives of this research are 1) to evaluate seal coat performance from various combinations of aggregates and emulsions in terms of aggregate loss; 2) to evaluate how the properties of aggregates and emulsions affect seal coat performance; 3) to evaluate current seal coat design methods based on Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) seal coat practice; and 4) to develop seal coat design software incorporating Indiana practice. To evaluate the effects of aggregate and emulsion types on aggregate loss performance of seal coat, three emulsions and eight aggregates including CRS-2P, RS-2P, and AE-90S for emulsions and Trap Rock, Sandstone, Blast Furnace Slag, Steel Slag, Limestone, Dolomite, Crushed Gravel (one face), and Crushed Gravel (two faces) were tested utilizing the sweep test and Vialit test. In addition, to explore influential factors (i.e., electrical surface charge interaction, water evaporation change in emulsion, water affinity of aggregate, etc.), the Zeta potential, water content, and X-ray deflection (XRD) tests were also conducted. According to the Zeta potential test results, the electrical surface charge of an aggregate in emulsions varies with the type of emulsion (i.e., with the pH of the emulsifier). From the water content test, among the emulsions, CRS-2P was the earliest emulsion to have enough bond strength to retain aggregates in open traffic. In addition, aggregate can retard the water evaporation process of emulsions. Based on the XRD test results, Sandstone and Dolomite have the highest and smallest content of SiO2, respectively among the eight aggregates. This means that Sandstone and Limestone have the highest and lowest water affinity (hydrophilic and hydrophobic), respectively. In the sweep test with Limestone with various curing time, CRS-2P showed superior aggregate loss performance among the emulsions. Comparing the sweep test results to the water contents of emulsions, faster water evaporation presented better aggregate loss performance. This finding indicates that the bond strength of emulsion to retain aggregate can be mainly a function of water evaporation in emulsion. Based on the sweep test at 77 ˚F after 24 hours of curing, CRS-2P performed the best regardless of aggregate type. The Vialit test at a temperature range of 35 °F to -22 F° after 24 hours of curing shows the most aggregate loss at lower testing temperatures. AE-90S had the strongest resistance in losing aggregate among the three emulsions at lower temperatures, which is an opposite trend comparing to the sweep test results. Also, Crushed Gravel with two faces outperformed Crushed Gravel with one face. According to statistical analysis results, it was concluded that AE-90S and Crushed Gravel with two faces showed the best performance among the emulsions and aggregates, respectively. In addition the best-performing aggregate-emulsion combinations were AE-90S with most of the aggregates, except for Steel Slag. Thus, the aggregate type in terms of mineral/chemical composition is not a major factor affecting the aggregate loss performance. To develop a seal coat design, seal coat performance was evaluated for various emulsion (EAR) and aggregate application rates (AAR) by using three different evaluation methods: the international roughness index (IRI), friction, and visual inspection. Based on these performance tests, immediate failure occurring locally during construction due to incorrect application rate (e.g., insufficient aggregate rate) can cause total failure of the seal coat road resulting from a chain reaction. Employing a factor to compensate for AAR discrepancies between target and actual is critical for seal coat survival during construction. This study confirms the irrelevance of seal coat application to IRI values due to the thin coat and the limitation of the IRI measurement (e.g., 250 mm moving average). The friction test results show an adequate skid resistance performance on all seal coat test sections. In addition, friction improvements due to seal coat applications were confirmed within a range of seal coat rates applied in this study. Overall, IRI, friction, and visual inspection did not show distinct differences in seal coat performance in terms of application rates. A methodology in selecting an equipment factor for correcting any difference between a target rate and a measured rate was developed considering reliability and a designed rate using the McLeod equation. Design software, "INDOT SEAL COAT DESIGN (iSeal)", was developed as part of the study to aid the seal coat design process and incorporates INDOT seal coat practice. The software was largely based on the McLeod design method which includes factors that the INDOT seal coat specification lacks. Furthermore, an additional factor, an equipment factor, was implemented into the design process to resolve issues due to discrepancies between designed rate and applied rate.


This study of Thoughtfully Adaptive Teaching (TAT) was a replication of earlier research; variations explored the association of middle grade level TAT with reading comprehension with purposefully sampled Board Certified (BC) and non-BC teachers. It utilized data collected through observations of, and interviews with four language arts teachers and pre- and post-observation student measures. Findings demonstrate no association between BC teachers and TAT. There may be a possible association between TAT and reading comprehension growth, warranting further study. Advances in methodology and greater insight into sampling also resulted.


ABSTRACT Three independent errors affect X-ray diffraction estimates of dolomite in pre-Cenozoic carbonates. When using calcite/dolomite [104] peak ratios, each 1% of excess calcium in the dolomite lattice causes approximately a 2% overestimate of the amount of dolomite. Use of the [113] peak ratios avoids the stoichiometry problem; however. if quartz is present, the interference between the [102] quartz peak (d = 2.282 A) and the [113] calcite peak (d = 2.285 A) can cause a serious underestimate of the dolomite proportion. In addition, error will occur if the crystallite size in the powdered standards used to prepare X-ray calibration curves differs significantly from the crystallite size in the sample unknowns. All these errors can be avoided or corrected; however, point count r visual estimation of stained thin sections is a simple, reliable technique and is preferable for routine analysis of visibly crystalline, lithified, sediment.


OBJECTIVES
Prevalence of tinnitus has been reported to vary according to the target population and definition of tinnitus. To improve the understanding of tinnitus, authors used the nation-wide health claim data to study the tinnitus in the entire population of South Korea.

STUDY DESIGN
Retrospective big data review.

SETTING
Analysis of big data from the National Health Information Database.

PATIENTS
Patients diagnosed with tinnitus according to International Classification of Diseases code 10th edition (ICD-10) and requested to receive National Health Insurance claim at least once from January 2006 to December 2015.

INTERVENTION
None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Epidemiologic data, association of tinnitus with the otologic and systemic diseases.

RESULTS
The number of patients who received medical care because of tinnitus was 1.44% (0.78 million per 51 million) in 2015. There was a higher prevalence of tinnitus in women, and the overall prevalence increased with increasing age of patients and peaked at patients in their 70s (4.43%). The prevalence of tinnitus among patients aged 10 to 30 years, showed a tendency to increase during study period. In the regional analysis, highest prevalence was observed in Gwangju (2.02%). In comparison with the control group, the patients with tinnitus showed a higher frequency in otologic and systemic disease. Especially, noise induced hearing loss (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 82.1, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 74.8-90.2) and sudden sensorineueal hearing loss (AOR = 49.7, 95% CI = 48.4-51.0) showed high frequency in tinnitus patient group.

CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence and incidence of tinnitus in this study for entire nation were lower than previously reported studies. These results have limitation because the study only covered patient using the medical service for tinnitus and missed tinnitus sufferers not seeking medical service. However, this study is meaningful in that it was targeting entire nation, reflected the characteristics of clinically significant tinnitus patient enough to visit medical service.


Author(s): Regional History Project, UCSC Library; Graalfs, Gregory; Reti, Irene | Abstract: his oral history, conducted and edited by book arts scholar and UCSC alumnus Gregory Graalfs, focuses on the history and impact of the Cowell Press at UCSC's Cowell College. It features interviews with fine printers Jack Stauffacher and George Kane, who taught at the Press, as well as with former students Aaron Johnson, Peggy Gotthold, Felicia Rice, and Tom Killion, who have gone on to have illustrious careers in the book arts. The Cowell Press shaped the careers and creative lives of many UCSC students in its thirty-year history.Far more than a letterpress print shop where students could make pretty books, the Press was a laboratory to explore the history of tangible words — whether printed, cut in stone, or calligraphed — and to address the interrelationship of word and image. In addition, the influence of twentieth-century literature and visual art on typography was considered, as well as how typography was concerned with design principles that can be applied to film, architecture, and information design. The study of bookmaking — of how thoughts and knowledge are communicated through the vital medium of a book — fit well within the parameters of the unique and experimental quality of the UC Santa Cruz campus envisioned by founders Clark Kerr and Dean McHenry.


In the United States, the Farm Bill is the primary agriculture and food policy legislation and its administration is under the preview of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA has established policies and programs aimed at providing school children with better food and at the same time, supporting local farmers. The Farm to School Program connects schools and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school and supporting local and regional farmers. It is believed that local and regional farmers are deeply committed to social and environmental concerns. The Farm to School Program is now operational in more than 10,000 schools spanning all 50 states. In 2008, the Farm Bill allowed food service directors to give preference to local products. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) combats childhood obesity by helping children learn more healthful eating habits. The current study examines this program in a selected school to evaluate the program implementation and variables that can improve the success of the program. Students, teachers, and parents have generally received the FFVP program very well and most stated that the students highly enjoy the program. The selection of fruits and vegetables to be offered depended on the budget as well as the food popularity, which limited offering of culturally salient fruits and vegetables. A better education strategy is needed to promote vegetable intake to achieve the full potential value of the program. Increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers leads to a reduction in food transportation distance, which directly reduces environmental impact.


Visualizations are reliant on visual encoding, in which attributes of data are depicted through graphic symbols (Cairo, 2019). As such, they are placed as a transitional mode between data and information in the linear framework of the "wisdom hierarchy" (DIKW). In the digital information environment, both the linear learning process and the distinction between data and information merit a re-evaluation. This paper seeks to create a better understanding of information's role in digital culture, by venturing to re-examine its attributes. Relying on a sample of all visualizations posted by the top four candidates of the 2016 US elections (n=252), I applied qualitative grounded analysis informed by theory: First, I constructed a conceptual model for the attributes of information, which relies on three layers – (1) foundation (substantiation/sources); (2) building blocks (data components); (3) data-structures (analysis). Second, following a classification of all units according to this model, I defined types of visualization rhetoric that each rely on specific formulations of information attributes (foundation, building blocks and structure) to make a political argument. Finally, I identify two modes of visual information-rhetoric in elections: unveiling and imagining. The model and categories defined in this study demonstrate how the rhetorical agility required for modern political campaigning seems to muddle the axiomatic distinctions of data and information and create new, unpredictable hybrid information and rhetorical types, some of which rely heavily on estimations and fantasy, rather than empirical observation and evidence.


Precipitation in a forest is intercepted by the canopy and partitioned into throughfall and stemflow, leading to heterogeneous water inputs that affect soil water dynamics. To clarify the effects of a tree stand on rainfall infiltration processes on a steep forested hillslope, we conducted detailed observations of throughfall, stemflow, soil water content, and pore water pressure at high spatial resolution for many storm events. The results showed that the soil water content increased rapidly and greatly in the region downslope from the tree stem, especially at points close to the tree stem. At these points, maximal soil water storage was >100 to 200% of the cumulative open‐area rainfall, and occurrences of bypass flow were recognized. Moreover, the pore water pressure at the soil–bedrock interface increased more rapidly and to a greater degree in the region downslope from the tree stem than in the upslope region. For a heavy storm event, the cumulative stemflow per infiltration area along the downslope sides of the tree trunk was 18.9 times the cumulative open‐area rainfall. Locally concentrated rainwater input attributable to the stemflow on the downslope side of the tree trunk probably caused the large and rapid increases in water content and pore water pressure in the downslope region, resulting in the development of an asymmetric saturated zone around the tree.


In this paper, we examine the influence of pressure suit and backpack designs on astronaut productivity and on the frequency with which EVA's can be conducted during lunar base operations and during long stays on the martian surface. The Apollo experience suggests that the EVA equipment of that era had a short enough useful life that, in the context of extended missions it would have to be considered a 'consumable'. The consumption rate is estimated to be 8 kg/day under optimal conditions. Consequently, in planning for extended missions, attention must be paid to issues of durability and, also, onsite maintenance and repair in order to reduce the number of suits which must be transported to the Moon or Mars. The Apollo experience also indicates that improvements in mobility and suit flexibility can have a significant impact on astronaut productivity. Improvements in manual dexterity and reduction of forearm fatigue and abrasion-induced damage to the hands would have the greatest impact.


In this paper, we present a novel method for weak laser pulse detection by full-waveform analysis. Pulse detection is a fundamental step of processing data of pulsed laser systems for extracting features of the illuminated object. Weak laser pulses below the threshold are discarded by classical methods. For full-waveform laser scanners, the entire recording of a scene can be interpreted as a discrete waveform cuboid I[x y t]-, where the measured amplitude at each time t and each beam direction [x y] is stored. The potential information hiding in the waveform cuboid could be utilized to improve the analysis result of conventional system. The neighborhood relation given by co-planarity constraint in waveform data is analyzed. Waveform stacking technique is introduced to improve the signalto-noise ratio (SNR) of objects with poor surface response in view of mutual information enhancement. Hypotheses for planar surface of different slopes are generated and verified. Each pulse signal is assessed with respect to accepted hypotheses by a contribution measure to the local geometry. Pulse signals are finally classified according to the likelihood value by automatically thresholding. The presented method was applied to waveform data of an urban scene and showed very promising results. The pulses reflected from objects with poor surface response or partially occluded are redetected, which cannot be predicted by given geometric models based on available points.


Life without the internet, a very new technology, seems almost unimaginable for most people in western nations. Today the internet is intrinsic to media and communications, entertainment, politics, defence, business, banking, education and administrative systems as well as to social interaction. The Internet disentangles this extraordinarily complex information and communication technology from its place in our daily lives, allowing it to be examined anew. Technology has historically been shaped by governmental, military and commercial requirements, but the development of the internet is increasingly driven by its users. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and many other emerging applications are shifting the way we express ourselves, communicate with our friends, and even engage with global politics. At the same time three-quarters of the world's population remain effectively excluded from the internet. Packed with case studies drawn from around the world, The Internet presents a clear and up-to-date introduction to the social, cultural, technological and political worlds this new media form is creating.


We propose a new way to answer probabilistic queries that span multiple datapoints. We formalize reasoning about the similarity of different datapoints as the evaluation of the Bayes Factor within a hierarchical deep generative model that enforces a separation between the latent variables used for representation learning and those used for reasoning. Under this model, we derive an intuitive estimator for the Bayes Factor that represents similarity as the amount of overlap in representation space shared by different points. The estimator we derive relies on a query-conditional latent reasoning network, that parameterizes a distribution over the latent space of the deep generative model. The latent reasoning network is trained to amortize the posterior-predictive distribution under a hierarchical model using supervised data and a maxmargin learning algorithm. We explore how the model may be used to focus the data variations captured in the latent space of the deep generative model and how this may be used to build new algorithms for few-shot learning.


Single-photon sources based on spontaneous photon-pair generation have enabled pioneering experiments in quantum physics. However, next-generation photonic quantum technologies require higher generation probabilities of photons in well-controlled pure states capable of high-visibility interference. We have harnessed bespoke fiber technology to develop virtually alignment-free sources that deliver high-purity heralded single photons in telecoms single-mode fiber. The resulting access to low-loss optical delay enabled us to actively route the heralded output from two almost identical sources to enhance the delivery probability of single photons relative to one individual source. Our results indicate how the scale of photonic quantum technologies might be increased via guided-wave multiplexing of high-purity photons.


The authors reviewed all peer-reviewed studies with participants from preschool to Grade 8 for this meta-analysis of morphological interventions. They identified 22 applicable studies. Instructional effects (Cohen's d) were averaged by linguistic outcome categories (morphological sublexical, nonmorphological sublexical, lexical, and supralexical) and comparison group (experimental group vs. control or experimental group vs. alternative training). The authors investigated the effects of morphological instruction (a) on reading, spelling, vocabulary, and morphological skills, (b) for less able readers versus undifferentiated samples, (c) for younger versus older students, and (d) in combination with instruction of other literacy skills or in isolation. Results indicate that (a) morphological instruction benefits learners, (b) it brings particular benefits for less able readers, (c) it is no less effective for younger students, and (d) it is more effective when combined with other aspects of literacy instruction. Implications of these findings are discussed in light of current educational practice and theory.


When contracts for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) expire, highly erodible land that had a long-term vegetative cover composed of grasses or grass-legume mixtures may be converted back to cropland. Considering that some of the same leaf spot pathogens found on grasses can cause diseases on wheat, the management practices used to convert these lands were evaluated for their effect on winter wheat leaf spot diseases. In a 3-year spring wheat-winter wheat-pea crop rotation, the major leaf spot diseases on winter wheat were tan spot and Stagonospora nodorum blotch. Removal of hay or leaving hay in the plots when converting grassland to cropland had no significant effect on leaf spot diseases, indicating that the residue from the grass-alfalfa crop did not influence leaf spot diseases on winter wheat. Tillage treatments did not influence the amount of disease in 1996, but with higher precipitation levels in 1999, higher disease severities were associated with the no tillage treatment. Higher levels of crop residue associated with the no tillage treatment could potentially carry over plant pathogens from one crop to the next. The severity of leaf spot diseases was consistently lower when nitrogen was applied, indicating the importance of nitrogen application when converting grassland to cropland.


In this paper, we propose the use of a multiobjective evolutionary approach to generate a set of linguistic fuzzy-rule-based systems with different tradeoffs between accuracy and interpretability in regression problems. Accuracy and interpretability are measured in terms of approximation error and rule base (RB) complexity, respectively. The proposed approach is based on concurrently learning RBs and parameters of the membership functions of the associated linguistic labels. To manage the size of the search space, we have integrated the linguistic two-tuple representation model, which allows the symbolic translation of a label by only considering one parameter, with an efficient modification of the well known (2 + 2) Pareto archived evolution strategy (PAES). We tested our approach on nine real world datasets of different sizes and with different numbers of variables. Besides the (2 + 2)PAES, we have also used the well known nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and an accuracy-driven single-objective evolutionary algorithm (EA). We employed these optimization techniques both to concurrently learn rules and parameters and to learn only rules. We compared the different approaches by applying a nonparametric statistical test for pairwise comparisons, thus taking into consideration three representative points from the obtained Pareto fronts in the case of the multiobjective EAs. Finally, a data complexity measure, which is typically used in pattern recognition to evaluate the data density in terms of average number of patterns per variable, has been introduced to characterize regression problems. Results confirm the effectiveness of our approach, particularly for (possibly high dimensional) datasets with high values of the complexity metric.


However, any attempt to provide an objective account of the event, either by breaking it up into a mass of its details or by setting it in its context, must conjure with two circumstances, one is that the number of details identifiable in any singular event is potentially infinite, and the other is that the 'context' of any singular event is infinitely extensive, or at least is not objectively determinable. (White, 1996: 22) On January 30 2005, just into George W. Bush's second term in the Oval Office, I saw Whoopi Goldberg's  Whoopi: Back to Broadway the 20th Anniversary Show  ( Whoopi: Back ) on the last night of its run at the Lyceum Theatre in New York. Coincidentally, on this particular night the show was being filmed by HBO who broadcast it later that year. In April 2006 I received the DVD of this performance, ordered via the internet, which includes a copy of the "original show"  Whoopi Goldberg: Direct from Broadway  ( Goldberg: Direct ) the anniversary of which was "commemorated" by the 2004-5 version. The 1984-5 show was performed in the same theatre and was also filmed by HBO. I bought the DVD because during the live show I had a sense that its political significance might be greater than the sum of its theatrical parts. Since then, the more I have researched into this piece (and watched the DVDs) the more it has taken on the appearance of 'an event' as theorised by historiographer Hayden White above, writing under the influence of Jacques Derrida. By this I mean that  after  the event, the more I discovered about this performance and its various contexts (before and during the event), the more its possible meanings have expanded into the past and future in a manner that is potentially, infinitely extensive. Except in my mind as an event some of these meanings came together in a "pause" in January 2009 when Barack Obama was inaugurated as Bush's replacement.


The paper analyses and compares two transformative moments of technologically-mediated change in East Africa, the construction of the Uganda railway between Mombasa and Lake Victoria (1896-1903) and the introduction of fibre-optic cables that landed into the ports of Dar Es Salaam and Mombasa in 2009. It uses discourse analysis to examine how technologically-mediated connectivity has been represented by political and economic actors during these transformative moments. In both cases, we explore the origins of the expectations of connectivity and the hope and fear associated with them. Building on Massey's notion of power-geometry and Sheppard's concept of positionality the paper focuses on power relationships in discussions of connectivity and asks how people understand the abilities of transformative technologies to modify positionalities and alter relational distance and proximity. Ultimately, by examining historical and contemporary expectations of connectivity in East Africa, this paper allows us to work towards creating more grounded and historicised understandings of the coming-together of technology and connectivity.


While inattentional blindness is a modern classic in attention and perception research, analogous phenomena of inattentional deafness are less well-known. In music, inattentional deafness has never been demonstrated under controlled experimental conditions, despite of indirect evidence for related effects. We tested inattentional deafness with real music in both musicians and non-musicians. Participants listened to the first 1'50" of Richard Strauss' Thus Spake Zarathustra, with the experimental group having the task of counting the number of tympani beats and the control group just listening. The unexpected event was an e-guitar solo during the last 20s of this sequence. In Study 1, among non-musicians, only a single person in the experimental group noticed the e-guitar, while 52% of the control group did. In amateur musicians, results were less extreme, but structurally equivalent: When engaged in a simple parallel task, only 38% explicitly noticed the strange guitar, with 68% doing so in the control group. In Study 2, findings were extended to an easier stimulus setting. Results demonstrate that inattentional deafness exists in the musical realm, in close correspondence to known blindness effects with dynamic visual stimuli. The striking effects in the musicians' group shed a new light on the role of attentional processes in music perception and performance.


This study was part of a larger research programme de signed to obtain a method of improving the feed value of waste straw to ruminants, using a selected microorganism. The work reported here was carried out to assess the potential of Coprinus cinereus (Schaeff ex Fr.) S.F. Gray sensu Konr. for this purpose, to upscale the most promising treatments and to investigate the natural colonisation of straw by the fungus. The breakdown of sterile barley straw was investigated over a range of pHs maintained with ammonia and hydrochloric acid solutions. Hemicellulose and cellulose were found to be attacked, with hemicellulose decomposed preferentially. At optimum growth conditions, in vitro digestibility of the straw was increased to the level of good quality hay, although this declined after peaking. Digestibility increase was correlated with utilisation of hemicellulose and cellulose in the short term. Larger scale biodegradation trials using unsterile straw showed that a consistently upgraded product could be obtained using an inoculum of C. cinereus spores in 1% wjw ammonia solution with loose straw in polythene sacks. The low protein content of the upgraded material indicated that it was unsuitable as a complete ruminant diet. A technique was developed to study the activity of C. cinereus and other fungi in cereal field soil. It was shown that C. cinereus is an active component of the fungus flora of barley field soil, indicating that the propagules of C. cinereus found in harvested straw arise from the soil. The feasibility of linking a straw biodegradation process to an animal slurry treatment system, which serves as an ammonia source was investigated. The economic aspects of such a scheme were discussed.


Abstract This study used a trait-state-occasion (TSO) model to isolate stable trait variance, occasion-specific state variance, and shared method related variance in a measure for leisure satisfaction in a Dutch nationally representative nine-year panel study. Findings indicate that satisfaction with leisure time is a consistently stronger indicator of overall leisure satisfaction than satisfaction with leisure activities. About half of the variance in leisure satisfaction is stable trait variance, with the remaining variance being mostly occasion-specific and to a lesser extent attributable to shared method variance and error. However, these findings depend on the age group we consider. Several socio-demographic variables relate directly to the trait aspect of leisure satisfaction. Our study underscores the importance of recognizing that over time leisure satisfaction measurements have considerable stable and more volatile elements and that one should control for shared method effects.


The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) conducts chip seal operations on state highways to prolong the life of the road. The chip seal operation is labor, equipment and material intensive. A typical chip seal operation may involve 35 or more INDOT employees including truck drivers, flagmen, and equipment operators (brooms, rollers, aggregate spreader, and distributors). This project was launched to better understand and document variations in how each of the six INDOT districts, approach the planning and execution of their respective chip seal operations. The goal was to identify areas in the operation where there were differences between districts and to determine best practices that could be shared among the districts. Two observers joined the chip seal operations in all six districts. The observers spent a total of 10 days with the chip seal crews (2 days each with the crews from Fort Wayne, La Porte, Greenfield, and Seymour and 1 day each with the crews from Vincennes and Crawfordsville). One additional day was spent in Crawfordsville observing the Fog Seal operation that takes place a few days following chip seal. During the initial phases of this project, many differences were observed regarding various aspects of the operation including the stone and equipment used, truck loading procedures, traffic control, and covering raised pavement markers (RPNs). These observations were shared with key stakeholders on November 4, 2013 and with a second group of stakeholders on January 22, 2014. With the help of stakeholders, best practices were identified from the observations and a list of 14 recommendations was created to be shared across all districts. A series of meetings were then scheduled to share the recommendations with each district and to determine which recommendations they were interested in piloting. The three ideas found during this project that provide the greatest opportunities for improving the overall operational efficiency of the chip seal operation are (1) the importance of closing roads during chip seal whenever possible, (2) the importance of choosing the best locations for stone stockpiles and oil tanker deliveries, and (3) the importance of fully loading dump trucks to their maximum safe and legal limit.


The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency and level of Tenebrio molitor's waste concentrate (TMC) on the physiological response of local sheep. A total 18 rams aged Io (8 months) with an average body weight of 14.72±2.44 kg (CV 16.91%) were used in this research. The reserch using 3x2 factorial randomized block design. Firts treatment was feeding frequency (2, 3 and 4 times/day) and second treatment was level of TMC ration (70% and 35% of TMC). The variables observed were physiological responses (pulse rate, rectal temperature, and respiration rate). The data were analyzed by ANOVA. The results showed that there was interaction effect between feeding frequency and TMC level on pulse rate and rectal temperature of sheep. The level of 35% TMC was significantly higher (P<0.05) on respiration rate than 70% TMC when the sheep feed in the morning. The research concluded that frequency of feeding and the level TMC had a significant effect on physiological responses in local rams.


OBJECTIVE
1. To reduce errors in the ordering of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH). 2. To develop a pragmatic low-cost medical information system to achieve this goal.

METHODS
We designed an online total parenteral nutrition order entry system (TPNCalculator) using Internet technologies. Total development time was three weeks. Utilization, impact on medical errors and user satisfaction were evaluated.

RESULTS
During the control period, 0.39 orders per patient per day (N=557) were received compared to 0.35 orders per patient per day (N=471) in the intervention period (NS). There was no significant difference in the percentage of late (incomplete by order deadline) TPN orders. During the control period, an average of 10.8 errors were detected per 100 TPN orders compared to 4.2 per 100 orders in the intervention period (61% reduction of error rate; p < 0.01). We found a reduction in the following types of problems: Calculation errors (100%), osmolality issues (87%) and other knowledge problems (84%). There was a 35% increase in the number of incomplete forms. Users of the system were enthusiastic and supportive and compared it favorably to the prior paper based system.

CONCLUSION
Low-cost, pragmatic approaches utilizing Internet technology in the design of medical information systems can reduce medical errors and might pose a viable option for the prevention of adverse drug events.


This work gives an overview of reduced order model (ROM) applications employed within the context of the DLR Digital-X project. The ROM methodology has found widespread application in fluid dynamics. In its direct application to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) it seeks to reduce the computational complexity of a problem by reducing the number of degrees of freedom rather than simplifying the physical model. Here, parametric aerodynamic ROMs are used to provide pressure distributions based on highfidelity CFD, but at lower evaluation time and storage than the original CFD model. ROMs for steady aerodynamic applications are presented. We consider ROMs combining proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and Isomap, which is a manifold learning method, with interpolation methods as well as physics-based ROMs, where an approximate solution is found in the POD-subspace or non-linear manifold by minimizing the corresponding steady or unsteady flow-solver residual. The issue of how to train the ROM with high-fidelity CFD data is also addressed. The steady ROMs are used to predict the static aeroelastic loads in a multidisciplinary design and optimization (MDO) context, where the structural model is to be sized for the (aerodynamic) loads. They are also used in a process where an a priori identification of the critical load cases is of interest and the sheer number of load cases to be considered does not lend itself to high-fidelity CFD. We also show an approach combining correction of a linear loads analysis model using steady, rigid CFD solutions at various Mach numbers and angles of attack with a ROM of the corrected Aerodynamic Influence Coefficients (AICs). This integrates the results into a complete loads analysis model preserving aerodynamic nonlinearities while allowing fast evaluation across all model parameters. Thus, correction for the major nonlinearities, e.g. depending on Mach number and angle of attack combines with the linearity of the baseline model to yield a large domain of validity across all flow parameters at the expense of a relatively small number of CFD solutions. The different ROM methods are applied to a 3D test case of a transonic wing-body transport aircraft configuration.


The pooling problem, which is fundamental to the petroleum industry, describes a situation in which products possessing different attribute qualities are mixed in a series of pools in such a way that the attribute qualities of the blended products of the end pools must satisfy given requirements. It is well known that the pooling problem can be modeled through bilinear and nonconvex quadratic programming. In this paper, we investigate how best to apply a new branch-and-cut quadratic programming algorithm to solve the pooling problem. To this effect, we consider two standard models: One is based primarily on flow variables, and the other relies on the proportion of flows entering pools. A hybrid of these two models is proposed for general pooling problems. Comparison of the computational properties of flow and proportion models is made on several problem instances taken from the literature. Moreover, a simple alternating procedure and a variable neighborhood search heuristic are developed to solve large instances and compared with the well-known method of successive linear programming. Solution of difficult test problems from the literature is substantially accelerated, and larger ones are solved exactly or approximately.


Background; t he use of information technology and the internet as teaching and learning tool is rapidly expanding into today's learning environments. Education institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are preparing students for a rapidly changing information and technology driven world. The KSA needs graduates who are ready for the workplace and who have a high level of knowledge and confidence in the use of technology to help them in their lifelong learning. Since e- learning is conducted using the Internet and World Wide Web, the learning environment becomes more complicated. Students' initial perceived satisfaction with technology-based e- learning will determine whether they will use the system continually. So this study aimed to assess perceived e-learner satisfaction and investigate the preceding factors influence on nursing students' satisfaction with e-learning experience in King Khalid University.  Subjects: A convenience sample of 135 female nursing students affiliated to University Center for Female Studies, King Khalid University was enrolled in this study. Tool: data were collected by using three tools. The first was concerned with collecting data related to sample characteristics, the second concerned with identifying the factors that may affect the e–learner satisfaction with e–learning. The third concerned with measuring the learner satisfaction with e–learning. Results; revealed that 61.5% of participant students were unsatisfied with their e-learning experience and learner attitude towards computer, learners' computer anxiety, e-learning course flexibility, e- learning course quality, technology quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, diversity in assessment, and learner perceived interaction with others were the critical factors affecting learners' perceived satisfaction. Recommendation &implications: Helping students build their confidence in using computers will make e- learning more enjoyable. Also course content should be relevant, logically organized, easy to use, carefully designed, and presented sparingly. The results show institutions how to improve learner satisfaction and further strengthen their e- learning implementation. Key words: E-learning, E- learner Satisfaction, Factors Affecting E- learner Satisfaction.