The Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxins (DST), okadaic acid (OA) + dinophysistoxin-1
(DTX-1), were detected above the regulatory limit of 0.20 μg/g of digestive gland
(DG) in (non-commercial) blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) from Sullivans Cove,
Tasmania. Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX-2), PTX-2 seco acids and 7-epi-PTX-2 SA were also
detected in mussels. This was associated with the occurrence of the toxic
dinoflagellates, Dinophysis acuminata and D. fortii, which were seasonally prevalent
at high cell densities (up to 7,380 cells/L for D. acuminata, 500 cells/L for D. fortii).
A high density of D. truncata (1,850 cells/L) did not result in increased DST levels in
M. edulis at Parsons Bay, Tasmania, suggesting that this may be a non- or weakly
toxic dinoflagellate.
Subtle variations among Dinophysis morphotypes can pose problems for rapid and
accurate identification. Tasmanian sequences of the D1-D3 region of the large subunit
rDNA of D. fortii were indistinguishable from those of D. fortii from France and D.
acuta from the North Atlantic, while Tasmanian D. acuminata was indistinguishable
from European and New Zealand D. acuminata. Genetic sequencing of New Zealand
D. acuta failed to discriminate between Tasmanian D. fortii and New Zealand D.
acuta and neither did sequencing discriminate between European D. fortii and D.
acuta.
A field depuration experiment was conducted in the Derwent River by placing M.
edulis in 38 μm mesh size cages to screen out Dinophysis plankton cells. Mussels
displayed biphasic depuration kinetics with a faster rate of PTX loss over the first 30
days followed by an increase of OA + DTX-1 depuration once there was no further
change in PTX levels. The slow rate of depuration of OA + DTX-1 from day 15 to 30
followed by an increase in depuration may be attributed to mussels using lipid storage
during a period of reduced food availability leading to a release of toxins in bound
fractions. Solid Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracking (SPATT) detected dissolved DST
in the Derwent River seawater medium at levels as high as 0.34 OA + DTX-1
μg/SPATT bag. Cellular and exuded toxicity of Prorocentrum lima varied between two culture strains
isolated from different locations in Tasmania, Australia. Cellular OA was greater in
the Little Swanport (PLLSP) strain (36 pg/cell) compared to the Louisville Point
(PLLV) strain (3.8 pg/cell), which was the only strain producing DTX-1. PTX-2 was
produced by both strains at small concentrations up to 1.2 pg/cell. This is the first
reported occurrence of PTX-2 produced by P. lima. The Louisville strain excreted
higher concentrations of OA (reaching 18 μg/SPATT bag) in the first 20 days
compared to the Little Swanport strain (11 μg OA/SPATT bag). For both strains this
declined to 4 μg/SPATT bag on day 40. Both strains exuded higher dissolved toxin
levels at low cell abundance of 1,200 cells/L (PLLV strain reaching 1.6 μg OA +
DTX-1/SPATT bag) compared to at 2,400 cells/L (0.4 μg OA + DTX-1/SPATT bag).
Tasmanian strains of P. lima were more toxic than other global strains and poses a
potential DSP risk to Tasmanian shellfish farms.
In-vitro experiments with Prorocentrum lima suggest that dissolved toxins are exuded
from DST producing dinoflagellates as well as from depurating mussels. Most of the
DST was present dissolved in the seawater (94 %) when SPATT bags were exposed
to P. lima cultures (6 % of DST in cells). Only a small amount of DST (1 %) was
detected in the seawater medium when SPATT bags were exposed to contaminated
mussels (99 % of DST in mussels). OA displayed an increase by more than 0.11 μg/g
DG in mussels immersed in dissolved DST for 48 hrs indicating that mussels can
accumulate DST in in-vitro conditions.
Dissolved DST can pose an additional threat to shellfish farms and can extend harvest
closure periods after toxic dinoflagellate blooms. Toxicity differences among
dinoflagellate species and strains can pose problems for shellfish monitoring
programs and may require phytoplankton regulatory limits to be varied according to
locality.


Proper authentication is needed to avoid theft and destruction of data by unauthorized parties. This research proposes to add software biometrics to the authentication and verification process, using keystroke dynamics. The goal is to grant or revoke users privileges by distinguishing one user's typing pattern from another. Login samples were recorded by monitoring keystroke parameters such as KeyDown time and KeyWait time, in an 8 character password. A system to generate user profiles, with the ability to accommodate continuous growth, was developed. By using appropriate Alert Levels, a 2.25% False Acceptance Rate and 4.17% False Rejection Rate was achieved. A method to recognize and identify users, based on one login sample, was able to trace 65% of the samples back to the original user. The work in this thesis was unable to find an applicable method for statistical pattern recognition. It concludes that by enabling a biometric keystroke dynamic authentication system, 97.75% of all false login attempts, with stolen but valid credentials, can be prevented, although with a potential downside of increasing the number of falsely rejected logins by 4.17%. However, as users grow accustomed to their password, the false rejection rate will go down and the system will increase in reliability. Password DoS attacks as well as automated dictionary attacks will be prevented, but a potential increase in administration cost is probable because of altered user behavior due to physical or environmental changes.


This memoir gives a history of my archaeological research in Brazil and especially the theoretical issues, empirical interests, collaborations, and events that motivated it. I begin with my early course and field experiences as a student, my work as a museum curator and university professor, my research in literature, archives, and collections, and my early collaborations and interactions with other students and with scholars. Then I trace the relationship of my Venezuelan Orinoco dissertation work to my interest in the Amazon, and explain how that led subsequently to my field research in Brazil. I then summarize the work at the four regional foci of the project in the Lower Amazon of Brazil and point to what might be the theoretical implications of the results in light of the results of work by other scholars. I conclude with an explanation of how the Brazilian research relates to my preliminary research in Central Africa and conclude with the implications of the South American and African research for changing concepts of human evolution, human ecology, and culture history.


The dogwhelk, Nucella lapillus, is an intertidal predator that displays classic ecotypic variation. Dogwhelks from exposed shores typically have small shells with large apertural openings while dogwhelks on protected shores have large, robust shells with thick apertural lips. The morphology of each ecotype is adaptive in its respective environment as the exposed shore morph minimizes the risk of dislodgement in heavy surf and the protected shore morph is more resistant to the shell-crushing predators common on protected shores This morphological variation has been attributed to wave exposure, site-specific and chromosomal factors and phenotypic plasticity. Through morphological analyses we have documented extensive site-specific variation in five morphological traits. Specifically, we found that site-specific factors rather than exposure explained a greater proportion of the variance across the five shell traits we examined. We have also documented the presence of a chromosomal polymorphism in Western Atlantic populations of the dogwhelk which were previously believed to be monomorphically of the 2n = 27 karyotype. We have found that chromosome number ranges from 2n = 26 to 2n = 32 in dogwhelk populations in Maine. Furthermore, we suggest that chromosome number is correlated with morphology and may explain the site-specific variation we observed in our morphological survey. Lastly, we transplanted snails of different karyotypes from exposed and protected shores to four different protected shores in order to examine the plastic response in shell lip thickness and aperture width across sites, karyotype, and exposure. The results of this experiment suggest that chromosome number plays a role in the phenotypic response of shell traits to environmental stimuli and that this response is variable depending upon which trait is being examined. We assert that the drastic morphological variation observed in N. lapillus is not simply due to wave exposure, but is instead a plastic response mediated by chromosomal factors. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Biology First Advisor Peter S. Petraitis


There is a dearth of representation of the African mask that exists in the cultural spaces of Western museums. This is not merely a colonial legacy but a contemporary occurrence that museums grapple with. Accordingly, several African theorists have long implied that there is an 'absence' of the African mask in Western museums and public displays of social pluralism and hybridity. These nascent hypotheses severally reflect the sharp dichotomy existing between theirs [Africans] and Western perception of museum display. Such thinking is fueled by Western misunderstandings of African arts and crafts ~ contextualized within media platforms as discrepant and ideologically insignificant. The complex societal roles of these artifacts - masks - and the lives of their crafters are largely out of the range of scholarly discourse in museum. Scholars such as Frederick Lamp, Susan Vogel, Robert Farris Thompson, and Herbert Cole are among a group of theorists who scrutinize the notion of 'absence', examining it under the umbrellas of performance, motion (Farris 1974], "involvement" [Gallery 2004) and "original context" [Vogel 1991: 15]. They stand in contrast to certain Western perceptions that categorize such craftsmanship under unflattering labels like 'Primitive Art'l21 or bucolic, "archaic" [Eisenhofer 2010: 13] art. Hence the inherent dialogues of the artifacts [themselves) and their purveyors- who are in fact cultural agents- are subjected to intellectual oblivion. These interventions from theorist have had enormous impression on museum curators. In the past, there have been some curatorial measures [Savage 2008) that attempted to atone for the absence and to bring in some presence. These efforts have come from theorist, artists and curators. However, there is still more to do due to the complex nature of the mask and the new environment it finds itself in. The objective of the study is to locate important gaps in current discourse on Western museums and public spaces, subjecting them to critique and making significant design contributions. My design solutions relies on digital based animation and motion graphic techniques, with the intent of producing video based installations. The designs re-embody the visual, emotional and spiritual content of the African masks for a contemporary audience. The potential of digital mediai3J - video and audio which incorporates motion graphics and digital effects has been enhanced worldwide to narrate the stories we enjoy in movies. This can be exploited to narrate the stories behind the African masks from the African perspective. My design solution employs 20, 30, audio, video and animation to design a user experience that create lasting impression on the audience. It employs a synthesis of the African perspective [which utilizes the conceptual frameworks in a critical discourse) with the conventional Western theoretical and aesthetic knowledge. The end results are video installations through projections some of which offer a certain level of user interactions.


Abstract Among cancers in American women, breast cancer (BC) has the second highest incidence and mortality. The association of BC with diet has been inconsistent. Studies that evaluate associations with dietary patterns are less common and reflect an individual's whole diet. We associated dietary patterns with the risk of BC in American women of the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2), a prospective cohort of 96 001 subjects recruited between 2002 and 2007. Answers to a previously validated FFQ were used to classify subjects to vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and non-vegetarian dietary patterns. Incident BC were identified by matching AHS-2 subjects to data from forty-eight state cancer registries. Statistical analyses used proportional hazard regression analyses with covariates that were chosen a priori. From 50 404 female participants (26 193 vegetarians), we identified 892 incident BC cases, with 478 cases among vegetarians. As compared with non-vegetarians, all vegetarians combined did not have a significantly lower risk (hazard ratio (HR) 0·97; CI 0·84, 1·11; P=0·64). However, vegans showed consistently lower (but non-significant) point estimates when compared with non-vegetarians (all cases: HR 0·78; CI 0·58, 1·05; P=0·09). In summary, participants in this cohort who follow a vegetarian dietary pattern did not experience a lower risk of BC as compared with non-vegetarians, although lower risk in vegans is possible. These findings add to the very limited literature associating vegetarian diets with BC risk and can assist nutritionists when evaluating the impact of these diets. The findings will also motivate further evaluation of vegan diets and their special characteristics.


The administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) provides an exciting emerging therapeutic modality for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease, a condition that is associated with critical limb ischemia as its end stage. Placental-derived MSCs, termed PLX-PAD cells, are stable adhesive stromal cells isolated from full-term human placentae, cultured on carriers, and expanded in a bioreactor called the PluriX. These cells can be expanded in vitro without phenotypic or karyotypic changes. We studied the safety and biodistribution properties of PLX-PAD cells following intramuscular administration in NOD/SCID mice. No significant clinical signs, hematological and biochemical parameters, or major pathological changes were found in PLX-PAD-treated animals in comparison to vehicle controls. Several animals in the control and PLX-PAD-treated groups developed thymic malignant lymphoma, first seen after one month, as expected in this mouse strain. In addition, both groups developed spontaneous mesenteric vessel inflammation. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) demonstrated that distribution of PLX-PAD cells was confined to the injection site. Placental-derived MSCs remained in this site with gradual decrease in concentration during a three-month period. In view of these data, we conclude that the administration of PLX-PAD cells is not associated with any adverse effects in NOD/SCID mice.


The theory of the two path-length method for optically determining flame temperature is reviewed, and the requirements for quantitative photographic measurement are presented. Apparatus which includes a camera with the necessary combination of film and filters to accept light in a narrow wavelength interval, and several adjustable lamps to serve as standard sources, is described. The film record contains an image of the rocket exhaust jet adjacent to the images of the lamp filaments whose temperatures are known from a previous calibration with an optical pyrometer. Comparison of measured intensities with and without a reflector behind the flame yields the emittance and flame temperature. Some results of measurements at the exit regions of rocket nozzles affording nearly optimum expanison are presented. The utility of the method in rocket performance studies is discussed.


Let C(3)n denote the 3-uniform tight cycle, that is, the hypergraph with vertices v1, .–.–., vn and edges v1v2v3, v2v3v4, .–.–., vn−1vnv1, vnv1v2. We prove that the smallest integer N = N(n) for which every red–blue colouring of the edges of the complete 3-uniform hypergraph with N vertices contains a monochromatic copy of C(3)n is asymptotically equal to 4n/3 if n is divisible by 3, and 2n otherwise. The proof uses the regularity lemma for hypergraphs of Frankl and Rödl.


From 10 to 8 ka BP (thousand years before present), paleoclimate records show an atmospheric and oceanic cooling in the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. During this interval, temperatures estimated from proxy data decrease by 0.8 °C over Antarctica and 1.2 °C over the Southern Ocean. In order to study the causes of this cooling, simulations covering the early Holocene have been performed with the climate model of intermediate complexity LOVECLIM constrained to follow the signal recorded in climate proxies using a data assimilation method based on a particle filtering approach. The selected proxies represent oceanic and atmospheric surface temperature in the Southern Hemisphere derived from terrestrial, marine and glaciological records. Two mechanisms previously suggested to explain the 10–8 ka BP cooling pattern are investigated using the data assimilation approach in our model. The first hypothesis is a change in atmospheric circulation, and the second one is a cooling of the sea surface temperature in the Southern Ocean, driven in our experimental setup by the impact of an increased West Antarctic melting rate on ocean circulation. For the atmosphere hypothesis, the climate state obtained by data assimilation produces a modification of the meridional atmospheric circulation leading to a 0.5 °C Antarctic cooling from 10 to 8 ka BP compared to the simulation without data assimilation, without congruent cooling of the atmospheric and sea surface temperature in the Southern Ocean. For the ocean hypothesis, the increased West Antarctic freshwater flux constrainted by data assimilation (+100 mSv from 10 to 8 ka BP) leads to an oceanic cooling of 0.7 °C and a strengthening of Southern Hemisphere westerlies (+6%). Thus, according to our experiments, the observed cooling in Antarctic and the Southern Ocean proxy records can only be reconciled with the reconstructions by the combination of a modified atmospheric circulation and an enhanced freshwater flux.


Parenting responsibilities in the context of children's mobility have been subject to a substantial change over the last few decades. Children's current activities and travel patterns are significantly different to the previous generations when they were at the same age. Today's children are exposed to increased car use and are chauffeured for the majority of their trips. A range of social and environmental factors have contributed to the formation of these travel patterns which include the changing societal perceptions of safety (traffic and stranger danger), easy access to cars, increased income levels, higher employment rates for women, increased number of trips children undertake due to contemporary lifestyles and the built environment conditions that privilege private car usage over other travel modes. Social issues associated with reduced independent mobility of children have been highlighted by previous research. However, the environmental cost of these lifestyles have been researched to a lesser degree. Based on the preliminary findings of an ongoing major research project, this paper delves further into the environmental cost of 'parental taxis' through examination of 53 parental surveys regarding travel patterns to and from extra-curricular activities. The paper aims to produce an evidence base surrounding the environmental cost of the parental car dependent lifestyles of today's children and their families. The findings exhibit a large number of round trips (both during the week and on the weekend) to educational destinations other than school for 10 to 13 year old children. These figures highlight the significant potential for carbon emission reduction through the conversion of some of these trips to noncar modes.


Mentoring is frequently used by many Extension programs as an ongoing methodology for helping new educators better understand their roles and responsibilities. This article is based upon a longitudinal mentoring study to determine value, benefit, and steps towards greater effectiveness. The population included mentors, mentees, and immediate supervisors, and the methodology is based upon focus group research conducted over an 18-month mentoring period. The results of the study reported here are focused on the areas of mentor selection, training, pairing, interaction, and recognition. Recommendations are widely applicable to other Extension programs looking to improve their mentoring programs.


Hyman Minsky is best known for his work in the area of financial economics, and especially for his financial instability hypothesis. In recent years, some authors have also recognized his advocacy of the "employer of last resort" as part of his "big government" intervention to help maintain stability. However, very little research has been undertaken regarding Minsky's early involvement in the "War on Poverty." This paper will trace the development of Minsky's thinking on antipoverty policies to his support for welfare reform and federal job creation programs


Inspired by the duality between gravity and defects in crystals, we study lattice field theory with torsion. The torsion is realized by a line defect of a lattice, namely, a dislocation. For the first application, we perform the numerical computation for vector and axial currents induced by a screw dislocation. This current generation is called the chiral torsional effect. We also derive the analytical formula for the chiral torsional effect in the continuum limit.


Theories about humans and their relationships with technology are part of a lifeworld shared by many corporate ethnographers, although individuals' practices for engaging with theory can vary considerably due to factors such as disciplinary training and workplace norms. Within the EPIC community the perception of a constrained relationship between theory and corporate ethnographic praxis has emerged as a matter of concern. This paper recounts our experiment with bringing theory into daily work by designing and playing a game that had us adopt the personas of theorists while engaging in rhetorical combat, competing to surface insights relevant to an ongoing technology development project. Each phase, from initial game design, through prototyping play, to the final event, supported our collective practice of theory, brought to light hidden assumptions about the role of theory in our work, and provided actionable value to our daily work activities.


ABSTRACT Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), or Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus, has been linked to all forms of KS. The results of most current serological assays for the detection of HHV-8-specific antibodies have low levels of concordance among themselves. To establish a sensitive and specific testing strategy that can be used to screen for HHV-8-specific antibodies, three HHV-8 proteins, ORF65, ORF73, and K8.1A, were expressed by using baculoviral vectors in insect cells and incorporated into a monoclonal antibody-enhanced immunofluorescence assay (mIFA) termed the Sf9 three-antigen mIFA. The results obtained by this mIFA were compared to those obtained by a standard mIFA with an HHV-8-infected B-cell line (BC3 mIFA). Test sera were obtained from patients diagnosed with KS, human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients at high risk for HHV-8 infection, and healthy controls from a local blood bank. The combined use of both assays had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 96%. The performance of these two assays when they were used together indicates that they may be useful for the reliable detection of HHV-8-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in a population.


Following a suggestion of Warren Weaver, we extend Shannon's linear model of communication piecemeal into a complex systems model. First, we distinguish between communication relations and correlations between patterns of relations. The correlations span a vector space in which relations are positioned and are thus provided with meaning. Second, positions provide perspectives to reflexive receivers. Whereas the different meanings can be integrated locally, each such instantiation opens horizons of meaning that can be codified along eigenvectors of the communication matrix. The interactions among three (or more) codes of communication may generate redundancies (as feedback on the forward arrow of entropy production). Increases in redundancy can be measured as a net reduction of prevailing uncertainty (measurable in bits). This generation of redundancy (options) can be considered as a hallmark of a knowledge-based system (e.g., an economy): new knowledge provides more options than can be realized. Both the communication-theoretical and the operational (information-theoretical) perspectives are further elaborated in the full paper—provisionally entitled "The Self-Organization of Meaning and the Reflexive Communication of Information"—which was in the meantime submitted (preprint version available at  http://arxiv.org/abs/1507.05251).


Before he was the Academy Award-nominated director of The Last Picture Show (1971), Peter Bogdanovich (b. 1939) interviewed some of cinema's great masters: Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, and others. Since becoming an acclaimed filmmaker himself, he has given countless interviews to the press about his own career. This volume collects thirteen of his best, most comprehensive, and most insightful interviews, many long out of print and several never before published in their entirety. They cover more than forty years of directing, with Bogdanovich talking candidly about his great triumphs, such as The Last Picture Show and What's Up, Doc? (1972), and his overlooked gems, such as Daisy Miller (1974) and They All Laughed (1981). Assembled by acclaimed critic Peter Tonguette, also author of a new critical biography of Bogdanovich, these interviews demonstrate that Bogdanovich is not only one of America's finest filmmakers, but also one of its most eloquent when discussing film and his own remarkable movies.


A novel approach for the in situ synthesis of conjugated polyaniline-poly(ethylene glycol) graft copolymer (PA-g-PEG) by the combination of oxidative polymerization and copper catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction is described. The method pertains to the reduction of the CuBr2 catalyst during the oxidative copolymerization of aniline and aminophenyl propargylether to Cu(I) species, which catalyze the CuAAC reaction between thus formed polyaniline with pendant alkyne groups and independently prepared azide functional PEG in both simultaneous and sequential manner. The obtained water-soluble PA-g-PEG was used for the construction of glucose biosensor by a simple one-step approach. Combined electrostatic polyanion-polycation and hydrogen bond interactions between PA-g-PEG and glucose oxidase provided a suitable immobilization matrix for the enzyme resulting in excellent analytical parameters. PA-g-PEG based glucose biosensor exhibited a remarkable response time, producing an instant sig...


Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) on reducing depression in head-of-family women under the protection of the State Welfare Organization of Iran. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 30 women who were randomly selected based on acquiring scores upper than median on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale, and were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. With a pretest and posttest control group design, subjects in the experimental group underwent 8 weekly sessions of SFBT. Both groups were evaluated using BDI-II scale in pretest and posttest, and data were analyzed using ANCOVA. Results: Findings showed no significant difference between the two groups in the pretest, while SFBT, significantly decreased depression scores in the intervention group. Conclusion: SFBT could be used as an intervention program in target groups and the general population of women with depression.


Thin films of cobalt oxide, iron oxide and niobium oxide, and nanostructured thin films of iron oxide, titanium oxide and multilayered iron oxide/titanium oxide have been deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). The metal oxides were grown using the precursor combinations CoI2/O2, Fe(Cp)2/O2, NbI5/O2 and TiI4/H2O. The samples were analysed primarily with respect to phase content, morphology and growth characteristics.Thin films deposited on Si (100) were found to be amorphous or polycrystalline, depending on deposition temperature and the oxide deposited; cobalt oxide was also deposited on MgO (100), where it was found to grow epitaxially with orientation (001)[100]Co3O4||(001)[100]MgO. As expected, the polycrystalline films were rougher than the amorphous or the epitaxial films. The deposition processes showed properties characteristic of self-limiting ALD growth; all processes were found to have a deposition temperature independent growth region. The deposited films contained zero or only small amounts of precursor residues.The nanostructured films were grown using anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) or carbon nanosheets as templates. Nanotubes could be manufactured by depositing a thin film which covers the pore walls of the AAO template uniformly; free-standing nanotubes retaining the structure of the template could be fabricated by removing the template. Multilayered nanotubes could be obtained by depositing multiple layers of titanium dioxide and iron oxide in the pores of the AAO template. Carbon nanosheets were used to make titanium dioxide nanosheets with a conducting graphite backbone. The nucleation of the deposited titanium dioxide could be controlled by acid treatment of the carbon nanosheets.


There is a clear systemic motive to silence and undermine the genuine voices of young academics in comprehensive South African universities. The foregoing manifests in various ways including gate-keeping publishing techniques. Senior academics do not emphasize the significance of 'publish or perish' mantra as needed and on time for young emerging academics. This continued invidious practice is further perpetuated by the circulating scholarly reports and the media-alike which intentionally do not pay too much attention to this ongoing injustice. Where such is reported, it is often not given too much attention, or rather side-lined and even critiqued. This research article seeks to revisit all the various challenges facing young emerging scholars in South African universities. Due to complicated ethical reasons, the author does not dwell much on pin-pointing universities one by one. Also, this is because the problem seems to be a country-wide systemic instigation to undermine the new emerging voices of young emerging scholars who were previously marginalized and kicked out of the apartheid research system. I, therefore, adopt Afrocentricity as a theoretical lens to challenge the perpetuation of this continued intentional and discriminatory practice against publishing whilst young.

https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.86.1.2500


The number of Eimeria oocysts per gram faeces (OPG) and number of gastrointestinal nematod (GIN) eggs per gram faeces (EPG) depend on some factors such as gender, season and production systems. In order to determine the Eimeria infection and some gastrointestinal nematode burdens in Maltese, Gokceada and Turkish Saanen goats, OPG, EPG and packed cell volume (PCV) were investigated. Maltese breed tended to have lower parasite burden than other goat breeds (P≤0.05). In the first observation, the prevalence of Eimeria and nematodes was 100% in Gokceada breed, while the prevalence of Eimeria and the prevalence of GIN infection were 98% and 78%, respectively, in Maltese. It was determined that OPG and EPG burdens were significantly affected by the age of goats and the sampling date (P≤0.0193). It was seen that OPG burden decreased as the goats get older (P= 0.0157), while EPG value varied by the age of a goat in an unsteady manner (P<0.0001). The PCV values determined in the breeds ranged from 0.23 to 0.31. Statistically significant and positive correlation coefficients were determined between OPG and EPG r= 0.20 (P= 0.0036), and between the PCV value and OPG r= 0.41 and PCV and EPG r= 0.37 (P<0.0001).


For a general vector linear time series model we prove the strong consistency and asymptotic normality of parameter estimates obtained by maximizing a particular time domain approximation to a Gaussian likelihood, although we do not assume that the observations are necessarily normally distributed. To solve the normal equations we set up a constrained Gauss-Newton iteration and obtain the properties of the iterates when the sample size is large. In particular we show that the iterates are efficient when the iteration begins with a VN- consistent estimator. We obtain similar results to the above for a frequency domain approximation to a Gaussian likelihood. We use the asymptotic estimation theory to obtain the asymptotic distribution of several familiar test statistics for testing nonlinear equality constraints.


State-of-the-art semantic or instance segmentation deep neural networks (DNNs) are usually trained on a closed set of semantic classes. As such, they are ill-equipped to handle previously-unseen objects. However, detecting and localizing such objects is crucial for safety-critical applications such as perception for automated driving, especially if they appear on the road ahead. While some methods have tackled the tasks of anomalous or out-of-distribution object segmentation, progress remains slow, in large part due to the lack of solid benchmarks; existing datasets either consist of synthetic data, or suffer from label inconsistencies. In this paper, we bridge this gap by introducing the"SegmentMeIfYouCan"benchmark. Our benchmark addresses two tasks: Anomalous object segmentation, which considers any previously-unseen object category; and road obstacle segmentation, which focuses on any object on the road, may it be known or unknown. We provide two corresponding datasets together with a test suite performing an in-depth method analysis, considering both established pixel-wise performance metrics and recent component-wise ones, which are insensitive to object sizes. We empirically evaluate multiple state-of-the-art baseline methods, including several models specifically designed for anomaly / obstacle segmentation, on our datasets and on public ones, using our test suite. The anomaly and obstacle segmentation results show that our datasets contribute to the diversity and difficulty of both data landscapes.


Wavelength-striped optical packet multicasting comprises a potentially important functionality for future energy-efficient network applications. We report on two multicast-capable architectures to experimentally demonstrate multiwavelength packet multicasting in an optical switching fabric testbed. The first design uses programmable packet-splitter-and-delivery that simultaneously supports the nonblocking unicast, multicast, and broadcast of high-bandwidth optical packets with parallel switches. This realization achieves the error-free multicasting of optical messages with 810 Gb/s payloads, with confirmed bit-error rates less than , and scalability of per-channel data rates to 40 Gb/s. We then introduce a second multistage multicasting architecture with lower hardware and energy costs, with the design trade-off of more complex routing logic; the experimental demonstration shows the successful switching and error-free multicasting of 8 10 Gb/s optical packets. The energy costs in terms of the capital and operational expenditures are then compared for the two designs, showing the benefits of the second multicast architecture.


Gender bias consists in different practices for men and women. It has been suggested that gender biases in medicine occur at various levels, reflected in the way gender issues are included in medical curricula, equity between sexes in academic course and professional career, research and scientific publications, definition of pathologies, clinical practice and health policies. A review of the literature about gender bias in medicine was carried out, particularly in terms of research and clinical practice. The available evidence on this phenomenon and its effects is discussed, and proposals to its reduction are presented. There is a large body of scientific evidence on the existence of gender biases in medicine, leading mostly to greater inadequacy of clinical care provided to female patients. The proposals of several authors may contribute to the reduction of these effects and, consequently, to greater acuity of research and better adequacy of health care. In addition to the larger study of gender bias, we emphasize social, political and educational measures, the regard of participants' sex in the design of clinical trials and the inclusion of the study of gender theories and discussion of attitudes about gender in academic curricula.


Despite the existence and popularity of many new and classical computer languages, the evolutionary algorithm community has mostly exploited a few popular ones, avoiding them, especially if they are not compiled, under the asumption that compiled languages are always faster than interpreted languages. Wide-ranging performance analyses of implementation of evolutionary algorithms are usually focused on algorithmic implementation details and data structures, but these are usually limited to specific languages. In this paper we measure the execution speed of three common operations in genetic algorithms in many popular and emerging computer languages using different data structures and implementation alternatives, with several objectives: create a ranking for these operations, compare relative speeds taking into account different chromosome sizes and data structures, and dispel or show evidence for several hypotheses that underlie most popular evolutionary algorithm libraries and applications. We find that there is indeed basis to consider compiled languages, such as Java, faster in a general sense, but there are other languages, including interpreted ones, that can hold its ground against them.


We provide a model that bridges the gap between two benchmark models of strategic network formation: Jackson and Wolinsky' s model based on bilateral formation of links, and Bala and Goyal's two-way fl ow model, where links can be unilaterally formed. In the model introduced and studied here a link can be created unilaterally. When it is only supported by one of the two players the fl ow through the link suffers a certain decay, but when it is supported by both the fl ow runs without friction. When the decay in links supported by only one player is maximal (i.e. there is no flow) we have Jackson and Wolinsky 's connections model without decay, while when flow in such links is perfect we have Bala and Goyal' s two-way flow model. We study Nash, strict Nash and pairwise stability for the intermediate models. Efficiency and dynamics are also examined.


Barging Round Britain by David Bartley is a beautifully-illustrated guide to a unique and fascinating part of our history: the canal network. This book explores the people and places that have forged this national treasure, from the birth of the Industrial Revolution to the leisure explosion on our waterways today. Fully-illustrated with maps and photographs, the book will trace canal routes across the UK, from the Georgian grandeur of Bath to the dramatic splendour of the Scottish Highlands. David Bartley's Barging Round Britain includes a foreword and chapter introductions by the presenter of the TV series, John Sergeant.


A fluctuating-force model is developed for representing the effect of the turbulent fluid velocity fluctuations on the particle phase in a turbulent gas–solid suspension in the limit of high Stokes number, where the particle relaxation time is large compared with the correlation time for the fluid velocity fluctuations. In the model, a fluctuating force is incorporated in the equation of motion for the particles, and the force distribution is assumed to be an anisotropic Gaussian white noise. It is shown that this is equivalent to incorporating a diffusion term in the Boltzmann equation for the particle velocity distribution functions. The variance of the force distribution, or equivalently the diffusion coefficient in the Boltzmann equation, is related to the time correlation functions for the fluid velocity fluctuations. The fluctuating-force model is applied to the specific case of a Couette flow of a turbulent particle–gas suspension, for which both the fluid and particle velocity distributions were evaluated using direct numerical simulations by Goswami & Kumaran (2010). It is found that the fluctuating-force simulation is able to quantitatively predict the concentration, mean velocity profiles and the mean square velocities, both at relatively low volume fractions, where the viscous relaxation time is small compared with the time between collisions, and at higher volume fractions, where the time between collisions is small compared with the viscous relaxation time. The simulations are also able to predict the velocity distributions in the centre of the Couette, even in cases in which the velocity distribution is very different from a Gaussian distribution.


In our daily routine life majority of electric loads usedare inductive in nature. Adequate supply of active power and reactive power must be supplied to these loads to ensure proper operation. If not provided with required active power and reactive power, these inductive loads burdens the system unnecessarily. Hence resulting in low power factor.In a local electrical distribution system it in uneconomical to upgrade existing network for improvement of power factor.In weak grid system residential consumers use voltage stabilizers to cope up with poor quality of voltage, while industrial consumers use switched capacitors. But voltage stabilizers regulate the voltage on cost of drawing more current from system. On the other hand switched capacitors technology is not robust enough to handle instant variations in power demand. Low power factor on local grid systems can be addressed using static var compensators. In this paper designing of SVC for local grid system is discussed. Keywords— Static VarCompenstor (SVC), Thyristor switched capacitor (TSC), Thyristor controlled reactor (TCR), Gate turn off thyristor (GTO), Flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS)


In recent times the "dominant paradigm" (Al-Twaijry et al., 2003, p. 524) of internal auditing (IA) as attest function has been largely supplanted by the "business partner" model. Under the business partner model of "modern" IA, internal auditors are seen as consultants who work with senior management to recommend improvements to business processes. We survey a group of Singaporean managers to assess their perceptions about both the role and effectiveness of IA within Singapore. Overall, our results support the assertion that the Singaporean managerial class strongly appreciates the new role of "modern" IA, as "business partner". Unlike in Saudi Arabia (Al-Twaijry et al., 2003), the traditional attest function of "classical" IA seems to have been largely supplanted as the dominant paradigm for IA in Singapore. We also find evidence, consistent with the extant IA literature, that "auditor independence" is not the most essential aspect for effective IA. However, contrary to the prior literature which suggests a thriving expectations gap in IA, we find that the Singaporean managerial class is generally satisfied with the professionalism and effectiveness of internal auditors. Singaporean managers seem to appreciate the presence of an IA department in their organization. The other important finding of our survey is that the conclusions and recommendations in the IA process are not discussed with either the mid-level managers or general executives. We assume that these two groups receive directives based on the IA report. Disciplines Business | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details This conference paper was originally published as Yee, CSL, Sujan, A, and James, K, The perceptions of the Singaporean manager class regarding the role and effectiveness of internal audit in Singapore, Fifth Asia Pacific Interdisciplinary Research in Accounting (APIRA) Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 8-10 July, 2007, 1-19. The original article is available here. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/commpapers/412


The aim of this study was to characterise modern and historic barley varieties for agronomic and growth characteristics and to assess their resistance to Fusarium and mildew diseases.
Barley is a major agricultural crop cultivated throughout the world providing an important source of energy and protein for humans and animals. To achieve its potential, however, it must be carefully managed to avoid diseases particularly those caused by fungi which can cause serious economic losses and affect food safety and quality.
Contemporary barley varieties have been selected for yield and disease resistance. However, long term resistance to disease is increasingly difficult to achieve as microorganisms mutate and maintain their virulence. Investigating the potential of historic barley varieties as a genetic resource for future developments is one approach to obtaining novel attributes which may have been overlooked when breeding focused on yield rather than character of barley and on disease resistance.
To examine the characteristics and disease resistance of historic barley varieties a series of investigations was conducted. Initially a screening was initiated by growing thirteen historic barley varieties and two modern barley varieties in a field trial in 2009. Growth features, yield and symptoms of mildew and Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) were scored and compared. This field experiment was repeated in 2010 with six of these varieties at the John Innes Centre by deliberately exposing the plants to F. culmorum Fu 42. A further experiment was conducted at the same time by growing seven varieties in glasshouse conditions at the University of Sunderland under inoculated and uninoculated conditions.
From both growing seasons clear differences were found for the level of F. culmorum infection between the different barley cultivars with infection levels in heads ranging from 16% for Chevalier and 86.4% for Tipple barley varieties respectively. Nitrogen increased the level of FHB in all varieties possibly because
ii
of increased plant leaf number, tillers and humidity within the environment around the plant.
Mycotoxin analysis showed that F. culmorum infection resulted in mycotoxin contamination of all varieties. However, levels of mycotoxin were significantly lower in Chevalier barley compared to other barley varieties including the two modern varieties, Tipple and Westminster. Observations using scanning electron microscopy indicated a different pattern of fungal growth in Chevalier barley with limited fungal development on both external and internal surfaces compared to other susceptible varieties.
In general resistance against FHB disease depends on variable responses including plant physiology and morphology, antifungal compounds or resistance genes. Different flowering dates or flowering periods could be also considered reasons for different infection levels. However, in this study the duration of anthesis was not assessed and could be an important factor. Further experiments to identify the flowering times of different varieties could be considered for further research.
The lower levels of disease associated with lower levels of mycotoxins and a reduced fungal development in Chevalier barley indicated that this variety has a strong resistance against FHB disease. This may be because of its late flowering and its tall height minimising colonisation from the soil. However, Chevalier barley was found to be very susceptible to powdery mildew disease, particularly in glasshouse studies.
The potential of Chevalier barley to produce good malt was indicated when compared to modern varieties suggesting that Chevalier may be a valuable breeding stock for future developments.


The data presented in this article originated from a school safety research project which was aimed at the victim in school violence. The study was exploratory and the situation of the victims was investigated using the following general questions: What is the nature and extent of violence at school?, How do learners experience school violence?, Who is responsible for the victimisation?, and, What impact has the experience of certain incidents of school violence had on the victims? A quantitative-descriptive survey design was selected for this study. About 40% of the sample of victims revealed that they had been exposed to violence frequently [every day (11.2%) and once or twice a week (28.1%)]. The survey showed that most of the victims were subjected to verbal aggression such as cruel teasing (54.3%), bad name calling (62.5%) and threats of harm (33.8%). Of the respondents, 43.4% reported victimisation in the form of physical aggression (hitting, kicking and pushing). Considerably fewer (27.1%) incidents of relational aggression in the form of social exclusion were experienced. The perpetrator was more often than not reported as being from the same class as the victim. This trend was confirmed by 47.5% of the victims. The aggressor was categorised by more than one-third (37.6%) of the victimised learners as being in the same grade, but in a different class. In nearly half (48.3%) of the incidents, the learner responsible for the aggressive behaviour was from a higher grade. The victimised learners reported that more than 60% of aggressive incidents were initiated by a male learner (64.5%), followed by a group of boys (34.8%), and by a girl (24.9%). In response to the question of how the victims generally felt about themselves after the school violence incident, more than a third (34.8%) of the sample said that they were not really bothered by the acts of aggression. More or less equal numbers reported being angry (50.8%) or sad and miserable (47.7%). A disturbing fact is that more than 10% of the respondents actually stayed away from school once or twice (7.0%) and more than twice (4.6%) because of peer victimisation.


For any beginner of Japanese, adjectives and adverbs are bound to present a challenge. Unlike English adjectives, Japanese ones conjugate, meaning that you must memorize their various forms before being able to build sentences of any complexity. Adverbs do not conjugate, but make use of particles to show their grammatical relationship to other words, and some have very subtle shades of meaning that are difficult to grasp. Moreover, many do not translate into adverbs in English. The role these parts of speech play in adding flavor to the Japanese language is invaluable. This handy reference manual introduces the basic (and basics of) adjectives and adverbs in a clear and sensible way, enabling students not only to speak Japanese but to do it with pizzazz. The book is divided roughly in half, the first half dealing with adjectives, the second with adverbs. Each is prefaced by a short introduction that serves as an overview of the material introduced. The section on adjectives is divided into two parts: Part 1 covers the conjugations of i- and na-adjectives and some basic auxiliary adjectives, and Part 2 presents common sentence patterns in which adjectives appear. The adverb section is arranged by topic. Among the types of adverbs explained here are those used to express time, quantity, degree, circumstance, and natural sounds or actions (the ubiquitous onomatopoeic adverbs). Each entry in this book is given a simple, concise English explanation and two or more example sentences to illustrate its usage. Exercises every few pages enable students to measure their understanding. Finally, a number of quick-reference lists in the appendixes provide a convenient means of recalling and building vocabulary. Together with its sister publication, The Handbook of Japanese Verbs, this unique manual is certain to provide years of friendly guidance.


Ground-based observations of two conspicuous features near the north pole of Saturn, the polar vortex and the hexagonal wave structure, were made from July 1990 to October 1991, 10 years after their discovery. During this period the polar spot drifted in longitude, relative to system III, by –0.0353� per day on average. Superimposed on this mean motion, the spot also underwent short-term rapid excursions in longitude of up to ∼14� at rates of up to ∼1� per day. The spot also exhibited irregular variations in its latitude location. A combination of these data together with those obtained by Voyager 1 and 2 in 1980 and 1981 shows that the spot drifted –0.0577� per day for the 11-year interval from 1980 to 1991. The large lifetime of both features indicates that they are insensitive to the strong variations in the seasonal heating of the cloud layers in the upper polar atmosphere.


Human identification is one of the most challenging tasks in Forensic identification. In mass disasters dental records, fingerprints and DNA comparisons are probably the most used techniques. However these techniques cannot be applied always. In some cases, it is necessary to apply different and less known techniques like Rugoscopy. The purpose of this study is to determine any gender difference in palatal rugae pattern. In this study100 subjects were randomly selected comprising 50 males and 50 females of age ranging from 17 to 25 years of student population belonging to Mangalore. The rugae pattern were assessed by applying Thomas & Kotze classification. Association between rugae forms and gender were tested using student unpaired T test. Gender wise, there were no significant differences in the total number of rugae. The incidence of curved,straight and forwardly directed rugae were more among females than males, while that of wavy,perpendicular and backwardly directed rugae were more among males. This study clearly demonstrates the gender difference and uniqueness of rugae pattern in different individuals. Thus it is a reliable source of identification.


The xylem-limited bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is the causal agent of Pierce's disease (PD) in grapevines, for which breeding resistant cultivars will be a long-term management strategy that involves the identification and characterization of resistant germplasm. A genetically diverse group of grape species and selections was mechanically inoculated with X. fastidiosa, grown in a greenhouse for 113 days after inoculation, and evaluated for the levels of bacterial concentrations in stem and leaf tissues by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Concentrations of X. fastidiosa were affected by genotype, plant tissue, position on the plant relative to the point of inoculation, and interactions among these factors. Based on estimated concentrations of X. fastidiosa in stem samples at 113 d postinoculation, 9621-67, Muscadinia rotundifolia, Vitis arizonica/candicans, V. arizonica/girdiana, V. candicans, V. girdiana, V. nesbittiana, and V. shuttleworthii were resistant to PD. In contrast, V. vinifera, V. aestivalis, 9621-94, and V. champinii had very high X. fastidiosa concentrations in stem tissues. Sequential sampling of leaf blades at 34, 77, and 113 d postinoculation revealed different temporal patterns in X. fastidiosa concentrations among the grape genotypes. Estimates of X. fastidiosa concentrations decreased after the first sampling in M. rotundifolia, 9621-67, V. girdiana, and V. arizonica/candicans but increased in all other genotypes. The characterization of X. fastidiosa concentrations in a broad range of grape genotypes allows for the selection of promising genetic backgrounds capable of greatly limiting the population size and development of X. fastidiosa in stems, a critical trait in the breeding of PD-resistant grapevines.


The noise figure (NF) properties of an undepleted and lossless dual-pump fiber-optic parametric amplifier (FOPA) are theoretically and numerically investigated. The theoretical study takes into account the noise characteristics of the two pump waves that are considered to have parallel polarization states for gain maximization. It is shown that noisy pump waves degrade the amplifier's NF, especially when the amplifier is operating at high gain values and when the input signal is high. The theoretical observations are validated by Monte Carlo numerical simulations, and the agreement between them is excellent. Finally, a comparative study concerning the noise characteristics of dual-pump and single-pump FOPAs is performed.


People learn from prior experiences. We first learn how to use a spoon and then know how to use a different size of spoon. We first learn how to sew and then learn how to embroider. Transferring knowledge from one situation to another related situation often increases the speed of learning. This observation is relevant to human learning, as well as machine learning.
This thesis focuses on the problem of knowledge transfer — an area of study in machine learning. The goal of knowledge transfer is to train a system to recognize and apply knowledge acquired from previous tasks to new tasks or new domains. An effective knowledge transfer system facilitates learning processes for novel tasks, where little information is available. For example, the ability to transfer knowledge from a model that identifies writers born in the U.S. to identify writers born in Kiribati, a much lesser known country, would increase the speed of learning to identify writers born in Kiribati from scratch.
In this thesis, we investigate three dimensions of knowledge transfer: what, how, and why. We present and elaborate on these questions: What type of knowledge to transfer? How to transfer knowledge across entities? Why a certain pattern of knowledge transfer is observed? We first propose Segmented Transfer — a novel knowledge transfer model — to identify and learn from the most informative partitions from prior tasks. The proposed model is applied to Wikipedia vandalism detection problem and to entity search and retrieval problem and improves the predictions.
Based on the foundation of knowledge transfer and network theory, we propose Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), a novel type of network describing transfer learning relationships among problems. KTN is not only a knowledge representation, but also a framework to select an effective and efficient ensemble of learners to improve a predictive model. This novel type of network provides insights on identifying ontological connections that were initially obscured. For example, we may observe knowledge transfer occurs among dissimilar tasks, such as transferring from using a knife and fork to using chopsticks.


Lingtou Dancong oolong tea is a famous Chinese oolong tea due to its special honey-like aroma. However, little is known about its specific aroma profile and key contributors. Furthermore, whether the aroma characteristics of Lingtou Dancong oolong tea are affected by the environmental conditions at different altitudes is unknown. In this study, the aromas in Lingtou Dancong oolong tea were extracted and analyzed by stir-bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) combined with gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the aroma profiles of tea plants grown at different altitudes were compared. We detected 59 odor compounds in Lingtou Dancong oolong tea. Eight compounds with honey and floral odors were identified as key components on the basis of GC-O, GC-MS, odor activity value, and flavor dilution analyses. Differences in the contents of precursor geranyl diphosphate and transcript levels of structural genes were found to be responsible for the differential accumulation of linalool and hotrienol among plants grown at different altitudes. This is the first report on the aroma characteristics and key contributors of Lingtou Dancong oolong tea and their differences, as affected by altitude. These results provide details of the chemical basis of the aroma quality of Lingtou Dancong oolong tea.


In the Amazon, a large number of native and exotic toxic plants and of suspected toxicity has been described (see Tokarnia et al., 2007). Amazonian aquatic and semi-aquatic plants are consumed by a variety of aquatic organisms, including the Amazonian manatee, an herbivorous aquatic mammal of wide distribution in the Amazonian ecosystem. This species has been historically hunted by local communities until current days. In a recent study about the diet of Amazonian manatees in the Mamiraua and Amana sustainable development reserves, Guterres-Pazin (2010) reported on up to 49 plant species consumed by the manatee, most of which previously undescribed in the literature. Here we identify those plants of the Amazonian manatee diet that contain toxic principles and the effects of the toxic components on other (terrestrial) mammals.


New management tools are required to enhance interaction between Russian companies and government agencies for innovation development. A major interactive tool are Government Relations (GR) communications promoting a new relationship model in terms of innovative system management. Interaction with the authorities is a major factor in innovation development, and the company's excellent reputation in the eyes of the authorities is a key element for business success and implementation of innovations. The study provides an explanation of the notion of 'Government Relations' (GR) and examines various academic approaches to GR in modern economics. We investigated the reasons for the development of GR at its present stage. The article looks at several GR tools in Russia public Relations (PR), public-private partnership and corporate social responsibility. We analyzed differences between lobbying and GR and demonstrated that lobbying is one of the key components (active phase) of GR activity. Data are provided on activities of the GR departments of major corporations of the Russian Federation. Furthermore, we examined the characteristics of PR development in Russia and substantiated the need for the implementation of GR into Russian enterprises and for training of highly qualified GR managers in Russia.


Surgical repair of a discontinuity in traumatized or degenerated soft tissues is traditionally accomplished using sutures. A current trend is to reinforce this primary repair with surgical grafts, meshes, or patches secured with perforating mechanical devices (i.e., sutures, staples, or tacks). These fixation methods frequently lead to chronic pain and mesh detachment. We developed a series of biodegradable adhesive polymers that are synthetic mimics of mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs), composed of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-derivatives, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polycaprolactone (PCL). These polymers can be cast into films, and their mechanical properties, extent of swelling, and degradation rate can be tailored through the composition of the polymers as well as blending with additives. When coated onto a biologic mesh used for hernia repair, these adhesive constructs demonstrated adhesive strengths significantly higher than fibrin glue. With further development, a precoated bioadhesive mesh may represent a new surgical option for soft tissue repair.


The psychological environment where sporting activity is undertaken has been suggested to influence performance. The coach orchestrates practice activities and their perception of the psychological environment has been regularly evaluated in competition research but not in practice. The aim of this study was to explore coach perceptions of the psychological influencing factors present in the practice environment. Participants were six U.K. academy basketball coaches (mean age = 35 years). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Five superordinate themes were constructed from data analysis, which were player characteristics, team-first orientation, current performance perceptions, coach characteristics, and coaching structure. Results suggest that the coach has a unique insight into the psychological influencing factors of the practice environment. Combined with the practice environment framework offered by Smith, Cotterill, and Brown, a model is offered to aid practitioners in understanding the interrelatedness of psychological influencing factors in the practice environment.


To examine how perceived behavioral control (PBC) is affected by sociodemographic and behavioral factors, employing a socio-ecologic approach, and identify the relative importance of these factors. This was a cross-sectional, correlational study of 500 Black men from the Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC) familial project. A survey using standardized CaPTC measures collected information on intrapersonal (e.g., age, knowledge), interpersonal (e.g., cues to action, social support), and institutional factors (e.g., informed decision) that are predictive of perceived behavioral control. Black male participants, aged between 35-70 years, were recruited from the US, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD, and frequency) were calculated for all variables, and multiple regression was employed to determine significant (p<0.05) predictors of PBC. Data were analyzed using SPSS v24.  Participants had an average age of 48±10 years, low level of knowledge (mean=10.31±3.66; range 0-20), encountered very low cues to action (mean=1.60±2.13; range 0-13), had usual levels of social support (2.41±1.24), and were mostly (96.4%) not counseled on the advantages and disadvantages of prostate cancer screening. Attitude, knowledge, informed decision, and prostate cancer information seeking behavior were significant predictors, and the overall model accounted for 49% (p < 0.01) of the variation in PBC. Using a socio-ecologic approach, multi-level factors were integrated to facilitate a fuller understanding of the several factors impacting PBC in Black men. The four significant factors (attitude, knowledge, informed decision, and prostate cancer information seeking behavior knowledge) could be considered when developing culturally-sensitive interventions aimed at engaging at-risk Black men regarding prostate cancer prevention and early detection practices.


Titanium and its alloys are typically used for fabrication of dental and orthopedic implants as they posses various desirable properties including biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. In spite of such benefits, titanium implants show lack of osseointegration after surgery in minor cases. The objective of this research has been to modify the surface of titanium alloy for medical applications through increasing surface hydrophilicity and drug loading. Primarily, anodization method is employed for fabrication of nanotubes on titanium surface to act as anchoring cite for cells. Considering the key role of surface hydrophilicity on cellular attachment to the surface and subsequent biological behavior of attached cells, the fabrication condition of nanotubes during anodization and following heat treatment is optimized. It is shown that anodization voltage, anodization duration and heat treatment temperature and duration can be controlled to fabricate a nanotubular surface that maintains its hydrophilicity over a long period of time. In order to verify the role of surface morphology on obtained characteristics, smooth, anodized-smooth, rough and anodized-rough surfaces are explored. The results show that anodized-smooth and anodized-rough surfaces show higher hydrophilicity than non anodized surfaces. Hydrophilic nanotubes not only promote cell adsorption; but also increase absorption of aqueous drug solution. Consequently, nanotubes are successfully loaded with drug and act as nano drug reservoirs that are potential to deliver the loaded drug locally after surgery. It is shown that dimension of nanotubes can affect rate of drug release. In fact the results indicate that nanotubes with higher aspect ratio (ratio of length to diameter) prolong drug release. A novel method for fabrication of naotubes was investigated which suggests a new way for controlling length of nanotubes. It is shown that heat treatment of the substrate prior to anodization affects length of nanotubes obtained eventually after anodization. In fact, the results show that anatase crystalline structure affects mechanism of formation of nanotubes to form longer nanotubes. Finally, it is demonstrated that corrosion resistance of heat treated nanotubular surface is higher than either heat treated surface or nanotubular surface alone.


This article seeks to deepen our understanding of the nature and quality of democratic participation in educational reform by examining the first-year implementation of California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) mandating civic engagement in district decision-making. Drawing on democratic theory, empirical literature, and data from 10 districts, we find that even when district leaders committed to involving stakeholders in decision-making, achieving this vision was often constrained by power imbalances, deeply engrained institutional habits, and limited capacity. We also find that climates of trust, support from external organizations, and homogeneity appeared to provide the foundation for deeper, broader democratic engagement in a few cases. The article concludes with implications for policy, practice, and future research.


The paper analyses profitability of biogas production in livestock farms in Poland with a focus on micro-biogas plants. Due to the high value of investments a crucial issue, from the farmers' point of view, is the mechanism of financial support. The efficiency of investments has been measured assuming three variants of power of CHP plants. In addition, two scenarios of financial support have been taken into consideration: the "old" mechanism of green certificates and a forthcoming mechanism based on the new Act on Renewable Energy Resources. The new system introduces feed-in tariffs for small plants and auctions and guarantees of purchase for larger biogas plants. The results of the analyses indicate a strong dependence of the financial effects of micro-biogas plants on subsidies. It can be concluded that, under the current state of market development and financial support offered to micro-scale biogas production, investments in biogas plants are in general unprofitable.


Spectrum sharing is one of the solutions for Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets) for achieving additional spectral resource. The aim is to promote the coexistence of different radio systems in the same spectral portion increasing the spectral efficiency of the HetNet, but at teh same time the interference is increased. In this paper, we tackle with the problem of spectrum sharing in a HetNet composed of a macrocell and several femtocells. We propose a strategy, in which macrocell and femtocells can share simultaneously the available bandwidth while avoiding intra-tier interference. Our approach is formulated as a binary optimization problem. The fitness is evaluated considering techniques of binary optimization with memory to overcome the problem of premature convergence or loss of diversity that Socio-Cognitive Particle Swarm Optimization (SCPSO) presents. The results show that by using the Memory Binary Particle Swarm Optimization (MBPSO) algorithm, the system's capacity is improved in comparison with solutions obtained using SCPSO. Also the performance of MBPSO is compared with Angle Modulated PSO (AMPSO) and Modified BPSO (ModBPSO) algorithms.


The objective of this thesis is to investigate, through an empirical study, the different functions of the highways maintenance departments and to suggest methods by means of which road maintenance work could be carried out in a more efficient way by utilising its resources of men, material and plant to the utmost advantage. This is particularly important under the present circumstances of national financial difficulties which have resulted in continuous cuts in public expenditure. In order to achieve this objective, the researcher carried out a survey among several Highways Authorities by means of questionnaire and interview. The information so collected was analysed in order to understand the actual, practical situation within highways manintenance departments, and highlight any existing problems, and try to answer the question of how they could become more efficient. According to the results obtained by the questionnaire and the interview, and the analysis of these results, the researcher concludes that it is the management system where least has been done, and where problems exist and are most complex. The management of highways maintenance departments argue that the reasons for their problems include both financial and organisational difficulties, apart from the political aspect and nature of the activities undertaken. The researcher believes that this ought to necessitate improving the management's analytical tools and techniques in order to achieve the most effective way of performing each activity. To this end the researcher recommends several related procedures to be adopted by the management of the highways maintenance departments. These recommendations, arising from the study, involve the technical, practical and human aspects. These are essential factors of which management should be aware - and certainly should not neglect - in order to achieve its objectives of improved productivity in the highways maintenance departments.


This Article places the Supreme Court's encounters with the concept of "terrorism" in historical context, and then discusses the Court's 2010 decision in Humanitarian Law Project v. Holder ("HLP") in light of that history. In so doing, the Article demonstrates how the Supreme Court's construction of terrorism has evolved from that of a mere tactic used by subnational groups to an existential threat that must be combated, regardless of group or cause, at least rhetorically. HLP marks the first time the Supreme Court has given judicial imprimatur to the idea that "money is fungible," i.e., that any and all funds that go to a foreign terrorist organization ("FTO"), regardless of its purpose — violent, political, or charitable — constitute material support to a banned FTO. However, the Court did not stop there, ruling that material support that takes the form of speech could be banned because it provides legitimacy to an FTO, which can only serve to strengthen its resolve to fight. This Article explains that while the government has an interest in stopping American citizens and residents from providing support that leads to violence, a criminal ban on support that bestows only legitimacy, with no link to violent activity, cannot stand when an FTO's quarrel is not with the United States. Such a stance constitutes an impermissible prior restraint on speech in violation of the First Amendment.


This work is from the original published atlas: Tenover, F. C., and J. V. Hirschmann. 1990. Interpretation of Gram stains and other common microbiologic slide preparations. The UpJohn Company, Kalamazoo, Mich. Permission granted to the ASM MicrobeLibrary by Pfizer Inc.

This atlas was written to help clinicians, microbiologists, and laboratory personnel identify organisms in infected materials stained by techniques commonly used in most clinical laboratories. Please refer to the atlas' main page for more information and a guide to all of the images.

Expectorated sputum is necessarily contaminated by upper respiratory secretions as it passes through the oropharynx and mouth. When examining the Gram stain of such a specimen, the examiner should determine whether it is mostly purulent material from the lung or mainly saliva. Since squamous epithelial cells line the upper airway but not the tracheo-bronchial tree, their presence indicates that upper airway secretions have contaminated the specimen to some degree. Several criteria have been proposed for determining that a sputum specimen is not excessively contaminated with oropharyngeal flora and is therefore acceptable for culture.

For example:
- fewer than 10 squamous epithelial cells per field when viewed through a low-power (10x) lens (total magnification 100x) and more than 25 neutrophils per low-power field, or
- a ratio of neutrophils to epithelial cells greater than 5:1
Even if the specimen conforms to those standards, the patient doesn't necessarily have pneumonia. That diagnosis depends upon clinical and radiographic information. Patients with viral bronchitis, chronic obstructive lung disease, or tracheal intubation, for example, can have purulent sputum with a predominant organism in the absence of infection of the lung parenchyma.
In some clearly satisfactory sputum specimens collected from patients with pneumonia due to a single organism (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae), not only the infecting organism is visible with Gram stain, but often small numbers of other types of bacteria are also present. A common mistake is to conclude that the Gram stain shows "mixed flora" and therefore does not help establish a diagnosis. To prevent that error, the type of organism that predominates numerically must be determined. Usually, the organism present in the greatest number is the cause of the pneumonia. If many bacteria are present but none clearly predominates, the pneumonia may be a polymicrobial infection, especially one due to a mixture of oral flora (aerobes and anaerobes) or aspirated in a large volume of oropharyngeal contents (aspiration pneumonia).


OBJECTIVES: To determine the best urinary bacterial concentration to diagnose urine infections. METHODS: We studied a quantitative culture of paired urine samples from children that were promptly tested together after serial dilution. The initial diagnosis of urinary tract infection made from the result of the first urine culture and subsequently modified according to the second sample result, and then the ratio of their colony counts was considered. A total of 203 children (aged 2.0 weeks to 17.7 years) were screened for urine infection in a hospital setting. RESULTS: The 36 children who had a urinary tract infection, defined as having the same uropathogen in both urine samples at concentrations within 25-fold of each other, had a mean colony count of 1.7 × 107 colony-forming units/mL. Among the 167 children who did not have a urinary tract infection, 12 (7.2%) would have had a false-positive diagnosis made on the first sample, which was revealed because the second sample result was different (n = 7) or had a ≥25-fold different colony count (n = 5). Raising the threshold from 105 to 106 colony-forming units/mL reduces the false-positive rate 4.8%. If 2 samples are cultured, the false-positive rates fall to 3.6% and 0.6%, respectively. All 9 children (5.4% of those without a urinary tract infection) who had a mixed culture with ≥105 colony-forming units/mL of a uropathogen (heavy mixed growth) in the first sample had a urine infection excluded by the second sample result. CONCLUSION: The minimum urinary bacterial concentration that is used to diagnose a urine infection should be increased from ≥105 to ≥106 colony-forming units/mL, because that would reduce the false-positive rate from 7.2% to 4.8% if 1 sample was cultured and from 3.6% to 0.6% if 2 samples were cultured. Urine samples with heavy mixed growths should be considered contaminated.


I. INTRODUCTION In two cases in the early 1960s the Supreme Court announced that the Sherman Antitrust Actl does not prohibit a firm or group of firms from engaging in political activity intended to influence public officials, even if this activity has anticompetitive effects.2 These cases established the so-called Noerr-Pennington doctrine as an exception to U.S. antitrust law. Although there are many similarities between U.S. antitrust law and European Community (EC or Community) competition law, the Noerr-Pennington doctrine has not been applied in Community courts.3 This Note will discuss four of the reasons why the doctrine should be applied in the European Community as it is applied in the United States. First, the doctrine should apply because of the similarity of U.S. antitrust law and EC competition law. They are similar in most respects, and the harmonization of U.S. antitrust law and EC competition law will only continue to reduce transaction costs as trade between the two jurisdictions increases. The second reason is that adoption of the Noerr-Pennington doctrine requires an approach that considers IMAGE FORMULA6 competition as a value to be considered with other, possibly more weighty values, and not to their exclusion. Put slightly differently, the Noerr-Pennington doctrine acknowledges the limits of competition policy and that political regulation is beyond its ken. It would be particularly significant for the EC to acknowledge this because of the different rules that apply to "dominant" firms, which currently have their economic and political activity regulated more stringently than nondominant firms. Third, the doctrine will permit EC firms to enjoy the same competitive advantages as U.S. firms. Finally, the doctrine should be adopted because it will spur Europe's political integration through democratic participation. II. DISCUSSION A. Application of the Noerr-Pennington Doctrine in the United States 1. Role of the First Amendment in U.S. Antitrust Law Although the right to petition, guaranteed by the First Amendment, was at issue in Eastern Railroad Presidents Conference v. Noerr Motor Freight, Inc.,4 the U.S. Supreme Court did not rest its opinion on constitutional grounds.5 In Noerr, the defendant-railroads were accused of persuading Pennsylvania's governor to veto a bill that would have allowed the plaintiff-trucking companies to more effectively compete with the railroads.6 According to the complaint, this was part of a larger, general publicity campaign aimed against the trucking industry and designed to deprecate that industry in the eyes of government officials, customers, and the general public.7 The question presented was whether U.S. antitrust law, long applied to associations' business activities, applied to their political activities as well.8 Writing for a unanimous Court, Justice Black recognized that the whole concept of representation depends upon the ability of the people to make their wishes known to their representatives. To hold that the government retains the power to act in this representative capacity and yet hold, at the same time, that the people cannot freely inform the government of their wishes would impute to the Sherman Act a purpose to regulate, not IMAGE FORMULA11 business activity, but political activity, a purpose which would have no basis whatever in the legislative history of that Act.9 From this language it is clear that the Court understood that nothing less than freedom of speech was at stake should it decide to broadly construe the Sherman Act. Given the lack of any evidence that Congress intended to apply the Sherman Act to political activity,10 the Court decided it would not construe that statute as warranting such an application.11 While the Court did point out that the interpretation of the Sherman Act urged by the truckers12 "would raise important constitutional questions,"13 the Court's construction of the Sherman Act precluded the need for a formal First Amendment analysis in this case. …


Optimal designs are a class of experimental designs that are efficient with respect to some statistical criterion. Two types of optimal designs are considered in the study. D-optimal designs are designs that minimize the generalized variance of a model's estimated parameters. Dsoptimal designs are a class of D-optimal experimental designs that are useful when the researcher is interested in estimating a subset of parameters in a given model. For a specific parameter, Dsoptimal designs would be more efficient than D-optimal designs. Although the loss in efficiency of D-optimal designs relative to Ds-optimal designs have been examined in the past literature, past research did not consider the cases where there are missing observations. Given that missing observations are ubiquitous in longitudinal studies due to dropout, the current study examines the loss in efficiency when D-optimal designs are used instead of Dsoptimal designs for data with missing observations. Results indicate that in general, location of Ds-optimal design points with dropout will shift closer towards the location of the D-optimal designs with complete data, compared to D-optimal design points with dropout. The D-optimal design with complete data corresponds with the smallest variance covariance matrix. For the data with dropout, the variance covariance matrix of the Ds-optimal design is closer in size to that of D-optimal design with complete data compared to that of D-optimal design with dropout. For both designs with dropout, efficiency loss is moderate.


The time-averaged Navier-Stokes' partial differential equations have been used in the mathematical modelling of fluid flow for steady, incompressible non-cavitating, high Reynolds number turbulence through an orifice plate. The model developed for orifice plates was based on a particular closed form turbulent model: the k-e two equation model developed at Imperial College, London and embodied in the TEACH-T finite difference computer code. A basic model for axisymmetric flow through an orifice meter was developed by appropriate modification of the TEACH-T program to incorporate orifice plate geometry, upstream/downstream distances, Reynolds number, inlet velocity profile and the calculation of output quantities of interest such as discharge and pressure loss coefficients. The model vas tested for convergence and general adequacy on an orifice of diameter ratio β= .7 in a 4 inch pipe line and at a Reynolds number of 105. Quantitative tests were then conducted on thin orifice plates in the range .3 β .7. Results were compared with those from BSI 1042 for discharge coefficients (flange, D-D/2 and corner tappings) and published results for pressure loss coefficients.

The results show that the discharge coefficients predictions are within 3% of experiment with very close agreement in the mid-range (β = .45). The pressure loss coefficients predictions are within 15" of experiment.

Sensitivity tests were then conducted to see how these coefficients varied with such quantities as inlet velocity I profile, turbulence levels and orifice plate thickness. These results indicated that the orifice is relatively insensitive to velocity profiles (1/12 power law and uniform) and. turbulence levels. Also below a certain orifice plate thickness ratio the discharge coefficient is almost constant.

It is concluded that such modelling can be a most valuable aid in understanding the behaviour of the orifice meter and similar devices. In particular this would aid in the design of novel flow meters based on the differential pressure principle.

Extensive mathematical and computational details including the derivation of the k-t model equations from first principles are relegated to appendices. A source listing of the developed model is also provided in appendix G.


If Third World women form 'the bedrock of a certain kind of global exploitation of labour,' as Chandra Mohanty argues, how can our theoretical definitions of exploitation account for this? This paper argues that liberal theories of exploitation are insufficiently structural and that Marxian accounts are structural but are insufficiently intersectional. What we need is a structural and intersectional definition of exploitation in order to correctly identify global structural exploitation. Drawing on feminist, critical race/post-colonial and post-Fordist critiques of the Marxist definition and the intersectional accounts of Maria Mies and Iris Marion Young, this paper offers the following definition of structural exploitation: structural exploitation refers to the forced transfer of the productive powers of groups positioned as socially inferior to the advantage of groups positioned as socially superior. Global structural exploitation is a form of global injustice because it is a form of oppression.


A rich and comprehensive sourcebook, "Pottery Analysis" draws together diverse approaches to the study of pottery - archaeological, ethnographic, stylistic, functional, and physicochemical. Prudence M. Rice uses pottery as a starting point for insights into people and culture and examines in detail the methods for studying these fired clay vessels that have been used worldwide from prehistoric times to the present. "Pottery Analysis" is a classic in its field as well as an invaluable reference for all students of archaeology and ancient culture.


'Cash is king' and, presumably, will remain king for a long time to come. This is even more relevant since the financial crisis. Banks are now hesitant to provide credit lines to companies, whether national or cross-border. High interest rates are charged on debit amounts, but hardly any interest is paid on credit amounts. More than ever before, companies therefore need to limit both debit and credit amounts. Pooling cash within a corporate group or among a number of companies enables the best use of the funds available at as little cost as possible, thus strengthening the financial position of the companies involved. One result of the current economic low tide, however, is that there are some specific caveats to observe. Not only are regulatory constraints tightening by the day, but the risk of insolvency is also becoming an increasingly pressing issue.This new title, published in association with the International Bar Association, draws together leading practitioners from a wide range of countries who together provide detailed analysis on the provisions in their jurisdiction for cash pooling and insolvency. Each chapter follows the same template for ease of reference; topics featured include specific legal requirements from various perspectives, the liability of company directors, banking requirements, regulatory requirements and tax.This practical handbook is an essential guide for any insolvency professional, in-house counsel or adviser in banking and finance.


In this Commentary, Daniel Gros applauds the decision taken by Europe's leaders at the eurozone summit at the end of June to transfer responsibility for banking supervision in the eurozone to the European Central Bank. It represents explicit recognition of the important fact that problems might originate at the national level, but, owing to monetary union, they can quickly threaten the stability of the entire eurozone banking system. In his view, the next small, incremental step, although one not yet officially acknowledged, will necessarily be the creation of a common bank rescue fund.


Background There is little information available on the material properties of hypothermically stored allograft specimens used to repair osteochondral defects. Purpose To analyze the effect of hypothermic storage on the material properties of fresh knee specimens over a 60-day interval. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Twelve sheep knee condyles were isolated. The femoral and tibial condyles and the patella were stored in a nutritive medium containing Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium for 1, 8, 15, 29, 45, or 60 days. Total chondrocyte density, chondrocyte viability, matrix proteoglycan content, matrix water content, and matrix dynamic modulus of elasticity were determined. Results Mean chondrocyte viability decreased significantly over the storage interval: 100% (day 1), 98.2% (day 8), ∗80.2% (day 15), ∗80.6% (day 29), ∗64.6% (day 45), and ∗51.6% (day 60) (∗ P< 0.05). Qualitative analysis demonstrated a preponderance of nonviable chondrocytes in the superficial cartilage layer. Significant decreases in matrix proteoglycan were observed in day 15 through day 60 specimens (P< 0.05). The matrix dynamic modulus significantly decreased from day 1 through day 60 (P< 0.05). Conclusion The material properties of hypothermically stored knee condyles progressively decline over 60 days. Clinical Relevance This observed decline may have significant ramifications on long-term graft survival following storedallograft implantation.


I. INTRODUCTION Described by one commentator as "an unmitigated disaster at reaching compromise on the session's biggest issues," (1) and "one of the most bitterly partisan sessions in recent history," (2) Montana's 60th Legislative Session seemed to bear out the aphorism "all politics is personal and the personal is political." The Governor's "clean and green" energy bill, which started life as Senate Bill ("SB") 562, (3) failed to pass in three separate incarnations. (4) A competing energy bill championed by Republican House Majority Leader Mike Lange also failed to pass (House Bill "HB" 405). (5) On the eighty-eighth day of a ninety-day session, House Republican leadership suggested, in a committee meeting recorded on camera, that the Governor perform an anatomically impossible act in regard to a proposed budget. (6) Bi-partisan biofuels legislation seemed to take a back seat to the Governor's plank, "clean coal." (7) Possibly related to the fact that the Governor had "done away with the bipartisan leadership meetings that were routine in previous administrations," (8) the Governor's budget proposal was simply tabled, "the first time anyone can recall that a governor's budget offering was simply shot down rather than amended." (9) No budget was passed in the regular legislative session, resulting in the gubernatorial veto of the single biofuels bill of substance that passed both legislative houses for the absence of funds resulting from the absence of a budget. Whatever the relative advantages of coal to diesel, biofuel, wind, or oil, they were not the issues that controlled the outcome of biofuels legislation in Montana's 60th Legislative Session. II. BIOFUELS LEGISLATION Although agriculture is Montana's largest industry, (10) corn is not Montana's most important crop. Montana's farmers grow far more wheat and barley than they do corn, (11) which is currently the most common raw material from which ethanol is produced. (12) Nevertheless, Montana saw significant biofuel legislation during the 2007 regular legislative session, held from January until April. Legislators from both parties introduced eleven bills and one joint resolution related either to ethanol, biodiesel, or both. Eight of these bills died in committee or in process. Three were passed by both branches of the Legislature, signed by Governor Brian Schweitzer, and subsequently assigned a chapter number. One of the bills was subsequently vetoed by Governor Schweitzer. The reason and inspiration for the significant volume of biofuel legislation introduced during the 2007 regular session, despite the contra-indication inherent in the corn to barley or corn to wheat ratio, is easily inferred from both the Legislature's joint resolution on the subject and the Governor's policy emphasis on "green energy." Both houses endorsed and further resolved that the joint resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of both Houses, and each member of the Montana Congressional Delegation. House Joint Resolution Number Six was introduced by Legislators Phillips, Lind, Nooney, Augare, Cordier, Ebinger, Erickson, Hands, Hollenbaugh, O'Hara, Pominchowsky, Van Dyk, Wilmer, and Wiseman and was subsequently adopted by both houses. That joint resolution endorsed initiative "25 x 25" which "envisions America's farms and ranches producing 25% of America's energy supply by the year 2025 while continuing to produce abundant, safe, and affordable food and fiber[.]" (13) The Legislature set forth reasons for the endorsement that included the following: [H]aving an affordable, clean, reliable, and plentiful energy supply is critical to Montana's economy, as well as the national and international food supply; ... current and future risks to national energy security are mounting while domestic and global energy demands are growing exponentially; . …


George III's behaviour has often been odd, but now he is deranged, with rumours circulating that he has even addressed an oak tree as the King of Prussia. Doctors are brought in, the government wavers and the Prince Regent manoeuvres himself into power. Alan Bennett's play explores the court of a mad king, and the fearful treatments he was forced to undergo. It is about the nature of kingship itself, showing how by subtle degrees the ruler's delirium erodes his authority and status. The Madness of George III premiered at the National Theatre, London, in November 1991.