Field experiments were carried out to explore the beneficial effects of biochar on the productivity of cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) based cropping system in the degraded uplands of East Java, Indonesia from September 2009 to May 2011. Two cropping systems namely cassava + maize ( Zea mays L.) and cassava + peanuts ( Arachis hypogaea L.) and five organic amendments, namely farm yard manure (FYM) applied once at the start of the experiment, FYM applied every year, biochar from FYM, biochar from cassava stem, and no FYM as control were evaluated. With no FYM addition, yield of cassava and maize during the succeeding year declined from 17.1 to 13.7 Mg ha–1 and from 3.6 to 2.7 Mg ha–1 respectively. Organic amendments improved soil fertility and crop yields. For cassava + maize intercropping, the beneficial effects of FYM (20 Mg ha–1), however, lasted for only one year; nonetheless for cassava + peanut intercropping it persisted for two years. Increases in cassava and maize yield following biochar application (15 Mg ha–1), however, continued for two years after planting, implying its potential for sustaining crop production over longer periods. Soil organic matter content in the FYM treatment also was high for a year, whereas in the biochar treatment it remained high well after the harvest of the second year cassava crop (20.3 to 25.8 g kg–1 soil C as against 10.3 to 11.2 g kg–1 for treatments without organic amendments), implying the profound potential of biochar for soil carbon sequestration owing to its recalcitrant nature.


Continuous professional development of teachers is of growing interest globally, as it is considered vital to cope effectively with ongoing changes and to improve the quality of education. This qualitative case study explores potential and actual barriers that hinder teachers' professional development in Ethiopian schools. Data was collected via interviews and focus group discussions from 37 purposively sampled participants. The study reveals three major challenges in teachers' development: 1) conceptions and conceptual issues related to teaching, professional development and mentoring, 2) management and leadership, and 3) teachers' work conditions. The need to reconsider educational change management strategies, reform teacher education, strengthen research-based practices, renew management and leadership culture, and improve teachers' work conditions are thus found to be the areas identified as needing interventions.


The article analyzes the problem of patriotic education of students by means of multimedia in a class-room environment. The author pays the main attention to both the creation of didactic materials for social and human sciences and the use of the interactive whiteboard in the educational process. Using these means, it is important for teachers to define the theme and the purposes of a lesson, to carry out structural and block distribution of the material and to outline the dynamics of its presentations as well as to prepare recommendations for self-study, questions for control and self-control etc. It is stressed that the principle of training interactivity is an important means of patriotic education of students.


This dissertation examined the perceptions, motivations and needs of online instructors for professional development and the way evaluation is used to improve online teaching. This study informs our understanding of how to best serve the needs of online instructors for professional development which improves the quality of their online teaching. Using a descriptive, qualitative method, surveys, instructor interviews, instructor focus groups, and administrator interviews were conducted at two university extension programs in the Western United States. The survey data were examined using frequency analysis and independent sample t-tests to compare the needs of instructors at the two institutions, to compare new and veteran instructors, and to compare instructors teaching one course with those teaching multiple courses. Interview and focus group data were coded according to categories developed from the research questions. Interview and focus group data were then compared to identify consistent themes between the types of data. The findings from the research suggest that instructors perceive faculty professional development as not fully meeting their needs; the perceptions of faculty development are strongly influenced by messages sent at different levels of the organization; that instructors' motivations to attend faculty professional development is directly related to how they perceive its value; and that instructors have a need for community and faculty development that serves their needs at various stages of their careers. The findings are discussed and recommendations are made for professional development practice and future research.


This paper proposes the coordinated control of a hybrid AC/DC power system with renewable energy source, energy storages and critical loads. The hybrid microgrid consists of both AC and DC sides. A synchronous generator and a PV farm supply power to the system's AC and DC sides, respectively. A bidirectional fully controlled AC/DC converter with active and reactive power decoupling technique is used to link the AC bus with the DC bus while regulating the system voltage and frequency. A DC/DC boost converter with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) function is implemented to maximize the energy generation from the PV farm. Current controlled bidirectional DC/DC converters are applied to connect each lithium-ion battery bank to the DC bus. Lithium-ion battery banks act as energy storage devices that serve to increase the system stability by absorbing or injecting power to the grid as ancillary services. The proposed system can function in both grid-connected mode and islanding mode. Power electronic converters with different control strategies are analyzed in both modes in detail. Simulation results in MATLAB Simulink verify that the proposed topology is coordinated for power management in both AC and DC sides under critical loads with high efficiency, reliability, and robustness under both grid-connected and islanding modes.


Fifteen years since the discovery of top at the Tevatron, with the large Run 2 dataset in hand and plenty of analysis experience, we have now reached the point where we can perform in-depth examinations of the top quark event sample for evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model. We present a search for a massive quark (t') decaying to Wq or Wb and thus mimicking the top quark decay signature. We set limits on a 4th generation t' quark using the latest Tevatron data.


An understanding of student teachers' pedagogical images plays an important role in helping teacher educators plan learning experiences. The purposes of this study were to obtain a profile of pedagogical images of a group of student teachers, and to assess whether there is congruence between their pedagogical images and classroom practices. Applying the conception of teaching model proposed by Pratt, Chan developed a questionnaire to evaluate teachers' views about teaching, which was modified here and administered to 59 first-year student teachers before and after their teaching practicum in physical education for secondary schools. Results indicated that the student teachers possess a Nurturing image, whereas in actual classroom practices, their approach was a mix between the Apprenticeship and the Transmission approaches. In other words, whereas student teachers conceive themselves as having a more child-centred approach to teaching, in reality, their practices constituted more a teacher-centred approach. The investigators considered that this type of information would be helpful for teacher educators when planning learning experiences.


The UC approach of Canetti offers the advantage of stand-alone analysis while keeping security guaranties for arbitrary complex environment. When we implement by this approach first we have to ensure secure instance separation and based on this condition, we are allowed to carry out a stand-alone analysis. In this report we propose three issues related to instance separation in UC-context: We consider the problem of universal composability in cases, when we cannot assume independence of instances. Next we formalize the interleaving attack and a related security notion. In time-aware protocols time-based separation of instances is one of the standard implementation techniques. We propose an event-driven clock model towards purely symbolic analysis of time-aware protocols.


Abstract Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) are long-distance migratory shorebirds. About a third of the global population migrate to Australia during the non-breeding season where they occur mainly in the north-west and east. Using measurements of bill, wing, tarsus and total-head (head and bill), we show that birds from the two main Australian non-breeding regions belong to separate populations. Individuals in north-western Australia are subspecies L. l. menzbieri, which breeds in north-eastern Russia, whereas those in south-eastern Australia are subspecies L. l. baueri, which breeds in northern and western Alaska. Resightings and recoveries of marked birds showed that there is little exchange between the two populations on the non-breeding grounds. They also take different routes during northward migration: L. l. menzbieri was more frequent on staging areas in the western Yellow Sea and largely absent from Japan, whereas L. l. baueri was more numerous in the eastern Yellow Sea and was often recorded in Japan. L. l. baueri left on northward migration 1–2 weeks earlier than L. l. menzbieri and gained more body mass before departure, presumably in preparation for a longer migratory leg. Our data suggest that on northward migration, L. l. menzbieri and L. l. baueri make direct flights of 5400–6200 km and 8200–8500 km, respectively, to reach staging areas in East Asia. The route of Limosa l. menzbieri on its southern passage is similar to that of northward migration, with stop-overs in East Asia. Limosa l. baueri, however, make an ∼10400-km nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to eastern Australia, one of the longest non-stop migratory flights known amongst birds.


A newly formed partnership between Edith Cowan University, the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, a College of Nursing and two major hospitals in Bangkok is building capacity within Thai Nurses to manage mental health problems and HIV/AIDS. The partnership, funded through the AusAID Public Sector Linkages Program is developing and delivering these training programs in three phases. The first two phases support the development of the curriculum and planning for the course delivery, with Phase 3 being the delivery of a four month certificate course in each of the specialist areas, mental health and HIV/AIDS, to local Thai Nurses. The program provides the opportunity for senior Thai Nurse Educators to gain insight into the Australian perspective of the relevant specialist areas as well as the broader Australian health system. Participants have then been able to review the course curricula and teaching methodologies, including additional and revised information and strategies as is relevant to the Thai health environment. An integral component of the program is evaluation. Following completion of the courses, nurses will be followed up on return to their workplace, to assess the impact of the course on the work practices of nurses. The program evaluation will support better understanding of emerging issues for all program partners and provide a strong basis for refinement of the program for future delivery. At the time of the ECU-COM 2006 conference, the program will be at the stage where the Thai nurses are completing the four month course. This paper will discuss the progress of the program to date, from the perspective of the Australian program partner.


Collective redress is a cost-sharing and procedure-consolidating mechanism. In the area of consumer litigation, it is introduced primarily to compensate the weakness of expensive and time-consuming court proceedings in small claims in order to increase consumers' access to justice. Consumer contractual claims are characterised as of small value, which largely discourages individual consumers from resorting to judicial action to protect their legal rights. Collective redress combines separate consumer claims against the same defendant based on the similar circumstances into one single action. It is helpful to resolve the litigation difficulty, to promote consumers' access to redress and to improve good commercial performance. A recent survey shows 76% of European consumers would be more willing to defend their rights in court if they could join other consumers. It is also believed that collective redress could offer businesses an opportunity to resolve an issue once rather than having repeated proceedings.The concept of collective redress is not new. Some common law countries, such as US, Canada and Australia have already established mature and widely used 'class action' mechanism, which enables one or more individuals to bring an action on behalf of putative claimants against the same defendant. Each putative claimant is presumed to consent being presented in the action and being bound by the judicial decision, unless he actively gives notice to opt out. The US-style class action does not exist in Europe, though the revised versions with similar elements exist in the Netherland and Sweden. Currently, thirteen Member States have adopted collective redress mechanisms for consumer claims. Although practices in these countries vary largely, they could be generally categorised into three groups: (1) group action, where exactly defined claimants bring actions in one procedure to enforce their similar claims together. Each group litigant is a party in the litigation; (2) representative action, where an organisation, an authority or an individual brings actions on behalf of a group of individuals, who are not the real party of the litigation; (3) test case procedure, under which mass individual claims are filed, and a leading decision is given to one case, which decides the common factual and legal issues of similar legal actions, and serves as an example for other similar cases. Collective redress in Europe is at an experimental stage and the existing collective redress mechanisms in most Member States are largely domestic tools, the effect of which is primarily limited to domestic claims. There is no common standard in the EU as to the functioning and regulation of collective actions. With the consumer-oriented culture, increasing consumers' access to justice has attracted much attention. In its Consumer Policy Strategy for 2007-2013, the European Commission announced that it would consider the feasibility of an EU initiative on collective action in protecting consumers' access to justice. In November 2008, the European Commission has published a Green Paper on Consumer Collective Redress, which provides four proposals for the possible development of consumer collective redress in Europe, two of which might be of particular interest to conflicts lawyers: (1) to require Member States having a collective redress mechanism to open up the mechanism to consumers from other Member States (option 2 of the Green Paper), and (2) to initiate a non-binding or binding EU measure to ensure that a collective redress judicial mechanism exists in all Member States (option 4). The European Commission specifically points out that these two options with clear cross-border features could generate conflict of laws difficulties. This research focuses on the jurisdiction problems in cross-border collective redress in Europe. The European jurisdiction rules have two characteristics: firstly, protective jurisdiction is available for consumer contractual claims. Section 4 of the Brussels I Regulation provides that if a contract falls within the protective scope, a consumer is always entitled to sue a business defendant in the consumer's domicile. This approach is incompatible with the nature of cross-border collective redress, where consumers may come from different Member States. Secondly, special jurisdiction rules are designed according to the 'classification' of the claim. There is no special jurisdiction rule designated for the 'collective redress' (Art 6 concerns multiple defendants instead of multiple claimants) and it is necessary to see whether any of the existing jurisdiction provisions can be properly applicable to a collective action. These characteristics determine the difficulties to apply the Brussels rules in cross-border collective redress. In a representative action, the representative individual(s) or association brings the lawsuit on behalf of all represented consumers, where the real litigating party is the representative instead of the represented consumers. If the protective jurisdiction does not apply, one needs to study whether the action is a matter relating to contract under Art 5(1). There is no doubt that each putative claimant that has been represented has a contractual claim, but should Article 5(1) require the existence of a contractual claim between the 'litigating parties?' Even if the group action is classified as a matter relating to contract, applying the jurisdiction rules of Article 5(1) can be difficult in a representative action where the goods are delivered to, or services are provided for, consumers domiciled in different Member States. In group action or test case procedure, each consumer is the real litigant and could individually enforce the decision. Since the Brussels I Regulation does not provide specific jurisdiction rules for these mechanisms, it is necessary for a court to consider jurisdiction over the claim of each consumer in the collective action. A consumer in a contract that falls within the scope of protective jurisdiction is entitled to sue a business defendant either in the court of the defendant's domicile or in the court of the consumer's domicile. According to this rule, where the consumers are domiciled in more than on Member State, only the courts of the defendant's domicile could have jurisdiction. The courts of any one of the consumers' domicile can only hear the action brought by the claimant consumer who has his domicile within this country. It is concluded that under the current Brussels I Regulation, cross-border consumer collective redress can only be brought in the court of a defendant's domicile, unless all the consumers are domiciled in one Member State. However, it does not mean that the current approach is definitely a barrier to cross-border collective redress. On one hand, it brings disadvantages to those consumers domiciled in a country where very few consumers have transactions with the business and it prevents collective action from being brought where a business's commercial activities are spreading over many Member States and the number of consumers in each State is not high. On the other hand, it brings certainty to business defendants, especially small and medium sized companies, and reduces litigation costs. The research will continue to analyse the socio-economic impact of the current jurisdiction rule, and to consider whether it is necessary to reform the Brussels I Regulation by introducing an innovative provision specifically for collective redress.


The handbag has long been a symbol of status and style - it dominates the fashion scene, adds that all important finishing touch to the outfit, and is the portable accessory that no woman can live without. So, while some may say that diamonds are a girl's best friend, it's not just diamonds that make a girl shine - it's also the handbag she carries. This book celebrates some of the most fantastic and desirable handbags of the 1950s. All are constructed of lucite - an acrylic plastic - considered to be a radical and innovative substance at the time. Still highly desirable and collected today, they command high sums on the vintage fashion scene. Unrivalled for their beauty, influential because of their unusual designs, without exception they truly sparkle like diamonds. This book is packed with stunning examples shown in all their glory in over 160 fantastic photographs.


We report the effect of nitrogen and boron incorporation in the structure of spherical nanodiamond particles using ab initio density-functional theory. We changed the site of boron and nitrogen impurity from the center to the surface of the particles and calculated structural, electronic, cohesive and surface charge properties of each configuration. By moving the impurity from the center toward the surface, the internal strain of N and B doped nanodiamond drops. Unlike nitrogen, doping of boron causes lower broken bonds around impurity in the central region and also replacement of boron in the surface releases the strain of nanoparticle. We explain this observation by calculating the variation of the surface charge or polarity of the doped particles versus the site of dopant during the movement of impurities toward the surface which reduces the polarity in contrast to behavior of nitrogen doped particle. By moving the boron atom from the center toward the surface of the particle, p -type conduction occurs whereas nitrogen impurity does not create an n -type conduction. Results suggest that boron is a more effective dopant than nitrogen provided that it has not been placed in the central region of nanoparticle.


As China continues its global economic rise, Chinese media have been tasked with making Beijing's official voice heard and understood in the world. Nine years after the launch of an accelerated 'media going-out' policy, however, the nature and impact of that policy are still contested even though by 2018, China's international media offering is vastly more sophisticated than that of 2009. As China becomes more assertive internationally, President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed the requirement for state media to act in the interests of the government and Communist Party at home and abroad. How much has changed? This editorial to the WPCC issue 'Re-Evaluating China's Global Media Expansion' outlines how contributors have extended the debate about China's media expansion focusing on the act of communicating the 'going-out' message and how it has been received by residents of Latin America, the USA and Africans studying in China. It considers the focus of these inquiries extending from television news to radio, from Twitter to the financial structures of Chinese internet firms along with book reviews of publications on Chinese and global media politics as well as noting opportunities for further research on China's global media expansion.


The reliability of microsystem is an important issue and for their quality inspection, it is necessary to know the displacements or deformations due to the applied mechanical, thermal, or electrostatic loads. We show interferometrical techniques like digital holography and speckle interferometry can be used for the measurement of in plane deformations of microsystems with nanometric accuracy and we give a description of the measurement uncertainties.


Abstract In translation, the natural response to the challenge of making sense of the relatively unfamiliar and less preferred way of expression would be to resort to appropriation, which results in distorted performances. Thus translation as a form of (re)production is compounded by the necessity for ownership and control. The purpose of this article is to explore and expound how violence of any kinds perpetuates literary translation, with particular reference to English-Chinese translation. It argues that irrespective of the original design or intention, translation results from cultural displacement, where alienation is made concrete. The questions of cultural dominance and subordination further complicate perceptions and misperceptions of the nature of cross-cultural communication. The inevitable intrusion of the foreign, if viewed as an assault on the target culture with its traditional ways, may seem disconcerting, particularly if it is presented in a coercive manner. On the other hand, mediation aimed at reconciliation, though necessary, or even desirable, cannot avoid a certain arbitrariness, and in addition, since translation is susceptible to the changed and changing power relations between the source and target cultures, some forms or degrees of violence are bound to feature significantly in shaping translation discourse.


The familiar pungent taste of spicy food, the refreshing taste of mint, and many other physiological phenomena are mediated by transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels. TRP channels are a superfamily of ion channels that are sensitive to diverse chemical and physical stimuli and play diverse roles in biology. In addition to chemical regulation, some family members also sense common physical stimuli, such as temperature or pressure. Since their discovery and cloning in the 1990s and 2000s, understanding the molecular mechanisms governing TRP channel function and polymodal regulation has been a consistent but challenging goal. Until recently, a general lack of high-resolution TRP channel structures had significantly limited a molecular understanding of their function. In the past few years, a flood of TRP channel structures have been released, made possible primarily by advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The boon of many structures has unleashed unparalleled insight into TRP channel architecture. Substantive comparative studies between TRP structures provide snapshots of distinct states such as ligand-free, stabilized by chemical agonists, or antagonists, partially illuminating how a given channel opens and closes. However, the now ∼75 TRP channel structures have ushered in surprising outcomes, including a lack of an apparent general mechanism underlying channel opening and closing among family members. Similarly, the structures reveal a surprising diversity in which chemical ligands bind TRP channels. Several TRP channels are activated by temperature changes in addition to ligand binding. Unraveling mechanisms of thermosensation has proven an elusive challenge to the field. Although some studies point to thermosensitive domains in the transmembrane region of the channels, results have sometimes been contradictory and difficult to interpret; in some cases, a domain that proves essential for thermal sensitivity in one context can be entirely removed from the channel without affecting thermosensation in another context. These results are not amenable to simple interpretations and point to allosteric networks of regulation within the channel structure. TRP channels have evolved to be fine-tuned for the needs of a species in its environmental niche, a fact that has been both a benefit and burden in unlocking their molecular features. Functional evolutionary divergence has presented challenges for studying TRP channels, as orthologs from different species can give conflicting experimental results. However, this diversity can also be examined comparatively to decipher the basis for functional differences. As with structural biology, untangling the similarities and differences resulting from evolutionary pressure between species has been a rich source of data guiding the field. This Account will contextualize the existing biochemical and functional data with an eye to evolutionary data and couple these insights with emerging structural biology to better understand the molecular mechanisms behind chemical and physical regulation of TRP channels.


Following the invention of the atomic force microscopy, AFM has revolutionised not only surface sciences but also biological sciences more recently. From being used as a microscope with atomic resolution generating 3D topography of surfaces to being used as a micro and nanomanipulation tool to manipulate single atoms; from studying the dynamics and mechanical properties of different cell types and molecules to being used in force spectroscopy and studying cell stiffness to detect cancer. Nonetheless, a majority of such work has occurred for single-scale manipulation with one probe. There have been some work in the past two decades to achieve parallel manipulation but none of them have been able to achieve independent 3D actuation of the probes critical for targeted biomanipulation. We propose a new type of parallel architecture based microrobotic actuator that integrates arrays of microneedles with independent 3D mobility. We focus on the design of the parallel architecture and more specifically on a single-unit actuator (4SA and 3SA microrobot). The parallel architecture is designed as a hexagonal shaped structure to enable accommodation of multiple 3SA microrobots in a small space with efficiently laid electrical interconnects. It is found that the 3SA microrobot performs better in terms of motion performance and integration in the parallel architecture. The range of design dimensions are conceptualised and the design is analysed using extensive analytical and finite element analyses models. The 3SA microrobot can achieve a displacement of up to 72 μm in-plane at 160 V and 7 μm in out-of-plane at 35 V. We have also successfully demonstrated the vertical motion using a parallel-plate actuator arrangement of a long standing silicon tower underneath a microstage. Our first fabricated 4SA microrobot achieves an in-plane motion of up to 10 μm at 120 V and more than 0.5 μm at 600 V. We also propose two new fabrication process sequences designed to fabricate the microrobot and introduce a new blind feedback mechanism for achieving vertical biomanipulation by detecting the change in voltage-displacement plot as signature for manipulation. Our PID control mechanism utilises visual feedback for in-plane alignment and blind feedback for out-of-plane alignment of the microneedles. We have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of our blind feedback system by designing a macro-manipulation experiment.


This study focuses on the trends in university-industry linkages in the Canadian biotechnology industry. Technology transfer from university to industry has been a main component in biotechnology innovation. In most industrialised countries, the government has played a role in the development of university-industry relationships. Studies have focused on the pros and cons of university-industry linkages as well as the impact of government funding and regulation on high technology innovation. This paper seeks to understand the patterns of university-industry collaboration, factors influencing such collaboration and the role of government support in university-industry partnerships in three main regions of biotechnology innovation in Canada. These three areas are Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Results show that most collaborations within Canada are with local universities as well as with foreign universities. Ontario-based firms are driven by product development whereas Montreal and Vancouver based firms are motivated by their access to university scientists and university research. Government support is acknowledged for firm-based research and technology transfer.


A common theme that appears in the literature is that many large organisations around the world are
positioning themselves to take advantage of the new internet economy. But what does this "positioning" entail?
Is it the purchasing and implementation of the right technology? Is it the redesign of business processes? What
skills are needed by these organizations? Recently there has been call in the Australian marketplace for
information systems (IS) professionals to possess skills that can handle the move into E-business and E-
commerce. In accordance with this we sought the views of information systems professionals employed in the
Australian and New Zealand marketplace about the skills mix necessary in the "E" world. The main results of
this survey showed that the teamwork and deadlines dominated the business skills whilst knowledge of E-
business/commerce models dominated the technical skills. The second phase of this research is to develop a
more comprehensive list of business and technical skills.


We have been investigating disk holograms made from a computer-generated hologram (CGH). Since a general flat format hologram has a limited viewable area, we usually cannot see the other side of the reconstructed object. Therefore, we propose a computer-generated cylindrical hologram (CGCH) to obtain a hologram with a 360 deg viewable area. The CGCH has a special shape that is difficult to construct and calculation of such a hologram takes too much time. In contrast, a disk-type hologram is well known as a 360 deg viewable hologram. Since a regular disk hologram is a flat reflective type, the reconstruction setup is easy. However, there are just a few reports about creating a disk hologram by use of a CGH. Because the output device lacks spatial resolution, the hologram cannot provide a large diffraction angle. In addition, the viewing zone depends on the hologram size; the maximum size of the fringe pattern is decided on the basis of the special frequency of the output device. The calculation amount of the proposed hologram is approximately a quarter of that of a CGCH. In a previous study, a disk hologram made from a CGH was achieved. However, since the relation between the vertical viewing zone and reconstructed image size is a trade-off, the size of the reconstructed image and view zone is not enough for practical use. To improve both parameters, we modified a fringe printer to issue a high-resolution fringe pattern for a disk hologram. In addition, we propose a new calculation method for fast calculation.


We introduce a way to estimate the fluctuation of the refractive index during thin film deposition, through an optical monitor. The thicknesses and error-compensated thickness for each layer are analyzed. A novel monitoring method is thereby derived. The revised refractive index and the choice of highly sensitive monitoring wavelengths help us predict the termination points more accurately. The performance of a narrow-bandpass filter monitored by this method is demonstrated.


This study applies an experimentation methodology to compare three state-of-the-practice software testing techniques: a) code reading by stepwise abstraction, b) functional testing using equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis, and c) structural testing using 100 percent statement coverage criteria. The study compares the strategies in three aspects of software testing: fault detection effectiveness, fault detection cost, and classes of faults detected. Thirty-two professional programmers and 42 advanced students applied the three techniques to four unit-sized programs in a fractional factorial experimental design. The major results of this study are the following. 1) With the professional programmers, code reading detected more software faults and had a higher fault detection rate than did functional or structural testing, while functional testing detected more faults than did structural testing, but functional and structural testing were not different in fault detection rate. 2) In one advanced student subject group, code reading and functional testing were not different in faults found, but were both superior to structural testing, while in the other advanced student subject group there was no difference among the techniques. 3) With the advanced student subjects, the three techniques were not different in fault detection rate. 4) Number of faults observed, fault detection rate, and total effort in detection depended on the type of software tested. 5) Code reading detected more interface faults than did the other methods. 6) Functional testing detected more control faults than did the other methods.


While a high efficiency of contaminant removal by nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) has often been reported for several contaminants of great concern, including aqueous arsenic species, the transformations and translocation of contaminants at and within the nanoparticles are not clearly understood. By analysis using in situ time-dependent X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) of the arsenic core level for nZVI in anoxic As(III) solutions, we have observed that As(III) species underwent two stages of transformation upon adsorption at the nZVI surface. The first stage corresponds to breaking of As-O bonds at the particle surface, and the second stage involves further reduction and diffusion of arsenic across the thin oxide layer enclosing the nanoparticles, which results in arsenic forming an intermetallic phase with the Fe(0) core. Extended X-ray absorption fine-structure (EXAFS) data from experiments conducted at different iron/arsenic ratios indicate that the reduced arsenic species tend to be enriched at the surface of the Fe(0) core region and had limited mobility into the interior of the metal core within the experimental time frame (up to 22 h). Therefore, there was an accumulation of partially reduced arsenic at the Fe(0)/oxide interface when a relatively large arsenic content was present in the solid phase. These results illuminate the role of intraparticle diffusion and reduction in affecting the chemical state and spatial distribution of arsenic in nZVI materials.


In many circumstances in image processing, image resizing is done, either to magnify or to reduce the size of a digital image. The spatial domain based resizing methods such as bilinear interpolation and bi-cubic interpolation are simple and work better for image size magnification. The main drawback in using them is that they are not suitable for image size reduction. In this paper, we propose a new method for image resizing based on Bessel transform (BT). The performance of image resizing based on BT is compared to that of spatial domain based resizing techniques, the results are viewed in terms of Peak Signal to Noise ratio (PSNR) and Mean Square Error (MSE). Experimental results confirm that the proposed method maintains better image quality when image size is enlarged and also when image size is reduced.


This research is focused on the development of a nonlinear cascade-based control algorithm for a laboratory helicopter-denominated Twin Rotor MIMO System (TRMS). The TRMS is an underactuated nonlinear multivariable system, characterised by a coupling effect between the dynamics of the propellers and the body structure, which is caused by the action-reaction principle originated in the acceleration and deceleration of the propeller groups. Firstly, this work introduces an extensive description of the platform's dynamics, which was carried out by splitting the system into its electrical and mechanical parts. Secondly, we present a design of a nonlinear cascade-based control algorithm that locally guarantees an asymptotically and exponentially stable behaviour of the controlled generalised coordinates of the TRMS. Lastly, a demonstration of the effectiveness of the proposed approach is provided by means of numerical simulations performed under the MATLAB®/Simulink® environment.


ABSTRACT: Thirty westar albino rats of either sexes weighing 120gm to 250gm were divided into five groups to test three different doses of ethanolic extract of solanum dubium for its blood glucose lowering activity in comparison with glibenclamide as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control group. Blood glucose in the rats was evaluated in the first, second and fourth hour. The first and second hour the extract lowered blood glucose level potently to a decrement value of 25% in comparison to 17% decrement in the group administered glibenclamide. At the fourth hour the extract showed no effect on blood glucose level, nevertheless, it start rising, the fact that reveals it as a short acting drug. Using rat hemidiaphragm to check the potential of solanum extract in enhancing re-uptake of glucose by tissues, it showed good synergistic activity when administered with insulin. Key words: solanum dubium , glibenclamide, ethanolic, hypoglycemic, hemidiaphragm.


Interventions targeting adolescent girls are seen as a key component in the fight to break the cycle of poverty in developing countries. Policies that enable them to reach their full potential can have a strong impact not only on their own wellbeing, but also on that of future generations. This paper summarizes the short-term impacts of a cash transfer program on the empowerment of adolescent girls in Malawi during and immediately after the two-year intervention. We find that the program, which transferred cash directly to school-age girls as well as their parents, had effects on a broad range of important domains - including increased access to financial resources, improved schooling outcomes, decreased teen pregnancies and early marriages, better health - and generally enabled beneficiaries to improve their agency within their households. Underlying these overall impacts, the experiment revealed important differences in program effects between young women who were in school at the start of the intervention and those that were not, as well as between young women who received cash transfers conditional on regular school attendance and those who received cash unconditionally. The results point to the potential role that cash transfer programs can play in improving the lives of adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the heterogeneity of effects under different program designs.


The article by Jacob Mundy in this issue of Security Dialogue draws attention to the ongoing debate between deconstructivists and quantitative researchers. The article criticizes the current state of the 'new literature on civil wars' and offers some recommendations as to how this literature might be improved. Yet, as a scholar on the receiving end of it, I am unable to make use of Mundy's critique. I do not understand the premises for his article; I am not convinced by the case of Algeria; and I am unable to understand the recommendations made at the end of the piece. In other words, the dialogue here is not working. In large parts, this failure in communication is due to the fact that the relevant literatures very rarely connect with each other. The use of concepts in Mundy's article might represent one of the few occasions on which they do. I propose a set of recommendations that I hope might assist in rendering the dialogue between these currently estranged literatures less futile.


Rapid prototyping (RP) systems have been used for several years to produce design prototypes without expensive tooling costs. As these systems have matured, there has been increasing interest in using them to produce actual end-use parts. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an RP technology that has been identified by many as having strong potential for this transition from rapid prototyping to rapid manufacturing, due primarily to its capability of using a wide array of high performance materials. FDM creates parts layer-by-layer, extruding semi-molten material "roads" through a computercontrolled nozzle onto the substrate, which is mounted on an indexing platform. This manufacturing process creates anisotropic parts, with strength properties greater along material roads than across roads or between layers. This study proposes to improve FDM part strength in the transverse directions by increasing the amount of material bonding taking place between road and layers through the addition of a system which re-heats the substrate material immediately preceding deposition. To test this concept, a simple pre-deposition heating system (PDHS) was designed, implemented, and tested, measuring part properties in the axial and transverse directions and part dimensional accuracy. The test results were analyzed using statistical techniques, and found that parts made with the PDHS were not significantly stronger in the transverse direction than parts made without the PDHS. The development of the system and test results illustrate the challenges of implementing a PDHS system and lead to a set of recommendations for the next design iteration of PDHS.


Although many Bayesian Network (BN) applications are now in everyday use, BNs have not yet achieved mainstream penetration. Focusing on practical real-world problem solving and model building, as opposed to algorithms and theory, Risk Assessment and Decision Analysis with Bayesian Networks explains how to incorporate knowledge with data to develop and use (Bayesian) causal models of risk that provide powerful insights and better decision making. Provides all tools necessary to build and run realistic Bayesian network models Supplies extensive example models based on real risk assessment problems in a wide range of application domains provided; for example, finance, safety, systems reliability, law, and more Introduces all necessary mathematics, probability, and statistics as needed The book first establishes the basics of probability, risk, and building and using BN models, then goes into the detailed applications. The underlying BN algorithms appear in appendices rather than the main text since there is no need to understand them to build and use BN models. Keeping the body of the text free of intimidating mathematics, the book provides pragmatic advice about model building to ensure models are built efficiently. A dedicated website, www.BayesianRisk.com, contains executable versions of all of the models described, exercises and worked solutions for all chapters, PowerPoint slides, numerous other resources, and a free downloadable copy of the AgenaRisk software.


Abstract. Multiple-input single-output systems are employed in free-space optical links to mitigate the degrading effects of atmospheric turbulence. We formulate the power scintillation as a function of transmitter and receiver coordinates in the presence of weak atmospheric turbulence by using the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle. Then the effect of the receiver–aperture averaging is quantified. To get consistent results, parameters are chosen within the range of validity of the wave structure functions. Radial array beams and a Gaussian weighting aperture function are used at the transmitter and the receiver, respectively. It is observed that the power scintillation decreases when the source size, the ring radius, the receiver–aperture radius, and the number of array beamlet increase. However, increasing the number of array beamlets to more than three seems to have negligible effect on the power scintillation. It is further observed that the aperture averaging effect is stronger when radial array beams are employed instead of a single Gaussian beam.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the physiological demands of officiating in
the code of Rugby Union at an elite level and to propose a relevant programme
of fitness testing and training arising from the results obtained. A group of ten
RFU National Panel referees were selected as subjects and all were analysed
performing match duties as both a referee and a touch-judge during a number of
level 1 and 2 league matches. Each subject performed a range of laboratory tests
to establish various physiological parameters, which were then compared with the
match analysis findings of heart rate and total match distances. [Continues.]


Article History: Received: 21 Oct. 2014 Accepted: 14 Apr. 2015 Available online: 20 Jun. 2015 As the first phase of a series of monitoring and modeling studies of Iranian coastal areas, Chabahar Bay, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Oman, was under a comprehensive monitoring and modeling study in 2006-2007. The study included an extensive one-year field measurements program to help understanding the ongoing processes in the bay and provide inputs or boundary conditions and validation data for numerical models. An analysis of the collected data and the results of three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic numerical modeling are described in this paper. 3D numerical model of MISED was employed to provide a full spatial picture of bay-wide circulations and its sensitivity to environmental factors such as tides and winds. MISED simulations were completed for the months of February and March 2007 and the results were compared with the measurements. It was observed that the simulated tidal currents favorably agree with the measured data at the selected stations. Particle tracking simulations using a Lagrangian Particle Tracking Model showed that the combination of wind-driven and tidal currents generates a self-flushing function that tends to carry suspended material to outside of the bay. The combination of winds and tides has thus a very important assimilative function for water quality of Chabahar Bay.


A brand has the tremendous power to create a positive experience that will resonate with your customers. So why do you-and most other salespeople- focus on selling your product or service, but not on selling your brand? Sell the Brand First reveals a fresh, highly effective way to close the sale: by selling to your customers from brand strength. Corporate trainer and brand selling specialist Dan Stiff shares his proven Brand Staircase Method-a four-step process that shows you how to hone in on your customers' mind-sets, create sales pitches based on how your brand fits into your consumers' lifestyles, and fully satisfy the trade buyers' needs and expectations. Even the most experienced salespeople tend to simply adopt their marketing department's version of their brand. Stiff helps you become a "Brand Ambassador" by making your brand your own, finding the emotional connection between your customer and your brand, and speaking "Brand Language" to serve buyers' needs. The Brand Staircase gives you the tools you need to Discover the inherent value in your brand and sell from it Avoid "hollow brand promises" and break through the "glass ceiling of price" Build on marketing efforts to leverage your brand's identity and positioning in the marketplace Stiff illustrates key points through practical selling experience at NCR, DeWALT, and Black & Decker. He combines that knowledge with engaging real-life case studies and proven examples from Fortune 500 companies within multiple industries. His sample dialogues and common brand examples in the marketplace make selling the brand come alive. Whether you're selling B2B or B2C, or you're a sales manager leading the charge, Sell the Brand First will change the way you look at selling and the way you sell for the better-and for good!


Background: The annual statistics of Drug and Poison Information Centers (DPICs) have critical role in public health planning. The objective of this study was to provide annual epidemiologic profile of drug inquiry and poisoning-related phone calls to Iran's DPICs during 2014-2015. Methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study by reviewing reported phone calls of Iranian DPICs to central division in Tehran (NDPIC) during one Iranian solar year (1393 A.H. equivalent to March 20th 2014 to 20th March 2015 A.D). Results: During the study period, 250368 phone calls were registered in 36 DPICs across the country. The majority of callers were women (145917, 58.28%). The most frequent calls were made by the individuals in the age group of 31 to 40 years (48795, 19.49%). Most of the calls were made by the patients (134322, 53.64%) followed by patients' relatives (105646, 42.2%). The most common subject of calls was adverse drug reactions (42682, 19.4%), followed by therapeutic use (37114, 16.9%) and drug administration (30091, 13.7%) inquiries. Micromedex (54324, 21.70%) was the most commonly used reference to answer the inquiries. Given that 223482 calls were related to drug information inquiries, the most common drugs questioned about were antibiotics (24274, 10.86%); whereas 4548 calls were made about poisonings and the majority of them were due to pharmaceutical agents (2556, 56.20%). Conclusion: Iranian people seems to have numerous unmet drug information needs. This may especially be the case for antibiotics, nutrients and anti-depressants. Pharmaceutical products are the main subjects of poisoning-related calls to DPICs in Iran. Public education on usage, safety and storage of drugs as well as strict terms of sale should be implemented.


Subjects in post-verbal position in Romance have been assumed to be in an in situ Spec VP position in many recent analyses in their V S O order (Motapayane1995, Ordonez 1998, Costa 2000, Alexiadou & Anagnostopoulou 2001, Cardinaletti 2001). In this paper, we will give arguments for an alternative view in which post-verbal subjects in this order are moved to at least to an Spec positions above VP, which I will call SubjP, and below the final landing site of verbs in TP. Arguments in favor of this characterization come from the comparison of Catalan and Spanish, which differ minimally in patterns of subject inversion with respect to quantifiers, adverbs and restructuring contexts. This work presents new evidence that a richer inflectional structure in the postverbal field leads to a more parsimonious account for parametric difference in patterns of subject distribution in closely related languages.


The middleware is a software layer located on top of the operating system that uses its facilities, integrates with it, and extends its functionality in order to support the development of effective and reliable distributed systems; however, the architectures of most of the conventional middleware solutions, e.g. Java RMI, do not either offer the predictability required to support the real-time behaviour in these systems, or the reconfigurablity required for these middleware solutions to be applicable in a wide range of distributed systems.
Java has a great support for building distributed systems; however, due to its unpredictability, Java does not support building distributed real-time systems and middleware solutions. Hence, this thesis argues that the RTSJ can be used to build reusable and reconfigurable software components and design patterns that have high levels of predictability and reliability. These proposed real-time components and design patterns can be used for building real-time middleware solutions in Java. Therefore, the RTSJ has to be used as a base for modifying the existing reconfigurable and reusable software patterns and components for distribution models. It could also be used to create a new set of these patterns and components, in order to support the real-time behaviour and the predictability in the real-time middleware.
The key contributions in this thesis include the presentation of a component framework design model for building RTSJ-based middleware and distributed systems; this framework focuses mainly on the memory model, the communication model of building the components and it also provides the management mechanism of these components, which uses a set of design patterns that integrates with these models. This includes a memory model for the RTSJ components associated with a set of reusability and life-management sub-components that support building real-time components in the RTSJ. Also, we provided a design of a real-time reconfigurable communication component based on the RTSJ that can be used to support predictable low level remote communications in distributed real-time Java applications and we showed how this component could be integrated within the component model as a sub-component, to provide communication services within the component model. Also, we presented our own model of integrating both the framework and the component model within the RMI architecture to provide a reconfigurable real-time Java RMI middleware based on the RTSJ.


Hierarchical Imitation Learning (HIL) is an effective way for robots to learn sub-skills from long-horizon unsegmented demonstrations. However, the learned hierarchical structure lacks the mechanism to transfer across multi-tasks or to new tasks, which makes them have to learn from scratch when facing a new situation. Transferring and reorganizing modular sub-skills require fast adaptation ability of the whole hierarchical structure. In this work, we propose Dual Meta Imitation Learning (DMIL), a hierarchical meta imitation learning method where the high-level network and sub-skills are iteratively meta-learned with model-agnostic meta-learning. DMIL uses the likelihood of state-action pairs from each sub-skill as the supervision for the high-level network adaptation, and use the adapted high-level network to determine different data set for each sub-skill adaptation. We theoretically prove the convergence of the iterative training process of DMIL and establish the connection between DMIL and Expectation-Maximization algorithm. Empirically, we achieve state-of-the-art few-shot imitation learning performance on the Meta-world \cite{metaworld} benchmark and competitive results on long-horizon tasks of Kitchen environments.


Drawing on available research and personal experience, the experience of families with children with Down syndrome is explored with the aim of identifying the strengths and positive coping strategies used by most families. The evidence shows that almost all families love and value their child with Down syndrome and list the benefits they have gained as a family from raising this special child. Some two-thirds of families lead ordinary lives, with no long term negative effects for other members of the family. These families do experience extra demands and extra stress but they find the resources to cope successfully. Research has identified some of the strategies that families use to cope successfully. One third of families have a more difficult time and the reasons that they experience more stress have been identified. Knowing the causes of additional stress allows families and service providers to pinpoint their difficulties and offer appropriate support and services. Knowing the successful strategies that reduce stress is equally important in helping families to use all the positive resources that they have available to them. Families are encouraged to evaluate their own situation using this information and to identify any additional resources that they could use. Practitioners are encouraged to use the information to improve their practice and to focus on family centred ways of working, recognising that the family unit is the child's main resource throughout his or her life-time.


Analogy by reference to statute as a tool of legal analysis in the development of the common law is not prohibited. Recent cases confirm not only the existence of the tool but provide evidence of its use and application. However, to state that the judiciary on occasion develops the common law by analogy to statute – a concept that has been labelled the 'doctrine of analogy' – is simply to make a statement of conclusion. And that statement of conclusion invites several further questions. Is analogical reasoning by reference to statute qualitatively different from the usual type of analogical reasoning on which the common law depends? From what authority is this mode of reasoning derived? Put in different terms – what is the judicial function? This paper proposes that viewing the development of the common law through the lens of formal rules and substantive reasoning can assist in identifying the way the judiciary develops the common law by reference to statute, and the basis upon which the judiciary develops the common law by reference to statute.


Traditional and innovative ways of constructing temporary roads at a construction site are considered. The basic principles of the preparation of construction operations are given, which should be taken into account at this stage. Particular attention is paid to the preparation of the construction of the facility and preparation for the construction and installation works. The organization of designing construction roads, temporary and permanent, is considered. Methods for determining the parameters of construction roads are described. The main technical indicators of construction roads are given. Dangerous areas of the roads are indicated. The main purpose of the research is to generalize and systematize the modern ways of arrangement and operation of auto-roads on a construction site. For carrying out of the study the methodical and scientific literature on the subject was analyzed, and also the statistic methods of data investigation were used. The main results of the research is the accomplishment of estimation of expenses on arrangement of auto-roads, the indication of order of working out of design of the auto-roads, also the indication of necessity of use of permanent roads as temporary. The design of temporary and permanent construction roads is very important because of their greater use in comparison with railway transport and a great influence on the supply of construction materials.


INTRODUCTION
Gender differences in neurocognitive function have been reported over the past few decades. However, multiple studies that report gender differences in Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Tests composite scores ignore potential confounders which may lead to inaccurate results.

METHODS
A total of 4829 male and 2477 female baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Tests from 2009 to 2019 of subjects ages 12-18 years were used to evaluate gender differences in baseline neurocognitive scores and symptom severity ratings. Regression analyses were used to assess the effects of gender on neurocognitive performance at baseline while controlling for a number of potential confounders including symptom burden at the time of testing.

RESULTS
Differences in 3 of 5 composite scores as well as severity rating scores were maintained in multivariate analysis. Females had increased Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (β = 3.54, 95% confidence interval, 2.91 to 4.16, P < .0001) along with higher verbal memory (β = 1.82, 95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 2.50, P < .0001) and visual motor (β = 1.29, 95% confidence interval, 0.85-1.72, P < .0001) scores.

CONCLUSIONS
Statistically significant gender differences were found in baseline neurocognitive function. This study clarifies for the first time that gender differences in these neurocognitive domains are not simply an artifact of differences in symptom burden. However, the small effect sizes call into question the clinical relevance of these differences.


The content of water‐dispersible colloids (WDC) has a major impact on soil functions and structural stability. In addition, the presence of mobile colloids may increase the risk of colloid‐facilitated transport of strongly sorbing environmental contaminants. The WDC content was measured in 39 soils, using laser diffraction, by agitating the samples using a wet‐dispersion unit. This approach eliminated the need for long sedimentation times required by the more classical end‐over‐end shaking approach and provided information about the time‐dependent release of WDC. The total clay content of the soils ranged from 0.1 to 0.44 kg kg−1. The WDC content was measured on air‐dry and moist 1‐ to 2‐mm aggregates. The WDC content at a reference time was highly correlated to the total clay content (r > 0.91, P < 0.001) for all soils. Only for two sites was the WDC content correlated to the content of clay not associated with organic C (r > 0.89, P < 0.001), calculated as a function of total organic C and total clay. The colloid release rates were highly correlated with the total clay content (r > 0.84, P < 0.001). The WDC content in moist aggregates measured using laser diffraction was correlated with the WDC content measured using a more classical end‐over‐end method (r > 0.89, P < 0.05) and in 100‐cm3 undisturbed soil cores (r > 0.89, P < 0.05). The universal correlation between the contents of WDC and total clay could be highly useful in risk assessments of colloids and colloid‐facilitated transport of environmental contaminants.


This article, written for the Eighth Annual Legal Scholarship Symposium celebrating the work of Richard A. Epstein, assesses Epstein's advocacy of a default rule for patent conveyances. The article first explains how nineteenth-century patent doctrine supports Epstein's argument for a conveyance default rule, detailing how early courts adopted for patents the same conveyance default rule they applied to real property. In real property, the default rule provides that, barring words of limitation or restrictive covenants, a conveyance transfers the entire estate, i.e. fee simple. Since patents are property rights – early courts often analogized patents to real property – a similar rule was adopted for patent conveyances. This historical case law confirms Epstein's critique of the recent decision in Quanta Computers v. LG Electronics as unprecedented "formalism," because the Quanta Court adopted a mandatory rule that all conveyances as such exhaust all property rights in patents. In shifting from a default rule to a mandatory rule, Quanta undermines the rights of patentees to use and dispose of their property.The article then discusses some potentially costly complications arising from Epstein's support for rule-of-reason antitrust review of patent conveyances. The virtue of the conveyance default rule, according to Epstein, is that it is a simple matter of administration. These gains in low administration costs, however, may be lost given the inherent complexity in the ex post application of rule-of-reason antitrust standards to innovative commercialization of inventions. The inherent unpredictability and indeterminacy in such contextual assessments threaten the dynamic efficiencies achieved by the patent system. This is especially salient when rule-of-reason standards require unsophisticated courts to predict and to regulate new, innovative commercial practices arising from inventions. This counsels against antitrust review of patent conveyances, even in Epstein's second-best world of simple rules for complex innovation.


In this paper, the problem of proactive deployment of cache-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for optimizing the quality-of-experience (QoE) of wireless devices in a cloud radio access network is studied. In the considered model, the network can leverage human-centric information, such as users' visited locations, requested contents, gender, job, and device type to predict the content request distribution, and mobility pattern of each user. Then, given these behavior predictions, the proposed approach seeks to find the user-UAV associations, the optimal UAVs' locations, and the contents to cache at UAVs. This problem is formulated as an optimization problem whose goal is to maximize the users' QoE while minimizing the transmit power used by the UAVs. To solve this problem, a novel algorithm based on the machine learning framework of conceptor-based echo state networks (ESNs) is proposed. Using ESNs, the network can effectively predict each user's content request distribution and its mobility pattern when limited information on the states of users and the network is available. Based on the predictions of the users' content request distribution and their mobility patterns, we derive the optimal locations of UAVs as well as the content to cache at UAVs. Simulation results using real pedestrian mobility patterns from BUPT and actual content transmission data from Youku show that the proposed algorithm can yield 33.3% and 59.6% gains, respectively, in terms of the average transmit power and the percentage of the users with satisfied QoE compared with a benchmark algorithm without caching and a benchmark solution without UAVs.


Many shark bites to humans, including fatalities, have involved surfers. Various personal shark deterrents are commercially available to surfers, including Rpela v2, which is a battery-powered device fitted to a surfboard. It produces an electric field around the surfer aimed at deterring sharks from approaching or biting by disrupting their electroreception organs. The device was tested on white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) at Salisbury Island, Western Australia. In total, 46 trials were done with the Rpela v2 either active or not active to determine the device's effect on sharks' response to a floating board with fish bait attached (to tempt a bite). When active, Rpela v2 significantly reduced the probability of a bite (0.75 to 0.25, a 66% reduction) and interaction (i.e. bite or touch) (0.80 to 0.50, a 38% reduction) occurring compared with when it was inactive. The number of passes taken by a shark also reduced and the mean distance between the shark and the bait increased when Rpela v2 was active. It is noted that Rpela v2 did not completely remove the risk of shark bite, but the magnitude of the reduction in risk is of a level that surfers are likely to consider meaningful and it could be expected that Rpela v2 would provide more time for surfers to leave the water (i.e. as inferred from the number of passes) when a potentially dangerous shark is present. Implications for the role of personal deterrents in strategic management of the risk of shark bite are also discussed.


As the first non-Chinese guest editor of the bi-lingual contemporary art magazine Art.Zip, Lyons compiled and commissioned a selection of texts, interviews and reviews focusing on the theme of translation. The issue was designed to physically and conceptually hinge around a Chinese calligraphic translation of Walter Benjamin's essay 'Chinese Curios', highlighting cultural differences through the content and graphic layout of the bi-lingual texts.

As well as overseeing the overall layout of the issue, Lyons guided the translations of 'Chinese Curios', an essay by Geoff Dyer and an interview with artist Song Dong. She commissioned the cover artwork, and a photo essay on Beijing nightlife by Helen Couchman. In addition to her editorial work, Lyons commissioned a special edition foldout print by the artist Margarita Gluzberg and wrote an accompanying essay, 'Her Dark Materials.' In this essay, Lyons unpacks the artist's term of the 'consumystic,' a hybrid concept that conflates desire, consumption and the mystical. Exploring the dynamics and material processes that drive Gluzberg's practice, Lyons draws together literary characters to communicate the dynamics at work in Gluzberg's photographs.

25,000 copies of the special edition of Art.Zip was distributed throughout museums in China, including: Today Art Museum, National Museum of China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, Inside-out Art Museum, Sichuan Art Museum, Tianjin Art Museum, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Guangdong Museum of Arts, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai Zhengda Art Museum and Minsheng Art Museum. The issue is held in the library collections of the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, China Academy of Fine Art, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute and Luxun Academy of Fine Arts.


For several decades, metformin has been used as an oral hypoglycaemic agent, where it is the first line of treatment in overweight and obese type 2 diabetic patients. This is because it decreases the hepatic glucose output and acts as an insulin sensitizer by increasing the glucose utilization by muscles and adipocytes. As a result of the improvement in glycaemic control, serum insulin concentrations decline slightly, thus improving hyperinsulinaemia and its signs. In addition, it has been shown that metformin has platelet anti‐aggregating and antioxidant effects. These pharmacological properties have allowed metformin to be effective in non‐diabetic situations including cutaneous conditions. This is an evidence‐based review on the use of metformin in the treatment of skin disorders such as hirsutism, acne, hidradenitis suppurativa, acanthosis nigricans, psoriasis, skin cancer, among others. In addition, cutaneous side‐effects such as leukocytoclastic vasculitis, bullous pemphigoid, psoriasiform drug eruption, lichen planus and acute alopecia have been associated with metformin use and are discussed in the article.


We tested the hypothesis that inhibition of leukocyte function by administration of monoclonal antibody 60.3 (MoAb 60.3) improves electrophysiological recovery and decreases injury volume following transient focal cerebral ischemia in cats. Methods Halothane-anesthetized cats underwent 90 minutes of left middle cerebral artery and bilateral common carotid artery occlusion followed by 180 minutes of reperfusion. Cats were assigned to receive either 2 mg/kg MoAb 60.3 (n=8) directed at the CDw18 leukocyte antigen complex or an equal volume of diluent (sterile saline; n=10) at 45 minutes of ischemia in a blinded fashion. Results Blood flow to the left temporoparietal cortex decreased to <5 ml/min/100 g with ischemia, but was minimally affected on the right side. Postischemic hyperemia occurred in the left caudate nucleus, whereas blood flow in other brain regions returned to control. No region demonstrated delayed hypoperfusion, and there were no differences between groups. Somatosensory evoked potential recorded over the left cortex was ablated during ischemia and recovered to <10% of baseline amplitude at 180 minutes of reperfusion in both groups. Left hemispheric injury volume, as assessed by 2,3,5 -triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, was not affected by drug treatment (mean±SE values: MoAb 60.3, 37±5%; placebo, 38±7% of hemisphere). Conclusions Inhibition of leukocyte function with MoAb 60.3 does not afford protection from severe focal ischemia and reperfusion in cats.


From 1992 to 2001, despite its rapid economic growth during the early 1990s, Argentina experienced a period characterized by increasing income inequality and poverty. An axiomatically modified Datt-Ravallion decomposition, that separates changes in poverty rates into mean and inequality components, will illustrate how each of them has contributed to those changes. Contrary to the claims of much of the recent cross-country literature, income inequality does not appear stable in Argentina. Previous results are extended in two key ways. First, the empirical density function is used to calculate the inequality component, without assuming a particular functional form for the Lorenz curve. Second, both components are recomputed without the vaguely defined Datt-Ravallion residual, which improves interpretability.


Interstrand crosslinking (ICL) agents such as nitrogen mustards and platinum compounds are mainstays of cancer chemotherapy. SJG-136 is a highly potent ICL agent currently in clinical trials. γ-H2AX foci form at the sites of ionizing radiation-induced double strand breaks (DSBs) and their persistence is an indication of radiosensitivity. The aim of this study was to establish if γ-H2AX is a suitable marker of ICL-associated damage.

γ-H2AX foci can be detected at pharmacologically relevant doses of ICL agents (0.5 μM HN2, 5 μM cisplatin, 0.01 nM SJG-136), lower than those used to detect ICLs in the modified comet assay (5 μM HN2, 10 μM cisplatin, 1 nM SJG-136). The peak of foci formation followed the peak of ICL formation, and persistence of foci was observed in CHO and human cells defective in either ICL unhooking or homologous recombination (HR). Persistence of foci was also detected in A2780 ovarian cancer cells compared to the paired A2780 cisplatin resistant cells. γ-H2AX was found to be a sensitive marker of ICL-associated damage independent of DSB formation and a potential tool to distinguish ICL-sensitive cells in vitro. γ-H2AX has also been investigated as a pharmacodynamic endpoint in clinical studies. Maximal foci formation was observed at 24 hours post-infusion of SJG-136 in peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from all 16 patients in a phase I clinical trial. Increased foci induction was also detected in two tumour biopsies obtained from patients treated with SJG-136.

In contrast to γ-H2AX, a higher level of RAD51 foci was observed in ICL unhooking defective CHO cells compared to the wild type, whereas no foci were observed in HR defective cells following cisplatin treatment. Therefore, both γ-H2AX and RAD51 foci could be useful markers of ICL-associated damage in clinical settings.


Light loss in single mode fiber optical switches is investigated. Loss due to reflection, aberration and fiber misalignment are evaluated. A simple model of image to fiber end face overlap for the fiber/lens system is developed. The intensity distribution of light in the fiber and imaging system is assumed to be gaussian. It was found that aberration is a major cause of loss and that fiber misalignment did not cause as much loss as expected. Loss due to reflection is assumed to be minimal due to the presence of anti-reflection coatings on the optical components.


A dielectric subwavelength diffraction grating structure is designed and fabricated in order to enhance fluorescence-based detection of biomolecules. Two separate phenomena, enhancement of the local energy densities of the excitation illumination and direction of the emitted signal toward the detector, are examined theoretically and experimentally. 530-fold enhancement of detected signal is achieved compared with the signal from flat surface. Also, changes in polarization and coherence properties of the fluorescent light are found to be remarkable.


Abstract. Multilayer clouds (MLCs) occur more often in the Arctic than globally. In this
study we present the results of a detection algorithm applied to radiosonde
and radar data from an 1-year time period in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard.
Multilayer cloud occurrence is found on 29 % of the investigated days. These
multilayer cloud cases are further analysed regarding the possibility of ice
crystal seeding, meaning that an ice crystal can survive sublimation in a
subsaturated layer between two cloud layers when falling through this layer.
For this we analyse profiles of relative humidity with respect to ice to
identify super- and subsaturated air layers. Then the sublimation of an ice
crystal of an assumed initial size of r=400 µm on its way through
the subsaturated layer is calculated. If the ice crystal still exists when
reaching a lower supersaturated layer, ice crystal seeding can potentially
take place. Seeding cases are found often, in 23 % of the investigated days
(100 % includes all days, as well as non-cloudy days). The identification of
seeding cases is limited by the radar signal inside the subsaturated layer.
Clearly separated multilayer clouds, defined by a clear interstice in the
radar image, do not interact through seeding (9 % of the investigated days).
There are various deviations between the relative humidity profiles and the
radar images, e.g. due to the lack of ice-nucleating particles (INPs) and
cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Additionally, horizontal wind drift of the
radiosonde and time restriction when comparing radiosonde and radar data
cause further deviations. In order to account for some of these deviations,
an evaluation by manual visual inspection is done for the non-seeding cases.


We develop an efficient general-purpose blind/no-reference image quality assessment (IQA) algorithm using a natural scene statistics (NSS) model of discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients. The algorithm is computationally appealing, given the availability of platforms optimized for DCT computation. The approach relies on a simple Bayesian inference model to predict image quality scores given certain extracted features. The features are based on an NSS model of the image DCT coefficients. The estimated parameters of the model are utilized to form features that are indicative of perceptual quality. These features are used in a simple Bayesian inference approach to predict quality scores. The resulting algorithm, which we name BLIINDS-II, requires minimal training and adopts a simple probabilistic model for score prediction. Given the extracted features from a test image, the quality score that maximizes the probability of the empirically determined inference model is chosen as the predicted quality score of that image. When tested on the LIVE IQA database, BLIINDS-II is shown to correlate highly with human judgments of quality, at a level that is competitive with the popular SSIM index.


The Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) technology offers a series of environmentally-friendly advantages, such as high quality effluent, pathogens removal capacity and avoided use of chemicals for disinfection, allowing it to be regarded as an environmentally friendly technology, when applied for wastewater treatment. However, membrane fouling still remains a major drawback, preventing its widespread application for municipal or industrial wastewater treatment. The use of additives (i.e. adsorbents, bio-carriers etc.) is considered to be among the major strategies implemented for membrane fouling control over the last few years. The present work examines the influence of bio-carriers addition, as well as of zeolite powder on the reversible and irreversible membrane fouling of a lab-scale MBR. High-strength synthetic municipal wastewater (with BOD5 around 1000 mg/L) was fed as the substrate for the activated sludge process and a flat-sheet microfiltration membrane was operated for solids (biomass) - liquid separation at the flux of 17 L/m2h. The obtained results showed that the addition of zeolite contributed mainly to the alleviation of irreversible fouling, leaving the reversible fouling practically unaffected, while the addition of bio-carriers had quite the opposite effect. In addition, it was shown that the lab-scale MBR system operated successfully, treating a high-strength synthetic municipal wastewater, as high removals were observed in terms of both organics and especially of ammonium removal (over 98%).


Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS, which can notify the driver of potential dangers or even perform emergency maneuvers in dangerous situations, have been shown to play a crucial role in accident prevention and driver feedback. An Intelligent ADAS, or iADAS, relies on information about the state of the driver, their behavior or condition, the vehicle and the environment. Understanding the behavior requires the development of driver models, which can help predict how a person may react in certain situations or help determine if the individual is not performing at their usual level of ability. A key element in building such models is the ability to detect and analyze common driving maneuvers, such as making turns, on an individual-by-individual basis. Thus algorithms are needed which can detect and characterize individual driving maneuvers. In this research, we present a position-based turn detection algorithm for detecting turns from vehicle data and GPS coordinates. Based on a dataset of sixteen drivers involving 278 turns, the algorithm achieves an accuracy of 97.84%. The turn parameters detected by the algorithm are then averaged for each driver and clustered using K-Means. Turn parameters t 5 seconds are also clustered prior to each detected turn and t + 5 seconds are clustered after each turn. The cluster centroids at each point in time determine particular driving behaviours which are summarized in four categories, and the cluster assignments are examined over time to categorize drivers into these behaviour categories. This analysis reveals two optimal times for analyzing driver behaviour. Our overall aim is to be able to build automated methods that can use this research to eventually determine characteristics of individual drivers during turns in order to build models of drivers for use with i-ADAS.


We study in-plane ruptures on a bimaterial fault governed by a velocity-weakening friction with a regularized normal stress response. Numerical simulations and analytical estimates provide characterization of the ranges of velocity-weakening scales, nucleation lengths and background stresses for which ruptures behave as cracks or pulses, decaying or sustained, bilateral or unilateral. With strongly velocity-weakening friction, ruptures occur under a wide range of conditions as large-scale pulses with a preferred propagation direction, that of slip of the more compliant material. Such ruptures have macroscopic asymmetry manifested by significantly larger seismic potency and propagation distance in the preferred direction, and clearly quantified by the directivity ratio derived from the second order moments of the spatio-temporal distribution of slip rate. The macroscopic rupture asymmetry of the large-scale pulses stems from the difference in the criticality conditions for self-sustained propagation in each rupture direction, induced by the asymmetric normal stress changes operating in bimaterial interfaces. In contrast, crack-like ruptures show macroscopic asymmetry under restrictive conditions. The discussed mechanism is robust with respect to regularization parameters, ranges of stress heterogeneities and a proxy for off-fault yielding and should operate similarly for crustal-scale rupture pulses even in the absence of velocity-weakening. Small-scale pulses, driven by the bimaterial normal stress reduction at the scale of the process zone, can detach from the rupture front of the large-scale pulses that propagate in the preferred direction. However, their occurrence depends on the relaxation scale in the regularization of the normal stress response and their development can be hindered by off-fault yielding.


The Covid-19 pandemic has made a huge impact on the e-commerce industry. The industry has experienced some benefits and problems during the pandemic. People tend to buy more items online as it can be more secure when it comes to the spread of disease. The reports are saying that overall ecommerce industry is having an increased sales growth. Many methods and techniques are being used by the e-commerce industry to make-up the negative impacts that happened to online business during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study is done to deeply analyse the problems and factors that are affecting the Online businesses and to know about the situations of e-commerce business in different parts of the world.


Redox potential, a measure of how oxidising or reducing an environment is, is tightly regulated by cells to minimise detrimental chemical oxidation and reduction reactions. In proteins, it is the sulfur containing cysteine residues that can be post-translationally modified through specific redox reactions, for example, the formation of disulfide bonds between cysteine residues can be crucial to protein structure. It has recently been hypothesised that signalling pathways utilising redox regulated proteins may be arranged into electrochemical series. The characterisation of the redox properties of specific cysteine residues in proteins has proven difficult using traditional redox characterisation methods such as cyclic voltammetry. A number of biochemical methods have been developed for studying the effect of the redox environment on proteins, many making use of mass spectrometry and allowing for localisation of the site of the modification to specific cysteine residues. However, fewer methods have been reported that facilitate accurate quantification for the determination of the mid-point potential of these redox regulated cysteine residues. Here, a differential labelling protocol using high resolution mass spectrometry techniques for the study of redox chemistry of cysteine residues in proteins will be reported. The protocol exploits the novel chemistry of thiol groups for specific alkylation and allows for both qualitative and quantitative experiments. Thioredoxin-1 from E. coli and human systems was used as a model protein and a novel disulfide bond was characterised. The reducing potential of the active site cysteine residues of human thioredoxin were found to be very similar to those of the E. coli proteoform, -276 ± 1 and -281.4 ± 0.3 mV respectively. The remaining three cysteine residues of human thioredoxin were found to be regulated at more oxidising potentials. The protocol developed was applied to a protein from the cell death pathway of apoptosis; human caspase-3 is an executioner protease from the caspase cascade. Caspase-3 was found to contain three redox sensitive cysteine residues. The catalytically active cysteine residue was redox regulated via two mechanisms, glutathionylation and disulfide bond formation. One of these mechanisms gives the active site cysteine residue a calculated reducing potential of -165 ± 6 mV supporting the correlation between caspase-3 activity and its observed role in the apoptotic pathway but not in necrotic cell death.


"The jury has the right to judge both the law as well as the fact in controversy." (2) --John Jay, First Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court INTRODUCTION Linus van Pelt was first introduced to us as one of the characters from the Charles Schultz comic strip Peanuts. (3) Linus was the best friend of Charlie Brown, and serves as the comic's philosopher. (4) His most defining characteristic is his blanket, or "security blanket." (5) It was in fact Linus, or Charles Schultz, who coined the term "security blanket." (6) Linus was never without his blanket, and periodically even used the blanket to ward off those who would tease him about his unusual attachment. (7) Linus has many connections to today's average juror, not only due to his intelligence, but also, because of his defining characteristic: his security blanket. Today's jurors also report for jury duty with their own security blanket in the form of a cell phone or smartphone. (8) Cell phones have permeated every facet of our lives, and with the introduction of the smartphone, access to the Internet is increasing at an exponential rate. Much like Linus, jurors are using their security blanket for more than a comfort object. (9) However, whereas Linus merely sought to defend himself from a bully, a juror's use of his or her cell phone during trial threatens the legitimacy of the entire trial and turns what should be a neutral decider of fact into a biased party. In every trial, attorneys on both sides can agree on one thing: a biased juror or a juror who will engage in misconduct is unwanted. (10) The role of each juror in a trial is to decide the case based on the evidence presented within the walls of the courtroom. (11) If jurors take it upon themselves to research additional information or comment on the trial, misconduct has occurred. (12) Even though juror misconduct can occur in a variety of ways, a juror commits misconduct simply by violating the rules and instructions of the court. (13) Recently, the Internet and social networking websites, usually accessible via a smartphone, have emerged as a new outlet for juror misconduct. (14) A juror conducting additional, unauthorized research is not a novel concept. (15) However, with the increasing popularity of social networking (16) and the ability to access the Internet through one's cellular telephone, courtrooms are discovering an alarming number of cases where "Internet Misconduct" (17) occurs through the use of a social networking website (18) or Internet search engine. (19) Whether the court presiding over a case determines that actual misconduct has occurred through the use of the Internet is not at issue in this article; rather, the prevailing problems of jurors using the Internet and social networking to violate their responsibilities, engage in Internet Misconduct, or create additional issues and burdens for the justice system shall be addressed. The smartphone has led to uncontrollable access to the Internet at a moment's notice. Now, with the Internet at their fingertips, jurors have found two ways to subject themselves to misconduct by using the Internet. The first arises when a juror uses the Internet to research additional information that was not presented to him or her during the trial. The second occurs when a juror utilizes a form of social networking media. This form of misconduct arises when a juror posts a message on the Internet that is directly related to the trial of which he or she is a part of, or to look up participants in the trial itself. This seemingly unstoppable wave of temptation for jurors is the product of a series of novel and profound inventions. The launch of Myspace (20) in 2003 prompted the advent of social networking. Instantly, anyone with an Internet connection could create a personal website featuring personal information and providing an uncensored forum to express ideas as well as discover data about other persons using the Internet. …


Plyometrics is an essential part of strength and conditioning programs for the top athletes in nearly every sport. "High-Powered Plyometrics" provides the most systematic, comprehensive, and practical study of plyometrics available and can give you performance gains you never thought possible through 77 advanced exercises for explosive sports training.This book gives you a complete plyometric-based training program that really works. No matter what your sport, the practical and effective training regimen presented will give you the greater speed and power components you need to succeed. Progressive training programs also allow you to adjust the level and intensity according to your needs. "High-Powered Plyometrics" takes you step-by-step through high-level plyometric training, beginning with an understanding of the principles of how and why plyometrics works. It details proper training techniques and equipment, safety and injury prevention, and targeted training drills to develop your lower, middle, and upper body. You also get advanced tips to take you to the elite stages of training with discussions on periodization, long-term planning, and progression training. More than 350 photos-most presented sequentially-make the concepts, descriptions, and explanations easy to understand.These principles have worked for hundreds of elite athletes, including intercollegiate and professional football and basketball players, world-class volleyball players and cross-country skiers, professional and Olympic cyclists, marathon runners, and athletes of all ages. They will give you the explosive power you need to compete at a high level in almost any sport. If you want to go beyond basic conditioning, "High-Powered Plyometrics" gives you everything you need to surge past the competition.


This article explores a set of trademark cases spanning 30 years that have been unappreciated as sharing a common basic fact pattern: a private concessionaire operates a commercial establishment in a historically famous building – a landmark – and eventually attempts to claim trademark rights in the landmark's name. These cases range from litigation over Manhattan's "Tavern on the Green�? to very recent disputes over the names of famous hotels in Yosemite and Grand Canyon national parks. Courts and commentators typically analyze these disputes as a question of who holds the "good will�? in the name, effectively accepting that the landmark's name is functioning as a trademark. This article proposes that a sounder approach begins by questioning whether there are any trademark rights at all, arguing that the landmark name is a "geographically descriptive�? term and that consumers enjoying goods and services in the landmark building will continue to have that descriptive meaning as their dominant understanding of the name, undermining any claim for the proper development of trademark "secondary meaning.�? The same analysis would apply if a court recognized that the landmark name was simply "highly descriptive�? of goods or services delivered in the landmark building: the development of secondary meaning to ground trademark rights is dubious at best. The result is a simpler, faster way to the proper conclusion in these cases: the name and its commercial use stays with the landmark building and whoever is providing goods and services therein.


I examine the growth rate of GDP per capita in Israel, and compare it with the growth of many other countries. Although Israel's growth rate was above average, its ranking changes when the comparison is conditioned on the initial level of development, as measured by GDP per capita. This is particularly the case when decade-long averages are used to compare growth rates, because it then transpires that Israel's growth rate was relatively high only in the 1960s. Israel's relative growth rate fell significantly in the 1970s and was extremely disappointing in the 1980s. An examination of the sources of the rise in total factor productivity (TFP) in the 1970s and 1980s shows that slightly more than half the rise in TFP can be attributed to R&D investment and the rest to a rise in the level of education.


The study of geo-hazards has been benefited from the technological advances in the field of Remote Sensing (RS) techniques as the ALS (Airborne Laser Scanners) Systems with Very High Resolution (VHR) cameras. Recently, the LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is an active sensor technique used for a variety of geoscientific applications including slope monitoring to retrieve ground surface displacements at high spatial resolution. Additionally, LiDAR has been widely used in order to collect high-resolution information on forests structure for the determination and characterization of vegetation cover due its ability to capture multiple returns and to reach the ground, even in forested areas, allowing the generation of Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) for the estimation of forest variables. In this paper, a LiDAR dataset and VHR imagery from aerial survey was used in the southwest zone of Medellín City-Colombia where the most frequent landslides are shallow and triggered by rainfall. Slopes with gradients up to 30% on residual soils characterize the study area, having about of 30% of forest cover consisting predominantly of Eucalyptus and Coniferous forests. For the estimation of the tree roots effects on the shallow landslides assessment on a natural slope, interpolation processes were developed from the LiDAR 3D point cloud, obtaining DTMs of 1 m-pixel. Additionally, orthophotos with the same spatial resolution were acquired in the aerial campaign. The proposed workflow was implemented on a GIS platform, and considers the extraction of the tree heights by generating a Canopy Height Model (CHM), while for the delineation of the tree crown a process of image segmentation was developed. Once the vegetation has been characterized using LiDAR products and dendrometric relationships, the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) was used to evaluate slope stability considering the effect of vegetation (trees). The results indicate that the proposed workflow allows to obtain adequate stability indicators for the estimation of tree roots contribution and additionally, this RS technique allows saving resources in this kind of analysis.