In this work, a series of bio-based chemically recyclable epoxy resins were synthesized from n-alkyl bisferulate esters that do not activate human estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). Viscosities of corresponding glycidyl ether n-alkyl bisferulate resins, determined by steady shear rheology, range from 12–9.4 Pa s. Activation energies of flow range from 83–96 kJ mol−1 and are similar to the diglycidyl ether bisphenol A (DGEBA). Thermomechanical properties of diglycidyl ether n-alkyl bisferulate resins cured with isophorone diamine were governed by the length of α,ω-diols that link glycidyl ether ferulate units. That is, the glassy phase modulus and alpha transition temperatures range from 3400–2400 MPa (at 25 °C) and 40–53 °C (peak of E′′), respectively. Furthermore, the onset of thermal degradation (Td5%) varied from 331–300 °C. Chemical recycling of cured epoxy resins was performed by static immersion in 10 w/w sodium hydroxide aqueous solutions at 60 °C. Times required for complete conversion of cured resins to water-soluble degradation products was also α,ω-diol length dependent and varied from 5 to 65 h. Thus, diglycidyl ether of n-alkyl bisferulate resins provides a viable biobased alternative to BPA epoxy resins as well as the option of chemical degradability and recovery of fillers in composite applications.


The Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Register is a national register monitoring treatment and clinical course for all Swedish multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, with high coverage and close integration with the clinic. Despite its great value for epidemiologic research, it has not previously been validated. In this brief report, we summarize a large validation of >3,000 patients in the register using clinical chart review in the context of the COMBAT-MS study. While further improving the data quality for a central cohort of patients available for future epidemiologic research, this study also allowed us to estimate the accuracy and completeness of the register data.


Reciprocal hemagglutination inhibition titrations were carried out with viruses and antisera of eight field strains of the A3 subtype of influenza A, covering the period from 1968 to 1975. The earlier strains (1968 through 1972) showed asymmetric cross-reactions, with antisera exhibiting more cross-reactions with antecedent strains than with subsequent ones. The later strains, although all were asymmetrically cross-reactive with earlier strains, tended to exhibit distant and variable cross-reactions with each other. The numbers and average affinities of antibody molecules capable of taking part in cross-reactions were calculated from equilibrium filtration experiments. It was found that all the antibody molecules in sera raised against the late strains could combine with earlier viruses, but with reduced affinity. Conversely, only a subset of the antibody molecules in sera raised against early strains could combine with later viruses. The results are discussed in the light of different theories concerning the nature and number of antigenic determinants on the hemagglutinin molecule. They support the existence of a single antigenic area to which all antibody molecules are directed, with differing affinities, rather than the existence of both "common" and "specific" determinants. Thermodynamic measurements on the homologous antigen-antibody reactions indicated that combination was mostly entropy driven. This suggested hydrophobic interaction as the mechanism of combination, i.e., that the complementary regions of antigen and antibody were made up largely or entirely of amino acids with hydrophobic side chains. There was no statistical difference in the magnitude of the entropy term (i.e., the average firmness of binding) among the different virus strains.


Additional information available the of the chapter Abstract Climatic, hydrological, and oceanographic conditions were determined during the 2009 – 2010 El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on the north coast of the Río de la Plata (RdlP) estuary. The maximum monthly rainfall was observed in the middle and upper La Plata basin during September 2009 and February 2010 ( " El Niño " phase, (EN)). The monthly flow of RdlP showed an increase with rainfall and significant differences between ENSO phases. The wind stress showed fluctuations in both phases, being less intense during EN, during which time maximum flow of RdlP was observed. During the EN phase, increased precipitation contributed to variations in salinity and absence of water column stratification in the north coast of RdlP. This was also associated with variations in Secchi depth, oxygen saturation, and nutrient concentrations. The spatial location of the turbidity front was associated with the flow of the RdlP and wind stress, thus conditioning the physico- chemical characteristics of the water column, mainly during EN phase.


Women of reproductive age in South Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV and represent the fastest growing group diagnosed with the virus. Despite this epidemiological picture, very little attention has been placed on the sexual and reproductive health needs of these women, particularly in South Africa and other developing countries. This study, a sub-study of a much bigger study, explored the sexual and reproductive health needs of women newly diagnosed with HIV and how these translate into their human rights. In-depth interviews, within qualitative methodologies, were conducted and analysed with fourteen women from Cape Town, who seroconverted during the larger microbicide, Carraguard study carried out by the Population Council (USA) and University of Cape Town. This study is novel in its exploration of these issues amongst women who are newly diagnosed. The results revealed that a positive diagnosis produced a major shift in sexual and reproductive desires for these women, with respondents almost unanimously no longer wishing for children or sex. The rationale for such alterations involved four levels of meaning: fear, blame, guilt, and difficulties in negotiating safe sex. These sentiments appear to have been shaped by the lack of information afforded to them, as well as the stigmatising and ideologically laden social discourses surrounding them. The findings from this study offer insights into both the unique sexual and reproductive health needs and rights of recently diagnosed women, as well as the more general sexual and reproductive needs and rights pertaining to all HIV-positive persons, at all stages of the disease. An underlying argument throughout this paper is the need for closer attention from policy makers and health care providers in recognising and supporting the sexual and reproductive needs and rights of HIV-positive women. Recommendations are provided for meeting these needs and synergising public health goals with human rights objectives.


The dominant story of American political process and criminal law is one of democratic dysfunction. Criminal law is a distinctive issue for legislatures and democratic politics generally. Legislators respond to strong majoritarian preferences that make votes against crime creation — or votes to repeal antiquated crimes — politically implausible. Thus criminal law is "one-way ratchet": it expands but does not contract. On this account, America's excessive criminal codes are products of structural failures in political process and democratic institutions. The overlooked story in American criminal law, however, is long and continuing history of legislative decriminalization. State legislatures have long records of repealing or narrowing criminal statutes. Even as criminal law has expanded greatly in some directions, it has contracted — dramatically so — in other spheres of activity. And democratic processes, especially legislatures, have been responsible for much of that contraction. Moreover, evidence of state legislative records suggests that contemporary legislatures decline to enact most bills proposing new or expanded criminal laws, including many that seem, on standard accounts, politically irresistible. The ratchet of crime legislation turns both ways. More than ninety percent of criminal law enforcement is state rather than federal, and state criminal justice systems on the whole more democratically responsive than the federal system. Many state legislatures recently have proven better at devising procedural frameworks to harness expertise in the reform of criminal law and punishment policy and to moderate risks of dysfunctional policymaking. Coupled with restraints from other branches, substantive overcriminalization, judged against a baseline of democratic preferences, is a negligible problem in the states. And data on charging, conviction and sentencing practices suggest that what overcriminalization exists has little effect on criminal justice's well recognized problems of excessive plea bargaining, racial disparities, and high incarceration rates.


Purpose
The treatment of severe and chronic substance dependence is challenged by high rates of treatment attrition, highlighting the need to identify factors that hinder treatment retention. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach
The present study examined certain neurocognitive and personality traits in relation to treatment retention in a sample of 46 residents of an Australian therapeutic community (TC). The traits examined were previously found to be associated with problematic substance use in non-clinical samples and were also previously shown to differentiate TC clients from social drinkers. The hypothesis was thus that traits that appear to be risk factors for addictions are also likely to impact on TC treatment retention.

Findings
Group comparisons of those retained for more than the recommended 90 days vs those who left treatment prematurely showed that after controlling for the influence of depression, those who left treatment prematurely reported significantly higher levels of trait impulsivity, punishment sensitivity and executive cognitive dysfunction. There was a very high rate of alexithymia in the sample (52 per cent), but alexithymia was unrelated to retention.

Research limitations/implications
The final sample size was less than planned but reflected the strict participation criteria and temporal limitations of this study. No statistical assumptions were violated and the reliability indices of the scales completed by clients ranged from acceptable to excellent. Another limitation was that dropout cannot be assumed to mean relapse, as the reasons for client dropout were not available.

Originality/value
Findings highlight the important roles of trait factors in TC treatment retention in addition to the motivational and interpersonal factors identified in previous work.


In this report, we venture into the future of real estate markets and products. Our definition of "real estate" for this purpose is not limited to buildings—such as homes, apartments, hotels, retail malls, offices, factories, and warehouses. Our definition also includes the social relationships that are formed and take place therein: How will we live, work, and socialize during the next decades? Our work further considers relevant trends in economic and financial markets, and how real estate markets mediate local and regional mobility or population growth. We also devote some time to the evolution of businesses that provide services to the real estate industry: leasing, transactions, energy, and the like. We have structured the report in six chapters. In the first chapter, we tackle the impact of demographic change. Chapter 2 is devoted to the urgent issue of affordable housing. In chapter 3 we conjecture about new and forthcoming innovations that have to do with physical space, building shapes, real estate products, and innovations in the usage of existing edifices. We then move in Chapter 4 to the technological building add-ons: sensors, cameras, computing devices, networks. Chapter 5 discusses computer and online technologies that are transforming the property market without changing its physical structures. Business leaders increasingly are making decisions based on analyses of big data. Chapter 6 summarizes the highlights of the report, focusing on the trends that we feel most comfortable betting on.


Current practices of power quality mitigation in the industry are characterized by sub-optimal investment decisions where over compensation is often the norm such causing huge wastage in financial resources. Providing power quality management services to industrial customers in the form of power quality contracts could yield substantial return for the network operator. With better understanding of network parameters, and the option of installing network level mitigation devices, network operators could employ wider range of cost effective mitigation solutions. Tapping into the market however, entails bearing the risks for the customers which network operators are not always willing or encouraged to do. With potentially millions at stake, extensive risk assessments are crucial for any proposed power quality management scheme. This thesis investigates the voltage sag aspect of the problem as part of a larger power quality management scheme. The aim is to develop general framework for technical and financial assessments of voltage sags prior to the introduction of power quality management service. The thesis focuses on five major aspects of voltage sag assessment: identification of customer requirement, financial loss assessment, network sag performance estimation, sag mitigation, and financial appraisal of mitigating solutions. The first part of the thesis gives a comprehensive overview of current power quality problems faced by industrial customers and provides ranges of typical financial losses incurred by different types of industries around the world. It then proposes robust methodology for assessment of typical financial loss, i.e., customized customer damage function (CCDF), for a given industry based on available survey data and taking into account characteristics of the assessed customer plant. For failure and financial risk assessments, the thesis introduces new customer models employing probabilistic methods to quantify risks induced by voltage sags and proposes generic models that incorporate full flexibility in failure risk assessment, taking into account the effect of unbalanced sags on equipment behavior. It further quantifies the error introduced by sag performance estimation using limited monitoring data with a case study on actual sag profile. It demonstrates how different estimation methods and different durations of monitoring period affect accuracy of estimation of voltage sag profile and associated risk of industrial process failure. Following this, the thesis presents new models for plant and network level sag mitigation devices. They include power injecting mitigation devices, devices that reduce number of faults in the network and devices that reduce the severity of faults. Developed models are then used to investigate the cost-effectiveness of sag mitigation at different levels. Finally, the thesis presents Genetic Algorithm based methodology for deciding on optimal investment scheme in voltage sag mitigation in the network. The sensitivity of the solution to various influential parameters, including plant type and size, sensitive equipment type, process characteristics, financial loss resulting from process interruption, cost and effectiveness of mitigating solution and network fault rates is also established.


Reversible and selective inhibitors of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) are under investigation for the treatment and prevention of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism-based inactivator of MAO-B, (R)-deprenyl is frequently used in combination with L-dopa as dopamine replacement therapy in PD. In contrast with reversible inhibitors, following treatment with inactivators such as (R)deprenyl, enzyme activity can only be regained via de novo synthesis of the MAO-B protein. For these reasons, several studies are currently under way to develop safer inhibitors of MAO-B. The pupose of this study is to develop a pharmacophore model for reversible MAO-B inhibition by studying the stereoelectronic properties of several (E)-8(substituted-styry1)caffeine analogues. This class of compounds was selected as model compounds since (E)-8-(3-chlorostyryl) caffeine (CSC) was recently found to be a high potency competitive inhibitor of MAO-B. (4-8-(substituted-styry1)caffeine analogues are also known to be potent antagonists of the adenosine AzA-receptor subtype. Such antagonists are currently being investigated as possible therapeutic agents for the symptomatic treatment of motor deficits such as those encountered in PD. Since MAO-B inhibitors are currently under investigation as preventative agents in PD, the possibility of designing dual acting antiparkinsonian drugs that can act both as AZA antagonists and inhibitors of MAO-B may be of value. In PD such dual acting drugs could potentially enhance motility through antagonism of AZA receptors and protect against further neurodegenerative processes, through inhibition of MAO-B. In this study novel (E)-8-(3-chlorostyry1)caffeine analogues were synthesized and evaluated in vitro as competitive inhibitors of MAO-B. The analogues selected were mono substituted with various functional groups on C-3 and C-4 of the styryl phenyl ring. The compounds were evaluated as competitive inhibitors of baboon liver MAO-B. Two different assays were followed to determine the inhibitory activity of the putative inhibitors. The first was a spectrophotometric assay that utiiised MMTP, an analogue of the neurotoxin MPTP as substrate and the second was an HPLC method which utilised benzylamine as substrate. The potency of MAO-B inhibition by the synthesised inhibitors were expressed as the enzyme-inhibitor dissociation constant (Ki value) and ranged from 0.1 pM -1 SpM. Molecular modelling studies were also carried out in order to establish a hypothesis for MAO-B inhibition by the CSC analogues. Such a pharmacophoric model may assist in future design and prediction of MAO-B inhibitors. The pharmacophore contains a hydrogen bond acceptor, two hydrophobic points as well as area for an aromatic ring. In order to determine specific interactions between the inhibitor and the enzyme the compounds were docked into the crystal structure of the MAO-B enzyme. The 2 compounds with respectively the highest and lowest conformational docking scores were then dynamically minimised and the new conformations were docked into the active site. These computational studies indicated favourable interactions of the inhibitors with the enzyme and the flavin-adenine dinucleotide cofactor (FAD). The amino acids that surrounded the ligand were found to be: TYR60, TRPl19, LEU1 67, PHE168, VAL169, ASN170, LEU171, CYSH172, VAL173, THR174, PHEI 85, TYR188, PHE343, TYR398, TYR435 and FAD. Hydrogen bonds formed between GLN206 and N-1 and N7 of the xanthinyl moiety, as well as between TYR435 and N-9. Further analysis of the data supported the idea that the inhibitors should have a linear conformation, since inhibitors that were not linear exhibited weaker interactions with the enzyme. The results of a Hansch-type SAR study showed that the potency of MAO-B inhibition by (a-8-styrylcaffeinyl analogues depends upon the van der Waals volume (V,), lipophylicity (n) as well as the Swain-Lupton electronic parameter (F) of the substituents attached to C-3 of the styryl ring while the potency depends only upon descriptors of bulkiness (such as V,) and lipophylicity of substituents attached to C-4. In conclusion, the (a-8-(substituted-styry1)caffeine analogues represent a class of dual acting antiparkinsonian drugs that may both provide relief of the symptoms through interaction with adenosine A ~ A receptors and protect from further neurodegeneration through inhibition of MAO-B.


A functional class refers to a circumstance in which responding is controlled by features of stimuli that are common to all the class members. We argue that behavior with respect to conceptual stimuli entails more than discrimination among classes and generalization within classes. We suggest that an analysis of substitution of stimulus functions may contribute to understanding the distinctions among functional classes of different varieties, including conceptual classes. Keywords: conceptual stimuli, functional classes, conceptual classes, generalization, discrimination. ********** Notions such as abstractions, categories and concepts are relevant to the study of verbal behavior and cognition. Since the term "concept formation" was introduced in the behavior analytic literature by Keller and Schoenfeld (1950), it has been used to describe behaviors related to the discrimination of properties of stimuli. Herrnestein & Loveland (1964), for example, demonstrated successful discrimination in pigeons with respect to pictures of trees, water, people, animals, etc. Their findings were interpreted as indicative of pigeons organizing stimuli into classes just as humans acquire repertoires of verbal categories (Cook, 2002; Sutton & Roberts, 2002). Interpreting processes of discrimination and generalization as a demonstration of concept formation has resulted in the attribution of complex behaviors to non-human animals. Specifically, it has been suggested that responding differentially with respect to classes of stimuli may be evidence of complex behavioral events such as categorizing, abstracting or relating (Vaughn, 1988; Vonk and McDonald, 2002). Interestingly, discussions of how these events may be related to verbal behavior or to the study of cognitive events remain unexplored for the most part. As a result, the implications of asserting that organisms acquire concepts are unclear and leave important theoretical issues unresolved. To be resolved is whether animals are capable of cognitive processes historically assumed to be exclusive to humans or if concept acquisition is unrelated to verbal behavior and thereby part of the behavioral repertoire that is common to both humans and animals. Referring to behavior with respect to properties of stimuli as conceptual behavior adds little to the analysis of stimulus class acquisition. Alternatively, we contend that acquiring a verbal repertoire entails more than discriminative responding with respect to stimulus classes. Rather, it requires the additional component of responding with respect to a stimulus that, being arbitrary in form, substitutes for the shared functions of the class members. We argue that the notion of conceptual responding be restricted to circumstances involving responding of this sort, wherein conceptual behavior may also be characterized as verbal in nature. We will discuss how processes of stimulus and response substitution (see Kantor, 1982) are crucial to the definition of stimulus classes that involve conceptual behavior. Concepts as Classes of Stimuli Historically, the terms concepts, categories and classes have been used synonymously. Keller and Schoenfeld (1950) defined a concept as a group of stimuli with respect to which organisms respond similarly, this group being said to constitute a class. Similarly, Zentall, Galizio & Critchfield, (2002) defined categories as classes of stimuli which occasion common responses in a given context. Different types of concepts have been defined in terms of the number of formal similarities among stimuli in the class. Other distinctions among types of concepts refer to classes of stimuli sharing formal properties versus classes of stimuli sharing functional characteristics only. For example, Zental et al (2002) differentiate perceptual concepts from relational and associative concepts. Perceptual concepts are defined as instances of responding with respect to stimuli that share one or more physical features, while relational concepts refer to responding differentially to more abstract properties of stimuli (e. …


Background Animal models of arthritis are frequently used to evaluate novel therapeutic agents. However, their ability to predict responses in humans is variable. Objective To examine the time course of signalling molecule and gene expression in two models of arthritis to assist with selection of the model and timing of drug administration. Methods The passive K/BxN serum transfer and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) models were studied. Activation of MAP kinase and interferon (IFN)-response pathways was evaluated by quantitative PCR and western blot analysis of ankle joints at various time points during the models. Results The kinetics of gene expression and kinase phosphorylation were strikingly different in passive K/BxN and CIA. All three MAP kinases (ERK, JNK and p38) and upstream kinases were activated within days in passive K/BxN and declined as arthritis severity decreased. Surprisingly, IFN-regulated genes, including IRF7, were not induced in the model. In CIA, activation of ERK and JNK was surprisingly low and p38 phosphorylation mainly peaked late in the disease. IFN-response genes were activated during CIA, with especially prominent peaks at the onset of clinical arthritis. Conclusions Timing of treatment and selection of CIA or passive K/BxN might have an important impact on therapeutic response. p38, in particular, increases during the late stages of CIA. ERK and JNK patterns are similar in passive K/BxN and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), while IFN-response genes in CIA and RA are similar. The dichotomy between RA and animal models could help explain the poor correlation between efficacy in RA and preclinical studies.


This paper provides an overview of the taxonomy theory which has been proposed as a fundamental platform for solving practical stability related problems in large constrained nonlinear systems such as the electric power system. The theory reveals a two-level intertwined cellular nature of the constrained system dynamics which serves as a unifying structure, a taxonomy, for analyzing nonlinear phenomena in large system models. These broadly divide into the state space aspects (related to dynamic stability issues among others) and the parameter space aspects (connected with bifurcation phenomena among others). In the state-space formulation, the boundary of the region of attraction for the operating point is shown (under certain Morse-Smale like assumptions) to be composed of stable manifolds of certain anchors and portions of the singularity surface. Such boundary characterization provides the foundation for rigorous Lyapunov theoretic transient stability methods. In the parameter space analysis, the feasibility region which is bounded by the feasibility boundary provides a safe opening region for guaranteeing local stability at the equilibrium under slow parametric variations. The feasibility boundary where the operating point undergoes loss of local stability is characterized in the form of three principal bifurcations including a new bifurcation called the singularity induced bifurcation.


OBJECTIVE
To compare load-to-failure results for laparoscopic absorbable fixation straps (AFSs) deployed at various angles and for AFSs versus absorbable knotless (barbed) suture when used in simulated total laparoscopic gastropexy (TLG) in specimens from cadaveric dogs.

SAMPLE
30 stomach and abdominal body wall specimens.

PROCEDURES
Specimens were assigned to 1 of 3 groups for use in simulated TLG constructs for comparisons of load-to-failure results for single AFSs deployed at 30°, 60°, or 90° (AFS-angle group; n = 10) or for a gastropexy span of 4 to 5 cm achieved with 3-0 absorbable knotless (barbed) monofilament suture applied in a simple continuous pattern (TLG-1; 10) versus 8 AFSs applied with a deployment angle > 30° (TLG-2; 10). A 1-way ANOVA was used to compare results among AFS deployment angles (30°, 60°, or 90°) and between TLG-1 and TLG-2.

RESULTS
Mean ± SD load to failure for the AFS-angle group was significantly higher for the AFS deployment angles of 60° (8.00 ± 3.90 N) and 90° (12.71 ± 8.00 N), compared with 30° (5.17 ± 1.90 N). However, no substantial difference was detected in the mean ± SD load to failure for TLG-1 (39.18 ± 7.1 N) versus TLG-2 (31.43 ± 10.86 N).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results of the present study supported the potential use of AFSs in gastropexy in dogs; however, prospective clinical research with adequate long-term follow-up is warranted before recommendations can be made.


The presence of Brettanomyces/Dekkera in wine during barrel aging is often associated with detrimental organoleptic effects. The mechanisms underlying the capacity of these yeast species to grow and survive in wine with high ethanol levels and low sugar supply were investigated. Ethanol was used by Brettanomyces bruxellensis ISA 1791 and Dekkera anomala IGC 5153 as the sole carbon and energy source, the growth of the yeasts being dependent on the concentration of alcohol in the culture media. When specific growth rates of both yeasts were plotted against ethanol concentration, at high substrate levels there was a decline in the specific growth rate rather than an asymptotic approach to µmax according to the Monod-based Bungay equation. Moreover, these yeasts exhibited greater capacity to grow at high ethanol concentrations than Saccharomyces cerevisiae IGC 4072. When glucose was used as the sole carbon and energy source, the growth of B. bruxellensis showed lower sensitivity to ethanol toxic effects than S. cerevisiae . In transport assays carried out with B. bruxellensis grown with glucose as the carbon source, the yeast expressed activity for two transport systems for the monosaccharide: facilitated diffusion, specific for glucose and fructose, and H+-dependent transport, specific for glucose and galactose and subject to glucose repression. The activity of both transport systems was inhibited noncompetitively by ethanol according to exponential inhibition kinetics, but 12% alcohol reduced sugar transport only by 60%. Findings help explain the ability of Brettanomyces/Dekkera spp. to grow and survive under the severe environmental conditions of wine.


The 177TH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1864-65, was organized at Camp Cleveland, Ohio (see CIVIL WAR CAMPS IN CLEVELAND), for 1 year's service in the CIVIL WAR on 9 Oct. 1864. The 177th was transported to Nashville, then to Tullahoma, TN, for duty until Nov. 1864. Between Oct.-Dec. 1864, it was attached to the Defenses of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, Dept. of the Cumberland. From Dec. 1864-Jan. 1865, it was attached to the 2d Brigade, 4th Div., 20th Army Corps. From Jan.-June 1865, the regiment was assigned to the 2d Brigade, 3d Div., 23d Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, Dept. of North Carolina. It was mustered out at Greensboro, NC, 24 June 1865. The 177th was discharged and paid off at Camp Cleveland on 7 July 1865. Losses were stated as 2 enlisted men dead from hostile causes and 82 from disease.


Objective: Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) enables simultaneous mapping of multiple tissue parameters such as T1 and T2 relaxation times. The working principle of MRF relies on varying acquisition parameters pseudo-randomly, so that each tissue generates its unique signal evolution during scanning. Even though MRF provides faster scanning, it has disadvantages such as erroneous and slow generation of the corresponding parametric maps, which needs to be improved. Moreover, there is a need for explainable architectures for understanding the guiding signals to generate accurate parametric maps. Methods: In this paper, we addressed both of these shortcomings by proposing a novel neural network architecture (CONV-ICA) consisting of a channel-wise attention module and a fully convolutional network. Another contribution of this study is a new channel selection method: attention-based channel selection. Furthermore, the effect of patch size and temporal frames of MRF signal on channel reduction are analyzed by employing a channel-wise attention. Results: The proposed approach, evaluated over 3 simulated MRF signals, reduces error in the reconstruction of tissue parameters by 8.88% for T1 and 75.44% for T2 with respect to state-of-the-art methods. Conclusion: It is demonstrated that channel attention mechanism helps to focus on informative channels and fully convolutional network extracts spatial information achieve the best reconstruction performance. Significance: As a consequence of improvement in fast and accurate manner, presented work can contribute to make MRF appropriate for clinical use.


Excessive accumulation of adipose tissue (obesity) implies a health risk worldwide. Even though obesity is not a disease by itself, it leads to various metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. Several evidences have shown that a loss, as small as 5-10% of initial body weight, can improve these health complications. In the field of searching for new therapeutic strategies, targeting adipose tissue by inducing mitochondrial energy dissipation through the uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is an approach that attracts great attention. However, while it is known that mitochondrial uncoupling triggers triglyceride loss in adipocytes, molecular mechanisms pushing mature adipocyte to lose their capacity to accumulate lipids in a partial de-differentiation process towards a more fibroblast-like phenotype, are still poorly understood. In the first part of this study, we characterized the 3T3-L1-adipocyte de-differentiation exposed to a mild and chronic mitochondrial uncoupling induced by carbonyl cyanide (p-trifluoromethoxy)-phenylhydrazone (FCCP). In the model we set up, we showed that adipocytes incubated for several days with FCCP decrease their triglyceride content to a similar extent than the lipid reduction observed in adipocytes treated with TNFα, a pro-inflammatory cytokine known to act as negative regulator of adipose tissue mass and to increase mitochondrial ROS production in cells. Using a low-density cDNA microarray, we analyzed the expression of genes encoding either adipogenic markers and/or effectors and compared the differentially expressed genes in adipocytes treated with FCCP or TNFα. In addition, we demonstrated that the transcriptional activity of the key transcription factors for adipogenesis: PPARγ and CEBP/α, involved in terminal differentiation and maintenance of the adipocyte phenotype, were significantly decreased in TNFα- and FCCP-treated adipocytes. However, the presence of rosiglitazone and 9-cis retinoic acid (PPARγ/RXR-ligands, respectively) does not prevent triglyceride loss in FCCP-treated cells, suggesting that the TG content reduction observed in adipocytes exposed to a mitochondrial uncoupling is independent of alteration in PPARγ activity. Indeed, we studied several metabolic pathways that form the 'fatty acid partitioning' in adipocytes treated with TNFα or FCCP. In addition, metabolic assays also revealed that TG reduction in FCCP-treated adipocytes could be mediated by a down-regulation of lipid synthesis rather than an up-regulation of fatty acid β-oxidation. Finally, lipolysis stimulated by the uncoupler also seems to contribute to the TG reduction, a process associated with the perilipin A down-regulation. These results highlight some new mechanisms that might potentially be involved in adipocyte de-differentiation initiated by a mitochondrial uncoupling. Moreover, adipocytes incubated with FCCP adapt their metabolism in order to maintain constant ATP content, by both reducing energy-consuming processes, such as lipid synthesis but increasing glucose consumption via the stimulation of glycolysis and lactate production. As TNFα or the mitochondrial uncoupling seems to largely affect the expression of many adipogenic genes, in the second part of this work, we screened for modifications in the miRNA expression profile of adipocytes responding to a mitochondrial dysfunction, by analyzing the transcript abundance of several miRNAs known or suspected to play a role in adipogenesis and glucose/lipid metabolism. Indeed, miRNA is now considered as an enlarging class of non-coding mRNAs that control gene expression in many biological processes. However, their contribution to metabolic disorders, lipid metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction is still poorly studied, and their role is thus puzzled. We found that let-7b/c, miR-103, miR-107, miR-182, miR-422b and miR-150 are differentially expressed in adipocytes incubated with either FCCP or TNFα. In addition, some miRNA seem to be specifically regulated, as miR-155 and miR-222 are more abundant in adipocytes challenged with TNFα, while no modification in their abundance could be found in FCCP-treated cells. Unfortunately, we were unable to address the functional role of these miRNAs differentially expressed in adipocytes exposed to a mild mitochondrial uncoupling. Indeed, we could not show that miRNA interferences (either ectopic over-expression or inhibition of endogenous miRNAs) of miR-103 and miR-107, two miRNA paralogs, predicted to target several mRNAs involved in pathways that affect lipid metabolism, modify the triglyceride content in adipocytes or adipocytes incubated either with FCCP or TNFα. In conclusion, our results suggest that the mechanisms and cell signaling pathways leading to the reduction of TG content are different in adipocytes incubated with either TNFα or FCCP. Moreover, 3T3-L1 cells incubated for one or more days in the presence of TNFα or FCCP must adapt their metabolism and change the expression or activity of several genes encoding effectors or markers of differentiation. In addition, these adaptations of metabolism, found in FCCP-treated adipocytes, are reflected by modifications in the energy homeostasis of the cells. We also demonstrated that mitochondrial uncoupling in white adipocytes might represent a putative and interesting target to induce TG content reduction, and to potentially reduce adipose mass. Hopefully, these findings may contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved/associated or responsible for the adipocyte cell response to a mild but chronic mitochondrial uncoupling.


The proximate composition of farmed and wild Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala was determined to identify nutritional differences due to habitat change. Thirty (30) fishes in total from wild and farm raised population of size group (700-1000 gm) were collected from Head Qadirabad River Chenab, Head Rasul River Jehulm and Army Fish Farm, Lahore. Fish samples were analyzed for protein, fat, moisture and ash. The chemical composition of two fish species collected from different sources was compared and the difference was observed. Elevated levels of protein and low fat contents were observed in the farmed fishes. The moisture and ash contents were higher in both wild and farmed fishes, respectively. It is concluded the farmed fish is nutritionally better than wild irrespective of the species.


The objective of this paper is to analyze the feasibility of using corrosion free fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) devices in lieu of steel tie bars in the longitudinal joints of highway concrete pavements. The FRP devices are designed to provide the same shear transfer capability as the currently used steel tie bars. FRP devices consisting of bars, channel and I-beam shapes are considered. It is found that in terms of cross sectional area, the amount required for FRP devices is greater than that for steel bars. This is due to the fact that the modulus of elasticity of the FRP is lower than that of steel. In terms of cost of materials, it is found that FRP devices are more expensive than steel tie bars. However, prevention of deterioration due to corrosion may extend the service life of the joints and therefore that of the pavement. More research is needed to accurately define the increase of service life when corrosion is prevented.


This exploratory enquiry seeks to examine the largely unexplored potential of semiotics for intercultural training and education. The proposed threepart discussion describes the process by which semiotic theoretical principles were selected and progressively refined into an applied model which was then piloted through a 2007 research initiative entitled Tools for Cultural Development. The case study involved six groups of French and Australian trainees from both the academic and professional sectors, in collaboration with university, government and community partners. The first part of the article summarizes a review of the literature on approaches to cultural competence training. The study then outlines the transcoding process by which the stated objectives of intercultural education were reformulated in semiotic terms, particularly in reference to cultural semiotics on which the theoretical core of the applied model was subsequently based. Relevant principles from other semiotic schools as well as similar theoretical and methodological stances in the social sciences reinforced the established body of theory for the training design. The third part of the study discusses the process by which semiotic principles were further defined as skill-based outcomes and goals for workshop implementation. This pragmatic defining process facilitated development of questionnaires and surveys, thereby allowing participants to evaluate the training experience by examining their perceptions about the workshop outcomes at the beginning and end of the sessions. This article presents the quantitative results of the evaluation and, in discussing the gains and limits of data obtained, provides the context for a follow-up article on the qualitative findings of the study.


The use of hypertext systems for learning and teaching complex and ill-structured domain of knowledge has been attracting attention in design of instruction. In this context, an experimental research has been conducted to explore the effectiveness of instructional design oriented hypertext systems. Cognitive flexibility hypertext theory is compared to direct instruction course design without hypertext systems for teaching and learning Flash online course in e-learning environment. Researchers used an experimental approach conducted in the academic year 2010 with independent sample of students of an experimental group (73 students) compared to a control group (73 students) from a university class. The results show the effectiveness of the hypertext systems course design compared to direct online course design. Indeed, the results of cognitive performance have demonstrated that the average time to answer achievement tests is lower for flexible instruction compared to average time for direct instruction. The number of students' accesses to learning resources in the e-learning platform is higher in case of flexible instruction compared to direct instruction. Results of the experimentation also demonstrate that there are significant differences between the experimental group and the control group, regarding the attitudes of students toward using flexible online course design based cognitive flexibility hypertext theory and direct online course design.


We make an experimental study on vibration frequency response of micro-bend optic-fiber sensor, and single-mode fibers and multi-mode fibers are used as the sensitive optic-fibers. Contrast between the two sensitive fibers is presented. Result shows that the micro-bend optic-fiber sensor has good frequency response characteristics and strong ability to restore the waveform. With the frequency varying in the range of 500-4762 Hz, the vibration sensors using multi-mode optic-fiber as the sensitive fiber is more sensitive than that using single-mode optic-fiber. And the former has better frequency response characteristics and stronger capacity of waveform revivification. But with the frequency in the range of 287-500 Hz, the latter is better.


Loss of a ubiquitin ligase promotes melanoma growth. Sensitizing melanoma to chemotherapeutic drugs APC/C is an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that coordinates aspects of the cell cycle by targeting cell cycle regulators, such as cyclins, for destruction. Cao et al. found that Cdh1, a component of this complex, restricted cell proliferation in melanocytes by promoting the degradation of the transcription factor PAX3. However, Cdh1 abundance was decreased in primary and advanced melanoma patient samples compared to normal skin tissue, and the abundance of PAX3 was increased. Restoring Cdh1 abundance in melanoma cells in culture and in xenografts in mice suppressed their proliferation and increased their sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. The findings indicate that inhibition of Cdh1 could enable traditional chemotherapeutic drugs to be effective in melanoma. The anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome with the subunit Cdh1 (APC/CCdh1) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in the control of the cell cycle. Here, we identified sporadic mutations occurring in the genes encoding APC components, including Cdh1, in human melanoma samples and found that loss of APC/CCdh1 may promote melanoma development and progression, but not by affecting cell cycle regulatory targets of APC/C. Most of the mutations we found in CDH1 were those associated with ultraviolet light (UV)–induced melanomagenesis. Compared with normal human skin tissue and human or mouse melanocytes, the abundance of Cdh1 was decreased and that of the transcription factor PAX3 was increased in human melanoma tissue and human or mouse melanoma cell lines, respectively; Cdh1 abundance was further decreased with advanced stages of human melanoma. PAX3 was a substrate of APC/CCdh1 in melanocytes, and APC/CCdh1-mediated ubiquitylation marked PAX3 for proteolytic degradation in a manner dependent on the D-box motif in PAX3. Either mutating the D-box in PAX3 or knocking down Cdh1 prevented the ubiquitylation and degradation of PAX3 and increased proliferation and melanin production in melanocytes. Knocking down Cdh1 in melanoma cells in culture or before implantation in mice promoted doxorubicin resistance, whereas reexpressing wild-type Cdh1, but not E3 ligase–deficient Cdh1 or a mutant that could not interact with PAX3, restored doxorubicin sensitivity in melanoma cells both in culture and in xenografts. Thus, our findings suggest a tumor suppressor role for APC/CCdh1 in melanocytes and that targeting PAX3 may be a strategy for treating melanoma.


To facilitate the data acquisition and analysis of hydrogen sensors in early stages, a set of data acquisition and processing systems for hydrogen sensors has been developed. The system applies the embedded technology and combines the acquisition terminal with the upper computer to realize the data acquisition and processing of hydrogen sensors. At present, it has been applied to a constant voltage type hydrogen sensor to collect and process data. The conversion from resistance to current to voltage is realized. The resistance value at both ends of the measured material is within 200 KΩ. The measurement accuracy is 1 Ω. The upper computer assists with the temperature compensation mechanism to achieve the effective data acquisition and processing of the measured materials. The practical application shows that the system is of great significance to the data acquisition and processing of early hydrogen sensors.


Great concerns have been raised about the fate and effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other organic contaminants contained in electronic waste (e‐waste) exported from industrialized countries at midlatitudes to subtropical and tropical regions. Information on the metabolites of these chemicals, for example, methylsulfonyl‐PCBs (MeSO2‐PCBs) in wildlife from the later regions is scarce. In the present study, 17 MeSO2‐PCBs, including five chiral congeners, were detected in the muscle, liver, and brain tissues of two benthic fish species—northern snakehead and mud carp—from a small pond near an electronic waste recycling site in South China. The mean concentrations of the sum of the MeSO2‐PCBs ranged from 80 to 340 ng/g lipid weight in the tissues, with relative higher levels in the liver than the muscle and brain tissues. These levels were one order of magnitude greater than the highest levels of MeSO2‐PCBs previously reported in fish. The 3′‐MeSO2‐CB 87, 3′‐ and 4′‐MeSO2‐CB 101, 4‐MeSO2‐CB 110, and 4‐MeSO2‐CB 149 were dominant, collectively comprising more than 55% of the total MeSO2‐PCBs. Except for 4‐MeSO2‐CB149, all of the investigated chiral MeSO2‐PCBs displayed a clear, congener‐specific enantiomeric enrichment in the tissues. No tissue‐specific enantioselective retention of the enantiomers was observed in the investigated fish. This is the first report on chiral signatures of MeSO2‐PCBs in fish tissues. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2507–2512. © 2012 SETAC


A phenomenological analysis of pion nucleon scattering at intermediate and high energies is presented. The intermediate energy range (2-5 GeV) is discussed in terms of a 'new' phase shift analysis which has been constructed from a series of single energy fits to an energy dependent model partial wave analysis. This 'new' phase shift solution exhibits a similar resonance structure to the energy dependent model but enjoys a much better fit to the scattering data, comparable with previous single energy analyses. We discuss the difficulties encountered in previous single energy analyses and illustrate the advantages and feasibility of the energy dependent analysis in which the partial waves satisfy the required smoothness criteria, by construction. The high energy scattering data is discussed with reference to the Regge pole model and we exploit the analytic properties of the scattering amplitudes by the use of the Continuous Moment Sum Rules (C.M.S,R,), The sum rules provide a set of ' consistency equations between the high energy Regge parameters and the low and intermediate energy data which is represented by the phase shifts. In previous analyses of the C.M.S.R., the energy at which they are evaluated has been taken as 2 GeV which corresponded to the maximum energy of available phase shift data. 2 GeV is a long way from the region where we expect the Regge representation to be valid and the saturation of the C.M.S.R. with only those trajectories identified in the high energy region is not obvious, since we may expect lower lying trajectories to be important at these energies. We construct the CM.S.R. at a higher cut off (5 GeV) from the 'new' phase shift solution and compare the results from a simultaneous analysis of the scattering data and C.M.S.R. at the two cut offs. Several differences are apparent between the two analysis in particular we show that it is not possible to construct the A'¯ and B+ atamplitudes at 2 GeV via the C.M.S.R without considering trajectories other than those identified in the high energy scattering region. We present evidence for a new vacuum trajectory which we associate with the n(_0+) (700) meson and this single vacuum trajectory alone constructs the amplitudes b+ at high energies. The total cross-section data is adequately described by the three trajectories P,P' and ρ in the energy range 5-20 GeV but the extrpolations of their contributions to the energy range (20-70 GeV) does not exhibit the energy dependence of the recent Serpukhov pio-nucleon total cross-section data. There have beenseveral models to account for this apparent change in behaviour at 20 GeV which involve the addition of further contributions to the conventional Regge pole term and all these models give an adequate description of the total cross-section data over the whole energy range, which is not surprising considering their increased parameter freedom. We consider two different possibilities of asymptopia which involve the addition of multi-pomeron cuts and dipole contributions respectively to the P,P', ρ Regge poles and we increase our information input to the analysis by the use of the F.E.S.R. as a series of constrait equations on the parameters of the fit. We show that the size of the multi-pomeron cuts identified from the scattering data and the C.M.S.R. are incompatible where as a dipole solution satisfies both the scattering data and C.M.S.R., we consider the possibility of pomeranchuk theorem violation by the inclusion of an odd-signature dipole like term in the amplitude A'¯ but we are unable to reach a decisive conclusion on the possible violation because of the large experimental errors on the Serpukhov data.


This paper uses a dynamic general equilibrium two-country optimizing model to analyze the consequences of international capital mobility for the effects of monetary policy in open economies. The model shows that the difference between the short-run output effects of monetary policy shocks in a world of high capital mobility and those in a world of low capital mobility decreases if households have a home-product bias in preferences. This result implies that, in contrast to conventional wisdom derived from the textbook Mundell-Fleming model, the empirically observed integration of international financial markets need not result in a significant change in the propagation of monetary policy shocks if households have a strong bias for consuming home products.


The objective of the present study is to demonstrate a physically based method for cloth draping simulation of various fabrics. Based on continuum mechanics, the cloth deformations are described in Green's functional expression of energy. The fabric material constitutive relationship is built using anisotropic elasticity theory and fully account for in the animation. During draping, the fabric undergoes large rotation but small tensile deformation. The discretization of the cloth, which is meshed in the form of either rectangular or triangular network, is discussed. The corresponding motion equations are derived using finite difference and finite element methods respectively. The measured material parameters, such as tensile, shear and bending modulus, are incorporated into the dynamic equations, which govern the draped shape of the cloth. The constitutive evaluations of material behaviors for animation-based models are extended and developed. The constraint-based numerical solution scheme is proposed to avoid the cloth/body and cloth/cloth collision problems arising from the draping action. Simulations and applications in three dimensional garment design are presented. Results of the material-based draping simulation are shown to be realistically simulating the cloth-draping phenomenon.


This book reflects on the need for a new ethical framework for the legal profession. The different authors investigate the speed and nature of the many changes and challenges now confronting the legal professions in Europe. The contributions do not only present new ideas to guide future developments in the field of professional regulation but they also point out new relationships transcending disciplinary, jurisdictional and professional boundaries out of which a whole new understanding of professional ethics can be built. This book can be recommended to anyone interested in the backgrounds of the future agendas for European lawyers and the new ethical framework that undoubtedly will determine the nature and scope of services we can expect European lawyers to render to their clients.


In recent years some postmodern feminists have warned us about the perils of generalizations in feminist theory that transcend the boundaries of culture and region while feminist critics of postmodernism have argued conversely that abandoning cross-cultural and comparative theoretical perspectives may lead to relativism and eventual political paralysis. As I will argue in this article the two positions are not always as diametrically opposed as they seem to be. The militant Islamist movements which have proliferated across a wide variety of cultures and societies in North Africa the Middle East and Southeast Asia have propagated remarkably similar policies and doctrines with regard to gender issues. As a result a comparative theoretical perspective that would focus on this issue is both essential and surprisingly neglected. But careful distinctions need be made between conservative discourses-both Sunni and Shiite -that praise womens roles as mothers and guardians of the heritage yet deny them personal autonomy and progressive discourses on Islam that argue for a more tolerant and egalitarian view of gender roles. (excerpt)


To assess tradeoffs and synergies among different services provided by major ecosystems in agricultural landscapes, we examined agricultural yield, aboveground net primary productivity, global warming impact, soil quality, water conservation, water quality, and plant diversity in eight replicated ecosystems along a management intensity gradient on the same soil type in SW Michigan, USA. Ecosystems included four annual grain systems in a maize–soybean–wheat rotation, two perennial crops (alfalfa and hybrid poplar trees), an early successional community, and a late-successional deciduous forest. The annual grain systems included tilled and no-till treatments both managed with conventional chemical inputs; and reduced input and biologically based treatments both managed with tillage for weed control and leguminous winter cover crops for nitrogen. Radar diagrams illustrated the suite of services provided by o-till iversity each system. We found 13 significant interactions between ecosystem service indicators, seven being positive and six negative. Numerous trade-offs with grain yield were found, suggesting that by focusing on grain yield in these systems, land managers may be neglecting other ecosystem services. Management of nitrogen fertilizer, cover crops, and tillage (no-till) were particularly important determinants for the delivery of multiple ecosystem services.


Dingo Bold is a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between people and dingoes. At its heart is Rowena Lennox's encounter with a dingo on the beach on K'gari (Fraser Island), a young male she nicknames Bold. Struck by this experience, and by the intense, often polarised opinions expressed in public conversations about dingo conservation and control, she sets out to understand the complex relationship between humans and dingoes. Weaving together ecological data, interviews with people connected personally and professionally with K'gari's dingoes, and Lennox's expansive reading of literary, historical and scientific accounts, Dingo Bold considers what we know about the history of relations between dingoes and humans, and what preconceptions shape our attitudes today. Do we see dingoes as native wildlife or feral dogs? Wild or domesticated animals? A tourist attraction or a threat? And how do our answers to these questions shape our interactions with them?


Multimedia software, digital imaging hardware and the Internet are new tools that enhance the learning and enjoyment of ancient Mayan mythology. Last year, I taught a seminar to 13 Stanford undergraduates that combined these subjects in an exciting way. For me, the seminar had lessons beyond the specific subject of the Maya. I began to think of multimedia applications for all my research and teaching interests. The 13 sophomores in the seminar combined digital images, sound files and text to create an interactive graphical introduction to Maya mythology based on my translation-in-progress of the Maya mythological epic Popol Vuh (The Council Book). The project was stored on Stanford's computer network. Anyone in the class could access other students, parts of the project from their dorm or library computer. The students also used electronic mail to communicate with each other and me. My hope is that, when completed, the project can be accessed by anyone on the Internet's World Wide Web. The class was part of a special program for sophomores to get them involved in research and discussion early in their career at Stanford. Many such sophomore seminars are offered. * Mining Multimedia's Potential The class could have been done without multimedia. I could have shown students my slides and books, and gotten them to appreciate the cormections between Maya art and this particular Maya myth. I've done courses like that before. But combining the Popol Vuh with multimedia presented a more engrossing curriculum with broader applications. When students enrolled, they understood the class would involve both topics. The number of people in this country that can actually teach a course as specific as this is very small. The Popol Vuh deserves to be much more widely known. With the advent of multimedia, that is now possible. A teacher in any college or even a high school or grade school could introduce this set of materials to their students because it is very entertaining as well as educational. Technology now presents a way to extend this research to any other school. The information could be packaged in such a way that a teacher anywhere in the country could include a module on the Popol Vuh in his or her course materials. Multimedia, originating either from the Internet or a CD-ROM, would provide a valuable teaching aid without requiring teachers to be experts themselves. The technology can also be taken one step further. There are all kinds of people in the U.S. whose expertise might be extended in this same way. Their particular specialties could be taught from material they developed in their research, but presented in a more accessible multimedia format. My students not only leamed about ancient Maya mythology, but also gained an understanding of how multimedia can be used to reach others with ideas and concepts they might otherwise never leam. What they've learned makes them more computer savvy and acquaints them with basic processes of digitizing different kinds of resources as well as how to put those resources together into a multimedia package. They're only sophomores. When they graduate, they'll be ready for the modem world in a very big way. I should also point out that my students, in many cases, went far beyond the requirements, often coming up with ideas and methods that enriched my own understanding of both the technology and the mythology. Basic Tools: Mosaic and Photo CD I relied on two popular technologies to make the course a reality: NCSA Mosaic and Kodak Photo CD technology. Mosaic, a graphical Web browser developed by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, allows users to wind their way through the Internet's World Wide Web without using complicated jargon. Instead, users access information (pictures, video, audio and text) by clicking on pictures and highlighted text. …


A long-standing problem in paleobotany is the accurate identification of the growth habits and statures of fossil plants. Tissue-specific analysis of stable carbon isotope ratios in plant fossils can provide an independent perspective on this issue. Lignin, a fundamental biopolymer providing structural support in plant tissues and the second most abundant organic material in plants, is 13C depleted by several parts per thousand, averaging 4.1‰, relative to other plant constructional materials (e.g. cellulose). With this isotopic difference, the biochemical structural composition of ancient plants (and inferred stature) can be interrogated using microscale in situ isotope analysis between different tissues in fossils. We applied this technique to a well-preserved specimen of the Late Paleozoic seed plant Medullosa, an extinct genus with a variety of growth habits that includes several enigmatic yet abundant small-stemmed species widely found in calcium carbonate concretions ("coal balls") in the Pennsylvanian coal beds of Iowa, USA. It remains unclear which of the medullosans were freestanding, and recent analysis of the medullosan vascular system has shown that this system provided little structural support to the whole plant. The leading hypothesis for small-stemmed medullosan specimens predicts that cortical tissues could have provided additional structural support, but only if they were lignified. The expected isotopic difference between lignified tissue and unlignified tissue is smaller than that expected from pure extracts, for the simple reason that even woody tissues maximally contain 40% lignin (by mass). This reduces the expected maximum difference between weakly and heavily lignified tissues by 60%, down to ∼0.5‰–2‰. Analysis of the medullosan stem reveals a consistent difference in isotope ratios of 0.7‰–1.0‰ between lignified xylem and cortical tissues. This implies low abundances of lignin (between 0% and 11%) within the cortex. This inferred structural biochemistry supports hypotheses that the peripheral portions of these medullosan stems were not biomechanically reinforced to permit the plants to grow as freestanding, arborescent trees. A number of climbing or scandent medullosans have been identified in the fossil record, and this mode of growth has been suggested to be common within the group on the basis of observations from comparative biomechanics, hydraulics, and development. Finally, this mode of growth is common in several clades of stem group seed plants, including Lyginopteris and Callistophyton, along with Medullosa. This study provides further support for ideas that place a great portion of early seed plant diversity under the canopy, rather than forming it.


This research focuses on the Role of Small-Scale Enterprises on Poverty Reduction: A case study of Small-Scale Retailers in Rongo Division. The study is based on a conceptual framework which examines the contributions of SSEs towards poverty reduction in Rongo division, and the constraints to the performance of SSEs in the same with a view to establishing viable solutions to enable SSEs in Rongo Division experience high returns. This research work has established the contributions which small-scale retailers including; Food kiosk, single shops, cereal shops and tailoring shops in Rongo Division have made towards poverty reduction since their inception. This research was based on descriptive research design while the sampling techniques applied included stratified sampling, proportionate sampling and simple random sampling. Data collection procedure involved acquisition of primary data through self administered questionnaires while data analysis was conducted through frequencies and central tendencies such as mean and mode. The analysed information was presented using tables, pie charts and graphs. The study revealed that SSEs participated in poverty reduction although not doing enough due to many challenges and constraints they face in Rongo Division. From the findings obtained, the researcher provided a report and recommendations to poverty reduction in Rongo Division which focussed on adoption of mechanisms to overcome constraints to the performance of SSEs in Rongo Division.


It is usual to say that power GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) have many advantages for power amplification at microwave frequencies, because of their high gain and high power density. Furthermore, the possibility of controling the base biasing conditions (voltage, current, self-bias control) compared to a field-effect transistor offers additive degrees of freedom to make a tradeoff between linearity and power-added efficiency. Nevertheless existing devices are limited because of the relatively low breakdown voltage whereas high collector voltage swings are required to achieve high power. This drawback makes them not appropriate for use in the next generation of mobile communication base station or radar systems. Silicon technologies such as LDMOS and III-V devices (MESFET and HFET) present competitive performances in term of high power level but for medium power added efficiency. Important improvements have been made in recent years which make possible large breakdown voltages for GaInP/GaAs HBTs. Breakdown value close to 67 V has been achieved. The aim of this work is to significantly improve the modeling of the breakdown voltage on this type of transistor. Furthermore, the in depth characterization and modeling of self-heating effects have been greatly improved in order to improve thermal management solutions which enable us to enhanced design solutions of HBT high power amplifiers.


Scientific cooperation is an important part of the European Union (EU)'s policy approach towards the countries in its neighbourhood. This has opened up many opportunities for cooperation in the areas of science, technology, research, and innovation between the EU and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries. This working paper reviews the institutional and policy parameters of scientific cooperation between the EU and three EaP countries – Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine. It provides an overview of the science policies in these countries, focusing on the lasting impact of their shared communist legacies and post-Soviet transitions, as well as on their current strategies, institutions, and ambitions in the domain of science, research and development policy. The paper also reviews the place of scientific cooperation in the EU's science and external policies, focusing on relations with the neighbourhood and the EaP countries in particular. We also take stock of the existing programmes for scientific and educational cooperation and academic mobility between the EU and EaP countries. We present an inventory of relevant projects, with a discussion of the progress, level of participation of the research communities in the EaP, and other relevant parameters, such as the distribution of projects and participating institutions across broad scientific fields as well as disciplines. Altogether, we find that Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine have registered a considerable degree of participation in the science and research programmes of the EU, but we also identify a number of barriers and structural impediments to a more successful partnership.


The aims of this dissertation are to investigate the use and usefulness of patterns in Information Systems Engineering and to identify future areas of research. In order to do this there is a need to survey different types of patterns and find a common concept of patterns. A pattern is based on experience found in the real world. A text or a model or a combination of the both can describe the pattern. A pattern is typically described in terms of context, forces, problem, and solution. These can be explicitly expressed or implicitly found in the description of the pattern. The types of patterns dealt with are: object-oriented patterns; design patterns, analysis patterns; data model patterns; domain patterns; business patterns; workflow patterns and the deontic pattern. The different types of patterns are presented using the authors' own terminology. The patterns described in the survey are classified with respect to different aspects. The intention of this analysis is to form a taxonomy for patterns and to bring order into the vast amount of patterns. This is an important step in order to find out how patterns are used and can be used in Information Systems Engineering. The aspects used in the classification are: level of abstraction; text or model emphasis; product or process emphasis; life cycle stage usage and combinations of these aspects. Finally an outline for future areas of research is presented. The areas that have been considered of interest are: patterns and Information Systems Engineering methods; patterns and tools (tool support for patterns); patterns as a pedagogical aid; the extraction and documentation of patterns and patterns and novel applications of information technology. Each future area of research is sketched out.


Content distribution is a primary activity on the Internet. Name-centric network architectures support content distribution intrinsically. Named Data Networking (NDN), one recent such scheme, names packets rather than end-hosts, thereby enabling packets to be cached and redistributed by routers. Among alternative name-based systems, HTTP is the most significant by any measure. A majority of today's content distribution services leverage the widely deployed HTTP infrastructure, such as web servers and caching proxies. As a result, HTTP can be viewed as a practical, name-based content distribution solution. Of course, NDN and HTTP do not overlap entirely in their capabilities and design goals, but both support name-based content distribution. This paper presents an experimental performance evaluation of NDN-based and HTTP-based content distribution solutions. Our findings verify popular intuition, but also surprise in some ways. In wired networks with local-area transmission latencies, the HTTP-based solution dramatically outperforms NDN, with roughly 10× greater sustained throughput. In networks with lossy access links, such as wireless links with 10% drop rates, or with non-local transmission delays, due to faster link retransmission brought by architectural advantages of NDN, the situation reverses and NDN outperforms HTTP, with sustained throughput increased by roughly 4× over a range of experimental scenarios.


Background The absence or deficiency of melanin as in albinos, has detrimental effects on retinal development that include aberrant axonal projections from eye to brain and impaired vision. In pigmented retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), dihydroxyphenalanine (L-Dopa), an intermediate in the synthetic path for melanin, has been hypothesized to regulate the tempo of neurogenesis. The time course of expression of retinal L-Dopa, whether it is harbored exclusively in the RPE, the extent of deficiency in albinos compared to isogenic controls, and whether L-Dopa can be restored if exogenously delivered to the albino have been unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings L-Dopa and catecholamines including dopamine extracted from retinas of pigmented (C57BL/6J) and congenic albino (C57BL/6J-tyrc2j) mice, were measured throughout development beginning at E10.5 and at maturity. L-Dopa, but not dopamine nor any other catecholamine, appears in pigmented retina as soon as tyrosinase is expressed in RPE at E10.5. In pigmented retina, L-Dopa content increases throughout pre- and postnatal development until the end of the first postnatal month after which it declines sharply. This time course reflects the onset and completion of retinal development. L-Dopa is absent from embryonic albino retina and is greatly reduced in postnatal albino retina compared to pigmented retina. Dopamine is undetectable in both albino and pigmented retinas until after the postnatal expression of the neuronal enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. If provided to pregnant albino mothers, L-Dopa accumulates in the RPE of the fetuses. Conclusions L-Dopa in pigmented RPE is most abundant during development after which content declines. This L-Dopa is not converted to dopamine. L-Dopa is absent or at low levels in albino retina and can be restored to the RPE by administration in utero. These findings further implicate L-Dopa as a factor in the RPE that could influence development, and demonstrate that administration of L-Dopa could be a means to rescue developmental abnormalities characteristic of albinos.


Hedging as a pragmatic-discourse phenomenon has gained much attention among academics and linguists researching the English language as well as other languages. The use of hedging is a significant communicative resource for academic writers to put forth their claims without the fear of being negated by the discourse community. This study compared the use of hedges in the discussion section of Research Articles (RAs) of two groups of writers (native versus Malaysian) and of two different disciplines (humanities versus science). For this purpose, the hedging patterns in 40 RAs (10 each from the two groups of writers and the two different disciplines) were analysed contextually. The findings from the study showed that both the native writers and Malaysian writers generally did use hedges in the discussion section of their RAs. However, by
comparison, the native writers tended to hedge more than Malaysian writers. In addition, it was also found that formulaic hedging expressions were popular among Malaysian writers. In comparing between the disciplines, writers of the science discipline appeared to hedge slightly more than writers from the humanities disciplines. In sum, hedging is an important rhetorical device that permeates academic writing and therefore, language instructors should sensitize their writing students to the effective use of hedging in academic writing.


This article refers to the analysis of types of entrapment while gathering evidence in criminal proceedings. Based on the analysis of the laws of criminal procedure, theory and judicial practice, one could say that entrapment, as absolutely impermissible action in the course of simulation of a criminal act, could not be seen as mere pressure, active enticement or instigation to engage in criminal activity by restricting a person's freedom of choice. As it happens, it is possible to provoke a person without any active enticement or instigation to engage in criminal activity. This could be regarded as passive, indirect type of entrapment. The gist of the latter – creating the effect of minimum risk, meaning that a person, without any active enticement or instigation to engage in criminal activity, is acting in the course of a simulated situation, by thinking that the criminal activity he or she is committing will never be discovered by law enforcement authorities. The identification of passive entrapment is quite complicated, as it requires the precise assessment of the relation between the conduct of law enforcement authorities, the criminal and the criminal act, by using subjective and objective criteria.


Abstract Advanced reactor system designs are being considered with liquid-metal cooling connected to a steam power cycle. In addition, current reactor safety systems are considering auxiliary cooling schemes that assure ex-vessel debris coolability utilizing direct water injection into molten material pools to achieve core quenching and eventual coolability. The phenomenon common in both applications is direct contact heat exchange. The current study focuses on detailed measurements of liquid-metal/water direct contact heat exchange that is directly applicable to improvements in effective heat transfer in devices that are being considered for both of these purposes. In this study, a test facility was designed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to map the operating range of liquid-metal/water direct contact heat exchange. The test section (184-cm height, 45.75-cm width, and 10-cm depth) is a rectangular slice of a larger heat exchange device. This apparatus was used not only to provide measurements of integral thermal performance (i.e., volumetric heat transfer coefficient), but also local heat transfer coefficients in a bubbly flow regime with X-ray imaging based on measured parameters such as bubble formation time, bubble rise velocity, and bubble diameters. To determine these local heat transfer coefficients, a complete methodology of the X-ray radiography for two-phase flow measurement has been developed. With this methodology, a high-energy X-ray imaging system is optimized for our heat exchange experiments. With this real-time, large-area, high-energy X-ray imaging system, the two-phase flow was quantitatively visualized. An efficient image processing strategy was developed by combining several optimal digital image-processing algorithms into a software computational tool written in MATLAB called T-XIP. Time-dependent heat transfer-related variables such as bubble volumes and velocities, were determined. Finally, an error analysis associated with these measurements has been given based on two independent procedures. This methodology will allow one to utilize X-ray attenuation for imaging vapor bubbles with acceptable errors (bubbles ~1 to 5 cm ± 5 to 20%). Subcooled water (Tsat – Twater [approximately equal to] 10°C) was brought into contact with liquid lead (or lead alloys) at an elevated temperature (Tlm = 500°C and Tlm – Tmelting [approximately equal to] 200°C). The study was conducted over a range of ambient pressures (1 to 10 bar) with four different water injection rates (1.5 to 8 g/s; 0.1 to 1 kg/m2·s). The results showed that the system pressure has a slight effect on volumetric heat transfer coefficient, the bubble formation time, and the bubble rise velocity. Increasing the system pressure, however, resulted in an increase in the bubble average heat transfer coefficient. Increasing the water injection rate directly had only a small effect on the bubble rise velocity or formation rate. Increasing the water injection rate resulted in a decrease in the local bubble heat transfer coefficient. Direct contact heat transfer also has some key disadvantages; e.g., flow instabilities caused by local vapor explosion is one of the issues related to direct contact heat exchange, particularly for liquid/liquid exchange with high temperature differences. In this study, the region of stable heat transfer was mapped and the effects of the liquid metal temperature, the water injection rate, and the operating pressure were investigated. The pressure required to stabilize the heat exchange process was found to be a function of the water injection rate but generally increasing the system pressure helped stabilize the system. It was also found that the larger the injection rate, the higher the pressure required to stabilize the system.


We conduct theoretical studies on the effects of various parameters on generation of multipartite continuous-variable entanglement via atomic spin wave induced by the strong coupling and probe fields in the Λ-type electromagnetically induced transparency configuration in a realistic atomic ensemble by using the Heisenberg-Langevin formalism. It is shown that the increase of the atomic density and/or Rabi frequencies of the scattering fields, as well as the decrease of the coherence decay rate of the lower doublet would strengthen the degree of multipartite entanglement. This provides a clear evidence that the creation of multicolor multipartite entangled narrow-band fields to any desired number with a long correlation time can be achieved conveniently by using atomic spin wave in an atomic ensemble with large optical depth, which may find interesting applications in quantum information processing and quantum networks.


Odorant transport to the sensory part of the nose is the first critical step in olfaction. The process of odorant transport through the nasal cavity to the olfactory epithelium during sniffing is very fluid and dynamic. The basic concept involves collection of odorant via active sniffing followed by transport of that inspired odorant within the nasal cavity back to the olfactory recess. To date, the exact process of how odorant molecules reach the olfactory recess during sniffing without being filtered by respiratory airways is not completely understood.


Noises Off is not one play but two - simultaneously a traditional sex farce, Nothing On, and the backstage farce that develops during Nothing On's final rehearsal and tour. The two farces begin to interlock, as the characters make their exits from Nothing On only to find themselves making entrances into the even worse nightmare going on backstage, and exit from that only to make their entrances back into Nothing On. In the end, at the disastrous final performance in Stockton-on-Tees, the two farces can be kept separate no longer, and coalesce into one single collective nervous breakdown. Noises Off won both the Evening Standard and the Olivier Awards for Best Comedy when it was first produced, and ran in the West End for nearly five years. Michael Frayn's most recent play, Copenhagen, won both the Evening Standard Best Play Award in London and the Tony Best Play Award in New York.


Evidence shows that there may be more than 800,000 migrants living unlawfully in the UK, of whom a significant proportion, especially those who have been here a long time, may find it difficult to obtain national documents and return to their country of origin. The 2000's saw extended delays in Home Office casework and growing backlogs in several categories of migrant, especially asylum-seekers, but also foreign national prisoners targeted for deportation. However, inspection reports and evidence in leading cases show that the increasingly shrill pronouncements about removing unlawful migrants, and in particular foreign prisoners, is not being matched by any significant increase in numbers removed. The recent Home Office measures aimed at ensuring a 'hostile environment' for unlawful migrants such that they will make a voluntary departure cannot achieve that aim unless those migrants can be documented and there is a country willing to accept them. Since the law provides only a limited basis for granting leave to remain in such circumstances, the effect of such policies can therefore only be the further immiseration of those migrants.


Abstract grammars are neglected resources in language processor implementations. In the most favourable case they are used to format first-class program representations. In the worst case they serve as a temporary interface between compiler phases. But they can enable so much more âĂę certainly in teaching. In this presentation we report on a long-running experiment (>5 y.) to develop a language interpreter that is maximally supported by an extensible (abstract) grammar. The context of the experiment is an advanced course on Programming Language Engineering (http://soft.vub.ac.be/PLE). The reference language is a simplified variation on Scheme, so: no objects in this story. In this course abstract grammars serve as backbone for material ranging from formal language specifications to low-level implementation with an eye for optimisation. In order to do so, we require that an instance of an abstract grammar be first class, and that all of its attributes should be setable and getable from within any program that is associated with this instance. Depending on the level of detail at which its semantics are captured in the abstract grammar, this regulates the depth at which the program can reflect over its specification. Nothing new here, this is lisp and s-expressions, only more so. A central idea to this notion of a rich abstract grammar, is a unified memory model. At a basic level no distinction is made between stacks, heaps, frames &c. concerning their residence in memory. This of course raises potential performance issues about memory management - but a sufficiently powerful garbage collector and various caching and inlining tactics go a long way in mitigating this concern. We will consider what it takes to explain memory models and garbage collection at a sufficient level of detail to investigate performance issues. We proceed with s-expressions and grow this in successive steps to describe the various structures employed by a language interpreter. Considering that the eval operation should ultimately map the grammar onto itself, the obvious ones are computational values that do not correspond with literals, such as closures and continuations. But with the introduction of lexical addressing, we should also include frames and environments; and if the interpretation strategy is based on a transformation into continuation passing style (as is the case here), structures resulting from lambda-lifting should be considered. However, the most interesting extensions to the abstract grammar are related to optimisations: tail call optimisation, inlining, prevalent function call patterns, &c. This approach proved to be an interesting setting to expose graduate students to the vagaries low level language processor implementations. But it has also been suitable as a platform for sophisticated experiments with optimisations for language interpreters.


Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structural Elements analyzes contemporary theoretical models at the micro- and macro levels of material structure. Its coverage of practical methods and approaches, experimental results, and optimization of composite material properties and structural component performance can be put to practical use by researchers and engineers. The third edition of the book consists of twelve chapters progressively covering all structural levels of composite materials from their constituents through elementary plies and layers to laminates and laminated composite structural elements. All-new coverage of beams, plates and shells adds significant currency to researchers. Composite materials have been the basis of many significant breakthroughs in industrial applications, particularly in aerospace structures, over the past forty years. Their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios are the main material characteristics that attract the attention of the structural and design engineers. Advanced Mechanics of Composite Materials and Structural Elements helps ensure that researchers and engineers can continue to innovate in this vital field. It includes detailed physical and mathematical coverage of complex mechanics and analysis that required in actual applications - not just standard homogeneous isotropic materials. It covers environmental and manufacturing discussions that enable practical implementation within manufacturing technology, experimental results, and design specifications. It discusses material behavior impacts in-depth such as nonlinear elasticity, plasticity, creep, structural nonlinearity enabling research and application of the special problems of material micro- and macro-mechanics.


Hazard and operability (HAZOP) studies on chemical process plants are very time consuming, and often tedious, tasks. The requirement for HAZOP studies is that a team of experts systematically analyse every conceivable process deviation, identifying possible causes and any hazards that may result. The systematic nature of the task, and the fact that some team members may be unoccupied for much of the time, can lead to tedium, which in turn may lead to serious errors or omissions. An aid to HAZOP are fault trees, which present the system failure logic graphically such that the study team can readily assimilate their findings. Fault trees are also useful to the identification of design weaknesses, and may additionally be used to estimate the likelihood of hazardous events occurring. The one drawback of fault trees is that they are difficult to generate by hand. This is because of the sheer size and complexity of modern process plants. The work in this thesis proposed a computer-based method to aid the development of fault trees for chemical process plants. The aim is to produce concise, structured fault trees that are easy for analysts to understand. Standard plant input-output equation models for major process units are modified such that they include ancillary units and pipework. This results in a reduction in the nodes required to represent a plant. Control loops and protective systems are modelled as operators which act on process variables. This modelling maintains the functionality of loops, making fault tree generation easier and improving the structure of the fault trees produced. A method, called event ordering, is proposed which allows the magnitude of deviations of controlled or measured variables to be defined in terms of the control loops and protective systems with which they are associated.


Abstract Law clings to rules to stabilize a preferred normative reality. But rules never suffice. Character is the dark matter of law. Ethos anthropos daimon. "Character is fate." This paradoxically reversible saying by the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus asserts that we are defined by the daimon – the god or messenger angel – with which we identify most. As Plato queried in the Phaedrus: which god do you follow, whose love claims you? In contemporary terms we might say, what character type, what emotional ideal, what deep story do you hold most sacred? Out of the maelstrom that is the state of exception, choices must be made. What emotional field shall we occupy when we do politics and law? Bound by what sovereign values or ideals, embodied within what sort of character, emplotted in what sort of political or legal narrative? In synergy with culture, character plays out the emotional conflicts and aspirations of the time. Whether we witness this in the mostly silent resistance of unassimilable characters like Barnardine in Shakespeare's Measure for Measure or in the silent prayer of nineteen-year-old Emma Gonzalez, in public protest against uncontrolled gun violence in American schools, we are all called upon, as citizens in public life, to occupy an emotional space that attains centrality within deep narratives that vie for political dominance. Reverse engineering liberal society, we might ask: what emotional and character ideals are optimal in order for a particular kind of political society to arise and be sustained? There is a reciprocal (perhaps paradoxically fungible) relationship between the sovereign authority of law and the character ideals that express a capacity and willingness to accept that authority. What will the configuration be? Addressing this question constitutes the ethical, esthetic, and epistemological calling of our time.


Abstract Animals possess a rich repertoire of behaviors, each generated by the orchestrated activity of assemblies of neurons. Neuromodulators, and particularly monoamines, have been found to play a role in the recruitment of such assemblies. The role of specific monoamines in the modulation of behavior has been particularly well studied using invertebrate animals as models. In these animals, the neuronal assemblies underlying a behavior often consist of fewer neurons than those in vertebrates, and in many cases the activity of specific neurons can be causally linked to the expression of a specific behavior. In this overview, we illustrate the concept of chemical orchestration of behavior, using well-studied models of how monoamines modulate complex and long-lasting behaviors in invertebrate animals.


Authors' names are listed in alphabetical order. This article describes the Open Access eXchange (OAeX) project, a pragmatic and comprehensive economic model and fundraising platform for open scholarship initiatives. OAeX connects bidders with funders at scale and right across the open scholarship spectrum through crowdfunding: financial expenditure is regulated by a market of freely competing providers and financial transactions and transparency are assured by a clearing-house entity. Specifically, OAeX seeks to facilitate open access publishing without the barrier of article processing charges (APCs), as well as contribute to solving challenges of transparency and economic sustainability in open scholarship projects in the broader sense.


Abstract Though there is limited research confirming the purported topical benefits of cannabinoids, it is certain that cutaneous biology is modulated by the human endocannabinoid system (ECS). Receptors from the ECS have been identified in the skin and systemic abuse of synthetic cannabinoids, and their analogs, have also been associated with the manifestation of dermatological disorders, indicating the effects of the ECS on cutaneous biology. In particular, cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound from the cannabis plant, has garnered significant attention in recent years for its anecdotal therapeutic potential for various pathologies, including skin and cosmetic disorders. Though a body of preclinical evidence suggests topical application of CBD may be efficacious for some skin disorders, such as eczema, psoriasis, pruritis, and inflammatory conditions, confirmed clinical efficacy and elucidation of underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be fully identified. This article provides an update on the advances in CBD research to date and the potential areas of future exploration.


Differential GPS (DGPS) has been used widely in many types of application including for marine navigation and hydrographic surveying. Most of the recent DGPS receiver development applies the use of code and carrier phase on single frequency L1 C/A code receiver for submetre horizontal accuracy. Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS) radio beacon is a system that uses the concept of DGPS based on pseudorange measurements. This system provides free DGPS corrections using the commercial reference station with proper receivers. The availability of reference station that operates 24 hours a day means that the users are no longer required to set up their own reference station. This study is intended to evaluate the performance of DGNSS radio beacon, not only for horizontal positioning but also for data availability and reliability at the remote receiver. For this purpose, static and dynamic test have been carried out on the DGPS corrections received from DGNSS radio beacon. Both of the tests make use of the National Marine Electronic Associations 0183 (NMEA 0183) data format generate by remote receiver to examine the DGPS broadcast signal. The results show how the distance separation (static test) effects the age of DGPS correction, horizontal dilution of precision (HDOP), numbers of satellite use and also the signal strength recorded at remote receiver. Meanwhile, the tracking method (dynamic test) differentiates the automatic and manual tracking results. This is to estimate the most suitable method to be used for marine navigation and hydrographic surveys.


Kalman filtering in its distributed information form is reviewed and applied to a network of receivers tracking Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).We show, by employing consensus-based data-fusion rules between GNSS receivers, how the consensus-based Kalman filter (CKF) of individual receivers can deliver GNSS parameter solutions that have a comparable precision performance as their network-derived, fusion center dependent counterparts. This is relevant as in the near future the proliferation of low-cost receivers will give rise to a significant increase in the number of GNSS users. With the CKF or other distributed filtering techniques, GNSS users can therefore achieve highprecision solutions without the need of relying on a centralized computing center.