A 66-year-old Caucasian male was admitted following symptoms of intermittent umbilical pain aggravated after meals and associated with vomiting of contents. Physical examination revealed a tender, partially reducible swelling suspicious of complicated umbilical hernia. Abdominal x-ray revealed dilated small bowel loops which appeared consistent with clinical diagnosis. He underwent a laparotomy subsequently which revealed a small defect in the linea alba with viable small bowel and two firm mesenteric masses encroaching the lumen approximately two feet from the ileocaecal junction. The histology of the excised bowel and masses revealed that the tumour composed of bland spindle cells with slender to plump nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. Mesenteric fibromatosis are the most common primary tumours of the mesentery and constitute about 3.5% of all fibrous tissue tumours. Intra-abdominal desmoids are very rare and benign tumours but are very aggressive and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain.


This Paper deals with development of Grain cleaning machine and presents a review of approaches and needs of farmers. Available evidences in rural India indicate the use of handmade mechanism for the separation purpose. This method is time consuming and also grains are broken. With increasing of high-quality grain's requirement on the market and spreading of grain growths area, it's imperative to develop high-efficient post harvesting machinery which is suitable for grain reaping, threshing separating and cleaning. And, the grain cleaning mechanism, which is a very important part of the combine post harvesting phenomenon The Developed grain separation machine has ability to remove the contaminants such as stones, sticks, chaffs, and dust in grains. It is also capable of reducing time wastage, reduction in breakage of the grains and separation of the stalk from the grains, the research and development situation of cleaning mechanism is mainly introduced in this paper.


Thermal comfort is a vital evaluation of indoor thermal comfort, which is widely applied in economic building, office building and school building etc. Compared to previous investigations in general hospital, only a few studies focused on maternity hospital. In this research, thermal comfort in a maternity hospital was investigated whether there was a comfort environment for pregnant women's delivery, visitors' accompany and staff's working. In order to ensure the measurements are scientific and suitable, both foreign and domestic researches were referred in terms of thermal comfort in hospital. Both objective and subjective measurements were conducted in a maternity hospital in transition season ranging from March to April in Beijing. The objective measurements such as air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and carbon dioxide were recorded by equipment placed in one ward, one doctor's office and one nurse station, respectively. The subjective measurements included personal clothing insulation, activity levels, thermal sensation, thermal expectation, humidity sensation and other sensibility related to environments were collected by 168 effective questionnaires. The linear regressions were applied to compare the relationship between the thermal sensation and environmental parameters and personal factors. The result showed that a) Indoor temperature and humidity basically met the requirements of domestic standard, which were 24.52-26.91℃ and 24.29-28.84℃ in March and in April, respectively; the relative humidity was ranged from 25.44-42.40% and 32.66-64.00% in March and in April, respectively. b) There was no difference between subjective and objective thermal sensation values, p=0.101, however, the average value of objective was higher 1.57 than that of subjective, which indicated that people felt warmer than PMV predicted sensation. c) Individual's actual thermal sensation was various in different months which individual would feel warmer in the basically same indoor temperature in ventilation season than heating season.


The aim of the present chapter is to evaluate the extent to which quantitative and qualitative methodologies used in translation studies interplay and what new insights are obtained as a consequence of investigating explicit corpus-based data with a more tacit semantic enquiry. The approach used is Cognitive Corpus-based Linguistic methodology as applied to contrastive and to corpus-based translation studies. What is presented and interpreted is a comparison between the frequency of use of lexical units, phrases (collocations) and sentence segments in the English-to-Polish or Polish-to-English original and translated texts, juxtaposed to those identified in respective mono-lingual corpora. The paper provides evidence that, combined with a comparison of keyness and collocation patterns as well as lexical equivalence patterns and metaphor inquiry (exemplified with a number of emotion words in translation), all these parameters give us a clue to language-specific imagery construal and reconceptualization processes in translation.


Fault tree analysis is a systematic safety analysis tool that proceeds deductively from the occurrence of an undesired event (accident) to the identification of the root causes of that event. One recurring mine safety problem—a dozer falling into a void over a drawpoint on a coal surge pile—was analyzed using available, inexpensive fault tree programs on a personal computer. The analysis identified basic and intermediate events that led to the burial of the dozer and graphically depicted the interrelationship between these various subordinate events as well as the various chain of events leading up to the primary event. A sensitivity analysis on these probabilities showed which events had the greatest influence on dozer burial in a coal surge pile.


In this article, we introduce the Purchasing Power Parity, a theory that stipulates that in the long run, the exchange rate between two countries should even out so that goods essentially cost the same in both countries. The research organizes as follows. In Section 1, we introduce the PPP theory based on the work of Dornbusch (1985), presenting the absolute and relative versions of PPP. In Section 2, we provide three difference analysis and compare the exchanges of Canada, Britain and Japan versus their PPP values using EurostatOECD data. Section 3 presents the Real Exchange Rate (RER), a rate which seeks to measure the value of a country's goods relative to the those of another country at the prevailing exchange rate.


This research investigated the factors that influence the use of the public Internet terminal (PIT) system in the Taung and Ganyesa communities. The PIT system is placed in many post offices in these communities but the service is not adequately used by these rural community members. The overall objective of this study was to investigate, develop and recommend a solution for providing the rural communities of Taung and Gyanesa with a simple and effective way to access and utilize the PIT service and the information on it. A case study approach was used for the purpose of this study which gathered a number of findings, including lack of awareness of PIT services, lack of computer skills and confidence, and fear of technology. Other findings were the overloading of information on the PIT, use of language (not the mother tongue), and the slow response of the PIT system. The findings from this study led to some recommendations and a model for PIT use in rural communities.


It has long been assumed that the planet Jupiter acts as a giant shield, significantly lowering the impact rate of minor bodies upon the Earth, and thus enabling the development and evolution of life in a collisional environment which is not overly hostile. In other words, it is thought that, thanks to Jupiter, mass extinctions have been sufficiently infrequent that the biosphere has been able to diversify and prosper. However, in the past, little work has been carried out to examine the validity of this idea. In the second of a series of papers, we examine the degree to which the impact risk resulting from objects on Centaur-like orbits is affected by the presence of a giant planet, in an attempt to fully understand the impact regime under which life on Earth has developed. The Centaurs are a population of ice-rich bodies which move on dynamically unstable orbits in the outer Solar system. The largest Centaurs known are several hundred kilometres in diameter, and it is certain that a great number of kilometre or sub-kilometre sized Centaurs still await discovery. These objects move on orbits which bring them closer to the Sun than Neptune, although they remain beyond the orbit of Jupiter at all times, and have their origins in the vast reservoir of debris known as the Edgeworth–Kuiper belt that extends beyond Neptune. Over time, the giant planets perturb the Centaurs, sending a significant fraction into the inner Solar System where they become visible as short-period comets. In this work, we obtain results which show that the presence of a giant planet can act to significantly change the impact rate of short-period comets on the Earth, and that such planets often actually increase the impact flux greatly over that which would be expected were a giant planet not present. Received 31 July 2008, accepted 20 October 2008, first published online 24 December 2008


The long-term goals and objectives of our group are to identify bioactive natural products relevant to human disease prevention and health promotion. To attain this goal, the objective of this thesis was to demonstrate that bioactive polyphenol-rich extracts exert positive health benefits beyond basic nutrition, thus impacting overall health and wellness. We believe that this project has immense scientific merit from a human health perspective and will be of great public impact given that consumers are seeking natural and organic choices for improving health. In this investigation, we have focused our attention on investigating the biological activities of two novel phenolic-rich preparations derived from curcumin and maple syrup for future nutraceutical applications. The work herein assessed the anti-inflammatory properties of novel standardized curcumin formulation (Longvida®) and phenolic-enriched maple syrup extract using a well-known in vitro model of inflammation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 murine macrophages. RAW 264.7 cells were co-treated with 50 ng/mL LPS and test extracts for 24 hours and then inflammatory markers were measured using gene and protein expression. The activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) was measured using luciferase activity. Both polyphenolic extracts were able to inhibit the LPS stimulated inflammation by down-regulating the inflammatory markers via targeting nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) (a major pathway modulated in inflammation) transcriptional activity in murine macrophages. Next, the work herein studied the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-lipogenic properties of novel standardized nutraceutical grade phenolic rich extract, (MSX). Human HepG2 hepatoma cells were treated with MSX for 24 h. Glucose consumption, AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and its target gluconeogenic gene expression were measured. The glucose levels were reduced by MSX in the hepatocytes though AMPK activation. Subsequently, the anti-lipogenic effect of MSX treatment in mature differentiated 3T3-L1 murine adipocytes and human visceral adipocytes was evaluated. MSX treatment to mature adipocytes decreased lipid accumulation, compared to control, in both murine and human adipocytes. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, this effect was associated with downregulation of adipo/lipogenic protein expression (e.g. PPARγ, Srebp1c). We also observed reduced mRNA expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators, namely IL-6, and TNF-α. Taken together, we demonstrated that a novel maple syrup extract exhibited anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic and anti-lipogenic activities in vitro. The current study adds to the growing body of in vitro and in vivo data supporting the biological effects and potential health benefits of the novel curcumin formulation Longvida® and the natural sweetener, maple syrup.


BACKGROUND
Substance dependence is a chronic disorder that is difficult to treat. Non-invasive stimulation techniques may have beneficial effects on the course of the illness.

AIM
To provide an overview of studies that evaluate the clinical effects that transcranial magnetic stimulation (tMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have on patients with substance use disorders.

METHOD
We performed an extensive search of the literature, using PubMed.

RESULTS
Most studies showed that both tMS and tDCS have a beneficial effect on clinical outcomes. However, the effects seemed to wear off over time, even if tMS and tDCS had been administered to patients over several sessions.

CONCLUSION
In terms of efficacy, we award a level B qualification to both tMS and tDCS, which means that we regard both techniques as 'very probably efficient'.


The objective of this study was to characterize the force-time profiles of posterior-to-anterior thoracic high-velocity low-amplitude spinal manipulations (HVLA SM) using two hand of different chiropractors performed on a mannequin several times over a week. A bioengineered mannequin with artificial discs, muscles, ligaments, and skin was developed as a research and teaching tool to train students and new clinicians. Three experienced clinicians performed posterior-to-anterior thoracic two hand contact HVLA SM on the mannequin at three levels (upper, middle, and lower thoracic regions). Each doctor delivered six spinal manipulations over the course of 1 week. The doctors were blinded to the other two doctors' thrusts and also the results of the study. Force-time histories were measured with a three-dimensional force transducer placed under the doctor's hand and recorded using Motion Monitor software. Using MathCAD software, we extracted the biomechanical characteristics: magnitude of peak load, magnitude of preload, duration of the thrust, duration of the manipulation, and rate of loading. Results were analyzed for the differences between doctors, differences between the thoracic levels, and the consistency over the six sessions delivered over a week. We observed differences in the biomechanical characteristics between the three doctors. Variability as observed by the coefficient of variations demonstrated 4--10 percent on durations, 13--17 % on rate of loading, 15--21% on preload values, 10--14% on peak load magnitudes, and very high variability on the shear forces.


Signal recovery techniques have been used to measure the periodic structures formed in
a co-annular Propane/ Air diffusion flame due to acoustic excitation of the flow from
upstream. The flow response was sensed using the quantitative schlieren technique, and
consistent results were obtained on the basis of both axial and transverse optical beam
deflections and appropriate analysis of signal records. The two dominant modes of
response were identified as a series of alternating ring disturbances along the flow axis
at the higher frequency and a series of alternating ring disturbances containing on axis
disturbances of opposite sign at the lower frequency. The former mode was essentially
associated with the fuel jet shear layer, whilst the latter was associated with the outer
annular shear layer surrounding the air flow from the outer nozzle. The strength of
disturbances was consistent with mixing fluctuations between cold fuel gas and the
products of combustion. Structures induced in the outer shear layer weakened rapidly
with the distance from the nozzle, indicating a relatively sudden breakup of coherent
structures caused by the excitation near the nozzle. These results provide conclusive
evidence that signal recovery from noise by phase reference to an acoustic excitation is
an effective means of determining structures and strength of induced disturbance of
diffusion flame.
The fractal texture of Propane/ Air diffusion flame were obtained by analysing the
fractal distribution of flame schlieren images based on the box counting method which
is an efficient method used to analyse the fractal texture of diffusion flame schlieren
images with a variance of approximately 0.04 in the fractal dimension. The results
suggest that diffusion flames do exhibit fractal behaviour and that the value of fractal
dimension are around of 2.3~2.47, which varies with the excitation and character of
turbulent flow. The Power Spectrum Density (PSD) of propane/air diffusion flame has also been investigated. These observations of PSD appeared to be generally consistent
with the fractal dimensions. A numerical simulation investigation into the fractal
relationship between the original field and its schlieren images showed that there is no
simple universal relationship between the fractal dimension of the schlieren image and
that of the actual spatial field which gave rise to the image. However, it seems that the
fractal dimension of the diffusion flame and its schlieren image are similar, whilst the
fractal dimension of the schlieren image of a fairly homogeneous turbulent mixing field
may exceed that of the field itself appreciably. Contours of differentiated images have
potential for revealing any regular character in diffusion flames, the present work
showing clear evidence of structures at approximately ±25 o to the flame axis.


Asian Chinese families are experiencing constant changes. While commonly known cultural themes such as 'face', 'hierarchy', 'harmony' and 'filial piety' are useful references and important caveats in clinical settings, they are most useful when the context of larger socio-economic and political developments of recent decades is taken into account. This article is co-authored by seven experienced Asian therapists from China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. They share their insights into working with Chinese families in Asia. In addition to considering cultural dimensions, the authors attempt to consolidate the understanding of Asian Chinese families by focusing on the effects of socio-economic and political development. Other than focusing on the unique characteristics and challenges of working with Chinese families in their region, they highlight the most useful therapeutic stances and approaches when working with Asian Chinese families.

Practitioner points
Be mindful that changing family structures affect family dynamics, childcentric values and work-life balance.
Chinese families expect to receive advice and instruction. Therapists need to be direct and authoritative where appropriate to avoid causing dissatisfaction
Chinese families can be helped to negotiate their emerging needs for the differentiation of self
A possible therapeutic option is use of self and the ability to embrace uncertainty


Objectives: Among the various options available for correction of genu valgum deformities, supracondylar "V" osteotomy is a sparsely used technique. We used the technique for correction of postrachitic deformity in late childhood and adolescence and report the outcome achieved. Patients and Methods: Our operative criteria were age range between 10 and 12 years, a normal metabolic profile, and genu valgum deformity with a standing radiological tibiofemoral angle ≥15°. Patients who had gross collateral ligament instability, any restriction of knee range of motion, genu recurvatum, predominant tibial deformity component, epiphyseal irregularities, active metabolic disease were excluded from the study. Correction was undertaken using "V" osteotomy technique described by Aglietti et al. and was stabilized by two Kirschner wires. Functional outcome was assessed using Böstman et al. score. Results: Seventeen limbs in nine patients with a mean age of 11 years were operated. All the genu valgum deformities were postrachitic but with healed status. Mean follow-up of patients was 24.8 months. Preoperative radiological tibio-femoral angle had a mean value of 20.2° which improved to a mean of 3.05° postoperatively. Knee score was excellent in 88.8%, good in 11.1%. All patients recovered full range of knee motion within 6 weeks after removal of the cast. Two main complications were deep infection and partial slippage of lower femoral physis in one case each. Conclusions: Supracondylar "V" osteotomy is a viable option for the correction of postrachitic genu valgum deformity in older children and adolescents with limited residual physeal growth not amenable to growth modulation procedures.


Camera‐trapping data analyzed with spatially explicit capture–recapture (SCR) models can provide a rigorous method for estimating density of small populations of elusive carnivore species. We sought to develop and evaluate the efficacy of SCR models for estimating density of a presumed low‐density bobcat (Lynx rufus) population in fragmented landscapes of west‐central Illinois, USA. We analyzed camera‐trapping data from 49 camera stations in a 1,458‐km area deployed over a 77‐day period from 1 February to 18 April 2017. Mean operational time of cameras was 52 days (range= 32–67 days). We captured 23 uniquely identifiable bobcats 113 times and recaptured these same individuals 90 times; 15 of 23 (65.2%) individuals were recaptured at ≥2 camera traps. Total number of bobcat capture events was 139, of which 26 (18.7%) were discarded from analyses because of poor image quality or capture of only a part of an animal in photographs. Of 113 capture events used in analyses, 106 (93.8%) and 7 (6.2%) were classified as positive and tentative identifications, respectively; agreement on tentative identifications of bobcats was high (71.4%) among 3 observers. We photographed bobcats at 36 of 49 (73.5%) camera stations, of which 34 stations were used in analyses. We estimated bobcat density at 1.40 individuals (range= 1.00–2.02)/100 km. Our modeled bobcat density estimates are considerably below previously reported densities (30.5 individuals/ 100 km) within the state, and among the lowest yet recorded for the species. Nevertheless, use of remote cameras and SCR models was a viable technique for reliably estimating bobcat density across west‐central Illinois. Our research establishes ecological benchmarks for understanding potential effects of colonization, habitat fragmentation, and exploitation on future assessments of bobcat density using standardized methodologies that can be compared directly over time. Further application of SCR models that quantify specific costs of animal movements (i.e., least‐cost path models) while accounting for landscape connectivity has great utility and relevance for conservation and management of bobcat populations across fragmented Midwestern landscapes. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.


The geometry of an acoustic environment can be an important information in many audio signal processing applications. To estimate such a geometry, previous work has relied on large microphone arrays, multiple test sources, moving sources or the assumption of a 2-D room. In this paper, we lift these requirements and present a novel method that uses a compact microphone array to estimate a 3-D room geometry, delivering effective estimates with low-cost hardware. Our approach first probes the environment with a known test signal emitted by a loudspeaker co-located with the array, from which the room impulse responses (RIRs) are estimated. It then uses an ℓ1-regularized least-squares minimization to fit synthetically generated reflections to the RIRs, producing a sparse set of reflections. By enforcing structural constraints derived from the image model, these are classified into first-, second-, and third-order reflections, thereby deriving the room geometry. Using this method, we detect walls using off-the-shelf teleconferencing hardware with a typical range resolution of about 1 cm. We present results using simulations and data from real environments.


The region as a concept continues to hold promise as a way of breaking through the many binaries that often divide political ecology. Operationalizing a regional political ecology approach allows the researcher to generate a large number of insights and conclusions that a more narrow disciplinary (disciplined) focus and non-scalar approach would miss; this is because important biophysical and social processes intersect with each another and work together to produce and/or mediate important outcomes for human and environmental well-being. The article draws on a number of cases to examine what comparison of political ecological research between regions could look like. I argue for a reinvigorated relationship between regional political ecology as an approach and agrifood systems as the object of study, and pose questions that can help shape this endeavor. Keywords: regional political ecology, regional comparisons, network political ecology, agriculture, food systems, agroecology


Mathematics education reform is informed by constructivist theories that forefront student learning of concepts, and by sociocultural theories whose focus is on students' mastery of mathematical practices. As Cobb (1994) pointed out, these theorizations are inconsistent with one another, leading to conflict as some theorists seek to promote their approach as the correct one. Alternatively, Cobb, and many others in the social constructivism or the situated cognition camps, seek some sort of integration or balancing of these priorities in pedagogical theorizing. Kirshner (2002, 2004, 2008) argued that instead of either selecting one theory or balancing/coordinating the two theories, we should regard each theory as an independent basis for pedagogical practice, and articulate a separate genre of teaching for each. In that spirit, the current study sought to explore pedagogical methods directed exclusively to enculturating students into mathematical practices, particularly, practices of argumentation characteristic of mathematical proof. The researcher worked with a group of 11 average-ability students in the 1112 age range, over 24, half-hour sessions. At first, students were called upon to discuss various basic geometric terms, and then to present arguments establishing the truth of 10 basic geometric theorems. Students worked together in groups to discuss the problems, and presented their proofs. All sessions were videotaped and transcribed, and each student's arguments were coded for sophistication on a 4-level system based on the work of Lolli (2005) and Douek (2009). The results indicated that all students advanced in their level of sophistication, most moving from level 1 in which one understands that an explanation is required, but one does not understand the obligation for the explanation to be logically persuasive to level 3 in which one coordinates the elements of the argument in a way that is consistent with logically sound deductive reasoning. The qualitative analysis of interactional processes illustrates the influence of the group's level of discourse on individual development.


The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between English proficiency, writing ability, and the use of conjunctions in Iranian EFL learners' compositions. To this end, four research questions were formulated : (1) Is there any relationship between English proficiency of Iranian EFL learners and the extent to which they use particular groups of conjunctions (additive, adversative, causal, temporal) ? (2) Is there any relationship between English proficiency of Iranian EFL learners and their writing ability ? (3) Is there any relationship between writing ability of Iranian EFL learners and the use of conjunctions ? (4) What is the relative importance of the four groups of conjunctions and English proficiency in predicting the writing ability?
The study involved 120 male and female English learners of Kish Language Institute studying at different levels: Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced. Two data gathering devices were employed: a NELSON test compatible with English knowledge of the subjects (version 300-A), and two compositions. The topics assigned for the compositions were "Describe your city, Tehran" and "Describe your English teacher". The students wrote the first composition in a sesion along with taking NELSON and the second one after a two-week interval. In each examination, the subjects wrote a text including about 150 to 200 words.
The analyses included Correlation, ANOVA, Chi-square, and Multiple Regresion to display the relationship between the above-mentioned variables. The results indicated that the High group of proficiency has a significant superiority over the Mid and the Mid group over the Low one on the writing scores. The use of Chi-square analysis displayed which level of proficiency or which level of writing use which type(s) of conjunction more. Multiple regression, then, identified which variable(s) are more important or contribute more to writing scores.


We apply ultrafast pure-rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) for temperature and relative oxygen concentration measurements in the plume emanating from a burning, aluminized ammonium-perchlorate propellant strand. Combustion of these metal-based propellants is a particularly hostile environment for laser-based diagnostics, with intense background luminosity and scattering from hot metal particles as large as several hundred micrometers in diameter. CARS spectra that were previously obtained using nanosecond pulsed lasers in an aluminum-particle-seeded flame are examined and are determined to be severely impacted by nonresonant background, presumably as a result of the plasma formed by particulate-enhanced laser-induced breakdown. Introduction of femtosecond/picosecond (fs/ps) laser pulses improves CARS detection by providing time-gated elimination of strong nonresonant background interference. Single-laser-shot fs/ps CARS spectra were acquired from the burning propellant plume, with picosecond probe-pulse delays of 0 and 16 ps from the femtosecond pump and Stokes pulses. At zero delay, nonresonant background overwhelms the Raman-resonant spectroscopic features. Time-delayed probing results in the acquisition of background-free spectra that were successfully fit for temperature and relative oxygen content. Temperature probability densities and temperature/oxygen correlations were constructed from ensembles of several thousand single-laser-shot measurements with the CARS measurement volume positioned within 3 mm or less of the burning propellant surface. The results show that ultrafast CARS is a potentially enabling technology for probing harsh, particle-laden flame environments.


This paper uses firm-level data on 162 large Hungarian enterprises to analyse the relationship between ownership structure and corporate performance in 1998 and 1999. Cross-sectional regressions are run for each of these years using the return on assets (ROA) as the measure of performance. Both after-tax profits and operating profits are used to produce the ROA variable. The signs of the regression coefficients and their significance levels are consistent across the different measures of profit, and also across the two years. The results of the regressions suggest that the presence of foreign ownership may positively affect performance while the existence of continuing State ownership has the opposite effect. Neither of these relationships, however, is statistically significant. Two variables have a significant impact on performance that is consistent across different constructions of the regression models: firm size and capital intensity. The smaller firms in the sample outperform the larger firms, which suggests that the greater monitoring and agency costs likely to be incurred by larger firms negatively impact their performance. The more capital intensive a firm (measured by the log of total assets to employees) the greater is its performance. This positive relationship suggests that high capital intensity may impose a barrier to entry and strengthen the competitive position of companies within their industries. The export intensity of a company (exports to sales revenue) is also positively and significantly related to performance, which suggests that the discipline of competing in foreign markets has a positive impact. However, the inclusion of an industry dummy variable to the regression equations results in the export intensity variable losing its significance.


We present Confluo, a system for real-time monitoring and analysis of data streams. Confluo achieves three desirable properties for such systems: (1) high-throughput concurrent writes of millions of data points from multiple data streams; (2) online queries at millisecond timescale; and (3) ad-hoc queries using minimal CPU resources. The key technical contribution in Confluo is a new data structure — Atomic MultiLog — that supports efficiently updating a collection of lock-free concurrent logs as a single atomic operation. Confluo supports the above three properties using Atomic MultiLogs to store data, aggregate statistics and materialized views, along with hardware primitives for efficient atomic updates on Atomic MultiLogs. We use Confluo to build two applications — a network monitoring and diagnosis tool and a time-series database — and demonstrate benefits against state-of-the-art systems for respective applications.


The affine derivation of a generalized quadrangle is the geometry induced on the vertices at distance 3 or 4 of a given point. We characterize these geometries by a system of axioms which can be described as a modified axiom system for affine planes with an additional parallel relation and parallel axiom. A second equivalent description which makes it very easy to verify that, for example, ovoids and Laguerre planes yield generalized quadrangles is given. We introduce topological affine quadrangles by requiring the natural geometric operations to be continuous and characterize when these geometries have a completion to a compact generalized quadrangle. In the connected case it suffices to assume that the topological affine quadrangle is locally compact. Again this yields natural and easy proofs for the fact that many concrete generalized quadrangles such as those arising from compact Tits ovoids are compact topological quadrangles. In an appendix we give an outline of the theory of stable graphs which is fundamental to this work.


Bootstrap percolation, one of the simplest cellular automata, can be seen as a model of the spread of infection. In $r$ -neighbour bootstrap percolation on a graph $G$ we assign a state, infected or healthy, to every vertex of $G$ and then update these states in successive rounds, according to the following simple local update rule: infected vertices of $G$ remain infected forever and a healthy vertex becomes infected if it has at least $r$ already infected neighbours. We say that percolation occurs if eventually every vertex of $G$ becomes infected. A well known and celebrated fact about the classical model of $2$ -neighbour bootstrap percolation on the $n \times n$ square grid is that the smallest size of an initially infected set which percolates in this process is $n$ . In this paper we consider the problem of finding the maximum time a $2$ -neighbour bootstrap process on $[n]^2$ with $n$ initially infected vertices can take to eventually infect the entire vertex set. Answering a question posed by Bollob a s we compute the exact value for this maximum showing that, for $n \ge 4$ , it is equal to the integer nearest to $(5n^2-2n)/8$ .


Differential Pressure (DP) Flow meters are popular for being relatively simple, reliable and inexpensive. Their principles of operation are relatively easily understood. However, traditionally there has been a misconception that no DP meter self-diagnostic capabilities exist and as such only upgrading to newer ultrasonic or Coriolis technology can help bridge this gap. In 2008 & 2009 a generic Differential Pressure (DP) meter self-diagnostic methodology [1,2] was proposed to the industry. In this paper these advanced diagnostic principles were applied towards helping provide end user a newer yet effective, methodology for DP flow meters diagnostics, field proven with experimental test results. These results form the basis of a comprehensive validation methodology designed to help meter operators achieve improved confidence on their DP measurement and thereby help lower their operational risks associated with large measurement uncertainties due to non-compliance. The paper also aims to demonstrate how such new advanced tools/methodologies can help reduce operating costs (OPEX) by moving towards a risk based predictive maintenance plan.


When a light wave hits a metal wedge structure, the metal surfaces respond to the incident light by generating both free-space and surface-bound waves. Here we present a physical model that elucidates electromagnetic interactions of an incoming planar wave with a simple semi-infinite 90 degrees metal wedge. We show that a metal wedge structure possesses an intrinsic capability of directing the incident power around the corner into the forward direction. Interplay of the boundary diffraction wave and the incident and reflection waves in the near field region of a metal corner is found to form a basis of the funneling phenomena that are commonly observed in metal nanoslit structures. Theory and experiment reveal that the incident wave propagating parallel to the sidewall destructively interferes with the boundary diffraction wave forming a depleted-energy-flow region along the glancing angle direction. A physical understanding of various electromagnetic phenomena associated with a metal wedge structure confirms rich potential of the simple structure as an elemental building block of complex metal nanostructures.


Freshwater ecosystems, although relatively small in volume, have a disproportionately large carbon storage capacity compared to oceans, as a result of relatively high production rates and fast sedimentation rates. Although of clear importance in the global carbon cycle, the role of lakes in terms of processing and storage of organic carbon is not very well characterized. Also, complete lacustrine carbon budgets are scarce and need to be better constrained in order to provide a more consistent view on the function of freshwater systems in the global carbon cycle. At the base of the food web, the microbial segment plays a crucial role in lacustrine food-web functioning and carbon transfer, thereby influencing carbon storage and CO2 emission and uptake in freshwater environments. Microbial communities, and thereby relative rates of production and consumption, are particularly sensitive to variability in nutrient supply, oxygenation, temperature, light and atmospheric CO2 levels. Most of these parameters vary between ecosystems, but also with water depth and season. This thesis aims to increase understanding of the processes within food webs that affect lacustrine carbon budgets, focusing specifically on the effects of depth, trophic states, and season on microbial carbon processing. To this end, field studies were carried out in freshwater systems with varying nutrient conditions: 1) Rotsee, a shallow, eutrophic Swiss lake, 2) Lake Lucerne, a large, oligotrophic Swiss lake, 3) two basins of Lake Taihu (China), one highly eutrophic and dominated by toxic algal blooms, and the other was subject to biomanipulation and restoration efforts and is now dominated by macrophytes, and 4) Lake Naarden (Naardermeer), a shallow Dutch peat lake. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes at either natural abundance or after tracer addition were analysed for total carbon and nitrogen pools and carbon isotopes were analysed for specific membrane lipids (PLFAs). We observed 1) substantial variability in absolute and relative amounts of production and consumption of organic matter, concluding that nutrient levels are of clear importance to microbial metabolic activities. 2) Nonetheless, despite lower nutrient levels in the macrophyte-dominated part of Lake Taihu we found total ecosystem productivity to be much higher compared to the still eutrophic basin. 3) We observed that carbon cycling pathways had shifted from phytoplankton-dominated to macrophyte-dominated, confirming the increased importance of the microbial food web as a consequence of eutrophication. 4) We found that severe DIC-limitation forced phytoplankton to derive significant amounts of their carbon from DOC, in addition to DIC. 5) Also large variability with depth was found in microbial communities and dominant metabolic processes, showing that multiple sampling depths are of crucial importance, especially in vertically stratified lakes. 6) We found that coupling between phytoplankton and bacterial production seems related to trophic state and 7) varied with water depth and during the year. We conclude that the potential for burial of organic matter in lake sediments is not only highly variable among different systems but also throughout the year and hence mass flux calculations and carbon budget calculations should be based on multiple sampling depths and campaigns.


This research is about Brazil's international development cooperation in agriculture. I take two cooperation programmes carried out by the Brazilian government in Mozambique – ProSAVANA and More Food International (MFI) – to analyse the processes whereby cooperation policy is formed and transformed. I ask how Brazil's domestic politics interact with international affairs to shape agricultural cooperation with Mozambique. I consider the 'priests, technicians and traders' of Brazilian cooperation, following a caricature used by one respondent to characterise disputes in ProSAVANA. This triadic portrayal captures the diversity of actors, interests and discourse of Brazilian cooperation. It is also analytically useful to investigate how actors relate to one another and how alliances, networks or coalitions, held together on the basis of convenience, shared beliefs or common narratives, emerge and evolve over time. My analytical approach places actors and interests in the context of institutional processes, but also against policy narratives that are the product of history, state-society interactions and class-based struggles in Brazil. The latter are, in turn, at the root of those institutional processes and actors' identities. Narratives may be used to pursue certain agendas but they also construct the agendas and the identity of the actors that articulate them. My research also emphasises the inter-spatial or travelling dimension of cooperation policy, with flows of influence occurring forwards and backwards. Brazilian actors, interests and discourse travel from Brazil to Mozambique, get interpreted and absorbed selectively and this has repercussions back to the point of origin. Finally, I argue that Brazil's development encounters in Mozambique proved harder to manage than suggested by the presumed affinities and claims about horizontal relations in Brazilian cooperation. The experiences of ProSAVANA and MFI illustrate the challenges facing the Brazilian cooperation narrative and its governing principles. I discuss implications for the Brazilian 'model' and for the South-South paradigm.


Bridge foundations must be designed based on acceptable risks of failure. To secure rapid implementation of Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) principles for foundation design, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are requiring their use through AASHTO code. The Bridge Section of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has responsibility for satisfactory design of all the bridge structures across the state's highway system. The widespread geotechnical adoption of the LRFD code throughout state DOTs has been difficult in the case of deep foundations due to regional differences and in some cases a lack of any close match to DOT foundation practices. This lack of matching stems from the source research conducted on which the code is based, documented as NCHRP 507. For ODOT, the evaluation of nominal axial static capacity for each driven pile in the field is conducted by dynamic methods and AASHTO offers resistance factors for these techniques. ODOT typically uses the wave equation software (WEAP) applied at the end of initial driving (EOID) and occasionally at the beginning of pile restrike (BOR) to capture increases in capacity from set-up. This study reports that, based on past and new surveys, ODOT practice is reasonably typical for DOT practice in sands, silts, and clays. The AASHTO resistance factor, φ, for WEAP is at EOID and is too low for the efficient design of piles to match the likely probabilities of pile failure. The survey of Northwest state DOTs revealed that 80% of the DOTs believe that a φ of 0.4 is conservative and 37.5% do not use the AASHTO-sanctioned φ of 0.4. Matching LRFD to allowable stress design (ASD) by direct calibration for a single pile, without any reported capacity bias, sets φ as 0.55 to match the ASD factor of safety of 2.5. An ODOT case history of a recently completed pile-supported bridge designed and constructed to FHWA and AASHTO ASD standards in use at that time, shows the number of piles at the bent studied would be doubled under new AASHTO requirements. This suggests the standard will add considerable pile foundation costs to all new bridges. This cost increase is a strong incentive to complete statistical recalibration of GRLWEAP dynamic capacity resistance value in a Phase 2 of this study.


Unsteady wake effects on detailed heat transfer coefficient and film cooling effectiveness distributions from a gas turbine blade with film cooling are obtained using a transient liquid crystal technique. Tests were performed on a five-blade linear cascade at a axial chord Reynolds number of 5.3 × 105 at cascade exit. Upstream unsteady wakes are simulated using a spoke-wheel type wake generator. The test blade has three rows of film holes on the leading edge and two rows each on the pressure and suction surfaces. Air and CO2 were used as coolants to simulate different coolant-to-mainstream density ratio effect. Coolant blowing ratio for air injection is varied from 0.8 to 1.2 and is varied from 0.4 to 1.2 for CO2. Results show that Nusselt numbers for a film-cooled blade are much higher compared to a blade without film injection. Particularly, film injection causes earlier boundary layer transition on the suction surface. Unsteady wakes slightly enhance Nusselt numbers but significantly reduce film cooling effectiveness on a film-cooled blade compared with a film-cooled blade without wakes. Nusselt numbers increase slightly but film cooling effectiveness increases significantly with an increase in blowing ratio for CO2 injection. Higher density coolant (CO2) provides higher effectiveness at higher blowing ratios (M = 1.2) whereas lower density coolant (Air) provides higher effectiveness at lower blowing ratios (M = 0.8).© 1997 ASME


Today, aeronautical equipment manufacture involves up-to-date high-strength aluminum alloys of decreased density resulting from lithium admixture. Various technologies of fusible welding of these alloys are being developed. Serious demands are imposed to the welded joints of aluminum alloys in respect to their strength characteristics. The paper presents experimental investigations of the optimization of the laser welding of aluminum alloys with the scandium-modified welded joint. The effect of scandium on the micro-and macro-structure has been studied as well as the strength characteristics of the welded joint. It has been found that scandium under in the laser welding process increases the welded joint elasticity for the system Al-Mg-Li, aluminum alloy 1420 by 20 %, and almost doubles the same for the system Al-Cu-Li, aluminum alloy 1441.


To the Editor: The epidemiology of yeast infections is evolving, and species in the Candida haemulonii complex have been identified as a cause of candidiasis (1). In 2012, C. haemulonii complex was reclassified as 2 species and 1 variety: C. haemulonii (former group I), C. duobushaemulonii (former group II) and C. haemulonii var. vulnera (1).

Despite the growing knowledge about the biology and clinical relevance of these pathogens, species-specific data comparing clinical and microbiological aspects are lacking. We describe the clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients from 5 hospitals in Sao Paulo, Brazil, whose cultures were positive for the C. haemulonii complex species.

During January 2010–March 2015, samples from case-patients in 5 hospitals affiliated with the University of Sao Paulo were cultured; samples positive for C. haemulonii were further analyzed. Clinical and epidemiologic data were retrospectively collected. Species identification of the first isolate from each patient was made by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer region of the rRNA gene (2). Sequence similarity searches were done by using BLAST (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/blast). Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed by using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute reference method for susceptibility testing of yeasts (3) for amphotericin B (AMB), fluconazole, voriconazole, caspofungin (all from Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA), and anidulafungin (Pfizer, New York, NY, USA).

Among the 14,642 specimens that showed positive yeast cultures, 40 (0.3%) isolates from 31 patients belonged to the C. haemulonii complex. Most sample sources were bone and soft tissue samples from lower extremity chronic wounds (n = 17, 42%) and blood cultures (n = 11, 32%). Other positive sources were central venous catheter (CVC) tips (n = 3), toenail scrapings (n = 3), vaginal discharge (n = 2), bile (n = 1), peritoneal fluid (n = 1), pleural effusion (n = 1), and purulent fluid from the mediastinum (n = 1).

Molecular identification characterized 14 isolates as C. haemulonii (2 alleles), 8 as C. haemulonii var. vulnera, and 9 as C. duobushaemulonii (Technical Appendix Table 1). Clinical and microbiological features of the 31 patients who tested positive are summarized in the Table. Diabetes mellitus was found substantially more frequently among patients with C. duobushaemulonii (66% vs. 25%–28% for the other 2 species), but rates for other underlying conditions were similar for all 3 species.

Susceptibility testing results varied by drug and species (Table). C. duobushaemulonii showed higher MICs for AMB than C. haemulonii and C. haemulonii var. vulnera , but all isolates showed high MICs for fluconazole and voriconazole. Conversely, MICs were low for caspofungin and anidulafungin. However, 1 isolate of C. duobushaemulonii showed high MICs of 8 μg/mL for caspofungin and 0.5 μg/mL for anidulafungin.

Table

Demographic, clinical, and microbiological features of patients whose cultures were positive for C. haemulonii. var. vulerna, and C. duobushaemulonii, January 2010–March 2015, Brazil*

Of the 31 patients investigated, 11 had chronically infected wounds of lower extremities with positive surgically collected bone or soft tissue cultures, or both (Table). Samples for 4 of those patients had positive cultures for C. haemulonii, 3 for C. haemulonii var. vulnera, and 4 for C. duobushaemulonii. In most patients (n = 9, 82%), samples showed polymicrobial growth; Staphylococcus spp. (n = 7) were the most common concomitant microorganisms. All patients were treated by surgical debridement.

Samples from 8 (25%) of the 31 patients were positive for candidemia; 7 had C. haemulonii (3 var. vulvera) and 1 C. duobushaemulonii (Technical Appendix Table 2). Five (62%) patients had received antimicrobial drugs before the infection. Drug therapy failed in 5 (62%) that had positive cultures during deoxycholate AMB (n = 4) or fluconazole (n = 1) therapy. Among the 7 patients with CVC-associated candidemia, 4 had the CVC removed; 3 of those survived. The 30-day all-cause mortality rate was 50%.

Our study showed a prevalence of 0.3% C. haemulonii among yeast isolates, which was much higher than previously reported (4). Older commercial methods are unable to correctly identify C. haemulonii species, contributing to this underestimation (4). More closely related species such as C. auris, mainly found in South Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, have been misidentified as C. haemulonii and C. famata by using older systems. Thus, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry and internal transcribed spacer rRNA sequencing are necessary to provide the correct identification (5–7).

The data we document suggest that patients with diabetes mellitus are more likely to have positive cultures for C. duobushaemulonii than for the 2 C. haemulonii species. Moreover, C. duobushaemulonii isolates have higher AMB MICs than the C. haemulonii species. As previously reported (8), echinocandins showed better in vitro activity than azole compounds.

In summary, we demonstrated that C. haemulonii species complex are critical pathogens of chronic lower extremity wounds and that fungemia by such species remains a rare event. The 30–day all-cause mortality rate among patients with candidemia was 50%, lower than previously reported in our institution (9) and other centers in Brazil (10). We believe that in cases of candidemia by C. haemulonii spp. that 1) empirical use of AMB or azole compounds should be avoided; 2) removal of CVC should be performed; and 3) antifungal susceptibility testing should be done to guide antifungal therapy.

Technical Appendix. Molecular identification of 14 Candida isolates; demographic, clinical, and microbiologic characteristics of 8 cases of candidemia caused by C. haemulonii complex species; and a phylogenetic tree built with the UPGMA method by using ITS sequences of 31 clinical isolates belonging to C. haemulonii complex.

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Every language in the world has its own unique features, which distinguishes it from others. Indonesia, for example, consists of many Islands and each has its own language or dialect. This it is not surprising that Indonesia has many local languages with their own characteristics, habits and custom. Among the local languages, the writer chose Madurese language in thesis especially on Madurese Terms of address spoken by Situbondo people. Most of Situbondo use Madurese dialect but since many people who are not natives of Madurese often do not know the right ways to use the terms of address when they communicate with native speakers. The problem discussed in this study are: what terms of address are used in Madurese Situbondo dialect, what are the function and the meaning of those terms of address, how are the terms of address related to age and status, and who uses those terms and in what situation are the terms used. In other words, the writer analyzes the problems from sociolinguistic theory. The objective of the study is to answer the problems clearly by describing the kinds of terms of address based on the family terms, the second person functions including pronoun, and name of person. The data of this study were obtained from five native speakers of Madurese Situbondo dialect. The writer limits native speakers for this thesis to only Situbondo native speakers without making any differentiation. However the adults here are those who know well the social structure of their society. The writer decided to select only adult of around twenty-five years old or more data use collected through interviews and observations. This study used descriptive research design. The collected data were classified and analyzed based on terms of address in Madurese society, namely family terms, the second person function including pronouns, and name of person. The family terms which are used for addressing a person are: (1) Kae or jai, (2) nyai or nyi, (3) Eppa' or mama', (4) embu' or ebu', (5) Bapak, (6) Ibu, (7) Oba or wa', (8) oba' bine' or ba', (9) paman or anom, (10) bibbi', (11) Kakang, (12) embhug or ba'ayu, (13) ale' or adhi', (14) cebbing, (15) kacong, (16) cong enne' or bing enne', (17) juju'. The first personal pronouns which are used for addressing a person are (1) Sengko' or Engko', (2) Badan kaula and (3) Abdina. The second personal pronouns which are used for addressing a person are (1) Ba'na, (2) Sampeyan or empeyan (3) Panjhenengan. Name of person, is divided into three ways: the first name shortened the name and using nickname. Finally, the writer hope that this thesis can be the source of knowledge and information of Madurese terms of address used in Situbondo and people can use this when they communicate with Situbondo Madurese people.


We present a case involving a catastrophic injury that resulted from a completely obstructed airway when an examinee choked on food. She had cardiopulmonary arrest and developed a hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy associated with profound neurological losses. The evaluation of the consequences of severe central nervous system injury necessitates evaluation and rating of all the sequelae of that injury. The first step is clinical assessment, followed by thoughtful application of these data to the processes and criteria provided in the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides). The approaches discussed in the fifth and sixth editions of the AMA Guides are similar.


Accumulated knowledge about the health benefits of bilberry ( L.) has increased the demand and utilization of wild bilberries. Intensive berry picking by metal rakes is believed to cause damage in bilberry stands in areas under continuous picking pressure, and hence expected to hamper the production of berries in forthcoming years. We conducted an experiment to examine the effect of continuous bilberry picking by metal rake on the number of bilberry flowers and fruits, fruit mass, compensation for biomass loss after picking, and plant functional type abundance in the understorey in northern Finland. Bilberry lost less than 0.5% of its biomass annually during the three-year study period due to rake harvesting. The number of flowers was not significantly affected by damage caused by picking, while both fruit production and fruit set increased without any indication of reduced fruit mass, and biomass loss was fully compensated. Moreover, the relative abundance of plant functional types was not affected by picking during the study. We suggest that the low intensity and timing of damage act as a buffer against the adverse effects of picking on bilberry fruit production. On the basis of this study, it is reasonable to anticipate that there are no indications that current intensive berry picking would not be on a sustainable level.Vaccinium myrtillus


Preface. Stochastic Processes: Description and Definition. Markov chains. Irreducible Markov Chains with Ergodic States. Branching Processes and Other Special Topics. Statistical Inference for Markov Chains. Applied Markov Chains. Simple Markov Processes. Statistical Inference for Simple Markov Processes. Applied Markov Processes. Renewal Processes. Stationary Processes and Time Series Analysis. Simulation and Markov Chain Monte Carlo. Answers to Selected Exercises. Appendix. Author Index. Subject Index.


We investigate the strength of patterns as secret signatures in Android's pattern based authentication mechanism. Parallelism of GPU is exploited to exhaustively search for the secret pattern. Typically, searching for a pattern, composed of a number of nodes and edges, requires an exhaustive search for the pattern. In this work, we show that the use of GPU can speed up the graph search, hence the pattern password, through parallelization. Preliminary results on cracking the Android pattern based passwords shows that the technique can be used as the basis to implement a tool that can check the strength of a pattern based password and thereby recommend strong patterns to the user.


The death of plant cells in culture following exposure to Agrobacterium tumefaciens remains a major obstacle in developing Agrobacterium-mediated transformation into a highly efficient genotype-independent technology. Here, we present evidence that A. tumefaciens exposure induces cell death in banana cell suspensions. More than 90% of embryogenic banana cells died after exposure to A. tumefaciens and cell death was accompanied by a subset of features associated with apoptosis in mammalian cells, including DNA laddering, fragmentation, and formation of apoptotic-like bodies. Importantly, these cellular responses were inhibited in cells expressing the animal antiapoptosis genes Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 3' untranslated region, and CED-9. Inhibition of cell death resulted in up to 90% of cell clumps transformed with Bcl-xL, a 100-fold enhancement over vector controls, approaching the transformation and regeneration of every "transformable" cell. Similar results using sugarcane, a crop plant known for recalcitrance to Agrobacterium transformation, suggest that antiapoptosis genes may inhibit these phenomena and increase the transformation frequency of many recalcitrant plant species, including the major monocot cereal crop plants. Evidence of inhibition of plant cell death by cross-kingdom antiapoptotic genes also contributes to the growing evidence that genes for control of programmed cell death are conserved across wide evolutionary distances, even though these mechanisms are not well understood in plants.


Three new species of the order Monhysterida are described based on specimens obtained at depths of 8081 and 9177 m in the Kermadec Trench. Thelonema clarki sp. nov. is characterised by a large body size (3230–4461 µm), short cylindrical buccal cavity, gubernaculum without apophyses, and long conico-cylindrical tail. This is the first record of the genus since its original description over two decades ago from the Peru Basin. Metasphaerolaimus constrictus sp. nov. is characterised by a relatively long body (1232–1623 µm), slightly arcuate spicules without gubernaculum, and conico-cylindrical tail with inner cuticle conspicuously thickened immediately anterior to cylindrical portion. Monhystrella kermadecensis sp. nov. is characterised by a circle of papillose outer labial sensillae slightly anterior to the four short cephalic setae, gubernaculum with caudal apophyses, the presence of distinct cuticularised piece along anterior vaginal wall, and a relatively short conical (males) or conico-cylindrical tail (females) with conical, ventrally-curved spinneret. M. kermadecensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other species of the genus, and, indeed, the entire family, based on the variable position of the anterior gonad relative to the intestine. The new species is classified within the Monhysteridae, and not the closely-related Xyalidae, based on the small body size, a smooth cuticle, and the presence of six outer labial papillae and only one testis. Further work is required to clarify the placement of M. kermadecensis sp. nov. relative to other monhysterid genera. A tabular key to all ten valid Metasphaerolaimus species is presented.


With the continuing growth in the amount of backbone traffic, improving the cost-effectiveness and ensuring survivability of the underlying optical networks are very important problems facing network service providers today. In this paper, we propose a bandwidth squeezed restoration (BSR) scheme in our recently proposed spectrum-sliced elastic optical path network (SLICE). The proposed BSR takes advantage of elastic bandwidth variation in the optical paths of SLICE. It enables spectrally efficient and highly survivable network recovery for best-effort traffic as well as bandwidth guaranteed traffic, while satisfying the service level specifications required from the client layer networks. We discuss the necessary interworking architectures between the optical path layer and client layer in the BSR in SLICE. We also present a control framework that achieves flexible bandwidth assignment as well as BSR of optical paths in SLICE. Finally, we describe an implementation example of a control plane using generalized multi-protocol label switching (GMPLS).


Planning in settler-colonial countries is always taking place on the lands of Indigenous peoples. While Indigenous rights, identity and cultural values are increasingly being discussed within planning, its mainstream accounts virtually ignore the colonial roots and legacies of the discipline's assumptions, techniques and methods. This ground-breaking book exposes the imperial origins of the planning canon, profession and practice in the settler-colonial country of Australia.

By documenting the role of planning in the history of Australia's relations with Indigenous peoples, the book maps the enduring effects of colonisation. It provides a new historical account of colonial planning practices and rewrites the urban planning histories of major Australian cities. Contemporary land rights, native title and cultural heritage frameworks are analysed in light of their critical importance to planning practice today, with detailed case illustrations. In reframing Australian planning from a postcolonial perspective, the book shatters orthodox accounts, revising the story that planning has told itself for over 100 years. New ways to think and practise planning in Indigenous Australia are advanced.

Planning in Indigenous Australia makes a major contribution towards the decolonisation of planning. It is essential reading for students and teachers in tertiary planning programmes, as well as those in geography, development studies, postcolonial studies, anthropology and environmental management. It is also vital reading for professional planners in the public, private and community sectors.


The article addresses two questions related with tourism as a service trade. Can tourism be explained as other export activities? Does service liberalisation have a positive or negative impact on tourism receipts in destination countries? Previous research has either focused on the demand side factors (i.e. factors of demand in the origin countries) or on tourism as a long-run factor of economic growth. The research shows that a complementary perspective such as that offered by trade in a supply side perspective can render additional insights towards understanding tourism. This approach can explain why countries have absolute and comparative advantage. Another finding is that tourism as an export can be explained by some of the same destination factors that explain other service exports. Using different panel estimators the importance of supply side factors that are to some extent exclusive to tourism are demonstrated: the general price competitiveness of the destination, tourism infrastructure and the provision of safety. The econometric models also confirm the relevance of other conventional explanatory factors of trade in services such as GDP per capita and internet usage. The last part of the article analyses the welfare gains from trade under the general agreement on trade in services (GATS). The revenue (tourism receipt) effect is decomposed into a volume (arrival) and price effect. Results suggest that liberalisers under the GATS gained especially from a volume effect with average higher growth rates in the number of arrivals. There is also found to be a positive effect on the average income earned per tourist from being a liberaliser.


This paper aims to highlight some of the key issues surrounding the development and application of immigration law as it applies in the United Kingdom (UK) to refugees attempting to be reunited with their families living abroad. The right for refugees to be reunited with their families is enshrined in international law, but this is frequently frustrated by the legal and administrative systems used in the UK. Using content analysis and doctrinal analysis techniques, the paper provides an examination of how a philosophy which considers the emotional effects of the law, therapeutic jurisprudence, could be used not only to inform interpretation of current domestic laws, but also influence the drafting of future legislation. This is an aspect of current refugee law in the United Kingdom which has yet to be examined. It provides, we argue, a humanitarian direction to statutory interpretation which may provide tangible benefits to current and proposed legal systems.


One of the most frequent cytogenetic abnormalities in human leukemia and myelodysplasia is an interstitial deletion within chromosome 5q. A tumor suppressor gene has been hypothesized to lie in 5q31, the smallest commonly deleted region. IRF-1, a gene whose product manifests anti-oncogenic activity, was mapped to 5q31.1. IRF-1 lies between IL-5 and CDC25C and is centromeric to IL-3 and GM-CSF. Among these genes, only IRF-1 was consistently deleted at one or both alleles in 13 cases of leukemia or myelodysplasia with aberrations of 5q31. Inactivating rearrangements of one IRF-1 allele, accompanied by deletion of the second allele, were also identified in one case of acute leukemia. Thus, IRF-1 may be a critically deleted gene in human leukemia and myelodysplasia.


We describe a mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in which basal body associated striated fibers are absent or incomplete. Basal body spacing, angle, and relative rotational orientation are abnormal and extremely variable. Abnormal partitioning of cellular contents at cytokinesis is also evident. Mating, maintenance of flagellar length equality, and backward swimming response are normal. Genetic analysis indicates mutation of a new Mendelian gene--vfl-3--linked to the centromere of Chromosome VI.


Traditional Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for automobiles is usually accomplished through the use of estimated vehicle dynamics from simplified models. Starting with the conventional two degree-offreedom vehicle model, one can estimate the vehicle states from the driver steering input. From this estimate, vehicle sideslip angle can be found and this is generally used with a threshold value to initiate a control action. The input/output relationship of the model depends heavily on the accuracy of the parameters used and various means to correct model inaccuracies. Specifically, these models depend on the tire cornering stiffness which is prone to change with age and loading of the tires. Moreover, not all consumers will replace the original equipment (OE) tires with the same ones. Vehicle response is also directly related to coefficient of friction between the tire and road which varies with road and tire conditions. These issues may result in the degradation of the effectiveness of the ESC system. At the very least, they may require extensive tuning of the control algorithms. This thesis proposes a different method for estimating the instability of a vehicle. It is solely based on measurable vehicle dynamic response characteristics including lateral acceleration, yaw rate, speed, and driver steering input. These signals are appropriately conditioned and evaluated with fuzzy logic to determine the degree of instability present. When the "degree of instability" passes a certain threshold, the appropriate control action is applied to the vehicle in the form of differential yaw braking. Using only the measured response of the vehicle alleviates the problem of degraded performance when vehicle parameters change. Finally, ten case studies of different vehicles, configurations, environments, driver models, and maneuvers are tested with the same ESC strategy to examine the concept of stability control without estimation. Four very different vehicles ranging from a sports car to a sport utility vehicle (SUV) in multiple configurations including degraded rear tires and different loading conditions are used in evaluating the proposed ESC. These vehicles and configurations are subjected to multiple maneuvers including a double lane change and a fishhook maneuver with tire-to-road conditions such as split mu and low mu to simulate slippery road ii conditions. The main result of this research is the evolution of a new ESC concept where performance is not based on a vehicle model with set parameters that lose effectiveness in estimating the vehicle dynamic states when the vehicle changes. Instead, the algorithm relies only on the current measurable dynamic states of the vehicle to preserve stability.


Genetic and maternal non-genetic effects interact in shaping the phenotype of a particular trait. The strength of the genetic component determines whether selection pressure results in evolutionary changes in the population. The strength of the maternal non-genetic component can affect the pace of selection. In this study, we analysed genetic and maternal propagule size effects on propagule size production in the pondweed Potamogeton pectinatus. In particular, we analysed whether they interact significantly (i.e. whether both effects are additive, synergistic or antagonistic) and how they may influence the outcome of diversifying selection pressures in the field. Fifteen clones differing in the genetically determined size of asexual propagules (tubers) were grown for three asexual generations in a common-garden set-up. The first generation was grown from tubers collected from the field, the second from maternal tubers of comparable size, and the last from both small and large maternal tubers. Maternal tuber size had a large effect on all clones that was independent of their genetically determined tuber size - that is, genetic and maternal non-genetic effects were additive. Path analysis revealed that maternal tuber size affected tuber size and number similarly through its effect on biomass production (vegetative and total tuber production), while the genetic component had a direct effect on tuber size, associated with a trade-off with tuber number. Because the relationship between genetic and maternal non-genetic effects is additive, the outcome of diversifying selection related to tuber predation pressure by Bewick's swans and sediment heterogeneity will not be affected. However, since the maternal effect is large, variation around optimal sizes is likely to persist in the population, which is consistent with what is found in the field. [KEYWORDS: carry-over effects ; fennel pondweed ; propagule size; size-number trade-off; tuber size]


The authors have an ongoing research interest in the application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to the study of compatible polymer blend systems and, in particular, the role of intermolecular interactions in compatibilization. It was considered essential to obtain an independent measurement of the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the particular polymer blends used in our studies. Not having conventional light scattering equipment, it was decided to attempt to use our Raman spectrometer for these purposes. In this communication we describe the simple method employed and present preliminary results from three polymer blend systems. The results exceeded our expectations. The onset of phase separation is obvious, and the experimentally determined LCSTs are in accord with previously published data.


Game theory involves the study of how self-interested agents interact in various settings. Perhaps the best-known game theoretic solution concept is that of Nash equilibrium. However, Nash equilibrium makes a number of assumptions, such as rationality of all of the players and the ability of the players to choose the same equilibrium when more than one exists. Because of these assumptions, it is unclear if simply solving for Nash equilibrium is always the correct thing to do. In some settings, one player can instead credibly commit to a strategy, and communicate this to the other player, before the other player can make a decision. This has become known as a Stackelberg game. Computing optimal strategies to commit to in normal-form or Bayesian Stackelberg games is a topic that has recently been gaining attention, in part due to the application of such algorithms in various security and law enforcement scenarios. My work on Stackelberg games falls into three main areas.
First, I focus on general games, where we give efficient algorithms and hardness results for Bayesian, extensive-form and stochastic games. In each of these settings we study the relationship between different modeling assumptions and the tractability of finding an optimal strategy to commit to. For Bayesian games our results are mainly negative; we show that not only are the problems here NP-hard, but in many cases they are also inapproximable. Our results for extensive-form games are more mixed; we are able to give polynomial time algorithms for four cases. However, we also show that if we relax the assumptions made in these four cases, then the problem usually becomes NP-hard. Finally, our results for stochastic games are again somewhat negative, as we show that the problem is NP-hard is most reasonable cases. However, here we are also able to give an approximation algorithm to compute optimal commitment strategies in a setting where correlation is allowed.
I next focus on Stackelberg security games. Stackelberg security games usually involve the scheduling of scarce defense resources to cover some subset of potential targets. We first study methods for going from marginal solutions (which ignore overlapping coverage between different schedules) to valid mixed commitment strategies in graphical settings. Here we are able to characterize two new classes of games where mixed strategies corresponding to the marginal probabilities are guaranteed to exist, and give algorithms for finding them. Next, we offer a simple model of interdependencies between nodes in a network based on probabilistic failure cascades, extending the well-known independent cascade model of the spread of infectious diseases or ideas. We give an algorithm for this problem and experimentally show that this algorithm scales to realistic security settings and outperforms the state of-the-art alternatives. Finally, we create an approach for optimal interdiction of attack plans. We show how to model an attack plan interdiction problem as a large-scale integer linear program similar to an integer programming approach for solving partial satisfaction planning problems. We also give several oracle-based approaches for solving this and then evaluate them experimentally.
Third, I analyze how much benefit a player can derive from commitment in various types of games, in a quantitative sense that is similar to known concepts such as the value of mediation and the price of anarchy. To do this we introduce and study the value of pure commitment (the benefit of committing to a pure strategy), the value of mixed commitment (the benefit of committing to a mixed strategy), and the mixed vs. pure commitment ratio (how much can be gained by committing to a mixed strategy rather than a pure one).


There is a reason for adding to the series "Pleistocene vertebrates from Celebes", which was brought to a conclusion just a decade ago, and which has since been summarized, with bibliographic references, e.g., in Van Heekeren (1957) and Hooijer (1959, 1960). The discovery of a pygmy stegodont in the island of Flores, Lesser Sunda Islands (Hooijer, 1964) brought me to a reconsideration of the evidence for a pygmy Stegodon in Celebes, which was considered inconclusive at the time, and restudy of all the fragmentary specimens in the Celebes collection not included in the published reports. As a result, all doubt concerning its status is removed; the Celebes Stegodon is decidedly smaller than Stegodon trigonocephalus Martin from Java. The evidence will be presented in the pages that follow; it rounds off the account of the Pleistocene Celebes vertebrates. The pygmy elephantine Archidiskodon celebensis Hooijer (1949), nearly all the dental elements of which (including premolars and the lower tusk) are now known, is not the only proboscidean in the Pleistocene fauna of Celebes. In 1953 descriptions and figures were given of two unmistakable Stegodon molars (Hooijer, 1953), a left lower and a right upper, with basal widths of 60-63 mm, wider than the last molars of Archidiskodon celebensis (42-52 mm in M3, 41-44 mm in M3: Hooijer, 1954: 109 and 113). I could not, then, make up my mind as to whether these did represent the last molars, and left them as Stegodon spec. The stegodont molars differ from those of the pygmy archidiskodont in various characters, as follows: 1. The ridges are only two-thirds as high as wide in the unworn state, whereas in Archidiskodon celebensis the plates in M3 and M3 are higher


This paper describes an analytical vehicle model and a full-vehicle model that consider the effect of suspension geometry on steering pull and drift. Steering pull occurs when a driver applies steering wheel torque to keep a straight-line course, and steering drift means the tendency to deviate from the intended path with a free steering wheel. In designing a chassis system, it is crucial to establish a suspension insensitive to steering pull and drift regardless of manufacturing tolerances. Simulation results show that larger caster trail at the front wheel leads a less-sensitive vehicle towards steering pull and drift, since caster trail reduces the equilibrium slip angle difference between pull and drift by considerably changing the aligning moment diagram. These wheel alignment sensitivities are validated by experimental measurement of drift distance.


This article highlights some of the Waco Branch Davidian material holdings acquired by the Texas Collection at Baylor University and provides general information about the kinds of materials that have been acquired about this community and the siege and fire that occurred in 1993. I cite related materials in other collections to provide an overview of the kinds of records that are accessible, restricted, or inaccessible to the public regarding the David Koresh community and previous generations of religious communities who resided on the Mount Carmel property. To date, the collections at Baylor University and Texas State University––San Marcos are two of the most comprehensive efforts to preserve and provide access to a range of documentation about this community's history.


Received a Gold medal in 25th International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX'14), 8th-10th May at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.


Male pattern baldness can have substantial psychosocial effects, and it has been phenotypically linked to adverse health outcomes such as prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. We explored the genetic architecture of the trait using data from over 52,000 male participants of UK Biobank, aged 40-69 years. We identified over 250 independent novel genetic loci associated with severe hair loss. By developing a prediction algorithm based entirely on common genetic variants, and applying it to an independent sample, we could discriminate accurately (AUC = 0.82) between those with no hair loss from those with severe hair loss. The results of this study might help identify those at the greatest risk of hair loss and also potential genetic targets for intervention.


Mooring chains used to stabilise offshore floating platforms are often subjected to harsh environmental conditions on a daily basis, i.e. high tidal waves, storms etc. Chain breakage can lead to vessel drift and serious damage such as riser rupture, production shutdown and hydrocarbon release. Therefore, integrity assessment of chain links is vital, and regular inspection is mandatory for offshore structures. Currently, structural health monitoring of chain links is conducted using either remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), which are associated with high costs, or by manual means, which increases the risk to human operators. The development of climbing robots for mooring chain applications is still in its infancy due to the operational complexity and geometrical features of the chain. This thesis presents a Cartesian legged magnetic adhesion tracked-wheel crawler robot developed for mooring chain inspection. The crawler robot presented in this study is suitable for mooring chain climbing in air and the technique can be adapted for underwater use. The proposed robot addresses straight mooring chain climbing and a misaligned scenario that is commonly evident in in-situ conditions. The robot can be used as a platform to convey equipment, i.e. tools for non-destructive testing/evaluation applications. The application of ultrasound for in-service mooring chain inspection is still in the early stages due to lack of accessibility, in-field operational complexity and the geometrical features of mooring systems. With the advancement of robotic/automated systems (i.e. chain-climbing robotic mechanisms), interest in in-situ ultrasound inspection has increased. Currently, ultrasound inspection is confined to the weld area of the chain links. However, according to recent studies on fatigue and residual stresses, ultrasound inspection of the chain crown should be further investigated. A new automated application for ultrasonic phased-array full-matrix capture is discussed in this thesis for investigation of the chain crown. The concept of the chain-climbing robot and the inspection technique are validated with laboratory-based climbing experiments and presented in this thesis.


Abstract. Construction site monitoring is an essential task for keeping track of the ongoing construction work and providing up-to-date information for a Building Information Model (BIM). The BIM contains the as-planned states (geometry, schedule, costs, ...) of a construction project. For updating, the as-built state has to be acquired repeatedly and compared to the as-planned state. In the approach presented here, a 3D representation of the as-built state is calculated from photogrammetric images using multi-view stereo reconstruction. On construction sites one has to cope with several difficulties like security aspects, limited accessibility, occlusions or construction activity. Different acquisition strategies and techniques, namely (i) terrestrial acquisition with a hand-held camera, (ii) aerial acquisition using a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and (iii) acquisition using a fixed stereo camera pair at the boom of the crane, are tested on three test sites. They are assessed considering the special needs for the monitoring tasks and limitations on construction sites. The three scenarios are evaluated based on the ability of automation, the required effort for acquisition, the necessary equipment and its maintaining, disturbance of the construction works, and on the accuracy and completeness of the resulting point clouds. Based on the experiences during the test cases the following conclusions can be drawn: Terrestrial acquisition has the lowest requirements on the device setup but lacks on automation and coverage. The crane camera shows the lowest flexibility but the highest grade of automation. The UAV approach can provide the best coverage by combining nadir and oblique views, but can be limited by obstacles and security aspects. The accuracy of the point clouds is evaluated based on plane fitting of selected building parts. The RMS errors of the fitted parts range from 1 to a few cm for the UAV and the hand-held scenario. First results show that the crane camera approach has the potential to reach the same accuracy level.


In 2007, the United States began to experience its worst housing and foreclosure crisis since the Great Depression. In response, policymakers have been devising foreclosure prevention plans, most of which focus on loan modifications. ; This article begins with an overview of the different loss mitigation tools that mortgage lenders and policymakers have used in the past to combat foreclosure and then briefly summarizes the main U.S. programs of the past few years. By most analyses, the authors note, these recent programs have had poor results in terms of significantly reducing foreclosures, and borrowers who have received modifications are redefaulting at extremely high rates. ; The authors then review both the theoretical academic literature of the 1990s and early 2000s and the more recent empirical literature generated by the recent foreclosure crisis. Many of the recent studies have focused on loan modification as a loss mitigation tool. ; Given the limited success of government loan modification programs, the authors believe that policymakers will likely turn their attention to other alternatives. The authors point to signs that the focus is now shifting to programs that do not attempt to prevent foreclosures but rather try to help homeowners who have already experienced foreclosure.


This title includes rare firsthand accounts of slavery from across the Palmetto State collected together for the first time. Out of the hundreds of published slave narratives, only a handful exist specific to South Carolina, and most of these are not readily available to modern readers. Edited by Susanna Ashton, this collection restores to print seven slave narratives documenting the lived realities of slavery as it existed across the Palmetto State's upcountry, midlands, and lowcountry, from plantation culture to urban servitude. First published between the late eighteenth century and the dawn of the twentieth, these richly detailed firsthand accounts present a representative cross section of slave experiences, from religious awakenings and artisan apprenticeships to sexual exploitations and harrowing escapes. In their distinctive individual voices, narrators celebrate and mourn the lives of fellow slaves, contemplate the meaning of freedom, and share insights into the social patterns and cultural controls exercised during a turbulent period in American history. Each narrative is preceded by an introduction to place its content and publication history in historical context. The volume also features an afterword surveying other significant slave narratives and related historical documents on South Carolina. "I Belong to South Carolina" reinserts a chorus of powerful voices of the dispossessed into South Carolina's public history, reminding us of the cruelties of the past and the need for vigilant guardianship of liberty in the present and future.


For adults with intellectual disabilities, the opportunity to att end a postsecondary institution is increasingly becoming reality. Although there is a growing body of literature documenting examples of inclusive postsecondary education, there is a lack of information detailing the experiences of pre-service teacher candidates (TCs) who are enrolled in inclusive courses. The pur pose of this interview study using case-study methods was to describe the challenges and benefits of a n inclu-sive class in a 1-year, aft er-degree professional teacher education program from the perspectives of 5 TCs enrolled in a course audited by a young woman with an ID, as well as from the perspective of the course instructor. The cl assmates and course instructor provided positive responses regarding their experiences in the inclusive class, such as seeing inclusion in practice. Negative responses con-cerned whether or not a curriculum class in the teacher education program was the right fit for the s tudent with ID. ISSN 1918-5227 Pages 37- 54


This thesis offers principles for Christian mission in the present Western milieu derived from a retrieval of the missiology in post-war Scotland of Tom Allan. Allan was a minister, evangelist and theologian of particular public prominence in Scotland and beyond in the period from 1946 to 1964. His missiology focused upon the 'apostolate of the laity' through the 'contextualisation' of Christianity and Church. It was drawn from diverse, rich sources in Scottish and European theology and tradition. Allan's gift was to collate and apply such influences contextually to two working-class parishes in Glasgow, and to articulate them within his seminal work on lay evangelism, The Face of My Parish. From 1953 to 1955, Allan was the Field Director of the 'Tell Scotland' Movement, which sought to implement his missiology on a national scale. The decision, at Allan's instigation, to invite Billy Graham to conduct the 'All-Scotland Crusade' of 1955 diverted attention from Allan's lay missiological focus, fatally polarised the differences in emphasis within the Movement, and has since tainted the perception of mission in Scotland. Following consideration of the implementation of Allan's model of mission, analysis is undertaken of his sources and inspirations, of the underlying causes of the triumphs and failures of his model, and of Allan's place in mission theology. In particular, inherent tensions are considered between aspects of the model which together straddle the 'modern' and 'postmodern' to form a 'tale of two paradigms'; such as the reliance on the institutional Church as both agent and object of mission or the utilisation of mass evangelism, in contrast with the overarching purpose of the lay formation of a New Testament koinonia by a 'congregational group'. Consideration of Allan's work is thereafter broadened by considering several contemporaneous streams which further enhanced 'contextualisation' of both mission and Church, to be exercised by and for ordinary people: the East Harlem Protestant Parish; the Gorbals Group Ministry; and Robert Mackie, Ian Fraser and Scottish Churches House. Then viewing the work of Allan and his contemporaries through the lens of present global missiology and sociological theory, general principles are derived for mission now. Such principles form the basis of a model within 'late modernity' of contextual mission which might move beyond the private/public constraint on religious expression. It is a model of 'local' mission in conversation with the 'global', by the empowerment of the laity to act within the 'micro-cultures' which they inhabit. It is a model which re-asserts the primacy of the 'whole people of God'; seeking the organic growth of koinonia with or without reference to the institutional Church; through a 'both/and' missiology of word and deed; exercising 'prophetic dialogue' in 'bold humility'; in cross-cultural translation as a two-way process towards a fuller 'interculturation'.


We present Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared IRS spectra, supplemented by ground-based optical observations, of the classical novae V1974 Cyg, V382 Vel, and V1494 Aql more than 11, 8, and 4 years after outburst, respectively. The spectra are dominated by forbidden emission from neon and oxygen, though in some cases, there are weak signatures of magnesium, sulfur, and argon. We investigate the geometry and distribution of the late time ejecta by examination of the emission line profiles. Using nebular analysis in the low-density regime, we estimate lower limits on the abundances in these novae. In V1974 Cyg and V382 Vel, our observations confirm the abundance estimates presented by other authors and support the claims that these eruptions occurred on ONe white dwarfs (WDs). We report the first detection of neon emission in V1494 Aql and show that the system most likely contains a CO WD.


The article describes a conflict in the first half of the 1970s in the French merchant navy, when the government opened this sector up to sailors from other countries of the European Community. The European Court of Justice ruled against France in this matter. This case highlights the relationships between unions, workers and immigration, as well as the political role of Community institutions. The study refers to the documents of the Ministry of Transport, the National Assembly, the Senate, the CGT labour union, the European Commission, the European Court of Justice and the Council of the European Communities. The article shows how widespread xenophobia was in the French merchant navy. It also reveals the role of the Community's institutional framework in enforcing international agreements and thereby maintaining a European balance.


Experimental data and finite element simulations of an anthropometric surrogate headform was used to evaluate the effect of specimen location and orientation on surface pressures following shock exposures of varying intensity. It was found that surface pressure distributions changed with local flow field disturbances, mak-ing it necessary to use data reduction strategies to facilitate comparisons between test locations, shock wave intensities and headform orientations. Non-dimensional parameters, termed amplification factors, were developed to permit direct comparisons of pressure waveform characteristics between incident shock waves differing in intensity, irrespective of headform location and orientation. This approach proved to be a sensitive metric, highlighting the flow field disturbances which exist in different locations and indicating how geometric factors strongly influence the flow field and surface pressure distribution.


We present the first 40-Gb/s widely tunable electroabsorption modulator (EAM)-based transmitters. The sampled-grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (SG-DBR) laser/EAM devices were fabricated using a multiple-band-edge-quantum-well-intermixing (QWI) technique, which requires only simple blanket regrowth and avoids disruption of the axial waveguide. Devices were fabricated from two different multiple quantum well (MQW) active-region designs for direct comparison. The SG-DBR lasers demonstrated 30 nm of tuning with output powers up to 35 mW. The integrated QW EAMs provided 3-dB optical modulation bandwidths in the 35-39 GHz range, low-drive voltage (1.0-1.5 VPtoP), and low/negative-chirp operation. Bit-error-rate measurements at 40 Gb/s demonstrated 0.2-1.1 dB of power penalty for transmission through 2.3 km of standard fiber


In mental health, as in other medical disciplines, the role of the professional is changing. The availability of information, enhanced roles of other healthcare professionals and changes in training have altered the doctor-patient relationship and left professionals accountable to the needs of clients, politicians, policy makers and funding agencies. This book seeks to redefine the professional role of the specialist mental health worker by bringing perspectives from leading experts from both developed and developing countries, and also from a wide range of professionals in the field of law, medical ethics, education and medical leadership. Uniquely, it also looks at the views of patients and next-generation psychiatrists. It will be of interest to those involved in providing mental healthcare as well as those responsible for health policy initiatives and training.