A convenient short-term in vitro assay, the inhibition of Epstein-Barr virus
(EBV) activation induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and sodium n-
butyrate was conducted to detect the naturally occurring anti-tumour promoters of
133 vegetables and fruits. Forty-two plants showed strong inhibitory activity, 33
plants showed moderate inhibitory activity, 21 plants were found to be weakly active
and 37 plants were inactive. Coleus tuberosus, Benth was chosen for further study
because it showed the strongest activity. Phytosterols (CT 1) and 2a,3p.dihydroxyl-12-oleanen-28-oic-acid (CT 2) were isolated from Coleus tuberosus, Benth based on
bioassay-guided fractionation. CT 1 was identified as a mixture consisting of
stigmasterol (32.0%), campesterol (27.7%) and β-sitosterol (40.3%) by gas
chromatography. CT 2 was established as 2a,3p.dihydroxy- 12-oleanen-28-oic acid
Five plants that showed the highest anti-tumour promoting activity namely, Carica
papaya, Ba"ingtonia macrostachya, Coleus tuberosus, Mangifera indica and
Eugenia polyantha also exhibited strong antioxidant activity compared to a-
tocopherol in the ferric thiocyanate (FTC) method and showed more than 60% inhibition rate in the xantbinelxanthine oxidase system. Those plants mentioned
above did not exhibit any activity in scavenging stable DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-
picrylbydrazyl) radicals and hydrogen peroxide stim.. in differentiated HL 60
cells by PMA. Isolated compounds CT 1 and CT 2 and commercial standards
campesterol, stigmasterol, and ,β-sitosterol were also tested for their antioxidant
activity. Campesterol, CT I, stigmasterol, and ,β-sitosterol demonstrated more than
50010 inhibition rate in scavenging superoxide anion induced in the xanthine/xanthine
oxidase system. CT 2 showed an inhibition rate of 46.62%. Campesterol, CT 1 and
,β-sitosterol showed more than 50% inhibition rate at 2 µg/ml in scavenging
hydrogen peroxide induced in differentiated Hl. 60 cells, but CT 2 and stigmasterol,
attained an inhibition rate of only 32.97% and 16.37%, respectively. All compounds
did not exhibit any activity in scavenging stable DPPH radicals. Campesterol, CT 1,
CT 2, stigmasterol and ,β-sitosterol were found to have very strong anti-tumour
promoting activity and their ICso were determined as 2 µg/ml, 0.7 µg/ml, 0.1 µg/ml,
0.6 µg/ml and 1 µg/ml, respectively. The optimum combination effect of
stigmasterol, P.sitosterol and campesterol towards the anti-tumour promoting activity
was obtained at 40 µg/ml of each compound analysed by the response surface
methodology (RSM). Campesterol was assessed to cause a negative interaction to p
sitosterol, while, stigmasterol caused a negative interaction to campesterol at
concentrations higher than 20 µg/ml. Immunoblotting analysis was used as a
confirmation test for the detection of the EBV early antigen EA-D and EA-R EA-D
was detected as a darker band of about 50-52 kDa while EA-R showed up as a fade
band of about 85 kDa. In conclusion, CT 1 and CT 2 were found to show strong
anti-tumour promoting activity. This supports the assumption that the consumption of vegetables and fruits is a highly recommended strategy for cancer
chemoprevention and can be a practical approach to control cancer.


In his reflections on poetry's social significance in times of conflict, Seamus Heaney quotes a low-point in T. S. Eliot's wartime morale--a letter written to E. Martin Brown in October, 1942: In the midst of what is going on now, It is bard, when yon sit down at a desk, to feel confident that morning after morning spent fiddling with words and rhythms is justified activity[...]. And on the other hand, external or public activity is more of a drug than is this solitary toil which often seems so pointless. (1) It is comforting, if incongruous, to catch the usually Olympian Eliot in a moment of such candid self-doubt. Incongruous, especially in light of the industrious way in which he went about his literary business throughout the War years: in addition to "fiddling with words and rhythms" (he wrote three of the Four Quartets and several other minor poems), Eliot published more than seventy short pieces of expository prose during the War, and kept up a full schedule of radio talks and public lectures, even making the journey to Dublin in 1940 amid increasingly strict travel bans to deliver the inaugural Yeats lecture there. In the midst of this crisis, where no less was at stake than the "legacy of Rome, Greece, and Israel"--in other words European culture itself--Eliot launched a wide-ranging campaign of "public activity" to defend culture, especially poetry, and its place in society. The ongoing war both frames and shapes these lectures, speeches and essays, and Eliot makes clear in them that the link between a healthy and active poetry and a peaceful and prosperous nation is fundamental. The best known of these efforts is "The Social Function of Poetry," but that essay represents only the beginnings of Eliot's wartime socio-poetical theory. The ideas presented there undergo considerable development as the war progresses, fully maturing when peace finally opens the possibility of reconstruction and reconciliation. In these pieces, often delivered as talks to refugee and ex-patriot associations in London, Eliot proposes what he calls an "organic unity" of European culture, in which local, national, and international cultures combine and influence one-an other in mutually respectful and salutary ways. It is, in the final analysis, a paradigm for political as well as cultural peace. What may surprise some readers, especially those whose image of Eliot is, as Cynthia Ozick has written, as an "autocratic, inhibited, depressed, rather narrow-minded, and considerably bigoted fake Englishman," (2) in other words as the imperious personification of official "high culture" which must be overthrown to make room for the unrecognized or underprivileged literary modes--what may surprise those who subscribe to this view is the degree to which Eliot's model for social and cultural renewal draws its strength from the diversity--we may even say "ethnicity"--of its constituent parts. World War II was the second war that Eliot witnessed, and his response to its prosecution and denouement was informed by his experiences during and after World War I. Though Eliot had not been allowed to fight in the Great War, he had been involved to a small but significant degree in the normalization of relations that followed the peace. In 1920 he was put in charge of settling all pre-War debts between Germans and Lloyd's Bank, a complex task which familiarized him with intricacies of "that appalling document," the Treaty of Versailles. (3) Eliot had already read and had been deeply influenced by John Maynard Keynes's The Economic Consequences of the Peace (1919), where he found ample corroboration of his own misgivings concerning that treaty. (4) Eliot was among those many contemporary observers who considered it a dangerous folly for the European victors to punish and plunder their defeated neighbors. The Waste Land draws in many ways on this foreboding. Another response, at least partially, was the founding of the Criterion magazine in the summer of 1922, in which Eliot actively sought the collaboration of "men of letters" from across the European continent. …


Previous observations indicate that "CD5 B lymphocytes" are preferentially clustered in gut‐related mesenchymal areas, such as peritoneum, thymus and tonsils. We have now found that pleuropericardial spaces contain an homogeneous population of large‐sized, noncycling, nonsecretory B cells, expressing very high levels of surface IgM, little or no IgD, Mac‐1 and low levels of B220. This phenotype and the over‐representation of some antibody clonotypes suggest that the pleuropericardial cavity contains a pure "CD5 B cell" population. In all mouse strains analyzed, however, many of these cells are CD5−. These findings, together with the common origin of peritoneum and pleural layers in the primitive coelomic cavity, suggest that such B cells differentiate locally from intraembryonic precursors; we propose to designate them as "coelomic", to distinguish them from "stromal", bone marrow‐derived B cells.


Population ageing will be the dominant feature of the world's demographic landscape in the coming decades, raising concerns about labor productivity and about economic outcomes at both the individual, enterprise, and macro levels. The articles in this special issue of Labour Economics define and address key issues with respect to the interplay of ageing, workforce productivity, and economic performance. Taken as a whole, the articles dispel some of the concerns, sharpen our understanding of others, and highlight behavioural changes, business practice adaptations, and public policy reforms that can offset the economic effects of population ageing.


A confidential program should not allow any information about its secret inputs to be inferred from its public outputs. As such confidentiality is difficult to achieve in practice, it has been proposed in literature to evaluate security of programs by computing the amount of information it leaks. In this thesis, we consider the problem of computing information leaked by a deterministic program and use the information-theoretic measure of min-entropy to quantify the amount of information. The main challenge in computing information leakage by a program using min-entropy is that one has to count the number of distinct outputs by that program. We find a polynomial-time reduction from the problem of counting outputs to the problem of checking safety in programs. Thus we propose a hypothesis that we can estimate leakage using model checking tools which are originally developed for checking safety. We test the above hypothesis using two popular model checking tools, jMoped and Getafix. Our tests indicate that they do not scale as the number of bits in the input increases. However, we find that if the program enjoys the additional property of semi-monotonicity then we can use a different reduction to the problem of checking safety. We observe a dramatic improvement in performance with this new reduction.


Feature selection has been studied in machine learning and data mining for many years, and is a valuable way to improve classification accuracy while reducing model complexity. Two main classes of feature selection methods - filter and wrapper - discard those features which are not selected, and do not consider them in the predictive model. We propose that these unselected features may instead be used as an additional source of information at train time. We describe a strategy called Learning using Unselected Features (LUFe) that allows selected and unselected features to serve different functions in classification. In this framework, selected features are used directly to set the decision boundary, and unselected features are utilised in a secondary role, with no additional cost at test time. Our empirical results on 49 textual datasets show that LUFe can improve classification performance in comparison with standard wrapper and filter feature selection.


In the 1970s and 1980s the countries of Latin America dealt with their similar debt problems in very different ways--ranging from militantly market-oriented approaches to massive state intervention in their economies--while their political systems headed toward either democracy or authoritarianism. Applying the tools of modern political economy to a developing-country context, Jeffry Frieden analyzes the different patterns of national economic and political behavior that arose in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela. This book will be useful to those interested in comparative politics, international studies, development studies, and political economy more generally. "Jeffry Frieden weaves together a powerful theoretical framework with comparative case studies of the region's five largest debtor states. The result is the most insightful analysis to date of how the interplay between politics and economics in post-war Latin America set the stage for the dramatic events of the 1980s."--Carol Wise, Center for Politics and Policy, Claremont Graduate School


Currently film is being replaced by electronic detectors for portal imaging in radiation therapy. This development offers obvious advantages such as on-line quality assurance and digital images that can easily be accessed, processed and communicated. In spite of the improvements, the image quality has not been significantly enhanced, partly since the quantum efficiency compared to film is essentially the same, and the new electronic devices also suffer from sensitivity to the harsh radiation environment. In this thesis we propose a third generation electronic portal imaging device with increased quantum efficiency and potentially higher image quality.Due to the parallel readout capability it is much faster than current devices, providing at least 200 frames per second (fps), and would even allow for a quality assurance and adaptive actions after each accelerator pulse. The new detector is also sensitive over a broader range of energies (10 keV - 50 MeV) and can be used to obtain diagnostic images immediately prior to the treatment without repositioning the patient. The imaging could be in the form of portal imaging or computed tomography. The new detector is based on a sandwich design containing several layers of Gas Electron Multipliers (GEMs) in combination with, or integrated with, perforated converter plates. The charge created by the ionizing radiation is drifted to the bottom of the assembly where a tailored readout system collects and digitizes the charge. The new readout system is further designed in such a way that no sensitive electronics is placed in the radiation beam and the detector is expected to be radiation resistant since it consists mainly of kapton, copper and gas.A single GEM detector was responding linearly when tested with a 50 MV photon beam at a fluence rate of ~1010 photons mm-2 s-1 during 3-5 μs long pulses, but also with x-ray energies of 10-50 keV at a fluence rate of up to ~108 photons mm-2 s-1. The electron transmission of a 100 μm thick Cu plate with an optical transparency of ~46% was found to be ~15.4%, i.e. the effective hole transmission for the electrons was about one third of the hole area. A low effective GEM gain is enough to compensate for the losses in converters of this dimension. A prototype for the dedicated electronic readout system was designed with 50 x 100 pixels at a pitch of 1.27 mm x 1.27 mm. X-ray images were achieved with a single GEM layer and also in a double GEM setup with a converter plate interleaved. To verify the readout speed a Newton pendulum was imaged at a frame rate of 70 fps and alpha particles were imaged in 188 fps. The experimental studies indicates that the existing prototype can be developed as a competitive alternative for imaging in radiation therapy.


Longitudinal surface structures ("flowstripes") are common on many glaciers but their origin and significance are poorly understood. In this paper we present observations of the development of these longitudinal structures from four different Antarctic glacier systems; the Lambert Glacier/Amery Ice Shelf area, the Taylor and Ferrar Glaciers in the Ross Sea sector, Crane and Jorum Glaciers (ice-shelf tributary glaciers) on the Antarctic Peninsula, and the onset zone of a tributary to the Recovery Glacier Ice Stream in the Filchner Ice Shelf area. Mapping from optical satellite images demonstrates that longitudinal surface structures develop in two main situations: (1) as relatively wide flow stripes within glacier flow units and (2) as relatively narrow flow stripes where there is convergent flow around nunataks or at glacier confluence zones. Our observations indicate that the confluence features are narrower, sharper, and more clearly defined features. They are characterised by linear troughs or depressions on the ice surface and are much more common than the former type. Longitudinal surface structures within glacier flow units have previously been explained as the surface expression of localised bed perturbations but a universal explanation for those forming at glacier confluences is lacking. Here we propose that these features are formed at zones of ice acceleration and extensional flow at glacier confluences. We provide a schematic model for the development of longitudinal surface structures based on extensional flow that can explain their ridge and trough morphology as well as their down-ice persistence.


Advances in processor technology have made it possible to use general-purpose computers as real-time digital signal processors in musical composition and multimedia applications. Real-time software synthesis and audio coding algorithms execute differently on different host hardware and operating systems. Our work explores the suitability of scalable sound representations for heterogeneous hosts and networks. The model we have developed is based on asynchronous granular synthesis. Two different representations are included in our model; an unbound granular model and a traditional grid-like structure. The first model allows the most flexibility for the composer, an almost unbound range of granular data of unlimited density can be used, and scheduling in the synthesiser decides which grains should be used at any one time. This is normally dependant on available computation time and the quality of output required by the application. The grid model was developed so that we could apply a similar level of real-time adaptation to natural sound signals. This paper concentrates on the design of a real-time asynchronous granular synthesis system, with scalability achieved through both real-time scheduling and continuously varying rendering quality. Experimental results are presented which show the behaviour of the synthesis system across a variety of hosts. Also presented is an analysis of how the extensive optimisation affects the audio quality in the synthesis system. (6 pages)


Periodicity is a frequently happening phenomenon for moving objects. Finding periodic behaviors is essential to understanding object movements. However, periodic behaviors could be complicated, involving multiple interleaving periods, partial time span, and spatiotemporal noises and outliers. In this paper, we address the problem of mining periodic behaviors for moving objects. It involves two sub-problems: how to detect the periods in complex movement, and how to mine periodic movement behaviors. Our main assumption is that the observed movement is generated from multiple interleaved periodic behaviors associated with certain reference locations. Based on this assumption, we propose a two-stage algorithm, Periodica, to solve the problem. At the first stage, the notion of observation spot is proposed to capture the reference locations. Through observation spots, multiple periods in the movement can be retrieved using a method that combines Fourier transform and autocorrelation. At the second stage, a probabilistic model is proposed to characterize the periodic behaviors. For a specific period, periodic behaviors are statistically generalized from partial movement sequences through hierarchical clustering. Empirical studies on both synthetic and real data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.


Linear models of bidirectional reflectance distribution are useful tools for understanding the angular variability of surface reflectance as observed by medium-resolution sensors such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer. These models are operationally used to normalize data to common view and illumination geometries and to calculate integral quantities such as albedo. Currently, to compensate for noise in observed reflectance, these models are inverted against data collected during some temporal window for which the model parameters are assumed to be constant. Despite this, the retrieved parameters are often noisy for regions where sufficient observations are not available. This paper demonstrates the use of Lagrangian multipliers to allow arbitrarily large windows and, at the same time, produce individual parameter sets for each day even for regions where only sparse observations are available.


This paper explores the Dutch concept ' probeerruimte ' in relation to the statement 'human as a contested concept', a highly relevant topic in disability studies. Probeerruimte encompasses the idea that people need space to 'try things out', a liminal space that facilitates personal development. It was conceived in a context where institutional practices exerted restrictive control over the lives of people with learning difficulties, denying them rights to self-determination and personal growth, rights that are integral to experiences of 'being human'. The concept emerged about 20 years ago, and was revived during two studies conducted in 2014 and 2015.  The studies, commissioned by Disability Studies in Nederland (DSiN), explored perceptions of social inclusion. Study findings reveal the significance of associated concepts, inclusive of connectivity, citizenship, liminal spaces, and 'risk taking'. Of critical importance is the need to challenge hegemonic practices that all too often disempower people with learning difficulties, remove their rights and, relegate their status to below citizenship. This paper addresses the relevance of probeerruimte for people with learning difficulties, from their perspectives, and examines how institutions can facilitate this process. Opinions from 'all people' involved in the conversation are used as data so as not to 'label' or make too strict a distinction between people with or without learning difficulties. The authors affirm the need to create probeerruimte to facilitate varied ways of existing. Ideally these ways of existing will promote opportunities for people with learning difficulties to engage in meaningful spaces, affirm their rights to citizenship and recognise their humanity.


Semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) fluoresce in the near-IR and are promising as optical sensors when functionalized to enable analyte recognition. SWCNT sensors with enhanced fluorescence emission have been hypothesized to have greater sensitivities, and reductive brightening reagents, such as dithiothreitol (DTT) and Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid), enhance SWCNT brightness. The authors examine the effect of Trolox and DTT on the sensitivity of a nitric oxide (NO) sensor and report that the NO sensitivity is reduced. The NO adsorption rate decreases from 0.0007 ± 0.00003 to 0.000 3± 0.00003 and 0.0004 ± 0.0001 s-1 μM-1 upon pretreatment of 1 mM Trolox and 1 mM DTT, resp. These results are consistent with a model where Trolox and DTT are competitive binding agents with NO, occupying one of a finite no. of available SWCNT binding sites and altering the NO binding strength. In the use of brightening agents, a trade-off is predicted between signal intensity and analyte sensitivity. [on SciFinder(R)]


The topic of quality assurance and management gains increasing interest by society, medical professionals, carriers of health expenses and government. In this review the most important terms borrowed from industry and management will be critically explained to persons employed in Health Systems in particular. Beside numerous novel quality terms, closer attention is paid to the Donabedian model, extended by indicational quality, audits, tracer systems, ISO models, technology assessment, total quality management, new control mechanisms in health care and costs. In the context of structural changes in society and medicine the new aspects of quality are featured as a real chance for a 'healthy' Public System and not as a threat.


Since 1971, when the Pentagon Papers were leaked to the New York Times and furious debate over First Amendment rights ensued, free-speech cases have emerged in rapid succession. Floyd Abrams has been on the front lines of nearly every one of these major cases, which is also to say that, more than any other person, he has forged this country's legal understanding of free speech. Litigating everything from national-security and prior-restraint issues to controversies concerning the law of libel and attempts by local officials to censor art, Abrams has worked devotedly to protect the First Amendment, the "crown jewel" of America's Constitution. This collection of Abrams's writings gathers speeches, articles, debates, briefs, oral arguments, and testimony from his entire career. The writings illuminate topics of ongoing import: WikiLeaks, the correctness of the Citizens United case, journalist shield laws, and, not least, the responsibilities of the press. An exceptional writer and a brilliant thinker, Abrams offers a unique perspective on the First Amendment and the unparalleled rights it confers.


An effective emission model of phosphor film is proposed by using bidirectional scattering distribution function system (BSDF), and the model is verified by white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with conformal and remote phosphor structure. The emission model is built to clarify the optical characteristics by analyzing the angular-dependent distribution of emission and excitation behaviors in phosphor film. The white LEDs with conformal and remote phosphor structure are also fabricated for experimental comparison. The uniformity of angular correlated color temperature (CCT) in white LEDs can be determined by the angular distribution of blue and yellow light, which is in turns decided by the refractive index variation between chip a©nd phosphor layers. Finally, the experimental results are found to have good agreement with the simulation results performing by the Monte Carlo method.


The diversity and structure of the archaeal community in the effluent leachate from a full-scale recirculating landfill was characterized by direct 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA) retrieval. Total-community DNA was extracted from the microbial assemblages in the landfill leachate, and archaeal 16S rDNAs were amplified with a universally conserved primer and an Archaea-specific primer. The amplification product was then used to construct a 16S rDNA clone library, and 70 randomly selected archaeal clones in the library were grouped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of representatives from each unique RFLP type showed that the archaeal library was dominated by methanogen-like rDNAs. Represented in the kingdom of Euryarchaeota were phylotypes highly similar to the methanogenic genera Methanoculleus, Methanosarcina, Methanocorpusculum, Methanospirillum and Methanogenium, where the clone distribution was 48, 11, 3, 1 and 1, respectively. No sequences related to known Methanosaeta spp. were retrieved. Four rDNA clones were not affiliated with the known methanogenic Archaea, but instead, they were clustered with the uncultured archaeal sequences recently recovered from anaerobic habitats. Two chimeric sequences were identified among the clones analyzed.


Bayesian optimization methods are promising for the optimization of black-box functions that are expensive to evaluate. In this paper, a novel batch Bayesian optimization approach is proposed. The parallelization is realized via a multi-objective ensemble of multiple acquisition functions. In each iteration, the multi-objective optimization of the multiple acquisition functions is performed to search for the Pareto front of the acquisition functions. The batch of inputs are then selected from the Pareto front. The Pareto front represents the best trade-off between the multiple acquisition functions. Such a policy for batch Bayesian optimization can significantly improve the efficiency of optimization. The proposed method is compared with several state-of-the-art batch Bayesian optimization algorithms using analytical benchmark functions and real-world analog integrated circuits. The experimental results show that the proposed method is competitive compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms.


To understand drivers' decisions and actions at grade crossings, we examined human factors contributing to noncompliance at grade crossings using a sociotechnical framework. This perspective allows driver behavior at grade crossings to be examined not as individual elements but rather as a function of how each element interacts with other elements within the system. In this paper, we present a model that addresses driver decision-making at grade crossings at a systems level. We identify and describe four elements of the grade crossing system influencing driver compliance: the design of the grade crossing environment, driver characteristics, the role of organizations and management, and social and political forces. We then apply the model to identify how failure to consider safety from a systems perspective contributed to the grade crossing accident that occurred in Fox River Grove, Illinois, in 1995.


Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the morphological study of palatal rugae pattern in a central Indian population and to determine sex differentiation. Objectives: To investigate the distinctive rugae patterns of the study population and determine the contribution of rugae patterns in gender identification. Material and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted among a Central Indian population with a sample size of 500 participants. The study involved 250 males and 250 females who were randomly selected from the outpatient department of Oral Medicine Diagnosis and Radiology, Hitkarini Dental College and Hospital, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. After collection of impression, casts were made and analyzed to evaluate the palatal rugae pattern in a central Indian population by using Thomas and Kotze classification (1983) for number, shape, direction, and unification of palatal rugae pattern. The statistical analysis was carried out using Mann–Whitney test and Chi-square (χ2) tests for categorical variables. Result: Males showed more number of rugae than females [P = 0.00 (≤0.001)]. Males had more number of wavy rugae pattern whereas females showed more number of straight rugae patterns [P = 0.00 (≤0.001)]. Males showed more backwardly directed rugae whereas females showed more forwardly directed rugae [P = 0.00 (≤0.001)]. The unification did not show any significant difference. Conclusion: This study showed that there was a significant relationship between palatoscopy, human identification, and sex determination. Thus, palatoscopy can be considered as a cost effective, easy, unique, and stable method for human identification.


We propose and investigate a novel solution strategy to efficiently and accurately compute approximate solutions to semilinear optimal control problems, focusing on the optimal control of phase field formulations of geometric evolution laws. The optimal control of geometric evolution laws arises in a number of applications in fields including material science, image processing, tumour growth anda cell motility. In the current work we focus on a phase field formulation of the optimal control problem, hence exploiting the well developed mathematical theory for the optimal control of semilinear parabolic partial differential equations. Approximation of the resulting optimal control problem is computationally challenging, requiring massive amounts of computational time and memory storage. The main focus of this work is to propose, derive, implement and test an efficient solution method for such problems. The solver for the discretised partial differential equations is based upon a geometric multigrid method incorporating advanced techniques to deal with the nonlinearities in the problem and utilising adaptive mesh refinement. An in-house two-grid solution strategy for the forward and adjoint problems, that significantly reduces memory requirements and CPU time, is proposed and investigated computationally. Furthermore, parallelisation as well as an adaptivestep gradient update for the control are employed to further improve efficiency. Along with a detailed description of our proposed solution method together with its implementation we present a number of computational results that demonstrate and evaluate our algorithms with respect to accuracy and efficiency. A highlight of the present work is simulation results on the optimal control in 3-D which would be computationally infeasible without the solution strategies proposed in the present work.


OBJECTIVE To establish the minimum toxic dose of isoniazid in dogs, characterize the clinical signs and outcomes for dogs following isoniazid ingestion, and determine whether IV administration of pyridoxine to dogs with isoniazid toxicosis is protective against death. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 137 dogs with isoniazid toxicosis. PROCEDURES The electronic database of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center was reviewed from January 2004 through December 2014 to identify dogs with isoniazid toxicosis. For each dog identified, information extracted from the medical record included signalment, estimated dose of isoniazid ingested, clinical signs, treatment, and outcome. Follow-up communication with pet owners or primary care veterinarians was performed when necessary to obtain missing information. RESULTS Clinical signs of isoniazid toxicosis were observed in 134 of 137 (98%) dogs and included seizures (n = 104), CNS signs without seizures (94), and gastrointestinal (41), cardiovascular (19), urogenital (4), and respiratory (1) abnormalities. Of the 87 dogs for which the outcome was available, 61 survived, 18 died, and 8 were euthanized. Probability of survival was positively associated with body weight and IV administration of pyridoxine and negatively associated with dose of isoniazid ingested and presence of seizures. Dogs that received pyridoxine IV were 29 times as likely to survive as dogs that did not receive pyridoxine IV. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated rapid diagnosis of isoniazid toxicosis and prompt treatment of affected dogs with pyridoxine and other supportive care were imperative for achieving a successful outcome.


Sedimentation and diffusion are important aspects of the behavior of colloidal nanoparticles in solution, and merit attention during the synthesis, characterization, and application of nanoparticles. Here, the sedimentation of nanoparticles is studied quantitatively using digital photography and a simple model based on the Mason–Weaver equation. Good agreement between experimental time‐lapse photography and numerical solutions of the model is found for a series of gold nanoparticles. The new method is extended to study for the first time the gravitational sedimentation of DNA‐linked gold nanoparticle dimers as a model system of a higher complexity structure. Additionally, simple formulas are derived for estimating suitable parameters for the preparative centrifugation of nanoparticle solutions.


The topic of this thesis is the intersection of a structured hexahedral grid and
one or more triangle meshes. The interest in the problem has arisen in connection with a finite volume method for simulation of conjugated heat transfer.
In the particular finite volume method, axis-aligned hexahedra are used for the
discretization of the simulation domain, and solids are represented by triangle
meshes. The heat equation is discretized over the hexahedral cells. Special
treatment is needed in the cells that are intersected by the surface of the solid.
In these cells, the solid temperature is found after discretization of the heat
equation over the solid part of the cell.

To implement the above, it is of great importance to find the geometry of
the cut cells. Of particular interest is the solid volume fraction of a cell, and
the solid area fraction of the cell faces. The solid volume fraction is defined as
the fraction of the hexahedral cell that is intersected by the solid. Similarly, the
solid area fraction is defined for each cell face as the fraction of the face that is
intersected by the solid.

Two algorithms for calculation of the solid volume fraction and the solid area fractions are presented. One algorithm is exact, and the other is approximate. The algorithms are extended to handle double surfaces, which is a common mesh degeneracy in engineering applications. A double surface is two
layers of coplanar triangles, formed when the triangles are put on top of each
other.

The handling of double surfaces is an extension of similar algorithms, which
only handle non degenerate triangle meshes. This work is a step towards an algorithm that can be used with such meshes without preprocessing through a
repair algorithm. A mesh repair method could be adopted, if available, but that
is not always desirable since the existing repair algorithms could fail in removing the degeneracies without introducing unwanted side effects. This motivates
the need for an algorithm that handles degenerate triangle meshes.

The algorithms are validated against a geometry from an industrial application, which includes a double surface. It is concluded that the exact algorithm
is independent of cell size, while the approximate algorithm is second order
accurate for the test case that has been studied. It is further concluded that the
methods handle the major problems with double surfaces.

Finally, it is described how the algorithms are used in a finite volume framework for simulation of conjugated heat transfer.


The objectives of this study were to determine the resilient modulus of two recycled roadway materials: recycled pavement material (RPM) and road surface gravel (RSG) with and without cement and cement kiln dust (CKD) stabilization. The resilient modulus was determined by conducting Large Scale Model Experiments (LSME) designed to replicate field conditions, and compared with the resilient modulus determined from the laboratory test method described by NCHRP 1-28A. Results of wet-dry and freeze-thaw durability tests were used to select a portland cement content of 4% by weight and a CKD content of 10% by weight to chemically stabilize RPM and RSG. The stiffness at curing times of 7 and 28 days was evaluated, and the summary resilient modulus (SMR) corresponding to a bulk stress of 208 kPa was used to calculate American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) base layer coefficients for use in pavement layer thickness design. A conventional base course material specified as a Class 5 material gradation employed in Minnesota, and similar to AASHTO grading C, was used as a reference material. This study shows that the addition of cement or CKD can significantly improve the stiffness of RPM and RSG, having the potential to allow greater use of recycled roadway materials in the reconstruction of roads, minimizing construction costs and environmental impacts. However, the low durability of materials mixed with CKD should be investigated further, because the expansion may be damaging to pavement structures.


Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is often neglected as a factor in the formation of stable soil organic matter (OM). Precipitation of DOM by dissolved Al could contribute substantially to C retention in acidic forest soils; however, no information is available on the stability of precipitated OM against microbial decay. We investigated the stability of Al-OM precipitates against microbial decay as related to (i) DOM composition, (ii) Al speciation, and (iii) the dissolved Al/C ratio. We produced Al-OM precipitates by adding AlCl 3 (molar Al/C ratios: 0.05-0.3) at pH values of 3.8 and 4.5 to DOM solutions derived from Oi and Oa horizons, from either beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) or spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] litter. Between 13 and 84% of the C was precipitated, depending on pH, Al/C ratio, and the type of DOM. Precipitates were found to be enriched in aromatic C and mostly depleted in N when compared with DOM. Only 0.5 to 7.7% of precipitated C was mineralized during 7 wk of incubation. Mineralization of Al-OM precipitates was up to 28 times less than that of the respective DOM solutions. The extent of mineralization of Al-OM precipitates formed at pH 3.8 was reduced by 50 to 75% when compared with those formed at pH 4.5. The stability of precipitates against microbial decay increased with larger aromatic C content and larger C/N ratios. Our study clearly demonstrated that a large fraction of DOM can be precipitated and is thereby substantially stabilized against microbial decay.


__________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Hyperthermia is characterized as the fourth pillar in treating cancer, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Clinical studies suggest that the combination of hyperthermia with radiation and chemotherapy, can bring very good results in treating various types of cancer, including colon cancer. Purpose: To investigate the effects of hyperthermia in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy. Materials and methods: A clinical study, which recruited 32 patients with diagnosed colorectal cancer. The patients were divided into a reference group (15 patients), which received chemotherapy and sessions of hyperthermia and in a control group (17 patients), which only received chemotherapy. For the application of hyperthermia, the Celsius 42+ machine was used. Imaging tests were performed before and after taking the regimens, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of each treatment approach. Results: Through the imaging assessment, a positive outcome of the disease was observed, for the team of hyperthermia (reference group). Specifically, when compared with the control group, the reference group showed a shrinkage of metastatic foci, derived from colon cancer. In contrast, in the control group there was an increase of dimensions compared with hepatic metastases and metastases in the abdomen, while a steady state was maintained regarding thoracic metastases. Conclusions: The beneficial effects of hyperthermia are undeniable, as year after year resulting more and more clinical trial data that support this view. The consolidation of the application of hyperthermia cancer treatment, is now a matter of time.


The paper examines the indicators that can ensure the health security of children in Nigeria. It is estimated that at least 44 developing countries (Nigerian is one) have less than a 20% chance of achieving the 4 th MDG that is to reduce child and infant mortality in the world by 2/3 by 2015. Health security is used in the paper to mean measures adopted by Government and individuals to protect children from diseases and other conditions that bring pains and discomfort to them. Literature provide that the Nigeria health system is full of corruption, neglect and lack of direction as there are no strong health policies proposed, and implemented. To give direction to the paper, five major areas were identified and discussed; which were: Policy making and implementation, Environment, health services available to children, personal life style of children and inherited genes from ancestors. Among many things discussed, literature pr ovides that in Nigeria and other African countries -malaria prone areas use a lot of self diagnosis for malaria, drug stores were always the first point of call in the south-east. In Malawi, it was discovered that mothers usually go through different treat ment regimes before consulting health facilities and thus causing obvious lag in appropriate health seeking… It was recommended among others that since majority of children that have poor health security live in villages, policies to reduce child poverty n eed to be enacted by government as an instrument for development of the health security of children in the country.


The percentage of smallholders with access to finance is equally difficult to quantify. According to estimates, even promising approaches to expanding smallholder lending, such as value chain finance, are reaching fewer than 10 percent of smallholders, primarily those in well-established value chains dedicated to higher value cash crops. International Finance Corporation (IFC) has been engaged for several years in learning efforts through diverse partnerships to obtain insights into the challenges of agricultural finance. The evidence of microfinance institution (MFI) involvement in financing commercial and semi-commercial smallholders remains anecdotal and lacks specifics on what makes MFI lending to these segments feasible, and what restricts their reach and effectiveness. This IFC study aims to identify and disseminate lessons emerging from the work of MFIs that have implemented agricultural operations targeting agricultural smallholders in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to support replication and expansion of scalable approaches. Through this research, IFC seeks to understand the motivations of MFIs that venture into agricultural finance, how the products they offer have been structured, and how they were implemented, with a specific focus on agricultural finance programs, and products that are designed for smallholders in loose value chains and non-commercial (subsistence) farmers.


Background: Magnesium (Mg) is an essential element for the body. It is a cofactor for ATP, DNA, and RNA and more than 600 enzymes. As it is similar to Ca2+, this element can also act as a cell signaling molecule and play multiple important roles in the nervous, muscle, and immune systems. Recent studies have associated Mg-deficiency with many neurological disorders, such as cerebral vasospasm, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and migraine. As it plays such a crucial role in human body, therefore, we summarized the role of Mg in neurological disorders to illustrate the symptoms caused by Mg-deficiency and the possible underlying mechanisms. Methods: We critically discuss the role of it that we review the recent literature of magnesium. We also review the available data which are concerning the role of magnesium in neurological disorders. Results: Magnesium is related to neurological disorders on the basis of the study of animals and humans experiments. Furthermore, these nervous systems related diseases include cerebral vasospasm, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke and migraine. Conclusion: Magnesium has effects on neurological disorders, such as its utility in cerebral vasospasm, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke and migraine. So here we make a brief review to conclude it.


Abstract. We have measured spectral albedo, as well as ancillary parameters, of seasonal European Arctic snow at Sodankyla, Finland (67°22' N, 26°39' E). The springtime intensive melt period was observed during the Snow Reflectance Transition Experiment (SNORTEX) in April 2009. The upwelling and downwelling spectral irradiance, measured at 290–550 nm with a double monochromator spectroradiometer, revealed albedo values of ~0.5–0.7 for the ultraviolet and visible range, both under clear sky and variable cloudiness. During the most intensive snowmelt period of four days, albedo decreased from 0.65 to 0.45 at 330 nm, and from 0.72 to 0.53 at 450 nm. In the literature, the UV and VIS albedo for clean snow are ~0.97–0.99, consistent with the extremely small absorption coefficient of ice in this spectral region. Our low albedo values were supported by two independent simultaneous broadband albedo measurements, and simulated albedo data. We explain the low albedo values to be due to (i) large snow grain sizes up to ~3 mm in diameter; (ii) meltwater surrounding the grains and increasing the effective grain size; (iii) absorption caused by impurities in the snow, with concentration of elemental carbon (black carbon) in snow of 87 ppb, and organic carbon 2894 ppb, at the time of albedo measurements. The high concentrations of carbon, detected by the thermal–optical method, were due to air masses originating from the Kola Peninsula, Russia, where mining and refining industries are located.


Regional human rights courts, such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, currently apply a threshold requirement for reviewing state failures to protect against serious human rights violations that excludes from review much of the contemporary criminal organization violence in Latin America, such as that committed by drug cartels in Mexico or the new armed groups in Colombia (sometimes called Bacrim). However, this article will argue — through a close examination of the new illegal armed groups in Colombia — that the justiciability principles underlying this restrictive threshold requirement in fact support much broader review of state failures to protect against the widespread violence from these militarized criminal organizations. These principles, which determine the scope of human rights court review of state protection efforts, counsel different degrees of human rights court involvement in state protection failures depending on the particular circumstances at issue. When applied to the violence from contemporary Latin American militarized criminal organizations, review need not be restricted to avoid imposing an unreasonable burden on states, and should be extended in response to the substantial risk of inadequate state protection against such groups. As a result, the problem of these extremely violent organizations should be understood at least in part as one of human rights, since human rights principles not only limit the methods by which states oppose these groups, but also impose an enforceable obligation to protect against them.


Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has spread around the world that severely affects people's life and the health system of countries. Enhancing the population's awareness and prevention behaviors are crucial. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding COVID-19 prevention of outpatients and visitors at the University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City (UMC).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 765 participants who were conveniently selected when they arrived at UMC between March 2021 and April 2021. A questionnaire was developed based on guidelines of Viet Nam Ministry of Health (Viet Nam MOH), World Health Organization (WHO), and other prior studies to evaluate the general knowledge regarding COVID-19 disease, disease prevention, attitude, and behaviors on prevention methods.

Results: The results showed low proportions of participants who had good knowledge of COVID-19 disease (29.15%) and prevention measures (38.17%) that were in contrast with a high percentage of positive attitudes (89.08%). There were 22.09% of participants were identified as good preventive behaviors based on seven surveyed measures. An association between prevention knowledge and prevention behaviors was observed when participants with good knowledge showed 2.15 times-higher odds of good behaviors (95%CI: 1.52, 3.04, p-value<0.001) compared to those with insufficient knowledge. Gender, occupation, accommodation, living with family or friends, comorbidities, and history of COVID-19 -related isolation were associated with good behaviors (adjusted p-value <0.05).

Conclusions: The percentage of knowledge and the compliance rate for COVID-19 prevention measures is low, and there is a positive association between prevention knowledge and good behaviors. Therefore, communication programs to improve the community's knowledge and to increase good practice rates are necessary and urgent.


What role does NATO play in combating terror? NATO's missions have expanded dramatically since the end of the Cold War, and most of the United States' closest allies are members of the alliance. Nevertheless, NATO plays, at best, a supportive role in U.S. efforts to combat terrorism. The alliance contributes to preventive and defensive missions to address the threat of terrorism, and its consequence management plans aim to respond to terrorist attacks and to mitigate their effects. But many of the essential activities of the fight against terrorism occur outside NATO, through bilateral cooperation or loose coalitions of the willing. Three factors help to explain NATO's minor role in combating terrorism: shifts in alignments and threat perceptions caused by systemic changes, the alliance's limited military capabilities, and the nature of the fight against terror itself. Over time the consequences of NATO's limited role could be severe. If NATO's strongest members do not seek to address their core security threats within the alliance, NATO may have difficulty sustaining its military value.


Patient: Male, 26-year-old Final Diagnosis: Encapsulating peritoneal dialysis Symptoms: Abdominal distension • abdominal pain • constipation • vomiting Medication:— Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Nephrology • Surgery • Transplantology Objective: Rare disease Background: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare, life-threatening, and serious complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD). No evidence-based management strategy has been established until now. Surgical management, including enterolysis and excision of the sclerotic and obstructing adhesions, should be considered as soon as conservative management fails to work. We report a case of EPS soon after transplantation in a patient with end-stage kidney disease who had been on long-term PD. Case Report: A 26-year-old man had been found to have advanced chronic kidney disease secondary to glomerulonephritis on pre-employment investigation. He was on continuous ambulatory PD for 5 years, after which he underwent a living donor renal transplant from his full HLA-matched sibling. He did well postoperatively, with excellent graft function. One month after transplantation, he repeatedly presented to our Emergency Department with signs and symptoms of complete small-bowel obstruction. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed features of small-bowel obstruction secondary to interloop adhesions. The patient was initially managed conservatively; however, as his condition continued to deteriorate, an exploratory laparotomy was carried out. Operative findings were suggestive of early EPS localized to the terminal ileum. Total enterolysis along with peritonectomy was performed along with resection of the diseased and obstructing terminal ileum. The patient did well, and he was discharged home day 10 postoperatively. Conclusions: EPS remains a serious and fatal complication of long-term PD. Early definitive diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately surgical intervention may be required to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition.


S. Mrowka introduced a topological space [psi] whose underlying set is the natural numbers together with an infinite maximal almost disjoint family (MADF) of infinite subsets of natural numbers. A. Dow and J. Vaughan proved a number of results for similar [psi (kappa, Mu)] spaces based on any cardinal [kappa] together with a MADF of countably infinite subsets of [kappa]. They proved new results, including new results for the case [kappa equals omega]. In this paper, we will review some properties of the spaces ψ ( κ , Μ ) for any cardinal κ . We will then extend some of the results of Dow and Vaughan for [kappa equals omega] to the [kappa equals omega subscript 1] case. Our goal was to show that the cardinal inequality [a is less than c], where [a] is the smallest cardinality of a MADF on [omega], is equivalent to the condition that there exists a MADF [Mu] of infinite subsets of [omega subscript 1] such that [Mu] has cardinality [c] and a continuous function [f] : [psi(omega subscript 1, Mu) then [0,1]] such that for every [r] [that is a member of the set] [0,1], |[f superscript -1(r)]| < [c equals |Mu|]. Dow and Vaughan proved that [a is less than c] is equivalent to a similar statement with [omega] in the place of [omega subscript 1], and although we were able to generalize some of the relevant lemmas, at this time we are only able to prove that the existence of such a MADF [Mu] and function [f] implies that [a is less than c]. One important result that we show along the way to our main result is that for any continuous function from [psi (kappa, Mu)] into the interval [0,1], there is some [r] [that is a member of the set] [0,1] such that |[f superscript -1(r) intersects Mu]| is at least [a]. Finally, we will provide some generalizations and interpretations of related lemmas in the [omega subscript 1] case.


In this article we explore the ways in which Mankon, a Grassfields Bantu language, links clauses together to form certain sentences by using four distinct verbal constructions – the successive, exhortative, non-future and future consecutive. These constructions encode the syntactic and semantic links between clauses. After a brief typological survey of the language we present the affi rmative perfective conjugation. Sections 3, 4, 5 discuss sentences whose constituting clauses are not linked by coordinating or subordinating morphemes, or where such links are optional. Even when one such morpheme is required, this does not indicate the status of the clause it marks. Section 6 deals with fixed constructions relating to the sentences examined in the preceding sections. The conclusion briefly reviews research on the topic for other Grassfields languages.


There is considerable anxiety and conflicting advice concerning the benefits of presenting/being evaluated first. In this paper, we investigate how randomly assigned expert evaluators vary in their evaluations of pitches, based on position order, in the premiere innovation fund competition in Beijing, China. In this research: (a) the prize money at stake is economically meaningful. (b) Evaluators with different professional backgrounds are randomly assigned to evaluate pitches individually, with scores then averaged for the purpose of selecting grantees. (c) The evaluations observed in this setting result in funding that is non-zero-sum as funds are doled-out based on cumulative scores until all available funds for a particular year are allocated. (d) We also obtained and coded granular measures of the firms' pre-pitch performance metrics used by the evaluators in their judgments. As this written material was the sole basis of evaluation used by the experts — in contrast with the persuasiveness of oral or live sports/musical presentations that may vary considerably across performances and which may be impacted by (even random) performance order — we have a compelling context to assess evaluation order effects. We can and do also estimate firm and evaluator fixed effects models that yield consistent findings. Overall, we find that an applicant that is evaluated first needs net profits in the top fifth percentile to merely equal the evaluation of an applicant in the bottom first percentile that is not evaluated first.


SN Ia cosmology depends on the ability to fit and standardize observations of supernova magnitudes with an empirical model. We present here a series of new models of SN Ia spectral time series that capture a greater amount of supernova diversity than is possible with the models that are currently customary. These are entitled SuperNova Empirical MOdels (SNEMO; https://snfactory.lbl.gov/snemo). The models are constructed using spectrophotometric time series from 172 individual supernovae from the Nearby Supernova Factory, comprising more than 2000 spectra. Using the available observations, Gaussian processes are used to predict a full spectral time series for each supernova. A matrix is constructed from the spectral time series of all the supernovae, and Expectation Maximization Factor Analysis is used to calculate the principal components of the data. K-fold cross-validation then determines the selection of model parameters and accounts for color variation in the data. Based on this process, the final models are trained on supernovae that have been dereddened using the Fitzpatrick and Massa extinction relation. Three final models are presented here: SNEMO2, a two-component model for comparison with current Type Ia models; SNEMO7, a seven-component model chosen for standardizing supernova magnitudes, which results in a total dispersion of 0.100 mag for a validation set of supernovae, of which 0.087 mag is unexplained (a total dispersion of 0.113 mag with an unexplained dispersion of 0.097 mag is found for the total set of training and validation supernovae); and SNEMO15, a comprehensive 15-component model that maximizes the amount of spectral time-series behavior captured.


The goal of this thesis is to study the transport properties and real-time dynamics of quantum magnets and ultra-cold atomic gases in one spatial dimension using numerical methods. The focus will be on the discussion of diffusive versus ballistic dynamics along with a detailed analysis of characteristic velocities in ballistic regimes.
For the simulation of time-dependent density profiles we use the adaptive time-dependent density matrix renormalization group (DMRG). This numerical method allows for the simulation of time-dependent wave functions close to as well as far from equilibrium in a controlled manner.

The studies of one-dimensional quantum magnets are partially motivated by the experimental evidence for a highly anisotropic and for insulators comparably high thermal conductivity of certain cuprates. We use linear response theory to study transport coefficients at arbitrary temperatures by diagonalizing small systems exactly and then calculating the current-current correlation functions. As first application we discuss the spin transport in the spin-$1/2$ Heisenberg chain with anisotropic exchange interactions (XXZ-chain).

The second application of exact diagonalization, here in combination with time-dependent DMRG, is a discussion of the transverse components of the current-current correlation function. While usually only a Zeeman field is considered in the theory of transport coefficients, we here investigate the dynamic induced by an additional transverse magnetic field. We find that in this scenario the current-current correlation function exhibits coherent oscillations. In addition a second non-trivial frequency, different from the one expected from the usual Larmor precession, emerges and is studied varying temperature and field.

Finally we calculate the frequency-dependent spin and heat conductivity of dimerized spin chains in a magnetic field. Motivated by the recent experimental studies of the phase diagram of C$_5$H$_{12}$N$_2$CuBr$_4$ we take the dimerized chain as a minimal model that exhibits features of the low-temperature region of the observed phase diagram. As a main result, the spin and heat conductivity obtained from linear response theory are enhanced in the field-induced gapless phase.

The last application in the field of one-dimensional quantum magnets is the simulation of time-dependent energy-density wave-packets close to as well as far from equilibrium using the time-dependent density renormalization group. The main results are ballistic energy dynamics independently of how far out-of-equilibrium the initial state is and a detailed understanding of the average expansion velocity.

The applications in the field of ultra-cold atomic gases focus on the sudden expansion of an initially trapped gas into an empty optical lattice. This setup was recently realized in an experiment performed by U. Schneider {\it et al.} and discussed in the context of electronic transport in the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional Fermi-Hubbard model. Here we investigate the sudden expansion of three different setups:

For the expansion of a spin-balanced cloud of fermions, we identify the ballistic regime, and therein investigate the average expansion velocity of the cloud. As a main result the expansion velocity is determined by a small subset of the initial condition over a wide range of parameters. For instance, the Mott-insulating phase of the Hubbard model is characterized by a constant expansion velocity independently of the strength of the interaction.

In the case of spinless bosons, we study the expansion from initial states that have a fixed particle number per lattice site and a certain concentration of defects. We study the expansion velocity as a function of interaction strength and investigate whether the time-dependent momentum distribution functions indicate a dynamical quasi-condensation.

The last example is the sudden expansion of a spin-polarized gas of fermions in the presence of attractive interactions. This study is motivated by current effort to experimentally detect the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state. Our results for the time-dependent momentum distribution functions and the wave-function of the pair condensate suggest that the signatures of the FFLO state vanish quickly, yet a stationary form of the momentum distribution also emerges fast. The latter is shown to be determined by the initial conditions, which might eventually allow for an indirect detection of the FFLO phase.


A computational fluid dynamics study is presented about the aerodynamic loads over a heliostat . A new formulation is used, in which the model quantities vary with the velocity field. Modified wall functions for roughness were used at the bottom of the computational domain to achieve horizontal homogeneity of the airflow. Good horizontal homogeneity for the streamwise and spanwise velocity and turbulence intensity profiles were found. The incidents profiles were compared with the inlet ones. The average percentage differences were 0.22% for velocity and 0.43% for turbulent intensity. Good agreement was found between the numerical data and theoretical values of the streamwise and spanwise shear stress at the bottom of the domain. The aerodynamic coefficients of the heliostat at different elevation angles were obtained, good agreement was found between the numerical data concerning the wind tunnel experimental values. An average percentage difference of 3.1% was found for drag, 6.5% for lift, and 6.0% for overturning. A significant improvement was obtained by using this new formulation with respect to a non-modified k-e turbulence model. The average differences of the aerodynamic coefficients were 6.6% for drag, 12.4% for lift, and 10.1% for overturning. The velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, pressure fields at different elevation angles were analyzed. It was found that at an elevation of 60°, the stagnation point of the flow occurs at the superior edge of the heliostat, causing the maximum lift force over the structure.


Undergraduate economics students begin and end their study of economics with the simple claim that economics is value free. Only in a policy role will values and beliefs enter into economic work; there can be little meaningful dialogue by economists about such personal views and opinions. This view, now well over 200 years old, has been challenged by heterodox thinkers in economics, and philosophers and social scientists outside the discipline all along the way. However, much of the debate in modern times has been narrowly focused on philosophical methodological issues on one hand or theological/sectarian concerns on the other. None of this filters down to the typical undergraduate even in advanced courses of the history of economic thought. This book presents the notion that economic thinking cannot escape value judgments at any level and that this understanding has been the dominant view throughout most of history. It shows how, from ancient times, people who thought about economic matters integrated moral reflection into their thinking. Reflecting on the Enlightenment and the birth of economics as a science, Halteman and Noell illustrate the process by which values and beliefs were excluded from economics proper. They also bring the reader up to date, given the changes over the last half-century. With the advent of interdependency concepts and game theory, behavioral economics and the infusion of other social sciences, especially psychology, into economic considerations, the door is once again open to moral reflection. It is a sensitive subject that can be divisive for many and there is little if any assessable literature on the topic at the undergraduate level. One way to approach the subject is to follow the path of the great thinkers of the past and observe how they worked through economic issues from a set of values that was foundational to their thinking. This places moral thinking in a context illuminating the complexity and importance of moral reflection and illustrating its impact on the culture of the times. Reckoning With Markets follows this method with a deliberate effort to cast the material in terms that will engage the undergraduate student. Available in OSO: http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/oso/public/content/economicsfinance/9780199763702/toc.html


OBJECTIVES: To measure the incidence and age and sex distribution of self reported experience of injuries in the preceding 12 month period among a representative national sample of Scottish schoolchildren and to validate the findings against other data sources. DESIGN: Self completed questionnaire administered in schools, April-June 1994. SUBJECTS: 4710 pupils aged 11, 13, and 15 years drawn from a representative sample of 270 classes with returns from 224 classes (83.2% completion rate). OUTCOME MEASURES: Number, type, site, and severity of injuries reported. RESULTS: 41.9% of pupils reported a medically attended injury, with injury incidence significantly higher in boys than in girls. Using the abbreviated injury scale (maximum abbreviated injury score) one third of injuries were either moderate or severe. CONCLUSION: The incidence and distribution of self reported injury is consistent with estimates based on other data sources thus confirming the utility of this method of injury surveillance in this age group.


Dynamic characteristics of air plasma generated by focused double collinear femtosecond laser pulses with a time interval of 10 ns are experimentally investigated. The air plasma emission changes significantly when altering the energy ratio between the two laser pulses. Time-resolved shadowgraphic measurements reveal that a small volume of transient vacuum is formed inside the air shock wave produced by the first laser pulse, which causes the second laser pulse induced ionization zone to present as two separate sections in space. Also recorded is strong scattering of the second laser pulse by the ionized air just behind the ionization front of the first laser pulse produced shock wave. Due to the high intensity of the scattered light, coherent Thomson scattering enhanced by plasma instabilities is believed to be the main scattering mechanism in this case.


The climate change crisis and exponential population growth have now reached a point where thinking about the unthinkable cannot be postponed. Over 30 years ago, Garrett Hardin used a lifeboat metaphor to describe the consequences of unlimited growth on a finite planet. He proposed the situation of a lifeboat in the ocean with 50 people aboard and room for only 10 more. The lifeboat is surrounded by 100 swimmers. Hardin discussed the ethics of whether and under what circumstances swimmers in distress should be taken aboard. The Maldives crisis is a current case illustrating Hardin's metaphor. The President of the Maldives has declared his search for a new homeland for Maldivians somewhere else in the world because their homeland is in peril from rising ocean levels and increased ferocity of storm surges. The small island nation of Tuvalu, with a population of less than 12,000 people, is already being evacuated for the same reasons. The Maldives, however, has a population of 396,334 (July 2009 estimate), so relocation is a much greater problem than for Tuvalu. Which nations should accept such ecorefugees and under what circumstances? Ocean levels are rising because the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions of the entire world have caused the problem, but the United States and China are responsible for approximately half the anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. What is the United States and China's ethical responsibility? What, if any, is the obligation of the host, receiving country? What should be done about people who refuse to leave their homeland?


The requirements of the consumer market on high frequency devices have been more and more demanding over the last decades. Thus, a continuing enhancement of the devices' performance is required in order to meet these demands. In a macro view, changing the design of the device can result in an improvement of its performance. In a micro view, the physical properties of the device materials have a strong influence on its final performance. In the case of high frequency devices based on piezoelectric materials, a natural way to improve their performance is through the improvement of the properties of the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric material studied in this work is AlN, which is an outstanding material among other piezoelectric materials due to its unique combination of material properties.This thesis presents results from experimental studies on the synthesis of AlN thin films in view of telecom, microelectronic and sensor applications. The main objective of the thesis is to custom design the functional properties of AlN to best suit these for the specific application in mind. This is achieved through careful control of the crystallographic structure and texture as well as film composition.The piezoelectric properties of AlN films were enhanced by doping with Sc. Films with different Sc concentrations were fabricated and analyzed, and the coupling coefficient (kt2) was enhanced a factor of two by adding 15% of Sc to the AlN films. The enhancement of kt2 is of interest since it can contribute to a more relaxed design of high frequency devices. Further, in order to obtain better deposition control of c-axis tilted AlN films, a new experimental setup were proposed. When this novel setup was used, films with well-defined thicknesses and tilt uniformity were achieved. Films with such characteristics are very favorable to use in sensors based on electroacoustic devices operating in viscous media. Studies were also performed in order to obtain c-axis oriented AlN films deposited directly on Si substrates at reduced temperatures. The deposition technique used was HiPIMS, and the results indicated significant improvements in the film texture when comparing to the conventional Pulsed DC deposition process.


Cases are highly prevalent in teaching and practice in psychology. Case-based research is crucial for engaged and relevant community and applied social psychologies, but is often subject to critique. This editorial responds to such critiques, clarifies various misconceptions regarding this research strategy, and argues for the utility of case-based research. We explore the theoretical basis and implications of case-based research for community action and participative interventions. This special issue offers a collection of articles that showcase the use of a range of methods in case-based research. Contributions include: (i) a conceptual argument regarding the logic of case studies; (ii) a single-person case study; (iii) a group-level case study; (iv) a multi-site case study, (v) a reflection on challenges of participative research, using the action-researcher as the case. These contributions demonstrate how the use of exemplars is crucial for community and applied social psychologists developing knowledge about social issues in complex and diverse societies, with a view to improving the human condition. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Collagen type IV [alpha 1(IV)2 alpha 2(IV)] is the basic structural component of all basement membranes. The two subunit genes COL4A1 and COL4A2 are found closely linked in the human and murine genomes and are transcribed divergently from a common promoter. Previously, activating elements had been detected within both genes which are indispensable for efficient transcription. An additional negative regulatory element has now been identified within the third intron of the COL4A2 gene which is able to inhibit transcription of both COL4 genes from their shared promoter, as well as the nonrelated herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter. The element exerts its inhibitory effect largely independently from its relative orientation and distance from the initiation site of transcription. Therefore, the element represents a silencer which is named the "COL4 silencer." The minimal functional silencer could be narrowed down by deletion mapping to a sequence element located within intron 3 of the COL4A2 gene. This motif is specifically recognized by a nuclear protein, named "SILBF," and the binding site of which was determined by footprinting assays. Mutation studies and deletion analysis proved that the presence of this sequence element and its interaction with SILBF is not only essential but also sufficient for the silencing function. We assume that the COL4 silencer plays an important role in the control of overall expression and the balance of divergent transcription of both COL4 genes.


Attorneys have long been unhappy with the 'blacklist', a monopolistic tool used by advocates to ensure that their fees are paid. However, they differ on the means that should be employed to get rid of the blacklist. Some believe that a deal should be struck with the Bar, while others believe a tougher approach is the way to go. Yet others believe the system will die a natural death. The difference of opinion was highlighted at the annual general meeting of the Law Society of the Transvaal towards the end of last year, when a proposed deal with the advocates was convincingly rejected (see 1996 DR 779-780).


HIV-1 assembles at the plasma membrane (PM) of infected cells. PM association of the main structural protein Gag depends on its myristoylated MA domain and PM PI(4,5)P2. Using a novel chemical biology tool that allows rapidly tunable manipulation of PI(4,5)P2 levels in living cells, we show that depletion of PI(4,5)P2 completely prevents Gag PM targeting and assembly site formation. Unexpectedly, PI(4,5)P2 depletion also caused loss of pre-assembled Gag lattices from the PM. Subsequent restoration of PM PI(4,5)P2 reinduced assembly site formation even in the absence of new protein synthesis, indicating that the dissociated Gag molecules remained assembly competent. These results reveal an important role of PI(4,5)P2 for HIV-1 morphogenesis beyond Gag recruitment to the PM and suggest a dynamic equilibrium of Gag-lipid interactions. Furthermore, they establish an experimental system that permits synchronized induction of HIV-1 assembly leading to induced production of infectious virions by targeted modulation of Gag PM targeting. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25287.001


Author(s): Miksch, Karen; Garces, Liliana M; Lempert, Richard O | Abstract: In this brief, the CRP does not address how social science research relates to the constitutionality of race-conscious higher education admissions policies, as the Court has already made its determination in Fisher v. Univ. of Tex., 133 S. Ct. 2411 (2013), Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306 (2003), and Regents of Univ. of Cal. v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265 (1978). Instead, through the evidence provided in this brief, amicus seeks to ensure the constitutional guarantee of a fair political process under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Michigan's Ballot Proposal 06-02 (Proposal 2) violates constitutional principles of equal protection by the way it selectively imposes burdens on advocates of constitutionally permissible race-conscious policies, while leaving to the ordinary political process advocacy on behalf of policies that consider any and all other factors.Race-conscious policies not only promote better learning environments and outcomes for all students by enhancing diversity, they also benefit racial minorities in particular by offsetting existing severe structural racial inequities in education and promoting access to educational programs that are the first step along a critical pathway to business, academic, civic, and political leadership in the United States and throughout the world. Research has consistently demonstrated that racially focused constraints on admissions, like Proposal 2, have, among other consequences, reduced the admission and enrollment of racial minorities at selective public undergraduate institutions, in graduate programs, and in training programs for the professions of medicine, law, and business. These substantial drops have occurred despite the best efforts of colleges and universities to recruit students through extensive outreach and the consideration of race-neutral characteristics in ad- missions decisions, such as socioeconomic disadvantage.Petitioner's claims that Proposal 2 does not harm racial minorities ignores the real-world consequences that a decline in campus racial diversity has for students of color, including how racially isolating environments can undermine learning and persistence. The claims by Petitioner and his supporting amici curiae that Proposal 2 in fact benefits racial minorities by preventing them from being admitted to selective institutions where they are academically "mismatched" and cannot compete are strongly refuted by the weight of scientific evidence. Reliable social science research consistently shows that racial minority students admitted to the most selective universities under race-conscious policies have higher completion rates than similar students enrolled in less selective institutions. Furthermore, minority students attending selective institutions are more likely than their fellow white students to be leaders in their chosen professions and in activities that aid communities of color and contribute to the well-being of the larger society. Bans on race-conscious admissions therefore harm the long-term community interests of minorities and undermine the nation's interest in reducing inequality and in preparing its citizens for life in an increasingly diverse world.


A solution is proposed to the reswitching puzzle. When two techniques of production are compared reswitching can occur. Reswitching is when a technique begins by being cheapest at a low interest rate, switches to being more expensive at a higher rate, and then reswitches to being cheapest at yet higher rates. Some believe the inconsistency undermines the foundations of neoclassical economics. The time value of money (TVM) equation is at the core of the reswitching puzzle. The equation takes the form of an nth order polynomial having n roots (interest rates). In most economic and financial analyses only one root is used. The remaining (n-1) roots, mostly complex or negative, are usually ignored. The approach in this article employs all n solutions for the interest rate in an expression relating differences in the dependent variable to differences in interest rates. The resulting analysis is applied to the Sraffa-Pasinetti example of reswitching. The expression provides a fresh perspective on the TVM equation. From this perspective, reswitching does not occur. The 'multiple-interest-rate' approach provides insights into issues other than reswitching. The issues include the NPV versus IRR debate in capital budgeting, and the quest for an accurate equation for duration in bond mathematics. Reswitching is only one example of a problem in a class of similar problems having the TVM equation at its core.


ABSTRACT The article focuses on the Bandung Center for New Media Arts (BCNMA), an autonomous cultural space set up in 2001 by three Indonesian artists and architects. The BCNMA aims to encourage a dialogue with circles outside the art world and to offer greater dynamic possibilities for experimental forms of expressions. The Indonesian sociopolitical context after 1998 has had a great influence on the nature, development and methodologies used by this center. The case study of the Third Asia-Europe Art Camp, coorganized in 2005 by the BCNMA and the Asia-Europe Foundation, also highlights how international projects are developed by the BCNMA while taking into consideration the local cultural networks and creative environment.


Sensory systems have evolved in all organisms to detect changes in the environment or their internal state. Even though they are essential for fitness and survival, their phylogenisis is still unclear. The protosensory cell hypothesis suggests that all sensory systems evolved from an ancestral cell that diversified throughout evolution and gave rise to all the senses present today. In recent years, evidence supporting the common ancestry of senses has accumulated. Sensory molecules that were initially believed to play a role only in one sensory modality have been found to be involved in various senses. For instance, thermosensors are involved in photo- and chemosensation, mechanosensors in thermosensation, or photoreceptors in mechanosensation. In addition, it has been found that cells that are mediating different senses have the same developmental origin, suggesting they diversified from the same ancestral cell.
 Recently it was found that Rhodopsin (Rh), the photopigment involved in vision, was required for thermosensation and audition in the fly Drosophila melanogaster. In the course of this study, expression of two Rhs (Rh1 and Rh6) was detected in the larval pentameric chordotonal organ (lch5), a group mechanosensory neurons of the larval body wall. This organ provides sensory feedback during locomotion and mediates touch and vibration sensation. Additionally, chordotonal organs (chos) have been implicated in the sensation of cool temperatures. The purpose of this study is to analyse the role of Rh1 and Rh6 in larval chos. Additionally, the role of lch5 neurons in thermosensation was studied. Behavioural, physiological, and anatomical experiments were carried out to achieve these goals.
 To study thermosensation, temperature preferences of larvae were tested in a temperature gradient. These preferences were found to be biased towards cold temperatures, because larvae cannot move away from them (i.e., cold trapped). To correct this cold trapping bias observed in temperature gradients, a null model of temperature-dependent locomotion IGLOO (Igloo is a Gradient LOcomotion mOdel) was generated. The effect of ambient temperature on locomotion of Drosophila larvae and adults was measured and used to simulate an animal with no preference walking in a gradient. The resulting distribution was successfully used to correct the cold trapping bias observed in temperature gradient behaviour.
 Rh1 and Rh6 were found to be required for proper larval locomotion. This role was confirmed to be specific to chos by calcium imaging experiments and a tissue-specific knockdown. The structure of sensory cilia of lch5 neurons was affected by the absence of Rh1, indicating that Rhs play a structural role in larval mechanosensory neurons. This is the first report of a rhabdomeric opsin playing a structural role in a ciliary cell. Since rhabdomeres in fly photoreceptors also require Rhs to maintain their structure, it now seems that Rhs played an ancestral structural role that predates their photosensory role in photoreceptor rhabdomeres.
 Brivido1 - an ion channel involved in thermosensation - was found to be expressed in a subset of larval lch5 neurons. Nonetheless, these neurons were not activated by cool or warm temperatures and a role of Brivido1 in cho proprioception was also excluded. Interestingly, Brivido1 was found to be coexpressed with NOMPC in lch5, and two additional body wall neurons. This expression data suggests that Brivido1 may be interacting with NOMPC in these neurons, and modulating mechanosensation.
 The structural ancestral role of Rhodopsin, and the presence of Brivido1 channels in a wide variety of sensory neurons, which mediate different senses in Drosophila, corroborates the protosensory cell theory. The data obtained suggests that different sensory systems share molecules that were most likely present in the ancestral cell they originated from.


Corporate entrepreneurship (CE) supports the strategic renewal of established companies. Corporate venturing represents one key concept of CE that supports companies to strengthen their innovation capabilities. For the successful implementation of corporate ventures dual structures are recommended. The question, how the interface should be designed, plays a crucial role. Although it seems to be an important factor, this aspect requires further attention. One relevant element of the interface design are the different roles of the individuals that are interacting within the interface. This study is based on nine interviews that are representing six internal corporate ventures within one large German corporate from the ICT sector. The results that were mirrored with short case studies of 25 additional companies of the data sample, contribute to a better understanding of the interface design by adding insights about roles in corporate entrepreneurship. This deeper understanding about roles allows to draw conclusions on the interface design from a structural point of view.


The UK Government Decontamination Service advises central Govern- ment on the national capability for the decontamination of buildings, infrastructure, transport and open environment, and be a source of expertise in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incident or major release of HazMat materials. The study group constructed mathematical models to describe the depth to which a toxic chemical may seep into an initially dry porous substrate, and of the neutralisation process between a decontaminant and the imbibed chemical.
The group recognised that capillary suction was the dominant process by which the contaminant spreads in the porous substrate. Therefore, in the first instance the absorption of the contaminant was modelled using Darcy's law. At the next level of complication a diffuse interface model based on Richards' equation was employed. The results of the two models were found to agree at early times, while at later times we found that the diffuse interface model predicted the more realistic scenario in which the contaminant has seeped deeper into the substrate even in the absence of further contaminant being supplied at the surface.
The decontamination process was modelled in two cases; first, where the product of the decontamination reaction was water soluble, and the second where the reaction product formed soluble in the contaminant phase and of similar density. These simple models helped explain some of the key physics involved in the process, and how the decontamination process might be optimised. We found that decontamination was most effective in the first of these two cases.
The group then sought to incorporate hydrodynamic effects into the reaction model. In the long wavelength limit, the governing equations reduced to a one-dimensional Stefan model similar to the one considered earlier. More detailed approximations and numerical simulations of this model were beyond the scope of this study group, but provide an entry point for future research in this area.


This paper discusses some of the findings from exploratory research that provided an insight into the marketing barriers affecting frontline employees' satisfaction and attitudinal commitment in the context of a fashion retail outlet in Melbourne. Frontline employees represent the 'face' of an organisation (Hoffman and Bateson 1997) and they play a key role in satisfying customers' expectations, and thus in influencing the service quality perceptions which emanate from service encounters (Boshoff and Mels 1995; Bendapudi and Berry 1997; Grönroos 2001). Boshoff and Allen (2000) showed that in order to provide consistently high levels of service, frontline employees must be trained to deal with customers and be able to rectify the inevitable problems that may arise. Factors such as the attitudes and behaviours of management as well as the training and the empowerment they receive, can also influence the performance of frontline employees (Matthes 1992). To gain an insight into these issues, a focus group was conducted with casual frontline employees and depth interviews were conducted with their managers, at a fashion retail outlet in Melbourne. The findings suggested that a possible link could exist between frontline employees' satisfaction and their attitudinal commitment, as they described low levels of satisfaction and attitudinal commitment towards the fashion retail outlet they worked for. These negative job attitudes were primarily attributable to the managers' attitudes and behaviours; a lack of empowerment; as well as inadequate internal communication, and training. Further research is needed to gain a greater understanding of the complex nature of the effects that such marketing barriers could have on frontline employees' satisfaction and attitudinal commitment to their job.


The Battle of the Labyrinth: the fourth book in Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. The fourth incredible adventure in the most exciting and commercial fantasy-adventure series since Artemis Fowl. Honestly, blowing up another school was the last thing I wanted to do. As the son of a Greek god, I've had my share of near-death disaster. This summer, I didn't choose to battle the cheerleading squad, but when two hissing she - devils with fangs are heading straight for you, what's a half-blood meant to do? That was just the beginning. This is the one where my arch-enemy, Luke, is looking for a way to invade our camp via an ancient labyrinth. If he succeeds, thousands of bloodthirsty monsters will attack. So it's goodbye sunshine, hello darkness as four of us descend into the terrifying underground and beyond...Greek mythology relocated to modern-day America. Action-packed, funny, accessible writing for both boys and girls aged 10+. It is perfect for fans of Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl. Praise for the Percy Jackson series: "Witty and inspired. Gripping, touching and deliciously satirical...This is most likely to succeed Rowling. Puffin is on to a winner". (Amanda Craig, The Times). "Puns, jokes and subtle wit, alongside a gripping storyline". (Telegraph). "Perfectly paced, with electrifying moments chasing each other like heartbeats". (New York Times). Rick Riordan is an award-winning mystery writer. For the past fifteen years he has taught at middle schools in the San Francisco Bay area and in Texas. Rick lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, the overall winner of the Red House Children's Book Award, was Rick's first novel featuring the heroic young demigod. The Percy Jackson series: The Lightning Thief; The Sea of Monsters; The Battle of the Labyrinth; The Titan's Curse; The Last Olympian Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero; The Son of Neptune; The Mark of Athena The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid; The Throne of Fire; and The Serpent's Shadow.


ABSTRACT In the age of information, in-vehicle multitasking is inevitable. The popularity of the automobile, in combination with the present information age, create a growing demand to do more in-vehicle than simply focus on the road. Unconstrained Design, a philosophy which supports rather than constrains multitasking, is proposed as a path toward enhancing performance in-vehicle. Situation Awareness (SA), a theory allowing designers to understand how operators interact in dynamic, complex environments, is used to frame this experimental investigation. Two SA-grounded human-machine interface concepts are proposed, designed to support drivers to multitask in-vehicle when frequent task switching is required. The first focuses upon supporting preparation for a Non-Driving Related Activity (NDRA), and the second upon supporting the Driving Related Activity (DRA) when an NDRA is active. While multitasking, Contextual Cueing, using a Head-up Display, produced significant reductions in NDRA response time, while an auditory lane keeping aid increased the amount of time a driver spent in the central region of a lane. The combined evidence suggests that using SA and Unconstrained Design to create of IVIS that support drivers' ability to multitask in-vehicle can lead to task performance improvements.


Minnesota Power's Herbert Service Center is located 3 miles north of downtown Duluth, Minnesota. The facility, constructed in 1967, consists of primary buildings, cold storage buildings, garages, security fences, roadways, parking areas and yards. To date, these buildings have performed well. Less consideration of frost action was given to the pavements and remaining structures. Since construction, the paved areas and cold storage facilities have experienced differential frost heave and loss of support during spring thaw, both problems requiring excessive amounts of maintenance. In addition, the security fence posts have uplifted as much as 18 inches. This case history summarizes the pavement evaluation and designs considered to minimize the future maintenance required for reconstruction. An insulated pavement section was selected and Phase One reconstruction was completed during the dsummer of 1989. Phase Two is being completed in 1990.


Appropriation is the phenomenon by which an artefact is adapted for a specific use, distinct from the original design intention. By essence, it cannot be planned by design. However, it is a major aspect in the experience one may have in interaction with an artefact, as it leads to the feelings of ownership and to the effective situatedness of the artefact. It is therefore significantly contributing to designing for sustainability and for the everyday. This paper intends to address how design can consider the possibility of appropriation. Taking a kansei design approach, inspired from the nishidian philosophy on perception, we introduce the notion of artefactual emptiness as a space provided by design and left to the user to adapt the artefact for its integration in the habitability of the world. This space is made accessible and inviting by involving irregularities, suggested by Yanagi Soetsu as a means towards beauty, and implemented in design through micro-considerations and micro-frictions. Artefactual emptiness leads to beauty in experience, expected from a kansei perspective and made possible by kansei design. This work on appropriation through kansei design also leads to question the attention appropriation should have in other domains of kansei research, especially kansei evaluation. It calls for finding ways in kansei research to evaluate over time the kansei effect of appropriation on experience.