This thesis examines the migrationary processes of graduates leaving their home country and their post-migration experiences and aspirations in a receiving state. Using the case study of England, findings are presented from qualitative research with Polish graduates born between the late 1970s and early 1980s, and who moved to England after 2004. It is argued that this generation of Polish migrants is particularly important given the profound impacts of socio-cultural and economic transformation in Poland, tied to the emergence of capitalism, the preparation for accession of Poland to the European Union (EU) and EU citizenship in 2004, on current debates on the geographies of graduate migration within and beyond Europe.

Several important findings are revealed by the research. First, it is asserted that perspectives of migration which focus on structure-agency relations (Halfacree, 1995) need to encompass the economic and political aspects of participants sending state at the time of migration, as well as the historical influences on migration decision-making processes. Second, the discussion shows that graduate migration to another country leads to differing approaches to career and life trajectory development after migration and this thesis conceptualises these using the following typology: Continuers , Switchers and Late Awakeners , with dynamism and slippage across the groupings. Third, the findings expose graduate migrant perceptions of becoming and being highly-skilled, and the role of university preparation, and other forms of post-graduate training and potentially strategic acquisitions of citizenship for labour market confidence to compete and undertake professional jobs in Poland and England. Fourth, the thesis stresses that migration is often a first step in graduate migrants life trajectories and it emphasises the importance of a stepping-stone migration , both socially and spatially, and which is embedded within individuals' life-phases and perceptions of home and place. It is argued that this conceptual and geographic contribution to wider studies of graduate migration across countries may have wider resonance to other graduate migrant groups in Europe and beyond.


In recent years, legal practitioners and scholars alike have identified a growing crisis in the legal profession. Increasingly, lawyers feel dissatisfied with the roles they are expected to play and the conduct demanded of them. In particular, many lawyers see a widening gap between their personal values and those employed in legal practice. In response to the dichotomy between personal and professional values, some lawyers attempt to develop a corresponding dichotomy in their personalities, separating the "professional self" from the "personal self." Such a response, however, may lead to a kind of "ethical schizophrenia," a condition in which an individual is placed in the position of trying to adhere to competing and inconsistent ethical systems. There exist numerous and varied sources of ethical values available to lawyers, such as the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Yet the Model Rules, like other codes, have been found to be sorely lacking in offering meaningful guidance to lawyers facing difficult ethical questions. As a result of the inadequacy of the rules, lawyers searching for ethical guidance have looked to other sources of values. Religious values, in particular, have gained increasing prominence in the arena of legal ethics, as they present a comprehensive system of ethics for lawyers seeking to integrate their personal and professional lives. The success of religious values in responding to the ethical needs and problems of lawyers has resulted in what has been called a "religious lawyering movement." The contributors to this symposium thus provide a number of approaches and viewpoints, based in various value systems, in an effort to combat the current ethical crisis felt by so many lawyers. Through different methods, but sharing a common emphasis on personal values, they offer a variety of responses to the problems of ethical schizophrenia that continue to plague the legal profession.


By expanding on the principles of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), we examine the dynamics of weakly ionised astrophysical plasma flows in a multifluid regime. This numerical study is carried out using the multifluid MHD code
HYDRA. An outline of the structure of this code is given in chapter 2 and the schemes which are implemented integrates the MHD equations.
We are interested in multifluid effects on fluid instabilities, in particular the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability. The KH instability could, for example, play
a role in the momentum transfer between the bowshock of a protostellar jet and its surrounding molecular cloud. In particular, changes to the development of the KH instability as a result of including the multlifluid effects of ambipolar diffusion and the Hall effect are isolated and individually studied in chapters 4 and 5 respectively. Finally, chapter 6 provides an in-depth examination of the
respective roles these nonideal effects have in a multifluid astrophysical system in which both are expected to occur, such as a molecular cloud.
Multifluid effects on protostellar jets are then examined in a broader context in chapter 7. As a jet propagates into a molecular cloud, it forms a bowshock of swept-up ambient material. As the molecular cloud material is weakly ionised,
the bowshock is strongly susceptible to nonideal MHD effects below some characteristic length scale. Large-scale 3D simulations allow us to begin to understand the resulting dynamical differences in both the jet propagation and the structural evolution of the magnetic fields.


This document specifies the Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS)
protocol, used for interaction between iSNS servers and iSNS clients,
which facilitates automated discovery, management, and configuration
of iSCSI and Fibre Channel devices (using iFCP gateways) on a TCP/IP
network. iSNS provides intelligent storage discovery and management
services comparable to those found in Fibre Channel networks, allowing
a commodity IP network to function in a capacity similar to that of a
storage area network. iSNS facilitates a seamless integration of IP
and Fibre Channel networks due to its ability to emulate Fibre Channel
fabric services and to manage both iSCSI and Fibre Channel devices.
iSNS thereby provides value in any storage network comprised of iSCSI
devices, Fibre Channel devices (using iFCP gateways), or any
combination thereof. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


The aim of the present study was to examine whether improvements in pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇o2) kinetics following a short period of high-intensity training (HIT) would be associated with improved skeletal muscle mitochondrial function. Ten untrained male volunteers (age 26 ± 2 yr; mean ± SD) performed six HIT sessions (8-12 × 60 s at incremental test peak power; 271 ± 52 W) over a 2-wk period. Before and after the HIT period, V̇o2 kinetics was modeled during moderate-intensity cycling (110 ± 19 W). Mitochondrial function was assessed with high-resolution respirometry (HRR), and maximal activities of oxidative enzymes citrate synthase (CS) and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) were accordingly determined. In response to HIT, V̇o2 kinetics became faster (τ: 20.4 ± 4.4 vs. 28.9 ± 6.1 s; P < 0.01) and fatty acid oxidation (ETFP) and leak respiration (LN) both became elevated (P < 0.05). Activity of CS and COX did not increase in response to training. Both before and after the HIT period, fast V̇o2 kinetics (low τ values) was associated with large values for ETFP, electron transport system capacity (ETS), and electron flow specific to complex II (CIIP) (P < 0.05). Collectively, these findings support that selected measures of mitochondrial function obtained with HRR are important for fast V̇o2 kinetics and better markers than maximal oxidative enzyme activity in describing the speed of the V̇o2 response during moderate-intensity exercise.


Background: Poor documentation practices in labour rooms have been a challenge especially in resource limited countries. This hinders the efforts towards improving quality of maternal healthcare services. Little effort has been made on this regard in many countries including India. SWOT analysis on labour room documentation would be the first step in understanding the situation, barriers and to formulate strategies for improvement. Materials and Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was carried out in five secondary health facilities of Cuttack district, Odisha, India. A qualitative method using in-depth interviews among 26 healthcare providers was adopted for data collection and inductive content analysis approach for analysis. Strategies like pioneering, positive, conservative and resistive were formulated under each of the three major components identified. Results: Three major components emerged were i) Adherence and completeness of labour room records and reports, ii) Status of the monitoring and supervision and iii) Utilization of labour room data. Improving knowledge and skill through training and supportive supervision, adopting computer-based application for data management, better coordination among supervisors and labour room staff, infrastructural strengthening for documentation and its security, making documentation a priority, more accountability would improve the documentation. Ensuring data analysis and interpretation, discussion in review meetings and regular monitoring and supervision will improve performance. Conclusion: Ensuring documentation of labour room records, regular quality monitoring and supervision, and analysis and interpretation of data are critical to improve labour room performance. Making it a priority and adopting the strategies will achieve the same, thereby better labour outcome.


Analysis of protein expression and abundance provides a possibility to extend the current knowledge on disease‐associated processes and pathways. The human brain is a complex organ and dysfunction or damage can give rise to a variety of neurological diseases. Although many proteins potentially reflecting disease progress are originating from brain, the scarce availability of human tissue material has lead to utilization of body fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid and blood in disease‐related research. Within the most common neurological disorders, much effort has been spent on studying the role of a few hallmark proteins in disease pathogenesis but despite extensive investigation, the signatures they provide seem insufficient to fully understand and predict disease progress. In order to expand the view the field of neuroproteomics has lately emerged alongside developing technologies, such as affinity proteomics and mass spectrometry, for multiplexed and high‐throughput protein profiling. Here, we provide an overview of how such technologies have been applied to study neurological disease and we also discuss some important considerations concerning discovery of disease‐associated profiles.


Why do some states embark on risky policies that appear certain to lead to disastrous outcomes while others seem more cautious as they interact with others in the international system? This is a central question that faces policymakers and one that has remained largely unexplored by scholars of international relations. This article argues that democratic peace theory speaks to the central factors that affect the risk preferences of states. Countries involved in Europe from 1816 to 1992 are analyzed to determine if levels of democracy and its constitutive elements affect risk-taking. Since critics argue that the strategic context affects the mechanisms underpinning explanations of the democratic peace, the effects of strategic variables on the relationships between regime type and risk-taking propensity are evaluated. Competing propositions are evaluated empirically using Bueno de Mesquita's indicator of risk with the EUGene dataset, which combines the Correlates of War and the Polity III data regarding regime type developed by Jaggers & Gurr. The results support the central hypothesis of the article - democracy is indeed associated with risk aversion regardless of the strategic context. However, the findings also suggest that states undergoing the transition to democracy from autocracy are more willing to take risks than are states with more stable forms of government. Further, the constitutive components of democracy have divergent effects on risk preferences.


Information about context can enable local processors to discover latent variables that are relevant to the context within which they occur, and it can also guide short-term processing. For example, Becker and Hinton (1992) have shown how context can guide learning, and Hummel and Biederman (1992) have shown how it can guide processing in a large neural net for object recognition. This article studies the basic capabilities of a local processor with two distinct classes of inputs: receptive field inputs that provide the primary drive and contextual inputs that modulate their effects. The contextual predictions are used to guide processing without confusing them with receptive field inputs. The processor's transfer function must therefore distinguish these two roles. Given these two classes of input, the information in the output can be decomposed into four disjoint components to provide a space of possible goals in which the unsupervised learning of Linsker (1988) and the internally supervised learning of Becker and Hinton (1992) are special cases. Learning rules are derived from an information-theoretic objective function, and simulations show that a local processor trained with these rules and using an appropriate activation function has the elementary properties required.


As the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) has grown in size and value, it has become an increasingly attractive playground for fraudsters. The past two years have seen value-added-tax (VAT) fraud and emissions allowance thefts emerge as major threats to the EU ETS market. This study explores the effects that these forms of fraud have had on parts of the EU carbon market; uncovers vulnerabilities in the regulation of the registries (the ``banks'' of accounts in which emissions allowances are kept and from which they are traded) and the oversight of the EU ETS market; and analyses the adequacy and wider implications of the regulatory reforms recently proposed by the European Commission. A series of semi-structured interviews conducted for this study exposes a significant amount of discomfort amongst stakeholders regarding the proposed reforms to the regulation of the registries system, which is felt could still leave the system vulnerable to fraud and its effects. The potential extension of the EU financial markets oversight regulations has also led to fear that the future regulatory framework may be disproportionately burdensome for some market participants, potentially compromising the cost-efficiency of this emissions abatement tool. Moreover, the paper highlights the difficulties involved in the investigation and prosecution of fraud in the carbon markets and assesses the extent to which recent developments in EU criminal law, in particular since the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, hold the potential to overcome some of the existing barriers to the effective criminal law cooperation between the Member States.


The mean–variance approach permits the evaluation of portfolio strategies without otherwise first specifying preferences about risk. It is not well suited, however, to investors who must make periodic withdrawals from their investments. This includes endowment funds, foundations, and individuals after they retire. Expected utility models have been applied to such situations, but they have been difficult for practitioners to implement since preferences must be specified beforehand. By assuming such investors want to make sustainable withdrawals, the author develops a simple model for evaluating investment choices over time without making any further assumptions about preferences. Various factors that affect the size and sustainability of the withdrawals are explored.


This study investigates student perceptions of ten selected attributes embedded in faculty behavior. These attributes are classified as primary and secondary attributes. The 4 primary attributes include effective communication (ability to communicate information effectively), ability to combine knowledge and application in real world cases and examples, high level of knowledge in presented materials, and substantial business experience in the area taught. The 6 secondary attributes include active association with the business community, active participation in academic organizations, active participation in business organizations, extensive publication of business research in scientific/scholarly journals, extensive publication of business articles in practitioner/trade oriented journals, and the college or university degree from which the faculty earned their highest degree. This study also investigates potential difference in the emphasis placed on the ten attributes between the surveyed business students in both countries. Utilizing two samples (graduate and under graduate students) from business schools (at public, private, and proprietary universities) in the United States and in Cameroon, Africa, the surveyed students revealed stronger support for the primary attributes than for the secondary attributes. The results of this study also indicated that the ability to communicate effectively, the application of knowledge to real world cases, substantial business experience in the discipline area taught, and knowledge of the materials being presented are considered the most important attributes in assessing teaching effectiveness. While students in both countries have similar mean rankings of the selected ten attributes, they significantly differ in their ratings of six attributes: actively participates in academic organizations, publications in practice/trade journals, actively participates in practice related organizations, college from which the professor earned their highest degree, and association with the business community. Further investigation using exploratory factor analysis revealed that students in both countries have moderate agreement with the two component conceptualized model: the primary and secondary business faculty attributes.


Background Nurses have a moral obligation to ensure holistic care of patients, inclusive of the spiritual dimension. However, there seems to be a void in the teaching and learning of spiritual care in nursing curricula. Despite the South African Nursing Council being in favour of holistic nursing, there are no measures in place to ensure implementation of spiritual care, hence its practice is not standardised in nursing education in South Africa. Currently, the undergraduate nursing curriculum does not provide clear direction on how spiritual care in nursing should be integrated and the reason for this is not clear. It appears that the lack of professional regulation, difficulties in definition and the personalised nature of spiritual practice are partly responsible for the practice being barely enforced and scarcely practised by students in clinical placements. The aim of the study was to develop a practice theory for teaching–learning of spiritual care in the undergraduate nursing programme. Objectives The study objective was to describe and explore the students' experiencs of teaching–learning of spiritual care in the undergraduate nursing programme. Methods A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design with purposive sampling was used. The sample consisted of undergraduate nursing students at a University in the Western Cape Province. Measures for trustworthiness were applied. Results The findings indicated a need to provide support, a conducive learning environment and structure for teaching, learning and practice of spiritual care. Conclusion There is a need for formal education regarding spiritual care in nursing.


A bioassay that is based on trans-activation has been developed for the detection and quantitation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Indicator cell lines were constructed that contain the HIV-1 long terminal repeat ligated to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. Infection of these cells by HIV activates the expression of CAT protein. Isolates of HIV-1 with divergent nucleotide sequences activated the indicator cell lines to a similar extent, approximately 500- to 1000-fold. Human T cell lymphotropic viruses types 1 and 2, equine infectious anemia virus, and herpes simplex virus 1 did not activate the indicator cell lines. Isolates of simian immunodeficiency virus and human T cell lymphotropic virus type 4 activated these cells to a much lesser extent, which suggests that these viruses contain similar, but distinct, trans-activators. This assay can be used for the detection, quantitation, and typing of HIV and for studying the effect of drugs on the replication of HIV in different cellular backgrounds.


Title of Dissertation: SECURING WIRELESS AD HOC NETWORKS UNDER NOISE AND IMPERFECT MONITORING Wei Yu, Doctor of Philosophy, 2006 Dissertation directed by: Professor K. J. Ray Liu Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering While wireless communication has dramatically changed the way people work and interact, the wireless era continues to be plagued by insufficient security. Without necessary countermeasures, even a few attackers can break down the whole network. On the other hand, attacker detection can be extremely challenging in realistic scenarios because misbehavior may also be caused by various other factors, such as noise and uncertainty, and perfect monitoring is either impossible to achieve or too expensive to afford. In this dissertation we have investigated how to secure wireless ad hoc networks against insider attacks in noisy and hostile environments, based only on local and imperfect monitoring. In traditional ad hoc network applications, nodes usually belong to the same authority and pursue some common goals. The inherent cooperative nature of such networks makes them extremely vulnerable to insider attacks. For example, by dropping other nodes' packets and/or injecting an overwhelming amount of traffic, insider attackers can easily break down the whole network. In this dissertation we have first studied how to secure such ad hoc networks against insider attacks under noise and imperfect monitoring. Besides devising a set of efficient monitoring and attacker detection mechanisms to defend against routing disruption and injecting traffic attacks, we have also formally analyzed the dynamic interactions between good nodes and attackers under a game theoretic framework, where both the optimal defending strategies and the maximum damage that can be caused by insider attackers have been derived. In many civilian applications, nodes in ad hoc networks tend to act selfishly. Stimulating selfish nodes to act cooperatively poses one key research challenge, especially in realistic contexts. In this dissertation we have also investigated how to design attack-resistant cooperation mechanisms for such networks. We have first designed an attack-resistant cooperation stimulation strategy for mobile ad hoc networks, then formally analyzed the issue of secure cooperation in ad hoc networks under a game theoretic framework. Finally, we have derived a set of reputation-based attack-resistant and cheat-proof cooperation strategies for such ad hoc networks that can work well in noisy and hostile environments under imperfect monitoring. SECURING WIRELESS AD HOC NETWORKS UNDER NOISE AND IMPERFECT MONITORING


Recent theory has suggested that sympatric speciation can occur quite easily when individuals that are ecologically similar mate assortatively. Although many of these models have assumed that individuals have equal mating success, in nature rare phenotypes may often suffer decreased mating success. Consequently, assortative mating may often generate stabilizing sexual selection. We show that this effect can substantially impede sympatric speciation. Our results emphasize the need for data on the strength of the stabilizing component of selection generated by mating in natural populations.


Abstract In a sample of 483 women interviewed in the last trimester of pregnancy, 3.3 per cent were doubtful about whether they would breastfeed and 17 per cent expressed a clear intention not to do so. Possible psychiatric and social factors associated with not wishing to breastfeed were examined and a number of important associations emerged. In particular, psychiatric morbidity, working-class status, a number of indices of economic hardship, being young, already having children, and lack of a stable relationship were all significantly associated with not wishing to breastfeed. When a log linear analysis was conducted three of these factors were found to be independently associated with not wishing to breastfeed: being young, already having children, and not having a stable relationship. These findings have implications for early intervention.


The problem of computing high-accuracy simulation models for systems described by tabulated frequency data is of paramount importance in the modeling arena. Standard algorithms for this task involve generating rational function approximations to the data. However, for complicated data sets, high-order approximations are required. Unfortunately, numerical conditioning problems arise when attempting to fit high-order rational approximations to the data, effectively limiting the accuracy of the models that can be generated. While robust fitting schemes based on orthogonal polynomial exist, they usually pose strict constraints on the data points, which are either hard or even impossible to guarantee. Furthermore, the approximation must still be translated such that it can directly be used inside a simulator. In this paper, we present an algorithm for robustly generating such a model using only the data given. The model is supported on a problem-tailored orthogonal polynomial basis. We also present a method for directly generating a state-space model associated with a rational function described in terms of such polynomials, effectively making the model amenable for simulation. An extension to the MIMO case is described and it is shown that the method is easily included with existing passivity enforcing procedures. Finally, we demonstrate the proposed technique by constructing approximations to several real-world data sets


Article history: Polar constituents of Kotschya uguenensis Verdc. (Fabaceae) do not exhibit acute toxicity but cause growth disruption of Anopheles gambiae s.s. Gile (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae with eventual death. Time-course larvicidal effects of powders of root and stem barks and their crude methanol extracts in form of emulsions were compared in the laboratory and in artificial semi-field ponds. Kotschya uguenensis powders of root and stem barks and emulsions of their crude methanol extracts were assayed against An. gambiae s.s according to protocols of WHO 1996 & 2005. All formulations were equally effective under laboratory conditions giving 100% larval mortality within three days at a dose of 50 μg/ml of the extracts or concentrations of powders corresponding to the same level of extractable material. Under semi-field conditions, suspensions of the powder materials appeared to perform better than emulsions of methanol extracts. Time taken to give 80% mortality (LT80) of larvae and pupa at 0.1% w/v was 6.06 days for powders of root bark and 5.60 days for powders of stem bark. The LT80 for the root bark extract at 200 μg/ml was 8.28 days while that for the stem bark methanol extract was 12.47 days. No residual effects of the test materials on the larvae or pupae were evident in semi-field ponds 14 days after the re- introduction of the test materials. Our results suggest that, for the control of anophelines in the field, a weekly application of appropriate amounts of powders of K. uguenensis may be effective.


In the first part of this thesis, the preparation of the known, compounds trans-(Et(_3)P)(_2)Pt(X)mC(_6)H(_4)F, and trans-(Et(_3)P)(_2)Pt(X)pC(_6)H(_4)F where X = C1, SnC1(_3) and of the new compounds trans-(Et(_3)P)(_2)Pt( GeC1(_3))mC(_6)H(_4)F and trans-(Et(_3)P)(_2)Pt(GeC1(_3))pC(_6)H(_4)F is described. Attempts to prepare further such compounds where X = SiMe(_3), GeBr(_3) were unsuccessful. The mass, infra-red, proton, magnetic resonance, fluorine magnetic resonance and X-ray photoelectron spectra of these compounds were recorded and the (^19)F n.m.r. and X-ray photoelectron spectra were used to investigate the trans-effect of the group IVb ligands, in these platinum-group IVb element complexes. In the first chapter the trans-effect theory is discussed. The second chapter is concerned with the experimental details and spectral data. The results obtained are discussed in the light of other evidence for the high trans-effect in platinum(ll)-group IVb compounds in Chapter 2. In Part II, the preparation of some methyleneamino derivatives containing groups R(_2)C:N- attached to silicon, germanium and phosphorus (R = t-butyl, p-tolyl, phenyl) is described. The new compounds prepared are [R(_2)C:N](_4) Ge, (R = phenyl, p-tolyl), [Bu(_2)(^t)C:N](_x) GeX(_4-x) (x = 1,2,3; X = Br, C1), and Me(_x)Si[N:C(p-tolyl)(_2)](_4-x) (x = 1,2) (Chapter 1) and P[N:CR(_2)](_3) (R = p-tolyl, phenyl), X(_2)P[N:CR(_2)] (X = C1, Ph; R = t-butyl, phenyl, p-tolyl) and OPC1(_x) (N:CR(_2))(_3-x') (R = t-butyl, p-tolyl, phenyl; x = 0,1,2) (Chapter 2). The mass, infrared and (^1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were recorded and, for the phosphorus compounds the (^31)P n.m.r. spectra were recorded. These compounds were prepared with the object of finding model systems for the study of dative N=M π-bonding nitrogen and silicon, germanium and phosphorus. The shape (linear or bent) of the M-N-C skeletons (M = silicon,germanium and phosphorus) in these moisture sensitive methyleneamino compounds could not be unambiguously determined from the n.m.r. andinfrared spectral data obtained. The mass spectral data and molecular weight determination indicated the compounds to be in a monomeric state of association (^31)P n.m.r. data are discussed with reference to analogous isocyanate, isothiocyanate and amino derivatives of phosphorus, (Chapter 2).Attempts to prepare Bu(^t)(_2) C:NMe are described in Appendix 1 and experimental techniques, instrumentation and analytical methods are described in Appendices 2,3 and 4.


The idea of a Lenin renaissance might well provoke an outburst of sarcastic laughter. Marx is OK, but Lenin? Doesn't he stand for the big catastrophe which left its mark on the entire twentieth century? Lenin, however, deserves more profound consideration than this, and his writings of 1917 are testament to a formidable political figure, revealing as they do his ability to grasp the significance of an extraordinary moment in history. Everything is here, from Lenin-the-ingenious-revolutionary strategist to Lenin-of-the-enacted-utopia. To use Kierkegaard's phrase, what we can glimpse in these writings is Lenin-in-becoming: not yet Lenin-the-Soviet-institution, but Lenin thrown into an open, contingent situation. In Revolution at the Gates, Slavoj i ek locates the 1917 writings in their historical context, while his extensive Afterword tackles the key question of whether Lenin can be reinvented in our era of 'cultural capitalism,' i ek is convinced that, whatever the discussion--the forthcoming crisis of capitalism, the possibility of a redeeming violence, the falsity of liberal tolerance--Lenin's time has come again.


Bilateral vocal fold immobility in children is a challenging problem because a balance between good airway and voice quality has to be achieved. Surgery to improve the airway is often postponed or avoided because of fear of losing the voice. In this study our results of laser arytenoidectomy in children are described. This was a retrospective case notes review at a tertiary level paediatric ENT department. The six patients in this case series ranged from nine to 16 years old at the time of laser arytenoidectomy. Post-operative airway and voice quality were assessed. All children in the series had an adequate post-operative airway. Four of these patients had tracheostomies pre-operatively and achieved decannulation. All six patients rated their post-operative voice as better than pre-operatively. This is principally due to increased loudness associated with increased airflow through the larynx, particularly after tracheostomy decannulation. It is recommended that special care should be taken not to disturb the anterior two thirds of the vocal fold during the surgery in order to achieve a good post-operative voice outcome.


Little Boy examines the culture of postwar Japan through its arts and popular visual media. Focusing on the youth-driven phenomenon of otaku (roughly translated as 'geek culture' or 'pop cult fanaticism'), Takashi Murakami and a notable group of contributors explore the complex historical influences that shape Japanese contemporary art and its distinct graphic languages. The book's title, Little Boy, is a reference to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, thus clearly locating the birth of these new cultural forms in the trauma and generational aftershock of the atomic bomb. This generously illustrated book showcases the work of key otaku artists and designers, many of whom are cult celebrities in Japan, and discusses their feature film and video animations, video games and internet sites, music, toys, fashion and more. In the process, the following questions are posed: What is otaku? How is it related to the pervasive and curious fixation on 'cuteness' evident in Japanese popular culture? What impact did the atomic devastation of World War II have on the development of Japanese art and culture? This brilliantly designed, bilingual (English and Japanese) publication examines these themes to explore how contemporary Japanese art has become inseparable from the subcultural realms of manga and anime (Japanese animation), a world where meticulous technique, apocalyptic imagery and high and low cultures meet. Exhibition schedule: Japan Society, New York City, April-July 2005 other venues to be announced.


In aiming to analyse the underlying issues that contributed to the rolling power blackouts of 2012 in Egypt, the first part of this two-part article focussed on attempting to offer an answer to the question of why did the blackouts occur. Following on from this, this second part attempts to answer the next crucial question of how do we solve this problem. While the previous Egyptian Government has focused on promoting behavioural change strategies as their primary approach for bridging the energy gap, a number of alternative strategies such as infrastructure upgrade, demand side management, increasing energy efficient of buildings, and diversification of energy sources were available. In an aim to explore this diverse range of policy options, the following will highlight and discuss the potential impact of a number of these possible solution pathways.


We have developed a new multimodal molecular imaging system that combines CARS (coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering), SHG (second harmonic generation), THG (third harmonic generation) and multiplex TSFG (third-order sum frequency generation) using a subnanosecond white-light laser source. Molecular composition and their distribution in living cells are clearly visualized with different contrast enhancements through different mechanisms of CARS, SHG, THG and TSFG. A correlation image of CARS and TSF reveals that the TSF signal is generated predominantly from lipid droplets inside a cell as well as the peripheral cell wall.


Nowadays, amount of chrome tanned leather scraps (CTL) of leather industry is increasing rapidly due to decreasing interest on CTL utilization in related areas. These kind of wastes cause considerable negative environmental effects and therefore CTL producers should find new recycling and/or disposing routes for them. It is speculated that CTL may be a valuable additive in rubber based materials thanks to its similar bending properties. In this study, it is aimed to evaluate rheological, thermal, mechanical, morphological, and aging properties of CTL loaded EPDM based rubber compounds. CTL wastes are incorporated into EPDM in various ratios by using a banbury mixer and two roll mill, subsequently. Rheological measurements show that CTL incorporation does not cause considerable losses in compound properties. Higher glass transition temperatures of CTL containing composites are attributed to restricted chain mobility of EPDM in the composites. Cheap CTL incorporation significantly improves the tear resistance of EPDM before and after thermal aging due to fibrous nature of leather.


A How Do Creep and Shrinkage Affect the Behavior of Structures?.- Differentiation Among Types of Stresses and of Action Effects According to Their Causes.- The Effects of Shrinkage.- The Effects of Creep.- Summary of the Effects of Creep and Shrinkage.- B Behavior of Materials.- General Rheological Description of the Deformation Process in Concrete.- Development of the Strength of Concrete.- Data on the Magnitude of Strain.- Prediction Methods.- Deformation Characteristics of Reinforcing and Prestressing Steels.- Comparison with Construction Site Observations.- Prospects for Future Developments.- References for Part B.- C Examples.- Brief Compilation of Formulations for an Estimate of Instantaneous and Time-Dependent Strains.- Summary of Relationships for Calculating the Consequences of Creep and Shrinkage.- Statically Indeterminate Coupling between a Flexible Steel Tension Member and a Concrete Structure.- Internally Statically Indeterminate Coupling between Bonded Reinforcement and Concrete.- Two-fold Internally Indeterminate Coupling between a Rigid Reinforcement Bonded to Concrete: Solution by the Busemann Method.- Two-fold Statically Indeterminate Interaction between Two Unstressed or Prestressed Bonded Tendons and Concrete.- Redistribution Moments in Prestressed Structures which Are Supported Statically Indeterminate. Examples of Internally and Externally Statically Indeterminate Systems.- Systems with Multiple Degrees of Indeterminacy.- Reduction of Constraints which Are Imposed Through Rigid or Near-Rigid Supports.- Constraints Induced by Shrinkage.- Coupling of Structural Components with Different Creep and Shrinkage Properties.- Use of Step-by-Step Integration for Cases which Cannot, or Only with Difficulty, Be Solved in a Closed Mathematical Form.- Possible Ways of Reducing the Redistribution of Action Effects Caused by Creep.- Calculation of Deformations and Camber.- References for Part C.- APPENDIX I Further Explanations to Part B.- Modulus of Elasticity.- The Prediction Method of Rusch-Jungwirth.- Comparison of Prediction Methods for Creep.- APPENDIX II Realistic Calculation of Creep and Shrinkage Effects.- The Differential Equation According to Dischinger.- Finite Difference Methods.- The Trost Method.- The Bazant Method Based on the Effective Modulus.- The Busemann Method for Internally and Multiple Statically Indeterminate Systems.- Special Cases.- Comparison of Results Achieved with Different Methods.- Outlook.- References for Appendix II.


This cultural research explores the relation between racial representation and emotions/affects as part of the struggle for racial minorities' visibility. It is informed by conjunctural theory in cultural studies, with the use of textual narrative and affective analysis. It focuses on Hong Kong's television culture as a site for context configuration, or conjuncture, for constructing the interand intra-ethnic relations between the dominant ethnic Chinese and ethnic minorities (EMs), via the production of emotions. Chapter One introduces a conjunctural understanding of the construction of EMs in Hong Kong through revisiting some of the most prominent theoretical works that explore the transformation of Hong Kong identity, in order to point out an underlying Hong Kong-Chineseness as a cultural center, and to argue that the demand of the present conjuncture is to respond to the necessity of generating an alternative "EM-context" suitable for reimagining Hong Kong identity. Chapter Two attempts to map out this "EM-context" by reviewing the major popular non-Chinese figures on TV, namely Louie Castro, Gregory Rivers (known as "Ho Kwok-wing") and Gill Mohinderpaul Singh (known as "QBoBo") in order to study how their particular cultural visibility can open up ways to rethink the problems surrounding visibility. The narrative affective approach to study racial relations is applied to the reading of No Good Either Way (TVB) in Chapter Three and Rooms To Let (RTHK) in Chapter Four. Together, these two core chapters iii explore the affective configuration of "anxieties" and "shame" in the two TV programmes. It is suggested that these affective landscapes help position EMs as either a "sweetened trouble-maker" (in the work place) or "assimilating neighbor" (in the domestic sphere), both of which fall short of being able to construct a new context/conjuncture for understanding the cultural presence of EMs. This research rejects the study of race/ethnicity through content analysis of stereotype, and opts for an approach that reads affects and narratives in the search not for representational visibility, but for what is termed "conjunctural visibility." Ultimately, Chapter Five concludes with a discussion of the dynamics of "soft" and "hard" representations of the ethnic other: the former in the mode of "sugarcoated racism" which involves the figure of EM as the sweetened troublemaker appealing for audience's sympathy, and the latter in the form of public pedagogy aimed at educating the audience (through shaming) to treat their EM neighbor as the assimilated other. This research study aims at making a small contribution to the understanding of the struggle for conjunctural visibility among EMs in Hong Kong.


Graham F. Watts, Sr., PhD Heather S. Vaughan MS, CRC Deidre Kelley, MA Dana C. Barnes, MD, FAAFP Sandy Arts ________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT HIV is a manageable chronic disease. However, it requires knowing one's status, retention in care, and medication adherence for viral suppression. Disadvantaged groups of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) who experience incarceration and major depressive disorders, homelessness, substance use and lack of social support are overwhelmed by these burdens and do not fully engage in HIV care, without help. Four Northeast Florida entities engaged in action research to influence health equity for formerly detained PLWHAs. The City of Jacksonville, Ryan White Part-A Program, Florida Department of Health-Duval, Lutheran Social Services, and Jacksonville Sherriff's Office convened a coalition, called CAPRICE. Activities focused on intensive medical case management, linkage to core HIV services, job placement, and up to 90-days of transition housing to support the transition from jail to community. The coalition created system level relationships, with structure and processes. Next steps should focus on how to support the infrastructure for disadvantaged groups over the long-term. Estimated sustainable cost compared reasonably with published research. The local HIV Health Services Planning Council and CAPRICE members have the task of garnering financial support for this work, which aims to plug one of the leaks in the local HIV Continuum of Care.


This paper will present multiple themes that are intermingled with one another, aiming to bring an overview of sociology of education and its application in the Hong Kong situation. One of the themes concerns how sociology of education has intertwined with the socio-political aspect of Hong Kong before and after year 1997 resulting in different educational modes following the change of time. The other theme relates the social aspect of young children in school on the issue of 'loneliness' and 'friendship'. These aspects would then be exemplified and studied through the inspirational writings of David Riesman for identifying the cause of their loneliness under the sociological lens. A corresponding mode of curriculum and pedagogic practices had been identified with the different types of personalities mentioned in Riesman's book for the readers to reflect on.


We obtain the Shannon capacity region of the down-link (broadcast) channel in fading and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) for time-division, frequency-division, and code-division. For all of these techniques, the maximum capacity is achieved when the transmitter varies the data rate sent to each user as their channels vary. This optimal scheme requires channel estimates at the transmitter; dynamic allocation of timeslots, bandwidth, or codes; and variable-rate and power transmission. For both AWGN and fading channels, nonorthogonal code-division with successive decoding has the largest capacity region, while time-division, frequency-division, and orthogonal code-division have the same smaller region. However, when all users have the same average received power, the capacity region for all these techniques is the same. In addition, the optimal nonorthogonal code is a multiresolution code which does not increase the signal bandwidth. Spread-spectrum code-division with successive interference cancellation has a similar rate region as this optimal technique, however, the region is reduced due to bandwidth expansion. We also examine the capacity region of nonorthogonal code-division without interference cancellation and of orthogonal code-division when multipath corrupts the code orthogonality. Our results can be used to bound the spectral efficiency of the downlink channel using time-division, frequency-division, and code-division, both with and without multiuser detection.


Objective: To study the occurrence of adverse events after administration of a capsular polysaccharide vaccine against 23 pneumococcal serotypes in individuals for whom such vaccination is indicated. Methods: This was a prospective study, conducted in a general hospital in the city of Sumare, Brazil, in which 152 individuals were evaluated after intramuscular vaccination with 0.5 mL of the Pneumo 23® vaccine. The study variable was subject complaint of at least one symptom forming a temporal nexus with the vaccine (appearing within 48 h after its administration). The subjects were evaluated at five to seven days after vaccination. The covariables age, gender and clinical profile were tested using the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression, with the level of significance set at 5%. Results: The age of the population ranged from 5 to 86 years (mean, 61.8 years). For nearly all (99%) of the subjects, the vaccination evaluated was their first dose of the vaccine. Events occurring at the injection site were reported in 36 subjects (23.7%). Of those 36 events, 24 (68%) were mild and had no repercussions for the daily activities of the subjects. Pain at the site of the injection was the most common symptom, being reported by 97.2% of the subjects. Erythema and localized edema were found in 6.3% and 5.1% of the subjects, respectively. Of the subjects evaluated, 12.8% reported general symptoms (malaise, fever, sleepiness and generalized pain). In the bivariate analysis, none of the covariables were found to present a statistically significant correlation with adverse events (p > 0.20). The same held true in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Although, the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine provokes few reactions in the first dose, it is still rarely recommended in the region, even for patients at risk.


The last Public Expenditure Review for Ecuador (PER) was produced in 1993. More than a decade later, the purpose of this report is to provide the Ecuadorian authorities with the World Bank's and Inter-American Development Bank's joint comprehensive account of their diagnoses and recommendations in the area of fiscal management and public expenditure. This report consists of two volumes. This first volume examines whether, and how, the core goals of public expenditure management, i.e., balanced fiscal aggregates, resource allocations to strategic sectors, and equity and microeconomic efficiency of public spending are met in Ecuador. Volume II presents sector studies on fiscal sustainability, the fiscal rules, education, health, pensions, the results of a national teachers' tracking survey, water and sanitation, electricity, telecommunications and oil.


For 50 years Bridget Riley has been regarded as one of Britain's most important abstract artists, renowned for large paintings that feature complex, repetitive geometric shapes and undulating linear patterns. It is fascinating to discover that she sees her decidedly modern paintings as following in an Old Master pictorial tradition. This affinity stems from a lifelong passion for paintings in the National Gallery, London, with which she was first associated as a young student, and later as a Trustee and exhibiting artist. This book celebrates the artist's long engagement with the National Gallery. The authors discuss the significance of paintings from the Gallery's collection that Riley chose for exhibition alongside her own works, and they explain how the fluid lines of Renaissance and Baroque paintings, together with their palette of ochres, salmon, greens, and light blues, translate into the abstracted shapes that appear in Riley's work. The authors also demonstrate how the techniques and methods of modern masters including Cezanne, Seurat, and Matisse exert an important influence on Riley's paintings.


In this explorative study, we investigate the relationship between dynamic capabilities and innovation capabilities. Dynamic capabilities are at the core of strategic management in terms of how firms can ensure adaptation to changing environments over time. Our paper follows two paths of argumentation. First, we review and discuss some major contributions to the theories on ordinary capabilities, dynamic capabilities, and innovation capabilities. We seek to identify different understandings of the concepts in question, in order to clarify the distinctions and relationships between dynamic capabilities and innovation capabilities. Second, we present a case study of the 'Innovation Clinic' at a major university hospital, including four innovation projects. We use this case study to explore and discuss how dynamic capabilities can be extended, as well as to what extent innovation capabilities can be said to be dynamic. In our conclusion, we discuss the conditions for nurturing 'dynamic innovation capabilities' in organizations.


We find that declining bank credit to the private sector will not necessarily constrain the economic recovery after output has bottomed out following a financial crisis. To obtain this result, we examine data from 39 financial crises, which - as the current one - were preceded by credit booms. In these crises the change in bank credit, either in real terms or relative to GDP, consistently did not correlate with growth during the first two years of the recovery. In the third and fourth year, the correlation becomes statistically significant but remains small in economic terms. The lack of association between deleveraging and the speed of recovery does not seem to arise due to limited data. In fact, our data shows that increasing competitiveness, via exchange rate depreciations, is statistically and economically significantly associated with faster recoveries. Our results contradict the current consensus that private sector deleveraging is necessarily harmful for growth.


The effect of cross-winds on the performance of natural draft dry-cooling towers is studied by means of isothermal model tests, a numerical simulation and full scale measurements. The action of the wind on such towers is found to be complex and is influenced by a number of different parameters including the wind speed, the shape of the approaching wind profile, the inlet diameter to the inlet height ratio of the tower, the tower height, the shape of the tower shell, the pressure loss coefficient of the heat exchangers and the amount of heat rejected by the tower. For a horizontal arrangement of the heat exchangers the wind effect on the tower is shown to be strongly dependent on both the shape and pressure loss coefficient of the tower supports. In practical cooling towers the heat exchangers are either arranged horizontally in the inlet cross-section of the tower or vertically around the circumference of the tower and the wind effect is found to be dependent on the particular layout. The wind effect on a tower is furthermore found to increase if the heat exchangers are arranged in the form of A-frames. Additional reductions in the heat rejection rate of the tower are caused by a non-uniform air temperature distribution inside the tower and flow distortions through the heat exchanger. Significant reductions in the wind effect on a cooling tower can be achieved by installing windbreak walls below the heat exchangers if the latter are arranged horizontally in the tower inlet.


THIS PAPER CONCERNS THE PERFORMANCE OF A 24,000 LB PENTAGON SHAPED PROTOTYPE COMPACTOR. THIS MACHINE IMPARTS A SERIES OF IMPACTS DUE TO ITS MASS DROPPING ABOUT 8 IN. ONTO AN AREA OF ABOUT 8 SQUARE FEET. STEADY ROLLING ACTION IS ACHIEVED BY SPRINGS AND DAMPING DEVICES IN THE TOWING MECHANISM. AT A RECENT TRIAL, SURFACE SETTLEMENT, SUB-SURFACE SETTLEMENT, PENETROMETER, AND DENSITY OBSERVATIONS, TOGETHER WITH PRESSURE CELL MEASUREMENTS, SHOWED THAT THE PENTAGON COMPACTOR ACHIEVED AN APPRECIABLY BETTER EFFECT THAN OTHER ROLLERS AND, WITH A HIGHER WORK OUTPUT, SHOULD PROVE TO BE ECONOMICAL. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE PENTAGON COMPACTOR OFFERS AN ALTERNATIVE TO HEAVY PNEUMATIC ROLLERS FOR PROOF OF SUBGRADES AND SHOULD PROVE USEFUL FOR COMPACTION OF MIXED SOIL AND ROCKS AND LANDFILL RUBBISH DUMPS AS WELL AS FOR DEEP COMPACTION SOILS IN GENERAL. /AUTHOR/


Audience costs theory posits that domestic publics punish leaders for making an external threat and then backing down. One key mechanism driving this punishment involves the value the public places on consistency between their leaders' statements and actions. If true, this mechanism should operate not only when leaders fail to implement threats, but also when they fail to honor promises to stay out of a conflict. We use a survey experiment to examine domestic responses to the president's decision to "back down" from public threats and "back into" foreign conflicts. We find the president loses support in both cases, but suffers more for "backing out" than "backing in." These differential consequences are partially explained by asymmetries in the public's treatment of new information. Our findings strongly suggest that concerns over consistency undergird audience costs theory and that punishment for inconsistency will be incurred, regardless of the leader's initial policy course


The myo-inositol signaling pathway in plants allows them to sense external environmental stimuli and respond to them. This signaling pathway depends on the dynamic levels of the second messenger, inositol(1,4,5)trisphosphate, which in turn is regulated by inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases (5PTases). Previous studies have shown that 5PTase 13 binds an important energy sensor, Sucrose non-fermenting (Snf) 1-related kinase (SnRK1.1) and also a novel protein P80. Studies from the lab have also shown that P80 is a part of a deubiquitinating enzyme complex along with WDR20 and Ubiquitin-specific protease called UBP3. Our p80 mutants have a root deficient phenotype under low energy conditions which is normalized by addition of sucrose. p80 mutants show reduced growth and early senescence under specific environmental conditions. This is opposite in nature to SnRK1.1 overexpressors. In this study, I have examined the possible interaction of P80 with SnRK1. I have studied the effects of expression of the exogenous SnRK1.1:GFP transgene under the control of the 35S CaMV promoter in the p80 mutant. This will facilitate the delineation of mechanisms that plants use for the control of energy sensing. I also examined the effects of the overexpression of SnRK1.2:GFP in the p80 mutant. Further, I have explored the presence of a new class of molecules, inositol phosphate molecules (InsPs) containing pyrophosphate bonds (PPx) in p80 mutants. Recent evidence has shown that this class of molecules has roles in sensing and signaling. I have demonstrated that InsP7 is present in developing seeds and vegetative tissue of higher plants. I have also demonstrated that p80 mutants have an alteration in the levels of PPxInsPs. In addition, I have established spatial expression patterns of two enzymes involved in the synthesis of PPx-InsPx, known as VIP kinases. These studies will help resolve how PPx-InsPs are regulated in plants and thus help in their functional characterization.


The issue of energy is a global issue that must be discussed by all countries in the world. Rising oil prices and a dwindling supply push every country to develop new renewable energy alternatives. One of this alternative energy is biodiesel. The biodiesel production can be done by using vegetable oil as the raw material over supported homogeneous catalyst, heterogeneous catalyst and enzymatic catalyst. In this study the use of palm oil as the main material to be reacted with methanol and the catalyst used as heterogeneous catalysts SO 4 2- /ZnO by changing variables used are long reaction times (1, 2.5 and 4 hours) and the weight ratio of catalyst / oil (4 , 6, and 8).The studybeganwith thepreparation of catalyst SO 4 2- /ZnO followed by aransesterification reaction between palm oil with methanol. The resultsofthis study showed that the super acid catalyst SO 4 2- /ZnOcan be usedin making biodiesel .Optimum operatingcondition for this catalytic reaction is the weight ratio of catalyst/oil 3,8 during 2,5 hours with 78%  yield of the resulting ester metal.Longer time ofthe transesterificationreaction, the higher the % yield ofthe resulting ester metal, while adding more catalyst produced the lower theyield.


Bluetongue virus (BTV) causes the primarily vector-borne bluetongue disease of ruminants, which poses a permanent threat to Europe since new serotypes and strains are frequently introduced. Vaccination of cattle is essential to control BTV outbreaks. Commercial attenuated and inactivated vaccines are efficacious in reducing BTV spread and disease, but do not fulfil all safety, adaptability, or production requirements. Additionally, no current vaccines allow the differentiation of infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). DIVA vaccines enable surveillance of BTV epidemiology and vaccine efficacy, and facilitate a quick return for countries to a BTV-free status. This thesis presents the development and evaluation of a novel subunit DIVA vaccine against BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) in cattle.

Five His-tagged recombinant BTV proteins (VP2, VP5 of BTV-8; NS1, NS2, NS3 of BTV-2) were produced in baculovirus or E. coli expression systems. Purification protocols were optimized for all but VP5. Based on the feasibility of protein production and the capability of the remaining four proteins to induce humoral or cellular immune responses in mice, VP2, NS1, and NS2 were selected to formulate an experimental vaccine combined to an ISCOM-matrix adjuvant (SubV).

Next, cattle were immunized twice at a three-week interval with SubV, a commercial inactivated vaccine, or a placebo. SubV induced humoral immune responses, including virus-neutralizing antibodies, against all three proteins, as well as a cellular immune response directed against NS1. These responses were of similar type and comparable magnitude between both vaccines, suggesting that SubV might provide protection that is at least as effective as the commercial vaccine. Finally, the protective efficacy of SubV was evaluated and complete virological and clinical protection against virulent BTV-8 challenge was observed following vaccination in calves. This was likely due to the induction of virus-neutralizing antibodies directed against VP2 of BTV-8 and cross-serotype T cell responses directed against NS1 and NS2 of BTV-2. Furthermore, SubV was shown to be DIVA-compliant based on the detection of antibodies directed against VP7, by using commercially-available diagnostic assays. This novel BTV subunit vaccine is a promising candidate and should be further developed.


Background Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreaticoduodenoscopy (ERCP) is a day procedure for diagnostic or therapeutic biliary problems. Many kinds of sedation are used to provide patients comfort and facilitate work. Propofol and midazolam is the preferred cocktail. Dexmedetomidine with sedo-analgesic properties makes it another suitable regimen. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of adding either midazolam or dexmedetomidine to propofol for procedural sedation during ERCP. Patients and methods This study was conducted in Mansoura University Hospitals, Gastroenterology Center. A total of 84 patients (40–80 years), American Society of Anesthesiologist II, III, and IV scheduled for ERCP were randomly allocated into two groups: the PM group received propofol–midazolam and the group PD received propofol–dexmedetomidine. Heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, and SpO2 were recorded at basal, intraoperative, postanesthesia care unit (PACU), till discharge. O2 desaturation, total dose of propofol, intraoperative complications, patients, and surgeon satisfaction were recorded. Results Heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure showed a significant reduction in group D compared with group M. Onset of deep sedation shows a significant reduction in group D versus group M. Recovery time and onset of discharge from the postanesthesia care unit shows statistically significant prolongation in group D versus group M. The total dose of propofol, intraoperative complications and also surgeon and patient satisfaction were comparable. Conclusion Administration of 1-μg/kg loading dose of dexmedetomidine or midazolam 1 mg intravenous, followed by intravenous propofol (1 mg/kg) and then 10 mg increments can produce an effective and smooth sedation without causing hemodynamic or respiratory side effects. So, dexmedetomidine could be an important alternative to midazolam for sedation in ERCP and other short procedures.


Plaque purification of the M variant of encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus resulted in the isolation of two stable variants: one diabetogenic and designated D and the other nondiabetogenic and designated B. When the D variant was inoculated into SJL/J male mice, hypoinsulinemia and hyperglycemia developed in > 90% of the animals. In contrast, none of the mice inoculated with the B variant developed diabetes. Histologic examination of pancreata from mice infected with the D variant revealed insulitis and necrosis of beta cells, whereas islets from mice infected with the B variant showed little, if any, change. When islets were assayed for infectious virus, approximately 10 times more virus was recovered from animals inoculated with the D as compared with the B variant. Moreover, approximately 60% of islet cells from mice infected with the D variant contained viral antigens when stained with fluorescein-labeled anti-EMC virus antibody, whereas < 5% of islet cells from animals infected with the B variant contained viral antigens. Co-infection experiments showed that the induction of diabetes by the D variant was inhibited by the B variant. When the B and D variants were mixed together at B:D ratios of 1, 9, and 99, diabetes developed in 60, 11, and 0% of the mice, respectively. Tissue- culture experiments revealed that the B variant induced considerably more interferon than the D variant, and studies in animals showed that interferon appeared earlier and in greater amounts in the circulation of mice infected with the B as compared with the D variant. These studies suggest that the induction of interferon by the B variant is, at least in part, responsible for the inhibition of diabetes by the D variant.


Abstract. Drought is considered as one of the major natural hazards with a significant impact on agriculture, environment, society and economy. Droughts affect sustainability of agriculture and may result in environmental degradation of a region, which is one of the factors contributing to the vulnerability of agriculture. This paper addresses agrometeorological or agricultural drought within the risk management framework. Risk management consists of risk assessment, as well as a feedback on the adopted risk reduction measures. And risk assessment comprises three distinct steps, namely risk identification, risk estimation and risk evaluation. This paper deals with risk identification of agricultural drought, which involves drought quantification and monitoring, as well as statistical inference. For the quantitative assessment of agricultural drought, as well as the computation of spatiotemporal features, one of the most reliable and widely used indices is applied, namely the vegetation health index (VHI). The computation of VHI is based on satellite data of temperature and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The spatiotemporal features of drought, which are extracted from VHI, are areal extent, onset and end time, duration and severity. In this paper, a 20-year (1981–2001) time series of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/advanced very high resolution radiometer (NOAA/AVHRR) satellite data is used, where monthly images of VHI are extracted. Application is implemented in Thessaly, which is the major agricultural drought-prone region of Greece, characterized by vulnerable agriculture. The results show that agricultural drought appears every year during the warm season in the region. The severity of drought is increasing from mild to extreme throughout the warm season, with peaks appearing in the summer. Similarly, the areal extent of drought is also increasing during the warm season, whereas the number of extreme drought pixels is much less than those of mild to moderate drought throughout the warm season. Finally, the areas with diachronic drought persistence can be located. Drought early warning is developed using empirical functional relationships of severity and areal extent. In particular, two second-order polynomials are fitted, one for low and the other for high severity drought classes, respectively. The two fitted curves offer a forecasting tool on a monthly basis from May to October. The results of this drought risk identification effort are considered quite satisfactory offering a prognostic potential. The adopted remote-sensing data and methods have proven very effective in delineating spatial variability and features in drought quantification and monitoring.


The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of adding Propolis to broiler feeds and the effect on some biochemical and biological parameters represented by its effect on the total bacterial count of intestinal flora as well as the antimicrobial effect on Escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus and lactobacillus. We used 150 broiler chicks type Ross at the first day of age divided randomly into three groups each of 17 chicks with three replications, the first one is control group and the second and third group fed on feeds containing two levels of propolis 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg respectively. Results showed that using propolis at 400 mg/kg in the diet lead to a significant decrease in level of triglycerides which was 34.58 mg/ 100 ml accompanied by a mathematical reduction in total cholesterol and LDL levels, while there was an increase in glucose level. The highest propolis levels were effective in significant reduction in total bacterial count of intestinal flora, especially in the seventh week 4.9 log10, represented by a significant reduction in counts of staphylococcus aureus, lactobacillus and Escherichia coli 2.6, 3.6, 3.1 log10 respectively.


This paper investigates to what extent Chinese monetary policy is constrained by the dollar peg. To this end, we use a cointegration framework to examine whether Chinese interest rates are driven by the Fed's policy. In a second step, we estimate a monetary model for China, in which we include also other monetary policy tools besides the central bank interest rate, namely reserve requirement ratios and open market operations. Our results suggest China has been relatively successful in isolating its monetary policy from the US policy and that the interest rate tool has not been effectively made use of. We therefore conclude that by employing capital controls and relying on other instruments than the interest rate China has been able to exert relatively autonomous monetary policy.


The prevalence and incidence of Chronic Renal Failure [CRF] is increasing in the world. The main way for treatment of End-Stage Kidney Disease [ESKD] - that leads from CRF - is hemodialysis. One of the most important criteria for the evaluation of hemodialysis treatment process is the measure of dialysis adequacy. Dialysis adequacy is considered to the best therapeutic indicator for patient's clinical results and the best index for the assessment of the dialysis adequacy is the urea clearance. Although adherence accurate diet by patients is complement for hemodialysis and it is recommended for effectively control of symptoms of uremic syndrome and preventing longterm complications, many of these patients do not keep diet and fluid restriction and result in non-adequate dialysis, therefore, in order to improve dialysis adequacy, education, justify and emend patient's attitude about diet necessity of following dialysis period times precisely and on time refers are very important. Due to the complexity of the treatment and care of hemodialysis patients, as well as the needs for adequate dialysis implement for to achieve effective treatment for these patients, by designing and run an educational program based on Health Education Models, dialysis adequacy can be improved.


Abstract. The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) has long espoused studies of deep subsurface life, and has targeted fundamental questions regarding subsurface life, including the following: "(1) What is the extent and diversity of deep microbial life and what are the factors limiting it? (2) What are the types of metabolism/carbon/energy sources and the rates of subsurface activity? (3) How is deep microbial life adapted to subsurface conditions? (4) How do subsurface microbial communities affect energy resources? And (5) how does the deep biosphere interact with the geosphere and atmosphere?" (Horsfield et al., 2014) Many ICDP-sponsored drilling projects have included a deep-life component; however, to date, not one project has been driven by deep-life goals, in part because geomicrobiologists have been slow to initiate deep biosphere-driven ICDP projects. Therefore, the Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) recently partnered with the ICDP to sponsor a workshop with the specific aim of gathering potential proponents for deep-life-driven ICDP projects and ideas for candidate drilling sites. Twenty-two participants from nine countries proposed projects and sites that included compressional and extensional tectonic environments, evaporites, hydrocarbon-rich shales, flood basalts, Precambrian shield rocks, subglacial and subpermafrost environments, active volcano–tectonic systems, megafan deltas, and serpentinizing ultramafic environments. The criteria and requirements for successful ICDP applications were presented. Deep-life-specific technical requirements were discussed and it was concluded that, while these procedures require adequate planning, they are entirely compatible with the sampling needs of other disciplines. As a result of this workshop, one drilling workshop proposal on the Basin and Range Physiographic Province (BRPP) has been submitted to the ICDP, and several other drilling project proponents plan to submit proposals for ICDP-sponsored drilling workshops in 2016.


Background: In primary progressive aphasia (PPA), assessment of language predominates over assessment of functional impairment in activities of daily living (ADLs) in clinical and research environments. Most of the knowledge on functional disability in PPA relies largely on anecdotal experience and limited numbers of studies published to date. Aims: (1) To describe the different patterns of ADL functional disability in the main PPA variants: semantic variant, nonfluent aphasia, and the more recently defined logopenic variant; (2) to draw relations between functional disability, cognitive, and behavioural symptoms in the PPAs; (3) to examine the impact of functional disability on carer burden, and (4) to provide specific strategies to address the described problems. Main Contribution: Profiles of disease progression are described from a functional perspective, as well as the relationship (or lack thereof) between functional disability and cognitive and behavioural symptoms. Dementia-management strategies for carers and professionals in overcoming day-to-day difficulties are provided, and the impact of functional deficits on those around the patient, including their spouses and children, are discussed. Conclusions: Patterns of ADL functional disability and their progression vary between PPA subtypes. Understanding these different profiles of impairment is critical to the development of tailored interventions. There is a range of therapeutic strategies which can be trialled to promote improved ADL functioning, which in turn may also help in reducing levels of carer burden in PPA.


Recently the sequencing project of the human genome has been completed. The interest of the post-sequencing-era is shifting nowadays towards the investigation of the biological function and localization of the encoded proteins. Proteins are essential parts of all living organisms and participate in every process in the living cell. Despite their importance, the detailed function of the majority of all proteins remains still unknown. Therefore high-throughput methods are needed for the systematic examination of proteins. The first part of this thesis describes the development of a novel functional protein microarray, taking advantage of the highly selective reaction of the human O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) with O6-benzylguanine derivatives. By functionalization of otherwise bioinert glass surfaces with the substrate O6-benzylguanine, AGT fusion proteins can be selectively and covalently immobilized on a solid surface (Figure S1). Due to the high selectivity of the covalent immobilization the main advantage of this AGT based approach is that fusion proteins can be immobilized directly out of cell extracts without prior purification. By analyzing a set of literature known protein-protein interactions, protein-small molecule interactions and posttranslational modifications we demonstrate the feasibility of this approach (Chapter 3). Figure S1: Principle of an AGT-based protein microarray in which x can be any protein of interest Furthermore, the development of surface materials suitable for functional protein microarrays is described. The generated surfaces allow immobilization of proteins in defined orientation and density. Intrinsically bioinert polymer brushes were generated in collaboration with the Laboratory of Polymers at the EPFL. For the production of these bioinert brush-surfaces, surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) was used (Chapter 4). Additionally we addressed the importance of the orientation of immobilized proteins on solid surfaces. The immobilization of fusion proteins with random orientation on aldehyde-coated glass slides was compared with immobilization in a defined orientation on O6-benzylguanine functionalyzed polymer brushes. Subsequently, retention of activity of the proteins upon immobilization on the two different surfaces was analyzed. We demonstrated that a defined orientation of immobilized proteins is advantageous over random immobilization due to the fact that proteins, immobilized using the AGT approach, are attached in a defined orientation with their active site facing the solution phase, whereas random immobilization of proteins can result in hidden active sites (Chapter 5). In the second part of this thesis the problem of insolubility of recombinant expressed proteins is addressed. We analyzed the protein expression of a set of proteins, which were prior determined to be insoluble when expressed in E. coli. The proteins were expressed as AGT fusion proteins either in E. coli or M. smegmatis, with the goal to identify a suitable host for soluble protein expression with high yield. The AGT approach was exploited to screen for expression of soluble proteins and for the determination of the expression yields. We showed that fusion to AGT does not influence the solubility of the expressed proteins and that the expression yield in E. coli does not significantly differ from the yield in M. smegmatis, where proteins were expressed with less degradation. However, we assessed E. coli. to be the more suitable host for multi-parallel protein expression due to its easy handling and fast growth (Chapter 6). The gained knowledge of this project was transferred to the investigation of proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is presented in the last part of this thesis. A better understanding of M. tuberculosis, with the goal of unveiling and validating new therapeutic targets, is an imperative need to improve the control and treatment of tuberculosis disease. We focused in particular on the bacterial two component adaptation systems (TCS). Since these systems do not exist in mammals they present attractive candidates for new drug targets. In order to gain a better understanding of these adaptation systems we focused on one specific TCS, SenX/RegX, one of the first identified and well established TCS, which is believed to be implicated in virulence. A radioactive in vitro phosphorylation assay was developed, which allowed the identification of two new in vitro substrates for histidine kinase SenX, namely DevR and NarL. These results confirm the hypothesis that TCS might not only consist of two components, but that cross-talk between different TCS exist in order to adapt rapidly to environmental changes.


The earthquake that struck L'Aquila on April 6 2009 (Mw 6.3) directly affected the Gran Sasso aquifer. Co-seismic and post-seismic changes in groundwater discharge and in hydrochemistry, possibly induced by the earthquake, were observed. Spot and monitoring measurements of the spring discharge, of water table level and of the main physico-chemical parameters of spring waters (T, pH, electrical conductivity, major ions and 222Rn) were thus carried out to determine the effects of the L'Aquila earthquake on groundwater at regional and local scale, to be compared with available data collected since the 1990s.Short- and mid-term effects have been observed in the groundwater flow at recharge and discharge areas. The following short term effects have been observed: i) the sudden disappearance of some springs located along the surface trace of the Paganica Fault; ii) an immediate discharge increase of the Gran Sasso highway tunnel drainages (+20%) and of other springs (+10%); iii) a progressive increase of the water table elevation (+1m) at the boundary of theGran Sasso aquifer during the following month; iv) a sudden lowering of the water table in the recharge area. Similar post-seismic effects have been recorded in the following 20 months, when spring discharge and water table remain higher than the pre-seismic ones in discharge zones.A conceptual model of the earthquake consequences on the Gran Sasso aquifer is proposed herein. The short-term hydrologic effects registered immediately after the mainshock have been caused by a pore pressure increase related to elasto-static aquifer deformation.Apart from the contribution of seasonal recharge observed in 2009-10, mid-term effects observed in the 20 months following the mainshock suggest that there was a change in groundwater hydrodynamics.Supplementary groundwater that flows toward aquifer boundaries and springs in discharge areas reflects a possible increase in hydraulic conductivity in the recharge area. This increase is probably related to fracture cleaning and/or dilatancy.Additional monitoring including hydrochemical data allows a refinement of the proposed model. The outcomes of the hydrochemical spot sampling of the pre-seismic (2001-2007), post-seismic (April 2009) and after-seismic (July and September 2009, may 2010) periods, give the following insights: i) post-seismic groundwater of Tempera spring group was more mineralised and richer in 222Rn than the pre-seismic one; ii) transient changes in pH and calcite saturation index involve the whole aquifer, moving from Tempera springs and spreading from the recharge to discharge areas, causing changes in groundwater hydrochemistry; iii) post-seismic gradual return to previous hydrochemical equilibrium.Both hydrodynamic and hydrochemical observation converge towards a non-permanent increase of the bulk hydraulic conductivity in the aquifer portion close to the Paganica Fault (recharge area and local discharge zone). This fact has caused a lowering of the water table and of the calcite saturation index in recharge areas and simultaneously an increase of water table and flow rate in discharge zones.Complete interpretation of both quantitative and hydrochemical data allows to determine the long-term consequences of this earthquake on the groundwater flow of the Gran Sasso carbonate massif.


Cultural methods such as crop fertilization can affect susceptibility of plants to insect pests via altering plant tissue nutrient levels. Research shows that the ability of a crop plant to resist or tolerate insect pests and diseases is tied to optimal physical, chemical and mainly biological properties of soils. Soils with high organic matter and active soil biological activity generally exhibit good soil fertility. Crops grown in such soils exhibit lower abundance of several insect herbivores, reductions that may be attributed to a lower nitrogen content in organically farmed crops. On the other hand, farming practices, such as excessive use of inorganic fertilizers, can cause nutrient imbalances and lower pest resistance. More studies comparing pest populations on plants treated with synthetic versus organic fertilizers are needed. Understanding the underlying effects of why organic fertilization appears to improve plant health may lead us to new and better integrated pest management and integrated soil fertility management designs.


We study how a household borrowing constraint the the form of a down payment requirement affects house price dynamics in an OLG model with standard preferences. We find that in certain situations the borrowing constraint shapes house price dynamics substantially. The importance of the constraint depends very much on whether house price changes are driven by interest rate or aggregate income shocks. Moreover, because of the borrowing constraint, house price dynamics display substantial asymmetries between large positive and large negative income shocks. These results are related to the fact that the share of borrowing-constrained households is different following different shocks. Keywords: house prices, dynamics, borrowing constraints, down payment constraint JEL classification numbers: E21, R21


Between March and June 2011 Oxford Archaeology East conducted a series of archaeological excavations and watching briefs prior to the laying of a water pipe
between Kirtling Green and Wixoe, Suffolk. The route was directly to the east of the River Stour, mostly on relatively high land within Till and it passed close to severalsmall non nucleated villages.

The archaeology revealed was multi-period with the earliest comprising onlyoccasional sparse background scatter of Mesolithic/Early Neolithic flintwork along
the pipeline. The first main evidence of activity and occupation started in c.Late Neolithic. The most significant remains was a Late Neolithic or Bronze flint
extraction/working and possible associated occupation area between Lower Cotton Farm and Water Hall Farm (WIX021).

Flint had been quarried from a former river
channel and cores had begun to be worked on-site. This was an extremely rare discovery and is of regional importance. Sparse Late Neolithic activity was recorded at Little Bradley (BRL026) and this included a single pit from which a significant pottery assemblage as well as flint working evidence was recovered. A probable Late Neolithic or Bronze Age field system was found at Great Bradley
(BYG030) including up to two unurned cremations which are likely to be prehistoric. A Middle Bronze Age cremation area at Great Wratting (WTL010) was recorded
over a c.15m distance within the 4m wide excavation area and comprised an urned cremation and up to six unurned cremations.

 More than 300m from this cemetery
was part of a Bronze Age to Early Iron Age settlement recorded over a c.175m distance. A separate area of Bronze Age/Early Iron Age pits were found at Great
Wratting (WTL010) and probably represents part of a different settlement. A further possible Middle Bronze Age cemetery was found north of Water Hall Farm (WIX021)
and comprised an urned and an adjacent unurned cremation but these were isolated features. Possible sparse Bronze Age ditches were recorded at Great Bradley (BYG029) and may have been part of a field system. Likewise, Late Bronze
Age or Early Iron Age ditches at Little Thurlow (TUL021) probably also represent part of a field system with another three field systems possibly from these periods,
but were more tentatively assigned, comprising ditches at Little Bradley (BRL026), and within two areas at Kedington (KDG037 and KDG038).

A small part of an Early to Mid Iron Age settlement consisting of pits and a ditch was found at Little Bradley (BRL026). A single Late Iron Age to Early Roman settlement
was uncovered at Little Wratting (WTL010). This relative lack of Late Iron Age remains along the pipeline was in contrast with far more numerous Roman remains
revealed. Parts of at least two separate Roman rural settlements were found at WIX021 with occupation starting in both from the Early Roman period. At Great
Bradley (BYG030) there was part of a 2nd to 4th century Roman settlement. A single Early to Middle Saxon pit at Wixoe (WIX021) was the only feature dating to
this period within the pipeline. It is also possible that there were no Late Saxon features either with the Saxo-Norman to Late medieval features at Little Thurlow
(TUL021) adjacent to Broad Road probably dated to post-Conquest. Remains here included a post-built structure which may be domestic or an outbuilding, ditches and
a cobbled surface. A few medieval to late medieval remains were uncovered at Little Wattling (WTL010) as well as sparse medieval features found at Great Bradley
(BYG029) and Great Wratting (WTG018). The lack of many medieval remains was largely due to the pipe line being routed to pass present villages (and these areas
were also just beyond the medieval settlement areas). Probable medieval furrows were far more common and were postulated within several areas.


We present StackMold, a DIY molding technique to prototype multi-material and multi-colored objects with embedded electronics. The key concept of our approach is a novel multi-stage mold buildup in which casting operations are interleaved with the assembly of the mold to form independent compartments for casting different materials. To build multi-stage molds, we contribute novel algorithms that computationally design and optimize the mold and casting procedure. By default, the multi-stage mold is fabricated in slices using a laser cutter. For regions that require more surface detail, a high-fidelity 3D-printed mold subsection can be incorporated. StackMold is an integrated end-to-end system, supporting all stages of the process: it provides a UI to specify material and detail regions of a 3D~object; it generates fabrication files for the molds; and it produces a step-by-step casting instruction manual.


Innovation – that is, new, beneficial ideas or practices – in English language teaching (ELT) has been a constant subject of academic discussion over the past few decades. This topic continues to be a concern to all ELT practitioners because, as teachers, we constantly invite new challenges into our teaching contexts, and these challenges must be addressed and resolved. However, innovation in the context of ELT is still under-researched (Waters, 2014), although areas of research are emerging in the fields of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) (e.g., see Hyland & Wong, 2013).Despite the fact that both EAP and ESP are fertile grounds for innovation, pioneering practices are often limited to individual teachers or institutions. Therefore, there is a need for more research so that EAP and EAS practitioners across the globe can share and benefit from new ideas and approaches. In this context, this volume – the fourth book from the IATEFL ESP SIG – aims to bring together EAP and ESP practitioners from around the world to share their innovations and research into their novel practices.

Innovations in EAP and ESP are usually initiated locally to meet specific needs. Innovative practices, due to their small scale and local nature, may not flourish where there is a lack of institutional support or resistance to change (Waters, 2009). Even if the innovation is on a national or large scale, implementing it may still be challenging (Hu & McGrath, 2011). Despite these barriers, if local innovative practices in EAP and ESP can be shared with other practitioners, EAP and ESP learners from around the world stand to benefit, given the increasing demand for English language skills globally. Each of the 12 chapters in this volume aims to showcase local innovations from a global perspective.


A suite of climate change indices derived from daily temperature and precipitation data, with a primary focus on extreme events, were computed and analyzed. By setting an exact formula for each index and using specially designed software, analyses done in different countries have been combined seamlessly. This has enabled the presentation of the most up-to-date and comprehensive global picture of trends in extreme temperature and precipitation indices using results from a number of workshops held in data-sparse regions and high-quality station data supplied by numerous scientists world wide. Seasonal and annual indices for the period 1951-2003 were gridded. Trends in the gridded fields were computed and tested for statistical significance. Results showed widespread significant changes in temperature extremes associated with warming, especially for those indices derived from daily minimum temperature. Over 70% of the global land area sampled showed a significant decrease in the annual occurrence of cold nights and a significant increase in the annual occurrence of warm nights. Some regions experienced a more than doubling of these indices. This implies a positive shift in the distribution of daily minimum temperature throughout the globe. Daily maximum temperature indices showed similar changes but with smaller magnitudes. Precipitation changes showed a widespread and significant increase, but the changes are much less spatially coherent compared with temperature change. Probability distributions of indices derived from approximately 200 temperature and 600 precipitation stations, with near-complete data for 1901-2003 and covering a very large region of the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes (and parts of Australia for precipitation) were analyzed for the periods 1901-1950, 1951-1978 and 1979-2003. Results indicate a significant warming throughout the 20th century. Differences in temperature indices distributions are particularly pronounced between the most recent two periods and for those indices related to minimum temperature. An analysis of those indices for which seasonal time series are available shows that these changes occur for all seasons although they are generally least pronounced for September to November. Precipitation indices show a tendency toward wetter conditions throughout the 20th century.


The aim of this paper is to introduce the WIRCam Ultra Deep Survey (WUDS), a near-IR photometric survey carried out at the CFH Telescope in the field of the CFHTLS-D3 field (Groth Strip). WUDS includes four near-IR bands (Y , J, H and Ks) over a field of view of ∼400 arcmin2. The typical depth of WUDS data reaches between ∼26.8 in Y and J, and ∼26 in H and Ks (AB, 3σ in 1.3′′ aperture), whereas the corresponding depth of the CFHTLS-D3 images in this region ranges between 28.6 and 29 in ugr, 28.2 in i and 27.1 in z (same S/N and aperture). The area and depth of this survey were specifically tailored to set strong constraints on the cosmic star formation rate and the luminosity function brighter or around L in the z ∼ 6−10 redshift domain, although these data are also useful for a variety of extragalactic projects. This first paper is intended to present the properties of the public WUDS survey in details: catalog building, completeness and depth, number counts, photometric redshifts, and global properties of the galaxy population. We have also concentrated on the selection and characterization of galaxy samples at z ∼ [4.5−7] in this field. For these purposes, we include an adjacent shallower area of ∼1260 arcmin2 in this region, extracted from the WIRCam Deep Survey (WIRDS), and observed in J, H and Ks bands. UV luminosity functions were derived at z ∼ 5 and z ∼ 6 taking advantage from the fact that WUDS covers a particularly interesting regime at intermediate luminosities, which allows a combined determination of M and Φ with increased accuracy. Our results on the luminosity function are consistent with a small evolution of both M and Φ between z = 5 and z = 6, irrespective of the method used to derive them, either photometric redshifts applied to blindly-selected dropout samples or the classical Lyman Break Galaxy color-preselected samples. Our results lend support to higher Φ determinations at z = 6 than usually reported. The selection and combined analysis of different galaxy samples at z ≥ 7 will be presented in a forthcoming paper, as well as the evolution of the UV luminosity function between z ∼ 4.5 and 9. WUDS is intended to provide a robust database in the near-IR for the selection of targets for detailed spectroscopic studies, in particular for the EMIR/GTC GOYA Survey.


 Abstract -- This paper presents the design of an L 1 adaptive controller for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of a small variable speed Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS). The proposed controller generates the optimal torque command for the vector controlled generator side converter (GSC) based on the wind speed estimation. The proposed MPPT control algorithm has a generic structure and can be used for different generator types. In order to verify the efficacy of the proposed L 1 adaptive controller for the MPPT of the WECS, a full converter wind turbine with a squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG) is used to carry out case studies using Matlab/Simulink. The case study results show that the designed L 1 adaptive controller has good tracking performance even with unmodeled dynamics and in the presence of parameter uncertainties and unknown disturbances.


We propose a method to determine growth rates of adult copepods based on their nucleic acid contents. We investigated the suitability of this method on the marine copepod Acartia gruni in a range of food concentrations and temperatures. There was a good linear relationship between growth rate (estimated as egg production) and RNA contents of the adult copepods. The slope of the relationship was dependent on temperature. We also built a multiple regression model to predict egg production rates of A. grani as a function of RNA contents and temperature. This method allows very intensive field sampling and does not require incubations onboard. Samples are preserved frozen and analyzed in the laboratory using a very sensitive fluorometric technique that allows working with small numbers of individuals of the desired species.


Correctness of UML class diagrams annotated with OCL constraints can be checked using bounded verification techniques, e.g., SAT or constraint programming (CP) solvers. Bounded verification detects faults efficiently but, on the other hand, the absence of faults does not guarantee a correct behavior outside the bounded domain. Hence, choosing suitable bounds is a non-trivial process as there is a trade-off between the verification time (faster for smaller domains) and the confidence in the result (better for larger domains). Unfortunately, bounded verification tools provide little support in the bound selection process. In this paper, we present a technique that can be used to (i) automatically infer verification bounds whenever possible, (ii) tighten a set of bounds proposed by the user and (iii) guide the user in the bound selection process. This approach may increase the usability of UML/OCL bounded verification tools and improve the efficiency of the verification process.