The roll-out of 5G technology will nurture the realization of broadband, ultra-reliable, and zero latency services. Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) are among the key enablers for 5G. The synergy between NFV and MEC allows migration of Virtual Network Functions (VNF) from cloud to the edge of the network thereby adding agility to the softwarized 5G networks. The overall orchestration of VNF includes, but is not limited to, processing VNF requests, selecting appropriate VNF, migrating VNF from cloud to MEC, instantiating migrated VNF at MEC, settling payment according to a VNF's usage, maintaining VNF's reputation, etc. The orchestration is not foolproof and raises doubts about its trustworthiness. To address all the existing issues in a unified manner, we leverage Blockchain technology as yet another enabling technology for MEC-enabled 5G. Thus, we propose a Blockchain-enhanced architecture for secure VNF orchestration such that issues like authenticity, integrity, confidentiality, reputation, payment transfer, and many more are resolved. To furnish a Proof-of-Concept (PoC), we develop a prototypical DApp (Decentralized Application) using Ethereum Blockchain and Suricata as an exemplar VNF. Further, we discuss the strong resiliency of the proposed architecture against numerous well-known attacks.


The rapid evolution of RNA viruses has been long considered to result from a combination of high copying error frequencies during RNA replication, short generation times and the consequent extensive fixation of neutral or adaptive changes over short periods. While both the identities and sites of mutations are typically modelled as being random, recent investigations of sequence diversity of SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have identified a preponderance of C->U transitions, potentially driven by an APOBEC-like RNA editing process. The current study investigated whether this phenomenon could be observed in the more genetically diverse datasets of other RNA viruses. Using a 5% divergence filter to infer directionality, 18 from 32 datasets of aligned coding region sequences from a diverse range of mammalian RNA viruses (including Picornaviridae, Flaviviridae, Matonaviridae, Caliciviridae and Coronaviridae) showed a >2-fold base composition normalised excess of C->U transitions compared to U->C (range 2.1x–7.5x). C->U transitions showed a favoured 5' U upstream context consistent with previous analyses of APOBEC-mediated RNA targeting. Amongst several genomic compositional and structural parameters, the presence of genome scale RNA secondary structure (GORS) was associated with C->U/U->C transition asymmetries (p < 0.001), potentially reflecting the documented structure dependence of APOBEC-mediated RNA editing. Using the association index metric, C->U changes were specifically over-represented at phylogenetically uninformative sites, consistent with extensive homoplasy documented in SARS-CoV-2. Excess C->U substitutions accounted for 15-20% of standing sequence variability of HCV and other RNA viruses; RNA editing may therefore represent a potent driver of RNA virus sequence diversification and longer term evolution. Author Summary The rapid evolution of RNA viruses is thought to arise from high mutation frequencies during replication and the rapid accumulation of genetic changes over time in response to its changing environments. This study describes an additional potent factor that contributes to the evolution of RNA infecting mammals, the deliberate mutation of the viral genome by host antiviral pathways active within the cell when it becomes infected. This so called "genome editing" by one or more APOBEC enzymes leads to characteristic C->U mutations that damage the virus's ability to replicate. While this pathway is well characterised as an antiviral defence against HIV and other retroviruses, this study provides evidence for its activity against a wide range of human and veterinary viruses, including HCV and foot and mouth disease virus. APOBEC-driven mutations accounted for 15-20% of standing sequence variability of RNA virus groups, representing a potent driver of RNA virus sequence diversification.


The Georgia Tech Library and Information Center is a creative partner and essential force in the learning community and in the Institute's instructional, learning and research programs. The Library plans, develops and implements programs to provide expert staff, information, learning resources and information competencies to students, faculty, and staff and selected services to off campus clients. Using appropriate technology, the Library delivers resources to satisfy information needs, promote lifelong learning and create productive connections for the scholarly community.


Breast cancer is very popular between females all over the world. However, detecting this cancer in its first stages helps in saving lives. Radiologists can predict if the mammography images have cancer or not, but they may miss about 15% of them. In this paper, we propose a new method to detect the breast cancer with high accuracy. This method consists of two main parts, in the first part the image processing techniques are used to prepare the mammography images for feature and pattern extraction process. The second part is presented by utilizing the extracted features as an input for a two types of supervised learning models, which are Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) model and the Logistic Regression (LR) model. In this paper we examined the accuracy of these models. The results showed that the LR model utilized more features than the BPNN.


MELCOR is a fully integrated computer code that models all phases of the progression of severe accidents in light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plants and is being developed for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by Sandia National Laboratories. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) has a program with the NRC called MELCOR Verification, Benchmarking, and Applications, the aim of which is to provide independent assessment of MELCOR as a severe accident thermal-hydraulic/source term analysis tool. The scope of this program is to perform quality control verification on all released versions of MELCOR, to benchmark MELCOR against more mechanistic codes and experimental data from severe fuel damage tests, and to evaluate the ability of MELCOR to simulate long-term severe accident transients in commercial LWRs, by applying the code to model both boiling water reactors and pressurized water reactors. Under this program, BNL provided input to the NRC-sponsored MELCOR Peer Review and is currently contributing to the MELCOR Cooperative Assessment Program (MCAP). A summary of MELCOR assessment efforts at BNL and their contribution to NRC goals with respect to MELCOR is presented.


Despite much scientific evidence, a large fraction of the American public doubts that greenhouse gases are causing global warming. We present a simulation model as a computational test-bed for climate prediction markets. Traders adapt their beliefs about future temperatures based on the profits of other traders in their social network. We simulate two alternative climate futures, in which global temperatures are primarily driven either by carbon dioxide or by solar irradiance. These represent, respectively, the scientific consensus and a hypothesis advanced by prominent skeptics. We conduct sensitivity analyses to determine how a variety of factors describing both the market and the physical climate may affect traders' beliefs about the cause of global climate change. Market participation causes most traders to converge quickly toward believing the "true" climate model, suggesting that a climate market could be useful for building public consensus.


The management of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) has recently become more difficult due to increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogens. To investigate and clarify the trends of microbes and antibiotic susceptibility significantly contributes to the treatment of AOM. A retrospective chart review was conducted for 123 children with AOM treated between April 2006 and March 2007. Two hundred twenty five samples of middle ear fluid were obtained by tympanocentesis and 39 samples from otorrhea. Of 225 middle ear fluid samples, 156 samples (69%) were positive on microbial culture and 196 isolates were detected. Thirty isolates were penicillin G susceptible streptococcus pneumoniae (PSSP) and 53 were penicillin G intermediately resistant streptococcus pneumoniae (PISP). There were no penicillin G resistant streptococcus (PRSP). Thirty eight haemophilus influenzae were beta-lactamase non-producing ampicillin susceptible (BLNAS),15 were beta-lactamase non-producing ampicillin resistant (BLNAR), 13 were betalactamase producing ampicillin resistant (BLPAR). There were no beta-lactamase producing ampicillin and clavulanate acid resistant (BLPACR). Of 39 otorrhea samples, 33 samples (85%) were positive on microbial culture and 60 isolates were detected. Two isolates were PSSP and 10 were PISP. There were no PRSP. Eleven were BLNAS, and one was BLNAR. There were no BLPAR or BLPACR. These findings suggest that relatively high proportions of pathogens isolated from AOM in our institute were susceptible to amoxicillin.


This article discusses, by reference to Scotland, the problems of codifying a mixed system of private law, presenting an outline of some parts in a draft civil code. A civil code must resolve divergence between Civil Law and Common Law concepts. Such divergence is demonstrated here by reference to the conceptual conflict between the Scots (Civil) law of error and the English (Common) law of misrepresentation. The article outlines how codified provisions in this area might be drafted. It discusses the German, French, Swiss and Austrian rules (the last being remarkably similar to Scots law), and offers possible Common Law and Civil Law-style codifications of the Scots law of error. As Scots statutes follow the Common Law drafting style, it is argued that they are unsuitable for comprehensive codification. A code in a Civilian style, on the other hand, requires the adoption of Civilian statutory interpretation, but as this is inconsistent with Scots legal culture, the final question raised is whether codification of Scots private law is desirable at all.


The estimation of exchange rate exposure is a relatively recent area of research in international finance. Exposure represents the sensitivity of the value of the firm to exchange rate fluctuations. One of the first contributions of this field is by Adler and Dumas (1984). Exchange rate fluctuations or movements affect a country"s economic activity. When a country"s currency changes (appreciates or depreciates) against the currency of other countries, it influences both export and import oriented firms in the country.India"s share in total global trade has been increasing substantially after 1991. Despite the global trade, there are some recurrent concerns about the impact of exchange rate movements on trade activities in particular. The overall trade performance of a country depends on the aggregation of exports and imports decision of individual firms. Thus, in order to understand the effect of exchange rate changes on trade activities, it is important to analyze how exchange rate exposure affects the decisions of a wide range of firms" performances. Such an analysis provides insights into heterogeneous responses across firms to exchange rate exposure and it relates policy implications of the central bank"s efforts in managing and stabilizing foreign exchange variations. In this backdrop, this thesis has made an attempt to examine the following objectives. First this study measures the exchange rate exposure Indian manufacturing vis-a-vis service-based firms. Second, the major determinants of the exchange rate exposure are identified for both the manufacturing and service-based firms. Finally, this study examines the impact of exchange rate exposure on firm"s performance for both the sectors
To achieve these objectives, this thesis collected data from secondary sources. Firm level data collected from Prowess database (CMIE), the exchange rate data collected from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Bulletin. Apart from that output, energy, salaries and wages related deflated data obtained from Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India. The capital deflated data obtained from Handbook of statistics on Indian economy, published by RBI. To examine first objective, time series regression model is used to examine the relationship between exchange rate changes and firm"s stock returns, keeping market return constant. The estimated results indicated that Indian firms are significantly affected by exchange rate changes. Manufacturing sector firms are highly exposed to exchange rate changes than service sector firms. When comparing the exchange rate exposure across the industries, this study found that within the manufacturing sector, machinery, except electrical and electronics industry, is more vulnerable to the exchange rate exposure. The degree of exposure is high in machinery, except electrical and electronics industry, in manufacturing sector. Likewise, in the service sector, the degree of exposure is highest in case of the wholesale and retail trading industry and it is also highly exposed to exchange rate changes. Further, it found that the firms of both sectors are more exposed to the exchange rate changes in the post-crisis period than pre-crisis period. The individual subgroups of firms from both the sectors give a similar picture, that is, firms are more exposed to exchange rate changes in the post-crisis period than the pre-crisis period. Finally, the import-oriented firms are more exposed to the exchange rate than the export-oriented firms.
The panel regression model is used to examine the factors which determine the exchange rate exposure of both manufacturing and service sector firms. The results revealed that market to book; export and size are the three major significant factors that determine the exposure for Indian manufacturing as well as service sector firms. Similarly, market to book, size and export variables are found significant in case of export and import oriented firms. Whereas, the study find that debt and asset turnover has no significant effect on exchange rate exposure. Further, this study documented that there is a positive association between exchange rate exposure with the market to book and export. A negative relationship existed between the size with a level of exchange rate exposure of firms. In the third objective, exchange rate exposure and firm performance in terms of productivity is analyzed. Using Instrumental Variable Panel Regression Model the result revealed that appreciation of exchange rate exposure has an unfavorable impact on productivity. It also showed that there existed a positive relation between productivity and export and also between productivity and foreign. Discussing the relation between productivity and size, this study found a negative relation between them. This study also explored that firm performance is affected more by the exchange rate exposure in post-crisis than pre-crisis periods. Import oriented firms are more performed than export oriented firms. The overall findings of the study strongly recommends the policy makers to minimize the exchange rate fluctuation, which directly affecting the firm"s business and firm valuation and for promoting export and import policies in India. India"s experience of slowdown of export and increasing dependence on import clearly shows that export markets have not served as a significant competitive pressure on domestic firms to invest and improve their technological capabilities and productivity. It also suggests the policy makers to concentrate on those factors which minimize the risk for exposure. Finally, it suggests increasing the volume of production by targeting the domestic markets or engaging in hedging activities.


Upstream sequences of the H4 histone gene FO108 located between nt –418 to –213 are stimulatory for in vivo transcription. This domain contains one protein/DNA interaction site (H4‐Site III) that binds factor H4UA‐1. Based on methylation interference, copper‐phenanthroline protection, and competition assays, we show that H4UA‐1 interacts with sequences between nt −345 to −332 containing an element displaying sequence‐similarity with the thyroid hormone response element (TRE). Using gel retardation assays, we also demonstrate that H4UA‐1 binding activity is abolished at low concentrations of Zn2+ (0.75 mM), a characteristic shared with the thyroid hormone (TH) receptor DNA binding protein. Interestingly, phosphatase‐treatment of nuclear proteins inhibits formation of the H4UA‐1 protein/DNA complex, although a complex with higher mobility (H4UA‐1b) can be detected; both complexes share identical protein‐DNA contacts and competition behaviors. These findings suggest that phosphorylation may be involved in the regulation of H4‐Site III protein/DNA interactions by directly altering protein/protein associations. H4‐Site III interactions were examined in several cell culture systems during cell growth and differentiation. We find that H4UA‐1 binding activity is present during the cell cycle of both normal diploid and transformed cells. However, during differentiation of normal diploid rat calvarial osteoblasts, we observe a selective loss of the H4UA‐1/H4‐Site III interaction, concomitant with an increase of the H4UA‐1b/H4‐Site III complex, indicating modifications in the heteromeric nature of protein/DNA interactions during downregulation of transcription at the cessation of proliferation. Transformed cells have elevated levels of H4UA‐1, whereas H4UA‐1b is predominantly present in normal diploid cells; this alteration in the ratio of H4UA‐1 and H4UA‐1b binding activities may reflect deregulation of H4‐Site III interactions in transformed cells. We propose that H4‐Site III interactions may contribute, together with protein/DNA interactions at proximal regulatory sequences, in determining the level of H4‐FO108 histone gene transcription.


Photorhabdus spp. are Gram negative enterobacteria which have a life cycle
involving mutualism with a nematode partner and pathogenicity towards insects.
Photorhabdus reside as intestinal symbionts of the infective juvenile (IJ) stage of
entomopathogenic nematodes of the Heterorhabditis family. The bacteria and its
nematode partner together form an insect killing (entomopathogenic) complex that
kills the soil dwelling larval stages of a wide variety of insect species. Photorhabdus
spp. have the ability to exist in either of two phenotypically different forms. The
bacterial form isolated from the nematode is referred to as the primary phenotype
variant, whilst the phenotypically different form is referred to as secondary phenotype
variant. This secondary variant is isolated after prolonged stationary phase growth of
the primary variant. The secondary variant does not support mutualism with the
nematode partner and does not produce pigment, bioluminescence, extracellular
enzymes, antibiotics and displays a different colony morphology to the primary
variant. Study of the phenotypic switch undergone by Photorhabdus has identified
two signalling pathways which play a role in the regulation of phenotypic variation -
the LysR-type transcriptional regulator HexA and the 'adaptation to stationary phase'
AstR-AstS two component signal transduction system. A putative DNA binding
protein, Ner, has also been shown to influence the phenotypic switch when
overexpressed. This study has confirmed the role of HexA in the regulation of
symbiosis, virulence and phenotypic variation in P. temperata K122 and furthermore,
has identified a role for HexA in regulating the small RNA global regulator csrB.
Other genes, including hipB (part of a toxin/antitoxin system) and sdiA a LuxR type
regulator have also been identified as having potential roles in phenotypic variation.
A broad range of other genes that influence phenotypic variation either directly or
indirectly have also been identified, providing further insight into the reasons for the
occurrence of phenotypic variation in P. temperata K122.


The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a process-based, distributed parameter,
continuous simulation computer program for estimation of runoff, soil loss and sediment yield from fields and
small watersheds. In addition to having large databases for application to a multitude of U.S. soils, climates
and management systems, WEPP also has a variety of user interfaces that make use of the model very easy.
For many users, very simple and rapid erosion estimates can be made with web-based versions of WEPP,
accessible through the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory's (NSERL) web servers. For more detailed
and focused conservation planning or erosion inventories, there is a stand-alone Windows interface as well as
an Arc-View GIS extension (GeoWEPP). Erosion science technology within the current WEPP model is being
extracted and ported into a new combined wind and water erosion process model being developed under the
Object Modeling System (OMS) in cooperation with USDA scientists in Fort Collins, Colorado, Manhattan,
Kansas, and at other locations in the United States.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cell affinity of calcium phosphate glass scaffold in the system of CaO-CaF2-P2O5-MgO-ZnO, which is already reported that promoted the bone-like tissue formation in vitro and formed new bone in Sprague-Dawley rats. We prepared calcium phosphate glass saffolds with three-dimensionally interconnected pores of 200~500 µm. Commercial HA scaffold was employed as a control in this study. Bone marrow cells were collected from the healthy human donors and cultured within the prepared scaffolds. After 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, hMSCs/scaffold were fixed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. hMSCs were continuously proliferated both in the experimental and control groups at every incubation period. The number of cells was higher in the experimental group than that of the control group, however, there was no significant difference (p>0.05). Extracellular matrices could be observed at the 2nd and 4th days in the experimental and control groups, respectively. The extracellular matrices were more abundant in the experimental group at all periods. The prepared calcium phosphate glass scaffolds are expected effective in bone tissue engineering.


Robots are excellent tools for providing motion. Their motion is precise, stiff and as repeatable as needed. This led the Swiss Foundation for Cyberthosis (SFC) to exploit robotics jointly with the muscle electrostimulation as intelligent rehabilitation devices. A three step rehabilitation process was developed; each step has its dedicated reeducation device. The very encouraging clinical results obtained with the first system prove the rightness of the concept (Robotic system + Electrostimulation  Rehabilitation process).


The dividend debate between agency cost theory and information signaling theory provides contrasting explanations of the relationship between dividend payout and cash flow volatility. This paper attempts to test these two theories empirically using data from 135 public US equity REITs from 1985 to 2003. We explore the role of expected cash flow volatility as a determinant of dividend policy for REITs, by employing panel regressions on excess dividend. The paper finds strong evidence suggesting that REITs pay out substantial excess dividend to avoid agency cost when the cash flow is more volatile. The information signaling theory plays a relatively minor role in REIT firms' dividend policy concerning the cash flow volatility. Time Series Relationships between Bonds, Real Estate and Share Returns for the


Cross-ratio (CR) based methods offer many attractive properties for remote gaze estimation using a single camera in an uncalibrated setup by exploiting invariance of a plane projectivity. Unfortunately, due to several simplification assumptions, the performance of CR-based eye gaze trackers decays significantly as the subject moves away from the calibration position. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive homography mapping for achieving gaze prediction with higher accuracy at the calibration position and more robustness under head movements. This is achieved with a learning-based method for compensating both spatially-varying gaze errors and head pose dependent errors simultaneously in a unified framework. The model of adaptive homography is trained offline using simulated data, saving a tremendous amount of time in data collection. We validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach using both simulated and real data from a physical setup. We show that our method compares favorably against other state-of-the-art CR based methods.


The current technological status of ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) has reached a point where small-scale ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection applications, that is, for greywater reuse appear increasingly promising. This study compares the germicidal and economical aspects of UV-LEDs with traditional UV. Pure cultures and environmental greywater samples were exposed to different radiation doses from both UV sources with the germicidal effect comparative at equivalent doses. The impact of particle size on disinfection efficiency was investigated in two greywater fractions of varying mean particle size. Disinfection efficiency was found to be dependent on particle size with larger particles reducing microbial inactivation for both UV sources. Post-UV blending to detach particle-associated coliforms resulted in higher bacterial counts for both UV sources although to a lesser extent for UV-LEDs suggesting that it might be less affected by the presence of particles than traditional UV sources, possibly due to the UV radiation being emitted by multiple diodes at different angles compared to the traditional UV collimated beam setup. Nevertheless, removal of particles prior to UV disinfection is necessary to meet strict water reuse standards. Although UV-LEDs are currently prohibitively expensive, improvements in performance indicators might make this technology economically competitive within the next few years.


Objective: Our objective is to explore and demonstrate the critical link between innovation and employment for firms before and during the recession. We investigate different types of innovation and their associated impact on regional employment growth rates in the UK using panel data of regions during the period 2004-2009.

Prior Work: Recent research at the regional level, suggests a clear positive impact of new firm formation on employment growth rates (Reynolds, 1994, 1999; Acs and Armington, 2004) and self-employment rates (Foelster, 2000; Brixy and Grotz, 2004). Our research extends the scope of such work on two fronts. We first examine the innovative dimensions of entrepreneurial activities (i.e. product innovation, process innovation, organisational innovation and geographic extent of innovation collaborations) in firms and their association with high employment growth rates at the regional level. Second, we compare the differential impact of various types of innovation on employment before and during the current economic recession.

Approach: We use three sources of data. We use the UK Community Innovation Survey (CIS) for the six year period 2004 to 2009 with the sample used in this study being stratified by UK regions (9 Government Office Regions in England). Our second source of data is NOMIS, from which we derive employment creation and VAT registration data. The employment rate data for UK regions was taken from the official Eurostat database. Following the methodology developed by Acs and Armington (2004), the regional growth differences are analysed by taking into account the employment in the specific region and this analysis employs two different measures of employment the employment rate and employment compound annual growth rate.

Entrepreneurial activity is proxied by two measures, total employees and VAT registrations as the official guide to the pattern of business start-ups in the UK. To account for high growth potential of specific regions, the effect of human capital is included in the form of the number of residents with NVQ level 4 or above in total population. We distinguish our model by including different types of firm innovation as explanatory factors.

Results: We find that there are wide variations across regions for different types of innovation. Our results show that product innovation was the dominant innovation strategy both prior and during the economic crisis, while significantly fewer firms invested in process and wider (management) innovations

Implications: Our findings have critical implications for policy especially in inclement economic conditions. The importance of product innovation suggests that firms are keen to distinguish their goods and services rather than rely solely on incremental forms of innovation. The downturn acts as an impetus for change. Innovation policy can be effective if it takes into account demand side behaviour and practice. For firms, good practice in a recessionary climate centred round product innovation can yield better prospects for the up turn when that occurs

Value: Our work adds value to the existing literature on entrepreneurship development at the regional level through its specific focus on innovation. It enhances existing methodological devices to measure the impact of innovation on employment by introducing new variables. Finally, the findings should assist policy makers in determining effective regional policy for both employment and innovation.


Scaffolding Literacy describes an alternative approach to literacy teaching in primary schools based on the principles of explicit teaching of how authors use words to convey meaning. The book provides a detailed description of the Scaffolding Literacy teaching sequence and related strategies developed at the University of Canberra over two decades. It explains why the Scaffolding Literacy approach enables learners to better understand the reading, language studies and writing tasks asked of them in school.


Summary Background To evaluate the differences in the existence and size of dead space in patients with and without Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD and non-GERD) expressed through the size of intrapulmonary shunt (QS/QT). Material/Methods The study enrolled 86 subjects – 43 patients referred for endoscopy because of symptoms of GERD (heartburn, acid regurgitation, dysfagia) and 43 healthy subjects with similar anthropometric characteristics without GERD symptoms. Based on endoscopy findings, patients were classified into the erosive reflux disease (ERD) group and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) group. Spirometry values, single-breath diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and intrapulmonary shunt (venous shunt – QS/QT) determined by the oxygen method were measured in all participants. Results Statistically significant differences between GERD and non-GERD groups in FVC (p=0.034), FEV1 (p=0.002), FEV1/FVC (p=0.001), and PEF (p=0.001) were observed. There were no statistically significant differences in FEF 25% (p=0.859), FEF 50% (p=0.850), and FEF 75% (p=0.058). Values of DLCO (p=0.006) and DLCO/VA (p=0.001) were significantly lower and QS/QT was significantly higher (p=0.001) in the GERD group than in the non-GERD group. However, in both groups the average values of DLCO and DLCO/VA expressed as a percentage of predictive values were within normal range, while the value of QS/QT in the GERD group showed pathological (6.0%) mean value (normal value ≤5.0%). There were no significant differences in respiratory function test results between patients with ERD and NERD. Conclusions Our results suggest that microaspiration of stomach contents may cause surfactant damage, development of microatelectasis, and dead space expansion with consequent increase of intrapulmonary (venous) shunt.


We introduce a novel differentiable hybrid traffic simulator, which simulates traffic using a hybrid model of both macroscopic and microscopic models and can be directly integrated into a neural network for traffic control and flow optimization. This is the first differentiable traffic simulator for macroscopic and hybrid models that can compute gradients for traffic states across time steps and inhomogeneous lanes. To compute the gradient flow between two types of traffic models in a hybrid framework, we present a novel intermediate conversion component that bridges the lanes in a differentiable manner as well. We also show that we can use analytical gradients to accelerate the overall process and enhance scalability. Thanks to these gradients, our simulator can provide more efficient and scalable solutions for complex learning and control problems posed in traffic engineering than other existing algorithms. Refer to https://sites.google.com/umd.edu/diff-hybrid-traffic-sim for our project.


We model a marriage market where singles consider the prospects of employment and income of their potential spouses, and married couples make joint decisions on home production and labor participation. This double interaction between the marriage and labor markets is affected by search frictions in both. We characterize the job search strategies of different couples; equal individuals have different behaviors depending on their spouses. When the search for mates is easy, people marry others with very similar productivity, and both spouses have the same behavior in the labor market. This natural outcome is socially inefficient as it takes some high productivity people off the labor market and viceversa. It also expands income distribution. Some empirical findings in the labor literature are supported theoretically here.


Abstract. Rock slides and rock falls are the most frequent types of slope movements in Yosemite National Park, California. In historical time (1857–2002) 392 rock falls and rock slides have been documented in the valley, and some of them have been mapped in detail. We present the results of an attempt to assess rock fall hazards in the Yosemite Valley. Spatial and temporal aspects of rock falls hazard are considered. A detailed inventory of slope movements covering the 145-year period from 1857 to 2002 is used to determine the frequency-volume statistics of rock falls and to estimate the annual frequency of rock falls, providing the temporal component of rock fall hazard. The extent of the areas potentially subject to rock fall hazards in the Yosemite Valley were obtained using STONE, a physically-based rock fall simulation computer program. The software computes 3-dimensional rock fall trajectories starting from a digital elevation model (DEM), the location of rock fall release points, and maps of the dynamic rolling friction coefficient and of the coefficients of normal and tangential energy restitution. For each DEM cell the software calculates the number of rock falls passing through the cell, the maximum rock fall velocity and the maximum flying height. For the Yosemite Valley, a DEM with a ground resolution of 10 × 10 m was prepared using topographic contour lines from the U.S. Geological Survey 1:24 000-scale maps. Rock fall release points were identified as DEM cells having a slope steeper than 60 ° , an assumption based on the location of historical rock falls. Maps of the normal and tangential energy restitution coefficients and of the rolling friction coefficient were produced from a surficial geologic map. The availability of historical rock falls mapped in detail allowed us to check the computer program performance and to calibrate the model parameters. Visual and statistical comparison of the model results with the mapped rock falls confirmed the accuracy of the model. The model results are compared with a previous map of rockfall talus and with a geomorphic assessment of rock fall hazard based on potential energy referred to as a shadow angle approach, recently completed for the Yosemite Valley. The model results are then used to identify the roads and trails more subject to rock fall hazard. Of the 166.5 km of roads and trails in the Yosemite Valley 31.2% were found to be potentially subject to rock fall hazard, of which 14% are subject to very high hazard.


One of the leading unrealized opportunities in Nigerian industrial organizations is the full influence of research ideas and knowledge to transform business products and processes into long-term innovation. Business research and innovation contribute significantly to improvement in enterprise productivity and quality and in the integral components of business strategy and success. Drawing heavily from published literature, this paper highlights the enormous benefits of continual research and innovation on national economies, and proffers recommendations on how Nigeria could key into this concept to promote its economic competitiveness at the global level.


Cave research in Hungary has developed a lot in the last decade. As a part of this progress, enchytraeid specimens were collected from Hungarian caves and were subsequently characterized by comparative morphological and molecular taxonomic analyses. Molecular phylogenetic studies based on ITS, CO1 and H3 sequences and morphological results confirmed that these specimens represented two species new to science. The descriptions of Fridericia baradlana sp. nov. and Fridericia spelaeophila sp. nov. are presented in this paper.


Descriptions are provided by the Actions directly via e-COST.

As increasing amounts of sensitive data are exchanged and processed every day on the Internet, the need for security is paramount.

Cryptography is the fundamental tool for securing digital interactions, and allows much more than secure communication: recent breakthroughs in cryptography enable the protection - at least from a theoretical point of view - of any interactive data processing task. This includes electronic voting, outsourcing of storage and computation, e-payments, electronic auctions, etc.

However, as cryptography advances and becomes more complex, single research groups become specialized and lose contact with "the big picture". Fragmentation in this field can be dangerous, as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. To ensure that the ideas produced in Europe's many excellent research groups will have a practical impact, coordination among national efforts and different skills is needed.

The aim of this Action is to stimulate interaction between the different national efforts in order to develop new cryptographic solutions and to evaluate the security of deployed algorithms with applications to the secure digital interactions between citizens, companies and governments. The Action will foster a network of European research centers thus promoting movement of ideas and people between partners.


ii This thesis covers the design and development of a modulated Pierce electron gun used in the construction of experimental travelling wave tube (TWT) amplifiers. The gun incorporated an open aperture switching electrode, positioned mid-way between anode and cathode, to pulse the beam. This method of modulation did not have the same adverse effects on electron trajectories as in the case of a conventional mesh grid, but rather the electrode could be used to alter the focus conditions within the gun and subsequently improve certain beam characteristics. Ion focusing effects could also be eliminated with the electrode, allowing dual mode operation of the guns without the complications normally associated with such a practice. The switching electrode was simulated to ascertain its effect on electron trajectories within the gun, using finite element analysis as well as an electron optics design program. A test gun was constructed in a glass envelope in order to investigate the performance of the new design. The glass gun allowed a beam analysis to be performed, as well as thermal measurements to be made. Results from this gun compared favourably with earlier simulations. The results of two metal/ceramic construction TWTs are presented, showing the beneficial effects of the switching electrode on the performance of the tubes as a whole, and the electrode 's potential to compensate for constructional anomalies. The joining of metals to ceramic using active brazing techniques is also an important aspect tackled by the thesis, wit h several innovative ideas being implemented in the construction of the devices. A simple yet reliable electrical feed-through was developed for those guns having a ceramic envelope. Extensive work was also performed on the manufacture of impregnated tungsten \ cathodes for use in the electron guns. Several test diodes, including a water-cooled demountable test vehicle, were constructed to test the performance of the cathodes. An analysis was performed on the patchy behaviour of some of the initial cathodes to improve the preparation methods used in the laboratory. The emission results obtained from the cathodes are documented, as is the successful incorporation of several of them into the new modulated gun design.


Abstract. We introduce r.randomwalk, a flexible and multi-functional open-source tool for backward and forward analyses of mass movement propagation. r.randomwalk builds on GRASS GIS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System – Geographic Information System), the R software for statistical computing and the programming languages Python and C. Using constrained random walks, mass points are routed from defined release pixels of one to many mass movements through a digital elevation model until a defined break criterion is reached. Compared to existing tools, the major innovative features of r.randomwalk are (i) multiple break criteria can be combined to compute an impact indicator score; (ii) the uncertainties of break criteria can be included by performing multiple parallel computations with randomized parameter sets, resulting in an impact indicator index in the range 0–1; (iii) built-in functions for validation and visualization of the results are provided; (iv) observed landslides can be back analysed to derive the density distribution of the observed angles of reach. This distribution can be employed to compute impact probabilities for each pixel. Further, impact indicator scores and probabilities can be combined with release indicator scores or probabilities, and with exposure indicator scores. We demonstrate the key functionalities of r.randomwalk for (i) a single event, the Acheron rock avalanche in New Zealand; (ii) landslides in a 61.5 km2 study area in the Kao Ping Watershed, Taiwan; and (iii) lake outburst floods in a 2106 km2 area in the Gunt Valley, Tajikistan.


We investigate the role of the tidal charge in orbital models of high-frequency quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in neutron star binary systems. We show how the standard relativistic precession (RP) model modied by the tidal charge ts the observational data, giving estimates of the allowed values of the tidal charge and the brane tension based on the processes going in the vicinity of neutron stars. We compare our strong eld regime restrictions with those given in the weak eld limit of solar system experiments.


The pressures which have been exerted on all levels of our educational system to provide more extended schooling to an ever increasing proportion of our youth have forced us to experiment with a wide range of devices and techniques in order to meet the challenge of numbers. Among the many innovations, none has created quite the impact that resulted from Skinner's introduction of the teaching machine. Initially it was the machine that captured the imagination of the professionals and the public at large; however, it was soon recognized that the crucial element was the programme.


To ev'rythingthere is a seasonand a timefor ev'ry purposeunder heaven. For thousands of years Ecclesiastes' beautiful words have inspired and given solace to people all over the world.Pete Seeger was so moved by these words that he set the psalm to music and added a refrain and a line of his own. "Turn! Turn! Turn!" was recorded in 1962 by the Byrds. You can still hear the song on the radio today -- more than forty years later.Now Wendy Anderson Halperin lends her talent and artistic vision to the famous song, creating a book like no other. Wendy's art invites you to turn, turn, turn the pages and investigate all the different ways people live and laugh, love and mourn, and the ways in which war and peace affect humanity.It's your turn now, to read the words of Ecclesiastes, listen to Pete Seeger's music, gaze at Wendy Anderson Halperin's illustrations, and contemplate what being human is all about.


In the UK and Ireland, second-trimester miscarriage is defined as pregnancy loss after the 14th and before the 24th week of gestation.1 Those who suffer a second-trimester loss represent a small cohort but experience significant morbidity associated with both their index loss and subsequent pregnancies.1 The literature on this topic, however, is limited. This study aimed to assess maternal characteristics of second-trimester loss. A retrospective observational study of women who experienced a second-trimester miscarriage was undertaken in a large, tertiary hospital (8,500 deliveries per annum) in the Republic of Ireland. All cases between July 2009 and June 2013 were identified. Charts were reviewed; examining maternal demographics, mechanism of pregnancy loss and inpatient course. During this 4 year period, 173 women experienced a second-trimester miscarriage; with a mean age of 33.59 years (SD:5.46)and mean BMI of 27.09 (SD:6.58). 30.6% were primiparous. 11.4% had previously experienced a second-trimester loss. The average gestation of loss was 17+5 weeks (SD:30 days). 66.3% of losses were intra-uterine deaths with 17.4% following pre-term premature rupture of membranes and 16.3% following preterm labour. 32.4% delivered spontaneously, however 59.5% required medical induction of labour. All patients required inpatient admission with a mean stay of 2.67 days (SD:2.98). 16.9% required oral antibiotic therapy, 8.1% required intravenous therapy and 12.8% requiring both. 26% required manual removal of placenta. Identification of maternal and pregnancy characteristics of second-trimester loss may aid optimisation of risk-stratification and surveillance in future populations, reducing morbidity. Our understanding would benefit from more populous prospective case-control studies. Reference Edlow AG, Srinivas SK, Elovitz MA. Second-trimester loss and subsequent pregnancy outcomes: What is the real risk? Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Dec; 197(6):581.e1–6


Background Dietary fiber, carbohydrate quality and quantity are associated with mortality risk in the general population. Whether this is also the case among diabetes patients is unknown. Objective To assess the associations of dietary fiber, glycemic load, glycemic index, carbohydrate, sugar, and starch intake with mortality risk in individuals with diabetes. Methods This study was a prospective cohort study among 6,192 individuals with confirmed diabetes mellitus (mean age of 57.4 years, and median diabetes duration of 4.4 years at baseline) from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Dietary intake was assessed at baseline (1992–2000) with validated dietary questionnaires. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, while adjusting for CVD-related, diabetes-related, and nutritional factors. Results During a median follow-up of 9.2 y, 791 deaths were recorded, 306 due to CVD. Dietary fiber was inversely associated with all-cause mortality risk (adjusted HR per SD increase, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.75–0.91]) and CVD mortality risk (0.76[0.64–0.89]). No significant associations were observed for glycemic load, glycemic index, carbohydrate, sugar, or starch. Glycemic load (1.42[1.07–1.88]), carbohydrate (1.67[1.18–2.37]) and sugar intake (1.53[1.12–2.09]) were associated with an increased total mortality risk among normal weight individuals (BMI≤25 kg/m2; 22% of study population) but not among overweight individuals (P interaction≤0.04). These associations became stronger after exclusion of energy misreporters. Conclusions High fiber intake was associated with a decreased mortality risk. High glycemic load, carbohydrate and sugar intake were associated with an increased mortality risk in normal weight individuals with diabetes.


Functional writing is an important skill since it involves writing for real life purposes. It should fit the intended purpose, audience and context. Despite the centrality of this form of writing, it has been performed dismally in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination every year. In a bid to understand the nature of the problem, this paper attempts an evaluation of the general presentation of skills of writing the letter of application and the report in form three and four approved English course books. Qualitative data sets were collected by administering interview schedules to teachers from three best performing public secondary schools in Nairobi County and four editors of English course books in four publishing firms. To complement qualitative data, quantitative data was collected using a checklist. Twelve form three and four English course books approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development were selected as a study sample. The form three and form four approved English course books formed the study sample. The texts were closely studied to extract linguistic tokens for analysis. The results revealed that the presentation of guidelines for writing the two functional texts displayed inconsistencies and inadequacies of relevant information. Secondly, editors have diverse opinions concerning the presentation of guidelines in the selected texts. The study recommends that revision of the course books is necessary for the improvement of the general presentation of the guidelines provided in these course books to reflect current practice in the work place.


We measured the elemental compositions of material from 23 particles in aerogel and from residue in seven craters in aluminum foil that was collected during passage of the Stardust spacecraft through the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2. These particles are chemically heterogeneous at the largest size scale analyzed (∼180 ng). The mean elemental composition of this Wild 2 material is consistent with the CI meteorite composition, which is thought to represent the bulk composition of the solar system, for the elements Mg, Si, Mn, Fe, and Ni to 35%, and for Ca and Ti to 60%. The elements Cu, Zn, and Ga appear enriched in this Wild 2 material, which suggests that the CI meteorites may not represent the solar system composition for these moderately volatile minor elements.


After half a century of sustained growth, female labor force participation has decelerated in Latin America, especially among married vulnerable women. Based on a large database of microdata from household surveys, this paper documents this recent deceleration and provides evidence on the determinants. We argue that the fast economic growth experienced by the region in the 2000s was an important driving force: lower unemployment and higher earnings of male partners plus increased social assistance may have reduced the pressing need for vulnerable women to take low-quality jobs.


Modern metaheuristic algorithms such as bee algorithms and harmony search start to demonstrate their power in dealing with tough optimization problems and even NP-hard problems. This book reviews and introduces the state-of-the-art nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms in optimization, including genetic algorithms, bee algorithms, particle swarm optimization, simulated annealing, ant colony optimization, harmony search, and firefly algorithms. We also briefly introduce the photosynthetic algorithm, the enzyme algorithm, and Tabu search. Worked examples with implementation have been used to show how each algorithm works. This book is thus an ideal textbook for an undergraduate and/or graduate course. As some of the algorithms such as the harmony search and firefly algorithms are at the forefront of current research, this book can also serve as a reference book for researchers.


Energy geostructures represent a renewable and clean source of energy which can be used for heating and cooling of buildings and de-icing of infrastructures. This technology couples the structural role of geostructures with the energy supply, using the principle of shallow geothermal energy. Heat is extracted from the ground during winter and injected into the ground during summer. This represents an additional thermal loading, seasonally cyclic, which is imposed to the soil and the structure itself. In this paper, the in-fluence of temperature on the different aspects involved, accordingly to the Eurocode 7, in the geotechnical design of deep foundations is analysed. This includes mainly the admissible displacements, the structural failure (concrete) and the geotechnical capacity. The numerical results show that the thermal load has an effect both in terms of piles displacements and bearing capacity which are acceptable in normal working conditions but deserve to be considered in the design practice.


This paper examines the behaviour of the real Australian dollar exchange rates against the US dollar and Japanese yen over the last two decades. It is argued that country differences in relative productivity growth in the traded goods sectors can help explain movements in the real rates. Using time series techniques together with restrictions derived from standard models of real exchange rate determination, the importance of real and nominal shocks to the real exchange rates are analysed. Both types of shocks are found to be important in explaining short-run deviations from Purchasing Power Parity, with the nominal shocks being more important for the rate against the US dollar than the rate against the yen.


UNLABELLED
OBJECTIVE (OR STUDY QUESTION): To determine whether a new payment model can reduce current incidence of potentially avoidable complications (PACs) in patients with a chronic illness.

DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING
A claims database of 3.5 million commercially insured members under age 65.

STUDY DESIGN
We analyzed the database using the Prometheus Payment model's analytical software for six chronic conditions to quantify total costs, proportion spent on PACs, and their variability across the United States. We conducted a literature review to determine the feasibility of reducing PACs. We estimated the financial impact on a prototypical practice if that practice received payments based on the Prometheus Payment model.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
We find that (1) PACs consume an average of 28.6 percent of costs for the six chronic conditions studied and vary significantly; (2) reducing PACs to the second decile level would save U.S.$116.7 million in this population; (3) current literature suggests that practices in certain settings could decrease PACs; and (4) using the Prometheus model could create a large potential incentive for a prototypical practice to reduce PACs.

CONCLUSIONS
By extrapolating these findings we conclude that costs might be reduced through payment reform efforts. A full extrapolation of these results, while speculative, suggests that total costs associated to the six chronic conditions studied could decrease by 3.8 percent.


Abscissic acid (ABA) and ethylene are plant hormones that regulate plant growth and development. Two groups (Beaudoin et al. and Ghassemian et al.) identified alleles of the ethylene response pathway that regulate ABA responsiveness in Arabidopsis. Plants expressing mutant alleles of the ethylene-insensitive2 gene (ein2) displayed an enhanced response to ABA in seeds, leading to decreased seed germination in the presence of low concentrations of ABA. However, ein2 mutants displayed a lack of ABA inhibition of root growth, suggesting that, in roots, the ABA and ethylene pathways interact to coregulate root growth. Other genes involved in ethylene signaling also interacted genetically with the ABA pathway mutants, confirming that the ein2 phenotypes arose from interaction between the ABA and ethylene pathways. For example, both groups identified alleles of ctr1, a negative regulator of the ethylene pathway, that enhanced the ability of seeds to germinate in the presence of ABA. Thus, there appears to cross talk between the ABA and ethylene pathways, the outcome of which is tissue specific: inhibitory in seeds and synergistic in roots. Beaudoin, N., Serizet, C., Gosti, F., and Giraudat, J. (2000) Interactions between abscissic acid and ethylene signaling cascades. Plant Cell 12: 1103-1115. [Abstract] [Full Text] Ghassemian, M., Nambara, E., Cutler, S., Kawaide, H., Kamiya, Y., and McCourt, P. (2000) Regulation of abscissic acid signaling by the ethylene response pathway in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 12: 1117-1126. [Abstract] [Full Text]


This paper compares the stability of the U.S. Dual Banking system's two bank groups, national and state banks, in light of the global financial crisis 2007/2008. The goal of the paper is to answer three distinct questions: first, is there a difference in the (balance sheet-) fragility between the two groups and, second, to what extent has the balance sheet fragility of both groups changed after the escalation of the financial crisis beginning in August 2007? Building on that, the third question asks to whether or not the respective regulatory agencies of both bank groups are responsible for these changes in balance sheet fragility in light of the financial crisis. To answer these questions the paper uses U.S. Call Report data containing full quarterly balance sheets and P&Ls of all U.S. commercial banks over the period 2005-2008. Anecdotal evidence as well as univariate and multivariate difference-in-difference methodology focusing on the immediate pre-crisis period Q1/2005 to Q3/2007 and the crisis period Q3/2007 to Q4/2008 are applied. Highly significant and robust results show that, ceteris paribus, national banks reduced their potential balance sheet fragility after the escalation of the crisis in August 2007 by reducing lending and liquidity creation stronger than state banks. Anecdotal evidence supports the empirical findings. Although both FDIC and OCC did not anticipate the adverse effects of the crisis, the OCC publicly showed an earlier reaction to liquidity-related problems than the FDIC. The paper is the first of its kind to analyze bank fragility around the escalation of the financial crisis and the role of the regulatory agencies. The paper holds especially interesting policy implications in the light of the current discussion about the future regulation of the banking markets.


The inverse finite element ocean model (IFEOM) is intended for estimatesof ocean circulation by assimilating hydrographic data.It is based on a steady-state version of the finite element ocean generalcirculation model FEOM (Danilov et al., 2004). It solves steady momentumequations for velocity and sea surface height field, and treats theadvective-diffusive tracer balance as a soft constraint.IFEOM seeks for density field, wind stress, and velocities at openboundaries which give minimum to its objective function. The latterpenalizes residuals in the tracer equation, deviations of modelvariables from data available and also misfit between diagnosed deeppressure gradient and the pressure gradient of the forward run of FEOM.The deep pressure gradient constraint is applied below 2000 m andturns to be crucial in keeping the integral properties ofthe diagnosed circulation consistent. The physicalmotivation behind this constraint is that the deep ocean circulationis relatively stable and should not be influenced much by assimilation.The model and its adjoint are presented. They were applied to estimatethe circulation of the North Atlantic byassimilating several climatological datasets.


Abstract. Natural hazards, due to climate change, are particularly damaging in urban areas because of interdependencies of their networks. So, urban resilience has to face up to climate risks. The most impacting phenomenon is the urban heat island (UHI) effect. The storage capacity of heat is depending on shapes of buildings, public spaces, spatial organization, transport or even industrial activities. So, adaptive strategies for improving urban climate could be possible in different ways. In the framework of the French project Resilis, this study characterises urban vulnerability and resilience in terms of energy needs of buildings and outside urban comfort according to the IPCC carbon dioxide emission scenarios B2 and A2 for the period 2050–2100 for 10 French cities. The evolutions of four climate indicators in terms of heating and cooling needs and number of hours when the temperature is above 28 °C are then obtained for each city to analyse climate risks and their impacts in urban environment.


The sheath-flow cuvette is a key component in a high-sensitivity post-column laser-induced fluorescence detector for capillary electrophoresis. Most designs are based on commercial cuvettes originally manufactured for use in a flow cytometer. In these devices, a quartz flow chamber is held in a stainless-steel fixture that is difficult to machine and subjects the cuvette to a torque when sealed, which frequently leads to damage of the flow chamber. In this report we present a design for a cuvette that may easily be constructed. This design uses compression to hold and seal the quartz flow chamber without applying torque. The system produces detection limits (3σ) of 115 yoctomoles (70 copies) for FQ-labeled carbonic anhydrase.


Optical implementation of content addressable associative memory based on the Hopfield model for neural networks and on the addition of nonlinear iterative feedback to a vector-matrix multiplier is described. Numerical and experimental results presented show that the approach is capable of introducing accuracy and robustness to optical processing while maintaining the traditional advantages of optics, namely, parallelism and massive interconnection capability. Moreover a potentially useful link between neural processing and optics that can be of interest in pattern recognition and machine vision is established.


In recent years, indoor localisation and movement tracking of people and objects has generated interest for a variety of applications ranging from transport to health care. We present a localisation network designed to track people in an indoor environment. The localisation network consists of static nodes placed at predetermined locations in a building. Users carry a mobile node to track their current position. The mobile node has onboard motion sensors to detect a person's heading direction and motion state. A dynamic tracking mode was used to determine a person's position. The dynamic tracking model was implemented using a Multi-Hypothesis Estimation algorithm. The dynamic tracking model determines the mobile node's position by using the mobile node's proximity to static nodes, mobile node's motion sensor information and the building's floor-plan. We found that by using a multi-hypothesis estimation algorithm, robust localisation accuracy, could be achieved in real-time. The position resolution of the localisation network was found to have a maximum error between 1m and 3.5m. Further work involves extensive testing the localisation network with multiple mobile nodes and over a larger test region. Other areas involve investigating how multiple mobile nodes placed on a user can be used to improve the estimate of the user's position.


Purpose: The aim of the article is to identify differences and similarities in the lifestyles of people with physical and mental disabilities and to determine the degree and direction of interdependence between lifestyle and self-assessed health status of people with disabilities. Design/Methodology/Approach: We obtained data using the F2F questionnaire technique, using the own survey. We used statistical methods based on analysis of the differentiation and similarity of structures and tests likelihood ratio, chi-square and asymmetric lambda coefficients to study interdependencies between variables. After identifying the variables that influence the likelihood of a positive self-assessment of health, we use logistic regression. Findings: The results obtained indicate the information about how disabled people spend their free time, whether they play a sport, and their views on the opportunity to get a job at high position helps predict the health status of a disabled person. Practical implications: The health condition of disabled people doesn't depend on the type of disability. Factors that determine their health condition concern sports, work, and the form of spending free time. That the type of disability has a statistically significant impact on factors related to education, work, and cultural and social activity. It is easier to predict the state of health of a disabled person based on these factors than the reverse. Originality/Value: Lifestyle is important for self-assessment of health. The general lifestyle questionnaire proposed by Lopez-Fontana et al. (2020) should be complemented with attitude toward work, way of spending leisure time, interpersonal relationship.


Earlier we discovered gender-specific multiyear variations in functional brain asymmetry (FBA) indices, synergistic with variations in geocosmic processes [Volchek, 2013]. FBA serves as a foundation for different types of learning, perception and processing of information. In its turn, type of learning dominating in society manifests itself in social processes, cultural events and working styles of inventors and artists. The purpose of this work was to study thinking and musical creativity indices in relation to geocosmic processes. With Torrance method, we collected data about logical, intuitive and combined thinking styles in over 3400 citizens of St. Petersburg, Russia, born in 1930–1991. Gender-specific daily, seasonal and multiyear variations in thinking indices were revealed at p≤0.001. Content analysis of 3352 Soviet songs and romances composed in 1935–1982 showed evolution of musical thinking. Of special interest is the data on multiyear variations in thinking indices in relation to geocosmic conditions. Significant and reliable variations in thinking types were discovered. For instance, the highest scores for logical thinking type (114.2) were found in men born in 1956, while the lowest scores (82.6) were found in men born in 1959, p≤0.001. According to the results of correlation analysis for the periods of 1940–1991 and 1946–1991, there are correlations between variations in thinking types and geocosmic indices. The most influential factors are Earth's rotation rate ERR and interplanetary magnetic field IMF. With these indices rising in year of birth and preceding year, scores for left-brain logical thinking type increase, p≤0.001. Conclusion: geocosmic processes influence coordination and activation of human brain hemispheres, as well as leading thinking type in society and evolution of music. Such phenomena can be reflected in social processes up to emerge of periods of so-called Thaw or Cold war.


Agricultural activities within city boundaries have a long history in both developed and developing countries. In this paper, a broad approach to Urban AgriCulture (UAC) is used, one that includes the production of crops in urban and peri-urban areas and ranges in developed countries from allotment gardens over community gardens to semi-entrepreneurial self-harvest farms and fully commercialized agriculture. With an empirical case study on UAC Initiatives in the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg region this work fills a gap since the lack of comprehensive and comparative studies on urban agriculture (UA) currently makes it difficult for researchers to identify the benefits of UA activities.


Dr. Seuss's classic character the Lorax has delighted children for decades while passing along a powerful message about environmental responsibility. The book's young readers, and their parents, would likely be surprised by the emergence of a new character, Truax, a kindly logger created by a longtime employee of the wood products industry, who, not surprisingly, has a far different viewpoint to share. Yet the Truax character, and the book of the same name, is just one example of a growing genre of conservative-themed narratives for young readers spawned by the continuing strength of the American political right. Highlighting the works of William Bennett, Lynne Cheney, Bill O'Reilly, and others, Michelle Ann Abate brings together such diverse fields as cultural studies, literary criticism, political science, childhood studies, brand marketing, and the cult of celebrity. "Raising Your Kids Right" dispels lingering societal attitudes that narratives for young readers are unworthy of serious political study by examining a variety of texts that offer information, ideology, and even instructions on how to raise kids right, not just figuratively but politically.


Background. In children younger than 2 years of age vertically infected with HIV-1, the recommended pediatric dosing regimen for nelfinavir (20 to 30 mg/kg three times a day) provides insufficient drug exposure. This study was conducted to determine the steady state pharmacokinetics of nelfinavir and its active metabolite, M8, in this population. Methods. Fourteen infants (2.3 to 8.5 months) underwent 18 intensive pharmacokinetic studies of nelfinavir and M8 at steady state. Nelfinavir and M8 concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and individual pharmacokinetic values were determined. Results. A mean nelfinavir daily dose of 135.7 ± 18.8 mg/kg (twice or three times a day) resulted in median Cmin, Cmax, area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0–24 h) and CL/ F for nelfinavir of 0.627 mg/l, 2.39 mg/l, 30.6 mg*h/l and 4.2 liters/h/kg, respectively. When normalized for a daily dose of nelfinavir of 150 mg/kg/day, 16.7% of Cmax and 27.8% of AUC0–24 h values were below the tenth percentile for adult values. Conclusions. During the first year of life, nelfinavir requirement is much higher than in older children and adults to obtain similar drug exposure. The mechanisms underlying such differences may involve higher first past metabolism and/or drug interactions or might be related to feeding conditions.


This work investigated the effect of constant and simulated shipping temperatures on the sensory composition of Chenin blanc and Sauvignon blanc wines. Wines exposed to elevated temperatures during the trial developed unwanted aromas, such as over-aged, sulphur-like and a yellow colour, while those left at a cooler temperature retained tropical aromas. However, varying temperatures did not lead to large aroma differences in wines compared to those left at a constant lower temperature. It thus seems that average temperatures play a larger role in the development of unwanted over-aged aromas in certain South African white wines than temperature variations.


Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis are diseases of respiratory tract with significant mortality and morbidity. These two diseases can be seen together occasionally and are thought to change each other's course by adversely affecting the prognosis. The aim of our study was to identify the signs of bronchiectasis in COPD patients, to investigate its possible effects on disease prognosis, and to evaluate these signs for diagnostic convenience. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included a total of s[table 60] moderate/severe COPD patients who were admitted to Yedikule Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Training and Research Hospital between January 2015 and February 2016. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of bronchiectasis as confirmed radiologically: 35 patients in the bronchiectasis group and 25 patients in the control group. Demographic data of the patients were questioned and systemic inflammation parameters, spirometric measurements, blood gas analysis, and clinical evaluation findings were recorded. Results: Bronchiectasis was detected in 58.3% of COPD patients. Patients in two groups are similar in sociodemographical, spirometrical and clinical parameters (P > 0.05). Laboratory tests showed similar result in between two groups but carbon dioxide(CO2) values in the blood gas analysis were found to be higher in the bronchiectasis group (P < 0.05). The increase in the number of bronchiectasis segments was shown to reduce the FEV1/FVC (P < 0.05). In the overall evaluation, FEV1%, mMRC, FVC% and CRP levels were found to be associated with exacerbations in COPD (P < 0.05). The use of antibiotics increased as FEV1% and FEV1/FVC levels of patients decreased (P < 0.05). In addition, sputum polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) values were correlated with spirometric values and as sputum PMNL values increased, spirometric values were found to decrease (P < 0.05 for FEV1% and FVC%). Conclusion: Bronchiectasis is common in COPD patients. In two divided groups, blood gas carbon dioxide values, which affect mortality, were shown to be higher in the bronchiectasis group. This is a new addition to literature that bronchiectatic COPD patients are experiencing different respiratory failure patterns affecting mortality. Diffuse type bronchiectasis has more effect in spirometric results of COPD patients. Also, airway obstruction in COPD is well correlated with elevated sputum PMNL values which represent airway inflammation and if this is combined with high clinical suspicion it guides to a cost effective way for guiding radiological investigations for bronchiectasis.


Photographic print. Black and white. Reprint of an earlier photograph. Portrait of the Simon and Elizabeth (Koenig) Bosch family. Studio image of a man, woman, and two children. Man sits in a chair on the right. Woman stands in the back and has her hand resting on the back of the chair. A girl stands in front of the woman and has her hand on the man's knee. A boy stands next to the girl on the left. Circa 1905. Inscribed on the front: "Simon & Elizabeth." Inscribed on the back: "Mr. and Mrs. Simon & Elizabeth Bosch. Return to Miltenberger." Typed on two notes on the back: "Simon and Elizabeth Bosch/ 0039" and "Mr. and Mrs. Simon Bosch. Return to Walt Miltenberger, Rugby." Courtesy of Walter & Elizabeth (Bosch) Miltenberger Collection, 2009.07, GRHC.


Human DNA polymerase η (pol η) can replicate across UV-induced pyrimidine dimers, and defects in the gene encoding pol η result in a syndrome called xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XP-V). XP-V patients are prone to the development of cancer in sun-exposed areas, and cells derived from XP-V patients demonstrate increased sensitivity to UV radiation and a higher mutation rate compared with wild-type cells. pol η has been shown to replicate across a wide spectrum of DNA lesions introduced by environmental or chemotherapeutic agents, or during nucleotide starvation, suggesting that the biological roles for pol η are not limited to repair of UV-damaged DNA. The high error rate of pol η requires that its intracellular activity be tightly regulated. Here, we show that the phosphorylation of pol η increased after UV irradiation, and that treatment with caffeine, siRNA against ATR, or an inhibitor of PKC (calphostin C), reduced the accumulation of pol η at stalled replication forks after UV irradiation or treatment with cisplatin and gemcitabine. Site-specific mutagenesis (S587A and T617A) of pol η at two putative PKC phosphorylation sites located in the protein–protein interaction domain prevented nuclear foci formation induced by UV irradiation or treatment with gemcitabine/cisplatin. In addition, XP-V cell lines stably expressing either the S587A or T617A mutant form of pol η were more sensitive to UV radiation and gemcitabine/cisplatin than control cells expressing wild-type pol η. These results suggest that phosphorylation is one mechanism by which the cellular activity of pol η is regulated.


The replication of organizational routines is at the heart of gaining competitive advantage through leveraging the most important firm resource, knowledge. This dissertation fills important gaps in the literatures on replication, knowledge transfer, and the Resource Based View by extending our understanding of the dynamics of replication in three ways. First, it empirically tests the fundamental replication hypothesis that the use of a template in the replication process increases the effectiveness of the transfer. Second, it empirically explores the dimensions underlying various transfer methods, uncovering, in the process, the primary mechanisms involved in the replication process. Finally, it empirically explores the extent, effects, and causes of variation in replicator systems, concluding that the ability to manage variation is a key strategic capability in replicator firms. Concerning the first question, the effect of template use, the dissertation finds that template use increases the effectiveness of knowledge transfer. Concerning the second question, the underlying mechanisms, it finds the primary mechanisms to be Reference and Persuasion. The dissertation validates these labels and finds that they have a differential impact on transfer difficulty depending on the stage of the transfer process in which they are applied. Concerning the third question, variation in replicator firms, the dissertation finds that replicator firms exhibit significant degrees of variation both within and between units. It also finds that adaptation of the standardized business model has a curvilinear relationship with performance with moderate degrees of adaptation positively related. However, adaptation of any degree early or late in a unit's life is detrimental. It also finds that the most significant sources of unit level variation are differences in organizational inputs and differences in local environments. In total, the dissertation contributes to the body of knowledge concerning replication not only by filling specific gaps but suggesting that replication phenomena may be tractable to a variety of methods as all three essays are empirical in nature and use widely varying methods. Beyond the replication literature, the dissertation makes specific contributions to the larger body of literature on the Resource Based View, increasing our understanding of the dynamics of leveraging knowledge assets. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Managerial Science and Applied Economics First Advisor Sidney G. Winter This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/956


Fourier transform data filtering is applied to video fluorometric data. Minimum mean square error analysis is used to evaluate the effectiveness of various smoothing filters applied to noisy spectra of perylene. The equivalent width criteria for predicting the optimum filter radii in two dimensions are tested. Image sharpening of poorly resolved data is also demonstrated. The use of data filtering to aid in the visual interpretation of HPLC/VF data is demonstrated.


Background and purpose: Many workers are exposed to workplace hazards. Many occupational diseases are preventable by personal protective dev ices (PPDs). Though many workers do not use PPDs or their protection by PPDs is not suffici ent. This study was designed to assess the quality of PPDs usage among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 648 workers from four m ain industries (tile and ceramic, metal, textile, and chemical) were eva luated for PPDs use. The quality of appropriate PPDs was defined according to the workplace exposures, available PPDs, and time of exposure. The reasons for non-usage of PPDs were evaluated as well. Data were analyzed by SPSS using chi-square test . Results: On average, 56.8%, 69.6%, and 61.6% of workers were exposed to noise, and respiratory and dermal exposures, respectively. Fro m the workers who needed PPDs, 77.8%, 26.3%, and 21% used gloves, respirators and hearing protection devices, respectively. The most frequent reason for non-usage was discomfort while wearing PPDs. Conclusion: This study showed an unsatisfactory situation in t he industries for PPDs usage: Low compliance rate, inadequate training programs, and low quality of usage.


For most of its forty-year history, the federal Fair Housing Act ("FHA") has been accorded a generous construction by the courts. The modern federal judiciary, however, has grown so hostile to civil rights that decisions narrowing the coverage of the Nation's anti-discrimination laws have become the norm. With respect to the FHA, this trend is reflected in two appellate decisions - Halprin v. The Prairie Single Family Homes Ass'n, 388 F.3d 327 (7th Cir. 2004), and Cox v. City of Dallas, 430 F.3d 734 (5th Cir. 2005) - that took remarkably narrow views of the FHA by denying that its principal provisions apply to post-acquisition cases brought by current residents. These two decisions and the specific issue dealt with in Cox - whether the FHA prohibits the discriminatory provision of municipal services to minority neighborhoods - are the subject of this Article. Part I describes the Cox litigation and its connection with Halprin. Part II surveys the pre-Cox cases that have dealt with discriminatory municipal services. Part III analyses the FHA's relevant provisions and their legislative history, an analysis that shows Cox and Halprin to have been wrong in denying FHA protection to current residents. Part IV builds on this analysis to provide a sounder approach to FHA claims alleging discriminatory municipal services. Although the result in Cox may be defended, this Article's ultimate conclusion is that the analysis in Cox and Halprin is so flawed - and in particular has so misconstrued the FHA's 3604(b) - that it should be rejected by other courts.


Background Transfusion-associated hyperkalemic cardiac arrest is a serious complication in patients receiving packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions. Mortality from hyperkalemia increases with large volumes of PRBC transfusion, increased rate of transfusion, and the use of stored PRBCs. Theoretically, hyperkalemia may be complicated by low cardiac output, acidosis, hyperglycemia, hypocalcemia, and hypothermia. In this study, we focus on transfusion-related hyperkalemia involving only medical intensive care unit (MICU) patients. Method This prospective observational study focuses on PRBC transfusions among MICU patients greater than 18 years of age. Factors considered during each transfusion included patient's diagnosis, indication for transfusion, medical co-morbidities, acid-base disorders, K+ levels before and after each PRBC transfusion, age of stored blood, volume and rate of transfusion, and other adverse events. We used Pearson correlation and multivariate analysis for each factor listed above and performed a logistic regression analysis. Results Between June 2011 and December 2011, 125 patients received a total of 160 units of PRBCs. Median age was 63 years (22 - 92 years). Seventy-one (57%) were females. Sixty-three patients (50%) had metabolic acidosis, 75 (60%) had acute renal failure (ARF), and 12 (10%) had end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Indications for transfusion included septic shock (n = 65, 52%), acute blood loss (n = 25, 20%), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (n = 25, 20%) and preparation for procedures (n = 14, 11%). Baseline K+ value was 3.9 ± 1.1 mEq/L compared to 4.3 ± 1.2 mEq/L post-transfusion respectively (P = 0.9). During this study period, 4% of patients developed hyperkalemia (K+ 5.5 mEq/L or above). The mean change of serum potassium in patients receiving transfusion ≥ 12 days old blood was 4.1 ± 0.4 mEq/L compared to 4.8 ± 0.3 mEq/L (mean ± SD) in patients receiving blood 12 days or less old. Sixty-two patients (77.5%) that were transfused stored blood (for more than 12 days) had increased serum K+; eight (17.7%) patients received blood that was stored for less than 12 days. In both univariate (P = 0.02) and multivariate (P = 0.04) analysis, findings showed that among all factors, transfusion of stored blood was the only factor that affected serum potassium levels (95% CI: 0.32 - 0.91). No difference was found between central and peripheral intravenous access (P = 0.12), acidosis (P = 0.12), ARF (P = 0.6), ESRD (P = 0.5), and multiple transfusions (P = 0.09). One subject developed a sustained cardiac arrest after developing severe hyperkalemia (K+ = 9.0) following transfusion of seven units of PRBCs. Multivariate logistic regression showed linear correlation between duration of stored blood and serum K+ (R2 = 0.889). Conclusion This study assesses factors that affect K+ in patients admitted to MICU. Results from the study show that rise in serum K+ level is more pronounced in patients who receive stored blood (> 12 days). Future studies should focus on the use of altered storage solution, inclusion of potassium absorption filters during transfusion and cautious use of blood warmer in patients requiring massive blood transfusions.


Having a parent with reading difficulties, known as family risk, puts a child at high risk of impaired emergent literacy before the onset of reading instruction, and later reading difficulties at school. Another line of research, however, highlights that environmental factors such as the quality and quantity of what parents provide at home (home literacy environment) are also crucial for the development of children's emergent literacy and later literacy skills. This thesis used a multi-factor perspective on reading difficulties to investigate the associations between family risk, emergent literacy, the home literacy environment at the onset of formal reading instruction and literacy skills after two years of schooling. Such a multi-factor perspective may combine a range of interplaying factors, including family risk along with early individual differences at the cognitive level (emergent literacy skills) and environmental factors (parents' educational level and the home literacy environment) to assess the protective role of environmental factors against the risk factors such as family risk. Data from 'On Track' project (på sporet) were used in analysis of three empirical studies. Children were individually assessed in emergent literacy at the onset of reading instruction. At this point, parents' selfreport of reading difficulties were used to index family risk, and the home literacy environment was measured through parental reporting. In addition, children were assessed in literacy measures including word reading, spelling and reading comprehension at the end of second grade. The first study showed that children with family risk were significantly impaired on all measures of emergent literacy (letter knowledge and phonemic awareness), vocabulary, rapid automatized naming and shortterm memory at the onset of formal reading instruction. A novel finding was that a significant difference in emergent literacy within the group of children with family risk as apparent before the onset of reading instruction: Children with family risk who both of parents reported reading difficulties, had significantly poorer emergent literacy than both groups of children with only one parent reporting reading difficulties, and children with no family risk. Furthermore, family risk, in a multifactor model, was significantly associated with children's emergent literacy above and beyond the home literacy environment, the child's gender, vocabulary, and the parents' educational level. The main aim of the second study was to investigate children's reading difficulties in a multi-factor perspective after two years of formal schooling. Children who performed below the national threshold in at least two of the subtests in reading, spelling and comprehension were identified as having reading difficulties. The results revealed that children with family risk were three times more likely to develop reading difficulties than children without such a risk. The multi-factor model also suggested that children with family risk showed some difficulties in literacy skills that could not be explained in terms of individual differences in emergent literacy, vocabulary, gender, the home literacy environment or parents' educational level. The main aim of the third study was to investigate the role of protective environmental factors (e.g., home literacy environment and parents' education) against the negative effect of family risk, in children's emergent literacy skills at the onset of formal reading instruction. First, a model of home literacy environment was assessed and three distinct factors were identified: access to print, reading-related activities and parents' reading interest and habits. In a structural equation model, maternal and paternal self-report of RD (as a proxy for family risk) along with their educational level were added as direct and indirect predictors of children's emergent literacy while accounting for the home literacy environment. The results suggest that family risk explain some additional variance in emergent literacy that cannot be explained by parents' educational level and the home literacy environment. However, and perhaps more importantly, this multi-factor model highlights a complex interplaying role for the relationship between family risk and environmental protective factors (the home literacy environment and parents' education) in association with children's emergent literacy skills. Therefore, the protective role of environmental factors on emergent literacy skills against the negative influence of family risk cannot be ruled out in children with family risk of reading difficulties. Taken together, the findings presented in this thesis reveal that the association between family risk, children's emergent literacy and their literacy skills is indeed a complex relationship, which involves with environmental factors. It seems that children's emergent literacy and later literacy skills and their literacy experiences in the home environments may not be independent of family risk. However, a high parents' educational level and a rich home literacy environment appear to operate as protective factors against a risk factor such as family risk. These findings suggest there are reasons to believe that it is possible to change and reduce the influence of family risk through environmental protective factors such as a rich home literacy environment.


Abstract. Climate change poses critical threats to water-related safety and sustainability in the Mekong River basin. Hydrological impact signals from earlier Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3)-based assessments, however, are highly uncertain and largely ignore hydrological extremes. This paper provides one of the first hydrological impact assessments using the CMIP5 climate projections. Furthermore, we model and analyse changes in river flow regimes and hydrological extremes (i.e. high-flow and low-flow conditions). In general, the Mekong's hydrological cycle intensifies under future climate change. The scenario's ensemble mean shows increases in both seasonal and annual river discharges (annual change between +5 and +16 %, depending on location). Despite the overall increasing trend, the individual scenarios show differences in the magnitude of discharge changes and, to a lesser extent, contrasting directional changes. The scenario's ensemble, however, shows reduced uncertainties in climate projection and hydrological impacts compared to earlier CMIP3-based assessments. We further found that extremely high-flow events increase in both magnitude and frequency. Extremely low flows, on the other hand, are projected to occur less often under climate change. Higher low flows can help reducing dry season water shortage and controlling salinization in the downstream Mekong Delta. However, higher and more frequent peak discharges will exacerbate flood risks in the basin. Climate-change-induced hydrological changes will have important implications for safety, economic development, and ecosystem dynamics and thus require special attention in climate change adaptation and water management.


In a comparative study of two long-term deployments we characterize
the seismic noise on the seafloor in the North Atlantic south of Iceland and in the
Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily. We estimate the teleseismic body-wave detection
threshold to be approximately magnitude 6.0 at frequencies below the microseismic
band (f 0.1 Hz) on vertical components at the quietest sites in both regions. At
the microseismic peak (0.25 Hz) in the North Atlantic, the minimum magnitudes
for events to be recorded most of the time are Mw 7.0 for the Tyrrhenian Sea deployment
and above 8 for the North Atlantic deployment. By correlating seismic
noise and oceanic waveheight amplitudes we are able to find the major generation
areas of microseismic noise in the North Atlantic. Although the high noise of secondary
microseisms at 0.24 Hz is generated far away from the ocean-bottom stations
at three near-coastal regions, the microseismic noise at about 1 Hz is generated
directly at the stations. We present a technique to estimate the noise generation areas
prior to future deployment by using noise at nearby land stations.
The ambient low-frequency noise below 0.1 Hz occurs mainly on horizontal components
and is probably induced by seafloor-current-induced tilt. The power spectral
density of this noise varies by a factor of up to 10,000 between different stations and
deployment sites, indicating in some cases wobbling deployments, possible problems
of frame weakness, and a possible higher noise sensitivity of external packs to seafloor
currents. Cross-coupling between horizontal and vertical channel noise is strong
at some of our stations, demonstrating that the leveling mechanics can be further
improved to reduce vertical channel noise.


Purpose The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of oral ketamine as an antidepressant treatment in adults with treatment-resistant depression. Methods We reviewed retrospective data on 22 patients with treatment-resistant depression, who failed at least 3 adequate antidepressant treatment trials and 1 adequate trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; subsequently, they received open-label treatment with oral ketamine, commenced at a dose of 50 mg every 3 days, titrated up by 25 mg every 3 days, according to response and tolerability. The primary outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory II, which was used to rate subjective mood improvement at baseline and then at each follow-up visit. Data about adverse effects related to ketamine and a self-harm risk assessment were also obtained. Findings Over the course of treatment, 18% of the patients showed greater than 50% reduction in the Beck Depression Inventory II scores, 14% reported partial improvement in mood symptoms, while 45% had no response to ketamine and 23% showed a mild worsening in their depressive symptoms. The most frequent adverse effects were acute dissociation, dizziness, blurred vision, numbness and sedation. Neither serious adverse effects, nor any cases of abuse or dependence were observed. Conclusions Although this case series found oral ketamine to be safe and well tolerated, the findings also showed rather modest effectiveness of oral ketamine in treatment-resistant depression, with only approximately 30% reporting some benefit and approximately 70% reporting no change or worsening of mood. However, bearing in mind the limitations of this small, open-label case series, further exploration of the effectiveness of oral ketamine is warranted.


Article history: Received August 2, 2012 Accepted 1 October 2012 Available online October 1 2012 Productivity is one of the most important factors influencing revenue management. Increasing productivity will consequently increase profitability and it is important to find major barriers for reducing productivity. In this paper, we present an empirical study to analyze productivity in a hospital called Labbafinejad in Iran. The present study is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in 2010. The population of this study was 110 people of Labbafinejad Hospital's staff and the proposed study chose a sample including 64 nurses, service and administrative staff, randomly. The proposed study of this paper designs and distributes a questionnaire among the selected sample size in an attempt to find the relationship between productivity and three main indices of management method, performance evaluation, and technological improvement. The results of the survey have been analyzed using Spearman correlation ratio as well as regression analysis. The results show a meaningful relationship between three main indices as independent variable and productivity. The highest correlation is between management method and productivity (0.915) and the lowest correlation is associated with performance evaluation and productivity (0.735). © 2012 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.


Making measurements on an outdoor range can be challenging for many reasons, including test article size, weather, and undesired electromagnetic effects. The challenges this paper addresses are those associated with the dense spectral environment in which measurements must often be made. Signals from external emitters must be prevented from causing interference with the measurement, and the outdoor range must not cause interference with other nearby systems. These criteria oppose each other in that if range transmit power is increased sufficiently to limit the effects of interference on the measurement, the range may cause interference to other systems. If low power is used in the range to avoid causing interference to others, the external emitter may make measurements on the range difficult to impossible. This paper demonstrates how, by using a sensitive receiver with high selectivity, one can make measurements right in the band of the interferer. By changing how the signal is processed, measurement capability is enhanced.