The spectra of Ap and Bp stars show evidence of non-homogenous distributions of chemical elements both vertically and horizontally, along with the presence of largescale ordered magnetic fields. The atomic di↵usion theory in stellar atmospheres explains the presence of the non-homogenous element distributions as a result of the magnetic field's e↵ect on the radiative pressure in the photosphere. Recent modelling of the abundance distributions in Ap and Bp stars has questioned the results determined theoretically. In addition, there has been a debate over the uniqueness and reliability of the results determined using Zeeman/Magnetic Doppler Imaging (Z/MDI). To provide the tools necessary to determine further observational constraints for di↵usion theory and to check the uniqueness and reliability of current MDI measurements, this thesis presents the development of two codes: Sparti Simple for the analysis of spectra formed in non-magnetic stellar atmospheres; and Sparti for the analysis of Stokes IQUV profiles formed in magnetic stellar atmospheres. Before the application of these two codes to observational data, testing was carried out to confirm the functionality and ability to cope with the challenges introduced as a result of the observation of Stokes IQUV profiles. The analysis of non-magnetic stellar spectra is a first step in the analysis of magnetic stellar spectra and also provides important observational constraints to di↵usion theory. The member stars of the cluster NGC6250 were analysed using Sparti Simple as part of a larger collaborative e↵ort to analyse the member stars of a variety of open stellar clusters. A cluster membership analysis of the stars in NGC6250 was performed and the fundamental parameters and photospheric chemical abundances were determined for each of the 19 member stars. Finally, the magnetic roAp star HD24712 and Ap star HD137909 were analysed using Sparti to determine its ability to recover unique and reliable results.


Based on research into the theory of household assets and the welfare of farmers, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-entropy weight method and cloud model were used to study the welfare level of land-lost farmers' households under the different livelihood assets of Taohuayi Village, Taohuasan Village and Taohuawu Village in Taohua Town, Nanchang City. The results show that (1) The comprehensive welfare level of asset-deficient farmers' households is between the "bad" and "medium" levels and is closer to the "bad" level. The comprehensive welfare level of asset-balanced farmers' households is between "general" and "good" and is closer to the "good" level. (2) Judging from the various functional activity indicators that affect the welfare of the land-lost farmers, after the asset-deficient farmers' households lose their land, the welfare level of the family's financial situation, social security, living environment, mental status, development opportunities, and political participation are generally at low to medium-low levels, and only living conditions are at medium-to-high levels. (3) The welfare level of the living environment of the asset-balanced farmers' households is at a moderately low level, and the welfare of the remaining functional activities is at a medium to a medium-high level. We then propose corresponding policy recommendations. After losing land, it is necessary to implement a differentiated circulation guarantee and support policies to achieve targeted compensation and support for the land-lost farmers' households to improve the welfare level of land-lost farmers' households under different living asset allocation.


We developed and analyzed a new surrogate endpoint of the mouse embryonic stem cell test (EST) for developmental neurotoxicity. To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and transferability of the new endpoint, a pre-validation team from three independent laboratories optimized and standardized the protocol for neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) by measuring the neuronal differentiation rates of mESCs under different culture conditions, such as the presence or absence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the growth media and varying lengths of culture. In addition, a component ratio of neuronal cells was measured by using flow cytometry analysis of β-III tubulin (Tuj1)-positive cells and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) mRNA. Our results showed that the best growth was achieved by culturing mESCs for 12 d in N2B27 medium without bFGF or ascorbic acid. Lead (II) acetate and aroclor 1254 were used to test the usefulness of the new endpoint. When we used the known ID50 values for lead (II) acetate in the EST model, it was classified as non-embryotoxic; however, when we used the new ID50 values that we determined in this study, it was classified as weakly embryotoxic. Aroclor 1254 and penicillin G were also classified as weakly embryotoxic and non-embryotoxic compounds, respectively, when cardiac and neuronal differentiation ID50 values were used. Therefore, our new surrogate endpoint for developmental neurotoxicity is not only sensitive and specific but also transferable among laboratories.


Sergio Rosell Nebreda focuses on how the Philippian Christ-followers received Paul's letter. The social, historical, literary, rhetorical, anthropological and theological elements are dealt with in order to understand the effect Paul wanted to achieve. The main thesis of the book is that the apostle Paul, who greatly suffered at Philippi, and writing from a prison, desires to affect the Philippians believers to acquire a Christ-orientation based on the values expressed in the Christ-hymn. Phlp 2, 5-11 forms the core of Paul's theological narrative that aims at constructing a sense of imitatio and conformatio in the Christ-following community. Paul uses a 'friendly' style in his letters in order to produce rapport and trust in the community, presenting himself as examplum ad imitando, after that of Christ. It is because Paul so fully identifies with Christ's orientation in life that the apostle presents himself as a slave of Jesus Christ. In the midst of a society ill with the desire for honour and power, the Christ narrative stands as a radical call for an alternative life-style, based on the exercise of humility which seeks the interest of others rather than focusing on one's own needs and desires. Paul insists on the basis of the Christ-hymn that such a life-style reveals God's character and it is therefore a life rewarded. Through the use of Social Identity Theory this book evaluates how ancient people constructed their group identity in daily life and how through a seemingly inferior model (that of Christ's kenosis in 2, 5-11) the community receives a re-definition of values which are according to God's values, and who has the last word in history. Paul thus presents an alternative and viable way of life in the midst of a society he knows well.


Before fire models can be understood, evaluated, and effectively applied to support decision making, model-based uncertainties must be analyzed. In this chapter, we identify and classify sources of uncertainty using an established analytical framework, and summarize results graphically in an uncertainty matrix. Our analysis facilitates characterization of the underlying nature of each source of uncertainty (inherent system variability versus limited knowledge), the location where it manifests within the modeling process (inputs, parameters, model structure, etc.), and its magnitude or level (on a continuum from complete determinism to total ignorance). We adapt this framework to the wildfire context by identifying different planning horizons facing fire managers (near‐, mid‐, and long‐term) as well as modeling domains that correspond to major factors influencing fire activity (fire behavior, ignitions, landscape, weather, and management). Our results offer a high‐level synthesis that ideally can provide a sound informational basis for evaluating current modeling efforts and that can guide more in‐depth analyses in the future. Key findings include: (1) uncertainties compound and magnify as the planning horizon lengthens; and (2) while many uncertainties are due to variability, gaps in basic fire-spread theory present a major source of knowledge uncertainty.


Today's competitive corporate environment and the increased expectations of speed in communication make it critical for companies to develop strategic programs for communicating with investors. This book provides an executive overview of the field of investor relations with a focus on what investor relations officers need to know to be successful. Readers will learn the essentials of communicating with investors, the stock market, governance, reputation, and more. With the rise of activist investors, investor relations officers serve as guardians of one of a company's most important assets--its reputation. This book serves as a guide to understanding the history of investor relations and how it has evolved in the age of activist investors. Included are discussions about managing an investor relations program, assessing reputations, and how to measure the impact of investor relations efforts. By the end of the book, you will understand the strategic role of investor relations and how activism impacts corporate storytelling, risk, crisis, events, and analyst relations.


The goal of color reproduction is generally to maximize the accuracy between an original scene or image and a reproduction. The focus of this paper is to better understand color preference reproduction where the original image is the cognitive representation of the reproduced image rather than a physical original. In order to quantify the degree of accuracy when measuring cognition, the implementation of psychophysical techniques is required. This paper outlines two psychophysical experiments, a ranked-order design utilizing hard-copy reproduction, and the method of adjustments utilizing soft-copy reproduction. Both experiments depend on the application of five independent colorimetric adjustment dimensions to manipulate a set of scenic images so that observers could generate their preferred version of the given image. Sources of preference variability such as observers' cultural background, image content, and inter- and intra-observer variability were evaluated from the observations made in the experiments. The experiments yielded that inter-observer variability is approximately twice the magnitude of intra-observer variability. When analyzing the data set for image content variability, images that contained people (faces) were routinely less variable than images without people (faces). Furthermore, despite the fact that preference variability due to observers' cultural background was found to be statistically significant, it was also demonstrated not to be visually significant. Finally, variability in preference due to image content and differences among observers were visually more significant than the variability due to cultural background. In order to demonstrate the amount of variability experienced in these experiments, comparison image sets were generated and simulated sets are included in the analysis in this article.


Neural networks are a popular machine learning tool, particularly in applications such as the prediction of protein secondary structure. However, overfitting poses an obstacle to their effective use for this and other problems. Due to the large number of parameters in a typical neural network, one may obtain a network fit that perfectly predicts the learning data yet fails to generalize to other data sets. One way of reducing the size of the parameter space is to alter the network topology so that some edges are removed; however, it is often not immediately apparent which edges should be eliminated. We propose a data-adaptive method of selecting an optimal network architecture using the Deletion/Substitution/Addition algorithm introduced in Sinisi and van der Laan (2004) and Molinaro and van der Laan (2004). Results of this approach in the regression case are presented on two simulated data sets and the diabetes data of Efron et al. (2002).


Deformation of soil bodies and buried infrastructure elements (i.e. soil-structure systems) generates acoustic emission (AE). Detecting this AE by coupling sensors to buried structural elements can provide information on asset condition and early warning of accelerating deformation behaviour. A novel approach for deformation monitoring of buried steel infrastructure (e.g. pipes and pile foundations) using AE is described in the paper. The monitoring concept employs pre-existing, or newly built, buried steel infrastructure assets as waveguides. The propagation of AE through example pipes acting as waveguides has been modelled computationally using the program Disperse. A parametric study has been used to investigate the influence of key variables such as burial depth, surrounding soil type, internal environment, pipe diameter, wall thickness, frequency and mode type upon AE propagation and attenuation. Understanding the propagation and attenuation of AE is of fundamental importance for development of a
monitoring strategy and specifically to determine the spacing of sensors deployed along infrastructure elements. The generation of AE due to soil-structure interaction mechanisms has been investigated using a programme of large direct shear tests of soil against steel plates under a range of conditions (e.g. soil type, plate surface conditions,
stress level, strain rate). New, fundamental understanding of AE generation and propagation in buried infrastructure is enabling a framework to be developed for interpreting asset condition from AE measurements. The paper will introduce the approach developed, describe the parametric study of AE propagation and attenuation presenting example results, and show typical AE behaviour for soil-structure interaction
obtained in the large shear tests. The implications for design of a monitoring framework will be discussed.


Mobile phone base station (tower) provides coverage for one or more geographical areas, known as cells. A mobile phone network is made up of a base station operating in conjunction with adjacent base stations. Base stations must be carefully located in relation to each other, so each cell in the network functions efficiently to ensure minimum interference between cells and good signal quality. One of the major problems for cellular wireless devices is calls being dropped and failure in downloading data. Our research uses a new recommendation in determining tower positions. Thus, providing an easy interface to replace traditional control methods and maintain signal levels. The weak WiFi wave propagation outside tower's coverage areas is investigated at the University of Bridgeport (UB) campus. The campus serves as good experimental settings because it exemplifies typical signal dead spots, locations where little to no WiFi signal is available. In this paper, we investigate path loss propagation between the base stations and we identify and categorize these problems. We then apply our path loss propagation algorithmic models to show that signal strength is significantly improved when applying the proposed model. Finally, we show the efficiency of the proposed positions.


BACKGROUND
Internationally, speech and language therapists (SLTs) are involving parents and providing home tasks in intervention for phonology-based speech sound disorder (SSD). To ensure that SLTs' involvement of parents is guided by empirical research, a review of peer-reviewed published evidence is needed.

AIMS
To provide SLTs and researchers with a comprehensive appraisal and analysis of peer-reviewed published intervention research reporting parent involvement and the provision of home tasks in intervention studies for children with phonology-based SSD.

METHODS & PROCEDURES
A systematic search and review was conducted. Academic databases were searched for peer-reviewed research papers published between 1979 and 2013 reporting on phonological intervention for SSD. Of the 176 papers that met the criteria, 61 were identified that reported on the involvement of parents and/or home tasks within the intervention. These papers were analysed using a quality appraisal tool. Details regarding the involvement of parents and home tasks were extracted and analysed to provide a summary of these practices within the evidence base.

MAIN CONTRIBUTION
Parents have been involved in intervention research for phonology-based SSD. However, most of the peer-reviewed published papers reporting this research have provided limited details regarding what this involved. This paucity of information presents challenges for SLTs wishing to integrate external evidence into their clinical services and clinical decision-making. It also raises issues regarding treatment fidelity for researchers wishing to replicate published intervention research.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS
The range of tasks in which parents were involved, and the limited details reported in the literature, present challenges for SLTs wanting to involve parents in intervention. Further high-quality research reporting more detail regarding the involvement of parents and home tasks in intervention for SSD is needed.


Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the chromium propionate (CrProp) in swine and poultry diets. Two broiler experiments, each utilizing 1,460 Ross X Ross broilers, were conducted to evaluate the effects of 0, 200, 400, or 800 ppb CrProp on growth performance and carcass traits in 0 to 42 and 0 to 49 d-old broilers. In Exp. 1, 400 ppb Cr decreased (P < 0.10) ADG and G:F in the grower phase, but mortality was reduced (P < 0.10) in broilers fed 200 ppb or 800 ppb Cr. In the finisher phase, G:F was increased (P < 0.10) in broilers fed all dietary levels of Cr, and mortality was reduced (P < 0.10) in broilers fed 200 and 400 ppb Cr. Chromium did not affect the overall growth data or carcass traits. In Exp. 2, CrProp did not affect growth performance. The results indicated that Cr as CrProp improved G:F in the later phases of growth and reduced mortality in Exp. 1 but not in Exp. 2. In Exp. 3, 108 crossbred Yorkshire gilts were used to examine the effects of 0 or 200 ppb CrProp on iodine value, fatty acid profile of fat, growth, carcass traits, and pork quality from gilts fed tallow or choice white grease (CWG). Chromium decreased (P < 0.03) 10 rib back fat and increased (P < 0.02) percent muscle. Gain:feed was increased (P < 0.003) and ADFI decreased by fat addition. Fat increased hot carcass weight (P < 0.07) and dressing percent (P < 0.02). Average back fat, 9 rib CL, and total loss were decreased (P = 0.02 to 0.04) by tallow. Belly width was increased (P < 0.08) by tallow, but belly bending on both the teatline and scribe side were increased (P = 0.004 to 0.01) by CWG. Iodine values on belly and loin samples were increased (P < 0.001) by CWG. Overall, Cr affected BF and percent muscle and the inclusion of tallow decreased (P = 0.03 to 0.09) belly and loin iodine value further than CWG or no added fat.


Clozapine is a unique compound belonging to a relatively new group of antipsychotic agents, the dibenzazepines. To our knowledge, the present study represents the first double-blind, controlled comparison recorded in the United States. The data suggest that clozapine in the present population of newly admitted, acutely psychotic schizophrenic individuals, and in the doses employed, was more effective in overall improvement response, discharge rate, and ameliorating discrete symptoms across the different objective rating scales used than was chlorpromazine (Thorazine) hydrochloride. Placebo was ineffective. Unlike chlorpromazine, no extrapyramidal reactions occurred in those patients ingesting clozapine. Clozapine was also beneficial in reversing abnormal involuntary motor movements. It is an excellent anxiolytic and hypnotic agent. Sedation, hypotension, and hypersalivation are among the more common side effects observed.


After introducing pharmaceutical patents in the 1990s, Brazil subsequently adjusted the patent system to ameliorate its effects on drug prices, while Mexico introduced measures that reinforce and intensify these effects. The different trajectories are due to the nature of the actors pushing for reform and the patterns of coalitional formation and political mobilization. In Brazil government demand for expensive, patented drugs made health-oriented patent reform a priority. The existence of an autonomous local pharmaceutical sector allowed the Ministry of Health to build a supportive coalition. In Mexico government demand made reforms less urgent, and transformations of the pharmaceutical sector allowed patent-holding firms to commandeer a reform project. The existence of indigenous pharmaceutical capacities can broaden the political coalitions underpinning health reforms.


The Taiwanese people have suffered severe challenges and several changes to their
national imaginations and cultural identifications during the country's period of
modernisation since the late 19th century. In particular, following the political
liberalisation process in the 1990s, nationalism and national identity has become a
rising and controversial issue in Taiwanese society. This thesis explores the relations
between architectural production and the formation of national identity in Taiwan's
modernisation history. By putting Taiwan and its people as the research subjects, this
thesis examines how different political authorities propagandised the imagined
communities and promoted national identities to people through architectural
production and disciplined spaces.
Influenced by ideas derived from semiotics and postcolonialism, this research
sees the formation of national identity as a signification process in creating myths, and
as a power struggle between the authority and the people. Architecture, as the
symbolic representation of national identity, needs other cultural references and
discursive narratives to gain its meanings; and, as the spatial construction of national
identity, it also needs functional programmes and social contexts to discipline people's
living and activities. By exposing the power structure of the signification process and
the spatial administration, this research de-mystifies the authenticity of national identity.
Based on different power authorities that dominated the construction of national
identity, this thesis explores four national identities and imaginations which appeared in
Taiwan from 1895 to 2008: first is colonial identity under Japanese colonisation; second
is Chinese identity under the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) administration; third is
the prevalence of the American influenced modernist ideology; and fourth is the rise of Taiwanese nationalism. This thesis thus undertakes a comprehensive historical
examination of how the state powers manipulated national imaginations and
constructed national identities through architectural production and people's daily lives.


There are many reasons people chose to become tattooed however one overriding theme is love. This can be romantic love, familial love, friendship, happiness in love and heartbreak. Tattoos are a visible means of expressing such powerful feelings however the true meaning is known only to the wearer. We might presume a heart shape relates to love, but we do not know the depth of meaning, or what compelled the wear to have these feelings permanently inked onto their skin. This project set out to collect tattoo stories relating to love, in gathering the stories the meaning behind the tattoos were revealed. This concept was further explored in the photographic series where the raw emotion behind the tattoo was stitched into the worn garment revealing concealed feelings and emotion.


D/H and 18O/16O ratios were determined on minerals and whole-rock samples of fresh granites, granites altered during greisenization and kaolinization of the Hercynian Cornubian batholith, detrital kaolinitic sediments of the Bovey Formation, and modern meteoric waters. The granites are high−18O rocks with δ18O = 10.8 to 13.2‰ due to melting, assimilation and/or exchange with argillaceous-rich metasediments at depth. Vein-controlled greisening was dominated by meteoric-hydrothermal fluids, Kaolinites from the major china clay deposits are of weathering origin. They are isotopically consistent with having formed in a tropical to warm temperature climate during the Cretaceous-Tertiary. Although intense supergene kaolinization was probably localized by earlier post-magmatic processes, there is no evidence that china clay kaolinites originally formed during hydrothermal activity and subsequently underwent post-formational isotopic exchange.


In this paper, we report on experience in building and deploying an operational Internet broadcast system based on Overlay Multicast. In over a year, the system has been providing a cost-effective alternative for Internet broadcast, used by over 4000 users spread across multiple continents in home, academic and commercial environments. Technical conferences and special interest groups are the early adopters. Our experience confirms that Overlay Multicast can be easily deployed and can provide reasonably good application performance. The experience has led us to identify first-order issues that are guiding our future efforts and are of importance to any Overlay Multicast protocol or system. Our key contributions are (i) enabling a real Overlay Multicast application and strengthening the case for overlays as a viable architecture for enabling group communication applications on the Internet, (ii) the details in engineering and operating a fully functional streaming system, addressing a wide range of real-world issues that are not typically considered in protocol design studies, and (iii) the data, analysis methodology, and experience that we are able to report given our unique standpoint.


Improved delivery materials are needed to enable siRNA transport across biological barriers, including the blood-brain barrier (BBB), to treat diseases like brain cancer. We engineered bioreducible nanoparticles for systemic siRNA delivery to patient-derived glioblastoma cells in an orthotopic mouse tumor model. We first utilized a newly developed biomimetic in vitro model to evaluate and optimize the performance of the engineered bioreducible nanoparticles at crossing the brain microvascular endothelium. We performed transmission electron microscopy imaging which indicated that the engineered nanoparticles are able to cross the BBB endothelium via a vesicular mechanism. The nanoparticle formulation engineered to best cross the BBB model in vitro led to safe delivery across the BBB to the brain in vivo. The nanoparticles were internalized by human brain cancer cells, released siRNA to the cytosol via environmentally-triggered degradation, and gene silencing was obtained both in vitro and in vivo. This study opens new frontiers for the in vitro evaluation and engineering of nanomedicines for delivery to the brain, and reports a systemically administered biodegradable nanocarrier for oligonucleotide delivery to treat glioma.


The full utility of miRNA profiling has yet to be realized largely due to the limited throughput of existing validation technologies, errors introduced during sample purification and insufficient methods used for analytical normalization and quality control. We introduce Abcam's FireflyTM particle technology with assays that enable researchers to rapidly and cost-effectively evaluate miRNA biomarker signatures on standard flow cytometers. In order to accommodate studies in solid tissues and circulating biofluids, we developed the Multiplex Cellular miRNA Assay and Multiplex Circulating miRNA Assay, respectively. We demonstrate that these assays provide miRNA profiles that correlate well with currently available miRNA profiling technology and show excellent reproducibility even with diminishing RNA input. We have integrated bioinformatics tools into our assays to effectively interpret experimental data, help identify candidate signatures and produce publication-quality figures.


People with learning disabilities are more likely to have diabetes than the general population and need more support to manage the condition, but, conversely, this group is less likely to get good diabetes care. Access to services can be improved by altering the services to meet individual needs (reasonable adjustments) – something that public sector organisations have a duty to do under the 2010 Equality Act. While a number of good practice examples exist, much still needs to be done, and nurses working in the field have an important role to play. Where possible, people with learning disabilities should be supported to manage their diabetes and accessible information should be readily available to facilitate understanding. Specialist learning disability services are an excellent source of knowledge, and working with them to provide tailored education and support can be very effective. Implementing a culture of reasonable adjustments may also benefit other people who struggle to access services.


All theories attempting to explain the rise of fundamentalism in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries agree that fundamentalism is a problematic and threatening response to a problematic and threatening modernity. This contention can be supported, inasmuch as fundamentalists do indeed seem very much at home in a technological world. However, how much can be extrapolated from this familiarity is highly debatable. To this end, it is vital for any discussion of fundamentalism to first attempt to achieve a clear-eyed view of the modern world. Such a view, at least that which is achievable, seems to suggest that the modern world is not, in fact, one of heretofore unimaginable horror. The recently uncovered scale of the genocide committed on the native peoples of the Caribbean and both hemispheres of the New World between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, for example, demonstrates that genocide is not, in any sense, a product of modern ways of thought or even the industrialization of slaughter. Likewise, most of the examples used to prove the contention of a uniquely traumatic modernity, for example, the rise of racism or the Holocaust, are, when considered closely, far less novel and idiosyncratically modern than often considered. Such a re-evaluation inevitably raises questions about culture, tradition, relativity, universalism, and not least morality, particularly the question of what morality is, where it comes from, and what if any role, does religion play in the formation of morals and ethics. This inevitably feeds back into the question of fundamentalism, most notably in the question of whether the fallen, sinful world against which fundamentalists so often proclaim themselves to be rebelling, is in fact, the world in which we live, or a Manichean world of their own imagining, invented to justify their


Polymerization mechanism of epoxy material is based on ring-opening reaction, which generally results in lower shrinkage. In this study, the effect of different photosensitive dyes on the shrinkage characteristics of room temperature fast-curable epoxy polymer media for blue laser holographic recording is reported. Two photosensitive dyes, namely EB and EY dyes, for the holographic epoxy resin photopolymer material were investigated. The EB dye can induce free radical from TEA, which in turn can initiate acrylamide monomer polymerization in holographic material after irradiated by a 405 nm blue laser. The photosensitivity of dye can influence the shrinkage properties of the epoxy media after recording process. The measurement results indicate that the epoxy media addition with higher photosensitive EB dye has lower shrinkage value of about 0.25%, which is much smaller than general accepted value of about 0.5%.


Researchers in many disciplines work with ranking data. This data type is unique in that it is often deterministic in nature (the ranks of items k -1 determine the rank of item k ), and the difference in a pair of rank scores separated by k units is equivalent regardless of the actual values of the two ranks in the pair. Given its unique qualities, there are specific statistical analyses and models designed for use with ranking data. The purpose of this manuscript is to demonstrate a strategy for analyzing ranking data from sample description through the modeling of relative ranks and inference regarding differences in ranking patterns between groups. An example dataset of university faculty ratings of job characteristics was used to demonstrate these various methods, and the ways in which they can be tied together to obtain a comprehensive understanding of a ranking dataset. The analyses were carried out using libraries from the R software package, and the code for this purpose is included in the appendix to the manuscript.


Two sets of 4D seismic data gave major new insights into the structure and dynamic behavior of the Gannet C oil and gas reservoir in the U.K. Central North Sea. The 4D data revealed major extensions of reservoir units previously presumed to be absent or thin over much of the reservoir. Furthermore, in a subsea field with significant uncertainty of production allocation, 4D also proved an invaluable history-matching parameter for the dynamic model. Together, the dynamic model and the 4D data gave rise to the identification of one recompletion opportunity and two infill well opportunities, to produce oil volumes in existing and newly identified reservoir sands. These now have been realized, roughly trebling oil production from the field.


In this thesis, we have investigated the effect of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) which enable direct communication between a brain and a computer, to increase the patient's active involvement to his/her task in the robotic rehabilitation therapy. We have designed several experimental paradigms using electroencephalography (EEG) based BCIs which can be used to extract information about arm movement imagery in the context of robotic rehabilitation experiments. In particular, we propose a protocol that extracts and uses information about the level of intention of the subject to control the robot continuously throughout a rehabilitation experiment. In this context we have developed and implemented EEG signal processing, learning and classiffication algorithms for o ine and online decision-making. We have used di erent types of controlling methods over the robotic system and examined the potential impact of BCI on rehabilitation, the effect of robotic haptic feedback on BCI, and information contained in EEG about the rehabilitation process. Our results verify that the use of haptic feedback through robotic movement improves BCI performance. We also observe that using BCI continuously in the experiment rather than only to trigger robotic movement may be preferable. Finally, our results indicate stronger motor imagery activity in BCI-based experiments over conventional experiments in which movement is performed by the robot without the subject's involvement.


Software Engineering is an applied discipline and concepts are difficult to grasp only at a theoretical level alone. In the context of a project management course, we introduced and evaluated the use of software process simulation (SPS) based games for improving students' understanding of software development processes. The effects of the intervention were measured by evaluating the students' arguments for choosing a particular development process. The arguments were assessed with the Evidence-Based Reasoning framework, which was extended to assess the strength of an argument. The results indicate that students generally have difficulty providing strong arguments for their choice of process models. Nevertheless, the assessment indicates that the intervention of the SPS game had a positive impact on the students' arguments. Even though the illustrated argument assessment approach can be used to provide formative feedback to students, its use is rather costly and cannot be considered a replacement for traditional assessments. (Less)


When Christine Blasey Ford explained to the Senate Judiciary Committee why she had not reported her sexual assault at age fifteen, she captured the struggle of many children who must decide whether to make such reports: "For a very long time, I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details." Thousands of sexual assaults happen to children in school each year. Title IX, a potentially powerful civil rights law, should protect them. Title IX's main purpose is to protect individuals from sex discrimination, including in the form of sexual harassment and assault, in public schools. Yet Title IX rarely does so. Title IX's failure of purpose stems in part from courts' evaluations of the judicially created "actual notice" standard. That standard requires that students do what Dr. Blasey Ford, out of fear, could not: report their sexual harassment and assaults. Further, courts' assessments of actual notice mandate that schools receive this notice at particular times, through particular officials, and with particular information. If any of these strict criteria are not met, Title IX allows schools to do nothing in the face of students' sexual harassment.

This Article argues that in establishing these particularized actual notice requirements, courts have constructed a paradox for students. Courts demand that students do what they largely cannot in order to access the law's protections. Applying empirical research in behavioral psychology and child and adolescent neuroscience to the analysis of Title IX for the first time in the academic literature, this Article exposes these flaws in Title IX doctrine and policy and recommends appropriate changes. It proposes a re-conceptualization of the actual notice standard, a burden-shifting element to Title IX's evaluation framework, and statutory modifications that accommodate for psychological and neuro-developmental impediments in children's decision-making. Such changes would better motivate schools to act in response to sexual harassment of their students and serve Title IX's protective purpose.


In this paper we consider the problem of translating core F#, a typed functional language including mutable variables, into scripting languages such as JavaScript or Python. In previous work, we abstracted the most significant characteristics of scripting languages in an intermediate language (IL for short), which is an imperative language with definition of names (variables and functions) done in blocks and where a definition of a name does not have to statically precede its use. We define a big-step operational semantics for core F# and for IL and formalise the translation of F# expressions into IL. The main contribution of the paper is the proof of correctness of the given translation, which is done by showing that the evaluation of a well-typed F# program converges to a primitive value if and only if the evaluation of its translation into IL converges to the same value. For this proof is crucial the type soundness of core F# which is proved by giving a coinductive formalization of the divergence predicate and proving that well-typed expressions either converge to a value or diverge and so they are never stuck.


The aim of the investigation was to examine differences in the motivational,
psychophysiological, psychological and cognitive responses to nonsuicidal selfinjury
(NSSI) and other impulsive behaviours of individuals with and without
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Also, it was anticipated that results of this
investigation could identify whether or not individuals with BPD engage in other
impulsive, self-destructive behaviours for the same reasons that they engage in NSSI.
Essentially, this part of the research was comprised of an examination of criterion 4
and 5 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR;
APA, 2000) diagnostic criteria for BPD. To examine processes at the time of NSSI
and impulsive behaviours, a personalised, staged guided imagery methodology was
used to test the affect regulation theory of NSSI.
It was expected that both individuals with and without BPD would
demonstrate a reduction in negative emotional states with the act of NSSI. However,
it was expected that individuals with BPD would report an increase in high arousal
positive emotional states, such as excitement, with the act of NSSI whereas
individuals without BPD would report an increase in low arousal positive emotional
states. This affect regulation function, either positive or negative, also was predicted
to distinguish NSSI from control events of an accidental injury and an emotionally
neutral event. Interestingly, results indicated that when considering subjective (selfreport)
data alone, individuals with BPD and individuals without BPD (NBPD)
appeared almost indistinguishable in their responses to NSSI. However, when
examining objective (psychophysiological) responses, the two groups demonstrated
completely different reactions to NSSI. Individuals without BPD demonstrated a pattern of tension reduction which was consistent with their self-reported reduction
in anxiety and tension during the act of NSSI. The BPD group, in contrast,
demonstrated the opposite effect, whereby there was an increase in arousal, perhaps
suggesting excitement in response to NSSI. Despite this, the BPD group still reported
that they felt calm and relaxed as a result of self-injury. This has important
considerations for the affective instability of individuals with BPD, particularly in
relation to alexithymia.
Secondly, a comparison was made between NSSI and other diagnostically
relevant, impulsive behaviours. It was expected that engaging in impulsive
behaviours would elicit an excitement response for those with BPD, and a tension
reducing function for those individuals without BPD. It also was expected that the
response to the impulsive behaviours would mirror the arousal increase, excitement
response to NSSI in the BPD group and would mirror the arousal decrease, calm
response to NSSI in the NBPD group. Similarly, it was thought that the reasons for
engaging in the impulsive behaviours will relate to sensation seeking for the BPD
group but a sense of calm for the NBPD group.
Results indicated that there were few differences between the groups in terms
of motivational factors associated with impulsive behaviours and, furthermore,
psychophysiological responses to these impulsive behaviours did not mirror those
demonstrated for NSSI. Results were discussed in terms of support for the fact that
NSSI is a unique behaviour, and should not necessarily be included in the DSM-IVTR
(APA, 2000) with other Impulse Control Disorders.
Finally, the motivational and cognitive responses to NSSI for those with and without BPD were considered. In particular, consideration was given to internal and
external motivations to determine if the presence of BPD has an impact on the
reasons why people choose to self-injure. It is evident that people with BPD have
additional difficulties with interpersonal communication that are not experienced as
intensely by people without BPD (Lieb, Zanarini, Schmahl, Linehan, & Bohus,
2004). It was thought that these difficulties should influence their motivation for
engaging in behaviours that serve to regulate affect because the disturbance in affect
may be caused by interpersonal difficulties.
Results for Study 3 indicated that both of the groups endorsed internal
motivations for NSSI, but the BPD group endorsed a number of additional external
motivations for NSSI indicating that NSSI may be used as a maladaptive tool for
communicating distress. In addition, results indicated that individuals with BPD have
a range of additional difficulties with anger, irrational beliefs and perceived low
ability to control their emotions which likely contribute to NSSI. Interestingly, the
BPD group also endorsed the cognition I like to hurt myself during NSSI, which
further supports the notion that the behaviour may be associated with sensation
seeking in this group.
It was concluded that the role of affect regulation in NSSI needs to consider
the role of both positive and negative emotions, as well as increase and decrease in
arousal, rather than assume that the affect regulatory function of NSSI is always a
decrease in negative emotions. This is likely to have important implications for the
consideration of BPD in future research as well as treatment options.


OBJECTIVE
To determine efficacy of treatment with a combination febantel-praziquantel-pyrantel product, with or without vaccination with a commercial Giardia vaccine, in dogs with naturally occurring giardiasis.

DESIGN
Prospective trial.

ANIMALS
16 Beagles naturally infected with Giardia duodenalis.

PROCEDURES
During phase 1, 6 dogs were treated with the parasiticide for 3 days (4 were also vaccinated). Four weeks later, all 6 dogs were treated with the parasiticide again for 5 days and were bathed and moved to clean cages after the last treatment (phase 2). Nine dogs were treated with the parasiticide for 3 (n = 4) or 5 (5) days and bathed and moved to clean cages after the last treatment (phase 3). Fecal samples were collected twice weekly for 24 days after treatment and tested for cysts with a quantitative zinc sulfate flotation technique and for Giardia antigen with an immunoassay.

RESULTS
Dogs in phase 1 were all shedding cysts again by day 24. In phase 2, only 1 dog shed cysts after treatment, and shedding was transient (day 17). In phase 3, neither cysts nor antigen was detected in fecal samples from 2 of 4 dogs treated for 3 days and 4 of 5 dogs treated for 5 days. In 18 of 57 (31.6%) fecal samples, cysts were seen, but results of the immunoassay were negative.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results suggest that when a combination febantel-praziquantel-pyrantel product is used to treat dogs with giardiasis, bathing and changing the environment after treatment may be more important in preventing recurrence than duration of treatment.


After the outbreak of civil war and a coup d'état in 2012, an internationally supported peace process was launched in 2013 to support Mali's transition. Peace negotiations were held in Algiers in 2014–2015, resulting in the signing of the Bamako Agreement between the government and rebel groups in May and June 2015. While the transitional period was originally designed to cover 2015–2017, the implementation of the Bamako Agreement has been slow and incomplete. Research has shown that conflict and its aftermath may sometimes offer a window of opportunity to reshape gender relations and promote women's rights (Tripp 2015). Further, commitments outlined in international frameworks such as UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security seek to promote women's participation in conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Still, women have been marginalized throughout the Malian peace process and their inclusion has received little priority. This policy brief takes a look at women's inclusion throughout the different stages of the Malian peace process, and identifies some windows of opportunity for increasing women's participation and advancing their empowerment going forward. Women and the Peace Process in Mali


The use of value engineering in the United States of America has grown significantly in the last twenty years. Advocates of the system claim it is effective in reducing cost and improving the value of construction projects. Others however claim that in reality the technique is little more than traditional cost cutting by another name. This paper makes a holistic appraisal of value engineering as used in the United States of America's construction industry by investigating current theory and practice. It evaluates value engineering projects and calculates the savings achieved by them. It goes on to analyze the nature of those savings. It looks at four VE workshops and makes an appraisal of the technique. Finally it draws overall conclusions about the current position of value engineering in the United States of America.


A simple near-infrared spectrometer is described which uses common liquids as near-IR spectral filters. Each filter substance passes multiple bands of near-IR radiation. This new type of spectrometer offers simplicity, cost advantages, and enhanced throughput. The high throughput is useful for ensuring the high signal-to-noise ratio typically needed for chemometrics. The high throughput also allows the use of longer sample pathlengths. The performance of the spectrometer is demonstrated in the determination of methanol through a 1-cm pathlength of water and in the determination of trace amounts of water in organic solvents such as propylene glycol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Best-case detection limits were 0.02% (w/w) methanol in water, 0.0006% water in DMSO, and 0.004% water in propylene glycol.


The article is based on multi-sited fi eldwork in a multinational corporation, where psychological tests were used extensively to facilitate communication and human resource development. The analysis indicates that the test eff ects were more complex than intended. Their application may be considered as a form of audit that was both individualizing and totalizing. While socio-cultural negotiations reached a level with new common reference points, att ention was diverted away from important aspects of the socio-cultural context. Individuals were quick to struggle and assert themselves through the categories of the tests, but at the same time the room for diverse, independent articulations of identity at work seemed to be diminishing. In other words, the application of the tests may have opened some discursive fi elds, but narrowed others, thus contributing to a form of generifi cation (Errington and Gewertz 2001) and entifi cation (Zubiri 1984) of work identities. These observations give reason to question and continue exploring the eff ects of psychological typologies in corporate sett ings.


This paper underscores the need for knowledge sharing practices as an enabler for enhancing academic and research activities in Higher education institutions (HEIs). Despite the various HEIs availing support driven digital infrastructure to open and free access of information (digital resources) to academic and research community, the uptake and adoption of knowledge sharing practices is not evident enough to measure up the initiatives. Lecturers, researchers and scholars in HEIs need to embrace knowledge sharing in pursuit of innovation, recognition and competiveness. The paper therefore highlights the benefits of knowledge sharing as well as obstacles it faces. This paper applied content analysis in terms of review of both print and electronic resources as methodology based on identified objectives. The review found out that knowledge sharing is key to innovation but has not been fully embraced by the intended community as should. The paper suggests a number of ways in which knowledge sharing can be effected in HEIs. Major recommendations included aggressive sensitization on benefits of sharing knowledge and incentives not only to the targeted but also to stakeholders. The study also recommends a dedicated office for research coordination, collaboration, networking and visibility purposes. The paper proposes future research into investigating institutionalization and integration of knowledge sharing and possible approaches that would encourage voluntary knowledge generation and intra-sharing amongst academics in HEIs. Keywords : knowledge management, knowledge sharing, higher education institutions, academics, lecturers, researchers, scholars. DOI : 10.7176/IKM/9-3-09 Publication date :March 31 st 2019


The globalization of markets and demographic changes in many countries has created a situation that some see as a problem, and others see as an opportunity: multinational teams working together to manage projects, create ideas, solve problems, make decisions, and more. This study explores cultural factors affecting international team dynamics and effectiveness. In-depth interviews were conducted with 27 individuals who held management or supervisory positions, worked on multinational teams, and spent time working abroad. Their companies represent a broad range of industries such as energy, telecommunications/technology, engineering, architecture, mass media, venture capital, food import/purchasing, and museum exhibition. Collectively, these individuals worked on teams in several dozen countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The results explore a variety of cultural paradoxes and dialectics, complexities and differences which affect many aspects of collaborative work. The importance of relationship building, personal validations of "self" (identity), and ways power is manifested (including use of food) are discussed. Unfortunately, despite decades of learning about and experience with cultural diversity, international work groups continue to be plagued by ethnocentrism, prejudices, and stereotypes. Recommendations for improving international team culture dynamics are therefore offered.


In the bestselling book that provoked a media sensation, former White House press secretary Scott McClellan takes readers behind the scenes of the presidency of George W. BushScott McClellan was one of a few Bush loyalists from Texas who became part of his inner circle of trusted advisers, and remained so during one of the most challenging and contentious periods of recent history. Drawn to Bush by his commitment to compassionate conservatism and strong bipartisan leadership, McClellan served the president for more than seven years, and witnessed day-to-day exactly how the presidency veered off course.In this refreshingly clear-eyed book, written with no agenda other than to record his experiences and insights for the benefit of history, McClellan provides unique perspective on what happened and why it happened the way it did, including the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina, Washington's bitter partisanship and two hotly-contested presidential campaigns. He gives readers a candid look into what George W Bush is and what he believes and into the personalities, strengths, and liabilities of his top aides. Finally, McClellan looks to the future, exploring the lessons this presidency offers the American people as they prepare to elect a new leader.


The 1963 to 1989 period witnessed a rapid change in Canadian defence matters. During this period the Canadian government forced the military away from its traditional ally the United Kingdom and moved it closer to the United States (US). The Canadian governments of Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and Brian Mulroney attempted to create and retain a distinctive military with a truly 'Canadian' organization and with new Canadian military traditions. However, in the process of attempting to create a distinctive 'Canadian' military, all three of these governments moved the Canadian Forces (CF) closer towards the US military. While US defence and government officials welcomed an increased defence cooperation between Ottawa and Washington, they were often not responsible for the burgeoning ties between the US and Canadian armed forces. Moving the CF closer towards their American counterparts enabled Ottawa to keep its defence budget relatively stable without any drastic increases because of the promise of support from the larger US military. More importantly, this movement towards the US enabled all three prime ministers to continuously assure Washington of Canada's abilities to help defend North America and participate in the cooperative NATO defence of Western Europe. Becoming a 'strategic liability' for the US in Western defence would have had grave consequences for Canadian sovereignty. For the Canadian government during this period, the only way to ensure Canada did not become a liability was to have the CF work closely with the US. As a result, Canadian defence policies during the Cold War strove to ensure that Canada was able to participate with the US in the defence of the


Mobile robots that communicate and cooperate to achieve a common task have been the subject of an increasing research interest in recent years. These possibly heterogeneous groups of robots communicate locally via a communication network and therefore are usually referred to as robotic networks. Their potential applications are diverse and encompass monitoring, exploration, search and rescue, and disaster relief. From a research standpoint, in this thesis we consider specific aspects related to the foundations of robotic network algorithmic development: distributed estimation, control, and optimization. The word "distributed" refers to situations in which the cooperating robots have a limited, local knowledge of the environment and of the group, as opposed to a "centralized" scenario, where all the robots have access to the complete information. The typical challenge in distributed systems is to achieve similar results (in terms of performance of the estimation, control, or optimization task) with respect to a centralized system without extensive communication among the cooperating robots. In this thesis we develop effective distributed estimation, control, and optimization algorithms tailored to the distributed nature of robotic networks. These algorithms strive for limiting the local communication among the mobile robots, in order to be applicable in practical situations. In particular, we focus on issues related to nonlinearities of the dynamical model of the robots and their sensors, to the connectivity of the communication graph through which the robots interact, and to fast feasible solutions for the common (estimation or control) objective.


Nothing in society poses as grave a threat to privacy as the Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISPs carry their users' conversations, secrets, relationships, acts, and omissions. Until the very recent past, they had left most of these alone because they had lacked the tools to spy invasively, but with recent advances in eavesdropping technology, they can now spy on people in unprecedented ways. Meanwhile, advertisers and copyright owners have been tempting them to put their users' secrets up for sale, and judging from a recent flurry of reports, ISPs are giving in to the temptation and experimenting with new forms of spying. This is only the leading edge of a coming storm of unprecedented and invasive ISP surveillance. This Article proposes an innovative new theory of communications privacy to help policymakers strike the proper balance between user privacy and ISP need. We cannot simply ban aggressive monitoring, because ISPs have legitimate reasons for scrutinizing communications on an Internet teeming with threats. Using this new theory, policymakers will be able to distinguish between an ISP's legitimate needs and mere desires.In addition, this Article injects privacy into the network neutrality debate - a debate about who gets to control innovation on the Internet. Despite the thousands of pages that have already been written about the topic, nobody has recognized that we already enjoy mandatory network neutrality in the form of expansive wiretapping laws. The recognition of this idea will flip the status quo and reinvigorate a stagnant debate by introducing privacy and personal autonomy into a discussion that has only ever been about economics and innovation.


We exploit the time-series properties of charitable giving to provide additional insights into the relationship between charitable contributions and government spending. Cointegration tests reveal a significant long-run relationship between several categories of charitable giving and government spending. Granger causality tests provide evidence on the short-run giving and spending relationship. Evidence suggests that charitable contributions to education respond quite differently to state and local government education expenditures versus federal government expenditures. We argue that the government spending and charitable giving relationship depends on the source of government revenue, how this revenue is used, and the rational ignorance of private donors.


Macrophage-dependent secretion of VEGF-C stimulates the growth of lymphatic capillaries, thereby contributing to blood pressure homeostasis in the response to a high-salt diet. Although the ability of a high-salt diet (HSD) to promote hypertension in some people has been recognized for decades, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood (see Marvar et al.). Machnik et al. found that rats fed a HSD developed hyperplasia of the lymph capillary network, accompanied by increased numbers of interstitial mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) cells in skin and changes in skin water and electrolyte content consistent with interstitial Na+ accumulation. Most of the infiltrating MPS cells were immunoreactive for vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C, which stimulates lymphangiogenesis), and their depletion inhibited HSD-induced lymph capillary network hyperplasia, as well as HSD-mediated increases in skin abundance of VEGF-C and of the transcription factor TonEBP (tonicity-responsive enhancer binding protein). Moreover, MPS cell depletion exacerbated the HSD-induced increase in mean arterial blood pressure, as well as an HSD-induced increase in skin extracellular volume and decrease in intracellular volume. Similarly, blocking VEGF-C signaling with a soluble VEGF receptor-3 (VEGFR3) construct inhibited HSD-mediated lymphatic hyperplasia and exacerbated the effects of HSD on blood pressure. HSD increased the abundance of endothelial nitric oxide synthase, an effect that was also inhibited by MPS cell depletion and by the soluble VEGFR3 construct. Like VEGF-C, TonEBP colocalized with skin MPS cells; sequence analysis revealed that the Vegfc promoter had two TonEBP binding sequences, and both electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis indicated that, in cultured macrophages, high-salt culture medium increased association of TonEBP with the Vegfc promoter. Furthermore, high-salt medium increased the abundance of macrophage VEGF-C and TonEBP mRNA and protein; TonEBP overexpression mimicked the effect of high-salt medium on VEGF-C, whereas TonEBP knockdown blocked it. Intriguingly, plasma from people with refractory hypertension had higher VEGF-C concentrations than did normotensive controls. The authors thus propose that macrophage-dependent secretion of VEGF-C plays a critical role in mediating blood pressure homeostasis in the response to HSD. A. Machnik, W. Neuhofer, J. Jantsch, A. Dahlmann, T. Tammela, K. Machura, J.-K. Park, F.-X. Beck, D. N. Müller, W. Derer, J. Goss, A. Ziomber, P. Dietsch, H. Wagner, N. van Rooijen, A. Kurtz, K. F. Hilgers, K. Alitalo, K.-U. Eckardt, F. C. Luft, D. Kerjaschki, J. Titze, Macrophages regulate salt-dependent volume and blood pressure by a vascular endothelial growth factor-C–dependent buffering mechanism. Nat. Med. 15, 545–552 (2009). [PubMed] P. J. Marvar, F. J. Gordon, D. G. Harrison, Blood pressure control: Salt gets under your skin. Nat. Med. 15, 487–488 (2009). [PubMed]


Increasing evidence suggests that individuals develop their understanding of science concepts in and out of school, using varied community resources and networks. Thus in contrast to historic research approaches that focus exclusively on single organizations and/or educational events, the current paper presents exploratory research in which we utilized specific community ecology analytical tools and approaches to describe and analyze the U.K. science education community as a whole. Data suggest that overall the U.K. science education community is highly interconnected, and collaborative within individual sectors and moderately interconnected and collaborative between sectors; schools and to a lesser degree universities were outliers to this pattern. An important conclusion was that management to maximize the effectiveness of science education the U.K. science education community would involve support for continued diversification of the number of science education entities in the system and encouragement of reciprocally collaborative, synergistic relationships. We posit that systemic research enables a broader, more comprehensive view of a system's strengths and weaknesses, offering useful insights into the structure and functioning of science education activities; insights that could help researchers, practitioners, and policy makers improve the overall quality of science education delivery for all.


Discussing the judge's role in interpreting statutes, Justice Holmes wrote that "if my fellow citizens want to go to Hell I will help them. It's my job."' Critics of the view of the courts as passive agents of the legislature claim that it understates the difficulty of interpretation, the indeterminacy of both the language and the will of the citizens, and the resulting discretion of the judge. Similarly, a vigorous debate continues over the proper role of the traditional sources of statutory interpretation ― the text, the legislative history, the purpose of the enacting Congress, and the structure of the statute. Professor Sunstein suggests that both the conventional understandings of interpretation and the recent critiques are seriously flawed. Because interpretation inevitably involves the application of "background norms" ― often controversial, value-laden, and not found in any text ― the traditional theories are incomplete. These theories, however, properly stress the democratic primacy of Congress. When congressional instructions are clear and do not create absurdity, courts should follow them. Often, however, the instructions are ambiguous, and judges must choose from a number of possible background norms.
Suggesting that many disputes over statutory meaning are in fact disagreements over appropriate background norms, Professor Sunstein contends that the debate should center on whether the proposed norms express a good understanding of constitutional values; are properly responsive to contemporary institutional arrangements involving the making, monitoring, and enforcement of law; and are sensitive to the aspirations and functions as well as the shortcomings of regulatory statutes. Professor Sunstein concludes by outlining a series of norms ― some based on current interpretive practices, others reflecting his own normative vision. All the norms are designed to focus disputes over statutory meaning more sharply on the underlying issues and to deepen understanding of the regulatory state.


This study analyzes consumers' information needs concerning quality seals in the food sector. A survey was conducted taking one of the most well-known quality labels for food products in Austria (the AMA Quality Seal). Apparently, there is a lack of consumer-oriented information. Up to now, the type of information con-sumers of AMA sealed products demand is more or less unknown. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to identify consumers actual use of information and (2) their information needs about the AMA Quality Seal in order to provide needs-based consumer information.


With the explosive growth in computers and the growing scarcity in electric supply, reduction of energy consumption in large-scale computing systems has become a research issue of paramount importance. In this paper, we study the problem of allocation of tasks onto a computational grid, with the aim to simultaneously minimize the energy consumption and the makespan subject to the constraints of deadlines and tasks' architectural requirements. We propose a solution from cooperative game theory based on the concept of Nash bargaining solution. In this cooperative game, machines collectively arrive at a decision that describes the task allocation that is collectively best for the system, ensuring that the allocations are both energy and makespan optimized. Through rigorous mathematical proofs we show that the proposed cooperative game in mere O(n mlog(m)) time (where n is the number of tasks and m is the number of machines in the system) produces a Nash bargaining solution that guarantees Pareto-optimally. The simulation results show that the proposed technique achieves superior performance compared to the greedy and linear relaxation (LR) heuristics, and with competitive performance relative to the optimal solution implemented in LINDO for small-scale problems.


The use of consortia and partnerships has increased significantly over the past decade as a result of the increasing complexity of developing projects in a digital world. Funding agencies have acknowledged this by directing support to multi-institutional projects. Some agencies have gone so far as to establish categories that require multi-institutional applicants. Partnerships of disparate institutions provide opportunities for learning and growth. The paper describes one such partnership, Connecticut History Online, and investigates the value and significance that partnering plays in creating a successful digital product.


OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the usefulness of integrated positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in staging mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome and to correlate PET/CT data with histopathologic diagnosis of lymph nodes (LNs).

DESIGN
A single-center, prospective cohort analysis.

SETTING
Academic referral center for cutaneous lymphoma.

PATIENTS
Thirteen patients with MF and SS at risk for secondary LN involvement. Interventions Patients were clinically evaluated based on general physical examination, total body skin examination, and laboratory screening. They underwent integrated PET/CT followed by excisional biopsy of LNs.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
We used PET/CT to assess LN size and metabolic activity. Enlarged LNs were defined as axillary or inguinal LNs with a short axis 1.5 cm or larger; or cervical LN, with a short axis 1.0 cm or larger. We classified LN pathologic results according to National Cancer Institute (LN1-4) and World Health Organization (WHO 1-3) criteria. We quantified PET activity using standardized uptake value (SUV) and correlated with LN grade.

RESULTS
Based on CT size criteria alone, only 5 patients had enlarged LNs, whereas PET revealed hypermetabolic LNs in all 13 patients. Six patients had LN1-3, and 7 had effacement of LN architecture by lymphoma cells (LN4). Of the 7 patients with LN4 nodes, 4 had SS, and 3 had tumorous MF. Two patients with LN4 nodes had inguinal LNs smaller than 1.5 cm and would have been assigned an N0 classification without the use of integrated PET/CT. Correlation of SUV with LN grade revealed that LN1-3 nodes were associated with a mean SUV of 2.7 (median SUV, 2.2; range, 2.0-4.7) and LN4 nodes were associated with a mean SUV of 5.4 (median SUV, 3.9; range, 2.1-11.8). Patients with large cell transformation had the highest SUVs.

CONCLUSIONS
For staging MF and SS, PET/CT was more sensitive in detecting LN involved by lymphoma compared with CT data alone and thus may provide more accurate staging and prognostic information. The intensity of PET activity correlated with histologic LN grade.


This paper presents results from a production experiment using electromagnetic articulography. The main aim of the study was to investigate how phrasal accent and the number of onset consonants influence the gestural timing of syllable constituents in German. Five speakers of German with sensors attached to the tongue tip, tongue body and lower lip were recorded reading sentences with either accented or unaccented target words that contained simplex (one consonant) and complex (two consonants) onsets. The nucleus was always /a/ and the coda consonant was always /p/. We analyzed acoustic segment duration and gestural overlap (in terms of lag measurements). Onset complexity influenced both CV and VC overlap and accentuation affected gestural overlap to a greater extent than acoustic vowel duration. However, the extent of overlap differed between segment sequences and accentuation patterns: while for CC and VC sequences trends for greater overlap in deaccented than in accented condition were found, CV overlap decreased with deaccentuation. Shorter plateau durations in this context explain the diminished CV overlap in a prosodically weak context. The findings are discussed with respect to the predictions made by articulatory phonology regarding gestural timing and with respect to timing stability in weak versus strong prosodic contexts.


Philosophers like Gilles Deleuze claimed a new outlook for aesthetics asking for a rethinking of the traditional separation between the theory of sensibility and the theory of art. From a comparative standpoint, this article examines the concept of 'sensory intention' which in our view might be able to bridge the gap between acting and doing and therefore to link the theory of sensibility and the theory of art. Traditional Chinese art, and more specifically the script style caoshu[草書],has been chosen as the medium through which to illustrate the theoretical discussion. Analysis of traditional Chinese thought on art allows us to see how approaching art from the point of view of motivation contrasts with early Western aesthetic theory. Aesthetics appears not as the inferior gnoseologia mentioned by A. G. Baumgarten (1750) but, on the contrary, as living knowledge of the common fund of our practices and rationalities. The discussion addresses the following issues: the traditional views of acting and doing found in Western and Eastern philosophies; the place of motivation (related to qi[氣]) in Chinese art; and, consequently, the place of motifs in Chinese traditional art and Western modern painting.


extract] This article sets out UK regulatory developments concerning statutory audits of companies and investigates their coherence and likely efficacy given the theoretical, empirical and practical problems of defining and assessing audit quality. Although the regulatory details in this article are drawn from the UK, some of its theoretical arguments are more generally applicable and some of the empirical literature relates to other jurisdictions.


AIM: To identify accumulation of mutations in CML patients with chronic phase at ABL kinase codon 253 and 315 after the course of imatinib therapy for 12 months with respect to clinical outcome. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, 103 CML patients with chronic phase attended between January 2013 and December 2014 at Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, Guwahati, Northeast India were enrolled. Peripheral blood samples were collected from CML patients who were on imatinib therapy for ABL kinase domain mutational analysis and again after 12 months, blood samples were obtained for mutational analysis to determine any accumulation of mutations in ABL kinase domain by RFLP method with mutation-specific restriction enzymes. Sokal scores were determined at the time of enrolment of CML patients and adverse effects to imatinib therapy were also documented. RESULTS: The median age at the time of enrolment of CML patients was 49.50 (45-56). Five patients (4.8%) were detected to have mutation at T315I after 12 months of imatinib therapy determined by mutation specific restriction digestion enzymes. Of these 5 patients, 2 patients were at high risk and other 3 patients were at intermediate risk as per sokal score. In our study, 425 adverse effects were reported to imatinib mesylate. Hypopigmentation was most commonly reported adverse effects to imatinib therapy. After one year of exposure to imatinib therapy, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia were significantly found in CML patients with mutations. Hematologic and cytogenetic responses were significantly partial in CML patients with mutations. CONCLUSION: In this study, 5 CML patients were reported to accumulate T315I mutations after 12 months of imatinib exposure and thus the prevalence of CML patients with mutation was 4.8%. Leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia were significantly reported in CML patients with mutations.


Background
The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of right ventricular outflow tract stenting for palliation during the newborn and infancy periods.

Methods
Between January 2013 and January 2018, a total of 38 patients (20 males, 18 females; median age 51 days; range, 3 days to 9 months) who underwent transcatheter right ventricular outflow tract stenting in three centers were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, cardiac pathologies, angiographic procedural, and clinical follow-up data of the patients were recorded.

Results
The diagnoses of the cases were tetralogy of Fallot (n=27), double outlet right ventricle (n=8), complex congenital heart disease (n=2), and Ebstein"s anomaly (n=1). The median weight at the time of stent implantation was 3.5 (range, 2 to 10) kg. Five cases had genetic abnormalities. The median pre-procedural oxygen saturation was 63% (range, 44 to 80%), and the median procedural time was 60 (range, 25 to 120) min. Acute procedural success ratio was 87%. Reintervention was needed in seven of patients due to stent narrowing during follow-up. During follow-up period, seven cases died. Total correction surgery was performed in 26 patients without any mortality. While a transannular patch was used in 22 patients, valve protective surgery was implemented in two patients, and the bidirectional Glenn procedure was performed in two patients.

Conclusion
Based on our study results, right ventricular outflow tract stenting is a form of palliation which should be considered particularly in cases in whom total correction surgery is unable to be performed due to morbidity.


The circadian profiles of D-alanine (Ala) amounts in human serum and urine have been clarified using a two-dimensional HPLC system combining a microbore reversed-phase C18 column and a Pirkle-type enantioselective column. The two-dimensional HPLC system enables the determination of trace amounts of D-Ala in the clinical samples without severe interference from intrinsic substances in the human physiological fluids. In the volunteers having normal sleep-awake patterns, the amounts of D-Ala in the serum were high in the late evening and low in the morning. On the other hand, in the volunteers having the reversed sleep-awake patterns, the amounts of D-Ala in the serum were high in the morning and low in the nighttime. The similar circadian changes of D-Ala amounts were observed in the urine. These 24-h profiles of D-Ala are almost the same as those observed in rats and mice, suggesting that D-Ala has fundamental physiological functions related to rest-active conditions in mammals, and could also be useful as the biomarker for sleep-awake profiles.


The notion of representation is at the foundation of cognitive sciences and is used in theories of mind and consciousness. Other notions like 'embodiment', 'intentionality', 'guidance theory' or 'biosemantics' have been associated to the notion of representation to introduce its functional aspect. We would like to propose here that a conception of 'usage related' representation eases its positioning in an evolutionary context, and opens new areas of investigation toward self-representation and self-consciousness. The subject is presented in five parts:Following an overall presentation, the first part introduces a usage related representation as being an information managed by a system submitted to a constraint that has to be satisfied. We consider that such a system can generate a meaningful information by comparing its constraint to a received information (Menant 2003). We define a representation as being made of the received information and of the meaningful information. Such approach allows groundings in and out for the representation relatively to the system. The second part introduces the two types of representations we want to focus on for living organisms: representations of conspecifics and auto-representation, the latter being defined without using a notion of self-representation. Both types of representations have existed for our pre-human ancestors which can be compared to today great apes.In the third part, we use the performance of intersubjectivity as identified in group life with the presence of mirror neurons in the organisms. Mirror neurons have been discovered in the 90's (Rizzolatti & al.1996, Gallese & al.1996). The level of intersubjectivity that can be attributed to non human primates as related to mirror neurons is currently a subject of debate (Decety 2003). We consider that a limited intersubjectivity between pre-human primates made possible a merger of both types of representations. The fourth part proposes that such a merger of representations feeds the auto-representation with the meanings associated to the representations of conspecifics, namely the meanings associated to an entity perceived as existing in the environment. We propose that auto-representation carrying these new meanings makes up the first elements of self-representation. Intersubjectivity has allowed auto-representation to evolve into self-representation, avoiding the homunculus risk.
The fifth part is a continuation to other presentations (Menant 2004, 2005) about possible evolution of self-representation into self-consciousness. We propose that identification with suffering or endangered conspecifics has increased anxiety, and that the tools used to limit this anxiety (development of empathy, imitation, language and group life) have provided a positive feedback on intersubjectivity and created an evolutionary engine for the organism. Other outcomes have also been possible. Such approach roots consciousness in emotions.
The evolutionary scenario proposed here does not introduce explicitly the question of phenomenal consciousness (Block 1995). This question is to be addressed later with the help of this scenario.The conclusion lists the points introduced here with their possible continuations.


A central goal of theoretical computer science is to characterize the limits of efficient computation in a variety of models. We pursue this research objective in the contexts of communication complexity and computational learning theory. In the former case, one seeks to understand which distributed computations require a significant amount of communication among the parties involved. In the latter case, one aims to rigorously explain why computers cannot master some prediction tasks or learn from past experience. While communication and learning may seem to have little in common, they turn out to be closely related, and much insight into both can be gained by studying them jointly. Such is the approach pursued in this thesis. We answer several fundamental questions in communication complexity and learning theory and in so doing discover new relations between the two topics. A consistent theme in our work is the use of analytic methods to solve the problems at hand, such as approximation theory, Fourier analysis, matrix analysis, and duality. (1) We contribute a novel technique, the pattern matrix method , for proving lower bounds on communication. Using our method, we solve an open problem due to Krause and Pudlak (1997) on the comparative power of two well-studied circuit classes: majority circuits and constant-depth AND/OR/NOT circuits. Next, we prove that the pattern matrix method applies not only to classical communication but also to the more powerful quantum model. In particular, we contribute lower bounds for a new class of quantum communication problems, broadly subsuming the celebrated work by Razborov (2002) who used different techniques. In addition, our method has enabled considerable progress by a number of researchers in the area of multiparty communication. (2) Second, we study unbounded-error communication, a natural model with applications to matrix analysis, circuit complexity, and learning. We obtain essentially optimal lower bounds for all symmetric functions, giving the first strong results for unbounded-error communication in years. Next, we resolve a longstanding open problem due to Babai, Frankl, and Simon (1986) on the comparative power of unbounded-error communication and alternation, showing that Scc2n UPPCC: The latter result also yields an unconditional, exponential lower bound for learning DNF formulas by a large class of algorithms, which explains why this central problem in computational learning theory remains open after more than 20 years of research. (3) We establish the computational intractability of learning intersections of halfspaces, a major unresolved challenge in computational learning theory. Specifically, we obtain the first exponential, near-optimal lower bounds for the learning complexity of this problem in Kearns' statistical query model, Valiant's PAC model (under standard cryptographic assumptions), and various analytic models. We also prove that the intersection of even two half-spaces on {0, 1}n cannot be sign-represented by a polynomial of degree less than Qpnp , which is an exponential improvement on previous lower bounds and solves an open problem due to Klivans (2002). (4) We fully determine the relations and gaps among three key complexity measures of a communication problem: product discrepancy, sign-rank, and discrepancy. As an application, we solve an open problem due to Kushilevitz and Nisan (1997) on distributional complexity under product versus nonproduct distributions, as well as separate the communication classes PPCC and UPP CC due to Babai, Frankl, and Simon (1986). We give interpretations of ourresults in purely learning-theoretic terms.


I. INTRODUCTION In January 1996, the Department of the Treasury announced an upcoming conference to examine international tax issues and global formulary apportionment.(1) More specifically, the conference, held in December 1996, sought to explain the apparent international tax gap, to weigh the pros and cons of formulary apportionment compared to the arm's length approach, and to identify the problems of transitioning to a global formulary apportionment system. A special invitation to participate was extended to state governments, which, by and large, already practice formulary apportionment.(2) This Note examines the merits and shortcomings of the formulary apportionment system as contrasted to the arm's length system.(3) Because of its relative simplicity, formulary apportionment may be the better alternative for the future. The issues addressed by the conference were especially difficult because "[m]ultijurisdictional companies are usually so thoroughly integrated that methods of dividing their income geographically are necessarily arbitrary and therefore controversial."(4) In fact, Justice Brennan has analogized the problem to "slicing a shadow."(5) With the growing global market, income attribution will become more complex and controversial. Formulary apportionment offers a striking theoretical contrast to the current arm's length approach. II. HISTORY OF INCOME SOURCING A. Formulary Apportionment as Applied by the States In 1957, the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws approved and recommended that states adopt the Uniform Division of Income for Tax Purposes Act (UDITPA). The principle endorsed by UDITPA was relatively simple: apportion income based on the factors of production. Thus, property owned or operated within the jurisdiction is used to measure capital employed by the entity, likewise, payroll is used to measure labor employed by the entity.(6) A third factor was added to represent the exploitation of the market--the sales factor.(7) Each factor is reduced to a fraction, the numerator of which is the activity within the jurisdiction and the denominator of which is the entity's entire activity. For example, the payroll fraction is the payroll within the jurisdiction divided by the entity's entire payroll. Each factor is equally weighted in determining a composite rate. The composite rate is then applied to apportionable income to determine the amount that is subject to the jurisdiction's income tax. Although relatively simple in theory, UDITPA has generated considerable litigation in two areas.(8) First, how much activity within a state justifies the state taxing the activity in the first place? Second, what constitutes a unitary business, or in other words, how similar does the out-of-state activity have to be to the taxable in-state activity to be included within the apportionable tax base? The United States Supreme Court has addressed these questions several times, with results that vary with the Court's interpretation of the Due Process Clause and the Commerce Clause. Notwithstanding the litigation and the Constitutional challenges the unitary system has remained relatively stable and unchanged throughout its forty year history. The UDITPA apportionment system or some variation is currently used in every state that imposes income taxes.(9) B. Arm's Length as Applied by the Federal Government Soon after the development of UDITPA, the federal government faced a similar question of how to apportion income to multiple international jurisdictions. It fashioned a different solution to the same problem. Unlike the states' approach, the federal government developed an arm's length/separate accounting method of income attribution.(10) Rather than focus on the multi-jurisdictional entity as a whole, the separate accounting method breaks the entity into discrete taxable parts.(11) The method then determines an appropriate "arm's length" value for the transaction between related entities. …


OBJECTIVE Symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) will become an increasingly common presentation in neurosurgical practice as the population ages, but quality evidence is still lacking to guide the optimal management for these patients. The British Neurosurgical Trainee Research Collaborative (BNTRC) was established by neurosurgical trainees in 2012 to improve research by combining the efforts of trainees in each of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland's neurosurgical units (NSUs). The authors present the first study by the BNTRC that describes current management and outcomes for patients with CSDH throughout the UK and Ireland. This provides a resource both for current clinical practice and future clinical research on CSDH. METHODS Data on management and outcomes for patients with CSDH referred to UK and Ireland NSUs were collected prospectively over an 8-month period and audited against criteria predefined from the literature: NSU mortality < 5%, NSU morbidity < 10%, symptomatic recurrence within 60 days requiring repeat surgery < 20%, and unfavorable functional status (modified Rankin Scale score of 4-6) at NSU discharge < 30%. RESULTS Data from 1205 patients in 26 NSUs were collected. Bur-hole craniostomy was the most common procedure (89%), and symptomatic recurrence requiring repeat surgery within 60 days was observed in 9% of patients. Criteria on mortality (2%), rate of recurrence (9%), and unfavorable functional outcome (22%) were met, but morbidity was greater than expected (14%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that failure to insert a drain intraoperatively independently predicted recurrence and unfavorable functional outcome (p = 0.011 and p = 0.048, respectively). Increasing patient age (p < 0.00001), postoperative bed rest (p = 0.019), and use of a single bur hole (p = 0.020) independently predicted unfavorable functional outcomes, but prescription of high-flow oxygen or preoperative use of antiplatelet medications did not. CONCLUSIONS This is the largest prospective CSDH study and helps establish national standards. It has confirmed in a real-world setting the effectiveness of placing a subdural drain. This study identified a number of modifiable prognostic factors but questions the necessity of some common aspects of CSDH management, such as enforced postoperative bed rest. Future studies should seek to establish how practitioners can optimize perioperative care of patients with CSDH to reduce morbidity as well as minimize CSDH recurrence. The BNTRC is unique worldwide, conducting multicenter trainee-led research and audits. This study demonstrates that collaborative research networks are powerful tools to interrogate clinical research questions.


1. We have used polyclonal antibodies and a complementary DNA clone for human lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) to study LCAT protein and the structure of the LCAT gene, respectively, in patients with familial LCAT deficiency from Norway, Ireland, Germany and Italy. 2. The patients had low levels of non-functional LCAT protein in their serum as measured by rocket immunoelectrophoresis; its mol. wt. of approximately 68,000 was identical with that of LCAT in normal plasma, as judged by immunoblotting. 3. Enzymatic digestion of DNA samples from the patients produced LCAT gene fragments which were indistinguishable from those found in normal individuals. 4. We conclude that LCAT deficiency in these patients is not caused by a large deletion or rearrangement of the LCAT gene sequences.


We present a vision for improving household financial surveys by integrating responses from questionnaires more completely with financial statements and combining them with payments data from diaries. Integrated household financial accounts—balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows—are used to assess the degree of integration in leading U.S. household surveys, focusing on inconsistencies in measures of the change in cash. Diaries of consumer payment choice can improve dynamic integration. Using payments data, we construct a statement of liquidity flows: a detailed analysis of currency, checking accounts, prepaid cards, credit cards, and other payment instruments, consistent with conventional cash-flows measures and the other financial accounts. JEL Classifications: D12, D14, E41, E42


Day Care Hospitals (DCH) are medical healthcare units where are attended patients that need diagnostic methods or treatments that last a few hours of attention, but that do not need to be hospitalized. "Hospital Universitari de Vic" has recently initiated a new project to improve the medical attention of the patients and to clear up the contact between professionals. One of the pillars of the project is the opening of a medic DCH. There are few studies that evaluate the medical care and the profitability of DCH in Spain, but they have generally concluded that DCHs provide a reduction of pressure on the Emergency Room and on the Hospitalization Floor
Justification: This study is realized to evaluate the effectiveness of the opening of the DCH in Vic with the reduction of hospitalizations and the reduction of the time that patients are hospitalized. A lower number of hospitalizations implies a lower number of complications related to the hospitalizations, a lower sanitary expense and an improvement on the optimizations of the resources. This study will also provide data that could be interesting for the sanitary centers that want to open a DCH
AIMS: To describe the characteristics of the chronic patients (HF, chronic pneumopathies and LC) that are attended at the DCH. To determine the effect on the number of hospitalizations and hospitable stays of the patients with chronic advanced diseases (HF, CP, LC) with the functioning of the Day Care Hospital. To determine the real impact in the general number of medical hospitalizations in the HUV
Methods: This study has been realized with a before-and-after study, with the opening of the DCH in Vic as the main intervention. It has been realized in the medical DCH of the HUV with a sample of 78 subjects, which have been collected with a consecutive no-probabilistic sampling of the patients that have been attended in the DCH of the HUV Demographic, clinical, diagnostic and treatment data of the patients have been collected. The number of hospitalizations, hospitable stays and attentions to the Emergency Room has also been collected during a period of time that has been equal between the after and the before period of the DCH opening. The hospitalizations and the hospitable stays during the months of DCH functioning have been compared with the same period of the 2 previous years (2013 and 2014). The statistical analysis has been realized with the SPSS statistical package v21.0
Results: The most frequent attended disease was heart failure, with the 50% of prevalence in the DCH. It has been detected a borderline statistical significance of the reduction of medical hospitalizations compared to the previous two years, when the DCH wasn't working
Conclusion: The medical Day Care Hospital in Vic has reduced the number of hospitalizations and hospitable stays of the attended patients during the six months that has been working


Evaluating the anterior chamber angle with gonioscopy is an essential part of evaluating patients at risk of contracting glaucoma and neovascularization. It also provides useful information for patients with iris abnormalities or a history of trauma or ocular inflammation. Unfortunately, gonioscopy is underutilized by both optometrists and ophthalmologists. There are many symptoms that call for performing gonioscopy. One of the most common reasons for performing gonioscopy is in cases where the doctor suspects a patient is at risk of being infected with angle closure glaucoma (ACG) with pupil dilation. This paper aims at calculating the angle of open and closed glaucoma as a first step of determining the thickness of the liquid available on the cornea, which has been proven to be very helpful in preventing vision loss. The techniques involved in this study include proposing an eye segmentation process, the calculation of the angle opening distance (AOD), trabecular iris angle (TIA), and trabecular iris space area (TISA). The simulation results obtained and the performance of the proposed method are found to be highly efficient and accurate.