At present, the opening of joint educational institutions is one of the leading educational trends. It allows states to improve the quality of national human resources and the national education system. Thus, it is particularly important for transition economies in the context of an innovative model of development. Russia and China turned to this practice in 2010 after the launch of the SCO University, established by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Today joint educational institutions function not only multilaterally but also bilaterally. This article examines the Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, a joint RussianChinese university, as a tool to promote the national interests of the two countries. The author presents the basic history of Russian-Chinese cooperation in education in the second half of the 20th century. She argues that the Cultural Revolution and period the subsequent of difficult relations between the two countries had a negative impact on educational ties. Russia lost 17 years in China's educational market, which was filled by other countries, primarily the United States. At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation was positive. The author relates the increase in the volume of Russian-Chinese educational exchange to the success of several events, including the large-scale projects of the Year of Russia in China and the Year of China in Russia, the Year of Chinese Language in Russia and Russian Language in China, the opening of the Russian Cultural Centre and the Chinese Cultural Centre, Russian centres and cabinets of the "Russian World" in China, and Confucius Institutes and classes in Russia. After analyzing the current situation, the author describes the new forms of cooperation, which include the opening of joint institutions. She assesses the interests and prospects of Russian and Chinese participation in the creation of the Shenzhen MSU-BIT University through the prism of national interests. Her methodology is based on the principles of integrated research and relies on sources, using problem-chronological and comparative methods, content analysis and event analysis. The author also refers to similar projects between China and the United States, Australia and several European countries. She stresses that joint institutions contribute to the competitiveness of educational services of the participating countries, and also serve as an effective tool for promoting national culture,


The past few decades have seen a full resurgence of the question of whether speakers of different languages think differently, also known as the Whorfian question. A characteristic of this neo-Whorfian enterprise is that the knowledge it has generated stems from psycholinguistic laboratory methods. As a consequence, our knowledge about how Whorfian effects play out in naturally occurring behaviour (i.e., 'in the wild') is severely limited. The current study argues that the time is ripe to redeem this evidentiary bias, and advocates a multidisciplinary approach towards the Whorfian question, in which insights from laboratory settings are combined with naturalistic data in order to yield a rounded picture of the influence of language on thought. To showcase the potential of such an approach, the study uses laboratory-generated knowledge on the influence of grammatical categories on cognition to interpret two examples of naturalistic human interaction and action in the domains of spatial navigation and scientific practice.


The St. John's region has approximately 1400 long-term care (LTC) beds in nursing homes and personal care homes. Despite this there are concerns that excessive numbers of acute care beds are occupied by clients awaiting long-term care placement that the waiting list for placement is too long, and that there is a mismatch between needs of clients and level of care provided in nursing homes. -- Actual placement within the long-term care (LTC) sector is influenced by services that are currently available, the desires/demands of clients as well as their needs. Accordingly, relating needs to utilization will assist in rational planning for LTC services to accommodate the expected growth in need as the population ages. -- The primary objective of this study was to determine the current status of the long-term care sector in the region. This analysis determined the needs of the clients entering the long-term care sector using validated scoring systems. It identified: -- the needs of the clients awaiting institutional placement; -- the proportion of acute care beds occupied while awaiting placement; -- the annual demands on the long-term care sector; -- appropriateness of client placement; -- time to placement. -- The availability of home support, the need for professional care provided in a nursing home (NH) and degree of disability was estimated for the 426 clients entering the LTC sector in 1995/96. Using validated assessment tools, the needs of these clients were compared to the actual placement. 4% of clients had no measurable disability and another 8% may have managed with home support. 20% of the clients recommended for NH care did not have a clinical indication for NH placement. Thus, the development of minimal criteria for placement in supervised care and in NH care may help maximize the utilization of the current number of beds. -- The median time to placement in a private personal care home was 8 days, whereas average wait for government-subsidized, level 1 supervised care in a NH was 302 days. There is a need for supervised care in the city aimed at clients who have disability, but who do not have need for NH level of care. The median time to placement of clients requiring nursing home placement (levels 2/3) was 96 days. A target time for placement should be developed. -- 139 LTC clients awaiting placement from an acute care hospital bed had an average wait of 97 days, and occupied less than 4% of the acute care beds. -- The annual incidence of clients requiring placement in a supervised environment was 110/426, and the incidence of those requiring the professional care available in a nursing home was 316/426, as determined by the assessment panel. Using objective criteria the former rate was 108/426 and the latter 268/426. -- The actual annual rate of placement in both supervised and nursing home care was commensurate with the demand when mortality and client wishes were taken into account. In fact there was no increase in the waiting list after 1 year of follow-up. -- We conclude that minimal criteria should be developed for admission to institutional long-term care. The current system is providing reasonable access to nursing homes, without excess blocking of acute care beds or increasing size of waiting lists. Restructuring of the long-term care system requires study of the needs and outcomes of current residents.


From Shamu the dancing whale at Sea World to Hawaiian lu'au shows, this book analyzes issues of performance in a wide range of tourist venues. Jane C. Desmond argues that the public display of bodies - how they look, what they do, where they do it, who watches and under what conditions - is profoundly important in structuring identity categories of race, gender and cultural affiliation. These fantastic spectacles of corporeality form the basis of hugely profitable tourist industries, which in turn form crucial arenas of public culture where embodied notions of identity are sold, enacted and debated. Gathering together written accounts, postcards, photographs, advertisements, films and oral histories, as well as her own interpretations of these displays, Desmond provides an account of US tourism in Waikiki from 1900 to the present. She then juxtaposes cultural tourism with "animal tourism" in the United States, which takes place at zoos, aquariums and animal theme parks. In each case, Desmond argues, the relationship between the viewer and the viewed is ultimately based on concepts of physical difference harking back to the 19th century.


Development of a new product requires the product development team to address many complex customer requirements during the commercialization process. Consider a situation in which a new product being developed must meet specified upper and lower specification limits based on Voice of the Customer interviews. The design team must model and understand the sources of potential variation in the new product that need to be monitored and controlled if the product is to meet the identified customer needs. The process of analyzing component variation and designing a final product that meets customer tolerance requirements is known as statistical tolerancing.In this Short Cut, various Design for Six Sigma techniques for determining the impact of multiple sources of variation on a final product are examined in detail. A procedure is described for using representative models for individual product components to estimate the expected overall level of variation in the performance of a final product.Three methods of tolerance analysis are presented and the merits of each are discussed: Worst Case Analysis, Root Sum of Squares Analysis, and Six Sigma Tolerance Analysis. A detailed case study example, involving multiple sources of variation, is employed to illustrate the application of these methods. Minitab® is used to identify the best-fitting distributions from data sets for individual components. Monte Carlo Simulation with Crystal Ball® is then employed to determine the most important individual sources of variation and the overall variation of the final product. Finally, Crystal Ball's OptQuest® optimization feature is utilized to determine the required design value for each key parameter to meet final customer requirements.ContentsWhat This Short Cut CoversIntroductionWorst Case AnalysisRoot Sum of Squares AnalysisSix Sigma Tolerance AnalysisWhat's in the Book Commercializing Great Products with Design for Six SigmaAbout the AuthorsRelated Publications


In this paper I discuss the constitutional and electoral policies of post-apartheid South Africa. Specifically, I discuss whether the electoral design of its National Assembly has promoted multiparty democracy. Now nearly two decades removed from the ending of apartheid, I also discuss whether South Africa should seek a new electoral system for the National Assembly. I first discuss relevant history and the negotiations to end apartheid; I then discuss the results and implications of the post-apartheid elections. Lastly, I discuss South Africa's electoral future and offer open-list proportional representation with provincial-specific lists as an ideal electoral reform.


One of the differences between northern and southern French is the distribution of mid-vowels: they are largely phonemic in northern French but allophonic in southern French, following the distributional law of position. This study explores the extent of deviations from the law of position in a town in the southeast of France and the leveling influence of Reference French. The analysis shows that there are fewer deviations from the law of position for /E/ than for /Œ/ and /O/, probably due to the instability of /E/ in northern French compared to the other two vowels, and to the negative attitudes associated with deviations for /Œ/ and /O/. Additionally, results according to age show that younger speakers deviate more than older ones.


Despite significant advances in the understanding of carbon acquisition in eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria, very little information is available on the mechanisms of C uptake in natural phytoplankton communities or the effects of CO2 variations on marine primary productivity. In this article, we present the results of a 3‐yr study of C acquisition in coastal Pacific phytoplankton populations and their responses to experimental CO2 manipulations. Diatom‐dominated phytoplankton assemblages collected without incubation showed photosynthetic characteristics indicative of a carbon concentrating mechanism. Cells possessed a high affinity for external inorganic C (apparent Km ~1 µM CO2) and accumulated internal inorganic C pools that were ~3–5.5‐fold higher than those in the external medium. Evidence of in situ carbonic anhydrase expression was found in some of the phytoplankton populations we examined, and inhibitor experiments showed that this enzyme was essential for C fixation by cells. The presence of carbon concentrating mechanisms enabled the phytoplankton to maintain rapid growth rates over a wide range of CO2 concentrations (3–32 µM). In five of six long‐term (~2–5‐d) CO2 manipulation experiments, no difference in growth rates could be detected across treatments. However, a significant decrease in growth rate (30%) was observed in one experiment at the lowest CO2 level tested (3 mM). Although phytoplankton growth rates were generally unaffected by the CO2 manipulations, significant CO2‐dependent changes occurred in the cellular biochemistry and physiology of two assemblages that were examined. Cells grown at low CO2 showed higher short‐term rates of C uptake (indicative of transport system up‐regulation), as well as enhanced expression of Rubisco and carbonic anhydrase. In one of these two incubation experiments, lower C:N and carbohydrate:protein ratios were observed at low CO2 . Phytoplankton from both incubations showed low C isotope discrimination relative to the 13C/12C of the available CO2. Photosynthetic fractionation factors (ϵp) ranged from ~3.5‰ to 7.5‰ and were independent of both cellular growth rates and aqueous CO2 concentrations. Our data indicate that nutrient‐replete, rapidly growing coastal phytoplankton can use carbon concentrating mechanisms and respond physiologically and biochemically to changing dissolved CO2 concentrations. Future field studies should examine the effects of CO2 on the growth of nutrient‐limited phytoplankton and assess the potential long‐term ecological shifts that may result from CO2 variations.


Reconstructing observed images from fMRI brain recordings is challenging. Unfortunately, acquiring sufficient "labeled" pairs of {Image, fMRI} (i.e., images with their corresponding fMRI responses) to span the huge space of natural images is prohibitive for many reasons. We present a novel approach which, in addition to the scarce labeled data (training pairs), allows to train fMRI-to-image reconstruction networks also on "unlabeled" data (i.e., images without fMRI recording, and fMRI recording without images). The proposed model utilizes both an Encoder network (image-to-fMRI) and a Decoder network (fMRI-to-image). Concatenating these two networks back-to-back (Encoder-Decoder & Decoder-Encoder) allows augmenting the training with both types of unlabeled data. Importantly, it allows training on the unlabeled test-fMRI data. This self-supervision adapts the reconstruction network to the new input test-data, despite its deviation from the statistics of the scarce training data.


This paper describes a music information retrieval system that uses humming as the key for retrieval. Humming is an easy way for a user to input a melody. However, there are several problems with humming that degrade the retrieval of information. One problem is the human factor. Sometimes, people do not sing accurately, especially if they are inexperienced or unaccompanied. Another problem arises from signal processing. Therefore, a music information retrieval method should be sufficiently robust to surmount various humming errors and signal processing problems. A retrieval system has to extract the pitch from the user's humming. However, pitch extraction is not perfect. It often captures half or double pitches, which are harmonic frequencies of the true pitch, even if the extraction algorithms take the continuity of the pitch into account. Considering these problems, we propose a system that takes multiple pitch candidates into account. In addition to the frequencies of the pitch candidates, the confidence measures obtained from their powers are taken into consideration as well. We also propose the use of an algorithm with three dimensions that is an extension of the conventional Dynamic Programming (DP)algorithm, so that multiple pitch candidates can be treated. Moreover, in the proposed algorithm, DP paths are changed dynamically to take deltaPitches and IOIratios (inter-onset-interval) of input and reference notes into account in order to treat notes being split or unified. We carried out an evaluation experiment to compare the proposed system with a conventional system . When using three-pitch candidates with conference measure and IOI features, the top-ten retrieval accuracy was 94.1%. Thus, the proposed method gave a better retrieval performance than the conventional system.


GaN(Si)/AlInN multiple quantum wells were grown on GaN/Al2O3 (0001) templates by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. Transmission electron microscopy observations showed well-defined GaN quantum wells and AlInN barrier layers. Electrostatic potential profiles across the heterostructure have been measured using off-axis electron holography. A polarization-induced electric field with magnitude of ∼2.2 ± 0.1 MV/cm was measured across the GaN quantum wells, in reasonable agreement with simulated values. However, the measured fields across the AlInN barriers were considerably less than predicted from simulations: possible reasons are briefly discussed.


A primary aspect of cardiovascular support of the critically ill patient is the titration of cardiopulmonary therapies based on the baseline cardiopulmonary status and the subsequent physiologic response. Implicit in this paradigm is the monitoring of the processes being titrated. The degree to which a specific physiologic variable, such as mean arterial pressure or arterial oxygen saturation, needs to be assessed is a function of the therapy used, the stability of the patient, the relation among the variables defining the hemodynamic profile, and the ability of the support staff to remain in close attendance at the bedside. In an otherwise stable patient in heart failure being treated with mild afterload reduction and diuretics, periodic measures of heart rate, urine output, and daily measures of body weight are all that are reasonably needed to titrate therapy. However, in the management of a patient with cardiogenic shock with pulmonary edema and respiratory failure, continuous measures of mean arterial pressure, left ventricular filling pressure, cardiac output, arterial oxygen content, and end-organ function may be necessary as more potent and risky therapies are used. How, then, does one arrive at the correct formula to prescribe appropriate physiologic monitoring for the patient in the intensive care unit setting? To a large extent this is unknown, primarily because the utility of monitoring techniques to diagnose pathophysiologic processes and the resultant effect of therapy to reverse it is not known for most of the diseases treated in the intensive care unit. Few monitoring techniques have progressed through a logical progression of development to their present level of use. Thus, their use in the management of the critically ill patient cannot be vigorously defended, except under specific conditions.


We study charmonium and bottomonium as relativistic bound states in a light-front quantized Hamiltonian formalism. The effective Hamiltonian is based on light-front holography. We use a recently proposed longitudinal confinement to complete the soft-wall holographic potential for the heavy flavors. The spin structure is generated from the one-gluon exchange interaction with a running coupling. The adoption of asymptotic freedom improves the spectroscopy compared with previous light-front results. Within this model, we compute the mass spectroscopy, decay constants and the r.m.s. radii. We also present a detailed study of the obtained light-front wave functions and use the wave functions to compute the light-cone distributions, specifically the distribution amplitudes and parton distribution functions. Overall, our model provides a reasonable description of the heavy quarkonia.


Objectives: Although liquisolid formulations can show a fast dissolution rate, loading factor is not very high due to lack of good flowability and compactibility. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to improve flow, compactibility and dissolution of piroxicam liquisolid formulations by incorporating different types of microcrystalline cellulose. Methods: Several formulations were prepared and their physico-mechanical and dissolution behaviors were investigated. In the present study, propylene glycol, silica and sodium starch glycolate were used as non-volatile solvent, coating material and disintegranting agent respectively. Physical stability of the liquisolid formulations was also investigated to see the effect of aging on hardness and dissolution. Results: Comparing all hardness data showed that liquisolid compacts containing avicel PH101 and 200 showed superior compactibility than those formulations containing avicel 102. Although avicel PH 200 on its own had better flowability than other grades, in liquisolid formulations avicel PH 101 showed better performance than other grades in terms of flowability. The results showed that a better dissolution rate was obtained with liquisolid formulations containing avicel PH 101 and 102 compared to the formulations containing avicel PH 200. The results showed these liquisolid formulations were stable under the stored conditions and hardness and dissolution behaviours of liquisolid formulations were not significantly affected by aging. Conclusion: It could be concluded that by choosing the right type of carrier flow and hardness of liquisolid formulations can be improved without any significant negative effect on dissolution performance of piroxicam liquisolid compacts.


department by his general practitioner for a follow-up examination of previously diagnosed testicular microlithiasis. A history of bilateral vasectomy was indicated by the patient. On ultrasound, the presence of testicular microlithiasis was confirmed. Additionally, a diffuse bilateral enlargement of the epididymis with multiple small cystic dilatations was demonstrated (Figure 1). Within these dilatations, irregular small hyperechoic particles were depicted (Figure 2). These particles demonstrated a continuous oscillating to-and-fro movement (Figure 3 – movie clip). The finding is in keeping with "dancing megasperm". "Dancing megasperm" is believed to represent clusters of agglutinated spermatozoa within dilated epididymal tubules in patients with an obstruction of the spermatic duct. These findings were first described as "filarial dance" in men affected with lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic disease, most commonly from the Wuchereria bancrofti filarial roundworm. W. bancrofti is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. It is transmitted through mosquitoes infected with microfilaria, the larval form of the filarial worm. Following a mosquito bite, the microfilaria invade human lymphatic channels and develop into adult worms, producing and releasing microfilaria, which eventually invade the bloodstream. In the acute phase, filariasis presents as acute lymphangitis. The chronic presentation is described as "elephantiasis", with lymph oedema of an affected limb resulting from adult worms obstructing the lymphatic channels, causing extreme enlargement of the affected limb. Filariasis may also affect the lymphatic ducts of the inguinal channel and the scrotal sac, causing epididymitis, hydrocele or scrotal swelling. The sonographic finding of "filarial dance" was hypothesised to represent adult filarial worms or microfilaria within the epididymis. However, the encounter of very similar sonographic findings in nonendemic areas for filariasis made the hypothesis unlikely. This was endorsed by a number of observations. First, filarial worms are too large and microfilaria too small to represent the echogenic particles seen on ultrasound. Second, "filarial dance" was often found in men with negative blood findings for filariasis. The majority of men with "filarial dance" in nonendemic areas had a surgical or medical history related to the epididymis. In most cases, there was a history of vasectomy or, less frequently, bacterial epididymitis. The unifying feature of men with "filarial dance" in endemic and nonendemic areas appeared to be the presence of a process causing spermatic duct obstruction. A post-mortem study on the epididymides in men with spermatic duct obstruction demonstrated dilated epididymal tubules containing large clumps of agglutinated spermatozoa. This observation supports the hypothesis that "filarial dance" most likely represents "dancing megasperm". Leenknegt, B, et al. Dancing Megasperm. Journal of the Belgian Society of Radiology. 2019; 103(1): 5, 1–2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/jbsr.1687


The goal of this work is to develop low order dynamical systems models for the unsteady lift and drag forces on small wings in various modes of flight, and to better understand the physical characteristics of unsteady laminar separation. Velocity field and body force data for a flat plate at static angle of attack and in sinusoidal pitch and plunge maneuvers are generated by 2D direct numerical simulations using an immersed boundary method at Re = 100. The lift of a sinusoidally plunging plate is found to deviate from the quasi-steady approximation at a reduced frequency of k = 0.5 over a range of Strouhal numbers. Lagrangian coherent structures illustrate formation and convection of a leading-edge vortex in sinusoidal pitch and plunge. A phenomenological ODE model with three states is shown to reproduce the lift on a flat plate at a static angle of attack above the stall angle. DNS for a 3D pitch-up maneuver of a rectangular plate at Re = 300 shows the effect of aspect ratio on vortical wake structure and lift. Wind tunnel experiments of a wing in single pitch-up and sinusoidal pitch maneuvers are compared with a dynamic model incorporating time delays and relaxation times to produce hysteresis.


In 2017, the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) State Innovation Waiver (§ 1332) will enable states to waive many of the ACA's provisions and to develop their own creative solutions to reign in healthcare spending. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was enacted to encourage employers to sponsor benefit plans and minimize potential conflicts with existing state laws. Because of ERISA, the regulation of employee benefit plans, including health plans, falls primarily under federal jurisdiction for about 131 million people. This Note explores the ways in which ERISA presents significant roadblocks to meaningful state level healthcare reform under § 1332. State laws cannot directly refer to ERISA, nor influence the benefits, administration, or structure of an ERISA plan. Also, if a state law limits employer choices too much, it will likely violate ERISA. This Note proposes that ERISA needs to be waived, amended or repealed so that states can implement meaningful healthcare reforms under § 1332.


Abstract The authors propose a policy compact to achieve more inclusive growth in G20 countries so that economic growth regains the ultimate sense of improving all people's lives. Guiding principles are: 1) prosperity is not just about income but about all relevant outcomes of well-being and capabilities to overcome the initial social disadvantage; 2) it is also about including people in participatory decision-making to enhance their dignity and control over their lives; 3) excluding people from reaping the benefits of growth will thwart social cohesion and well-being; 4) integrated policy approaches are needed to achieve inclusive growth, across policy domains and between national and global actions, including responsible management of migratory movements. Concrete policy actions are described that span education, labor, fiscal instruments, public and private governance.


This thesis deals with the development of a tractor front loader scale which measures payload continuously, independent of the center of gravity of the payload, and unaffected of the position and movements of the loader. To achieve this, a mathematic model of a common front loader is simplified which makes it possible to identify its parameters by a repeatable and automatic procedure. By measuring accelerations as well as cylinder forces, the payload is determined continuously during the working process. Finally, a prototype was build and the scale was tested on a tractor.


Urease enzyme has a dinuclear nickel active centre that hydrolyze urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. In this work, two bis-nickel urease models were synthesized, [Ni2L(OAc)] and [Ni2L(Cl)(Et3N)2], based on the Trost bis-Pro0Phenol ligand (L). Interestingly, both complexes produced ammonia from urea, in which the [Ni2L(OAc)] complex was ten times slower than urease, whereas the more labile complex [Ni2L(Cl)(Et3N)2],was only four times slower. The intermediates were evaluated both experimentally and theoretically, indicating that the [Ni2L(H2O)2]+ intermediate is the most important to activate urea via an outersphere mechanism. Isocyanate was produced in a self-elimination mechanism. The reaction performed with different substrates indicated that the biomimetic complexes were able to hydrolyze isocyanate. The outersphere activation of urea by these complexes reals an alternative activation mechanism to be considered for the urease enzyme, not yet reported in the literature. .


The structure of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of undecylenic acid methyl ester (SAM-1) and undec-10-enoic acid 2-bromo-ethyl ester (SAM-2) grown on hydrogen-passivated Si(111) were studied by X-ray reflectivity (XRR), X-ray standing waves (XSW), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The two different SAMs were grown by immersion of H-Si(111) substrates into the two different concentrated esters. UV irradiation during immersion was used to create Si dangling bond sites that act as initiators of the surface free-radical addition process that leads to film growth. The XRR structural analysis reveals that the molecules of SAM-1 and SAM-2 respectively have area densities corresponding to 50% and 57% of the density of Si(111) surface dangling bonds and produce films with less than 4 angstroms root-mean-square roughness that have layer thicknesses of 12.2 and 13.2 angstroms. Considering the molecular lengths, these thicknesses correspond to a 38 degrees and 23 degrees tilt angle for the respective molecules. For SAM-2/Si(111) samples, XRF analysis reveals a 0.58 monolayer (ML) Br total coverage. Single-crystal Bragg diffraction XSW analysis reveals (unexpectedly) that 0.48 ML of these Br atoms are at a Si(111) lattice position height that is identical to the T1 site that was previously found by XSW analysis for Br adsorbed onto Si(111) from a methanol solution and from ultrahigh vacuum. From the combined XPS, XRR, XRF, and XSW evidence, it is concluded that Br abstraction by reactive surface dangling bonds competes with olefin addition to the surface.


Bulk polymers are often regarded as thermal insulators due to low thermal conductivity, which extremely limits their applications in the field of heat transfer. Over the past decades, thermal transport in polymers, and polymer nanocomposites has been intensively studied on both theoretical and experimental levels. In addition, novel thermal transport phenomenon involving divergent thermal conductivity in individual polymer chains, giant thermal rectification, has been observed. In this review, the mechanism behind thermal transport in materials, interfacial thermal transport, thermal rectification in polymers, and enhancing thermal transport of polymers are firstly addressed. Secondly, the computational methods for investigating the thermal property of materials mainly focused on molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are summarized and compared. The advanced spectral decomposition methods in non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulation are highlighted. Thirdly, experimental advances relevant to thermal transport of polymers are briefly reviewed. Finally, the challenges and outlook about modulating thermal transport in polymers and polymer nanocomposites are pinpointed.


Background: Patient counselling is one of the most important services conducted by drug dispensers. The aim of this review was to derive results from various studies conducted on medication counselling in Ethiopia and make an overall view about medication counselling activities, types of information provided during counselling, conditions given special attention during counselling and barriers to counselling in Ethiopia. Methods: Relevant literatures related to medication counselling practice in Ethiopia were obtained from Pub Med and Google Scholar databases and manual Google search. Some articles were also obtained by searching the reference lists of retrieved articles. Systemic analysis was made on 6 articles and the results were summarized. Results: Five of the articles reviewed were conducted by using self-administered questionnaire while one was done through face to face interview and observation. Dose, frequency and route of administration of the drug were very frequently (>90%) delivered to the patient while the name and the purpose of the medication was less frequently told. special attention was given by majority of the dispensers to pregnant women (86.8%)and patients with hypertension (78.2%). Lack of knowledge and updated drug information (61.3%) and presence of high patient load (45.3%) were the most frequently mentioned barriers for counselling. Conclusion: Even though there are many things to be told to the patient/client while dispensing a medication the counselling activities conducted in Ethiopia were not far more than telling when and how much to take. Lack of knowledge and presence of high patient load were the commonly mentioned obstacles for providing appropriate counselling.


1 The longitudinal muscle from the uterus of oestrogen‐treated rats was quiescent in Mg‐free Krebs solution. Electrical stimulation generated phasic contraction, which was depressed to 35% and 18% by 50 mu and 150 mu porcine relaxin, respectively. 2 The phasic contractions were more strongly depressed to 26% by 50 mu relaxin in solution containing 0.6 mm Mg, and the depression lasted for more than 4 h after the removal of relaxin. During the persisting depression, raising the external Ca to 7.5 mm did not restore the contraction, but the contraction was restored by removal of Mg. 3 The depression of the phasic contraction by relaxin, examined in Mg‐free solution, was enhanced and reduced by pretreatment of the tissue with 0.6 mm Mg and 0.6 mm Mn, respectively, for about 15 min. In contrast, the depression of contraction by isoprenaline or forskolin was enhanced by pretreatment with either Mg or Mn. 4 The cellular content of cyclic AMP was measured in Krebs solution containing 0.6 mm Mg. The values were 1.24 (pmol mg−1 protein) in control solution, and 2.31 and 1.56 when the tissues were treated with 150 mu relaxin and 10−9 m isoprenaline, respectively. 5 The cyclic AMP production in response to 10−7 m forskolin measured in Mg‐free solution was enhanced when the tissue was pretreated with either 0.6 mm Mg or Mn for 15 min. The cyclic AMP production in response to 100 mu relaxin was increased when the tissue was pretreated with 0.6 mm Mg, and was unchanged by pretreatment with Mn. The cyclic AMP production in response to 10−9 m isoprenaline was unchanged by pretreatment with the divalent cations. 6 The membrane potential of the muscle was −60.8 mV in Krebs solution containing 0.3 mm Mg, and electrical stimulation induced an action potential which consisted of spike and plateau components. Application of 150 mu relaxin reduced the duration of the plateau; the contractions were progressively depressed. The resting membrane potential and membrane resistance were unchanged by application of 150 mu relaxin. The membrane was hyperpolarized by 2.8 mV, accompanied by a decrease in membrane resistance, when 10−9 m isoprenaline was applied. 7 Although there were several differences between the effects of relaxin and isoprenaline, it is probable that some process, which is cyclic AMP‐dependent, accelerated by Mg and depressed by Mn, is involved in the depressant action of relaxin on contraction.


Cereal price variability in Ethiopia has worsened in recent years, and some of the earlier liberalizations are being reversed due to the unacceptable economic and political costs of increased price variability. The challenge now is to achieve price stability in a cost-effective way. This paper examines intercommodity price relationships to assess the relative importance of each of the three major cereals in generating price volatility. Based on the estimates from a dynamic econometric model, the paper concludes that maize is the most significant in exacerbating price variability with respect to the persistence of shocks to itself and the two other cereals. This implies that focusing on maize, instead of wheat, will not only help better stabilize prices but also reduce costs of stabilization. The results are also discussed in the context of ongoing policy discussions.


To improve the shear and flexural capacity of flexural members, the steel and basalt fibers were used in model beams tested under flexure. Three series of single span free supported model beams were prepared from SFRC (steel fiber reinforced concrete) with longitudinal steel reinforcement (steel ratio of 1.2 %) and varied spacing of steel stirrups and they were tested till failure. Another three series of BFRC (basalt fiber reinforced concrete) double-span model beams with a span of 2 mm × 1,000 mm and cross section 180 mm × 80 mm were tested. During the tests till to the failure the beam reactions, vertical deflections and horizontal strains in concrete were registered, to clarify the range of redistribution of bending moments and shear forces over the span of the beams. Almost all the tested model beams failed in shear, showing visible influence of steel and basalt fibers on the shear capacity of the tested beams. The tests results confirmed that steel and basalt fibers in reinforced concrete beams can partially replace (in certain cases) the traditional steel stirrups calculated for shear.


The world's fresh water supply is rapidly dwindling. Informing homeowners of their wateruse patterns can help them reduce consumption. Today's 'smart' meters only show a whole house's water consumption over time. People need to be able to see where they are using water most to be able to change their habits. The task of inferring the breakdown of wateruse from smart meter data is called water disaggregation. Water disaggregation has been dominated by studies that rely on high-frequency data, proprietary meters, and/or labelled datasets. In contrast, this thesis uses low-frequency data from standardized meters and does not rely on labelled data. To accomplish this, we leverage information from non-intrusive load monitoring, the electricity counterpart of this task. We propose a modification of the Viterbi Algorithm that applies a supervised method to an unsupervised disaggregation problem. Using this, we are able to achieve mean squared errors of under 0.02 L2/min2.


The debate over the precautionary principle is intimately linked with values and worldviews. I examine how diverging conceptions of 'the good world' affect the conceptualisation of the precautionary principle. Three complementary conceptualisations emerge: 1 a call for a change in attitude, 2 a prescription for formalistic action and 3 guidance for contextual action. I apply these conceptualisations to two extreme forms of implementations, a minimal and maximum change approach. I conclude by conducting risk evaluations of the second order: What are the risks of implementing the precautionary principle into risk evaluation?


In May 2008, symptoms of black foot disease were observed on 8-year-old grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) cv. Garnacha in Albuñol (Granada Province, southern Spain). Affected plants showed delayed budding with low vigor. Roots showed black discoloration and necrosis of wood tissues. Root fragments were cut, washed under running tap water, surface sterilized for 1 min in a 1.5% sodium hypochlorite solution, and washed twice with sterile distilled water. Small pieces of discolored or necrotic tissues were plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) supplemented with 0.5 g liter-1 of streptomycin sulfate. Plates were incubated at 25°C in the dark for 10 days and all colonies were transferred to PDA. A Cylindrocarpon-like fungus was consistently isolated from necrotic root tissues. Single conidial isolates were obtained and grown on PDA and Spezieller Nährstoffarmer Agar (SNA) and incubated at 25°C for 10 days in darkness. On PDA, the isolates developed white, thick, and cottony to felty abundant mycelium. On SNA, all isolates produced slightly to moderately curved one-septate (22.5-) 25.6 (-27.5) × (5-) 5.63 (-6.25) μm, two-septate (30-) 36.1 (-45) × (6.25-) 7.08 (-7.5) μm, three-septate (37.5-) 47.9 (-52.5) × (6.25-) 7.5 (-8.75) μm, four-septate (47.5-) 53.3 (-62.5) × (7.5-) 7.89 (-8.75) μm, and five-septate (52.5-) 61.8 (-67.5) × (7.5-) 8 (-8.75) μm macroconidia. Microconidia were not observed. DNA sequence of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) was obtained for isolate Cf-270 and deposited in GenBank (Accession No. HQ441249). This sequence showed high similarity (99%) to the sequence of Campylocarpon fasciculare Schroers, Halleen & Crous (GenBank Accession No. AY677303), in agreement with morphological features (1). Pathogenicity tests were conducted with inoculum produced on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeds that were soaked for 12 h in flasks filled with distilled water. Each flask contained 300 ml of seeds that were subsequently autoclaved three times after excess water was drained. Two fungal disks of a 2-week-old culture of C. fasciculare (isolate Cf-270) grown on PDA were placed aseptically in each flask. The flasks were incubated at 25°C for 4 weeks and shaken once a week to avoid clustering of inoculum. Plastic pots (220 cm3) were filled with a mixture of sterilized peat moss and 10 g of inoculum per pot. One-month-old grapevine seedlings were planted individually in each pot and placed in a greenhouse at 25 to 30°C in a completely randomized design. Control plants were inoculated with sterile uninoculated seeds. Six replicates (each one in individual pots) were used, with an equal number of control plants. The experiment was repeated. Symptoms developed on all plants 20 days after inoculation and consisted in reduced vigor, interveinal chlorosis and necrosis of the leaves, necrotic root lesions with a reduction in root biomass, and plant death. The fungus was reisolated from the roots of affected seedlings and identified as C. fasciculare, completing Koch's postulates. No symptoms were observed on the control plants. Black foot disease of grapevines can be caused by different species of Cylindrocarpon and Campylocarpon. C. fasciculare was first reported in South Africa in 2004 (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. fasciculare causing black foot disease of grapevine in Spain as well as other countries in Europe. Reference: (1) F. Halleen et al. Stud. Mycol. 50:431, 2004.


The objective of this thesis is to delineate and analyse Northamptonshire Caribbeans' consumption c.1955-1989. Author-collected and other oral histories alongside complementary primary and secondary references dovetail to unearth and analyse aspects of Post-War Caribbean consumption in a British provincial location that have been significantly unexplored previously. Central to the argument is the contention that identity is fundamentally significant in comprehending and analysing Northamptonshire Caribbeans' consumption. Various conceptualisations of identity facilitated development of consumer materialisations and aspirations. This thesis explores how multiple forms of identity as Caribbean, Black and British people were significant in shaping local Caribbeans' consumption. The succeeding pages address and analyse how these multiple identities influenced consumption and how provincial consumer behaviour was shaped by Caribbeans' relative co-ethnic isolation in Northamptonshire. Chapter 3 delineates and analyses consumer practices and practicalities of Northamptonshire Caribbeans. Integral within these consumer practices and practicalities are changes in consumption over time, intergenerational differences in consumption, as well as aspects of consumption that could be considered 'typical' and/or 'atypical' Northamptonshire Caribbean consumption; all of which are incorporated within this chapter. Chapter 4 connects identity and consumption through enhancing understanding of Northamptonshire Caribbeans' consumer networks. These networks interacted with the combination of identities local Caribbeans psychologically felt part of within various Caribbean, Black and British permutations. Furthermore, such identities varied more widely amongst the younger generation than their co-ethnic elders, a concept which is also addressed. Education and cultural currency are two novel strands through which to analyse connections between consumption and identity. The final two chapters deploy these concepts in an innovative manner creating and developing greater understanding of Northamptonshire Caribbeans' consumption. Chapter 5 expounds on the concept that education can be used as consumption whilst shaping future consumer behaviour, both ideas significantly under-explored previously. Chapter 6 introduces the theory of cultural currency, the idea that aspects of culture have finite, but changing, values and must be shared to have value similar to monetary currencies having exchange values for other monetary currencies. This chapter demonstrates how Northamptonshire Caribbeans shared aspects of Caribbean culture as cultural currency, fostering co-ethnic strength whilst gaining inter-ethnic respect for Caribbeans. Through comprehending Caribbean identity, correlations between empirical and social history, local consumption, as well as educational and cultural circumstances that stimulated and inspired Northamptonshire Caribbeans, this thesis distinctively illuminates how local Caribbeans' consumption interacted with various permutations of Afro-Caribbean, Black and/or British identities whilst representing idiosyncratic local nodes within these larger amalgamations.


Changes in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) secondary to Ca2+ influx through N-methyl-D-aspartate type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) play a key role in long-term plastic changes in synaptic function that may be involved in learning and memory. Most excitatory synapses in the central nervous system are made onto dendritic spines, small protrusions of the dendritic shaft that enable changes in [Ca2+]i to remain localized to individual synapses (see Hayashi and Majewski). Noguchi et al. used two-photon photolysis of caged glutamate combined with Ca2+ imaging and whole-cell patch clamp analysis to stimulate individual spines on neurons in rat hippocampal slices and investigate the effects of spine structure on Ca2+ signaling. NMDAR-dependent current increased with spine head volume; however, NMDAR-mediated increases in the [Ca2+]i at the spine head were largest in small-volume spines, whereas increases in dendritic shaft [Ca2+]i at the base of the spine were largest for large-volume spines. These differences in Ca2+ handling depended on the geometry of the spine neck: The necks of large spines allowed more rapid efflux of Ca2+ (and hence less compartmentation of spine-head [Ca2+]i) than the necks of small spines. Measurement of current through NMDARs and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid type receptors (AMPARs) indicated that, as spine size increased, the proportion of AMPAR-dependent current to NMDAR-dependent current increased. Thus, the authors suggest that the small spines may function as silent synapses and conclude that these differences in Ca2+ handling enable the preferential induction of long-term potentiation, which depends on changes in [Ca2+]i, in smaller spines. J. Noguchi, M. Matsuzaki, G. C. R. Ellis-Davies, H. Kasai, Spine-neck geometry determines NMDA receptor-dependent Ca2+ signaling in dendrites. Neuron 46, 609-622 (2005).[Online Journal] Y. Hayashi, A. Majewski, Dendritic spine geometry: Functional implication and regulation. Neuron 46, 529-532 (2005). [Online Journal]


Ellen N. Namhila. Kaxumba kaNdola: Man and Myth. The Biography of a Barefoot Soldier. Basel: Basler Afrika Bibliographien, 2005. Lives, Legacies, Legends Series no. 2. xi + 157 pp. Illustrations. Notes. Bibliography. Index. CHF 50.00. Paper. Oswin O. Namakalu. Armed Liberation Struggle: Some Accounts of PLAN's Combat Operations. Windhoek: Gamsberg Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 2004. xii + 187 pp. Illustrations. Tables. Notes. Bibliography. N$125.00. Paper. Ellen Namhila, the director of Library and Archival Services in the Namibian Ministry of Education, apparently began Kaxumba kaNdola: Man and Myth at least as far back as August 2000, when she presented a paper, "Kaxumba kaNdola: The Man and the Legend," at a conference entitled "Public History: Forgotten History," held in Windhoek. Kaxumba kaNdola is the Oshiwambo name by which Noah Eliaser Tuhadelini (1918-1997) was known to his neighbors and acquaintances in Namibia. In Oshiwambo (mother tongue of 48.5 percent of the Namibian population, according to the 2001 census), "Kaxumba" signifies "a musical instrument, a harmonica or piano" (5); thus this part of the name acknowledges his singing ability. The second part of the name, "kaNdola," presumably refers to the village of Endola in northern Namibia, where he spent his early years, later made his home, and was buried. Those unfamiliar with Namibian nationalism and the subsequent war of independence (1966-89) may well wonder who Kaxumba KaNdola is and why he merits a biography. To begin with, Noah Eliaser Tuhadelini is the name that appears in the famous 1967-68 case of State v. Eliaser Tuhadelini and Others in Pretoria, in which South Africa first applied the retroactive Terrorism Act of 1967 to thirty-seven Namibian defendants. It was at this trial that another defendant, Andimba Toivo yaToivo (who wrote the foreword to this biography), delivered the famous speech from the dock that ranks with Nelson Mandela's statement in the Rivonia Trial as a classic in the lexicon of southern African nationalism. Although much was made of that trial in the South African press and also in the international print media and in the United Nations, little of the verbatim trial record (in Afrikaans) was entered into the public domain. Only recently have the National Archives of Namibia acquired photocopies of the trial records, to which the author refers. Moreover, the important role played by the International Defense and Aid Fund for Southern Africa in providing legal fees for the defendants' legal team was kept well hidden until the publication of Denis Herbstein's White lies: Canon Collins and the secret War against Apartheid (Cape Town, 2004) (see review this issue). second, Kaxumba kaNdola can be regarded as an archetypical Namibian nationalist: a rather traditional yeoman farmer in the northern region of Namibia often known as Ovamboland, then a meagerly educated contract worker in both Namibia and South Africa, and finally a prisoner in Robben Island as a result of the Pretoria trial. In each of these roles he experienced some of the worst privations and humiliations of apartheid. In spite of-or because of- these privations, he became a true believer in the nationalist cause as embodied in the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), as well as an enthusiastic party mobilizer. A sage yet humble man, he came to serve as a role model for many; some called him a "barefoot soldier" (36, 92). This biography draws on taped interviews with fourteen informants, including family members and fellow Namibian prisoners on Robben Island. To some extent Namhila's pioneering study resembles the volume edited by Barbara Becker (Speaking Out: Namibians Share Their Perspectives on Independence, Out of Africa Publishers, 2005) in that it includes verbatim transcripts of the interviews (translated when necessary), with the author mediating between speaker and listener/reader. …


The paper analyzes data on reported incidence of disputes in small and medium enterprises in the National Capital Region of the Philippines from a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in late 2006.  The paper examines the incidence of disputes with customers, suppliers, employees, local and national government agencies, competitors and communities or civil society organizations, in these enterprises.  Survey data show that the enterprises resort to internal mechanisms as well as to third parties and legal processes to resolve disputes. Finally, the paper finds a role for external non-government organization to assist these enterprises in dispute reduction or resolution.


Previous modeling work showed that aerosol can affect the position of the tropical rain belt, i.e., the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Yet it remains unclear which aspects of the aerosol impact are robust across models, and which are not. Here we present simulations with seven comprehensive atmosphere models that study the fast and slow impacts of an idealized anthropogenic aerosol on the zonal‐mean ITCZ position. The fast impact, which results from aerosol atmospheric heating and land cooling before sea‐surface temperature (SST) has time to respond, causes a northward ITCZ shift. Yet the fast impact is compensated locally by decreased evaporation over the ocean, and a clear northward shift is only found for an unrealistically large aerosol forcing. The local compensation implies that while models differ in atmospheric aerosol heating, this does not contribute to model differences in the ITCZ shift. The slow impact includes the aerosol impact on the ocean surface energy balance and is mediated by SST changes. The slow impact is an order of magnitude more effective than the fast impact and causes a clear southward ITCZ shift for realistic aerosol forcing. Models agree well on the slow ITCZ shift when perturbed with the same SST pattern. However, an energetic analysis suggests that the slow ITCZ shifts would be substantially more model‐dependent in interactive‐SST setups due to model differences in clear‐sky radiative transfer and clouds. We also discuss implications for the representation of aerosol in climate models and attributions of recent observed ITCZ shifts to aerosol.


Abstract This paper presents results from comparative thermogravimetric, calorimetric and pozzolanic activity analyses of five natural zeolite samples from Bulgaria, Slovakia, Philippines, USA and North Korea. The zeolites actively participate in the hydration processes of cement. Their activity in the early stage of hydration is based mainly on the large surface area of the particles while, in the later stages of activation, chemical reactions occur between the products of the hydration of cement and the soluble SiO2 that is present in the bulk of the zeolites. It has been shown that in all cement pastes which contain zeolite additives, the quantity of portlandite is lower than that in pure cement paste or is even totally absent. The amounts of hydration products are greater when 30% zeolite is used than when 10% zeolite is added (excluding the sample with chabazite). The lowest pozzolanic activity is shown by chabazite, which possessed the lowest SiO2/Al2O3 ratio.


Six different weather generator models were compared. The first two models (M1 and M2) use a first-order autoregressive daily model and the third model (M3) uses a newly proposed semi-parametric method to reproduce the correlation and autocorrelation of the variables. Three other models (M1-2, M2-2 and M3-2) are the combinations of these models with an adjustment algorithm for the low-frequency variances (SL). The comparison revealed that M1-2 model (daily weather generator with the SL adjustment algorithm) and the M2-2 model (daily weather generator in combination with a monthly weather generator and the SL adjustment algorithm) are the best models in the study area. All the studied models have acceptable performance in relation to the shape of the probability distribution functions. Three first models have deficiencies in relation to the inter-annual standard deviations. The M2 and M3 models, in which the high-frequency standard deviation (SH) is used instead of the total standard deviation values (ST), slightly underestimated these inter-annual variations. But, the performance of the M1 model is considerably poorer than the other two models. The results revealed that the adjustment of the inter-annual standard deviations improves model performance. Moreover, the newly proposed algorithm has the potential for multi-station simulations.


This is an environmental assessment for the Energy Sector Reform Project for Burkina Faso, which reforms the legal, institutional, and regulatory structure for the electricity sector and expands grid-based electrification. The report details likely environmental impacts and proposes measures to mitigate expected negative impacts. The plan involves the population in mitigation activities, carries out awareness and formal training, protects workers and residents from electric magnetic field radiation from potentially cancer-causing high voltage power, sets up entities to monitor environmental impacts on the entire transmission line-particularly impacts on fauna, flora, human and wildlife habitats, rivers, and sacred zones. Local institutions will oversee an environmental audit that focuses on air emissions reduction (carbon dioxide), waste oil treatment and disposal, noise abatement and management, worker health and safety (protective clothing and equipment), and HIV/AIDS awareness and education, fuel wood management, and decommissioning any equipment likely to damage the environment. During construction, use a plant effluent to reduce dust, possibly reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by increasing the height of the stack and procuring low-sulfur-content fuel, minimize water used in equipment, segregate water by source and treat appropriately (domestic wastewater, oily water, etc.), install a new incinerator to burn sludge generated, and observe maximum noise limits. Nuisances affecting quality of life (noise, dust, waste, risks) will be temporary during construction, and should have no significant effect during the operational phase if norms set by the World Bank and the Government are respected. Likely accidents to occur-hydrocarbon spills, fires, and explosions-would have no impact on residential areas because of remoteness, a site clear of brush and woods. Nonetheless, preventive measures proposed to eliminate or minimize the risks of accidents included a fire protection system (alarms, sprinklers, extinguishers,, etc.) and retaining basins for oil tanks and transformers.


Concrete structures, contrary to steel or timber structures, have not been traditionally considered as significantly sensitive to fire conditions. As a consequence, their performance in fire conditions has generally been assessed on the basis of quite simplified rules provided in codes of practice, mostly dealing with minimum geometric requirements in terms of thickness and concrete cover. Accidents under fire conditions have nevertheless revealed a certain level of vulnerability of concrete structures in fire and have thus shown that code regulations are potentially insufficient to cover this aspect of design. As a reaction to this level of simplicity, some codes are currently available with specific and very detailed provisions with reference to fire design in concrete structures, such as EN 1992-1-2, covering a wide number of simplified and advanced design procedures. Unfortunately, the hierarchy of these procedures and which one is most suitable for a given situation is sometimes unclear for designers. In addition, it is probably not necessary to perform rather complex and detailed analyses for all types of structures, but the level of refinement can be adapted to the sensitivity of the structure to fire conditions and to its significance for the society. In this paper, a possible approach for consistent design of concrete structures under fire conditions is proposed based on the Levels-of-Approximation philosophy. The Levels-of- Approximation approach has been successfully introduced into the new Model Code 2010 for a number of problems (such as shear, punching and 2nd order effects) and allows refining the accuracy of the analysis when necessary. This allows keeping simple rules for most cases but provides a general frame for assessing complex or sensitive structures. In addition, it does not only incorporate calculation methods, but specifies which ductility requirements are to be fulfilled in order to ensure a correct applicability of each method.


Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and gonorrhea are commonly reported infections in the United States. Greater Omaha has had continually higher reported rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea for more than a decade compared to the rest of the state rates. Minority and young adults have been disproportionately affected. Purpose: The objectives of our study were to estimate the prevalence and to identify risk factors for chlamydia and gonorrhea among young adults. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 310 young adults aged 19 -25 years between June 2011 and June 2012. The study collected socio-demographic, behavioral and other risk factors for STIs utilizing a pre-design standardized questionnaire. Gonorrhea and chlamydia status of the participants were established by testing urine samples using PCR-based diagnostic technique. Descriptive and multivariable regression analyses were used to examine risk factors for STIs. Results: About 12.6% survey participants had at least one STI test positive. Lower education was associated with STIs but was not statistically significant (Odd Ratio for no schooling was 8.24, 95% CI 0.93 -72.86, Odd Ratio for high school education was 2.05, 95% CI 0.25 -16.63 compared to associate or college level education). No other predictors were associated with STIs. The average age of the first sexual intercourse was lower, and the number of sexual partners was higher compared to their national counterparts. Conclusion: We found a higher percentage of STI-positive individuals compared to previously reported county-level estimates. Education was the single and most important predictor of positive STI status.


The molecular associations of N-(n-hexyl)hexanamide (PA-12MC) and N-(n-butyl)benzenesulfonamide (BBSA), taken as model compounds for polydodecamide (PA-12) and benzenesulfonamide plasticizers, respectively, were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. In solution, the amide is distributed between a self-associated form, involving intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and isolated species. Dissociation is favored in an electron donor solvent due to hydrogen bonding between the amide and the solvent. Comparatively, BBSA has much less tendency to dissociate. Molecular modeling suggests that BBSA dimer associations exist in the condensed state thanks to intermolecular hydrogen bonds, while gas-phase infrared spectroscopy supports a stabilizing intramolecular interaction between the sulfonamide proton and the sulfonyl lone pairs for isolated molecules. Mixtures of the amide model compound with BBSA show the creation of a strong S-N-H … O=C hydrogen bond between the sulfonamide proton and the amide's carbonyl lone pairs. The amide N-H groups liberated from the former amide-amide interaction find themselves involved in a weaker C-N-H … O=S hydrogen bond ("free N-H") with the plasticizer's sulfonyl lone pairs, the concentration of these bonds being maximum at mid-composition. For polyamide/BSAs mixtures, the accessibility of the amide and sulfonamide groups can restrict these associations. Mixtures of AAPA, an aliphatic amorphous polyamide, with a plasticizer bearing a branched alkyl chain, generate a low free N-H concentration and cause phase separation to occur, which confirms the steric sensibility of their interaction. A bifunctional benzenesulfonamide plasticizer appears to be less efficient than BBSA and leads to an increased dispersion in hydrogen bond distribution, both of which could be ascribed to the bulk of this molecule. Incorporation of BBSA in semicrystalline PA-12 leads to a behavior identical to that of AAPA/BBSA mixtures.


This chapter examines the notion of power in relation to authority and the state. Power and authority are central concepts in politics. Politics is about competing interests and values, and this requires knowing something about power, since those who have power over others can determine which interests and values will be adopted by political decision-makers. The chapter first considers the link between power and authority before discussing the classic threefold typology of authority proposed by Max Weber: traditional authority, charismatic authority, and legal–rational authority. It then explores some conceptual questions about power; for example, whether it is the same as force, or whether it must be exercised deliberately. It also evaluates the methodological problems inherent in the measurement of power, particularly in relation to the different theories of the state such as pluralism, elitism, and Marxism.


Biofilm-based microalgal growth was determined as functions of organic chemical loading and water temperature utilizing dairy wastewater from a full-scale dairy farm. The dairy industry is a significant source of wastewater worldwide that could provide an inexpensive and nutrient rich feedstock for the cultivation of algae biomass for use in downstream processing of animal feed and aquaculture applications. Algal biomass was cultivated using a Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactor (RABR) system. The RABR is a biofilm-based technology that has been designed and used to remediate municipal wastewater, and was applied to treat dairy wastewater, through nutrient uptake, and simultaneously provide biomass for the production of renewable bioproducts. Algal biomass was grown at temperatures ranging from 7-27 °C, and organic carbon concentrations ranging from 300-1200 mg/L of Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Aerial algal biofilm growth rates were calculated, and analysis of Variance (ANOVA) calculations indicated that both the temperature of the wastewater and the level of organic carbon contributed significantly to the rate of biomass growth in the system. However, the interaction of temperature and organic carbon content was not significantly related to the biofilm-based growth rate. Equations were developed using an Arrhenius linearization and temperature correction coefficient that can be used to evaluate algal biomass productivity and nutrient removal rates in future experiments and designs for dairy wastewater.


Bank loans play a crucial role in the development of banks investment business. Nowadays, there are many risk-related issues associated with bank loans. With the advent of computerization systems, banks have become able to register borrowers' data according their criteria. In fact, there is a tremendous amount of borrowers' data, which makes the process of load management a challenging task. Many studies have utilized data mining algorithms for the purpose of loans classification in terms of repayment or when the loans are not based on customers' financial history. This kind of algorithms can help banks in making grant decisions for their customers. In this paper, the performance of machine learning algorithms has been compared for the purpose of classifying bank loan risks using the standard criteria and then choosing ( Multilayer Perceptron ) as it has given best accuracy compared to RandomForest , BayesNet, NaiveBayes and DTJ48 algorithms.


Vitiligo is the most common acquired hypopigmentary disease in the community. Piperine as an herbal extract derived from black pepper has strong impact on the melanocyte proliferation and adverse side effects less than synthetic drugs such as corticosteroids. For the first time, this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of topical piperine combined with narrowband ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB) on vitiligo treatment. In this double‐blind clinical trial, 63 patients with facial vitiligo were randomly divided into 2 groups: treated with piperine (case) and placebo (control). Also, both groups received NB‐UVB phototherapy every other day for 3 months. In the case group, 10 patients have burning sensation on their skin areas (p value = .002). Also, redness of the treated areas was observed in 6 patients (p value = .028). Both side effects were temporary. Regarding repigmentation at time intervals of 1, 2, and 3 months after treatment, its level in the case group was significantly higher than the control group (p value < .001). Based on our findings, the combination therapy with NB‐UVB/topical piperine has more influence on facial vitiligo than that of NB‐UVB alone. It could be concluded that the simultaneous use of NB‐UVB and topical piperine has a remarkable effect on treatment of vitiligo.


This chapter presents a Markov chain model for the estimation of individual-level binary transitions from a time series of independent repeated cross-sectional (RCS) samples. Although RCS samples lack direct information on individual turnover, it is demonstrated here that it is possible with these data to draw meaningful conclusions on individual state-to-state transitions. We discuss estimation and inference using maximum likelihood, parametric bootstrap, and Markov chain Monte Carlo approaches. The model is illustrated by an application to the rise in ownership of computers in Dutch households since 1986, using a 13-wave annual panel data set. These data encompass more information than we need to estimate the model, and this additional information allows us to assess the validity of the parameter estimates. We examine the determinants of the transitions from have-not to have (and back again) using well-known socioeconomic and demographic covariates of the digital divide. Parametric bootstrap and Bayesian simulation are used to evaluate the accuracy and the precision of the ML estimates, and the results are also compared with those of a first-order dynamic panel model. To mimic genuine repeated cross-sectional data, we additionally analyze samples of independent observations randomly drawn from the panel. Software implementing the model is available.


We search for variations in the disk of Centaurus A of the emission from atomic fine structure lines using Herschel PACS and SPIRE spectroscopy. In particular, we observe the [C ii](158 μm), [N ii](122 and 205 μm), [O i](63 and 145 μm), and [O iii](88 μm) lines, which all play an important role in cooling the gas in photo-ionized and photodissociation regions (PDRs). We determine that the ([C ii]+[O i]63)/FTIR line ratio, a proxy for the heating efficiency of the gas, shows no significant radial trend across the observed region, in contrast to observations of other nearby galaxies. We determine that 10%–20% of the observed [C ii] emission originates in ionized gas. Comparison between our observations and a PDR model shows that the strength of the far-ultraviolet radiation field, G0, varies between 101.75 and 102.75 and the hydrogen nucleus density varies between 102.75 and 103.75 cm−3, with no significant radial trend in either property. In the context of the emission line properties of the grand-design spiral galaxy M51 and the elliptical galaxy NGC 4125, the gas in Cen A appears more characteristic of that in typical disk galaxies rather than elliptical galaxies.


Books at home are used for more than reading, such as collecting them, using them as decoration, or expressing personality. In order to get a better understanding of intended and unintended uses of printed books, we conducted seven book tours in different homes followed by semi-structured interviews. This data was complemented with a large-scale online survey with 300 respondents. We describe our findings focusing on storage, sorting, decoration, and self-expressionand how they inspired us to develop a digital bookshelf (ambient display) as a technology probe to explore decoration with eBooks in the home. We argue for a transition from decoration with printed books to eBooks as design inspiration that does not simply replicate a bookshelf as ambient display, but makes eBooks tangible by combining users' habits with qualities of digital material.


This introduces the symposium on judgment aggregation. The theory of judgment aggregation asks how several individuals' judgments on some logically connected propositions can be aggregated into consistent collective judgments. The aim of this introduction is to show how ideas from the familiar theory of preference aggregation can be extended to this more general case. We first translate a proof of Arrow's impossibility theorem into the new setting, so as to motivate some of the central concepts and conditions leading to analogous impossibilities, as discussed in the symposium. We then consider each of four possible escape-routes explored in the symposium.


The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of water trading policy as a solution for optimal use of water between farmers in Voshmgir dam, Iran. For assessment, four villages were selected and two water allocation programs under non-trading and trading systems were designed by two-stage stochastic programming technique and uncertainties expressed as intervals and probability distributions. The results obtained from the two programs were compared based on water volume which is released through trading and decrease in water deficiency as effectiveness indices. The results show that the water allocation under trading policy has changed so that it has led to released water and decrease in water deficiency by keeping the agricultural profit under non-trading, but irrigated area is decreased under trading. Generally, trading policy can lead to more effective allocation from the view of released water and decrease in water deficiency, but it can remove some farmers from agricultural activities by decreasing the irrigated area. As a result, trading policy can be effective in the short term especially in drought conditions due to insufficient water supply and can be unnecessary in normal and wet years in this case study.


Abstract Social scientists and folk wisdom have both claimed that there is an association between religiosity and prosocial behavior, but hard evidence for such a relationship is limited. Studies show that religiosity is correlated with self-reported prosociality; however, this relationship is not very clear when it comes to observed prosocial behaviors. Experimental studies reveal a link between religious priming and prosocial behaviors, and these effects are evident irrespective of the degree of religiosity of the participant. Building on and combining the strengths of previous field designs, I report on the results of a field experiment in Mauritius examining the effects of religious environments on cooperation in a naturalistic setting. These results were consistent with previous findings that religious cues increase cooperation. Importantly, this effect was not dependent on degrees of prior religiosity. Plausible interpretations of such effects are discussed.


Salmon remain the cultural and economic soul of the Pacific Northwest, a species whose very life cycle largely defines the region. At the center of the salmon region lies the Columbia River, which once supported the world's largest salmon runs and which now is home to the world's largest interconnected hydroelectric system. These massive federal and non-federal dams have devastated Columbia Basin salmon runs, some of which are now extinct, others are on life-support.This book tells the story of the decline of the Columbia Basin salmon in the 20th century. But it begins earlier, with the signing of mid-19th century Indian treaties that promised the tribes the right of taking fish in return for ceding some 64 million acres of land to the onrushing United States. This treaty promise was actually the first in a series of promises that the salmon runs would be maintained. The book uses the promise metaphor to examine the state of salmon and surrounding legal and institutional environment over the last century-and-a-half. None of the promises have been fully kept.Among ensuing promises was a false hope that a region-wide commitment to salmon hatcheries could replace salmon habitat lost to development, especially hydroelectric development. Another promise was the 1980 Northwest Power Act's restoration program, which once envisioned doubling Columbia Basin salmon runs. Failure of that promise led to ongoing and largely unsuccessful efforts under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to conserve the dwindling salmon runs. The book is especially critical of ESA implementation, maintaining that the listing of salmon under the statute has done much more to change ESA administration than the ESA has done to revive the salmon runs. Other promises the book examines concern the 1985 Pacific Salmon Treaty with Canada, hydroelectric licensing under the Federal Power Act, and water quality protection under the Clean Water Act.The book includes chapters on the judicial interpretation of Indian treaties, a history of dam building in the Northwest, the rise of ecosystem management planning, and the case for breaching four Lower Snake River dams. Concluding chapters examine the prospects for wild salmon runs in the 21st century and lessons from the decline of Columbia Basin salmon for other resources in other areas.


Abstract. This study is an attempt to close a gap between recent research on geomagnetic pulsations and their usage as source signals in electromagnetic induction soundings (i.e., magnetotellurics, geomagnetic depth sounding, and magnetovariational sounding). The plane-wave assumption as a precondition for the proper performance of these methods is partly violated by the local nature of field line resonances which cause a considerable portion of pulsations at mid latitudes. It is demonstrated that and explained why in spite of this, the application of remote reference stations in quasi-global distances for the suppression of local correlated-noise effects in induction arrows is possible in the geomagnetic pulsation range. The important role of upstream waves and of the magnetic equatorial region for such applications is emphasized. Furthermore, the principal difference between application of reference stations for local transfer functions (which result in sounding curves and induction arrows) and for inter-station transfer functions is considered. The preconditions for the latter are much stricter than for the former. Hence a failure to estimate an inter-station transfer function to be interpreted in terms of electromagnetic induction, e.g., because of field line resonances, does not necessarily prohibit use of the station pair for a remote reference estimation of the impedance tensor.


The 170-plus postconviction DNA exonerations of the last 15 years have exposed numerous problems that have contributed to convicting the innocent. The specific problems include eyewitness error and flawed eyewitness procedures, false confessions, forensic error or fraud, police and prosecutor misconduct, inadequate defense counsel, jailhouse snitch testimony, and others. A theme running through almost every case, that touches each of these individual causes, is the problem of tunnel vision. Tunnel vision is a natural human tendency with particularly pernicious effects in the criminal justice system. This Article analyzes tunnel vision at various points in the criminal process, from police investigation through trial, appeal, and postconviction review. The Article examines the causes of tunnel vision in three domains. First, tunnel vision is the product of natural human tendencies - cognitive distortions that make it difficult for human beings in any setting to remain open-minded. Second, institutional or role pressures inherent in the adversary system can exacerbate the natural cognitive biases, and induce actors to pursue a particular suspect too soon or with too much zeal. Finally, in some ways the criminal justice system embraces tunnel vision as a normative matter; it demands or teaches tunnel vision overtly, as a matter of policy or rule. This Article concludes by examining possible corrective measures that might be adopted to mitigate the effects of tunnel vision.


The United States alliance has been, is, and will remain, the centrepiece of Australian foreign policy for the foreseeable future. But it will change. Why? Because the rise of China increasingly means different things for the two nations: for the United States, its main significance is the emergence of a strategic rival; for us, it is the opportunity for a rewarding trade and commercial partnership. None of this means Canberra is faced with a hard, stark choice between China and the United States. But it does mean that Australia must learn to play a more demanding diplomatic game than ever before, one that will on occasion involve the difficult feat of riding two horses simultaneously. Instead of always leading the cheer squad, our leaders will need to cultivate some of the skills of the helpful passenger.


It is well-established that B-blockers, particularly those without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (lSA), are cardioprotective and prevent secondary recurrences of myocardial infarction (MI) when given within hours of onset of symptoms as well as during late intervention. The reduction in mortality in patients with MI appears significant for those agents without ISA, suggesting that magnitude of reduction in heart rate is an important factor. There is now convincing evidence that B-blockade also produces beneficial effects in 'heart failure (HF). In the early stages of HF, adrenergic support mechanisms help to maintain cardiac output but the long-term effects are deleterious; as a result increased adrenergic drive in HF is directly related to an adverse outcome. Early studies with B-blockers were undertaken primarily in Sweden and subsequently, in the 1980s, the same workers reported beneficial effects of long-term B-blockade with metoprolol in dilated cardiomyopathy. To date, studies have been undertaken with a variety of different B-blockers in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as ischaemic HF. Until the 1990s the results of these studies were inconclusive, but showed a trend towards improvement in congestive HF (CHF). In the past 5 years, several placebo-controlled randomized trials of at least 12 months' duration and involving greater patient numbers have provided more compelling evidence for the use of these agents in CHF. Because cardiac decompensation may occur secondary to their negative inotropic effects, B-blockers are still rarely used in patients with CHF. This has led to the development of B-blockers with vasodilatory effects in an attempt to improve tolerance of these drugs. Initiated gradually, most patients with mild-to-moderate CHF can safely be treated with B-blockers except for some 10 -15% who develop hypotension. Treatment should be initiated in a controlled setting at low doses (carvedilol 6.25 mg twice daily, metoprolol 5 mg twice daily) and titrated upwards gradually. Despite a remarkable reduction in mortality in recent studies with carvedilol, routine management of heart failure with B-blockade can only be recommended when further confirmatory evidence from large, unconfounded randomised clinical trials on an intention-to-treat basis becomes available.


The rates of postmortem glycolysis in several muscles of halothane anaesthetised and captive-bolt stunned Boer goats were measured at 37°C. The muscles examined were the M. semitendinosus , the M. Psoas major and the M. longissimus dorsi at the thoracic and lumbu regions. It is shown that captive-bolt stunning does not produce a very rapid postmortem glycolysis in the skeletal musculature. Initial pH values in the M. semitendinosus . M. psoas major and M. longissimus dorsi of the stunned animals were in the region of 6,8 compared with an initial value of 7,1 in the anaesthetised animals. pH 1 values in the muscles of the stunned goats were about 6,6 and the pH was still above 6,0 at four hours postmortem The M. longissimus dorsi was less affected by stunning than either the M. psoas major  or the M. semitendinosus. Data on the levels of ATP. phosphocreatine and glucose-6-phosphate in the same muscles are also presented, and are related to the fibre type of the muscles as determined by succinic dehydrogenase histochemistry. The results are contrasted with previously published data which showed that captivebolt stunning has a detrimental effect on the meat quality of the muscles of the pig.


Introductions: Optimum operation for rectal prolapse is not established yet. Laparoscopic procedures are gaining popularity and on the other hand, proponents of perineal procedures are also not scarce. Methods: Rectal prolapse cases operated during five years in a tertiary care hospital regarding immediate post-surgical outcome of abdominal and perineal procedures were reviewed. Results: Total 30 patients of rectal prolapse were operated during the study period. Over the years, Altemiere's rectosigmoidectomy outnumbered abdominal procedures. Immediate postoperative complications were similar except for one case in perineal group needing laparotomy for intraperitoneal bleed. Conclusions: Altemiere's rectosigmoidectomy was safe and increasingly acceptable procedure at our center for patients with rectal prolapse. Keywords : abdominal rectopexy, Altemiere's rectosigmoidectomy, rectal prolapse


A disease-associated variant of an activating ligand engages receptors so strongly that it impairs NK cell–mediated killing. Distracting natural killer cells Natural killer (NK) cells target virally infected and transformed cells for cytolysis. When sufficient activating receptors on the NK cell surface, such as NKG2D, are engaged by ligands on the target cell, such as ULBP proteins, the NK cell kills the target. Polymorphisms within ULBP-encoding genes are associated with immune dysfunction. Zuo et al. found that the affinity of a commonly occurring ULBP6 variant for NKG2D was greater than that of the wild-type protein, which impaired NK cell activation. A soluble form of this protein variant bound so tightly to NKG2D that it suppressed receptor activation and target cell killing in response to other NKG2D ligands. Together, these data suggest that targeting NK cell–ligand interactions may provide therapies to modulate the strength of immune responses. NKG2D (natural killer group 2, member D) is an activating receptor found on the surface of immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, which regulates innate and adaptive immunity through recognition of the stress-induced ligands ULBP1 (UL16 binding protein 1) to ULBP6 and MICA/B. Similar to class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA), these NKG2D ligands have a major histocompatibility complex–like fold and exhibit pronounced polymorphism, which influences human disease susceptibility. However, whereas class I HLA polymorphisms occur predominantly in the α1α2 groove and affect antigen binding, the effects of most NKG2D ligand polymorphisms are unclear. We studied the molecular and functional consequences of the two major alleles of ULBP6, the most polymorphic ULBP gene, which are associated with autoimmunity and relapse after stem cell transplantation. Surface plasmon resonance and crystallography studies revealed that the arginine-to-leucine polymorphism within ULBP0602 affected the NKG2D-ULBP6 interaction by generating an energetic hotspot. This resulted in an NKG2D-ULBP0602 affinity of 15.5 nM, which is 10- to 1000-fold greater than the affinities of other ULBP-NKG2D interactions and limited NKG2D-mediated activation. In addition, soluble ULBP0602 exhibited high-affinity competitive binding for NKG2D and partially suppressed NKG2D-mediated activation of NK cells by other NKG2D ligands. These effects resulted in a decrease in a range of NKG2D-mediated effector functions. Our results reveal that ULBP polymorphisms affect the strength of human lymphocyte responses to cellular stress signals and may offer opportunities for therapeutic intervention.


This study explores the relationship between competitiveness and stress. In Experiment 1, we examine the response of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, during both piece-rate and tournament tasks. We find that the more competitive tournament task induces a higher cortisol response than the less competitive piece-rate task. Moreover, more competitively inclined subjects exhibit higher stress responses induced by the tasks. In Experiment 2, we manipulate stress using the Trier Social Stress Test and find that induced stress does not significantly affect competitiveness. Taken together, our findings suggest a tendency for people who are competitively disposed to have high stress response.


The recent discoveries of telluric exoplanets in the habitable zone of different stars have led to questioning the nature of their atmosphere, which is required to determine their habitability. Atmospheric escape is one of the challenging problems to be solved: simply adapting what is currently observed in the solar system is doomed to fail due to the large variations in the conditions encountered around other stars. A better strategy is to review the different processes that shaped planetary atmospheres and to evaluate their importance depending upon the stellar conditions. This approach allowed us to show that processes like ion-pickup were a more important way to lose atmosphere at Mars in the past.

We reviewed the different escape mechanisms and their magnitude in function of the different conditions. This led us to discover discrepancies in the current literature concerning problems such as the Xenon paradox or the importance of a magnetic field in protecting an atmosphere.
This shows that one should be very careful before claiming the presence of an atmosphere on planets in the habitable zone of their M-dwarfs: new criteria such as the Alfven surface location with respect to the planet should be taken into account a-priori.
Overall, the habitability of a planet should not be claimed only on by its location in the habitable zone but also after careful analysis of the interaction between its atmosphere and its parent star [Gronoff et al. 2020].

 Gronoff, G., Arras, P., Baraka, S., Bell, J. M., Cessateur, G., Cohen, O., et al. ( 2020). Atmospheric Escape Processes and Planetary Atmospheric Evolution. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125, e2019JA027639. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA027639


The availability of publicly accessible charging stations in urban areas can foster the widespread adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs). However, the introduction of public charging infrastructures will put an additional strain on the power grid due to the possible occurrence of peak demands. This study is a first attempt to quantitatively assess the potential benefits of introducing in a public charging infrastructure smart charging stations that are capable of modulating the current supplied to the EVs. Specifically, we assume that each charging station has limited power resources that must be shared among the EVs attached to its charging sockets according to a given scheduling strategy. To evaluate the performance of such system we utilise SUMO, an open-source and widely used vehicular traffic simulator, along with a highly realistic mobility trace for the metropolitan area of Luxembourg City. Simulation results indicate that the use of simple charging strategies that take advantage of the modulation capabilities of smart charging stations (e.g., fair-sharing or token-based scheduling approaches) can effectively mitigate the impact of EV charging demands on the power grid with a limited degradation of charging performance. However, our results also confirm that a significant investment on charging infrastructure might be necessary to guarantee a non-blocking charging service.


An appropriate health
care financing scheme can improve the efficient, equitable, and effective use
of health care resources; however, each popular health care financing scheme
has some advantages and disadvantages. The designing of health care financing
strategy to fit with the country specific features is not straightforward. In resource poor country, allocation of resources for health care services are always critical and frequently unstable due to
nuances annual budget process, small fiscal space, uncertainties in
contributions of external development partners. Considerable quantities of
country specific researches require for the choice of an appropriate health
care financing scheme. The paper illustrates possible better options for the government to pursue the goal of ensuring that the poor receive more benefits. The
paper compares the benefit incidences and cost of services with different
options purposed for primary health care services by utilizing recently
collected data from different hospitals in Nepal. The paper offers an
alternative policy such as a universal free care below the district level services;
but in the district level which is top level of primary care, "extended
targeted free health care" may be an efficient, fair, and relatively simple approach.


Climate change is expected to intensify the already high hydrological variability and energy production in various regions of the world. This research work investigates the runoff and energy production in the current and future climate for Tekeze hydropower system located in the northern part of Ethiopia. A catchment named Embamadre watershed was delineated and has an area of 44,845km. The rainfall runoff model (i.e. HBV) and energy production program (i.e. nMAG) were used to generate runoff and production series for the current situation and future climate. The climate data were downscaled to the target catchment using the CORDEX RCM data for the region from Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis. The mean monthly change computed from the downscaled climate data in both Rcp45 and Rcp85 scenarios showed an increase of precipitation and temperature for the future time (2041 to 2100). Exceptional results showed by Rcp45 and Rcp85 scenarios that both October and December which are the dry months in Ethiopia will have higher mean monthly rainfall than other months in the future time. Besides, Rcp45 scenario showed that rainfall during the future time (2041 2100) in July which is the summer month will decrease. This change was applied to the observed precipitation and temperature data to assess the runoff and energy production series using "delta change approach" and "rainy days" scenario application methods. Since the delta change approach applied the mean monthly change factor without considering the dry days, the second method named "rainy days" was found better. The downscaled RCM data was tested on calibration and direct simulations and found that it will not reproduce the observed results. On the other hand, the energy production for the future time showed an increase in annual energy production. However, this increase is not very high and it was found that the spill during the summer months mainly August and September was very high. As a result using reservoir rule curve as operational strategy which implies making empty the reservoir during the dry period and capturing this spill during the summer period will increase the energy production significantly. To sum up, the climate change will affect the runoff and energy production of Tekeze hydropower.


We present an independent empirical study on concurrency testing using controlled schedulers. We have gathered 49 buggy concurrent software benchmarks, drawn from public code bases, which we call SCTBench. We applied a modified version of an existing concurrency testing tool to SCTBench, testing five controlled scheduling techniques: depth-first search, preemption bounding, delay bounding, a controlled random scheduler, and probabilistic concurrency testing (PCT). We attempt to answer several research questions, including: Which technique performs the best, in terms of bug finding ability? How effective are the two main schedule bounding techniques, preemption bounding and delay bounding, at finding bugs? What challenges are associated with applying concurrency testing techniques to existing code? Can we classify certain benchmarks as trivial or non-trivial? Overall, we found that PCT (with parameter d=3) was the most effective technique in terms of bug finding; it found all the bugs found by the other techniques, plus an additional three, and it missed only one bug. Surprisingly, we found that the "naı̈ve" controlled random scheduler, which randomly chooses one thread to execute at each scheduling point, performs well, finding more bugs than preemption bounding and just two fewer bugs than delay bounding. Our findings confirm that delay bounding is superior to preemption bounding and schedule bounding is superior to an unbounded depth-first search. The majority of bugs in SCTBench can be exposed using a small schedule bound (1-2), supporting previous claims, although one benchmark requires 5 preemptions. We found that the need to remove nondeterminism and control all synchronization (as is required for systematic concurrency testing) can be nontrivial. There were 8 distinct programs that could not easily be included in out study, such as those that perform network and inter-process communication. We report various properties about the benchmarks tested, such as the fact that the bugs in 18 benchmarks were exposed 50% of the time when using random scheduling. We note that future work should not use the benchmarks that we classify as trivial when presenting new techniques, other than as a minimum baseline. We have made SCTBench and our tools publicly available for reproducibility and use in future work.