Five Windows into Africa. By Patrick McNaughton, John H. Hanson, dele jegede, Ruth M. Stone, and N. Brian Winchester, in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Technologies Laboratory, Indiana University. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000. [Two CD-ROM disks for Macintosh and Windows operating systems; some files must be copied to hard drive, requiring 37 MB; requires QuickTime 3.0 or higher (included). $39.95.I Five Windows into Africa is an interdisciplinary tool that offers users a multilayered perspective on the riches and challenges of life in Africa. Through spoken narration and text, music and interviews, and films and photographs, the authors attempt to provide users with a sense of being there, of visiting different locations in Africa, of witnessing particular events, and of meeting the individuals involved. The content and presentation of the work is based on the authors' own varied research interests and experiences in Africa. Patrick MeNaughton, professor of African art history at Indiana University, Bloomington, guides us through a bird dance held near Bamako, Mali. John H. Hanson, associate professor of history and director of the African Studies Program at Indiana University, introduces us to Muslim practices in Wa, Ghana. dele jegede, professor of art history at Indiana State University, engages us in life in Lagos, Nigeria. Ruth M. Stone, professor of folklore, ethnomusicology, and African studies a t Indiana University, leads us through a funeral in Liberia. Finally, N. Brian Winchester, director of the Center for the Study of Global Change at Indiana University, highlights tensions in Zimbabwe's transition from colonialism to independence. Each author moves far beyond these particular topics, furthermore, to explore diverse related issues and themes. Reflection upon artistic expression leads to political and religious discussion. Contemplation of modernity and urbanity leads to commentary on traditional practices and rural life. Indeed, by opening five "windows"--five core topic areas--the authors invite users to explore many, many more. By raising common themes in each of their five presentations, they provide viewers with an opportunity to examine differences and similarities across Africa, and to consider relationships between places, issues, and experiences. Five Windows into Africa requires installation on the computer hard drive. Notes on installing, setting up, and navigating through the program are provided for both Macintosh and Windows users. In fact, the liner notes are limited largely to this information, though they also provide brief summaries of the five core topic areas and information about the authors. For this review I explored the compact discs using a Windows-based computer. The program opens to a screen featuring the title, Five Windows into Africa, with clickable images that link to the five "windows" to which the title refers. In addition, this screen provides links to the following: a section on "Getting Around," which explains the organizational features of the CD-ROM and the navigational tools provided to facilitate viewers' movement between sections, scenes, and themes; an "Introduction," which briefly describes the project and the background of the authors; a section entitled "Topic Tours," which provides a means for examining particular themes featured across "windows," including issues related to spirituality, power, aesthetics, entrepreneurship, individuals, and community; "Credits"; and, finally, the option to "Quit." In moving past this introductory screen, users are encouraged first to view core events scene by scene and then to explore thematic interconnections between scenes and windows. The following provides a brief look at each of the core events and examples o f the diverse issues raised by the authors in relation to these events. Patrick McNaughton presents scenes from a bird dance held on the outskirts of Bamako, Mali, with photographs of the town gathering for the event, the dancers and musicians preparing for their entrances, a sequence of masked and unmasked dances, and musical performances and speeches during intermissions. …


The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope has brought a new era in studying the low-redshift Lyman-alpha Forest. The advantages of STIS over previous HST spectrographs include:(l) a high spectral resolution (7 km/s) comparable to Keck/HIRES spectra of the high-redshift Lyman-alpha forest; (2) a high observing efficiency brought about by an imaging detector able to span the full fares wavelength range (1150-1700 A, or equivalently, z=0.0-0.4) in a single exposure. The STIS Investigation Definition Team is therefore conducting an observational program to determine the properties of the low-redshift intergalactic medium as manifested by the Lyman-alpha forest. The team has made observations of the quasars: 3C 273, 3C 351, and PKS 0405. We shall present results based on the sightline to 3C 273, the brightest of these sources.


The advent of multiple satellite systems capable of resolving smallholder agricultural plots raises possibilities for significant advances in measuring and understanding agricultural productivity in smallholder systems. However, since only imperfect yield data are typically available for model training and validation, assessing the accuracy of satellite-based estimates remains a central challenge. Leveraging a survey experiment in Mali, this study uses plot-level sorghum yield estimates, based on farmer reporting and crop cutting, to construct and evaluate estimates from three satellite-based sensors. Consistent with prior work, the analysis indicates low correlation between the ground-based yield measures (r = 0.33). Satellite greenness, as measured by the growing season peak value of the green chlorophyll vegetation index from Sentinel-2, correlates much more strongly with crop cut (r = 0.48) than with self-reported (r = 0.22) yields. Given the inevitable limitations of ground-based measures, the paper reports the results from the regressions of self-reported, crop cut, and (crop cut-calibrated) satellite sorghum yields. The regression covariates explain more than twice as much variation in calibrated satellite yields (R2 = 0.25) compared to self-reported or crop cut yields, suggesting that a satellite-based approach anchored in crop cuts can be used to track sorghum yields as well or perhaps better than traditional measures. Finally, the paper gauges the sensitivity of yield predictions to the use of Sentinel-2 versus higher-resolution imagery from Planetscope and DigitalGlobe. All three sensors exhibit similar performance, suggesting little gains from finer resolutions in this system.


From the Publisher:
Documents, such as drawings, memos and specifications, form an essential function in the design and construction industry. Throughout the lifecycle of a built asset, starting from an initial design idea, right through to a final built form and its ongoing management, thousands, even millions of documents can be used to convey various forms of information to a range of interested parties. In many ways, therefore, the success of a design, or construction-based company, relies upon an understanding of the use of documents, as well as the technologies and techniques that are used to create them. The Digital Document provides an extensive background to the issues and technologies surrounding this very important topic. It examines a technical subject in an insightful manner that is neither intimidating nor confusing, even to the novice computer user. By introducing the subject through a series of preliminary reviews of current practices and essential computing technologies, the reader is able to better appreciate the benefits and capabilities of a wide range of digital document types. This book explores the role of documents in a professional practice, examines the components, capabilities, viability, and use of digital documents in the design and construction industry, and identifies and explains many of the standards in use today. The Digital Document is an essential reference for the architect, engineer or design professional that wants to find out more about effective communication in the digital workplace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bruce Duyshart is an IT Project Manager with Lend Lease Corporation and specializes in the development and implementation of digital media andinformation management technologies on design and construction projects. He holds a Masters degree in Architecture and is also an academic associate of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne. He has written numerous papers on emerging technologies in the architecture, engineering and construction industry, and has developed Internet web sites for the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and Architecture Media.


Background Placental malaria (PM) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including low birth weight (LBW). However, the precise mechanisms by which PM induces LBW are poorly defined. Based on the essential role of angiopoietin (ANG)-1 and -2 in normal placental vascular development, we hypothesized that PM may result in the dysregulation of angiopoietins and thereby contribute to LBW outcomes. Methods and Findings In a mouse model of PM, we show that Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection of pregnant mice resulted in dysregulated angiopoietin levels and fetal growth restriction. PM lead to decreased ANG-1, increased ANG-2, and an elevated ratio of ANG-2/ANG-1 in the placenta and the serum. These observations were extended to malaria-exposed pregnant women: In a study of primigravid women prospectively followed over the course of pregnancy, Plasmodium falciparum infection was associated with a decrease in maternal plasma ANG-1 levels (P = 0.031) and an increase in the ANG-2:ANG-1 ratio (P = 0.048). ANG-1 levels recovered with successful treatment of peripheral parasitemia (P = 0.010). In a cross-sectional study of primigravidae at delivery, angiopoietin dysregulation was associated with PM (P = 0.002) and LBW (P = 0.041). Women with PM who delivered LBW infants had increased ANG-2:ANG-1 ratios (P = 0.002) compared to uninfected women delivering normal birth weight infants. Conclusions These data support the hypothesis that dysregulation of angiopoietins is associated with PM and LBW outcomes, and suggest that ANG-1 and ANG-2 levels may be clinically informative biomarkers to identify P. falciparum-infected mothers at risk of LBW deliveries.


Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most severe of the several ocular complications of diabetes, and in the United States it is the leading cause of blindness among adults 20 to 74 years of age. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of DR, there is a pressing need to develop novel therapeutic treatments that are both safe and efficacious. In the present paper, we identify a key mechanism involved in the development of the disease, namely, the interaction between neuronal and vascular activities. Numerous pathological conditions in the CNS have been linked to abnormalities in the relationship between these systems. We suggest that a similar situation arises in the diabetic retina, and we propose a logical strategy aimed at therapeutic intervention.


Extracted from text ... 12 March 2006 Moneyweb's PERSONAL FINANCE
ONE OF the main impediments to
purchasing one's own home is the
often crippling costs that have to
be paid up front. These costs
include the transferring attorney's
fees, bond registration costs, and
that most hated of all costs -
BUDGET 2006 SPECIAL
Will transfer duty cuts
fire up property prices?
Transfer duty has been slashed. Will this drive property
prices even further?
By STEVEN JONES
transfer duty.
The massive increase in property
prices in recent years has had a
marked effect on these costs as
well, since they are determined in
accordance ..


When constructed on the summit of Haleakala on the island of Maui, Hawaii, the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) will be the world's largest solar telescope. The ATST is a unique design that utilizes a state-of-the-art off-axis Gregorian optical layout with five reflecting mirrors delivering light to a Nasmyth instrument rotator, and nine reflecting mirrors delivering light to an instrument suite located on a large diameter rotating coude lab. The design of the telescope mount structure, which supports and positions the mirrors and scientific instruments, has presented noteworthy challenges to the ATST engineering staff. Several novel design solutions, as well as adaptations of existing telescope technologies to the ATST application, are presented in this paper. Also shown are plans for the control system and drives of the structure.


This paper focuses on the development of a quality index applied to conventional water treatment plants (WTPQI) with the objective of providing a more consistent way of evaluating performance and comparing different plants. The methodology, based on the Delphi method, relies on the same principles used at the beginning of the 1970s in the formulation of the Water Quality Index (WQI). Afterwards, the WTPQI was applied to ten different Brazilian conventional water treatment plants, with horizontal sedimentation basins and variable sizes (average flow rates range from 100–4,300 L s−1) and the results pointed out its usefulness as an instrument for plant evaluation. A significant correlation between plant performance and the WTPQI values was confirmed based on the filtered water turbidity, mainly for the rainy season when the raw water quality becomes harder to reach compliance with the drinking water standards. Therefore, these results open up the perspective of the use of the WTPQI as a reliable tool for the management of water supply systems.


Systems Philosophy is the branch of the philosophy of science informed by the systems paradigm. The INCOSE Systems Science Working Group is exploring how Systems Philosophy can be used to support expansion of the theoretical foundations of Systems Engineering (SE). This workshop will present a basic introduction to Systems Philosophy, and use it to explore: Perspectives on SE as a discipline and the place of SE in the systems disciplinary field; How Systems Philosophy can help SE and other systems disciplines work together to develop
mutually beneficial foundations; How Systems Philosophy and SE can support the development of a General Systems Theory (GST),
and how working with a GST can help unify and expand the theoretical foundations of SE; How SEs could leverage expanded theoretical foundations to address increasing complexity of
engineered systems; Key programs and projects under way to improve/expand the systems sciences; Emerging opportunities for richer engagement between Systems Engineering, Systems Science
and Systems Philosophy.
The day will consist of seven presentations preparing the ground for four breakout sessions in which participants can explore and develop ideas and plans for strengthening SE using Systems Philosophy. For more details about the upcoming workshop, please visit our workshops webpage at: https://sites.google.com/site/syssciwg/meetings/workshop-2015-july For more details about the "Systems Philosophy for SE" project, please visit our webpage at: https://sites.google.com/site/syssciwg/projects/o-systems-philosophy


Spin torque nano-oscillators (STNO) are nanoscale devices with wide band frequency tunability. Their multifunctional RF properties are well suited to define novel schemes for wireless communications that use basic protocols for data transmission such as amplitude, frequency and phase shift keying (ASK, FSK, PSK). In contrast to ASK and FSK, implementation of PSK is more challenging for STNOs because of their relatively high phase noise. Here we introduce a special PSK technique by combining their modulation and injection locking functionality. The concept is validated using magnetic tunnel junction based vortex STNOs for injection locking at 2f and f/2 showing phase shifts up to 2.1rad and data transmission rates up to 4Mbit/s. Quadrature phase shift keying and analog phase modulation are also implemented, where the latter is employed for voice transmission over a distance of 10 meters. This demonstrates that STNO phase noise and output power meet the requested performances for operation in existing communication schemes.


A lawyer charged with a disciplinary violation is in a precarious position. Not only has the lawyer been accused of being "unethical," but he or she faces prosecution by an adversary typically staffed with professional prosecutors who are familiar with the system's often-arcane procedures and backed up by substantial financial resources. In order to mount an effective defense against the disciplinary charges, an accused lawyer may want to introduce expert testimony on his or her behalf. Will such testimony be admitted? Unfortunately for the accused lawyer, the answer is not at all clear. The relatively few jurisdictions that have directly addressed the question have taken differing approaches, and most jurisdictions apparently leave the question to the discretion of the judge or panel trying the case. This Article argues for the adoption of a presumption that expert testimony offered by an accused lawyer in a lawyer discipline case is admissible. Lawyers facing charges that could result in the loss of their livelihood should be afforded every reasonable opportunity to defend themselves. Routinely admitting expert testimony relating to the alleged offenses will be a strong step in the right direction. Reasons supporting the adoption of such a presumption are discussed more fully in Section IV and include the nature of the ethics rules, the characteristics of the disciplinary process, and the harmony of such a presumption with accepted evidentiary practice. A "not-so-hypothetical" problem is used in Section II to set the stage for our discussion. That is followed in Section III by a review of the relevant case law from throughout the United States. The reasons in favor of a presumption of admissibility are considered in Section IV, and a description of how the presumption would operate in practice is presented in Section V.


"Evergreening" is a strategy wherein an innovative pharmaceutical firm introduces an upgrade of its current product when the patent on this product expires. The upgrade is introduced with a new patent and is designed to counter competition from generic manufacturers that seek to imitate the firm's existing product. However, this process is fraught with uncertainty because the upgrade is subject to stringent guidelines and faces approval risk. Thus, an incumbent firm has to make an upfront production capacity investment without clarity on whether the upgrade will reach the market. This uncertainty may also affect the capacity investment of a competing manufacturer who introduces a generic version of the incumbent's existing product but whose market demand depends on the success or failure of the upgrade. We analyze a game where capacity investment occurs before uncertainty resolution and firms compete on prices thereafter. Capacity considerations that arise due to demand uncertainty introduce new factors into the evergreening decision. Equilibrium analysis reveals that the upgrade's estimated approval probability needs to exceed a threshold for the incumbent to invest in evergreening. This threshold for evergreening increases as the intensity of competition in the generic market increases. If evergreening is optimal, the incumbent's capacity investment is either decreasing or nonmonotonic with respect to low end market competition depending on whether the level of product improvement in the upgrade is low or high. If the entrant faces a capacity constraint, then the probability threshold for evergreening is higher than the case where the entrant is not capacity constrained. Finally, by incorporating the risk‐return trade‐off that the incumbent faces in terms of the level of product improvement versus the upgrade success probability, we can characterize policy for a regulator. We show that the introduction of capacity considerations may maximize market coverage and/or social surplus at incremental levels of product improvement in the upgrade. This is contrary to the prevalent view of regulators who seek to curtail evergreening involving incremental product improvement. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 71–89, 2016


The transfer of conserved charges through insulating matter via smooth deformations of the Hamiltonian is known as quantum adiabatic, or Thouless, pumping. Central to this phenomenon are Hamiltonians whose insulating gap is controlled by a multi-dimensional (usually two-dimensional) parameter space in which paths can be defined for adiabatic changes in the Hamiltonian, i.e., without closing the gap. Here, we extend the concept of Thouless pumps of band insulators by considering a larger, three-dimensional parameter space. We show that the connectivity of this parameter space is crucial for defining quantum pumps, demonstrating that, as opposed to the conventional two-dimensional case, pumped quantities depend not only on the initial and final points of Hamiltonian evolution but also on the class of the chosen path and preserved symmetries. As such, we distinguish the scenarios of closed/open paths of Hamiltonian evolution, finding that different closed cycles can lead to the pumping of different quantum numbers, and that different open paths may point to distinct scenarios for surface physics. As explicit examples, we consider models similar to simple models used to describe topological insulators, but with doubled degrees of freedom compared to a minimal topological insulator model. The extra fermionic flavors from doubling allow for extra gapping terms/adiabatic parameters - besides the usual topological mass which preserves the topology-protecting discrete symmetries - generating an enlarged adiabatic parameter-space. We consider cases in one and three \emph{spatial} dimensions, and our results in three dimensions may be realized in the context of crystalline topological insulators, as we briefly discuss.


This dissertation pursues a twofold proposition: writers of the long eighteenth century widely presumed that poetry influenced the "common weal" (the common wellbeing, conceived as a national community); and this expectation guided poetic composition even at the level of strategy or "design." I demonstrate this claim in a series of three case studies, each of which delineates an elaborate, intertextual dialogue in which rival authors developed divergent strategies for civic reform. My analysis emphasizes the category of poiesis (poetic making), negotiated within discursive conventions of neoclassical genres. Chapters 1 and 2 argue that two verse translators of The Works of Virgil exploited to different ends the convention that epic poetry shaped the "manners." Whereas John Ogilby conceived the Aeneid as a work that inspired "obedience" to an absolute monarch, John Dryden refashioned Virgil's poetry to serve a limited monarchy in the wake of the English Revolution. Chapters 3 and 4 argue that two satirists of the age of Walpole tackled the "Mandevillean dilemma," which encouraged satirists, traditionally scourges of vice, to accommodate the controversial idea that private vices had public benefits. Whereas Edward Young imagined vanity as a passion that facilitated its own reform, Alexander Pope's Dunciad proved that even published expressions of malice might have virtuous effects. Chapters 5 and 6 argue that two West-Indian georgic writers divergently confirmed the commonplace that georgics modeled good agricultural management. Whereas Samuel Martin appealed to local sugarcane planters as "practical philosophers" who made "interest" and "duty" agree, James Grainger courted a metropolitan audience, ebulliently portraying a form of colonial settlement flawed at its core: riddled with disease, neglected by absenteeism, and tragically dependent on transatlantic trade to sustain its human populations. Taken together, these case studies tell a story in which visions of mixed government gradually supplant visions of monarchical absolutism and criticism of powerful public figures is increasingly theorized as a positive force in the polity. By revising our investigation of the relationship between poetry and "politics" in the long eighteenth century, I suggest, we gain access to a sophisticated communitarian discourse about the role of the arts in sustaining government. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group English First Advisor Dr. Suvir Kaul, Professor, English Co-Supervisor of Dissertation This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/182 Second Advisor Dr. John Richetti, Professor, English Co-Supervisor of Dissertation Third Advisor Dr. Michael Gamer, Associate Professor, English


This thesis presents a synchronization algorithm aimed to provide an estimation of the angular frequency, and both the positive and negative sequences of the fundamental component of an unbalanced and distorted three-phase reference signal. It does not require transformation of variables into the synchronous frame coordinates as other conventionalphase-locked loop (PLL) schemes. Thus it is not based on the phase angle detection. Instead the angular frequency is detected and used for synchronization purposes. The design of UH-PLL, is based on a complete description of a three-phase signal which involves both positive and negative sequences in stationary coordinates of the fundamental and harmonic components. Also it includes an explicit harmonic compensation mechanism to alleviate the effect of harmonic distortion and unbalances in the supply. Therefore UH-PLL is intended to perform properly under severe unbalanced conditions, subject to distortion caused by low harmonics, and is insensitive against angular frequency variations, and sags and swells in the three-phase reference signal.


R. B. J. Walker (*) Colonialism without a civilizational mission is no colonialism at all. Ashis Nandy Race is a complex and multiply contested concept, pulled this way and that by the opposing demands of culture and biology, knowledge and power. It animates antagonisms in the academy, in homes, and on the streets. Few conversations about race manage to avoid either the engaged anger of the conversationalists or the sense that the conversation has to move in many directions at once--not least toward claims about gender and class, toward the overlapping frames of otherness, alterity, or orientalism through which we seek to comprehend contemporary exclusions and the legitimation of oppressive powers. The theory of international relations has shown a famous aversion to complex and multiply contested concepts. It has been especially silent about race, as about many other practices that cannot be quickly reduced to claims about the necessities of states in a modern states-system. Like culture, economy, or gender, it does not fit into the prevailing division of the world into "levels" above (the international) and below (the individual) the state. Unlike culture, economy, and gender, there has been very little attempt to insist that claims about race do indeed deserve serious discussion in the context of a changing international or global order. From time to time, of course, the discipline does open up to problems hitherto deemed outside its epistemological boundaries. "Opening up" has historically resulted from sustained wars of position between the forces that represent a broadening of the proper subjects of the discipline and those who insist that international relations (IR) is about "war and peace" among states. It may be time for one more apertura; namely, for race to be systematically incorporated into the analysis of global politics. Consider the following: The first global attempt to speak of equality focused upon race. The first human rights provisions in the United Nations Charter were placed there because of race. The first international challenge to a country's claim of domestic jurisdiction and exclusive treatment of its own citizens centered upon race. The international convention with the greatest number of signatories is that on race. Within the United Nations, more resolutions deal with race than any other subject. And certainly one of the most long-standing and frustrating problems in the United Nations is that of race. Nearly one hundred eighty governments, for example, recently went as far as to conclude that racial discrimination and racism still represent the most serious problems for the world today. (1) Extensive as it is, the above synopsis provided by Paul G. Lauren must be viewed as very limited indeed. The significance of race goes much beyond various multilateral and other diplomatic achievements. Race has been a fundamental force in the very making of the modern world system and in the representations and explanations of how that system emerged and how it works. This can only be understood, however, if we look at race as an interrelated set of material, ideological, and epistemological practices. The articulation of these latter into full-fledged racialized discourses have produced, over time, social formations and even world orders that were macrostructural systems of inclusion and exclusion. The primary problem that must be addressed is not that race has been ignored in IR (there is, in fact, a fairly significant literature on racial factors in world politics), but that race has been given the epistemological status of silence. Silence, Michel-Ralph Trouillot tells us, has four moments; namely, "the moment of fact creation (the making of sources); the moment of fact assembly (the making of archives); the moment of retrieval (the making of narratives); and the moment of retrospective significance (the making of history in the final instance). …


Purpose: Substantial preclinical evidence and case reports suggest that MEK inhibition is an active approach in tumors with BRAF mutations outside the V600 locus, and in BRAF fusions. Thus, Subprotocol R of the NCI-MATCH study tested the MEK inhibitor trametinib in this population. Patients and Methods: The NCI-MATCH study performed genomic profiling on tumor samples from patients with solid tumors and lymphomas progressing on standard therapies or with no standard treatments. Patients with prespecified fusions and non-V600 mutations in BRAF were assigned to Subprotocol R using the NCI-MATCHBOX algorithm. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Results: Among 50 patients assigned, 32 were eligible and received therapy with trametinib. Of these, 1 had a BRAF fusion and 31 had BRAF mutations (13 and 19 with class 2 and 3 mutations, respectively). There were no complete responses; 1 patient (3%) had a confirmed partial response (patient with breast ductal adenocarcinoma with BRAF G469E mutation) and 10 patients had stable disease as best response (clinical benefit rate 34%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 1.8 months, and median overall survival was 5.7 months. Exploratory subgroup analyses showed that patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma (n = 8) had particularly poor PFS. No new toxicity signals were identified. Conclusions: Trametinib did not show promising clinical activity in patients with tumors harboring non-V600 BRAF mutations, and the subprotocol did not meet its primary endpoint.


Detection of genomic inversions remains challenging. Many existing methods primarily target inversions with a non repetitive breakpoint, leaving inverted repeat (IR) mediated non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR) inversions largely unexplored. We present npInv, a novel tool specifically for detecting and genotyping NAHR inversion using long read sub-alignment of long read sequencing data. We use npInv to generate a whole-genome inversion map for NA12878 consisting of 30 NAHR inversions (of which 15 are novel), including all previously known NAHR mediated inversions in NA12878 with flanking IR less than 7kb. Our genotyping accuracy on this dataset was 94%. We used PCR to confirm presence of two of these novel NAHR inversions. We show that there is a near linear relationship between the length of flanking IR and the size of the NAHR inversion.


Metadoxine (MTD) is a synthetic antioxidant, providing strong antioxidant protection. It is useful in preventing the damage produced in early stages of liver disease as it prevents the redox imbalance of the hepatocytes and TNF- one of the earliest event in hepatic damage. It is used in alcohol intoxication. In hepatic stellate cells, it prevents the collagen synthesis and reduces fibrosis. Three simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods (Method A, method B and method C) were developed for the estimation of MTD in pharmaceutical formulations. Method A and method B are based on oxidative coupling of MTD with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone reagent in the presence of oxidizing agents like Fe (III) and Ce (IV) to form a stable violet coloured chromogen, which can be estimated at 580 nm. Method C is based on the charge-transfer complex formation between metol and MTD to produce a chromophore, which can be measured at 500 nm. Method A and method B obey Beer's law in the concentration range of 2-10 μg/mL and method C in concentration of 2-12 μg/mL. The common excipients usually present in dosage forms do not interfere with any of the proposed methods. The optical characteristics, regression analysis data and precision of the methods were also calculated. The accuracy of the methods was evaluated by estimating the amount of MTD in previously analyzed samples to which known amounts of MTD was spiked. The accuracy of the methods was also confirmed by comparison of the results obtained by proposed and reference methods. The methods were validated for use in routine quality control of MTD in pharmaceutical formulations.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the return distributions evident in the general equity universe,comprising the All-share Index and sub indices, consisting of the Industrial, Financial and Gold/Mining indices over a 5-year and 10-year period.
Alternative distributions evaluated are the logistic, lognormal, extreme value and the stable distributions. The descriptive statistics of the returns are calculated and the fit of alternative distributions evaluated graphically. Lastly, the alternative distributions' goodness-of-fit is evaluated by calculating the respective parameters through the application of maximum likelihood estimation, and by calculating the Anderson-Darling statistics.
The results of this study reveal that over the 5-year period,where marginal skewness and kurtosis are evident, the normal/stable alpha 2 distributions best fit the returns. However, over the longer period, the stable distribution best fits the return distributions, by accurately discounting the higher moments of the returns. This conclusion is important, because one of the key assumptions in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is the assumption that asset returns are normally distributed. It therefore is important that tools are applied which take this non normality into account in both the portfolio selection process and theoretical analyses in South Africa.


This report provides estimates of the lignite industry's contribution to the North Dakota economy, using key economic indicators such as retail trade activity, personal income, total business activity, employment, and tax revenues. The estimates are based on actual industry expenditures for 1997 and projected expenditures for 1998. This analysis contains two measures of the relative importance of the lignite energy industry in North Dakota. First, the industry's share of the state's total sales to final demand (or exports) is evaluated. Second, the business volume generated by the industry is compared to the total gross business volume for the state. Expenditures were obtained from a survey of firms involved in lignite-related activities (mining or conversion) in North Dakota.


It has been assumed that cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) perform their various functions as a consequence of their kinase activity, which is regulated by interaction with cyclins. In mediating cell cycle progression, this is clearly true; however, Yu et al. suggest a kinase-independent function for the yeast Cdc28, the homolog of mammalian Cdk1. Using the induction of GAL1 expression in response to a change in carbon source, the authors showed that both cks1 mutants and cdc28 mutants exhibited decreased expression of GAL1. (Cks1 is a protein that interacts with Cdc28 in a manner separate from the cyclin binding site on Cdc28 and that does not appear to regulate the kinase activity of Cdc28.) Using multiple methods, from chemical inhibition of a modified version of Cdc28 to analysis under conditions when the kinase activity should be inhibited due to lack of cyclins or in the presence of kinase-dead mutants of Cdc28, the kinase activity of Cdc28 was dispensable for the stimulation of GAL1 in response to galactose. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, Cks1 and Cdc28 were found to be present on the promoter of GAL1 and the open reading frame (ORF). Furthermore, in the presence of glucose, which represses GAL1 transcription, Cks1 and Cdc28 were specifically depleted from the ORF and not the upstream regions of the GAL1 gene. Binding of Cks1 or Cdc28 to GAL1 required the presence of and interaction between both proteins. The Cks1 and Cdc28 complex appeared to recruit the proteasome to the ORF, thereby facilitating transcription elongation. In strains lacking functional Cks1 or Cdc28, the recruitment to GAL1 of the proteasomal subunit Rpt1 was reduced. Thus, the CDK Cdc28 appears to play a direct role in transcriptional elongation that is independent of their kinase activities. V. P. C. C. Yu, C. Baskerville, B. Grünenfelder, S. I. Reed, A kinase-independent function of Cks1 and Cdk1 in regulation of transcription. Mol. Cell 17, 145-151 (2005). [PubMed]


In this paper, the problem of laminar nanofluid flow which results from the nonlinear stretching of a flat sheet is investigated numerically. In this paper, a modified variable physical properties model for analyzing nanofluids flow and heat transfer is introduced. In this model, the effective viscosity, density, and thermal conductivity of the solid-liquid mixture (nanofluids) which are commonly utilized in the homogenous single-phase model, are locally combined with the prevalent single-phase model. A numerical similarity solution is considered which depends on the local Prandtl number, local Brownian motion number, local Lewis number, and local thermophoresis number. The results are compared to the prevalent single-phase model. This comparison depicts that the prevalent single-phase model has a considerable deviation for predicting the behavior of nanofluids flow especially in dimensionless temperature and nanoparticle volume fraction. In addition the effect of the governing parameters such as Prandtl number, the Brownian motion number, the thermophoresis parameter, the Lewis number, and etc. on the velocity, temperature, and volume fraction distribution and the dimensionless heat and mass transfer rates are examined.


We tested the efficacy of three methods (historical nest search, broadcast search, and tree transect search) for detecting presence of the Northern Goshawk (Acdpiter gentilis) at occupied nest areas during the 1994 breeding season using only a single visit to a previously known nest area. We used detection rates in a probability model to determine how many visits are required to have confidence in reporting absence of goshawks. The purpose of this study is to understand if the three methods for detecting goshawks are robust enough for managers to rely on them for making land management decisions that may impact goshawk nest areas. Blind tests were conducted throughout the western United States. Results were similar among methods with goshawk presence going undetected at 36-42% of the occupied nest areas after a single visit. These results indicate that a single visit to a nest area is inadequate to provide reliable information on nest area occupation. Our probability of detection model showed that if each detection method is repeated three (historical or tree transect) or four (broadcast) times, goshawk absence can be inferred with a high level of confidence. Conclusions regarding nest area occupation using a single visit sampling method should be made with utmost caution. Classifying a nest area as vacant, when in fact goshawks are present, is a serious concern and leads to spurious conclusions. Land managers making habitat-altering decisions should not rely on a single visit to nest areas to establish the absence of goshawks. Possibilities for improving the detection of nesting goshawks include multiple independent visits using the same method, using a sequence of techniques in combi- nation to yield an improved cumulative probability of detection, or developing a new method yielding a higher probability of detection. The historical nest search obtained the best results, followed by the tree transect and broadcast search.


INTRODUCTION
Endophthalmitis following penetrating eye injuries has a poor prognosis and presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of reporting this case was to identify the causative organism of post-traumatic endophthalmitis due to retained iron foreign body and to highlight the importance of carrying out diagnostic investigations.

CASE
A 20-year-old male presented with tenderness and blurring in the right eye 3 days after injury with an iron particle. Visual acuity was perception of light with accurate projection of rays in all quadrants. The slit-lamp examination revealed ciliary and conjuctival congestion. There was a vertically-oriented self-sealed, full-thickness laceration in the cornea adjacent to the limbus. The anterior chamber evaluation revealed + 4 cells, +3 flare and a 2 - mm hypopyon. There was cataract with a ruptured anterior lens capsule. Posterior synechae was present at 5�0 clock position. B-scan showed echogenic metallic foreign body in the posterior chamber, with vitreous opacities. The vitreous tap was done and intra-vitreal antibiotics injections of 1 mg in 0.1 ml vancomycin and 2.25 mg in 0.1 ml ceftazidime were given. Culture and sensitivity of the tap revealed staphylococcus as the causative agent. The patient was put on moxifloxacin eye drops, fortified tobramycin and cephazolin eye drops 1 hourly along with atropine eye drops. The patient was referred to the vitreoretinal surgeon urgently for pars plana vitrectomy and foreign body removal. At follow up, the patient's BCVA was improved.

CONCLUSION
The causative organism isolated was similar to that documented in other reports. Endophthalmitis must be treated with vitrectomy and intra-vitreal injections of antibiotics after a proper vitreous tap.


To enhance psychological adjustment, Vipassana meditation assists individuals to perceive the transitory nature of the self. Because the consequences of this potentially troubling insight are not well understood, changes in self-concept and ego defense mechanisms of two cohorts (N 1 = 222, N 2 = 216) of young (M = 18.03 years) Thai participants who attended separate seven-day Vipassana meditation retreats and a nontreated control group (N = 281) were compared. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed positive gains in all areas of self-representation among meditators relative to controls (p <.001). Ego defense mechanisms of the meditation participants also underwent significant change (p <.0001) with coping becoming characterized by greater maturity and tolerance of common stressors. Increases in Buddhist beliefs were significantly correlated with heightened self-esteem and less impulsiveness (ps <.001). Theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.


This study compares the results of Olson and Harris (1997) and Russell et al. (1997) in their work to prioritize sites for riparian restoration in the San Luis Rey River watershed. Olson and Harris defined reaches of the mainstem and evaluated the relative potential for restoration and protection based on cover of natural vegetation, land use, and connectivity. Then they used data on geomorphic conditions, plant species composition, and community structure to prescribe strategies for restoration. Russell et al. used a modeling approach within a geographic information system to combine data on wetness and land use/land cover to identify areas with potential for protection and restoration. They prioritized the areas based on patch size and proximity to extant riparian habitat. The main‐stem and associated floodplain defined by Olson and Harris was more than twice the size of the area defined by Russell et al., because Olson and Harris considered the entire valley floor, whereas Russell et al. used a wetness index to identify saturated zones within the floodplain. For seven of the twelve management units delineated along the mainstem, the two studies agreed on a strategy of restoration or protection. They differed on two. No comparison could be made of the three units for which Olson and Harris used project review, a unique category. Agreement of the results is due to the similarity of criteria used to identify and rank sites for protection and restoration; disagreement is due primarily to the level of resolution of the data. Both approaches have potential for use in watershed‐level planning. The predictive power of the two approaches may be maximized when they are used in a complementary fashion.


With many new forms of digital media--including such popular social media as Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr -- the people formerly known as the audience no longer only consume but also produce and even design media. Jonas Lowgren and Bo Reimer term this phenomenon collaborative media, and in this book they investigate the qualities and characteristics of these forms of media in terms of what they enable people to do. They do so through an interdisciplinary research approach that combines the social sciences and humanities traditions of empirical and theoretical work with practice-based, design-oriented interventions. Lowgren and Reimer offer analysis and a series of illuminating case studies -- examples of projects in collaborative media that range from small multidisciplinary research experiments to commercial projects used by millions of people. Lowgren and Reimer discuss the case studies at three levels of analysis: society and the role of collaborative media in societal change; institutions and the relationship of collaborative media with established media structures; and tribes, the nurturing of small communities within a large technical infrastructure. They conclude by advocating an interventionist turn within social analysis and media design.


Scheduling is the basis for nearly all construction planning. For small tenant improvement projects, time is often of the essence. However, often times the project's schedule is not closely followed, monitored, or updated. Discovering why the project's schedule has not been followed, monitored, or updated will illuminate potential ways to improve the efficiency of planning and managing a quick serve construction project. This report will provide this information through a series of indepth interviews, as well as, observations from a three McDonald's tenant improvement projects on the California Central Coast. From these interviews, the interviewee's perspective of the project's progress and schedule is important in gaining a wide perspective of this unconventional form of project management. From the observations of project's, an outsider's perspective is necessary to develop and research the potential efficiencies and deficiencies of this style of project management. The combination and analysis of this information provides the construction industry with new knowledge on how to manage and maintain project schedules on quick serve tenant improvement projects.


The biogenesis of eukaryotic ribosomes is a highly complex and dynamic process, which requires a multitude of cofactors. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, approximately 200 proteins have been identified to function in this pathway, coordinating ribosomal protein assembly and processing of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) precursors. Furthermore, small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein complexes (snoRNPs) introduce numerous nucleotide modifications within the rRNAs, which are guided by basepairing of their RNA component (snoRNA) with the designated target pre-rRNA. SnoRNA binding and pre-rRNA processing involve structural reorganisations of the pre-ribosomal complexes during their maturation. RNA helicases are thought to be key regulators of these events. In yeast, 19 RNA helicases are known to be involved in ribosome biogenesis. However, a detailed characterisation of their molecular functions has been impeded by a lack of information about their target sites. In this study, the recently developed crosslinking technique (CRAC) was used to identify the substrates and binding sites of two RNA helicases, Prp43 and Rok1. All pre-rRNA crosslinking sites of the DEAD box helicase Rok1 were found to cluster on one face of the small ribosomal subunit (SSU). The main binding site, which was confirmed by chemical probing, was found in the eukaryotic expansion segment 6 (ES6), where Rok1 is required for release of the snoRNA snR30. Besides snR30, Rok1 was found to interact also with other snoRNAs involved in pre-rRNA processing. In addition, a search for chimeric sequence reads in the crosslinking data set (CLASH) allowed the identification of several novel basepairing sites of these snoRNAs in the 18S rRNA sequence, close to the Rok1 target sites. New snoRNA interaction sites were discovered mainly in eukaryotic expansion segments of the rRNA sequence, suggesting that these snoRNAs might play important roles in bridging long-range interactions and are part of an extensive interaction network that is important for effective pre-rRNA folding and the coordination of the early processing events during the SSU synthesis.
CRAC analysis for the DEAH box helicase Prp43 revealed several crosslinking sites in the pre-rRNA and on box C/D snoRNAs. Interestingly, several box C/D snoRNAs, which guide a cluster of nucleotide modifications in 25S rRNA, were found to accumulate on pre-ribosomal particles after Prp43 depletion. Mapping of the Prp43 crosslinking sites on the LSU structure revealed that they are in close proximity to the modification sites of the affected snoRNAs. CLASH analysis uncovered hybrids containing sequences of the affected snoRNAs and their target sites on 25S rRNA, strongly supporting a direct function of Prp43 in unwinding the basepairing interactions of these snoRNAs. Additionally, Prp43 crosslinks 25S rRNA sequences close to the basepairing sites of two snoRNAs, whose association with pre-ribosomes was decreased after depletion of the helicase. This finding suggests that Prp43 may function in remodelling of pre-ribosomal complexes, enabling these snoRNAs to gain access to their target sites. Similarly, Prp43 was found to crosslink near the 3'-end of the 18S rRNA, where it has been proposed to function in restructuring events that facilitate the final maturation of the 18S rRNA by the endonuclease Nob1. Homologues of yeast Nob1 were identified in higher eukaryotes and archaea. In vitro cleavage assays using Nob1 from Pyrococcus horikoshii or Arabidopsis thaliana demonstrated that the homologs are also able to perform a manganese dependent endonucleolytic cleavage reaction at the cleavage site D of 16S and 18S rRNA, respectively. The availability of the P. horikoshii Nob1 structure allowed the identification and functional analysis of residues important for substrate binding and cleavage within the PIN domain, while the zinc ribbon domain likely functions in anchoring and positioning of the enzyme on the pre-ribosomal complexes near the processing site.


The objectives of the Knowsley based ALS 2 were threefold; firstly, for partners to reflect on emergent questions form the previous ALS; secondly, for hosts Knowsley to showcase the work of local criminal justice partners; and, thirdly to focus specifically on the (potential and real) use of mentoring and of the work of MALS (Mentoring Achieve Learn Support) Merseyside in particular. As a consequence the morning was taken up by presentations from representatives of each international partner - ensuring delegates were able to get a clearer sense of the respective offending profiles of the three areas - whilst a series of detailed insights from representatives from Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Merseyside Police, and Merseyside Probation Trust identified some of the partnership and innovative work to tackle re-offending being conducted in the Knowsley area. Electronic copies of these presentations are available and paper copies were produced for those in attendance, for this reason the commentary provided in this report (section 2) will summarise their key themes and identify the issues raised from the floor. The third objective of the ALS – to explore the potential of mentoring schemes – shaped the afternoon session(s) and emerged as the key theme to define the day's learning/discussion. A presentation by the MALS team outlining their organisation's origins, aims, and ambition(s) bolstered by drawing upon case studies to highlight tangible challenges in the delivery of mentoring provision gave the ALS real focus. In summarising the MALS presentation and drawing together the different strands of the wide ranging and stimulating questions/discussions that followed, section 3 of the report provides delegates with a snapshot of working practice to explore, reflect upon, and engage with. The presentation gave a real momentum to the discussion groups that followed that had as their aims the potential for exporting the MALS model to International partners and of then exploring the dilemmas and challenges raised by using such innovative interventions. Section 4 analyses and orders the emergent themes from these discussions and Section 5 teases out the very explicit questions for partners to confront. By way of conclusion section 6 of the report maps out some of the themes that have emerged from the first two ALSs that our next ALS will need to engage with.


ABSTRACT We used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences to examine patterns of differentiation and evolution in the Musophagidae, an avian family endemic to sub-Saharan Africa; attention was focused on the subfamily Musophaginae, the turacos, or louries. Phylogeographic analysis of 410 individual ND2 sequences from throughout the ranges of the currently recognized species revealed multiple instances of unexpectedly large genetic divergences and cryptic taxa. Within both montane and lowland species, including Tauraco hartlaubi and T. schalowi, Menelikornis leucotis, Musophaga macrorhyncha, and Gallirex johnstoni, fixed private haplotypes were found in disjunct portions of the ranges, suggesting negligible recent gene flow and evolutionary independence of populations. Two taxa originally described as subspecies (T. schalowi loitanus and T. s. marungensis), but not recognized for over 50 years, were found to be 100% diagnosable based on the mitochondrial sequences. The data also revealed the existence of two polyphyletic traditional species, Tauraco livingstonii and T. schuettii, as well as the polyphyly or paraphyly of all traditional superspecies complexes involving members of the genus Tauraco. Overall, our analyses of genetic and morphological variation revealed substantial and unexpected geographic diversity within the Musophagidae. We recognize 33 species-level taxa that represent the appropriate units for phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses (phylogenetic species). We used complete mitochondrial ND2 sequences and nuclear DNA sequences of an Aconitase intron and of the RAG-1 exon to infer the phylogenetic relationships among those species. The results include all the phylogenetic species and, for the first time, nuclear data. We present a new classification of the Musophagidae based on our phylogeographic and phylogenetic results. We allocate the 33 species to seven previously recognized genera, an average of 4.7 species per genus.


INTRODUCTION
Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictive peptide with multi functional activity in various systemic diseases. Previous studies indicate the detection of ET-1 in gingival tissues and gingival crevicular fluid.

AIM
The aim of this study was to estimate the serum ET-1 levels in clinically healthy subjects and subjects with chronic periodontitis, before and after treatment, and correlate it with the clinical parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 44 patients were included in the study. Group I comprised of 20 subjects with clinically healthy periodontium. Group II comprised of 24 subjects with chronic periodontitis. Group III comprised of same Group II subjects following periodontal management. Serum samples were collected from the subjects and an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) was done to estimate the ET-1 levels. The ET-1 levels were then correlated among the three groups with the clinical parameters namely, Plaque Index (PI), Sulcus Bleeding Index (SBI), probing pocket depth, clinical attachment loss and Periodontally Inflamed Surface Area (PISA). The independent t-test and paired t-test were used for comparison of clinical parameters and Pearson's correlation coefficient test was used for correlating the ET-1 levels.

RESULTS
ET-1 levels in chronic periodontitis subjects were significantly higher compared to healthy subjects (p<0.001). However, the clinical parameters did not statistically correlate with the ET-1 levels. There was a significant decrease in ET-1 levels following treatment (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
Serum ET-1 is increased in chronic periodontitis and reduces after periodontal therapy. Further studies are required to establish ET-1 as a biomarker for periodontal disease.


PAPER Miller et al. The infl uence of the ΔK280 mutation and Nor C-terminal extensions on the structure, dynamics, and fi bril morphology of the tau R2 repeat ab Tau is a microtubule-associated protein and is involved in microtubule assembly and stabilization. It consists of four repeats that bind to the microtubule. The DK280 deletion mutation in the tau R2 repeat region is directly associated with the development of the frontotemporal dementia parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). This deletion mutation is known to accelerate tau R2 repeat aggregation. However, the secondary and the tertiary structures of the self-assembled DK280 tau R2 repeat mutant aggregates are still controversial. Moreover, it is unclear whether extensions by one residue in the Nor the C-terminus of this mutant can influence the secondary or the tertiary structure. Herein, we combine solid-state NMR, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and all-atom explicit molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effects of the deletion mutation and the N-and the C-terminal extension of this mutant on the structure. Our main findings show that the deletion mutation induces the formation of small aggregates, such as oligomers, and reduces the formation of fibrils. However, the extensions in the Nor the C-terminus revealed more fibril formation than small aggregates. Further, in the deletion mutation only one structure is preferred, while the N-and the C-terminal extensions strongly lead to polymorphic states. Finally, our broad and combined experimental and computational techniques provide direct structural information regarding DK280 tau R2 repeat mutant aggregates and their extensions in the N-and C-terminii by one residue.


Collision Warning Systems (CWS) are safety systems designed to warn the driver about an imminent collision. A CWS monitors the dynamic state of the traffic in realtime by processing information from various proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors. It assesses the potential threat level and decides whether a warning should be issued to the driver through auditory and/or visual signals. Several measures have already been defined for threat assessment and various CWS have been proposed in literature. In this paper, we will focus on two time-based measures that assess both front and rear collision threats. In particular, a new threat metric, the time-to-last-second-acceleration (Tlsa), for lead vehicles in rear-end collision is proposed and compared with its counterpart, the time-to-last-second-braking (Tlsb) [18]. The Tlsa is a novel time-based approach that focuses on the lead vehicle (as opposed to the following vehicle). It inherits the properties of the Tlsb and, as such, is coherent with the human judgement of urgency and severity of threats. It directly quantifies the threat level of the current dynamic situation before a required evasive action (i.e. maximum acceleration) needs to be applied. Furthermore, different warning thresholds are proposed by considering the average driver reaction time. Its effect on decreasing the severity of a rear-end collision is studied and its reliability is tested using a well-established physics-based robotics simulator, namely Webots [13].


World Travel—Tourisme Mondial. International Union of Official Travel Organisations, Centre International, Case Postale 7, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland. Six issues annually. $7.00. This is the official publication of IUOTO dealing witli all problems in the field of tourism and reporting on the organization's work, topical events in tourism, and factors contributing to the develop ment of tourism in differnt areas of the world and progress made.


Drawing on value frames frequently used in the current political discourse on North Korean nuclear aspirations, this study investigates how value framing affects people's policy preference. News stories were manipulated by highlighting either the ethical or material dangers of the North's nuclear armament. Findings indicate that value framing did not directly shape opinion about government policy on North Korea. However, news framing produced a more subtle set of effects on the way people make decisions. Participants' opinions about how to respond to the nuclear crisis were closely aligned with their general political attitudes. As hypothesized, this pattern was more pronounced when participants were exposed to the ethical frame. Implications for understanding of value framing and public opinion are discussed.


Socioeconomic stability with receding international conflict is closer at hand due to two modern developments: (1) A general recognition and acceptance of the permanent nuclear detente between major powers, allowing international cooperation for the common good; and (2) The deepening of neoclassical economics to its psychological foundation, thereby removing a barrier to sustained progress. A principal result in the latter development is the Gossen equation, a mathematical formulation in psychology representing the individual's expectational (intertemporal) plan and his or her psychosomatic feeling-state in anticipation of this plan, accounting for uncertainty/risk - a formulation in progress since Hermann Gossen's (solitary) 1854 contribution, and completed by the writer in 1993. In 2011 the Gossennian approach to mathematical economics was united with Leon Walras' and W. Stanley Jevons' approach (the foundation for neoclassical economics) thereby resolving a 135 year schism or divide in the subject. With this unification, several advances derived of applied mathematical economics on the Gossenian side - such as periodic micro/macro-economic function based on nested-characteristic-times, the risk-versus-marginal productivity relation, completion of the Walrasian input/output substitution relations, and the Discretionary Power Principle of Justice - are carried over to the neoclassical side. An overarching history of the Gossen Equation is provided, with additional emphasis on the author's theoretical contributions to the equation in the early 1990s along with his application of the equation in developmental and welfare economics in the early 2000s. The principal milestones of this history are given in a timeline chart (Figure 1) and a description of the Gossen equation is provided in a second chart (Figure 2). As an appendix to the paper, the written critique offered by a paper-discussant at the WEAI Conference in Portland (2010) is provided, with responses to her comments and questions. Additionally, the recent (March 2011) unification of neoclassical and Gossenian mathematical economics at the utility foundation (by way of a new "duration-for-consumption" constraint on the commodity utility function) is noted at several points in the article. This unification, in turn, admits a possible resolution of the long-standing division between the Austrian and neoclassical traditions.


"Dr. Wang's work is of the highest caliber. He has the ability to take very complex subjects and to present them very clearly. He makes excellent use of examples throughout the book." --Donald W. Sova, Ph.D., Booz Allen Hamilton"I have not seen a text that provides such broad coverage of the topic. The foremost feature of this is competitive advantage. This product should provide superior utility at a lower cost to both the consumer and to the producer. Competitive advantage is rapidly becoming a necessity to stay in the game." --Jeffrey B. Lynch, Northrop Grumman Corporation"Few, if any, other people have the experience in both quality engineering (Six Sigma) and in product engineering that could match Dr. Wang's. A great deal of the unique value of this book is the integration of ideas from these two disciplines." --Marvin L. Roush, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland at College ParkLeverage Six Sigma to Transform Product Design and DevelopmentToday's customers demand unprecedented reliability, efficiency, flexibility, and affordability. To deliver products, this robust, quality manufacturing isn't enough; Six Sigma processes must begin in the earliest stages of design. Now, one of the field's leading experts offers the first complete blueprint for implementing Six Sigma product design. John X. Wang has transformed product design at companies ranging from Maytag and Visteon to General Electric. In this book, he illuminates the full spectrum of proven techniques, from Voice-of-Customer (VOC) and Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) to Kano modeling. You'll discover how Six Sigma can bridge critical gaps between research and development, product and process, and how it can help you quickly respond to any change, from new suppliers to emerging customer requirements. Topics covered include Starting out: identifying projects, organizing teams, developing VOC models, formulating CTQ characteristics Creating robust design concepts: principles, practical techniques, and engineering parameters Kano modeling: delighting customers and responding to their evolving requirements QFD: building a "house of quality" that reflects both spoken and unspoken customer needs Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA): preventing failures, mitigating risks Minimizing lifecycle cost through effective tolerance design Designing in long-term reliabilityIf you're an engineer, manager, or quality professional who's ready to drive breakthrough improvements in product design and development, Dr. John X. Wang will guide you, every step of the way, to success.


The adoption of packet-switched technologies in mobile communication systems has enabled the provision of IP-based services to mobile users. Yet, these systems, such as the UMTS network, are unable to meet the stringent delay requirements imposed by the enhanced multimedia services due to the anchor point that introduce into the user's data path. Moreover, such applications will rely on IP-based control protocols for session and mobility management, resulting in duplication of functionality in the network at both the bearer and the application level. For the above reasons, the SAILOR network architecture is presented in this paper, proposing an evolution to the standard UMTS network, where GSNs are integrated into a single entity. Furthermore, the SIP protocol is adopted, for performing mobility and session management procedures currently undertaken by the UMTS non-access stratum protocols. Both modifications to the UMTS network and protocol architecture result in the smooth evolution of the UMTS core network towards IP as well as accomplish a significant performance gain


Neural maps of visual and auditory space are aligned in the adult optic tectum. In barn owls, this alignment of sensory maps was found to be controlled during ontogeny by visual instruction of the auditory spatial tuning of neurons. Large adaptive changes in auditory spatial tuning were induced by raising owls with displacing prisms mounted in spectacle frames in front of the eyes; neurons became tuned to sound source locations corresponding to their optically displaced, rather than their normal, visual receptive field locations. The results demonstrate that visual experience during development calibrates the tectal auditory space map in a site-specific manner, dictating its topography and alignment with the visual space map.


Super-resolution microscopy has emerged as a powerful and non-invasive tool for the study of molecular processes both in vitro, but also as they occur in live cells. Here we present the application of direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM), a super-resolution technique based on single molecule localization, to determine the morphology of protein aggregates and of small extra- and intracellular structures. The technique reveals details down to 20 nm providing information on scales much smaller than the wavelength of the probing light. We use dSTORM in the study of amyloid fibril self-assembly processes associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. We show that the aggregation process can be followed kinetically and observe the emergence of amyloid structures in time as they occur in vitro. As an all optical technique, there is translation potential from studies in vitro to in vivo applications.


Acute shortage of water has become one of the biggest problem facing many countries in the world. Safe and drinkable water is a basic necessity for survival. Hence, water resource management has become need of the hour. Since, seawater is the most abundant source of water available on the earth, desalination is one of the most promising technology to produce potable water. Desalination is the process of removal of salts and other impurities from seawater and brackish water. Thermal distillation and Reverse Osmosis (RO) are two of the most widely employed desalination technologies in the World. Thermal desalination uses energy inefficiently and also suffers from corrosion problems. RO on the other hand is used in more than 50% of the desalination plants in the World. In a typical RO desalination plant, water recovery from seawater is less than 55%. However, RO suffers from fouling problems which increase maintenance cost. Since, these technologies are energy intensive there is a need to address water-energy nexus by employing innovative energy efficient solutions. Clathrate hydrate based process which is based on freeze desalination approach has been proposed as a potential desalination technology to alleviate shortage of potable water in many parts of the World. Clathrate hydrate are non-stoichiometric crystalline solid compounds made up of water and gas. Similar to freeze desalination, clathrate hydrate excludes salts and other impurities present in seawater and brackish water from crystals. After separating formed hydrate crystals from left over brine, there is potential to get pure water and gas by decomposing hydrate crystals. Gas released during decomposition of hydrate can be recycled. In general, salts present in seawater act as thermodynamic inhibitor for gas hydrate formation. One of the major challenges faced by freeze desalination is ice crystal contamination due to crystal contact with left over brine. Similarly, hydrate contamination by left-over brine has prevented successful commercialization of HyDesal technology. Hence, efficient separation of hydrate crystals from brine and faster kinetics of hydrate formation play a major role in clathrate hydrate based desalination process. In order to strengthen energy-water nexus, waste cold energy from Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification terminals is being incorporated to mitigate energy requirement of this process. Previously, it has been reported that propane has shown ability to draw water out of fixed bed to form hydrates away from unreacted brine solution. Hence, there is a need to identify suitable co-guest gas with propane to maximize water recovery from HyDesal process. In the present work, an innovative approach has been employed by using Propane/ Nitrogen gas mixture in fixed bed made up of silica sand. Fixed bed approach in presence of propane enables natural separation of hydrate from left over brine which has been reported in an earlier work, which helps in minimizing hydrate contamination by salts present in left over brine. Faster kinetics has also been reported in fixed bed approach. In this work, water recovery from 1.5 wt% NaCl solution and 3 wt% NaCl solution has been studied and comparison has been made with kinetics of hydrate formation in deionized pure water. In this study, salt was found to act as kinetic inhibitor for hydrate formation.


Emerging technologies provide the opportunity to develop innovative sustainable service models that are capable of supporting adults with dementia at home. Devices range from simple stand-alone components that can generate a responsive alarm call to complex interoperable systems. From these complex systems, the paradigm of the ubiquitous or ambient smart home has emerged, integrating technology, environmental design, and traditional care provision. The service context is often complex, involving a variety of stakeholders and a range of interested agencies. Against this backdrop, as anecdotal evidence and government policies spawn further innovation, it is critical that due consideration is given to the potential ethical ramifications at an individual, organizational, and societal level. Well-grounded ethical thinking and proactive ethical responses to this innovation is required. Explicit policy and practice should, therefore, emerge which engenders confidence in existing supported living option schemes for adults with dementia, and informs further innovation.


The work presented in my thesis addresses the two cornerstones of modern astronomy: Observation and Instrumentation.
Part I deals with the observation of two nearby active galaxies, the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1433 and the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 1566, both at a distance of $\sim10$ Mpc, which are part of the Nuclei of Galaxies (NUGA) sample. It is well established that every galaxy harbors a super massive black hole (SMBH) at its center. Furthermore, there seems to be a fundamental correlation between the stellar bulge and SMBH masses. Simulations show that massive feedback, e.g., powerful outflows, in Quasi Stellar Objects (QSOs) has an impact on the mutual growth of bulge and SMBH. Nearby galaxies follow this relation but accrete mass at much lower rates. This gives rise to the following questions: Which mechanisms allow feeding of nearby Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)? Is this feeding triggered by events, e.g., star formation, nuclear spirals, outflows, on $\sim500$ pc scales around the AGN? Does feedback on these scales play a role in quenching the feeding process? Does it have an effect on the star formation close to the nucleus?
To answer these questions I have carried out observations with the Spectrograph for INtegral Field Observation in the Near Infrared (SINFONI) at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) situated on Cerro Paranal in Chile. I have reduced and analyzed the recorded data, which contain spatial and spectral information in the H-band ($1.45 \mic-1.85 \mic$) and K-band ($1.95 \mic-2.45 \mic$) on the central $10\arcsec\times10\arcsec$ of the observed galaxies. Additionally, Atacama Large Millimeter/Sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) data at $350$ GHz ($\sim0.87$ mm) as well as optical high resolution Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images are used for the analysis.
For NGC 1433 I deduce from comparison of the distributions of gas, dust, and intensity of highly ionized emission lines that the galaxy center lies $\sim70$ pc north-northwest of the prior estimate. A velocity gradient is observed at the new center, which I interpret as a bipolar outflow, a circum nuclear disk, or a combination of both. At least one dust and gas arm leads from a $r\sim200$ pc ring towards the nucleus and might feed the SMBH. Two bright warm H$_2$ gas spots are detected that indicate hidden star formation or a spiral arm-arm interaction. From the stellar velocity dispersion (SVD) I estimate a SMBH mass of $\sim1.74\times10^7$ \msol.
For NGC 1566 I observe a nuclear gas disk of $\sim150$ pc in radius with a spiral structure. I estimate the total mass of this disk to be $\sim5.4\times10^7$ \msol. What mechanisms excite the gas in the disk is not clear. Neither can the existence of outflows be proven nor is star formation detected over the whole disk. On one side of the spiral structure I detect a star forming region with an estimated star formation rate of $\sim2.6\times10^{-3}$ \msol\ yr$^{-1}$. From broad Br$\gamma$ emission and SVD I estimate a mean SMBH mass of $\sim5.3\times10^6$ \msol\ with an Eddington ratio of $\sim2\times10^{-3}$.
Part II deals with the final tests of the Fringe and Flexure Tracker (FFTS) for LBT INterferometric Camera and the NIR/Visible Adaptive iNterferometer for Astronomy (LINC-NIRVANA) at the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona, USA, which I conducted. The FFTS is the subsystem that combines the two separate beams of the LBT and enables near-infrared interferometry with a significantly large field of view. The FFTS has a cryogenic system and an ambient temperature system which are separated by the baffle system. I redesigned this baffle to guarantee the functionality of the system after the final tests in the Cologne cryostat. The redesign did not affect any scientific performance of LINC-NIRVANA. I show in the final cooldown tests that the baffle fulfills the temperature requirement and stays $ 273$ K, which was not given for the old baffle design. Additionally, I test the tilting flexure of the whole FFTS and show that accurate positioning of the detector and the tracking during observation can be guaranteed.


Kurath (1939) proposed an east-west boundary along the Green Mountains of Vermont (Linguistic Atlas of New England). Likewise, The Atlas of North American English (ANAE) (Labov, Ash & Boberg 2006) draws a dialect boundary between Eastern and Western New England around the Vermont/New Hampshire border. However, there are no ANAE data points along the east-west boundary itself because that project focused on larger cities. This leaves a gap in contemporary understanding of this transition zone between two major US dialect regions. Labov et al. state that "a more precise contemporary delineation of the borders between the subregions of New England awaits more detailed local studies" (2006:230). Our study helps to answer that call. With the goal of revisiting Kurath's work along the East-West boundary 70 years later, in 2010 we recorded 42 senior citizens representing 31 small town VT/NH locations around Kurath's line. For the FATHER/ BOTHER merger, postvocalic /r/, and BATH [a], we find that East-West distinctions continue to be very strong in this age group. However, our results also suggest that, since the time of Kurath, the line of contrast has moved eastward from the Green Mountains toward the Connecticut River (VT/NH border). Other variables showed no significant east-west contrasts. This working paper is available in University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics: https://repository.upenn.edu/pwpl/vol17/iss2/15


Recent research asserts that the mnemonic benefits gained from retrieval-based learning
vanish for complex materials. Subsequently, it is recommended that students study
worked examples when learning about complex, problem-centered tasks. The
experiments that have evaluated the effectiveness of studying worked examples tend to
overlook the mental processing that students engage in when completing retrieval-based
learning activities. In contrast, theories of transfer-appropriate processing emphasize the
importance of compatibility between the cognitive processing required by the test and the
cognitive processing that is activated during learning. For learners to achieve optimal test
performance, according to transfer-appropriate processing, they need to study in such a
way that they are engaging in the same mental processing that will be required of them
when tested. This idea was used to generate testable predictions that compete against the
claim that the retrieval practice effect disappears for complex materials, and these
competing predictions were evaluated in three experiments that required students to learn
about the Poisson probability distribution.

 In Experiment 1, students learned the general procedure for how to solve these
problems by either repeatedly recalling the procedural steps or by simply studying them.
The retrieval practice condition produced better memory for the procedure on an
immediate test compared to the study only condition. In Experiment 2, students engaged
in the same learning activities as Experiment 1, but the test focused on their problem-
solving ability. Students who practiced retrieval of the procedural steps experienced no
benefit on the problem-solving test compared to the study only condition. In Experiment
3, students learned to solve Poisson probability problems by studying four worked
examples, by studying one worked example and solving three practice problems, or by
studying one worked example and solving three practice problems with feedback. Students were tested on their problem-solving ability one week later. The problem-
solving learning activities outperformed the worked example condition on the final
problem-solving test. Taken together, the results demonstrate a pronounced retrieval
practice effect but only when the retrieval-based learning activities necessitated the same
mental processing that was required during the final assessment, providing support for
the transfer-appropriate processing account.


Traffic state estimation helps urban traffic control and management. In this paper, a traffic state estimation model based on the fusion of Hidden Markov model and SEA algorithm is proposed considering the randomness and volatility of traffic systems. Traffic data of average travel speed in selected city were collected, and the mean and fluctuation values of average travel speed in adjacent time windows were calculated. With Hidden Markov model, the system state network is defined according to mean values and fluctuation values. The operation efficiency of traffic system, as well as stability and trend values, were calculated with System Effectiveness Analysis (SEA) algorithm based on system state network. Calculation results show that the method perform well and can be applied to both traffic state assessment of certain road sections and large scale road networks.


Despite extensive research on face perception, few studies have investigated individuals' knowledge about the physical features of their own face. In this study, 50 participants indicated the location of key features of their own face, relative to an anchor point corresponding to the tip of the nose, and the results were compared to the true location of the same individual's features from a standardised photograph. Horizontal and vertical errors were analysed separately. An overall bias to underestimate vertical distances revealed a distorted face representation, with reduced face height. Factor analyses were used to identify separable subconfigurations of facial features with correlated localisation errors. Independent representations of upper and lower facial features emerged from the data pattern. The major source of variation across individuals was in representation of face shape, with a spectrum from tall/thin to short/wide representation. Visual identification of one's own face is excellent, and facial features are routinely used for establishing personal identity. However, our results show that spatial knowledge of one's own face is remarkably poor, suggesting that face representation may not contribute strongly to self-awareness.


Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an analytical tool used by chemists and physicists to study the structure and dynamics of molecules. In recent years, no other technique has gained such significance as NMR spectroscopy. It is used in all branches of science in which precise structural determination is required and in which the nature of interactions and reactions in solution is being studied. Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy has established itself as a premier means for the specialist and non-specialist alike to become familiar with new techniques and applications of NMR spectroscopy.Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an analytical tool used by chemists and physicists to study the structure and dynamics of molecules. In recent years, no other technique has gained such significance as NMR spectroscopy. It is used in all branches of science in which precise structural determination is required and in which the nature of interactions and reactions in solution is being studied. Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy has established itself as a premier means for the specialist and non-specialist alike to become familiar with new techniques and applications of NMR spectroscopy.


Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are currently an active research area mainly due to the potential of their applications. However, the deployment of a large scale WSN still requires solutions to a number of technical challenges that stem primarily from the features of the sensor nodes such as limited computational power, reduced communication bandwidth and small storage capacity. Further, sensor nodes are typically powered by batteries with limited capacity which do not guarantee an attractive nodes' lifetime unless adequate power saving policies are undertaken. Since the radio is the main cause of power consumption in a sensor node, most of the energy conservation schemes proposed in the literature have focused on minimizing the energy consumption of the communication unit. To achieve this objective, two main approaches have been followed: power saving through duty cycling and in-network processing. Duty cycling schemes define coordinated sleep/wakeup schedules among nodes in the network. On the other hand, in-network processing consists in reducing the amount of information to be transmitted by means of aggregation and/or compression
techniques. This thesis focuses on the latter approach and proposes a novel distributed method to data aggregation and two algorithms to compress data locally on the sensor node.
The distributed data aggregation technique is based on fuzzy
numbers and weighted average operators to reduce data communication in WSNs when we are interested in the estimation of an aggregated value such as maximum or minimum temperature measured in the network. The first compression algorithm is a simple lossless entropy compression algorithm which can be implemented in a few
lines of code, requires very low computational power, compresses data on the fly and uses a very small dictionary whose size is determined by the resolution of the analog-to-digital converter. The second compression algorithm tackles the problem of noisy sampling by performing lossy compression on single node based on a differential pulse code modulation scheme with quantization of the differences between consecutive samples. Since different combinations of the quantization process parameters determine different trade-offs between compression performance and information loss, we exploit a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to generate a set of combinations of these parameters corresponding to different optimal trade-offs. The user can therefore choose the combination with the most suitable trade-off for the specific application.


Reaction and conversion of CO2 to chemicals is a challenging area of research. The objective of this work is to study and investigate the use of mixed metal oxide Zr/Ti oxide and related catalysts for the conversion and utilisation of CO2. The first reaction studied was propane dehydrogenation using CO2 to produce propene. Then, the study extended to investigate the direct reaction of CO2 as whole molecule with methane, ethane, acetylene, ethylene and propane to synthesis carboxylic acids.
The catalysts were prepared in several ways. Four methods were based on coprecipitation of the mixed catalyst from solutions of zirconium (IV) oxynitrate hydrate and titanium (IV) chloride. Other methods involved impregnation, based on titanium (IV) oxide. Catalysts were characterised by nitrogen adsorption, by powder X-ray diffraction, by ammonia temperature programmed desorption and, ultimately, in terms of catalytic activities.
The powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the impregnated titania-rich Zr/Ti oxide catalysts showed that ZrO2 dissolved in the solid anatase phase of titania. At higher concentrations, the ZrO2 appeared as a separate tetragonal phase. Low zirconia content Zr/Ti oxide catalysts showed significantly increased surface areas and higher acidities than the individual oxides. A range of other metal oxides were added as third metal
oxides in these mixtures, but none had significant impacts on surface areas or on surface acidities.
Propane dehydrogenation is thermodynamically limited. The only possible route is a radical mechanism for H2 removal via a surface process. The catalytic activities at low CO2:propane ratio showed that Zr/Ti oxide exhibited the higher activity than single oxides, but activities were all too low to be of economic significance.
In contrast, using higher CO2:propane ratio improved the propene yield and selectivity to values comparable to those achieved with the industrial chromium based catalyst. The catalyst showed selectivity to C-H bond breaking to form propene over C-C bond breaking to make ethene. The study demonstrated that CO2 was utilised mainly for the reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGS) to remove hydrogen from the catalyst surface.
The study showed that the Zr/Ti oxide catalysts exhibited higher stability compared to the industrial catalysts at slightly higher gas space velocity. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that Zr/Ti oxide catalyst assists coke gasification in the presence of CO2 at 600 oC.
The other mixed oxide catalysts generally showed lower surface acidities and higher selectivities to C-C bond breaking products over the desired propene product.
The second study was the direct reaction of CO2 with CH4 to produce acetic acid. Again, this reaction is thermodynamically unfavourable and the only possible route must involve a radical species by which reactants are concentrated on the catalyst surface. Evidence of methyl surface species formation in the presence of methane was indeed found over the Zr/Ti oxide catalyst. With CO2 methane reacted with CO2 to form acetic acid over Zr/Ti oxide catalysts. The C-C insertion mechanism is proposed by which methyl surface species formed on the catalyst and reacted with CO2. This was followed by hydrogenation to form acetic acid.
Reactions of CO2 with ethane, ethylene, acetylene and propene were also studied, in the hope of observing direct insertion to produce the corresponding carboxylic acid. In fact, lower acids were formed in all cases, suggesting a radical mechanism involving C-C bond breaking over Zr/Ti oxide catalyst.
Interestingly, acetic acid was formed with all these precursor hydrocarbons, and it appears that it occurs via C≡C, C=C, C-C and C-H bond breaking.


This study aimed at developing a Lebanese preschool instrument, a Lebanese preschool readiness test that can reliably, accurately, and rapidly identify children who are ready for preschool. Collecting norms and establishing the psychometric properties of the instrument was another major function of this study. To fulfil these functions a thorough review of the literature on preschool screening, preschool instruments, preschool child, and early childhood education was presented. In addition, interviews were conducted with a representative sample of preschool teachers and coordinators in Lebanon, and a clear definition of abilities that need to be assessed before admission was reached. Based on this needs assessment, test specifications were laid down, items were constructed, materials prepared, and directions for administration and scoring were written. The initial version of the test was piloted on a sample of 50 Lebanese children of both sexes aged 2.6 to 5.0. Based on the results of the pilot survey, test items were analyzed, and subsequently some items were revised. The final version of the test appeared with 122 items divided into four major scales: Motor, Memory, Concept, and Language. The test was then normed on a sample of 250 Lebanese children aged 2.6 - 5.0 enrolled (or applying) to large institutions repre~entative of preschool population in Beirut and reflecting three socioeconomic levels (i.e. high, middle, and low). Norms were reported in the form of standardized scores and percentiles. T. and F. tests revealed that the subjects' means significantly varied by age, but that no significant sex differences were noted on the major scales (M, Me, L, & C), but that significant socio-economic differences were noted on the Language scale. The reliability of the instrument was assessed by computing its alpha coefficient, and the obtained r (0.90) spoke well for the internal stability of the LPRT. Finally, the criterion validity of the LPRT was established by correlating subjects' scores with end of the year teacher ratings, and with their score on another preschool screening instrument, the DIAL R. In addition, and concurrent with the development of the test, other validity questions (content, construct) were also answered.


In this work, we first analyze the behavior of the acoustic wave from the theoretical point of view using a simplified 1-dimensional model. The model was developed based on the conservation of mass, the conservation of momentum, and the state equation; in addition, the fluid medium obeys Stokes assumption and it is homogeneous, adiabatic and isentropic. Experiment and simulation results show consistency to theoretical calculation. The second part of this thesis focuses on the PD signal analysis from an on-site PD measurement of the in-house design fiber optic sensors (by Virginia Tech, Center for Photonics Technology). Several commercial piezoelectric transducers (PZTs) were also used to compare the measurement results. The signal analysis employs the application of wavelet-based denoising technique to remove the noises, which mainly came from vibration, EMI, and light sources, embedded in the PD signal. The denoising technique includes the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) decomposition, thresh-holding of wavelet coefficients, and signal recovery by inverse discrete wavelet transform. Several approaches were compared to determine the optimal mother wavelet. The threshold limits are selected to remove the maximum Gaussian noises for each level of wavelet coefficients. The results indicate that this method could extract the PD spike from the noisy measurement effectively. The frequency of the PD pulse is also analyzed; it is shown that the frequencies lie in the range of 70 kHz to 250 kHz. In addition, with the assumed acoustic wave propagation delay between PD source and sensors, it was found that all PD activities occur in the first and third quadrant in reference to the applied sinusoidal transformer voltage.


Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate push-out bond strength of two endodontic sealers (MetaSeal, Endosequence BC) to radicular dentin following different disinfection protocols [sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), photoactivated disinfection, and ozonated olive oil]. Materials and methods A total of 60 freshly extracted human single rooted premolars with single root canals were selected. The crowns were removed to obtain a standardized root length of 15 mm and working length was determined. Root canals were prepared using ProTaper Universal rotary instruments up to F4 and irrigation throughout instrumentation was performed using 3 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride. Roots were randomly divided into six groups (n=10). In groups 1 and 2, root canals were finally irrigated with 3 ml of 2.5% NaOCl (as control groups), in groups 3 and 4, final disinfection protocol was performed with photoactivated disinfection, but in groups 5 and 6, root canals were finally disinfected by coating ProTaper F4 file with ozonated olive oil. In groups 1, 3, and 5, root canals were obturated with gutta-percha/MetaSeal sealer while in groups 2, 4, and 6, obturation was performed using gutta-percha/Endosequence BC sealer. Three horizontal sections were prepared in a thickness of 2 mm each corresponding to apical, middle, and coronal parts of the root. Each section was subjected to a compressive load to evaluate push-out bond strength and the data were statistically analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey test. Results PAD groups recorded the highest values while ozonated olive oil groups recorded the lowest values. Bond strength of Endosequence BC was significantly higher than MetaSeal (P ≤ 0.05). The bond strength in the coronal sections was higher than that in the middle and apical sections. Conclusion PDA final disinfection protocol performed similarly to NaOCl and does not negatively affect bond strength as ozonated olive oil. Endosequence BC was better than MetaSeal in terms of bond strength.