Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS. Recent studies have demonstrated that significant axonal injury also occurs in MS patients and correlates with neurological dysfunction, but it is not known whether this neuronal damage is a primary disease process, or occurs only secondary to demyelination. In the current studies, neurotropic strains of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) that induce meningitis, encephalitis, and demyelination in the CNS, an animal model of MS, were used to evaluate mechanisms of axonal injury. The pathogenic properties of genetically engineered isogenic spike protein recombinant demyelinating and nondemyelinating strains of MHV were compared. Studies demonstrate that a demyelinating strain of MHV causes concomitant axonal loss and macrophage-mediated demyelination. The mechanism of axonal loss and demyelination in MHV infection is dependent on successful transport of virus from gray matter to white matter using the MHV host attachment spike glycoprotein. Our data show that axonal loss and demyelination can be independent direct viral cytopathic events, and suggest that similar direct axonal damage may occur in MS. These results have important implications for the design of neuroprotective strategies for CNS demyelinating disease, and our model identifies the spike protein as a therapeutic target to prevent axonal transport of neurotropic viruses.


In previous work, the author gave a higher-order analysis of focusing proofs (in the sense of Andreoli's search strategy), with a role for infinitary rules very similar in structure to Buchholz's Ω-rule. Among other benefits, this "pattern-based" description of focusing simplifies the cut-elimination procedure, allowing cuts to be eliminated in a connective-generic way. However, interpreted literally, it is problematic as a representation technique for proofs, because of the difficulty of inspecting and/or exhaustively searching over these infinite objects. In the spirit of infinitary proof theory, this paper explores a view of pattern-based focusing proofs as façons de parler, describing how to compile them down to first-order derivations through defunctionalization, Reynolds' program transformation. Our main result is a representation of pattern-based focusing in the Twelf logical framework, whose core type theory is too weak to directly encode infinitary rules—although this weakness directly enables so-called "higher-order abstract syntax" encodings. By applying the systematic defunctionalization transform, not only do we retain the benefits of the higher-order focusing analysis, but we can also take advantage of HOAS within Twelf, ultimately arriving at a proof representation with surprisingly little bureaucracy.


Abstract. The Swiss plate geophone system is a bedload surrogate measuring technique that has been installed in more than 20 streams, primarily in the European Alps. Here we report about calibration measurements performed in two mountain streams in Austria. The Fischbach and Ruetz gravel-bed streams are characterized by important runoff and bedload transport during the snowmelt season. A total of 31 (Fischbach) and 21 (Ruetz) direct bedload samples were obtained during a 6-year period. Using the number of geophone impulses and total transported bedload mass for each measurement to derive a calibration function results in a strong linear relation for the Fischbach, whereas there is only a poor linear calibration relation for the Ruetz measurements. Instead, using geophone impulse rates and bedload transport rates indicates that two power law relations best represent the Fischbach data, depending on transport intensity; for lower transport intensities, the same power law relation is also in reasonable agreement with the Ruetz data. These results are compared with data and findings from other field sites and flume studies. We further show that the observed coarsening of the grain size distribution with increasing bedload flux can be qualitatively reproduced from the geophone signal, when using the impulse counts along with amplitude information. Finally, we discuss implausible geophone impulse counts that were recorded during periods with smaller discharges without any bedload transport, and that are likely caused by vehicle movement very near to the measuring sites.


DiscLit: American Authors. OCLC, 6565 Frantz Rd., Dublin, OH 43017; 1-800-848-5878, or G.K. Hall & Co., 70 Lincoln St., Boston, MA 02111; 1-800-343-2806. Hardware and software requirements: IBM PC, XT, AT, or PS/2 or compatible models, OCLC M3xx models, at least 640K RAM, DOS version 3.1 or higher, compact disc drive, and MS-DOS extensions 2.0 or higher. A black-and-white or color monitor may be used. Price: $995. DiscLit on CD-ROM is a joint venture between OCLC and the publisher G.K. Hall & Co. Stored on a single CD, the product consists of two units: Twayne's United States Authors Series and the OCLC American Authors Catalog. The two units, referred to as the "Books" and the "Catalog," are searched separately, but the information in the two units is linked so that users can move easily between them. Published in book form by G.K. Hall, the Twayne's series is composed of 143 volumes, each on the life and works of a different American author, and each having that author's name as its title. The full text of the 143 books is contained on DiscLit. The other unit of DiscLit, the OCLC American Authors Catalog, contains bibliographic information for more than 100,000 books, serials, recordings, videos, and other materials by and about the 143 authors. Installation of DiscLit is quick and easy, with clear instructions provided in the setup guide. An online tutorial is fairly well done, although to a first-time user of CD-ROMs it might seem overly complicated. The screen displays are quite cluttered. The tutorial's search tips are helpful, although some jargon terms, such as limiters and navigation, might be confusing to new users. To search DiscLit, you may choose one of two searching modes: "new or casual user," or "experienced user." The fast mode is a menu-driven system which is quite user-friendly. The user can enter a term or phrase, or can combine terms by entering them on separate lines. For example, suppose a user wants information on American authors who have written on the topic of women and religion. Searching the full-text Books unit, the terms women and religion would be entered on separate lines, resulting in a list of authors" names with numbers indicating occurrences of the search terms. (Isaac Bashevis Singer was at the top with eighty-nine occurrences.) The system, by default, searches for the two terms in the same section of a chapter. What is a section? This is never defined on the CD or in the documentation. However, this default of combining terms by section has great potential for false hits. To avoid this, the user may specify that terms be in the same paragraph or within a certain number of words. The search for women and religion resulted in a list of books, with those on Isaac Bashevis Singer, Sara Teasdale, and Emma Goldman having the most occurrences of the search terms. "Opening" the book on I. B. Singer, the user is first presented with the table of contents, with search word occurrences for each chapter. "Navigation" through the book itself is straightforward: chapters can be selected and opened, and moving through the chapters is facilitated by a very useful feature, "Jump to search word." This enables the user to skip irrelevant chunks of text and move to the next occurrence of the search word(s). Another handy way of moving around in a book is to go to the back-of-the-book index, select a page number for a particular topic, and jump to that page. …


CAD systems offer new and improved techniques for the presentation of designs.
This paper presents several of these techniques that are based upon computer-generated
images of a 3-dimensional computer model of a design. These new techniques include
holography, animating and virtual reality. Some of the techniques that can be improved
by CAD systems are paper scale modeling and stereoscopy.
- presentation purposes, such as showing a design or explaining functional or
- presentation activities, such as modeling a design or generating images;
- presentation techniques, as mentioned above.
techniques employed and the production activities.
Because production activities can be very time consuming, the purpose of the
presentation and the preferred techniques should normally be well specified at the
beginning of a presentation production to makethe latter creative productive.
However, since most of the computer-based presentation techniques are still new to most
designers, it will be very difficult to make the right specifications of purpose, techniques
and activities at the beginning of the production process.
That means that there is a need for a better understanding of the techniques and for a
more flexible way of producing presentations of designs.
Calibre has developed tools to make the production of presentations more flexible.
One of the tools is a program (ModelCom) that converts different 3-dimensional
computer models of designs (design models) into models for different programs that are
able to generate images.
Another tool is a program (ImageCom) for converting different generated images into
image descriptions for different presentation techniques.
These tools are of great importance for Calibre's exploration of various techniques for
the presentation of design models. This exploration gives Calibre the unique opportunity
to present a varied menu of presentation techniques and related future expectations.
The paper describes:
technical aspects;
There exists a relationship between the purpose of a presentation, the presentation


Architectural transformations in the eighteenth-century Ottoman capital Istanbul are usually interpreted as expressions of an overarching process of cultural westernization that began in the wake of Ottoman military defeats against European powers in the late seventeenth century. In this article, I reevaluate the extent and significance of Ottoman westernization against visual and architectural evidence, and against two diverging discourses that emerged among contemporary Ottoman and European observers of architectural change. I argue that the architectural idiom of the eighteenth century was far more hybrid and culturally uncommitted than the notion of westernization implies. Based on a close reading of Ottoman poetry and narratives and European travelers9 accounts, I show that although the rhetoric of westernization was dominant in the latter9s descriptions of the built environment, Ottoman perceptions centered instead on notions of innovation and originality of expression, reflecting a new attitude toward change, novelty, and the canons of a long-established architectural tradition.


Flexible signal processing on programmable platforms are increasingly important for consumer electronic applications and others. Scalable video algorithms (SVAs) using novel priority processing can guarantee real-time performance on programmable platforms even with limited resources. Dynamic resource allocation is required to maximize the overall output quality of independent, competing priority processing algorithms that are executed on a shared platform. In this paper, we describe basic mechanisms for dynamic resource allocation and compare the performance of different implementations.


Background & Aim: Lichen planus is a common inflammatory disease of skin and mucosa. The erosive and bollouse types are so painful which inhibit oral hygiene care, therefore increase of the caries and periodontal diseases are risk factors for malignant transformation or malignant development. Intra lesional injection of Triamcinolone Acetonide has shown a better result with no side effects in comparison with the systemic treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 30mg Triamcinolone Acetonide intra lesional injection every week for four weeks on treatment and prevention of recurrence of the lesions. Methods & Subjects : Twenty patients with erosive oral Lichen planus and without any systemic diseases were chosen for this case control study. After the biopsy and histopathologic documentation, 30 mg Triamcinolone Acetonide with 3ml normal salin (1/4) were injected intra lesional every week for four weeks. Results: There was a significant increase in mean size of the lesions in control group (1.1342 cm 2 ), whearas there was a significant decrease in mean size of the lesions in case group (8.096 cm 2 ). Conclusion: It seems that intra lesional injection of 30mg Triamcinolone Acetonide every week for four weeks in erosive oral Lichen planus has a good effect on healing of the lesions in comparison with local and systemic treatments that have less effect in association with many side effects


A diagramatic scale with five levels of disease severity: 0.11; 0.51; 2.4; 10.2 and 34.9% was developed and validated to assess mycosphaerella blight in strawberry, caused by Mycosphaerella fragariae. The scale was developed considering the maximum and minimum limits of disease severity observed in the field and the intermediate values followed logarithmic increments according to the "Stimulus Law by Weber-Fechner". Initially the estimates of severity were performed without the use of the scale in 30 leaves with different levels of severity. Validation was carried out by seven appraisers, without previous pratice in assessing mycosphaerella blight in strawberry. Then, the appraisers estimated the severity of the same leaves previously assessed using the proposed diagrammatic scale. Assessments with the diagrammatic scale were of great precision for all raters and did not constitute systematic mistakes in over or underestimating the disease severity. The proposed diagrammatic scale was considered adequate to estimate mycospharela blight severity in strawberry.


Application of Big Data for National Security provides users with state-of-the-art concepts, methods, and technologies for Big Data analytics in the fight against terrorism and crime, including a wide range of case studies and application scenarios. This book combines expertise from an international team of experts in law enforcement, national security, and law, as well as computer sciences, criminology, linguistics, and psychology, creating a unique cross-disciplinary collection of knowledge and insights into this increasingly global issue. The strategic frameworks and critical factors presented in Application of Big Data for National Security consider technical, legal, ethical, and societal impacts, but also practical considerations of Big Data system design and deployment, illustrating how data and security concerns intersect. In identifying current and future technical and operational challenges it supports law enforcement and government agencies in their operational, tactical and strategic decisions when employing Big Data for national security Contextualizes the Big Data concept and how it relates to national security and crime detection and preventionPresents strategic approaches for the design, adoption, and deployment of Big Data technologies in preventing terrorism and reducing crimeIncludes a series of case studies and scenarios to demonstrate the application of Big Data in a national security contextIndicates future directions for Big Data as an enabler of advanced crime prevention and detection


In this paper an analysis routine is presented for a two dimensional method of moments analysis of coupled line structures to find the capacitance matrix. A method is proposed to significantly reduce the number of unknowns. The method borrows from physical optics to predict electrical 'shadows' where the charge density is negligible and can be ignored. This new method is implemented, and a significant improvement in analysis time is achieved with very little loss of accuracy. The analysis routine is used in an optimization loop to synthesize an interdigital filter which displays excellent performance.


Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), a member of the genus Crinivirus (family Closteroviridae ), causes considerable losses in cucurbits. Using of the resistant cultivars is a potential option for control of the disease induced by CYSDV. In this research twenty five accessions of Cucumis melo , including local melons, collected from different regions in Iran, were evaluated under controlled conditions for their reaction to Iranian CYSDV isolate, (Bushehr). Inoculations were made at first true leaf-stage with Bemisia tabaci . Assays included mean of disease severity index 6 weeks after inoculation, time of symptoms development (infection percentages 20 days after inoculation) and virus concentration in plant (mean ELISA value 8 weeks after inoculation). Only two accessions Chorook zard and Til zard showed delay in symptom development, low disease severity index and low concentration of the virus. They were considered resistant to the virus and tolerant to the disease. The accessions Zard khareji, Zard moshabbak dorosht, Zard talaee and Sefid because of low concentration of the virus in ELISA and Sirjan and Kashefi because of delay in symptoms development were resistant to virus. Yazdi, Zard talaee, Sirjan, Zard moattar and Sefid had low disease severity index and rated tolerant. Other accessions were highly sensitive to the virus.


Technology has, without doubt, expanded our understanding of space. The Voyager 1 space probe is on the brink of leaving our solar system. Massive telescopes have discovered blasts of fast radio bursts from 10 billion light years away. And after a decade on Mars, a Rover recently found evidence for an early ocean on the Red Planet.
But with every new advance, it's also important to remember the science of astronomy has existed for thousands of years and forms a vital part of Indigenous Australian culture, even today. As an example, let's explore the astronomy of the Torres Strait Islanders, an Indigenous Australian people living between the tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea.


Copyright is like a well-meaning but ultimately bothersome friend, eager to help but nearly impossible to get rid of. It attaches indiscriminately to the simplest acts of expression, without regard for whether the author needs or wants its protection. This automatic propertization made sense in the print era, when mass distribution of information was an expensive process rarely undertaken by those with no plans to profit from their creativity. It makes little sense today. The following article shows that copyright's overly solicitous nature is the source of several seemingly unrelated and intractable problems - e.g., closed code, copyright as censorship, technological hegemony - that have resulted from trying to fit the digital peg of computer technology into the analog hole of copyright law. The common solution to these problems involves a purposefully retrograde approach that cures their twenty-first-century ills using nineteenth-century tools: copyright's antiquated formalities. Resurrecting publication, notice, registration, and deposit as threshold requirements for copyright protection prevents authors and publishers from achieving technologically what they do not merit legally, while at the same time ensuring that copyright does not apply in contexts where it is neither necessary nor useful.


This document provides an introduction to statistical testing. Statistical testing of software is here defined as testing in which the test cases are produced by a random process meant to produce different test cases with the same probabilities with which they would arise in actual use of the software. Statistical testing of software has these main advantages: for the purpose of reliability assessment and product acceptance, it supports directly estimates of reliability, and thus decisions on whether the software is ready for delivery or for use in a specific system. This feature is unique to statistical testing; for the purpose of improving the software, it tends to discover defects which would cause failures with the higher frequencies before those that would cause less frequent failures, thus focusing correction efforts in the most cost-effective way and delivering better software for a given debugging effort. Statistical testing has been reported to achieve dramatic improvements; from the point of view of costs, it facilitates the automation of the test process, thus allowing more testing at acceptable cost than manual testing would allow. This document explains the basic theory underlying statistical testing and provides guidance for its application. The material is organised to facilitate use both as an introduction for software engineers who are new to this approach to testing, and as a reference source during application. Statistical testing is applicable to practically all kinds of software, so this document is not markedly specialised for space applications, though the examples are mostly space-related and the discussion of the software lifecycle is meant to apply to common practice among ESA suppliers.


Objective To evaluate the mortality experience of Minnesota taconite mining industry workers. Methods Mortality was evaluated between 1960 and 2010 in a cohort of Minnesota taconite mining workers employed by any of the seven companies in operation in 1983. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were estimated by comparing observed deaths in the cohort with expected frequencies in the Minnesota population. Standardised rate ratios (SRR) were estimated using an internal analysis to compare mortality by employment duration. Results The cohort included 31 067 workers with at least 1 year of documented employment. Among those, there were 9094 deaths, of which 949 were from lung cancer, and 30 from mesothelioma. Mortality from all causes was greater than expected in the Minnesota population (SMR=1.04, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.04). Mortality from lung cancer and mesothelioma was higher than expected with SMRs of 1.16 for lung cancer (95% CI 1.09 to 1.23) and 2.77 for mesothelioma (95% CI 1.87 to 3.96). Other elevated SMRs included those for cardiovascular disease (SMR=1.10, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.14), specifically for hypertensive heart disease (SMR=1.81, 95% CI 1.39 to 2.33) and ischemic heart disease (SMR=1.11, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.16). Results of the SRR analysis did not show variation in risk by duration of employment. Conclusions This study provides evidence that taconite workers may be at increased risk for mortality from lung cancer, mesothelioma, and some cardiovascular disease. Occupational exposures during taconite mining operations may be associated with these increased risks, but non-occupational exposures may also be important contributors.


Summary This paper develops a theory of multiple unit auctions with short squeezes in the post-auction market. This is especially relevant for financial and commodity markets where players may enter the auction with established forward positions. We study how a potential short squeeze impacts on bidders' strategies and auction performance. Conversely, we also study how the design of the auction affects the incidence of short squeezes. In particular, we model both uniform price and discriminatory price auctions in a true multiple unit setting, where bidders can submit multiple bids for multiple units. Our model is cast in what appears to be a common value framework. However, we show that the possibility of a short squeeze introduces different valuations of the to-be-auctioned asset between short and long bidders. Equilibrium bidding strategies depend on pre-auction allocations and the size of the auction. Short squeezes are more likely to happen after discriminatory auctions than after uniform auctions, ceteris paribus. Discriminatory auctions therefore lead to (1) more price distortion; (2) higher revenue for an auctioneer; (3) more volatility in the secondary market. This shows that a central bank or sovereign treasury, say, may face a tradeoff between revenue maximization and market distortions when choosing the design of repo or treasury auctions. The probability of a short squeeze following a discriminatory auction tends to decrease with the auction size, increase with the market power of the largest long bidders, and decrease with small long players' scope for free-riding on a short squeeze. Asymptotically, as the auction size becomes arbitrarily large, the two types of auctions lead to equivalent outcomes.


This is the first book to combine classical vehicle dynamics with electronic control. The equation-based presentation of the theory behind vehicle dynamics enables readers to develop a thorough understanding of the key attribute to both a vehicle's driveability and its active safety. Supported by MATLAB tools, the key areas that affect vehicle dynamics are explored including tire mechanics, the steering system, vehicle roll, traction and braking, 4WS and vehicle dynamics, vehicle dynamics by vehicle and human control, and controllabiliy. As a professional reference volume, this book is an essential addition to the resources available to anyone working in vehicle design and development. Written by a leading authority in the field (who himself has considerable practical experience), the book has a unique blend of theory and practice that will be of immense value in this applications based field.* Get a thorough understand of why vehicles respond they way they do with a complete treatment of vehicle dynamics from theory to application* Full of case studies and worked examples using MATLAB/Simulink * Covers all variables of vehicle dynamics including tire and vehicle motion, control aspects, human control and external disturbances


Objectives The aim was to describe the strengths and weaknesses, from team member perspectives, of working with the Global Trigger Tool (GTT) method of retrospective record review to identify adverse events causing patient harm. Design A qualitative, descriptive approach with focus group interviews using content analysis. Setting 5 Swedish hospitals in 2011. Participants 5 GTT teams, with 5 physicians and 11 registered nurses. Intervention 5 focus group interviews were carried out with the five teams. Interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim. Results 8 categories emerged relating to the strengths and weaknesses of the GTT method. The categories found were: Usefulness of the GTT, Application of the GTT, Triggers, Preventability of harm, Team composition, Team tasks, Team members' knowledge development and Documentation. Gradually, changes in the methodology were made by the teams, for example, the teams reported how the registered nurses divided up the charts into two sets, each being read respectively. The teams described the method as important and well functioning. Not only the most important, but also the most difficult, was the task of bringing the results back to the clinic. The teams found it easier to discuss findings at their own clinics. Conclusions The GTT method functions well for identifying adverse events and is strengthened by its adaptability to different specialties. However, small, gradual methodological changes together with continuingly developed expertise and adaption to looking at harm from a patient's perspective may contribute to large differences in assessment over time.


The folk theorem allows a very unequal division between players. In nonrepeated experimental games with many equilibria, such as ultimatum, observed play involves a relatively equal division between players. In a two-player repeated game setting there is a simple intuition about this: a poor player has little to lose by deviating from his equilibrium strategy. So a rich player ought to be willing to concede a reasonable amount of pie. We investigate whether reputation effects lead to this conclusion in a simple two person gift giving game. When types are known equilibria are socially feasible and pairwise individually rational. In the reputational case the set of equilibria is smaller than the set of socially feasible, average individually rational and incentive compatible payoffs, and larger than the set of socially feasible, pairwise individually rational and incentive compatible points. In general the set of equilibrium payoffs need not be smaller or more equitable in the reputational case. However, in sensible example, we can how the incentive constraints do have the desired effect of reducing the set of equilibrium payoffs and eliminating many inequitable equilibria. 1 The author is grateful for financial support from NSF grant SBR-9409180 and the UCLA Academic Senate. This paper benefited from conversations with Drew Fudenberg, David Kreps and Ed Prescott. 2 Department of Economics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90024; e-mail: email@example.com


An important problem of law making in a globalizing world is how to deal with diverging national legal cultures. Since the emergence of the nation-state, law making has primarily been a task for the national legislatures and courts. They 'make' law for relatively homogeneous societies that are usually characterized by a common language and culture. As a result of increasing globalization, this is now rapidly changing. If the law is to retain its role of regulating society (be it no longer a national, but a global one), new ways of making and enforcing law have to be found. This article offers an account of how to deal with some questions caused by increasing globalization in the field of private law. This account is not a general and theoretical one, but one that is based on the experience of the European Union (EU) in the field of contract law. European contract law is thus used as paradigmatic for globalisation and private law as a whole. There is every reason to do so: the European Union has wide experience with making law for diverging jurisdictions. In addition to this, contract law can be considered one of the most important vehicles for globalization as it facilitates economic transactions.


Calibration and data-reduction procedures have been developed for use in rotating-polarizer ellipsometry. The procedures are demonstrated with a novel rotating-polarizer multichannel ellipsometer designed for real-time spectroscopic investigations of film growth, etching, and surface phenomena. This instrument employs a photodiode array detection system, permitting the collection of spectra from 1.5 to 4.5 eV with a maximum time resolution of 40 ms. Analyses of errors specific to the detection system, including nonlinearity and stray light, are outlined, and simple correction procedures are applied to calibrations and measurements. Source and polarization system imperfections are determined in expanded calibration procedures that are designed to provide polarizer phase and analyzer azimuth versus photon energy, corrected to first order in the imperfections. Two alternative approaches to calibration are demonstrated, depending on the value of the ellipsometric parameter Δ. Exact data-reduction equations are also derived to include source and polarization system imperfections in the calculation of (Ψ, Δ). Although the overall procedures can also be applied to ellipsometers with single-channel detection, the advantages of the multichannel ellipsometer for characterization and correction of systematic errors are apparent.


Facebook is built on gathering massive amounts of information from its users. To maximize the data it collects, Facebook relies on the trust we have in our friends to encourage us to share even more, and it designs its platform to reflect and leverage trust. But this strategy also manipulate us into sharing personal information with websites, advertisers, and third party partners we've never met or heard of. When it does this, Facebook crosses a line from social space to manipulative force.


This work is concerned with the production of high performance polymer foams via a benign foaming process. The first goal of this project was to develop a process and the conditions necessary to produce a low density (>80% density reduction) foam from poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PAES). Water and supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) were used as the blowing agents in a one-step batch foaming process. Both water and scCO2 plasticize the PAES, allowing for precise control on both the foam morphology and the foam density. To optimize the foaming conditions, both thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) were used to determine the solubility and the reduced glass transition temperature (Tg) due to plasticization of the polymer. It was determined that 2 hours was sufficient time to saturate the PAES with water and scCO2 when subjected to a temperature of 220 C and 10.3 MPa of pressure. Under these conditions, a combination of 7.5% of water and scCO2 were able to diffuse into the PAES specimen, correlating to ~60 C reduction in the Tg of the PAES. The combination of water and scCO2 produced foam with up to an 80% reduction in density. The compressive properties, tensile modulus, and impact strength of the foam were measured. The relative compressive properties were slightly lower than the commercially available structural foam made of poly(methacrylimide). The second objective of the dissertation was to enhance the compressive properties of the PAES foam, without concern for the foam density. Foam was produced over a range of density, by controlling the cell size, in order to optimize the compressive properties. Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were also added to the PAES matrix prior to foaming to both induce heterogeneous nucleation, which leads to smaller cell size, and to reinforce the cell walls. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), on saturated CNF-PAES, was used to determine the reduced Tg due to plasticization and establish the temperature for pressure release during foaming. DMTA proved to be more effective than DSC in establishing quantitative results on the reduction in the Tg. The CNF-PAES foam produced had compressive properties up to 1.5 times the compressive properties of the PAES foam.


During life, the heart is exposed to different types of stresses. In response to changing demands or stimuli the heart can cope by growing in size. In this thesis, molecular changes underlying cardiac physiological and pathological adaptations are investigated. First, we validated physiological remodeling of the heart in a mouse exercise model. After two weeks of swim exercise the murine hearts presented induction of an adaptive hypertrophy with maintenance of cardiac function. Both gene and miRNA expression analysis of cardiac tissue from sedentary and exercised mice revealed changes underlying the protective effect induced by exercise. Next, we validated pathological remodeling of the heart in the transverse aortic banding (TAB) mouse model. Short term TAB was found to present compensatory remodeling, whereas longer TAB time points showed adverse remodeling and failing of the heart. Subsequently, we continued this comparison by looking at the functional cells of the heart, the cardiomyocytes (CMs), specifically. By using a genetic approach to label CM with a fluorescent protein in vivo, we were able to sort and perform RNA analysis on CMs. Next to known stress genes, this method revealed novel genes that were previously not linked with hypertrophy of failure. Future studies in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-CMs will be performed to reveal the exact regulation and function of the novel identified genes.We also investigated whether AC6, a gene involved in regulation of CM contractility, can be increased with use of antimiR therapeutics. Luciferase screening revealed two clustered miRNAs, miR-182 and miR-96, that potently regulate AC6. Both in vitro and in vivo regulation of these two miRNAs showed that the combination of the two is most potent in increasing Adcy6 mRNA levels. Unexpectedly, during TAB-induced heart failure antimiR-96/182 combination therapy did neither result in functional benefits, nor upregulation of AC6 and other targets. RNA sequencing analysis confirmed minimal effects of miR-96/182 on gene expression during TAB induced HF.Finally, we investigated antimiR efficacy by looking at target regulation under physiological or pathological conditions after using an antimiR specifically targeting the CM-restricted miRNA miR-208a. Here, we found that under stress more potential targets are regulated and that the level of target regulation is higher. As demonstrated in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, a possible mechanism for this might be increased cellular uptake under stress conditions. This thesis describes several different approaches to use fundamental research to identify determinants important during hypertrophic and failing heart. Newly identified factors can be used for novel approaches in the development of cardiac therapy.


The concept of personal jurisdiction is fundamental in e-commerce disputes. The underlying principle to establish personal jurisdiction is physical presence of a party within the court's territory. This principle is challenged in e-commerce on account of the nature of the internet which allows parties to trade in a virtual environment. Hence, physical presence within a defined territory is difficult to determine in such cases. States have framed laws or the courts have formulated various tests to determine physical presence in e-commerce. This thesis analyses these laws and tests in the European Union (EU), United States (US), and Australia to establish if they are clear and help the courts in establishing personal jurisdiction in e-commerce disputes to deliver consistent decisions.

This thesis analyses the personal jurisdictional rules in the EU to highlight their success, identify drawbacks and recommend solutions. It is argued that the EU rules on personal jurisdiction are predictable and certain on account of the clear provisions of the Brussels Regulation (Regulation) and the on-going changes undertaken by the European Commission (EC) to reform personal jurisdictional principles applicable to domestic e-commerce disputes. The underlying concept to establish personal jurisdiction is the domicile of the defendant except in consumer contracts. The EU courts are guided by the letter of the law to deliver certain and consistent decisions in exercising personal jurisdiction. Further, consumers are provided special protection under the Regulation which helps to promote e-commerce. However, the Regulation is limited in its scope to e-commerce disputes within the EU. In international e-commerce disputes, the member state courts have to apply their national rules of jurisdiction. This limitation of the Regulation submits third State defendants to the personal jurisdiction of each member state amounting to the expansive exercise of personal jurisdiction. Although the EC has proposed to extend the Regulation to third State defendants covering international e-commerce disputes, it is argued that it will not resolve the problem because it will create deadlocks. Hence, it is submitted that a new solution is required to establish personal jurisdiction in international e-commerce disputes.

Personal jurisdiction in the US is a product of case laws developed over a century by the US Supreme Court. The underlying concept to establish personal jurisdiction is the service of process on the non-resident defendant within the limits of the US Constitution. This thesis comprehensively analyses the US case laws beginning from 1878, tracing the development of personal jurisdiction before the evolution of the internet and e-commerce. This development is called the traditional framework of the Supreme Court. Apart from this traditional framework, there is no other guidance such as a specific legislation to establish personal jurisdiction. In such circumstances, with the evolution of the internet and e-commerce, the lower courts have extended the traditional framework or formulated internet-specific tests to establish personal jurisdiction in e-commerce disputes. It is argued that these different approaches are followed in resolving similar disputes, resulting in inconsistent decisions. This inconsistency is most visible in disputes between users of eBay. Moreover, the same personal jurisdiction inquiry is followed in both domestic and international e-commerce disputes, accentuating the problem. Hence, it is submitted that the lower courts follow various tests and principles which result in inconsistent decisions in both domestic and international e-commerce disputes, and the US therefore requires a new solution.

Australia is an emerging e-commerce market. Similar to the EU, the Australian courts are also guided by legislation and court rules in personal jurisdictional inquiry in both domestic and international e-commerce disputes. The underlying concept to establish personal jurisdiction is the service of process on the non-resident defendant. It is argued that the Australian position, like that of the EU, is clear and predictable in domestic e-commerce disputes on account of the application of relevant legislation and court rules on personal jurisdiction. However, with the emerging e-commerce market in Australia, consumers need to be provided more protection with regard to personal jurisdiction. It is submitted that legislation similar to the Regulation in the EU should be enacted to establish personal jurisdiction in domestic e-commerce disputes. Although cases related to e-commerce are few, the High Court decision in Dow Jones v Gutnick has set the foundation for the development of personal jurisdiction in international e-commerce disputes. However, the High Court decision shows that Australian courts exercise expansive personal jurisdiction to protect Australian residents. It is submitted that this approach to personal jurisdiction in international e-commerce disputes is a disadvantage and needs to be addressed.

Further, the thesis argues that the approaches followed by courts in the EU, the US and Australia will lead to deadlocks in international e-commerce disputes. This is a current and pressing issue in e-commerce which needs immediate resolution. Hence, the thesis examines the global efforts undertaken to bring about uniformity and predictability to personal jurisdiction in international e-commerce disputes. The application of model laws, international conventions and initiatives of OECD, UNCITRAL and The Hague will be analysed to argue that these efforts fail to address the issue. It is submitted that these efforts either do not address the issue of personal jurisdiction or there is lack of consensus among the States over a particular set of rules to govern personal jurisdiction in international e-commerce disputes.

In identifying the problems in personal jurisdictional inquiry in the EU, the US and Australia, the thesis submits that the issue is two-pronged. First, in domestic e-commerce disputes there is uncertainty and inconsistency along with certain identified disadvantages in the laws to establish personal jurisdiction. Second, in international e-commerce disputes the varying approaches to establish personal jurisdiction are conflicting and create a deadlock. Hence, the thesis recommends separate solutions. It recommends that the States should regulate personal jurisdiction in domestic e-commerce disputes through codified laws or regulations, whereas personal jurisdiction in international e-commerce disputes should be regulated through on-line arbitration. In domestic e-commerce disputes, the thesis proposes a legislative approach for the US and lays down certain guidelines. The EU and Australia have been successfully exercising personal jurisdiction through codified laws and need to only address the drawbacks identified in the country-specific chapters of this thesis. In international e-commerce disputes, the thesis recommends on-line arbitration and provides draft rules which will help to resolve the personal jurisdictional problems identified in such disputes. These draft rules will be tested for their effectiveness under the current legal landscape, especially under the New York Convention, to argue for the use of on-line arbitration to resolve personal jurisdiction problems in international e-commerce disputes.


Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria), well known for their pro- and antioxidant features, have been recently proposed for the treatment of several pathologies, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. However, interaction between nanoceria and biological molecules such as proteins and lipids, short blood circulation time, and the need of a targeted delivery to desired sites are some aspects that require strong attention for further progresses in the clinical application of these nanoparticles. The aim of this work is the encapsulation of nanoceria into a liposomal formulation in order to improve their therapeutic potentialities. After the preparation through a reverse-phase evaporation method, size, Z-potential, morphology, and loading efficiency of nanoceria-loaded liposomes were investigated. Finally, preliminary in vitro studies were performed to test cell uptake efficiency and preserved antioxidant activity. Nanoceria-loaded liposomes showed a good colloidal stability, an excellent biocompatibility, and strong antioxidant properties due to the unaltered activity of the entrapped nanoceria. With these results, the possibility of exploiting liposomes as carriers for cerium oxide nanoparticles is demonstrated here for the first time, thus opening exciting new opportunities for in vivo applications.


Sublethal treatment with antibiotics can foster the development of antibiotic-resistant strains through a ROS-dependent increase in the rate of mutagenesis. The optimistic view that antibiotics would enable permanent triumph over bacterial pathogens has been challenged by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Kohanski et al. add a new twist to our understanding of bacterial resistance by showing that sublethal treatment with antibiotics can foster the development of antibiotic-resistant strains not only through selection of naturally occurring resistant variants but also by enhancing the rate of mutagenesis. Noting that some antibiotics stimulate bacterial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and that ROS damage DNA, Kohanski et al. treated Escherichia coli strain MG1655 with low concentrations of antibiotics and assessed mutation rate by the subsequent growth of colonies resistant to the antibiotic rifampicin. Whereas treatment with 1 μg/ml kanamycin (an aminoglycoside antibiotic) produced only a moderate increase in mutation rate, 1 μg/ml ampicillin (a β-lactam) or 50 ng/ml norfloxacin (a quinolone) elicited mutation rates comparable to those induced by 1 mM hydrogen peroxide. Analyses with a fluorescent indicator dye revealed that the change in mutation rate correlated with ROS production; moreover, the hydroxyl radical scavenger thiourea substantially reduced mutation induced by treatment with hydrogen peroxide or antibiotics. Furthermore, antibiotics had little effect on the mutation rate in bacteria grown under anaerobic conditions. Five days of culture in the presence of 1 μg/ml ampicillin increased the minimum inhibitory concentrations for ampicillin, norfloxacin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol, an effect that was blunted with growth under anaerobic conditions. Intriguingly, sequential selection on plates containing different antibiotics after ampicillin treatment revealed that some ampicillin-treated bacteria developed resistance to other antibiotics (norfloxacin or kanamycin) without developing resistance to ampicillin. The authors thus conclude that one mechanism through which sublethal exposure to an antibiotic can lead to the emergence of resistant strains involves the ROS-dependent increase in mutation rate and that sublethal exposure to one antibiotic can independently affect resistance to others. M. A. Kohanski, M. A. Depristo, J. J. Collins, Sublethal antibiotic treatment leads to multidrug resistance via radical-induced mutagenesis. Mol. Cell 37, 311–320 (2010). [PubMed]


Climate change is one of the major challenges in 21st century faced by Agriculture in India, more
so in the Semi-Arid Tropics (SAT) of the country. In recent years, natural and anthropogenic factors have
impacted climate variability and contributed to a large extent to climate change. Based on one degree
gridded data of India Meteorological Department (IMD) for 34 years (1971-2004), climatic water balances
are computed for 351 pixels in India and used for classifying in to six climate types following Thornthwaite's
moisture regime classification and areas falling under different climatic zones in India are delineated.
Considerable changes in the country's climate area observed between the two periods; 1971-90 and
1991-2004. Increased semi-arid area by 8.45 M ha in five states viz., Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar
Pradesh, Karnataka and Punjab, and decreased semi-arid area by 5 M ha in eleven states, contributed
to overall increase in SAT area of 3.45 M ha in the country.Overall, there has been a net reduction of
10.71 M ha in the dry sub-humid area in the country. Results indicated that dryness and wetness are
increasing in different parts of the country in the place of moderate climates existing earlier in these
regions. ICRISAT's Hypothesis of Hope through Integrated Genetic and Natural Resources Management
(IGNRM) using climate ready crops and Integrated Watershed Management could be a potential adaptation
strategy by bridging the yield gaps for developing climate resilient agriculture in the country.


The paper deals with two questions of the Vedic augment. Firstly, the
Vedic forms with an apparently long syllabic augment are re-examined and the
conclusion is drawn that these forms are due to phonological and analogical
processes and do not form evidence in favour of an original long variant of the
syllabic augment. Secondly, the temporal augment of vowel-initial roots is
considered, which consists of the vrddhi of the initial vowel. An important
analogical support for this general Old Indian rule is pointed out, namely the
influence of those verbal stems that began with *Hei-, *Heu- or *Her-
and had full or lengthened grade roots in the preterit tenses and therefore had
phonetically regular vrddhi vowels in their augmented forms.


We proposed and demonstrated a symmetrical 40-Gbps time division multiplexed passive optical network (TDM-PON) using low-cost 10-Gbps optical components in the optical network unit, optical amplification at the optical line terminal (OLT), and digital signal processing (DSP), based on four-level pulsed amplitude (PAM-4) modulation in the downstream and electrical duobinary (EDB) detection in the upstream. The use of 10-Gbps components in combination with DSP allows us to increase the serial bitrate beyond 10 Gbps for TDM-PON in a more cost-effective way. The reduced signal-to-noise ratio and the reduced dispersion tolerance by going to the higher rate were investigated for PAM-4 and EDB and optimized using DSP for PON applications. 33-dB power budget and 0–10 km range has been achieved for continuous-mode PAM-4 downstream transfer, and 29-dB power budget and 0–5 km range has been demonstrated for burst-mode EDB upstream transmission at 1537 nm. DSP, in the form of feedforward equalization and decision feedback equalization, compensated for the limited system bandwidth and significantly improved the 10-Gbps class receiver performance for 40 Gbps. Erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) were used in the OLT as both booster and preamplifier. DSP techniques were applied to help recover the burst-mode upstream signal and effectively compensate for the amplitude transient effect from EDFAs.


Soybean is the most produced and consumed oil seed crop worldwide. In 2013, 226 million metric tons were produced in over 70 countries. Organically produced soybean represents less than 0.1% of total world production. In the USA, the certified organic soybean crop was grown on 53 thousand ha or 0.17% of the total soybean acreage in the USA (32 million ha) in 2011. A gradual increase in production of organically grown soybean has occurred since the inception of organic labeling due to increased human consumption of soy products and increased demand for organic soybean meal to produce organic animal products. Production constraints caused by pathogens and insect pests are often similar in organic and non-organic soybean production, but management between the two systems often differs. In general, the non-organic, grain-type soybean crop are genetically modified higher-yielding cultivars, often with disease and pest resistance, and are grown with the use of synthetic pesticides. The higher value of organically produced soybean makes production of the crop an attractive option to some farmers. This article reviews production and uses of organically grown soybean in the USA, potential constraints to production caused by pathogens and insect pests, and management practices used to reduce the impact of these constraints.


The Laplacian Eigenfunction method for fluid simulation, which we refer to as Eigenfluids, introduced an elegant new way to capture intricate fluid flows with near-zero viscosity. However, the approach does not scale well, as the memory cost grows prohibitively with the number of eigenfunctions. The method also lacks generality, because the dynamics are constrained to a closed box with Dirichlet boundaries, while open, Neumann boundaries are also needed in most practical scenarios. To address these limitations, we present a set of analytic eigenfunctions that supports uniform Neumann and Dirichlet conditions along each domain boundary, and show that by carefully applying the discrete sine and cosine transforms, the storage costs of the eigenfunctions can be made completely negligible. The resulting algorithm is both faster and more memory-efficient than previous approaches, and able to achieve lower viscosities than similar pseudo-spectral methods. We are able to surpass the scalability of the original Laplacian Eigenfunction approach by over two orders of magnitude when simulating rectangular domains. Finally, we show that the formulation allows forward scattering to be directed in a way that is not possible with any other method.


Widely acclaimed as America's greatest living film director, Martin Scorsese is also, some argue, the pre-eminent Italian American artist. Although he has treated various subjects in over three decades, his most sustained filmmaking and the core of his achievement consists of five films on Italian American subjects - Who's That Knocking at My Door?, Mean Streets, Raging Bull, GoodFellas, and Casino - as well as the documentary Italianamerican. In Gangster Priest Robert Casillo examines these films in the context of the society, religion, culture, and history of Southern Italy, from which the majority of Italian Americans, including Scorsese, derive. Casillo argues that these films cannot be fully appreciated either thematically or formally without understanding the various facets of Italian American ethnicity, as well as the nature of Italian American cinema and the difficulties facing assimilating third-generation artists. Forming a unified whole, Scorsese's Italian American films offer what Casillo views as a prolonged meditation on the immigrant experience, the relationship between Italian America and Southern Italy, the conflicts between the ethnic generations, and the formation and development of Italian American ethnicity (and thus identity) on American soil through the generations. Raised as a Catholic and deeply imbued with Catholic values, Scorsese also deals with certain forms of Southern Italian vernacular religion, which have left their imprint not only on Scorsese himself but also on the spiritually tormented characters of his Italian American films. Casillo also shows how Scorsese interrogates the Southern Italian code of masculine honour in his exploration of the Italian American underworld or Mafia, and through his implicitly Catholic optic, discloses its thoroughgoing and longstanding opposition to Christianity. Bringing a wealth of scholarship and insight into Scorsese's work, Casillo's study will captivate readers interested in the director's magisterial artistry, the rich social history of Southern Italy, Italian American ethnicity, and the sociology and history of the Mafia in both Sicily and the United States.


Obstfeld and Rogoff (2001) argue that trade costs provide at least part of the explanation for a number of puzzles in international macroeconomics. Using data on imports to the United States from developed economies, this paper investigates whether trade costs are associated with correlations associated with three of these puzzles: the Feldstein-Horioka saving-investment puzzle; the purchasing power parity real exchange rate persistence puzzle; and the international consumption correlation puzzle. In general there is some evidence in support of Obstfeld and Rogoff's argument, though the parameters are often imprecisely estimated.


Based on ethnographic fieldwork in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, this article tracks the imbrication of ordinary and mystical desire in the life of a Muslim man who disavows pietistic forms of ethical striving. It examines the way tropes of desire from Sufi poetry affect everyday life and desire in ordinary relationships with friends and kin. Revising the notion of the "infinity of desire," which explains the traction of the paradigmatically mystical figures of lover and beloved in pious frameworks, the article argues that the finitude of desire in relation to intimate others in everyday life provides one context in which these figures, and Sufi poetry more generally, may become attractive to contemporary Muslims.


This paper presents theory and evidence from Chinese firm-product data that, given firm productivity, trade liberalization increases product markups. This finding calls for a reconsideration of the well-established imports-as-market-discipline hypothesis. This paper further verifies underlying mechanisms behind this finding: input tariff reductions decrease marginal costs, and tariff effects on markup adjustments are more profound among firms of higher import dependence. By comparing results for two trade regimes -- ordinary trade wherein firms pay import tariffs to import, and processing trade wherein firms are not subject to import tariffs -- this paper finds that the aforementioned effects only apply to ordinary trade.


This article explores the significant gender gap that currently exists in regard to power relations in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in Bangladesh. Particularly, the focus is on the discrepancy between the economic and social opportunities available to women as compared to men. The problem is treated in the context of the research theme "gender is a human rights issue". It is argued that this gender gap impacts negatively not just on women but also on the performance of the national economy as a whole. Taking a broad international comparative approach informed by a liberal-feminist perspective (articulated most cogently in the work of Fischer, Reuber and Dyke), it is argued that far-reaching cultural change to address entrenched patriarchal attitudes is needed in addition to a program of legislative and regulatory reform. These reforms include full implementation of the national policy for women in development 2011 and a comprehensive credit policy for women entrepreneurs. Such changes will help turn the sector into an engine of growth in Bangladesh and at the same time give women greater independence and better access to fundamental rights.The findings show that traditional legal systems, traditional models of inheritance and entrenched male-dominated hierarchies in the financial system restrict the capacity of women entrepreneurs to run SMEs. Specifically, laws around formal economic rights do not support women in Bangladesh. These laws inhibit their ability to accumulate assets that can be used as collateral, which then makes it harder for them to obtain loans. Further, women are less likely to obtain a loan than men are even if they meet the requirements, and they face higher interest rates. To remedy this, women must be given the same property inheritance rights and access to credit as men. These fundamental rights must not only be granted, but also enforced.


Agricultural activity permanently affected ecosystems - agroecosystems are particularly in terms of ensuring of nutrition for human society, very important functional units of the biosphere. Represent economically important organisms and their environment. Very often are surrounded by natural ecosystems, which are usually very closely linked. Although their relationship is two-sided, agroecosystems can induce not only reduce the heterogeneity of the country but also may affect the biodiversity of the surrounding terrestrial and aquatic habitats. In order to assess the impact of agricultural activities on the water quality characteristics, as well as on the biodiversity and the structure of communities of aquatic organisms, we carried out sampling of water from six sampling sites at regular quarterly intervals, 24 water samples was collected, in the year 2007 in the Nnature reserve Alluvium Žitavy located in the southwestern part of Slovak Republic, in the geomorphologic unit of Podunajska rovina,. As the basic biological material we used organisms of macrozoobenthos living at the bottom of the aquatic habitats. This group of individuals is an important indicator of water quality, based on their species and numerical representation can be evaluated the water quality of monitored biotopes. Analysis of samples of water we obtained 9920 individuals, deterministic as 110 species of fourteen systematic groups of invertebrates. Of them, the largest proportion in the structure of benthic macrozoobenthos had Gastropoda (24.01%), Isopoda (13.47%), Ephemeroptera (10.60%), Heteroptera (9.33%), Coleoptera (8.49%), individuals of family Chironomidae (8.25%) and Diptera(7,40%). The species with the smallest proportion in the structure of zoobenthos of monitored wetlands (ranging from 1.61% to 4.32%) included representatives of systematic groups Turbellaria, Odonata, Hirudinea, Trichoptera, Amphipoda, Bivalvia and Oligochaeta. The most of species that formed monitored community of aquatic organisms belongs to the good indicators of water quality. Therefore, not only based on the structure of community of macrozoobenthos but also based on the calculated saprobic index (Si), the water which is used by this community as their habitat corresponds to β-mezosaprobic zone, slightly polluted water. Between sampling sites the significant differences in the quality and purity of water was recorded, even not only in the numerous represented of benthic fauna. Some differences in representation of species were observed, because each of the representatives of zoobenthos has different requirements for water quality characteristics. Despite this, agriculture fertilizer application, spillage of the oil substances and their floating could result in deterioration of water quality of monitoring wetlands and thus the structure and biodiversity of benthic invertebrates.


Abstract. Air pollution represents a global threat leading to large impacts on health and ecosystems and many European areas still show a poor air quality. Many measures and policies have been adopted in the past decades at European, national, regional and even local level and many tools have been developed to tackle this issue. Among these tools, the European Air Quality Directive places more emphasis on the use of models for air quality assessment and management. Within this context, air quality forecasting systems play an important role in supporting decision makers when short-term actions are required to reduce human health risks by limiting population exposure. In this framework, at European level within the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the regional air quality models participating to the service provide 4-day daily forecasts of the main atmospheric pollutants concentrations, in the lowest layers of the atmosphere. This work presents the development and the performances evaluation of FORAIR_IT, an high-resolution air quality forecasting system operating at both European (20 km) and Italian (4 km) scales. Its skill results are compared with CAMS_50 interim ensemble reanalysis (IRA) ones and a long lasting PM10 exceeding event, occurred in Emilia Romagna region in October 2017, is studied in more detail. Results show similar skill scores between FORAIT_IT and CAMS_50. Comparing the annual average of the monthly Root Mean Square Error Difference (RMSED) between FORAIT_IT first forecast day and CAMS_50, over the European domain the RMSED is 0.6, 1.7, 1.4 and 7.4 μg/m3 for daily mean PM10 and PM2.5 and daily maximum for NO2 and O3, respectively, while over the Italian domain it is  1.2, 0.3,  4.3 and 3.8 μg/m3. The importance of increasing model resolution in the region of interest is highlighted by the lower values of RMSED over Italy with respect to Europe. The results obtained by the detailed analysis of the PM10 exceeding event suggests the crucial role of the meteorological forcing in capturing both the timing and the intensity of the exceedances. As far as we know FORAIR_IT is the first forecasting system at high spatial resolution at Italian National level.


Reinforcement learning is considered as a promising direction for driving policy learning. However, training autonomous driving vehicle with reinforcement learning in real environment involves non-affordable trial-and-error. It is more desirable to first train in a virtual environment and then transfer to the real environment. In this paper, we propose a novel realistic translation network to make model trained in virtual environment be workable in real world. The proposed network can convert non-realistic virtual image input into a realistic one with similar scene structure. Given realistic frames as input, driving policy trained by reinforcement learning can nicely adapt to real world driving. Experiments show that our proposed virtual to real (VR) reinforcement learning (RL) works pretty well. To our knowledge, this is the first successful case of driving policy trained by reinforcement learning that can adapt to real world driving data.


Freedmen occupied a complex and often problematic place in Roman society between slaves on the one hand and freeborn citizens on the other. Playing an extremely important role in the economic life of the Roman world, they were also a key instrument for replenishing and even increasing the size of the citizen body. This book presents an original synthesis, for the first time covering both Republic and Empire in a single volume. While providing up-to-date discussions of most significant aspects of the phenomenon, the book also offers a new understanding of the practice of manumission, its role in the organisation of slave labour and the Roman economy, as well as the deep-seated ideological concerns to which it gave rise. It locates the freedman in a broader social and economic context, explaining the remarkable popularity of manumission in the Roman world.


BACKGROUND
Astrocytes, which comprise ~90% of overall brain mass, are involved in brain immunity. These cells represent the non-professional class of CNS-resident APCs and may promote or inhibit CNS inflammation depending on the cytokines they secrete. IL-10 family of cytokines and their receptors, IL-20R1 and IL-20R2, may have a role in shifting astrocytes to a neuroprotective or neurodegenerative function.

OBJECTIVE
To address the expression of IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 cytokine receptors in astrocytes and brain cortex of C57BL/6 mice.

METHODS
We investigated the expression of IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 in C57BL/6 mice astroglial cells and brain cortex in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method.

RESULTS
Astrocytes were able to express IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 mRNA not only in response to LPS stimulation but also in the absence of LPS. Furthermore, we found the expression of IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 mRNA in the cortex of adult C57BL/6 mice.

CONCLUSIONS
IL-20R1 and IL-20R2 are constitutively express in the brain. Since most neuropathological processes involve astrocytes and inflammatory cytokines, these findings have important implications for future therapeutic strategies.


Professor Charles Wagley was my mentor at Columbia University, my colleague at the University of Florida and a dear friend. His influence on me can be summarized in one word: Brazil. From the time I took his course, "Peoples of Brazil", as a first semester graduate student at Columbia I was captivated and most of my subsequent field research and publications have had Brazilian themes. Under Dr. Wagley's direction I did field research for my dissertation in the coffee region of northern Parana and focused on the shift from coffee cultivation to cattle ranching and the social and economic consequences of that change. My subsequent research in the area involved the impact of frost on this shift in economic base as well as one of its results: the flight of poor Brazilians to Paraguay. Then starting in the late 1980s my research shifted and I began focusing on Brazilian immigrants in New York City. This was part of a growing movement of Brazilians arriving in New York, elsewhere in the United States and in Europe and Japan. Since then most of my subsequent research and publications have been on this new wave of international migrants


one copy of any article(s) in SHURA to facilitate their private study or for non-commercial research. You may not engage in further distribution of the material or use it for any profit-making activities or any commercial gain.


Elephant seals are of interest for physiological and biochemical studies in relation to metabolic changes during the periods of prolonged fast during breeding and their ability to exist in the polar regions. Our interest is focussed on the conditions of serum lipoproteins, since elephant seals showe comparatively high levels of cholesterol but no evidence of atherosclerotic diseases. We used two methods to investigate the lipoproteins in lactating females, sucking pups, and weaned pups during breeding ashore.Field studies were carried out during austral summers 95/96 and 96/97 at King George Island, Antarctica. The body weight and blood samples were obtained repeatedly from 12 lactating (fasting) females and their sucking pups during the breeding period, and from 9 fasting pups during the weaning period. Adults were immobilised with ketamine. Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), and high density lipoproteins (HDL) were isolated from blood serum by ultracentrifugation (UC), and by fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC). Cholesterol was measured both in serum, and in each fraction derived from UC and FPLC.The investigations are concerned with lipoproteins, but consider also the reliability of the methods used.The UC and the FPLC show a general agreement of cholesterol distribution throughout the lipoprotein spectrum. HDL-cholesterol is the predominant fraction. Compared with humans, the serrum cholesterol concentration is elevated. During lactation, cholesterol levels decreased in females, while concentartions in sucking pups increased significantly. In weaned pups, no significant changes of cholesterol were noted.Cholesterol is suggested to play an important role in seals. A high amount of disposable cholesterol might be necessary to ensure sufficient fluidity of cell membranes in blood vessels when elephant seals dive (over 1500m). It might also be necessary as a source of precursors for aldosterone synthesis in order to save water in lactating (fasting) females and in weaned (fasting) pups.


The study is based on research covering the period from 1918 to 1990 and contains lists of file materials, bibliographies, documents, catalogues, and book, magazine and newspaper articles, primarily in Polish. In order to maintain a sharp focus, only those titles are included which are closely connected to the topic and not found in other major bibliographical studies. Much of the cited material appeared in Poland from the 1950's to the 1980's. These materials have been compiled from the most disparate sources, including studies by centralized institutions such as the government, The United Polish Workers' Party (UPWP), trade unions, and also by less official and marginal bodies, as well as independent studies. This study also includes special materials designed for the exclusive internal use of the UPWP and unpublished materials such as dissertations and manuscripts. The division of the materials into thirty categories is intended to facilitate the use of this bibliography in future historical research. The anniversaries section, for example, presents historical perspectives of the UPWP. In one sense, it documents how the UPWP, the self-declared official heir to the prewar communist ideology, perceived its past communist history. The titles within this section focus upon the observations of those who celebrated the communist past in important historical moments. In another sense, the celebration and analyses thereof, at both the specialist and grass roots level, reveal more about the contemporary UPWP itself than of the pre-war communists. The second part of this study comprises an extensive list of revolutionaries and accompanying bibliographic entries. Again, this has been carried out with the criterion of maintaining a sharp focus, and avoiding superfluous materials. Since about ten percent of the revolutionaries in interbellum Poland are sketched herein, previous assumptions can be tested or new hypotheses may arise on this working political body. $199.95 1992


This thesis describes an investigation of methods by which both repetitive and non-repetitive electrical transients in an HVDC converter station may be controlled for minimum overall cost. Several methods of inrush control are proposed and studied. The preferred method, whose development is reported in this thesis, would utilize two magnetic materials, one of which is assumed to be lossless and the other has controlled eddy-current losses. Mathematical studies are performed to assess the optimum characteristics of these materials, such that inrush current is suitably controlled for a minimum saturation flux requirement. Subsequent evaluation of the cost of hardware and capitalized losses of the proposed inrush control, indicate that a cost reduction of approximately 50% is achieved, in comparison with the inrush control hardware for the Sellindge converter station. Further mathematical studies are carried out to prove the adequacy of the proposed inrush control characteristics for controlling voltage and current transients during both repetitive and non-repetitive operating conditions. The results of these proving studies indicate that no change in the proposed characteristics is required to ensure that integrity of the thyristors is maintained.


A poor understanding of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) among Health Care Professionals (HCPs) may put our lives at risk. We aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs of HCPs towards Ebola at Gondar University Hospital (GUH) in Northwest Ethiopia. We conducted a hospital based, cross-sectional survey among 245 randomly selected HCPs working at GUH from August-October, 2015. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. We calculated descriptive statistics with P<0.05 being statistically significant. Of the 245 participants, 211 (86.1%) completed the study. The majority had heard about EVD and used news media (62%) as a source of information. Still, many were afraid of getting EVD (56.4%; P=0.001). A significant number of HCPs thought EVD can cause paralysis like polio (45%) and can be treated with antibiotics (28.4%). In addition, 46.4% of the HCPs felt anger or fear towards Ebola infected patients (P=0.006). We identified poor knowledge and negative incorrect beliefs among doctors and allied health professionals. There is a need for intensive training for all HCPs reduce EVD risk.


Nanosilver is the most popular and most studied nanomaterial, however, a family of nanomaterials is rapidly enlarging. They are used in various branches of industry and everyday life. In medicine new nanomaterials can be used either alone or in combi‐ nation with other "classical" drugs, e.g. cytostatic drugs or antibiotics. They can be also used as diagnostic agents. A development of nanoparticles has led to a new combination of diagnostic and therapy theranostic. Size of a particle makes a difference not only between bulk material and nanomaterial, but also in their properties and toxicity. Nanomaterials can have beneficial properties, but can also be toxic. New issues concerning nanomaterials arise an industrial exposure and environmental pollution. They can enter human body in various ways. Cellular mechanisms of nanomaterial toxicity comprise mainly a generation of reactive oxygen species and genotoxicity. The differences between toxicity of fine particles and nanoparticles have led to an origin of a new branch of science, nanotoxicology.


The publication of George Perkins Marsh's Man and Nature in 1864 is generally believed to mark the beginning of modern conservationism in the United States; in 1963, for instance, Secretary of Interior Stewart L. Udall said that it introduced "land wisdom in this country."1 From the start, the Vermonter's book won a respectful hearing in influential circles, most notably in New England's leading quarterly journal, the North American Review, whose editor, James Russell Lowell, recognized that Marsh had issued a call on Modern Man to exercise an enlightened stewardship over the natural world. The book, said Lowell, properly indicted Man as "a destroying agent" of the physical environment, but it was ultimately "consoling; for proving as it does the power of man for mischief, it also suggests that the same prodigious force, intelligently organized and guided, may be equally potent for remedy and the restoration of equilibrium."2 This appraisal was to be expected from the Review, because over the previous three decades it had often expressed the same general attitude toward the relationship between human society and the natural world. It is probably true that Man and Nature was, as Lewis Mumford called it, the "fountainhead" of conservationism on the national level, but such judgments ignore earlier origins of the conservationist movement. This oversight tends both to overstate the importance of the post-Civil War period in originating the movement and to obscure the full meaning of conversationism; if any credit is given to the pre-war period, it is bestowed on the work of artists and writers, especially Henry Thoreau, in promoting wilderness preservation.3 The subject of this article is another form of antebellum conservationism which emphasized a more positive relationship between nature and a modernizing society. This form appeared in the North American Review between 1830 and 1860, when New England experienced a period of rapid modernization in nearly every aspect of its life. Like Marsh, the Review had a much different attitude toward nature than that of its better known contemporaries, the Transcendentalists, who saw the natural world chiefly as an antidote to civilized life; it would certainly not agree with Thoreau when he declared that "hope and future for me are not in the lawns and cultivated fields, not in towns and cities, but in the impervious and quaking swamps." Although it recognized the literary brilliance of Walden, it ended its brief review of that book in 1854 by questioning its relevance, "for the author's life in the woods was on too narrow a scale to find imitation."4 In contrast to Thoreau's sophisticated primitivism with its a-social individualism, the attitude of this conservative Boston-based quarterly was that human beings had the right and obligation to cultivate nature in the interests of progress and a civilized society. The North American Review was founded in 1815 by William Tudor with the aim of protecting the United States from both the domination of English culture and the influence of French radical thought. As it matured, it became an influential agency for the spread of progressive ideas as well as a defender of traditional Yankee values. Throughout the nineteenth century, it represented the enlightened conservatism of a small but select constituency, chiefly scholars, ministers, and other professional men who helped to guide the modernization of eastern New England. It was not a popular journal nor a particularly inspired one, but it was a respected medium for many of the new ideas which eventually influenced policy in the region and in the nation.5 The Review's attitude toward nature developed out of its distinctive view of human society and its potential. Rejecting the pessimistic forecast of Thomas Malthus that population increases would inevitably prevent humankind from overcoming scarcity and privation, its editors believed that the growth of population under modern conditions could be expected to bring an even greater growth in material wealth. …


This study offers a personal look at the progenitors of glasnost and perestroika. The book examines the first tremors of change felt during the 1950s thaw and the dissidents and leaders whose political consciousness was formed during that time. Ludmilla Alexayeva, a leading activist in the Soviet human rights movement and now a member of the Helsinki Watch Group, gives us a first hand account of at this period. Thinkers, reformers and radicals came of age during Khruschev's liberalization and the revelation of Stalin's atrocities. Determined to transform Russia, they turned to defiance, with all its consequences, while others of their generation advanced within the bureaucratic system in the hope of outlasting the old guard.


The paleontological surveys in the lignites of the Tertiary basin of Nong Ya Plong in Central Thailand have led to the discovery of a new fossiliferous locality. This locality, located in the Cha Prong pit, has yielded relatively well preserved fossils (two mandibles and isolated teeth) of a diatomyid rodent, Fallomus ladakhensis Nanda & Sahni, 1998, which was first described only from two isolated lower molars from the Oligo-Miocene Kargil Formation in Ladakh (India). This additional material allows better characterization of the Diatomyidae and discussion about the possibility of phylogenetic relationships with the Pedetidae. The occurrence in Nong Ya Plong of F. ladakhensis in association with a typically late Oligocene rhinocerotid (of western European affinities) testifies to the existence of Oligocene deposits in Thailand - a period still scantily documented in South Asia. The Paleogene/Neogene transition is particularly significant in South Asia in terms of climatic changes, which are related to the important paleogeographic and paleogeomorphological events consequent to the India-Eurasia collision. The fauna from Nong Ya Plong, coupled with those of the Oligocene of Pakistan and India, provides a glimpse into the evolutionary history of mammal communities in South Asia and into the paleoenvironmental conditions (inferred) during this critical time interval.


Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC

Asbestos describes a group of naturally occurring silicate mineral fibers that were frequently used in industry during the 20th century due to their desirable flame retardant and tensile properties. Although use has fallen over the last three decades, exposure continues and the burden of disease is considerable. The primary routes of exposure to the fibers include inhalation and ingestion. Asbestos is a known risk factor for several malignant respiratory diseases, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, and has more recently been implicated in pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer. However, studies of asbestos and cancers of the larynx or pharynx with adequate sample-size and control for other risk factors for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) such as smoking and drinking habit remain somewhat sparse. We report findings from a case-control study consisting of 934 incident HNSCC cases from the greater Boston region and 1180 population-based controls, frequency matched on age (+/- 3 years), sex, and town or neighborhood of residence. Study subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire that provided detailed data on history of asbestos exposure, sociodemographics and personal characteristics, alcohol and tobacco use, personal and family cancer history, and other relevant dietary, occupational, residential and medical exposures. Occupational asbestos exposure was dichotomized as exposed or never exposed based on self reported occupation data. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression was used to assess the association between asbestos exposure and HNSCC, overall and by primary tumor site and smoking history. A total of 217 cases (23.2%) and 226 controls (19.2%) reported an occupational exposure to asbestos. We observed a borderline association of asbestos exposure and laryngopharyngeal cancer (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.95-1.59), adjusted for age, sex, race, smoking, alcohol consumption, and education. After stratifying by smoking history, a significant association was observed between asbestos exposure and laryngopharyngeal cancer among ever-smokers (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.00-1.84). These observations are consistent with the mounting evidence that asbestos is a risk factor for pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer.

Citation Format: Scott M. Langevin, Mattie H. O'Sullivan, Jennifer L. Valerio, Kate M. Applebaum, Melissa Eliot, Michael D. McClean, Karl T. Kelsey. Occupational asbestos exposure is associated with head and neck cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3627. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3627


The mesopause, a boundary between mesosphere and thermosphere with the coldest atmospheric temperature, is formed mainly by the combining effects of radiative cooling of CO2, and the vertical adiabatic flow in the upper atmosphere. A continuous multidecade (1990‐2018) nocturnal temperature data base of an advanced Na lidar, obtained at Fort Collins, CO (41°N, 105°W), and at Logan, UT (42°N, 112°W), provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the long‐term variations of this important atmospheric boundary. In this study, we categorize the lidar‐observed mesopause into two categories: the "high mesopause" (HM) above 97 km during nonsummer months, mainly formed through the radiative cooling, and the "low mesopause" (LM) below 92 km during nonwinter months, generated mostly by the adiabatic cooling. These lidar observations reveal a cooling trend of more than 2 K/decade in absolute mesopause temperature since 1990, along with a decreasing trend in mesopause height: The HM is moving downward at a speed of ~ 450 ± 90 m/decade, while the LM has a slower downward trend of ~ 130 ± 160 m/decade. However, since 2000, while the height trend (‐ 470 ± 160 m/decade for the HM and 150 ± 290 m/decade for the LM) is consistent, the temperature trend becomes statistically insignificant (‐ 0.2 ± 0.7 K/decade and ‐1 ± 0.9 K/decade for the HM and the LM, respectively). A long‐term study by Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) also indicated the similar mesopause changes, mostly caused by stratosphere‐lower mesosphere cooling and contraction.


&NA; Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in their second decade of life present with decreased upper extremity strength and active range of motion (AROM) that limit activities of daily living (ADLs). We evaluated the ability of the Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX) to improve AROM and independence with ADLs. A retrospective chart review of 9 patients who trialed the WREX was performed. Patients were classified on the basis of the Brooke Upper Extremity Scale. AROM, strength, and independence with ADLs were assessed before and after a WREX trial. Patients demonstrated increased shoulder flexion and abduction (25°‐100°, median = 55°) and elbow flexion (10°‐110°, median = 60°). Increased independence with self‐feeding, item retrieval, use of phones and tablets, and facial grooming were noted. The WREX allowed for gravity‐reduced movement via elastic bands to unweight the upper extremity, enabling increased upper extremity active movement that supported increased independence with ADLs.


The last decade has witnessed the discovery of materials combining shape memory behavior with ferromagnetic properties (FSMAs), see James & Wuttig1, James et al.2, Ullakko et al.3. These materials feature the so-called giant magnetostrain effect, which, in contrast to conventional magnetostriction is due motion of martensite twins. This effect has motivated the development of a new class of active materials transducers, which combine intrinsic sensing capabilities with superior actuation speed and improved efficiency when compared to conventional shape memory alloys. Currently, thin film technology is being developed intensively in order to pave the way for applications in micro- and nanotechnology. As an example, Kohl et al., recently proposed a novel actuation mechanism based on NiMnGa thin film technology, which makes use of both the ferromagnetic transition and the martensitic transformation allowing the realization of an almost perfect antagonism in a single component part. The implementation of the mechanism led to the award-winning development of an optical microscanner. Possible applications in nanotechnology arise, e.g., by combination of smart NiMnGa actuators with scanning probe technologies. The key aspect of Kohl's device is the fact that it employs electric heating for actuation, which requires a thermo-magneto-mechanical model for analysis. The research presented in this paper aims at the development of a model that simulates this particular material behavior. It is based on ideas originally developed for conventional shape memory alloy behavior, (Mueller & Achenbach, Achenbach, Seelecke, Seelecke & Mueller) and couples it with a simple expression for the nonlinear temperature- and position-dependent effective magnetic force. This early and strongly simplified version does not account for a full coupling between SMA behavior and ferromagnetism yet, and does not incorporate the hysteretic character of the magnetization phenomena either. It can however be used to explain the basic actuation mechanism and highlight the role of coupled magnetic and martensitic transformation with respect to the actuator performance. In particular will we be able to develop guidelines for desirable alloy compositions, such that the resulting transition temperatures guarantee optimized actuator performance.


Abstract. We present results from new geophysical data allowing modelling of the water flow within Subglacial Lake Ellsworth (SLE), West Antarctica. Our simulations indicate that this lake has a novel temperature distribution due to significantly thinner ice than other surveyed subglacial lakes. The critical pressure boundary (tipping depth), established from the semi-empirical Equation of State, defines whether the lake's flow regime is convective or stratified. It passes through SLE and separates different temperature (and flow) regimes on either side of the lake. Our results have implications for the location of proposed access holes into SLE, the choice of which will depend on scientific or operational priorities. If an understanding of subglacial lake water properties and dynamics is the priority, holes are required in a basal freezing area at the North end of the lake. This would be the preferred priority suggested by this paper, requiring temperature and salinity profiles in the water column. A location near the Southern end, where bottom currents are lowest, is optimum for detecting the record of life in the bed sediments; to minimise operational risk and maximise the time span of a bed sediment core, a location close to the middle of the lake, where the basal interface is melting and the lake bed is at its deepest, remains the best choice. Considering potential lake-water salinity and ice-density variations, we estimate the critical tipping depth, separating different temperature regimes within subglacial lakes, to be in about 2900 to 3045 m depth.


Whereas the drive to elaborate principles and practices of global distributive justice is continuing apace in the academy, Rawls's last book The Law of Peoples rejected the very idea of global distributive justice, and recommended instead a 'duty of assistance' towards societies burdened by unfavourable conditions - a concession that was described by many critics as wholly inadequate to the task of addressing global economic injustice. Recently, though, some more friendly critics (including Samuel Freeman, David Reidy and Mathias Risse) have argued for a reappraisal. Perhaps the duty is a demanding one, which enjoys clear advantages over some accounts of global distributive justice. And relatedly, perhaps The Law of Peoples possesses greater resources for theorising issues of global economic justice than has sometimes been recognised. This paper evaluates this attempt at rehabilitation. The character of the duty of assistance is set out, and the reasons why it is held to be superior to principles of global distributive justice are briefly canvassed. The supposed advantages enjoyed by the duty are examined, and it is shown that these are far less impressive than has been suggested by both Rawls and some recent defenders of his position. The paper also considers the ways in which the account developed in The Law of Peoples is able to contribute to the theorisation of global economic injustice. Although the account does provide more resources than has sometimes been recognised, it is argued that as the duty-based account is pushed further on this issue, it becomes still less plausible to claim that it possesses appreciable advantages over various positions on global distributive justice. More pointedly, its supposed advantages turn out to be in tension with each other. As such, if the provision of an adequate position on global economic justice is the goal, the reappraisal of The Law of Peoples may ultimately demand a transcendence of at least some of its key elements.


We developed a simple and reliable genetic method to determine sex in bats from the Vespertilionidae and Molossidae families. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify a portion of the introns within the zinc‐finger‐X (Zfx) and zinc‐finger‐Y (Zfy) genes. We designed primers to produce size variation between the Zfx and Zfy products that could be visualized using gel electrophoresis. Using an example from our wind‐wildlife research, we show how sex data generated using this method are superior to sex data based on external morphology. Our method allows for the generation of sex data across a wide range of bats that can be used to address key questions in wildlife forensics, behavioural ecology, conservation and evolutionary biology.


We examine the effect of inflation variability and economic growth using annual historical data on both developing and developed countries. The data cover 182 developing countries and 31 developed countries for the period 1961-2009. Proxying inflation variability by the five-year coefficient of variation of inflation, we obtain the following results: (1) For developing countries, there is significant evidence to suggest that when the rate of inflation exceeds 10 % inflation variability has a negative effect on economic growth. (2) For developed countries, there is no significant evidence that inflation variability is detrimental to growth.


Taphonomic, geological and sampling processes have been cited as biasing richness measurements in the fossil record, and sampling proxies have been widely used to assess this. However, the link between sampling and taxonomic richness is poorly understood, and there has been much debate on the equivalence and relevance of proxies. We approach this question by combining both historical and novel data: a historical fossil occurrence dataset with uniquely high spatial resolution from the Upper Cretaceous Chalk Group of Hampshire, UK, and a newly compiled 3D geological model that maps subsurface extent. The geological model provides rock volumes, and these are compared with exposure and outcrop area, sampling proxies that have often been conflated in previous studies. The extent to which exposure area (true rock availability) has changed over research time is also tested. We find a trend of low Cenomanian to high Turonian to Campanian raw richness, which correlates with, and is possibly driven by, the number of specimens found. After sampling standardization, an unexpected mid-Turonian peak diversity is recovered, and sampling-standardized genus richness is best predicted by rock volume, suggesting a species–area (or 'genus–area') effect. Additionally, total exposure area has changed over time, but relative exposure remains the same. Supplementary materials: A locality list, abundance matrix and all correlation and modelling results are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3592208.