Strontia Springs Dam is a principal feature of the Foothills Project on the South Platte River, 25 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado. The dam provides for storage and diversion of water in an expansion of the water supply of the Denver metropolitan area. The dam has a 2600 square mile drainage area with a total spillway capacity of 90,000 cubic feet per second. The dam is a concrete double curvature thin arch structure with a maximum height of 292 feet. Construction included a 15 foot diameter horseshoe tunnel for diversion, approximately 246,000 cubic yards of excavation, 48,500 linear feet of grout holes, 97,600 cubic yards of concrete for the arch dam and 10,276 cubic yards of concrete for remaining structures. During construction, special care was taken with winterization, curing, and post cooling of concrete.


Shoulder pain has been associated with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) and a reduction in external rotation (ER) strength; however, in tennis players, there is scarce evidence regarding the impact of a single match on shoulder range of motion (ROM), strength and serve speed. The aim of this study was to determine the acute effect of a single tennis match on shoulder rotation ROM, isometric strength and serve speed. Twenty-six professional tennis players participated in the study (20.4±4.4 years; 10.5±3.2 years tennis expertise; 20.5±5.4 h/week training). Passive shoulder external (ER-ROM) and internal rotation ROM (IR-ROM), ER and IR isometric strength were measured before and after a single tennis match (80.3±21.3 min) in both shoulder´s. Moreover, the total arc of motion (TAM) and ER/IR strength ratio were calculated. Video analysis was used to assess the number of serves and groundstrokes, while a radar gun was utilized to measure maximal ball speed. In the dominant shoulder, compared to pre-match levels, IR-ROM was significantly reduced (-1.3%; p = 0.042), while ER-ROM (5.3%; p = 0.037) and TAM (3.1%; p = 0.050) were significantly increased. In the non-dominant shoulder, ER-ROM (3.7%; p = 0.006) was increased. Furthermore, in the dominant shoulder, the isometric ER strength was significantly reduced after the match (-4.8%; p = 0.012), whereas serve speed was not significantly reduced after match (-1.16%; p = 0.197). A single tennis match leads to significant reductions in shoulder ROM (e.g., IR of the dominant shoulder) and isometric strength (e.g., ER of the dominant shoulder). This study reveals the importance of recovery strategies prescription aiming at minimize post-match alteration in the shoulders.


GNSS is being gradually adopted for both navigation and control of many safety critical transportation system. This paper focuses on the important area of high integrity GNSS for railway applications which is critical for safe use of GNSS. While aviation has led the development of high-integrity GNSS applications, the Railway High Integrity Navigation Overlay System (RHINOS) effort aims to apply GNSS to railways utilizing similar integrity methodologies. In particular, it seeks to provide the accuracy necessary to support the most critical railway operations while assuring a very low probability of Hazardously Misleading Information (HMI). The RHINOS efforts are studying the most appropriate architectures (e.g., combinations of GNSS augmentations) and developing an integrity methodology suitable for the architecture that is chosen. This paper describes a reference RHINOS architecture and examines its performance under nominal and faulted conditions. The performance analysis is conducted through simulation using the Matlab Algorithm Availability Simulation Tool (MAAST). MAAST, which was developed for aviation integrity analyses, was modified to support Protection Level (PL) calculations based on a proposed RHINOS reference architecture. It calculates PLs at representative locations throughout Europe for both nominal and faulted cases. The nominal case assumes that all GNSS range measurements are bounded by faultfree error models. Error models derived from accepted Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) and Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) models are used. The main exception is multipath, which is known to be more severe for trains than for aircraft. The fault cases examined are those where either ionosphere gradients, satellite (ephemeris or clock) errors, or multipath exceed the nominal models. The integrity monitoring should detect and exclude the fault, if it is sufficiently large or not detected it, in which case it will bound its effect. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted to provide insights for designing the system. Different multipath assumptions are tested and different levels of mitigation are examined what level of mitigation and monitoring should be targeted.


To avoid workload losses by bottlenecks in flow lines the capacity of assembly and manufacturing work stations has to be balanced. In principle, the distribution of the work amount at the processing stations in a production line must be made as equal as possible with the principle of SALBP. In the case of non-linear production systems, one finds very little guidance in the technical literature for the balancing of the station Workload. In this paper, a new strategy for improved distribution of the work amount on the stations in non-linear production systems is developed. In analogy to hydraulic systems, in which a relationship between the values of the cross-sectional areas of tubes and the flow rate exists, the processing times of stations in the flow lines before and after the network elements (splitting and merging elements) can be define in a similar way. Furthermore, the relationship between these processing times is analyzed and translated into formulas, and an algorithm is developed for the implementation of optimization.


Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the academic experience of student veterans who reported cognitive and psychological symptoms following their military service. Design: Phenomenology, based on a conceptual model of self-regulated learning (SRL). Participants: Six student veterans enrolled at a large public university who self-reported symptoms consistent with TBI/PTSD, or who were involved in combat operations, or who had an improvised explosive device (IED) detonate nearby. Results: Despite often having service-related trauma symptoms, the participants did not report a strong connection between those symptoms and their academic performance. However, participants reported challenges with social interactions, low overall engagement in academics, and difficulty transitioning from the highly structured military environment to the low-structure post-secondary environment. Discussion: Motivation and discipline were important factors for participants during their transition to postsecondary education. Personal attributes seem to attenuate barriers to academic achievement resulting from acquired cognitive and psychological combat trauma.


IRA Academico Research is an institutional publisher member of Publishers International Linking Association Inc. (PILA-CrossRef), USA. IRA Academico Research is an institutional signatory to the Budapest Open Access Initiative, Hungary advocating the open-access of scientific and scholarly knowledge. IRA Academico Research is a registered content provider under Open Access Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH).


Interstate water dispute stands at the juncture of two fields of law: federalism under constitutional law, and water law. Because India is a federal democracy, and because rivers cross state boundaries, constructing efficient and equitable mechanisms for allocating river flows has long been an imperative legal and constitutional subject. The provisions of the Constitution relating to interstate water dispute give a good instance of co-operative federalism. In India water is primarily falls under State list, except in case of interstate rivers where the Central government can intervene. However, powers of the river board created under River Boards Act, 1956 only have advisory powers. There have been instances where States have refused to accept the decision of tribunals rendering the arbitration not binding, which makes the Indian water dispute settlement mechanisms further ambiguous and opaque. The paper examines the methods and policies used before independence to tackle the problem of interstate river water dispute. The paper highlights a need for quick movement to arbitration or adjudication in case of a conflict. The paper presents some recommendations, including the setting up of an independent federated institution to adjudicate and negotiate between the parties to the dispute within a fixed time period. Keywords: Interstate, River, Constitution, Federalism, Adjudication


Frameworks are actively used today as a tool to simplify development processes and to create secure and robust tailor made solutions. Using frameworks as the foundation when developing web solutions reduce the time it takes to go from an idea to a finished product, meanwhile allowing the framework to handle potential log-in processes. Problems occur if a security breach is identified in such a framework. If the flawed framework is utilized by multiple websites, these users will be vulnerable to malware or malicious actions by third parties. If the update process for the framework is simplified, it would mean an increase in the update rate by any admin. In this thesis, research by interviews and observations have been made to identify possible improvements in the update process of the Python-based framework Django. Since 2010, more than 50 holes in the security of this framework have been discovered. Due to a complicated update process, there is reason to assume that there are multiple users on the web today with vulnerable versions of the framework. Therefore, in the work on this thesis, a tool that can be installed on existing Django-applications has been developed and tested. This tool will alert an admin if the current version of the framework is outdated. The tool includes a user interface to help the administrator installing any updates and uncover potential risks by installing the newest version of the framework.


We model the algorithmic task of geometric elimination (e.g., quantifier elimination in the elementary field theories of real and complex numbers) by means of certain constraint database queries, called geometric queries. As a particular case of such a geometric elimination task, we consider sample point queries. We show exponential lower complexity bounds for evaluating geometric queries in the general and in the particular case of sample point queries. Although this paper is of theoretical nature, its aim is to explore the possibilities and (complexity-)limits of computer implemented query evaluation algorithms for Constraint Databases, based on the principles of the most advanced geometric elimination procedures and their implementations, like, e.g., the software package "Kronecker".


Chronic myeloid leukemia is characterized by a reciprocal chromosomal translocation between chromosome 9 and 22, resulting in the expression of the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. Despite the great improvement in patient survival using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), resistance caused by point mutations in the Abl kinase domain is a major drawback in therapy. Bcr-Abl forms a multi-protein complex and Gab2 is one of the few functionally critical scaffold proteins and substrates of Bcr-Abl. The goal of this thesis was to understand the contributions of the different pathways activated downstream of Gab2. In order to pursue this aim, we aimed at targeting the Gab2 protein complex with high-affinity and highly specific engineered fibronectin type III monobodies, which act as small protein interaction inhibitors, binding to the SH2 domains of Gab2 interactors. Firstly, the Gab2 complex was studied in an unbiased way by using interaction proteomics in order to confirm the pre-defined interactors of Gab2 and find out new interactors that could be possibly targetable by monobodies. To this end, Gab2 and the known interactors were affinity-tagged and expressed in cells and interacting proteins were identified after tandem affinity purification by protein mass spectrometry. Many known interactors were confirmed and possible novel interactors were identified. Next, the SH2 domains of the Gab2 interactors SHP2 and PLCI³1 were targeted by monobodies and binding clones were functionally characterized. Initially, monobodies targeting the SH2 domains of SHP2, which is an oncogenic tyrosine phosphatase, were studied. Tandem affinity purification of the monobodies demonstrated that they are monospecific for their cognate target protein and no other SH2 domain-containing proteins were identified. Upon monobody expression in cell lines, we were able to show a significant decrease of phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of SHP2 that are critical for its catalytic activity. Monobodies targeting the N-SH2 domain disrupted the interaction of SHP2 with its upstream activator, the Gab2 scaffold protein, suggesting the decoupling of SHP2 from the Bcr-Abl protein complex by disrupting the phosphotyrosine-SH2 mediated interaction. Moreover, SHP2 downstream signaling was altered upon monobody expression. HCC-1171 non-small cell lung cancer cell line was investigated for ERK phosphorylation. Strikingly, ERK phosphorylation was abolished in the HCC-1171 cells upon monobody expression. The physiological effects of monobodies were investigated in an inducible expression system in HCC-1171 cells. However, we could not detect significant changes in cell proliferation or ERK phosphorylation when compared to the non-binding control monobody. Furthermore, tandem monobodies targeting both SH2 domains of SHP2 simultaneously resulted in decreased ERK phosphorylation in Bcr-Abl overexpressing cells. PLCI³1 targeting monobodies were also monospecific for their target protein in cells. In addition, PLCI³1 phosphorylation was decreased upon monobody expression in cells. Although monobodies against p85 subunit of PI3K remains to be evaluated and better monobodies are required for PLCI³1 targeting, our results validate monobodies as potent and specific antagonists of protein-protein interactions in cells and they could be powerful tools to investigate the participation of different signaling pathways in malignant transformation.


This paper analyzes the sovereign defaults of the 1930s and their implications for the debt crisis of the 1980s. It reports nine major findings. There is little evidence that financial markets have grown more sophisticated' over time, or that banks have a comparative advantage over the bond market in processing information. (2) Debt default in the 1930s depended on a combination of factors,. including the magnitude of the external shocks, the level of debt, and: the: economic policy response , as well as on a range, of: noneconomic considerations. (3) Countries which interrupted service recovered more quickly from the Great Depression than countries which resisted default. This contrasts with the experience of the 1980s, when no clearcut relationship exists (4) There is little evidence that countries which defaulted in the 19305 suffered inferior capital market access subsequently. (S} The readjustment of defaulted debts was protracted: the analogy with Chapter 11 corporate bankruptcy proceedings is no more applicable to the 1930s than to the 1980s. (6) Although default led in some cases to a substantial reduction of transfers from debtors to creditors, on balance returns on sovereign loans compared favorably with returns on domestic investments. (7) Creditor-country governments did more in the 'thirties than in the 'eighties to accelerate the settlement process. (3) Global schemes analogous to the Baker Plan were widely proposed but never implemented. (9) In contrast, market-based debt reduction in the form G debt buybacks played a useful role in the resolution of the crisis.


This paper discusses the history of systems scholarship and how this has been translated
into particular forms of purposeful action, like complexity practice. Both systems and
complexity approaches have something to offer when the situation is no longer amenable
to analysis based on linear causality or reductionist approaches. In the hands of aware
practitioners both offer epistemological devices for shifting our mental furniture and both
are rich sources of metaphors, which have the capacity to trigger new and emergent
understandings. In the last 70 or so years of systems scholarship those involved have
diverged into a plethora of traditions or lineages, conserving, knowingly or not, one of
two epistemological positions: the objectivist or positivist position and the constructivist
or interpretivist position. These two epistemological positions constitute two language
communities even though many who participate in them are unaware that they do. The
trap in all of this is that so many people act without awareness of the positions that they
hold or uphold and the historicity of their thinking and acting, resulting in conflict,
rejection, lack of valuing of difference, bifurcation into smaller and smaller communities
of practice, unethical practice, etc. Based on examples coming from academic practice,
research management, modeling practice, policy praxis, among others, the implications of
this lack of awareness are discussed.


Graphical function mapping provides a simple method for improving communication within interdisciplinary research teams and between scientists and nonscientists. This article introduces graphical function mapping using two examples and discusses its usefulness. Function mapping projects the outcome of one function into another to show the combined effect. Using this mathematical property in a simpler, even cartoon-like, graphical way allows the rapid combination of multiple information sources (models, empirical data, expert judgment, and guesses) in an intuitive visual to promote further discussion, scenario development, and clear communication.


Law often blocks sensitive personal information to prevent discrimination. It does so, however, without a theory or framework to determine when doing so is warranted. As a result, these measures produce mixed results. This article offers a framework for determining, with a view of preventing discrimination, when personal information should flow and when it should not. It examines the relationship between precluded personal information, such as race, and the proxies for precluded information, such as names and zip codes. It proposes that the success of these measures depends on what types of proxies exist for the information blocked and it explores in which situations those proxies should also be blocked. This framework predicts the effectiveness of antidiscriminatory privacy rules and offers the potential of a wider protection to minorities.


Throughout history, whenever new technologies have emerged that change our means of production and ability to communicate they have tended to transform society. Spearheaded by digitization, followed by emerging living and intelligent technologies, our world is currently being transformed into something we have difficulty imagining. The transition is likely similar in scale to what we experienced moving from an agriculturally based society to the industrial society, although it will occur at a much faster pace. I present key qualities of our emerging societal transition, discuss underpinning scientific issues, and propose a way the scientific community could engage. Finally, I document how part the European Commission, the Danish Parliament and Press as well as interested stakeholders engage (or not) in the process of creating a brave new world.


Author(s): Connolly, Guy E.; Simmons, Gary D. | Abstract: Performance of three models of sodium cyanide (NaCN) ejectors was evaluated at Port O'Connor, Texas, early in 1982. M-44s, M-50s, and coyote getters were test-pulled and reset at 7-day or 21-day intervals for 42 days. Each pull was recorded as good if, in our judgment, it would have taken a coyote. Based on 402 to 430 test pulls of each ejector model, the percentages of good pulls were 40% for M-50s, 73% for M-44s, and 99% for coyote getters. M-44s with shortened plungers performed better than standard M-44s. Most pulls of M-50s resulted in ejection failure due to corrosion between the plunger and ejector body. The greatest problems with M-44s were mechanical defects, particularly of triggers, and caking of NaCN in the capsules. Condition of NaCN was evaluated in 1,354 M-44 capsules that had been weathered for one to six weeks. Eighty-five percent contained normal, dry powder after one week and only 49% were normal after six weeks' exposure. Addition of a beeswax seal decreased capsule deterioration. Based on these results, we recommended that the Service discontinue the M-50 and concentrate on improving the M-44. The Service's Pocatello Supply Depot has shortened the M-44 plunger and added a beeswax seal to M-44 capsules made for use by the Animal Damage Control program.


The emerging literature on the politics of social protection in Africa provides insights into the ways in which the unevenly changing character of representative democracy shapes processes of public policymaking in practice. Reforms are widely on the agenda, in part as a result of their advocacy by diverse international organizations and aid donors. But there are many obstacles between the policy agenda and policymaking (and implementation). In many countries, political elites hold conservative views on cash transfer programs. The institutionalization of regular and nominally contested elections has rarely resulted in significant pressures from below for pro-poor programmatic social policy reforms. In some countries, "democratic" politics continues to revolve around competition for patronage rather than programmatic reform. In others, voters themselves seem to prioritize other programs (especially agricultural subsidies) ahead of social protection. Nonetheless, a growing number of competitively elected governments have introduced reforms, as have some semi-democratic or authoritarian regimes. For both more and less democratic governments, regime legitimation through apparently more inclusive development seems to be a more powerful factor than voter pressure.


On the histone H3 tail, Lys 9 and Lys 27 are both methylation sites associated with epigenetic repression, and reside within a highly related sequence motif ARKS. Here we show that the chromodomain proteins Polycomb (Pc) and HP1 (heterochromatin protein 1) are highly discriminatory for binding to these sites in vivo and in vitro. In Drosophila S2 cells, and on polytene chromosomes, methyl-Lys 27 and Pc are both excluded from areas that are enriched in methyl-Lys 9 and HP1. Swapping of the chromodomain regions of Pc and HP1 is sufficient for switching the nuclear localization patterns of these factors, indicating a role for their chromodomains in both target site binding and discrimination. To better understand the molecular basis for the selection of methyl-lysine binding sites, we solved the 1.8 A structure of the Pc chromodomain in complex with a H3 peptide bearing trimethyl-Lys 27, and compared it with our previously determined structure of the HP1 chromodomain in complex with a H3 peptide bearing trimethyl-Lys 9. The Pc chromodomain distinguishes its methylation target on the H3 tail via an extended recognition groove that binds five additional residues preceding the ARKS motif.


Building on the successful applications of Stackelberg Security Games (SSGs) to protect infrastructure, researchers have begun focusing on applying game theory to green security domains such as protection of endangered animals and fish stocks. Previous efforts in these domains optimize defender strategies based on the standard Stackelberg assumption that the adversaries become fully aware of the defender's strategy before taking action. Unfortunately, this assumption is inappropriate since adversaries in green security domains often lack the resources to fully track the defender strategy. This paper (i) introduces Green Security Games (GSGs), a novel game model for green security domains with a generalized Stackelberg assumption; (ii) provides algorithms to plan effective sequential defender strategies -- such planning was absent in previous work; (iii) proposes a novel approach to learn adversary models that further improves defender performance; and (iv) provides detailed experimental analysis of proposed approaches.


Many properties of disordered materials can be understood by looking at idealized structural models, in which the strain is as small as is possible in the absence of long-range order. For covalent amorphous semiconductors and glasses, such an idealized structural model, the continuous random network, was introduced 70 years ago by Zachariasen. In this model, each atom is placed in a crystal-like local environment, with perfect coordination and chemical ordering, yet longer-range order is nonexistent. Defects, such as missing or added bonds, or chemical mismatches, however, are not accounted for. In this paper we explore under what conditions the idealized CRN model without defects captures the properties of the material, and under what conditions defects are an inherent part of the idealized model. We find that the density of defects in tetrahedral networks does not vary smoothly with variations in the interaction strengths, but jumps from close to zero to a finite density. Consequently, in certain materials, defects do not play a role except for being thermodynamical excitations, whereas in others they are a fundamental ingredient of the ideal structure.


The spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus has changed the lives of people around the world with a huge impact on economies and societies. The development of wearable sensors that can continuously monitor the environment for viruses may become an important research area. Here, the state of the art of research on biosensor materials for virus detection is reviewed. A general description of the principles for virus detection is included, along with a critique of the experimental work dedicated to various virus sensors, and a summary of their detection limitations. The piezoelectric sensors used for the detection of human papilloma, vaccinia, dengue, Ebola, influenza A, human immunodeficiency, and hepatitis B viruses are examined in the first section; then the second part deals with magnetostrictive sensors for the detection of bacterial spores, proteins, and classical swine fever. In addition, progress related to early detection of COVID‐19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is discussed in the final section, where remaining challenges in the field are also identified. It is believed that this review will guide material researchers in their future work of developing smart biosensors, which can further improve detection sensitivity in monitoring currently known and future virus threats.


The triple, intertwined challenges of climate change, the conversion of tropical forests to crop lands and grazing pastures, and the shortage of new arable land demand urgent solutions. The main approaches for increasing food production while sparing forests and lowering carbon emissions include sustainable supply chain initiatives, domestic policies and finance, and REDD+. These approaches are advancing largely in isolation, separated by different scales of intervention, performance metrics and levers for shaping land user behavior. As a result of this disconnect, farmers are receiving few, if any, positive incentives to forgo legal forest clearing and to invest in more sustainable production systems. These three approaches could become mutually reinforcing through integrated, performance-based incentive systems operating across regions and scales, linked through a shared metric of jurisdiction-wide performance introduced here as the Jurisdictional Performance System.


We present a novel deep recurrent neural network architecture that learns to build implicit plans in an end-to-end manner by purely interacting with an environment in reinforcement learning setting. The network builds an internal plan, which is continuously updated upon observation of the next input from the environment. It can also partition this internal representation into contiguous sub- sequences by learning for how long the plan can be committed to - i.e. followed without re-planing. Combining these properties, the proposed model, dubbed STRategic Attentive Writer (STRAW) can learn high-level, temporally abstracted macro- actions of varying lengths that are solely learnt from data without any prior information. These macro-actions enable both structured exploration and economic computation. We experimentally demonstrate that STRAW delivers strong improvements on several ATARI games by employing temporally extended planning strategies (e.g. Ms. Pacman and Frostbite). It is at the same time a general algorithm that can be applied on any sequence data. To that end, we also show that when trained on text prediction task, STRAW naturally predicts frequent n-grams (instead of macro-actions), demonstrating the generality of the approach.


Research on the impact of 401(k) plan advisors has focused predominately on the investment menu or participant-level allocation decisions. This research takes a more holistic perspective and reviews the differences between advised plans across a variety of domains with the use of data from 5500 Employee Benefits Security Administration filings from 2016. Advised plans with assets from $1 million to $50 million were clearly performing "better" than those without, and the advisor impact generally declined as plan assets increased. Although this research suggests advisors are adding value, correlation is not causation, and additional research on the actual impact of 401(k) advisors is warranted. TOPICS: Retirement, manager selection, performance measurement Key Findings ▪ Operating a "best-in-class" 401(k) requires a level of knowledge that many plan sponsors may not have; therefore, hiring an advisor or consultant is one way a plan sponsor can attempt to run a more effective 401(k) plan. ▪ Existing research on the potential impact of 401(k) advisors has generally focused on investment-related outcomes; this paper takes a more holistic approach, exploring differences in advised plans by default investment availability and usage, plan governance, the adoption of automatic enrollment, the inclusion of employer securities, and fund diversity, in addition to the more typical investment-related analysis. ▪ The analysis suggests that 401(k) plans with advisors, especially smaller plans, are much "better" than those without. The marginal impact of the plan advisor declined, though, as assets increased for most domains considered. While correlation isn't causation, overall, this research suggests plan advisors do improve 401(k) plans.


Abstract Recent developments in teacher induction in both England and Scotland are bringing long-overdue improvements, but there is a range of issues in need of further exploration if policy is to be developed. Current evaluations have begun to reveal the absence of some important conceptual aspects of induction in the somewhat hasty implementation. Some of these have been well rehearsed in the literature over the years but have generally failed to make any impact hitherto in induction policy. This article picks up and discusses some of the conceptual tensions and weaknesses that have, or are likely to, become practical issues of quality, in both Scottish and English induction policies. These include the use of competence-based descriptions, the non-formal dimension of learning to teach, open narrative and focused approaches to classroom observation and feedback, individualism and a pupil perspective. The array of concepts is organised into a constructive, topical agenda which, it is argued, brings a much-needed formative dimension to research and development in this crucial area of professional learning.


Neural prosthetic technologies have helped many patients by restoring vision, hearing, or movement and relieving chronic pain or neurological disorders. While most neural prosthetic systems to date have used invasive or implantable devices for patients with inoperative or malfunctioning external body parts or internal organs, a much larger population of ldquohealthyrdquo people who suffer episodic or progressive cognitive impairments in daily life can benefit from noninvasive neural prostheses. For example, reduced alertness, lack of attention, or poor decision-making during monotonous, routine tasks can have catastrophic consequences. This study proposes a noninvasive mobile prosthetic platform for continuously monitoring high-temporal resolution brain dynamics without requiring application of conductive gels on the scalp. The proposed system features dry microelectromechanical system electroencephalography sensors, low-power signal acquisition, amplification and digitization, wireless telemetry, online artifact cancellation, and signal processing. Its implications for neural prostheses are examined in two sample studies: 1) cognitive-state monitoring of participants performing realistic driving tasks in the virtual-reality-based dynamic driving simulator and 2) the neural correlates of motion sickness in driving. The experimental results of these studies provide new insights into the understanding of complex brain functions of participants actively performing ordinary tasks in natural body positions and situations within real operational environments.


ABSTRACT This addresses the culture of Ukraine as a context for the development of business. I summarize Ukrainian culture as described by the West, and Ukrainian culture that can be inferred from the behavior of Ukrainians. I also relate Ukrainian culture to Ukraine's geography, demographics, history, and politics. Like all countries, Ukrainian culture is affected by these factors; however the effects for Ukraine may be stronger than for most countries because Ukrainian history and politics include so many dramatic events and experiences. I address Ukrainian culture specifically, rather than as part of the Soviet Union or Community of Independent States. INTRODUCTION Ukraine, a former member of the Soviet Union (1), operated under a communist political and economic system until 1991. During the communist years, Ukraine was considered an example of successful industrial development. With the exception of Russia, Ukraine's economic contribution was significantly greater than that of any other republic in the former Soviet Union. For example, * Economic output was approximately four times that of the next most productive Soviet republic (Ukraine, 2008); * Agricultural output accounted for more than one quarter of agricultural output in the entire Soviet Union--supplying agricultural products to itself and other members of the Soviet Union (Ukraine, 2008); * The heavy manufacturing sector played a vital role in producing equipment and raw materials for itself and other members of the Soviet Union (Ukraine, 2008). Since declaring its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has been moving toward a market economy. However, the move to a market economy has been slower and less successful than the transition for some other countries formerly under Soviet control (2) (for example, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary). Relatively little is known about the operation of business in Ukraine. The amount of information on Ukraine that is published in international business journals is extremely limited. This limitation reflects the fact that Ukraine was one of the most isolated countries in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). This history of isolation made Ukraine less likely to be studied by researchers from other countries and less able to adopt changes initiated from outside the former USSR. The lack of information on Ukraine is especially striking because international business journals frequently have published information on Russia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. Information on Ukrainian culture also is limited. Most of the information available on Ukrainian culture is based on two sources: (1) studies of a combination of countries such as the Soviet Union or the Community of Independent States (CIS) (3) or (2) observations of behavior of Ukrainians and/or surrounding countries. Assumptions inherent in both types of information can be challenged. Studying Ukraine in combination with other countries does not consider the possibility that Ukraine may be different from other countries. Assuming that Ukrainian behavior (especially before 1991) is indicative of their culture also may lead to misleading conclusions. Much of Ukrainians' behavior (especially in the twentieth century) was the result of decisions forced on the Ukrainian people, not the result of choices they made. The aforementioned conditions led to the decision to investigate Ukrainian culture as a setting for business. The analysis will begin by summarizing Ukrainian geography, demographics, history, and politics. Like all countries, Ukrainian culture is affected by these factors. The effects for Ukraine may be stronger than for most countries since Ukrainian history and politics include so many dramatic events and experiences. UKRAINIAN GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHICS Ukraine's land area (603,700 square kilometers) (Ukraine, 2008) is extremely large when compared with other European countries (4) and other former republics of the Soviet Union (World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2007). …


The concentration of the Mexican and U.S. cultural industries in cities outside of the border region and the intermittent outsourcing of Hollywood movies to production facilities in Baja, California, have had a marked impact on the literary practice of "fronterizo" 'border' intellectuals. This essay discusses the theme of the cinema in three narratives by authors from the U.S.-Mexico border region: "Hotel Frontera" ("Border Hotel"), by Gabriel Trujillo Muñoz, "Canícula," by Norma Elia Cantú, and "The Magic of Blood," by Dagoberto Gilb. These narratives provide ethnographic information about the reception of nationally distributed mass media in the border region; at the same time they produce a contestatory discourse that challenges the manner in which the border and its populations have been portrayed and employed in the U.S. and Mexican film industries. The study of film culture must take into consideration patterns of consumption as well as production, and literature about mass media is one arena through which it is possible to focus on both of these processes simultaneously. Fronteriza/o writing about cinema reveals a desire to inhabit popular cinematic genres such as film noir and the western while at the same time retaining a critical stance towards them. This ambivalence is understood as a localist response to the marginalization of fronteriza/o cultural production in a bi-national context, rather than as general suspicion toward visual mass media on the part of "traditional" literary intellectuals.


Many problems in environmental management and sustainability have no single, optimal solution. Such problems are called 'wicked problems'. Any solution to a wicked problem will significantly affect a wide range of stakeholders, and cannot be separated from human ethics, values and social equity. Experience with participatory approaches that include stakeholders shows that ecological modelling can lead to applied outcomes that may inform environmental management and policy, thus helping to solve wicked problems. However, many ecological models fail to meet this goal. The key ways in which scientists and ecological modellers can contribute to the search for solutions to wicked problems in collaboration with stakeholders are described. Modelling is identified as a tool that scientists can bring into the deliberative process to facilitate dialogue and evidence‐based decision‐making within a stakeholder forum. A modelling spiral is proposed as a framework for describing the stages of the modelling process leading to positive change in collaboration with stakeholders. By following the recommendations of the modelling spiral, ecological modellers can accomplish socially relevant research that contributes to the collective search for sustainable solutions to wicked environmental problems.


Title of Document: EVALUATION OF NITROGEN NONPOINT-SOURCE LOADINGS USING HIGH RESOLUTION LAND USE DATA IN A GIS: A MULTIPLE WATERSHED STUDY FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. Sarah N. Ahmed, Master of Science, 2008 Directed By: Dr. Glenn E. Moglen, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering The performance of three monitoring perspectives, for the detection of watershed compliance with water quality standards, was evaluated. In order to compare performances 35 watershed nonpoint-source nitrogen loading cases were calculated within a GIS. Calculations showed that the probability of loads exceeding a criterion at the watershed outlet is more representative of upstream conditions than a nominal mean load comparison at the watershed outlet. Combined outlet compliance interpretations were found to isolate loading conditions that on average did not exceed the criterion; however, variations within loading distributions were large such that compliant conditions were threatened. The whole watershed perspective mapped the relationship between stream network structure, land cover/land use, and loadings. Comparisons between the perspectives suggested that both outlet perspectives usually are consistent with whole watershed conditions. Semivariograms were demonstrated to characterize spatial variability in loadings and predict the accuracy with which monitoring sites represent loads at upstream


Certain sociodemographic groups often seem to be relatively more concentrated near environmental hazards than in the surrounding community. It is well-known that snapshot cross-sectional statistical analyses cannot reveal how residential mobility for these different groups reacts to changing public perceptions of environmental hazards. Decennial panel data over four census periods, for census tracts surrounding seven different urban Superfund localities, allow us to examine how ethnicities, the age distribution and family structure vary over time with distance from these major environmental disamenities. If the slope of the distance profile decreases over time, the group in question could be argued to be "coming to the nuisance." We find a lot of statistically significant movement, including some evidence of minority move-in and increasing relative exposure of children, especially those in singleparent households. However, it appears to be hard to make generalizations, across localities, about the mobility patterns for different groups. This heterogeneity may account for the difficulty other researchers have experienced in identifying systematic effects in data that are pooled across different environmental hazards. Changes over time in the sociodemographic mix near Superfund sites may also help explain differences in the extent to which housing prices rebound after cleanup commences.


The Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community in 1957, defined the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). These objectives, contained in Article 39, follow: 1) Increase agricultural productivity by promoting technical progress and by ensuring rational development of agricultural production and optimum use of the production factors, particularly labor. 2) Ensure a fair standard of living for the agricultural community, in particular by increasing the individual earning of the persons engaged in agriculture. 3) Stabilize markets. 4) Assure the availability of supplies. 5) Ensure that supplies reach consumers at reasonable prices. The objectives of the CAP have been met, mostly through price policies that traditionally have been tied to production. The result of these policies is that production of many agricultural commodities has increased beyond levels necessary to meet CAP objectives and excess supplies have accumulated, been exported with subsidies, or both, at great expense to the European Community.


We study nonclassical properties of the optical field when photon subtraction/addition coherent operation ta+ra† (|t|2+|r|2=1) acts on a squeezed thermal state (STS) by examining its quadrature squeezing, sub-Poissonian statistics, and negativity of the Wigner function. The degree of squeezing of the coherent operated squeezed thermal state (COSTS) becomes weaker. The Mandel Q parameter decreases with r and quickly becomes negative, which implies sub-Poissonian statistics. Both the negative dip and negative area of the Wigner function increase with r for small squeezing values of κ. Decoherence of the COSTS in an amplitude-damping channel is studied by the time evolution of the Wigner function. The length of time that this nonclassical field preserves its partial negativity of the Wigner function can be modulated by the coherent operation. All these results indicate that the nonclassicality of the STS is sensitive to the coherent operation.


Using panel data for West Germany and Great Britain, we show that there are striking differences in overtime work and overtime compensation in the two countries in the 1990s. Our estimates reveal that the observed overtime patterns affect both the evolution of the monthly labour earnings distribution and individual economic well-being differently in West Germany and Great Britain. Besides varying labour market institutions in the two countries a higher incidence of a combination of performance-related pay and unpaid overtime in Great Britain is an important factor in explaining the observed differences. With regards to West Germany, we show that the current policy of transforming paid overtime in "working time accounts", which is conducted in the spirit of "work-sharing", is neither beneficial for employed workers in terms of income mobility, nor in terms of overall job satisfaction nor in terms of working time preferences.


Combating insecticide resistance is a continual challenge for the preservation of both traditional and transgenic crops. Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring, published 50 years ago (1), eloquently awoke the public to the manifold dangers for the environment and human health posed by the wanton use of chemical pesticides (2). Carson argued that in addition to their many harmful ecological effects, chemical insecticides ultimately undermine sustainable pest management: They kill the parasites and predators that formerly held many pests in check, while the pests themselves become resistant and require ever-higher amounts of sprays for their control. Since the publication of Silent Spring, more than 450 arthropod species have been reported with resistance to one or more pesticides (3). Yet over the same period, a paradigm shift in dealing with this global problem has also occurred.


Background
Approximately 35% of people with depression do not respond to 2 courses of antidepressant medications of adequate dosage, and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is still a major clinical concern with a great impact on patients, their families, society and the health system. The present meta-analysis evaluates antidepressant efficacy of unilateral and bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with unipolar TRD.

Methods
We searched for randomized controlled trials that compared rTMS with sham treatment and were published by Apr. 3, 2017. The primary outcome was improvement in depression scores measured using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. The secondary outcomes were remission and response rates. Two independent review authors screened the studies and extracted the data.

Results
Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of the depression scores showed a weighted mean difference (WMD) of 3.36 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85–4.88) between unilateral rTMS and sham treatment. Stratified data showed that the effect was relatively higher when rTMS was used as an add-on to antidepressant medications (WMD 3.64, 95% CI 1.52–5.76) than when it was used as a stand-alone treatment (WMD 2.47, 95% CI 0.90–4.05). The WMD between bilateral rTMS and sham was 2.67 (95% CI 0.83–4.51), and all studies that contributed to this outcome used rTMS while participants were taking antidepressant medications. The pooled remission and response rates for unilateral rTMS versus sham treatment were 16.0% and 25.1% for rTMS and 5.7% and 11.0% for sham treatment, respectively. The pooled remission and response rates for bilateral rTMS versus sham treatment were 16.6% and 25.4% for rTMS and 2.0% and 6.8% for sham treatment, respectively.

Conclusion
This study suggests that rTMS has moderate antidepressant effects and appears to be promising in the short-term treatment of patients with unipolar TRD.


Lovelace provides an introduction to Ada 95, one of the most widely used programming languages in the world. Although the reader is assumed to have a basic understanding of programming, no prior exposure to Ada is assumed and all the basics of the language are covered. The book comprises eighteen chapters each of which is composed of short sections designed to cover a small number of key concept and to provide a test question to check the reader's understanding of the concepts covered. Each chapter then concludes with a small quiz to help ensure that the reader has grasped the principles covered in the chapter. One of Ada 95's new features, its object-oriented facilities, is covered in depth, and all of the essential features of Ada programming are covered thoroughly. In Ada 95 significant enhancements were also added to Ada's ability to interface with other programming languages (such as C, Fortran, and Cobol) and these are covered in one chapter. As a result both students and professional programmers learning Ada for the first time will welcome this new text.


Microgels have versatile applications due to their possible functionalization with co-monomers. We present the rational model-based design of synthesis procedures for vinylferrocene (VFc) containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels with three different localizations of vinylferrocene in the microgel. First, we estimate the kinetic copolymerization parameters of NIPAM–VFc microgel synthesis based on the published experimental conversion data. Second, we determine synthesis procedures for the desired localization of the functional co-monomer in the microgel based on the model. Third, we run the respective synthesis procedures experimentally and the obtained microgels are analysed using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and elementary analysis. The experimental results agree with model predictions. They show that aside from core–shell microgels with a VFc-rich core, an inverted structure with VFc-rich clusters in the shell of the microgel can be synthesised. Moreover, feeding VFc multiple times during the synthesis gives access to homogeneous P(NIPAM-co-VFc) microgels. Dynamic light scattering experiments reveal that the structure variation does not significantly influence the swelling properties of the thermoresponsive microgels. The synthesis procedures derived from the model did not require any additional adjustment to yield the desired architectures experimentally. Hence, we showed that model-based methods can be applied for the rational determination of synthesis procedures for microgels with a specific localization of ferrocene.


This research attempts to measure the impact ofmonopsony power on baseball players with less than six years of experience. Past research indicates that players with less than six years of experience have lower salaries than players with the same productivity and more than six years of experience. To try and combat monopsonistic behavior, baseball player's formed the Players' Union and instituted an arbitration process. Through this process, a third party arbitrator listens to cases from both a player and owner and then chooses either the player's or the owner's salary bid. While this process is intended to help players gain market power, it is still unclear whether the actual process is effective. Therefore, it is important to evaluate trends in players' salaries before, during, and after arbitration in order to see if further changes in the arbitration process need to be made. \ To do this, 19 outfielders who have filed for and received an arbitration hearing during the time frame of 1990-2003 are examined following their career throughout their pre-arbitration (first three years), arbitration year (after third year), and post-arbitration years (after fourth year on). By using the human capital model, three ratios of the players' actual salaries during these years to a predicted free agent salary are estimated. The prediction that the ratios should increase throughout these three periods, due to the fact that the players gain more market power, is supported by the results. In fact, the ratios of actual to predicted salary increase from 0.27 in pre-arbitration years, to 0.97 in the arbitration year, to over 1.2 in post-arbitration years. This indicates that the players face substantial monopsony power in the pre-arbitration year followed by a decrease in monopsony power through the arbitration process and post-arbitration years.


Completing projects faster than the normal duration is always a challenge to the management of any project, as it often demands many paradigm shifts. Opportunities of globalization, competition from private sectors and multinationals force the management of public sector organizations in the Indian petroleum sector to take various aggressive strategies to maintain their profitability. Constructing infrastructure for handling petroleum products is one of them. Moreover, these projects are required to be completed in faster duration compared to normal schedules to remain competitive, to get faster return on investment, and to give longer project life. However, using conventional tools and techniques of project management, it is impossible to handle the problem of reducing the project duration from a normal period. This study proposes the use of concurrent engineering in managing projects for radically reducing project duration. The phases of the project are accomplished concurrently/simultaneously instead of in a series. The complexities that arise in managing projects are tackled through restructuring project organization, improving management commitment, strengthening project-planning activities, ensuring project quality, managing project risk objectively and integrating project activities through management information systems. These would not only ensure completion of projects in fast track, but also improve project effectiveness in terms of quality, cost effectiveness, team building, etc. and in turn overall productivity of the project organization would improve.


. This paper provides some initial findings from a current longitudinal study that examines the implementation of a student-owned 1:1 laptop program in a school for boys in Perth, Western Australia. This research tracks 196 students, their families and associated teachers for a 3-year period (2010-2012). Underpinning this research is a mixed methods approach investigating how boys use their laptops for learning, teachers' pedagogy and use of ICT, implementation differences between a junior (primary) and middle (secondary) school, and possible impact of the laptops on learning. One theme that emerged from the first year of data collection was a decrease in parent satisfaction with the extent to which the educational objectives of the laptop initiative are being met. This paper explores possible reasons for this decline in satisfaction, focusing on parent and student perceptions of (a) the time spent on laptops and (b) the activities that students are seen to be engaging with on their laptops. These perceptions are discussed in the context of parents' own knowledge of, and skills in, information and communications technologies (ICT) and relate to both school and home-based settings.


Permo-Triassic sandstones of the Breisgau and Schramberg troughs from the central Black Forest and the adjoining Rhine Graben were hydrothermally illitized during post-Variscan times. Illite K-Ar dating outlines a multi-episodic activity during Late Jurassic (about 145 Ma ago), Early Cretaceous (about 130 Ma ago) and Tertiary (about 60 Ma ago). The last episode appears to be restricted to the foothill zone along the Rhine Graben boundary fault. Detrital feldspars, micas, illite and authigenic kaolinite are the percursors of the hydrothermal illite that is Al-rich when derived from feldspars and authigenic kaolinite, or Al-depleted when formed from micas and detrital illite. The chemical composition of authigenic illite is therefore not an appropriate geothermometer to be used on immature sandstones. Furthermore, the occurrence of mixed-layered illite/smectite and the limited extent of intensive alteration suggest low fluid-rock ratios. Illitization was induced by hot, low saline, metamorphic and/or formation fluids (150– 250 °C, eq ). A pulse of high saline and low temperature fluids (about 100 °C, 20–25 wt% NaCl eq ) derived from mixtures of deep seated saline basement brines and meteoric waters caused quartz overgrowths only in the Triassic sandstones. In addition, kaolinite deriving from detrital feldspars in the Rhine Graben area, could have resulted from interaction with thermal, acidic and low-saline fluids. The results indicate tectonically controlled fluid transport, mainly along reactivated NE and NNE trending faults, due to large-scale tectonic processes, namely: (1) rifting in the central Atlantic and western Tethys oceans, (2) Alpine orogenesis, and (3) rifting of the Rhine Graben.


How we communicate about climate change shapes our response to the most complex and challenging issue society currently faces. In this paper, we conduct a discursive analysis and ideological critique of stereotypical representations in three climate change films: The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy (2008) and An Inconvenient Truth (2006). We argue that these films situate their treatment of climate change in a narrative context that reiterates troubling stereotypes about race/ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. These representations do not align with key sustainable development goals such as equity, freedom, and shared responsibility. Our essay demonstrates how the stories we consume about climate change as we entertain ourselves potentially influence our sense of the world, guide our relationships to one another and impact our collective abilities to create a sustainable future.


Abstract Oviposition site choice, which is one of the most important forms of parental care in oviparous reptiles, has major effects on incubation duration, reproductive success, and offspring phenotype. We determined the thermal characteristics of nest-sites selected by females of the lacertid lizard Psammodromus algirus in laboratory thermal gradients, and we linked results with information on the effects of temperature on incubation times and hatchling phenotypes. Temperatures at oviposition sites (mean ± SD = 26.0 ± 1.9°C) were on average lower and had a lower variance than those at available sites (32.0 ± 6.2°C). The duration of incubation decreased dramatically as temperature increased. In fact, the hatching dates predicted by the temperatures selected in the thermogradients were delayed with respect to the mean emergence dates observed in the field. Such disparity might occur because (1) natural incubation temperatures are variable rather than constant, (2) they are expected to rise later in the season, and (3) temperatures that are too high can severely compromise embryonic survival. In addition, females might select relatively low nest-site temperatures because hatching too early can force juveniles to face limited growth opportunities caused by food shortage in the Mediterranean environments in which they live.


Background If evaluation of economic evidence is to be used increasingly in Saudi Arabia, a review of the published literature would be useful to inform policy decision-makers of the current state of research and plan future research agendas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the state of health economic evaluation research within the Saudi context with regard to the number, characteristics, and quality of published articles. Methods A literature search was conducted on May 8, 2011 to identify health economic articles pertaining to Saudi Arabia in the PubMed, Embase, and EconLit databases, using the following terms alone or in combination: "cost*", "economics", "health economics", "cost-effectiveness", "cost-benefit", "cost minimization", "cost utility analysis", and "Saudi". Reference lists of the articles identified were also searched for further articles. The tables of contents of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal and the Saudi Medical Journal were reviewed for the previous 5 years. Results The search identified 535 citations. Based on a reading of abstracts and titles, 477 papers were excluded. Upon reviewing the full text of the remaining 58 papers, 43 were excluded. Fifteen papers were included. Ten were categorized as full economic evaluations and five as partial economic evaluations. These articles were published between 1997 and 2010. The majority of the studies identified did not clearly state the perspective of their evaluation. There are many concerns about the methods used to collect outcome and costs data. Only one study used some sort of sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of uncertainty on the robustness of its conclusions. Conclusion This review highlights major flaws in the design, analysis, and reporting of the identified economic analyses. Such deficiencies mean that the local economic evidence available to decision-makers is not very useful. Thus, building research capability in health economics is warranted.


Objectives Ensure early identification and timely management of patient deterioration as essential components of safe effective healthcare. Prompted by analyses of incident reports and deterioration events, a multicomponent organisational rescue from danger system was redesigned to decrease unexpected inpatient deterioration. Design Quality improvement before–after unblinded trial. Setting 430-bed Canadian community teaching hospital. Participants All admitted adult medical–surgical patients in a before–after 12-month interventional study. Intervention Locally validated checklist (Modified Early Warning Score+urinary catheter in situ+nurse concern) with an intentional pause and explicit management options was deployed as a modification of an existing ward transfer of accountability fax report in the emergency department (ED). Results Following deployment of Emergency Room Safer Transfer of Patients (ER-STOP), the risk of an unexpected CCRT (critical care response team) response within 24 hours of admission from ED to adult medical and surgical wards was significantly decreased (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.17 to 7.77). Mean (±SD) ED wait times (5.66±1.54vs 5.74±1.04 hours, p=0.30), intensive care unit admission rate (3.84%, n=233vs 4.61%, n=278, p=0.06) and cardiac care unit admission rate (9.51%, n=577vs 9.60%, n=579, p=0.198) were unchanged. Conclusions ER-STOP improvement was out of proportion to the predictive value of the checklist component suggesting that effectiveness of this low-cost sustainable tool was related to increased situational awareness, empowering a culture of patient safety and repurposing of an adjacent ED medical short-stay unit use. Local adaptation within existing processes is essential to successful safety outcomes.


An infant girl was referred for a genetic consultation because of facial appearance suggestive of Wolf-Hirschorn syndrome (WHS), growth retardation and generalized hypotonia. She had an unbalanced karyotype 46,XX,der(4)t(4;9)(p15.2;p22)mat resulting in the deletion of the critical region for WHS and duplication of the critical region for the 9p duplication syndrome. The mother and the grandmother of proposita were the carriers of an apparently balanced translocation 46,XX,t(4;9)(p15.2;p22). The infant's phenotype was characteristic of WHS syndrome rather than that of duplication 9p phenotype. This is probably the first description of WHS phenotype resulting from a familial 4;9 translocation.


A numerical classifi cation problem encountered
by breeders and gene-bank curators is how to
partition the original heterogeneous population
of genotypes into non-overlapping homogeneous
subpopulations. The measure of distance
that may be defi ned depends on the type of variables
measured (i.e., continuous and/or discrete).
The key points are whether and how a distance
may be defi ned using all types of variables to
achieve effective classifi cation. The objective of
this research was to propose an approach that
combines the use of hierarchical multiple-factor
analysis (HMFA) and the two-stage Ward Modifi
ed Location Model (Ward-MLM) classifi cation
strategy that allows (i) combining different types
of phenotypic and genetic data simultaneously; (ii)
balancing out the effects of the different phenotypic,
genetic, continuous, and discrete variables;
and (iii) measuring the contribution of each original
variable to the new principal axes (PAs). Of the two
strategies applied for developing PA scores to be
used for clustering genotypes, the strategy that
used the fi rst few PA scores to which phenotypic
and genetic variables each contributed 50% (i.e.,
a balanced contribution) formed better groups
than those formed by the strategy that used a
large number of PA scores explaining 95% of
total variability. Phenotypic variables account for
much variability in the initial PA; then their contributions
decrease. The importance of genetic variables
increases in later PAs. Results showed that
various phenotypic and genetic variables made
important contributions to the new PA. The HMFA
uses all phenotypic and genetic variables simultaneously
and, in conjunction with the Ward-MLM
method, it offers an effective unifying approach
for the classifi cation of breeding genotypes into
homogeneous groups and for the formation of
core subsets for genetic resource conservation.


This paper presents design, multiphysics finite element modeling and experimental validation of a new miniaturized PZT generator that integrates a bulk piezoelectric ceramic onto a flexible platform for energy harvesting from the human body pressing force. In spite of its flexibility, the mechanical structure of the proposed device is simple to fabricate and efficient for the energy conversion. The finite element model involves both mechanical and piezoelectric parts of the device coupled with the electrical circuit model. The energy harvester prototype was fabricated and tested under the low frequency periodic pressing force during 10 seconds. The experimental results show that several nano joules of electrical energy is stored in a capacitor that is quite significant given the size of the device. The finite element model is validated by observing a good agreement between experimental and simulation results. the validated model could be used for optimizing the device for energy harvesting from earcanal deformations.


Understanding the movement and dispersion patterns of elk (Cervus elaphus) on public lands and the underlying factors that affect each will facilitate elk management and help resolve conflicts between management that benefit elk and other uses of land resources. Consequently, there is a need to identify and examine the movement and dispersion patterns of elk in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. Our study quantified seasonal movements, determined home ranges of female elk in two areas of the Black Hills, and examined underlying factors associated with each. Elk in the northern area did not demonstrate seasonal migration patterns. Rather, winter ranges in the northern area were contained mostly within the boundaries of the summer range. Elk in the southern area exhibited a north-south migration pattern that coincided with seasonal patterns of snowfall. These elk migrated to winter range in late November and returned to summer range in late April. Home ranges of elk in the southern area were larger (P < 0.01) than home ranges in the northern area. Landscape characteristics with marginally-significant correlations to elk home range area included road density (P = 0.10), and forage:cover ratio (P = 0.08); density of primary and secondary roads and average slope were significantly correlated with elk home range area (P < 0.01). Managers can use this information to develop strategies that meet population goals and reduce conflicts between management for elk and with other resources.


Aim: To document causes of ocular discomfort in patients with computer vision syndrome.
Materials and methods: This study included 150 patients with computer vision syndrome who presented in the Eye Out Patient Department of Abbassi Shaheed Hospital. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling technique starting from January 2016 until July 2016. All the patients were above 18 years and working at least three hours per day during the last 1 year. Patients diagnosed with ocular diseases, neurological diseases, using topical or systemic medications, who had ocular surgery and systemic diseases causing dry eyes, who did not give consent, and contact lens users were excluded. Ocular examination was done including refractive errors, slit lamp examination, and tear film breakup time. Data was collected and analysed on Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.
Results: This study had 150 individuals, of which 115 (76.2%) were males and 35 (23.2%) were females. Mean age was 32.3 ± 8.8 SD. The most frequent complaint was eye strain in 123 (81.5 %) individuals, followed by blurred vision in 94 (62.3%) individuals; the least common was diplopia in 13 (8.6%) individuals. Mean computer daily use was 5.96 ± 2.819 SD hours and duration of computer use was 10.13 ± 6.371 SD years. Tear film breakup time was less than 10 seconds in 63 (42%) individuals. Statistically significant P value 0.003 was seen between tear film breakup time and daily use in hours.
Conclusion: A frequent cause of ocular discomfort in patients with computer vision syndrome is decreased tear film break up time. Another important cause is uncorrected refractive error, the most common of which is myopia, which should be addressed without delay to reduce ocular discomfort.


A fetus may survive an intentional interference with its intrauterine environment (1) if gestational age is mistaken and the procedure of induced abortion does not kill the fetus, (2) if a change of heart takes place after abortifacient drugs are taken and the abortion does not proceed, and (3) if a high-multiple pregnancy is reduced to a singleton or a twin pregnancy to improve the likelihood that the remaining fetuses will reach viability. In each case, through cause or coincidence, an abnormal baby may be born. The well-intentioned physician, responding to a patient's medical or psychological needs, risks a legal action in negligence or assault brought by a deformed surviving child. This hazard means that medical termination of pregnancy and selective pregnancy reduction put the practising physician at substantial risk in a way not usually associated with induced abortion.


Since tenascin may influence neuronal cell development, we studied its expression pattern using immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, Northern blot analysis, and immunochemistry in the developing and adult mouse cerebellar cortex. Tenascin immunoreactivity was detectable in all layers of the developing cerebellar cortex. In the external granular layer, only the radially oriented processes of Golgi epithelial cells were immunoreactive, whereas the densely packed cell bodies were immunonegative. Tenascin was hardly detectable at contact sites between migrating granule cells and processes of Golgi epithelial cells. Axons of granule cells in the molecular layer were immunoreactive, whereas their cell bodies in the internal granular layer lacked detectable levels of tenascin. By in situ hybridization, only Golgi epithelial cells and astrocytes of the internal granular layer and prospective white matter, but not nerve cells, could be shown to synthesize detectable levels of tenascin mRNA in the developing mouse cerebellar cortex. Thus, tenascin in the cerebellar cortex seems to be a glia-derived molecule that becomes adsorbed to neuronal surfaces in a topographically restricted pattern in situ. Levels of tenascin protein and mRNA decreased significantly with increasing age. In the adult, tenascin immunoreactivity was weak and mainly restricted to the molecular layer and tenascin mRNA was confined to Golgi epithelial cells, indicative for a functional heterogeneity in differentiated cerebellar astrocytes. Quantitative immunoblot analysis revealed that the 225 and 240 kDa components of tenascin were developmentally downregulated at a faster rate than the 190 and 200 kDa components, corresponding to the faster downregulation of the 8 kilobase (kb) mRNA species compared to the 6 kb mRNA species as revealed by Northern blot analysis. These observations indicate a differentially regulated expression of the tenascin components. We hypothesize that glia-derived tenascin modifies the functional properties of nerve cell surfaces and that tenascin is involved in such different morphogenetic events as neurite growth and oligodendrocyte distribution.


A Transaction Processing System or Transaction Processing Monitor is a set of information which process the data transaction in database system that monitors transaction programs.The essence of a transaction program is that it manages data that must be left in a consistent state. If an electronic payment is made, the amount must be either both withdrawn from one account and added to the other, or none at all. In case of a failure preventing transaction completion, the partially executed transaction must be rolled back by the TPS. While this type of integrity must be provided also for batch transaction processing, it is particularly important for online processing as of an airline seat reservation system is accessed by multiple operators, after an empty seat inquiry, the seat reservation data must be locked until the reservation is made, otherwise another user may get the impression a seat is still free while it is actually being booked at the time. Without proper transaction monitoring, double bookings may occur. Other transaction monitor functions include deadlock detection and resolution (deadlocks may be inevitable in certain cases of cross-dependence on data), and transaction logging (in journals) for forward recovery in case of massive failures. Transaction Processing is not limited to application programs. The journaled file system provided with IBMs AIX Unix operating system employs similar techniques to maintain file system integrity, including a journal.


The conventional DPLLs (Digital Phase-locked Loops) are designed for Gaussian noise environment, and play important roles in carrier and clock recoveries. However, in power line communication (PLC), the power line noise is often impulsive, and then its statistical feature is different from Gaussian one. Therefore, we introduced Class A noise model in PLC first, and then proposed an optimum DPLL for such Class A noise environment using the techniques based on MAP (Maximum A Posteriori) estimating. The simulated results show the proposed DPLL has the smaller steady state phase errors than the conventional DPLL under Class A noise environment.


Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been shown to maintain the osteogenicity of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) in vitro. This study was to investigate whether bFGF with osteogenic supplements could enhance bone formation of posterior spinal fusion. Rabbit bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells were selected by adherence on plastic culture-ware. The MSCs were exposed to dexamethasone with (bFGF group, n=6) or without bFGF (OS group, n=6). Treated cells of two groups were seeded on β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics for one day and then implanted onto L5 and L6 transverse processes of the same animal in posterior spinal fusion without decortication. The ceramics acted as control (n=6). Three fluorochromes were injected sequentially as tetracycline at week 2, xylenol orange at week 4 and calcein at week 6. The spinal segments were harvested at week 7. The bone mineral content (BMC) and volume of transverse processes was measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The specimens were underwent undecalcified histology. The mineralization process was examined by fluorescent microscopy. The BMC of transverse processes in OS group was 16% greater than bFGF and control group significantly. The volume of transverse process in OS and bFGF group was significantly greater than control group by 54% and 46% respectively. The volume of transverse processes in OS group was 6% greater than bFGF group though not statistically significant. In histology, newly formed bone grew from two processes towards each other resulting in a relatively short gap distance in OS and bFGF group while less regenerated bone was observed in the control group. At the mineralization front, calcein which was injected into animal at week 6, was predominately labeled in bFGF group. In OS group, both xylenol orange (at week 4) and calcein labeled were found. In conclusion, mesenchymal stem cells pre-exposed to bFGF were not found to give additional enhancement effect on bone formation in the posterior spinal fusion model.


This essay responds to "The Obama Administration, the DREAM Act and the Take Care Clause" by Robert J. Delahunty and John C. Yoo. Though I credit Yoo and Delahunty for considering the relationship between the DACA program and the President's duties under the "Take Care" clause, they miss the mark in at least three ways: 1) Contrary to ignoring immigration enforcement, the Obama Administration has executed the immigration laws faithfully and forcefully; 2) Far from being a new policy that undercuts statutory law, prosecutorial discretion actions like DACA have been pursued by other presidents, and part of the immigration system for at least 35 years; 3) Despite the unsurprising fact that some people who could qualify for the congressionally-created DREAM Act possess the kinds of equities that make them attractive for a prosecutorial discretion program like DACA, it is simply inaccurate to equate the limbo status offered with a grant under DACA to the secure status that attaches to those eligible under the congressional solution known as the DREAM Act. These three points are analyzed in greater detail in this essay. While the DACA program "feels" like something more or greater in scope than previous acts of prosecutorial discretion, the authority being exercised by the agency is no greater or different. It is dangerous to argue that the potential size of the class that stands to benefit from DACA or the greater transparency somehow makes the DACA program legally unsound or different. Conceivably, a future Administration could place a cap on the number of applications that can be approved under DACA but this is a policy question, not a constitutional one.


Abstract We present a quantitative analysis of megafloral turnover across the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary (K/T) based on the most complete record, which comes from the Williston Basin in southwestern North Dakota. More than 22,000 specimens of 353 species have been recovered from 161 localities in a stratigraphic section that is continuous across and temporally calibrated to the K/T and two paleomagnetic reversals. Floral composition changes dynamically during the Cretaceous, shifts sharply at the K/T, and is virtually static during the Paleocene. The K/T is associated with the loss of nearly all dominant species, a significant drop in species richness, and no subsequent recovery. Only 29 of 130 Cretaceous species that appear in more than one stratigraphic level (non-singletons) cross the K/T. Only 11 non-singletons appear first during the Paleocene. The survivors, most of which were minor elements of Cretaceous floras, dominate the impoverished Paleocene floras. Confidence intervals show that the range terminations of most Cretaceous plant taxa are well sampled. We infer that nearly all species with last appearances more than about 5 m below (approximately 70 Kyr before) the K/T truly disappeared before the boundary because of normal turnover dynamics and climate changes; these species should not be counted as K/T victims. Maxima of last appearances occur from 5 to 3 m below the K/T. Interpretation of these last appearances at a fine stratigraphic scale is problematic because of local facies changes, and megafloral data alone, even with confidence intervals, are not sufficient for precise location of an extinction horizon. For this purpose, we rely on high-resolution palynological data previously recovered from continuous facies in the same sections; these place a major plant extinction event precisely at the K/T impact horizon. Accordingly, we interpret the significant cluster of last appearances less than 5 m below the K/T as the signal of a real extinction at the K/T that is recorded slightly down section. A maximum estimate of plant extinction, based on species lost that were present in the uppermost 5 m of Cretaceous strata, is 57%. Palynological data, with higher stratigraphic but lower taxonomic resolution than the megafloral results, provide a minimum estimate of a 30% extinction. The 57% estimate is significantly lower than previous megafloral observations, but these were based on a larger thickness of latest Cretaceous strata, including most of a globally warm interval, and were less sensitive to turnover before the K/T. The loss of one-third to three-fifths of plant species supports a scenario of sudden ecosystem collapse, presumably caused by the Chicxulub impact.


Climate change is knowledge produced by running empirical data on weather through global simulation models. In contradistinction to the approach that studies how people come to be schooled to perceive climate change or produce their own accounts of change in an indigenous idiom, I show how knowledge of it is met by disbelief by Muslim farmers (chauras) living on eroding and accreting silt and sand islands (chars) within the Jamuna River in Bangladesh. Such disbelief is not unlike the denial that ordinarily greets news of climate change elsewhere. If one were to turn away from asking how people are taking up (or not) the issue of climate change, it is in smaller gestures of incorporating repugnant others, in this case dogs, that one sees reflections on divine creation qua creatureliness. And following such reflections on Creation through fables, narratives, and the everyday of the chauras, we see how Muslim cosmology and eschatology hold promise of ecological thought, providing an unexpectedly materialist perspective on our creaturely interconnectedness. They also provide an anticipatory register of climate change within chaura life through the intensification of suffering in the present, while allowing for disbelief in climate change as poisoned knowledge from the West.


Direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large-eddy simulation (LES) of spatially developing supersonic mixing layer, interacting with an oblique shock wave are conducted with a new high-order Monotonicity-Preserving scheme. Without the incident shock, the mixing layer grows linearly and exhibits self-similar behavior after the transition. With the shock, significant small-scale turbulence is generated just behind the shock. With an increase in shock angle, the intensity of the shock-generated turbulence is increased and its peak position shifts away from the mixing layer centerline. The effects of turbulence on the shock are also shown to be very significant, such that normal shocklets and large adverse pressure gradients are created in some conditions. Comparison with the DNS data indicates that the LES with the modified kinetic energy viscosity (MKEV) subgrid stress model is able to predict the main features of the flow and shock-turbulence interactions.


The Health and Retirement Study was designed to evaluate changes in health and labor force participation during and after the transition from working to retirement. Every 2 years, participants provided information about their self‐rated health (SRH), body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and other characteristics. Our goal was to assess the effects of smoking and gender on trajectories of change in BMI and SRH over time. Joint longitudinal analysis of outcome measures is preferable to separate analyses because it allows to account for the correlation between the measures, to test the effects of predictors while controlling type I error, and potentially to improve efficiency. However, because SRH is an ordinal measure while BMI is continuous, formulating a joint model and parameter estimation is challenging. A joint correlated probit model allowed us to seamlessly account for the correlations between the measures over time. Established estimating procedures for such models are based on quasi‐likelihood or numerical approximations that may be biased or fail to converge. Therefore, we proposed a novel expectation–maximization algorithm for parameter estimation and a Monte Carlo bootstrap approach for standard errors approximation. Expectation–maximization algorithms have been previously considered for combinations of binary and/or continuous repeated measures; however, modifications were needed to handle combinations of ordinal and continuous responses. A simulation study demonstrated that the algorithm converged and provided approximately unbiased estimates with sufficiently large sample sizes. In the Health and Retirement Study, male gender and smoking were independently associated with steeper deterioration in self‐rated health and with lower average BMI. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The aim of this research is the product design review in a virtual reality environment. The design activities consist of the usage or not of the haptic arm force-feedback combined or not with 3D stereoscopic display through basic sensors. The movements of design activities were evaluated by the low basic sensors application consisting of docking, duration, and instability sensor. The use case was thus organized around a barrel cam mechanism design which it has a single rotation motion but a complex cam 3D trajectory. We are specifically concerned by activities involved at design stage or at manufacturing preparation stage and we will have tuning design parameters to ensure that the mechanism is working well. We have implemented the experiment on four environments including either stereoscopy or haptic force-feedback device were used to establish comparisons respect to this research.


Answer Set Programming (ASP) is a well-known problem solving approach based on nonmonotonic reasoning. HEX-programs extend ASP with external atoms for access to arbitrary external sources, which can also introduce constants that do not appear in the program (value invention). In order to determine the relevant constants during (pre-)grounding, external atoms must in general be evaluated under up to exponentially many possible inputs. While program splitting techniques allow for eliminating exhaustive pre-grounding, they prohibit effective conflict-driven solving. Thus, current techniques suffer either a grounding or a solving bottleneck. In this work we introduce a new technique for conflictdriven learning over multiple program components. To this end, we identify reasons for inconsistency of program components wrt. input from predecessor components and propagate them back. Experiments show a significant, potentially exponential speedup.


AIM
DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are important drug targets for epigenetic therapy of cancer. Nowadays, non-nucleoside DNMT inhibitors are in development to address high toxicity of nucleoside analogs. However, these compounds still have low activity in cancer cells and mode of action of these compounds remains unclear.

MATERIALS & METHODS
In this work, we studied maleimide derivatives of RG108 by biochemical, structural and computational approaches to highlight their inhibition mechanism on DNMTs.

RESULTS
Findings demonstrated a correlation between cytotoxicity on mesothelioma cells of these compounds and their inhibitory potency against DNMTs. Noncovalent and covalent docking studies, supported by crystallographic (apo structure of M.HhaI) and differential scanning fluorimetry assays, provided detailed insights into their mode of action and revealed essential residues for the stabilization of such compounds inside DNMTs. [Formula: see text].


Drylands ecosystems functioning is highly dependent on the resources redistribution (water, sediments and nutrients), by overland flow, being the most remarkable characteristic the spatial heterogeneity. The actual paradigm describes the functioning as a resource transfer within a mosaic of sources and sinks commanded by the differences in soil infiltration capacity between bare and vegetated patches. It is under these assumptions that from an eco-hydrological perspective, the analysis has been focused on the vegetation patterns from binary maps of vegetated / bare. However, differences in the hydrological and erosive response of the abiotic components has been evidenced. From a geomorphological perspective, our general purpose is to develop a methodological framework to incorporate all the diversity of abiotic surface components and analyse their distribution in the continuum of a hillslope. Scale at which all the interacting scales resulting from spatial heterogeneity at the patch level are manifest and emergent organization patterns inform about their eco-hydro-geomorphological functioning. High-resolution mapping and hillslope-scale patterns analysis, transcending the binary scheme are required, increasing the degree of analytical complexity. With this objective, we propose a rationale for the elaboration of a Soil Surface Components (SSC) mapping legend meaningful from the point of view of the erosion processes. Criteria that is applied in the photointerpretation of high-resolution images of 3 mm. After testing the low lateral variability in the hillslope SSC distribution, in contrast with a high longitudinal variability, we applied a 1D analysis by means of aggregation of each SSC in successive 50 cm bands parallel along the hillslopes: (i) characterising the longitudinal heterogeneity by means of the Simpson diversity index (composition) and (ii) verifying the non-randomness in the distribution, and therefore the existence of distribution patterns (configuration), using Time Series Analysis tools (autocorrelograms and periodograms). To test the ability of the method in highlighting the eco-hydro-geomorphological dynamics, the analysis was applied in two well-known hillslopes with contrasting environments (i.e. south-facing in semi-arid and degraded Mediterranean subhumid climates). Results showed a marked heterogeneity in the internal composition and a distribution of SSC in concentrated and multi-scale periodic patterns along each hillslope, although with relevant differences between both areas that fits with the difference in their hydrological behaviour. This methodological approach can be suitable to disentangle hillslopes spatial heterogeneity, both in the composition and configuration dimensions.


A variable duty cycle quasi-cw frequency scanning technique was applied to reduce thermal effects resulting from the high heat dissipation of type I quantum-cascade lasers. This technique was combined with a 100-m path-length multipass cell and a zero-air background-subtraction technique to enhance detection sensitivity to a parts-in-10(9) (ppb) concentration level for spectroscopic trace-gas detection of CH4, N2O, H2O, and C2H5OH in ambient air at 7.9 micrometers. A new technique for analysis of dense high resolution absorption spectra was applied to detection of ethanol in ambient air, yielding a 125-ppb detection limit.


Velvet ash (Fraxinus velutina Torr.), a native tree of the southwestern United States, was commonly planted in Louisiana and other southeastern states until horticulturalists lost interest in the plant due to insect and disease problems. For several years, velvet ash trees in Baton Rouge have exhibited necrotic leaf spots and blotches during March and April. Trees frequently have 10 to 25% foliage infection and those most severely infected may show 50% defoliation. Small hyaline conidia that averaged 9.0 × 3.8 μm were produced in acervuli in necrotic tissue on lower leaf surfaces of affected trees. A fungus that produced similar conidia was consistently isolated from infected leaves and grown on potato dextrose agar. Pathogenicity tests were performed by misting 3 × 106 conidia per ml on leaf surfaces of velvet ash seedlings that were then placed in a dew chamber maintained at 26°C for 48 h. Chlorotic leaf spots developed on inoculated plants in 4 to 6 days at 24°C and were followed by necrotic spots and blotches 4 days later. The fungus was reisolated and identified as Discula fraxinea (Peck) Redlin & Stack (previously known as Gloeosporium aridum Ellis & Holw.) (2). Velvet ash anthracnose was first reported from California in 1949 (1), but this is the first report of its occurrence in Louisiana. References: (1) D. M. Coe and W. W. Wagener. Plant Dis. Rep. 33:232, 1949. (2) S. C. Redlin and R. W. Stack. Mycotaxon 32:175, 1988.


Ablative techniques have greatly improved physicians' ability to definitively treat patients with primary and secondary hepatic tumors. These techniques include radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation, as well as newer microwave and laser ablation methods. Ablation devices, used either alone or combined with hepatic resection, have made it feasible to treat patients with bilobar lesions and those who would not tolerate liver resection due to underlying comorbidities.


Lavoro&Psiche is a RCT aimed at increasing employment among severely mentally ill patients, by offering them a structured job-search experience. The key feature of the treatment was the presence of a "job coach" entirely dedicated to support the job search of a small number (12-13) of mentally ill patients. What most often the job coach did was finding the patient a traineeship. If one were to consider only the effect of making the support of the coach available – the so-called Intention-To-Treat effect – it would be a disappointing statistically non significant 5 percentage point difference in the employment of treatment and control members, in the full post-treatment year. However, the impact of making something available is rarely the primary interest of policy-makers, who would rather know the effect of receiving it. The main difficulty in obtaining unbiased estimates of the latter is that 'who receives what' is no longer solely determined by randomization, but also by post-randomization events and decisions. During the implementation period of Lavoro&Psiche of 2011-12, an unprecedented wave of traineeship opportunities hit those enrolled in the demonstration, both in the experimental and in the control group. The main finding is that, for the subset of the experimental group that was induced by the offer to be involved in a traineeship the chances of having a job in the post-treatment year more than double from the 17% of those who did not do any traineeship to the 34% of those who did, well above the Intention-To-Treat impact estimates.


How is the universal, yet private and subjective, experience of pain talked about by different people in everyday encounters? What does the analysis of pain-related lexico-phraseological choices, grammatical structures, and linguistic metaphors reveal as to how pain is perceived and experienced? Are pain utterances primarily used to express or to describe this experiential domain? This is the first book that investigates such questions from both a functional and a cognitive perspective: it combines two converging usage-based theoretical models in a systematic linguistic inquiry of the construal of pain in everyday language. This work is based on a specialised electronic corpus of Greek naturally-occurring dialogues in a health care context, the underlying assumption being that in the absence of factual evidence intuition about language cannot reliably detect or predict patterns of usage. Comparing Greek with English data, this book significantly contributes to the development of this research field cross-linguistically.