PURPOSE
Amplifications and mutations in the KIT proto-oncogene in subsets of melanomas provide therapeutic opportunities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
We conducted a multicenter phase II trial of imatinib in metastatic mucosal, acral, or chronically sun-damaged (CSD) melanoma with KIT amplifications and/or mutations. Patients received imatinib 400 mg once per day or 400 mg twice per day if there was no initial response. Dose reductions were permitted for treatment-related toxicities. Additional oncogene mutation screening was performed by mass spectroscopy.

RESULTS
Twenty-five patients were enrolled (24 evaluable). Eight patients (33%) had tumors with KIT mutations, 11 (46%) with KIT amplifications, and five (21%) with both. Median follow-up was 10.6 months (range, 3.7 to 27.1 months). Best overall response rate (BORR) was 29% (21% excluding nonconfirmed responses) with a two-stage 95% CI of 13% to 51%. BORR was significantly greater than the hypothesized null of 5% and statistically significantly different by mutation status (7 of 13 or 54% KIT mutated v 0% KIT amplified only). There were no statistical differences in rates of progression or survival by mutation status or by melanoma site. The overall disease control rate was 50% but varied significantly by KIT mutation status (77% mutated v 18% amplified). Four patients harbored pretreatment NRAS mutations, and one patient acquired increased KIT amplification after treatment.

CONCLUSION
Melanomas that arise on mucosal, acral, or CSD skin should be assessed for KIT mutations. Imatinib can be effective when tumors harbor KIT mutations, but not if KIT is amplified only. NRAS mutations and KIT copy number gain may be mechanisms of therapeutic resistance to imatinib.


This paper discusses two antennas monolithically integrated on-chip to be used respectively for wireless powering and UWB transmission of a tag designed and fabricated in 0.18-μm CMOS technology. A multiturn loop-dipole structure with inductive and resistive stubs is chosen for both antennas. Using these on-chip antennas, the chip employs asymmetric communication links: at downlink, the tag captures the required supply wirelessly from the received RF signal transmitted by a reader and, for the uplink, ultra-wideband impulse-radio (UWB-IR), in the 3.1-10.6-GHz band, is employed instead of backscattering to achieve extremely low power and a high data rate up to 1 Mb/s. At downlink with the on-chip power-scavenging antenna and power-management unit circuitry properly designed, 7.5-cm powering distance has been achieved, which is a huge improvement in terms of operation distance compared with other reported tags with on-chip antenna. Also, 7-cm operating distance is achieved with the implemented on-chip UWB antenna. The tag can be powered up at all the three ISM bands of 915 MHz and 2.45 GHz, with off-chip antennas, and 5.8 GHz with the integrated on-chip antenna. The tag receives its clock and the commands wirelessly through the modulated RF powering-up signal. Measurement results show that the tag can operate up to 1 Mb/s data rate with a minimum input power of -19.41 dBm at 915-MHz band, corresponding to 15.7 m of operation range with an off-chip 0-dB gain antenna. This is a great improvement compared with conventional passive RFIDs in term of data rate and operation distance. The power consumption of the chip is measured to be just 16.6 μW at the clock frequency of 10 MHz at 1.2-V supply. In addition, in this paper, for the first time, the radiation pattern of an on-chip antenna at such a frequency is measured. The measurement shows that the antenna has an almost omnidirectional radiation pattern so that the chip's performance is less direction-dependent.


: Aim: The aim of this study is to reveal if different surgical procedures of the upper and lower jaw have an effect on the pharyngeal airway space (PAS). PAS is important considering the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), since an enlargement or a reduction of the PAS can influence an existing OSA, or even be a risk factor to create an OSA. Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of pre- and postoperative lateral cephalograms of 18 males and 26 females (mean age 23.25 ± 5.84 years). The inclusion criterion was that all patients had undergone an orthodontic surgery, either a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) or a LeFort 1 osteotomy (LFO) or both. Only patient files, which were used for orthodontic specialization, were included in order to have all the necessary data available. Treating OSA was not an inclusion criterion. Statistics were performed with spearman correlation, Oneway ANOVA combined with a Scheffe post-hoc test and a paired t-test. Results: Diff ANB showed a positive statistically significant correlation to Diff Spp (CC 0.367, p 0.015), as well as a negative statistically significant correlation to Diff Pg (-0.341). A positive statistically significant correlation was found between Diff t and Diff p (0.412). According to one-way ANOVA there is no evidence that there are differences in Diff p (p= 0.552) and Diff t (p=0.666) with respect to the four groups A, B, C and D. The paired t-test revealed that there is a change in p measurements between preand postoperative time points: 1.4, 95% CI (0.2; 2.6), p=0.022. There is no evidence that there is a change in t measurements between the pre- and postoperative time points: 0.87, 95% CI (-0.2; 1.9), p=0.101 Conclusion: At group level it can be summarized, that an advancement of the lower jaw has on average a positive effect on the airways while the same cannot be said for surgical interventions of the upper jaw. Abstract Aim : The aim of this study is to reveal if different surgical procedures of the upper and lower jaw have an effect on the pharyngeal airway space (PAS). PAS is important considering the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), since an enlargement or a reduction of the PAS can influence an existing OSA, or even be a risk factor to create an OSA. Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of pre- and postoperative lateral cephalograms of 18 males and 26 females (mean age 23.25 ± 5.84 years). The inclusion criterion was that all patients had undergone an orthodontic surgery, either a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) or a LeFort 1 osteotomy (LFO) or both. Only patient files, which were used for orthodontic specialization, were included in order to have all the necessary data available. Treating OSA was not an inclusion criterion. Statistics were performed with spearman correlation, Oneway ANOVA combined with a Scheffe post-hoc test and a paired t-test. Results: Diff ANB showed a positive statistically significant correlation to Diff Spp (CC 0.367, p 0.015), as well as a negative statistically significant correlation to Diff Pg (-0.341). A positive statistically significant correlation was found between Diff t and Diff p (0.412). According to one-way ANOVA there is no evidence that there are differences in Diff p (p= 0.552) and Diff t (p=0.666) with respect to the four groups A, B, C and D. The paired t-test measurements preand pre- At level it summarized, that


Pollution of water due to presence of certain heavy metal ions is a severe socio-environmental problem caused by the discharge of industrial wastewater. In view of their toxicity, non-biodegradebility and persistent nature, their removal becomes an absolute necessary. Chromium is one of the major pollutants in the environment and is frequently present in wastewaters from various industrial units. Several conventional physical and chemical treatment techniques may be used for the removal of chromium. However, such processes are not only expensive and highly energy intensive, but also lead to production of harmful by-products and end-products, the ultimate disposal of which again causes secondary pollution. Hence, the potential application of microorganisms as biosorbent for the removal of chromium has been recognized as an alternative to the existing conventional physico-chemical methods. The aim of the present study is to review the removal of chromium from aqueous solution using various materials of agricultural and biological origin , which have been studied as potential chromium biosorbent (plant leaves, saw dust, sugar cane bagassa, sugar beet pulp, maize cob and rice hulls). Also reported cases on chromium removal from aqueous solution by using fungal, algal and bacterial biomass under the growing, resting and dead conditions in batch as well as in continuous bioreactors are reviewed.


This essay addresses the issues of self-representation in women's writing of the early nineteenth-century British literary culture. I explore the subordination of women by a construction of femininity which did not allow them to be rational thinking subjects. Through the work of Mary Wollstonecraft I demonstrate how she provided a space for the rights of women to be discussed in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and the impact this had on a patriarchal society. Jane Austen's Mansfield Park serves as a fictional articulation of this, which illustrates the way in which women writers were disguising their political intent through fiction. I discuss the gender politics controlled by patriarchy which exclude women because of their lack of education. As pioneers of early proto feminist thought I argue that Wollstonecraft and Austen subvert the boundaries between constructions of masculinity and femininity. 'Masculine' and 'feminine Romanticism' are the terms coined by Anne Mellor which differentiate between the ideological construction of gender and the biological sex of the author. I engage with the argument Mellor provides for a gendered Romanticism which clearly defines the difference gender makes when looking at women's writing in the early nineteenth century. I discuss how the call for gender equality by Wollostonecraft and Austen is complicated by the specificities of the society they live in. Furthermore, I look at how women represented themselves through writing at this time in order to be emancipated from constructions of femininity and to position themselves as rational thinking beings.


Latin America and the Caribbean have experience, albeit limited, in the reform and reformulation of labor intermediation systems. This article seeks to bring together both experience in the region and within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries to investigate how such systems might be relevant to Latin American and Caribbean economies. The article first reviews what is the more modern concept of labor intermediation, outlining its various services. It then analyzes OECD and Latin American experience with reform and modernization of intermediation systems with an eye to recommendations and adaptations particularly relevant to economies in the region.


Jesus was born in Palestine. He was the main determinant for the foundation of a religious movement or sect later called Christianity. This movement, founded in Palestine after the ascension of Jesus, with Jerusalem as its main centre of worship, was merely a Judaeo-Christian sect. In Jerusalem, the adherents to this movement were not really distinctive from the Jewish religion, as they worshipped the same God, Yahweh, went to the same Temple and/or synagogues and kept the same Jewish Laws. After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, many Jews, including the 'believers in Christ's teachings' (the earliest Christians) fled Jerusalem for different parts of the Roman Empire such as Transjordan, Syria and Africa. Different 'Christianities' developed in the main cities of the Roman Empire – Rome, Antioch and Alexandria. In each of these cities, the believers in Christ's teachings developed their own religion alongside Judaism. This article argued that it was in Alexandria, a world famous city during the time of the Roman Empire, especially renowned for its academic excellence, that the new religion best found and made its own stand. The Catechetical School, with scholarly heads and writers, such as Clement and Origen, started to develop a theology that set the standard for Christian theology in the Empire. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The general assumption is that Jerusalem, as the origin of Christianity, was the place where it had its formation. This article proposed that it was actually Alexandria where Christianity was best found and became distinctive from Judaism. However, a lack of original sources on this subject area limited the research.


The ALPI SC linac at INFN-LNL is being constantly upgraded in terms of maximum beam energy (Ef) and current, made available for experiments. Presently, a liquid-N cooling scheme is being applied to the RF power couplers of the 16 full Nb resonators, to keep them locked at 5 MV/m, vs. present 3 MV/m. A further upgrade of the 44 "medium beta section" cavities, changing the cavity Cu substrates, was prototyped and is reported at this conference: however it is not fully funded yet and is extremely time-consuming. A cost-effective Ef upgrade is proposed here: to move 2 SC buncher cryostats, which house a single working SC QWR but were designed for 4, at the end of ALPI, equipping them with 4 Nb/Cu QWRs each (new bunchers would either be NC QWRs or a single SC cavity cryostat). The contribution of these cryostats to Ef would be extremely effective: e.g. a Ef~10 MeV/A (Ibeam≥ 1 pnA) Pb beam, a very attractive tool for the nuclear physics community, is achievable. A being performed upgrade of ALPI cryoplant, expected to increase the refrigeration capability by ~25%, makes this change possible today. Details of this solution, as well as its limits, will be presented and discussed


Setting and Objectives: Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) recently planned and implemented a project to help CMU researchers get an Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier (ORCID) and to enable administrators to integrate the ORCIDs into university systems. This article describes and assesses the planning, performance, and outcome of this initiative, branded ORCID @ CMU. Design and Methods: The article chronicles why and how ORCID was integrated at CMU, including the rationale for changes in strategic plans. It assesses researcher participation in the project using transaction log and content analyses, and the performance of the ORCID project team using recommendations in the Jisc ORCID project report, frankly reporting the team's successes and failures. The article concludes with lessons learned that should inform ORCID integration projects and expectations at other institutions. Results: The ORCID @ CMU web application was a great success. However, the project team did not allow enough time to prepare or devote enough attention to advocacy. The marketing message was not sufficiently persuasive and the marketing channels were not particularly effective. The overall participation rate in ORCID @ CMU was far below the target of 40%, though participation in many demographics exceeded the goal. Conclusions: Strategic planning does not guarantee success. Secure more than lip service from senior administrators. Recruit champions from across the institution. Develop a message that resonates with researchers. Allow sufficient time to prepare. Empower the project manager. Start with the low hanging fruit. Develop special outreach to doctoral students and postdocs. Correspondence: Denis Troll Covey: email@example.com


As geographers continue to research the interactions between physical landscapes and conceived or represented landscapes, the Virgin of Guadalupe pilgrimage site, a prominent site for Latin American Catholicism, provided an opportunity for further study in this area. Mexico City's rapid expansion drastically changed the material landscape from rural to densely urban, especially since the early 1900s. With indigenous spirituality closely tied to the physical aspects of the landscape, especially those more related to the natural and rural elements, the onset of urbanity can potentially lead to alienation and consequently a decrease in pilgrimages and participation in worship at the site. How then, do those representing the site adjust to the changes in the landscape in order to maintain a sense of spirituality, and how is spirituality maintained through the interactions of all other elements of the material/conceptual landscape associated with the site? Repeat photography, field observation, and archival research were used to answer these questions. In order to gain more perspective, historical sections were written describing the venerated image of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the cultural, especially religious, differences between the natives and Europeans involved with this site. Another section describes the site as seen in 2005, while comparing it to earlier years. Several dialectical considerations are discussed in order to provide a more in-depth understanding of the site's interactions with its surroundings. Subsequently a material/conceptual landscape site analysis model, developed in regards to this pilgrimage site but potentially applicable elsewhere, paves the way for understanding the intricate interactions taking place among different aspects of the material/conceptual landscape. The concluding section extrapolates general themes regarding previous responses of representations and the material pilgrimage site design to threat of a potentially alienating urban


Cocoa production has a long history in Ghana, originating in the late nineteenth century. Since then, cocoa production has seen significant changes. Originally, cocoa was cultivated in newly cleared forests in which many forest trees were preserved as shade trees. Cocoa is ideally suited to these conditions and produces high yields with minimum investment in labour and inputs. However, over time, as the forest conditions change, the cost of cultivating cocoa has increased and yields have declined. As long as new forest frontiers exist, farmers have continued to move into these areas, which have displaced older areas of cultivation, since the costs of production are significantly lower in the new frontiers. In recent years, however, new forest frontiers have declined and most cocoa farmers have been forced to rehabilitate and replant cocoa in open land. This study examines the rational of frontier development; changes in land relations, labour relations and use of technology; and the impact of these factors on different categories of farmers, including women and youth. This is developed through two comparative case studies drawn from the older cocoa frontier of the Eastern Region, and the more recent frontier of Western North Region.


An experiment was conducted in an organic plum orchard in Sicily to evaluate the damage caused by the plum moth Grapholita funebrana Treitschke; to three plum cultivars (Angeleno, Friar, and Stanley) and to evaluate plum moth control provided by mineral oil applied every 20 days (Moil), spinosad applied every 10 days (S10), or spinosad and mineral oil applied alternately (S/Moil). Treatment application began when eggs were first observed on fruits. S10 and S/Moil effectively reduced plum moth damage on all cultivars but Moil did not. Plum moth infestation was significantly lower on Stanley than on Friar and Angeleno.


Veterinary education commenced in South Africa in 1920 at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in South Africa in association with the Transvaal University College, now the University of Pretoria. Sir Arnold Theiler, Director of Veterinary Research and Education, was the first Dean. Today there are 46 veterinary training institutions in Africa of which 21 are in sub-Saharan Africa. Veterinary services are indispensable to the sustained health and wellbeing of animals and humans, and agricultural economies of countries worldwide. Veterinary education, postgraduate training, and research, and adequate numbers of veterinarians, are essential to satisfy the millennium development goals, the objectives of NEPAD and the African Union, and the agreements regulating international trade. The relevance of the veterinary profession internationally is currently subject to profound scrutiny. Its contributions are assessed against major environmental, demographic, political, disease, technological and economic needs. The scope of veterinary training in future will have to emphasise veterinary public health, food safety, emerging diseases, international trade, bioterrorism, and biomedical research, within the context of a one-health system focusing on the interface between wildlife, domesticated animals, humans, and their environment. Within the context of time available, it would mean reducing the time allocated to training in the field of companion animals. A brief history and scope of veterinary education; current international trends in veterinary education and provisioning; and some perspectives on future veterinary training and initiatives applicable to Africa are provided.


Abstract
"Shared purpose," understood as a widely shared commitment to the organization's fundamental raison d'etre, can be a powerful driver of organizational performance by providing both motivation and direction for members' joint problem-solving efforts. So far, however, we understand little about the organization design that can support shared purpose in the context of large, complex business enterprises. Building on the work of Selznick and Weber, we argue that such contexts require a new organizational form, one that we call collaborative. The collaborative organizational form is grounded in Weber's value-rational type of social action, but overcomes the scale limitations of the collegial form of organization that is conventionally associated with value-rational action. We identify four organizational principles that characterize this collaborative form and a range of managerial policies that can implement those principles.


Background A study about healthcare resources can improve decisions regarding the allotment and mobilization of medical resources and to better guide future investment in the health sector. Aim The aim of this work was to design and implement a decision support system to improve medical resources allocation of Bejaia region. Methods To achieve the retrospective cohort study, we integrated existing clinical databases from different Bejaia department health sector institutions (an Algerian department) to collect information about patients from January 2015 through December 2015. Data integration was performed in a data warehouse using the multi-dimensional model and OLAP cube. During implementation, we used Microsoft SQL server 2012 and Microsoft Excel 2010. Results A medical decision support platform was introduced, and was implemented during the planning stages allowing the management of different medical orientations, it provides better apportionment and allotment of medical resources, and ensures that the allocation of health care resources has optimal effects on improving health. Conclusion In this study, we designed and implemented a decision support system which would improve health care in Bejaia department to especially assist in the selection of the optimum location of health center and hospital, the specialty of the health center, the medical equipment and the medical staff.


This PhD thesis analyses the role of Christian Churches in European integration. We learn
that Churches are inalienable participants in the process of European integration; therefore it
is important to identify how they are placed within the European project and what their
contribution is. We show that social constructivism is the most adequate approach to the study
of the role of Churches in European integration.
This thesis contains six main chapters. Chapter One is dedicated to the analysis of the existing
theories of European integration. It identifies an important gap in the existing theories, which
largely overlook the religious factor in the integration process. Chapter Two analyses why and
how identity, non-state actors and religion are particularly relevant to European integration.
Chapter Three deals with research methodology. It argues in favour of the case study method
and justifies the selection of two case studies: Churches in the reform of the EU treaties and
Churches in the EU immigration and asylum policy. Chapter Four looks in detail at why
Churches should be regarded as unique participants in European integration. It also identifies
the confessional specificities of the Churches' involvement in the EU politics and the possible
level of their influence. Chapters Five and Six are dedicated to the case studies themselves. In
chapter Five attention is drawn to the role of Christian Churches in the process of recent
reform of the EU treaties (2001-2009). Specifically, it analyses the contribution of Churches
to the three main stages of this reform: the work of the Constitutional Convention, the Inter-
Governmental Conference and the Treaty of Lisbon. In chapter Six the focus is on the policy
level, with an analysis of how Churches contribute to the EU immigration and asylum policy.
It also discusses their contribution in a specific case, analysing the adoption process of the
Returns Directive.
The main original contribution of this thesis is that it establishes a comprehensive view of
Christian Churches as special and unique participants in European integration, as compared
with other non-state actors, considered in the analysis of integration by social constructivism.


Earthen liners have been widely used to contain toxic and hazardous materials in ponds and landfills. There is close scrutiny over the durability of liners in contact with various wastes and a need for cost-effective alternatives with superior qualities. Fly ash and fly-ash stabilized soils present a significant potential as a resistant and cost-effective waste liner material. A series of tests was performed on fly ash and fly ash/sand mixtures to evaluate both the physical characteristics pertinent to containment of waste liquids and the chemical interactions with such liquids. Permeability, volume change, and mechanical properties were studied as a function of environmental exposure factors such as freeze/thaw cycles and wet/dry cycles. The influence of construction factors such as water content, compactive effort, and time between mixing water and compacting on density and permeability was considered. Permeability tests using inorganic salt solutions of various composition and pH also were made. A summary of the findings of this investigation is presented. The laboratory experiments indicate that pozzolanic fly ash has many properties that are attractive in a liner construction material.


Test sections of jointed plain concrete pavement were constructed with fast-setting hydraulic cement concrete (FSHCC) as part of the California Department of Transportation accelerated pavement-testing program. Many of the longer slabs cracked under environmental influences before any traffic load was applied to them. Data from field instrumentation were recorded and analyzed along with laboratory test data to determine the cause of the cracking. Cores drilled through the cracks indicated that cracking began at the top of the slabs and propagated downward. This was confirmed with the ILLI-SLAB (ILSL2) finite-element package in which high tensile stresses were predicted at the top of the slab as a result of the differential drying shrinkage between the top and base of the slab and the nonlinear nature of the negative temperature gradients through the slab. Laboratory free-shrinkage tests with the test section concrete indicated significantly higher levels of shrinkage compared with that achieved with ordinary Type II portland cement. Load plus environmental stress analysis with ILSL2 suggested that the critical failure location for the FSHCC pavements would be near the corner of the slab and not at the midslab edge.


The BaBar experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) is designed to perform a high precision investigation of the decays of B-meson produced from electron-positron interactions. The experiment, started in May 1999, will generate approximately 300 TB/year of data for 10 years. All of the data will reside in objectivity databases (object oriented databases), accessible via the Advanced Multi-threaded Server (AMS). To date, over 70 TB of data have been placed in Objectivity/DB, making it one of the largest databases in the world. Providing access to such a large quantity of data through a database server is a daunting task. A full-scale testbed environment had to be developed to tune various software parameters and a fundamental change had to occur in the AMS architecture to allow it to scale past several hundred terabytes of data. Additionally, several protocol extensions had to be implemented to provide practical access to large quantities of data. The paper describes the design of the database and the changes that we needed to make in the AMS for scalability reasons and how the lessons we learned would be applicable to virtually any kind of database server seeking to operate in the Petabyte region.


What good is a project that's on time...on budget...and ends up providing your organization with no bottom-line results whatsoever? Whether it falls short of expectations, fails to ultimately be embraced by the people in the company meant to be using it, or simply lands with a thud in the marketplace, a project that doesn't truly deliver value is worthless at best. It's great to be on time and under budget, but to achieve positive results, project managers have to embrace an all-new philosophy of what it is they do for their organizations. Maximizing Project Value shows you how to put the emphasis on value when managing a project, from the project's initial inception, all the way through its completion, and even farther down the road to determine whether it's of continuous worth to the company. This valuable guide offers a step-by-step plan you can use to establish the value of a project, identify value drivers and key performance metrics and then track and report them, organize a team for accountability, and much more. You'll get the tools and information you need to: * Generate accurate value estimates in the proposal stage. * Create a clear plan that identifies measurable and ongoing value. * Establish buy-in from key players in your organization. * Develop and use a process for managing the people responsible for implementing the plan. * Adapt your project to meet changing business objectives. Far too many projects lose sight of their original purpose due to shifting resources, changing organizational objectives, and other unexpected developments. Maximizing Project Value provides a clear, immediately usable blueprint for ensuring the kind of project success that truly provides value to your organization.


A coalition of environmental advocacy groups challenged the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture"s approval of a mining project near Noxon, Montana. The proposed mine would operate partially on national forest land and involve tunneling beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness to extract copper and silver. The plaintiffs challenged the mine approval by advancing claims under the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Organic Administration Act, and the National Forest Management Act. The court entered summary judgment for the defendants on all but two counts. Minor changes must be made to the planning and review documents on remand before the mine project is allowed to proceed.


For the last two decades, Australian politics has been debating the nature and role of the state. Anti-statist ideas from the USA and Britain have greatly influenced both sides of politics. No longer has the state been seen primarily as a paternalistic agency used to mitigate 'the harsh consequences of economic competition and economic inequality' (Thompson 1998, 114). The state has tended to be regarded as 'parasitic and as antagonistic to the health of the private sector'. While those claims did not pass uncontested, the dominant trend was towards privatisation. Around the world between 1989 and 1999 some 800 direct sales of government enterprises and assets to foreign companies and investors raised $A300 billion for governments. In Australia the size of the state was reduced and privatisation of government business enterprises and instrumentalities went on apace in the 1990s. Zealous, free market, economic rationalist advisers urged the Keating Labor Cabinet to 'cleanse the economy of government'. In Victoria, the Kennett Liberal Government sold $A24 billion in government assets, including
the State Electricity Commission (Woodward 1999, 150). We should add contracting out government services to private companies. While doctrinaire considerations have played their part, the economists, public servants and politicians who championed privatization were firmly convinced that it would bring substantial benefits to the public in the form of better services and lower prices. As critics of privatization had predicted, in practice those benefits have accrued less to the public than to business interests associated with conservative governments.


Abstract
 Adelges tsugae (Hemlock Woolly Adelgid; HWA) is a non-native forest insect that causes defoliation and mortality of hemlock in the eastern US. We quantified the extent to which people are potentially affected by the spread of HWA infestation where they live and where they recreate. We also considered how these impacts might change through time using data from 2007, 2009, and 2011. The study area included hemlock stands in a 7500-km2 region of central Connecticut and central Massachusetts. We used sample-plot data on live basal area and vigor of hemlock stands to interpolate hemlock health characteristics for all hemlock stands in the study area. We estimated a loss of property values in the region of approximately $24.6 million USD. This estimate was conservative because there were insufficient data to fully quantify the economic losses associated with the death of hemlock trees and the degradation of recreational opportunities. The spatial extent of the HWA infestation suggests that both of the latter categories of economic losses are likely substantial. These data can be used to consider the economic efficacy of actions taken to ameliorate the effects of the HWA infestation.


Equivalent circuit models with closed form expressions, in conjunction with a segmentation technique, have been derived to study three different aspects related to chip-package co-design issues. This technique has been successfully applied to package level discontinuities, chip-package interconnects, and the modeling of transients that affect the performance of an integrated microstrip antenna placed at the RF front end. In each case, circuit models have been developed to include coupling by the use of coupling capacitance and mutual inductance. All circuit elements are defined by closed form expressions. To analyze package level discontinuities various microstrip transmission lines placed in close proximity to each other have been considered. Typical via structures such as the single via connecting signal lines placed on either side of a ground plane, and two-via structures between transmission lines placed on different layers have also been modeled. In each case the S-matrix from the equivalent circuit model compared to that obtained using a full wave simulator shows excellent agreement, thereby establishing the validity of the model. To address chip-package co-design issues associated with RF front end a test bed consisting of a microstrip antenna with an embedded matching network has been implemented in a Multi-Layered Organic (MLO) material. The impact on the antenna's input and radiation characteristics due to neighboring circuitry is found to be significant in both the frequency and time domains. Using the equivalent circuit model the coupling has been characterized and compared with that obtained from a full wave simulator.


The article analyzes the paradigm space of higher education in Ukraine. It is proved that the modern education paradigm has a synthetic character, is based on the polyparadigmality principles and is a synthesis of personally oriented ideas, semantic and cognitive paradigms of education. Their nature and characteristics are considered. The units of analysis selected certain components of the paradigm, namely: mission, goals, objectives, guiding values, content of education, basic didactic tools, teacher-student relationships, criteria, functions. It is proved that the situation of confrontation and contradiction of personally oriented, semantic and cognitive paradigms of education is unacceptable, since each of them has its positives and limitations. It was found that cognitive education provides significant potential for intellectual development of the individual, it is its apparent positive. Proved that the cognitive limitations of education lies in its normative and purely social utility, which not related to the unique personality implementation, which is a passive "object" of teacher pedagogical influence; informative cognitive priority led to its content and disciplinary overload, is a serious problem of modern education in higher education institutions. Proved that priority is individually oriented paradigm associated with the formation of free, individual initiative as the "subject" of his life and this education paradigm is reflexive oriented because its values are leading self-awareness, self-development and personal fulfilment future specialist. However, objective knowledge is sometimes overlooked, and this is a certain difficulty of personally oriented education. It is found out that the benefits of the education semantic paradigm are related to the value-semantic attitude formation towards future professional activity, with updating of personal semantic experience; with semantic choice, with development of future specialist semantic potential. The reflexive nature of the personally oriented, semantic and cognitive paradigms of education is substantiated, and it is proved that the modern paradigm of higher education space will constitute a polyparadigmatic synthesis of their ideas accumulated in the education reflexive paradigm. The polyparadigmality essence is revealed as a research methodology, which is a conceptual synthesis of several existing educational paradigms.


Coronaviruses in the Middle East Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe acute respiratory illness and kills about a third of people infected. The virus is common in dromedary camels, which can be a source of human infections. In a survey for MERSCoV in over 1300 Saudi Arabian camels, Sabir et al. found that dromedaries share three coronavirus species with humans. Diverse MERS lineages in camels have caused human infections, which suggests that transfer among host species occurs quite easily. Haagmans et al. made a MERS-CoV vaccine for use in camels, using poxvirus as a vehicle. The vaccine significantly reduced virus excretion, which should help reduce the potential for transmission to humans, and conferred cross-immunity to camelpox infections. Science, this issue p. 81, p. 77 A camel vaccine against MERS coronavirus may reduce the risk of human infection and protect against camelpox too. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections have led to an ongoing outbreak in humans, which was fueled by multiple zoonotic MERS-CoV introductions from dromedary camels. In addition to the implementation of hygiene measures to limit further camel-to-human and human-to-human transmissions, vaccine-mediated reduction of MERS-CoV spread from the animal reservoir may be envisaged. Here we show that a modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vaccine expressing the MERS-CoV spike protein confers mucosal immunity in dromedary camels. Compared with results for control animals, we observed a significant reduction of excreted infectious virus and viral RNA transcripts in vaccinated animals upon MERS-CoV challenge. Protection correlated with the presence of serum neutralizing antibodies to MERS-CoV. Induction of MVA-specific antibodies that cross-neutralize camelpox virus would also provide protection against camelpox.


This article discusses methodological issues related to the radiocarbon dating of Khirbet Qeiyafa, mainly the question of whether the site should be dated solely according to samples retrieved there or dated as part of a regional sequence of stratigraphically based ceramic typology phases. For the latter, we deploy the large number of 14C determinations now available for several sites in the Shephelah, which are located in close proximity to each other, in order to establish a Bayesian model for the absolute chronology of the Iron I–IIA phases in the region. We argue that the information assembled from six neighboring sites in the Shephelah pushes forward the date of Qeiyafa to the 10th century, a date later than the one the excavators estimated based on the more limited 14C information from the site alone.


Fully converter wind turbines and solar power utilise an inverter to connect to grid. The inverters are vulnerable to voltage sag in their terminal due to its damaging effect on semiconductor self-turnoff switches. In this paper, a bridge-type fault current limiter (B-FCL) is proposed for low voltage ride-through (LVRT) of the inverters during different types of fault with simple control system. The proposed B-FCL is capable to compensate the voltage sag in point of common coupling (PCC) and makes a safe condition not only for the inverter but also for any equipment which has been connected to the PCC in the power system. The B-FCL does not affect the normal operation of the inverter. Whenever the fault happens, a limiting resistor enters to the line current pass and decreases the fault current. As a result, the voltage sag on the PCC is mitigated due to limiting the fault current. The proposed B-FCL improves LVRT capability of the inverter, which does not require to changing its control method to ride through the low voltage. Furthermore, the DC input voltage of the inverter will not increase due to consuming the excessive active power by the limiting resistance of the B-FCL. PSCAD/EMTDC software is utilised to show the appropriate performance of the B-FCL during the symmetrical and asymmetrical grid faults through simulation results.


An understanding of intellectual property's classic innovation mandate as only one of many cross-cutting development goals should be well-accepted by now within international intellectual property law and policy, given the pervasiveness of development rhetoric at the WTO, WIPO and other regional and bilateral fora. Yet development "walk" lags behind development "talk" on both international and domestic levels. This article focuses on how intellectual property can promote development, not only through innovation, but also by the promotion of broad-based human development implicitly underpinning global knowledge economies. First, we consider the rapidly evolving relationship of development and trade to intellectual property, and conclude that current approaches to all three of these areas emphasize balanced rules, which means assessments of costs and benefits, preservation of flexibility, and transparency of development impact. To increase this pro-development balance within the current international intellectual property regime, each of us offers a specific proposal. Barbosa proposes three principles of treaty interpretation to maximize the potential of TRIPS articles 7 and 8 as balancing mechanisms within WTO jurisprudence. These include the principles of integration, evolutive interpretation and vectorial interpretation all of which are consistent with a teleological approach to TRIPS as an instrument of development. Chon posits "development" as a key legal term of art throughout the international intellectual property regime via a substantive equality principle; this principle is applied here to the current Development Agenda within WIPO, to link intellectual property and innovation to human development priorities such as education. Finally, Moncayo von Hase advocates for the recognition of emerging rules of customary international law, such as the emerging human right to health, in the context of interpreting related intellectual property obligations; in addition, he argues in favor of maximizing international law principles of non-derogation and freedom of implementation, to maintain national policy space and flexibility for social welfare objectives in the context of post-TRIPS bilateral and regional treaties. By its very structure, this article attempts to demonstrate the thesis that a pro-development balancing "walk" must occur simultaneously within and among all aspects of the international intellectual property regime, the complexity of which is manifest in multiple fora and jurisdictions, globally and domestically.


Pioneered in the late 1970s by Gary Friedman and other California attorneys, mediation has boomed to become the preferred alternative to standard divorce practice. Mediation is sane, economical, fair, and legal, an innovative process that is the last act of partnership between a married couple. In A GUIDE TO DIVORCE MEDIATION, Mr. Friedman lists four criteria necessary for every couple about to enter into mediation: motivation to mediate, self-responsibility, willingness to disagree, and willingness to agree. He explains the ground rules, the legal ramifications, and where to find a mediator. Also included are 12 detailed case studies to show how in almost all instances mediation has succeeded with a variety of personalities and situations.


Major water policy reforms in Australia have ushered in a system of water rights, water planning, and cap and trade markets. As with any regulatory system, the success of these reforms is ultimately dependent on compliance and enforcement to ensure equitable sharing of water resources to minimise water theft and secure the integrity of traded water entitlements and allocations. Despite its centrality to successful water governance, to date, compliance and enforcement has remained largely overlooked in the water law and policy literature. This is particularly the case in relation to the regulation of groundwater. In response, this study sheds light on State compliance and enforcement practices, with a particular emphasis on the groundwater context. Drawing on 25 in-depth interviews with government inspectors and managers, water users and water delivery operators, the article examines the successes and weaknesses of compliance and enforcement practices, and identifies lessons for both policy makers and the literature. The analysis reveals that governments often struggle to provide an effective and comprehensive compliance and enforcement regime for water. A series of recommendations are made around eight key themes, including communication and education, prosecution, enforcement options, enforcement strategies, data management, cultural change, monitoring technologies, and resourcing. The article also reflects on the broader regulatory and policy implications of the study's findings regarding the future of compliance and enforcement in Australian water management.


Abstract: In this thesis the questions "do enteric neurons adapt to survive in conditions of obesity/type 2-diabetes (T2D) related metabolic imbalances? Or do they die?" are asked. Obese and T2D patients have high rates of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. The GI tract comprises the body's largest surface to the outside environment; it performs diverse and complex roles in an ever changing external environment. It has evolved into a fine tuned sensory organ, with a complex network of sensory-, taste-, baro-, mehcano- and pathogen recognizing receptors (PRR). The presence of PRRs allows the GI tract to mediate and modulate immune responses, in response to both pathogens and toxins present in our microbiota. The microbiota is shaped by our diet, as well as our genetics. The fluid adaptation and control of the GI tract is mediated by the enteric nervous system (ENS). ENS is an extensive interconnected network of neurons and glia cells, controlling intestinal motility, secretion and blood flow. It harbors a neurotransmitter variety and receptor diversity enabling interactions with neurons, immune, endocrine and intestinal cells as well as with luminal factors. Results show that mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 6 months have a significant loss of enteric neurons. To evaluate metabolic factors known to be altered in the obese/T2D-condition (ODC), we used isolated enteric neurons. We noted that palmitic acid (PA), a lipid known to be increased in ODC caused a significant loss of enteric neurons, through mechanisms involving deranged energy metabolism and the purinergic P2Y13 receptor. In ODC an increased permeability of the intestinal barrier causes increased translocation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the circulation and initiation of immune responses. We found that exposing cultured enteric neurons to LPS caused neuronal loss through activation of AMP activated protein kinase. Glucagon-like peptide (GLP) 1 and 2 are involved in satiety, insulin release and intestinal barrier function. Both GLPs are reduced in ODC. We showed a great neuroprotective potential of the hormones. Based on these findings, HFD-induced enteric neuronal loss is suggested to be a culmination of several factors, including increased PA- and LPS-exposures and a decreased GLP level, leading to dysregulation and altered function of enteric neurons.


Faecal sludge removal is critical for the long-term functionality of on-site sanitation facilities and sustained sanitation outcomes. Private enterprises are important players in providing sludge removal services in Indonesia and other countries where government does not do so. However, the extent to which sludge removal entrepreneurs can fulfil this role depends on the viability, or success, of their enterprises. This paper investigates factors linked to the success of sludge removal enterprises in Indonesia, including traits of the entrepreneurs, characteristics of the enterprises and contextual challenges. These factors and levels of success were examined from data collected from structured interviews with 24 sludge removal enterprises across six cities in Indonesia. This research found that higher levels of success were significantly associated with entrepreneurs that had previous work experience of any kind, made higher upfront investments and did not involve their family members in the management of the enterprise. Participants most frequently identified high costs of capital, high levels of competition and insufficient time to spend on the enterprise as challenges to success. These findings provide important evidence for how civil society organisations and governments in Indonesia and elsewhere may best provide a conducive enabling environment for enterprise roles in sludge removal.


A two-strain avian influenza model with distributed delay and environmental spread in humans is investigated. The model describes well the transmission of avian influenza between poultry and humans. In this study, we introduce the behavior of both high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as strain two and low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) as strain one in a domestic poultry population. We also include the distribution of the strain two through the contaminated environment. We compute the strain reproduction numbers $\mathcal R_1$, $\mathcal R_2$ and the invasion $\hat{\mathcal R}_1$, $\hat{\mathcal R}_2$. We find that besides the disease-free equilibrium, there exist a dominance equilibrium for each strain and many coexistence equilibrium of both strain one and strain two if $\mathcal R_1=\mathcal R_2$. Using a Lyapunov functional, we are able to establish global stability of the disease-free equilibrium if $\max \{\mathcal R_1, \mathcal R_2\} 1$. Using a Lyapunov functional, we establish that the corresponding single-strain equilibrium $\varepsilon_i $ is globally stable. When $\mathcal R_1=\mathcal R_2>1$ and $\hat{\mathcal R}_1=\hat{\mathcal R}_2=1$, there are perhaps many coexistence equilibria of both strain one and strain two. Environmental transmission to humans may explain why avian influenza A (H7N9) virus has appear in humans in different places in China in 2013 and 2014. https://doi.org/10.28919/cmbn/2653


This study is done through observation of the teaching and learning process in classrooms involving 183 Primary School Teachers and 241 Rural Secondary School Teachers. The main objectives of the study are to; (1) measure teachers' teaching status in Science and Mathematics subjects, (2) evaluate students potential in mastering the contents or in Science and Mathematics achievement, and to (3) determine the status of Computer Technology usage cum the teaching support materials in Science and Mathematics subjects. A total of 4410 primary school students and 4946 secondary school students are involved in the study by sitting for two types of Standard Tests for the primary schools, i.e. the Science and Mathematics while in the secondary students' case, 5 types of Standard Tests are implemented, i.e. Mixed Science, Modern Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Additional Mathematics. The primary schools are categorized in 7 types of schools, while the secondary schools on the other hand are categorized in 6 types of schools. The results of the study shows that 42.5 percent of primary school teachers and 50.8 percent of secondary school teachers failed in the English Language Proficiency Level Evaluation. This situation is critical as it directly affects the pedagogy and teaching efficiency using English as the teaching medium. The teachers teaching observation status through the researchers shows that the beginning of teacher's teaching is average (min=5.1), interaction between teachers and students are also average (min=5.2), interaction between students and teachers are poor (min=3.8), Computer Technology usage is at average level (min=5.7) and the English Language within teachers are average (min=5.5). Generally, the teachers' teaching status is poor (min=4.9;sp=1.8) and the level of Computer Technology usage as teaching support materials are at average level (min=5.7;sp=1.7). The results of the study shows that the PPSMI teachers possess average competency (min=5.3). The effectiveness in the teaching and learning of Science and Mathematics mainly relies on the teachers' command in the English language. Students in urban schools produced better achievement results compared to the students in rural schools based on 12 tested subjects tested, whereby students in rural schools are left behind in 10 subjects (except in Physics 1 and Chemistry 1) with the average mark difference of between 3.3 to 19.7. Through the whole study, students in secondary schools and primary schools in rural areas are behind in PPSMI.


The apportionment of taxes on the various descriptions of property is an act which seems to require the most exact impartiality; yet there is, perhaps, no legislative act, in which greater opportunity and temptation are given to a predominant party to trample on the rules of justice. Every shilling, with which they overburden the inferior number, is a shilling saved in their pocket (James Madison, Federalist 10).


Stained glass is arguably one of the most important aspects of Gothic cathedrals. As its popularity rose, mainly during the mid-12th century, the increased presence of stained glass presented major changes to the way the general populace was learning about religion. The windows became illuminated visual sermons of biblical stories, which may have had an even greater impact than the spoken word of the priest. This paper focused primarily on the stained glass windows and architectural styles employed in five gothic buildings in France, each having their own unique and notable attributes pertaining to the development of stained glass windows. By looking at the architectural advancements shown in these structures built during the gothic time frame, we are able to see the impact of the widespread desire for increased height and light within these types of buildings on the gothic cathedral. Cover Page Footnote Honors mentor: Dr. Allison Smith, Associate Professor and Chair, Art History This article is available in JCCC Honors Journal: http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/honors_journal/vol4/iss1/3 Stained glass is arguably one of the most important aspects of Gothic cathedrals. As its popularity rose, mainly during the mid-12 th century, the increased presence of stained glass presented major changes to the way the general populace was learning about religion. The windows became illuminated visual sermons of biblical stories, which may have had an even greater impact than the spoken word of the priest. In this research paper, I will be primarily focusing on the stained glass windows and architectural styles employed in five gothic buildings in France, each having their own unique and notable attributes pertaining to the development of stained glass windows. By looking at the architectural advancements shown in these structures built during the gothic time frame, we are able to see the impact that the widespread desire for increased height and light within these types of buildings had on the gothic cathedral. The term "stained glass" applies to colored glass made with metallic oxides as well as glass on which colors have been painted and then fused in a kiln. To produce a stained glass window, an artisan would first make sketches or "cartoons" of the finished window by drawing out a life-sized blueprint of the window onto a board. Following the creation of the blueprint, the glass is produced by combining sand and potash at temperatures of nearly 3000 degrees. While the glass is still in a molten state, the artisan colors it by adding small amounts of metallic oxide powders. Copper oxides were used to produce shades of green or blue-green; cobalt would create a deep blue, and gold could be used to produce a wine-red or violet colored glass. The then-colored molten glass would be blown and flattened into sheets. After the sheets of glass had cooled, the artisan would lay the pieces onto the cartoon and crack the glass into rough approximations of the sizes needed with a hot iron. These rough edges would then be refined by a process called grozing, in which an iron tool was used to carefully chip away the excess glass until the precise shape needed for the composition was produced. Depending on the content of 1 Reynolds: The Development of Stained Glass in Gothic Cathedrals Published by ScholarSpace @ JCCC, 2013 the window, the artist would sometimes be required to paint details onto the glass with a darkcolored paint made from iron filings and ground glass suspended in a liquid binder, typically either wine or urine (Stokstad and Cothren 2011, 497). This would block light and help to delineate the features of any figures in the design. At approximately the beginning of the 14 th century artists began using a type of paint called silver stain which was made from silver nitrate. This yielded a yellow effect that could vary in color from pale lemon to deep orange or gold, depending on the thickness of the paint and the duration of its firing. Silver stain was often useful for turning blue glass to green in order to create an image of grass on the window. After being painted, the finished panels of glass would be fitted into H-shaped strips of lead called cames. The lines produced by the lead became an integral part of the window"s overall design and aided in keeping the colors from blending together when seen from a distance. The cames were then soldered together into a secure panel. When the panel was completed, putty would be inserted between the glass and the cames for waterproofing. Finally, multiple panels were placed into an iron frame called an armature, creating the finished window which was then ready to be placed into the wall of a cathedral (Stokstad and Cothren 2011, 497). This process remained almost completely unchanged for several centuries, and could take anywhere from a few weeks to many months to complete depending on the size and complexity of the window. The two most common styles of stained glass windows made for gothic cathedrals were the tall, spear-shaped lancet windows and circular rose windows. The term rose window was coined around the 17 th century because of the way the windows were constructed in a circular shape with layered radiating panels giving them an appearance similar to that of an open rose (see fig. 2). Before these windows were given this title, they were referred to as wheel windows, which were described as circular windows of panels separated by spokes of tracery radiating 2 JCCC Honors Journal, Vol. 4 [2013], Iss. 1, Art. 3 http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/honors_journal/vol4/iss1/3 from a central oculus (see fig. 3). The main difference between the two terms is that a rose window typically has a more complex design than that of a wheel window. The use of stained glass windows gained popularity during the mid-12 th century. Abbot Suger of Saint Denis has been called the "Father of stained glass" as it was he who first conceptualized the use of stained glass windows to create a "heavenly light" which was seen as the presence of God in the church. Suger oversaw the construction of the Abbey Church of Saint-Denis and, while trying to conceive a completely new church design, found inspiration in multiple texts he read by a follower of St. Paul named Dionysius (the Greek form of Denis), who considered radiant light to be a physical manifestation of God himself. Suger believed that Dionysius was in fact the patron saint of Saint-Denis, so he adapted the concept of divine light into his construction plans and designed the new cathedral around the use of stained glass windows. The Abbey Church of Saint Denis became the prototype for this new type of architecture based on light, openness, and increasingly taller spaces which later developed even further into what is known as the Rayonnant style (Stokstad and Cothren 2011, 494-495). Besides being thought of as divine light, the windows, along with gothic sculpture, have been referred to as a part of the "Poor man"s Bible" based on the fact that another purpose of the windows was to teach Biblical stories to those who were illiterate, which often compromised the vast majority of the citizenry. A common biblical story that appeared in medieval windows was the "Tree of Jesse", which was a sort of genealogy or family tree symbolizing the ancestry of Christ. Stained glass windows depicting the Tree of Jesse can be seen at Sainte-Chapelle, Chartres Cathedral, and Notre Dame Cathedral, among other places. In the book of Isaiah a "shoot" coming from the stump of Jesse is described, sprouting a branch that will grow from his roots. The "root of Jesse" 3 Reynolds: The Development of Stained Glass in Gothic Cathedrals Published by ScholarSpace @ JCCC, 2013 to which it refers is the Davidic monarchy of the eschatological age, and therefore is describing the lineage of kings beginning with Jesse who was the father of King David, proceeding through King Solomon (son of David), and eventually up to the Virgin Mary who usually is portrayed directly beneath the figure of Jesus, or depicted with him as virgin and child at the top of the tree. The oldest Jesse Tree window is at Chartres Cathedral (see fig. 1) where Jesse is depicted reclining at the bottom of the image with the trunk of a tree coming from his side and leading up to Christ who is larger than the other figures, and seated at the top with seven doves around him, which represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are also seven prophets bearing scrolls standing along each side of the tree representing the prophets who foretold the coming of Christ (Sacred-Destinations, Chartres Jesse Window). This window also shows the use of the symbolic and holy number seven and multiples, which seems to be a commonly occurring component in the design of stained glass windows. The idea of bringing additional light into the church also led to many other architectural advancements within the gothic cathedral. One of the most important advancements was the development and use of the flying buttress, which served as an arched exterior support that could transfer the excess weight of a building outward to where it would be supported by an attached buttress rising from the ground. This allowed an increase in window size as well as more wall space to be occupied by windows. One of the best examples of the use of the flying buttress is the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris ("Our Lady of Paris"), which is located on a small island on the River Seine in Paris. At least four different architects contributed to the building of Notre Dame cathedral, with construction beginning in 1163, and continuing until 1345. Notre Dame was the first urban gothic cathedral to use a true flying buttress, although the original plan for the cathedral did not include flying buttresses around the choir and nave at all. 4 JCCC Honors Journal, Vol. 4 [2013], Iss. 1, Art. 3 http://scholarspace.jccc.edu/honors_journal/vol4/iss1/3 However, as the th


When Microsoft releases Windows Vista, the new operating system will support applications that employ graphics now used by computer games-clear, stunning and active. The cornerstone for building these new user interfaces is XAML ("Zammel"), the XML-based markup language that works with Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Vista's new graphics subsystem. An acronym for Extensible Application Markup Language, XAML offers a wealth of new controls and elements with exciting capabilities, including animation and rendering of 3D graphics. Windows developers are already jazzed by the possibilities of using XAML for fixed and flow format documents like PDF and HTML, 2D and 3D vector-based graphics, form development, animation, audio and video, transparent layering, and a lot more. Many feel that XAML will eliminate the need for multiple file formats or plug-ins (read: Flash), while lowering development costs and reducing time to market. The problem is, most developers don't know XAML. While it is fairly easy to understand, you still need a quick guide to bring you up to speed before Vista's release, and that's where this book's simple, no nonsense approach comes in. XAML in a Nutshell covers everything necessary to design user interfaces and .NET applications that take advantage of WPF. Prerequisites such as Microsoft's new unified build system, MSBuild, and core XAML constructs and syntax-including shortcuts-are all presented with plenty of examples to get you started. The Core XAML Reference section lets you dig even deeper into syntax rules and attributes for all XAML elements with a series of quick-reference chapters. This section divides XAML elements into logical categories of elements, controls, shapes and geometry, layout, animations, and transformations for easy reference. XAML in a Nutshell helps you learn, firsthand, how to use this XML-based markup language to implement the new generation of user interface graphics. As one reviewer noted, "Strong code examples and an efficient, conversational style take the tedium out of learning XAML and make the subject understandable-even interesting."


In this article, the authors use sector-level unlevered real estate investment trust (REIT) and direct real estate data to study whether the "escrow lag" in the recording of private market prices could explain the observed lead–lag relationship between REITs and direct real estate markets. They find evidence of REIT returns leading private returns in the office and retail sectors even after catering for a 90-day escrow lag. These lead–lag relationships are due to the slow reaction of private market returns to shocks in REIT returns, the risk premium, and consumer sentiment. In contrast, the authors do not observe such a lead–lag relationship in the apartment and industrial sectors. The findings have implications regarding portfolio allocation, return predictability, and recommended shifts in the allocation between private and public real estate during crisis periods.


With the increasing number of image communication applications especially in the low complexity domain, error concealment has become a very important field of research. Since many compression standards for images and videos are block-based a lot of methods were applied to conceal block losses in monocular images. The fast progress of capture, representation and display technologies for 3D image data advances the efforts on 3D concealment strategies. Because of their psycho-visual characteristics, stereoscopic images have to fulfill a very high quality demand. We propose an algorithm that makes use of the redundancies between two views of a stereo image pair. In many cases erroneous block bursts occur and can be highly disturbing, thus we mainly concentrate on these errors. In addition, we focused on the quality assessment of several error concealment strategies. Beside the objective evaluation measures, we carried out a subjective quality test following the DSCQS methodology as proposed by MPEG. The results of this test demonstrate the efficiency of the approach.


The South African Witwatersrand Basin, deposited on the Kaapvaal Craton, is the largest gold deposit in the world but the ore-forming process(es) is/are still not clear; the debate revolves mostly around the role of syngenetic (placer) versus epigenetic hydrothermal processes. However, it is clear that several fluid events have been recorded throughout the basin. Consequently, it is important to determine the scale of these fluid circulations. For the purpose of this study, we sampled calcite-quartz veins in three different goldfields (Welkom, Klerksdorp and Evander) in close vicinity to gold-bearing reefs. In addition, we systematically sampled their host rocks (sedimentary or mafic rocks) in order to investigate the effects of rock-fluid interactions. We performed oxygen and carbon isotope analyses on both the veins and their host rocks, as well as a fluid inclusion study. We show that the oxygen isotope composition of quartz in veins is buffered by the host sedimentary rocks. It is therefore not possible to determine the nature of the original fluid. Another important result is that carbon isotopes analyses in quartz-calcite veins hosted by mafic rocks present a range of values that suggest two distinct sources, regardless of their location within the Witwatersrand Basin. One end-member (δ 13 C lower than −13‰) is represented by organic matter found locally within the basin sedimentary rocks whereas the second end-member (δ 13 C higher than −3‰) has a marine signature. The most likely candidate for this marine signature is the overlying limestones from the Chuniespoort Group. This implies a basin-scale downward fluid circulation from the overlying rocks to the basin sedimentary rocks. This fluid must have circulated after ca. 2642 to 2432 Ma, which is the age of the Chuniespoort Group deposition.


This study examines some aspects of the application of artificial breeding technology to
the breeding of Cashmere goats. The development of young male Cashmere and
Angora goats was also studied.
Experiments were undertaken to develop a simple procedure for freezing caprine semen
in polyvinyl straws suspended in liquid nitrogen vapour. Such a methodology was
determined and assessed in the laboratory against a more conventional method of
freezing semen in pellets on solid carbon dioxide (dry ice). Acceptable rates of sperm
survival after freeze-thawing were achieved for the straw freezing procedure.
However, sperm survival was greater after freezing semen as pellets.
Artificial insemination programs were conducted with the aim of improving fertility
from both laparoscopic and cervical insemination procedures in Cashmere goats. The
factors examined included the hormonal control of ovulation, the time of insemination
relative to ovulation, the number of motile sperm inseminated, the depth of cervical
insemination, and the age and parity of the females. Fertility was improved by
insemination prior to the estimated time of ovulation, and with increasing depth of
cervical insemination. Fertility was reduced in kid maidens compared with both hogget
maidens and multiparous adult does.
Fertility resulting from the laparoscopic insemination of semen processed and frozen as
pellets and straws was also assessed. The fertility achieved with straw frozen semen
was not significantly less than from semen frozen in pellets.
A method was investigated for production of inseminate containing high densities of
motile spermatozoa for use in cervical insemination. This semen was frozen at dilution
rates of 1:0.5, and 1:1 (Semen:diluent). Whilst the percentage of spermatozoa
surviving this process was lower than for conventional dilution rates (1:2), the
concentration of motile spermatozoa was up to 1.8 times greater in semen frozen at 1:0.5. There was no benefit to fertility from this technique, although fertility was not
significantly reduced. Fertility was not significantly affected by timing of
insemination, double insemination or the number of motile sperm inseminated.
In addition, a small study was also conducted to examine the affects of breed
(Cashmere and Angora), early weaning and foster rearing on the early growth and
development of young goat bucks. There was no significant affect of rearing strategy
on live weight or testis weight. Testis weight was more closely related to live weight
than age in the young buck, and was highly predictable from measures of scrotal
circumference. The growth and development of the smaller group of Angoras studied
was significantly slower than that of the Cashmeres. Late spermatids and released
spermatozoa were observed in 48% of the semifflferous tubules of Cashmeres at mean
age 19 weeks and mean live weight 16.8 Kg.


STRATA is a responsive VR experience driven by biometrics. STRATA tunes into your heart rate, breathing, stress levels and brain waves to remix a game engine world around you. The stunning immersive experience connects us to our own emotional state, teaching us to calm and focus our minds.


The aim of publication is to discuss the nature of participatory action research (PAR) in different types of elderly care organizations – private and public sectors. Participatory action research in organization is considered as interpretative qualitative research method for empowering and emancipation of managers and employees, promoting reflection and critical consciousness. The research is aimed to initiate changes of different directions in organizations fostering humanization approach in private organizations and commercial approach in public organizations. Public elderly care sector in Lithuania is characterized by critical shortage of services. As consequence, not publicly funded and profit-oriented private providers of elderly care emerged in the sector. In the context of enhancement of neoliberal social policy these two types of organizations face challenges to meet needs of users. Private organizations are fostered to promote values based on critical humanistic theory. Public organizations are fostered to introduce neoliberal concept of empowerment. Methodology of PAR is designed implementing several stages of research in private and public elderly care organizations to meet current challenges. The first stage of research project involved explorative focus groups in four organizations (two private and two public) seeking to reveal needs for change in elderly care organizations and to create scenarios for implementationof these changes. The second stage implies practical realization of scenarios in organizations what will be led by reflections and critical group discussions with managers and employees. The last stage concludes the process of research by providing methodological guidance for promoting changes in organizations of different sectors and produce knowledge on development of practice in elderly care. The paper presents results of explorative focus groups analysis that enabled researchers and research participants to build scenarios for promoting change.


Visual cognition is of significant importance in certain imaging applications, such as security and surveillance. In these applications, an important issue is to determine the cognition threshold, which is the maximum distortion level that can be applied to the images while still ensuring that enough information is conveyed to recognize the scene. The cognition task is usually studied with images that represent the scene in the visible part of the spectrum. In this paper, our goal is to evaluate the usefulness of another scene representation. To this end, we study the performance of near-infrared (NIR) images in cognition. Since surface reflections in the NIR part of the spectrum is material dependent, an object made of a specific material is more probable to have uniform response in the NIR images. Consequently, edges in the NIR images are likely to correspond to the physical boundaries of the objects, which are considered to be the most useful information for cognition. This feature of the NIR images leads to the hypothesis that NIR is better than a visible scene representation to be used in cognition tasks. To test this hypothesis, we compared the cognition thresholds of NIR and visible images performing a subjective study on 11 scenes. The images were compressed with different compression factors using JPEG2000 compression. The results of this subjective test show that recognizing 8 out of the 11 scenes is significantly easier based on the NIR images when compared to their visible counterparts.


A simulated sea surface with a Pierson-Neumann power spectrum was generated by a numerical model. The image was recorded on photographic film by means of a microdensitometer with a writing mode. To obtain the bidimensional power spectrum of this simulated image of the sea surface, a coherent optical system was used. This power spectrum has information about frequencies in the highest energy peak and the direction that the waves have at a specific time. The Pierson-Neumann power spectrum used to generate the simulated sea surface was compared with the bidimensional power spectrum obtained with the coherent optical system. Attenuation of the high frequencies in the measured spectrum was observed. This attenuation was probably caused by distribution of density values in the film or by the aperture of the detector used in the coherent optical system. Optical autocorrelations of the simulated sea surface were obtained, and a high degree of correlation in the direction perpendicular to the wind was found.


ABSTRACT Parliamentary debates are an important instrument for setting the political agenda. We hypothesize that parliamentarians belonging to a Green party deliver more speeches on issues related not only to the environment, but also to agriculture, energy and transport as well as to citizen and minority rights. We conceptualize this mix of policy issues as the green agenda. Research on the programmatic-ideological position of political parties has shown that such a broader green agenda exists. Can we also observe this green agenda in parliamentary debates? Does the manifestation of the green agenda depend on the representation of political groups in parliament? By drawing on original data for parliamentary debates in the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden, we show that Green parties in parliament push forward issues related to the broader green agenda, though it is also affected by the representation of Agrarian parties.


The urgency for deeper knowledge about nervous system function and dysfunction has never been greater. With increasing rates of mental disorders and expanding healthcare costs, deciphering details of axonal development is essential to meeting this imperative. Models of neuronal growth are improving as roles of microtubules and motor proteins surface. However, traditional motor protein studies focus on intracellular cargo transport, leaving deficits in knowledge about how these proteins organize cytoskeletal filaments in the axon and growth cone during neuronal development. Inconsistent findings on microtubule activity in growing axons also leave gaps in quantitative assessments of microtubule translocation and assembly, limiting the ability to construct a comprehensive model of axonal elongation. The goal of this study was to provide a more complete neuronal growth cone model by determining how individual microtubule translocation and assembly, mass microtubule movements, and motor protein activity contribute to axonal elongation. The underlying mechanisms of these processes were investigated by testing the roles of dynein and microtubule dynamics in axonal elongation of Aplysia californica neurons using transillumination, fluorescent speckle, and super-resolution microscopy. Pharmacologically inhibiting either dynein activity or microtubule assembly reduced both bulk and individual microtubule anterograde translocation and neurite elongation rates. Suppressing both processes simultaneously had compensatory rather than additive effects. Super-resolution imaging also revealed fewer dynein motors co-localized with microtubules when microtubule assembly was inhibited. These results strongly suggest that disrupting microtubule assembly blocks neurite outgrowth partly because it inhibits dynein-mediated bulk microtubule translocation.


Obesity is linked to many chronic health conditions and middle-aged obesity is associated with later-life dementia. Obesity rates in veterans are higher than in the civilian population. Research examining body mass index (BMI) and cognitive function has demonstrated that young to middle-aged obese adults consistently demonstrate deficits in memory and executive function. Waist circumference (WC) is another measure of obesity that has been investigated as it relates to cognitive function; however, a clear pattern of deficit has not yet emerged. This study's purpose was to investigate the relationship among BMI, WC, and cognitive function in male veterans aged 18-55. One hundred and seventeen veterans participated in this one-session study. Participants had their height and weight measured, completed questionnaires that assessed demographic information and other health-related variables, and completed a battery of cognitive tests. A chart review of each participant's medical record was conducted, and relevant diagnoses and medications were extracted. A factor analysis (FA) of the cognitive outcome variables was conducted for data reduction purposes and FA results were used to create the following factors: Speeded Measures, Verbal Fluency, Memory, and Executive Function. Then, four-step hierarchical regression analyses were conducted with BMI and WC entered as the main predictor variables. Results revealed no significant relationship between obesity indices and cognitive function after controlling for relevant variables. Post hoc analyses were then conducted. Composite scores were created based on the conceptual basis of the neuropsychological outcome measures: Memory, Executive Function, Verbal Fluency, Attention, and Psychomotor Speed. Regression analyses were rerun using these scores. Results revealed no significant relationship between any index of obesity and cognitive function. Implications of these findings are discussed. OBESITY INDICES AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN VETERANS


In a recent Letter by Seo et al. [Opt. Lett.37, 4976 (2012)], the numerical correction of the quadratic phase distortion introduced by the microscope objective in digital holographic microscopy (DHM) has been presented. In this comment, we would like to draw to the attention of the authors and the readers in general that this approach could not be the optimal solution for maintaining the accuracy of the quantitative phase via DHM. We recall that the use of telecentric imaging systems in DHM simplifies the numerical processing of the phase images and produces more accurate measurements.


Extracellular single unit recording and microiontophoretic techniques were used to determine the sensitivities and interactions of D1 and D2 dopamine (DA) receptors in the caudate putamen (CPu) of rats that were denervated of DA by intraventricular injections of the catecholamine neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Seven to 10 d after the 6-OHDA injection, DA levels in the ipsilateral CPu were reduced to 11.8% of control. Current-response curves revealed that the inhibitory responses of CPu neurons to microiontophoretic administration of both the selective D1 receptor agonist SKF-38393 and the selective D2 receptor agonist quinpirole were significantly increased in 6-OHDA-pretreated rats, suggesting up-regulation of both receptor subtypes. Although our previous studies have established that D1 receptor activation is normally required for (enables) the inhibitory effects of selective D2 agonists in the CPu, this requirement was no longer evident in 6-OHDA- denervated rats. Whereas acute DA depletion [produced by the tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT)] attenuated the inhibitory effects of quinpirole on CPu neurons, long-term DA denervation (produced by 6-OHDA) enhanced the inhibitory effects of the D2 agonist. The enhanced effects of quinpirole in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats were not due to residual DA stimulating supersensitive D1 receptors (i.e., enabling) since further DA depletion (99.7%), produced by acute administration of AMPT in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, failed to diminish the inhibitory efficacy of quinpirole. In addition to relieving D2 receptors from the need for D1 receptor-mediated enabling, 6-OHDA lesions also abolished the normal synergistic relationship between the receptor subtypes since low (subinhibitory) currents of SKF-38393 (4 nA) failed to potentiate the inhibitory effects of quinpirole on CPu neurons in lesioned rats. Similar findings (i.e., supersensitivity and loss of synergistic effects) were obtained from rats that had received repeated pretreatment with reserpine (2.5 mg/kg) for 4 d, indicating that these effects of 6-OHDA lesions were due to the depletion of synaptic DA rather than to the structural loss of DA terminals. Therefore, both the quantitative (potentiation) and the qualitative (enabling) synergistic effects between D1 and D2 receptors in the rat CPu were abolished when these receptors were functionally supersensitive. The present study provides electrophysiological support for previous behavioral studies indicating that the requirement of D1 receptor stimulation for D2 receptor-mediated functional effects (enabling) is not maintained in rats chronically depleted of DA by either 6-OHDA lesions or repeated reserpine.


Background Although the prevalences of infection with the protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in humans appear to be relatively high in the Canadian North, their transmission patterns are poorly understood. Objective To determine the detection rate and the molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in diarrhoeic patients in the Qikiqtani (Baffin Island) Region of Nunavut, Canada, in order to better understand the burden of illness and the potential mechanisms of transmission. Study design/methods Diarrhoeal stool specimens (n=108) submitted to the Qikiqtani General Hospital for clinical testing were also tested for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis using epifluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DNA sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses were performed on PCR-positive specimens to determine the species, genotypes and sub-genotypes of the parasites. Results Cryptosporidium was detected in 15.7% of the diarrhoeic patients, while Giardia was detected in 4.6%. DNA sequencing of a fragment of the small subunit rRNA gene indicated that all of the Cryptosporidium amplicons had a 100% homology to C. parvum, and a gp60 assay showed that all aligned with C. parvum sub-genotype IIa. Microsatellite analysis revealed 3 cases of sub-genotype IIaA15G2R1, 2 of IIaA15G1R and 1 case each of sub-genotypes IIaA16G1R1 and IIaA15R1. For Giardia, results based on the amplification of both the 16S rRNA gene and the gdh gene were generally in agreement, and both DNA sequencing and RFLP demonstrated the presence of the G. duodenalis Assemblage B genotype. Conclusions Both C. parvum and G. duodenalis Assemblage B were present in human diarrhoeal stool specimens from Nunavut, which was suggestive of zoonotic transmission, although human-to-human transmission cannot be ruled out. To fully understand the public health significance of the different Cryptosporidium and Giardia species and genotypes in diarrhoeic patients, it will be imperative to establish the extent of genetic diversity within these parasites through comprehensive studies of the molecular epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in the Nunavut region.


Intraocular pressure (IOP) and vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR) are two quantitative traits routinely examined during ocular examinations to monitor and diagnose glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Findings from previous studies have demonstrated genetic factors influence these traits but such studies were conducted in European and Asian populations. The purpose of this dissertation is to address the current gaps in research regarding the genetic factors and biological mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of glaucoma and related quantitative traits in Latinos. In the first study, we identified a significant association between African ancestry and IOP with increasing proportions of African ancestry associated with increasing IOP in Latinos. This association was modified by a significant interaction between African ancestry and hypertension. For the second study, we identified two genome-wide significant genetic markers associated with VCDR and replicated previously identified genomic regions associated with VCDR. In the third study, we identified several suggestive interactive associations between genetic markers and body mass index on VCDR that are biologically plausible candidate genomic regions for further examination. And for the fourth study, we observed significant associations between VCDR genetic risk scores and VCDR, with a higher genetic risk score associated with larger VCDR. Moreover, the VCDR genetic risk scores were associated with glaucoma and increased the discriminatory ability for glaucoma. These studies represent the first reports to investigate the association between genetic factors and ocular traits in a Latino population. Findings from this dissertation not only furthers our understanding of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits of glaucoma but also sheds new light on the biological mechanisms of glaucoma and may translate into public health prevention strategies.


We consider the displacement of one fluid by a second immiscible fluid through a long, thin permeable channel whose thickness and permeability decrease away from the axis of the channel. We build a model that illustrates how the shape of the fluid–fluid interface evolves in time. We find that if the injected fluid is of the same viscosity as the original fluid, then the cross-channel variations in permeability and thickness tend to focus the flow along the centre of the channel. If the viscosity of the injected fluid is smaller than the original fluid, then this flow focusing intensifies, leading to very poor sweep of the original fluid in the system, with the injected fluid bypassing much of the channel. We also show that if the viscosity ratio of the injected fluid to the original fluid is sufficiently large, then a blunt nose may develop at the leading edge of the injected fluid, whereas the remainder of the fluid–fluid interface becomes stretched out along the edges of the channel. This leads to a much more efficient sweep of the original fluid from the channel. We generalize the model to illustrate how buoyancy forces and capillary pressure affect the evolution of the system and compare our model predictions with some simple laboratory experiments. This partial stabilization of a fluid interface in a channel of non-uniform width represents a generalization of the classical Saffman–Taylor instability, and our nonlinear solutions for the evolution of the interface highlight the importance of cross-channel variations in permeability and thickness in modelling flow in channelled reservoirs. This article is part of the themed issue 'Energy and the subsurface'.


We show that policy uncertainty about how the rising public debt will be stabilized accounts for the lack of deflation in the US economy at the zero lower bound. We first estimate a Markov-switching VAR to highlight that a zero-lower-bound regime captures most of the comovements during the Great Recession: a deep recession, no deflation, and large fiscal imbalances. We then show that a micro-founded model that features policy uncertainty accounts for these stylized facts. Finally, we highlight that policy uncertainty arises at the zero lower bound because of a trade-off between mitigating the recession and preserving long-run macroeconomic stability.


The Dirac analysis of constrained Hamiltonian mechanics is one of the conventional precursors to the quantization of classical systems. In this paper the analysis is reformulated in the language of exterior differential systems, starting from the Lagrangian, moving through the generation of primary and secondary constraints and leading to the construction of symmetry generators for gauge symmetries. This reformulation extends the procedure to non-coordinate systems. A computer algebra implementation of the procedure in REDUCE is also described.


The purpose of the study was to examine current collegiate athlete's academic majors and identify their career plans after graduation. The goal was to see if the athlete's academic major was congruent with their career aspirations. Previous research studies have shown that academic clustering, when 25% or more of an athletic team are in the same academic major, exists within a variety of athletic teams. However, there has not been a study done that assesses whether the athletes are majoring in disciplines that are related to their ultimate career goal. A total of 605 athletes from eight sports in the BIG10 and MAC conferences participated in the study. The results revealed that 192 of the 605 participants (31.7%) did not have majors and career aspirations that aligned. This study provides further insight into the academic puzzle of collegiate athletics.


Model predictive control (MPC) is the mainstream method in the motion control of autonomous vehicles. However, due to the complex and changeable driving environment, the perturbation of vehicle parameters will cause the steady-state error problem, which will lead to the degradation of controller performance. In this paper, the offset-free MPC control method is proposed to solve the steady-state error problem systematically. The core idea of this method is to model the model mismatch, control input offset, and external disturbances as disturbance terms, then use filters to observe these disturbances and finally eliminate the influence of these disturbances on the steady-state error in the MPC solution stage. This paper uses the Kalman filter as an observer, which is integrated into our latest designed MPC solver. Based on state of the art sparse quadratic programming (QP) solver OSQP, an offset free model predictive control (OF-MPC) framework based on disturbance observation and MPC is formed. The proposed OF-MPC solver can efficiently deal with common model mismatch problems such as tire stiffness mismatch, steering angle offset, lateral slope disturbance, and so on. This framework is very efficient and completes all calculations less than 7ms when the horizon length is 50. The efficiency and robustness of the algorithm are verified on our newly designed ROS-Unreal4-CarSim real-time co-simulation platform and real vehicle experiments.


The ready availability of online source-code examples has fundamentally changed programming practices. However, current search tools are not designed to assist with programming tasks and are wholly separate from editing tools. This paper proposes that embedding a task-specific search engine in the development environment can significantly reduce the cost of finding information and thus enable programmers to write better code more easily. This paper describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of Blueprint, a Web search interface integrated into the Adobe Flex Builder development environment that helps users locate example code. Blueprint automatically augments queries with code context, presents a code-centric view of search results, embeds the search experience into the editor, and retains a link between copied code and its source. A comparative laboratory study found that Blueprint enables participants to write significantly better code and find example code significantly faster than with a standard Web browser. Analysis of three months of usage logs with 2,024 users suggests that task-specific search interfaces can significantly change how and when people search the Web.


This paper represents the third installment in a sequence of reservoir characterization articles that follow a workflow whose ultimate goal is to understand and predict the rock properties of a reservoir away from well control. The first article (Singleton, 2008) described a method to detect anomalous seismic attenuation. This was important because seismic data at the well location have a steep falloff in amplitude caused by high attenuation in and above the reservoir interval. The second article (Singleton, 2009) dealt with the seismic gathers that were input into the inversion process. It is of the utmost importance that the quality of data input into a simultaneous prestack inversion be as high as possible. Errors in seismic gathers (low SNR, resolution loss from excessive NMO stretch, nonflat reflectors, offset amplitude problems, multiples, etc.) are broadcast straight into the inversion impedance volumes, so this is a critical step in geophysical reservoir characterization.