This paper demonstrates how AMC's TV show Hell on Wheels portrays the ideological force of nature to justify violence in frontier mythology. After a short look into the historical and ongoing relevance of frontier mythology in US culture, I will argue for its ideological reliance on nature. The following chapter will provide a theoretical background on social Darwinism, determinism, and scientism. I will then analyze how these relationships are examined in Hell on Wheels. First, as Thomas Durant's social Darwinist monologue is paralleled with imagery that challenges the providential myth of Manifest Destiny, the show reveals that both ideologies equally replace human responsibility with a quasi-evolutionary rhetoric of inevitable progress. Second, the Swede's deterministic notions of nature demonstrate the mythical power of the natural environment and evolutionary biology, which can easily assume Manifest Destiny's divine authority as a justification for violence. Finally, the Swede's and Reverend Cole's discursive replacement of God with blood signifies a shift from religion to a redemptive scientism, in which science purports not only to explain but also to justify the violence of westward expansion. In these renditions, nature is variably utilized as the prime model for social behavior, as the ultimate victor over culture, and as the final authority whose imperatives are intelligible only through science.


Bacterial populations associated with three different sample types from carcasses in the dirty area of a South African poultry abattoir were compared. The three sample types from carcasses before and after scalding included neck skin only, feathers only, and a neck skin and feather combination. The neck skin of carcasses after defeathering was also sampled. Aerobic plate counts, Enterobacteriaceae counts, and Pseudomonas spp. counts were performed on all sample types, as well as on water, air, and equipment samples from the same area. The prevalence of potential pathogens was also investigated. Neck skins sampled before and after scalding consistently exhibited the lowest counts for all bacterial types, and feathers the highest. In most cases, the bacterial numbers of the neck skin samples from pre- and postscalded carcasses were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of feather samples and neck skin and feather combination samples. Scalding of carcasses resulted in a consistent decrease of bacterial populations, reflected by all three sample types. Neck skins sampled after defeathering, however, exhibited increased bacterial numbers compared to neck skins sampled postscalding, implicating the rubber fingers of the defeathering machine as contamination sources. These equipment surfaces exhibited aerobic plate counts as high as 7.7 log CFU/cm2. Potential pathogens were isolated from product as well as selected environmental samples. The prevalence of the potential pathogens was found to vary depending on the sample type.


The millimeter wave (mmWave) band has the potential to provide high throughput among wearable devices. When mmWave wearable networks are used in crowded environments, such as on a bus or train, antenna directivity and orientation hold the key to achieving Gbps rates. Previous work using stochastic geometry often assumes an infinite number of interfering nodes drawn from a Poisson Point Process (PPP). Since indoor wearable networks will be isolated due to walls, a network with a finite number of nodes may be a more suitable model. In this paper, we characterize the significant sources of interference and develop closed-form expressions for the spatially averaged performance of a typical user's wearable communication link. The effect of human body blockage on the mmWave signals and the role of network density are investigated to show that an increase in interferer density reduces the mean number of significant interferers.


In experiment on the animal's bones the various kinds of ischemia was simulated (obturational, compressive, traumatic) it was established that the central mechanism of the bone infarction pathogenesis is irreversible blockade of microcirculatory bed by cellular aggregates and microthrombi. The most extended and constant infarction occurs in embolization of the main nourishing artery and in osteotomy of diaphysis with the bone marrow intersection and the periosteum detachment on the ends of fragments.


"Public man-made death," death from war, political violence, and their attendant privations, should be monitored, nation by nation, to expose to public view national responsibility for a major loss of human life and thereby encourage its reduction. Although statistics concerning man-made death would be difficult to assemble because of government resistance, their comparison to disease mortality statistics would identify epidemic disease with developing nations and man-made mortality with "advanced" nations, providing useful information for the provision of national and international aid for its alleviation and, at the very least, giving people a basis against which to judge the claims of felicity of rival political systems.


Employers expect graduates to perform data analytics using both organizational and publicly available data. Interestingly, few teaching cases provide students with needed exposure to data analytics in managerial or governmental accounting. In this case, students assume the role of a managerial accountant employed at Municipal Consulting, LLC. Students assist the Police Commissioner in using a Balanced Scorecard approach to analyze how her department responds to crime patterns and to develop next year's budget. This case requires students to critique, analyze, and evaluate Internal Business Process Perspective Balanced Scorecard measures supported by publicly available data using data visualization software. The case includes instructions for both Tableau and Power BI. The case covers three skills: (1) extract, transform, and load data; (2) develop data visualization software experience; and (3) analyze data. The case is designed for senior level undergraduate and graduate courses in managerial, data analytics, and governmental accounting.


The circular polarization covariance matrix is a convenient method for expressing partially polarized response data with respect to a circularly polarized basis. However, little concerning either the properties of the circular polarization covariance matrix or methods for transforming data expressed in this format has been previously reported in the literature. Here we show (1) how to recover both the diagonal and off-diagonal elements of the circular polarization covariance matrix from response data stored in either Stokes matrix or linear polarization covariance matrix format, (2) how the contribution of physical scattering mechanisms such as odd-bounce, even-bounce, and diffuse or volume scattering are expressed in circular polarization covariance matrix format, and (3) the form of the response after rotation of the target about the radar line-of-sight. Next, we derive the constraints on the matrix elements (and thereby determine the dimensionality of the response) when a target exhibits reflection, rotation, azimuthal, or centrical symmetry. Because the circular polarimetric rotation operator has a particularly simple form, referring the polarization covariance matrix to a circularly polarized basis rather than a linearly polarized basis simplifies the formulation considerably. In many applications, circular polarimetric features are synthesized from data collected using a linear polarization diversity radar. We show that residual amplitude and phase imbalance between channels under a linear polarized basis transforms to cross-talk under the circularly polarized basis.


In this study we analyze the observations with the Mini Neutron Monitor (miniNM) located at Sierra Negra, Mexico. This relatively new cosmic-ray detector is the mobile version of the standard NM64. There are about seven of these instruments around the world. The miniNM at Sierra Negra is the highest located miniNM (≈ 626 mb, 4100 m a.s.l.), and with the cutoff rigidity of approximately 7.9 GV. It is in the same place as the HAWC observatory, and has been in operation since September 2014. In this work we applied recently published analysis of the yield function and barometric coefficient for the minNM ([1]; [2]), to model the high altitude cosmic-ray observations at Sierra Negra.


Vibrissa sensory inputs play a central role in driving rodent behavior. These inputs transit through the sensory trigeminal nuclei, which give rise to the ascending lemniscal and paralemniscal pathways. While lemniscal projections are somatotopically mapped from brain stem to cortex, those of the paralemniscal pathway are more widely distributed. Yet the extent and topography of paralemniscal projections are unknown, along with the potential role of these projections in controlling behavior. Here we used viral tracers to map paralemniscal projections. We find that this pathway broadcasts vibrissa-based sensory signals to brain stem regions that are involved in the regulation of autonomic functions and to forebrain regions that are involved in the expression of emotional reactions. We further provide evidence that GABAergic cells of the Kölliker-Fuse nucleus gate trigeminal sensory input in the paralemniscal pathway via a mechanism of presynaptic or extrasynaptic inhibition.


The ability to organize one's independent work is the key to successful professional activity in the future. The purpose of this study is to develop a system for organizing students' independent work, taking into account their individual characteristics and ensuring the required level of practical training. The research works in the context of the experience of students-future teachers of social sciences, humanities, and fine arts in the formation of their ethno-artistic culture. The main methods for achieving this goal were comparison, systematization of the obtained material, and applying critical thinking skills. An analysis of the experience of higher educational institutions in Europe and the United States was carried out; the essence, duration, and practical orientation of students' self-study were systematized. It has been determined that the organization of students' independent work can be divided into the following components: subject learning, practice-oriented learning, student research work.

Keywords: Critical thinking; education reform; future teachers; humanities; independent learning


Communication channels in wireless networks are always subject to fading. Ignoring fading characteristics leads to overly optimistic quality expectations for the offered services. In this paper, we examine the behavior of IEEE 802.11s wireless mesh networks considering Nakagami-m fading channels, which is a more generalized fading model than Rayleigh and Rician distributions. We quantify the effects of fading on the quality of experience (QoE) performance of VoIP services. Via simulation results, we demonstrate that in order to obtain acceptable VoIP QoE levels, at least 20 dB additional signal to noise ratio (SNR) is required by severe fading channels when compared to non-fading channels.


Since the third edition of William Saffady's Managing Electronic Records was published in 2003, content and document management systems have become commonplace and electronic communication has totally replaced print communication in certain fields and disciplines. Archivists, records managers, and librarians who manage internal information that is born digital and exists completely within an electronic lifecycle desperately needed an update to this professional bestseller.

Book reviews usually evaluate style and content relative to an intended audience. The review of this recent edition was difficult because the style and content imply a different audience than the stated one. Saffady's target audience includes "professional records managers, computer systems professionals, office systems analysts, archivists, administrative system specialists, data center managers, librarians, and others" (p. vii), leading the reader to believe that the book will be geared toward working professionals with some degree of experience, perhaps with print records. This audience is likely also technologically sophisticated. Yet many features of the book—the lack of references, key terms highlighted in bold, the inclusion of a glossary—indicate that Managing Electronic Records is a textbook, intended for students and new records managers with little to no experience. The author assumes his readers have little prior technical knowledge and devotes quite a bit of space to elementary discussion of media formats and storage as well as basic records management issues.

Regardless of the audience, the author's approach is practical rather than theoretical, making the book an easy read. Chapter one offers an extensive definition of "electronic record" that Saffady uses throughout the book. Several words in this introductory chapter are printed in bold type, and this reviewer assumed that bolded words would appear in the glossary but this was not always the case. Saffady pinpoints a key problem as the management of what he calls "unstructured electronic records" (p. 12) and offers relevant examples. Other chapter sections include records control, redundancy, system dependence, media stability, arrangement, and remote access. Other than remote access, the author explores most of these issues in greater depth in subsequent chapters. Although this fourth edition was published in 2009, few of the reports or statistics quoted in chapter 1 are dated beyond 2006.

Chapters two and three focus on storage media, including magnetic and optical, and file formats for electronic records. Chapter two seems rudimentary and outdated (when was the last time you used or even saw a floppy disk?) and yet goes on for thirty-four pages. Chapter three describes various text files, compound documents, email messages, markup languages, and image, audio, and video files. These two chapters seem inappropriate for a professional readership, and this reviewer wishes the space would have been used for more in-depth discussion of the intellectual analysis of these file types. How, for instance, do we distinguish important email messages from inconsequential ones when an organization generates thousands per day? Is that even a consideration?

The chapter on performing an electronic records inventory describes a step-by-step process for identifying digital data in one's organization. Planning for an inventory first requires the records manager to map the entire information technology infrastructure of the organization, which is no small feat in itself. With senior-level support, the records manager must then decide on the scope of the records inventory. A single inventory could not describe every electronic record in an organization; an appropriate scope might enumerate the records of a single program or division, several functional series across divisions, or records that fall within a certain time frame. Saffady offers a useful and interesting fact: an inventory in a corporate or government agency with 50 computer applications will require at least 100 to 150 working days, not including any analysis at the tail end of the inventory (p. 95). This is a very useful guideline for records managers who are new to inventorying electronic content.

The book offers readers a sample checklist (Figure 4.1) to assist in creating a records inventory survey instrument. This extremely useful feature is notable because the book has few other samples overall. Readers would be well served by the addition of specific examples demonstrating activities and principles discussed throughout. What does an inventory look like? How have organizations structured their electronic records series for electronic documents? What are some actual organizational policies for determining the legal or operational significance of electronic records? Readers might expect the inclusion of samples in an introductory volume.

Saffady discusses the various criteria for making retention decisions, including legal, operational, and historical criteria. He points out that different retention periods may apply to different formats, cementing the idea that there is still usually an "official copy" of an electronic record. In a substantial section on the admissibility of an electronic record as evidence in a legal context, Saffady reviews e-discovery and federal rules, records authentication, and the legal status of electronic signatures.

Chapter six focuses on managing those records critical to an organization's mission, termed "vital records" in the discipline. Interestingly, vital records may be considered vital for only a portion of their retention period. The chapter presents a summary of federal laws and regulations for vital records protection and outlines the key components of an internal program: establishment by senior management, identification of vital electronic records, analysis of risk, and selection and implementation of loss prevention and records protection methods. Saffady proffers examples of risk analysis, including the identification of threats and vulnerabilities, and both qualitative and quantitative likelihood of such threats occurring. He includes a simple, mathematical risk analysis formula.

The final chapter includes sections on electronic content management systems, records management application software, media filing, and media management. Similar to his approach in the earlier chapters, Saffady places more emphasis on the physical handling of electronic media and devices than on the intellectual handling of content within electronic records. Unfortunately the book ends abruptly. Rather than provide a wrap-up or concluding chapter, Saffady takes the reader to the first appendix immediately following chapter seven.

The first appendix, "Suggestions for Further Study and Research," offers an interesting alternative to a traditional bibliography. Noting that electronic records practice changes quickly and that references are quickly out of date, Saffady offers the reader a number of business, legal, and science-technology databases likely to contain articles about electronic records management, and he even provides keywords likely to yield relevant information. Additional back matter includes a glossary and a comprehensive index.

This well-written volume is easy to read and adequately defines all jargon, acronyms, and key terms for the novice record manager. But that same novice may require additional examples of some practices discussed in the book, such as the determination of records series or the difference between a master retention schedule and a program-specific one. It is likely that everyone who reads this book will learn something about the development or enhancement of an electronic records management program. But the author's attempt to be many things to many groups somehow fails to satisfy the likely needs of the experienced records and content managers that he targeted. This reviewer hopes that the next edition of this important work focuses on either a novice or an experienced audience and targets the content appropriately.


National radio dynamic zone (NRDZs) are intended to be geographically bounded areas within which controlled experiments can be carried out while protecting the nearby licensed users of the spectrum. An NRDZ will facilitate research and development of new spectrum technologies, waveforms, and protocols, in typical outdoor operational environments of such technologies. In this paper, we introduce and describe an NRDZ concept that relies on a combination of autonomous aerial and ground sensor nodes for spectrum sensing and radio environment monitoring (REM). We elaborate on key characteristics and features of an NRDZ to enable advanced wireless experimentation while also coexisting with licensed users. Some preliminary results based on simulation and experimental evaluations are also provided on out-of-zone leakage monitoring and real-time REMs.


This paper presents a way to bring augmented reality in the field of automation. By bringing augmented reality in the field of automation it increases the interactiveness in controlling devices and machines. Virtual 3D models are created using a modelling software and plugins are used to communicate from the modelling software to the devices to be controlled. The virtual 3D models are three dimensional objects that can be created and moved or rotated in a virtual computer interface and according to the movement/rotation of the 3D model the real devices can be controlled. Another aim of the project is to acquire data from the devices and according align the 3D models with respect to the parameters of the devices. Various techniques in 3D modelling, computer graphics and embedded systems are used to perform these operations.


he films of octaclecene, dodecene, and undecenoic acid were prepared on H-terminated Si surface in the presence of ultraviolet irradiation. The resulted films were characterized with water-contact angle measurement and infrared spectroscopy. The friction-reducing behavior of the prepared films was examined on a static-dynamic friction coefficient measurement apparatus and on an atomic force microscope. It was found that all the reacted films on the Si substrate showed good friction-reducing ability; especially, the film of the octadecene exhibited the best friction-reducing ability. This was attributed to the transfer of the reacted films onto the counter face with formation of a transfer film on the counterpart surface, which led to the transformation of the sliding between the reacted films and the hard ceramic to that between the reacted films and its transfer film on the counterpart surface. The macroscopic and microscopic friction behaviors of the prepared films were dependent on their molecular chain lengths. Thus the octadecene reacted film with the highest degree of ordering arrangement showed the best friction-reducing and antiwear abilities in sliding against Si3N4.


Links between resting metabolic rate (RMR) and reproductive output have been previously sought at both inter- and intraspecific levels, but have only been found in some interspecific studies. We aimed to examine correlations between RMR measured both prior to breeding and at peak lactation with litter size and litter mass in Mus musculus. By manipulating the litter size of some females at birth, we aimed to establish the direction of causality in any correlation between litter size and RMR. Correlations between maternal morphology and RMR, litter size and litter mass were also examined. Neither pre-breeding RMR nor mass-independent pre-breeding RMR was correlated with litter size or litter mass. RMR at peak lactation, however, was positively correlated with litter size and negatively correlated with mean pup mass. After correcting for the effects of body mass, residual peak lactation RMR was not correlated with litter size or litter mass. Body size was the major morphological variable influencing litter mass, offspring mass and asymptotic food intake. Mammary tissue mass was correlated with litter size when only the data for mice raising unmanipulated litters were used. RMR at peak lactation was significantly related to the principal component of morphology dominated by carcass mass. This study confirms the findings of previous intraspecific and some interspecific studies that found no correlation between RMR and reproductive output after the effects of body mass had been removed.


The vast majority of microorganisms cannot be cultured under laboratory conditions. It was estimated that over 99% of microbial genetic information are inaccessible due to the inability to isolate and culture bacteria. It is also widely known that among those uncultured organisms there are such that bear the genes which are interesting from the biotechnological point of view, i.e. coding for novel enzymes (lipases, amylases, cellulases, polymerases etc.), responsible for resistance to various chemical substances (heavy metals, aromatic compounds, pesticides, antibiotics), or the genes encoding the elements of biosynthetic pathways (for instance producing novel antibiotics). Recently, the methods have been developed that allow (i) isolation and purification of environmental DNA, (ii) construction of random fragment libraries of such DNA, and (iii) effective screening of those libraries in search for interesting genes. These methods are collectively known as 'metagenomics' or 'environmental genomics'. We aim to review the metagenomic methods, which will be done in Part I of our paper, and to present the up – to – date achievements and future perspectives for obtaining biotechnologically important genes from environmental samples in Part II. The main attention will be paid to soil metagenomics, as this kind of environment seems to be the most promising in terms of microbial biodiversity and the spectrum of biochemical reactions performed by inhabiting bacteria. We will treat the perspectives for isolation of novel, useful genes such as those coding for biosynthesis of antibiotics, organic compounds degrading pathways, and heavy metal resistance and prospects for their biotechnological application. Assessing the microbial biodiversity through metagenomic methods will also be covered.


A discussion is presented of the practicability of introducing tidal electrical power generation systems into the national electricity distribution networks. The problems assessed are the commissioning times, economics and the alternatives. Matching consumer peak demand times to the inconvenient timing of the tides must be considered.


An optical time-domain differentiation scheme is proposed and demonstrated based on the intensive differential group delay in a high birefringence fibre waveguide. Results show that the differentiation waveforms agree well with the mathematically calculated derivatives. Both error and efficiency will increase when the birefringence fibre becomes longer, and the error rises up more quickly while the efficiency approaches to a maximum of ~0.25. By using a 1-m birefringence fibre a lower error of ~0.26% is obtained with an efficiency of 1% for the first-order differentiation of 10-ps Gaussian optical pulses, and the high-order optical differentiation up to 4th order is achieved with an error less than 3%. Due to its compact structure being easy to integrate and cascade into photonic circuits, our scheme has great potential for ultrafast signal processing.


Abstract : The objective of the CHEBS test series are to develop a data base for the blast and shock environments created by conventional high explosive weapons and subsequently to develop appropriate analytical techniques. Both efforts are aimed at producing reliable protective structure design criteria. This paper presents results of this test series. In particular the free-field close-in blast and shock environment, bomb-to-bomb variation, and experimental error are examined. Brief results of a statistical analysis are presented.


Trichoderma is one of the efficient biocontrol agents due to its high reproductive capacity, ability to survive under unfavorable conditions, efficiency in nutrient utilization, capacity to modify the rhizosphere, strong aggregativeness against the pathogenic fungi and efficiency in promoting plant growth and defense mechanisms. Therefore, the present investigation is carried out as an alternative practical and safe approach for mass multiplication of Trichoderma on different agro based media. Among them wheat straw and farmyard manure were found to be the best solid media supplemented with 10% wheat flour.The highest population count of Trichoderma species was observed in wheat straw. Antioxidant producing crops were also added to this carrier medium at a rate of 5g/kg in order to enhance the shelf life of propagules of Trichoderma species. Maximum population count wasobserved in soybean, maize and brown rice.


Coronary artery anomalies are usually asymptomatic and associated with other cardiac malformations. Dual left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) is an uncommon congenital anomaly with four subtypes. This anomaly has been described in the angiographic literature and dual LAD types depending on the origin of major septal and diagonal branches and course within the anterior interventricular sulcus. Type IV expresses the anomaly of a rudimentary LAD artery ending in the mid-portion of the anterior interventricular sulcus, and the presence of other LAD originating from the right coronary artery and continuing to the anterior interventricular sulcus. We report the rare case of a patient with the type IV dual left anterior descending coronary artery.


In this typescript, we study the existence and uniqueness for a class of nonlinear summation equation with delay. Furthermore, we present Hyers–Ulam stability(HUS), generalized Hyers–Ulam  stability(GHUS), Hyers–Ulam–Rassias stability(HURS) and generalized Hyers–Ulam–Rassias  stability(GHURS) of the mentioned equation by utilizing discrete Gr¨onwall lemma. We finalized our manuscript through examples to help our primary outcomes.


Anorexia, the result of inadequate nutrient intake, can lead to death and is a constant problem in the feline clinic. However, we did not find any previous studies that evaluated cardiac measures in felines. Therefore, we evaluated 27 emaciated cats by means of hematological exams, urinalysis, and electrocardiography. In the serum, we noted increased creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate enzyme levels. Further, 62.96% of the cats exhibited electrocardiographic alterations. The most frequent electrocardiographic changes were increased QRS complex duration and QT interval increase. As clinicians become more aware of cardiovascular complications related to malnutrition, they are better able to recognize and assist this animal class.


Agro-based chemicals are in enormous use today to boost agricultural production and also recently in diverse environmental remedial activities. This study therefore aimed at assessing the potential toxicity and impact of hydrated lime [Ca(OH) 2 ] on the morphology of some organs of the river prawn used as the test organism. The prawns were exposed to 0.0, 20.0, 40.0, and 80.0 mg/L of Ca (OH) 2 for a period of two weeks using static renewal bioassay to assess its sub-lethal effect under laboratory conditions. The bioassays were monitored throughout the exposure period with the water quality status determined. The organs of exposed prawns were analyzed using photomicrography and the results showed that the gills had degenerations and necrosis in all exposed concentrations. The muscle had degenerations at 40 mg/L while the toxicant had no impact on the carapace at all concentrations used after the exposure period. This implies that Ca (OH) 2 is generally low in toxicity for prawns but could be lethal to aquatic life if exposed at prolonged, low and steady concentrations. General observations show that further research on application rates will ensure best practices in the use of this lime in prawn culture to boost growth and development of juveniles. Keywords: hydrated lime, chronic toxicity, prawn culture, body organs, morphology


Side chain oxidized oxysterols have a unique ability to traverse lipophilic membranes. We tested the hypothesis that there is a net flux of 27-hydroxycholesterol from the circulation into the brain using plasma samples collected from the internal jugular vein and an artery of healthy male volunteers. Two independent studies were performed, one in which total levels of 27-hydroxycholesterol were measured and one in which the free fraction of 27-hydroxycholesterol was measured. In the majority of subjects studied, the level of 27-hydroxycholesterol was higher in the artery than in the vein, and uptake from the circulation was calculated to be about 5 mg/24 h. The distribution of 27-hydroxycholesterol in human brain was found to be consistent with an extracerebral origin, with a concentration gradient from the white to the gray matter--a situation opposite that of 24S-hydroxycholesterol, which os exclusively formed in brain. In view of the fact that the blood-brain barrier is impermeable to cholesterol and that 27-hydroxycholesterol is a potent regulator of several cholesterol-sensitive genes, the flux of 27-hydroxycholesterol into the brain may be and important link between intra- and extracerebral cholesterol homeostasis.


During the last twenty-four years archaeologists have proven that we are now able to investigate a previously inaccessible part of the archaeological record: the battlefield. These fields of conflict, once inaccessible due to their nature, have become accessible to archaeologists through the use of metal detectors, the global positioning system (GPS), remote sensing, historical documents, maps, photographs (aerial and period), and the geographic information system (GIS), among the traditional methods used in archaeological research, such as suiface surveys and excavation. However, battlefield archaeology's current scope is limited to those conflicts recorded by history. Is it possible for battlefield archaeologists to cross the threshold from the historic to prehistoric period and investigate North American warfare before European American-American Indian conflicts, the arrival of the gun, or even pre-contact times? In order to determine if this is possible it is necessary to consider the characteristics of the waifare waged in North America and how it varied between regions and through time. Questions about who participated in warfare, what their motivations were for fighting, and what archaeological remains would be indicative of a conflict will need to be considered by battlefield archaeologists. Ultimately, it will be the methods battlefield archaeologists can utilize in their work that will determine just how far into the past warfare in North America can be investigated.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Background: Although triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) constitute 10%-20% of all breast cancers, they are aggressive tumors with higher recurrence and poorer prognosis than other breast cancer subtypes. TNBCs frequently exhibit features of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and are enriched in breast tumor initiating cells (BTICs). Recent studies have demonstrated that aberrant activation of the EMT program induces stem cell features in breast cells, suggesting that blocking the cross-talk between EMT and stemness may be an effective treatment for TNBCs. WISP3/CCN6, a secreted matrix associated protein, is expressed in normal breast tissues and is decreased in aggressive breast cancer samples. We have shown that CCN6 knockdown in nontumorigenic breast cells triggers EMT and invasion. We hypothesize that CCN6 regulates the cross-talk between EMT and BTICs pathways in TNBCs.

Methods: We overexpressed CCN6 in the TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231, SUM-159 and MDA-MB-436, which are aggressive and exhibit a mesenchymal-like phenotype and low endogenous CCN6 expression. We tested the effect of CCN6 overexpression in these cell lines using motility and invasion assays in vitro. Stem cell features were investigated by mammosphere assays, and the ALDEFLUOR assay by flow cytometry. We developed mammary xenografts in nude mice using serial dilutions to investigate the role of CCN6 in tumor initiation and metastasis.

Results: Overexpression of CCN6 inhibits cell motility and invasion, and leads to phenotypic changes of mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), with downregulation of the mesenchymal cell marker vimentin, increased epithelial marker cytokeratin, and decreased protein levels of the EMT transcription factor Slug. CCN6 overexpression significantly decreased the ALDEFLUOR-positive population and mammosphere formation of TNBC cell lines. In vivo, CCN6 overexpression delayed tumor initiation and reduced metastasis in human breast cancer xenografts. Slug reconstitution was sufficient to rescue the effects of CCN6 on MET and stem cell properties of TNBCs.

Conclusions: These data demonstrate that CCN6 regulates EMT and tumor initiating cell features in TNBC at least in part through Slug. Further, our study suggests that CCN6 may be a novel regulator of the EMT-stem cell cross talk in TNBC, with possible clinical application.

Citation Format: Wei Huang, Kathy A. Toy, Celina G. Kleer. WISP3/CCN6 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor initiating cell properties in triple negative breast cancer cells through Slug. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1037. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1037


Objectives: To describe the pattern of thoracic surgical diseases at a tertiary care hospital in South-Punjab Pakistan. Study Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Setting: Nishtar Medical University hospital Multan, Pakistan. Period: From 01-01-2018 to 31-12-2018. Material & Methods: All the patients who were admitted through the out-patient department or referred from other units, over the year 2018, were analyzed. Variables under consideration included mode of admission, patient's diagnosis, a surgical procedure performed, type of anesthesia-induced and the mortality. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics version 20. Mean and percentages were used for numerical data. Data were presented using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 634 patients (370 females and 264 males) were admitted during the study period, out of which 566 came through the out-patient department while the remaining were referrals from other wards. In total, 697 surgeries were performed with esophagoscopy and dilation being the most frequent (38.7%), followed by tracheostomy (16.3%). Corrosive intake (49.8%) accounted as the cause for the highest number of admissions followed by empyema thoracis (11.4%). Conclusion: Local study on the topic of Thoracic Surgery audit, in terms of surgeries performed and variation of cases presented has become an absolute necessity for better health care planning of Pakistan. The pattern of thoracic surgical diseases varies considerably in different regions and populations. The evaluation of these disease patterns can help to adopt appropriate preventive measures to reduce the incidence of these diseases. Furthermore, it can significantly improve our health system.


Aiming at the problem of dislocation at the junction of metro carriages, a three DOF (degree of freedom) coupled vibration model of the junction of metro carriages was established. Then, the kinetic equation of vibration model was established by Lagrange method, the transfer function of the vibration model was deduced by Laplace transform, and the control system of vibration model was established by SIMULINK. In addition, the excitation signals such as the traction force, resistance force, lateral force and longitudinal force at wheel and rail were studied. Through simulation, obtain the coupling vibration characteristics under different parameters including traction force, spring stiffness and damping coefficient. The simulation results show that the amplitude differences ( at the junction of TC1-MP1 and MP2-TC2 1) are more larger than other junctions. When the traction force is from 254 to 384kN, the larger the traction force, the larger the amplitude difference. When the parameters are: the dislocation is small.


Author(s): Bell, Robert R | Abstract: Landing bulletins provide records of amounts and values of various living marine resources taken by California's commercial fisheries, and summarize catches made by the partyboat sportfishing industry. They also detail the small quantities of freshwater fish taken commercially in inland areas. These data provide the basic background for managing California's marine fishery resources. The published figures are of local, national, and international significance, and are used by fisheries scientists, legislators, educators, members of the fishing industry, and others interested in California fisheries.This report for 1970 is the 30th in the series of landing bulletins. The first, published in 1929, contained the records of the 1926 and 1927 commercial fish landings.California's fishery statistics are based on a system whereby fish dealers, processors, and partyboat operators send duplicate copies of their landing records to the Department. The statistical system and methods used to collect the records were fully described in Fish Bulletin 86, which reported the catch for 1950. In the intervening years, methods and equipment have been modified as conditions warranted, but the basic principles have remained unchanged.


NHS £2bn ($3.2bn) a year—4.7% of total NHS expenditure—and an additional £36m is spent on related social services and private health costs, claims a new report published this week. This high cost is caused largely by the treatment of complications of the disease, as they increase the overall NHS spending for an affected patient more than fivefold. The study, published in the TARDIS report, was conducted jointly by the British Diabetic Association, the King's Fund, the Economists Advisory Group, and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals UK. The report builds on the findings of the UK prospective diabetes study (UKPDS), which called for tight blood pressure control for these patients (BMJ 1998;317:703-13). The authors claim that "millions of pounds could be saved from NHS budgets" by preventing the complications that accompany the disease. The investigators set out to provide a basis for future allocation of health and social service resources by measuring the economic and quality of life impact of the disease on patients and their carers. Their data were collected in spring 1999 by a postal survey of 1578 people with type 2 diabetes and their carers, living in four areas of England and Scotland. "We found that people with the disease are two to three times more likely to be admitted to hospital than their demographic peers and that they stay an average of four times as long. People who also had complications were five times more likely to enter hospital than were peers who had diabetes alone," said Dr Steve Gillam, director of the primary care programme at the King's Fund (a healthcare think tank) and one of the authors of the report. One finding is that 42% of overall expenditure is on inpatient care. The data also show that the presence of both microvascular and macrovascular complications increases social services costs fourfold and personal expenditure threefold; it also doubles the need for carers. "The results confirm that type 2 diabetes is a serious disease with far reaching implications. Investment in the prevention of complications rather than their treatment is the key to improving patients' lives and reducing the NHS burden," said the chairman of the study group, Professor Rhys Williams, professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Leeds. He called for the government to invest in methods that will prevent complications, for the national service framework to promote measures that reduce the risk of complications, and for the increased and earlier use of new and more effective interventions.


A 29-year-old man with no history of diabetes ingested over 60 grams of metformin in a suicide attempt. He presented to the emergency department with acute renal insufficiency, severe lactic acidosis, and rapidly-progressive hyperglycemia. The patient's peak serum glucose level of 707 mg/dL is the highest yet reported in a case of metformin toxicity. Treatment included sodium bicarbonate infusion and hemodialysis, but the patient suffered several cardiac arrests with pulseless electrical activity and ultimately expired 25 hours after the ingestion.


Summary Recently, there has been increasing interest in co-creation utilized for physical activity (PA) promotion and health promotion. Co-creation involves researchers and non-academic stakeholders conjointly developing and implementing interventions. In addition to the frequently reported benefits of co-creation, critical voices highlight the associated challenges (e.g. different interests that inhibit interaction). So far, research has not identified concrete solutions to these challenges and the limitations of co-creation. This article aims to introduce the Practice Dive Approach as a potential way to strengthen cooperation between researchers and non-academic stakeholders. We build on real-life experiences from a German research project, in which researchers moved into practice to familiarize themselves with the settings and end-users. After conducting a literature search on related concepts in PA/health promotion, we developed a comprehensive approach to fostering multi-sectoral cooperation. The introduced Practice Dive Approach assumes that a significant contribution to better cooperation among co-creators is the temporal immersion of researchers in their setting of interest, which has the potential to improve the success of co-creation in the PA/health promotion field. A four-level typology characterizes the intensity of researcher interactions with the setting and the non-academic stakeholders. Potential beneficial effects for both researchers and non-academic stakeholders can be hypothesized (e.g. familiarity with the setting structures and increased understanding of the end-users), while simultaneously, some challenges need to be considered. Future research should aim to validate the concept and its postulated effects.


Abstract Precarious work is a crucial impediment to substantive equality. This paper examines the regulation of precariousness in the light of two recent trends: the casualisation of employment in the wake of the crisis, and global efforts to regulate domestic work (e.g. ILO Domestic Workers Convention (No 189)). It takes these developments as an opportunity to explore the effective regulation of contemporary labour markets, and in particular the role of the Standard Employment Relationship (SER). The paper returns to two prominent accounts of the SER: Vosko's critique of SER-centrism in non-standard work regulation and Bosch's notion of the flexible-SER. It argues that the domestic work debates confirm the value of a modernised SER in its temporal dimensions. Yet the literature on precarious work tends to focus on regulatory settings in which the standard model remains dominant. The key contemporary challenge is to identify strategies that will embed this model in settings in which it is in decline or was never deep-rooted. Drawing on the notion of 'reconstructive labour law', the paper argues for innovative legal mechanisms that prompt the construction of flexibilised SER-type relationships. It concludes, however, that for these strategies to be effective, casualisation must be identified not only in contractual arrangements but also in working-time practices.


Quantum gravity, as a fundamental theory of space-time, is expected to reveal how the universe may have started, perhaps during or before an inflationary epoch. It may then leave a potentially observable (but probably miniscule) trace in cosmic large-scale structures that seem to match well with predictions of inflation models. A systematic quest to derive such tiny effects using one approach, loop quantum gravity, has, however, led to unexpected obstacles. Such models remain incomplete, and it is not clear whether loop quantum gravity can be consistent as a full theory. But some surprising effects appear to be generic and would drastically alter our understanding of space-time at large density. These new high-curvature phenomena are a consequence of a widening gap between quantum gravity and ordinary quantum-field theory on a background.


Parallel computing platforms are increasingly complex, with multiple cores, shared caches, and NUMA memory interconnects, as well as asymmetric I/O access. Upcoming architectures will add a heterogeneous memory subsystem with non-volatile and/or high-bandwidth memory banks. Parallel applications developers have to take locality into account before they can expect good efficiency on these platforms. Thus there is a strong need for a portable tool gathering and exposing this information. The Hardware Locality project (hwloc) offers a tree representation of the hardware based on the inclusion of CPU resources and localities of memory and I/O devices. It is already widely used for affinity-based task placement in high performance computing. We present how hwloc represents parallel computing nodes, from the hierarchy of computing and memory resources to I/O device locality. It builds a structural model of the hardware to help application find the best resources fitting their needs. hwloc also annotates objects to ease identification of resources from different programming points of view. We finally describe how it helps process managers and batch schedulers to deal with the topology of multiple cluster nodes, by offering different compression techniques for better management of thousands of nodes.


Brain ageing is characterised by a decline in neuronal function and associated cognitive deficits. There is increasing evidence that myelin disruption is an important factor that contributes to the age‐related loss of brain plasticity and repair responses. In the brain, myelin is produced by oligodendrocytes, which are generated throughout life by oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Currently, a leading hypothesis points to ageing as a major reason for the ultimate breakdown of remyelination in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, an incomplete understanding of the cellular and molecular processes underlying brain ageing hinders the development of regenerative strategies. Here, our combined systems biology and neurobiological approach demonstrate that oligodendroglial and myelin genes are amongst the most altered in the ageing mouse cerebrum. This was underscored by the identification of causal links between signalling pathways and their downstream transcriptional networks that define oligodendroglial disruption in ageing. The results highlighted that the G‐protein coupled receptor Gpr17 is central to the disruption of OPCs in ageing and this was confirmed by genetic fate‐mapping and cellular analyses. Finally, we used systems biology strategies to identify therapeutic agents that rejuvenate OPCs and restore myelination in age‐related neuropathological contexts.


Abstract An indirect methodology for determining the distribution of mass balance at high spatial resolution using remote sensing and ice-flow modelling is presented. The method, based on the mass-continuity equation, requires two datasets collected over the desired monitoring interval: (i) the spatial pattern of glacier surface-elevation change, and (ii) the mass-flux divergence field. At Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Valais, Switzerland, the mass-balance distribution between September 1992 and September 1993 is calculated at 20 m resolution from the difference between the pattern of surface-elevation change derived from analytical photogrammetry and the mass-flux divergence field determined from three-dimensional, numerical flow modelling constrained by surface-velocity measurements. The resultant pattern of mass balance is almost totally negative, showing a strong dependence on elevation, but with large localized departures. The computed distribution of mass balance compares well (R 2 = 0.91) with mass-balance measurements made at stakes installed along the glacier centre line over the same period. Despite the highly optimized nature of the flow-modelling effort employed in this study, the good agreement indicates the potential this method has as a strategy for deriving high spatial and temporal-resolution estimates of mass balance.


Multicode CDMA with V-BLAST architecture is an attractive scheme to achieve high data rate transmission. We propose an advanced detection scheme, order partial parallel interference cancellation with decision feedback (DF-OPPIC), to combat co-antenna interference and multiple access interference in the system. Compared with the original reference, the scheme has better performance on the frame error ratio in flat Rayleigh fading channel and multipath Rayleigh fading channel. Moreover, due to the avoidance of calculating pseudo-inverse and optimal detection order in every time of iteration, the scheme has lower arithmetic complexity.


Since Congress enacted the Bilingual Education Act in 1968 as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), policymakers, educators and researchers have debated the use of the home language in the education of students identified as "English Learners." In recent years, the language question appears to have receded, overtaken by the current national fixation on accountability. The discussion has moved from "best practices" and the relative merits of dual language instruction to the pros and cons of testing and the feasibility of accommodating language differences in designing valid and reliable assessment tools. The pending reauthorization of the ESEA, and the productivity agenda driving that effort, together present a critical point for addressing these developments and their implications. In this essay, I attempt to reconcile the underlying tension between promoting the EL student's bilingual potential and holding state and local educators accountable for student achievement. Striking a reasonable balance, I consider the diverse needs and backgrounds of this growing population. I outline essential factors for charting a federal role in affording English Learners an education that gives adequate weight to accountability while allowing local discretion to meet student needs and family preferences regarding home language instruction. And while federal law merely requires that states and school districts provide EL students with English proficiency and "meaningful participation" in the education program, I point to an increasing body of research supporting the benefits of dual language learning as a matter of policy. In the end, I present the child's home language not as an inherent "deficiency" or barrier to social and economic advancement, as conventionally believed, but as a personal and national resource in a world where multilingual competencies carry political and economic currency.


Leak detection in oil pipelines is important for safe operation of pipelines. Negative Pressure Wave (NPW) in pressure curve can be an indication of leakage of a pipeline. In this paper, we propose to use the support vector machine (SVM) learning to detect NPW in pressure curves. In the approach, NPWs detection is formulated as a supervised-learning problem and the method of SVM is employed to develop the detection algorithm. The proposed method is evaluated using a database of 1500 pressure curves containing 500 NPWs. Experimental results demonstrate that, when compared to the Wavelet based methods, the proposed SVM framework offers the better performance.


Developments of sea ice polycrystals from the sea surface are simulated in two-dimensional approximation by combining numerical methods for crystal growth, salinity diffusion and flux of heat. An anisotropic growth of ice crystals from a number of nuclei and their mutual impingements are numerically reproduced by a simple and novel technique, named Voronoi dynamics. Discharge of salt from solidified region and salinity condensation at the solid-liquid interface are also taken into consideration. Diffusion process of salinity and heat flux are evaluated by solving equations for diffusion and heat conduction, and growth of ice crystals is affected by these two factors. Results show that a layer of granular grains is formed near the sea surface and columnar shaped grains develop below it. Brine regions are mainly formed along grain boundaries in the layer of granular grains. In the region of columnar shaped grains, brine regions exist not only along grain boundaries but also inside grains. Columnar shaped crystal grains consist of ice platelets growing in the vertical direction and brine layers between them. These microstructural features are in accordance with experimental observations.


A systemwide decision support system played a key role in helping a group of not-for-profit hospitals implement strategic management policies that helped to stabilize the hospitals.


Our recent studies have revealed that the myogenic response in cerebral arteries and autoregulation of cerebral blood flow is impaired in FHH and that transfer of a 2.4 Mb region of chromosome 1 from BN into FHH.1 BN congenic strain restores these responses. The present study examined the role of large conductance calcium activated potassium (BK) channel in altering the myogenic response in FHH rats. Whole-cell patch-clamp of cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) revealed a 4.6 fold increase in outward potassium (K) channel current densities (pA/pF) in FHH rats compared to FHH.1 BN congenic strain. Iberiotoxin (IBTX -a selective BK channel inhibitor) sensitive current densities are significantly greater in FHH rats compared with the FHH.1 BN congenic strain (FHH rats: +40mV; pre IBTX 43.1 ± 7.2, after IBTX 11.8 ± 2.2 pA/pF versus pre IBTX 5.6 ± 1 pA/pF and after IBTX 4.1 ± 0.6 pA/pF in the FHH.1 BN congenic strain). In excised patches, the BK channel exhibited similar single-channel slope conductance for FHH and the FHH.1 BN rats (208.9 pS versus 208.7 pS). However, the open channel probability (NP o ) was ~10 fold higher in FHH rats than in FHH.1 BN rats (1μM free (Ca +2 ) i : +40mV: FHH; 0.8 ± 0.04 versus 0.08 ± 0.004 in FHH.1 BN rats). Voltage and Ca 2+ sensitivity of the BK channel is similar in cerebral VSMC isolated from FHH and FHH.1 BN rats. Middle cerebral arterioles (MCA) isolated from FHH rats increased in diameter from 142 ± 16 to 157 ± 19 μm when pressure was increased from 40 to 140 mmHg. In contrast, the diameter of the MCA decreased by 49% in the FHH.1 BN congenic strain from 127 ± 16 to 65 ± 13 μm. Pharmacological block of BK channel by IBTX (100nM) restored myogenic response in FHH rats but had no effect in FHH.1 BN rats. These results indicate that the impaired myogenic response of the cerebral vessels in FHH rats is mediated via a gene and mechanism that enhances BK channel activity.


Abstract : This report presents the results of testing performed on a stabilized/solidified (S/S) inorganic wood-preserving waste. The contaminants found in the waste are primarily arsenic and chromium. Three S/S processes were evaluated in this study. They include the following: (a) a cement process, (b) a kiln dust process, and (c) a hme/fly ash process. Physical and leaching characteristics of the S/S waste materials were evaluated. Physical characteristics were evaluated using the unconfined compressive strength test. The waste-leaching characteristics were evaluated using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). Physical test results showed that S/S waste developed 28-day strengths ranging from 44 to 916 psi. Results of the chemical leach tests showed that S/S did reduce the amount of arsenic and chromium found in the extract but the levels were not met for the TCLP test.... Contaminant immobilization, Waste disposal, Hazardous waste, Wood preserving, Solidification.


We consider a stylized model of crime and punishment in which the prosecution policy is defined by three variables: the size of punishment, the type of punishment and the detection probability. We derive the optimal type of punishment under the assumption that the detection probability is chosen by a government official whose objective function places a higher weight on the government's budget than the social welfare function does. We show that for serious crimes exclusive imprisonment is welfare maximizing. If costs of imprisonment are taken into account, the optimal punishment is a prison term with an additional fine that is smaller or equal to the costs of the prison term. For less serious crimes, fines without imprisonment are welfare maximizing. Therefore, this paper demonstrates that the standard result of the literature that fines should be used whenever feasible need not hold in the presence of agency conflicts. Moreover, it offers a new economic explanation for the wide-spread use of mandatory imprisonment for serious crimes.


Mesoporous materials like SBA-15 offer excellent properties such as catalyst support adsorbent due to its textural characteristics and their surface chemistry. The main objective of this study was to support cobalt (20 % w) in the type ordered mesoporous material SBA-15 and expand the pore size with the introduction of a "blowing agent", such as 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (TMB), to be evaluated in the degradation of phenol. By its physicochemical characterization, it was confirmed that this is an ordered mesoporous material with two-dimensional hexagonal structure (p6mm) with high specific area, narrow pore distribution and typical morphology of this material. The pore size of SBA-15 has been extended to 19 nm by the addition of cosolvent organic molecules (TMB) and the particle size of cobalt decreased from 18.8 nm in SBA-15 to 6.4 nm on average by supporting it in SBA-15 modified with TMB; this property seems to confer the material be more selective in the conversion of CO2, which is the reason why it has greater activity for the degradation of phenol.


L iving system has an ability to maintain itself by means of repair and recon struction. Ag e ing process leads to a decrease in this efficiency of the body . T he autonomous Vayu governs this change and gives rise to various V atavyadhi as the age advances. S andhigatavata is one such condition that occurs when provoked V ata enters the a sthisandhi owing to g atavata pathology . Pain typical ly present on joint mobilisation with features like swelling , s tiffness, crepitus etc are the clinical manifestations of this condition . It can be well correlated with O steoarthritis described in modern s cience. Knee joint is an easy target and the degenerative changes in knee s is termed as Janusandhigatavata. Various procedures performed on the knee are in vogue . Local application, intra - articular injections and non pharmacological treatments are some wid ely used approaches among them. Yet, a n additional cavernous revi e w is indispensible to bring out a precise outcome of these procedures. Hence , the particular study was done with Nirgundi taila Janu Vestana and Jalaukavacharana in Janusandhigatavata . It wa s a parallel group comparative clinical study , conducted and completed on 6 2 patients suffering from Janusandhigatavata within 70 years of age , irrespective of gender , randomly allocated into 2 groups with 31 patients each subjected to Nirgundi taila J anu Vestana and Jalaukavacharana. The therapeutic effect was assessed based on specific clinical parameters and statistically analysed for test of significance using paired and unpaired't' test. Both groups showed statistically highly significant improvement i n the primary outcome parameters with p < 0.001 . However t he effect of Jala ukavacharana was appreciated instantly when compared to Vestana.


A combined computational and experimental study was conducted to examine the effect of extended benzannelation orientation on C1-C5 and C1-C6 cyclization of acyclic quinoxalenediynes. Calculations (mPW1PW91/cc-pVTZ//mPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p)) on terminal and phenylethynyl-substituted 5,6-diethynylquinoxaline and 6,7-diethynylquinoxaline showed C1-C6 Bergman cyclization as the favored thermodynamic reaction pathway, with larger C1-C6 preference for the angular quinoxalenediynes due to gain of a new aromatic sextet. Kinetic studies, as a function of 1,4-cyclohexadiene concentration, revealed retro-Bergman ring opening predominates over hydrogen atom abstraction (k-1 > k2) for 6,7-diethynylquinoxaline while 5,6-diethynylquinoxaline undergoes irreversible Bergman cyclization indicative of a large retro-Bergman ring opening barrier (k2 > k-1). The effect of extended linear versus angular benzannelation on reaction pathway shows in the contrasting photocyclizations of phenylethynyl derivatives. While angular 5,6-diethynylquinoxalines gave exclusive C1-C6 photocyclization, linear 6,7-diethynylquinoxaline afforded C1-C5 fulvene products. Computed singlet-triplet gaps and biradical stabilization energies indicated weak interaction between the nitrogen lone pair and proximal radical center in angular 5,6-diethynylquinoxalines. The overall data indicates extended angular benzannelation effectively renders Bergman cyclization irreversible due to favorable aromatic stabilization energy, while extended linear benzannelation results in increased retro-Bergman ring opening, allowing C1-C5 cyclization to become a competitive reaction channel.


Abstract Often, a relatively small number of trials suffices to enhance one's task-specific perceptual capability. In the present experiment, fast perceptual learning was investigated with respect to the perception of the heights or widths of wielded nonvisible rectangular objects. In that haptic perceptual task, inertial differences (mass and moments of inertia) are the basis for perceived size differences. The authors hypothesized that rapid improvement might occur in attunement (attending to the task-relevant inertial variable), calibration (scaling spatial extent to the task-relevant inertial variable), and exploratory behavior (wielding so as to differentiate the task-relevant inertial variable). Twenty-four students performed 25 trials with a set of practice objects; those trials were followed and preceded by 18 trials with a set of test objects. Practice, with knowledge of results (KR), improved both attunement, as measured by regression of perceived spatial extent on the inertial variables, and calibration, as measured by constant and variable error. Of the preceding measures, only variable error improved with practice in the absence of KR. In both KR conditions, however, exploratory behavior decreased in duration and complexity, as measured by recurrence quantification analysis. The present results suggest that the mechanisms involved in fast perceptual learning are more varied and complex than are those encompassed by current accounts.


Context. The central parsec of the Galaxy contains a young star cluster embedded in a complex interstellar medium. The latter mainly consists of a torus of dense clumps and streams of molecular gas (the circumnuclear disk) enclosing streamers of ionized gas (the Minispiral).
Aims. In this complex environment, knowledge of the local extinction that locally affects each feature is crucial to properly study and disentangle them. We previously studied molecular gas in this region and inferred an extinction map from two H2 lines. Extinction appears to be correlated with the dereddened flux in several contiguous areas in the field of view. Here, we discuss the origin of this local correlation.
Methods. We model the observed effect with a simple radiative transfer model. H2 emission arises from the surfaces of clumps (i.e., shells) that are exposed to the ambient ultraviolet (UV) radiation field. We consider the shell at the surface of an emitting clump. The shell has a varying optical depth and a screen of dust in front of it. The optical depth varies from one line of sight to another, either because of varying extinction coefficient from the shell of one clump to that of another or because of a varying number of identical clumps on the line of sight.
Results. In both scenarios, the model accurately reproduces the dependence of molecular gas emission and extinction. The reason for this correlation is that, in the central parsec, the molecular gas is mixed everywhere with dust that locally affects the observed gas emission. In addition, there is extinction due to foreground ("screen") dust.
Conclusions. This analysis favors a scenario where the central parsec is filled with clumps of dust and molecular gas. Separating foreground from local extinction allows for a probe for local conditions (H2 is mixed with dust) and can also constrain the three-dimensional (3D) position of objects under study.


Habitat loss induced by climate warming is a major threat to biodiversity, particularly to threatened species. Understanding the genetic diversity and distributional responses to climate change of threatened species is critical to facilitate their conservation and management. Cupressus gigantea, a rare conifer found in the eastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) at 3000–3600 m.a.s.l., is famous for its largest specimen, the King Cypress, which is >55 m tall. Here, we obtained transcriptome data from 96 samples of 10 populations covering its whole distribution and used these data to characterize genetic diversity, identify conservation units, and elucidate genomic vulnerability to future climate change. After filtering, we identified 145,336, 26,103, and 2833 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the whole, putatively neutral, and putatively adaptive datasets, respectively. Based on the whole and putatively neutral datasets, we found that populations from the Yalu Tsangpo River (YTR) and Nyang River (NR) catchments could be defined as separate management units (MUs), due to distinct genetic clusters and demographic histories. Results of gradient forest models suggest that all populations of C. gigantea may be at risk due to the high expected rate of climate change, and the NR MU had a higher risk than the YTR MU. This study deepens our understanding of the complex evolutionary history and population structure of threatened tree species in extreme environments, such as dry river valleys above 3000 m.a.s.l. in the QTP, and provides insights into their susceptibility to global climate change and potential for adaptive responses.


In this paper, we developed the GML Map Server which visualized the map based on GML as international standard for exchanging the common format map and for interoperability of GIS information. And also, it should transmit effectively GML map into the mobile device by using dynamic map partition and caching. It manages a partition based on the visualization area of a mobile device in order to visualize the map to a mobile device in real time, and transmits the partition area by serializing it for the benefit of transmission. Also, the received partition area is compounded in a mobile device and is visualized by being partitioned again as four visible areas based on the display of a mobile device. Then, the area is managed by applying a caching algorithm in consideration of repetitiveness for a received map for the efficient operation of resources. Also, in order to prevent the delay in transmission time as regards the instance density area of the map, an adaptive map partition mechanism is proposed for maintaining the regularity of transmission time. GML Map Server can trace the position of mobile device with WIPI environment in this paper. The field emulator can be created mobile devices and mobile devices be moved and traced it's position instead of real-world. And we developed POIM(POI Management) for management hierarchically POI information and for the efficiency POI search by using the individual tagging technology with visual interface.


We study the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation for dynamic systems with kinetic couplings in entangled state representations. The result shows that the kinetic coupling will affect the position of classical turning points where the condition of using the WKB approximation breaks down. The modified WKB approximation formula is derived in the entangled state representation, for example, the common eigenvector of the relative coordinate and the total momentum of two particles. The corresponding Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rule is also derived.


Longitudinal-field muon spin rotation (LF-μSR) experiments in the two-dimensional geometrically-frustrated antiferromagnet NiGa2S4 reveal a number of features of spin freezing and dynamics in this system. Long-lived (correlation time 10-6 s at 2 K) disordered Ni spin freezing sets in abruptly below Tf = 8.5±0.5 K. At low temperatures slow Ni spin fluctuations are found in low applied field HL that are rapidly suppressed for HL 0.04 T. Activated muon spin relaxation above Tf is strong evidence for 2D critical behaviour. The LF-μSR data indicate that NiGa2S4 is neither a conventional magnet nor a singlet spin liquid, and raise the question of how to reconcile the strongly field-dependent muon relaxation with the field-independent specific heat.


Indeed, what was revealed by the Lawgiver and are proven to be factual, coexistence of people would only be suitable with an Imam (leader) taking charge of their leadership. The Imam unites the society, put forward public interest as well as to prevent internal or external destruction. They are in dire need of him, and vice versa. The relationship between the rulers and society is a condition which based on rules, foundations and controls that both parties must know and keep living a good and happy life. Undeniably, people have been suffering for a long time the consequence of violation by the Imams and rebelling against them and the extent to which bloodshed and destruction occurred. Nowadays, there has been a lot of revolts against the rulers what was justifiably be claimed in the name of civilization, culture and liberation but comes with greater destruction. Therefore, this paper attempts at extracting knowledge and wisdom of Quranic guidance from which the Prophet governed his companions in love and reverence for the lesson that would guide both rulers and ruled. Using qualitative approach and exploratory method, this study finds that justice, integrity, counseling, are among the Quranic guidance to the leaders, and obedience, good thinking, acceptance are among the Quranic guidance to the followers.


Purpose To compare the Esterman Disability Score (EDS) obtained with Goldmann perimetry (GP) testing and the Humphrey field analyzer (HFA) in low vision Japanese subjects. Subjects were also divided into groups by diagnosis to examine how disease influences EDS measurements. Methods The EDS was obtained using GP (GP-EDS) and the built-in testing program of the HFA (HFA-EDS). Tests were performed within 3 months of each other. Regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between GP-EDS and HFA-EDS. Results A total of 128 visually impaired subjects were included in this study. Subjects had low vision because of glaucoma (57 subjects), age-related macular degeneration (AMD, 17 subjects), retinitis pigmentosa (RP, 17 subjects), and other causes (37 subjects). The GP-EDS obtained was well-correlated with HFA-EDS (r = 0.87, P < 0.001) and it was possible to estimate HFA-EDS from GP-EDS. The GP-EDS was significantly lower than the HFA-EDS in eyes with glaucoma and RP. There was no significant difference between EDS values in eyes with AMD or other disease. Conclusion The GP-EDS correlated well with the HFA-EDS. However, the relationship between the EDS measured with the two different testing modalities varies by disease.


Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is an extremely rare, self-limiting disorder which typically presents with fever and painful, unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy in previously healthy individuals. Here, we describe a case of KFD which initially presented with fever of unknown origin. Due to its non-specific symptoms and low incidence, KFD poses a diagnostic conundrum for clinicians. Awareness of this disease entity is the key for prompt diagnosis and treatment.


Farming is a precarious profession, impacted by the social, economic, political, institutional and physical environment, to which climate change projections pose an additional challenge. South Africa has a highly diverse agricultur~l sector, with agricultural systems ranging from subsistence farming in homesteads to commercial estates with thousands of hectares under cultivation. In order to inform agricultural adaptation strategy and action, this thesis takes a multidisciplinary approach that focuses on preparing for the future by understanding the present. The focal aim of this thesis is to assess whether the current coping and adaptation mechanisms of small-scale farmers in the South African Province of Mpumalanga are sufficient for dealing with projected climate change. This is achieved through assessment of how small-scale farmers are currently coping with and adapting to climate variability and extreme weather events. A theoretical framework for vulnerability assessments, that situates farmers in a multi-stressor environment, is employed in order to get an understanding of the multifaceted setting in which small-scale farmers currently live and work. Farmers' understanding of the current climate is analysed through a comparison of local historical climate data with farmers' perceptions, while analysis of downscaled climate change projections provides a picture of what the future climate might look like. The study combines fieldwork data with historical and projected climate data from local stations in a combination of qualitative and quantitative data analysis, producing a number of findings that contribute to the discourse on adaptation, and further work to inform future policy and adaptation action. 111 Un ive rsi ty of Ca pe To wn O. Table of


The Indian family planning program is discussed in relation to the home working wives and mothers. The major objectives of the program are to learn the reasons for the rapid growth of population to discover suitable contraceptive techniques advise and reduce the birthrate to a level consonant with Indias economic well being. Efforts to reach the home are made more difficult by geographic remoteness of some regions sociological barriers and the experience of infant mortality. Emphasis must be put on the fact that the fewer the children the more hopeful the outlook for health and economic security. The trend today is for the middle classes to have fewer children than members of the lower classes. This situation should be reversed if India is to prosper. The hazzards to health of repeated childbirth are especially great to the working wife. Every large-scale industry should begin family planning clinics. By limiting family size working wives can increase productivity and raise healthier and happier children; middle class wives will be able to respond to their desire to serve their country. Attitudes of working wives toward family planning is increasingly favorable. The most common deterrent to family planning use is fear of losing their children through death. Members of some communities also feel the need to increase the population of their community.


Several variations in fallopian tube anatomy may be noted during the evaluation of infertility. Some anatomical variants such as accessory tubal ostia are rare. A 31-year-old woman presented to our center with a 2-year history of primary infertility. Given her history of dysmenorrhea, a diagnostic laparoscopy was performed. Laparoscopy revealed a left utero-sacral endometriosis implant, which was resected. Although the left fallopian tube was normal, the right fallopian tube was noted to have two prongs with individual ostia. Tubal cannulation confirmed two separate ostia, with chromotubation showing free flow of dye through separate fimbrial ostia of the right fallopian tube. The current case highlights that accessory tubal ostia are rare müllerian duct anomalies seen during laparoscopy and can be associated with endometriois or primary infertility.


Abstract Research conducted in recent years suggests that neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the lower limb muscles (NMES) may be an alternative to physical training in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Through stimulating the work of the muscles, NMES raises the exercise tolerance, muscle mass and endurance in patients with CHF. A beneficial effect of NMES on muscle blood flow, aerobic enzymes activity, vascular endothelial function, decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines and improvement of quality of life has been indicated. It must be emphasized that NMES procedures are comfortable for patients with CHF due to lower exercise load and therefore less intense symptoms of dyspnea. Moreover, these procedures may be conducted at home (after prior training). The possible side effects include temporary muscle soreness and skin impairment resulting from improper placement of electrodes (patients in ambulatory conditions).


This dissertation concerns the introduction of market/business requirements early in the R&D processes, with special focus on the organizational aspects of planning for those early phases. Companies like Motorola, Volvo, and Philips Electronics have made efforts to improve the communication needed for such planning, as they recognize the potential danger of not having enough market information in early R&D stages when many important business decisions are made, or of lacking the required technical competence when creating market plans.
To facilitate this communication, an area of research has arisen during the last two decades which aims at an operative planning approach to ensuring early communication between Technology Development and Marketing. The term Technology Planning has here been chosen as a collective name for this approach. The research until now in the area is, however, weak regarding a number of organizational aspects – for example the organizational position of the activity and the formulation of its goals, which are key determinants of the possibilities to carry out Technology Planning in practice.
The research strategy chosen in this dissertation is based on a multiple-case comparison, with three business units from Volvo Aero Corporation and one business unit at Ericsson Communication Systems as cases. Data have been collected through both a questionnaire and approximately 100 interviews.
The major findings presented concern, firstly, identification and analysis of situational parameters to which the Technology Planning activity must be adapted, the effects of the organizational type in which the Technology Planning activity is done, the effects of different levels of complexity in the environment on Technology Planning, and the effects of differences in level of priority given to the activity. The second part of the findings specifies the adaptations which can be made to match the activity to the situational differences. Among the main topics discussed are were the activity should be placed in the organization, the need for decentralization and creation of hierarchy in environments with high complexity, and the balancing of formal versus informal communication structures between communicating parties.


This activity will update pharmacists and other healthcare professionals on current treatments for pseudobulbar affect (PBA). Points of discussion will focus on the off-label therapies traditionally used to treat PBA, the FDA-approved combination drug product with PBA as an indication, and managed care aspects of treating PBA.


Our research was undertaken to determine the median age of natural menopause and correlates of the timing of menopause in Spain and the United States (U.S.). A population‐based sample of 300 women from Madrid, Spain and a random sample of 293 women from Fallon Community Health plan (FCHP), a health maintenance organization (HMO) in central Massachusetts, were interviewed using a semi‐structured questionnaire. Logit analysis and logistic regression were used to estimate the median age at menopause and identify factors associated with it. The median age of natural menopause in Spain is estimated at 51.7 years, and in the U.S., it is 52.6 years. In Spain, women with any children (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.25, 1.36) and a lower body mass index (BMI) (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.78) had later ages at menopause while current smokers (OR = 5.51, 95% CI: 1.82, 16.7) had earlier ages of menopause in a multivariate model. A multiplicative interaction between smoking status and parity was identified, and an interaction term included in the multivariate model (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.94). In the U.S., household income, marital status, and education level were statistically associated with age at natural menopause in bivariate models. These factors were no longer statistically significant after adjustments in a multivariate model. Oral contraceptive use, cycle length, and cycle regularity were not statistically associated with the age of menopause in either country. The ages of natural menopause in Spain and the U.S. are comparable to other industrialized nations. The factors associated with the timing of natural menopause, in particular smoking and BMI, are consistent with those identified in previous studies. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 17:331–340, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Article history: Received 19 Feb 2022 Revised 11 Apr 2022 Accepted 21 Apr 2022 For a more realistic approach, the effect of soil-structure interaction on the behavior of reinforced concrete buildings should not be neglected. In this study, nonlinear static pushover analysis is applied to the twenty-five 4-storey reinforced concrete frame buildings with different foundation types (raft and continuous foundation) and soils having different bearing coefficients. The foundation type and foundation sections were changed by keeping the reinforced concrete frame system constant. The stiffnesses of the models are observed to be significantly affected by the foundation dimensions and the soil bearing coefficient. Period increase up to 44% is observed per fixed base case. The lateral strength and damage distribution of buildings, seems to be less affected by foundation and soil conditions. The shear force in smaller columns becomes 8% to 24% more than anticipated by a fixed base model. The building displacement demand values with significant changes according to the fixed base case are observed. Amplifications around 40% seems to be possible per fixed base case. Additionally, an equation is established trying to answer the question of "How stiff the foundation should be for a given soil condition?". If the allowable displacement increase per fixed base case and soil stiffness is known, dimensions of structural members of the foundation may be decided by given equation.


We discuss relaxation and aging processes in the one- and two-dimensional ABC models. In these driven diffusive systems of three particle types, biased exchanges in one direction yield a coarsening process characterized in the long-time limit by a logarithmic growth of ordered domains that take the form of stripes. From the time-dependent length, derived from the equal-time spatial correlator, and from the mean displacement of individual particles different regimes in the formation and growth of these domains can be identified. Analysis of two-times correlation and response functions reveals dynamical scaling in the asymptotic logarithmic growth regime as well as complicated finite-time and finite-size effects in the early and intermediate time regimes.


BACKGROUND
Little is known about men's patterns of substance use around their partner's pregnancy, despite evidence from studies of pregnant women that men's substance use may reduce women's ability to desist from substance use during pregnancy, increase the probability that women will return to use postpartum, and increase the risk of adverse child outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the association between pregnancy or partner's pregnancy and month-by-month patterns of binge drinking, daily smoking, and marijuana use among young men and women.

METHODS
Data were drawn from the Seattle Social Development Project, which included 412 men and 396 women (age 24 yr) from a community sample of individuals who attended elementary school in the northwestern United States. Event history calendars were used to measure month-by-month patterns of binge drinking, daily smoking, marijuana use, and childbirth over a 3-year period from 1996 to 1999.

RESULTS
Births during the calendar period were reported by 131 women and 77 men. Hierarchical generalized linear modeling analyses showed that men's rates of binge drinking and marijuana use were unaffected by their partner's pregnancy. Pregnancy decreased the probability of substance use among women, but use returned to prepregnancy levels within 2 years postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS
Men's substance use was not affected by their partner's pregnancy. Pregnancy decreased the probability of substance use among women, but substantial proportions of women users of cigarettes and marijuana used these substances during pregnancy. Many of the women who desisted from substance use while pregnant returned to use after their child was born.


The follow-up of a man from birth to adulthood, presenting with features both of RAPADILINO and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS), is described. Molecular studies confirmed the presence of two different mutations, c.2767_2768delTT and c.3061C>T, in the RECQL4 gene. This gene is known to be causative of a spectrum including Baller-Gerold syndrome, RAPADILINO syndrome and RTS. New and rare features such as oral leukoplakia and very prominent hyperkeratotic verrucous papules on both soles are shown. This patient has to date no cancer history despite bearing a truncating mutation at the age of 21 years, which is also unusual.


The problem investigated sounds acute as long as any teacher can meet a necessity to work with different categories of students including young men and ladies who are at war with rules and regulations, and do not want to put up with typical social behaviour. The article aims at defining deviant behaviour as a studying discipline violation, which can become a harsh obstacle for the teacher's attempts to construct a usual architecture of a lesson. It also reveals a set of psychological-and-pedagogical conditions which are seen as capable of overcoming students' deviant behaviour. The experiment underlining the effectiveness level of the complex (set) suggested has become a mainstream investigation method of this problem and heads for a constructive work with risk-prone students (prone to deviant behaviour). Following a step-by-step prevention of students' deviant behaviour, implementing preventive pedagogics and deviantology into courses of further promotion for teachers, constructing theatre studios for risk-prone students – all this can set up a healthy atmosphere in a students' group and become a strong basis of preventive knowledge for the teacher. The article materials can be useful while organizing the teacher's psychological-and-pedagogical work (especially for beginning teachers) with a collective of risk-prone, deviant-behaving students – the students who tend to ruin the studying discipline systematically.


Nanosize powder of ZrVFe alloy has been prepared by a laser ablation method using a ZrVFe alloy as a target material. Ablation of the target alloy was carried out in a liquid container. The laser fluence, energy density at the target surface, was adjusted by manipulating the laser power and focus size to control the ablating conditions. The obtained colloidal dispersions of the nanoparticle were filtered and dried for characterization. The crystal structure of prepared nanoparticles maintained clear crystallinity and was the same as that of the original target alloy by comparison of the X-ray diffraction pattern. The particle sizes were distributed at around 100 nm depending on the used ablation conditions. The minimum average particle size of 71 nm was obtained at the laser fluence of 20.3 J/cm 2 , while the average size was not proportional to the laser fluence. The morphologies and oxidation state of the particle have been discussed for possible use of the ZrVFe powder as a getter material.


The purpose of the present research was to investigate the effect of integrating ways of teach- ing creative writing into traditional students' state exams preparation, typical for schools in Russia. Having analysed different theoretical sources, the organization of the teaching process in a va- riety of universities as well as summarizing and methodizing her own teaching experience gained from practical studies, the author has drawn together a set of recommendations containing practical tips and a collection of illustrative thought-provoking exercises organized with regard to complexity aimed at stimulating the learners, provoking their interest, expressiveness and creativity, which may be of use to anyone interested in this issue. The author has gained data to prove that the combination of traditional teaching methods and those training creative writing skills can be perceived as most effective means for the state exams preparation helping the students to acquire and master skills of observation, artistic perception and thought expression, the combination of which are mobilized for writing an emotional discourse. The author provides data showing a significant increase of motivation, accuracy and precision in the group of students participating in the experimental course advocating the effectiveness of creative writing teaching both for the state exams preparation as well as for the development of literary and lin- guistic skills.


We report the case of a 59-year old right-handed woman presenting with progressive aphasia without any other neurological deficit and characterized by anomia, agramatism and auditory comprehension difficulties. CT scan showed no abnormalities. Four years later, aphasia was complete but neurological examination was normal. CT scan disclosed a mild cortico-subcortical cerebral atrophy with slight widening of both sylvian fissures. The results obtained with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the Raven's Matrices showed only minor deficits. The IQ (WAIS) was 90. During the following 6 years the patient remained fully self-sufficient and carried out her homework normally. At that time MRI showed progression of cerebral atrophy more pronounced on the left side. Besides a rapid deterioration, twelve months later she developed severe dementia and died 13 years after the onset of the illness. Brain examination disclosed a severe atrophy (brain weight: 880 g) prominent in both frontal lobes and in the anterior perisylvian structures, more pronounced on the left side. There were no vascular lesions. Microscopy revealed widespread neuronal loss and astrocytic fibrillary gliosis confined to cortical areas and vacuolation in the superficial layers. Neurofibrillary tangles and neuritic plaques were found in the most atrophic areas but not in sufficient number to fulfill the histological criteria for Alzheimer's disease. There were no neuropathological changes of Pick's disease or subcortical degeneration. Previous microscopical studies of primary progressive aphasia showed non specific, mostly lobar atrophy similar to that observed in our case, although Alzheimer, Pick and Creutzfeldt-Jakob diseases have been reported. This neuropathological heterogeneity confirms that progressive aphasia is a non-specific language disorder mostly observed in lobar forms of brain degeneration.


Good forecasts of climate change impacts on extinction risks are critical for effective conservation management responses. Species distribution models (SDMs) are central to extinction risk analyses. The reliability of predictions of SDMs has been questioned because models often lack a mechanistic underpinning and rely on assumptions that are untenable under climate change. We show how integrating predictions from fundamentally different modeling strategies produces robust forecasts of climate change impacts on habitat and population parameters. We illustrate the principle by applying mechanistic (Niche Mapper) and correlative (Maxent, Bioclim) SDMs to predict current and future distributions and fertility of an Australian gliding possum. The two approaches make congruent, accurate predictions of current distribution and similar, dire predictions about the impact of a warming scenario, supporting previous correlative‐only predictions for similar species. We argue that convergent lines of independent evidence provide a robust basis for predicting and managing extinctions risks under climate change.


An effective identification method and an informative signal are two inseparable aspects for precise estimation of power systems' electromechanical modes. Informative signal is conventionally selected by power spectrum density (PSD) analysis from numerous amounts of ambient data. However, directly comparing PSD plots of different signals is casual and imprecise, especially for those non-obvious modes which could be overlooked in the PSD plots. In this paper, a signal selection approach based on PSD analysis is proposed to accurately evaluate whether a signal is informative to a mode. Simulation is carried out in an 8-generator 36-node benchmark system; mode estimation is employed to validate its effectiveness.


A multi-institutional acoustic experiment was conducted in 1995 on the New Jersey continental shelf to examine the Shallow Water Acoustics in Random Media (SWARM'95). Two major source/receiver geometries were established. One was parallel to the continental shelf edge and the other was perpendicular to it. The parallel propagation consisted of two different broadband sources transmitting signals nearly perpendicular to the internal wave propagation direction. These signals were a transient airgun source (0.1 sec duration) and a linear frequency modulated sweep (30 sec duration). Placed above and below the thermocline, these sources were transmitting signals every minute for few hours at a given range. The transmissions were received by two vertical line arrays at different ranges and angles from the source. During the same period, the internal wave activity in the same region was measured and solitary wave interactions with acoustic signals along the two propagation paths are examined. A 10 to 15 minute temporal variations in the intensity of the received signals were observed. These temporal variations are azimuthally dependent on the variability of water column in the presence of internal solitary waves.