This article considers the impact of match results on the stock returns of English football clubs. We propose that the magnitude of the response to a given result depends on the importance of the game, which is measured in two ways. First, we consider the extent to which the clubs are close rivals vying for similar league positions, as winning such games is particularly significant. Second, we argue that each individual game becomes more important for those clubs likely to be promoted or relegated as the season draws to a close, since a given match will have increasing information content concerning the final league position of the club. Using a fairly large panel comprising data for 19 clubs, we find some support for the notion that stock prices are affected more by the results of important matches than matches of lesser importance. We also observe that the difference between the number of points the club secures from a given match, and the number it was expected to secure, affects its stock price, as does the number of goals that the club under question scores in the match, relative to its competitor.


The authors illustrate a peculiar case of murder-suicide committed with a homemade firearm loaded with 12-gauge cartridges (buckshot). The structure and function of this handcrafted firearm were simple but effective: an iron tube did duty as a barrel in this primitive firearm. The cartridges (modified by winding sticky tape around the external surface of the base) were inserted down one end of the tube (serving as the breech). A second iron tube with a larger diameter (so as to be able to run over each of the preloaded barrels) and with a jutting, cone-shaped metal wedge soldered to the base, was used as a rudimental firing pin. After loading the "barrel" with the modified cartridge, the gunman would ram the "firing pin" tube violently down to fire the shot. Autopsy of the woman's body showed the presence of 3 gunshot wounds caused by buckshot, while the man had a single buckshot wound in the head. Subsequent ballistic investigations enabled reconstruction of the event (typical of murder-suicide) and the functioning of the firearm, demonstrating its lethal nature, remarkably easy handling, and simplicity of production.


Summary: In this work, the incorporation of alkane hydrocarbons in poly(styrene-co-methacrylic acid) particles via miniemulsion polymerization was investigated. The reactions were performed at 80 °C for 4 hours, using benzoyl peroxide as oil-soluble initiator. The effects of different concentrations of a hydrophilic co-monomer (methacrylic acid) and different types and concentrations of alkanes, namely n-hexadecane, n-octane and n-heptane were evaluated. Miniemulsion stability at room temperature and reaction kinetics were monitored, as well as the particles size and morphology. Results show the viability of encapsulation of alkanes in miniemulsion polymerizations, especially of alkanes with intermediate chain lengths (e.g. n-hexadecane). When short chain alkanes are incorporated the miniemulsions become less stable, due to their lower hydrophobicity. Based on monomer droplet size distribution data, it was determined that the best concentration of hydrophilic co-monomer for the studied system was 1.0 wt%.


Beam-column joints play a key role in ensuring the structural integrity of building subject to
seismic forces, particularly older-type reinforced concrete structures. Lack of proper
detailing of the joint panel of such systems tends to increase its shear deformation, thus
making it highly flexible. For this reason, it is important to develop models that will be able
to accurately predict the shear strength capacities of beam-column joints, which in turn can
be used in simulation studies of buildings under earthquake loading. Two joint shear strength
models, by Bakir and Bodurog (2002) and by Hassan (2011) were evaluated using three
beam-column joint sub-assemblages. These assemblages were formulated in the non-linear
finite element program, where a zero-length rotational spring was introduced at the joint to
induce the joint flexibility. A constitutive model that admits in-cycle strength and stiffness
degradation, and having highly pinched hysteretic loops, is used to simulate the experiment
responses. Results obtained from Hassan (2011) model corroborated with the experimental
results with accuracies lying between 98% to 92%. The model by Bakir and Bodurog (2002)
produced accuracies between 92% to 82% as compared to the experimental results. Drift
ratios however were not accurately predicted.


The results of the research carried out in these last years by the Istituto di Antichità Sarde e di Paletnologia of Cagliari University, particularly in Southern Sardinia, enable us to make a new and useful analysis of the stratigraphy of the cave of S. Bartolomeo, discovered and excavated by Orsoni in 1878 on the limestone promontory of Cape St. Elia at Cagliari, and re-explored by Patroni in 1901. The cave, as Childe has already pointed out, is the only place in Sardinia which up till now has provided the possibility of stratigraphical observations which (though still under discussion) nevertheless provide us with some reliable and objective data concerning the prehistoric cultures of pre-nuraghic date. Orsoni found a cavity measuring 5 m. × 4, completely filled from the roof to its rocky floor by an ancient deposit containing human and animal remains. The upper strata of this deposit were largely disturbed by modern graves, contained in a ditch walled in by 'stones cemented with reddish mud'—and without any grave goods.


Quick, early, and precise detection is important for diagnosis to control the spread of COVID-19 infection. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology could certainly be used as a modulating tool to ease the detection, and help with the preventive steps further. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved state-of-the-art performance in many visual recognition tasks. Nevertheless, most of these state-of-the-art networks highly rely on the availability of a high amount of labeled data, being an essential step in supervised machine learning tasks. Conventionally, this manual, mundane, and time-consuming process of annotating images is done by humans. Learning to localize or detect COVID-19 infection masks in our specific case study typically requires the collection of CT scan data that has been labeled with bounding boxes or similar annotations, which generally is limited. A technique that could perform such learning with much less annotations, and transfer the learned proposals that are algorithm-driven to generate more synthetic annotated samples would be helpful & quite valuable. We present such a technique inspired by weakly trained mask region based convolutional neural networks (R-CNN) architecture for localization, in which the number of images with their pixel-level masks can be a small proportion of the total dataset, and then further improvise CNNs by inversely generating dense annotations on-the-go using an algorithmic-based computational approach. We focus on alleviating the bottleneck associated with deep learning models needing annotated data for training in an intuitive reverse engineering fashion through this work. Our proposed solution can certainly provide the prospect of automated labeling on-the-fly, thereby reducing much of the manual work. As a result, one can quickly train a precise COVID-19 infection detector with the leverage of autonomous frame-by-frame machine generated annotations. The model achieved mean precision accuracy (%) of 0.99, 0.931, and 0.8 for train, validation, and test set, respectively. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can be adopted in a clinical setting for assisting radiologists, and also our fully autonomous approach can be generalized to any detection/recognition tasks at ease.


Exploiting the 'ram effect' is an inexpensive alternative for out-of-season breeding in moderately seasonal breeds. For maximum efficacy in Corriedale sheep, oestrous ewes have to be introduced together with the teaser rams. Successful applications depend upon timely manipulation of the animals to induce oestrus in most ewes and to minimize the likelihood of successfully induced non-pregnant ewes returning to anoestrus during the mating period. In the first of two experiments, the effects of two alternative ram: ewe ratios (1:6 or 1:12) and five different doses (0, 15, 30, 45 or 60 mg) of medroxy-progesterone acetate (MAP) applied in intravaginal sponges for 9 days were assessed on seasonally anovular adult Corriedale ewes. Control ewes (0 MAP) did not receive sponges, but were injected with 20 mg progesterone at ram introduction. A second experiment tested the efficacy of post-oestrus intravaginally applied MAP (30 mg; 7-day treatment starting on days 3 to 6 after oestrus) for improving reproductive variables of successfully induced ewes exposed to entire rams. Proportions of ewes ovulating and ovulation rates (assessed through laparoscopy) did not differ significantly (P > 0·05) in ewes treated with various MAP doses (213/220 = 96·8% and 1·26 (s.e. 0·031) respectively) or injected with progesterone (56/58 = 96·6% and 1·21 (s.e. 0·058) respectively). The MAP content of the sponges did not affect (V > 0·05) the proportion of ewes ovulating (269/278), marked by the rams (197/213), returning to oestrus (81/197) or lambing among those not returning to first oestrus (87/119). More ewes were marked in the groups exposed to a higher ram percentage (79·7 to 70·6%; P 0·05). In the second experiment, post oestrus progestagen supplementation reduced the proportion of ewes returning to first oestrus from 27% to 16% (P


Purpose: Biomarkers contain prognostic information for the identification and prevention of heart disease. Galactin-3 is one of the most probable intermediates between the activation of macrophages and cardiac fibrosis. This study investigates the expression of galectin-3 gene in the heart tissue of male Wistar rats following a period of continuous and interval endurance training. Methods: In the present study, 32 rats were kept under standard conditions and divided into four groups (healthy control group, ischemic control group, continuous training group and interval training group). The healthy control group, without an infarction, and ischemic control group, were suffered cardiac infarction after eight weeks. The training groups have also performed endurance training on treadmill for eight weeks and were suffered cardiac infarction after 48 hours of rest. One week after induction and confidence of ischemia, the rat's hearts were separated and qRT-PCR method was used to measure the myocardium LGALS3 gene expression. t-test and one-way ANOVA test and then Tukey's post hoc test were used with significant level 0.05 to compare the groups. Results: The findings of this research showed a significant increase in the expression of galectin-3 gene in heart tissue of male Wistar rats after induction of myocardial infarction compared to healthy control group (P < 0.05). Also, the relative expression of this gene in the ischemia control group was significantly higher than the both training groups (P < 0.05). Comparing two types of training, the relative level of expression of galectin-3 gene was lower in the continuous group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Suffering from infarction leads to increase in some of the myocardial risk factors and Cardiac fibrosis. Endurance training, especially regular continuous training can moderate the increase in some of these factors.


The effect of moisture stress on the physical and histochemical properties of three certified improved varieties of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) relevant to pulp and paper production were investigated. The test plants were grown in the field on a deep sandy-loam soil in the Botanical Garden of Abia State University, Uturu. Three watering regimes representing well-watered control, moderate stress and severe water stress were imposed on the plants. Each irrigation regime was replicated three times in a split plot design with watering treatments as the main plots and the varieties as the sub-plots. Water deficit did not adversely affect the fibre dimensional properties as well as the fibre derived values. Analysis of histochemical properties of Kenaf indicated that water deficit enhanced these properties in the stressed plants when compared with well-watered plants. Thus suggesting that water stress enhances the quality of pulp and paper produced from Kenaf.

 Key words: Hibiscus cannabinus, kenaf, histochemical, pulp, paper, water deficit.


Accumulating patholological and physiological evidence in the last few years suggests that the airway inflammation and remodeling that characterize asthma occur not only in the central airways but extend to the distal lung and the lung parenchyma. The distal airways are capable of producing T-helper (Th)2 cytokines as well as chemokines, and more recently, they have been recognized as a predominant site of airflow obstruction in asthmatics. A similar TH2-type cytokine profile and infiltration of inflammatory cells has also been reported in the lung parenchyma. The inflammation at this distal site has been described as more severe when compared with the large airway inflammation, and evidence of remodeling in the lung periphery is emerging. Recognition of asthma as a disease of the entire respiratory tract has an important clinical significance highlighting the need also to consider the distal lung as a target in any therapeutic strategy for effective treatment of this disease.


The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been declared a global health crisis. The development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs heavily depends on the systematic study of the critical biological processes of key proteins of coronavirus among which the main proteinase (Mpro) dimerization is a key step for virus maturation. Because inhibiting the Mpro dimerization can efficiently suppress virus maturation, the key residues that mediate dimerization can be treated as targets of drug and antibody developments. In this work, the structure and energy features of the Mpro dimer of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV were studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The free energy calculations using the Generalized Born (GB) model showed that the dimerization free energy of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro dimer (-107.5 ± 10.89 kcal mol-1) is larger than that of the SARS-CoV Mpro dimer (-92.83 ± 9.81 kcal mol-1), indicating a more stable and possibly a quicker formation of the Mpro dimer of SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the energy decomposition of each residue revealed 11 key attractive residues. Furthermore, Thr285Ala weakens the steric hindrance between the two protomers of SARS-CoV-2 that can form more intimate interactions. It is interesting to find 11 repulsive residues which effectively inhibit the dimerization process. At the interface of the Mpro dimer, we detected three regions that are rich in interfacial water which stabilize the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro dimer by forming hydrogen bonds with two protomers. The key residues and rich water regions provide important targets for the future design of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs through inhibiting Mpro dimerization.


In this study, we propose and analyze an eco-epidemiological model with disease in prey and incorporated the effect of fear on prey species due to predator population. We assume that the prey population grows logistically in the absence of predator species, and the disease is limited to the prey population only. We divide the total prey population into two distinct classes: susceptible prey and infected prey. Predator populations are not infected by the diseases, though feed both the susceptible and infected prey. Due to the fear of predators, the prey population becomes more vigilant and moves away from suspected predators. Such a foraging activity of prey reduces the chance of infection among susceptible prey by lowering the contact with infected prey. We assume that the fear of predators has no effect on infected prey as they are more vigilant. Positivity, boundedness, and uniform persistence of the proposed model are investigated. The biologically feasible equilibrium points and their stability are analyzed. We establish the conditions for the Hopf bifurcation of the proposed model around the endemic steady state. As the level of fear increases, the system moves toward the steady state from a limit cycle oscillation. The increasing level of fear cannot wipe out the diseases from the system, but the amplitude of the infected prey decreases as the level of fear is increased. The system changes its stability as the rate of infection increases, and the predator becomes extinct when the rate of infection in prey is high enough though predators are not infected by the disease.


1 There are two purposes of this study. The first is to examine our experiences as 2 beginning teacher educators who taught using models-based practice (using the 3 example of Cooperative Learning). The second is to consider the benefits of using 4 collaborative self-study to foster deep understandings of teacher education practice. 5 The findings highlight the challenges in adapting school teaching practices to the 6 university setting, and the different types of knowledge required to teach about the 7 "hows" and "whys" of a models-based approach. We conclude by acknowledging the 8 benefits of systematic study of practice in helping to unpack the complexities and 9 challenges of teaching about teaching. Our collaborative self-study enabled us to 10 develop insights into the intertwined nature of self and practice, and the personal and 11 professional value of our research leads us to encourage teacher educators to examine 12 and share their challenges and understandings of teaching practice. 13


The preparation of novel stable radical systems that survive and may be manipulated under harsh conditions is essential for their practical applications, such as energy storage and conversion materials. Here, we present a facile synthesis of an electrically neutral benzo-fused nickel corrole radical that shows remarkable photo- and thermal stability. The carbon-based organic radical character was confirmed using electron spin resonance and spin population analyses. This radical may be reversibly converted to its aromatic or antiaromatic ion via a one-electron redox process, as indicated by nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts and theoretical calculations. Notably, the antiaromatic state is stable, showing intense ring currents with complex pathways. The spectroscopic characteristics and calculated molecular orbitals of the corrole radical exhibit a combination of aromatic and antiaromatic features. On the basis of the aromatic light-harvesting property and antiaromatic emission-free character, the corrole radical exhibits highly robust, efficient photothermal energy conversion in water after encapsulation within nanoparticles, with the unpaired spin simultaneously retained. These results provide a fundamental understanding of the relationship between the (anti)aromaticity and photophysical properties of a porphyrinoid radical and a promising platform for the design of radical-based functional materials.


A production automotive deck lid is analyzed for weight and cost reduction. Using finite element computational techniques, a minimum cost version is developed resulting in a 20% reduction of weight. A second version is also developed showing a 23% reduction but with marginally higher material costs.


Abstract Basis forecasting is important for producers and consumers of agricultural commodities in their risk management decisions. However, the best performing forecasting model found in previous studies varies substantially. Given this inconsistency, we take a Bayesian approach, which addresses model uncertainty by combining forecasts from different models. Results show model performance differs by location and forecast horizon, but the forecast from the Bayesian approach often performs favorably. In some cases, however, the simple moving averages have lower forecast errors. Besides the nearby basis, we also examine basis in a specific month and find that regression-based models outperform others in longer horizons.


ObjectiveTo determine whether correction of acidemia using bicarbonate improves hemodynamic variables and tissue oxygenation in patients with lactic acidosis. DesignProspective, randomized, blinded, cross over study. Each patient sequentially received sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride. The order of the infusions was randomized. PatientsTen patients with metabolic acidosis, increased arterial plasma lactate concentrations (>2.45 mmol/L), and no severe renal failure (creatinine <250 μmol/L [<2.3 mg/dL]). MethodSodium bicarbonate (1 mmol/kg body weight) or equal volume of sodium chloride was injected iv at the beginning of two successive 1-hr study periods. Period order was randomized. Arterial and venous blood gas measurements, plasma electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride), osmolality and lactate, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG), and oxygen hemoglobin affinity, hemodynamic variables, oxygen delivery, and oxygen consumption measurements were obtained before and repeatedly during the 1-hr period after the injection of bicarbonate or sodium chloride. Measurements and Main ResultsSodium bicarbonate administration increased arterial and venous pH, serum bicarbonate, and the partial pressure of CO2 in arterial and venous blood. Hemodynamic responses to sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride were similar. Tissue oxygenation (as estimated by oxygen delivery, oxygen consumption, oxygen extraction ratio, and transcutaneous oxygen pressure) was not modified. No changes in serum sodium concentration, osmolality, arterial and venous lactate, red cell 2,3-DPG levels, or hemoglobin affinity for oxygen were observed. ConclusionAdministration of sodium bicarbonate did not improve hemodynamic variables in patients with lactic acidosis, but did not worsen tissue oxygenation.


Television production is a complicated task. It requires advanced technical skills and abilities, as well as tremendous creative input. This requires an outlying of time by an individual in order to learn the skills and implement the creative ideas he or she might have for a television


This paper is based on the literature review of resource allocation techniques in cloud computing technology. Cloud computing is a generation technology that allows the users to share resources over any communication network by using virtualization technique. In cloud, different resources are provided to the user with the help of dynamic resource allocation. Resource allocation is an integral part of IaaS model of cloud computing and also is one of the issues in cloud computing. Due to the ever increasing demands of the users for services or resources, it becomes difficult to allocate resources accurately to the user demands in order to satisfy their requests and also to take care of the Service Level Agreements (SLA) provided by the service providers. This paper discusses various Resource Allocation Techniques.


We describe a series of optical transmission experiments based around single-mode, multi-core fiber (MCF) amplified with 19-core, C+L band erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). The cladding-pumped amplifier uses two multi-mode pumps in each of C and L band to provide gain bandwidth over more than 75 nm. For recirculating transmission of PDM-16QAM signals on 345 wavelength carriers between 1530.52 nm and 1605.52 nm, we measure 0.715 Pb/s transmission over a distance of 2009 km (64 recirculations), equivalent to a throughput-distance product of 1.44 exabit/s x km. Next, using PDM-QPSK modulation, we investigate trans-oceanic transmission distances, measuring throughputs of 18.6 Tb/s and 14.5 Tb/s in 2 cores after 255 recirculations, a distance of 8007 km. Further, we evaluate the combined EDFA and fiber crosstalk penalties showing a core and wavelength dependence in agreement with previous MCF crosstalk measurements. These results demonstrate the potential of high core-count EDFAs to combine both high capacity transmission over transoceanic distances with benefits of SDM integration.


This research paper examines the use of contextual learning in designing serious games for compliance learning. We examine the challenges of implementing learning programs in compliance learning in financial services. The population of this research consisted of 4000 bankers in 5 banks in Romania required to complete a continuous learning program in MiFID II. The population was split in two groups, with a similar structure and size (age, level of experience). The experimental group (2000 bankers) was required to complete a learning program in MiFID II that was built using gamification and serious games based on the roles of the bankers in the group, as well as the BrainHex player archetypes. The control group was required to complete the same learning program, but without any gamification elements. Both programs have been delivered using the same LMS and the elements of the learning programs, including the games, have been individually tagged and monitored automatically by the learning software. The results of the experiment reveal that: (1) 78% of the users completed the requirements of the mandatory learning program in the experimental group and 49% in the control group, a 59% increase indicating that the contextual learning approach using role based serious games significantly increases the learning progress, (2) the users in the experimental group have, on average, 92% more time spent in the platform than the 15 hours required by the regulators and 50% of that time is spent playing games. The results clearly indicate that by suing role-based serious games an organization can not only engage their staff to be compliant but also achieve the expected behavioural change.


Kenya has the opportunities and resources to stimulate sustainable economic growth and development, but its potential has been constrained by under-investment and low firm-level productivity. Altogether, its development has not been sufficiently sustainable or equitable to transform the lives of ordinary citizens. Poverty remains high, with thirty-six percent of Kenyans living under the national poverty line, whereas the richest ten percent of the population receive forty percent of the nation's income. This country private sector diagnostic (CPSD) sheds light on how the private sector can more effectively contribute to advancing the country's developmental goals. Applying a sectoral lens, it puts forward operational recommendations highlighting strategic entry points for diversification and growth and addresses key constraints to private sector engagement. It also seeks to inform World Bank and IFC strategies, paving the way for joint programming to create markets and unlock private sector potential.


The lifting scheme is well known to be an efficient tool for constructing second generation wavelets and is often used to design a class of bi-orthogonal wavelet filter banks. This paper presents the implementation of a class of Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) orthogonal wavelet filter banks by using the adaptive lifting scheme with two lifting steps. A class of II R orthogonal wavelet filter banks can be realized by using all pass filters in the lifting steps. The adaptive lifting scheme is based on the statistical characteristics of the image, the order of the prediction and updation filters are chosen by considering the statistical energy of the image. The designed IIR orthogonal wavelet filter banks have approximately linear phase responses. Finally, the proposed IIR orthogonal wavelet filter banks are applied to the image compression and the coding performance of the proposed IIR filter banks are analysed.


Triazine and chloroacetanilide concentrations in rainfall samples collected from a 23-state region of the United States were analyzed with microtiter-plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Thirty-six percent of rainfall samples (2072 out of 5691) were confirmed using gas chro matography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to evaluate the operating performance of ELISA as a screening test. Comparison of ELISA to GC/MS results showed that the two ELISA methods accurately reported GC/MS results (m = 1), but with more variability evident with the triazine than with the chloroacetanilide ELISA. Bayes's rule, a standardized method to report the results of screening tests, indicated that the two ELISA methods yielded comparable predictive values (80%), but the triazine ELISA yielded a false-positive rate of 11.8% and the chloroacetanilide ELISA yielded a false-negative rate of 23.1%. The false-positive rate for the triazine ELISA may arise from cross reactivity with an unknown triazine or metabolite. The false-n...


The aim of this study was to detect and monitor the acquisition of mutans streptococci (MS) in healthy Brazilian children. Samples of 4 different sites (saliva, tongue dorsum, dental ridges, and dental plaque, if teeth were present) were collected from 33 edentulous nursery school infants (5.9+/-1.5 month-old), using sterilized swabs, bi-monthly for 24 months. Saliva samples from the mothers were collected only once. After inoculation, and incubation typical morphotype colonies, were isolated and submitted to amplification by the technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identification. The PCR method identified 1667 strains as MS In 29 of the children's samples, the first positive culture for MS occurred at 15.3+/-4.6 months. At the end of the follow-up period, 77% of the children were classified as colonized and in 33% MS was found as a transient microorganism. A positive correlation was found between the time of MS acquisition by the infant and the number of erupted teeth (p<0.0001), and the time of emergence of the first tooth (p=0.0048). After 24 months, there were no dental caries, and 77% of children remained caries-free. These results indicate that MS colonization in this sample of low-income pre-school children may begin earlier than suggested by some investigations.


Michael H. Day's "Guide to Fossil Man" is the standard reference work on hominid remains found at the major palaeolithic sites throughout the world. This fourth edition now includes details of fifteen new sites, as well as new evidence from thirty-four previously known sites featured in earlier editions of the book. Day begins with an introduction to the anatomy of human fossils. He then describes the forty-nine sites in Europe, the Near East, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania that have yielded the most significant information on the development of hominid species and the appearance of early man. Grouped geographically, each site description includes data on the hominid remains, other finds such as tools and animal bones, the local geology and contemporary geomorphology and ecology, and dating and other references. Sites featured for the first time in this edition include Kow Swamp and Mungo in Australia; Dali and Maba in China; and West Turkana in Kenya, which contained the almost complete skeleton of a boy determined to be 1,600,000 years old. Short essays on problems associated with neandertal, australpithecine, and "Homo erectus" remains are included, as well as a glossary, a geological time scale, charts and comprehensive illustrations. Day's "Guide to Fossil Man" is invaluable not only for working palaeontologists, palaeolithic archaeologists, and physical anthropologists, but also for anyone interested in human evolution.


Hybrid ion capacitors, especially sodium ion capacitors (SICs), have recently attracted enormous attention due to their combined merits of high energy density from the battery-type anode and high power density from the capacitor-type cathode. However, achieving high-performance SICs to overcome the sluggish kinetic energy storage feature and inferior cycling stability of the battery-type anode remains a challenge. In this work, N-doped porous carbon embedded with ultrasmall titanium oxynitride nanoparticles (TiOxNy/C) was developed from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). As the SIC anode, the as-designed TiOxNy/C exhibited a high reversible capacity (275 mA h g−1 at 50 mA g−1), ultrahigh rate capability, and superior cycling performance, which is attributed to the effective synergy between the ultrasmall TiOxNy nanoparticles and N-doped porous carbon. Furthermore, using a "two-for-one" strategy, N-doped hierarchical porous carbon (NHPC) with high surface area was prepared from TiOxNy/C by HF etching and displayed high specific capacity and rate capability when used as a SIC cathode. Considering the excellent electrochemical performances of both the anode and cathode, the as-assembled TiOxNy/C//NHPC SIC delivered a high energy density (80 W h kg−1) and high power density (4000 W kg−1).


Four cloning standards in synthetic biology are BioBrick, BglBrick, MoClo and GoldenBraid, with each requiring their constitutive parts be compatible with the associated restriction enzymes. To standardize parts for the broadest usage, it would be useful to synthesize genes that are simultaneously compatible with all 4 popular assembly strategies. Here it is shown that using a defined set of rules, implemented in a computational program, any protein coding sequence can be made compatible with all four standards by silent mutations. Using a coding sequence as an input, all BioBrick, BglBrick, MoClo, and GoldenBraid restriction sites and chi recombination hot spots can be destroyed with silent mutations that approximate the codon usage of the organism. As an application, all open reading frames in the model organisms Escherichia Coli and Bacillus Subtilis are computationally refactored, showing the feasibility of implementing this umbrella strategy for synthesizing genes with the broadest compatibility.


ABSTRACT The hydrogen-peroxide encapsulation into C60 is evaluated using the DFT (M06-2X) and B2PLYPD as well MP2 calculations in the standard 6-31++G** and 6-311++G** basis sets. The H2O2 encapsulation is attractive, yielding an energy gain of about 12 kcal/mol. Such substantial encapsulation energy could allow for the high-temperature and high pressure synthesis (originally used for encapsulation of rare gases in fullerenes) of H2O2@C60 which has otherwise been observed only in a form of encapsulation into an open-cage C60 derivative. The calculated structural characteristics and IR vibrational spectrum are presented, too.


Pain disorders are usually related to lower level of general health, quality of life and poores work performance. Brazilian studies show that pain disorders have been described as the second or third leading cause of absence from work. Therefore this replication study was conducted to evaluate a brief intervention program developed by Nash et al (2004) that could be implemented in companies or organizations, which would represent an important advance in dealing with this problem. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a brief intervention protocol, using behavioral and cognitive-behavioral techniques for administrative employees with chronic pain diagnoses. The impacts were evaluated along three dimensions: 1) self-perception of both pain and work impacts; 2) mental health indicators, including measures of depression, anxiety and stress; and 3) measures of functionality and quality of life. The study included five public service workers, between 36 and 61 years of age. Three women had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, one with Migraines and the other with neuritis. Time since diagnosis ranged from 2 to 7 years. The intervention was programmed using a multiple baseline procedure in four phases: 1) Baseline; 2) Module 1 (Psychoeducation about pain processes); 3) Module 2 (Relaxation Techniques); and 3) Module 3 (Stress and coping strategies). During the Initial Evaluations and over the course of the intervention, the following instrumentes were used: General Interview, Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults Lipp (ISSL), Beck Depression and Anxietyies Inventory, FAST and the WHOQOL-BREF Scale. The Individual records showed a correlation between the intensity of pain and effectiveness in working conditions in general (r = 0.86, p <0.001) and for each of the participants. It was possible to observe the effect of the intervention at different times, for all participants. Initially, all participants had health care needs related to stress (four presented scores of resistance and one of almost exhaustion). Two had health care needs related to depression (P4 and P6) and two had process related to anxiety (P2 and P4). One participant (P4) had health care needs on all three measures. With regards to functionality, three respondents reported having difficulty in performing cognitive activities and one of the participants reported having difficulties in both controlling money and managing daily financial routines. The participants had average scores close to 50 points in the four areas assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF. Following the intervention, three of the five subjects had an increase in their total score for quality of life. Four participants also reported less difficulty with functionality, considering all the domains evaluated, with better performance observed in the autonomy domain. The strong points of the protocol were discussed along with challenges in its execution. Further research are needed to. Keyworks: Chronic Pain; Behavioral intervention protocol; Workers health; Quality of life; Indicators of mental health.


Citalopram (20 mg/day for 42 days) was given to 20 patients (mean age 54.4+/-2.5 years) with depression after myocardial infarction. This was associated with substantial antidepressive effect (50% and more lowering of the total score of the Beck depression questionnaire) in 89% of patients, reduction of number and severity of somatic complaints, and improvement of parameters of quality of life. Citalopram did not affect blood pressure and according to Holter ECG monitoring data produced no arrhythmogenic or proischemic effects. Overall tolerability of citalopram was good however 21% of patients experienced slight drowsiness, dizziness or sweating.


The intensified pursuit for lightweight solutions in the commercial vehicle industry increases the demand for method development of more advanced lightweight materials such as Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composites (CFRP). The behavior of these anisotropic materials is challenging to understand and manufacturing defects could dramatically change the mechanical properties. Voids are one of the most common manufacturing defects; they can affect mechanical properties and work as initiation sites for damage. It is essential to know the micromechanical composition of the material to understand the material behavior. Void characterization is commonly conducted using optical microscopy, which is a reliable technique. In the current study, an approach based on optical microscopy, statistically characterizing a CFRP laminate with regard to porosity, is proposed. A neural network is implemented to efficiently segment micrographs and label the constituents: void, matrix, and fiber. A neural network minimizes the manual labor automating the process and shows great potential to be implemented in repetitive tasks in a design process to save time. The constituent fractions are determined and they show that constituent characterization can be performed with high accuracy for a very low number of training images. The extracted data are statistically analyzed. If significant differences are found, they can reveal and explain differences in the material behavior. The global and local void fraction show significant differences for the material used in this study and are good candidates to explain differences in material behavior.


Industrial scale automated systems can be used to provide authentic learning experiences for students. Skillsets needed to design and build automated systems are essential to our national economy. However, students often have limited access to equipment due to limitations in available lab time and available equipment. This paper describes the design of three web-based automated systems (material sorting system, pick-and-place automated system, and remotecontrol of robot system) and preliminary evaluation of the systems. Preliminary findings include 1) students seemed interested and intrigued by the set up; 2) there is a time-delay between the control action and the image being presented over the webcam; and 3) students want more time to use the system. Future directions include evaluating instructional effectiveness, identifying which aspects of the experience help students learn, and determining optimal time frames for completing assignments.


COMMENT: On p. 2061, the authors say that an aim of the paper is to provide GrIS surface mass balance projections "with greater accuracy than is possible from coarserresolution general circulation models." On p. 2062, they state that GCMs "generally have insufficient resolution to represent the orography at the margins of the ice sheets." On p. 2081, they say that "RCMs can resolve the steep topography at the margin of the ice-sheet better than GCMs, and thus produce a more realistic simulation." These statements reflect the conventional wisdom that high grid resolution is necessary for


Bioavailable forms of nitrogen, such as nitrate, are necessary for aquatic ecosystem productivity. Excess nitrate in aquatic systems, however, can adversely affect ecosystems and degrade both surface water and groundwater. Some of this excess nitrate can be removed in the sediments that line the bottom of rivers and coastal waters, through the exchange of water between surface water and groundwater (known as hyporheic exchange).Several process-based models have been proposed for estimating nitrate removal in aquatic systems but these (1) do not consider the multiscale nature of hyporheic exchange flows; (2) rely on simplified conceptualizations of mixing within streambed sediments (e.g., a well-mixed box); (3) neglect important steps in the N-cycle (e.g., nitrification and ammonification); and/or (4) adopt pseudo-first-order kinetic descriptions of denitrification. On the other hand, a number of empirical correlations have been published based on in-stream measurements of nitrate uptake using reach-scale stable isotope tracer experiments. While these correlations are noteworthy in many respects, they do not account for physical processes known to play an important role in nutrient processing, such as the exchange of water between a stream, sediments, and groundwater.In this thesis, I develop and test a simple and scalable process-based model for estimating the nitrate uptake velocity that addresses the limitations identified above. In particular, my model accounts for: (1) hyporheic exchange at multiple scales together with ambient groundwater flow; (2) the broad residence time distributions characteristic of hyporheic exchange; (3) key biogeochemical reactions associated with N-cycling, including respiration, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification; and (4) the nonlinear nature of the pertinent biogeochemical reaction rates, including Monod kinetics for aerobic respiration and denitrification, and second-order kinetics for nitrification. Using this modeling framework I systematically evaluate primary controls on stream N-cycling and evaluate how multi-scale and regional factors are likely to affect this process. I also demonstrate how my model predictions compare with previously published reach-scale measurements of nitrate removal, develop scaling relationships by which my process-based model can be applicable to larger scales (i.e., watershed and regional scales), and provide some mechanistic explanations for previous observations.


In nuclear medicine, it is common to exam by using SPECT / SPECT-CT for planar ortomographic imaging. SPECT aircraft can be equipped with one or more detectors. The studyaims to determine the response to the two detectors in SPECT gamma cameras. Furthermore, eachdetector used for renal function. The study consisted of two phases, the first to determine theresponse of each detector using acrylic phantom and the source of Technetium-99m activity of1mCi to 25 mCi. The second stage, renal function tests with planar imaging in four patients usingdetector 1 and detector 2. Acrylic phantom measurement results show the detector response 1 wasrelatively higher. Although the detector 2 has a lower response but is still linear with respect to the activity. In the examination of the kidneys, the evaluation focused on image analysis, count rate, uptake, GFR and transit function of time. The fourth image shows the patient count rate ofdetector 1 is also relatively high. Left kidney uptake value detection results both detectors showedno significant differences, with a mean value (48.3 ± 3.9)% and (51.7 ± 2.2)% for detector 1 anddetector 2. Both detectors generate GFR values in all four patients were in the range of 58-96 ml /min of detector 1 and 75-98 ml / min of detector 2. The results of these two detection detectortransit time function shows the left kidney patients in all phases of the four showed no significantdifferences. It was concluded that the two detectors have relatively low response but is still linearwith respect to the activity. Therefore detector 2 can still provide diagnoses did not differsignificantly with detector 1. Keywords : SPECT, Technetium-99m, response of detector, Examination of Renal


Research groups at educational institutions, as formal working bodies, develop forms of collaboration that may be studied from the perspective of social network analysis (SNA). With the aim of revealing how the characteristics of the network influence the effectiveness and attainment of tasks by these research groups, research was carried out that sought possible relationships between the intellection production of research groups and the different metrics used in social network analysis. The results of the research reveal the existence of a statistically significant, positive relationship between intellectual production and indicators of degree and intermediation. In addition, a significant, positive relationship was found between the intellectual production of research groups and the indicator of diameter.


We introduce a demographic model for a local population of sessile marine invertebrates that have a pelagic larval phase. The processes in the model are the settling of larvae onto empty space, and the growth and mortality of the settled organisms. The rate of settlement per unit of unoccupied space is assumed to be determined by factors outside of the local system. The model predicts the number of animals of each age in the local system through time. The model is offered in both discrete and continuous—time versions. The principal result is that the growth of the settled organisms is destabilizing. In the model, there is always a state where recruitment balances mortality. However, growth can interfere with recruitment and can destabilize this steady state, provided also that the settlement rate is sufficiently high. The model suggests that two qualitatively distinct pictures of population structure result, depending on the settlement rate. In the high settlement limit, the intertidal landscape is a mosaic of cohorts, punctuated with occasional gaps of vacant substrate. In the low settlement limit, the intertidal landscape has vacant space and organisms of all ages mixed together and spatial variation in abundance is caused by microgeographic variation in settlement and mortality rates.


Over the past decades, competency-based education has become the norm in the medical education continuum. The rise of competency- or outcome-based models of education has been paralleled by an increasing interest in workplace-based assessment (WBA) to provide direct evidence of proficiencies of interest (ie, what the trainee will ultimately do in professional practice). WBA has become a cornerstone in the summative assessment of learning and professional competence. Competency-based education, however, also calls for a greater emphasis on formative assessment, or assessment for learning. Frequent feedback on performance should effectively steer and foster the acquisition of the necessary competencies. It therefore seems beyond dispute that assessment programs in competency-based medical education need to combine summative and formative assessment purposes.

In this issue of the Journal of Graduate Medical Education, the article by Donato et al,1 "Validity and feasibility of the Minicard direct observation tool in 1 training program," illustrates how specific WBA tools may support both assessment functions. Findings from their study suggest that the Minicard direct observation tool facilitates identification of substandard performance and provides feedback to guide and stimulate residents' competence development. By obtaining evidence about the quality and quantity of feedback recorded on the Minicard, Donato and colleagues1 aimed to develop a validity argument for the proposed use of the Minicard for formative assessment (ie, as a tool for learning).

Validity is essential in any assessment. In general, validity refers to the evidence that supports or refutes the interpretation and proposed use of assessment results. Results are more or less valid depending on what the intention was in using the assessment, at that particular point in time and for that particular population. Clearly, high-quality feedback is fundamental to formative assessment. Feedback should not only include information about observed performance ("feed-back"), but also cues to directions for performance improvement in terms of performance goals and what needs to be done in order to achieve these goals (also known as feed-up and feed-forward, respectively).2 However, if the main purpose of formative assessment is to stimulate further learning and use of feedback for performance improvement, one might argue that the key question to be addressed in the validity inquiry must be whether the assessment actually achieves these goals. Unfortunately, a wealth of research findings indicate that there is no simple answer to the questions of when, for whom, and for what feedback works.3–5

Research on WBA increasingly suggests that combining formative and summative assessment purposes in WBA programs is very difficult, some would say almost impossible to achieve. A recent study by Bok et al,6 for instance, revealed that low-stakes formative assessments were increasingly being perceived as high stakes and summative, if these assessments were used not only to generate feedback but also as input into grading and pass-fail decisions.6 In other words: Despite our best intentions, frequent formative assessments can very well be perceived as summative. This interferes with the acceptance and use of feedback. In fact, findings indicate that there are multiple threats to the validity of formative assessment, and some of the factors that compromise assessment for learning seem to be deeply engrained in medical training and WBA.

One of the factors to consider is our assumption that we can (and should) "measure" progress and learning outcomes, which leads to the focus on quantifiable assessment outcomes (eg, scores, grades). In WBA, assessment instruments typically require assessors to convert trainee performance into numerical scores, scoring levels, or grades on a performance rating scale. Space for narrative comments or written feedback, if present at all, tends to be limited. Obviously, grades and scores represent very poor feedback for learning (for instance, how does one interpret a "6" for communication?), but more importantly, research findings in (higher) education consistently indicate that a focus on grades may actually hinder learning and competence development. For example, grading student performance has been shown to diminish intrinsic motivation and to reduce the quality of student learning. It may encourage students to focus on performance goals ("looking good") rather than on learning, understanding, and mastery of the task. If grades are given, students will usually pay little attention to any supplemental feedback or comments, and they will not try to use comments for performance improvement.7 It goes without saying that this finding is at odds with aspirations to develop our trainees to become self-regulated learners who are committed to excellence in patient care. To enhance the validity of WBA for learning, a shift from numbers to words, from rating scales to high-quality narrative evaluations, thus seems inevitable.

A second point refers to credibility as a key factor in the acceptance and use of feedback, and as a necessary condition for feedback to be perceived as meaningful.8 Direct observation of trainee performance is a critical factor to enhance the credibility of feedback. Although the importance of direct observation in WBA is widely acknowledged, trainees are infrequently directly observed during clinical interactions with patients.9 Some have argued that autonomy and independence, being core values in the current culture of medicine, may conflict with a learning culture that fundamentally values routine direct observation.10 More importantly, however, the incorporation of direct observation into day-to-day working routines can be difficult because of competing demands, time pressure, and limited compensation for clinical teaching. For the same reasons, paperwork and recording of feedback may be delayed (sometimes for days to weeks after the assessment), resulting in feedback that is likely to be incomplete, inaccurate, and no longer meaningful.

Credibility of feedback is similarly dependent on the relationship between supervisor (feedback provider) and trainee (feedback receiver). Acceptance and use of feedback is enhanced in settings in which trainees and supervisors have been able to develop trusting professional relationships, in which trainees feel safe and confident that they and their supervisors are working together to achieve shared goals, in health care as well as in learning and competence development.8,11 Fragmented learning, however, seems to be typical of many medical training programs. Trainees often rotate to different sites and learning settings and to different supervisors within short periods of time. The validity of WBA for formative purposes therefore calls attention to the way we organize supervision and learning in medical training. We not only need to create time for direct observation and feedback in crowded training schedules, we also may need to reorganize medical training to foster the development of extended trusting supervisor-trainee relationships in communities of learning and professional practice. In doing so, high levels of accountability would be combined with high levels of psychological safety.

A third and related point is the need to engage our trainees in the assessment and feedback process. Without engagement, feedback is likely to be perceived as meaningless. While it is common knowledge that to learn, students must do more than just listen or simply read the information provided to them, we often assume that providing learners with information about what went well and what went poorly will automatically result in behavior change. Understanding, accepting, and using feedback, however, requires learners to review and reflect, comment on, and discuss feedback. Learners need to actively engage in setting their own learning goals, discussing performance requirements, and seeking feedback on task performance. Effective (valid) formative WBA therefore needs to conceptualize feedback as a dialogue, a 2-way process, rather than as 1-way transmission of information.7,12

So what does this mean for the validity of formative WBA? First of all, we need to realize that feedback processes are complex, and that the acceptance and use of feedback by learners is influenced by many complex and interrelated factors in seemingly unpredictable ways: More feedback does not necessarily imply more learning. The conclusion can be drawn, however, that effective formative WBA requires a change in culture. It will not work to structure and formalize feedback processes through the use of feedback forms or by mandating that learners collect and document feedback in their portfolios. As shown in the study by Bok and colleagues,6 and similar studies in the United Kingdom,13 this may actually result in general disappointment or cynicism about the utility of WBA for learning. Rather, we should invest in a feedback culture in which our trainees' learning and competence development drives the assessment, and in which both trainees and supervisors are committed to high-quality feedback as the basis for high-quality patient care.


To improve safe medication management, nurses should implement the '12 rights' principle in every step of medication administration. The quality of transferred patient medication information can be affected by the conformity of procedural pathways that focused on patient-centered care and the standardized effective communication technique application in shift-to-shift nursing clinical handovers so it can impact on transfer of information more accurately, efficiently, and consistently so that medication administration accuracy will be optimally accomplished. This study aims to determine the correlation between the procedures and SBAR communication implementation in clinical handovers with medication administration accuracy. It was an observational analytic approach with cross-sectional design. The subjects of this study were 40 nurse respondents. The univariate analysis showed 85% of clinical handover procedure implementation within good category, 60% of SBAR communication application within very good category, and 87.5% of medication administration accuracy within good category. The results of Fisher's test showed there are correlation between the clinical handover procedures implementation to medication administration accuracy with P-value 0,000 and correlation between the SBAR communication application to medication administration accuracy with P-value 0.001. In conclusion, there are correlation between the procedures implementation and SBAR communication application in nursing clinical handovers with medication administration accuracy.


Intercropping, which is the agricultural practice of growing two or more crops in the same land area, is not currently yielding adequate result especially in Africa. Some of the benefits of intercropping are improved soil fertility, protection against pests and diseases and eventual increase in farm yield. Despite the advantages of intercropping such as improved soil fertility, protection against pests and diseases and eventual increase in farm yield, this farming practice is still faced with some challenges. Some of the problems that are militating against the success of intercropping are inadequate planning, bad crop management and lack of required intercropping expertise. Consequently, this has resulted in inadequate reward for farmers and a general decline in crop production, especially in developing countries. This work presents an Intelligent and Integrated Intercropping Decision Support System for Intercropping (IDSS-I) for improved crop production. IDSS-I is data, knowledge and model driven for proper planning and efficient decision making in intercropping. The design adopts a forecasting component that provides farmers with the estimated yield and income depending on the size of land, soil type and weather condition. This will make farmers to be able to adjust the crop mixture and quantities before planting. It uses expert system for pest and diseases management and fertilizer application. The implementation was carried out using JAVA and SQL. The usability testing revealed 85% acceptance of the tool among the contacted 10 large scale farmers. It was also confirmed that the system provided 95% diagnosis information for 90% common Africa crop diseases. This justifies the significance of IDSS-I. tion is declining because of lack of adequate expertise and technology to support farming activites. It was also discorvered that some farmers have left the farming business because of lack of adequate reward. Some other previous studies have also identified that crop production is declining and requires major attention. In developing countires, very few agricultural managers or famers have genarally taken DOI: 10.4018/jdsst.2010070104 52 International Journal of Decision Support System Technology, 2(3), 51-66, July-September 2010 Copyright © 2010, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. interest in Information Technology for better decision making and improved economic efficiency of rewards. This is because there are few or no agricultural support tools is at their disposal. Intercropping is the growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land. Intercropping is a cropping system that leads to improvement in the fertility of soil and hence increases the crop yield. It also serves as a way for providing resistance against pest and diseases, weed suppression, reduction of erosion and insurance against total crop failure due to abnormal weather condition. However, a major concern in intercropping is how to efficiently crops are mixed on farms in order to have optimum yield since these crops have different soil requirements, different weather condition, different methods of fertilizer application, and different methods of pest and diseases management. Also, the right selection of crops or pastures best suited or having complementing effects on one another into each paddock on the farm for production and resource conservation is a complex process. Decision Support System (DSS) is proposed to effectively manage intercropping activities for improved efficiency. In many situations the quality of decisions is important. Techniques for disciplines such as statistics, economics, and operations research have been deployed for making rational choices. More recently, these methods, often enhanced by a variety of techniques originating from information science, cognitive psychology, and artificial intelligence, have been implemented in the form of computer programs, either as stand-alone tools or as integrated computing environments for complex decision making. Such environments are often given the common name of decision support systems (DSSs). The concept of DSS is extremely broad, and its definitions vary, depending on the author's point of view. Turban (1995) defined DSS specifically as "an interactive, flexible, and adaptable computer-based information system, especially developed for supporting the solution of a nonstructured management problem for improved decision making. It utilizes data, provides an easy-to-use interface, and allows for the decision maker's own insights". Power (2003) defined DSSs as all types of information systems that support decision making. DSS integrates a userfriendly front end to often-complex models, knowledgebases, expert systems, and database technologies (Jones, 1989; Power, 2002). Decision support systems are gaining an increased popularity in various domains, including business, engineering, the military, and medicine. They are especially valuable in situations in which the amount of available information is prohibitive for the intuition of an unaided human decision maker and in which precision and optimality are of importance. Decision support systems can aid human cognitive deficiencies by integrating various sources of information, providing intelligent access to relevant knowledge, and aiding the process of structuring decisions. They can also support choice among well-defined alternatives and build on formal approaches, such as the methods of engineering economics, operations research, statistics, and decision theory. The farming sector has seen an increasing interest in the potential of decision support systems (DSS) in recent years. It has been rocognised that computer based Decision Support Systems (DSSs) have well established tradition with agriculture by playing significant roles in farming activities. The concept and practices of DSS offer great potentials for improved cropping system. In this work, a Decision Support System (DSS) is proposed to support for the realisation of efficient intercropping system. The idea is that if intercropping is supported by DSS, there will be improvement in the quantity of yield hence, more income to farmers. This will consequently enhance the living standard of the farmers and the community at large. Also, more farmers will then be encouraged to stay in the business. Since in farming, proper planning is paramount and decisions are often 14 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the publisher's webpage: www.igi-global.com/article/integrated-decision-supportsystem-intercropping/46638


This article reviews the epidemiology of weight gain and diabetes mellitus in general and in patients with severe mental illness in particular. Body mass index is defined, and possible predictors for weight gain in patients receiving antipsychotic medications are also enumerated. Information on risk of association with type 2 diabetes mellitus is described, as well as information on dyslipidemias within the rubric of the metabolic syndrome. Recent consensus panel reports and their recommendations for ongoing patient monitoring are reviewed. The issue of switching antipsychotic medication in the context of a developing metabolic disorder is discussed with regard to appropriately balancing risk and benefits. Collaborative treatment between a psychiatrist and an endocrinologist is encouraged. The primary care physician may be required to fulfill both roles.


This report describes a study of motorist compliance with standard traffic control devices. The research included a comprehensive review of past studies, contacts with traffic, law enforcement, and department of motor vehicles personnel, and an assessment of the viability of other information sources for identifying and quantifying motorist noncompliance. It was concluded that while there is considerable concern about motorist noncompliance, little data existed to determine the frequency of occurrence or consequences of the problem. To determine the reasons for noncompliance, motorists were interviewed. The interviews included both typical motorists and those having high violation rates. It was found that compliance is generally a function of perceived reasonableness of the traffic controls. Field studies to observe motorist behavior were conducted to establish the extent of noncompliance. Six noncompliance problems were selected and data were gathered at over 900 sites in four States. The results indicate that, although noncompliance is not uncommon (eg, not making a full stop at a STOP sign), the occurrence of conflicts resulting from the noncompliance was insignificant. Potential countermeasures for increasing compliance were identified with the assistance of a panel of highway safety experts. Before/ after field studies were conducted to evaluate several of the potential countermeasures that involved engineering changes. Limited changes in compliance were observed.


Male mice homozygous for jsd mutation undergo an initial wave of spermatogenesis, but spermatogonial differentiation ceases a few weeks after birth; at that point the tubules show only type A spermatogonia and Sertoli cells. To test whether testicular descent into the scrotum contributes to the block in spermatogonial differentiation, jsd mutant (jsd/jsd) mice were bilaterally cryptorchidized at the age of 4 wk. Surprisingly, 8 wk later, germ cell differentiation was maintained in 98% of the tubules, a rate that fell to 13.5% in mice without surgery. The testis weight and the degree of spermatogenesis in cryptorchidized normal (jsd/+) and jsd mutant mice were almost identical. Furthermore, germ cell differentiation was also restored in almost all the tubules in 20-wk- and 70-wk-old jsd mutant testis unilaterally cryptorchidized 8 wk earlier, whereas the contralateral scrotal testis in these mice showed differentiation in only 6% of tubules. In irradiated LBNF1 rats, which have a block in spermatogonial differentiation similar to that in jsd mutant mice, unilateral cryptorchidism produced a small but significant increase in the percentage of differentiated tubules. In both of these models, the intratesticular levels of testosterone in the cryptorchidized testes were still above the physiological range, and the serum testosterone and LH levels were unchanged after bilateral or unilateral cryptorchidization. Cryptorchidism also did not alter serum FSH levels after bilateral and unilateral cryptorchidism in jsd mutant mice and irradiated rats, respectively. We conclude that cryptorchidism reverses the phenotype in jsd mutant mice. The findings show for the first time that spermatogenesis in rodents, and spermatogonial differentiation in particular, is sensitive to reduced scrotal temperature. Furthermore, we conclude that in jsd mutant mice spermatogonial differentiation is inhibited by testosterone only at the normal scrotal temperature.


The largest 21st century radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is now being planned, and the first phase of construction is estimated to commence in the year 2016. Phased array technology, the key feature of the SKA, requires the use of a tremendous number of receivers, estimated at approximately 37 million. Therefore, in the context of this project, the Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) located at the front end of the receiver chain remains the critical block. The demanding specifications in terms of bandwidth, low power consumption, low cost and low noise characteristics make the LNA topologies and their design methodologies one of the most challenging tasks for the realisation of the SKA. The LNA design is a compromise between the topology selection, wideband matching for a low noise figure, low power consumption and linearity. Considering these critical issues, this thesis describes the procedure for designing a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) LNA for operation in the mid frequency band (400 MHz to 1.4 GHz) of the SKA. The main focus of this work is to investigate the potential of MMIC LNA designs based on a novel InGaAs/InAlAs/InP pHEMT developed for 1 �m gate length transistors, fabricated at The University of Manchester. An accurate technique for the extraction of empirical linear and nonlinear models for the fabricated active devices has been developed. In addition to the linear and nonlinear model of the transistors, precise models for passive devices have also been obtained and incorporated in the design of the amplifiers. The models show excellent agreement between measured and modelled DC and RF data. These models have been used in designing single, double and differential stage MMIC LNAs. The LNAs were designed for a 50 ? input and output impedance. The excellent fits between the measured and modelled S-parameters for single and double stage single-ended LNAs reflects the accurate models that have been developed. The single stage LNA achieved a gain ranging from 9 to 13 dB over the band of operation. The gain was increased between 27 dB and 36 dB for the double stage and differential LNA designs. The measured noise figures obtained were higher by ~0.3 to ~0.8 dB when compared to the simulated figures. This is due to several factors which are discussed in this thesis. The single stage design consumes only a third of the power (47 mW) of that required for the double stage design, when driven from a 3 V supply. All designs were unconditionally stable. The chip sizes of the fabricated MMIC LNAs were 1.5 x 1.5 mm2 and 1.6 x 2.5 mm2 for the single and double stage designs respectively. Significantly, a series of differential input to single-ended output LNAs became of interest for use in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), as it utilises differential output antennas in some of its configurations. The single-ended output is preferable for interfacing to the subsequent stages in the analogue chain. A noise figure of less than 0.9 dB with a power consumption of 180 mW is expected for these designs.


Balanced scorecard is increasingly being used as a strategic performance management tool in both public and private sectors. This adoption has encouraged evolution of the balanced scorecard methodology over the last two decades. Although, the available generations of this methodology are readily adoptable for private sector organizations, public sector organizations present diverse challenges for balanced scorecard. This is further complicated by the fact that scholarly works on strategic performance management have predominantly focused on private sector organizations. This paper presents a review of the evolution of balanced scorecard methodology in context of public sector. The usage of this methodology as a strategic performance management tool and its effectiveness is discussed. This is followed by analysis of issues related to development and implementation of balanced scorecard.


The inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (IP3) receptor (IP3R) is a Ca2+ release channel that responds to the second messenger IP3. Exquisite modulation of intracellular Ca2+ release via IP3Rs is achieved by the ability of IP3R to integrate signals from numerous small molecules and proteins including nucleotides, kinases, and phosphatases, as well as nonenzyme proteins. Because the ion conduction pore composes only approximately 5% of the IP3R, the great bulk of this large protein contains recognition sites for these substances. Through these regulatory mechanisms, IP3R modulates diverse cellular functions, which include, but are not limited to, contraction/excitation, secretion, gene expression, and cellular growth. We review the unique properties of the IP3R that facilitate cell-type and stimulus-dependent control of function, with special emphasis on protein-binding partners.


In this article, we present results of our experimental and atomistic simulation studies of the pH-dependent protonation behaviors of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) and poly(ethylenimine) (PEI). The potentiometric titration profiles of the PDMAEMA polymer and its unpolymerized monomer (i.e., DMAEMA) were measured under identical conditions in order to study the influence of the covalent linkage of the amine groups on their protonation behavior. The titration curves of poly(ethylenimine-ran-2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (P(EI-r-EOz)) random copolymers with varying monomer composition were measured in order to study the effect of the spacing between the EI monomers on the protonation behavior of the P(EI-r-EOz) copolymer. The results of these two sets of measurements demonstrate that the connectivity and tight spacing between amine groups in a polyamine chain causes the retardation of the protonation of the amine groups relative to the same compounds in their isolated state. The same titration measurements were also performed with added NaCl. The results of these measurements demonstrate that added NaCl weakens the electrostatic repulsion between charged amine groups in a polyamine chain and thus enhances the protonation of the chain, and this effect is quite significant at a physiological NaCl concentration of 150 mM. However, on the quantitative level, the effect of added NaCl was found to be very different between the PDMAEMA and P(EI-r-EOz) cases. In PDMAEMA, since the amine groups are located at the termini of the side chains, the interaction between adjacent charged monomers occurs through the aqueous medium, and therefore at a sufficiently high concentration of added NaCl, the amine groups on the chain behave almost identically to their unpolymerized equivalents. In contrast, the electrostatic interaction between two closely spaced charged EI monomers in a P(EI-r-EOz) chain is significantly less influenced by a change of the ionic strength of the medium, because it is dominated by the local dielectric property of the polymer segment located between the charged monomers. This interpretation is further supported by ab initio electron density functional theory (DFT) calculations on model oligomeric compounds whose structures imitate the repeat unit structures of the polymers. Lastly, in connection with potential applications of the PEI and PDMAEMA polymers in gene delivery technologies, it was also examined how complexation with negatively charged polymers at the physiological NaCl concentration (150 mM) impacts the protonation behaviors of the polyamines. We found that the oppositely charged polyanion greatly stabilizes the protonated form of the amine groups on the polyamine chain. However, the proton buffering capacity of the polyamine in the complexed form under the influence of added 150 mM NaCl for the intracellularly relevant pH change was found to be significantly lower than that of the pure polyamine in the uncomplexed state with no added salt.


Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease. It is characterised by a great variety of neurological deficits, which most commonly present initially in a relapsing remitting fashion and then take on a gradually progressive course. MS is incurable, since present medications do not counteract progression of the disease. Therefore, an additional strategy aims to focus on prevention of the neuronal loss in an attempt to stop or slow down the progression of the disease.

In this thesis the neuroprotective potential of modafinil is tested in MS in a retrospective study. The ability of modafinil to reduce neurological dysfunction in the MS animal model is also investigated.

In retrospective study the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) progression of thirty patients with MS who received modafinil for the treatment of MS-related fatigue for an uninterrupted period of 3 years or more was compared with ninety matched patients not treated with modafinil, followed up for a matching period of time. We found that the EDSS increase in patients not treated with modafinil was greater than in those treated with modafinil in both relapsing/remitting and progressive MS.

In another experiment, we evaluated the effect of two treatment doses (low dose and high dose) of modafinil on the level of disability in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in a placebo controlled study. Modafinil decreased the severity of EAE at both treatment doses and the effect was greater in high dose.

The study in chapter 4 was aimed to explore the anti-fatigue and alerting effects of modafinil in MS in an attempt to link these with the potential neuroprotective effects of modafinil. This was a detailed reanalysis of a prospective placebo controlled study (based on prospectively collected data), in which we examined whether there is any difference between MS patients with fatigue, MS patients without fatigue, and healthy controls on measures of alertness and autonomic function. We found that MS patients with fatigue, compared with healthy controls, had reduced level of alertness on all the tests used, MS patients with fatigue had a reduced level of autonomic function compared to the other two groups. Furthermore, we found that Modafinil displayed alerting and sympathomimetic effects in all three groups of subjects.

In Chapter 5, we assessed a problem relevant to the progression of MS. We take advantage of the methods and data used in the chapter 2 to apply the same retrospective study methodology and statistical retrospective modeling of EDSS progression using the linear regression model to look at the role of oligoclonal band (OCB) positivity or negativity in EDSS progression. Unlike previous studies in smaller cohorts, we did not find that OCB negative patients have a more benign course of disease.

The meta-analysis study in chapter 6 was designed to generate some knowledge regarding the central mechanism of fatigue in general and fatigue related to MS, using a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) meta-analysis method developed by CR Tench in our group. The study has also aimed to explore the brain areas which could be activated by modafinil treatment. The conclusion of this study was that the thalamus and striate are central and relevant nodes for the pathogenesis of fatigue in MS. The study has not detected the specific brain area to be activated by modafinil and showed multiple brain activations.

With regard to the promising findings in our previous experiments, the protocol of a prospective phase II clinical trial was designed and detailed in appendix 10 using radiological primary and clinical secondary outcome measures.

In conclusion, modafinil may slow down the progression of disability in patients with MS and decrease disease severity in EAE. Modafinil can display alerting and sympathomimetic effects in MS patients as well as in healthy subjects. The thalamus and striate are central and relevant nodes for the pathogenesis of fatigue in MS. These are also areas affected by the MS gray matter pathology and may be targets for neuroprotection by modafinil in MS. Finally, we have not reported a significant difference in disease progression measured by EDSS and MSSS between OCB negative and OCB positive in our patients with MS.

This seemingly heterogeneous group of experiments, primarily centred on modafinil's potential as mechanistic therapy in MS, bring, I hope, new knowledge of aspects of disease progression and pharmacological neuroprotection in a stage of the disease where therapeutic options are currently limited and the need for new treatments is great.


Neuroscience, with the wealth of information it has gathered about the human brain, might easily appear to be the scientific support education has always been looking for, over its centuries of mostly philosophically fueled experimentation. However, neuroscience is far from being some kind of panacea, which, once found, solves all problems of education in the blink of an eye, as some would like to look at it. The authors of this brief summary believe that neuroscience can become a powerful tool in the hands of education only if professionals of both fields speak both languages and understand each other's concepts. This summary is meant to be a kind of first sentence in that conversation, an introduction to the basic concepts of how the social brain works, and also a starting point for those who wish to further their knowledge in this field.


Fetal macrosomia is a well-recognized adverse outcome associated with gestational diabetes. Weekly measurement of fasting and postprandial glucose should identify those with fasting (greater than or equal to 100 or 105 mg/dl) or postprandial (greater than or equal to 120 mg/dl 2 hours after a meal) hyperglycemia who are at increased risk for perinatal mortality. If the prevention of macrosomia is desired, the use of prophylactic insulin, initiated as early as possible, but at the latest before 36 weeks' gestation, without regard to glycemia is effective. Alternatively, glucose self-monitoring (four to six times daily with institution of insulin treatment when fasting glucose exceeds some arbitrary threshold such as 90 mg/dl or postprandial values exceed a threshold such as 100 mg/dl) is likely to be equally effective with fewer patients requiring insulin injections.


In this paper, a new indoor positioning system based on incident angle measurement of infrared sensor has been suggested. Though there have been various researches on indoor positioning systems using vision sensor or ultrasonic sensor, they have not only advantages, but also disadvantages. In a new positioning system, there are three infrared emitters on fixed known positions. An incident angle sensor measures the angle differences between each two emitters. Mathematical problems to determine the position with angle differences and position information of emitters has been solved. Simulations and experiments have been implemented to show the performance of this new positioning system. The results of simulation were good. Since there existed problems of noise and signal conditioning, the experimented has been implemented in limited area. But the results were acceptable. This new positioning method can be applied to any indoor systems that need absolute position information.


The accelerated globalisation of the last two decade has seen the growth of South East Asian countries as major centres of manufacturing and information processing. Whilst stimulating national economies and improving life for some, there remain many millions of people in these countries whom the benefits have not reached. This economic development has been a catalyst for increased rural to urban migration at a time when structural adjustment policies have resulted in the deregulation and privatisation of urban services and housing sector. Thus, increasing poverty, massive urbanisation of production and economic activity and failing state provision combine to make the people of these countries more vulnerable than ever to homelessness. Drawing on a study of homelessness in nine developing countries, this paper explores the relationship between global economic activity in four South East Asian countries and increasing levels of homelessness.


Provides a personal view of the development of the theories and applications of fuzzy systems which were first introduced in the 1960s. Details the interrelationships between the pioneering proponents of fuzzy theory. Concentrates in part I on the historical beginnings of the field and in part II continues to provide personal insights into contemporary studies.


Emotional Core Therapy is scientifically proven to be the most effective psychology approach to treat the root cause of relationship stress. With this important discovery in the field of psychology, psychiatrists now have an effective tool to treat their patients. Never before in the history of psychology have we had a behavioral psychology model that treats the root cause of stress. For all psychological disorders where there is no long term damage to a patient's mind, behavioral psychology can help a patient learn to deal with stress in an optimum manner. Traditional psychology has never completely worked to treat the root cause of stress because no one knew what exactly stress was when it occurred. Now, with Emotional Core Therapy, we have direct scientific proof that the eight step model identifies and treats the root cause of stress. Emotional Core Therapy embraces any process that can help clients including medicine and the medical model. This important tool with help empower patients while giving them the option of using medication or behavioral psychology.


AIM
The Australian Award Fellowship Program aimed to strengthen nursing and midwifery leadership and capacity in developing countries in the Pacific.

BACKGROUND
It is necessary to build an optimal global health workforce, and leadership and mentorship are central to this need. This is especially important in small island states such as the Pacific who have limited capacity and resources.

INTRODUCTION
This health system strengthening program addressed quality improvement in education, through the mentorship of potential nursing and midwifery leaders in the South Pacific Region.

METHODS
Program participants between 2013 and 2015 were interviewed. Data were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed thematically using an inductive process.

RESULTS
Thirty-four nurses and midwives from 12 countries participated. There were four main themes arising from the data which were: having a country-wide objective, learning how to be a leader, negotiating barriers and having effective mentorship.

DISCUSSION
Our study showed that participants deemed their mentorship from country leaders highly valuable in relation to completing their projects, networking and role modelling. Similar projects are described.

LIMITATIONS
The limitation of this study was its small size. There is a need to continue to build the momentum of the program and Fellows in each country in order to build regional networks.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND MIDWIFERY
The Program has provided beneficial leadership education and mentorship for nurses and midwives from Pacific countries. It has provided a platform to develop quality improvement projects in line with national priorities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICY
Global aid programs and the recipients of the program would benefit from comparable health strengthening approaches to nursing and midwifery in similar developing countries.


This paper proposes a new class of algorithms to compute the projection onto the set of images with a total variation bounded by a constant. The projection is computed on a dual formulation of the problem that is minimized using either a one-step gradient descent method or a multi-step Nesterov scheme. This yields iterative algorithms that compute soft thresholding of the dual vector fields. We show the convergence of the method with a convergence rate of O(1/k) for the one step method and O(1/k2) for the multi-step one, where k is the iteration number. The projection algorithm can be used as a building block in several applications, and we illusrtate it by solving linear inverse problems under total variation constraint. Numerical results show that our algorithm competes favorably with state-of-the-art TV projection methods to solve denoising, inpainting and deblurring problems.


As the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) has been well increasingly defined, there has been enormous progress in the diagnosis and treatment of ACS during the past 50 years. The previous terminology referring to the heterogeneity of the disease has shifted toward a unifying concept encompassing the wide spectrum of manifestations of ACS, subdivided for the purpose of therapeutic considerations into ST elevation myocardial infarction (MI), and non ST elevation ACS with or without cell necrosis (utilizing troponins), namely non ST elevation MI or unstable angina. The advent of coronary care units and the results of randomized clinical trials on reperfusion therapy, thrombolysis or percutaneous coronary intervention, and medical treatment with various pharmacological agents have substantially changed the therapeutic approach, and decreased in-hospital mortality.


The addition of trastuzumab to the treatment of a subset of patients with advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers showing HER2 positivity has been shown to confer clinical benefit; however, questions remain over the optimal methods for defining and selecting such patients. This review provides an overview of current standards for assessing HER2 positivity, the evolving treatment landscape for HER2-positive gastric and esophageal cancers and the challenges and potential future directions in optimal patient selection for HER2-targeted therapy.


Birefringent, orange grossular garnets from the Jeffrey mine, Asbestos, Quebec, Canada, have noncubic ordered arrangements of the Al3*, Fe3*, andlor OH ions and rhombic growth hillock with four vicinal faces on the (1 10) face. The surface features correspond to internal growth patterns observed in thin section between crossed polarizers. The growth steps ar€ symmetrically inclined to the (001) and (lI0) planes on the (110) face, and the ordered arrangement of Al3*, Fe3", andlor OH ions is symmetrical with respect to these planes, which produces sectoral twins on the crystal face. The twofold axis (D axis) is normal to the (l l0) growth face; therefore the crystal symmetry is monoclinic. Colorless and green grossular garnets show fine growth steps parallel to [001] on the (110) face; therefore their crystal symmetry is orthorhombic, although some parts are strained.


Addition of anti-somatostatin serum to rat islets of Langerhans which had been previously maintained in organ culture for 48h, resulted in a marked stimulation of glucagon release with no change in the rate of insulin secretion during the entire 90 min period during which the secretion of both hormones was followed. Prior saturation of the anti-somatostatin serum with somatostatin prevented the stimulatory acting on glucagon release. These data strongly suggest a physiological role for endogenous somatostatin in the control of glucagon secretion.


General Meeting in Halifax, June 18, 1965, Dr. J. C. Thomas, on behalf of the British Columbia Division, presented a ceremonial gavel in a mahogany carrying case, to the Canadian Psychiatric Association. Inlaid with different woods representative of all regions of Canada, the carrying case carries a brass plate recording the donor and presentation date. In accepting the gift on behalf of the Association, the President, Dr. Roberts, remarked that the events which had just transpired indicated that the Canadian Psychiatric Association now truly extends from Coast to Coast-he, a Newfoundlander had accepted a gift from British Columbia on behalf of the national Association. He felt the gavel was particularly significant as it would enable furore presidents to maintain order. He emphasized that the woods used in its making were typical of Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific, thus making the gavel a permanent reminder of our national identity as well as of our provincial roots.


The ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF EUROPE represents a watershed in historical writing. The collective effort of a team of twelve European historians, it unravels the many cultural, economic, social and political strands of Europe's history from a European rather than a national perspective. With this broad view it examines the great prehistoric people migrations, the cave paintings of Spain and France, the Roman Empire, the spread of Christianity, the Middle Ages, the glory of the Renaissance, the revolutions of the Reformation, the dawn of industrialization, Empire building and the two world wars of this century, and concludes with the fall of the Berlin wall and the disintegration of the USSR.


Actin is a major actor in the determination of cell shape. On the one hand, site-directed assembly/disassembly cycles of actin filaments drive protrusive force leading to lamellipodia and filopodia dynamics. Force produced by actin similarly contributes in membrane scission in endocytosis or Golgi remodeling. On the other hand, cellular processes like adhesion, immune synapse, cortex dynamics or cytokinesis are achieved by combining acto-myosin contractility and actin assembly in a complex and not fully understood manner. New chemical compounds are therefore needed to disentangle acto-myosin and actin dynamics. We have found that synthetic, cell permeant, short polyamines are promising new actin regulators in this context. They generate growth and stabilization of lamellipodia within minutes by slowing down the actin assembly/disassembly cycle and facilitating nucleation. We now report that these polyamines also slow down cytokinetic ring closure in fission yeast. This shows that these synthetic compounds are active also in yeasts, and these experiments specifically highlight that actin depolymerization is involved in the ring closure. Thus, synthetic polyamines appear to be potentially powerful agents in a quantitative approach to the role of actin in complex processes in cell biology, developmental biology and potentially cancer research.


We first describe the three-dimensional extension of the molecular-dynamics models for granular media simulations. We then discuss the known energy dissipation problem occurring when simulating dense granular media with the usual molecular-dynamics forces models. We finally propose a force model able to control the energy dissipation in the multiparticle contact situations typical to dense granular media, together with appropriate numerical results.


Sensor-based degradation signals measure the accumulation of damage of an engineering system using sensor technology. Degradation signals can be used to estimate, for example, the distribution of the remaining life of partially degraded systems and/or their components. In this paper we present a nonparametric degradation modeling framework for making inference on the evolution of degradation signals that are observed sparsely or over short intervals of times. Furthermore, an empirical Bayes approach is used to update the stochastic parameters of the degradation model in real-time using training degradation signals for online monitoring of components operating in the field. The primary application of this Bayesian framework is updating the residual lifetime up to a degradation threshold of partially degraded components. We validate our degradation modeling approach using a real-world crack growth data set as well as a case study of simulated degradation signals.


In this paper, the flow and local scour variation a round single pier and introducing interaction effect between bridge piers were studie d using 3D flow model. The model used a finite-volume method to solve the non-transi ent Navier-Stokes equations for three dimensions on a general non-orthogonal grid. The e k turbulence model is used to solve the Reynolds-stress term. The numeric al model solves the sediment continuity equation in conjunction with van Rijn's bed-load sediment transport formula to simulate the bed evolution. The 3D flow model was verified through experimental study in the non cohesive bed material in an experimental flume. The different causes of local scour around the pier wer e simulated well, such as bow flow, down flow, horseshoe vortex, pressure variation and lee-wake vortex. It was found from this research study that the local scour depth by interaction process between bridge piers depends on the Froude number, the dist ance between piers and the diameter of piers. The maximum scour depth for double piers is higher than that for single pier. Furthermore, the effect of pier shape on the scour process was studied and it was found that the maximum scour depth for circu lar pier is less than that for rectangular one for both single and double piers ca ses. The results show good agreement between simulation and experimental results. Also, empirical equation was developed from the experimental data for computing the maximum scour depth due to the interaction between bridge piers.