The purpose of this thesis was to develop a conceptual framework that shows the relationship between aesthetics, performance, and preference in computer interface
design. To investigate this relationship, the thesis focused on investigating the effect of layout aesthetics on visual search performance and preference.

This thesis begins with a literature review of related work followed by the rationale for conducting this research, in particular, defining what it meant by visual aesthetics in the context of interface design.

Chapter 4 focused on investigating the effect of layout aesthetics on performance and preference. The results show that response time performance and preference increased
with increasing aesthetic level. Preference and performance were found to be highly correlated.

Chapter 5 focused on investigating users' layout preference when they were not involved with a performance-based task. The results showed, surprisingly, that preference was highest with a "moderate" level of layout aesthetics and lowest with "high" and "low" levels of aesthetics.

Chapter 6 focused on investigating visual effort by measuring eye movement pattern during task performance. The results showed that visual effort increased with a
decreasing level of aesthetics.

Chapter 7 extended the experiment in Chapter 4 using more "ecologically valid" stimuli. The results essentially replicated the results produced in Chapter 4.

Chapter 8 focused on investigating the relationship between so-called "classical" aesthetics and background "expressive" aesthetics. The results showed that task
performance using classical aesthetics was highest with high and low levels of aesthetics and worst with medium levels of aesthetics. Performance with expressive
aesthetics increased with decreasing aesthetic levels.

This thesis concludes with a conceptual framework for aesthetic design to help interface designers design interfaces that look aesthetically pleasing while at the same time supporting good task performance.


This paper is concerned with the application of Metabolic Control Analysis to chemostat experiments. It deals with the peculiar problems which are presented when using a chemostat for such purposes. The paper shows how to apply a top-down approach to quantifying control in the chemostat exerted by both the 'physical' components (e.g. dilution rate) and the biological components. The analysis is considered at a number of levels, depending on the amount of information on the components of metabolism either known or accessible experimentally. A method is also presented for using the information obtained by this analysis to obtain a 'virtual' control coefficient, which is defined as a control coefficient which would be obtained if it were possible to clamp all metabolites 'external' to the micro-organism, including biomass, at their steady-state levels. This allows, amongst other things, control coefficients with respect to growth rate to be determined under chemostat conditions.


Survival of three strains of Escherichia coli K12 was studied with respect to radiation protection by dithiothreitol (DTT). The three strains compared were AB2462 recA, AB2470 rec21 and their DNA repair-competent prototype, AB1157. The strains were incubated in 10 mmol dm-3 DTT for 60 min and allowed an expression period for SOS functions to appear which may have been induced by DTT. Following the expression period the DTT-incubated cells and incubated control cells were irradiated. When AB1157 cells were pretreated with chloramphenicol (200 micrograms cm-3) for a period of 30 min prior to addition of the induction media no increase in survival was seen. When catalase (0.1 mg cm-3) was added to the AB1157 cells prior to the induction media a decrease in the degree of induction was noted with an enhancement ratio (ER) of 0.893 (ER-1 = 1.12). Furthermore, DTT-treated AB2462 and AB2470 demonstrated no increase in survival when compared to control cells. In radiation experiments on either strain of E. coli with or without DTT present during irradiation, the following were observed: (1) survival of AB1157 was enhanced with a dose modification factor (DMF) of 1.7 with DTT present and 1.3 with pretreatment; (2) the rec mutants showed no change in survival at any dose with a DMF of approximately 1.0. Results indicate that, using our protocol, inducible repair is of more importance than free radical scavenging by DTT. Furthermore, DTT-treated AB2462 demonstrated no increase in survival when compared to control cells. In radiation experiments on either strain of E. coli with and without DTT present during irradiation, the following were observed: (1) survival of AB1157 was enhanced with a DMF of 1.7 with DTT present during irradiation and 1.3 with only pretreatment; (2) the recA and recB mutants showed no change in cell survival at any dose with a DMF of approximately 1.0. Results indicate that, using our pretreatment protocol, inducible repair is of more importance in protection than free radical scavenging by DTT.


We explain how General Relativity with a cosmological constant arises as a broken symmetry phase of a BF theory. In particular we show how to treat de Sitter and anti-de Sitter cases simultaneously. This is then used to formulate a quantisation of General Relativity through a spin foam perturbation theory. We then briefly discuss how to calculate the effective action in this quantization procedure.


This paper investigates the occurrence and determinants of post-formation governance changes in strategic alliances, including alterations in alliances' contracts, boards or oversight committees, and monitoring mechanisms. We examine alliances in the biotechnology industry and find that firms' unique alliance experience trajectories affect the likelihood of such ex post adjustments in these partnerships. Transactional features such as the alliance's scope, its division of labor, and the relevance of the collaboration to the parent firm also bear upon alliances' dynamics. We discuss the implications of these findings and how they complement prior research focusing on alliance design or termination at opposite ends of the alliance life cycle. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


We report on enhanced laser driven electron beam generation in the multi MeV energy range that promises a tremendous increase of the diagnostic potential of high energy sub-PW and PW-class laser systems. In the experiment, an intense sub-picosecond laser pulse of ∼1019 Wcm−2 intensity propagates through a plasma of near critical electron density (NCD) and drives the direct laser acceleration (DLA) of plasma electrons. Low-density polymer foams were used for the production of hydrodynamically stable long-scale NCD-plasmas. Measurements show that relativistic electrons generated in the DLA-process propagate within a half angle of 1 2 ± 1° to the laser axis. Inside this divergence cone, an effective electron temperature of 10–13 MeV and a maximum of the electron energy of 100 MeV were reached. The high laser energy conversion efficiency into electrons with energies above 2 MeV achieved 23% with a total charge approaching 1 μC. For application purposes, we used the nuclear activation method to characterize the MeV bremsstrahlung spectrum produced in the interaction of the high-current relativistic electrons with high-Z samples and measured top yields of gamma-driven nuclear reactions. The optimization of the high-Z target geometry predicts an ultra-high MeV photon number of ∼1012 per shot at moderate relativistic laser intensity of 1019 Wcm−2. A good agreement between the experimental data and the results of the 3D-PIC and GEANT4-simulations was demonstrated.


Introduction Atopic dermatitis and obstructive bronchitis are very often in our doctor's office and these diseases require strong commitments, frequent examinations and allergy tests. Objective Association of atopic dermatitis and obstructive bronchitis in children at age of 0–3 years. Material and Methods We processed the data for 476 children treated during the period of 3 years. We used the data from childrens medical records, laboratory tests and reports of pulmo-allergology examinations. For processing the data we used analytic and descriptive method. Results We processed the data for 476 children at age of 0–3 years for the period from 2009–2011. We found atopic dermatitis in 141 children (29.6%), atopic dermatitis associated with obstructive bronchitis in 63 children (44.6%). Family anamnesis was positive in 86 children (60.9%). The results from laboratory tests showed that the total IgE had increased in 54 children (67 children were tested), Eosinophiles were increased in all of them and we found positive specific IgE in 23 children (42 children were tested). We put 35 children on antihistaminic prevention. We used bronchodilatators in the treatment of acute attacks. All of the children who have increased IgE and positive specific IgE are examined regulary, not only from the family physicians, but also from pediatric pulmonologists. So, the percentage of hospitalized children is about 1.5%. Conclusion Early diagnosis and laboratory detection of atopic dermatitis and obstructive bronchial diseases as well, are of great importance for normal growth and development of children.


147 Abstract The measurement and evaluation of that set of cognitive functions that go under the name of intelligence, as well as the study and collection of data on human performance, in order to reach conclusions about the functioning of subjects suspected of presenting neurological disorders or psychiatrists, they pose different and complex problems when they are carried out in the psychological and psychiatric forensic field. The centrality of the clinical-forensic investigations must be placed on the functioning of the subject and not so much on the nosographic and classification aspects. Much will also depend on the constructs and concepts of intelligence and intellectual functioning to be referred to. The mental efficiency reagents of the Wechsler scales and of the Raven test, if well used, in the forensic context, represent different and excellent psychodiagnostic tools, which contribute to measure differently intelligence of a subject, minor or adult and also any damage or limitations from which it is characterized. In the present work it comes in terms of limits and potential.


Nowadays the issue of globalization has received huge attention  from researchers in different areas for the fact that we always hear about it but there exists little evidences of convergences. While some researchers argue pro globalization others pointed out the costs of globalization being outweighs its benefits and it fails to meet its potentials of benefiting both developing and developed world. This study has attempted to investigate the economic impact of globalization on Ethiopia using the annual data covering from 1991 to 2016 and by employing a co-integration analysis.The empirical result revealed that economic growth of Ethiopia is being affected by globalization both in the short-run and long-run. Thus economic growth and globalization have a long-run relationship which is found to be both positive and significant. Therefore, Ethiopia can be benefited more provided that if the economy of country is integrated and opened to competitions from the rest of the world. Keywords: Co-Integration Analysis, ECM, Economic Growth, Ethiopia, FDI, Globalization, Trade Openness


This report assesses the effects of aircraft on climate and atmospheric ozone and is the first IPCC report for a specific industrial subsector. It was prepared by IPCC in collaboration with the Scientific Assessment Panel to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in response to a request by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) because of the potential impact of aviation emissions. These are the predominant anthropogenic emissions deposited directly into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Aviation has experienced rapid expansion as the world economy has grown. Passenger traffic (expressed as revenue passenger kilometers) has grown since 1960 at nearly 9% per year, 2.4 times the average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate. Freight traffic, approximately 80% of which is carried by passenger airplanes, has also grown over the same time period. The rate of growth of passenger traffic has slowed to about 5% in 1997 as the industry is maturing. Total aviation emissions have increased, because increased demand for air transport has outpaced the reductions in specific emissions3 from the continuing improvements in technology and operational procedures. Passenger traffic, assuming unconstrained demand, is projected to grow at rates in excess of GDP for the period assessed in this report. The effects of current aviation and of a range of unconstrained growth projections for aviation (which include passenger, freight, and military) are examined in this report, including the possible effects of a fleet of second generation, commercial supersonic aircraft. The report also describes current aircraft technology, operating procedures, and options for mitigating aviation's future impact on the global atmosphere. The report does not consider the local environmental effects of aircraft engine emissions or any of the indirect environmental effects of aviation operations such as energy usage by ground transportation at airports. Comments Reprinted from Aviation and the Global Atmosphere, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by J.E. Penner, D.H. Lister, D.J. Griggs, et al., (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999), pages 1-12. NOTE: At the time of publication, the author Anu Vedantham was affiliated with the U.S. Department of Commerce. Currently, she is the Director of the Weigle Information Commons at the UPenn Libraries of the University of Pennsylvania. This government publication is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/library_papers/58 SUMMARY FOR POLICYMAKERS AVIATION AND THE GLOBAL ATMOSPHERE A Special Report ofWorking Groups I and III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change This summary, approved in detail at a joint session of IPCC Working Groups I and III (San Jose, Costa Rica· 12-14 April 1999), represents the formally agreed statement of the IPCC concerning current understanding of aviation and the global atmosphere. Based on a draft prepared by: David H. Lister, Joyce E. Penner, David J. Griggs, John T. Houghton, Daniel L. Albritton, John Begin, Gerard Bekebrede, John Crayston, Ogunlade Davidson, Richard G. Derwent, David 1. Dokken, Julie Ellis, David W. Fahey, John E. Frederick, Randall Friedl, Neil Harris, Stephen C. Henderson, John F. Hennigan, Ivar Isaksen, Charles H. Jackman, Jerry Lewis, Mack McFarland, Bert Metz, John Montgomery, Richard W. Niedzwiecki, Michael Prather, Keith R. Ryan, Nelson Sabogal, Robert Sausen, Ulrich Schumann, Hugh J. Somerville, N. Sundararaman, Ding Yihui, Upali K. Wickrama, Howard L. Wesoky


A growing challenge for today's complex decision making is the successful implementation of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. Many problems that arise in ERP implementation have been discussed and tackled by researchers in recent times. An emerging threat to the successful implementation of ERP is the wicked problems. Wicked problems manifest in somewhat enormous projects or applications. These wicked problems can lead to a huge loss of organizational intellectual property and finance. In order to counter these wicked problems, a preemptive decision making strategy needs to be adopted to anticipate these problems in ERP implementation. As such, a research investigation requires to be carried out to address the complexity and multiplicity in projects which may lead it to wicked problems and ultimately turning it into a wicked project. As of today's expanding globalization, multiple stakeholders with conflicting standpoints increase; each one linked with the organization(s) is affected by the different customs, behaviours, laws and environmental concerns. Globalization also leads to the wicked problems for the organization. Methods to help decision makers deal with wicked problems are greatly needed. In pursuit of that some elastically open ended, participative, collaborative and adaptive approaches are needed to anticipate wicked problems in ERP implementation. This paper focuses on a decision support system model for implementation of ERP system. ERP often serves as a happy hunting ground for wicked problems because of its complex and multi-pronged nature. Other than that, we are reviewing some techniques and methodologies that are recommended to assist decision makers understand the unstructured and poorly defined complexity in ERP implementation. Comparative analyses of these techniques will not only assist in better understanding wicked problems, they are also being used to provide a framework for a suitable and sustainable decision support system for implementation.


The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is minded to refer the private healthcare market in the United Kingdom to the Competition Commission.

A final decision will be made after an eight week consultation to give interested parties a chance to make representations if they disagree with the referral. One private provider, Nuffield Health, has already backed the OFT, saying that it fully supports its decision and that it is in the interests of the patients who use private healthcare and the industry itself.

The OFT began its investigation in March this year. In a report it says that it found a number of concerns about the way the private healthcare market works. These, individually or in combination, restrict or distort competition and merit further investigation.

A primary concern is a lack of …


New local and international legislation forces businesses to exercise greater and more transparent control over the way they do business. This has had a significant impact on the accounting trade, as financial governance leads the way in terms of prescribed openness, accuracy and accountability.


Epon sections of the submandibular gland of SWF/J male mouse were stained immunocytochemically for epidermal growth factor (EGF) and renin. Most cells of the granular convoluted tubules (GCT) contained both EGF and renin. However, examinations of adjacent semithin or thin sections stained for EGF and renin, respectively, revealed a small population of GCT cells that contained EGF but no renin. Within a cell all secretory granules contained both EGF and renin. The renin-negative/EGF-positive cells may represent a subpopulation of tubular cells that do not express, or carry, the renin gene.


The nutritional state of cultivated plants can be influenced, due to the poultry litter doses and basalt powder, thus affecting its proper growth. This work aimed to evaluate the nutritional efficiency of pear, cultivated in different poultry litter doses and basalt powder. The experiment was conducted in the orchard of the fruit growing in south of Brazil, in 2010, spaced 2.5 x 0.5 m, with the following treatments in the planting hole and reapplied in August of 2012: T1) without fertilization; T2) 2 kg of poultry litter; T3) 2 kg of poultry litter + 2 kg of basalt powder; T4) 4 kg of poultry litter; T5) 4 kg of poultry litter + 2 kg of basalt powder. Samples of the root system, and the shoot segmented in side branches and trunk were collected in January / 2014 (1,190 days) for chemical analysis of nutrient content and dry matter. With these results were calculated the indexes: absorption efficiency; transport efficiency and nutrient utilization efficiency. The treatment 4 kg of poultry litter, result in a higher absorption efficiency ratio for N, and higher utilization efficiency index for S. The transport efficiency suffered a little variation due to the used doses.


This review provides a survey on mast cell heterogeneity, with aspects differing in humans and rodents or which are subject of conflicting evidence being discussed in greater detail. Mast cell subsets have been first defined in rats by their fixation and dye-binding properties, and detailed studies in humans and pigs reveal very similar observations. The dye-binding properties of rat mast cell subsets are causally related to the absence or presence of heparin in their granules. In humans, this relation has not been shown. Rodent mast cell subsets store different chymase-isoforms. In contrast, just a single chymase has been defined in humans, and mast cells are classified by the presence or relative absence of this chymase. Different investigators find quite different proportions of chymase-positive to chymase-negative mast cells. Tryptase(s) are found in most or every human mast cell, but in rodents, they have hitherto been essentially localised to mast cells in connective tissues. Human mast cell subsets may also be defined by their expression of receptors such as C5aR and possibly the beta-chemokine receptor CCR3; the CCR3 expression seems to be related to the human mast cell chymase expression. Ultrastructural studies are helpful to distinguish human mast cell subsets, and allow to distinguish between chronic and acute activation. The phenotypical characteristics may change in association with inflammation or other disease processes. Studies in humans and pigs show changed dye-binding and fixation properties of the granules. Experimental rodent infection models reveal similar changes of chymase isoform expression. Human lung mast cells have been reported to strongly upregulate their chymase content in pulmonary vascular disease. This line of evidence can explain some inconsistent information on mast cell heterogeneity and may help to understand the physiological role of mast cells.


I leverage a Pakistani tax reform that cuts the tax rate on the supply chains of five major industries of the country from 15% to 0% to cast light on the extent of, and mechanisms driving, VAT noncompliance in a representative emerging economy. I find that firms overclaim refunds by 22% and underreport domestic B2C sales by 43.5%. Together, this implies an evasion rate of 77% in the treated industries and 38% in the population. I explore the role of three mechanisms (1) the destination principle, (2) the last-mile problem, and (3) invoice mills in driving this noncompliance.


Adolescence is characterized by changes in reward-related behaviors, social behaviors, and decision making. These behavioral changes are necessary for the transition into adulthood, but they also increase vulnerability to the development of a range of psychiatric disorders. Major reorganization of the dopamine system during adolescence is thought to underlie, in part, the behavioral changes and increased vulnerability. Here, we utilized fast scan cyclic voltammetry to examine differences in regulation of dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens core of adolescent and adult male rats. We found that differences between adolescent and adult stimulated dopamine release is driven by a unique multisynaptic mechanism in early adolescence involving acetylcholine acting at α6-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to mediate inhibition of dopamine via GABA release. These changes in dopamine regulation across adolescence provides a springboard for our understanding of basic brain development and targeted therapy for a range of psychiatric conditions that emerge in adolescence.


Donaldson and Dunfee (1999) suggest in a brief discussion that a manager may in some cases rely on his or her own values in making organizational decisions. Our paper examines the role of diversity in values in an organizational context. Our central contention is that value diversity among managers, employees, and other stakeholders on dimensions such as prudence-boldness, clarity-flexibility, and rigor-mercy is highly useful for an organization. We introduce nontechnical models of individual and board decision-making in which value diversity cuts across group interests that would otherwise control the decision. In these models, decision-makers who are influenced by values such as prudence or boldness as well as by their group interests are more likely to avoid suboptimal decisions, because their weaker but not their more intense group interests are likely to be overridden by their cross-cutting value inclinations.


This study was conducted in Southern Leyte to characterize its biophysical attributes, identify factors influencing landslide occurrences, develop a landslide database, and present recommendations for suitable land use. The major attributes of the province that were mapped using geospatial technologies (geographic information system, global positioning system, and remote sensing) were rock formations and fault lines, seismic occurrences, slope characteristics, elevation, soil series, vegetation/land use, and rainfall characteristics. Some soil properties of the landslide areas were also determined. The highest frequency (21%) of landslide occurrences in Southern Leyte was observed in Miocene–andesitic, basaltic, dacitic flows, and breccia geologic formation which is associated with the Leyte segment of the Philippine Fault. It occurred at angles greater than 18° and was at the highest frequency (54%) at angles greater than 50° in both concave and convex slope curvatures. Forest cover in Southern Leyte decreased from 53 percent in 1954 to 38 percent in 1992—a 15 percent drop in almost four decades. This further decreased to 14 percent in 2010, a 24 percent decline in approximately two decades since 1992. Current vegetation is dominated by cultivated crops, coconut, and abaca. The province is mapped as slightly suitable (36%) to moderately suitable (51%), to suitable (13%) for coconut and abaca production. Slightly suitable areas are those found at higher elevation (> 600 meters above sea level) and steep slopes (> 50°), while those suitable are found at lower elevations and gentle slopes. Landslide inventory revealed a total of 52 landslide points. The highest number of occurrences was observed in San Francisco, Liloan, and San Ricardo, Southern Leyte. Landslides generally occurred at the ridges near the fault line. It is strongly recommended that the unsuitable zones be planted with trees and forest cover should be restored, if possible to 1954 level to enhance stability. Human settlement is strongly discouraged in the unsuitable zones and its immediate vicinity (approximately within the 8-kilometer run-out distance).


The detailed mechanism of photocatalytic oxidation processes on the TiO2 surface is still not completely clear, particularly the location of degradation processes. There are debates whether photocatalytic reactions happen on the surface or near the surface. To differentiate between processes on the surface and near the surface, we utilized bromate to accelerate the reaction rate and conducted photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B with or without pre-adsorption. Since adsorption was slow and the reactions were fast, surface reactions and near-surface reactions could be differentiated. In addition to the experimental data, we conducted theoretical calculations with the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model (surface) and the homogeneous bimolecular reaction model (near surface). Experimental data and theoretical calculations suggested a combination of 47.97% of the surface reaction and 52.03% of the near-surface reaction. This report provides experimental evidence for the location of photocatalytic processes. In addition, through scavenging and the isotope kinetic effect, this report also explored contributions of the conduction band and the valance band, direct hole oxidation, ˙OH radical oxidation, the roles of O2, H2O, and OH−, the impact of pH on the ˙OH formation from the conduction band, and charge carriers' separation. The detailed photocatalytic mechanism was proposed according to the experimental evidence in this report.


Debate about the relationships between business planning and performance has been active for decades (Bhide, 2000; Mintzberg, 1994). While results have been inconclusive, this topic still strongly divides the research community (Brinckmann et al., 2010; Chwolka & Raith, 2011; Delmar & Shane, 2004; Frese, 2009; Gruber, 2007; Honig & Karlsson, 2004).Previous research explored the relationships between innovation and the venture creation process (Amason et al., 2006, Dewar & Dutton, 1986; Jennings et al., 2009). However, the relationships between business planning and innovation have mostly been invoked indirectly in the strategy and entrepreneurship literatures through the notion of uncertainty surrounding the development of innovation. Some posited that planning may be irrelevant due to the iterative process, the numerous changes innovation development entails and the need to be flexible (Brews & Hunt, 1999). Others suggested that planning may facilitate the achievement of goals and overcoming of obstacles (Locke and Latham, 2000), guide the venture in its allocation of resources (Delmar and Shane, 2003) and help to foster the communication about the innovation being developed (Liao & Welsh, 2008). However, the nature and extents of the relationships between business planning, innovation and performance are still largely unknown.Moreover, if the reasons why ventures should engage (Frese, 2009) –or not- (Honig, 2004) in business planning have been investigated quite extensively (Brinckmann et al., 2010), the specific value of business planning for nascent firms developing innovation is still unclear. The objective of this paper is to shed some light on these important aspects by investigating the two following questions on a large sample of random nascent firms: 1) how is business planning use over time by new ventures developing different types and degrees of innovation? 2) how do business planning and innovation impact the performance of the nascent firms?Methods & Key propositionsThis PSED-type study draws its data from the first three waves of the CAUSEE project where 30,105 Australian households were randomly contacted by phone using a methodology to capture emerging firms (Davidsson, Steffens, Gordon, Reynolds, 2008). This screening led to the identification of 594 nascent ventures (i.e., firms that were not operating yet at the time of the identification) that were willing to participate in the study. Comprehensive phone interviews were conducted with these 594 ventures. Likewise, two comprehensive follow-ups were organised 12 months and 24 months later where 80% of the eligible cases of the previous wave completed the interview.The questionnaire contains specific sections investigating business plans such as: presence or absence, degree of formality and updates of the plan. Four types of innovation are measured along three degrees of intensity to produce a comprehensive continuous measure ranging from 0 to 12 (Dahlqvist & Wiklund, 2011). Other sections informing on the gestation activities, industry and different types of experiences will be used as controls to measure the relationships and the impacts of business planning and innovation on the performance of nascent firms overtime. Results from two rounds of pre-testing informed the design of the instrument included in the main survey.The three waves of data are used to first test and compare the use of planning amongst nascent firms by their degrees of innovation and then to examine their impact on performance overtime through regression analyses.Results and ImplicationsThree waves of data collection have been completed. Preliminary results show that on average, innovative firms are more likely to have a business plans than their low innovative counterpart. They are also most likely to update their plan suggesting a more continuous use of the plan over time than previously thought. Further analyses regarding the relationships between business planning, innovation and performance are undergoing.This paper is expected to contribute to the literature on business planning and innovation by measuring quantitatively their impact on nascent firms activities and performance at different stages of their development. In addition, this study will shed a new light on the business planning-performance relationship by disentangling plans, types of nascent firms regarding their innovation degres and their performance over time. Finally, we expect to increase the understanding of the venture creation process by analysing those questions on nascent firms from a large longitudinal sample of randomly selected ventures.We acknowledge the results from this study will be preliminary and will have to be interpreted with caution as the business planning-performance is not a straightforward relationship (Brinckmann et al., 2010). Meanwhile, we believe that this study is important to the field of entrepreneurship as it provides some much needed insights on the processes used by nascent firms during their creation and early operating stages.


A description is given of the experimental technique devised to apply the method outlined theoretically in part I to the measurement of the dynamic compressive yield strength of various steels, duralumin, copper, lead, iron and silver. A polished piece of armour steel was employed as a target, and cylindrical specimens were fired at it at various measured velocities from Service weapons. The distance between the weapon and target was made short to ensure normal impact, and apparatus was devised for the precise measurement of striking velocity over this short range. The dynamic compressive yield strength was computed from the density of the specimen, the striking velocity, and from measurements of the dimensions of the test piece before and after test. Details are given of the accuracy of the various measurements, and of their effect on the values of yield strength. The method was found to be inaccurate at low and high velocities. For instance, with mild steel, satisfactory results were only obtainable within the range 400 to 2500 ft. /sec. The range of velocities within which satisfactory results could be obtained varied with the quality of the material tested, soft metals giving results within a much lower range than that necessary for harder materials. Because of its failure at low velocities, the method could not be employed to bridge the gap between static and dynamic tests. The rate of strain employed in the dynamic tests could not be measured, but was estimated to be of the order of 10,000 in. /in. /sec. With the materials tested little change of dynamic strength occurred within the range of striking velocities employed, probably because the rate of strain did not vary to any great extent with the striking velocity. Within the range of weapons available, that is, from a 0·303 in. rifle up to a 13 pdr. gun (calibre 3·12 in.), little change of dynamic strength occurred with alteration of the initial dimensions of the specimens, probably because the corresponding change of rate of strain was not large. In general, the dynamic compressive yield strength S was greater than the static strength Y represented by the compressive stress giving 0·2% permanent strain. For steels of various types, regardless of chemical composition and heat treatment, there was a relation between S/Y and the static strength Y, the ratio decreasing from approximately 3 when Y was 20 tons/sq. in. to 1 when Y was 120 tons/sq. in. A similar relation occurred with duralumin, S/Y varying from 2·5 at Y = 8 tons/sq. in. to 1·4 at Y = 25 tons/sq. in. Dynamic compressive yield values were obtained for soft materials such as pure lead, copper and Armco iron, which, under static conditions, gave no definite yield values. A plot of the unstrained length of the specimen X, expressed as X/L (where L = initial overall length), versus the final overall length L1, expressed as L1/L, was made for the various materials. Any specified value of X/L was associated with greater values of L1/L for the more ductile materials, such as copper and lead, than for the brittle materials, such as armour plate and duralumin.


Imaging studies acquired at multiple times and using different modalities are important components to many clinical trials. Imaging is used for staging and protocol eligibility, for radiation therapy target definition, for adaptive radiation treatmentdelivery, for assessing response to therapy, and for outcome analysis. Currently co‐registration of CT, MR and PET scans may be important for any of these purposes; in the future, molecular and biomarker imaging may be incorporated. The challenges for the QA centers are to verify that institutions participating in protocols requiring image registration have the tools and expertise to perform the registrations, and to verify the appropriate registration for individual protocol patients. There are many software systems, many with multiple methods, available for image registration. One method to credential institutions is by benchmarking. QARC's "image fusion" benchmark requires the institution to download a DICOM MR and a DICOM CT scan set. The datasets are to be registered, the small lesion is to be outlined on the MR scan, and the geometrical center of the lesion on the CT scan is to be reported (lesion not visible on CT). Results from more than 50 institutions will be discussed. An increasing number of protocols require PETimaging. Registration of PETimaging is problematic, except for PET/CT. Since the DICOM standard does not include specifications for SUV calculations, currently only ACRIN, by using the manufacturers' workstations, is able to receive PETimages and recalculate SUVs. Ideally these PETimages would be registered with the planning CT in radiotherapy protocols. More and more protocols propose requiring IGRT, particularly for treatments with few fractions. For protocol participation, institutions need to demonstrate the reproducibility and accuracy of the imaging system used to adapt the daily treatment to the daily target position. Extensive questionnaires (QARC) and submission of representative patient data (RTOG) are required by the QA centers. The variety of systems — MV CT, kV CT, Tomotherapy, Cyberknife, ultrasound — provide a challenge for the QA center. An even greater challenge is how to provide QA for individual patient treatments. If CT/CT or CT/MR registration is used for target delineation, assessment of the registration presents the QA center with several questions. Should the QA center redo the registration? What tools can be developed to register and verify CT/PET registration? For adaptive radiotherapy, what is the benefit of reviewing the daily assessment of required repositioning? Is the benefit worth the cost of such an effort? Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the issues faced by the QA centers in reviewing image registrations. 2. Understand the difference between credentialing and providing individual patient QA for image registration. 3. Become familiar with the current strategies of QA for image registration by the QA centers.


The great Kobe earthquake destroyed numerous electric power facilities. Officials estimated the minimum total cost of the damage from this earthquake to be Y230 billion (US$2.3 billion). The quake halted the power supply to over one million users for 9000 minutes. This long blackout resulted from heavy destruction to the distribution system, as the heavy shock of the quake forced numerous power poles to incline, sending line conductors to the ground below. Fortunately, safety systems adequately protected main facilities like electric power stations and substations from serious damage. Field observations focussed on two areas: (1) location of heavy equipment on the power poles; (2) reinforcement of the power poles after the quake. The results of our survey indicate that preventive adjustments and reinforcements are urgently needed to protect the power poles against future earthquakes.


Bioactivity Test of Zodea Leaf Extract (Evodia suaveolens Sheff) on Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)Herbst. The study bioactivy of zodea leaf extract on red flourbeetlewas conducted in Laboratory of Entomology, Plant Pest And Disease Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sriwijaya Universityfrom June to September 2014.E. suaveolensis a native plant from Papua that very well-known as mosquito repellent. The experiment aimed to determined level of repellent various extract concentrations of zodea leaf extract and mortality on T. castaneum. Completely Randomized Design was used in this study with six treatments and four replicates. Concentrations used were 0%, 32,78%, 36,88%, 40,98%, 45,07% dan 49,17% which were obtained from preliminary test results and further more, the result was analyzed by probit analyzed method to determined concentrations would be used. LC50 value was 40,98% and ± 10%. The results was the best treatment on 45,78% with 96,2% and classified very strong repellent index. The lowest repellent index was 32,78% with 89,2% and classified strong repellent index. The highest Mortality of T.castaneumon 40,07% with 17,5% mortality dan the lowest mortality on 0% and 36,88% with no T. castaneum died. LC50 was 87,018%. We could conclude that E. suaveolenspossessed very strong repellent index on T. castaneum, but not effetive to kill T.castaneum.


Type 2 diabetes results from inadequate insulin production to control blood glucose. To address this need for replacing lost insulin-producing beta cells, most therapeutic development strategies are focused on enhancing functional beta cell number. Fairbanks Pharmaceuticals is pursuing therapies that enhance beta cell function and regeneration and is based on prior research in which inactivation of follistatin-like-3 (FSTL3) resulted in enlarged islets, increased beta cell number, and enhanced insulin secretion. At least some of these new beta cells arose from alpha to beta cell transdifferentiation in FSTL3 knockout mice. Fairbanks has produced a monoclonal antibody (FP-101) that can completely block FSTL3 from binding activin A and B, GDF11, and myostatin that could also disrupt pre-formed and otherwise irreversible complexes. FP-101 was also able to restore glucose-responsive insulin secretion in otherwise non-functional islets taken from HFD-fed mice. To determine if FSTL3 neutralization could be effective in humans, human islets from normal donors were first exposed to elevated glucose (25 nM) for 48-72 hours, a commonly utilized model for glucotoxicity. As expected, this caused loss of glucose response to subsequent GSIS. However, when treated for 24 hours with FP-101, GSIS was restored, indicating that neutralization of FSTL3 might be an effective strategy for restoring function to human non-functional islets. This observation agrees with previous research in which activin treatment directly restored GSIS in human islets from diabetic donors. Taken together with the potential for induction of alpha to beta cell transdifferentiation, these results suggest that neutralization of FSTL3 may have a dual benefit with acute restoration of GSIS in non-functional islets and chronic treatment leading to restoration of beta cell number through enhancement of alpha to beta cell transdifferentiation. In vivo studies will be initiated shortly. Disclosure A. Schneyer: Stock/Shareholder; Self; Fairbanks Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Stock/Shareholder; Spouse/Partner; Fairbanks Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Employee; Self; Fairbanks Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. M. Brown: None.


Several mammalian alpha(1,3)fucosyltransferases (alpha[1,3]Fuc-T) that synthesize carbohydrates containing alpha(1,3)fucosylated lactosamine units have been identified. Although Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells do not express alpha(1,3)Fuc-T activity, the rare mutants LEC11 and LEC12, isolated after mutagenesis or DNA transfection, each express an alpha(1,3)Fuc-T that may be distinguished by several criteria. Two new CHO mutants possessing alpha(1,3)Fuc-T activity (LEC29 and LEC30) have now been isolated after treatment of a CHO cell population with 5-azacytidine (5-AzaC), ethylnitrosourea (ENU), or 5-AzaC followed by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Like LEC12, both mutants possess an N-ethylmaleimide-resistant alpha(1,3)Fuc-T activity that can utilize a variety of acceptors and both express the Lewis X (Lex) determinant (Gal beta[1,4](Fuc alpha[1,3])GlcNAc beta 1)) but not the sialyl alpha(2,3)Lex determinant on cell-surface carbohydrates. However, LEC29 and LEC30 may be distinguished from LEC11 and LEC12, as well as from each other, on the basis of their unique patterns of lectin resistance and their abilities to bind the VIM-2 monoclonal antibody that recognizes carbohydrates terminating in NeuNAc alpha(2,3)Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc beta(1,3)Gal beta(1,4)(Fuc alpha[1,3])GlcNAc beta and also by the different in vitro substrate specificities and kinetic properties of their respective alpha(1,3)Fuc-T activities. The combined data provide good evidence that the LEC29 and LEC30 alpha(1,3)Fuc-Ts are novel transferases encoded by distinct gene products.


Previous studies find that long noncoding RNA human leukocyte antigen complex P5 (HCP5) is regarded as an oncogene via accelerating cancer cell growth, invasion, metastasis, vascularization, and drug resistance in renal cell carcinoma, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer. Nevertheless, the effect and regulatory mechanism of HCP5 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) remains unknown. In this study, HCP5 expression levels were confirmed to be prominently raised in LSCC cell lines. HCP5 knockdown reduced cell proliferation and migration and invasive ability of LSCC cell lines. Furthermore, miR-216a-5p was confirmed to sponge HCP5, and its expression was prominently downregulated in LSCC cell lines and upregulated in HCP5-silenced LSCC cell lines. miR-216a-5p overexpression downregulated the cell proliferation and migration and invasive ability of LSCC cells. Additionally, the protein level of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), one target gene of miR-216a-5p, was highly expressed in LSCC cell lines, and its expression level was downregulated by HCP5 knockdown and miR-216a-5p overexpression. An miR-216a-5p inhibitor reversed the effect of HCP5 knockdown on the proliferation and migration and invasive ability of LSCC cells. In conclusion, knocking down HCP5 may be a strategy to suppress the malignant biological function via regulating miR-216a-5p/ZEB1. Therefore, HCP5 may become a prospective therapeutic target for LSCC.


IntroductionI am Assistant Director of Care and Quality at St. Luke's Hospice working internally and externally with health and social and voluntary care providers. I have dyslexia and was undergoing coaching and training on the use of new software for my dyslexia when the pandemic struck.AimsTo raise awareness of dyslexia and hidden disabilities, the specific challenges it has brought through the pandemic with implications for the wider workforce and the impact of not being able to continue my dyslexia support from an external organisation.DiscussionI was required to formulate a prompt response to the pandemic and rapidly changing guidance to inform, direct and support the diverse wider workforce. The reduction of face-to-face contact with colleagues, and a significant increase in demand for visiting dying patients at home presented huge challenges with the introduction of virtual technology. This impacted on my role both professionally and personally, requiring me to declare my dyslexia openly more than ever before.In a position of influence, having strategic vision and role modelling remained crucial whilst promoting inclusiveness that empowered others. Emergency response meetings meant information could not be shared early, a key consideration for staff with dyslexia. Assimilation of the information to make this meaningful and implementation of new ways of working was a constant challenge whilst supporting others at a crucial time. The Equality Act and what this truly means in practice came into sharp focus. Training around facilitative technology for dyslexia was suspended replaced with self-taught techniques alongside the need to be continually creative and resilient.COVID-19 provided an opportunity to raise awareness and highlight the specific needs that staff with dyslexia may have when required to work at pace within an ever changing landscape. It was imperative that the same compassionate tolerance, inclusivity and fairness, cornerstones of hospice care provision, was afforded to all staff at this time, particularly those with dyslexia.


Health empowerment can be obtained through an informative and educational intervention to increase one's ability to think critically and act autonomously. Medical texts are usually written by professionals and can be difficulty understood by non experts who do not have the same skills and vocabularies. Thus, it would be desirable to have an online medical vocabulary-thesaurus-dictionary that can help a non expert to easily find the consumer equivalent of medical (technical) terms and additional consumer information. To this end, we have developed an online multilingual medical vocabulary-thesaurus-dictionary by interconnecting different online sources, i.e., medical vocabularies to create a list of technical terms, consumer health vocabularies (CHVs) for translating technical terms into their consumer equivalents and consumer dictionaries for finding explanations of the terms. In addition, we have built an online editor that allows to add new medical terms (with the related consumer information) and modify existing consumer terms and definitions. Furthermore, we have built some practical applications, on top of the medical vocabulary-thesaurus-dictionary, in order to facilitate the empowerment of patients, or non-experts in general. The applications are located at the data, information and knowledge levels of the 'knowledge pyramid' that, in our case, contains the empowerment at the top level.


Abstract Shore slopes of the majority of reservoirs are subjected to wave abrasion. Mainly ferro-concrete structures for shore protection against destruction were built on Lake Baikal. A plan to use new structures, such as wave extinguishing berms and artificial beaches of non-sorting rock material, is in effect at present. For the practical evaluation of this plan, it was necessary to perform an ecotoxicological assessment. The investigations started in 1988 and were carried out annually. At the first stage of the investigations, toxic potential of construction material was examined. Model experiments conducted on various biota did not reveal any toxicity. In the second stage, in the region of soil embankment, the influence of the construction material on hydrochemical composition of coastal waters and on ichthyofauna was studied. The analyses of water samples revealed that there was no negative influence of embankment on chemical composition of water of the littoral zone. The berm construction did not cause any changes in fish community composition. The construction did not influence the number of benthic littoral sculpins (Family Cottidae) or the reproduction of littoral spawning fish. The data reveal no negative influence of the soil embankment on shallow littoral areas.


Abstract We report a unique case of delayed brain swelling following craniectomy that improved rapidly after cranioplasty, and discuss the potential mechanism underlying this delayed and reversible brain swelling. A 22-year-old woman developed surgical site infection after removal of a convexity meningioma. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an epidural abscess around the surgical site. Subsequently, the abscess was evacuated, and the bone flap was removed. Later, brain edema around the skull defect emerged and progressed gradually, despite resolution of the infection. The edematous brain developed focal swelling outward through the bone defect without ventricle dilatation. Because we suspected that the edema and swelling were caused by the state of the bone defect, we performed a cranioplasty 10 weeks after the bone flap removal, and brain edema improved rapidly. We hypothesized that the brain edema was initially caused by surgical stress and inflammation, followed by compression of cortical veins between the dural edge and brain tissue, leading to disruption of venous return and exacerbation of brain edema. When delayed focal brain edema and external swelling progress gradually after bone flap removal, after excluding other pathological conditions, cranioplasty should be considered to improve cortical venous congestion caused by postsurgical adhesion.


If a culture is characterized by pervasive norms and sanctioning of deviance from norms, it is a tight culture. In a tight culture, people's values, norms, and behavior are similar to each other. Thus, cultural tightness can be conceptualized as homogeneity in values, norms, and behaviors. As such, the cultural tightness and looseness (CTL) can be captured by SD. In the present study, a theoretical framework to study CTL was suggested. Three different indices of CTL in 68 societies were developed based on cultural-level SDs: a domain-specific index, a domain-general index, and a combination index. The combination CTL index showed the greatest validity compared with the domain-specific index, domain-general index, and another measure based on aggregation of individual-level perceptions. With the CTL index at hand, further theoretical predictions pertaining to the CTL can be tested. In general, wider use of SD was advocated.


The aims of this research are to describe the English lexical errors made by
the students in writing English and to explain the causes of the English lexical errors.
In this research, the writer used a qualitative method. The population of this
research is the 2nd grade student of Faculty of Letters, Gunadarma University. And
the sample is 64 students. The source of the data is the student's English writing.
The result of this research is there are two types of lexical errors which are
content word errors and function word errors. The dominant error is the function
word errors 57%, meanwhile the content word errors 43%. There are two kinds of
errors causes which are interlingual errors 41% and intralingual errors 59%.
Intralingual errors are the majority.


The authors report the clinical history of a patient with bilateral oedema of the optic nerve head, visual field implication, fluorescein-angiographic and electrofunctional result disturbances, but with maintenance of a normal visual acuity. The etiopathogenetic hypothesis are prospected.


Background— Despite data showing the benefits of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion for primary prevention in populations at risk for sudden death, professional society guidelines recommending primary prevention, and recognition by payers of the clinical value of ICDs in these populations, ICDs for primary prevention remain underused. We sought to determine whether implementing a screening tool would increase appropriate identification of patients showing clinical evidence of ICD benefit and prompt referral to an electrophysiologist for ICD implantation. Methods and Results— Screening tools were affixed to medical records for patients seen in 2 outpatient cardiology offices that queried ejection fraction and whether referral to an electrophysiologist was made (N=6632). The number of appropriate referrals in the screening period were compared with analogous data collected before implementation of the screening tool (control period) through retrospective record review (n=3606). Significantly more eligible patients were offered referral during the screening period than during the control period at both sites, 80% (8/10 eligible) versus 33% (5/15) at site 1 (P<0.02) and 100% (44/44) versus 60% (21/35) at site 2 (P<0.001). Of all patients offered referral, 41% (32/78) accepted. Conclusions— The use of a screening tool increases referral to electrophysiology for patients in whom placement of an ICD confers the benefit of sudden cardiac death primary prevention. Barriers to referral include both physician and patient factors. Verification of these findings on a larger scale as well as studies defining the foundation of these barriers may further improve use of ICDs in patients for whom their mortality benefit is well described.


The ionic positions of Gd3+ at orthorhombic sites in CaF2 with a nearby charge-compensating M+ ion (M=Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs) are calculated from a reliable lattice relaxation model. The results are then employed in superposition model analyses of the corresponding spin parameters of the ground state 4f7 8S7/2 splitting of the Gd3+ ion available in the literature. The superposition model analyses indicate that the spin parameters can best be described in terms of some intrinsic parameters which follow a parabolic dependence on the ligand distances in addition to the conventional power-law form, and hence also assert the cancelling nature of various physical mechanisms contributing to the ground state splitting of Gd3+.


This thesis examines the descriptions of Royalist and Parliamentarian masculinity in English Civil War memoirs by women through a close reading of three biographical memoirs written by Margaret Cavendish, duchess of Newcastle; Lady Ann Fanshawe; and Lucy Hutchinson. Descriptions of masculinity are evaluated through the lens of Raewyn Connell's theory of hegemonic masculinity to understand the impact two competing models of masculinity had on the social and political culture of the period. The prevailing Parliamentarian hegemonic masculinity in English Civil War memoirs is traced to its origins before the English Civil War to demonstrate how hegemonic masculinity changes over time. The thesis argues that these memoirs provide evidence of two competing models of Royalist and Parliamentarian masculinities during the Civil War that date back to changes in the Puritan meaning of the phrase "man of merit", which influenced the development of a Parliamentarian model of masculinity.


Since time immemorial food preservation has been a common practice. Most of these preservatives come form natural sources such as herbs and spices. Currently, synthetic antioxidants are extensively incorporated in foods and cosmetics for the prevention of lipid peroxidation. Some of these synthetic antioxidants, however, have been shown to be carcinogenic and since quite recently, efforts are underway to develop effective and safer natural antioxidants targeting mainly herbs and spices. In Ethiopia, the aerial parts of Lippia adoensis var. koseret and Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens, rhizomes of Zingiber officinalis , and seeds of Aframomum corrorima are used to spice cooking butter and also to preserve its freshness for a long time. The volatile oils of these plants, obtained by hydrodistillation, and the methanolic extract of spiced butter were tested for their radical scavenging activity using TLC and 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The antioxidant principles of the examined volatile oils were detected in the methanolic extract of the cooking butter spiced with the four plants. Quantitative studies showed that the volatile oils were able to reduce the stable radical, DPPH to the yellow coloured 2,2-diphenylpicrayl-1-hydrazine in a dosedependent manner. The strongest effect was exhibited by the essential oil of the aerial parts of O. basilicum var. purpurascens (IC 50 = 0.04 µl/ml) whereas the weakest effect was shown by that of the seeds A. corrorima (IC 50 = 34.9 µl/ml). The antioxidant potentials of the oil obtained from the aerial parts of L. adoensis var. koseret and the rhizomes of Z. officinalis were somewhat intermediate (IC 50 = 6.13 and 9.66 µl/ml, respectively). The results of this study may provide a rational explanation for the traditional use of these plants to prevent rancidity and preserve the freshness of cooking butter, which could be attributed to their radical scavenging activity. Keywords : spiced butter, volatile oils, TLC analysis, antioxidant activity, DPPH assay Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Journal Vol. 23 2005: 7-14


BACKGROUND
For persons entering congregate settings, optimal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) arrival surveillance screening method, nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) versus rapid antigen detection test (RADT), is debated. To aid this, we sought to determine the risk of secondary symptomatic coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) among military trainees with negative arrival NAAT or RADT screening.

METHODS
Individuals who arrived for US Air Force basic military training from 1 January-31 August 2021 were placed into training groups and screened for SARS-CoV-2 via NAAT or RADT. Secondary symptomatic COVID-19 cases within 2 weeks of training were then measured. A case cluster was defined as ≥5 individual symptomatic COVID-19 cases.

RESULTS
406 (1.6%) of 24 601 trainees screened positive upon arrival. The rate of positive screen was greater for those tested with NAAT versus RADT (2.5% vs 0.4%; RR: 5.4; 95% CI: 4.0-7.3; P < .001). The proportion of training groups with ≥1 positive individual screen was greater in groups screened via NAAT (57.5% vs 10.8%; RR: 5.31; 95% CI: 3.65-7.72; P < .001). However, NAAT versus RADT screening was not associated with a difference in number of training groups to develop a secondary symptomatic case (20.3% vs 22.5%; RR: .9; 95% CI: .66-1.23; P = .53) or case cluster of COVID-19 (4% vs 6.6%; RR: .61; 95% CI: .3-1.22; P = .16).

CONCLUSIONS
NAAT versus RADT arrival surveillance screening method impacted individual transmission of COVID-19 but had no effect on number of training groups developing a secondary symptomatic case or case cluster. This study provides consideration for RADT arrival screening in congregate settings.


. A new hybrid algorithm for LDU -factorization for large sparse matrix combining iterative solver, which can keep the same accuracy as the classical factorization, is proposed. The last Schur complement will be generated by iterative solver for multiple right-hand sides using block GCR method with the factorization in lower precision as a preconditioner, which achieves mixed precision arithmetic, and then the Schur complement will be factorized in higher precision. In this algorithm, essential procedure is decomposition of the matrix into a union of moderate and hard parts, which is realized by LDU -factorization in lower precision with symmetric pivoting and threshold postponing technique.


LBL-8653 The asymptotic form of the hadronic mass spectrum, beyond the region where individual resonances can be identified, is a fundamental property of matter, interesting in both particle physics and cosmology. We investigate the possibility of discovering its form through the properties of hot hadronic matter such as might be produced in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions. We find that at collision energies in the tens of GeV per nucleon in the c.m., a sensitivity of certain measurements to, the underlying hadronic spectrum can be expected.


Numerical multiscale methods usually rely on some coupling between a macroscopic and a microscopic model. The macroscopic model is incomplete as effective quantities, such as the homogenized material coefficients or fluxes, are missing in the model. These effective data need to be computed by running local microscale simulations followed by a local averaging of the microscopic information. Motivated by the classical homogenization theory, it is a common practice to use local elliptic cell problems for computing the missing homogenized coefficients in the macro model. Such a consideration results in a first order error $O(\varepsilon/\delta)$, where $\varepsilon$ represents the wavelength of the microscale variations and $\delta$ is the size of the microscopic simulation boxes. This error, called"resonance error", originates from the boundary conditions used in the micro-problem and typically dominates all other errors in a multiscale numerical method. Optimal decay of the resonance error remains an open problem, although several interesting approaches reducing the effect of the boundary have been proposed over the last two decades. In this paper, as an attempt to resolve this problem, we propose a computationally efficient, fully elliptic approach with exponential decay of the resonance error.


A B S T R A C T • This article examines how early women doctors managed their professional and public images in the second half of the nineteenth century through a case study of the career of the first medical woman to qualify in Britain: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (1836—1917). In fighting for their cause, Victorian women doctors had to negotiate the medical profession's disdain for what it considered 'unprofessional advertising', which it aligned with quackery, while, at the same time, attempting to publicize the medical women's movement to the wider world. Through close analysis of Garrett Anderson's public image and private correspondence, I argue that she achieved medical fame through the careful maintenance both of public confidence and professional respect, promoting her cause through a subtle sleight-of-hand. While Elizabeth Garrett Anderson appeared, on the surface, to subvert her sex beneath her profession, in doing so she in fact emphasized simultaneously the right of women to a professional occupation and corresponding renown. •


Discussions on design activism generously embrace the activist ethos of designers, but are inconsistent in articulating how design activism makes a difference in relation to the various socially engaged design approaches generated. Committed to critically and transformationally engage with progressive socio-economic and political problems, the activist designer creates forms and situations within social processes. By mapping the fields of knowledge and concepts on which design activism draws, the paper attempts to bring an understanding of what informs Design Activism actions beyond the neoliberal paradigm. Drawing on the emerging discussions on design activism, the paper brings together articulations of design activism from scholars and design collectives to foreground the foundation for a more coherent understanding of design activism and a constructive dialogue within its community.


The ice storage system uses water for low temperature latent heat storage. However, a refrigerator capacity is increased and COP is decreased due to supercooling of water in the course of phase change from solid to liquid. This study investigates the cooling characteristics of the TMA-water clathrate compound including TMA (Tri-methyl-amine, (CH₃)₃N) of 20~25 wt% as a low temperature latent heat storage material. The results showed that the phase change temperature and the specific heat is increased and the supercooling degree is decreased as the weight concentration of TMA increased. Especially, the clathrate compound containing TMA 25 wt% has the average phase change temperature of 5.8℃, the supercooling degree of 8.0℃ and the specific heat of 3.499 kJ/kgK in the cooling process. This can lead to reduction of operation time of refrigerator in low temperature latent heat storage system and efficiency improvement of refrigerator COP and overall system. Therefore, energy saving and improvement of utilization efficiency are expected.


Background Inflammation was considered to perform crucial roles in the development and metastasis of malignancies. A heightened neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio has been described to be associated with detrimental survivals in different malignancies. Debate remains over the impact of heightened neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio on survivals in biliary tract cancer. The review evaluated the prognostic value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in biliary tract cancer. Methods MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and the Chinese SinoMed were systematically searched for relevant articles. Associations between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and long-term outcomes were expressed as the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The odds ratio was utilized to assess the association between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and clinicopathological parameters. Results Fourteen studies consisting of 3217 patients were analyzed: 1278 (39.73%) in the high pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio group and 1939 (60.27%) in the low pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio one. The results proved that heightened pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was significantly associated with detrimental overall survival and relapse free survival for biliary tract cancer patients. In addition, elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was positively correlated with higher carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels, advanced TNM staging and greater lymph node involvement. Conclusion This meta-analysis marked that an increased pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was significantly linked with detrimental long-term outcomes and clinicopathological parameters for patients with biliary tract cancer.


Two-dimensional steady flowfields generated by slot injection into supersonic flow are numerically simulated by the integration of Navier-stokes equation with two-equation k-e turbulence model. High-order upwind scheme is used on unstructured adaptive meshes. The numerical results are compared with experimental data in terms of surface static pressure distributions. the length of the upstream separation region, and the height of the Mach surface for steady flowfields with a Mach number of 3.71 and a unit Reynolds number of 5.83×10^6/m.


If the points were on a conic or circle the construction would be as follows. Let Diy be the homographic axis of the ranges determining the pairs (A, a), {B, b), (C, c). Take a point a on the curve and let aA, an cut DD' in 0 and O. If now a, A, a be supposed to move on the conic so that aA and cut always pass through two fixed points 0, 0', the successive positions of a and A form pairs in involution, and so also do those of a and a. Also A and a describe homographic ranges of which D and D' are double points and of which the original positions of A and a are conjugates, that is the homographic ranges determined by the three given pairs. Thus BO, bO' and CO, cO' intersect in the conic, and if these points of intersection are /3, y, then a, /3, y are the required set. The extension to the case in which ABC, abc are collinear is obvious. C. A. EUMSKT.


Using a sample of 314 Australian university students the Readiness for Online Learning questionnaire was tested for its technical characteristics of reliability and factorability, with results indicating the instrument has promise both for research and for practice. The factor analysis identified a factor associated with self‐management of learning, and one of comfort with e‐learning. These factors are interpreted and discussed within a framework of the broader literature on learning preferences associated with flexible delivery and resource‐based learning.


Sheet metal forming is the process of converting flat sheet of metal into a part of desired shape without fracture or excessive localized thinning and widely used in aerospace, automotive, appliances industry. In sheet metal forming failure can be predicted by Forming Limit Diagram (FLD). FLD offers a convenient and useful tool in sheet products manufacturing analysis. They show the critical combinations of major strain and minor strain in the sheet surface at the onset of necking and are also used during the design stage of any new sheet metal component for tooling shape for optimizing process variables of new product development. In this research, the effect of n-value (strain hardening exponent), punch velocity & sheet thickness on FLD were studied using FE based HYPERFORM software. As new market requirements are becoming more persistence through introduction of new technologies for improvements in performance trends, these FEM based software simulation is becoming more affordable & reliable as they reduce lead time & cost. It also improves productivity & quality. A typical industrial component was chosen for analysis. The results demonstrate that FLD0 increases with increasing n-value & sheet thickness but for punch velocity more iteration are required.


A novel protocol for the construction of highly functionalized 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-chromeno[2,3-d]pyrimidines (PCPMDs) from 3-cyanochromone with 1,1-enediamines via an unprecedented cascade reaction has been developed by simply refluxing a mixture of 3-cyanochromone 1 and various types of 1,1-enediamines 2 under the catalysis of silver carbonate. As a result, a series of PCPMDs 3 were obtained through a novel cascade reaction involving an amazing electrocyclization mechanism of a cyano group with α,β-unsaturated nitriles. This reaction formation of PCPMDs was accompanied by the formation of four bonds and the cleavage of one bond in one step. This protocol can be used for the synthesis of various pyridin-3-yl-substituted complex pyrimidine derivatives, and it is suitable for combinatorial and parallel syntheses of PCPMD drugs or natural-like products.


SUBJECT INDEX ARCHITECTURE and ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES Crawford, Harriet: The Construction Inferieure at Tello. A reassessment, Vol. 49,71-76. Howard-Carter, Theresa: An interpretation of the sculptural decoration of the second millennium temple at Tell al-Rimah, Vol. 45, 64-72. Lenzen, H.J.: Eanna in Uruk zur Zeit Sargons II, Vol. 31,104-111. Lenzen, H.J.: Die Architektur in Eanna in der Uruk IV Periode, Vol. 36,111-128. Moorey, P.R.S.: The late prehistoric administrative building at Jamdat Nasr, Vol. 38,95-106. Paley, Samuel M., and Sobolewski, Richard: A new reconstruction of Room Z in the North-West Palace of ASsurnasirpal at Nimrud (Kalhu), Vol. 43, 85-99. Roaf, Michael: The diffusion of the "salles a quatre saillants", Vol. 35, 83-92. Stone, Elizabeth T.: Texts, architecture and ethnographic analogy: patterns of residence in Old Babylonian Nippur, Vol. 43,19-33.


Drawing on over 20 years of experience, this article outlines my pedagogy for teaching Business Organizations. To help students make sense out of what initially appears to be a disorganized mess, I organize the course to loosely follow the historical evolution of business organizations. I start with the general partnership, the oldest form. After explaining how and why corporate general laws evolved in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, I transition to corporate law as it applies to big business. I start with shareholders' rights and then move to the fiduciary duties owed by the board of directors. In this section I refer to specific parts of James Stewart's nonfiction book, DisneyWar, to add more life to the material. I transition to closely held corporations, which emerged by the middle of the 20th century as an important avenue for small businesses to enjoy the corporate veil and then detail the legal problems the shareholders encounter. I end the course with the rise of limited liability companies (LLCs) the fastest growing new business organization, and to a lesser extend limited liability partnerships (LLPs). I work into the historical explanation of the LLC's rise (with a brief sketch of the significant role business tax played) an overview of the limited partnership, which is now less frequently used. I emphasize to the students that LLCs are a hybrid between corporations and partnerships, with great variation among the states, that offer the corporate veil and almost always favored partnership taxation. I also point out that publicly traded Delaware LLCs with weaker fiduciary duty protections than publicly traded Delaware corporations are starting to emerge.


Eye flukes are common infections of freshwater fish and their occurrence as metacercarial stages may occur non-randomly resulting in an asymmetrical distribution within the host eyes. However, from previous studies the presentation of bias by these trematodes lacks consistency suggesting that congenital asymmetrical effects are unlikely to be the cause and exogenous factors, such as environmental stress, may be more influential. The present study, undertaken over a 4-year period, investigates the impact of an extreme heatwave and drought on the annual bilateral asymmetry and occurrence of two eye fluke species (Diplostomum sp. in the lens and Tylodelphys sp. in the vitreous humour) from perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus). The onset of the extreme climatic event resulted in a significant negative effect on the occurrence of the eye flukes. Bilateral asymmetry, which was present within both trematode species and hosts, appeared to be highly variable between eye fluke and fish species and also year of study. However, during the pre-drought period both host species demonstrated significant asymmetry for Tylodelphys sp. but not for Diplostomum sp. while during the drought this bias was reversed. The potential role of fluctuating asymmetry of fish hosts in structuring the bilateral asymmetry of eye flukes is discussed.


A method for immunoassay analysis of the organochlorine insecticide, hexachlorocyclohexane
(HCH) has been developed, based upon alkaline conversion in standards and samples to
trichlorobenzenes. The trichlorobenzenes were detected through antisera developed to
haptens containing either a trichlorobenzene or trichlorpyridine moiety, developed using the
herbicides, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) and triclopyr, respectively. An enzyme
conjugate based on 2,4,5-trichlorophenol provided most sensitive and specific detection.
Although the assays cross-reacted with the herbicides, they did not suffer from the major
disadvantage of extremely strong cross-reaction with cyclodiene organochlorines reported
for a commercial HCH assay. The most sensitive assay had a lower detection limit of 20 mg
l–1 in drinking water and was applied to water and soil matrices.


Recently, eight urinary protein biomarkers were qualified for renal toxicity prediction in drug development; however, there are no biomarkers unique to glomerular toxicity. Albuminuria is a hallmark biomarker for primary glomerular injury but lacks specificity. MicroRNA species associated with genes that regulate kidney injury could potentially be used as biomarkers of nephrotoxicity. In this study, microRNA and protein expression changes in urine, blood, and/or kidneys, in addition to histopathology were evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats following weekly intravenous injections of doxorubicin (5 mg kg−1 per dose). Following the first administration, urinary miRNA-34c-3p was significantly increased on day 2 and remained elevated on day 7. Urinary osteopontin was significantly increased on day 2 only. Significant urinary albumin was detected on day 7, in the absence of histopathological findings. Following a second doxorubicin administration on day 7, significantly increased urinary kidney injury molecule 1, cystatin C, β2-microglobulin, total protein, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin concentrations were detected on day 14. These alterations were concurrent to significant and progressive albuminuria, urinary miR-34c-3p, remarkable microscopic primary glomerular injury and secondary tubular alterations. Urinary miR-34c-3p elevations were predictive of histopathologic injury progression and outperformed the traditional renal biomarkers, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, which did not increase with treatment. MiR-34c-3p was also significantly enriched in damaged glomeruli compared to adjacent nonglomerular tissue. Taken together, miR-34c-3p was identified as a highly sensitive candidate renal safety biomarker with relative specificity, particularly for early prediction of doxorubicin-induced glomerular injury progression in male Sprague-Dawley rats.


Little is known about the effects of fire on the structure and species composition of Neotropical savanna seedling communities. Such effects are critical for predicting long‐term changes in plant distribution patterns in these ecosystems. We quantified richness and density of seedlings within 144 plots of 1 m2 located along a topographic gradient in long‐unburned (fire protected since 1983) and recently burned (September 2005) savannas in Brazil. These savannas differ in tree density and canopy cover. Sites along the gradient, however, did not differ in species composition prior to the fire. In recently burned savannas we also evaluated the contribution of vegetative reproduction relative to sexual reproduction by quantifying richness and density of root suckers. Finally, we tested seed tolerance to pulses of high temperatures—similar to those occurring during fires on the soil surface and below—of five dominant savanna tree species. Seedlings were more abundant and diverse in unburned than in burned savannas. Seedling species composition differed among unburned and burned savannas probably reflecting early differences in root: shoot biomass allocation patterns. In recently burned savannas, root suckers were more abundant and diverse than seedlings. Relatively long exposures (>10 min) of temperatures of 90 °C reduced seed germination in all studied species suggesting a negative effect of fire on germination of seeds located at or aboveground level. Because vegetative reproduction contributes more than sexual reproduction in burned environments, frequent fires are likely to cause major shifts in species composition of Neotropical savanna plant communities, favoring clonally produced recruits along tree density/topographic gradients.


Cytokine-neuroantigen (NAg) fusion proteins have promise as a new class of antigen-specific therapies for treatment of CNS autoimmune disease. The primary objective of this study was to assess therapeutic efficacy of selected cytokine-neuroantigen fusion proteins in the Lewis rat model of EAE. The neuroantigen domain of each fusion protein was comprised of the major encephalitogenic determinant of myelin basic protein. Three cytokine-NAg fusion proteins were potent inhibitors of EAE. These fusion proteins incorporated the IL-2 cytokine as the N-terminal domain (the IL2NAg fusion protein), the secreted IL-16 cytokine as the C-terminal domain (the NAgIL16 fusion protein), or the IFN-beta cytokine as the N-terminal domain (IFNbeta-NAg fusion protein). Compared to NAg alone, these fusion proteins strongly attenuated the subsequent active induction of EAE. These fusion proteins also inhibited EAE when administered after encephalitogenic challenge during onset of EAE. In conclusion, cytokine-NAg fusion proteins that incorporate IL-2, IL-16, or IFN-beta cytokine domains may comprise an effective tolerogenic therapy for CNS autoimmune disease.


Abstract
Lone mothers commonly face social stigma alongside practical challenges in fulfilling both principal breadwinner and primary carer roles. This chapter draws on findings from qualitative research involving a sample of lone mothers in the north of England to discuss how they negotiate competing employment and parenting demands within a socio-political context characterized by "worker citizenship". This model positions them firmly as workers while increased benefits conditionality is reinforced by media stereotypes that conflate lone motherhood with welfare dependency.

A comparative research design was developed to explore experiences of mothers in two nearby locations with contrasting socio-economic profiles using a Bourdieusian approach to class analysis. Factors affecting lone mothers' subjective perceptions of a historically de-legitimated identity were investigated during semi-structured interviews with women in diverse situations.

The interviews revealed that participants across the sample viewed being in paid employment as the most significant factor in mitigating stigma. They emphasized their work orientation and saw this as an aspect of responsible parenting. Most mothers in the more affluent location used the cultural capital of educational qualifications to secure work that could be balanced with parenting. In contrast, most mothers in the deprived location expressed frustration at being unable to access jobs that are compatible with childcare and consequently felt stigmatized for claiming benefits.

The chapter is of value in illustrating the significance of avoiding stigma as a consideration in lone mothers' deliberations on work/family interface. It also highlights the impact of class and location on lone mothers' ability to balance employment with childcare.


v I. EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH TO POLICY 1 II. CHALLENGES: INCLUSION AND SUSTAINABILITY 3 A.  What do Kuznets Curves Predict? 3 B.  Trends on Inclusion 5 C.  Trends on Environmental Sustainability 8 III. LIMITS TO TRADITIONAL SEQUENCING 10 A.  Rising Expectations 11 B.  Environmental Capacity Constraints 13 C.  How Priorities Are Responding? 14 IV. THE ECONOMICS OF MULTIPLE PRIORITIES 17 A.   How Externalities Affect Welfare Outcomes 17 B.  The Scope for Win-win Policies 18 C.   Inclusive Growth 19 D.  Green Growth 20 V. WHY GOVERNANCE IS KEY 23 A.  Assembling Political Support 23 B.  Governance Affects Outcomes 23 C.  Accountable Rulemaking 26 VI. LESSONS FOR DEVELOPMENT EFFECTIVENESS 27 A.   Evaluative Support for Evidence-based Policy 27 B.   The Role of International Institutions 28 C.   Unavoidable Tensions 32 VII. CONCLUSIONS 33


By means of the Weyl correspondence and the explicit normally ordered expression of the Wigner operator we convert the time evolution equation of coherent states, governed by some Hamiltonian operators, into seeking for consistent solution of a set of evolution equtions of classical variables which can meet the requirment that an initial coherent state remains coherent all the time.


Different colors of visible light penetrate to varying depths in tissue due to the wavelength dependence of tissue optical absorption and elastic scattering. We exploit this to map the contour of the closest surface of a buried fluorescent object. This uses a novel algorithm based on the diffusion theory description of light propagation in tissue at each excitation wavelength to derive metrics that define the depth of the top surface of the object. The algorithm was validated using a tissue-simulating phantom. It was then demonstrated in vivo by subsurface brain tumor topography in a rodent model, using the fluorescence signal from protoporphyrin IX that is preferentially synthesized within malignant cells following systemic application of aminolevulinic acid. Comparisons to histomorphometry in the brain post mortem show the spatial accuracy of the technique. This method has potential for fluorescence image-guided tumor surgery, as well as other biomedical and nonbiological applications in subsurface sensing.


To avoid unacceptable vibration of suction and discharge piping for reciprocating pumps and compressors, acoustic and mechanical response analyses are to be carried out. These analyses are generally provided by the suppliers of such equipment. This paper explains the fundamentals behind an acoustic and mechanical response analysis and provides a simple set of consolidated design and engineering rules. The paper encourages application of these rules while developing the equipment and piping layout as well as pipe support configuration. The aim of these rules is to minimize the chance for the ultimate supplier's detailed acoustic & mechanical response analysis to recommend significant changes to the design in a late stage of a project. Specific emphasis is placed on how the support stiffness affects the natural frequency of the piping system and a practical methodology is provided to account for this in pipe support span calculations. This paper also describes the process information that needs to be submitted to the supplier to conduct a meaningful acoustic as well as mechanical response analysis. Acknowledging requirements for lines in pulsating service at a late stage in the project, not providing the supplier with the required process information or a piping and support configuration that is not 'mature' enough will most likely result in significant delay and cost.


Tungsten (W) is currently considered the preferred plasma-facing material (PFM) for future magnetic confinement thermonuclear fusion reactors. This is mainly due to the fact that W exhibits a high threshold energy for sputtering by hydrogen isotopes as well as a low retention of tritium within the material. From an engineering point of view, however, W is a difficult metal to work with, as it is intrinsically hard and brittle which makes the processing and machining of W laborious and expensive. This is also the reason why rather simple geometries, for example flat tiles or monoblocks, are typically used for W armour parts in plasma-facing components (PFCs). Against these limitations, additive manufacturing (AM) technologies could represent a versatile and up-todate approach for the realisation of W parts for PFC applications. The characteristic feature of AM processes is that three-dimensional objects are created by sequential layerwise deposition of material under computer control which means that such a technology is well-suited for producing objects with complex geometry. In this context, the present contribution will summarise results of research work conducted by the authors during recent years regarding AM of pure W by means of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). In more detail, results will be presented regarding parametric material manufacturing investigations. These investigations include parameter variations regarding laser exposure and substrate preheating temperature as well as experiments performed on different LPBF facilities and with differing raw powder materials. In general, the investigations showed that bulk pure W can be consolidated directly by means of LPBF with a comparably high relative mass density of approximately 98%. However, it was also found during these investigations that W consolidated by means of LPBF can exhibit defects that are frequently encountered with respect to LPBF processing, such as porosity or crack formation due to the fact that LPBF processes typically induce high thermal gradients during material consolidation. The suppression of such defects is still considered a challenging issue with regard to LPBF of high melting point refractory metals like W. Furthermore, the contribution will present the latest results regarding AM of more complex and thin-walled W structures. In this context, two possible PFC applications will be discussed. On the one hand, the fabrication of tailored preforms for the manufacturing of tungsten-copper (W-Cu) composite material structures will be described. If such structures with optimised W-Cu material distribution are applied at the heat sink level of PFCs they can enhance the performance and integrity of such components notably. On the other hand, the fabrication of tailored anisotropic W lattice structures will be discussed. Such structures are currently of interest regarding DEMO first wall high-heat-flux limiter PFCs.


Measurement of liquid level is an important process variable in the operation of many process industries such as water treatment plants. There are different types of level sensors to measure this parameter, categorized into ultrasonic, capacitive, optical, microwave, magnetostrictive, resistive chain, magnetoresistive, hydrostatic pressure, air bubbler, gamma ray, etc. In this paper, a cylindrical probe capacitive sensor for measuring the level of conductive liquids has been modeled based on a step-by-step mathematical procedure, using MATLAB/Simulink. The steps take the relation between the different capacitances in the model with the height of the conductive liquid into account. The results show a linearity function between the sensor capacitance from 0.1 to 1.1 nF versus the height of liquid from 0 to 90 cm. In order to have a standardized instrumentation output, a signal conditioning circuit was designed to achieve an output current of 4-20 mA, representing the sensor capacitance, and the response of the sensor in terms of current to different heights of liquid was characterized.


The dynamics of ecosystem restoration is an important issue in ecology. Based on the theories of island biogeography, plant community succession, biodiversity sustaining mechanism and ecosystem function, a dynamic model of ecosystem restoration was deduced, and verified by the observation data on semi-humid evergreen broadleaved forest at its secondary succession phase. The dynamic principle was discussed based on the analysis of the nature of the dynamic model. It was indicated that the dynamic process of ecosystem restoration was controlled by the integrative effect of ecosystem restoration force F1, disturbance force F2 and environmental resistance F3. The change rate of plant diversity restoration was in inverse proportion to plant species richness, and in direct proportion to the total driving force of ecosystem restoration F. F1 and F3 were the functions of initial species richness s0 and environmental resources of restoring ecosystem, while F2 was the function of disturbance intensity and species richness. When the ecosystem was under negative disturbance, plant species richness was always lower than the highest species richness sm. The smaller the s0, the stronger logistic the ecosystem restoration process would be. Mathematical models were established to calculate F1, F2 and F3, and to estimate the effects of plant diversity and disturbance on ecosystem restoration. It was suggested that the increase of plant species richness could enhance ecosystem restoration potential, and promote ecosystem stability.


The SELEX experiment (E781) is 5-stage magnetic spectrometer for a high statistics study of hadroproduction of charm baryons out to large x(F) using 650 Gev Sigma (-), pi (-) and p beams. The main features of the spectrometer are: a high precision silicon vertex system, powerful particle identification provided by TRD and RICH, forward Lambda (s) decay spectrometer and 3-stage lead glass photon detector. An experiment overview and spectrometer features are shown. Reconstructed charm states and results on Lambda (c), D+ particles and antiparticles produced by Sigma (-), pi (-) and p beams at x(F) > 0.3 and asymmetry for Lambda (c) are presented.


We describe Fibres of Failure (FiFa), a method to classify failure modes of predictive processes using the Mapper algorithm from Topological Data Analysis.
Our method uses Mapper to build a graph model of input data stratified by prediction error.
Groupings found in high-error regions of the Mapper model then provide distinct failure modes of the predictive process.
We demonstrate FiFa on misclassifications of MNIST images with added noise, and demonstrate two ways to use the failure mode classification: either to produce a correction layer that adjusts predictions by similarity to the failure modes; or to inspect members of the failure modes to illustrate and investigate what characterizes each failure mode.


Opportunistic infections ultimately occur in most patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and are responsible for 90% of deaths. Over the decade since the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized, important advances have been made in reducing the morbidity and mortality of opportunistic infections in patients infected with HIV. These include an improved understanding of the relationship between immunologic parameters and infection, allowing the occurrence of infectious complications to be more predictable; development of prophylactic regimens and chronic suppressive regimens that are effective, well tolerated, and convenient; and emphasis on earlier diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of those infectious processes that are not prevented. These advances have allowed the quality and duration of patient survival to improve during this decade, but they can also be anticipated to alter the spectrum of clinical manifestations that health care providers are going to see during this epidemic's second decade.


The first part of this article is about the beginnings of the Theory of Education in Spanish University and argues the identity of those who practise it. The second part of the article defends that the main contributions of the Theory of Education are: the idea of education as a human construction, the Theory of Education as a technology, the acquisition of competences through good educational practices, the technology of educational relation and the political contextualization of education.


In today's competitive market of manufacturing industry, shorter machining time is one of important factor for reducing the manufacturer's cost. This paper presents the minimisation of machining time of computer numerical control (CNC) by eliminating the uncut region of sharp corner based on contour parallel milling method.  Each uncut region at sharp corner is represented by uncut line which consists of two nodes in x and y directions.  An Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO) method is used to optimize the tool path length because of its capability to find the shortest tool path length. The optimisation of tool path length based on ACO algorithm ascertained that the cutting tool remove the uncut line once and able to eliminate the uncut region in the shortest tool path length. To observe the effectiveness of the ACO performance, the simulation results are compared with the results obtained by the previous method.  Finally the simulation results show the reduction of 5% machining time compared to previous method.


It is now impossible to ensure the competitiveness of enterprises without seeing development strategies. However, innovation, as a key factor, can condition the capacity of firm to maintain sustainable competitive advantages. The objective of this paper is to present the determinants of firm development in a global geostrategic context and seeks to highlight, using a macroeconomic model applied to the case of Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, the significant effect of variable price and non-price variables on international competitiveness. Several variables prove significant namely innovation, human capital, foreign direct investment and official exchange rates.