As urban populations increase worldwide and more demands are placed on infrastructure and buildings, the topic of adaptable building design has experienced increased interest as a way to embed adaptability into the urban building stock and avoid unnecessary demolition and waste. Evaluation tools for judging building adaptability based on physical characteristics have recently been proposed. The most common approach for these tools is to use a weighted-sum of scores for different criteria. The primary purpose of this paper was to compare a weighted-sum measurement approach against a more rigorous, less abstract measurement that involved judgements about simulated adaptation projects (called an example-based approach). These measurements were performed through expert elicitation and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) survey, where participants evaluated the relative adaptability of four case study buildings from the Clemson University campus. The results showed significant correlation between the weighted-sum approach and the example-based approach, supporting the reasonableness of using weighted-sum approaches to evaluate the adaptive potential of building designs. In addition, a separate group of experts rated adaptability of the case study buildings by providing qualitative reasons for their rankings. Unlike the other approaches, this group was not given a specific tool to guide their ratings. The qualitative data provided additional context for understanding results from the quantitative approaches.


The purpose of this contribution is to provide a very modest comparison of judicial language protection in South Africa and in Belgium. First of all, the authors sketch briefly the historical context and the constitutional status of languages in both countries. It is difficult to argue that one always has a right to use his or her own language. However, the use of language has clear links to constitutional rights such as the right to a fair trial. The authors then consider the rules on the use of languages in court generally and in criminal proceedings particularly. Belgium has strict rules on the use of language, and these rules are based on strong principles of territoriality and monolingualism. South Africa, on the other hand, has 11 official languages, not linked to territories, but in practice these languages do not all enjoy the same protection. The pragmatic approach by the South African courts is indicated with reference to the case law.


MIMAC (MIcro-TPC MAtrix of Chambers) is a directional WIMP Dark Matter detector project. Direct dark matter experiments need a high level of electron/recoil discrimination to search for nuclear recoils produced by WIMP-nucleus elastic scattering. In this paper, we proposed an original method for electron event rejection based on a multivariate analysis applied to experimental data acquired using monochromatic neutron fields. This analysis shows that a 105 rejection power is reachable for electron/recoil discrimination. Moreover, the efficiency was estimated by a Monte-Carlo simulation showing that a 105 electron rejection power is reached with a 86.49± 0.17% nuclear recoil efficiency considering the full energy range and 94.67± 0.19% considering a 5 keV lower threshold.


This study aims to identify the factors that contribute to the success of Micro and small women entrepreneurs in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Being 52% of the total population in Sri Lanka, women are still being covered the population. With the consideration of the importance of women entrepreneurship, it is better to identify the factors contributing to the success of women entrepreneurs. A quantitative method was used for gathering information and stratified sampling method was used for collecting data from 284 women entrepreneurs engaged in several activities. In the process of collecting data, a questionnaire was designed to recognize the factors that influence the success of women entrepreneurs in Micro and small enterprises. Further, interviews and discussions also were held with selected entrepreneurs and officers from Divisional Secretariat Offices. After the data collection, the data analysis was made with the help of simple statistical techniques, descriptive statistics and reduction of variables (Factor analysis) by using SPSS package. The results of the study revealed that nine key variables out of thirty one contributes to the women entrepreneurs' success in Northern Province of Sri Lanka those are motivation, self-efficacy, network, risk taking, financial strength, locus of control, problem solving, leadership and environment. The finding of this study is helpful for the micro and small entrepreneurs as well as researchers regarding the area of women entrepreneurs to further study.


This paper presents a new visualization paradigm for graphical
interpolation systems, known as Star Interpolation, that has been
specifically created for sound design applications. Through the
presented investigation of previous visualizations, it becomes apparent
that the existing visuals in this class of system, generally relate to the
interpolation model that determines the weightings of the presets and
not the sonic output. The Star Interpolator looks to resolve this
deficiency by providing visual cues that relate to the parameter space.
Through comparative exploration it has been found this visualization
provides a number of benefits over the previous systems. It is also
shown that hybrid visualizations can be generated that combine the
benefits of the new visualization with the existing interpolation
models. These can then be accessed by using an Interactive
Visualization (IV) approach. The results fromour exploration of these
visualizations are encouraging and they appear to be advantageous
when using the interpolators for sound designs tasks.


A new family of hexanuclear titanium(iv)-oxo-carboxylate cluster K7H[Ti6O9(ida)6]Cl2·13H2O {Ti6O9} has been synthesized via the H2O2-assisted reaction between TiCl4 and iminodiacetate ligands. This cluster was fully characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and a wide range of analytical methods, including FT-IR, UV/vis spectroscopy as well as electrochemistry and thermogravimetric analysis. As a new type of carboxylate substituted Ti-oxo-cluster, the structural motif of the {Ti6O9} cluster consists of one symmetric {Ti6O6} hexagonal prism with two staggered triangular {Ti3O3} subunits linked by three μ2-O bridges. The {Ti6O9} polyanions are linked by K(+) cations to form a novel 3D architecture. The structural information and stability of the {Ti6O9} polyanion in aqueous solution were thoroughly investigated by solid-state/solution NMR, ESI-MS spectroscopy. Moreover, this Ti-oxo cluster exhibits remarkable potential as a visible-light homogeneous photocatalyst for degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). Finally, a proposed peroxotitanium(iv)-mediated photocatalytic pathway involved is illustrated by spectroscopic data.


In an effort to further understand the influence of Nd on
the thermoelectric properties of the binary compound CoSb3
and try to optimize them through doping, we prepared and
investigated NdxCo4-yNiySb12 compounds. The samples have
been prepared by a conventional metallurgical route.
Structural analysis have been carried out by X-ray diffraction.
The chemical composition and micro-homogeneity have been
checked by electron probe microanalysis. Measurements of
the electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power, thermal
conductivity and Hall coefficient have been performed. The
influence of both Nd and Ni on the thermoelectric properties
of the binary parent CoSb3 is presented and discussed. Nd
plays the role of a dopant (n-type) and the presence of Ni
contributes to decrease significantly the electrical resistivity.


by Lorna Louise Whyte Clusterin is a secreted glycoprotein, upregulated in many physiological and pathophysiological conditions that has been proposed to play a role in tissue remodeling and apoptosis. Although clusterin in the mammary gland has not been extensively studied, clusterin has been implicated in mammary gland development and in breast cancer progression. To address the role of clusterin in murine mammary gland development, mammary morphogenesis was monitored in clusterin knockout (CLUKO) and wild-type mice. The ablation of clusterin alters ductal outgrowth, ductal branching, terminal end bud growth, rates of mitosis and apoptosis, and gland mass. This leads to precocious pubertal mammary gland development. In several pathophysiological conditions such as cancer it is unclear whether the upregulation of clusterin is directly involved in the process of apoptotsis, whether its induction is secondary to stress and/or apoptosis, or whether the protein is induced as a protective or survival mechanism for the cell in response to stress. We have shown that the biogenesis of clusterin in MCF-7 Lorna Louise Whyte breast cancer cells is significantly altered after treatment with TNF-α or the antiestrogen tamoxifen, leading to an upregulation of clusterin and the appearance of a non-glycosylated isoform of clusterin in the nucleus. Overexpression of the wild-type and nuclear isoforms of clusterin in vitro demonstrates a role for clusterin in the regulation of tumor cell growth. Clusterin appears to protect cells from apoptosis, and contributes to an invasive phenotype. In vivo work has established that clusterin overexpression increases tumor size, provides resistance to tamoxifen and facilitates the progression to a metastatic phenotype. All of these characteristics are common to the highly aggressive phenotype observed in late stage breast cancer patients. These data are the first to clearly demonstrate that clusterin plays a role in pubertal mammary gland development and also helps to accelerate the progression of human breast cancer to a more invasive drug-resistant phenotype.


This project had a number of aims. The first was to evaluate the usefulness of the Theory of Planned Behaviour in predicting intention to engage in breast awareness (BA) and later BA behaviour of females under 40. Second, this project evaluated the efficacy of an implementation intentions intervention aiming to increase BA behaviour in the younger population. Finally, the study also aimed to compare BA intention and behaviour of undergraduate psychology and nursing students.


In order to analyze the hormonal effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in skin sebaceous glands, the precursor steroid was administered to ovariectomized (OVX) female Sprague-Dawley rats at a dose of 30 mg applied on the dorsal skin, twice daily, for 3, 6 and 12 months. In a parallel experiment, female OVX rats were treated with DHEA at the same daily percutaneous dose of 30 mg, alone or in combination with the antiandrogen Flutamide or the pure antiestrogen EM-800, for 12 months, in order to determine the androgenic and/or estrogenic components of DHEA action. Treatment of female OVX rats with DHEA resulted in a similar mild to moderate hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands of both dorsal (site of application) and ventral skin, as illustrated by an increase in the number and size of the acini. The above-indicated effects were observed at all time intervals studied, beginning at 3 months of treatment, and they were not further increased after longer term administration of DHEA (for 6 and 12 months). The addition of Flutamide to DHEA treatment completely prevented the DHEA-induced changes in the sebaceous glands, whereas the antiestrogen EM-800 had no effect. The present data indicate an exclusive androgenic stimulatory action of DHEA on the sebaceous glands, thus pointing out the importance of local intracrine DHEA transformation into androgens for skin anatomical integrity and function, while showing that estrogens, if active in rat skin, do not originate from DHEA.


delicacv of reducing valves is often ruinied by th-e latter being used to shut off gas from cylinders wlhcni the apparatus is finished witlh, instead of using the " main tap." This procedur-e enltails very tight screwing downof the reducing valves, which, after prolonged use of this variety, naturally fail to respond accurately to the hanid of the anaesthetist when he wishes for onie imiore or less " hole " of gas oi oxygen. Seconidly, un-less great &aro is takeni thlat the " sight-feed " bottlie is niot overfilled, drlop-s of water telnd to get blown over into the tubing, anid this fact will almost invariably stem tlhe regularity of flow of gases. Tliirdly, the nitrous oxide mliay tend to freeze at thle valvc junctions. Using the noni-freezing variety of nitr ous oxide as now' supplied by Messrs. Coxeters, this is now a ver-y Irarle occurrence, and it can be still further gualrded against by not opening the " maini valvo " of the cylinder too far at the commencement of ilsO. I am quite aware of the existenice of other gas-oxygen machines, whose advocates claim finer degrees of control, but my argumenit was to the effect that gas-oxygeni anaesthesia can be attain-ied efficienitly by mneans of a " bulbblebottle " apparatuis, provided the above precaution-s are taken; thatetlher as an accessory an-aesthetic is by nio means always essential; and that, even in cases where etlher is used, the amouniit is genierally so small as to be for all practical purposes negligible.-I am, etc.,


We investigate stau-antistau annihilation into heavy quarks in the phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model within the DM@NLO project. We present the calculation of the corresponding cross section including corrections up to $\mathcal{O}(\alpha_s)$ and QED Sommerfeld enhancement. The numerical impact of these corrections is discussed for the cross section and the dark matter relic density, where we focus on top-quark final states and consider either neutralino or gravitino dark matter. Similarly to previous work, we find that the presented corrections should be included when calculating the relic density or extracting parameters from cosmological observations. Considering scheme and scale variations, we estimate the theoretical uncertainty that affects the prediction of the annihilation cross section and thus the prediction of the relic density.


This research attempts to identify the internal factors that determine public banks' profitability in Algeria, by investigating the effect of each one of them on profitability over the period 2011 – 2019, using the system-generalized method of moments. The findings indicate that the bank-specific determinants, with the exception of capitalization and leverage, are positively related to bank performance. These results have important implications for banks' survival and growth. It is expected that this study will guide the policy makers and bank management in the formulation and implementation of better policies and strategies which may lead to better performance of banks in Algeria.


Hemoglobin Queens: α34 (B15) Leu‐Arg was found in association with Hb E in a Vietnamese boy. The observed microcytosis and hypochromia were due to Hb E, which also occurred in other members of this family. The functional properties of Hb Queens in the absence and presence of allosteric effectors were normal. The abnormal hemoglobins appear to be unrelated to the hyperbilirubinemia that was observed at birth.


In the last two decades there have been numerous attempts to model the demand for money in a single-equation context. This study critically examines some of the approaches which have been suggested by applied economists. One bewildering aspect of the current literature on modelling monetary aggregates is the wild diversity of the approaches which have been advocated. Using recent developments in applied the econometrics literature, we categorise and examine the various ways in which one may construct a model which appropriately characterises the long-run and the short-run demand for money. In the first part of the study (Chapters 2 and 3) we assess the various methods by which one may construct what have often been called 'feedback-only' single-equation models of the demand for money. We show that different approaches can sometimes lead the applied economist to surprisingly different conclusions about the properties of the demand for money. In the second part of the study (Chapters 4 and 5) we focus on a different approach to modelling the demand for money, which treats the decision by economic agents to hold money as a forward-looking one. This approach is based on a view of the money stock as a 'buffer asset' in economic agents' portfolios. We demonstrate how existing single-equation models may be extended in order to render them applicable in the context of a multi-asset model with saving flows. We also consider which interpretation of the demand for money (i. e. 'feedback' or 'forward-looking') is likely to be valid in the case of the Ml aggregate in the United Kingdom. Finally, in Chapter 6 we examine the way in which the presence of forward-looking behaviour in the money market may affect the role and usefulness of monetary aggregates as information variables or indicators of monetary policy.


In a global context the artistic production has developed its critical processes from the inclusion and participation of audience in the works of art. Somehow the expansion and compression of space-time is reflected in the characteristics of many artists whose work is based on the occupying, mapping and reinterpreting of the spaces that they appropriate. This article tries to analyze the spatial and temporal turn defined by the works of artist Gabriel Orozco, The individual and collective memories, spaces of history, politics and culture are signified by the act of symbolic deterrito-rialization and reterritorialization. The article also analysed the phenomenological and material treatment of objects of Gabriel Orozco in his temporal frequency and perceptual reinterpretation in the context of cultural and political globalization in order to confront symbolic deterritorialization as a resource of his artistic production.


The Santos Basin marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic (mCSEM) data were acquired as part of a co-operation project between Petrobras and Schlumberger to assess the integration of deep reading Electromagnetic (EM) technologies into the full cycle of oil field exploration and development. Multi-component electric and magnetic fields data were recorded. All fields at each receiver location were processed and interpreted using an advanced integrated workflow. The main objectives of the survey were to calibrate mCSEM over known reservoirs, quantify the anomalies associated with those reservoirs with the expectation that new prospective location(s) could be found. We show that the mCSEM response of the known reservoirs yields signatures that can be imaged and accurately quantified by new processing and interpretation procedures. A further initiative was to advance the state of the art in integrated interpretation and establish guidelines toward the development of an industry standard workflow unavailable at present.


Introduction With the rampant spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the need for medical resources has never been greater. In recent history, the deployment of surge medical facilities and their importance in improving the provision of crisis care became relevant. The primary objective of this study was to describe the development and implementation of an alternate care site (ACS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This was a retrospective, single-center study that was conducted between April 7, 2020, and May 26, 2020, of adult patients from a primary facility admitted to an ACS, labeled Staten Island University Hospital East (SIUH-E). These select patients met specific inclusion criteria for SIUH-E before transfer. Results During the operational course of SIUH-E, 813 patients were screened and 203 patients were accepted for transfer. Of the patients admitted to SIUH-E, 120 (59%) were male. The mean age was 63 years (SD = 13.91). The mean length of stay was 3.93 days (SD = 3.94). Among discharged patients, 179 (88%) were discharged to home or another long-term facility, whereas 24 (12%) patients required a transfer back to the main campus. Conclusions In this study, we describe the development and implementation of an alternate care surge facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. SIUH-E played a vital role in effectively caring for select COVID-19 patients, which allowed the primary facilities to treat a greater volume of higher acuity patients. The combined efforts of the state and hospital were able to create and sustain a safe, practical alternative care facility.


This paper develops a model of firm location where communities differ by exogenous endowments of a factor of production. Firms choose to locate based on local subsidies to production. Community and firm optimal strategies are then examined. Through the introduction of information asymmetries about the communities' endowments, equilibrium bidding strategies for communities are found. The results show that auction institutions used by firms may in fact be signaling on the part of communities. These results also indicate that community bids reveal information, and restrictions on this bidding may do more harm than good.


The basic theory and applications of a set-theoretic approach to image analysis called mathematical morphology are reviewed. The goals are to show how the concepts of mathematical morphology geometrical structure in signals to illuminate the ways that morphological systems can enrich the theory and applications of multidimensional signal processing. The topics covered include: applications to nonlinear filtering (morphological and rank-order filters, multiscale smoothing, morphological sampling, and morphological correlation); applications to image analysis (feature extraction, shape representation and description, size distributions, and fractals); and representation theorems, which shows how a large class of nonlinear and linear signal operators can be realized as a combination of simple morphological operations. >


Four experiments demonstrate that lines indicating path of movement can generate rotational percepts in a multistable motion display that usually produces only horizontal or vertical motion percepts. The properties of the path-of-movement lines are predicted by a neural-network theory of visual perception. Experimental results validate the theory's predictions by demonstrating that movement of the display elements seems to follow an increasing luminance gradient in lines but not bars, and that illusory contours have similar effects. Experimental results also demonstrate that, in a choice between movement along lines drawn parallel or orthogonal to possible motion paths, observers more often see movement along the lines parallel to the motion path. These results suggest modifications to current computational and neurophysiological theories of motion perception.


Abstract A Boussinesq fluid inside a stably thermally stratified square container whose walls are inclined ${45}^{\circ }$ with respect to gravity, with two opposite walls kept at constant temperatures and the other two insulated is nearly isothermal in the regions above and below the horizontal diagonal. The flow is concentrated in the wall boundary layers and a shear layer centred about the horizontal diagonal. The equilibrium is maintained by the balance between dissipation in the shear and boundary layers, the heat fluxes at the constant temperature walls, and the induced flow resulting from the no-flux condition at the inclined insulated walls. The dynamical response of the fluid to vertical oscillations of the container is studied over a range of forcing frequencies. For a small forcing amplitude and below a viscosity-dependent cutoff forcing frequency, this response exhibits a modal cellular structure localized about the shear layer. With increasing forcing amplitude, the response experiences instabilities, studied here numerically at a forcing frequency above the cutoff frequency, that are similar to those encountered in the Faraday wave problem, such as parametric subharmonic instability, triadic resonance and resonant collapse.


New data produced by the WHO and Unicef demonstrated that maternal mortality has been underestimated by a third, with nearly 80,000 more pregnancy-related deaths than previously reported. About 585,000 maternal deaths occur every year, 99% of them in developing countries. 55% of the deaths occur in Asia, which is responsible for 61% of the world's births, while Africa accounts for 40% of deaths and 20% of the world's births. Developed countries account for only 1% of maternal deaths and 11% of all births. Specific statistical models were used to assess the amount of underreporting that is common in developing countries, but can also occur in developed countries. When a pregnant woman is moved from the obstetrics department because of complications and subsequently dies, the original cause of the complication often is missing from the death certificate. A representative of WHO's maternal health and safe motherhood program remarked that these estimates are a great improvement over previous data. They also should encourage action to expand access to quality care for all women during pregnancy and childbirth. In North Africa, southern Africa, eastern Asia, Central America, and South America the estimates of maternal mortality were slightly lower than those available from earlier studies. The situation was particularly worrisome in eastern, middle, and western Africa, where the earlier estimates had been underestimated by almost one-third.


The Earth's geoid is one of the most essential and fundamental concepts to provide a gravity field-related height reference in geodesy and associated sciences. To keep up with the ever-increasing experimental capabilities and to consistently interpret high-precision measurements without any doubt, a relativistic treatment of geodetic notions (including the geoid) within Einstein's theory of general relativity is inevitable. Building on the theoretical construction of isochronometric surfaces and the so-called redshift potential for clock comparison, we define a relativistic gravity potential as a generalization of (post-)Newtonian notions. This potential exists in any stationary configuration with rigidly corotating observers, and it is the same as realized by local plumb lines. In a second step, we employ the gravity potential to define the relativistic geoid in direct analogy to the Newtonian understanding. In the respective limit, the framework allows to recover well-known (post-) Newtonian results. For a better illustration and proper interpretation of the general relativistic gravity potential and geoid, some particular examples are considered. Explicit results are derived for exact vacuum solutions to Einstein's field equation as well as a parametrized post-Newtonian model. Comparing the Earth's Newtonian geoid to its relativistic generalization is a very subtle problem, but of high interest. An isometric embedding into Euclidean three-dimensional space is an appropriate solution and allows a genuinely intrinsic comparison. With this method, the leading-order differences are determined, which are at the mm level.


Orlando-In scanning laser polarimetry (SLP), eye-specific correction of corneal polarization axis and magnitude can be obtained for the quantitative assessmentof the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber lay-er (RNFL) if macular-based strategies are used in eyes free of macular pathology, according to glau-coma specialist David S. Greenfield, MD.


SUMMARY An outbreak of hepatitis A occurred among the members of the Japan Overseas Corporation Volunteers (JOCV) stationed in the Philippines. Seven out of 10 youths who ate, but none of five youths who did not eat raw oysters developed hepatitis. All these seven cases were positive for hepatitis A antibody (anti-HAV) and six of them were also positive for anti-HAV IgM (immunoglobulin M) 111 days after the infection.


This article is a theoretical study on issues about school inclusion, intellectual disability and teacher training. It discusses the issue of inclusion in contemporaneity, circumscribed by tensions between respect for differences and the exclusionary practices that emerge in an educational context. In light of Historical-Cultural Psychology and the principles of clinical activity, an important theoretical and methodological possibility for teacher training emerges which, depending on the quality of the interventions made by the researcher, can enable the resignification of the praxis of the teacher collective.


The occurrence of ERBB-2 (HER-2/NEU) oncogene amplification was studied in 203 DNA samples obtained from 175 cancer patients. Amplification of ERBB-2 oncogene was established in 14 out of 63 (22%) patients with breast cancer, 1 out of 23 cases of ovarian tumor, 1 out of 19 cases of large bowel cancer and 1 out of 27 patients with cancer of the thyroid. Patients with lung cancer (34), soft tissue sarcoma (6) and malignant melanoma (3) failed to reveal any changes in the above oncogene. A tendency was established for ERBB-2 oncogene amplification to be associated with lymph node involvement in female patients with breast cancer: amplification was observed in 9 out of 28 patients presenting with lymph node metastases and only in 5 out of 29 metastases-free cases. To summarize, ERBB-2 oncogene is fairly often activated in human tumors but a high occurrence of the gene amplification was observed in female patients with breast cancer only.


Marine cables are exposed to the action of water in relative motion, and hence the need to predict the dynamic behavior of these complex mechanical systems under the typical working conditions since the outset of the corresponding design processes. This paper describes the basic principles that can be used in a computer program meant to support the design of marine cables that should work under a combination of static and dynamic loadings. A unique mathematical model and a matching numerical method based on finite differences are used, first for determining the static equilibrium configuration of the riser, and then for findings its dynamic response around the formerly computed static configuration. A computer program was specially developed for implementing the proposed model, and a step-by-step method for the design of marine cables similar to the ones in operation at the Black Sea are herein presented. The conclusion is that this new model provides a coherent and efficient means to analyze the dynamic behavior of marine cables, as required during the design process.


A 52-years-old policeman suffering from tuberculous meningitis, developed pseudo-umbilicated nodular skin lesions which increased rapidly in size during the course of his illness. Histology revealed cutaneous sporotrichosis. Human immuno-deficiency virus infection was excluded by absence of history of exposure and repeated negative serological test for HIV antibodies. The tuberculin test was also negative. Anti-tuberculous therapy failed to prevent a fatal outcome 3 months after admission to hospital. The possibility that the usually presentation of disseminated cutaneous sporotrichosis was an opportunistic infection facilitated by immuno-deficiency accompanying anergy of miliary tuberculosis is discussed.


Opening chapter of the book, Markets, rights and power in Australian social policy, edited by Gabrielle Meagher and Susan Goodwin, and published by Sydney University Press. Australia has never had a large public social service system like those of the Nordic countries, or even of the United Kingdom. Instead, most social services have been delivered by a range of organisations that has included, but not been dominated by, the public sector. However, the mixed economy of Australian welfare services has not been static. In recent decades, both the organisational mix and the modes of coordination have changed significantly. Successive governments have expanded publicly funded social provision without expanding the public sector, by directly subsidising private provision, by contracting private agencies to deliver services, and by subsidising consumer purchases from approved private providers using tax expenditures and voucher-like instruments. Policies have been rolled out at different rates and with different instruments across the range of areas of Australian social policy. Yet the direction of change overall is clear – market organisations and market logics are playing an increasing role. This chapter, by the editors Gabrielle Meagher and Susan Goodwin, marks out the analytical territory of the book, and the surveys the themes canvassed in Chapters 1-11. Chapters in Markets, rights and power in Australian social policy: Introduction: Capturing marketisation in Australian social policy 1) The politics of market encroachment: policymaker rationales and voter responses 2) The marketisation of human services and the expansion of the not-for-profit sector 3) The devil's in the detail: the hidden costs of private retirement incomes policy 4) Social benefit bonds: financial markets inside the state 5) 'Which bank?' Competition and community service obligations in the retail banking sector 6) Community aged care providers in a competitive environment: past, present and future 7) Home security: marketisation and the changing face of housing assistance in Australia 8) Money and markets in Australia's healthcare system 9) Marketisation of immigrant skills assessment in Australia 10) Markets in education: 'School choice' and family capital 11) Conditional income transfers and choice in social services: just more conditions and more markets?


Helium bubbles are one of the typical radiation microstructures in metals and alloys, significantly influencing their deformation behavior. However, the dynamic evolution of helium bubbles under straining is less explored so far. Here, by using in situ micromechanical testing inside a transmission electron microscope, we discover that the helium bubble not only can coalesce with adjacent bubbles, but also can split into several nanoscale bubbles under tension. Alignment of the splittings along a slip line can create a bubble-free channel, which appears softer, promotes shear localization, and accelerates the failure in the shearing-off mode. Detailed analyses unveil that the unexpected bubble fragmentation is mediated by the combination of dislocation cutting and internal surface diffusion, which is an alternative microdamage mechanism of helium irradiated copper besides the bubble coalescence.


Purpose: This study investigated the level of adherence to vestibular rehabilitation exercise program(VREP) and evaluated how health belief model (HBM) variables are related with adherence to VREP in patients with dizziness. Methods: The data were collected from 150 individuals, who agreed to participate in the study between December, 2012 and May, 2013. Adherence to VREP, severity of dizziness, health belief variables (health belief scale) and self-efficacy (self-efficacy scale) were measured. Results: The result of this study showed poor adherence to VREP. The mean adherence score to VREP was 2.11±1.05 (1-5). In multivariate analysis, severity of dizziness (p<.001), taking sedative medication (p<.001), high self-efficacy (p<.001), high perceived seriousness (p=.019) & benefit (p=.036) were independent predicting factors explaining 57.7% of adherence to VREP. Conclusion: Adherence to VREP was poor among these patients. To improve the patient"s adherence to VREP, strategies to increase perceived seriousness, benefit, or self-efficacy and to decrease barriers are urgently needed.


The chemokine RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) is a potent regulator of leukocyte trafficking. RANTES preferentially attracts mature CD4 cells as well as macrophages and eosinophils, but not neutrophils. In total, 128 children with meningococcal disease were prospectively studied, and the role of RANTES in the pathophysiology of meningococcal disease was assessed. Plasma RANTES, interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, IL-1 receptor agonist, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were measured at admission. Severity of disease was stratified by the Glasgow meningococcal septicemia prognostic score (GMSPS). RANTES levels correlated significantly with IL-8 levels, admission lactate levels, platelets, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time. RANTES levels were lower in children with severe disease (GMSPS>/=8; P=.001), in those with septic shock (P<.0005), and in nonsurvivors (P=.048; Mann-Whitney test). RANTES is a potential mediator in the pathophysiology of meningococcal disease.


Introduction. The article is devoted to the characterization and substantiation of the basic principles and priority areas of the foreign policy activity of the Russian Federation in the context of the transformation of the modern system of international relations. Scenario approaches to the development of the Russian state and its functional role in the context of increased conflict potential between countries of Western and non-Western civilizations that are most frequently articulated within the political science discourse are interpreted. The study's relevance stems from the need to reconsider the dominant grounds for restructuring the contemporary world order, which lacks security and stability, while compromising the development interests of most states and societies at national, regional, and global levels. Methods and materials. The authors rely on the conceptual statements of the political organization of the contemporary world, developed by M.M. Lebedeva within the framework of a system approach. In identifying the sources of global turbulence experienced by the current system of international relations, the theoretical constructions by I. Wallerstein, S. Huntington, G. Kissinger, and O.V. Gaman-Golutvina were used. The elucidation of the functional specifics of Russia as a civilization state in the system of the world order of the past and present is based on a civilizational approach. The empirical base of the article was the normative and legal documents of the Russian Federation and the results of surveys conducted by leading centers: VCIOM, FOM, and Levada Center (this organization is included in the unified register of individuals and organizations recognized as foreign agents in the Russian Federation). Analysis and results. In the course of the study, the dominant factors that contribute to the radicalization of the conflict potential of the existing system of international relations were revealed and interpreted. The relationship between the escalation of the conflict between the Western bloc countries and Russia, the multifaceted objectification of Russophobia in all spheres of life, and the strategic vectors of Russia's foreign policy formulated in The Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation (2023) is traced. At the same time, attention is focused not only on the principles of the new Russian statehood and the place of the Russian Federation in the contemporary world but also on the historical continuity of Russia as a civilization state. Authors' contribution. S.A. Pankratov developed the theoretical basis of the study, analyzed the dominant trends in the transformation of the modern system of international relations, and carried out the general scientific editing of the article. E.V. Klinshans summarized and analyzed the empirical data related to the priorities of the implementation of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation and formulated the main conclusions of the work.


In order to enhance fault-tolerance of cloud storage system in cloud computing environment, current snapshot technology and log-structured file-system mechanism are studied. A snapshot system based on HLBS(Hadoop Distributed File System based Log-Structured Block storage System) is designed and implemented. By this design, new snapshots are added to HLBS, from which user data could be saved and recovered for cloud storage system HLBS. HLBS is implemented upon Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) with the idea of Log-Structured File System (LFS) without changing the source code of HDFS. Snapshot system of HLBS could not only prevent data from missing but also help HLBS rollback and forward to any time of storage data. To improve the expandabilities, availabilities and fault-tolerance of HLBS, snapshot system is a good feature to be realized. At last, HLBS snapshot system is analyzed and compared with other snapshot technologies.


We use the reduction of the string dynamics on Rt × S to the Neumann-Rosochatius integrable system to map all string solutions described by this dynamical system onto solutions of the complex sine-Gordon integrable model. This mapping relates the parameters in the solutions on both sides of the correspondence. In the framework of this approach, we find finite-size string solutions, their images in the (complex) sine-Gordon system, and the leading finite-size effects of the single spike "E − ∆φ" relation for both Rt × S and Rt × S cases. ∗On leave from Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria.


This study is to analyse the physical criterias of the cotton colth Qur'an binding of the East Coast of the Malay Peninsula. Cotton is a type of textile used as the East Coast Qur'an binding. It is also of good quality that received high demand throughout the world prior to the 20th century. Before the 20 century, the cotton industry reached the Malay world through two routes, firstly via direct trade from India that had taken place prior to the arrival of Western colonization and secondly, through the East India Company, which turned the colonies under its control into revolutionary markets for British industry. A total of 150 Quran manuscript artefacts were used in this study. Each cotton cloth design was analysed and divided into categories such as coloured, striped, patterns with Indian influence and English patterns, based on the motif used. The red covers of Qurans from the East Coast of the Malay Peninsula have been identified to use cotton cloth as the inner cover for manuscripts, which is known as the end paper. The pattern and colour used showcases the taste and exclusivity of the binding of Qurans with red leather covers from the East Coast. It is also one of the defining features of Qurans with red leather covers from the East Coast of the Malay Peninsula.


The financial crises of 2007-2008 and the subsequent worldwide recession show the importance of exploring the correlation between financial and real crises. Starting from our new estimation of the Italian business cycle (Bartoletto et al., 2017), we analyze the linkage between banking crises and the business cycle in Italy over the last two centuries. The vast literature on banking crises in Italy is dominated by the narrative approach. In this work we aim to advance the argument one step further by integrating the narrative approach with an empirical VAR analysis, distinguishing between slowdown and inner-banking crises according to the business cycle phase in which they occur. Our long-run analysis proves that not all the banking crises have a connection with real activity and that not all the crises occurring close to a GDP contraction were associated to a boom-bust mechanism.


Mode II loading of drill core samples of medium-grained granite is conducted using the Punch-Through Shear (PTS-) test. Cylindrical samples with circular notches at both end surfaces are subjected to independent confining pressure and shear loading of the intact portion between the notches. This paper presents results from PTStesting at confining pressure of 30 MPa, including the pressure dependency of Mode II fracture toughness, KIIC, the resulting fracture pattern, acoustic emission (AE) characteristics and computer simulation. At failure a shear fracture connects the upper and lower notch. Fracture evolution on the macroscopic scale is described. Analysis of AE and micro-structural observations show contribution of both tensile and shear cracks to fracture propagation. AE polarity analysis shows a shift from dominantly tensile cracking to shear cracking during increasing punch loading. This suggests that fracturing in the PTStest involves mixed-mode fracturing. The fracture initiation and propagation is analysed using the displacement discontinuity code FRACOD. The code simulates the fracture initiation and propagation and acoustic emission of the PTStest with a fair agreement with the experimental results.


The irides of two patients with Fuch's heterochromic iridocyclitis were investigated by electron microscopy. The main findings were abnormal melanocytes with relatively few, small, and at times immature melanin granules, abundance of plasma cells, and membranous degeneration of nerve fibers. The defective melanin production may be due to abnormal adrenergic innervation, either primary or secondary to the inflammatory process. The cause for this inflammatory reaction was not evident in this study.


This dissertation attempts to illuminate and expand our understanding of charge dynamics in a number of different semiconductor materials, in particular the behavior of electron-hole pairs which are correlated via the long-range Coulomb interaction. Terahertz spectroscopy gives us direct access to probe the fundamental excitations of quasiparticles in a wide range of materials systems. By probing the low-energy excitations of materials on short time scales, one can learn a great deal about their quasiparticles and dynamics as well as explore new tools for their manipulation.Carriers in semiconductors, existing either as bound electron-hole pairs or lfreer carriers (or both), are particularly amenable to this avenue of study. The internal structure of excitons in semiconductors lies energetically in the far- to mid-infrared. Free carriers moving under the influence of a free-space electric field reveal much about themselves. By exploiting this unique window, one can both characterize and manipulate these systems in novel ways, as well as seek to understand the physics of new materials.I study the ferromagnetic semiconductor gallium manganese phosphide (GaMnP) to better understand the role of charge carriers in the origins of ferromagnetism. By applying the tools of terahertz spectroscopy, I am able to make contact free measurements of hole populations in a novel GaMnP film.I exploit THz spectroscopy to provide a direct gauge of bound and unbound pair densities in gallium arsenide quantum wells, enabling the observation of the excitonic fine structure as it evolves under high-density conditions. And finally I have observed for the first time stimulated emission of far-infrared radiation from internal transitions in excitons in the semiconductor Cu2O. Broadband THz spectroscopy is employed to directly map out the ultrafast dynamics, spectral positions, and line broadenings of intra-excitonic transitions. This work has opened up new possibilities for the quantum manipulation of excitons. With these studies, I continue to test and expand the atomic analogy of excitons.


A two days old male child was admitted with features of neonatal intestinal obstruction. Straight x-ray abdomen showed distended small intestinal loops with few air fluid levels. After resuscitation abdomen was explored. There was distal ileal atresia with duplication cyst. Resection of atretic segment along with duplication cyst was performed and end to side ileo-ileal anastomosis with proximal ileostomy was done. Patient recovered uneventfully. Till now patient is doing well.


Previously, it was widely documented that an overall decrease in surface solar radiation occurred in China at least until 2005, in contrast to the general background of 'global brightening'. Increased anthropogenic aerosol emissions were speculated to be the source of the reduction. In this study, we extend the trend analysis to the most recent decade from 2005–2015 and find that surface solar radiation has shifted from 'dimming' to 'brightening' over East China, with the largest increase over the northeast and southeast parts. Meanwhile, satellite and ground observation both indicate a reduction in aerosol optical depth (AOD) during the same period, whereas no significant trends in cloud amount show up. Detailed analysis using co-located radiation and aerosol observation at the XiangHe station in North China suggests that both AOD and single scattering albedo (SSA) changes contribute to the radiation trends. AOD reduction contributes to the increase of direct solar radiation, also decreasing the diffuse radiation, while the increase of SSA serves to increase the diffuse fraction. Simple calculations using a radiative transfer model confirm that the two effects combined explain changes in the global solar radiation and its components effectively. Our results have implications for potential climate effects with the reduction of China's aerosol emissions, and the necessity to monitor aerosol composition in addition to its loading.


Compliance with spatial fishing regulations (e.g., marine protected areas, fishing closures) is one of the most important, yet rarely measured, determinants of ecological recovery. We used aerial observations of recreational fishing events from creel surveys before, during, and after 77 Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs) were established in British Columbia, Canada. There was no evidence of a change in fishing effort in 83% of the RCAs, and effort in five RCAs increased after establishment. Fishing effort in open areas adjacent to the RCAs declined with time and was higher than effort in the RCAs in all 3 years. Next, we used compliance data for 105 RCAs around Vancouver Island to model the drivers of compliance. Compliance was related to the level of fishing effort around the RCA, the size and perimeter-to-area ratio of RCAs, proximity to fishing lodges, and the level of enforcement. Noncompliance in RCAs may be hampering their effectiveness and impeding rockfish recovery. Education and enforcement efforts to reduce fishing effort inside protected areas are critical to the recovery of depleted fish stocks.


Reminiscences of the past were studied in 50 mentally normal women aged 72-92 years. Two types of reminiscences were identified: review, reevaluation of the past life in 13 and spontaneous reminiscences of the long past in 32 subjects. The latter were characterized by fragmentality, sensual vividness, not infrequently by emotional neutrality. They were in fair correlation with the age and the level of mental activity. It was proved that the realization of old mnemonic material becomes biologically easier in old age. It is postulated that this property of senile psyche may serve as a prerequisite for the development of the pathological symptom, a shift of the situation into the past, which is constant in senile dementia and transient in other psychopathological states in advanced age.


The number of Americans in long-term care (LTC) facilities is growing rapidly. The average lifespan is increasing, and the baby boomer generation is aging. This puts stress on both LTC facilities as well as hospitals (McAndrew, Grabowski, Dangi, & Young, 2015). In order for the healthcare system to run efficiently, all healthcare providers need to be aware of this issue. Methods to prevent potentially avoidable hospitalizations (PAH) should be available for nurses. This systematic review of the literature discusses the current literature about possible prevention methods. This review includes articles that identify the major causes of PAH as well as articles that explore different ways to minimize them. Many LTC residents require care in a hospital setting from time to time, and some more frequently than others. The term "potentially avoidable hospitalization" is used to categorize a required hospitalization that could have been avoided (McAndrew et al., 2015). Whether from a fall, a medication error, an infectious process, or another avoidable cause, such hospitalizations have negative impacts on the patient and are a huge expense for healthcare (Walsh et al., 2012). Some LTC patients are admitted to the hospital repeatedly, and sometimes for the same problem. Proper planning and care from nurses and other healthcare providers can lower the number of PAH this population experiences. This article reviews tools and techniques available for nurses so they will be aware of such methods. Additional research, including more randomized controlled trials, are needed since this is a rising issue in healthcare and there is currently no golden standard for nursing practice.


Abstract Feldspars are a common component in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Most feldspars exhibit luminescence, and this has proved useful in a number of mineralogical applications. In this paper, we concentrate on the thermoluminescence (TL) properties of feldspar, or the luminescence produced when a sample of feldspar is heated. We determined the induced TL properties of four feldspars of various compositions in their natural states, and after heating, and we compared the TL data with structural changes as determined by X-ray diffraction. The major TL peak at 120-240 °C in the TL glow curve, a plot of light intensity against temperature, varies significantly among feldsparbearing samples. Meteorites and lunar samples with slow cooling histories of ∼10 °C/My as determined by independent methods, have induced TL peak temperatures of ∼120 °C, while samples with fast cooling histories (∼100 °C/My) have induced TL peak temperatures of ∼220 °C. This variation in TL peak temperature can be reproduced by heating the present feldspar samples, meteorites and lunar samples prior to the TL measurement. Most of the present samples in their natural state had TL peak temperatures of ∼120 °C. Heating below 750 °C in the laboratory caused no change in TL peak temperatures or the structural disorder of the feldspar, while heating >750 °C caused TL peak temperatures to move to ∼220 °C and disordered the feldspar structure. We suggest that induced TL peak temperature in feldspar is influenced by the degree of Al-Si ordering in the feldspar. Thus, induced TL peak temperature can be used as an indicator of cooling rate for igneous and metamorphic rocks.


The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Atazanavir/Ritonavir/Dolutegravir/Hydroxychloroquine and Lopinavir/Ritonavir/Hydroxychloroquine treatment regimens in COVID‐19 patients based on clinical and laboratory parameters. We prospectively evaluated the clinical and laboratory outcomes of 62 moderate to severe COVID‐19 patients during a 10‐day treatment plan. Patients were randomly assigned to either KH (receiving Lopinavir/Ritonavir [Kaletra] plus Hydroxychloroquine) or ADH (receiving Atazanavir/Ritonavir, Dolutegravir, and Hydroxychloroquine) groups. During this period, clinical and laboratory parameters and outcomes such as intensive care unit (ICU) admission or mortality rate were recorded. Compared to the KH group, after the treatment period, patients in the ADH group had higher activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) (12, [95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.97, 17.06), p = <0.01), international normalized ratio (INR) (0.17, [95% CI: 0.07, 0.27), p = <0.01) and lower C‐reactive protein (CRP) (−14.29, (95% CI: −26.87, −1.71), p = 0.03) and potassium (−0.53, (95% CI: −1.03, −0.03), p = 0.04) values. Moreover, a higher number of patients in the KH group needed invasive ventilation (6 (20%) vs. 1 (3.1%), p = 0.05) and antibiotic administration (27 (90%) vs. 21(65.6), p = 0.02) during hospitalization while patients in the ADH group needed more corticosteroid administration (9 (28.1%) vs. 2 (6.7%), p = 0.03). There was no difference in mortality rate, ICU admission rate, and hospitalization period between the study groups. Our results suggest that the Atazanavir/Dolutegravir treatment regimen may result in a less severe disease course compared to the Lopinavir/Ritonavir treatment regimen and can be considered as an alternative treatment option beside standard care. However, to confirm our results, larger‐scale studies are recommended.


ZnO quantum dots (QDs) embedded in an amorphous SiO2 matrix were examined in depth by using variable-temperature photoluminescence (PL) and optical reflectance spectroscopies. Compared with ZnO bulk crystals, ZnO quantum dots with an average size of 4 nm exhibit a strong quantum confinement effect, evidenced by a large blue shift in both PL and reflectance peaks of excitons. More interestingly, a remarkably reduced long-range Fröhlich interaction was revealed in ZnO QDs. These fascinating effects may make ZnO QDs a very appealing system in the fields of optoelectronics and others.


98 Background The fracture toughness Master Curve* 1 gives a universal relationship between the median of fracture toughness and temperature in the ductile-brittle transition temperature region of ferritic steels such as reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. The Master Curve approach specified in the ASTM standard theoretically provides the confidence levels of fracture toughness in consideration of the inherent scatter of fracture toughness. CRIEPI has conducted a series of fracture toughness tests for typical Japanese RPV steels with various specimen sizes and shapes, and has ascertained that the Master Curve method can be well applied to the specimens with thickness of 0.4-inches or larger*2. Considering the possible application of the Master Curve method coexistent with the present surveillance program for operating RPVs, the utilization of miniature specimens which can be taken from broken halves of surveillance specimens is quite important for efficient determination of the Master Curve from limited volume of the materials concerned.


For brightfield detection of two different DNA target sequences in one sample, we developed a double-target in situ hybridization (ISH) technique, using biotin- and digoxigenin-labeled chromosome-specific DNA probes. First, several immunochemical detection systems were optimized and compared for sensitivity and simultaneous applicability. Two non-interfering immunochemical systems were chosen for simultaneous detection of the DNA probe labels. This resulted in combination of an alkaline phosphatase (AP)-conjugated avidin-biotin system with a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated antibody system for detection of biotin- and digoxigenin-labeled DNA probes, respectively. Development of AP with New Fuchsin-naphthol phosphate and HRP with diaminobenzidine-H2O2 resulted in stable, well-contrasting (red and black, respectively) color precipitates visible by conventional light microscopy. The double-target ISH technique was successfully applied on a wide variety of biological materials, such as metaphase spreads, cytospin, and Thin-prep samples of cytological specimens, frozen tissue sections, and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. In particular, on tissue sections, where quantitative interpretation of ISH data can be hampered by truncation of nuclei, the double-target ISH technique appeared to be a valuable tool for demonstration of chromosome aberrations and chromosome imbalances.


Macroscale interfacial constitutive equations, as well as expressions for the phenomenological functions appearing therein, are derived via a rigorous matched asymptotic expansion scheme for transport processes occurring in immiscible fluid—fluid systems possessing moving and deforming interfaces. The usefulness of an asymptotic approach is demonstrated by examining a model in which the three-dim ensional microscale fluid continuum is assumed to obey an incompressible, transversely-isotropic, linear, newtonian-type constitutive equation possessing position-dependent phenomenological coefficients which depend strongly upon distance normal to the interface. In such circumstances, them acroscale interfacial stress tensor reduces to the familiar isotropic Boussinesq-Scriven form . Similarly, a two-dimensional, isotropic, macroscale interfacial Fick's law relation is derived from a comparable, three-dimensional, transversely-isotropic, microscale fickian form for the case of a diffusion-controlled surfactant transport exchange between the bulk phases and the interface.


We show theoretically and empirically that standard methods give downward biased estimates of productivity growth if technical change is factor-biased. We show how to correct for this bias and construct more reliable measures of the productivity gains from technical progress. We consider two empirical applications, one where the source of technical progress is unobserved, and a second where the source can be directly measured. In the first application, we use the frequently applied NBER-CES productivity database for the United States over the years 1958–2011. The bias is especially large in the last decade, making our finding relevant for the discussion on the slowdown in US productivity growth since 2000. In the second application, we study the adoption of broadband internet in Norwegian firms in the early 2000s. We have plausibly exogenous variation in the availability and adoption of broadband internet by firms. In both applications, we find that the factor-biased nature of technological progress, if ignored, leads to the erroneous conclusion of only modest productivity gains from adopting new technology when the actual gains are in fact considerable.


In Reply. —We are not surprised at the diverse responses to the article by Dr Ernster and colleagues1and our Editorial because we are all in a transition phase in the acceptance of and therapeutic responses to the heterogeneity of breast cancer, particularly DCIS. It was our opinion of the response of the popular press that most felt that too many women were getting mastectomies, while we thought that it was surprising that so many women were not undergoing mastectomy. Perhaps this is just a matter of perspective and bias of optimism vs pessimism. If our comments accepting this change toward conservative treatment of DCIS and looking forward to more certain evidence from multicenter trials constitutes speaking out of both sides of our mouths (as noted by Dr Vikram), then we so confess. It is not uncommon for surgical practice to change gradually over time as witnessed by the transition to


Physical education for children with hearing impairment should be implemented by applying appropriate adaptive learning strategies to support the achievement of expected goals, because children with hearing or hearing impairment can not process information as normal children. Thus, in the implementation of learning teachers should be able to build good communication Based on the results of observations that the authors do to students with hearing impaired Private Junior High School (SMPLB) as a city Pekanbaru. Some problems are found, namely the lack of knowledge of students in the field of physical education because when the students' learning tends to be pensive and not pay attention to the teacher, when the assessment begins students can not perform the movement that is taught by the teacher because in the learning process students tend not to notice, and the student body tends to stiff when practicing movements that teachers teach. From the results of data collected and analyzed, although there are teachers who have not conducted a good assessment but the final end of the sample collected is the implementation of assessment in the physical education field of the private junior high school deaf students (SMPLB) in Pekanbaru city well done


Author(s): Zhang, Min | Advisor(s): Smith, Pamela | Abstract: This dissertation investigates social reactions to prosocial norm violation, or violating a social norm to help others. I investigated how prosocial norm violation (e.g., wearing inappropriate clothing to advocate for an important cause) separately affects how powerful that person appears to others and how much power people are willing to give to that person. Across four main studies and five supplementary studies, when a target performed a prosocial action, they were seen as slightly less powerful, but were much less likely to be given a powerful role, when that action was a norm violation (versus norm consistent). When the positive impact of the prosocial action was heightened, the norm violator was seen as just as powerful as the norm follower, but was still less likely to be given power. Mediation analyses suggest that prosocial norm violators were perceived as more agentic than prosocial norm followers, which increased power perception. However, the violators were also perceived as less communal, which decreased both power perception and power conferral. In conclusion, prosocial norm violation leads to mixed social outcomes: while prosocial violators were perceived as more agentic, they were also perceived as less communal and less powerful, and were given less power. Prosocial norm violation appears to not be a clear pathway to power.


Adult ABO-incompatible liver transplantation has been known to be associated with markedly desperate outcomes. Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) has been recognized as one of the primary causes of these desperate outcomes, but its clinical features and significance have not been well understood. Recently, some clinicians have succeeded in improving the outcome of adult ABO-incompatible liver transplantation. However, in some transplant patients undergoing these treatments, AMR has still led to graft losses. We recently encountered two patients suffering from AMR after adult ABO-incompatible liver transplantation and remedied their conditions with various therapeutic modalities including direct hepatic infusion therapy and gamma-globulin bolus infusion therapy combined with plasmapheresis. In this article, we describe the clinical features of these patients and the therapeutic strategies we applied. Furthermore, we show the histologic course of the recovery from AMR in the second patient, from whom we were able to extract serial liver biopsies.


The first edition of this book was published in 1951 and was a thorough and detailed study of surgical procedures involving the nose. It included reconstruction of war injuries and deformities from neoplastic, traumatic, radiation, congenital, and other causes. Each procedure is well illustrated both anatomically and surgically. Preoperative and postoperative photographs of patients showed the results of these procedures. The second edition is not a revision but a reprinting of the first edition, and the only addition is a chapter on the use of some of the new synthetics for implantation purposes. A description on the use of cartilage and bone is given. The synthetics described are Teflon, the silicones, and synthetic sponges. The principal sponge materials are silicone Etheron, and Ivalon. The properties and characteristics are listed with advantages and disadvantages. The author concludes that in our present state of knowledge it is probably best to consider an


Breast Conserving Surgery (BCS) has gradually substituted mastectomy in the treatment of early-stage tumors. Indeed it ensures the same overall survival and better aesthetic results when followed post-operative radiotherapy. Nevertheless more than 20% excision of breast tissue, retro-areolar or lower pole cancer, and higer-sized breasts with ptosis, tend to result in aesthetically unpleasant results. Oncoplastic breast surgery finds its route into breast conserving surgery in the attempt to improve the aesthetic results while not compromising the oncologic ones.


A common framework for interface-trap (NIT) generation involving broken equivSi-H and equivSi-O bonds is developed for negative bias temperature instability (NBTI), Fowler-Nordheim (FN), and hot-carrier injection (HCI) stress. Holes (from inversion layer for pMOSFET NBTI, from channel due to impact ionization, and from gate poly due to anode-hole injection or valence-band hole tunneling for nMOSFET HCI) break equivSi-H bonds, whose time evolution is governed by either one-dimensional (NBTI or FN) or two-dimensional (HCI) reaction-diffusion models. Hot holes break equivSi-O bonds during both FN and HCI stress. Power-law time exponent of NIT during stress and recovery of NIT after stress are governed by relative contribution of broken equivSi-H and equivSi-O bonds (determined by cold- and hot-hole densities) and have important implications for lifetime prediction under NBTI, FN, and HCI stress conditions


Abnormal expression of sialylated Thomsen–Friedenreich antigen (Neu5Acα2-3Galβ1-3GalNAcα-O-Ser/Thr, sialyl-T) has a strong relationship with various types of human cancers and many other diseases. However, the size and structural complexity, and relatively lower abundance of sialyl-T have posed a significant challenge to its detection. Therefore, details about the role of sialyl-T in a variety of physiological and pathological processes are still poorly understood. Here, a one-step chemoenzymatic labeling strategy to probe sialyl-T is described. This approach enables the sensitive, selective, and rapid detection of sialyl-T, and global profiling and identification of unknown sialyl-T-attached glycoproteins, which are potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers. The use of one-step labeling strategy not only has a higher sensitivity than a typical two-step reporter strategy but also avoids undergoing an additional chemical reaction step to introduce a reporter group after the labeling reaction, making it particularly useful for detecting low-abundance glycan epitopes on living cells.


The English-language literature was reviewed to examine the evidence base for strategies that have been used to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Prediction of OHSS by pretreatment patient characteristics and ovarian response parameters is unreliable, with a significant number of OHSS cases occurring in patients not thought to be high risk, while the majority of 'high-risk' cycles do not result in OHSS. Alternatives to ovarian stimulation should always be considered, depending on the clinical situation. Monofollicular ovulation induction with a cautious step-up regime carries a lower risk of overstimulation than step-down regimes. In in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, a low starting dose of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the use of 5000 iu human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) for final follicular maturation may benefit patients at high risk of OHSS. The role of GnRH antagonists is unclear. In women with polycystic ovaries, who are undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF, metformin co-treatment may reduce the risk of OHSS. Coasting of cycles with over-response is associated with a reduced risk of OHSS, although precise criteria for initiating and ending coasting are not definable at present. Elective cryopreservation of all embryos prevents late OHSS, but its value has been poorly researched. The literature does not support a role for intravenous albumin, administered around the time of oocyte retrieval, in preventing OHSS. Evidence is insufficient regarding a possible role for hexa-ethyl starch. hCG should not be used for luteal support, as it is associated with a higher risk of OHSS, and equivalent pregnancy rates are obtained with the use of progesterone.


This paper investigates the implementation of integrated reporting (IR) by Generali, one of the most important listed companies in Italy. The research questions we aim at answering are the following: Is the IR approach to materiality inherently different from the sustainability reporting (SR) approach? Does IR lead to the identification of different material topics than does SR? On the one hand, institutional theory suggests that IR and SR material topics are going to be significantly different because IR is mainly driven by a market logic, whereas SR is inspired by a stakeholder logic. On the other hand, organizational change theory predicts there will be some resistance to change by the organization, therefore leading to IR and SR topics being similar. In order to answer our research questions, we implement two empirical analyses. First, we propose and develop an innovative methodological approach on the basis of content analysis, which allows measuring the materiality of different issues under the IR approach. Second, we rely on evidence obtained through interviews, which suggests that IR and SR approaches to materiality are inherently different.


The authors report three cases of endothoracic tumour recurrence in patients who have been operated on for primary lung cancer revealed by CT scanning, carried out systematically in the respiratory unit to a pre-established protocol. There were no other clinical, fibre-optic, or radiological signs of these recurrences before their discovery using CT scanning. The authors discuss the value of thoracic scanning in the systematic follow up of operated cases of bronchial cancer.


During the late Precambrian, the terranes of the Arabian and adjoining plates were fused along the northeastern flank of the African plate in Gondwanaland. This phase, which ended approximately 640 to 620 Ma, was followed by continental failure (620 to 580 Ma) and intracontinental extension (600 to approximately 550 Ma). During the Infracambrian extensional phase, a triple junction may have evolved near the Sinai Peninsula and may have consisted of the (1) Jordan Valley and Dead Sea rift branch, (2) Sinai and North Egypt rift branch, and (3) the Najd wrench-rift branch. The Najd, Hawasina, and Zagros fault systems may have been transverse faults that accompanied rifting in the Arabian Gulf and Zagros Mountains, southern Oman, Pakistan, and Kerman in central Iran. While the area was extending and subsiding, the Tethys Ocean flooded the eastern side of the Arabian plate and Iran and deposited calcareous clastics, carbonates, and evaporites (including the Hormuz and Ara halites). This transgression extended into the western part of the Arabian plate via the Najd rift system. The termination of the extensional phase during the late Early Cambrian was accompanied by a major regression and terrestrial conditions on the Arabian Peninsula. However, by the Early Ordovician, as sea level peaked to a highstand, the Arabian plate was blanketed with marginal marine sediments.


SUMMARY Cash-constrained farmers who cannot afford herbicides and mineral fertilizers may incorporate green manure cover crops (GMCCs) as relay crops to aid in management of weeds and nitrogen in maize systems under conservation agriculture in cases where rotations are a challenge. An experiment was conducted at two sites with contrasting soil types, University of Zimbabwe farm (clay) and Domboshawa Training Centre (sandy) to investigate the effects of maize/velvet bean intercropping at 8 weeks after planting maize (WAPM), applying different fertilizer rates and exploring their interactive effects on weed composition, maize productivity and biomass production [total maize non-cob biomass (stover) plus GMCC biomass]. The performance of the system depended largely on the amount of rainfall received within and across the seasons, sites and their interaction; also on the amount of fertilizer applied. Generally, biomass yields attained by velvet bean [Mucuna pruriens L. (DC.)] were lower than reported previously. Maize grain yield and weed diversity were higher in treatments with higher fertilizer rates, reaching up to 5·1 t/ha and 1·39, respectively. Generally, the highest weed diversity and highest maize grain yield values were observed in maize/velvet bean combinations and higher fertilizer rates (i.e. 0·27 and 4·8 t/ha, respectively) in the sandy soil. Higher fertilizer rates resulted in greater maize stover yield and this contributed greatly to the biomass productivity of the system in the sandy soil in the 2012/13 season, while the high biomass productivity observed in velvet bean in the clay site in the final season contributed significantly to productivity. Maize productivity was not affected by velvet bean introduced at 8 WAPM in any of the seasons. The present study showed that relay cropping velvet bean as late as 8 WAPM and onwards has potential to increase biomass production without compromising maize yields. However, planting it as late as 8 WAPM results in reduced productivity due to reduced moisture availability.


Probably Approximately Correct (i.e., PAC) learning is a core concept of sample complexity theory, and efficient PAC learnability is often seen as a natural counterpart to the class P in classical computational complexity. But while the nascent theory of parameterized complexity has allowed us to push beyond the P-NP "dichotomy" in classical computational complexity and identify the exact boundaries of tractability for numerous problems, there is no analogue in the domain of sample complexity that could push beyond efficient PAC learnability.

As our core contribution, we fill this gap by developing a theory of parameterized PAC learning which allows us to shed new light on several recent PAC learning results that incorporated elements of parameterized complexity. Within the theory, we identify not one but two notions of fixed-parameter learnability that both form distinct counterparts to the class FPT - the core concept at the center of the parameterized complexity paradigm - and develop the machinery required to exclude fixed-parameter learnability. We then showcase the applications of this theory to identify refined boundaries of tractability for CNF and DNF learning as well as for a range of learning problems on graphs.


Some individual difference factors are more strongly correlated with performance on postreading questions when the text is not available than when it is. The present study explores if similar interactions occur with bridging skill, which refers to a reader's propensity to establish connections between explicit text during reading. Undergraduates read science texts using two research tools. The Reading Strategy-Assessment Tool provided a measure of bridging skill. Texts and postreading questions were presented in Read&Answer, and the availability of the text while answering was manipulated. Contrary to prior research, bridging skill was comparably correlated with performance in both availability conditions. Although bridging skill was not correlated with search decisions, there was a trend toward a positive correlation with search time, suggesting that readers who tend to bridge more may also tend to persist longer in searching for answers. The results are discussed in terms of dynamic perspectives of task-oriented reading.


Aiming to evaluate how stirring procedures impact biodiesel production from castor oil, this work employed a fractional factorial design to study the influence of some parameters on the alkaline catalytic transesterification of castor oil for biodiesel production. Biodiesel was produced in a pilot plant equipped with a stirring tank reactor and a thermostatic bath. The study used a 2 7-2 factorial design. The variables were stirring rate, presence or absence of deflection, impeller type, oil/methanol molar ratio, reaction time, temperature, and catalyst type. Gas chromatography afforded the reaction yields. Analysis of each variables as well as evaluation of binary interactions helped to determine how the parameters affected biodiesel production. The best conditions for a yield of 99.3 % were: turbine impeller, absence of deflection in the reactor, stirring rate of 500 rpm, 1:7 oil/alcohol molar ratio, sodium hydroxide as catalyst, reaction time of 30 min, and temperature of 50 °C.


In order to determine whether or not CFTR protein distribution differs between the airways of fetuses with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) from the airways of normal fetuses we studied the distribution pattern of the CFTR protein in lung. Cases of normal and CF human fetuses as well as cases of normal neonates were examinated. Our aim was to establish whether CFTR expression during pregnancy could be correlated with the maturation of the airways, and to compare normal and CF samples. We hypothesized that any difference between normal and CF fetal lung in CFTR protein expression could be related to a functional change appearing in early development even if no morphological differences could be detected at the light microscopic level. The distribution of CFTR protein progressively increased from 10 weeks of gestation (WG) to mid‐gestation, but thereafter decreased until term. The CFTR protein was first detected in the cytoplasm of undifferentiated epithelial cells. Before mid‐gestation, the immunostaining was strongly positive in bronchi, in sub‐mucosal glands, and in lung parenchyma. Then, it became localized to the apical zone of the epithelial cells. This pattern correlated with differentiation during the second half of gestation. The main difference observed between normal and CF fetuses was a 3‐week delay in detectability of the CFTR protein expression in the latter until 15 weeks of gestation. These results support the hypothesis of an early functional change. Abnormal fetal lung CFTR protein regulation could give rise to a predisposition to the post‐natal inflammatory changes of the airways that characterize CF disease. 2007;42:1032–1040. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Aims: To evaluate the acute effects of the mitochondrial complex I inhibitor rotenone on rat hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Methods: Electrophysiological field potential recordings were used to measure basal synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity in rat coronal hippocampal slices. Synaptic long‐term potentiation (LTP) was induced by high‐frequency stimulation (100 Hz, 1 second × 3 at an interval of 20 seconds). In addition, mitochondrial complex I function was measured using MitoSOX imaging in mitochondrial preparations. Results: Acute exposure of hippocampal slices to 50 nM rotenone for 1 h did not alter basal CA3–CA1 synaptic transmission though 500 nM rotenone significantly reduced basal synaptic transmission. However, 50 nM rotenone significantly impaired LTP and this rotenone's effect was prevented by co‐application of rotenone plus the ketones acetoacetate and β‐hydroxybutyrate (1 mM each). Finally, we measured mitochondrial function using MitoSOX imaging in mitochondrial preparations and found that 50 nM rotenone partially reduced mitochondrial function whereas 500 nM rotenone completely eliminated mitochondrial function. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that mitochondrial activity driven by complex I is a sensitive modulator of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. Acute exposure of the hippocampus to rotenone eliminates complex I function and in turn impairs LTP.


Background: In the year 2005, integrated disease surveillance project (IDSP) was launched in Himachal Pradesh to improve the information available to the healthcare providers on a set of high-priority diseases and risk factors. We evaluated the programme to identify its strengths and constraints and recommend measures to overcome the constraints identified. Methods: We identified and interviewed health personnel involved in disease surveillance and reviewed the documents and records pertaining to implementation plan/guidelines, training records and reports generated by various reporting units. We assessed the inputs, processes and outputs of the programme across 12 blocks in Kangra. We calculated the proportion of blocks reporting the surveillance data, proportion of staff of various categories trained in surveillance activities, number of blocks with medical officers and proportion of laboratories strengthened. Results: Out of 12 blocks, one- third of the reporting units were sending irregular weekly reports, but timely reports were received from 61% of the blocks. There were lack of ground infrastructural facilities, funds, non-involvement of private sector and lack of trained human resource. In the district, 43% of the medical officers, 5% of health workers and no laboratory staff were trained against the target planned. A total of 23% of the district level laboratories were strengthened from the allotted paltry funds. Conclusions: Since its commencement in March 2005, IDSP appears to be moving slowly in the right direction with respect to regularity of reporting. We recommend training of all peripheral level staff with adequate funding for basic infrastructure and appointment of a dedicated district level surveillance officer.


The Legal Education Committee of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel has had extensive discussions about the increasing need for law schools to provide students with opportunities to engage in skills-related or experiential learning courses. Many Committee members observed that, as the large firms are cutting back on their hiring and many lawyers in all sizes of firms are being forced to be more focused on the bottom line, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for new young lawyers to receive the mentoring and training they need. Additionally, given the sad state of the job market, many of us are seeing our students start up their own firms immediately upon graduation. In addition, the American Bar Association is placing more emphasis on experiential learning in its accreditation process. Standard 302(a)(4) requires law schools to provide each student with, "professional skills generally regarded as necessary for effective and responsible participation in the legal profession." Interpretation 302-2 provides the following non-exclusive list of programs that fulfill this Standard: "[t]rial and appellate advocacy, alternative methods of dispute resolution, counseling, interviewing, negotiating, problem solving, factual investigation, organization and management of legal work, and drafting." Mary F. Radford and Gerry W. Beyer chaired a subcommittee to gather information on what types of experiential learning opportunities are being offered or being considered in our area of the law. The results of this survey are provided in this article. The authors provide contact information for many of the professors using the techniques and encourage you to contact them to learn more about their techniques and to share your own experiences.


The complete mitochondrial genome of Rhodotorula taiwanensis RS1, an aluminum‐tolerant Basidiomycota fungus, was determined and compared with the known mitochondrial genomes of 12 Basidiomycota species. The mitochondrial genome of R. taiwanensis RS1 is a circular DNA molecule of 40,392 bp and encodes the typical 15 mitochondrial proteins, 23 tRNAs, and small and large rRNAs as well as 10 intronic open reading frames. These genes are apparently transcribed in two directions and do not show syntenies in gene order with other investigated Basidiomycota species. The average G+C content (41%) of the mitochondrial genome of R. taiwanensis RS1 is the highest among the Basidiomycota species. Two introns were detected in the sequence of the atp9 gene of R. taiwanensis RS1, but not in that of other Basidiomycota species. Rhodotorula taiwanensis is the first species of the genus Rhodotorula whose full mitochondrial genome has been sequenced; and the data presented here supply valuable information for understanding the evolution of fungal mitochondrial genomes and researching the mechanism of aluminum tolerance in microorganisms.


Background: African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease present in most of the sub-Saharan African countries. Burkina Faso experienced its first African swine fever outbreak in 2003. The present study aims to determine the seroprevalence of African swine fever (ASF) in ASF-suspected pigs in Burkina Faso. Result: An overall seroprevalence of 16.1% (75/466, 95% CI: 0.119-0.208) of African swine fever virus infection was observed in suspected pigs during the study period. The seroprevalence of ASF virus infection varied according to the region [Central Region (19.6%) vs Hauts-Bassins (3.3%) p < 0.001] and breeding system [46.7% (43/92) in modern farms vs 8.6% (32/374) in traditional farms (p < 0.001)]. The analysis of 230 sera randomly selected among samples collected during the study period using three ELISA kits revealed seroprevalences of 9.1% (21/230), 4.8% (11/230) and 6.5% (15/230) respectively for INGENASA® (Madrid, Spain), IDVET (Grabels, France) and SVANOVIR® ASFV-Ab (Svanova, Uppsala, Sweden) Kits. Conclusion: The results of this study shows a high seroprevalence of African swine fever in suspected cases especially in modern farms in Burkina Faso with variations according to the regions. In the absence of vaccine against ASF infection, enhanced surveillance involving all stakeholders with awareness campaigns on biosecurity measures in farms are necessary for early detection of infection and their rapid control to prevent a possible ASF epizootic with disastrous economic consequences. *Correspondence to: Simpore J, CERBA/LABIOGENE, UFR/SVT, University Joseph Ki-Zerbo, BP 7021 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina Faso, Tel: +22625397168; E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


Against a backdrop of consistent NGO pressure, countered by an unrelenting and increasingly transnational organised crime-framed poaching effort, the Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs moved to enact legislation which will significantly curtail what remains of the market for ivory products in the UK. The Ivory Bill, at the time of writing going through its parliamentary stages, will sidestep the majority of the current exemptions, premised on the antiquity of a worked item, to the usual prohibition on the trade of raw or worked ivory which owes its existence to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 1973 (CITES) and the Treaty's domestic implementing measures. The accelerated illegal killing of charismatic species such as elephants has prompted legal responses at international and local levels in both range and destination-market states. Laws targeting both the supply and demand sides of the trade have been undermined by the trade in antique ivory: a shadow, parallel market of imitation antiques has existed for some time to launder poached ivory through the exemptions to the CITES system. This short article will introduce the mechanics of the Ivory Bill, set in the context of the drivers which have prompted it, and will evaluate its potential contribution to curtailing this destructive trade.


During the operation of an electron synchrotron with short electron bunches, the beam dynamics are influenced by the occurrence of the micro-bunching instability. This collective instability is caused by the self-interaction of a short electron bunch with its own emitted coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR). Above a certain threshold bunch current dynamic micro-structures start to occur on the longitudinal phase space density. The resulting dynamics depend on various parameters and were previously investigated in relation to, amongst others, the momentum compaction factor and the acceleration voltage. In this contribution, the influence of the energy of the electrons on the dynamics of the micro-bunching instability is studied based on measurements at the KIT storage ring KARA (Karlsruhe Research Accelerator).


Background: Systemic corticosteroids have been traditionally used in the therapy of retinal vasculitis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The high morbidity associated with long-term corticosteroid therapy has prompted the use of corticosteroid-sparing strategies with cytotoxic agents. Methods: This retrospective study summarizes the authors' experience of the last 10 years including 9 systemic lupus erythematosus patients with retinal vasculitis who required treatment for longer than 6 months. Results: Seven of these patients were treated with cytotoxic agents. Average follow-up was 39 months. Inflammation was controlled clinically and angiographically in all patients using the following therapeutic regimens: systemic corticosteroids and hydroxychloroquine (n=1 patient); systemic corticosteroids and cytotoxic chemotherapy (n=6); cytotoxic chemotherapy and hydroxychloroquine (n=1); and hydroxychloroquine alone (n=1). Visual acuity was preserved (>20/30) or improved in all patients. All patients retained excellent control of their systemic disease during their follow-up. Side effects of cytotoxic drugs requiring discontinuation of all chemotherapy were not encountered in this group; Imuran therapy did result in substantial adverse effects necessitating its replacement with other drugs. Conclusion: These results suggest a valuable role for corticosteroid-sparing drugs in the therapy of retinal vasculitis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.


ABSTRACT The selection of in vivo resistance to lopinavir was characterized by analyzing the longitudinal isolates from 54 protease inhibitor-experienced subjects who either experienced incomplete virologic response or viral rebound subsequent to initial response while on treatment with lopinavir-ritonavir in Phase II and III studies. The evolution of incremental resistance to lopinavir (emergence of new mutation[s] and/or at least a twofold increase in phenotypic resistance compared to baseline isolates) was highly dependent on the baseline phenotype and genotype. Among the subjects demonstrating evolution of lopinavir resistance, mutations at positions 82, 54, and 46 in human immunodeficiency virus protease emerged frequently, suggesting that these mutations are important for conferring high-level resistance. Less common mutations, such as L33F, I50V, and V32I together with I47V/A, were also selected; however, new mutations at positions 84, 90, and 71 were not observed. The emergence of incremental resistance contrasts greatly with the low incidence of resistance observed after initiating lopinavir-ritonavir therapy in antiretroviral-naive patients, suggesting that partial resistance accumulated during prior protease inhibitor therapy can compromise the genetic barrier to resistance to lopinavir-ritonavir. The emergence of incremental resistance was uncommon in subjects whose baseline isolates contained eight or more mutations associated with lopinavir resistance and/or displayed >60-fold-reduced susceptibility to lopinavir, providing insight into suitable upper genotypic and phenotypic breakpoints for lopinavir-ritonavir.


Examination of some residual organic substances in Upper Jurassic rocks has shown several relationships between rock types and organic constituents. The organic carbon and nitrogen content as well as the residual amino acids and carbohydrates of these samples were discussed earlier (Palacas et al., 1960; Swain, 1961). The nearshore marine and non-marine Jurassic rocks have relatively more of the organic nitrogen represented by amino acids or amines, while the basinal and neritic samples have more of the organic nitrogen in the heterocyclic form or in humic complexes. Both the presumed saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon residues, extracted from littoral and neritic non-reservoir Jurassic rocks and separated chromatographically, are roughly equal in amount and are similar to modern occurrences. In basinal Jurassic rocks the aromatics tend to exceed the saturates, although exceptions occur. Several possible polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected in the basinal and some neritic, but less definitely in littoral samples. Residual asphaltenes in the Jurassic rocks are much less in amount than in Recent equivalents, probably because of post-depositional changes. Trace amounts of probably aromatic and heteroaromatic substances are widespread in the Jurassic samples studied. Among the substances possibly represented are: anthracene, naphthalene, pyridines, quinolinic acid, pyrazine, aniline, pyrimidine, purine, and several possible polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Of these, anthracene and the pyridines occur most commonly, and also have been recognized in samples of other ages. The basinal marine Jurassic samples tend to have a predominance of one-ring residual aromatics, whereas the neritic and littoral samples seem to have relatively more two- and three-ring aromatics and porphyrins. No relation was found between the larger fossil remains and organic residues in the samples studied; the nannofossils may contribute to the organic residues but no quantitative relationship was found. Conclusions by others that air and surface water temperatures were higher in central North America during the Jurassic than at present are supported by the present study. Such contributing factors as organic productivity, preservation of organic residues, redox potentials, mineralogy, and color of sediments are discussed in relation to the residual organic matter.


This paper presents a comparison of domain adaptation techniques for a unit selection based text-to-speech system. The methods under investigation consider two different prerequisites, namely the absence and the existence of additional domain specific training prompts, spoken by the original voice talent. Whereas in the first case we employ domain specific pre-selection, for the latter we compare a variety of methods that range from a simple extension of the segment inventory to a complete reconstruction of the system, which also includes the training of decision trees for the domain dependent prediction of prosody targets. An experimental evaluation of the methods under consideration unveils significant improvements (up to 1.1 on a 5 point MOS scale) over the baseline system for sentences from the target domain, while showing no significant degradation when synthesizing sentences from other than the adaptation domain.


By using the integrator backstepping technique, the control of rigid-link electrically-driven robot manipulators is addressed in the presence of arbitrary uncertain manipulator inertia parameters and actuator parameters. The control scheme developed is computationally simple due to the avoidance of the derivative computation of the regressor matrix. Semi-global asymptotic stability of the controller is established in the Lyapunov sense.