The effect of reconstruction parameters on the fan-beam filtered backprojection method in myocardial defect detection was investigated using an observer performance study and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. A mathematical phantom of the human torso was used to model the anatomy and Thallium-201 (Tl-201) uptake in humans. Half-scan fan-beam realistic projections were simulated using a low-energy high resolution (LEHR) collimator that incorporated the effects of photon attenuation, spatially varying detector response, scatter, and Poison noise. A focal length of 55 cm and a radius of rotation of 25 cm were used, which resulted to a magnification of two at the center of rotation and a maximum magnification of three in the reconstructed region of interest. By changing the reconstruction pixel size, five different projection bin width to reconstruction pixel size (PBWRPS) ratios were obtained which resulted in five classes of reconstructed images. Myocardial defects were simulated as Gaussian-shaped decreases in Tl-201 uptake distribution. The total projection count per 3 mm image slice was 44,000. A total of 96 reconstructed transaxial images from each one of the five classes were shown to eight observers for evaluation. The results indicate that the reconstruction pixel size has a significant effect on the quality of fan-beam SPECT images. Moreover, the study indicated that in order to ensure best image quality the PBWRPS ratio should be at least as large as the maximum possible magnification inside the reconstructed image array.


How do shifts in the global distribution of power affect the US' preferences for institutionalized cooperation? This article explains why and when the power shift creates incentives for the US to move cooperation out of universal multilateral institutions, such as the WTO, and into exclusive multilateral institutions where it seeks to create a leading consensus among a select group of 'like‐minded' states. An agreement reached within the sub‐group imposes costs on those excluded from the deal. This increases the hegemon's power bargaining leverage vis‐a‐vis outsiders who can join the new agreement as price‐takers. In this scenario, the hegemon's institutional response to the challenge of rising powers is a strategy of divide and conquer; that is, strategic cooptation based on inducements followed by power bargaining based on coercion. The double move, however, puts the hegemon in the position of challenging the institutional status quo with potentially negative consequences for the original institutional order. A case study of negotiations over a new trade in services agreement (TiSA) shows this strategy of divide and conquer at work as the US tries to first achieve a deal without emerging economies, notably China, that can later be imposed on them.


In this paper, a learnable cellular nonlinear network (CNN) with space-variant templates, ratio memory (RM), and modified Hebbian learning algorithm is proposed and analyzed. By integrating both the modified Hebbian learning algorithm with the self-feedback function and a ratio memory into CNN architecture, the resultant ratio-memory (RMCNN) is called the self-feedback RMCNN (SRMCNN) which can serve as the associative memory. It can generate the absolute weights and then transform them into the ratioed A-template weights as the ratio memories for recognizing noisy input patterns. Simulation results have shown that with the stronger feature enhancement effect, the SRMCNN under constant leakage current can store and recognize more patterns than the RMCNN. For 18 /spl times/ 18 SRMCNN, 93 noisy patterns with a uniform distribution noise level of 0.8 and a variance of normal distribution noise of 0.3 can be learned, stored, and recognized with 100% success rate. The SRMCNN has greater learning and recognition capability when the learned patterns are simpler and the noise is lower. For the learning and recognition of complicated patterns, the allowable pattern number is decreased for a 100% success rate. Simulation results have successfully verified the correct functions and better performance of SRMCNN in the pattern recognition. With high integration capability and excellent pattern association performance, the proposed SRMCNN can be applied to nanoelectronic associative-memory systems for image processing applications.


We discuss the interaction of a tunneling electron with its electromagnetic environment when the latter either is in equilibrium or includes an applied microwave field. The environment of an isolated tunnel junction is modeled by a set of harmonic oscillators that are suddenly displaced when an electron tunnels across the junction. We treat these displaced oscillators quantum mechanically, predicting behavior that is very different than that predicted by a semiclassical treatment. In particular, the shape of the zero-bias anomaly caused by the Coulomb blockade (a single-electron charging effect), is found to be strongly dependent on the impedance, Z(ω), of the leads connected to the junction. Comparison with three recent experiments demonstrates that the quantum mechanical treatment of this model correctly describes the essential physics in these systems.


Abstract. Here, we propose a time-dependent probabilistic seismic hazard assessment and apply it to Hualien City, Taiwan. A declustering catalog from 1940 to 2005 was used to build up a long-term seismicity rate model using a smoothing Kernel function. We also evaluated short-term seismicity rate perturbations according to the rate-and-state friction model, and the Coulomb stress changes imparted by earthquakes from 2006 to 2010. We assessed both long-term and short-term probabilistic seismic hazards by considering ground motion prediction equations for crustal and subduction earthquakes. The long-term seismic hazard in Hualien City gave a PGA (peak ground acceleration) of 0.46 g for the 2.1‰ annual exceedance probability. The result is similar to the levels determined in previous studies. Seismic hazards were significantly elevated following the 2007 ML =5.8 earthquake that occurred approximately 10 km from Hualien City. This work presents an assessment of a suitable mechanism for time-dependent probabilistic seismic hazard determinations using an updated earthquake catalog. Using minor model assumptions, our approach provides a suitable basis for rapid re-evaluations and will benefit decision-makers and public officials regarding seismic hazard mitigation.


Social tagging has been lauded for providing a voice of the user community, free of restrictions dictated by knowledge organization standards for subject access. Tagging allows many perspectives to be represented, but at what cost? Using deconstruction, Derrida argues that absolute hospitality is required to ensure justice for access and inclusiveness; however, the consequence becomes that the host becomes hostage to the other. In this ongoing research, we explore the Derridean concept of hospitality as it relates to social tagging, examining the consequences of unconditional inclusiveness, the process of discerning constraints to hospitality in order to interpret different kinds of "otherness"—or what Derrida (2000, 75) calls the "impossible" decision—and what mitigation means, using the social tagging environment to illustrate.


Orality has been central to the transmission of Sephardic customs, wisdom, and values for centuries. Throughout the Middle Ages, Spanish Jews were known for their linguistic skills, and as translators and storytellers they were the main transmitters of Eastern/Islamic culture to the Christian world. Derived from a distinguished heritage, Judeo-Spanish storytelling has evolved over five hundred years through constant contact with the surrounding societies of the past and with modern Israeli influences, making it more universal than other Sephardic oral genres. Told in order to entertain but also to teach, Judeo-Spanish folktales convey timeless wisdom and a colorful depiction of Sephardic communities up to the first half of the twentieth century. King Solomon and the Golden Fish is a selection of fifty-four folktales taken from Matilda Koen-Sarano's collection of stories recorded in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) and translated by Reginetta Haboucha into fluent and idiomatic English that preserves the flavor and oral nuances of each text. Haboucha provides commentary and annotations to the folktales that enlighten both the academic and the lay reader, making this book at once appealing to s


Flexible link manipulators are mostly prefered in applications where energy consumption and faster operation are critically important. Since distributed nature of flexibility makes the system depend on not only time variable but also a spatial variable, the dynamics of flexible structures are expressed by partial differential equations. In the virtue of this kind of modeling, the designers encounter with infinite dimensional systems which means that the system has an infinite number of degrees of freedom. To cope with infinite dimensional systems, one of the most relevant techniques is to truncate the model into a definite order. However, this may yield the unmodeled dynamics that cause performance degradation and even instability. In this paper, the main motivation is to propose control techniques to compensate unwanted effects of unmodeled dynamics which may occur in truncation process. In order to achieve this goal, the linear quadratic Gaussian and the weighted H ∞ controller design are adopted. The performances of the designed controllers are demonstrated on the experimental setup. Besides this motivation, traditional lumped parameter model of the flexible link manipulator which is widely seen in the literature is considered and the superiority of the partial differential equation model is shown on the experimental setup.


Silicon nitride cutting tools have been used successfully for machining hard materials, like: cast irons, nickel based alloys, etc. However these cutting tools with diamond coating present little information on dry turning operations of gray cast iron. In the present work, Si3N4 square inserts was developed, characterized and subsequently coated with diamond for dry machining operations on gray cast iron. All experiments were conducted with replica. It was used a 1500, 3000, 4500 m cutting length, feed rate of 0.33 mm/rev and keeping the depth of cut constant and equal to 1 mm. The results show that wear in the tool tips of the Si3N4 inserts, in all cutting conditions, was caused by both mechanical and chemical processes. To understand the tool wear mechanisms, a morphological analysis of the inserts, after experiments, has been performed by SEM and optical microscopy. Diamond coated PVD inserts showed to be capable to reach large cutting lengths when machining gray cast iron.


The domestication of rice and millet took in the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys. It is argued that the expansion of farming communities from these two regions reached mainland Southeast Asia from the late third millennium BC. The conjunction of new archaeological and bioanthropogical information, and the re-examination of older reports, is beginning to illuminate the interactions between the incoming farmers and long-established hunter gatherers. It is argued that there were several distinct expansionary routes. One followed the coast of Vietnam, others involved the courses of the Salween and Mekong rivers. This brought incoming farmers to a wide range of new habitats. Khok Phanom Di is a key site. Formerly located on the estuary of the Bang Pakong River, a new analysis of cranial and dental variables relate the inhabitants to expansionary farmers. Their adaptation to a marine estuarine habitat, however, made rice cultivation marginal at best, and the new settlers turned to hunting and gathering while maintaining a fully Neolithic material culture.


Women's health is frequently influenced by social and structural factors, largely beyond women's control, and often entrenched in public policy. Although health is acknowledged to be socially determined, the ways that social conditions affect health are rarely explicated. Grounded theory is a useful method for discovering how structural conditions influence patterns of behavior. We used grounded theory to generate a theoretical understanding of how justice system policy and services related to child custody influence health promotion processes of women and their children after leaving abusive male partners/fathers. In two diverse Canadian provinces, we interviewed single mothers who had left abusive partners as well as frontline workers and policymakers in the justice system. We identified the key dimensions of policy and services that influence the ways in which women and their children promote their health in the context of varying levels of ongoing intrusion as information, eligibility, accessibility, timeliness, human resources, safety, and diversity. In this article, the interplay between theses policy and service dimensions and women's health promotion after leaving abusive partners is discussed and suggestions are made for strengthening "healthy" custody policy.


Objective. To develop a searchable database of educational technologies used at schools and colleges of pharmacy. Methods. A cross-sectional survey design was used to determine what educational technologies were being used and to identify an individual at each institution who could serve as an information resource for peer-to-peer questions. Results. Eighty-nine survey instruments were returned for a response rate of 75.4%. The resulting data illustrated the almost ubiquitous presence of educational technology. The most frequently used technology was course management systems and the least frequently used technology was microblogging. Conclusions. Educational technology use is trending toward fee-based products for enterprise-level applications and free, open-source products for collaboration and presentation. Educational technology is allowing educators to restructure classroom time for something other than simple transmission of factual information and to adopt an evidence-based approach to instructional innovation and reform.


INTRODUCTION
The Portuguese experience in microsurgical reconstruction of the head and neck after oncological surgery is scantly described. The primary aim of this study was to characterize the use of microvascular reconstruction after head and neck tumor resection in a Portuguese tertiary oncological centerMaterial and Methods: The authors retrospectively evaluated 114 microvascular free flap procedures performed for head and neck reconstruction after oncological resection in a department of Head and Neck Surgery of a Portuguese tertiary oncological center. Patients were operated on from January 2012 to May 2018. Data on patient demographic features, tumour characteristics, perioperative complications, postoperative aesthetic and functional results, survival time and time to recurrence were extracted.

RESULTS
Most tumours mandating microsurgical reconstruction were mucosal squamous cell carcinomas (85%) and were located in the oral region (95.6%). Around 45% of the patients had a T4a tumour and 30% a T2 tumour. Cervical metastases were present in 45.6% of the cases. The radial forearm flap and the fibular flap were the most commonly used microsurgical reconstructive options (58% and 41%, respectively). More than 80% of patients had no post-operative complications. Partial necrosis of the flap occurred in 6.1% of patients, while total flap necrosis occurred in 3.5% of cases. Aesthetic and functional results were considered at least satisfactory in all patients in which the flaps survived.

DISCUSSION
This study is by far the largest series of microsurgical head and neck reconstruction after oncological surgery reported by a single tertiary centre in Portugal. Survival and functional benefits are similar to those reported in other large oncological centres in the world.

CONCLUSION
Microvascular reconstruction seems like a reliable treatment option in head and neck oncological surgery at our institution.


Serum amyloid A protein concentrations were monitored in 10 renal transplant recipients who required dialysis after transplantation because of an initially non-functioning graft. Fifteen rejection episodes were identified by repeated fine needle aspiration biopsies of the grafts. All rejections were characterised by pronounced increases in serum amyloid A concentrations, the mean peak value being 363 (SE 57) mg/1 as compared with a mean preoperative concentration of 14 (5) mg/1. The rise in concentrations preceded the start of anti-rejection treatment by an average of 2.5 days in eight of the rejection episodes, in five episodes it occurred the same day, and in two episodes it occurred the next day. With exclusion of the predictable surgery induced rise in values, which peaked on the second postoperative day, there were 17 increases in amyloid A concentrations peaking at greater than or equal to 100 mg/1; in two cases they were not related to documented rejection. These findings show that measurements of serum amyloid A concentration provide a valuable non-invasive aid in identifying acute renal allograft rejection, including that in patients whose graft does not function initially.


We are interested in the model reduction techniques for hyperbolic problems, particularly in fluids. This paper, which is a continuation of an earlier paper of Abgrall et al, proposes a dictionary approach coupled with an L1 minimization approach. We develop the method and analyze it in simplified 1‐dimensional cases. We show in this case that error bounds with the full model can be obtained provided that a suitable minimization approach is chosen. The capability of the algorithm is then shown on nonlinear scalar problems, 1‐dimensional unsteady fluid problems, and 2‐dimensional steady compressible problems. A short discussion on the cost of the method is also included in this paper.


In the ultimate limit state design and seismic design of steel structures, it is postulated that the structural members have sufficient deformability or rotation capacity. In this context, the relationship of the plastic deformation capacity of steel structural members and the stress-strain curves of their materials are made clear. Namely, to secure the sufficient deformation capacity of structural members, the yield-ratio (the ratio of yield stress to tensile strength) of material should be reasonably low. For flexural members such as beams and beam-columns, the rotation capacity can be evaluated by the complementary energy of materials more exactly. Scattering of yield stress could give an adverse effect on the strength and deformability of steel structures subject to horizontal loading. In this viewpoint, the upper limits of the yield stress and of the yield ratio should be specified in the material standard.


Please do not be afraid of the writing process; we are here to help you through this journey. If you need mentorship through the process, consider looking to an expert or mentor on your unit or at a nearby university. If you do not find the mentorship you are seeking nearby, please let us know. We will put you in contact with 1 of our editorial board members to help guide you through the writing process. We want you to be successful so please have an outline of your idea and the type of manuscript you are planning to write developed. When you contact us, please share your questions openly—there are no "dumb" questions. Please refer often to our author guidelines during the writing process. Details for how best to submit a manuscript for the Clinical Issues in Neonatal Care section are outlined within the author guidelines. Finally, it is important to remember that ANC is a 4-color journal, so please submit full-color tables, graphs, and pictures to enhance the readability of your manuscript. During the editorial process we will do everything we can to facilitate and enhance your work. We will make recommendations that we believe will increase its scholarly application to improving neonatal care and outcomes. Revisions are often requested. After peer review, the section editor and coeditors will review the manuscript well in advance of the production deadline and provide additional feedback as needed. The end goal is excellent presentation of materials for our readers. If you are a reviewer for ANC , the next time you are asked to review a Clinical Issues in Neonatal Care manuscript, please consider the quality of the manuscript in relationship to guiding clinical care at the bedside and make recommendations to improve the manuscript so that staff nurses will best relate to the content. Do not be afraid to make recommendations about missing content or suggestions about ways to enhance the content and make it easier for clinicians to understand. Help us and the authors to increase their creativity and enhance their work. We want ANC to be the best clinical and research journal in neonatal care with articles of all styles that help us to enhance our caregiving and patient outcomes!


In biomedical research, it is imperative to differentiate chance variation from truth before we generalize what we see in a sample of subjects to the wider population. For decades, we have relied on null hypothesis significance testing, where we calculate P values for our data to decide whether to reject a null hypothesis. This methodology is subject to substantial misinterpretation and errant conclusions. Instead of working backward by calculating the probability of our data if the null hypothesis were true, Bayesian statistics allow us instead to work forward, calculating the probability of our hypothesis given the available data. This methodology gives us a mathematical means of incorporating our "prior probabilities" from previous study data (if any) to produce new "posterior probabilities." Bayesian statistics tell us how confidently we should believe what we believe. It is time to embrace and encourage their use in our otolaryngology research.


Selective accumulation of an exogenous enzyme or activating agent at a target cell allows use of prodrugs that will be unmasked only at this site. This can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and allow more potent drugs to be used in various treatments. Examples of this two-step prodrug therapy include antibody- (ADEPT, ADAPT), genetic- (GDEPT, VDEPT) and macromolecule-based approaches (PDEPT, LEAPT). Carbohydrate chemistry and glycobiology feature in each of these areas and is the focus of this review.


Emerging advanced multilayer renewable energy devices, such as reflector materials and photovoltaic modules, are expected to exhibit significantly increased service lifetimes compared to existing devices. Such devices must be capable of 20 to 30 years of operation under harsh outdoor weathering conditions. Industrial manufacturers cannot afford to wait extended periods of time to determine whether such lifetimes are realistic. Consequently, a flexible, robust, and accurate method for predicting the service lifetime of such devices is essential. Two requirements for developing such a method are first, to correlate the accelerated lifetime test methods with anticipated life under real-world operating environments; and second, to establish statistical models for predicting service lifetimes based on environmental stress factors. The relative significance of the weathering stress factors ultraviolet light (UV), temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH) was ascertained. Optical properties of new reflector materials were measured and their loss of performance with exposure time was modelled as a function of an appropriate combination of stress factors. Then, the functional relationship between performance measurements and time in accelerated lifetime tests was investigated. The basic framework of this approach is SPt analysis because it intends to explain the bridge functions from Stresses (S) to Performance (P) and from Performance to lifetime (t) of the materials. The results show that the cumulative dosage of ultraviolet radiation between 290-320 nm (UV-B) with synergistic effects of T and RH is a very critical factor in inducing performance loss. Finally, the SPt model developed for accelerated laboratory data was verified for data obtained from outdoor sites, and excellent agreement was found.


Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequent extracranial solid tumor in children according to the literature. In Mexico it is less frequent, fallen to 8th place. Our objective was to analyze our experience and compare it with the one reported in other countries. We included all patients admitted to our hospital during the previous five years and who had not received any treatment. Patients with stages I, II, and IV received cyclophosphamide and epirrubicin. Patients with stages were III and IV received the same chemotherapy alternating with cisplatinum., ifosfamide and etoposide during 12 months as well as massive doses of 131-MIBG and surgical ablation of the remaining tumor when possible. We included 30 patients, 25 with initial presentation in the abdomen. Five were in early stages and 20 (70%) were advanced with an overall survival of 100% and 27% at 5 years respectively. When analyzed by age, 40% were 12 months of age and 60% older, with survival of 100% and 27% in the same period, respectively. According to histology there was 91% survival for differentiated and 23% for undifferentiated tumors. The chemotherapeutic regimen reported is effective but not better than that reported by other authors, in which some benefits are seen with use of transplant and immunotherapy. The most important prognostic factors are still considered to be age, stage and histology.


FRIES & SCHUELE CO., one of Cleveland's pioneer dry goods stores, was also the west side's oldest department store. The original company was founded in Apr. 1868 when Charles Fries and George Klein opened a dry goods store at 515 Pearl (W. 25th) St. Throughout its history, the department store occupied the same block across the street from the WEST SIDE MARKET, although it moved, expanded and renovated several times. Fries, Klein & Co. specialized in custom-made carpets, curtains, and draperies, becoming Fries, Klein & Hoover when Charles Hoover joined the venture. By 1879 both Klein and Hoover had died, and store clerk, Christian Schuele, became a partner in the newly named Fries & Schuele. As the store continued to expand and prosper, the company incorporated in 1909 and built a new 5-story building on the site. Its proximity to the new West Side Market House, which opened in 1912, greatly benefited the store, which offered a wide range of merchandise in addition to its profitable carpet and drapery installation business. In the mid-1920s the Fries family sold its interest in the store, but the descendants of Christian Schuele continued to operate the business. Although the company had 150 employees by 1968, within 10 years the store could no longer compete with discount stores, and many of its customers had moved to the SUBURBS. George Schuele, executive vice-president, closed the store on 13 Jan. 1979. See BUSINESS, RETAIL.


The performance of the newly developed implantable centrifugal blood pump was investigated in vitro. The pump was developed with the end goal of building a versatile system that includes a left ventricular assist system with an internal secondary battery or an implantable biventricular assist system with two implantable blood pumps. The hydrodynamic characteristics and efficiency of the blood pump were evaluated, and the mechanical damage to the blood caused by the blood pump was assessed through a hemolysis test using fresh goat blood. The pump could generate 120 mm Hg at a flow rate of 5 L/min and a motor speed of 2,500 rpm. The electric input power to the pump was approximately 5 watts under these working conditions. The hemolysis caused by the pump was a bit higher than that by the former model, but stayed within an acceptable range. Performance of the pump in vitro was considered sufficient for a left ventricular assist device, although further design improvement is necessary in terms of hemolysis and system efficiency to improve biocompatibility of the pump.


Introduction Because of cultural and legal discrimination enacted towards LGBT people in eastern Africa, innovative methods are needed to safely engage LGBT Africans in sexual health research. Methods We conducted two online focus groups (FGs) with eastern African MSM, one in December 2016 and the other in January 2017. Participants were recruited via Facebook advertisements, which were targeted to men who: were 'interested in' men or were 'interested in' men and women; were living in: Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, or South Sudan; and were 18 years and older. People who clicked on the ad were linked to the study website, which explained the FG activity, provided an eligibility screener, and a consent form for those who were eligible. Once consented, MSM were linked to the online FG, where they could anonymously post answers. Results After a 27 hour FB campaign, 1 76 480 people were reached across eastern Africa, 11 889 of whom clicked on the ad. Most clicks (59%) were from people in Tanzania; Kenya (22%) and Uganda (13%) were the next most common sources of clicks. Thirty-three people completed a screener and were eligible, and 22 consented to take part in the first FG. Of those who consented, 5 people posted in at least one thread in the online FG bulletin board. Of the 15 threads we posted, 3 received posts from participants, none of which were sexual health-related. To invigorate response rates, the FG script was shortened from 15 to 6 threads and displayed on one instead of three separate pages. A second 27 hour FB campaign was launched. A similar number of eligible people were identified (n=35) while more consented (n=34). One person went on to post in 4 sexual health-related threads, and another posted in one.Additional FGs are being conducted. Lessons learned that can inform future research that endeavours to engage LGBT Africans will be presented. Conclusion Although online data collection holds promise in reaching hidden populations, piloting work is necessary to determine the most effective way to ensure privacy and promote participation.


The differentiation of somatotropocytes was studied in the Leghorn chick embryos during 11 to 18 days of incubation and in chickens during the first week of life using the immunohistochemical method of nonlabelled antibodies with PAP complex and antiserum against human somatotropic hormone (STH). Unlike in humans, the fixation of pituitaries in the Carnoy mixture is optimal for STH to be immunohistochemically estimated in the chickens and chick embryos. STH was found in adenohypophysis from 12-13 days of development. Besides predominant localization of somatotropocytes in the adenohypophysis caudal lobe, individual STH-positive cells are also present in the cephalic lobe of chickens and chick embryos. The results obtained suggest a relatively late appearance of STH during histotypical development of adenohypophysis in chick embryos.


Most studies on forest transition (FT) have focused on temporal patterns of forest cover across whole countries or regions, without much consideration of the local spatio-temporal heterogeneity or the species composition of new forests. We hypothesize that peri-urban forest transitions are driven by processes associated with urban-based economies and functioning, which define spatial characteristics of new forests. We analyzed the patterns of peri-urban forest expansion detected during the past three decades in the Lules watershed, a montane area of ca. 100,000 ha around San Miguel de Tucumán (SMT), an urban center of ca. one million inhabitants in the Andean foothills of subtropical Argentina. New forests (4,600 ha) were observed through the watershed, but they were more frequent at short distances (1–15 km) from the urban and second home residential areas. New forests nearby SMT are characterized by higher plant diversity largely due to a higher proportion of exotic species. In some cases, these exotic species dominated new forests diminishing stand-level biodiversity. Second-home residential areas, a byproduct of the urban centers in intermontane valleys, replicate the spatial patterns of exotic-dominated forest transition observed around SMT. We argue that peri-urban FT provides an early characterization of the future patterns of spontaneous forest transition with increased presence of globalized species which may locally increase species richness. We use the case study to discuss emerging research lines and to emphasize the importance of urban-centered land use policies (e.g., associated to urban-based uses such as recreation or watershed conservation) as key targets for promoting new forests more beneficial for future generations.


Corporate governance has been a hot issue across the world, especially since the Enron scandal and the Lehman shock. The Anglo-Saxon model (A-form), which focuses on monitoring management to maximize shareholder value through mechanisms such as hostile takeovers and independent directors, is often criticized as either malfunctioning or short-sighted.The Japanese model (J-form) differs markedly from the Anglo-Saxon model: there is stronger capacity for internal governance, there exist mechanisms such as "lifetime" employment to incentivize human capital providers, there is greater internal promotion, and shareholder intervention can be limited through cross-shareholding practices. These differences were once cited to explain Japan's economic miracle, but were also cited as a major factor behind the lost decades of the 1990s and 2000s.In fact, after the bubble economy of the mid-1980s, the ROAs of Japanese companies declined and were lower than that of Anglo-Saxon companies. Interestingly, Japanese family (J-family) firms have performed better than ordinary J-form firms, particularly after the economic bubble.This paper attempts to answer the questions: why have the performances of J-form firms deteriorated since the Japanese economic bubble in the mid-1980s, and why have J-family firms generally outperformed non-family firms? The paper will analyze and compare J-form and J-family firms on general issues of corporate governance, including internal and external governance, internal promotion rules, long-run reward systems, and incentive mechanisms.


This research updates early studies on the intention to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus among a representative sample of adults in 6 European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK) and differentiated by groups of "acceptors", "refusers", and " hesitants". The research relies on a set of traditional logistic and more complex Random Forest classification techniques to determine common predictors of vaccination preferences. The findings highlight that socio-demographics are not a reliable measure of vaccination propensity, after one controls for different risk perceptions, and illustrates the key role of institutional and peer trust for vaccination success. Policymakers must build vaccine promotion techniques differentiated according to "acceptors", "refusers", and " hesitants", while restoring much larger trust in their actions upfront since the pandemics, if one wishes the vaccination coverage to close part of the gap to the level of herd immunity.


ABSTRACT Land use classification has benefited from the emerging big data, such as mobile phone records and taxi trajectories. Temporal activity variations derived from these data have been used to interpret and understand the land use of parcels from the perspective of social functions, complementing the outcome of traditional remote sensing methods. However, spatial interaction patterns between parcels, which could depict land uses from a perspective of connections, have rarely been examined and analysed. To leverage spatial interaction information contained in the above-mentioned massive data sets, we propose a novel unsupervised land use classification method with a new type of place signature. Based on the observation that spatial interaction patterns between places of two specific land uses are similar, the new place signature improves land use classification by trading off between aggregated temporal activity variations and detailed spatial interactions among places. The method is validated with a case study using taxi trip data from Shanghai.


Bondline temperature control using carbon fiber embedded resistive heaters Brandon Phillip Smith Co-Chairs of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Santosh Devasia Mechanical Engineering Professor Mark Tuttle Mechanical Engineering This research investigates the limits of temperature control and estimation when using embedded resistive heaters for adhesive bonding of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) adherends. With the increasing use of CFRP materials, high quality adhesive bonding is important for reducing costs of manufacturing, and improving repair methods. By using carbon fiber heaters to elevate the temperature and cure adhesive within a bond, the process becomes targeted and highly efficient. To accomplish accurate temperature control without placing thermocouples within the bondline, this research develops a method by which to estimate bondline temperatures using surface measurements. Additionally, it is shown that boundary control on an embedded heater can be used to control heat within a heater. This can be used to compensate for variations in heat flow in the bonded adherends to maintain a uniform temperature. This is demonstrated on a single lap joint with a subsurface heatsink. Finally, the use of carbon fiber embedded heaters will be investigated as a means for manufacturing of space structures and habitats.


In this paper we study the scalar Green function in the Kerr spacetime using Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) methods. The Green function can be expressed by Fourier-transforming to its frequency-domain counterpart, and with the help of complex analysis it can be divided into parts: 1) the "direct part," which propagates on the light cone and dominates at very early times; 2) the "quasinormal-mode part," which represents the waves traveling around the photon sphere and is important at early and intermediate times; and 3) the "tail part," which is due to scattering by the Coulomb-type potential and becomes more important at later times. We focus on the "quasinormal-mode part" of the Green function and derive an approximate analytical formula for it using WKB techniques. This approximate Green function diverges at points that are connected by null geodesics, and it recovers the fourfold singular structure of Green functions that are seen in Schwarzschild and other spacetimes. It also carries unique signatures of the Kerr spacetime such as frame dragging. Along the way, we also derive approximate quasinormal-mode wave functions and expressions for the black hole excitation factors in the Kerr spacetime. We expect this work to benefit the understanding of both wave propagation and the problem of self-force in the Kerr spacetime.


The Developmental Eye Movement Test (DEM), King-Devick (K-D), and Visagraph are three of the most frequently employed tests currently being utilized to assess eye movements in Optometric practice today. Although these tests have been normed, there have been no studies that assess the test-retest reliability and correlations between these most commonly used eye movement tests. Thirty-four elementary school children, between the ages of 9 and 11, were screened for visual abnormalities: Three trials for each test were presented in random order, with one week intervals between tests 1 and 2, and 2 and 3. The DEM showed significant differences between trials 1 and 2, and 1 and 3. K-D showed significant differences for subtest III between trials 1 and 3, and Visagraph showed significant differences between trials 1 and 3 for rate without rereading. A high correlation (R=.841) between DEM and K-D was also found. Correlations between Visagraph and DEM and Visagraph and KD were not quite as high, but still good (R=.500), (R=.506) respectively. These results indicate a change in performance, possibly due to test familiarity existing. Single administration of these tests may not be adequate with pretesting strongly recommended. High correlations between the DEM and K-D may preclude the need for performing both tests.


Dementia is one of the main reasons for elderly people becoming dependent on care. In addition to lifestyle improvements, it is thought that cognitive function exercises and motor function exercises are also effective for the prevention of dementia. Antagonistic exercise, which involves performing different movements with the upper and lower limbs on the left and right sides, is a form of exercise that uses cognitive and motor functions at the same time. Preventive care specialists that can lead this sort of exercise are few in number compared with elderly people, and are under a heavy burden. Therefore, there is a need for an exercise support system that can reduce the burden on specialists. On the other hand, the Kinect has become popular as a low-cost device that can acquire human actions. The Kinect uses a depth image sensor to obtain precise measurements of human joint movements, and can thus be used to recognize antagonistic exercises. In this study we designed and implemented an antagonistic exercise support system using a Kinect. To recognize exercises, data representing the positions of the person's joints as acquired from the depth sensor is used to evaluate the performance of exercises and provide real-time feedback. This system uses audiovisual displays to explain to elderly people how to perform the exercises, and displays model images to promote the exercises. We have also prepared four types of rhythm game where people can perform exercises in time with music. We performed recognition accuracy tests with young and elderly test subjects.


The transition from royal to popular sovereignty during the age of democratic revolutions—from 1776 to 1848—entailed not only the reorganization of institutions of governance and norms of political legitimacy, but also a dramatic transformation in the iconography and symbolism of political power. The representational difficulties posed by the replacement of the personal and external rule of the king, whose body was the tangible locus of authority, with the impersonal and immanent self-rule of the people, whose power could not be incontestably embodied, went beyond questions of institutionalization and law into the aesthetic realm of visualization, composition, and form. How to make the people's sovereign will tangible to popular judgment was—and is—a crucial problem of democratic political aesthetics. This book explores how the revolutionary proliferation of popular assemblies—crowds, demonstrations, gatherings of the "people out of doors"—mediated and gave tangibility to the people manifesting itself as a collective actor capable of enacting dramatic political reforms and change. During the age of democratic revolutions, popular assemblies became privileged sites of democratic representation because they at once claim to represent the people while also signaling the material plenitude beyond any representational claim. They retain this power in part because popular assemblies make manifest that which escapes representational capture; they rend a tear in the established representational space of appearance and draw their power from tarrying with the ineffability and resistant materiality of the people's will. During the age of democratic revolutions, popular assemblies became the locus of the democratic sublime.


In Britain the coast is widely recognised as one of the nations most valued natural resources. It is the country's major playground in addition to being ecologically and environmentally very important. Over the last ten years the coastline of Scotland has come under increasing development pressure. The demand from industry for coastal sites has risen sharply and often the proposed uses conflict with the physical stability and aesthetic qualities of the coastline and with pre-existing uses. Until the recent demands for land for oil-related developments at coastal sites there was no national overview of policies relating to the utilization of the coastal resource. Unlike many other parts of the world, including England, no detailed work had been carried out on the Scottish coast. The advent of oil provoked a flurry of activity at the national level resulting in the production of Coastal Planning Guidelines. The re-organisation of local government and the introduction of a new planning system have also brought significant changes. This dissertation examines current policies regarding the utilization of the coastline in Scotland. It also looks at current practices in a number of other countries to see whether any of the solutions tried by them could be adopted to bring about a more efficient use of the Scottish coastline. Chapter one looks at why we should be concerned with the planning of the coast as distinct from other areas and seeks to provide some definitions of the coastline. It also examines the position of the environmental ethic in the decision making heirarchy. Chapter two looks at the development pressures affecting the coast and traces the evolution of the British planning and administrative system. Chapter three looks at coastal planning in the wider international context examining the situation in England, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, and the United States of America. Chapter four looks in detal at the Scottish situation and examines the role of the planners at the national, regional and district levels. An assessment is made of the policies pursued at each level. In the final chapter some general conclusions are drawn and in the light of experience elsewhere some recommendations are made for the improvement of the Scottish planning system in coastal areas.


s, 46 IPS, Mangalore, 15-18 Nov 2018 S90 The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | Volume 18 | Supplement 2 | November 2018 All-ceramics has become a common choice of treatment strategy in clinical practice due to improvement in material properties and high demand for esthetics.. All-ceramics are used in wide range of clinical application such as veneers, partial coverage crowns and bridges. And similarly the laboratory gives us a very wide range of all-ceramic varieties to choose. . Success of all ceramic prosthesis depends on the ability of the dentist to select the appropriate choice of materials for the particular situation, which satisfies the patients need and expectation.. Selection of a particular system should depend on the physical properties and esthetic consideration. Hence a thorough knowledge of different system mandates the success of the treatment.. This presentation will discuss about when to use, where to use and what system of all-ceramic to use in different situations. DOI: 10.4103/0972-4052.246553 50. Facial prosthetics vs reconstructive surgery: which to opt for? Deeksha Arya King George's Medical University, Lucknow Facial deformity can be caused by acquired defects (tumor/ trauma) or congenital defects which leads to functional impairment, psychological and social strain. These have severe impact on quality of life. Optimum functional and esthetic reconstruction is still a challenge for these type of patients. Facial reconstructive and microvascular surgical techniques can contribute to better esthetic outcome, but may have certain limitations and drawbacks. . Maxillofacial prosthetics can provide excellent cosmetic result by providing good color, texture and symmetry and are more economical.. This presentation will discuss indications of both the rehabilitation techniques, from case to case and defect to defect. DOI: 10.4103/0972-4052.246554 51. Digitalization and its role in prosthodontics K.V.Halini Kumari Sri Sai Dental College and Research Institute, Sompeta Digital technologies have started new age in dentistry and has become part of the prosthodontics the quality of the dental prosthesis has improved significantly by means of standard production processes .this makes very efficient quality management possible . On one hand it increased the productivity tremendously and changed dental laboratory from manufacturers to modern computerized production centers DOI: 10.4103/0972-4052.246555 52. Get the relation right


A facile solution process based on polyethylene glycol (PEG)-assisted secondary growth has been demonstrated for the epitaxial growth of a Sb-doped ZnO thin layer on ZnO nanowire arrays. The resultant ZnO@Sb-doped ZnO core–shell nanowires present a perfect single-crystal feature whereas structural deformation commonly existing in Sb-doped ZnO is greatly suppressed due to the confined thickness and the effect of PEG. Mott–Schottky analysis indicates that the formation of tandem n–p homojunctions at the coaxial interface is derived from the n-type conduction of the primary ZnO and the p-type conduction of the Sb-doped ZnO. By implementation of the core–shell nanowire arrays as electrodes for photoelectrochemical detection of the hole scavenger hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a significantly enhanced photocurrent response toward different concentrations of H2O2 is obtained. The high sensitivity is ascribed to the efficient spatial separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs facilitated by the built-in electric field in the n–p homojunction region, the lattice matching homojunction interface and the confined shell thickness for hole transport.


This paper surveys major technical challenges for power system operations in support of large-scale wind energy integration. The fundamental difficulties of integrating wind power arise from its high inter-temporal variation and limited predictability. The impact of wind power integration is manifested in, but not limited to, scheduling, frequency regulations, and system stabilization requirements. Possible alternatives are suggested for a more reliable and cost-effective power system operation. New computationally efficient methods for improving system performances by using prediction and operational interdependencies over different time horizons remain critical open research problems.


Gauja National Park (GNP) in Latvia was established in 1973 and it is one of the most important tourism regions in Latvia. It has been estimated that the GNP is visited by over 400,000 people per year. In 2008 threat in the GNP ecosystem preservation is stated - "Inadequate visitors' behaviour". It can be eliminated by intensive, planned and controlled work in informing and educating community. It needs a strategic approach - working out and implementing GNP External Communication Strategy. By this time such strategy has not been in the GNP. During working out this paper we base on scientifically managed communication. In this paper we show a way how it is possible to plan and control logically the implementation of the strategy by using modern technologies and Balanced Scorecard (BSC) control system. We have introduced an innovation - we offer a perspective division different from the classical division of communication perspectives. It could bring the GNP nearer to reaching more effective target for external communication- Public Behaviour and Attitude changes. The approach could be a part from the total GNP development strategy.


We classify all simple supermodules over the queer Lie superalgebra q 2 up to classification of equivalence classes of irreducible elements in a certain Euclidean ring.


Our aim is to investigate if it is possible to control and to stabilize the throughput (IPC rate) of a thread running on a multithreaded Java processor by a closed feedback loop and a model based latency predictor. We implemented a PID controller and a model based latency predictor in the processor simulator of the Komodo microcontroller developed at the universities of Karlsruhe and Augsburg to simulate both as additional hardware modules. GP (guaranteed percentage) scheduling is used to control the thread. Evaluations show that the aimed IPC rate of a thread is achieved by the controller and stabilized by the latency predictor thus improving the real-time capabilities of the Java processor.


Due to the resilience requirements of a steadily growing number of critical Internet services (like emergency call handling or e-commerce transactions), the deployment of multi-homed network sites becomes more and more common. Having multiple Internet access paths, it seems straightforward to utilise them simultaneously in order to improve payload throughput by so-called Concurrent Multipath Transfer (CMT). Currently, CMT extensions for the two important Internet Transport Layer protocols — Multipath-TCP (MPTCP) for TCP and CMT-SCTP for SCTP — are in the focus of IETF standardisation. A challenge — which is currently very actively discussed in the IETF context — is congestion control for these CMT protocols. Based on the idea of Resource Pooling (RP), two approaches are currently discussed in the IETF: our own approach CMT/RP for CMT-SCTP as well as the MPTCP congestion control for MPTCP. Both approaches only have been roughly tested yet — mostly in similar path setups, i.e. paths having almost the same QoS characteristics, using "their" protocol. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to compare the existing approaches. Particularly, we also analyse more challenging scenarios containing dissimilar paths, i.e. paths having differing characteristics. Our goal is to provide insight into the different approaches, to support the IETF standardisation activities on CMT.123


BACKGROUND
Intracranial arterial stenosis (ICAS) is the dominant cause for ischemic stroke worldwide, with hemodynamic compromise as a crucial contributor. Prolonged perfusion is commonly observed in ICAS patients on CT perfusion (CTP) maps, while the clinical significance of this perfusion pattern has not been elucidated.

METHOD
Patients having symptomatic ICAS of 50-99% stenosis with sustained downstream cerebral blood flow (CBF) were enrolled in this study. Prolonged perfusion was defined as increased mean transit time (MTT) in vascular territories of the target ICAS on CTP maps. The primary clinical outcome was recurrence of ipsilateral ischemic stroke, and secondary outcome was any ipsilateral ischemic events at 2 years follow-up.

RESULTS
Of the 95 patients (median age 61y; 70% males) with symptomatic ICAS, 29 patients (30.5%) had prolonged perfusion. Such delayed perfusion was persistent in a majority of patients according to the 1-year imaging follow-up. The prolongation of cerebral perfusion was associated with subsequent risk for ipsilateral ischemic stroke (HR 7.01; 95% CI 1.86-26.46; p = 0.004), but not for any ipsilateral ischemic events (HR 1.52; 95% CI 0.63-3.68; p = 0.348). Further comparison of perfusion measures showed lower CBF (p = 0.034) and higher MTT (p = 0.064) in patients with recurrent ischemic stroke, but not in those with recurrent transient ischemic attack (TIA). Among patients with recurrent stroke, a majority had multiple infarcts along the borderzone regions.

CONCLUSION
In patients with symptomatic ICAS, persistent prolonged cerebral perfusion might contribute to the relapse of ischemic stroke, but not TIA.


Postsynaptic targets of the GABAergic septohippocampal and the serotonergic raphe-hippocampal pathways were studied using anterograde tracing with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin combined with pre- and postembedding immunocytochemistry in the rat. Two types of afferents were labeled in the hippocampus and dentate gyrus from the medial septum-diagonal band of Broca complex, one with large diameter varicosities and another with smaller terminals. The former type was shown to be immunoreactive for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and to innervate predominantly GABA-immunoreactive interneurons. Subsequently, these target interneurons were demonstrated to include all subpopulations of GABAergic cells which could be visualized by antisera against parvalbumin, calbindin D28k, calretinin, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. These types of interneurons have different afferent and efferent connections, and thus participate in different inhibitory processes in the hippocampal formation. The other subcortical pathway, the serotonergic projection from the median raphe nucleus, was also shown to establish synapses predominantly with GABAergic interneurons both in the hippocampus and in the dentate gyrus. In contrast to the septohippocampal projection, this pathway did not innervate all types of GABAergic neurons. They selected a particular subpopulation, i.e. those which contain calbindin D28k, and ignored those which contained parvalbumin or the other neurochemical markers. This suggests a strong functional specialization among local inhibitory circuits, as well as among the subcortical afferents originating in the septum and raphe. These findings suggest that a mechanism by which numerically small afferent pathways may have a profound global effect on the electrical activity of the hippocampal formation is the selective innervation of local interneurons. These GABAergic inhibitory cells, in turn, control the activity of large populations of principal cells. The level of GABAergic inhibition determines the degree of population synchrony and influences N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated epileptiform burst-firing. Thus, the specific subcortical modulation of hippocampal inhibitory circuits may also have fundamental implications for epileptogenesis.


This study examines the consequences of living in segregated and mixed neighbourhoods on ingroup bias and offensive action tendencies, taking into consideration the role of intergroup experiences and perceived threat. Using adult data from a cross-sectional survey in Belfast, Northern Ireland, we tested a model that examined the relationship between living in segregated (N = 396) and mixed (N = 562) neighbourhoods and positive contact, exposure to violence, perceived threat and outgroup orientations. Our results show that living in mixed neighbourhoods was associated with lower ingroup bias and reduced offensive action tendencies. These effects were partially mediated by positive contact. However, our analysis also shows that respondents living in mixed neighbourhoods report higher exposure to political violence and higher perceived threat to physical safety. These findings demonstrate the importance of examining both social experience and threat perceptions when testing the relationship between social environment and prejudice.


The poor investment in the network expansion programme has led to high level of grid fragility experienced in the power transmission system in Nigeria. Thus, any little disturbance often results in cascaded outage which is very hazardous to the power system equipment and operation. In order to overcome or ameliorate the influence of this challenge, the network engineers have to devise methodologies based on the dynamic stability analysis. This motivates the development of power system transient stability model presented herein. The developed model is thus applied to a specimen of the Nigeria's transmission power system, i.e. the Ikeja-West Sub-network. This choice is influenced by the fact that the Ikeja-West sub-network is the hub of power transmission arteries in Nigeria. Thus the Electrical Transient and Analysis Program (ETAP) software is deployed to operate on the ensuing model. This then leads to generating a series of results that demonstrates the different scenarios in respect of the system stability studies. The method adopted is quite appealing and promising as a tool in sustaining system stability and security during slight disturbance to the network during operation. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v36i1.26


The election of 2004 appeared to cement in our cultural lexicon the terms "red state" and "blue state." For many people, the closeness of these last two elections has driven home the realization that people don't elect the president; states do. Each state has a certain number of votes, and each state holds an election to decide how it's going to allocate those votes. As most of us know, the "red states" are those that voted for President Bush and the "blue states" are those that voted for Senator Kerry.


The later stages of sporulation in oocysts of Eimeria brunetti were examined in samples which had been allowed to sporulate at 27 degrees C for 24, 36 and 48 hours. It was observed that the sporoblasts became ellipsoidal and the nucleus underwent the final division. A nucleus with associated Golgi bodies was not observed at either end of the organism. The cytoplasm was limited by two unit membranes and contained rough endoplasmic reticulum, dense bodies, electron translucent vacuoles and mitochondria. The first evidence of sporozoite formation was the appearance of a dense plaque at either end of the organism. This appeared in the vicinity of the nuclei, and adjacent to the limiting membrane of the soroblast. At this stage the sporocyst wall was still unformed. Then the two sporozoites were formed from opposite ends of the organism by growth of the dense plaques and invaginations of the plasmalemma which thus formed the pellicles of the developing sporozoites. A conoid and subpellicular microtubules were observed at this stage as development continued, a number of vacuoles were found between the nucleus and the conoid. These vacuoles constituted the precursors of the rhoptries and micronemes. At the same stage a large dense body had appeared within the forming sporozoite. As the sporozoite developed, this body, anterior refractile body, is followed by the nucleus and another dense body which formed the posterior refractile body. During this period, the thin sporocyst wall was formed and Stieda and sub-Stieda bodies were now present at one end of the sporocyst. Each mature sporocyst contained two sporozoites.


Abstract. The different ways that maps are framed by the media can lead to different emotional responses to the same information. Framing shapes the way in which information is presented, and frames are used by authors and designers to focus the reader's attention in order to lead them to a particular interpretation of the information being communicated. This framing thereby shapes attitudes. In maps, frames can be invoked through both the map's design and the text included within and surrounding the map. Framing is what allows communicators to focus their message and make particular aspects of information salient to their readers. Emotional framing, as a subset of all frames, involves conveying emotions through the message. These can have a positive or negative valence and may even convey a particular emotion. In the case of climate change, communication scholars argue that it is impossible to represent climate change information in a neutral manner without some sort of emotional framing. In addition, other risk communication literature shows that the emotional framing of a risk has impact on the behavioral response of those for whom the message is intended. This emotional framing has been noted by climate change communication researchers as being key to prompting behavioral changes like mitigation and adaptation.Little research has been done in the field of cartography to evaluate emotional responses to climate change maps and the framing of mapped climate change information. Cartographers and GIScientists have much to offer for communicating climate science to audiences. Cartographers are tasked with designing maps to make climate change understandable to lay audiences. Maps can illustrate the multidimensional causes and impacts of climate change using static and dynamic graphics that can be widely disseminated across the web to diverse audiences. It is unclear, however, how the framing of these maps affects how readers interpret the message of the map or how different frames might lead to different emotional responses and potentially, different behavioral responses. This study empirically evaluated emotional responses to climate change frames and maps to examine how different frames might lead to different emotional responses. Specifically, using emotion recognition software and Amazon Mechanical Turk, we answered three research questions:Is it possible to measure emotional responses to maps and their frames using facial emotion recognitionsoftware?What emotions are elicited by different maps and different framings?Do particular emotional responses lead to different behavior changes?  In 2009, the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) submitted its report on climate change impacts in the United States to congressional lawmakers in Washington, D.C. This report contained scientific evidence of climate change impacts on the United States as a whole as well as specific impacts on regions within the United States. The report was compiled by 28 scientists at US universities, national labs, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) based on peer reviewed scientific articles. The report was edited by another three scientists and had input from 22 other scientists. In 2012, the CATO Institute, a conservative think tank, produced what they called an "Addendum" to the original report. The report was compiled by only five authors. Only two of the five authors were from universities while the rest of the authors were from think tanks that have known political biases. The report was edited by only one individual, an employee of the CATO Institute. The report clearly has a political leaning and has contradictory information including: 1) climate change denial, and 2) an acceptance that climate change is happening but that it can be reframed as a positive change for the American public and businesses. The CATO report uses many of the same figures and maps that appeared in the USGCRP Report. These maps are sometimes edited slightly to change their meaning, and the text surrounding the images often uses a different frame. Figure 1 exemplifies the difference between the two reports in their maps and their frames. The version that was produced for USGCRP report illustrates ski areas at risk, while the CATO report swaps colors in the map to show the potential for ski areas to become golf resorts in a warmer climate. To answer the research questions posed above, we are conducting a map reading study using Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). During the study, participants turned on their webcam and recorded their facial expressions while reading the maps and taking the survey. Participants were divided randomly into one of two groups. The first read maps from the USGCRP report, and the second read maps from the CATO Institute report. Each group viewed three maps and read three news stories that used one of two different emotional frames. The USGCRP report portrays climate change with a negative frame, while the CATO Institute portrays climate change as a potential positive. The news reports were written by the researchers to invoke the emotional frames from each of the two reports when succinctly summarizing the message of each of the maps. After reading each of the stories, participants self-reported their emotional responses to the stories and maps by selecting from a list of emotions. After the participant viewed all of the news stories and maps, the participant answered demographic questions as well as provided information about their political ideology, and their views about climate change. Finally, at the end of the survey, participants were asked whether they would like to donate their MTurk earnings to an environmental organization from a short list, our behavioral response measure. At the end of the survey, the participant sent their webcam recording to the researchers for analysis with emotion recognition software. We analyzed the webcam footage to identify different types of emotional responses to the stories and maps using the Affectiva emotion recognition algorithm implemented in iMotions 7.1. Finally, we compared the emotion recognition results to the emotion self-reports, demographic information, and behavioral response measure. Preliminary results from analysis of five participants in this research indicate that emotional responses can be collected remotely by having participants turn on their webcam and upload their videos to be analysed using facial emotion recognition software.


The sorption characteristics of bio-adsorbents derived from leaves of Justicia adhatoda , Cissus quadrangularis, Soapnut Acacia toward Chromium (VI) ions , have been explored by varying the physicochemical parameters such as pH, sorbent concentration and time of equilibration. Percentage of extraction of Chromium (VI) is found to be pH sensitive and also depends on time of equilibration and sorbent concentration. Conditions have been optimized for the maximum extraction of Chromium (VI); it is found to be: 88.0% with Justicia adhatoda leaves powders; 88.0% with Cissus quadrangularis leaves powder, and 84.0% with Soapnut Acacia leaves powders. Tenfold excess of common cation ions are found to have synergistic effect in enhancing the % removal of Chromium(VI). SO4 2-, PO4 3- and CO3 2- are interfering in the order: PO4 3- > SO4 2-> CO3 2-. NO3 -, Cl – and F- have marginal interference. The methodologies developed in this work are remarkably successful in removing the Chromium(VI) from industrial effluents and polluted lake samples.


We live in a world driven by dynamics that challenge and very often defeat traditional reductionist approaches to ethics and problem solving (Weaver, 1948; Rittel & Webber, 1973). This is a world constantly animated by global changes resulting from the interplay of local events. No matter how apparently small, limited, and insignificant the local events may seem, the effects emerging from their interplay are often massive, and seldom predictable and controllable (McDaniel & Driebe, 2005; Miller & Page, 2007). We live in a world permeated by complexity.
This world, our world, is the realm of wicked problems, which cannot be fully described, have no "stopping rule", no "template solution", nor definitive description. In fact, wicked problems defy resolution, because of interdependencies, uncertainties, circularities, and conflicting stakeholders, and because they are often symptoms of other problems (Rittel & Webber, 1973).
The inability to cope with complexity leads inevitably to succumbing to wicked problems, with tragic consequences for human development. Those consequences include environmental emergencies, geopolitical crises, cultural decline, epidemics, and more. Ebola outbreaks, migration control problems, the rise of Islamic State, global warming, and more. These and other issues are part of the drama of complexity, within which we play as key actors, willing or not. A drama that becomes stark tragedy whenever we fail to timely identify and act upon complex dynamics that may lead to chaotic consequences, and are irreversibly detrimental to the future of our global community.
The plot of the drama of complexity is not set. It unfolds based on a dynamic, constantly changing script — but it is one that we can co-author. As actors and co-authors, we can lead the drama to favourable outcomes, influencing complex dynamics to our benefit, as individuals and collectives. This demands the ability to understand and act while "surfing the edge of chaos" (Pascale, 1999); this edge is a dimension in which apparent disorganisation is in fact a manifestation of multiple possibilities to facilitate the emergence of desirable - albeit temporary - order (Beinhocker, 1997). It is here that we have the ability to be "chaordic" influencers. "Chaordic" is a portmanteau word, allying the ideas of chaos and order into one.


tudies have related the action of alcohol on the oral mucosa as a promoter of carcinogenesis, once most oral antiseptics contain alcohol. Its utilization for mouthrinses from 30 to 60 seconds, as indicated on the labels, yields a longer-lasting topical action when compared to the intake of alcoholic beverages. This study aimed at conducting a macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the tissue response of tongue mucosa of hamsters to daily topical applications of antiseptics (Anapyon, Listerine, Oral B) during 13 and 20 weeks, following the methodology for carcinogenesis investigation developed by the Discipline of Pathology of Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo. After sacrificing the animals, their tongues were removed and fixed on 10% formalin. Macroscopic examination did not reveal significant alterations, and the specimens were processed by routine histotechnical procedures for HE staining. Three serial sections of each tongue were evaluated, and characteristics related to epithelial hyperkeratinization, atrophy, hyperplasia and dysplasia were organized in tables. Despite the observation for moderate dysplasia in one case in the Anapyon 20 week group, the further results were very similar to the control group (saline solution), eliminating the need of comparative statistical tests. By means of such methodology for testing the carcinogenesis-initiating action, it was concluded that oral antiseptics are unable to trigger the development of neoplasms. Uniterms: Alcohol; Oral antiseptics; Carcinogenesis.


The mammalian carotid body (CB) is the primary arterial chemoreceptor that responds to acute hypoxia, initiating systemic protective reflex responses that act to maintain O2 delivery to the brain and vital organs. The CB is unique in that it is stimulated at O2 levels above those that begin to impact on the metabolism of most other cell types. Whilst a large proportion of the CB chemotransduction cascade is well defined, the identity of the O2 sensor remains highly controversial. This short review evaluates whether the mitochondria can adequately function as acute O2 sensors in the CB. We consider the similarities between mitochondrial poisons and hypoxic stimuli in their ability to activate the CB chemotransduction cascade and initiate rapid cardiorespiratory reflexes. We evaluate whether the mitochondria are required for the CB to respond to hypoxia. We also discuss if the CB mitochondria are different to those located in other non-O2 sensitive cells, and what might cause them to have an unusually low O2 binding affinity. In particular we look at the potential roles of competitive inhibitors of mitochondrial complex IV such as nitric oxide in establishing mitochondrial and CB O2-sensitivity. Finally, we discuss novel signaling mechanisms proposed to take place within and downstream of mitochondria that link mitochondrial metabolism with cellular depolarization.


Tocqueville's insights on local politics in Democracy in America have led some scholars to ask where he fits into longstanding debates about the balance of power between the national government and state governments in American constitutionalism. Although Tocqueville's observations speak to these questions, he also transcends them by developing the concepts of governmental and administrative (de)centralization. In differentiating governmental and administrative capacities, Tocqueville offers language by which to understand and evaluate the federal system in terms of the nature of the authority each level of government exercises, rather than simply by the objects of national, state, and municipal powers. The purpose of this article is to clarify Tocqueville's understanding of governmental and administrative (de)centralization and thereby contribute to a better understanding of political authority in the American federal system.


The optimal maintenance of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) in vitro is generally observed in the presence of a feeder-layer of mouse embryonic fibroblasts in a serum-containing medium. Various approaches are now available to remove the feeder requirement. Today, the best feeder-free system for the maintenance of hESC and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells is based on a serum-replacement medium on a matrice of Matrigel. Some reports have also shown feeder- free maintenance of hESC in the presence of laminin, fibronectin, vitronectin or collagen IV. However these combinations are expensive. Here we describe an alternative to the current feeder-free short-term amplification of hESC and iPS cells using culture grade plastic dishes pre-coated with 10-20% fetal calf serum. hESC retain expression of various stem cell markers and also retain the ability to differentiate in vitro. Similar results were observed with human iPS cells. This feeder-free culture system is reliable, convenient and allows for the rapid amplification of hESC and iPS cells to numbers suitable for many cell biology techniques.


Although pulmonary tuberculosis decreased remarkably by antituberculous chemotherapy, we have had a lot of patients associated with sequelae who need medical treatment for many symptoms several or dozens years later. Moreover, in these days the delayed detection of pulmonary tuberculosis that is still an important problem may cause new sequelae. However, we have not had the clear definition of tuberculosis sequelae. Then I would like to definite the tuberculosis sequelae as follow. In a narrow sense, the sequelae is a pathological status that is caused by many patho-anatomical change in the healing process of pulmonary tuberculosis and need clinical treatment for many symptoms. The pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae include secondary infection such as aspergillosis, atypical mycobacteriosis and bacterial airway infection. In a broad sense, the sequelae also represent a pathological status with many symptoms after treatment that is caused by injuries in various organs with tuberculosis. I pointed out the problems of sequelae at this conference sixteen years ago. These problems may be beyond the category of tuberculosis study, but are extremely important for chest physicians.


This thesis is concerned with measuring ultrafast electron dynamics taking place in dye-sensitized mesoporous semiconductor films employed as working electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). An understanding of these ultrafast charge transfer mechanisms is essential for designing efficient photovoltaic (PV) devices with high photon-to-current conversion efficiency. Optical-pump terahertz-probe (OPTP) spectroscopy is a sub-picosecond resolution, non-contact, photoconductivity measurement technique which can be used to directly measure charge carrier dynamics within nanostructured materials without the need for invoking complex modelling schemes. A combination of OPTP and photovoltaic measurements on mesoporous TiO2 films show an early-time intra-particle electron mobility of 0.1 cm2/(Vs). This value is an order of magnitude lower than that measured in bulk TiO2 and can be partly explained by the restricted electron movement because of geometrical constraints and increased trap sites in the nanostructured material. In addition, the mesoporous film behaves like a nanostructured composite material, with the TiO2 nanoparticles embedded in a low dielectric medium (air or vacuum), leading to lower apparent electron mobility. THz mobility measured in similar mesoporous ZnO and SnO2 films sensitized with the same dye is calculated to be 0.17 cm2/(Vs) for ZnO and 1.01 cm2/(Vs) for SnO2. Possible reasons for the deviation from mobilities reported in literature for the respective bulk materials have been discussed. The conclusion of this study is that while electron mobility values for nanoporous TiO2 films are approaching theoretical maximum values, both intra- and inter-particle electron mobility in mesoporous ZnO and SnO2 films offer considerable scope for improvement. OPTP has also been used to measure electron injection rates in dye-sensitized TiO2, ZnO and SnO2 nanostructured films. They are seen to proceed in the order TiO2 >SnO2 >ZnO. While the process is complete within a few picoseconds in TiO2/Z907, it is seen to extend beyond a nanosecond in case of ZnO. These measurements correlate well with injection efficiencies determined from DSCs fabricated from identical mesoporous films, suggesting that the slow injection components limit the overall solar cell photocurrent. The reasons for this observed difference in charge injection rates have been explored within. It is now fairly common practice in the photovoltaic community to apply a coating of a wide band-gap material over the metal-oxide nanoparticles in DSCs to improve device performance. However, the underlying reasons for the improvement are not fully understood. With this motivation, OPTP spectroscopy has been used to study how the conformal coating affects early-time mechanisms, such as electron injection, trapping or diffusion length. The electron injection process is unaffected in case of TiCl4-treated TiO2 and MgO-treated ZnO, while it becomes much slower in case of MgO-treated SnO2. Finally, a light-soaking effect observed in SnO2-based solid-state DSCs has been examined in detail using THz spectroscopy and transient PV measurement techniques. It is concluded that continued exposure to light results in a rearrangement of charged species at the metal-oxide surface. This leads to an increase in the density of acceptor states or a lowering of the SnO2 conduction band edge with respect to the dye excited state energy level, ultimately leading to faster electron transport and higher device photocurrents.


Throughout the centuries, companies have faced a wide range of challenges and changes that have caused them to rethink their strategies and redesign their organizations. The recent focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance is one of the new challenges facing companies today. ESG builds on prior Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting, adding additional structure and rigour to the process for disclosure. It is not the concept of ESG that is challenging, but the speed at which the public and other key stakeholders, including institutional investors and regulators, have endorsed it that creates the greatest issue for companies. It has affected their ability to attract investment, increases costs for borrowing as well as for insurance. This directly impacts a company's ability to finance and get access to lower-cost capital for their growth and ongoing operations[1].
 There are many different disclosure frameworks in place to support ESG improvement and reporting. These include including Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-related financial Disclosures (TCFD), United Nations (UN) Sustainability Goals, etc. with new frameworks being added and changes being made on a regular basis. While there are many different frameworks, many share a common objective of improved performance in one or more of the ESG pillars. This improvement is not intended to be acute, but rather demonstrate continual organizational improvement over time. To effectively meet ESG requirements, companies will have to demonstrate sustained improvements in defined ESG pillars, supported by:
 • Defined ESG strategies;
 • Established processes and consistent and progressive practices;
 • Measurement, reporting, and leadership oversight; and
 • Disclosure/Transparency (e.g. public reporting)[2]
 As the recognition of ESG continues to grow, so too has the use of management systems, especially in the pipeline industry. Many companies are developing or have developed a management system to support their organization and operations. This is one of the key tools that companies can use to systematically improve their ESG performance. It provides the structure to support effective ESG risk identification, management, mitigation, and reporting, providing the necessary sustained improvement and governance oversight needed. Through a management system plan-do-check-act (PDCA) approach, ESG initiatives can be effectively planned, executed, reviewed, and reported to support ongoing improvement in both ESG as well existing operations.
 The proposed paper will discuss the relationship between management systems and ESG how to leverage a management system to support systematic improvements in ESG performance and year-over-year improvement in ESG related metrics.


Objective: Canadian training in the clinical neurosciences, neurology and neurosurgery, faces significant challenges. New balances are being set by residents, their associations and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada between clinical service, education and personal time. The nature of hospital-provided medical service has changed significantly over the past decade, impacting importantly on resident training. Finally, future manpower needs are of concern, especially in the field of neurosurgery, where it appears that soon more specialists will be trained than can be absorbed into the Canadian health care system. Methods: A special symposium on current challenges in clinical neuroscience training was held at the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences in June 2000. Representatives from the Canadian Association of Interns and Residents, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and English and French neurology and neurosurgery training programs made presentations, which are summarized in this report. Results: Residency training has become less service-oriented, and this trend will continue. In order to manage the increasingly sophisticated hospital services of neurology and neurosurgery, resident-alternatives in the form of physician "moonlighters" or more permanent hospital-based clinicians or "hospitalists" will be necessary in order to operate major neuroclinical units. Health authorities and hospitals will need to recognize and assume this responsibility. As clinical experience diminishes during residency training, inevitably so will the concept of the fully competent "generalist" at the end of specialty training. Additional subspecialty training is being increasingly sought by graduates, particularly in neurosurgery. Conclusion: Training in neurology and neurosurgery, as in all medical specialties, has changed significantly in recent years and continues to change. Programs and hospitals need to adapt to these changes in order to ensure the production of fully qualified specialists in neurology and neurosurgery and the provision of optimal care to patients in clinical teaching units.


This article forms part of a larger practice-led investigation into the role of vision in solo, unaccompanied, un-scored improvisational dance performance. The principal aim of the paper is to propose and situate a mode of solo 'direct looking' that can be practised as a means of training for solo dances which are improvised in performance. This calibration of solo 'direct looking' as a pragmatic training tool for the generation of choreographic material is positioned and contextualised through analysis of the aesthetic and socio-cultural values of the global training/performance practice of Contact Improvisation and various articulations of 'direct looking' that have also developed in post-1960s Western solo/duet/ensemble dance training models – most specifically improvising teacher Al Wunder's definition of vision as 'the fifth appendage'. Examples are given of the ways in which the eyes can feed the imagination and the kinaesthetic sense, leading to a channelling of corporeal impulse through spontaneous movement expression.


This thesis describes research carried out in the area of materials electrochemistry. The
general goal was to develop and test advanced materials that might improve the
performance of real-world electrochemical systems. Particular systems of interest were
lithium thionyl chloride batteries, lithium sulphur batteries, and carbon-based
electrochemical capacitors. Developments are reported in all three cases.
Materials electrochemistry is an interdisciplinary field that investigates the relationship
between the structure, properties, processing and electrochemical performance of novel
materials. These may be electrodes, solutions, or combinations of both. Besides
conventional electrochemical measurements, materials electrochemistry also includes
elements of process development and engineering.
In the present work, much effort was expended on the formulation, mixing, extrusion
and curing of particulate carbon electrodes. In particular, numerous large-scale
screening programs were carried out to examine the effects of multiple independent
variables on battery performance. Although this required much effort to set up, the payoff
was that it allowed improved processing parameters, and materials of advanced
performance to be determined with a high level of confidence. Considerable effort was
also expended on the development of apparatus for handling air-sensitive battery
solvents, such as thionyl chloride.
Amongst the achievements of the present work are: (i) the successful reformulation of
the manufacturing solvent for commercial lithium battery electrodes, to halve the
quantity of isopropyl alcohol used. In the future this will allow the manufacturing
process to continue within UKIEU regulations. (ii) The improvement of the mechanical
strength and electrochemical capacity of thick-film carbon electrodes by adding
conducting carbon fibre. (iii) The development of an easy-to-implement test that
accurately predicts the performance of lithium thionyl chloride battery electrodes. (iv)
The development of a novel electrolyte solution for lithium sulphur batteries (using a
sulfolane/ethylene carbonate mixture). (v) The discovery that this solution can be gelled
with PVDF, and finally (vi) the discovery that some carbon blacks out-perform
activated carbon in thick-film electrodes for electrochemical capacitors.


: Knowledge of the natural history of scaphoid nonunion is important for establishing the indication for surgery. The late results after the Matti-Russe operation reveal carpal arthrosis in a relatively high percentage of cases. On the other hand, we see patients who have engaged in sports and have continued working without symptoms for years despite scaphoid nonunion. We now address the question as to the nature and time of the development of arthrosis and the factors affecting it. Forty-one patients with pseudarthrosis were followed up over a period of 3-39 years. For comparison, 55 patients in whom a Matti-Russe operation had been successfully performed were followed up for the same period. Both the clinical and radiological appearance seem to be better in patients operated on than in those who were not operated on. The time factor, the location and the form of the fracture determine the development of arthrosis. No patient was free of arthrosis after 10 years. Arthrosis begins in the scaphostyloid joint and progresses to the scaphotrapezoid, scaphocapital and scapholunar joint. Development of midcarpal arthrosis takes place over about 20 years. Unstable and displaced fractures accelerate the development of arthrosis. Proximally located pseudarthroses are unfavorable because of the danger of osteonecrosis of the proximal fragment. These pseudarthroses should be eliminated as soon as possible by surgery.


In February 2016, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance convened a group of 25 scientists, clinicians, and advocates to meet at the Banbury Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, to discuss the recent results from the United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS) and implications for clinical practice and public health. Ovarian cancer is a relatively rare type of cancer that affects approximately 1.5% of U.S. women during their lifetime, but it is the fifth most common cause of cancer death among women.1 The five-year survival rate is only about 45% because most women present with advanced-stage disease.1 There has not been an accepted early detection test because of a lack of evidence that any screening approach reduces death from ovarian cancer. At the time of the conference, no organization had issued a guideline recommending screening for ovarian cancer in women not at increased risk. The current recommendations against screening for ovarian cancer are based on the large U.S. prospective randomized Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.2 The PLCO trial demonstrated that an annual cancer antigen (CA) 125 measurement (using a fixed cutoff value for a positive test result) and ultrasonography were not associated with a reduction in mortality from ovarian cancer. Furthermore, screening was associated with significant harms resulting from surgeries that were triggered by false-positive findings. In December 2015, the results of the UKCTOCS trial were reported in The Lancet.3 This landmark study included approximately 200,000 healthy postmenopausal women, of whom one-half were randomized to no screening, one-fourth were randomized to receive annual pelvic ultrasonography, and one-fourth were randomized to multimodal screening (MMS). In contrast to the PLCO approach, MMS involves a risk of ovarian cancer algorithm (ROCA) that assigns a level of risk based on an individual woman's CA 125 levels and changes over time combined with her age and known risk factors for ovarian cancer. Based on these findings, further CA 125 testing and ultrasonography may be required. The primary analysis suggested a nonsignificant mortality reduction over years 0 to 14 of 15% (95% confidence interval, –3 to 30; P = .10) in the MMS arm vs. the usual care arm. However, the reduction in mortality was not constant over time, appearing only after seven to 10 years of screening. Compared with annual, fixed-cutoff CA 125 levels and ultrasonography, as were studied in the PLCO trial, the MMS algorithm was more sensitive and led to fewer unnecessary surgeries. The UKCTOCS trial demonstrated a stage shift in which more cases were diagnosed at an early stage with the MMS approach (40%) compared with women in the nonscreened (usual care) group (26%). There was no stage shift observed for the group receiving ultrasonography alone. Additional exploratory analysis suggested even more encouraging, though as yet inconclusive, evidence of the potential for a greater mortality reduction in the MMS group. As stated in The Lancet UKCTOCS paper, "further follow-up is needed before firm conclusions can be reached on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of ovarian cancer screening."3 The consensus of the Banbury group is in accord with the published conclusions of the UKCTOCS trial: It is premature to recommend MMS for the early detection of ovarian cancer at this time. Although women and health care professionals may look to these findings as finally providing a strategy for successful screening for ovarian cancer, Editorials


The binomial model is a simple and straightforward way to price simple and straightforward options, like plain vanilla calls and puts, even with American exercise. But path-dependent contracts, such as lookback options, present problems for the binomial because of the need to keep track of a path statistic, in this case, the highest or lowest price attained, along each path through the lattice. Choi and Jameson present a very clever technique for stepping backward through the tree much more efficiently, so that one can value a lookback without carrying an auxiliary variable.