In order to design composite materials with high intrinsic damping, it is essential to understand the effect of volume fraction and morphology (size, shape, and distribution, etc.) of the component phases on the damping behavior. The analytical solutions available to date are concerned with specific morphologies and thus cannot predict the result of a change in the morphology of the component phases even though they can account for volume fraction effects. In this investigation, the finite element method (FEM) has been employed to predict the effect of both the volume fraction and morphology of phases on the damping behavior of epoxy-aluminum composites. Various finite element meshes representing different composite morphologies were made with two-dimensional plate elements. A cantilever beam with an end load applied as a sinusoidal function of time was modeled. The solution consisted of the displacements of the nodes and the stresses in each element for a given time. From this information, the phase lag between the stress and the displacement as well as the local stress and strain distributions were determined.


Attending in a college is not a simple matter. There should be any qualifications that should be fulfilled by all candidates who want to attend a college whether it is State- or even Private-University. Such as, they should be had written test, interview and others based on the qualifications in the college. Based on the background above, before attending a college, there should be any preparation about what department that would be chosen then there is no regret in the future. It cannot be denied that every student who wants to choose a department should have their own motivation and perception; and every student must have background of different motivation and perception between a student and the others in choosing department. In this matter, motivation and perception that underlie student to select Social Wealth Department cannot be predicted because of different motivation and perception they have. Several motivations can be measured from their interest toward the department whether the support from self (intrinsic) or support from other (extrinsic). In this study, the researcher uses qualitative study where students as the main instrument or regarded as tool for investigation. It can be the main sources in all process of investigation that is planning, implementation, data collection and the last as report of the investigation. While the subject of investigation is students of Social Wealth Department year 2006 by total sampling because the subject of study limited on 5 persons. The method to collect the data is interview and observation to discover materials as information. The process of data analysis is beginning from detailing data in data presentation; the researcher will review the result from the beginning investigation then made a conclusion from all. From the result of study about motivation and perception of why students chose Social Wealth Department is because they like Social Wealth Department, interested in, and want to understand this department. The motivation is from others (extrinsic) like the influence of peer, relative, society or neighborhood. While students? perception about Social Wealth department is that this department is very good and qualified from knowledge or even from teaching system of the advisors. Keyword : Motivasi, Persepsi, Memilih Jurusan Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial Link: http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/250/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2008-elinherlin-12457-PENDAHUL-N.pdf


Background Delayed mortality may be associated with prolonged suffering and also with emotional, economic, and resource costs. The age at the time of death in extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW) is widely variable. The influence on this variability of delivery room cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DR-CPR) has not been investigated. Objective To analyze if the age at the time of death in infants < 1,200 g is different in those who received DR-CPR compared to those who died but did not require DR-CPR. Design/Methods Analysis of all infants < 1,200 g who died and had been born at two Emory perinatal centers in the last 5 years (1/2000-12/2004). Exclusion criteria were major congenital malformations and provision of only comfort care. DR-CPR was defined as chest compression and/or epinephrine use in the delivery room (DR). Demographics included Apgar score, gestational age, gender, prenatal steroids, multiple pregnancies, mode of delivery, age at time of death and others. Comparisons by chi square, Fisher's, Student t, and RR when appropriate (whole group and BW specific). Results A total of 87 infants < 1,200 g who died met enrollment criteria; 26 of them (30%) received DR-CPR. Of the 87 infants, 25% died in first day (d); 18% at 1-3 d; 5% between 4 and 7 d; 29% between 8 and 28 d, and 23% > 28 d of age. The DR-CPR group was similar to the no DR-CPR group in birth weight (726 6 160 vs 731 6 176) and gestational age (24.8 6 1.9 vs 25.3 6 2.2). The average length of stay (ALOS) was widely variable (21.8 6 47 vs 30.7 6 56.9; p = .669). Death in the DR (27% vs 0%; p = .000), in the first 12 hours of life (38% vs 7%; p = .001) and in the first day (42% vs 20%; p = .047) was more frequent in the DR-CPR group. Death after 28 d was 11.5% in DR-CPR vs 26.6% in no DR-CPR infants (p = .2); and the median length of stay for these infants was 156.00 d vs 41.00 d, respectively. Conclusion A large proportion of the infants < 1,200 g who die do so after many days in the hospital. Exposure to DR-CPR is associated with a higher proportion of early mortality. However, infants exposed to DR-CPR who survive > 28 days die after a prolonged length of stay. It remains to be determined if criteria can be identified to avoid delaying the inevitable.


Extensibility can be based on cross-address-space communication or on grafting application-speciic modules into the operating system. For comparing both approaches , we need to explore the best achievable performance for both models. This paper reports the achieved performance of cross-address-space communication for the L4-kernel on Intel Pentium, Mips R4600 and DEC Alpha. The direct costs range from 45 cycles (Alpha) to 121 cycles (Pentium). Since only 2.3% of the L1 cache are required (Pentium), the average indirect costs are not to be expected much higher. 1 Motivation: extensibility "Extensibility" is a relatively new buzzword in OS research. Nevertheless, the requirement for extensibility is neither speciic to operating systems nor new. Editors are extended by macros associating new functions to keys, programming languages are extended by libraries , database systems are extended by application-speciic functions, word processing systems are extended by customized texts, et cetera, et cetera. What makes extensibility an OS-speciic topic? Security and safety! When extending an operating system by a new or modiied service, we require that (a) the service can be introduced only for selected clients and that (b) a potential malfunction of the new service aaects only those clients that use it. In accordance to (a), diifer-ent clients can, of course, use diierent services for the same event. (a) is diicult because the operating system controls central resources; (b) is diicult because (i) these resources are critical with respect to the correct functioning of the entire system and (ii) services need to be protected from each other making uncontrolled interference impossible. An obvious (and well-known) solution: use multiple servers, protect them by classical operating system mechanisms, i.e. address spaces, and make them freely attachable to applications. Basically, that is the-kernel approach, pioneered by Amoeba, Mach and Chorus , further developed by L4 Liedtke 1995], Fluke Ford et al. 1996] and others. This method is best-suited to incorporate general, well-known software techniques for extensibility. Functionally , it is most exible and most general. However, good performance of the multiple-server technique requires that the direct and indirect costs of cross-address-space communication (including address-space switching) are suuciently low. Unfortunately, years ago, IPC was considered to be expensive. A further solution is to graft additional modules into the monolithic server (the operating system). Early applications of this technique are widely used but insecure and/or of limited exibility: mounting new le systems, adding new device drivers et cetera. New research projects, …


Background The pharmacokinetic properties and clinical advantages of the local anesthetic chloroprocaine are well known. Here, we studied the pharmacokinetic profile of a new hydrogel device loaded with chloroprocaine to investigate the potential advantages of this new strategy for postoperative pain (POP) relief. Materials and methods We performed both in vitro and in vivo analyses by considering plasma samples of four piglets receiving slow-release chloroprocaine. To quantify chloroprocaine and its inactive metabolite 4-amino-2-chlorobenzoic acid (ACBA), a HPLC–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analytical method was used. Serial blood samples were collected over 108 hours, according to the exposure time to the device. Results Chloroprocaine was consistently found to be below the lower limit of quantification, even though a well-defined peak was observed in every chromatogram at an unexpected retention time. Concerning ACBA, we found detectable plasma concentrations between T0 and T12h, with a maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) observed 3 hours after the device application. In the in vitro analyses, the nanogel remained in contact with plasma at 37°C for 90 minutes, 3 hours, 1 day, and 7 days. Chloroprocaine Cmax was identified 1 day following exposure and Cmin after 7 days, respectively. Additionally, ACBA reached the Cmax following 7 days of exposure. Conclusion A thorough review of the literature indicates that this is the first study analyzing both in vivo and in vitro pharmacokinetic profiles of a chloroprocaine hydrogel device and is considered as a pilot study on the feasibility of including this approach to the management of POP.


SUMMARY Palaeogeographic reconstructions, marine band deposition and the variations of uranium enrichment in sediments enable marine bands to be divided into four types: (1) Namurian marine bands, which represent marine anoxic black shale events, with thick ammonoid acme phases that concentrate uranium; (2) Vanderbeckei marine bands have thin ammonoid acme zones and abundant benthos, resulting from shallower water depths and poorly developed anoxic events with negligible uranium enrichment; (3) Westphalian B/C marine bands are more marginal and have an abundance of land-derived plant fragments with adsorbed uranium, as well as uranium entrapped within phosphatic tests of Lingula; (4) brackish water Lingula beds with abundant terrigenous matter and negligible uranium response. This classification scheme provides a means of predicting the uranium response of individual marine bands which is attributed primarily to the type and amount of organic matter, and the salinity of the waters responsible for deposition. This approach allows marine bands to be recognized and identified in the subsurface from their gamma ray and spectral gamma response, and together with palynological analysis allows the marine band to be placed more accurately within the regional stratigraphic framework.


The size and composition of circulating immune complexes in the sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were studied in relation to different manifestations of the disease. Circulating immune complexes from the sera of 94 patients (50 with extra-articular disease) and 10 matched controls were fractionated by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The composition, immunoglobulin and rheumatoid factor (RF) concentrations within each of the fractions were determined by a sensitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Intermediate size (14S-21S) IgG complexes containing RF activity and 22S IgG-IgM RF complexes were found in the sera of 40 patients with RA, while intermediate size complexes of self associated IgG RF and larger size complexes (greater than 22S) of IgG RF and IgM RF were associated with extra-articular features of RA (50% of extra-articular disease). Complexes containing IgA were found in the sera of many patients with RA, and dimeric IgA RF mainly in patients with extra-articular disease. These results support the view that whereas small size circulating immune complexes are of no primary pathogenic importance in synovitis, large size (greater than 22S) circulating immune complexes may play a role in extra-articular disease in RA. Current understanding of the formation of large complexes provides a biological explanation for their occurrence and effects.


To overcome the deficiencies of single neural network such as low diagnosis precision, long training time and bad generalized ability, an integrated neural network classifier and collinearity method are proposed for electronic circuit fault diagnosis in the paper. The investigation shows that the proposed method has higher classification precision and reliability, and is an ideal pattern classifier. Both simulation and experiment indicate that the proposed method is quite effective and ubiquitous


This brief guide covers the Library of Congress (LOC) Classification System and how the library organizes books on the shelves


Quantitative mass spectrometry–based proteomics analysis reveals the phosphorylation and ubiquitylation dynamics of B cell receptor complexes. Antigen binding to B cell receptors (BCRs) leads to the assembly of BCR signaling complexes (signalosomes), which initiate downstream signaling through the phosphorylation and ubiquitylation of cellular proteins. Satpathy et al. used stable isotope labeling by amino acids (SILAC)–based quantitative mass spectrometry to investigate BCR signaling in A20 cells, a murine B cell lymphoma cell line that expresses IgG2a-type BCRs. To investigate the dynamics of BCR signalosome assembly, signaling was activated by binding BCRs with biotin-labeled anti-IgG F(ab′)2 and terminated at 5 and 15 min by lysing the cells. Mass spectrometric analysis of streptavidin-purified complexes revealed that 154 proteins were present in the signalosomes and that the number and identity of the recruited proteins changed over time. Some of these proteins, including KLHL6, SPRED1, and ANKRD13A, were not previously thought to form BCR signalosomes. To analyze the dynamics of the phosphorylation and ubiquitylation of downstream signaling components, signaling was initiated by crosslinking BCRs with the F(ab′)2 fragment of rabbit anti-mouse IgG. Phosphorylated peptides in the cell lysates were enriched for both serine/threonine and tyrosine-containing peptides and then were analyzed by mass spectrometry. BCR stimulation resulted in the phosphorylation of 1829 serine and threonine sites and 124 tyrosine sites. Immunofluorescence analysis of cells expressing wild-type or mutant forms of a regulator of the early-to-late maturation of endosomes, RAB7A, which was phosphorylated at Ser72 in response to BCR stimulation, confirmed that its association with endolysosomal compartments was blocked by phosphorylation. Analysis of purified ubiquitylated peptides indicated the presence of ~300 ubiquitylation sites after BCR stimulation. Further analysis revealed that BCL10, which is required to activate nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling, underwent linear ubiquitylation by LUBAC in response to BCR stimulation. Approximately 65 proteins were regulated by both phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. In characterizing the dynamic nature of BCR signalosomes and the complex regulation of proteins by phosphorylation and ubiquitylation in response to BCR stimulation, this study should serve as a resource for the analysis of B cell signaling. S. Satpathy, S. A. Wagner, P. Beli, R. Gupta, T. A. Kristiansen, D. Malinova, C. Francavilla, P. Tolar, G. A. Bishop, B. S. Hostager, C. Choudhary, Systems-wide analysis of BCR signalosomes and downstream phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. Mol. Syst. Biol. 11, 810 (2015). [PubMed]


The spatial scale of animal space use, e.g. measured as individual home range size, is a key trait with important implications for ecological and evolutionary processes as well as management and conservation of populations and ecosystems. Explaining variation in home range size has therefore received great attention in ecological research. However, few studies have examined multiple hypotheses simultaneously, which is important provided the complex interactions between life history, social system and behaviour. Here, we review previous studies on home range size in ungulates, supplementing with a meta-analysis, to assess how differences in habitat use and species characteristics affect the relationship between body mass and home range size. Habitat type was the main factor explaining interspecific differences in home range size after accounting for species body mass and group size. Species using open habitats had larger home ranges for a given body mass than species using closed habitats, whereas species in open habitats showed a much weaker allometric relationship compared with species living in closed habitats. We found no support for relationships between home range size and species diet or mating system, or any sexual differences. These patterns suggest that the spatial scale of animal movement mainly is a combined effect of body mass, group size and the landscape structure. Accordingly, landscape management must acknowledge the influence of spatial distribution of habitat types on animal behaviour to ensure natural processes affecting demography and viability of ungulate populations.


The aim of this thesis is to estimate the perspectives of integrated switched reluctance drives (I-SRDs), i.e. reluctance machines integrated with converters. It is assumed that such drive series can be manufactured in the power range of 0.75...7.5 kW and speed ranges of 300...3000 rpm and 600...6000 rpm for applications like pumps, fans, conveyors, compressors, extruders and mixers. Based on the performed research and design work it is stated that the new drives have to be developed according to their applications, which determine objective functions and constraints, and that the best possible design should be found as a solution of a synthesis task. Sizing equations are not applied at all. The approach used in the thesis is based on the virtual prototyping concept, i.e. the new I-SRD series is designed in a virtual environment. Therefore, mathematical models and the ways to verify them have to be elaborated. The concepts of multidisciplinary and multilevel modeling are applied. The multidisciplinary model is a combination of interconnected electromagnetic, thermal and noise models. The multilevel concept is the approach when different elements of the drive are described using different languages, i.e. on different levels. Several original solutions are introduced, like the electromagnetic model comprising SIMULINK block-diagrams and MATLAB script, expressions for the correction of the flux linkage due to end-effects, an original equivalent circuit for thermal analysis, which allows using a very simple and fast method to solve the circuit, together with the concept of a multi-layer equivalent cylinder for modeling the motor winding. For verification of the multidisciplinary model a database of test results has been collected using both testing of several reluctance machines in the laboratory and analyzing of test results published by other researchers. After verification the model can be considered as a virtual prototype and can be used in the synthesis process. Several methods of solving the synthesis task were tested. The method, proved to be best suited for solving this task in the proposed form, is the genetic algorithm in the vector form with alphabetic encoding. The genetic algorithm should be coupled with the experimental design method or with the Monte-Carlo method.


In California there is a concern about the growing need for fresh water. This has been fueled by drought and increases in water demand by both increased agriculture and population. Ocean desalination has been a proposed answer to this water shortage as a source of drought proof water as cost trends favor the use of reverse osmosis (RO) plants over distillation/ multistage flash (MSF) plants and as municipal water costs have been on the rise. Ocean desalination however imposes increases in environmental impacts to the ocean marine biota in part to the ocean water intakes and the release of the resulting brine discharge. Undiluted brine has a composition similar to ocean water, but is twice as concentrated. Few historical Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)'s are available to guide the future of ocean desalination. More recent EIA's and case studies show that indirect underground water intakes harm less marine biota and use less chemicals for the prevention of RO membrane fouling. This results in lesser amounts of used chemicals, leading to fewer chemicals that are eliminated in the brine or waste product of the RO process. Brine is disposed of by delivering it back to the ocean where effects on marine biota can be profound if not diluted or dispersed. Oceans supply people with food giving life to populations around the world and support lifestyles, where changes in our oceans can have many downstream impacts to people around the world. Environmental law is constantly changing to curb the destructions of the ocean environment including the laws governing ocean desalination plants. In California, these can be found in the Ocean Plan. Environmental law under the Ocean Plan has recently supported safeguards to protect the ocean including 4 newly proposed regulations. The recent history of ocean desalination in California and increasing regulations to curb environmental impacts is guiding California in the right direction for using ocean desalination as a valuable source of drought proof water while upholding Public Health concerns.


Clinical descriptions of children with feral alcohol syndrome (FAS) and other alcohol-related disabilities (1) often cite attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (American Psychiatric Association [MA] 1994) as a central feature of the behavioral characteristics associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol (Oesrerheld and Wilson 1997). The assumption that prenatal alcohol exposure produces ADHD and other attention problems is based on case study reports and descriptions of patients identified through clinical practice (Steinhausen et al. 1993). The association between prenatal alcohol exposure and ADHD is also supported by results from prospective studies of alcohol-exposed children who do not have FAS (e.g., Streissguth et al. 1995). However, not all empirical studies of alcohol-exposed children have found either the behaviors characteristic of ADHD or deficits on measures of attention on neurocognitive tests (e.g., Boyd et al. 1991; Brown et al. 1991; Fried et al. 1992). These discrepancies, in addit ion to the debate about the ADHD diagnosis itself (see Barkley 1998; Shaywitz et al. 1994), raise a number of questions about the association between ADHD and prenatal alcohol exposure. The clinical diagnosis of ADHD, although usually reliable, is not based on neurocognitive tests of attention but relies, instead, on clinical observation and on parent and teacher reports. The behaviors measured, therefore, reflect deficits in attention only by inference. In contrast, the methods of neuropsychology and cognitive development use experimental procedures to examine behaviors that reflect the fundamental processes of attention (Mirsky et al. 1991). To examine the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on attention factors, as well as the relationship between these factors and the ADHD diagnosis, we (Coles et al. 1997) compared ADHD school-aged children with children diagnosed with either FAS or partial FAS. For this research, we used two sets of criteria. The first set of criteria was the "traditional" clinical method for diagnosing ADHD using observations of behavior; parent and teacher checklists (e.g., the Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL] [Achenbach 1991] and SNAP [Swanson et al. 1982]); and cognitive tasks typically used by clinicians (e.g., the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Revised [WISC-R] and Digit Span [Wechsler 1991]). See table 1 for descriptions of these tests. The second set of criteria was the neuropsychological model developed by Mirsky and colleagues (1991), one of several competing models of attention based on neuropsychological studies. At the time of our study, this model proposed four factors of attention that could be measured using neuropsychological tests. (Another factor has since been added.) The four factors we used were focus, shift, sustain, and encode. Focus refers to the ability to attend selectively to appropriate information. Shift refers to the ability to allocate attentional resources--that is, the ability to shift attention from one task to another when appropriate. Sustain refers to the ability to maintain a focused alertness in perceiving a signal. Encode refers to the ability to maintain information in the working memory while performing some cognitive process using that information (e.g., by manipulating or memorizing symbols). In contrast to the ADHD diagnosis, understanding attention in this manner facilitates the study of both the chara cteristics of attention itself and the differential effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on these more specific factors. In our (Coles et al. 1997) study, we measured the focus dimension using the WISC-R Coding subtest (Wechsler 1991); the shift dimension with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) (Grant and Berg 1980); the sustain dimension with a computerized vigilance procedure known as the Continuous Performance Test (CPT); and the encode dimension with the Number Recall and Arithmetic subtests from the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) (Kaufman and Kaufman 1987). …


Abstract As patent applications increase, and the range of patentable technologies increases, the length of time it takes for an invention to go through the examination process at the U.S. Patent Office has increased. Concerns over the distributional effects of these changes have been expressed during policy debates. We use data on U.S. patent applications and grants to ask who is affected by longer grant lags. We augment this analysis with interviews of patent examiners, leading to a better understanding of the examination process. Our analysis finds that differences across technology are most important. These differences do not erode over time, suggesting that learning effects alone will not reduce grant lags. Inventor characteristics have statistically significant effects, but the magnitudes are small.


A plug-in digital repetitive learning (RC) controller is proposed to eliminate periodic tracking errors in constant-voltage constant-frequency (CVCF) pulse-width modulated (PWM) DC/AC converter systems. The design of the RC controller is systematically developed and the stability analysis of the overall system is discussed. The periodic errors are forced toward zero asymptotically and the total harmonics distortion (THD) of the output voltage is substantially reduced under parameter uncertainties and load disturbances. Simulation and experimental results are provided to illustrate the validity of the proposed scheme.


In this article, we review the major research advances made during the 1990s in the study of sexuality in marriage and other close relationships. More specifically, we provide a critical review of the empirical findings from the last decade on such sexual phenomena as sexual behavior, sexual satisfaction, and sexual attitudes within the context of marriage, dating, and other committed relationships. After highlighting the major theoretical and methodological advances of the 1990s, we focus on the research literatures of: (1) frequency and correlates of sexual activity in marriage; (2) sexual satisfaction, including its association with general relationship satisfaction; (3) sexuality in gay and lesbian committed relationships; (4) trends in sexual behavior and attitudes in dating relationships; and (5) the role of sexuality in dating relationships. We also incorporate brief reviews of the past decade's research on sexual assault and coercion in marriage and dating and on extramarital sex. We end our decade review with recommendations for the study of sexuality into the next decade.


Drawing on data collected during a larger, year-long ethnographic study of a pilot program designed to serve late adolescent newcomers to Canada, this paper uses notions of the phenomenological approach to consider the "inclusion" of late adolescent newcomers in Canada's education system. The present consideration seeks to frame how some stakeholders implicated in a pilot program to help this particular learner population came to understand the forces that seemingly perpetuated the students' oppression within the education system. In particular, issues of the parameters of language education, federal and provincial education policies, and funding were identified as the key influences within the phenomenon.


This paper examines the determinants of social distancing during the COVID-19 epidemic. We classify state and local government actions, and we study multiple proxies for social distancing based on data from smart devices. Mobility fell substantially in all states, even ones that have not adopted major distancing mandates. There is little evidence, for example, that stay-at-home mandates induced distancing. In contrast, early and information-focused actions have had bigger effects. Event studies show that first case announcements, emergency declarations, and school closures reduced mobility by 1-5% after 5 days and 7-45% after 20 days. Between March 1 and April 11, average time spent at home grew from 9.1 hours to 13.9 hours. We find, for example, that without state emergency declarations, event study estimates imply that hours at home would have been 11.3 hours in April, suggesting that 55% of the growth comes from emergency declarations and 45% comes from secular (non-policy) trends. State and local government actions induced changes in mobility on top of a large response across all states to the prevailing knowledge of public health risks. Early state policies conveyed information about the epidemic, suggesting that even the policy response mainly operates through a voluntary channel.


Imagery practice of motor tasks has been recommended for a wide range of activities as from flight training to basketball. A key question, both from a practical and a theoretical standpoint, is when during the learning process does imagery practice confer the most benefit? However, the literature does not provide clear guidance, in part because of methodological limitations. A 3 × 2 (physical practice X pretest-posttest) split-plot design was employed to investigate the effects of imagery practice on the acquisition of a discrete target at three different stages of learning. Analysis indicated that imagery practice was most beneficial in the early stages of learning and showed an inverse relationship between experience and efficacy of imagery practice. Results are discussed in terms of current theories of imagery practice and suggestions are made regarding when such practice might be best applied during skill development.


Cladocera species composition was analyzed in surface sediments of 29 lakes in Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras). The material studied was collected with an Ekman grab in autumn 2013 from lakes located in lowland, highland and mountain regions. The study revealed high variability in qualitative and quantitative composition of subfossil Cladocera. A total of 31 Cladocera species (5 planktonic and 26 littoral) were identified, as well as 4 morphotypes that could not be identified (NRR 1-4). Planktonic Bosminidae and Daphniidae were the most abundant families. Daphniidae were restricted to water bodies in mountain regions, whereas Bosminidae were widely distributed in lakes with different abiotic conditions. Moreover, Bosminidae species also occurred in highly mineralized waters (> 900 µS cm -1 ). The great majority of the identified Cladocera species belonged to the littoral family Chydoridae. Chydorus cf. sphaericus was the most common species (found in 20 lakes), which probably reflects its tolerance to a wide spectrum of habitat conditions. Cluster analysis discriminated 6 groups of Cladocera species with a high correlation level within groups (≥0.8), which showed different types of correlation with lake characteristics and environmental variables. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that altitude and secondly water electrical conductivity were the most important drivers of Cladocera species composition in the region studied. Furthermore, CCA analysis indicated lowland lakes with low water transparency were also characterized by peculiar species assemblages.


In this text, Jacques J. Polak discusses in detail the origin of the conflicts between the institutions arising from their overlapping activities that culminated at the end of the 1980s and the measures taken since to diffuse these conflicts. In their first three decades, the two institutions engaged in clearly distinct activities; the Bank made long-term loans to finance infrastructural projects in developing countries while the Fund gave economic advice and short term stabilization loans to both industrial and developing countries. But since the mid-1970s, the seperate lives of the two "Bretton Woods Sisters" have become increasingly entangled and the demarcation lines between them have often become blurred. Polak focusses primarily on this period of the last fifteen to twenty years when many developing countries struggled with problems of adverse terms of trade, high interest rates and debt, and both the Fund and the Bank strove to meet these countries' pressing needs for macroeconomic stabilization and structural adjustment.


A quantitative understanding of vegetation structure is vital to inform long-term protection and management of Australia's vegetation communities. Although airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems are increasingly utilised to provide three-dimensional measures of vegetation structure at high spatial resolutions (1 – 10 m2), only limited studies characterise vertical vegetation structure using these datasets. This study assesses the capacity of high spatial resolution LiDAR data to accurately characterise the structural forms of Australian vegetation communities. Four study sites, each covering approximately 25 km2, were selected to provide examples across a range of vegetation structural forms, from shrubland to tall closed forest. A novel vertical segmentation methodology was developed to process airborne LiDAR data from each study site at 1 or 2 m vertical and horizontal spatial resolutions. Ratios were applied to standardise point density values, prior to exploratory analysis utilising multi-dimensional clustering algorithms to classify distinct vertical structure patterns. Comparisons were subsequently performed between the exploratory analysis results and established structural classifications for Australian vegetation communities. The use of the vertical segmentation technique was found to improve the identification of sub-canopy features in multi-story vegetation communities, particularly shrubs and herbaceous ground covers 0.5 4 m tall. Exploratory analysis results saw increased noise in structurally complex and dense vegetation communities due to reduced subcanopy returns. Further development and application of vertical segmentation methods in multistory vegetation communities should be evaluated due to the potential for targeted management and monitoring of vegetation communities and wildlife populations.


Introduction: Little is known about aging in von Willebrand disease (VWD). While it has been well established that von Willebrand factor (VWF) levels increase with age among healthy adults, it is uncertain if VWD patients experience an age related increase in VWF levels, although limited data suggests so. Furthermore, it is unknown if normalization of VWF levels with aging ameliorates bleeding risk. We aimed to determine the effects of aging on VWF levels and bleeding risk in patients with type 1 VWD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of patients with type 1 VWD presenting to the Hemophilia Clinic of Western Pennsylvania for regularly scheduled clinical visits. Exclusion criteria included concomitant hereditary bleeding disorder. Blood samples were obtained to determine VWF antigen level, VWF ristocetin cofactor activity, and factor VIII activity. A bleeding score was obtained using the condensed MCMDM-1 VWD bleeding assessment tool (BAT); however, we calculated the bleeding score based on bleeding symptoms over the previous three years. The prophylactic use of DDAVP or VWF concentrate prior to surgery was not included in the determination of the bleeding score. Descriptive statistics for continuous variables included mean, median, range, and standard error. Frequencies and percentages were used for categorical variables. Simple linear regression was used to predict the association of age with VWF antigen level and bleeding score. Results: The average age of participants was 43.5 ± 5.28 years (median 38, range 22 to 85). Twelve of 14 patients were female. The mean VWF antigen level was 0.97 ± 0.10 IU/mL (median 0.88, range 0.58 to 1.56). The mean bleeding score was 1.64 ± 0.52 (median 1, range 0 to 6). Four of 12 female patients reported use of estrogen containing oral contraceptives. None reported pregnancy. A simple linear regression was calculated to predict bleeding score based on age. Average bleeding score was inversely proportion to age, with a decrease of 0.057 (-0.107, 0.006) for each year of age, p =0.03. There was no significant correlation between VWF antigen level and age, with an increase in average VWF antigen level of 0.003 (-0.009, 0.014) for each year of age, p =0.60. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first report showing age-related amelioration of bleeding symptoms in patients with type 1 VWD. Prior studies have reported contradictory findings, some reporting that bleeding symptoms do not lessen with aging in patients with type 1 VWD. Several studies may be confounded by study design, including the method of BAT administration. Determining the bleeding score using lifetime bleeding symptoms may not be reflective of present day bleeding risk (i.e. an older patient with a remote history of moderate to severe bleeding without bleeding symptoms for several years). We found no association between aging and VWF antigen levels, which may, in part, be related to the small sample size. Determining whether or not bleeding risk is reduced in elderly type 1 VWD patients is essential for optimal clinical management. If older type 1 VWD patients have experienced normalization of VWF levels, and no longer have an increased risk of bleeding, administration of DDAVP or VWF concentrate may be harmful. Thrombosis risk increases with aging, and providing DDAVP or VWF concentrate unnecessarily may increase thrombosis risk, especially among patients with underlying CVD, CVD-related risk factors, or concomitant hypercoagulable states. Moreover, VWF concentrate is costly, and unwarranted use represents a significant waste of healthcare dollars. For these reasons, we plan a multicenter, cross-sectional study (VWD Aging and Bleeding Correlation Study, VWD-ABC) to further investigate the effects of aging on VWF levels and bleeding risk in patients with type 1 VWD. Disclosures Ragni:OPKO: Research Funding; Tacere Benitec: Consultancy; Biogen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novo Nordisk: Research Funding; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Research Funding; Baxalta: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Biomarin: Consultancy; CSL Behring: Research Funding; Shire: Consultancy; SPARK: Research Funding; Vascular Medicine Institute: Research Funding.


In this paper, we present a novel digital predistorter structure for joint mitigation of frequency-dependent power amplifier (PA) and in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) modulator impairments in direct-conversion radio transmitters. The predistorter is based on an extended parallel Hammerstein structure, yielding a predistorter that is fully linear in the parameters. In the parameter estimation stage, the indirect learning architecture is utilized. The proposed technique is the first technique in the literature to consider the joint estimation and mitigation of frequency-dependent PA and I/Q modulator impairments. Extensive simulation and measurement analysis is carried out to verify the operation and efficacy of the proposed predistortion structure. It is shown that the adjacent channel power ratio is increased by more than 20 dB in all experiments when using the proposed method, and that the performance of the reference techniques is clearly exceeded.


PCA WITH OUTLIERS is the fundamental problem of identifying an underlying low-dimensional subspace in a data set corrupted with outliers. A large body of work is devoted to the informationtheoretic aspects of this problem. However, from the computational perspective, its complexity is still not well-understood. We study this problem from the perspective of parameterized complexity by investigating how parameters like the dimension of the data, the subspace dimension, the number of outliers and their structure, and approximation error, influence the computational complexity of the problem. Our algorithmic methods are based on techniques of randomized linear algebra and algebraic geometry.


Abstract: The paper intends to develop the artificial neural network control algorithm for the control of DSTATCOM for the improvement of power quality. The presence of nonlinear loads makes the voltage to be deviated and current to be distorted from its sinusoidal waveform quality. Thus harmonics elimination, load balancing and voltage regulation is the heavy task that has to be accomplished to maintain the quality of the power. The performance of any device depends on the control algorithm used for the reference current estimation and gating pulse generation scheme. Thus the artificial neural network based Back Propagation (BP) algorithm has been proposed to generate the triggering pulses for the three phase H bridge inverter (DSTATCOM).The fundamental weighted value of active and reactive power components of load currents which are required for the estimation of reference source current is calculated by using BP-based control algorithm. Based on the difference of the target voltage and the generated voltage, the triggering pulse for the inverter is obtained by the BP algorithm. Then the voltage is injected at the point of common coupling to compensate the reactive power. Thus by regulating the voltage and compensation of reactive power, the power quality can be improved. The simulation modelling of the Back propagation algorithm controlled DSTATCOM and the PWM controlled DSTATCOM and the comparative analysis of the algorithms is presented in this paper.


As neuroscience datasets continue to grow in size, the complexity of data analyses can require a detailed understanding and implementation of systems computer science for storage, access, processing, and sharing. Currently, several general data standards (e.g., Zarr, HDF5, precompute, tensorstore) and purpose-built ecosystems (e.g., BossDB, CloudVolume, DVID, and Knossos) exist. Each of these systems has advantages and limitations and is most appropriate for different use cases. Using datasets that don't fit into RAM in this heterogeneous environment is challenging, and significant barriers exist to leverage underlying research investments. In this manuscript, we outline our perspective for how to approach this challenge through the use of community provided, standardized interfaces that unify various computational backends and abstract computer science challenges from the scientist. We introduce desirable design patterns and our reference implementation called intern.


Objectives: Open surgery has been performed locally, with several maternal complications such as uterine ruptures or severe prematurity. Some series may be unreported. Instead, fetoscopic correction has claimed its place because of lower maternal risks. We report our local experience supported by the Brazilian team. Methods: Cases are selected with strict MOM's trial criteria. Surgery was performed with four trocars and biocellulose patch. The first case was operated by the Brazilian team and the second by the local team, with presence of the supporting team. Results: Two cases are operated. The patients: one primigravidae, the second with one previous Caesarean section. Fetuses had L2-5 lesions, with ventriculomegaly (12 and 19mm) and Arnold Chiari II. Both were operated at 27 weeks of GA. The patch could be placed and the skin closed without tension. Both had rupture of the membranes. The first child was born at 33 weeks, with complete skin closure and normal follow-up until 10 months of age. The hindbrain recovered before delivery, no need of valve, and normal development. The second pregnancy is ongoing, without recovery of the hindbrain, and stable ventriculomegaly, at 33 weeks. The surgery has been safe for fetuses and women. Conclusions: Fetoscopic procedure for MMC repair has been feasible with the support of a more experienced team. The procedure is identical in order to lower complications. One case has satisfactory outcome, the second is ongoing.


ABSTRACT Objective: Laboratory studies have demonstrated that impact protectors (IP) used in motorcycle clothing can reduce fracture severities. While crash studies have reported IP are associated with reduced likelihood of soft tissue injury, there is little evidence of their effectiveness in reducing fracture likelihood. This discrepancy might be related to IP quality. There are mandatory requirements for IP supplied with protective clothing in Europe, but not elsewhere. This study examines the energy attenuation performance of IP used by Australian riders. Methods: IP were harvested from clothing worn by crashed riders admitted to hospital. The IP were examined and energy attenuation properties were determined using EN 1621-1 test procedures. Impact injury was identified from medical records and defined as fractures, dislocations, and avulsions that occurred following impact to the rider's shoulders, elbows, hips, and/or knees. Fisher's exact test was used to examine the relationship between meeting the EN 1621-1 energy attenuation requirements and impact injury. The association between the average and maximum transmitted force, and impact injury was examined using generalized estimating equations. Motorcycle riders were recruited as part of an in-depth crash study through three hospitals in New South Wales, Australia, between 2012 and 2014. Riders were interviewed, and engineers conducted site, vehicle, and clothing inspections. Clothing was collected, or identical garments were purchased. Results: Clothing was inspected for 62 riders. Of these, 19 wore clothing incorporating 76 IP. Twenty-six of these were impacted in the crash event. Almost all impacted IP (96%) were CE marked, and most (83%) met Level 1 energy attenuation requirements of EN 1621-1 when tested. Of the 26 impacted IP, four were associated with impact injuries, including midshaft and distal clavicle fractures and a scapula and olecranon fracture. No associations between meeting EN 1621-1 requirements and impact injury were found (p = 0.5). There was no association between average force transmitted and impact injury (95% CI: 0.91–1.24); however, as maximum force transmitted increased, the odds of impact injury increased (95% CI: 1.01–1.2). These results indicate a high probability of impact injury at 50 kN, the limit of maximum transmitted force specified in EN 1621-1. Conclusion: The allowable transmitted force of EN 1621-1 may be too high to effectively reduce the probability of impact injury. This is not surprising, given human tolerance levels that are reported in literature. Reducing the force limit below the reported fracture tolerance limits might be difficult with current technology. However, there is scope to reduce the EN 1621-1 maximum limit of 50 kN transmitted force. A reduction in the maximum force limit would improve rider protection and appears feasible, as 77% of tested IP recorded a maximum force <35 kN. This level of transmitted force is estimated to be associated with <20% probability of impact injury. While the performance of IP available to Australian riders is not regulated, most IP was CE marked. The results indicate a significant association between maximum transmitted force, tested according to EN 1621-1 procedures, and impact injury. Further investigation of the EN 1621-1 requirements may be warranted. This work will interest those targeting protective equipment for motorcyclists as a mechanism for reducing injury to these vulnerable road users.


Studies were conducted to determine the effect of the fungicides boscalid and benomyl on spore germination and mycelial growth of the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and its biocontrol agents, Ulocladium atrum and Coniothyrium minitans. Mycelial growth of all three fungi was sensitive to boscalid, whereas S. sclerotiorum and C. minitans were sensitive to benomyl at all the concentrations (10 to 4000 μg a.i./mL) tested, and U. atrum was sensitive to benomyl at higher concentrations (1000 μg a.i./mL or greater) but tolerant at lower concentrations. A similar trend was observed with respect to conidial germination, with the threshold level for U. atrum sensitivity to benomyl being 100 μg a.i./mL. The ecological implications of prophylactic use of broad-spectrum fungicides such as boscalid in combination with biocontrol agents are discussed.


Abstract Emergency response personnel are called upon by society to solve, in a short and urgent time frame, policy dilemmas that have been perplexing even under conditions of leisurely consideration. In the wake of hurricane Katrina the methods for preparing, designating, operating and maintaining safe General Population Shelters (GPS) and Sex Offender Shelters (SOS) for unique populations received increased national scrutiny. This was because post Katrina, over 2000-registered sex offenders were placed into shelters and then evacuated to 30 states without the knowledge of the judicial system or the receiving states. The rapid proliferation of sex offender minimal use distance/ residence laws have created a new set of location conflicts and exacerbated problems for multi-sector organizations involved in providing safe post-disaster temporary shelters for the evacuees.This paper examines these conflicting residence laws, the variety of sex offender shelter types available, and the challenges faced by the Red Cross, emergency managers and law enforcement agencies in using these alternatives while trying to provide equitable shelter options for all. Data consists of systematic searches of news media reports, journal articles, FEMA reports, and state/ federal laws and regulations. Additionally, face to face interviews were conducted with seven key informants– emergency managers from three cities in the North Texas Region, two high ranking American Red Cross personnel, and two law enforcement officials concerned with providing safe shelters to evacuees in Texas.The paper is concluded by offering future considerations for research and suggesting that multi-sector, multi-level organizations work together in sharing their challenges and finding common ground that will prevent the diversion of resources and multiplicity of efforts. This will ensure that mass care and sheltering operations become more streamlined, and more reflective of the latest scientific knowledge.


We propose a gaining architecture, called the overlay server system (OSS), for supporting multiparty online games over mobile networks. In OSS architecture, overlay server nodes (OSN) are distributed across the core network architecture of the mobile operator and each node is responsible for both running the game applications and performing the overlay routing. The architecture allows third party game servers that are located outside the core network of the mobile operator to push the execution of delay and bandwidth constrained game components into the core to achieve better quality of service (QoS). When a game consists of multiple mutually exclusive game objects such that each object can be maintained independently, OSS allows per object QoS optimization via selecting the jointly optimal location (i.e. OSN) and overlay routes for each object. This fine-grain optimization benefits most when different objects have different QoS requirements and they are accessed by different users. OSS dynamically adapts to the changes in game and network conditions by switching to better OSN and overlay routes. Our performance analysis on different core network topologies and usage patterns demonstrates that OSS has significant advantages over the alternative peer to peer (P2P), proxy-server, and client-server architectures. The analysis also underlines the individual contributions of object placement and jointly performed overlay route optimization to the performance gain.


The mantle muscle tissue of cuttlefish is predominantly made up of circular muscle fibres which run around the body. This circular muscle tissue is divided into discrete blocks by radial fibres, which run perpendicular to the main axis of the body. Growth of mantle muscle tissue was described in the tropical cuttlefish Sepia elliptica by examining muscle block size and the density and size distribution of muscle fibres. Changes in these variables were assessed in juvenile and adult cuttlefish. Generation of new muscle fibres, both within new and existing muscle blocks, occurred as animals grew across the size range. Anterior muscle blocks were smaller than muscle blocks in the middle and posterior regions of the mantle, suggesting that new blocks were generated anteriorly. Muscle blocks were also created in the middle and posterior regions by division of existing large blocks into small blocks by generation of circular and radial muscle fibres. The examination of cuttlefish muscle growth dynamics provided an alternative way of assessing cephalopod growth mechanisms.


Malaysian planning methodology has changed over the years as emphasis has shifted from producing plan, which described a state of affairs expected of some future date, to one which acknowledged the continuous and cyclical nature of planning. Thus planning should be based on the identification of needs and goals, the formulation and evaluation of alternative courses of action and monitoring of adopted programmes. Using examples from current Geographical Information Systems (GIS) implementation projects, this paper will discuss GIS development and application for planning and monitoring of development in one of the Malaysian states, Negeri Sembilan. The development include a well-integrated and comprehensive database which is part of the important elements that could determine the ultimate success of GIS application in plan making. A distinctive feature of the Negeri Sembilan GIS (GIS9) that was developed for this purpose is that it is capable of operating on two distinct levels of planning – the state and district level. It is used to assist decision-making, taking into account among other things, the current scenarios of the proposed development, physical constraint and future impacts. The monitoring system that has been developed for both the state and district levels make it possible to evaluate the success of plan implementation. While the adopted data sharing framework is seen as a strong basis for extension of GIS development as well as integration and coordination in all state and local agencies involved in ensuring the success of the implementation of state development plan. The implementation of GIS9 has also contributed to raising recognition of the importance of vertical integration of the developed and maintained datasets at regional and local levels. This paper will discuss the approach and overall strategies employed in the preparation of GIS9 database and development plans monitoring system for the Negeri Sembilan State.


The availability of compact table top amplified femtosecond lasers and the technical simplicity of experimental design have opened the way to many recent and fast developments towards thin film elaboration by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) with ultra short laser pulses, with the aim of producing materials of high quality previously unattainable or attainable only through more complex means. The first developments of PLD using femtosecond lasers were made on Diamond-Like Carbon thin films elaboration, with the attempt to reach high sp3 content. PLD with ultra short pulses was used recently to deposit several systems such as quasicrystals or oxides with a transfer of the target composition to the deposited films, even for compounds with complex stoechiometry. Femtosecond laser ablation from solid targets has shown its capability in producing nanoparticles of different materials, even in high vacuum conditions. Nanostructured films of doped Diamond-Like Carbon were obtained recently, opening the way to large applications towards functional materials. The characteristics of the plasma are a well-suited signature of the physics of laser-matter interaction and plasma plume creation and expansion. Recent studies on the control of the film growth and femtosecond PLD processes will be reported. Emphasis on actual capability of the existing sources to elaborate high quality materials will be questioned in terms of energy per pulse, time width, repetition rates but also in the need for further source development and beam shaping improvement.


1. Sexual differences in behaviour and ecology have important implications for the management of harvested ungulate populations.

2. This study investigated the long-term effects of harvesting on the abundance and distribution of sexes within an introduced population of Himalayan tahr in the Two Thumb and Sibbald Ranges, New Zealand. Annual counts of tahr were made from 1984 to 1996 in two catchments subject to different harvest regimes.

3. Although populations in the two catchments increased at similar rates over the study period, their adult sex ratios diverged significantly in the late 1980s. In Carneys Creek, which was subject to unrestricted harvest, the adult sex ratio was initially equivalent to the estimated population sex ratio, but from 1991 it was significantly male-biased. In North Branch, 10 km from Carneys Creek but subject only to adult (trophy) male harvest, the population was significantly female-biased in all years.

4. There was a large and male-biased harvest in Carneys Creek in 1993, suggesting that immigration of males may have been responsible for the long-term changes in sex ratio observed there. In contrast, the harvest of males in North Branch was insufficient to explain its female-biased population.

5. Monthly counts of male and female tahr in Carneys Creek between December 1993 and February 1996 revealed a consistent seasonal change in the abundance of sub-adult males, and perhaps adult males, but not females. Sub-adult males immigrated into Carneys Creek during spring, increasing to a summer maximum before emigrating during autumn; few sub-adult males were present during winter.

6. Counts at six additional sites during summer and autumn 1996 indicated that the probable source of these males was an adjacent hunting reserve. This hunting reserve, which included North Branch, contained a female-biased population with moderate female density.

7. The observed changes appear to have been a consequence of sexual differences in habitat selection and mobility. In particular, outside the rut the larger-bodied males avoided habitats containing high densities of females.

8. Harvesting has the potential to affect the spatial distribution of age–sex classes for sexually dimorphic ungulates. Managers need to consider these effects when designing and interpreting harvest and monitoring programmes.


Chemical deposition from aqueous environments has significant perspective among existing methods of obtaining Cu2Se and ZnSe thin films. This method eliminates using complex expensive equipment, high-temperature heating, and deep vacuum. In this work, the calculation method for predicting the border conditions for the formation of individual metal chalcogenides phases was presented and widely tested on practice. Energy-dispersive analysis was used to investigate the elemental composition of the films. According to the results of thermoelectric power method, the layers had hole type conductivity.


The level of proviral DNA sequence variation in the V1V2 region was monitored over time in six HIV-1-infected individuals. Substitutional and length variation was observed, where the majority of length changes, ranging from 28 to 49 amino acids, was located within the V1 region. Evidence for convergent evolution in the V2 region was found. The functional significance of this variation was assessed by cloning the V1V2 sequences into an infectious molecular clone, HXB2. The majority of chimeras replicated, demonstrating that the sequences, though genetically distinct, were capable of conferring a viable phenotype. Chimeras expressing closely related sequences in a constant genetic background displayed different biological phenotypes, with respect to both cytopathicity and cell tropism. However, no association between primary V1V2 amino acid sequence and viability or cytopathicity of the chimeric virus was observed, suggesting that predictions of virus phenotype based on sequences alone may be incorrect. The effect of V1V2 variation on the overall gp 120 conformation was measured by expressing the gp 20 from a number of viable and nonviable clones. No differences were observed, suggesting that misfolding of the chimeric gp 120 protein was not an explanation for the nonviability of some virus clones. Several chimeras were noncytopathic and only able to replicate in PBMC cultures, demonstrating that the V1V2 region, independent of the V3 sequence, is capable of defining both tropism and cytopathicity.


We use a structural VAR model with short-term restrictions to investigate the relative importance of interest rate, exchange rate and credit channels in the monetary policy transmission (MPT) for the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland over 1993:1-2004:3. Main results are as follows. First, in the three countries, following a positive shock on the interest rate, prices increase instead of decreasing, due to the immediate depreciation of the nominal exchange rate. The results thus exhibit an "exchange rate" puzzle conducing to the appearance of a "price-puzzle". Second, none channel is very powerful for the MPT in the three countries. Nevertheless, the exchange rate and the interest rate channels play a growing role over the recent period in Poland, compared with the same channels in the Czech Republic and Hungary. As nominal exchange rate fluctuations allow for greater real shocks dampening in Poland, the cost of entering EMU may be more costly for this country than for the Czech Republic or Hungary.


Due to misconceptions surrounding radiation and nuclear energy, educating the general public about basic radiation concepts has become increasingly important. The Virtual Education and Research Laboratory (VERL) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has developed a 3D, virtual, interactive game that conveys the physics of radiation and principles of radiation protection to the player. The model is a scavenger hunt style game that takes place in a virtual model of a TRIGA research reactor. Several virtual radiation sources are placed in the 3D virtual model of the TRIGA facility. Radiation drops away from the radiation source. The effect of shielding can also be incorporated in modeling the radiation transport, leading to realistic radiation fields. The user's goal is to find and collect (virtual) objects placed in this facility while minimizing the dose received in doing so. The player is meant to learn about time, distance, and shielding — key concepts in radiation protection. The start screen displays the radiation field in the form of a colored coded floor, as well as the location of the desired objects. With the given information, the player is encouraged to plan the route to collect the items and minimize exposure. By repeatedly playing the game, the player becomes familiar with the layout of the facility, and of the location of the radiation sources. This educational game is a useful teaching tool. Those unfamiliar with radiation protection concepts are able to understand how important time, distance, and shielding are in minimizing dosage. Additionally, this game proves to be a useful engagement and outreach tool. Upon completion of the game, the user is shown the score, the dose received, as well as a list of dose received in well-known instances such as eating a banana or in getting an x-ray at the dentist's office.
 The dose minimization game developed earlier for computers has now been developed for use as a game-app for cell phones. These recent developments allow for wider outreach, further increasing the use of the model as an outreach and educational tool.


The comparative performance was determined of engines using three methods of mixing the fuel and the air: the use of a carburetor, manifold injection, and cylinder injection. The tests were made of a single-cylinder engine with a Wright 1820-G air-cooled cylinder. Each method of mixing the fuel and the air was investigated over a range of fuel-air ratios from 0.10 to the limit of stable operation and at engine speeds of 1,500 and 1,900 r.p.m. The comparative performance with a fuel-air ratio of 0.08 was investigated for speeds from 1,300 to 1,900 r.p.m. The results show that the power obtained with each method closely followed the volumetric efficiency; the power was therefore the highest with cylinder injection because this method had less manifold restriction. The values of minimum specific fuel consumption obtained with each method of mixing of fuel and air were the same. For the same engine and cooling conditions, the cylinder temperatures are the same regardless of the method used for mixing the fuel and the air.


In this study, sodium montmorillonite (Na-MMt) was modified by dodecylamine (DDA) to produce dodecylamine montmorillonite (DDA-MMt). Elemental analysis result shows the amount of the surfactant intercalated in the DDA-MMt based on Carbon and Nitrogen content are 1.45 mmole/g and 1.38 mmole/g, respectively. The presence of alkyl ammonium in the DDA-MMt was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis spectroscopy. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern of DDA-MMt shows that the basal spacing of Montmorillonite (MMt) was expanded from 12.9 A for the Na-MMt to 17.8 A. The thermogravimety analysis (TGA) shows that DDA-MMt has an organic content which is equivalent to the mass of the intercalated DDA.
Dicumyl peroxide (DCP) was used as curing agent for the natural rubber (NR). The scorch time of cured NR decreases when the DCP content is increased from 1.0 to 2.5 phr then levels off for further increase of the DCP content. Meanwhile, the torque difference and the curing time increase with the increase of the DCP concentration of from 1.0 to 3.5 phr. The tensile strength increases with increase of the DCP concentration from 1.0 up to 2.5 phr. However, addition of DCP beyond 2.5 phr decreases the tensile strength drastically. The percentage of gel content of the cured NR increases with the increase of the DCP content from 0.0 to 1.0 phr and slightly enhances with further addition of peroxide until 3.5 phr. TGA shows that the thermal stability of the cured NR improves with the increase of the DCP concentration. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) indicates that the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the storage modulus (E') of cured NR increase with DCP concentration increased.
Preparation of the nanocomposites was carried out by melt blending of DDA-MMt and NR in a two-roll-mill internal mixer. The compounded natural rubber was then blended again with DCP and cured using an electric hydraulic hot press. Preparation of macrocomposites was also carried out using the same process but Na-MMt was used as the filler. The study shows that the scorch time of nanocomposites containing 1.0 to 7.0 phr DDA-MMt is higher than that of the macrocomposites. Increase the DDA-MMt concentration beyond to 7.0 phr lowers scorch time. Meanwhile, the different torque of the nanocomposites is higher than that of the macrocomposites. However, the curing time of the nanocomposites is lower than curing time of the macrocomposites. The FT-IR spectra reveal that the existence of DDA-MMt in the nanocomposites. The tensile strength, percentage of elongation at break and thermal degradation of the nanocomposites vary with the DDA-MMt content. DMA shows that Tg of the nanocomposites is lower than that of the cured NR and macrocomposites. It also found that their glass temperature decreases while storage modulus increases with increase of the clay content for both nanocomposites and macrocomposites. The percentage of gel content of the nanocomposites are higher than that of the macrocomposites at 1.0 phr DDA-MMt loading but decreases with addition of DDA-MMt up to 15.0 phr. Analysis of DDA-MMt dispersion by XRD and Transmission Electron Micrograph (TEM) shows that the DDA-MMt was intercalated and exfoliated in the NR matrix.
The interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) nanocomposites were prepared by in situ microwave polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) containing benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator soaked in the cured NR/7phrDDA-MMt nanocomposite. The optimum conditions for the preparation of the IPN nanocomposites can be summarized as followed: 1% (w/w) of initiator concentration, 20 minutes polymerization and 1.5 hours soaking period. The FT-IR spectra of the IPN nanocomposites confirm that both nanocomposites and PMMA are exist in the IPN nanocomposites. The highest tensile strength of the IPN nanocomposites was observed when it is incorporated with 40 % (w/w) of PMMA. The percentage of the gel content of the IPN nanocomposites decreases with increase of the PMMA composition. The thermal stability of the IPN nanocomposites was determined and is in between thermal stability of PMMA and the nanocomposites. TGA also confirms that the thermal stability of the IPN nanocomposites is PMMA composition dependence. The tan δ against temperature curve of the IPN nanocomposites shows 2 Tgs which are around -46.90 to -39.88 oC and 147.88 to 149.03 oC which correspond to Tg of NR and PMMA, respectively. The storage modulus of the IPN nanocomposites increases with the increase of the PMMA composition. The XRD pattern of the IPN nanocomposites at 52, 35 and 7 % (w/w) of PMMA composition shows no diffractions peaks appeared in range of 2θ from 2 to 10o. TEM micrograph of IPN nanocomposites for both PMMA compositions shows that the DDA-MMt was exfoliated by which most of DDA-MMt platelets are distributed as a individual layer in the IPN nanocomposites matrix.


We propose a new framework for the optimization of computationally expensive black box problems, where neither closed-form expressions nor derivatives of the objective functions are available. The proposed framework consists of two procedures. The first constructs a global metamodel to approximate the underlying black box function and explores an unvisited area to search for a global solution; the other identifies a promising local region and conducts a local search to ensure local optimality. To improve the global metamodel, we propose a new method of generating sampling points for a wide class of metamodels, such as kriging and Radial Basis Function models. We also develop a criterion for switching between the global and local search procedures, a key factor affecting practical performance. Under a set of mild regularity conditions, the algorithm converges to the global optimum. Numerical experiments are conducted on a wide variety of test problems from the literature, demonstrating that our method is competitive against existing approaches.


The mechanical properties of the intervertebral disc are regulated by its biochemical composition. With ageing and degeneration the water content of the disc decreases which highly influences the mechanical properties. The disc is subjected to a combination of elastic, viscous and osmotic forces. Osmotic forces are shown to have a major impact on crack opening and propagation [1] and on cellular responses [2]. In particular, osmosis provides an understanding on why fissures in the degenerating disc are so poorly related to external mechanical load [3].Copyright © 2007 by ASME


Nitrogen (N) deposition has increased globally over the last 150 years and further increase is predicted for the future. Nitrogen is an important nutrient for lichens, involved in many processes in both photobiont and mycobiont. However, N can be a stressor, causing many lichens and lichen communities to disappear with increased deposition. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the response of epiphytic lichens to increased N load. This was done by simulating an increased N deposition to lichens in a boreal forest with low background N, including both short term studies with transplanted lichens and long term studies of naturally established lichens. Alectoria sarmentosa was used as a model species for a N-sensitive lichens and Platismatia glauca as a relatively more N-tolerant lichen. Nitrogen deposition was simulated by daily spraying during the growing season with water and isotopically labeled ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). In Paper I, I found that when N is supplied in realistic doses (equivalent to deposition of 0.6, 6, 12.5, 25 and 50 kg N ha-1), there were no significant differences in uptake of NO3- or NH4+ in either of the lichen species. The results in Paper II indicate that A. samentosa may be limited by phosphorous (P) and not N limited as expected. That study highlights the importance of P, when studying the effects of N deposition, since P can both mitigate and intensify the negative effects of N on epiphytic lichens. Paper III shows that four years of simulated N deposition caused an alteration of the epiphytic lichen community, since A. sarmentosa decreased in the highest N loads (25 and 50 kg ha-1 year-1), Bryoria spp. decreased to 12.5 kg N and higher loads and Hypogymnia physodes decreased over time for all treatments except in 12.5 kg ha-1, where it only decreased during the first treatment year and then increased after 2007. The abundance of Platismatia glauca increased over time, independent of treatment. As hypothesized, responses to the treatments differed among species, reflecting their different N optima. In paper IV, the effects of N on carbon-based secondary compounds were studied. None of the studied species (P. glauca, A. sarmentosa, Lobaria scrobiculata and Xanthoria aureola) reduced their concentration of secondary compounds during the experimental period, but in P. glauca the concentration of all compounds were significantly lower in N treated thalli compared with control thalli. The results are consistent with a high degree of constitutive defence in three of the four studied lichens, and we conclude that all four studied lichens seem to have a robust chemical defence system despite considerable manipulation of the environmental conditions. However, we don't know if these lichens are able to keep up the high protection level over longer periods comprising a number of years when more new tissue is formed. In conclusion, long term experiments are necessary to understand lichen response to environmental changes.


Aquatic organisms are typically exposed simultaneously to several organic compounds released from human activities like agriculture, industries, or simply from people living in cities. The ecological risk assessment of mixtures of such compounds has therefore to be addressed by scientists. The aims of this paper are (1) to describe the current mixture risk assessment procedures, (2) to apply such approach to a specific case study, Lake Geneva and the River Rhône in Switzerland, and (3) to discuss the outcomes of such an application. Two models, called concentration addition and independent action, are recognized to be robust enough to predict the mixture effect of substances on a given species. They are classically used also to assess the risk of mixtures for the ecosystem, but their use is often limited by the lack of available ecotoxicity data. Adopting a first level assessment, we describe the evolution of the mixture risk for several years of Lake Geneva, and for 2010 for the River Rhône. These first assessments allow identification of the most problematic substances demanding risk reduction measures. Furthermore, again for the two cases studies, we show that the risk levels associated with mixtures of compounds can rapidly exceed critical aquatic thresholds, and therefore, it is the sum of the substances that is problematic, which is more challenging in term of risk management. Further analysis of effects in compound mixtures as well as a better characterization of the overall ecological risk are necessary for the thousands substances co‐occuring at very low concentrations.


A method for estimating the dimensions of non-delimited free parking areas by using a static surveillance camera is proposed. The proposed method is specially designed to tackle the main challenges of urban scenarios (multiple moving objects, outdoor illumination conditions and occlusions between vehicles) with no training. The core of this work is the temporal analysis of the video frames to detect the occupancy variation of the parking areas. Two techniques are combined: background subtraction using a mixture of Gaussians to detect and track vehicles and the creation of a transience map to detect the parking and leaving of vehicles. The authors demonstrate that the proposed method yields satisfactory estimates on three real scenarios while being a low computational cost solution that can be applied in any kind of parking area covered by a single camera.


Dimensionality reduction methods for count data are critical to a wide range of applications in medical informatics and other fields where model interpretability is paramount. For such data, hierarchical Poisson matrix factorization (HPF) and other sparse probabilistic non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) methods are considered to be interpretable generative models. They consist of sparse transformations for decoding their learned representations into predictions. However, sparsity in representation decoding does not necessarily imply sparsity in the encoding of representations from the original data features. HPF is often incorrectly interpreted in the literature as if it possesses encoder sparsity. The distinction between decoder sparsity and encoder sparsity is subtle but important. Due to the lack of encoder sparsity, HPF does not possess the column-clustering property of classical NMF -- the factor loading matrix does not sufficiently define how each factor is formed from the original features. We address this deficiency by self-consistently enforcing encoder sparsity, using a generalized additive model (GAM), thereby allowing one to relate each representation coordinate to a subset of the original data features. In doing so, the method also gains the ability to perform feature selection. We demonstrate our method on simulated data and give an example of how encoder sparsity is of practical use in a concrete application of representing inpatient comorbidities in Medicare patients.


Reversibility is a thread woven through many branches of mathematics. It arises in dynamics, in systems that admit a time-reversal symmetry, and in group theory where the reversible group elements are those that are conjugate to their inverses. However, the lack of a lingua franca for discussing reversibility means that researchers who encounter the concept may be unaware of related work in other fields. This text is the first to make reversibility the focus of attention. The authors fix standard notation and terminology, establish the basic common principles, and illustrate the impact of reversibility in such diverse areas as group theory, differential and analytic geometry, number theory, complex analysis and approximation theory. As well as showing connections between different fields, the authors' viewpoint reveals many open questions, making this book ideal for graduate students and researchers. The exposition is accessible to readers at the advanced undergraduate level and above.


Background The discrepancy between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in clinical practice may be related to factors such as acute stress, renal dysfunction, and anemia, and its relationship with in-hospital outcomes is uncertain. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the type of discrepancy between HbA1c and FPG and in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and diabetes. Methods The Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China - Acute Coronary Syndrome (CCC-ACS) project is a national, hospital-based quality improvement project with an ongoing database. Patients with ACS, diabetes and complete HbA1c and FPG values at admission were included. The consistent group included patients with HbA1c < 6.5% and FPG < 7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% and FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L. The discrepancy group included patients with HbA1c ≥ 6.5% and FPG < 7.0 mmol/L (increased HbA1c group) or HbA1c < 6.5% and FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L (increased FBG group).Results A total of 7,762 patients were included in this study. The numbers of patients in the consistent group and discrepancy group were 5,490 and 2,272 respectively. In the discrepancy group, increased HbA1c accounted for 77.5% of discrepancies, and increased FPG accounted for 22.5% of discrepancies. After adjusting for confounders, patients in the increased FPG group had a 1.6-fold increased risk of heart failure (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.08-2.44), a 1.6-fold increased risk of composite cardiovascular death and heart failure (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.09-2.43), and a 1.6-fold increased risk of composite major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and heart failure (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.08-2.24).Conclusions Patients with an increased FPG but normal HbA1c had a higher risk of in-hospital adverse outcomes than those with increased HbA1c but normal FPG. This result may indicate that when HbA1c and FPG are inconsistent in patients with ACS and diabetes, the increased FPG that may be caused by stress hyperglycemia may have a more substantial adverse effect than increased HbA1c, which may be caused by chronic hyperglycemia. These high-risk patients should be given more attention and closer monitoring in clinical practice.Trial registry: Clinicaltrial.gov, NCT02306616. Registered 29 November 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02306616?term=NCT02306616&draw=2&rank=1


OVERVIEW: Traditional manufacturing companies are increasingly offering industrial services in order to secure their position in the globally competitive environment. However, little is known about the extent and effect of this transition. Based on a large-scale survey of Finnish manufacturing companies, this study offers descriptive statistics for current industrial service offerings. Merely adding on simple services to a current product offering is shown to be negatively associated with financial performance. Rather, our statistical analysis suggests a thorough and comprehensive organizational transformation is required to generate significant financial value. In addition, qualitative data from globally recognized Swedish and Finnish frontrunner manufacturing companies offer insights into how these market leaders have successfully navigated the organizational challenges of such a transformation to offer successful industrial product-service systems. Based on the data, we outline four distinctive capabilities and associated key learning activities required to facilitate a successful transition toward becoming a high-value industrial product-service provider.


The invasion of the bloodstream represents one of the most important sequelae of infection. This study was conducted over an 18-month period to determine the predominant bacterial agents of a community-acquired bacteraemia seen at health centres in a rural area of Jordan, and their antibiotic susceptibilities. Blood samples were collected and cultured from 215 patients who presented with fever and presumed diagnosis of a bacteraemia. Isolates were identified and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. The variables included the age and sex of the patients, aetiology, sources of the bacteraemia, risk factors, treatment and outcome. One hundred and twenty-six (58.6%) blood cultures were positive. Children less than 14 years old accounted for 34.9% of these, and 38% were from patients that were more than 50 years old. The most frequent aetiologic agents were Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Brucella melitensis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. A wide range of resistance to commonly used antimicrobial agents and multidrug resistance was documented in 44.4% of the isolates. The most frequent sources of the bacteraemia were urinary (15.9%), respiratory (14.3%), no source of the bacteraemia identified (primary bacteraemia) (13.5%), gastrointestinal (12.7%) and soft-tissue infection (7.9%). No identifiable risk factor for infection could be determined in 34% of the patients. The predominant pathogens identified and the relatively high prevalence of antibiotic resistance of the isolates are most probably due to the nature and lifestyle of this rural population and the use of empiric treatment. Characteristics permitting recognition of patients with such strains would aid infection control efforts in the community.


Background. The main cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is insulin resistance and the one of the most common risk factors for insulin resistance is obesity. The abnormality of lipid metabolism can be seen in NAFLD such as: High level of free fatty acid (FFA) in plasma, formation of reactive oxygen species and high level of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde (MDA) and trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal).Objective. The aim of the study is to find the risk factors of NAFLD prevalence in obesity with or without diabetes mellitus.Methods. Case control study. The population was taken from general check up patients in Internal Medicine Department, Dr. Sardjito General Hospital Yogyakarta Indonesia, March 2007 until August 2008. The case group is obesity who suffered diabetes mellitus and the control group is obesity without diabetes mellitus. The Subjects who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria are enrolled in this study. Diagnosis of NAFLD is defined by Liver Ultrasound (Bright Liver appearance). AST, ALT, GGT, cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting glucose, 2 hour post-prandial glucose, insulin, Apo-B, FFA, MDA and adiponectin were examined. Data analyzed by computer using t-test for different of mean, Anova and linear regression test for significant factors (CI 95% and p < 0.05), and odd ratio for risk factors. Results. The fourty six obese patients (case 23 pts, control 23 pts) are matched to age and sex. Significant difference are shown in triglyceride, FFA and adiponectin level (p: 0.013; p: <0.001; and p: 0,045). There are no significant difference in insulin resistance, cholesterol, MDA and Apo-B level. By linear regression test, triglyceride, FFA and adiponectin level are predicted as significant factor (p<0.05) with odd ratio 1.64, 12.4, and 0.9.Conclusion. Increasing of triglyceride, FFA and adiponectin level in obesity with diabetic have risk of NAFLD prevalence with odd ratio 1.64 time (triglyceride), 12.4 (FFA) and 0.9 (adiponectin).


We propose new global artificial boundary conditions (ABCs) for computation of flows with propulsive jets. The algorithm is based on application of the difference potentials method (DPM). Previously, similar boundary conditions have been implemented for calculation of external compressible viscous flows around finite bodies. The proposed modification substantially extends the applicability range of the DPM-based algorithm. We present the general formulation of the problem, describe our numerical methodology, and discuss the corresponding computational results. The particular configuration that we analyze is a slender three-dimensional body with boat-tail geometry and supersonic jet exhaust in a subsonic external flow under zero angle of attack. Similar to the results obtained earlier for the flows around airfoils and wings, current results for the jet flow case corroborate the superiority of the DPM-based ABCs over standard local methodologies from the standpoints of accuracy, overall numerical performance, and robustness


It is well documented that refugees and asylum seekers (RAS) experience high levels of mental illness. This is also true of sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) individuals. Based on a literature summary, we present the current research on mental illness in individuals who experience the 'multiple minority stress' of being both SGM individuals and RAS.

In high-income countries worldwide, hardening attitudes towards RAS are being spurred on by rising rates of international migration combined with policies such as those of the 'hostile environment' and 'zero tolerance'. As individuals at the intersection of multiple minority identities, SGM RAS arriving in countries such as the UK not only have to navigate this complex socio-political and cultural context, but also have to navigate specific oppressions, such as reports of frequent rejection of asylum claims made in the UK on the basis of persecution for sexual orientation or gender identity. It is in this context that we present this research, aiming to draw attention to the existence of the SGM RAS population, their particular needs and vulnerabilities, and to highlight factors making them susceptible and resilient to mental illness.

In this report, the term 'SGM' is chosen over 'LGBTQIA', as 'lesbian', 'gay', 'bisexual', 'transgender', 'queer', 'intersex' and 'asexual' are terms originating in the Western world which may not be used or identified with by SGM individuals from other cultures.

To date, six studies have been published on mental illness in SGM RAS.1–6 All six were based in North America and were published in 2016–2017. No research focused on SGM RAS in refugee camps or detention centres. The …


Background and Purpose— Intracranial vascular malformations (IVMs) are an important cause of intracranial hemorrhage, epilepsy, and long-term disability in adults. There are no published prospective, population-based studies dedicated to the detection of any type of IVM (cavernous malformations, venous malformations, and arteriovenous malformations [AVMs] of the brain or dura). Therefore, we established the Scottish Intracranial Vascular Malformation Study (SIVMS) to monitor detection and long-term prognosis of people with IVMs. Methods— We used multiple overlapping sources of case ascertainment to identify adults (aged ≥16 years) with a first-ever-in-a-lifetime diagnosis of any type of IVM made between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2000, while resident in Scotland (mid-1999 adult population estimate 4 110 956). Results— Of 418 notifications to SIVMS, 190 adults (45%) were included, 181 (95%) of whom were deemed to harbor a definite IVM after review of diagnostic brain imaging and/or reports of autopsy/surgical excision pathology. The crude detection rate (per 100 000 adults per year) was 2.27 (95% CI, 1.96 to 2.62) for all IVMs, 1.12 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.37) for brain AVMs, 0.56 (95% CI, 0.41 to 0.75) for cavernous malformations, 0.43 (95% CI, 0.31 to 0.61) for venous malformations, and 0.16 (95% CI, 0.08 to 0.27) for dural AVMs. Conclusions— In addition to providing data on the public health importance and comparative epidemiology of IVMs, continuing recruitment and follow-up of this prospective, population-based cohort will provide estimates of IVM prognosis.


In this paper, we propose a formal model and a platform for software change management. The model is based on graphs rewriting, and deals with both multi-language source codes and heterogeneous database schemas. These are represented by software components linked by meaningful relationships. The change impact analysis is done, using a knowledge-based system, that includes impact propagation rules preserving the software consistency. This is implemented by an integrated platform including a multilanguage parsing tool, and a soft-ware change management module.


The theories of project management are not well developed despite the existence of extensive literature on the topic. This paper derives a New Institutional Economic theory of project management. It is suggested that project management encompasses both the discipline of operational management and that of economics. The operational management part deals with optimization of project processes. The basic postulation of the economic part is that human beings will maximize their benefits under constraints. Constraints are converted to either price or cost to facilitate the application of the law of demand. Three examples are used to demonstrate how refutable hypotheses can be derived when changes in constraints lead to changes in behaviours. The functions of project management are discussed in the contexts of this theoretical framework. A synthesis with existing theories is also given.


The creation of wealth is an important issue in any society, and entrepreneurship is regarded as an important catalyst in the creation of new wealth. This presents a challenge to develop entrepreneurship successfully. An important site for the development of entrepreneurship is higher education. The challenge however, is that there is a lack of a general understanding on how to educate students for entrepreneurship. In addition, current thought and practice on entrepreneurship education is historically biased, implying that graduates are essentially prepared for the past instead of for the future. From the perspective of higher education, the problem is how to develop current students to be entrepreneurial in the future. What is needed is to project into the future and then to develop an understanding of what should be taught as well as how it should be taught today. A versatile research technique that can assist in achieving this objective is the Delphi technique, as it is used to conduct futures research or research into areas where knowledge is incomplete. The Delphi method is a type of group interview, using the collective opinion of knowledgeable experts. The technique makes use of several rounds of data collection and feedback to create a consensus of opinion. Making use of the Delphi technique, research is being designed that will formulate expert-based strategic guidelines on entrepreneurial education within the South African higher education sector. The aim of this paper is to illustrate the research design considerations that arise in the use of the Delphi technique for this purpose and how they are addressed. The main characteristics of the Delphi are presented and arguments for the use of the Delphi within a constructivist paradigm are discussed. Practical issues related to the design of the Delphi, panel-member selection, and the formulation of panel questions, are examined. In illustrating these design considerations, the paper demonstrates a pragmatic approach to research design as well as the importance of creating coherence between the research question, the research paradigm, the research method and its use, encouraging research practitioners to adopt a more systematic, deliberate and philosophically-based approach to research design.


The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bacteremia after orthodontic debanding and debonding. The study group comprised 30 patients (10 men, 20 women). All were treated using the Edgewise technique. Patients with acceptable oral hygiene and fixed appliances in both jaws were included in the study group. Blood samples were obtained using a strict aseptic technique before and after removal of bands and brackets. A 6.6% bacteremia prevalence was observed in both preoperative and postoperative blood samples.