AMP-activated protein kinases (AMPK) are structurally and functionally highly conserved in all eukaryotes. The most profoundly studied yeast AMPK ortholog, Snf1, plays a role in the sensing and response to low energy and nutrient levels. There is much less information available about the function of plant Snf1 orthologs, termed Snf1-related protein kinases (SnRKs) and their regulatory roles in plant specific nutrient regulated mechanism, such as photosynthesis, plant hormone signaling and metabolism. Genetic studies of plant SnRK1 kinases are impeded by the lack of T-DNA insertion mutants in the SnRK1 catalytic subunits and the lack of male transmission of mutations affecting the SnRKγ subunit. The present work describes the isolation of T-DNA insertion mutations in SnRK1 β subunit genes and characterization of these mutants. Single and double mutant plants did not show any observable developmental or sugar signaling phenotype. Triple SnRK1β mutant could not be generated because no mutant allele is available for the third beta subunit. In our experiments overexpression of GFP-tagged SnRK1 beta subunits did not show subcellular relocalization in response to nutritional stress, a mechanism which was described in yeast. Instead, rapid proteasomal degradation of Arabidopsis SnRK1 subunits was observed in response to sugars and light. Proteasomal degradation of SnRK1 subunits prevented their efficient overexpression for biochemical studies. Former in vitro and in vivo studies found SnRK1 kinases in proteasomal complexes in Arabidopsis. This observation correlates with the fact that numerous nutrient status regulated metabolic enzymes are proteasomal substrates in Arabidopsis as in yeast and their degradation is controlled by phosphorylation and sugar availability. In order to identify SnRK1 interacting partners in vivo, it was attempted to isolate protein complexes from Arabidopsis through tagged SnRK1 subunits. In contrast to a former and mostly unsuccessful immunoaffinity purification approach, this work applies a rapid tandem affinity chromatography-based protein purification method. In addition to developing a biochemical approach for identification of SnRK1 interacting partners, we further explored the proteasomal connection of SnRK1 kinases and searched for their potential substrates using in vitro phosphorylation studies. Several sugar-regulated proteasomal substrates and F-box proteins were overexpressed in E. coli and purified to near homogeneity along with similar purification of SnRK1 kinase catalytic subunits. The purified proteins were subjected to in vitro kinase reactions using radioactive γ32P-ATP and phosphorylation was detected in more cases. Some of the phosphorylation sites were successfully identified by mass spectrometric analysis. Site-directed mutagenesis of the phosphorylation site on IAA6 and overexpression of the mutant construct indicates the importance of phosphorylation site in vivo. In order to provide further evidence for interaction of SnRK1 kinases with their substrates in vivo, an assay system for testing the stability of kinase substrates was developed.


Consensus is known to be a fundamental problem in fault-tolerant distributed systems. Solving this problem provides the means for distributed processes to agree on a single value. This, however, requires extra communication efforts. For some real-time communication networks such efforts may have undesirable performance implications due to their limited bandwidth. This is certainly the case with the controller area network (CAN), which is widely used to support real-time systems. This paper shows how some underlying properties of CAN can be used to solve the consensus problem. The proposed consensus protocol tolerates the maximum number of process crashes, is efficient and flexible. The described solution is proved correct, its complexity is analyzed and its performance is evaluated by simulation.


ABSTRACT Few studies have explored the subjective mental health of adolescents with intellectual disabilities, while proxy ratings indicate an overrepresentation of mental health problems. The present study reports on the design and an initial empirical evaluation of the Well-being in Special Education Questionnaire (WellSEQ). Questions, response scales, and an application for tablet PCs were developed in cooperation with students and teachers in special education schools. One hundred and thirteen students (age 12–16) and their parents and teachers participated. Positive results in terms of test-retest reliability, internal consistency of scales, and response rates were obtained. Level of reading appeared to affect the students' understanding of items. Teachers' and parents' ratings on the WellSEQ correlated well with established measures. Correlations between proxy ratings and students' reports varied. The questionnaire and technology of WellSEQ may enable students with IDD to participate independently in research with good completion rates and reliable responding.


Claw hammers have the specific characteristic of having two distinct ends: one a flat head of variable form, the other bifurcated. So the use of this tool as a blunt instrument will cause varying injuries. The authors present two clinical cases of assault with a claw hammer. Examinations revealed two types of wound. A first injury composed of integumentary lacerations and underlying bone injuries in terms of "shape" suggested the use of a blunt instrument. A second injury made up of damage showing two parallel wounds or two wounds located one in the extension of the other suggested the use of an object with a bifurcated end. The combination of both types of injury should alert examiners to the possibility of the use of a claw hammer in causing the injuries in order to help direct investigators in their investigations and in the search for the weapon used.


A denitrifying Pseudomonas sp. is able to oxidize aromatic compounds compounds completely to CO2, both aerobically and anaerobically. It is shown that benzoate is aerobically oxidized by a new degradation pathway via benzoyl-coenzyme A (CoA) and 3-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA. The organism grew aerobically with benzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate, and gentisate; catechol, 2-hydroxybenzoate, and protocatechuate were not used, and 4-hydroxybenzoate was a poor substrate. Mutants were obtained which were not able to utilize benzoate as the sole carbon source aerobically but still used 3-hydroxybenzoate or gentisate. Simultaneous adaptation experiments with whole cells seemingly suggested a sequential induction of enzymes of a benzoate oxidation pathway via 3-hydroxybenzoate and gentisate. Cells grown aerobically with benzoate contained a benzoate-CoA ligase (AMP forming) (0.1 mumol min-1 mg-1) which converted benzoate but not 3-hydroxybenzoate into its CoA thioester. The enzyme of 130 kDa composed of two identical subunits of 56 kDa was purified and characterized. Cells grown aerobically with 3-hydroxybenzoate contained a similarly active CoA ligase for 3-hydroxybenzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate-CoA ligase (AMP forming). Extracts from cells grown aerobically with benzoate catalyzed a benzoyl-CoA- and flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent oxidation of NADPH with a specific activity of at least 25 nmol NADPH oxidized min-1 mg of protein-1; NADH and benzoate were not used. This new enzyme, benzoyl-CoA 3-monooxygenase, was specifically induced during aerobic growth with benzoate and converted [U-14C]benzoyl-CoA stoichiometrically to [14C]3-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA.


The world of employment is impacted by major trends that are imposed by the on-going industrial advances. The changing labor market and the future of work calls for a paradigm shift in teaching and learning to equip graduates with compe-tencies they need for current and future jobs, and in particular, those of the engi-neering and technology programs. The purpose of this study is to discuss previ-ous work in the subject matter, to outline a set of teaching and learning strategies, and to create a roadmap for main players to work through to arm graduates with the intended competencies skills. To achieve this objective an extensive literature review was carried out to identify what teaching and learning strategies are cur-rently in-place, and what skills are anticipated. However, still, the education insti-tutions not been able to provide the workplace with competent graduates. A pro-posed set of intended competencies skills along with teaching and learning strate-gies for properly preparing future engineering and technology graduates was de-veloped; and a roadmap was built to show the roles of college administration, professors and students to ensure an effective way to support students gaining these skills. It is recommended that these sets of strategies including the facilita-tion of the roles of the main players to be incorporated in the educational pro-grams learning outcomes.


Neural differential equations have recently emerged as a flexible data-driven/hybrid approach to model time-series data. This work experimentally demonstrates that if the data contains oscillations, then standard fitting of a neural differential equation may give "flattened out" trajectory that fails to describe the data. We then introduce the multiple shooting method and present successful demonstrations of this method for the fitting of a neural differential equation to two datasets (synthetic and experimental) that the standard approach fails to fit. Constraints introduced by multiple shooting can be satisfied using a penalty or augmented Lagrangian method.


In arid and semi-arid regions where net infiltration and soil moisture are relatively low, movement of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the vadose zone may be dominated by vapor transport and adsorption mechanisms. The objective of this study is to develop the experimental methods necessary to determine the rate of isothermal adsorption and desorption, and the adsorption capacity of toluene (and other VOCs) onto different soils and minerals subject to a range of initial water contents and temperatures. The proposed method is a modification of the gravimetric method described by both Brooks and Grismer. A stainless steel chamber houses a load cell connected through a serial interface to a computer. After sealing the dry adsorbent (soil) in the chamber, the chamber air is purged using dewatered nitrogen gas before introduction of the adsorbate (VOC). The computer, through the interface, directs the load cell and records sample mass at preselected time intervals without additional supervision. The method is applied to measure rates of adsorption and desorption of toluene on bentonite. Toluene sorption rates are modeled using a second-order rate equation described by Grismer that yielded an initial rate parameter equivalent to that for water vapor adsorption despite the toluene having amore » much smaller adsorption capacity. The results illustrate the simplicity of the proposed method.« less


In the first paper of my dissertation I document that industries with low offshoring potential have 7.31% higher stock returns per year compared to industries with high offshoring potential, suggesting that the possibility to offshore affects industry risk. This risk premium is concentrated in manufacturing industries that are exposed to foreign import competition. Put differently, the option to offshore effectively serves as insurance against import competition. A two-country general equilibrium dynamic trade model in which firms have the option to offshore rationalizes the return patterns uncovered in the data: industries with low offshoring potential carry a risk premium that is increasing in foreign import penetration. Within the model, the offshoring channel is economically important and lowers industry risk up to one-third. I find that an increase in trade barriers is associated with a drop in asset prices of model firms. The model thus suggests that the loss in benefits from offshoring outweighs the benefits from lower import competition. Importantly, the model prediction that offshorability is negatively correlated with profit volatility is strongly supported by the data.
In the second paper (co-authored with Andrea Tamoni and Alex Hsu) we study the impact of fiscal policy shocks on bond risk premia. Government spending level shocks generate positive covariance between marginal utility and inflation (term structure level effect) making nominal bonds a poor hedge against consumption risk leading to positive inflation risk premia. Volatility shocks to spending have strong slope effect (steepening) on the yield curve, producing positive nominal term premia. For level and volatility shocks to capital income tax, term structure level effects dominate, delivering negative risk premia. Fluctuations in term premia are entirely driven by volatility shocks. Lastly, fiscal shocks are amplified at the zero lower bound.
The third paper (co-authored with Andrea Tamoni and Alex Hsu) discusses how risk aversion (RA) affects the macroeconomic response to uncertainty shocks. In the data, heightened level of RA during the 2008 crisis amplified the decline of output and investment by roughly 21% and 16%, respectively, at the trough of the recession. The degree of RA determines the impact of second moment shocks in DSGE models featuring stochastic volatility. Ceteris paribus, higher RA leads to stronger responses of macroeconomic variables to uncertainty shocks, making un certainty shocks as economically significant as level shocks. Conversely, elevated RA can amplify or dampen responses to level shocks depending on whether RA exaggerates or attenuates consumption growth expectations.


Industrial reinforced concrete (RC) chimneys are tall and slender structures that need repair and strengthening in their service lives. Fiber‐reinforced polymers (FRPs) are continuously becoming a popular material that is used for strengthening purposes of RC structures. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of FRP strengthening on dynamic responses of industrial RC chimneys. A 75‐m‐high industrial RC chimney with an opening on the body was selected for FRP strengthening. First, three‐dimensional finite element model of the chimney and its modal analyses were performed in ANSYS software. Then, linear transient analyses of the chimney were carried out by using 1992 Erzincan Earthquake ground motion record. After that, body of chimney was strengthened with FRP composite, and dynamic analyses were performed. Finally, dynamic responses of chimney before and after FRP strengthening, such as displacements and maximum–minimum principal stresses, were compared. At the end of the study, it was seen that displacements increased along the height of the chimney, maximum and minimum principal stresses occurred at the region of opening and base for all analysis, respectively. Also, it was seen from this study that FRP strengthening is effective on the dynamic response of industrial RC chimneys. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


A long-standing objective in modern biology is to characterize the molecular components that drive the development of an organism. At the heart of eukaryotic development lies gene regulation. On the molecular level, much of the research in this field has focused on the binding of transcription factors (TFs) to regulatory regions in the genome known as cis-regulatory modules (CRMs). However, relatively little is known about the sequence-specific binding preferences of many TFs, especially with respect to the possible interdependencies between the nucleotides that make up binding sites. A particular limitation of many existing algorithms that aim to predict binding site sequences is that they do not allow for dependencies between nonadjacent nucleotides. In this study, we use a recently developed computational algorithm, MARZ, to compare binding site sequences using 32 distinct models in a systematic and unbiased approach to explore nucleotide dependencies within binding sites for 15 distinct TFs known to be critical to Drosophila development. Our results indicate that many of these proteins have varying levels of nucleotide interdependencies within their DNA recognition sequences, and that, in some cases, models that account for these dependencies greatly outperform traditional models that are used to predict binding sites. We also directly compare the ability of different models to identify the known KRUPPEL TF binding sites in CRMs and demonstrate that a more complex model that accounts for nucleotide interdependencies performs better when compared with simple models. This ability to identify TFs with critical nucleotide interdependencies in their binding sites will lead to a deeper understanding of how these molecular characteristics contribute to the architecture of CRMs and the precise regulation of transcription during organismal development.


ABSTRACT Sinter and geyserite, formed largely of amorphous opaline silica (opal-A), precipitate at many hot-spring and geyser systems like those found on the North Island of New Zealand. Opal-A is a hydrated silicon dioxide (SiO2.n H2O) that may contain silanols, trapped water, and/or absorbed water. Little is known about the factors that control the distribution of water (H2O + OH) in sinter and geyserite. Backscattered electron images (BSEI) of geyserite and sinter commonly reveal sectors and/or alternating laminae that are characterized by differences in their average atomic weights. Electron microprobe (EMP) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses, however, show that differences in the average atomic weights cannot be attributed to the presence of other elements (e.g., Au, Ag) or minerals (e.g., sulfur, kaolinite, jarosite). The compositional heterogeneity in the opal-A, as highlighted by BSEI, must reflect variation in the water content of the opal-A. Integration of BSEI and EMP analyses for Si and O shows that opal-A contains "excess" O that must be bound into the H2O and OH. The excess O can be used a proxy for the total water (H2O + OH) content of the opal-A that forms geyserite and sinter. Geyserite and sinter from the Whakarewarewa geothermal area is formed of "dry" opal (average 5-6 wt % H2O + OH) and "wet" opal (average 12-13 wt % H2O + OH). Interpretation, based largely on the distribution of these different types of opal in the geyserite and sinter, suggests that the "wet" opal forms as a result of rapid precipitation whereas the "dry" opal forms as a result of slower precipitation. Such information must be integrated into any model that attempts to explain the evolution of geyserite and sinter deposits.


Abstract
Banyuwangi Regency is actively developing tourism potential, one of which is osing culture because it is unique and exciting as part of osing community life which is very obedient and obedient to cultural values. Still, the osing community is dynamic so that the existence of osing culture which was only as a traditional ceremonial tradition, is now packaged into more interesting material that can be a spectacle that can be sold. The change is inseparable from the role of the village government to invite the public and the private sector to jump into more advanced conditions and even become a leading tourism object in Banyuwangi Regency. The research method used is qualitative, and data collection techniques by observation, documentation, and interviews — analysis of data with interactive models through data collection data presentation data reduction and concluding. The results showed that the role of the government in making changes was quite good as seen from changes in tourist attractions and attractions, amenities and accommodation, accessibility, and tourism image osing already adequate, complete and good condition, because of the similarity in seeing the same future in advancing its village, trusting and making changes with specific actions between the private government and the community, although there are still limited funds and differences in interests, the government provides consistent support and basis so as to demonstrate a mutually supporting synergy.
Keyword: Role, village government, change, and tourism osin


This thesis investigates temporal variations of cosmic rays in the heliosphere analytically. A perturbation approach is presented to solve the diffusion equation for energetic particle transport in the solar wind. A linear response of the cosmic ray number density to variations in the spatial diffusion coefficient is computed based on the convection-diffusion equation. As the simplest cases to study, the 11-year variation and a Forbush decrease, the assumptions are made (1) that the solar-cycle variation arises from an 11-year sinusoidal variation of the diffusion coefficient at the Sun which propagates out through the heliosphere and (2) a Forbush decrease arises from the passage of an interplanetary traveling disturbance characterized by a sudden decrease of the diffusion coefficient. The predicted solar-cycle variation exhibits a hysteresis effect in which high-energy particles respond before low-energy particles. The predicted Forbush decrease profiles exhibit precursors (the unreasonably large precursors obtained reveal the limitations of one-dimensional and twodimensional convection-diffusion equations), sudden decreases, and gradual approximately energyindependent recoveries arising from a decay of the propagating disturbance. For high energy particles the time-dependent solution for a Forbush decrease in spherical coordinates is obtained by solving a steady state equation and then substituting the time dependent variation of the diffusion coefficient. It is found that the response function (a measure of the relative modulation effect of disturbances as they propagate outward in the heliosphere) is similar to the Forbush decrease for a $\delta$function disturbance. Investigation of the response function in terms of the time-dependent Forbush decrease in spherical coordinates results in the determination of the characteristic timescale of its decay, which increases with increasing distance from the Sun.


The present research summarizes the test results of mechanical capacity of built-up structural elements, intending to introduce the possibility of using RTPBB as material for creating structural solutions for temporary housing, and for small houses. Hollow columns and beams models helped in understanding theoretical behavior by using nonlinear stress-strain relations of the material, and finite element models (FEM) to determine the areas where stresses and deformations are principal. Optimum thickness boards of about 15mm helped to build the specimens, which afterwards were failed using and MTS testing machine, following monotonic loads. Tests performed, mainly focused on compression and bending, using hinged supports and a central two-points-loading arrangement respectively. Additionally the research presents a basic comparison of mechanical results to those reported by technical manuals of commercial plywood in Colombia. In a parallel analysis, a functional unit defined, helped in the estimation of the carbon dioxide footprint equivalent for various steps of the production processes of the base material. Results show that although the RTPBB has a low elastic behavior, stresses remain below the ultimate stress. Column failure tends to be brittle compared to that failure for the bending resistant elements. However, the presence of local buckling suggests also the means needed to improve said capacity. Failure loads are similar to those reported for commercial plywood in Colombia, however, experiencing larger deformations.  The carbon footprint was determined to be reduced about 20% (production of the material used in this research), compared to commercial plywood material in Colombia.


In this growing technological trend, there always has been a requirement of multifunctional wireless devices which can provide all-around connectivity with assorted entertaining
features. To incorporate different features in these devices, multiple radios are integrated into a single wireless platform which increases the density and complexity of hardware following Moore'slaw. Along with multiband wireless support, the requirement of enhanced
signal quality at diverse climatic conditions for stability of connectivity and high data-rate adjoin more complications to the radio frequency (RF) end terminals. Therefore, the antenna reconfigurability approach has become the principal attraction for all researchers which is considered as one of the best ways to overcome the above-discussed problems. In other words, it can be said that reconfigurability has become salient and most desired attribute for state-of-the-art RF systems used in wireless and satellite communications, imaging and sensing.

This dissertation is aimed at building new design methodologies about multifunctional
antennas/microwave devices to overcome the above-discussed challenges as well as enhance overall microwave system performance by proposing new structures and setups.

In this research work, the design of a frequency reconfigurable square shaped microstrip antenna with an ability to provide both right and left hand circularly polarized radiation (RHCP and LHCP) is investigated. The frequency tuning and radiation characteristics of
the antenna are evaluated by a mathematical modelling, full-wave analysis as well as its physical measurement. The antenna generates very consistent circularly polarized radiation patterns with a wide 3 dB beamwidth of 150◦ ( for both LHCP & RHCP) at all the tunable bands within 1.98 GHz-2.44 GHz. The antenna shows a maximum realized gain of 2.2 dBc at 2.43 GHz and has a very wide CP bandwidth (21%) which is the same as its total tunable range.

A frequency, circular polarization as well as pattern reconfigurable microstrip triangular patch array is introduced in this research work which can withstand both spectrum and climatic or orientation based signal quality concerns. From physical measurement, it is found that the operating frequency of the antenna can be altered between 1.97 GHz to 2.54 GHz (25.3% tunable bandwidth). Investigation confirms that the antenna produces both
types of CP radiation with minimum axial ratio of 0.98 dB and beamwidth >24◦ at all tunable frequency bands using the proposed feed network. In pattern reconfiguring mode,
antenna pattern can also be rotated at 120◦ angle in the complete azimuth plane at different frequencies.

This thesis also describes a wideband (2.7 GHz-4.0 GHz) cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) array with four types of polarization variability. Full-wave analysis of the antenna was carried out using the simulated and measured responses of the phase shifting cum switching network. From the analysis, it is revealed that the antenna shows a wide axial ratio bandwidth of 39% and 19.4% when operated in LHCP and RHCP mode respectively. It is also verified that the antenna can be fairly operated in horizontal and vertical linear polarization mode within the whole bandwidth of 39%. During the CP modes, the antenna
shows the maximum realized gain value of 9.95 dBc whereas, in LP modes, it has a maximum gain value of 9.75 dB.

At the end of this research work, an active elements based wideband frequency reconfigurable rat-race hybrid is presented which has many attractive characteristics like
wide operational bandwidth of 68.4%, smaller size (30% of conventional design), insertion loss of 4.8 dB, maximum amplitude imbalance of 0.4 dB, maximum phase imbalance of 5◦
and ease of design. The device performances are evaluated from mathematical modeling, full-wave analysis, as well as physical measurement and it is found that the device is a good candidate to challenge today's multifunctional requirements.


Strategic management research has demonstrated the importance of firm- and industry structure as drivers of firm profitability. However, less is known about how firms´ geographical locations affect profitability. Applying a multi-level approach of hierarchical linear modeling we estimated firm-, industry-, and region-specific effects on profitability of 3,273 agri-food firms operating in different Spanish districts over the time span 2006-2013. The results reveal the dominance of firm-specific effects which contribute up to 48.8% to variance in firm profitability while the contribution of industry effects (0.8-4.2%), geographical location (0.1-1.8%), and year effects (0.1-2.5%) is rather small. Moreover, firm size, risk, and innovative activity turn out as significant profit drivers at the firm level. Although firm-effects outweigh industry- and region-specific factors, the results indicate that industry concentration as well as regional education and unemployment influence profitability. In addition, proximity to technological institutes as well as the degree of urbanization of the region in which a firm operates can be drivers of profitability. Hence, despite the superiority of firm effects the results indicate that agri-food managers should also consider possible advantages from location-based resources in order to ensure competitiveness.


One of the most important issues in the development of modern cities is the dispersed and horizontal expansion of cities. Due to a substantial effect of the form of a city on its stability, it is necessary to know study and understand its different dimensions and guide it to achieve sustainable development. Thus, infill development that is the simplest interpretation of urban endogenous development is considered as one of the urban smart growth strategies. Focusing on the vacant and abandoned lands in cities, infill development tries to load development on these lands. This study aimed to use infill development approach to achieve future development of Zone 8 of Tabriz and identify its potentials, in which several indicators have been used including quality of buildings, access and permeability, compressibility and granularity. In order to determine the final capacity of development and the effect of each indicator, the indicators were weighted by analytic network process (ANP) approach. The results of the study indicated that 38 hectares of the area under study had very high potential of development that accounted for 12.14%. Therefore, Zone 8 of Tabriz has much potential in the infill development. It could be said that half of the total area within the study area is prone to the internal development that requires formulating a suitable planning based on the principles of smart growth.


The observed differences in the petrographical, mineralogical and geochemical character of base metal Zechstein occurrences in Central Europe resulted from different geological environment of generation. The main processes, leading to the ultimate ore deposits formation, including preconcentration of base metals during the Late Variscan, transport in oxidized solution, and precipitation at the interface with euxinic environment, were generally the same. Different ore composition in particular occurrences corresponds to other geochemical characteristics of intimately associated basement. At least two provenance sources of metal, with other tenor and geochemical composition were active during the Lower Zechstein time. The first source is due to the metallogenic evolution of Caledono Variscan basement, the second is related to prolonged oxidation and leaching of base metals from red Rotliegendes molasse.


Intercatchment groundwater flows (IGF), defined as groundwater flows across topographic divides, can occur as regional groundwater flows that bypass headwater streams and only drain into the channel further downstream or directly to the sea. However, groundwater flows can also be diverted to adjacent river basins due to geological features (e.g., faults, dipping beds and highly permeable conduits). Even though intercatchment groundwater flows can be a significant part of the water balance, they are often not considered in hydrological studies. Yet, assuming this process to be negligible may introduce 5 misrepresentation of the natural system in hydrological models, for example in regions with complex geological features. The presence of limestone formations in France and Belgium potentially further exacerbates the importance of intercatchment groundwater flows, and thus motivates to question the validity of neglecting intercatchment groundwater flows in the Meuse basin. To isolate and quantify the potential relevance of net intercatchment groundwater flows in this study, we propose a three step approach that relies on the comparison and analysis of (1) observed water balance data within the Budyko framework, (2) 10 results from a suite of different conceptual hydrological models and (3) remote sensing based estimates of actual evaporation. The data of 58 catchments in the Meuse basin provides evidence of the likely presence of significant net intercatchment groundwater flows occurring mainly in small headwater catchments underlain by fractured aquifers. The data suggests that the relative importance of net intercatchment groundwater flows reduces at the scale of the Meuse basin, as regional groundwater flows are mostly expected to be self-contained in large basins. The analysis further suggests that net intercatchment groundwater 15 flow processes vary over the year and that at the scale of the headwaters, net intercatchment groundwater flows can make up a relatively large proportion of the water balance (on average 10% of mean yearlyannual precipitation) and should be accounted for to prevent overestimating actual evaporation rates.


Cupping is one of the oldest natural healing therapies worldwide and is well known as a complementary treatment and remains in use for many ailments, including dermatological conditions. Cupping involves applying a heated cup to generate a partial vacuum that mobilizes the blood flow and promotes effective healing. I report a case who presented with an interestingly allergic skin reaction post cupping on her back. Using search words of "cupping," "complication," and "skin allergy", did not yield any reports were found on PubMed. Therapeutic efficacy was claimed but not scientifically documented in these reports due to poor clinical evidence. I am reporting this case report for its exceptional presentation.


The essays in this volume represent the most recent thinking collected on the problematics of feminism and critical theory, engaging the question of the relationship between these terms and the differences within each in terms of the other. As a whole, this piece of an extended conversation within feminism suggests both the illusory comfort of generic demarcations and the discomforting power of the play of difference. The articles are theoretically wide-ranging and provocative, offering discussion of works by such authors as Nella Larsen, Frances Harper, William Faulkner, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker.


Sialolithiasis, or the formation of sialoliths or salivary stones, typically occurs in the ducts of the submandibular and parotid glands of middle-aged adults. Pain and swelling are often among the first signs and symptoms. Obstructive sialadentitis, epidemic parotitis (mumps) and salivary gland tumors, should all be included in the differential diagnosis for sialolithiasis.


NO INSTRUMENT in general medicine has influenced and developed a specialty as the ophthalmoscope has done for ophthalmology. In addition, the ophthalmoscope has been of importance in other branches of medicine, as it stimulated the development of instruments for examination of other parts of the body, such as laryngoscopy, rhinoscopy, gastroenteroscopy and cystoscopy. In this connection, it should be stated that the exact date of the discovery of these methods cannot be given. A report of the conditions which led to the discovery of the ophthalmoscope may be of interest to those less informed, and its publication is timely in view of the centenary of the day when von Helmholtz presented his discovery before the Physical Society in Berlin, on Dec. 16, 1850. There is no question in my mind that the sturdy ophthalmoscope will survive its one-hundredth birthday, a prospect which is not necessarily applicable to my own case,


The thesis examines the extent the means and the degree. to which the American and the Vatican's common cultural ideology was expressed in the film industry of post-war Italy (1945-1960).

Through a comparative approach of current theories developed on ideology and an analysis of official documents from the Vatican and the United States Department of State, the thesis investigates the decisive role that American production companies played in the development of the Italian film industry and their links to the Vatican. This analysis evaluates how the Italian production and distribution industries satisfied the American political and economic interests.

American political and cultural ideology of the post-1945 era, is compared with the Roman Catholic ideology in order to assess how close their cultural propaganda was. This is followed by studies of the roles played by key individuals, such as Giulio Andreotti and institutions such as ANICA and A.G.I.S. involved in formulating the policies and regulations that affected the production and distribution of American and Italian films in the post-1945 era, as well as the involvement of the Roman Catholic Church in this process. The case studies, which make up the remaining part of the dissertation, illustrate the relationship with the theoretical issues raised in its first part and their ramifications in the relationship between the Catholics and Italian and America cinema.

The operation of the Centro Cattolico Cinematografico combined with box-office returns allows for the creation of a new analytical technique to be applied, one that has not been utilized in previous studies of Neorealist films and Italian popular cinema. It makes it possible to highlight the cross-currents that existed across different cinematic genres and styles of those American and Italian post-war movies, which were under the Catholic Church's sphere of activity.


Contemporary scientific view of micro- and macro-world was built on a chain of successive hypotheses, each link of which has no reliable evidence. The examples of scientific concepts "Big Bang" and "neutrino" show the formation of erroneous hypotheses that lead to the emergence of these concepts. In addition, the accepted hypotheses lead to the emergence of new objects of scientific vision of the world, which in the real world are absent. The paper proves the fallacy of hypotheses about the dependence of mass on velocity, about particles of light, about light speed of gravity propagation, about "Black holes", about gravitational waves etc. This paper is the introduction to the book1, which, in turn, based on the book "The Electromagnetic and Gravitational Actions (The Non-Relativistic Tractates)". The last book was published 20 years ago and aroused great interest among readers. However, the developed methods in the book are not used in physics due to misconceptions about essence of science. The paper states a brief review of the book. This paper, as well as the book, will be useful to physicists, students, senior pupils and everyone who is interested in the scientific worldview.


Background of the main research project presented: Because critical care patients are frequently unable to decide for themselves, researchers have turned to substitute decision makers (SDMs) to obtain consent/assent for medical research. However, many factors may make it hard, if not impossible, for them to make a valid decision (e.g., Burns et al., 2009). This mixed methods study investigated the proportion of SDMs capable of providing valid consent/assent for research involving critical care patients. A secondary research question was what their experience of doing this was like. Methods: Using our adapted version of the UBACC (Jeste et al. 2007), 14 SDMs were assessed for their capacity to provide valid consent for the specific research study they were asked to consider by a critical care research nurse. A second part of the interview explored (using a qualitative design) how the participants made sense of their experience as SDMs.
Results: Twenty one percent of the SDMs were not capable of providing valid consent for research: they did not understand the aim of the medical research nor appreciate the risks and benefits involved. Using thematic analysis, six themes emerged. Clinical researchers should check carefully whether potential participants are capable of providing valid consent.


Abstract. As a result of partial specular reflection from the atmospheric stable layer, the radar tropopause (RT) can simply and directly be detected by VHF radars with vertical incidence. Here, the Beijing MST radar measurements are used to investigate the structure and the variabilities of the tropopause in Xianghe, China with a temporal resolution of 0.5 hour from November 2011 to May 2017. High-resolution radar-derived tropopause is compared with the thermal lapse-rate tropopause (LRT) that defined by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) criterion from twice daily radiosonde soundings and with the dynamical potential vorticity tropopause (PVT) that defined as the height of 2 PVU surface. During all the seasons, the RT and the LRT in altitude agree well with each other with a correlation coefficient of ≥ 0.74. Statistically, weaker (higher) tropopause sharpness seems to contribute to larger (smaller) difference between the RT and the LRT in altitude. The RT agrees well with the PVT in altitude during winter and spring with a correlation coefficient of ≥ 0.72, while the correlation coefficient in summer is only 0.33. As expected, the monthly mean RT and LRT height both show seasonal variations. Lomb-Scargle periodograms show that the tropopause exhibits obvious diurnal variation throughout the seasons, whereas the semidiurnal oscillations are rare and occasionally observed during summer and later spring. Our study shows the good capability of the Beijing MST radar to determine the tropopause height, as well as present its diurnal oscillations.


The paper presents an algorithm to automatically design posynomial models for parameters of the MOS transistors using simulation data. These models improve the accuracy of the geometric programming flow for automatic circuit sizing. The models are reusable for multiple circuits on a given silicon technology and hence don't adversely affect the scalability of the geometric programming approach. The proposed method is a combination of genetic algorithms and quadratic programming. It is the only approach for posynomial modeling with real-valued exponents which is easily extensible to different error metrics. The authors compare the proposed technique with state-of-art posynomial/monomial modeling techniques and show its superiority


Pathogen infections are recognized by the immune system, which consists of two types of responses: an innate immune response that recognizes pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and an antigen-specific adaptive immune response. In both responses, there are several activated cells of the immune system, which play a key role in establishing the environment of cytokines, thus directing their differentiation either suppressing or promoting the immune response. This immune response is crucial against pathogen infections. In this chapter, we will describe the crucial role played by different families of cytokines during activation of the immune system to eliminate infectious pathogens.


The continued increase in the size of the protein sequence databases as a result of advances in genome sequencing technology is overwhelming the ability to perform experimental characterization of function. Consequently, functions are assigned to the vast majority of proteins via automated, homology-based methods, with the result that as many as 50% are incorrectly annotated or unannotated (Schnoes et al. PLoS Comput. Biol.2009, 5 (12), e100060520011109). This manuscript describes a study of the d-mannonate dehydratase (ManD) subgroup of the enolase superfamily (ENS) to investigate how function diverges as sequence diverges. Previously, one member of the subgroup had been experimentally characterized as ManD [dehydration of d-mannonate to 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-mannonate (equivalently, 2-keto-3-deoxy-d-gluconate)]. In this study, 42 additional members were characterized to sample sequence–function space in the ManD subgroup. These were found to differ in both catalytic efficiency and substrate specificity: (1) high efficiency (kcat/KM = 103 to 104 M–1 s–1) for dehydration of d-mannonate, (2) low efficiency (kcat/KM = 101 to 102 M–1 s–1) for dehydration of d-mannonate and/or D-gluconate, and 3) no-activity with either d-mannonate or d-gluconate (or any other acid sugar tested). Thus, the ManD subgroup is not isofunctional and includes d-gluconate dehydratases (GlcDs) that are divergent from the GlcDs that have been characterized in the mandelate racemase subgroup of the ENS (Lamble et al. FEBS Lett.2004, 576, 133–13615474024) (Ahmed et al. Biochem. J.2005, 390, 529–54015869466). These observations signal caution for functional assignment based on sequence homology and lay the foundation for the studies of the physiological functions of the GlcDs and the promiscuous ManDs/GlcDs.


Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is frequently considered a consequence of developmental instability (DI), defined as the inability of an organism to adjust its development to an ideal pattern. The underlying hypothesis is that, under ideal conditions, development should produce nearly symmetric final forms. DI is not directly observable and that is why one of the main reasons for studying FA relies on the hypothesis that it may reflect DI. Directional asymmetry (DA), on the other side, occurs when one side is more often larger than the other, that is, the consistent difference between a pair of morphological structures. For zootechnical studies, developmental stress can be an important factor for inferring inadequate management or selective conditions. In this regard, cranial asymmetries of domestic rabbit were compared for examining their FA and DA in order to infere aspects of living and selective conditions. In this study, 69 individuals who belong to different types (46 toys, 10 beliers, these both types considered as companion, and 13 meat) were investigated by means of geometric morphometric methods. Digital pictures were obtained for each skull on its dorsal aspects and ten two-dimensional landmarks were then putted on both neurocranium and splachnocranium. Results show that here was statistically significant DA in all three types, but only companion rabbits (toys and beliers) presented significative FA. It is considered that this is a reflect of relatively high developmental stress in the companion animals (toys and beliers), selected for extreme paedomorphic traits, in comparison to meat type, and also a physiological masticatory lateralization in the species, independently of the aptitude. Probably directionalized asymmetry along the left and right side of the skull in mammals may be more prevalent than once believed. Key-Words: Belier, Fluctuating asymmetry, Developmental instability, Directional asymmetry, Paedomorphy, Toy rabbit


The cell surface receptor CD44 is a glycoprotein belonging to the hyaluronan‐binding proteins, termed hyaladherins. CD44 is expressed in a wide variety of isoforms in many cells and, in particular, is present on the surface of malignant cells where it is involved in the onset and progression of cancer. In a first attempt to identify novel CD44‐binding agents, we first characterized, with NMR spectroscopic techniques, several agents that were reported to bind to human CD44 (hCD44). To our surprise, however, none of these putative CD44‐binding agents, including a peptide that is in phase 2 clinical trials (A6 peptide) and a recently reported fragment hit, were found to interact significantly with recombinant hCD44(21–178). Nonetheless, we further report that a fragment‐screening campaign, with solution NMR spectroscopy as the detection method, identified a viable fragment hit that bound in a potentially functional pocket on the surface of CD44, opposite to the hyaluronic acid binding site. We hypothesize that this pocket could be indirectly associated with the cellular and in vivo activity of the A6 peptide, which would provide a novel framework for the possible development of therapeutically viable CD44 antagonists.


The higher incidence of atherosclerotic disease at a younger age in men has directed most cardiovascular research since the early 1980s towards men. Yet, if studied, sex-differences are found in etiology, diagnostics, therapy and prognosis of CVD. It has been suggested that sex hormone status explains the differences between men and women and their progression to CVD. Moreover, sex chromosomes are beginning to be recognized as important players in sex differences in disease development, independent of sex hormones. This thesis describes studies into genetics and epigenetics of the atherosclerotic plaque, its histological characteristics and clinical outcome of atherosclerotic disease, mainly focusing on sex-differences. In most studies, atherosclerotic plaques from the Athero-Express Biobank, a biobank consisting of atherosclerotic plaque specimens of around 2300 carotid and 1000 (ilio)femoral arteries were used. A positive association was found between estradiol, the most abundant female sex-hormone, and the amount of intraplaque microvessels and macrophages. Female plaques generally display features that are associated with stable plaque characteristics, such as a large amount of collagen and smooth muscle cells. Although preliminary, these findings could thus point towards a more complex pathophysiological mechanism of the plaque erosion that is often observed in young women. Genetic variation on the Y chromosome (haplogroups) and its association with characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaque and aneurysmal artery wall was studied. No association was found, nor a different distribution of the haplogroups in these cohorts when compared with a Dutch cohort from the general population. The results make (causal) involvement of the Y chromosome in atherosclerotic disease less likely. However, an association was found between Y chromosomal loss and secondary cardiovascular events during 3-year follow-up. How Y chromosomal loss affects the development of cardiovascular events remains elusive. Across the genome, many sex-differences were identified in DNA methylation of the atherosclerotic plaque and it was observed that most of them were not associated with atherosclerotic disease risk factors or characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaque. Not many DNA methylation studies investigated diseased tissue. These findings emphasize the need for stratification by sex in epigenetic studies. Mortality rates after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery between women and men were studied in the IMAGINE trial. A poorer survival for women in univariable analysis, but not in multivariable analysis, was observed. This effect has been observed also in other coronary artery bypass grafting cohorts and warrants further study, preferably in a much larger number of women. When studying long-term follow-up of both carotid and femoral endarterectomy in the Athero-Express Biobank, sex-differences were observed in survival after carotid endarterectomy surgery, where women displayed an advantage over men and followed the survival curve of the cohort of age-matched women from the general population. However, such a sex-difference was not observed after femoral endarterectomy surgery. Other studies within this thesis include the identification of novel candidate genes using 4C-sequencing of cardiovascular disease associated genetic loci, a review on the poor translatability of murine atherosclerosis genes to humans and time-dependent changes and associations with diabetes mellitus in ilio-femoral atherosclerotic plaque composition.


In this letter, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data reformatting approach named Doppler keystone transform (DKT) is proposed to correct the range migration of a moving target. By using the DKT, the SAR imaging program, i.e., the 2-D matched filtering, can be transformed into separate 1-D operations along range or azimuth direction, and therefore, the DKT is suitable for the parallel implementation of SAR imaging of the moving target. Our simulations show that by combining the DKT and the Doppler phase compensation methods, the moving target can be well imaged in high signal-clutter-ratio case.


Current pro-immigrant reform efforts focus on legalization. Proposals seek to place as many of the eleven million undocumented people in the United States as possible on a "path to earned citizenship." However, these reform efforts suffer from a significant and underappreciated blind spot: the strategies used to advocate legalization harm those to whom the path to citizenship is barred — such as those with prior deportation orders, prior criminal convictions, and those who have yet to arrive. The problem begins with rhetoric: in making the push for legalization, immigrant rights groups have deployed imagery of the undocumented as law-abiding, hard-working, and family-oriented — the ideal respectable candidates for an invitation into the protected sphere of citizenship. The flaw in this approach is evident in the comprehensive immigration reform bill passed by the Senate in 2013. While the bill would have provided additional safeguards for those who qualify for the path to legalization, it would have simultaneously rendered more vulnerable the millions of immigrants who do not qualify. For that latter group, the bill would have meant further criminalization of employment, increased border enforcement and deaths, and a cemented pipeline between local law enforcement, detention, and deportation.This Article proposes that the push for legalization is responsible for the legislative bait-and-switch, which appears to fix a broken system by offering legalization to some, but in fact makes the system worse for many. To avoid that result, advocates should avoid prioritizing legalization, and instead address the systemic harms related to the category of "illegality." Pro-immigrant advocacy and scholarship should be guided by the question, "Will this intervention increase or decrease the harms related to living without lawful status?" Such a strategy would move the focus away from an individual's eligibility for citizenship and towards issues that confront the most vulnerable among the undocumented. By addressing those most harmed by "illegality," new opportunities emerge for crafting reforms that dismantle immigrant vulnerability.


Spin-torque oscillators (STOs) belong to a novel class of spintronic devices and exhibit a broad operating frequency and high modulation rates. STOs take advantage of several physical phenomena such as giant magnetoresistance (GMR), spin Hal effect (SHE), spin-transfer torque (STT), and tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) to operate. In this work, it has been attempted to understand and study the excited magnetodynamical modes in three different classes of STOs i.e. nanocontact STOs (NCSTOs), spin Hall nano-oscillators (SHNOs), and hybrid magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). Synchronization has been considered as a primary vehicle to increase the output power and mode uniformity in NCSTOs and SHNOs. In the quest to achieve high signal quality for applications, a completely new class of devices, hybrid MTJs, has been studied. Therefore this work can be principally divided into three parts: GMR-based NCSTOs: Synchronization has been shown to be mediated by propagating spin waves (SWs). The Oersted magnetic field produced by the current going through the NCs can alter the SW propagating pattern. In this work, the synchronization behavior of multiple NCs has been studied utilizing two different orientations of NCs.The Oersted field landscape is shown to promote or impede SW propagating depending on the device geometry. Synchronization of up to five NCs, a new record, is thus achieved. It is shown that the synchronization is no longer mutual in nature but driven by the NC from which the SWs are emitted. SHNOs: The basic operation and characterization of SHNOs are demonstrated through electrical measurement and confirmed by micromagnetic simulations. Ultra-small constrictions are fabricated and shown to possess ultra-low operating currents and an improved conversion efficiency. High efficiency mutual synchronization of nine SHNOs is demonstrated. Furthermore, by tailoring the connection region, the synchronization range can be extended to 4 μm. Furthermore, for the first time the synchronization state is directly probed utilizing micro-Brillouin light scattering. Hybrid MTJs: While MTJs based oscillators utilizing a nanopilar geometry have been shown to deliver output powers much greater than GMR-based NCSTOs, they often suffer from higher linewidths. A hybrid device is fabricated to combine the high output power of nanopillar MTJs and low linewidths of NCSTOs. Realization of such devices is demonstrated and, for the first time, their magnetodynamical behavior is meticulously studied. Experimental results show evidence of both localized and propagating SW modes. Generating propagating SWs in these devices paves the way for synchronizing multiple hybrid MTJs sharing the same free layer, thus improving the oscillator performance.


Platelet homeostasis is dependent on a tight regulation of both platelet production and clearance. The small GTPase Rap1 mediates platelet adhesion and hemostatic plug formation. However, Rap1 signaling is also critical for platelet homeostasis as both Rap1 deficiency and uninhibited Rap1 signaling lead to marked thrombocytopenia in mice. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which deficiency in Rasa3, a critical negative regulator of Rap1, causes macrothrombocytopenia in mice. Despite marked morphological and ultrastructural abnormalities, megakaryocytes in hypomorphic Rasa3hlb/hlb (R3hlb/hlb) or Rasa3–/– mice demonstrated robust proplatelet formation in vivo, suggesting that defective thrombopoiesis is not the main cause of thrombocytopenia. Rather, we observed that R3hlb/hlb platelets became trapped in the spleen marginal zone/red pulp interface, with evidence of platelet phagocytosis by macrophages. Clearance of mutant platelets was also observed in the liver, especially in splenectomized mice. Platelet count and platelet life span in Rasa3-mutant mice were restored by genetic or pharmacological approaches to inhibit the Rap1/talin1/αIIbβ3 integrin axis. A similar pattern of splenic clearance was observed in mice injected with anti-αIIbβ3 but not anti–glycoprotein Ibα platelet-depleting antibodies. In summary, we describe a potentially novel, integrin-based mechanism of platelet clearance that could be critical for our understanding of select inherited and acquired thrombocytopenias.


In June 2006, two populations of Dactylorhiza were examined at Moses Gate Country Park, in Greater Manchester, to determine whether variation exists between the two populations. Careful measurements of orchid characteristics were taken at both sites, in addition to soil pH recordings, and the results compared and tested for significance using one-way ANOVA and Chi-square significance tests. Descriptive statistics and box-plots showed that there were indeed differences in orchid height, leaf width and leaf number between the two populations, with one-way ANOVA confirming their significance as P, 0.001 for all the variables. Further analyses using frequency data and Chi-square tests also showed that there were significant variations in spur size, leaf type, labellum shape and petal colour between the two sites with P, 0.001 for all these characteristics. Soil pH data were also analysed and tested using one-way ANOVA which showed that there were significant variations in soil pH levels at both sites with P, 0.001 for this data. It was concluded that there were indeed significant differences between the two populations of Dactylorhiza at Moses Gate Country Park, therefore the null hypothesis was rejected. It was suggested that further investigations could be undertaken at this site, using similar methods, over a number of years, to support this study and to provide further constructive information on the status of the two populations of orchids, which may increase the conservation value of the site.


In their research, the two researchers sought to include a set of steps. The first step was to identify the concept of strategic leadership, its importance, and then its objectives, and then determine the dimensions discussed for strategic leadership, by reviewing the views of the authors and researchers regarding the details referred to above. In the second step, the two researchers presented their procedural concept of entrepreneurship Strategy as the organization's ability to create new products that are unique and distinguished from competing products. The third step was towards standing on the concept of marketing ambidexterity by reviewing several concepts for a group of writers and researchers, as well as showing the importance of marketing ambidexterity that gain importance because organizations need to adapt Especially with the dynamic increase of the environment, as well as an explanation of its characteristics and conditions, down to a review of the dimensions agreed upon by writers and researchers of marketing ambidexterity. As for the fourth step, it was represented in finding the truth about the role that strategic leadership can play in enhancing marketing ambidexterity. For this purpose, the two researchers chose the Mosul Alban Laboratory as a community for their research, and they collected the necessary data for a sample of workers in this community represented by (45) individuals surveyed. By using a special questionnaire form prepared for this research, the fifth step was the statistical treatment of these data within the framework of a set of statistical tests that fit with the data obtained in light of the questionnaire. The necessity of conducting research again in other products or service organizations to draw the attention of departments therein to the importance of strategic leadership as one of the important variables to enhance the organizations' marketing ambidexterity.


This paper examines the process of migration within India, with special focus on the patterns of migration and the impact of the same on the place of destination and place of origin. The paper uses the theoretical framework derived from the work done by Ravenstein and Lee to understand this process. Data from the Census of India and NSSO, 2007-2008 is used to illustrate the process of migration as it operates in India with reference to the streams of migration and trends in the same. Also examined is the impact of migration on the place of destination with special reference to some of the myths associated with in migration which have been examined in the light of this data. It takes up certain recent incidents which have targeted in migrants across India to illustrate how the myths influence adjustment and practices associated with social exclusion. This paper also focuses on the process of adjustment and the question of social exclusion and some inclusionary practices with reference to the in migrants from some of the States in India which have experimented with some innovative practices.


ABH antigens are present on platelets from individuals of the corresponding red cell phenotype, but the extent to which these antigens are intrinsic or adsorbed remains undefined. To evaluate platelets for intrinsic H substance, an IgM mouse monoclonal antibody against type 2H chain (the intrinsic H structure found on erythrocytes) was labeled with 125I and incubated with platelets from donors of different ABO type. The antibody showed dose-response saturation curves, and binding to platelets paralleled that of the red cell ABO type, with O greater than B greater than A1 greater than A1B greater Oh cells, giving a single factor variance F of 190 (P less than .0005). Passive adsorption of A antigens by platelets has been previously reported. To verify this phenomenon for A and B antigens and to quantitate the elution of A and B antigens from platelets, the following assay system was used. Platelets from group A1 and B donors were incubated in plasma from group O donors, and platelets from group O donors were incubated in plasma from different ABO, Lewis, and presumed secretor-type donors. Human IgG anti-A or anti-B was added to the platelets. The amount of antibody bound was determined with a 125I-labeled mouse monoclonal anti-human IgG. When incubated for 96 hours in group O plasma, group A1 platelets showed a 45% to 50% decrease in binding of anti-A. There was no significant change in the level of type 2H antigen on these platelets during the same incubation period. Group O platelets incubated in A or B plasmas rapidly acquired the antigens, but if returned to their original plasma, 95% of this passively adsorbed antigen eluted off within 18 hours. The maximum uptake of A and B substances was influenced by the Lewis and secretor type of donor plasma. Our present study demonstrates that ABH antigens on platelets consist of type 2H chains, which are presumably intrinsic as when found on red cells, and of passively adsorbed ABH structures, which are presumably type 1H chains.


As a service to the library community, the Library of Congress adds Dewey Decimal numbers to approximately two-thirds of the books receiving full cataloging at the Library of Congress. This substantially reduces the cataloging effort required by Dewey libraries. However, shelflisting is still a major expense for individual libraries. Copy catalogers frequently modify the call number to meet local needs. Even libraries that accept LC classification without revision may adjust the cutter number to avoid conflicts in their local catalog. Dewey libraries usually add a cutter number or cutter-like addition to the class number and may modify the Dewey Decimal number itself. OCLC and the Library of Congress jointly conducted a study of library cuttering practice to learn the extent and types of changes made to call numbers-particularly cutter numbers-during copy cataloging. The study looked at how both Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal call numbers are used by OCLC member libraries. This paper discusses findings related to the use of the Dewey Decimal numbers. The use of the Library of Congress call numbers will be reported later.


Significant health inequalities exist between the Navajo tribe and the US population as a whole and are worsening over time. I argue that while these health issues are concerning, there are also larger systemic issues (i.e., the Navajo's historic and contemporary marginalization, the removal of traditional medicine from formal healthcare settings, etc.) that continually reproduce these health issues, which create an injustice. Using social justice theory, I draw on Norman Daniels and Martha Nussbaum to establish that the health inequalities on Navajo Nation are unjust. By removing the Navajo's fair equality of opportunity and capability in health choices, the US has imposed unjust healthcare and thus unjust health-related inequalities on the Navajo. I then propose why and how a hybrid healthcare model based in medical pluralism that integrates both traditional and Western medicine potentially corrects for the sources of health-related injustice within Navajo Nation by reinstating peoples' freedom to choose what they believe to be good health.


The configuration of port's loading-and- unloading equipment is an optimization problem, which endeavors to put limited handling equipment to each operating line to achieve the maximum overall production efficiency. We set up the T-stage decision-making model of loading-and-unloading line equipment configuration by using the method of Multi-stage Decision, and design the algorithm of the mathematical model. Research results in this paper lay the foundation for the development of loading-and-unloading equipment configuration system, and provide scientific basis for the decision of type selection and rational quantity of loading-and-unloading equipment.


This series of publications by David C. Diehl and Stephanie C. Toelle addresses media and its effects on young children, from birth to age six. The series is designed to reach both professional educators and parents and to provide research summaries, tips for parents, and internet resources for further information. Published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, December 2008. Revised January 2009.


This libguide contains information about the LSTA program, instructions and forms for public libraries seeking sub-grants, and tips for evaluation of grant-funded services.


Political parties are the integral components of democratic systems. Without political parties, democratic systems cannot function. Yet, not all political parties embrace the existing 'rules of the game'. After the experience with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy during the interwar period, dealing with anti-systemic parties has become a central debate in democratic systems. Even though party closures have taken place in some European democracies, the high frequency of party closures in Turkey raised criticisms that Turkey has become the 'graveyard' of political parties. Since the 1960s, a total of 27 parties were banned in Turkey. The purpose of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of the justifications of party closures in Turkey. In doing so, the article examines two major political causes of party closures on two major party traditions in Turkey: (1) Political Islamists and violation of secularism (separation of religion and politics) and (2) Kurdish left and violation of territorial integrity/national unity.


Many optimization problems that are designed to have sparse solutions employ the ℓ1 or ℓ0 penalty functions. Consequently, several algorithms for compressive sensing or sparse representations make use of soft or hard thresholding, both of which are examples of shrinkage mappings. Their usefulness comes from the fact that they are the proximal mappings of the ℓ1 and ℓ0 penalty functions, meaning that they provide the solution to the corresponding penalized least-squares problem. In this paper, we both generalize and reverse this process: we show that one can begin with any of a wide class of shrinkage mappings, and be guaranteed that it will be the proximal mapping of a penalty function with several desirable properties. Such a shrinkage-mapping/penalty-function pair comes ready-made for use in efficient algorithms. We give an example of such a shrinkage mapping, and use it to advance the state of the art in compressive sensing.


David Caute, Isaac and Isaiah: The Covert Punishment of a Cold War Heretic. 335 pp. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013. ISBN-13 978-0300192094. $35.00. This is an unsettling book. David Caute set out to explore the careers of two iconic figures of the Cold War, Isaiah Berlin and Isaac Deutscher, each a refugee from a different dictator, whose careers unfolded in England. Elegantly written, based on comprehensive research, and displaying empathy and respect for both Berlin and Deutscher, Caute's book is infused by a current of sadness and disappointment over how each conducted himself. As Caute argues in Isaac and Isaiah, they each compromised their integrity over Cold War concerns. In the case of Berlin, Caute uncovers a serious lapse in academic ethics when his intervention at Sussex University in 1963 cost Deutscher a position he was seeking. In the case of Deutscher, we learn how his strong opinions about Soviet culture and history crossed the divide between the writing of honest-minded, objective history and the polemics of a partisan. Caute brings the conflict to the fore against a background of two lives in which the similarities are as striking as the differences. Their brilliance was never in dispute. Born in Riga in 1909 to a wealthy, Russian-speaking Jewish family, Isaiah Berlin spent five years in Petrograd, where he witnessed the revolutionary turmoil of 1917, before his family escaped to England in 1920. Within a year, Berlin was fluent in English. His memories of Russia and his family's experiences sealed his hatred of communism, while the triumph of Stalinism confirmed his worst fears of Lenin's and Trotsky's legacy. (1) Throughout his life, Berlin resisted any romantic notions about the consequences of the Bolshevik revolution. As a resolute liberal and historian of ideas, Berlin wrote eloquent essays in defense of liberty and made an equally significant contribution to the study of Russian culture. His collection of essays, Russian Thinkers, focused on several of his intellectual heroes, most notably the journalist and revolutionary activist Alexander Herzen, the writers Ivan Turgenev and Leo Tolstoi, and the literary critic Vissarion Belinskii. Berlin found a commitment in Herzen's life and work to the kind of expansive liberalism that he championed himself. His study of Herzens career also colored his responses to the challenge of Marxist and communist beliefs that enjoyed adherents during the Cold War. Berlin abhorred the notion that a single, unifying theory or idea could organize human society in a positive or productive manner, as Marxists insisted. As Berlin wrote about Herzen, they both understood that nature obeys no plan, that history follows no libretto; that no single key, no formula, can, in principle, solve the problems of individuals or societies; that general solutions are not solutions, universal ends are never real ends, ... that short-cuts and generalizations are no substitute for experience; that liberty ... is an absolute value; that a minimal area of free action is a moral necessity for all men, not to be suppressed in the name of abstractions or general principles so freely bandied by the great thinkers of this or any age, such as eternal salvation, or history, or humanity, or progress, still less the state or the Church or the proletariat--great names invoked to justify acts of detestable cruelty and despotism, magic formulas designed to stifle the voices of human feeling and conscience. (2) At the height of Berlin's career, he was among the most famous and respected academics in England. Embraced by the British establishment, he was knighted in 1957 and later became president of the British Academy. He was also a widely sought-after lecturer on both sides of the Atlantic. His speaking style was as renowned as his essays. His biographer, Michael Ignatieff, called his diction "rapid fire gabble. …


ABSTRACT This paper adds new insights to the relationship between city-regionalism, the territorial logics of the competition state and how climate adaptation is located in state spaces. Whilst climate adaptation governance is positioned within national economic sectors, it highlights an emerging city-regional policy dimension to such governance. The spatial reconfiguration of climate change adaptation governance reflects a tension between three quite distinct processes: (1) the sector-driven territorial logic of the national competition state; (2) the emergence of city-regionalism as an adaptation governance response to increased competition; and (3) the assertion of 'national' political priorities in the implementation of climate adaptation across subnational territories. Future climate adaptation governance research needs to address the uneasy relationship between the rise of city-regionalism and the sector-led priorities of the competition state.


This study examines the challenges and prospects of Community Based Ecotourism development in Ethiopia with special focus on Wenchi Crater Lake. Descriptive research design was employed with 194 sample representatives selected through simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The data were collected through key informant interview, informal discussion, questionnaire survey and field observation. The finding shows that contrary to the lake's greatest potential for community based ecotourism, conflict of interest over resource usage and ownership of the lake, unfair benefit sharing, incapability of ecotourism business to benefit the local community equitably, inability of ecotourism to substitute traditional agriculture, illegal land marketing and tension among local community are encumbrances that can impede the sustainability of ecotourism of Wenchi. As a result of such challenges, the sustainability of community based ecotourism development of Wenchi Crater Lake is uncertain despite its potential.

 Key words: Challenges, prospects, Community Based Ecotourism, Wenchi Crater Lake, Ethiopia.


ABI3 (for ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3), a transcription factor of the abscisic acid signal transduction pathway, plays a major role during seed development, dormancy inception, and dormancy maintenance. This protein appears to also function in meristematic and vegetative plant tissues and under certain stress conditions. We have isolated the ABI3 gene ortholog (CnABI3) from yellow cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) and found that it was functionally similar to other ABI3 genes of angiosperms. Here, we report that using a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) two-hybrid approach, we have identified another protein of yellow cedar (CnAIP2; for CnABI3 INTERACTING PROTEIN2) that physically interacts with CnABI3. Functional analyses revealed that CnAIP2 plays important roles during key transitions in the plant life cycle: (1) CnAIP2 impaired seed development and reduced seed dormancy; (2) CnAIP2 promoted root development, particularly the initiation of lateral roots, and the CnAIP2 gene promoter was exquisitely auxin sensitive; and (3) CnAIP2 promoted the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive initiation (i.e. flowering). The nature of the effects of CnAIP2 on these processes and other evidence place CnAIP2 in the category of a "global" regulator, whose actions are antagonistic to those of ABI3.


One debate in economics centres on consumers' decision-making strategies and whether they should be explicitly considered. The default assumption for choice modelling has been that all the attributes presented to respondents somehow influence their choices. More recently, choice modelling research has begun examining how respondents use information. This article presents research that focused on which pieces of information respondents used in responding to a choice modelling survey. The use of information by respondents was captured in the course of the administration of a computer-aided survey, so the research did not rely on posterior self-reporting. Access to the information was captured for each attribute of every alternative, which allowed flexibility in assessing use of information. Three mixed logit models are presented, based on three different assumptions about information use. The results suggest that accounting for respondents' information use affects modelling results, but the impact on estimates of willingness to pay may be relatively small.


Agro-waste reduction and reuse are among the current main social challenges. In this perspective, the present research was aimed at the complete valorisation of Garganega grape pomace by recovering bioactive phenol extracts and by testing the solid fibre extract residues in composite formulation for packaging applications. The pomace was derived from white wine production, therefore, respect to red pomace, it was promptly removed from must after pressing, and its exploitation can be particularly interesting and valuable as still rich in active compounds. Phenol extracts were obtained both via solvent-based and pressurised liquid extractions and their phytochemical compositions were compared in terms of total amount of phenols, flavonoids, flavanols, anthocyanins, hydroxycinnamic acids, and reducing sugars. Antioxidant activity and detailed phenol profiles were also achieved. The highest phenol yield was obtained via solvent-based extraction with 75% acetone (v/v), solid/liquid ratio 1:5, 2h incubation at 50°C (77.9 gGAeq/kgDW). The fibrous solid residue of the extraction was characterized via thermogravimetric analysis and used for composite preparation by melt mixing with the renewable and biodegradable PHBV polymer through a green approach (solvent-less process). The composites resulted thermally stable at high temperatures, showing initial degradation processes only at temperatures higher than 250°C. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses were carried out to study melting and crystallization phenomena, while mechanical properties were investigated by tensile tests. The materials finally showed properties similar to those of the matrix. The bio-composites can be considered as an alternative to plain PHBV, since they are less expensive and eco-friendlier thanks to a reduced polymeric content, and they could represent a suitable way for full agro-waste exploitation.


Summary Chlamydia pneumoniae is responsible for respiratory tract infections of both upper and lower respiratory tract. Although this bacterium is one of the most widespread pathogens of man, there are limited data on the antibiotic treatment of C. pneumoniae infections. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the in vitro activity of thiamphenicol glycinate acetylcysteinate (TGA, CAS 20192-91-0) in comparison with molecules with established activity against C. pneumoniae, as well as macrolides and quinolones. The results have shown that TGA and clarithromycin (CAS 81103-11-9) are the most active drugs tested, but it is important to underline that the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of TGA are very much lower than the breakpoint of thiamphenicol for the respiratory pathogens. In conclusion, the good antimicrobial in vitro activity of TGA against C. pneumoniae together with its in vivo characteristics, in particular the high concentration reached in lung and the combination with the mucolytic agent N-acetylcysteine (NAC, CAS 616-91-1), can make a valid choice in the treatment of respiratory tract infections caused by C. pneumoniae. These findings need further evaluation by clinical studies.


The Al-Cu-Mg-Ag heat-resistant alloy were prepared by ingot metallurgy technology. Effects of serve plastic deformation on microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy were investigated by microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and hardness tester. It has been shown that serve plastic deformation in the solid solution and quenching state with aging treatment was found to be quite effective in refining the grains to 2 μm, and improving the mechanical properties and heat-resistant properties of the extruded Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy. Serve plastic deformation treatment accelerates the aging hardening process of the extruded alloys, increases the density of precipitate phase.


A low selenium level has been reported in rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile chronic arthritis. Selenium is an essential part of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which catabolizes peroxides, compounds which are suggested to be of pathogenetic importance in rheumatic diseases. To assess a possible antirheumatic effect of selenium, 40 patients with active RA were included in a 6-month double-blind clinical study of selenium versus placebo. The patients in the selenium group were given daily supplements of 256 micrograms selenium in selenium-enriched yeast. Although concentrations of selenium in serum and erythrocytes increased considerably, no significant antirheumatic effect of selenium could be demonstrated.


A cultivar trial, including commercial and heirloom cultivars of major cereals and grain legumes was conducted in Vancouver, BC, under low input organic conditions. We assessed 19 wheat (6 commercial and 13 heirloom), 17 barley (8 commercial and 9 heirloom), 5 pea, 5 favabean, 5 kidneybean, 2 lentil, and 2 soyabean cultivars for plant performance metrics, and their potential in a small grain:legume intercropping system. Heirloom wheat cultivars showed notable response in a number of parameters including late maturity, taller plants, greatest number of spikes per m2, longest spike, highest number of seed per spike, greater seed weight to volume ratio, and resistance to stripe rust compared with commercial cultivars. For the heirloom-type, 6 of 14 wheat cultivars, (i.e., "Reward", "Glenn", "Cerebs", "Red Bobs", "Sounders" and "Black Bearded") produced yields comparable to the commercial cultivars (i.e., nearly 5 t/h or higher). Also, heirloom cultivars typically contained higher protein levels most suitable for baking and blending purposes with "Einkorn" displaying the highest level (16.2%). Heirloom and commercial barley cultivars did not differ significantly with respect to plant height, spike length, and seed weight to volume ratio. However, a number of heirloom cultivars (e.g., "Jet", "Dolma", "Andie" and "Himalayan") displayed greater responses on earliness, number of spikes per m2, grain yield, protein content and seed weight to volume ratio. Pea and lentil yielded lower than the national average under trial conditions. However, heirloom peas "Corgi", "De Grace", "Snowbird", and "Golden" were earlier compared to the commercial cultivar "Reward". All kidney bean cultivars yielded ~3 t/h with the highest yield from "Red Kidney" (3.8 t/h). Fava and soyabean appeared as promising crops as the cultivars produced good growth and yields. Neither lentil ("Crimson" and "Essex") produced satisfactory responses though they had excellent vegetative growth and flowered. Therefore, significant variation was observed including several heirloom cultivars displayed great potential in terms of yield, protein content, and disease resistance and that specific cultivars were better suited for an intercropping system.


In this paper we describe a camera based document image retrieval system which is targeted toward camera phones. Our goal is to enable the device to identify which of a known set of documents it is "looking at". This paper provides two key contributions 1) a local context descriptor that effectively rules out irrelevant documents using only a small patch of the document image and 2) a layout verification approach that boosts the accuracy of retrieval even under severe degradation such as warping or crinkling. We have implemented the mobile retriever client on an iMate Jamin camera phone and tested it with a document database of 12742 pages. Experiments show that our verification approach clearly separates successful retrievals from unsuccessful retrievals.


Dinkie had started to write two weeks ago, but did not finish and she hopes that Linnet is well. She is almost done with her dress. Tobe is going to marry at Christmas. Mrs. Summers and Mrs. Montgomery asked about her. Mrs. Donnell moved and Birdie can say Linnet. R. Wallace left after Uncle Sam died, he was in Atlanta now is in Florida. Dinkie has about four dozen eggs, eggs in town cost 35 cents a dozen. Henry helped Mrs. Donnell move in and got a coat, a pair of boots and shot got overcoat things. She asks they she write back soon and asks what they are doing for Christmas.
Willie could not write because Birdie was sick. He went to his Uncle Abe's and got his shoes fixed. He had a cold for two days. He tells his uncle that he is doing well in school and will get new clothes made. His father killed five hogs and he wants to see Linnet. His Uncle Simon McGee is doing better.
Alice missed three days and also mentions that Birdie is doing better. She asks how Linnet is doing and asks to give a kiss for her.
The last page is the letter Dinkie had started two weeks before. She mentioned that Birdie and Willie had a cold and Birdie was teething. They killed five hogs that weren't that fat, but got lard and plenty of sausage. She has had 3 bushels of sweet potatoes and half a bushel of irish potatoes. Her cabbage froze and her turnips did not grow. She bought a black cashmere dress and some silk to trim it with. She is also going to trim Sissie's dress with some plaid. Bettie gave Birdie a dress and she has a lot of sewing to do.


Avocado is an economically important crop and widely cultivated in the tropical and subtropical regions of China, whereas little is known about its genetic diversification. Twenty-six EST-SSR markers were developed based on avocado EST sequences. Molecular characterization was applied to assess the genetic relationships among different accessions. In total, nine gSSRs and nine EST-SSRs were selected to illuminate the genetic relationships within the 92 samples. Diversity parameters associated to the selected markers indicated the relatively low genetic diversity and a certain degree of inbreeding in the 92 avocado accessions. Clustering method and principal coordinate analysis clearly distinguished the accessions in accordance to the botanical races and geographic regions by molecular characterization. Moreover, the botanical race or hybrids of some unknown race accessions from different geographic origins could be determined based on known genotypes in the same cluster.


Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a well-established treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. Recent research suggested that it may be effective in treating depressive disorders, as well. The present study was part of the first multicenter project to test whether EMDR would achieve superior results in the treatment of depression compared to treatment as usual in a psychosomatic-psychotherapeutic inpatient treatment setting. In a total sample of 30 participants, an EMDR+TAU treatment group was compared to a treatment as usual (TAU) control group on the Beck Depression Inventory and the Global Severity Index and depression subscale of the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised. The EMDR+TAU group improved significantly better than the TAU group on the Beck Depression Inventory and Global Severity Index, while a marginally significant difference was found favoring the EMDR+TAU group over the TAU group on the depression subscale. In the EMDR+TAU group, 11 out of 14 patients improved below nine points on the BDI, which is considered to be a full remission, while nine out of 16 in the TAU group did so. The findings confirmed earlier suggestions that the EMDR method may provide additional benefit in the treatment of depression.


Abstract. Pre-existing structures within sub-crustal lithosphere may localise stresses during subsequent tectonic events, resulting in complex fault systems at upper-crustal levels. As these sub-crustal structures are difficult to resolve at great depths, the evolution of kinematically and perhaps geometrically linked upper-crustal fault populations can offer insights into their deformation history, including when and how they reactivate and accommodate stresses during later tectonic events. In this study, we use borehole-constrained 2-D and 3-D seismic reflection data to investigate the structural development of the Farsund Basin, offshore southern Norway. We use throw–length (T-x) analysis and fault displacement backstripping techniques to determine the geometric and kinematic evolution of N–S- and E–W-striking upper-crustal fault populations during the multiphase evolution of the Farsund Basin. N–S-striking faults were active during the Triassic, prior to a period of sinistral strike-slip activity along E–W-striking faults during the Early Jurassic, which represented a hitherto undocumented phase of activity in this area. These E–W-striking upper-crustal faults are later obliquely reactivated under a dextral stress regime during the Early Cretaceous, with new faults also propagating away from pre-existing ones, representing a switch to a predominantly dextral sense of motion. The E–W faults within the Farsund Basin are interpreted to extend through the crust to the Moho and link with the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone, a lithosphere-scale lineament, identified within the sub-crustal lithosphere, that extends > 1000 km across central Europe. Based on this geometric linkage, we infer that the E–W-striking faults represent the upper-crustal component of the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone and that the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone represents a long-lived lithosphere-scale lineament that is periodically reactivated throughout its protracted geological history. The upper-crustal component of the lineament is reactivated in a range of tectonic styles, including both sinistral and dextral strike-slip motions, with the geometry and kinematics of these faults often inconsistent with what may otherwise be inferred from regional tectonics alone. Understanding these different styles of reactivation not only allows us to better understand the influence of sub-crustal lithospheric structure on rifting but also offers insights into the prevailing stress field during regional tectonic events.


Abstract The Bukhara-Khiva region forms the northern margin of the Mesozoic Amu-Darya Basin. We reconstructed several cross-sections across this margin from subsurface data. The objectives included examining the structure of the Bukhara and Chardzhou steps and determining the tectonic–sedimentary evolution of the basin during the Jurassic. Subsequent to the Cimmerian collision in the Middle Triassic, an extensional event controlled the deposition of the Early–Middle Jurassic siliciclastic succession in the Bukhara-Khiva region. The main Late Palaeozoic inherited structures were reactivated as normal faults during this period. Continental coarse-grained siliciclastic sediments are mainly confined to the basal Lower Jurassic section, probably Pliensbachian–Toarcian in age, whereas marine siliciclastic sediments occur in the early Late Bajocian. In the Early–Middle Jurassic the Bukhara and Chardzhou steps were predominantly sourced by areas of relief, the remains of Late Palaeozoic orogens located to the north. The rate of extension significantly declined during the Middle Callovian–Kimmeridgian period. Deposition of the overlying Lower Cretaceous continental red-coloured clastic sediments was related to the interaction of basin subsidence, a fall in eustatic sea-level and sediment supply. Subsequent marine transgression in the Late Barremian, partially related to broad thermal subsidence in the Amu-Darya Basin, resulted in the deposition of an extensive Late Cretaceous clay–marl succession.


ABSTRACT This paper describes the significance of the arborescent cycad "tiusinte" to Honduran culture. Dioon mejiae is a wild food that supplements maize-bean diets for an estimated 33,000 indigenous and mestizo Hondurans. Female cones are harvested for their seeds, which are processed and made into tamales, tortillas, and other products. Leaves are used for a variety of Catholic celebrations; minor uses of the leaves and female cone parts also persist. Tiusintes, a common-property resource, are being destroyed by the adverse effects of timber extraction, pastoralism, and swidden agriculture. However, traditional tiusinte protection schemes are still practiced, and these may provide the germ of a more comprehensive conservation policy for the species.


In this paper we determine the extent to which information about the comparative importance of major sectors of a state's economy can improve the ability to forecast compound annual growth rates in personal income. We first calculate compound growth rates in disposable personal income per capita for the time period 1980 to 1988. We then investigate the extent to which heterogeneity exists in the economies of states that have traditionally been grouped into the same geographic region. The hypothesis is that many states' economies are unlike the economies of other states within a geographic region. We develop two different categorizations for states. The first categorization is solely based on the comparative economic importance of major sector. The second categorization is a modification of Census regions incorporating certain information about the type of economy.


An observation scheme, which is designed several frequencies suited over the natural audio electric field frequency range, is used to qualitatively understand the electrical structure of underground geological body. Weak signal detection technology has been used to amplify and filter the weak natural electric field signal, and read out them after selecting corresponding frequencies and integrating. This instrument can observe eight natural electric field signal at frequency of 8Hz, 16Hz, 32Hz, 64Hz, 128Hz, 256Hz, 512Hz, 1024Hz. Several reliable technologies have been used in the hardware design and software development to improve both the anti-interferences capability and system stability. Compared with field work instance, we conclude that natural audio electric field frequency selecting instrument can get the underground geological information within a certain depth, and therefore it can be used for fast survey in geology and mineral resources, and in engineering geophysical and water resources.


We studied the properties of a single impurity atom immersed in a dilute Bose condensate at low temperatures. In particular, we perturbatively obtained the momentum dependence of the impurity spectrum and damping. By means of the Brillouin-Wigner perturbation theory we also calculated the self-energy both for attractive and repulsive polaron in the long-wavelength limit. The stability problem of the impurity atom in a weakly-interacting Bose gas is also examined.