Creep properties of polymer bonded explosives (PBXs), a particulate composite, was studied by using the method of moiré interferometry in this paper. The specimens fabricated by different heat pressing technology were used. Extensive creep deformation of PBXs material was indirectly measured by the aid of compressive circular disk test. The obtained results shown that creep properties are greatly influenced by pressing pressures and temperature of heat pressing technology. The results indicated that the higher the temperature and the pressing pressure are in the heat pressing technology to some degree, the better the PBXs material creep resistance is. The creep fracture surfaces of PBXs were also observed using Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). It was shown that most of the fracture crack was initiated and propagated along the explosives crystal surface during creep.


Proximity and additional eddy-current losses can be difficult to calculate and if there are parallel paths then there can sometimes be increased losses which can be unexpected. The paper addresses these winding losses in a brushless permanent magnet machine with 18 slots, 16 poles and a spoke type rare earth magnet rotor. The winding has coils that are one pitch. Different simulation scenarios are investigated to illustrate the even when the windings are in slots they can still experience increased ac copper losses when rotating at high speed. High speed machines often have few series turns because of the high rate of change of flux linkage so they can have many parallel turns or strands in hand. Simulations are carried out at 12 000 r/min then some simulations are run at 4000 r/min for completeness. The simulations are run in a 2-D finite-element analysis environment.


This work reports the experience of training school managers based on the theoretical assumptions of historical-cultural psychology. The intervention took place as one of the actions of the Project Education Without Borders (PESF) a partnership between the Municipal Secretary of Education and the psychology department of a state University of São Paulo in assisting schools that have low IDEB (Basic Education Development Index). Study meetings were held monthly with the managers of the six participating schools and with representatives of the pedagogical department of the Municipal Secretary of Education. The themes of the meetings were established based on the demand of the group, which chose as study goals: 1. understanding the production of motives and interests for the students' learning and 2. understanding how the study activity is formed and developed as a main activity at school age. As a strategy of theoretical-practical articulation, the proposition of study tasks on the themes discussed in each meeting was adopted. As a reference, the concept of study task of Davydov and Markova (1987) was used. The results point out that the application of the theoretical assumptions of historical -cultural psychology to the concrete demands of the organization of teaching in the daily school life makes it possible to overcome the traditional dichotomy between theory and practice in teacher education and promotes the construction of new guidelines for pedagogical practice.


Three groups of insulin-dependent diabetics (I without clinical signs of peripheral neuropathy; II with peripheral neuropathy; III with neuropathy involving the peripheral and autonomous nervous system) and investigated for optic and trigeminal neuropathy (corneal sensitivity). In all groups, but with increasing frequency from group I to III, signs of optic neuropathy (constriction of visual fields with good central vision, impaired colour vision, decreased visually evoked responses and corneal sensitivity) were noted. The frequent observation of impaired colour vision deserves particular attention, since the patient's interpretation of tape-tests for glucosuria depends upon it.


The standard method for determining the biomass composition, in terms of main lignocellulosic fraction (hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin) contents, is by chemical method; however, it is a slow and expensive methodology, which requires complex techniques and the use of multiple chemical reagents. The main objective of this article is to provide a new efficient, low-cost and fast method for the determination of the main lignocellulosic fraction contents of different types of biomasses from agricultural by-products to softwoods and hardwoods. The method is based on applying deconvolution techniques on the derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) pyrolysis curves obtained by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) through a kinetic approach based on a pseudocomponent kinetic model (PKM). As a result, the new method (TGA-PKM) provides additional information regarding the ease of carrying out their degradation in comparison with other biomasses. The results obtained show a good agreement between experimental data from analytical procedures and the TGA-PKM method (±7%). This indicates that the TGA-PKM method can be used to have a good estimation of the content of the main lignocellulosic fractions without the need to carry out complex extraction and purification chemical treatments. In addition, the good quality of the fit obtained between the model and experimental DTG curves (R2Adj = 0.99) allows to obtain the characteristic kinetic parameters of each fraction.


2 Abstract: This paper focuses on the various advantages of current mode circuits over the widely used voltage mode circuits in communication system. The individual blocks of a basic communication system are designed in voltage mode and the circuits are then converted into their equivalent voltage mode. Conclusions are drawn based on the various responses observed in both the modes. The existing available VM devices/circuits for communication systems are having restricted band width, and size constraints. Using such devices, the supply voltage level cannot go below minimum value (as low as 1.2 volts) and also there is problem of power dissipation due to size constraints. The size cannot be further reduced as the power dissipation problem may damage the device. As compared to VM building blocks, the current mode (CM) building blocks can generally operate with low voltages and have higher bandwidth and slew rate. The validity of the information and results are based on the circuits simulated in PSPICE.


for a place for his son in a medical school, his son having passed "A" levels (not at his first attempt), with one B and two Ds. I have heard of several medical colleagues whose sons or daughters have failed to get into a medical school because they did not get high enough grades at "A" level. What are we training doctors for? Are they all destined to become high-gradd specialists or Fellows of the Royal Society? Doctors in general practice do not require an esoteric high-brow intellect, yet nearly half the graduates are destined for general practice. They require patience, humanity, common sense, and an ability for hard work in the field. Hippocrates favoured the training of the sons of doctors in the profession and it used to be the practice in Britain. I suggest that it is high time that we returned to it.-I am, etc., N. GEOFFREY NICHOLSON Ashford, Middlesex


The Linguistics subject guide gives you access to useful library databases and trusted Web resources, relevant for researching many topics in linguistics


It is very important to adhere strictly to ethical and social influences when delivering most of our life to artificial intelligence systems. With industry 4.0, the internet of things, data analysis and automation have begun to be of great importance in our lives. With the Yapanese version of Industry 5.0, it has come to our attention that machine-human interaction and human intelligence are working in harmony with the cognitive computer. In this context, robots working on artificial intelligence algorithms co-ordinated with the development of technology have begun to enter our lives. But the consequences of the recent complaints of the Robots have been that important issues have arisen about how to be followed in terms of intellectual property and ethics. Although there are no laws regulating robots in our country at present, laws on robot ethics and rights abroad have entered into force. This means that it is important that we organize the necessary arrangements in the way that robots and artificial intelligence are so important in the new world order. In this study, it was aimed to examine the existing rules of machine and robot ethics and to set an example for the arrangements to be made in our country, and various discussions were given in this context.


Previous work has demonstrated that fusion of a luciferase to an opsin, to create a luminescent opsin or luminopsin, provides a genetically encoded means of manipulating neuronal activity via both chemogenetic and optogenetic approaches. Here we have expanded and refined the versatility of luminopsin tools by fusing an alternative luciferase variant with high light emission, Gaussia luciferase mutant GLucM23, to depolarizing and hyperpolarizing channelrhodopsins with increased light sensitivity. The combination of GLucM23 with Volvox channelrhodopsin‐1 produced LMO4, while combining GLucM23 with the anion channelrhodopsin iChloC yielded iLMO4. We found efficient activation of these channelrhodopsins in the presence of the luciferase substrate, as indicated by responses measured in both single neurons and in neuronal populations of mice and rats, as well as by changes in male rat behavior during amphetamine‐induced rotations. We conclude that these new luminopsins will be useful for bimodal opto‐ and chemogenetic analyses of brain function.


Context. The XXL Survey is the largest homogeneous survey carried out with XMM-Newton. Covering an area of 50 deg(2), the survey contains several hundred galaxy clusters out to a redshift of similar to 2 above an X-ray flux limit of similar to 5 x 10(-15) erg cm(-2) s(-1). This paper belongs to the first series of XXL papers focusing on the bright cluster sample. Aims. We investigate the luminosity-temperature (LT) relation for the brightest clusters detected in the XXL Survey, taking fully into account the selection biases. We investigate the form of the LT relation, placing constraints on its evolution. Methods. We have classified the 100 brightest clusters in the XXL Survey based on their measured X- ray flux. These 100 clusters have been analysed to determine their luminosity and temperature to evaluate the LT relation. We used three methods to fit the form of the LT relation, with two of these methods providing a prescription to fully take into account the selection effects of the survey. We measure the evolution of the LT relation internally using the broad redshift range of the sample. Results. Taking fully into account selection effects, we find a slope of the bolometric LT relation of B-LT = 3.08 +/- 0.15, steeper than the self-similar expectation (B-LT = 2). Our best- fit result for the evolution factor is E(z)(1.64 +/- 0.77), fully consistent with "strong self-similar" evolution where clusters scale self- similarly with both mass and redshift. However, this result is marginally stronger than "weak self-similar" evolution, where clusters scale with redshift alone. We investigate the sensitivity of our results to the assumptions made in our fitting model, finding that using an external LT relation as a low-z baseline can have a profound effect on the measured evolution. However, more clusters are needed in order to break the degeneracy between the choice of likelihood model and mass-temperature relation on the derived evolution.


This chapter attempts to understand Asian Drama in the context of the development debates of its time, and in terms of the sensibilities that Gunnar Myrdal—the brilliant economic theorist and philosopher of knowledge, and Swedish politician—brought to the conceptualization of the problems and prospects of development. The chapter covers: (i) what Myrdal brought to the analysis of development from his long, varied, and distinguished academic and practitioner career; (ii) the development terrain in the mid-twentieth century; and (iii) how Asian Drama lay on that terrain and in the remaining years of Myrdal's continued eventful life. There are two central questions posed in the chapter. How did Myrdal's broad experience and perspective influence Asian Drama? How did Asian Drama influence the development debate?


Biomolecular systems like molecular motors or pumps, transcription and translation machinery, and other enzymatic reactions, can be described as Markov processes on a suitable network. We show quite generally that, in a steady state, the dispersion of observables, like the number of consumed or produced molecules or the number of steps of a motor, is constrained by the thermodynamic cost of generating it. An uncertainty ε requires at least a cost of 2k(B)T/ε2 independent of the time required to generate the output.


Abstract. Private water supply systems consisting of a domestic well and septic system are used throughout the world where households lack access to public water supply and sewers. In residential areas with high housing density, septic contamination of private wells is common and associated with multiple health concerns. This situation can give rise to social dilemmas, where individual costs dis-incentivize homeowners from investing in enhanced septic systems that would reduce well contamination and bring communal benefits. We combine a stylized game-theoretical model with a probabilistic groundwater model to characterize how economic and hydrogeological conditions interact to produce misaligned incentives conducive to social dilemmas. The occurrence of social dilemmas depends on the relative costs of well contamination versus the cost of installing an enhanced septic treatment system, and the relative probabilities of cross-contamination versus self-contamination. The game reveals three three types of social dilemmas that occur in such systems, with each calling for distinct policy solutions. We demonstrate how the model can be applied to existing systems using a case study of St Joseph County, Indiana, where high nitrate contamination rates have raised public health concerns. This analysis represents a step towards identifying alternative policy solutions for a problem that has remained difficult to address for decades.


Advances in health-related fields have brought higher life expectancy, but little progress has been made in terms of quality of life for patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). With an aging population, the projected socioeconomic burden of AD is severe and of great public health importance. In order to lessen the impact of the disease, effective therapeutics are needed, but the multifactorial nature of AD impedes scientific progress. Current treatments, while having some benefit in symptom management, do not modify disease progression and have limited efficacy in later stages of AD. For most chronic conditions, earlier treatment results in a better chance of slowing or preventing disease progression. Recent clinical and laboratory findings are identifying likely upstream components of AD and proposing several approaches to therapy. The purpose of this essay is to summarize these findings, evaluate their potential for intervention, and highlight the overall barriers that persist in AD treatment.


The biosynthesis of the erythrocyte anion transport glycoprotein, Band III (Mr 100,000), is of interest, as its N-terminal half is hydrophilic and faces the cytoplasmic surface; the C-terminal half spans the phospholipid bilayer several times. Band III is synthesized by erythroid precursor cells obtained from the spleens of anaemic mice. Newly synthesized Band III was inserted into rough endoplasmic reticulum membranes with an asymmetric orientation which resembled that of mature Band III in erythrocyte membranes: the N-terminal portion of the molecule facing the cytoplasm. Newly made Band III contained a high-mannose asparagine-linked oligosaccharide, which was susceptible to cleavage by endoglycosidase H. During the next 20-30 min, this oligosaccharide was processed to a form resistant to endoglycosidase H degradation, presumably in the Golgi complex. The processed Band III was subsequently expressed on the cell surface, at about 30-45 min after synthesis. To study the mechanism of insertion of Band III into microsomes, we used erythroid precursor cells from the spleens of anaemic mice as a source of messenger RNA for studies in vitro in the wheat germ and reticulocyte lysate cell-free system containing dog pancreatic microsomes. Immediately after synthesis, Band III was found to be inserted into microsomal membranes in its mature configuration, with the N-terminal portion exposed to the cytoplasm and its hydrophobic C-terminal portion spanning the lipid bilayer. The newly-synthesized Band III was also provided with a high-mannose asparagine-linked oligosaccharide. Band III was found to be inserted into dog pancreatic microsomes in a co-translational manner; in synchronized translation studies microsomes could be added as late as the time when the hydrophilic N-terminal half of the protein had been synthesized and still allow normal trans-membrane insertion and glycosylation. There is no cleavage of any N-terminal peptide during membrane insertion. In many respects, therefore, the biosynthesis of Band III resembles that of co-translationally-inserted proteins whose N-terminal portions are exposed on the exterior of the cell, like vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein, HLA-A antigens, and glycophorin. However, our results suggest that Band III contains a sequence near the middle of the protein which directs its insertion into endoplasmic reticulum membranes.


Though originally an interloper in a system of justice mediated by courtroom battles, plea bargaining now dominates American criminal justice. This book traces the evolution of plea bargaining from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century to its present pervasive role. Through the first three quarters of the nineteenth century, judges showed far less enthusiasm for plea bargaining than did prosecutors. After all, plea bargaining did not assure judges "victory"; judges did not suffer under the workload that prosecutors faced; and judges had principled objections to dickering for justice and to sharing sentencing authority with prosecutors. The revolution in tort law, however, brought on a flood of complex civil cases, which persuaded judges of the wisdom of efficient settlement of criminal cases. Having secured the patronage of both prosecutors and judges, plea bargaining quickly grew to be the dominant institution of American criminal procedure. Indeed, it is difficult to name a single innovation in criminal procedure during the last 150 years that has been incompatible with plea bargaining's progress and survived.


The effect of pH on the stoichiometry and kinetics of acetate uptake by phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) was studied. The stoichiometry of glycogen consumption and poly-beta-hydroxy-alkanoates (PHA) accumulation was independent of the pH over the range 6.5 to 8.0. It was again demonstrated that the amount of phosphorus released per acetate taken up (P/Hac ratio) was linearly dependent on pH, because of additional energy requirements for acetate transport at higher pH. The slope of this relationship was similar to that in previously published work, but the absolute values were different, indicating that the P/Hac ratio is the most variable stoichiometric parameter associated with the anaerobic metabolism of PAOs. A kinetic expression for acetate-uptake rate was developed and tested. It assumes a zero-order form when the polyphosphate content of the biomass is not limiting. When the polyphosphate content becomes low, the rate is significantly decreased. The expression was tested in situations in which polyphosphate was a limiting factor in the rate of acetate uptake, in which the glycogen content of the biomass became very low, and in which both glycogen and polyphosphate were present in excess. The model was able to simulate the three situations adequately. Additionally, the rate of acetate uptake was independent of the pH for the range studied (6.5 to 8.0).


This thesis investigates the representation of operational decision makers within simulation modelling. Artificial Intelligence concepts, such as expert systems focus on the problem of representing, in high-level code, complex real-world decision making problems. The author therefore proposes that the use of expert system technology may provide an improved means of representing operational decision tasks and that as a consequence, apriori possibilities may exist in the context of model experimentation based on alternative operational policies. The thesis further investigates the nature of operational decision making and the potential need to represent within a model, inter-dependencies between decision makers. A prototype system called ESSIM is developed which comprises of two interlinked components, a discrete event simulation module and expert system module. The benefits of the proposed approach are then assessed by comparing the functionally of ESSIM with conventional modelling techniques. The comparison is carried out by developing three alternative models of an automated container port, one of these using ESSIM. Experiments were then devised and executed which seek to draw conclusions on the thesis proposal.


In this study, Fe3O4 particles were used as magnetic particles to form Fe3O4 magnetorheological (MR) fluid, and experiments were conducted to polish optical glass using this Fe3O4 MR fluid. The machining characteristics of glass surface with different MR fluids that are added diamond abrasives and short fibres are studied. Experimental results indicate that the tiny-grinding wheel based on the Fe3O4 MR fluid can effectively polish optical glass and that the maximum diameter and depth of machined region increase obviously in the presence of diamond abrasives and short fibres. When both of diamond particles and short fibres are added to the Fe3O4 MR fluid, the removal efficiency of the tiny-grinding wheel is markedly enhanced due to the synergetic effect of diamond abrasives and fibres.


Fire resistance design of Reinforced concrete wall is one of the important issues for structural safety. The sequentially coupled thermal-stress analysis method in ABAQUS software is used to calculate the fire resistance of walls. The results of a parametric study to examine the influences of parameters, such as axial load level, lateral load level, height-to-thickness ratio, wall thickness, material strengths, steel reinforcement ratio and concrete protection thickness to reinforcements on fire resistance of RC walls are presented.


Abstract The application of the Coincidence site lattice (CSL) model to the diamond cubic structure allows a purely geometric modelling of specific grain boundaries. Symmetric ⟨011⟩ CSL tilt boundaries with [Sgrave] ≤ 33 were constructed with energies lower than the energy of a random boundary. Structures without broken bonds were found for rotation angles θ ≤ 70·53°. Boundaries within the range θ ≤ 26·53° ([Sgrave] = 19) are considered as small-angle boundaries consisting of an array of edge dislocations.


The effectiveness and safety of intravenous ofloxacin were studied in an open, multicentre trial conducted in 31 French hospitals. Among the 273 patients who entered the trial, 62 had septicaemia, 81 an urinary tract infection, 46 a lower respiratory infection and 11 an osteoarticular infection. Admission to an intensive care unit had been necessary for 114 patients. The infection was nosocomial in 76 cases. After treatment with intravenous ofloxacin administered alone (n = 199) or combined with another antibiotic (n = 74), 231 patients (84.6 per cent) were cured. The drug was well tolerated both clinically and biologically.


BACKGROUND
The increasing proportion of older people worldwide is challenging society and the healthcare sector to develop new solutions, such as involving volunteers, especially to combat loneliness among older people. Loneliness is a broad concept comprising, for example existential loneliness - a deep feeling of aloneness in the world. We know little about volunteers' experience of encountering older people's loneliness in general and existential loneliness in particular. Such knowledge is important in order to develop high-quality volunteering.

AIM
This study aimed to describe volunteers' experience of becoming and being a volunteer, and encountering older people's loneliness in general and existential loneliness in particular.

METHODS
This descriptive qualitative study is based on eight focus group interviews and twelve individual interviews with volunteers from different organisations, analysed using conventional content analysis.

FINDINGS
Being a volunteer meant being a fellow human being, alleviating loneliness for others and oneself. Becoming a volunteer was a way of finding meaning, and volunteering made the volunteers feel rewarded and simultaneously emotionally challenged. Being a volunteer also meant acting on one's values, challenging boundaries when necessary. Encountering loneliness, including existential loneliness, required sensitivity to others' needs for both closeness and distance.

CONCLUSION
Being a volunteer benefitted not only the older persons the volunteers met, but also the volunteers' own sense of meaning, by alleviating their own loneliness. Sharing existential thoughts and having meaningful conversations about life and death are challenging, but can contribute to the personal growth of the volunteers themselves. It is important to remember that not all volunteers are confident in having existential conversations, so it is important to pay attention to each volunteer's prerequisites and needs. In addition, there is a need for support to volunteers' engagement such as clarifying their role and clarifying the responsibility and expectations from health and social care.


AbstractOBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care from an inpatient to an outpatient setting, and to determine if there is an association between these medical errors and adverse outcomes.
 PATIENTS: Eighty-six patients who had been hospitalized on the medicine service at a large academic medical center and who were subsequently seen by their primary care physicians at the affiliated outpatient practice within 2 months after discharge.
 DESIGN: Each patient's inpatient and outpatient medical record was reviewed for the presence of 3 types of errors related to the discontinuity of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting: medication continuity errors, test follow-up errors, and work-up errors.
 MEASUREMENTS: Rehospitalizations within 3 months after the initial postdischarge outpatient primary care visit.
 MAIN RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of patients experienced at least 1 medical error. Patients with a work-up error were 6.2 times (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3 to 30.3) more likely to be rehospitalized within 3 months after the first outpatient visit. We did not find a statistically significant association between medication continuity errors (odds ratio [OR], 2.5; 95%CI, 0.7 to 8.8) and test follow-up errors (OR, 2.4; 95%CI, 0.3 to 17.1) with rehospitalizations.
 CONCLUSION: We conclude that the prevalence of medical errors related to the discontinuity of care from the inpatient to the outpatient setting is high and may be associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization.


The nature of William Blake's genius and of his art is most completely expressed in his illuminated books. In order to give full and free expression to his vision, he invented a method of printing which enabled him to create works in which images combine to form pages uniquely rich in content and beautiful in form. Blake's hope that the books would obtain wide circulation was unfilfilled: some exist only in unique copies, and none was printed in more than very small numbers. This is the third of six volumes comprising a collected edition of the illuminated books. Fine copies have been photographed and the best modern technology has been applied with a view to ensuring that the originals are reproduced as faithfully as possible. The edited texts are accompanied by introductions, notes and commentaries.


Land reform was launched in the Republic of Georgia in 1992, about a year after the country gained its independence from the Soviet Union. While an impressive land individualization process has been in effect since then, the pace and the performance of this process are far from satisfactory. This is due to a combination of institutional and economic constraints. We use comparable survey data from 1996 and 2003 and show that the land reform has been progressing mainly through land leasing. This allows successful farm households to expand their farming operation and improve their well-being. Land documentation doesn't seem to yield the expected results, and the blame may be on less than sufficient labor and credit opportunities. We conclude that there is scope for continuing the process of land reform in Georgia, but this has to be accompanied by measures to develop rural credit and labor markets.


Recent research into the neurobiology of psychological torture provides evidence for two major conclusions: psychological torture is as damaging as categorically-defined physical abuse and is, in fact, a physical process in and of itself, as victims suffer physiologically and neurologically; further, psychological torture inscribes into the neurological structure of both victims and perpetrators. This paper will place these findings in dialogue with an analysis of a 2006 U.S. production of Stephen Sewell's Myth, Propaganda, and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America – a play which stages both physical and psychological torture. Writing from inside the rehearsal and performance process, as the actor playing Eve, who bears witness to her husband's disintegration at the torturous hands of a mysterious "Man," I will place my dramaturgical research on the neurobiology of psychological torture into conversation with my creative process as an actor. The cast of Myth worked with a Body Energy Center (BEC) approach to actor training, developed by Jade McCutcheon and used by practitioners in the U.S. and Australia. The BEC approach combines the language of Stanislavsky and Chekhov with research on the chakras and involves a three-part system that guides actors towards an increased awareness of breath, imagination and kinesthetic response. BEC training is particularly successful in helping actors find a merged psycho-physical relationship to text. In the context of this approach to actor training, how do we analyze and appreciate systems of actor training applied to the staging and witnessing of torture? In light of the recent collaborations between performance practitioners and cognitive scientists that have revealed the function of mirror neuron systems as serving to produce the same neurological patterns in witnessing acts as those patterns that exist in performing acts, what are the ethical implications of training actors to perform torture? What are audience members experiencing in witnessing staged torture?


Soil is the foundation of life, yet the international community has all but ignored it in conservation efforts and legal reforms. Right under our feet we are losing topsoil at rates that far outpace nature's ability to keep up. Erosion, salinization, desertification, nutrient depletion, contamination — these and other threats have conspired to take away the land that feeds us. But they have done so largely at our own command. Like most environmental crises, human decisions have played a critical role in the degradation of Earth's soils.To remedy this situation — or at least generate change that moves us in the right direction — I argue that we need a new global treaty specifically designed to address the soil crisis. After explaining the nature of the threat and its causes, I canvass the social and legal responses that have been launched to address the problem. Through this discussion, we see that the international community has failed to meet the soil crisis with the construction of an adequate legal regime.As an extension of this failure, the international community has also failed to recognize the other problem that comes along with land degradation: cultural erosion. As we convert valuable farmland to urban sprawl and lose fertile spaces to expanding deserts, we also witness the loss of small-scale farming and the communities it supports. I reveal the link between these two crises by emphasizing a common cause: the rise of industrial agriculture. With its emphasis on short-term profit margins, mechanization, product specialization, division of labor and capital, and economies of scale, industrial agriculture profits at the expense of ecology and rural communities. To save our soils and the communities that work them, I argue that a global treaty addressing soils should also address agrarian culture and — in the way of responding to both issues — should implement reforms in support of sustainable farming.


The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of the ensilage of Jatropha curcas L. expeller cake to reduce the phorbol esters and its effect on fermentative losses, by adding soluble carbohydrates or microbial inoculants. The design was completely randomized with four replications in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, with three sources of soluble carbohydrates (SC, control, 50 g sucrose/kg or 50 g crude glycerin/kg as fed) and two doses of microbial inoculants (MI, 0 or 5 × 105 ufc Lactobacillus plantarum + 3.33 × 105 ufc Propionibacterium per g as fed). Twenty-four mini-silos (982 cm3) of polyvinyl chloride were created and opened after 60 days of fermentation at room temperature. The pre-hydrated Jatropha curcas L. cake (282 g of water/kg) contained 0.424 mg of phorbol esters/g of dry matter. Ensiling reduced the phorbol esters in 47.4%, on average, regardless of the SC or MI. There was no interaction effect between SC and MI on effluent, gases or total dry matter losses. However, both losses were increased when SC were added, and it was higher with glycerin that than sucrose. The addition of MI reduced all fermentation losses. The process of ensiling, although partially to reduce the phorbol esters of pre-hydrated Jatropha curcas L. cake, is not indicated as a biodestoxification procedure.


Motivation In the past few years, researchers have proposed numerous indexing schemes for searching large databases of raw sequencing experiments. Most of these proposed indexes are approximate (i.e. with one-sided errors) in order to save space. Recently, researchers have published exact indexes—Mantis, VariMerge, and Bifrost—that can serve as colored de Bruijn graph representations in addition to serving as k-mer indexes. This new type of index is promising because it has the potential to support more complex analyses than simple searches. However, in order to be useful as indexes for large and growing repositories of raw sequencing data, they must scale to thousands of experiments and support efficient insertion of new data. Results In this paper, we show how to build a scalable and updatable exact sequence-search index. Specifically, we extend Mantis using the Bentley-Saxe transformation to support efficient updates. We demonstrate Mantis's scalability by constructing an index of ≈ 40K samples from SRA by adding samples one at a time to an initial index of 10K samples. Compared to VariMerge and Bifrost, Mantis is more efficient in terms of index-construction time and memory, query time and memory, and index size. In our benchmarks, VariMerge and Bifrost scaled to only 5K and 80 samples, respectively, while Mantis scaled to more than 39K samples. Queries were over 24× faster in Mantis than in Bifrost (VariMerge does not immediately support general search queries we require). Mantis indexes were about 2.5× smaller than Bifrost's indexes and about half as big as VariMerge's indexes. Availability The updatable Mantis implementation is available at https://github.com/splatlab/mantis/tree/mergeMSTs. Contact firstname.lastname@example.com Supplementary information Supplementary data are available online.


Corrosion of gold coated electrical contacts remains a problem often avoided by keeping the final gold coating thicknesses over 1 μm. Graphene has recently been shown to be an outstanding material: among its astonishing properties are the theoretical carrier mobility at room temperature (200 000 cm2/V-1s-1) and the Young modulus (1.5 TPa). Graphene is a one-atom thick two-dimensional carbon crystal and has been first produced by mechanical exfoliation to obtain high purity defect free sheets. Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is another method producing larger areas of graphene. Much work has been dedicated to graphene oxide (GO) deposition and reduction processes for applications ranging from electronics to sensors. In this work we describe briefly how a method of liquid exfoliation and spray deposition can be used to produce nanometric films of graphene flakes which can be more or less uniform and continuous according to the tuning of the process. Films were sprayed in different conditions on various substrates: laboratory substrates such as evaporated gold on glass, Si wafers and metallic coupons. The coupons under study were cut from cuprous alloy strips with a 2μm Ni underlayer and a 0.8 μm Au layer. The coupons were coated with graphene films; they were then submitted to a four gas corrosion environmental test of the GR-1217-CORE Nov. 1995 type. A significant protection effect was observed for the sprayed graphene films. The deposition method by means of a spraying device was difficult to characterise but Raman spectroscopy and SEM images of the sprayed films showed evidence of the film formation. Contact resistance measurements and friction tests in a ball plane configuration were performed; low values of resistance and very low friction coefficients were measured. These first results show the very strong potential of graphene films deposited by a spraying method for electrical contacts applications and particularly for corrosion protection.


Purpose: This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of videotaped learning when used in a university in the UAE, in terms of evaluating the experiences of the students, along with highlighting its benefits along with challenges The research aims to analyse the challenges and benefits of videotaped story workshop method for university students in the UAE Experiential learning theory can be the basis of this videotaped method of learning and can be used for further theory and the contribution of this research study to knowledge in international education in business Design/methodology/approach: The results got by extracting primary data (quantitative and qualitative) from a sample size of 201 students The paper used an action research methodology within a university degree course and within the teaching profession The research design is associated with measuring and assessing the challenges and benefits of videotaped story workshop method for university students, along with the perceptions of the students towards its use The study primarily used participatory action research which is a community-based study, action-based enquiry and action learning The approach mostly used to improve the conditions and practices in a range of social environments Findings: The results suggest that most students were in favour of incorporating videotaped story workshop method for the learning experience as this eradicates common linguistic and cultural barriers Observations indicate the students found it quite challenging to learn new techniques of making videos but later on shown a positive attitude towards the adoption of technology in terms of creating videos and presenting Technology allowed students to make videos to showcase previous experiences and stories via digital storytelling Such methods enhance student's knowledge and academic skills while supporting learning behaviour and inspires them to plan, organise and share their ideas and expertise Research limitations/implications: The above methodology has good potential for inclusive learning and teaching at the higher education level which was not attempted due to lack of connecting to the learners with challenges at the university and for the researchers able to connect to such people This method can be easily extended to inclusive teaching and learning with minor adjustments as required with the disabilities noticed for the learners Hence, while most students displayed a positive attitude towards learning from creating, sharing and viewing digital stories, it can be argued that a certain proportion of them was not able to benefit entirely from it due to lack of experience and skills in generating videos Therefore, attention must be emphasised upon factors to minimise these challenges in multiple ways, for example, provision of training to students for easy employment of videotaping or affordable internet access, etc Practical implications: The students also stated that initially, they perceived videotape methodology quite challenging;however, with time, they started enjoying this method Videotaped story workshops, learners easily grasp the idea/knowledge through subtitles, even if the lessons are not delivered in their native language This aspect results in increasing student's motivation towards learning new concepts and coordinating with other teams to share knowledge and ideas The method creates a strong sense of achievement amongst students that serves as a motivational driver for academic performance The videotaped story workshop method supports student's learning rate, increases their interest and makes the whole learning process more enjoyable Social implications: The learning experience will improve as students and teachers get comfortable using this videotape learning methodology The method will be useful in remote learning as in the COVID19 situation and has immense social implications, especially in education It can extend to most domains and knowledge, teaching scenarios for engineering and business The research promises to add to he knowledge of blended learning and to the experiential learning approach which is useful to the international business of education and its future Originality/value: The classroom activities videotapes stored in platforms, making it convenient for the students and teachers to browse through at their convenience and to improve on in the future This videotape method applies to any field of learning such as music, cooking, engineering, language study, business studies as it has the advantage to be transcribed and also captions added for the learners and teachers to understand it better It can be useful in remote learning situations, also like the current one It promises to be a more efficient way of learning for the future in education and the education business will benefit from it © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited


Author(s): Rann, Lara Diane | Advisor(s): Keyes, Cheryl L | Abstract: This dissertation illuminates students' experiences of "soul healing" through the cultivation of spirituality, self-love/ self-knowledge, mentorship, and community in the context of two UCLA courses: the Music and Dance of Ghana World Music Performance Ensemble, taught by master drummer Kobla Ladzekpo of the Anlo-Ewe ethnic group in Ghana, West Africa, and "Advanced Hip Hop," taught by "street dance" pioneer and choreographer Rennie Harris, of Philadelphia, PA. My definition of soul healing is inspired by historian Bernice Johnson Reagon's conviction that many African American music traditions were conceived and carried out for the purpose of treating the wounds left by "soul murder," a phenomenon that historian Nell Irvin Painter characterizes as the collective trauma that resulted from the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its aftermath. Drawing upon philosopher Arnold Van Gennep's theory of rites of passage and anthropologist Victor Turner's ensuing conceptualization of liminality, I conclude that the courses explored in this dissertation create the circumstance for a transitioning into adulthood that empowers students to healthfully matriculate through the university while they heal mentally and physically from challenges faced before and during college. My qualitative research, based upon five years of participant observation, advances our understanding of the significance of ethnomusicology pioneer Mantle Hood's theory of bi-musicality and the role of performance ensembles in current world music pedagogy, while also prompting a renewed appreciation for the presence of African and "African descended" music and dance instruction in higher education. This study contributes to the disciplines of African American studies, African musicology, dance studies, dance and movement therapy, education, and anthropology, while adding more specifically to the fields of cultural studies and ethnomusicology.


Efficiency and flexibility are critical, but often conflicting, design goals in embedded system design. The recent emergence of extensible processors promises a favorable tradeoff between efficiency and flexibility, while keeping design turnaround times short. Current extensible processor design flows automate several tedious tasks, but typically require designers to manually select the parts of the program that are to be implemented as custom instructions. In this work, we describe an automatic methodology to select custom instructions to augment an extensible processor, in order to maximize its efficiency for a given application program. We demonstrate that the number of custom instruction candidates grows rapidly with program size, leading to a large design space, and that the quality (speedup) of custom instructions varies significantly across this space, motivating the need for the proposed flow. Our methodology features cost functions to guide the custom instruction selection process, as well as static and dynamic pruning techniques to eliminate inferior parts of the design space from consideration. Further, we employ a two-stage process, wherein a limited number of promising instruction candidates are first selected, and then evaluated in more detail through cycle-accurate instruction set simulation and synthesis of the corresponding hardware, to identify the custom instruction combinations that result in the highest program speedup or maximize speedup under a given area constraint. We have evaluated the proposed techniques using a state-of-the-art extensible processor platform, in the context of a commercial design flow.


During the past ten years expertise in human-computer interaction has shifted from humans interacting with desktop computers to individual human beings or groups of human beings interacting with embedded or mobile technology. Thus, humans are not only interacting with computers but with technology. Obviously, this shift should be reflected in how we educate humantechnology interaction (HTI) experts today and in the future. We tackle this educational challenge first by analysing current Master's-level education in collaboration with two universities and second, discussing postgraduate education in the international context. As a result, we identified core studies that should be included in the HTI curriculum. Furthermore, we discuss some practical challenges and new directions for international HTI education.


In the last few years, genetic and biomolecular mechanisms at the basis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) have been unraveled. A key role is played by microglia, which represent the immune effector cells in the central nervous system (CNS). They are extremely sensitive to the environmental changes in the brain and are activated in response to several pathologic events within the CNS, including altered neuronal function, infection, injury, and inflammation. While short-term microglial activity has generally a neuroprotective role, chronic activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, including AD and FTLD. In this framework, the purpose of this review is to give an overview of clinical features, genetics, and novel discoveries on biomolecular pathogenic mechanisms at the basis of these two neurodegenerative diseases and to outline current evidence regarding the role played by activated microglia in their pathogenesis.


The Assurance GDS Escherichia coli (E. col) O157:H7, AOAC Official Method 2005.04, has been modified to include a larger sample size of 375 g. A methods comparison study was conducted to demonstrate the equivalence of this modification to the reference culture method. Ninety samples and controls, representing three foods, were analyzed. Results show no statistically detectable difference between the Assurance GDS E. coli O157:H7 assay and the reference culture methods for the detection of E. coli O157:H7, other than the low level of inoculation for leaf lettuce, for which the GDS gave noticeably higher recovery [difference in probability of detection between candidate methods (dPODc = +0.45)]. There were also suggestions of moderate differences (dPODc = +0.15 to +0.20) for ground beef and the high level of leaf lettuce, but the study size was too small to detect differences of this size. Results showed that the Assurance GDS E. coli O157:H7 method is equivalent to reference culture methods for the detection of E. coli O157:H7.


Characterizing the jiaoyao1 mutant represents a significant advance in our understanding of the role of Arabidopsis GH9A1/KORRIGAN1 in the proper organization of cellulose microfibrils and cortical microtubules. This study reveals that endoglucanase activity is important for cellulose biosynthesis. In higher plants, cellulose is synthesized by plasma membrane–localized cellulose synthase complexes (CSCs). Arabidopsis thaliana GH9A1/KORRIGAN1 is a membrane-bound, family 9 glycosyl hydrolase that is important for cellulose synthesis in both primary and secondary cell walls. Most previously identified korrigan1 mutants show severe phenotypes such as embryo lethality; therefore, the role of GH9A1 in cellulose synthesis remains unclear. Here, we report a novel A577V missense mutation, designated jiaoyao1 (jia1), in the second of the glycosyl hydrolase family 9 active site signature motifs in GH9A1. jia1 is defective in cell expansion in dark-grown hypocotyls, roots, and adult plants. Consistent with its defect in cell expansion, this mutation in GH9A1 resulted in reduced cellulose content and reduced CSC velocity at the plasma membrane. Green fluorescent protein–GH9A1 is associated with CSCs at multiple locations, including the plasma membrane, Golgi, trans-Golgi network, and small CESA-containing compartments or microtubule-associated cellulose synthase compartments, indicating a tight association between GH9A1 and CSCs. GH9A1A577V abolishes the endoglucanase activity of GH9A1 in vitro but does not affect its interaction with CESAs in vitro, suggesting that endoglucanase activity is important for cellulose synthesis. Interestingly, jia1 results in both cellulose microfibril and microtubule disorganization. Our study establishes the important role of endoglucanase in cellulose synthesis and cellulose microfibril organization in plants.


This volume is particularly concerned with identifying the root causes of some of the longest-standing unresolved refugee situations in the world today, and addressing the particular political and legal tensions undermining solutions to them. The book discusses the well-known factors that create refugee flows: war and armed conflict, environmental change and natural disasters, statelessness and protection gaps. It examines why particular refugee flows are not resolved — or are not resolvable — even where the original factors creating the flows have been mitigated or have disappeared. It also scrutinizes how various national and international actors' policies have contributed with their interventions, omissions, and legal provisions to either alleviating a simmering refugee situation, or to turning it into a protracted or large-scale crisis. The volume covers historical and contemporary refugee situations, including Burma, Congo (DRC), Iraq, Palestine, Somalia, Tibet, Vietnam, and West-Sahara. A table of contents, foreword, and introductory chapter is enclosed in full text.


Brazilian kamafugites occur in the Mata da Corda (Minas Gerais state) and Santo Antonio da Barra (Goias state) sub-provinces, which belong to Minas-Goias Alkaline Province, one of the Cretaceous alkaline provinces that are located around the Parana Basin in Brazil and Paraguay. The MC and SAB kamafugites are mafurites and ugandites. The rocks are all feldspar-free, with abundant clinopyroxene (mostly diopside) and Ti-magnetite in very fine- to medium-grained porphyritic to seriated textures. Perovskite is abundant in all MC kamafugites but in SAB kamafugites this mineral is accessory or absent. Kalsilite is generally interstitial, often altered. Mineralogically, the ugandites are similar to the mafurites, with the exception that they contain leucite (subhedral pseudomorphs) as the major felsic phase. Also, the mafurites have much more olivine phenocrysts (5-19% modal) than the ugandites (0-3% modal) while the ugandites have much more feldspathoid. The Brazilian kamafugites here studied are all undersaturated in SiO 2 (36.6 to 44.9 wt% in MC and 39.9 to 44.2 wt% in SAB), the alkaline characteristic of the rocks being reflected in the contents of TiO (4.1 to 7.8 wt% in MC and 2.8 to 4.1 wt% in SAB), K O (1.2 to 6.8 wt.% in MC and 0.5 to 4.1 wt.% in SAB), and Na 2 O (0.49 to 2.0 wt% in MC and 1.0 to 4.3 wt.% in SAB). The presence of normative feldspathoid and olivine and lack of normative quartz are significant. MgO contents (6.0 to 18.0 wt% in MC and 5.6 to 15.2 wt% in SAB) are low when compared to those of other ultrabasic rocks, the highest values being associated with samples of high modal olivine content. The clinopyroxene/magnetite isotopic temperature data of the MC and SAB kamafugites are in the range of 830-1060° C (Sgarbi et al. 1998). The U-Pb perovskite ages of Brazilian kamafugites are in the range of 68-89.6 Ma (Sgarbi et al. 2000).


The Théâtre du Soleil is France's most innovative and storied independent theater company, recognized as one of the great theatrical operations of contemporary times. Organized since 1964 as a worker's cooperative, the some 75 members create collectively and rehearse, under the direction of Ariane Mnouchkine, in such a way that the resulting theatrical creation belongs to all. This is even the case when there is a script by company writer, Hélène Cixous, whose latest effort for the Soleil combines a bracing adventure novel by Jules Verne, Magellania, with meditations on political commitment and on making art. Indeed, in the resulting theater-in-the-theater production, Les Naufragés du Fol Espoir (The Shipwrecked of Mad Hope), the company not only presents a filmmaking crew making a film on the eve of World War I about the utopian hopes of a group of immigrants embarked on a ship to Australia, but also rehearses its own "mad hopes" as a theater devoted to making a difference on the political scene in France. The ship the Mad Hope, represented in the film being made in the fictional cabaret The Mad Hope, both enveloped in the Théâtre du Soleil's spacious and cavernous playing space, rechristened "The Mad Hope," thus casts off as a theatrical mise en abîme that can and should be read as an autobiographical pact with the audience, enticing spectators to review the history of the Soleil as well as the history of Europe and particularly the tensions between ideologies of "progress" and utopia.This essay analyzes the unparalleled staging techniques of the Théâtre du Soleil and Ariane Mnouchkine that allow it to reel in its audience while also encouraging it to ask questions about art and politics. It also dissects the three main autobiographical layers of the production, as Les Naufragés du Fol Espoir is structured as an autobiographical quest, as a primer to the esthetic beliefs and working methods of the Théâtre du Soleil, and as an unfinished debate on some of the thorniest questions confronting Western democracies in our times.


This paper presents a literature review of the sexual reproductive health campaign messages and highlights the milestones in the existing literature. The review begins with definition of health campaign messages and other key concepts. The subject is then situated within the discipline of communication studies particularly within the branch of health communication. A review of relevant theories follows after which previous research on health campaign messages is highlighted. The paper concludes by pointing out the potential areas of further research on the subject of health campaign messages in Kenya. This paper highlights the key concerns cited among the literature to demonstrate the milestones achieved in sexual reproductive health issues and identifies gaps in research to underscore the need, within a uniquely Kenyan context, for subsequent studies.

 Key words: Communication studies, Health communication, Health campaign messages, Kenyan sexual reproductive health.


Ensuring a reliable and stable communication throughout the mobility of User Equipment (UE) is one of the key challenges facing the practical implementation of the Fifth Generation (5G) networks and beyond. One of the main issues is the use of suboptimal Handover Control Parameters (HCPs) settings, which are configured manually or generated automatically by certain self-optimization functions. This issue becomes more critical with the massive deployment of small base stations and connected mobile users. This will essentially require an individual handover self-optimization technique for each user individually instead of a unified and centrally configured setting for all users in the cell. In this paper, an Individualistic Dynamic Handover Parameter Optimization algorithm based on an Automatic Weight Function (IDHPO-AWF) is proposed for 5G networks. This algorithm dynamically estimates the HCPs settings for each individual UE based on UE's experiences. The algorithm mainly depends on three bounded functions and their Automatic Weights levels. First, the bounded functions are evaluated, independently, as a function of the UE's Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise-Ratio (SINR), cells' load and UE's speed. Next, the outputs of the three bounded functions are used as inputs in a new proposed Automatic Weight Function (AWF) to estimate the weight of each output bounded function. After that, the final output is used as an indicator for optimizing HCPs settings automatically for a specific user. The algorithm is validated throughout various mobility conditions in the 5G network. The performance of the analytical HCPs estimation method is investigated and compared with other handover algorithms from the literature. The evaluation comparisons are performed in terms of Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Handover Probability (HOP), Handover Ping-Pong Probability (HPPP), and Radio Link Failure (RLF). The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm provides noticeable enhancements for various mobile speed scenarios as compared to the existing Handover Parameter Self-Optimization (HPSO) algorithms.


Current transport models focus mainly on the variables travel time and travel costs to explain choices made by travellers. In contrast to this, research results substantiate the influence of a range of additional explanatory variables. The reliability of the transportation system is one important example. The inclusion of those variables into the forecasting of the traveller decision requires more knowledge about their valuations. In this context this study pursues various aims: First, to compare the influence of the reliability of travel times with variables normally included; to confirm the plausibility of the available empirical results; to describe the impact of variables representing the reliability; to recommend an appropriate implementation into discrete choice models; finally reliability should be valued monetarily and a recommendation has to be given for its inclusion the cost-benefit-analysis. This study gives an overview of the state of the art and recent empirical work the valuation of travel time and reliability. Following the design, the structure and the performance of two stated preference (SP) surveys are explained. Within these case studies different approaches of presenting reliability are applied. The used SP-experiments employ route choice, mode choice and departure time choice stated preference. This first part concludes with a descriptive analysis of the sample. The second part contexts develops discrete choice models for each of the choice experiments. The estimations start with basic models which will be expanded and finish with a recommended model for each type of experiment. The choice analysis allows the estimation of a value of travel time savings and a value of reliability. The results of the study show that travellers value the increase travel time reliability and the saving of travel time equally. This substantiates the importance of considering both those variables in choice models. The reliability can be implemented in each choice context, route choice, mode choice and departure time choice. The highest goodness of fit is observed for the route choice models. It is recommended that the reliability of travel times on routes should be defined as the maximum delay and also as the probability of this duration. The linear formulation of these variables in the utility function leads to the highest precision. In contrast to experiences earlier studies models with mean travel time or mean delay and their variance do not raise the model fitness. Further it is recommended that the willingness to pay for reliable travel times should be calculated by a model formulation which includes reliability with an interaction form between the maximum delay and the elasticity of the lateness probability. The estimation process brings up an equation that can be used in cost-benefit-analysis to calculate a monetary value for different reliabilities by a change of supply. The willingness to pay for a 50% reduction of the lateness probability per minute of a delay is estimated 0.28 CHF for car drivers and 0.12 CHF for PT users. The willingness to pay for a complete cut of lateness is about 30% higher than the estimated value of travel time savings. The Estimation shows no significant difference of the reliability valuation between market segments like trip purposes or distances. The chosen approach does not allow calculating the willingness to pay for the reduction of earlier arrivals For this topic further work has to be done.


The aim of this study was to explore consumer acceptance of food products that make use of ingredients from underutilized marine species. As these species are not commonly used as ingredients in food products, a goal of this study was to explore how relevant personality factors influenced the acceptance of such products. This would be achieved by (a) identification of consumer segments based on the personality factors–domain specific innovativeness, food technology neophobia, health involvement, and disgust, (b) description of the main characteristics of these consumer segments, and (c) comparing how these consumer segments responded to information about the potential products, origin species, ingredients, and benefits associated with these ingredients. The method used in this study was a consumer survey (n = 490) that led to a consumer segmentation, followed by a conjoint experiment. The results show that ingredient source was the most important attribute. Yet, as many of the ingredient sources were novel, both for the carrier product and the consumer, the important part was not exposing consumers to the species that functioned as the ingredient source. The younger female consumers of the Safe Player group were most focused on the ingredient source, whereas the older male segment, called Open Minded, found the carrier product more important. The final segment, the Innovator, found all of the attributes of almost equal importance.


Sensitivity of sisomicin was studied with respect to the causative agents of surgical infections. The microbial species belonging to the following genera were tested: Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Proteus and Pseudomonas. The comparative studies with amykacin, tobramycin and other aminoglycoside antibiotics showed that sisomicin had the highest activity against Staphylococci, Klebsiella, Proteus and Ps. aeruginosa. Its activity against E. coli was equal to that of gentamicin and tobramycin. The percentage of the strains resistant to sisomicin was lower than that of the strains resistant to the other aminoglycoside antibiotics except amykacin.


Solders are fusible metal alloys, used in industry to create permanent bond between metal surfaces. In order to achieve this, solders need to be heated above their melting point and used in liquid phase. Low melting temperature is essential from technological point of view, as well as for soldered components safety. Typical solders have Lead (Pb) аs а base component, having melting temperature of 600.6 K. Adding up to 60% of Tin (Sn) to the alloy, reduces melting temperature down to 456-461 K in average. Since 2006, RoHS regulation enforce industrial use of Lead-Free solders, typically having much higher melting temperature. However, Pb:Sn solders with up to 40% Sn still have their industrial applications, usually used for soldering Cu and Zn coated pipes while the 60% Sn containing solders are used for soldering of electrical cables. The achieving of these goals requires knowledge of liquid phase surface tension. Because of the difficulties, related to such measurement, the available data in literature are limited. The current report presents an equipment for measurement of the surface tension, based on the Wilhelmy plate method as well as the applied measurement procedure. The Wilhelmy method has relatively good stability. The contact angle also can be considered zero for the examined samples therefore correction coefficients are not required for the measurement. The results from measurement of Pb:Sn in ratio 40:60 and also in ratio 60:40 show that the oxidation in excess of Pb lowers the surface tension while for the case with excess of Sn, the oxidation lead to increase of the surface tension if compare with the surface tension obtained for the same solders but under non-oxidizing conditions. This could be attributed to formation in excess of PbO and SnO on the liquid surface of the corresponding solder.


AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To investigate cardiac self-efficacy and its predictors among patients with coronary artery diseases.

BACKGROUND
Patients with coronary artery diseases must perform the health behaviour to prevent recurrent cardiac events. It has been already well known that self-efficacy is a vital factor in both initiating and maintaining health behaviours.

DESIGN
Descriptive correlational and cross-sectional survey design.

METHODS
Subjects were interviewed using structured study questionnaires. The data collected were statistically analysed by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics including the t-test, anova, Tukey's test, Pearson's correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis to determine the predictors of cardiac self-efficacy.

RESULTS
A convenience sample of 214 patients with coronary artery diseases was included. The mean age of subjects was 60·71 ± 10·07 years, and three-fourths were men. The overall model significantly explained 15·8% of variance in cardiac self-efficacy. Among predictors, occupation, diagnosis, body mass index, experience of receiving patient education and awareness of risk factors had statistically significant influences on cardiac self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS
Rather than disease knowledge, factors related to subject's perception were more likely to associate with cardiac self-efficacy. These findings might provide a theoretical basis to develop nursing interventions for enhancing cardiac self-efficacy of patients with coronary artery diseases.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Clinical nurses taking care of patients with coronary artery diseases should consider the patients' perception on their coronary artery diseases including experience of receiving patient education, and awareness of risk factors in encouraging the cardiac self-efficacy to promote the health behaviours for the secondary prevention of coronary artery diseases.


Past decades of cancer research have mainly focused on the role of various extracellular and intracellular biochemical signals on cancer progression and metastasis. Recent studies suggest an important role of mechanical forces in regulating cellular behaviors. This review first provides an overview of the mechanobiology research field. Then we specially focus on mechanotransduction pathways in cancer progression and describe in detail the key signaling components of such mechanotransduction pathways and extracellular matrix components that are altered in cancer. Although our understanding of mechanoregulation in cancer is still in its infancy, some agents against key mechanoregulators have been developed and will be discussed to explore the potential of pharmacologically targeting mechanotransduction in cancer.


Current growth trends in different biometrics applications present challenges to researchers. To address these challenges, we need new data storage and retrieval techniques to make the recognition process time efficient. This paper presents a system for time efficient 3D ear biometrics from a large biometrics database. The proposed system has two components that are primarily responsible for: 1) automatic 3D ear segmentation and 2) hierarchical categorization of the 3D ear database using the shape information and surface depth information, respectively. We use an active contour algorithm along with a tree-structured graph to segment the ear region from the 3D profile images. The segmented 3D ear database is then categorized based on the geometrical feature values, computed from the ear shape, into oval, round, rectangular, and triangular categories. For the categorization based on the depth information, the feature space is partitioned using tree-based indexing techniques. We used indexing techniques with balanced split (k-dimensional (KD) tree) and unbalanced split (pyramid tree) data structures to categorize the database separately and then compared their retrieval efficiency. Experiments are conducted to compare the average computation time per query when performing recognition through hierarchical categorization with the average computation time when recognition is based on sequential search. Experimental results without indexing conducted on the University of Notre Dame Collection J2 data set yielded a rank-one recognition rate of 98.5%. We applied the indexing technique to compute the rank-one recognition accuracy with a 10%-50% search space reduction using a 10% step size. With 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% search space reduction the rank-one recognition accuracy gracefully degrades to 96.87%, 96.14%, 95.18%, 94.21%, and 93.49%, respectively, while performing nearly 3, 3.3, 4, 4.2, and 5 times faster than the state-of-the-art technique that uses sequential search.


Experience in the use of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) in 56 neurosurgical patients with cerebral vascular aneurysms, mainly in the postoperative period, testifies to the expediency of including this method in the complex of therapeutic measures for these patients. The deep oxygenation of the body tissues, the brain included, produced by HBO makes it possible to prevent in many cases the development of severe and stable neurological defects in the postoperative period and contributes to the normalizaion of vitally important functions. Th therapeutic efficacy of the method is more marked when it is applied sufficiently early (before poorly reparable secondary disorders occur in the organism).


Critical derailment incidents associated with crude oil and ethanol transport have led to a renewed focus on improving the performance of tank cars against the potential for puncture under derailment conditions. Proposed strategies for improving puncture performance have included design changes to tank cars as well as operational considerations, such as reduced speeds and upgraded brake systems. In a prior paper on this topic, the authors conceptualized a novel and objective methodology for quantifying and characterizing the reductions in risk that result from changes to tank car design or to the tank car operating environment.This paper describes an extension of that effort to include additional derailment cases, additional operating speeds, considerations for alternate train configurations, such as Distributed Power (DP) and Electrically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) brakes, as well as options for component level studies. In essence, the developed methodology considers key elements that are relevant to tank car derailment performance and combines these elements into a consistent probabilistic framework to estimate the relative merit of proposed mitigation strategies. The relevant elements considered include variations in the derailment scenarios, chaotic derailment dynamics, the distribution of impact loads and impactor sizes, various operating speeds, brake system differences, and variations in tank car design. The paper also provides an overview of the validation efforts which suggest that the gross dynamics of a tank car train derailment, and the resulting puncture performance of the tank cars, are captured well by this methodology.Copyright © 2016 by ASME


Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems that realize high-speed data transmission with multiple antennas at both transmitter and receiver are drawing much attention. In line-of sight (LOS) environments, the performance of MIMO systems depends largely on the difference of the phase difference of direct paths from transmit antennas to each receive antenna. When the phase difference of direct paths are close to each other, the spatial division multiplexing (SDM) channels are not orthogonal to each other so signal detection becomes difficult. In this paper, we propose a MIMO system with relative phase difference time-shift modulation (RPDTM) in Rician fading environments. The proposed scheme transmits independent signals from each antenna at each time slot where the relative phase difference between signal constellations used by transmit antennas varies in a pre-determined pattern. This transmission virtually changes the phase difference of direct paths from transmit antennas to each receive antenna without lowering data rate and without knowledge of the channels. In addition, forward error correction coding (ECC) is applied to exploit the time slots where the receiver can detect the signals easily to improve the detection performance. If there are time slots where the receiver can separate the received signal, the receiver can decode the data by using the time slots and the correlation between data. From the results of computer simulation, we show that MIMO system with RPDTM can achieve the better bit error rate (BER) than the conventional MIMO system. We also show that the MIMO system with RPDTM is effective by about Rician factor K = 10 dB. key words: MIMO, Rician fading, direct path, phase difference, Turbo code


Arg‐127 stabilizes the oxyanion of the tetrahedral intermediate formed during Zn2+ carboxypeptidase A‐catalyzed hydrolysis. Mutant carboxypeptidases lacking Arg‐127 exhibit substantially reduced rates of hydrolysis with the change manifest almost entirely in kcat (kcat/Km is decreased by 104 for R127A). Therefore, Arg‐127 stabilizes the enzyme‐transition state complex but not the ground state enzyme‐substrate complex (Phillips, M.A., Fletterick, R., & Rutter, W.J., 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 265, 20692–20698). The addition of guanidine, methylguanidine, or ethylguanidine to R127A increases the kcat for hydrolysis of Bz‐gly‐(o)phe by 102 without changing the Km. Dissociation constants (Kd) for the guanidine derivatives range from 0.1 to 0.5 M. The binding affinity for the transition state analog Cbz‐phe‐alap(o)ala is increased similarly by 102; in contrast, the binding affinity of the ground state inhibitor benzylsuccinic acid is not altered. Thus, guanidine derivatives mimic Arg‐127 in stabilizing the rate‐limiting transition state. Hydrolysis of Bz‐gly‐(o)phe by wild‐type carboxypeptidase, R127K, or R127M is not substantially affected by guanidine derivatives. Additionally, primary amines do not change the activity of R127A. These observations imply that guanidine binds in the cavity vacated by Arg‐127 specifically and in a productive conformation for catalysis.


Resistance to antiretroviral drugs in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease may be discordant between blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, there is no method by which patients who are likely to harbor resistant HIV in the CSF can be noninvasively identified. Activated monocytes are known to traffic through the brain and perivascular microglia are considered to "turnover" regularly from bone marrow-derived monocytes. Monocytes lack certain kinases necessary to metabolize some antiretroviral drugs, making it possible that monocytes, could deliver antiretroviral drugs to the brain. Low monocyte counts in the peripheral blood, however, would be expected to lead to decreased trafficking and turnover of monocytes, with less drug delivery to the brain. The authors hypothesized that this would increase the likelihood of drug resistant HIV in the central nervous system. To test this, 24 matching CSF and plasma samples that had been prospectively collected and stored from patients treated with nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor drugs were assessed for genotypic resistance. Those CSFs, with evidence of resistance mutations, were compared to those without for peripheral blood monocyte count, hemoglobin, CD4 cell count, and zidovudine (ZDV) use. The same analyses were repeated on the plasma samples. There were 11 CSFs with evidence of resistance mutations. The peripheral blood monocyte count was significantly lower in the CSF resistant group (0.29 ± 0.16) versus (0.52 ± 0.21) × 109/L (P < .001). There was no difference between the groups according to hemoglobin, CD4 cell count, total white cell count, or use of ZDV. There was no difference between resistant and sensitive plasma samples according to peripheral blood monocyte count. To further test the hypothesis, the authors determined the concentrations of ZDV, stavudine, and abacavir in monocytes after each drug had been added to monocyte cultures. There was a significant decline in the concentration of each drug in the supernatant, implying that it had been "taken up" by the monocytes. These preliminary data suggest that peripheral blood monocytes may be important in delivery of antiretroviral drugs to the brain and the development of resistance.


Across a large part of the UK highways network the carriageway and pavement foundations are drained by Highway Filter Drains (HFDs). A HFD is a linear trench constructed either at the pavement edge or central reserve, fitted with a porous carrier pipe at the base and backfilled with an initially highly porous aggregate material. This arrangement enables the swift removal of surface runoff and subsurface water from the pavement system minimising road user hazards and eliminating risk of structural damage to the pavement sub-base. The highly porous backfill filters throughout its operational life fines washed from the pavement wearing course or adjacent land. HFDs have been found to be prone to collecting near the basal sections (pipe) or surface layers contaminants or detritus that causes the filter media to gradually block. The process has been defined as HFD clogging and it has been found to lead to reduced drainage capacity and potentially severe drop of serviceability.
O&M contractual agreements for DBFO projects usually propose in-service and handback requirements for all assets included in the concession portfolio. Different performance thresholds are thus prescribed for pavements, structures, ancillary assets or street lighting. Similar definitions can be retrieved for drainage assets in such agreements, and these include HFDs. Performance metrics are defined though in a generic language and residual life (a key indicator for major assets that usually drives long-term maintenance planning) is prescribed without indicative means to evaluate such a parameter.
Most of pavement maintenance is carried out nowadays using proactive management thinking and engineered assessment of benefits and costs of alternative strategies (what-if scenarios). Such a proactive regime is founded upon data driven processes and asset specific ageing / renewal understanding. Within the spectrum of road management, maintenance Life Cycle Costs are usually generated and updated on an annual basis using inventory and condition data linked to a Decision Support Tool (DST). This enables the assessment and optimisation of investment requirements and projection of deterioration and of treatment impacts aligned to continuous monitoring of asset performance. Following this paradigm shift in infrastructure management, a similar structured methodology to optimise HFD maintenance planning is desired and is introduced in this thesis.
The work presented enables the identification of proactive maintenance drivers and potential routes in applying a systemised HFD appraisal and monitoring system. An evaluation of Asset Management prerequisites is thus discussed linked to an overview of strategic requirements to establish such a proactive approach. The thesis identifies condition assessment protocols and focuses on developing the means to evaluate deteriorated characteristics of in service drains using destructive and non-destructive techniques.
A probabilistic HFD ageing / renewal model is also proposed using Markov chains. This builds upon existing deterioration understanding and links back to current treatment options and impacts. A filter drain decision support toolkit is lastly developed to support maintenance planning and strategy generation.


Ovaling deformations develop when waves propagate perpendicular to the tunnel axis. Two analytical solutions are used for estimating the ovaling deformations and forces in circular tunnels due to soil-structure interaction under seismic loading. In this paper, these two closed form solutions will be described briefly, and then a comparison between these methods will be made by changing the ground parameters. Differences between the results of these two methods in calculating the magnitudes of thrust on tunnel lining are significant. For verifying the results of these two closed form solutions, numerical analyses were performed using finite element code (ABAQUS program). These analyses show that the two closed form solutions provide the same results only for full- slip condition.


Family physicians with variable lengths of postgraduate training in emergency related 'specialties and emergency room practical experience. Since the majority (up to 80%) of patients seen are not emergencies but problems related to family medicine, it seems incongruous to make a physician train for four years to treat 20% of the patients and allow no time to learn skills to treat 80% of the patients. R. Gorsche High River, AB.


Nowadays, at-speed scan based testing is used for testing the performance of the given circuit. In the case of Atspeed scan based test, excessive capture power due to power risky pattern may cause significant current demand, resulting in the IR-drop problem .In proposed method, all power risky patterns are discarded and considering power safe patterns and refining them.WSA switching activity is used to estimate whether the given pattern is power risky or power safe pattern.LOC clocking scheme, which is widely used to detect transition faults in scan-based designs and the capture power problem.. Our test generation procedure includes two processes, namely, test pattern refinement and low-power test pattern regeneration. The first process is used to refine the power-safe patterns to detect faults originally detected only by power-risky patterns. If some faults are still undetected after this process, the second process is applied to generate new power-safe patterns to detect these faults. The patterns obtained using the proposed procedure are guaranteed to be power-safe for the given power constraints. Experimental results on ISCAS'89 andITC'99 benchmark circuits show that an average of 75% of faults originally detected only by power-risky patterns can be detected by refining power-safe patterns and the remaining undetected faults can be detected by the low-power test generation process.


Having knowledge based economy as outlined in Iran's 2025 vision statement, requires special attention to industries in which the power of human intellect and creativity play a vital role. Software industry is a shining example that characterizes such an industry. Accelerating and shaping the growth of software industry, thus, is expected to be among the priorities of the Iranian national policy-makers. The system of national intellectual property protection for software is a determining factor which affects the survival and growth of the software industry and for the same reason attracts special attention in the national technology policies. Given the especial nature of software, On the other hand, determining the optimal form and degree of software protection has been a serious concern for policy-makers in different jurisdictions. This paper briefly reviews the different forms of protecting software as intellectual property and analysis the pros and cons of patent protection. Then, the complexities attached to software patenting in different jurisdictions are examined. The present levels of patent protection of software in Iran are investigated. Finally, the shortcomings of the Iranian patent system in offering proper protection for software are highlighted.


Background and purpose Successful transition into and through medical school is a well-recognised challenge. Emotional vulnerability, maladaptive coping strategies and low resilience are inter-related and associated with physical and psychiatric morbidity . Promoting student well-being through targeted support - academic, pastoral and organisational- seems likely to improve students' overall experience, their academic success and their enjoyment of medical school. Methods We have many points of intervention to lever students towards better academic, professional and general coping practices. At the admissions stage, careful counselling at engagement events, and selecting students who are suited to the course are all essential to avoid mismatches in school/student styles, as unsuitability to the profession is a common reason for attrition . Further activities during students' post-offer time, when they are completing their school studies and deciding which medical school to choose, is a valuable time to offer students further insights into the course; the next component when offers are finalised is yet another opportunity. On commencing the course, the quality of the induction package, the nature of their welcome to the University, the presence and attitudes of staff are an important element towards settling in students. Peer mentoring and good administrative support to navigate the logistics and idiosyncrasies of new systems and curricula, add to students' self-confidence and provide good role-modelling. Personal advisers receive specific year one guidance and meet the students in week 1 at a social event. The social and collaborative element of learning in small groups supported by dedicated tutors helps strengthen psychological and academic well-being , as well as providing an early-warning system. The initial course content is engaging and planned to mesh with students' current experiences and knowledge. Formative assessments are followed by personal feedback and foster a culture of self-reflection. Results This is work-in-progress and is being evaluated qualitatively together with the rest of the course. We are exploring and evaluating "induction" as something above and beyond just the induction week and evaluating the different strategies we have put in place. Conclusion Our awareness of the importance of acknowledging the importance of managing these transitions has become more acute as the average age at entry has diminished, as we receive more school-leavers and fewer graduates. In the last three years we have focused on developing these interventions at Norwich Medical School while sharing ideas across faculties in the wider University, to work towards a more global culture of support. Dyson, R., Renk, K., 2006. Freshmen adaptation to university life: Depressive symptoms, stress, and coping. Journal of clinical psychology 62, 1231–1244. Moffat, K.J., McConnachie, A., Ross, S., Morrison, J.M., 2004. First year medical student stress and coping in a problem-based learning medical curriculum. Medical education 38, 482–491. Yates, J., 2012. When did they leave, and why? A retrospective case study of attrition on the Nottingham undergraduate medical course. BMC medical education 12, 43. Dyrbye, L.N., Power, D.V., Massie, F.S., Eacker, A., Harper, W., Thomas, M.R., Szydlo, D.W., Sloan, J.A., Shanafelt, T.D., 2010. Factors associated with resilience to and recovery from burnout: a prospective, multi-institutional study of US medical students. Medical Education 44, 1016–1026. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2923.2010.03754.x


1. In the isolated perfused rat heart, the contractile activity and the oxygen uptake were varied by altering the aortic perfusion pressure, or by the atrial perfusion technique (;working heart'). 2. The maximum increase in the contractile activity brought about an eightfold increase in the oxygen uptake. The rate of glycolytic flux rose, while tissue contents of hexose monophosphates, citrate, ATP and creatine phosphate decreased, and contents of ADP and AMP rose. 3. The changes in tissue contents of adenine nucleotides during increased heart work were time-dependent. The ATP content fell temporarily (30s and 2min) after the start of left-atrial perfusion; at 5 and 10min values were normal; and at 30 and 60min values were decreased. ADP and AMP values were increased in the first 15min, but were at control values 30 or 60min after the onset of increased heart work. 4. During increased heart work changes in the tissue contents of adenine nucleotide and of citrate appeared to play a role in altered regulation of glycolysis at the level of phosphofructokinase activity. 5. In recirculation experiments increased heart work for 30min was associated with increased entry of [(14)C]glucose (11.1mm) and glycogen into glycolysis and a comparable increase in formation of products of glycolysis (lactate, pyruvate and (14)CO(2)). There was no major accumulation of intermediates. Glycogen was not a major fuel for respiration. 6. Increased glycolytic flux in Langendorff perfused and working hearts was obtained by the addition of insulin to the perfusion medium. The concomitant increases in the tissue values of hexose phosphates and of citrate contrasted with the decreased values of hexose monophosphates and of citrate during increased glycolytic flux obtained by increased heart work. 7. Decreased glycolytic flux in Langendorff perfused hearts was obtained by using acute alloxan-diabetic and chronic streptozotocin-diabetic rats; in the latter condition there were decreased tissue contents of hexose phosphates and of citrate. There were similar findings when working hearts from streptozotocin-diabetic rats with insulin added to the medium were compared with normal hearts. 8. The effects of insulin addition or of the chronic diabetic state could be explained in terms of an action of insulin on glucose transport. Increased heart work also acted at this site, but in addition there was evidence for altered regulation of glycolysis mediated by changes in tissue contents of adenine nucleotides or of citrate.


Andrew Kotting and author Iain Sinclair take another epic journey through England's buried history in EDITH. Following on from Swandown and By Our Selves (both screened by EEFF) Kotting and Sinclair embarked on a 108 mile walk from Waltham Abbey to St Leonards-on-Sea in memory of Edith Swan Neck, the mistress of King Harold.

Reconnecting and consoling historic lovers after nearly 1,000 years, the experience has inspired a film (Edith Walks), bookwork and this special live film-music-performance event, incorporating spoken word from Iain Sinclair, with music and soundscapes by David Aylward, Claudia Barton, Jem Finer and Andrew Kotting, set to the spectral images of Kotting's film. A chance to experience an extraordinary project in the atmosphere of St. Johns on Bethnal Green, with EDITH as their hallucination.


Mubangizi BC, Gray M. Putting the 'public' into public service delivery for social welfare in South Africa

Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 212–219 © 2010 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of SocialWelfare.

The privatisation of some essential services in South Africa has raised severe difficulties for those for whom the idea of fees for services is quite foreign and who, in any case, cannot afford to pay for services. The government has developed several initiatives to educate people about the need to pay for services provided by local government, the largest of which was the Masakhane fees-for-services campaign. This article describes two recent initiatives that seek to engage local citizen participation, namely, Integrated Development Plans and izimbizo (or traditional forums). These are examined along with the challenges faced by local government in promoting citizenship participation in service delivery within a decentralised system of governance. The article concludes with some recommendations on how citizen participation can be enhanced so as to make the 'public' visible in public service delivery and thus improve social welfare services.


ABSTRACT China's law to control international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) has sent shockwaves through international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society and expert communities as the epitome of a worldwide trend of closing civic spaces. Since the Overseas NGO Management Law was enacted in January 2017, its implementation has seen mixed effects and diverging patterns of adaptation among Chinese party-state actors at the central and local levels and among domestic NGOs and INGOs. To capture the formal and informal dynamics underlying their mutual interactions in the longer term, this article employs a theory of institutional change inspired by Elinor Ostrom's distinction between rules-in-form versus rules-in-use and identifies four scenarios for international civil society in China – "no change," "restraining," "recalibrating" and "reorienting." Based on interviews, participant observation and Chinese policy documents and secondary literature, the respective driving forces, plausibility, likelihood and longer-term implications of each scenario are assessed. It is found that INGOs' activities are increasingly affected by the international ambitions of the Chinese party-state, which enmeshes both domestic NGOs and INGOs as agents in its diplomatic efforts to redefine civil society participation on a global scale.


As of March 2012 there were 35 Information Systems (IS) programs at 34 universities accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This paper investigates these ABET accredited IS programs to see what these programs have in common and how do they differ from other IS programs. The data was collected by visiting the web pages of the selected IS programs. This paper includes a study of the required IS courses, elective IS courses, required programming courses, required business courses, the title of the IS program (IS/MIS/CIS), the department and college where the IS program was located and the year of ABET accreditation. It is interesting to notice that after 21 years of IS accreditation, only one of the ABET accredited IS degrees is a BBA degrees. This study points out several significant differences between the ABET accredited IS programs and the typical BBA IS programs at the sample universities. The growth of ABET accreditation has been slow, 35 programs over 10 years. ABET accreditation of engineering and computer science is the norm but ABET accreditation of IS programs is not the norm. It is interesting to note that none of the top rated IS programs in US News & World Report are ABET accredited.