Technology changes the way we use to do things. It already changed the way we learn, we talk, we play and we work. While in the first years, technological knowledge was the aim of those professionals working on the engineering field, nowadays, no matter of the work activity, you do need to possess the knowledge and the specific competences to work on a computer, to use a scanner or a printer, to search the information and to work with it and through it in order to create new knowledge results. In this study we aim to analyze all this changes at the level of the specific knowledge and competences. Therefore, we will focus on the technological literacy, information literacy and digital literacy. While technological literacy becomes more important due to the rapid spread of the ICT use in most of the activity fields and generates a constant pressure towards the involvement of all members of the society, regardless of age or cultural background, the information literacy is the result of the internet access and use. Students have access to a great extent of information and if they learn how to look for reliable information sources, they become more responsible on how they'll use it. In a world where schools aim is to prepare students in order to get integrated in the society, we do need to train them on how to use the instruments of this technological world to find a good answer to their needs by identifying the proper ICT tools and, therefore, developing their digital literacy.


▪ Abstract Deep surveys of the cosmic X-ray background are reviewed in the context of observational progress enabled by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission-Newton. The sources found by deep surveys are described along with their redshift and luminosity distributions, and the effectiveness of such surveys at selecting active galactic nuclei (AGN) is assessed. Some key results from deep surveys are highlighted, including (a) measurements of AGN evolution and the growth of supermassive black holes, (b) constraints on the demography and physics of high-redshift AGN, (c) the X-ray AGN content of infrared and submillimeter galaxies, and (d) X-ray emission from distant starburst and normal galaxies. We also describe some outstanding problems and future prospects for deep extragalactic X-ray surveys.


Many estimates of seismic risk depend crucially on how well the date of faulting events can be determined from the stratigraphic position of fault strands exposed in exploratory trenches. However, fault strands cut by trenches may seem to die out where they are in fact only poorly expressed, or they may actually die out. Such ambiguity can lead to misinterpretation of the time of the most recent displacement and also of the recurrence interval between faulting events. To investigate the frequency of occurrence and other characteristics of strands that falsely appear to die out or that actually do die out, more than 1200 fault strands were analyzed. For strands associated with individual faulting events, 45% could not be visibly traced in the trench walls to the ground surface that existed at the time of faulting; for reverse and strike-slip faults, the number exceeds 70%. Thus, any apparent upward termination of a fault strand that is thought to indicate the date of a faulting event requires critical examination and corroboration from other evidence. Nonvisibility (i.e., dieout upward, obscure segments, and dieout downward) is more common on strike-slip and reverse faults than on normal faults and is more common in soil horizonsmore » than in clay and gravel. Nonvisibility occurs on strands that have had large (>1m) as well as small displacements.« less


In this paper, we studied listing day performance pertaining to 113 IPOs in India during January, 2010 to December, 2014, listed in NSE India. We found that there is, on the average, significantly positive return on the listing day. The market adjusted abnormal returns of all sample IPO companies were 7.19 %. It is observed that IPOs are initially underpriced. We have applied t-test to verify the returns and mean initial return of 7.19 % and proved that average returns are significantly lower also compare to historical returns of IPO. Regression model has been used to analyse the relationship between degree of underpricing with independent variables such as issue price, issue size, issue oversubscription and market index return. The result of regression analysis shows that there was no significant relationship between the degree of underpricing and explanatory variables except oversubscription of issue. The study suggests that investors can make their investment in new issues as IPOs are underpriced in initial days.


The psychological literature suggests that establishing rapport between interviewer and subject — whether in clinical, experimental or forensic settings — is likely to enhance the quality of the interaction. Yet there are surprisingly few studies that test this assumption. This article reports a study of the effect of rapport on eyewitness recall of a dramatic videotaped event by creating three interviewer-attitude conditions — "rapport", "neutral" and "abrupt". Participants were randomly assigned to the three conditions, and recall was elicited by two methods — free narrative and a semi-structured questionnaire. The results indicate participants in the rapport interview recalled more correct information, and the same amount of incorrect information as participants in the other two conditions. However, prompting via the semi-structured questionnaire yielded additional correct as well as incorrect information for the neutral and abrupt conditions. The results are discussed for their relevance to interviews conducted in forensic settings, and to highlight the need for more specific and improved interview training for police and other justice personnel.


Reproductive tract infections are the main causes of losses from the low reproductive efficiency of sheep. Gram negative bacilli belonging to the normal flora of the genital region can trigger diseases. The pathogenicity of these agents is expressed when females are with weakened immune system, either by food or stress management. Flaws in and concern about antibiotic residues in animal production have prompted research regarding alternatives for the treatment of diseases. The herbal medicine has been considered in this context is the subject of numerous studies. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial potential of ethanol extracts of plants belonging to the flora of the Northeast against gram negative bacilli isolated from cervical-vaginal mucosa of sheep. Six plants were selected from Caatinga biome: Encholirium spectabile, Bromelia laciniosa, Neoglaziovia variegata, Amburana cearensis Hymenaea martiana and Selaginella convoluta . The plant material was processed to obtain the crude extract. This was tested by microdilution plate and determining the minimum bactericidal concentration, the second document of Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the extracts diluted in water and alcohol. We used 43 gram negative isolates, as follows: 14 E. coli , 10 Enterobacter spp., 10 Acinetobacter spp. 9 and Klebsiella spp. In the aqueous dilution Klebsiella spp. showed response only to species B. laciniosa , S . convoluta and H. martiana . All tested extracts showed antibacterial activity against Acinetobacter spp and no activity against E. coli and Enterobacter spp. Among the extracts diluted in water H. martiana showed the highest antibacterial activity. In all dilution alcoholic extracts showed inhibitory activity against all bacterial genera, but no statistical difference between them.


The present study evaluates the effectiveness of active sound transmission control inside an enclosure using a purely acoustic source under the potential energy, squared pressure, and energy density control algorithms. Full coupling between a flexible boundary wall and the interior acoustic cavity is considered. Formulas based on the impedance-mobility approach are developed for the active control of sound transmission with the energy density control algorithm. The resultant total acoustic potential energy attenuation and sound fields under the three control algorithms are compared. Global amplification of the sound level with localized quiet zones under the squared pressure control is observed. This adverse effect can be removed by using the energy density control. It is also shown that the energy density control provides a more uniform control of sound field. Better performance of global and local control of sound field using the squared pressure and energy density controls can be achieved by locating the error sensors at the peak quiet zones and the areas of peak energy density attenuation, respectively, obtained under potential energy control.


Purpose

This paper aims to extend Rossiter's C-OAR-SE method of measure design (IJRM, 2002, p. 19, p. 4, pp. 305-335; EJM, 2011, p. 45, p. 11, p. 12, pp. 1561-1588) by proposing five distinct construct models for designing optimally content-valid multiple-item and single-item measures.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper begins by dismissing convergent validation, the core procedure in Nunnally's (1978) and Churchill's (1979) psychometric method of measure design which allows alternative measures of the same construct. The method of dismissal is the mathematical demonstration that an alternative measure, no matter how highly its scores converge with those from the original measure, will inevitably produce different findings. The only solution to this knowledge-threatening problem is to agree on an optimal measure of each of our major constructs and to use only that measure in all future research, as is standard practice in the physical sciences. The paper concludes by proposing an extension of Rossiter's C-OAR-SE method to design optimal standard measures of judgment constructs, the most prevalent type of construct in marketing.

Findings

The findings are, first, the mathematical dismissal of the accepted practice of convergent validation of alternative measures of the same construct, which paves the way for, second, the proposal of five new C-OAR-SE-based construct models for designing optimal standard measures of judgment constructs, three of which require a multiple-item measure and two of which a single-item measure.

Practical implications

The common practice of accepting alternative measures of the same construct causes major problems for the social sciences: when different measures are used, it becomes impossible, except by remote chance, to replicate findings; meta-analyses become meaningless because the findings are averaged over different measures; and empirical generalizations cannot be trusted when measures are changed. These problems mean that we cannot continue to accept alternative measures of the constructs and that, for each construct, an optimal standard measure must be found.

Originality/value

The ideas in this paper, which have untold value for the future of marketing as a legitimate science, are unique to Rossiter's C-OAR-SE method of measure design.


Analysis of soil chemical parameters of an uncleaned crude oil spill site at Biara was carried out. Soil samples were collected at 0 -15 cm and 15 – 30 cm soil depths from both polluted and unpolluted sites for analysis. Significant increase in high total hydrocarbon content (1015±80.5 – 1150±90.1 mg/kg) in polluted site was observed as against 31.5±27.9 – 67±26.1 mg/kg of the unpolluted site. There were reductions in soil conductivity (6.7±0.3 – 7.0±0.6 μS/cm), nitrate (23.04±0.98 – 25.92±4.7 mg/kg) and phosphate (9.63±1.38 – 11.04±3.6 mg/kg) in polluted soil compared with 11.7±0.3 – 12.3±0.9 μS/cm, 61.76±5.4 – 111.3±7.6 mg/kg, and 19.28±2.7 – 20.6±6.3 mg/kg respectively in the unpolluted site. Results also showed pH ranged from 5.13±0.07 to 5.43±0.09, total organic carbon from (0.86±0.11% to 1.0±0.05%) and total organic matter from (1.49±0.11% to 1.71±0.05%) with no significant difference between polluted and unpolluted sites. Therefore, it was concluded that oil spill altered soil chemical properties of the polluted soil. Therefore, clean up of the impacted site should be undertaken. Keywords : Soil, Pollution, Hydrocarbon, Biara, Crude oil.


Background: South Africa has the largest HIV/AIDS epidemic globally and the largest anti-retroviral treatment (ART) programme in the world, yet HIV incidence is still chronically high in South Africa, especially in KwaZulu-Natal province (KZN). In light of this, a study was conducted to investigate the extent of challenges making the management of HIV/AIDS difficult in people living with HIV (PLWH) in KZN, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 297 study participants living with HIV and receiving ART from three selected clinics in the Ethekwini Metro of KZN. A self-administered questionnaire assessed the challenges experienced by PLWH, their knowledge of their condition and their management thereof. One-way frequency tables were used to descriptively assess participant responses. Associations between certain demographic characteristics and responses to HIV treatment management challenges were assessed using chi-square tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: One-fifth of the participants (n = 60; 20.1%) were within the 18–23 age group, with over 53% (n = 158) having secondary level education. Some of the challenges cited included: difficulty in obtaining medication, mainly due to cost; side effects resulting in non-adherence; shame for taking medication in public (younger patients were more likely to feel ashamed for taking their medication in public [χ2 = 20.3, p = 0.009]); and non-disclosure of HIV-positive status to partners. We found a significant association between education and financial status and management of their condition [χ2 = 11.2, p = 0.011]. Conclusion: These findings that challenges still exist have implications for more robust programmes on education and counselling to address such challenges.


An advantage of tertiary study is the learning of new theories and ideologies, which can give a new perspective on how one views the world and their place in it. However, a potential barrier to this growth can be students' own perceptions of themselves and their capabilities to deal with change and achieve results – known as 'self-efficacy.' While universities can be good at educating students about the theoretical foundations for their future careers, it is questionable to what extent universities help students to systematically develop their sense of self and their ability to cope with change. Work integrated learning (WIL) in higher education is one way to develop, amongst other things, students' self-efficacy. WIL is particularly useful to develop self-efficacy through mastery experiences, modelling, social persuasion and physiological states (Bandura 1977, 1982, 1986, 1997; Elliot and Dweck 1988; Harrison 2010; Schunk 1991). This study assesses self-efficacy in the context of a unique business degree during which students undertake an external off-campus internship during the 2nd and 3rd year of their degree while being supported by a continuous orientation program (known as the PDP). This paper builds upon prior research which provided preliminary evidence that an on-campus WIL orientation program undertaken in students' 1st year improved their self-efficacy. However, what have been the effects once students go off-campus and commence an internship whilst studying part-time? It will be argued that the internship combined with the continuous support of the PDP has allowed students to develop a greater sense of their capabilities to deal with challenges and thereby allow them to reach their full potential. This may result in students attaining a new sense of who they are and what their capabilities are – a new 'I.' It is with such an increased self-efficacy that students will be better placed to face the challenges of their future personal and professional lives.


Prior to implementing Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 34, Basic Financial Statements -- and Management's Discussion and Analysis -- for State and local Governments, governments typically reported few, if any, of their intangible assets in their financial statements. Some governments may have recognized easements for roads that they purchased as capital assets, but they typically did not recognize such easements if they were donated to the government (for example, by a developer). Since GASB issued Statement 34, which specifically refers to easements and intangible assets that are used in operations as capital assets, preparers of governmental financial reports have asked a number of questions. These questions include the following: Should land under roads be reported if the land is not owned, but easement rights exist? Does it make a difference if the easement was donated instead of purchased? Should water rights be reported? Should internally generated computer software be reported as an intangible asset, or written off? Should other internally generated intangible assets, such as patents and trademarks, be reported? Should any, or all, intangible assets be amortized? GASB Statement 51, Accounting and Financial Reporting for Intangible Assets, which was issued in June 2007, provides guidance for these questions and many more by clarifying the financial reporting requirements for intangible assets established in Statement 34.


This paper investigates the potential applicability of automatic speech recognition (ASR) and 6 well-reported objective quality measures for the task of ranking intelligibility of speech degraded by different real life background noises. In a recent investigation ASR has been reported to give high subjective correlation with human assessment when tested with various system degradations. This paper extends this investigation in two directions. First, the usefulness of the measures in the context of different real-life noises is considered. Second, the direct correspondence between statistics computed by an ASR system and human perceived intelligibility is assessed. Subjective listening tests are carried out to provide ground truth. Results show that ASR and WSS (weighted spectral slope) are the only two measures out of the seven considered to give good correlation with human opinion. Specially noted is performance of ASR with correlations ranging from 0.77 to 0.90.


In this thesis we study the infrared (IR) behaviour of QCD observables, and solutions to the problem of renormalization scheme dependence. We investigate the IR behaviour of all-orders leading-b renormalon resummations for certain Euclidean observables (the Adler-D function and the GLS and Bjorken sum rules) in the Borei representation. We find that these resummations are finite at the Landau pole (Q(^2) =Λ(^2)) and also 'freeze' to zero in the Q(^2)→ 0 limit. We find this finite Landau pole behaviour has its origin in curious relations between IR and UV renormalons, which correspond to deeper conformal symmetries in QCD Green's functions. We consider these Borei resumed results in a skeleton expansion representation. This representation leads naturally to the standard Borei representation in the UV(Q(^2) ˃Λ(^2)) region and to a modified Borei representation in the IR (Q(^2) ˂Λ(^2)) region. We also consider the ambiguous part of the perturbative expansion in these representations. By demanding that such ambiguities cancel with similar ambiguities generated by the non-perturbative OPE, we are led to a new model for power corrections. We apply the complete renormalization group improved (CORGI) approach to all-orders renormalon resummations of the above-mentioned sum rules and compare the resultant predictions with experimental data. We also test our model for power corrections on these observables and find that the data favours power corrections of reasonably small magnitude. We also apply the CORGI approach, together with the physical scale and the effective charge approaches, to moments of F^^ and Բշ^. We use the Bernstein averages method in which any dependence of the analysis on regions of X and Q2 inaccessible to experiment is reduced.


Abstract The crude extracts of tubers of Aconitum spicatum (Bruhl) Stapf were investigated for in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania major. The dichloromethane extract at pH 2.5 showed antileishmanial activity with IC50 value of 27.10 ± 0.0 μg/mL. Chromatographic purification of the dichloromethane extract led to isolation of three C-19 norditerpenoid alkaloids indaconitine (1), chasmaconitine (2) and ludaconitine (3). Compounds 3 and 2 showed antileishmanial activity with IC50 = 36.10 ± 3.4 and 56.30 ± 2.1 μg/mL, respectively. Compound 1 was less effective (IC50 > 100 μg/mL). The cytotoxicity of compounds 1, 2 and 3 studied against MCF7, HeLa and PC3 cancer cell lines and 3T3 normal fibroblast cell line did not show cytotoxicity at 30 μM. Graphical abstract


PURPOSE
To describe the surgical outcome of a patient who had a previous buttonhole after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and 3 months later, had wavefront-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with topical mitomycin C 0.02%.

METHODS
A 38-year-old man underwent bilateral LASIK for correction of myopic astigmatism. A buttonhole in his right eye LASIK flap occurred, but the surgeon decided to proceed with ablation due to the small size of the buttonhole. After LASIK, the patient complained of monocular diplopia in his right eye with 20/30 best spectacle-corrected visual acuity. Wavefront analysis showed a large amount of higher order aberrations, especially coma. Slit-lamp examination revealed a moderate buttonhole scar. Three months after LASIK, the patient underwent wavefront-guided PRK with application of topical mitomycin C 0.02% on the stromal bed, for a duration of 2 minutes.

RESULTS
One month after wavefront-guided PRK, his uncorrected visual acuity was 20/25 in the right eye, with no symptoms. Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity in the right eye was 20/15 with +0.25 -0.50 x 110 degrees. No haze or scar was seen on slit-lamp examination. Wavefront analysis showed a decrease in higher order aberrations, especially coma and spherical aberration.

CONCLUSIONS
Wavefront-guided PRK with prophylactic topical mitomycin C was effective in treating a patient with visual symptoms and loss of BSCVA after a LASIK flap buttonhole. No delayed epithelial healing, side effects or complications were noted due to mitomycin C.


Many organophosphorus compounds (OP) are used until today in agriculture as pesticides and, unfortunately, they are used as chemical warfare agents (or nerve agents) as well. Organophosphorus pesticides and nerve agents are extremely toxic molecules, since they act as Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors. The most worrying effect of the exposure to these compounds is the acute cholinergic toxicity, which is the loss of muscle coordination. Once one is contaminated, the intoxication process begins through the binding of the OP in the active site of the AChE enzyme inactivating it. Current treatments for people exposed to low doses of OP can be performed with atropine, oximes and benzodiazepines. Important remediation processes involve the employment of bioremediation techniques using different degrading enzymes, such as the Phosphotriesterase from Agrobacterium radiobacter and SMP-30. Due to the high number of intoxications annually, it is crucial to search for more potent and effective treatment methods, and in this line, the techniques involving bioremediation seem to be quite promising for this purpose.


Routing in wireless sensor, mobile ad-hoc, and vehicular networks is a crucial operation having significantly attracted scientists' attention during the past years. Opportunistic routing, however, is a novel and promising approach, which is still an ongoing research paradigm. The purpose of opportunistic routing protocols is to increase the reliability of delivering data packets to their destination by utilizing the broadcast nature of wireless networks and selecting a set of nodes, instead of only one, as potential next-hop candidates. Apart from the reliability, security and trustworthiness of communications is also a challenging task. More specifically, almost all traditional and opportunistic routing protocols require cooperation of all network nodes to complete the routing process. However, some nodes in the network may be compromised and avoid collaboration with others due to various selfish or malicious motivations. The focus of this thesis is on modeling security challenges and developing trust-based opportunistic routing protocols. This way, communication between nodes will not only benefit from the reliability of opportunistic routing methods, but also from the security of trust and reputation management schemes. For this purpose, a novel trust-based opportunistic routing protocol is proposed that introduces three different candidate selection metrics known as RTOR, TORDP, and GEOTOR. Such metrics have been designed to address specific characteristics of opportunistic routing protocols. In continue, a watchdog mechanism is proposed to assist nodes in monitoring their candidates, recalculating their trust value, and finally replacing malicious candidates with benign ones. Afterwards, an analytical approach is introduced using Discrete-Time Markov Chain to demonstrate the effect of malicious nodes on different parameters of a wireless network that uses opportunistic routing. In this model, a new method of calculating packet drop ratio is introduced to represent the effect of attackers. The model is then applied on different well-known opportunistic routing protocols and results of the model are verified by simulation. Finally, the proposed analytical model is extended to include a defensive mechanism against adversary nodes. In fact, a packet salvaging mechanism is developed through which backup candidates attempt to save some of the maliciously dropped data packets. Different related network parameters such as delivery ratio, salvage ratio, directdelivery ratio, etc. are then introduced, calculated, and reported using the introduced model.


Knowledge of the maximum tyre-road friction coefficient can improve active safety systems by defining actuator boundaries and adaptable intervention thresholds. Estimation of the coefficient of friction based on tyre response measurements requires large level of force excitation. Under normal driving conditions, manoeuvres with large tyre utilizations are rare. This study investigates a method where wheel torques with opposite signs are applied to the front and rear axle simultaneously. This procedure allows for an intervention with large tyre excitations without disturbing the motion of the vehicle. The intervention is evaluated in simulations and experiments. Further, a method is proposed which does not require measurement of the vehicle longitudinal velocity. The results show that it is possible to estimate the current friction coefficient with the proposed method, although the assumption made in the proposed method makes the friction estimate sensitive to measurement noise on the wheel speed signal.


We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT; Duchaine & Nakayama, 2006). First, we assessed the dimensionality of the test with a bifactor exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This EFA analysis revealed a general factor and 3 specific factors clustered by targets of CFMT. However, the 3 specific factors appeared to be minor factors that can be ignored. Second, we fit a unidimensional item response model. This item response model showed that the CFMT items could discriminate individuals at different ability levels and covered a wide range of the ability continuum. We found the CFMT to be particularly precise for a wide range of ability levels. Third, we implemented item response theory (IRT) differential item functioning (DIF) analyses for each gender group and 2 age groups (age ≤ 20 vs. age > 21). This DIF analysis suggested little evidence of consequential differential functioning on the CFMT for these groups, supporting the use of the test to compare older to younger, or male to female, individuals. Fourth, we tested for a gender difference on the latent facial recognition ability with an explanatory item response model. We found a significant but small gender difference on the latent ability for face recognition, which was higher for women than men by 0.184, at age mean 23.2, controlling for linear and quadratic age effects. Finally, we discuss the practical considerations of the use of total scores versus IRT scale scores in applications of the CFMT.


Whole body expressions are among the main visual stimulus categories that are naturally associated with faces and the neuroscientific investigation of how body expressions are processed has entered the research agenda this last decade. Here we describe the stimulus set of whole body expressions termed bodily expressive action stimulus test (BEAST), and we provide validation data for use of these materials by the community of emotion researchers. The database was composed of 254 whole body expressions from 46 actors expressing 4 emotions (anger, fear, happiness, and sadness). In all pictures the face of the actor was blurred and participants were asked to categorize the emotions expressed in the stimuli in a four alternative-forced-choice task. The results show that all emotions are well recognized, with sadness being the easiest, followed by fear, whereas happiness was the most difficult. The BEAST appears a valuable addition to currently available tools for assessing recognition of affective signals. It can be used in explicit recognition tasks as well as in matching tasks and in implicit tasks, combined either with facial expressions, with affective prosody, or presented with affective pictures as context in healthy subjects as well as in clinical populations.


This thesis describes a multidisciplinary approach to the measurement of bird welfare. In chapter 2 commercial and traditional lines of layer birds were compared to determine time of onset of lay and the occurrence of superficial shell abnormalities. The commercial lines laid earlier, a feature consistent with the demand for high egg production in these strains and these eggs also displayed an increased incidence of surface defects at that time. Following the move to cages, shell quality was similar across all lines. Experiment 2 permitted an evaluation of specific stress responses, in terms of eggshell quality, plasma corticosterone levels and prior simple tests of avoidance across all breed types. The results were inconsistent suggesting that each measure was assessing a different aspect of the bird's response. Chapter 3 describes an in-house trial constructed to detect the immediacy or otherwise of the bird's response to stress. The more in-depth investigation applied in this work facilitated comment to be made on the intra-shell location of defects associated with the stress response. In terms of shell quality, the response was not immediate and was more pronounced in birds moved into pens with a variety of enrichments. The complex variables associated with this experiment were too diverse to dissect out and dissociate from each other. In the second experiment more defined acute and chronic stressors were applied and it was clear that the time delay, in terms of bird response, was real but was only elicited in those birds which had experienced acute stress. Shell quality defects are not the prerogative of the layer bird and in chapter 4 the effect of rearing enrichment on subsequent broiler breeder performance illustrated improvements in both the physical / material and structural quality of the eggshell from mid lay onwards. Previous chapters have highlighted the fact that the eggshell can be used as a non-invasive indicator of welfare. In Chapter 5 this methodology was applied to a multi-tier system to determine tier effect with respect to product quality under normal commercial conditions. Eggs from the top and bottom tiers demonstrated a variety of shell and internal quality variables which correlated with specific environmental parameters viz lighting, temperature and ammonia concentration. Chapter 6 describes the consolidation of the measurements of eggshell quality currently available. Resonance frequency testing is a simple, cost-effective, non-destructive measure of egg quality with the potential to distinguish not only cracked eggs but those predisposed to crack at some point during routine handling.


To date the hospital radiological workflow is completing a transition from analog to digital technology. Since the X-rays digital detection technologies have become mature, hospitals are trading on the natural devices turnover to replace the conventional screen film devices with digital ones. The transition process is complex and involves not just the equipment replacement but also new arrangements for image transmission, display (and reporting) and storage.
This work is focused on 2D digital detector's characterization with a concern to specific clinical application; the systems features linked to the image quality are analyzed to assess the clinical performances, the conversion efficiency, and the minimum dose necessary to get an acceptable image.
The first section overviews the digital detector technologies focusing on the recent and promising technological developments.
The second section contains a description of the characterization methods considered in this thesis categorized in physical, psychophysical and clinical; theory, models and procedures are described as well.
The third section contains a set of characterizations performed on new equipments that appears to be some of the most advanced technologies available to date.
The fourth section deals with some procedures and schemes employed for quality assurance programs.


Purpose To compare two types of central venous catheters (Broviac and valved clampless) for the incidence and severity of catheter-related complications in children. Patients and Methods The authors report data on the mechanical and infectious complications collected in a prospective analysis of 92 catheters inserted in 82 children from January 2000 to March 2001. Results Two different devices were inserted: 51 Broviac and 41 clampless valved catheters. During the follow-up of 17,803 catheter-days 52 complications were observed: 40 mechanical episodes and 12 infectious events. In the Broviac group the median follow-up was 179 days and the total number of catheter-days was 10,911. A total of 29 complications were observed, occurring in 22 catheters (43%), with an overall incidence of 0.27/100 catheter-days. In the clampless group the median follow-up was 134 days and the total number of catheter days was 6893. A total of 23 complications were observed, occurring in 19 devices (46%), with an incidence of 0.32/100 catheter days. Conclusions There were no major differences in the incidence of mechanical or infectious complications between the two devices. Malfunction was more frequent in Broviac catheters, whereas catheter displacement occurred more frequently in clampless valved catheters. These results show the importance of central venous catheter-related mechanical complications in the management of children with hematologic or oncologic malignancies.


This paper looks at the relationship between the government fiscal multiplier and the distribution of wealth in a model with Ricardian equivalence. The output multiplier is derived. The approach taken allows for heterogeneity in agents' utility functions. The intertemporal elasticity of substitution is allowed to vary with an agent's initial endowment of wealth. Multipliers are derived under simple monetary reaction rules. These cases describe how the effectiveness of fiscal policy might depend on the distribution of wealth in the economy. We find that an increase in wealth anywhere along the distribution of wealth increases the size of the fiscal multiplier under real interest rate targeting. Owing to changes in real interest rates under a less accommodative monetary policy an increase in wealth has an ambiguous effect under a strict inflation target or in a flexible price equilibrium. A redistribution of wealth always has an ambiguous effect which depends, in part, on the relative sensitivity of changes in consumption due to changes in expected future taxes when wealth varies for the losing versus the gaining quintile.


A mathematical model is developed for the gas flow in a biomass-fired grate boiler with inner dust removal device, with the purpose to optimize the combustion condition. The distribution of gas flow is determined by the air flow ratio and the optimization is realized by the particular simulation. The optimal air flow is obtained by the analysis of various air flow ratios, via the comparison of flow characteristics and turbulence kinetic energy. The results of the numerical simulation show that the optimum air flow can help the sufficient the mixing and burnout of combustible in the furnace. It clearly indicates that the numerical simulation can be an effective tool for the practical guidance.


This paper details the design of a six degree-of-freedom low-cost force/torque sensing platform for use in a suturing simulator for surgical training. This platform is based on the Stewart Platform configuration in which the linear actuators are replaced with metal wire kept in tension by multiple elastically loaded support columns. Flexible wire legs are used in lieu of rigid connectors so as to reduce the platforms susceptibility to inter-component friction in measurements and to allow the platform to exhibit built-in stress relief for the cantilevers in directions of concern. The static structural elements of the platform are designed to be manufactured from standard 3D printing technology, decreasing the overall weight of the platform while keeping costs low and allowing for quick replacement of any damaged structural elements. Due to errors in fabricating the cantilevers, a slow transient response is observed in the platform's voltage outputs which is carried over into the measured loads on the platform. By experimenting with different cantilever designs and the techniques used to manufacture them, new cantilever designs are proposed which correct for the slow transient response. The platform is calibrated by applying standardized weights to cause forces and torques in each axes and sampling the corresponding voltage outputs. When the platform is subjected to unknown loads after calibration, the platform measures forces and torques in each axes for short periods of time with errors attributable to the non-linear response . Tests simulating the suturing system are conducted on the platform with the results showing that the platform is able to measure forces and torques in each axes at any position on the membrane. While the current sensor can not be used in the suturing system as is, implementing the new cantilever design in the platform will make the platform an inexpensive component capable of providing accurate measurements of the loads on the membrane.


The absolute density of SD radicals in a supersonic jet has been measured down to (1.1 ± 0.1) × 10(5) cm(-3) in a modestly specified apparatus that uses a cross-correlated combination of cavity ring-down and laser-induced fluorescence detection. Such a density corresponds to 215 ± 21 molecules in the probe volume at any given time. The minimum detectable absorption coefficient was quantum-noise-limited and measured to be (7.9 ± 0.6) × 10(-11) cm(-1), in 200 s of acquisition time, corresponding to a noise-equivalent absorption sensitivity for the apparatus of (1.6 ± 0.1) × 10(-9) cm(-1) Hz(-1/2).


In the literature on environmental risk management in firms, it is often proposed that environmental performance and innovation are driven primarily by external forces, such as regulatory or market pressures. But gradually, organisational forces in business itself are also suggested as drivers for the improvement of environmental performance (Andrews et al, 2001). Many companies have adopted systems approaches in their corporate strategy. Organisational strategies include quality, health and safety, and environmental systems approaches. In systemising, management companies seek to improve the evaluation of organisational performance. One of these systematic approaches involves environmental management. Systems of internal company environmental management include elements such as an environmental policy statement, an environmental programme, the integration of environmental management in business operation, internal monitoring, information, training and environmental reporting and auditing (Aalders, 1993)


We investigate in-group gender bias in real-world hiring decisions by combining administrative data with data from a large-scale field experiment on hiring in which fictitious resumes with randomly assigned information about gender were sent to Swedish employers. Our results suggest that women (female recruiters or firms with a high share of female employees) favor women in the recruitment process. In contrast, we do not find much evidence that men (male recruiters or firms with a high share of male employees) favor men. JEL classification: J23, J71


Identifying potential abuses of human rights through imagery is a novel and challenging task in the field of computer vision, which will enable to expose human rights violations over large-scale data that may otherwise be impossible. While standard databases for object and scene categorization contain hundreds of different classes, the largest available dataset of human rights violations contains only four classes. Here, we introduce the human rights archive (HRA) database, a verified-by-experts repository of 3050 human rights violations photographs, labeled with human rights semantic categories, comprising a list of the types of human rights abuses encountered at present. With the HRA dataset and a two-phase transfer learning scheme, we fine-tuned the state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to provide human rights violations classification CNNs. We also present extensive experiments refined to evaluate how well object-centric and scene-centric CNN features can be combined for the task of recognizing human rights abuses. With this, we show that the HRA database poses a challenge at a higher level for the well-studied representation learning methods and provide a benchmark in the task of human rights violations recognition in visual context. We expect that this dataset can help to open up new horizons on creating systems that are able to recognize rich information about human rights violations.


Nowadays, performance influences on organizational and social activities that causes to change the nature of performance qualities. Organizational acts comprise the actual outputs or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs (or goals and objectives). To do this, the researcher has used the organizational performance and performance management theories, application survey and questionnaire. In present research the sample size consists of 270 employees that were selected at random from about 800 employees from near 5 branches of Security of Tabriz at East Azerbaijan in IRAN in 2013.Data analyses were carried out by using Factor Analysis, Structural Equation, and Freidman Mean Ranking Test. The results of present study were illustrated that there is significant relationship between factors together, and also considering to the Ranking Analyses can be said that the Information and Communication Technology of performance factors is the most important factors than others for improving performance in public sector in studied organizations. Also, according to findings of factor analysis all factors have more influence on performance for developing and improving organizational performance. Key Words: Intra-organizational performance management, Extra-organizational performance management, Performance Management Advantages, and Motivated workforce. Keywords: Intra-organizational performance management, Extra-organizational performance management, Motivated workforce JEL Classification: L1


Family doctors play a very important role in determining the health of the populace; however, surveys and expert opinions indicate that there is considerable room for improvement in the knowledge and skills of family physicians concerning the prevention, early detection and management of the major causes of death and disability. Effective Continuing Medical Education (CME) could help greatly to resolve this problem. THere is, however, little evidence that presently available systems of CME, though costly, are effective in improving either physician competence or patient health. Attractive and cost-effective CME methods are greatly needed. This study develops, field tests and evaluates more efficient office-based CME programs for family doctors. Prevention, early detection and improved management of cardiovascular disease and cancer are the primary goals. A pretest posttest control group and time series approach was chosen for the experimental design. Thirty-one family physicians are participating. Physician performance and patient outcome prior to and after education are being assessed largely through office record review.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the construct validity of the Activity Inventory of the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment and the Clinical Outcome Variables Scale (COVS), 2 measures of functional mobility.

DESIGN
A retrospective longitudinal study of 24 inpatients (mean age 83 years (standard deviation 7)) on a geriatric rehabilitation unit.

PARTICIPANTS
The primary reasons for admission were deconditioning (n=9) and hip fracture (n=7).

METHOD
We tested hypotheses that Activity Inventory and COVS scores at admission and discharge, and change scores during hospital stay would correlate. Longitudinal construct validity was also estimated using effect size and standardized response mean.

RESULTS
Correlations between scores on each measure ranged from r=0.59-0.93 across subscales and total scales (p<0.01). The effect size of the Activity Inventory and the COVS was 1.53 and 1.43, respectively. The standardized response mean of the Activity Inventory and the COVS was 1.83 and 2.30, respectively.

CONCLUSION
Although findings support the validity of both measures, the COVS appears more efficient and sensitive than the Activity Inventory to change in this population. A larger study is needed to confirm these findings.


Objective: To understand sustainability and assure long-term gains in multidisciplinary performance improvement using an operating room to cardiac ICU handoff process focused on creation of a shared mental model. Design: Performance improvement cohort project with pre- and postintervention assessments spanning a 4-year period. Setting: Twenty-six bed pediatric cardiac ICU in a tertiary care children's hospital. Patients: Cardiac surgery patients admitted to cardiac ICU from the operating room following cardiac surgery. Interventions: An interdisciplinary workgroup overhauled our handoff process in 2010. The new algorithm emphasized role delineation, standardized communication, and creation of a shared mental model. Our "I-5" mnemonic allowed validation and verification of a shared mental model between multidisciplinary teams. Staff orientation and practice guidelines were revised to incorporate the new process, visual aids were distributed and posted at each patient's bedside, and lapses/audit data were discussed in multidisciplinary forum. Measurements and Main Results: Audits assessing equipment and information transfer during handoff were performed 8 weeks following implementation (n = 29), repeated at 1 year (n = 37), 3 years (n = 15), and 4 years (n = 50). Staff surveys prior to implementation, at 8 weeks, and 4 years postintervention assessed satisfaction. Comprehensiveness of information transfer improved in the 4 years following implementation, and staff satisfaction was maintained. At 4 years, discussion of all elements of information transfer was 94%, increased from 85% 8 weeks following implementation and discussion of four or more information elements was 100% increased from 93%. Of the 73% of staff who completed the survey at 4 years, 91% agreed that they received all necessary information, and 87% agreed that the handoff resulted in a shared mental model. Conclusions: Our methods were effective in creating and sustaining high levels of staff communication and adherence to the new process, thus achieving sustainable gains. Performance improvement initiatives require proactive interdisciplinary maintenance to be successful long term.


Development of neutron reflectometry has enabled neutron scattering laboratories worldwide to make important contributions to the study of surfaces, interfaces and thin‐films. As a result, neutron scattering has become an invaluable research tool for the scientific disciplines that did not traditionally use neutrons for research as recently as 20 years ago. At Chalk River (Canada), one discipline with which we have formed a close affiliation is electrochemistry. Our decision in the early 1990s to reach out to this potential user community was based on the fact that Canada has many researchers active in corrosion science. The virtue of this affiliation is best demonstrated in our experiments where reflectometry is performed simultaneously on the sample being investigated with electro‐impedance spectroscopy, a standard electrochemical technique. The two methods in combination have led to the results that would have otherwise been missed or wrongly interpreted.


Several potential applications such as medical waste treatment, chemical waste treatment, food treatment, and flue gas cleanup have been identified for high average power electron beam systems. The technology for such a system is being developed in the RHEPP (Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power) project. The RHEPP module consists of a multistage magnetic pulse compressor driving a linear induction voltage adder with an e-beam diode load. It has been designed to operate continuously, delivering 350 kW of average power to the diode in 60-ns FWHM, 2.5-MV, 2.9-kJ pulses. The module is presently under construction with the first phase scheduled for completion in the summer of 1992. In the first phase, four of ten adder stages are being built so that testing can begin with a I-MV, 160-kW diode with the balance of the power from the compressor diverted to a resistive load. A description of the system and test results from the initial stages of the compressor will be presented.


Abstract. Black carbon (BC) particles are generated in the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass, and biofuels. These airborne particles affect air quality, human health, and climate. At present, the climate effects of BC particles are not well understood. Their role in cloud formation is obscured by their chemical and physical variability, and by the internal mixing states of these particles with other compounds. The current study focuses on laboratory measurements of the effectiveness of BC-containing aerosol in the formation of ice crystals in cirrus clouds. Ice nucleation in field studies is often difficult to interpret. Nonetheless, most field studies seem to suggest that BC particles are not efficient ice nuclei (IN). On the other hand, laboratory measurements show that in some cases, BC particles can be highly active IN. By working with well-characterized BC-containing particles, our aim is to systematically establish the factors that govern the IN activity of BC. We examine ice nucleation on BC-containing particles under cirrus cloud conditions, commonly understood to be deposition mode ice nucleation. We study a series of well-characterized commercial carbon black particles with varying morphologies and surface chemistries, as well as ethylene flame-generated combustion soot. The carbon black particles used in this study are proxies for atmospherically relevant BC aerosols. These samples were characterized by electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and optical scattering measurements. Ice nucleation activity was systematically examined in the temperature range from 217–235 K, using a SPectrometer for Ice Nuclei (SPIN) instrument, which is a continuous flow diffusion chamber coupled with instrumentation to measure light scattering and polarization. To study the effect of coatings on IN, the BC-containing particles were coated with organic acids found in the atmosphere, namely, stearic acid, cis-pinonic acid, and oxalic acid. The results show significant variations in ice nucleation activity as a function of size, morphology and surface chemistry of the BC-containing particles. The measured IN activity dependence on temperature and the physicochemical properties of the BC-containing particles are consistent with an ice nucleation mechanism of pore condensation followed by freezing. Coatings and surface oxidation modify the initial ice nucleation ability of BC-containing aerosol. Depending on the BC material and the coating, both inhibition and enhancement in IN activity were observed. Our measurements at low temperatures complement published data, and highlight the capability of some BC particles to nucleate ice under low supersaturation conditions. These results are expected to help refine theories relating to soot IN activation in the atmosphere.


Intestinal epithelial cells are the cell boundary between the external environment and tissues of the gastrointestinal tract. From this interface the epithelial cells have evolved processes that help guide whether inflammation or an immune response will occur in the intestines. Indeed intestinal epithelial cells are active participants in the inflammatory and immune response because they (1) secrete inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, when they detect certain microbes; (2) secrete mediators when they become detached from the basement membrane; (3) recruit and engage dendritic cells, professional antigen-presenting cells which sample the intestinal lumen prior to presenting antigens to lymphocytes and (4) directly present antigens to T lymphocytes using a unique repertoire of molecules. Antigen presentation to lymphocytes is required for the initiation of a specific adaptive immune response, whether humoral (antibody) or cellular, and may be key to explaining many human chronic inflammatory diseases.

Key concepts

Intestinal epithelial cells form a monolayer of cells that define the boundary between tissues of the intestine and the external environment.

From this point of interface, intestinal epithelial cells receive and interpret insults/assaults from the intestinal lumen and signal to the tissues whether inflammation will ensue.

Intestinal epithelial cells communicate through the secretion of protein and glycoprotein mediators, some of which launch the inflammatory response including by recruiting leucocytes into the tissues.

Intestinal epithelial cells interact with and control lymphocyte activation using specialized molecules, some of which are used in antigen presentation.

Antigen presentation to lymphocytes is critical to launching the adaptive (humoral and cellular) immune responses.

Antigen presentation by intestinal epithelial cells most commonly results in the inhibition of activation of T lymphocytes, including CD8+ T lymphocytes.

Keywords:

intestinal epithelium;
cytokine;
chemokine;
antigen presentation;
CD1


Endocrine therapy, and especially tamoxifen, is the most important systemic treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer at all stages. A serious obstacle, however, is intrinsic or acquired resistance to these therapies, which in the case of selective ER modulators, such as tamoxifen, involves some imbalance of their agonist versus antagonist actions. Recent data suggest that levels of both ER coregulatory proteins and extra and intracellular signaling from growth factor-related pathways may be important in adjusting this mixed agonist/antagonist activity of selective ER modulators in resistant breast tumors. We suggest that ER coregulators' mediation of growth factor and other cellular signaling to the ER pathway is an important feature in endocrine response and resistance in breast cancer. Indeed, we find that failure of the antitumor activity of tamoxifen in patients with breast cancer is actually determined by both the levels of and the interaction between the ER coactivator amplified in breast cancer-1 (AIB1) and the epidermal growth factor-related protein HER. Thus, the interactions of these diverse elements are essential considerations in defining new predictive and therapeutic tools.


Objective: To determine the preferred technique for surgical sperm retrieval from an-ejaculatory males with spinal injury requiring assisted reproduction.
Design: A case study with literature review.
Setting: PIVET Medical Centre, a private facility providing comprehensive services over 38 years in gynaecology, andrology and reproductive endocrinology for infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss.
Patients: Case report of a couple where the 34-year old male is paraplegic from a complete T12 spinal lesion occurring at age 27 years from a skiing accident. He remained an-ejaculatory despite conservative treatments. This case is examined in the setting of extensive experience by the 3 authors ranging 20-40 years in managing spinal-injured males.
Intervention: Applying microsurgical techniques, open scrotal sperm recovery from the Vas, the epididymis and the testis undertaken.
Main outcome measure: Details of sperm recovery, sperm cryopreservation, subsequent IVF and resultant pregnancies. Best sperm samples from Vasal Flush.
Results: Conception 4 months after following a single blastocyst transfer where fertilization was achieved using sperm retrieved from the Vasal Flush technique. The resultant pregnancy was entirely normal and a healthy male was delivered from spontaneous vaginal delivery with birth weight 3600g.
Conclusion: The Vasal Flush technique provided the best sperm samples and is recommended for an-ejaculatory males regardless of the underlying disorder. The technique can be performed as an isolated minimally invasive surgical method of sperm retrieval, potentially under local anaesthesia


The growing number of observations of brown dwarfs (BDs) has provided evidence for strong atmospheric circulation on these objects. Directly imaged planets share similar observations and can be viewed as low-gravity versions of BDs. Vigorous condensate cycles of chemical species in their atmospheres are inferred by observations and theoretical studies, and latent heating associated with condensation is expected to be important in shaping atmospheric circulation and influencing cloud patchiness. We present a qualitative description of the mechanisms by which condensational latent heating influences circulation, and then illustrate them using an idealized general circulation model that includes a condensation cycle of silicates with latent heating and molecular weight effect due to the rainout of the condensate. Simulations with conditions appropriate for typical T dwarfs exhibit the development of localized storms and east–west jets. The storms are spatially inhomogeneous, evolving on a timescale of hours to days and extending vertically from the condensation level to the tropopause. The fractional area of the BD covered by active storms is small. Based on a simple analytic model, we quantitatively explain the area fraction of moist plumes and show its dependence on the radiative timescale and convective available potential energy (CAPE). We predict that if latent heating dominates cloud formation processes, the fractional coverage area of clouds decreases as the spectral type goes through the L/T transition from high to lower effective temperature. This is a natural consequence of the variation of the radiative timescale and CAPE with the spectral type.


Purpose
This paper aims to explore the relationship between corporate cultural/intangible assets and marketing capabilities by examining managers' and entrepreneurs' perceptions in a retail setting.

Design/methodology/approach
Nineteen face-to-face interviews were conducted with UK small and medium sized enterprise (SMEs) managers and entrepreneurs to identify six sub-capabilities that form marketing capability. The authors further validated the relationship between marketing sub-capabilities and its antecedent tangible and intangible assets. The qualitative approach used provided a deeper insight into the motivations, perceptions and associations of the stakeholders behind these intangible concepts, and their relationships with their customers.

Findings
The research identified that there is a strong relationship between tangible and intangible assets, their components and the following capabilities: corporate/brand identity management, market sensing, customer relationship, social media/communication, design/innovation management and performance management. In addition, companies need to understand clearly what tangible and intangible assets comprise these capabilities. Where performance management is one of the key internal capabilities, companies must highlight the importance of strong cultural assets that substantially contribute to a company's performance.

Originality/value
Previous work on dynamic capability analysis is too generic, predominantly relating to the manufacturing sector, and/or focussing on using a single case study example. This study extends the concept of marketing capability in a retail setting by identifying six sub-capabilities and describing the relationship of each with tangible and intangible assets. Through extensive qualitative analysis, the authors provide evidence that by fully exploiting their embedded culture and other intangible components, companies can more favourably engage with their customers to attain a sustainable competitive advantage.


In this study, a three-body microcontact model for rough surfaces is proposed in order to understand the effects of particles between surfaces on contact characteristics and its application on polishing of wafer. Both transitional surface-to-surface and particle-to-surface two-body microcontact simulations can be obtained according to the simplification of this model. In the three-body contact situation, the curves of contact area ratio versus dimensionless load are located in the range between two straight lines. The surface-to-surface two-body contact situation is the upper bound and the particle-to-surface two-body contact situation is the lower bound. As the value of D/σ increases, the contact situation will approach the pure particle-to- surface 2-body contact situation. The model also is used to study the wear mechanisms of the silicon wafer.


Experimental tests were conducted on additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy to investigate the mechanical and crack properties under multiaxial cyclic loading. Selective Laser Sintering technique (SLS) was employed to fabricate four types of cylindrical hollow specimens. The typology of each specimen is defined by the orientation of the layers and by the application of a stress-relieving heat treatment after the production process. Stress-strain cyclic curves of the materials were obtained to investigate the material cyclic plastic behavior, that resulted independent of specimen variety. Strain-controlled multiaxial low cycle fatigue tests under proportional and non-proportional loading paths were carried out on the specimens. Not heat-treated specimens exhibited a higher low cycle fatigue resistance both for proportional and non-proportional loading. Drastic initial softening was detected in the majority of the tests. Additional hardening was detected in part of non-proportional tests, which is atypical for this alloy. The mutual influence of applied load and microstructural characteristics on fatigue life are finally discussed.


A high-finesse optical filter can be constructed by cascading two moderate-finesse Fabry-Perot filters of different free spectral ranges. Methods for controlling the undesirable interactions within the interfilter cavity are studied. In particular, the use of an isolator, an attenuator, or a length of fiber longer than the coherence length of the light sources used is considered. The use of a three-mirror filter, which avoids the offending cavity altogether, is also considered. The implications on the number of potential users of optical frequency-division multiple-access (FDMA), local-area networks (LANs) are also addressed. >


This study examined cultural variations in parental goals of storytelling and story constructions to and with young children. Sixty-five (34 East India; 36 USA) mothers and their four-to-five year old children were audio taped as they read a non-worded picture storybook. East India mothers told longer stories that included more evaluative comments and responses to their child's questions than US mothers. Content and evaluation of character and story action reflected cultural themes of collectivism of India and individualism of USA. Enculturation through storytelling is discussed. (Mother-Child Storytelling, Individualism, Collectivism, Narrative)


BACKGROUND: Alcohol is considered to be a cocarcinogen or a tumor promoter, and various studies have shown a linear dose-dependent association between alcohol consumption and colorectal cancer. However, a few studies suggest that moderate alcohol consumption may have a protective effect, similar to that in cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of colorectal cancer to quantity and type of alcohol consumed. DESIGN: This was case-control study. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in the area of Attica, Greece. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 250 consecutive patients with a first diagnosis of colorectal cancer were matched for age group and sex with 250 controls recruited from the community. The mean age was 63 (SD, 12) years for the patient group (147 men, 59%; 103 women, 41%) and 55 (SD, 13) years for the control group (112 men; 44.8%; 138 women, 55.2%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Questionnaires were administered by trained interviewers to assess sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics, in addition to dietary habits and quantity and type of alcoholic beverages usually consumed during the preceding year. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with the MedDietScore (theoretical range, 0–55). RESULTS: With intake of less than 12 g of alcohol per day as the reference, moderate alcohol intake (12–35 g/day) was associated with a significantly decreased likelihood of colorectal cancer in men (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16–0.74) and in women (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18–0.91). High alcohol intake (more than 48 g/day) was associated with an increased likelihood, which was significant in men (OR, 3.45; 95% CI, 1.35–8.83) but not in women (OR, 3.40; 95% CI, 0.50–22.92). Drinking red wine was associated with reduced odds of colorectal cancer, significant in men (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.23–0.96) but not in women (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.23–1.30). None of the associations between other beverage types and colorectal cancer were significant. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was independently associated with lower odds of colorectal cancer overall (p < 0.001), in men (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83–0.97), and in women (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.80–0.94). LIMITATIONS: The major limitations of this study included the inability of a case-control design to determine causation and the potential for recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: The association between quantity of alcohol consumed and the presence of colorectal cancer followed a J-shaped curve. While demonstrating the detrimental effect of consuming large amounts of alcohol, the results of this study suggest that moderate alcohol consumption exerts a protective effect on colorectal cancer in both men and women, possibly related to the effects of red wine.


Due to the loss of a very important person followed by a personal crisis I started the documentation of dreams and began to consult therapeutic support. In 163 dreams from 1999 to 2019 some kind of vehicle for transportation were involved. More than half of the time it was a car (100 dreams). Car trouble dreams were very frequent (77 dreams, 77 %) and showed themselves over the documentation time again and again. These dreams were accompanied with negative experience and emotion. Patricia Garfield (2001) assumes that these dreams do not reflect problems with driving a car while awake but are a metaphorical expression of having less control in life itself. She assumes that all nightmares, including those about trouble with vehicles, are coping attempts. Another study found out that the subjective stress and job satisfaction is correlated with the emotional tone of driving dreams of truck drivers (Schredl, Funkhouser & Arn, 2005-06). And for Lakoff (1993) powerful dreams are forms of thoughts that express emotionally powerful contents (desires, fears, solutions, fantasies...) by means of conceptual metaphor. Do our vehicle dreams show us how we run our lives?


Blood at the death scene in a case of hanging raises suspicion relating to its causation, and the manner of death. A 69-year-old man committed suicide by hanging. Frank blood was present in a dribbling fashion on the legs and feet, and on the floor below the hanging body. On investigation by the police officers, blood at the death scene initially raised concern of a possible homicide followed by suspension of the dead body. A detailed death scene evaluation by the forensic pathologists, including a complete forensic autopsy coupled with a psychological autopsy determined the true nature of blood at the death scene as a post-mortem haemorrhoidal bleeding artifact. Only two cases of post-mortem haemorrhoidal bleeding artifact encountered in cases of suicide by hanging have been previously and recently reported. We report another additional case of suicide by hanging wherein the aforementioned unusual post-mortem artifact was encountered. A general awareness of artifactual postmortem bleeding through the anal orifice may avoid its misinterpretation.


ABSTRACT This study, on the unit measuring time, examines classroom use of different resources and their affordances for students' meaning-making. The data, comprising audio and video recordings, fieldnotes, photographs and student texts, were collected during a lesson in a multilingual Swedish grade 5 classroom (students aged 11–12). In order to analyse the connections between the different resources, such as talking, modelling, using bodily action and practical equipment, reading and writing, and their affordances for meaning-making, we use pedagogical link-making, Dewey's principle of continuity and Halliday´s Systemic Functional Linguistics. Findings show that in using these multiple resources, the teacher builds a web by linking various modes of representation, affording the multilingual students several opportunities for making meaning of the science content. Talk holds the prominent position and is linked to the other mediating resources, which in turn are linked to each other in all possible constellations. Science content is hereby mediated and reinforced through the web of multiple resources.


We study how the orientational correlations of DNA confined to nanochannels depend on the channel diameter D by means of Monte Carlo simulations and a mean-field theory. This theory describes DNA conformations in the experimentally relevant regime where the Flory-de Gennes theory does not apply. We show how local correlations determine the dependence of the end-to-end distance of the DNA molecule upon D. Tapered nanochannels provide the necessary resolution in D to study experimentally how the extension of confined DNA molecules depends upon D. Our experimental and theoretical results are in qualitative agreement.


Diet and Canine Hysteria SIR,-The preliminary report (Dec. 14, 1946, p. 885) of Sir Edward Mellanby on the experimental production of the ' hysteria " syndrome in dogs by feeding " agenized " flour is of very considerable interest to the veterinary profession.' Although experience had forced the majority of practitioners to consider the causative factor to be located in wheaten products, yet few appeared to have any idea what that factor was or how it worked. Sir Edward's findings will also prove to be of the greatest assistance to those who are studying canine encephalomyelitis and distemper virus encephalitis, since in both these d:seases the hysteria " syndrome frequently complicates, or rather is superimposed on, the other symptoms in such a way as to puzzle the keenest observer. The purpose of this note is to suggest the precaution that before any feeding experiments on human volunteers are conducted a thorough study should be carried out of the histology of the central nervous system of (1) -heavily " agenized " dogs, and (2) "agenized " dogs infected by distemper virus, for the following reason. During the course of a study of the pathology of disseminated encephalomyelitis of the dog in 1927-9 it was demonstrated by J. R. Perdrau and L. P. Pugh (J. Path. Bact., 1930, 33, 79) that four out of the fourteen cases investigated showed demyelination of the type commonly found in subacute disseminated sclerosis, and, just as in the case of its human counterpart, the hypothetical demyelinating toxin could not be discovered. In these circumstances it does not seem beyond the realms of possibility that Mellanby's " toxin " may well open up a still wider field of greater importance than would at first appear.-I am, etc..


In this paper, an adaptive neural network (NN) control with a guaranteed L infin-gain performance is proposed for a class of parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) systems with unknown nonlinearities and persistent bounded disturbances. Initially, Galerkin method is applied to the PDE system to derive a low-order ordinary differential equation (ODE) system that accurately describes the dynamics of the dominant (slow) modes of the PDE system. Subsequently, based on the low-order slow model and the Lyapunov technique, an adaptive modal feedback controller is developed such that the closed-loop slow system is semiglobally input-to-state practically stable (ISpS) with an L infin-gain performance. In the proposed control scheme, a radial basis function (RBF) NN is employed to approximate the unknown term in the derivative of the Lyapunov function due to the unknown system nonlinearities. The outcome of the adaptive L infin-gain control problem is formulated as a linear matrix inequality (LMI) problem. Moreover, by using the existing LMI optimization technique, a suboptimal controller is obtained in the sense of minimizing an upper bound of the L infin-gain, while control constraints are respected. Furthermore, it is shown that the proposed controller can ensure the semiglobal input-to-state practical stability and L infin-gain performance of the closed-loop PDE system. Finally, by applying the developed design method to the temperature profile control of a catalytic rod, the achieved simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed controller.


Gaussian processes (GPs) are used to make medical and scientific decisions, including in cardiac care and monitoring of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Notably, the choice of GP kernel is often somewhat arbitrary. In particular, uncountably many kernels typically align with qualitative prior knowledge (e.g.\ function smoothness or stationarity). But in practice, data analysts choose among a handful of convenient standard kernels (e.g.\ squared exponential). In the present work, we ask: Would decisions made with a GP differ under other, qualitatively interchangeable kernels? We show how to answer this question by solving a constrained optimization problem over a finite-dimensional space. We can then use standard optimizers to identify substantive changes in relevant decisions made with a GP. We demonstrate in both synthetic and real-world examples that decisions made with a GP can exhibit non-robustness to kernel choice, even when prior draws are qualitatively interchangeable to a user.


Abstract. The thickness of supraglacial debris affects the surface energy balance and retreat patterns of mountain glaciers. Therefore, knowing a debris layer's thickness is crucial for understanding the magnitude and timeframe of glacier melt. Field- based ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has recently gained attention as a possible method for measuring debris thickness. Airborne assessments achieve extensive coverage and characterization, but the use of GPR for such platforms remains relatively unexplored. We investigated the performance of 960 MHz and 2.6 GHz GPR signals through dry laboratory rock debris, and of 960 MHz over ∼ 2 km of transects on the debris cover of Changri Nup Glacier, Nepal Himalaya. On the glacier, 960 MHz profiles were characterized by no clear reflection from the ice interface and volumetric backscatter from within ∼ 10–40 cm, a depth that corresponds to approximate ground-truth debris thicknesses on all transects. The laboratory results show that the lack of an ice-debris interface return in field data was likely caused by a weak dielectric contrast between solid ice and porous dry debris and that surface scatter is coherent but weak. This suggests that the debris-ice interface reflection was also likely coherent, supporting our conclusion of a weak dielectric contrast. The laboratory 2.6 GHz results show significant penetration for only smaller clast sizes up to 4 cm. We used a statistical approach to estimate ice depth from volumetric scatter, which gave reasonable agreement with ground-truth depth measurements. We conclude that a remote system operating near 1 GHz could successfully estimate dry debris cover thicknesses based on depth of volumetric backscatter.


In the present study we questioned whether the sustained activation of NF-κB often observed in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) cells can efficiently be modulated by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. Cells from AML patients (n=20) were exposed to 20 nM bortezomib for 24 hrs. Cytotoxic effects were observed in 75% of the patients, but surprisingly we observed that not the AML CD34+ but the CD34- cells were most sensitive (survival CD34- vs. CD34+, 45% ± 18% vs. 75% ± 18%, p = 0.03). Limited cytotoxicity of AML CD34+ to bortezomib was also observed in long-term Ms5 culture assays. Since the AML CD34+ fraction is typically enriched for leukemic stem cells, we questioned whether the difference might be linked to a difference in cell cycle activity. However, by using the CFSE assay it was observed that CFSE bright (non-dividing) and dim (dividing) AML cells were equally sensitive to bortezomib. Since NF-κB is an important target of the proteasome, NF-κB activation (p65) was determined in nuclear extracts of AML CD34+ and CD34- cells. Bortezomib treatment reduced the NF-κB activity, whereby the reduction was much more pronounced in AML CD34-cells as compared to AML CD34+ cells (fold decrease respectively 1.77 vs. 1.18, p = 0.06). Combination of bortezomib with the NF-κB inhibitor BMS-345541 reduced the survival of AML CD34+ cells to similar levels as in AML CD34- cells, demonstrating that sensitivity to bortezomib was at least related to inhibition of NF-κB activation. Micro-array studies of AML CD34+ and CD34- cells (Leukemia 2011;12:1815) revealed that NF-κB activation in AML CD34- cells is much more dependent on cytokine and chemokine signaling compared to AML CD34+ cells, suggesting alternative activation pathways in both fractions. This might clarify the difference in response of AML CD34+ and CD34- cells to bortezomib. Finally it was shown that MCL-1 is also an important target of bortezomib in AML cells. Western blots demonstrated that MCL-1 accumulated in AML cells upon bortezomib treatment. Targeting MCL-1 by RNAi or the inhibitor obatoclax sensitized AML CD34+ cells (n=4) to the effects of bortezomib (fold decrease = 2.2, p = 0.05). In conclusion, we demonstrated that AML CD34- cells are most sensitive to bortezomib treatment. Resistance of AML CD34+ cells was related to insufficient inhibition of NF-kB activation and accumulation of MCL-1. The limited effectiveness in AML CD34+ cells can be overcome by co-targeting the NF-κB or MCL-1 pathway.


Chemotherapy-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) signaling reduces the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to undergo apoptosis. In this study, we investigated how endogenous and drug-induced IL-8 signaling altered the extrinsic apoptosis pathway by determining the sensitivity of LNCaP and PC3 cells to administration of the death receptor agonist tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). TRAIL induced concentration-dependent decreases in LNCaP and PC3 cell viability, coincident with increased levels of apoptosis and the potentiation of IL-8 secretion. Administration of recombinant human IL-8 was shown to increase the mRNA transcript levels and expression of c-FLIPL and c-FLIPS, two isoforms of the endogenous caspase-8 inhibitor. Pretreatment with the CXCR2 antagonist AZ10397767 significantly attenuated IL-8–induced c-FLIP mRNA up-regulation whereas inhibition of androgen receptor– and/or nuclear factor-κB–mediated transcription attenuated IL-8–induced c-FLIP expression in LNCaP and PC3 cells, respectively. Inhibition of c-FLIP expression was shown to induce spontaneous apoptosis in both cell lines and to sensitize these prostate cancer cells to treatment with TRAIL, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel. Coadministration of AZ10397767 also increased the sensitivity of PC3 cells to the apoptosis-inducing effects of recombinant TRAIL, most likely due to the ability of this antagonist to block TRAIL- and IL-8–induced up-regulation of c-FLIP in these cells. We conclude that endogenous and TRAIL-induced IL-8 signaling can modulate the extrinsic apoptosis pathway in prostate cancer cells through direct transcriptional regulation of c-FLIP. Therefore, targeted inhibition of IL-8 signaling or c-FLIP expression in prostate cancer may be an attractive therapeutic strategy to sensitize this stage of disease to chemotherapy. [Mol Cancer Ther 2008;7(9):2649–61]


There is a long history of experimental research in the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. These experiments have addressed questions about biotic thresholds, assessed why communities vary along natural gradients, and have explored forest responses to a range of both anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic disturbances. Combined, these studies cover many of the major disturbances that affect tropical forests around the world and span a wide range of topics, including the effects of forest thinning, ionizing radiation, hurricane disturbance, nitrogen deposition, drought, and global warming. These invaluable studies have greatly enhanced our understanding of tropical forest function under different disturbance regimes and informed the development of management strategies. Here we summarize the major field experiments that have occurred within the Luquillo Experimental Forest. Taken together, results from the major experiments conducted in the Luquillo Experimental Forest demonstrate a high resilience of Puerto Rico's tropical forests to a variety of stressors.


Surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings from the lateral and cervical portions of the descending trapezius muscle and from the infraspinatus muscle were assessed for six female subjects performing a standardized repetitive work simulation task for 1 h. The work pace was determined according to the Methods-Time Measurement system to 2466 cycles.h-1. The variation in load levels were high and indicated dynamic muscle activity. A decrease in the EMG mean power frequency and an increase in the root-mean-square amplitudes, both indicating muscle fatigue, developed in all muscles of most of the subjects. EMG signs of fatigue, analyzed separately for each 5-min period, showed variable fatigue patterns both between muscles and between subjects. It is therefore suggested that dynamic work movements do not protect the muscles of the shoulder and neck from fatiguing processes in highly repetitive work with short cycle times.


This paper investigates thermal overloading, voltage dips and insulation failure across a distribution transformer (DT), under residential and battery electric vehicle (BEV) loadings. The objective of this paper is to discuss the charging impact of BEVs on voltage across consumer-service points, as well as across the life of paper insulation under varying ambient temperatures (during winter and summer), with and without a centralized battery energy storage system (BESS). This study contributes in two ways. The first part of this study deals with coordinated and uncoordinated BEV charging scenarios. The second part of this study deals with maximum utilization of a test DT rated under dynamic thermal rating (DRoDT). The DRoDT integration with BESS is carried out to flatten the load spikes, to obtain maximum DT utilization, to achieve active power and voltage supports in addition to an enhanced DT lifespan. The obtained results indicate that, when test DT operates under the proposed hybrid technique (combining both dynamic transformer ratings and a centralized BESS), it attains maximum utilization, lower hot-spot temperature, enhanced lifespan, less degraded paper insulation and an improved voltage across each consumer service point. The proposed technique is furthermore found effective in maintaining the loading across the distribution transformer within the nominal limits. However, under excess loading during peak hours, the proposed technique provides relief to the DT to a certain extent. To achieve an optimal DT operation and an enhanced BESS lifespan, the BESS is operated under nominal charging and discharging cyclic limits. Under the proposed DRoDT integration with BESS, DT attains 25.9% more life when loaded with coordinated BEV charging, in comparison to no BESS integration under the same loading scenario. The worst loading due to uncoordinated BEV charging also brings 51% increase in DT life when loaded under the proposed technique.


Light is a crucial element for plant growth and production. High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps are considered not very electrically efficient as they generate high radiant heat, and as a consequence, there has been a lot of interest in replacing HPS lamps with new more efficient lighting sources in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs have a linear photon output with the electrical input current, and this great feature allows the design of lighting arrays that match the plant's needs. In the current study, light spectrum absorbance of pigments extracted from 14 plant species was analyzed. Two absorbance peaks were observed in the Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) region: one at 435 nm and the other at 665 nm. The light spectrum array was designed to produce the spectrum absorbed by basil pigments. This included the use of new wavelengths of 435 ± 5 nm to cover the blue region. Moreover, the ratio between blue and red was considered to match the absorbance of basil pigment. The use of a light spectrum that matches the plant absorbance significantly improved the investigated physiological parameters and increased the growth yield of basil. Moreover, this is the first to confirm the great positive impact of using 435 nm light spectrum in comparison with the commercially widely used 450 nm LED spectrum. This investigation has great scientific and commercial applications in the field of indoor faming and plant factory systems.


The electrodeposition of aluminum on 316L stainless steel from a molten salts based on chloride has been studied. The surface morphology of the aluminum layer has been examined through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the structure of the aluminum layer has been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The thickness of the deposited aluminum layer has been measured by the method of cross-section scan. It has been suggested that a white, smooth, non-porous and a high purity aluminum layer can be obtained on 316L stainless steel from the ternary chloride molten salts (AlCl3 – NaCl - KCl). And the structure of the aluminum layer was single-phase.


This continuing feature will update readers on recent developments in cardiovascular pharmacotherapy. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer in the US, and more clinical outcome trials have been conducted in cardiology than in any other field of medicine. Given this rapidly expanding knowledge base, pharmacists can have a significant impact on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease—if they keep current with developments in drug therapy.


Classical type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is the most common variant of the disease, however, its molecular background is still unknown. The paper presents the latest findings concerning this type of EDS. In most cases, mutations in genes encoding type V collagen were found. In some cases, the mutations were excluded indicating the genetic heterogeneity of the disease.


Ongoing urbanization, combined with market fundamentalism as the prevailing mode of political management, is leading to the spatial and social segregation of economic classes in cities. The housing market, being driven by economic interests rather than public policy, favors inflexible forms of ownership or tenancy that are increasingly incompatible with the more diverse forms of live-work patterns and family structures occurring in the society. This paper presents a research-by-design project that explores a speculative future scenario of housing, based on current developments in digital technologies and their impact on the mobility and accessibility to services enjoyed by urban residents. It references technology platforms that underpin the 'sharing economy' or 'gig economy', such as 'pay-as-you-go' car and bike sharing programs or internet and smartphone-based services for taxis or temporary accommodation. The study explores how new forms of participation in the housing market could circumvent the current segregation of different communities across the city. It describes a speculative system of distributed residential spaces, accessible to all on a 'pay-for-time-used' basis. By offering freedom of choice across domestic functions of greater range and accessibility than found within existing housing or hotel accommodation, the system would enable opportunistic or nomadic forms of living linked to the dynamic spatio-temporal occurrences of social, cultural or economic opportunities. The research references how new forms of social networking create new challenges and opportunities to participate in communities and explores how new technologies, applied to housing, can help to find a 'sense of belonging' within the technological society.


Increased access to visual archives and the proliferation of digitized images related to sexuality have led a growing number of scholars in recent years to place images and visual practices at the center of critical historical inquiries of sexual desire, subjectivity, and embodiment. At the same time, new critical histories of sexual science serve both to expand the temporal and geographical frames for investigating the historical relationships of sex and visual production, and to generate new lines of inquiry and reshape visual studies more broadly. The contributors to this issue invite us to ask: What new questions and challenges for the study of sex and sexual science are posed by critical studies of the visual? How are new visual methodologies that focus on archives changing the contours of historical knowledge about sex and sexuality? What—and where—are new methodologies still needed? "Visual Archives of Sex" aims to illuminate current research that centers visual media in the history of sexuality and that interrogates contemporary historiographies.


Statistical discrimination is frequently applied to illustrate different economic opportunities among equally able individuals. We use statistics from 1994, the second wave of the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, to analyze the income received from paid work jobs as the measure of an individual's economic opportunity. At the same time, Heckman's two-stage procedure is performed to account for possible bias that arises from estimating with only a pool of paid workers. We are interested in testing the following hypotheses: whether employers statistically discriminate among potential workers on the basis of education and immigration status if they have limited information about those workers and whether they learn to revise their judgments as new information is obtained. The results confirm the employer learning and statistical discrimination based on years of schooling hypotheses for the Canadian labour market. The labour market returns to initially unobservable characteristic increases with time spend in the labour market. In addition, wage becomes less related to education that employers initially use to infer an individual's productivity. On the other hand, immigration status is not very informative about the productivity of a worker and the results do not support the hypothesis of statistical discrimination on the basis of immigration status. This paper points out the challenges faced by traditional labour market policies in a world of statistical discrimination and employer learning.


During the past three years the literature on the treatment of burns has been prolific. Most of the articles have dealt with some one phase of the subject. Blood studies in shock due to burns and the correction of blood imbalance have come in for particular emphasis. This communication is intended to be more comprehensive. It stresses again the improvement in the mortality rate due to the use of plasma in the treatment of shock accompanying severe burns. In addition, it undertakes to discuss other important factors concerned in the clinical management from the time of the accident to eventual cure or death. The article comprises two comparative series, one of 188 cases encountered from 1930 to 1939, the other of 92 cases occurring from March 1939 to November 1941. The reason underlying the comparison is that the latter series has been under the uniform management of a burn service


To publish is to make public. And one sense of being public is surely to be accessible? Today it is not only the writing and the images that are published formally, that is to say through official channels, but also the casual human artefacts, the chat, the blog, the quick pic, the self-made music and dance and film, and all of the latter through the medium of the social network. In the World-Wide Web (WWW), to be published is to have a unique resource identifier (URI) and usually a unique resource locator (URL). But to be visibly published on the WWW one needs to be found (much in the same way that one might be found say, 200 years ago, through the library catalogue). Hence at the very core of electronic publishing is to be found the metadata nucleus. In olden times the scholar/reader would have to travel to that place, the Library, if it were accessible, to read/study the work. Today, (s)he travels electronically to those places which are accessible. E-publication does not necessarily entail accessibility. For example, many scholarly works are behind pay walls, costs are borne by institutions of would-be accessors; someone has to pay for maintenance, security, and accessibility. Works of art are in a peculiar and particular category. A work of art is considered to be unique, by which one understands that there is no other copy, properly understood. There may be thousands of prints of the unique piece authorised. But the digitization of an artwork forces a categorical change. The digital artwork is, by nature different. It can be seen, not by reflected light but by transmitted see-through light! In this specific regard it is completely other vis-a-vis the book qua text. In this paper we consider the typical state of the "digital art" as e-publication and explore the extent to which such art is freely accessible to the public, whether on social network or otherwise, with respect to four chosen "National Art Galleries" on the circumference of the European Union.


For a variety of reasons, economic performance varies both across economies around the world in any given year and over time for any given economy. The level of economic development, political and economic institutions, government policies, political stability, and other social and perhaps cultural factors may all contribute to these variations. These differences in economic performance and their underlying causes are often reflected in published economic statistics and can be highlighted through the use of rates and ratios. This case sets up an exercise for students to examine economic statistics by (1) analyzing some key rates and ratios and (2) matching the data to country profiles published in the CIA World Factbook. The countries included in this case are the United States, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Russia, India, and China.


Stochastically enhanced timed automata are used to model components of real-time systems. These automata components can be combined and replaced as required, but only with other automata. A new technique is presented which allows an automaton to be mapped on to a JavaBean, which can then be combined with other JavaBeans and components using known techniques. A system known as STINGRAE (Swimming Training INteractive Goggles for Real-time Aquatic Environments) is used as an example of this technique.