This thesis describes research carried out to study steep streams. Step-pool sequences, a
typical feature of such streams, were found to occur on every steep stream studied in the
field. The most important control on the spacing of the steps was width. Flume
experiments produced steps (at an average Froude number of 0.88), and showed that the
presence of steps increased resistance to flow at lower than step-forming flow and
decreased resistance at above step-forming flows. In the field, flow resistance was
found to be controlled by sediment characteristics and the amount of step protrusion.
The hydraulic geometry of the steep streams was also studied, and was found to differ
considerably from hydraulic geometry characteristics of lowland streams.
The formation of steps and pools was not found to be related to antidune processes;
rather they were built up individually as large particles captured other large particles
that had been entrained by the near critical flow. It was concluded that it is not the
absolute values of slope and discharge that determines whether steps form. Near critical
flow and high relative roughness appear to be the only requirements necessary.
Previous equations were generally found to perform poorly when used with the
experimental data, and an attempt to model the velocity profile using sediment
characteristics and considering stresses on the flow also produced poor correlation with
the actual field data. Modifications to these were made with some success, especially in
the ability to predict friction factor based on relative roughness using D84 . Flume
velocity profiles identified characteristic velocity profiles at different locations within
the step-pool sequence and the presence 'S-shaped' profiles downstream of the step.


This research investigates the level of infrastructure readiness in three countries to support investors in apparel and textile, electronic parts and agro-processing industries. Infrastructures and utilities in this study are transportation to market and ports, electricity and power, water supply, and telecommunication. Ten economic zones are Myawaddy, Yangon and Dawei in Myanmar, Poipet-Sisophon, Koh Kong-Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and Vientiane, Savannakhet, Pakse and Bokeaw in Lao PDR. This research evaluated the quality of existing and being developed infrastructures through field survey and interview of local investors. After that, investor demands are compiled through in-depth interviews and questionnaires from 51 companies in three segments to rank the importance of infrastructure. Both demand and supply data were compared to show the level of infrastructure readiness for Thai investors. Finally, investment recommendation maps for industries are displayed along with recommendations for Thai government to develop infrastructures according to investor demand.


�Small trabeculae of rabbit left atrium immersed in TKBa solution (Tyrode with 10 mM K+ and 1 mM Ba2+) were used to study frequency dependence of "membrane" slow response excitability at long cycle lengths (>1 s) . In TKBa, stimuli generate graded, low-amplitude (2-15 mV) subliminal responses of variable long duration (up to 450 ms) . A full all-or-none slow response is generated when a subliminal response depolarizes the membrane to about -35 mV. Subliminal response amplitude and rate of rise augment with stimulus intensity-duration product . For a fixed stimulus, the subliminal response is larger and faster at higher frequencies . Sudden changes in stimulus frequency or time course induce changes in subliminal response that take four to eight cycles to attain steady state . For a fixed stimulus, slow response latency shortens progressively during the first few cycles after a sudden increase in frequency or when a rested preparation is excited (latency adaptation phenomenon, LAP) . Slow response threshold stimulus requirements decrease during LAP (excitability hysteresis) . The degree of excitability hysteresis is dependent on stimulation frequency and is more pronounced at higher frequencies . Frequency sensitivity of subliminal response (which causes frequency sensitivity of slow response excitability) is explained in terms ofa transient state of enhancement set up by each stimulus . The enhanced state decays between stimuli with a half-time of-4 s, thus allowing cumulative effects to become evident at rates above 0.1 Hz .


In clinical trials, Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) questionnaire data are added up to total scores before analysis, assuming equal contribution of each separate question. Item Response Theory (IRT)‐based analysis avoids this by using individual question responses to determine the latent variable (ψ), which represents a measure of depression severity. However, utilization of IRT in early phase trials remains difficult, because large datasets are needed to develop IRT models. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the application and assumptions of a reference IRT model for analysis of an early phase trial. A cross‐over, placebo‐controlled study investigating the effect of intravenous racemic ketamine on MADRS scores in patients with treatment‐resistant major depressive disorder was used as a case study. One hundred forty‐seven MADRS responses were measured in 17 patients at five timepoints (predose to 2 weeks after dosing). Two reference IRT models based on different patient populations were selected from literature and used to determine ψ, while testing multiple approaches regarding assumed data distribution. Use of ψ versus total score to determine treatment effect was compared through linear mixed model analysis. Results showed that determined ψ values did not differ significantly between assumed distributions, but were significantly different when changing reference IRT model. Estimated treatment effect size was not significantly affected by chosen approach nor reference population. Finally, increased precision to determine treatment effect was achieved by using IRT versus total scores. This demonstrates the usefulness of reference IRT model application for analysis of questionnaire data in early phase clinical trials.


Summary. This study concerned the identification of the β‐thalassaemia mutations that were present in 27 Malay patients with Hb E‐β‐thalassaemia and seven Malay patients with thalassaemia major who were from West Malaysia. Nearly 50% of all β‐thalassaemia chromosomes carried the G → C substitution at nucleotide 5 of IVS‐I; the commonly occurring Chinese anomalies such as the frameshift at codons 41 and 42, the nonsense mutation A → T at codon 17, the A → G substitution at position −28 of the promoter region, and the C → T substitution at position 654 of the second intron, were rare or absent. Two new thalassaemia mutations were discovered. The first involves a frameshift at codon 35 (‐C) that was found in two patients with Hb E‐β°‐thalassaemia and causes a β°‐thalassaemia because a stop codon is present at codon 60. The second is an AAC → AGC mutation in codon 19 that was present on six chromosomes. This substitution results in the production of an abnormal β chain (β‐Malay) that has an Asn → Ser substitution at position β19. Hb Malay is a'Hb Knossos‐like'β+‐thalassaemia abnormality; the A → G mutation at codon 19 likely creates an alternate splicing site between codons 17 and 18, reducing the efficiency of the normal donor splice site at IVS‐I to about 60%.


Trestatin complex which exhibited a potent inhibitory activity on various alpha-amylases has been isolated from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces dimorphogenes nov. sp. NR-320-OM7HB. Three major components, trestatins A, B and C, have been purified by adsorption and ion-exchange chromatography. Their spectral and chemical properties suggested that trestatins were novel basic oligosaccharide homologues each characterized by the possession of a trehalose moiety at the non-reducing end of the molecule.


ObjectiveIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre launched the first virtual emergency department (VED) in Toronto, Ontario. The objective of this pilot project was to leverage linked administrative data to describe the healthcare utilization of VED patients compared to matched patients who attended an ED in person.
ApproachEvaluation of the VED program was supported by the ICES Applied Health Research Question Program, which is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health to answer questions directly related to Ontario healthcare policy, planning, or practice. VED visit records from December 2020 to May 2021 were linked with Ontario administrative data. VED patients with low acuity complaints were matched 1:1 with in-person ED comparators according to visit date, presenting complaint, and a propensity score that incorporated age, sex, comorbidities, and other important potential confounders. The primary outcomes were healthcare utilization within 7 days and all-cause mortality within 30 days.
ResultsOf the 609 eligible patients discharged from the VED, 600 (98.5%) were successfully matched to a comparator. Mean (SD) age was 43.0 (21.1) and 64.1% were female. In-person ED revisits and hospitalizations were similar for VED and comparator patients at 72 hours (ED: 12.1% vs. 11.3%; Δ 0.8%, 95%: -2.8, 4.5%; hospitalization:  1.2% vs. 1.5%; Δ 0.3%, 95%: -0.7, 1.4%,) and 7 days (ED: 16.1% vs. 14.4%; Δ 1.7, 95%: -2.4, 5.7%; hospitalization: 1.7% vs. 1.8%; Δ 0.2%, 95%: -0.1, 1.4%) following the index visit. The number of patients visiting a primary care provider within 7 days was also similar between groups (36.7% vs. 32.4%; Δ 4.3, 95%: -1.1, 9.8%). No patients died within 30 days.
Conclusion/ImplicationsVED patients and their matched comparators had similar healthcare utilization in the 7 days following their index ED visit. Methodology from this study will inform a province-wide evaluation of VED programs across Ontario.


ABSTRACT The future of agricultural work in the United States (U.S.) must account for at least two important trends: 1) the persistence of the industry being riddled with high rates of injury and illness and 2) the growing proportion of hired farmworkers compared to family farmworkers working in these dangerous environments. These workers confront structural disadvantages that impede social justice and prosperity. Social structures like policies, economic systems, institutions, and social hierarchies create health disparities, often along the lines of social categories. The result is an already dangerous industry with vulnerable workers facing unjust risks, especially those that are undocumented. Agricultural health and safety professionals and other stakeholders should engage structural competency curricula in order to increase awareness of impact of structures and be better positioned to improve farmworker health and wellbeing. Similar work has been successful in the training healthcare professionals, e.g. the Structural Competency Working Group (SCWG). New strategies are needed to improve farmworker wellbeing and retain an adequate agricultural workforce. A greater understanding of the social and structural concerns that farmworkers face is an important step towards occupational and social justice. It is also clear that it will require collaboration and community-based efforts creating a larger team of people using similar concepts related to the structural influences on whether health and wellbeing are distributed equitably. This work is being moved forward in healthcare, social work, worker organizations, and community-based initiatives. Agricultural health and safety professionals have a vital contribution to make if they join the ranks.


. Estimation procedures for nonstationary Markov chains appear to be relatively sparse. This work introduces empirical Bayes estimators for the transition probability matrix of a (cid:12)nite nonstationary Markov chain. The data are assumed to be of a panel study type in which each data set consists of a sequence of observations on N > 2 independent and identically distributed chains recorded collectively.


In this work, we demonstrate a simple gas-phase process to synthesize ZnO with exposed reactive {0001} facets without the use of any capping agent. The method is based on controlling the ZnO growth direction, causing it to switch from the typical [0001] to [100], resulting in [100] grown nanowhiskers with exposed reactive {0001} facets. Moreover, these nanowhiskers self-assemble on ZnO hollow spheres to form a three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructure, which stabilizes these nanowhiskers against agglomeration. Such a designed ZnO nanostructure endows the ZnO sensing material with both small crystal sizes and exposed reactive {0001} facets, which leads to greatly enhanced gas sensitivities compared to typical [0001] grown ZnO nanowires. Such reactive-facet-enhanced gas sensitivity is also shown by our calculation of the chemisorption energy of oxygen, based on density functional theory.


Various alcoholic beverages containing different concentrations of ethanol are widely consumed, and excessive alcohol consumption may result in serious health problems. The consumption of alcoholic beverages is often accompanied by non-alcoholic beverages, such as herbal infusions, tea and carbonated beverages to relieve drunk symptoms. The aim of this study was to supply new information on the effects of these beverages on alcohol metabolism for nutritionists and the general public, in order to reduce problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption. The effects of 57 kinds of herbal infusions, tea and carbonated beverages on alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity were evaluated. Generally, the effects of these beverages on alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase activity are very different. The results suggested that some beverages should not be drank after excessive alcohol consumption, and several beverages may be potential dietary supplements for the prevention and treatment of problems related to excessive alcohol consumption.


Adaptive algorithms for load-sharing usually comprise two basic functions: state information dissemination and decision making (control). This paper describes a flexible load-sharing algorithm, FLS, which includes a third function introduced for scalability purposes, that of partitioning into domains. The system partitioning function at a node is responsible for the selection of other nodes to be included in its domain. The state of other nodes in its domain is held locally, in a cache. Cached data is treated as hints for decision making. The FLS algorithm permits local decisions to be made, aims at minimising the number of incorrect decisions and does not allow erroneous decisions to proceed. The algorithm is analysed and shown to be stable and scalable. Its suitability to a CONIC/REX environment is demonstrated with a prototype implementation, providing an automatic software allocation service as part of configuration management. >


Problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of pull-out programs in band and orchestra on the academic achievement of sixth-grade students in South Bend, Indiana. Method. Two groups of 299 students each, an experimental pull-out group and a control non-pull-out group, were matched by third-grade total battery NCE scores, and were analyzed by pull-out and non-pull-out status, by race, and by gender. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. When there was a significant interaction effect, a test of simple effects was performed. Pairwise Comparison was tested using the Student-Neuman-Keuls Multiple Comparison procedure. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Concurrent with the empirical study, a survey was conducted among fourth, fifth, and sixth-grade basic skills teachers. The purpose of the survey was to determine the attitudes of teachers toward the instrumental pull-out program. For the survey data, item means, standard deviation, as well as percentage of response were reported. Results. Two groups of 299 students each, an experimental pull-out group and a control non-pull-out group, were matched by third-grade total battery NCE scores. The results of this study were as follows: (1) Pull-out students had a more noticeable gain in total battery than did the non-pull-out students. (2) There was significant interaction between pull-out/non-pull-out and race for mathematics. (3) Male students had a more noticeable gain in reading than did the female students. (4) There were significant race differences for reading. The survey revealed that teachers appreciated the band and orchestra program and saw no other way to implement the instruction except with the pull-out program. Teacher stress was also found to be a factor in theperception of the program. Conclusion. As the results of the analysis showed, the students who are pulled out of class did not experience a significant loss in achievement and, in many cases, gained in achievement when compared to the non-pull-out students. Thus, the findings of these analyses do not support the informal contentions of the basic skills staff that the time spent out of the classroom negatively affects student achievement. In fact, the teacher survey revealed that the teachers did not feel that the student achievement was harmed by the pull-outs, and though stressed and annoyed by the pull-outs, still accepted the programs for the students.


Tourism is one of the sectors that has been most affected by the country's political instability after the revolution in 2011. In particular, the two terrorist attacks in 2015, namely the one at Bardo's museum in March 2015 and the one of Sousse in June of the same year, resulted in dramatically decreased tourism activity and all the related business such as transport, communications, crafts, trade, and construction. Along with this crisis, there is a solidarity movement that is being felt more and more in Tunisia, especially among young people and women. These subpopulations are mobilizing to reinvent the economy and overcome precariousness. The so-called "social and solidarity economy" (SSE) appears as a substitute for the public sector, as a solution to create employment and solve social and economic problems. In the same fashion, tourism was the first sector in creating new projects with social impact. These new projects aim to create employment and also promote local tourism in the country in order to depend less on international tourism. Within this context and under the discourse of empowerment, the figure of the rural woman is more visible. However, Tunisia is a society where regionalism, among other factors, creates social categories and social inequalities. Similarly, while the Tunisian women are the figures of independent women in the Arab world, the ones who are "shining" on TV and in international political speeches are often the elite women. They are figures of emancipation because they look like Western women. The rural women, the ones who wear "hijab," work during olive harvest season, and do housework are only visible when it comes to promoting the social and solidarity economy. This leads us to question the rural women's empowerment discourse using a feminist approach. Women's empowerment through tourism has been studied as a way to challenge the traditional gender role of women as being only housewives, while men provide the financial support (Moswete & Lacey, 2015). However, some tourism studies highlight the disempowerment effect of tourism (Aghazamania and Hunt, 2017). In this paper we seek to understand if the SSE in the tourism sector is emancipatory for rural women or, on the contrary, if it is a marketing tool exploiting 1 Benali et al.: Questioning the Empowerment Discourse: The Case of Rural Women in Published by Digital Commons @ TRU Library, 2019


Abstract Generation of available potential energy (APE) is computed for the warm sector of an extratropical cyclone containing intense convection. Three hourly mesoscale rawinsonde data from the 10–11 April day of AVESESAME 1979 are used to evaluate generation by five diabatic components. Convective latent heat release is found to be the dominant diabatic term during times of intense convection, whereas stable latent heating provides a relatively small contribution. Sensible heat transfer is important near the surface during the afternoon. Solar and infrared radiative processes are quite significant in regions of low-level stratus and convective activity. Solar absorption during midday is observed to be much greater than at the standard rawinsonde observation times. The use of subjectively specified cloud data and sophisticated radiative transfer models permit more detailed resolution of cloud effects thin possible in earlier studies of this type. Negative generation of APE is dominant during the 24 h per...


textabstractInterpersonal trust is an important currency for the well-functioning of a modern civil society. Urbanization is a fundamental effect of a modernizing economy. How do both processes move together? Panel regressions (2002- 2011) for 34 Eurasian countries and a longitudinal measure for interpersonal trust, the average level of interpersonal trust as found in the European Social Survey, are used to investigate this matter. We find that trust levels are largely dependent upon a country's phase of modernization, as expressed through its level of urbanization. Modern countries, with relatively large urban populations, show higher levels of trust. However, modernizing countries, with higher growth levels of the urban population, show lower levels of trust. Contrary to popular views on the universal importance of trust for the well-functioning of civil society, we suggest that it should be placed within the appropriate parameters of a country's phase of modernity to appreciate its relevance.


Economic analyses of farm policies generally focus on the long run, steady state impacts while the transition dynamics are often overlooked. In this paper we develop a determinist dynamic computable general equilibrium analysis all owing agents to form imperfect versus pefect expectations. Using an illustrative CAP refo m scenario, we simulate an abrupt versus a gradual implementation of this reform. Our result s show that if economic agents are able to perfectly anticipate the impacts of the reform, the n delaying its implementation is never optimal. On the other hand, if agents gradually lea rn from market developments, then we find some cases where a gradual implementation of this r eform is welfare improving. Such gradual implementation allows minimizing adjustment costs.


Context. Classical hot cores are rich in molecular emission, and they show a high abundance of complex organic molecules (COMs). The emergence of molecular complexity that is represented by COMs, in particular, is poorly constrained in the early evolution of hot cores. Aims. We put observational constraints on the physical location of COMs in a resolved high-mass protostellar envelope associated with the G328.2551 − 0.5321 clump. The protostar is single down to ∼ 400au scales and we resolved the envelope structure down to this scale. Methods. High angular resolution observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array allowed us to resolve the structure of the inner envelope and pin down the emission region of COMs. We use local thermodynamic equilibrium modelling of the available 7.5GHz bandwidth around ∼ 345 GHz to identify the COMs towards two accretion shocks and a selected position representing the bulk emission of the inner envelope. We quantitatively discuss the derived molecular column densities and abundances towards these positions, and use our line identification to qualitatively compare this to the emission of COMs seen towards the central position, corresponding to the protostar and its accretion disk. Results. We detect emission from 10 COMs, and identify a line of deuterated water (HDO). In addition to methanol (CH 3 OH), methyl formate (CH 3 OCHO) and formamide (HC(O)NH 2 ) have the most extended emission. Together with HDO, these molecules are found to be associated with both the accretion shocks and the inner envelope, which has a moderate temperature of T kin ∼ 110K. We find a significant difference in the distribution of COMs. O-bearing COMs, such as ethanol, acetone, and ethylene glycol are almost exclusively found and show a higher abundance towards the accretion shocks with T kin ∼ 180K. Whereas N-bearing COMs with a CN group, such as vinyl and ethyl cyanide peak on the central position, thus the protostar and the accretion disk. The molecular composition is similar towards the two shock positions, while it is significantly different towards the inner envelope, suggesting an increase in abundance of O-bearing COMs towards the accretion shocks. Conclusions. We present the first observational evidence for a large column density of COMs seen towards accretion shocks at the centrifugal barrier at the inner envelope. The overall molecular emission shows increased molecular abundances of COMs towards the accretion shocks compared to the inner envelope. The bulk of the gas from the inner envelope is still at a moderate temperature of T kin ∼ 110K, and we find that the radiatively heated inner region is very compact ( < 1000au). Since the molecular composition is dominated by that of the accretion shocks and the radiatively heated hot inner region is very compact, we propose this source to be a precursor to a classical, radiatively heated hot core. By imaging the physical location of HDO, we find that it is consistent with an origin within the moderately heated inner envelope, suggesting that it originates from sublimation of ice from the grain surface and its destruction in the vicinity of the heating source has not been efficient yet.


l-Proline concentration is primarily related to the balance of enzymatic activities of proline dehydrogenase [proline oxidase (POX)] and Delta-1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase. As a result, P5C plays a pivotal role in maintaining the concentration of proline in body fluids and inborn errors of P5C metabolism lead to disturbance of proline metabolism. Several inborn errors of proline metabolism have been described. Hyperprolinemia type I (HPI) is a result of a deficiency in POX. The POX gene (PRODH) is located on chromosome 22 (22q11.2) and this region is deleted in velo-cardio-facial syndrome, a congenital malformation syndrome. In addition, this gene locus is related to susceptibility to schizophrenia. The other type of hyperprolinemia is HPII. It is caused by a deficiency in P5C dehydrogenase activity. Hypoprolinemia, on the other hand, is found in the recently described deficiency of P5C synthetase. This enzyme defect leads to hyperammonemia associated with hypoornithinemia, hypocitrullinemia, and hypoargininemia other than hypoprolinemia. Hyperhydroxyprolinemia is an autosomal recessive inheritance disorder caused by the deficiency of hydroxyproline oxidase. There are no symptoms and it is believed to be a benign metabolic disorder. The deficiency of ornithine aminotransferase causes transient hyperammonemia during early infancy due to deficiency of ornithine in the urea cycle. In later life, gyrate atrophy of the retina occurs due to hyperornithinemia, a paradoxical phenomenon. Finally, prolidase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive hereditary disease. Prolidase catalyzes hydrolysis of dipeptide or oligopeptide with a C-terminal proline or hydroxyproline and its deficiency can cause mental retardation and severe skin ulcers.


This paper presents a computationally and statistically efficient parametric solution to the problem of estimating the orientation in space of a planar textured surface from a single, noisy, observed image of it. The coordinate transformation from surface to image coordinates, due to the perspective projection, transforms each homogeneous sinusoidal component of the surface texture into a sinusoid whose frequency is a function of location. The functional dependence of the sinusoid phase in location is uniquely determined by the tilt and slant angles of the surface. From the physical model of the perspective projection, we derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound on the error variance of estimating the tilt and slant of the observed surface in the presence of observation noise. It is shown in this paper that the phase of each of the sinusoids can be expressed as a linear function of some variables that are related to the surface tilt and slant angles. Using the phase differencing algorithm, we fit a polynomial phase model to a sinusoidal component of the observed texture. Substituting in the derived linear relation, the unknown phase with the one estimated using the phase differencing algorithm, we obtain a closed-form, analytic, and computationally efficient solution to the problem of estimating the tilt and slant angles. The algorithm performance is shown to be close to the Cramer-Rao bound, even for low signal-to-noise ratios, at computational complexity which is considerably lower than that of any existing algorithm.


This article will explain asynchronous learn- ing system using attractive discussion forums and video teaching materials features for user so that the devel- opment of both features will increase e-learning system usage by students and lecturers which can eventually im- prove the students' absorption on the provided teaching materials, increase the active participation of students, improve self-learning ability, and to improve the quality of learning materials. The method used in this study by distributing questionnaires in online form to stakeholders users consisting of lecturers and students with the num- ber of respondents is 225 people and author use model ADDIE which focuses on Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation as development design. Results of this study is an application of web-based asynchronous learning which can be used by students and lecturers with the results of the application evaluation is based on a survey to students and lecturers. From this study, can be concluded that to support online learning with asynchronous method using the video learning feature in online lecture needs to be developed in order to support the science transformation process from lecturers to students. Attractive video teaching  materials  model for students has characteristics such as screen shots and presentation models.


Decomposition influences carbon and nutrient cycling from crop residues. The nylon-mesh-bag technique was implied to study the decomposition and N-release dynamics from different crop residues under field conditions. The four types of residues were: maize (lower than 50% below the cob), wheat (lower than 25% of wheat stubbles), a whole mung bean residue, and a mixture of wheat + mung bean residue (1:1 ratio) put on the soil surface and in below the sub-surface. Decomposition and N release from both at-surface- and below-surface-placed residues were accurately described by a single-pool first-order exponential decay function as a function of thermal time (based on the accumulative daily mean temperature). The simple first-order exponential model met the criteria of goodness of fit. Throughout the decomposition cycle (one thermal year), the rate of decomposition as measured by a decrease in residue mass and the release of total N were statistically higher from the sub-surface compared to the surface-placed residue, irrespective of the residue type. At the end of the 150-day decomposition cycle, the release of total N was highest in mung bean (32.0 kg N ha−1), followed by maize (31.5 kg N ha−1) > wheat + mung bean (16.1 kg N ha−1), and the minimum (6.54 kg N ha−1) in wheat residue. Crop residues with a wider C/N ratio such as maize and wheat, when applied on the soil surface in conservation agriculture, caused the decomposition to occur at slower rates, thereby providing long-term beneficial effects on the soil thermal regime, soil moisture conservation, and C sequestration in North-West India.


Research Summary: With the recent growth of the sharing economy, regulators must frequently strike the right balance between private and public interests to maximize value creation. In this article, we argue that political competition is a critical ingredient that explains whether cities accommodate or ban ridesharing platforms and that this relationship is moderated in more populous cities and in cities with higher unemployment rates. We test our arguments using archival data covering ridesharing bans in various U.S. cities during the 2011–2015 period. We supplement these data with semistructured interviews. We find broad support for our arguments while mitigating potential endogeneity concerns. Our study has important implications for nonmarket strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation, and public‐private partnership literatures. In addition, our findings inform policy debates on the sharing economy. Managerial Summary: Entrepreneurs and businesses oftentimes face severe regulatory barriers when commercializing innovative products and services even if the innovations are generally beneficial for consumers and the broader society. This research focuses on the political determinants of regulation to provide a better understanding of why some markets are more receptive to innovative products while other markets are more hostile to them. Using the banning of ridesharing companies (e.g., Uber and Lyft) in various U.S. cities during the 2011–2015 period, we find that elected politicians facing less political competition (i.e., not easily replaceable, serving multiple terms, longer tenure in office) were more likely to ban ridesharing companies and favor, potentially displaceable, local taxicab companies. Our research has implications for navigating the political barriers to entry.


A flexible biomedical visualization framework implemented with Java, OpenGL, and OpenCL performs efficient volume rendering with large, multi-modal datasets. The framework takes advantage of the parallel processing power on modern graphics hardware with novel OpenCL and GLSL shading language implementations. The Java and GPU environment provide portable advanced biomedical image visualization applications. Several applications built on top of the GPU framework are also presented to show the extensibility of the application. These include multi-surface rendering, stereoscopic rendering, image fusion, and diffusion tensor visualization.


The study of the mechanical behaviour of a rock mass can be performed by considering as a discontinuous medium composed by rock blocks isolated by rock discontinuities. The mechanical behaviour of the global system is due to the local movements of blocks subjected to a certain state of stress and ruled by the rock mass mechanical features. Mechanical features of the rock mass are determined by the mechanical and the geometrical features of the rock matrix and rock joints that can be directly measured by experimental tests and in situ surveys. Laboratory and in situ measurements can be affected by scale effects, and in situ surveys can be carried on only on exposed rock faces. Consequently the mechanical behaviour must be calibrated by the comparison with in situ measurements. In a discontinuous medium, the localisation of the measurement devices strongly influences the measurement results and consequently a deep knowledge of the rock mass structure is required. For this reason a deterministic reconstruction of the rock mass that takes the real joint localisation into account represents the best possibility to obtain numerical previsions comparable with the in situ measurements whilst, the more common practice to reconstruct the rock mass on a statistical basis, can determine local behaviour in disagreement with the monitored one. A comparison between a deterministic and probabilistic rock mass tessellation is described in the paper together with the consequent discontinuous models. Geometrical rock mass models is carried on by means of a specific code (RESOBLOK) whilst the mechanical rock mass behaviour is studied by a 3D code (3DEC). The paper reports an application to a rock mass excavated for the extraction of blocks utilised in the ornamental stone industry.


: The influence of urbanisation and a Western way of life is discussed in relation to the establishment of physiological norms and the epidemiology of disease in the homelands. The importance of continued research in these areas as a means of continuous assessment of the basic health state of the community is stressed. Once the basic health state has been established priority for health needs can be determined against the background of total appreciation of community resources. Attention is drawn to the 'implementation gap' which has thus far largely inhibited effective disease control and health promotion in the homelands, in spite of the wealth of research data available on the prevalence of illness in these communities.


Abstract. A fundamental step of UAV photogrammetric processes is to collect Ground Control Points (GCPs) by means of geodetic-quality GNSS receivers or total stations, thus obtaining an absolutely oriented model with a centimetric accuracy. This procedure is usually time-consuming, expensive and potentially dangerous for operators who sometimes need to reach inaccessible areas. UAVs equipped with low-cost GNSS/IMU sensors can provide information about position and attitude of the images. This telemetry information is not enough for a photogrammetric restitution with a centimetric accuracy, but it can be usefully exploited when a lower accuracy is required. The algorithm proposed in this paper aims at improving the quality of this information, in order to introduce it into a direct-photogrammetric process, without collecting GCPs. In particular, the estimation of an optimal trajectory is obtained by combining the camera positions derived from UAV telemetry and from the relative orientation of the acquired images, by means of a least squares adjustment. Then, the resulting trajectory is used as a direct observation of the camera positions into a commercial software, thus replacing the information of GCPs. The algorithm has been tested on different datasets, comparing the classical photogrammetric solution (with GCPs) with the proposed one. These case-studies showed that using the improved trajectory as input to the commercial software (without GCPs) the reconstruction of the three-dimensional model can be improved with respect to the solution computed by using the UAV raw telemetry only.


Much research on the labour market situation of migrants is marked by a narrow ahistorical approach, which deals with single characteristics of migrant workers, and is based on the assumption that they can and do behave as "economic men and women". In contrast, this paper proposes an approach which deals with labour migration to Australia as part of worldwide historical patterns of economic and social change. The migratory process is closely linked to changes in the international division of labour, which lead to concentration of capital, means of production and workers in certain areas. The latest stage, the so-called "new migration", arises through current trends towards industrialisation of Third World countries, which transforms social structures, leading both to increased industrial employment and to emigration, particularly of women. This matches shifts in economic structures in developed countries, which create a polarised demand both for highiy-skilled and low-skilled migrant labour. In the case of Australia, this dualism is partially subsumed in the categories "skilled and business" and "family" migration. It is important to analyse the labour market situation of specific groups in the context of such overall trends. Most studies in this area indicate that certain groups, defined on criteria of ethnicity and gender, have below average levels with regard to most labour market indicators. There is disagreement on the significance and the causes of these differences. This paper suggests that disadvantaged groups are also most affected by further factors which are hard to measure: hidden unemployment, underemployment, early withdrawal from the workforce, occupational health problems, marginal self-employment and informal sector work. The policy implications of this analysis are the need for a well-balanced immigration program, linked to improved post-arrival services and multicultural policies. Programs to combat marginalisation of specific ethnic and gender groups on the labour market must be closely linked to general programs for the relocation and re-training of workers affected by economic restructuring and technological change. This report is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cmsocpapers/6 THE CENTRE FOR M ULTIC U LTU RAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF W O LLO NG O NG Migratory Process. Ethnic Relations and Labour Market Segmentation S. Castles Occasional Paper No.6 MIGRATORY PROCESS, ETHNIC RELATIONS


In multivariate regression, researchers are interested in modeling a correlated multivariate response variable as a function of covariates. The response of interest can be multidimensional; the correlation between the elements of the multivariate response can be very complex. In many applications, the association between the elements of the multivariate response is typically treated as a nuisance parameter. The focus is on estimating efficiently the regression coefficients, in order to study the average change in the mean response as a function of predictors. However, in many cases, the estimation of the covariance and, where applicable, the temporal dynamics of the multidimensional response is the main interest, such as the case in finance, for example. Moreover, the correct specification of the covariance matrix is important for the efficient estimation of the regression coefficients. These complex models usually involve some parameters that are static and some dynamic. Until recently, the simultaneous estimation of dynamic and static parameters in the same model has been difficult. The introduction of particle MCMC algorithms by Andrieu and Doucet (2002) has allowed for the possibility of considering such models. In this thesis, we propose a general framework for jointly estimating the covariance matrix of multivariate data as well as the regression coefficients. This is done under different settings, for different dimensions and measurement scales.


Fused deposition modelling (FDM) has so far been recognized for its reliability and simplicity for manufacturing of geometrically-complex polymeric materials with 3D printing technique. Recently, the studies concerning the properties of materials fabricated by using the FDM have been growing, including those related to their wear resistance which is considered of critical when a 3D-printed material must work sliding over the surface of another material during its application. Up to now, however, the influence of several FDM-printing parameters, including the raster orientations, on the wear resistance of the printed polymeric materials have not yet been fully understood. In this research, the influence of raster orientations on the wear resistance of FDM-processed polylactic-acid (PLA) materials in bovine blood serum were determined. A reciprocating pin-on-plate tribometer was used to evaluate wear resistance of a cylindrical PLA pin that slid over the surface of a commercially-pure titanium (Ti) plate. The results showed that the FDM-printed PLA pins with unidirectional raster orientations had higher wear factors (WF), i.e., ~1.5 ´ 10-4 mm N-1 m-1 than those with crossed raster orientations, i.e., ~0.8 ´ 10-4 mm N-1 m-1. Meanwhile, the WF values of Ti surface that slid against PLA pin with crossed raster orientations, i.e., ~0.09 ´ 10-4 mm N-1 m-1, were also significantly lower than those sliding with the pin having unidirectional raster orientation, i.e., 0.34 – 0.41 ´ 10-4 mm N-1 m-1. The result of analysis of the worn surface morphologies shows the indications of surface abrasion, fatigue and polymer film transfer as the possible wear mechanisms of both the FDM-processed PLA pin and its Ti countersurface material. On the basis of all the findings in this research, it can be concluded that the crossed raster orientation is preferable to be used as one of the parameters in printing of the wear resistant PLA rather than the unidirectional raster orientation.


The right of human being to education was first realized and recognized during the Universal declaration of human rights in 1948. Many international movements towards the increase and place the entire world's children in schools were made and many meetings of this issue were organized and held in many countries around the world. The last one was the millennium development goals declaration in 2000. The entire world agreed that all the school going-age children around the world should finish free primary education by 2015 around the world. As part of this agreement, Kenya government launched FPE in 2003. The announcement of FPE in Kenya resulted high enrollment rate in schools. Many challenges have been encountered like shortage of schools, classrooms, teachers, learning materials and many other things. As a part of Kenya, many other challenges have been noticed in North Eastern Province like cultural factors, environmental factors and many other factors. The study undertook to investigate the factors affecting the implementation of UPE in Garissa District. The objectives of the study were to provide an overview of the current status of UPE in Garissa District, to examine the factors hindering the implementation of UPE in Garissa District and to explore the role of and the relationship between culture and religion within the context of the implementation of UPE in Garissa District. In the literature review, the history of UPE at the global, continental, country and region level was covered. The global challenges facing UPE and factors affecting its implementation in North Eastern Province was widely discussed. The study used human capital theory and capital theory of school effectiveness and improvement to undertake this research. The study used survey research to collect quantitative and qualitative data from the respondents. The total targeted population of the study was 90 consisting of head teachers, teachers, pupils, out of school children, parents, district education officers, district officer and education sponsors. The study employed stratified random sampling and purposive sampling to select schools and respondents. Self administrative questionnaires were used as an instrument for collecting data from head teachers, teachers, pupils, out of school children and parents. An interview guideline was used to the key informant of the study. Data analyzes was done using descriptive statistics. Data was analyzed and presented as frequencies and percentages and also as bar graphs, charts and pie charts. The study found the following things to be factors affecting the implementation of UPE in Garissa District. Lack of finance in families, lack of support from families due to the high illiterate rate, early marriage of girls in exchange of money, drug abuse among the majority of the communities in Garissa like chewing the miraa, inadequate facilities of schools, nomadic life style of the community, harsh climate conditions like constant drought and hot weather, poor infrastructure and lack of electricity, cultural values like female genital mutilation and boys preference in education than girls, high level of illiteracy among the parents of the district, farness of schools from the location of communities, lack of boarding primary schools in rural areas and many other things. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/9637 [8]


The influenza virus is a significant cause of respiratory disease in horses. While the virus is usually self-limiting, many horses develop secondary bacterial infections which can result in severe pneumonias and increased recovery times. Horse owners/managers have the option of delaying treatment to see whether the infections occur or aggressively treating at the outset to ward off any infections. The economic considerations of the "treat now" versus "wait and see" alternatives include not only explicit treatment costs but also the extent to which the owner/manager prefers to avoid seeing the horse feeling poorly. The study uses a dichotomous choice experiment to estimate owner/manager willingness-to-pay to avoid illness in the horse. We measure the number of days the horse is ill and the expenses associated with that. These costs may include medication, veterinary visits, stabling at the vet clinic, and any other costs associated with treating a sick horse. We anticipate that in expectation, the cost of "treat now" will be less than the cost of "wait and see." In addition, we anticipate that horse owners/managers will be willing to pay for treatment strategies which reduce lost training time and, simply, to avoid having their horse feel poorly.


The purpose of this study was to explore how 31 first- and second-year university students perceive plagiarism. The findings demonstrate deficits in how these students understand plagiarism, as well as highlight perceived differences between themselves and their professors. Concepts explored include conflicts in power, ownership of ideas, and student agency.


Introduction: Baseline values and early changes of emotional reactivity, cognitive speed, psychomotor function, motivation, and sensory perception have not been studied to any extent in unipolar depression, although they could help to characterize different dimensions of illness that are harder to capture by clinicians, give new insights on how patients improve, and offer new early clinical markers for later treatment response. Methods: About 1,565 adult outpatients with major depressive disorder receiving agomelatine completed the clinician-rated 16-item quick inventory of depressive symptoms, Clinical Global Impression, and Multidimensional Assessment of Thymic States (MAThyS) rating scales at inclusion, Week 2 and Week 6. The MAThyS includes a 20-item self-rated visual analog scale (from inhibition [0] to activation [10], with [5] representing the usual state) leading to five a priori dimensions (emotional reactivity, cognitive speed, psychomotor function, motivation, and sensory perception). Results: All MAThyS dimension scores increased from inclusion to Week 2 and from inclusion to Week 6 ( P , 0.001). Improvement was around 2 points (out of 10) for motivation, 1.5 points for psychomotor function, and 0.5 points for other dimensions. Motivation showed a trend to being more severely impaired at inclusion in future nonresponders ( t = 1.25, df = 1,563, P = 0.10). Its improvement at Week 2 was the most discriminating MAThyS dimension between future responders and nonresponders, and represents the best predictor of future response, with the highest area under the receptor operating characteristic curve (area under curve = 0.616, 95% confidence interval [0.588–0.643], P , 0.001). Finally, improvements in motivation correlated the most strongly with clinician-rated 16-item quick inventory of depressive symptoms improvement ( r =- 0.491, df = 1,563, P , 0.001). Conclusion: Motivation had the most capacity for early improvement, the best predictive value for response, and the largest global margin of progress in depressed outpatients. Assessing the evolution of self-reported motivation over time in major depressive disorder could offer an interesting complementary approach to predict response.


This paper investigates a unique policy designed to maintain employment during the privatization of East German firms after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The policy required new owners of the firms to commit to employment targets, with penalties for non-compliance. Using a dynamic model, we highlight three channels through which employment targets impact firms: distorted employment decisions, increased productivity, and higher exit rates. Our empirical analysis, using a novel dataset and instrumental variable approach, confirms these findings. We estimate a 22% points higher annual employment growth rate, a 14% points higher annual productivity growth, and a 3.6% points higher probability of exit for firms with binding employment targets. Our calibrated model further demonstrates that without these targets, aggregate employment would have been 15% lower after 10 years. Additionally, an alternative policy of productivity investment subsidies proved costly and less effective in the short term.


Software reliability has not kept pace with computing hardware. Despite the use reliability improvement techniques and methods, faults remain that lead to software errors and failures. Runtime monitoring can improve software reliability by detecting certain errors before failures occur. Monitoring is also useful for online and electronic services, where resource management directly impacts reliability and quality. For example, resource ownership errors can accumulate over time (e.g., as resource leaks) and result in software aging. Early detection of errors allows more time for corrective action before failures or service outages occur. In addition, the ability to monitor individual software concerns, such as application resource ownership structure, can help support autonomic computing for self-healing, self-adapting and self-optimizing software.
This thesis introduces ResOwn - an application resource ownership ontology for interactive session-oriented services. ResOwn provides software monitoring with enriched concepts of application resource ownership borrowed from real-world legal and ownership ontologies. ResOwn is formally defined in OWL-DL (Web Ontology Language Description Logic), verified using an off-the-shelf reasoner, and tested using the call processing software for a small private branch exchange (PBX). The ResOwn Prime Directive states that every object in an operational software system is a resource, an owner, or both simultaneously. Resources produce benefits. Beneficiary owners may receive resource benefits. Nonbeneficiary owners may only manage resources. This approach distinguishes resource ownership use from management and supports the ability to detect when a resource's role-based runtime capacity has been exceeded.
This thesis also presents a greybox approach to concern-specific, dynamic software structure monitoring including a monitor architecture, greybox interpreter, and algorithms for deriving monitoring model from a monitored target's formal specifications. The target's requirements and design are assumed to be specified in SDL, a formalism based on communicating extended finite state machines. Greybox abstraction, applicable to both behavior and structure, provides direction on what parts, and how much of the target to instrument and what types of resource errors to detect.
The approach was manually evaluated using a number of resource allocation and ownership scenarios. These scenarios were obtained by collecting actual call traces from an instrumented PBX. The results of an analytical evaluation of ResOwn and the monitoring approach are presented in a discussion of key advantages and known limitations. Conclusions and recommended future work are discussed at the end of the thesis.


Applying permanent magnet technology to beam focusing in klystrons can reduce their power consumption and increase their reliability of operation. Electromagnetic design of the beam focusing elements, for high frequency travelling wave tubes, is very critical. The magnitude and profile of the magnetic field need to match the optics requirement from beam dynamics studies. The rise of the field from cathode gun region to the uniform field region (RF section) is important as the desired transition from zero to peak axial field must occur over a short axial distance. Confined flow regime is an optimum choice to minimize beam scalloping but demands an axial magnetic field greater than 2-3 times the Brillouin flow field. This necessitates optimization in the magnet design achieve high magnetic field within given spatial constraints. Electromagnetic design and simulations were done using 3D Finite element method (FEM) analysis software. A Permanent magnet based focusing lens for a miniature J-Band klystron has been designed and developed at Control Instrumentation Division, BARC. This paper presents the design, simulation studies, beam transmission and RF tests results for J Band klystron with Permanent magnet focusing lens.


We performed first-principles calculations to examine the interaction among rare-earth (RE), alkaline-earth (AE) elements and oxygen vacancy (VO) in BaTiO3, in order to clarify the combined effects of VO trapping by two different elements. It was found that there is a synergistic effect of VO trapping by RE at Ba site and AE at Ti site, so that the co-doping is effective to improve insulating reliability of BaTiO3. We also verified that the local atomic structures around dopants obtained by calculations well agree with that obtained experimentally by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analyses. The present work is the first one to clarify the structural environment around dopants including VO by both theoretical and experimental approaches.


This paper aims to understand the relationship between ignorance and vulnerability by drawing on recent work on the epistemology of ignorance. After elaborating how we might understand the importance of human vulnerability, I develop the claim that ignorance of vulnerability is produced through the pursuit of an ideal of invulnerability that involves both ethical and epistemological closure. The ignorance of vulnerability that is a prerequisite for such invulnerability is, I contend, a pervasive form of ignorance that underlies and grounds other oppressive forms of ignorance. Thus, undoing such forms of ignorance requires working toward a particular form of vulnerability: epistemic vulnerability.


In this paper, we investigate the control of 2D flexible structures by vibration confinement and the regulation of their energy flow along prespecified spatial paths. A discretized-model-based feedback strategy, aiming at confining and suppressing simultaneously the vibration, is proposed. It is assumed that the structure consists of parts that are sensitive to vibrations. The control design introduces a new pseudo-modal matrix derived from the computed eigenvectors of the discretized model. Simulations are presented to show the efficacy of the proposed control law. A parametric study is carried out to examine the effects of the different control parameters on the simultaneous confinement and suppression of vibrations. In addition, we conducted a set of simulations to investigate the flow control of vibrational energy during the confinement-suppression process. We found that the energy flow can be regulated via a set of control parameters for different confinement configurations.


Mining is the extraction of profitable minerals or other land materials from the earth, generally from a mineral body, vein or (coal) crease. Mining includes distinctive techniques like prospecting for metal bodies, dissecting the possibility of extraction, gainfulness of the operation, extraction of the sought materials. One of such systems is the Bord and Pillar system for mining which is one of the most established strategies for mining. The accomplishment of Bord and Pillar mining is selecting the ideal pillar size. In the event that the pillars are too expensive, then the extraction proportion abatements prompting less productivity and if the pillars are too little it jeopardizes the general mine wellbeing. Indian mines have around 60 % of the coal hindered as pillars. Geotechnical variables of an adjacent underground coal mine has been dead set in the research center. Distinctive methodologies of pillar configuration have been thought about. Variety of security element with width to stature proportion of pillar, extraction rate and profundity of spread has been dead set and conclusion has been made. The wellbeing and attainability of mining system is acquired through an ideal connection between security variable and extraction rate. This thesis contains the study of RK6 mine and GDK8 incline, the data collected from these mines and the results are found out to be 3.49MPa, 6.3MPa in RK6 and GDK8 respectively shows the maximum stress from Tributary area approach. Similarly 7.62MPa and 7.29MPa respectively for mine RK6 and GDK8 incline shows the maximum stress from Wilson's approach. Wilson's approach on stress over pillar shows maximum stress of. Strength of the pillars through six approaches indicated minimum strength of 11.17 MPa and 11.25 MPa in RK6 and GDK8 respectively. Safety factors are 2.11 and 2.3 for RK-6, and GDK 8 with variation of about 10% compared to the Tributary Area Approach. On the whole, pillars are stable with more than 1.5 safety factor for both of the mines conforming to the field observations


Background. Exercise-induced abnormalities during thallium-201 scintigraphy that normalize at rest frequently occur in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, it is not known whether these abnormalities are indicative of myocardial ischemia. Methods and Results. Fifty patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy underwent exercise 20UT1 scintigraphy and, during the same week, measurement of myocardial lactate metabolism and hemodynamics during pacing stress. Thirty-seven patients (74%) had one or more 201TI abnormalities that completely normalized after 3 hours of rest; 26 had regional myocardial 201T1 defects, and 26 had apparent left ventricular cavity dilatation with exercise, with 15 having coexistence of these abnormal findings. Of the 37 patients with reversible 201T1 abnormalities, 27 (73%) had metabolic evidence of myocardial ischemia during rapid atrial pacing (myocardial lactate extraction of 0 mmol/l or less) compared with four of 13 patients (31%) with normal 201T1 scans (p<0.01). Eleven patients had apparent cavity dilatation as their only 201T1 abnormality; their mean postpacing left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was significantly higher than that of the 13 patients with normal 2OtTl studies (33±5 versus 21±10 mm Hg, p<O.OOl). There was no correlation between the angiographic presence of systolic septal or epicardial coronary arterial compression and the presence or distribution of 201TI abnormalities. Patients with ischemic ST segment responses to exercise had an 80% prevalence rate of reversible 20MT1 abnormalities and a 70% prevalence rate of pacing-induced ischemia. However, 69% of patients with nonischemic ST segment responses had reversible 20MT1 abnormalities, and 55% had pacing-induced ischemia. Conclusions. Reversible 2OtTl abnormalities during exercise stress are markers of myocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and most likely identify relatively underperfused myocardium. In contrast, ST segment changes with exercise and systolic compression of coronary arteries on angiography are unreliable markers of inducible myocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Apparent cavity dilatation during 20tTI scintigraphy may indicate ischemia-related changes in left ventricular filling, with elevation in diastolic pressures and endocardial compression. (Circulation 1991;83:1660-1667)


This study investigated the roles of four psychosocial variables – anxiety, conscientiousness, emotional intelligence, and Protestant work ethic – on subjective ratings of cognitive workload as measured by the Task Load Index (TLX) and the further connections between the four variables and TLX ratings of task performance. The four variables represented aspects of an underlying construct of elasticity versus rigidity in response to workload. Participants were 141 undergraduates who performed a vigilance task under different speeded conditions while working on a jigsaw puzzle for 90 minutes. Regression analysis showed that anxiety and emotional intelligence were the two variables most proximally related to TLX ratings. TLX ratings contributed to the prediction of performance on the puzzle, but not the vigilance task. Severity error bias was evident in some of the ratings. Although working in pairs improved performance, it also resulted in higher ratings of temporal demand and perceived performance pressure.


As 1.3 billion people lack access to electricity globally, the challenge of ensuring universal electricity access in accordance with the Sustainable Energy for All initiative remains herculean. This chapter maps policy linkages, identifies the gaps in policies and recommends options for developing the enabling environment. The chapter suggests that the policy environment governing electricity access at present is weak and that improvements are required to deliver a sustainable outcome. Although grid extension remains the preferred mode of electrification in many countries, it is not the least-cost option in remote areas where decentralized off-grid solutions may be required. Successful promotion of off-grid solutions would require a clear regulatory environment, a non-discriminatory support mechanism for various stages of a project, financing options, policy co-ordination and linkage with other economic activities for rural development. The chapter concludes that capacity remains weak and non-transparent policy lobbying can distort the development of an enabling environment.


This article presents an alternative empirical test of the relationship between strategy content and service provider performance. Strategy content, conceptualized as comprising strategic stance and strategic action, has been shown to be a means to improve public service performance. We contribute to this growing body of research by deriving an alternative typology of strategy to better reflect competitive conditions in the public sector, which existing strategy typologies cannot fully explain. By assuming that public service providers must follow strategies best suited to their internal and external conditions for improved performance, we evaluate the significance of 'fit' between alternative strategic stances and organizational characteristics. Compromising the delivery of a strategy invariably leads to a misfit between strategy and what the service provider is actually doing. We highlight how to optimize strategic fit, to maximize service provider performance. Conclusions are drawn for public management theory and practice.


A wideband dual feed antenna is designed and manufactured for multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) application. The antenna is optimized to match the ports to 50 ohm, and adjust the isolation between the ports for more than 15 dB in 2-6 GHz frequency band. The disk is fed using the microstrip transmission lines with 90° angular spacing to reduce the cross polarization and hence coupling between the ports. Due to the disk radiator, the antenna can be utilized as a two ports omnidirectional antenna. The antenna is measured for S-parameters and gain that comply well with the simulations. Antenna measured gain varies between 2.3 dBi and 6.3 dBi for 2-6 GHz. The antenna can be employed as a two port compact antenna, for multiband communication in 2-6 GHz and for WLAN applications.


Experiments indicate that the radiating near zone of a compressional circular transducer directly coupled to a homogeneous and isotropic solid has the following structure: there are geometrical zones where one can distinguish a plane compressional wave and toroidal waves, both compressional and shear, radiated by the transducer rim. As has been shown previously the modern diffraction theory allows to describe these explicitly. It also gives explicit asymptotic description of waves present in the transition zones. In case of a normal incidence of a plane compressional wave the explicit expressions have been obtained by Achenbach and co-authors for the fields diffracted by a penny-shaped crack. We build on the above work by applying the uniform GTD to model an oblique incidence of a plane compressional wave on an elliptical crack. We compare our asymptotic results with numerical results based on the boundary integral code as developed by Glushkovs, Krasnodar University, Russia. The asymptotic formulas form a basis of a code for high-frequency simulation of ultrasonic scattering by elliptical cracks situated in the vicinity of a compressional circular transducer, currently under development at our Center.


The periodic health examination is a major part of medical care in the United States, but has been infrequently studied. Adult family medicine center patients were surveyed to learn their expectations about the timing and content of preventive checkups. Over 90 percent desired such examinations, most often on an annual basis. At least 75 percent selected care items that added up to extensive physical examinations and use of laboratory and other procedures. Their choices usually exceeded those recommended by an expert group as most likely to detect or prevent disease. Other data showed that recorded practice by their physicians neither met their expectations nor was consistent with recommended care patterns. These findings suggest the need to align patients' and their physicians' expectations to allow more effective practice of preventive care.


Abstract Sediments at Pias (Galicia) provide evidence of Upper Pleistocene glacial activities at a valley junction in the north-western mountains of Spain. The sedimentary sequence consists of lower, predominately fine-grained lacustrine deposits with few lonestones, overlain by poorly sorted, sandy gravels interstratified with massive diamicton deposited during mid-Weichselian times (MIS 3) (marine isotope stage 3). The lacustrine sediments were deposited in a glacial valley temporarily dammed by a confluent glacier. The presence of active ice is suggested by massive diamicton layers best interpreted as till, rafted sediments in lacustrine deposits and deformation structures indicative of loading and kettle formation. Frozen ground conditions are suggested by a few involution-like structures. The Pias area contains one of the few western-Spain sedimentary records of Upper Pleistocene glaciation at relatively low latitude (about 42°N) and low altitude (less than 1000 m a.s.l.). A southern dip of the Polar front to 40–45°N latitudes, as occurred during Last Glacial Maximum, could have cut moisture to the northern Fennoscandinavian ice sheets. At the same time, however, sufficient precipitations would have persisted in north-western Spain to sustain extensive ice caps and their outlets to elevations as low as c. 900 m a.s.l.


Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ultrasonography to assess subcutaneous adipose tissue, cross-sectional area (CSA), and grayscale for muscle. The purpose of the present study was to examine the sex-related differences in subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as cross-sectional area and grayscale for the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL). Five recreationally trained males (mean ± SD: age= 25.6 ± 1.9 years; height= 182.29 ± 5.88 cm; body mass= 84.67 ± 9.88 kg) and five recreationally trained females (mean ± SD: age= 21 ± .71 years; height= 162.71 ± 12.41 cm; body mass= 77.02 ± 14.91 kg) visited the laboratory on two separate occasions. B-mode and panoramic ultrasound images were captured for the left and right legs of each participant. Independent samples t-tests and mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze sexand leg-related differences. The results demonstrated that females (0.64 ± 0.11 cm; 0.56 ± 0.06 cm) had a significantly greater amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue than males (1.28 ± 0.22 cm; 1.22 ± 0.16 cm). Additionally, males (27.48 ± 4.32 cm2; 28.19 ± 4.65 cm2) had a significantly greater cross-sectional area for the VL than females (22.37 ± 1.66 cm2; 22.85 ± 0.92 cm2). Cross-sectional area for the RF and grayscale for the RF and VL demonstrated no significant sex-related differences. Thus, the results of the present study using ultrasonography demonstrated sex-specific differences in subcutaneous adipose tissue and CSA for the RF and the VL.


Clusters containing both metallic and non-metallic elements have been synthesised by pulsed laser vaporisation of a solid target, followed by entrainment and nucleation of the vaporised material in a pulsed supersonic expansion with an inert carrier gas. The resulting cluster distributions were characterised by laser photoionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Such spectra display intensity anomalies, or so-called 'magic numbers', associated with enhanced geometric and/or electronic stabilities, for particular cluster sizes. These are known as shell effects. An overview of the shell effects used to account for cluster magic numbers is presented. Details of the types of electronic and geometric structures which can be used to rationalise the existence of particularly stable clusters are discussed. The abundance patterns and intensity anomalies found in the cluster mass spectra obtained in this work are interpreted in these terms. Studies of clusters of the alkaline earth elements of group-hA reveal a cornpetition between pre-crystalline icosahedral structures and fragments of the bulk crystal form. These are the first reported laser vaporisation experiments on such systems. Barium clusters containing up to 32 atoms showed a preference for an icosahedral geometry, even on the inclusion of a small number of oxygen atoms. In comparison, strontium clusters of a similar size were found to attract more oxygen atoms, and to adopt a very different structure based on the face-centred cubic (fcc) lattice of bulk strontium oxide. These observations are related to the known structures of other group-hA metal clusters and cluster oxides. In order to examine shell effects in more complex systems, photoionisation mass spectra have also been recorded for iron clusters containing up to several hundred atoms. In this case, intensity anomalies in the cluster distributions could not be attributed to one particular shell effect, but involved a competition between both electronic and geometric shell structure. lv


The Topic This dissertation seeks to ascertain the meaning and referent of the "seed" and its related pronouns in Gen 3:15. The Purpose The meaning and referent of "seed" and its related pronouns in Gen 3:15 have been discussed throughout the history of Jewish and Christian interpretation. This dissertation analyzes Gen 3:15 exegetically, intratextually, and intertextually, tracing the meaning of this "seed" in Genesis, the rest of the Old Testament, and the New Testament. The Introduction briefly surveys the centuries of the Jewish and Christian interpretations of Gen 3:15 classifying them into related categories such as literal, naturalistic, historical, political, allegorical, figurative, eschatological and Christo logical interpretations. Chapter 1 surveys Gen 3:15 and its context. The textual analysis shows that the ancient texts significantly follow a Hebrew text similar to the MT. The literary, structural, thematic, terminological, syntactical, morphological, and semantic analyses of the context of Gen 3:15 demonstrate that this verse is the center of the message of Gen 3. The nanowing movement in the Hebrew text of Gen 3:15 reveals the Messianic import of this watershed verse. The clash between the serpent and the woman becomes the long-lasting enmity between their respective plural collective seed comprising all human beings. This narrows down into a fatal clash between Satan, the singular serpent, and the Messiah, the singular, individual representative Seed of the woman. Chapter 2 examines the intratextual use of the seed and its related pronouns of Gen 3:15 within the rest of the book of Genesis beginning from Gen 1:28. The narrowing from the plural collective seed to the singular, individual, representative Seed establishes a pattern for signifying Messianic intention in some of these seed passages, especially Gen 22:17-19 and Gen 24:60. The special Seed is already described as Messianic, royal, and priestly in Genesis. Chapter 3 shows that the Pentateuch is consistent in its understanding and portrayal of the seed of Gen 3:15. The intertextual study of the seed shows that subsequent authors of the OT and NT recognized and followed the same understanding of the seed. Chapter 4 examines the similarities and differences between Gen 3:15 and the Conclusions This dissertation concludes that there is a Messianic intention in Gen 3:15 based on the narrowing phenomenon of the seed in the Hebrew text of this verse. The Seed and the serpent have a fatal and deadly clash in which the Messiah is eternally victorious on behalf of all the righteous seed.


Routine data sharing, defined here as the publication of the primary data and any supporting materials required to interpret the data acquired as part of a research study, is still in its infancy in psychology, as in many domains. Nevertheless, with increased scrutiny on reproducibility and more funder mandates requiring sharing of data, the issues surrounding data sharing are moving beyond whether data sharing is a benefit or a bane to science, to what data should be shared and how. Here, we present an overview of these issues, specifically focusing on the sharing of so-called "long tail" data, that is, data generated by individual laboratories as part of largely hypothesis-driven research. We draw on experiences in other domains to discuss attitudes toward data sharing, cost-benefits, best practices and infrastructure. We argue that the publishing of data sets is an integral component of 21st-century scholarship. Moreover, although not all issues around how and what to share have been resolved, a consensus on principles and best practices for effective data sharing and the infrastructure for sharing many types of data are largely in place.


The cerebral organization of word identification processes in reading was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Changes in fMRI signal intensities were measured in 38 subjects (19 males and 19 females) during visual (line judgement), orthographic (letter case judgement), phonological (nonword rhyme judgement) and semantic (semantic category judgement) tasks. A strategy of multiple subtractions was employed in order to validate relationships between structure and function. Orthographic processing made maximum demands on extrastriate sites, phonological processing on a number of frontal and temporal sites, and lexical-semantic processing was most strongly associated with middle and superior temporal sites. Significant sex differences in the cerebral organization of reading-related processes were also observed.


Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) are commonly used for finding optimal solutions in large and difficult search spaces. In real-time strategy (RTS) games, huge search spaces in addition to the highly dynamic environments constitute tremendous challenges for the generation of game artificial intelligence (AI), yet there have been very few attempts to date that use EAs to optimize game AI in RTS games. This paper describes an experiment regarding how RTS military strategies can be optimized using a branch of EAs known as Evolutionary Programming (EP). To reduce the effect of dynamic noise arising from the highly stochastic RTS playing environment, a (mu+mu) EP survivor selection strategy is applied. The results from the experiment clearly show that firstly, the problem is non-trivial and more importantly, the (mu+mu) EP methodology is able to automatically generate good military strategies and significantly outperforms the control setup of using randomly generated strategies. Moreover, the results also show that the evolutionary optimization approach could learn very fast and can thus be practically used as an online game AI evolutionary method against human players, which can then make the game more challenging and interesting for the human players.


Oilseed rape cultivation under organic farming conditions presents a high risk of increased incidence of weeds, pests and diseases, resulting in low rapeseed yielding capacity. The current study aimed to estimate the effects of nonchemical weed management methods: thermal, mechanical and self-regulation (natural weed / crop competition), on the incidence of fungal diseases in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) stands and on rapeseed yield in the organic production system. A field experiment was conducted in 2014–2017 at Aleksandras Stulginskis University's Experimental Station. The soil of the experimental site is Endocalcaric Endogleyic Luvisol (LV-can.gln). Under less favourable conditions for the occurrence of phoma stem canker, both thermal and mechanical weed control methods were shown to inhibit the spread of the disease in the oilseed rape crop compared with the selfregulation weed control treatment. However, under the conditions conducive to the spread of phoma stem canker, only mechanical weed control method in combination with the bio-preparations proved to be effective. In 2015 and 2016, the lowest incidence of the verticillium wilt was recorded in the oilseed rape plots where weeds had been managed by steaming. In 2017 significantly, from 2.3 to 3.3 times lower number of verticillium wilt-affected stems was determined in the mechanical weed control plots as compared with that in the plots where other weed control methods had been applied. Application of bio-preparations decreased the number of verticillium wilt-affected stems by on average 11.1– 15.6%. The lowest incidence of dark leaf and pod spot was established in the plots where weeds had been controlled by water steam and no bio-preparations had been used. The bio-preparations were found to increase the severity of dark leaf and pod spot on oilseed rape siliques by on average 13.1–79.4%. Significantly the highest rapeseed yield in 2015 and significantly higher compared with self-regulation in 2017 was recorded in the mechanical weed control treatment, while in 2016 the highest rapeseed yield was established in the self-regulation treatment applied with the bio-preparations. In 2017, the verticillium wilt severity in the winter oilseed rape crop was found to negatively, strongly and statistically significantly correlate with rapeseed yield (r2 = 0.69, P < 0.05).


We show that for a large class of positive weights including the ones that are eventually monotone decreasing and those that are eventually monotone increasing but vary regularly, if the averages of random variables converge in some sense, then their corresponding weighted averages also converge in the same sense. We will also replace the sufficient conditions in the fundamental result of Jamison, Pruitt, and Orey for i.i.d. random variables that make their work more transparent.


From the perspective of bond relaxation and bond vibration, we have formulated the Raman phonon relaxation of graphene, under the stimuli of the number-of-layers, the uni-axial strain, the pressure, and the temperature, in terms of the response of the length and strength of the representative bond of the entire specimen to the applied stimuli. Theoretical unification of the measurements clarifies that: (i) the opposite trends of the Raman shifts, which are due to the number-of-layers reduction, of the G-peak shift and arises from the vibration of a pair of atoms, while the D- and the 2D-peak shifts involve the z-neighbor of a specific atom; (ii) the tensile strain-induced phonon softening and phonon-band splitting arise from the asymmetric response of the C(3v) bond geometry to the C(2v) uni-axial bond elongation; (iii) the thermal softening of the phonons originates from bond expansion and weakening; and (iv) the pressure stiffening of the phonons results from bond compression and work hardening. Reproduction of the measurements has led to quantitative information about the referential frequencies from which the Raman frequencies shift as well as the length, energy, force constant, Debye temperature, compressibility and elastic modulus of the C-C bond in graphene, which is of instrumental importance in the understanding of the unusual behavior of graphene.


Empirical research can be a very useful tool for the music history pedagogue, as a collection of studies relating to the teaching of collegiate-level music appreciation classes has shown. Although the body of literature is small, the existing empirical research involving collegiate-level music appreciation classrooms provides important pedagogical findings. Studies have investigated how students' backgrounds influence their music appreciation experience, the success of courses in increasing students' levels of appreciation for music, and the effectiveness of particular curricular and teaching strategies in the music appreciation classroom. Findings from these studies can help music appreciation teachers make informed, research-supported choices when deciding how to structure and teach their courses. Examining these studies may also stimulate ideas for further areas of empirical research. A willingness to accept and engage in empirical research will lead to a better understanding of our students and an increased quality of teaching.


This study determined the potential hepatotoxicity of Paraquat dichloride (PQ) and ameliorative effect of selected nutritional supplements. Male Wistar albino rats were intraperitoneally administered sub-lethal concentration of Paraquat dichloride (1.5 mg/kg body weight) at alternate days and concomitantly treated daily with nutritional supplements (glutathione, vitamin C and garlic) for three weeks. Hepatotoxic and protective effect of PQ and nutritional supplements were respectively determined by assay of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, and determination of bilirubin, total protein, and albumin concentrations. Oxidative stress and antioxidant status were determined by total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, and glutathione concentrations. The result obtained showed that PQ administration induced elevations of AST, ALT and ALP activities, increase in serum bilirubin, and significant decrease albumin, indicating hepatic dysfunction. Significant increase in lipid peroxidation productmalondialdehyde (MDA), and decrease in glutathione concentration and total antioxidant capacity confirms the potential of PQ to induce oxidative hepatic damage. However, the results showed that oral administration of vitamin C and garlic were effective in the protection against paraquat induced toxicity. The mode of toxic action of PQ and the effect of vitamin C, garlic and glutathione in preventing or reducing these toxic effects were discussed in details. It is concluded that vitamin C and garlic might be an important antioxidant in the treatment of PQ induced toxicity.


The potential difference between conductors of a transmission line causes them to be charged, so that they become capacitive. Thus the capacitance between the conductors is the charge per unit of potential difference (p.d). Charging current owing in the conductors is the result of alternate charging and discharging of a line due to an alternating voltage impressed on the line. Obviously, electric field is established by this charge. The effects of this field on the objects lying within its vicinity depend on its intensity. In this paper, the electric field of 33kV overhead line is considered. The aim of the paper is to determine the maximum electric field strength or potential gradient, E of the 33kV overhead line at the surface of the ground above an underground metallic gas pipe line located 2 metres away. Computation of E is carried out and if the calculated value of E is higher than the maximum permissible value, corona discharge could occur, and so electrostatic screening or cathodic protection of the pipe line against the electric field will be necessary. Keywords: transmission line, charge, electric field, potential gradient, electrostatic screening


Two versions of the X-mode Doppler reflectometry (DR) synthetic diagnostics are developed within the framework of the ELMFIRE global gyrokinetic modeling of the FT-2 tokamak ohmic discharge. In the 'fast' version the DR signal is computed in the linear theory approximation using the reciprocity theorem, utilizing the probing wave field pattern provided by computation and taking into account the 2D plasma inhomogeneity effects; whereas the alternative 'slow' version DR synthetic diagnostic is based on the full-wave code IPF-FD3D describing the probing and scattered wave propagation in turbulent plasma. The DR signal frequency spectra and the dependence of their frequency shift, width and shape on the probing antenna position are computed and shown to be similar to those measured in the high-field side probing DR experiment at the FT-2 tokamak. The geodesic acoustic mode characteristics provided by the measurements and by the synthetic DR are close within a 12% accuracy. However, a substantial difference was found in the decay of the DR signal cross-correlation functions with growing frequency shift in the probing wave channels. The quick decrease in the radial correlation DR coherence observed in the experiment and full-wave synthetic diagnostic, compared to the fast synthetic DR, is attributed to the nonlinear effect of the probing wave phase modulation by the turbulence in the former two cases. The variation in the DR signal at a growing incidence angle in the experiment is also shown to be slower than predicted by both of the synthetic diagnostics, presumably due to underestimation of the probing wave phase modulation and consequent nonlinear saturation of the DR signal at lower incidence angles in modeling.


Gram negative bacteria such as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Citrobacter freundii are often associated with multiple drug resistance and the generation of nosocomial infections. In the current study several clinical strains of theses bacteria (Ps 1, Ps 3, Ps 5, St 18, St 51, St 53 and C. freundii) and two culture collection strains Ps 10421 and St 9203 were evaluated for their ability to generate biofilms and the characteristics of the associated extracellular polysaccharides they produced.
The ability of these strains to develop biofilms on a range of media and with a number of carbon sources was investigated. A range of mineral media employing glucose, ethanol and glycerol were developed in such a way as to ensure they did not contain compounds that interfere with extracellular polysaccharide analysis allowing a more in depth analysis of the extracellular polysaccharide generated by the bacteria under investigation.
Following an assessment of the biofilm forming potential of all the strains under consideration, three were singled out for particular attention, i.e. Ps 3, St 53 and C. freundii strain isolated during this investigation. Two of strains were chosen for the strength of their biofilm forming potential (Ps 3 and St 53), on the other hand C. freundii was chosen because the scientific literature contains very little published information regarding its extracellular polysaccharide and its biofilm forming characteristics. These bacteria were able to produce biofilm on both hydrophobic (plastic) and hydrophilic (glass) surfaces. In order to get a broader understanding of the biofilm forming capabilities of these bacteria their whole genomes were sequenced and subsequently published. These genomes demonstrated that St 53 and C. freundii both contained the pgaABCD which is known to be associated with biofilm formation. Whilst Ps 3 contains a full complement of pel (PA3058-PA3064), psl (PA2231-2245) and alginate biosynthesis operons (PA3540-3548) related to biofilm formation. In addition all three species contained genes associated with virulence, pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance.
The generation and extraction of extracellular polymeric substance generated by these three bacteria underwent a period of optimisations which included an optimisation of both the media and the growth conditions and the extraction process. In particular the use of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) was found to be critical with 0-5% TCA considered optimum for the removal of proteins prior to polysaccharide extraction. This is far less than has been previously employed in studies on lactic acid bacteria, however when used with the Gram negative bacteria investigated here, high levels of TCA degraded the polysaccharide that was being generated preventing its extraction in the quantities required for analysis.
Analysis of the polysaccharides produced by St 53, Ps 3, and C. freundii, all demonstrated typical NMR spectra associated with bacterial extracellular polysaccharide. However, the NMR spectra from these polysaccharides also contained peaks typical of the presence of dextran. The use of a fungal dextranase confirmed the presence of a dextran like polymer in the polysaccharide generated by these bacteria. This indicated that all three of these bacteria generated complex polysaccharides with at least two components one mannose rich and the second a dextran like glucose rich polymer. This is the first report of a dextran being associated with the EPS of these bacteria and suggests that the Pel polysaccharide of P. aeruginosa is a dextran.
Investigation of bacterial pathogenicity focussed on Ps 3 since P. aeruginosa is the most pathogenic of the three species investigated. The culture collection strain Ps 10421 failed to produce outer membrane vesicles (OMV) without antibiotic treatment, however Ps 3 generated OMV under normal growth conditions generating more when grown on ethanol rather than glucose. In order to investigate the impact of ethanol vs glucose grown culture a wax worm pathogenicity model was employed. This model revealed that ethanol grown cells were more pathogenic than glucose grown cells. This difference could be attributed to the effects of type of carbon sources that induce virulence genes to generate more toxins. Transcriptomic analysis of Ps 3 grown with ethanol vs growth on glucose revealed large differences in gene expression but no definitive evidence of which cellular processes were responsible for this enhanced pathogenicity associated with grown on ethanol.


Purpose: The 3‐point thermoplastic Orfit mask and BrainLAB stereotactic mask provide immobilization of the head in fractionated radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to compare the setup accuracy of these two masks using pre‐treatment kV‐CBCT and ExacTrac®. Methods: Both BrainLab and Orfit masks are currently used in our institution. The BrainLab mask is a two‐part masking system custom fitted to the front and back of the patient's head. This mask is used in conjunction with the ExacTrac‐based patient positioning. The Orfit 3‐point mask is shaped to the patient's head similarly but also encompassing the superior aspect of the head. As part of our current setup procedure for patients immobilized by Orfit mask, daily portal images and weekly kV‐CBCT image sets are acquired pre‐treatment. In this study, kV‐CBCT data from 6 Orfit patients (122 fractions) fixated with the Orfit mask and ExacTrac data from 11 patients (153 fractions) immobilized by the BrainLab mask were retrospectively analyzed. Daily patient positioning was evaluated as the translations between the pre‐treatment and reference image after fusion registration. Results: The mean inter‐fraction displacements in 3D were 2.7±1.4 mm (max=6.4mm) and 3.3± 1.8 mm (max=7.9mm) for Orfit and BrainLab groups, respectively. The mean displacement and systematic setup uncertainty for the Orfit patients were − 0.3±1.0, −1.0±1.4, and −1.0±1.3 mm in the lateral, superior‐inferior and anterior‐posterior directions, respectively. For the BrainLab patients, the mean and systematic setup uncertainties were 0.2±0.8, −1.3±1.8, and − 0.9±2.5 mm in the lateral, anterior‐posterior and superior‐inferior directions, respectively. Conclusions: Both masks showed comparable performance in term of setup uncertainty. Daily image guidance is recommended with either immobilization system to optimize the accuracy of setup.


Relative entropy (divergence) of Bregman type recently proposed by T. D. Frank and Jan Naudts is considered and its quantum counterpart is used to calculate purity of the Werner state in nonextensive formalism. It has been observed that two different expressions arise due to two different forms of quantum divergences. It is then argued that the difference is due to the fact that the relative entropy of Bregman type is related to the first choice thermostatistics whereas one of Csiszar type is related to the third-choice thermostatistics. The superiority of the third-choice thermostatistics to the first-choice thermostatistics has been deduced by noticing that the expression obtained by using the Bregman type leads to negative values for q ∈ (0, 1) and fidelity F smaller than 1 whereas the one obtained by using Csiszar type is free from such anomalies. Moreover, it has been noted that these two measures show different qualitative behavior with respect to F. Contrary to the classical case, the violation of the positive definiteness of the relative entropy immediately results in a choice between the two constraints without any need of more abstract Shore–Johnson axioms. The possibility of writing a relative entropy of Bregman type compatible with the third choice has been investigated further. The answer turns out to be negative as far as the usual transformation from ordinary probabilities to the escort probabilities are considered.