Gliomas are rare intrinsic brain tumours which account for 2% of all cancers. Glioblastoma multiforme is the most malignant malignant glioma form and remains incurable. The biological features which preclude successful therapy include heterogeneity, diffuse invasive patterns and angiogenesis. Despite, advances in current conventional treatments the median survival time is only 14 months. Hence there is a need to investigate novel therapeutic approaches which can be included alongside conventional treatment. One such approach is the use of micronutrients in the management of glioblastoma multiforme. This study evaluated the affects of two micronutrient extracts, red clover extract (RCE) and red grape seed extract (RGSE), on human adult malignant brain tumours in vitro.

Four primary (or short-term) cell cultures derived from human brain tumour biopsies, an established cell line and normal human brain cells from an epileptic pateint were used to measure the cell viability, anti-invasive, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic potentials, following 48-hour treatment with the IC50s of either micronutrient extract.

Both RCE and RGSE exhibited similar affects on the glioma cell cultures. They both appeared to reduce cell viability, invasive potential and angiogenesis potential though did not appear to have any significant affect on the apoptotic portential of the glioma cultures. For example, incubation with 0.007-1ug/ml RCE caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction of in viability of glioma cells but did not affect viability of normal astrocytes. Similar results were obtained for RGSE. These doses also resulted in a significant decrease in invasion and angiogenesis (p<0.05). Effects varied between cell lines but in general decreased by 50-60%.

This suggests that both RCE and RGSE do affect the development of glioma cell cultures in vitro and warrant further study into the pathways in which this may occur.


Emission nonlinearities such as kinks in the L-I characteristic and beam steering have often been observed in semiconductor power lasers that were designed for single-mode operation. A physical model of these phenomena is presented in which they are attributed to effects of the lasing and coherent coupling of multiple lateral modes. This model has been implemented self-consistently in a finite-element scheme. Simulation results for a typical 980-nm fiber pump laser are described and are found to be in good qualitative agreement with experimental observations. This agreement includes bilateral steering of the peak field, nonsymmetric emission field intensity in a symmetric device, nonlinearity and kinks in the L-I characteristics, and beating patterns in the back plane image.


Background Although women are less healthy than men with respect to physical health and depression, gender differences in morbidity and self-rated health (SRH) are less consistent. Female disadvantage in SRH has been partially explained by women's preponderance to report poor health. Although more recent studies challenge gender stereotypical treatment-seeking behavior and reporting of specific health conditions, we know relatively little about gender differences in reporting of SRH. The present study investigates to which extent adjusting for differences in reporting styles modifies gender differences in SRH, whether these changes are due to gender-specific over- and/or under-reporting patterns, and whether these changes are consistent for reporting of poor and good health. Methods We utilize the data collected in the wave 1 (2004) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, a multidisciplinary panel survey of community-dwelling individuals aged 50+ in 12 countries. The analysis follows the method proposed by Jürges (2007) and Rebelo and Pereira (2014). Our dependent variable is a global evaluation of health 5 possible responses: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. SRH is our dependent variable and is modelled with a generalized ordered probit model. There are two types of independent variables: latent health (e.g. chronic conditions, physical limitations, and smoking) variables and threshold variables (gender, education level and country). Once the appropriate model is selected and fitted, health indexes and disability weights are calculated. They, in turn, are used to calculate SRH adjusted for reporting styles. Results Our preliminary analyses suggest that when SRH is adjusted for differences in reporting styles, the gender gaps in the percentage of persons with both poor and good widen. Except the oldest age group, more men have reported poor health than they have, whereas less women have reported poor SRH than they have except the youngest women. These findings suggest that men over-report and women under-report poor health. At all ages less men have reported very good health than they have, whereas the fraction of women in very good health is higher on the original than on the adjusted scale. In other words, these findings suggest that men under-report and women over-report good health. Conclusion Our preliminary findings challenge the prevailing assumption of women over-reporting and men under-reporting health problems and highlight the importance to attend to health problems reported by women and men equally carefully.


BACKGROUND
Studies focusing on the effects of telemanagement programs for chronic heart failure (CHF) on functional status are lacking, and the prognostic value of the clinical response to the programs is unknown. In the Lombardy region of Italy, a home-based telesurveillance program (HTP) including multidisciplinary management and remote telemonitoring for patients with CHF was introduced in 2000 and was formally adopted, as part of the services delivered by the regional healthcare system, in 2006. This article reports the effect of the HTP on the functional status and quality of life and describes the main outcomes observed within 1 year from the end of the program.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Six-month variations of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 6-min walking distance (6MWD), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) score were evaluated in 602 CHF patients. Patients showing at least two of the following conditions-NYHA class reduction, increase in LVEF ≥5%, 6MWD >30 m, and a reduction of >24 points of MLHFQ-were defined as "responders." One-year events included unplanned cardiovascular readmissions and mortality.

RESULTS
A significant improvement in NYHA class, LVEF, 6MWD, and MLHFQ was observed. Clinical events occurred in 24.1% of non-responders and in 15.9% of responders (p=0.03). An unfavorable response to the program, the presence of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, and multiple comorbidities were predictors of poor outcome.

CONCLUSIONS
The HTP was effective in improving CHF patient functional status, and an unsuccessful response to the intervention seems to be an independent marker of poor prognosis.


In modern applications of real-time resource allocation, for example allocating ad opportunities created by users to relevant advertisers during video streaming, a prevalent scenario is when an arriving user can be served under different "configurations''. For example, in video advertising, a configuration can be an arrangement of video-ads of various lengths and formats for a subset of advertisers, showing up at different time-stamps of the video. Each selected configuration assigns a certain number of impressions to each advertiser. Depending on their long-term contracts, each advertiser is willing to pay for a certain number of impressions during the decision making horizon at a per-impression price depending on the assigned configuration. While this application is real-time, there is an inherent allowance for latency in showing ads to users, as several of these ads show up in the middle (or at the end) of the video. This provides an opportunity for ad allocator to batch the users and to make more profitable allocation decisions. While designing algorithms for the fully online variant of this setting has been studied in the literature [Devanur et al., 2016], the multi-stage variant where the allocation decisions are made batch-by-batch is not studied.

Motivated by the above application, we study designing optimal competitive multi-stage configuration allocation algorithms (with preemption) in an adversarial setting, where users arrive in batches in a stage-wise fashion. The allocator then decides on an irrevocable configuration for each of the users in an arriving batch at each stage so as to maximize the total revenue. We propose a novel convex-programming based multi-stage configuration allocation algorithm that is 1-(1-1/K)^K competitive, where K is the number of stages. We further show an intimate connection between the convex programs used in each stage and a recursive functional equation (with a sequence of polynomials of decreasing degrees as its solution). Using this connection, we develop a recursive primal-dual analysis for our algorithm and extend the previous analysis framework of multi-stage fractional matching [Feng and Niazadeh, 2021] to this more general setting. Interestingly, we show there is an intimate connection between convex Lagrangian dual of each stage of our algorithm and how the primal-dual analysis needs to be set up, which might be of independent interest.


The purpose of multiobjective optimization is to find solutions that are optimal regarding several goals. In the branch of vector or Pareto optimization all these goals are considered to be of equal importance, so that compromise solutions that cannot be improved regarding one goal without deteriorating in another are Paretooptimal. A variety of quality measures exist to evaluate approximations of the Paretooptimal set generated by optimizers, wherein the hypervolume is the most significant one, making the hypervolume calculation a core problem of multiobjective optimization. This thesis tackles that challenge by providing a new hypervolume algorithm from computational geometry and analyzing the problem's computational complexity. Evolutionary multiobjective optimization algorithms (EMOA) are state-of-the-art methods for Pareto optimization, wherein the hypervolume-based algorithms belong to the most powerful ones, among them the popular SMS-EMOA. After its promising capabilities have already been demonstrated in first studies, this thesis is dedicated to deeper understand the underlying optimization process of the SMS-EMOA and similar algorithms, in order to specify their performance characteristics. Theoretical analyses are accomplished as far as possible with established and newly developed tools. Beyond the limitations of rigorous scrutiny, insights are gained via thorough experimental investigation. All considered problems are continuous, whereas the algorithms are as well applicable to discrete problems. More precisely, the following topics are concerned. The process of approaching the Pareto-optimal set of points is characterized by the convergence speed, which is analyzed for a general framework of EA with hypervolume selection on several classes of bi-objective problems. The results are achieved by a newly developed concept of linking single and multiobjective optimization. The optimization on the Pareto front, that is turning the population into a set with maximal hypervolume, is considered separately, focusing on the question under which circumstances the steady-state selection of exchanging only one population member suffices to reach a global optimum. We answer this question for different bi-objective problem classes. In a benchmarking on so-called many-objective problems of more than three objectives, the qualification of the SMS-EMOA is demonstrated in comparison to other EMOA, while also studying their cause of failure. Within the mentioned examinations, the choice of the hypervolume's reference point receives special consideration by exposing its influence. Beyond the study of the SMS-EMOA with default setup, it is analyzed to what extent the performance can be improved by parameter tuning of the EMOA anent to certain problems, focusing on the influence of variation operators. Lastly, an optimization algorithm based on the gradient of the hypervolume is developed and hybridized with the SMS-EMOA.


ABSTRACT
 The pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), has been a major pest of pea, Pisum sativum L., in eastern Washington and northern Idaho since its introduction to the region in the early 1970s. Eggs are deposited in the spring on the soil surface and first instars hatch and move to pea root nodules, where larvae feed before they pupate and adults emerge in mid- to late summer. No-tillage practices are known to reduce pea leaf weevil colonization in pea, but the effects of tillage on larval densities and subsequent adult emergence have not been examined. During 2005, 2006, and 2007, we compared densities of colonizing adult and immature pea leaf weevils on pea plots grown using conventional tillage and no-tillage. In 2005 and 2006, emergence of adult pea leaf weevil was monitored in the same plots. Densities of colonizing adult and immature pea leaf weevil were significantly higher in conventional tillage plots. Larvae in conventional tillage were further along in development than larvae in no-tillage plots during June and July. Densities of emerging adult pea leaf weevil were significantly greater from conventional tillage than no-tillage plots. Based on densities of colonizing and subsequent emerging adults, survival of weevils from egg through adult was greater in conventional tillage plots, Soils under no-tillage are cooler, resulting in later emergence of the pea crop and delayed root nodule development, possibly affecting the ability of first-instar pea leaf weevil to locate host plant roots. Our results indicate no-tillage fields are less suitable for pea leaf weevil colonization and survival than conventional tillage fields.


The sample of oxide inclusion was obtained in the different stage of steelmaking for the 65 steel. The microstructure was observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze the composition and type of inclusions. It was shown that the microscopic inclusions in the high carbon steel were mainly massive and cluster Al2O3, spherical and slope silicate inclusion, calcium-aluminates inclusions and sulphide complex inclusions. The measures including raw material requirement, improving of the converter, LF refining and continuous casting operations were put forward to decrease inclusion.


Locally resonant materials allow for wave propagation control in the sub-wavelength regime. Even though these materials do not need periodicity, they are usually designed as periodic systems since this allows for the application of the Bloch theorem and analysis of the entire system based on a single unit cell. However, geometries that are invariant to translation result in equations of motion with periodic coefficients only if we assume plane wave propagation. When wave fronts are cylindrical or spherical, a system realized through tessellation of a unit cell does not result in periodic coefficients and the Bloch theorem cannot be applied. Therefore, most studies of periodic locally resonant systems are limited to plane wave propagation. In this paper, we address this limitation by introducing a locally resonant effective phononic crystal composed of a radially-varying matrix with attached torsional resonators. This material is not geometrically periodic but exhibits effective periodicity, i.e. its equations of motion are invariant to radial translations, allowing the Bloch theorem to be applied to radially propagating torsional waves. We show that this material can be analyzed under the already developed framework for metamaterials. To show the importance of using an effectively periodic system, we compare its behavior to a system that is not effectively periodic but has geometric periodicity. We show considerable differences in transmission as well as in the negative effective properties of these two systems. Locally resonant effective phononic crystals open possibilities for subwavelength elastic wave control in the near field of sources.


The successful management of solid wastes arising from the combustion of low-rank coal for electricity generation presents significant engineering and environmental challenges. The power stations in the Latrobe Valley region of Victoria, Australia, have long recognised the need for improved long term understanding of ash disposal. This thesis presents the work undertaken in evaluating the mechanisms which lead to the transport of solutes from ash disposal and develops a methodology to quantify their potential long term impacts on groundwaters beneath a disposal site. The Loy Yang power station is used as a case study. A detailed literature review is presented on the mechanisms involved in the leaching of solutes from ash disposal. In general, the release of solutes is well understood and is related to the dissolution of more soluble minerals in the ash and advective transport through pore waters as leachate, although the exact controls for trace elements is less well documented. The proportions of particular solutes and/or trace elements is site specific. For the Latrobe Valley, however, there remains little research undertaken on the behaviour of Loy Yang ash, especially aged or leached ash excavated from a disposal pond after a period of some 6 to 12 months. The principal environmental concerns relating to the disposal of ash are the potential for groundwater contamination from salt fluxes and the transport of trace elements. Thus long term disposal requires a thorough understanding of both the solute fluxes from the ash as well as the controls on the transport of these solutes through groundwater. Predicting the behaviour of ash and the leached solutes under field conditions is difficult and common laboratory tests have been found to be inadequate. The transport of sulfate in seepage was investigated through back analysis of monitoring data, field monitoring, bacterial analysis and modelling. Sulfate was shown to be undergoing strong biogeochemical reactions which attenuate its rate of migration in shallow groundwaters at the Loy Yang power station. The application of a kinetic solute transport model was able to model the monitoring data obtained to date. The chemical quality of the ash, and its source from the power station, is a critical aspect of disposal since this primarily determines the leachability and potential fluxes. After slurrying and disposal in a saturated pond, the amount of soluble minerals is lower and therefore the ash presents a lower potential for groundwater impacts. For ash excavated from a disposal pond and placed within a low moisture environment, such as an Overburden Dump, the potential for leaching and solute transport must be considered differently to that in a saturated disposal pond. Two field trial cells were operated for about 14 months to investigate such behaviour, one artificially irrigated (Wet) and a second open to rainfall only (Dry). Both cells showed the importance of unsaturated flow mechanisms in controlling the water balance and leachate generation, due mainly to the potential of ash to retain moisture in its pores. The irrigated cell showed a marked reduction in leachate salinity as irrigation continued, although some trace elements demonstrated complex leaching patterns. To further quantify ash leaching rates, a series of laboratory leaching columns were constructed and operated, with electronic logging of soil moisture using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). The use of TDR, although able to detect relative changes in soil moisture, was less than successful. The leachate results from the columns were encouraging and provided additional confirmation of leaching curves for particular solutes and trace elements. The soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) was established for the ash through a Tempe Cell test. This quantified more accurately the water retention properties highlighted through the field and laboratory research. Importantly, analysis of the SWCC for the ash shows that it appears to maintain high hydraulic conductivity over typical ranges of matric suctions. The geochemical controls on solutes in the various ash leachates generated in the field and laboratory were investigated through geochemical speciation modelling and plotting. The major solutes in leachate appeared to be controlled by dissolution from more soluble minerals, such as gypsum and halite, while for other species the controls were more complex. Most trace elements appeared to be controlled by a mix of mineral dissolution, co-precipitation and adsorption mechanisms. A solute transport and leaching model was developed and applied to the various data sets obtained for this thesis. The model, describing the leaching and transport of solute in one-dimensional steady state flow, gave reasonable calibration to the different column experiments. Extension of this approach to unsaturated flow and solute transport is discussed in light of the experience from the field trials. The conversion of this model to non-dimensional form was then examined and provided a useful approach for assessing the scale effects from different sized column leaching experiments and field trials. The use of batch leaching tests, although not generally representative of field conditions, can be incorporated into this approach and used to estimate the initial concentration of a solute in leachate. The use of these models provides the methodology to quantify leaching over time and at various scales, important in the engineering design of ash disposal sites. In summary, this thesis presents a detailed qualitative study of ash leaching and solute transport mechanisms, and develops a quantitative methodology for the design and assessment of ash disposal sites.


Background The association of overweight and diabetes mellitus type 2 varies with geographical area and ethnicity, and there is incoherent evidence as to which anthropometric index best predicts prevalent diabetes mellitus type 2 in different populations. The rationale for this study was to contribute to the understanding of how anthropometric indices perform as a screening tool for diabetes mellitus type 2. Hence, the objective was to determine the predictive potential of anthropometric indices to screen prevalent diabetes mellitus type 2 in the Norwegian population.Methods This study used cross-sectional data from the Health Study in Nord-Trøndelag (HUNT) to determine the potential association of waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-circumference and body mass index with prevalent diabetes mellitus type 2 through logistic regression analysis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determinate the predictive potential of the anthropometric indices. Youden's index was applied to determinate the optimal cut-off points for each anthropometric index.Results The results suggest that the anthropometric indices performed differently within the Norwegian population with waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio being the strongest predictors with (ROC) of 0.746 (0.735 - 0.757) and 0.741(0.730 - 0.752). The predictive potential for the investigated anthropometric indices was generally stronger for women than men.Interpretation When using anthropometric indices to screen prevalent diabetes mellitus type 2, the choice of anthropometric index and cut-off points should be considered based on country and the ethnic characteristics of the population.


India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world accounting for about 25 per cent of global production, 27 per cent of global consumption and about 33 per cent of the world's area under pulses. However, compared to cereals like wheat and paddy, the growth rate of area and production of pulses is negligible and there exists wide variability in their yield in different states of country. The study has explored the growth and dynamics of production and consumption of major pulses in different states of India and has made a comparative evaluation of key economic factors affecting their production. Pulses have exhibited a grim picture in their production performance both spatially and temporally. Area substitution coupled with the biased revenue terms of trade has shown preference of cereals and oilseeds over pulses. However, pulses have been found to be preferred over coarse grains. Further, a structural shift in production performance of pulses-producing states not only validates the lack of spatial and temporal stability in their production performance but also throws light on the hidden potential of minor states in pulses production for long-term sustainability of pulse production.


This paper presents an approach for developing an artificial skeleto-muscular system. antagonistic driving of articulation is a key mechanism, in which at least two muscles control a single rotary axis in the antagonistic manner. It provides not only to control the joint angle but also to control the joint stiffness. The stiffness control requires for individual muscle to have a non-linear elasticity. Authors have developed a new actuator that has non-linear elastic system, which is called ANLES. It fundamentally mimics the skeletal muscle. This paper describes the equations for designing the elastic characteristics of ANLES and shows the developed ANLES followed by the theoretical and experimental result of its non-linear elasticity. Next one rotary joint controlled by two ANLESes is introduced. The experimental result of measuring stiffness of the joint is followed. A method for controlling the joint angle is proposed, where two ANLESes drives one rotary joint with no angular feedback. A method for estimating the weight loaded at the end-point is also proposed. All of methods are evaluated and validated by the experiments


In this work, solar-blind UV 4H-SiC avalanche photodetectors were fabricated and tested in linear and Geiger modes. APDs with both PIN and separate absorption and multiplication (SAM) structures were investigated. PIN structures demonstrated higher quantum efficiencies while the SAM structure exhibit lower leakage currents. Deposition of a thin film optical filter on top of the devices was used to provide a high photon rejection ratio of (Stas add value here). However, an external filter showed a better photon rejection ratio compared to the deposited one by about one order of magnitude.


Summary
Optimal conditions for microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of total phenols (TP), epicatechin gallate and antioxidant activity from prune (Prunus domestica), rejected in transformation process of plum to prune, were determined by response surface methodology. The central composite design was used to study the effects of three independent variables: microwave power, irradiation time and solvent polarity on the TP, epicatechin gallate and antioxidant activity. Epicatechin gallate was identified as a major phenolic compound in prune extract by RP-HPLC. Microwave power and irradiation time significantly affected all responses (P < 0.01). The highest TP (598.89 mg GAE/100 g prune) was obtained using water as an extraction solvent at 500 W, during 115 s. However, the optimal conditions for epicatechin gallate extraction were ethanol 80%, 435 W and 120 s. MAE is more efficient than conventional extraction method to obtain TP from prune. The experimental values were reasonably close to the predicted values confirming the validity of the predicted models.


Lebanon is expected to have gas resources in its Mediterranean basin, and these could turn the country into a natural gas producer over the next decade. Lebanon's economy and institutions will thus need to adapt to the challenges and opportunities that such change will bring. In this paper, we address how Lebanon's fiscal framework will need to be reformulated to take into account potential resource revenue. Designing a fiscal regime appropriately is an absolute prerequisite to make sure the government can receive a fair share of the resources while investors face appropriate incentives to invest and develop the sector. This step should be followed by setting macro-fiscal anchors and supporting institutions. The prospective framework should initially be focused on ensuring fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity, given the estimated relatively short horizon of Lebanon's gas resources. Strong institutional arrangements also need to underpin the prospective framework, to ensure that the pace of resource wealth's use is set in line with Lebanon's capacity constraints.


The mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake protein At-MICU shapes mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics, providing molecular in vivo evidence for the existence and function of a mitochondrial uniporter complex in plants. Plant organelle function must constantly adjust to environmental conditions, which requires dynamic coordination. Ca2+ signaling may play a central role in this process. Free Ca2+ dynamics are tightly regulated and differ markedly between the cytosol, plastid stroma, and mitochondrial matrix. The mechanistic basis of compartment-specific Ca2+ dynamics is poorly understood. Here, we studied the function of At-MICU, an EF-hand protein of Arabidopsis thaliana with homology to constituents of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter machinery in mammals. MICU binds Ca2+ and localizes to the mitochondria in Arabidopsis. In vivo imaging of roots expressing a genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor in the mitochondrial matrix revealed that lack of MICU increased resting concentrations of free Ca2+ in the matrix. Furthermore, Ca2+ elevations triggered by auxin and extracellular ATP occurred more rapidly and reached higher maximal concentrations in the mitochondria of micu mutants, whereas cytosolic Ca2+ signatures remained unchanged. These findings support the idea that a conserved uniporter system, with composition and regulation distinct from the mammalian machinery, mediates mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in plants under in vivo conditions. They further suggest that MICU acts as a throttle that controls Ca2+ uptake by moderating influx, thereby shaping Ca2+ signatures in the matrix and preserving mitochondrial homeostasis. Our results open the door to genetic dissection of mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling in plants.


A mangrove vulnerability assessment's goal is to generate recommendations for reducing vulnerability. Mangrove forests, which grow in the intertidal zones and estuary mouths between land and sea, exist in two worlds at once. Mangroves provide crucial stability for preventing shoreline erosion. It helps to maintain land level by sediment accretion while balancing sediment loss by serving as buffers catching materials washed downstream. Climate change, especially the associated increase in sea level, poses a serious threat to mangrove coastal areas, and it is critical to devise strategies to mitigate vulnerability through strategic management planning. Experts are attempting to determine how mangroves have been affected by climate change and rising sea levels. How do we forecast the consequences and effect of rising sea levels on mangroves, and then adjust and mitigate them accordingly? Vulnerability implies the risk of being assaulted or hurt, whether physically or emotionally. Environmental vulnerability is a feature of impact exposure as well as ecological systems' susceptibility and adaptive potential to environmental tensors. Researchers in this study ranked mangrove vulnerability on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 indicating very low vulnerability and 5 indicating very high vulnerability. The Physical Mangrove Index (PMI), Biological Mangrove Index (BMI), and Threat Mangrove Index (HMI) are the three major groups of the Mangrove Vulnerability Index (MVI)). The study's main objective is to develop an accurate and efficient GIS database system that has been formulated and tested or implemented in three (3) separate areas, namely, Kukup Island, Tanjung Piai, and Sungai Pulai. The study develops a GIS-based Mangrove Vulnerability Index (MVI) Model for a selected ecosystem, and highlights mangrove vulnerability by ranking them from least to most vulnerable using parameters. The study also provides a forecast for the mangrove loss in the next 50 and 100 years, as well as to classify areas where mangroves are most vulnerable.


Abstract
Cercarienhullen Reactions (CHR) were obtained from baboons which were infected in the laboratory with Schistosoma mansoni, baboons which had had adult S. mansoni surgically introduced into their mesenteric veins, and rabbits which had been immunized with antigen prepared from uninfected Biomphalaria pfeifferi hepatopancreases. Attempts to ascertain the relationship between these antigens by absorption studies demonstrated that the CHR is due to a complex group of antigens, some of which are shared between the snail, cercaria, and adult, while others are shared between the snail and the cercaria or between the cercaria and the adult. The role of CHR antigens in the phenomenon of antigen sharing between life cycle stages of the parasite and between the parasite and its intermediate host may be a means of further elucidating the antigenic complexity of the CHR.


Recently, Cloud-based Mobile Augmentation (CMA) approaches have gained remarkable ground from academia and industry. CMA is the state-of-the-art mobile augmentation model that employs resource-rich clouds to increase, enhance, and optimize computing capabilities of mobile devices aiming at execution of resource-intensive mobile applications. Augmented mobile devices envision to perform extensive computations and to store big data beyond their intrinsic capabilities with least footprint and vulnerability. Researchers utilize varied cloud-based computing resources (e.g., distant clouds and nearby mobile nodes) to meet various computing requirements of mobile users. However, employing cloud-based computing resources is not a straightforward panacea. Comprehending critical factors (e.g., current state of mobile client and remote resources) that impact on augmentation process and optimum selection of cloud-based resource types are some challenges that hinder CMA adaptability. This paper comprehensively surveys the mobile augmentation domain and presents taxonomy of CMA approaches. The objectives of this study is to highlight the effects of remote resources on the quality and reliability of augmentation processes and discuss the challenges and opportunities of employing varied cloud-based resources in augmenting mobile devices. We present augmentation definition, motivation, and taxonomy of augmentation types, including traditional and cloud-based. We critically analyze the state-of-the-art CMA approaches and classify them into four groups of distant fixed, proximate fixed, proximate mobile, and hybrid to present a taxonomy. Vital decision making and performance limitation factors that influence on the adoption of CMA approaches are introduced and an exemplary decision making flowchart for future CMA approaches are presented. Impacts of CMA approaches on mobile computing is discussed and open challenges are presented as the future research directions.


Accurate and robust visual object tracking is one of the most challenging and fundamental computer vision problems. It entails estimating the trajectory of the target in an image sequence, given only its initial location, and segmentation, or its rough approximation in the form of a bounding box. Discriminative Correlation Filters (DCFs) and deep Siamese Networks (SNs) have emerged as dominating tracking paradigms, which have led to significant progress. Following the rapid evolution of visual object tracking in the last decade, this survey presents a systematic and thorough review of more than 90 DCFs and Siamese trackers, based on results in nine tracking benchmarks. First, we present the background theory of both the DCF and Siamese tracking core formulations. Then, we distinguish and comprehensively review the shared as well as specific open research challenges in both these tracking paradigms. Furthermore, we thoroughly analyze the performance of DCF and Siamese trackers on nine benchmarks, covering different experimental aspects of visual tracking: datasets, evaluation metrics, performance, and speed comparisons. We finish the survey by presenting recommendations and suggestions for distinguished open challenges based on our analysis.


Despite decades of government reform, the American housing credit system continues to mirror long-standing patterns of racial segregation and inequality. Consistent with this trend, the current housing crisis reveals an unusually high concentration of subprime mortgage activity and property foreclosures in non-white residential settlements across the nation. Given the generally accepted premise of market neutrality, this case study of lending patterns in Sacramento, California, questions why US housing market exchanges continue to produce racially disparate outcomes and seeks to identify the ideological practices in which race is deployed, informs state and private economic action and shapes contemporary credit market practices. Copyright (c) 2009 The Author. Journal Compilation (c) 2009 Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.


Our objective with this paper is to discuss multi-switching problems, arising as variational inequalities, that models decision under uncertainty. We prove general existence theory through monotone scheme and discuss iterative methods for numerical results. We also connect the recently developed models for asset bubbles (which is a non-local problem) to switching problems with two possible switching cases.


The objective of the PHAR-QA (Quality assurance in European pharmacy education and training) project was to investigate how competence-based learning could be applied to a healthcare, sectoral profession such as pharmacy. This is the first study on evaluation of competences from the pharmacists' perspective using an improved Delphi method with a large number of respondents from all over Europe. This paper looks at the way in which hospital pharmacists rank the fundamental competences for pharmacy practice. European hospital pharmacists (n = 152) ranked 68 competences for pharmacy practice of two types (personal and patient care), arranged into 13 clusters. Results were compared to those obtained from community pharmacists (n = 258). Generally, hospital and community pharmacists rank competences in a similar way. Nevertheless, differences can be detected. The higher focus of hospital pharmacists on knowledge of the different areas of science as well as on laboratory tests reflects the idea of a hospital pharmacy specialisation. The difference is also visible in the field of drug production. This is a necessary competence in hospitals with requests for drugs for rare diseases, as well as paediatric and oncologic drugs. Hospital pharmacists give entrepreneurship a lower score, but cost-effectiveness a higher one than community pharmacists. This reflects the reality of pharmacy practice where community pharmacists have to act as entrepreneurs, and hospital pharmacists are managers staying within drug budgets. The results are discussed in the light of a "hospital pharmacy" specialisation.


In this introductory article, we as guest editors set out the key ambitions and arguments of the Special Issue and highlight our contribution to social network research within migration studies. We argue that social network analysis has the potential to address epistemological pitfalls in migration research especially in overcoming the metaphoric use of networks as well as nation‐state and ethnicity‐centred epistemologies. Moreover, we suggest that adopting a qualitative approach to social networks not only changes how we research networks but also what we understand them to be. While seeking to go beyond metaphors and delve into the tool box of SNA, in order to gain deeper understandings of social networks, we argue that this cannot mean purely quantitative research techniques. We draw upon the early roots of social network research, within anthropology, to find inspiration and consider the contribution of qualitative approaches to analysing dynamic social relationships and to including neglected aspects like meaning making and agency. Adopting a reflexive approach enables us to de‐migranticise our research turning the role of migration and ethnicity for social networks into an empirical question rather than taking them as an essentialist starting point for investigation.

The Special Issue brings together an integrated set of articles drawn from a social networks and migration symposium. Using qualitative and mixed methods approaches, these articles focus on a diverse range of geographical and social contexts. In so doing, the authors offer new methodological and epistemological insights into migrants' social networks.


How should we quantify the institutional price pressure induced by demand for green stocks? We use the equity holdings of institutional investors and the demand system approach to answer this question. We devise and estimate a firm-level quantity, institutional pressure for greenness, that measures the price pressure a firm receives from its institutional owners to become more environment-friendly. We find that this quantity has a positive and significant relationship with future improvement in a firm's carbon intensity, but not with other measures of a firm's environment performance. We also find that investors with high portfolio-level environment scores do not necessarily contribute to higher institutional pressure. Instead, investors who are price-inelastic and display a positive portfolio tilt towards greenness – those who overweight greener stocks even after controlling for other characteristics – contribute the most to institutional pressure.


Human history is marked by the interaction with animals, which are directly related to various themes of social history, economic, material, cultural, religious and symbolic. However, the Brazilian legal system regards animals as objects. In this context, there was an exploratory research in the database of the National Congress, in order to try to locate legislative proposals that deal with the legal treatment offered to animals, identifying nine proposals that relate directly to the issue of the legal status of animals. The Brazilian legal system is founded on the anthropocentric view, but the existence of legislative proposals demonstrates the relevance of the debate to the legal realm and shows a chronological evolution in the view that animals would be entitled to rights, justified by their recognition as sentient beings.


In "Truthmaker Semantics for Natural Language", Moltmann (2020) develops a unified account of a variety of phenomena of interest to both philosophers of language and linguistic semanticists, such as attitude reports, modals, and intensional transitive verbs, in terms of objectbased truthmaker semantics — a version of Fine's (2017a, 2017b, 2017c) truthmaker semantics, which expands the purview of verification/falsification from sentences to attitudinal and modal objects. As such, Moltmann's account requires a significant enrichment of the fairly austere ontology standardly assumed by semanticists, but arguably delivers concomitant conceptual and empirical gains. From a linguistic perspective, there are many reasons to find the notion of content delivered by truthmaker semantics attractive. For example, it provides a natural notion partial content which tracks speaker intuitions, as discussed extensively by Yablo (2014), and touched upon by Moltmann. Here, I'll take it as a given that an account of, e.g., attitude reports using the apparatus of truthmaker semantics is a worthwhile enterprise. The primary focus here will be on the precise semantics that Moltmann suggests for that-clauses. I'll argue that a semantics in terms of partial content fails to account for a range of facts concerning attitude reports, aswell as clausalmodifiers of content nouns. Rather, i'll suggest that a semantics for that-clauses based on equality of content is preferable.


In the next decade, deep galaxy surveys from telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope and Roman Space Telescope will provide transformational data sets that will greatly enhance the understanding of galaxy formation during the epoch of reionization (EoR). In this work, we present the Deep Realistic Extragalactic Model (DREaM) for creating synthetic galaxy catalogs. Our model combines dark matter simulations, subhalo abundance matching and empirical models, and includes galaxy positions, morphologies, and spectral energy distributions. The resulting synthetic catalog extends to redshifts z ∼ 12, and galaxy masses log10(M/M⊙)=5 covering an area of 1 deg2 on the sky. We use DREaM to explore the science returns of a 1 deg2 Roman ultra-deep field (UDF), and to provide a resource for optimizing ultra-deep survey designs. We find that a Roman UDF to ∼30 m AB will potentially detect more than 106 M UV < − 17 galaxies, with more than 104 at redshifts z > 7, offering an unparalleled data set for constraining galaxy properties during the EoR. Our synthetic catalogs and simulated images are made publicly available to provide the community with a tool to prepare for upcoming data.


Objectives: The health benefits of ' drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day " in healthy individuals are largely unproven. We aimed to examine the relationship between total fluid and the sources of fluid consumption, risk of rapid renal decline, cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and all-cause mortality in elderly women. Design, setting and participants: We conducted a longitudinal analysis of a population-based cohort study of 1055 women aged ≥ 70 years residing in Australia. Main outcome measures: The associations between total daily fluid intake (defined as total volume of beverage excluding alcohol and milk) and the types of fluid (water, black tea, coffee, milk and other fluids) measured as cups per day and rapid renal decline, CVD and all-cause mortality were assessed using adjusted logistic and Cox regression analyses. Results: Over a follow-up period of 10 years, 70 (6.6%) experienced rapid renal decline and 362 (34.4%) died, of which 142 (13.5%) deaths were attributed to CVD. The median (IQR) intake of total fluid was 10.4 (8.5 – 12.5) cups per day, with water (median (IQR) 4 (2 – 6) cups per day) and black tea (median (IQR) 3 (1 – 4) cups per day) being the most frequent type of fluid consumed. Every cup per day higher intake of black tea was associated with adjusted HRs of 0.90 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.99) and 0.92 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.98) for CVD mortality and all-cause mortality, respectively. There were no associations between black tea intake and rapid renal decline, or between the quantity or type of other fluids, including water intake, and any clinical outcomes. Conclusions: Habitual higher intake of black tea may potentially improve long-term health outcomes, independent of treating traditional CVD risk factors, but validation of our study findings is essential.


Abstract
This paper examines whether new media can address low levels of political engagement among youth. This paper reports the results of an experiment conducted in 2010 and 2011 where a random sample of participants were exposed to a variety of online news sources. The experiment is unique in recognizing the varied ways in which online news is accessed and acquired by users, including through social networks, and in assessing how different news stories affect political interest. Interest in local politics was higher for youth who were exposed to a variety of online news sources as opposed to those youth who were not exposed to these sources. In addition, use of online news increased political interest, controlling for prior levels of political interest. The results affirm the potential of online news sources to stimulate youth's interest and engagement in politics.


Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) has been proposed as a non-invasive method to detect endoscopic postoperative recurrence (POR). To date, few studies with small-sized cohorts have evaluated the role of SBCE in monitoring patients with CD in the postoperative setting, targeting the early POR (≤ 12 months). Our aim was to conduct a retrospective analysis of the performance of SBCE in assessing POR comparing three different situations encountered in clinical practice: detecting early POR, monitoring for late POR (≥ 12 months) and assessing response to treatment in patients with previous endoscopic-POR.

 We included all patients with known CD with previous ileocolonic resection followed in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit of Hospital Universitario de Navarra from 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2019 in which a SBCE was performed. Patients were divided in three groups (early POR, late POR and monitoring POR)

 A total of 113 SBCE procedures were included after excluding 18 cases (13.7%) due to a negative SB patency test. Patients were divided in early-POR group (n= 34), late-POR group (n=44) and monitoring-POR group (n=35). A total of 105 procedures (92.9%) were complete and 97 SBCE (85.5%) were considered conclusive since they allowed a correct assessment of the neoterminal ileum.
 Disease activity in the neoterminal ileum according to the Rutgeert's score is shown in figure 1. SBCE assessment was feasible for early (85%) and late (89%) detection of POR but with significant differences in the results. While in the Early-POR most patients (85%) had disease activity in the neoterminal ileum, only 64% of patients assessing late-POR had mucosal lesions (p= 0.03). There was relevant POR (Rutgeert's ≥i2) in 58.8% of the early-POR group compared to 27.3% in the late POR (p=0.02).
 For patients with previous POR, assessment with SBCE is also feasible with conclusive results in 83% of the patients. The predominant score was i2 with 26% of the group with similar proportions in the remaining scores (figure 1). Within the Monitoring-POR group, for those with previously assessed POR by endoscopy (either ileocolonoscopy or SBCE), the Rutgeerts Score improved in 43.5% of patients, worsened in 26% and remained unchanged in 30.5%. Overall, 45.7% of patients had relevant POR with 60% classified as i2.
 No adverse events occurred in our cohort.

 SBCE is a safe and effective method to assess the postoperative recurrence after an ileocecal resection in the early (≤ 12 months) and late setting in clinical practice. SBCE is a safe and effective method to assess the response to treatment in patients with previous endoscopic POR


The early effects of ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in human skin were studied in vivo. Volunteers exposed to 3 minimal erythema doses (MED) (8.2-40.8 × 106ergs/sq cm) were injected intradermally with tritiated thymidine (TdR-H3), immediately, 15 minutes, 3, 5, and 24 hours afterward, and biopsies processed for light microscopy autoradiography. Comparison of the results with findings in unirradiated human skin indicated: (1) a depression in the number of germinative basal cells synthesizing DNA prior to division at three and five hours after UV, as seen in other systems; (2) a population of sparsely labeled cells not only in the basal layer but also in the malpighian and granular layers and not seen in unirradiated skin or after several other types of acute injury. This aberrant type of TdR-3H incorporation has been seen in other systems and is thought to represent dark reactivation repair of irradiated DNA as occurs in microorganisms.


People from nations not accepting dual citizenship risk being expatriated against their will if naturalizing in another country and thus do not apply for citizenship in their new host nations. Accordingly, these migrants live and work without the ability to exercise such basic democratic rights as to vote and hold elected office, which require citizenship.Making matters worse: the very same nations that officially do not accept dual citizenship in fact grant exceptions to as many as 40% of immigrants creating a situation of highly unequal access to dual citizenship.Using select EU nations as examples, this article describes why modern liberal democracies should work towards allowing dual citizenship and how nations would actually gain from accepting dual citizenship instead of trying to resist it; a fight that has largely proven futile anyway.


––Interpretation of magnetotelluric data within the North Caucasus marginal massif, the uplift of the Main Range, and the Stavropol Arch, performed on the basis of one- and two-dimensional inversions of the impedance tensor components and three-dimensional mathematical modeling, makes it possible to compile the starting and test models that are necessary for a three-dimensional inversion. It is shown by the three-dimensional inversion of all the impedance tensor components, carried out on a test three-dimensional model, that it is possible to estimate the parameters of conducting model blocks. The three-dimensional inversion of all the experimental impedance matrix components, performed with account for the results obtained on the test three-dimensional model, significantly corrects the parameters of the conducting blocks identified at the stages of one- and two-dimensional inversions, as well as the three-dimensional mathematical modeling of magnetotelluric fields in the central part of the North Caucasus. In the resulting three-dimensional geoelectrical model of the region, the position of low-resistance blocks correlates with the location of suture zones, deep faults, volcanic chambers, and domains with converted earthquake waves, whose velocities are reduced and whose absorption is increased. This can be explained by the dependence of the conductivity of crustal blocks on water saturation. Earthquake hypocenters are grouped near low-resistance anomalies.


Abstract. This paper describes the development of a technically robust climate modelling system, HadGEM3, which couples the Met Office Unified Model atmosphere component, the NEMO ocean model and the Los Alamos sea ice model (CICE) using the OASIS coupler. Details of the coupling and technical solutions of the physical model (HadGEM3-AO) are documented, in addition to a description of the configurations of the individual submodels. The paper demonstrates that the implementation of the model has resulted in accurate conservation of heat and freshwater across the model components. The model performance in early versions of this climate model is briefly described to demonstrate that the results are scientifically credible. HadGEM3-AO is the basis for a number of modelling efforts outside of the Met Office, both within the UK and internationally. This documentation of the HadGEM3-AO system provides a detailed reference for developers of HadGEM3-based climate configurations.


Earlier studies have indicated that learning to handle a horse through tasks and activities can lead to a feeling of mastery which may have an impact on self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to examine how adolescents conducted horse-related tasks presented to them in an intervention in a farm environment, and whether there was a change during the intervention in persistence on tasks with the horse. Furthermore, we wanted to examine the behavior of the adolescents towards the horse and the response from the horse. Each participant was given an intervention once a week for approximately 16 weeks consisting of tasks with the horse, riding, grooming, and stable work. The sample presented in this study consisted of 29 participants who were successfully video-recorded in the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Petting the horse was the most frequent way of initiating contact with the horse, and the distributions of contact behaviors were the same at both time spots. The response of the horse was mainly neutral or positive. When participants did not succeed at their first attempt when trying to solve a horse-related task or an exercise during riding, their subsequent behavior was recorded as either trying again or not trying again. Early in the intervention, these two options were chosen with about the same frequency, while at the end of the intervention trying again was chosen significantly more often than not trying again. This was operationalized as an increase in persistence when having difficulties in solving tasks with the horse. The increased persistence late in the intervention in retrying tasks may indicate that the adolescents developed a feeling of mastery, which is an important factor in development of self-efficacy.


The quality of athlete-coach relationships is important for athletes' performance and development. In the current paper, we report a qualitative investigation of coach-athlete relationships among several Southern African Olympians and their coaches, thereby providing a perspective beyond current research predominantly done in the developed Western world. Ten coach-athlete dyads from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe participated in semi-structured interviews. In addition, athletes from Botswana and South Africa participated in separate focus groups. The analysis revealed that elements of 3Cs +1 framework were evident, while culture also plays a pivotal role in shaping coach-athlete relations. Beyond closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation, themes associated with parental roles and cultural influences were found. We conclude that the study of athlete-coach relationships may benefit from culturally specific and sensitive research that addresses the nuances that underline the complex interpersonal dynamics between athletes and coaches.


A clear understanding of myocardial development is essential not only for understanding the molecular basis of congenital heart disease and its prevention, but also for successful regeneration after cardiac injury. A recent study used a novel Cre/LoxP-based lineage-tracing approach with a multicolor reporter in zebrafish to examine the fates of populations of developing cardiomyocytes. The results showed that a remarkably few number of clones of cardiomyocytes are involved in the formation of adult zebrafish heart. Furthermore, a striking difference in the mechanism of myocardial compaction was described, involving the creation of a completely new layer of cortical myocardium.

Cardiac development is a complex process involving multiple, meticulously orchestrated molecular, cellular, and morphogenetic events to give rise to a properly functioning organ. Although detailed investigation in model organisms such as flies, frogs, chicks, and mice have greatly informed our understanding of the early regulators in this process, there has been a relative lack of data addressing the later stages of myocardial formation and the cell origins that give rise to maturing cardiomyocytes.

To identify the native myocardial architecture, pioneering studies from Mikawa et al have attempted to clonally label myocardial cell populations during cardiac development in the chick by using a single-cell retroviral tagging strategy (Figure).1 These studies showed that one single-labeled cardiomyocyte can give rise to a wedge-shaped cluster of descendent cardiomyocytes that migrate inward from the outer subepicardial layer toward the inner trabecular layer. It was proposed that each of these cell clusters represent individual units of clonally related myocardium that function in synchrony.2 Consistent with this model, the development of the trabecular myocardium in mice appears to involve the delamination of myocardial cells away from their neighbors along the epicardial wall, a cell population that eventually gives rise to the compact myocardial layer (Figure). …


BACKGROUND
Increasing numbers of children with behaviour and school problems (related to both academic achievement and social participation) are recognized as having undiagnosed speech, language and communication difficulties. Both speech, language and communication difficulties and school failure are risk factors for offending.

AIMS
To investigate the prevalence of speech, language and communication difficulties in a group of persistent and prolific young offenders sentenced to the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP), and to provide a preliminary evaluation of the impact of speech and language therapy (SLT) intervention.

METHODS & PROCEDURES
Seventy-two entrants to ISSP over 12 months were screened by the speech and language therapist. Those showing difficulties then had a detailed language assessment followed by intervention delivered jointly by the speech and language therapist and the youth offending team staff. Reassessment occurred at programme completion.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS
A total of 65% of those screened had profiles indicating that they had language difficulties and might benefit from speech and language therapy intervention. As a cohort, their language skills were lower than those of the general population, and 20% scored at the 'severely delayed' level on standardized assessment. This is the first study of speech and language therapy within community services for young offenders, and is the first to demonstrate language improvement detectable on standardized language tests. However, further research is needed to determine the precise role of speech and language therapy within the intervention programme.

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS
Children and young people with behavioural or school difficulties coming into contact with criminal justice, mental health, psychiatric, and social care services need to be systematically assessed for undiagnosed speech, language and communication difficulties. Appropriate interventions can then enable the young person to engage with verbally mediated interventions.


Taxonomies consist of machine-interpretable semantics and provide valuable knowledge for many web applications. For example, online retailers (e.g., Amazon and eBay) use taxonomies for product recommendation, and web search engines (e.g., Google and Bing) leverage taxonomies to enhance query understanding. Enormous efforts have been made on constructing taxonomies either manually or semi-automatically. However, with the fast-growing volume of web content, existing taxonomies will become outdated and fail to capture emerging knowledge. Therefore, in many applications, dynamic expansions of an existing taxonomy are in great demand. In this paper, we study how to expand an existing taxonomy by adding a set of new concepts. We propose a novel self-supervised framework, named TaxoExpan, which automatically generates a set of ⟨query concept, anchor concept⟩ pairs from the existing taxonomy as training data. Using such self-supervision data, TaxoExpan learns a model to predict whether a query concept is the direct hyponym of an anchor concept. We develop two innovative techniques in TaxoExpan: (1) a position-enhanced graph neural network that encodes the local structure of an anchor concept in the existing taxonomy, and (2) a noise-robust training objective that enables the learned model to be insensitive to the label noise in the self-supervision data. Extensive experiments on three large-scale datasets from different domains demonstrate both the effectiveness and the efficiency of TaxoExpan for taxonomy expansion.


Backpacker enclaves have become important arenas for social and cultural exchange and identity formation. As customised spaces catering for visitors, they provide home comforts as well as points of contact with home for those on the road. Backpackers striving to experience something different often end up surrounded by the extended familiarity of home even in the most remote destinations. This problematises concepts such as the rite de passage or culture shock, which suggest a sudden and substantial shift between home and away. The concept of suspension is put forward as an alternative model, which sees culture shock and reversal being deferred by taking refuge in the enclave, providing difference without seriously challenging the basic cultural and social norms of the visitor. The suspended experiences in traveller enclaves are neither here nor there – not here because the real experience is outside the enclave, and not there because of the familiar surroundings of the enclave. Drawing on research from Bangkok and Sydney, this paper examines the way in which the roles of hosts and guests are negotiated in enclaves. Suspended environments provide a relatively neutral space in which the cultural knowledge of the host can be offered as a gateway to the authentic experiences outside the enclave. The neutral space of the enclave also provides the locals with the opportunity to consume the exotic cultures brought by the visitors in a safe way. The enclave therefore becomes a tool for mediating cultures, so that culture confusion is avoided from both sides, although true reversal is also prevented by the constructed familiarity of the enclave.


Over the last three decades there has been a lively and controversial discussion about the importance of character and charac- terization in Greek tragedy. In the first and slightly larger part of my paper I will deal with the most important arguments, which have been brought forward against a character-oriented interpretation, and then after a short comparison of Aeschylus and Sophocles look at extent and form of characterization in Aeschylean tragedy.


This paper reports on a two-terminal silicon nanoribbon (SiNR) field-effect pH sensor operated in electrolyte. Observed experimentally and confirmed by modeling, the sensor is activated by self-gating with a gate bias set by the potential difference of the two terminals. The effect of this gate bias on the SiNR conductance is modulated by the potential drop over the electrical double layer (EDL) established on the SiNR surface, similarly to the threshold voltage modulation by EDL in a three-terminal SiNR field-effect transistor with an independent gate electrode. The potential drop over EDL is determined by the pH value of the electrolyte.


The communication scenario under consideration in this paper corresponds to a multiuser channel with side information and consists of a broadcast channel with two legitimate receivers and an eavesdropper. Mainly, the results obtained are as follows. First, an achievable rate region is provided for the (general) case of discrete-input discrete-output channels, generalizing existing results. Second, the obtained theorem is used to derive achievable transmission rates for two practical cases of Gaussian channels. It is shown that known perturbations can enlarge the rate region of broadcast wiretap channels with side information and having side information at the decoder as well can increase the secrecy rate of channels with side information. Third, we establish for the first time an explicit connection between multiuser channels and observation structures in dynamic games. In this respect, we show how to exploit the proved achievability theorem (discrete case) to derive a communication-compatible upper bound on the minmax level of a player.


CMS has a distributed computing model, based on a hierarchy of tiered regional computing centres. However, the end physicist is not interested in the details of the computing model nor the complexity of the underlying infrastructure, but only to access and use efficiently and easily the remote services. The CMS Remote Analysis Builder (CRAB) is the official CMS tool that allows the access to the distributed data in a transparent way. We present the current development direction, which is focused on improving the interface presented to the user and adding intelligence to CRAB such that it can be used to automate more and more the work done on behalf of user. We also present the status of deployment of the CRAB system and the lessons learnt in deploying this tool to the CMS collaboration. Presented at 17th International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics,21-27 March 2007,Prague,Czech republic,15/05/2009 Automation of user analysis workflow in CMS D Spiga, M Cinquilli, G Codispoti, A Fanfani, F Fanzago, F Farina, S Lacaprara, E Miccio, H Riahi, E Vaandering CERN Università and INFN Perugia Università and INFN Bologna INFN-Padova INFN Milano Bicocca INFN-LNL INFN-CNAF FNAL E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com, email@example.com, email@example.com, email@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, firstname.lastname@example.com, email@example.com, email@example.com Abstract. CMS has a distributed computing model, based on a hierarchy of tiered regional computing centres. However, the end physicist is not interested in the details of the computing model nor the complexity of the underlying infrastructure, but only to access and use efficiently CMS has a distributed computing model, based on a hierarchy of tiered regional computing centres. However, the end physicist is not interested in the details of the computing model nor the complexity of the underlying infrastructure, but only to access and use efficiently and easily the remote services. The CMS Remote Analysis Builder (CRAB) is the official CMS tool that allows the access to the distributed data in a transparent way. We present the current development direction, which is focused on improving the interface presented to the user and adding intelligence to CRAB such that it can be used to automate more and more the work done on behalf of user. We also present the status of deployment of the CRAB system and the lessons learnt in deploying this tool to the CMS collaboration.


ABSTRACT Upstream activating factor (UAF) is a multisubunit complex that functions in the activation of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription by RNA polymerase I (Pol I). Cells lacking the Uaf30 subunit of UAF reduce the rRNA synthesis rate by ∼70% compared to wild-type cells and produce rRNA using both Pol I and Pol II. Miller chromatin spreads demonstrated that even though there is an overall reduction in rRNA synthesis in uaf30 mutants, the active rDNA genes in such strains are overloaded with polymerases. This phenotype was specific to defects in Uaf30, as mutations in other UAF subunits resulted in a complete absence of rDNA genes with high or even modest Pol densities. The lack of Uaf30 prevented UAF from efficiently binding to the rDNA promoter in vivo, leading to an inability to activate a large number of rDNA genes. The relatively few genes that did become activated were highly transcribed, apparently to compensate for the reduced rRNA synthesis capacity. The results show that Uaf30p is a key targeting factor for the UAF complex that facilitates activation of a large proportion of rDNA genes in the tandem array.


Talebi's essay emerges at the intersection of the state's appropriation of martyrdom and the subject's ethos and act of self-sacrifice, which exceed and transform that appropriation. Through a close reading of two letters sent from the front during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88), it contemplates the complex desire of its authors to be simultaneously engaged political subjects and martyrs. The analysis attempts to illuminate the dynamic relationship within the official discourse and that which is reproduced through subjects' interpretations and practices of shahādat. These interpretations are closely tied to the political and existential context of the aftermath of the 1979 Revolution, which despite the harsh political suppression allows for an appropriation of the official views of martyrdom and their evasion, elaboration, or extension. It reveals how a pious citizen utilizes the voice of a martyr to subtly criticize the very state that endorses his views. It also exposes the complex relationships between citizens and state in the Islamic Republic as manifested in the key metaphor of martyrdom. The appearance of the same passage in another letter by another combatant unravels a disjuncture that provides insight into the subjectivity of those who fought and the shared and contested meanings of martyrdom in Iran after the revolution. The essay attempts to offer an interpretation of martyrdom that recognizes the dynamism and complexity of the subjects of the shahid and shahādat instead of reducing them to pathological figures.


The diffusion of electric vehicles in Italy has started but some complications weight its spread. At present, hybrid technology is the most followed by users, due particularly to socioeconomic factors such as cost of investment and range anxiety. After a deep discussion of the Italian scenario, the aim of the paper is to recognize whether fuel cell technology may be an enabling solution to overcome pollution problems and respect for the environment. The opportunity to use fuel cells to store electric energy is quite fascinating—the charging times will be shortened and heavy passenger transport should be effortless challenged. On the basis of the present history and by investigating the available information, this work reports the current e-mobility state in Italy and forecasts the cities in which a fuel cell charging infrastructure should be more profitable, with the intention of granting a measured outlook on the plausible development of this actual niche market.


EMMA project has been focused on how the sense of presence in virtual environments mediates or generates emotional responses, and how to use presence and emotional responses in virtual environments effectively in clinical and non clinical settings. EMMA project has developed two different virtual environments. The first one acts as a 'mood device' and is aimed to induce and enhance several moods on clinical and non clinical subjects. The second one is a virtual environment that acts as an adaptive display to treat emotional disorders (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Adjustment Disorder and Pathological Grief). This virtual world varies the contents that are presented depending on the emotions of the patient at each moment. The goal of this paper is to outline the main goals achieved by this project.


Do transitory income shocks affect infant health? I find evidence that birth weights fell following a temporary income reduction caused by an unexpected, month-long blackout in Zanzibar. Relying on 350 household surveys collected during field work, I show that the 2008 blackout reduced labor supply of workers in electricity-dependent jobs by an average of 25%, with no effect on workers in other sectors. The income shock was temporary. Using over 20,000 birth records from a maternity ward, I document a reduction in the average birth weight of children exposed to the blackout while in utero, and an increase in the probability of low birth weight. Supporting a causal interpretation of these results, the reduction in weights is correlated with measures of maternal exposure to the blackout. In particular, reductions in birth weights were largest among children from wards with intermediate levels of employment in electrified sectors. The two causes that are most consistent with these results are a blackout-induced decline in maternal nutrition, and maternal stress. Alternative explanations are examined, including the possible effects of a temporary fertility shift. It is shown that the blackout increased births, but that selection into pregnancy cannot explain the drop in birth weights.


Enclosed with No. 1004. Went to Vienna to inquire into situation of Jewish Community there; found it extremely grave; many Jews in Vienna and provinces arrested without cause; Jewish businesses ruined or taken over by Aryans without compensation; small Jewish communities also victimized; after being disposessed of all they owned, Jews were forced to sign declaration that they were giving up their possesions and leaving voluntarily; ill treatment and seizure of property the work of S.A., S.S., and Gestapo; no complaints made against Vienna police or members of regular forces; immediately urgent to secure release of those Jews in prison and stop the confiscation of Jewish property; authorities freely admitted the Jews must leave Austria and that the same fate would befall Jews in Hungary, Poland, and Rumania.


Although recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) is rare in humans, recent literature indicates that some patients do recover sensorimotor function years after the trauma. This study seeks to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of SCI repair through the investigation of neurodegenerative and regenerative associated genes involved in the response to SCI during the chronic phase in adult rats. Intervention on the level of gene regulation focused on enhancing naturally attempting SCI regenerative genes has the potential to promote SCI repair. Our aim was to analyze gene expression characteristics of candidate genes involved in the neuro‐degenerative and ‐regenerative processes following various animal models of SCI. We compiled data showing gene expression changes after SCI in adult rats and created a chronological time‐line of candidate genes differentially expressed during the chronic phase of SCI. Compiled data showed that SCI induced a transient upregulation of endogenous neuro‐regenerative genes not only within a few hours but also within a few days, weeks, and months after SCI. For example, gene controlling growth‐associated protein‐43 (GAP‐43), brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and others, showed significant changes in mRNA accumulation in SCI animals, from 48 hours to 12 weeks after SCI. Similarly, inhibitory genes, such as RhoA, LINGO‐1, and others, were upregulated as late as 4 to 14 days after injury. This indicates that gene specific regulation changes, corresponding to repair and regenerative attempts, are naturally orchestrated over time after injury. These delayed changes after SCI give ample time for therapeutic gene modulation through upregulation or silencing of specific genes responsible for the synthesis of the corresponding biogenic proteins. By following the examination of differential gene regulation during the chronic phase, we have determined times, successions, co‐activations, interferences, and dosages for potential therapeutic synchronized interventions. Finally, local cellular specificities and their neuropathophysiologies have been taken into account in the elaboration of the combination treatment strategy we propose. The interventions we propose suggest the delivery of exogenous therapeutic agents to upregulate or downregulate chosen genes or the expression of the downstream proteins to revert the post‐traumatic stage of SCI during the chronic phase. The proposed combination and schedule of local cell‐specific treatment should enhance intrinsic regenerative machinery and provide a promising strategy for treating patients sustaining chronic SCI. Synapse, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The sucrose (Suc) H -cotransporter StSUT1 from potato (Solanum tuberosum), which is essential for long-distance transport of Suc and assumed to play a role in phloem loading in mature leaves, was found to be expressed in sink tubers. To answer the question of whether SUT1 serves a function in phloem unloading in tubers, the promoter was fused to gusA and expression was analyzed in transgenic potato. SUT1 expression was unexpectedly detected not in tuber parenchyma but in the phloem of sink tubers. Immunolocalization demonstrated that StSUT1 protein was present only in sieve elements of sink tubers, cells normally involved in export of Suc from the phloem to supply developing tubers, raising the question of the role of SUT1 in tubers. SUT1 expression was inhibited by antisense in transgenic potato plants using a class I patatin promoter B33, which is primarily expressed in the phloem of developing tubers. Reduced SUT1 expression in tubers did not affect aboveground organs but led to reduced fresh weight accumulation during early stages of tuber development, indicating that in this phase SUT1 plays an important role for sugar transport. Changes in Sucand starch-modifying enzyme activities and metabolite profiles are consistent with the developmental switch in unloading mechanisms. Altogether, the findings may suggest a role of SUT1 in retrieval of Suc from the apoplasm, thereby regulating the osmotic potential in the extracellular space, or a direct role in phloem unloading acting as a phloem exporter transferring Suc from the sieve elements into the apoplasm.


Employability skills are identified as one of the valuable policy tools to upgrade mobility and earnings. Organization"s employees are required to possess the knowledge and skills for increasing the organization"s performance and competitiveness. Employability of graduates has become an issue that is not easy to be ignored in the global economy. However, the key employability skills need to be identify and categorised according to specific industry like interior design. It is a necessity to have a right set of employability skills for employer satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to find out the required skill set for enhancing the employability of graduates and employees majorly focusing on interior design sector. This paper proposed the set of skills important for employability of interior design. Prominent databases were searched using combination of keywords and based on that 105 papers were selected for study. They were further filtered based on their title, abstract and findings and finally 25 papers were left. We have majorly focused upon eight sets of skills: communication skills, problem solving skills, teamwork skills, design skills, project management skills, computer skills, personal attributes and pre-graduates work experiences. On the basis of above-mentioned skills a checklist has been proposed which has been verified based on the literature review. The implications of this study will be helpful in guiding both industry and academia in incorporating and enhancing these skills among professionals


Digital technology is one of the greatest modern breakthroughs, allowing sounds, words and images to be stored in binary form. However, there is a huge gap between the amount of data created daily and the capacities of existing storage media. Developing multibit memory in which 2n levels, typically represented by distinguishable current levels, can be achieved in a single cell is a critical specification for achieving high-density memory devices. Compared with electrically operated memory, photonic memory—in which electrical read-out is orthogonal to the photo-programming operation—promises high differentiation among different data levels. From another aspect, benefiting from its high density, multifunctionality, low power consumption, and multilevel data storage, photonic memory devices hold future promise for built-in, non-volatile memory and reconstructed logic operation and are expected to bridge this capacity gap. Thus, we present a review on the development of photonic memory, with a view towards inspiring more intriguing ideas on the elegant selection of materials and design of novel device structures that may finally induce major progress in the manufacture and application of photonic memory.


If a smooth, closed, and embedded curve is deformed along its normal vector field at a rate proportional to its curvature, it shrinks to a circular point. This curve evolution is called Euclidean curve shortening and the result is known as the Gage-Hamilton-Grayson theorem. Motivated by the rendezvous problem for mobile autonomous robots, we address the problem of creating a polygon shortening flow. A linear scheme is proposed that exhibits several analogues to Euclidean curve shortening: The polygon shrinks to an elliptical point, convex polygons remain convex, and the perimeter of the polygon is monotonically decreasing.


In countries like the United States, many immigrants and children of immigrants have embraced sentiments of nationalism and patriotism, leading to what many have called a crisis of identity. This crisis, particularly for people of color, often, if not always, comes from the imaginary lines of separation between race and religion. The question, then, is, how are these borders negotiated? This paper draws from fieldwork conducted as a master's student. This paper explores the notions of space, diaspora, transnationalism, and diasporic transnationalism drawing from the works of Chandra Talpade Mohanty and Lorgia García Peña, among others, in two parts. First, this paper examines borders as they exist domestically in the United States and considers the role of a home's threshold as a 'border' of negotiation between public and domestic identity. Second, this paper considers the ways borders are simultaneously imagined and blurred in a global community diaspora.


Routes of evaporative water loss in the tenebrionid beetle Phrynocolus petrosus Gerstaecker from dry savanna in East Africa were investigated. The humidity of the air surrounding the abdomen, the air surrounding the head and pronotum and the air inside the subelytral cavity was varied independently, and the effects on organismal rate of water loss were observed.

The rate of organismal water loss dropped when the humidity around the head and pronotum and inside the subelytral cavity increased. Saturation of these air compartments, which both exchange respiratory gases with the tracheae through the spiracles, reduced the organismal rate of water loss by more than 80%, even when the large abdominal surface was surrounded by dry air. The results indicate that the transcuticular water loss makes up only about 20% of the total transpiratory water loss in these beetles, i.e. transcuticular water permeability is very low.

The results also indicate that the average air humidity inside the subelytral cavity of normal intact beetles is close to saturation. Water loss from the subelytral chamber is reduced accordingly, and appears to make up less than 10% of the total transpiratory water loss. The water loss over the pronotal spiracles amounts to about 70%, and is thus the dominant component of transpiratory water loss in these beetles.


Policy decisions regarding the quality of the physical school environment—both, school siting and school facility planning policies—are often considered through the lens of environmental planning, public health, or education policy, but rarely through all three. Environmental planners consider environmental justice issues on a local level and/or consider the regional impact of a school. Public health professionals focus on toxic exposures and populations particularly vulnerable to negative health outcomes. Educators and education policymakers emphasize investing in human capital of both students and staff. By understanding these respective angles and combining these efforts around the common goals of achieving adequacy and excellence, we can work toward a regulatory system for school facilities that recognizes children as a uniquely vulnerable population and seeks to create healthier school environments in which children can learn and adults can work.


This paper discusses issues related to developing successful mobile applications both businesswise and in terms of user satisfaction. It shows that despite the many limitations mobile devices have, it is worthwhile considering developing them. Mobile commerce may become the key driving force for developing mobile applications, just as electronic commerce catalyzed the development of Web applications. This paper puts special emphasis on goal-driven applications, and suggests seven key principles for developing highly goal-driven mobile applications. Finally, the importance of mobile usability evaluation is emphasized.


Rear-end crashes are a major roadway safety problem, and the potential of crash countermeasures to address this has long been recognized. High-frequency or severe-consequence scenarios are focused on the general lead-vehicle-not-moving (LVNM) case and specific crash scenarios. Operating scenarios are identified, and frequencies are assessed. From these, a small number of prevalent LVNM crash scenarios are identified as the focus for subsequent model development and crash counter-measure efforts. These scenarios suggest nominal atmospheric, roadway, lighting, vehicle, and driver conditions in designing cost-effective safety features to avoid LVNM rear-end crashes. From this, emergent models for cognitive car following are developed, based on fusing current knowledge. This will serve as a foundation for further model development efforts as well as for future human-factors experiments.


Numerical analysis of a wire drawing operation to compute the stress distribution along the blank cross-section is presented. The governing equation describing the wire drawing equation is weakened using the Bubnov-Galerkin finite element method to obtain the finite element model. The blank is descritized into a mesh of C0 quadratic isoparametric and C0 cubic finite elements. Stiffness matrices for all elements are obtained using the finite element model which were subsequently assembled by enforcing continuity of the nodal stress. Boundary conditions are applied and the resulting condensed system of equation solved for unknown nodal stresses using Gauss Seidel method. The relative performance of the C0 quadratic and C0 cubic elements are assessed. Parametric analysis is carried out to show the influence of drawing parameters on the stresses generated and drawing load. The analysis was carried out using a Visual Basic.Net program developed by the authors.The results are presented in both graphical and tabular forms.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the histopathologic characteristics of atherosclerotic lessions in diffuse coronary artery disease and to evaluate the possible inflammatory role of chronic infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP).MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 10 patients (males, mean age 61 years) who were surgically treated for grave diffuse coronary artery disease, histomorphological analyses of endarterectomized segments of the coronary arteries were performed. Serological analyses for the detection of CP antibodies in peripheral blood were done, preoperatively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Diffuse and concentric atherosclerotic changes from VI to VIII stage according to the Stary classification were found. Immunohistochemical methods revealed infiltrates of T-lymphocytes (80% of cases), B-lymphocytes (40% of cases) and macrophages (80%). Using the nuclear marker for proliferation activity MIB-1, single MIB-1 positive cells were found in 40% of cases. Features of arteriologenesis and vasculitis of newly formed arterioles (as well as thickening of the wall of newly formed arterioles) were found in the vessel wall of 8 patients, 7 of them had chronic infection with CP (preoperative micro-immunofluorescent test results: 1:32<IgG ≥1:512 and IgA≥32), one had passed CP infection (1:32 ≤IgG<1:512, IgA negative). These features were absent in 2 patients, both recovered from CP infection and had not the chronic CP infection at the time of surgery. DNA of Chlamydia pneumoniae was detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in the vessel wall of 3 patients who were chosen randomly for this method. This study suggests an inflammatory and proatherogenic role of CP in a high grade atherosclerotic coronary artery wall in diffuse coronary artery disease.


We estimate the effect of Vietnam-era Army service on mortality, exploiting Australia's conscription lotteries for identification. We utilize population data on deaths during 1994-2007 and military personnel records. The estimates are identified by over 51,000 compliers induced to enlist in the Army. We find no statistically significant effects on mortality overall, nor for any cause of death. The estimated relative risk (RR) of death associated with Army service is 1.03 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.19). On the assumption that Army service affected mortality only for those who served in Vietnam, the estimated RR is 1.06 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.51).


The purpose of this essay is to show how cultural politics has affected the relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China. The primary focus in this essay will be the period starting from 1949, the same year as the beginning of communist party's control in China. Through an outline of cultural rhetoric and government policies during the Cold War, this essay will serve to find points of tension between the two world superpowers and outline the effects of Cold War foreign policies on relations in the 21st century. In this essay, the intricate relationship between culture and politics will also serve as the basis for the study with respects to Cold War-era politics and the debunking of common dilemmas related to modern and past US-China foreign policy. Through the discovery of a cultural "middle ground", modern US-China foreign relations have the potential to grow and prosper into a mutually beneficial relationship which not only aids in bilateral relations but provides a sense of international stability as well.


Background—Although individuals of Hispanic ethnicity are at high risk for developing heart failure (HF), little is known about differences between Hispanic HF patients stratified by left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). We compared characteristics, quality of care, and outcomes between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white patients hospitalized for HF with preserved EF (PEF) or reduced EF (REF). Methods and Results—From 247 hospitals in Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure between 2005–2010, 6117 Hispanics were compared with 71 859 non-Hispanic whites. Forty-six percent of Hispanics had PEF (EF >40%), whereas 54% had REF (EF <40%); 55% and 45% of non-Hispanic whites had PEF and REF, respectively. Relative to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics with PEF or REF were more likely to be younger and to have diabetes, hypertension, and overweight/obesity. In multivariate analysis, a lower mortality risk was observed among Hispanics with PEF (odds ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.31–0.81; P=0.005) but not in Hispanics with REF (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–1.43; P=0.784) compared with non-Hispanic whites. In all groups, composite performance improved within the study period (Hispanics PEF: 75.2–95.1%; non-Hispanic whites PEF: 79.0–92.7%; Hispanics REF: 67.7–88.4%; non-Hispanic whites REF: 60.8–85.6%, P<0.0001). Conclusions—Hispanic HF patients with PEF had better in-hospital survival than non-Hispanic whites with PEF. Inpatient mortality was similar between groups with REF. Quality of care was similar and improved over time irrespective of ethnicity, highlighting the potential benefit of performance improvement programs in promoting equitable care.


The ecological footprint model with food, house, energy and waste as consumption accounts through analysis of urban matter and energy consumption was established. Based on 2000-2009 data of Fushun, a resource-based and heavy industrial city, ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity and ecological surplus/deficit of Fushun were analyzed, respectively, and then urban sustainable development status was evaluated. The results show that the urban development state is ecological deficit and ecological deficit index have been increased from 5.227hm2/cap to 6.516hm2/cap during 2000-2009, Fushun is always under an overload condition, which is highly unsustainable. The ecological footprint is 89.39% made up by the fossil energy footprint on average, the main consumption of Fushun's development are fossil energy land. And then urban 104 Yuan GDP ecological footprint index decreased from 5.660 hm2/cap to 2.247hm2/cap during 2000-2009, the urban energy utilizing efficiency have been improved.


We provide a quantitative picture of non-conserved interface growth from a diffusive field, placing special emphasis on two main issues, the range of validity of the effective small slopes (interfacial) theories and the interplay between the emergence of morphological instabilities in the aggregate dynamics, and its kinetic roughening properties. Taking for definiteness electrochemical deposition as our experimental field of reference, our theoretical approach makes use of two complementary approaches: interfacial effective equations and a phase-field formulation of the electrodeposition process. Both descriptions allow us to establish a close quantitative connection between theory and experiments. Moreover, we are able to correlate the anomalous scaling properties seen in some experiments with the failure of the small slope approximation, and to assess the effective re-emergence of standard kinetic roughening properties at very long times under appropriate experimental conditions.


In order for computer graphics to accurately represent real world environments, it is essential that physically based illumination models are used. However, typical global illumination solutions may take many seconds, even minutes to render a single frame. This precludes their use in any interactive system. In this paper we present Rendering on Demand, a selective physically-based parallel rendering system which enables high-fidelity virtual computer graphics imagery to be rendered at close to interactive rates. By exploiting knowledge of the human visual system we substantially reduce computation costs by rendering only the areas of perceptual importance in high quality. The rest of the scene is rendered at a significantly lower quality without the viewer being aware of the quality difference. This is validated through psychophysical experimentation.