The multiresolution technique is one of the most important techniques for image segmentation. Wavelet transformation is a pixel-based method and is widely used for multiresolution segmentation approaches, but it suffers the deficiency of modeling the macrotexture pattern of a given image. In order to overcome such a problem, this letter extends the multiresolution technique from the pixel level to the region level and proposes a new image segmentation model by incorporating the multiregion-resolution and the Markov random field model. Experiments are conducted using synthetic-aperture-radar data and remote sensing images, which demonstrates that our method can improve the segmentation accuracy compared with the multiresolution method based on the pixel level.


Acoustic impedance of aging epoxy coating in nuclear plant is measured for evaluation of the degradation of the epoxy coating using a new ultrasonic measurement technique that uses a specially designed conical acoustic lens to determine the reflection coefficient (reflectance) of the epoxy coating. Reflection waves measured at two different vertical positions slightly apart from each other are subtracted and used to calculate the acoustic impedance of the epoxy coating. Epoxy coated concrete specimens are fabricated and degraded artificially under accelerated aging conditions to determine the acoustic impedance of the films. Experimental results show that the acoustic impedance is very sensitive to the degradation of coating and can be applied to evaluate the quality of the epoxy coating quantitatively.


Simulation of railways control and protection systems allows the performance of different research tasks at low cost. The possibilities range from the design of the overall system to the planning of the allocation of trackside equipment, checking their influence over the line movements. In this case, simulation of ERTMS / ETCS (European Rail Traffic Management System / European Train Control System) system is especially interesting for its novelty. One properly design simulator would allow to check the technical specifications for finding contradictions that may be introduced during the design of the system, and their subsequent correction. Employment of the simulator for the implementation of the driving and circulation rules is possible too. One simulator would definitely be the essential tool for the final step between the design and the implementation of ERTMS / ETCS. In this paper, one ERTMS / ETCS simulator is presented. This tool is developed under Visual C++, using the power of Object Oriented Programming, and is organized in several applications, which communicates each other by means of the CORBA standard. System Requirements Specifications written by the members of the UNISIG group are fulfilled. Any line configuration in order to reproduce different scenarios is allowed. In this way exercises may be run in the simulator to obtain information about the system and reach the objectives listed above. In the simulator, different equipments of the ERTMS / ETCS system are clearly separated in trackside and trainborne equipments. In the trainborne


The European research project EMUVE (Euro Mediterranean Urban Voids Ecology), funded by EU, within the Marie Curie Research Programme, and developed at the Welsh School of Architecture, focuses on the study of the current associated issues problematic revolving around of industrial heritage abandonment produced by the economic crisis in the metropolitan areas of the Euro‐Mediterranean coastline, and the investigation of new methodologies of urban experimentation for their reactivation from a flexible and resilient perspectives.
EMUVE research project has developed a comparative research on several cases study along the Euro‐Mediterranean coastline in Spain, France and Italy. This abstract presents two of them : Campo Boario in Rome and Can Batllo in Barcelona.
Campo Boario, the main ex- slaughterhouse located in the roman area of Testaccio, was an example of self-organization and informal cohabitation between different cultures promoted by Stalker group, a collective of architects, artists, activists and researchers. The place was evicted in 2004 by the city council to be formally regenerated but the disappearance of mediators in the process, the lack of an homogeneous strategy for the whole, the current limitation in the definition of the concept of heritage, as well as the absence of a global vision by communal administration for the development of adequate management and legal instruments have evidenced the current failure of the reactivation of this space which nowadays is partially abandoned and degraded. On the other hand, Can Battlo an abandoned XIXth C. industry in Barcelona now reactivated by the
local community, constitutes an interesting example of a successful agreement between the city council and the neighbours in the search of alternative heritage recovery strategies. In this process the role as mediators of La Col group, formed by architects, has been essential to reach this cooperative relationship between the different stakeholders.
Through the analysis of these cases, this abstract intends to explore different kinds of engagement of the communities in the industrial heritage regeneration process and the new role of architects, urban planners, landscape architects and public agencies officers.


This paper assesses the impact of social factors on the development of allergic diseases in early childhood. Epidemiological research has shown increasing allergy rates with improvements in social economic status (SES). However, we argue that the pattern of social influences on allergies is too coloured to be reduced to mere correlations between allergy and SES only. We would suggest rather explaining effects of SES on allergic diseases by mediating factors of the social and the physical environment. Hence, in our study we analyzed infants with atopic dermatitis as well as infants with symptoms of wheezing for the influence of SES and other socioeconomic variables. Further, we examined whether SES and socioeconomic variables interact with several risk factors of the social and physical environment. Our results indicate that associations between socioeconomic variables and allergies point to hidden influences of the social and physical environment, which must be revealed in order to understand the social causes of allergies. As we did so we could provide evidence that SES is not a causal risk factor for allergies, as is imprecisely suggested by many epidemiological studies. Indeed, correlations between SES and disease outcomes are a powerful measure to indicate social influences on health and illness. But they might only be a first step in a multi-factorial research approach, which assesses the various pathways through which social factor and human health interact.


ABSTRACT De Jong, B.; Keijsers, J.G.S.; Riksen, M.J.P.M.; Krol, J., and Slim, P.A., 2014. Soft engineering vs. a dynamic approach in coastal dune management: a case study on the North Sea barrier island of Ameland, The Netherlands. Dunes act as flood defenses in coastal zones, protecting low-lying interior lands from flooding. To ensure coastal safety, insight is needed on how dunes develop under different types of management. The current study focuses on two types of coastal dune management: (1) a "soft engineering" approach, in which sand fences are placed on the seaward side of foredunes, and (2) "dynamic coastal management," with minimal or no dune maintenance. The effects of these management styles on dune formation are examined for two adjacent coastal sections of the North Sea barrier island of Ameland, The Netherlands, where dynamic coastal management was introduced in 1995 and 1999, respectively. For each section, we analyzed cross-shore profile data from 1980 until 2010, deriving dune foot position, crest position, crest height, and foredune volume for each year and analyzing the situation before and after the change in management. We further assessed the effect of the management regime on dune vegetation. Other factors that could influence dune development were also taken into account, such as beach width and shape, water levels, wave heights, and nourishments. Results show that implementation of dynamic coastal management did not directly affect the volume of the foredune. Growth was occasionally interrupted, coinciding with high-water events. In periods between erosive storms, dune growth rates did not show a significant difference between management types (p = 0.09 and 0.32 for sections 1 and 2, respectively). The main effect of the change was on vegetation development. Dynamic coastal management, therefore, did not reduce coastal safety.


This study explored the influence of four factors, talent, effort, emotion and social context on the academic self-efficacy. It also examined the relationships between self-efficacy and freshmen's academic performance. This study also investigated academic self-efficacy in relation to the location of the campus, programs, gender, the place of residence, previous achievement, family income, parents' occupation and education level. Academic self-efficacy is defined as students' judgements about their cognitive capabilities to accomplish a specific task or obtain specific goals. Studies show that students' self-efficacy can affect their choice of course and activities, how much effort they expend and how long they persist in the face of difficulties. It has important implications for motivation and academic performance. A total of 399 freshmen from Universiti Teknologi Mara, Malaysia were surveyed by questionnaire in this study. The Freshmen's Academic Self-Efficacy (FASE) Questionnaire consisted of 39 items was designed using 4-point Likert scale response apart from 12 socio-demographic items. The reliability coefficient of FASE was .7342, indicating that the items in the survey questionnaire were reliable. The academic performance was obtained from students' GPA.The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the aspect of academic self-efficacy at p<.05 between gender. However, there was significant difference between Engineering and Business Studies program with mean score for Engineering higher than Business Studies at p<.05. Female engineering freshmen reported the highest academic self-efficacy than its male counterparts, followed by the male and female freshmen respectively from the Business Studies program. Previous school backgrounds significantly influenced Arau freshmen academic self-efficacy at p<.05 with students from Diploma UiTM scored higher in academic-self-efficacy.
Parents' education level and occupation significantly influenced freshmen academic self-efficacy at p<.05. The result showed that freshmen parents whose were educated and worked as professional have higher academic self-efficacy than those whose parents worked in clerical or manual sector. This study suggested that family background of the freshmen is an important variable in determining their academic self-efficacy.Emotion correlated strongly with academic self-efficacy followed by talent, effort and social context. The four factors, however, correlated positively but weakly to GPA. Overall, there was a positive but weak relationship between academic self- efficacy and GPA (r=.199, p<.01). This means that freshmen who scored higher in academic self-efficacy have slightly better academic results.Non-academic factors such as the socio-environment factors, parents' background and freshmen emotion play important roles in determining students' academic performance. This study proposes that the interacting forces of peers. parents and educators are important in shaping the attitudes of freshmen as well as determining their academic self-efficacy and academic performance


Most models of volatile delivery to accreting terrestrial planets assume that the carriers for water are similar in water content to the carbonaceous chondrites in our solar system. Here we consider how the water content of planetesimals may be higher in many planetary systems, as they could lack the short-lived radionuclides that drove water loss in carbonaceous chondrites in our solar system. Using N-body simulations, we explore how planetary accretion would be different if bodies beyond the water line contained a water-mass fraction consistent with chemical equilibrium calculations, and more similar to comets, as opposed to the more traditional water-depleted values. We apply this model to consider planet formation around stars of different masses and identify trends in the properties of habitable zone planets and planetary system architecture that could be tested by ongoing exoplanet census data collection. Comparison of such data with the model-predicted trends will serve to evaluate how well the N-body simulations and the initial conditions used in studies of planetary accretion can be used to understand this stage of planet formation.


Weather data are used extensively by building scientists and engineers to study the performance of their designs, help compare design alternatives and ensure compliance with building regulations. Given a changing climate, there is a need to provide data for future years so that practising engineers can investigate the impact of climate change on particular designs and examine any risk the commissioning client might be exposed to. In addition, such files are of use to building scientists in developing generic solutions to problems such as elevated internal temperatures and poor thermal comfort. With the publication of the UK Climate Projections (UKCP09) such data can be created for future years up to 2080 and for various probabilistic projections of climate change by the use of a weather generator. Here, we discuss a method for the creation of future probabilistic reference years for use within thermal models. In addition, a comparison is made with the current set of future weather years based on the UKCIP02 projections. When used within a dynamic thermal simulation of a building, the internal environments created by the current set of future weather files lie within the range of the internal environments created by the probabilistic reference years generated by the weather generator. Hence, the main advantages of the weather generator are seen to lie in its potentially greater spatial resolution, its ability to inform risk analysis and that such files, unlike ones based on observed data, carry no copyright. Practical applications: The methodology presented in this article will allow academics and buildings engineers to create realistic hourly future weather files using the future climate data of UKCP09 weather generator. This will allow the creation of consistent future weather years for use in areas such as building thermal simulation.


Solutions containing 0.2% of a bis-biguanide, chlorhexidine (positive control), and four bis-amidinourea antimicrobial agents were tested in beagle dogs in a 12-week study. The five agents significantly reduced clinical plaque and gingivitis scores, and gingival fluid volumes in treated dogs, compared with water. All compounds reduced the stain area scores compared to water controls. Stain intensity scores were higher for chlorhexidine than for the four new antimicrobial agents and the water controls. There were no overt behavioral changes. Histological examination of oral tissues revealed no irritation.


The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate glycemia in rabbits by administering various vehicles for solubilizing poorly soluble candidate drugs used for the treatment of diabetes. Groups of three New Zealand White rabbits received intravenously: saline; 2.0 IU/kg insulin; 23 to 45% dimethyl acetamide (DMA)/10% cremophor (v:v) in water; or N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). For the determination of glycemia, blood was collected just before and 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 24 h after injection. Glycemia after saline and DMA/cremophor injections remained stable and within the normal range (3.6 to 5.0 mmol/l). In insulin-injected rabbits, glycemia decreased (1 to 2 mmol/l) as expected. With NMP, glycemia was elevated (7.8 mmol/l), and animals were hyperactive upon injections. Injected ears gradually became bluish; 48 h after injection, they were edematous and necrotic. In conclusion, DMA/cremophor seems to be an acceptable vehicle. However, NMP may cause stress and local ear irritation when injected intravenously in rabbits.


Congenital orthopaedic anomalies and acquired pediatric wounds of the extremities frequently require reconstruction of the soft tissue envelope. In many of these circumstances, full-thickness skin grafting (FTSG) is a reliable and appropriate reconstructive option. However, FTSG harvest is rarely discussed in the orthopaedic literature. We present a reliable and reproducible method of full-thickness skin grafting that is easily performed. In this technique, we harvest a full-thickness skin graft from the lower abdomen using a symmetric transverse midline suprapubic incision (i.e., Pfannenstiel incision). This donor site allows for abundant skin graft harvest while providing a concealed location and the potential for additional graft harvest. Finally, we discuss the critical importance of postoperative recipient site dressings to optimize skin graft take.


Abstract Osteoporosis is a widespread problem, which frequently has devastating health consequences through its association with fragility fractures. The total number of fractures, and hence the cost to society, will increase dramatically over the next 50years as a result of demographic changes in the number of elderly people. Thus, prevention of osteoporosis by identifying risk factors or risk indicators, as well as the development of new treatment strategies, are major issues. Recent data suggest that homocysteine (Hcy), folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 affect bone metabolism, bone quality and fracture risk in humans. Since circulating Hcy depends on folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, Hcy could be suitable as a risk indicator for micronutrient-deficiency-related osteoporosis. Initial experimental results indicate that Hcy is not only a risk indicator, but also a player in bone metabolism. Moreover, existing data open speculation that folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 act not only via Hcy-dependent pathways, but also via Hcy-independent pathways. However, more studies are needed to clarify the mechanistic role of Hcy, folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 in bone metabolism.


Under pathological conditions such as brain trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage and stroke, cortical spreading depression (CSD) or peri-infarct depolarizations contribute to brain damage in animal models of neurological disorders as well as in human neurological diseases. CSD causes transient megachannel opening on the neuronal membrane, which may compromise neuronal survival under pathological conditions. Poloxamer-188 (P-188) and citicoline are neuroprotectants with membrane sealing properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of P-188 and citicoline on the neuronal megachannel opening induced by CSD in the mouse brain. We have monitored megachannel opening with propidium iodide, a membrane impermeable fluorescent dye and, demonstrate that P-188 and citicoline strikingly decreased CSD-induced neuronal PI influx in cortex and hippocampal dentate gyrus. Therefore, these agents may be providing neuroprotection by blocking megachannel opening, which may be related to their membrane sealing action and warrant further investigation for treatment of traumatic brain injury and ischemic stroke.


NORA (Network rOle-based Routing Algorithm) and NORIA (Network rOle-based Routing Intelligent Algorithm) are novel routing algorithms for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which combine various effective techniques in order to reduce energy consumption and improve data routes. NORA is an algorithm, which uses local and neighbourhood information to assign a role to each node on the net, whereas NORIA adds a fuzzy logic engine to NORA in order to improve this assignment. These algorithms are far from being trivial, and, therefore, there is a clear need for the use of formal methods to check their correctness and performance, prior to their deployment in a real environment. To this end, this paper presents a neat and rigorous study of both algorithms, and, for the sake of completeness, we study and compare also both with a well-known routing protocol: Tree Routing. Finally, Coloured Petri Nets (CPNs) have been chosen as an appropriate modelling language, using the well-known tool, CPNTools, to conduct our experiments.


Objectives: Hemoglobin E disease, c.26G>A variant of beta-globin gene, is the most common hemoglobinopathy in Asia. Compound heterozygotes inheriting Hb E disease and beta-thalassemia generate beta-thalassemia-Hb E disease with severe anemia. This study aimed to develop a pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) protocol for beta–thalassemia (c.17A>T mutation)-Hb E disease (c.26G>A mutation) using multiplex fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and mini-sequencing. Materials and Methods: bthalw1 primers were used to amplify a beta-globin gene fragment covering both mutations, i.e. beta– thalassemia (c.17A>T) and Hb E disease. D21S11 microsatellite marker was included for contamination detection. Novel mini-sequencing primers were designed and tested for detection of both mutations. Results: Pre-clinical work up of the optimized PGT-M protocol using 20 single buccal cells of a heterozygous subject showed 100% amplification efficiency and 0% allele drop out (ADO) rate for both primers. In clinical PGT-M cycle, 15 embryos were subjected to biopsy. The results showed two normal, one heterozygous for beta-thalassemia, six heterozygous for Hb E disease, one affected for beta-thalassemia-Hb E disease and five with ambiguous results. Two normally diagnosed embryos were chosen for transfer, one singleton pregnancy was obtained. A healthy baby boy was resulted. Postnatal testing confirmed PGT results. Conclusions: Novel PGT-M protocols for beta-thalassemia-Hb E disease using multiplex fluorescent PCR and mini-sequencing were developed and described here. The protocol was applied in a clinical PGT-M cycle and gave rise to one successful pregnancy and consequently a healthy baby boy. Mini-sequencing was proved to be rapid, accurate and cost-effective protocol for PGT-M.


In spite of recognised limitations in capturing species-specific responses and high costs, rodent models remain commonly used in prostate cancer metastasis research, due largely to the lack of available alternatives. We aim to develop an in vitro culture system to study prostate cancer response to a simulated bone microenvironment, which may be used to understand early events in prostate metastasis to bone or for drug screening applications. To achieve this, mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial cells were isolated and co-cultured to form a vascularised bone analogue. Endothelial cells were found to exert osteopotentiating effects on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, and reciprocal effects by the stromal cells were found to stimulate vasculogenic responses, suggesting the possible utility of this system to elicit three-way interactions between endothelial, mesenchymal and prostate cancer cells. We further developed the use of fluorescently labeled cells which could be use to concurrently track cellular migration, proliferation, as well as morphometric analysis. We demonstrate the concurrent, real-time visualisation of prostate cancer and endothelial cells, which may be useful for evaluation of


In today's world of always-on connectivity, convergent communications and media pervasiveness, it would be difficult to deny the pivotal role of technology in changing the shape of society in general and communications specifically. The 'art' of communication is unrecognizable in comparison to what our predecessors would have had to go to in order to speak with relatives, friends and business contacts. And by predecessors, we do not need to search back far– just through one generation to the world in which our parents were raised is enough to ring the changes. The question is whether it is the technology itself that is driving evolution in our communications environment. To what extent is the rate of technological change in communications media exerting a direct influence on aspects such as the need for regulatory change in the industry, creation of new media markets and spurring quite radical social change in the region...or should we be looking at social change from a different perspective? This journal article is available in Middle East Media Educator: http://ro.uow.edu.au/meme/vol1/iss2/10


We demonstrate and theoretically analyze the two-dimensional spatiotemporal focusing of femtosecond pulses by utilizing a two-dimensional spectral disperser. Compared with spatiotemporal focusing with a diffraction grating, it can achieve widefield illumination with better sectioning ability for a multiphoton excitation process. By utilizing paraxial approximation, our analytical method improves the axial confinement ability and identifies that the free spectra range (FSR) of the two-dimensional spectral disperser affects the out-of-focus multiphoton excitation intensity due to the temporal self-imaging effect. Based on our numerical simulation, a FSR of 50 GHz is necessary to reduce the out-of-focus two-photon excitation by 2 orders of magnitude compared with that in a grating-based spatiotemporal focusing scheme for a 90-fs excitation laser pulse. We build a two-dimensional spatiotemporal focusing microscope using a virtually imaged phased array and achieve an axial resolution of 1.3 μm, which outperforms the resolution of conventional spatiotemporal focusing using a grating by a factor of 1.7, and demonstrate better image contrast inside a tissue-like phantom.


Perimeter security at an airport requires disparate sensors to operate in concert to detect intruders; track them; assess threats; coordinate responses; (for example, human responders for investigation, or door and gate closings); gather evidence for law enforcement prosecution; and coordinate responses between law enforcement agencies. At present, no one system accomplishes all these tasks. Our work and development has evolved a system that meets these needs. In this paper we describe that evolution and show where we've been in system development, how that past has shaped our present deployment of systems and how our current work will lead to a complete solution.


A Research Project Submitted to the Department of Applied Economics in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Economics (Finance) Degree of Kenyatta University, July 2015


To achieve high-resolution 2-D images, through-wall imaging (TWI) radar with ultra-wideband and long antenna arrays faces considerable technical challenges such as a prolonged data collection time, a huge amount of data, and a high hardware complexity. This paper presents a novel data acquisition scheme and an imaging algorithm for TWI radar based on compressive sensing (CS), which states that a signal having a sparse representation can be reconstructed from a small number of nonadaptive randomized projections by solving a tractable convex program. Instead of measuring all spatial-frequency data, a few samples, by employing an overcomplete dictionary, are sufficient to obtain reliable target space images even at high noise levels. Preliminary simulated and experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional delay-and-sum beamforming method even though many fewer CS measurements are used.


Background: In resuscitation, normal saline could cause hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, while balanced electrolyte solution is a crystalloid fluid resembling blood plasma with lower chloride content. This study compared the effect of normal saline and balanced electrolyte solution Ringerfundin (BES) as the resuscitation fluid in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) patients. Parameters applied in this study were standard base excess (SBE) as resuscitation's result indicator and strong ion difference (SID) to measure chloride's influence in developing hyperchloremic acidosis. Methods: A prospective, randomized, single blind controlled trial was conducted at the Emergency Department of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. Thirty subjects with blood sugar >250 mg/dl, arterial pH <7.35 mg/dl, and positive blood ketone were randomly allocated to receive either normal saline (NS) or RingerfundinO (BES) as the standardized resuscitation protocol. Data analysis was performed using the unpaired T-test and the Mann Whitney test to compare the SBE and the SID means between both groups. Additional parameters were the level of consciousness, blood sugar level, vital signs, blood gas analysis, lactate, electrolyte, and blood ketone. Results: The mean SID in the BES group was significantly greater than the NS group of all measurements (p<0.05). The BES group had significantly higher mean SBE compared to the NS group at 18 hours (-4.88±5.69 vs -9.68±5.64; p=0.009), 24 hours (-3.99±4.27 vs -8.7±5.35; p=0.023), and 48 hours (-4.06±4.11 vs -7.01±5.46; p=0.009). BES resulted in non-significant higher delta SBE and SID than NS. Additional parameters were not different between both groups. Conclusion: This study showed that fluid resuscitation of DKA patients with BES resulted in slightly but not significantly higher mean actual SBE and SID than NS. suggesting that BES as an alternative fluid resuscitation to prevent hyperchloremic acidosis in diabetic ketoacidosis patients was not superior to NS.


Observability is mandatory for debugging purposes in all microelectronic systems. Mixed signal cores, in particular, require high observability in order to allow post production debug and to drive the design enhancements towards the real non-ideal behaviour monitored in individual modules. Controllability is also a major advantage in the design-for-debug process. This work presents a low cost controllability and observability methodology that is evaluated in terms of area cost and bandwidth capability for different operating conditions. The proposed methodology is used to add debugging capability to a DCDC, a Charge Pump, a LDO and a Bandgap of a Power Management Unit..


Abstract. The representation of archaeological artefacts aims for the graphic description of relevant information from the object, to allow for the proper interpretation of evidences from the past. Concavities and convexities are elements often difficult to represent through classical (analogical) representation techniques, especially when these geometrical characteristics are neither continue nor parameterizable. Digital techniques have advanced on the accurate reconstruction of 3D shapes, while attaching real colour to the geometry. However, the perception of concave/convex shapes from photorealistic true-orthoimages continues to be limited, especially when rich and homogeneous textures camouflage slight slope changes or volumetric deformations. In this paper we first critically review the current practice on the representation of solid-of-revolution artefacts with concave-convex predominance, and alternative photorealistic representations aiming at a better understanding of volume and colour. Given the limitation targeted, we then propose a workflow for the creation of true-orthometric maps enhanced by customized shadows. The work-flow integrates considerations on: (i) The orientation of archaeological artefact; (ii) the creation of accurate orthometric images based on Digital photogrammetry techniques; and (iii) the application of synthetic attached and cast shadows according the shape (information) to be represented. The workflow is demonstrated with a sample of plates retrieved from the Rua-das-Madres archaeological site, in Portugal.


The Aretaic Turn in Constitutional Theory argues that an institutional approach to theories of constitutional interpretation ought to be supplemented by explicit focus on the virtues and vices of constitutional adjudicators.Part I, The Most Dysfunctional Branch, advances the speculative hypothesis that politicization of the judiciary has led the political branches to exclude consideration of virtue from the nomination and confirmation of Supreme Court Justices and to select Justices on the basis of the strength of their commitment to particular positions on particular issues and the fervor of their ideological passions.Part II, Institutionalism and Constitutional Interpretation, engages Cass Sunstein and Adrian Vermeule's recent essay, "Interpretation and Institutions." Sunstein and Vermeule contend that theories of constitutional interpretation are most fundamentally flawed because of their failure to take an institutional turn, but their supporting arguments lead to a related but quite distinct conclusion. Only a theory of judicial character can supply the diagnosis for the ills that Sunstein and Vermeule identify: constitutional theory must take an aretaic turn.Part III, Making the Aretaic Turn in Constitutional Theory, sketches an alternative approach to judicial review and constitutional interpretation that is rooted in contemporary virtue ethics. In Part IV, Constitutional Virtues and Vices, this sketch is given flesh and bones in the form of a theory of constitutional virtue and vice. Excellence in constitutional adjudication requires the virtues of judicial courage, judicial temperament, judicial temperance, judicial intelligence, and judicial wisdom (or phronesis). Most importantly, a virtuous constitutional interpreter must have the virtue of justice, which includes as components impartiality, lawfulness, and legal vision.Part V, The Aretaic Reconstruction of the Institutional Critique, returns to institutionalism as an approach to the theory of constitutional interpretation and argues that institutionalists cannot coherently refrain from making the aretaic turn. The article ends with speculation about the possibility of a path to the restoration of judicial virtue.


The paper describes the development of a decomposition based design (DBD) method using optimal sensitivity information with respect to coupled or interdisciplinary design variables. A multidisciplinary design system considered in the present study is decomposed into a number of subspaces based on their own design objectives and constraints associated with engineering physics. The coupled relations among subspaces are identified by interdisciplinary design variables. Subsystem level optimization is performed in parallel, and the system level coordination is determined by the first order optimal sensitivities of subsystem level objective functions with respect to interdisciplinary design variables. The central of the present work focuses on the formulation of system level coordination strategy and its capability in decomposition based design. A fluid-structure coupled design problem is explored as a test-bed to verify the proposed DBD method.


Abstract The seeds of barley, oat, rye, and two varieties of wheat were studied during wetting thereof with special respect to changes in their mass and dimensions. Two levels of wetting were used: 6-h wetting close to the end of imbibition, and 24-h wetting close to the start of germination. The results of these experiments show that the measured quantities can be well described by the Gaussian distribution. Gaussian distribution is applied for description of the wetting effects that can be well approximated also by a second-degree polynomial of the initial state. Even though an increase in the mass, length, width, and thickness was the main effect of wetting, opposite trends in some dimensionally dependent cases were also observed. Drying of the wetted specimens led to a state that differed only slightly (less than 1%) from the initial state. Among the dimensional characteristics, the highest changes were observed in the grain length.


ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the potential role of ceftaroline, a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin, as a therapeutic option for the treatment of daptomycin-nonsusceptible (DNS) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Four clinical DNS MRSA strains, R5717, R5563, R5996 (heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus) and R5995 (vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus) were evaluated in a two-compartment hollow-fiber in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model at a starting inoculum of 107 CFU/ml for 96 h. Simulated regimens were ceftaroline at 600 mg every 12 h (q12h) (maximum free-drug concentration [fCmax], 15.2 μg/ml; serum half-life [t1/2], 2.3 h), daptomycin at 6 mg/kg q24h (fCmax, 7.9 μg/ml; t1/2, 8 h), and daptomycin at 10 mg/kg q24h (fCmax, 15.2 μg/ml; t1/2, 8 h). Differences in CFU/ml between 24 and 96 h were evaluated by analysis of variance with Tukey's post-hoc test. Bactericidal activity was defined as a ≥3-log10 CFU/ml decrease in the colony count from the initial inoculum. The ceftaroline MIC values were 0.25, 0.5, 0.5, and 0.5 μg/ml, and the daptomycin MIC values were 2, 2, 4, and 4 μg/ml for R5717, R5563, R5996, and R5995, respectively. Ceftaroline displayed sustained bactericidal activity against 3 of the 4 strains at 96 h (R5717, −3.1 log10 CFU/ml; R5563, −2.5 log10 CFU/ml; R5996, −5.77 log10 CFU/ml; R5995, −6.38 log10 CFU/ml). Regrowth occurred during the daptomycin at 6-mg/kg q24h regimen (4 strains) and the daptomycin at 10-mg/kg q24h regimen (3 strains). At 96 h, ceftaroline was significantly more active, resulting in CFU/ml counts lower than those obtained with daptomycin at 6 mg/kg q24h (4 strains, P ≤ 0.008) and daptomycin at 10 mg/kg q24 h (3 strains, P ≤ 0.001). Isolates with increased MIC values for daptomycin (all 4 strains) but not for ceftaroline were recovered. Ceftaroline was effective against the 4 isolates tested and may provide a clinical option for the treatment of DNS MRSA infections.


The aim of this study was to describe how to determined traditional selling price based on Gorontalo's culture value, Rukuno Lo Taaliya. This study was a qualitative research by using  ethnometodology approach. The results of this study indicated that in setting the selling price based on "Rukuno Lo Taaliya" embodied some value such as honesty, mutual help, sincerity, trust and deep affection. These values reflected gratefulnees to God as part of  the worship and shadaqah. Selling price was not  strictly formed by  the things relating money but also  reflected the common value which is believed by the cultural society.


Based on a special homemade interface, the molecularly imprinted stir bar sorptive extraction was coupled to high performance liquid chromatography for the online desorption and analysis. During desorption, the analytes desorbed from stir bar were delivered to a sample loop and then was introduced into liquid chromatography for further analysis. The online desorption and introduction processes were real-time monitored by the ultraviolet detector of the liquid chromatography system. In this way, the method sensitivity and reproducibility was improved for the introduction timing of the desorption solvent with greatest concentration of the target analytes was accurately controlled. To demonstrate the feasibility of the method, terbuthylazine imprinted stir bar was synthesized and used for the analysis of nine triazines in rice. Under the optimized conditions, limits of detection of 0.02-0.11 μg/L and precision within 4.3-7.2% were achieved. The new method was compared with other two traditional offline desorption procedures, i.e. ultrasonic-assisted desorption and static thermal desorption. The comparison results showed that the proposed method is accurate, precise, fast, and suitable for the trace analysis of complex samples.


The population ecology of clonal plants depends on the number and distribution of ramets formed during growth. Variation in clonal reproduction has previously been explained by variation in effects of abiotic resource heterogeneity and by plant genotypic variation. Different co-occurring species of the mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been shown to differentially alter growth traits of Prunella vulgaris, which we hypothesize would lead to changes in clonal reproduction. Two experiments were carried out to test whether different co-occurring mycorrhizal fungi significantly influence clonal reproduction of P. vulgaris, whether this effect also occurs when P. vulgaris is growing in an artificial plant community, and how the effects compare with plant genotype effects on clonal growth of P. vulgaris.

In the first experiment, the number of ramets of P. vulgaris, growing in a plant community of simulated calcareous grassland, was significantly affected by inoculation with different mycorrhizal fungi. The number of ramets produced by P. vulgaris differed by a factor of up to 1.8 with different mycorrhizal fungi. The fungal effects on the number of new ramets were independent of their effects on the biomass of P. vulgaris.

In a second experiment, 17 different genotypes of P. vulgaris were inoculated with different mycorrhizal fungi. There were significant main effects of genotypes and mycorrhizal fungi on clonal reproduction of P. vulgaris. The effect of different mycorrhizal fungi contributed more than the effect of plant genotype to variation in size and ramet production. However, mean stolon length and spacer length, which determine the spatial arrangement of ramets, were only significantly affected by plant genotype. There were no mycorrhizal fungal × plant genotype interactions on clonal growth of P. vulgaris indicating that there is no obvious evidence that selection pressures would favor further coevolution between P. vulgaris and mycorrhizal fungal species.

In natural communities plants can be colonized by several different AMF at the same time. The effect of the mixed AMF treatment on the growth and clonal reproduction of P. vulgaris could not be predicted from the responses of the plants to the single AMF. To what extent, however, the patterns of colonization by different AMF differ among plants in a natural community is unknown.

Since the effects of AMF on growth and clonal reproduction occur on a population of P. vulgaris in a microcosm plant community and because the effects are also as great as those caused by plant genotypic variation, we conclude that the effects are strong enough to potentially affect population size and variation of clonal plants in communities.


The psychological functioning of an individual includes well-being, cognitions, emotions and behaviors as a whole. In the current models of psychopathologies, as similar to well-being, reciprocal interaction between emotions, behaviors and cognitions is emphasized. Notwithstanding that the effects of these three components on cognitive behavior therapies can be mentioned too, it can be claimed that emotions were remained in the background by the behaviors and cognitions until the third wave of cognitive behavior therapies. Emotions have became prominent with the third wave approaches in the field of cognitive behavior therapy. In this review article, similarities and differences of third wave of cognitive behavior therapy with other waves, the constructs of emotion and emotion regulation in the third wave and the impacts of these on treatment were included. Additionally, throughout this perspective, treatment processes focusing on emotion regulation skills were discussed.


This research was aimed to describe through direct observation how teachers organize children's time in child care centers and educational programs in Thailand. The instrument used to accomplish this objective was the Management of Time (MOT) Instrument recording the nature, diversity, and duration of activities proposed by teachers. The MOT categories consisted of physical, expressive, storytelling/ language, pre-academic, religious, media-related, personal/social, domestic/economic, transitional, waiting, and free activities; whereas group structure categories covered a whole-group, part-group, joint activity, and alone.
The MOT Observation System provided information to answer these two questions: (1) what types of activities do teachers propose that children do? and (2) how do teachers organize children for various activities ? The study presents the MOT findings for the 31 educational programs and the 22 child care centers in Thailand. The findings are based on a total of 173 hours of MOT observation in educational programs and a total of 128 hours of observation in child care centers.
According to type of activity, it was found that in both types of settings, teachers proposed that children spend the highest percentages of their time in 2 categories of activities, pre-academic (educational programs, 19%; child care centers, 20%) and personal/social (educational programs, 16%; child care centers, 18%). In child care centers, teachers also allocated 19% of the time to free activities.
As for group structure, on average, teachers in both types of settings proposed a whole-group structure most of the time (94% in educational programs, 95% in child care centers). Educational program teachers used part-group structure for most of the remainder of the time (5%), while child care center teachers proposed the group structure categories of part-group and alone for nearly equal percentages of time (3% and 2%, respectively).
Furthermore, analysis of group structure for major and specific categories of activities showed that teachers in educational programs and in child care centers had similar patterns of selecting various group structures for the major activity categories. For example, in both types of settings, teachers proposed a whole-group structure 90% or more of the total time for each activity category except domestic/economic activities and mixed activities.


This paper presents a method for extracting discriminative key poses for skeleton-based action recognition. Poses are represented by normalized joint locations, velocities and accelerations of skeleton joints. An extended label consistent K-SVD (ELC-KSVD) algorithm is proposed for learning the common and action-specific dictionaries. Discriminative key poses are represented by the atoms of the action-specific dictionaries. With the specific dictionaries, sparse codes are obtained for representing action instances through max pooling and temporal pyramid. A SVM classifier is trained for action recognition. The proposed method was evaluated on the MSRC-12 gesture and MSR-Action 3D datasets. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method is effective in extracting discriminative key poses.


This paper presents new techniques for seamlessly transitioning between parallel coordinate plots, star plots, and scatter plots. The star plot serves as a mediator visualization between parallel coordinate plots and scatter plots since it uses lines to represent data items as parallel coordinates do and can arrange axes orthogonally as used for scatter plots. The design of the transitions also motivated a new variant of the star plot, the polycurve star plot, that uses curved lines instead of straight ones and has advantages both in terms of space utilization and the detection of clusters. Furthermore, we developed a geometrically motivated method to embed scatter points from a scatter plot into star plots and parallel coordinate plots to track the transition of structural information such as clusters and correlations between the different plot types. The integration of our techniques into an interactive analysis tool for exploring multivariate data demonstrates the advantages and utility of our approach over a multi‐view approach for scatter plots and parallel coordinate plots, which we confirmed in a user study and concrete usage scenarios.


PAPERVIEW Press Preview May 28th 6pm Private View May 28th 7-9pm Exhibition May 29th – July 3rd Panel Discussion June 17th John Jones are delighted to announce the next exhibition in the John Jones Project Space. PAPERVIEW brings together works on paper from three renowned London based art collections, alongside a selection of emerging and established London based artists. The featured pieces reflect curator Danny Rolph's ongoing fascination with work created on paper. His selection offers us a multitude of visual and conceptual qualities that explore our relationship with the material, paralleling Rolph's own studio practice, where opposing ideas and sensations occupy the same space simultaneously, looking for questions through instinctive and subjective arrangements. At a time when many galleries are reducing their exhibition programmes, PAPERVIEW celebrates the humble medium of paper by bringing together works by 75 artists from around the world. The exhibition has been supported by John Jones to create an open discourse on both the passion and practicalities of collecting. In the current economic climate John Jones hopes to help galvanise the art market and inspire new collectors. In recent years the market has been driven by a thirst for profit through investment. These three collections bring the focus back to the art and the curator's obsession with paper in a perfect way to explore the collections and bring together an exhibition that highlights the importance of collecting. A panel discussion on June 17th led by writer and critic Martin Holman will invite a panel of guests to share their experiences of developing a contemporary collection, whilst discussing ideas that link and differentiate their collecting practice. The panel will include Danny Rolph, Elizabeth Neilson (Curator and Head of the Zabludowicz Collection), John Evans (Cofounder of the Lodeveans Collection) and Kate Jones (John Jones Art Collection). A selection of works from the Whitechapel Gallery Limited Editions will accompany PAPERVIEW, bringing together an extensive range of artists working on different media and offering an excellent and affordable way to start a collection. Artist editions include Alex Katz, Paul McCarthy, Paul Noble and Albert Oehlen. PRESS RELEASE PAPERVIEW Artists: Eri Itoi, Raqib Shaw, David Hockney, Richard Hamilton, Justin Hibbs, Danica Phelps, Felipe Jesus Consalvos, Franz Ackerman, Herman Bas, Delia Brown, Oliver Clegg, Barnaby Furnas, Wade Guyton, Christian Holstad, Anya Kielar, Kris Martin, Martin Kippenberger, Aleksandra Mir, Ian Monroe, Peggy Preheim, David Thorpe, Terry Winters, Kenji Yanobe, Lisa Yuskavage, Boakye-Yiadom, Olly Fathers, Leigh Clarke, Dale Adcock, Elad Lassry, Maya Hewitt, David Huffman, Peter Lamb, Piers Secunda, Georgie Hopton, Francis Upritchard, Simon Bill, Michael Stubbs, Stephen Cooper, Paul Housley, Flo Pullin, Chris Daniel, Joep Overtoom, Alex Veness, Vanessa Jackson, Sacha Craddock, Dan Coombs, Chantal Joffe, Jen Weikuo, Appau Junior, Sarah Douglas, Daniel Pasteiner, Perry Roberts, Hurvin Andersen, Anna Barribal, Heiko Blankenstein, Joshua Cardoso, Fernanda Chieco, Jose Damasceno, Alan Davie, Nogah Engler, Roland Flexner, Richard Forster, David Huffman, Pauline Kraneis, Michael Landy, Julie Mehretu, Bruno Pacheco, Pjota Jorge Queiroz, James Aldridge, Luiz Sacilotto, Sarah Strang, James Aldridge Marepe


Radio frequency (rf) plasmas operated at atmospheric pressure have
received great attention in recent years for their potential use in many
scientific and industrial applications. The optical emission profile of these
atmospheric pressure rf discharges typically presents two bright layers, one
above each of the electrodes. Although in the low-pressure regime bright
layers near the electrodes are typically associated with the so-called
gamma mode, these layers are observed in the alpha mode at atmospheric
pressure and only after a significant increase in current, the transition into
the gamma mode takes place. In the gamma mode, the bright layers are
found to light up in an alternating fashion, corresponding to the excitation
of radiative states by avalanches across the sheaths. On the other hand, in
the alpha mode, the bright layers light up simultaneously mostly as a result
of the acceleration of bulk electrons in the expanding and retreating sheathbulk
boundaries.


Forward Osmosis (FO) is an osmotic process that like reverse osmosis (RO), uses a semi-permeable membrane to effect separation of water from dissolved solutes. In this study, energy and exergy analysis of simplified RO and FO desalination plant by the use of chemical process simulation software (ASPEN PLUS). The FO system is modeled using single distillation column to separate draw solution solutes from the product water within the system. Thermal and electrical energy requirements of the process are calculated, as well as combined term for equivalent work. The results of the simulations are compared to the RO desalination system.


Abstract BACKGROUND While there are reports of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, the overall incidence of AIS and clinical characteristics of large vessel occlusion (LVO) remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To attempt to establish incidence of AIS in COVID-19 patients in an international cohort. METHODS A cross-sectional retrospective, multicenter study of consecutive patients admitted with AIS and COVID-19 was undertaken from March 1 to May 1, 2020 at 12 stroke centers from 4 countries. Out of those 12 centers, 9 centers admitted all types of strokes and data from those were used to calculate the incidence rate of AIS. Three centers exclusively transferred LVO stroke (LVOs) patients and were excluded only for the purposes of calculating the incidence of AIS. Detailed data were collected on consecutive LVOs in hospitalized patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) across all 12 centers. RESULTS Out of 6698 COVID-19 patients admitted to 9 stroke centers, the incidence of stroke was found to be 1.3% (interquartile range [IQR] 0.75%-1.7%). The median age of LVOs patients was 51 yr (IQR 50-75 yr), and in the US centers, African Americans comprised 28% of patients. Out of 66 LVOs, 10 patients (16%) were less than 50 yr of age. Among the LVOs eligible for MT, the average time from symptom onset to presentation was 558 min (IQR 82-695 min). A total of 21 (50%) patients were either discharged to home or discharged to acute rehabilitation facilities. CONCLUSION LVO was predominant in patients with AIS and COVID-19 across 2 continents, occurring at a significantly younger age and affecting African Americans disproportionately in the USA. Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract


In the selective laser sintering (SLS) manufacturing technique a pre-heated layer of material powder undergoes a laser radiation in a selective way to produce three dimensional metallic or polymeric solid parts. Here, we consider sintering of polymer powder. The phase transformation in this process involves the material heat transfer which is strongly affected by the material sintering phenomena. A transient three dimensional finite element model is developed to simulate the phase transformation during the selective laser sintering process. This model takes into account the heat transfer in the material (powder and solid), the sintering and the transient nature of this process. The numerical simulation of the set of equations, describing the problem, is made possible by means of the commercial finite element software Abaqus. A bi-level structure integration procedure is chosen, in which the density is integrated at the outer level and the heat equation is integrated in the inner level. After successfully computing the integration of the density, a material Jacobian representing the thermal phenomena is computed and supplemented the Abaqus Code via an implicit user subroutine material. Results for temperature and density distribution, using a polycarbonate powder, are presented and discussed.


Background: Few older adults achieve recommended physical activity levels. We conducted a "neighborhood environment-wide association study (NE-WAS)" of neighborhood influences on physical activity among older adults, analogous, in a genetic context, to a genome-wide association study. Methods: Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) and sociodemographic data were collected via telephone survey of 3,497 residents of New York City aged 65 to 75 years. Using Geographic Information Systems, we created 337 variables describing each participant's residential neighborhood's built, social, and economic context. We used survey-weighted regression models adjusting for individual-level covariates to test for associations between each neighborhood variable and (i) total PASE score, (ii) gardening activity, (iii) walking, and (iv) housework (as a negative control). We also applied two "Big Data" analytic techniques, LASSO regression, and Random Forests, to algorithmically select neighborhood variables predictive of these four physical activity measures. Results: Of all 337 measures, proportion of residents living in extreme poverty was most strongly associated with total physical activity [−0.85; (95% confidence interval, −1.14 to −0.56) PASE units per 1% increase in proportion of residents living with household incomes less than half the federal poverty line]. Only neighborhood socioeconomic status and disorder measures were associated with total activity and gardening, whereas a broader range of measures was associated with walking. As expected, no neighborhood meaZsures were associated with housework after accounting for multiple comparisons. Conclusions: This systematic approach revealed patterns in the domains of neighborhood measures associated with physical activity. Impact: The NE-WAS approach appears to be a promising exploratory technique. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(4); 495–504. ©2017 AACR. See all the articles in this CEBP Focus section, "Geospatial Approaches to Cancer Control and Population Sciences."


This paper explores "fixing" mechanisms initiated by "unfixing" practices: de-paving, stepping back from the shoreline, decommissioning, repurposing industrial facilities, blurring property lines, and eliminating maladaptations. Through a speculative masterplan for the Auckland suburb of Onehunga, the paper proposes a shift in community investment to prioritise ecological and social infrastructure that responds to climate change and population growth pressures. In particular, it explores the spatial possibilities provided by nomadic and (un)fixed inhabitation models. Acknowledging the property-rights paradigm of modernity, it speculates on a different land-use strategy that shifts away from the anthropocentric lifestyle underpinned by our capitalist economy and society. Instead of storing property value, the paper aims to cache resources, skills, and experiences in the landscape, ultimately building adaptability across various scales.


Background/Study Context: There is a need for a simple and reliable screening test to detect individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The authors analyzed the relationship between performance of the Alzheimer's Questionnaire (AQ), an informant-rated measure of dementia-related behaviors, relative to the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status—modified (TICS-m), Memory Impairment Scale—telephone version (MIS-t), and the Telephone Executive Assessment (TEXAS) as predictors of MCI. Methods: Comparative cross-sectional design, with data collected from participants in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium's (TARCC) San Antonio site. One-hundred percent of our sample was Hispanic. The San Antonio subset of TARCC sample is highly enriched with Mexican Americans (MAs). Fifty-five percent of the interviews were conducted in Spanish. Of the 184 persons enrolled, 124 were normal controls (NCs), and 60 participants had MCI. MCI status and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SOB) were determined through clinical consensus and performed blind to telephone assessments. Controlling for age, gender, education, and language of interview, the association between telephone measures and CDR-SOB was evaluated by multivariate regression. Results: AQ scores were not affected by education, gender, and language of interview, but subject's age did show a positive correlation with informant AQ ratings. The AQ predicted CDR-SOB independently of the cognitive measures, adding variance above and beyond demographics. The TICS-m and the TEXAS appear to have additive value in improving the detection of cognitively impaired patients. The MIS-t failed to contribute significantly to CDR-SOB, independent of the other measures. Conclusion: The AQ may have utility as a culture-fair telephone screening for MCI. The AQ was able to modestly distinguish MCI from NCs. The TEXAS adds variance to a model of dementia severity independent of the AQ, suggesting that the latter may weakly assess that cognitive domain (executive control function). On the other hand, the AQ attenuates the MIS-t effect. This suggests a prominent AQ bias in favor of detecting memory impairment. Additional studies are required to determine if the AQ can distinguish between amnestic and dysexecutive MCI subtypes, or between MCI and Alzheimer's disease in Hispanics.


The properties of graphene oxide (GO) and DNA-stabilised reduced graphene-oxide (rGO) sheets as electron-transfer mediators in partially blocked electrodes are evaluated employing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Evidences obtained from UV/Vis, Raman and FTIR spectroscopies, as well as atomic force microscopy, confirm that the reduction of exfoliated GO single sheets by hydrazine yields partially reduced graphene oxide featuring a high defect density. Two-dimensional assemblies of GO and rGO were formed through electrostatic adsorption at Au electrodes, sequentially modified with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and poly-diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDADMAC). The MUA:PDADMAC generates a strong blocking layer to the electron-transfer reaction involving the ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple. This blocking behaviour is not significantly affected upon adsorption of GO. However, adsorption of a sub-monolayer of rGO decreases the charge-transfer resistance by more than two orders of magnitude. Analysis of cyclic voltammograms and impedance spectra suggests that electron transfer in rGO assemblies is mediated by occupied states located just below the redox Fermi energy of the probe. These findings are discussed in the context of on-going controversies regarding the electrochemical reactivity of sp(2)-carbon basal planes.


The movement of pedestrians in the urban environment is vital for sustaining the social and economic relationships essential to the quality of life. To enable and encourage walking, suitable facilities must be available and planning and
implementing such facilities requires an understanding of the characteristics of pedestrian movements. This thesis examined the factors which influence walking speeds, related them to current pedestrian modelling techniques and developed a series of new models to improve their estimation. A comprehensive review of current practices and procedures for modelling pedestrian walking speeds was carried out,
identifying the factors currently used in existing methodology and highlighted its deficiencies. A significant finding from this study was that the industry-standard Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) methodology as it currently stands is not fully
applicable to the types of walking environments that were the subject of this research (on-street walkways in UK shopping and Central Business District areas). It was shown there is a need to provide more holistic relationships which take into account the interactions between the characteristics of pedestrians and their walking environments (both built and natural). A number of additional factors which have a
significant affect on walking speeds were identified and a series of new statistical relationships were developed which were also tested and validated against independent data. The predictive performance of the new models was also compared
against the leading industry-standard methodology and shown to provide significantly better estimates. Future areas of research were also identified and described.

The research thus provided a greater understanding of the dynamics affecting walking speeds, thereby helping to assist transport planners and engineers with the study and design of suitable pedestrian facilities.


Most people with serious mental illness (SMI) experience difficulty in fulfilling a vocational role, with many being unemployed or underemployed. Given the profound social and economic costs of this level of work impairment, researchers have investigated ways to enhance "vocational recovery," or the processes through which people with SMI regain their role as workers and reintegrate into the workforce. Using data collected from a larger qualitative study of 23 individuals who had progressed to an advanced stage of recovery from SMI, this study explored respondents' perspectives on employment and its relationship to their vocational recovery. Text passages describing employment were analyzed inductively by a diverse team of researchers. Seven themes were identified as being important in helping participants return to work or remain employed following the onset of a serious psychiatric disability: having the confidence to work, having the motivation to work, possessing work-related skills, assessing person-job fit, creating work opportunities, receiving social support, and having access to consumer-oriented programs and services. Implications of these findings on the development of interventions and policies to improve the vocational outcomes of people with SMI are discussed.


This paper studies how changes in extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefit affect the duration of unemployment. We investigate this question by exploiting not only strict age thresholds but also the pre-displacement tenure and the reason for separation from the previous job in the Japanese UI system which determines a worker's maximum potential UI benefit duration at the age of 45. Job-seekers who became unemployed due to exogenous reasons (such as establishment closure) at the age threshold of 45 who have longer pre-displacement tenure receive maximum benefits for longer durations. This rule creates a local randomized experiment. Using a large administrative dataset to implement a difference-in-differences approach for the narrow age range of 44-46 who entered unemployment in the same month in the same year, we find that longer maximum benefit durations do not lead to a decrease in the jobless hazard; the duration of unemployment is not prolonged among jobseekers who have longer maximum benefit duration. This result is robust to shorter and longer tenure before entering unemployment. The non-negative effect on the jobless hazard is primarily due to a small difference in maximum duration between the treated group and the control group. In addition, workers with firm-specificity are likely to take any job in difficult position. Since the disincentive effects of UI benefit is weaker among UI recipients with firm-specific human capital, the results suggest that extending UI benefit of prime-age job-seekers with longer tenure at previous job is an effective tool to enhance welfare.


The security of a network configuration is based, not just on the security of its individual components and their direct interconnections, but it is also based on the potential for systems to interoperate indirectly across network routes. Such interoperation has been shown to provide the potential for cascading paths that violate security, in a circuitous manner, across a network. In this paper we show how constraint programming provides a natural approach to expressing the necessary constraints to ensure multilevel security across a network configuration. In particular, soft constraints are used to detect and eliminate the cascading network paths that violate security. Taking this approach results in practical advancements over existing solutions to this problem. In particular, constraint satisfaction highlights the set of all cascading paths, upon which we can compute in polynomial time an optimal reconfiguration of the network and ensure security.


Copyright protection attaches to an original work of expression the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible medium. Yet, modern copyright law contains no viable mechanism by which to examine whether someone is causally responsible for the creation and fixation of the work. Whenever the issue of causation arises, copyright law relies on its preexisting doctrinal devices to resolve the issue, in the process cloaking its intuitions about causation in altogether extraneous considerations. This Article argues that copyright law embodies an unstated, yet distinct theory of authorial causation, which connects the element of human agency to a work of expression using the myriad goals and objectives of the copyright system. This theory of causation is best realized through an independent requirement — of copyrightable causation — that the creator of a work will need to satisfy in order to qualify as its author for copyright protection. Much like copyright's theory of authorial causation, the requirement would embody both a factual dimension (creation in fact) and a normative component (legal creation). The former would examine the connection between the work and the putative author as a purely epistemic matter, while the latter would do so through an evaluative understanding of copyright's myriad goals and policies. The Article unpacks the structural and substantive foundations of authorial causation in copyright law, and argues that making it a new requirement for protection would introduce a measure of coherence and rationality into the question of copyrightability, while simultaneously allowing copyright law to overtly affirm and promote its various institutional ideals.


To analyze the flexural and torsional buckling of H-beams with corrugated webs, the stress characteristics were compared with beams with plat webs firstly, then, the previous methods calculating warping constant of the H-beams with corrugated webs was discussed. Based on such works, a new calculation method was put forward. This method is simple in shape, by which the warping constant can be calculated easily. To test the accuracy of the method, plenty of numerical simulation models of beams under uniform bending was used to compare the difference between each method. The results proved that the method in this paper was successful and convenient.


In this paper, we present the event detection models and systems we have developed for Multilingual Protest News Detection - Shared Task 1 at CASE 2021. The shared task has 4 subtasks which cover event detection at different granularity levels (from document level to token level) and across multiple languages (English, Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish). To handle data from multiple languages, we use a multilingual transformer-based language model (XLM-R) as the input text encoder. We apply a variety of techniques and build several transformer-based models that perform consistently well across all the subtasks and languages. Our systems achieve an average F_1 score of 81.2. Out of thirteen subtask-language tracks, our submissions rank 1st in nine and 2nd in four tracks.


In this paper, LaBO3 perovskite type catalyst formulations were prepared by sol-gel auto combustion method using citric acid as the fuel. Activity of catalysts was tested in catalytic oxidation of toluene as a model of volatile organic compounds. LaCoO3 perovskite formulation showed the highest activity among LaBO3 (Fe, Mn and Co) perovskite catalysts. So, LaCoO3 perovskite based catalyst was selected for further investigation and modification in order to improve catalytic activity. LaBO3 perovskite catalysts were modified by substitution of Co by Fe and Mn. The catalytic activity of LaCoO3 improved due to partial substitution of Co by Fe and Mn cations. LaCo0.7Mn0.3O3 showed the highest catalytic activity among the synthesized catalysts. The structures and morphology of synthesized perovskites were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The results of X-ray diffraction indicated that the LaBO3 and LaCo0.7B′0.3O3 samples obtained using sol-gel method had a pure perovskite-type crystal structure.


Previous studies have shown that organic farming is a widely accepted and acknowledged method. The way of farming plays an important role nearby our fresh waters, since – besides influencing the environmental conditions – it affects the local people's and the visitors' judgment, and plays a role in preventing the development of societal conflicts. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential in organic farming at the Southern Watershed of Lake Balaton. Our hypothesis was that the production of organic food in the studied area could contribute to an increase in the employment, the region's attractiveness (measured in the number of guest nights), as well as in the earnings spent in the region (reproduction). Secondary and primary information collection was performed. A questionnaire-based study was conducted by interviewing the management of local organic and conventional farms (deep interview), as well as local people and the tourists. Results show that consumers considered purchasing organic food as a possibility, however it was accomplished only to a limited extent. According to the management of organic and conventional farms, there is a lack of effective strategy. Critical points were the well-organized local sales activities and communication, which should be improved. Results also revealed that there was no difference in human capital supply, but the environmental conditions were more favorable compared to other regions in the country. Taking advantage of that should be also part of the region's strategy.


This article reviews highlights of low energy nuclear reaction research, part of the field of condensed matter nuclear science. The field evolved from the so-called cold fusion discovery of two electrochemists, Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons at the University of Utah. Since the announcement of their discovery in 1989, more than 200 researchers in 13 nations have confirmed and expanded the set of experimental evidence that provides the validation for this new field of science.


The review thoroughly describes all types of adult stem cells which have been isolated by the present time - hematopoietic, muscle, neural, skin, endothelial, intestinal and mesenchymal stem cells. Their isolation, in vitro cultivation, and possible application in cell therapy of various diseases are discussed. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are of great concern now because they are, in the authors' opinion, the most promising material for application in the therapy of humans.


Vis-a-vis is a puzzle platformer that deals with the conflicting relationship between two characters, Noir and Blanche. Players solve levels by using different mechanics such as teleportation, switching (otherwise known as Linking) between two worlds and characters, and other mechanics to navigate the level and get the heart at the end. As players continue to solve each level, they are rewarded with story and a world growing with color and life. With 27 different levels, the player will be taught the different mechanics and challenged with a variety of puzzles to solve that Vis-a-Vis has to offer.


The feature points of test curve reflect important information of the equipment under test. The feature points are important for test report. Previous method of artificial selecting points is well targeted. However, it is low efficiency and subjectivity. A method to safe people from colossal data selection is long-cherished wish to all operators. The proposed algorithm in this paper can simulate the artificial process of feature information extraction and adjust the size of selected features according to the needs of the user. At least 100 times efficiency will be increase than artificial process.


PATIENT
A 62-year-old woman was evaluated for a bilateral subconjunctival mass that had been present for 6 months. With magnetic resonance imaging the lesion could not be delineated form the lacrimal glands. A biopsy was performed and histologic examination exhibited a xanthogranulomatous lesion with multiple giant-cells of the Touton type. The differential diagnosis of the adult xanthogranuloma is Erdheim-Chester disease, necrobiotic granuloma, xanthoma, Langerhans histiocytosis, and Rosai-Dorfman syndrome.

CONCLUSION
Hyperlipemia should be excluded, in addition, in the presence of necrobiosis, paraproteinemia.


The research focuses on Tourette Syndrome (ST), having as instruments the Rorschach and the Cintilography for comparative and correlational study between the results of the instruments. The sample was comprised of 8 children diagnosed with ST (Gr1), the study had Gr2 (control). T-Test was used for comparison of difference, with level of < .05. The hypotheses of highest indicator of release of the impulses and the emotional reactions had been confirmed, as well highest anxiety, affective lack and necessity of human contact in the Gr1. The correlacional study (Pearson) between neurofunctionals alterations and data from the Rorschach indicated significant correlations (<.01) between confusion of thought, tendency to escape from reality, adaptability and mental block (Rorschach), and neuroimaging variables. These findings seem to demonstrate that there are significant differences in personality among children suffering from ST children and non-carriers, and that it is possible to carry through studies of association and correlation between psychological and medical instruments


This paper describes lessons learned from mental health workers who participated in Capacity Building for Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Disaster Areas (CAMHD) training of trainers in Jakarta. This training module was developed by the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division of the Department of Psychiatry of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and partners, in collaboration with the Institute of Mental Health Singapore and supported by Temasek Foundation, Singapore. Mixed methods research was conducted to evaluate the training and to learn from the participants' experiences. Data were collected from the training participants in the form of pre and post tests, questionnaires demographic data, training evaluation forms, and focus group discussions. All research participants (n = 16) demonstrated increased knowledge, with a statistically significant mean difference of pretest and posttest scores (p < 0.001). Important lessons imparted included early detection – especially using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, case formulation, and comprehensive management, including Psychological First Aid (and crisis intervention. In terms of training process, training participants appeared to particularly appreciate active learning processes such as case studies, role plays, and discussions, which allowed them to share their experiences. The current research also identified further training and development needs for child and adolescent mental health in disaster areas.


Sepsis and septic shock are among the most common causes of death in the intensive care unit; advanced therapeutic approaches are thus urgently needed. Vascular hyperpermeability represents a major manifestation of severe sepsis and is responsible for the ensuing organ dysfunction and failure. Vasopressin V1A receptor (V1AR) agonists have shown promise in the treatment of sepsis, increasing blood pressure, and reducing vascular hyperpermeability. The effects of the selective V1AR-selective agonist selepressin have been investigated in an in vitro model of thrombin-, vascular endothelial growth factor–, angiopoietin 2–, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary microvascular endothelial hyperpermeability. Results suggest that selepressin counteracts the effects of all four endothelial barrier disruptors in a concentration-dependent manner, as reflected in real-time measurements of vascular permeability by means of transendothelial electrical resistance. Further, selepressin protected the barrier integrity against the LPS-mediated corruption of the endothelial monolayer integrity, as captured by VE-cadherin and actin staining. The protective effects of selepressin were abolished by silencing of the vasopressin V1AR, as well as by atosiban, an antagonist of the human V1AR. p53 appears to be involved in mediating these palliative effects, since selepressin strongly induced its expression levels, suppressed the inflammatory RhoA/myosin light chain2 pathway, and triggered the barrier-protective effects of the GTPase Rac1. We conclude that V1AR-selective agonists, such as selepressin, may prove useful in the improvement of endothelial barrier function in the management of severe sepsis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A cardinal sign of sepsis, a serious disease with significant mortality and no specific treatment, is pulmonary endothelial barrier dysfunction that leads to pulmonary edema. Here, we present evidence that in cultured human lung microvascular endothelial cells, the synthetic, selective vasopressin V1A receptor agonist selepressin protects against endothelial barrier dysfunction caused by four different edemogenic agents, suggesting a potential role of selepressin in the clinical management of sepsis.


Infection of macrophages with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii results in inhibition of a large panel of LPS-responsive cytokines, including TNF-α, while leaving others such as IL-10 intact. Recent studies provide evidence that the parasite interferes with chromatin remodeling at the TNF-α promoter that is normally associated with LPS stimulation, but that is not required for TLR4 induction of IL-10. Here, we examined the effect of Toxoplasma on IL-10 induced by simultaneous signaling through TLR4 and FcγR, a combined stimulus that triggers histone H3 covalent modification at the IL-10 promoter resulting in high level IL-10 cytokine production. We show that the parasite inhibits high level IL-10 production and prevents histone H3 Ser10 phosphorylation and Lys9/14 acetylation at the IL-10 promoter. These results provide compelling evidence that T. gondii targets the host cell chromatin remodeling machinery to down-regulate cytokine responses in infected macrophages.


Massage is an ancient manual therapy widely utilized by individuals seeking relief from various musculoskeletal maladies. Despite its popularity, the majority of evidence associated with massage benefits is anecdotal. Recent investigations have uncovered physiological evidence supporting its beneficial use following muscle injury; however, the effects of massage on healthy, unperturbed skeletal muscle are unknown. Utilizing a custom-fabricated massage mimetic device, the purpose of this investigation was to elucidate the effects of various loading magnitudes on healthy skeletal muscle with particular interest in the gene expression profile and modulation of key immune cells involved in the inflammatory response. Twenty-four male Wistar rats (200 g) were subjected to cyclic compressive loading (CCL) over the right tibialis anterior muscle for 30 min, once a day, for 4 consecutive days using four loading conditions: control (0N), low load (1.4N), moderate load (4.5N), and high load (11N). Microarray analysis showed that genes involved with the immune response were the most significantly affected by application of CCL. Load-dependent changes in cellular abundance were seen in the CCL limb for CD68(+) cells, CD163(+) cells, and CD43(+)cells. Surprisingly, load-independent changes were also discovered in the non-CCL contralateral limb, suggesting a systemic response. These results show that massage in the form of CCL exerts an immunomodulatory response to uninjured skeletal muscle, which is dependent upon the applied load.


In this study, bottom-up type powder processing and top-down type SPD (severe plastic deformation) approaches were combined in order to achieve both full density and grain refinement of metallic powders with least grain growth, which was considered as a bottle neck of the bottom-up method using the conventional powder metallurgy of compaction and sintering. ECAP (Equal channel angular pressing), one of the most promising method in SPD, was used for the powder consolidation. In the ECAP process of not only solid but also powder metals, knowledge of the density as well as internal stress, strain and strain rate distribution is important for understanding the process. We investigated the consolidation, plastic deformation and microstructure evolution behavior of the metallic powders during ECAP using experimental and theoretical methods. Almost independent behavior of powder densification in the entry channel and shear deformation in the main deformation zone was found by the finite element method in conjunction with a pressure dependent material yield model. It was found that high mechanical strength could be achieved effectively as a result of the well bonded powder contact surface during ECAP process of gas atomized Al-Si powders. The SPD processing of powders is a viable method to achieve both fully density and nanostructured materials.


How should "Europe�? respond to society's calls for a sound and properly functioning corporate tax system for the internal market? With the aim of contributing to the deliberations on this subject, the proposal of the author is to remodel the CCTB/CCCTB draft directives into a unitary taxation model for taxing the worldwide economic profits of multinationals and using a destination-based apportionment formula (the "CCCTB 2.0�?) to apportion the tax base to countries, both within and outside the EU. Under the proposal it would be up to EU member states themselves to determine the rate applying to the tax base apportioned to them. This would take tax out of the equation in the case of marginal financing and investment decisions, while also curtailing its influence on investment location decisions and, at the same time, making "gaming the system�? more difficult. EU member states would, in turn, regain their autonomy and scope to set their corporate tax rates at the levels they regard as appropriate, while the proposed model would also end the "race to the bottom�? within the EU. If the EU were to be the first mover, self-interest would prompt other countries and regions to follow its lead. The resultant production location neutrality would encourage international businesses to embrace the model and lobby for transition as rapidly as possible. Driven by self-interest and competitive responses, such a move could initiate a transition to worldwide adoption of destination-based tax of excess earnings: in other words, harmonization through competition. As the innovator, the EU would enjoy the greatest economic benefit during the transitional period, when countries' profit tax systems would be evolving towards an equilibrium in which destination-based tax would become the new global standard. The final destination would be a new destination-based company tax paradigm operating both neutrally and non-discriminatorily on the supply side. And that would produce a result that would not only be fair, but also – and primarily – provide a systemic and economically efficient solution for the international problem of BEPS.


Indonesia declared an ambitious plan to restore its degraded and fire‐prone peatlands, which have been a source of significant greenhouse gas and haze. However, the progress has been slow and the plan cannot succeed without sustained social supports and political will. Although many previous studies argued for the need to see ecological restoration in socio‐economic contexts, empirical assessments have been lacking for how restoration is operationalized on the ground. We interviewed 47 key informants involved in four different projects in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, and assessed their definitions, goals, and practices of peatland restoration. Most of the actors we interviewed defined peatland restoration primarily in an ecological context following the global concept of ecological restoration. However, all four restoration projects were designed without determining reference and trajectory conditions. Their intermediate goals and practices were more focused on engaging local communities and developing sustainable livelihood options than improving the ecological conditions of peatlands. To be internally consistent, peatland restoration needs to recognize a social dimension in its process, as well as in its goal. Setting clear trajectory conditions is also important to clarify achievable goals and measurable intermediate outcomes. We propose the following definition of peatland restoration: a process of assisting the recovery of degraded peatland ecosystems to achieve the appropriate trajectories defined through multi‐stakeholder collaboration within social‐ecological contexts. We hope to generate healthy debates to further refine the definition that encompasses both social and ecological dimensions to generate broader support for sustaining and expanding peatland restoration projects in Indonesia.


Food production in smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa is often constrained by low soil contents of plant-available phosphorus (P). An option to increase food production is cultivation of species with high P efficiency. Plant strategies to improve growth and P acquisition on low P soils include root foraging strategies to improve spatial soil exploitation, P mining strategies to enhance desorption, solubilisation or mineralisation, and improving internal P utilisation efficiency. The aim of this study was to measure plant responses to low P availability in soil and to determine if there is variation among African indigenous vegetables (AIV) in their ability to use organic phosphate and sparingly soluble P forms. Six AIV species (Spider plant Cleome gynandra, African nightshade Solanum scabrum, Amaranthus Amaranthus cruentus, Cowpea Vigna unguiculata, African kale Brassica carinata, Common kale Brassica oleracea) were cultivated under controlled conditions in pots on a low P substrate. The substrate was amended with P using four different forms (highly soluble K2HPO4, sparingly soluble FePO4 or phosphate rock, phytate). Measurements included biomass and P concentration in shoots and roots, morphological root traits (root length and diameter, root hair density) and substrate characteristics (pH, content of soluble P) after harvest. The AIV species significantly differed in morphological root traits and rhizosphere pH, and in the responses of morphological root traits to different P treatments. For example in average of all P levels rhizosphere pH varied from 3.9 in Amaranthus to 6.0 in African kale. All species were able to use P from phytate as effectively for biomass formation as P from K2HPO4. The efficiency for utilisation of sparingly soluble P forms (either FePO4 or rock phosphate) was low in African nightshade and Spider plant, and high in Amaranthus and African kale. Cowpea was efficient in utilisation of P from rock phosphate but not from FePO4. The data indicate large variation among AIV species in root traits relevant for P acquisition and their ability to use soil P from different sparingly soluble P forms. This information may be used for site-specific recommendation of species best adapted to low P soils.


ABSTRACT PT. Direct Vision applied a request for rejecting the execution on the Rulings of SIAC in 2010 because of the violation against public order. However, the Central Jakarta District Court and the Supreme Court refused the request for rejecting the execution on the ruling of SIAC in 2010 in Indonesia. Legal provision which regulates the rejection for the execution on the International Arbitration decision according to UUA, APS, and new York 1958 convention permits that the request can be filed to the Court in the petitioner's country, but the cancelation can only be filed in the country where the decision is made. The main reason for the panel of judges to refuse the request for execution on SIAC decisions in 2010 was because PT. Ayunda Prima Mitra simultaneously filed a complaint about illegal action in the South Jakarta District Court against Astro Group Malaysia. It is recommended that UUA and APS should set the period of the International Arbitration registration, the reasons for rejecting the execution on the International Arbitration Decisions should not be mixed with the reasons for rejecting and canceling, and PT. Direct Vision should wait for the decision to execute from the South Jakarta District Court. Keywords: International Arbitration, Public Order


The plug-in HEV (PHEV), utilizing more battery power, has become the next-generation HEV with great promise of higher fuel economy. The charge-depletion mode is more appropriate for the power management of PHEV, i.e. the state of charge (SOC) is expected to drop to a low threshold when the vehicle reaches the destination of the trip. Globally optimized charge-depletion power management would be desirable. However, this has so far been hampered due to the a priori nature of the trip information and the prohibitive computational cost of global optimization techniques such as dynamic programming (DP). This situation can be changed by the current advancement of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) based on the use of on-board GPS, GIS, real-time and historical traffic flow data and advanced traffic flow modeling techniques. In this paper, charge-depletion control of PHEV is nearly globally optimized with a two-scale dynamic programming approach based on trip modeling with real-time and historical traffic data. For DP based charge-depletion control of PHEV, the SOC is desired to drop to a specific terminal value at the end of the trip. By specifying the origin and destination of a trip, the trip model, i.e. the driving cycle, is first obtained with the average of the historic traffic data, and the globally optimized SOC profile can be obtained by solving the overall or the macro-scale DP problem. The actual power management can be adapted during real-time vehicle operation with a micro-scale DP framework. The whole trip is divided into a number of segments, and for each segment, a smaller DP will be solved using the on-line traffic data transmitted to the vehicle from the traffic flow sensors within the segment. The SOC obtained in the macro-scale DP solution at the terminal location is reinforced to be the final value. Simulation study has been performed on a hybrid SUV model from ADVISOR, and a defined trip in the greater Milwaukee area. The simulation results demonstrated significant improvement in fuel economy using DP based charge-depletion control compared to rule based control, and also the benefit of adaptation using the two-scale DP method.


Patterns of wool variations found in modern sheep breeds may shed some light on the history of circum-Mediterranean migrations, which at present are still largely unknown. In this study, the characteristics of wool from five different local European breeds were investigated. Wool samples were taken from the following sheep breeds: Aranese, Roussillon Red, Castillonnais, Levant Red and Majorcan Red. Specimens were collected from 88 animals in different herds for each breed. The following sheep fleece characteristics were investigated: length of long-coarse, short-fine and kemp (medullated) fibres; their proportion within the staple; yield after scouring with isoalcohol; and fibre diameter. The amount of short-fine fibres was lower in the Levant Red and Majorcan Red breeds, with an inversely proportional amount of kemp fibres. Clean yield with isoalcohol was about 80 percent in all these breeds. Fleece characteristics offer a glimpse of possible morphologic relationships between the Levant Red and Majorcan Red that moreover exhibit a similarity in colour and a geographical proximity. Because very little is still known about the nature of the patterns of the fleece of Atlantic West and North African sheep, the importance of the African influence on existing European Mediterranean red sheep breeds remains to be clarified. A plausible hypothesis is that different influences would have left different traces, with a lesser impact on Pyrenean breeds.


The goal of this work is to provide users immersed in a multi-platform environment with the possibility of interacting with an application while freely moving from one device to another. We describe the solution that we have developed for a service to support platform-aware runtime migration for Web applications. This allows users interacting with an application to change device and continue their interaction from the same point. The service performs the migration of the application taking into account its runtime state and adapting the application interface to the features of the target platforms. The service is optimized for applications developed through a model-based, multiple-level approach. The intelligence of the adaptive interfaces resides in the migration server, which adapts data collected at runtime from their original format to the format best fitting the features of the target platform. We also indicate how it is possible to extend this result in order to support partial migration and synergistic access, by which a part of the user interface is kept on one device during runtime and the remaining part is moved to another with different characteristics.


The spatial and temporal evolution of the 3H levels in the water of the River Tagus in its passage through various regions of Spain and Portugal was analysed. Using mathematical time-series techniques, analytical expressions were obtained for the temporal trend and the periodicity present in the data. These expressions were used to determine the transit times between the sampling sites. The results indicated that the mean speed of 3H displacement was 12 km/month. The residence times of tritium in the water were also obtained. They were found to depend on the sampling points, with values ranging between 31 and 77 months. The concentrations of 3H varied cyclically at the six sampling points, with periods of around 24 months upstream of the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant and about 12 months downstream.