This text refers to an example of judgement in front of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina- B&H for crime of sexual violence during the war in the area of municipality Foča, committed by members of Serbian Republic Bosnia and Herzegovina and later Republic of Srpska over Bosnian Muslim citizen. By analyzing a certain number of court sentences for this crime, with the aim of comparing the height of determined punishments in front of International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia - ICTY and the judiciary of B&H, this verdict was noticed as a special case in regards to other judgements, which was the reason for writing this text. In fact, the motive for writing this text is a drastic violation of the rights of victim of sexual violence by the Second Instance Panel of the Court of B&H, due to the non-consistent application of the valid legal regulations. What happened in this case is that the council in the first trial in the case of Radio Vuković no.: X-KR/06/217 reached the verdict "guilty" and sentenced him to 5 years and 6 months, and in the second trial same court, same case number:X-KRŽ-05/217 reached the verdict "released from the charge." The question is not which court (Haag Tribunal or Court of B&H) pronounces more strict punishments anymore, the question is: Why did the council of Court of B&H in the first trial pronounced condemning and in the second trial, same council, pronounced releasing judgement? It is not excluded that the second instance verdict may be in conflict with the first instance verdict if it is established and proven that... "it has not been proven that the accused committed the criminal offense for which he is accused ", as prescribed in Article 284 c of the Law of the Criminal Procedure of Bosnia and Herzegovina – CPC BiH referred to by the second instance panel. However, the second instance panel did not find anything new. The second instance panel was conducted on the basis of the same facts, circumstances, evidence and legal qualification of the criminal offense as the first instance procedure, so the second instance panel could not to make a different decision from the first instance panel. The decision of the second instance panel is different only because it was made in drastic violation of the applicable legal regulations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ICTY has already ruled in similar cases, and this case, which referred to lower ranking perpetrators of crimes and as easier to resolve was formed and completed with the standard A mark, forwarded to the Court of BiH.


I last saw my friend Harun Farocki a few days before the opening of his exhibition at the Hamburger Bahnhof in late January 2014. Astonishingly, this was his first major one-person show in Berlin, a city that he called home and that had shaped his intellectual and artistic sensibility for over half a century. "I should have been born in Berlin," he muses in his autobiographical "Written Trailers" (2009). Farocki was initially drawn to West Berlin in the early 1960s because the island city had been spared the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) of the 1950s that had reshaped the rest of West Germany. It retained a forlorn rawness, a sense of bohemia, and a countercultural public sphere that attracted hippies, draft dodgers, political outcasts, and artists of all kinds. Farocki was a member of the first Deutsche Film und Fernsehakademie (Berlin Film Academy) class, along with Helke Sander, Holger Meins, and Wolfgang Petersen. He lived in a commune, wrote criticism, and produced relatively obscure agitprop films such as Herstellung eines Molotow-Cocktails (How to Make a Molotov Cocktail) (1968), Anleitung, Polizisten den Helm abzurissen (How to Remove a Police Helmet) (1969), and the better-known Nicht löschbares Feuer (Inextinguishable Fire) (1969). As Berlin changed over the years, however, so, too, did Farocki and his filmmaking practice.


The success of electronic commerce significantly depends on providing security and
privacy for its consumers' sensitive personal information. Consumers' lack of
acceptance in electronic commerce adoption today is not merely due to the concerns
on security and privacy of their personal information, but also lack of trust and
reliability of web vendors. Consumers' trust in online transactions is crucial for the
continuous growth and development of electronic commerce. Since Business to
Consumer (B2C) e-commerce requires the consumers to engage the technologies, the
consumers face a variety of security risks. This study addressed the role of security,
privacy and risk perceptions of consumers to shop online in order to establish a
consensus among them. The findings provided reliability, factors analysis for the
research variables and for each of the study's research constructs, correlations as well
as regression analyses for both non-online purchasers' and online purchasers'
perspectives, and structural equation modeling (SEM) for overall model fit. The
overall model was tested by AMOS 18.0 and the hypothesis, assumptions for SEM
and descriptive statistics were analyzed by SPSS 12.0.
The empirical results of the first study indicated that there were poor correlations
existed between consumers' perceived security and consumers' trust as well as
between consumers' perceived privacy and consumers' trust regarding e-commerce
transactions. However, the construct of perceived privacy manifested itself primarily
through perceived security and trustworthiness of web vendors. While trustworthiness
of web vendors was a critical factor in explaining consumers' trust to adopt ecommerce,
it was important to pay attention to the consumers' risk concerns on ecommerce
transactions. It was found that economic incentives and institutional trust
had no impact on consumers' perceived risk.
Findings from the second study indicated that perceived privacy was still to be the
slight concern for consumers' trust in e-commerce transactions, though poor
vi i
relationships or associations existed between perceived security and consumers' trust,
between trustworthiness of web vendors and consumers' trust, and between perceived
risk and consumers' trust. The findings also showed that the construct of perceived
privacy manifested itself primarily through perceived security and trustworthiness of
web vendors. It was found that though economic incentives influenced a consumers'
perceived risk in online transactions, institutional trust had no impact on consumers'
perceived risk.
Overall findings suggested that consumers' perceived risk influenced their trust in
e-commerce transactions, while the construct of perceived privacy manifested itself
primarily through perceived security as well as trustworthiness of web vendors. In
addition, though economic incentives had no impact on consumers' perceived risk,
institutional trust influenced a consumers' perceived risk in online transactions. The
findings also suggested that economic incentives and institutional trust had
relationships or associations with consumers' perceived privacy.
The findings from this research showed that consumers' perceived security and
perceived privacy were not mainly concerned to their trust in e-commerce
transactions though consumers' perceived security and perceived privacy might
slightly influence on the trustworthiness of web vendors in dealing with online store
sites abroad. Furthermore, consumers' perceptions on the trustworthiness of web
vendors were also related to their perceived risks and the concern about privacy was
also addressed to perceived risks.
Index terms: Perceived security; perceived privacy; perceived risk; trust;
consumers' behaviour; SEM


Because of the poor phosphorus removal of nature zeolite, the best modification method was prepared as follows : First, natural zeolite was soaked in 1mol/L NaOH solution on dynamic condition at 35°C for 1 hour. After washed with deionied water, it was soaked in 20% MgCl2 solution on dynamic condition at 35°C for 48h, then was roasted at 500°C in a muffle furnace for 3h and in the end cooled to normal temperature.Based on this, the capacity of the modified zeolites was studied under different conditions of contact time, dosage and temperature in order to examine dephophorization ability of modified zeolite. The results from batch experiment suggest that the modified zeolite has a more P sorption capacity possibly due to the hydrated magnesium on or in the modified zeolite.


How Exhibitionary Practices Take Place

The centenary of the Kunsthalle Bern in 2018 calls for a reflection upon how its specificity has decisively shaped the notion of contemporaneity. Unlike collecting museums, Kunsthallen are associated with negotiations around the formal and social positioning of contemporary art. The sequence of more than 750 exhibitions held so far at the Kunsthalle Bern constitutes a paradigmatic model of display, which is significant within the institutional history of art. It serves as a case study for ways in which local and international artists examine the conditions of art making and push the formats of exhibition making. Interactions with the architectural structure of the Kunsthalle Bern, such as Christo and Jeanne-Claude's wrapping in 1968, have led to a constant and critical exploration of both the building and its rules. Such an artistic strategy has turned the frame for and site of art presentation into a medium itself.

This scholarly publication discusses the historical development of the Kunsthalle Bern and its implications for the "localization" of art. It contributes to current research on institutional histories by looking at the many ways in which the Kunsthalle Bern addresses the question of how exhibitionary practices take place.

A broad range of international authors draw on the archives of the Kunsthalle Bern itself and put it in the context of other paradigms of display, thus offering an insight into how the Kunsthalle Bern acts as a stage for artistic practice, and functions as a model for the performance of contemporaneity. They examine its role as a curatorial field of experimentation, as artistic material, and as a platform for transatlantic exchange.


Human resources are an essential concern of modern organisations. Career management has been recognised as an integral part of human resource development in such firms. Whereas it is expected that employees will take charge of their career development initiatives, organizations are being forced to be proactive by embracing career intervention. One strategy in use in career intervention is employee training. In this respect, the purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between career training and employee productivity in sugar firms in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the theory of Career Decision Making developed by Krumboltz. 1976. The study adopted a correlation research design which has the ability of establishing relationships among variables. The study was scheduled between February-December 2013. The study population comprised of 700 managers and 2320 operational level employees. A sample size of 10% was extracted from the universe of 3020 employees which gave a total of 302 employees. The employees were stratified, and then randomly picked so as to participate in the study. The tools for data collection were questionnaires for consenting employees as well as document analysis. Validity and reliability of research instruments was established through test re-test method and careful scrutiny of the instruments by supervisors. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics and presented in the form of frequency distribution tables, pie charts, graphs, means, modes and percentages. Pearson's correlation coefficient was also used to test for relationships among variables. This study revealed that the more the operatives were exposed on training the higher the level of productivity. The study recommends that Sugar firms should incorporate quality and frequent training of operatives to increase their productivity level.


In this technical report, we investigate modeling, control, and coordination of mobile manipulators. A mobile manipulator in this study consists of a robotic manipulator and a mobile platform, with the manipulator being mounted atop the mobile platform. A mobile manipulator combines the dextrous manipulation capability offered by fixed-base manipulators and the mobility offered by mobile platforms. While mobile manipulators offer a tremendous potential for flexible material handling and other tasks, at the same time they bring about a number of challenging issues rather than simply increasing the structural complexity. First, combining a manipulator and a platform creates redundancy. Second, a wheeled mobile platform is subject to nonholonomic constraints. Third, there exists dynamic interaction between the manipulator and the mobile platform. Fourth, manipulators and mobile platforms have different bandwidths. Mobile platforms typically have slower dynamic response than manipulators. The objective of the thesis is to develop control algorithms that effectively coordinate manipulation and mobility of mobile manipulators. We begin with deriving the motion equations of mobile manipulators. The derivation presented here makes use of the existing motion equations of manipulators and mobile platforms, and simply introduces the velocity and acceleration dependent terms that account for the dynamic interaction between manipulators and mobile platforms. Since nonholonomic constraints play a critical role in control of mobile manipulators, we then study the control properties of nonholonomic dynamic systems, including feedback linearization and internal dynamics. Based on the newly proposed concept of preferred operating region, we develop a set of coordination algorithms for mobile manipulators. While the manipulator performs manipulation tasks, the mobile platform is controlled to always bring the configuration of the manipulator into a preferred operating region. The control algorithms for two types of tasks dragging motion and following motion are discussed in detail. The effects of dynamic interaction are also investigated. To verify the efficacy of the coordination algorithms, we conduct numerical simulations with representative task trajectories. Additionally, the control algorithms for the dragging motion and following motion have been implemented on an experimental mobile manipulator. The results from the simulation and experiment are presented to support the proposed control algorithms. Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-94-12. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/cis_reports/240 Coordinated Control of a Mobile Manipulator MS-CIS-94-12 GRASP LAB 371


The spectroscopic properties of BaGd2-xO4:Eux (x = 0.0 - 0.1) phosphors were investigated. The phosphors were synthesized by conventional solid state reaction method. The samples were characterized by powder-XRD and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The photoluminescence (PL) and thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) studies of these materials were investigated. For PL studies the samples were excited with 258 nm UV light. All the samples showed strong red emission at 611 nm due to 5D0→ 7 F2 electric dipole transition of Eu3+ ions. PL peak intensity was found to increase with increase in the dopant concentration. For TSL studies, samples were γ-irradiated with different dose rates using 60Co source. TSL of these phosphors showed a sharp glow peak with maxima at 394 K. Incorporation of europium activator in BaGd2O4 phosphor resulted in the increase of peak intensity. The trap parameters viz., order of kinetics (b), activation energy (E) and frequency factor (S) associated with the most intensive glow peak of BaGd2O4:Eu3+ phosphor were determined using glow curve shape (Chen's) method. These phosphors can be useful in TL dosimetry Keywords: Phosphors, Photoluminescence, U.V Excitation, Thermoluminescence, Dosimetry


A one-dimensional model of fluid pressure and porosity evolution is used to investigate the physical processes that control the development and maintenance of overpressure in a compacting sedimentary basin. We show that for shale-dominated sequences the variation of the hydraulic diffusivity in both space and time is such that it produces a minimum between 2 and 4 km depth, consistent with observations from the Gulf Coast basin. This minimum inhibits the upward flow of fluid by acting as a "bottleneck" and thus determines the shallowest position of the depth to the top of overpressure. Above this region of bottleneck, overpressure does not develop because the porosity is sufficiently large to maintain high values of hydraulic diffusivity that are conducive to the rapid dissipation of excess fluid pressure. Within the overpressured shales, compaction propagates downward through the section, releasing fluids from the upper part of the section while continuing to restrain the upward flow of fluids from deeper within the section. As such, overpressures are predicted to be maintained within the deeper regions of a basin for tens to hundreds of millions of years. Further, fluid viscosity plays an important role in defining the depth behavior of hydraulic diffusivity as a function of time. Assuming a temperature-dependent fluid viscosity guarantees that the hydraulic diffusivity minimum will always exist during the development of the basin. On the basis of our results, we find that the depth at which the porosity equals 14±4% correlates with the depth to the local hydraulic diffusivity minimum and thus the depth to the top of overpressure. Moreover, we interpret that the 14±4% represents the threshold porosity for which a shale actually begins to act as a seal. Within the Gulf Coast basin, the gross sediment facies consists of lower massive shales across which deltaic systems have prograded allowing the deposition of an alternating series of sandstones and shales that grade vertically into massive sandstones. The massive sandstones are highly permeable and are connected hydrologically to the surface. We conclude that these sandstones play little role in the development of overpressure because of their high permeability except to the extent that the base of the massive sandstones marks the minimum depth possible for the top of overpressure. In contrast, overpressuring is observed to develop within either the shale-dominated sequence or the region of interspersed/interfingering sands and clays. The clay-encompassed sands play only a passive role in the development and maintenance of overpressure because it is the low-permeability clays that control the movement of fluids into and out of the sands.


Non-conventional core-guided transmission windows within the visible spectral range are identified in commercial hollow-core photonic crystal fibers designed to operate at 1550 nm. These windows are likely to be related to higher-order cladding photonic bandgaps and are found to be highly dependent on the cladding microstructure, thus being affected by pressure-induced stress/deformation. 20-cm-long fiber samples are then used to demonstrate simple and temperature-independent hydrostatic pressure sensing with two different setups. While in the first setup pressure is externally applied to the fiber and results in operation in the hundreds of kgf/cm 2 (or tens of MPa) range, the second setup applies pressure directly to fiber internal microstructure and is sensitive to pressures down to a fraction of kgf/cm 2 (hundredths of MPa). The fact that pressure is directly transduced into transmitted power greatly simplifies the required sensor interrogation setup.


Abstract Background: Real time ultrasound (RTUS) is being used by physiotherapists as a tool for enhancing biofeedback. Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to summarise and evaluate the available literature on the effectiveness of RTUS as a biofeedback tool for muscle retraining. Method: A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify primary research examining the effect of RTUS muscle retraining. Studies were ranked according to the National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy of evidence. The methodological quality of the randomised controlled trials was systematically assessed using the PEDro rating scale while a modified tool for case series studies was used. Results: Three RCTs, one case series and one case study were included. The methodological quality of the five studies was average to good, ranging from 55 to 82%. The studies used abdominal, multifidus and pelvic floor muscles to demonstrate the effects of RTUS biofeedback. The results varied depending on the purpose of the tool and the muscles re-trained. The effectiveness of RTUS as a teaching tool is moderate for multifidus, modest for abdominal muscles and weak for pelvic floor muscles. There was a paucity of available literature on the long term retention of muscle control following use of RTUS as a biofeedback tool. Conclusion: While research in this field is limited in quantity at the current time, the results warrant further investigation. However, future researchers must make an effort to ensure that their study design is of the highest quality and also demonstrate the long term effects of using RTUS to enhance muscle retraining.


Within the past few years, many Maya archaeologists have addressed the significance of feasting in ancient Maya society and the way in which this ritual can be identified through the use of special ceramic vessels. The use of these special ceramic vessels can be best seen throughout the Classic Period (A.D. 250-900) at suspected elite feasting sites. The use of these ceramic vessels and feasting practices can be traced through specific vessel types and codex (hieroglyphic) inscriptions written on special polychrome drinking vessels. Research on the existing literature initiates a series of ideas and hypotheses that can be assembled to document the societal and archaeological significance of Classic Maya ceramic vessels in feasting.


By analyzing the urban landscape, this investigation focuses on some commercial typologies that exist in historical urban areas and its relationship with the urban landscape and its heritage values. Trade plays an essential role in historical urban areas, both in the past and in the present, since it is part of the urban landscape—creating it and modifying it, but also preserving it. Historical protected urban areas contain diverse elements reflecting the impacts of commercial activities that have existed in cities throughout history. At present, the urban landscape of commercial activity is made up of a multiplicity of typologies and formats which interact with the historical landscape and its values, using them to strengthen its strategies of attraction, differentiation, and sales. Shop owners contribute to the preservation of historic urban areas by maintaining the commercial functions within them. Therefore, we affirm that the role of commercial activity in the preservation of urban protected areas is essential. However, further research is needed because this aspect has not been addressed in depth by the scientific community specializing in the management of cultural heritage.


To the Editor. —The Rational Clinical Examination entitled "Does This Patient Have Sinusitis?" by Williams and Simel1contained an excellent review of the physical signs found in acute sinusitis. However, no mention was made of the characteristic "bad breath" odor found in many patients with this disorder. While odors may also be attributable to poor local hygiene, foreign bodies in the nares, other infections, or simple mouth breathing, I have found this odor quite sensitive in detecting sinusitis. Barness2makes mention of it as does Green3in his text. Indeed, many patients in my practice who have presented with a chief complaint of bad breath have had other characteristic findings of sinusitis as well as opacified sinuses on roentgenogram. I feel that we should use all of our senses, including olfaction, as diagnostic aids. Olfaction is certainly cost-effective!


This thesis addresses the signalling pathways and gene networks associated with melanoma cell motility in vivo and heterogeneity in tumour-associated vasculature. Melanoma metastasis begins with the acquisition of motility in the primary tumour, however, there is little characterisation of signalling pathways or microenvironments associated with melanoma motility in vivo. Intra-vital imaging of clonal signalling reporter cell-lines showed heterogeneous cell behaviour in vivo and increased Notch, TGF-β and SRF dependent transcription in motile cells. Further investigations into Notch signalling in melanoma metastasis showed that Notch promotes metastasis through cell-autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms. The reporter cell-lines were used to enrich for the motile melanoma cell population and genes up-regulated in this population were identified. Many cell-cycle regulators, including regulators of cytokinesis, were up-regulated in the B16 F2 melanoma population enriched for motile cells. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that EZH2, a histone methyltransferase in the Polycomb repressor 2 complex, can regulate the genes associated with motile cells and EZH2 depletion decreased melanoma cell motility in vitro and metastasis in vivo. EZH2 was also shown to regulate cell morphology and the actin cytoskeleton through regulating activation of a subset of ERM proteins. Due to association between melanoma metastasis and differentiation, the role of EZH2 in melanoma differentiation state was investigated. EZH2 depletion did not significantly affect expression of melanoma differentiation markers but increased Oca2 mRNA expression leading to increased pigment. This thesis also investigates heterogeneity in the tumour microenvironment. Morphologically and dynamically distinct regions of the tumour vasculature were identified by intra-vital imaging and quantitative image analysis, and these regions could be followed over time using imaging windows. The tumour vasculature showed a heterogeneous response to the anti-angiogenic drug, Sunitinib, possibly due to microenvironmental factors. Aspects of vascular morphology and dynamics correlated with melanoma motility and may be used to describe microenvironments favourable for motility.


It is known that the properties of asphalt-aggregate adhesion show great effect on the performance of asphalt pavement, while the temperature plays an important role in determining the fundamental properties of asphalt binder between single aggregate-aggregate contacts surfaces. The temperature sensitivity is considered to be very important on understanding the failures of asphalt pavement, especially on the asphalt-aggregate adhesion. Knowledge the temperature sensitivity of asphalt-aggregate adhesion is very important in asphalt mixture design. The purpose of this paper was to quantify the effect of temperature on the adhesion and cohesion of asphalt film between aggregate and asphalt. The adhesive/cohesive failure of asphalt film between single aggregate-aggregate contacts was investigated using dynamic mechanical analyzer under dynamic tension stress test with force-control mode, then fracture surface were analysis by a Polarizing Microscope. Contrastive experiments were conducted on SBS modified asphalt under different temperatures. Experimental results indicate that the area percentage of adhesive failure was decreased with the increase of test temperature. And the adhesive failure percentage is enhancing with the increase of loading max-stress level.


The study of phosphorylase kinase (PhK)-regulated glycogen metabolism has contributed to the fundamental understanding of protein phosphorylation. Here we present the high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structures of human muscle PhK. The 1.3-megadalton PhK α4β4γ4δ4 hexadecamer consists of a tetramer of tetramer, wherein four αβγδ modules are connected by the central β4 scaffold. The α- and β-subunits possess glucoamylase-like domains, but exhibit no detectable enzyme activities. The α-subunit serves as a bridge between the β-subunit and the γδ subcomplex, and facilitates the γ-subunit to adopt an autoinhibited state. Ca2+-free calmodulin (δ-subunit) binds to the γ-subunit in a compact conformation. Upon binding of Ca2+, a conformational change occurs, allowing for the de-inhibition of the γ-subunit through a spring-loaded mechanism. We also reveal an ADP-binding pocket in the β-subunit, which plays a role in allosterically enhancing PhK activity. These results provide unprecedented molecular insights of this important kinase complex.


This paper reports on mathematics and science teachers' beliefs about the use of inquiry-based teaching strategies. Two different surveys were conducted: one with 24 teachers who were to become future instructional leaders; and one with 75 teachers as part of an international baseline study. We found that teachers in Norway would like to use more IBL strategies in their day-to-day teaching. They were also asking for more, and more relevant, professional development courses. Textbooks were not seen as a main hindrance to the use of IBL, but these would need to include more IBL approaches. Even if the curriculum, particularly in the natural sciences, did not represent an important hindrance, in their view it would need to advocate IBL more explicitly. The results provide deeper insights into teacher beliefs related to IBL, in particular the constraints that prevent the teachers from working in such a manner, and into potential 'openings' for using IBL to enhance pupil engagement and deeper learning. Methodologically, the study uses a quantitative approach to investigate teacher beliefs related to IBL that adds to the literature in the field.


Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is the commonest of the histiocytic disorders. Owing to the relative rarity of the condition, it remains a disease in which the diagnosis is often delayed or missed. Commonly seen in infancy or early childhood, the disorder is characterized by proliferation of abnormal and clonal Langerhans cells in skin, bone, lymph nodes, lungs, liver, spleen, and bone marrow. Lichen planus presents as purple, polygonal, pruritic, papular eruption of unknown etiology affecting skin, mucous membranes and nails. Despite of thourough literature search, we could not find any association of lichen planus with LCH. Hereby, we report a case of five year old child with acute onset of polymorphic eruptions all over the body which on histopathology and Immunohistochemistry showed features of Langerhans cell histiocytosis and lichen planus on bilateral lower limb.


The detection of critical inherent cracks in the railhead is a major challenge for the railway industry. Conventional inspection methods have proven not to be reliable enough in this context; therefore the aim of this work is to develop an alternative screening method. The approach is to scan a pulse-echo probe along the rail which covers maximum part of rail head. The properties of the dominant surface of rails were determined and a mode suitable for inspection purposes is identified. In order to ensure correct and reliable signal interpretation of ultrasonic wave a signal processing method is developed. The performance of this method was studied on rails containing artificial and real defects. Furthermore, deep defects were detected even with multiple smaller ones in front. The inspection method developed appears suitable for defect detection and could be used to complement existing methods and thus enhance their reliability.


Explaining artificial intelligence (AI) predictions is increasingly important and even imperative in many high-stakes applications where humans are the ultimate decision-makers. In this work, we propose two novel architectures of self-interpretable image classifiers that first explain, and then predict (as opposed to post-hoc explanations) by harnessing the visual correspondences between a query image and exemplars. Our models consistently improve (by 1 to 4 points) on out-of-distribution (OOD) datasets while performing marginally worse (by 1 to 2 points) on in-distribution tests than ResNet-50 and a $k$-nearest neighbor classifier (kNN). Via a large-scale, human study on ImageNet and CUB, our correspondence-based explanations are found to be more useful to users than kNN explanations. Our explanations help users more accurately reject AI's wrong decisions than all other tested methods. Interestingly, for the first time, we show that it is possible to achieve complementary human-AI team accuracy (i.e., that is higher than either AI-alone or human-alone), in ImageNet and CUB image classification tasks.


An immune checkpoint blocking antibody was developed against cancer cell surface PCNA, a ligand for NK-cell protein NKp44. Tests of the antibody in mice bearing patient-derived xenografts showed promise for overcoming tumor resistance to immunotherapy. mAb-based blocking of the immune checkpoints involving the CTLA4-B7 and PD1-PDL1 inhibitory axes enhance T-cell–based adaptive immune responses in patients with cancer. We show here that antitumor responses by natural killer (NK) cells can be enhanced by a checkpoint-blocking mAb, 14-25-9, which we developed against proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). PCNA is expressed on the surface of cancer cells and acts as an inhibitory ligand for the NK-cell receptor, NKp44-isoform1. We tested for cytoplasmic- and membrane-associated PCNA by FACS- and ImageStream-based staining of cell lines and IHC of human cancer formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissues. The mAb, 14-25-9, inhibited binding of chimeric NKp44 receptor to PCNA and mostly stained the cytoplasm and membrane of tumor cells, whereas commercial antibody (clone PC10) stained nuclear PCNA. NK functions were measured using ELISA-based IFNγ secretion assays and FACS-based killing assays. The NK92-NKp44-1 cell line and primary human NK cells showed increased IFNγ release upon coincubation with mAb 14-25-9 and various solid tumor cell lines and leukemias. Treatment with 14-25-9 also increased NK cytotoxic activity. In vivo efficacy was evaluated on patient-derived xenografts (PDX)-bearing NSG mice. In PDX-bearing mice, intravenous administration of mAb 14-25-9 increased degranulation (CD107a expression) of intratumorally injected patient autologous or allogeneic NK cells, as well as inhibited tumor growth when treated long term. Our study describes a mAb against the NKp44-PCNA innate immune checkpoint that can enhance NK-cell antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo.


In three magisterial essays, Peter Brown, one of the world's foremost scholars of the society and culture of late antiquity, explores the emergence in late Roman society of "the poor" as a distinct social class, one for which the Christian church claimed a special responsibility. It is the story of how a society came to see itself as responsible for the care of a particular class of people -- a class that had not previously been cared for -- and of who benefited from that shift in interests. In his characteristically elegant and lucid prose, Brown seeks to recover the pre-Christian status of poor people, the actual nature of the relations between the Christian church and the poor, and the true motivations -- sometimes sincere, sometimes self-serving -- behind Christian rhetoric of love for the poor. He draws not only on the standard Greek and Latin sources for the later Roman Empire, but also on Jewish sources to document the interactions between Middle Eastern provincial societies and classical Roman traditions. Brown gracefully illuminates a crucial transition from classical to Christian culture: the emergence of a new understanding of what society -- and the Church -- owes to the poor that continues to resonate.


Abstract In this article, I trace lines of materialist pedagogies in the history of women workers' education following feminist interpretations of Spinoza's assemblage of joyful affects. More particularly, I focus on the notions of laetitia [joy], gaudium [gladness] and hilaritas [cheerfulness] as entanglements of joy and trace their expression in practices and discourses inscribed in archival documents that I have reassembled around the theme of women workers' education. My reading of Ethics follows a range of feminist thinkers that have engaged with Spinoza's 'ethics of joy' in education and beyond. The article draws on extensive archival work with personal auto/biographical documents and public essays of women workers/educators/writers in Paris and New York that span the period between 1830 and 1950. What I argue is that it is the experience of creative and radical education that has created a platform for workers to re-imagine themselves in the world with others.


Streptomycin, an antibiotic substance derived from Actinomyces griseus, when injected parenterally appears in the blood, urine and spinal fluid in amounts theoretically bacteriostatic or bactericidal for certain gram-negative bacilli known to be resistant to penicillin and to sulfonamide compounds.1When given orally, only traces appear in the blood and urine, since most of it is excreted in the feces, where it exerts a suppressive effect on various bacteria. It is relatively nontoxic. These facts, together with suggestive evidence of the therapeutic value of streptomycin in several cases of typhoid1aand in experimental infections in animals,2warrants further trial of the drug in several directions; namely, (a) for more patients with typhoid; (b) for infections caused by gram-negative bacilli, especially brucellosis, bacillary dysentery, tularemia, plague, cholera and Escherichia coli and Hemophilus influenzae infections; (c) for infections of the urinary tract, and (d) to study its effect on the


A new method of measuring and extracting bias dependent noise parameters for GaAs MESFETs and PHEMTs is presented. This technique only requires noise figure and S-parameter measurements over fiequency. This eliminates the need for time-consuming traditional sourcepull measurements and facilitates rapid noise parameter extraction. This technique makes the extraction of bias-dependent noise models of MESFETs and PHEMTs practical, for the first time, in a production test environment.


Rubella (German measles) is a viral disease that affects all age groups. It is spread through contact with airborne droplets of the virus found in the cough or sneeze of infected people. It can also be spread through sharing of cutleries and drinks with infected persons. Following rubella infection, symptoms may be nonspecific as with most viral infections, and may include: arthralgia, cough, runny nose, low grade fever, maculopapular rashes, and lymphadenopathy. Rubella infection cannot be clinically differentiated from other viral diseases based on symptoms. However, it is important for clinicians to know symptoms which may be suggestive of rubella for quick differentials and implementation of precautionary measures against its spread, hence this case report. In this study, we report a case of rare ocular involvement of the third cranial nerve in a 32-year-old black woman with rubella which resulted in pain on superior eye movement and partial eyelid ptosis. The patient also reported experiencing blurred vision, light sensitivity, and objects appearing washed out. All her symptoms appeared 17 days after she had embarked on an international travel (through Ethiopia) and sharing a can of drink with a child who she did not know his measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination status. She tested positive to rubella immunoglobulin M test. However, all of the patient's ocular symptoms resolved 6 weeks after their onset following the resolution of the rubella symptoms.


The trochoidal-gear technology has been growing in groundbreaking fields. Forthcoming applications are demanding to this technology a step forward in the conceiving stage of positive displacement machines. The compendium of the qualities and the inherent characteristics of trochoidal-gear technology, especially towards the gerotor pump, together with scale/size factor and magnetic-driven transmission has led to the idea of a magnet-sleeve-sealed variable flow mini trochoidal-gear pump. From its original concept, to the last phase of the design development, the proof of concept, this new product will intend to overcome problems such as noise, vibration, maintenance, materials, and dimensions. The paper aims to show the technological path followed from the concept, design, and model, to the manufacture of the first prototype, where the theoretical and numerical approaches are not always directly reflected in the prototype performance results. Early in the design process, from a standard-commercial sintered metal mini trochoidal-gear unit, fundamental characteristics and dimensional limitations have been evaluated becoming the strategic parameters that led to its configuration. The main technical challenge to confront is being sealed with non-exterior driveshaft, ensuring that the whole interior is filled and wetted with working fluid and helping the hydrodynamic film formation, the pumping effect, and the heat dissipation. Subsequently, the mini pump architecture, embodiment, methodology, materials, and manufacture are presented. The trend of applications of polymer composite materials and their benefits wanted to be examined with this new mini pump prototype, and a pure polyoxymethylene mini trochoidal-gear set has been designed and manufactured. Finally, both the sintered and the polymer trochoidal-gear units have been experimentally tested in an in-house full-instrumented mini test bench. Although the main goal of the presented work is the development of a new mini trochoidal-gear pump prototype rather than a numerical study, the results have been compared with numerical simulation. Subsequently, the prototype of the mini trochoidal-gear pump is a feasible proof of concept supported by functional indexes and the experimental results.


Passive smoking is defined as an involuntary exposure to a combined but diluted cigarette sidestream smoke (SS, gas and particle phases that are evolved fromthe smoldering end ofacigarettewhilethesmokerisnotpuffing) andthe exhaled smoke from smokers. SS contains numerous cytotoxic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines, nitrosamines, heavy metals, poisonous gases, pesticide residues, and radioactive elements in quantities much higher than those found from the cigarette mainstream smoke (MS) which is puffed by smokers. Passive smoking is found to be the cause of death from cancers and cardiac disease. Furthermore, it damagingly involves reproductive organs, the nervous system, genetic materials, and is particularly hazardous to mother and child during pregnancy and to those with a history of asthma, chronic infections, induced or earned immune deficiency, or predisposed susceptibility.


Thick sequences of salt (halite) have been recovered in a 456-m-long core drilled at the deepest floor of the Dead Sea by the Dead Sea Deep Drilling Project and extending ∼200 k.y. back in time. The salt sequences were precipitated in the ancient lake that occupied the Dead Sea Basin during the last three interglacials during intervals of extreme aridity in the lake's watershed. The salt layers alternate with "mud" layers that indicate wetter periods in the watershed, when floods transported fine detritus matter to the lake. The salt sources include brine discharge and freshwater runoff that dissolved halite units. Dissolved salts accumulated in the lake during glacials and relatively wet periods when the lake expanded, and precipitated during interglacials when the lake levels dropped.

This study establishes for the first time the evaporite facies and sedimentological features of the deep Dead Sea brine during interglacial periods, by using the modern precipitation of halite in the Dead Sea as an analogue for past halite depositional periods as recorded in the drill core. The halite intervals provide a record of facies characterizing a deep-water evaporitic environment. The halite layers consist mainly of two types of crystals: small cumulate crystals containing halite rafts, which indicate precipitation from the surface brine of the lake (epilimnion), and bottom-growth (usually large) halite crystals that precipitated on the lake floor (hypolimnion). The layers of small halite crystals formed during drier periods as compared to the bottom-growth crystals. The bottom-growth halite crystals contain variable quantities of detritus and show mild dissolution structures at the contact between the mud and the halite crystals. These two main types of halite, in combination with "muds" and gypsum, comprise seven categories of salt facies that reflect the hydrological conditions (dry-to-wet), and that display a cyclic (decadal to millennial) pattern along the sampled core intervals. Frequent alternation of these two salt crystal types suggests seasonal changes, whereby the small cumulate crystals were formed during the summer, and the bottom-growth crystals were formed during the winter, when the surface temperatures of the lake were low, and the surface water was less saline and less likely to be saturated with respect to halite. Comparison of the last interglacial halite with the modern halite facies, together with the absence of significant dissolution features within the halite and the cyclic nature of the facies, indicates that the lake was continuously deep (>100 m) during the last 200 k.y.


DISCLAIMER This document reflects only the authors' views and not those of the European Community. The work may rely on data from sources external to the CORFU consortium. Members of the Consortium do not accept liability for loss or damage suffered by any third party as a result of errors or inaccuracies in such data. The information in this document is provided "as is" and no guarantee or warranty is given that the information is fit for any particular purpose. The user thereof uses the information at its sole risk and neither the European Commission nor any member of the CORFU Consortium is liable for any use that may be made of the information.


The fractal structures are highly economical, self-sufficient and rapidly deployable models for universal buildings, giving us an opportunity to develop intelligent and healthy spaces for the masses, even under unfavorable conditions and with limited resources. Owing to the flexibility in design, it can adapt to varying landscapes, site locations, cultures and a vast number of functional applications. The properties of self-similar repetitions, abundance of textural details, and cascades of shape in architecture have been characterized by fractal geometry. Architecture can take advantage of the complexity sciences, by the use of present day computer technology, where algorithms of mathematical and geometric functions can produce new motifs of design. Some contemporary buildings approach the idea of fractal architecture by reintroducing both curvatures and subdivisions at different scales, or a selfsimilar structure of the same motif, thus producing complexity and formal variety. Any form that is self-similar is likely to be fractal. If there is a regular motif or design, which repeats itself as the structure grows or scales - through time or across space, then the structure can be envisaged as a hierarchy, and thus a fractal organization is a hierarchical organization with applications of point-fixed glazing systems range from simple structures, such as shop windows and shelters, to more complicated ones, such as multi-storey buildings. This paper attempts to propose an approach where structural systems can be developed according to the mathematical theory of fractals.


Homologous recombination (HR) repairs DNA double-strand breaks using intact homologous sequences as template DNA. Broken DNA and intact homologous sequences form joint molecules (JMs), including Holliday junctions (HJs), as HR intermediates. HJs are resolved to form crossover and noncrossover products. A mismatch repair factor, MLH3 endonuclease, produces the majority of crossovers during meiotic HR, but it remains elusive whether mismatch repair factors promote HR in nonmeiotic cells. We disrupted genes encoding the MLH3 and PMS2 endonucleases in the human B cell line, TK6, generating null MLH3-/- and PMS2-/- mutant cells. We also inserted point mutations into the endonuclease motif of MLH3 and PMS2 genes, generating endonuclease death MLH3DN/DN and PMS2EK/EK cells. MLH3-/- and MLH3DN/DN cells showed a very similar phenotype, a 2.5-fold decrease in the frequency of heteroallelic HR-dependent repair of restriction enzyme-induced double-strand breaks. PMS2-/- and PMS2EK/EK cells showed a phenotype very similar to that of the MLH3 mutants. These data indicate that MLH3 and PMS2 promote HR as an endonuclease. The MLH3DN/DN and PMS2EK/EK mutations had an additive effect on the heteroallelic HR. MLH3DN/DN/PMS2EK/EK cells showed normal kinetics of γ-irradiation-induced Rad51 foci but a significant delay in the resolution of Rad51 foci and a 3-fold decrease in the number of cisplatin-induced sister chromatid exchanges. The ectopic expression of the Gen1 HJ re-solvase partially reversed the defective heteroallelic HR of MLH3DN/DN/PMS2EK/EK cells. Taken together, we propose that MLH3 and PMS2 promote HR as endonucleases, most likely by processing JMs in mammalian somatic cells.


Bibliography: leaves 241-251.%%%%Introduction  – Re-devising theatre: towards a genealogy of devising practice  – Pre-devising: group formation, development and games  – Devising theatre: This is not an exit  – Conclusion.%%%%This non-traditional thesis explores the practical and theoretical processes of group-devised theatre. The research informing this thesis is derived from two interrelated components - a practical project in group devising, and a theoretical study of alternative theatre, devising methodologies, and performance theory.  – Chapter One defines "devising" before tracing its origins through the development of experimental practices from the historical avant-garde to the present day. These practices include radical disruptions to discursive language and structure, increased multimedia, reconsiderations of the performer's function and the use of improvisation. This genealogy is argued to be a "literature of practice" capable of informing contemporary devising projects, as well as helping to establish the position of devising within contemporary performance theory.  – Chapter Two examines how creative collaborators begin to form and function as a devising group, a period I theoretically term "pre-devising". By examining the experiences of my group, gaps in devising literature concerning group formation and composition are identified, complemented by an investigation into the role of theatre games in building ensemble.  – Chapter Three draws upon the genealogy of devising, devising literature and performance theory to interrogate the process of devising our production, This Is Not An Exit. The theoretical and practical problems of our methods are explored. These methods include organising the group as an artistic democracy, developing naturalistic characters, and establishing a "postmodern aesthetic". By analysing our experiences, this chapter attempts to illustrate the complex tangle of influences informing contemporary performance practitioners, and highlight areas ripe for future critical research.%%%%%%%%251 leaves


Managers must usually apply operating rules to optimise the use of water resources in a sustainable manner. Ideally a manager needs a set of near-optimal dynamic operating rules that are consistent with the objectives and level of risk set by the manager. The traditional approach for a reservoir is to develop fixed (static) rule curves based upon a statistical analysis. However, improved dynamic rules can be derived using optimisation techniques such as genetic algorithms. Also, simulation methods can be used. Here we show how both methods can be applied to generate near-optimal dynamic operating rules for a reservoir system used for drinking water supply in La Paz, Bolivia. In particular, we show how simple practical operating rules can incorporate the level of risk set by the manager. Further, these rules advise how quickly water levels should be altered when they are too high or too low.


Chapter 2 of this thesis employs a dynamic general equilibrium with Taylor wage contracts to show that the use of strict inflation targeting as a disinflation policy may result in a slump in production and a considerable increase in macroeconomic volatility. Important determinants of the magnitude of the macroeconomic oscillations in the post-disinflation state of the economy turn out to be the size of the reduction in the inflation rate and the degree of returns to labor in the production function. In the special case of constant returns, the oscillations are large and permanent.
Chapter 3 of this thesis extends the above analysis to an open-economy setting demonstrating that the exchange rate can act as a stabilizer by effectively relieving wages from part of the burden of reducing the inflation rate. The more the economy is open, the smaller the magnitude of the macroeconomic oscillations will be after the disinflation policy is applied. The policy is shown to be infeasible for all practical purposes in a closed economy with constant returns to scale when the full nonlinear model is considered.
Chapter 4 of this thesis employs a Markov switching framework to allow for an interesting alternative characterization of macroeconomic news effects on the foreign exchange market. The chapter finds strong evidence for the presence of nonlinear regime switching between a high-volatility and a low volatility state driven by monetary policy announcements that come as a surprise to the market. It also uncovers significant market positioning prior to the announcements, indicating a limiting of risk exposure by market participants who are unsure about the precise outcome of the policy decisions.
Chapter 5 of this thesis investigates the impact of monetary shocks on the direction and the composition of international capital flows. It identifies monetary policy shocks in a structural VAR via the pure sign restrictions approach. There are two key findings. First, a US monetary easing causes net capital inflows and a worsening of the US trade balance. Second, monetary policy shocks induce a negative conditional correlation between capital flows in bonds and equity securities. Intriguingly, they cause a negative conditional correlation between equity flows and equity returns but a positive conditional correlation between bond flows and bond returns.


Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by significant impairment of cardiac ventricular function. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly observed sustained arrhythmia in clinical practice. Both HF and AF are associated with increased morbidity and mortality and their prevalence increases with age. Approximately 50% of patients with moderate HF die due to ventricular fibrillation that leads to sudden cardiac death. Patients with AF exhibit increased mortality due to HF and stroke. HF and AF often co-exist, and the development of the other condition further deteriorates prognosis. Both chronic HF and AF lead to structural and electrophysiological changes in the heart called remodeling, modifying therapeutic targets including those for antiarrhythmic intervention. Current pharmacological treatment of arrhythmias has major limitations due to low efficacy and serious adverse effects. In this review, the main aspects of electrical remodeling in HF and AF are discussed along with possible novel targets identified for future pharmacological antiarrhythmic therapy.


Cloud computing is a catch-all phrase that covers virtualized operating systems running on virtual hardware on untold numbers of physical servers. It is a paradigm where tasks are assigned to a combination of connections, software and services accessed over a network. The "cloud" term has consumed HighPerformance Computing (HPC), Grid computing and Utility Computing. It provides people the way to share distributed resources and services that belong to different organizations or sites. Since cloud computing share distributed resources via the network in the open environment, thus it makes security problems important for us to develop the cloud computing application. In this paper, a method to build a trusted computing environment for cloud computing system is by integrating the trusted computing platform into cloud computing system with a model system in which cloud computing system is combined with trusted computing platform and trusted platform module. The security requirements in cloud computing environment is the discovery of the vulnerabilities in the landscape of clouds, discovery of security solutions, and finding evidence that earlyadopters or developers have grown more concerned with security with the proposed model. In this model, some important security services including authentication, integrity and confidentiality are provided in cloud computing system.


Thermochemical calculations of metastable equilibria are used to evaluate the stability of condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in cooling thermal gases and hydrothermal fluids on ancient Mars, which are roughly similar to their terrestrial counterparts. The effects of temperature, pressure, the extent of PAH alkylation, and the relative stability of PAHs and alkanes are considered. Inhibition of methane and graphite formation favors synthesis of metastable mixtures of hydrocarbons from aqueous or gaseous CO, CO2, and H2 below 200°–300°C. High-temperature quenching of H2 and CO in volcanic and impact gases and dynamic hydrothermal fluids also favor the synthesis of hydrocarbons. In addition, an excess of CO in cooling systems relative to equilibrium makes the synthesis from CO and H2 more favorable energetically than from CO2 and H2. Both the CO-H2 reactions through Fischer-Tropsch (FT) type processes and the CO2-H2 reactions could be catalyzed by magnetite. Volcanic gases and hydrothermal fluids related to mafic and ultramafic magmas and rocks are more favorable for FT type synthesis than those associated with oxidized Fe2O3-bearing rocks and regolith. We conclude that PAHs and aliphatic hydrocarbons on Mars and Earth could be formed without the contribution of biogenic carbon. Some PAHs could be formed because of pyrolysis of other hydrocarbons formed earlier by the FT type synthesis or other processes. If the PAHs found in the ALH 84001 martian meteorite formed together with other hydrocarbons through FT type synthesis, it may be possible to bracket the temperature of the synthesis. The approach presented here can be generalized to study the synthesis of hydrocarbons in terrestrial volcanic and hydrothermal processes.


In many sequential decision making tasks, it is challenging to design reward functions that help an RL agent efficiently learn behavior that is considered good by the agent designer. A number of different formulations of the reward-design problem, or close variants thereof, have been proposed in the literature. In this paper we build on the Optimal Rewards Framework of Singh et.al. that defines the optimal intrinsic reward function as one that when used by an RL agent achieves behavior that optimizes the task-specifying or extrinsic reward function. Previous work in this framework has shown how good intrinsic reward functions can be learned for lookahead search based planning agents. Whether it is possible to learn intrinsic reward functions for learning agents remains an open problem. In this paper we derive a novel algorithm for learning intrinsic rewards for policy-gradient based learning agents. We compare the performance of an augmented agent that uses our algorithm to provide additive intrinsic rewards to an A2C-based policy learner (for Atari games) and a PPO-based policy learner (for Mujoco domains) with a baseline agent that uses the same policy learners but with only extrinsic rewards. Our results show improved performance on most but not all of the domains.


Computer simulation is an important tool for improving our understanding of biomolecule electrostatics, in part to aid in drug design. However, the numerical techniques used in these simulation tools do not exploit fast solver approaches widely used in analyzing integrated circuit interconnects. In this paper we describe one popular formulation used to analyze biomolecule electrostatics, present an integral formulation of the problem, and apply the precorrected-FFT method to accelerate the solution of the integral equations.


We present a patient with obstructive unresectable carcinoma of the gastric antrum. An expandable stent was placed endoscopically along the tumor to paliate obstruction. Such a procedure allowed unrestricted oral feeding of the patient up to death six months later.


With the strong effect of globalisation, knowledge-based societies, competitiveness and new technologies upon universities, interest and need in academic management & leadership programs are increasing. More Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are beginning to provide their staff with academic management & leadership programs to ensure successful formal and professional management. Academics with & without managerial position attend those programs to improve their understanding & skills in departmental management and/or academic research/project team management. The aim of this study is to determine the needs and expectations of academics regarding that kind of programs in a HEI (which is currently without those programs) in Turkey. Participation in the study was voluntary and a semi-structured interview form was used to gather data. Convenience sampling method was used to reach the participants and content analysis was conducted in data analysis. According to the findings, participants believe that kind of Professional Development (PD) programs are useful in academic career, education and management & leadership fields; in addition, they are willing to participate in those programs if planned. However, it is obtained that they kind of have some bias against the PD programs regarding their content, the way they are arranged or the trainers' style. Based on the findings, while planning that kind of programs, it is suggested to provide a content variety on various platforms; to design applicable-friendly programs based on the needs & expectations of the department in order to be able to address to different needs & expectations and to make it welcoming for more participation.


Purpose: Macroeconomic research rarely analyzes the short-run relationship between stock market indices and GDP. The study seeks to answer how close the two indicators are in the short term in times of crisis. Design/Methodology/Approach: The stock market crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has also developed in the European Union member states. Following the low of the European stock market in March, there was a relatively rapid rebound. There was a decline in the third quarter and strong growth in the fourth. As a result of the fear caused by the epidemic, national economies were shut down to varying degrees by governments, leading to a decline in GDP as early as the first quarter. This decline continued in the second quarter, with a strong rebound in the third and a moderate rise in the fourth. The research methodology is correlation calculation and hierarchical cluster analysis. The research hypothesizes that in the short run, stock market indices moved along with GDP. The positive correlation between the two indicators can be assumed because investors' decisions were influenced by the decline in GDP due to COVID-19. The hypothesis was not met, only in four countries, the study confirmed the co-movement of indicators. Findings: The hypothesis of the research was not fulfilled, in the majority of the EU member states, the two indicators did not change together, they did not move in the same direction. The negative correlation coefficient for the Union as a whole (r = -0.16028) means that the indicators moved in the opposite direction. Of the 27 Member States, 23 were characterized by this opposite movement. Practical Implications: The study's empirical results draw the attention of investors, risk managers, and economic policymakers to the fact that short-term changes in GDP do not influence their decision-making. Short-term GDP data are fundamentally inadequate indicators. This means that these data cannot predict with significant accuracy either expected GDP, stock market performance, and many other macroeconomic indicators. Originality/value: The originality and value of the study are given by the fact that it examines a macroeconomic relationship that researchers rarely analyze. The study's empirical results can also be used by risk managers, investors, and economic policymakers.


Plunging jets occur when a liquid stream enters a slower moving or stationary liquid body after first passing through a gaseous region. The most commonly studied plunging jet structure is that of water entering water. Plunging jets have been studied in order to understand and model mixing and transport from the atmosphere into the liquid. Shear forces at the edge of the jet cause air entrainment both in the free jet and at the impact point on the pool surface. Plunging jet applications range from large scale environments, such as ocean waves, waterfalls, wastewater treatment, and dams, to small scale environments, such as liquid-gas fuel mixing, mineral separation, and molten metal pouring. The majority of the literature today involve facilities designed to approximate an infinite liquid pool; few of these studies take into account the compression effects prevalent in several of the real systems. Therefore, a tank has been developed for the visualization of plunging jet flows with varying pool depth. This study involved the creation of a 32 cm by 32 cm, 91.4 cm deep rectangular acrylic tank with an interior adjustable acrylic bottom for the visualization of plunging jet flows with bottom compression effects. The pool height was held constant using a secondary tank with an overflow weir. In this study high-speed backlit images were taken of the plunging jet region. Preliminary results indicate that there is a significant change in both the shape and estimated entrained air volume when the plunging jet is subjected to compression effects. This is attributed to the plate spreading the bubble plume and allowing for easier bubble rise.


Australia is one of a few countries which has managed to control COVID-19 epidemic before a major epidemic took place. Currently with just under 7000 cases and 100 deaths, Australia is seeing less than 20 new cases per day. This is a positive outcome, but makes estimation of current effective reproduction numbers difficult to estimate. Australia, like much of the world is poised to step out of lockdown and looking at which measures to relax first. We use age-based contact matrices, calibrated to Chinese data on reproduction numbers and difference in infectiousness and susceptibility of children to generate next generation matrices (NGMs) for Australia. These matrices have a spectral radius of 2.49, which is hence our estimated basic reproduction number for Australia. The effective reproduction number (Reff) for Australia during the April/May lockdown period is estimated by other means to be around 0.8. We simulate the impact of lockdown on the NGM by first applying observations through Google Mobility Report for Australia at 3 locations: home (increased contacts by 18%), work (reduced contacts by 34%) and other (reduced contacts by 40%), and we reduce schools to 3% reflecting attendance rates during lockdown. Applying macro-distancing to the NGM leads to a spectral radius of 1.76. We estimate that the further reduction of the reproduction number to current levels of Reff = 0.8 is achieved by a micro-distancing factor of 0.26. That is, in a given location, people are 26% as likely as usual to have an effective contact with another person. We apply both macro and micro-distancing to the NGMs to examine the impact of different exit strategies. We find that reopening schools is estimated to reduce Reff from 0.8 to 0.78. This is because increase in school contact is offset by decrease in home contact. The NGMs all estimate that adults aged 30-50 are responsible for the majority of transmission. We also find that micro-distancing is critically important to maintain Reff <1. There is considerable uncertainty in these estimates and a sensitivity and uncertainty analysis is presented.


Mexican American adolescents have higher rates of externalizing problems than their peers from other ethnic and racial groups. To begin the process of understanding factors related to externalizing problems in this population, this study used the social development model (SDM) and prospective data across the transition to junior high school from 750 diverse Mexican American families. In addition, the authors examined whether familism values provided a protective effect for relations within the model. Results showed that the SDM worked well for this sample. As expected, association with deviant peers was the primary predictor of externalizing behaviors. There was support for a protective effect in that adolescents with higher familism values had slower rates of increase in association with deviant peers from 5th to 7th grades than those with lower familism values. Future research needs to determine whether additional culturally appropriate modifications of the SDM would increase its usefulness for Mexican American adolescents.


In this paper, a practical method is proposed to suppress residual vibrations of industrial robots without a real-time estimation of vibration frequencies. Through theoretical analysis and experiments, we designed an input shaping technique (IST) for the first three axes of a six-degrees-of-freedom industrial robot. Iterative learning IST (LIST) is applied to the first axis to suppress its time-varying nonlinear residual vibration, while conventional IST is applied to the second and third axes. Experimental results show that LIST can suppress residual vibrations to a level similar to that of a time-varying IST which requires complicated real-time estimation of a dynamic model. The LIST is an attractive method for suppression of nonlinear and time-varying residual vibrations in industrial robots which perform repetitive tasks because most industrial robots have limited computing power and memory space in their controllers.


Suicidality, including depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts are a global challenge that have become a leading cause of disability. Depression is a common illness and a significant determinant inducing suicide. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide impacting loved ones while causing additional costs to societies. In Thailand, prevalent rates for suicidality have increased and are emerging as one of the leading causes of death in the country.
Sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBT) represent additional demographic factors associated with risks for suicidality. Suicide rates are more likely to be higher among LGBT individuals than the general population. Observed disparities in mental health issues are consistently related to social discrimination as a result of minority stress factors associated with membership in a stigmatized minority group. In Thailand, anti-LGBT attitudes are prevalent prompting social discrimination towards LGBT individuals. However, limited research has been conducted, and no studies have systematically examined the influences of minority stress on mental health outcomes. The purposes of this study were to investigate the associations of influencing factors and to explore the predictors of suicidality in Thai LGBT adults.
This dissertation conveys the study's findings in two manuscripts. The first describes the influences of minority stress on the depression outcomes among Thai LGBT adults. The second manuscript focuses on the effects of minority stress on indicators of suicidality (e.g., depression, lifetime suicidal ideation, 12-month suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts) among Thai LGBT adults. Two stressor components were included in this study, comprising general stress (e.g., levels of stress and loneliness) and minority stress (e.g., discrimination based on LGBT identity, discrimination based on social situations, experience of victimization, LGBT identity disclosure, and internalized homophobia).
Research findings reported that rates of suicidality in Thai LGBT adults were as high as compared to previous Thai studies. General and minority stressors were strongly associated with depression and indicators of suicidality. For the depression outcome, the combined influences of sociodemographic factors, general stress, coping strategies, and minority stress were uncovered. Multivariate analyses exhibited depression levels that were strongly associated with minority stressors (discrimination based on social situations, the experience of victimization, and LGBT identity disclosure), followed by levels of stress and a diagnosis of chronic disease. For indicators of suicidality, the mixed association between sociodemographic factors, general stress, and minority stress were also observed. In multivariate analyses, minority and general stressors influenced all indicators of suicidality. However, patterns of association varied based on each outcome. The study results were consistent with the Minority Stress Model. Additionally, longitudinal studies and sophisticated annalistic plans are necessary to examine the effects of coping styles and social support on indicators of suicidality.


Iterative transformation of performance models into operational systems is a desirable goal for rapid prototyping technologies. The author describes an approach to transforming a hybrid model into an operational system that can be shown to satisfy its performance specifications. A hybrid model merges operational modules with abstract simulation modules. The capabilities supported by the methodology include: (a) interrupt handling, (b) integration of distributed software and hardware components, and (c) evaluation of the effect of upgrading existing hardware components. The author also describes how simulation algorithms can be adapted to execute hybrid modules. The PIPS (partially implemented performance models) methodology can handle interruptible processes and include the execution of hybrid models in which the physical module executes faster than the logical module.<<ETX>>


BACKGROUND
Although there is evidence that anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) utilization earlier in the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) course and before the onset of disease-related complications leads to improved patient outcomes, the health care costs and utilization impact have not been well defined. This study assessed differences in health care utilization and costs among patients with IBD treated with anti-TNFs.

METHODS
Patients with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn disease (CD) between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2014, were identified from a claims database. Patients were required to have ≥1 claim for a 5-aminosalicylic acid, corticosteroid, or immunomodulator after the IBD diagnosis and ≥1 anti-TNF drug claim after the first IBD treatment. Complication and noncomplication cohorts were identified based on disease-related complications and IBD-related hospitalizations or emergency department visits for 6 months before anti-TNF initiation. Generalized linear models were used to compare health care costs and utilization for the 12 months after anti-TNF initiation (follow-up).

RESULTS
The study included 6329 patients with CD and 4451 patients with UC. In patients with CD with complications, >33.7% had intestinal strictures and 6% had enteroenteric fistula before anti-TNF treatment. Patients with CD with complications incurred significantly higher IBD-related and all-cause health care costs during follow-up, and patients with UC experienced the same trends.

CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that anti-TNF treatment after, rather than before, a patient develops complications leads to a higher economic burden. However, these findings could also result from patients with more severe disease having early complications that are more difficult to treat.


Al circuit substrates, which are composed of a sintered AlN plate and pure Al plate joined to both sides of the AlN plate, are used for semiconductor power devices. It is important to prevent fracture of the Al/AlN interface to ensure normal and stable device operation. In this study, the fracture process of Al/AlN interface during thermal cycling was investigated using advanced scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Al circuits joined to an AlN plate were plastically deformed with thermal cycling. Al grains were divided with the formation of sub-boundaries due to the plastic deformation. After 2000 thermal cycles, a crack was generated at edges of the Al/AlN interface and propagated gradually to the center of the substrate. Cross-sectional observation, using an angle selective backscattered electron detector (AsB), revealed that the Al grain size near the Al/AlN interface decreased to 3 m or less, and the crack proceeded along the Al grain boundaries. To clarify the temperature dependence of the fracture process, a repeated bending test was performed at various temperatures. Shear strains were induced at the Al/AlN interface by the repeated bending. The rate of crack propagation tends to be higher at higher temperatures for bending test. In substrates bent at 373 K or higher, the crack proceeded after the Al grains had been refined. These results indicate that fine-grained Al resulting from thermal cycling is formed by creep deformation and recrystallization at higher temperatures. Thus, improving the creep strength of the Al plate is thought to be effective for prevent cracking during thermal cycling. The effect of additive elements in the Al plate was also discussed in this study.


We tackle the problem of authenticating high value Italian wines through machine learning classification. The problem is a seriuos one, since protection of high quality wines from forgeries is worth several million of Euros each year. In a previous work we have identified some base models (in particular classifiers based on Bayesian network (BNC), multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and sequential minimal optimization (SMO)) that well behave using unexpensive chemical analyses of the interested wines. In the present paper, we investigate the role of esemble learning in the construction of more robust classifiers; results suggest that, while bagging and boosting may significantly improve both BNC and MLP, the SMO model is already very robust and efficient as a base learner. We report on results concerning both cross validation on two different datasets, as well as experiments with models trained with the above datasets and tested with a dataset of potentially fake wines; this has been synthesized from a generative probabilistic model learned from real samples and expert knowledge.


[The author clarifies two dominant methodologies that persist in U.S. Catholic social ethics as represented by J. Bryan Hehir and Michael J. Baxter. A comparative analysis of these reformist and radicalist approaches along with their theological foundations challenges contemporary perspectives on their coexistence, and it suggests ways in which the two might mutually inform one another. The author attempts to move methodological debates beyond rigid typologies and toward a more creative, dynamic tension between each model's distinct emphases.]


In correctional practice, as primarily informed and driven by the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) practice framework of Bonta and Andrews (2017), theoretical explanations of agency bear significance in their representation and consequent treatment of 'criminal' agents. Due to a state of 'theoretical illiteracy' however, this domain remains largely divorced from the insights offered by current affective science (Ward, 2019). The purpose of this paper is to outline key principles offered within an 'enactive' paradigm; a contemporary strand of cognitive science that depicts cognition as embodied, embedded and enactive, ultimately submitting a relational cognitive-affective agency, constituted of habits of bodies and minds (Maise & Hanna, 2019; Ward, Silverman & Villalobos, 2017). Enactivism offers various elements that contrast with traditional internal 'cognitivist models' of agency, which inform mainstream correctional practice; these include the active, affective and social nature of cognition, which as is illustrated, lends emphasis to the impact of prevalent ideologies, through institutions, upon agents (Maise & Hanna, 2019). In this project I outline current correctional treatment of agency, as it stands in contrast to insights offered by enactive accounts, and as embedded in a broader neoliberal context. Therefore I provide some critical examination of the relationship between psychological theory and neoliberal ideology, specifically focusing on principles of individualism and self-governance it is purported to cultivate. In conclusion I maintain that the RNR provides a thin representation of agency that is driven by an internal and limited perspective of functioning that precludes aspects essential to the personhood of agents including its active, affective and phenomenological nature. As embedded in a neoliberal context, I argue that this significantly limits rehabilitative practice, and reifies an abstraction of mindedness from material and social contexts. A pluralistic approach to rehabilitation is therefore necessary, including the enactive and related perspectives expounded in this piece, in order to provide explanation and therefore practice beyond entrenched normative assumptions of agency and human function.


Hyperimmunoglobulinaemia D syndrome (HIDS) is an autosomal recessive auto-inflammatory syndrome caused by mutation in the mevalonate kinase (MVK) gene.1 It presents with febrile episodes starting in infancy with increased serum immunoglobulin (Ig)D levels.2 It is mostly described in people of Dutch or North European descent.3 Isolated cases have been reported from Turkey,4 Japan5 and Qatar.6 No case of HIDS has been reported from South Asia.

A 15-year-old boy from Kerala, India, presented with history of febrile episodes lasting 3–7 days since the age of 3 months. The episodes of fever were variably associated with polyarthritis, abdominal pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, pleuritic chest pain and erythematous papular rash. The episodes occurred at an interval of 1–6 months. He underwent a laparotomy at the age of 8 years, when …


To present initial results of a novel, bi-phasic, porous, biodegrade, and cell-free aragonite-based scaffold for treating complex osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). Four subjects (2 males and 2 females; 34-61 years old) were operated on their ankles due to chronic and deep OLT-Hepple grades 4 or 5 (1.8-2.2 cm2). Three subjects had OLT on the medial central trochlea, and 1 had a combined medial and lateral lesions. OLT were exposed through medial malleolus osteotomy, with an additional lateral arthrotomy in the combined lesions. Bi-phasic porous osteochondral scaffolds (single implant or 2 implants) were implanted in a press-fit manner using a designated surgical toolset. Treatment outcome was followed clinically (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score, EQ-5D 3L, Tegner activity scale) and by medical imaging (radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging) from 18 to 32 months. All Foot and Ankle Outcome Score values increased from preoperative to final follow-up values (Symptoms 62 to 71, Pain 53 to 84, ADL 60 to 89, Sport 19 to 65, and QoL 18 to 47). EQ-5D 3L increased from 0.59 to 0.76, and Tegner activity values increased from 1.5 to 3. Kellgren-Lawrence ankle radiographic scores remained stable (2 to 2). Postoperative MR evaluation demonstrated cartilage defect fill of 75% to 100% respect to the native cartilage in 3 subjects (4 OLTs), while 1 lesion was filled 25% to 50%. No graft related serious adverse events or graft failures were reported. The use of a bi-phasic osteochondral biodegradable aragonite-based scaffold in the treatment of complex OLT during the reported period presented positive and promising clinical and radiologic outcome, without serious adverse events or graft failures.


While this may appear to be a good opportunity to bring real-life examples into the classroom and show how economics applies during a global pandemic, we advocate instead for a more cautious approach. One of the joys of teaching economic is that it can be applied to "everyday life," but there are some moments in life where caution may be warranted.


Cells dissociated with 0.25% crude trypsin from the muscle tissue of 9-day-old chick embryos were employed to investigate the effect of puromycin on cellular metabolism. Parallel studies were also made, using the gyratory shaker, to confirm the effectiveness of puromycin in inhibiting cell aggregation and protein synthesis. Puromycin when introduced at a concentration of 10µg/ml into a suspension of cells in Eagle9s MEM did not completely inhibit cell aggregation. Small aggregates were formed in the first 4 h of the experiment. Protein synthesis of the rotated cells, as measured by the incorporation of L-[α- 14 C]leucine into proteins, was arrested by 91.7% within 15 min of introducing puromycin into a cell suspension. The antibiotic retained its inhibitory effect on protein synthesis for the 24-h period of rotation. Puromycin inhibited the cellular oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide evolution of the rotated cells by 40% within 4 h of its introduction. However, treated cells were still respiring, though at a much reduced rate, at the end of the 24-h experimental period. The release of radioactive carbon dioxide by puromycin-treated cells was also inhibited by 40% at the 4-h stage but after 8 h no further 14 CO 2 was evolved. The presence of the antibiotic markedly inhibited the uptake of glucose by trypsin-dissociated cells. The level of glycogen and lactate in cells suspended in Eagle9s MEM was reduced very considerably over a 24-h period. The presence of puromycin accelerated glycogen utilization over the first 6 h of rotation but at 24 h there was a difference of only 0.6% between the glycogen content of treated cells and controls. At 24 h 11.3% less lactate remained in the puromycin-treated cells than in the controls. The ATP/ADP ratio of trypsin-dissociated cells decreased from an initial value of 2.59 to 1.45 after rotation for 24 h. In the presence of puromycin the ATP/ADP ratio was 0.62 at 4 h and had further declined to 0.48 by 24 h. The effects of puromycin on the aggregation, protein synthesis and cellular metabolism of trypsin-dissociated cells are discussed in relation to cellular adhesive mechanisms.


Abstract A series of sulfenimide derivatives (1a-i) were investigated as inhibitors of human (hCA-I, hCA-II) and bovine (bCA) carbonic anhydrase enzymes. The compounds were synthesised by the reaction of substituted thiophenols with phthalimide by means of an effective, simple and eco-friendly method and the structures were confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS and elemental analysis. All derivatives except for the methyl derivative (1b) exhibited effective inhibitory action at low micromolar concentrations on human isoforms, but only four derivatives (1e, 1f, 1h, 1i) inhibited the bovine enzyme. The bromo derivative (1f) was found to be strongest inhibitor of all three enzymes with KI values of 0.023, 0.044 and 20.57 µM for hCA-I, hCA-II and bCA, respectively. Results of our study will make valuable contributions to carbonic anhydrase inhibition studies for further investigations since inhibitors of this enzyme are important molecules for medicinal chemistry.


The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE), Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies (OFCT) has established the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) to conduct research and development (R&D) activities related to storage, transportation and disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and high level radioactive waste (HLW). The U.S. has, in accordance with the U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy Act (as amended), focused efforts for the past twenty-plus years on disposing of UNF and HLW in a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The recent decision by the U.S. DOE to no longer pursue the development of that repository has necessitated investigating alternative concepts for the disposal of UNF and HLW that exists today and that could be generated under future fuel cycles. The disposal of UNF and HLW in a range of geologic media has been investigated internationally. Considerable progress has been made by in the U.S and other nations, but gaps in knowledge still exist. The U.S. national laboratories have participated in these programs and have conducted R&D related to these issues to a limited extent. However, a comprehensive R&D program investigating a variety of storage, geologic media, and disposal concepts has not been a part of the U.S. waste management program since the mid 1980s because of its focus on the Yucca Mountain site. Such a comprehensive R&D program is being developed and executed in the UFDC using a systematic approach to identify potential R&D opportunities. This paper describes the process used by the UFDC to identify and prioritize R&D opportunities. The U.S. DOE has cooperated and collaborated with other countries in many different "arenas" including the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and through bilateral agreements with other countries. These international activities benefited the DOE through the acquisition and exchange of information, database development, and peer reviews by experts from other countries. Recognizing that programs in other countries have made significant advances in understanding a wide range of geologic environments, the UFDC has developed a strategy for continued, and expanded, international collaboration. This paper also describes this strategy.Copyright © 2011 by ASME


Micro-econometric models have become a standard and powerful tool in analysing agricultural policies. In this paper we assess the contributions that have been made in the agricultural economics literature to dynamic microeconometric models of firms and households that are estimated using microdata. After discussing developments in dynamic investment models, dynamic household models, dynamic discrete choice models and dynamic efficiency models we give promising directions for future research and discuss implications for future data collection.


A custom optical microscope with an integrated liquid lens to enable an extended depth imaging in biological tissue has been fabricated and shown to provide subcellular resolution using Gabor image fusion in an optical coherence tomography setup. In this paper, we report on the development and assessment path of this technology over the last few years. Specifically, we report on the optical design as well as the MTF prediction and experimental measurements of the new optical microscope head. The microscope head was integrated in a custom optical coherence microscopy setup that is presented. Images of an African frog tadpole, ex vivo human breast excised tissue, and in vivo skin images, acquired with the integrated instrument, are presented.


Laminated materials and clad metals have received much attention in the industrial production due to the superior mechanical properties different from those in any of the constituent materials. Clad metal is a composite metal plate generally made by bonding a metal such as stainless steel plate to another metal such as carbon steel or low alloy steel plate. Clad metal not only has sufficient strength required of structural materials but provides other functions including resistance to heat and corrosion. As a result, the application of clad metals can significantly save precious alloying elements and reduce the cost. Therefore, clad metals have become an increasingly interesting topic in a variety of industrial fields. In this paper, fabrication technique and evaluation on mechanical properties of laminated metals have been briefly overviewed. In addition, the applications of laminated materials including clad metals are reviewed and the prospect of clad metals in the future is also described.


Background: Children born preterm (before 37 weeks of gestation) are at risk for several adverse childhood outcomes. Parent priorities for research into these outcomes, and preferences for receiving information about these risks, have not previously been established. Here we report the results of an online survey designed to understand parent priorities for research and their preferences for receiving information about childhood outcomes. Methods: An online survey was circulated through social media and was completed by 148 parents of preterm children between the ages of 0 and 12 years from around the United Kingdom (UK). Survey questions were in the form of rating scale, multiple choice, ranking or open-ended free text questions. Descriptive analysis was applied to the quantitative data. Illustrative quotes were extracted from the qualitative free text data and a subset of these questions were analysed using framework analysis. Results: Parent priorities for research centre around identification of factors which can protect against or improve adverse cognitive or developmental outcomes. The majority of parents would prefer for communication to begin within the first year of the child's life. Parents reported a knowledge gap among health visitors, early years educators and schools. Conclusions: In order to align with parent preferences, research should prioritise identification of protective factors and the development of effective interventions to improve outcomes. Training for health visitors and educational professionals could improve the experiences of families and children.


Objectives: The study aims at designing an Arena Mapping Rover that has adequate functions to optimally map and analyze the shape of an enclosed space, which cannot be satisfactorily done by the human being or which may be too hazardous for the human being to explore. Methods: The rover is capable of achieving this by moving around the different parts inside the arena. It continuously retrieves data related to the surrounding of enclosure and simultaneously sends the data to the computer. Findings: The computer processes the acquired data and presents a two dimensional reconstruction of the arena environment. Applications: The autonomous rover consists of a firm metal structure, which makes use of two stepper motor for precise movement inside the arena. Three infrared proximity sensors, facing three different directions detect the boundary and obstacles in vicinity.
Keywords: Arduino, Dead Reckoning, Mapping, Matlab, Mobile Robot, Wireless Control


In this work behavior of an arbitrarily fiber-reinforced viscoelastic and magneto-sensitive material is investigated systematically in the frame of modern continuum mechanics when they are subjected to external loadings. The matrix material is supposed to be made of viscoelastic material with magnetic sensitivity involving an artificial anisotropy due to fiber reinforcing by arbitrary distribution. Magneto-viscoelastic response of the material will show up as a stress consisting of a reversible and irreversible parts along with a magnetization field. Magnetic field and elastic stress field is derived from a thermodynamic potential, with the dissipative stress arising as a result of viscous properties of the material. Response functions in regard to objectivity axiom III depend in general to Green deformation and rate tensors, magnetic field, fiber distribution and temperature distribution. Constitutive equations for the stress and magnetization with the use of relevant balance equations yields field equations for the formulation and solution of boundary value problems for the bodies made of those materials under considerations.


The air, particularly the indoor air, contains a considerable burden of unwanted pollution. Overall there may be thousands of pollutants. They are brought in with the outside air or are generated from or within buildings. Most will be present in minute amounts but several will be present in measurable quantities. The reaction of people to the components of this pollution has little to do with toxicological assessment but is more concerned with political responses and media scares. The health effects from exposure to the very low levels commonly found in the indoor environment of materials such as combustion products, whether from coal, petrol or tobacco or to lead or asbestos fibres, are probably negligible but we worry about them. On the other hand, gases such as carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide which are not infrequently present in dangerous concentrations, many solvents and dust-generating DIY projects cause little concern. The distinction between concern and indifference is made without reference to any toxicological knowledge. Although it is certainly prudent, through source control, design and ventilation of buildings, to reduce all pollutants to the lowest level, concentrating on media favourites rather than more important dangers, including disease transmission, may well be a poor use of our resources.