We consider the problem of learning the optimal threshold policy for control problems. Threshold policies make control decisions by evaluating whether an element of the system state exceeds a certain threshold, whose value is determined by other elements of the system state. By leveraging the monotone property of threshold policies, we prove that their policy gradients have a surprisingly simple expression. We use this simple expression to build an off-policy actor-critic algorithm for learning the optimal threshold policy. Simulation results show that our policy significantly outperforms other reinforcement learning algorithms due to its ability to exploit the monotone property. In addition, we show that the Whittle index, a powerful tool for restless multi-armed bandit problems, is equivalent to the optimal threshold policy for an alternative problem. This observation leads to a simple algorithm that finds the Whittle index by learning the optimal threshold policy in the alternative problem. Simulation results show that our algorithm learns the Whittle index much faster than several recent studies that learn the Whittle index through indirect means.


In vitro toxicology used to determine the hazardous nature of a product is gaining wider acceptance in the scientific and regulatory community. Risk assessment involving whole animals has been the most accepted principle in toxicity investigation. In recent years, in vitro methods have been developed as potential alternatives to in vivo experiments. These in vitro methods have varying degrees of reliability and acceptance. Some of these may be directly employed as replacements for in vivo models; the other techniques are currently suitable only as screens or adjunct tests. Toxicologists have been working hard to develop new in vitro methods to be used in place of existing in vivo animal studies and thus secure a place in the regulatory battery of tests.


Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's historical novels and picturebooks for young readers have gained significant commercial and critical recognition in North America. Interestingly, Ukraine, her grandfather's homeland, has remained the central theme in her works ever since the publication of the picturebook Silver Threads in 1996. The author of this essay argues that by telling the suppressed, untold stories, hence bringing attention to the next-generation memory of the traumatic experiences of Ukrainian Canadians, Skrypuch puts them on the landscape of Canadian collective and cultural memory and challenges the false generalizations attributed to Ukrainians and Ukrainian Canadians in North America after the Second World War. After briefly outlining the history of Ukrainian immigration to Canada, and explaining the roots of the negative stereotypes attributed to Ukrainians, the author analyzes Hope's War (2001), Skrypuch's first Ukrainian-themed novel, and shows that by highlighting the unexpected similarities between the experiences of the protagonist's grandfather, who during the Second World War was a member of the UPA, and the anxieties of contemporary teenagers, Skrypuch evokes empathy in mainstream and diasporic readers and enables the formation of next-generation memory.


Multilayer brazed CBN wheel segments based on graphite self-lubricating has been fabricated. The bending strength of wheel segments was measured and the fracture morphology of tested segments was detected. The results show that the bending strength of segments with CBN grains decrease to a small extent from 116MPa to 97MPa with the linear increase of graphite content from 5 wt.% to 15 wt.%. Due to the poor strength and certain stress concentration by the added graphite, the fracture interface transfers from the whole CBN grains to the bonding matrix with the increasing of the graphite. In addition, the pore sizes are decreased obviously.


The incidence of hypertension is high in the elderly and is present in 2/3 of the patients older than 65 years. Prevalence can reach 90% in patients older than 80 years. The presence of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is characteristic of this population. However, the prevalence of hypertension by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is not well known. In this study, we analyzed the special characteristics of hypertension in this population, giving special emphasis on ABPM readings.


A promising two-dimensional material for applications in optoelectronic and photonics, MoS2 is in focus since last decade. Its optical, structural and electronic properties are of practical importance along with its exciton dynamics. MoS2 thin films were synthesized with Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) technique on Si/SiO2 substrates. The thickness dependent regularities were controlled and examined to quantitatively control the film quality with thickness variation. Various characterization techniques were employed to investigate structural and morphological changes induced systematically to reveal the van der waal stacked layers of MoS2 material. The In-plane characteristic mode E12g and out of plane A1g vibrational modes were detected in different configurations of film's structure. Optical absorption spectra gave us information on photon energy with the absorbance; extrapolation of this curve gave optical bandgap (Eg) in the form of Tauc plot. These energies can be associated to interband electronic transitions in the Brillouin zone. The intrinsic excitonic response as a consequence of layer stacking and velly indexing can be attributed to this change in bandgap from 1.68 to 1.91 eV. Surface morphology of the as-grown films also provides better understanding of MoS2 material with root mean square (RMS) roughness in the range of 1.32 to 3.85 nm.


Different methods of sterilization were evaluated. Laparoscopic techniques were the most satisfactory because they had lower pelvic and incision infection rates and shorter hospitalization and convalescent times than laparotomy lower pelvic infection rates than culdoscopy and culpotomy. Via laparoscopy, sterilization by coagulation and cutting, spring-loaded clips and bands was an effective, safe method. Mechanical problems with the applicator and optics and decreased visibility resulted in more technical failures and difficulties and more misapplication with the clip applicator. Although the total complication rates were similar with all methods, bleeding from the tubes and wound and pelvic infections were more frequent with silastic-band technique. Long-term complications, such as dysmenorrhea and menometrorrhagia and especially those resulting in hysterectomy after laparoscopy, are infrequent. Pregnancy rates are low after laparoscopic sterilization with coagulation and silastic bands as compared to the clip. Rates of complications with sterilization combined with abortion or delivery are only slightly higher than after abortion without sterilization and much less than the combined complications that would be anticipated from abortion and interval sterilization. To make colpotomy, culdoscopy and minilaparotomy easier and potentially safer, mechanical techniques using the spring-loaded clip and silastic band are being evaluated. Simplified techniques that can be administered via the cervix, such as Quinacrine, may be practical in the future.


We studied the social and cultural frameworks that impact on breast cancer patients in the medical system. The subjects were 98 Jewish women who had undergone mastectomy or lumpectomy for cancer 6 months to 3 years prior to the interview. They emanated from a variety of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, and reflected the age range of women with breast cancer in the general Jewish population of Israel. Patients were asked about each stage of the medical process they had experienced: diagnosis, surgery, oncological care, and follow-up care. The interview revealed a general perception of having received insufficient information regarding their medical condition and treatment. The problem tended to be most severe during the diagnostic stage, when women had not yet been officially included as patients within the system. The problem was relatively severe during follow-up care, when they often did not have an address for their questions. Few women received a schedule of follow-up care that allowed them to carry on with the many necessary tests in an orderly and comprehensive manner. Most important, systematic absence of informed consent also characterized the decision-making process regarding surgery and oncological treatment. Few women felt they had been informed about treatment options, side-effects, or long-term implications of the treatment offered. We found no indication of inequitable medical treatment that would suggest a manifest pattern of discrimination, but we did find some social variables related to a feeling of insufficient personal care and information. In particular, older women said they received less attention, support, and information from the medical staff relative to the younger women.


treatments should be given. Again Dr Thomas concludes: "there is no dramatic treatment for stroke," and, although he mentions various drugs that have been used, there is no evidence as to which patients will benefit from which treatment. If no firm guidance can be given on treatment then there is no need to undertake investigations designed to define the stroke. Of course, patients with hypertension, polycythaemia, diabetes, or rheumatic heart disease should be identified and treated for their underlying disease. General practitioners can easily identify these diseases, and they can ask for a consultant's opinion after the acute stroke if they wish. Admission is not usually necessary for these diagnostic reasons. The major reason for admission is the disability that an acute stroke causes.2 In Scotland in 1976 12-80% of all general medical bed days were occupied by patients with acute stroke.3 We need to reconsider the management of these patients to try to reduce the burden on the NHS while not unreasonably increasing the burden on relatives and social services. I would ask for more attention to be given to the overall management of the patient. We should be developing cost effective policies with a low level of diagnostic error-for example, missed subdural haematoma-a low level of avoidable complications-for example, fractures, stiff painful shoulders-and a high level of physical, emotional, and social recovery. RICHARD LANGTON HEWER


The insecticidal compounds of Mango ginger ( Curcuma amada ) rhizome and Tagetes erecta flowers were investigated using Gas Chromatogram/Mass spectral (GC-MS).  The compounds found in the extracts were matched with the databases available in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library and were confirmed. The ethanolic extract of mango ginger rhizome was subjected to GC-MS analysis, which ensured the presence of twenty four compounds.  Further, the analysis revealed the existence of β-Sitosterol (1.03%) and Androstan-17-one (93.67 %), 3-ethyl-3-hydroxy-, β-Sitosterol - these compounds are having insecticidal activities. Analysis of ethanol extract of Tagetes erecta flowers led to the identification of 13 active compounds, which include stigmasterol (6.78%), α-Sitosterol (5.26%), α-Amyrin (43.89%) and hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester (0.45%) and these compounds are having insecticidal activities. The present study demonstrates that Mango ginger rhizome and Tagetes erecta flower are having the potent insecticidal compounds.


Charged particle reconstruction in dense environments, such as the detectors of the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) is a challenging pattern recognition problem. Traditional tracking algorithms, such as the combinatorial Kalman Filter, have been used with great success in HEP experiments for years. However, these state-of-the-art techniques are inherently sequential and scale quadratically or worse with increased detector occupancy. The HEP.TrkX project is a pilot project with the aim to identify and develop cross-experiment solutions based on machine learning algorithms for track reconstruction. Machine learning algorithms bring a lot of potential to this problem thanks to their capability to model complex non-linear data dependencies, to learn effective representations of high-dimensional data through training, and to parallelize easily on high-throughput architectures such as FPGAs or GPUs. In this paper we present the evolution and performance of our recurrent (LSTM) and convolutional neural networks moving from basic 2D models to more complex models and the challenges of scaling up to realistic dimensionality/sparsity.


Low-dose helical computed tomography (LDCT) is being applied as a modality for lung cancer screening. It may be difficult, however, for radiologists to distinguish malignant from benign nodules in LDCT. Our purpose in this study was to develop a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) scheme for distinction between benign and malignant nodules in LDCT scans by use of a massive training artificial neural network (MTANN). The MTANN is a trainable, highly nonlinear filter based on an artificial neural network. To distinguish malignant nodules from six different types of benign nodules, we developed multiple MTANNs (multi-MTANN) consisting of six expert MTANNs that are arranged in parallel. Each of the MTANNs was trained by use of input CT images and teaching images containing the estimate of the distribution for the "likelihood of being a malignant nodule", i.e., the teaching image for a malignant nodule contains a two-dimensional Gaussian distribution and that for a benign nodule contains zero. Each MTANN was trained independently with ten typical malignant nodules and ten benign nodules from each of the six types. The outputs of the six MTANNs were combined by use of an integration ANN such that the six types of benign nodules could be distinguished from malignant nodules. After training of the integration ANN, our scheme provided a value related to the "likelihood of malignancy" of a nodule, i.e., a higher value indicates a malignant nodule, and a lower value indicates a benign nodule. Our database consisted of 76 primary lung cancers in 73 patients and 413 benign nodules in 342 patients, which were obtained from a lung cancer screening program on 7847 screenees with LDCT for three years in Nagano, Japan. The performance of our scheme for distinction between benign and malignant nodules was evaluated by use of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Our scheme achieved an Az (area under the ROC curve) value of 0.882 in a round-robin test. Our scheme correctly identified 100% (76/76) of malignant nodules as malignant, whereas 48% (200/413) of benign nodules were identified correctly as benign. Therefore, our scheme may be useful in assisting radiologists in the diagnosis of lung nodules in LDCT.


This text is an essay in the retrieval of a lost outlook. The complex of political thought, beliefs about the contemporary world and the perception of history that sustained the Scottish Jacobite community has long remained obscure. In consequence, we know little of the nature and motivation of a subversive community whose influence on the development of state and society in Scotland and the British Isles in the 18th century was immense. Daniel Szechi rectifies this anomaly by an in-depth analysis of the attitudes, beliefs and assumptions - the mentalite - of one of the most active Jacobites of the early 18th century: George Lockhart of Carnwath. Lockhart was almost a stereotypical 18th-century Scottish coming man: a Commissioner for Midlothian in the Scottish Parliament; a member of the Commission charged with negotiating the treaty of Union; M.P. for Midlothian at Westminster; an improving landlord; an accomplished writer and pamphleteer. But most important of all, he was a committed, passionate Jacobite and nationalist who rose to become one of the senior leaders of the Jacobite underground in Scotland in the period between the rising of 1715 and the more famous '45. The author sheds light on the inner workings of Jacobitism in Scotland during the traumatic years leading up to and following the Union of 1707.


Type 2 diabetes, a chronic illness, is reaching epidemic proportions in North America. Pharmaceutical and consumer companies alike are embracing ethnography as a means to gain insight into the condition and to meet the complex needs of diabetics. This paper explores three topics that emerged from our ethnographic work in this area. First, we discuss the contribution of ethnography towards understanding the lived experience of Type 2 diabetes. Second, we suggest Type 2 diabetes should be viewed as a meta-transition that encapsulates four types of transition, each of which is an important aspect of the diabetic experience, and which may provide critical insights in an applied context. Third, we argue that applied ethnography can be dramatically enriched by an anthropologically and theoretically informed approach, without which the experience of, and transitions within, Type 2 diabetes cannot be fully understood and the social and business benefits maximized.


The congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited disorder characterized by a prolonged cardiac action potential. This delay in cellular repolarization can lead to potentially fatal arrhythmias. One form of LQTS (LQT3) has been linked to the human cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel gene (SCN5A). Three distinct mutations have been identified in the sodium channel gene. The biophysical and functional characteristics of each of these mutant channels were determined by heterologous expression of a recombinant human heart sodium channel in a mammalian cell line. Each mutation caused a sustained, non-inactivating sodium current amounting to a few percent of the peak inward sodium current, observable during long (> 50 msec) depolarizations. The voltage dependence and rate of inactivation were altered, and the rate of recovery from inactivation was changed compared with wild-type channels. These mutations in diverse regions of the ion channel protein, all produced a common defect in channel gating that can cause the long QT phenotype. The sustained inward current caused by these mutations will prolong the action potential. Furthermore, they may create conditions that promote arrhythmias due to prolonged depolarization and the altered recovery from inactivation. These results provide insights for successful intervention in the disease.


The extraction of O-labeled water by the brain during a single capillary transit was studied in vivo in 20 adult rhesus monkeys by external detection of the time course of the tracer subsequent to the internal carotid injection of 0.2 ml of whole blood labeled with H,O. The data showed that labeled water does not freely equilibrate with the exchangeable water in the brain when the mean cerebral blood flow exceeds 30 ml/100 g min". At the normal cerebral blood flow in the rhesus monkey (~50 ml/100 g min~'), only 90% of the H2 O is extracted during a single capillary transit. In addition, cerebral blood flow was determined with H,O and "*Xe in these monkeys using residue detection and employing the central volume principle. The data supported the hypothesis that a diffusible tracer, H,O, need not be in complete equilibrium between the phases of a system for the application of the central volume principle to be valid. Finally, the brain capillary permeability-surface area product was computed from these data; it was approximately 0.023 cm'/sec g-.


Context. In the context of planet formation, anticyclonic vortices have recently received much attention for the role they can play in planetesimal formation. Radial migration of intermediate-size solids towards the central star may prevent them from growing to larger solid grains. On the other hand, vortices can trap the dust and accelerate this growth, counteracting fast radial transport. Several effects have been shown to affect this scenario, such as vortex migration or decay. Aims: We aim to study the formation of vortices by the Rossby wave instability and their long-term evolution in a full three-dimensional (3D) protoplanetary disc. Methods: We used a robust numerical scheme combined with adaptive mesh refinement in cylindrical coordinates, which allowed us to affordably compute long-term 3D evolutions. We considered a full disc radially and vertically stratified, in which vortices can be formed by the Rossby wave instability. Results: We show that the 3D Rossby vortices grow and survive over hundreds of years without migration. The localised overdensity that initiated the instability and vortex formation survives the growth of the Rossby wave instability for very long times. When the vortices are no longer sustained by the Rossby wave instability, their shape changes towards more elliptical vortices. This allows them to survive shear-driven destruction, but they may be prone to elliptical instability and slow decay. Conclusions: When the conditions for growing Rossby-wave-related instabilities are maintained in the disc, large-scale vortices can survive over very long timescales and may be able to concentrate solids.


General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a system for efficient data packet radio transmission services which is used in conjunction with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) system. The three mobile station (MS) states idle, ready, and standby are defined for efficient management of radio resources and signaling networks. The MS state transition behavior is modeled and the steady state probability of the MS states is derived using a semi-Markov process approach. The effect of various input parameters on the steady state probability is investigated. These results can be used in analyzing the effect of the input parameters on the tradeoff between location update and paging signaling, and thus, providing guidelines for proper selection of GPRS system parameters.


Purpose
The human factor is a major consideration in securing systems. A wide and increasing range of different technologies, devices, platforms, applications and services are being used every day by home users. In parallel, home users are also experiencing a range of different online threats and attacks and are increasingly being targeted as they lack the knowledge and awareness about potential threats and how to protect themselves. The increase in technologies and platforms also increases the burden upon a user to understand how to apply security across differing technologies, operating systems and applications. This results in managing the security across their technology portfolio increasingly more troublesome and time consuming. This paper aims to propose an approach that attempts to propose a system for improving security management and awareness for home users.

Design/methodology/approach
The proposed system is capable of creating and assigning different security policies for different digital devices in a user-friendly fashion. These assigned policies are monitored, checked and managed to review the user's compliance with the assigned policies to provide bespoke awareness content based on the user's current needs.

Findings
A novel framework was proposed for improving information security management and awareness for home users. In addition, a mock-up design was developed to simulate the proposed approach to visualise the main concept and the functions which might be performed when it is deployed in a real environment. A number of different scenarios have been simulated to show how the system can manage and deal with different types of users, devices and threats. In addition, the proposed approach has been evaluated by experts in the research domain. The overall feedback is positive, constructive and encouraging. The experts agreed that the identified research problem is a real problem. In addition, they agreed that the proposed approach is usable, feasible and effective in improving security management and awareness for home users.

Research limitations/implications
The proposed design of the system is a mock-up design without real data. Therefore, implementing the proposed approach in a real environment can provide the researcher with a better understanding of the effectiveness and the functionality of the proposed approach.

Practical implications
This study offers a framework and usable mock-up design which can help in improving information security management for home users.

Originality/value
Improving the security management and awareness for home users by monitoring, checking and managing different security controls and configurations effectively are the key to strengthen information security. Therefore, when home users have a good level of security management and awareness, this could protect and secure the home network and subsequently business infrastructure and services as well.


This research determined the ability of methamphetamine to serve as a positive or negative feature, and assessed the ability of bupropion, cocaine, and naloxone to substitute for the methamphetamine features. Rats received methamphetamine (0.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) or saline 15 min before a conditioning session. For the feature positive (FP) group, offset of 15-s cue lights was followed by access to sucrose on methamphetamine sessions; sucrose was withheld during saline sessions. For the feature negative (FN) group, the light offset was followed by sucrose on saline sessions; sucrose was withheld during methamphetamine sessions. During acquisition, the FP group had higher responding on methamphetamine sessions than on saline sessions. For the FN group, responding was higher on saline sessions than on methamphetamine sessions. Conditioned responding was sensitive to methamphetamine dose. For the FP group, bupropion and cocaine fully and partially substituted for methamphetamine, respectively. In contrast, both drugs fully substituted for methamphetamine in the FN group. Naloxone did not substitute in either set of rats. FP-trained rats were more sensitive to the locomotor stimulating effects of the test drugs than FN-trained rats. This research demonstrates that the pharmacological effects of methamphetamine function as a FP or FN in this Pavlovian discrimination task and that training history can affect conditioned responding and locomotor effects evoked by a drug.


A study was carried out at Maize Research Station, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan during 2007-08 to determine the various parameters of genetic variability, and nature of interrelationships among traits affecting maize grain yield. Ten local maize inbred lines were crossed to three testers (F-107, F-131 and F-165) to develop 30 progenies. The parents, testers and crosses were evaluated in RCBD with three replications. Analysis of variability parameters revealed presence of substantial variability for all traits studied. Grain yield, ear length, ear height, 100-seed weight and ear diameter had high GCV estimates with high heritability. Genetic advance was higher for plant height, ear length, grains per row and grain yield. Genotypic correlation coefficient revealed that ear diameter, 100-grain weight, ear length, rows per ear and grains per row significantly correlated with grain yield. Path analysis revealed that highest direct effect on grain yield was exhibited by 100-grain weight followed by grains per row, kernel rows per ear, ear length and ear diameter. Most of the traits exerted their positive indirect effects through 100seed weight, kernel rows per ear and grains per row.


A guide to using and defining MPLS VPN services Analyze strengths and weaknesses of TDM and Layer 2 WAN services Understand the primary business and technical issues when evaluating IP/MPLS VPN offerings Describe the IP addressing, routing, load balancing, convergence, and services capabilities of the IP VPN Develop enterprise quality of service (QoS) policies and implementation guidelines Achieve scalable support for multicast services Learn the benefits and drawbacks of various security and encryption mechanisms Ensure proper use of services and plan for future growth with monitoring and reporting services Provide remote access, Internet access, and extranet connectivity to the VPN supported intranet Provide a clear and concise set of steps to plan and execute a network migration from existing ATM/Frame Relay/leased line networks to an IP VPNIP/MPLS VPNs are compelling for many reasons. For enterprises, they enable right-sourcing of WAN services and yield generous operational cost savings. For service providers, they offer a higher level of service to customers and lower costs for service deployment.Migration comes with challenges, however. Enterprises must understand key migration issues, what the realistic benefits are, and how to optimize new services. Providers must know what aspects of their services give value to enterprises and how they can provide the best value to customers.Selecting MPLS VPN Services helps you analyze migration options, anticipate migration issues, and properly deploy IP/MPLS VPNs. Detailed configurations illustrate effective deployment while case studies present available migration options and walk you through the process of selecting the best option for your network. Part I addresses the business case for moving to an IP/MPLS VPN network, with a chapter devoted to the business and technical issues you should review when evaluating IP/MPLS VPN offerings from major providers. Part II includes detailed deployment guidelines for the technologies used in the IP/MPLS VPN.This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press®, which offers networking professionals valuable information for constructing efficient networks, understanding new technologies, and building successful careers.


Background: In recent years several trials have addressed treatment challenges in Crohn's disease. Clinical trials however, represent a very special situation. Aims: To perform a cross-sectional survey among gastroenterologists on the current clinical real life therapeutic approach focussing on the use of biologics. Methods: A survey including six main questions on clinical management of loss of response, diagnostic evaluation prior to major treatment changes, preference for anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agent, (de-)escalation strategies as well as a basic section regarding personal information was sent by mail to all gastroenterologists in Switzerland (n = 318). Results: In total, 120 questionnaires were analysed (response rate 37.7%). 90% of gastroenterologists in Switzerland use a thiopurine as the first step-up strategy (anti-TNF alone 7.5%, combination 2.5%). To address loss of response, most physicians prefer shortening the interval of anti-TNF administration followed by dose increase, switching the biologic and adding a thiopurine. In case of prolonged remission on combination therapy, the thiopurine is stopped first (52.6%) after a mean treatment duration of 15.7 months (biologic first in 41.4%). Conclusions: Everyday clinical practice in Crohn's disease patients appears to be incongruent with clinical data derived from major trials. Studies investigating reasons underlying these discrepancies are of need to optimize and harmonize treatment. © 2014 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


I explore the interactions between comparative, competitive and absolute advantage in a two-country model of oligopoly in general equilibrium. Comparative advantage always determines the direction of trade, but both competitive and absolute advantage affect resource allocation, trade patterns and trade volumes. Competitive advantage in the sense of more home firms drives foreign firms out of marginal sectors but also makes some marginal home sectors uncompetitive. Absolute advantage in the sense of a uniform fall in home costs tends to raise home output in all sectors but also leads both countries to specialise less in accordance with comparative advantage.


We have developed a representation for musical rhythm and rhythmic structure based on concepts derived from African and African-American musics. Included in the representation are a model for expressive timing against an isochronous pulse, and a cellular approach to musical organization. In our implementation, the representation and its data structures are controlled and modified in real time using MAX. The richness of control over many meaningful musical quantities distinguishes our representation from those in more common usage, such as music notation programs, sequencers, and drum machines.


The consolidation of the lean construction theory demands the application of its concepts and principles in practical situations, but until now most of the implementations have been very fragmented. They have focused mainly on the improvement of project performance through the application of new tools and methodologies, leaving aside organizational and human issues. This paper proposes a way to support lean construction in contractor organizations, both creating a Lean Construction Professional Profile (LCPP) (seeking what competencies are needed) and expanding the focus centered on projects to address organizational and human issues that are necessary to carry out a sustainable and successful implementation. Several research activities were carried out: an assessment of what skills Project Managers (PMs) need, a study of how construction PMs use their time, and an analysis of the best practices coming from the outcomes of executive's studies in management science, construction industry and lean construction. Extracting the main contributions and similarities of each approach, and taking the premise of the holistic development of people as a key element, five areas of competence and knowledge were identified: (1) enterprise vision, (2) lean vision, (3) technical capacity, (4) management capacity and (5) social competence. From the five competence-knowledge areas the LCPP was defined, considering first mental models that drive acting (enterprise vision and lean vision) and then sorting the competences needed in their complexity.


The world experience regarding the interpenetration of the concept of sustainable development and responsible investing and accounting models is analyzed. The drivers of the appearance of the newest accounting model are determined, taking into account the specifics of the information requests of stakeholders. The stages of transformation of key forms of traditional reporting taking into account social and environmental components are considered. The determinants and principal features of the stakeholders accounting model are investigated in order to increase the validity of investment decisions. As a result of formalization, the hypothesis that the reporting on the sustainable development of accountable investment companies constituents is more transparent than the reporting of traditional financial index companies is disproved, taking into account the sub-periods of the global financial crisis identified and the division of financial markets for developed and developing countries. This has made it possible to confirm that the disclosure of information on ESG criteria is insufficient for decision makers in the financial sector of the economy and, in turn, determine the importance of its standardization.


New methods are being developed for efficient detection of terahertz waves. While many detection techniques show promise their commercial development is still limited due to the overall complexity and cost of the imaging system. Using commercially available neon indicator lamps the interaction mechanism between the glow plasma and the millimeter / THz wave is investigated in detail as a function of the device speed, sensitivity to frequency and polarization of the light. A lock-in amplifier was used to measure the response up to 90kHz when the GDD was placed at the focus of a 113GHz center frequency reconfigured Dielectric Resonating Oscillator (DRO) driven multiplied Schottky diode source. In addition the polarization sensitivity of the GDD was tested for two different scenarios whereby rotating the GDD the detected signal is observed to agree well with Malus's Law for one particular orientation. Furthermore, the frequency dependent GDD-THz interactions are investigated using a 240-380 GHz tunable continuous wave radiation source. Employing both systems allow us to understand the response of GDDs with respect to modulation frequency, RF frequency and polarization orientation. Resonance effects, frequency sensitivity and geometrical structures of GDDs are studied for the purpose of obtaining better performance in THz-GDD interaction for applications including general THz wave detection and imaging.


In two widely cited articles, the first of which was published almost 30 years ago, the anthropologist Paul Richards described the situated practices of small-scale farmers as a type of performance, akin to a musical or theatrical performance (1989, 1993). This definition, applied specifically to small-scale and subsistence agriculture, has a powerful appeal for good reasons. This article examines performance as a conceptual framework and tool for studying small-scale farming practice and technological change. Taking the comparison with musical or theatrical endeavour seriously, the article explores the dynamics of performance by individuals and groups; considers alternative ways of conceiving the 'stage' and the 'audience'; and examines the nature of the performers' skills and competence, through an elaboration of key concepts such as practice , rehearsal , repertoire and improvisation . The article also discusses the important implications of a performance being situated in a particular time and place, shaped by its surrounding socio-cultural and ecological context and conditioned by uncertainty. The article proposes that ethnographic or technographic methods are appropriate for studying performance, and considers the ethical responsibilities of the researcher when intervening in a performance from its outside. The argument is framed as a contribution to political ecology, especially an ecology of practices. Key words :  Performance, farming, practice, skill, technography


Electrical development in the marine field has been confined in a large measure to the navy, and the best experience with electric steering gears has been obtained from navy installations. Up to the present time steam has been the universal power for operating steering gears, but certain disadvantages are in-herent in this system which can be overcome by the electric drive, and additional advantages obtained. The history of electric gears shows that many different schemes have been tried and proved failures owing to faulty designs and imperfectly developed apparatus. At present several different systems are in successful operation. To obtain full benefit of the advantages possible from an electric drive, much depends on the selection of apparatus with characteristics best suited to the work. The problem of electric drive is largely one of control. The calculations for rudder and motor horse powers must be carefully made, with the proper assumptions for the conditions presented. Several installations in the navy have shown excellent results; in the case of the battleship Texas the data obtained show preliminary calculations were quite accurate. Results obtained seem to justify the prediction that electric steering gears will be used quite generally in the future.


A description of heat transport by conduction and radiation in inhomogeneous materials following absorption of a brief optical pulse is presented, and investigated experimentally using pulsed photothermal radiometry (PPTR). The model indicates that the role of radiation as an intramedium heat transfer modality increases with increasing temperatures and decreasing infrared (IR) absorption of the medium. However, for the range of conditions analysed in this study, conductive transfer dominates. Thus, the inclusion of radiation does not significantly perturb the internal temperature profiles, although it does influence the radiometric emission from the sample, and hence the PPTR signal. The thermal confinement effects described in this study may be relevant in photomedicine, for example in pulsed laser irradiation of tissues containing small absorbing targets.


Prospects of introduction of personification medicine principles into clinical nephrology are discussed with a special emphasis on prognosis of the course of chronic kidney diseases and response of the latter to pathogenetic therapy.


OBJECTIVES
We conducted a cluster randomized controlled study of a lay health worker (LHW) intervention to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates among Vietnamese Americans, who typically have lower rates than do non-Hispanic Whites.

METHODS
We randomized 64 LHWs to 2 arms. Each LHW recruited 10 male or female participants who had never had CRC screening (fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy). Intervention LHWs led 2 educational sessions on CRC screening. Control LHWs led 2 sessions on healthy eating and physical activity. The main outcome was self-reported receipt of any CRC screening at 6 months after the intervention. We conducted the study from 2008 to 2013 in Santa Clara County, California.

RESULTS
A greater proportion of intervention participants (56%) than control participants (19%) reported receiving CRC screening (P < .001). When controlling for demographic characteristics, the intervention odds ratio was 5.45 (95% confidence interval = 3.02, 9.82). There was no difference in intervention effect by participant gender.

CONCLUSIONS
LHW outreach was effective in increasing CRC screening in Vietnamese Americans. Randomized controlled trials are needed to test the effectiveness of LHW outreach for other populations and other health outcomes.


This report examines the current status, legislative history, and economic effects of the two expensing allowances (Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation Allowance) and also discusses initiatives in the 112th Congress to modify them. Expensing is the most accelerated form of depreciation for tax purposes. Section 179 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) allows a taxpayer to expense up to $125,000 of the total cost of new and used qualified depreciable assets it buys and places in service in 2012, within certain limits. In addition, Section 168(k) generally allows taxpayers to expense half the cost of qualified assets bought and placed in service in 2012.


Aim. To investigate disorders of psychoemotional functions, humoral regulation (substance P) and duodenal motility (DM) in patients with combined refluxes for their differential correction.
Material and methods. A total of 60 patients with gastroesophageal and duodenogastric refluxes were examined.
Results. Patients with reflux disorders had more frequent and severe neurotic reactions. Humoral changes are associated with characteristics of psychoemotional regulation. The risk of subnormal levels of the substance P rises substantially in changes in the scales of anxiety, neurotic depression, hysterical reaction and autonomic disorders. Segmental duodenal motility regresses with lowering of plasmic levels of substance P.
Conclusion. Patients with combined reflux disorders have psychoemotional disorders, abnormal humoral regulation and duodenal motility necessitating a differential approach to treatment of such patients.


The paper presents an information retrieval system for use by the Global Change Master Directory. The GCMD is a repository that contains Earth Science data collected by various agencies worldwide. The GCMD does not house the actual data, it contains descriptions of the data including the location of the actual data set. The GCMD also provides search services to locate these data descriptor files. For data to be included in the GCMD database, it must be submitted to the GCMD in the Directory Interchange Format (DIF). This DIF submission is currently done by data collectors manually submitting the DIF to the GCMD, but this manual system cannot keep pace with the amount of data being collected. Our proposed solution to keep pace with data being collected is to design and develop a data access system for the GCMD to automate the DIF creation process. Our data access system will be capable of autonomously searching Web sites for Earth Science data sets, extracting the metadata from these data sets, and creating a DIF for the file. The paper describes our prototype system that uses a URL pool to direct its search for Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) files. The HDF file is a self-describing format and contains metadata describing the contents of the files. This metadata is extracted and mapped to the DIF format. We present examples of DIFs created by our prototype to demonstrate that our approach is feasible, and discuss the need for a metadata standard among scientific data sets and how such a standard would enhance the effectiveness of our system and others in the Earth Science community.


CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROPOROUS ECTFE MEMBRANES EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT LIQUID MEDIA AND γ-RADIATION AND NANOPARTICLE MICROFILTRATION THROUGH SUCH MEMBRANES by Na Yao Microporous polymeric membranes are used in a variety of applications for separations, purification as well as barrier function. A major application is for microfiltration (MF). Changes in the properties of MF membranes exposed to acids, bases and organic solvents are of interest in semiconductor processing as well as in membrane contactor applications. Microfiltration membranes used for sterilization in beverage, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries are sterilized by gamma radiation among others. Irradiationinduced degradation in membrane properties should be known. A variety of fluoropolymerbased microporous membranes are available with varying properties. Ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) membranes are a new addition and are of potential interest. Microporous membranes of ECTFE membranes subjected to caustic soaking, organic solvent soaking and γ-irradiation were characterized extensively and compared with widely-used polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for selected properties. ECTFE membrane swellings by seven solvents including tri-n-octylamine (TOA) were much larger than those of nonporous ECTFE films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Xray diffraction (XRD) indicated significant defects in TOA-soaked membranes. Bubblepoint-pressure (BPP) based maximum pore diameters of selected solvent-soaked ECTFE membranes are in good agreement with the pore size distribution estimated from AFM. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies were used to study the solventmembrane interactions: TOA introduced C-H stretching and deformation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and DSC confirmed TOA presence in membrane pores. Solvents tetrahydrofuran, toluene, acetonitrile and TOA decreased Young's modulus by 6 to 30%. ECTFE membranes resisted plasticization by these solvents: glass transition temperature variations were limited. In TOA-treated membranes, XRD indicated more significant defects in PVDF membranes. Treatment with NaOH solutions showed no effect on contact angle and BPP. Only 3M caustic solution reduced liquid entry pressure by 13.8 kPag. ECTFE membranes showed greater hydrophobicity, stronger wetting resistance and better ability to maintain hydrophobicity vis-à-vis PVDF membranes. ECTFE membranes subjected to γ-radiation (up to 45 kGy) showed almost no effect on morphology, porosity and Young's modulus. Slight variations were observed in BPP, melting enthalpy obtained via DSC and energy loss measured in dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The solvent resistance of ECTFE membranes, especially to TOA, is important especially in membrane solvent extraction in the presence of diluents e.g., xylene. Many characterization techniques were employed to study solvent-treatment effects on ECTFE membranes exposed to ethanol, xylene, xylene80/TOA20 and pure TOA. Membranesurface roughness of virgin, ethanol-soaked and TOA-soaked membranes indicated: TOAsoaked membranes were the roughest, followed by ethanol-soaked and virgin ones. Bubble-point-pressure based maximum pore diameters (dmax) of solvent-treated membranes were: dmax, TOA > dmax, Xylene/TOA > dmax, Xylene > dmax, Ethanol > dmax, Virgin. In FTIR and Raman spectra, TOA introduced extra peaks contributing to C-H stretching and deformation. Raman spectra of xylene80/TOA20-soaked membrane were a combination of those of xylene and TOA. The presence of a large amount of diluent reduces the impact of TOA on ECTFE membranes. In dead-end MF, fouling mechanisms behaved differently for virgin and TOAsoaked membranes; filtrate particle size distributions agreed well with estimated pore sizes. The values of permeance (kg/m-s-kPa) determined from the slope of the linear plot of filtration flux vs. the applied pressure difference across the membrane, were 0.39, 0.23 and 0.03 for methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol, respectively. In cross-flow MF using silica nanoparticles suspended in 25% ethanol solution, Particle agglomerates having less than 100 nm size can pass through the membrane; some fouling was observed. The governing fouling mechanisms for tests operated using 3.8 ppm at 6.9 kPag (1 psig) and 13.8 kPag (2 psig) were pore blocking; for tests conducted using 3.8 ppm at 27.6 kPag (4 psig ) and 1.9 ppm at 6.9, 13.8 and 27.6 kPag (1, 2 and 4 psig), the mechanism was membrane resistance controlled. Less particles got embedded in membrane pores in experiments operated using suspensions with lower concentrations or higher concentrations with a higher transmembrane pressure. This is in good agreement with the values of the shear rate in the pore flow and SEM images of the membrane after MF. CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROPOROUS ECTFE MEMBRANES EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT LIQUID MEDIA AND γ-RADIATION AND NANOPARTICLE MICROFILTRATION THROUGH SUCH MEMBRANES


When perceived by the human mind, an object might encompass diverse content according to different observers. Further, subjectively experienced time is encoded in the later entorhinal cortex. Starting from these two observations concerning mental perception of space and time, and considering Einstein's accounts, we show how, in terms of special relativity, imagination's content is not stationary and fixed, rather depends on the observer's standpoint. We elucidate how the subjective phenomenon of time (perceived by our mind as static) might give rise to changes in quantifiable content between the real and the imagined object. We describe how to correlate the quantifiable content of the sensed object embedded in the environment with the corresponding internal thought (subjective percept). In particular, based on recent neuroscientific literature, we show how changes in our mental time windows are able to squeeze the information content of the subjective percepts, compared with their matching environmental objects. Further, we elucidate how this novel framework could be able to confirm or reject a recently raised hypothesis, which suggests that the brain activity takes place in functional dimensions higher than our usual four-dimensional spacetime.


Design for remanufacturing is an important content of remanufacturing engineering, and the remanufacturability of product is mainly determined in the stage of product design. Through developing study of product design for remanufacturing, it can promote the remanufacturability, and markedly enhance the efficiency of remanufacturing production. This paper give some relative concepts about product design for remanufacturing and remanufacturability based on total remanufacturing process, such as remanufacturability, and bring forward the remanufacturability research contents and qualitative design principals in the product design stage.


Visual calibration of auditory space requires re-alignment of representations differing in 1) format (auditory hemispheric channels vs. visual maps) and 2) reference frames (head-centered vs. eye-centered). Here, a ventriloquism paradigm from Kopčo et al. (J Neurosci, 29, 13809-13814) was used to examine these processes in humans and monkeys for ventriloquism induced within one spatial hemifield. Results show that 1) the auditory representation is adapted even by aligned audio-visual stimuli, and 2) the spatial reference frame is primarily head-centered in humans but mixed in monkeys. These results support the view that the ventriloquism aftereffect is driven by multiple spatially non-uniform processes. PACS numbers: 43.66.Pn, 43.66.Qp, 43.66.Mk


High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) has been
extensively used in the analysis of hop derived components
in beer, but the scope of these methods is limited by the
range of attainable reference compounds. The synthesis and
purification of a range of relevant components has been
described by several authors, but in our laboratory these
procedures fail to give compounds of sufficient purity.
Modification of published procedures are described for the
preparation of humulinic acids, dehydrohumulinic acids,
hulupones, and colupulone. These procedures provide facile
routes for preparation of these compounds in higher yields
than was hitherto reported, and also in sufficient purity
for their use as standards in quantitative HPLC analysis.
Although bitterness in beer is largely due to iso - a - acids, other compounds such as hulupones are considered to have similar bitter properties. Alternative routes to hulupones using the readily available and cheap 6-acids extracts as starting material are therefore examined. Oxidation of Bacids in the presence of sodium sulphite was established as the most feasible route to these compounds.

The structural authenticity of all preparations was confirmed by infra-red, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Purity of the compounds was established using HPLC in conjunction with photodiode array detection. Developed HPLC methods, and synthesised pure reference standards are used in the quantitative analysis of humulinic acids in hop iso-a-acid extracts before, and after acid hydrolysis. HPLC methods are also developed for the quantitative analysis of hulupone formed from the oxidation of B-acids solutions.

The stability of all compounds synthesised was investigated
so that satisfactory conditions for their long-term storage
could be identified.


A Smart Machining System for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Milling continually adjusts the cutting process parameters to optimize for cutting tool life and material removal rate. The system depends on sensors to gather information from the machine during cutting, but commercially available sensors detract from the effectiveness of the cutting system by lowering the system stiffness. This research focuses on the development of the electronics for a Smart Tool Holder (STH) and potential applications such as measurement of mechanical cutting power and suppression of chatter. The STH is a standard milling tool holder modified to hold a torque strain gauge bridge, a thermocouple and a Bluetooth radio transmitter. The STH is meant to overcome some of the different limitations imposed by bed dynamometers, microphones and spindle power sensors without reducing the system stiffness. Comparison of the mechanical power estimates from the STH and a conventional power sensor showed 10% difference.


This is a thesis which contributes to research in two different fields: theoretical physics and physics education research. The common link between these two research areas is that both involve explorations of abstract physics and mathematical representations, but from different perspectives.The first part of this thesis is situated in theoretical physics. Here a cosmological scenario is explored where a de Sitter phase is replaced with a phase described with a scale factor a(t) ~ tq, where 1/3<1. This scenario could be viewed as an inflationary toy model, and is shown to open up the possibility of an information paradox. This potential paradox is resolved even in the worst case scenario by showing that the time scales involved for such a paradox to occur is of the order of magnitude of the recurrence time for the de Sitter space.The second part of this thesis is situated in physics education research. A number of learning situations that are experienced as abstract by students are explored: probability in one dimensional quantum tunnelling; the mindsets that students adopt towards understanding physics equations used in typical teaching scenarios; and what students focus on when presented with physics equations. The results for the quantum scattering study are four phenomenographic categories of description, for the mind sets study, six epistemological components of mindsets and for the focus on physics equations study, three foci creating five levels of increasing complexity of ways of experiencing physics equations. Pedagogical implications of these results are discussed.


Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 1.2 million deaths annually. In 2002, road traffic accidents were responsible for 127 000 deaths in the WHO European Region.1 Recently, there have been calls for global action to reduce this public health threat, and the First United Nations Global Road Safety Week was held on 23–29 April 2007.2 Activities during the week focused specifically on preventing road traffic injuries in young people under the age of 25 years. The WHO European Region faces substantial challenges in this respect, as each year 32 000 young people aged under 25 are killed in road traffic accidents in Europe.3

Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death in the 5–24 years age group.3 However, deaths are only the tip of the iceberg, and it is estimated that, for every death, 20 people are hospitalised and another 70 require outpatient medical treatment.4 5 Although data on non-fatal outcomes and costs are incomplete, the available evidence suggests that the health care and societal costs are enormous, with the latter estimated at 2% of gross domestic product for most countries in the region.1 6

The nature of the risk and exposure changes with age: among European children under 15 years, pedestrians account for the majority of fatalities, whereas in the 15–24 years age group most road death victims are car occupants (59%) or motorcyclists (19%).3 Programmes aimed at reducing road traffic deaths should take into consideration the different needs of groups at different stages of development from infancy to …


This thesis offers a theoretical investigation into concepts of beauty, the sculptured body and myths of Venus and Medusa, primarily through the works of Igor Mitoraj and Marc Quinn. These themes are transformed and inverted in the Looking-glass towards the trans-body, which is fragmented, sometimes monstrous, grotesque or ugly, but it is still complete. Resonating with Eros, it advocates a new trans-sexuality and establishes a concept of new desire , both of which question the legitimacy and limits of the concept of gender in relation to the body. This thesis proposes looking at the body beyond straightforward associations with a particular sex, incorporating approaches beyond art historical and art critical perspectives.

Overall, the argument is informed by three particular concepts - paratopisms, paralogisms and parachronisms - drawn from the writings of Jean-Francois Lyotard. Jean Baudrillard s idea of the trans and swallowing the mirror provides another focus for the thesis. As such, this work is an attempt to go through to the other side of the mirror with respect to topos here, aesthetics and narratives; logos here, beauty and ugliness; and chronos in this research, the new desire. Through a detailed analysis of a number of case-studies I focus on the transformation of the trope of the classical into para-classical; the implosion of Venus into Medusa, beauty into ugliness, perfection into imperfection and ability into disability; and, finally, the metamorphosis of the sculptured body in the mirror.

The figure of Venus is utilised in order to scrutinise the modifications and metamorphoses, both internal and external, of the body in relation to the fragment and the classical Greco-Roman ideal. The thesis aims to bring to the study of sculpture a deconstruction of the body through readings on gender, subjectivities and the gaze of the other. It focuses on the female body, represented by the figure of Venus, which is modified and appropriated according to patriarchal order, but also, as it relies on Helene Cixous's Medusa laugh, it generates a new perspective in seeing the body as a hybrid; a metamorphosing construct, able to transform beyond and within corporeality. Viewing the body as an entity in a constant state of flux, shifting identities and gender, this study proposes this new concept - trans-body as a response to the current hyperreal simulated model of sexuality, and stimulates (and simulates) a change of focus in opticality towards illusions and trans-vesting myths.


During the eighteenth century the VOC imported over a billion small copper coins (doits) to Java, which is a remarkable operation for the world's largest enterprise at that time, since these coins were unfit to pay for the company's wholesale trade. This paper argues that the VOC responded to Java's specific need for small coins, because people increasingly relied on the market for daily necessities and became less dependent on subsistence farming. The alternative explanations of population growth, substitution and inflation do not satisfactorily explain the increased demand for these copper doits. Therefore, this paper proposes that Java's economy underwent a transformation, particularly after 1750.


This paper develops an alternative political agency model. We add uncertainty related to the payoff of electing the challenger and then we model effort by the politicians as an investment in a public good that will be realized if and only if the incumbent is reelected. We find that uncertainty related to the challenger has an ambiguous effect on the level of investment, but that more uncertainty makes the incumbent less willing to invest when the politicians care about the payoff from the investment. Using this model we then proceed to find that there can exist a level of uncertainty where the incumbent would be willing to invest in a non-electoral system, but the presence of elections make the incumbent unwilling to invest. In this case the voter might be better off without elections. Then we find that the effect of electoral biases on the level of investment is depending on the level of uncertainty. Longer terms of office can increase the incentives to invest in the public good.


OBJECT
In this paper, the authors introduce a method of noninvasive anatomical analysis of the facial nerve-vestibulocochlear nerve complex and the depiction of the variable vascular relationships by using 3D volume visualization. With this technique, a detailed spatial representation of the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves was obtained. Patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) resulting from neurovascular compression (NVC) were examined.

METHODS
A total of 25 patients (13 males and 12 females) with HFS underwent 3D visualization using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with 3D constructive interference in a steady state (CISS). Each data set was segmented and visualized with respect to the individual neurovascular relationships by direct volume rendering. Segmentation and visualization of the facial and vestibulocochlear nerves were performed with reference to their root exit zone (REZ), as well as proximal and distal segments including corresponding blood vessels. The 3D visualizations were interactively compared with the intraoperative situation during microvascular decompression (MVD) to verify the results with the observed microneurosurgical anatomy.

RESULTS
Of the 25 patients, 20 underwent MVD (80%). Microvascular details were recorded on the affected and unaffected sides. On the affected sides, the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) was the most common causative vessel. The posterior inferior cerebellar artery, vertebral artery, internal auditory artery, and veins at the REZ of the facial nerve (the seventh cranial nerve) were also found to cause vascular contacts to the REZ of the facial nerve. In addition to this, the authors identified three distinct types of NVC within the REZ of the facial nerve at the affected sides. The authors analyzed the varying courses of the vessels on the unaffected sides. There were no bilateral clinical symptoms of HFS and no bilateral vascular compression of the REZ of the facial nerve. The authors discovered that the AICA is the most common vessel that interferes with the proximal and distal portions of the facial nerve without any contact between vessels and the REZ of the facial nerve on the unaffected sides.

CONCLUSIONS
Three-dimensional visualization by direct volume rendering of 3D CISS MR imaging data offers the opportunity of noninvasive exploration and anatomical categorization of the facial nerve-vestibulocochlear nerve complex. Furthermore, it proves to be advantageous in establishing the diagnosis and guiding neurosurgical procedures by representing original MR imaging patient data in a 3D fashion. This modality provides an excellent overview of the entire neurovascular relationship of the cerebellopontine angle in each case.


This article highlights the most salient points from the authors' previously published work on ventilation of manure pits to reduce entry risk. On-farm confined-spaces, such as manure storage pits, often contain toxic and asphyxiating gases including hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia, as well low oxygen levels. This article describes briefly an innovative approach to manure pit ventilation for human entry into a manure pit that utilizes online software. This software has been turned into an online design aid and represents the culmination of more than a decade-long research and technology development effort at Pennsylvania State University. The online design aid tool results include contaminant gas concentration decay and oxygen replenishments curves inside the manure pit and inside the barns above the manure pits, as well as animated motion pictures of individual gas concentration decay and oxygen replenishment in selected horizontal and vertical cut plots of the manure pits and barns. These results identify ventilation time requirements, manure pit gas evacuation patterns, and animal and personnel evacuation requirements.


Twelve patients with central neurofibromatosis underwent MR examination of the head. Among these, chiasma glioma was the most common CNS tumour (6/12). Seven patients had multifocal areas of increased T2-signal without mass effect predominantly involving the region of the basal ganglia. No corresponding CT abnormalities were present. These lesions may represent multifocal dysplasia and seem to be characteristic of central neurofibromatosis.


In this thesis the Heterobasidion – conifer pathosystem is discussed in a symbiosis context. Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.)Bref. s.l. is a species complex with closely related species with partly overlapping host range. There are three European Heterobasidion species, H. annosum, H. abietinum and H. parviporum. In the first study it was shown that cDNA arrays printed for one species can be used to study gene expression in the other species. H. annosum can grow both as a saprotroph on dead wood or kill its conifer host as a necrotroph. This possibility to switch nutritional mode has impact on forest management as H.annosum can prevail in old wood for decades until infecting the next generation of trees. Gene expression patterns during the transition from saprotrophic to necrotrophic growth were studied in a nutrient limited microcosm system with dead and living Pinus sylvestris seedlings connected by a common mycelium. These results were compared with gene expression patterns of H. annosum, Phanerochaete chrysosporium (saprotroph) and Paxillus involutus (mutualist) growing in nutrient rich systems. In the nutrient rich comparison a higher correlation was found, than between the saprotrophic and necrotrophic growth of H. annosum where no differentially expressed genes were identified. However differences were found when the genes were annotated into functional categories by KOG groups. This suggests that differences between the two growth modes might depend on the magnitude of gene expression rather than distinct qualitative differences. The specificity of two mycorrhiza-associated Pinus genes (similar to Clavata 1 and MtN21) in comparison to known auxin-induced and defence genes through early signalling and ECM development with and without the auxin transport inhibitor TIBA was further investigated. The Clv-1-like gene seems to be associated with lateral root formation since expression was detected in root primordia during lateral root formation and in mycorrhizal roots.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Evidence supports some beneficial effects of antibiotics prescribed to patients with a sore throat and proven presence of group A streptococci (GAS).

METHOD
A total of 283 patients were included from North and North-West Queensland, Australia, at their first presentation for uncomplicated acute sore throat. Patterns of antibiotic prescribing were explored before and after testing for GAS using a rapid point-of-care polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

RESULTS
The results of the study showed the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines were often not adhered to. The PCR test reduced the proportion of patients prescribed antibiotics from 46% to 40%. The decision to prescribe antibiotics was changed in 30% of patients (P <0.001): before testing only 40% of patients prescribed antibiotics had a positive GAS PCR while this increased to 97% after testing.

DISCUSSION
An easy-to-use point-of-care test to detect GAS allows better targeting of antibiotic prescribing in patients with an uncomplicated acute sore throat.


K42 is one of the few recent research projects that is examining operating system design structure issues in the context of new whole-system design. K42 is open source and was designed from the ground up to perform well and to be scalable, customizable, and maintainable. The project was begun in 1996 by a team at IBM Research. Over the last nine years there has been a development effort on K42 from between six to twenty researchers and developers across IBM, collaborating universities, and national laboratories. K42 supports the Linux API and ABI, and is able to run unmodified Linux applications and libraries. The approach we took in K42 to achieve scalability and customizability has been successful.The project has produced positive research results, has resulted in contributions to Linux and the Xen hypervisor on Power, and continues to be a rich platform for exploring system software technology. Today, K42, is one of the key exploratory platforms in the DOE's FAST-OS program, is being used as a prototyping vehicle in IBM's PERCS project, and is being used by universities and national labs for exploratory research. In this paper, we provide insight into building an entire system by discussing the motivation and history of K42, describing its fundamental technologies, and presenting an overview of the research directions we have been pursuing.


Traceability systems that track both physical entities and their less tangible attributes are increasingly widely used in contemporary food supply to meet a range of regulatory and commercial objectives, including a growing number of ethical concerns. Even with a traditional combinable and blended food crop such as wheat to bread there is clear evidence of traceability from the variety and crop in the field through to the mill to the bakery to the shelf. This study examines the traceability systems that have emerged in the wheat to bread supply in the UK, and the ethical concerns that have emerged within this supply process. The study reveals that these ethical concerns are dynamic and evolving and are contested. In the case of the supply chains studied, a priority concern with safety aspects has been followed by an emerging greater focus upon the provenance of the wheat and flour and upon the environmental impacts of the more industrialized supply chains. A study of the traceability schemes in the chains and the views of the stakeholders reflects quite restricted 'fields of ethical vision'. The governance and the transmission of information along the chains to the final consumer are quite restricted and partial, inhibiting transparency. The realization of greater transparency and ethical traceability to address different moral perspectives will need further changes in the governance and operation of the supply chains.


This paper proposes an analytical framework for the prediction of decoding error probabilities in heterogeneous wireless environments, where transmissions from various radio nodes with distinct Poisson-arrival rates and packet lengths populate the channel. Random channel access without feedback is assumed, where partial packet collisions can lead to the loss of packets. The analysis is based on the modeling of the collision length distribution between competing nodes. With recent results from information theory in the finite block length regime, we provide bounds on achievable decoding error probabilities for a given interference scenario. The new framework enables jointly considering inter- and intra-system interference, which is an important aspect in unlicensed radio bands. The framework's applicability to optimize system designs is demonstrated for a typical low-power wide area network scenario. We study the tradeoff between reliability and code rate for a point-to-point link and present achievable throughput regions. The analysis reveals the superior performance of coded time-hopping spread spectrum systems. They reach very low error probability even under strong interference for wide ranges of practically relevant load regions.


The study aims at investigating the effect of bone healing on the ultrasonic response of coin-shaped titanium implants. Sixteen implants were inserted on the tibiae of rabbits. Two groups of eight samples were considered, each group corresponding to a healing duration (7 or 13 weeks). After the sacrifice, the ultrasonic response of the bone-implant interface was measured in vitro at 15 MHz with a 2-D scanning device. The average value of the ratio r between the amplitudes of the echo of the bone-implant interface and of the water-implant interface was determined. The fraction of implant surface in contact with bone was measured by histomorphometry. The ultrasonic quantitative indicator r decreases significantly with healing time (p = 2.10-4, from r = 0.53 to r = 0.49). Two phenomena are responsible for the decrease of the gap of acoustical impedance at the bone-implant interface: i) the increase of mineralization of newly formed bone tissue and ii) the increase of the bone-implant contact fraction (from 2...


This empirical study revisits the determinants of firms' capital structures. The main focus thereby is onthe 'market timing theory', according to which the current level of the capital structure is the cumulative outcome of past attempts to 'time the market', i.e. issuing shares when equity is overvalued and repurchasing shares in case of undervaluation. Since the positive evidence for this theory found by Baker and Wurgler (2002) for the US, this strand of empirical literature is growing. This paper presents evidence for a sample of 135 Dutch listed non-financial firms over the period 1983-1997 as well as for a sub-sample of 45 Dutch firms that did an initial public offering (IPO). The research methodology follows Kayhan and Titman (2004), who model capital structure as a mix of market timing, pecking order and capital structure targeting behaviour. The findings for the Dutch sample do not find strong and persistent effects of market timing on capital structures.


In this note, we consider the effect of information flow on the propagation of errors in spacing in a collection of vehicles trying to maintain a rigid formation during translational maneuvers. The motion of each vehicle is described using a linear time-invariant (LTI) system. We consider undirected and connected information flow graphs, and assume that each vehicle can communicate with a maximum of q vehicles, where q may vary with the size n of the collection. We consider translational maneuver of a reference vehicle, where its steady state velocity is different from its initial velocity. In the absence of any disturbing forces acting on the vehicles during the maneuver, it is desired that the collection be controlled in such a way that its motion asymptotically resembles that of a rigid body. In the presence of bounded disturbing forces acting on the vehicles, it is desired that the maximum deviation of the motion of the collection from that of a rigid body be bounded and be independent of the size of the collection. We consider a decentralized feedback control scheme, where the controller of each vehicle takes into account the aggregate errors in position and velocity from the vehicles with which it is in direct communication. We assume that all vehicles start at their respective desired positions and velocities. Since the displacement of every vehicle at the end of the maneuver of the reference vehicle must be the same, we show that the loop transfer function must have at least two poles at the origin. We then show that if the loop transfer function has three or more poles at the origin, then the motion of the collection is unstable, that is, its deviation from the rigid body motion is arbitrarily large, if the size of the formation is sufficiently large. If l is the number of poles of the transfer function relating the position of a vehicle with its control input, we show that if (q(n)/n)rarr0 as nrarrinfin, then there is a low frequency sinusoidal disturbance of at most unit amplitude acting on each vehicle such that the maximum errors in spacing response increase at least as Omega(((radicn/q(n))l+1)).A function p(n) is Omega(q(n)) if there exists a nonzero constant c>0 and a N* such that |p(n)|gesc|q(n)| for all n>N* . A consequence of the results presented in this note is that the maximum errors in spacing and velocity of any vehicle can be made insensitive to the size of the collection only if there is at least one vehicle in the collection that communicates with at least Omega(n) other vehicles in the collection


: The trpE, trpC and trpIBA genes of Pseudomonas putida were cloned by complementation of the corresponding auxotrophic mutations of Escherichia coli using pBR322 as a vector. With the exception of trpE, transcription of all genes in new host takes place under control of their own promoters. Expression of the trpD gene linked to trpC was not registered in E. coli. Repressible trpC enzyme was synthesized constitutively in E. coli. Characteristic regulation of P. putida trpBA genes via induction by indolglycerol phosphate is retained in E. coli. The activator gene trpI and tryptophan synthase genes were closely linked in the trpIBA sequence.


Computer and Internet based services are increasingly provided to users in our days. The users are also increasing exponentially and it is obvious that they are not experienced in the use of computers. This paper examines the problem of user friendly web based service interfaces and proposes a new kind of interface. This interface is called a Virtual Interface and is thoroughly presented. The Virtual Interface is compared to contemporary User Interfaces and the results of this comparison are also presented.


In this paper, we develop a novel framework that attempts to reduce network traffic for error-bounded data collection in wireless sensor networks. In many sensor applications, it is acceptable that the monitoring results evaluated based on collected data might deviate from the exact results; as long as the error is bounded by a certain threshold. One well-known technique for error-bounded data collection is data filtering, which explores temporal data correlation to suppress data updates. A concrete scheme was proposed in [1]. The data collection is divided in rounds. A filter is installed on each node and the total filter size is constrained by the user-specified error budget. Intuitively, if the data change from the last update report is smaller than the filter size, the current update is suppressed, i.e., not to report to the base station. To adapt to system dynamics, the sizes of all filters are periodically shrunk and the left-over budget is re-allocated to the node with the highest load. Many follow up studies can be found [2][3].


The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is a promising and exciting tool for regenerative medicine. Since their first appearance in 2006 by Yamanaka et al , where adult mouse fibroblasts were reprogrammed using a cocktail of only four master transcription factors (TFs), Oct4 , Sox2 , Klf4 , and c - Myc reprogramming factors (1), iPSCs have served as valuable tools in studying disease. Indeed, even years after this groundbreaking discovery, cellular identity conversion of somatic cells through exogenous introduction of TFs towards iPSCs remains one of the most powerful tools (2) for disease modelling, drug screening, tissue engineering and transplantation therapies. Nevertheless, despite recent advances, the induction efficiency of these cells and subsequent differentiation to the desired cell types is, very low (3) and has a lengthy reprogramming process with substantial limitations to create and maintain functional cells. In a combined effort, laboratories led by Keisuke Kaji investigated a new approach of improving the efficiency of iPSCs generation by the reprogramming factors through the expression of constitutively active SMAD2/3 (4).


This article examines the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad through the lens of a devolved Scotland, exploring how the Scottish cultural programmes and projects are being evaluated, and what this approach might offer for the wider UK and international context. Structurally, the article begins with a discussion of the relationship between sporting mega-events and culture, focusing specifically (although not exclusively) on the sport and cultural nexus around the Olympic Games. The discussion then moves to consider conceptual, policy and practice debates around cultural value, examining the extent to which existing research tools and techniques satisfactorily capture the contribution of culture to major events, public and social policy. Methodologically, the article draws on elite interviews with strategic stakeholders directly involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of Scotland's London 2012 Cultural Programme. The authors conclude that, when taken alongside other cultural evaluations conducted nationally and internationally, there is a need to develop a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) that can more effectively capture cultural value around major sporting events in the UK. This study has demonstrated a level of dissatisfaction within the Scottish cultural community about the limitations of existing mechanisms for measuring the value of culture within the mega-event platform. A robust, but nuanced, impact assessment is required because, unlike the UK as a whole, Scotland has a unique opportunity to undertake a longitudinal study assessing the conditions for legacy put in place as a result of the London 2012 Olympic Games for the subsequent 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. However, further research is required into the efficacy of the MCA for assessing cultural value generally and within the framework of major sports events, in particular.


In 62 patients with thyroid carcinoma 79 MRI bone marrow examinations and 48 bone marrow scintigraphies were recorded before or following radioiodine therapy, to study the extent of bone marrow expansion. The results of both methods were the same. In 34/79 investigations normal findings were seen, in 18 the bone marrow expanded to the middle third and in 26 to the distal third of the femur. One patient showed bone marrow expansion to the tibia. These results were compared with the following data: histology of tumor, TNM- staging, time passed since thyroidectomy, accumulated doses of radioiodine therapy, results of131I scintigraphy, hematological changes, thyroglobulin level, age and sex. No significant correlations were found between these and the bone marrow imaging results. Bone marrow changes in patients before radioiodine therapy were similar to those in patients treated with up to 48 GBq 131I. Blind biopsy of the posterior iliac crest in five patients showed slightly pathological reactive changes. In only 2/17 follow-up studies an increase of bone marrow expansion was seen. In 8 patients localized findings indicating malignant infiltration were observed. In 4/8 patients metastases of thyroid carcinoma were known or confirmed by pathological radioiodine uptake and in 2/8 metastatic involvement was assumed because of an increased thyroglobulin level.


We hardly ever review a book, but 'The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics' by L. S. Goodman and A. Gilman is an exception. It has always been an outstanding book, full of balanced, reliable and detailed facts about all important drugs. This is still true of the third edition (Collier-MacMillan 1965, pp. 1785; 180/-) which marks a major change, for it has been largely written and re-written by 42 experts: Goodman and Gilman have concentrated on rigorous editing. Anyone who wants detailed information will find it here, backed with ample references, and we recommend it to all who have a more than average interest in drugs. It does not aim to help directly with the choice of drugs in practice, and it contains little about general principles. Some drugs marketed only outside the United States are naturally not mentioned.


The research is aimed, first, to find components of MT-fields and their transforms, which facilitate the imaging of the internal structure of volcanoes and, second, to study the detectability of conductivity variations in a magma chamber due to alterations of other physical parameters. The resolving power of MT data with respect to the electric structure of volcanic zones is studied using software developed by the author for three-dimensional (3D) numerical modeling, analysis and imaging. A set of 3D volcano models are constructed and synthetic MT data on the relief Earth's surface are analysed. It is found that impedance phases as well as in-phase and quadrature parts of the electric field type transforms enable the best imaging of the volcanic interior. The impedance determinant is, however, the most suitable for adequate interpretation of measurements carried out for the purpose of monitoring conductivity variations in a magma chamber. The way of removing the geological noise from the MT data by means of its upward analytical continuation to the artificial reference plane is discussed. Interpretation methodologies are suggested aimed at 3D imaging and monitoring volcanic interiors by MT data.


Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) administration maintains, protects, and promotes the regeneration of both motor neurons (MNs) and skeletal muscle in a wide variety of models. Expression of CNTF receptor α (CNTFRα), an essential CNTF receptor component, is greatly increased in skeletal muscle following neuromuscular insult. Together the data suggest that muscle CNTFRα may contribute to neuromuscular maintenance, protection, and/or regeneration in vivo. To directly address the role of muscle CNTFRα, we selectively‐depleted it in vivo by using a "floxed" CNTFRα mouse line and a gene construct (mlc1f‐Cre) that drives the expression of Cre specifically in skeletal muscle. The resulting mice were challenged with sciatic nerve crush. Counting of nerve axons and retrograde tracing of MNs indicated that muscle CNTFRα contributes to MN axonal regeneration across the lesion site. Walking track analysis indicated that muscle CNTFRα is also required for normal recovery of motor function. However, the same muscle CNTFRα depletion unexpectedly had no detected effect on the maintenance or regeneration of the muscle itself, even though exogenous CNTF has been shown to affect these functions. Similarly, MN survival and lesion‐induced terminal sprouting were unaffected. Therefore, muscle CNTFRα is an interesting new example of a muscle growth factor receptor that, in vivo under physiological conditions, contributes much more to neuronal regeneration than to the maintenance or regeneration of the muscle itself. This novel form of muscle–neuron interaction also has implications in the therapeutic targeting of the neuromuscular system in MN disorders and following nerve injury. J. Comp. Neurol. 521: 2947–2965, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


ALK gene rearrangements were identified in a variety of cancers, including neuroblastoma, where the presence of ALK expression is associated with adverse prognosis. ALK mutations have recently been found in the pediatric brain tumor medulloblastoma, and microarray data indicate that ALK is highly expressed in a subset of these tumors. Therefore, we investigated whether ALK expression correlates with transcriptional profiles and clinical features of medulloblastoma. Tumors from 116 medulloblastoma patients were studied at diagnosis for the detection of ALK expression at the RNA level by an application of NanoString technology and at the protein level by immunohistochemistry using antibody ALK clone D5F3. The results indicate that ALK expression, at both the RNA and the protein levels, is strongly associated with the WNT-activated type of tumors and therefore may serve as a useful marker for the detection of this type of medulloblastoma. Importantly, ALK protein expression alone is also an indicator of good prognosis for medulloblastoma patients.


A 'classical' and a 'basal-like' subtype of pancreatic cancer have been reported, with differential expression of GATA6 and different dosages of mutant KRAS. We established in situ detection of KRAS point mutations and mRNA panels for the consensus subtypes aiming to project these findings to paraffin-embedded clinical tumour samples for spatial quantitative analysis. We unveiled that, next to inter-patient and intra-patient inter-ductal heterogeneity, intraductal spatial phenotypes exist with anti-correlating expression levels of GATA6 and KRASG12D . The basal-like mRNA panel better captured the basal-like cell states than widely used protein markers. The panels corroborated the co-existence of the classical and basal-like cell states in a single tumour duct with functional diversification, i.e. proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition respectively. Mutant KRASG12D detection ascertained an epithelial origin of vimentin-positive cells in the tumour. Uneven spatial distribution of cancer-associated fibroblasts could recreate similar intra-organoid diversification. This extensive heterogeneity with functional cooperation of plastic tumour cells poses extra challenges to therapeutic approaches. © 2023 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.


Food Security and Risk Reduction in Bangladesh-Umma Habiba 2015-03-18 This book draws examples from food security issues in Bangladesh. The book is structured around those issues and underlying causes of food security, the implications from different sectors, policy analysis, and the role and actions of various stakeholders from different sectors to ensure food security. Bangladesh is situated in a climatically vulnerable position and is impacted frequently by such climatic hazards as floods, cyclones, droughts, and salinity intrusion. Due to global atmospheric changes, abrupt shifts in climatic conditions severely affect Bangladesh's agriculture. Although Bangladesh has made significant progress in increasing domestic production of food grain, if the production of major cereals is hampered due to climate change, food security will be in jeopardy. Most estimates show that a huge amount of additional food grain will be required to feed the growing population of the country. Ensuring food security for all is the overarching goal of Bangladesh's national food policy. Therefore, ensuring food security in the future requires a great deal of additional effort in yield improvement, with limited scope for expanding the area under cultivation. The primary target readers for this book are students and researchers in the fields of environment, disaster risk reduction, and climate change studies. The book will provide them with a good idea of the current trend of research in the field and will furnish basic knowledge on this important topic. Another target group comprises practitioners and policy makers, who will be able to apply collective knowledge to policy and decision making.


This work deals with "special" burials among the Anglo-Saxon and Slavs in the early medieval period. The individuals in these graves are frequently labelled as "deviant", "criminals", as "socially other". This dissertation aims to focus more on the possible danger which "special" individuals represented for their communities after their death and on the possibility that the "special" burials were those of potential revenants or vampires.
The introduction begins with a brief sketch of the evolution of approaches to burial by archaeologists and historians writing in English. It goes on to argue that "deviant burial" is not a self-explanatory category, but can be applied to a variety of very different inhumations. It suggests it might be better termed "special' burial or the burial of the "special' dead and formed part of regular inhumation practice; and it argues that the best way to understand these practices is an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural framework. In particular, it discusses the possible insights offered by the development of the cognitive study of religion and belief, with particular reference to death and burial practices and introduces a "theoretical alternative model" for accessing how the deceased was treated from corpse to the grave.
Chapter 1 examines Anglo-Saxon "special" burials, focusing on selected cemeteries where we can observe multiple occurrences of "special" burials or the employment of several "special" practices in one locality. These will first be analyzed with regard to the location of deposition and secondly compared within the wider framework of Anglo-Saxon "special" burial practices. Comparison with "special" funerary rites recorded elsewhere in the world by anthropologists will lead to the proposal of an alternative approach to some of recent and current interpretations of these practices.
Chapter 2 focuses on Slavic archaeological material represented by the "special" graves excavated in Slovakia and the Czech Republic: both burials from cemeteries and also a group of individuals deposited in a range of objects found during excavation of Slavic settlements - in grain silos, wells or pits. As with Anglo-Saxon graves, the Slavic "special" burials are analyzed from the point of view of location and then in more global context of Slavic society. The possible interpretations of these findings are discussed.
Chapter 3 focuses on the primary sources and their descriptions of "pagan" funerary rituals. It charts shifts in ideas and attitudes towards "special" funeral practices ranging from descriptions of these "pagan" practices, through efforts to delimit and penalize them in the law codes, to narratives of revenant sightings and descriptions of how to recognize and destroy them. This chapter will indicate some of the theories and new approaches proposed in the thesis.
The concluding chapter brings these strands together. In particular, it discusses the possible insights offered by the development of the cognitive study of religion and belief, with particular reference to death and burial practices. It examines the changing patterns of religion - from traditional or "pagan" to Christianity – and the ways in which this change influenced both "special" burial practices and perceptions of vampires and revenants, with particular reference to the Christian doctrine of Purgatory. This chapter concludes with a discussion of the theories proposed on the basis of the material collected in this work and reference to corresponding interpretative shifts in present day archaeology and history.


Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, commonly results in fistulas, tunneling wounds between portions of the urinary, reproductive, and/or digestive systems. These tunneling wounds cause pain, infection, and abscess formation. Of Crohn's patients with fistula formation, 83% undergo surgical intervention to either drain or bypass the fistula openings, and ~23% of these patients ultimately require bowel resections. Current treatment options, such as setons, fibrin glues, and bioprosthetic plugs, are prone to infection, dislodging, and/or require a secondary removal surgery. Thus, there is a need for fistula filling material that can be easily and stably implanted and then degraded during fistula healing to eliminate the need for removal. Here, the development of a shape memory polymer hydrogel foam containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and cornstarch (CS) with a disulfide polyurethane crosslinker is presented. These materials undergo controlled degradation by amylase, which is present in the digestive tract, and by reducing thiol species such as glutathione/dithiothreitol. Increasing CS content and using lower molecular weight PVA can be used to increase the degradation rate of the materials while maintaining shape memory properties that could be utilized for easy implantation. This material platform is based on low-cost and easily accessible components and provides a biomaterial scaffold with cell-responsive degradation mechanisms for future potential use in Crohn's fistula treatment.