The outcomes based education (OBE) system is characterised by controversy and the 2008 matric results that rendered admission to an unusually large number of students did nothing to silence critics. The first
 students who completed their full cycle of school education in the OBE system entered universities in 2009 and their preparedness for university mathematics as well as their performance at university level are important as indicaters for
 estimating the success or otherwise of the OBE system. In a previous study student performance in mathematics admission tests for 2005-2007 was investigated and it was found that students who had had partial exposure to OBE performed worse than
 had been the case with their predecessors in the categories of modelling and ratio problems. As a result, this study was conducted to investigate how the 2009 intake of students performed in a modelling course at university level. A report is
 presented which deals with student performance in the course, problems experienced, the effect of remedial intervention on performance and whether students of the OBE system are adequately prepared for mathematical modelling at university level.
 This study focuses on performance in a first year course in mathematical modelling at the University of Pretoria. The course is problem based and is technology intensive, requiring use of the software package Matlab. For investigative purposes the
 papers of semester tests 1 and 2 of 2005 were used unchanged for tests in 2009. Students of 2009 did not have access to the 2005 papers and the same lecturer taught students of both groups. The lecturer also noted personal experiences in respect
 of students and was able to draw reasonable comparisons between the 2009 students and previous groups because of her years of involvement with the course. The entrance requirement of 60% for matric mathematics in 2005 was increased to 70% in
 2009. Results indicate that the pass percentage decreased in both semester tests from 2005 to 2009. The percentage of students with less than 40% also increased in both semester tests from 2005 to 2009. A surprising observation was that the
 percentage of students who excelled increased remarkably from 2005 to 2009 in both semester tests. Extra assistance was requested by students after the first semester test in 2009 and resulted in a week of intervention during which revision and
 extra problems were attended to. The results of the two semester tests of 2009 did not live up to expectations of the matric results of the group . Despite the exceptional matric results, performance in the modelling course was decidely poorer.
 Results indicate that most students were not adequately prepared for the course – as could be predicted from the previous study. The 2009 group was characterised by two aspects – excellent matric results on the one hand and full school education
 within the OBE system on the other. It is difficult to distinguish between the influence of the two aspects. It would be convenient to blame the substantial size of the "under 40" groups in both semester tests of 2009 on the better than average
 matric marks. Yet the increased admission requirements should have compensated for the high matric marks. If the matric results are considered to be reliable then the possibility cannot be excluded that the OBE system had had an influence on the
 underpreparedness of underperforming students in the course. By contrast, in the instance of top achievers if these students had been influenced by the OBE system it had a positive rather than a negative effect on their performance. It would
 appear that OBE may have had a polarising effect between good and poor students. Good students performed exceptionally well and poor students did worse than expected. It would, however, be unfair to summarily reject the OBE system. Personal
 impressions of the lecturer include that the OBE-generation asks for assistance when they need it, they are willing to try and use their resources to their own advantage.


SUMMARY: Two methods are described for determining the shortest route to an identification. The methods are based upon the reduction to a minimum test set, as suggested by Gyllenberg (1963), which will result in the most efficient separation of the organisms. The first method is used when no test results for characters are considered variable; the second method is applicable when some characters are variable and others are not. To illustrate the methods two sets of data are reduced. One set includes the reduction to a minimum set of 6 tests from 32 tests for 36 organisms in the Enterobacteriaceae. The other set includes the reduction to a minimum set of 3 tests from 34 tests for 8 Pasteurella species. The methods described may be used manually or be programmed for a computer.


The evolution of computer technology follows a trajectory of miniaturization
and diversification. The technology has developed from mainframes (large computers used by many people) to personal computers (one computer per person)
and recently, embedded computers (many computers per person). One of the
smallest embedded computers is a wireless sensor node, which is a batterypowered
miniaturized device equipped with processing capabilities, memory,
wireless communication and sensors that can sense the physical parameters of
the environment. A collection of sensor nodes that communicate through the
wireless interface form a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), which is an ad-hoc,
self organizing network that can function unattended for long periods of time.
Although traditionally WSNs have been regarded as static sensor arrays
used mainly for environmental monitoring, recently, WSN applications have
undergone a paradigm shift from static to more dynamic environments, where
nodes are attached to moving objects, people or animals. Applications that
use WSNs in motion are broad, ranging from transport and logistics to animal
monitoring, health care and military, just to mention a few.
These application domains have a number of characteristics that challenge
the algorithmic design of WSNs. Firstly, mobility has a negative effect on
the quality of the wireless communication and the performance of networking
protocols. Nevertheless, it has been shown that mobility can enhance the functionality of the network by exploiting the movement patterns of mobile objects. Secondly, the heterogeneity of devices in a WSN has to be taken into account for increasing the network performance and lifetime. Thirdly, the WSN services should ideally assist the user in an unobtrusive and transparent way. Fourthly, energy-efficiency and scalability are of primary importance to prevent the network performance degradation. This thesis focuses on the problems and enhancements brought in by networ mobility, while also accounting for heterogeneity, transparency, energy efficiency and scalability. We propose a set of algorithms that enable WSNs to self-organize efficiently in the presence of mobility, adapt to and even exploit dynamics to increase the functionality of the network. Our contributions include an algorithm for motion detection, a set of clustering algorithms that can be used to handle mobility efficiently, and a service discovery protocol that enables dynamic user access to the WSN functionality.


Liver Transplant Programs in Italy have faced a sequela of management and clinical decision-making problems due to the high incidence in some regions of the country of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The Italian Society for Organ Transplantation (SITO) and the Board of Liver Transplant Program Directors issued a survey to assess the initial impact of this pandemic event on the routine activity of 22 Italian Liver Transplant Programs. One hundred percent of participants completed the survey within a few days. The analysis is presented dividing the centers in two macro-areas: north-central Italy and south-central Italy. The reason for this is that the two areas had a different incidence of the infection and because they have distinctive rates of cadaveric donation. Overall, all centers remained open although a reduction in the activity was noted. Transplant Programs reduced their outpatient activity both in terms of pre-transplant evaluation (68% of the centers) and transplant recipient follow-up (100%); a reduction in transplant activity was observed in the first two weeks of March only in the north-central macro area (23 LTs vs 39 in 2018 and 60 in 2019); overall, SARS-CoV-2 infection was registered for 24 liver transplant recipients and 37 health care providers in liver transplant units. In the perspective of the increasing magnitude of the epidemic, more data will be required to define appropriate strategies for the increasingly complex management of liver transplant patients.


We investigate the properties of a clump-cluster galaxy at redshift 1.57. In optical observations, the morphology of this galaxy is dominated by eight star-forming clumps, and its photometric properties are typical of most clump-cluster and chain galaxies. Its complex asymmetrical morphology has led to the suggestion that this system is a group merger of several initially separate protogalaxies. We performed Ha integral field spectroscopy of this system using SINFONI on VLT UT4. These observations reveal a large-scale velocity gradient throughout the system, but with large local kinematic disturbances. Using a numerical model of gas-rich disk fragmentation, we find that clump interactions and migration can explain the observed disturbed rotation. On the other hand, the global rotation would not be expected for a multiply merging system. We also find that this system follows the relations of stellar mass versus metallicity, star formation rate, and size that are expected for a disk at this redshift. Furthermore, the galaxy exhibits a disk-like radial metallicity gradient. A formation scenario of internal disk fragmentation is therefore the most likely one. A red and metallic central concentration appears to be a bulge in this proto-spiral clumpy galaxy. A chain galaxy at redshift 2.07 in the same field also shows disk-like rotation. Such systems are likely progenitors of present-day bright spiral galaxies, which shape their exponential disks through clump migration and disruption, a process that in turn fuels their bulges. Our results show that disturbed morphologies and kinematics are not necessarily signs of galaxy mergers and interactions, but may instead be produced by the internal evolution of primordial disks.


During the last few decades the academic re-gendering has reached the field of rhetorical discourse and differences of speech and rhetoric has been determined. Another gender shift has occurred during the last few decades in the appointments of foreign policy representatives, from being one of the last patriarchal strongholds the change towards equality has been remarkably swift. However, the norms of masculinity and formality within the sphere of foreign policy are still persistent. The first aim of this thesis was to determine if the rhetorical style of men and women differed even in a context heavily laden with norms, such as the UNGA. The secondary aim is based upon the concept of masculinity and femininity in culture, to determine if the gender of culture influenced the speaker's rhetorical style, even in the UNGA. This thesis generates its own theoretical framework from the works of rhetoric and linguistics to separate masculine and feminine rhetorical style. The method used is a qualitative textual analyze applied to transcribed speeches held by Swedish and U.S. representatives in UNGA. The analysis proved that there is a difference in rhetorical style between genders and culture, even in a context such as the UNGA, but only a small one.


England's health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has said that hospitals must do more to improve their reporting and responses concerning safety incidents, after a review found that a fifth of acute NHS trusts in England were not reporting the expected number of safety incidents.

He said that hospital trusts are to be given financial incentives if they produce safety plans that would cut litigation costs by reducing the number of avoidable incidents that occurred on their premises.

Data from the Department of Health showed that 25 of 141 trusts in England (18%) were classed as good in terms of their commitment to be open and honest about mistakes, 87 (62%) were rated as satisfactory, and 29 (21%) were given a red rating, indicating a poor performance. A poor rating meant that hospitals were reporting too few safety incidents or were not reporting often enough or that staff thought that their trust was not responding adequately …


Monthly, quarterly, and annual cross-sectional and time-series data for the period 1982-85 were analyzed to identify factors affecting terminal market price for four types of fresh potatoes. Results indicated that state of origin, terminal market package type, and season of marketing were significant quality variables affecting price. Price differences among potato types because of season of marketing and stocks of fall potatoes were evident. These results suggest that cultivar selection, cultural practices, planting and harvesting schedules, packaging, and market selection - factors which are ultimately controlled by growers and grower/shippers - can be utilized effectively as mechanisms to increase price and expand markets.


Privacy has become the key concern of many users when they are confronted with friend requests on online social networking websites. Nonetheless, users' responses to friend requests seem at times inconsistent with their concerns about potential privacy implications. They accept friend requests and expose their personal profiles to largely unfamiliar others even though they are aware of the risks involved. Drawing on impression formation theory and the privacy calculus perspective, this paper elucidates the intriguing roles of privacy risks and expected social capital gains in social connectivity management by examining the key types of social information that users consider and their behavioral responses to online friend requests. We conducted a scenariobased experiment with 141 subjects. Our results indicate that individuals utilize two key types of social information; namely, network mutuality and profile diagnosticity in evaluating privacy risks and expected social capital gains. In addition, we find that privacy risks and expected social capital gains powerfully predict the likelihood of no-action and the likelihood of accepting friend requests on online social networking websites. In sum, this study contributes to the information systems literature by integrating impression formation theory and the privacy calculus perspective to identify the key types of social information that influence privacy tradeoff and predict individuals' behavioral responses toward establishing new online social connections.


Connexin (Cx) genes have a negative growth effect on tumour cells with certain specificity. However, it is not clear whether each Cx gene can act similarly in growth control. Hepatocytes normally express Cx26 and Cx32 as their major gap junction genes, but HepG2 cells, a hepatoma cell line, are deficient in gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) based on the down-regulation of Cx26 and aberrant localization of Cx32. In this study, we showed that some of the expressed Cx26 protein in HepG2 cells localized in the plasma membrane and contributed to recovery of GJIC, while the Cx32 protein remained localized in the cytoplasm. The Cx26-transfected clones showed a significantly slower growth in vivo as well as in vitro and reduced anchorage-independent growth ability compared with a mock-transfected clone. Cx26-transfected cells had more regular cell layers due to the re-establishment of the E-cadherin cell adhesion complex. E-cadherin expression following Cx26 transfection was induced. Cx26 expression simultaneously brought E-cadherin and beta-catenin proteins into the plasma membrane without any change in the expression level of beta-catenin protein. These results suggest that the expression of Cx26 contributes to negative growth control of HepG2 cells and the morphological change through the induction of E-cadherin and subsequent formation of cell adhesion complex.


This study aims to examine and gather detailed information on the business achievement of several women entrepreneurs in Malaysia and to record the profiles of the women entrepreneurs who involved in the study.In addition, this study also identifies issues, problems and challenges faced by the women entrepreneurs and to determine the critical success factors (critical success factors-CSF), decision making styles, leadership styles, entrepreneurial skills, spiritual factors and socialization factors that influence their business success.Based on the findings, the study has developed a model that could be used as a basis for more studies that may assist in the continuous learning process of students and entrepreneurs (both new and existing ones) in Malaysia.Several recommendations regarding training programs for these groups are also provided. Data collection methods used in the study include the primary data, secondary data sources, and also observations that help to ensure the findings of the study are able to comprehensively answer all the research questions.A total of 11 successful women entrepreneurs (comprised of Malay, Chinese and Indian) in Malaysia involved in this study. In general, the research findings indicate that the main determinant factors of the women entrepreneurs' business success are individual, organizational and environmental factors.Furthermore, support and assistance from the government agencies, entrepreneurs' moral and spiritual values, and networking and 'guanxi' factors could act as the moderator to the respondents' business success.


Abattoirs are facilities where livestock are slaughtered and are an important aspect in the food production chain. There are several types of abattoirs, which differ in infrastructure and facilities, sanitation and PPE practices, and adherence to regulations. In each abattoir facility, worker exposure to animals and animal products increases their risk of infection from zoonotic pathogens. Backyard abattoirs and slaughter slabs have the highest risk of pathogen transmission because of substandard hygiene practices and minimal infrastructure. These abattoir conditions can often contribute to environmental contamination and may play a significant role in disease outbreaks within communities. To assess further the risk of disease, we conducted a scoping review of parasites and pathogens among livestock and human workers in abattoirs across 13 Eastern African countries, which are hotspots for zoonoses. Our search results (n = 104 articles) showed the presence of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and macroparasites (nematodes, cestodes, etc.) in cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, camels, and poultry. Most articles reported results from cattle, and the most frequent pathogen detected was Mycobacterium bovis, which causes bovine tuberculosis. Some articles included worker survey and questionnaires that suggested how the use of PPE along with proper worker training and safe animal handling practices could reduce disease risk. Based on these findings, we discuss ways to improve abattoir biosafety and increase biosurveillance for disease control and mitigation. Abattoirs are a 'catch all' for pathogens, and by surveying animals at abattoirs, health officials can determine which diseases are prevalent in different regions and which pathogens are most likely transmitted from wildlife to livestock. We suggest a regional approach to biosurveillance, which will improve testing and data gathering for enhanced disease risk mapping and forecasting. Next generation sequencing will be key in identifying a wide range of pathogens, rather than a targeted approach.


Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is an intricate process that involves multiple signaling pathways, and failure to activate apoptosis is one of the main obstacles in cancer treatment. The apoptosis resistance of cancer cells is an inherent part of the carcinogenic process, which is also associated with chemotherapy resistance. Therefore, new drugs are required to improve cytotoxicity to cancer cells without affecting normal cells. The current knowledge of apoptosis is the theoretical source for novel and effective treatments with the selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells and augmentation of the cytotoxicity of established chemotherapeutic agents. Based on these goals of treatment for cancer, recent attention has focused on the phytochemicals as anticancer agents. For that reason, designing new anti-tumor agents must include recognizing and developing those agents that have the ability to target various genes that regulates apoptosis. There are several natural plant compounds that demonstrate anti-tumor activity, according to various mechanisms. In view of the immense medicinal importance of natural products, this review strives to compile a brief statement on the mechanisms of apoptosis and effective natural compounds that induce apoptosis through both mitochondrial and death receptor pathways.


A subset of atypical memory B cells accumulates in malaria and several infections, autoimmune disorders and aging in both humans and mice. It has been suggested these cells are exhausted long-lived memory B cells, and their accumulation may contribute to poor acquisition of long-lasting immunity to certain chronic infections, such as malaria and HIV. Here, we generated an immunoglobulin heavy chain knock-in mouse with a BCR that recognizes MSP1 of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi. In combination with a mosquito-initiated P. chabaudi infection, we show that Plasmodium-specific atypical memory B cells are short-lived and disappear upon natural resolution of chronic infection. These cells show features of activation, proliferation, DNA replication, and plasmablasts. Our data demonstrate that Plasmodium-specific atypical memory B cells are not a subset of long-lived memory B cells, but rather short-lived activated cells, and part of a physiologic ongoing B-cell response.


This study aims to characterize the dynamic tensile strength of unidirectional carbon/epoxy composites. Two different carbon/epoxy composite systems, the unidirectional T700S/2500 and TR50S/modified epoxy, are tested at the static condition and the strain rate of 100 s−1. A high-strain-rate test was performed using a tension-type split Hopkinson bar technique with a specific fixture for specimen. The experimental results demonstrated that both tensile strength increase with strain rate, while the fracture behaviors are quite different. By the use of the rosette analysis and the strain transformation equations, the strain rate effects of material principal directions on tensile strength are investigated. It is experimentally found that the shear strain rate produces the more significant contribution to strain rate effect on dynamic tensile strength. An empirical failure criterion for characterizing the dynamic tensile strength was proposed based on the Hashin's failure criterion. Although the proposed criterion is just the empirical formula, it is in better agreement with the experimental data and quite simple.


Background:Fistula-in-ano is a common problem encountered by surgeons which can be classified as either simple or complex. Complex fistulas (CF) cause higher morbidity and are much more challenging to treat. Although numerous treatment options are available for CF, none are proven to be 100% effective. The endorectal advancement flap (EAF) procedure was developed as an alternative to conventional surgical treatments for CF. Herein, we describe a novel modification of the EAF procedure along with surgical outcomes in terms of recurrence, fecal incontinence and factors associated with flap failure. Methods:A retrospective review of patients with CF who underwent EAF between 2004-2019 was done. The conventional EAF procedure was modified by performing transverse imbrication of the internal sphincter over the internal fistula opening. The incidence of post-operative recurrence and fecal incontinence were calculated from chart documentation at the last available date of follow-up. Also, the association between various clinical and demographic factors and post-operative flap failure were using statistical significance at alpha of 0.05. Results: With a median follow-up of 6.6 months (range: 3.3-24 months), 99 patients with CFs underwent a modified EAF. Of these, 93% (92/99) had a successful procedure, 7% (7/99) experienced recurrence and 1% (1/99) experienced new-onset fecal incontinence. Systemic steroid or immunomodulatory therapy use (p=0.001) and patients with diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (p<0.0001) were associated with increased rate of recurrence.Conclusion:EAF with transverse imbrication of the internal opening using interrupted, absorbable suture is an effective technique to treat complex or recurrent anal fistulas. It is associated with a low risk of recurrence (7%) and fecal incontinence (1%) and a valid treatment option for CFs.


All charismatic big cats including tiger (Panthera tigris), lion (Panthera leo), leopard (Panthera pardus), snow leopard (Panthera uncial), and jaguar (Panthera onca) are grouped into the subfamily Pantherinae. Several mitogenomic approaches have been employed to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the Pantherine cats but the phylogeny has remained largely unresolved till date. One of the major reasons for the difficulty in resolving the phylogenetic tree of Pantherine cats is the small sample size. While previous studies included only 5‐10 samples, we have used 43 publically available taxa to reconstruct Pantherine phylogenetic history. Complete mtDNA sequences were used from all individuals excluding the control region (15,489bp). A Bayesian MCMC approach was employed to investigate the divergence times among different Pantherine clades. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogeny generated a dendrogram: Neofelis nebulosa (Panthera tigris (Panthera onca (Panthera uncia (Panthera leo, Panthera pardus)))), grouping lions with leopards and placing snow leopards as an outgroup to this clade. The phylogeny revealed that lions split from their sister species leopard ~3 Mya and the divergence time between snow leopards and the clade including lions and leopards was estimated to be ~5 Mya. Our study revealed that the morphology-based subspecies designation for both lions and tigers is largely not valid. The estimated tMRCA of 2.9 Mya between Barbary lions and Sub-Saharan African lions depicts the restriction of female-mediated gene flow between the lion populations in the backdrop of the habitat fragmentation taking place from late Pliocene to early to mid-Pleistocene creating islands of forest refugia in central Africa.


Land cover changes prediction is important for a better understanding of dynamic
landscape change and consciousness on the sustainable development. Geographical
information system (GIS) and remote sensing have been used in this research as its consider
as the most effective method in order to monitor the changes of the land use and land cover.
The aim of this research is to forecast land use 2020 refer to land cover changes between
year 1997 and 2008 using Cellular Automata (CA) and evaluate it with existing
development planning land use of Perlis for 2020. The prediction of the CA model was
successfully applied into this research by using modelling tools namely Methods of Land
Use Change Evaluation (MOLUSCE plugin in Quantum GIS). The processing involving
two stages which are the data preparation and prediction of land use. For the data land use
of Perils for year 1997 and 2008 are have been classified into four (4) classes while the
existing planning map for year 2020 as the reference to the prediction also have been
classified equivalent with the land use classes. The validation result of the prediction shows
78% similarity with the existing Development Land Use Planning 2020, which indicates
the validity of the model for the future prediction. In conclusion, based on the behavior of
cells changes using CA method can be a useful tools for government planners to observe
development pattern in this country and enable them to use land source in better way.


The dynamics of curriculum development in Indonesia from 1947 to the latest 2013 curriculum cannot be separated from political influence. This paper investigates the politics of educational policy in Indonesia's curriculum development from 1947 to 2013, a critical analysis of various polemics about Indonesian education's aims and contents in schools. This paper is documentary research, which refers to related previous documents or literature. The study results indicate that the development of Indonesia's education curriculum is closely influenced by political, economic, social, cultural, and globalization factors. The formulated curriculum content cannot be separated from these factors' influence, as the 2013 curriculum was recently implemented. Of all these factors, government interests and political paradigms have the most significant influence in changing, developing, and refining the curriculum from time to time. The 2013 curriculum policy is intended to improve the various deficiencies that existed in the previous curriculum. The 2013 curriculum is structured by developing and strengthening attitudes, knowledge, and skills in a balanced manner. This research's 30 Alhamuddin, Ahmad Fanani, Ilyas Yasin, Andi Murniati Politics of Education in Curriculum Development Policy in Indonesia from 1947 to 2013 DOI: 10.14421/jpi.2020.91.29-56 Jurnal Pendidikan Islam :: Volume 9, Number 1, June 2020/1441 P-ISSN : 2301-9166; E-ISSN : 2356-3877 implication is hoped that policymakers can consider it in developing curriculum in Indonesia.


Generative adversarial network (GAN) has achieved impressive success on cross-domain generation, but it faces difficulty in cross-modal generation due to the lack of a common distribution between heterogeneous data. Most existing methods of conditional based cross-modal GANs adopt the strategy of one-directional transfer and have achieved preliminary success on text-to-image transfer. Instead of learning the transfer between different modalities, we aim to learn a synchronous latent space representing the cross-modal common concept. A novel network component named synchronizer is proposed in this work to judge whether the paired data is synchronous/corresponding or not, which can constrain the latent space of generators in the GANs. Our GAN model, named as SyncGAN, can successfully generate synchronous data (e.g., a pair of image and sound) from identical random noise. For transforming data from one modality to another, we recover the latent code by inverting the mappings of a generator and use it to generate data of different modality. In addition, the proposed model can achieve semi-supervised learning, which makes our model more flexible for practical applications.


There has been a keen interest on Distributed Generation (DG) due to their restricted goals of meeting local loads and improving reliability of the overall system. Microgrids (MGs) are connected to the main grid through a Point of Common Coupling which separates the former from the latter. At the time of an intentional islanding or fault at the grid level, a microgrid is able to disconnect itself from the rest of the grid and operate by itself. A microgrid may contain both directly connected and inverter interfaced sources with different control configurations. When disconnected or islanded from the main grid there are various approaches to share the load, one of them being master-slave control where a storage device may become the reference DG to set the nominal voltage and frequency. When the main grid is brought back to normal operation, the microgrid is able to resynchronize itself to the main grid only when it meets certain conditions so as to avoid transients. All the microsources, power electronics and their control with power management were developed in Matlab/Simulink.


In present-day situation many libraries use detectors so that they can be able to prevent attempts too take out books without registering them. The university library in Jonkoping is one of the libraries that have such a detector. But unfortunately it doesn't always work correct and can also react on other things a part from books. This is a big problem since the library staff don't have time to check all signals that comes from detector. This paper will focus to help the university library in Jonkoping to identify the causes of the false alarms.This paper have the purpose to help library staff to decrease the false alarms so they can be able to get more time over to examine the essential signals from the detector. To be able to identify the causes of the false alarms two experiments was implemented. 180 persons participated, they were divided into three subgroups. In the other experiment 400 persons participated, of whom 200 was female and 200 male. Astonishing to see was that the outcome of the experiments showed that the cause of the false alarms wasn't the detector, instead the results showed that it was two other factors that affected the detector. One factor was the books that were send from other libraries in Sweden, they hadn't been unimagnetised and the other reason was the self-service machine.In the conclusion and discussion two simple recommendations have been given to help the personnel:• To inform all other libraries that send books about the problems that the university library in Jonkoping has with books that aren't unimagnetised. In this way they will be more careful before they send away the books.• To write a note with information about the self-service machine so that the students learn how to use this service.These simple recommendations will help the library to decrease the false alarm.


It is shown on the basis of calculations of energy sublevels of the hyperfine structure that the effect of the geomagnetic field upon the impurity atoms in the volume of living cells should be considered in relation to the value of geomagnetic field induction pulses delta B. When delta B > or = 10 pT and the dielectric constant epsilon > or = 10, magnetodipole transitions between sublevels of the hyperfine structure within one term are possible in impurity atoms in their 2P-state. During magnetic storms with delta B > or = 100 nT magnetodipole or magnetoquadrupole forced transitions from 2P1/2 and 2P3/2 states to 2S1/2 metastable state are possible in the resonant zones formed by intersection of hyperfine energy sublevels of the corresponding excited levels.


Although the short-term success of guided tissue regeneration has been widely reported, few studies on the long-term success of treatment have been published. The present investigation assessed the 5-year results of guided tissue regeneration procedures used alone or in combination with root conditioning and osseous composite grafts. Results indicated that the long-term success of guided tissue regeneration was significantly enhanced by the addition of root conditioning and grafting procedures.


This large, retrospective case-control study of electronic health records from 56 million unique adult patients examined whether or not treatment with a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocking agent is associated with lower risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and other inflammatory diseases which are mediated in part by TNF and for which a TNF blocker is an approved treatment. The analysis compared the diagnosis of AD as an outcome measure in patients receiving at least one prescription for a TNF blocking agent (etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab) or for methotrexate. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were estimated using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel (CMH) method and presented with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and p-values. RA was associated with a higher risk for AD (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.06, 95% Confidence Interval: (2.02–2.10), P-value <0.0001) as did psoriasis (AOR = 1.37 (1.31–1.42), P <0.0001), ankylosing spondylitis (AOR = 1.57 (1.39–1.77), P <0.0001), inflammatory bowel disease (AOR = 2.46 (2.33–2.59), P < 0.0001), ulcerative colitis (AOR = 1.82 (1.74–1.91), P <0.0001), and Crohn's disease (AOR = 2.33 (2.22–2.43), P <0.0001). The risk for AD in patients with RA was lower among patients treated with etanercept (AOR = 0.34 (0.25–0.47), P <0.0001), adalimumab (AOR = 0.28 (0.19–0.39), P < 0.0001), or infliximab (AOR = 0.52 (0.39–0.69), P <0.0001). Methotrexate was also associated with a lower risk for AD (AOR = 0.64 (0.61–0.68), P <0.0001), while lower risk was found in patients with a prescription history for both a TNF blocker and methotrexate. Etanercept and adalimumab also were associated with lower risk for AD in patients with psoriasis: AOR = 0.47 (0.30–0.73 and 0.41 (0.20–0.76), respectively. There was no effect of gender or race, while younger patients showed greater benefit from a TNF blocker than did older patients. This study identifies a subset of patients in whom systemic inflammation contributes to risk for AD through a pathological mechanism involving TNF and who therefore may benefit from treatment with a TNF blocking agent.


. This research is carried out from the fact that the competency profile of social study teachers has not been optimal despite they have taken the teacher certification training. There is a gap between the training participant which tend to obtain a welfare improvement and the government expectation which expect to the teacher profile competency improvement. The research objective is to conduct a deep analysis related to the effectiveness of the Teacher Competency Learning and Training (PLPG) implementation to the competency profile of social studies teacher. The quantitative approach with a survey method is carried out in this study while the study design is grouped to the descriptive and verification study. The data is analyzed using Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis. The Population and sample are 95 social studies teachers who have taken the certification training in the district 134 University of Pasundan Bandung in 2012. The result of the descriptive analysis shows that the learning process in the teacher certification training has low effectiveness influence to the profile competency of social studies teacher. The instructor is suggested to stress the andragogy learning concept in the learning process to achieve the training goal effectively. Therefore, it is also suggested to perform a training implementation result evaluation to be a feedback for the next training implementation.


Bromobenzenethiol passivated gold nanoparticles were mixed with a poly(phenylene ethynylene) bearing thioester flexible sequences in order to obtain a fluorescent composite for optical biosensors. The particles and the composite were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, TEM and STEM. The particles are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix as observed by electron microscopy. The NMR spectra suggest that the gold particles and the poly(phenylene ethynylene) are probably interacting through the sulfur atoms of the –C(O)S- and –CH2-S-CH2- moieties of the flexible sequences of the polymer as well as through  interactions between the aromatic ring of 4-bromobenzenthiol and the conjugated backbone of pPET3OC12-sqS. The quantum yield of the composite both in solution and in solid state films is slightly lower than that of pPET3OC12-sqS because of the quenching effect of gold. Nonetheless, a change of the fluorescence intensity of the composite films can be detected as a consequence of the contact with microorganisms. Preliminary microbiological assays indicate an antimicrobial effect of the composite film with the E. coli bacteria.


Animals are kept for many purpose throughout the world, thus discussing all the new concepts that could be applied to them is a daunting task. To this consideration must be added the fact thaht most new concepts arise in the developed parts of the world where the constraints to animal production are very different to those in tropical countries. In the former areas various developments have resulted in an over production of many animal product and as a consequence techiques that result in increased production are no longer in vogue.


WebAssembly (Wasm) is a next-generation portable compilation target for deploying applications written in high-level languages on the web. In order to protect their memory from untrusted code, web browser engines confine the execution of compiled Wasm programs in a memory-safe sandbox. Unfortunately, classic memory-safety vulnerabilities (e.g., buffer overflows and use-after-free) can still corrupt the memory within the sandbox and allow Wasm code to mount severe attacks. To prevent these attacks, we study a class of secure compilers that eliminate (different kinds of) of memory safety violations. Following a rigorous approach, we discuss memory safety in terms of hypersafety properties, which let us identify suitable secure compilation criteria for memory-safety-preserving compilers. We conjecture that, barring some restrictions at module boundaries, the existing security mechanisms of Wasm may suffice to enforce memory-safety preservation, in the short term. In the long term, we observe that certain features proposed in the design of a memory-safe variant of Wasm could allow compilers to lift these restrictions and enforce relaxed forms of memory safety.


Whilst many hold to the orthodox view that aid can promote the take-off to long-term self-sustaining growth and development in recipient countries as Rosenstein-Rodan (1961), Chenery and Strout (1966) and others have hypothesised, it is far from being realised in SSA economies. This has provoked concern for the effectiveness of donor policy and the appropriateness of recipient macroeconomic orientation. In the main the argument revolves around the aid effectiveness debate. This can be decomposed into its constituent elements: allocative efficiency and effective utilisation. The facts are poor countries and those in SSA in particular have received large inflows of foreign aid. In fact, According to Easterly (2007), Western donors have provided some $2.3 trillion dollars of development assistance over the period from independence in the 1950s/60s to the present; yet with a few exceptions, they are generally poorer in per capita GDP terms in the 2000s than they were in the 1970s. However, reforms SSA economies since the early 1990s have transformed the political and economic landscape of the continent and this reflected in the re-engagement of the international business and development communities. However, the flow of FDI to these countries is still low in absolute terms (1.QA6 per cent of world FDI inflows with 26 middle-income counties accounting for 95 percent inflows)and the remaining 5 percent distributed across 140 LDCs. This low level of private inflows to poor developing countries is well below that required to generate widely agreed the annual average growth in GDP of 6 per cent for a considerable period of time (UNCTAD, 2000) to tackle their high level of poverty and under-development. The size of this challenge is highlighted by the decline in economic growth and trade of the region's economies over the last three decades. For instance, only 2 of 39 SSA economies (UNCTAD, 2000) were better off in the 1990s on growth and trade than they were in the 1970s. Again, according to UNCTAD (2000) the 1980s was associated with a decline in annual average growth to 2.2 per cent from 3.5 per cent in the 1970s. The trade deficit for the region exceeded 4 percent in the 1980s compared to less than 1 per cent in the 1970s. According to the UN Office of the High Representative for the LDCs and Landlocked DCs and Small Island Developing States, LDCs' exports accounted for only 0.6 per cent of world merchandise trade in 2004. The international development community has sought new ways and means to improve both the effectiveness and volume of inflows to these countries. Both justification for and the means of achieving these are articulated in the "Paris Agenda" on Aid effectiveness and the earlier Pearson Commission (1969) which established a need for developed countries to donate resources equivalent to 0.7 of their Gross National Income (GNI) to poor developing countries. The Zedillo Report of theHigh Level Panel on Financing for Development estimated the sum of public funding to these countries to achieve the required rate of growth to achieve the 6 growth rate of GDP and reduce aid dependency and poverty at $50 billion (2001). The Gleneagles G-8 agreed to provide this sum at its 2005 ministerial meeting in Scotland by 2011. However, there is serious doubt that this target will be achieved and current financial and budgetary crisis in donor countries adds to this concern. This thesis is therefore focused on the empirical evaluation of the AID-FDI relationship. As little of the FDI associated with the international activities of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) go to LDCs, the linking of Aid to FDI may address concerns for higher inflows of FDI where aid creates the infrastructure required by MNEs. The Aid-FDI convergence may also address general concerns for Aid effectiveness through 1) enhanced effective utilisations and 2) improves allocation. The Aid-FDI may also be an appropriate solution to poor infrastructure endowment in LDCs in its catalysis of higher level of private sector participation in the infrastructure sector. This provides an opportunity to demonstrate the Aid-FDI interaction i.e. its co-financing of private and public investments in LDCs such as Uganda. With an anticipated relationship between aid and FDI, the primary data for this research was gathered through interviewing a selected sample of Uganda's principal development partners (taken from the OECD DAC list of major donors). This was complemented by questionnaire survey of foreign investors i.e. UK firms operating subsidiaries in Uganda, and the Uganda Investment Authority for their view and experience with the aid-FDI interface. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).


Antifragility is a recently coined word using to describe the opposite of fragility. Systems or organisms can be described as antifragile if they derive a benefit from systemic variability, volatility, randomness, or disorder. Herein, we introduce a mathematical framework to quantify the fragility or antifragility of cancer cell lines in response to treatment variability. This framework enables straightforward prediction of the optimal dose treatment schedule for a range of treatment schedules with identical cumulative dose. We apply this framework to non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines with evolved resistance to ten anti-cancer drugs. We show the utility of this antifragile framework when applied to 1) treatment resistance, 2) collateral sensitivity of sequential monotherapies, and 3) combination therapies.


Introduction and Objectives. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been suggested to be a simple marker of the systemic inflammatory response in critical care patients. We previously assessed the utility of NLR as a biomarker to predict tumor recurrence and cancer death in bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic impact of NLR in bladder cancer patients who received gemcitabine and nedaplatin (GN) chemotherapy. Methods. A total of 23 patients who received GN chemotherapy for advanced bladder cancer were enrolled in this study. The cut-off point of NLR according to the sensitivity and specificity levels was derived from the area under receiver operator characteristics (AUROC) curve plotted for disease progression or overall mortality. Results. The NLR cut-off point was determined as 4.14 for both tumor progression and overall mortality. Median progression-free survival (PFS)/overall survival (OS) in the higher NLR group (NLR ≥ 4.14) and lower NLR group (NLR < 4.14) were 194/468 days versus 73/237 days, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that higher NLR significantly correlated with poorer PFS (p = 0.011) and OS (p = 0.045). Conclusions. NLR may serve as a new biomarker to predict responses to GN-based chemotherapy in advanced bladder cancer patients and/or their prognosis.


Hydraulic engine mounts (HEMs) are important vibration isolation parts in vehicle powertrain mounting systems, and the structural parameters of HEMs are the main factors which determine their vibration isolation characteristics. It is of great significance to discover the influences of the structure parameters on their vibration isolation characteristics in the design and study of HEMs. Firstly, the vibration isolation characteristics of HEMs are analyzed theoretically using a simplified lumped parameter (LP) model. Secondly, the HEMs with different rubber materials, lengths and cross-sectional areas of the inertia tracks are designed and manufactured, and their frequency response characteristics are investigated by experimental and analytical methods. Finally, the influences of these structural parameters on the vibration isolation characteristics of HEMs are educed. The analytical methods and conclusions are instructive for the design and tuning of the vibration isolation characteristics of HEMs.


A system of ultrasonic combined with grinding has been designed, and one novel connective method of straight screw combined with taper surface has been applied in spindle, so compact size and high revolving accuracy can be achieved. Modal analysis of ultrasonic vibration system has been implemented by FEM (Finite Element Method), and its optimal dimension has been calculated to find out optimal vibration estate. Full-bridge converter has been applied in driving circuit of ultrasonic vibrator, and auto-frequency tracking has been designed in order that ultrasonic vibration works on resonant or quasi-resonant frequency. Finally, machining experiments have been fulfilled about ultrasonic combined with grinding, and its machining effect has been distinctly improved comparing ordinary grinding machining.


This paper presents the development of a morphological processor for the Mongolian language, based on the two-level morphological model which was introduced by Koskenniemi. The aim of the study is to provide Mongolian syntactic parsers with more effective information on word structure of Mongolian words. First hand written rules that are the core of this model are compiled into finite-state transducers by a rule tool. Output of the compiler was edited to clarity by hand whenever necessary. The rules file and lexicon presented in the paper describe the morphology of Mongolian nouns, adjectives and verbs. Although the rules illustrated are not sufficient for accounting all the processes of Mongolian lexical phonology, other necessary rules can be easily added when new words are supplemented to the lexicon file. The theoretical consideration of the paper is concluded in representation of the morphological phenomena of Mongolian by the general, language-independent framework of the two-level morphological model.


ABSTRACT Community-oriented temporary uses are a subset of interim use in vacant urban spaces, alongside creative and commercial practices. Its proponents argue that they can inform more incremental and residents-led local urban development. Under urban austerity, however, temporary uses can become vehicles for the short-term and conditional delivery of social benefits. In this paper, I analyse a community-oriented interim use project commissioned by a public development body as part of the London 2012 Olympic Games urban regeneration program. Drawing upon policy analysis and interviews with planners, policymakers, architects and community members, I unravel competing discourses, positions, power dynamics and temporalities, and their relationship to the Games' legacy. The paper contributes to debates about the normalization of temporary urbanism and pop-up geographies in times of urban austerity, shedding light on the potential long-term implications of the logic of "on-demand communities" in urban development and planning.


The marine environment is not as quiet as one might think. Numerous sound sources exist underwater which constantly create a natural background noise of varying intensity and composition. The most prominent physical sound source are waves and rain while snapping shrimp or singing whales amongst the loudest or best known biological sound producers. A new category of sounds is introduced into the sea by the increasing use of the seas by humans. The anthropogenic sound resulting from shipping, industrial and military activities or many other sources has lead to an substantial increase in the overall background noise in the oceans over the past decades. The North and Baltic Sea are amongst the most intensively used and subsequently also the loudest marine areas of all. Currently another large-scale anthropogenic activity is envisaged for these areas. Large numbers of wind turbines are planned to be build in offshore areas of the North and Baltic Sea as part of the efforts to increase the use of renewable energies and thus meet the goals of the Kyoto protocol and its successors. While this effort per se would be regarded as very positive especially from an environmental point of view, its execution nevertheless rises concern about potential adverse effects on the marine environment. One of the key issues in this respect is the noise emitted during the construction of the turbines. As these structures will be build in water depths of up to 40 m and will stretch to over 120 m above sea level, they have to rest on very reliable structures in the ground. Current designs comprise fundaments consisting of single or 'Mono'-piles and those resting on three piles, the so-called Tri-Pods. All these piles need to be driven to a depth of 25 m and more into the ground and most often this will be achieved by using impulsive pile driving. The emissions produced during this process reach up to intensities which could cause a variety of effects in the marine fauna, from behavioural reactions and stress to physical damage and injury. The published source levels emitted during the pile driving for a wind turbine reach from 225 to 246 dB re 1µPa at 1 m (Odegaard & Danneskiold-Samsoe A/S 2000; Nedwell et al. 2003, Robinson et al. 2007).


This book is an introduction to the quantitative treatment of chemical reaction engineering. The level of the presentation is what we consider appropriate for a one-semester course. The text provides a balanced approach to the understanding of: (1) both homogeneous and heterogeneous reacting systems and (2) both chemical reaction engineering and chemical reactor engineering. We have emulated the teachings of Prof. Michel Boudart in numerous sections of this text. For example, much of Chapters 1 and 4 are modeled after his superb text that is now out of print (Kinetics a/Chemical Processes), but they have been expanded and updated. Each chapter contains numerous worked problems and vignettes. We use the vignettes to provide the reader with discussions on real, commercial processes and/or uses of the molecules and/or analyses described in the text. Thus, the vignettes relate the material presented to what happens in the world around us so that the reader gains appreciation for how chemical reaction engineering and its principles affect everyday life. Many problems in this text require numerical solution. The reader should seek appropriate software for proper solution of these problems. Since this software is abundant and continually improving, the reader should be able to easily find the necessary software. This exercise is useful for students since they will need to do this upon leaving their academic institutions. Completion of the entire text will give the reader a good introduction to the fundamentals of chemical reaction engineering and provide a basis for extensions into other nontraditional uses of these analyses, for example, behavior of biological systems, processing of electronic materials, and prediction of global atmospheric phenomena. We believe that the emphasis on chemical reaction engineering as opposed to chemical reactor engineering is the appropriate context for training future chemical engineers who will confront issues in diverse sectors of employment.

We gratefully acknowledge Prof. Michel Boudart who encouraged us to write this text and who has provided intellectual guidance to both of us. MED also thanks Martha Hepworth for her efforts in converting a pile of handwritten notes into a final product. In addition, Stacey Siporin, John Murphy, and Kyle Bishop are acknowledged for their excellent assistance in compiling the solutions manual. The cover artwork was provided courtesy of Professor Ahmed Zewail's group at Caltech, and we gratefully thank them for their contribution. We acknowledge with appreciation the people who reviewed our project, especially A. Brad Anton of Cornell University, who provided extensive comments on content and accuracy. Finally, we thank and apologize to the many students who suffered through the early drafts as course notes. We dedicate this book to our wives and to our parents for their constant support.


The present study estimated the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) and the marginal propensity to save (MPS) of the businesses in informal sectors around Dhaka city by using the Keynes consumption function. Primary data is collected from 150 vendors from selected areas of Dhaka city during June -July, 2011. The findings indicated that MPS of most of the vendors of the informal sector was relatively small and their MPC was relatively very high. The MPC of 150 vendors was estimated to be 0.697 and their MPS was estimated to be 0.303. Thus it can be concluded that these vendors of informal sector in Dhaka city spent about 70% of their small income. The coefficients of consumption functions for all types of vendors are statistically significant at 1% level. The values of R 2 for vegetable vendors, tea vendors, fuckha vendors, fruit vendors, mixed vendors and all vendors together are 0.77, 0.87, 0.79, 0.82, 0.92 and 0.85 respectively. The estimates of the multiple regression shows that the family size, saving, gender and family have significant impact on the expenditure along with income of the households in informal sectors of Dhaka city in Bangladesh.


Objective. Rheumatic diseases are vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated, particularly among minorities and those of low socioeconomic status. The WHO-ILAR Community Oriented Program in the Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) advocates screening of musculoskeletal complaints in the community. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the COPCORD Core Questionnaire (CCQ) as a diagnostic tool for rheumatic diseases. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study designed in parallel with a large COPCORD survey in Mexico. A subsample of 17,566 questionnaires, selected from 4 of the 5 states included in a national COPCORD survey were included in the analysis as a diagnostic test to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC), and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of the CCQ as a case-detection tool for rheumatic diagnosis and for the most frequent diagnoses identified in the survey, osteoarthritis, regional rheumatic pain syndromes, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Logistic regression with the questions with LR+ ≥ 1 was performed to identify the strength of association (OR) for each question. Results. Pain in the last 7 days, high pain score (> 4), and previous diagnosis were the questions with highest LR+ for diagnosis, and for diagnosis of RA treatment with NSAID. The variables that contributed most to the model were pain in the last 7 days (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.8–2.3), NSAID treatment (OR 3.3, 95% CI 3.0–3.7), a high pain score (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.13–1.17), and having a previous diagnosis (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.3–1.6). These 4 questions had R2 = 0.24, p < 0.01, for detection of any rheumatic diagnosis. The single variable that explains 16% (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.31–134) of variance was a high pain score in the last 7 days. Conclusion. Some variables were identified in the CCQ that could be combined in a brief version for case detection of rheumatic diseases in community surveys. The validity of this proposal has to be tested against the original version.


The proposed research will investigate the stability and cryogenic properties of solid propellants that are critical to NASA s goal of realizing practical propellant designs for future spacecraft. We will determine the stability and thermal properties of a solid hydrogen-liquid helium stabilizer in a laboratory environment in order to design a practical propellant. In particular, we will explore methods of embedding atomic species and metallic nano-particulates in hydrogen matrices suspended in liquid helium. We will also measure the characteristic lifetimes and diffusion of atomic species in these candidate cryofuels. The most promising large-scale advance in rocket propulsion is the use of atomic propellants; most notably atomic hydrogen stabilized in cryogenic environments, and metallized-gelled liquid hydrogen (MGH) or densified gelled hydrogen (DGH). The new propellants offer very significant improvements over classic liquid oxygen/hydrogen fuels because of two factors: (1) the high energy-release, and (ii) the density increase per unit energy release. These two changes can lead to significant reduced mission costs and increased payload to orbit weight ratios. An achievable 5 to 10 percent improvement in specific impulse for the atomic propellants or MGH fuels can result in a doubling or tripling of system payloads. The high-energy atomic propellants must be stored in a stabilizing medium such as solid hydrogen to inhibit or delay their recombination into molecules. The goal of the proposed research is to determine the stability and thermal properties of the solid hydrogen-liquid helium stabilizer. Magnetic resonance techniques will be used to measure the thermal lifetimes and the diffusive motions of atomic species stored in solid hydrogen grains. The properties of metallic nano-particulates embedded in hydrogen matrices will also be studied and analyzed. Dynamic polarization techniques will be developed to enhance signal/noise ratios in order to be able to detect low concentrations of the introduced species. The required lifetimes for atomic hydrogen and other species can only be realized at low temperatures to avoid recombination of atoms before use as a fuel.


The Impact of Nanostructured Templates and Additives on the Performance of Si Electrodes and Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Advanced Battery Applications Juichin Fan Department of Chemical Engineering, BYU Doctor of Philosophy The primary objectives of this research are: (1) use a hierarchical structure to study electrode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and (2) understand the fundamentals and utility of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) with the addition of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) for battery applications. Understanding the fundamental principles of electrode and electrolyte materials allows for the development of high-performance LIBs. The contributions of this dissertation are described below. Encapsulated Si-VACNT Electrodes. Two hurdles prevent Si-based electrodes from mass production. First, bulk Si undergoes volume expansion up to 300%. Second, a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) forms between the interface of the electrolyte and electrode, which consumes battery capacity and creates more resistance at the interface. Si volume changes were overcome by depositing silicon on vertically-aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). Encapsulating the entire Si-VACNT electrode surface with carbon was used to mitigate SEI formation. Although SEI formation was reduced by the encapsulation layer, capacity fade was still observed for encapsulated electrodes, indicating that SEI formation was not the primary factor affecting capacity fade. Additionally, the impact of the encapsulation layer on Li transport was examined. Two different transport directions and length scales were relevant—(1) radial transport of Li in/out of each Si-coated nanotube (~40 nm diameter) and (2) Li transport along the length of the nanotubes (~10 μm height). Experimental results indicated that the height of the Si-VACNT electrodes did not limit Li transport, even though that height was orders of magnitude greater than the diameter of the tubes. Simulation and experimental data indicated that time constant for Li diffusion into silicon was slow, even though the diffusion distance was short relative to the tube height. Other factors such as diffusion-induced stress likely had a significant impact on diffusion through the thin silicon layer. Solid Polymer Electrolytes. A thorough understanding of the relationships between physical, transport, and electrochemical properties was studied. HNT addition to polyethylene oxide (PEO) electrolytes not only improved the physical properties, such as reduction of the crystallinity of PEO, but also enhanced transport properties like the salt diffusivity. The processing steps were important for achieving enhanced properties. Moreover, HNTs were found to stabilize the interfacial properties of the SPE films during cycling. Specifically, HNT-containing SPE films were successfully cycled at room temperature, which may have important implications for SPEbased batteries.


Thrift is a central concern for most people, especially in turbulent economic times. It is both an economic and an ethical logic of frugal living, saving and avoiding waste for long-term kin care. These logics echo the ancient ideal of household self-sufficiency, contrasting with capitalism's wasteful present-focused growth. But thrift now exceeds domestic matters straying across scales to justify public expenditure cuts. Through a wide range of ethnographic contexts this book explores how practices and moralities of thrift are intertwined with austerity, debt, welfare, and patronage across various social and temporal scales and are constantly re-negotiated at the nexus of socio-economic, religious, and kinship ideals and praxis.


Europeana is a single access point to millions of books, paintings, films, museum objects and archival records that have been digitized throughout Europe. The data.europeana.eu Linked Open Data pilot dataset contains open metadata on approximately 2.4 million texts, images, videos and sounds gathered by Europeana. All metadata are released under Creative Commons CC0 and therefore dedicated to the public domain. The metadata follow the Europeana Data Model and clients can access data either by dereferencing URIs, downloading data dumps, or executing SPARQL queries against the dataset. They can also follow the links to external linked data sources, such as the Swedish cultural heritage aggregator (SOCH), GeoNames, the GEMET thesaurus, or DBPedia.


Summary A number of 513 consecutive patients (494-haemophilia A and 19-haemophilia B) from eight haemophilia treatment centers have been investigated with Bethesda assay for the presence of factor VIII or IX inhibitors. The overall prevalence of inhibitors was 15.20%, 18.48% in severe, 5.60% in moderate and 12.24% in mild forms. The prevalence was higher than reported in most of the western countries. The age at start of substitution (p = 0.9775), the frequent switching of factor concentrates (p = 0.8931) were not relevant factors for the development of inhibitors. It is worth to be mentioned the unexpectedly occurrence of inhibitors in prior inhibitor negative (6/72) patients (during surgical interventions) probably due to their previous scarce substitution, occurrence which seems not being connected with the continuous infusion modality of factor VIII administration (p = 0.8341). In controversial situations, in the field of low titer (≤1 BU/ml) inhibitors for a reliable interpretation of the results the performance of recovery index and half-life time assessment of FVIII/IX was undertaken.


Object reconstruction from 3D point clouds has been a long-standing research problem in computer vision and computer graphics, and achieved impressive progress. However, reconstruction from time-varying point clouds (a.k.a. 4D point clouds) is generally overlooked. In this paper, we propose a new network architecture, namely RFNet-4D++, that jointly reconstructs objects and their motion flows from 4D point clouds. The key insight is simultaneously performing both tasks via learning of spatial and temporal features from a sequence of point clouds can leverage individual tasks, leading to improved overall performance. To prove this ability, we design a temporal vector field learning module using an unsupervised learning approach for flow estimation task, leveraged by supervised learning of spatial structures for object reconstruction. Extensive experiments and analyses on benchmark datasets validated the effectiveness and efficiency of our method. As shown in experimental results, our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on both flow estimation and object reconstruction while performing much faster than existing methods in both training and inference. Our code and data are available at https://github.com/hkust-vgd/RFNet-4D


Several factors have spurred the explosive growth of VoIP phone use in China, including customer incentives such as improved voice quality and lower cost per call, and provider incentives such as higher profits and upgrade paths to next-generation technologies. The voice over Internet protocol, also called IP telephony, offers a new type of service that uses the Internet protocol, intranets, and extranets to deliver voice information. In contrast to traditional telephone services, which operate through a circuit-switched network, VoIP uses a packet-switched network. This distinction results in differences in implementation, quality of service (QoS), and operating costs. Since the service was introduced to the public in China in April 1999, VoIP toll telephone traffic has increased with astonishing speed. By the end of 2002, VoIP toll telephone traffic had surpassed traditional toll telephone traffic in China in both domestic longdistance and international call areas, including phone calls to and from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.


This thesis aims to identify how the Distributed Leadership approach may be evident in Higher Education and specifically how it may enhance the teaching and learning function in a specific Higher Education setting, for which the primary activity is teaching and learning. Whilst being atypical of many Higher Education Institutions, the case study institution is arguably facing the same challenges in terms of the need to enhance teaching and learning as other institutions in the sector. Uniquely the research aims to identify parallels of teacher leadership theory drawn from the schools sector with that of activity in a Higher Education sector setting. The research draws upon theoretical and empirical literature of the Distributed approach to provide a conceptual framework for the case study. An interpretivist stance is used to collect predominantly qualitative data through a mixed methods approach, which was used to engage with staff in both formal leadership and academic positions. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted and data from these interviews, together with fifty two questionnaire responses and documentary analysis were used to elicit both qualitative and quantitative data. Findings indicate that formal leadership assumes that there is a fostered environment that facilities the Distributed approach and that specific activity allows for elements of distribution. However, there is a perceptions gap of how the overall vision, mission and teaching and learning strategy is communicated. This needs to be strengthened in order to provide an 'Effective Leadership Framework' in which leadership of teaching and learning may be enhanced. Many aspects of leadership activity among academics drew parallels with teacher leadership theory. Many staff undertook activities that it can be argued are leadership functions such as networking, developing subject expertise and initiating projects that arguably enhance the student experience. However, this was 'pulsating' in nature and not sustained activity. The research also identified that opportunities for leadership should to be extended to more academic staff, the majority of whom had considered applying for leadership roles. In order to facilitate leadership activity, the professional learning community needs to be considerably strengthened to allow for efficient networking, especially around pedagogic development. A model of an 'Effective Leadership Framework' is developed to illustrate the role that Distributed Leadership may take in enhancing teaching and learning.


The paper analyses integrating origin-destination (O-D) survey results with stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) in traffic assignment. The two methods are widely used in transportation planning but their applications have not yet fully integrated. While O-D gives a generalized trip patterns, purpose and characteristics, SUE provides optimal trip distributions using the characteristics found in O-D survey. The paper utilized O-D and SUE in route relocation study for the town of Coamo in Puerto Rico. The O-D survey was used initially in studying possible trip distribution and assignment for the new route. Initial distribution and assignment of traffic to the existing roadway networks and the proposed route were allocated utilizing the O-D survey findings. The SUE was then used to optimize the assignments considering roadway characteristics such as number of lanes, capacity limits, free flow speed, signal spacing density, travel time and gasoline cost. The travel time was optimized through the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) equation found in 2000 HCM. The optimal trips found from the SUE were then used to propose the final alignment of the new route. Traffic assignment from the SUE was slightly different from those initially assigned using O-D, indicating there was optimization. The assignment on new route was increased by 13.8% from the one assigned using O-D while assignment on the existing link was reduced by 22%.


This study investigated relationships between severity of social anxiety as well as related experiences of social impairment and self-efficacy, social control and coping strategies. Social anxiety was regarded as a continuum ranging from mild social discomfort to totally inhibiting anxiety. Participants (N = 113, ages 19-60 years), recruited from a forum for individuals with social phobia and among university students, responded to a self-administered questionnaire. Besides the expected association between a low sense of social control and more severe social anxiety and related social impairment, we found severity of social anxiety and related impairment to be associated with low self-efficacy. This relationship was partly mediated by dysfunctional coping strategies. We suggest that low self-efficacy may increase an individual's tendency to rely on dysfunctional coping strategies for dealing with anxiety experienced in social situations. In turn, using dysfunctional coping strategies appears to exacerbate the experience of impairment from social anxiety.


The crystal complex propofol/GLIC (the bacterial homologue from Gloeobacter violaceus) recently determined also showed sensitivity to general anesthetics, belonging to the pLGIC (pentameric ligand-gated ion channels) family as a homopentameric member, which are potentiated and inhibited by general anesthetics and mimic changes elicited by anesthetics in physiologic targets as ion channels, providing the useful information for general anesthetics and allosteric modulators design. Thirteen active compounds selected from the previous data sets are used as reference and seed structures for developing novel general anesthetics via the scoring function of lead optimization using pharmacophoric & shape similarity integrated in Muse™ molecular design workflow. Autodock4.0 is validated its accuracy by two computational procedures and used for docking calculations in this study. Finally, the top ten invented propofol analogs reported here exhibit more favorable binding energies geometric matching than propofol. Especially, the comp#1 fits the binding site well in geometric shape with the lowest binding energy than any other compounds, and makes the hydrophobic interaction with the binding site formed by M4 helixes and lipids of receptor as well. More importantly, the interactions between ligand and lipids caused by general-anesthetic binding would be specially considered in novel general anesthetic design. accordingly, the findings reported here may provide useful insights for discovering more effective general anesthetics.


Modern hardware systems are required to be robust, resilient and long-life, thus they have to be adaptive to changing requirements and operating conditions. This covers not only the data processing functions but also control and timing/power operation. For example, such systems will be increasingly powered by ambient sources (energy harvesting) and will experience a wide range of modes, including not only dynamic voltage scaling but even power supplies which do not deliver a stable Vdd level. Asynchronous circuits offer ultimate robustness under extreme variations caused by unstable power supply, however, the robustness often comes at the price of a heavy/slow implementation. This may be the only option for the extreme operating conditions, but is unacceptable for the normal operation mode of the system (in which it may be running most of the time). There is clearly a need to choose a particular circuit implementation in run-time rather than in design time. In this paper we present and investigate a new methodology which provides a way of building adaptive asynchronous circuits supporting a range of power and timing modes of operation (possibly even synchronous modes) that can be selected during run-time according to the known hardware, environmental, and power/latency budget requirements.


An analysis that is based on the monitoring of dynamic features from in-situ sensors of an industrial PECVD tool is presented. Linear Discriminant Analysis is used to determine which features are the most sensitive to various changes in the tool condition. The concept of Confidence Values (CVs) is used to quantify statistical changes of these dynamic features as the condition of the tool changed. Two data sets were collected from a PECVD tool in the facilities of a well-known equipment supplier. Dynamic features coming from the RF plasma power and matching capacitors" sensors are shown to be sensitive to various changes in the cleaning cycles for Si-N, Si-O2, and TEOS depositions. Quantifying the statistical distributions of the sensitive sensor features during tool condition changes is important for determining which sensor features are necessary to monitor in order to predict the tool chamber health. Results show that these RF plasma sensors could be used to track changes inside the tool chamber.


BACKGROUND
The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a simple, self-administered questionnaire that provides a measurement of the subject's level of daytime sleepiness, and is widely used for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Some works undermined its accuracy. The aim of this study was to compare self-administered ESS scores to physician-administered scores in a sample of patients with suspicion of OSA.

METHODS
Patients were randomly divided into two groups: group 1, or the self-administered group (n = 113); and group 2, or the physician-administered group (n = 112). Patients in group 1 were asked to complete the ESS in the traditional way; in group 2, the ESS was administered by a sleep-medicine physician. Subjects in both groups underwent diagnostic in-laboratory portable monitoring (PM) within 1 week's time.

RESULTS
The percentage of questionnaires properly completed was significantly different between groups: 77% (87 of 113) in the group 1 vs 100% (112 of 112) in the group 2 (P = .00). Scores obtained when a physician administered the questionnaire (ESSp) were higher than those when the ESS was self administered (ESSs) (ESSp:12.09 ± 4.1 vs ESSs:10.37 ± 5.49; P = .01). The ESSp was more highly correlated with apnea-hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index than the ESSs.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results lead us to consider the physician-administered ESS to be more accurate than the traditional ESS; thus, our suggestion is to validate this new method of administration.


Increased global temperature and its consequences pose threats to coastal habitat health and productivity, which, in turn, impact biodiversity, fisheries and coastal integrity. Assessment of vulnerability of the coastal area therefore involves not only investigating climate and ocean exposure and their potential impact but should likewise include evaluating socio-economic development and the ability of affected communities to cope with such changes. To this end, three tools were developed to assist local government units in conducting assessments of their respective areas. The first is the Integrated Coastal Sensitivity, Exposure, Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change VA Tool (I-C-SEA-Change by Licuanan et al.), which is a scoping and rapid reconnaissance tool intended to offer comparison of general vulnerabilities across barangays. For adaptation planning, I-C-SEA-Change must be complemented with the two other tools, TURF (Tool for Understanding Resilience of Fisheries by Mamauag et al.) and CIVAT (Coastal Integrity VA Tool by Siringan et al.). TURF and CIVAT are !ner resolution analyses intended to provide direct guidance in developing CC adaptation strategies. Specifically for mangrove ecosystem, vulnerability assessment includes land-use planning (including the marine environment), measures of habitat protection, measures of coastal integrity and presence/ absence of marine infrastructure. In general therefore, adaptability of the mangrove ecosystem to climate change can be enhanced with synergistic management of the watershed and the coast.


Crustal melting is a characteristic process at convergent plate margins, where crustal rocks are heated and deformed. Miocene leucogranite sheets and plutons are found intruded into the high-grade metasedimentary core (the Greater Himalayan Sequence, GHS) across the Himalayan orogen. Previously-published Himalayan whole-rock data suggest that these leucogranites formed from a purely meta-sedimentary source, isotopically similar to those into which they now intrude. Bulk rock analyses carry inherent uncertainties, however: they may hide contributions from different contributing sources, and post-crystallization processes such as fluid interaction may significantly alter the original chemistry. In contrast, zircon is more able to retain precise information of the contributing sources of the melt from which it crystallises whilst its resistant nature is impervious to post-magmatic processes. This multi-isotope study of Oligocene-Miocene leucogranite zircons from the Bhutan Himalaya, seeks to differentiate between various geochemical processes that contribute to granite formation. Hf and O isotopes are used to detect discrete changes in melt source while U-Pb isotopes provide the timing of zircon crystallisation. Our data show that zircon rims of Himalayan age yield Hf-O signatures that lie within the previously reported whole-rock GHS field, confirming the absence of a discernible mantle contribution to the leucogranite source. Importantly, we document a decrease in the minimum eHf values during Himalayan orogenesis through time, correlating to a change in Hf model age from 1.4 Ga to 2.4 Ga. Nd model ages for the older Lesser Himalayan metasediments (LHS) that underthrust the GHS are significantly older than those for the GHS (2.4-2.9 Ga compared with 1.4-2.2 Ga), and as such even minor contributions of LHS material incorporated into a melt would significantly increase the resulting Hf model age. Hence our leucogranite data suggest either a change of source within the GHS over time, or an increasing contribution from older Lesser Himalayan (LHS) material in the melt. This is the first time that an evolutionary trend in the chemistry of Himalayan crustal melts has been recognized. Thus these new data show that, at least in the Himalaya, accessory phase geochemistry can provide more detailed insight into tectonic processes than bulk rock geochemistry.


1. The structure of the blood circulatory system of Anodonta anatina is described and the haemodynamics have been investigated by recording pressures in the ventricle, auricle, pericardial cavity and pedal haemocoele at rest and during burrowing. 2. Ventricular systolic pressure is usually 2-4 cm in the resting animal; during burrowing it increases to between 6 and 10 cm and this is sufficient to maintain the blood supply to the foot for most of the digging cycle. 3. Auricular and pericardial cavity pressures fall rapidly (by about 1·0 cm) during ventricular systole, confirming the operation of a volume-compensating mechanism for refilling the heart. 4. High peaks of pressure at spontaneous phasic adduction and during the adduction and retraction movements of the digging cycle are generated equally throughout all parts of the animal enclosed within the shell and do not create large gradients of pressure in the haemocoele; the longer duration of these pressure peaks in the pedal haemocoele produces small transient gradients of pressure which could result in the movement of blood out of the pedal haemocoele. 5. At spontaneous phasic adduction contraction of the pedal muscles may assist the flow of blood from the pedal haemocoele. There is some evidence that Keber9s valve limits blood flow from the pedal haemocoele during active burrowing. 6. Although body movements may assist the movement of blood through parts of the peripheral circulation, they do not generate a high venous return pressure. The form of the circulatory system effectively isolates the heart from pressure changes in the pedal haemocoele.


An analysis is made of the growth of threshold voltage as a function of radiation dose in a very wide range of CMOS devices, all the way from low (kilorad) to very high (gigarad) doses. It is found that such results can be organized into four LANES OR CORRIDORS on the growth curve diagram. The resulting FOUR-LANE CLASSIFICATION is useful in selecting CMOS technologies and offers a new terminology for describing the radiation tolerance of ICs, namely "Old Soft, New Soft, Tolerant and Very Tolerant". The form of the lanes, though arrived at empirically, is consistent with the current theory of radiation response of MOS structures. The position of a device test result in this framework is a useful indication of the suitability of a device for use in a given radiation environment and could form tile basis of a "league table", used to assess the performance of "hardening laboratories" around the world and as a reference source for the properties of thin-film oxide materials. >


The New York City A1C Registry (NYCAR) program is an unusual and groundbreaking extension of the reach of public health law. It marks the first time that the government has mandated name-based reporting of a chronic, noninfectious disease not caused by an environmental toxin and where the data are given to patients and physicians. Although the program has generated deep social controversy, remarkably it has not been challenged in court. Nonetheless, the law offers a useful lens through which to consider the program's justification and legitimacy. In this commentary to the article in this issue by Chamany and colleagues (2009), we examine the state's powers and responsibilities; patients' rights to privacy and security of personal data; and physicians' "privacy" rights.


This article analyzes the factors that influence remittance behavior (the decision to remit and the amount sent) in the host country of Filipino and Salvadoran immigrants, two groups with high rates of U.S.-bound migration and of remittances. Data for this study come from a multipurpose survey fielded in Los Angeles in 1991 and are analyzed using logistic regressions and OLS. Individual characteristics and financial ability to remit, motivation to migrate, personal investments in the United States, and family obligations in the home and in the host countries are hypothesized to affect remittance behavior. No differences by country of origin in the proportion who send remittances were found, but there were significant differences in the amount remitted. Some variables affect the two country-of-origin groups differently. The size of remittances sent by Salvadorans tends to be relatively insensitive to their characteristics compared with Filipinos. Filipinos' remittances are more affected by age, family income, having taken English classes in the United States, and living alone than are the remittances of Salvadorans. For both groups, the most consistent factors affecting remittances are family income and the place of residence of close family members.


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Robotic buccal mucosal graft (BMG) ureteroplasty has been popularized due to its safety and efficacy for difficult ureteral strictures not amenable to ureteroureterostomy. There are certain patient populations in which intraperitoneal surgery is dangerous, such as those with hostile abdomens from prior surgeries. Thus, a retroperitoneal approach to BMG ureteroplasty utilizing perinephric fat for graft perfusion is illustrated here, utilizing the single-port (SP) robotic platform. METHODS: The patient is a 65-year-old female with history of pelvic radiation and three prior abdominal surgeries who was referred to this tertiary care center with worsening kidney function and right proximal ureteral stricture. Her right kidney split function was 35% and GFR improved with decompression; thus, she elected to undergo ureteral reconstruction. Cystoscopy and retrograde pyelogram were performed at time of surgery. She was positioned in right modified flank position, and the SP port was placed into the retroperitoneum. Ureterolysis was performed to dissect the fibrotic rind off the strictured segment of ureter. Ureterotomy was then extended proximally and distally over the narrowed ureteral segment until healthy, normal-caliber tissue was seen. A 3 cm long buccal mucosal graft was then sewn to the ureterotomy in an onlay fashion. Perinephric fat was mobilized and wrapped around the reconstructed segment. RESULTS: Operative time was 202 minutes, estimated blood loss 30 mL, and length of stay 2 days. Her indwelling ureteral stent was removed at 6 weeks, and her capped nephrostomy removed at 7 weeks following a nephrostogram showing prompt drainage to bladder at 2 minutes and excellent clearance of kidney contrast at 10 minutes. Definition of surgical success (no symptoms nor hardware) was met at follow up of 2 months, and there were no 30-day complications. CONCLUSIONS: SP retroperitoneal BMG ureteroplasty utilizing perinephric fat for graft perfusion is feasible and should be considered in patients with hostile abdomens. Source of Funding: None


a n wa r s h a h 7 A lthough statistics on corruption are often questionable, the data suggest that corruption accounts for a significant proportion of economic activity. In Kenya " questionable " public expenditures noted by the controller and auditor general in 1997 amounted to 7.6 percent of GDP. In Latvia a recent World Bank survey found that more than 40 percent of households and enterprises agreed that " corruption is a natural part of our lives and helps solve many problems " (Shah and Schacter 2004: 40). In Tanzania service delivery survey data suggest that bribes paid to officials in the police, courts, tax services, and land offices amounted to 62 percent of official public expenditures in these areas. In the Philippines the Commission on Audit estimates that $4 billion is diverted annually because of public sector corruption (Tapales 2001). A 2004 World Bank study of the ramifications of corruption for service delivery concludes that an improvement of one standard deviation in the International Country Risk Guide corruption index leads to a 29 percent decrease in infant mortality rates, a 52 percent increase in satisfaction among recipients of public health care, and a 30–60 percent increase in public satisfaction stemming from improved road conditions. Studies also show that corruption slows growth, impairs capital accumulation, reduces the effectiveness of


and reinforcement methods. Use of in-situ test for soil properties and site characterization; procedures and calibration methods for the basic in-situ tests - SPT, CPT, CPTU, DMT; theoretical, experimental and empirical interpretive methods for in-situ test results. foundations. mechanically


The dynamic simulation of a chemical process is carried out to quantify the potential consequences that may arise in response to a deviation propagation. For this purpose, a case study is based on the industrial alkylation of benzene by propene to cumene with the production of a by-product (diisopropylbenzene). It consists of a packed bed reactor and a train of three distillation columns (C-1 to C-3). The presence of a recycle stream from the second distillation column to the reactor feed should be noted. This study examines various scenarios that describe the dynamic response of the alkylation process to a temperature reduction of the reboiler steam in one of the distillation columns. Then, the behaviour of the reactor and the separation unit is analysed to determine the consequences. The computational results show that the effects associated with a temperature reduction of 20 °C of the steam in C-1 can propagate through all the units of the chemical process. This result is due to an increased concentration of light hydrocarbons in downstream equipment. Therefore, a permanent overpressure and a vent release are observed at the top of C-2. On the contrary, C-3 only has a temporary pressure increase that is not high enough to open the safety valve of this column. The objective of this study is to examine the influence of the characteristics of the process safety valve installed at the top of C-2 on the deviation propagation consequences. The results show how these effects are determined not only by the operating conditions of the equipment but also by the vent relief specifications. This study demonstrates in particular that dynamic simulations can be recognized as an important tool for safer industrial operations due to their capability of studying the process deviation propagation.


We gave a regimen of cyclophosphamide and antithymocyte globulin (CY/ATG) to six patients with early stage severe aplastic anemia (SAA) transplanted with marrow from alternative donors. All patients engrafted and are alive with durable engraftment at a median follow-up of 406 days. The CY/ATG regimen may be sufficient in Korean patients with early stage SAA receiving marrow transplantation from alternative donors.


PurposeThis article explains how business internships can be used to develop innovation skills in undergraduates.Design/methodology/approachUsing work-integrated learning and current literature on innovation, this article proposes a theoretical framework to design, implement, and measure outcomes of Innovation-Focused Internships (IFIs). The article also uses an illustrative case study from an Australian university to discuss practical use of this framework.FindingsThe theoretical framework illustrates that stakeholders (i.e., students, industry, and university) need a common goal. Factors associated with managing innovation and student placements are key features of the framework. The illustrative case study demonstrates ways in which students gather both professional work experience and innovative skills.Practical implicationsThe illustrative case study outlines practical strategies and challenges in IFI programs. Managing innovation-related challenges requires adjustments from all the stakeholders.Originality/valueThis article modifies the existing stakeholder interdependency model of work-integrated learning by combining it with innovation-related literature. The novel insights from the IFI program demonstrate how factors associated with students, industry, and university, and associations between these key stakeholders shape and determine IFI success.


Abstract Small domestic cooking furnaces are widely used in China. These cooking furnaces release SO2 gas and dust into the atmosphere and cause serious air pollution. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of vermiculite, limestone or CaCO3, and combustion temperature and time on desulphurization and dust removal during briquette combustion in small domestic cooking furnaces. Additives used in the coal are vermiculite, CaCO3 and bentonite. Vermiculite is used for its expansion property to improve the contact between CaCO3 and SO2 and to convey O2 into the interior of briquette; CaCO3 is used as a chemical reactant to react with SO2 to form CaSO4; and bentonite is used to develop briquette strength. Expansion of vermiculite develops loose interior structures, such as pores or cracks, inside the briquette, and thus brings enough oxygen for combustion and sulphation reaction. Effective combustion of the original carbon reduces amounts of dust in the fly ash. X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis show that S exists in the ash only as anhydrite CaSO4, a product of SO2 reacting with CaCO3 and O2. The formation of CaSO4 effectively reduces or eliminates SO2 emission from coal combustion. The major factors controlling S retention are vermiculite, CaCO3 and combustion temperature. The S retention ratio increases with increasing vermiculite amount at 950ºC. The S retention ratio also increases with increasing Ca/S molar ratio, and the best Ca/S ratio is 2 -3 for most combustion. With 12 g of the original coal, 1 to 2 g of vermiculite, a molar Ca/S ratio of 2.55 by adding CaCO3, and some bentonite, a S retention ratio >65% can be readily achieved. The highest S retention ratio of 97.9% is achieved at 950ºC with addition of 2 g of vermiculite, a Ca/S ratio of 2.55 and bentonite.