The effectiveness of a layout design cannot be completely measured if the operational characteristics of the manufacturing system are ignored. There is, therefore, a need to develop integrated manufacturing system design models. In this paper, the integration of unit load and material-handling considerations in a facility layout design is presented. This integration is based on a stochastic model that captures the operational characteristics of the manufacturing system and a nonlinear mixed-integer program that incorporates a department formation and facility layout. The non-linear mixed-integer program is solved using a simulated annealing-based algorithm. Analytical results for different manufacturing system scenarios are presented and compared with results obtained using alternative QAP-type formulations. Based on our experiments and the characteristics of the different formulations, key observations are presented and discussed.


Research on American criminal justice often concludes that the U.S. penal system was largely guided by the "rehabilitative ideal," the philosophy that punishment should reform inmates and equip them to lead law-abiding lives, through the twentieth century preceding the rise of mass incarceration. This article complicates this narrative by evaluating the intellectual origins of the rehabilitative ideal and demonstrating that it was built on theoretical premises justifying punitive politics from its inception. The ideal has always relied on distinguishing curable offenders from incorrigible ones who cannot be reformed and warrant harsher punishment. This has guided American state development in punitive directions throughout the twentieth century. Progressive era indeterminate sentencing reforms were geared toward both containing and reforming offenders, the eugenics movement of the early twentieth century relied on the idea of criminal incorrigibility to advocate for compulsory sterilization statutes, and anxieties about incorrigibility justified punitive features of the draconian federal sentencing reforms of the 1970s and 1980s. This history indicates that a full revival of the rehabilitative ideal is unlikely to check contemporary punitive political impulses, especially given that two political and ideational currents currently driving American penal policy—neoliberalism and bio-criminology—comport with the punitive facets of rehabilitative penology.


Antennal olfaction is extremely important for insect survival, mediating key behaviors such as host preference, mate choice, and oviposition site selection. Multiple antennal proteins are involved in olfactory signal transduction pathways. Of these, odorant receptors (ORs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs) confer specificity on olfactory sensory neuron responses. In this study, we identified the olfactory gene repertoire of the economically important agricultural pest moth, Helicoverpa armigera, by assembling the adult male and female antennal transcriptomes. Within the male and female antennal transcriptomes we identified a total of 47 OR candidate genes containing 6 pheromone receptor candidates. Additionally, 12 IR genes as well as 26 odorant-binding proteins and 12 chemosensory proteins were annotated. Our results allow a systematic functional analysis across much of conventional ORs repertoire and newly reported IRs mediating the key olfaction-mediated behaviors of H. armigera.


This longitudinal study examined the effect of acquiring a dog using both an indirect and a direct measure of loneliness. The loneliness levels of 31 adults who acquired a dog and a control group of 35 non-dog guardians (non-dog owners) were assessed at baseline and 8 months. Results revealed that changes in loneliness over time differed for the two groups when loneliness was assessed through a 1-item direct measure. Participants who acquired a dog experienced reduced loneliness levels from baseline to 8 months and were less lonely at 8 months than non-dog guardians, even though the two groups did not differ at baseline. On the other hand, when loneliness was assessed through a multi-item indirect measure, acquiring a dog had no effect on loneliness. These results highlight the importance of the type of measure used to assess loneliness when examining changes in loneliness following the acquisition of a companion animal.


This article traces the emergence of the term welfare state in British political discourse and describes competing efforts to define its meaning. It presents a genealogy of the concept's emergence and its subsequent integration into various political scripts, tracing the struggles that sought to name, define, and narrate what welfare state would be taken to mean. It shows that the concept emerged only after the core programmes to which it referred had already been enacted into law and that the referents and meaning of the concept were never generally agreed upon – not even at the moment of its formation in the late 1940s. During the 1950s, the welfare state concept was being framed in three distinct senses: (a) the welfare state as a set of social security programmes; (b) the welfare state as a socio-economic system; and (c) the welfare state as a new kind of state. Each of these usages was deployed by opposing political actors – though with different scope, meaning, value, and implication. The article argues that the welfare state concept did not operate as a representation reflecting a separate, already-constituted reality. Rather, the use of the concept in the political and economic arguments of the period – and in later disputes about the nature of the Labour government's post-war achievements – was always thoroughly rhetorical and constitutive, its users aiming to shape the transformations and outcomes that they claimed merely to describe.


Abstract Skeletal rearrangements of alkanes and alkenes were investigated on Pd/WO 3 and Pd/WO 2 catalysts following various activation treatments. Catalysts reduced at low temperature (350°C) are active and selective for isomerization of hydrocarbons. Palladium loses its intrinsic catalytic properties for isomerization but keeps partly its (de)hydrogenation properties. Hence we postulated that an interaction between palladium and tungsten oxide takes place under an H 2 stream. The catalysts exhibit high selectivity in isomerization which is linked to the presence of acidic active centers, mainly Bronsted sites, on WO 3 or W 20 O 58 phases. Catalytic properties were interpreted by the traditional bifunctional mechanism, including the formation of carbocation species. Palladium metallic function, required for alkane dehydrogenation, deactivates with time under reactants but is easily regenerated by air exposure at 400°C. Striking results were obtained after exposures under oxygen and traces of water, providing an increase in the number of Bronsted acidic sites and in the acidity strength leading to an improvement of activity and isomerization selectivity. Catalysts reduced at higher temperature (600°C) are very active and selective for isomerization. Referring to our previous paper (35), devoted to catalyst characterizations (BET, TPR, XRD, XAS, XPS), we suggested that catalytic properties are then due to the W 3 O phase. The catalytic behaviour of such a phase has been interpreted with a monofunctional mechanism including tungstenacyclobutane species as intermediates.


Increases in inflammation, coagulation, and CD8+ T-cell numbers are associated with an elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected antiretroviral therapy (ART) recipients. Circulating memory CD8+ T cells that express the vascular endothelium-homing receptor CX3CR1 (fractalkine receptor) are enriched in HIV-infected ART recipients. Thrombin-activated receptor (PAR-1) expression is increased in HIV-infected ART recipients and is particularly elevated on CX3CR1+ CD8+ T cells, suggesting that these cells could interact with coagulation elements. Indeed, thrombin directly enhanced T-cell receptor-mediated interferon γ production by purified CD8+ T cells but was attenuated by thrombin-induced release of transforming growth factor β by platelets. We have therefore identified a population of circulating memory CD8+ T cells in HIV infection that may home to endothelium, can be activated by clot-forming elements, and are susceptible to platelet-mediated regulation. Complex interactions between inflammatory elements and coagulation at endothelial surfaces may play an important role in CVD risk in HIV-infected ART recipients.


An analytical model is developed for predicting the onset of supersonic stall bending flutter in axial-flow compressors. The analysis is based on a modified two-dimensional, compressible, unsteady actuator disk theory. It is applied to a rotor blade row by considering a cascade of airfoils whose geometry and dynamic response coincide with those of a rotor blade element at 85 percent of the span height (measured from the hub). The rotor blades are assumed to be unshrouded (i.e., free standing) and to vibrate in their first flexural mode. The effects of shock waves and flow separation are included in the model through quasisteady, empirical, rotor total-pressure-loss and deviation-angle correlations. The actuator disk model predicts the unsteady aerodynamic force acting on the cascade blading as a function of the steady flow field entering the cascade and the geometry and dynamic response of the cascade. Calculations show that the present model predicts the existence of a bending flutter mode at supersonic inlet Mach numbers. This flutter mode is suppressed by increasing the reduced frequency of the system or by reducing the steady-state aerodynamic loading on the cascade. The validity of the model for predicting flutter is demonstrated by correlating the measured flutter boundary of a high-speed fan stage with its predicted boundary. This correlation uses a level of damping for the blade row (i.e., the log decrement of the rotor system) that is estimated from the experimental flutter data. The predicted flutter boundary is shown to be in good agreement with the measured boundary. These results show that the model can be used to estimate the relative stability between operating points of a given rotor system. If, in addition, a measure of the mechanical damping of the rotor system is available, the model can also be used to estimate the absolute stability at an operating point.


nursing home beds while some outer London districts such as Croydon have 712 beds. It is estimated that two thirds of people in residential and nursing homes are financed through income support.3 From April 1992 this is £ 175 for residential homes and £270 per week for nursing homes. In inner London there were 1005 registered nursing home beds compared with 4062 in outer London in March 1990. Using these nursing home bed numbers and assuming two thirds are financed through income support, inner London will receive ,C9m a year and outer London £38m a year at 1992 rates. Put another way, a socially deprived district such as Tower Hamlets would receive no "income support" through this method while Croydon would receive an estimated £6m a year. Worthing district, by contrast, would receive an estimated £13 5m a year. The inequity is nationwide, and in Mersey region the Wirrall, with nearly 2500 nursing home beds, would receive C23m a year in income support. The massive expansion of private nursing homes during the 1980s has been led by market and not population needs, and the resources committed are comparatively high. In 1991 it was estimated that the social security income support for independent residential and nursing home care in England was £1 552m.4 This source of funding is outside the NHS, yet the needs of people in geriatric continuing care beds and nursing homes are very similar. The availability of nursing home beds will also affect the utilisation of acute hospital provision. The resources disbursed through health, social services and the social security budget are rarely if ever considered together. Implementation of the NHS and Community Care Act in April 1993 brings the income support budget into social services purchasing, but the historical commitments and inequity will persist. Before the Tomlinson implementation group begins reducing general hospital services in London, attention should be paid to this critical and inequitable situation. TONYJEWELL East Anglian Regional Health Authority, Cambridge CB4 IRF 1 Jarman B. Is London overbedded? BMJ 1993;306:979-82. (10 April.) 2 Key indications of local authority services. London: Department of Health, 1991. (SM 16K.) 3 Government Statistical Service, Statistics and Management Information Division. Private hospitals, homes and clinics registered under Section 23 of the Registered Homes Act 1984. London: Department of Health, 1991. (SM12.) 4 Laing Buisson. Laing's review of private health care. London: Laing Buisson Publication, 1992.


von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most prevalent congenital bleeding disorder, arises from a deficiency in von Willebrand factor (VWF), which has crucial roles in hemostasis. The present study investigated functional consequences and underlying pathomolecular mechanisms of several VWF propeptide (VWFpp) missense variants detected in our cohort of VWD patients for the first time. Transient expression experiments in HEK293T cells demonstrated that four out of the six investigated missense variants (p.Gly55Glu, p.Val86Glu, p.Trp191Arg, and p.Cys608Trp) severely impaired secretion. Their cotransfections with the wild‐type partly corrected VWF secretion, displaying loss of large/intermediate multimers. Immunostaining of the transfected HEK293 cells illustrated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention of the VWF variants. Docking of the COP I and COP II cargo recruitment proteins, ADP‐ribosylation factor 1 and Sec24, onto the N‐terminal VWF model (D1D2DʹD3) revealed that these variants occur at VWFpp putative interfaces, which can hinder VWF loading at the ER exit quality control. Furthermore, quantitative and automated morphometric exploration of the three‐dimensional immunofluorescence images showed changes in the number/size of the VWF storage organelles, Weibel‐Palade body (WPB)‐like vesicles. The result of this study highlighted the significance of the VWFpp variants on anterograde ER‐Golgi trafficking of VWF as well as the biogenesis of WPB‐like vesicles.


A key aspect of renewal is disciplinary renewal though the addition of new practitioners, who can bring revitalization to our practice. To successfully land their first job, today's new practitioners need practical, relevant basic skills and knowledge, which they can acquire through a range of training programs. In this paper, we reflect upon the significant methodological, interpretive, ethical implications of such training programs for ethnographic praxis in industry. How they evolve and change the work, how new knowledge is created in the field and what that may mean for the future renewal of our practice begins with how they are trained.


BACKGROUND
High-resolution CT (HRCT) scan data on primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) related lung disease are scarce.

STUDY OBJECTIVES
We evaluated the lung disease in children and adults with PCD by a modified Brody composite HRCT scan score to assess the prevalence of the structural abnormalities; to evaluate the correlation among HRCT scan scores, spirometry findings, and clinical data; and to compare the PCD scores with those of age-matched and sex-matched cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Twenty PCD patients (age range, 4.6 to 27.5 years) underwent HRCT scanning, spirometry, and deep throat or sputum culture. A modified Brody score was used to assess bronchiectasis, mucous plugging, peribronchial thickening, parenchyma abnormalities, and mosaic perfusion.

RESULTS
The total HRCT scan score was 6% of the maximal score (range, 0.5 to 25.5). Subscores were as follows: bronchiectasis, 5.6%; mucous plugging, 5.6%; peribronchial thickening, 8.3%; parenchyma, 3%; and mosaic perfusion, 0%. The prevalence of lung changes were as follows: bronchiectasis, 80%; peribronchial thickening, 80%; mucous plugging, 75%; parenchyma, 65%; and mosaic perfusion, 45%. Sixteen of 19 PCD patients had positive culture findings, and the most common pathogen found was Haemophilus influenzae (84%). The total HRCT scan score was significantly related to age (p = 0.006), FEV(1) (p = 0.02), and FVC (p = 0.02). The bronchiectasis subscore was significantly related to FEV(1) (p = 0.04) and FVC (p = 0.03). In CF patients, the total HRCT scan score was significantly higher than that in PCD patients (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS
PCD patients show significantly lower pulmonary HRCT scan scores than CF patients. The PCD total and bronchiectasis scores correlate with spirometry findings. The PCD HRCT scan score might be used for longitudinal assessment and/or represent an outcome surrogate in future studies.


In this study, we provide an interpretation of the dual differential Riccati equation of Linear-Quadratic (LQ) optimal control problems. Adopting a novel viewpoint, we show that LQ optimal control can be seen as a regression problem over the space of controlled trajectories, and that the latter has a very natural structure as a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS). The dual Riccati equation then describes the evolution of the values of the LQ reproducing kernel when the initial time changes. This unveils new connections between control theory and kernel methods, a field widely used in machine learning.


The dominance of wheat flour in the national food source map is very alarming. Imports ofwheat which amounts to millions of tons annually broad impact that caused the Indonesiannation has no longer self-sufficiency in food.MOCAF is a product of flour from cassava(Manihot esculenta Crantz) is processed by the principle of modifying the cells in thefermentation of cassava that has a whiter color than ordinary cassava flour and neutral flavor.Shell eggs is one of the calcium-containing waste is quite high, so it can be used as fortifikan ongroceries. This study aims to determine the level of preference and quality of the flour andflour-based brownies are fortified mocaf calcium from egg shells. MOCAF calcium fortifiedflour served in various concentrations of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. Organoleptic testwas conducted on 20 semi-trained panelists and analyzed deskkriptif. The results showed thatthe organoleptic value of wheat flour that includes color, tenderness and flavor of the highergrades mocaf organoleptic flour, flour brownies MOCAF  A level higher than wheat flourbrownies. and the average level of preference mocaf flour brownies with substitutes variationeggshell shell flour 5% -25% above the average level of preference wheat flour brownies.MOCAF flour brownies with egg shell shell flour substitution of 5% has the highest joy. Areception level brownies that include color, texture, flavor, aroma, and consistency of thebrownies tepungMOCAF above the level of preference of wheat flour brownies. Hedonic qualityassessment of wheat flour is higher than the hedonic quality MOCAF flour. The average valueof the hedonic quality of wheat flour brownies with ingredients lower if compared with flourMOCAF Key word: Organoleptic, Brownies, MOCAF


The issue of fault diagnostics is a dominant factor ncerning current engineering systems. Information regarding possible failures is required in order to minimise disruption caused to functionality. A method propos ed in this paper utilises digraphs to model the information flow within a system. Digr aphs are comprised from a set of nodes representing system process variables or comp onent failure modes. The nodes are connected by signed edges thus illustrating the influence, be it positive or negative, one node has on another. Fault diagnostics is conducted through a procedure of back-tracing in the digraph from a known deviating variable. A computational me thod has been developed to conduct this process. Comparisons are made between retrieved transmitter readings and those expected whilst the system is in a known perating mode. Any noted deviations are assumed to indicate the presence of a failure. This paper looks in detail at the application of th e digraph diagnostic method to an industrially based test stand of an aircraft fuel s ystem. Several operational phases of the system are investigated, with primary significa nce, with regards to system reliability, given to engine feed from the active s upply tanks. This research includes transient system effects; with the rate of change o f a parameter taken into consideration as a means of monitoring the system d ynamically. The paper concludes with the evaluation and assessment of the validity of the results achieved.


Objective: It was the aim of this study to report an aborted cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation and electrocardiographic changes consistent with Brugada syndrome due to liquorice-induced hypokalemia. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: Ventricular fibrillation was witnessed in a 50-year-old woman who was admitted to our emergency department with a history of liquorice ingestion, a herbal product. After stopping liquorice ingestion, the Brugada-like electrocardiographic pattern changed progressively with potassium replacement. A diagnosis of Brugada syndrome was made after the ajmaline challenge test. The patient was discharged with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and had an uneventfull follow-up. Conclusion: This report illustrates the importance of the investigation for herbal medications in the detailed history of a patient in the cases of electrolyte disturbances and the potential role of hypokalemia in the induction of malignant arrhythmia in Brugada syndrome.


The early events that shape the innate immune response to restrain pathogens during skin infections remain elusive. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection engages phagocyte chemotaxis, abscess formation, and microbial clearance. Upon infection, neutrophils and monocytes find a gradient of chemoattractants that influence both phagocyte direction and microbial clearance. The bioactive lipid leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is quickly (seconds to minutes) produced by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and signals through the G protein-coupled receptors LTB4R1 (BLT1) or BLT2 in phagocytes and structural cells. Although it is known that LTB4 enhances antimicrobial effector functions in vitro, whether prompt LTB4 production is required for bacterial clearance and development of an inflammatory milieu necessary for abscess formation to restrain pathogen dissemination is unknown. We found that LTB4 is produced in areas near the abscess and BLT1 deficient mice are unable to form an abscess, elicit neutrophil chemotaxis, generation of neutrophil and monocyte chemokines, as well as reactive oxygen species-dependent bacterial clearance. We also found that an ointment containing LTB4 synergizes with antibiotics to eliminate MRSA potently. Here, we uncovered a heretofore unknown role of macrophage-derived LTB4 in orchestrating the chemoattractant gradient required for abscess formation, while amplifying antimicrobial effector functions.


Due to the use of rolling bearings instead of plain bearings friction and wear are drastically reduced in all kind of machines. However, despite the high technical standard of modern rolling bearings there is still a significant potential for optimization. Preliminary Studies show a reduction of the friction torque of up to 44 % compared to conventional rolling bearings because of the use of tribological coatings in certain applications. Based on the millionfold usage of rolling bearings in all industrial fields the reduced lost energy adds up to a remarkable potential for energy savings. If friction and wear are lowered sufficiently, the use of conventional lubricants based on mineral oil can be successively decreased or even completely avoided. In the latter case, the socalled dry running of the rolling bearing, the energy consumption of machines and systems can additionally be reduced significantly. For example, pumping stations or compressed air units, which would be necessary for transporting or spraying the lubricants, can then be saved.This paper presents first results of DLC-coated deep groove ball bearings, which are tested in a four-bearing-test-rig under purely radial load with respect to their friction and wear behaviour.


The forces associated with economic globalisation and the apparent supremacy of market forces have unleashed a range of political and social processes that have served, and were indeed designed, to enrich and empower the few at the expense of the majority. These include phenomena such as the rise in armed conflict, threats to food security, the loss of livelihoods and traditional ways of life of millions of people worldwide, the commodification of social provision, assaults on national sovereignty, and the privatisation of citizenship. However, the author argues, the most significant impact of globalisation is the 'localisation' of social and political struggle, and the emergence of new forms of international solidarity. Many NGOs have too readily succumbed to the view that globalisation in its present form is inevitable and irreversible, and have accommodated to it by trading their essential values for technical professionalism, often imported from the private sector. However, if NGOs are to assume their place as part of a transformational movement for social justice, they must rediscover and foster the values of citizen participation and develop a genuine respect for diversity.


Our first aim was to explore the relationship between daily uplifts, daily hassles, and coping styles the first year after returning from international military missions and post-deployment work, family, and private reintegration in military veterans. Our second aim was to identify individual patterns regarding daily uplifts, daily hassles, and coping styles and to explore how they relate to the above-mentioned aspects of post-deployment reintegration. Questionnaire responses were received from 446 Swedish military veterans. Regression analyses showed that daily hassles and an escape-avoidance coping style made significant contributions in the predicted, negative direction to the amount of explained variance on reintegration indicator scales. A high level of perceived threat during the last mission also contributed to more negative integration. Using a person-centered approach, three unique profiles of response patterns were identified using a cluster analysis based on the uplift, hassles, and coping style scores. One profile was labeled "resilient and well-functioning"; its members showed favorable reintegration scores. A second profile was called "ambitious and struggling." These individuals scored medium-high on the reintegration scales. The third profile consistently indicated the least favorable reintegration scores and was labeled "worried and avoidant." The results confirm and deepen our existing knowledge.


Rituximab (Rituxan) has shown high activity in relapsed follicular lymphomas when given alone, and phase II studies indicate that its addition to chemotherapy may further improve response rates substantially. Because prospective randomized studies have not been available so far, the German Low Grade Study Group (GLSG) started a multicenter national trial in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular cell lymphoma (FCL) or mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). As patients were treated for first-line therapy with CHOP (cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan, Neosar], doxorubicin HCl, vincristine [Oncovin], prednisone), the FCM (fludarabine [Fludara], cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone [Novantrone]) combination was chosen for salvage chemotherapy.


ABSTRACT Although the investigation of the effects of corporate events on stock prices is a well- established line of research in accounting and finance, only a limited attention has been devoted to one of the most important corporate events: the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The current empirical evidence is not only scarce, but is also limited to the US and the UK, countries whose legal tradition is based on the common law. In these countries the AGM has been found to involve the release of relevant information to the market. Nevertheless, since the influential paper by La Porta et al. (1998), evidence reported in common law countries cannot be automatically extrapolated to countries with a different legal tradition. In this paper, we have investigated the effects of AGM on stock returns, volatility and trading volumes, in the Spanish stock market. As expected, our results indicate that the information content of the AGM is lower in Spain than in common law countries. In fact, the AGM does not have any significant effect in any of the three indicators. After examining possible explanations, we conclude that no relevant information seems to be released to the market during AGM, thus having zero impact on returns, volatility and trading volumes. Nevertheless, the behaviour of cumulative returns and trading volumes suggests that market participants expect the release of relevant information during these meetings.


The X-ray microcalorimeter is an X-ray detector of potentially high energy resolution and quantum efficiency. The energy of incident X-rays is determined by measuring the resultant change in the resistance of a cooled semiconductor as an X-ray is incident on it. The history of X-ray microcalorimetry is reviewed, the current state of the art is placed in the context of contemporary X-ray detectors, and new X-ray detectors in the development stages. The performance of X-ray microcalorimeters is compared to other detectors. The principles of operation of microcalorimeters are discussed, and the relations between operating parameters established. The system devised and operated by the University of London microcalorimetry collaboration is described, and the future development of X-ray microcalorimetry considered. The design and implementation of a suite of computer programmes to analyse the data generated by the detector is described, and a space-based processing system defined. Results obtained with the detector operating at 100 mK in 1991 facing a Fe source are presented and analysed. A resolution of 316 eV is shown at 200mK, and 276 eV at 100mK. The absence of the expected improvement in resolution at the lower temperature is investigated. The microcalorimeter as an observational tool will require a space platform at a low temperature. Various low-temperature techniques are described, and the design and operation of the adiabatic demagnetisation refrigerator (ADR) used is described and modelled. The ADR is appraised as a means of cooling a space-based detector to 100mK, and a hypothetical system involving a 2-stage ADR is devised and modelled. One ADR operates between 100 mK and 1.0 K, and a second operates between 1.0 K and 4.0 K. The complete cooling system maintains a 100mK stage for 59 hours, with a recycle time of 17 hours. Replacing the high temperature ADR with a pumped helium tank cooling to 2.0 K increases the hold time to 80 hours, recycling in 3 minutes.


Models of intrinsic motivation present an important means to produce sensible behaviour in the absence of extrinsic rewards. Applications in video games are varied, and range from intrinsically motivated general game-playing agents to non-player characters such as companions and enemies. The information-theoretic quantity of Empowerment is a particularly promising candidate motivation to produce believable, generic and robust behaviour. However, while it can be used in the absence of external reward functions that would need to be crafted and learned, empowerment is computationally expensive. In this paper, we propose a modified UCT tree search method to mitigate empowerment's computational complexity in discrete and deterministic scenarios. We demonstrate how to modify a Monte-Carlo Search Tree with UCT to realise empowerment maximisation, and discuss three additional modifications that facilitate better sampling. We evaluate the approach both quantitatively, by analysing how close our approach gets to the baseline of exhaustive empowerment computation with varying amounts of computational resources, and qualitatively, by analysing the resulting behaviour in a Minecraft-like scenario.


COVID-19 significantly affected people with disabilities, with many facing additional barriers in access to services and increased risks of poor health and social outcomes. Focusing on the impact of COVID-19 in the Global South, this study took place in Bangladesh and Liberia, where 14% and 16% of the population are thought to live with disabilities. However, there is minimal research on the needs and experiences of this population group and how these are shaped by intersecting axes of inequity. Furthermore, disabled people are often excluded from being actively involved in research. To address these evidence gaps, we used the creative participatory method of photovoice remotely to document experiences of COVID-19 through the lens of people with physical and psychosocial disabilities and their caregivers as co-researchers. The findings present themes relating to inaccessibility, social connection, hopes and fears. The nexus between disability and poverty was exacerbated for many in both settings, while psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 included increased stigmatisation and isolation. However, themes of faith, support and adaptability were also highlighted in stories of community care, nature and healing. Photovoice, through imagery and storytelling, was a powerful tool in prioritising the voices of disabled people, adding to an evidence base to inform inclusive pandemic responses.


Abstract : During the 1990s and the early in the twenty-first century, the management of information technology in enterprises will undergo a revolutionary change in Indonesia. Previous changes were evolutionary and largely driven by advance in technology; the introduction of operating systems in the 1960s, the introduction of the minicomputer in the 1970s, and the introduction of personal computers in the 1980s. Now, both technology and business direction are driving information technology management to a fundamentally new paradigm. Information technology is no longer exclusive for the information systems specialists. Line business managers increasingly take responsibility for information technology decisions, as computing and telecommunication is becoming more and more universal. By understanding all changes that may transform management and information systems, managers can anticipate possible weaknesses in their organizations. Given this phenomenon, managers need detailed information and a substantial source of references they can utilize to make decisions. This thesis explores a new paradigm of information system management from Indonesia's management perspective. Alterative approaches to solve a number of major problems that may help foreign investors to understand the business environment and culture will encourage Indonesian and foreign enterprises to invest in information technology. While this thesis is proposed for Indonesian future managers, it is also structured as a reference for decision making of information technology outsourcing based on the Indonesian culture, and possibly other Asian cultures.


Crop insurance is an alternative risk management technique available to farmers for stabilizing their revenue risk and schemes based on area yield have been in operation for quite some time. Here rainfall based insurance indices and options are suggested as a replacement for the expensive area yield programs. Instead of direct premium subsidies which are distorting, premium subsidy is taken as a function of adverse deviation of rainfall from the mean. A sensitivity analysis at different revenue elasticity levels with respect to rainfall was performed. Potential for private insurer's and reinsurer's participation exists with rainfall based index and options.


Background: Impaired lower extremity kinematics has beenconsidered as a contributing factor to patellofemoral pain (PFP). However, current knowledge about the correlation between lower extremity kinematics and muscle strength is very limited. This study investigated the correlation between lower extremity kinematics and muscle strength, pain, physical activity level, as well as functional status in females with PFP. Methods: Seventy-five females with PFP participated in this analytical cross-sectional  study. Lower extremity kinematics, maximal isometric strength of muscles, pain severity, physical activity level, as well as subjective and objective function were assessed using a motion analysis system, a dynamometer, Visual Analog Scale, the International Physical Activity questionnaire, and the Kujala questionnaire and the step-down test, respectively. The hip and knee kinematics were determined during the initial contact and the initial phase of landing. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to establish the correlation between the variables. Results: The knee rotation at the initial contact was significantly correlated with quadriceps strength (r= -0.240, p=0.038) and pain severity (r=0.268, p=0.020). Pain was significantly correlated with hamstring (r= -0.310, p=0.007) and quadriceps strength (r= -0.253, p=0.029) and the Kujala score (r= -0.346, p= 0.002). Conclusion: Our findings do not indicate a strong correlation between muscle strength and joint kinematics in females with PFP. An explanation is the presence of various subgroups of people with PFP. Future studies should focus on evaluating the correlation between the risk factors of PFP in subgroups, classified based on biomechanical, psychosocial, and anatomical characteristics.


Acinetobacter baumannii produces the siderophore called acinetobactin (AB) in response to iron starvation. In this study, in vitro growth experiments were conducted to evaluate the ability of AB to sequester iron bound to human transferrin and lactoferrin and mediate bacterial utilization of the iron. Strain ATCC 19606 producing AB was able to grow in the presence of either 30% iron-saturated human transferrin (30% Fe-TF) or 15% iron-saturated human lactoferrin (15% Fe-LF) as a sole source of iron even when they were separated by a dialysis membrane. The radiolabel after equilibrium dialysis between 55Fe-TF and AB was accumulated by cells grown under iron-deficient conditions, but not by those grown under iron-sufficient conditions. Addition of AB to the medium caused great enhancement in the growth of a poor producer strain of AB in the presence of 30% TF or 15% LF. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the outer membrane protein fractions revealed the presence of 77- and 81-kDa proteins only in the cells grown under iron-deficient conditions, suggesting that either of them may function as the receptor for Fe3+-AB complex. No strain tested was able to utilize hemin and hemoglobin as a sole source of iron. These results indicate that A. baumannii can utilize iron bound to TF and LF as host iron sources through the action of AB. This system is probably involved in survival and proliferation in the host.


It is well known that solid cancers are associated with thromboembolic complications, but recent studies have shown that the incidence of thrombosis may be as high (or even higher) in patients with malignant haematological disorders. However, this may be obscured by the significant morbidity and mortality due to other complications of haematological malignancies, such as bleeding and infections. The vast majority of patients with haematological neoplasias also have clinically silent haemostatic abnormalities, but some may show clinical manifestations, including venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, disseminated intravascular coagulation and life-threatening thrombohaemorrhagic syndrome in acute leukaemias. The pathogenesis of thromboembolic disease in haematological malignancies is complex and multifactorial: tumour cell-derived procoagulant, fibrinolytic or proteolytic factors and inflammatory cytokines affect clotting activation, and chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs increase thrombotic risk in patients with lymphoma, acute leukaemia and multiple myeloma. Infectious complications are another important factor: endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria induce the release of tissue factor (TF), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and interleukin-1b (IL-1b), and gram-positive organisms can release bacterial mucopolysaccharides that directly activate factor XII. Leukaemic patients may be affected by other prothrombotic factors, including hyperleukocytosis, increased TF expression and activation, and the prothrombotic properties of therapeutic agents such as all-trans retinoic acid and L-asparaginase, which can induce thrombosis involving multiple organs. The very high risk of haemorrhaging in these patients warrants prospective randomised trials evaluating optimal anti-thrombotic prophylaxis and treatment.


Purpose: Graphics processing units (GPUs) can shorten cone‐beam volume reconstruction time significantly in comparison to CPUs. We evaluated Flat3D texture techniques to further enhance calculation efficiency. Methods: Typical reconstruction involves processing of a set of 2D projection images, and filtered backprojection of them onto volume slices. We implemented three different back‐projection algorithms on GPUs. The first method, BP_tex2d, represents the volume as a set of 2D textures and backprojection onto the texture occurs one slice at a time. The second method (BP_flat3d) represents the volume using a Flat3D texture. Flat3D texture is a 2D texture that maps volume slices onto 2D texture surface side‐by‐side. Therefore, for a given projection image, the back‐projection is accomplished in a single rendering pass. The third approach (BP_flat3d_multitex) back‐projects multiple projection images (16 here) onto a Flat3D texture in a single rendering pass using multi‐texture support. We reconstructed a 3D Shepp‐Logan phantom (256×256×256 pixel 3) from a set of 360 projection images (512×384 pixel 2) using each method. Back‐projection time was estimated by subtracting the image load and filter time from the total reconstruction time. Ten measurements were performed for each method and the mean time determined. Host computer: 3.6 GHz Intel Pentium 4 CPU with 2 GB memory. GPU: Nvidia_GeForce_210 (512 MB)+PCIe. Results: The mean back projection times of BP_tex2d, BP_flat3d, and BP_flat3d_multitex were 51, 16, and 8 seconds respectively. The image loading and filtering time was 24 seconds. The reconstructed volumes had identical pixel values. Conclusion; Flat3D texture approach improved the back‐projection time by a factor of 3.2, compared to regular 2D texture based method. The utilization of multi‐texture improved the speedup by a factor of 2 (thus, 6.4 total). High quality iterative reconstruction may be possible in the clinical setting given such improvements on multiple GPUs.


The flood pulse is a key factor that drives the biota of large rivers with adjacent floodplains, but the direction and intensity of its effects are not uniform for all trophic guilds of fish. In this study, we tested the existence of intra- and inter-annual changes in the relative condition factors (kn) of three Curimatidae: Potamorhina altamazonica, Potamorhina latior, and Psectrogaster rutiloides. We used weight and length data from fish that were caught in eight floodplain lakes of the Rio Solimoes. These data were from experimental fisheries during each season of the hydrological cycle: flooding, flood, drying, and dry from 2004, 2005, and 2006. In general, there are similar patterns of intra-annual changes for these three species, with the highest estimates of kn during high water conditions. The lowest values were observed during the drying and dry seasons of 2005, when an extreme drought occurred in the Amazon basin. Higher values were observed during the same seasons in the year post-drought. We hypothesized that these patterns would be explained by the biological characteristics of these species and the effects of intra-annual hydrological changes, mainly the flood pulse effect, and by inter-annual climatic events, which are determined by global climate phenomena.


Major depression is frequently associated with sexual dysfunctions. Most antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), induce additional sexual side effects and, although effective antidepressants, deteriorate sexual symptoms, which are the main reason that patients stop antidepressant treatment. Many strategies have been used to circumvent the additional sexual side effects, but results are rather disap - pointing. Recently, new antidepressants have been introduced, vilazodone and vortiox etine, which seem to lack sexual side effects in the early registration trials. Much research with large numbers of depressed patients and adequate methodological tools still has to confirm in daily use the absence of sexual side effects of new antidepressants. Animal models that in an early phase of drug development may predict putative sexual side effects of new antidepressants are extremely useful and could speed up development of new antidepressants. A rat model of sexual behavior is described that has a very high predictive validity for sexual side effects in man. Several characteristics of present antide pressants with regard to sexual dysfunctions are also present in the rat model and estab lish its validity. The animal model can also be used in the search for new psychotropics without sexual side effects or for drugs with sexual stimulating activity.


The availability of drinking water from water wells on southern Gotland is highly limited on account of the fractured limestone bedrock of the region, and one possibility for supplying water in this region is to collect rainwater from roofs. For several years, rainwater was collected from a roof on southern Gotland in order to supply a basic household with water for drinking, dishwashing, bathing, etc. After collection, the rainwater percolated through a sand filter before it was used by the household. The aim with this study was to investigate if the sand filter had been effective against microorganisms in the collected water, and if the water quality, in terms of microbiological criteria, had been improved by filtration. The analytical results show that the rainwater that was collected from the roof contained between 6.4 × 10 5 and 1.5 × 10 7 living microoganisms per milliliter water and contained e. coli , which suggests that the water had been in contact with feces, most likely bird droppings on the roof. The results from the microbiological analyses indicated that rainwater treatment with a finegrained sand filter delivered water that was suitable as drinking water, or suitable with limitations according to Swedish drinking water criteria. The results suggest that a better filter function can be attained by increasing the sand thickness and thus increasing water residence time in the filter.


This paper will be devoted to build a mathematical model of this kind based on the computer-controlled AC servo feed system of a common XY worktable. First, a practical AC servo worktable system is analyzed and its linear theoretical mathematical model is given. Second, the parameter in this model is identified in terms of the actual measured output data and reference signal by using an ARX model by using RLS identification method. Then, by using servo "simulation" techniques, a very accurate model of the servo drive can be constructed. Based on this model, it is possible to observe the effect on performance by changing the factors such as backlash, friction, servo-loop gains. Hence, a deep understanding of dynamics of the computer-controlled AC servo feed system of a common XY worktable is obtained. It is expected that this paper will lay reliable foundation for the further work—friction compensation, so that the precision of the system will be improved in the end.


In the mid eighties, the System Architecture Research Centre at City University developed a message-passing, UNIX compliant micro kernel (Meshix) for our own scalable distributed memory architecture (Topsy). Over the last two years we have been engaged in a research programme aimed at learning from this experience, and developing a new operating system based on these lessons. The result is the Angel microkernel. This paper sets out the lessons we have learnt from Meshix, how this has influenced the design of Angel and outlines our current design of Angel and its C++ implementation. We will also describe our future plans and hopes for Angel, and the lessons that we have learnt from the design and implementation process.


The ultra-high pressure and temperature synthesis of spinel silicon nitride and germanium nitride on the one hand as well as the successful synthesis of tin nitride at ambient pressure on the other hand have caused an enormous impact on both basic science and technological development of advanced nitrides. Aim and scope of the research in this field is to synthesize novel nitrides for structural and functional applications. High presssure nitrides may combine ultra-high hardness with high thermal stability in terms of decomposition in different environments and are expected to show interesting optoelectronic properties. Here, the state of the art and the progress in the field of novel advanced nitrides and related materials synthesized reproducibly under high pressure are reviewed.


Isolation of a gene controlling apomixis would be useful to plant breeders for fixing hybrid vigor. A single gene encodes for aposporous apomixis in buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare L. Link), which is inherited in a autotetraploid fashion. Only two molecular markers linked to the gene are known: C04-600, a RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) and UGT197-144, an STS (sequence-tagged site). The objective of this study was to identify new RAPD markers linked to the apospory locus in buffelgrass and to prepare a linkage map. Sexual clone B-2s was crossed to aposporous buffelgrass cultivar Higgins and to aposporous clone B-12-9. Progeny of each cross were screened for RAPD markers by bulked segregant analysis. Seven preparations of bulked genomic DNA (equal amounts DNA from each of 10 individuals) from sexual or aposporous progeny were examined for RAPD markers. Using 500 decanucleotide primers, we found five new markers potentially linked to the apospory gene. Analysis by MAPMAKER/EXP 3.0 1 indicated markers J16-800 and M02-680 were linked to the apospory gene, as was previously established marker UGT197-144, and the three were placed on the map. Marker A20-730 was loosely linked in both crosses, marker B14-550 was unlinked in the Higgins cross, and marker N15-370 was unlinked in both crosses, and they were not placed on the map. These data provide the first map for the buffelgrass chromosome bearing the apospory gene.


According to the morphology of the single-nuclear cell, the eccentric-sphere (ES) model is proposed. The analytic expressions of amplitude function and phase function are revised base on the geometrical-optics approximation (GOA).The intensity distributing and phase distributing of the single-nuclear cell are also simulated by numerical calculation. The incident light orientation and the size of the nuclear on the impact of the backscattering have been discussed. After the analysis, we find that the model and the theory are much closer to the experimental fact compared with the single sphere model. These promote perfecting of the revised theory for inspection of real cell and provide a theory foundation for improving the measuring technique and identification technique of cells.


This study presents a method of estimating the effective inertia of a power system from ambient frequency and active power signals measured by phasor measurement units. Most importantly, we demonstrate that inertia can be estimated from ambient measurement data, not only from disturbances. This leads to the possibility of monitoring inertia in a close to continuous manner in the time scale of minutes or tens of minutes. The method allows the system to be divided into a number of areas and the effective inertia of each area to be estimated as a separate quantity. In principle, inertia is estimated by observing the dynamics between changes in active power and resulting frequency deviations during normal operation of the system. The method is based on applying system identification on these measurements and extracting inertia values from identified models. Efficacy of the method is demonstrated on results of real measurements from the Icelandic power system.


We conducted the aluminization campaign of the primary mirror of the Subaru Telescope in September 2001. This was the third time with the Subaru's coating facility. The witness samples coated at the same time show reflectance above 91% at 500 nm, the highest of the three coating campaigns. We continue to pursue the film which has high reflectance, high adhesion nature to the glass substratum, and durability with little degradation in time. As part of the effort, we started to compare various evaluation methods of the coating films. The emphasis is on the physical property side, using XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry), and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). We hope to use the findings to improve our coating processes for the Subaru's mirrors and other mirrors. First thing we confirmed is that three oxidization layers exist in the aluminum coatings itself and between the aluminum and the glass substratum. This is caused by the three stage firing in the Subaru's 9 m chamber. The extent of such layers seems to contribute to the adhesion of the film to the glass. Next, we compared the film produced by the conventional evaporation (using 1.6 m chamber at Mitaka, Tokyo) and by the sputtering (using the Tohoku University equipment). The contamination and defects in the film seem to be responsible for the exfoliation, and the reflectance. We will use these physical property evaluations also to optimize the coating process of other coating materials that is suited for the infrared observations.


A 'grafting from' approach was used to graft poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) polymers to cellulose nanocrystals by Sn(Oct)2-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP). The grafting efficiency was evidenced by the long-term stability of suspension of PCL-grafted cellulose nanocrystals in toluene. These observations were confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Extracted nanohybrids were characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements. The morphology and crystalline structure of the PCL-grafted cellulose nanocrystals was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-Ray diffraction, respectively. Results showed that cellulose nanocrystals kept their initial morphological integrity and their native crystallinity. Nanocomposites with high content of cellulose nanocrystals were prepared using either neat cellulose nanocrystals or PCL-grafted cellulose nanocrystals and high molecular weight PCL as matrix using a casting/evaporation technique. Thermo-mechanical properties of processed nanocomposites were studied by DSC, dynamical mechanical analyses (DMA) and tensile tests. A significant improvement in terms of Young's modulus and storage modulus was obtained.


ABSTRACT The benzimidazole compound omeprazole, used widely for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease, inhibits the growth of Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Promastigotes cultured at acidic pH and amastigotes within infected macrophages are reduced 90% or more with 150 μM omeprazole. Antiparasitic action of the drug is due to its inhibition of the P-type K+,H+-ATPase on the surface membrane. This enzyme is important for pH homeostasis and the maintenance of proton motive force across the membrane in Leishmania. The drug is effective only at acidic pH, a condition that mimics the in vivo environment within the phagolysosomal vesicles where the amastigote form of the parasite resides. Omeprazole deserves consideration as an alternative to currently available chemotherapeutics, which have severe toxic side effects.


The virtual elimination of juvenile goitre which has been witnessed in Tasmania over the past decade' has been attributed to the deliberate addition of iodate to bread improver and thus to all commercially baked bread. Subsequently it has become apparent that the increased iodine content of milk derived from the use of iodophors in the dairy industry also contributed to improved iodine nutrition. Recent surveys conducted by the Department of Public Health show that: (1) bread consumption by schoolchildren is falling, (2) a proliferation in available bread improvers makes it impossible to guarantee the iodine content of bread, and (3) a substantial proportion of schoolchildren are now dependent on the iodine they derive from milk to maintain iodine sufficiency. Should iodophors be withdrawn and the iodine content of milk revert to low levels many children would again be iodine-deficient. No doubt in other areas of iodine deficiency the contamination of milk with iodine from iodophor residues has led to relief of the deficiency and the price has already been paid in an increase of thyrotoxicosis in the middleaged and elderly. To ban iodophors in these circumstances would rob the young of the benefits for which their elders have already paid. A detailed study by Dunsmore and Wheeler2 has shown that with correct usage iodophors need add no more than 1 2 Htmol/l (15 Htg/100 ml) to the iodine content of milk. Iodine at this level is not excessive and milk is a suitable vehicle for goitre prophylaxis as its consumption tends to be higher in the young than the old. Our plea is that iodine contamination of food should be controlled but not necessarily banned and that action should be taken only after a full appraisal of the local circumstances in relation to goitre incidence and iodine nutrition. J C STEWART G I VIDOR


In a recent paper by Pimentel and colleagues,"Environmental, Energetic, and Economic Comparisons of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems" (BioScience 55: 573–582), two claims made by the authors warrant closer examination. The authors cite data from the Rodale Institute's 22-year Farming Systems Trial (FST) showing individual crop yields were "similar to those of conventional systems." However, they presented no data on total system yields. I was able to glean wheat yield data from another paper on Rodale's FST for the years 1986–1995, during which they averaged just less than 49 bushels per acre (Hanson et al. 1997). At these yields and assuming a weight of 60 lbs per bushel, the organic wheat would yield an average of 3,302 kg/ha of grain per crop. Combined with the corn and soy yields, this gives an average of 11,906 kg/ha of total grain produced per 3-year rotation. After 15 years, the organic legume rotation would provide 59,530 kg of grain, whereas the conventional rotation would yield 74,253 kg over the same period. Thus, the conventional system yields 25% more grain than the organic system over time. Even with organic wheat yields of 65 bushels per acre, the organic system would produce 20% less grain than the conventional system. Most disturbing, however, were statements that the "environmental benefits of...less soil erosion...were consistently greater in the organic systems than in the conventional systems" and "crop rotations and cover cropping typical of organic agriculture reduce soil erosion." Nowhere in the paper were any data provided from the FST or any other source to substantiate these claims. In fact, ongoing work by USDA-ARS researchers has demonstrated the opposite: soil erosion potential (as measured by soil properties) is essentially equal between organic and traditional nonorganic farming systems, but both are significantly more susceptible to erosion than a nonorganic, no-till farming system (Green et al. 2005).


The electrical properties of TlGaSe2 ferroelectric-semiconductor with layer crystalline structure in the direction parallel to the layers plane is studied by impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range 30 Hz–15 MHz. The impedance spectra were analyzed together with earlier results for perpendicular direction. Low frequency dispersion due to the interfacial polarization from Maxwell–Wagner type space charge effect has been observed. It was established that anomalous rise of relaxation time in the 145–190 K temperature range far from the known phase transitions temperatures is characteristic only for the polarization perpendicular to the layers plane. The model of a specific phase transition taking place in 145–190 K temperature region assuming carriers accumulation was proposed. Charge disproportination is the main characteristic feature of this phase transition which leads to the charge density modulation in one crystallographic direction perpendicular to the layers plane of the crystal.


The migration of financial betting to prediction market exchanges in the last 5 years has facilitated the creation of contracts that do not correspond to a security traded on a traditional exchange. The most popular of these have been binary options on the closing value of Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). Prices of these options imply expectations of volatility over the very short term, and they can be used to construct an index that has significant incremental predictive power, even after controlling for multiple lags of realized volatility and implied volatility from longer-term options. The index also has significant incremental power in predicting volatility over the next day, week, or month and in predicting trending or mean reversal in the level of the DJIA.


Photoswitching
of phytochrome photoreceptors between red-absorbing (Pr) and far-red absorbing
(Pfr) states triggers light adaptation of plants, bacteria and other organisms.
Using quantum chemistry, we elucidate the color-tuning mechanism of
phytochromes and identify the origin of the Pfr-state red-shifted spectrum.
Spectral variations are explained by resonance interactions of the protonated
linear tetrapyrrole chromophore. In particular, hydrogen bonding of pyrrole
ring D with the strictly conserved aspartate shifts the positive charge towards
ring D thereby inducing the red spectral shift. Our MD simulations demonstrate
that formation of the ring D–aspartate hydrogen bond depends on interactions
between the chromophore binding domain (CBD) and phytochrome specific domain
(PHY). Our study guides rational engineering of fluorescent phytochromes with a
far-red shifted spectrum.


Low measurement speed remains as a major shortcoming of the scanning probe microscopic techniques. It leads not only to a low measurement throughput, but also to a significant measurement drift over the long measurement time needed (up to hours or even days). In this paper, development of a high speed metrological large range atomic force microscope (HS Met. LR-AFM) with a capable measurement speed up to 1 mm/s is presented. In its design, a high accurate nanopositioning and nanomeasuring machine (NMM) is combined with a high dynamic flexure hinge piezo stage to move sample. The AFM output signal is combined with the position readouts of the piezo stage and the NMM to derive the surface topography. This design has a remarkable advantage that it well combines different bandwidth and amplitude of different stages/sensors, which is required for high speed measurements. While the HS Met. LR-AFM significantly reduces the measurement time while maintains (or even improves) the metrological performance than the previous Met. LR-AFM, its application capabilities are extended significantly. Two application examples, the realisation of reference areal surface metrology and the calibration of a kind 3D nano standards, have been demonstrated in the paper in detail.


The dry anaerobic digestion process is an innovative waste-recycling method to treat high-solidcontent bio-wastes. This can be done without dilution with water by microbial consortia in an oxygenfree environment to recover potential renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer for sustainable solid waste management. It generally takes place at solid concentrations higher than 10% and enables a higher volumetric organic loading rate, minimal material handling, lower energy requirements for heating, limited environmental consequences and energetically effective performance. The long retention time, poor startup performance, incomplete mixing and the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are considered as the main disadvantages for the solid-state fermentation process. In order to develop feasible dry anaerobic digestion processes, it is important to review the optimization techniques and suggest possible areas where improvements could be made. These include reactor configuration, mixing, solid retention time, feedstocks, organic loading rate, inoculation, co-digestion, pretreatment, percolation, additives and environmental conditions within the digester such as temperature, pH, buffering capacity and VFAs concentration.


BACKGROUND
Bacterial plaque accumulation at the dentogingival junction and in periodontal pockets is the major etiologic factor in all manifestations of periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a locally delivered 25% metronidazole gel after scaling and root planing (SRP) would enhance the treatment outcome over SRP alone in periodontal pockets with symptoms of recurring chronic inflammation.

METHODS
Twenty-one maintenance-care patients, 10 men and 11 women, having at least one pair of contralateral anatomically matching proximal tooth surfaces showing probing depth > or = 5 mm and bleeding on probing (BOP), were included in the study. The sites were randomized to be treated with SRP plus 25% metronidazole gel (test sites) or with SRP alone (control sites) in a split-mouth design. Clinical evaluations were performed immediately pretreatment (baseline) and at 3 and 6 months post-treatment.

RESULTS
Both treatments yielded a statistically significant (P = 0.001) reduction in probing depth (1.9 and 1.8 mm), gain of attachment level (1.6 and 1.0 mm), and reduction of BOP (38.1% and 33.3%) for test and control sites, respectively, at 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference between the treatments for any of the clinical parameters.

CONCLUSION
This study indicates that a locally applied 25% metronidazole gel does not improve the treatment outcome over SRP alone in sites with recurring chronic inflammation in maintenance-care patients.


The family is one of the most important institutions of African societies. Where is it going today? How is it affected by global processes, cultural and political as well as economic? How does it compare with family developments in other parts of the world? These are questions, which this report addresses. It deals with – the African family in a comparative global context, focusing on patriarchy, sexuality and marriage, and fertility;– biological and social reproduction in Ghana under conditions of globalization and structural adjustment;– Nigerian marriage relations under the impact of current conditions;– family changes in the North (Britain) viewed from and compared with a family perspective from the South (South Africa).


Wittgenstein s remark to Drury that he looks at philosophical problems from a religious point of view has greatly puzzled commentators. The paper argues that the readings given by commentators Malcolm, Winch and Lebron are illuminating, but inadequate. Second, using Wittgenstein s use-conception of meaning as an example, the paper proposes a more adequate reading that emphasizes Wittgenstein s view that nothing is hidden ( Philosophical Investigations , para. 435). In this connection, the paper examines Fodor s critique of Wittgenstein s use-conception and shows how Fodor only refutes a misuse-conception meaning because he presupposes a kind of linguistic meaning, the kind that Wittgenstein emphasizes, that is already before his eyes (and, therefore, prior to Fodor s theories of meaning). Wittgenstein s view that the truth is already before one s eyes is further explained by employing an ethical analogy with Raskolnikov s enlightenment in Dostoevsky s Crime and Punishment . Finally, the paper addresses the difficult question whether Wittgenstein is, despite his own denials, a religious man, and argues that there is a non-trivial religious dimension in Wittgenstein s life but that there are several important senses in which Wittgenstein is correct that he is not a religious person.


This paper presents an investigation on the influence of various factors on rolling shear (RS) properties of timber feedstock for cross laminated timber (CLT) available from Australian plantation forest resources. Comparison of RS properties between three softwood species namely southern pine, radiata pine and hoop pine are presented. Furthermore, the effect of modulus of elasticity (MOE), equilibrium moisture content (EMC), aspect ratio, knots and projection length on rolling shear behaviour were investigated. Mean RS modulus for radiata pine, southern pine and hoop pine samples were 74.7 MPa, 87.1 MPa and 99.7 MPa, whilst the RS strength of those species were 2.6 MPa, 3.1 MPa and 3.7 MPa, respectively. Radiata pine samples exhibited the lowest values for RS modulus and strength, almost 30% less than those of hoop pine samples. The study confirmed that the density and MOE had a very weak correlation with RS properties for all pine species. There was an obvious decrease in RS modulus (by 18%) when the woods' conditioned EMC changed from 8% to 12%. A further 33% decrease was observed when the woods' conditioned EMC increased from 12% to 16%. However, the percentage increase in RS strength was found to be 23% higher in wood with 12% conditioned EMC while compared against wood conditioned to 16% EMC. RS strength improved with increased aspect ratio; however, RS modulus remained almost unaffected. Moreover, the projection length that resulted in the load passing through the centroid of the specimen resulted in lower RS modulus values, but the presence of knots improved both RS strength and modulus for all three tested species.


A well-timed phenology is essential for plant growth and reproduction, but species-specific phenological strategies are still poorly understood. Here, we use a common garden approach to compare biannual leaf-out data for 495 woody species growing outdoors in Munich, 90% of them not native to that climate regime. For three species, data were augmented by herbarium dates for 140-year-long time series. We further meta-analysed 107 temperate-zone woody species in which leaf-out cues have been studied, half of them also monitored here. Southern climate-adapted species flushed significantly later than natives, and photoperiod- and chilling- sensitive species all flushed late. The herbarium method revealed the extent of species-specific climate tracking. Our results forecast that: (1) a northward expansion of southern species due to climate warming will increase the number of late flushers in the north, counteracting documented and expected flushing time advances; and (2) photoperiod- and chilling-sensitive woody species cannot rapidly track climate warming.


The present study aimed to develop a scale for measuring Qataris' attitudes toward coaching and their intentions towards this profession. The survey target population included Qataris who were 18 years or older and who lived in residential housing units in Qatar. To assure representation of population a proportionate stratified sampling method was used. Overall, 823 Qatari nationals participated in the study. To develop the scale for measuring Qataris' attitudes toward coaching (ATC), standard scale development procedures were followed. These procedures resulted in a 5-factors measure; Image, Personal development, Job nature, Rewards and Limitations. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided initial evidence regarding the factorial, convergent and discriminant validity of the scale. The reliability of all factors were also satisfactory. The five aforementioned factors predicted 22% of the variability in job intentions. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.


The objective of this Education Technical Group (ETG) panel is to discuss the problem of recruiting students into the Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) discipline and to offer strategies and solutions for effectively increasing awareness of HF/E among undergraduate students in psychology and engineering. Each panelist was selected because of his or her experience with and commitment to HF/E education. Drs. J. Christopher Brill, Patricia DeLucia, John Flach, David Kaber, and Robert Youmans will participate in the discussion. Dr. Brill will provide an introduction to frame the discussion and will present effective strategies for increasing undergraduate enrollment in HF/E courses. Dr. DeLucia will provide her perspective on integrating human factors into an undergraduate psychology curriculum. Dr. Flach will discuss how exposing undergraduates to the tangible, design-related aspects of HF/E may increase student interest. Dr. Kaber will discuss the need for increased emphasis on graduate education in Industrial Systems Engineering. Dr. Youmans will present perspectives on how the realities of academia disincentivize faculty members from focusing upon undergraduate student development.


The much larger default 64-bit subnet address space of IPv6 should in
principle make traditional network (port) scanning techniques used by
certain network worms or scanning tools less effective. While
traditional network scanning probes (whether by individuals or
automated via network worms) may become less common, administrators
should be aware that attackers may use other techniques to discover
IPv6 addresses on a target network, and thus they should also be aware
of measures that are available to mitigate them. This informational
document discusses approaches that administrators could take when
planning their site address allocation and management strategies as
part of a defence-in-depth approach to network security. This memo
provides information for the Internet community.


Parameters for production and purification of a bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus N2 are described. Production of lactatin B was pH dependent, with maximum activity detected in broth cultures maintained at pH 6. Lactacin B was purified by ion-exchange chromatography, ultrafiltration, and successive gel filtrations in the presence of 8 M urea and then 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. The molecular weight of lactacin B was ca. 6,000 to 6,500, and the purified compound showed maximum absorbance at 211 nm. The activity of purified lactacin B was bactericidal to sensitive cells and restricted to members of the family Lactobacilliaceae, L. keichmannii, L. bulgaricus, L. helveticus, and L. lactis. Characteristics identified for lactacin B indicated that it was a peptide and confirmed its identity as a bacteriocin. Bacteriocins are antagonistic proteins or peptides that show bactericidal activity against closely related species


Historic area has its own charm when it is well-designed. One of the historic area that recognized as heritage area by Pasuruan City Government is Jalan Pahlawan. For the sake of supporting the vitality of the heritage area, the city's government will revitalize Pahlawan Street by carrying heritage theme. So far, the revitalitation that have been done are pedestrian path improvement and colonial-themed street attributes addition. These effort have been realized  in half segment  of  Pahlawan Street. The visual quality study can be used as measurement tool in assessing the aesthetics of Pahlawan Street, with a mean score statistical method. The object of study is divided into two segments, segment I is a section of road that has not been revitalized and segment II, is a section of road that has been revitalized. This study uses a questionnaire survey method with 120 respondents in each segment with a nonprobability sampling technique.. Visual quality was tested using 6 aspects of visual quality, i.e: complexity, coherence, legibility, attractiveness, uniqueness and harmony in the form of questionnaires, and measured using a 7 point Likert scale. The study findings that the revitalized segment II as a whole is considered to have better visual quality and more representative of the historic area than segment I, also found that visually revitalized roads are more enjoyable than those that have not been revitalized.


Implementing International Economic Law focuses on the relationship between the rules of public international law and international economic law from the point of view of dispute settlement mechanisms. It demonstrates that the practice of international adjudicative bodies such as the WTO and the ICSID went beyond merely interpreting and applying the rules of law and became international organisations as "law-makers". This is where the sources of international law play a crucial role.


A simple apparatus for the measurement of Seebeck coefficient ({\alpha}) in the temperature range 300-620 K has been fabricated. Our design is appropriate for the characterization of samples with different geometries like disk and rod shaped. The sample holder assembly of the apparatus has been designed in such a way that, single heater used for sample heating purpose is enough to provide a self maintain temperature gradient (1-10 K) across the sample. The value of $\alpha$ is obtained without explicit measurement of temperature gradient. The whole apparatus is fabricated from the materials, which are commonly available, so that any part can be replaced in case of any damage. Commercially available standard Nickel (Ni) metal sample has been used as a reference material for calibration of the instrument. The experimentally observed value of {\alpha} by our apparatus gives the similar temperature dependent behavior as reported in the literature.


High-resolution Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, together with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software provide powerful new tools for the taphonomist. We have applied these techniques in our research on a massive Upper Cretaceous dinosaur bonebed in the Lance Formation in northeastern Wyoming, permitting centimeter accurate photographic reconstructions of the features of the quarry essential for taphonomic study. We can then query the resulting three dimensional mapping and answer essential taphonomic questions after returning from the field. We are able to process over two thousand specimens from a typical season's excavation and convert the data into accurate and addressable virtual quarry maps. Using the resulting quarry maps, we can visualize the positions of every bone. The maps and photographs and data on the specimens are available on the internet so that the integrity of the taphonomic data, now in excess of sixteen thousand specimens, is assured for the future.


Silicon quantum dots were synthesised wet-chemically by three different methods based on reduction of silicon tetrachloride with the reduction agents potassium naphthalide, sodium cyclopentadiene and the alkalide of potassium. The purpose of these quantum dots was to deposit them on a substrate in order to use them as down converters on top of photovoltaic solar cells for enhanced solar cell efficiency. One possible method for the formation of down converting layers is to incorporate quantum dots into silica thin films by deposition of quantum dots in an ethanol based silica sol, followed by spin coating. It is believed that when the quantum dots are water dispersible, this will make it easier to bind them to the silica network, and a good dispersion in the film is facilitated. The different hydrophilic functionalisations investigated were pentenoxy capping, oxidised pentenoxy capping, oxidised acrylic acid capping and ethanolamine capping. Challenges were encountered during the synthesis of water dispersible quantum dots, the most important were related to agglomeration and purification of the quantum dots. This was believed to be due to the tendency of hydrophilic surface groups to attract each other, interaction with the polar solvent and similar solubility characteristics of the quantum dots and the byproduct salts. Si quantum dots with hydrophobic octoxy capping were also synthesised. Dispersions of these quantum dots were deposited onto solid substrates followed by solvent evaporation. This was done to see whether it was possible to deposit the synthesised quantum dots by this simple approach, to investigate the fundamentals upon evaporation, the degree of agglomeration and the byproducts present in the quantum dot dispersions. It was found that agglomeration was very pronounced after the solvent had evaporated and that quite large amounts of byproducts were present in the final quantum dot dispersions. The most important reasons to this were believed to be too weak steric repulsive forces between the particles, too fast evaporation of the solvent and an insufficient purification procedure. For the use of Si quantum dots synthesised wet-chemically as down converters in solar cells, improvements of the particles are needed.


Background and Purpose Dual anti-platelet therapy is necessary prior to treatment with the Pipeline Embolisation Device (PED). Although not fully accepted, routine monitoring of antiplatelet medications has been recently emphasised. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the P2Y12 test was predictive of perioperative complications with the PED and to identify an optimal pre-procedure value range. Methods Sixty-seven patients treated with the PED at our institution were included for analysis. Patients received 81 mg of aspirin and 75mg of clopidogrel for 5–10 days prior to the procedure. P2Y12 receptor inhibition was assessed with the VerifyNow test (Accumetrics, San Diego, California). Results All patients were on dual antiplatelet therapy and were tested on the day of the procedure. Mean aneurysm size was 10.4 mm, and mean number of PEDs was 1.4 per patient. Two patients were clopidogrel non responders and were switched to prasugrel before the procedure. The mean of the P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) was 148 ± 83 and the mean of the percentage inhibition was 51 ± 26. Perioperative complications (including clinically silent events) occurred in 11 (16.4%) patients (2 hemorrhagic and 9 ischaemic events). No patient had post-treatment aneurysm rupture and no PED thrombosed within 120 days. Patients with a percentage inhibition of ≤70 had a complication rate of 23% versus 0% in those with a percentage inhibition >70 (p=0.1). The complication rate tended to be lower in patients with PRU < 90 (5%) versus those with PRU ≥90 (20%, p=0.1). PRU was significantly predictive of the percentage inhibition via linear regression (p<0.001) with an overall formula: Percentage inhibition = 93.82 + (PRU x -0.286). Conclusion A percentage inhibition of ≤70 and a PRU ≥90 tended to be associated with perioperative complications. Both parameters appear to be important for monitoring platelet function. Our results suggest that neurointerventionalists should target a percentage inhibition >70 for PED procedures. Further study is needed to determine the percentage inhibition above which the risk of hemorrhagic complications is increased. Abstract O-030 Figure 1 Disclosures N. Chalouhi: None. S. Ho: None. P. Jabbour: None. R. Starke: None. S. Tjoumakaris: None. A. Dumont: None. R. Rosenwasser: None. L. Gonzalez: None.


Thermal boundary conductance (TBC) of the Ag/diamond and Au/diamond interfaces with a nanometer-thick interface layer of either nickel or molybdenum is measured by time domain thermoreflectance and modeled based on a 3-layer two-temperature model (3l-TTM). The rationale for this study is to critically assess the role of the electron-phonon coupling factor of the interlayer along with its thickness on the TBC. It is shown that the TBC of both systems rapidly increases with the interlayer thickness until reaching a stable plateau for thicknesses greater than 1.5 nm. The plateau average value is 15%–25% lower than the intrinsic TBC between the interlayer material and the diamond substrate. This behavior and values of the TBC of both systems are in good agreement with the predictions of the 3l-TTM. The predictability of this model is also analyzed for a Cu interlayer inserted at Au/silicon interfaces with thicknesses ranging from 1.5 to 20 nm. While the room temperature TBC of this system is well described by the 3l-TTM, the values measured at 80 K can only be predicted by the 3l-TTM, provided that the interlayer electron-phonon coupling factor is reduced by a factor of 2, as was experimentally observed for Ag and Au. The obtained experimental results along with the proposed model can thus be useful for tailoring the TBC of metallic interfaces in a wide range of temperatures.Thermal boundary conductance (TBC) of the Ag/diamond and Au/diamond interfaces with a nanometer-thick interface layer of either nickel or molybdenum is measured by time domain thermoreflectance and modeled based on a 3-layer two-temperature model (3l-TTM). The rationale for this study is to critically assess the role of the electron-phonon coupling factor of the interlayer along with its thickness on the TBC. It is shown that the TBC of both systems rapidly increases with the interlayer thickness until reaching a stable plateau for thicknesses greater than 1.5 nm. The plateau average value is 15%–25% lower than the intrinsic TBC between the interlayer material and the diamond substrate. This behavior and values of the TBC of both systems are in good agreement with the predictions of the 3l-TTM. The predictability of this model is also analyzed for a Cu interlayer inserted at Au/silicon interfaces with thicknesses ranging from 1.5 to 20 nm. While the room temperature TBC of this system is well described by...


1. Plasma renin activity and circulating amounts of blood angiotensin II were measured in twenty-six patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension. 2. Measurements were made during a control period and at 1, 4, 9 and 14 weeks of diuretic treatment with metolazone or hydrochlorothiazide. 3. Linear regression analysis indicated a progressive change in the relation of plasma renin activity and blood angiotensin II. 4. During chronic diuretic therapy (beyond 14 weeks) blood angiotensin II had stabilized to low and relatively fixed values across a wide range of plasma renin activities.


An intrusion detection system (IDS) seeks to identify unauthorized access to computer systems' resources and data. The most common analysis tool that these modern systems apply is the operating system audit trail that provides a fingerprint of system events over time. In this research, the Basic Security Module auditing tool of Sun's Solaris operating environment was used in both an anomaly and misuse detection approach. The anomaly detector consisted of the statistical likelihood analysis of system calls, while the misuse detector was built with a neural network trained on groupings of system calls. This research demonstrates the potential benefits of combining both aspects of detection in future IDSs to decrease false positive and false negative errors.


Phthalides are bioactive compounds that naturally occur in the family Apiaceae. Considering their potentially versatile applications, it is desirable to determine their physical properties, activity and metabolic pathways. This study aimed to examine the utility of whole-cell biocatalysts for obtaining 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide, which is the metabolite formulated during mammalian metabolism of 3-n-butylidenephthalide. We performed transformations using 10 strains of fungi, five of which efficiently produced 3-butyl-3-hydroxyphthalide. The product yield, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography, reached 97.6% when Aspergillus candidus AM 386 was used as the biocatalyst. Increasing the scale of the process resulted in isolation yields of 29–45% after purification via reversed-phase thin layer chromatography, depending on the strain of the microorganism used. We proposed different mechanisms for product formation; however, hydration of 3-n-butylidenephthalide seems to be the most probable. Additionally, all phthalides were tested against clinical strains of Candida albicans using the microdilution method. Two phthalides showed a minimum inhibitory concentration, required to inhibit the growth of 50% of organisms, below 50 µg/mL. The 3-n-butylidenephthalide metabolite was generally inactive, and this feature in combination with its low lipophilicity suggests its involvement in the detoxification pathway. The log P value of tested compounds was in the range of 2.09–3.38.


A good mathematics instructor is a proficient organizer of pupils for instruction in mathematics (Ediger, 1997, pp 18-38). Here, the teacher has numerous incidental ways for pupils to learn mathematics. Bulletin board displays which illustrate selected facts, concepts, and generalizations in mathematics can assist pupils to obtain needed background information on their very own. The bulletin board display may also be used in direct teaching of pupils as they relate to an ongoing lesson or unit of study. One of the best stimulating bulletin board displays I observed when supervising student teachers and cooperating teachers in the public schools emphasized a history of measurement. Many pupils were fascinated with the display by noticing how the centimeter, meter, and kilometer had their beginning or origin. I think the bulletin board display here helped pupils to learn more about measurement. Many pupils spent much time viewing and discussing the bulletin board display. The mathematics teacher needs to take down a display when it has served its purpose and prepare a new one which encourages pupil learning. Using Learning Stations The mathematics teacher may organize pupils for instruction by developing a set of learning stations. Each station needs to be labeled so that pupils know what to expect at the center. I suggest that each learning station have concrete (objects, items, and realia) for pupils to learn from. These concrete materials stimulate and motivate pupil learning. Semiconcrete materials (illustrations, slides, videotapes, filmstrips, CDs, computer software and personal computers, as well as films should also be located at each station, along with abstract learning materials such as textbook and workbook materials, photocopied problems, reading activities, writing experiences, listening/participating through discussions and cassette recordings, among other tasks. The concrete, semiconcrete, and abstract materials may become a part of the tasks on task cards. One task card per center should be in evidence. A fine set of tasks one cooperating teacher wrote was the following as an example: A Geometry Center (Grade Three) 1. take four geometrical figures from this station and find the perimeter of each. 2. select two geometrical figures and find the area of each. 3. make your own geometrical figures and develop an art project which shows a new scene. 4. view the filmstrip entitled Geometrical Figures and answer the related questions located next to the projector. 5. view and discuss with five other pupils content in the videotape entitled Geometry is fun. Write five main ideas gathered from your discussion. The mathematics teacher should have an adequate number of tasks at the different stations so that a pupil may omit what does not possess perceived purpose and yet there are ample activities for time on task for each learner. The mathematics teacher assists and guides pupils to achieve and learn at the diverse stations. He/she does not lecture to pupils. Each pupil should be actively engaged in learning. Peer assistance and help should be welcomed as needed. Learners may choose individual as well as collaborative tasks to pursue (see Reys, Suydam, and Lindquist, 1995). The philosophy in back of learning station use is that pupils will achieve more if they may choose what to pursue and what to omit. A teacher may arrange stations so that pupils may experience the basics as well as activity centered approaches. Much is written about stressing a hands on approach in guiding pupil learning in mathematics. With ample concrete and semiconcrete experiences available in terms of materials and listed tasks at each station, pupils may certainly experience a hands on approach in learning. At the same time, there are ample opportunities for pupil learning that provide for individual differences and learning styles (Ediger, 1995, 13-15). …


Simultaneous, enantiomer-specific identification of chiral molecules in multi-component mixtures is extremely challenging. Many established techniques for single-component analysis fail to provide selectivity in multi-component mixtures and lack sensitivity for dilute samples. Here we show how enantiomers may be differentiated by mass-selected photoelectron circular dichroism using an electron–ion coincidence imaging spectrometer. As proof of concept, vapours containing B 1% of two chiral monoterpene molecules, limonene and camphor, are irradiated by a circularly polarized femtosecond laser, resulting in multiphoton near-threshold ionization with little molecular fragmentation. Large chiral asymmetries (2–4%) are observed in the mass-tagged photoelectron angular distributions. These asymmetries switch sign according to the handedness ( R - or S -) of the enantiomer in the mixture and scale with enantiomeric excess of a component. The results demonstrate that mass spectrometric identification of mixtures of chiral molecules and quantitative determination of enantiomeric excess can be achieved in a table-top instrument.


Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can be an effective procedure for patients with heart failure but 30% of patients do not respond. This may be partially caused by the sub-optimal placement of the left ventricular lead. We demonstrate how pre-procedural cardiac MR images can be used to assist CRT by integration of anatomical and functional information with live X-ray images. We evaluated our approach in 7 patients. Each patient underwent pre-CRT MRI scan using MultiHance contrast. This included whole heart imaging sequence; 3D tagged and cine imaging for function; and late enhancement imaging for scar. The MRI data were processed to yield a detailed anatomical model. Whole heart segmentation was achieved automatically using the Philips EP Planner and the coronary venous anatomy was manually segmented by a clinical expert. Functional information was derived using the Tomtec 4D LV-Analysis. The left ventricle was segmented into the standard 16 segment AHA model and the functional information could be added to this. If scar was present, this was segmented by an expert and added to the model. The implant was carried out using a Philips Allura X-ray system and the detailed cardiac model was registered to the X-ray fluoroscopy using multiple views of a catheter looped in the right atrium. There was complete freedom of movement of the X-ray system and respiratory motion compensation was achieved by tracking the diaphragm. The software framework was a specially modified version of the Philips EP Navigator. We validated the registration using balloon occlusion coronary veno-grams. The mean 2D target registration error for 7 patients was 1.3±0.68 mm. Furthermore, left lead deployment was successful in all patients.


Bir, A., Benidir, M., & Ikhlef, S. (2019). Sustainability analysis of dairy cattle farms and their susceptibility to climatic hazards in the semi-arid area of Setif (Algeria). Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 25(1), 3–9 In this study, the method of farm sustainability indicators (IDEA) was used to assess the sustainability of dairy cattle farms and their susceptibility to climatic hazards in three agro-bioclimatic stages of the semi-arid region of Setif (Algeria). Overall, the results show a high level of agro-ecological sustainability (56.24 points out of 100), acceptable for economic sustainability (54.36 points out of 100) and average for socio-territorial sustainability (52.31 points out of 100). The best sustainability performances were recorded at the farms of the North agro-bioclimatic stage, with 60.42 points out of 100 for the agro-ecological scale, 54.60 points out of 100 for the socio-territorial scale, 60.31 points on 100 for the economic scale and 51.21 points on 100 for agricultural sustainability. However, Southern agro-bio-climatic farms recorded the lowest scores of 49.82, 48.38, 46.71 and 41.97 points out of 100 respectively for the agro-ecological scale, socio-territorial scale, economic scale and agricultural sustainability.


Based on the first year-long record of mixing collected in the eastern central Bay of Bengal, we quantify the role that subsurface turbulent heat fluxes play in upper-ocean cooling brought on by southwest (SW) and northeast (NE) monsoons. During the NE (dry, or winter) monsoon, atmospheric and subsurface turbulent heat fluxes each contribute about 50% of the net sea surface cooling. During the SW (wet, or summer) monsoon, the atmospheric heat flux varied widely due to "active" and "break" cycles of the monsoon intraseasonal oscillations, but had a net positive seasonal average. The subsurface turbulent heat flux during the SW monsoon led to surface cooling at rates more than three times greater than those measured during the NE monsoon. Since the seasonally averaged atmospheric heat flux was positive, subsurface mixing accounted for nearly all of the cooling during the SW monsoon. During the transition between the NE and SW monsoons, subsurface heat flux was near zero, and atmospheric heating rapidly warmed the sea surface. Following the SW monsoon, passage of Tropical Storm Hudhud led to O(1) m2 s–1 rates of turbulence diffusivity and strong subsurface heat flux, accounting for roughly half of the 1.4°C surface cooling that occurred over a 60-hour period.