The increase of free and open online biodiversity databases is of paramount importance for current research in ecology and evolution. However, little attention is paid to using updated taxonomy in these "biodiversity big data" repositories and the quality of their taxonomic information is often questioned. Here we assess how reliable is the current use of nomenclatural classification in the distributional information available from two biodiversity information networks: GBIF and the Brazilian SpeciesLink. We use as a study case the records of Auchenipteridae, a Neotropical fish family that has been subject to recent taxonomical reviews. A data filtering procedure was applied to identify and quantify the inaccuracies in the taxonomical status of the records in three steps: assessment of identification accuracy at the family, genus or species level; current validity of species name; and assignation of inaccurate species records to different categories of classification quality. Synonyms, nonexistent combinations, and outdated combinations were reassigned to currently valid species. A total of 9148 records of Auchenipteridae fishes were analyzed, of which 4165 were from GBIF and 4983 from SpeciesLink, deriving from 46 and 31 sources, respectively. After correcting all possible records following the taxonomic data filtering steps, 6988 records (76.4% of the original) were adequate for describing species distributions, while 2160 remained inaccurate. The most inaccurate records at the species level were due to the use of outdated nomenclatures, resulting in non-valid combinations of species and genus, and synonymy. Our results evidence a large taxonomic inconsistency among records, and, most importantly, that taxonomic information obtained from repositories should be used with caution. Many inaccuracy issues may be embedded in the biodiversity databases' records, which could lead researchers to provide an incomplete or even mistaken perspective of the variations in the natural world.


In this research, the authors present theoretical explanations for quantitative and qualitative types of changes to evaluate the malleability of general self-efficacy (GSE) and specific self-efficacy (SSE) measures due to domain-specific training. First, the authors hypothesize that the change in the GSE measure due to sales training is a quantitative mean-difference (alpha) change. Second, they hypothesize that the change in SSE due to sales training is a qualitative (beta or gamma) change. Results of latent variable cross-lagged analysis on sales trainee data (N = 417) support the authors' hypothesis that the difference in GSE was quantitative. Findings also provide partial support of the second hypothesis that a change in a SSE measure was qualitative. The qualitative change is attributed to the novelty and complexity of the particular SSE tasks (i.e., direct selling). Additional analysis of rank-order consistency further validates the measures and demonstrates the GSE measure was consistent before and after training whereas the SSE scales were not as consistent. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.


Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) intrinsic films and solar cells with n–i–p configuration were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The influence of n/i and i/p buffer layers on the μc-Si:H cell performance was studied in detail. The experimental results demonstrated that the efficiency is much improved when there is a higher crystallinity at n/i interface and an optimized a-Si:H buffer layer at i/p interface. By combining the above methods, the performance of μc-Si:H single-junction and a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cells has been significantly improved.


During resuscitation of the patient suffering from hemorrhagic shock, it may be difficult to determine the adequacy of treatment in the acute setting. The objective of these preliminary studies was to determine if monitoring perfusion of the gastrointestinal tract as estimated by gastric intramucosal pH (pHi) is useful as a guide during the treatment of hemorrhagic shock. Dogs were bled using a modified Wigger's method to a mean arterial blood pressure of 50 mmHg, and pHi was determined 30, 60, 90, and 120 min later. Gastric intramucosal acidosis developed within 30 min of induction of hemorrhagic shock. It was also found that pHi decreases with relatively small amounts of blood loss. There was a significant fall in pHi following hemorrhage to a mean arterial pressure of 80 mmHg from a baseline pressure of 100 mmHg. Following the reinfusion of shed blood, the pHi returned to baseline values within 30 min. It is concluded that measurements of pHi may be a useful monitor in the evaluation and initial resuscitation of patients in hemorrhagic shock.


Living organisms throughout evolution have developed desired properties, such as the ability
of maintaining functionality despite changes in the environment or their inner structure, the
formation of functional modules, from metabolic pathways to organs, and most essentially
the capacity to adapt and evolve in a process called natural selection. It can be observed in
the metabolic networks of modern organisms that many key pathways such as the citric acid
cycle, glycolysis, or the biosynthesis of most amino acids are common to all of them.
Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms behind this development of complex biological
systems is an intriguing and important task of current research in biology as well as artificial
life. Several competing hypotheses for the formation of metabolic pathways and the mecha-
nisms that shape metabolic networks have been discussed in the literature, each of which finds
support from comparative analysis of extant genomes. However, while being powerful tools
for the investigation of metabolic evolution, these traditional methods do not allow to look
back in evolution far enough to the time when metabolism had to emerge and evolve to the
form we can observe today. To this end, simulation studies have been introduced to discover
the principles of metabolic evolution and the sources for the emergence of metabolism prop-
erties. These approaches differ considerably in the realism and explicitness of the underlying
models. A difficult trade-off between realism and computational feasibility has to be made
and further modeling decisions on many scales have to be taken into account, requiring the
combination of knowledge from different fields such as chemistry, physics, biology and last
but not least also computer science.
In this thesis, a novel computational model for the in silico evolution of early metabolism
is introduced. It comprises all the components on different scales to resemble a situation of
evolving metabolic protocells in an RNA-world. Therefore, the model contains a minimal
RNA-based genetics and an evolving metabolism of catalytic ribozymes that manipulate a
rich underlying chemistry. To allow the metabolic organization to escape from the confines
of the chemical space set by the initial conditions of the simulation and in general an open-
ended evolution, an evolvable sequence-to-function map is used. At the heart of the metabolic
subsystem is a graph-based artificial chemistry equipped with a built-in thermodynamics. The
generation of the metabolic reaction network is realized as a rule-based stochastic simulation.
The necessary reaction rates are calculated from the chemical graphs of the reactants on
the fly. The selection procedure among the population of protocells is based on the optimal metabolic yield of the protocells, which is computed using flux balance analysis.
The introduced computational model allows for profound investigations of the evolution of
early metabolism and the underlying evolutionary mechanisms. One application in this thesis
is the study of the formation of metabolic pathways. Therefore, four established hypothe-
ses, namely the backwards evolution, forward evolution, patchwork evolution and the shell
hypothesis, are discussed within the realms of this in silico evolution study. The metabolic
pathways of the networks, evolved in various simulation runs, are determined and analyzed
in terms of their evolutionary direction. The simulation results suggest that the seemingly
mutually exclusive hypotheses may well be compatible when considering that different pro-
cesses dominate different phases in the evolution of a metabolic system. Further, it is found
that forward evolution shapes the metabolic network in the very early steps of evolution. In
later and more complex stages, enzyme recruitment supersedes forward evolution, keeping a
core set of pathways from the early phase. Backward evolution can only be observed under
conditions of steady environmental change. Additionally, evolutionary history of enzymes
and metabolites were studied on the network level as well as for single instances, showing a
great variety of evolutionary mechanisms at work.
The second major focus of the in silico evolutionary study is the emergence of complex system
properties, such as robustness and modularity. To this end several techniques to analyze the
metabolic systems were used. The measures for complex properties stem from the fields of
graph theory, steady state analysis and neutral network theory. Some are used in general
network analysis and others were developed specifically for the purpose introduced in this
work. To discover potential sources for the emergence of system properties, three different
evolutionary scenarios were tested and compared. The first two scenarios are the same as
for the first part of the investigation, one scenario of evolution under static conditions and
one incorporating a steady change in the set of "food" molecules. A third scenario was
added that also simulates a static evolution but with an increased mutation rate and regular
events of horizontal gene transfer between protocells of the population. The comparison of all
three scenarios with real world metabolic networks shows a significant similarity in structure
and properties. Among the three scenarios, the two static evolutions yield the most robust
metabolic networks, however, the networks evolved under environmental change exhibit their
own strategy to a robustness more suited to their conditions. As expected from theory,
horizontal gene transfer and changes in the environment seem to produce higher degrees
of modularity in metabolism. Both scenarios develop rather different kinds of modularity,
while horizontal gene transfer provides for more isolated modules, the modules of the second
scenario are far more interconnected.


As one of the defining issues in environmental regulation over the past decade, the environmental justice movement has sought to bring civil rights and broader social justice issues to the forefront of environmental protection. The movement's challenge to traditional environmental regulation has distinguished itself because it has come from another group of political liberals rather than conservatives. Its goals remain largely unrealized, however, even though concerns about race and distributional equity in environmental protection are unlikely to go away. As explanations for this lack of success, scholars have pointed to specific legal doctrines as well as larger issues of lack of political power. Unfortunately, such accounts ignore the genuine concern and sincere efforts of many environmentalists and regulators in regard to these issues and the structural obstacles impeding attempts to change the environmental regulatory system. This essay seeks to provide a better understanding of these difficulties by examining the paradigms that civil rights law and environmental law have been based upon. A close analysis of Brown v. Board of Education, the foundational model for modern civil rights law, and the conceptions of environmental degradation put forth by Garrett Hardin's Tragedy of the Commons and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring illustrates the contrasting structures, methodologies, and value premises of civil rights and environmental law. They provide important insights into the debate about the environmental justice movement and the difficulties that environmental regulators have encountered in addressing distributional equity and fairness concerns much more broadly. Efforts by environmental regulators to address the concerns of the environmental justice movement are unlikely to succeed without measures addressing these deeper-lying tensions.


The explosion of DNA sequence data from genome projects presents many challenges. For instance, we must extend our current knowledge of protein structure and function so that it can be applied to these new sequences. The derivation of rules for the relationships between sequence and structure allow us to recognize a common fold by the use of tertiary templates. New techniques enable us to begin to meet the challenge of rule-based modelling of distantly related proteins. This paper describes an integrated and knowledge-based approach to the prediction of protein structure and function which can maximize the value of sequence information.


Purpose Assessing the presence of visual field defects (VFD) through procedures such as perimetry is an essential aspect of the management and diagnosis of ocular disorders. However, even the latest perimetric methods have shortcomings—a high cognitive demand and requiring prolonged stable fixation and feedback through a button response. Consequently, an approach using eye movements (EM)—as a natural response—has been proposed as an alternate way to evaluate the presence of VFD. This approach has given good results for computer-simulated VFD. However, its use in patients is not well documented yet. Here we use this new approach to quantify the spatiotemporal properties (STP) of EM of various patients suffering from glaucoma and neuro-ophthalmological VFD and controls. Methods In total, 15 glaucoma patients, 37 patients with a neuro-ophthalmological disorder, and 21 controls performed a visual tracking task while their EM were being recorded. Subsequently, the STP of EM were quantified using a cross-correlogram analysis. Decision trees were used to identify the relevant STP and classify the populations. Results We achieved a classification accuracy of 94.5% (TPR/sensitivity = 96%, TNR/specificity = 90%) between patients and controls. Individually, the algorithm achieved an accuracy of 86.3% (TPR for neuro-ophthalmology [97%], glaucoma [60%], and controls [86%]). The STP of EM were highly similar across two different control cohorts. Conclusions In an ocular tracking task, patients with VFD due to different underlying pathology make EM with distinctive STP. These properties are interpretable based on different clinical characteristics of patients and can be used for patient classification. Translational Relevance Our EM-based screening tool may complement existing perimetric techniques in clinical practice.


In Kennedy v. St. Joseph's Ministries, Inc., the Fourth Circuit held that a federal appellate court may properly permit appeals of certified, interlocutory dismissal orders under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) ("§1292(b)")—even on matters of first impression—without the district court first addressing more routine grounds for dismissal. In interpreting this exception to the final-judgment rule, the court failed to heed "the cardinal principal" of judicial self-restraint that holds "that if it is not necessary to decide more, it is necessary not to decide more." Moreover, the court did not address the legal or factual hurdles facing parties who seek or oppose appeals under §1292(b). The Kennedy decision therefore (1) encourages piecemeal litigation by allowing parties to obtain interlocutory appeals under §1292(b), even when the case might just as efficiently be decided through a final judgment; and (2) leaves parties uncertain about how to litigate appeals under §1292(b). As such, the Kennedy decision threatens to lead to less efficiency and greater costs within the circuit, both to litigants and the courts.


Internet censorship by governments is an increasingly common practice worldwide. Internet users and censors are locked in an arms race: as users find ways to evade censorship schemes, the censors develop countermeasures for the evasion tactics. One of the most popular and effective circumvention tools, Tor, must regularly adjust its network traffic signature to remain usable. We present StegoTorus, a tool that comprehensively disguises Tor from protocol analysis. To foil analysis of packet contents, Tor's traffic is steganographed to resemble an innocuous cover protocol, such as HTTP. To foil analysis at the transport level, the Tor circuit is distributed over many shorter-lived connections with per-packet characteristics that mimic cover-protocol traffic. Our evaluation demonstrates that StegoTorus improves the resilience of Tor to fingerprinting attacks and delivers usable performance.


The size-distribution, coverage, electrochemical impedance, and mass-transport properties of H2 gas-bubble films were measured for both planar and microwire-array platinized n+-Si cathodes performing the hydrogen-evolution reaction in 0.50 M H2SO4(aq). Inverted, planar n+-Si/Ti/Pt cathodes produced large, stationary bubbles which contributed to substantial increases in ohmic potential drops. In contrast, regardless of orientation, microwire array n+-Si/Ti/Pt cathodes exhibited a smaller layer of bubbles on the surface, and the formation of bubbles did not substantially increase the steady-state overpotential for H2(g) production. Experiments using an electroactive tracer species indicated that even when oriented against gravity, bubbles enhanced mass transport at the electrode surface. Microconvection due to growing and coalescing bubbles dominated effects due to macroconvection of gliding bubbles on Si microwire array cathodes. Electrodes that maintained a large number of small bubbles on the surface simultaneously exhibited low concentrations of dissolved hydrogen and small ohmic potential drops, thus exhibiting the lowest steady-state overpotentials. The results indicate that microstructured electrodes can operate acceptably for unassisted solar-driven water splitting in the absence of external convection and can function regardless of the orientation of the electrode with respect to the gravitational force vector.


This paper describes the sonification of movements of three clarinetists'. Rather than quantifying the different kinds of movements and presenting such information using visual methods such as graphs or tables, sonification of such gestures provides a complementary way of analysing movements which is possibly more informative than visualisation of data. This paper describes the design methodologies, mappings, and synthesis techniques used in transforming a set of data markers each with x, y and z cartesian coordinates into informative and intelligible sonifications.


In our media-driven world the perception of companies and institutions in the media is of major importance. The creation of press reviews analyzing the media response to company-related events is a complex and time-consuming task. In this demo we present a system that combines advanced text mining and machine learning approaches in an extensible press review system. The system collects documents from heterogeneous sources and enriches the documents applying different mining, filtering, classification, and aggregation algorithms. We present a system tailored to the needs of the press department of a major German University. We explain how the different components have been trained and evaluated. The system enables us demonstrating the live analyzes of news and social media streams as well as the strengths of advanced text mining algorithms for creating a comprehensive media analysis.


Temporal sentence grounding (TSG) aims to identify the temporal boundary of a specific segment from an untrimmed video by a sentence query. All existing works first utilize a sparse sampling strategy to extract a fixed number of video frames and then conduct multi-modal interactions with query sentence for reasoning. However, we argue that these methods have overlooked two indispensable issues: 1) Boundary-bias: The annotated target segment generally refers to two specific frames as corresponding start and end timestamps. The video downsampling process may lose these two frames and take the adjacent irrelevant frames as new boundaries. 2) Reasoning-bias: Such incorrect new boundary frames also lead to the reasoning bias during frame-query interaction, reducing the generalization ability of model. To alleviate above limitations, in this paper, we propose a novel Siamese Sampling and Reasoning Network (SSRN) for TSG, which introduces a siamese sampling mechanism to generate additional contextual frames to enrich and refine the new boundaries. Specifically, a reasoning strategy is developed to learn the inter-relationship among these frames and generate soft labels on boundaries for more accurate frame-query reasoning. Such mechanism is also able to supplement the absent consecutive visual semantics to the sampled sparse frames for fine-grained activity understanding. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of SSRN on three challenging datasets.


abstract:This article asks why some Indian districts experience chronic Maoist violence while others do not. The answer helps to explain India's Maoist civil war, which is the product of the accumulation of violence in a few districts, as well as to generate a new hypothesis about the causes of civil war more generally. The authors argue that, other things equal, the emergence of subaltern-led parties at the critical juncture before armed organizations enter crowds them out: the stronger the presence of subaltern-led political parties in a district at this juncture, the lower the likelihood of experiencing chronic armed violence subsequently. They develop their argument through field research and test its main prediction using an original, district-level data set on subaltern incorporation and Maoist violence in India between 1967 and 2008. The article contributes a new, party-based explanation to the literatures on both civil war and Maoist violence in India. It also introduces new district-level data on the Maoist movement and on the incorporation of subaltern ethnic groups by political parties in India.


Therapeutic options for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have been evolving rapidly, with the approval of a variety of effective molecular targeted agents. With increasing choices of treatment modalities that may potentially improve survival, it is of great clinical benefit to be able to predict the clinical outcome of mRCC patients treated with molecular targeted agents. In addition, predictors of severe adverse events are warranted since those molecular targeted agents present a toxicity profile that is very different from that of conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Their use requires knowledge of a large number of possible adverse events. Although validation of previous criteria, such as the Motzer criteria, is important, a further implementation of RCC molecular biology knowledge would be ideal for finding a new predictive marker in this new age of molecular targeted therapies. The most prominent biomarker is vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEGF). Those patients who presented low serum VEGF showed prolonged progression-free survival when treated with sunitinib. Genetic markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are continuously being validated as markers, predicting molecular targeted therapy response as well as severe adverse events. The identification of biomarkers that predict response or severe adverse events from molecular targeted agents will aid in patient selection and guide therapy development.


In October 2010, section 55(3) of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 came into force, and 'fear of serious violence' was expressly included in the statute as a qualifying trigger for 'loss of self-control' voluntary manslaughter, a partial defence to murder. This development (albeit that it is a gender-neutral provision) was anticipated to be an important step in recognising the situation of a woman who, in fearing a partner's violence, control and abuse, kills to preserve her own life. The provision is only operative where 'fear of serious violence' and 'loss of self-control' can be established, which, given its limitations, prohibits many women in fear of a partner's violence and coercion from successfully using this defence. The author's review of the legal reform and the case law, together with 40 homicide cases involving female defendants who killed intimate current or former partners (April 2011–March 2016) demonstrates that this defence, which promised to deliver justice for abused women, has been little used. Women's vulnerability and fear and response to intimate partner abuse and control is still insufficiently understood and explored and is evident where juries return murder rather than manslaughter verdicts. Further reform is needed to the legal framework regarding this and other defences in order to achieve a just law by incorporating women's experience of, and defensive response to, violence and control in its many forms.


Rotors are rotating electrical waves that may sustain atrial fibrillation (AF); thereby providing therapeutic targets for catheter ablation. We propose a method for identifying rotors from circular catheter recordings of bipolar intracardiac electrograms (EGM) during AF. We use dominant frequency-based periodicity detection along with a graph search algorithm to identify the most dominant periodic activations or peaks of interest in each bipolar EGM recorded by a multipolar circular catheter. We then track the activations across catheter bipoles to determine whether they conform to the rotational pattern of a rotor. The performance of the proposed method is tested on simulated bipolar EGM arrays containing rotor activation corrupted by noise and complex aperiodic signal features. The method is shown to perform with high accuracy (up to 98% sensitivity and 100% specificity) in detecting simulated rotors and may serve to guide rotor ablation in patients with AF.


Due to the crucial role that clothing plays in an adolescent's life, adolescents often become frustrated if society rejects their unusual clothing attitudes. In addition, clothing directly affects adolescents 'moods and assures them of a sense of self-confidence when their appearance is consistent with their peer group. Moreover, adolescent girls are distinguished by their rapid interaction with fashion in clothing and clothing accessories. They tend to wear the finest clothes that are in line with the latest fashion with the aim to express themselves. It has been shown that fashion designs at this stage do not meet their needs and do not meet the technical and functional requirements which are required by that stage for adolescent girls to express themselves and cope with the rapid change in their bodies and their desire to harmonize their appearance with their peer groups. Therefore, the researcher designed innovative collars suitable for girls in early adolescence that combine meeting their psychological and social needs and fashion trends so that the proposed collar designs can meet girls' requirements at that stage. The research problem is represented in the possibility of creating proposed designs for the collars which are suitable for girls in early adolescence as well as surveying the opinions of specialists, producers, designers, as well as female consumers in early adolescence towards the proposed collar designs, and the possibility of implementing selections from the proposed collar designs.


The temporal changes in epididymal sperm numbers during the month after sexual contact were examined in 80 adult albino rats. The comparably sexually experienced males in 6 experimental groups were allowed 3 ejaculations with ovariectomized females in which oestrus was induced by hormone injections. Epididymides were removed from the experimental males 1 h, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 7 days or 30 days later. Control males were sexually inexperienced or sexually experienced and living with females. Epididymal sperm counts revealed a pattern that resembled an inverted V-shaped function with a peak at 48 h after copulation. We suggest that sexual activity provokes an acute attenuation of sperm disposal within the epididymis with the result that more spermatozoa are available for ejaculation during sexually active times.


Recently, methods for skeleton-based human activity recognition have been shown to be vulnerable to adversarial attacks. However, these attack methods require either the full knowledge of the victim (i.e. white-box attacks), access to training data (i.e. transfer-based attacks) or frequent model queries (i.e. black-box attacks). All their requirements are highly restrictive, raising the question of how detrimental the vulnerability is. In this paper, we show that the vulnerability indeed exists. To this end, we consider a new attack task: the attacker has no access to the victim model or the training data or labels, where we coin the term hard no-box attack. Specifically, we first learn a motion manifold where we define an adversarial loss to compute a new gradient for the attack, named skeleton-motion-informed (SMI) gradient. Our gradient contains information of the motion dynamics, which is different from existing gradient-based attack methods that compute the loss gradient assuming each dimension in the data is independent. The SMI gradient can augment many gradient-based attack methods, leading to a new family of no-box attack methods. Extensive evaluation and comparison show that our method imposes a real threat to existing classifiers. They also show that the SMI gradient improves the transferability and imperceptibility of adversarial samples in both no-box and transfer-based black-box settings.


Available research evidence indicates that minority ethnic people in the UK are disproportionately represented in the crime figures and are more likely to be treated less favourably than their white counterparts in the criminal justice system. The evidence suggests that criminal justice decisions are sometimes influenced by racist stereotypes and prejudice (see Cook and Hudson 1993; Bowling and Phillips 2002). In addition, there is now a growing concern about discriminatory practice and unfair treatment of minority ethnic offenders post-sentence, for example in prisons, young offender institutions or while on community punishments (see, for example, Calverley et al. 2004). This chapter considers how ethnic diversity is addressed in offender management. It will examine what evidence there is of a true understanding of 'race' issues in the current approaches to the assessment of criminogenic risks and needs. The chapter also explores whether the current approaches to working with minority ethnic offenders truly addresses the causes of black and minority ethnic offenders offending behaviour. Discussions in the chapter will be centred on the following issues: - the capacity of assessment tools to predict the criminogenic risks and needs of offenders from minority ethnic backgrounds; - how well work with minority ethic offenders is tailored to meet the needs and circumstances of minority ethnic offenders; - the competence of practitioners working with offenders from minority ethnic backgrounds; - the limitations of offender programmes in addressing the offending behaviour of minority ethnic offenders. Since the Macpherson Report (1999) and the publication of the Race Relations Amendments Act 2000 there has been a considerable political move in the UK to address diversity issues in criminal justice.


While academic medical centers all over the country currently face challenging times, no area has been harder hit by managed care than California. The ruthless cost-cutting and competition for health care contracts dealt a severe blow to both public and private hospitals. While many physicians in that market are looking to relocate elsewhere, Gerald Levey recently returned from a top level position at Merck & Co. to helm the school of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to Merck, Levey was chairman of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, president of the Association of Professors of Medicine, and a member of the Board of Governors of the American Board of Internal Medicine. Now, as other Los Angeles hospitals are on the brink of closure, Levey has the formidable task of directing the UCLA Medical Center into the future. Interviewed in his office in sunny southern California, Levey reflected on UCLA's strategy in a highly competitive market and the cloudy horizon facing academic centers in the United States.


In this paper we present results from flow loop experiments with an oil-based drilling fluid with micronized barite as weight materials. The use of micronized barite allows using lower viscosity drilling fluid, providing non-laminar flow, which is advantageous for particle transport in near-horizontal sections. While transition to turbulence and turbulent flow of non-Newtonian fluids has been well studied both theoretically and experimentally, there are very few published results on the effect of wellbore wall properties on flow regime transition and turbulence. This is relevant because horizontal sections are often open-hole with less well-defined surfaces than a steel casing surface. We have conducted a series of flow experiments with and without cuttings size particles in a 10 m long annular test section using steel and concrete material to represent the wellbore wall of a cased and open hole section. In both cases the annulus was formed by a freely rotating steel pipe of 2" outer diameter inside a 4" diameter wellbore. Experiments were conducted at 48°, 60° and 90° wellbore inclination from vertical. The two materials result in different hydraulic behaviour without particles with stronger turbulence when using concrete wellbore wall material than when using steel casing. While there is negligible difference at low flow rates, at 0.8 m/s and below, there is an increasing difference as the flow rate increases and becomes transitional to turbulence. Hole cleaning is found to differ dependent on the wall material. However, the effect on hole cleaning is less clear than for the pressure loss.


The Mesopotamian marshlands have great environmental and cultural significance for the region and the world. This important wetland once covered 20,000 square kilometers and was the largest in the Middle-East. The near total destruction (90-95% desiccation) of the marshlands during the 1990s caused irreparable damage to the environment, culture and people of southern Iraq, with its consequences being felt well beyond the country's borders. Following the 2003 implementation of regime change in Iraq (where 90% of these wetlands are located) the rehabilitation and restoration of this devastated ecosystem was placed firmly on the new political agenda. Scientists and advisors in the field have come to the conclusion that at least a partial rejuvenation of the marshes is possible given the right set of environmental, political and economic circumstances. However the destruction has such a scale and magnitude that it cannot be reversed by the efforts of Iraq alone, and international cooperation is essential to ensure any success. The restoration programs so far have been largely organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and implemented with financial, material and scientific contributions from many governments as well as many non government organizations. Despite the international support, most of the re-flooding that has taken place thus far has been as a direct result of local peoples taking the initiative into their own hands and destroying the dykes which hold back the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. This has produced mixed results as some areas have had a successful regeneration while others have turned into highly saline lakes. It is clear that a more scientific approach to re-flooding is needed for the overall success of this restoration project. Never the less there are some signs of ecological recovery in parts of the re-flooded marshlands as indicated by the return of some of its endemic plant and animal varieties such as the fish species Barbus Sharpeyi. All of the three rivers (the Euphrates, Tigris and Karkheh) that feed the marshlands originate from neighboring countries and all of these countries have extensive plans for dam building and the expansion of their irrigated agriculture. Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran have already signed many agreements and treaties pertaining to the use of water recourses from these shared rivers but many more issues remain unresolved and are likely to become sources of political and strategic conflict in the future as more dams are completed upstream on these rivers, especially in Turkey. However recent gestures by Iraq's neighbors, such as the decision by Syria to increase the flow of the Euphrates into Iraq, or a similar decision by Iran to release water from its dam on the Karkheh into the marshes, show that sufficient political good-will does currently exist for the restoration project to proceed if peace return to the region. Another challenge to this restoration project is the need to balance the social, economic and cultural requirements of the local population with the environmental requirements for the successful ecological regeneration of the marshlands. Many Marsh Arabs have established successful agricultural practices on their lands and they have resisted attempts to re-flood these lands and many have no desire to return. The task ahead is highly complex and likely to be a very expensive and lengthy process, but success is possible.


In 1915 Governor James Ferguson began his term in Texas bolstered by a wave of voter enthusiasm and legislative cooperation so great that few Texans anticipated anything short of a successful administration. His campaign was based on two key elements: his appeal to the rural constituency and a temporary hiatus from the effects of the continuous Prohibition debate. In reality, Jim Ferguson had shrewdly sold a well-crafted image of himself to Texas voters, carrying into office a bevy of closely guarded secrets about his personal finances, his business acumen, and his relationship with Texas brewers. Those secrets, once unraveled, ultimately led to charges brought against Governor Ferguson via impeachment.

Refusing to acknowledge the judgment against him, Ferguson launched a crusade for regained power and vindication. In 1925 he reclaimed a level of political influence and doubled the Ferguson presence in Austin when he assisted his wife, Miriam, in a successful bid for the governorship. That bid had been based largely on a plea for exoneration but soon degenerated into a scandal-plagued administration.

In the Governor's Shadow unravels this complex tale, exposing the shocking depth of the Fergusons' misconduct. Often using the Fergusons' own words, Carol O'Keefe Wilson weaves together the incontestable evidence that most of the claims that Jim Ferguson made during his life regarding his conduct, intentions, achievements, and abilities, were patently false.


Proper interpretation of DNA profiles depends on the quality of the DNA samples, the amplification efficiency and the success of post-PCR processing. Chemicals associated with forensic samples can affect the amplification process while random errors occurring during pipetting and electrokinetic injection can cause variability. This can lead to either a
reduced signal or lack of DNA profiles.
As recommended by the SWGDAM, laboratories carrying out DNA profiling have to adopt standardise and validate procedures, which lead to high levels of quality assurance and control. During amplification, monitoring is restricted to the use of exogenous controls, which are unable to identify issues associated with individual samples. To address this
limitation, four PCR Internal Controls (PJC5) i.e. two Internal Amplification Controls (IACs) and two Internal Non-Amplifiable Control (INAC5), to be used with the AmpFtSTR® SGM Plus® kit were developed.
The IACs (90 bp and 410 bp) and INACs (80 bp and 380 bp) fragments were generated from the plasmid pBR322 and added along with human DNA in a 12.5 gl PCR volume.
During the reaction the IAC% and 1AC 41 0 are amplified non-competitively with ROX labelled primers, while the pre-labelled INAC80 and 1NAC 380 were not involved with the amplification process. Both sets of fragments were detected as red peaks on the electropherogram flanking the human DNA profile. To study the behaviour of the markers within the system and their effect on the performance and sensitivity of the assay, the PICs were used during the amplification of human DNA of different quantity and quality and with the addition of three common inhibitors.
Initial experiments involving the individual development of the fragments showed that both the INACs and IACs can be successfully applied to the amplification of human DNA with SGM Plus® reaction under optimised conditions, without significantly impacting the quality of human DNA profile.
As the INACs fragments are designed not to amplify during the reaction, they gave a stable signal that can be used to monitor the post-PCR sample processing. The peak height ratios (PHRs) of human DNA with that of the LNAC8 0 or 1NAC380 can also be used to normalise the signal and assess the amplification efficiency of human DNA samples within replicates of the same sample run under the same conditions.
The JACs on the other hand gave more information on the process of the PCR. They were able to monitor changes in the amplification efficiency and detect presence of inhibitors with a minimum inhibitory concentration closer to the SGM Plus® as compared to the Quantifiler® WC system. The IAC90 and 1AC410 ratios were also used to distinguish between partial profiles obtained from degraded DNA and those resulting from partial inhibition.
Combining the two sets of fragments together with the amplification of human DNA needed further reaction optimisation, involving the addition of dNTPs and MgCl2. The presence of PICs provided information on the amplification performance and post-PCR processing and can assist with the interpretation of human DNA profiles.
The position of the fragments also allowed PICs to be used as sizing standard. Compared to the GSTh 500 ROXTM size standard, PICs showed a slightly lower sizing precision, with standard deviations lower than 0.3 bp. Even though this resulted in allelic bins higher than 1 bp limit for 99.7% confidence, all samples sized with PICs were correctly genotyped.
The addition of PICs would be a valuable tool, in particular, for the analysis of compromised DNA. In particular it would be useful when analysing DNA recovered from skeletal remains, which are prone to accumulation of PCR inhibitors and DNA degradation.


Giardia and Cryptosporidium are two common causative agents of protozoan infections in developed and developing worlds. Currently, there is insufficient information on the molecular epidemiology of these protozoa in Yemen. This study was conducted to identify the molecular epidemiology of these two protozoan parasites by evaluating the risk factors that contribute towards understanding the possible role of transmission of these protozoa among Yemeni patients. Samples were collected from September 2008 to March 2009. All information were gathered using a standard pre-tested questionnaire; permissions were obtained from the heads of every hospital and patients were randomly and voluntarily selected. In case of children, permissions were obtained from parents. On the same day of collection, parasitic identification was done directly by microscopy after formal ether concentration technique. The modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain was used to identify oocyst of Cryptosporidium. A total of 503 samples was collected, all samples were preserved for molecular genotype using potassium dichromate. The microscopy work was carried out in Yemen, while the molecular genotyping was done at Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
The overall prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections was 30.9%. Infection rates of Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Cryptosporidium were 17.7%, 17.1% and 1%, respectively. Other parasites detected included Ascaris lumbricoides (2.4%), Schistosoma mansoni (0.3%), Hymenolepis nana (1.4%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.4%). Multivariate analysis using forward stepwise logistic regression based on intestinal protozoan infections showed that contact with animals (OR = 1.748, 95% CI = 1.168–2.617) and taking bath less than twice a week (OR = 1.820, 95% CI = 1.192–2.779) were significant risk factors of protozoan infections. Molecular analysis of Giardia targeted the genotyping of 16S rRNA gene and subgenotyping of b-giardin genes. For Cryptosporidium, the 18S rRNA and gp60 genes were used for genotyping and subtyping respectively. Of the 89 microscopic positive Giardia samples, 65 were successfully sequenced, of which 43 (66%) were identified as Giardia duodenalis assemblage A and 22 (34%) as G. duodenalis assemblage B. The subtyping analysis based on b-giardin gene identified the presence of G. duodenalis assemblages A2, A3 and B3. Infections with assemblage A were significantly associated with animal contact (P < 0.05) and grass collection activity for animal feed (P < 0.05). For Cryptosporidium species, out of 335 samples that were randomly chosen for DNA extraction, 33 (9.9 %) were positive. Of these, 33 (96%) were identified as C. parvum whilst one case was caused by C. hominis. All seven C. parvum isolates subtype belonged to the IIaA15G2R1 subtype. The predominance of the zoonotic IIa subtype family of C. parvum highlights the likely occurrence of zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis in Yemen. In conclusion, the present study on protozoan diseases indicated that low personal hygiene and contact with animals were important predictors for intestinal protozoan infections. Data of the study based on molecular work suggest that both anthroponotic and zoonotic transmissions play potential roles in the transmission of giardiasis in the community. However, this postulation needs confirmation with future molecular epidemiological studies in both humans and animals. The findings on risk factors combined with molecular genotyping will assist in developing effective control strategies in Yemen based on a better understanding of epidemiology of this parasite. The findings also warrant further genotyping studies among animals. In order to effectively reduce these infections, a multi-sectoral effort is needed including preventive measures such as good hygienic and animal husbandry practices, heightened provision of educational health programs and health services in all governorates including rural areas. Furthermore, it is also essential to find radical solutions to the recent water crises in Yemen.


The graduate student guide in adult education explores theories of adult learning and adult education participation. It provides a frame of reference for understanding the development of a rapidly evolving field and for enhancing knowledge and competencies in this professional domain. The publication is divided into two sections: a section on adult learning theories and a section on adult education participation theories. If Adult Learning and Education (ALE) is now a recognised professional field, the theoretical perspectives, underlying practices and policies draw on a variety of academic disciplines. Various theories of learning and of adult education participation shape the practice and the "engineering" of adult learning. In the first section, this study guide provides a review of the most important learning theories, including behaviourist, cognitive, and constructivist approaches, their modern development, as well as specific developments in adult education theory. The second section examines the psychological and sociological theoretical backgrounds of adult education participation in order to understand the factors at work in participation patterns along the adult life course and between different social contexts. Observing the relativity of social reproduction allows to identify the conditions and variables that need to be addressed in order to alter prevailing trends. (Verlag)


This paper describes path-planning and traveling-control algorithms for a pesticide-spraying robot in a greenhouse. In order to search for a suitable path, we applied graph theory and expressed a greenhouse map as a set of nodes and branches. The robot searches for the path from the start node to the goal node through all branches that it needs to spray. Moreover, the robot can identify its position on a map by detecting the shapes of plant beds and walls using a laser range finder (LRF) and can decide which direction to turn. In addition, if its pesticide tank is empty, the robot needs to return to the charge node to obtain more pesticide, and then restarts traveling and spraying. We consider the validity of the path planning and traveling control from simulation results and experimental results obtained using a mock-up model of a greenhouse lane.


INTRODUCTION
The selection of a measure that can be used to evaluate the outcome of therapeutic interventions in stroke patients has had a conceptual problem in that there is a need to detect a wide range of deficiencies, disabilities and handicaps as part of a patient-based model. It has also suffered from a methodological problem due to the lack of systematic attention given to the development of standard instruments.

AIMS
We conducted this study with the aim of getting over these limitations by developing a scale to evaluate the quality of life in stroke survivors.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
We followed a methodology that had previously been standardised by other authors based on using the opinion given by patients and caregivers in the generation of the items to be included. This has several stages that include individual interviews with patients, caregivers and experts, focal groups with patients and experts, quantitative and qualitative analyses of these interviews, two panels of experts to actually draw up the instrument, and a pilot test carried out in a sample of 50 patients to reduce and group the items. This reducing and grouping process was performed taking into account the following: 1. The percentage of responses left unanswered; 2. A factorial analysis of the main components; 3. Cronbach's alpha coefficient.

RESULTS
We interviewed 20 patients and 12 experts; these results were later used to classify the above mentioned aspects in order of priority according to the frequency with which they appeared in the surveys. Then, we elaborated the questionnaire with four areas or subscales by including the questions or items in these categories: I. Physical status (17 items); II. Emotional status (13 items); III. Activities of daily living (13 items); IV. Social and familial functions (13 items). After the pilot study 38 items were reorganised into eight domains, according to the factorial analysis: 1. Physical problems; 2. Communication; 3. Cognition; 4. Emotions; 5. Feelings; 6. Activities of daily living; 7. Familial functions; 8. Social functions. They displayed high coefficients of internal consistency.

CONCLUSIONS
We developed a new scale for evaluating the quality of life for stroke patients and it is now ready to undergo its validation process.


In keeping pace with online trends, news is being churned out to meet quota and to satisfy website metrics. When putting out content becomes more important than it's quality and value for the local community, it's called Churnalism. Fortunately, ethnographic research reveals an alternative path. It tells us that news outlets hold a special place in the community due to their heritage and trusted position. Being relevant and valuable isn't just about reporting news but being champions of passion topics and community matters. Journalism plays a part in the vibrant relationship people have with their city. Enroll local news people in ethnography and an innovation process means they can not only tap the epic stories of their city but also try out possibilities for them to break out of their traditional role.


23 species and subspecies of fleas were collected from 16 species of rodents, two species of double-toothed rodents and from burrows of great gerbil in Mongolia. The distribution of fleas on animals and throughout the territory is shown. The description of male and additional description of female of Echidnophaga tiscadaea with figures are given. Figures of male and female of E. oschanini are given for comparison. E. tiscadaea is suggested to be a parasite of jerboa.


How to precipitate RNA with ethanol and resuspend it! Two separate protocols - one for small and one for large volumes. The procedure for large volume precipitation is similar, but begins with an initial precipitation and transfers to a small tube for the final steps to avoid loss in the large tube. Strongly recommended to move to a smaller tube.


The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic viability, through the joint analysis of financial indicators expressed by animal, of the Aberdeen Angus steers feedlot finished fed diets with different levels of concentrate (CL): 25, 40, 55 or 70% (on dry matter basis). Consecutive historical quotes of years 2003 to 2014 were considered. Univariate analysis was characterized by a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications, proceeding regression analysis. Multivariate analysis consisted of grouping (cluster). The univariate analysis showed similarity to the financial indicators with averages to gross margin of R$ 173.21; net margin of R$ 163.73; income of R$ 110.61; net present value of R$ 93.31; benefit: cost ratio of 1.048; additional return on investment of 1.17% per month; internal rate of return of 2.04% per month and discounted payback of 1.36 months. By cluster analysis, 55% CL presented greater discrepancy in relation to other levels, while 40 and 70% were the nearest. The analysis of the financial indicators indicated feasibility of feedlot steers, regardless of the concentrate level.


Abstract There are various methods of estimating detection probabilities for avian point counts. Distance and multiple-observer methods require the sometimes unlikely assumption that all birds in the population are available (i.e., sing or are visible) during a count, but the time-of-detection method allows for the possibility that some birds are unavailable during the count. We combined the dependent double-observer method with the time-of-detection method and obtained field-based estimates of the components of detection probability for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). Our approach was a special case of Pollock's robust capture–recapture design where the probability that a bird does not sing is analogous to the probability that an animal is a temporary emigrant. Top models indicated that observers' detection probabilities were similar (0.78–0.84) if bobwhite were available, but bobwhite only had an approximately 0.61 probability of being available during a 2.5-minute sampling interval. Additionally, observers' detection probabilities increased substantially after the initial encounter with an individual bobwhite (analogous to a trap-happy response on the part of the observer). A simulated data set revealed that the combined method was precise when availability and detection given availability were substantially lower. Combined methods approaches can provide critical information for researchers and land managers to make decisions regarding survey length and personnel requirements for point-count–based surveys.


than that given. The chapter on the thyroid gland Is well orientated, but again suffers from the difficulty of inadequate delineation of physiological effects of Its hormone(s). The gonads are considered In separate chapters, along customary lines. that on the ovary being quite extensive. The breast, as an end-organ, Is given a separate chapter. The terminology adopted for the section on the pituitary gland Is adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis, the titles of two chapters. Of necessity that on the adenohypophysis overlaps some other discussions; some disputable Interpretations are presented without the detracting evidence. The chapter on the neurohypophysis Includes a section dealing with the role of the endocrine glands In water baiance. Reasonably extensive chapters are devoted to the adrenal medulla and internal secretions of the pancreas, Including carbohydrate metabolism. A chapter Is given to the parathyroid gland (surely. glands), and follows orthodox lines; but no reference more recent than 1948 Is listed. The endocrine factors In growth, maturation and decline are wisely given a chapter; the analysts of the glucocorticoid function upon somatic growth will not be adequate for everyone. A discussion of the nervous control of the endocrine glands is essential for an understanding of some endocrine processes, that given being basically a summary of the work of G. W. Harris. A number of chapters overlap, but this is difficult to preclude in the form of presentation adopted. Also, a book on this SUbject, which Is by Intent restricted to normal functions, must lose significantly by exclusion of much abnormai function.


Protected areas are often the source of agricultural pests and .Xishuangbanna State Nature Reserve in Yunnan is no exception. The main pest associated with the. Reserve is the Asian elephant, Elaphas maximus, which causes damage outside the Reserve to agriculture as well as in the Reserve. However, these elephants are also an important attraction to tourists visiting Xishuangbanna. Xishuangbanna Prefecture contains the only remaining wild elephants in China. The present economic value of tourism within the Reserve seems to be much less than the economic d mage caused by elephants and other species protected by it. So the economic value of protecting these species must depend on other factors or future economic prospects. Methods of controlling pests from the Reserve are discussed as also is the scheme for compensating agriculturalists for damages caused by its pests. The problem of achieving an equitable solution to the pest problem is given considerable attention. The economics of reconciling the conflicting interests of those who either regard a species as a pest or as an asset is considered. The appendix introduces a simple model for optimally controlling the population of a species (variously regarded as a pest and as an asset) from an economic viewpoint.


Although compositional variation in zoned calc-alkalic plutons is often ascribed to crystal fractionation, diagnostic large-scale field evidence of crystal accumulation in these slowly cooled bodies is generally missing. In many plutons, however, small-scale crystal cumulates have been preserved as layered schlieren and in microcosm may allow an assessment of the importance of crystal fractionation in their host pluton9s development. Small, widely separated patches of schlieren in the Tuolumne Intrusive Series, Yosemite National Park, California, formed as cumulates. Their darkest layers show high concentrations of magnetite, sphene, biotite, horn-blende, and zircon, and have unusually fractionated major and trace element compositions (FeO >33%; Al 2 O 3 in chondrites ∼750; Zr ∼2000 ppm). The layers define smooth trends on major and trace element Al 2 O 3 variation diagrams that diverge strongly from patterns for the main-sequence rocks of the Tuolumne Series and granitoids throughout the Sierra Nevada. Removal of such cumulates from any main-sequence magma would produce Al-rich evolved rocks, not the Al- poor felsic rocks of the pluton. The findings suggest that fractional crystallization did not produce the dominant chemical patterns seen in the Tuolumne and similar Sierra Nevada granites.


Abstract. Relativistic particles entering the Earth's magnetosphere, i.e. cosmic rays and solar energetic particles, are of prime space weather interest because they can affect satellite operations, communications, and the safety of astronauts and airline crews and passengers. In order to mitigate the hazards that originate from such particles one needs to predict the cutoff latitudes of such particles as a function of their energies and the state of the magnetosphere. We present results from a new particle tracing code that is used to determine the cutoff latitudes of 8-15Men-1 alpha particles during the 23/24 April, 1998 geomagnetic storm and the preceding quiet time. The calculations are based on four different geomagnetic field models and compared with SAMPEX observations of alpha particles in the same energy range. The geomagnetic field models under consideration are: (i) the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) model, (ii) the Tsyganenko "89" model (T89c), (iii) the Tsyganenko "96" model (T96), and (iv) a global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of Earth's magnetosphere. Examining 11 SAMPEX cutoff latitude observations we find that the differences between the observed and the predicted cutoff latitudes are 2.3° ± 2.0° (mean) and 7.9° (maximum difference) for the IGRF model; 3.9° ± 2.4° (mean) and 6.9° (maximum difference) for the T89c model; 4.0° ± 1.4° (mean) and 5.5° (maximum difference) for the T96 model; and 2.5° ± 1.7° (mean) and 7.0° (maximum difference) for the MHD model. All models generally predict cutoff latitudes equatorward of the SAMPEX observations. The MHD model results also show steeper cutoff energy gradients with latitude compared to the empirical models and more structure in the cutoff energy versus latitude function, presumably due to the presence of boundary layers in the MHD model.


Venus has a very slow, retrograde rotation compared to the 24 hour prograde rotations of Earth and Mars. We find that for an impacting asteroid to have changed Venus' rotation from an Earth-like period and direction to its current state, a minimum asteroid mass of 2x10^29kg would be required, and that such a collision would destroy Venus. This makes it unlikely that such a collision is responsible for the odd Venusian rotation.


Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a chronic microvascular complication of diabetes and accounts for 30-40% of all diabetic patients. Patients with DKD experience a progressive and irreversible decline of renal function until dialysis and kidney transplantation become the last line of intervention. Renal loss of function is driven by the diabetic milieu causing an imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant defense mechanisms. The excessive amounts of ROS, driven either by mitochondria or by NADPH oxidases (NOXs) , cause inflammation and eventually lead to fibrosis and kidney failure. Methods: To address this problem, we cultivated healthy primary human renal cells (renal proximal tubular epithelial cells) under diabetic conditions. The cells were treated either with 5mM normal glucose (NG) , or 25mM high glucose with 10ng/ml TNF-α or TGF-β (HG) for 24h. In addition, a novel mitochondrial complex I modulator (BIM, 250nM) that has been designed to interfere with the ROS production at mitochondrial complex I has been tested in combination with the treatments. We analyzed the gene expression of different oxidative stress, inflammation as well as fibrosis markers. Results: On the transcriptional level, a treatment with BIM resulted in a significant downregulation of the HG treatment-induced expression of the oxidative stress markers SOD2 (by 40%) , NOX4 (by 61%) and NOX5 (by 34%) , the inflammation markers IL1B (by 29%) and TNFA (by 22%) , as well as the fibrosis markers TGFB1 (by 23%) , COL4A1 (by 50%) and CTGF (by 43%) , as determined by a two-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison. Conclusion: The reduction of these markers after treatment with the complex I modulator suggests renoprotective properties in vitro. Further in vivo experiments in diabetic db/db mice will reveal whether the novel mitochondrial complex I modulator can attenuate renal injury in DKD.

 A.Aboolian: None. S.Urner: None. M.Roden: Advisory Panel; Eli Lilly and Company, Research Support; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Nutricia, Speaker's Bureau; Novo Nordisk. K.Jandeleit-dahm: None.


This paper examines the intertemporal linkages between local government expenditures and revenues. In the terminology that has become standard in the literature on vector autoregression analysis, the issue is whether revenues Granger-cause expenditures, or expenditures Granger-cause revenues. The main results that emerge from an analysis of fiscal data from 171 municipal governments over the period 1972-1980 are that: 1) one or two years are sufficient to summarize the relevant dynamic interrelationships; 2) there are important intertemporal linkages between expenditures, taxes and grants; and 3) past revenues help predict current expenditures, but past expenditures do not alter the future path of revenues. This last finding is contrary to results that have emerged from previous analyses of federal fiscal data, and hence suggests the need for additional research on the differences in the processes generating local and federal decisions.


ABSTRACT Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with a defined sexual cycle. The gene encoding a heterotrimeric G-protein β subunit, GPB1, was cloned and disrupted.gpb1 mutant strains are sterile, indicating a role for this gene in mating. GPB1 plays an active role in mediating responses to pheromones in early mating steps (conjugation tube formation and cell fusion) and signals via a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade in both MATα and MATa cells. The functions of GPB1 are distinct from those of the Gα protein GPA1, which functions in a nutrient-sensing cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway required for mating, virulence factor induction, and virulence.gpb1 mutant strains are also defective in monokaryotic fruiting in response to nitrogen starvation. We show thatMATa cells stimulate monokaryotic fruiting ofMATα cells, possibly in response to mating pheromone, which may serve to disperse cells and spores to locate mating partners. In summary, the Gβ subunit GPB1 and the Gα subunit GPA1 function in distinct signaling pathways: one (GPB1) senses pheromones and regulates mating and haploid fruiting via a MAP kinase cascade, and the other (GPA1) senses nutrients and regulates mating, virulence factors, and pathogenicity via a cAMP cascade.


Abstract. In Israel occur a giant number of archaeological objects of various age, origin and size. Different kinds of noise complicate geophysical methods employment at archaeological sites. Geodynamical active, multi-layered, and geologically variable surrounding media in many cases damages ancient objects and disturbs their physical properties. This calls to application of different geophysical methods armed by the modern interpretation technology. The main attention is focused on the geophysical methods most frequently applying in Israeli archaeological sites: GPR and high-precise magnetic survey. Other methods (paleomagnetic, resistivity, near-surface seismics, piezoelectric, etc.) are briefly described and reviewed. The number of employed geophysical methodologies is constantly increasing, and now Israeli territory may be considered as a peculiar polygon for various geophysical methods testing. Several examples illustrate effective application of geophysical methods over some typical archaeological remains. The geophysical investigations at archaeological sites in Israel could be tentatively divided on three stages: (1) past (1990), (2) present (1990–2009), and (3) future (2010). The past stage with several archaeoseismic reviews and very limited application of geophysical methods was replaced by the present stage with the violent employment of numerous geophysical techniques. It is supposed that the future stage will be characterized by extensive development of multidiscipline physical-archaeological databases, employment of all possible indicators for 4-D monitoring and ancient sites reconstruction, as well as application of combined geophysical multilevel surveys using remote operated vehicles at low altitudes.


Acoustic events have a hierarchical structure analogous to a tree (or a directed acyclic graph). In this work, we propose a structure-aware semi-supervised learning framework for acoustic event classification (AEC). Our hypothesis is that the audio label structure contains useful information that is not available in audios and plain tags. We show that by organizing audio representations with a human-curated tree ontology, we can improve the quality of the learned audio representations for downstream AEC tasks. We use consistency training to use large amounts of unlabeled data for structured representation manifold learning. Experimental results indicate that our framework learns high quality representations which enable us to achieve comparable performance in discriminative tasks as fully supervised baselines. Moreover, our framework can better handle audios with unseen tags by confidently assigning a super-category (internal node like "animal" in Fig. 1) tag to the audio.


The component subfamilies of the Delthyridoidea are critically reviewed and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. This shows the presence of two clades, assigned to the Delthyrididae and Acrospiriferidae, within the superfamily. The subfamilial categories are redefined mainly on the basis of the characters used in the phylogenetic analysis. The spiriferid, mainly delthyridide, Gaspé fauna is formally revised and redescribed. This new taxonomic treatment leads to more precise biostratigraphy and to the recognition of a new subfamily, the Gaspespiriferinae, based on the new genus Gaspespirifer. Five new species are described: Howellella (Howellella) forillonensis, Brachyspirifer (Brachyspirifer) briseboisi, Paraspirifer desbiensi, Brevispirifer florentinus, and B. quebecensis, The occurrence of Brevispirifer species with Middle Devonian chonetaceans confirms the presence of marine Eifelian strata in the Matapédia Valley. Paraspirifer desbiensi n. sp. and two species left in open nomenclature, Vandercammenina sp. and Mucrospirifer sp., have considerable biostratigraphic and biogeographic significance in the Lower Devonian. The first occurrence in the Eastern Americas Realm of the typically Rhenish genera Brachyspirifer, Paraspirifer, and Vandercammenina are in Gaspé. This reinforces the hypothesis that Gaspé served as a stepping stone for Rhenish species invading North America in Pragian and Emsian times, as previously suggested by bivalve biogeography.


Lattice QCD with Wilson quarks and a chirally twisted mass term (tmQCD) has been introduced in refs. [1,2]. We here apply Symanzik's improvement programme to this theory and list the counterterms which arise at first order in the lattice spacing a. Based on the generalised transfer matrix, we define the tmQCD Schrödinger functional and use it to derive renormalized on-shell correlation functions. By studying their continuum approach in perturbation theory we then determine the new O(a) counterterms of the action and of a few quark bilinear operators to one-loop order.


This article draws on combinations of discourse theory and Lacanian theory to study the role of fantasies in creative knowledge work. It attempts to nuance a number of critical Lacanian studies that emphasize how management and HRM practices exploit the seductive, yet disciplining, effects of fantasies to increase worker commitment. In contrast, empirical data from fieldwork in two creative industries are used to show how employees also ensnare and discipline their managers based on the same fantasmatic dynamics. The article argues that both managers and employees avoid concrete definitions of responsibility in favor of intense mutual recognition. This allows them to pursue a shared fantasy about limitless potential (financial and existential) realized via work. This dynamic of recognition renders both parties more vulnerable towards each other and makes both parties resist attempts at moderation. The question of power and exploitation thus becomes highly muddled.


Results of an experimental and theoretical analysis of the proprerties of a LD pumped laser using a stable resonator and second harmonic conversion crystal are presented. The influence of thermal lens effect on laser output mode and beam quality has been discussed briefly by using the transfer matrix theory. In this paper, further experiment on the output beam quality of a LD pumped acousto-optic Q-switched laser has been also performed by adopting Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor and Zernike mode reconstruction theory. Using this method, PV and RMS error of aberration wavefront, the first 35-order Zernike aberrations can be acquired. Furthermore, Strehl ratio curve of output beam and the distribution of circle energy can also be obtained by further calculation, so mode properities can be comprehensively understood. Experimental results show that the beam wavefront aberration is mainly concentrated in the first 15 orders of Zernike aberration, mainly including the defocus A3, the low-order astigmatism A4 and A5, the coma and spherical aberration because of the thermal-lens effect.


Handling many models simultaneously is a desired feature in least-squares estimation. This is typically handled by reducing the maximum order case to a triangular set of equations and then solving the triangular equations for different orders. In this paper, we suggest an alternative method called the multiple model least-squares (MMLS), which is based on a single matrix factorization and directly gives all lower order models, including the parameter estimates and loss functions. The factorization structure of the MMLS estimator improves numerical performance and thus problems such as those associated with overparameterization are avoided. The MMLS method can be used as a replacement/update of the conventional implementation of the least-squares method


Euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) was openly permitted but not technically legal in the Netherlands for decades. In 2002, it was formally legalised through the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide Review Procedures Act, subject to two main criteria: (1) the patient had to be capable of making voluntary decisions and (2) the patient had to experience unbearable suffering without prospect of improvement. Within the Netherlands, EAS has wide acceptance, and the public in general seems to favour a liberal interpretation of both of these requirements. Physicians are expected to use 'their own moral compass' to decide about personal participation, and it is generally possible and permissible to find a substitute physician if the patient meets the legally required criteria but the physician is not comfortable assisting. Over the years, multiple quantitative and qualitative studies have explored the Dutch practice of EAS,1–3 but relatively little is known about the edges of what counts as meeting these criteria and how acceptable the practice is for physicians who participate. The study by Snijdewind  et al gives a glimpse of these boundaries and suggests that at least sometimes the criteria are being stretched and adapted to meet the perceived needs of patients, and some participating physicians are relatively uncomfortable with some of the requests with which they are faced.4 Just how rare or common these 'edgy' cases are within the larger practice of EAS in the Netherlands cannot be answered by …


There is accumulating evidence that male insects advertise their quality to conspecific females through pheromones. However, most studies of female released sex pheromone assume information transfer regarding merely the species of the female and her mating status. We show that more information is conveyed through the female sex pheromone, positioning it as an honest sexual trait. We demonstrate that females in bad physical conditions (small, starved, or old) lay significantly fewer eggs than females in good conditions (large, fed, or young). The ratio of components in the sex pheromone blend in gland extracts of the female pink bollworm moths provided honest information on most of the phenotypic conditions tested, whereas the pheromone amount in the glands provided an honest signal of quality for extreme phenotypes only. Moreover, males used the information conveyed by the female pheromone to choose their mates, approaching females that signaled higher reproductive potential. In addition, when simulating the female effect, using the synthetic pheromone blend that represents higher quality females (0.6:0.4 ZZ:ZE), more males were attracted to this blend than to the blend representing the population mean (0.5:0.5 ZZ:ZE). Both, female advertisement for males and the male choosiness, suggest that pheromones have evolved as sexual traits under directional, sexual selection. We suggest that the pheromone blend may serve as a multicomponent signal whereby each component adds information concerning the current condition of the female, and all are necessary to elicit a mate searching response.


This quick guide will show you how to find your NetID and set your password so that you can access UVM resources, including databases and tools from Dana Medical Library.


The currently applicable legal provisions and also the economic concepts emphasize the importance of circular economy. In this aspect, it is very important to reduce the waste production respectively planning and running a business. Technical research is the key to finding a new applications for waste, in particular disposed on landfilling. Mining and energy industries belong to the biggest producers of waste in Poland. The total share of these two branches in waste production is up to 70% (mining and quarrying 53%; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supplay 17%). In environment, economy and social aspect, it is very important to develop this waste. The paper presents research on the physico-mechanical properties of the aggregates based on colliery shale supplemented by fly ash (20% 40% supplement of fly ash). The following tests should be mentioned among performed: particle size distribution, the sand equivalent test, freeze resistance and direct shear tests. Also the chemical properties found in the literature was invoked. The research shows good physico-mechanical properties of the mixes, such as cohesion (44.62 kPa 68.57 kPa) or internal firiction angle (34.74° 40.52°). Though low resistance to weathering and a large susceptibility to frost heave (the mass loss after the freezing cycles is 76%) may limit its applicatin in road engineering. The sand equivalent tests were made only for aggregates. Tested materials shows usefulness for earthen structures. However, the research should be supplemented by chemical tests and also observations of the material properties changes as the effect of time. The research on the leachability of chemical pollutants, which will determine the acceptable share of ash in the mix, could be especially significant. The fact that fly ash contains a lot of sulphates and chlorides, which leach into the environment may pose a threat to living organisms.


Up to now, systems theory is still a fundamental means that provides us with explanations about organizational interaction. The purpose of this paper is to develop a systemic framework that assists students of organizations concerning organizational interactions to assign an appropriate theoretical perspective and analytical level that help achieving their research objectives. Our methodology to portray such a guiding framework builds upon adapting Scott's (2003) typology of organization theories. This is to classify traditional organization studies into distinctive systems perspectives according to their view of organizational interaction. We then use Blau's (1957) typology of analytical levels to demonstrate how organization studies focus on different system levels as they analyze organizational interactions. Through combining systems perspectives with levels of analysis, we draw our results about organizational interactions. We found that organization studies adopting close rational and natural systems perspectives employ social psychological or structural analysis. This is to demonstrate interactions among individual participants or organizational work groups as they accomplish organizational goals. Otherwise, studies that are drawn upon open rational and natural perspectives employ social psychological, structural and ecological analysis. This is to reveal inter-personal, inter-groups or inter-organizational interactions as they cope with changes in organizational environment.


In the late 1960s, a vibrant new research field was ignited by the discovery that instead of fixing CO2 into a C3 compound, some plants initially fix CO2 into a four-carbon (C4) compound. The term C4 photosynthesis was born. In the 20 years that followed, physiologists, biochemists, and molecular and developmental biologists grappled to understand how the C4 photosynthetic pathway was partitioned between two morphologically distinct cell types in the leaf. By the early 1990s, much was known about C4 biochemistry, the types of leaf anatomy that facilitated the pathway, and the patterns of gene expression that underpinned the biochemistry. However, virtually nothing was known about how the pathway was regulated. It should have been an exciting time, but many of the original researchers were approaching retirement, C4 plants were proving recalcitrant to genetic manipulation, and whole-genome sequences were not even a dream. In combination, these factors led to reduced funding and the failure to attract young people into the field; the endgame seemed to be underway. But over the last 5 years, there has been a resurgence of interest and funding, not least because of ambitious multinational projects that aim to increase crop yields by introducing C4 traits into C3 plants. Combined with new technologies, this renewed interest has resulted in the development of more sophisticated approaches toward understanding how the C4 pathway evolved, how it is regulated, and how it might be manipulated. The extent of this resurgence is manifest by the publication in 2011 of more than 650 pages of reviews on different aspects of C4. Here, I provide an overview of our current understanding, the questions that are being addressed, and the issues that lie ahead.


Open appendectomy is a time tested technique while laparoscopic appendectomy is newer concept. Small Incision Open Appendectomy was done via 2-3 cm incision at McBurney's point and Laproscopic Appendectomy was done via standard 3 port technique. Our Objective was to compare small incision open appendectomies with laparoscopic appendectomies.In the present study a total 60 patients with appendicitis were selected, of whom 30 underwent SIOA (small incision open appendectomy) and remaining 30 underwent LA (laparoscopic appendectomy). Both the technique were compared in terms of operative time, post-operative pain, analgesic requirement, post-operative length of stay, time to return to daily activities, complications, conversion rate, cost and cosmetic outcome.The results showed that SIOA is better than LA in terms of operative time (mean 25 vs. 44 minutes), time to return to daily activity (mean 4.8 vs. 6.2 days). SIOA and LA were comparable in terms of Post-operative pain (mean 5.3vs 5.9 at POD1), analgesics requirement (mean 5.96 vs. 5.93 doses), post-operative hospital stay (mean 2.9 vs. 3.5 days) and cosmetic effect. The cost was higher in LA group compared to SIOA. SIOA is the method of choice in thin and lean patients as LA offers no advantage over SIOA in this group while increasing costs.LA is the preferable method for obese patients. SIOA takes less time than LA.SIOA is comparable to LA in terms of post-operative pain, analgesics requirement, hospitals stay and return to daily activities. SIOA is more economic and cost-effective than LA.SIOA is cosmetically as good as LA.


In responding to the spatiotemporally specific geographies of extinction charted in the articles in this special section, this article reflects on the sociocultural factors that inform the ways in which extinction is framed and impede recognition of the enormity of the anthropogenic extinction event in which we are all bound. This article argues that we are living in an era of ecocide, where the degradation of biodiversity and eradication of species go hand-in-hand with the degradation and eradication of nonmodern culture and identity, and it explores some possible reasons why modern society is failing to respond to impending crisis. Fine-grained stories of spatiotemporally specific geographies of extinction can help to counter the logic of colonization and bring everyday ecocide into view. For the particular multispecies communities they concern, they can also feed into the creation of ritual practices of penitential mourning in ways that enable a collective grieving process poised to activate an ecosocial transformation. The authors consider the implications of grief and mourning—and of not mourning—in what can be seen as not only a terrible time but also the end of (lived) time. They conclude with some reflections of local acts of resistance, witnessing, and narrative.


Value added tax (VAT) was introduced in Lithuania in May 1, 1994. It replaced basic excise duty. Basic excise duty rate was 15 per from 1991, and from July 1, 1992 it was 18 per cent. For the goods sold in foreign countries for convertible currency the rate was 10 per cent When the VAT law came into force (Žin., 1994, Nr. 3-40) two rates were applied: 18 per cent on all goods and services, except VAT-exempt, and 0 per cent on exported goods and services. Value added tax was not imposed on food, fuel, coal, gas and heating of dwelling houses, education, health care, social, transport and other services. However, from January 1, 1995, temporary 9 per cent rate was already imposed on food. From 1995 VAT became the main source of national budget and made up 34.3 per cent of all inflow, and in 1997 it was already 40.6 per cent, because temporary VAT rate for food was doubled (from 9 per cent to 18 per cent) and the basis of assessment was widened. The reduced 5 per cent rate was first applied in 2000. From May 1, 2000 it was imposed on shuttle passenger transport services. The reduced 9 per cent rate was included in the VAT law only in 2001: it was imposed on heating energy provided for inhabitants. According to the provisions of the VAT law, VAT payers pay to the state budget the difference between calculated tax sum for sold goods (services) and the sum of the tax paid for goods (services) provided by suppliers. Applying different rates, VAT rebate is paid to VAT payers. So the application of the reduced rates reduces VAT inflow to the state budget. Since July 1, 2002 the new VAT law came to force (Žin., 2002, Nr. 35-1274). The European Union (EU) directives were already implemented and certain VAT exemptions continued to be removed: 5 per cent rate was imposed on part of medicine and medical services, 18 per cent rate was imposed on veterinary services, in-service training and reskilling services, land for construction and selling new buildings. 5 per cent rate was imposed on books, newspapers and magazines, and 18 per cent rate on newsprint in 2003. When Lithuania became European Union Member State, from May 1, 2004 the new redaction of the VAT law came to force. The provisions of the Sixth Directive of the EU were implemented in it. The exemptions on biofuel and heating of dwelling houses, 5 per cent rate was imposed on medicine and medical services, 18 per cent rate was imposed on scientific research. Other important changes not related to VAT exemptions also occurred. In the European Union countries value added tax is imposed on different groups of goods, there are different rates and exemptions. However, these exemptions on areas of vital importance were left: food is VAT-exempt in Ireland and the United Kingdom; other countries apply the reduced rates of 3 per cent, 8 per cent and 12 per cent. Analogical exemptions are supposed for transport services. In Lithuania food, transport services and accommodation heating are taxed with the standard 18 per cent rate. Due to the rapid removal of exemptions and the widening of the basis of assessment VAT inflow to the state budget increased from 1148.1 million Lt in 1994 to 3930.1 million Lt in 2004 that is by 3.4 times. It is possible to state that in Lithuania the conditions of the imposition of VAT are not favourable because vital exemptions still applied in the majority of the EU countries were removed.


Much has been written about the changing clinical spectrum of infective endocarditis. However our survey shows that the classical text book descriptions still hold good. The majority of our patients were young with 79% either 30 years or below. Fever was present in 93%, splenomegaly in 50% and cerebral embolism in 43% of our patients. Twelve patients had valvular heart disease and 2 patients had a ventricular septal defect. Eleven out of 14 patients had a positive blood culture. Echocardiography detected definite or probable vegetations in 66% of the examinations. Five patients responded satisfactorily to antibiotic therapy, 2 patients discharged themselves from hospital against medical advice, and 4 patients underwent successful cardiac surgery. Three patients died during medical therapy.


An experimental work on heat transfer enhancement in a shell and tube heat exchanger by insertion of helical coiled wires into the tube bundle was conducted. Four different pitch sizes were used (4.8, 6.4, 8.0, 9.6) mm. The working fluid for both shell and tube sides of the exchanger was water. Flow arrangement used was parallel and laminar for both sides with a Reynolds number for the tube inside ranging (100-920). Variables were taken into account, including; convection heat transfer coefficient, number of heat transfer units, thermal effectiveness, and pressure drop. CFD analysis was done in order to validate the experimental results. The study results showed an increase in heat transfer coefficient on the tube side by 54% due to the use of 9.6 mm pitched inserts. Highest thermal effectiveness obtained was in the case of 9.6 mm pitch inserts. Pressure drop rose up to 260%


The issue of excessive vibrations of footbridges due to the passage of pedestrians has been well documented in the past decade. Despite this there still remains great uncertainty as to how to predict the acceleration response of a footbridge due to crowd loading. This paper investigates the vibration response of a flexible footbridge subjected to crowd loading. Using a statistical model which caters for the variability of pedestrians, the vibration response of the footbridge is obtained. In this work, the effect of social groups or clusters of pedestrians in a crowd is investigated. Herein a cluster is defined as two or more pedestrians walking together with the same velocity. The predictions of this model are compared to a model which uses only lone pedestrians walking within a crowd. None of the current design codes or guidelines considers the possibility of pedestrians walking together. The size of the clusters is found in literature to follow a Poisson distribution. In this paper variations of the probability of clusters appearing in the crowd are assessed. It is found that the response of a crowd with clusters present is similar to the predictions of the UK National Annex to Eurocode 1.


Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common disease of the central nervous system characterized by myelin loss and progressive neurological dysfunction. An underlying genetic susceptibility plays a clear role in the etiology of MS, likely acting in concert with an undefined environmental exposure. Full-genome screenings in multiplex MS families have identified several susceptibility regions, supporting a polygenic model for MS. Among these regions, evidence for weak linkage was observed at 3p/3cen suggesting the presence of an MS gene(s) of modest effect. Encoded here are two chemokine receptors, CCR5 and CCR2B. We examined the chromosome 3p21-24 region in 125 MS families (322 total affecteds and 200 affected sib-pairs), and performed genetic analyses of CCR5 and CCR2B loci and two nearby markers (D3S1289 and D3S1300) using both linkage- and association-based tests. No evidence of linkage to MS was observed for any of the tested markers. Affected relative-pair (SimIBD) and sib-pair analyses (ASPEX), and association testing (sib-TDT) for each locus were also not significant. However, age of onset was approximately 3 years later in patients carrying the CCR5delta32 deletion (P=0.018 after controlling for gender effects). Thus, chemokine receptor expression may be associated with differential disease onset in a subset of patients, and may provide a therapeutic target to modulate inflammatory demyelination.


We analyze the behavior of closed multiclass product-form queueing networks when the number of customers grows to infinity and remains proportionate on each route or class. First, we focus on the stationary behavior and prove the conjecture that the stationary distribution at nonbottleneck queues converges weakly to the stationary distribution of an ergodic, open product-form queueing network, which is geometric. This open network is obtained by replacing bottleneck queues with per-route Poissonian sources whose rates are uniquely determined by the solution of a strictly concave optimization problem. We strengthen such results by also proving convergence of the first moment of the queue lengths of nonbottleneck stations. Then we focus on the transient behavior of the network and use fluid limits to prove that the amount of fluid, or customers, on each route eventually concentrates on the bottleneck queues only and that the long-term proportions of fluid in each route and in each queue solve the dual of the concave optimization problem that determines the throughputs of the previous open network.


BACKGROUND
Wilson disease (WD) is a rare disorder of copper metabolism.

OBJECTIVE
To describe the authors' clinical experience with a cohort of 48 adult patients followed in an ambulatory setting.

METHODS
A retrospective chart review of patients with a diagnosis of WD was performed.

RESULTS
Fifty-nine charts were identified and 11 were excluded on further review. At diagnosis, 14 patients were asymptomatic, with 13 hepatic, 15 neurological and six mixed hepatic⁄neurological presentations. Ceruloplasmin levels were low (<0.20 g⁄L) in 94%, and 24 h urinary copper levels high (>0.60 µmol⁄L) in 95% of cases. D-penicillamine was the most common initial therapy (48%), with zinc the most common at review (65%). Overall, biopsy and ultrasound reports documented cirrhosis in 53%. Portal hypertension, defined as splenomegaly (>12.0 cm), reversed portal venous flow on ultrasound or varices⁄gastropathy on endoscopy was seen in 63%. At last review, 39% had elevated aspartate aminotransferase (>34 U⁄L) and⁄or alanine aminotransferase levels (>40 U⁄L). One death and one transplant occurred, while three patients had encephalopathy, two became jaundiced, two developed ascites and one experienced variceal bleed. Of 21 neurological presenting patients, 14 improved compared with baseline, with four making almost complete recovery. Eleven patients experienced documented episodes of neurological decline, including four with non-neurological presentation. Diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging showed basal ganglia (64%), brainstem (64%) abnormalities and atrophy (36%); follow-up showed basal ganglia lesions (50%) and atrophy (55%).

CONCLUSION
WD is a diverse chronic disease with generally favourable outcomes for patients who respond to initial therapy, which can be managed predominantly in an ambulatory setting.


This paper explores a passive control strategy with variable stiffness actuation for swing movements. We consider brachiation as an example of a highly dynamic task which requires exploitation of gravity in an efficient manner for successful task execution. First, we present our passive control strategy considering a pendulum with variable stiffness actuation. Then, we formulate the problem based an optimal control framework with temporal optimization in order to simultaneously find an appropriate stiffness profile and movement duration such that the resultant movement will be able to exploit the passive dynamics of the robot. Finally, numerical evaluations on a twolink brachiating robot with a variable stiffness actuator (VSA) model are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach under different task requirements, modelling errors and switching in the robot dynamics. In addition, we discuss the issue of task description in terms of the choice of cost function for successful task execution in optimal control.


Fracture of bonded cement based materials is complicated due to not only bonding itself but also heterogeneous genuine nature of cement-based materials. This study investigates the fracture parameters that obtained from the mechanical fracture tests and the post-peak behavior of bonded cement-based materials. Fracture parameters were analyzed such as the critical stress intensity factor, the critical crack length and the critical crack tip opening displacement. In addition, this study defines a new fracture parameter, the critical crack opening angle, which describes a crack opening resistance. In order to evaluate the fracture energy of quasi-brittle materials, it is typical to use the non-linear elastic fracture mechanics approaches. From the test results, however, it is known that the toughening action at the fracture process zone of the bonded interface has been significantly diminished because of the brittle fracture and the pre-determined weak crack path. Therefore, the post-peak behavior could be successfully estimated by using the suggested model that considered only the elastic deformations.