Author(s): Sochol, Ryan Daniel | Advisor(s): Lin, Liwei | Abstract: Mechanical engineering methods and microfabrication techniques offer powerful means for meeting biological challenges. In particular, microfabrication processes enable researchers to develop technologies at scales that are biologically relevant and advantageous. In this work, microfabricated posts were employed to advance cell handling capabilities in both static and dynamic (i.e., microfluidic) systems. Static, substrate-based biophysical properties influence diverse cellular processes. Methods for engineering micropost arrays enable microscale control over the biophysical characteristics of discrete topographic features. Here, unidirectional micropost array gradients of variable micropost stiffness and variable interpost spacing were constructed to regulate cell motility using two distinct biophysical cues: (i) gradients in substrate rigidity (i.e., via durotaxis - a subset of mechanotaxis), and (ii) variable spacing of substrate binding sites - via a phenomenon herein referred to as spatiotaxis. Micropost array stiffness gradients were designed with post-to-post differences in stiffness of 0.5 nN/µm, 2 nN/µm, 3 nN/µm, and 7.5 nN/µm. Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) seeded on micropost array gradients with variable micropost stiffness exhibited preferential cell migration in the direction of increasing micropost stiffness. Gradients of elliptical microposts further enhanced unidirectional guidance by limiting cellular movement perpendicular to the direction of increasing micropost stiffness. Micropost array spacing gradients were designed with average post-to-post differences in spacing of 10 nm, 20 nm, and 40 nm. Micropost array gradients with variable interpost spacing were found to promote BAEC migration in the direction of decreasing interpost spacing, which represents the first demonstration of unidirectional spatiotaxis. Higher gradient strengths were observed to enhance the aforementioned migratory behaviors for both biophysical cues. For substrates with simultaneous, anti-parallel stiffness and spatial stimuli, the spatial cues were found to dominate the migratory response. The micropost array gradient methodology offers a powerful technique for investigating the biophysical cellular response, while also providing the basis for new classes of passive substrates capable of directing cell motility in biological fields, such as biomaterials, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.In order to create high-speed lab-on-a-chip devices for quantitative cell biology, drug discovery, and molecular diagnostics, precision hydrodynamic controls of microparticles (e.g., cells and microbeads) are in critical demand. The ability to achieve multi-stage fluidic reaction processes for microparticles is integral to diverse chemical and biological applications; however, microfluidic particulate-based systems remain limited due to particle handling issues. In contrast to suspended cells, which are experimentally complex, microbeads offer a simplified example for initial demonstrations of microfluidic particulate handling. Thus, the ability to manipulate microbeads in microfluidic systems represents a fundamental first step toward advancing microfluidic cell handling. In this dissertation, microposts (15×15 µm2) were arrayed within microfluidic architectures (18 µm in height) to enhance microparticle handling and enable multi-stage fluidic reactions and analyses for suspended particles. The presented microfluidic systems were first characterized using suspended microbeads (15 µm in diameter); thereafter, the potential of employing the platforms for cell handling applications was also investigated using suspended BAECs. A resettable, hydrodynamic microparticle trapping system - termed micropost array trapping (µPAT) - was designed and demonstrated to accomplish controlled particulate arraying and microarray resettability by trapping-and-releasing both microbeads and cells. The µPAT technique was integrated into: (i) a dynamic microarray to detect multiple bio-molecules in parallel via molecular beacon probes conjugated to microbead substrates, and (ii) a "Microfluidic Ping Pong" (MPP) system to achieve multi-stage fluidic reactions under discontinuous flow conditions. As a demonstrative example, the MPP technique was employed to detect an inflammatory cytokine at 100 pM concentrations via an 11-stage aptamer beacon-based sandwich assay performed using microbeads. Additionally, a microfluidic micropost array railing (µPAR) system was developed to rapidly transport both microbeads and cells into adjacent flow streams under continuous flow conditions. To demonstrate the µPAR technique, a multiplexed layer-by-layer (LbL) molecular synthesis process (i.e., consisting of up to 18 fluidic stages) was accomplished on microbead substrates. This work represents the first demonstration of a microfluidic platform capable of railing either microbeads or cells into adjacent flow streams. Through improved microparticle handling in microfluidic systems, the presented methodologies could further extend the efficacy of dynamic cell-based and bead-based microarrays for applications in diverse chemical and biological fields.


This dissertation aims to investigate the social situation at school for students that have migrated to Sweden during their last four years at compulsory school or during upper secondary school. The study investigates the social interaction between students with a special focus on the possibilities and hindrances for inclusion of the newcomer immigrant students in different groupings at school, and the ways these students handle possibilities and hindrances for social inclusion. The study focuses on newcomer immigrant students that are studying at different levels in the education system, from preparatory educational levels for newcomer immigrant students to regular education at compulsory or upper secondary school. Primarily the dissertation has an individual perspective, in that the interviewed students´ own experiences play a pivotal role. To be able to understand and explain why the social relations between students are the way they are, the analysis has also been connected to a macro level when needed. In this way the individual perspective is also to some extent put into an organizational perspective when it comes to how the school as an institution is organized, and a structural perspective when it concerns social power structures. Since one aim of the investigation is to emphasize the students´ individual experiences of their school situation, the basic method chosen has been qualitative interviews of students. Field studies have been used as a complement. I have interviewed 29 students at different schools in Malmo. Eleven of these students participated in follow-up interviews one to one-and-a-half years after the first interview. Another completing method has been to interview mainly teachers, but also other members of school staff, to deepen my knowledge of the students´ school situation in order to obtain versatile interviews with the students. Interviews with students and their narratives are though the main focus of the study. In order to analyze the empirical material I have mainly used theoretical tools and concepts from Erving Goffman and Pierre Bourdieu. One of the main concerns in Bourdieu´s sociological studies is the education system and how people within an educational field possess and compete for different hierarchical positions. Goffman´s theoretical perspective is closer to the individual and has contributed to the analysis of the different social relationships that the newcomer immigrant students are engaged in at school. Like Bourdieu´s theories Goffman´s theories can also be used to analyze power relations at school, for example through terms like stigmatization and total institutions. One of the most central results of the study concerns some of the interviewed students´ narratives about social exclusion through stigmatization. To be a newcomer immigrant student in the investigated schools often means a social position with a lower status than both students born in Sweden with parents born here and students born in Sweden with parents born abroad. The stigmatization often involves other students distancing themselves from the newcomer immigrant students in more or less obvious ways, for example by contemptuous comments or by ignoring them. The starting point for the stigmatization is primarily the Swedish linguistic level of the pupils, being a newcomer immigrant, being categorized as a "refugee" and placed in preparatory education separated from regular education. The stigmatization of the newcomer immigrant students is also connected to the fact that they, as opposed to other students, are not yet considered qualified for regular education. The study shows that there are obvious differences in the social status between students in preparatory and regular education. In this way the reception system for newcomer immigrant students is one factor that can contribute to social exclusion of these students at school. (Less)


Nowadays, the fast advance of internet technology has brought two challenges. The first one is explosion of information. The second one is new information appears rapidly. Obviously, clustering is a good solution to help users analyze information automatically, whereas traditional clustering algorithms are only suitable for small-scale and stable text collection. In order to solve this problem, a novel clustering algorithm based on vector compression particularly for large-scale text collection (LDVC) and its incremental version (I-LDVC) are proposed in this paper. LDVC selects related features to compress feature sets. Iterative training idea of self- organizing-mapping (SOM) is also imported in it to optimize selection approach. Besides, when novel texts appear, its incremental version (I-LDVC) can select small samples from original texts to alter neuron model to perform incremental clustering. In order to prevent it from over fitting to new added texts, I-LDVC adjusts the weights of samples along with training process. Experimental results demonstrate that LDVC has better performance and lower time complexity on large-scale text collection, and I-LDVC can cluster unstable text collection very well. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.itc.45.2.8666


Chelly, MS, Hermassi, S, and Shephard, RJ. Relationships between power and strength of the upper and lower limb muscles and throwing velocity in male handball players. J Strength Cond Res 24(6): 1480-1487, 2010-This study aimed to investigate relationships between peak power (PP) as measured by upper limb (PPUL) and lower limb (PPLL) force-velocity tests, maximal upper limb force assessed by 1 repetition maximum bench press (1RMBP), and pullover (1RMPO) exercises, estimates of local muscle volume and 3-step running handball throwing velocity (T3-Steps). Fourteen male handball players volunteered for the investigation (age: 19.6 ± 0.6 years; body mass: 86.7 ± 12.9 kg; and height 1.87 ± 0.07 m). Lower and upper limb force-velocity tests were performed on appropriately modified forms of a Monark cycle ergometer, with measurement of PPUL and PPLL, and the corresponding respective maximal forces (F0UL and F0LL) and velocities (V0UL and V0LL). T3-Steps was assessed using a radar Stalker ATS system™. Muscle volumes of the upper and lower limbs were estimated with a standard anthropometric kit. T3-Steps was closely related to absolute PPUL and to F0UL (r = 0.69, p < 0.01 for both relationships). T3-Steps was also moderately related to 1RMBP and 1RMPO (r = 0.56, p < 0.05; r = 0.55, p < 0.05 respectively), and to PPLL and F0LL (r = 0.56, p < 0.05; r = 0.62, p < 0.05, respectively). When PPLL was expressed per unit of limb muscle volume, the relationship with T3-Steps disappeared. This suggests the importance of muscle volume to performance in throwing events. Force-velocity data may prove useful in regulating conditioning and rehabilitation programs for handball players. Our results also highlight the contribution of both the lower and the upper limbs to handball throwing velocity, suggesting the need for coaches to include upper and lower limb strength and power programs when improving the throwing velocity of handball players.


In recent years, various ethical issues have arisen in the field of medical practice because of the dramatic changes in medical technology and diversity among the different population. It is generally believed that nurses often find themselves in ethical dilemmas because of their closeness to their patients. In this study, we examined nursing professionals' awareness about ethical issues and examined their responses to them at a general hospital performing important roles in the Chugoku district in Japan. The subjects consisted of 335 nurses working at this hospital. An anonymous self-administrated questionnaire was given to them in 2003. As a result, 30-35% of the nurses responded that they were either worried about or were faced with ethical issues when considering specific situations as examples. About 15% of the nurses thought that they were currently worried about or were faced with some ethical issues in practice, which implied a low awareness level of the existence of ethical issues. In terms of their responses to such issues, they usually consulted medical staff members who were directly involved in the case. However, approximately 45% of the nurses reported that no official investigation such as one conducted by an ethics committee, had been conducted regarding such issues, which thus left the problem unsolved. These results suggested that the "subjectivity of nurses" and the "worries and dilemmas of nurses themselves" impacted the nurses' awareness of ethical issues. It appears that further inquiry into ethical issues is needed, with consideration by an ethics committee to better deal with many of the ethical issues.


Enrollment management includes the processes and activities that influence the size, shape, and characteristics of a student body by directing institutional efforts in marketing, recruitment, admissions, pricing, and financial aid. Institutional research plays an essential, if not the key, role in enrollment management. This report discusses the types of research questions that must be addressed at each stage of the student college experience; reviews the literature on enrollment management; lists performance monitoring indicators during the recruitment and retention phases and the appropriate collection methods for such data; describes strategies for data management; lists sample student tracking data elements relevant to the entry phase, term-by-term progress assessment, and follow-up of graduates and leavers; and describes the purposes and uses of regression analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis. The following four principles for data application are also discussed: (1) constructing separate longitudinal files for tracking selected student cohorts; (2) including data elements for analysis of specific student subgroups; (3) conducting survey research to illuminate key student decision points; and (4) examining both the college policy environmen, and the views and needs of the student. Data presentation principles are also discussed, including matching format to the analytical sophistication and learning preferences of recipients of the information; avoiding statistical jargon; and using executive summaries, graphics, tables, analogies, and verbal aids appropriately. Sample reporting tables and graphs, and a 30-item bibliography are included. (PAA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************


Heat transfer and visco-plastic flow during friction stir welding of Ti-6Al-4V alloy have been modeled in three dimensions by numerically solving the equations of conservation of mass, momentum and energy using temperature dependent thermo-physical properties and temperature and strainrate dependent viscosity values. The computed results showed that five important model parameters, i. e., the spatially variable friction coefficient, the spatially variable slip between the tool and the workpiece, the extent of viscous dissipation, the mechanical efficiency and the spatially variable heat transfer rate from the bottom surface of the workpiece significantly affected both the temperature fields and the computed torque on the tool. An important problem in the modeling of friction stir welding is that the values of these five parameters cannot be specified from fundamental principles and, and as a result, computed results are not always accurate. Here we show that by combining the heat transfer and plastic flow model with a genetic algorithm based optimization scheme, the values of the five uncertain parameters can be determined from a limited volume of experimental data so that the model predictions of peak temperatures and cooling rates match well with the experimental results. The computed results show that for the welding conditions reported in this paper, close to sticking condition prevailed at the tool– workpiece interface for all the experiments. The extent of viscous dissipation converted to heat was fairly low indicating lack of intimate atomic mixing in the stir zone. Computed three dimensional pressure distributions and streamlines were consistent with defect-free reliable welds for all conditions of welding studied.


of a thesis at the University of Miami. Thesis supervised by Professor Sheri Johnson. (72 pages) Background: Bipolar disorders represent a serious mental health problem, but clinicians often fail to detect bipolar diagnoses. The validation of brief and accurate selfreport questionnaires may aid in the detection of bipolar disorder, leading to more appropriate treatment and faster recovery. Many such measures exist, but few have been thoroughly tested in undergraduates. Methods: Three self-report questionnaires used to detect bipolar disorder (the Hypomanic Personality Scale[HPS], Mood Disorder Questionnaire [MDQ], and General Behavior Inventory – 15 item version[GBI-15]) were administered to undergraduate psychology students during the first week of the semester. Participants who were selected based on high and low scores on the self-report screeners completed the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV, an instrument for diagnosing mental disorders. Participants also completed a battery of self-report measures for constructs previously found to be related to bipolar disorder. Results: Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves, sensitivity and specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were used to investigate usefulness of the three screeners in predicting SCID diagnoses of bipolar spectrum disorders. The three screeners did not demonstrate very good sensitivity or area under the curve for detecting a bipolar spectrum diagnosis, and they generally demonstrated low to moderate predictive values. Of the three, the GBI-15 performed the most adequately in this sample (positive predictive value of approximately .33). All three screeners demonstrated adequate negative predictive values (between .88 and .92). Discussion: The GBI-15 has some unique features that may help explain its outperformance of the other screeners in undergraduates, but suggestions are provided for the development of better screening tools.


Background: Removal programs are effective strategies for short-term management of Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster spp.) populations, especially on a small scale. However, management programs are costly, and, in order to be effective, they must be based on local Acanthaster spp. population dynamics. We have developed simple models to predict the annual number of removable A. cf. solaris along the Onna coast of western central Okinawa Island, where chronic outbreaks have continued for several decades. Methods: The Onna coastal area was divided into five sectors, and annual abundance of small A. cf. solaris individuals was used to predict the total number of removable individuals of a cohort in each sector. Three models were developed, based on size class data collected by the Onna Village Fisheries Cooperative (OVFC) for 2003–2015, according to possible patterns of recruitment and adult occurrence. Using the best-fit models selected for each of the five sectors, the number of individuals that potentially escaped removal was calculated. Results: Best-fit models were likely to differ among the five sectors instead of small differences in the coefficients of determination. The models predict differences in the number of residual starfish among sectors; the northernmost sector was predicted to have a high number of residuals and the potential density of A. cf. solaris in the sector exceeded the outbreak criterion. Conclusions: These results suggest how to allocate resources to reduce the population of A. cf. solaris along the Onna coast in 2016. The OVFC implemented a control program for A. cf. solaris based on three model predictions.


The modal description of sound propagation in deep ocean environments is considered. Several recently published inversion algorithms have assumed that modal group time delays can be measured. Such a measurement requires that the frequency bandwidth: (1) be sufficiently broad that successive modal arrivals are resolved in time, and (2) be sufficiently narrow that, across the band, the group slownesses of neighboring mode numbers do not overlap. These conflicting requirements can be reconciled only at long range. In the deep ocean, the late arriving, low‐order modes are most likely to satisfy condition (2). Unfortunately, recent measurements and numerical simulations suggest that these modes are susceptible to internal wave‐induced mode coupling—especially at long range. The following pessimistic conclusion is made: Modal group delay‐based inversion schemes can be applied to measurements of acoustic wavefields in the deep ocean only for a carefully selected choice of experimental parameters (range, center frequency, and bandwidth) which may not be experimentally accessible. [Work supported by ONR.]


In this paper, 3-dimension finite element model was applied to analyze the commercial pure Ti billet subjected to four-pass equal channel angular extrusion process at 400°C with Bc route. The effective strain distribution and the damage within up to four-pass were described with friction conditions in 3D. The propensity for cracks was predicted, which did correlate approximately to the experiment.


Twelve multiparous Holstein cows were used in a balanced, two-period, changeover design to evaluate soyhulls as a replacement for corn grain in lactation diets. Soyhulls constituted 0 (corn), 50 (corn-soyhull), and 95% (soyhulls) of the concentrate mixture, which was prepared as a 4.8-mm pellet. These concentrate mixtures were mixed with alfalfa silage (50:50 DM) and fed ad libitum as complete diets. Mean DM intakes averaged 23.7 kg/d and were similar for corn, corn-soyhulls, and soyhull diets. Corresponding daily milk yields averaged 29.8, 28.9, and 27.3 kg and milk fat averaged 3.13, 3.33, and 3.49%, resulting in similar 3.5% FCM yields and feed efficiency. Dry matter digestibility was higher for the corn diet (70%) and the corn-soyhull diet (69%) compared with the soyhull diet (61%). Digestibilities (%) of NDF were 55, 63, and 58; ADF were 56, 62, and 55; and CP were 66, 64, and 59 for corn, corn-soyhull, and soyhull diets, respectively. The gastrointestinal passage rate of alfalfa and of soyhulls was similar among diets. The energy value of soyhulls appears to be equal to corn in pelleted concentrates. The fat-depressing effect of pelleting a high starch (corn) concentrate was minimized by including soyhulls.


Obesity is a recognized risk factor of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and esophageal adenocarcinoma. The impact of obesity on the risk of Barrett's esophagus is unclear. This is addressed by a systematic review in this issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology using additional data given by the authors of individual observational studies. The review suggests that although obesity is a risk factor of Barrett's esophagus, it is probably not a direct effect and is likely to be due to the association with GERD. As obesity is a strong risk factor of esophageal adenocarcinoma, more data are needed in this area. In particular, more research is needed on visceral adipose tissue and risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, and whether obesity is an important risk factor for the development of neoplasia in those with Barrett's esophagus.


We propose a new compact optical switch that works over a wide wavelength band. This switch has low cross talk and can be easily integrated with other components of the communication system. The device utilizes the self imaging theory of the parabolic index profile. A new methodology to formulate the design problem as an optimization problem is proposed. Both the response and the gradient of the response are utilized within a gradient-based optimization approach. The adjoint variable method is utilized to extract the gradient of the response using the wide angle BPM method.


The second-largest pension fund in the Netherlands, the health care sector fund PFZW (former PGGM), placed the administrative records of its participants for 1999 to 2007 at the disposal of Statistics Netherlands. The data contain precise information on pension and early retirement rights and can be merged to other administrative datasets. The data will help to understand labour market exit, and will, for example, allow for precise measurement of the impact of financial incentives. First empirical results show that labour market behaviour in the health care sector is in line with previous results for the Netherlands. In an actuarially unfair system many employees retire as soon as they can. For the early years there is evidence of substitution between early retirement anddisability insurance.


As stadiums have high energy consumption in architectural lighting and air conditioning, how to make full use of natural lighting and natural ventilation is the key to architectural energy conservation. To this end, many passive energy conservation measures have been taken into account in designing Multifunctional Stadium of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University. For instance, strip light windows with vertical shading have been installed on east and west facade, open external windows on south and north facade etc. Test result of the Stadium shows that the above-mentioned passive design methods are able to increase natural light intensity of the playing field and prevent glare, improve wind velocity of natural ventilation and comfort in spectator areas.


We construct an overlapping generations model to study the effect of capital controls on human capital investments and the incidence of redistributive taxation in a growing economy. We argue that the conventional wisdom linking higher capital controls to lower growth is reproduced only when an economy is sufficiently developed. For under-developed countries, higher capital controls are beneficial for human capital as well as domestic physical capital accumulation suggesting that the conventional wisdom does not apply. In an augmented version of the model, we show that a modern sector characterized by positive levels of investment in education may not exist unless capital controls are sufficiently high. Higher capital controls make it feasible for a modern sector to exist by lowering the threshold income level required by workers to invest in human capital. Our results are consistent with recent evidence suggesting that capital account liberalization positively affects growth only after a country has achieved a certain threshold level of absorptive capacities.


Dialysis associated arthropathy (DRA) is a syndrome peculiar to long term dialysis patients. It includes large and small joint symptoms, pathological fractures through bony cysts and an axial spondyloarthropathy, and is closely associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. It is characterised by deposition of β2 microglobulin (β2M) as an amyloid protein. This was first linked to the osteoarticular syndrome 12 years ago.1 Several other forms of bone and joint pathology also occur more frequently in dialysis patients, including secondary hyperparathyroidism, osteoporosis, gout, pseudogout, and aluminium induced bone disease.2

Prevalence of DRA is closely related to age and years of dialysis treatment. Symptoms develop in some patients within four to five years of treatment and are almost universally present in those who have been treated by haemodialysis for 15 years.2-4 The number of patients in this at risk group is steadily increasing; in Australia the proportion of patients with over 10 years exposure to dialysis treatment has remained constant around 6% over the past decade but the total number of patients needing dialysis treatment has doubled and the proportion over 65 years rose from 18% to 35%.5 Other Western countries face a similar problem.

Several active areas of investigation and debate remain. The nature of the β2M deposition has been intensively studied, with recent demonstration of non-enzymatic modification of β2M to form advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The roles of different dialysis membranes and techniques in the production and clearance of β2M and the genesis of DRA continues to be actively investigated, although there have been few major technological advances in this area over the past five years.

β2M is a 11.8 kDa polypeptide. The light chain of the HLA class I complex, it is expressed on the cell membrane of all nucleated cells. Freely filtered across the …


Abstract GFRP composite is one of the alternative materials that the most common as a replacement for metal. This material has a light weight, easy to shape, good strength, and the production cost is relatively cheaper. This study aims to investigate the effects of fiber diameter variation of mechanical behavior, particularly on the load of high strain rate impact. The application of impulse momentum theory in the elastic region is the basic science for this case. The AGC apparatus is equipment that used for this test because it could generate the high strain wave rate in the single direction loading. Specimen is placed in the position of tight end against the end of the input bar. The results showed that the increase in fiber diameter variations affect the value of E that is produced. Thus, it is become a recommendation for the use of this material in certain circumstances. Keywords: GFRP Composite, Elasticity Modulus, High Strain Rate Impact


Deinococcus radiodurans strain R1 synthesizes a unique ketocarotenoid product named deinoxanthin. The detailed steps involved in the biosynthesis of deinoxanthin remain unresolved. A carotene ketolase homologue encoded by dr0093 was inactivated by gene mutation to verify its function in the native host D. radiodurans . Analysis of the carotenoids in the resultant mutant R1 D crtO demonstrated that dr0093 encodes g -carotene ketolase (CrtO) catalysing the introduction of one keto group into the C-4 position of g -carotene derivatives to form ketolated carotenoids. The mutant R1 D crtO became more sensitive to H 2 O 2 treatment than the wild-type strain R1, indicating that the C-4 keto group is important for the antioxidant activity of carotenoids in D. radiodurans . Carotenoid extracts from mutant R1 D crtO exhibited lower 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scaven-ging activity than those from the wild-type strain R1. The enhanced antioxidant ability of ketocarotenoids in D. radiodurans might be attributed to its extended conjugated double bonds and relative stability by the C-4 keto group substitution. the activity of the in


Noisy labels often occur in vision datasets, especially when they are obtained from crowdsourcing or Web scraping. We propose a new regularization method, which enables learning robust classifiers in presence of noisy data. To achieve this goal, we propose a new adversarial regularization scheme based on the Wasserstein distance. Using this distance allows taking into account specific relations between classes by leveraging the geometric properties of the labels space. Our Wasserstein Adversarial Regularization (WAR) encodes a selective regularization, which promotes smoothness of the classifier between some classes, while preserving sufficient complexity of the decision boundary between others. We first discuss how and why adversarial regularization can be used in the context of noise and then show the effectiveness of our method on five datasets corrupted with noisy labels: in both benchmarks and real datasets, WAR outperforms the state-of-the-art competitors.


Rice is an important staple food in Nigeria, affected by several diseases especially viruses. This study was carried out to evaluate the incidence and severity of two important viruses on rice plants and to identify associated insects in the Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T), Abuja in 2019. Field experiment was carried out from June to October, 2019 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, Nigeria, where ten rice varieties were assessed for incidence and severity. The seed and leaf samples were collected for serological indexing. Data collected was subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS and mean separation was done with Duncan Multiple Range Test. Of the 210 leaf samples collected, FARO 61 and 44 had the lowest incidence (19%), while FARO 65 recorded the highest (25.3%). FARO 52 recorded the highest severity (46%) while FARO 61 and FARO 60 had the lowest severity (30.1%) for rice yellow mottle sobemo-virus (RYMV) and maize streak geminivirus (MSV). Insects such as Spittle bug (Locris rubens and Poophilus costalis), Ladybird beetle (Cheilomenes sulphurea) and Groundhopper (Paratettix sp) were trapped on the field. All rice seed and leaf samples collected did not test positive to RYMV and MSV using Enzyme-Linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This study provides the first research work on rice viruses in the FCT and further studies are recommended.

 Key words: Nigeria, rice, rice yellow mottle sobemo-virus (RYMV), maize streak geminivirus (MSV), incidence, severity, virus symptoms, enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA).


Abstract Glyphosate applied to glyphosate-resistant (RR) cotton varieties after the four-leaf stage can decrease boll retention resulting in severe yield reductions. Enhanced glyphosate-resistant cotton (RR Flex), released for commercial use in 2006, offers a wider window of glyphosate applications without the risk of yield loss. However, no data exist regarding the effect of glyphosate application, especially late season applications, on fruit partitioning in RR Flex cotton. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of glyphosate rate and application timing on RR Flex cotton yield and fruit partitioning compared with current RR cotton. Studies were conducted during a 3-yr period (2004 to 2006), throughout the cotton growing regions of Mississippi. Roundup Ready (ST 4892 Bollgard/Roundup Ready [BR]) and Roundup Ready Flex (Mon 171 Enhanced Roundup Ready and ST 4554 Bollgard II/Roundup Ready Flex [B2RF]) cotton was planted, and glyphosate was applied at various rates and cotton growth stages. Data were collected using box mapping, a technique designed to depict yield partitioning on a cotton plant. RR Flex cotton yields were unaffected by glyphosate application timing or rate. Yields for ST 4892 BR were affected by application timings after the sixth leaf. ST 4892 BR had increased yield partitioning to position-three bolls and upper nodes with later application timings of glyphosate. Increases in seed cotton partitioned to higher nodes and outer fruiting positions were unable to compensate for fruit shed from innermost, lower fruiting sites. These data indicate that RR Flex cotton has excellent tolerance to late-season glyphosate applications. Nomenclature: Glyphosate; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.


Abstract : A fast-growing trend in e-learning environments is the investment in avatar technology to deliver an engaging and interesting learning experience. E-learning itself has limited and inconsistent research into its learning effectiveness, and this is especially true for innovative avatar instructional methods. The purpose of this research was to develop a generalizable theory that can be used to assess the learning effectiveness of various media types used in e-learning environments. A research model was developed and used to study a U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School Distance Learning program that used avatar, video, audio, and text-based scenarios to reinforce learning objectives. It was hypothesized that media with higher levels of learning engagement (LE) would lead to more favorable reactions and thus higher levels of understanding. While text and audio showed positive LE results, the hypotheses for both avatar and video influence on LE were not supported. Results also showed full and partial support for LE leading to favorable learning outcomes. The model developed in this research identified the learning effectiveness of an e-learning program and can be used to guide education and training investment decisions based on proven learning outcomes rather than the surface appeal of emotional interest and engagement features.


This article describes modern wireless sensor devices and their application in the measurements of the human physiology. We used our own advanced ECG Holter device and EEG helmet to record the heart and brain activity impacted by different environments, materials, colors or body positions during work. In this paper, we want to show the interactions between humans and architecture design, which modify human work performance and well-being. This paper is a conclusion of the 3 different pilot studies, where different scopes of human-space interaction were explored. In the experiments, we aimed mostly at wood materials and their beneficial effects on the nervous system. The research in its actual state is primarily focused on optimizing the methods of the ECG data analysis from our Holter device and the EEG data from helmet. Based on these data, we will improve the methodology of the experiments for the next enhanced research with aspiration to automate data analysi


NCEP ADP Global Upper Air Observational Weather Data are composed of global upper air weather reports operationally collected by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). These include radiosondes, pibals and aircraft reports from the Global Telecommunications System (GTS), and satellite data from the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS). The reports can include pressure, geopotential height, air temperature, dew point temperature, wind direction and speed. Data may be available at up to 20 mandatory levels from 1000 millibars to 1 millibar, plus a few significant levels. Report intervals range from hourly to 12 hourly. These data are the primary input to the NCEP Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS), which is used to create the NCEP Final Tropospheric Analyses (FNL).\n\nFull daily data can be downloaded in BUFR or LITTLE_R format. Spatial subsets decoded into ASCII can also be selected by latitude/longitude or station ID.


Dust emission is an environmental concern to iron ore sintering. To suppress it by preventing dust from migrating into gas stream in the sintering bed, the effect of various operational factors was investigated and the site and cause of dust generation in sintering bed were estimated through pot tests with a dust sampler placed between the pot and the wind box. Dust emission increased with increasing coke content or decreasing moisture; suction pressure, bed height and blend ratio of Marra Mamba ore did not affect significantly. Of 750 mg/kg dust emitted from bed, about 150 mg/kg originated in the drying zone, another 150 mg/kg in the dehydration zone and the rest in the coke combustion zone. The dominant causes allowing particles to move into gas stream in the bed was estimated to be granule's breakage in the drying/dehydration zones and extinction of adjacent particles in the combustion zone.


A comparative evaluation of traditional and innovative coatings for outdoor bronze surfaces was carried out, including blending or pre-treatment with non-toxic corrosion inhibitors on bare and patinated bronze surfaces to simulate both as cast and aged surfaces. Coatings recently applied in bronze conservation practice, commercially available coatings and an innovative end-capped poly(lactic acid) with a benzotriazole (BTA) moiety have been tested, as well as a triple-layer system (wax/acrylic polymer/wax). BTA, single-layer Soter wax, and double layer Incral44/Soter wax were used as a reference. The products were evaluated in terms of aesthetic features, molecular structure, and corrosion protection by means of colorimetric, spectroscopic, and electrochemical tests. All inhibitors showed similar or significantly better results compared to BTA. In particular, sodium oleate and tolyltriazole could be considered as promising lower-toxicity alternatives to BTA, while the triple-layer coating applied without pre-filming inhibitors proved to give a very high protection against corrosion. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46011.


Abstract The close relationship between primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and inflammatory bowel disease has inspired hypothetical models in which gut bacteria or bacterial products are key players in PSC pathogenesis. Several studies using high-throughput sequencing technology to characterize the gut microbiota in PSC have been published over the past years. They all report reduced diversity and significant shifts in the overall composition of the gut microbiota. However, it remains unclear as to whether the observed changes are primary or secondary to PSC development and further studies are needed to assess the biological implications of the findings. In the present article, we review the published data in perspective of similar studies in other diseases. We discuss aspects of methodology and study design that are relevant to interpretation of the data. Furthermore, we propose that interpretation and further assessments of findings are structured into conceptual compartments, and elaborate three such possible concepts relating to immune function (the "immunobiome"), host metabolism (the "endobiome"), and dietary and xenobiotic factors (the "xenobiome") in PSC.


This paper is part of an international collaborative project led by Rebecca Giblin & Kimberlee Weatherall. The premise of the project is this: what if we could start with a blank slate, and write ourselves a brand new copyright system? If we could design a law, from scratch, to encourage creativity, remunerate and support creators, and ensure broad access to new knowledge and culture, in short, if we could draw up a new copyright law that genuinely furthered the public interest, what might it look like? Would we opt for radical overhaul? Or would we keep our current fundamentals? What parts of the system would we jettison? What would we keep? The book will be published open access via ANU Press in 2016.This paper – a subpart of the broader project – explores some ideas for breaking away from current unproductive thinking on enforcement, drawing on regulatory theory and research in psychology around the factors that motivate compliance with the law. At its heart lies a thought experiment: what if we created a public copyright regulator, tasked with using a fixed pool of public resources to attempt to secure widespread observance of copyright principles? How would such a regulator approach their task, and what tools would they need? Perhaps the insights of regulatory theory can help us break out of a cycle of deterrence failure and escalation, and move towards a positive vision where enforcement contributes to both creators' and society's goals.


Usage Ratio Graphs are used as a tool to assess whether a structure meets performance criteria. As the load factor increases in a gravitational analysis, the relative displacement increases in an Push-Over analysis, or the time increases in a dynamic analysis, the usage graphs show the changes in the usage ratio in accordance with the increment in the load factor, relative displacement or time, respectively depending on the type of the analysis. The responses of a structure under an earthquake can depend on the amount of energy dissipation by the structure. In an analysis of elastic structures, it is generally assumed that energy is dissipated by the viscous damping (this is presented by approximation in modeling, Except for structures that really use viscose dampers). In other hand for the inelastic structures analysis, it is also commonly assumed that in addition with the viscous damping the excess energy is dissipated by inelastic effects (inelastic deformation, failure, etc.). Energy graphs determine which members in the structures have a greater share in inelastic energy dissipation. These graphs help to better estimate the structure's performance. In this study, four "moment frame" concrete structures with irregular planes and moderate ductility and with reinforced concrete shear walls, were analyzed. The Structures are designed in two different shear wall plan configuration, with 8 and 12 stories. The static and dynamic nonlinear analysis of the structures were carried out using the "Perform-3D v5.0" software, which is one of the most powerful tools in the field of nonlinear analysis of structures under earthquake loads.
Keywords: Concrete structures; shear walls; irregular plan; nonlinear dynamic analysis; dissipated energy; usage graph
References:
Areias, P.M.A., Belytschko, T. (2005). Analysis of Three-Dimensional Crack Initiation and Propagation Using the Extended Finite Element Method. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 63 (55), pp: 760-788.
Atluri, S.N., Shen, S. (2002). The Meshless Local Petrov–Galerkin (MLPG) Method. Tech Science Press, USA.
Udwadia, F.E., Trifunac, M.D. (1973). Ambient Vibration Test of Full Scale Structures. Proc. of the 5th World Conf. On Earthquake Engineering, Rome.
Fiuooz, A. (1369). Study on Dynamic characteristic of Concrete Hives by ambient Vibration Method. Master's Thesis, Shiraz University, Shiraz.
Trifunac, M.D. (1970). Wind and Microtremor Induced Vibration of a 22 Story Steel Frame Building. Earthquake Engineering Research Lab., Report EERL 70-01, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California.
Sethian, J.A. (2006). Moving interfaces and boundaries: level set methods and fast marching methods. Available from: http://math.berkeley.edu/~sethian/Explanations/level_set_explain.html
Ali Hiuri, M.H, Sharifi, M.B. (1379). Water demand forecasting using artificial neural networks. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Civil Engineering, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran, May 21-19, 4: 1953-1953.


Background. By employing dedicated Logistics Service Providers (LSPs), companies can focus on their core competencies, reduce logistics costs, and have specialized logistics expertise available. However, many such outsourcing arrangements fall short of expectations as little attention is given to interpersonal connections between those who manage organizational interfaces (boundary spanners). Personal relationships are especially important in the Chinese culture, where business practices revolve around special relationships called Guanxi. Although the Guanxi phenomenon has been investigated from various angles and logistics outsourcing is considered a key topic in Supply Chain Management (SCM) research, so far, the literature overlooked the impact of Guanxi on the LSP selection process.

Aims. This study aims to answers the overriding research question "How does Guanxi impact the selection of Logistics Service Providers in China now and in the future?".

Methods. A multi-tiered research process with qualitative expert interviews, a quantitative survey, and a Delphi study was employed. To identify possible impacts of Guanxi on the selection of LSPs in China, 22 qualitative interviews with experts working for LSPs and automotive Tier 1 suppliers were conducted. The resulting interview transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using the approach proposed by Meuser and Nagel. To verify the findings, a survey instrument was developed and administered online among supply chain management experts working for LSPs and companies in the automotive industry. This quantitative study was completed 194 times by participants from 17 countries, mainly China and Germany. The collected data was analyzed using various descriptive and multivariate statistical methods. Then, to forecast how the Guanxi influence will develop in the future and which factors will impact it, a Delphi study following Schmidt's ranking type approach was conducted. It was administered and analyzed across four panels among 57 experts from LSPs and companies in the automotive industry in China.

Results. Eight support possibilities, ways how the buying center of a firm can support an LSP along the stages of the selection process, and ten contingency factors, factors that may alter the support possibilities, were identified in the explorative study. In the confirmatory study, contingency factors ranked as highest impacting the selection process were selection process structuredness, project volume, and number of decision makers. It could be confirmed that the sex of the boundary spanners does not influence the impact of personal relationships on the LSP selection process, that the influence of personal relationships on the LSP selection process is lower in Western cultures compared to China, that at multinational companies, the influence of personal relationships on the LSP selection process is lower than in domestic companies, that at large companies, the influence of personal relationships on the LSP selection process is lower than in small and medium-sized companies, and that LSPs perceive the influence of personal relationships on the LSP selection process higher than buying firms. Support possibilities most frequently occurring in practice are that a buying center shares information about an upcoming project before the official start [of a tender], that a buying center evaluates the bidder's quality more positively and that the buying center considers a bidder as a possible bidder. The Delphi study led to the identification of 31 factors influencing the future impact of Guanxi on the LSP selection process. Common themes were a strengthening of compliance, the development and digital transformation of the supply chain function as well as wide-ranging market shifts. This indicates that the Guanxi influence will rather decrease in the future and develop into a different form.

Conclusions. As one of the first comprehensive investigations into the workings of Guanxi in SCM on a micro level, the studies demonstrated how Guanxi impacts the selection of LSPs in China. The findings extend the literature about buyer-supplier relationships during the procurement of third-party logistics services, where it could be shown that personal relationships can positively impact a buyer's quality evaluation and lead to an information advantage for service providers. Also, a noteworthy contribution to the existing knowledge about contingency factors was made. Recommendations for practitioners include, above all, that firms should acknowledge that Guanxi relationships have certain effects on the selection of LSPs. On the buying firm side, this allows for deliberate decision making regarding the mitigation of such effects or the purposeful usage. LSPs could use Guanxi strategically to benefit from its business enhancing effects and seize the chance of the changing market environment where Guanxi develops into a form more compliant with international regulations.


Mikhail Sokolov - Candidate of Sciences in Sociology, Professor, European University at St. Petersburg. Address: 6/1a Gagarinskaya Str., 191187 St. Petersburg, Russian Federation. E-mail: email@example.com article explores the relationship between academic career structure and labor market organization characterizing different national academic systems. Selective and transformative systems are described as two opposite ideal types. The principal constitutive difference between them is that the selective system requires scholars to move between organizations at least ones during their academic career, and introduces time limits for staying at the lower steps of the academic ladder, while transformative systems do not prohibit inbreeding or ban staying indefinitely at lower academic ranks. The academic systems of Great Britain, Germany, Russia, USA, and France are used to demonstrate how this fundamental difference is related to many other parameters of institutional organization of national academic worlds, such as labor market competitiveness, selection procedures complexity, whether the labor market is driven by supply or demand, the level of geographic mobility, the presence of tenure, the role of formal indicators in academic productivity assessment, and the overall status of the academic profession.


Introduction UK training pathways in upper GI endoscopy (UGIE) constitute a mandatory JAG Hands-on Course and supervised endoscopy experience. Trainee surveys have highlighted a deficit in formal endoscopic lesion recognition (ELR) training. We aimed to evaluate a range of teaching formats for ELR for novice UGIE trainees, determining key elements in development of their cognitive framework (CF). Method As part of a Structured Programme of Induction and Training in UGIE (SPRINT) we delivered ELR teaching sessions at months 0, 1, 2 and 4 in different formats – small group discussion (still image); small group (video); online Standardised Lesion Assessment Tests in Endoscopy (SLATE); and one-to-one training at hands-on sessions. All 7 trainees evaluated sessions at time of delivery. A semi-structured interview was conducted at month 4 (40 mins) exploring the relationship of training to development of ELR skills. A deductive approach to data analysis using a modified grounded theory approach1was followed. Results ELR sessions were highly valued, both for content and relevance to training. Formative assessment established baseline declarative knowledge, but learners expressed anxieties related to exposing lack of knowledge. At baseline, small group sessions (supportive, non-threatening) involving all trainees, using common pathologies, correcting misconceptions and exploring differential diagnoses, were highly valued and supported learning. Online testing of this subject matter in the first 3 months provided useful reinforcement, if allied to detailed feedback. Teaching classification systems aids higher level CF development, if illustrated with numerous examples in various contexts. After 3 months, management plans and report writing (meta-cognitive skills) need emphasis, with testing of procedural knowledge recall. Video cases, rare presentations of common disease and rare pathologies are only usefully integrated into mental frameworks at or after 4 months. Interactive Q&A group formats remained highly valued at this stage. SLATE assessment charted progress, but lacked immediate, targeted feedback and created performance-related focus on marks. Conclusion Delivery and format of ELR training must be matched to CF development. Initial exposure should focus on common pathologies, to develop confidence and observation skills. Once handling skills are secure, structured observation and classification structures link knowledge at a deeper level. Formative assessment, feedback and discussion drive learning. Disclosure of interest None Declared. Reference Burnard P, et al. Br Dental J. 2008;204:429–432


Communication in a broad sense implies exchange of messages (information, opinions, and feelings). Communication affects the atmosphere, the association, the cooperation, the interaction, the creativity, the management, and the motivation. However, all conflicts which occur in the team are mostly a result of the poor communication as well. Successful communicators listen more, and speak less. The successful communicator is persistent in the representation of the attitudes of ones who are better, and not only of his own attitudes. Therefore, one can conclude that communication as every other skill improves with exercise and requires constant care.


Introduction: Alpinia caerulea is a perennial herb which grows in coastal regions of Australia. All parts of this species are consumed as a bushfood. Furthermore, A. caerulea is taxonomically related to several plant species with well documented antimicrobial properties. Despite this, A. caerulea leaf solvent extractions have not previously been examined for antibacterial properties. Methods: The antimicrobial activity of A. caerulea leaf solvent extractions was investigated by disc diffusion and growth time course assays against a panel of pathogenic bacteria. The growth inhibitory activity was quantified by MIC determination. Toxicity was determined using the Artemia franciscana nauplii bioassay. Results: Methanolic and aqueous A. caerulea leaf extracts inhibited the growth of a range of gram positive and gram negative bacterial species. The methanolic extract was generally a more potent growth inhibitor than the aqueous extract. The methanolic and aqueous extracts were particularly potent inhibitors of S. marcenscens growth, with MIC values as low as 188 μg/mL for the methanolic extract. P. mirabilis (MICs of 785 and 976 μg/mL for the methanolic and aqueous extracts respectively) and K. pneumoniae growth (MICs of 1167 and 924 μg/mL for the methanolic and aqueous extracts respectively) were also particularly susceptible to the A. caerulea leaf extracts. The antibacterial activity of the methanolic and aqueous A. caerulea leaf extracts was further investigated by growth time course assays which showed significant growth inhibition in cultures of S. marcenscens and P. mirabilis within 1 h of exposure. All extracts were determined to be nontoxic in the Artemia franciscana nauplii bioassay, indicating their safety for internal use as well as for topical uses. Conclusion: The lack of toxicity of the A. caerulea leaf extracts and their growth inhibitory bioactivity against a panel of pathogenic bacteria indicate their potential in the development of antibiotic agents.


AIMS
Previous studies have suggested that right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing may have deleterious effects on left ventricular function. Whether right ventricular non-apical (RVNA) pacing offers a better alternative to RVA pacing is unclear. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) in order to compare the mid- and long-term effects of RVA and RVNA pacing.

METHODS AND RESULTS
We systematically searched the Cochrane library, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases for RCTs comparing RVA with RVNA pacing over >2 months follow-up. Data were pooled using random-effects models. Fourteen RCTs met our inclusion criteria involving 754 patients. Compared with subjects randomized to RVA pacing, those randomized to RVNA pacing had greater left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) at the end of follow-up [13 RCTs: weighted mean difference (WMD) 4.27%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15%, 7.40%]. RVNA had a better LVEF at the end of follow-up in RCTs with follow-up ≥12 months (WMD 7.53%, 95% CI 2.79%, 12.27%), those with <12 months of follow-up (WMD 1.95%, 95% CI 0.17%, 3.72%), and those conducted in patients with baseline LVEF ≤40-45% (WMD 3.71%, 95% CI 0.72%, 6.70%); no significant difference was observed in RCTs of patients whose baseline LVEF was preserved. Randomized-controlled trials provided inconclusive results with respect to exercise capacity, functional class, quality of life, and survival.

CONCLUSIONS
While RCTs suggest that LVEF is higher with RVNA than with RVA pacing, there remains a need for large RCTs to compare the safety and efficacy of RVNA and RVA pacing.


In the wireless sensor network (WSN) literature, the use of a mobile sink is commonly viewed as one of the most successful means of load balancing as well as an effective defense against the so-called hot-spot phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to investigate the real-world applicability of the known theoretical benefits associated with the use of mobile sink(s). In particular, we examine the pros and cons of deploying path-constrained mobile sink(s) in IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee-based WSNs.The main contributions of this paper are as follows: First, analytically and through simulation, we demonstrate that in idealistic (zero-overhead) networks the use of a mobile sink does result in a more even distribution of routing load and longer network lifetime, as earlier suggested in the WSN literature. Moreover, in small- to medium- size zero-overhead WSNs, the outer-peripheral and the diagonal-cross trajectory appear to be more effective than other types of mobile-sink trajectories. Unfortunately, real-world networks, including ZigBee WSNs, are not zero-overhead – these networks employ special mechanisms that generate additional (overhead) traffic in order to manage congestion and node mobility. The results of our OPNET-base simulation study demonstrate that in IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee WSNs, once all of the overhead traffic is accounted for, the theoretical advantage of deploying a mobile- vs. deploying a static- sink completely disappears. Hence, for anybody contemplating the use of a mobile sink in ZigBee sensor networks, the minimization of protocol overhead may have to be the first course of action. In the last part of the paper, we introduce two simple mechanisms for reduction of mobility-related overhead in ZigBee WSNs. The presented simulation results suggest that with these mechanisms in place the superiority of mobile- over static- sink deployment can be regained.


We study the effect of the predictability of order imbalance on market quality. We measure the degree of predictability by using the predictive likelihood from a dynamic linear model where the dependent variable is the day-ahead order imbalance. Empirically, we show that increasing order imbalance predictability corresponds to significantly higher market liquidity and efficiency. This positive relationship is economically significant: a long-short portfolio based on past predictability generates significant risk-adjusted returns. Predictability of order imbalance measures a cost of asymmetric information that is not captured by traditional measures of adverse selection. The risk factor that is associated with asymmetric information is priced in the cross-section of stock returns, controlling for a variety of conventional sources of systematic risk. These results suggest the existence of a tight link between market microstructure features affecting order imbalance predictability and both market quality and the cost of capital of firms.


The requirements for securing e-commerce transaction are privacy, authentication, integrity maintenance and non-repudiation. These are the crucial and significant issues in recent times for trade which are transacted over the internet through e-commerce channels. In this paper suggest cipher method that is improves the DiffieHellman key exchange by using truncated polynomial in discrete logarithm problem ( DLP ) to increases the complexity of this method over unsecured channel, also combines the hashing algorithm of MD5, the symmetric key algorithm of AES and the asymmetric key algorithm of Modification of Diffie-Hellman (MDH).


This case study describes the use of learning analytics to evaluate the transition of a postgraduate wine business course from face-to-face to online delivery using e-learning course design principles. Traditionally, Foundations of Wine Science lectures were delivered face-to-face, however the decision to transition the course from semester to trimester format presented an opportunity for online delivery of lectures. This was initially achieved through audio recordings, then video lectures, supported by a range of digital learning resources intended to engage, support and enhance student learning and the student experience. Descriptive analysis of learning analytics, comprising assessment results, student evaluations of learning and teaching, and data sourced from the Learning Management System, was performed to evaluate the impact of online delivery of course content on student performance, satisfaction and engagement. The use of audio lecture recordings negatively impacted students' perception of the overall quality of the course (including course organisation, learning strategies and learning resources). The subsequent implementation of e-learning designed video lectures was considered superior to audio recordings, albeit final grades were not significantly different between the delivery modes. However, student engagement was equal to, or better than face-to-face delivery, when content was designed specifically for an e-learning environment.


A plethora of security schemes for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has been proposed and their resilience to various attacks analyzed; including situations the adversary compromises a subset of the WSN nodes and/or deploys own misbehaving devices. The higher the degree of such intrusion is, the more effective an attack will be. Consider, however, an adversary that is far from omnipotent: How should she attack, how should she deploy her resources to maximally affect the attacked WSN operation? This basic question has received little attention, with one approach considering genetic algorithms for devising an attack strategy [5]. In this work, we recast the problem towards a more systematic treatment and more computationally efficient solutions: a combination of a genetic algorithm with a convex relaxation, and an ℓ1-constraint formulation. The devising of near-optimal attack strategies efficiently strengthens the adversary, allowing her to adapt and mount effective and thus harmful attacks even in complex and dynamically changing settings.


The aim of this research work is to evaluate the use of 980 nm diode laser in clotting the blood in the bone socket after tooth extraction. The objective is to prevent possible clot dislodgement which is a defect that may lead to possible infection. A number of rabbits were irradiated using 980nm CW mode diode laser, 0.86W power output for 9s and 15s exposure time. The irradiated groups were studied histopathologically in comparison with a control group. Results showed that laser photothermal coagulation was of benefit in minimizing the possibility of the incidence of postoperative complications. The formation of the clot reduces the possibility of bleeding and infection.


SQL and QBE are compared in the same operating environment, and the effects of query language type and other variables on user performance and satisfaction are studied. The experimental design combined a factorial design and a counterbalanced design in an effort to compare SQL and QBE. The results indicated that query language type affects user performance in paper and pencil testing, with QBE users having higher scores than SQL users. In contrast, in online testing, query language type had no effect on user performance. In addition, under certain conditions, query complexity had a significant effect on user performance and user satisfaction was influenced by query language type. Moreover, order of exposure impacted user performance on the basis of interaction with query language type, query complexity, and programming experience. >


The comorbidity of diabetes and depression has a negative impact on both lifestyle and quality of life. Astaxanthin (AST) has been demonstrated to improve glucose metabolism and has antidepressant-like effects, but it is not clear whether AST has potential for preventing depression in diabetes. The aim of this study is to observe the preventive and therapeutic effects of AST on glucose metabolism or depressive-like behaviors in a diabetic rat model produced by feeding with a high-fat diet for 10 weeks followed by injection of 25 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). Preventive treatment with AST at doses of 7.5, 15, and 25 mg/kg/day was given by intragastric gavage 4 weeks before STZ injection. Preventive plus therapeutic treatment also involved therapeutic AST treatments for 6 more weeks after STZ injection, whereas therapeutic-only treatment involved only the 6-week post-STZ treatment. Depressive-like behaviors were evaluated at the end of the treatment by using open field, locomotor activity, elevated plus maze, and forced swimming tests. Preventive and therapeutic treatment with AST both reduced the level of fasting glucose, improved glucose tolerance, and decreased total TCh and TG in diabetic rats. Preventive or preventative plus therapeutic treatment with AST decreased the immobility time and increased the time spent in the open arms of an elevated plus maze and locomotor activity in diabetic rats. However, therapeutic treatment with AST alone failed to affect the depressive-like behaviors. Preventive or preventative plus therapeutic treatment with AST at doses of 15 or 25 mg/kg significantly increased the expression of pERK, pAKT, pCREB, and BDNF in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in diabetic rats. In contrast, therapeutic treatment with 25 mg/kg AST alone increased the expression of pERK in the PFC. This study indicates that AST may be used as a preventive or therapeutic approach for co-morbidity of diabetes and depression.


One of the many aspects that make Marcel Proust's A la recherche du temps perdu such a complex and subtle work is its engagement with metaphysical questions. The disparate nature of the narrator's experiences, hypotheses, and statements has generated a number of conflicting interpretations, based on parallels with the thought of one or another philosopher from Plato to Leibniz, Spinoza, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Bergson, or Deleuze. Through the analysis of the narrator's two seemingly incompatible perceptions of the world, which reveal reality to be either one or infinitely multiple, Erika Fulop proposes a reading of the novel that reconciles the opposites. Rather than being undecided or self-contradictory, the narrative thematizes the insufficiency of the dualist perspective and invites the reader to take a step beyond it.


Historians have generally come to accept the idea of a "long eighteenth century," one that extended from circa 1660 to 1830. In The Global Eighteenth Century, editor Felicity Nussbaum and the contributing authors take this idea one step further, positing an eighteenth century that is "wide" as well as long, reaching beyond Europe into the African diaspora, the Americas, the Levant, China, India, and Oceania. Showcasing the work of twenty-one leading scholars in literature, world history, art history, geography, and environmental studies, this collection of essays explores both the literal and the metaphorical crossings of the globe, addressing the cultural significance of maps, paintings, travel writing, tourist manuals, cultural identities, island gardens, and other topics in order to lend insight to our perception of global culture during this time. In addition, the contributors examine the tension between the tendency toward homogenization at the global level and the specifics of local knowledge and culture, analyzing examples of sexual and racial intermingling, the European reception of indigenous knowledge, encounters with diverse religions, the exchange of goods and diseases, and the real and imagined mappings of the world. These essays, which the introduction considers within global and imperial studies, add a crucial historical element to the emerging concept of the global. Through careful analysis of texts, images and artifacts, they articulate the truly global nature of relations among the freshly juxtaposed regions, disciplines, and methodologies of this complex era. Contributors: Robert Batchelor, Laura Brown, Vincent Carretta, Jill Casid, Linda Colley, Greg Dening, Rod Edmond, Matthew H. Edney, Carole Fabricant, Peter Hulme, Betty Joseph, Kay Dian Kriz, Philip D. Morgan, Anna Neill, Neil Rennie, Joseph Roach, Nicholas Rogers, Benjamin Schmidt, Kate Teltscher, Beth Fowkes Tobin, and Glyndwr Williams


The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between work-family demands and employee life satisfaction, as well as the role of supervisory support in moderating work-family demands and life satisfaction. The researchers used 300 female academic staff as respondents, working in the Research Universities of - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their ages ranged from 30 to 60 years. Findings show that the effect of work-family demands on life satisfaction is significant for female employees that the supervisory support of employees has an effect in the increase of life satisfaction of employees. Moreover, the hypothesis was proved as the supervisory support was found to moderate the relationship between work-family demands and life satisfaction.


There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that stem cell populations from both the embryo and the adult are heterogeneous in their gene expression patterns. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This thesis explores cell-to-cell variability in both multipotent and pluripotent stem cell populations using mathematical models to provide a theoretical framework to understand the collective dynamics of stem cell populations. In the first part of the thesis we investigate the possibility that fluctuations in the transcription factor Nanog { which is central to the embryonic stem cell transcriptional regulatory network (ESCTRN) { regulate population variability by controlling important feedback mechanisms. Our analyses reveal the ESC TRN is rich in feedback, with global feedback structure critically dependent on Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2, which collectively participate in over two thirds of all feedback loops. Using a general measure of feedback centrality we show that removal of Nanog severely compromises the global feedback structure of the ESC TRN. These analyses indicate that Nanog fluctuations regulate population heterogeneity by transiently activating different regulatory subnetworks, driving transitions between a Nanog-expressing, feedback-rich, robust and self-perpetuating pluripotent state and a Nanog-diminished, feedback-sparse and differentiation-sensitive state. The majority of studies characterising heterogeneity in Nanog expression have used live-cell fluorescent reporter strategies. However, recent evidence suggests that these reporters may not give a faithful reflection of endogenous Nanog expression because the introduction of the reporter construct can perturb the kinetics of the underlying regulatory network. To investigate the role of Nanog further we therefore sought to model in detail the dynamics of Nanog expression in heterozygous fluorescent knock-in reporter cell lines. We develop chemical master equation, chemical Langevin equation and reaction rate equation models of the reporter system to determine how this might disturb normal Nanog transcriptional control. Our analyses indicate that the reporter construct can weaken the strength of autoactivatory feedback loops that are central to Nanog regulation, and thereby qualitatively perturbs endogenous Nanog dynamics. These results question the efficacy of commonly used reporter strategies and therefore have important implications for the design and use of synthetic reporters in general, not just for Nanog. In the second part of this thesis we consider the dynamics of populations of multipotent adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). It is known that fluctuations within individual HSCs allow them to transit stochastically between functionally distinct metastable states, while the overall population distribution of expression remains stable. To investigate the relationship between single cell and population-level dynamics we propose a theoretical framework that views cellular multipotency as an instance of maximum entropy statistical inference, in which an underlying ergodic stochastic process gives rise to robust variability within the cell population. We illustrate this view by analysing expression fluctuations of the stem cell surface marker Sca1 in mouse HSCs and find that the observed dynamics naturally lie close to a critical state, thereby producing a diverse population that is able to respond rapidly to environmental changes. Although we focus on Sca1 dynamics, comparable expression fluctuations are known to generate functional diversity in other mammalian stem cell systems, including in pluripotent stem cells. Thus, the generation of ergodic expression fluctuations may be a generic way in which cell populations maintain robust multilineage differentiation potential under environmental uncertainty.


In recent years there has been an increasing focus on distributed generation, due to the benefits they bring to the distribution network and to consumers. To maximize these benefits, such as loss minimization, generator locations and sizes must be carefully determined. Currently few methods in the literature can allocate multiple types and multiple numbers of distributed generators simultaneously, and this paper proposes a novel method to do so. The proposed method is based on mixed integer quadratic programming with quadratic constraints, and is capable of determining the optimal number, locations and sizes of multiple types of DG units simultaneously for power loss minimization. Case studies are presented for 16 bus and 33 bus test feeders to demonstrate the methods capabilities.


A business which strives to reduce its negative impacts on the local environment, community or economy as a whole while maintaining profit is often referred to as a 'Green Business'. It can also be called a Sustainable business. With the growing concern for environment protection, business groups across the globe are looking for opportunities to make them environmental friendly. Such initiatives also possess the potential to improve the bottom line of the company. Kerala, which is often referred to as the favourite child of nature is a small state located in the south-western coast of India which has hundreds of animal species and almost one fourth of India's total plant species. However, over the years the economy started facing severe environmental issues due to increase in the population coupled with rapid urbanization and industrialization without giving much importance to the environment. This has led to extensive pollution of air, water and land. But today realizing the potential threat it pauses to the entire mankind, the state is involved in a serious mission of a sustainable development for a better tomorrow. Such measures have already started showing positive results. This paper is an effort to study the Kerala Model for a sustainable tomorrow. Such a study can also help in guiding the similar initiatives around the world.


Objective To compare the efficacy of ultrasonography guided stellate ganglion block (US-SGB) with that of blind SGB in management of the stroke patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type 1. Method Forty-two patients with post-stroke CRPS were randomly assigned to either US-guided SGB (22 patients) or blind SGB group (20 patients). The mean age of US-guided SGB and blind SGB groups was 61.3±5.6 years and 59.1±4.5 years. We performed two blockades at 7-day intervals on the affected side of patients with CRPS. Pain intensity, using a visual analog score (VAS), score of CRPS clinical severity, and the amounts of affected hand swelling with a hand volumeter were assessed before, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment. Results In both groups, VAS and the amount of hand swelling were significantly decreased after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks. Between two groups, VAS difference of US-guided SGB group and that of blind SGB group were 2.61±1.09, 1.88±0.62 at 2 weeks and 3.67±1.03, 3.13±0.62 at 4 weeks, respectively. US-guided SGB group showed more significant improvement in mean change of VAS compared to the blind SGB group (p-value<0.05). Conclusion Both US-guided SGB and blind SGB techniques were effective in relieving pain in subacute stroke patients with CRPS. US-guided SGB was better in pain relief but has no advantages in reduction of hand swelling in this study.


Abstract : GPS-Squitter is a system concept that merges the capabilities of Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) and the Mode S beacon radar. The result is an integrated concept for seamless surveillance and data link that permits equipped aircraft to participate in ADS and/or beacon ground environments. This concept offers many possibilities for transition from a beacon to an ADS-based environment. This report provides the details of the techniques used to estimate GPS-Squitter surveillance and data link capacity. Surveillance capacity of airborne aircraft is calculated for the omni and six-sector ground stations. Next, the capacity of GPS-Squitter for surface traffic is estimated. The interaction between airborne and surface operations is addressed to show the independence of these systems. Air ground data link capacity for GPS-Squitter is estimated, together with an estimate of the use of the Mode S link to support other ground surveillance and data link activities as well as TCAS operation. The analysis indicates the low transponder occupancy resulting from the total effect of these activities. Low occupancy is a key requirement in avoiding interference with the operation of the current ATCRBS and future Mode S interrogators. Mode S, Automatic dependent surveillance, Data link, Capacity.


Optical interconnects are increasingly important for our communication and data center systems, and are forecasted to be an essential component of future computers. In order to meet these future demands, optical interconnects must be improved to consume less power than they do today. To do this, both more efficient transmitters and more sensitive receivers must be developed. This work addresses the latter, focusing on device level improvements to tightly couple a low capacitance photodiode with the first stage transistor of the receiver as a single phototransistor device.First I motivate the need for a coupled phototransistor using a simple circuit model which shows how receiver sensitivity is determined by photodiode capacitance and the length of wire connecting it to the first transistor in a receiver amplifier. Then I describe our use of the unique rapid melt growth technique, which is used to integrate crystalline germanium on silicon photonics substrates without an epitaxial reactor. The resulting material quality is demonstrated with high quality (0.95 A/W, 40+ GHz) germanium photodiodes on silicon waveguides.Next I describe two germanium phototransistors I have developed. One is a germanium- gated MOSFET on silicon photonics which has up to 18 A/W gate-controlled responsivity at 1550 nm. Simulations show how MOSFET scaling rules can be easily applied to increase both speed and sensitivity. The second is a floating base germanium bipolar phototransistor on silicon photonics with a 15 GHz gain x bandwidth product. The photoBJT also has a clear scaling path, and it is proposed to create a separate gain and absorption region photoBJT to realize the maximum benefit of scaling the BJT without negatively affecting its absorption and photocarrier collection. Following this design a 120 GHz gain x bandwidth photoBJT is simulated. Finally I present a metal-cavity, which can have over 50% quantum efficiency absorption in sub-100 aF germanium photodiodes, which addresses the issue of absorption in photodiodes which have been scaled to near sub-wavelength dimensions.


We go through the many considerations involved in fitting a model to data, using as an example the fit of a straight line to a set of points in a two-dimensional plane. Standard weighted least-squares fitting is only appropriate when there is a dimension along which the data points have negligible uncertainties, and another along which all the uncertainties can be described by Gaussians of known variance; these conditions are rarely met in practice. We consider cases of general, heterogeneous, and arbitrarily covariant two-dimensional uncertainties, and situations in which there are bad data (large outliers), unknown uncertainties, and unknown but expected intrinsic scatter in the linear relationship being fit. Above all we emphasize the importance of having a "generative model" for the data, even an approximate one. Once there is a generative model, the subsequent fitting is non-arbitrary because the model permits direct computation of the likelihood of the parameters or the posterior probability distribution. Construction of a posterior probability distribution is indispensible if there are "nuisance parameters" to marginalize away.


Estrogen receptor (ER) status evaluation is a widely applied method in the prognosis of breast cancer. However, testing for the existence of the ER biomarker in a patient's tumor sample mainly depends on the subjective decisions of the doctors. The aim of this paper is to introduce the usage of a machine learning tool, functional trees (FTs), to attain an ER prognosis of the disease via an objective decision model. For this aim, 27 image files, each of which came from a biopsy sample of an invasive ductal carcinoma patient, were scanned and captured by a light microscope. From these images, 5150 nuclei were segmented with image processing methods. Several attributes, including statistical, wavelet, cooccurrence matrix, and Laws' texture features, were calculated inside the border area of each nucleus. A FT was trained over the feature dataset using a 10-fold cross-validation and then the obtained model was tested on a separate dataset. The assessment results of the model were compared with those of 2 experts. Consequently, the weighted kappa coefficient indicated a very good agreement (k= 0.899 and k= 0.927, P < 0.001) and the Spearman's rank order correlation showed a high level of correlation (r = 0.963 and r= 0.943, P < 0.001) between the results of the FT and those of the observers. The Wilcoxon test revealed that there was no significant difference between the results of the experts and the model (P = 0.051 and P = 0.316). Finally, it was concluded from the results that the FT could be used as a tool to support the decision of doctors by indicating consistent outputs and hence contribute to the objectiveness and reproducibility of the assessment results.


The HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to claim lives and render many children orphans. More than 3 million people died from AIDS including half a million children. In Sub-Saharan Africa, it is estimated that 12 million children have been orphaned by HIV and this number is set to increase. HIV/ AIDS orphaned children suffer malnutrition which adversely affects their health. Objective of this study was to establish the magnitude of underweight, stunting and wasting as indicators of malnutrition among HIV/AIDS-affected school children aged 6-9 years in Suba district. A crosssectional research design was used and setting included Lambwe, Sindo and Ong'ayo primary schools in Suba district. A total of 150 children were sampled from HIV/AIDS-affected households. Anthropometric measurements and guided questionnaires were the main tools of data collection. Data was analyzed using SPSS and the Nutri-survey computer software programs. Of the children 8.8% were underweight, 13.3% stunted and 7.6% wasted. Cereals formed the main part of the childrens' diet, fish was the most consumed protein and vegetable and fruit consumption was low. Total kilocalories taken were 41% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance. The most reported illnesses which were also confirmed by the doctor's clinical assessment were malaria (16%), upper respiratory infections (6.1%) and skin infections (8.0%). Primary education was completed by 67.4% of mothers, while only 1.2% had post secondary education. The average monthly maternal income was Ksh 1,550 ($ 24.2). Food security was reported to be low as 64.6% of the households purchased food three months after harvest. HIV/AIDS-affected children suffered underweight, stunting and wasting with morbidity, poverty, low educational and occupational status of the parents/guardians cited as probable determinants. Interventions should therefore focus on improved agricultural production, innovative poverty alleviation methods and education.


OBJECTIVE
It has been suggested that juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) is associated with coeliac disease in a frequency of 0.4-2%. In order to investigate the frequency of coeliac disease in cases of JCA and the possibility of underdiagnosis in our area, we screened 62 children with JCA (mean age 9.8 +/- 3.5 year) for coeliac disease.

METHODS
All children were screened for coeliac disease by measuring the IgA-class of antigliadin, antireticulin and antiendomysium antibodies in serum and by measuring intestinal permeability by a sugar absorption test using lactulose and mannitol. In cases of at least one positive test, a small-bowel biopsy for diagnosis of coeliac disease was offered.

RESULTS
Of the 62 children with JCA, 8 had an abnormal screening result and were suspected of having coeliac disease. In four of the five children in whom a small-bowel biopsy was performed, the intestinal mucosa was normal and in one child villous atrophy characteristic of coeliac disease was found. Therefore, the prevalence of coeliac disease in our study group was 1.5%, which is in agreement with the literature.

CONCLUSION
These findings indicate no underdiagnosis of coeliac disease in JCA in our area.


Resilience is on many people9s minds these days. Hurricanes and fires regularly wallop communities. The risks of climate change loom large, and the horrors of war and the refugee crises they9ve spawned show no signs of abating. Bitter political divisions have yielded to acrimony and gloom. But although hardship cripples some, others rebound. What can science can teach us about how we might adapt and gird for future challenges? In this series of stories, we examine ways of coping with natural disasters, war and displacement, and climate change—not to mention resilience tactics in nature. One psychologist coined the term ordinary magic to describe the mix of features that brews resilience. From our stories, we learned that no clear-cut recipe exists. And yet despite long odds, scientists are parsing answers to key questions. Some carry policy prescriptions; others require an uncomfortable rethinking of adaptations needed to survive. Perhaps most important, we found that this research cultivates something that9s in short supply these days: It breeds hope.


We performed a combined approach to identify suspected allergy to knee arthroplasty (TKR): patch test (PT), lymphocyte transformation test (LTT), histopathology (overall grading; T- and B-lymphocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils), and semiquantitative Real-time-PCR-based periprosthetic inflammatory mediator analysis (IFNγ, TNFα, IL1-β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL17, and TGFβ). We analyzed 25 TKR patients with yet unexplained complications like pain, effusion, and reduced range of motion. They consisted of 20 patients with proven metal sensitization (11 with PT reactions; 9 with only LTT reactivity). Control specimens were from 5 complicated TKR patients without metal sensitization, 12 OA patients before arthroplasty, and 8 PT patients without arthroplasty. Lymphocytic infiltrates were seen and fibrotic (Type IV membrane) tissue response was most frequent in the metal sensitive patients, for example, in 81% of the PT positive patients. The latter also had marked periprosthetic IFNγ expression. 8/9 patients with revision surgery using Ti-coated/oxinium based implants reported symptom relief. Our findings demonstrate that combining allergy diagnostics with histopathology and periprosthetic cytokine assessment could allow us to design better diagnostic strategies.


Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different die-spacer thicknesses on the retentive strength of all zirconium crowns using self-adhesive resin cement (Relyx Unicem). Materials and method: A total of 24 freshly extracted sound human maxillary first premolar teeth were mounted and then received a standardized preparation for full contour zirconia crown restorations with a deep chamfer finishing line, planner occlusal reduction, 6° overall taper. The teeth were scanned directly using Sirona Omnicam digital intra-oral scanner. Preparations surface areas were measured using Auto CAD architecture software. Teeth were then randomly assigned into 3 main groups according to the die spacer thickness selected during the designing phase by inLab SW 16.1 designing program (n=8): Group A: 80 μm; Group B: 100 μm and Group C: 120 μm. Monolithic zirconia crowns were constructed using Sirona In-Lab MC X5 milling unit. Each group was cemented with Relyx Unicem self-adhesive luting cement. Statistical analyses: The data were statistically analyzed using 1-way ANOVA and Post-hoc Bonferroni test at 0.05 level of significance. Results: The statistical analysis showed that die spacer thickness had a significant effect on the crown retentive stress and the highest mean of retentive stresses was recorded for Group A (7.4 ± 0.7 SD) while Group C recorded the lowest mean of retentive stresses (5.5 ± 0.8 SD). In addition, the predominant mode of failure was type 3 (cement principally on ceramic). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the use of 80 μm spacer thickness resulted in significally higher retention values than 100 μm and 120 μm spacer. In contrast, there was no significant difference in retention between 100 μm and 120 μm.


Several specimens of a fossil catfish, collected from the Eocene Mahenge site of Tanzania, are identified as a member of Chrysichthys (Claroteidae) based on several features, including long, thick pectoral and dorsal spines and the presence of nasal barbels. The fossil fish is described as a new species based on unique characters (e.g., 20 principal caudal fin rays). The fossil record of Siluriformes in Africa includes few articulated skeletons; isolated spines or crania are more common. Although several African Eocene catfish crania previously have been described in their own genera, the Mahenge specimens preserve details that indicate their relationship to the living genus Chrysichthys, and therefore the new species is included in that genus instead of being given its own. Previously, the oldest record for Chrysichthys was from the Pliocene; these specimens extend the range of Chrysichthys back to the Eocene. The Mahenge locality itself is significant because it contributes knowledge of the poorly known...


Author(s): Farmer, Ellen | Abstract: Jerry Thomas grew up in the Los Angeles area and attended college at San Fernando Valley College (now California State University, Northridge), where he earned a master's degree in urban/economic geography. He is a fifth-generation Californian on his mother's side of the family. After a stint in the Peace Corps in Guyana, South America, Jerry and his wife, Jean (who also grew up in LA), wanted to leave smoggy and congested Los Angeles. They moved to the Santa Cruz area in 1970, and became back-to-the-landers on five acres of land in the foothills of Aptos.In this oral history, conducted by Ellen Farmer on March 20 and May 7, 2007, at Thomas Farms, the Thomases describe how what began as a large garden grew into Thomas Farms, now one of the oldest organic farms in California. Jerry was invited to participate in Rodale's organic certification program that pre-dated California Certified Organic Farmers, and was a founding member of California Certified Organic Farmers. He helped draft the first state organic legislation in 1979. Jerry has served as a County Farm Bureau director and as a member of the County Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, and frequently speaks at the Ecological Farming Association's Eco-Farm conference. He has served on the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers' Market board of directors.Jean helps run Thomas Farms, and also teaches adult education courses in writing, science and math. A watercolor and monoprint artist, Jean serves on the Pajaro Valley Arts Council; in 2007 she curated Market Motion, an art show about the farmers' markets in the Central Coast area.The Thomases have represented the Community Alliance of Family Farmers (CAFF) as members of the Campaign to Save Pajaro Valley Farmlands and Wetlands. They mentor younger organic farmers, and participate in many local farmers' markets, where their booths are distinguished by a dazzling plethora of colorful sunflowers, zinnias, irises, lilies and other cut flowers.


This review essay presents a review of Justine Picardie's novel Daphne, setting it within a critical context. It opens by claiming that Daphne articulates several contemporary literary debates: it specifically addresses the location of the woman writer and reader and the relationship between author and text. The essay illustrates how Picardies's tripartite narrative works both to revise Rebecca and to re-position du Maurier as an author worthy of academic attention. The novel's extensive use of intertextuality and its own hybridisation of fiction and biography are seen to operate as an analogy for the complexities and pleasures of reading, writing and research. This essay is sympathetic to the recuperation of the popular woman writer and popular women's writing but argues that Daphne's transgressive potential resides in its repeated slippage between the textual and the material, as highlighted by its imbrication of biographical fact and fictional narrative. It concludes by suggesting that these transgressive elements also work to foreground the ethical contradictions of reading and writing.