The size and distribution of the taxation supports for private pension provision has been a contentious issue. Research produced or commissioned by representative groups of the pensions industry in Ireland maintains that the tax supports are merely tax deferment, and the effective tax relief is lower  than the 'headline' relief on pension contributions. Research by the OECD, on the other hand, suggests that pension savings are essentially tax free to the majority of pension savers. This paper estimates the value of the favourable tax treatment to private pensions provision, expressed as a percentage of the original amount invested, and analyses how it varies with income level, gender, saving period, and other factors. The net effective tax relief on pension savings on each Euro invested in a private pension is estimated by comparing the increase in the present value of pension savings over the lifetime of the individual when compared to other savings. We report that the net effective relief is considerably higher than estimated by the widely cited industry research, and depends on the value of the pension fund at retirement. We identify three distinct groups of individuals in the current regime of incentivising pension savings: those on low incomes who are offered no incentive, the standard rate tax-payers where the net effective tax relief is about 25-30 per cent, and the higher rate tax-payers where the net effective relief is about 31-51 per cent. We argue that current regressive taxation supports for pension savings should be reformed, and reformed before the proposed imminent introduction of an auto-enrolment retirement saving scheme.


The evangelical Churches have evangelized the Tharaka for decades since 1940s. Although the evangelicals in most instances urge their converts to abandon their traditional world-view and adopt a new way of life (which they term as Christian cosmology), the evangelical converts in Tharaka continue to hold firmly to their traditional world-view while at the same time following Christianity. Some aspects of traditionalism which the evangelical converts still regard include: belief in the influence of the spirits, the mystical power in its manifestation in witchcraft, magic divination and others. This study investigated this scenario and found that the reasons for the persistence of the traditional world-view include: the failure by the Evangelical Churches to adequately meet the converts' needs, poor evangelism, failure to make use of the Tharaka world view in evangelism, lack of serious grounding in the word of God and psychological factors. There is no way the evangelicals can ignore the traditional Tharaka traditional world-view as they have done for years if they hope to be relevant to the Tharaka people. Keywords : Tharaka; Tharaka Traditional World-view; Evangelical Denominations.


Introduction & Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a common cardiovascular condition with increasing incidence and prevalence and many drugs are used especially in combination to treat this condition. Our objective of the study was to study drug prescribing pattern in patients with heart failure.
Materials and Method: The data was collected retrospectively and recorded in a preformed proforma obtained from Medical Records Department, A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Mangalore, Karnataka, India of patients admitted for congestive heart failure during the period of 2 years from January 2013 - December 2014.
Results: Our study reveals about 871 drugs were prescribed for 100 patients who are included in the study 715 (82%) received the drug by oral route, 104 (11.9%) by parenteral route and 52 (5.9 %) drugs by inhalational route. The drugs prescribed were Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) (13%), Diuretics (92%), Beta blockers (37%), Hypolipidemic agents (34%), Bronchodilators (56%), Sympathomimetics (75%), Antiplatelets (63%), Anticoagulant (11%), Antiulcer drugs (72%) and Positive inotropic drug (70%) and Antimicrobial drugs (99%). Out of the 871 drugs prescribed only 15.95% (139) of the drugs were prescribed by generic names and rest of 732 (84.05%) were prescribed by brand names. About 627 (71.98%) of the total drugs prescribed were from the essential drugs list.
Interpretation & Conclusions: We try to conclude that polytherapy is the better than monotherapy in patients with CCF. Prescription of generic drugs reduces the patients' burden making it more affordable and also the chance of survival for long time depends on absence or presence of co-morbidities.

Keywords: Congestive Heart Failure, Prescription Pattern, Retrospective Study


This paper focuses on the design and implementation of an innovative technologically mediated intervention for argumentation pedagogy in two classes comprising 17- to 18-year-old students in Singapore. The design research involves integrating the Second Life immersive virtual environment and web-based scaffolding through a customized structured argumentation board into a language-based curriculum at the pre-university level (Grade 12), the General Paper, which emphasizes argumentation and critical thinking. Of specific interest in this paper are the processes and factors that impact both the technical aspects of implementation and pedagogical findings. It discusses the benefits and drawbacks arising from the design, planning and implementation of both platforms of technology into the curriculum. Recommendations to overcome problems identified and suggestions for future research in the field are proposed.


Two novel types of metallo-deuteroporphyrins bearing the disulphide bond were employed to investigate their catalytic activity in oxidation of cyclohexane with molecular oxygen (air) to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone without the use of sacrificial co-reductant. The catalytic activity of metallo-deuteroporphyrin disulphide derivatives was obvious difference when different metals were incorporated into the porphyrin. However, the same metal cobalt porphyrin complexes exhibited the different catalytic efficiency due to the effect of substituents. Co(II)deuteroporphyrin disulphide derivative is more active than other metallo-porphyrin complexes. On the basis of the obtained results the new reaction process is discussed.


The 9/11 Commission called for a systematic analysis of transportation assets, the risks to those assets, and the costs and benefits of different approaches to defending those assets. A key challenge facing Congress is balancing the desire for and cost of increased rail passenger security with the impacts of security measures on the operating efficiency of passenger rail systems, with the potential costs that could be incurred in the event of one or more attacks, and with the costs and benefits of other options for promoting homeland security. Some argue for greatly increased federal funding to help secure passenger rail systems against terrorist attack. Others argue that rail systems are difficult to defend and are only one among many groups potential terrorist targets, making the development of enhanced rail systems security an inefficient use of resources.


Social scientists generally agree that a paradigm shift has occurred over the course of the last three decades of research in human behavior: the zeitgeist has moved away from a culturally centered, social learning model towards a more balanced perspective in which both genetic and environmental factors are understood to explain the wide variations observed in human behavior. This perspective now applies in the areas of mental health and illness, as well as across several domains of normal, varying psychological constructs, such as intelligence, personality, interests, and attitudes. The study of antisocial behavior is no exception to this paradigm shift. There is now abundant evidence that both genetic and environmental influences—and probably their interaction—are of major importance in explaining individual differences in antisocial behavior, including differences in criminal behavior.

Evidence for a genetic basis of antisocial behavior stems from several different lines of research. First, behavioral genetic studies of twins and adoptees have demonstrated that heredity plays a role in antisocial behavior, including various forms of aggression and criminality, by finding greater concordance for such behavior in genetically related individuals compared to nonrelatives living in the same environment. Second, various correlates of antisocial behavior, including personality factors such as impulsivity, sensation-seeking, risk-taking, and callous-unemotional traits, are known to be at least partly genetically influenced. Third, psychiatric outcomes related to antisocial behavior, including antisocial personality disorder, gambling, and substance use and abuse, have also been investigated in genetically informative designs, and each of these has demonstrated significant genetic influence.

This paper summarizes the heritability of each of these aspects or correlates of antisocial behavior and discusses research attempting to unpack the genetic and environmental "black boxes" involved in antisocial behavior, including studies investigating the influence of both biological and social risk factors and how they might be mediated by genetic and environmental factors. Examples of biological risk factors could be neurotransmitters, physiological arousal, frontal lobe function, and hormones, while social risk factors would include socioeconomic status, peer characteristics, and parental monitoring and discipline. Biological risk factors may not necessarily be entirely genetically based, and social risk factors may not be purely environmental in origin; this highlights the complexity of the relationships between risk factors and antisocial behavior.

This paper also reports studies that have identified specific genetic associations with antisocial behavior. Yet genetic predispositions, though important, are more deleterious in the presence of adverse environments. This view dovetails with other biosocial theories of antisocial behavior in which the effects of biological risk factors have been found to be moderated by social circumstances. An overarching biosocial model of antisocial behavior is presented here, along with a discussion of a few key findings that demonstrate interactions of social and biological factors in the development of antisocial behavior.

Finally, this paper considers the implications of behavioral genetic research on antisocial behavior for understanding individual responsibility. No individual's behavior can ever be explained entirely, either in terms of genetic predispositions or in terms of cumulative experiences, and an explanation of an individual's behavior, even if it were complete, would not necessarily excuse that behavior. Even with increasing understanding of the genetic bases of human behavior, a cautious approach is warranted either in making inferences about a given individual or in considering changes to the legal system that might now take a defendant's experiences and disposition into account.


Discrete event simulation is a methodology to study the behavior of complex systems. Its drawback is that, in order to get reliable results, simulations usually have to be run over a long stretch of time. This time requirement could decrease through the usage of parallel or distributed computing systems. In this paper, we analyze the Time Warp synchronization protocol for parallel discrete event simulation and present an analytical model evaluating the upper bound on the completion time of a Time Warp simulation. In our analysis, we consider the case of a simulation model with homogeneous logical processes, where "homogeneous" means they have the same average event routine time and the same state saving cost. Then we propose a methodology to determine when it is time-convenient to use a Time Warp synchronized simulation, instead of a sequential one, for a simulation model with features matching those considered in our analysis. We give an answer to this question without the need to preliminary generate the simulation code. Examples of methodology usage are reported for the case of both a synthetic benchmark and a real world model.


Electrospinning is an effective and versatile technology to fabricate ultrafine nanofiber,however further development is urgently limited due to the low uniformity distribution and unpredictable feature of the fiber deposited. For that sake, experiment has been done and analyzed to address these problems. Relation between process physics-Taylor cone and fiber diameter characters has been discovered. Furthermore, the feature parameters of the Taylor cone are extracted effectively by CCD detection and image processing. The above experiments results and processing data is analysis and examed by the steady jet theory. This paper offers significant theoretical guidance and technical support to the online control of electrospinning fiber diameter.


ABSTRACT In the context of the contemporary emphasis on the school's role in supporting student wellbeing, this qualitative study explored the teachers' experience of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme, which focused on enhancing teachers' emotional awareness within the context of everyday life. An implicit assumption in this approach is that student wellbeing can be nurtured (or undermined) through the everyday relations of teaching and learning in which emotional experiences are integrated. Focus groups with 22 primary and secondary school teachers in four schools in Norway were carried out, and a thematic analysis was conducted. The findings provide an illustration of how enhancing emotional awareness can strengthen professional competence in ways that can benefit the wellbeing of both teachers and students. The findings might inform a wider debate across national boundaries about the value of prioritising emotional awareness as an aspect of teachers' CPD regarding their role in supporting student wellbeing.


STKE
Typically, extracellular signals are communicated from a plasma membrane receptor via second messengers to the target effectors. Liu et al. demonstrate that members of distinct neurotransmitter receptor families also may communicate through direct interaction. They report that the type A GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) receptor, a ligand-gated Cl− channel, and the dopamine D5 receptor, a G protein-coupled receptor, inhibit each other's signaling activity through direct contact of their cytoplasmic domains. The interaction between the receptors attenuated the stimulation of adenylyl cyclase triggered by dopamine and diminished chloride currents induced by GABA. Analysis of cultured hippocampal neurons suggest that the complex formation is physiologically relevant: the two receptors co-localize, and a D5 receptor agonist decreased GABAA receptor—mediated current. It remains to be determined whether other co-localized receptors also undergo regulation through such direct protein-protein interaction.— NG

Nature 403 , 274 (2000).


Many bioacoustic studies have been able to identify individual mammals from variations in the fundamental frequency (F0) of their vocalizations. Other characteristics of vocalization which encode individuality, such as amplitude, are less frequently used because of problems with background noise and recording fidelity over distance. In this thesis, I investigate whether the inclusion of amplitude variables improves the accuracy of individual howl identification in captive Eastern grey wolves (Canis lupus lycaon). I also explore whether the use of a bespoke code to extract the howl features, combined with histogram-derived principal component analysis (PCA) values, can improve current individual wolf howl identification accuracies. From a total of 89 solo howls from six captive individuals, where distances between wolf and observer were short, I achieved 95.5% (+9.0% improvement) individual identification accuracy of captive wolves using discriminant function analysis (DFA) to classify simple scalar variables of F0 and normalized amplitudes. Moreover, this accuracy was increased to 100% when using histogram-derived PCA values of F0 and amplitudes of the first harmonic.


Recently low power Analog to Digital Converters(ADCs) have been developed for many energy constrained applications such as wireless sensor networks and bio-medical applications. Successive approximation register (SAR) ADC are good candidates for low power applications and widely used for low energy application due to its minimum analog blocks. The static linearity performance in terms of the integral nonlinearity and differential nonlinearity and the parasitic effects of the split DAC, are analyzed. A code-randomized calibration technique is done to correct the conversion nonlinearity in the conventional SAR ADC, which is verified by behavioral simulation. Here the SAR ADC is designed in such a way that the control module completely control the splitting up of modules and the speed of operation is changed using low level input bits.A dedicated multiplexer can be used to minimize the capacitor array structure.The control module controls the clock signal and determines the time at which the analog signal should enter the SAR logic.On attaining control over the time of arrival of input signals the speed of conversion can be increased and power utilisation can be minimised.


This report provides information on lighting parameters and design criteria that should be considered when installing fixed roadway lighting for midblock crosswalks. The information is based on static and dynamic experiments of driver performance with regard to the detection of pedestrians and surrogates in midblock crosswalks. Experimental condition variables included lamp type (high-pressure sodium and metal halide), vertical illuminance level, color of pedestrian clothing, position of the pedestrians and surrogates in the crosswalk, and the presence of glare. Two additional lighting systems, a Probeam luminaire and ground-installed LEDs, were also evaluated. The research found that a vertical illuminance of 20 lx in the crosswalk, measured at a height of 1.5 m (5 ft) from the road surface, provided adequate detection distances in most circumstances. Although the research was constrained to midblock placements of crosswalks, the report includes a brief discussion of considerations in lighting crosswalks colocated with intersections.


This paper proposes an approach to find a human face in an image with high accuracy rate in the better way. Face detection and recognition is an eminent issue in image processing. Human identity is crucial for identity, search, monitoring system and security purpose. Face detection is easy for human beings but it's an arduous task for the computer system. The computer application in face detection is increasing day by day. In this paper, we are using Viola-Jones approach to detect a human face from the different images. Using some threshold value with this approach, we can also detect the children's faces, Asian origin people faces as well as old age people's faces.


This cutting-edge Handbook presents an overview of research and thinking in the field of secured financing, examining international standards and best practices of secured transactions law reform and its economic impact. Expert contributors explore the breadth and depth of the subject matter across diverse sectors, and illustrate the choices and trade-offs that policy makers face via a number of illuminating case studies. The result is a unique and wide-ranging examination of transactions reform across the world.


Fatty acid compositions of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) was determined during embryogenesis, yolk-sac fry, swim up fry and fry stages. Embryonic and yolk-sac development of fertilized eggs were followed until fry weighed 25 g and samples were taken from each stage to analyse fatty acid composition. Analyses of fatty acid composition were performed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Throughout all the developmental stages of O. mykiss important changes, such as an increase in the percentage of 18:2, 18:3 and 20:5 and as a decrease in the percentage of 14:0, 16:2, 20:0, 20:2, 20:3, 20:4 and 22:0 were observed in the amounts of fatty acid of developing eggs. During transition from the embryonic to the yolk-sac stage, an important increase in 20:0, 20:3, 20:5, 22:0 and a decrease in 18:3, 22:1 was determined between 45-day old embryo and yolk-sac fry. During transition from the 43 day yolk-sac stage to swim up stage, a decrease in the percentage of 18:0, 20:2 and an increase in the percentage of 14:0, 16:2, 18:2, 18:3 was seen. In all the observed stages, no qualitative but significant quantitative variations were determined in the fatty acid composition of O. mykiss. It may be concluded that 14:0, 16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1 18, 20 and 22 polyunsaturated fatty acids are necessary for normal development of O. mykiss during their life stages.


Since the late 1990s there has been an expansion in the number of British newspaper campaigns, but studies have yet to explore the culture of this particular form of intervention in terms of its roots, mythology and how these have influenced its modern manifestations. This chapter argues that while the decision and the reasons for campaigning are likely to be made in secret, the particularities of campaign discourses, processes and practices can elucidate a much more sophisticated range of reasons that are not limited to a commercial imperative but they are also strongly infused by constructions of moral principles and journalistic values. The use of the war metaphor of a 'campaign' in the GM food case signified a clearly orchestrated and articulated determination to mobilize public opinion and influence policy. The agenda was broad-ranging, the objectives were clearly stated, the function of the campaign served to sustain pressure and the tactics adopted sought to negotiate challenges posed by this particular type of intervention. This chapter uses a critical case study of the GM campaigns to derive a fuller conceptualization of campaigns than has hitherto been possible and to distinguish it from other forms of media intervention.


When students can self-select their group members, a common assumption is that students prefer to select friends from similar cultural backgrounds. However, when teachers randomize students in groups from different cultural backgrounds, students are "forced" to work together. The prime goal of this study is to understand the impact of two group selection methods on how students from diverse cultural backgrounds build learning and work relations, using an innovative quantitative method of Social Network Analysis in a pre–post test manner. In a quasi-experimental study of 2 × 69 students, in one condition the students were randomly allocated to groups by staff and in the other, students were allowed to self-select their group members. The results indicate that students in the self-selected condition primarily selected their friends from a similar cultural background. The learning networks after 14 weeks were primarily predicted by the group allocation and initial friendships. However, students in the random condition developed equally strong internal group relations but more "knowledge spillovers" outside their group, indicating that the random condition led to positive effects beyond the group.


BACKGROUND
A decrease in hemoglobin concentration [Hb] with no apparent cause is frequently observed in critically ill patients. Scarce information is available about this situation in general ward-admitted patients (GWAP).

OBJECTIVES
To describe [Hb] variation with no obvious cause in GWAP, and to estimate the prevalence and predictors of patients with [Hb] decreases > or =1.5 g/dL.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS
Prospective, observational study in internal medicine GWAP, carried out at two teaching hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Patients with a history of, or admitted for diseases associated with decreases in [Hb], as well as those with length of stay less than three days, were excluded.

MEASUREMENTS
Upon hospitalization, complete personal and clinical data were recorded. Furthermore, Katz index, APACHE II acute physiology score (APS) and Charlson score were calculated. [Hb] and hematocrit (HCT) were also assessed during hospitalization.

RESULTS
A total of 338 patients were evaluated, 131 were included. A mean [Hb] decrease of 0.71 g/dL was observed between admission and discharge (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 0.47-0.97). Forty-five percent of the included patients had decreases in [Hb] > or = 1.5 g/dL. This was associated with a higher APS, a higher [Hb] at admission, and a discharge diagnosis of infectious or gastrointestinal disease. No bleeding episodes were observed.

CONCLUSIONS
An [Hb] decrease was frequently observed during GWAP hospitalization with no evident blood loss. Even though this decrease has multiple causes, the severity of the acute illness seems to play a major role.


Recent development in connected vehicle technology or equivalently vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) has stimulated tremendous interests among decision makers, practitioners, and researchers due to the potential safety and mobility benefits provided by these technologies. A primary concern regarding the deployment of connected vehicle technology is the degree of market penetration required for effectiveness. This paper proposes a methodology to analyze the benefit of highway capacity gained from connected vehicle technology. To fulfill this purpose, a model incorporating the effects of connected vehicle technology on car following is formulated, building on which a rough estimate of the resulting capacity gain is derived. A simulation study is conducted to verify the model, and an illustrative example is provided to show the application of the methodology. This work provides decision makers and practitioners with a basic tool to understand the mobility benefit obtained from connected vehicle technology and how such benefit varies as market penetration changes.


Decision making is one of the major subjects of interest in physics. This is due to the intrinsic finite accuracy of measurement that leads to the possible results to span a region for each quantity. In this way, to recognize a particle type among the others by a measure of a feature vector, a decision must be made. The decision making process becomes a crucial point whenever a low statistical significance occurs as in space cosmic ray experiments where searching in rare events requires us to reject as many background events as possible (high purity), keeping as many signal events as possible (high efficiency). In the last few years, interesting theoretical results on some feedforward connectionist systems (FFCSs) have been obtained. In particular, it has been shown that multilayer perceptrons (MLPs), radial basis function networks (RBFs), and some fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) are nonlinear universal function approximators. This property permits us to build a system showing intelligent behavior , such as function estimation, time series forecasting, and pattern classification, and able to learn their skill from a set of numerical data. From the classification point of view, it has been demonstrated that non-parametric classifiers based FFCSs holding the universal function approximation property, can approximate the Bayes optimal discriminant function and then minimize the classification error. In this paper has been studied the FBF when applied to a high energy physics problem. The FBF is a powerful neuro-fuzzy system (or adaptive fuzzy logic system) holding the universal function approximation property and the capability of learning from examples. The FBF is based on product-inference rule (P), the Gaussian membership function (G), a singleton fuzzifier (S), and a center average defuzzifier (CA). The FBF can be regarded as a feedforward connectionist system with just one hidden layer whose units correspond to the fuzzy MIMO rules. The FBF can be identified both by exploiting the linguistic knowledge available (structure identification problem) and by using the information contained in a data set (parameter estimation problem). The fuzzy system has been found to be effective for the classification tasks of about 2 by 10-3 hadron contamination at 90% of electron acceptance. A comparison between the adaptive system results and the others previous ones obtained by using both statistical and neural network based methodologies also is presented.


Active retrotransposons in the human genome (L1, Alu and SVA elements) can create genomic mobile element insertions (MEIs) in both germline and somatic tissue1. Specific somatic MEIs have been detected at high levels in human cancers2, and at lower to medium levels in human brains3. Dysregulation of somatic retrotransposition in the human brain has been hypothesized to contribute to neuropsychiatric diseases4, 5. However, individual somatic MEIs are present in small proportions of cells at a given anatomical location, and thus standard whole-genome sequencing (WGS) presents a difficult signal-to-noise problem, while single-cell approaches suffer from limited scalability and experimental artifacts introduced by enzymatic whole-genome amplification6. Previous studies produced widely differing estimates for the somatic retrotransposition rates in human brain3, 6–8. Here, we present a highly precise machine learning method (RetroSom) to directly identify somatic L1 and Alu insertions in <1% cells from 200× deep WGS, which allows circumventing the restrictions of whole-genome amplification. Using RetroSom we confirmed a lower rate of retrotransposition for individual somatic L1 insertions in human neurons. We discovered that anatomical distribution of somatic L1 insertion is as widespread in glia as in neurons, and across both hemispheres of the brain, indicating retrotransposition occurs during early embryogenesis. We characterized two of the detected brain-specific L1 insertions in great detail in neurons and glia from a donor with schizophrenia. Both insertions are within introns of genes active in brain (CNNM2, FRMD4A) in regions with multiple genetic associations with neuropsychiatric disorders9–11. Gene expression was significantly reduced by both somatic insertions in a reporter assay. Our results provide novel insights into the potential for pathological effects of somatic retrotransposition in the human brain, now including the large glial fraction. RetroSom has broad applicability in all disease states where somatic retrotransposition is expected to play a role, such as autoimmune disorders and cancer.


The paper presents the results of wear tests obtained for 4 groups of materials: surface-hardened alloy steels and alloy cast steels for structural applications, hard-wearing surface-hardened alloy cast steels, and austempered alloy cast irons. The wear tests have been performed on a specially designed test rig that allows reproducing the real operating conditions of chain wheels, including the rolling and sliding form of contact between elements. The chain wheels subjected to tests were operated with the use of loose quartz abrasive. This study presents results of measurements of material parameters, micro-structure of a surface subject to wear, as well as the linear wear determined for the materials considered. Based on the results, the following was found: the best wear properties were obtained for surface-hardened alloy steels and wear surface; strengthening of the ADI surface took place – most probably as a result of transformation of austenite into martensite; the uniformity of the structure of the materials affects the surface wear process. The study also indicated a significant degree of graphite deformation in ADI characterized by the upper ausferritic structure and its oblique orientation in relation to the surface, which resulted in a facilitated degradation of the surface caused by the quartz abrasive.


The health problems experienced by the people and people of Indonesia are still not successful in achieving "Healthy Indonesia" as desired in the National LongTerm Development Plan. Issues Gaji villagers still do not fully give exclusive breastfeeding to their babies, do antenatal care during pregnancy, monitor the growth and development of their sons and daughters especially the first 1000 days of life (HPK) greatly determine the growth and development, which if not heeded would risk stunting, providing basic immunization complete, provide complementary foods properly, do family planning, there are still those who have not utilized primary health facilities and do not understand the healthy paradigm emphasized by the government of society that still tends towards curative and not oriented to preventive and promotive. The venue for the training was in Demak Gaji Village Hall. The time of the training was on November 11, 2018. Participants in the community training, youth groups, and health cadres of the Salak Demak Village were 58 people. The method of implementing activities using a group-based method is carried out comprehensively, starting from coordinating with policy makers in the Gaji village, approaching and coordinating with the community and health cadres, MCH education and mentoring, providing training and discussion materials, community service team activities carried out in a measurable and the monev process to measure the achievement of targets and outcomes, through the role of Posyandu cadres and the community so as to improve the health status of the community. The results of this training community and health cadres get knowledge and insights about exclusive breastfeeding, immunization, antenatal care, family planning, complementary foods, growth monitoring, healthy paradigm towards a prosperous family, utilization of primary health facilities towards a healthy family, so that with the participation of cadres health can increase the level of public health in the Gaji village, cadres are long-standing health centers so that people are increasingly aware of the importance of maternal and child health.


We consider the problem of learning overcomplete dictionaries in the context of sparse coding, where each sample selects a sparse subset of dictionary elements. Our main result is a strategy to approximately recover the unknown dictionary using an efficient algorithm. Our algorithm is a clustering-style procedure, where each cluster is used to estimate a dictionary element. The resulting solution can often be further cleaned up to obtain a high accuracy estimate, and we provide one simple scenario where <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _{1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-regularized regression can be used for such a second stage.


Low genetic divergence at neutral loci among populations is often the result of high levels of contemporary gene flow. Western Alaskan summer-run chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) populations demonstrate weak genetic structure, but invoking contemporary gene flow as the basis for the low divergence is problematic because salmon home to their natal streams and some of the populations are thousands of kilometers apart. We used genotypes from microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism loci to investigate alternative explanations for the current genetic structure of chum salmon populations from western Alaska. We also estimated current levels of gene flow among Kuskokwim River populations. Our results suggest that weak genetic structure is best explained by physical connections that occurred after the Holocene Thermal Maximum among the Yukon, Kuskokwim, and Nushagak drainages that allowed gene flow to occur among now distant populations.


To estimate the impact of armed confl ict on child mortality, I use annual variations in violence across provinces in Afghanistan to identify children more affected by war than others. I find that children in provinces with higher level of violence have a higher chance of survival until the age of five compared to children in provinces with lower levels of violence. This finding is unexpected and surprising, however, it can be explained by higher development efforts in these provinces. In the provinces with more violence (e.g. Kabul, Kandahar), and therefore more terrorist attacks on mainly US-led ISAF troops, higher investments in the local infrastructure are more likely. This is, because the US is the major donor of development aid in Afghanistan. Thus, I capture improvements in the health system as an effect of a higher infl ux of development aid in the US controlled provinces. Therefore, a positive effect of improvements in the health system outweighs a potentially negative effect of violence on child mortality.


The paper presents the results of studies on the microstructure, chemical composition and mechanical properties of the Ni/SnAuCu/Ni interconnections obtained due to the conventional soldering at 300 °C for different times and subsequent aging at 150 °C. The EDX microanalysis allowed to detect at the Ni/solder interface the (Ni,Cu,Au)3Sn4 phase which transformed to (Cu,Ni,Au)6Sn5 after longer time of soldering. In the central part of the interconnection AuSn4 brittle phase was present. This phase was responsible for the significant decrease of the shear strength in the joints subjected to aging at 150 °C for 1000h, 1500 hours. The fracture behavior of such joints appeared to be caused partly by the coalescence of the microvoids in the bulk solder, cleavage of η-phase grains and decohesion at the interface.


Continuous exposure of ovarian tumours to a chemotherapy drug can result in the acquisition of
drug resistance, which ultimately leads to chemotherapy failure and the death of a great majority
of ovarian cancer patients. While previous studies suggest that withdrawal of the chemotherapy
drug for a period of time (the drug-free interval) can result in restored clinical sensitivity to the
drug, it is unclear whether exposure to a new drug of contrasting mechanism of action may
accelerate restored sensitivity to the prior drug. In this study, we exposed a carboplatin-resistant
ovarian tumour cell line (A2780CBN) to increasing concentrations of docetaxel (A2780CBNDXL
cells) or we permitted the cells to grow in the absence of drug for an identical number of drug
passages (A2780CBNCC cells). Similarly, we exposed a docetaxel-resistant ovarian tumour cell
line (A2780DXL) to increasing concentrations of carboplatin (A2780DXLCBN cells) or we
permitted the cells to growth in the absence of drug for an identical period (A2780DXLCC cells).
By measuring the sensitivity of the above cell lines to either carboplatin or docetaxel, the aim of
my thesis studies was to compare the effects of a drug-free interval or the acquisition of new
drug resistance on prior drug resistance in vitro. The results showed that the prior carboplatin
resistance was not significantly altered by the acquisition of docetaxel resistance or by
withdrawal of carboplatin. However, prior docetaxel resistance was greatly reduced by selection
for carboplatin resistance or by prolonged docetaxel withdrawal. Microarray analysis suggests
that the loss of docetaxel resistance may be related to down-regulated expression of the ABCB1
and ABCB4 genes, which encode multidrug transporters. It may also relate to up-regulation of
CYP1B1 gene expression, which encodes cytochrome P450, a phase I enzyme involved in taxane
metabolism. The microarray analysis data also suggests that the newly established carboplatin
resistance in A2780DXLCBN cells may be related to the expression of genes that promote cell
survival by protecting cells from apoptotic death.


Rational pathway design is the invention of an optimally efficient route from one state (e.g. chemical structure, state of differentiation, physiological state) to another, based on knowledge of biological processes: it contrasts with the use of natural pathways that have evolved by natural selection. Synthetic biology is a hybrid discipline of biology and engineering that offers a means for rationally designed pathways to be realized in living cells. Several areas of regenerative medicine could benefit from rational pathway design, including derivation of patient-specific stem cells, directed differentiation of stem cells, replicating physiological function in an alternative cell type, construction of custom interface tissues and building fail-safe systems into transplanted tissues. Synthetic biological approaches offer the potential for construction of these, for example controllable ex vivo stem cell niches, genetic networks for direct transdifferentiation from adult fibroblast to restricted stem cell without going via induced pluripotent stem cells, signalling pathways for realizing physiological regulation in alternative cell types, morphological modules for producing self-constructing novel 'tissues' and 'kill-switches' for therapeutically applied stem cells. Given the potential of this approach, a closer convergence of the regenerative medicine and synthetic biology research fields seems timely.


A new method for preparing morphology gradients in electrochemically etched porous silicon layers in presented. The idea is to etch on the back side of the anode and thus utilize and inhomogenous electric field to control the pore size along a surface. The etching procedure resulted in a complex gradient in pore size, porosity, and porous layer thickness, which was studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry and scanning electron microscopy. The gradients are of interest, e.g., for biomaterials research, bio-sensor applications, and for basic studies of adsorption of organic molecules, like proteins. In order to investigate the potential of the gradient surfaces for protein adsorption studies, these were exposed to human serum albumin, and a gradient in the amount of adsorbed protein was observed.


Inter-organizational and cross disciplinary collaboration has been widely perceived as the important vehicle for SME to develop breakthrough innovation and sustain competitive advantage in the technology-based industries. The performance of R&D collaboration depends on firm's strategies to cross the organizational boundary and bridge the knowledge gap between firm and partner. Drawing on the literatures of organization theory and knowledge management, we explored inherent obstacles and key enablers to the inter-organizational and cross disciplinary collaboration. Through a qualitative study, we investigated the value synergy from firm's boundary spanning competence and organizational absorptive capacity which were powered by people and enabled by IT. We also drew implications from our newly developed understanding of IT's role in the inter-organizational and cross disciplinary collaboration and then proposed a conceptual framework to shed light on the theory of open innovation.


Mobile carriers used to enforce service contracts on consumers. However, recently major mobile carriers have eliminated contracts. We investigate carriers' contract and marketing strategies. We identify Expectation-Reality Discrepancy (ERD) as a key determinant. A carrier's ERD is defined as consumers' ex-ante expected valuation minus their ex-post realized valuation of the carrier's service. Main findings include: Carriers' contract strategies critically depend on their ERDs rather than the true service valuations. A carrier with a higher ERD is more likely to enforce contracts, regardless of whether the true service valuation is higher than that of her competitor. Carriers should enforce contracts only when they have positive ERDs. When both carriers have positive ERDs, cross switching occurs, resulting in that some consumers located closer to a carrier switch to the other carrier and vice versa. Contracts have the competition-intensifying effect. When carriers enforce contracts, their competition on promoting consumer expectations is intensified, leading to higher ERDs with contracts than without contracts. Finally, both contracts and positive ERD marketing strategies hurt consumer welfare.


Deep metric learning has gained much popularity in recent years, following the success of deep learning. However, existing frameworks of deep metric learning based on contrastive loss and triplet loss often suffer from slow convergence, partially because they employ only one negative example while not interacting with the other negative classes in each update. In this paper, we propose to address this problem with a new metric learning objective called multi-class N-pair loss. The proposed objective function firstly generalizes triplet loss by allowing joint comparison among more than one negative examples - more specifically, N-1 negative examples - and secondly reduces the computational burden of evaluating deep embedding vectors via an efficient batch construction strategy using only N pairs of examples, instead of (N+1) x N. We demonstrate the superiority of our proposed loss to the triplet loss as well as other competing loss functions for a variety of tasks on several visual recognition benchmark, including fine-grained object recognition and verification, image clustering and retrieval, and face verification and identification.


Transmitter is one of the communications-equipment in modern industrial. The basic principles of the transmitter is described in this article at fist, and then the multi-carrier multiple smart grid electricity transmitter is proposed. The transmitter takes advantage of multi-carrier communication technology and more effective solution to solve measurement data transmission problems in smart grid. In the carrier module, the source information with high-rate is changed into low-rate parallel data streams, and then is modulated, the modulation signal is added and changed into transmitted signal, and each carrier can use different modulation. Low-speed data is demodulated by appropriate demodulation mode at the receiving end, and then original data stream is synthesized by parallel -to-serial conversion.


In this dissertation the relationship between structure and culture is explored in the context of the American work ethic. This analysis has two components. The first involves a socio-historical examination of the evolution of conceptions of work. Work is first viewed as lacking any positive qualities but with the emergence of the Protestant ethic and its later secularized versions, work took on positive meaning. These conceptions are analyzed in relation to their structural context, particularly early capitalist industrial society. To further explore the relationship between culture and structure, a second component is included in this research. In order to characterize and analyze the contemporary work ethic, 40 in-depth interviews were conducted with and 177 open-ended questionnaires were distributed to individuals in a variety of occupations. The findings of this research indicate that the current contemporary work ethic can be characterized as containing work values emphasizing self-fulfillment, relations with others, and purpose. Relying upon structuralist constructivism theory, wherein culture is seen as being created within the boundaries delineated by structure, occupational variations in work values are shown to exist. Upper-status professionals are more likely to cite contributing to society and working for mental stimulation and self actualization as important values of work. Middle-status semi-professionals are more likely to report helping others and working to learn and grow as central values. Those working in lower-status occupations more often cite working as a team, pleasing the boss, working to fill time and fight boredom, and maintaining selfsufficiency as work values. The contemporary work ethic is analyzed according to mass culture and economic structure as well as the interaction of these two forces. Further, by treating the work ethic as an ideology, both traditional and contemporary work ethics are linked to the structural context in which they emerged. The traditional work ethic can no longer provide meaning of or justification for economic structure and has thus undergone transformation to a more self-fulfillment oriented ethic. Similarly, in transformation to a post-industrial society, the nature of the contemporary work ethic may change.


The authors describe a very general class of composite data structures, and a language in which programmers can describe which to use for each purpose. These data structures are composed of primitive data structures drawn from a relatively small library that can be extended by the programmer. They describe the semantics of composite data structures in terms of a relational model. Programmers can use relational programming languages to express computations, independent of data representation decisions, and then use the data structure language to specify representations for the relations in their programs. A compiler is described that translates operations on relations represented by composite data structures. It uses a cost model to choose among alternative algorithms.<<ETX>>


We model fluorescence images of single molecules in spherical dielectric microcavities. Molecules are treated as time-harmonic dipoles. Images are integrated over emission frequencies. Because of the strong refractive properties of the enclosing sphere, the fluorescence image depends on the refractive index of the sphere and the position, the orientation, and the emission frequency of the molecule. When the dipole's emission is at the frequency of a microsphere resonance, the brightest regions in the images appear to originate from outside the sphere for some dipole positions. This type of calculation should help in interpreting images of molecules in microspheres.


Several studies have examined how grassland birds use reclaimed surface mines during the breeding season, but few studies have documented how these birds use these areas during the winter and early spring months. Using point counts, birds occupying a reclaimed surface-mine site in southeastern Ohio were surveyed from late December 2020 to April 2021. The primary objective was to document bird abundance and species richness across a temporal gradient spanning from late December 2020 through April 2021. Additionally, bird species composition was examined in habitat patches dominated by cool-season plants and in a single warm-season plot dominated by switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). A total of 1,452 bird sightings were made consisting of 40 species in 7 orders. Songbirds (order Passeriformes) comprised 60% of all sightings, and most of these (53%) were Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus), Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna), and Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Thirty-nine species were observed on cool-season sites versus 13 species in the switchgrass plot. Species including returning Eastern Meadowlarks, Henslow's Sparrows (Centronyx henslowii), and Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla) were common on the cool-season plots, but uncommon or absent in the switchgrass plot. Conversely, the switchgrass plot had more wintering American Tree Sparrows (Spizelloides arborea) and returning Swamp Sparrows (Melospiza georgiana). Return rates of long-distance migratory species fell within the time frames for these species as obtained from previous studies in this region. The diverse habitat structure of the cool-season portions of this study site attracted some winter species, including birds of prey, as well as several returning migratory species.


The major aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge of Kuwaiti women about the impact of BF on both mothers' and infants' health conditions and to describe the beliefs of Kuwaiti women about factors that cause insufficient breast milk.  It also aims to examine the influence of sociocultural factors that affect Kuwaiti mothers' decision to stop BF. A sample of 870 Kuwaiti mothers came from six Kuwaiti governorates were selected. The questionnaire was used that consisted of six sections, containing closed-ended questions to measure the identified variables (sociocultural information, knowledge of the impact of exclusive BF on infants' health condition, knowledge of the impact of exclusive BF on mothers' health condition, and factors that caused cessation of exclusive BF). SPSS (version 24.0) was used for data analysis. A t -test and an ANOVA were the major statistical procedures. The current study reveals that the majority of Kuwaiti mothers combine BF and formula feeding and that few practiced exclusive BF. Moreover, findings show a significant association between knowledge about the benefits of BF for infants' health and some of the mothers' sociocultural variables, such as the mothers' residential area. Kuwaiti mothers' employment status also has a significant impact on their knowledge of the benefits of BF for infants' health, with mothers who are employed having a better knowledge than mothers who are housewives. Additionally, the majority of Kuwaiti mothers believed that BF strengthens the bonding between mother and newborn and that this attachment encourages them to continue BF. Also, the main causes of stopping BF among Kuwaiti mothers were dry breast milk and nonflow from the breasts. BF is optimal for infants' and mothers' physiological and psychological well-being. The present study demonstrates that only few Kuwaiti mothers practiced exclusive BF and that the majority practiced combined BF and formula feeding.


To make direct measurements of Ca2+ uptake and release by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of isolated smooth muscle cells, a fluorometric method for monitoring Ca2+ uptake by striated muscle SR vesicles (Kargacin, M.E., C.R. Scheid, and T.W. Honeyman. 1988. American Journal of Physiology. 245:C694-C698) was modified. With the method, it was possible to make continuous measurements of SR function in saponin-skinned smooth muscle cells in suspension. Calcium uptake by the SR was inhibited by thapsigargin and sequestered Ca2+ could be released by Br-A23187 and thapsigargin. From the rate of Ca2+ uptake by the skinned cells and the density of cells in suspension, it was possible to calculate the Ca2+ uptake rate for the SR of a single cell. Our results indicate that the SR Ca2+ pump in smooth muscle cells can remove Ca2+ at a rate that is 45-75% of the rate at which Ca2+ is removed from the cytoplasm of intact cells during transient Ca2+ signals. From estimates of SR volume reported by others and our measurements of the amount of Ca2+ taken up by the skinned cells, we conclude that the SR of a single cell can store greater than 10 times the amount of Ca2+ needed to elicit a single transient contractile response.


Abstract Abstract. The thermal environment may constrain the evolution of mating behaviour of ectothermal organisms. This study evaluates the impact of the thermal environment on the behaviour of male insects waiting for females at encounter sites. In the morning, males of the desert hackberry butterfly, Asterocampa leilia , perch and wait for females on or adjacent to the larval foodplant. Over the course of a morning as temperature increases, male body posture (wing position and orientation to sun) and perch preferences (perch height and perch insolation) change. The results show that the body temperature of males at perch sites is largely independent of air temperature (i.e. they thermoregulate) and the body posture and perch preferences change with air temperature. Observations on thermocouple-implanted models indicate that the observed changes in behaviour lead to decreases in operative thoracic temperature. The results indicate that changes in wing position, perch height preferences, and insolation preferences have adaptive thermal consequences that may constrain mate detection.


Compilers have focused on the exploitation of one of functional or data parallelism in the past. The PARADIGM compiler project at the University of Illinois is among the first to incorporate techniques for simultaneous exploitation of both. The work in this paper describes the techniques used in the PARADIGM compiler and analyzes the optimality of these techniques. It is the first of its kind to use realistic cost models and includes data transfer costs which all previous researchers have neglected. Preliminary results on the CM-5 show the efficacy of our methods and the significant advantages of using functional and data parallelism together for execution of real applications.


Modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber (PANF) was prepared by adding of acrylic fibers to methanolamine (MMA) with different concentration solutions. The stability of a chemically modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber especially in concentrated hydrochloric acid which was then used as a recycling and pre-concentration reagent for further uses of Modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber. The application of this Modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber for sorption of a series of metal ions was performed by using different controlling factors such as the pH of metal ion solution and the equilibration shaking time by the static technique. Cd(II) was found to exhibit the highest affinity towards extraction by these Modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber phases. The pronounced selectivity was also confirmed from the determined distribution coefficient (Kd) of all the metal ions, showing the highest value reported for Cd(II) to occur by Modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber. The potential applications of Modified nano polyacrylonitrile fiber for selective extraction of Cd(II) to occur from aqueous solution were successfully accomplished as well as preconcentration of low concentration of Cd(II) (60 pg ml) from natural tap water with a pre-concentration factor of 100 for Cd(II) off-line analysis by flame atomic absorption analysis.


Upland environments are particularly vulnerable to the stresses of climate change. The strength and persistence of such forces are not easy to measure and hence comparison of climate impacts with anthropogenic impacts has remained problematic. This paper attempts to demonstrate the nature of human impact on forest cover and flooding in the Annecy Petit Lac Catchment in pre-Alpine Haute Savoie, France, between 1730 and 2000. Local documentary sources and a pollen record provided a detailed history of forest cover and management, making it possible to plot changes in forest cover against local and regional precipitation records, and their individual and combined impacts on flooding. A main period of large-scale, uniform and rapid deforestation in the catchment was identified in the early nineteenth century, but sub-catchment patterns of refor estation and regeneration have varied up to the present. The period of deforesta tion was accompanied by demographic expansion and regional scale exogenous forces, such as small scale industrial development, foreign occupation, war, caveats and laws, acting alongside local scale endogenous forces and land fragmentation, agricultural crisis, and the desire for pasture. These all produced conflict between individual needs and those of communities and resulted in localised changes in forest cover. Joint phases of deforestation and flooding are more evident in individual second order tributaries than the whole catchment, but there appears to be no obvious or simple causal link between forest cover change, climate anomalies and flooding. Environment and History 8 (2002): 403-28 ? 2002 The White Horse Press, Cambridge, UK. This content downloaded from 22.214.171.124 on Tue, 20 Sep 2016 06:19:28 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 404 D.S. CROOK et al.


Despite the wide use of live supervision in marriage and family therapy training, there have been no randomized trials comparing different variations of the practice. This randomized trial of 86 clients was designed to measure client satisfaction after an initial therapy session under two conditions: meeting the supervision team behind the observation mirror or not meeting the team. A mixed linear model analysis of covariance was used to examine the relationship between 'meeting the team' versus 'not meeting the team' and client satisfaction. There were no statistically significant differences in client satisfaction based on whether clients met the team or not. There was a trend toward greater satisfaction with the therapy session among clients who did not meet the supervision team.


Eukaryotic mRNAs are subject to quality control mechanisms that degrade defective mRNAs. In yeast, mRNAs with stalls in translation elongation are targeted for endonucleolytic cleavage by No-Go decay (NGD). The cleavage triggered by No-Go decay is dependent on Dom34p and Hbs1p, and Dom34 has been proposed to be the endonuclease responsible for mRNA cleavage. We created several Dom34 mutants and examined their effects on NGD in yeast. We identified mutations in several loops of the Dom34 structure that affect NGD. In contrast, mutations inactivating the proposed nuclease domain do not affect NGD in vivo. Moreover, we observed that overexpression of the Rps30a protein, a high copy suppressor of dom34Delta cold sensitivity, can restore some mRNA cleavage in a dom34Delta strain. These results identify important functional regions of Dom34 and suggest that the proposed endonuclease activity of Dom34 is not required for mRNA cleavage in NGD. We also provide evidence that the process of NGD is conserved in insect cells. On the basis of these results and the process of translation termination, we suggest a multistep model for the process of NGD.


Computational science increasingly relies on the execution of workflows in distributed networks to solve complex applications. However, the heterogeneity of resources in these environments complicates resource management and the scheduling of such applications. Sophisticated scheduling policies are being developed for workflows, but they have had little impact in practice because their integration into existing workflow engines is complex and time consuming as each policy has to be individually ported to a particular workflow engine. In addition, choosing a particular scheduling policy is difficult, as factors like machine availability, workload, and communication volume between tasks are difficult to predict. In this paper, we describe SchedFlow, a tool that integrates scheduling policies into workflow engines such as Taverna, DAGMan or Karajan. We show how SchedFlow was used to take advantage of different scheduling policies at different times, depending on the dynamic workload of the workflows. Our experiments included two real workflow applications and four different scheduling policies. We show that no single scheduling policy is the best for all scenarios, so tools like SchedFlow can improve performance by providing flexibility when scheduling workflows.


The inflammatory response, which has both genetic and environmental components, is a central mechanism linking oral and systemic diseases. We hypothesized that dental plaque accumulation over 21 days in the experimental gingivitis model would elicit systemic inflammatory responses [change in white blood cell (WBC) count and neutrophil activity], and that these responses would differ by gender/race. We recruited 156 healthy young adults, including black and white males and females. Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), systemic WBC counts, and peripheral neutrophil oxidative activity were recorded. Overall, 128 participants completed the study. During the experimental phase, the correlation between PI and GI was 0.79. Total WBC and neutrophil counts did not change. Neutrophil activity increased in blacks but not whites, suggesting that there may be racial differences in the inflammatory response to dental plaque accumulation.


Etching of SiO2 films using aqueous HF-based chemistries is widely used in integrated circuit and microelectromechanical device industries. To precisely control film loss during cleaning or etching processes, good control over the contact time between the wet chemistry and the substrate is necessary. An integrated wet etch and dry reactor system has been designed and fabricated by studying various geometrical configurations using computational fluid dynamics simulations incorporating reaction kinetics from laboratory data and previously published information. The effect of various process parameters such as HF concentration, flow rate, and flow velocity on the etch rates and uniformity of thermally-grown silicon dioxide and borophosphosilicate glass films was studied. Simulations agree with experiments within experimental error. This reactor can also be used to wet etch/clean and dry other films in addition to SiO2 based films using aggressive chemistries in addition to aqueous HF under widely different process conditions.


Suprarenal aortic constriction sufficient to reduce renal perfusion pressure by approximately 50% increased aldosterone secretion in anesthetized rats pretreated with dexamethasone. Bilateral nephrectomy under the same experimental conditions blocked the aldosterone response. Additionally, [1-sarcosine, 8-alanine]angiotensin II blocked the response in aldosterone secretion to aortic constriction in dexamethasone-treated rats. Finally, in rats hypophysectomized to exclude the influence of ACTH, the aldosterone response to aortic constriction was blocked by [1-sarcosine, 8-alanine]angiotensin II. The results indicate that angiotensin II increased aldosterone secretion during aortic constriction in the rat. These observations, along with those reported previously in sodium-depleted rats, point to an important overall role for the renin-angiotensin system in the control of aldosterone secretion in the rat.


A method for identifying vortices in a 2-D velocity field is developed. A function based on the local angles of velocity with respect to a datum is calculated at each point in the 2-D field. This function is a local minimum at vortex centres. An advanced statistical technique for identifying multiple minima is used to find the minima of this function. The method is used for vortices, calculated using a RANS CFD code (CFX 4.3), forming around a very large crude carrier (VLCC) and the results are seen to be close to the centres of the vortices.


Induction motor drive systems fed with cables are widely used in many industrial applications. Accurate prediction of motor terminal overvoltage, caused by impedance mismatch between the long cable and the motor, plays an important role for motor dielectric insulation and optimal design of dv/dt filters. In this paper, a novel modeling methodology for the investigation of long-cable-fed induction motor drive overvoltage is proposed. An improved high-frequency motor equivalent circuit model is developed to represent the motor high-frequency behavior for the time- and frequency-domain analyses. The motor equivalent circuit parameters for the differential mode (DM) and common mode (CM) are extracted based on the measurements. A high-frequency cable model based on improved high-order multiple-π sections is proposed. The cable model parameters are identified from the DM impedances in open circuit (OC) and short circuit (SC). To obtain a computationally efficient solution that could potentially be integrated with the motor drive controller, the system equations are discretized and solved using transmission-line modeling (TLM) approach. The proposed methodology is verified on an experimental 2.2-kW ABB motor drive benchmark system. The motor overvoltage transients predicted by the proposed model is in excellent agreement with the experimental results and represents a significant improvement compared with the conventional models.


Tertiary study is considered by many to be a necessary step in not only increasing knowledge, but also for employability and receiving promotions. Accessing
Universities, particularly through on campus study can be problematic for those working full time or raising a family. The University of Southern Queensland promotes external studies and although they provide for the most part flexibility examinations are rigid. The ability to complete exams remotely may be an ideal solution; however security and exam integrity must be maintained. This
dissertation considers the possibility of using biometric verification as a way of ensuring security.

While many biometric techniques are considered only facial recognition adheres to all of the specifications of a remote examination system. Over the past twenty years facial verification has been a subject of interest, particularly in the area of security. Numerous algorithms have been proposed, stemming primarily from linear and multi-linear algebra.

The Eigenface algorithm based on Principal Component Analysis was implemented to determine if accuracy rates required by a remote examination system could be achieved. The tests were conducted on the XM2VTS database as well as a small test database composed of images similar to those expected during a remote examination.

The algorithm was implemented using MATLAB and results show that Eigenfaces was able to achieve results of 78.8% accuracy, with an imposter error as low as 19.36%. The tests conducted also conclude that pre-processing techniques, in particular face detection and cropping will increase verification rates of the algorithm.

Facial verification is considered to be a feasible method of ensuring security and maintain examination integrity for a remote system.


This paper presents current developments of the attitude determination algorithm for Del¦-n3Xt, TU Delft next nanosatellite. Several novel quaternion filters using Sun vector and Earth magnetic field measurements and rate gyro outputs are presented. The quaternion measurement matrix associated with each line-of-sight measurement is shown to be rank deficient. This property is exploited in order to design reduced order measurement update stages in the filters. The measurement model reduction is designed such as to preserve the statistical information. The filter covariance propagation can cope rigorously with the multiplicative process noises. The paper also describes the development of the Sun vector determination algorithm, which merges the outputs of 6 body-mounted four-quadrant Sun sensors. For each sensor, a simple algorithm allows Sun vector determination while avoiding the use of uncertain physical parameters. This algorithm takes into account geometrical imperfections linked to manufacturing limitations. A thorough error analysis of the photodiodes measurement outputs is carried out. A spacecraft Sun vector determination algorithm is proposed and illustrated, in the absence of Earth albedo effect, via Monte-Carlo simulations and experimental validation. In addition, extensive Monte-Carlo simulations illustrate the good performances of the quaternion filters using spacecraft Sun vector and Earth magnetic field measurements. The novel reduced filter shows good performances in a challenging tumbling dynamics environment, where a standard additive Kalman filter fails to converge.


Summary
The application of a variety of structurally different protein phosphatase inhibitors (okadaic acid, acanthifolicin, microcystins, nodularin, tautomycin, calyculin A, cantharidin and endothall) to cut surfaces of soybean cotyledons (Glycine max L.) resulted in the production of isoflavonoid phytoalexins (plant defence compounds). Daidzein was the predominant isoflavonoid produced by soybean cotyledons in response to protein phosphatase inhibitors. In contrast, several isoflavonoid phytoalexins were seen after application of either an elicitor β-glucan fraction isolated from yeast extract or hepta-(1→3, 1→6)-β-glucoside which is the most potent elicitor-active component isolated from the soybean pathogen Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea. Isoflavonoid production in response to either protein phosphatase inhibitors or elicitors reached a maximum after 20–24 h. The addition of protein phosphatase inhibitors to a soybean cell suspension culture induced the expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), the first enzyme in the isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Induction of PAL activity was blocked by protein synthesis inhibitors, cycloheximide or anisomysin, and largely prevented by a protein kinase inhibitor, K252a. Another common response of plant cells to fungal elicitation, alkalinization of the soybean cell culture media, was induced within minutes in response to protein phosphatase inhibitors and was largely prevented by K252a.

These studies suggest a direct role for phosphorylation in activation of plasma membrane ion flux(es), whereas the longer-term effects of protein phosphatase inhibitors on isoflavonoid production and PAL expression could be due to either direct effects of increased protein phosphorylation, or the secondary consequences of other phosphorylation-induced cellular changes. They also indicate that protein phosphatase inhibitors are likely to be of general use in investigating mechanisms of plant responses to environmental stimuli.


Although known as "the age of reason," the eighteenth century was actually an era in which many leading moral and political philosophers placed equal emphasis on feeling. While Enlightenment rationalists such as Immanuel Kant separated reflective reason from the unreflective mental faculties which must obey its commands, their sentimentalist contemporaries such as David Hume, Adam Smith, and J. G. Herder did not. Instead, they saw moral and political reflection as the proper work of the mind as a whole. Without emotion, imagination and the imaginative sharing of emotion then known as "sympathy," we would be incapable of developing the reflectively-refined moral sentiments which are the basis of our commitment to justice and virtue. This book seeks to reclaim the sentimentalist theory of reflection as a resource for enriching social science, normative theory, and political practice today.


The levels of copper, cadmium and lead were determined in milk samples from cows grazed on open fields. The use of H2O2 cleared the residual colours of the metal solutions following digestion with HNO3 acid. The results of the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric analysis of the metal solutions from the milk samples showed the metal concentrations in the order Pb (0.531±0.299 mg/dm3)>Cd (0.257±0.127 mg/dm3)>Cu (0.062±0.026 mg/dm3). The levels of Pb and Cd in the milk samples studied exceeded the permissible maximum daily intake recommended by W.H.O. in the health criteria.

 Keywords: Copper, Cadmium, Lead, Cow, mammary gland,
secretion


In oil and gas industry, carbon dioxide (CO2) corrosion is one of the major problem which have caused damages to the pipes and equipment. When CO2 corrosion occur on low carbon steel, a protective film, called Iron Carbonate (FeCO3) can form when the surrounding parameters are desirable for the formation of film. This film can reduce the rate of CO2 corrosion. Both rate of CO2 corrosion and film formation can be affected by Ferrous (Fe2+) Concentration, temperature, pH, etc. Electrochemical experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of Fe2+ concentration (0 ppm, 50 ppm and 200 ppm) on the rate of CO2 corrosion of X52 carbon steel at 50°C and 70°C. The experiments were conducted in solution with pH 6.6 and atmospheric pressure (1 atm) for 48 hours. The rate CO2 corrosion was measured using Weight Loss Method (WLM), Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) was used to analyse the film formation. At the end of the project, Fe2+ concentration plays an important role in decreasing the corrosion rate. Temperature is also important to provide a favourable condition for the development of a protective film.


Internet of Things (IoT) systems promise a seamless connected world with machines integrating their services without human intervention. It's highly probable that the entities participating in such autonomous machine to machine interactions are to be provided by different manufactures. Thus, integrating such heterogeneous devices from many providers complicates design and verification of IoT systems at an unprecedented scale. In this paper, we propose a novel runtime verification approach for IoT systems. The contributions of our proposed solution include: exploiting the interactions in message sequence charts (MSC) to specify message exchanges of constrained application protocol-based IoT systems in terms of events, a novel event calculus for formally describing IoT system constraints specified by means of MSCs, and an event processing algebra that uses complex-event processing techniques for detecting failures in the system by monitoring the runtime event occurrences with respect to the system constraints defined by event calculus. We further demonstrate the viability of proposed solution with case studies.


This paper explores the simulation of the thermal performance of a radiant floor for heating and cooling that is connected with an underground heat exchanger installed under the concrete floor of a house. In the heating season, an electric boiler is used to maintain the operative temperature at the set point value by varying the supply water temperature to the radiant slab. In the cooling season, the water from the radiant floor is circulated through an underground heat exchanger installed under the concrete slab. This water is then mixed with the return water, and it is supplied to the radiant slab. The system does not use energy for mechanical cooling. The paper presents also the sensitivity analysis of the model to the efficiency of underground heat exchanger and the mixing ratio between the water flow rate circulated through the underground heat exchanger and the water flow rate circulated through the radiant floor.


The new US maritime strategy has received praise from many corners of the world. As a manual it is well suited to guide the efforts of its three sea services in navigating a challenging global security environment in the years ahead. The strategy emphasises maritime presence, both where conflict threatens the global system and US national interests, and where allies require reassurance, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. However, Stefan Lundqvist and J J Widen argue that the document fails, to some extent, to address Russia's increasingly challenging conduct and its implications for Northeast Europe and the Baltic Sea region.


Background: Cancer is one of the main sources of death around the world. Throughout the long term, several traditional cytotoxic methodologies for neoplastic illnesses have been created. Notwithstanding, because of their restricted adequacy as per the heterogeneity of malignant growth cells, there is a steady quest for helpful methodologies with the improved result, for example, an immunotherapy that uses furthermore, improves the ordinary limit of the patient's resistant malignancy.

Strategies: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment includes Genetic modification of patient's autologous T-cells to communicate a CAR specific for a tumor antigen, following by ex vivo cell development furthermore, re-implantation back to the patient. This T-cell Genetic modification may happen either through viralbased quality exchange strategies or nonviral techniques, for example, DNA-based transposons, CRISPR/Cas9 innovation, or a direct exchange of in vitro deciphered mRNA by electroporation.

Results: Clinical trials have indicated exceptionally encouraging outcomes in end-stage patients with a full recuperation of up to 92% in Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. Notwithstanding such outcomes in hematological diseases, the powerful interpretation of CAR T-cell treatment to solid tumors and the comparing clinical experience is restricted because of helpful boundaries, similar to CAR T-cell development, diligence, dealing, and destiny inside tumors.

Conclusion: In this project, the clinical outcome of CARs, the principle Genetic change techniques, the safety matters just as the underlying clinical manifestations in CAR T-cells; are elaborated.


Background:
 There is sparse literature on the effect of flow diversion (FD) on large or giant intracranial aneurysms. We assessed the effects of FD with Pipeline stent on aneurysm sac size using MRI follow-up

 Methods:
 All patients at our institution who underwent FD for treatment of intracranial aneurysms were retrospectively identified. Aneurysms with maximum dimension > 20mm, with pre and post treatment MRI were selected. These aneurysms were not previously treated, and did not receive adjunctive devices for current treatment. The largest diameter in 2-dimensions was measured on the MRI sequence that best demonstrated the aneurysm sac, and compared on serial scans. MRI changes were compared to DSA where aneurysm occlusion was graded by the O'Kelly-Marotta (OKM) scale.

 Results:
 Between 6/2011-4/2015, 87 patients with 96 aneurysms were treated with FD. Eighteen patients had aneurysm >20mm. Pre and post treatment MRI were available in 12/18 (67%) patients. This included 9 (75%) females, with mean age 65.5 years. All aneurysms were unruptured and symptomatic. Nine (75%) patients had cavernous/ophthalmic aneurysms, and 3 had basilar aneurysms. Average largest aneurysm diameter was 26.7 (range 21-37) mm. Pipeline was used in all patients (mean 1.9, range 1-5 stents), with 8 (67%) requiring > 1 stent. At the first MRI follow-up (median 4, range 1-18 months), 4 (33%) aneurysms decreased in size, 6 (50%) remained stable, 1 (8%) increased in size. The stent thrombosed in the last patient. At the last MRI follow-up (median 10.5, range 1-48 months), 9 (75%) aneurysms decreased in size and 2 (16%) remained stable from baseline. No aneurysm completely resolved. DSA follow-up was available in 10 (83%) patients (median 9, range 1-25 months). Patients with decreased size on MRI had OKM grade C2, C3 or D, while aneurysms with stable size had OKM grade B3. The one patient with initial increased size on MR had corresponding OKM grade D (no filling).

 Conclusion:
 Majority (75%) of large aneurysms decrease in size on serial MRIs after FD treatment. This corresponds with no filling or early remnant on DSA. Rare aneurysms increase in size despite no filling on DSA, which suggests caution when using only DSA follow-up post treatment. These findings require further study.


Transgenic mice provide a new approach for studying the structure and function of the mammalian retina. In the past, the cellular organization of the mammalian retina was investigated preferentially in primates, cats, and rats but rarely in mice. In the current study, the authors applied 42 different immunocytochemical markers to sections of the mouse retina and studied their cellular and synaptic localization by using confocal microscopy. The markers applied were from three major groups: 1) antibodies against calcium‐binding proteins, such as calbindin, parvalbumin, recoverin, or caldendrin; 2) antibodies that recognize specific transmitter systems, such as glycine, γ‐aminobutyric acid, or acetylcholine; and 3) antibodies that recognize transmitter receptors and show their aggregation at specific synapses. Only a few markers labeled only one cell type: Most antibodies recognized specific groups of neurons. These were analyzed in more detail in double‐labeling experiments with different combinations of the antibodies. In light of their results, the authors offer a list of immunocytochemical markers that can be used to detect possible changes in the retinal organization of mutant mice. J. Comp. Neurol. 424:1–23, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Using a significantly larger panel of countries than previous studies, we find strong confirmation that macroeconomic factors (real GDP growth and changes in the real effective exchange rate) affect the frequency of anti-dumping investigations. A reduction in real GDP growth or a depreciation of the real effective exchange rate leads to increased use of anti-dumping. Most previous studies of "traditional users" and "new users" of anti-dumping tend to associate real exchange rate appreciation with more anti-dumping activities. Because of the possible endogeneity of trade liberalization and anti-dumping actions, we caution against the inclusion of contemporaneous measures of trade openness in the explanatory variables. Even if this advice is ignored, no convincing evidence exists that greater trade openness or reductions in most favored nation (MFN) tariffs by developing countries increase the number of their anti-dumping filings. An important caveat to our results is the large number of zero anti-dumping actions in the data set, which may not have been adequately controlled for in the regressions. Classification-JEL: C23, F13, F53


Autogenous bone grafts are considered to be the gold standard in maxillo-facial surgery. However, drawbacks of donor site morbidity and unpredictable rates of resorbtion often limit their use. In vivo tests have shown that 45S5 bioactive glass particles placed in critical size bone defects lead to regeneration of new bone that has the structural characteristics and architecture of mature trabecular bone. In vitro tests using primary osteoblast cultures have shown that the bioactive glass particles release ionic dissolution products that provide genetic stimuli that control osteoblast cell cycles and lead to rapid growth of mineralized bone nodules. These in vitro and in vivo results led to approval of use of bioactive glass particles and monolithic bioactive glass implants for use in maxillo-facial reconstructions after removal of bone cysts and trauma, as described by several case histories.


Regulation of development and entry into sporulation is critical for fungi to ensure survival of unfavorable environmental conditions. Here we present an analysis of gene sets regulating sporulation in the homothallic ascomycete Ashbya gossypii. Deletion of components of the conserved pheromone/starvation MAP kinase cascades, e.g., STE11 and STE7, results in increased sporulation. In kar3 mutants sporulation is severely reduced, while deletion of KAR4 as well as of homologs of central Saccharomyces cerevisiae regulators of sporulation, IME1, IME2, IME4, and NDT80, abolishes sporulation in A. gossypii. Comparison of RNAseq transcript profiles of sporulation-deficient mutants identified a set of 67 down-regulated genes, most of which were up-regulated in the oversporulating ste12 mutant. One of these differentially expressed genes is an endoglucanase encoded by ENG2. We found that Eng2p promotes hyphal fragmentation as part of the developmental program of sporulation, which generates single-celled sporangia. Sporulation-deficient strains are arrested in their development but form sporangia. Supply of new nutrients enabled sporangia to return to hyphal growth, indicating that these cells are not locked in meiosis. Double-strand break (DSB) formation by Spo11 is apparently not required for sporulation; however, the absence of DMC1, which repairs DSBs in S. cerevisiae, results in very poor sporulation in A. gossypii. We present a comprehensive analysis of the gene repertoire governing sporulation in A. gossypii and suggest an altered regulation of IME1 expression compared to S. cerevisiae.


In research on the two ascidians Pterygascidia mirabilis Sluiter, 1904, and P. longa (Van Name, 1918), Tokioka (1971a, b) found some copepods associated with both species. We were given the opportunity to examine these crustaceans. The copepod described below, Goniodelphys tokiokai n. sp., is a notodelphyid inhabiting the branchial sac of P. longa. The material was obtained from a few specimens among 20 ascidians which were collected by the Snellius Expedition on 5 September 1929, and deposited at the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden. As the copepods living in P. mirabilis belong to a family other than Notodelphyidae they will be reported in a future paper. We wish to express our warm thanks to Dr. Takasi Tokioka, of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, for collecting the copepods from the ascidians and providing us the opportunity to examine the specimens, and for many other favors. We are indebted to the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden, for permission to study the material. Goniodelphys tokiokai n. sp. Specimens examined: 6 females, all adult, from Pterygascidia longa (Van Name, 1918) preserved in formalin, Snellius Expedition, Station 60, 6° 58'N 1210 52.5Έ, in the Basilan Strait between the islands of Basilan and Mindanao, 72-80 m deep, September 5, 1929. Types. — The types are preserved in the collection of the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden. The holotype under no. Crust. F 793, a paratype under no. Crust. F 794. Description. — Female (figs. 1-4). Body (fig. 1a) compressed, rigid from heavy cuticularization of integument. Three major body divisions, cephalo-


This cursory note reflects on the outcome of the Constitutional Court judgment of Ngqukumba v Minister of Safety and Security. The decision presented the Court with the opportunity to consider what happens to existing common law remedies in light of legislation that has been enacted to regulate a specific area of the law. The Constitutional Court held that the Traffic Act did not place an absolute prohibition on the possession of tampered vehicles and therefore the Court granted the spoliation remedy. The Court's conclusion that the mandament van spolie is in principle available in these instances, creates the impression that the common law remedy would be appropriate even though the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) contains a remedy to claim the property back. This note argues that such a conclusion is problematic. If the CPA has a remedy to restore possession, that option should first be exhausted. In this regard, it is necessary to regulate the choice of remedy if the common law and the legislation provide a remedy to vindicate the violations of rights. Furthermore, in instances where legislation has been enacted to regulate a specific area of the law (or to give effect to a constitutional provision) the mandament van spolie should in principle not be available. Finally, this note concludes that in instances where the Traffic Act prohibits possession of certain vehicles, it should not be possible to use the mandament van spolie to by-pass the legislation.


Loxocelism is a toxic condition produces by the venom inoculated by the bit of the recluse spider (genus Loxosceles). In can appear in two clinical forms: cutaneous loxocelism and viscerocutaneous Ioxocelim. The species Loxoceles rufescens, found in Spain, is responsible of cases of cutaneous loxocelism. Cutaneous loxocelism starts with an itch, later giving rise to intense pain, and it later takes either a more or less severe necrotic form or an edematous form. The latter, with a better prognosis, is the one we focus on here. The diagnosis is clinical. The systemic treatment consists in analgesics, antihistamines, corticosteroids, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and dapsone in severe cases. The local treatment is based on the cleaning and debridement of the wound, and in advanced treatments for complex wounds. It is not uncommon that such wounds require skin grafting. We present the case of an 18-year female bitten by a loxosceles on the dorsal area of the foot. She developed a deep tissue necrosis in the area. She presented systemic complications such as leucocitosis, fever, local infection and cellulitis. Systemic treatment and hospitalization were required, as well as advanced therapeutic care. Finally, cutaneous integrity was restored after 84 days.


The concept of interactivity continuously enhances our day-to-day living,
allowing us to experience a more convenient and enjoyable life style.
Existing analogue technologies such as the internet, mobile phone and
satellite have now entered their digital phase, making it possible to increase
their capacity for interactivity. The technologies which provide this
increased interactivity, namely the internet, mobile and television, are
classed as interactive technologies. Television has been successful at
marketing, having launched an interactivity interface known as iTV which
initially offered superior commercial prospects. However, after a decade,
the iTV industry is still quite young and has not reached its full potential.
This thesis adopts a range of research methodology with which to forecast
the future of interactive technologies, especially interactive TV (iTV).
The uptake of new interactive technologies depends on many factors,
notably the existing infrastructure in the country of adoption, cultural
attitudes to new technology, the radicalism of the technology, social
influences and interactions and ease of use, quality and cost. Beyond these,
many other significant factors influence the acceptance of interactive
technologies, the focus of this thesis is to ascertain the importance of those
factors mentioned on technology adoption.
This study has adopted technological and judgemental forecasting
techniques to predict the future of interactive technologies, following which
Cross- Cultural and Technology Acceptance studies were carried out to
investigate interactive technology adoption. In the Cross-Cultural study,
survey data were collected from the UK, Hong Kong and Pakistan so as to
examine cultural factors pertaining to the likelihood of adoption, while
Growth Curves were used to model and forecast future levels of adoption.
Then technology trends in different countries were collected from the global
marketing database Euromonitor. The Growth Curves, applied to a selection
of interactive technologies, were evaluated and compared to identify the most useful model with which to forecast the future of interactive
technologies. The findings identified the Bass Model, Simple Logistic
Model and Gompertz Model as the most suitable models for the purpose,
with different models identified as best for different cultures.
The Judgemental study established that WWW will be the dominant service
provider for financial services such as banking or financial products, while
iTV will be the dominant service provider for entertainment. WWW will in
fact be the dominant provider for most of the services, followed by iTV and
then WAP. It is most likely that WWW, WAP and iTV will exhibit
technology convergence in 20 years' time and in all probability will
converge into WWW.
Further to this the Cross-Cultural study confirmed that there are significant
differences between cultures regarding the acceptance of interactive
technologies, as it is affected by demographic and social interactions and
influences. In addition, the study showed that each interactive technology
has its own significant elements which influence its acceptance. Overall, the
key elements identified as influencing acceptance of interactive
technologies were Knowledge and Confidence, followed by the number of
hours the individual spends with his or her family.
The Technology Acceptance study identified a technology acceptance
model for each interactive technology: WWW, WAP and iTV, which
established the factors expected to influence the future growth of the
technology. Managing these significant elements will assist further in
promoting the growth of interactive technologies


Oxygen isotopes measured on Late Ordovician conodonts from Minnesota and Kentucky (United States) were studied to reconstruct the paleotemperature history during late Sandbian to Katian (Mohawkian–Cincinnatian) time. This time interval was characterized by intense volcanism, as shown by the prominent Deicke, Millbrig, and other K-bentonite beds. A prominent carbon isotope excursion (Guttenberg δ 13 C excursion, GICE) postdates the Millbrig volcanic eruptions, and has been interpreted to reflect a drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide and climatic cooling. The oxygen isotope record in conodont apatite contradicts this earlier interpretation. An increase in δ 18 O of 1.5‰ (Vienna standard mean ocean water) just above the Deicke K-bentonite suggests an abrupt and short-lived cooling that possibly initiated a first short-term glacial episode well before the major Hirnantian glaciation. The decrease in δ 18 O immediately after the mega-eruptions indicates warming before the GICE, and no cooling is shown in the GICE interval. The coincidence of the Deicke mega-eruption with a cooling event suggests that this major volcanic event had a profound effect on Late Ordovician (late Mohawkian) climate.


Teachers are very instrumental in developing effective teaching materials to encourage the progress of students in learning. Meanwhile, the existing teaching materials still need improvements because there are several errors such as paragraphs in the reading text that are not aligned left-right, errors in capital letters. Therefore, to solve this roblem, it is necessary to find a solution in the form of developing integrated thematic teaching materials based on the cooperative script model for grade IV elementary school students. This study aims to produce valid teaching materials. This type of research is development research using the 4-D model (four D model). This model consists of four stages, namely define, design, develop and disseminate. The results showed that the integrated thematic teaching materials using the cooperative script model developed obtained the validity percentage of teaching materials was 87.5% (material) with a very valid category, 75% (language) with a valid category, and 81.8% (design) with very valid category.


The influence of Sn addition on the amorphization of CuTiZrNi alloys processed by mechanical alloying of a mixture of pure elemental powder was studied. The thermal stability and crystallization behaviour of the amorphous mechanically alloyed powders was determined and compared with rapidly quenched ribbons with the same nominal chemical compositions. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry were employed as the experimental techniques for samples characterization. Both applied samples preparation techniques resulted in the formation of fully amorphous Cu47Ti34Zr11Ni8 and Cu37Sn10Ti34Zr11Ni8 alloys. However, significant differences in thermal stability and crystallization behaviour have been found, depending not only on the alloy composition, but on the fabrication method as well. The observed influence of Sn addition was more evident for the ribbons, resulting in the change of the number of crystallization effects, their temperatures and activation energy of crystallization. For mechanically alloyed powders these changes were not so dramatic.