Polygeneration systems have been utilized to simultaneously generate a number of energy and utility products such as heat, power, cooling and treated water. Its implementation has proven to increase fuel efficiency and to reduce the associated carbon footprint in products in comparison to stand-alone production systems. The polygeneration system consists of interdependent process units whose design capacities will depend on the expected product demands. Because of the multiple product streams generated and the associated demands, it is necessary to design a system which aims to simultaneously meet potentially conflicting product demand targets. Fuzzy optimization has initially been used to identify the optimal solution which simultaneously satisfices multiple product demand targets. However, real life decision-making may require an evaluation of alternative solutions. This aspect can be addressed by the P-graph methodology which is able to provide both optimal and sub-optimal network designs. This work thus proposes the development of a fuzzy P-graph model for the design of a polygeneration system. The capabilities of the model are demonstrated in a case study. The model results identify both optimal and sub-optimal design options which generate products within the defined demand targets and which can be further evaluated for other parameters such as robustness for final decision-making.


Metal complexes consist of metal ions chelated by a group of oppositely charged ions or neutral ligands. These compounds have various applications in stereochemistry, spectroscopy, catalysis, electrochemistry, agriculture, and the medical field; all play some significant roles. This work reports the complexes of Cr3+, Co2+, and Zn2+ metal ions derived from a 1H-imidazole ligand system. The complexes were characterized using EA, conductivity measurement, UV-Vis, FTIR, TGA, PXRD, HRMS, SEM-EDX, and 1H and 13C{H}NMR for the Zn2+ complex. Based on these characterizations, the ligand was found to act as a monodentate and formed a complex with the metal ions via a nitrogen atom. An octahedral geometry was obtained for Cr3+ and Co2+, with composition as [Cr(IM)4(H2O)2](NO3)3 and [Co(IM)6]Cl2, and tetrahedral geometry for Zn2+ as [Zn(IM)2(H2O)2]. Redox conduct of the free chelate and the complexes was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The result showed that Cr3+ and Co2+ compounds displayed a reductive wave of a one-electron irreversible system for Cr3+ to Cr2+ and Co2+ to Co+ . The ligand shows a comparable electrochemical response to Cr3+ and Co2+ complexes with a reduction peak denoting a reduction involving one-electron transfer, while the Zn2+ complex shows neither oxidative nor reductive waves. The free ligand and the complexes were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive: (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) and Gram-negative: (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae). From the result obtained, the complexes demonstrated enhanced activity compared to the ligand. The order of the activities among complexes on the organisms can be arranged as follows: Co2+ > Cr3+ > Zn2+


In the years since communism fell across Eastern Europe, political scientists have tracked authoritarianism with zeal and frustration. While looking forward to the fall of regimes, they have watched dictators twist elections and elected leaders warp constitutions. The outlook is now as bleak as ever for the post-Cold War period. Coups in Mauritania, Thailand, and Honduras have demonstrated that military cliques still threaten popular sovereignty. Muted objections to the takeovers underscore a normative challenge. In the milieu of the "War on Terror," autocratic maneuvers can appear increasingly defensible. Under the aegis of national security, rulers have muffled rights advocacy and used "exceptional" measures to enhance control. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This article does not deliver an overarching explanation of why the quest for global political emancipation seems to have foundered. Instead, it scrutinizes the academic enterprise that charted a rise in democracy and now contends with an "Age of Authoritarianism." I examine the analytic costs, which have become apparent over the last two decades, of treating democracy and authoritarianism as mutually exclusive "regime types," which observers can tally as states move from one category to the other. I then venture an alternative interpretation. Rather than undergoing a democratic revolution or an autocratic resurgence, the post-Cold War period has instead been suffused by democratic and authoritarian currents that coalesce within national boundaries and flow across them. Political science has yet to apprehend such transnational processes, which belie the linearity and binary nature of democratic transitions studies. Defining democracy procedurally as the presence of competitive elections, scholars watched democratic nation-states increase in number through the early 21st century. When procedural democracy then hit a numerical plateau, the same intellectual community renewed its focus on authoritarian nation-states. Students of authoritarianism rely on the dichotomous treatment their forerunners applied to democratic transitions; in that view, authoritarianism is exclusive of and historically prior to procedural democracy. Such analysis stands to reap diminishing returns, thanks to a mix of conceptual, empirical, and normative obstacles. Students of authoritarianism and democracy over the next two decades can address those challenges by shifting their object of study from domestic, election-based regime types to transnational processes of coercion and accountability. Democracy Peaks For decades, political scientists have strived to identify democracy in a replicable, consistent way. The accepted convention has been to apply a procedural standard based on the work of economist Joseph Schumpeter. Over 60 years ago, Schumpeter wrote that democracies are distinguished by a "competitive struggle for the people's vote." Through the electoral process, leaders are held ac countable by the people they rule. Although political scientists add civil liberties in their minimal definition of democracy, the deciding factor is the existence of competitive elections to select the top decision-makers. Nation-states either meet this standard (such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and India) or do not (such as Egypt, Zimbabwe, and China). After the Cold War, the number of procedural democracies rose rapidly, and democratization became a primary concern. By the early 1990s, dozens of new governments met the standard, as multiparty systems replaced military juntas and single-party communism. This "wave" touched not only Eastern Europe but also Latin America (Chile, Nicaragua, and Paraguay), sub-Saharan Africa (Benin and South Africa), and South Asia (Bangladesh). Freedom House, a professed "watchdog organization that supports the expansion of freedom around the world," applies the Schumpeterian criterion to maintain a running tally of democracies. …


Abstract : Numerous features have been added to both the IFSAS and Trident codes. Both codes were integrated into a single solver for 3D fluid-structure interaction simulations. A multiple material model using a mixed-cell approach was implemented in the IFSAS code, and validated against experimental data. Adaptive grid schemes for underwater shock and bubble analysis, hydrostatic pressure and airwater/seafloor boundaries, underwater explosion profiles, and fluid-backed shapes were also implemented. The improvements made to the Trident program include upgrading the translators between Trident and USA/CFA Version 5, automating the clipping of the fluid element meshes at the waterline, creating a link to the IFSAS code in the UNDEX shell program, and an extension of capabilities for analysing the response of equipment mounts to UNDEX loading.


A methodology is presented for upper-body posture estimation in the sagittal plane from force and torque measurements exerted on handles during human standing, in the hypothesis of quasi-static equilibrium. The method consists in setting up constraints related to the geometric equations and the hand-handle interaction. All measured quantities are subject to an uncertainty assumed unknown but bounded. The set membership estimation problem is solved via interval analysis. Guaranteed uncertainty bounds are computed for the estimated postures. The methodology is validated experimentally with actual data. The results obtained are very acceptable.


A thin film transistor array substrate comprises gate electrode connected to gate line; source electrode connected to data line crossing the gate line to define pixel area; drain electrode opposed to the source electrode with a channel between them; semiconductor layer in the channel; pixel electrode overlapping and contacting the drain electrode; and channel protective film provided on the channel to protect the semiconductor layer. A thin film transistor (130) array substrate comprises: (A) gate electrode (106) connected to gate line (102); (B) source electrode (108) connected to data line (104) crossing the gate line to define pixel area; (C) drain electrode (110) opposed to the source electrode with a channel between them; (D) semiconductor layer (114) in the channel; (E) pixel electrode (112) positioned at the pixel area, substantially all of the pixel electrode overlapping the drain electrode contacting the drain electrode; and (F) channel protective film (120) provided on the semiconductor layer corresponding to the channel to protect the semiconductor layer in the channel. An independent claim is also included for fabricating a thin film transistor array substrate, comprising: (A) forming gate electrode on a substrate; (B) forming gate insulating film on the gate electrode; (C) forming source and drain electrodes and semiconductor layer in a channel between the source and drain electrodes, and forming a channel protective film on the semiconductor layer to protect the semiconductor layer in the channel; (D) forming the drain electrode on the gate insulating film; and (E) forming a pixel electrode such that all of the pixel electrode overlapping the drain electrode contacts the drain electrode.


The UK represents the most detailed initiative to date to develop a code which puts new responsibilities on the investor and investee communities. The UK Stewardship Code is an important attempt to redress the balance in the corporate governance matrix and although similar efforts have taken place in other markets, such as France and the Netherlands, the Code is the first of its type in the world. Not only of relevance to the UK, this is an important development for other countries too. The Code is said to offer a groundbreaking way forward through a background of shareholder apathy and indifference toward matters of governance. By and large, it intends to advance shareholder surveillance of companies, viewed by some as the missing control that led to the financial crisis. However, modern investment management practices make it particularly difficult for a committed, long-term ownership mindset to exist. This article raises the question of whether a more systematic and continuous relationship between institutional shareholders and management is about to evolve through the Code and discusses the market failures and structural limitations that prevent investors from becoming effective stewards. Whilst the market failures and structural impediments of the Code can cause concern, there are possible remedies that can help to provide a more favourable setting for stewardship. Consequent to this analysis, the article argues that there are more logical alternatives to company democracy and investor engagement than the generalist duties of the UK Stewardship Code.


Hairy galinsoga [Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake] has become a troublesome weed in vegetable crops. Field studies were conducted in 2006 and 2007 in central New York to determine the effects of: 1) spring-sown cover crops on hairy galinsoga growth and seed production during cover crop growth grown before subsequent short duration vegetable crops; and 2) cover crop residues on establishment of hairy galinsoga and four short-duration vegetable crops planted after cover crop incorporation. The cover crops [buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), brown mustard (Brassica juncea L.), yellow mustard (Sinapis alba L.), and oats (Avena sativa L.)] were planted in May and incorporated in early July. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and Swiss chard [Beta vulgaris var. cicla (L.) K. Koch] were transplanted and pea (Pisum sativum L.) and snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were sown directly into freshly incorporated residues. Aboveground dry biomass produced by the cover crops was 4.2, 6.4, 6.8, and 9.7 mg·ha ―1 for buckwheat, brown mustard, yellow mustard, and oats, respectively. Cover crops alone reduced the dry weight (90% to 99%) and seed production of hairy galinsoga (98%) during the cover crop-growing season compared with weedy controls. In 2006, only yellow mustard residue suppressed hairy galinsoga emergence (53%). However, in 2007, all cover crop residues reduced hairy galinsoga emergence (38% to 62%) and biomass production (25% to 60%) compared with bare soil, with yellow mustard providing the greatest suppression. Cover crop residues did not affect snap bean emergence, but reduced pea emergence 25% to 75%. All vegetable crops were suppressed by all cover crop residues with crops ranked as: pea > Swiss chard ≥ lettuce > snap bean in terms of sensitivity. The C:N ratios were 8.5, 18.3, 22.9, and 24.8 for buckwheat, brown mustard, yellow mustard, and oat residues, respectively. Decomposition rate and nitrogen release of brown mustard and buckwheat residues was rapid; it was slow for oats and yellow mustard residues. Spring-sown cover crops can contribute to weed management by reducing seed production, emergence, and growth of hairy galinsoga in subsequent crops, but crop emergence and growth may be compromised. Yellow mustard and buckwheat sown before late-planted snap beans deserve further testing as part of an integrated strategy for managing weeds while building soil health.


Many minerals that form in surface and near-surface environments are emerging to be mineralogically and geochemically complex. The characteristics of such minerals are observed to diverge from those that are predicted by equilibrium thermodynamics, and in some instances are found to originate through metastable precursor phases. The base metal-rich Grieves Siding peat, western Tasmania, Australia, provides an insight into the evolution of low-temperature mineralising systems in the groundwater environment, and allows the investigation of the early stages of mineral formation at ambient conditions. Mechanisms of a stepwise mineral formation pathway, and the characteristics of precursor and intermediate phases, which have been established experimentally, are examined here. The occurrence and characteristics of colloids and microorganisms, two of the recognised contributors in mineral formation processes at surface conditions, are also probed.

At the Quaternary Grieves Siding peat, a significant concentration of base metals also occurs within the underlying Ordovician Gordon Group carbonates (Grieves Siding carbonate prospect), and the spatial relationship strongly implies a link between these two metal-rich zones. Despite nearly four decades of geologic evaluations at the site, the genesis of the two differing mineral concentrations remains ambiguous. Adding to the enigma of the deposit are the complex mineralogical characteristics and assemblages of the ore minerals in the peat (i.e., sphalerite, galena, and Zn-Pb-bearing silicates, oxides, and carbonates) that pose difficulties for future metallurgical extraction. The genetic relationship between the Zn-Pb mineralisation in the peat, and its carbonate counterpart, is established in this study.

The geochemical characteristics of the Grieves Siding peat profile overlying the mineralised metasediments were determined by major and trace element geochemistry, and C and S isotope analyses. The mineralogical characteristics, mineral associations, phase evolution, mineral paragenesis, and mechanisms of formation of Zn-Pb-Fe bearing minerals within the peat were evaluated by quantitative X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, electron probe microanalysis, cathodoluminescence, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy.

The metal-rich peat possesses exceptionally high base metal contents reaching up to 27.2 wt. % Zn and up to 3.8 wt. % Pb, making it an effective repository for metals. The extreme enrichment in Zn and Pb in Grieves Siding peat registered as the highest among reported peat-hosted mineralisations in the world. The enrichment of metals in the studied peat is hypothesised to be a collective result of the weathering and leaching of metals from the underlying mineralised carbonate sequence, with some acquisition from surrounding volcanic rocks. Metal leaching is proposed to have occurred under oxidising conditions and produced a shift in groundwater pH from pH 6.9 (tannic acid-controlled regions) to pH 4.3. The detected sulfur in the surface and groundwaters posited to occur as H\(_2\)SO\(_4\) and dissociated SO\(_4\)\(^{2-}\) ligands, which supports transport of Zn mainly as ZnSO\(_4\). The accumulation of metals in the peat is shown to be influenced by (i) availability of metals derived from mineralised underlying and regional rocks; (ii) continuous availability of oxygen in the waters to liberate bedrock sulfur; (iii) efficiency of the metal transport by sulfate and organic ligands in ground and surface waters; (iv) a mechanism for the reduction of aqueous sulfate to H2S in the peat, probably as a by-product of the metabolic activity of sulfate-reducing bacterial communities thriving in a biofilm along the sub-surface flow path at the base of the living peat mass; (iv) the trapping of metals as metal sulfide minerals (i.e., Zn, Pb, and Fe) following interaction of H\(_2\)S and aqueous metals and other dissolved components; adsorption to clay minerals of metals (i.e., Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Fe, Ag, Ti, Ni, and Co); complexation and fixation of selected metals (i.e., As, Sb, Mo, U, and Au) to organic matter; and association of selected metals (i.e., Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Ag, and Fe) to nonstoichiometric (gel) phases, bacterial cells, and biofilms.

The mineral assemblages in the peat consist of sulfides, silicates, sulfates, oxides, carbonates, and phosphates that are here classified as (i) detrital minerals, which are derived from the surrounding rocks (i.e., Cambrian volcanic rocks and sediments, Ordovician carbonates), and (ii) authigenic phases, including the predominant Zn-Pb-Fe bearing phases. Zinc occurs in sphalerite, baileychlore, Fe-Zn-Pb carbonate and nonstoichiometric (i.e., clay and colloform) phases that also contain S, O, Al, Pb and C. Authigenic Pb- and Fe-bearing phases such as galena, anglesite, plumbojarosite, magnetite, and pyrite are also detected. Pyrite shows textural evidence of stepwise transformations from disseminated and framboidal textures to a massive polycrystalline configuration.

The mineral chemical and microcrystallographic features of the key Zn-bearing phases such as clay and colloform phases, and sphalerite were further examined. The clay comprises O (up to 44.1 wt. %), Al (up to 25.5 wt. %), Si (up to 11.3 wt. %), S (up to 3.1 wt. %), and Zn (up to 1.5 wt. %) with smaller amounts of Pb, Fe, and Cd. The absence of electron backscatter patterns (EBSPs) in the clay phase indicate that it exhibits low crystallinity and could potentially be amorphous and in some cases, semi-crystalline. Mineral chemistry of the colloform phase includes Zn, S as well as O (up to 18.5 wt. %), Al (up to 8.5 wt. %), Pb (up to 2.9 wt. %), Si (1.7 wt. %), smaller amounts Fe, Cd, Cu, Ag, Sb, As, and also lighter elements such as H and C. Brighter bands in backscattered electron images correspond to highest concentration of Zn and S, whereas the darker bands contain more O, Al, Si, and C. Lead and other trace metals display no correlation with either the band types. Similar to the clay, the colloform phase also lacks any EBSPs, suggesting that it has low crystallinity and may be amorphous. Infrared spectra of the clay and colloform phases have distinctive signatures matching that of water, Al-rich phases and in some cases, organic molecules. Sphalerite (~1 to 5 μm size) is crystalline and commonly occurs adjacent to the Zn-bearing clay and colloform phases. The coexistence of crystalline sphalerite and amorphous, nonstoichiometric Zn-rich phases is inferred to represent a continuing evolution from metastable precursors to sphalerite.

In more detail, this study has identified a multi-stage crystallisation route for sphalerite. It commences with heterogeneous nucleation of precursor phases on and within a Zn-rich clay substrate; it progresses to recurring growth and maturation by aggregation, coalescence, and impurity expulsion. It culminates in the transformation to sphalerite. Each step is observed to be a progression towards increased crystallinity and homogeneity, tending to pure ZnS. The entire formation processes of the colloform phase occur within bacterial cells, biofilms and on inorganic substrates. Hence, a profound microbiological influence and control are implicated in the mineralisation process. Morphological, textural, and chemical features of the colloform ZnS phases also point to a colloidal (gel) state and origin.

Genetic associations of authigenic Zn-Pb-Fe phases in the peat, typically in a nonlinear progressions are, Zn-rich clay→ disseminated pyrite→framboidal pyrite→anhedral pyrite→ polycrystalline pyrite→ galena→anglesite→Zn-rich colloform →sphalerite. The assemblages of authigenic minerals in the peat reflect dynamic physical and chemical conditions that are not necessarily in equilibrium with one another. The tendency of nonequilibrium or metastable precursor phases to naturally progress into more stable configurations, in a low-temperature setting, is demonstrated in this research.

The results of this study demonstrate the capability of peat to not only preserve metal sulfides but also to create significant concentrations that could be a feasible mineral deposit. This research also marks the potential of peat to provide exploration vector information about for underlying hypogene ores, which could be harnessed by systematically spatially determining peat metal content. The proposed stepwise pathway could apply to other low- to intermediate-temperature base metal forming systems that conceivably also have organic accumulations, such as carbonaceous, sediment-hosted base metal deposits, and Mississippi Valley-type Pb-Zn-Ag deposits. Such a pathway is of most interest to the study of ore genesis because it expands and redefines our knowledge, in a way that it opens our eyes to the possibility that the very coolest early stages of sulfide formation in these types of mineral deposits may in some circumstances have developed by a stepwise progression, the effects of which would be annealed at higher temperature. This study also provides comprehensive mineral chemical and phase characterisation of known minerals as well as nonstoichiometric phases in the peat that could aid in establishing an effective means of extracting metals from peat, and probably from other organic-rich mineral deposits. Furthermore, this research demonstrates Grieves Siding peat is a natural and modern analogue for sequestering metals from metalliferous surface and groundwaters, and therefore, raises the possibility that peat domains should be further investigated as a strategy for remediation of metal loads in acid mine drainage waters, particularly in western Tasmania and other wet temperate mining districts.


When Gustav Ranis began his scholarly career in the field of economic development, the global economy presented a landscape of widely contrasting conditions for its participants. Almost two-thirds of the global population was ill-fed, ill-housed, illiterate, and lacking access to proper medical care. Today, four decades later, while standards of living have generally improved, and some areas of Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East have become highly productive economies, the gap between the wealthy few and the rest of the world has widened. Very significant areas of the globe remain desperately poor.In a much-needed effort to assess the current issues facing developing countries and development economics, Ranis's former students, present and past colleagues at Yale, and fellow development economists honor him with this volume. Contributors examine and evaluate four areas of concern: duality and the evolution of labor markets in developing economies; trade, technological transfer, and economic development; the international economic regime and economic development; and finance and economic development. Among many new findings, several essays present evidence that duality in labor markets may be self-perpetuating absent selective government intervention. Others find that, contrary to earlier conjectures, trade liberalization will have more than just a one-time impact on national economic performance. Still others suggest that using a nominal exchange rate anchor as a tool of stabilization policy in developing economies is fraught with difficulties.Contributors include Albert Berry, Willem Buiter, Jonathan Eaton, Robert Evenson, Gary Fields, Mark Gersovitz, Koichi Hamada, Yujiro Hayami, Samuel Kortum, Anne Krueger, Poori Marino, Richard Nelson, Jennifer C. O'Hara, Keijiro Otsuka, Howard Pack, Janet Rothenberg Pack, Jonathan Putnam, Mark Rosenzweig, Gary Saxonhouse, T. N. Srinivasan, Frances Stewart, Joseph Stiglitz, and Brian Wright.


Copying garbage collectors have a number of advantages over non-copying collectors, including cheap allocation and avoiding fragmentation. However, in order to provide completeness (the guarantee to reclaim each garbage object eventually), standard copying collectors require space equal to twice the size of the maximum live data for a program. We present a mark-copy collection algorithm (MC) that extends generational copying collection and significantly reduces the heap space required to run a program. MC reduces space overhead by 75--85% compared with standard copying garbage collectors, increasing the range of applications that can use copying garbage collection. We show that when MC is given the same amount of space as a generational copying collector, it improves total execution time of Java benchmarks significantly in tight heaps, and by 5--10% in moderate size heaps. We also compare the performance of MC with a (non-generational) mark-sweep collector and a hybrid copying/mark-sweep generational collector. We find that MC can run in heaps comparable in size to the minimum heap space required by mark-sweep. We also find that for most benchmarks MC is significantly faster than mark-sweep in small and moderate size heaps. When compared with the hybrid collector, MC improves total execution time by about 5% for some benchmarks, partly by increasing the speed of execution of the application code.


: Fifty years after the term 'pheromone' was coined by Peter Karlson and Martin Lüsher, the search for these semiochemicals is still an elusive goal of chemical ecology and communication studies. Contrary to what appears in the popular press, the race is still on to capture and define human scents. Over the last several years, it became increasingly clear that pheromone-like chemical signals probably play a role in offspring identification and mother recognition. Recently, we analyzed the volatile compounds in sweat patch samples collected from the para-axillary and nipple-areola regions of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. We hypothesized that, at the time of birth and during the first weeks of life, the distinctive olfactory pattern of the para-axillary area is probably useful to newborns for recognizing and distinguishing their own mother, whereas the characteristic pattern of the nipple-areola region is probably useful as a guide to nourishment.


Abstract. Could social media data be utilized in hazard evaluation? Typhoon disaster as one of the costly disaster has become devastating threats for human. Moreover, social media change the communication way of human and citizens can turn to this platform to express disasterrelated information at real time. Therefore, social media improves situational awareness and widens the method of hazard information acquiring. With more and more studies investigating in relationship between social media response and degree of damage, the strong correlation has been proved. Weibo as one of the most popular social media in China can provide data with posted text, location, user identification and other additional information. Combining with 10 tropical cyclones and Weibo data in 2013, We perform a quantitative analysis between the grade of hazard situation and Weibo related topic heat in province scale. We provide a new model of Weibo topic heat to evaluate the Weibo activity in study area. Also we demonstrate the hazard assessing formula is H = 1.8845 ln(α) + 15.636 in tropical cyclone disaster. High level goodness of curve fitting also suggest that this equation can be used for rapid assessment of hazard caused by tropical cyclones.


Digital circuits complexity and density are increasing while, at the same time, more quality and reliability are required. These trends, together with high test costs, make the validation of VLSI circuits more and more difficult. Beside high-end ATE machines, strictly necessary in ASIC production phase, low-cost ATE test systems take place into market to implement a valid support in ASIC development phase. In this paper a case study of low-cost, reconfigurable, versatile and easy-to-use FPGA-based test environment is presented. It allows patterns to be extracted from HDL-simulation and stimuli to be generated to ASIC prototypes, especially when a high-end test machine setup isn't foreseen or isn't available yet. This is the ideal solution for engineers to develop test programs and perform device tests and yield analysis on their desktop and then transfer the test program directly to production. The result is low-cost automatic test equipment, able to execute a preliminary digital test, using just a Laptop and an FPGA-equipped board.


Value at Risk (VaR) and related probabilistic risk measures have become ubiquitous in the realm of risk management. But any statistician knows that a point estimate is only part of what one needs to know, the other being a measure of confidence about that estimate. In this article, Dowd provides an easy way to estimate such confidence intervals using the theory of order statistics. The procedure is straightforward, nearly instantaneous to execute, and can be used with any parametric or non-parametric returns distribution.


Objectives: Dropout and weight regain are common problems in most obesity treatments. The purpose of this study was to review previously published study results of the predictive factors associated with dropout during weight loss treatment and weight loss maintenance after successful weight loss. Methods: Authors searched for the articles related to dropout and weight loss maintenance, published from 2007 to 2016 found on Pubmed, Scopus, RISS, and KISS. A total of 19 articles were finally selected. From the study results, unchangeable and changeable predictors were extracted, and these predictors were examined according to dropout and weight loss maintenance categories. Results: The unchangeable predictors of dropout were younger age, lower education level and female, whereas the changeable predictors of dropout were lower initial weight loss, symptoms of depression and body dissatisfaction. The strongest factor for predicting the dropout was initial weight loss. The unchangeable predictors of weight loss maintenance were old age, male and family history of obesity, whereas the changeable predictors of weight loss maintenance were regular exercise, dietary restraint, self-weighing and low depressive symptoms. Initial weight loss, depressive symptoms, body image, dietary restraint, physical activity, weight loss expectation and social support were considered to be dominant factors for weight loss treatments. Conclusions: Our review results suggest that unchangeable and changeable predictors of dropout and weight loss maintenance should be carefully examined during treatments of obesity.


We show that the gradient descent algorithm provides an implicit regularization effect in the learning of over-parameterized matrix factorization models and one-hidden-layer neural networks with quadratic activations. Concretely, we show that given $\tilde{O}(dr^{2})$ random linear measurements of a rank $r$ positive semidefinite matrix $X^{\star}$, we can recover $X^{\star}$ by parameterizing it by $UU^\top$ with $U\in \mathbb R^{d\times d}$ and minimizing the squared loss, even if $r \ll d$. We prove that starting from a small initialization, gradient descent recovers $X^{\star}$ in $\tilde{O}(\sqrt{r})$ iterations approximately. The results solve the conjecture of Gunasekar et al.'17 under the restricted isometry property. The technique can be applied to analyzing neural networks with one-hidden-layer quadratic activations with some technical modifications.


Bistable [2]rotaxanes are a unique class of supramolecules that have two constitutional isomers. Upon sandwiched between two electrodes, these two isomeric states show different conducting states, thus behaving as molecular switches. In this thesis, I describe how the bistable [2]rotaxanes have been investigated to ensure that the switching characteristics in solid-state devices are those of the bistable [2]rotaxanes and not those of extraneous elements. In addition, integration of these molecules onto ultradense nanowire arrays to constitute a memory circuit is presented. The bistable [2]rotaxanes have been examined in various environments to study kinetics and ground-state thermodynamics between both isomeric states. In the kinetic study, as molecules are embedded in more viscous environments (solution→polymer gel→solid-state device), a key step in switching cycle slows down significantly, thus reflecting the environments where the molecules are surrounded. In thermodynamic study, one of the major units in the molecular structure was modified and then equilibrium population ratio between both isomeric states was monitored at various temperatures. In both solution and solid-state devices, the population ratio of the modified [2]rotaxane was more sensitive to temperature. This result is very critical in that the properties of devices can be tailored by manipulating the structure of molecular components. The bistable [2]rotaxanes were integrated into crossbar nanowire arrays to constitute a memory circuit. Ultra-dense nanowire arrays used as electrodes are generated by superlattice nanowire pattern transfer (SNAP) method. Due to extremely narrow pitch (~33 nm) of the SNAP nanowire arrays, the device sets a remarkable record in memory density (~1011 Bits/cm2). Although the circuits were found to have large numbers of defects, those defects were identified through electronic testing and the working bits were configured to form a fully functional random access memory for storing and retrieving information. Finally, nanofluidic devices have been developed by utilizing the SNAP method. Due to small channel dimensions (


Australian conservation scientists, managers and decision makers must come to grips with anthropogenic climate change, imposed upon an already variable regional climate system. Pre- and post-instrumental records and climate proxies indicate that Australia has experienced wet and dry cycles over intra-decadal to millennial time scales. Precipitation variation across Australia is correlated with different climate features but reliable tools for seasonal rainfall prediction are still some years away. Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models predict a widening of the Hadley circulation and strengthening of the Southern Annular Mode, which should result in reduced cool season rainfall over southern Australia. Shifts in the Australian climate over the Holocene epoch, most notably increased ENSO variability after 5 000 years ago, are associated with substantial vegetation change and indicate the speed at which ecosystems may be altered. The CO2 fertilization of plant biomes may mitigate increasing aridity to some extent but, in general, climate change is expected to negatively affect native vegetation and agricultural productivity. Sea-level rise is predicted to be substantial over this century and, when coupled with increased storm intensity, poses threats in the form of erosion, salinization and flooding. The best chance of building adaptable ecosystems and preserving ecosystem services requires the extension, integration and possibly optimization of reserve systems, in concert with improved management of other threatening processes (habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution and disease). In addition, a price on carbon dioxide emissions would provide incentives for privately funded reforestation schemes, but additional incentives promoting mixed species over monoculture plantings would be required to assure maximum biodiversity benefits.


The 2011 Tohoku earthquake triggered extremely destructive tsunami waves which propagated over the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean through Drake Passage and Indian Ocean respectively. A total of 10 tide-gauge records collected from the UNESCO/IOC site were analyzed through a band-pass digital filtering device to examine the observed tsunami characteristics. The ray tracing method and finite-difference model with GEBCO 30 arc second bathymetry were also applied to compare the travel times of the Tohoku-originated tsunami, particularly at Rodrigues in the Indian Ocean and King Edward Point in the Atlantic Ocean with observation-based estimates. At both locations the finite-difference model produced the shortest arrival times, while the ray method produced the longest arrival times. Values of the travel time difference however appear to be within tolerable ranges, considering the propagation distance of the tsunami waves. The observed tsunami at Rodrigues, Mauritius in the west of the Madagascar was found to take a clockwise travel path around Australia and New Zealand, while the observed tsunami at King Edward Point in the southern Atlantic Ocean was found to traverse the Pacific Ocean and then passed into the Atlantic Ocean through the Drake Strait. The formation of icebergs captured by satellite images in Sulzberger in the Antarctica also supports the long-range propagation of the Tohoku-originated tsunami.


The dynamic behaviour of microgrid system under faulty conditions makes adaptive protection a general necessity for reliable microgrid operation. In design of adaptive protection, the grid-connected and islanded modes have immense importance including grid-connected mode without distributed generators (DGs) in microgrid. In this study, a new adaptive protection scheme is proposed based on the above-mentioned modes of microgrid operation. The proposed method considers nature of DGs connected, fault location detection and fault nature identification based on quadrature and zero sequence components of fault current considering impact of X
/
 R ratio of DGs. The proposed methodologies for adaptive protection schemes are verified in Matlab-Simulink environment and the results are found to be satisfactory while various faults are simulated at different nodes of the microgrid model. At the time of verification of effectiveness of the proposed methodologies, the time derivative of quadrature and zero-axis components of fault current are considered sufficient to instantaneously detect the fault location and fault nature in microgrid system.


Yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) exhibits an estrogen-stimulated sexual size dimorphism (SSD) wherein females grow faster and larger than males. To aid in the examination of this phenomenon, the cDNA sequences encoding estrogen receptor- α ( esr1 ), estrogen receptor- β a ( esr2a ) and ovarian aromatase ( cyp19a1a ) for the teleost yellow perch were obtained. Several tissues were analyzed from both male and female adult yellow perch for sex-specific tissue expression. The full length cDNAs of yellow perch esr1 , esr2a and cyp19a1a consist of 3052 bp, 2462 bp and 1859 bp with open reading frames encoding putative proteins of 576 amino acids, 555 amino acids and 518 amino acids, respectively. Esr1 and esr2a expression was highest in female ovary and liver tissues with low to moderate expression in other tissues. Esr2a showed a more global tissue expression pattern than esr1 , particularly in males but also in females. Cyp19a1a expression was highest in both male and female spleen tissue and oocytes with moderate expression in male pituitary and gill tissue. Cyp19a1a expression was moderately high in female liver tissue with undetectable expression in male liver tissue, suggesting its involvement in sexually dimorphic growth. These sequences are valuable molecular tools that can be used in future studies investigating estrogen mechanisms and actions, such as SSD, in yellow perch.


In Part I, I present two traditional arguments for the incompatibility of divine foreknowledge with human freedom; the first of these is clearly fallacious; but the second, the argument from the necessity of the past, is much stronger. In the second section I explain and partly endorse Ockham's response to the second argument: that only propositions strictly about the past are accidentally necessary, and past propositions about God's knowledge of the future are not strictly about the past. In the third part I point out some startling implications of Ockham' s way out; and finally in part IV I offer an account of accidental necessity according to which propositions about the past are accidentally necessary if and only if they are strictly about the past.


Importance
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease and is driven by a complex pathophysiology underlying highly heterogeneous phenotypes. Current advances in precision medicine emphasize the need for stratification.

Objective
To perform deep phenotyping and identification of severity-associated factors in adolescent and adult patients with AD.

Design, Setting, and Participants
Cross-sectional data from the baseline visit of a prospective longitudinal study investigating the phenotype among inpatients and outpatients with AD from the Department of Dermatology and Allergy of the University Hospital Bonn enrolled between November 2016 and February 2020.

Main Outcomes and Measures
Patients were stratified by severity groups using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI). The associations of 130 factors with AD severity were analyzed applying a machine learning-gradient boosting approach with cross-validation-based tuning as well as multinomial logistic regression.

Results
A total of 367 patients (157 male [42.8%]; mean [SD] age, 39 [17] years; 94% adults) were analyzed. Among the participants, 177 (48.2%) had mild disease (EASI ≤7), 120 (32.7%) had moderate disease (EASI >7 and ≤ 21), and 70 (19.1%) had severe disease (EASI >21). Atopic stigmata (cheilitis: odds ratio [OR], 8.10; 95% CI, 3.35-10.59; white dermographism: OR, 4.42; 95% CI, 1.68-11.64; Hertoghe sign: OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.27-5.93; nipple eczema: OR, 4.97; 95% CI, 1.56-15.78) was associated with increased probability of severe AD, while female sex was associated with reduced probability (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13-0.66). The probability of severe AD was associated with total serum immunoglobulin E levels greater than 1708 IU/mL and eosinophil values greater than 6.8%. Patients aged 12 to 21 years or older than 52 years had an elevated probability of severe AD; patients aged 22 to 51 years had an elevated probability of mild AD. Age at AD onset older than 12 years was associated with increased probability of severe AD up to a peak at 30 years; age at onset older than 33 years was associated with moderate to severe AD; and childhood onset was associated with mild AD (peak, 7 years). Lifestyle factors associated with severe AD were physical activity less than once per week and (former) smoking. Alopecia areata was associated with moderate (OR, 5.23; 95% CI, 1.53-17.88) and severe (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.01-21.56) AD. Predictive performance of machine learning-gradient boosting vs multinomial logistic regression differed only slightly (mean multiclass area under the curve value: 0.71 [95% CI, 0.69-0.72] vs 0.68 [0.66-0.70], respectively).

Conclusions and Relevance
The associations found in this cross-sectional study among patients with AD might contribute to a deeper disease understanding, closer monitoring of predisposed patients, and personalized prevention and therapy.


Many sex differences in the regulation of reproductive function in rats are the result of a differentiation of the brain which occurs neonatally. Although injections of either androgens or estrogens are capable during the neonatal period of altering hypothalamic systems involved in reproductive behavior and gonadotropin regulation, the physiological role of each type of hormone has not been clearly established. In both sexes, circulating estrogens are normally kept from interacting with estrogen receptors in the limbic brain by the high levels of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood. The local aromatization of androgens in the brain could circumvent alpha-fetoprotein, since androgens do not bind to this serum protein. The "paromatization hypothesis" states that testosterone, which is abundant in neonatal male circulation but absent in females, is locally converted to estradiol in the limbic brain. There it binds to estrogen receptor proteins to produce tissue differentiation. The ontogeny of estradiol binding proteins in limbic areas is consistent with the aromatization hypothesis, with a rapid increase in receptor levels occurring shortly after birth. Also, the presence of endogenous estradiol-receptor complexes has been demonstrated in the cell nuclei of male neonates but not female neonales. Furthermore, the presence of estradiol binding proteins in other regions of the neonatal male and female brain suggests an additional role of estradiol. unknown as of yet. Several studies with agents which block the aromatization of androgens to estrogens or the binding of estrogens to their receptors are consistent with the aromatization hypothesis, since these agents prevent the differentiation of intact neonatal males. However, specific androgen binding proteins are also present in neonatal brains, and androgen-receptor complexes can be found in cell nuclei of neonates after an injection of tritiated androgen. The possible involvement of these receptors in sexual differentiation of the brain is suggested by the finding that an antiandrogen inhibits both the binding of androgens (but not estrogens) and the differentiation of males.


Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is one of the most relevant spectroscopic tools in use today. However, NMR requires relatively expensive and complicated experimental settings given by the combination of high homogeneous magnetic fields and a relatively complex radio-frequency (RF) electronics. This thesis concerns the development of RF electronics hardware, specifically introducing new complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transceiver designs. This work stems from a collaboration between EPFL and Metrolab SA, and aims at pushing in two directions: first, NMR-oriented CMOS transceivers will simplify the implementation of NMR probes for both experimental and commercial applications; second, novel CMOS ultra-compact probes will deliver experimental versatility and improved sensing power at the nL and sub-nL scale. We describe broadband 1 mm^2 transceivers operating in the range from 1 MHz to 1 GHz. The microchips include a RF power amplifier, a low-noise RF preamplifier, a frequency mixer, an audio-frequency (AF) amplifier, fully integrated transmit-receive switches, IQ signal generation, and broadband quadrature detection. In this work we show multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy in combination with excitation/detection probe-heads based on micro-solenoids, therefore validating the broadband functioning. A combination of the transceivers and Metrolab's technology is also shown to deliver state-of-art performance in prototypes of commercial probes aimed for magnetometry. We shown that custom multichannel probes employing water samples of 500 nL are capable of measurement resolutions as high as 0.06 ppb/Hz^(1/2) at 7 T, and that magnetic noise due to field fluctuations can be directly measured at this resolution level and distinguished by the electronic noise. Overall, the results of this package indicate that NMR-oriented CMOS transceivers simplify the implementation of NMR probes for both experimental and commercial applications. When CMOS transceivers are combined to external resonators the resulting NMR probe may be called "compact" in the sense that the overall probe size is dominated by the excitation/detection resonator itself. Besides the implementation of compact probes, in this thesis we introduce the concept of ultra-compact NMR probes, where a single-chip transceiver is co-integrated with a multilayer microcoil realized with the metals of the CMOS technology. We demonstrate that with a non-resonant integrated coil of about 150 µm external diameter a 1H spin sensitivity of about 1.5·10^13 spins/Hz^(1/2) is achieved at 7 T. This value of sensitivity compares well with the most sensitive inductive probes previously reported at similar volume scales, with the resulting device showing an exceptional degree of versatility. We use, for the first time, a ultra-compact CMOS probe for the NMR spectroscopy of intact, static, sub-nL single ova of 0.1 and 0.5 nL, thereby reaching the relevant volume scale where life development begins for a broad variety of organisms, humans included. Thanks to the robustness and the versatility of the probe we could deliver a first extensive study of sub-nL single ova and indicate that ultra-compact probes are promising candidates to enable NMR-based study and selection of microscopic entities at biologically relevant volume scales. Overall, the results of this study indicate that CMOS ultra-compact probes will deliver experimental versatility and improved sensing power at the nL and sub-nL scale.


Little research has examined processes involved when coaching individuals with AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A mixed methods study surveyed 117 self-identified 'ADHD coaches' to explore the frequency of use and perceived effectiveness of varied communication modalities (in person, phone, video conferencing or a combination) as well as, reported here, coaches' views of the benefits and drawbacks of each. Fifteen key themes were identified in the qualitative data, including Focusing and Distraction, Managing Time, Convenience and Flexibility, and Nonverbal Observations, among others. Future research exploring client perceptions about the use of varied modalities would assist in further understanding this important aspect of coaching.


A new 3‐D seismic P wave velocity model of the Sunda‐Banda Arc Transition from local earthquake tomography reveals (i) northward subduction of oceanic lithosphere, associated with the convergence of Australia and Sundaland, as a high‐velocity zone extending down to ~200 km depth; (ii) two distinct low‐velocity zones, one immediately above the slab, which is likely a zone of partial melt, and one in the 0–40 km depth range, which is probably a magma chamber associated with active volcanoes above; and (iii) a northerly dipping high‐velocity zone that bisects the two low‐velocity anomalies, which we interpret as an underthrust forearc sliver of continental origin. Based on He3/He4 measurements from volcanic outflows, it is possible that the magma supply is contaminated by interaction with this forearc sliver as it ascends from the melt region below.


We address the problem of blind identification of multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) finite-impulse response (FIR) digital systems. This problem arises in spatial division multiple access (SDMA) architectures for wireless communications. We present a closed-form, i.e., noniterative, consistent estimator for the MIMO channel based only on second-order statistics. To obtain this closed form we introduce spectral/correlation asymmetry between the sources by filtering each source output with adequate correlative filters. Our algorithm uses the closed form MIMO channel estimate to cancel the intersymbol interference (ISI) due to multipath propagation and to discriminate between the sources at the wireless base station receiver. Simulation results show that, for single-user channels, this technique yields better channel estimates in terms of mean-square error (MSE) and better probability of error than a well-known alternative method. Finally, we illustrate its performance for MIMO channels in the context of the global system for mobile communications (GSM) system.


Thirteen metal elements were determined in 40 honey samples from Galicia with different environmental origins: rural, urban, and industrial areas. The data set of the honey metallic profiles was studied with a double purpose: first, to make a preliminary evaluation of honey as an environmental indicator in Galicia with the aim of monitoring pollution and, second, to compare the different capabilities of diverse pattern recognition prediction procedures for modeling the environmental surrounding of the hive. A certain level of similarity for urban and industrial samples was obtained using principal component analysis and cluster analysis, whereas significant differences for urban and industrial honeys were found in relation to rural honey samples. Different classification rules to associate metal content of honeys with their environmental surrounding were obtained by chemometric pattern recognition procedures. In general, the classification methods developed by neural networks provided better results than the traditional pattern recognition procedures. The metal profiles of honey seem to provide sufficient information to enable categorization criteria for classifying samples according to their environmental surrounding. Thus, honey could be a potential pollution indicator for the Galician area.


who were newly diagnosed with CR-MAC lung disease at the Kinki-Chuo Chest Medical Center during the period from August 1, 2010 to June 30, 2018. CR-MAC lung disease was diagnosed when a strain had CAM minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 32 μg/ml or greater. We defined sputum culture conversion as two or more consecutive negative cultures and examined factors related to sputum culture conversion. In univariate analysis, relationship between categorical variables were examined by Fisher's exact test. For the multivariate analysis, the factors withPvalues of < 0.10 in the univariate analysis were entered into the logistic analysis to assess the factors on sputum culture conversion. Results: Thirty-seven patients with CR-MAC lung disease were enrolled. Median age was 69 years. Thirty, twenty-two and twenty-one patients received CAM, ethambutol and rifampicin, respectively. Sputum conversion rate was 29.7% (11/37). Univariate analysis revealed that use of ethambutol was associated with the sputum culture conversion (p = 0.027, odds ratio (OR) 10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-89.77). Multivariate analysis showed that use of ethambutol was associated with the sputum culture conversion (p = 0.026, OR 21.8, 95% CI 1.45-329) and the existence of cavity was negatively associated with the sputum culture conversion (p = 0.04, OR 0.088, 95% CI 0.009-0.887). Conclusions: Combined use of ethambutol with other treatment drugs may improve sputum culture conversion rate in CR-MAC lung disease.


The present paper aim is to tackle the contemporary issue of the transformation of religious beliefs and theologies, in their particular form of mystical beliefs, under the pressure of the world spread phenomenon of virtualisation of the ontological sensitive space of humanity. Therefore, we are interested to approach the manner in which the peculiar case of Massive Multiplayer Online Games, as a global virtual space, creates the favourable environment for the transformation of the secularized mythologies, with all their inherent mystical elements, into a proto-religious phenomenon. We want to put into light, starting from the fundamental religious dogmas and deconstructing them into their core mystical-magical forms, the emergence of a new form of mysticism, deeply rooted in the already pre-existent religious beliefs, endowed by a new, syncretic magical substrata, itself emanating, as well, from previously real-world archaic existing magical human expressions. The main issue at hand is represented by the coherence and theological validity of this post-modern, pop-culture influenced, type of theology, which takes the form of an "experimental theology" within a human predefined virtual world (that of M.M.O.R.P.Gs). To arrive to a possible conclusion regarding this question, we will try to analyse this new type of theology under the scrutinising eye of the already existing theologies (and their common validity elements in the ontological space). The secondary issue, which emerges and will be analysed in the present paper, is the possibility of global acceptance of this new form of virtual theology (as an evolution of particular human theologies) as well as its possible moralising power, descending from the virtual world to human living reality.


Traditionally, Japan has assigned the highest priority in its trade policy to multilateral cooperation through the GATT and WTO frameworks, in order to reduce tariffs and other trade barriers. However, the tide of regional economic integration, including various free trade agreements (FTA) throughout the world, was stronger in the 1990s. It has become more difficult for Japan to protect its interests in the field of international trade by means of the WTO system alone.
There has been an obvious change in trade policy in the last few years. Japan's first FTA, with Singapore, which was named the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement (JSEPA), came into effect in 2002, while official negotiations with Mexico have reached their final stages. A joint research group that includes government officials, business leaders and academics was established in 2002, to investigate the possibility of establishing a Japan-Korea FTA. We can say that FTAs have now become an essential part of Japan's trade policy.
Japan will have more potential FTA partners in the second stage. Japan has agreed with ASEAN to begin negotiations on an FTA in 2003. China has also made an approach to Japan about the possibility of a trilateral FTA among three of the Northeast Asian countries: Japan, China and the ROK. In these future negotiations, issues relating to agricultural products will be a crucial point. The abolition of tariffs and other import barriers on agricultural products are not included in JSEPA, having been left aside as matters to be handled in the new round of WTO talks. However, it is not realistic to expect that potential partners such as ASEAN and China will accept such conditions in an FTA with Japan.
Therefore, to make an FTA with these countries possible and maintain a certain level of income for domestic producers in agricultural sectors, it is necessary to introduce a new support policy that replaces tariffs and other boundary barriers. Direct income subsidies to producers – a so-called "decoupling policy" – are known to be a method that minimizes the distortion of markets. Here, we analyze the economic effect of the introduction of direct income subsidies to agricultural sectors in Japan, in the cases of FTAs being concluded between Japan and some East Asian countries. With regard to the method of analysis, we have applied the CGE model maintained by the GTAP 5 database.


BACKGROUND : Complete androgen insensitivity (CAI) is the most common cause of male pseudohermaphroditism. Affected individuals are advised to have bilateral gonadectomies to prevent the development of germ cell tumors. CASE : A 19-year-old phenotypic female presented for the evaluation of primary amenorrhea and was diagnosed with CAI. Operative videolaparoscopy was performed, and the intraabdominal gonads were resected ; the patient was discharged in < 24 hours. CONCLUSION : Laparoscopic gonadectomy can be performed in individuals with CAI. This approach eliminates the need for laparotomy and results in rapid recovery with minimal blood loss. This approach should be considered for all patients with CAI and intraabdominal gonads.


The use of remote cameras is widespread in wildlife ecology, yet few examples exist of their utility for collecting environmental data. We used a novel camera trap method to evaluate the accuracy of gridded snow data in a mountainous region of the northeastern US. We were specifically interested in assessing (1) how snow depth observations from remote cameras compare with gridded climate data, (2) the sources of error associated with the gridded data and (3) the influence of spatial sampling on bias. We compared daily observations recorded by remote cameras with Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) gridded predictions using data from three winters (2014–2016). Snow depth observations were correlated with SNODAS predictions for sites (R2 = 0.20) and regions (R2 = 0.16), yet we detected factors associated with SNODAS bias at both scales. Specifically, SNODAS underpredicted depths at high elevations, at sites with higher solar radiation, and within conifer‐dominated forest. Depths were most underpredicted at highest elevations, up to 44 and 26 cm on average at the site and region scales, respectively. Bias was greatest when predictions were lowest, occasionally predicting snow absence when depths were >100 cm at camera sites. We also detected breakdowns in accuracy when certain environmental conditions varied within the 1 km2 SNODAS grid cells. For example, underprediction was greatest when the solar radiation values of camera stations increased relative to the mean of the SNODAS grid cells. This relationship was most prominent in mountainous regions, suggesting that factors which influence solar radiation (e.g. topographic complexity) contribute to SNODAS inaccuracy. We caution using gridded snow data for ecological studies when bias is unknown. We suggest increased sampling to adjust for errors associated with gridded data products that arise from factors, such as forest cover and topographic variability. Increasing resolution and accuracy of climate data will improve predictions of species' responses to climate change.


It remains unknown to what extent the human visual system interprets information about complex scenes without conscious analysis. Here we used visual masking techniques to assess whether illusory contours (Kanizsa shapes) are perceived when the inducing context creating this illusion does not reach awareness. In the first experiment we tested perception directly by having participants discriminate the orientation of an illusory contour. In the second experiment, we exploited the fact that the presence of an illusory contour enhances performance on a spatial localization task. Moreover, in the latter experiment we also used a different masking method to rule out the effect of stimulus duration. Our results suggest that participants do not perceive illusory contours when they are unaware of the inducing context. This is consistent with theories of a multistage, recurrent process of perceptual integration. Our findings thus challenge some reports, including those from neurophysiological experiments in anaesthetized animals. Furthermore, we discuss the importance to test the presence of the phenomenal percept directly with appropriate methods.


ABSTRACT Environmental justice sheds light on the distributive and procedural aspects of planning and decision-making. We examined the challenges arising from the perspective of environmental justice on multi-level and participatory environmental governance by exploring the governance of aquatic environments in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We found three main challenges and potential responses to them. First, even though most of Helsinki's shoreline is free and/or accessible by road and accordingly used actively by people for recreational purposes, many parts of the shoreline are perceived as inaccessible, reflecting a need to combine factual and perceived accessibility of aquatic environments in detail during the planning processes and to discuss reasons for possible discrepancies between these two. Second, there was a remarkable seasonal variation in the use of aquatic environments, so more attention should be paid to social-demographic factors explaining the distribution of the use of urban nature. Third, it seems to be difficult to capture the variety of perceptions of people and to integrate them into planning and decision-making processes even on a local scale, and this challenge is likely even more pronounced on higher levels of planning and governance. Thus, better integration of regional and local-scale planning procedures should be encouraged. Building on these observations, we conclude that integration of procedural and distributive environmental justice into the practices of the governance of aquatic environments could remarkably decrease unwanted trade-offs and potential conflicts in their use and management.


Methods for obtaining representations of face images based on independent component analysis (ICA) are presented. A global ICA representation is compared to a global representation based on principal component analysis (PCA) for recognizing faces across changes in lighting and changes in pose. For each set of face images, a set of statistically independent source images was found through an unsupervised learning algorithm that maximized the mutual information between the input and the output of a nonlinear transformation (Bell & Sejnowski, 1995). These source images comprised the kernels for the representation. The independent component kernels gave superior class discriminability to the principal component kernels. Recognition across changes in pose with the ICA representation was 93%, compared to 87% with a PCA representation, and across changes in lighting ICA gave 100% correct recognition, compared to 90% with PCA.


The size and direction of orienting movements are represented systematically as a motor map in the optic tectum of the barn owl (du Lac and Knudsen, 1990). The optic tectum projects to several distinct regions in the medial brainstem tegmentum, which in turn project to the spinal cord (Masino and Knudsen, 1992). This study explores the hypothesis that a fundamental transformation in the neural representation of orienting movements takes place in the brainstem tegmentum. Head movements evoked by electrical microstimulation in the brainstem tegmentum of the alert barn owl were cataloged and the sites of stimulation were reconstructed histologically. Movements elicited from the brainstem tegmentum were categorized into one of six different classes: saccadic head rotations, head translations, facial movements, vocalizations, limb movements, and twitches. Saccadic head rotations could be further subdivided into two general categories: fixed- direction saccades and goal-directed saccades. Fixed-direction saccades, those whose direction was independent of initial head position, were elicited from the midbrain tegmentum. Goal-directed saccades, those whose direction changed with initial head position, were elicited from the central rhombencephalic reticular formation and from the efferent pathway of the cerebellum. Particular attention was paid to sites from which fixed-direction saccadic movements were elicited, as these movements appeared to represent components of orienting movements. Microstimulation in the medial midbrain tegmentum elicited fixed-direction saccades in one of six directions: rightward, leftward, upward, downward, clockwise roll, and counterclockwise roll. Stimulation in and around the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (InC; a complete list of anatomical abbreviations is given in the Appendix) produced ipsiversive horizontal saccades. Stimulation in the ventral InC and near the dorsal and medial edges of the red nucleus produced upward saccades. Stimulation in the reticular formation near the lateral edge of the red nucleus produced downward saccades. Stimulation in the ventromedial central gray produced ipsiversive roll saccades. The metrics and kinetics of fixed-direction saccades, but not their directions, could be influenced by stimulation parameters. As such, direction was an invariant property of the circuits being activated, whereas movement latency, duration, velocity, and size each demonstrated dependencies on stimulus amplitude, frequency, and duration. The data demonstrate directly that at the level of the midbrain tegmentum there exists a three-dimensional Cartesian representation of head-orienting movements such that horizontal, vertical, and roll components of movement are encoded by anatomically distinct neural circuits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


We have developed a flexible framework for constructing Jastrow factors which allows for the introduction of terms involving arbitrary numbers of particles. The use of various three- and four-body Jastrow terms in quantum Monte Carlo calculations is investigated, including a four-body van der Waals-like term, and anisotropic terms. We have tested these Jastrow factors on one- and two-dimensional homogeneous electron gases, the Be, B, and O atoms, and the BeH, H2O, N2, and H2 molecules. Our optimized Jastrow factors retrieve more than 90% of the fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo correlation energy in variational Monte Carlo for each system studied.


We demonstrate how the Fundamental Manifold (FM) can be used to cross-calibrate distance estimators even when those "standard candles" are not found in the same galaxy. Such an approach greatly increases the number of distance measurements that can be utilized to check for systematic distance errors and the types of estimators that can be compared. Here we compare distances obtained using Type Ia supernova (SN Ia), Cepheids, surface brightness fluctuations, the luminosity of the tip of the red giant branch, circumnuclear masers, eclipsing binaries, RR Lyrae stars, and the planetary nebulae luminosity functions. We find no significant discrepancies (differences are <2σ) between distance methods, although differences at the ∼10% level cannot yet be ruled out. The potential exists for significant refinement because the data used here are heterogeneous B-band magnitudes that will soon be supplanted by homogeneous, near-infrared magnitudes. We illustrate the use of FM distances to (1) revisit the question of the metallicity sensitivity of various estimators, confirming the dependence of SN Ia distances on host galaxy metallicity, and (2) provide an alternative calibration of H0 that replaces the classical ladder approach in the use of extragalactic distance estimators with one that utilizes data over a wide range of distances simultaneously.


Abstract Although vegetable amaranth, Amaranthus viridis L. and A. dubius Mart. ex Thell., production and economic importance is increasing in diversified peri-urban farms in Jamaica, lepidopteran herbivory is common even during weekly pyrethroid applications. We developed and validated a sampling plan, and investigated insecticides with new modes of action, for a complex of five species (Pyralidae: Spoladea recurvalis (F.), Herpetogramma bipunctalis (F.), Noctuidae: Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), S. frugiperda (J. E. Smith), and S. eridania Stoll). Significant within-plant variation occurred with H. bipunctalis, and a six-leaf sample unit including leaves from the inner and outer whorl was selected to sample all species. Larval counts best fit a negative binomial distribution. We developed a sequential sampling plan using a threshold of one larva per sample unit and the fitted distribution with a kc of 0.645. When compared with a fixed plan of 25 plants, sequential sampling recommended the same management decision on 87.5%, additional samples on 9.4%, and gave inaccurate recommendations on 3.1% of 32 farms, while reducing sample size by 46%. Insecticide frequency was reduced 33–60% when management decisions were based on sampled data compared with grower-standards, with no effect on crop damage. Damage remained high or variable (10–46%) with pyrethroid applications. Lepidopteran control was dramatically improved with ecdysone agonists (tebufenozide) or microbial metabolites (spinosyns and emamectin benzoate). This work facilitates resistance management efforts concurrent with the introduction of newer modes of action for lepidopteran control in leafy vegetable production in the Caribbean.


By adding ZrO2 and Y2O3 powder blend into the thermit, large bulk Al2O3/ZrO2 (Y2O3) eutectics were prepared by combustion synthesis under high gravity, and the influences of high gravity on microstructures, crystal growth and properties of the materials were also discussed. The XRD patterns showed that the introduction of high gravity field did not change phase constitution of the ceramics, and the ceramic matrix was mainly composed of α-Al2O3, t-ZrO2 and m-ZrO2. SEM images and EDS analyses showed that with increasing high gravity level, the morphologies of the ceramic microstructures transformed from the cellular eutectics to the rod-shaped colonies, and volume fraction and aspect ratio of the rod-shaped colonies increased while the rod-shaped colonies were refined; as the high-gravity field was larger than 200g, the microstructures of composite ceramics developed as the randomly-orientated rod-shaped colonies with a symmetrical triangular dispersion of tetragonal ZrO2 fibers of 300nm in the average diameter. Relative density, hardness, flexural strength and fracture toughness simultaneously reached the highest values of 98.6%, 18.6GPa, 1248MPa and 15.6MPa·m1/2 as the maximum high-gravity level of 250g was achieved. The increases of relative density and hardness of the ceramics with the high-gravity level are attributed to the acceleration of gas-escape from ceramic melts and the elimination of shrinkage cavity in the ceramics. The increase in fracture toughness results from the enhancement of the coupled toughening mechanisms while the increase in flexural strength comes from the refinement of the microstructures, the decrease of critical defect size and the achievement of high fracture toughness.


ABSTRACT Israeli students ranked in the bottom third of the countries surveyed by PISA 2012 in mathematical literacy, while the gap between the highest and lowest scores was the second largest in the OECD. This paper explores which variables led to disparities in mathematical literacy between different socioeconomic levels and between Israeli Arabs and Jews as well as in comparison with Australian students. Different instructional approaches that are known in the literature to have a positive impact on students' achievement are not observed in the relationship between teachers and students in Israel. In Israel, schools contribute to the perpetuation of socioeconomically driven educational inequality by using tracks that are characterised by different teaching pedagogies and different content, with little or no upward mobility between tracks, leading to structural exclusion. By comparison, in Australia, ability tracking is less rigid and mathematical literacy far higher than in Israel. The policy implication is that either teachers must work differently in a track-based system to overcome the process of exclusion dictated by the structure itself or the system must reduce the use of tracking.


Preservation of objects that have social, scientific or cultural significance for the future has become one of the most challenging problems of the society. The establishment of preservation priorities is one of the most complicated tasks facing the information institutions. The whole procedure entails a lot of responsibility as decisions that are made will determine the amount of information available to future generations. The article demonstrates experience and lessons gained in the project "Red Book of Estonian Publications, 1535–1850" that was conducted in 2003–2006. Growing out from the need to make decisions for preservation strategies and to establish principles for future digitization of Estonian book heritage, the project drew attention to the importance of having distinct methodology and coherent criteria for the assessment of culturally valuable objects. The project team stressed the importance of preservation quality, especially when using reformatting technologies like microfilming and digitization. Preservation of informational integrity of a document is one of the key questions of the digital future.


Multi-cyclones are widely used as industrial gas-cleaning device in controlling particulate emission from many stationary sources. However, understanding on the operation of multicyclones is hardly available in literatures. In this respect, a study to investigate the effect of different area of axial entry of a miniature cyclone of MR-deDuster, a multi-cyclones unit developed as particulate emission control device is presented in this paper. The development of the MR-deDuster was based on semi-empirical equations introduced by Lapple coupled with standard cyclone dimensions by Stairmand. In addition, the MR-deDuster was based on some assumptions and its performance was examined based on the actual particulate emission data collected from an incineration plant. Based on the predictions, the results showed that a greater amount of finer particulates size fraction was obtained using a miniature cyclone with smaller area of axial entry. However, the problems of having too many miniature cyclones with smaller area of axial entry must be taken into consideration in actual plant application. A detailed illustration on the performance of the MR-deDuster is discussed further in this paper.


We examined the relations between emotionality, emotion processing, and aggression in 182 first- and second-grade children. Consistent with Tomkins' and Izard's theoretical predictions, emotionality correlated with emotion processing. In particular, the happiness component of emotionality correlated with emotion attribution accuracy and empathy, the anger component correlated with anger attribution bias and empathy, and the fear component correlated with fear attribution bias. Multiple emotion processing deficits—including emotion attribution accuracy, anger attribution bias, and self-report of empathy—placed children at risk for heightened levels of teacher-reported aggression. Mediational analyses revealed that an emotion processing risk index fit a model of significant partial mediation between happiness and aggression but not between anger and aggression. The results suggest the multifaceted manner in which children's emotion experiences may influence the development of aggressive tendencies.The authors thank the teachers, staff, parents, and students of the Smyrna, DE, school district for their enthusiastic participation in this project and the dedicated work of Fran Haskins and our many research assistants at the University of Delaware.


Retail food packaging contains information which informs choice and can be vital to consumer health, including product name, ingredients list, nutritional information, allergens, preparation guidelines, pack weight, storage and shelf life information (use-by / best before dates). The presence and accuracy of such information is critical to ensure a detailed understanding of the product and to reduce the potential for health risks. Consequently, erroneous or illegible labeling has the potential to be highly detrimental to consumers and many other stakeholders in the supply chain. In this paper, a multi-source deep learning-based domain adaptation system is proposed and tested to identify and verify the presence and legibility of use-by date information from food packaging photos taken as part of the validation process as the products pass along the food production line. This was achieved by improving the generalization of the techniques via making use of multi-source datasets in order to extract domain-invariant representations for all domains and aligning distribution of all pairs of source and target domains in a common feature space, along with the class boundaries. The proposed system performed very well in the conducted experiments, for automating the verification process and reducing labeling errors that could otherwise threaten public health and contravene legal requirements for food packaging information and accuracy. Comprehensive experiments on our food packaging datasets demonstrate that the proposed multi-source deep domain adaptation method significantly improves the classification accuracy and therefore has great potential for application and beneficial impact in food manufacturing control systems.


This paper analyzes the factors that affect the synchronization performance in using the precision time protocol (FTP). We first study the influence of jitter under the assumption of no frequency drifts. Then we study the influence of frequency drift in the absence of jitter. The analytic formulas provide a theoretical ground for the understanding of simulation results as well as guidelines for choosing both system and control parameters when applying FTP.


High potato price volatility, decreasing demand for fresh potatoes and prices below the cost of production led to a decision of a number of Idaho potato growers to organize the United Fresh Potato Growers of Idaho, a marketing cooperative. The programs and strategies of the cooperative target both the production and marketing of fresh potatoes in Idaho. To evaluate the effectiveness of the programs implemented by the cooperative, we examine the level and volatility of fresh potato prices during two periods: before the cooperative was organized and when the cooperative is in the market. We find empirical evidence suggesting that fresh potato prices were higher and less volatile during the period when the cooperative was in the market.


The first conference of the newly-born Italian Association of Environment and Resource Economists (IAERE) took place in Ferrara last February 8-9, 2013. Professor Marzio Galeotti, Chairman of the Association, describes its main goals and gives a brief overview of the event.


The numerical simulation of hot-stamping process was carried out for UHSS square-cup parts, and the influence of dies temperature on the hot-stamping process was anlysised. Besides, through the microstructure analysis and mechanical properties testing of the formed parts, effects of dies temperature on microstructures and mechanical properties of hot-stamping square-cup parts were obtained. The experiment and simulation results showed that the mechanical properties of the UHSS are strongly dependent on the temperature, so the dies temperature is one of the most important parameters that have to be taken into account in designing the hot-forming dies and the hot-forming process.


Many individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience significant challenges and are underserved in our society. Although some of these challenges are directly related to their disability, most of the difficulties that people with ID face are caused by negative social attitudes towards ID. The negative consequences of stigmatization towards people with ID create barriers to creating positive sense of self among members of this population. Studies indicate that leisure pursuits, such as recreational dance, can help cultivate well-being and enhance sense of self. This hermeneutic phenomenological case study provides new understanding to the phenomenon where dance, disability, and sense of self intersect. This case study explores the experiences of one individual with an ID who is involved with recreational dance and presents the ways that recreational dance impacts the sense of self of this individual. The results from this research reveal that recreational dance positively contributes to well-being. The experiences of this young dancer were addressed primarily in terms of his social connections, character strengths, and personal growth. In addition, dance has a positive impact on his sense of self as it enhances his self-confidence, provides him with positive feedback from others, and offers a context through which he can overcome barriers and challenge stigmatization. This case study provides insight on leisure-related concepts as well as offers implications to individuals with ID, integrated dance, and the therapeutic recreation profession.


We observe several sharp changes in the slope of the current-voltage characteristics (CVCs) of thin-film ramp-edge Josephson junctions between YBa2Cu3O7−delta and Nb when applying strong microwave fields. Such behavior indicates an intriguing Josephson dynamics associated with the switching from a parametric excitation regime induced by the magnetic field of the microwave via oscillations of the Josephson critical current to an ac-current-excitation regime triggered by the electric field of the microwave. We propose a model, which describes the observed features on the CVC in terms of microwave-induced multiple switching between running and locked solutions of sine-Gordon equation.


In the paper, a method for determination of the near-critical region boundary is proposed. The boundary is evaluated with respect to variations of specific heat capacity along isobars. It is assumed that the value of specific heat capacity inside the near-critical region exceeds by more than 50% the practically constant value typical for fluids under normal conditions. It appears that large variations of heat capacity are also present for high-pressure subcritical states sufficiently close to the critical point. Therefore, such defined near-critical region is located not only in supercritical fluid domain but also extends into subcritical fluid. As an example, the boundaries of the near-critical region were evaluated for water, carbon dioxide and R143a.


Extinctions of species and subspecific taxa in hotspots of biodiversity deserve special attention. After more than 40 years of major efforts, estimates of extinct plant taxa in California seem to be somewhat stabilized. The time is ripe for an attempt to critically evaluate our current knowledge of plant extinctions in California and make a comparison with other countries with mediterranean‐type climates.


Variations in neuronal morphology among cell classes, brain regions, and animal species are thought to underlie known heterogeneities in neuronal function. Thus, accurate quantitative descriptions and classification of large sets of neurons is essential for functional characterization. However, unbiased computational methods to classify groups of neurons are currently scarce. We introduce a novel, robust, and unbiased method to study neuronal morphologies. We develop mathematical descriptors that quantitatively characterize structural differences among neuronal cell types and thus classify them. Each descriptor that is assigned to a neuron is a function of a distance from the soma with values in real numbers or more general metric spaces. Standard clustering methods enhanced with detection and metric learning algorithms are then used to objectively cluster and classify neurons. Our results illustrate a practical and effective approach to the classification of diverse neuronal cell types, with the potential for discovery of putative subclasses of neurons.


.25 (3 ) I (2 ) and * * II (3 ) .26 ( 3 ) I ( 2 ) he could make no sense of Chwistek's proof of Godel's theorems. It is difficult to see how these constant expressions could be variables. Only if yt and zs are interpreted as any two apparent variables of the system in question does Chwistek's procedure become meaningful. In this respect Chwistek's definitions or abbreviations are arbitrary and it seems that Chwistek himself disregards them at will. It should be recalled here that Chwistek is not stating the syntax of a language in that language. He never for example eliminates the use of logical operators and his use of these operators is not autonymous. HELEN BRODIB


The Wsh is a mutant allele at the W (c-kit) locus of mice, but no significant abnormalities are found at the coding region of the Wsh allele. Since cultured mast cells derived from the spleen of Wsh/Wsh mice do not express messenger RNA (mRNA) of c-kit, we studied the interrelation between the number of mast cells and the magnitude of c-kit mRNA expression in the skin of Wsh/Wsh mice of various ages. The number of mast cells in the skin of Wsh/Wsh embryos of 18 days postcoitum (pc) was approximately 40% that of normal control (+/+) embryos, but the number of mast cells decreased exponentially after birth; the number dropped to 0.6% that of +/+ mice at day 150 after birth. A weak but apparent signal of c-kit mRNA was detectable in the skin of 18-day pc Wsh/Wsh embryos by RNase protection assay but not in the skin of 5-day-old Wsh/Wsh mice. The number of c-kit protein-containing cells was significantly greater in the skin of 18-day pc Wsh/Wsh embryos than in the skin of 5-day-old Wsh/Wsh mice. The abolishment of c-kit mRNA expression appeared to be specific, because the expression of mast cell carboxypeptidase A mRNA but not of c-kit mRNA was detectable by in situ hybridization in skin mast cells of 5-day-old Wsh/Wsh mice. Taken together, the expression of c-kit mRNA was abolished first, then the content of c-kit protein dropped to undetectable levels, and then the disappearance of Wsh/Wsh mast cells themselves followed.


A prospective prognostic study of all admissions to a geriatric assessment and rehabilitation unit was carried out which analysed the medical profiles of 205 patients admitted for the first time during a four month period. All patients were followed up for at least six months after discharge. Particularly poor prognosis was noted among patients with renal failure, ischaemic heart disease, depression, pneumonia, congestive cardiac failure, trauma, mental disorder and dementia. Good prognosis was reported in patients with Parkinson's disease, faecal impaction, stroke and adverse drug reactions. Multiple diagnoses were common, and only nine patients had no active medical problems during their admission. The implications for adequate training of geriatricians in medicine are discussed.


Background Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is one of the principal adverse events affecting patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs). Despite the early recognition that GIB is commonly because of gastrointestinal angiodysplasia (GIAD), the exact pathophysiology of this process remains elusive. It has been postulated that the abnormal hemodynamic profile in CF-LVAD patients may activate the angiogenesis signaling cascade via the HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor)-1&agr;/angiopoietin-2 pathway leading to formation of GIADs. Digoxin is a potent inhibitor of HIF-1&agr; synthesis, and we hypothesized that its use reduces the incidence of GIAD and GIB in patients with CF-LVAD. Methods and Results Charts of all adult patients implanted with CF-LVAD between February 2006 and February 2017 were reviewed with particular emphasis on occurrence and cause of GIB. Fifty-four of 199 patients (27%) experienced a GIB. Overall frequency of GIB was lower in the 64 patients receiving digoxin compared with the 135 patients not receiving digoxin (16% versus 33%, P=0.01). Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analysis confirmed that digoxin use was independently associated with a reduced risk for overall GIB (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.24–0.98; P=0.045). GIBs were then categorized as non-GIAD, GIAD, or likely GIAD. Although the incidence of non-GIAD was similar in both groups (11% versus 7%, P=0.41), the frequency of GIAD/likely GIAD bleeding was significantly reduced in the digoxin group (5% versus 25%, P=0.0003). Multivariable-adjusted analysis confirmed that digoxin use was independently associated with a reduced risk for GIAD/likely GIAD bleeding (hazard ratio, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.06–0.6; P=0.005). However, digoxin use was not associated with reduced risk for non-GIAD GIB (hazard ratio, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.58–4.08; P=0.39). Conclusions Use of digoxin was associated with a significant reduction in GIAD-related GIB in patients with CF-LVAD.


Background: Red blood cells (RBC) of patients with thalassaemia are under continuous oxidative stress. Fermented papaya preparation® (FPP®) has been shown to have an antioxidative effect and is postulated to reduce the oxidative stress on RBC. Objective: To study the clinical effects of FPP® treatment in patients with HbE/β-thalassaemia on RBC indices, oxidative stress and quality of life scores. Method: Patients with HbE/β-thalassaemia who do not receive regular blood transfusion were included in the study and were given FPP® daily (3gm 2 times a day) for 12 weeks. Peripheral blood samples were obtained at the initiation of the study and at 4-weekly intervals thereafter for a period of 12 weeks. The following parameters were measured: Haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), reticulocyte count; Oxidation studies: production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and intracellular glutathione content (GSH), spontaneously and in response to oxidative stress; Quality of life (QoL) at the start and at the end of 12 weeks using health survey questionnaires. Results: Seven patients (5 females and 2 males) were recruited to the study from January 2006 to April 2006. Median age of the study population was 19 years (range 4 to 27yrs). In vitro analyses showed production of significantly less ROS and more GSH following treatment. There was no significant difference in the Hb, MCV, reticulocyte count, clinical parameters or QoL scores. FPP® was well tolerated by all the patients. Conclusion: Although oxidative stress parameters were decreased, FPP® did not have any significant effect on the Hb levels or QoL. Longer studies on larger sample size are required to study the long-term clinical effect of FPP® on clinical parameters in patients with Hb E/β-thalassaemia.


Over the past 27 years, or so, increased concern over single-event effects (SEEs) in spacecraft systems has resulted in research, development, and engineering activities centered around a better understanding of the space radiation environment, SEE predictive methods, ground test protocols, and test facility developments. This research has led to fairly well developed methods for assessing the impact of the space radiation environment on systems that contain SEE sensitive devices and the development of mitigation strategies either at the system or device level. However, as new technology has emerged, these ground test and predictive methods have certain short falls.


The study is an empirical investigation on the relationship between Economic Value and Accounting Value among commercial banks in Kenya as a basis of company value. Accounting information has always been critical to investors. However economic value added has gained prominence as an appropriate approach to company value. This study is based on a survey research which entailed a target population of 43 commercial banks in Kenya with a sample population of 30 commercial banks. Secondary data used was obtained from published reports of the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and published financial statements of the sampled commercial banks. The period of study was between 2008 and 2012 with 150 observations. A regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between the Economic Value and the Accounting Value measures for the Kenyan commercial banks. The econometric results reveal that both Return on Assets and Earnings per Share have a significant positive relationship on Economic Value. On the other hand, the findings show an inverse relationship between Returns on Equity and Economic Value. There is however positive correlation amongst the accounting value measures with an exception of Return on Equity and Earning per Share which illustrate negative correlation between them. The study results therefore suggest that as Kenyan commercial banks consider accounting value measures as a basis of their worth, it is critical that they embrace economic value measurement criteria with a critical examination of corporate governance issues which should take cognizance of the best international practices given that it has a bearing on the management of critical macroeconomic parameters that affect company performance.


Unease over data privacy will retard consumer acceptance of IoT deployments. The primary source of discomfort is a lack of user control over raw data that is streamed directly from sensors to the cloud. This is a direct consequence of the over-centralization of today's cloud-based IoT hub designs. We propose a solution that interposes a locally-controlled software component called a privacy mediator on every raw sensor stream. Each mediator is in the same administrative domain as the sensors whose data is being collected, and dynamically enforces the current privacy policies of the owners of the sensors or mobile users within the domain. This solution necessitates a logical point of presence for mediators within the administrative boundaries of each organization. Such points of presence are provided by cloudlets, which are small locally-administered data centers at the edge of the Internet that can support code mobility. The use of cloudlet-based mediators aligns well with natural personal and organizational boundaries of trust and responsibility.