Passive acoustic is considered to be a more economical and suitable method for long-term monitoring at sea. In this paper, a gas flow measurement method under low signal-to-ratio and overlapping conditions is proposed. The signal-to-noise ratio and measurement stability can be improved through complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition and adaptive frequency matching. The normalized energy window is used to determine the time period of each bubble to ensure the accuracy of the frequency identification. The accuracy was verified by experiments. The results show that in the flow range of 100–1000mL/min, the measurement error is controlled within 6%. This paper provides insight into low signal-to-noise ratio and high-speed escaping gas flow measurement technology.


The traffic noise is the main issue of the community who live in urban area because it may cause an adverse human health and psychological effects. The purpose of this study is to describe the effect of road traffic noise to psychological health disorders on school children of Cipinang Muara elementary school at Jatinegara Sub District, and other risk factors such as distance, length of exposure, learning periode in school, and age. This research applied a case-control study with sample population of elementary school students from grade 4 to 6. Total samples were 240 children, including 80 cases and 160 controls. Data were collected through a multistage of random sampling. Data analysis used a computer program of univariate, bivariate and multivariate. Road traffic noise data measure in the classroom using noise logging dosimeter Q-400/500. Bivariate analysis (Chis-Square) and multiple logistic regression analysis are applied in the analysis. Bivariate analysis showed that there were a significantly effect of traffic noise, distance of seat, and length of exposure towards psychological health problems. On the other side, the length of school period and age of respondents did not have any significantly effect to the psychological health problems on the elementary school students. Multivariate analysis indicated that the elementary school students exposed to traffic noise more than 61.8 dBLAeqn in the school area having a risk of psychological health problem 10.9 higher than those who were exposed to traffic noise less than 61.8 dBLAeq,n a long with the distance variable and the length of noice exposure. It is required to socialize and apply the regulation on noise control and its impact in a consistently manner. Also, it is necessary to conduct health promotion and integrated monitoring both with inter-sector and inter-program. At last, to ensure the presence of inferential causal temporality, it is required to conduct further study with design of cohort or experimental study. This includes the increase of variable number and location of study in order to describe the real condition.nn


Abstract Many ancient cool-water carbonates include little or no evidence for aragonite being present in their primary sediment composition, and consequently that they inherited a low diagenetic potential. However, despite differences in skeletal assemblages, age, and depositional settings, Plio-Pleistocene cool-water limestones from eastern North Island of New Zealand are characterized by locally abundant aragonite remains (typically c. 20%, range 60%), either directly as variably altered skeletons or indirectly as biomolds, oversized pores, and detrital material resulting from collapse of dissolved shells. Specifically, five types of aragonite preservation are evident: (a) skeletons with original aragonite; (b) skeletons with original aragonite but with leaching cavities; (c) skeletons with aragonite relics encased in either dirty or pale brown neomorphic calcite spar; (d) skeletons neomorphically altered to calcite preserving relic shell structures; and (e) dissolved-out skeletons leaving an empty or calcite-cement-filled cavity. All these types of preservation, including transitions between them, can occur within the same sample. These observations motivate a conceptual model for the timing and complex pathways of neomorphism in these Plio-Pleistocene cool-water limestones, related to their diagenetic evolution from shallow marine to burial to uplift-related meteoric environments. In this, the aragonite alteration pathways suggest that the different neomorphic fabrics formed at any stage during the diagenetic history of the host carbonates and are likely not unequivocal indicators of specific diagenetic environments. Instead, differing alteration pathways can potentially produce similar fabrics. The observations are consistent with the interpretation that shell microstructures controlling the nature of the intraskeletal neomorphic front and the degree of openness of the diagenetic system were of greater importance in determining the neomorphic fabrics and relic preservation of aragonite than was the general diagenetic environment, be it marine, meteoric, or burial. Also important were external controls linked to the types of depositional settings that dictated the composition of carbonate factories, the morpho-tectonic evolution of the host basin, and the influence of relative sea-level fluctuations on sediment production, accumulation, and condensation. These results illustrate that factors controlling ultimate preservation of carbonate biofacies are multifarious and complex. Moreover, they suggest that the importance of aragonitic components could be underestimated for many ancient cool-water carbonate deposits, thereby compromising estimation of original skeletal assemblages, depositional environments, and sediment budgets.


Age is associated with an increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), which, through progressive tissue damage and fibrosis, ultimately leads to loss of kidney function. Although much effort is put into studying CKD development experimentally, age has rarely been taken into account. Therefore, we investigated the effect of age on the development of renal tissue damage and fibrosis in a mouse model of obstructive nephropathy (i.e., unilateral ureter obstruction; UUO). We observed that after 14 days, obstructed kidneys of old mice had more tubulointerstitial atrophic damage but less fibrosis than those of young mice. This was associated with reduced connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and higher bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) expression and pSMAD1/5/8 signaling, while transforming growth factor-β expression and transcriptional activity were no different in obstructed kidneys of old and young mice. In vitro, CTGF bound to and inhibited BMP6 activity. In summary, our data suggest that in obstructive nephropathy atrophy increases and fibrosis decreases with age and that this relates to increased BMP signaling, most likely due to higher BMP6 and lower CTGF expression.


The similarities between the structures built by social insects and by humans have led to a convergence of interests between biologists and architects. This new, de facto interdisciplinary community of scholars needs a common terminology and theoretical framework in which to ground its work. In this conceptually oriented review paper, we review the terms 'information', 'space' and 'architecture' to provide definitions that span biology and architecture. A framework is proposed on which interdisciplinary exchange may be better served, with the view that this will aid better cross-fertilization between disciplines, working in the areas of collective behaviour and analysis of the structures and edifices constructed by non-humans; and to facilitate how this area of study may better contribute to the field of architecture. We then use these definitions to discuss the informational content of constructions built by organisms and the influence these have on behaviour, and vice versa. We review how spatial constraints inform and influence interaction between an organism and its environment, and examine the reciprocity of space and information on construction and the behaviour of humans and social insects. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interdisciplinary approaches for uncovering the impacts of architecture on collective behaviour'.


This paper investigates event-triggered synchronization for complex networks with Markovian jumping parameters. Nonlinear dynamics with Markovian jumping parameters is considered for each node in a complex network. By utilizing the proposed event-triggered strategy, and based on the Lyapunov functional method and linear matrix inequality technology, some sufficient conditions for synchronization of complex networks are derived whether the transition rate matrix for the Markov process is completely known or not. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical results.


We study how the powerful perceive power abuse, and how negative experience related to it influences the appropriateness judgments of the powerless. We create an environment conducive to unfair exploitation in a repeated Public Goods game where one player (punisher) is given a further ability to costlessly subtract money from others (victims). Punishers who abuse their power rationalize their behavior by believing that free-riding, while forcing others to contribute, is not inappropriate. More importantly, victims of such abuse also start to believe that punishers' free-riding and punishment are justifiable. Our findings demonstrate the capacity of humans to exculpate abusive behavior.


The new Stata 8 graphics are powerful and flexible. Now, a few months after the first release, the graphics still have some shortcomings—both in design and in the manual documenting the program—but progress is being made. The graph layout used throughout the Graphics Reference Manual has led some users to underestimate the potential of the program. This paper presents two schemes for a lean layout, conforming to the mainstream in scientific publishing.


State-and-transition models hold great potential to aid in understanding rangeland ecosystems' response to natural and/or management-induced disturbances by providing a framework for organizing current understanding of potential ecosystem dynamics. Many conceptual state-and-transition models have been developed, however, the ecological interpretation of the model's primary components, states, transitions, and thresholds, has varied due to a lack of universally accepted definitions. The lack of consistency in definitions has led to confusion and criticism indicating the need for further development and refinement of the theory and associated models. We present an extensive review of current literature and conceptual models and point out the inconsistencies in the application of nonequilibrium ecology concepts. The importance of ecosystem stability as defined by the resistance and resilience of plant communities to disturbance is discussed as an important concept relative to state-and-transition modeling. Finally, we propose a set of concise definitions for state-and-transition model components and we present a conceptual model of state/transition/threshold relationships that are determined by the resilience and resistance of the ecosystems' primary ecological processes. This model provides a framework for development of process-based state-and-transition models for management and research.


High-intensity drinking (HID; ie, having 10+ drinks in a row) is a recognized public health concern due to the individual and public risks (eg, alcohol-related injuries, alcohol poisoning, memory loss, sexual risk) associated with consumption of a large quantity of alcohol over a relatively short time period. Using nationally representative samples of US 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, and follow-up of subsamples of 12th graders, we present overall and sex-specific prevalence estimates of past 2-week HID from 29 966 individuals at the modal ages of 14 to 30 in 2016-2017. Similar data for the more commonly studied measure of binge drinking (having 5+ drinks in a row) is provided for comparison. HID prevalence ranged from 1% to 11.5% and was significantly higher for males than females at all ages other than modal age 14 (8th grade). Binge drinking prevalence ranged from 3.5% to 32.5%; males reported a higher prevalence than females at approximately half of the ages examined. Peak binge drinking and HID age for males was earlier (modal age 21/22) than that for females (modal age 21-24 for binge drinking and 25/26 for HID). The observed rapid increase in HID from adolescence through the early to mid-20s highlights the importance of prevention and intervention efforts targeted to these ages.


Achieving high-quality preschool at scale is challenging; to do so likely entails a combination of program standards, teacher qualifications and compensation, on-site quality monitoring, and professional development (PD). This study aims to examine the impact of investments in PD within the context of an expansion of universal preschool in one of the nation's largest school districts. We leverage the opportunity provided by a "natural experiment" to estimate PD's effects that embeds an evidence-based math curriculum in interdisciplinary units of study with coaching support on teacher math practices. A total of 95 schools participated in this study (51 treatment and 44 comparison schools). Treatment sites implemented more teacher-led math activities for a longer period compared to control sites. The size and magnitude of the impacts of a curriculum and PD program implemented at scale were comparable to results from studies of small-scale efficacy trials.


This paper presents a robust frame boundary synchronization technique for In-Band Full-Duplex (IBFD) communication systems, that employ Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). First, we describe the system model of a wireless link consisting of a full-duplex (FD) base station, that is receiving a signal from a remote station while transmitting simultaneously on the same frequency. Received signal impairments such as carrier frequency offset (CFO), sampling time offset (STO), channel response and channel delay are modeled. We then identify two common scenarios that can occur and cause the correlation base frame edge detection to fail. We present a novel and robust frame start detection technique taking into account STO, CFO and channel estimation effects. Performance of the proposed technique is quantified using a simulation framework and confirmed using experimental measurements. The proposed robust synchronization method demonstrated successful frame edge detection with up to 65 ppm carrier frequency offset versus a loss of 40% of the frames without using the proposed method.


The critical gap in scholarship on power-seeking insurgent groups is to understand whether those groups adapt violent expression as a function of popular support. If such a relationship does exist, how does it work and under what conditions do violent acts increase or decrease? To understand these questions, one must understand that the ideals that make up power-seeking insurgent groups are malleable, requiring stratagem and guile in the face of internal and external violent and non-violent influence. To sustain the capacity to project violence, a power-seeking insurgent group must maintain the support of a significant portion of its host population. Without the populace's tolerance or acceptance of violence, this agenda would not be supported over time. This reality creates a dynamic between the insurgent group and its host population, which is bi-directional, and creates profound implications for the nature of violent expression and is largely based upon environmental conditions. This research delves into these questions about insurgent groups by developing a case study on the power-seeking insurgent group Hamas and its host population, the Palestinian people. The empirical examination begins with the group's formation in 1987 (and refers to foundations much earlier) and ends with the events of June 2014. During this period, the group, like other insurgent groups, has been suspended between its quest to achieve the values of its ardent supporters and the desire to grow popular support. By slightly modifying Max Weber's theoretical premise that political groups must balance values with responsibilities, we can better understand how Hamas has managed the tension between supporters who demand continued violence against Israel and those that do not. With newly assembled datasets constructed by the author on Hamas's violent acts and public statements, Israeli Targeted Killings, historical measures of popular support and extensive field interviews, the thesis offers a unique theoretical perspective on the nature of insurgent group violence by demonstrating under what conditions the group exercises violent resistance or refrains from doing so. For example, the research shows that Hamas violence against Israel follows Palestinians' support for violence, countering the commonly held idea that Hamas acts as a vanguard of the Palestinian people. It also shows that the nature and method of Hamas violence against Israel changed once it had territorial control of Gaza. Finally, the methodological approach used in this case study can serve as a model to better understand the origins and dynamics of powerseeking insurgent groups elsewhere.


This article explores the ongoing question of academic freedom within the South African university system and extends this issue into a foundational inquiry of our understanding of freedom in society as a whole. The article employs Hegel's concept of freedom as its baseline, gives a brief description of how Hegel constructs his concept, and ultimately critiques this concept on the grounds that, by making property the first embodiment of freedom (and subsequently, the first embodiment of selfhood) Hegel's concept of freedom relies too much upon self-interest in its self-determination. This critique is furthered by highlighting ways in which this concept problematizes the university's role within society and, by extension, the overall concept of freedom within society. It concludes by encouraging future discussions that unfold the concept of freedom beyond a mutually self-interested desire for autonomy. https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.81.3.2271


Previous work on planning accelerated life tests has been based on large-sample approximations to evaluate test plan properties. In this paper, we use more accurate simulation methods to investigate the properties of accelerated life tests with small sample sizes where large-sample approximations might not be expected to be adequate. These properties include the simulated -bias, and variance for quantiles of the failure-time distribution at use conditions. We focus on using these methods to find practical compromise test plans that use three levels of stress. We also study the effects of not having any failures at test conditions, and the effect of using incorrect planning values. We note that the large-sample approximate variance is far from adequate when the probability of zero failures at certain test conditions is not negligible. We suggest a strategy to develop useful test plans using a small number of test units while meeting constraints on the estimation precision, and on the probability that there will be zero failures at one or more of the test stress levels.


This paper draws from a collaborative research project between the British Library, the University of Sheffield, and the British food retailer Marks & Spencer. The project collected oral history recordings of poultry producers to contribute to a national archive of food production history and to be used as the basis for analysis of the politics of contemporary poultry production. The paper demonstrates how partnerships across the archive, academy, and industry, though challenging, provide an opportunity for researchers to critically engage with the complexities of contemporary food production.


The effects of annealing temperature and hydrolysis catalyst on the crystalline form and crystallite size of TiO2 prepared by a sol-gel process were investigated. Three types of TiO2 were synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium(IV)-iso-propoxide with water in n-propanol without catalyst (Type-A) and with HCl as catalyst, where the H+ /Ti4+ mol ratio was 0.54 for Type-B and 0.2 for Type-C. Hydrolysis products were thermally treated at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 °C for 1 h after drying at room temperature. Characterization of the particles was carried out using XRD, BET, TG/DTA and SEM analysis. The pore size distributions were computed by the DFT plus method. The results showed that the acid catalyst and catalyst/alkoxide ratio have a large effect on the formation of anatase TiO2. In particular, it was found that anatase phase TiO2 particles occur at 400 and 500 °C for Type-A TiO2, while they do so at nearly 200 °C for Type-B and Type-C TiO2. The crystallite size of Type-A, Type-B and Type-C increased from 17.96 to 19.24 nm, from 12.38 to 15.12 nm and from 10.60 to 12.20 nm, respectively, when the thermal treatment temperature was raised from 400 to 500 °C.


Parameters of oxidative stress were studied in 44 patients with grade II-III essential hypertension and cerebral variant of hypertensive crisis. All patients received antihypertensive treatment. Mexidol was administered intravenously (300 mg o.d.) for 7 days starting with the second day of a hypertensive crisis. Control group consisted of 27 patients who were not treated with mexidol. The level of lipid peroxidation products and parameters of antioxidative system were used for assessment of the state of oxidative stress. Significant increases of the coefficient of oxidative stress were registered at all study points in patients who were not treated with mexidol. Treatment with antioxidant mexidol was associated with decreased coefficient of oxidative stress throughout the whole study period (up to 14-th day).


The island of Barbuda has a relatively unique history, land tenure and geography. Unlike its Caribbean counterparts, the island is not suited to large-scale agriculture due to its arid climate and relatively thin soils. Instead, the enslaved and eventually free people of Barbuda developed a complex herding ecology centered on common land ownership. As a result, carefully designed historic wells are strategically located around the island. With the challenges brought about by climate change, an interdisciplinary, international team led by the Barbuda Research Complex is investigating the state of existing water and food resources and examining how the availability and quality of water resources have influenced local cultural practices. Barbudans and international scientists are working together to improve their resilience and live more sustainably in this new era of climatic adversity.


This paper demonstrates the efficacy of prophylactic measures among the children of a perinatal risk group. The effectiveness of preventive measures was estimated based on the model developed in the Children's Healthcare Centre, Reutov, Moscow region. It is concluded that the introduction of the proposed program in the practical work of other children's health centres would promote the solution of the debatable problem pertaining to the choice of optimal measures for the observation and treatment of the children under the age of 5-6 years based at the children's healthcare centres.


The uncertainty associated with new genetic predictive testing for diseases, like genetic haemochromatosis (GH), has problematised the notion of genetic risk.The paper draws on semi-structured interviews with clinicians and affected individuals carrying the genetic mutation for haemochromatosis. The paper shows how the clinical notions of risk can become ambiguous, the distinction between risk and susceptibility lost and the two terms used interchangeably to explain the risk of Haemochromatosis. The paper seeks to develop the notion of uncertain risk to argue how an undifferentiated usage of risk/susceptibility predictions in clinical practice are understood and assimilated by healthy individuals at the receiving end of uncertain genetic risk assessments of their personal susceptibility to GH.


This conceptual paper aims to problematize interculturality and intercultural communication within the conditions of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and today's circumstances. In spite of the new emphasis on intersubjectivity and non-linearity in intercultural communication studies, TESOL seems to still perpetuate hyper-solid and essentialist representations of interculturality. This paper argues for the necessity of altering common perceptions of TESOL students by critically considering the imbalanced sociopolitical realities that may be reflected/encouraged in classrooms. Without accounting for the additional factors involved in using English while interacting with the culturally different other, TESOL may not be able to ensure mutually satisfactory communicative experience.,Closer inspection is paid to intercultural communication research/pedagogy in TESOL to delineate the inaccuracies that have pervaded interculturality narratives and encourage sociopolitically conscious teaching that recognizes discourses of power and justice.,A simplistic/positivist consideration of interculturality in TESOL is rather unresponsive to possible unfair treatment of students' cultures and the current circumstances, which are imbued with a high sense of complexity and non-linearity, resulting in producing ready-made conclusions.,This paper proposes embracing more complex approaches in accounting for the complexity of interculturality in TESOL pedagogy and research by taking into account intersubjectivity, suspending native-speakerism normativity, western hegemony and non-linearity of intercultural interactions.,This paper recognizes the inefficiency of presenting interculturality as a matter of conforming to communication standards of Anglophone cultures but rather argues for the need of promoting inclusive education that appreciates cultural diversity and considering the conditions (identity and culture) of non-native speakers in TESOL.


The 2012 Basque regional election, held on 25 March, resulted in a new government of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). The incumbent Socialist Party suffered a dramatic reduction in electoral support, obtaining just 19% of the vote, far below the 30% they had attained in 2009. This was the first election held in the Basque Country without the looming shadow of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna; "Basque Homeland and Freedom"). However, the influence of the economy was stronger than the nationalism issue in this election, as we show in this electoral report.


This article examines three frameworks utilized in assessing quality of life (QOL) and sustainability, namely, (1) the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), (2) the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (UNCSD) framework for sustainable development, and the (3) Livable Cities Indicators (LCIs). The study assesses the efficiency, relevance/appropriateness, and effectiveness of these frameworks in assessing the quality of urban life in cities, with special reference to Metro Manila. What do these indicators really tell us about urban quality of life and whose quality of life is reflected or measured in these indicators? The article suggests that the understanding and assessment of the quality of life in cities can become broader and more relevant if we take into consideration that macro indicators may not reflect the socio-economic realities of different sub-groups, especially the politically and economically marginalized urban groups and classes. In short, these QOL frameworks and indicators are not sensitive to issues of social exclusion, inequality, and resource distribution among sub-groups, which have a great bearing on quality of life and sustainability, both in the cities of the North and the global South. To advance this goal, there is a need to contextualize, localize, and decentralize the production and utilization of the QOL knowledge systems.


Modern chemical imaging techniques provide spatially resolved information on the molecular and elemental composition of samples with both high spatial and spectral resolution. Over the past few decades these techniques, in particular, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) have been successfully applied in histopathological research. This work demonstrates that the multivariate analysis of combined FTIR and LA-ICP-MS microscopy hyperspectral images can bring additional knowledge to biomedical research. The concept of such analysis was demonstrated while investigating two different tumor samples subjected to anticancer therapy. Combined analysis has revealed a correlation between the lateral distribution of analytes and sample properties within the different techniques. Correlations between alterations in the average protein secondary structure and platinum distribution were found, as well as between changes in the cell nuclear morphology and a reduction of physiologically relevant trace elements. The results of combined analysis suggested different degrees of tumor viability. Univariate analysis and k-means clustering successfully discriminated dead tumor regions and supported the results of combined analysis.


There are several parallel applications that are implemented using a Master/Worker parallel/distributed programming paradigm. Applications using this predefined programming structure can be easily implemented using message passing programming libraries (MPI). Moreover, the multicore features present nowadays on CPU architecture can be exploited at the node level by applying thread parallelism (OpenMP). In order to exploit the benefits of both two levels of parallelism, the Master/Worker applications can be implemented as hybrid applications. However, reaching the expected performance indexes is not trivial because there are several parameters (number of nodes, number of threads per node, thread affinity and data distribution among all nodes) that must be tuned for each particular application or even during its execution to reach a successful performance. On the other hand, the application workload may change drastically during successive executions, so those parameters need to be modified according to this behavior. Additionally, cache memory architecture in multicore systems directly influences the performance and this behaviour must be deeply analysed. In this paper we present a proposal to model the performance of hybrid Master/Worker applications on multicore systems considering the issues outlined above. In particular, this model determines dynamically at runtime the configuration of the appropriate number of workers and threads of the hybrid application to achieve the best possible performance.


B IOTECHNOt.OGY DEPENDS on exploiting information stored in genes and their component DNA. Genes of terrestrial organisms have been the primary source of information for the biochemical products and bioprocessing schemes that form the foundation of biotechnology--antibiotic production and water purification, for example. While terrestrial organisms exhibit great species diversity, marine organisms represent greater phylogenetic diversity. That is, most of the major classes of the Earth's plants, animals, and microorganisms are primarily or exclusively marine. Thus marine organisms represent sources of unique genetic information. Yet few have been used in biotechnology by either traditional methods of fermentation or modern biomolecular means because the research base is meager. However, results from programs of research in marine biotechnology, including those in Japan, are exposing rich fields of opportunity.


Catalog of seasonal activities offered by City of Denton Parks and Recreation, including special events, programs, and classes, broken down by age groups.


Mass transport deposits form a significant portion of the rock record in both modern and ancient basins. Their geometry, composition, distribution and genesis are poorly understood, making it difficult to predict anything about these deposits in assessing subsurface basin stratigraphy or modern seafloor hazards. To increase our knowledge base of MTCs, the characteristics of over 300 deposits worldwide, were analyzed in terms of their volume, area, length, thickness, lithology, margin and tectonic settings. In some instances, MTCs were digitized into ArcGIS and their dimensions were calculated. These data reveal several interesting points and suggest a number of statistically significant predictive relationships. Sand-rich MTCs show a propensity to be short and thick. Muddy MTCs show a propensity to be longer and thinner. Generally, the median volume and area of siliciclastic mass transport complexes increases with an increase in grain size. The highest number and largest volume clastic MTCs occur along passive margins. These mega-MTCs are typically muddy with lengths up to 800 km and volumes up to 5000 km3. Sandy and gravelly Quaternary-age MTCs show maximum lengths of less than 300 km and with volumes less than 2000 km3. Pre-Quaternary MTCs are systematically under-documented in literature, but known occurrences are found in passive, active and convergent margins. The largest (30,000 to 40,000 sq km) occur along the older Tertiary margin of West Africa. To date, 41 separate mass transport deposits composed dominantly of carbonate material have been identified in literature. The most extensive and voluminous (7000 km3) carbonate mass transport complexes occur in the Citronens Fjord, Offshore Greenland. They are 200 m thick, Silurian-age mega-breccias that were deposited in a convergent margin setting. For both clastic and carbonate MTCs; an increase in grain size results in thicker more voluminous MTCs.


Erdi Taufiq Iskandar. 1410130245: An Analysis of Religious Language Varieties
in the Book of "The Life of The Prophet Muhammad"
There are many varieties of language in daily life. English for specific
purpose is used to know an approach how people learn English more specific in
its field so the writer should analyze directly to the people to know their learning
in English especially in varieties of language in its field. The writer concentrates
to English for religion purpose to analyze and find out religious language varieties
in the book of "The Life of The Prophet Muhammad". Analysis needs writing.
According to Brian Paltridge and Sue Starfield (2013: 98), a genre approach to
writing looks beyond the struggles of individual writers to make meanings and
delves beneath the surface structures of texts as products to understand how
writing actually works as communication. The problems were about the religious
language varieties in the book about statements or paragraphs that include
liturgical forms, preaching, ritual forms, readings, doctrinal statements, and
private affirmation. Then, the aims of the research are (1). To find out the
religious language varieties found, their kinds, their characteristics, their functions
and their examples. (2). To find out the classification of sentences or paragraph of
the varieties of religious language in the book of "The Life of the Prophet
Muhammad". (3). To find out the religious messages from each religious language
varieties The method of this research uses qualitative research. The technique that
is used for analyzing is study of document and observation.
The research finding and discussion told about biography and synopsis of
Islamic children book of "The Life of The Prophet Muhammad" written by Leila
Azzam and Aisha Gouverneur and also the discussion about the kinds, the
characteristics, the functions and the examples of religious language varieties,
The result of the analysis shows there are 25 liturgical forms, 1 preaching,
17 ritual forms, 1 reading, 3 doctrinal statements, and 1 private affirmation in the
book of "The Life of The Prophet Muhammad", So, the liturgical forms are found
much and the preaching, reading and private affirmation are only 1
It was found the religious message after giving the explanation at each
religious language varieties classification. It was found much religious messages
in each religious language varieties about belief in Allah.
From the research that has been done, it can be concluded that there are
many liturgical forms in the book. It indicates that the book tells much worship to
God (Allah). This research recommended for the reader to try analyzing the other
Islamic books like this book.


Electric supply industries in developing countries have mostly developed as state-ownedmonopoly utilities. A typical monopoly utility is responsible for long-term system planning and day-to-day economic operation of the system. Financial resources are provided by or guaranteed by thegovernment. At a certain stage of economic development, the financial requirement for powersystem expansion becomes an impetus for adoption of the scheme of independent power producer(IPP). The private sector is encouraged to construct, own and generate power for sale to state-owned utility under a long-term purchase agreement. This turns the state utility into the singlebuyer of electricity. This IPP scheme has worked well and helped alleviate power shortage in manydeveloping countries. But the growth of the IPPs increases the cost of electricity and constrainseconomic operation of power system. Many developing countries have been encouraged to adoptednew competitive ESI structure. This paper illustrates numerically that the IPP scheme in a monopsonyESI structure increases overall costs of power generation and constrains economic operation. Itintroduces a transitional model that can lead to a new ESI structure that encourages wholesalecompetition. Development of the model takes into account economic, social, legal and technicalconstraints existing in a typical developing country.


This research work aims at improving the overall understanding of the Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union and its functioning against the background of an increasingly perceived state of paralysis the policy field is said to be in more than 15 years after its formal establishment. On a diagnosing basis it closely examines and systematically identifies the responsible factors of the policy field's gridlock by setting up an analytical framework in order to study the policy field more closely. Through the application of three complementary neo-institutionalist approaches, whose explanatory power has already proofed to be illuminating for other spheres of the European integration process, it then provides explanations for the respective paralysing factors along the constituted analytical structure. The ultimate goal is thus to demonstrate that blaming the economic crisis for the prevalent stagnation in European security and defence cooperation is misleading and ignores much more fundamental problems the policy field is faced with.


Firms frequently employ various strategies that make products obsolete after a relatively short time or limited usage ("product obsolescence"). Early product obsolescence harms consumers, undermines market efficiency, and increases the waste the throw-away economy generates. While instances of suspected planned obsolescence have recently led to public outcry, the law and policy framework that addresses product obsolescence is partial and underdeveloped.

This Article offers a principled and holistic approach to the regulation of product obsolescence. Part I presents the different forms of product obsolescence. The typology we offer in this Part highlights some types of obsolescence that escaped legal scrutiny. Thereafter, Part II reviews the harms that product obsolescence causes to consumers, competitors, the environment, and society. In doing so, we demonstrate how product obsolescence is at odds with two key EU commitments: a high level of consumer protection, and a proclaimed shift towards more ambitious environmental objectives. Next, Part III critically assesses the existing legal framework and its (in)ability to tackle effectively the problem of product obsolescence. Finally, Part IV offers policy recommendations, aimed at better utilizing existing and novel regulatory tools to cope with product obsolescence. Concluding remarks follow.


The bias against independent citizenship for married women in America was evident from the first major Naturalization Act of 1790 to the 1907 Expatriation Act which took over a decade to repeal. For a century and a half after the Independence of the American Colonies from Great Britain, laws and policies in the United States continued to be influenced by British derivative law with some unique American interpretation. The ideology of John Locke concerning the ideals of subjugation and the tenets of marital British law regarding coverture and legal rights of married women professed by Sir William Blackstone laid the groundwork for America's view of married women's citizenship. The subsequent naturalization acts based on these ideologies and the failed court cases attempting to reverse these laws allowed for the passage of the Expatriation Act of 1907 which forced married women to forfeit their United States citizenship due to the ethnicity and/or race of their husbands. Although the Cable Act of 1922 gave the opportunity of individual citizenship for married women, it provided it inequitably. It wasn't until more than a decade after the Cable Act that some of the deficiencies of the Act were revised. The inequities were recognized by some who prior to and throughout this period, as a result of their writings and court cases, highlighted the unequal treatment of married women, but the resistance, inertness and agendas of American leaders continued. It was not until the middle of the 20th Century that many of the inequities were corrected. This paper examines the provisions and ramifications of the major federal acts and laws affecting citizenship of married women, their possible historical intent, and the writings, testimonies and court cases of individuals who brought to the fore awareness of the inequalities of married women's citizenship.


Hydrogen is a potential future energy storage medium to supplement a variety of renewable energy sources. It can be regarded as an environmentally-friendly fuel, especially when it is extracted from water using electricity obtained from solar panels or wind turbines. One of the challenges in producing hydrogen by using solar energy is to reduce the overall costs. It is therefore important that the system operates at maximum power. In this paper a PSCAD computer simulation based on a water-splitting, hydrogen-production system is presented. The hydrogen production system was powered by a photovoltaic (PV) array using a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser. Optimal matching between the PV system and the electrolyser is essential to maximise the transfer of electrical energy and the rate of hydrogen production. A DC/DC buck converter is used for power matching by shifting the PEM electrolyser IV curve as closely as possible toward the maximum power the PV can deliver. The simulation shows that the hydrogen production of the PV-electrolyser system can be optimised by adjusting the converter duty cycle generated by PWM circuit.


NASA's Stardust mission flew through the coma of comet Wild 2 in January 2004, capturing dust grains as it did so. The grains were returned safely to Earth in January 2006, and are in the process of being distributed to investigators. As members of the Spectroscopy Preliminary Examination Team, we are preparing to analyse Stardust grains. Our contribution is to measure the spectrum of the grains between 200 nm (in the near ultraviolet) and 800 nm (near infrared). The purpose of the measurement is to provide an additional technique for characterizing the grains, one that is complementary to other spectroscopic techniques and one that produces results that can be matched directly with spectra acquired remotely (with telescope or spacecraft instrumentation). As part of the preparation for analysis of Stardust materials, we are producing a database of spectra from appropriate minerals, and are honing the technique through analysis of primitive meteorites.


This paper is concerned with perceptual control strategies for physical modeling synthesis of vibrating resonant objects colliding non-linearly with rigid obstacles. For this purpose, we investigate sound morphologies from samples synthesized using physical modeling for non-linear interactions. As a starting point, we study the effect of linear and non-linear springs and collisions on a single-degree-of-freedom system and on a stiff strings. We then synthesize realistic sounds of a stiff string colliding with a rigid obstacle. Numerical simulations allowed the definition of specific signal patterns characterizing the non linear behavior of the interaction according to the attributes of the obstacle. Finally, a global description of the sound morphology associated with this type of interaction is proposed. This study constitutes a first step towards further perceptual investigations geared towards the development of intuitive synthesis controls.


We present a competitive analysis of some non-parametric Bayesian algorithms in a worst-case online learning setting, where no probabilistic assumptions about the generation of the data are made. We consider models which use a Gaussian process prior (over the space of all functions) and provide bounds on the regret (under the log loss) for commonly used non-parametric Bayesian algorithms — including Gaussian regression and logistic regression — which show how these algorithms can perform favorably under rather general conditions. These bounds explicitly handle the infinite dimensionality of these non-parametric classes in a natural way. We also make formal connections to the minimax and minimum description length (MDL) framework. Here, we show precisely how Bayesian Gaussian regression is a minimax strategy.


Thermal cycling induced fatigue is widely recognized as one of the major contributors to the damage of nuclear plant piping systems, especially at locations where turbulent mixing of flows with different temperature occurs. Thermal fatigue caused by swirl penetration interaction with normally stagnant water layers has been identified as a mechanism that can lead to cracking in dead-ended branch lines attached to pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary coolant system. EPRI has developed screening methods, derived from extensive testing and analysis, to determine which lines are potentially affected as well as evaluation methods to perform evaluations of this thermal fatigue mechanism for the U.S. PWR plants. However, recent industry operating experience (OE) indicate that the model used to predict thermal fatigue due to swirl penetration is not fully understood. In addition, cumulative effects from other thermal transients, such as outflow activities, may also contribute to the failure of the RCS branch lines. In this paper, we report direct OE from one of our PWR units where thermal fatigue cracking is observed at the RCS loop drain line close to the welded region of the elbow. A conservative analytical approach that takes into account the influence of thermal stratification, in accordance with ASME Class 1 piping stress method, is also proposed to evaluate the severity of fatigue damage to the RCS drain line, as a result of transients from outflow activities. Finally, recommendations are made for future operation and inspection based on results of the evaluation.


An unprecedented binary acid accelerated oxidative radical annulation of sulfonyl hydrazones with simple olefins is described. Notably, this method provides a novel oxidative radical cycloaddition for the construction of six-member heterocycles. It offers a rapid and efficient approach to tetrahydropyridazines which are key structural motifs in pharmaceutically active compounds.


OBJECTIVES
Overutilization of computed tomography (CT) is a growing public health concern due to increasing health care costs and exposure to radiation; these must be weighed against the potential benefits of CT for improving diagnoses and treatment plans. The objective of this study was to determine the national trends of CT and ultrasound (US) utilization for assessment of suspected urolithiasis in emergency departments (EDs) and if these trends are accompanied by changes in diagnosis rates for urolithiasis or other significant disorders and hospitalization rates.

METHODS
This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of ED visits from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) between 1996 and 2007. The authors determined the proportion of patient visits for flank or kidney pain receiving CT or US testing and calculated the diagnosis and hospitalization rates for urolithiasis and other significant disorders. Patient-specific and hospital-level variables associated with the use of CT were examined.

RESULTS
Utilization of CT to assess patients with suspected urolithiasis increased from 4.0% to 42.5% over the study period (p < 0.001). In contrast, the use of US remained low, at about 5%, until it decreased beginning in 2005 to 2007 to 2.4% (p = 0.01). The proportion of patients diagnosed with urolithiasis (approximately 18%, p = 0.55), with other significant diagnoses (p > 0.05), and admitted to the hospital (approximately 11%, p = 0.49) did not change significantly. The following characteristics were associated with a higher likelihood of receiving a CT scan: male sex (odd ratio [OR] = 1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.22 to 2.77), patients presenting with severe pain (OR = 2.96, 95% CI = 1.14 to 7.65), and those triaged in 15 minutes or less (OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.08 to 5.37). CT utilization was lower for patients presenting to rural hospitals (vs. urban areas; OR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.19 to 0.61) and those managed by a nonphysician health care provider (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.07 to 0.53).

CONCLUSIONS
From 1996 to 2007, there was a 10-fold increase in the utilization of CT scan for patients with suspected kidney stone without an associated change in the proportion of diagnosis of kidney stone, diagnosis of significant alternate diagnoses, or admission to the hospital.


In the present work the influence of two different thermal debinding atmosphere, vacuum and air, on the properties of 5wt% Y2O3-doped aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics was investigated. The AlN powder as a raw material was synthesized by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) and compact was fabricated by employing powder injection molding technique. The polymer-wax binder consists of 60wt% paraffin wax (PW), 35wt% polypropylene (PP) and 5wt% stearic acid (SA). The binder was removed through debinding process in two steps, solvent debinding followed by thermal debinding. After the removal of binder, specimens were sintered at 1850˚С in nitrogen atmosphere at atmospheric pressure. The result reveals that debinding atmosphere has significant effect on the thermal conductivity and densification of AlN ceramics. The microstructure and secondary phase identification was determined by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The thermal conductivity and density of injection molded AlN ceramics are 177.3W·m-1·K-1 and 3.31g·cm-3 in the air and 200.8W·m-1·K-1 and 3.28g·cm-3 in the vacuum.


Contamination of EOG activities in EEG signals remains a significant problem in designing the hybrid BCI system. Since EEG signals have always been contaminated by EOG artifacts, we employ these artifacts as inputs into our system. Therefore, in this study we utilized theEEG and its EOG artifacts as inputs to the hybrid BCI and evaluated the classification performance between thresholding and classifier techniques to determine the eyelid position and eyeball movement from EEG signals and its EOG artifacts in real-time. The EEG signals are recorded from the occipital (channel O2) and motor cortex (channel C3 and C4) on the scalp using 10-20 montage system. First, alpha band signal at channel O2 is monitored and analyzed to determine the eyelid position of eye closed and open. If the eyes are open, EOG traces in two delta band signals related to horizontal eyeball movement at channel C3 and C4 are examined to obtain the eyeball movement classification. A sliding window frame is utilized to analyze the EOG trace signals so that important cues are positioned at the center of the window for effective classification. A few features can be extracted from the EEG data in the window and utilized to determine the eyelid position and eyeball movement by thresholding. The data can also be utilized directly as inputs to MLP or SVM classifiers and their performances are compared with the thresholding scheme. The highest classification rate of 0.98% is obtained by the SVM classifiers with an average execution time of just 0.53s. The result of this classification can be utilized in hybrid BCI for various applications.


Background: Intensive care units (ICUs) are known as stressful environments. However, the conditions in which stressors may affect health professionals' performance and well-being and the conditions that potentially lead to impaired performance and staff's psychological distress are not well understood. Emotional intelligence, an essential factor responsible for determining success in life and psychological well-being, seems to play an important role in shaping the interaction between individuals and their work environment. The emotional dimension (personal) is the concept of multi-dimensional intelligence, it is also necessary for physicians and nurses to learn how to view and understand people's behavior, attitudes, interpersonal skills and potential. Individuals who have these characteristics are said to be "emotionally intelligent."
Objectives: The objective of the study is to determine the effects of emotional intelligence education items on job related stress in physicians and nurses working in intensive care units in hospitals in Yerevan, Armenia.
Method: A cross interventional, pre-post, case and control group design was used and inferential study design was implemented, with 150 registered hospitals physicians and nurses, who were widely distributed.
Results: A sample of 106 participants (18.7% of men and 31.3% of women in case and control group), representing various human service professions (physicians, nurses) was eligible for the study. The mean age of the participants was 33.19 years in case group (SD = 6.44), and 31.6 in control group (SD = 6.04), and the employment period was 8.2 years (SD = 7.34) in case group and 5.57 years (SD = 4.02) in control group. The results confirmed an essential, very strong, role of emotional intelligence in perceiving occupational stress and preventing physicians and nurses from negative health outcomes.
Conclusion: Results showed that physicians and nurses experienced high level of stress. The level of stress experienced at work by this occupational case was higher than control group. The ability to effectively deal with emotions and emotional intelligence in the workplace assists employees in coping with occupational stress. Therefore, it should be developed in stress managing trainings. Emotional intelligence items education decreased situational and personal anxiety of physicians and nurses in case group more than those in control group.


The economy of Iran is dependent on many variables that play a role in its growth and development. On the other hand, rainfall is one of the important factors of climate change that has affected economic strategic programs including those of the agricultural sector. Rainfall variations impact many economic variables, some of which are explored here. The aim of this study was to evaluate rainfall shocks on some economic variables using a general equilibrium model that included the best scenario representing the highest rainfall, the worst scenario representing the lowest rainfall, and normal scenario considering average rainfall. To check the effect of these changes on the agricultural sector, a set of commodities produced by this section is considered separately, and other sections are considered in general. The results showed that the production of these commodities has been increased by about 14% in the best rainfall scenario. All commodities have been faced with reduced consumption from 0.3% to 10.3% in the worst rainfall scenario; this was the greatest loss of products related to the agricultural commodities. Rainfall increased the price of all commodities by 0.25-28.7%, except for industry. Both private and public investments were influenced by rainfall change.


Real divergences in economic performances that emerge between countries belonging to the Eurozone make it necessary to define an economic policy oriented towards a re-industrialization of some regions in Europe. In a world characterized by irreversibility of investment and imperfection of market information, supply-side reforms should consist in establishing a framework aimed at supporting both competition and cooperation between the various players of innovation, and thus allowing firm strategies to be successful. This requires reconsidering both national and European policies that are growth-enhancing, that is, industrial policy, competition policy, labour policy, regional policy, and banking policy. However, any change in the industrial landscape in Europe will only be possible if a new macroeconomic policy prevents the inappropriate destruction of productive capacities. 1. A


Even though venture capital trade sale exits are the most common and successful exit vehicle, historically most academic attention has been given to IPO exits. This thesis takes the first steps towards opening the black box that is trade sale exits. The thesis is paper-based, and the main academic contributions belong to the four papers appended. This document opens with an introduction to the field of study as well as overall reflections in order to offer the reader a contextual background. Paper one is based on a literature review, while paper two through four are based on an inductive multiple-case study covering 19 venture capital trade sale exits from Norway and the U.S. Paper one conducts an extensive literature review of venture capital exits in general, leading up to the development of a model denoted "The Road to Venture Capital Exit". This model identifies the variables that influence the exit process in the different phases, and describes how these variables influence the exit process. Paper two explores the relation between pre-planned exit strategies and value-adding, and suggests the existence of two different venture capitalist mindsets; the Tailor and the Architect. The Tailor uses exit possibilities as an addition to traditional deal evaluation criteria, has a pre-planned exit strategy, and adds value with exit in mind. The Architect does not use exit possibilities as an evaluation criteria, and adds value in a more general manner. Paper three examines the relationship between the venture capitalist and the entrepreneur during the trade sale exit process, finding that this relationship is characterized more by consensus and cooperation than by conflict and defection. Further, it is found that four factors influence the relationship during the exit process, and are determining for the conflict level. These factors are: pre-investment alignment, strategic hurdles and personal motives faced by the entrepreneur, the reputation and connectedness of the venture capitalist, and the probability for entrepreneurial recycling. Paper four explores the role of financial advisors in trade sale exits, by looking closer at why advisors are utilized, as well as by examining the factors determining the choice of a specific advisor. It is found that advisors are considered especially useful in bargaining situations, through playing the role of bad cops, and also by letting venture capitalists and entrepreneurs focus on their primary tasks. With regards to selection criteria, venture capitalists emphasize industry experience, prior relations and the size of the advisory firm. Finally, the findings are integrated in a framework explaining the role of financial advisors in venture capital trade sale exits.


The transgender community has unique social support needs due to the myriad of issues surrounding their physical and psychological transition, however identification and discussion of these needs has been neglected in previous literature, which has had an almost exclusively quantitative focus. The present study aimed to explore the ways in which social support was given and received through the medium of Facebook groups, developed by and for transgender users of the social networking site. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven transgender participants and the data were subjected to analysis using the principles of thematic analysis established by Braun and Clarke (2006). The analysis led to the uncovering of three main themes – the types of social support on offer, the features of transgender specific Facebook groups, and the role of interpersonal interaction in the perceptions of social support. Previous definitions of social support are expanded upon, suggesting that minority groups may provide social support to peers in a manner specific to that group's needs. Facebook also provides a unique space in which to provide support in a manner more suited to the needs of the transgender community. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.


The rise of the sharing economy over the last decade is a disruptive megatrend that is profoundly transforming consumer behavior. This study investigates the case of collaborative consumption (CC) platforms, which enable the peer-to-peer-based exchange of goods and services facilitated by information and communications technologies (ICT). In doing so, it seeks to address the problem of user backlashes in the context of a start-up platform's commercialization. The aim of this paper is to identify effective measures to counteract user resentment and user migration as negative consequences of a payment scheme introduction. Specifically, the effects of different types of trialability strategies (freemium vs. time-locked free trial) and different levels of price transparency (low vs. high) on users' perceived risk, trust, future usage intention, word-of-mouth intention, brand attitude, and brand affect are assessed.

To put these considerations into practice, a 2x2 scenario-based experiment was carried out by means of an online survey. A fictitious CC marketplace start-up formed the basis of the data collection. The gathered sample (N = 219) was balanced in terms of age distribution, gender, and educational background and consisted of German individuals. After applying structural equation modeling, the results revealed significant main effects for price transparency on all above mentioned outcome variables. Moreover, interaction effects of trialability strategy and price transparency as predictors on CC platform users' perceived risk and trust were detected. Risk and trust in turn function as mediators in the model: While perceived risk was found to negatively impact trust, trust determined users' behavioral intentions, attitudes, and emotions in regard to the portrayed CC platform.

This study underlines the importance of a marketing approach geared towards cultivating long-term consumer-brand relationships on the basis of trust. CC platforms may achieve this by implementing a communication strategy with consistent high levels of price transparency. Firstly, companies should reveal both current and future accruing fees as early as at the time of a user's initial registration. Secondly, this pricing information should be presented in a salient manner, while being supported by appropriate formatting and graphical elements. Thirdly, platforms can profit from deliberately pairing high price transparency with a certain type of trialability strategy: In order to stimulate trust while reducing perceived risk, employing the time-locked free trial promises optimized results. Future studies are advised to focus on investigating other useful risk-reducing and trust-building measures, which may promote more positive user responses in regards to the commercialization of CC platforms.

Keywords: sharing economy, collaborative consumption, platform commercialization, trialability strategy, freemium, time-locked free trial, price transparency, brand trust


Abstract This essay explores the undervalued methodological elements underpinning Kant's Transition from Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science to Physics in Opus postumum. I do this by drawing a line between the Architectonic of Pure Reason in Critique of Pure Reason and the Transition, although this line is problematized at various points. What emerges is the call for an explicitly architectonic understanding of the concept of transition in Opus postumum. According to the architectonic of Transition, instead of only devising the strict division of metaphysics and physics we must devise systematic ways of building bridges between them and finding their points of interconnection. When extended to the wider critical edifice this implies a radical departure from the Architectonic of Pure Reason as it was understood in Critique of Pure Reason and a complication of Kant's theorization of metaphysics, physics, and physiology throughout his corpus.


During the last decade or more, the concept of 'transit oriented development' (TOD) has received widespread consideration as a way of promoting 'smart growth' or 'compact city' development patterns, primarily through reducing aggregate travel demand and increasing transit ridership, particularly in North American cities. A substantial literature focusing on TOD and related ideas has emerged and has influenced the formulation of urban land use and transport planning strategies in many different cities throughout the world. In South Africa, since the mid 1990s, legislative and policy frameworks have emerged which seek to promote patterns of urban development deemed to be more accommodating of the effective and equitable operation of public transport systems. While much current policy discourse has been framed in terms of establishing high density, mixed use public transport 'corridors', little explicit or systematic attention seems to have been paid to the potential relevance of TOD and related approaches to achieving the overarching policy objectives. In this paper, I explore the concept and rationale of TOD and discuss what might be entailed, in broad strategic and institutional terms, in implementing it in a South African city, Cape Town. I conclude that, while there appear to be significant difficulties or obstacles involved, adaptation of the TOD approach nevertheless represents a potentially fruitful way of addressing important current policy concerns about the interaction of public transport and land use patterns.


Nowadays, it is necessary to meet the demands of the increasing energy supply, to provide continuity and quality standard. Renewable energy systems are at the forefront in this regard. This paper includes some conclusions based on the dynamic OPF analysis of the IEEE-30 bus test system and then considering the case of the renewable power plants. The behavior of voltage stability and phase angle in both cases is studied. In first case, only the standard IEEE-30 bus test system is used and both the stability of voltage and the phase angle are examined. Later, the thermal power plants located at 5, 11, 13 bus are replaced with renewable energy power plants and the effect of renewable energy power plants on stability is examined. Wind and solar power plants are used as renewable energy power plants.


The Engineering Design Environment is evolving in many ways. Considerable amounts of data, information and knowledge are 'building up' within engineering companies and engineers are becoming involved in ever-more distributed collaboration activities to tackle complex multi-disciplinary challenges in the design of new products requiring the need to share knowledge. These changes are placing further challenges on Engineering Design Communication (EDC, a fundamental knowledge sharing activity) as the current methods of communication were never specifically designed to support such technical and highly-contextual communication. Much research has been performed on understanding EDC, thus enabling a list of requirements to support EDC to be generated. Therefore, this paper proposes a prescriptive tool, (PartBook) which instantiates these requirements and looks at the next steps being taken to evaluate the tool in meeting the requirements.


Response of passerine birds to an irruption of a pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa population with a shifted phenology The main purpose of the present work was to investigate if the passerine community was able to respond to it localized irruption of a temporally shifted population of the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa, the larval development of which takes place during the summer, called summer population (SP) The work wits conducted in the National Pine Forest of Leiria, a highly organised production forest, essentially consisting of maritime pine, Pinus pinaster, and located tit the central west coast of Portugal (39 degrees 50' N, 8 degrees 57' W, 30 - 50 m a.s.l.). The SP irrupted in a homogeneous area consisting of young pines Bird abundances and richness were estimated by point counts in the infested area and tit two similar non-infested areas The counts were made during all four seasons, covering all stages of the moth annual cycle and were repeated during two years The overall abundance of birds was similar tit both infested and non-infested areas However, the richness of canopy gleaners was higher in the SP area than tit a nearby non-infested area. Only two bird species responded numerically to the increased insect abundance the blackbird Turdus merula, and the great tit Pat-us major Thus the passerine community responded only to it limited degree to the irruption of the SP. Three factors might have accounted for the results. (i) the bird community consists mostly of territorial residents or short distance migrants and their low range of dispersal may decrease the probability of a response to a localized insect outbreak (it) The larvae of the pine processionary moth has urticating hairs which are considered to be an effective repellent defence against vertebrate predators, thus reducing (tic number of species that could react to the high caterpillar densities (iii) The simple vegetation structure of the forest, homogeneous stands of small Young trees, precludes the establishment of cavity nesters that constitute a large part of the canopy gleaners and most of the species which have been reported as potential T pityocampa predators However, results indicate that this important Mediterranean defoliator may have a positive effect on the canopy gleaners and on some species that are able to act as its predators. (Less)


In current recommendations from FAO/WHO, foods that elicit low glycaemic responses and thus have low glycaemic indices (GIs) are advocated. The rationale for this recommendation is that low-GI diets have been shown to reduce risk factors for e.g. type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A major problem in this context is that most important starch rich staple foods in our diet, such as potato and bread products, have high GIs. One important task is, therefore, to identify food factors that are able to lower the rate of starch digestion and/or prolong the uptake of glucose to the blood.

The overall purpose of the present thesis was to examine the use of fermentation as a means of lowering the GI characteristics of carbohydrate foods, i.e. cereal and dairy products. Previous studies have shown that addition of lactic acid to bread reduce the glycaemic and insulinaemic properties in healthy subjects. A reduced rate of starch hydrolysis has been suggested as a cause, but the mechanism has not yet been fully revealed.

An important topic of the thesis was to evaluate the food mechanism for a reduced availability of starch in lactic-acid-containing bread. Another purpose was to study the potential effect of lactic acid in other food systems such as gruel or milk products. Finally, the metabolic effects of lactic-acid-containing bread on glucose tolerance and related parameters were evaluated in a "second-meal study" in healthy subjects, and in a dietary intervention in hyperinsulinaemic rats.

The major findings of the thesis are the following;

1) The presence of lactic acid in the dough reduces the rate of in vitro starch hydrolysis in wheat or barley bread products and bread-like wheat starch systems by 15-25% compared with controls with no acid. This is in line with previous observations and suggests that lactic acid may obstruct the digestive process in the case of certain cereal products, and probably explain the lowered GI and insulinaemic responses to lactic-acid-containing bread.

2) The effect of lactic acid on the rate of starch amylolysis and/or glucose uptake to the blood appears to differ between food systems, and no effect was seen in milk and barley based gruel products.

3) In order to reduce the rate of starch hydrolysis in cereal-based foods, lactic acid must be present during starch gelatinization. Presence of gluten was also a prerequisite for a lactic acid effect in bread-like wheat starch systems.

4) Lactic-acid-containing barley bread with a 25% reduction of acute glycaemia improved the insulin economy at a subsequent standardized lunch meal in healthy subjects.

5) A diet based on wheat bread to which lactic acid was added prior to baking improved the glucose tolerance after 14 days in hyperinsulinaemic rats, compared with wheat bread where the lactic acid was added after baking.

6) Fermentation and presence of lactic acid in milk products did not significantly affect either the glucose or insulin responses. For all milk products the glucose responses were surprisingly low and the insulin responses unexpectedly high. The inconsistency between the glucose and insulin responses indicates that some component, other than lactose, stimulates insulin secretion. With pure lactose the insulin response was in correspondence with the glycaemic response.


In the presence of an electromagnetic background plane-wave field, electron, positron, and photon states are not stable, because electrons and positrons emit photons and photons decay into electron-positron pairs. This decay of the particle states leads to an exponential damping term in the probabilities of single nonlinear Compton scattering and nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production. In this paper we investigate analytically and numerically the probabilities of nonlinear Compton scattering and nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production including the particle states' decay. For this we first compute spin- and polarization-resolved expressions of the probabilities, provide some of their asymptotic behaviors and show that the results of the total probabilities are independent of the spin and polarization bases. Then, we present several plots of the total and differential probabilities for different pulse lengths and for different spin and polarization quantum numbers. We observe that it is crucial to take into account the damping of the states in order for the probabilities to stay always below unity and we show that the damping factors also scale with the intensity and pulse duration of the background field. In the case of nonlinear Compton scattering we show numerically that the total probability behaves like a Poissonian distribution in the regime where the photon recoil is negligible. In all considered cases, the kinematic conditions are such that the final particles momenta transverse to the propagation direction of the plane wave are always much smaller than the particles longitudinal momenta and the main spread of the momentum distribution on the transverse plane is along the direction of the plane-wave electric field.


At its June 2016 meeting, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended routine use of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (serogroups A, C, W, and Y; including MenACWY-D [Menactra, Sanofi Pasteur] or MenACWY-CRM [Menveo, GlaxoSmithKline]) for persons aged ≥2 months with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. ACIP has previously recommended routine vaccination of persons aged ≥2 months who have certain medical conditions that increase risk for meningococcal disease (1), including persons who have persistent (e.g., genetic) deficiencies in the complement pathway (e.g., C3, properdin, Factor D, Factor H, or C5-C9); persons receiving eculizumab (Soliris, Alexion Pharmaceuticals) for treatment of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome or paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (because the drug binds C5 and inhibits the terminal complement pathway); and persons with functional or anatomic asplenia (including persons with sickle cell disease). Routine vaccination with meningococcal conjugate vaccine is also recommended for all healthy adolescents in the United States (1). This report summarizes the evidence considered by ACIP in recommending vaccination for HIV-infected persons, and provides recommendations and guidance for use of meningococcal conjugate vaccines (serogroups A, C, W, and Y) among HIV-infected persons aged ≥2 months; the majority of meningococcal disease among HIV-infected persons is caused by these four serogroups.


The plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium fujikuroi is the causal agent of bakanae disease on rice due to its ability to produce gibberellins. Besides these phytohormones, F. fujikuroi is able to produce several other secondary metabolites (SMs). Although much progress has been made in the field of secondary metabolism, the transcriptional regulation of SM biosynthesis is complex and still incompletely understood. Environmental conditions, global as well as pathway-specific regulators and chromatin remodelling have been shown to play major roles. Here, the role of FfSge1, a homologue of the morphological switch regulators Wor1 and Ryp1 in Candida albicans and Histoplasma capsulatum, respectively, is explored with emphasis on secondary metabolism. FfSge1 is not required for formation of conidia and pathogenicity but is involved in vegetative growth. Transcriptome analysis of the mutant Δffsge1 compared with the wild type, as well as comparative chemical analysis between the wild type, Δffsge1 and OE:FfSGE1, revealed that FfSge1 functions as a global activator of secondary metabolism in F. fujikuroi. Double mutants of FfSGE1 and other SM regulatory genes brought insights into the hierarchical regulation of secondary metabolism. In addition, FfSge1 is also required for expression of a yet uncharacterized SM gene cluster containing a non-canonical non-ribosomal peptide synthetase.


Author(s): Bryant, Michael | Advisor(s): Dunn-Rankin, Derek | Abstract: A thermal analysis and test is performed to determine flux and temperature variability for Phase change thermal energy to investigation feasibility of use in a Stored Thermal Energy Cookstove (STEC). The phase change material (PCM) NaNO_3-KNO_3 Eutectic (52:48) Solar Salt is identified for energy storage in STEC due to a melting temperature of 222℃ which is deemed appropriate for use in cooking up to temperatures of 200℃ ±20 ℃. 1-D planar and cylindrical analytical multiphase solutions are correlated with a transient non-linear ANSYS Finite Element Model (FEM). 1-D idealized models of planar and cylindrical analytical multiphase solutions show the flux stability of cylindrical solidification is twice that of planar solidification. Flux drops a linear average of 0.5%/min in the last half hour of a one hour cooking session in cylindrical solidification vs 1%/min in planar solidification under a constant temperature (dirichlet) boundary condition of 42 ℃ below the melting point of the PCM. Solidification progresses more quickly in the planar case yielding a solid PCM thickness of 3.3 cm after one hour vs 2.4 cm in the cylindrical case. A test is performed on a simplified simple STEC apparatus to investigate cooling rates of the cooking surface while boiling water. 0.5L of water is brought to boil from room temperature with a linear average cooking surface flux of 21,000 W/m2 and a cooking surface cooling rate of 3.8 ℃/min. Results show increasing the thermal conductivity of the PCM and reducing the total thickness of the solidifying PCM layer before and after discharge will reduce cooling rates, improve stability of the flux delivery device, and increase feasibility of use. Pursuing lower flux cooking and non-cooking applications may increase likelihood of adoption by reducing thermal gradients during discharge. A proposal to explore further development of STEC to aid adoption is discussed.


The weak-field dielectric properties of ordered, disordered, and lead-deficient disordered Pb(Sc0.5Ta0.5)O-3 (PST) ceramics (PST-O, PST-D, and PST-DV, respectively) were investigated under various de-bias conditions. The de-bias field influences the paraelectric-to-ferroelectric transition in PST-O and the relaxor-to-normal-ferroelectric transition in disordered PST-D, Phase diagrams, with respect to de bias and temperature, were proposed for ordered and disordered PST materials. A field-induced ferroelectric state that originated from the residual non-ordered regions in PST-O was revealed by analyzing the Curie-Weiss behavior of the materials under bias. It is shown that, in PST-DV, a de bias cannot induce an abrupt ferroelectric-to-relaxor transition. A dielectric anomaly observed at low temperatures in all three types of PST materials is attributed to a poling process.


The purpose of this study was to explore the cross-cultural adaptation of a sample of adults raised in the Hare Krishna culture. Fifteen second generation ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) adults were asked to describe their family, peer, and social interactions and the perceived impact on their cross-cultural adaptation. An analysis of participant responses generated the following fifteen themes: (1) age and context of first contact with mainstream culture, (2) process of cultural adaptation, (3) parents' marital status, (4) family relationships, (5) layers of marginality, (6) community norms and values, (7) identity crises, (8) self-esteem and self-esteem scores, (9) views of ISKCON culture, (10) views of mainstream culture, (11) cultural vernacular, (12) cultural emblems, (13) role models, (14) current cultural membership, and (15) future family vision. The outcome of the study was discussed with possible clinical issues which included the complexities of cultural belongingness, healthy and self-destructive aspects of adaptation, and feelings of terminal uniqueness.


After the recent global crisis, corporate scandals and bankruptcy in US and Europe, there is some certain evidence on weak auditing, risk management, accounting and audit system. This paper chooses a different analytical approach and among its aims is to give some systematic opinions on corporate governance criteria as a benchmark for stock markets. Firstly, it classifies limited Western European representative corporate governance (CG) standards into two (2) groups: The Netherlands and Belgium latest CG principles covered in group 1 and, group 2, including corporate governance principles from Italy and Austria, so-called relative good CG group, while it uses OECD and ICGN principles as reference. Secondly, it identifies through analysis the differences and advantages between the above set of standards which are and have been used as reference principles for many relevant organizations. Third, it establishes a selected comparative set of standards for Western European representative corporate governance system in accordance to international standards. Last but not least, this paper covers some ideas and policy suggestions.


The VHDL-AMS based fuzzy logic controller for movement control systems is discussed here. The designs have been carried out in the digital domain with HDL. The basic components of the fuzzy logic controller are designed using VHDL-AMS. The proposed work focuses on control of speed with respect to input parameter such as Alignment & distance with triangular membership functions. This is beneficial for autonomous systems which increases traffic safety and the capacity of a pre-existing road infrastructure. Here distance and tracking control method has been used, which enables a number of autonomous systems to work together. A case study applying this novel method to an movement control system has been investigated to obtain a new type of fuzzy logic membership function with irregular shapes optimized for best performance. This paper presents the movement control of vehicle application, the fuzzy control approach and the design using high-level synthesis.


BACKGROUND
 Approximately 12 million Americans are affected with cancer. Of these, 53% experience pain at all stages of cancer. Pain may remain uncontrolled despite high-dose opioid therapy, and opioids have many well-documented harmful side effects. Intranasal ketamine has been shown to be effective in controlling breakthrough noncancer pain in a double-blind randomized control trial (DBRCT) by Carr et al in 2003 as well as to help with depression in a DBRCT by Lapidus et al in 2014. We seek to obtain preliminary data on the safety, feasibility, and utility of this novel technique for the treatment of uncontrolled cancer pain.

 OBJECTIVE
 This study aimed to obtain preliminary data via a clinical trial addressing the safety, feasibility, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of intranasal ketamine. These initial findings will be applied to a subsequent trial to determine the effectiveness and associated toxicities of ketamine in a larger sample of cancer patients and to address the compelling need to identify new, successful management therapies for cancer pain.

 METHODS
 This is an institutional review board– and investigational new drug–approved, prospective phase I/II trial to investigate the safety and use of intranasal ketamine in patients with uncontrolled pain related to cancer or cancer treatment. Informed consent will be obtained prior to all study procedures. All patients will be assigned to the same investigational treatment arm. After patient selection via inclusion/exclusion criteria, patients will be seen over 5 visits, with each visit conducted 2-7 days apart. Patients will be administered ketamine on visits 1-4 and monitored for 240 minutes with continuous pulse oximetry and regular blood pressure checks. Blood samples as well as patient-reported outcomes will be collected at set time points at baseline and after drug delivery. Patients will receive 10 mg intranasal ketamine on visit 1, 10 mg intravenous ketamine on visit 2, 30 mg intranasal ketamine on visit 3, and 50 mg intranasal ketamine on visit 4. On visit 5, an addition blood sample will be drawn.

 RESULTS
 As of March 2019, enrollment is in progress, and a total of 7 subjects have completed the study. Enrollment is expected to be completed by April 2019. Final data analysis will commence soon after, and the results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2019.

 CONCLUSIONS
 If intranasal ketamine can be utilized for pain control in cancer patients, it could provide superior analgesia and better quality of life, without the risk of significant respiratory depression and constipation associated with opioid medications. These findings will be an important initial step toward testing the effectiveness of intranasal ketamine as a nonopioid medication for cancer pain and as potential maintenance outpatient therapy.

 CLINICALTRIAL
 ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03146806; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03146806.

 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR
 DERR1-10.2196/12125


I. Tests for Helicity Conservation and Spin-Parity Selection Rules in Diffraction Dissociation A phenomenological discussion of diffraction dissociation is presented in which the development of experimental tests for its conjectured properties is emphasized. Of particular interest is the problem of distinguishing between the behavior of resonances and background. Simple tests for the helicity, spin-parity, and internal quantum number selection rules proposed for resonance production would be possible only if the nonresonant background were absent. These would include an isotropy in azimuthal angle test for helicity conservation and a symmetry under parity inversion test for the Chou-Yang and Carlitz-Frautschi-Zweig rules. The more general and realistic case is that in which nonresonant background is present as well as resonances. It is found that a nonresonant pion exchange mechanism can account for the production characteristics of the broad low mass enhancements seen in present diffraction dissociation data.
These include the variation of momentum transfer dependence with invariant mass and the spin-parity of the enhancements. It is unlikely that this background obeys the selection rules expected of resonance production. Nevertheless, the rapid variation in phase and possibly high spins of resonance contributions when interfered with the slow variation in phase and predominantly low spins expected of a pion exchange contribution should make possible tests for resonance production selection rules given adequate statistics. II. Independent Production of Pions We investigate theoretical limitations on the possibility that multiparticle experiments at high energies are dominated by the independent production of uncorrelated pions. A description of pion production in coherent states is developed in order to systematically study the effects of conservation laws. Charge conservation leads to modifications of Poisson distributions for charged particle production in purely hadronic reactions that agree well with experiment. Other systems such as e+ e- → pions are so limited by charge conjugation considerations that production of uncorrelated pious is ruled out. A formalism for the isospin analysis of pious with identical momentum distributions is developed and applied to coherent states. The fixed phase of a coherent state is important for minimizing the increase of with . The minimum that can be achieved with independent uncorrelated pious is a random walk in isospace. In this case the dominant contributions at present multiplicites come from the lowest isospins so that independent and coherent pions can be an approximation to experiment. Finally, the role of two pion correlations is studied. Independent emission of isoscalar pairs of pions solves the isospin problem and gives reasonable distributions of charged pions, but leads to negative correlations between charged and neutral pions that seriously disagree with experiment. Emission of charged isovector pairs of pions would improve the agreement with the observed slightly positive correlations. It is concluded that the effects of the many possible correlations may be difficult to resolve in the present analysis of existing data.


Mn(1-X)S:AX/ZnS (A: Er, Dy) nanocrystals were synthesized by chemical precipitation method. X-ray diffraction analysis show that Mn(1-X)S:AX/ZnS nanocrystals were zincblende structure. The high-resolution transmission electron microscope images indicated that Mn(1-X)S:AX/ZnS nanocrystals show a spherical shape, and their average grain size is about 4 nm. Photoluminescence spectra of Mn(1-X)S:AX/ZnS nanocrystals revealed that there existed several major emission bands, ~417 nm, ~509 nm, ~580 nm, ~617nm and ~680 nm. Mn(1-X)S:AX/ZnS nanocrystals exhibited enhanced luminescence properties compared with the pure Mn(1-X)S:AX nanocrystals. The enhanced photoluminescence properties of Mn(1-X)S:AX/ZnS nanocrystals should be attributed to the effective suppression of nonradiative recombination by the surface-passivation layer.


ABSTRACT Motor interference occurs when action execution is hindered by the observation of an incongruent action. The present study used a novel eye-tracking paradigm to test the motor interference effect in 22 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 14 preschoolers with Williams syndrome (WS), and 18 typically developing (TD) peers. In TD children, performance of a pre-determined action was slower after the observation of an incongruent motor action and faster following observation of a congruent motor action, indicating a motor interference effect. In both the ASD and WS groups, performance was unaffected by the congruent versus incongruent nature of the observed motor action.


ABSTRACT Spoken word recognition, during gating, appears intact in specific language impairment (SLI). This study used gating to investigate the process in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders plus language impairment (ALI). Adolescents with ALI, SLI, and typical language development (TLD), matched on nonverbal IQ listened to gated words that varied in frequency (low/high) and number of phonological onset neighbors (low/high density). Adolescents with ALI required more speech input to initially identify low-frequency words with low competitor density than those with SLI and those with TLD, who did not differ. These differences may be due to less well specified word form representations in ALI.


THIS year marks the passing of Pierre Janet. He died at the age of 87, having courageously passed through war and through family bereavement in the last few years. In 1906 he was invited to come to America to give a series of lectures at the opening of the new buildings of the Harvard Medical School. These lectures became his famous book, "The Major Symptoms of Hysteria." 1 In 1936 he came back to Harvard's tercentenary and delivered a lecture, as full of sparkle and ideas as he was thirty years before. His work bridged the gap between centuries; with Freud and Meyer he brought psychologic medicine from its descriptive and classifying stage into its present dynamic state. His descriptions of psychic states were remarkable, but he was more interested in processes and in psychic developments. He did not believe in the arbitrary and artificial separation


We studied the characteristics of the pulmonary reimplantation response (PRR) in single-lung transplantation (SLT), and detailed the occurrence, evolution, prognosis and risk factors of this complication. Forty single-lung transplant recipients were studied. Twenty four patients developed hypoxaemia and allograft infiltrates consistent with the PRR. In 40% of the cases hypoxaemia was severe, precluding weaning and requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation with high fractional inspiratory oxygen (FIO2). The mean duration of ventilation was 7 days (range 1-19 days). Clearing of the chest radiographs was progressive, with complete resolution between 6 and 21 days. In all cases, the pulmonary arterial wedge pressure was normal (6 +/- 2 mmHg) suggesting low pressure oedema. Sampling of the pulmonary oedema fluid revealed that the ratio of protein concentration in oedema fluid to that in serum exceeded 0.5. In patients with severe PRR (40% of cases) clinical, radiographic and haemodynamic abnormalities were identical to adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but the prognosis was more favourable with no death directly related to PRR in our patients. The mean duration of graft ischaemia of the oedematous grafts (241 +/- 103 min) was significantly longer than that of nonoedematous grafts (155 +/- 71 min). These date suggest that prolongation of graft ischaemia increased the incidence of PRR.


Health status is the outcome of public spending; Public income is the result of human capital standards in the society. Both influences and complements each other growth. Objective of the study is to know the status of Public HealthExpenditure in Hyderabad Karnataka region and analyse the deterministic relation between HK-region's Gross Domestic Income and Public HealthExpenditure. The study is conducted based on secondary data; analysis is done by using basic statistics and inference drawn upon OLS regression analysis. The percentage public expenditure to RGDP on health is less than 1%, which is not an acceptable indication and considered to be robust hurdle in the process of human capital formation of this region. The region is showing the positive trend in regional domestic income; hence government has leverage to spend more on healthsector.


The perception of music is conditioned by the listener's ability to remember and recognize the material he has been presented with and its transformations. The nature of aural perception is linear in that music unfolds gradually, this unfolding distorts the listener's perception of real time creating moments of stasis and change alternatively. The electroacoustic medium allows the exact reproduction of the sound-event and therefore of its unfolding. The manipulation of these factors and the virtual time to which this gives rise are the means of shaping the listener's memory and his perception of musical pace. Through the use of mimesis and quotation the composer may determine the flow of time in his work, while recording allows him to reproduce time itself as borne by the sound object.


The introduction of synchrotron beamlines for high-energy X-ray diffraction raises new possibilities for texture determination of polycrystalline materials. The local texture can be mapped out in three dimensions and texture developments can be studied in situ in complicated environments. However, it is found that a full alignment of the two-dimensional detector used in many cases is impractical and that data-sets are often partially subject to geometric restrictions. Estimating the parameters of the traces of the Debye–Scherrer cones on the detector therefore becomes a concern. Moreover, the background may vary substantially on a local scale as a result of inhomogeneities in the sample environment etc. A set of image-processing tools has been employed to overcome these complications. An automatic procedure for estimating the parameters of the traces (taken as ellipses) is described, based on a combination of a circular Hough transform and nonlinear least-squares fitting. Using the estimated ellipses the background is subtracted and the intensity along the Debye–Scherrer cones is integrated by a combined fit of the local diffraction pattern. The corresponding algorithms are presented together with the necessary coordinate transform for pole-figure determination. The image-processing tools may be useful for the analysis of noisy or partial powder diffraction data-sets in general, provided flat two-dimensional detectors are used.