Abstract Venous obstruction in the cancer population can result in substantial morbidity and, in extreme cases, mortality. While venous obstruction can be caused by both benign and malignant etiologies in this population, the management of malignant venous obstruction as a palliative measure can be somewhat nuanced with respect to nonprocedural and procedural management, both with respect to treatment of the underlying malignancy as well as treatment of venous hypertension, which may be associated with venous thrombosis. Symptom severity, primary malignancy, functional status, and prognosis are all fundamental to the patient workup and dictate both the timing and extent of endovascular intervention. The morbidity and mortality associated with malignant obstructions of central venous structures, specifically the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava, can be significantly improved with endovascular management in appropriately selected patients. Thus, the pertinent literature regarding the clinical presentation, workup, and endovascular management of malignant central venous obstruction syndromes, with directed attention to superior vena cava syndrome and inferior vena cava syndrome, will be reviewed in this article.


A physical model is presented to explain the phenomenon of hydration in natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves and to account for the observed decrease in electrical resistance of these gloves when exposed to normal saline solution. Microporosity in the rubber is attributed to failure of all latex particles making up a typical glove to completely coalesce with each other and form a continuous film free of interstitial voids. Native proteins and chemicals used in the manufacturing process are suspected of inhibiting coalescence and causing allergic reactions to some wearers after repeated uses. The effect of hydration on the performance of electronic glove monitors is discussed. Glove monitors that can distinguish between hydration and holes are considered to be the most reliable.


This paper provides a broad overview of logical and black box approaches to fuzzy and rough hybridization. The logical approaches include theoretical, supervised learning, feature selection, and unsupervised learning. The black box approaches consist of neural and evolutionary computing. Since both theories originated in the expert system domain, there are a number of research proposals that combine rough and fuzzy concepts in supervised learning. However, continuing developments of rough and fuzzy extensions to clustering, neurocomputing, and genetic algorithms make hybrid approaches in these areas a potentially rewarding research opportunity as well.


OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Capsule (XFZYC), a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on endothelin-1 (ET-1) release in myocardium and vascular endothelium and nitric oxide (NO)/nitric oxide synthase (NOS) system of swines after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and reperfusion, and to explore the action mechanisms of XFZYC in improving the endothelium function.

METHODS
Forty-five Yorkshire swines were randomized into 3 groups: sham-operated group, untreated group and XFZYC-treated group. A Yorkshire swine model of reperfusion in AMI was established by ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery for 90 min followed by 2 h relaxation. The content of serum ET-1 and NO was measured by radioimmunoassay before and after AMI and after reperfusion, respectively. Twenty-four hours after operation, all Yorkshire swines underwent diagnostic coronary angiography to delineate coronary arteries. The expressions of ET-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in myocardial tissue of ischemic area were quantified with Western blotting. Microvessel density of the implanting sites was assessed by using HE staining.

RESULTS
Compared with the untreated group, the levels of serum ET-1 after AMI and reperfusion were significantly decreased in XFZYC-treated group (P<0.01), while the NO levels after AMI and reperfusion in XFZYC-treated group were significantly increased (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in diagnostic coronary angiography between XFZYC-treated group and untreated group (P=0.253). Western blotting showed that the level of ET-1 in ischemic area in XFZYC-treated group was lower than that in the untreated group (P<0.01), while the eNOS protein expression in XFZYC-treated group was higher than that in the untreated group (P<0.01). The results of HE staining and microvessel density analysis of the implanting sites all showed that the degree of telangiectasis was reduced, the cardiac muscle damage was improved, and the density of capillaries was increased obviously in XFZYC-treated group as compared with the untreated group.

CONCLUSION
The endothelium injury may be one of the important mechanisms for no-reflow phenomenon. XFZYC may reduce the no-reflow by protecting endothelium cells.


Precursor In(OH)3 was synthesized by ultrasonic method with carbamide and indium salt, and was performed microwave radiation, then nano amorphous In2O3 was obtained. The structural and morphology of precursor and In2O3 were characterized by TG-DTA, XRD, TEM, etc. The results show that the In2O3 is nano amorphous with average grain size 12nm by microwave method. This paper discovered that nano amorphous In2O3 has good photocatalysis when we used it to degrade acidic black dye.


The sieve box is the major working part in fluidized bed, which bears the repeating dynamic loading. It generally works in severe condition, and the strength is a problem. In this paper, the vibration of the sieve box was analyzed with finite elemental method. Firstly, a 3D model of the box was constructed by PRO/E. Then the modal analysis and harmonic response of the model were investigated using ANSYS WORKBENCH. Based on the modal analysis theory,some parts of the sieve box were structurally optimized to avoid resonance. The simulation procedure adopted in the study and the achieved results could definitely facility the fluidized bed design and improve the design efficiency.


A model for design of Reverse Electrodialysis stacks for energy generation is presented and solved. A new optimization function is proposed for RED, which accounts for river water consume, net power density and thermodynamic efficiency of the process. The parameters of residence time and thickness of the compartments are successfully optimized using the new proposed function. Results suggest small residence time, compartments thickness, and transversal area and Long/Width ratio for maximum energy generation.


This paper reveals the journey of two settler-researcher-educators supporting learning in preparation for Carey Newman's Witness Blanket Art Exhibit. Invited to create curriculum for students and educators of K-12 who would visit the exhibit, the authors describe co-curricular making as a living, re-generative, re-cursive experience. The learning alongside diverse perspectives of educators and community partners in circle—including Syilx Okanagan, School District, Art Gallery, Museum, and University—led to reconsidered understandings of co-curricular making. Relational commitments that invite co-curricular engagement with the Witness Blanket foreground Syilx Knowledge toward resisting colonial ways, and supporting tmixʷ, the life forces of Syilx Okanagan Territory.


The Test Beam Line (TBL) of the CLIC Test Facility 3 (CTF3) aims to validate the drive beam deceleration concept of CLIC, in which the RF power requested to boost particles to multi-TeV energies is obtained via deceleration of a high current and low energy drive beam (DB). Despite a TBL beam energy (150-80 MeV) significantly lower than the minimum nominal energy of the CLIC DB (250 MeV), the pulse time structure of the TBL provides the opportunity to measure beam losses with CLIC-like DB timing conditions. In this contribution, a simulation study on the detection of beam losses along the TBL for the commissioning of the recently installed beam loss monitoring system is presented. The most likely loss locations during stable beam conditions are studied by considering the beam envelope defined by the FODO lattice as well as the emittance growth due to the deceleration process. Moreover, the optimization of potential detector locations is discussed. Several factors are considered, namely: the distance to the beam, the shielding provided by the different elements of the line, the detector sensitivity and possible saturation effects of both the radiation detectors and electronics.


This paper presents a measurement platform of Bluetooth asynchronous links in order to obtain the intrinsic temporal constraints of this network and communication protocol. These temporal measurements are necessary for the application the authors wish to implement for mobile robot control through a Bluetooth communication link. The platform, as well as the measurement protocol, which is based on real-time communication operating systems, is presented. An application of radio and temporal data processing allowing a real-time evaluation of the global behaviour of the communicating system has been developed. Mots cl´ / Keywords: ´


The interaction of a series of lanthanide cations (Ln3+) with a di-hydroxylated symmetrical octamethyl-substituted cucurbituril {(OH)2OMeQ[6]} has been investigated. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis has revealed that the interaction results in the formation of adducts of (OH)2OMeQ[6] with aqua complexes of lanthanide cations ([Ln(H2O)8]3+), Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu in (OH)2OMeQ[6]–Ln(NO3)3–H2O systems. However, no solid crystals were obtained from systems containing La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Sm. X-ray diffraction analysis has revealed that although the solid adducts fall into two isomorphous groups, there are no significant differences in the interactions between (OH)2OMeQ[6] and [Ln(H2O)8]3+ complexes and in the corresponding supramolecular assemblies. Thermodynamic parameters for the interaction between (OH)2OMeQ[6] and [Ln(H2O)8]3+ complexes based on isothermal titration calorimetry experiments show two periods corresponding to the above two systems, with the lighter lanthanide cations preferring to remain in solution and the heavier lanthanide cations forming crystalline solids. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) has shown that the interaction of OMeQ[6] with lanthanide cations could provide a means of isolating heavier lanthanide cations from their lighter counterparts.


A method of double-side displacement-rotation flat-lapping with solid abrasives is proposed and a CNC machine tool is developed in this document. By analyzing the lapping principle and the structural characteristic of common solid abrasives flat-lapping method, the deficiencies of this method are indicated. The new method changes the motion pattern of workpiece in principle, the relative position between the workpiece and abrasive disks (lapping tools) are changed while the workpiece rotates. Therefore those deficiencies are made up radically, the lapping trace and velocity distribution of the relative motion between the workpiece and abrasive disks are more reasonable, the stress and wear states of isolating plate are improved as well. Finally, the driving moment and the speed of workpiece rotary are analyzed, and the relative velocity between the abrasive disks and workpiece is researched.


Young adult (or YA) literature and publishing are not simply flourishing. They represent perhaps the fastest-growing field of all. With graphic novels and so-called crossover works like the Harry Potter series selling in the tens of millions, the field of YA literature is one of the most dynamic and exciting in the U.S. and Canada. YA is increasingly an international phenomenon as well. "The Continuum Encyclopedia of Young Adult Literature" is the only reference guide to this phenomenon in any language. It is a collaborative effort by 200 authorities who contribute some 650 original, signed entries. These key contributors include: Michael Cart, Ken Donelson, Danny Fingeroth Ted Hipple, Teri Lesesne, Alleen Nilsen, Hazel Rochman, Stephanie Svirin, and many others. (Some are subjects of entries themselves.) Among the authors and educators written about are: Judy Blume, Robert Cormier, Chris Crutcher, Will Eisner, James Cross Giblin, Karen Hesse, S. E. Hinton, Robert Lipsyte, Lois Lowry, Linda Sue Park, Gary Paulsen, Richard Peck, Philip Pullman, Louise Rosenblatt, J. K. Rowling, Art Spiegelman, Dorothy Strickland, J. R. R. Tolkien, and many others. A considerable effort is made to include authors and graphic-novel artists who are not found in any other reference work on adult or children's literature. Another special feature is the topical article. These often include up-and-coming figures that are not covered in their own entry. There are 75 topical articles, including African American Literature; Asian American Literature; Australian Literature; Canadian Literature; "Crossovers"; "Death and Dying"; "Fantasy"; "Feminist Fairy Tales"; "The Graphic Novel"; Harry Potter - "Not Just for Kids Anymore"; Horror; Latina/Latino Literature; "The Lord of the Rings" and "Beyond"; New Zealand Literature; Science Fiction and Crossovers; Superheroes of the 1960s and Stan Lee; Witches and Dragons; Tween and Teen; Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow; and others. For easy reference, "The Continuum Encyclopedia of Young Adult Literature" features an appendix listing major-award winners as well as an index of names cross-referenced to entries where applicable.


ABSTRACT The present study aims to examine the leadership research in higher education in order to shed light on its development during the last two decades by revealing the evolving trends in research on leadership in higher education, the most prominent scholars working on related research, the most popular topics in related research, and the countries in which the related studies are based. Bibliometric method was employed in the analysis of the original research and review papers published in five prominent higher education journals between 1995 and 2014: Higher Education, Research in Higher Education, Studies in Higher Education, The Journal of Higher Education and The Review of Higher Education. The results of this bibliometric analysis show that the majority of the related articles come from three countries: the U.S.A., the UK and Australia. It is also found that the leadership research in higher education is still very scarce and has not shown any meaningful increase during the last two decades. In addition, content analysis is used to provide more in-depth information about the topical focus, purpose and methodology of the selected articles. The results of content analyses are discussed in detail, and suggestions for the future research are provided.


Regarding constantly growing importance of information technologies public organizations try to find optimal solution, which might help to increase the qualitative aspects of relationship between governments and citizens. Experts argue that social media usage have potential to foster participation and engagement of the public. The aim of study is to analyse Facebook profiles of selected Slovakian cities, focusing on the general features of social network usage, content and the purpose of posts published over a four-year period. Besides, the article tries to be theoretical and practical insight to application of social media in public administration. The main finding is based on statement that analysed official Facebook pages mostly include informational posts while calling for opinion and calling for participation represent significantly lower part of total posts. Simultaneously, positive impacts of social media usage have been identified both for public organizations and wider public. Simultaneously, the benefit of the article is associated with fostering an interest in examined issues of social media usage, which we hope might improve the quality of social media strategies and benchlearning processes in other Slovakian cities and hopefully other local self-government units in the European territory. Finally, various limits and perspectives of social media use are discussed in the final part of the article, specially of ideals of democracy, cybersecurity, policymaking, as well as participation and engagement of citizens.


ABSTRACT Conversion of the normal protease-sensitive prion protein (PrP) to its abnormal protease-resistant isoform (PrP-res) is a major feature of the pathogenesis associated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases. In previous experiments, PrP conversion was inhibited by a peptide composed of hamster PrP residues 109 to 141, suggesting that this region of the PrP molecule plays a crucial role in the conversion process. In this study, we used PrP-res derived from animals infected with two different mouse scrapie strains and one hamster scrapie strain to investigate the species specificity of these conversion reactions. Conversion of PrP was found to be completely species specific; however, despite having three amino acid differences, peptides corresponding to the hamster and mouse PrP sequences from residues 109 to 141 inhibited both the mouse and hamster PrP conversion systems equally. Furthermore, a peptide corresponding to hamster PrP residues 119 to 136, which was identical in both mouse and hamster PrP, was able to inhibit PrP-res formation in both the mouse and hamster cell-free systems as well as in scrapie-infected mouse neuroblastoma cell cultures. Because the PrP region from 119 to 136 is very conserved in most species, this peptide may have inhibitory effects on PrP conversion in a wide variety of TSE diseases.


Business processes are usually defined by business experts who require intuitive and informal graphical notations such as BPMN (Business Process Management Notation) for documenting and communicating their organization activities and behavior. However, BPMN has not been provided with a formal semantics, which limits the analysis of BPMN models to using solely informal techniques such as simulation. In order to address this limitation and use formal verification, it is necessary to define a certain "mapping" between BPMN and a formal language such as Concurrent Sequential Processes (CSP) and Petri Nets (PN). This paper proposes a method for the verification of BPMN models by defining formal semantics of BPMN in terms of a mapping to Time Petri Nets (TPN), which are equipped with very efficient analytical techniques. After the translation of BPMN models to TPN, verification is done to ensure that some functional properties are satisfied by the model under investigation, namely liveness and reachability properties. The main advantage of our approach over existing ones is that it takes into account the time components in modeling Business process models. An example is used throughout the paper to illustrate the proposed method. ACM CCS (2012) Classification : Applied computing → Enterprise computing → Business process management → Business process modeling *To cite this article: A. Rachdi et al ., "Liveness and Reachability Analysis of BPMN Process Models", CIT. Journal of Computing and Information Technology , vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 195–207, 2016.


Severe anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening situation that needs immediate treatment of progressive hemodynamic failure. We report two cases of severe anaphylactic shock treated with arginine-vasopressin (AVP): In a 42-year-old male patient anaphylactic shock was caused by the sting of a hornet. At the scene, he was found unconscious, cyanotic, with a heart rate of 130/min without measurable blood pressure. The patient was intubated and ventilated with 100% oxygen, intravenous epinephrine (1 mg over 2 min) had no effect on blood pressure. After injection of 10 IU vasopressin, followed by infusion of 40 IU vasopressin, hemodynamics could be stabilized at once. In the second case, a 47-year-old male patient was stung by a wasp. At the scene he was unconscious, blood pressure was not measurable, heart rate was 140/min. The patient was treated with 40 IU vasopressin followed by rapid infusion of 500 ml NaCl 0.9%. After injection of vasopressin, blood pressure raised to 80/50 mm Hg and heart rate decreased to 90/min. Both patients needed ventilator therapy for several days and recovered fully.


The posture detection received lots of attention in the fields of human sensing and artificial intelligence. Posture detection can be used for the monitoring health status of elderly remotely by identifying their postures such as standing, sitting and walking. Most of the current studies used traditional machine learning classifiers to identify the posture. However, these methods do not perform well to detect the postures accurately. Therefore, in this study, we proposed a novel hybrid approach based on machine learning classifiers (i. e., support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (KNN), decision tree, Naive Bayes, random forest, Linear discrete analysis and Quadratic discrete analysis) and deep learning classifiers (i. e., 1D-convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), 2D-convolutional neural network (2D-CNN), LSTM and bidirectional LSTM) to identify posture detection. The proposed hybrid approach uses prediction of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) to improve the performance of ML and DL algorithms. The experimental results on widely benchmark dataset are shown and results achieved an accuracy of more than 98%.


Author(s): Johnston, Michael James | Advisor(s): Nystul, Todd | Abstract: In the epithelial follicle stem cells (FSCs) of the Drosophila ovary, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling promotes self-renewal whereas Notch signaling promotes differentiation of the prefollicle cell (pFC) daughters. We have identified two proteins, Six4 and Groucho (Gro), that link the activity of these two pathways to regulate the earliest cell fate decision in the FSC lineage. Our data indicate that Six4 and Gro promote differentiation toward the polar cell fate by promoting Notch pathway activity. This activity of Gro is antagonized by EGFR signaling, which inhibits Gro-dependent repression via p-ERK mediated phosphorylation. We found that the phosphorylated form of Gro persists in newly formed pFCs, which may delay differentiation and provide these cells with a temporary memory of the EGFR signal. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that phosphorylated Gro labels a transition state in the FSC lineage and describe the interplay between Notch and EGFR signaling that governs the differentiation processes during this period.


Background: Support and educational organizations have been shown to improve quality of life of consumers of home nutrition support. One such organization, The Oley Foundation, offers resources for the home parenteral and enteral nutrition (HPEN) consumer. While research has shown proven benefits to HPEN consumers affiliated with The Oley Foundation, no studies have investigated the perceived value of membership to the consumer or the way in which consumers are introduced to the organization. Methods: Qualitative methodology was used to gain a deeper understanding of the perceived value of membership in The Oley Foundation. Audiotaped, indepth, semistructured telephone interviews were conducted to explore participants' experiences with The Oley Foundation and HPEN. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze data and identify themes associated with membership value. Results: The value of The Oley Foundation lies in programs and resources and the competency, inspiration, normalcy, and advocacy gained from membership, helping individuals adjust to life with HPEN dependency. More than half of participants found the organization through self-initiated Internet searches, but all participants clearly expressed the desire "I wish I knew about it sooner." Conclusion: This study identifies the value of membership in The Oley Foundation and the important role the organization has in the lives of HPEN-dependent consumers. Nutrition support clinicians should introduce the organization to patients when the need for HPEN is established and prior to hospital discharge. (JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. XXXX;xx:xx-xx)


This book contains 15 essays on the philosophy, theology and reception of Pierre Bayle, who is now generally regarded as one of the key authors of the early Enlightenment.


Rationale: p120-catenin (p120) is an armadillo family protein that binds to the cytoplasmic domain of classical cadherins and prevents cadherin endocytosis. The role of p120 in vascular development is unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the role of p120 in mammalian vascular development by generating a conditionally mutant mouse lacking endothelial p120 and determining the effects of the knockout on vasculogenesis, angiogenic remodeling, and the regulation of endothelial cadherin levels. Methods and Results: A conditional Cre/loxP gene deletion strategy was used to ablate p120 expression, using the Tie2 promoter to drive endothelial Cre recombinase expression. Mice lacking endothelial p120 died embryonically beginning at embryonic day 11.5. Major blood vessels appeared normal at embryonic day 9.5. However, both embryonic and extraembryonic vasculature of mutant animals were disorganized and displayed decreased microvascular density by embryonic day 11.5. Importantly, both vascular endothelial cadherin and N-cadherin levels were significantly reduced in vessels lacking p120. This decrease in cadherin expression was accompanied by reduced pericyte recruitment and hemorrhaging. Furthermore, p120-null cultured endothelial cells exhibited proliferation defects that could be rescued by exogenous expression of vascular endothelial cadherin. Conclusions: These findings reveal a fundamental role for p120 in regulating endothelial cadherin levels during vascular development, as well as microvascular patterning, vessel integrity, and endothelial cell proliferation. Loss of endothelial p120 results in lethality attributable to decreased microvascular density and hemorrhages.


Grain yield and quality reached by small grains are variable and affected by many factors, primarily by genotype, agroecological conditions and the applied production technology. Triticale is a plant species with high genetic potential for yield and favorable nutritional values, so it is consideredas promising. For achieving high and stable yields, it's necessary to have favorable agroclimatic conditions of the locality, variety and advanced agricultural techniques, with a special turn to fertilizing. In this paper is given a review how agroclimatic conditions of the locality and variety influence on some morphological and productive characteristics of triticale. The experiment included two localities with different agroclimatic conditions, as well as two varieties of triticale (KG-20 and Tango). The experiment was set up as block system with three repetitions. Results were processed by analysis of variance. Applied cultural operations during the triticale growing were standard, with using of NPK 80:80:60 fertilizers. Investigations were carried out in Centre for Agricultural and Technological Results of the investigation showed significant influence of the locality on plant's height, spike's length, and number of grains in spike, grain's mass per spike and yield of grains in triticale. All these characteristics had higher values in locality of Zajechar than in locality of Kraljevo. Variety Tango, in both localities, had significantly higher values of the investigated parameters than variety KG-20. The average yield for both varieties, the locality Zajecar was 6.40 t ha -1 , and the location of Kraljevo 5.16 t ha -1 , a difference of 1.24 t ha -1 . Higher yields on the locality Zajecar very significantly higher than at the locality of Kraljevo. Variety Tango, in locality of Zajechar , had about 0.9 t ha -1 higher yield than variety KG-20, while in locality of Kraljevo that difference was only 1.05 t ha -1 in favor of variety Tango. These differences are result of favorable climatic and soil conditions in locality of Zajechar in regard to locality of Kraljevo. These results are evidence for importance and role of agroclimatic factors and variety in expression of productive characteristics oftriticale.


An operational cloud seeding project took place in southeasternIllinois during a 40-day period in the summerof 1979. A historicaltarget-control evaluation design, using NWS raingage data, indicated an estimated rainfall increase of 39.5% in the target. Three statistical evaluation techniques - principal component regression, multiple regressions and double ratio, were employed and compared. The (randomization) significance levels were .10, .26, and .26, respectively. The possibility of the east control being contaminated was studied and found rather unlikely. Investigation of the 1979 isohyetal pattern, based on a 92-raingage network data revealed that within the target there were wide extremes, from very low to very heavy, and a localized high existed in the target on seeded rain occasions which was not present on no-seed rain occasions.


UNLABELLED
There is a documented effect of peer victimization in school as an injury trigger, but the question of differences between children according to age and sex remains unexplored. Nor do we know the role played by school peer victimization as a direct injury mechanism.

OBJECTIVE
The study considered age and sex differences with regard to peer victimization's triggering effect on physical injury, its direct relation to injury (i.e. physical violence), and its age- and gender-specific frequency and manner of occurrence.

METHOD
Data were gathered through structured interviews with children aged 10-15 years, residing in Stockholm County in Sweden during two consecutive school years, and who had been hospitalized due to injury (n = 592).

RESULTS
Peer victimization operated on injury risk-both indirectly as a trigger of injurious events (most of which are unintentional), and directly as a causal mechanism in relation to intentional physical harm. Further, intentionally injured children frequently knew their offender(s)--often from school--and, in those instances, had been previously victimized by them. There is a quantitative and a qualitative difference in the manner in which occasional and frequent victims are victimized by their peers.

CONCLUSION
Peer victimization impacts on children's safety and is a common element in the school background of many children. Differences between occasional and frequent victims in forms and consequences of victimization are more remarkable than those based on sex and age of the child, with the exception of victimization as a direct cause of injury.


This paper presents the Structural Mental Model Approach aimed at understanding differences in perception between experts and farmers regarding the various livelihood risks farmers are confronted with. The SMMA combines the Sustainable Livelihood Framework with the Mental Model Approach and consists of three steps: (i) definition and weighting of different livelihood capitals; (ii) analysis of livelihood dynamics, and (iii) definition of the social capital by means of agent networks. The results provide a sound basis for the design of sustainable policy interventions such as communication and educational programs which consider farmers' priorities and viewpoints.


This paper examines several properties of quotative inversion in English, restricting reporting verbs to phrasal verbs. Contrary to the observations of a number of previous studies, data collected from natural occurrences show that subject-verb inversion in reporting clauses applies to phrasal verbs. In this paper, two points of investigation are identified by reviewing the literature on quotative inversion in the initial position: the validity of the relationships (i) between quotative inversion in the initial position and Time magazine writing style, or 'Timestyle' (Ikeda 1992: 270, 390), and (ii) between quotative inversion and the discourse status (newness) and structural complexity (heaviness) of postverbal noun phrases. The relationship between quotative inversion in the initial position and Time writing style is then verified using the Time Magazine Corpus. The verb-subject order in reporting clauses that use phrasal verbs with in, out, and up is also shown to be compatible with the principles of information flow and end-weight. Finally, this paper suggests three possible functions of quotative inversion in the initial position: "discourse function", "summing-up function", and "dialogic function".


Figurative language is ubiquitous in English. Yet, the vast majority of NLP research focuses on literal language. Existing text representations by design rely on compositionality, while figurative language is often non- compositional. In this paper, we study the interpretation of two non-compositional figurative languages (idioms and similes). We collected datasets of fictional narratives containing a figurative expression along with crowd-sourced plausible and implausible continuations relying on the correct interpretation of the expression. We then trained models to choose or generate the plausible continuation. Our experiments show that models based solely on pre-trained language models perform substantially worse than humans on these tasks. We additionally propose knowledge-enhanced models, adopting human strategies for interpreting figurative language types: inferring meaning from the context and relying on the constituent words' literal meanings. The knowledge-enhanced models improve the performance on both the discriminative and generative tasks, further bridging the gap from human performance.


The international #metoo campaigns are influenced by local social norms, institutional responses to gender-based sexual violence, and neo-patriarchy. Therefore, some characteristics are highly locally specific. The chapter describes the local characteristics of the #jaztudi campaign in Slovenia by analysing women's testimonies, and media and social reactions. The #jaztudi started in 2018 initiated by four women public intellectuals one of whom is the author of this chapter. The chapter takes as its starting point an overview of gender-based inequalities that women in post-socialist Slovenia are facing. Women's testimonies reveal that sexual violence happens at home, in educational, healthcare, religious, public and private institutions as well as at work and in leisure time, and has great impact on the women's lives. In a short period of time, by compiling and publishing the testimonies, the #jaztudi campaign created a snowball effect and contributed to the launching of new on-line and media-supported discussions about sexual violence, notably by Catholic priests, and the painful and demeaning treatment that women encounter in different health institutions. The campaign facilitated the emergence of alliances among new cases of sexual violence in a relatively short period of time, and contributed to some degree to awareness raising. The campaign encouraged the emergence of a new sensitivity much needed in order to reach new political agreements. Taking into account that sexual violence is historically a patriarchal strategy used to control women, it is urgent to implement the 'yes means yes' model of consent of the Istanbul convention in Slovenia, and to create the political and social conditions in which sexual harassment and violence against women are unacceptable.


Comparison of the Microsoft and Google cases reveals a number of differences. Microsoft involved two recognized exclusionary abuses, tying and failure by a monopoly to disclose information necessary for interoperability, as in the Decca case.1 Google has what appears to be high market shares (depending on how the market is defined) but it is not a monopoly, and therefore cannot be an essential facility. On any traditional interpretation of Article 102, Google is not committing an abuse. But three novel theories of harm have been suggested by companies complaining against Google: Google should list its competitors' websites, it should give them all the benefits it gives to its associated companies, and it should be obliged to make any improvements suggested by the Commission. However, although it is an abuse to create an obstacle for competitors, a dominant company without an essential facility never has an obligation to help them. If the Commission used Article 102(b) as the definition of exclusionary abuse, as the Court did in GlaxoSmithKline,2 it would be clear that none of these theories describe exclusionary conduct. If there is no abuse, there cannot be a remedy.


The pharmacokinetics and metabolism of ifosfamide was investigated in a group of 16 pediatric patients (5 girls) aged 1-17 years. Each received a dose of 3 g/m2/day for up to 3 days by continuous infusion. Plasma and urine were collected, and concentrations of ifosfamide and its principal metabolites were determined by a quantitative high-performance thin layer chromatography method. During 3 days of continuous infusion, the plasma concentrations of parent drug decreased. This was accompanied by a continuous increase in dechloroethylated products in plasma but not in urine. Estimated pharmacokinetic parameters (clearance, volume of distribution, and half-life) were dependent on body size and age but not any other patient variable. Renal clearance was a relatively minor route of elimination for parent drug and corresponded to < 25% of glomerular filtration rate. Metabolite data from plasma and urine indicated a high degree of interindividual variation in metabolism. Comparison of metabolite recoveries in urine indicated a positive correlation between activation and inactivation routes of metabolism. Prior exposure to ifosfamide was associated with a higher recovery in urine of dechloroethylated metabolites. The severity of hematological toxicity was inversely correlated with glomerular filtration rate but not to parameters of ifosfamide metabolism. There was marked variation in levels of the carboxy metabolite, which could not be detected in the plasma of 5 subjects. However, evidence for a polymorphism in metabolism to this metabolite was weaker than that seen with the isomeric oxazaphosphorine cyclophosphamide. There appeared to be a higher clearance of ifosfamide in pediatric patients compared to adults. The significance of this, and of the variation in metabolism of ifosfamide, for clinical outcome remains to be established, but the increase in the dechloroethylation route of metabolism may be associated with an increased risk of toxicity.


The objective of this study is to examine a series of trade policy issues related to Barbados' participation in multilateral, hemispheric and regional trade agreements. The three trade policy issues examined are (1) WTO Agreements and the trade policy preferences of firms, (2) preferential trade agreements and the export performance of firms, and (3) the selection of sensitive sectors to be excluded from free trade under international trade agreements.
The first essay investigates support of manufacturers in Barbados for WTO rules. Based on the results of a trade policy survey, the study revealed that in general, there is support for multilateral trade rules. OLS and ordered probit regression found that there is evidence that export performance, competitiveness perceptions, and to a lesser extent external association, influence firms to support liberalisation. Capacity under-utilisation, and surprisingly diversification, lower firm's support for liberalisation. The second study examines the importance of preferential trade agreements to the export performance of firms in Barbados. The trade policy survey found that 91% of exporting firms, and 80% of exports benefit from trade preferences. OLS and tobit regression show that factor endowments, economies of scale and technology are important in fashioning export performance. The analysis also show that while trade preferences and external association have a positive impact on export performance, wage costs and protection in both local and foreign markets have a negative impact. The third essay examines the factors influencing the sensitivity of sectors and their exclusion from free trade under the provisions of hemispheric trade agreements. OLS and probit regression analysis suggest that maintenance of the status quo, adjustment costs minimisation, and considerations about fair trade influenced the selection process.
Overall, the findings of the studies support theoretical and empirical work in the respective areas, thereby indicating that similar models developed within the context of industrial economies, are applicable in large measure to developing and small developing economies. In terms of policy implications, the studies pointed to the need for government to focus more on international trade competitiveness strategies in order to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by international trade agreements.


In this paper, we present the optimization of the energy harvesting in the case of piezoelectric converter. In fact, the conversion of mechanical energy from environmental vibrations into electrical energy is a key point for powering sensor nodes, toward the development of autonomous sensor systems. Piezoelectric energy converters realized in a cantilever configuration are the most studied for this purpose. In order to improve the performances of the converter, the polarization was specially studied with FEM simulations. A parametrized model was created. The electrical energy generated by the converter under an applied force was computed. The experimental results were shown for ceramic PZT.


This paper describes a procedure for calculating the matrix–fracture transfer shape factor for dual porosity models for fractured reservoirs. The procedure is implemented in 3D and uses the Continuous Time Random Walk (CTRW) method. In previous works the method has been implemented only in 2D and has required a mesh produced by triangulation of the 2D fracture network. The CTRW method used here is extended to 3D in a simpler implementation with rectangular grid cells, which significantly reduces computation effort, but otherwise relies on the same principles. The method is based on modelling of random walk of particles through the matrix media. For each particle the random walk is terminated when the particle encounters a fracture and the random walk time is recorded. The average random walk time for many particles is used for calculating the shape factor for the investigated volume. The calculated shape factor with this new method is compared with analytical estimates for idealized regular networks of fractures, and with flow simulation-derived shape factors for more realistic fracture networks. The results demonstrate that the new method reproduces analytical and numerical results in simple fracture models from other studies and, furthermore, is capable of analysing very complex 3D fracture models and their properties. The method has potential in traditional dual porosity simulation in oil and gas studies, and also in transport modelling where diffusion processes are the driving force in exchange between matrix and fractures. The method also has potential as a general characterization tool in fractured rock systems, where the shape factor and its distribution can be used as a qualitative descriptor of the rock matrix block-geometry and as an indicator of the behaviour of matrix–fracture exchange processes.


This study examines social movement scenes—dynamic constellations of people and places—created by Swedish autonomous movements. Social movement scenes shape action, interpersonal dynamics among activists, and how activists see possibilities for social change. Autonomous movements reject representative democracy as a form of authority and, by extension, reject state institutions. This represents a radical departure from strict norms that characterize political and public life in Sweden in which political participation generally takes the form of party membership and/or activity with trade unions with strong ties to the state. Through ethnographic observation, in-depth interviews and analysis of artifacts such as newspapers, zines, flyers, and manifestos, I examine how and why Swedish autonomous social movements use "the Right to the City" as an organizing principle to create scenes as alternative forms of urban life in Stockholm, Goteborg, and Malmo. I find that gentrification and urban development shape the possibilities for social movement scenes in each city. At the same time, autonomous movements try to create scenes that will change the political, cultural and spatial landscapes of city neighborhoods. I conclude that staking territorial claims allows activists to shape the future of everyday life in urban neighborhoods.


The Belmont Report (1979) presents ethical principles governing clinical research: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. This dissertation attempts to improve beneficence, in particular, in early stage clinical trials, in three directions. First, we develop a "dose-choice control panel" (DCCP) computer program. Inputs are complete population information and patient utilities. DCCP produces optimal dose assignment decisions, and helps users to explore how the population parameters and utilities affect the dose recommendation.Second, we present a new adaptive Bayesian method for dose-finding in phase I clinical trials based on both response and toxicity. Although clinical responses are rare in cancer trials, biological responses may be common and may help decide how aggressive a phase I escalation should be. The model assumes that response and toxicity events happen depending on respective dose thresholds for the individual, assuming that the thresholds jointly follow a bivariate log-normal distribution or a mixture. The design utilizes prior information about the population threshold distribution as well as accumulated data. The next dose is assigned to maximize expected utility integrated over the current posterior distribution. The design is evaluated in a setting inspired by the Gleevec story, with population parameters equaling estimates from early Gleevec trials. This exercise provides evidence for the value of the use of the proposed design for future clinical trials. Third, we propose an adaptive Bayesian design based on a hierarchical pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model, incorporating prior knowledge and/or patient-specific measurements related to PK/PD processes. Because genetic variations or drug co-administration can lead to huge inter-individual differences in drug efficacy and toxicity, it is desirable to individualize chemotherapy dosage. Those factors influencing drug metabolism and clearance are expected to affect all PD processes downstream, leading to efficacy and toxicity outcomes, while other genetic variations or drug co-administration may affect only one PD process. Application of the design to the Gleevec and Irinotecan settings is encouraging with regard to patient protection and accuracy of estimates. This work could improve public health by providing more accurate answers quicker, and by encouraging accrual through explicit consideration of what is best for each individual patient.


These lecture notes have been written for a short introductory course on the status of inflation after Planck and BICEP2, given at the Xth Modave School of Mathematical Physics. The first objective is to give an overview of the theory of inflation: mo tivations, homogeneous scalar field dynamics, slow-roll approximation, linear theory of cosmological perturbations, classification of single field potentials and their observable predictions. T his includes a pedagogical derivation of the primordial scalar and tensor power spectra for any effective single field potential. The second goal is to present the most recent results of Planck and BICEP2 and to discuss their implications for inflation. Bayesian statistical methods a re introduced as a tool for model analysis and comparison. Based on the recent work of J. Martin et al., the best inflationary models after Planck and BICEP2 are presented. Finally a series of open questions and issues related to inflation are mentioned and briefly discussed.


The standardization process of the fifth generation (5G) wireless communications has recently been accelerated and the first commercial 5G services would be provided as early as in 2018. The increasing of enormous smartphones, new complex scenarios, large frequency bands, massive antenna elements, and dense small cells will generate big datasets and bring 5G communications to the era of big data. This paper investigates various applications of big data analytics, especially machine learning algorithms in wireless communications and channel modeling. We propose a big data and machine learning enabled wireless channel model framework. The proposed channel model is based on artificial neural networks (ANNs), including feed-forward neural network (FNN) and radial basis function neural network (RBF-NN). The input parameters are transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) coordinates, Tx–Rx distance, and carrier frequency, while the output parameters are channel statistical properties, including the received power, root mean square (RMS) delay spread (DS), and RMS angle spreads (ASs). Datasets used to train and test the ANNs are collected from both real channel measurements and a geometry based stochastic model (GBSM). Simulation results show good performance and indicate that machine learning algorithms can be powerful analytical tools for future measurement-based wireless channel modeling.


The aim of this paper is to describe one of the possible ways of making IT courses more interesting through collecting practical field data and a subsequent creation of databases. Since the establishment of a specialized peony garden near Prague in 2008, details of the origin of acquired plants and of their cultivation under local conditions have been continuously recorded. The data resulting from the peony research are used as support for our IT courses. They are used in practical modelling of a relational database and in creating student projects focused on responsive web designs. The peonies data make the IT courses more attractive and stimulating for students. Literature survey of the peony research publications and our own data obtained from the peony garden revealed some of the main problems in cultivating and identification of peonies. Herbaceous peonies are widespread perennials. Mostly "historical" varieties of Paeonia lactiflora are cultivated. However, these plants have long and weak stems, which are bent down by heavy flowers and must therefore be mechanically held up by stakes or support rings. By contrast, the new cultivars have solid stems, such as the hybrid herbaceous peonies and intersectional hybrids (Itoh hybrids) and do not require as much labour but are not commonly cultivated. Our research has discovered that most peony cultivars in home gardens have not been properly identified. Great emphasis has, therefore, been placed on the correct identification of peony cultivars.


Many aspects of plant development are regulated by photoreceptor function and the circadian clock. Loss-of-function mutations in the Arabidopsis EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) and PHYTOCHROME B (PHYB) genes cause early flowering and influence the activity of circadian clock–regulated processes. We demonstrate here that the relative abundance of the ELF3 protein, which is a novel nucleus-localized protein, displays circadian regulation that follows the pattern of circadian accumulation of ELF3 transcript. Furthermore, the ELF3 protein interacts with PHYB in the yeast two-hybrid assay and in vitro. Genetic analyses show that ELF3 requires PHYB function in early morphogenesis but not for the regulation of flowering time. This suggests that ELF3 is a component of a PHYB signaling complex that controls early events in plant development but that ELF3 and PHYB control flowering via independent signal transduction pathways.


This thesis presents experimental and theoretical studies of picosecond soliton generation in passively modelocked optical fibre lasers and their transmission in optical fibre systems. Chapter 2 describes an investigation into the timing jitter of a self-stabilized, passive harmonically modelocked fibre laser. It is demonstrated that the mechanism for self-stabilization is the resonant enhancement of acoustic waves excited by the soliton pulses within the cavity and that timing jitter as low as 600 fs can be achieved with this technique. A new fibre laser cavity configuration incorporating a multi-quantum-well saturable absorber to achieve improved self-starting characteristics is presented in chapter 3. The presence of the multi-quantum-well also creates a self-stabilization effect through carrier induced refractive index changes. This laser generates transform limited pulses at repetition rates of up to 3 GigaHertz with very low levels of background radiation. The development of a simple and stable source of picosecond solitons allowed studies of the properties of these pulses in long distance transmission systems which share many characteristics with fibre lasers. In chapter 4, a Raman amplifier with a pump wavelength of 1535 nm was designed to provide a distributed gain for the investigation of soliton properties over distances of 100 dispersion lengths. The pump source developed for the amplifier was a superfluorescent amplified spontaneous emission source capable of delivering up to 1300 MW of power in a 0.5 nm bandwidth. Experiments on picosecond soliton pulse propagation using Raman amplification are described in chapter 5 and we demonstrate that the properties of individual pulses can be maintained over distances of greater than 150 dispersions lengths. This chapter also presents investigations of the behaviour of soliton pulse pairs reveals several limitations to high bit rate soliton communications over such long distances. These restrictions are caused by pulse energy fluctuations in combination with the soliton self frequency shift and the build up of dispersive radiation emitted by the solitons.


In this paper I present ongoing design research that explores mediating group experiences. The objective of the paper is to introduce subject matter and design research approach, to provide material for an in depth discussion of challenges. Several research designs are presented that yield insight in theoretical and conceptual aspects of remote group interactions. Themes emerging from them concern the concept of embodiment, in particular regarding the conceptualization and expression of groups through the mediating system, as well as embodiment of the system for the individual, in the sense of both incorporation and extension of action-perception capacities. To further articulate and express such themes, ongoing and proposed research is presented. Difficulty is brought forward in bringing the various research designs together as one body of work, particularly in relation to theoretical framework, related work and ultimately articulating contributions.


Using official records, the author traces the origins and early development of strategic bombing, and examines its organs in the operations and staff planning of the First World War. The experiences of the First World War should have been a valuable legacy to those who devised the 'counter offensive' strategy in the years between the war. Unfortunately the lessons learnt were soon forgotten and many of the operational and technical problems which the planners had begun to tackle in 1918 were not even seen to exist by the Air Staff during the 1920s and early 1930s.


This paper presents the first implementation results for a time-interleaved continuous-time DeltaSigma modulator. The derivation of the time-interleaved continuous-time DeltaSigma modulator from a discrete-time DeltaSigma modulator is presented. With various simplifications, the resulting modulator has only a single path of integrators, making it robust to DC offsets. A time-interleaved by 2 continuous-time third-order low-pass DeltaSigma modulator is designed in a 0.18-mum CMOS technology with an oversampling ratio of 5 at sampling frequencies of 100 and 200 MHz. Experimental results show that a signal-to-noise-plus-distortion ratio (SNDR) of 57 dB and a dynamic range of 60 dB are obtained with an input bandwidth of 10 MHz, and an SNDR of 49 dB with a dynamic range of 55 dB is attained with an input bandwidth of 20 MHz. The power consumption is 101 and 103 mW, respectively


SUMMARY It is generally assumed that fingerprints improve the grip of primates, but the efficiency of their ridging will depend on the type of frictional behaviour the skin exhibits. Ridges would be effective at increasing friction for hard materials, but in a rubbery material they would reduce friction because they would reduce contact area. In this study we investigated the frictional performance of human fingertips on dry acrylic glass using a modified universal mechanical testing machine, measuring friction at a range of normal loads while also measuring the contact area. Tests were carried out on different fingers, fingers at different angles and against different widths of acrylic sheet to separate the effects of normal force and contact area. The results showed that fingertips behaved more like rubbers than hard solids; their coefficients of friction fell at higher normal forces and friction was higher when fingers were held flatter against wider sheets and hence when contact area was greater. The shear stress was greater at higher pressures, suggesting the presence of a biofilm between the skin and the surface. Fingerprints reduced contact area by a factor of one-third compared with flat skin, however, which would have reduced the friction; this casts severe doubt on their supposed frictional function.


Chickpea is rich in protein and micronutrients and plays a significant role in human diet especially as accompaniment to staples, but grain yields in Ethiopia are still below the crop potential. Field experiments were conducted during 2007/8-2009/10 to determine relationships among yield and some yield components using correlation and path coefficient analysis in desi chickpea grown under rainfed conditions. Correlation studies revealed that seed yield was significantly and positively correlated with days to flowering, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, stand count at harvest, plant height and biomass. The path coefficient analysis based on seed yield, as a dependent variable, revealed that biomass had the greatest direct effect on seed yield (0.0146) and followed by stand count at harvest and plant height. Both correlation and path analyses indicated that biomass, stand count at harvest and plant height were the major direct contributors to seed yield. Thus, the present study suggests that more biomass production, stand count at harvest and plant height are major yield factors in selecting high yielding desi chickpea cultivars.


Professor Henryk Makowski died on 30th January, 1997. The Polish scientific community is proud of his world-famous discoveries on ammonoid biology. His theory of sexual dimorphism in ammonites gained him a wide reputation among fellow scientists. His scientific works rest mostly within the realm of paleontology. Only while working on paleontological questions did he touch stratigraphic problems, perhaps because he mostly had to do with condensed deposits, often containing mixed faunas. Only his lectures and handbooks reveal his deep stratigraphic insights. There are no longer any geologists alive who would remember Henryk Makowski in his youth. He was born in 1910 in Volhynia, in a part of Europe especially hard hit by the historical cataclysms of the first half of the twentieth century. He grew up in Krzemieniec, where he attended the well-known Liceum Krzemienieckie. Later, he studied geology and palaeontology at the Stefan Batory University in Vilnius (now Lithuania) and the Jan Kazimierz University in Lvov (now Ukraine). He was employed at Lvov University shortly before World War II, while he was still a student, and he graduated not long after the Soviet invasion of 1939. During the Soviet occupation he worked for an enterprise prospecting for coal in the Carboniferous near the Bug River, and later, during the German occupation, he was employed in the Amt fur Bodenforschung. By the end of the war he was in Warsaw and, since in the aftermath of the war there was no point in returning to his homeland, he remained in Poland. He actually began his research work and his scientific career at the age of 35. He was a senior researcher in the Maria Curie-SkΠodowska University in Lublin for some time, but by the end of 1945 he had moved to the University of Warsaw, after his Lvov mentor, the late Prof. Jan Samsonowicz. The University, like the city itself, was just beginning to rise from the rubble left after the war, and the decimated scientific staff had first to bring it back to life. The palaeontological teaching collection originated from the fire-blackened fossils that Makowski dug out from the ruins and ashes of the Geology Laboratory. He needed to find a new research topic. First, he turned to the stratigraphy of the Jurassic from boreholes in Eastern Poland. Then he became fascinated by the exquisitely preserved ammonite fauna from the ¸ukow erratic mass, left by the Scandinavian ice-sheet in the Pleistocene. He devoted his monograph "La faune Callovienne de ¸ukow en Pologne" to these fossils, for which he was granted a PhD in paleontology in 1951. Detailed studies of this wonderfully preserved material directed him towards studies of the sexual dimorphism in ammonites. These studies became his lifetime fascination and rewarded him with his greatest successes. Sexual dimorphism had already been suggested by earlier ammonite researchers, but it was Makowski who analysed the phenomenon in depth and presented a strong case for it, supported by elaborate arguments. Much of his evidence came from biometric analysis of the ontogenetic development of the shell. He did not restrict his interests to the ¸ukow ammonites, but also undertook research on large numbers of specimens collected from numerous Devonian and Jurassic sites. The results were published in 1962, and his monograph Problem of sexual dimorphism in ammonites, published in Palaeontologia Polonica, opened a new chapter in ammonoid biology. It was acclaimed by the world experts in the field. This monumental opus set the limit to Prof. Makowski's ambitions. He continued research aimed at further development of the discoveries presented in the monograph, but his later work was hindered by his long illness. He regarded only high level scientific questions as worthy of his attention. He published minor papers with great reluctance and, in fact, he wrote only a few of them following the monograph on sexual dimorphism. His last publication, on dimorphism and evolution in the goniatite Tornoceras, appeared in the Acta Palaeontologica Polonica in 1991. Scientific research was his main goal; he regarded a formal academic career with warm-hearted irony and the detachment that was so typical of him. Students knew him as a popular and highly regarded lecturer, as well as an editor and co-author of historical geology textbooks. To his younger colleagues, he was a Professor, head of the Historical and Regional Geology Laboratory, and Dean of the Faculty of Geology of the University of Warsaw. He did not push forward his own opinions; he approached everyone with attention and respect, was simple and honest. All who knew him remember him as a man of great wisdom, modesty, and goodness. Professor Henryk Makowski (1910-1997) the Editor of Acta Geologica Polonica in the period 1976-1981, remains for ever in our memory as a man of the greatest intellect, the author of his Opus Magnum on sexual dimorphism in ammonites (1962). He was also an unforgettable person, both as a scientist, and as an academic teacher. Our own personal contact with him dates back to the early 1960s, when we were post-graduate students interested in highly fossiliferous localities. It soon appeared that our interest fitted in perfectly with his own plans, and he cordially invited a group of like-minded students to join him on his fieldtrips to Łukow. In the 1960s Professor Henryk Makowski was still the youngest of all the professors of our Faculty, and the only one who systematically searched all of the fossiliferous exposures, particularly his favourite locality, Łukow. At a time when the 'goldrush' of amateurs to collect everything in sight was still unknown, the weekend trips to Łukow in the autumn or early springtime were always very productive. The concretions waiting for us in huge heaps after the autumn rains or the spring thaw could be cracked open systematically in order to find those with a pearly ammonite inside. Professor Makowski was invariably optimistic that we would find something exciting, either ammonite species new for the locality (e.g. of the genera Hecticoceras, Choffatia, Grossouvria), or complete specimens of the greatest rarities, known formerly only from small fragments, like almost a giant genus Collotites. He was especially keen on finding juvenile shells of the nautilid Cenoceras that preserved details, such as the cicatrix, indicative of their hatching from eggs. To keep our hammering under control, he regularly called for a break, so that he could serve to us with cups of the delicious hot coffee that he always kept with him in one or two vacuum flasks. A sudden fall in production at the ¸ukow brick-kiln in the early 1970s, and the subsequent flooding of the pits by rainwater, brought that period in our lives to an end. Fortunately, after ¸ukow was lost to science, he was still able to demonstrate his ideas on ammonoid and molluscan palaeobiology to us at other localities. During our geological excursions we were always amazed at his wide knowledge of subjects outside geology. Any living creature found in the field became the subject of a lecture leading us through meanders of interrelated scientific disciplines. Architectural monuments were also commented on with a deep understanding of their historical background. The Professor was also known as a person who looked at everything with great detachment. He was a simple and decent man. He hated anything that was the slightest bit "bombastic". He must also be remembered as a leading author and editor. We were always very impressed by his great accuracy when preparing illustrations, both line-drawings and photos, to demonstrate the details of his favorite ammonites. Professor Henryk Makowski actually published only a small number of papers. He was always aware of, and was actually rather proud of, his inability to write 'trivial' papers. It is easy to imagine that some people must have regarded him, in medieval terminology, as a Homo Uni Libri - a man of one book only, obviously the monograph on sexual dimorphism. His editorial skill when he was coordinator and editor of the academic textbook on Historical Geology (published 1977), and Editor of Acta Geologica Polonica during the years 1976-1981, was widely recognized. When his health failed rapidly, and we took over the editing of the journal from him, we found that his experience and advice were invariably very helpful.


A well-established management system and its corresponding carrier are urgently needed to make engineering construction management achieve such purposes as controlling investment, guaranteeing quality, ensuring safety and shortening construction period. Based on the analysis on the weaknesses of the traditional management model of excavation engineering, the paper introduces the composition and functions of remote monitoring and management system and put forwards with a new model of construction management. Project cases have proven that the management model can improve construction management level and be used by other project management for reference.


For over five years, photographer Jess T. Dugan and social worker Vanessa Fabbre traveled throughout the United States creating To Survive on This Shore: Photographs and Interviews with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults. Seeking subjects whose lived experiences exist at the complex intersections of gender identity, age, race, ethnicity, sexuality, socioeconomic class, and geographic location, they documented the life stories of this important but largely underrepresented group of older adults. The resulting photographs and interviews provide a nuanced view into the struggles and joys of growing older as a transgender person and offer a poignant reflection on what it means to live authentically despite seemingly insurmountable odds.


With the use of Building Information Models (BIM), realtime
3D visualizations have become a natural tool in order to
communicate ideas and share information between all involved parties
in a project. Currently, several different BIM viewers are available for
the purpose of interactive presentations and design reviews. However,
as BIMs become larger and more detailed, it provides a challenge for
available software solutions to manage them interactively. In this
paper we present our findings from analyzing three commonly used
BIM viewers - Tekla BIMSight, Autodesk Navisworks and Solibri
Model Viewer - in terms of real-time rendering performance. In
addition we have developed a prototype BIM viewer to test modern
approaches for efficient real-time rendering. Specifically, we have
implemented the latest version of the Coherent Hierarchical Culling
algorithm. Our results show that existing BIM viewers all share
limitations in their ability to handle large and complex BIMs
interactively. However, for the same test models, our prototype BIM
viewer enables smooth real-time performance with no visual artifacts.
The results from our tests thus shows that the technology to enable
correct real-time rendering of large and complex BIMs is already
accessible, but are currently not utilized by any of the tested BIM
viewers.


The truth matters, and, consequently, how scholars seek the truth also matters. Scholars use theory as a framework to help them attain the truth. Accordingly, a scholar's theoretical approach must be accurate; it must not be tainted in any way. Theory-induced blindness taints truth-seeking. Theory-induced blindness has contaminated legal scholarship in many ways.

This article will examine theory-induced blindness in legal scholarship and demonstrate how it has affected the truth of that scholarship on both ends of the ideological spectrum. Part II will introduce the basics of theory-induced blindness. Parts III-VII will present examples of theory-induced blindness in Classical Legal Thought, writing legal history, traditional law and economics, post-modern legal scholars' social constructionist arguments, and two professors' defense of learning style theory. Finally, the conclusion will discuss the best solution for avoiding theory-induced blindness--evaluating theories with critical thinking.


We extend the classical J-integral approach to calculate the energy release rate of cracks by prolonging the contour path of integration across a traction-transmitting interphase that accounts for various phenomena occurring within the gap region defined by the nominal crack surfaces. Illustrative examples show how the closed contours, together with a proper definition of the energy momentum tensor, account for the energy dissipation associated with material separation. For cracks surfaces subjected to cohesive forces, the procedure directly establishes an energetic balance a la Griffith. For cracks modeled as phase-fields, for which no neat material separation occurs, integration of a generalized energy momentum (GEM) tensor along the closed contour path that traverses the damaged material permits the calculation of the energy release rate and the residual elasticity of the completely damaged material.


Sustainable performance in electronic commerce, as in other business pursuits, is owed not just to clever ideas and the newest technology. Long-term organizational arrangements and a technological infrastructure that lends these arrangements speed, trustworthy operation, and flexibility are necessary for a firm to thrive in any marketplace other than the one for its securities. The Special Issue on Building Relationships in Electronic Commerce analytically highlights several aspects of these arrangements. Stefan Klein, the Guest Editor, introduces its four papers in greater detail. The Internet-Web combine that is the principal vehicle of e-commerce has a protean nature. Among its multiple capabilities, it can serve as a marketplace, a collaboratory, or a universal information-system development platform. Crucially, it is also a medium of surpassing reach and convenience. Numerous efforts have been made to exploit this opportunity directly by offering electronic publications. Yet the presence of such intellectually notable native outlets as Slate.com and Salon.com notwithstanding, offering content for pay on the Web has not become a road to financial success. Perhaps the underlying conscious or unconscious motivation (or the absence thereof) is the sense that "information wants to be free." Qualified critical opinion, however, is rarely free, and even information, when last heard from, wanted to be paid for. In a highly interesting study of Web-based periodicals as a cultural form, Alan Eisner, Quintus Jett, and Helaine Korn offer empirics and conclusions based on the early developmental stages of this media segment. The authors forecast that established brands going onto the Web will have greater staying power, on average, than purely Web-based media. Should this prove true, it would be yet another example of e-commerce becoming embedded in the existing economy. The New Economy would emerge as the amalgam I wrote about in the introduction to the last issue of the journal. Sridhar Ramaswami, Troy Strader, and Karen Brett present a study of another market segment, on-line financial services. They establish empirically what makes people use electronic channels to acquire or sell securities, buy insurance, or obtain loans. The authors offer specific conclusions of use to marketers and future researchers in the field. Their conclusions about the consumer's propensity to adopt the new distribution channel in stages is of particular note. The Mondex smart card continues to be a study in failure. Studying quite expensive failures is one way to secure future success. Leo Van Horne offers an analysis of the Mondex pilot launched on Manhattan's West Side, a venue that was expected to be highly receptive to such a pilot. It proved otherwise. Van Horne analyzes the result in the light of prior trials and within the economic framework partly elaborated in the previous analyses of Mondex published in IJEC. Lessons for marketers result from the cumulating experience.


The effect of ivermectin, a new microfilaricide, was assessed in a double blind trial against diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and placebo. Fifty-nine adult males with moderate to heavy infection with Onchocerca volvulus and with eye involvement were recruited from an area under Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) vector control in Northern Ghana. They were randomly assigned to an eight-day treatment with ivermectin as a single dose of 12 mg on day 1 followed by placebo for the remaining seven days, or DEC, total dose 1.3 g, or placebo, and ophthalmological review was undertaken over a period of one year. DEC acted quickly to eliminate microfilariae from the eye and was associated with reactive ocular changes and in a few cases functional deficit. Ivermectin eliminated microfilariae slowly from the anterior chamber of the eye over a period of six months. The ocular inflammatory reaction was minimal and no functional deficit occurred. It is postulated that the observed slow action of ivermectin on the eye may be attributed in part to its instability to cross the blood-aqueous humour barrier because of its molecular size as a macrocyclic lactone causing microfilariae to leave the eye gradually along a newly created gradient. Ivermectin is an effective microfilaricide with minimal ocular adverse effect and could therefore be suitable for widespread application without strict supervision.


Globally, breast cancer in men is exceedingly uncommon. The misinterpretation of signs and symptoms and lack of a proper medical history can lead to the progression of rare conditions to advanced stages. We report the case of a 65-year-old man who presented to the clinic complaining about progressive bilateral dull breast pain. He had been diagnosed with bilateral grade II invasive ductal carcinoma three months prior, and he underwent bilateral mastectomy followed by chemotherapy as a part of his treatment plan.


Humans and animals are able to store and recall information about past experiences across a variety of time scales. This process is accomplished by memory, which is implemented in the neuronal systems of the brain. These neuronal systems consist of a large number of electrically excitable cells, called neurons, which interact via contact points called synapses. The transmission efficacies of these synapses can be adapted by processes summarized as synaptic plasticity.
Working memory (WM) describes the ability to store and to process information on time scales from seconds up to a minute and is important in many cognitive processes. The neuronal mechanisms underlying WM are still not understood. Some experimental and theoretical studies suggest that the neuronal system which implements WM stores information in the form of persistent activity of specific groups of neurons. These stable activity configurations are called attractor states. Other studies suggest that the information is stored in the form of complex temporal sequences of various activity patterns, so called transient trajectories. In this thesis, we show that the neuronal system implementing WM actually depends on both transient neuronal activity as well as distinct attractor states. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these attractor states may emerge in a self-organized way in the neuronal system implementing long-term memory (LTM) that stores information on time scales from hours to years. Finally, we develop a mechanism that may allow transient neuronal activity in the WM system to control long-lasting time-dependent output signals.
First, we show that, different from human subjects, a model of a neuronal system which solely operates on transient activity dynamics is not able to solve a typical WM task with unpredictable temporal structure. Remarkably, the performance of this system is restored by introducing distinct attractor states into the system dynamics. Still, the transient trajectories in between these attractor states are required to enable non-linear time-dependent processing. Thus, the neuronal system which implements WM requires both transient dynamics and distinct attractor states. Second, we demonstrate that these attractor states can be created by groups of strongly interconnected neurons, so called cell assemblies (CAs), formed in the neuronal system implementing LTM. We show that CAs may be reliably formed and allocated to different stimuli by an interplay of two synaptic plasticity processes. Hence, the attractor states required by the WM system may emerge in a self-organized way in the LTM system. Third, we present a mechanism which enables a short transient signal to adapt the autonomously produced periodic output signal of neuronal systems called central pattern generators (CPGs). This mechanism allows to fast and precisely adapt the frequency of general oscillatory systems in a self-organized way based on the frequency of a short periodic stimulation. Thus, it enables short-lasting transient trajectories in the WM system to evoke long-lasting time-dependent neuronal signals.
In summary, we show that to allow for WM that is robust with respect to unpredictable temporal structure and can perform complex non-linear processing, the underlying neuronal system has to rely on a combination of transient trajectories and distinct attractor states. These attractor states may emerge in a self-organized way in the LTM system and in CPGs.


A survey of Western literature in the Enlightenment, Romantic and Modern periods—that is, from the late seventeenth through the twentieth centuries.


The measurement of power via a superheterodyne spectrum analyzer is investigated. In particular, the performances of two common measurement techniques, in which one is based on a "channel-power" approach and the other on the use of the analyzer in a "zero-span" mode, are assessed. The purpose is both to show advantages and drawbacks of these techniques and to provide useful hints for improving the measurement accuracy and repeatability. To this aim, an original theoretical approach, which is suitably supported by meaningful experimental examples, is proposed in this paper. The experiments also show how to compensate some typical measurement errors due to the analyzer video-filter effects by a simple calibration procedure


Diameter at breast height (DBH) is the simplest, most common and most important tree dimension in forest inventory and is closely correlated with wood volume, height and biomass. In this study, a number of linear and nonlinear models predicting diameter at breast height from stump diameter were developed and evaluated for Oriental beech (Fagus orientalisLipsky) stands located in the forest region of Ayancik, in the northeast of Turkey. A set of 1,501 pairs of diameter at breast height-stump measurements, originating from 70 sample plots of even-aged Oriental beech stands, were used in this study. About 80 % of the otal data (1,160 trees in 55 sample plots) was used to fit a number of linear and nonlinear model parameters; the remaining 341 trees in 15 sample plots were randomly reserved for model validation and calibration response. The power model data set was found to produce the most satisfactory fits with the Adjusted Coefficient of Determination, R2adj (0.990), Root Mean Square Error, RMSE (1.25), Akaike's Information Criterion, AIC (3820.5), Schwarz's Bayesian Information Criterion, BIC (3837.2), and Absolute Bias (1.25). The nonlinear mixed-effect modeling approach for power model with R2adj(0.993), AIC (3598), BIC (3610.1), Absolute Bias (0.73) and RMSE (1.04) provided much better fitting and precise predictions for DBH from stump diameter than the conventional nonlinear fixed effect model structures for this model. The calibration response including tree DBH and stump diameter measurements of the four largest trees in a calibrated sample plot in calibration produced the highest Bias, -5.31 %, and RMSE, -6.30 %, the greatest reduction percentage.


In the University Center of Defense in San Javier, composite sheets based on carbon fiber and epoxy matrix have been prepared, with some of them doped with graphene oxide or with 0.1% graphite from Sigma-Aldritch and manufatured by us.
These sheets were then irradiated with X-rays in the radiodiagnosis service of the Mesa del Castillo Hospital, Murcia, Spain. Radiation absorption measures via image analysis were performed and it has been shown that graphene-doped sheets absorb an important part of the X-ray intensity over a wide range of energy. These experiments were repeated over various ranges of frequency and energy with similar results
The surface properties of the cathode materials assume an essential job in deciding the exhibition and effectiveness of vitality stockpiling gadgets. Graphene oxide and nanostructures of 3d change metal oxides were incorporated for development of cathodes in supercapacitors, and the electronic structure and oxidation states were tested utilizing close edge X-beam ingestion fine structure. Understanding the science of graphene oxide would give important knowledge into its reactivity and properties as the graphene oxide change to decreased graphene oxide is a key advance in the blend of the anode materials. Spellbound conduct of the synchrotron X-beams and the precise reliance of the close edge X-beam assimilation fine structures (NEXAFS) have been used to contemplate the direction of the σ and π obligations of the graphene oxide and graphene oxide–metal oxide nanocomposites. The center level advances of individual metal oxides and that of the graphene oxide nanocomposite indicated that the collaboration of graphene oxide with the metal oxide nanostructures has not adjusted the electronic structure of both of them. As the rebuilding of the π organize is significant for acceptable electrical conductivity, the C K edge NEXAFS spectra of diminished graphene oxide nanocomposites affirms the equivalent through expanded force of the sp2-determined abandoned states π* band. An articulated precise reliance of the diminished example and the arrangement of excitonic tops affirmed the development of expanded conjugated system.


The racial dimensions of the death penalty are well-documented. Many observers assume this state of affairs derives from bias—often implicit and occasionally explicit—against black defendants in particular. Research points to an even more alarming factor. The race of the victim, not the defendant, steers cases in the direction of death. Regardless of the perpetrator's race, those who kill whites are more likely to face capital charges, receive a death sentence, and die by execution than those who murder blacks. This short Essay adds a contemporary gloss to the race-of-victim effect literature, placing it in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and showing how it relates to the broader, systemic devaluation of African-American lives.


Research studies on innovation tend to focus more on Process and Product
Innovations (PPIs), while both Organisational and Marketing Innovations (OMIs)
have been under-researched. The lack of prior research on these non-technological
innovations has been attributed to poor data availability. Theoretical opinions show
that OMIs could be necessary prerequisites needed to optimally utilise and deploy
these PPIs.
Organisational Ambidexterity (OA) has emerged to be crucial in achieving long-term
organisational success. Ambidexterity in an organisational context refers to the ability
to concurrently exploit current competitive advantage and explore new opportunities
with equal dexterity. For firms to remain competitive and adaptive to continuous
change in the business environment, OA has been noted as a necessary attribute, but
research on ambidexterity at the individual level of analysis is limited. There is a lack
of understanding of how individual ambidexterity at the lower-levels of the
organisation affects the overall ambidexterity of the organisation. This research
explores organisational context antecedents of OMIs capabilities; Organisational and
Employee Ambidexterity, and identifies how individual employees in Small and
Medium-sized Manufacturing and Service Organisations could contribute to the
capability of their organisation to concurrently exploit present market opportunities
and explore new opportunities, towards sustaining their competitive advantage.
This study involves a two-phase sequential mixed methods design beginning with a
qualitative exploratory research involving 15 in-depth Nigerian-based interviews. The
first phase facilitated preliminary assessment of organisational context, measured by
the Cameron and Quinn's Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument. This phase
also aided the understanding of factors that promote OMIs capabilities and the
development of themes used to design the survey instrument for the second phase.
The second phase involved a quantitative study of 398 shop-floor and 202 managerial
staff from Small and Medium-sized Nigerian Manufacturing and Service
Organisations. This phase was characterised by descriptive and inferential statistics
through Structural Equation Modelling. This aided identifying the organisational
context that promotes Employee Ambidexterity (EA) and the relationships between
EA; OA; and OMIs' capabilities.
vi
Drawing upon information-rich evidence, this study identified enablers that could
promote EA; OA; OMIs; effective innovations; and sustainable organisational growth.
Statistical evidence from the research findings shows that Organic Structure and
Knowledge Sharing, plus a Flexible and Family-like Organisational Culture:
1. enhances Employee Ambidexterity and Level of Engagement;
2. improves employees' contributions to OA, OMIs and SMEs' growth;
3. optimises the internal capabilities of SMEs in order to promote their
sustainable growth;
4. enables SMEs to search for new market opportunities and strengthen current
market positions concurrently; and
5. promotes viable Manufacturing and Service SMEs that are needed to offset the
prevalent public sector job losses.
A framework that relates: Individual and Organisational Ambidexterity;
Organisational and Marketing Innovations capabilities; and Organisational
Performance, has been identified in this study. While Marketing Innovation capability
and Exploitative Orientation of Ambidexterity target the short term organisational
benefits, Organisational Innovation capability and Explorative Orientation of
Ambidexterity address the long term competitive advantage of the organisations.
Besides advancing literature on the study of Organisational Ambidexterity by
combining the individual level of analysis with the organisational level of analysis,
this study identifies frameworks that promote effective innovation and sustainable
organisational performance through shop floor employees' contributions to
Organisational Ambidexterity and OMIs in SMEs. Outcomes of this research have
been eye-openers for the case organisations on how to optimally utilise their resources
(people, materials, knowledge, technology and other assets) to achieve sustainable
growth and long term success.


We describe here the synthesis and characterization of a ternary cluster compound [As3Nb(As3Sn3)] 3− (1), in which a niobium(V) atom is coordinated by an As3 3− triangle and a bowl-type As3Sn3 5− ligand. Cluster 1 was synthesized by dissolving K8NbSnAs5 (2) in the presence of [2.2.2]crypt in ethylenediamine solution, filtered and layered with toluene, then crystallized in the form of [K([2.2.2]crypt)]3[As3Nb(As3Sn3)]·en·tol. The flower-vase shaped compound 1 features a new structure type, rather different from the known Zintl phases. The stability and bonding of 1 are elucidated via extensive bonding analyses. The Sn3 ring is found to have σ-aromaticity featuring a delocalized Sn–Sn–Sn σ bond. Electronic structure calculations confirm the Nb(V) oxidation state and weak Nb–Sn and Sn–Sn bonding, in addition to the normal Nb–As and As–As bonds.


Background During metastasis, tumor cells metastasize from primary tumors to distant organs via the circulatory and the lymphatic systems. There is a plethora of information about metastasis through the circulatory system, however not much information is available about the tumor cells dissemination through the lymphatic system or the lymphatic microenvironment that aids in this process in breast cancer metastasis. Purpose The study designed to examine the tumor-derived secretome in lymph before reaching the draining lymph nodes. Methods Using a microsurgical technique, we have collected the lymph in transit from the primary tumor en route to the regional lymph node in animals with metastatic and non-metastatic mammary carcinoma and healthy controls. The lymph samples were subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis, bioinformatics, and pathway analysis. Results The metastatic tumor-draining lymph before its entry into the closest regional lymph node contain 26 proteins with >175-folds in abundance compared to lymph from non-metastatic tumor-bearing animals. Among these proteins were biliverdin reductase B, heat shock protein, coagulation factor XIII, lymphocytes cytosol protein 1, and aldose reductase. These proteins were not identified in the lymph from healthy animals. Pathways analysis revealed that cadherin-mediated endocytosis, acute phase response, junction signaling, gap junction, VEGF singling, and PI3K/AKT singling pathways are overrepresented in the lymph from metastatic tumor-bearing compared to the lymph from non-metastatic tumor-bearing animals. Among the significantly up-regulated proteins in the lymph from metastatic tumor-bearing animals were proteins that identified in exosomes include heat shock protein, enolase 1 alpha, S100, and biliverdin reductase B. One of the proteins significantly down-regulated in lymph from animals with metastasis is Kininogen, a known metastasis inhibitor protein. Conclusion Proteins and exosomal proteins in lymph draining a metastatic tumor are different from those in lymph draining non-metastatic tumors, and these proteins involved in pathways that regulate tumor cells migration and invasion.


The aim of this study is to examine incubators which were formed by Innovation Center Iceland right after the financial crisis hit in 2008. The question is whether a new concept can be defined, or a new phenomenon, called "crisis incubation". This is a concept that has not been studied before. This research is carried out by comparing the incubators formed in Iceland with incubators in six other European countries before the crisis hit, and see if there are any differences between the entrepreneurial processes. According to the study, the main differences between traditional incubators and crisis incubators are the following: Access to crisis incubators is much easier, incubatees within crisis incubators are much less likely to experience problems after they have entered the incubators, and they are much more likely to solve problems they experience. The only problem that incubatees in a crisis incubator are more likely to experience is obtaining finance. The study also finds some similarities between traditional incubators and crisis incubators. Overall, the main results strongly indicate that the differences between the two concepts are so great, that a new phenomenon can be defined, although further research is needed.


REPORT OF A CASE A 62-year-old white man presented with an 8-month history of an annular erythematous lesion located on the patient's axilla, chest, and abdomen. Although the annular lesions had slightly enlarged over the 8-month period, they were generally asymptomatic, although with slight tenderness on rubbing. Significant history consisted of rheumatoid arthritis, peripheral neuropathy, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; the patient received choline magnesium trisalicylate (Trilisate) and glipizide (Glucotrol) regularly. He denied any history of tick bite, fever, fatigue, pruritus, difficulty in breathing, cough, vision change, or Raynaud's phenomenon. Physical examination revealed several giant annular erythematous lesions on the patient's right axilla, right side of the chest, and abdomen (Fig 1). The individual lesions were annular erythematous nodular plaques with minimal or no scaling. An outer rim of erythema was present in some of the lesions, mimicking targetoid figures (Fig 2). Atrophy, sclerosis, or telangiectasias were not seen. Mucous membrane


Refinery gas is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and non-combustible gases (e.g., carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium). It is obtained as part of the refining and conversion of crude oil. This key comparison aims to evaluate the measurement capabilities for these types of mixtures. The results of the key comparison indicate that the analysis of a refinery-type gas mixture is for some laboratories a challenge. Overall, four laboratories (VSL, NIM, NPL and VNIIM) have satisfactory results. The results of some participants highlight some non-trivial issues, such as appropriate separation between saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, and issues with the measurement of nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).


In this paper we perform a systematic Monte Carlo study of the effective diffusivity in a 2D composite in which the dispersed phase (squares) is arranged in square planar and brick-work patterns within the matrix phase. We focus on the commonly encountered case where the dispersed phase has a much lower diffusivity than the matrix and where the segregation of the diffusant favours the matrix phase. It is found that while the generalized Maxwell-Garnett Equation generally describes the effective diffusivity semi-quantitatively, in order to have an accurate representation of the effective diffusivity at moderate volume fractions of the dispersed phase, it is necessary to use a more refined Maxwell-Garnett Equation that takes into account the actual shape and geometry of the dispersed phase.


Introduction Chpt. 1: The Revival of Commerce i. The Meditteranean ii. The North Sea and the Baltic iii. The Revival of Commerce Chpt. 2: The Towns i. The Revival of Urban Life ii. Merchants and the Bourgeoisie iii. Urban Institutions and the Law Chpt. 3: Land and the Rural Classes i. Manorial Organisation and Serfdom ii. Changes in Agriculture from the Beginning of the Twelfth Century Chpt. 4: Commerce to the End of the Thirteenth Century i. The Movement of Trade ii. The Fairs iii. Money iv. Credit and the Traffic in Money Chpt. 5: International Trade to the End of the Thirteenth Century i. Commodities and Directions of International Trade ii. The Capitalistic Character of International Trade Chpt. 6: Urban Economy and the Regulation of Industry i. The Towns as Economic Centres. The Provisioning of the Towns ii. Urban Industry Chpt. 7: The Economic Changes of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries i. Catastrophes and Social Disturbances ii. Protectionism, Capitalism and Mercantilism