The surgical techniques used in the correction of mitral valvular stenosis and insufficiency have shared in the rapid evolution introduced by the open methods of intracardiac surgery. The past 3 years have witnessed a rapidly growing adoption of procedures on the mitral valve performed under direct vision. At present, many workers have already reported their initial experiences with these new techniques.1-8Their results would suggest that closed manipulations are gradually being discarded in the surgical treatment of mitral stenosis and have become altogether obsolete in the attempted correction of mitral incompetence. Not only do the open methods already compare favorably with the closed procedures in morbidity and mortality rates, but the greater technical accuracy possible with them promises much more in the way of long-term results in the rehabilitation of these patients. Our experiences at the Cardiology Department and the Thoracic Surgery Service at Hahnemann Hospital have paralleled these


Approximately one-fourth of the population in Turkey works in the agricultural sector. One common problem in agricultural waste removal is the adverse effects of crop residue burning (CRB) on public health and environment, after the harvest. In this research, a pilot study area of 225 km2 (15 km × 15 km) in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey was selected where CRB is a common practice. Sentinel-2 satellite images of the pilot area were obtained and processed in order to monitor the spatial distribution and the total area of the agricultural parcels where crop residues were burned in the field. The analysis was extended to find out the crop-specific emissions from residue burning by identifying the crop type for each agricultural parcel. Total emissions of CO2, CO, CH4, NMHC, N2O, NH3, SO2 and NOX from the study area as a result of CRB were calculated based on the previously reported emission factors and their implication for air quality and the atmosphere was assessed.


Development of asthma and allergic inflammation involves innate immunity, but the environmental contributions remain incompletely defined. Analysis of dust collected from the homes of asthmatic individuals revealed that the polysaccharide chitin is environmentally widespread and associated with β-glucans, possibly from ubiquitous fungi. Cell wall preparations of Aspergillus isolated from house dust induced robust recruitment of eosinophils into mouse lung, an effect that was attenuated by enzymatic degradation of cell wall chitin and β-glucans. Mice expressing constitutively active acidic mammalian chitinase in the lungs demonstrated a significant reduction in eosinophil infiltration after fungal challenge. Conversely, chitinase inhibition prolonged the duration of tissue eosinophilia. Thus, fungal chitin derived from home environments associated with asthma induces eosinophilic allergic inflammation in the lung, and mammalian chitinases, including acidic mammalian chitinase, limit this process.


The English physician E. H. Starling discovered in collaboration with the physiologist W. M. Bayliss secretin, the first hormone, in 1902. Three years later they introduced the hormone concept with recognition of chemical regulation, early regulatory physiology took a major step forward. The isolation and subsequent synthesis of secretin in the 1960s prepared the way for immunological techniques. Radioimmuno assays in the 1970s enabled demonstration of a direct endocrine role of secretin. Cloning and molecular hybridisation in the 1990s identified production site structure, precursor and evolutionary relation to other gastrointestinal peptides and to the secretin receptor. Although secretin was the first substance to be established as a hormone, even today our understanding is far from complete.


Inadequatemilksupplyduringthefirstfewdays'after delivery become concern from most of the women. Indonesia Health Research and Development Agency in 2010 stated that the failure of exclusive breastfeeding commonly caused by insufficient milk production. The intervention of SPEOS (EndorphinStimulation, Oxytocin Massage, and Suggestive Technique) methods are offered to post-partum mothers in increasing breast milk supply. This study aimed to identify the influence of SPEOS on breast milk supply among post-partum mothers at Primary Health Care in Cimahi Tengah Indonesia. Quasi-experimental research with non-equivalent control group design was conducted. A total of 20 postpartum mothers were involved in this studyby using accidental sampling technique. The data were taken from March to April 2018 through observation on the amount of breast milk by pumping in two times observation including before and after the SPEOS method applied. The data were analyzed by t-independent test. Ethical approval was obtained from Health Research and Ethics Committee of Institute of Health Science Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi No. 005/KEPK/II/2018. The result shows that the intervention group produces more breast milkasmuchas3,74cconthethirddaysoftheexperimentthanthecontrolgroup(2,04 cc).Bivariateanalysisshowspvalue0,001.Therefore,SPEOS methods gives significant influences on breast milk supply among post partum mothers. Conclusions SPEOS methods are effective in increasing low breast milk supply amongpost-partummothers.


Violations of sexual privacy, notably the non-consensual publication of sexually graphic images in violation of someone's trust, deserve criminal punishment. They deny subjects' ability to decide if and when they are sexually exposed to the public and undermine trust needed for intimate relationships. Then too they produce grave emotional and dignitary harms, exact steep financial costs, and increase the risks of physical assault. A narrowly and carefully crafted criminal statute can comport with the First Amendment. The criminalization of revenge porn is necessary to protect against devastating privacy invasions that chill self-expression and ruin lives.


This bibliography comprises articles from the journals listed below that appeared in the first half of 1985. Inaccessibility to a number of journals has necessitated their omission from the present coverage. They will be included, if available, in the next installment of the bibliography, which will appear in the August 1986 issue of this review. Comments from users of this service are invited, as well as suggestions for expanding the present coverage of journals. Specific issues covered in this bibliography are indicated.


Anaplasma phagocytophilum , a bacterium transmitted by ticks, is responsible for granulocytic anaplasmosis, an emerging zoonosis that has never been reported nor identified previously in Benin and in the West African sub-region. This study is designed not only to investigate the prevalence of the disease and evaluate mortalities recorded at Kpinnou farm after importing Girolando cattle from Brazil in 2014 but also to assess the prevalence of the emerging disease in Benin in the year 2014 period. A total number of 1427 ticks were collected, including 5 ml of blood from each one hundred cattle. Microscopic diagnosis reveals the presence of Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) spp., Rhipicephalus microplus , Amblyomma variegatum , Rhipicephalus spp and Hyalomma spp. Blood analysis results reveal the occurrence of 55% positive cases for A. phagocytophilum . Considering the effeiciency of the methods, 100% of A. phagocytophilum reported as positive by microscopy appear to be also positive with molecular analysis. PCR has greater sensitivity and specificity even with microscopy showing appreciable specificity. This study concludes that Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the primary suspect responsible for the massive deaths observed in cattle in the study area.


We present the first study of network access link performance measured directly from home gateway devices. Policymakers, ISPs, and users are increasingly interested in studying the performance of Internet access links. Because of many confounding factors in a home network or on end hosts, however, thoroughly understanding access network performance requires deploying measurement infrastructure in users' homes as gateway devices. In conjunction with the Federal Communication Commission's study of broadband Internet access in the United States, we study the throughput and latency of network access links using longitudinal measurements from nearly 4,000 gateway devices across 8 ISPs from a deployment of over 4,200 devices. We study the performance users achieve and how various factors ranging from the user's choice of modem to the ISP's traffic shaping policies can affect performance. Our study yields many important findings about the characteristics of existing access networks. Our findings also provide insights into the ways that access network performance should be measured and presented to users, which can help inform ongoing broader efforts to benchmark the performance of access networks.


We present the results of a study that simulates trajectories of ultra-high energy cosmic rays from Centaurus A to Earth. The arrival directions are characterized to assess whether Cen A can be identified as a source of cosmic rays based on observing departures from isotropy. We analyze separately particles originating from the central engine as well as from the north and south radio lobes of the Cen A complex. Simulations are performed for particle rigidities from E/Z = 2 EV to 100 EV, thus covering the possibility of primary particles as heavy as Fe nuclei with energies exceeding 50 EeV. The Galactic magnetic field is modeled using the recent work of Jansson and Farrar (JF12) which fitted its parameters to match extragalactic Faraday rotation measures and WMAP7 synchrotron emission maps. We also discuss the effects of an additional turbulent magnetic field on the cosmic ray deflections.


To the Editor. —Cutaneous metastases usually arise in the region of the primary tumor, are multiple, and are associated with concomitant metastases to internal organs and lymph nodes. We describe an unusual case of recurrent gastroesophageal carcinoma manifesting as a solitary cutaneous metastasis to the upper lip in a patient with no other evidence of distant disseminated disease. Report of a Case. —A 48-year-old white man presented in September 1986, reporting epigastric pain, reflux, dysphagia, and intermittent hematochezia. Upper endoscopy and subsequent laparotomy revealed a hard tumor of the gastroesophageal junction with extension into the fundus and penetration through the lesser curvature. There were no gross nodal or liver metastases. An esophagogastrectomy with esophagogastrostomy was performed. Pathologic findings showed poorly to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, with clear surgical margins and four of 10 perigastric lymph nodes positive for metastatic adenocarcinoma.


Biomonitoring of pesticides exposure has currently become a matter of great public concern due to the potential health effects of pesticides. This study assessed levels of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and associated health effects in uncontrolled smallholder farming systems in rural Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted of 90 exposed farmers and 61 nonexposed controls from horticultural zones. A structured questionnaire was administered, and a capillary blood sample of 10 μl was used to measure AChE activity using an Erythrocyte Acetylcholinesterase Test Mate Photometric Analyzer kit (Model 400). A multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate determinants of pesticide exposure. The study revealed that smallholder farmers are occupationally exposed to pesticides. Exposed farmers had significantly lower AChE levels. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) did not significantly reduce the likelihood of AChE inhibition. Women, younger and older farmers, and underweight, overweight, and obese farmers were at increased risk of AChE inhibition. Increase in age (10 years) increased likelihood of AChE inhibition by 6.7%, while decrease in BMI increased likelihood of AChE inhibition by 86.7% while increased pesticides contact hours increased risk of having lower AChE at about 3 times. The number of exposure symptoms (14.10 ± 7.70) was higher in exposed farmers than unexposed. Self-reported symptoms are confirmed to correlate to lower AChE. Prevalence of tiredness (71.6% against 15.5%), fatigue (64.8% against 27.6%), soreness in joints (59.1% against 20.7%), thirst (52.3% against 12.1%), skin irritation (52.1% against 17.2%), salivation and abdominal pain (50% against 8.6% and 31.0%, respectively), muscle weakness (47.7% against 24.1%), and memory loss (47.7% against and 29.3%) differed significantly between exposed and control. This study provides useful information regarding the level of occupational and environmental exposure to pesticides in smallholder horticultural production systems. Pesticides use needs to be controlled at farm level by developing pesticides monitoring and surveillance systems.


In three patients, referred to a memory clinic because of memory impairment, three different types of memory dysfunction were observed: a deficit in encoding of new episodic memories, a relatively pure loss of semantic memory and an impairment in retrieval of stored information. These patients were diagnosed as suffering from Alzheimer's disease, semantic dementia and frontotemporal dementia respectively. The diagnosis was essential in determining the individual management strategy.


The present study aimed to investigate the prey preference of the omnivorous bug Dicyphus tamaninii Wagner (Heteroptera: Miridae) among 5 different prey species, and its interaction with 3 different natural enemies commonly used in greenhouses. Moreover, the survival duration of the predator was studied in response to different nutritional sources. In multi-choice trials all developmental stages of the predator tested, namely N3, N5, and adult female, showed a clear preference for Aphis gossypii Glover over other prey species offered. Nonetheless, a considerable number of Tetranychus urticae Koch, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) were also consumed. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) was the least preferred by all the predatory stages tested. In a separate experiment, D. tamaninii was able to complete its development from N1 to adult stage in an average of 21 days, with 20% mortality, when offered only T. urticae as prey.As testing all of the potential interactions with other beneficial arthropods is not practical, the present study focused on 3 natural enemies most likely to be disrupted by a possible release of D. tamaninii in a greenhouse; these were Amblyseius cucumeris Oudenmans, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henrriot, and Aphidius colemani Viereck (A. gossypii mummies), in the presence of unparasitized A. gossypii nymphs. The results show that D. tamaninii mostly attacked unparasitized A. gossypii first. Moreover, an average of only 3.8 A. cucumeris, 2.6 P. persimilis, and 0.2 A. colemani individuals day -1 female -1 were attacked. Furthermore, the results show that D. tamaninii females were able to survive for 41.2, 14.5, 9.8, and 3.8 days when offered only A. gossypii, honey emulsion, cucumber plant, or no food, respectively.


To probe physics beyond the scales of human-made accelerators with cosmic rays demands an accurate knowledge of their primary mass composition. Using fluorescence detectors, one is able to estimate the mass by measuring the depth of the shower maximum -max. These, however, exhibit a very low duty cycle of typically below 15%. Inferring -max from a surface detector array (SD) such as the water-Cherenkov array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is highly non-trivial due to the inherent complexity and fluctuations of the shower footprint. Moreover, the sheer amount of data makes it non-trivial to find hidden patterns in the spatial and temporal distributions of detector signals. Neural networks provide a straightforward way of tackling such a problem doing a data-driven analysis. Relying solely on geometrical quantities, timing, and the signal-time information of the SD stations, we show that by exploiting the symmetries due to their triangular arrangement, we are able to boost a standard analysis network significantly without modifying its architecture or training process. Furthermore, these considerations yield a standardization procedure which also enables us to encode the footprint information in a memory-efficient way. The presented procedure can also be generalized and extended to systems whose setup has an underlying hexagonal geometry.


Controlling thermal stress is a promising way to reduce the temperature instability of arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs). A simple method to apply thermal stress is to attach stress plates on the arrayed waveguides. In this paper, a general analytical method to study the temperature sensitivity of the central wavelength in modified AWGs with stress plates is developed. The complete analysis shows that the temperature sensitivity can be controlled effectively by tuning the material parameters and the thickness of the stress plates. To obtain athermal AWGs, a stress plate with large positive thermal expansion coefficient and small Young's modulus should be attached on the bottom of the arrayed waveguides. The material with large negative thermal expansion coefficient suggests another potential scheme.


Background: Despite the concerted efforts of the government, a large proportion of vulnerable infants and children remain unimmunized. Though overall immunization coverage rates of Karnataka appear to be acceptable, some districts within the state have poor coverage rates. Districts in North Karnataka have poor immunization coverage when compared to districts in South Karnataka. Objectives: 1. To assess the primary immunization coverage in children aged between 12-23 months. 2.To study the f actors influencing the immunization coverage. Material & Methods: Community based cross sectional study carried out in the urban area of Raichur town among children aged between 12-23 months by WHO-Cluster sampling method . Results: 71% of the children were fully immunized, 28.1% were partially immunized and 0.9% of them were not immunized. The coverage of BCG, OPV3, DPT3, and measles was 95.7%, 79%, 79% and 72.9% respectively. The coverage of Hep3 was 79.5%. Factors like socio-economic status, occupation and education of parents, place of delivery, birth order of the child, presence of immunization card and number of antenatal visits were found to influence the immunization coverage. Conclusion: The immunization coverage in the urban area of Raichur has improved markedly over the past years. But still there is scope for improvement by concentrating on the factors which are influencing utilization of immunization services.


Recent progress on nanodevices, such as carbon nanotubes and nanowires, points to promising directions for future circuit design. However, nanofabrication techniques are not yet mature, making implementation of such circuits, at least on a large scale, in the near future infeasible. However, if photolithography could be used to implement circuits using these nanodevices, then hybrid nano/CMOS chips could be fabricated and the benefits of nanotechnology could be utilized immediately. A startup company, called Nantero, has developed and implemented a non-volatile nanotube random-access memory (NRAM) using photolithography that is considerably faster and denser than DRAM, has much lower power consumption than DRAM or flash, has similar speed to SRAM and is highly resistant to environmental forces (temperature, magnetism). In this paper, we propose a novel high performance reconfigurable architecture called NATURE, that utilizes CMOS logic and NRAMs. Use of the highly-dense NRAMs allows large on-chip configuration storage, enabling fine-grain run-time reconfiguration and temporal logic folding of a circuit before being mapped to the architecture. This can significantly increase the logic density of NATURE (by over an order of magnitude for larger circuits) while remaining competitive in performance. Compared to traditional reconfigurable architectures, NATURE also allows the designer the flexibility to adjust the level of logic folding in order to improve performance or perform area-performance trade-offs. Experimental results establish its efficacy and give comparisons with today's mainstream FPGA technology which does not allow logic folding


In this paper, the implementation of a new Autocovariance Least-Square (ALS) technique for livestock hybrid ventilation systems and associated indoor climate with a Model Predictive Control (MPC) strategy is presented. The design is based on thermal comfort parameters for poultry in barns and a combined dynamic model describing the entire system knowledge. Reference offset-free tracking is achieved using target calculation and quadratic programming and adding a disturbance model that accommodates unmeasured disturbances entering through the process input. The unknown noise covariances are diagnosed and corrected by applying the ALS estimator with the closed loop process data. The comparative simulations show the performance improvement with the ALS estimator in the presence of disturbances and moderate amount of error in the model parameters. The results demonstrate the high potential of ALS methods in improving the best practice of process control and estimation.


The linkages between salesperson-organization fit and salesperson deviance behaviors have not received adequate attention in the marketing literature. Salespeople can be viewed as either a tremendous asset for the realization of an organization's long term goals or as a potential threat to its overall success. This research addresses the importance of managing salesperson-organization fit in mitigating subsequent antinormative behaviors. The study employs a conceptual model of sales-specific organizational congruence factors (work/nonwork demands fit, compensation structure fit, and values congruence) which drive salesperson deviance behaviors. The study examines how deviant behaviors are employed as a coping mechanism by salespeople who do not 'fit ' within an organization. These behaviors influence salesperson competence through individual and organizational outcomes (performance, organizational commitment, turnover intentions and life satisfaction). The empirical tests of the hypotheses are based upon online survey data collected from 408 non-retail industrial salespeople from multiple companies in various industries.


During the years 1968 to 1973 70 patients suffering from malaria were admitted to one hospital in England. Twenty had malignant tertian malaria while the remainder had infections caused by Plasmodium vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. Malaria should be suspected in every febrile patient who has visited a tropical country, and the diagnosis can be confirmed only by examining blood films. Disseminated intravascular coagulation may complicate the disease, and should be considered in every case. British workers spending short periods in malarious areas and Asian immigrants returning home for a holiday are often inadequately instructed about malarial prophylaxis, particularly the need to continue this for at least a month after they return home. Companies and travel agencies should be obliged to provide such instructions.


Confined compression stress relaxation tests with porous platens (Fig 1) have been frequently used for investigating the flow-dependent viscoelastic behavior of biological hydrated soft tissues [Lai et al., 1981; Mow et al., 1980]. From experimental data, the one-dimensional (1D) compression modulus (i.e., the aggregate modulus) at equilibrium and the hydraulic permeability of the tissue can be calculated using the biphasic theory for cartilage developed by Mow et al. (1980). However, the swelling pressure effects associated with fixed charge density (FCD) can not be accounted for directly by the biphasic theory. Thus, in this abstract, we determine the effects of FCD, hence the osmotic pressure, on the confined compression stress-relaxation behavior of cartilage using our mechano-electrochemical theory [Lai et al., 1991]. The objectives of this study are to determine the confined compression stress-relaxation behavior of a charged, hydrated-soft tissue by: 1) delineating the contribution of the swelling pressure to the total stress when the tissue is compressed; 2) determining the deformation, flow, pressure and electric fields in the tissue for the understanding of mechano-electrochemical signal transduction within the tissue.


Abstract The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, is the primary vector of several tick-borne pathogens, including those causing Lyme disease and babesiosis, in the eastern United States and active collection methods for this species include dragging or wild animal sampling. Nest boxes targeting mice may be an alternative strategy for the surveillance and collection of immature I. scapularis feeding on these hosts and would be much safer for animals compared to small mammal trapping. We constructed double-walled insulated nest boxes (DWINs) with collection tubes mounted below the nesting chamber and deployed eleven in southern Wisconsin from June until September of 2020. The DWINs were occupied by Peromyscus spp. and birds (wren species, Troglodytidae family). We collected 192 ticks from collection tubes, all of which were identified as either I. scapularis (95%) or Dermacentor variabilis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) (5%). Only 12% (21/182) and 20% (2/10) of I. scapularis and D. variabilis were blood-fed, respectively. The high proportion of unfed ticks found in collection tubes may be due to grooming by hosts inside the nest boxes. Alternatively, immature ticks may have climbed trees and entered the DWIN seeking a host. Results suggest that nest boxes could be a tool for finding ticks in areas of low density or at the leading edge of invasion, when small mammal trapping or drag sampling is not feasible.


As the nine-member 2011 Alex Awards committee, we had requested, read, and reviewed nearly 500 titles. December and early January had been a blur of words and punctuation, as we attempted to read during spare moments: bus rides, grocery store lines, and lunch breaks. Our homes became obstacle courses and fire hazards of stacked books; our e-mail inboxes were flooded with a mix of poignant reviews, tangential observations, and sleep-deprived ramblings. We pushed books into the hands of teens, our plea-filled words running into each other, hey-could-you-pretty-please-look-at-this-book-and-let-me-know-what-you- think? It all came down to this one moment. We walked back into the conference room, our eyes scanning the covers of the selected books. The committee chair, Beth Gallaway, and the administrative assistant, Scott Rader, had tabulated the votes that committee members had scrawled earlier on hotel stationary. We cried "Yes!" for our beloved books that stood tall among the ten, and observed moments of silence for our lonely favorites that did not make the cut. "This year's list runs the gamut of mystery, suspense, magical realism, adventure, and memoir," said Gallaway, chair of the 2011 Alex Awards committee. "Our selections are accessible to a wide range of ages, and feature a mute, a zombie slayer, a family of vampires, a Chinese American immigrant, a homeschooler, and an insomniac--truly, there is something for everyone." The Alex Awards recognize ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages twelve through eighteen. In addition to the awards, the committee also releases a vetted nominations list. I had the opportunity to speak with three of the winners: Liz Murray, author of Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard; Steve Hamilton, author of The Lock Artist; and Joshua Gaylord, who wrote The Reapers Are the Angels under the pseudonym Alden Bell. First Readers, Then Writers Over the course of my interviews, something became clear: these three authors had childhoods and teen years marked by voracious reading and library use. Murray grew up surrounded by library books. Her father, an avid library fan, would often check out books and (despite best intentions) neglect to return them. In addition to the perpetually borrowed collection, Murray and her father also made frequent trips to the library. Murray said, "My relationship with books was because of my father." Books showed Murray that "Life can be different." Even when homeless as a teen, Murray continued her routine from childhood of visiting the library. She spent what she called "countless hours" in branches of the New York Public Library, in Manhattan and the Bronx, hanging out, reading, and meticulously keeping a journal. It is where she began writing. As a teen, Gaylord's reading was fueled by a fascination with horror fiction (Stephen King and Peter Straub) before moving onto the more serious recommendations of his teachers (James Joyce, Franz Kafka, and William Faulkner). Likewise, Hamilton read everything he could get his hands on. From Lord of the Rings to crime stories and mysteries, he read all the time. Hamilton said, "The library in Dearborn, Michigan, was Shangri-la for me." He continued, "I would check out as many books as they would let me check out." Responding to the budget and staffing cuts so many libraries face during these rough economic times, he said, "It's hard to imagine a world without libraries." In 2006, Hamilton was honored by the Michigan Library Association with the Michigan Author Award. Recognized for his books about Alex McKnight, a private investigator living in Paradise, Michigan, Hamilton has even had the distinction of having his novels be required reading for students. He said, "I've arrived, now that I'm homework." Libraries nurture readers, laying the foundation for the next generation of writers, from memoirists to dystopians to crime writers. …


Unraveling quality of experience (QoE) of video streaming is very challenging in bandwidth shared wireless networks. It is unclear how QoE metrics such as starvation probability and buffering time interact with dynamics of streaming traffic load. In this paper, we collect view records from one of the largest streaming providers in China over two weeks and perform an in-depth measurement study on flow arrival and viewing time that shed light on the real traffic pattern. Our most important observation is that the viewing time of streaming users fits a hyper-exponential distribution quite well. This implies that all the views can be categorized into two classes, short and long views with separated time scales. We then map the measured traffic pattern to bandwidth shared cellular networks and propose an analytical framework to compute the closed-form starvation probability on the basis of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Our framework can be naturally extended to investigate practical issues including the progressive downloading and the finite video duration. Extensive trace-driven simulations validate the accuracy of our models. Our study reveals that the starvation metrics of the short and long views possess different sensitivities to the scheduling priority at base station (BS). Hence, a better QoE tradeoff between the short and long views has a potential to be leveraged by offering them different scheduling weights. The flow differentiation involves tremendous technical and non-technical challenges because video content is owned by content providers but not the network operators and the viewing time of each session is unknown beforehand. To overcome these difficulties, we propose an online Bayesian approach to infer the viewing time of each incoming flow with the "least" information from content providers.


This classroom based research project focuses on participation rates of children in the junior primary school during science classes and from the information gathered attempts to identify how a teacher can encourage
optimal participation from all children. Factors which influence participation rates and factors which have no influence on participation rates are discussed in relation to the results. These factors include gender,
the role of the teacher, teaching styles, gender and groupings and academic ability as an influence in science learning. The position of the Irish Revised Primary School Curriculum for science in effecting participation levels is also discussed. The classroom in which the research
takes place is a multi-grade class with an age range of four years old to eight years old. Multi-grade classes place added demands on the teacher's time and as the researcher is also the class teacher video recordings of the
lessons were utilised to facilitate the gathering and analysis of data.
The findings of the research indicate that the content of the Revised Primary School Curriculum for science provides highly appropriate and enjoyable content for this age group. It also indicates that the majority of
children maximise their participation within their own class and age groupings. Altering these groups is generally counter-productive. One notable exception for altering the groups is when academically low achieving children fail to try to participate due to a lack of self-esteem.
These children respond positively to less competitive groupings.


Based on an incremental path search algorithm, this paper addresses the problem of performance driven path classification by sizing selected gates on the shortest and the longest identified paths of the circuit. Delay and power/area constraints are managed using circuit path sizing alternatives defined through a realistic evaluation of gate power and delay. Implemented in the POPS tool (Performance Optimization by Path Selection), the accuracy of this technique is compared to evaluation obtained from industrial tools on examples of path enumeration and optimization evaluated on several ISCAS'85 benchmarks.


Investigations of the strong environmental gradients within intertidal and subtidal rocky reefs have contributed significantly to our understanding of ecological processes, but studies exploring how algal community structure responds to the extreme environmental transition of the intertidal-subtidal interface are rare. Our objective was to examine patterns in macroalgal distribution and species richness with depth on temperate rocky reefs. Standing algal biomass and richness were measured on 6 representative reefs in southern New Zealand, across 5 depth strata from the high intertidal zone, 1.5 m above mean low water (MLW), to the subtidal zone, 10 m below MLW. We found a unimodal relationship between algal richness and biomass across the depths, where maximum species richness occurred at intermediate levels of biomass. These results are consistent with many terrestrial plant studies across strong environmental gradients. Biomass decreased down the shoreline, with the exception of the high intertidal where the lowest biomass was recorded, whilst species richness increased down the shoreline. Additionally, strong patterns of dominance were observed, with a single species (not always the same species) contributing >56% of the total biomass across all depth strata examined. This dominance could have important implications for ecosystem provisioning across this system, particularly if dominant species are found to be vulnerable to the impacts of local and/or global change. The strong environmental gradients that characterise the intertidal-subtidal transition on rocky reefs over relatively small and experimentally tractable spatial scales enable opportunities to further advance our understanding of the mechanisms controlling the distribution of biodiversity.


Background. Acute appendicitis, cholecystitis and sigmoid diverticulitis are the most common inflammatory visceral surgical emergencies. According to the principles of evidence-based medicine, treatment methods and surgical indications should be constantly questioned and validated by highquality clinical studies. Objective. To identify and classify the current evidence on surgical treatment of acute appendicitis, cholecystitis and sigmoid diverticulitis. Material and methods. Targeted literature search in Medline, the Cochrane Library and study registers (clinicaltrials.gov). Results and conclusion. The indications for surgery are changing due to increasing numbers of high-quality clinical studies. Conservative treatment seems to be feasible in the early stages. In contrast, many surgical steps have not yet been sufficiently validated. Furthermore, there is a great need for highquality, prospective randomized clinical trials, so that promotion of studies and the study culture in surgery should continue to be of greatest interest.


Abstract. Processes destabilising recently deglaciated rockwalls, driving cirque headwall retreat, and putting high alpine infrastructure at risk are poorly understood due to a lack of in situ monitoring data. Deglaciation initiates internal stress redistribution and drastically increases atmospheric forcing rendering cirque headwalls particularly prone for rock slope failure. Here we present quantitative data from an unstable, recently deglaciated cirque headwall. We monitor the dynamics of a fracture at the north face of the Kitzsteinhorn (3203 m a.s.l.) over a period of 2.5 years. Two crackmeters measure horizontal and vertical crack deformation with a resolution of ±0.003 mm and are complemented by crack top temperature measurements. To decipher thermo-mechanical from cryogenic forcing, thermal expansion coefficients for both horizontal and vertical directions are calculated to derive purely thermo-mechanical deformation. Our data shows that fracture dynamics are dominated by thermo-mechanical expansion and contraction of the inter-cleft rock mass during snow-covered and snow-free periods. Significant deviations from thermo-mechanical behavior occur due to freeze-thaw action during spring and autumn zero curtain periods. Exceptional vertical deformation during these periods is triggered by rainfall events providing liquid water into the fracture system. Subsequent refreezing rather than hydrostatic pressure build-up is to the most likely cause of the mechanical response. Lower magnitude horizontal deformation occurs in autumn and early winter due to ice segregation. Irreversible fracture opening was not observed, however, enhanced cryogenic deformation in spring and autumn may lead to shallow, low magnitude rock detachments. Our results highlight the importance of liquid water intake in combination with subzero-temperatures on the destabilisation of glacier headwalls. We conclude that intense frost action and ice segregation are common processes in randkluft systems, serving as important preparatory factors of paraglacial rock slope instability.


In recent years, banking industry around the world has undergone a rapid transformation; innovations in financial services have revolutionized the way of banking. These innovations have driven rapid changes in the ways banks provide services and interact with their customers. Though these technological advancements are more ubiquitous; the need of understanding the influence of self service technologies like ATM, ECS, NEFT, RTGS, online banking etc. by banks for its customers is important. The present study attempts to investigate influence of consumer innovativeness and personal characteristics on consumer adoption behavior of online banking. A pictorial presentation is provided that conceptualizes and bifurcates the consumer innovativeness as innate, domain specific, vicarious, techno-oriented and links it with personal characteristics of consumer and their adoption behavior of online banking. For this purpose, a sample of 180 customers has been taken by using the random sampling process from the customers of banks located in Delhi-NCR. An exploratory factor analysis is applied to analyze the data. The study identifies Convenience & ease of use, Techno savvy & job performance, past experience and Apprehension towards technology as four antecedent factors influencing consumer adoption behavior of online banking. The findings of study also indicate that self employed males under the age group of 31 to 40 indicate the characteristics of innate innovativeness and easily adopt online banking, where as professionals show domain specific innovativeness. The study also deduces that Servicemen falling in the age bracket of 41 and above were found to be more apprehensive towards the adoption of technology.

Keywords: Self-service technologies, Consumer innovativeness, Consumer adoption behavior.


: A case of monomorphous tubular salivary gland adenoma of the middle ear is presented. Ectopical tissue of salivary gland is conceived as a morphogenetic disturbance and is closely related to the n. facial. Case-taking, therapy, topogenesis and morphology are discussed.


Aim: Drug addiction causes many of brain dysfunctions and intellectual abnormalities so that its problem should be addressed. Hence, this study is aimed  at comparing executive functions among drug-dependent, in abstinence, and normal individuals in Tehran.
Methodology: Research method is descriptive-comparative. Studied samples consisted of men chosen from addiction treatment centers in Tehran, using random sampling method. Members of normal groups consisted of 25 normal people without any experience of opiates use; drug user group consisted of 25 drug-dependent patients; and group of in abstinence individuals consisted of 25 members who had been drug abusers before but were under treatment during this study. To compare executive functions of the brain of these three groups, Letter-Number Sequence Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were used.
Results: Drug users had lower function compared with normal but had a better function compared with in-abstinence groups in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. in Letters-Digits Sequence Test, normal group have better performance than two other groups significantly; whereas, among two drug user and in-abstinence groups, drug users significantly performed better than in-abstinence group. Also. this current study showed that there is a relationship between substance use duration and low executive functions of brain (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Drug users have lower function compared with normal and in-abstinence groups in Wisconsin Card Sorting and Letters-Digits Sequence test. Moreover, short-term deprivation from drugs correlate with lower executive function of brain in cognitive tasks.


The European Clinical Laboratory and Molecular (ECLM) classification of von Willebrand disease (vWD) is based on the splitting approach which uses sensitive and specific von Willebrand factor (vWF) assays with regard to the updated molecular data on structure and function of vWF gene and protein defects. A complete set of FVIII:C and vWF ristocetine cofactor, collagen binding, and antigen, vWF multimeric analysis in low- and medium-resolution gels, and responses to desmopressin (DDAVP) of FVIII:C and vWF parameters are mandatory. The ECLM classification distinguishes recessive types 1 and 3 vWD from recessive vWD 2C due to mutations in the D1 and D2 domains and vWD 2N due to mutations in the D′-FVIII-binding domain of vWF. The ECLM classification differentiates between mild vWD type 1 with variable penetrance of bleedings from symptomatic dominant type 1 vWD secretion defect and/or clearance defect with normal vWF multimers versus vWD 1M and 2M with normal or smeary vWF multimers in low- and medium-resolution gels. High-quality multimeric analysis of vWF in medium-resolution gels based on a DDAVP challenge test clearly delineates and distinguishes each of the dominant type 2 vWDs 1/2E, 2M, 2B, 2A, and 2D caused by vWF gene mutations in the D3 multimerization domain, loss or gain-of-function mutations in the glycoprotein Ib receptor A1 domain, gene mutations in the A2 proteolytic domain, and the C-terminal dimerization domain, respectively.


: Why do some legal disputes fail to settle? From a bird's eye view, the literature offers two categories of reasons. One consists of arguments based on informational disparities. The other consists of psychological arguments. This paper explores the psychological theory. It presents a model of litigation driven by risk preferences and examines the model's implications for trials and settlements. The model suggests a foundation in Prospect Theory for the Mutual Optimism model of litigation. The model's implications for plaintiff win rates, settlement patterns, and informational asymmetry with respect to the degree of risk aversion are examined. JEL Classifications : D91, D74


This thesis pays particular attention to the management of knowledge workers in the local context. Using a survey questionnaire and an in-depth semi-structured interview, an investigation of knowledge workers was carried out based on three main perspectives, namely knowledge management, human resource management and the government development agency. The empirical focus is the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status companies in Malaysia. By examining 171 usable responses to self-administered questionnaires and in-depth semi- structured interviews with 78 knowledge workers, the findings from the study are analysed to answer the following research questions: How do knowledge workers perceive the current definition of "knowledge workers" by the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC) and what are their opinions on being classified as knowledge workers; How do knowledge workers perceive the current practices and the movement towards the importance and actual implementation of knowledge management in Malaysia; What are the factors affecting the successful implementation of knowledge management in Malaysia; What is the role of human resource management in managing knowledge workers and lielping knowledge management to meet its objectives to achieve competitive advantage; Finally, what is the role of the government development agency in ensuring the successful implementation of knowledge management in Malaysia. Several key findings are derived from this study, including opinions of agreement and disagreement with the definition of "knowledge workers". This then leads to the development of several alternative definitions of knowledge workers, which may further assist the Malaysian government in providing the real picture of the current needs of knowledge workers. It has also been found that knowledge workers have distinctive characteristics. They look for challenges, prefer freedom, like flexible hours, dislike hierarchical structures and are in great demand, frequently being "head-hunted". This information is very useful in producing competitive programmes and upgrading and supporting policy plans for human resource management, as well as for successful knowledge management implementation. Furthermore, even though MSC companies are considered to be high tech and knowledge-based, knowledge management is still in its infancy or in some cases non-existent. However, there are positive attitudes towards the importance of having knowledge management within companies to enable them to leverage their knowledge effectively. Most significantly, this study also indicates the relationship between knowledge management and human resource management. It has been revealed that the techniques of knowledge management are not sufficient without the support of appropriate human resource management practices. For example, it supports processes of knowledge transfer by creating a supportive organisational context and helps companies to retain staff and avoid high labour turnover. Finally, this thesis concludes that the current practice of human resource management could be improved and/or adjusted in order to become more compatible with the expectations of the current Malaysian high-tech industry.


The work presented in this paper was concerned to design a new remote control and monitoring system, which can be used for controlling the electrical devices at college/office and monitoring the clients' status by using the Virtual Private Network (VPN). The system is consists of server and multi clients and utilize VPN for establish a secret communication within internet network or enhanced wireless network. The server employed for controlling the remote devices which inherent with clients through serial interface. The interface circuit was designed to connect the serial port with the devices which are consisting of (Max238, UART, and CD4060) to complete the functions of interface. There are 8 pins for data output, which can produce up to 256 different control signal statuses. The mechanism of monitoring operation was achieved through executing two function: firstly, the files transfer (image or text) between sever and clients; secondly, monitoring the client status through server computer. For more security a new wireless enhanced network was built to implement the Virtual Private Network (VPN) which consists of four power nano station (5GHz) to establish transfer information for distance up to 35 Km. PPTP (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol), IPSec. (Internet Protocol Security) was configured to give secret authentication for virtual private network. Visual basic language was used to implement the frameworks (GUI) and socket connection.


Geography as a school subject is facing a crisis of identity. Student interest in geography has decreased and the lack of solutions for improving geography's image opened a research gap. The aim of the paper is to summarize the knowledge and understanding from the pupils' perspective and prepare the ground for conducting similar research in Czechia. Getting the pupils' perspective is crucial for shaping the subject in a more favorable direction and in defending geography's place in the education system. Subsequently it creates concrete arguments for defending and stabilizing. The author searched for studies using the WoS and Scopus databases. Three criteria were set: studies only in English, the maximum time limit as February 2020, and the age of researched students as 11–19 years. Twenty-seven relevant studies, mainly conducted in English speaking countries, were found. The review focuses especially on applied methods and results of studies. Results showed that quantitative methods prevailed over qualitative. Factors such as the personality of the teacher, teaching methods, and geography topics seemed the most important in the process of developing a positive image of geography.


This commentary outlines the origins, history, and current status of research related to children's social withdrawal and social isolation. Early research related to children's peer relationships is first explored, followed by a discussion of the relative "neglect" of social withdrawal prior to the 1980s. Increased research attention since that time is briefly reviewed; this latter research has provided a greater understanding of the causes, correlates, and consequences associated with "solitude." In the latter half of this essay, the roles of biological factors and parenting are described. The essay closes with a discussion of future directions, including the exploration of risk and protective factors for socially withdrawn children, as well as the need for more research related to prevention and intervention.


We examine a database of fire department emergencies in the surroundings of the city of Toulouse during the year 2004,using methods of statistical analysis for spatial point patterns. Firemen emergencies are characterized by their positions anddifferent features (time, duration, type,…) that one can model as a spatio-temporal marked point process. For our study,we consider the following characteristics of firemen emergencies: positions, time of occurrences and marks which take intoaccount the duration and the number of firemen involved. We use graphical methods to explore the structure of theunderlying spatial point process with a final objective of choosing a suitable model for future work. We first review the basicconcepts and methods used in the paper. Considering the marginal spatio-temporal point pattern, we propose to evaluate theimportance of the variation of intensity over time in comparison with spatial variation and to test the dependence betweenpositions and time. Afterwards, we conduct an exploratory analysis of the marks to test their dependence with positions aswell as their dependence with time. Our resulting framework of independence allows us to explore the dependence betweencategories in order to test the random labeling hypothesis. Then, under the hypothesis of random labeling and invariance intime which have been established in the first two parts, we fit a spatial point process model to the unmarked spatial pointpattern aggregated over the whole year. Finally, we analyze the goodness-of-fit of our models by exploring the first andsecond order characteristics of simulations from the fitted models. Throughout this article, the exploratory analysis is madeusing mainly the R package spatstat. An exposure to point processes is useful but not indispensable for understanding theexposition.


To realize ultrasensitive detection of trace amounts of lead in water, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy combined with laser-induced fluorescence (LIBS-LIF) was investigated. A wood-slice substrate was selected: (i) as a water absorber to convert liquid-sample analysis to solid-sample analysis; (ii) to eliminate the influence of a water matrix to spectral analysis (e.g., light blocking due to water splashing and plasma emission quenching due OH groups) in the plasma during direct analysis of water samples. The wood slice after treatment was ablated by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser to produce plasma. Then, the lead atoms in the plasma were re-excited by a second tunable dye laser resonantly. The LIF signal of lead was detected to improve its sensitivity to spectral analysis significantly. Under the assistance of this matrix-converting method, the calibration curve of lead in water samples was created and the limit of detection was found to be 0.32 ppb, two orders of magnitude better than that obtained by analyzing water samples directly using the same LIBS-LIF technique. This sample-pretreatment procedure was rapid and easy to handle. Upon combination with LIBS-LIF, ultrasensitive detection of trace amounts of toxic metal elements in water could be realized. This approach could be applied in water-quality control and monitoring of environmental pollution.


SUMMARY: Oxygen uptake by Azobacter chroococcum (NCIB 8003) grown in continuous culture without fixed nitrogen and with a low mannitol concentration (2°5 g./1.) and treated with lysozyme and EDTA was inhibited by ATP but not by ADP; ADP frequently prevented inhibition by ATP. In preparations obtained by disrupting bacteria suspended in a mixture of defatted bovine serum albumin, sucrose and MgCl2 in the French press, ATP inhibited oxygen uptake with either sodium succinate or sodium isocitrate as substrates and ADP prevented this inhibition; oxygen uptake with glucose-6-phosphate was inhibited by ATP or ADP. A form of respiratory control by nucleotides may thus occur in Azotobacter. Acetylene reduction (a measure of nitrogenase activity) by bacteria treated with lysozyme and EDTA was inhibited by ATP; this was attributed to inhibition of oxygen uptake by ATP causing inhibition of nitrogenase by oxygen. High oxygen solution rates inhibited nitrogenase in whole bacteria or in bacteria treated with lysozyme and EDTA; when the oxygen solution rate was lowered nitrogenase functioned immediately. These observations are probably expressions of processes which protect nitrogenase in whole bacteria from damage by oxygen.


I. INTRODUCTION The first reports of topoisomerase modification were published in 1982 and 1983 (Mills et al. 1982; Durban et al. 1983; Ferro et al. 1983; Jongstra-Bilen et al. 1983). Although a wide variety of posttranslational modifications of DNA topoisomerases may occur, this chapter focuses only on phosphorylation and poly(ADP-ribosylation), which have been observed both in vitro and in vivo. The experimental data suggest a regulatory role, but the precise cellular functions of these DNA topoisomerase modifications remain undefined at the present time. A. Phosphorylation of DNA Topoisomerase at Serine Residues The initial reports of phosphorylation in topoisomerases involved topoisomerase I purified from Novikoff hepatoma cells. A phosphoprotein of approximately 110 kD with a pI of 8.4 purified from cells labeled with 32 P (Durban et al. 1981) was subsequently identified as DNA topoisomerase I (Durban et al. 1983). A form of topoisomerase I could also be labeled in vitro by incubation with serine-specific protein kinases and [ 32 P]ATP. A protein kinase from an African Burkitt's lymphoma cell line that appeared to exhibit high affinity for topoisomerase I was purified (Mills et al. 1982). This serine kinase had an apparent K m of approximately 0.3 μM for topoisomerase I; phosphorylation stimulated the DNA-relaxing activity of the enzyme three- to fivefold. The discovery of phosphorylation of topoisomerase I was followed by reports of phosphorylation of topoisomerase II. Sander et al. (1984) found a protein kinase activity that remained associated with Drosophila topoisomerase II through four purification steps. Phosphoserine was the predominant species modified by...


Parent input in individualized education program (IEP) development is the clear expectation in U.S. education law. Every IEP team must include parents, and their input must be equally considered when developing IEPs. The present study used content analysis of 88 IEPs of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to explore team membership, concerns parents raised during IEP meetings, and evidence that parent concerns and priorities are reflected in IEP goals and supplementary aids and services. Findings reveal that although parents express a range of concerns and priorities, these are translated into goals or services only two thirds of the time. We provide implications of these findings for research and practice.


In an electric bicycle, two strategies are taken up to stabilize the running motion of a bicycle. One is the control of its center of gravity (CG), and the other is the control of its steering angle of handle. In general, the control of the CG is used a pendulum. In addition, the motion of a bicycle often possesses a lean angle with respect to vertical direction. In this situation, the proposed system contains three outputs: steering angle, lean angle, and pendulum angle, these will affect the dynamic balance of an electrical bicycle. The proposed control generating the handle torque and pendulum toque is called variable structure under-actuated control (VSUAC). The motivation of using the VSUAC is that the system uncertainties of a bicycle are often huge due to different ground conditions and a gust of wind. Merely use an ordinary proportional-derivative-integral (PID) control or other linear controls often can not have good robust performance. Finally, the compared simulations for the electrical bicycle among ordinary PID control, modified proportional-derivative control (MPDC), and VSUAC confirm the usefulness of our proposed control.


Connectivity between populations is important when considering conservation or the management of exploitation of vulnerable species. We investigated how populations of a broadcast-spawning marine species (scallop, Pecten maximus ) that occur in discrete geographic locations were connected to each other. Population genetic insights were related to the outputs from a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model implemented with scallop larval behaviour to understand the extent to which these areas were linked by oceanographic processes and how this was altered by season and two contrasting years that had strongly different average temperature records (warm vs cold) to provide contrasting oceanographic conditions. Our results span from regional to shelf scale. Connectivity was high at a regional level (e.g. northern Irish Sea), but lower at scales >100 km between sites. Some localities were possibly isolated thus dependent on self-recruitment to sustain local populations. Seasonal timing of spawning and inter-annual fluctuations in seawater temperature influenced connectivity patterns, and hence will affect spatial recruitment. Summer rather than spring spawning increased connectivity among some populations, due to the seasonal strengthening of temperature-driven currents. Furthermore, the warm year resulted in higher levels of modelled connectivity than the cold year. The combination of ge-netic and oceanographic approaches provided valuable insights into the structure and connectivity at a continental shelf scale. This insight provides a powerful basis for defining conservation management units and the appropriate scale for spatial management. Temporal fluctuations in temperature impact upon variability in connectivity, suggesting that future work should account for ocean warming when investigating population resilience


Intellectual property has become a pervasive presence in society. Seeping into every nook and cranny of American life, intellectual property casts a protective haze over everything from the words of an email, to the shape of a phone, to the sequence of our genes. Increasingly, these rights are being used for schemes that have little to do with advancement of societal goals and much to do with societal waste. What should we do when rights that we have created with such lofty goals and noble heart are diverted toward less admirable pursuits, that is, when IP rights become the vehicles for IP wrongs? Currently, intellectual property rights are being used for purposes such as hiding embarrassing or illegal conduct, avoiding obligations, pressuring others into surrendering rights, harassing competitors, and engaging in complex anticompetitive schemes. This occurs because attributes of the system allow intellectual property rights holders to bargain for compensation beyond the value of the right — a process that is damaging innovation, creating dysfunction in markets, and wasting vast amounts of legal resources. This article describes the phenomenon of magnification and chronicles troubling behaviors in copyright, patent and trade secret. Many of these examples have not been described in academic literature and some have not been described anywhere. The article suggests that as the marketplace for ideas develops in uncomfortable ways, we should introduce a doctrine of inappropriate use of intellectual property. The article also suggests that the FTC invoke its rarely used power for economic investigations under Section 6(b).


Using original survey data collected by the authors in 2005 we investigate the determinants of Turkish fund managers' performance as measured by the number of clients that a fund manager has, the number of investment funds that the manager is responsible for and the size of the manager's portfolio. All three measures of Turkish fund manager performance systematically vary with fund manager characteristics. This is consistent with Chevalier and Ellison's (1999) finding for the USA that some managers are better than others. Further, the number of training courses attended by a manager and years of experience (in a particular organisation and/or as a fund manager) are found to positively influence all three measures of performance. This may suggest that senior managers and those with more training are given more responsibility than less experienced and less trained managers.


Phylogenetic (hybridization) networks allow investigation of evolutionary species histories that involve complex phylogenetic events other than speciation, such as reassortment in virus evolution or introgressive hybridization in invertebrates and mammals. Reticulation networks can be inferred by solving the reticulation network problem, typically known as the hybridization network problem. Given a collection of phylogenetic input trees, this problem seeks a minimum reticulation network with the smallest number of reticulation vertices into which the input trees can be embedded exactly. Unfortunately, this problem is limited in practice, since minimum reticulation networks can be easily obfuscated by even small topological errors that typically occur in input trees inferred from biological data. We adapt the reticulation network problem to address erroneous input trees using the classic Robinson-Foulds distance. The RF embedding cost allows trees to be embedded into reticulation networks inexactly, but up to a measurable error. The adapted problem, called the Robinson-Foulds reticulation network (RF-Network) problem is, as we show and like many other problems applied in molecular biology, NP-hard. To address this, we employ local search strategies that have been successfully applied in other NP-hard phylogenetic problems. Our local search method benefits from recent theoretical advancements in this area. Further, we introduce inpractice effective algorithms for the computational challenges involved in our local search approach. Using simulations we experimentally validate the ability of our method, RF-Net, to reconstruct correct phylogenetic networks in the presence of error in input data. Finally, we demonstrate how RF-networks can help identify reassortment in influenza A viruses, and provide insight into the evolutionary history of these viruses. RF-Net was able to estimate a large and credible reassortment network with 164 taxa.


We have demonstrated that when the covalently joined ends of linear adeno-associated virus (AAV) DNA are resolved in vitro, the virus-encoded Rep protein becomes covalently attached to the 5' ends of the DNA. The covalent bond is between a tyrosine residue of the AAV Rep protein and a 5' phosphate of a thymidine residue in the AAV genome. Only the Rep protein encoded by the AAV p5 promoter, Rep68, was capable of becoming covalently attached to the ends of the AAV genome; the Rep proteins encoded by the p19 promoter were not. We also investigated some of the requirements for the complete in vitro resolution reaction. Inhibitor studies suggested that terminal resolution required DNA polymerase delta, ATP, and the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates but did not require the remaining ribonucleoside triphosphates, DNA polymerase alpha, RNA polymerase II, or topoisomerases I and II. Finally, purified AAV Rep68, when added to the crude cytosol from uninfected HeLa cells, was sufficient for resolution. This suggested that terminal resolution relies on host enzymes and the virus-encoded p5 Rep proteins.


: The genesis of chronic constipation in children remains the subject of discussion so far. A programme for examining patients with this condition has not been fully developed. X-ray studies of more than 300 children with chronic constipation from different age groups established that colonoproctodefecography was the most informative technique. The authors revealed that intestinal transit suffered slightly impaired and the cause of chronic constipation was impaired defecation due to the asynergy of the structures of the pelvic bottom. Dysfunction of the muscular structures of the pelvic diaphragm manifested itself as three main variants and their combinations.


ABSTRACT The degradation of the herbicides metazachlor (MTZ) and quizalofop-p-ethyl (QZE) was investigated in three different loamy (L) soils on thin-layer chromatography plates under natural solar light and dark conditions. Both herbicides degraded significantly faster under sunlight irradiation. The degradation rate of MTZ followed single first-order kinetics, and the determined half-life under sunlight and dark conditions were 18 and 78 days in L soil, 13 and 39 days in silty loam (SL) soil and 15 and 64 days in silty clay loam (SCL) soil, respectively. For QZE, first-order multi-compartment kinetic model fitted better for the description of the degradation rates. The half-life of the herbicide was determined at 0.6 and 2.9 days in L soil, 0.8 and 3.5 days in SL soil and 1.0 and 3.9 days in SCL soil, under sunlight and dark conditions, respectively. The putative degradation products (DPs) of herbicides have been determined by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry. MTZ oxalic acid was identified as the probable major DP of MTZ in the studied soils under sunlight conditions. For QZE three putative DPs were identified in all soils: quizalofop-p-acid and demethylated-quizalofop-p-acid under sunlight and dark conditions, while hydroxy-quizalofop-p-ethyl was detected only in samples under sunlight exposure.


The erasure of more than 25,000 people from the population registry of the Republic of Slovenia in 1992 left these people who had been living there for several years, some for all their lives, without any legal status. As such, these previously ordinary citizens became the legal equivalent of undocumented migrants. They were the first in Slovenia to experience European migration policies with their classification order of legal statuses and citizenships, which organizes populations into hierarchies both within and among the states. Their struggle to gain legal status is proof of the absurdity of these policies where desubjectivated migrants are trapped in an administrative circle that prevents their inclusion in society. Citizenship, a status that promises full participation in the community, is very hard to acquire because the community is defined as a national community. Behind the curtain of the "home security" discourse, the real goal of selective and partial inclusion of migrants seems to be protection of capital, since undocumented workers (among them also the erased residents) are unprotected from exploitation and as such are a benefit to the economy. The main argument of the article, supported by the ethnographic data, is that migration restrictions not only cause a great deal of suffering to migrants but also (re)produce their illegality. Due to the migration policies, these migrants stay in a specific territory illegally and as a consequence they cannot work in the legal sector. In order to break this vicious cycle, the off ic ial concept of citizenship has to be changed and the foundations upon which migration policies rest have to be reconstructed in the spirit of inclusiveness. !


Oriented feature detectors are fundamental tools in image understanding, as many images display relevant information in the form of oriented features. Several oriented feature detectors have been developed; some of the important families of oriented feature detectors are steerable filters and Gabor filters. In this work, a performance analysis is presented of the following oriented feature detectors: the Gaussian second-derivative steerable filter, the quadrature-pair Gaussian second-derivative steerable filter, the real Gabor filter, the complex Gabor filter, and a line operator that has been shown to outperform the Gaussian second-derivative steerable filter in the detection of linear structures in mammograms. The detectors are assessed in terms of their capability to detect the presence of oriented features, as well as their accuracy in the estimation of the angle of the oriented features present in the image. It is shown that the Gabor filters yield the best detection performance and angular accuracy, whereas the steerable filters have the best performance in terms of computational speed.


Genetic testing for a hereditary breast cancer predisposition has been available since 1996. Since then, many at-risk individuals have pursued testing for a variety of reasons including medical management, surgical decision-making, and family planning. However, as a result of the ability to learn one's cancer risk, women often struggle to incorporate this information into their lives and are faced with complex decision-making. Providing comprehensive services for this population that address these concerns is a matter of public health importance. This study documents the process of designing a support group for women who have tested positive for a hereditary breast cancer predisposition. Thirty-three women who have previously tested positive for mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, or PTEN were invited to participate in a monthly support/discussion group and were sent questionnaires and informed consent documents for study participation. Nineteen of the thirty-three (57.6%) women responded, five (27.8%) were group participants and fourteen (72.2%) were non-participants. The questionnaire addressed experiences with cancer, management decisions, risk perceptions, existing levels of support, causes of anxiety, and communication with family members. As hypothesized, group participants had higher perceptions of breast cancer risk, lower confidence in medical management decisions, and less support from family and friends than non-participants. In addition, group participants were more likely to be younger, to have received their results 1-2 years ago, to not have a personal history of cancer, and to experience greater overall anxiety. Factors influencing perceived breast cancer risk and the need for support services included the number of first or second degree relatives with breast cancer, whether the relative was deceased or alive, the election of preventative surgery, and the time elapsed since result disclosure. Other findings included correlations between (a) perceived breast cancer risk and both perceived ovarian cancer risk and need for a support group, (b) perceived ovarian cancer risk and anxiety about talking with one's partner, and (c) all items addressing sources of anxiety. This study provides information that can potentially aid public health professionals who work with high-risk women and who are organizing or designing support services for women with a hereditary breast cancer predisposition.


Agreements on reforms of corporate governance, corporate law, and securities regulations, in order to augment the functioning of emerging equity markets, are complicated due to the fact that two different financial systems with some opposing features have evolved in the advanced economies, namely the insider system and the outsider system. The persistence of these systems are sought to be explained by introducing interactions between corporate governance, regulatory intervention, and capital markets into a model of evolutionary game theory. Resulting network effects are identified and analyzed. One major conclusion of the analysis is that, in the long run, reforms should be headed towards features of the outsider system because it operates better in integrated capital markets. However, attempts to achieve immediate transition into that direction can have detrimental effects, if the legal environment is not supportive enough for arm's-length financing.


: Causes underlying different results in estimation of KT/V (ur) according to 9 mathematical models are analyzed. These models are the following: 1) classic approach F.A. Gotch, 2) estimation according to E.G. Lowrei, KT/V = KT/0.6* (body mass), 3) according to R.M. Hakim, KT/V = ln(CoC), 4) according to K.K. Jindal, KT/V = 0.04*(1 - C/Co)*100% - 1.3; 5), 5) according to P. Calzavara, KT/V = (Co - C)*2/(Co + C), 6) according to J.T. Daugirdas, KT/V = ln[C/Co - 0.03 - UF/(dry mass), 7) according to C. Basile, KT/V = 0.023(1- C/Co*100%- 0.284, 8) according to P. Malchesky, 9) according to L. Garred et. al. Basing on the results of examination of a random sample of 120 patients on chronic dialysis it is inferred that the results obtained according to the approaches 1, 3 and 5 are more dependent on emergence of water sectors during the procedure leading to underestimation of KT/V value. In approaches 2, 8 and 9 the dialysis "dose" is estimated with minimal error. It is believed insufficient to estimate dialysis adequacy by KT/V only. It is proposed to make allowances also for the value of the ratio of true to apparent volume of urea distribution. The estimation should be made according to the formula: V/V = ln(Co/C)*0.6* (body mass)/KT.


Avedis Donabedian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, grew up in a small town north of Jerusalem, and returned to Beirut to obtain his B.A. and M.D. degrees from the American University. After the receipt of his M.P.H. de gree from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a period as a research assistant in Boston, he became a teacher of preventive medicine at New York Medical College. Dr. Donabedian subsequently joined the fac ulty of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he is now the Nathan Sinai Distinguished Professor of Public Health, Emeritus. His lifetime's work has focused on systematizing knowledge in health care organiza tion—especially quality assessment and monitoring— but also assessments of health care needs and re sources, and the design of program benefits. The quality and contribution of his writings, including six books and many other publications, have been acknowledged throughout the world, and he has received recognition from numerous organizations such as the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and the American College of Medical Quality. In addition to his many prestigious awards, Dr. Donabedian was honored in 1990 by the creation—in Barcelona, Spain—of the Avedis Donabedian Foundation for the Improvement of Health Care.


In this paper we study a time harmonic inverse acoustic scattering problem involving an obstacle that when hit by an incoming acoustic wave tries to appear in a location in space different from its actual location eventually with a shape and an acoustic boundary impedance different from its actual ones. We refer to this problem as inverse ghost obstacle problem and to the scatterers of this type as a special class of smart obstacles. The term "ghost" comes from the fact that the smart obstacle, when hit by the incoming wave, tries to appear as a ghost obstacle, that is as a virtual obstacle in a location in space where no real obstacle is present. We assume that the intersection between the obstacle and the ghost obstacle is empty. The obstacle tries to produce this virtual image of itself circulating on its boundary a suitable pressure current. A pressure current is a quantity whose physical dimension is pressure divided by time. The following time harmonic inverse ghost obstacle scattering problem is considered: from the knowledge of several far fields generated by the smart obstacle when hit by known time harmonic waves, of its acoustic boundary impedance and of the acoustic boundary impedance of the ghost obstacle find the location of the smart obstacle, that is find a point in the interior of the smart obstacle and eventually find the shape of the smart obstacle. The method proposed to solve this problem is a generalization of the well known Herglotz function method. We present some numerical experiments based on synthetic data that are used to test the numerical method introduced here. Some material that helps the understanding of this paper and some animations relative to the numerical experiments can be found in the website: http://www.econ.univpm.it/recchioni/w15.


Yes, they can. I propose a new method to detect credit booms and busts from multivariate systems -- monetary Bayesian vector autoregressions. When observed credit is systematically higher than credit forecasts justified by real economic activity variables, a positive credit gap emerges. The methodology is tested for 31 advanced and emerging market economies. The resulting credit gaps fit historical evidence well and detect turning points earlier, outperforming the credit-to-GDP gaps in signaling financial crises, especially at longer horizons. The results survive in real time and can shed light on the drivers of credit booms.


The objective of this study is to identify risk factors for meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) in newborns born through meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF). From May 27, 1994 to June 9, 1997 maternal and neonatal data were prospectively collected on all infants born through MSAF. Development of MAS was the primary outcome. Using bivariate and logistic regression analysis we identified risk factors for MAS. There were 8,967 births during this period: 7.9% (708 of 8,967) were delivered through MSAF. Respiratory symptoms developed in 6.8% (48 of 708) of births. Of these, 50% (24 of 48) were excluded due to the diagnosis of transient tachypnea of the newborn (17), respiratory distress syndrome (4), group B streptococcus pneumonia (1), congenital cytomegalic inclusion disease (1), and supraventricular tachycardia (1). Of the 24 infants with respiratory symptoms consistent with MAS, 45.8% (11 of 24) required ventilatory support, one required extracorporeal-membrane oxygenation. Bivariate analysis identified six risk factors ( p <0.05): Apgar <7 at 1 minute, Apgar <7 at 5 minutes, thick meconium, fetal distress, suction of infant's stomach by delivery room team at <5 minutes of age, and need for resuscitation. Tracheal meconium was very prevalent in our population at 74% of all intubated infants, and was not significantly associated with MAS. Logistic regression analysis identified four independent risk factors. Looking at multiple prediction models, an infant with fetal distress, Apgar <7 at 1 and 5 minutes and thick meconium has a 79.8% probability of developing respiratory symptoms. If these risk factors are not present, there is a 0.8% risk. In our cohort, this group had 16.7% positive predictive value (4 of 24) and 99.6% negative predictive value (657 of 660). In meconium deliveries, infants with thick meconium, fetal distress, and Apgar scores <7 at 1 and 5 minutes are at high risk for development of respiratory symptoms. Infants delivered in the absence of all of these risk factors are at low risk for development of MAS.


Lipids have an important role in many aspects of cell biology, including membrane architecture/compartment formation, intracellular traffic, signalling, hormone regulation, inflammation, energy storage and metabolism. Lipid biology is therefore integrally involved in major human diseases, including metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, heart disease, immune disorders and cancers, which commonly display altered lipid transport and metabolism. However, the investigation of these important cellular processes has been limited by the availability of specific tools to visualise lipids in live cells. Here we describe the potential for ReZolve-L1™ to localise to intracellular compartments containing polar lipids, such as for example sphingomyelin and phosphatidylethanolamine. In live Drosophila fat body tissue from third instar larvae, ReZolve-L1™ interacted mainly with lipid droplets, including the core region of these organelles. The presence of polar lipids in the core of these lipid droplets was confirmed by Raman mapping and while this was consistent with the distribution of ReZolve-L1™ it did not exclude that the molecular probe might be detecting other lipid species. In response to complete starvation conditions, ReZolve-L1™ was detected mainly in Atg8-GFP autophagic compartments, and showed reduced staining in the lipid droplets of fat body cells. The induction of autophagy by Tor inhibition also increased ReZolve-L1™ detection in autophagic compartments, whereas Atg9 knock down impaired autophagosome formation and altered the distribution of ReZolve-L1™. Finally, during Drosophila metamorphosis fat body tissues showed increased ReZolve-L1™ staining in autophagic compartments at two hours post puparium formation, when compared to earlier developmental time points. We concluded that ReZolve-L1™ is a new live cell imaging tool, which can be used as an imaging reagent for the detection of polar lipids in different intracellular compartments.


As HCI shifts "to the wild", in-situ methods such as Diary Methods and the Experience Sampling Method are gaining momentum. However, researchers have acknowledged the intrusiveness and lack of realism in these methods and have proposed solutions, notably through lightweight and rich media capture. In this paper we explore the concept of lifelogging as an alternative solution to these two challenges. We describe Footprint Tracker, a tool that allows the review of lifelogs with the aim to support recall and reflection over daily activities and experiences. In a field trial, we study how four different types of cues, namely visual, location, temporal and social context, trigger memories of recent events and associated emotions. We conclude with a number of implications for the design of lifelogging systems that support recall and reflection upon recent events as well as ones lying further in our past.


Soils east of Rocky Flats Plants (RFP) near Golden, CO, are contaminated with U as a result of past waste-storage practices, accidental release of oils laden with U, and low-level airborne emissions. A spatial analysis of three U isotopes was conducted to determine the concentration and distribution pattern of U contamination. Soils were sampled from 118 plots of 1.01- or 4.05-ha by compositing 25 evenly spaced samples from the top 0.64 cm. Uranium-234 activity ranged from 25.9 to 92.8 Bq kg -1 , U-235 activity ranged from 0.1 to 25.1 Bq kg -1 , whereas U-238 activity ranged from 30.7 kg -1 to 286 Bq kg -1 . Geostatistical techniques were used to model the spatial dependency and construct isopleth maps showing U isotope distributions. Spatial correlation was not observed for U-234. This implies that U-234 is randomly distributed in the soil environment eat of RFP. Uranium-235 exhibited a spotty and localized concentration pattern with no clear relationship between known burial and spatial sites, and the present distribution of U-235 in the soils. Proposed wind-dispersal mechanisms were not consistent with the spatial distribution of U isotopes. Most of the observed activities of U-234 and U-235 were well within the natural range of U isotopes in soils. The lack of similarity in spatial distribution between Pu-239+240 and U isotopes probably resulted from the higher solubility and leachability of U isotopes compared with Pu-239+240 in the soil system. Although U-238 exhibited a pattern of localized spatial distribution, most of its observed activity wad well within the natural range of U-238 activity in soils


With malicious attacks increasing in speed and propagation intelligence, especially under steadily shrinking time-windows between the announcement of a vulnerability and its exploitation, the need of innovative vulnerability detection techniques increase. Complex and large scale networks, that encounter frequent network devices association and disassociation, make asset management a difficult task. In this paper we propose an effective method to probe for vulnerabilities within an enterprise network, by plotting agents during its gradual propagation. The method utilizes Layer two topology information collected from network switches to achieve minimum bandwidth usage and maximize network coverage.


The smart phone is thus a new class of computing device, correspondingly demanding a new class of user interface. The smart phone is truly personal t's carried by just one individual and at all times. However, we need to personalize it not only for the individual user but also for the wireless operator delivering a custom bundle of wireless services. The new UI must be easy to customize, update, and maintain. We propose a new UI solution in which the Web browser broadens its role beyond browsing external content to also function as the handset UI. Seen in context, this is only the next step in the continuing evolution of today's wireless ecosystem. Here we describe trends in mobile Web browsing that culminate in the browser as the handset UI.


The A.J. Eastwood Library houses the Limestone College Archives. The Collection includes manuscripts, records, publications, photographs, art, and memorabilia related to the history of the institution.


A System of Systems (SoS) is a group of independent constituent systems that by their interactions together deliver an emerging capability on which reliance is placed. In the UK Ministry of Defence Land domain, the appetite for uncertainty caused by SoS dependencies is particularly low. Dependability and assurance are therefore vital, both in the integration and interoperability of individual constituent systems, and at the level of the SoS as a whole. This paper presents the findings from a study, asking whether model‐based engineering technologies could potentially deliver a pragmatic method for Land Open Systems Architecture (LOSA) SoS verification and assurance. We conclude that existing model‐based SoS and Cyber‐Physical Systems engineering techniques could potentially deliver a basis for LOSA SoS requirement engineering, design, verification and assurance. However, the techniques studied are at varying levels of maturity and therefore we identify areas of future work that could inform the ongoing research and experimentation programmes for LOSA and others across defence.


This study was conducted to investigate whether agmatine (AGM) provides protection against oxidative stress induced by treatment with chlorpromazine (CPZ) in Wistar rats. In addition, the role of reactive oxygen species and efficiency of antioxidant protection in the brain homogenates of forebrain cortexes prepared 48 h after treatment were investigated. Chlorpromazine was applied intraperitoneally (i.p.) in single dose of 38.7 mg/kg body weight (BW) The second group was treated with both CPZ and AGM (75 mg/kg BW). The control group was treated with 0.9% saline solution in the same manner. All tested compounds were administered i.p. in a single dose. Rats were sacrificed by decapitation 48 h after treatment Treatment with AGM significantly attenuated the oxidative stress parameters and restored antioxidant capacity in the forebrain cortex. The data indicated that i.p. administered AGM exerted antioxidant action in CPZ-treated animals. Moreover, reactive astrocytes and microglia may contribute to secondary nerve-cell damage and participate in the balance of destructive vs. protective actions involved in the pathogenesis after poisoning.


This chapter discusses the use of directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) for causal inference in the observational social sciences. It focuses on DAGs' main uses, discusses central principles, and gives applied examples. DAGs are visual representations of qualitative causal assumptions: They encode researchers' beliefs about how the world works. Straightforward rules map these causal assumptions onto the associations and independencies in observable data. The two primary uses of DAGs are (1) determining the identifiability of causal effects from observed data and (2) deriving the testable implications of a causal model. Concepts covered in this chapter include identification, d-separation, confounding, endogenous selection, and overcontrol. Illustrative applications then demonstrate that conditioning on variables at any stage in a causal process can induce as well as remove bias, that confounding is a fundamentally causal rather than an associational concept, that conventional approaches to causal mediation analysis are often biased, and that causal inference in social networks inherently faces endogenous selection bias. The chapter discusses several graphical criteria for the identification of causal effects of single, time-point treatments (including the famous backdoor criterion), as well identification criteria for multiple, time-varying treatments.


Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) show great potential in a large variety of engineering fields as actuator materials. They mainly consist of electrodes and ionic polymer as the substrate material. Many metal materials can be used as the electrode material of IPMCs. In this paper palladium was adopted to get a compromise between the cost and the stability, and Pd-Nafion IPMC was fabricated by chemical plating as test sample. Preliminary experiments were accomplished with satisfactory result using a suit of self-made measurement setup. The results showed that palladium was a good electrode material. Although some previous work has investigated on the elastic modulus of IPMCs by tensile test, a simple method based on the cantilever beam theory to estimate the modulus is still proposed here, which does not need a tensile testing machine. By the method we got that the elastic modulus of the sample is 362.35MPa.


This thesis records the research component involved when constructing a set of templates that describe the typical software development project. This set of templates is a major component in the Prompter tool. The Prompter tool was developed by a consortium of software developers including Dublin City University, Catalyst Software and Objectif Technologie. The development of Prompter has been partially assisted under the ESSI fourth framework. Its goal is to provide decision support to the user in the field of Software Project Planning.

In the Prompter tool the user provides a detailed description of the starting point of their project. This detailed description is used to provide recommendations by a built-in critiquing system. This value of this advice is based upon the accuracy and relevance of the data that the user provides.

This research had two mam objectives. The first of which was to consolidate a representation mechanism that is flexible enough to provide Prompter with a detailed description of a user project. The second objective was to research the state of the average software project and attempt to categorise these typical software projects according to size and complexity. If these projects are deemed to overlap sufficiently, these common characteristics can be added to a model describing all software projects that are operating withm these constramts. These characteristics can then be added to the tool using the description mechanism described above.


Ageing is a significant risk factor for developing dementia; however, some people develop symptoms before the age of 65. Although less common, it is referred to as young-onset dementia. Estimating prevalence rates in Ireland is difficult, as there has been little study around what it
 is like to live with/care for this cohort; consequently, it is poorly understood. Nine primary carers were interviewed using semi-structured one-to-one interviews. Interview data were analysed with inductive thematic analysis. Themes included sense of loss, diagnostic issues, appropriateness
 of services, stigma and carer strain, illustrating the complex nature of caring for someone with young-onset dementia.


Wind tunnel testing is very expensive, especially due to the handmade models and the cost of building and operation of wind tunnels. Therefore, numerical modelling such as computational fluid dynamics can be a more cost efficient solution and is seen to take the leading position in the future. The following research contains the validation of the Computational Fluid Dynamics tool VXFlow by comparing the numerical results with values in literature, the Eurocode and wind tunnel measurements. The study includes the analysis of static wind loads for different wind barrier geometries for the example of the Suderelbebrucke in Hamburg. VXFlow is found to give good results in a short computational time but tends to overpredict the drag coefficient. The application is aligned for investigations in the preliminary design of bridge decks and can be also used for wind tunnel validation.

Keywords: Bridge deck, CFD tools, VXFlow, static wind loads, wind barrier


In this study, both mechanical and electrical fatigue properties of electrorheological (ER) materials whose global characteristics can be controlled by an external electric field are experimentally evaluated. In order to investigate the mechanical fatigue property, a linear reciprocating apparatus is devised and operated by the hydraulic unit. Two important characteristics of methylcellulose based ER material: the field-dependent yield stress and current density are investigated as a function of the operating cycle. The electrical fatigue property is investigated by applying high voltage to the ER material domain through the electrode gap. The voltage is imposed in on-off manner for the specific cycles by changing the field intensity. The yield stress and current density of the ER material are evaluated at each specified cycle and surface roughness of the electrode is observed as well.


OBJECTIVES
By convention, women's early marriage is considered a sociocultural decision sensitive to factors acting during adolescence such as poverty, early menarche, and less education. Few studies have examined broader risk factors in the natal household prior to marriage. We investigated whether biosocial markers of parental investment through the daughters' life-course were associated with early marriage risk in rural India. We used an evolutionary perspective to interpret our findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A prospective cohort recruited mothers at preconception. Children were followed from birth to age 21 years. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated odds ratios of marrying early (<19 years) associated first with wealth, age at menarche and education, and then with broader markers of maternal phenotype, natal household characteristics, and girls' growth trajectories. Models adjusted for confounders.

RESULTS
Of 305 girls, 71 (23%) had married early. Early married girls showed different patterns of growth compared to unmarried girls. Neither poverty nor early menarche predicted early marriage. Girls' non-completion of lower secondary school predicted early marriage, explaining 19% of the variance. Independent of girls' lower schooling, nuclear household, low paternal education, shorter gestation, and girls' poor infant weight gain were associated with marrying early, explaining in combination 35% of the variance.

DISCUSSION
Early marriage reflects "future discounting," where reduced parental investment in daughters' somatic and educational capital from early in her life favors an earlier transition to the life-course stage when reproduction can occur. Interventions initiated in adolescence may occur too late in the life-course to effectively delay women's marriage.