OBJECTIVE
To determine the retrieval characteristics of methodologic textwords and MeSH terms in MEDLINE for identifying methodologically sound studies on the etiology, prognosis, diagnosis, and prevention and treatment of disorders in general adult medicine.

DESIGN
Comparison of methodologic search terms and phrases for the retrieval of citations in MEDLINE with a manual hand search of the literature (the gold standard) for 10 internal and general medicine journals for 1986 and 1991.

MEASURES
Sensitivity (proportion of methodologically sound and correct topic studies retrieved) and specificity (proportion of unsound or wrong topic articles not retrieved) of the search strategies.

RESULTS
The individual terms yielding the best sensitivity for 1991 by purpose category were: risk (tw) for etiology; exp cohort studies for prognosis; sensitivity (tw) for diagnosis; and clinical trial (pt) for treatment. The corresponding terms for 1986 were: risk (tw) for etiology; prognosis: (tw) for prognosis; sensitivity (tw) for diagnosis; and random: (tw) for treatment.

CONCLUSIONS
The performance of methodologic MeSH terms and textwords varied greatly in MEDLINE and changed from 1986 to 1991. More complex search strategies may be required to optimize retrieval.


Formulaic language constitutes an essential part of English vocabulary and is necessary for performing a wide range of communicative functions, but knowledge and acquisition of formulaic sequences is typically found to be lacking and problematic for L2 learners. Whilst much research has been carried out on formulaic sequences such as idioms and collocations, comparatively little has been done on phrasal verbs which are nonetheless commonly perceived as one of the most challenging aspects of English vocabulary. This thesis attempts to contribute to filling this gap by exploring the usage, knowledge and acquisition of phrasal verbs by native and non-native speakers of English.

Study 1 explores the semantic frequencies of the 150 most frequently used phrasal verbs using the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Results show that, whilst the vast majority of these phrasal verbs are polysemous, only two meaning senses on average are enough to cover three-quarters of the occurrences of each of them. The most frequent meaning senses of all 150 phrasal verbs are listed in the PHrasal VErb pedagogical List (PHaVE List), in frequency ranking order along with frequency percentages. The list thus offers teachers and learners the possibility of prioritising these most frequent, and thus most important, meaning senses, thereby allowing for a more systematic approach to tackling phrasal verbs.

Study 2 explores L2 learners' knowledge of a sample of phrasal verbs and meaning senses on the PHaVE List at a form-recall level of mastery, and the effect of a number of factors on this knowledge. Results show that only about 40 % of meaning senses were known, with a 20 % chance that all the various meaning senses attached to a given phrasal verb would be known. A mixed-effect modelling analysis reveals a significant effect of two factors on scores: item frequency and learner engagement in leisure activities in the L2 such as reading and social networking. This is consistent with previous research showing the robust effect of frequency for L2 knowledge of individual words and formulaic sequences, and the benefits of reading for L2 language acquisition.

Study 3 investigates L2 learners' acquisition of novel phrasal verbs through three intentional, word-focused learning activities: rote memorisation, textbook exercises, and guessing from context. Knowledge of the items was measured both immediately and one week after the teaching treatment at meaning-recall and meaning-recognition levels of mastery. Results show encouraging learning gains, similar to those found by previous research for individual words and idioms, with higher L2 proficiency and general vocabulary knowledge leading to significantly higher scores. A Friedman test reveals no significant difference in learning gains between the three activities.

Taken together, these studies provide empirical evidence for the gap in L2 learners' knowledge of phrasal verbs, but suggest that a restricted number of phrasal verbs and meaning senses can go a long way and be effectively learned using the same explicit activities commonly used for learning single words. Overall, they offer useful insights for learning and teaching English phrasal verbs in a more systematic and efficient manner.


We assess the validity of various exchange-correlation functionals for computing the structural, vibrational, dielectric, and thermodynamical properties of materials in the framework of density-functional perturbation theory (DFPT). We consider five generalized-gradient approximation (GGA) functionals (PBE, PBEsol, WC, AM05, and HTBS) as well as the local density approximation (LDA) functional. We investigate a wide variety of materials including a semiconductor (silicon), a metal (copper), and various insulators (SiO2 α-quartz and stishovite, ZrSiO4 zircon, and MgO periclase). For the structural properties, we find that PBEsol and WC are the closest to the experiments and AM05 performs only slightly worse. All three functionals actually improve over LDA and PBE in contrast with HTBS, which is shown to fail dramatically for α-quartz. For the vibrational and thermodynamical properties, LDA performs surprisingly very well. In the majority of the test cases, it outperforms PBE significantly and also the WC, PBEsol and AM05 functionals though by a smaller margin (and to the detriment of structural parameters). On the other hand, HTBS performs also poorly for vibrational quantities. For the dielectric properties, none of the functionals can be put forward. They all (i) fail to reproduce the electronic dielectric constant due to the well-known band gap problem and (ii) tend to overestimate the oscillator strengths (and hence the static dielectric constant).


Recently, we have demonstrated that a twelve-week treatment with hypercholesterolemic atherogenic diet induced profound alterations in mitochondrial energy metabolism and oxidative capacity of isolated cardiac muscle's mitochondria. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of treatment with an ACE inhibitor (captopril) on energy metabolism and oxidative capacity in cardiac muscle's mitochondria using an in-vivo animal model of experimental atherosclerosis. Mitochondrial oxidative capacity was followed-up during the course of twelve weeks of atherogenic hypercholesterolic diet. Fifty five male Chinchilla rabbits, were randomized to one of four groups: a control group (A, n=17) received physiological saline orally; experimental group (B, n=18) received atherogenic 2% hypercholesterolemic diet; group C (n=10) received the atherogenic diet and two hours later on the aqueous solution of captopril (10 mg/kg/day); group D (n=10) received the aqueous solution of captopril, only. Isolation of mitochondrial fraction of the heart was performed by the method of Tyler. The oxygen consumption rate was studied at different respiration phases: as basal, unstimulated (V4) and as ADP-stimulated (V3), and expressed as indices of respiratory control ratio (RCR) and ADP/O. Hypercholesterolemic atherogenic diet induced profound alterations in mitochondrial energy metabolism and oxidative capacity. Basal oxygen consumption rate without ADP (V4) and the maximal ADP-stimulated respiration rate (V3) showed a marked reduction (quantitative changes i.e. dramatic decrease in oxidative capacities). The sensibility of mitochondria to ADP (ADP/O) was also reduced (qualitative change) in rabbits treated with the atherogenic diet (group B) compared to controls (group A). Respiratory control ratio was not significantly different among the studied groups. These results indicate that hypercholesterolemic atherogenic diet impairs mitochondrial oxidative capacity without affecting coupling of oxidation and phosphorilation. Captopril treatment had only limited effects on alterations of oxidative capacity in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. The main characteristic of oxidative capacity, i.e. the maximal respiration rate (V3), was not improved by captopril.


Nigeria's indigenous people, found in the Niger Delta area, have for many years experienced developmental challenges associated with oil exploration. The region has been perennially engulfed in various forms of agitation pertaining to self-government and resource control. Over the years, attempts to solve these problems have been merely palliative, basically due to local stakeholders' perception that they are excluded from decision making about the issues that affect their existence. For many years, the Nigerian government has grappled unsuccessfully with the challenge of fostering broad-based participation and stakeholder engagement in the Niger Delta. This article contends that the problems which have arisen can be addressed through the ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169 by the Nigerian government. Owing to a recent constitutional alteration in Nigeria, the ILO Convention 169 will not require domestication, arguably, making it a ready and viable toolkit for the progressive realization of participatory rights in the Niger Delta. Keywords : Niger Delta, ILO, constitution, human rights, pollution, participation.


Beiging of white adipose tissue (WAT) has beneficial effects on metabolism. Although it is known that beige adipocytes are active in lipid catabolism and thermogenesis, how they are regulated deserves more explorations. In this study, we demonstrate that stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) in subcutaneous WAT (scWAT) responded to cold stimulation and was able to promote mobilization of triacylglycerol [TAG (triglyceride)]. In vitro studies showed that SCD1 promoted lipolysis in C3H10T1/2 white adipocytes. The lipolytic effect was contributed by one of SCD1's products, oleic acid (OA). OA upregulated adipose TAG lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase expression. When SCD1 was overexpressed in the scWAT of mice, lipolysis was enhanced, and oxygen consumption and heat generation were increased. These effects were also demonstrated by the SCD1 knockdown experiments in mice. In conclusion, our study suggests that SCD1, known as an enzyme for lipid synthesis, plays a role in upregulating lipid mobilization through its desaturation product, OA.


The effect of ejaculation frequency on spermatozoa survival in diluted Pleven Blackhead ram semen was investigated. Thirty-two ejaculates were examined. From each ram 4 ejaculates were collected at 10-min intervals in the morning and in the afternoon. Semen parameters, namely, color, density, transparency, volume, concentration, motility, and abnormal sperm, for each ejaculate were determined. The sperm motility was assessed from the moment of dilution up to 60 min at 10-min intervals, then again at 90 min and 120 min. The semen characteristics were determined by means of "Motic Image Plus" equipment and the data were processed statistically. Sperm volume and concentration in semen samples decreased gradually with increase in ejaculation frequency. The values were significantly lower for the 4th ejaculate compared to preceding ones (P < 0.05). The highest survival rate (P < 0.05) of sperm was found in the 2nd ejaculate, and this trend was preserved up to the second hour. Up to 50 min after dilution, the sperm motility did not change considerably, after which it was found to be reduced (P < 0.05). The frequency of ejaculation and the period of semen collection had an impact on sperm motility in extended and short-time stored semen from Pleven Blackhead rams. The spermatozoa in a 2nd ejaculate showed higher survival rates and could be recommended for additional processing.


The p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is emerging as a promising therapeutic target, and the search for blockers of this oncogenic/aging kinase would be potentially useful for the treatment of various diseases/disorders in the future. Here, we report for the first time the anti-PAK1 activity of compounds derived from three distinct Okinawa plants. 5,6-Dehydrokawain (DK) and dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain (DDK) from alpinia inhibited directly PAK1 more strongly than mimosine and mimosinol from leucaena. Cucurbitacin I isolated from bitter gourd/melon also exhibited a moderate anti-PAK1 activity. Hispidin, a metabolite of DK, strongly inhibited PAK1 with the IC50 = 5.7 μM. The IC50 of three hispidin derivatives (H1-3) for PAK1 inhibition ranges from 1.2 to 2.0 μM, while mimosine tetrapeptides [mimosine-Phe-Phe-Tyr (MFFY) and mimosine-Phe-Trp-Tyr (MFWY)] inhibit PAK1 at nanomolar level (IC50 of 0.13 and 0.60 μM, respectively). Thus, we hope these derivatives of hispidin and mimosine could be used as potential leading compounds for developing far more potent anti-PAK1 drugs which would be useful for clinical application in the future.


The study of word meanings promises important insights into the nature of the human mind by revealing what people find to be most cognitively significant in their experience. However, as we learn more about the semantics of various languages, we are faced with an interesting problem. Different languages seem to be telling us different stories about the mind. For example, important distinctions made in one language are not necessarily made in others. What are we to make of these cross-linguistic differences? How do they arise? Are they created by purely linguistic processes operating over the course of language evolution? Or do they reflect fundamental differences in thought? In this sea of differences, are there any semantic universals? Which categories might be given by the genes, which by culture, and which by language? And what might the cross-linguistic similarities and differences contribute to our understanding of conceptual and linguistic development? The kinds of mapping principles, structures, and processes that link language and non-linguistic knowledge must accommodate not just one language but the rich diversity that has been uncovered. The integration of knowledge and methodologies necessary for real progress in answering these questions has happened only recently, as experimental approaches have been applied to the cross-linguistic study of word meaning. In Words and the Mind, Barbara Malt and Phillip Wolff present evidence from the leading researchers who are carrying out this empirical work on topics as diverse as spatial relations, events, emotion terms, motion events, objects, body-part terms, causation, color categories, and relational categories. By bringing them together, Malt and Wolff highlight some of the most exciting cross-linguistic and cross-cultural work on the language-thought interface, from a broad array of fields including linguistics, anthropology, cognitive and developmental psychology, and cognitive neuropsychology. Their results provide some answers to these questions and new perspectives on the issues surrounding them.


The present study describes the spatial and temporal structure of the estuarine fish community in the internal sector of the Amazon Estuary. Samples were obtained in the main channels and tidal creeks of Guajará and Marajó Bays and Guamá River. A total of 41,516 fish specimens were collected, representing 136 taxa, 38 families and 12 orders. In the dry season, the mean salinity of the main channel increased along a limnic-marine gradient, between the Guamá River and the Marajó Bay. Species richness was lowest in the mouth of the Guamá River and in the right margin of the Guajará Bay. Fish species composition and environmental guilds differed markedly among areas: Migrants and Freshwater Stragglers were dominant in the Guamá River and the Guajará Bay, while Estuarine, Marine Stragglers and Migrants predominated in the Marajó Bay. However, the trophic guilds were still relatively well balanced, in functional terms. Piscivores and Zoobenthivores were the dominant feeding functional groups in all the studied areas. In this study, the assessment of the community and the use of the guild approach were efficient to describe the structure and functioning of the assemblages of estuarine fish also helping to assess the anthropogenic pressures in the area.


It is a foregone conclusion that all refereed journals will soon be
available online; most of them already are. This means that one can
access them from any networked desk-top. The literature will all be
interconnected by citation, author, and keyword/subject links, allowing
for unheard-of power and ease of access and navigability. Successive
drafts of pre-refereeing preprints will be linked to the official
refereed draft, as well as to any subsequent corrections, revisions,
updates, comments, responses, and underlying empirical databases, all
enhancing the self-correctiveness and interactiveness of scholarly and
scientific research and communication in remarkable new ways.

But there is still one last frontier to cross before science reaches
the optimal and the inevitable: Just as there is no longer any need to
be constrained by the access-blocking restrictions of paper
distribution, there is no longer any need to be constrained by the
access-blocking financial fire-walls of
Subscription/Site-License/Pay-Per-View (S/L/P) tolls for this give-away
literature that its authors have always donated for free (and its
referees have refereed for free), with the sole goal of maximizing
their impact on research (by accessing the eyes and minds of
fellow-research) and hence on society.


IMPORTANCE
Hematoma expansion is the only modifiable predictor of outcome in adult intracerebral hemorrhage; however, the frequency and clinical significance of hematoma expansion after childhood intracerebral hemorrhage are unknown.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the frequency and extent of hematoma expansion in children with nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Prospective observational cohort study at 3 tertiary care pediatric hospitals. Children (≥ 37 weeks' gestation to 18 years) with nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage were enrolled in a study from 2007 to 2012 focused on predictors of outcome. For this planned substudy of hematoma expansion, neonates 28 days or younger and participants with isolated intraventricular hemorrhage were excluded. Children with 2 head computed tomography (CT) scans within 48 hours were evaluated for hematoma expansion and were compared with children with only 1 head CT scan. Consent for the primary cohort was obtained from 73 of 87 eligible participants (84%); 41 of 73 children enrolled in the primary cohort met all inclusion/exclusion criteria for this substudy, in whom 22 had 2 head CT scans obtained within 48 hours that could be evaluated for hematoma expansion. Within our substudy cohort, 21 of 41 (51%) were male, 25 of 41 (61%) were white, 16 of 41 (39%) were black, and median age was 7.7 years (interquartile range, 2.0-13.4 years).

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE
Primary outcome was prevalence of hematoma expansion.

RESULTS
Of 73 children, 41 (56%) met inclusion criteria, and 22 (30%) had 2 head CT scans to evaluate expansion. Among these 22 children, median time from symptom onset to first CT was 2 hours (interquartile range, 1.3-6.5 hours). Median baseline hemorrhage volume was 19.5 mL, 1.6% of brain volume. Hematoma expansion occurred in 7 of 22 (32%). Median expansion was 4 mL (interquartile range, 1-11 mL). Three children had significant (>33%) expansion; 2 required urgent hematoma evacuation. Expansion was not associated with poorer outcome. Compared with children with only 1 head CT scan within 48 hours, children with 2 head CT scans had larger baseline hemorrhage volumes (P = .05) and were more likely to receive treatment for elevated intracranial pressure (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Hematoma expansion occurs in children with intracerebral hemorrhage and may require urgent treatment. Repeat CT should be considered in children with either large hemorrhage or increased intracranial pressure.


Author(s): Russell, Jonathan Foster | Advisor(s): Nussbaum, Robert L | Abstract: Many neurologic diseases cause discrete episodic impairment. Study of the genes and mechanisms underlying these diseases has informed our understanding of the nervous system. Here we describe a novel episodic neurologic disorder, which we term familial cortical myoclonus (FCM). FCM is characterized by adult onset, slowly progressive, multifocal, cortical myoclonus, inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. On the basis of clinical, electrophysiological, and genetic data, FCM is nosologically distinct. We utilized genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, microsatellite linkage, and massively parallel sequencing to identify a mutation in the gene nucleolar protein 3 (NOL3) that likely causes FCM. NOL3 is thought to bind to pro-apoptotic proteins and thereby repress apoptosis, but our extensive experimentation did not replicate these claims. In vitro, the NOL3 mutation leads to post-translational modification of NOL3 protein. We could not pinpoint the identity of the modification, but did find that this process is regulated by phosphorylation at residue T114. Finally, a proteomic screen for novel binding partners identified two candidates that modulate neuronal/astroglial differentiation. We hypothesize that the NOL3 mutation abrogates these interactions to cause FCM. This hypothesis will be tested with Nol3 mutant mice that we generated. In total, this work defines a novel episodic neurologic phenotype and the associated mutation, calls into question some of the published functions of NOL3, and presents an alternative mechanism that may explain the pathophysiology of FCM.


A Review of:
Sisselman, P. (2009). Exploiting the social style of patrons to improve their satisfaction with the reference interview. Library Review, 58, 123-133.

Objective – To determine if a patron's social style affects how satisfied the patron and the librarian working with him/her are with the reference interview, and if a librarian's knowledge of social styles leads to greater satisfaction with the reference interview for all involved.

Design – Direct observation, two survey instruments, and a checklist used to identify patrons' social styles.

Setting – A public library system in the Northeastern US.

Subjects – A total of 24 library patrons who sought assistance at the reference desk of a public library and the five librarians who delivered reference services to them.

Methods – The researcher observed 24 reference interviews conducted by five different librarians at a reference desk in a public library system. It is unclear if all 24 interviews took place in the same library. Reference interviews that took place during the times the researcher was on site and did not relate to the use of the public computer terminals were included in the study.

During each interaction, the researcher compared the patron's behaviour to a checklist of traits relating to assertiveness and responsiveness. For example, more assertive behaviours included moving and talking quickly and sustained eye contact. Less assertive behaviours included "waiting to be asked" and soft speech (p. 127). More responsive behaviours usually consist of a greater willingness to engage on an emotional level with the librarian and more open facial expressions and gestures.

The balance of behaviours across the two categories was used by the researcher to determine which of the following social style categories a patron belonged to: driver, analytical, amiable, or expressive. Drivers, described in social style theory as "practical and task orientated," were those who demonstrated "less responsive" and "more assertive" behaviours at the desk (pp. 127-128). Those who were "less responsive" and "less assertive" were labelled analytical (p. 128). According to social style theory, analyticals "collect quite a bit of data before making decisions" and are methodical (p. 127). Patrons who were "more responsive" and "less assertive" were determined to be amiable; and expressives were those who were "more responsive" and "more assertive" (p. 128). Amiables are described as "easy-going" and expressives as "outgoing" and "spontaneous" (p. 127).

After the researcher had observed twelve reference interviews, the participating librarians received information on how to recognize and adapt to individual social styles. The information they received took the form of an article, a diagram of the four social style categories, and examples of famous people and their social styles. After the librarians received this information, the researcher then observed twelve additional reference interviews.

After each reference interview, the patron and librarian completed separate surveys. The surveys were adapted from the tools used by the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program. Each survey consisted of ten questions, which gauged the patron's and the librarian's level of satisfaction with the reference experience. Librarians responded to questions relating to whether they were able to answer the patron's question, their perceptions of the patron's satisfaction, how comfortable and confident they felt during the interaction, and whether they "taught the patron something new" (p. 132). The patron survey asked about the quality of service patrons feel they received from the librarian, whether or not they found what they were looking for, and if they learned something new from the experience. A score was calculated based on the following possible responses: yes (4 points), partly (2 points) and no (0 points).

Main Results – Of the 24 patrons observed in the study, the majority (10) were analyticals. The next largest group was expressives (6), followed by amiables (4), and drivers (3). The remaining patron was classified as both a driver and an expressive because he/she held an equal number of characteristics for both categories.
The median survey scores indicated that, overall, librarians rated the quality of reference interview lower than their patrons. The median score for the librarian survey after the first twelve interviews was 28, while the median score for their patrons was 36. The correlation between these scores was r=0.27. After the librarians received information on social styles, the median score of the librarian survey rose to 32. However, the patrons' median score dropped slightly to 35. The correlation of the scores after the intervention was r=0.57.

The responses of librarians and patrons most closely corresponded when the patrons were amiables. Amiables and the librarians who worked with them were in all in agreement on whether the patron's question was answered. Only one of the expressives and one of the drivers disagreed with the librarians' response to this question. In both cases, the librarians' responses were "partly" while the patrons answered "yes" (p. 129). Twenty percent of the analyticals were satisfied with the information they received from the librarian. In some cases, they were satisfied even though the information they were provided was not what they were looking for when they first
approached the reference desk.

The study suggests that there may be a disconnect between librarian and patron responses in regard to whether the librarian taught the patron something new in the exchange. According to Sisselman, all expressives and 75% of amiables responded that they had learned something new, but only 93% of the librarians who worked with the expressives and 50% of those working with amiables felt that they had done so. The scores for drivers for this question were double those of the librarians they worked with – the actual figures were not provided by the author. The results for analyticals on this question were not reported.

Conclusion – The findings of the study suggest that a patron's social style may play a role in how they perceive the reference interview. The author also suggests that "there may be a correlation between librarians' understanding of the social styles of patrons (analytical, expressive, driver, or amiable) and the outcomes of reference interviews" (p. 130). Possible areas of application for these findings include improved public service and tailoring of communication and marketing strategies to the diverse social styles of current and potential patrons.


This paper describes a simple, very reliable and extremely fast load-flow solution method with a wide range of practical application. It is attractive for accurate or approximate off-and on-line routine and contingency calculations for networks of any size, and can be implemented efficiently on computers with restrictive core-store capacities. The method is a development on other recent work employing the MW-?/ MVAR-V decoupling principle, and its precise algorithmic form has been determined by extensive numerical studies. The paper gives details of the method's performance on a series of practical problems of up to 1080 buses. A solution to within 0.01 MW/MVAR maximum bus mismatches is normally obtained in 4 to 7 iterations, each iteration being equal in speed to 1? Gauss-Seidel iterations or 1/5th of a Newton iteration. Correlations of general interest between the power-mismatch convergence criterion and actual solution accuracy are obtained.


We consider the numerical solution of the discrete multi-marginal optimal transport (MOT) by means of the Sinkhorn algorithm. In general, the Sinkhorn algorithm suffers from the curse of dimensionality with respect to the number of marginals. If the MOT cost function decouples according to a tree or circle, its complexity is linear in the number of marginal measures. In this case, we speed up the convolution with the radial kernel required in the Sinkhorn algorithm via non-uniform fast Fourier methods. Each step of the proposed accelerated Sinkhorn algorithm with a tree-structured cost function has a complexity of O(KN) instead of the classical O(KN2) for straightforward matrix–vector operations, where K is the number of marginals and each marginal measure is supported on, at most, N points. In the case of a circle-structured cost function, the complexity improves from O(KN3) to O(KN2). This is confirmed through numerical experiments.


The paper analyzes the ways in which the two paramedics organize their work activities in the courses of interaction with the patient. The paramedic-patient -interaction is generally based on question-answer -sequences where one paramedic asks a question to which the patient answers. The paper examines the organization of paramedics' institutional roles and responsibilities within these particular sequences of talk by conversation analytic means. Instead of leaning on any personal or psychological explanations, the paper aims to demonstrate how particular breaches or problems in the organization of division of labour become explainable and understandable through the detailed analysis of preceding interaction. The main research data consist of the videorecordings of naturally occurring interactions between paramedics and patient.


The purpose of this essay is to examine and compare the news covering of Swedens three biggest cities (the metropolitan areas) and their surrounding areas with the covering of the rest of the country (the provincial areas) in two daily national newspapers, Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter. The aim has been to answer the following questions:- What amount of the news coverage in Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter concern the metropolitan areas compared to the provincial areas, and how do these two newspapers differ in the news covering of these areas?- Is there a difference in the news articles size and content, depending on weather they concern the metropolitan or the provincial areas?- How has the balance between news concerning metropolitan and provincial areas changed over the recent 20 years?The theories used in this study are News values, the media commercialization and Popular Journalism, and The Agenda Setting Theory. The method that has been used is a Quantitative Content Analysis.Despite the essays hypothesis, that the news coverage in the two newspapers would be dominated by material from the metropolitan areas, the result showed that a majority of the examined articles concern the provincial areas. It also showed that Aftonbladet has a bigger percentage of provincial news than Dagens Nyheter. The result also pointed towards the conclusion that the metropolitan areas and the provincial areas are similarly represented in the news, regarding the articles' sizes and content.The overall conclusion in this study is that the fact that the provincial areas are being overrepresented in the examined newspapers news coverage ought to mean that the consumers of these papers are probable to get a wide, true image of what is Sweden, considering the Agenda setting theory and it's view on how the media's priorities will become important to the public.


Telecommunications networks heavily rely on the physical infrastructure and, are therefore, vulnerable to natural disasters, such as earthquakes or floods, as well as to physical attacks, such as an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack. Large-scale disasters are likely to destroy network equipment and to severely affect interdependent systems such as the power-grid. In turn, long-term outage of the power-grid might cause additional failures to the telecommunication network. In this paper, we model an attack as a disk around its epicenter, and provide efficient algorithms to find vulnerable points within the network, under various metrics. In addition, we consider the case in which multiple disasters happen simultaneously and provide an approximation algorithm to find the points which cause the most significant destruction. Finally, since a network element does not always fail, even when it is close to the attack's epicenter, we consider a simple probabilistic model in which the probability of a network element failure is given. Under this model, we tackle the cases of single and multiple attacks and develop algorithms that identify potential points where an attack is likely to cause a significant damage.


It has become widely accepted that emotions play a key role in the learning process. Therefore, understanding learners' emotions in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has become an important area of inquiry as the demand for these resources continues to increase. To date, however, research has focused almost exclusively on one emotion, anxiety. Consideration of a much broader range of both positive and negative emotion would provide a more holistic insight in to the online language learning experience, and thus warrants further investigation. This research, presents an investigation in to the emotional experiences of learners participating in an Irish language, massive open online course (MOOC). Language learning MOOCs (LMOOCs) such as this one constitute an emerging and relatively unexplored CALL environment that has much to gain from emotion research.

Using Pekrun's (2006) Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions as the guiding theoretical framework, this study seeks to answer the over-arching research question: What are the sources of learners' emotions experienced during an LMOOC? The research design adopted to address this question was iterative in nature with findings from prior stages contributing to the methodological instruments and procedure used in the main study. An experience sampling method was adopted to collect self-report data pertaining to learners' emotions and their cognitive appraisals during the main study. This approach facilitated in-the-moment emotion reports from participants following various task-types and tested the Control-Value Theory at an intra-individual level. This data was further enhanced by weekly emotion diaries, which delved deeper into the learners' perspective.

This multiple methods study finds that learners experience a range of both positive and negative emotions while learning the Irish language online. A multilevel analysis of the quantitative data confirms that the cognitive appraisals of perceived control and subjective value both directly and interactively predict learners' emotions at an intra-individual level during the MOOC. Furthermore, there are significant relationships that exist between task types and learner emotions, a finding that is of particular relevance to learning design and pedagogical strategies. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data supports these quantitative findings but also highlights other appraisals that appear to be relevant to the elicitation of emotions during the LMOOC. Taken together, the findings of this study suggest that learning a language online is not just a cognitive process but also an emotional one and educators, learning designers and even the learners themselves need to consider this when engaging in such courses.


"Sect of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine" came into the world four hundred years ago when Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) contacted Western Medicine (WM) at the beginning of the 17th century. It collected historical experiences showing that the cooperation of TCM and WM is more efficient for the cure and prevention of disease than each of them separately. Now the recognition that the cooperation of eastern and western medicine is more efficient to cure disease is spreading widely. This study will help Korean eastern and western medicine to find their directions. First, the concept of "sect of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine" which was established between the beginning of the 17th century and the middle of the 20th century, and Integration of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (ITCWM) which was formed after the middle of the 20th century will be discussed. The relationship of "sect of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine" and ITCWM and political consideration for the establishment of ITCWM will also be discussed. Finally, the current status of ITCWM in China will be discussed. New trends of thought appeared in Chinese medicine, owing to the cultural background of modern China, the development of WM, and the academic background of the intellectual class. "Sect of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine" and ITCWM are different in historical and social background. However, purpose, foundation of thoughts and logical idea are fundamentally the same. It can be said that "sect of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine" provided academic mood to open the way for ITCWM and ITCWM is a succession of "sect of Integration of Chinese and Western Medicine". The concept of ITCWM has many ways of explanation. However, it can be said to build up the foundation of new medical area including Chinese special way of medical treatment and new methods of modern medicine, succeeding a legacy of TCM. ITCWM began before the establishment of People's Republic of China. Mao Ze-dong (1893-1976), a powerful politician, and Li Ding-ming (1881-1947) who had many experiences and insight for TCM and WM played important roles at this stage. The period from the New China to the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1975) is the term for the establishment of the shape of ITCWM. "The effort of research and development on TCM-WM integration" was adapted as one of hygienic policies for curing of epidemic disease and succession and development of the heritage of TCM to establish new medical area. TCM class for western medical doctors was opened and mass media was used to spread out ITCWM throughout China. During the period of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, ITCWM had to be stepped back and stagnant. Only the TCM class of western medical doctors and some clinical applications were barely kept moving on and alive. From the period of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution to the end of the 1980s, there are the movement of re-preparation of ITCWM, education of successors, and the establishment of the Institute of ITCWM. Hospitals began to establish department of ITCWM. Furthermore, it was clearly indicated in the constitutional law that "We not only have to develop modern medicine but also traditional medicine". The equality of TCM and WM was legally established in this time. From the 1990s, "equality of TCM and WM" was adapted as one of the hygienic policies, and department of ITCWM was opened in traditional Chinese medical school and western medical school. ITCWM has been settled down as a new academic field through education, training, research, academic activity, and publishing text books. In conclusion, the motive of the development of ITCWM was the policy such as "the effort of research and development on TCM-WM integration" abd "equality of TCM and WM" aimed at the development of Chinese medical area. It is no doubt helpful to organize systems and policy-making for the cooperation of eastern and western medicine in Korea.


Climate change is fast becoming the environmental and energy concern of the world. There is a dilemma between the continued reliance on fossil fuel for energy and the pressing need to address the problem of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from combustion. A potential technology that allows for the consumption of fossil fuel with a minimized emission rate is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Malaysia is a fast developing economy with a historical trend of high reliance on fossil fuel for its energy needs. Therefore, there is compelling motivation to consider CCS for the country's GHG emission reduction initiative. This paper reviews the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a part of the climate change mitigation strategy for the Malaysian electricity sector using a technology assessment framework. The suitability and practicality of the technology was reviewed from a broad perspective with a consideration of Malaysia specific conditions. There had been a number of prior assessments on the suitability of CCS as a mitigation technology. Nonetheless, most of these assessments are typically more inclined towards the review from an economic viewpoint and are centered towards the case of developed economies. This study aims to fulfill this gap of knowledge and assess the technology from a broad sense in the Malaysia settings. It is apparent to this assessment that CCS has the potential to play an important role in Malaysia's climate change mitigation strategy. However, this study also identified key criteria that would need to be in place for CCS to be an effective climate change mitigation technology for the case of Malaysia.


Orlando, Fla. — Pain has several components — both sensory and emotional — and it is an experience that varies by individual. The ability to control pain effectively is crucial to a good dermatology practice. That was the message Christopher B. Zachary, F.R.C.P. presented recently at the Skin Disease Education Foundation Cosmetic Dermatology Symposium here.


Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been linked to mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Increased oxidative stress and a decrease in antioxidant capacity are believed to be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms mediating MCI in T2D. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess MCI and total antioxidant capacity in T2D patients and their nondiabetic controls. Materials and methods: A total of 34 T2D patients attending the diabetic clinic of Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, between June and December 2017 and age, sex, and level of education matched controls were recruited for the study. MCI was assessed using Montreal cognitive assessment test (MoCA) version 7.3. Serum albumin, total protein, uric acid, bilirubin, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined using spectrophotometric method, whereas Vitamins C and E were determined using competitive-ELISA (Elabscience, USA). Data were analyzed on SPSS version 23.0. The value of P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Diabetic group had significantly lower MoCA score (U = 216.50, P = 0.001), compared to the controls (19.5 and 26, respectively). MoCA score was influenced by sex (U = 88.0, P = 0.05) and level of education (χ2 =12.826, P = 0.005) among diabetic patients. MoCA score was correlated with serum levels of Vitamin E (ρ = −0.412, P = 0.015), total protein (ρ = −0.359, P = 0.037), and level of education of the diabetic patients (χ2 =14.664, P = 0.002). Diabetic patients had significantly higher serum MDA (U = 238.50, P = 0.001) (0.19 nmol/ml and 0.11 nmol/ml, respectively) and lower serum bilirubin (U = 351.50, P = 0.05) (1.28 mg/dl and 1.68 mg/dl, respectively). Conclusion: There was MCI with median MoCA score of 19.50 among the diabetics. T2D was associated with MCI, increased oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant capacity. Routine screening for MCI should be employed in the management of T2D.


ABSTRACT The number of White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) has been decreasing in many parts of Europe at least since the middle of the 20th century. Intensification of agriculture and continuous conversion of natural habitats, such as wetlands, into agricultural landscapes have been recognized as the most important determinants of dramatic reductions in population sizes of this species. For this reason, providing quantitative estimates of habitat requirements may allow us to identify the key biota which should be prioritized for conservation. The aim of this study was to investigate White Storks' habitat selection in a mosaic agricultural landscape in central Poland. We found that territories associated with large river valleys were highly preferred by first-arriving storks. We also recorded lower intensity of brood reduction and higher reproductive success of storks breeding in such territories. Thus, it seems likely that location of nests close to river valleys provided easy access to rich food resources associated with wetlands. In fact, distance to nearest wetland was the second strongest predictor of nest-site selection in the studied population. We also demonstrated that pairs nesting in the territories with a high proportion of wetlands showed lower levels of brood reduction in comparison to pairs having poorer access to wet habitat patches. Finally, we found that although early arriving storks avoided settling in an urbanized landscape, they selected nesting sites located close to buildings. The results of this study confirmed high importance of wet grasslands for the core central European population of White Storks.


During the initial years of Gasunie's existence, the early 60's, a projection was made for the power required in various compressorstations in the grid. This projection was updated periodically and this paper reviews the 1977 update, focussing on the Ravenstein compressorstation. The main subject of the paper is the development of the design criteria for this update and the comparison with the reality of the 1979/1980 pumping season. It may be stated that the actual conditions of the pumping season have justified the selection of the criteria.Copyright © 1981 by ASME


Detecting online hate is a complex task, and low-performing models have harmful consequences when used for sensitive applications such as content moderation. Emoji-based hate is an emerging challenge for automated detection. We present HatemojiCheck, a test suite of 3,930 short-form statements that allows us to evaluate performance on hateful language expressed with emoji. Using the test suite, we expose weaknesses in existing hate detection models. To address these weaknesses, we create the HatemojiBuild dataset using a human-and-model-in-the-loop approach. Models built with these 5,912 adversarial examples perform substantially better at detecting emoji-based hate, while retaining strong performance on text-only hate. Both HatemojiCheck and HatemojiBuild are made publicly available.


The steps involved in the biosynthesis of the ADP-L-glycero-beta-D-manno-heptose (ADP-L-beta-D-heptose) precursor of the inner core lipopolysaccharide (LPS) have not been completely elucidated. In this work, we have purified the enzymes involved in catalyzing the intermediate steps leading to the synthesis of ADP-D-beta-D-heptose and have biochemically characterized the reaction products by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography. We have also constructed a deletion in a novel gene, gmhB (formerly yaeD), which results in the formation of an altered LPS core. This mutation confirms that the GmhB protein is required for the formation of ADP-D-beta-D-heptose. Our results demonstrate that the synthesis of ADP-D-beta-D-heptose in Escherichia coli requires three proteins, GmhA (sedoheptulose 7-phosphate isomerase), HldE (bifunctional D-beta-D-heptose 7-phosphate kinase/D-beta-D-heptose 1-phosphate adenylyltransferase), and GmhB (D,D-heptose 1,7-bisphosphate phosphatase), as well as ATP and the ketose phosphate precursor sedoheptulose 7-phosphate. A previously characterized epimerase, formerly named WaaD (RfaD) and now renamed HldD, completes the pathway to form the ADP-L-beta-D-heptose precursor utilized in the assembly of inner core LPS.


Aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna is a relevant component of limnic continental aquatic ecosystems, playing an important role in several processes with relevant biocomplexity. The present study characterized the benthic macroinvertebrate fauna found in three hydric bodies in the Sinos river drainage basin regarding community structure. Sample was collected from January to December 2013 in three locations in the basin: the city of Caraá (29 °45'45.5"S/50°19'37.3"W), the city of Rolante (29°38'34.4"S/50°32'33.2"W) and the city of Igrejinha (29°36'10.84"S/50°48'49.3"W). Abiotic components (pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature) were registered and collected samples were identified up to family type. Average annual pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature were similar in all locations. A total of 26,170 samples were collected. Class Insecta (Arthropods) represented 85.5% of total sample. Platyhelmintes, Mollusca and Annelida samples were also registered. A total of 57 families were identified for the drainage basin and estimators (Chao-1, Chao-2 and jackknife 2) estimated richness varying from 60 to 72 families.


Warburg's cancer theory was based on cell injury at the bioenergetic system level. Posteriorly done research work on cell membrane biology, and on the role of calcium in the multifunctional capabilities of the cell (respiration, protein metabolism, membrane physiology, mitosis, etc.) has been used to corroborate another years ago stated hypothesis on carcinogenesis. The consequently new theory states that a cell injury at the cell membrane level is the event triggering a massive influx of calcium ions, and as the result of which some cells die by toxic death (necrosis) while, in order to survive others must adapt themselves to a changed intracellular ionic environment. This adaptation process leads to a more primitive way of life (neoplasia) where the cells appear to be independent of biological signals, specially those calcium-dependent. The increased intracellular calcium concentration seems also to be the cause of increased cell glycolysis (Warburg's observation), and of the preneoplastic hyperplasia by uncontrolled translational mRNA activity.


OBJECTIVE
o determine sensitivity and specificity of radiography, ultrasonography, and antegrade pyelography for detection of ureteral obstructions in cats.

DESIGN
Retrospective study.

ANIMALS
11 cats.

PROCEDURE
Medical records of cats that had radiography, ultrasonography, and antegrade pyelography performed for suspected ureteral obstructions were examined. Ultrasound-guided pyelocentesis and fluoroscopic-assisted antegrade pyelography were performed on 18 kidneys in 11 cats. Obstructive ureteral lesions were confirmed in all cats by surgical or necropsy examination. Sensitivity and specificity of survey radiography, ultrasonography, and antegrade pyelography for identification of ureteral obstructions were calculated. Surgical or necropsy findings were used as the standard for comparison.

RESULTS
All cats were azotemic. Mean +/- SD serum creatinine and BUN concentrations were 10.2 +/- 6.1 and 149 +/- 82 mg/dL, respectively. Fifteen of 18 ureters were found to be obstructed at surgery or necropsy. Sensitivity and specificity were 60 and 100% for radiography and 100 and 33% for ultrasonography, respectively, in identification of ureteral obstructions. Leakage of contrast material developed in 8 of 18 kidneys during antegrade pyelography and prevented diagnostic interpretation in 5 of 18 studies. For the 13 diagnostic studies, specificity and sensitivity were 100% by use of the antegrade pyelography technique. Correct identification of the anatomic location of the ureteral obstruction was obtained in 100% of diagnostic antegrade pyelography studies and in 60% of radiography or ultrasonography studies.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Antegrade pyelography can be a useful alternative in the diagnosis and localization of ureteral obstructions in azotemic cats, although leakage of contrast material may prevent interpretation of the study.


The buying decision process describes how the consumer makes a purchase decision through a rational process (Markin, 1979) and an understanding for how consumers make a purchase decision can according to Sands et al. (2010) be obtained by increased knowledge for the information search process (the second part of the buying decision process) before a purchase. Today's society offers great opportunity to obtain information (Rahim & Clemens, 2012; Bawden & Robinson, 2009) and by that there are in other words good opportunities for a rational acting by the consumers. However, there are factors working against that consumers act rationally and seek information prior to their purchases primarily in the form of the concept of information overload (Bawden & Robinson, 2009) which claims that consumers are limited in their information search because there is too much information but also other factors such as lack of time (Wood & Neal, 2009) and ability to find information (Slegers et al. 2012) are believed to affect the information search process.The purpose of this essay is to describe the information search behavior of consumers prior to a purchase considering irrational purchase decisions or the possibility of rational purchase decisions linked to product category and age because these variables are assumed to have an impact on the information search behavior prior to a purchase (Nelson, 1970; Phillips & Sternthal, 1977; Sledgers et al., 2012).The method applied in this essay is structured interviews conducted in a shopping center in the central parts of Orebro and the participating respondents are consumers who just made a purchase.The results of the study indicate that the majority of the consumers are making irrational purchase decisions and that they therefore do not use the opportunity to act rationally, although today's society provide good opportunities. The information search behavior doesn't seem to depend on product category except that the information sources used differ among categories. The result also shows that younger consumers search more information in comparison with older consumers. Another finding is that neither ability to find information, lack of time or information overload seem to be reasons for that the majority of the consumers have not searched for information and nor do it seem to be the reason for why the consumers that do search for information stop to search. That they are not seeking seems instead to be because they feel that they know enough about the kind of product they have bought and the main reason that those who search stop to search is that they feel that they have found enough information to make a purchase decision.Key words: Consumer behavior, purchase decisions, the buying decision process, information search, rationality, irrationality, search goods, experience goods, information overload


Introduction Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NCK1-AS1 could regulate multiple cancer progression. However, little is known regarding the roles and acting mechanisms of NCK-AS1 in gastric cancer (GC) progression. This work was aimed to explore the relationship between NCK1-AS1 and GC progression to illustrate the mechanisms of NCK1-AS1. Methods NCK1-AS1 expression level in GC tissues and cells was measured with a quantitative real-time PCR method. In vitro experiments including cell counting kit-8 assay, colony formation assay, wound-healing assay, and transwell invasion assay were employed to detect biological roles of NCK1-AS1 in GC progression. In vivo experiments were performed to analyze the roles of NCK1-AS1 on GC malignant phenotype. Moreover, mechanisms behind the biological roles of NCK1-AS1 in GC were investigated using bioinformatic analysis, luciferase activity reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay, and rescue experiments. Results NCK1-AS1 was found to have elevated expression in GC tissues and cells in comparison with normal counterparts. Loss-of-function experiments showed knockdown of NCK1-AS1 refrained GC cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Animal experiments showed silence of NCK1-AS1 suppresses tumor growth in vivo. Functionally, NCK1-AS1 serves as a sponge for microRNA-137 (miR-137) to upregulate nucleoporin 43 (NUP43) expression in GC. Rescue experiments proved the carcinogenic role of NCK1-AS1/miR-137/NUP43 axis in GC progression. Discussion In conclusion, the NCK1-AS1/miR-137/NUP43 axis was identified that could contribute to GC malignancy behaviors.


We treat the quantum transport of an interacting system of electrons, impurities, and phonons, in a time-dependent electric field, by using the quantum generalized Langevin equation (GLE), in which the system is shown to be equivalent to a quantum particle in a heat bath. We follow here the philosophy of Ford, Lewis, and O'Connell, who have demonstrated the usefulness of the GLE approach to heat-bath problems. The center of mass of the electrons acts like a quantum particle, while the relative electrons and phonons play the role of heat bath. They are coupled through the electron-impurity and electron-phonon interactions. After eliminating the heat-bath variables, the equation of motion for the quantum particle is written in a form of a quantum generalized Langevin equation, with a memory term which reflects the retarded effects of the heat bath on the quantum particle. The evaluation of the memory term immediately leads to a result for the susceptibility from which we can calculate the conductivity directly, in contrast to Kubo-type calculations which require the evaluation of correlation functions as an intermediate step. As a demonstration of the directness of our approach, we show that the usual random-phase-approximation conductivity results are easily derived. In addition, we derive an expression for the memory function, which incorporates higher-order electron-impurity scattering.


Sustainable forest management increasingly highlights the maintenance of biological diversity and requires up-to-date information on the occurrence and distribution of key ecological features in forest environments. European aspen (Populus tremula L.) is one key feature in boreal forests contributing significantly to the biological diversity of boreal forest landscapes. However, due to their sparse and scattered occurrence in northern Europe, the explicit spatial data on aspen remain scarce and incomprehensive, which hampers biodiversity management and conservation efforts. Our objective was to study tree-level discrimination of aspen from other common species in northern boreal forests using airborne high-resolution hyperspectral and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. The study contained multiple spatial analyses: First, we assessed the role of different spectral wavelengths (455–2500 nm), principal component analysis, and vegetation indices (VI) in tree species classification using two machine learning classifiers—support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF). Second, we tested the effect of feature selection for best classification accuracy achievable and third, we identified the most important spectral features to discriminate aspen from the other common tree species. SVM outperformed the RF model, resulting in the highest overall accuracy (OA) of 84% and Kappa value (0.74). The used feature set affected SVM performance little, but for RF, principal component analysis was the best. The most important common VI for deciduous trees contained Conifer Index (CI), Cellulose Absorption Index (CAI), Plant Stress Index 3 (PSI3), and Vogelmann Index 1 (VOG1), whereas Green Ratio (GR), Red Edge Inflection Point (REIP), and Red Well Position (RWP) were specific for aspen. Normalized Difference Red Edge Index (NDRE) and Modified Normalized Difference Index (MND705) were important for coniferous trees. The most important wavelengths for discriminating aspen from other species included reflectance bands of red edge range (724–727 nm) and shortwave infrared (1520–1564 nm and 1684–1706 nm). The highest classification accuracy of 92% (F1-score) for aspen was achieved using the SVM model with mean reflectance values combined with VI, which provides a possibility to produce a spatially explicit map of aspen occurrence that can contribute to biodiversity management and conservation efforts in boreal forests.


A characteristic function method is proposed for precisely calculating the bit error probability of time-hopping ultra-wideband systems with multiple access interference. The analytical expressions are validated by simulation and used to assess the accuracy of the Gaussian approximation. The sensitivity of the performance of the modulation schemes to the system parameters is also addressed through numerical examples. The performances of time-hopping pulse position modulation and binary phase-shift keying modulation schemes are accurately compared based on the new analytical results.


Fracture toughness data from the cleavage resistance test of structural steels often show a large scatter. Geometry dependency as well as the scatter makes it difficult to evaluate appropriate fracture integrity of cracked components. To address these restrictions, several stochastic models have been proposed by Beremin group, Mudry and other researchers while each of them employs specific estimation scheme and micro-mechanical parameters. The purpose of this paper is to investigate applicability of the Weibull stress model in transition temperature regime and to quantify constraint effect among different-sized CT and PCVN specimens. The constituting parameters m and σu are determined at three temperatures by maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) technique in use of FE analysis results and experimental data of PCVN specimens. Also, failure probabilities of PCVN and CT specimens are calculated from the Weibull parameters, which are used for derivation of a prototype of toughness scale diagram. The diagram provides a technical basis to resolve transferability issue in the same material under different temperatures and constraint conditions.


Low-cost, portable particle sensors (n = 3) were designed, constructed, and used to monitor human exposure to particle pollution at various locations and times in Lubbock, TX. The air sensors consisted of a Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F dust sensor interfaced to an Arduino Uno R3, and a FONA808 3G communications module. The Arduino Uno was used to receive the signal from calibrated dust sensors to provide a concentration (µg/m3) of suspended particulate matter and coordinate wireless transmission of data via the 3G cellular network. Prior to use for monitoring, dust sensors were calibrated against a reference aerosol monitor (RAM-1) operating independently. Sodium chloride particles were generated inside of a 3.6 m3 mixing chamber while the RAM-1 and each dust sensor recorded signals and calibration was achieved for each dust sensor independently of others by direct comparison with the RAM-1 reading. In an effort to improve the quality of the data stream, the effect of averaging replicate individual pulses of the Sharp sensor when analyzing zero air has been studied. Averaging data points exponentially reduces standard deviation for all sensors with n < 2000 averages but averaging produced diminishing returns after approx. 2000 averages. The sensors exhibited standard deviations for replicate measurements of 3–6 µg/m3 and corresponding 3σ detection limits of 9–18 µg/m3 when 2000 pulses of the dust sensor LED were averaged over an approx. 2 min data collection/transmission cycle. To demonstrate portable monitoring, concentration values from the dust sensors were sent wirelessly in real time to a ThingSpeak channel, while tracking the sensor's latitude and longitude using an on-board Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor. Outdoor and indoor air quality measurements were made at different places and times while human volunteers carried sensors. The measurements indicated walking by restaurants and cooking at home increased the exposure to particulate matter. The construction of the dust sensors and data collected from this research enhance the current research by describing an open-source concept and providing initial measurements. In principle, sensors can be massively multiplexed and used to generate real-time maps of particulate matter around a given location.


A large amount of hydrogen is generated by the metal water-reaction in the Primary Containment Vessel (PCV) of Light Water Reactors in the severe accident. Then we have been developing the Hydrogen Treatment System to prevent excessive pressure without PCV vent. By focusing on the oxidation-reduction reaction of metal oxides with high reaction rate, we have been studying hydrogen treatment system using metal oxides as effective device under oxygen deficit conditions of PCV of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR).
 We have been considering a hydrogen treatment unit with a lot of pipes in which metal oxides are filled. We have already investigated experimentally the basic trend of metal oxides temperature and gas concentration as well as hydrogen processing rate dependency on gas temperature and concentration in the absence of steam. However, the influence of steam on hydrogen processing characteristics has not been clarified yet.
 The objective of the present research is to investigate how the steam, which is supposed to be a reaction-inhibiting-factor, affects hydrogen processing characteristics of the hydrogen treatment unit. We conducted experiments using a test section of one pipe simulating a part of the hydrogen treatment pipes. The granulated CuO, which is a candidate material for the actual system was used. The hydrogen concentration of 10 wt% at the inlet of the pipes was decreased to 0 wt% at the outlet even in high steam concentration conditions (30–50 wt%) when the gas temperature was 250 °C, therefore, it was confirmed that hydrogen was treated with high processing rate under steam circumstances. It was also found that cumulative amount of treated hydrogen was strongly correlated with temperature and relative humidity.
 We have been developing the thermal-chemical model of hydrogen treatment unit. The prediction margin of error was decreased to 30 % from over 100 % by improving degradation model based on the experiment results, therefore, it reached the practical level.


ABSTRACT When modeling the reliability of a system or component, it is not uncommon for more than one expert to provide very different prior estimates of the expected reliability as a function of an explanatory variable such as age or temperature. Our goal is to incorporate all information from the experts when choosing a design about which units to test. Bayesian design of experiments has been shown to be very successful for generalized linear models, including logistic regression models. We use this approach to develop methodology for the case where there are several potentially non-overlapping priors under consideration. While multiple priors have been used for analysis in the past, they have never been used in a design context. The Weighted Priors method performs well for a broad range of true underlying model parameter choices and is more robust when compared to other reasonable design choices. We illustrate the method through multiple scenarios and a motivating example. Additional figures for this article are available in the online supplementary information.


A syntheses of current evidence for diagnosis, tests and interventions (e.g. treatments, drugs) designed for rapid consultation at the point of patient care. These tools are evidence-based and frequently updated, with links to relevant literature.


An inventive, fast and straight-forward approach for the direct preparation of fuel cell electrodes has been developed and tested. Our approach avoids long catalyst preparation and post-synthesis treatment. It reduces the use of chemicals and thereby concomitantly lowers the environmental impact and improves cost efficiency. It combines decoration of the support by palladium nanoparticles with electrode preparation through a simple one-step ink-painting and annealing process. Composites have been investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Xray diffraction. Crystalline particles are well-attached and well-distributed on the support. Particles are of few nanometers in size and spherical for decorated Vulcan whereas they are larger and irregularly shaped for decorated helical carbon nanofibers (HCNFs). Electrodes with a metal loading of 0.8 mg cm(-2) have been tested in a direct formic acid fuel cell. Both the Vulcan and the HCNF electrodes show a similar and high power output of up to 120 mW mg(-1). They also show similar performances in deactivation experiments conducted at 200 mA cm(-2) even when using only high purity grade formic acid. After deactivation the electrodes show no structural damage, making them superior to most commercial catalysts. The electrodes can be completely regenerated to initial activity by simple treatment with water. The easy regeneration process indicates that CO-adsorption on the fuel cell anode catalyst is not the main poisoning mechanism responsible for electrode degeneration.


This paper analyzes the factors affecting adoption of sustainable land management and climate smart agricultural (SLM-CSA) practices (in particular tree planting, soil conservation and intercropping) and the effects of adoption on crop net revenue. We use two rounds of household and parcel level survey data collected from the East Gojjam and South Wollo Zones in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, in combination with spatially explicit climate data (rainfall and temperature). We use a multinomial endogenous switching regression model to understand the impacts of SLM-CSA practices on crop net revenue and we conduct a counterfactual analysis to compare the returns from various adaptation strategies. The results show the importance of household characteristics, physical characteristics of the farm, and climate-related factors in farm households' decisions to adopt adaptation strategies. We also find that the adoption of SLM-CSA practices, either in isolation or in combination, can result in both positive and negative returns in crop net revenue. Tree planting has the best payoff among the practices considered in this study, either in isolation or in combination. The study also suggests that adoption of all three SLM-CSA practices does not necessarily result in better returns compared to other strategies considered in this study.


This paper conducts an analysis of subsynchronous resonance (SSR) phenomena in doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG)-based wind farms interconnected with series compensated networks. A dynamic model is developed to analyze the induction generator effect (IGE) and torsional interaction (TI) in such systems. A test system derived from the IEEE first benchmark model is considered for the analysis. The effect of two factors namely: 1) series compensation level and 2) wind speed on the IGE and TI are studied. In addition, impact of the inner current converter controller parameters and turbine parameters on SSR is also addressed. Small signal (eigenvalue) analysis is conducted to assess the damping of network and torsional modes followed by dynamic (time domain) simulations. The major contribution of this paper is the analytical investigation on SSR phenomena presented in DFIG-based wind farms interconnected with series compensated networks. The paper clearly demonstrates that IGE instead of TI is the major reason for SSR in such systems.


s of papers and posters should be submitted for consideration by the Scientific Committee. Original communications will be allotted 15 minutes, which must include time for discussion. Online submission will be the only method of abstract submission available. Full instructions and the submission form can be accessed via the BAD website www.bad.org.uk/annualmeeting The closing date for the receipt of abstracts is Monday 7th January 2013 and the deadline will be adhered to strictly. Any abstracts received after this date will not be considered. The deadline for abstract submissions to any of the special interest group meetings will be Monday 11th February 2013. Poster submissions on the following topics are strongly encouraged: audit, medical education, and service delivery. Conference & Event Services, British Association of Dermatologists, 4 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HQ, UK or email email@example.com Dermatology Updates Meeting 2013 Val d'Isere Centre de Congres 28th – 31st January 2013 Meeting coordinator: Dr Sarah Walsh (sarahwalsh1@nhs. net) Details on http://www.doctorsupdates.com 12 World Congress of Pediatric Dermatology, 25–27 September 2013, Madrid. The International Society of Pediatric Dermatology announces the 12 World Congress of Pediatric Dermatology to be held in Madrid, Spain, 25–27 September, 2013. Please visit the website


Engaging students and teaching students to think critically isn't easy! The new Eighth Edition of Halliday, Resnick and Walker has been strategically revised to conquer this challenge. Every aspect of this revision is focused on engaging students, supporting critical thinking and moving students to the next level physics understanding. This solutions manual is meant to accompany the "Fundamentals of Physics, 8th Edition".


The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), discovered in the 1920s, involves a heterogeneously catalysed polymerization to convert syngas (CO + H2) into hydrocarbons and some oxygenated compounds. According to the favoured mechanism of hydrocarbon formation, CO dissociatively adsorbs on the catalyst surface, generating surface carbon and surface oxygen. Surface oxygen reacts with adsorbed hydrogen or CO and leaves the surface as water or CO2. Surface carbon is successively hydrogenated yielding CH, CH2 and CH3 surface species. If the hydrogenation runs to completion, methane is the by-product. However, under FTS conditions, the CHx fragments propagate chain growth leading to the formation of heavier hydrocarbons. We have used DFT to investigate CHx (x=0-4), C2Hy (y=0-6) and H2O adsorption on the clean Fe(100) surface and derived potential energy surfaces (PES) for methane, acetylene, ethylene, ethane and water formation by considering hydrogenation, carbon-carbon (C-C) coupling and isomerisation reactions. Rather than C always forming only four bonds, as previously thought, CHx species adsorb in the most highly coordinated state possible; on the Fe(100) surface this means that the C, CH and CH2 preferentially adsorb at the fourfold hollow site, while CH3 prefers the bridge site. CH4 does not exhibit any site preference and is weakly physisorbed to the surface. Furthermore, C and CH are the most stable C1 species on the surface. Although the methanation reaction is endothermic, the overall reaction starting from CO in the gas phase to methane in the gas phase is actually exothermic. Furthermore, the rate limiting step of the whole sequence on Fe(100) is actually the CO dissociation, rather than any of the hydrogenation steps. The C2 species where the a carbon is not hydrogenated, with the exception of dicarbon, are actually the most stable on the surface. As the a carbon is hydrogenated, in addition to the s carbon, the species gets progressively destabilised on the surface. The most stable C2 species is ethynyl. The least stable is ethane, which would be expected to leave the surface easily once formed. We have systematically studied C2 hydrocarbon formation, starting from two atomic carbons present on the surface and building up to a fully hydrogenated ethane molecule. We propose four possible pathways towards the formation of ethane and ethylene. Mechanism 1 involves the carbon-carbon coupling of CH2+CH3, Mechanism 2 involves the carbon-carbon coupling of CH+CH3 followed by one hydrogenation, Mechanism 3 involves the carbon-carbon coupling of C+CH3 with two subsequent hydrogenations, and Mechanism 4 involves the carbon-carbon coupling of C+CH2 followed by three hydrogenations. Once ethyl is formed, it will either hydrogenate to ethane or dehydrogenate to ethylene. Water formation by the hydrogenation of oxygen, O+H ? OH+H ? H2O, is a highly activated process on the Fe(100) surface. A more favourable route involves the disproportionation of hydroxyls, 2OH ? H2O+O, to form water and adsorbed oxygen. Dissociation of the OH is also likely since the activation energy is similar to for disproportionation. The formation of water is actually thermodynamically unfavourable on Fe(100). However, our results also show that the dissociation of water on Fe(100) is a non-activated process, and becomes even easier in the presence of oxygen. The importance of including zero-point energy corrections when dealing with hydrogen-containing species has been highlighted throughout this thesis.


Previous studies have shown that the minor tobacco alkaloid myosmine (5) reacts with NaNO2 in the presence of acid to yield 4-hydroxy-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (HPB, 8) via 4-(3-pyridyl)-4-oxobutanediazohydroxide (7). Intermediate 7 is also formed in the metabolism of the tobacco-specific nitrosamines N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN, 1) and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK, 2), resulting in pyridyloxobutylation of DNA and Hb. These pyridyloxobutyl adducts can be quantified by analyzing HPB released upon acid treatment of DNA or base treatment of Hb. Quantitation of HPB-releasing DNA and Hb adducts has been used to assess the metabolic activation of NNN and NNK in smokers and smokeless tobacco users. Because myosmine is found in the diet as well as in tobacco products, it has been suggested that nitrosation of myosmine could lead to the formation of HPB-releasing adducts in people not exposed to tobacco products. We investigated the nitrosation of myosmine in vitro and in vivo in rats. The reaction of myosmine with NaNO2 under acidic conditions produced HPB, as previously reported. A new product was identified as 3'-oximinomyosmine (11) based on its spectral properties. NNN was not detected. Groups of rats were treated with NNN, NNK, myosmine, NaNO2, or combinations of myosmine and NaNO2. HPB-releasing Hb and DNA adducts were clearly detected in the rats treated with NNN or NNK, but we found no evidence for production of these adducts from the combination of myosmine plus NaNO2. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that exposure to dietary myosmine could lead to HPB-releasing DNA or Hb adducts in humans.


ABSTRACT
Mycobacterium bovis has been used as the scientific name for two different bacteria, the one causing bovine tuberculosis, the other occurring in freshly drawn cow's milk. In the past the former bacterium was regarded as a subspecies (variety) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (viz. M. tuberculosis subsp. bovis), and in recent years it has been recognized as a distinct, species, M. bovis; whether as a subspecies or a species, the name of this organism is commonly attributed to "Bergey et al. 1934." For the name of the latter bacterium, "(Bergey et al. 1923) Krasil'nikov 1949" is the author citation ordinarily given. However, from a careful analysis of the facts, it is evident that none of the specific or subspecific names in the genus Mycobacterium involving the epithet "bovis" has been validly published. Because the epithet "bovis" has been used the world over for many years in the scientific name of the organism responsible for bovine tuberculosis, the Judicial Commission of the International Committee on Nomenclature of Bacteria is requested to issue an Opinion conserving the name Mycobacterium bovis (Bergey et al. 1934) Reed 1957 (Basionym: M. tuberculosis subsp. bovis Bergey et al. 1934).


This thesis is concerned with developing new algorithms for solving some basic problems of conformance testing. In particular, the following problems of conformance testing are considered: (i) generation of test cases from Language Of Temporal Ordering Specification (LOTOS) and Specification and Description Language (SDL), (ii) selection of test cases which meet certain data flow coverage criteria, and (iii) representation of test cases for Local Single-layer (LS) and Remote Single-layer (RS) architectures. The algorithms presented in this thesis can be used to solve in an efficient manner these fundamental problems of conformance testing. These algorithms rely heavily on two concepts: the Extended Finite State Machine (EFSM) chart and the Input/Output (I/O) diagram. In this thesis, we introduce a unified model (using the EFSM chart and the I/O diagram) for existing protocol specification languages. Based on the new unified model, a conceptually simple, easy to implement and computationally efficient methodology is proposed in this thesis for studying conformance testing. In this thesis, the protocol specification is mapped into an EFSM chart. The structure of input/output data is modeled by hierarchical diagrams called I/O diagrams. Test cases are generated from the EFSM chart. Furthermore, a data flow graph is constructed from the chart, and used to identify the protocol functions for testing the data flow aspects of an Implementation Under Test (IUT). The zero-one integer programming technique is used to select test cases to meet the data flow coverage requirement. The selected test cases are modeled as a dependency graph and then evaluated by taking predicate slices from the test case dependency graph. Predicate slices are used to identify infeasible test cases that must be eliminated. Redundant assignments and predicates in all the feasible test cases are removed by reducing the test cases. Reduction is achieved by using the test case dependency graph as well as the data flow graph. The reduced test case dependency graph is adapted for LS and RS architectures. The tester's behaviour in each test case is obtained by a series of transformations called representation and selection. Test case representation refers to the steps of inverting the direction of events and the generation of base and dynamic constraints on the events. These constraints are generated in the form of an I/O diagram. Test case selection refers to the steps of assigning a test purpose according to the hierarchy of test cases in a test suite and then completing the tester's behaviour by assigning verdict and parameter value information.


Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL) are in a group of autosomal recessive inherited neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of autofluorescent storage material in many cell types. Clinical manifestations of NCL are progressive mental and motor deterioration, seizures, and visual loss. We report anesthetic management for two siblings with NCL. Placement of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes were scheduled for both 31-year-old woman and her 29-year-old sister with NCL. Although they were treated with several anticonvulsants, the grand mal and myoclonic seizures persisted. Anesthesia was maintained with propofol, nondepolarizing muscle relaxant, and narcotics. They showed no complications except for mild hypothermia during anesthesia. However, BIS index fluctuated widely during anesthesia in both cases. Their postoperative course was uneventful.


Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are central for most biological processes. Much effort has been put into the development of methodology for predicting PPIs and the construction of PPIs networks. Though a high accurate rate those methods have achieved, it was found that the accurate rate strongly depends on the balance of datasets. Compare to negative datasets, positive datasets contain some proteins which are called hub protein intact more proteins. And the unbalance between datasets leads to an excellent performance of PPIs prediction. But when one used balance datasets, the performance is disappointed. Different Biological functions are supported by different local PPIs network. Does it mean that local PPIs network has its own feature? In this paper, we managed to catch features of local networks in three species on the condition that there is no unbalance between positive dataset and negative dataset. Features of local PPIs network fades as the network extended. The associate rules method is used to analyze features of local PPI network. All the datasets used in this study are derived from public available database.


A doctor who was struck off the UK medical register in 2008 for engaging in sexual acts with a vulnerable patient has been allowed back on the register, despite a successful General Medical Council appeal to the courts against the decision allowing him to resume practice.1

Shekhar Chandra was a senior house officer in psychiatry working on the Isle of Wight in 2005 when he twice met a vulnerable patient at her home, engaging in oral sex on the second occasion. Two days later the patient was admitted to hospital after an overdose.

Chandra did not disclose his contacts with her to her treating clinicians and made no entry in the medical notes. He was struck off in …


After the defeat in WWII the Japanese experienced a twenty-year period of identity crisis in which they searched for a new ideology that could enable them to face the threat of "spiritual vacuum" (Befu 2001), economic instability and strong criticisms from the West. In such a chaotic environment the identity discourse known as Nihonjinron (Theories on the Japanese) flourished and became hegemonic. Nihonjinron successfully dominates the Japanese panorama even now, thanks to the influence of academic and popular literature, mass media, a powerful cultural industry, politics, and a national, genuine interest for the "Japaneseness". The discussion on the alleged Japanese uniqueness, that is, the existence of unbridgeable racial and cultural differences between the 'Japanese' and the 'Other' – the West – is precisely the core of Nihonjinron. As Dale (1986), Befu, Sugimoto (1986) and Yoshino (1992) argue, the underlying assumptions of Nihonjinron could be summed up as follows: a racial and cultural homogeneity of Japanese people; a conceptual equation between Nation/Race/Ethnicity/Language/Cul-ture/Blood considered as monolithic, natural features, that is, a primordialist or essentialist perspective (Eriksen 2010, Geertz 1963); a "race thinking" or racialism; a belief in the validity of emic judgments only over etic analyses on Japaneseness and ethnocentrism. The historical roots of the Nihonjinron phenomenon can be traced back to the Meiji period (1868–1912), when the first theories on the origins of the Japanese nation emerged in reaction to the shocking encounter with the West and the introduction of Western science (Oguma 2002). Interestingly, the myth of a homogeneous, pure-blooded state-nation coexisted from its birth with another typology of nationalism, the so called 'mixed nation theory'. This theory prevailed during the Taishō (1912–1926) and part of the Shōwa (1926–1989) periods until the 1945 defeat, serving as the basis of the multinational paradigm of the imperialistic and expansionistic ideology and as a justification of the aggressive expansionism into China. However, as a result of the surrender, the Japanese government could no longer advocate the logic of the past and the previous assimilationist discourse was abandoned. A vision of Japan as an isolated, remote and peaceful insular nation, homeland to no aliens but inhabited from time immemorial by a homogeneous and harmonious agricultural people, with no skill for war, was thus reactivated to serve in the new context. These images of Japanese identity based on a myth of homogeneity and on discourse of cultural exceptionalism culminated in the 1960s and 1970s, in correspondence with the economic growth and the gain of self-confidence in the international society. Moreover, despite the socioeconomical changes from the end of 1980s, Japan succeeded in adjusting her paradigm of cultural nationalism through the medium of cultural capitalism, as the spread of her soft power policies throughout the world shows. My contribution will focus on an outstanding example of Nihonjinron* and of its temporal continuity, namely the works of Watanabe Shōichi (1930–2017), a professor emeritus of English literature, a political and cultural critic and a historical revisionist. Despite its carrier background, from the half of the 1970s until well into the 2000s Watanabe was surprisingly prolific in the nihonjinron field, enthusiastically propagating the establishment's ideology (Watanabe 1974a, 1977, 1980, 2000, 2007). In this respect, Watanabe's essays provide a significant insight into two aspects of Japanese contemporary society which I will discuss: the role of language as the most effective expression of ethnic identity and the existence of a widespread set of peculiar Japanese expressions (un)consciously conveying the underlying ideology. Watanabe connects the uniqueness of Japanese culture to the particularism of the language, as revealed by a number of untranslatable aesthetical concepts and native words conveying a "Japanese spirit", a vast range of lexical items and idiomatic expressions appealing directly to the emotionality of the Japanese. My purpose is to present and analyze a specific example of the ideological distinction that Watanabe intentionally develops, namely the lexical dichotomy between the stratum of the supposed "native lexicon" and that of "foreign loans". Watanabe refers to the former by means of a variety of words and expressions related to the concepts of "authenticity", "primitivity" and "naturalness", associated with attributes such "indigenous", "pure", "irrational", "emotional", "soft/maternal", "inward-looking". The latter lexicon is instead related to negative notions such "foreignness", "corruption" and "artifice", and to attributes such "alien", "contaminated", "logical", "detached", "hard/masculine", "outward-looking" (Watanabe 1974a). I will examine likewise the language of the feelings that each linguistic category is supposed to evoke: while native words should evoke a primordial ethnic memory of harmonious, peaceful, delicate and moving sensations, foreign loanwords provoke aggressive, euphoric states of mind, alien to the "true" Japanese spirit. My contribution will provide an insight into the close relationship between language and ideology. The role that language plays in the definition of Japanese national identity may help understand the importance of language in vehiculating and slyly imposing ideology, power, identity paradigms and distorted realities to the minds of social actors. This is all the more actual in the contemporary world, where the spread of nationalisms and ethnic conflicts is sustained by a scattered usage of rhetoric and ideological narratives.


While laser-plasma accelerators have demonstrated a strong potential in the acceleration of electrons up to giga-electronvolt energies, few experimental tools for studying the acceleration physics have been developed. In this paper, we demonstrate a method for probing the acceleration process. A second laser beam, propagating perpendicular to the main beam, is focused on the gas jet few nanosecond before the main beam creates the accelerating plasma wave. This second beam is intense enough to ionize the gas and form a density depletion, which will locally inhibit the acceleration. The position of the density depletion is scanned along the interaction length to probe the electron injection and acceleration, and the betatron X-ray emission. To illustrate the potential of the method, the variation of the injection position with the plasma density is studied.


It is estimated that at least 600 million people in Africa lack access to electricity and three out of five people don't have access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Though Africa is rich in a wide range of energy resources including solar, bio, natural gas, oil, coal and Uranium, the continent is far from energy self-sufficiency. Addressing climate change will require deep and quick reductions in fossil fuel use so that the systems developed around producing, transporting, and consuming energy are decarbonized by the middle of the century. In the ongoing age, sustainable power source has taken another swing to limelight on the planet, particularly in developed and emerging nations, as it assumes a noteworthy part both in economy and the general job of the world. Significantly, Nigeria an oil-rich country, comes as no surprise that almost all of her energy consumption comes from non-renewable energy sources as coal, natural gas and oil, and as such it is highly vulnerable to shocks due to overdependence on the fossil sources; often time is controlled by the international market. On the whole, the fossil fuel is expected to span only but a millennium (1700-2700) of human civilization while the imperative of an energy shortage situation is felt in every sector of the country considering the poor electricity consumptions in the country, which has reflected on the country's economy and productivity rate. In revamping the economic sectors in Nigeria, the need for an alternative energy sources that is augmentable in supply keeping in view sustainable development as the hallmark for all sector development. Thus far, Nigeria ought to likewise be opened to universal investments as this would help support the improvement of its assets. This paper, therefore, supports no other sources but renewable energy in promoting the countries productivity at all segments. It further stressed on the implementation of the country's Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) to meet global competitors by the year 2030. Similarly, senior political figures, policymakers and CEOs should engage in a policy dialogue by identifying unique opportunities and best practices for developing and investing in Nigeria and in Africa's energy markets for "…without this energy supply, the sophisticated skills of the industrial world are merely a burden in the struggle for survival."


 Abstract — SQL injection on web applications is a very popular kind of attack. There are mechanisms such as intrusion detection systems in order to detect this attack. These strategies often rely on techniques implemented at high layers of the application but do not consider the low level of system calls. The problem of only considering the high level perspective is that an attacker can circumvent the detection tools using certain techniques such as URL encoding. One technique currently used for detecting low-level attacks on privileged processes is the tracing of system calls. System calls act as a single gate to the Operating System (OS) kernel; they allow catching the critical data at an appropriate level of detail. Our basic assumption is that any type of application, be it a system service, utility program or Web application, "speaks" the language of system calls when having a conversation with the OS kernel. At this level we can see the actual attack while it is happening. We conduct an experiment in order to demonstrate the suitability of system call analysis for detecting SQL injection. We are able to detect the attack. Therefore we conclude that system calls are not only powerful in detecting low-level attacks but that they also enable us to detect high-level attacks such as SQL injection.


Biogas production is a complex process depending on many factors and is an area that is being researched intensively. This thesis is based on studies that were aimed at optimizing the biogas production process by: • Reducing the time taken to assess the biochemical methane potentials (BMP) of substrates (specifically meadow grasses) by rapid analytical methods such as near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS), in-vitro organic matter digestibility assay and the neutral detergent fibre assay • Applying NIRS as a monitoring tool to assess the concentrations of ammonia (which is inhibitory to the process) in the contents of anaerobic digesters. • Improving the BMP of materials such as cattle manure and dewatered pig manure and chicken manure by thermal pre-treatment at various temperatures between 100°C and 225°C Results show that the NIRS method can be used to discriminate between meadow grasses with high or low BMP. In detecting the ammonia content, NIRS was shown to have the potential to be a process monitoring tool. Thermal pre-treatment proved to be most effective on dewatered pig manure which showed improvements at lower pre-treatment temperatures. Cattle manure required pre-treatment temperatures higher than 175°C to show improvement. Chicken manure did not show any improvements but instead showed a decrease in BMP at 225°C.