A study was conducted from July 2015 to December 2017 to rebuild local seed system and safeguard conservation of agrobiodiversity in the aftermath of earthquake through rescue collection, conservation and repatriation of endangered crop landraces from 10 earthquake affected districts. The process employed several methods, approaches and processes combining rescue missions with qualitative and quantitative assessments techniques and tools. The process helped to assess status of diversity of traditional crops, identify endangered, extinct and rare crop landraces, document and characterize their unique agronomic traits and develop and validate methodology for conservation of native crops by linking on-farm and ex-situ approaches. A total of 921 accessions of 61 crops were collected from 35 VDCs of 10 severally earthquake affected districts. The process has identified 104 lost crop landraces and rescued 284 rare and endangered ones and conserved them in national Genebank. Some of the farmer demanded crop landraces are repatriated back to local communities and also conserved in community seed banks in affected districts. The process therefore helped to restore lost diversity, revive and strengthen the local seed system and safeguard biodiversity of native crops to adapt to more extreme and changing climatic


Critical to the successful deployment of grid systems is their ability to guarantee efficient meta-scheduling, namely optimal allocation of jobs across a pool of sites with diverse local scheduling policies. The centralized nature of current meta-scheduling solutions is not well suited for the envisioned increasing scale and dynamicity of next-generation grids, the success of which relies on the development of fully distributed, flexible and autonomic systems tailored to very large sets of highly volatile and heterogeneous resources. In this respect, we introduce a fully distributed grid meta-scheduling scheme that effectively addresses the concerns regarding the scalability and adaptability of future grid systems. Our approach employs a lightweight protocol, called A RiA, that is based on peer-to-peer communication between grid nodes, and makes use of dynamic rescheduling to consider and adapt to changes in the availability of resources. Extensive evaluation by means of an in depth simulation study highlighted the effectiveness of the proposed solution in improving the overall performance in terms of job completion time and load-balancing.


Researchers create and change information faster than in the past. Although a large part of this exchange is in document form, there is also much informal or tacit knowledge exchange in peoples' interactions. The Epistheme environment was designed for scientific knowledge management. This environment is an instance of the SpeCS collaborative framework and aims at knowledge creation, according to Nonaka and Takeuchi's (1995) theory. Researchers can be provided with all necessary knowledge to execute their tasks, to make decisions, collaborate with one another and disseminate an individual's knowledge to transform it into organizational knowledge. This article shows the Epistheme framework with the modules of identification, creation, validation, integration, acquisition and knowledge distribution.


This paper presents the design of the software system, ADTEST, for generating test data for programs developed in Ada. The key feature of this system is that the problem of test data generation is treated entirely as a dynamic numerical optimisation problem and, as a, consequence, this method does not suffer from difficulties commonly found in symbolic execution systems, such as those associated with input-variable-dependent loops, array references, and module calls. Instead, program instrumentation is used to solve a set of path constraints without explicitly knowing their form. The system supports not only the generation of integer and real data types, but also non-numeric data types such as characters and enumerated types. The system has been tested on large Ada programs (>60000 lines of code) and found to reduce the effort required to test programs as well as provide an increase in test coverage.<<ETX>>


From the Introduction to "Latin Writers of the Renaissance" ""Great is the solemn mystery of the Latin language, truly great its divine majesty: through so many centuries it has been preserved, with holy and religious awe, by foreigners, by barbarians, by enemies, so that it behoves us Romans not to grieve, but to rejoice and glory, while the earth itself gives ear... For wherever the Roman tongue has dominion, there too is the Roman Empire." This fulsome eulogy, part of one of the greatest paens of praise composed for any language, comes from the pen of the fifteenth-century Italian humanist and scholar, Lorenzo Valla. For Valla the Latin tongue was eternal, and its progress throughout western Europe was "as of a god sent down from heaven." Like Petrarch too, whose imagination was fired by "the sweetness and sonority" of Latin words as they were found in the classical writings of Cicero and Virgil and Livy, Valla knew the enchanting attraction of all that was bound up with the language of ancient Rome and he and his fellow humanists consciously set about restoring to the language that purity of expression which it had enjoyed in its greatest hour. It is a long way from the Italy of Valla to sixteenth and seventeenth-century Wales, and we must beware of being led by the 'Renaissance' label to look in Wales for all the features of humanism in fourteenth and fifteenth-century Italy. Nevertheless, between 1550 and 1640, a small, and far from homogeneous group of Welshmen presents us with a notable illustration of that sway of the Roman tongue of which Valla boasted. These Welshmen also shared in many of the ideals which had permeated from Italy through northern Europe since the end of the fifteenth century. It is the work of some of these Latin writers of Wales that this essay aims to describe and discuss."


Due to their scalability and low cost, object-based storage systems are an attractive storage solution and widely deployed. To gain valuable insight from the data residing in object storage but avoid expensive copying to a distributed filesystem (e.g. HDFS), it would be natural to directly use them as a storage backend for data-parallel analytics frameworks such as Spark or MapReduce. Unfortunately, executing data-parallel frameworks on object storage exhibits severe performance problems, reducing average job completion times by up to 6.5x. We identify the two most severe performance problems when running data-parallel frameworks on the OpenStack Swift object storage system in comparison to the HDFS distributed filesystem: (i) the fixed mapping of object names to storage nodes prevents local writes and adds delay when objects are renamed, (ii) the coarser granularity of objects compared to blocks reduces data locality during reads. We propose the SwiftAnalytics object storage system to address them: (i) it uses locality-aware writes to control an object's location and eliminate unnecessary I/O related to renames during job completion, speeding up analytics jobs by up to 5.1x, (ii) it transparently chunks objects into smaller sized parts to improve data-locality, leading to up to 3.4x faster reads.


High blood pressure (HBP) does not cause discomfort but still, you need to take care of and treat it. Otherwise, over time, it can damage the heart, kidneys, brain, and eyes. Lifestyle changes are essential in HBP, and physical activity is a parameter of great influence. In order to achieve the benefits derived from physical activity, it must be adequately prescribed, an aspect that will be developed in this chapter. The first section addresses the physiopathology of hypertension, with special interest in the pathological mechanisms that may induce hypertension, devices for monitoring blood pressure (BP), and an overview of the particularities that present hypertension in the presence of other pathologies and over the life span. Second section focuses on exercise prescription for hypertensive people, exploring each type of exercise that has been proved to be effective. We discuss for each type of exercise, the benefits, mechanisms involved in these benefits, the appropriate dose of exercise, and other methodological considerations including risk management issues. We conclude with a clinical case study. A detailed exercise training program will be developed for this particular case study in order to try to bridge the gap between theory and practice.


OBJECTIVE
A significant morbidity risk is associated with axillary nodal dissections for breast cancer. Many treatment decisions are based on axillary nodal status. Lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy have been investigated to determine if the histology of the sentinel node reflects the remaining lymph node basin. We describe the technical aspects of sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer.

METHODS
Ninety-three patients had lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer. Patients with palpable lesions had 4 concentric injections around the site and lesions requiring localization had injections made through tubing connected to the localizing wire introducer needle. Immediate static images were acquired and the sentinel node was marked for surgery. Marks were reverified using a handheld gamma probe.

RESULTS
Lymph nodes were visualized by lymphoscintigraphy in 87% of cases. Time to visualization of lymph nodes ranged from 1-120 min with a mean of 28 min. An average of 1.5 nodes were visualized. The overall success rate for identifying the sentinel node at time of surgery was 85%.

CONCLUSION
We conclude that lymphoscintigraphy for breast cancer is a detailed procedure that requires coordination with radiology and surgery teams to ensure proper identification of sentinel lymph nodes.


BACKGROUND & AIMS
The transient receptor potential (TRP) channel family includes transducers of mechanical and chemical stimuli for visceral sensory neurons. TRP ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is implicated in inflammatory pain; it interacts with G-protein-coupled receptors, but little is known about its role in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Sensory information from the GI tract is conducted via 5 afferent subtypes along 3 pathways.

METHODS
Nodose and dorsal root ganglia whose neurons innnervate 3 different regions of the GI tract were analyzed from wild-type and TRPA1(-/-) mice using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, retrograde labeling, and in situ hybridization. Distal colon sections were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. In vitro electrophysiology and pharmacology studies were performed, and colorectal distension and visceromotor responses were measured. Colitis was induced by administration of trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid.

RESULTS
TRPA1 is required for normal mechano- and chemosensory function in specific subsets of vagal, splanchnic, and pelvic afferents. The behavioral responses to noxious colonic distension were substantially reduced in TRPA1(-/-) mice. TRPA1 agonists caused mechanical hypersensitivity, which increased in mice with colitis. Colonic afferents were activated by bradykinin and capsaicin, which mimic effects of tissue damage; wild-type and TRPA1(-/-) mice had similar direct responses to these 2 stimuli. After activation by bradykinin, wild-type afferents had increased mechanosensitivity, whereas, after capsaicin exposure, mechanosensitivity was reduced: these changes were absent in TRPA1(-/-) mice. No interaction between protease-activated receptor-2 and TRPA1 was evident.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for TRPA1 in normal and inflamed mechanosensory function and nociception within the viscera.


Murchison Bay in Lake Victoria is the main water source for Kampala City (Uganda) but is also the recipient for the wastewater discharged from the city. The objective of this paper is to trace the main landuse-based pollution sources within Kampala City borders and around Murchison Bay as a means to develop methods and systems to protect and preserve the aquatic environment and, from the lessons learned, to highlight what is considered to be an appropriate and sustainable approach for Uganda. This paper shows that Uganda needs to set realistic local standards, offer affordable services, set time frameworks, streamline politics, nurture and develop institutions, divide institutional responsibilities, educate her people and learn from the success stories to reverse the negative impacts on the water quality in Murchison Bay.


An elicitation format prevalently applied in discrete choice experiments (DCE) is to offer each respondent a sequence of choice tasks containing more than two choice options. However, empirical evidence indicates that repeated choice tasks influence choice outcomes through order effects. The study reported in this article employs a split sample approach based on field surveys to expand the research on effects of repeated-binary DCE elicitation formats. A single-binary elicitation format is used as the baseline. Our results indicate that choice outcomes may vary across the single-binary and repeated-binary elicitation formats. The choice between the two elicitation formats may imply a trade-off between decreased choice precision in the single-binary and order effects that may be explained by strategic misrepresentation of preferences, cost uncertainty effects and reference effects in the repeated-binary elicitation format.


Building the gold standard for training a deep-learning-based model is a timeconsuming and very expensive task, especially in medicine. In the case of lung segmentation, blurred boundaries from various types of pulmonary diseases make the problem more difficult. In general, the accurate and robustness model needs a large size of dataset, cost and time effective labeling process is vital. Therefore, we proposed a method to generate the gold standard efficiently based on initial segmentation using a conventional method for lung segmentation with various types of diffuse interstitial lung disease (DILD). The accuracy and robustness of the deep-learning-based segmentation method trained with these data were evaluated and compared with the conventional method using different protocols, including high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and volumetric CT.


PurposeRobots, as the crystallization of new artificial intelligence, are being applied in various fields, especially the hotel industry. They are seizing the opportunities, using technology to improve the overall quality and comprehensive competitiveness. However, they also cause many problems due to practical limitations. The purpose of this paper is to study customers' recognition and acceptance of hotel service robots to guide the successful promotion of this technology.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposed a comprehensive model based on the theory of planned behavior, the technology acceptance model and then the perceived value-based acceptance model. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, grouped regression analysis and path analysis was adopted to validate the impacts of each variable to obtain the final reliable model using data collected from hotel guests using a self-designed questionnaire.FindingsThe empirical research based on the theoretical model shows that the constructed conceptual model can thoroughly explain the influencing factors of hotel robot acceptance, enrich the acceptance theory and provide academic support for the use and popularization of hotel service robots. Among all variables, attitude, usefulness and perceived value are the factors that have the greatest impact on acceptance. They have significant differences in the effects of adjustment variables such as gender, educational level, whether hotel robots have been used, and whether other robot services have been experienced on different paths in the model.Practical implicationsThis paper explored the customer acceptance of service robots in hotels, helped to understand the process of decision-making on service robot selection and contributed to the theoretical extension of the hospitality industry. The work guides hotel management to promote better-personalized products and services of robot technology in the hospitality industries.Originality/valueThe acceptance study on hotel service robots provides insight into the hotel industry to understand customers' attitudes and acceptance of emerging technology.


An attempt has been made to understand the relationship between sociability, hardiness and resilience of mothers of children with special needs. The study was conducted at two special schools, in Coimbatore involving 75 mothers. The psychological tools used were Sociability Questionnaire, Dispositional Resilience Scale and Resilience Scale. Results revealed that (a) the participant mothers had medium sociability, moderate hardiness and moderately high resilience (b) there was statistically significant relationship between sociability, hardiness and resilience and some of the demographic variables of the participant mothers.


Clinical and cytochemical research of neutrophilic granulocytes (NG) in the wound exudate is made in patients with maxillofacial phlegmons favorably and prolonged treated and in patients at the stage of intraoral autogenic osteotransplantation. In the group of patients with maxillofacial phlegmons a fundamentally different dynamics of cytochemical data in cytoplasm and NG chromatine activity is identified. A new tissue NG index is developed, allowing to get prognostic data of postoperative treatment. Advisability of the predictor is confirmed and proved in evaluation of prognosis of intraoral autogenic osteotransplantation.


Internet of Things (IoT) innovations such as wearables and sensors promise improved health outcomes and service efficiencies. Yet, most applications remain experimental with little routine use in health and care settings. We sought to examine the multiple interacting influences on IoT implementation, spread and scale-up, including the role of regional innovation 'ecosystems' and the impact of the COVID-19 context. Qualitative study involving 20 participants with clinical, entrepreneurial and broader innovation experience in 18 in-depth interviews, focusing primarily on heart monitoring and assistive technology applications. Data analysis was informed by the NASSS (non-adoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, sustainability) framework. Interviewees discussed multiple tensions and trade-offs, including lack of organisational capacity for routine IoT use, limited ability to receive and interpret data, complex procurement and governance processes, and risk of health disparities and inequalities without system support and funding. Although the pandemic highlighted opportunities for IoT use, it was unclear whether these would be sustained, with framings of innovation as 'disruption' coming at odds with immediate needs in healthcare settings. Even in an 'ecosystem' with strong presence of academic and research institutions, support was viewed as limited, with impressions of siloed working, conflicting agendas, fragmentation and lack of collaboration opportunities. IoT development, implementation and roll-out require support from multiple ecosystem actors to be able to articulate a value proposition beyond experimental or small-scale applications. In contexts where clinical, academic and commercial worlds collide, sustained effort is needed to align needs, priorities and motives, and to strengthen potential for good value IoT innovation.


The move from time-based to competence-based training has been limited by practical (often resource) issues and by the variability of effect offered by different training methodologies. Two independent advances, one technical (wearable recording devices (WRDs)) and the other methodological (proficiency-based progression—PBP),1 may act synergistically to enable consistently effective training in procedural skills. In this article, we describe our ongoing work in which both are integrated in 'real-world' training and the potential for these together to transform training in procedural skills.

Although the proficiency of physicians undertaking procedural skills directly influences patient outcome,2 valid assessment of doctors' procedural skills is yet a reality. The WRD alone will not be sufficient (as it simply enables acquisition of more data) but these devices can be central to acquiring digital recordings without consuming the learner's attention. Gallagher and colleagues have described PBP for training in procedural skills. This approach consistently achieves greatly superior training effect—including clinical performance—compared with other methods of competency assessment approaches3 but requires the development of unambiguously defined and detailed procedure-specific metrics and errors, so-called 'procedure characterisation'.1 The success of PBP is dependent on the definition and recognition of specific observable behaviours. In practice, this requires direct (and resource-consuming) expert observation or video acquisition and analysis. The emergence low cost, high-quality WRDs may address this impediment to widespread introduction of PBP. This synergy may enable doctors to acquire a cumulative personal 'visual data set' suitable for …


We develop a rule-based contingency misfit model and related hypotheses to test empirically the Burton and Obel (1998) multicontingency model for strategic organizational design. The model is a set of "if-then" misfit rules, in which misfits lead to a loss in performance; they are complements to the strategy and organizational contingency theory fit rules. Using data from 224 small- and medium-sized Danish firms, misfits are categorized and identified. Then, performance hypotheses are developed and tested using regression models. We confirm the hypotheses that firms with situational misfits or contingency misfits, or both, incur performance losses in return on assets compared with firms with no misfits. Contrary to our hypotheses, we did not find that additional misfits lead to increased performance loss. Our results suggest that just one misfit of any kind may significantly compromise performance. These results yield a deeper understanding of organizational contingency theory, as well as implications for the rule-based fit-misfit organizational design model.


In this review questions such as "What is a good use of time?", "How can one achieve satisfaction with their time?" and "How can one's relationship with time contribute to their well-being?" are raised and discussed with regard to empirical research on various aspects of positive psychology of time. This paper differs from traditional approach to thinking about time in organisations in three substantial ways. Firstly, it reviews the existing empirical research on time use, focusing on the implications of this research for organizations and individuals. Secondly, it highlights the limitations of believing that time is infinitely stretchable and defined good time use as one that results in increased well-being, rather than productivity at the expense of well-being. Thirdly, although the workplace is in the centre of the paper, we view time use from a broader perspective of life and work-leisure balance. A range of evidence is considered, based on both objective and subjective time use studies, suggesting specific measures to increase well-being through time use, first of all, at workplace, but also touching on other domains, such as media, leisure, etc. Based on Self-Determination Theory, we argue that good time use results from choosing activities that help people to satisfy their basic needs and are directed at intrinsic goals (helping other people, establishing relationships, developing and growing as a person, maintaining health and balance in one's life). A pathway to increase basic need satisfaction and, as a result, happiness associated with good time use, is by supporting autonomy: giving people more opportunities for choosing and working towards goals that are self-congruent and intrinsic, benefitting both themselves and societies.


This thesis investigates the relationship between facilities management (FM) and design on construction projects in the Middle East region. Input provided by facilities management, the party responsible for developing and maintaining a facility support services system, is found to be vital for enhancing the design's supportive function and preventing operation problems from occurring during the occupancy phase.

An extensive literature review is undertaken to study both FM and design practices, their responsibilities during a facility's life cycle and the types of services each discipline provides. The nature of facilities management input into design is also explored. The review of literature reveals a limited integration among the facilities management and design professions, a problem mainly caused by the nature of project delivery processes that prevent external input into the design. Accordingly, the research aims of investigating integration in practice and determining the actions to be taken to improve the situation are developed.

The survey method is chosen for carrying out the research, involving FM and design practitioners. Semi-structured interviews are utilised for collecting qualitative rich information on professional views and experiences.

Research findings disclose the nature of the relationship between facilities managers and designers as well as the status of their current collaboration on construction projects in the Middle East. FM-related concerns occurring during the occupancy phase are identified to show the prominence of their consideration during the design stage. This research also presents the various benefits of achieving successful integration and identifies the different means which could be implemented to improve the process of integration and avoid negative consequences currently affecting facilities and their occupants.


Red blood cell survival studies were performed on five normal growing swine by following the C14-specific activity of hemoglobin and heme after the administration of glycine-2-C14. The erythrocytes of normal growing swine appear to be destroyed both by a random and an age-dependent process. Random destruction accounts for the larger portion of the cells which are destroyed. The "mean" red cell survival time was 62 days. This represents the interval from the time of incorporation of 50 per cent of the maximal amount of labelling achieved to the time when the level had decreased once more to the 50 per cent amount. The " 'corrected' average potential life span" of the red cells was 86 ± 11.5 days. This figure was obtained by subtracting the number of days required to attain 80 per cent of the maximal labelling from the average survival time of red cells destroyed by an age-dependent process as distinguished from random destruction.


To the Editor.— The report by Litovitz and Troutman entitled "Amoxapine Overdose, Seizures, and Fatalities"1prompts me to describe three cases from my practice of seizures associated with the therapeutic use of amoxapine. Report of Cases.—Case 1.— A 58-year-old man with major recurrent depression of two years' duration previously refractory to antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy had responded to a combination of lithium and amoxapine. He had no history of seizures or drug or alcohol abuse. At the time of the seizure, his medications included lithium carbonate, 1,200 mg daily in divided dose, amoxapine, 600 mg daily in divided dose, and liothyronine sodium, 25 μg daily. He had a single witnessed partial motor seizure involving his right upper extremity. The amoxapine dose was reduced to 400 mg/day, the liothyronine therapy was discontinued, and during 18 months of follow-up there have been no further seizures. Anticonvulsant drugs were


Abstract Since 1946, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has responded to urgent requests from US states, federal agencies, and international organizations through epidemic-assistance investigations (Epi-Aids). The authors describe the first 60 years of Epi-Aids, breadth of problems addressed, evolution of methodologies, scope of activities, and impact of investigations on population health. They reviewed Epi-Aid reports and EIS Bulletins, contacted current and former Epidemic Intelligence Service staff, and systematically searched the PubMed and Web of Science databases. They abstracted information on dates, location, staff involved, health problems, methods, and impacts of investigations according to a preplanned protocol. They assessed the methods presented as well as the quality of reports. During 1946–2005, a total of 4,484 investigations of health events were initiated by 2,815 Epidemic Intelligence Service officers. In the early years, the majority were in response to infectious agents, although environmental problems emerged. Investigations in subsequent years focused on occupational conditions, birth defects, reproductive health, tobacco use, cancer, violence, legal debate, and terrorism. These Epi-Aids heralded expansion of the agency's mission and presented new methods in statistics and epidemiology. Recommendations from Epi-Aids led to policy implementation, evaluation, or modification. Epi-Aids provide the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with the agility to respond rapidly to public health crises.


Globalization has irrevocably altered the world of food safety. This article focuses on WTO cases about food safety regulation which arise under WTO agreements other than or in addition to the SPS or the TBT Agreements and which are not directly concerned with relations between the WTO and international standardization bodies. It asks: What do these cases - which are not mainly about relations between WTO and international food standards - teach us about the role of the WTO in food safety regulation? The WTO dispute settlement system deals with food safety more frequently than is sometimes thought. Virtually all such cases were settled, withdrawn or reached stalemate during consultation; in only a very few cases was a panel established. Complainants always won, and the winner was usually of equal or higher income category than the respondent, except when the case went to a panel.These cases are the 'hidden jurisprudence' of the WTO with regard to food safety. They are mostly resolved, or at least concluded, by bilateral negotiations, sometimes between very unequal parties, rather than by decisions taken by a third party on the basis of multilaterally agreed rules. They also represent the basic philosophy or orientation of the WTO regarding food safety. Food safety is treated as simply another trade issue, rather than as a distinct subject matter with economic, political, social and cultural implications far beyond trade, as it should be. Powerful complainants use the WTO dispute settlement mechanism to export and if possible impose their national standards and practices. Complainants, such as China, are well-advised for the time being to use a strategy of 'aggressive legalism' or of 'assertive legalism'. China should participate more actively throughout the WTO dispute settlement procedures, especially at the consultation phase. Neither 'aggressive legalism' nor 'assertive legalism', however, can in any way guarantee food safety.The globalization of local food safety standards through a dispute settlement mechanism designed to settle trade disputes is not an appropriate way to determine which standards should regulate food safety in an increasingly integrated, yet inescapably diverse global food economy. The hidden jurisprudence of the WTO is not a good way to regulate food safety today. We need a global food safety agency.


The exploration of large GIS models containing spatio-temporal information is a challenge. In this paper we propose the integration of scientific visualization (ScVis) techniques into geographic information systems (GIS) as an alternative for the visual analysis of data. Providing GIS with such tools improves the analysis and understanding of datasets with very low spatial density and allows to find correlations between variables in time and space. In this regard, we present a new visual data mining tool for the GIS gvSIG. This tool has been implemented as a gvSIG module and contains several ScVis techniques for multiparameter data with a wide range of possibilities to explore interactively the data. The developed module is a powerful visual data mining and data visualization tool to obtain knowledge from multiple datasets in time and space. A real case study with meteorological data from Villa Clara province (Cuba) is presented, where the implemented visualization techniques were used to analyze the available datasets. Although it is tested with meteorological data, the developed module is of general application in the sense that it can be used in multiple application fields related with Earth Sciences.


Mammalian embryo implantation requires the priming of the maternal immune system, but, not the provocation. There are many examples of conditions where a disturbed or aberrant immune profile during embryo implantation leads to pregnancy loss. However, these studies are primarily associated with human and mouse species; data is generally limited for cattle and livestock. Most available information centres on the endometrial response to interferon tau (IFNT), a type I antiviral cytokine, which is the maternal recognition factor for cattle and sheep. Interferon tau secretion by the embryo and detection by the dam is critical to corpus luteum (CL) maintenance and pregnancy retention. However, the large volume of bovine endometrial and conceptual transcriptomic data highlights a broader more integral role of the maternal immune system in the establishment of pregnancy in cattle. Which when taken together with available immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry data from livestock, mouse, and human, presents a profile of immune cell involvement from ovulation to conception and placentation. The key events of pregnancy establishment in cattle and the involvement of the maternal immune system will be discussed.


Ion-exchange polymers find wide applications in fuel cells, electro-organic synthesis, catalysis and nanoparticles synthesis. We report on the use of aqueous solutions of an low molecular weight ion-exchange polymer containing phosphonic acid groups; the poly(p-acryloylaminobenzylphosphonic acid), for the synthesis of Ag particles at room temperature without using additional protective reagent. The process of formation of the Ag particles using the ion-exchange polymer start as an initial complexation of polymer to Ag+, followed by the very slow reduction of the metal ions to the Ag metallic. Our results indicate that this ion-exchange polymer is capable of protect the Ag particles in the solution, permitting us to obtain large-size cubes and rectangular prisms in colloidal solutions which are stable for several months.


As in other areas, theoretical and empirical analysis stimulate each other also concerning issues of economic integration. With integration becoming "deeper", tasks are getting more complicated not only for institutions governing and administrating the newly established integration areas, but also for economic theory which is to identify and explain its manifold effects. Shortly after World War II, the theory of the customs union marked the beginning of explanatory approaches towards regional integration agreements (customs unions, free trade zones). Over the years, the theory has been elaborated and is mainly concerned at present with the issue of why free trade blocks are being established in the face of world-wide trade liberalization efforts undertaken by GATT/WTO, as well as with the effects of an integration area's enlargement on particular countries within the area, on the one hand, and on the new members, on the other (issues of enlargement). A second stream of integration theory has been developed since the early 1980s, designed to cope with the complex effects of the EU Single Market and taking into account the findings of the "new" theory of foreign trade (imperfect competition and monopolization, economies of scale, product diversification). The evolution of the EU from a customs union over the Single Market to the Economic and Monetary Union calls for further theoretical foundation. Thus, the theory of "optimal currency areas" is supposed to clarify the issue of which countries may qualify for accession to a monetary union. The very progress of integration within the EU brings new questions to the forefront. Will the completion of Monetary Union and the eastern enlargement give rise to a multi-speed Europe? Tentative answers may be provided by new approaches of the "geography and trade" theory which themselves are based on recent findings of foreign trade theory applied to "regional" aspects under the circumstances of the Single Market. Trade liberalization, both within Europe and world-wide within the framework of GATT/WTO, is a necessary precondition for the globalization of economic activities. This poses new challenges for economic theory. Promising approaches may again be offered in part by the new "geography and trade" theory. The article tries to give an overview of the history of integration theory in the light of the new challenges posed by ever closer European integration. Wherever possible, reference is made to empirical evidence in discussing the different empirical concepts.


Abstract The Arabic language is associated with Islam and is the language of the Holy Qur'an, which Muslims believe to be God's words. Due to religious, educational, socio-cultural, and geographic factors, Qur'anic Arabic is revered by many Muslims in the Asian Pacific countries, who use the language to perform religious rituals. Those Muslims use the language as an Islamic lingua franca to communicate with each other. This paper discusses the historical relationship between Islam and Arabic, how this relationship strengthens both of them, and how they both spread across the world, especially to the Asian Pacific countries that have the majority of the world's non-Arab Muslims. It also sheds light upon the ways in which Islam preserves the Arabic language and converts it into a universal language that is used in all of these countries. This leads the discussion of how learning Arabic in Asian Pacific communities strengthens communication not only among Muslims but also within each Muslim to conduct his/her religious deeds, prayers, and behaviors. The paper also attempts to explore the possibility of learning Arabic as a foreign language by some Non-Muslims in those communities.


In this paper, a meshed multiband solar patch array antenna, consisting of a polycrystalline silicon solar panel working as a ground plane whilst generating a DC power output of 1.48 W as a result of the photovoltaic effect with a measured solar efficiency of 14.95%, is proposed for GSM 900/1800/1900, UMTS 1900, 3.5 GHz band WiMAX and C-band applications. The proposed solar patch array antenna introduces a further potential of solar cells to be effectively used as embedded elements within communication systems, raising the awareness of solar energy and offering a practical solution to the requirement for the incorporation of solar cells/panels with microwave antennas within solar powered autonomous communication systems suffering from increasing dimensions due to the separate involvement of solar panels and microwave antennas.


The importance of agribusiness development is proved in accordance with the trends in the agricultural sector of Georgia. Agribusiness environment and the consequences of the agricultural reforms are evaluated. The factors hindering the development of agribusiness are revealed and the ways for overcoming these problems are suggested. SWOT analysis is done in order to identify the needs of agribusiness. The needs of agribusiness development in Georgia are evaluated by priorities: prevention of diseases and reduction of the harm caused by these diseases, accessibility of long-term agricultural loans with low interest rates, improving qualification of farmers, the level of education and usage of modern technologies, changes in legislation, accessibility to high quality agricultural machinery, and the development of infrastructure. Based on the outcomes of the research, agribusiness development strategies in Georgia are suggested and appropriate priorities of economic policy are determined. Conclusions are made and based on these conclusions, some recommendations are suggested. Keywords—Agricultural sector, agribusiness development, agribusiness strategy, agribusiness in Georgia.


This article explores the application of cost-effectiveness analyses to the use of triptanes (5-HT1 Serotonin agonist) in the pharmacologic treatment of migraine, on the primary and secondary health care, in Portugal. The cost-effectiveness of oral eletriptan (40 and 80 mg) is compared to two matrices defined by the consumption of naratriptan (2.5 mg), sumatriptan (50 and 100 mg) and zolmitriptan (2.5 and 5 mg). The effectiveness vector was calculated based on the time without incapacity caused by migraine. The costs reflect the society perspective. We concluded that the utilization of eletriptan allows health gains with cost reduction in the treatment of migraine, and thereby can be considered a cost-effective alternative to the other oral triptans co-financed by the Portuguese National Health Service.


The deterioration of speech intelligibility in the presence of other sound sources has been explained in terms of both energetic masking, which renders parts of the speech signal inaudible, and informational masking, in which audible components of the masker interfere with speech identification. The current study focuses on the role of a specific form of informational masking in which audible glimpses of both target and masker combine to produce an incorrect listener percept. We examine a corpus of word misperceptions in Spanish which occur when target words are combined with a babble masker. Glimpses originating in both the target and the masker are force-aligned to the reported misperceived word in order to identify the most likely acoustic evidential basis for the confusion. In this way, the degree of involvement of both target and masker can be quantified. In nearly all cases, the best explanation for the misperception involves recruiting evidence from the babble masker (type I error), and in more than 80% of the tokens some of the audible target evidence is ignored (type II error). These findings suggest misallocation of acoustic-phonetic material plays a significant role in the generation of speech-in-babble confusions.


In response to Gabbard's paper, "Do We Need Theory?" the author disputes the suggestion that his early therapeutic successes were theory-specific. He also takes issue with the view that "the analyst's personality is a constant," emphasizing instead the continual fluidity of an effective analytic relationship. While agreeing that atheoreticism is itself a theory, the author differentiates between the universal presence of content as defined by formal psychoanalytic metapsychological theory (e.g., primary instinctual envy, the Oedipus complex) and the centrality of affect attunement that illuminates developmental processes. He cautions therapists to guard against believing that they know "objective reality," and he urges them to assume a "know-nothing" position conducive to eliciting each patient's psychic reality.


The Prexiden(y and the Law ought to come with a disclaimer. Despite the trappings of supposedly dispassionate scholarship-ndnotes, a bibliography, and a panel of academic Contributorq-The Presidency and the Law is in fact a bitter jeremiad against the uncontrolled growth and now constant abuse of presidential power. If the focus is on the Clinton presidency, moreover, the essays that constitute The Presidency and the Law make clear that the problem of the "imperial presidency,'' to use Arthur Schlesinger's term, transcends a Xingle administration. David Gray Adler is a professor of political science at Idaho State University, and Michael A. Genovese teaches political science at Loyola Marymount University. Adler contributes an introduction, an essay on Clinton and the war-making power, and a summary essay on the Clinton presidency in historical context. He also coauthors, with Nancy Kassop, a chapter on the Clinton impeachment trial. (ienovese and Kristine Almquist coauthor an essay on Clinton's controversial use of presidential pardons. Other contributors tackle executive privilege, the role of the independent counsel, executive immunity, and campaign finance. The veteran political scientist Thomas E. Cronin offers a brief foreword, and Louis Fisher of the Congressional Research Service concludes the volume with a damning epilogue on the post-World War I1 presidency. The authors generally subscribe to the "Madisonian" ideal of the presidency as a modest office, essentially subordinate to the will of Congress. Although willing to concede that thc articles of impeachment brought against Clinton did not justify his removal from oftice, they take him to task, among other things. for an unseemly preoccupation with fundraising and for circumventing the Departmenc of Justice's normal review process in granting pardons. Adler, in particular, castigates Clinton for his promiscuous and unilateral use of military force, especially the 1999 air war against Yugoslavia. Adler maintains a fundamentalist faith in original intent, insisting on congressional approval for virtually any form of military action, ii view which leads to some almost hysterical rhetoric. to wit: "The absolutist pretensions of Bill Clinton, which harken to the swollen claims of the Stuart kings, virtually eviscerated the war clause" (46). One can also criticize the book for the essay it does not include: the one explaining why Congress has virtually abdicated its constitutional role in making foreign policy and how the presidency has remained dominant even though the office, as Robert J. Spitzer points out in discussing the independent counsel law, has been plagued by scandal since Watergate. Despite its flaws, however, The Presidency and the Law is a serious and deeply disturbing book that would make excellent reading in a course on the American presidency.


Abnormalities in the coupling of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) receptors with the guanosine 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) system in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) may play a role in the pathophysiology of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). This concept was examined in cultured, aortic VSMCs (passages 6-10) from SHR, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), and American Wistar (Wis) rats. Quiescent VSMCs of the SHR (serum deprived for 24 h) had higher ANF receptor density (Bmax) and lower affinity [i.e., increased equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd)] than cells from normotensive controls. Maximal binding (Bmax) (specific binding sites/cell) values for these cells were SHR 112,855 +/- 6,951, WKY 48,650 +/- 3,607, and Wis 36,122 +/- 2,607 (means +/- SE; P less than 0.001 for SHR vs. both WKY and Wis). The Kd values were (in nM) SHR 1.20 +/- 0.098, WKY 0.657 +/- 0.065, and Wis 0.37 +/- 0.037 (P less than 0.001 for SHR vs. both WKY and Wis). Despite their higher Bmax, VSMCs of the SHR showed a substantially lower maximal stimulation of cGMP accumulation in response to ANF: 987 +/- 29.3, 1,992 +/- 574.2, and 2,019 +/- 273.8 fmol.4 min-1.10(6) cells-1 for SHR, WKY, and Wis, respectively (P less than 0.01 for SHR vs. Wis and P less than 0.02 for SHR vs. WKY). Further experiments demonstrated that the poor response of SHR VSMCs to the ANF was not due to a population of receptors that did not couple to the particulate guanylate cyclase. Such findings demonstrate a dissociation of the cGMP response to ANF from the binding of the hormone to its receptors in VSMCs of the SHR compared with controls. This appears to represent a primary and innate defect in these cells that may contribute to the hypertensive process in the SHR.


The experimental data on the organization and expression of the low-molecular-weight RNA genes on the subcellular localization, metabolism and evolution of these RNA are summarized. The processes in which they are involved are discussed. The biological role of the low-molecular-weight RNA is paid a special attention. A hypothesis concerning the involvement of these molecules in the mechanism of active transport of proteins from the cytoplasm into the nucleus of the cell is put forward.


Devices that form a wireless sensor network (WSN) system are usually remotely deployed in large numbers in a sensing field. WSNs have enabled numerous applications, in which location awareness is usually required. Therefore, numerous localization systems are provided to assign geographic coordinates to each node in a network. In this paper, we describe and evaluate an integrated software framework WSNLS (Wireless Sensor Network Localization System) that provides tools for network nodes localization and the environment for tuning and testing various localization schemes. Simulation experiments can be performed on parallel and multi-core computers or computer clusters. The main component of the WSNLS framework is the library of solvers for calculating the geographic coordinates of nodes in a network. Our original solution implemented in WSNLS is the localization system that combines simple geometry of triangles and stochastic optimization to determine the position of nodes with unknown location in the sensing field. We describe and discuss the performance of our system due to the accuracy of location estimation and computation time. Numerical results presented in the paper confirm that our hybrid scheme gives accurate location estimates of network nodes in sensible computing time, and the WSNLS framework can be successfully used for efficient tuning and verification of different localization techniques.


Terahertz(THz)-driven dielectric-lined waveguides have applications in electron manipulation, particularly acceleration, as the use of dielectric allows for phase velocities below the speed of light. However matching a single frequency to the correct velocity does not maximise electron-THz interaction; waveguide dispersion typically results in an unmatched group velocity and so the pulse envelope of a short THz pulse changes along the length of the structure. This reduces field amplitude and therefore accelerating gradient as the envelope propagates at a different velocity to the electron. The effect on net acceleration is demonstrated via an example of a structure excited by a THz pulse of different temporal lengths.


Seventy-four acetabula from a total of 140 normal human fetuses, obtained from abortions and deaths in the prenatal period, were used. The fetuses ranged from 9.1 to 40 cm in crownrump length and are believed to be between 12 weeks and term. Acetabula were decalcified, embedded in paraffin or celloidin, sectioned, and stained using conventional histologic techniques. Sections from the superior one-quarter of the acetabulum were examined for the initial appearance and later spread of osseous tissue. Throughout the fetal period bone was present only in the floor of the acetabulum and did not extend into the socket walls. Ossification was detected initially more posteriorly in the socket floor, and at all ages, ossification was more prominent on the ischial side of the socket. Despite the lack of osseous tissue a well-formed hyaline cartilage socket was present. The fetal labrum was composed of fibrous tissue with the density of fibers increasing with age. Typical-appearing chondrocytes were detected at only the inner articular margin of the labrum. Contributing from one-fifth to one-half of the socket depth, the labrum may play a greater role in containing the femoral head at birth than it does in the mature joint. In seven acetabula, from joints that were neither subluxated nor dislocated, an area of areolar tissue with capillaries was detected at the hyaline cartilage-labrum junction. Such defects may weaken the labrum and contribute to neonatal hip instability.


In this paper, submillimeter three dimensional tomography imaging of paramagnetic contaminants flow rate in multiphase flow pipelines is presented. The device, which is based on Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI), consists of an array of twelve coils and a pair of permanent magnets and is not influenced with the other phases that constitute the crude oil (e.g. oil, water, sand, and gas) and which are mainly diamagnetic materials. The concentration of the paramagnetic particles can be measured in a three dimensional volumetric space with high spatial and temporal sensitivities which are proportional to the strength of the applied magnetic field. This is also influenced by the size and distribution of the particles and the anisotropy of the permanent magnet. To increase the sensitivity and improve the spatio-encoding field, a two dimensional Linear Field Scanning (LFS) technique coupled with a two dimensional excitation field is proposed. The results demonstrate that the technique would constitute a breakthrough in the area of solid flow measurements and imaging.


Nonlinear cellular structures are defined as structures with multiple scale unit cells patterned through the volume of the structure. The geometrical nonlinearity allows local high flexibility in the movement and also in the sense of strength of materials.
 The focus of this paper is to create a framework for design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) of a modular nonlinear cellular structure with high level of flexibility. The flexibility will be exploited in skin-like structures adaptable to freeform geometries or utilize flat printed designs for voluminous and structural 3D shapes.
 For the modeling of the structure CAD software is used and for the fabrication of the structure additive manufacturing (AM) is applied. These technologies work by adding the material in layers, which enables fabrication of parts with complex geometries. The working principal of AM which is opposite to the traditional manufacturing requires for changes in the design process. These changes are applied in the DfAM that we are presenting with this study. The DfAM is used to develop a systematic design approach to support the fabrication of unique structure shapes by AM.


Objectives: To identify, in addition to survival, preferred outcome measures of PICU family care providers and PICU healthcare professionals for interventional trials enrolling critically ill children, and to describe general attitudes of family care providers and healthcare professionals regarding research in the PICU. Design: Cross-sectional survey examining subject experience with clinical research and personal preferences for outcome measures for a hypothetical interventional clinical trial. Setting: PICUs within four academic children's hospitals in the United States and Canada. Subjects: Two cohorts including family members of critically ill children in PICUs (family care providers) and multidisciplinary staff working in the PICUs (healthcare professionals). Interventions: Administration of a short, deidentified survey. Measurements: Demographic data were collated for the two subject groups. Participants were queried regarding their attitudes related to research conducted in the PICU. In addition to survival, each group was asked to identify their three most important outcomes for an investigation examining whether or not an intervention helps seriously ill children recover. Main Results: Demographics for family care providers (n = 40) and healthcare professionals (n = 53) were similarly distributed. Female respondents (79.8%) predominated. Participants (98.9%) ascertained the importance of conducting research in the PICU, but significant challenges associated with this goal in the high stress PICU environment. Both quality of life and functioning after leaving the hospital were chosen as the most preferred outcome measure, with 77.5% of family care providers and 84.9% of healthcare professionals indicating this choice. Duration of organ dysfunction was identified by 70.0% of family care providers and 40.7% of healthcare professionals as the second most preferred outcome measure. Conclusions: In addition to survival, long-term quality of life/functional status and duration of organ dysfunction represent important interventional trial outcome measures for both families of critically ill children, as well as the multidisciplinary team who provides critical care.


Abstract Aim The present paper approached some issues related to the construction and adaptation of the Reservoir Fish Assemblage Index (RFAI). Method the case study presents the step by step construction of the multimetric index adopted for the Tietê cascade reservoir system, and it is discussed the comparison between discrete and continuous scoring criteria. Results The main questions related to the adaptation of multimetric indexes to reservoir were synthesized as: i – terminology question; ii - representative fish sampling; iii – reference condition. The construction of the RFAI for the Tietê cascade reservoir system resulted in seven steps, and the continuous scoring criterion showed to increase the accuracy of the final index when compared to the discrete scoring especially for the most degraded environment. Conclusion Biological criteria for the assessment of aquatic ecosystems are widely recognized and accepted by scientific community. The increasing value of water resource makes reservoirs important object of scientific and social interest, justifying the definition of proper tools for their assessment and monitoring. Among the available tools, the multimetric approach is one of the most popular. The observed results showed the validity of the approach also for artificial environments, expecting for its official incorporation in biomonitoring programs in Brazil.


Background Arthroscopy is increasingly used to improve pain and function in athletes with hip joint pathology. Surgical techniques have evolved to utilise arthroscopic femoral osteoplasty to address potential morphological contributors to pathology. Purpose Investigate pain and function outcomes following hip arthroscopy with and without femoral osteoplasty in individuals with intra-articular hip pathology. Study design Systematic review. Methods A comprehensive search strategy identified studies that evaluated the outcome over at least 3 months following arthroscopy for intra-articular hip pathology, using patient-reported outcomes of pain and/or function. Methodological quality was evaluated (Downs and Black scale), and effect sizes calculated when sufficient data were available. Results Twenty-nine studies of moderate methodological quality were included. Of 16 studies investigating arthroscopy alone, two studies showed large effects (3.12–5.46) at 1–2 years. Pain reduction and functional improvement (median 47%) were consistently reported by the remaining 14 studies up to 10 years postsurgery. Of 15 studies investigating arthroscopy with osteoplasty, nine papers showed mostly large effects (0.78–2.93) over 6–28 months. Adverse events were minimal (7% of participants, 12 studies, predominantly transient neuropraxia (83%)). Conclusion Current evidence indicates that hip arthroscopy can significantly reduce pain and improve function in patients with intra-articular hip pathology. While benefits of arthroscopy alone can persist up to 10 years postsurgery, effects of osteoplasty beyond 3 years need to be established. Future studies should investigate rehabilitation in this population, and the impact of surgery on development of osteoarthritis.


Recently, several philosophical and computational approaches to causality have used an interventionist framework to clarify the concept of causality [Spirtes et al., 2000, Pearl, 2000, Woodward, 2005]. The characteristic feature of the interventionist approach is that causal models are potentially useful in predicting the effects of manipulations. One of the main motivations of such an undertaking comes from humans, who seem to create sophisticated mental causal models that they use to achieve their goals by manipulating the world.Several algorithms have been developed to learn static causal models from data that can be used to predict the effects of interventions [e.g., Spirtes et al., 2000]. However, Dash [2003, 2005] argued that when such equilibrium models do not satisfy what he calls the Equilibration-Manipulation Commutability (EMC) condition, causal reasoning with these models will be incorrect, making dynamic models indispensable. It is shown that existing approaches to learning dynamic models [e.g., Granger, 1969, Swanson and Granger, 1997] are unsatisfactory, because they do not perform a necessary search for hidden variables.The main contribution of this dissertation is, to the best of my knowledge, the first provably correct learning algorithm that discovers dynamic causal models from data, which can then be used for causal reasoning even if the EMC condition is violated. The representation that is used for dynamic causal models is called Difference-Based Causal Models (DBCMs) and is based on Iwasaki and Simon [1994]. A comparison will be made to other approaches and the algorithm, called DBCM Learner, is empirically tested by learning physical systems from artificially generated data. The approach is also used to gain insights into the intricate workings of the brain by learning DBCMs from EEG data and MEG data.


The first measurements of anisotropic flow coefficients v n for mid-rapidity charged particles in Xe– Xe collisions at √ s NN = 5 . 44 TeV are presented. Comparing these measurements to those from Pb–Pb collisions at √ s NN = 5 . 02 TeV, v 2 is found to be suppressed for mid-central collisions at the same centrality, and enhanced for central collisions. The values of v 3 are generally larger in Xe–Xe than in Pb–Pb at a given centrality. These observations are consistent with expectations from hydrodynamic predictions. When both v 2 and v 3 are divided by their corresponding eccentricities for a variety of initial state models, they generally scale with transverse density when comparing Xe–Xe and Pb–Pb, with some deviations observed in central Xe–Xe and Pb–Pb collisions. These results assist in placing strong constraints on both the initial state geometry and medium response for relativistic heavy-ion collisions.


Family economic mobility has been a policy concern for decades, with interest heating up further since the 1990s. Using data that tracks individual families' incomes during overlapping 10-year periods from 1978 through 2014, this paper investigates the relationships of factors — family characteristics and macro influences — to intragenerational mobility and whether the importance of those factors has changed over time. Family characteristics include both levels of work behavior and family structure and within-period changes in those factors, as well as time-invariant characteristics of the family head, such as race. Macro factors include indicators of GDP growth and inflation during each 10-year period. The positions families occupy in the income distribution and the degree to which they are stuck or able to move up (or slide down) over time are critical determinants of their current well-being and their children's prospects.


Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) measurements are increasingly used as quantitative adjunctive tools to detect and assess lymphedema. Various factors affect measured TDC values that may impact clinical interpretations. Our goal was to investigate possible impacts of: 1) anterior vs. medial arm measures, 2) total body water (TBW%) and arm fat percentages (AF%), 3) measurement depth, and 4) skin firmness. In 40 healthy women (24.5±2.5 years), TDC was measured bilaterally on anterior forearm to 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 5.0 mm depths using a multiprobe device and on anterior and medial aspects using a compact device. TBW% and AF% were measured at 50KHz and skin firmness measured by skin indentation force (SIF). Results showed: 1) No statistically significant difference in TDC values between anterior and medial arm, 2) a moderate direct correlation between TDC and TBW% (r=0.512, p=0.001), 3) an inverse correlation between TDC and AF% (r= -0.494, p<0.001) with correlations greatest at the deepest depth, and 4) a slight but statistically significant inverse correlation between TDC and SIF (r= -0.354, p=0.001). TDC values with compact vs. multiprobe were within 6% of each other with interarm (dominant/nondominant) ratios not significantly different. The findings provide a framework to help interpret TDC values among divergent conditions.


In 1999 National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) commenced developing a Water Utility GIS for the Greater
Colombo(GC) area with the objective of improving its operations and maintenance activities. National Survey Department
of Sri Lanka was contracted out to produce 1:1000 scale 3D digital base maps from Air Photographs. Available water utility
maps were digitized using Autocad Map GIS and updated using Global Positioning Systems and other survey methods. Due
to voluminous nature of base maps and utility data it is impractical to store them as a one seamless coverage. Storing these
data as separate map tiles leads to several practical constraints such as updating difficulties, searching delays and data
retrieval problems. Therefore it is required to develop a Geo-database to efficiently manage these data. It is not feasible
to utilize available commercial Geo-databases for this purpose due to their high purchasing and maintenance costs. As a
solution PostgreSql, a free Open Source Object Relational Database Management System(ORDBMS) was selected. PostgreSql
has a module called PostGIS which handles spatial data and is used by hundreds of similar organization around the
world. The software successfully runs on Linux Operating System, which also is a freeware. Geo-database was established
in PostgreSQL ORDBMS with necessary table structures, relations etc., to store and manage geometric/attribute data of
water features including 3D basemap data. A user friendly interface was developed within Autocad Map GIS to handle
data uploading and retrievals. All necessary procedures were introduced to the organization for the efficient management
of the Geo-database. Further, an Intranet Web Map Browser was developed to browse the data. Currently the system has
18 themes with total objects of around 800,000 and successfully used by all Water Manager Regions in GC area for their
day-to-day activities. This implemented solution provides an excellent platform for the NWSDB to do advance geo data
management for low cost.


The work described in this thesis concerns the synthesis, DNA binding and cytotoxicity studies of new Rh(III) supramolecular complexes. Chapter 1 reviews DNA molecular recognition by synthetic agents; exploring the different DNA binding modes and their importance in the anticancer properties of several metallodrugs. Special attention is given to the exciting cylinder agents, which underpin the work in this thesis and to the work with rhodium complexes and their studies with DNA and as anticancer drugs. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis, purification and characterization of Rh(III) mononuclear, dinuclear single, double and triple stranded complexes. NMR, MS, UV‐Vis, elemental analyses and in some cases X‐ray crystallography are discussed in detail. In Chapter 3, DNA binding properties of the Rh(III) complexes are explored by CD and LD spectroscopy. Gel Electrophoresis experiments are also carried out using plasmid DNA (pBR322). The dinuclear complexes are found to bind to ct‐DNA and to have more dramatic effects than the mononuclear analogues. In addition they were found to cleave plasmid DNA. Chapter 4 presents cytotoxicity studies for some of the complexes synthesized against breast and ovarian cancer cell lines. A PCR study with the Rh(III) double stranded isomers is also carried out demonstrating that these complexes are able to inhibit and block DNA transactions as represented by PCR DNA replication.


Erythropoietin (EPO) has multiple nonerythropoietic functions, including immune modulation, but EPO's effects in transplantation remain incompletely understood. We tested the mechanisms linking EPO administration to prolongation of murine heterotopic heart transplantation using WT and conditional EPO receptor–knockout (EPOR-knockout) mice as recipients. In WT controls, peritransplant administration of EPO synergized with CTLA4-Ig to prolong allograft survival (P < 0.001), reduce frequencies of donor-reactive effector CD8+ T cells in the spleen (P < 0.001) and in the graft (P < 0.05), and increase frequencies and total numbers of donor-reactive Tregs (P < 0.01 for each) versus CTLA4-Ig alone. Studies performed in conditional EPOR-knockout recipients showed that each of these differences required EPOR expression in myeloid cells but not in T cells. Analysis of mRNA isolated from spleen monocytes showed that EPO/EPOR ligation upregulated macrophage-expressed, antiinflammatory, regulatory, and pro-efferocytosis genes and downregulated selected proinflammatory genes. Taken together, the data support the conclusion that EPO promotes Treg-dependent murine cardiac allograft survival by crucially altering the phenotype and function of macrophages. Coupled with our previous documentation that EPO promotes Treg expansion in humans, the data support the need for testing the addition of EPO to costimulatory blockade-containing immunosuppression regimens in an effort to prolong human transplant survival.


This article challenges the view, voiced especially by S. Ogilvie, that the revisionist interpretation of the history of craft guilds is wide of the mark. The paper suggests that Ogilvie oversimplifies the revisionist position; ignores significant new work on European crafts; as a result underestimates the role of the guilds in England and the Low Countries; and incorrectly presents her own case study of the Württemberg worsted industry as typical of European industry in general. Rather than a return to what amounts to a generalized eighteenth-century debunking of the guilds, the paper pleads for more quantitative and regionally specified investigations of the economic contributions of craft guilds.


The aim of this study was to set up a SPR sensor and to investigate protein adsorption onto biomaterial surface using it. Methods: The adsorption of human albumin (Alb), fibrinogen (Fib) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) onto polyurethane (PU) H50-50 and Au surface were measured using this SPR sensor. Results: The results of protein adsorption showed that the amount of Alb, Fib and IgG adsorbed on PU (H50-50) are smaller than Au, and on these two material surfaces, the amount sequence of adsorbed protein is: IgG> Fib > Alb. Both the Alb/Fib ratio and Alb/IgG ratio on PU (H50-50) surface are higher than Au. Conclusion: The antithrombogenicity of PU (H50-50) is better than Au.


Pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a desmoplastic disease, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world due, in large part, to locally invasive primary tumor growth and ensuing metastasis. SPARC is a matricellular protein that governs extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and maturation during tissue remodeling, particularly, during wound healing and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we sought to determine the mechanism by which lack of host SPARC alters the tumor microenvironment and enhances invasion and metastasis of an orthotopic model of pancreatic cancer. We identified that levels of active TGFβ1 were increased significantly in tumors grown in SPARC-null mice. TGFβ1 contributes to many aspects of tumor development including metastasis, endothelial cell permeability, inflammation and fibrosis, all of which are altered in the absence of stromal-derived SPARC. Given these results, we performed a survival study to assess the contribution of increased TGFβ1 activity to tumor progression in SPARC-null mice using losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist that diminishes TGFβ1 expression and activation in vivo. Tumors grown in SPARC-null mice progressed more quickly than those grown in wild-type littermates leading to a significant reduction in median survival. However, median survival of SPARC-null animals treated with losartan was extended to that of losartan-treated wild-type controls. In addition, losartan abrogated TGFβ induced gene expression, reduced local invasion and metastasis, decreased vascular permeability and altered the immune profile of tumors grown in SPARC-null mice. These data support the concept that aberrant TGFβ1-activation in the absence of host SPARC contributes significantly to tumor progression and suggests that SPARC, by controlling ECM deposition and maturation, can regulate TGFβ availability and activation.


The film "Toples Kaca" offers a story about the anxiety of a student who intends to prevent a child from dropping out of school, but a child thinks of quitting school, in the end the student can prevent in his way. The film " Toples Kaca" is in a decision, associated with controlling life as a journey. The content in this film is about the journey of the main character who continues to have strong ambitions and determination towards children. Their aim is to continue to provide encouragement and motivation, even if only by playing and with interactive media a glass jar. Student anxiety from existing patterns, where yes, questioning life, dreams, and future. This pattern is not just an existing system, but more broadly as a whole of economic factors, plus the problem of limitations, lack of encouragement or motivation from parents, children told to work, or the condition of the children themselves who choose to work. Besides "melancholy" in the midst of unrest is the look and mood that we can capture in outline of this film.


In recent decades, cultural institutions in Western countries have developed educational services and supported community cultural projects. Through the rhetoric of social inclusion, the concert hall Casa da Musica (CM) in Porto, Portugal, tries to reach marginalized people in deprived contexts. This study investigated 'Som da Rua' ("Sound of the Street"), a music ensemble of homeless adults created by the CM, who perform in rehearsals and concerts supported by professional musicians and social educators. It explores the role of community music while reflecting on its possible effects upon the participants' development, its significance in their lives and its potential to build resilience among disadvantaged adults. Special attention is given to the songs, as relevant elements in the construction of the group's identity. The method is designed as a qualitative interpretive case study, combining various approaches: an evaluation of the project's aims and implementation; a semi-structured interview with the music director; field notes of observations of the musical practice; and an analysis of the song repertoire. The results suggest positive effects of musical practice in building a sense of belonging and a group identity among disadvantaged adults. Through singing and playing, supported by professional musicians, participants develop good interpersonal relationships which may foster their self-confidence and social skills. Achieving good musical results and being warmly applauded by the audiences gives them a sense of accomplishment. The musical repertoire is unique to this group, and some songs were built from the participants' inputs. The repertoire is therefore a key element in the construction of a new musical and social identity. The emotional character of the songs and the lyrics (sadness, despair, but also hope and resilience) reflects participants' moods and life experiences, while helping them to cope with their harsh lives and build resilience against adversity.
Keywords
Community music; homeless choir; music education; social inclusion; identity


A multi-dimensional, intervention programme for survivors of gender based violence was piloted in Lago Agrio, Ecuador and a nearby Colombian refugee settlement. Local facilitators were trained to implement the programme with small groups of women.The model introduces art therapy techniques, psycho-education, peer support, symptom reduction techniques and psychosocial skill building, within the context of a women's hand sewing collective. Participants design and sew narrative textiles (known as 'arpilleras' in parts of Latin America) in order to share their experiences and process memories. This article documents the development of the model, and its implementation in that community.


Biometric recognition has become a common and reliable way to authenticate the identity of a person. Multimodal biometric system utilizes two or more individual modalities so as to improve the recognition accuracy. The key to multimodal biometrics is the fusion of the various biometric data after feature extraction. In this paper, score level fusion technique for multi-modal biometric recognition using Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) based Neural Network (NN) is proposed. The technique consists of two phases namely feature extraction phase and score fusion phase. Features are extracted from the fingerprint, face and iris modalities in the feature extraction phase.  Fusion of score value is carried out after obtaining the individual matching scores from the three modalities. Fusion of scores is based on neural network where, ABC algorithm is used as a training algorithm and based on the scores obtained from ABC-based neural network, the recognition is done. The implementation is done using MATLAB and the performance of the proposed technique is evaluated using FRR, FAR, accuracy and ROC curve. The proposed technique is compared with KNN technique and from the results we can see that our proposed technique has achieved better results by having lower FRR and FAR values and higher accuracy measure.


The diagnosis process of TB in children is complicated. Bacteriological exam is needed to establish diagnosis, but it is not possible to be done in children. Clinical symptoms are the main criteria for TB diagnosis in children. This study aimed to provide clinical profile of TB in children and was conducted using descriptive design. The data was taken from medical record of children with TB at RSHS pediatric outpatient clinic from January 2016 to December 2016. We collected 104 subjects using simple random sampling method. We found out that 64 subjects (61.54%) was diagnosed as lung TB and 40 (38.46%) with extra-pulmonary TB. Contact with the source of transmission was found in 33 patients (60%). We found that clinical symptoms of the subjects were fever  2 weeks (62.5%), weight increase difficulty (49%), lymphnode enlargement (36.5%), cough >= 2 weeks (14.4%), chest tightness (7.7%), bone swelling (4%), and night sweats (2%). We concluded that clinical symptoms that are found mostly in children with TB are fever  >= 2 weeks, weight increase difficulty, lymphnode enlargement, cough >= 2 week, chest tightness, bony swelling, and night sweats.

Keywords: clinical profile, tuberculosis, TB infection in children


In Reply .—We appreciate Dr Brown's interest in our recent report. We are aware of the problems raised by him, problems that occur in any retrospective clinical study and for which there are no completely adequate solutions. The problem of transfer bias does not seem to us to be as severe a problem as he describes since the transfer was based on status of a patient's respiratory disease and was not related to the severity of the patient's eye disease. In fact, transfer occurred before eye disease status was known. In addition, transfer decisions were made in a reasonably uniform manner for all patients. The question of the appropriate number of df for the t test raises the question of how to handle an imperfect data set. Our system of obtaining weighted average values for each of the 92 patients was an attempt to make the most appropriate use we


One of the most important criteria for the successful DNA-templated polymerization to generate fully synthetic biomimetic polymers is to design the complementary structural monomers, which assemble to the templates strongly and precisely before carrying polymerization. In this study, water-soluble, laterally thymine-substituted donor-acceptor π-conjugated molecules were designed and synthesized to self-assemble with complementary oligoadenines templates, dA(20) and dA(40), into stable and tubular assemblies through noncovalent interactions including π-π stacking, dipole-dipole interactions, and the complementary adenine-thymine (A-T) hydrogen-bonding. UV-vis, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were used to investigate the formation of highly robust nanofibrous structures. Our results have demonstrated for the first time that the dipole-dipole interactions are stronger and useful to reinforce the assembly of donor-acceptor π-conjugated molecules to DNA templates and the formation of the stable and robust supramolecular nanofibrous complexes together with the complementary hydrogen bonding interactions. This provides an initial step toward DNA-templated polymerization to create fully synthetic DNA-mimetic polymers for biotechnological applications. This study also presents an opportunity to precisely position donor-acceptor type molecules in a controlled manner and tailor-make advanced materials for various biotechnological applications.


Summary
Energy expenditure is a trait of central importance in ecological and evolutionary theory. We examined the correlates of, the strength of selection on, and the heritability of, daily energy expenditure (DEE; kJ day−1) during lactation in free-ranging North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).
Over 7 years, lactating squirrels with greater DEE had higher annual reproductive success (ARS; standardized selection gradient: β′ = 0·47; top 12% of published estimates). Surprisingly, positive fecundity selection on lactation DEE for increased ARS did not result because lactation DEE was correlated with typical measures of reproductive performance and/or investment.
We found no evidence of costs of elevated lactation DEE acting through female survival, subsequent year lactation DEE or subsequent year reproduction.
Lactation DEE was not significantly repeatable, and heritability was not significantly different from zero.
Elevated lactation DEE enhances ARS through a link between DEE and an unidentified measure of maternal or environmental quality, but there is limited evolutionary potential for lactation DEE to respond to our documented selection.


A systematic investigation and numerical results of calculation of T2 symmetric deep level wave function induced by short range defect potential in Si are described, based on a recently developement on site defect potential Green's function method. [5,6] Such a complete information of T2 symmetric wave functions in Si is presented for the first time. The occupation probability P1 of the wave function located around four nearest neighbour sites of the defect center has a peak exceeding 50%. This part of wave function could be described by T2 symmetric combination of four hybrid orbital quasi dangling bonds located at four nearest neighbour sites and pointing toward the defect center. The total occupation probability of wave function located on the 0,1,2 shells arround the defect center is about 70%. The rest part of the wave function extends diversely over a wide range of space. The characteristics of the wave function are insensitive to the defect energy over most part of the energy range in the gap. Only when the defect energy level approaches very closely to the band edge of either conduction (Ec) or valence (Ev) band, the aforementioned peak P1 disappears and the wave function extends smoothly all over the space. A T2 symmetric deep level due to ideal vacancy is found at 0.51 eV up to the Ev .


Background: Limited clinical data have been published on patients suffering from advanced gynaecological malignancies treated in palliative care units, and little is known about prognostic factors. Methods: In a retrospective study, the data of 225 patients with breast, ovarian and cervical cancer treated in the palliative care unit of a university hospital between 1998 and 2009 were assembled. Clinical aspects and baseline symptoms, laboratory parameters, the clinical course, and outcome were evaluated. Results: 225 patients (497 cases; cancer diagnoses: breast 79%, ovarian 13%, and cervix 8%) were included in the analysis. The main symptoms were weakness/fatigue (71%), pain (65%), anorexia/nausea (62%), and dyspnea (46%). Pain control was achieved in 85% of all cases, satisfying control of other symptoms in 80%. The median overall survival (OS) was 59 days. 53% of the patients died at the palliative care unit. In the Cox proportional hazards model, 8 parameters indicated an unfavourable outcome: anorexia/nausea, disordered mental status, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, γ-glutamyltransferase, leukocyte count, hypoalbuminaemia, anaemia and hypercalcaemia. Based on these parameters 3 risk groups were defined: low risk (0-2 factors), intermediate risk (3-5 factors), and high risk (6-8 factors). Median survival for high-risk group was 13 days, for intermediate group 61 days, and for low-risk patients 554 days (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Weakness/fatigue, pain and anorexia were the main symptoms leading to the hospitalisation of patients with gynaecological malignancies. Symptom and pain control was accomplished in 80% of cases. 8 parameters were identified as indicating a poor outcome, and patients showing at least 6 or more of these factors had a very limited prognosis. Although studied retrospectively, these results may be helpful for individual treatment decisions in patients with advanced gynaecological malignancies. Prospective data and the introduction of documentation systems could help to gain more powerful knowledge about the quality of palliative care.


Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disorder arising from a deficit of the mitochondrial iron chaperone, frataxin. Evidence primarily from yeast and mammalian cells is consistent with the hypothesis that a toxic hydroxyl radical generated from hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via iron-catalyzed Fenton chemistry at least partially underlies the pathology associated with this disease. However, no whole-organism studies have been presented that directly test this hypothesis. We recently developed a Drosophila model that recapitulates the principal hallmarks of FRDA [Anderson PR, Kirby K, Hilliker A, Phillips JP (2005) Hum Mol Genet 14:3397–3405]. Using the Drosophila FRDA model, we now report that ectopic expression of enzymes that scavenge H2O2 suppresses the deleterious phenotypes associated with frataxin deficiency. In contrast, genetic augmentation with enzymes that scavenge superoxide is without effect. Augmentation of endogenous catalase restores the activity of the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive mitochondrial enzyme, aconitase and enhances resistance to H2O2 exposure, both of which are diminished by frataxin deficiency. Collectively, these data argue that H2O2 is an important pathogenic substrate underlying the phenotypes arising from frataxin deficiency in Drosophila and that interventions that reduce this specific ROS can effectively ameliorate these phenotypes. The therapeutic implications of these findings are clear and we believe warrant immediate clinical investigation.


A period of 15 months was spent studying the behaviour and ecology of Indri indri in the eastern
rain-forest of Madagascar. Two groups were habituated
to the observer and followed every six weeks for a
complete year. Quantitatives sampling techniques were
developed which allowed several animals' behaviour to
be simultaneously recorded.
Surveys were conducted in three areas of different
botanical and topographical structure and censuses
performed both at the beginning and end of the study.
Some behavioural properties of a population of Indri
were investigated in one study site by collecting data
on vocal interactions between approximately 40 groups.
The maintenance activities of the species are
described and assessed. Seasonal and individual
variation in behaviour are compared both in the groups
studied and with other species. Social behaviour is
analysed (1) by measures of animal interaction and
(2) in terms of the inter-dependence of some individuals'
behaviour with others. Measures of spacing and feeding
are shown to be suitable to this approach. Evidence for
the territoriality of the species is presented and its
adaptive qualities considered. The roles of territory
definition, declaration and occupation are contrasted
and compared. The development of behaviour in infant
and juvenile Indri is examined in terms of individual
and social adaptations. Some facets of ecological and
social differentiation with Indri society are proposed.


Photochemical generation of volatile fluoromethane in a dilute acetic acid medium is demonstrated. Radical halogen atom transfer (XAT) from an intermediate Cu–F transition metal fluorocomplex to abundant ˙CH3 generated by UV homolysis of acetic acid, rather than direct formation of free ˙F radicals, is hypothesized as being the synthetic route. The presence of Cu(II) is indispensable for CH3F formation. GC-MS identification of the gaseous products released from a photolysed 2% (v/v) solution of acetic acid containing 60 mg L−1 added Cu(II) as a sensitizer confirms synthesis of CH3F as the volatile fluorinated species, which is not detectable in the absence of Cu(II). Reaction efficiency remains unchanged whether the sample medium is exposed to V-UV radiation (185 nm) or germicidal UV-C radiation (primarily 254 nm and longer wavelengths) from the source. Experimental optimization of generation conditions (pH, irradiation time, UV wavelength, acetic acid concentration, metal ion sensitizer and concentration) was undertaken with a view to elucidation of mechanism as well as maximizing synthetic yield. Although the low yield (<1%) of CH3F currently precludes its efficacious use as a means of enhancing analyte introduction efficiency into atomic spectrochemical sources, this study demonstrates successful application of XAT to encompass PVG of the most difficult of the halogens to process in this manner and may provide insights into further studies to ultimately achieve higher yields.


Choosing the way to fund new projects would be one of the toughest tasks for top management in the real business world. Among the long history of study in financial management, several theories have developed to explain corporate capital structure such as net income approach, trade-off, agency costs and pecking order.
This paper identifies determinants of capital structure based on a sample of 155r 5-year financial statements from31 of NZX 50 companies utilising statistical analysis: descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression. This study finds that there is a positive relationship between leverage and company size measured as total assets, total revenue and EBIT. Four independent variables chosen for the regression analysis are: a ratio of income tax expense divided by total assets; return on net assets (profit after tax divided by non-current assets plus working capital); aggregate of depreciation, amortisation, lease, occupancy and impairment expenses; and dividend pay-out ratio. Findings are consistent with the tax shield effect arising from the use of debt, which is given by the trade-off theory while being inconsistent with the notion of non-debt tax shield. Moreover, findings are also consistent with pecking order theory. However, the four independent variables only explain the leverage ratio at 46.76 percent.


In this paper, we introduce a new class of data mining problems called learning from aggregate views. In contrast to the traditional problem of learning from a single table of training examples, the new goal is to learn from multiple aggregate views of the underlying data, without access to the un-aggregated data. We motivate this new problem, present a general problem framework, develop learning methods for RFA (Restriction-Free Aggregate) views defined using COUNT, SUM, AVG and STDEV, and offer theoretical and experimental results that characterize the proposed methods.


This paper focuses on solving coupled problems of lumped parameter models. Such problems are of interest for the simulation of severe accidents in nuclear reactors~: these coarse-grained models allow for fast calculations for statistical analysis used for risk assessment and solutions of large problems when considering the whole severe accident scenario. However, this modeling approach has several numerical flaws. Besides, in this industrial context, computational efficiency is of great importance leading to various numerical constraints. The objective of this research is to analyze the applicability of explicit coupling strategies to solve such coupled problems and to design implicit coupling schemes allowing stable and accurate computations. The proposed schemes are theoretically analyzed and tested within CEA's procor platform on a problem of heat conduction solved with coupled lumped parameter models and coupled 1D models. Numerical results are discussed and allow us to emphasize the benefits of using the designed coupling schemes instead of the usual explicit coupling schemes.


Currently, food image recognition tasks are evaluated against fixed datasets. However, in real-world conditions, there are cases in which the number of samples in each class continues to increase and samples from novel classes appear. In particular, dynamic datasets in which each individual user creates samples and continues the updating process often have content that varies considerably between different users, and the number of samples per person is very limited. A single classifier common to all users cannot handle such dynamic data. Bridging the gap between the laboratory environment and the real world has not yet been accomplished on a large scale. Personalizing a classifier incrementally for each user is a promising way to do this. In this paper, we address the personalization problem, which involves adapting to the user's domain incrementally using a very limited number of samples. We propose a simple yet effective personalization framework which is a combination of the nearest class mean classifier and the 1-nearest neighbor classifier based on deep features. To conduct realistic experiments, we made use of a new dataset of daily food images collected by a food-logging application. Experimental results show that our proposed method significantly outperforms existing methods.


Both the presence of slurry and dark conditions may deter dairy cows from using passageways in cubicle accommodation, thus restricting movement and normal behaviour. We attempted to train seven dairy cows to recognize the quantity of reward offered in a transparent tube containing molasses in a Y-maze. Only one cow failed to consistently select the aisle containing the larger reward. The cows were then individually offered the choice of traversing either a passageway with a 5cm-depth of cow excreta or a clean, dry passageway to collect their rewards. The quantity of the rewards on the two sides was varied between zero and 400ml of molasses to determine the price that the cows were prepared to pay for entering the aisle with excreta. Only two of the seven cows showed a clear avoidance of the passageway with excreta. There was a tendency (P < 0.1) for the cows to avoid the passageway with excreta only when it contained no reward and the clean passageway contained a reward of 400ml molasses. Otherwise, there was no clear avoidance of the passageway with excreta. We also investigated whether cows preferred to enter a lighted or unlighted passageway. All the cows, except one, showed a strong avoidance of the dark passage, even when it contained the largest reward and the lighted passage contained no reward. We conclude that dairy cows demonstrate only mild avoidance of passageways with excreta but strongly avoid passageways without lighting. Therefore, we suggest that passageways for dairy cows should be lit at all times.


False alarm rates must be kept sufficiently low if a method to detect and identify objects or substances is to be implemented in real life applications. This is also true when trying to detect and identify dangerous substances such as explosives and drugs that are concealed in packaging materials. THz technology may be suited to detect these substances, especially when imaging and spectroscopy are combined. To achieve reasonable throughput, the detection and identification process must be automated and this implies reliance on algorithms to perform this task, rather than human beings. The identification part of the algorithm must compare spectral features of the unknown substance with those in a library of features and determining the distance, in some sense, between these features. If the distance is less than some defined threshold a match is declared. In this paper we consider two types of spectral characteristic that are derived from measured time-domain signals measured in the THz regime: the absorbance and its derivative. Also, we consider two schemes to measure the distance between the unknown and library characteristics: Spectral Angle Mapping (SAM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Finally, the effect of windowing of the measured time-domain signal on the performance of the algorithms is studied, by varying the Blackman-Harris (B-H) window width. Algorithm performance is quantified by studying the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC). For the data considered in this study we conclude that the best performance is obtained when the derivative of the absorbance is used in combination with a narrow B-H window and SAM. SAM is a more straight-forward method and requires no large training data sets and tweaking.