In the last three decades, approximation and online algorithms have become a major area of theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics. Scheduling and coloring problems are among the most popular ones for which approximation and online algorithms have been analyzed. On one hand, motivated by the well-known difficulty to obtain good lower bounds for the problems, it is particularly hard to prove results on the online and offline performance of algorithms. On the other hand, the theoretically oriented studies of approximation and online algorithms for scheduling and coloring have also impact on the development of better algorithms for real world applications. In the thesis we present approximation algorithms and online algorithms for a number of scheduling and labeling (coloring) problems. Our work in the first part of the thesis is devoted to scheduling problems with the average weighted completion time objective function, that is primarily motivated by some theoretical questions which were open for a number of recent years. Here we present a general method which leads to the design of polynomial time approximation schemes (PTASs), best possible approximation results. In contrast, our work in the second part of the thesis is motivated by practical applications. We consider a number of new labeling and scheduling problems which occur in the design of communication networks. Here we present and analyze efficient approximation and online algorithms. We use very simple techniques which do not require large computational resources.


Implications of real cash balances as a productive input in agricultural production are explored. A system of aggregate input demand functions for agriculture including real cash balances is formulated and estimated, assuming that producers minimize input costs for a given output level. Empirical results suggest real cash balances are an important contributor to agricultural production. Their exclusion from production studies may lead to serious specification biases. Tests herein indicate that the demand for cash balances is relatively inelastic with respect to changes in the user cost of money and that real cash balances are a substitute for machinery and capital.


I will propose that if two people agree upon their definition of consciousness, they will agree on the existence or non-existence of an afterlife. This isn't an arbitrary judgment. It rests on the familiar experience that people make up stories, they believe in their stories, and the reality they inhabit conforms to their stories. For a skeptic whose story contains the facts that all things can be explained through materialism, experimentation, data, measurement, and a confirmed allegiance to objectivity over subjectivity, there will be no doubt that the afterlife is spurious – not because it actually is, but because a certain story, or worldview if you prefer, forbids it to exist. By the same token, a confirmed believer holds fast to a story where the non-existence of a personal God is impermissible, even unthinkable, and therefore the afterlife acquires its reality by association with the deity.


SUMMARY: The proteolytic activity of the whole rumen fluid of sheep does not depend on the diet of the animals. The optimum pH value for proteolysis lies between 6 and 7, with an irregular maximum at about pH 6·5. All fractions of rumen contents (protozoa, large bacteria and small bacteria) show activity. Proteolytic activity can be demonstrated in the supernatant liquid after disruption of the microorganisms. The proteolytic activity of the whole rumen fluid was enhanced by cysteine at 0·06 and 0·006% (w/v) unless the rumen fluid had been collected and processed under highly anaerobic conditions. Potassium cyanide and ascorbic acid were also slightly stimulatory, but sodium thiosulphate, thioglycollic acid, sodium sulphide and Fe++, Ca++ and Mg++ ions had no effect.


The porous TiO2/SiO2 and TiO2/Al/SiO2 nanostructures are successfully fabricated by anodic oxidation of titanium or titanium/aluminum thin films deposited on transparent SiO2 glass substrates with pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The optically transparent titania films, with highly ordered and uniformly arrayed pores are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The influence of Al buffer layer on the optical absorption of the porous TiO2 thin films was investigated. The results show that without Al buffer layer the UV absorption peak of the porous TiO2 films was fixed at 270nm and the intensity of absorption peak was not modulated by the anodic potential. However, with an Al buffer layer, the UV absorption peak will shift to 293nm, and the intensity of absorption peak was not only modulated by anodic potential, but also sensitively influenced by the thickness of Al buffer layer. Moreover, the optical transition property of the two nanostructures at the absorption edge was analysed.


Despite pre-trained language models such as BERT have achieved appealing performance in a wide range of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks, they are computationally expensive to be deployed in real-time applications. A typical method is to adopt knowledge distillation to compress these large pre-trained models (teacher models) to small student models. However, for a target domain with scarce training data, the teacher can hardly pass useful knowledge to the student, which yields performance degradation for the student models. To tackle this problem, we propose a method to learn to augment data for BERT Knowledge Distillation in target domains with scarce labeled data, by learning a cross-domain manipulation scheme that automatically augments the target domain with the help of resource-rich source domains. Specifically, the proposed method generates samples acquired from a stationary distribution near the target data and adopts a reinforced controller to automatically refine the augmentation strategy according to the performance of the student. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms state-of-the-art baselines on different NLP tasks, and for the data-scarce domains, the compressed student models even perform better than the original large teacher model, with much fewer parameters (only ~13.3%) when only a few labeled examples available.


Are we the kind of creatures who are suited to govern ourselves through deliberation? We seek to answer one important component of this question: how do individuals respond to deliberation in groups with varying levels of disagreement? We use a natural experiment in which approximately 3000 individuals were divided into small groups composed of about 8-10 persons. These groups deliberated for one day about health care reform in California. We demonstrate that there is a non-monotonic effect of disagreement upon deliberative quality. Elements of deliberative quality include mutual respect, understanding, proferring of reasons and arguments, equal opportunity for discursive engagement, and neutrality. Deliberative quality is maximized at moderate levels of disagreement and lower at high levels of ideological agreement or disagreement. Furthermore, individuals exhibit higher levels of persuasion in deliberative contexts of moderate disagreement. These findings support the view that many individuals have elements of a political psychology that is well suited for deliberation. They do not recoil when encountering disagreement nor do they especially value deliberating with those who see the world in very similar ways. Instead, they regard as most successful deliberations with moderate levels of difference -- perhaps those in which they were acquire new information, perspectives, or reasons. Beyond our substantive finding, this paper offers a methodological template for experimental studies of deliberation.


Identifying threats and their regional occurrence across a species' range is increasingly valuable for prioritising threat-specific interventions and achieving effective conservation outcomes. We surveyed registered wildlife rehabilitators to identify (i) threats faced by the koala across Victoria and (ii) their perceptions on koala population trends and potential threat mitigation actions. Wildlife rehabilitators identified habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation as the biggest threat to koalas, while vehicle collisions, heatwaves and wildfire were also identified as key threats. Accordingly, reducing the clearing of native vegetation was considered the most effective threat mitigation action, while creating of wildlife corridors, planting of more food trees, and educating communities living in koala occupied areas were also considered appropriate mitigation strategies. Finally, 89% of wildlife rehabilitators believed that koala numbers are declining in their region.


Environmental tourism is a growing practice in indigenous communities worldwide. As members of indigenous communities, what environmental justice framework should we use to evaluate these practices? I argue that, while some of the most relevant and commonly discussed norms are fair compensation and participative justice, we should also follow Robert Figueroa's claim that "recognition justice" is relevant for environmental justice. I claim that from Figueroa's analysis there is a "norm of direct participation," which requires all environmental tourism practices to feature a forum for meaningful representation and consideration. This claim motivates a distinction between practices that should be termed "mutually advantageous exploitation" and those that should be termed "environmental coalition development." We need to ask ourselves whether we should continue to tolerate mutually advantageous exploitation and how we can increase the number of practices that develop coalitions.


Coliiformes (mousebirds) are represented by just six extant species. These species, restricted to sub-Saharan Africa, are all primarily frugivorous and are among the most sedentary of living birds. Previously described fossil Coliiformes preserving feather traces share the short, rounded wing shape of extant mousebirds. Along with osteological evidence, these observations have been proposed to support poor sustained flight capabilities across the stem mousebird lineage. We report a new species of Coliiformes from the early Eocene (51.66 ± 0.09 Ma) Fossil Butte Member of the Green River Formation, represented by one of the comparatively few fossils from these deposits preserving carbonized traces of the wing and tail feathering. Feather traces indicate an elongate, tapering wing shape similar to that of some extant aerial insectivores, and suggestive of a capacity for sustained and agile open-air flight. Traces of the rectrices reveal the tail accounted for approximately two-thirds of the total length of the bird, a proportion similar to that in living mousebirds. Phylogenetic analysis places the new species as a stem representative of Coliiformes, demonstrating for the first time that the two major clades of Coliiformes – Sandcoleidae and Colii – co-occurred at Fossil Lake. Based on the recovered phylogeny, as well as the osteology and feathering of extant and fossil Coliiformes, the wing shape of the new species is interpreted as apomorphic. In addition to documenting unexpected morphological specialization within stem-lineage Coliiformes, the new species adds yet another taxon to the emerging reconstruction of the diverse Paleogene avifauna from the tightly dated and nearly synchronous fossiliferous deposits of the Fossil Butte Member.

© 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 160, 685–706.


Tone is the way the author expresses an attitude toward the subject. Tone often poses a challenge for translators. The present study is comparative as it explored two Arabic translations of the same Afghan Women's Poetry (Landay). The first translation was done by Jamil Salah in 2002 from the French collection Le suicide et le chant, and the second by Abdallah Abushmaes in 2018 from the English Songs of Love and War: Afghan Women's Poetry. The study aimed at identifying the strategies employed by the two translators to convey the tone expressed in Landay poems, and determining their effectiveness in transferring it into Arabic. The study shows that the two translators adopted different strategies at the word and structure levels which in some cases overlooked the significance of tone, while in other cases they seemed to recreate a similar tone.


Current implementations of 5G networks consider  higher frequency range of operation than previous telecommu nication networks, and it is possible to offer higher data rates  for different applications. On the other hand, atmospheric phe nomena could have a more negative impact on the transmission  quality. Thus, the study of the transmitted signal quality at  high frequencies is relevant to guaranty the user s quality of  experience. In this research, the recommendations ITU-R P.838- 3 and ITU-R P.676-11 are implemented in a network scenario,  which are methodologies to estimate the signal degradations  originated by rainfall and atmospheric gases, respectively. Thus,  speech signals are encoded by the AMR-WB codec, transmitted  and the perceptual speech quality is evaluated using the algorithm  described in ITU-T Rec. P.863, mostly known as POLQA. The  novelty of this work is to propose a non-intrusive speech quality  classifier that considers atmospheric phenomena. This classifier is  based on Deep Belief Networks (DBN) that uses Support Vector  Machine (SVM) with radial basis function kernel (RBF-SVM)  as classifier, to identify five predefined speech quality classes.  Experimental Results show that the proposed speech quality  classifier reached an accuracy between 92% and 95% for each  quality class overcoming the results obtained by the sole non- intrusive standard described in ITU-T Recommendation P.563.  Furthermore, subjective tests are carried out to validate the  proposed classifier performance, and it reached an accuracy of  94.8%.


We examined the relationship between spontaneous gesture production and spoken lexical ability in children with Down syndrome (DS) in a naming task. Fifteen children with DS (3;8–8;3 years) were compared to 15 typically developing (TD) children matched for developmental age (DATD) (2;6–4;3 years of chronological age) and 15 matched for lexical ability identified by the MacArthur-Bates CDI questionnaire (LATD) (1;9–2;6 years of chronological age). Children of the DATD group displayed a larger number of correct spoken answers compared to other groups, while DS and LATD groups showed a similar naming accuracy. In comparison to both groups of TD children, a higher number of unintelligible answers was produced by children with DS, indicating that their spoken language is characterized by serious phono-articulatory difficulties. Although children with DS did not differ from DATD and LATD controls on the total number of gestures, they produced a significantly higher percentage of representational gestures. Furthermore, DATD children produced more spoken answers without gestures, LATD children produced more bimodal answers, while children with DS gestured more without speech. Results suggest that representational gestures may serve to express meanings when children's cognitive abilities outstrip their productive spoken language skills.


The productive method of creation the inter-particle potential in Embedded Atom Model (EAM) is presented that uses directly the structure data of liquid metal near the melting point. The embedding potential is written as the power series of the difference between the effective EAM electronic density ρ and its standard value ρ0 (ρ0 is taken as 1). The mean value = ρ0 in the standard state of a liquid (usually near the melting point). At this definition of EAM potential, the pair term in potential coincides with the effective pair potential that can be reconstructed using the pair correlation function (PCF) of liquid metal (for example with Schommers algorithm). The parameters of embedding part of potential are determined using the potential energy of liquid in the standard state, module of compression and parameters of a liquid in any extreme state (at high temperature or pressure). The method presented was applied to the creation of EAM potentials and simulations of liquid metals bismuth, gallium, mercury, rubidium, cesium, iron and iron - sulfur solutions in wide intervals of parameters, including states near the critical point (bismuth, gallium, mercury, rubidium and cesium) and at the conditions of Earth core. The accuracy of predictions of structure properties, thermodynamic properties and diffusivity is rather good. EAM potentials constructed especially for liquid metals describe their properties in wide temperature and pressure limits much better than the EAM potentials created for crystal metals. In the states typical for the shock waves tests (at very strong compression) crystal metal EAM potentials may give very erroneous pressure data.


Stable Water Isotopologues (SWIs) are important diagnostic tracers for understanding processes in the atmosphere and the global hydrological cycle. Using eight years (2002–2009) of retrievals from Odin/SMR (Sub-Millimetre Radiometer), the global climatological features of three SWIs, H216O, HDO and H218O, the isotopic composition δD and δ18O in the stratosphere are analysed for the first time. Spatially, SWIs are found to increase with altitude due to stratospheric methane oxidation. In the tropics, highly depleted SWIs in the lower stratosphere indicate the effect of dehydration when the air comes through the cold tropopause, while, at higher latitudes, more enriched SWIs in the upper stratosphere during summer are produced and transported to the other hemisphere via the Brewer–Dobson circulation. Furthermore, we found that more H216O is produced over summer Northern Hemisphere and more HDO is produced over summer Southern Hemisphere. Temporally, a tape recorder in H216O is observed in the lower tropical stratosphere, in addition to a pronounced downward propagating seasonal signal in SWIs from the upper to the lower stratosphere over the polar regions. These observed features in SWIs are further compared to SWI-enabled model outputs. This helped to identify possible causes of model deficiencies in reproducing main stratospheric features. For instance, choosing a better advection scheme and including methane oxidation process in a specific model immediately capture the main features of stratospheric water vapor. The representation of other features, such as the observed inter-hemispheric difference of isotopic component, is also discussed.


The identities of ligands interacting with protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) receptors to regulate neurite outgrowth remain mainly unknown. Analysis of cDNA and genomic clones encoding the rat leukocyte common antigen-related (LAR) PTP receptor predicted a small, ∼11 kDa ectodomain isoform, designated LARFN5C, containing a novel N terminal followed by a C-terminal segment of the LAR fifth fibronectin type III domain. RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis confirmed the presence of LARFN5C transcripts in brain. Transfection of COS cells with LARFN5C-Fc cDNA resulted in expression of the predicted protein, and Western blot analysis verified expression of ∼11 kDa LARFN5C protein in vivo and its developmental regulation. Beads coated with rLARFN5C demonstrated aggregation consistent with homophilic binding, and pull-down and immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that rLARFN5C associates with the LAR receptor. rLARFN5C binding to COS cells was dependent on LAR expression, and rLARFN5C binding to LAR +/+ hippocampal neurons was fivefold greater than that found by using LAR-deficient (−/−) neurons. Substratum-bound rLARFN5C had potent neurite-promoting effects on LAR +/+ neurons, with a fivefold loss in potency with the use of LAR −/− neurons. rLARFN5C in solution at low nanomolar concentrations inhibited neurite outgrowth induced by substratum-bound rLARFN5C, consistent with receptor-based function. These studies suggest that a small ectodomain isoform of a PTP receptor can function as a ligand for the same receptor to promote neurite outgrowth.


According to the vibration characteristics of small sag cable, an equation of non-linear free transverse in-plane vibration of an inclined cable is presented considering the effects of the flexural rigidity. In the equation the influence of the tension variety along the inclined cable was taken into account by using the precise parabola equation of the taut cable. Taking single mode of a cable in consideration, the governing equation was simplified as a traditional Duffing equation with a quadratic term. It was solved by using the method of Fourier series. Combined with engineering practice, an example was provided to study nonlinear natural vibration characteristic of an inclined cable in plane when the length, the inclination angle, the tension were changed separately, whether considering the influence of tension variety along the inclined cable or not.


Background: As a part of the PPTCT program by NACO, the PPTCT program was started in our institute in April 2005. So this study is planned to note the vertical transmission rate of HIV in the PPTCT program as well as to have an evaluation of the PPTCT program in our institute since the initiation of this programme in 2005. Subjects and Methods: The present study was carried out in the department of Obsteterics and Gynaecology, Umaind Hospital attached to Dr. S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur. The data over this period were analyzed. As per the strategy and policy prescribed by NACO, tests (E/R/S) were performed on the serum samples. Those found HIV positive went for confidential post-test information and counseling regarding through intimation about the vertical transmission and importance of their institutional deliveries. Results: The present study shows that 29.82% of the seropositive women had anemia 26.31 had deranged LFT, 36.84% had genital infections. Mostly 99.18% new born were given Neviraoine. We found that 10 seropositive mothers had puerperial pyrexia, 8 had mastitis, 6 had UTI, 1 had episiotomy gap and another 1 had wound sepsis or gaping in LSCS wound. Conclusion: Prevention is the cure and antenatal clinic is the best opportunity to educate so simple intervention strategies under this PPTCT program will reduce the incidence of pediatric our


Leucasin is one of the active antimicrobial principle of Leucas aspera . The effect of this compound and other antibacterial agents with known mechanisms of action upon the cytoplasmic membrane integrity of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated by comparing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and potassium loss profiles from bacterial cell suspensions. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of leucasin, novobiocin - the bacteriostatic antibiotic and penicillin G – the bactericidal antibiotic against S. aureus (ATCC 12600) were determined as 35 μg/ml, 55 ng/ml and 40 ng/ml respectively. The morphology of S. aureus was impaired, when treated with leucasin showing mucilaginous mass, which could lead to the impairment in cell division, as observed under SEM. When S. aureus were suspended in potassium free media containing 35 μg/ml leucasin, a 100 fold decrease in viability was observed after 12 h. Potassium loss assay revealed that S. aureus treated with 35 μg/ml leucasin lost 17% more potassium than untreated control populations whereas, cells treated with 40 ng/ml of penicillin G exhibited 9% increase in potassium loss and 55 ng/ml of novobiocin had no effect on potassium loss. This data may be attributed to either direct damage to the cytoplasmic membrane or indirect damage affected through autolysis/weakening of the cell wall and consequent osmotic lysis.


This chapter describes cloud, virtualization, software-defined networking (SDN), and self-managed concepts, architectures, and their building blocks, as possible future directions for multiple-system operator (MSO) networks and services. Cloud computing technologies are emerging as infrastructure services for provisioning computing and storage resources on demand in a simple and uniform way. Cloud-based virtualization allows for easy upgrade and migration of enterprise application, including also the whole IT infrastructure segments, which brings significant cost saving compared to traditional infrastructure development and management requiring good amount of manual work. SDN is defined by open networking foundation (ONF) as an emerging architecture that is dynamic, manageable, cost-effective, and adaptable. The chapter explains self-managed network concept, network element (NE) and network management system (NMS) architectures, and fault management communication mechanisms for centrally and distributedly self-managed networks. The concept is applied to virtual networks (VNs) and SDN.


"Quantum Simulators", as originally envisaged by Richard Feynman, are highly controllable and specially engineered many-body systems that have the potential to shed new light on open questions in condensed matter physics, high-energy and nuclear physics. They are currently set-up and explored in a diverse range of quantum systems ranging from ultracold quantum gases, over trapped ions and photonic systems, to superconducting and semiconductor devices. The field of quantum simulations is just starting, but it will most likely generate an even larger plethora of new ideas and discoveries, trigger interdisciplinary research, and lead us to the adventure of describing and understanding the quantum world.


The paper analyzes some financial, tax, information, communication, infrastructural, technological and organizational mechanisms of innovative activity promotion in conditions of transition to a digital economy. End-to-end technologies including "Big Data", "New Production Technologies", "Quantum Technologies", "Technologies of Virtual and Augmented Realities", the possibilities of their application in various sectors of the national economy were singled out and analyzed. The role of end-to-end technologies in the development of the Russian economy and promotion of innovative activities of companies was studied. A comparative analysis of the main indicators of informatization of the society of Russia and some leading foreign countries for the period of 2005-2015 was carried out. The conclusions were made about an insufficient use of the Internet in Russia, primarily in rural areas, which hindered the social progress of Russian society. The leading role of digital (information) technologies in solving social problems, including education, social services and healthcare, was defined. The necessity of development of electronic services in the sphere of education and health was proved. Ways of cluster development based on the example of the Kaluga Region in the development of digital technologies were studied. The influence of development institutions on stimulating innovation activity in Russia was analyzed.


The pollutant emissions of a four-stroke spark ignition gas engine generator operating on biogas–LPG blends of varying excess air ratios and LPG concentrations were investigated in this paper. Experiments were carried out at a constant engine speed of 1400 rpm and a constant electric power output of 3.5 kW. The experimental results showed that NOx emissions were elevated at an excess air ratio of around 1.2 as the LPG concentration was increased. CO2 emissions decreased as the excess air ratio and LPG concentration increased, due to lean-burn conditions and LPG combustion. These results demonstrated that the addition of LPG to biogas enabled the effective generation of electricity using a gas engine generator through lean-burn combustion. The adding of LPG of 0%, 5%, and 10% in volume is interchangeable. Mixing inert gas such as N2 and CO2 in the end user side to increase the gas MN, thereby increasing its antiknock tendency, furthermore, the measures such as the installation of closed-loop control engine with oxygen sensor in the exhaust and adjust air-fuel ratio accurately and adjusting engine ignition timing, to adapt the changes in gas composition to ensure that the engine working conditions are not significantly affected, to meet the requirements of natural gas interchangeability.


The addition of GridPro semi-structured, automated generation of grids for complex moving boundaries for combustion engine applications and the Menter Shear Stress Turbulent Transfer (SST) model are being developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory. The software is called Fast, Easy, Accurate, and Robust Continuum Engineering (FEARCE). In addition to improving the time and effort required to build complex grid geometry for turbulent reactive multi-phase flow in internal combustion engines, the SST turbulence model has been programmed into the Predictor Corrector Fractional-Step (PCS) Finite Element Method (FEM) for reactive flow and turbulent incompressible flow regime validation is performed. The Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes finite-element solver without h-adaption is used for validation of the SST turbulence model on two benchmark problems in the subsonic flow regime: (1) 2D duct channel flow, and (2) a 2-D backward-facing step with an applied constant heat flux on the bottom surface downstream of the single-sided sudden expansion of the step. The 2D BFS using the newly installed SST FEARCE code yielded a corresponding X_re = 6.655H vs. that as experimentally determined by Vogel and Eaton 85' of X_re_vogel =6.66667H.


Discusses how to train computer graphics-oriented students to be able to use the computer to its full artistic potential, with application both of programming and art-related issues. Students create computer art graphics inspired by scientific concepts, to match the curricular content of other courses they are taking concurrently. The integrative visual training involves both the process and the product of the students' work. Due to the integrative instruction of art and science issues, students might learn about specific subject areas by applying visual thinking and inventing subject-related activities which involve visualizing information. Two main methods of integration were applied: (1) integrative project assignments, aimed at provoking the students to apply visual thinking and learning, and (2) art assignments, inspiring the students to create artwork inspired by scientific concepts.


Monitoring and evaluating engineering learners through computer-based laboratory exercises is a difficult task, especially under classroom conditions. A complete diagnosis requires the capability to assess both the competence of the learner to use the scientific software and the understanding of the theoretical principles. This monitoring and evaluation needs to be continuous, unobtrusive and personalized in order to be effective. This study presents the results of the pilot application of an eLearning environment developed specifically with engineering learners in mind. As its name suggests, the Learner Diagnosis, Assistance, and Evaluation System based on Artificial Intelligence (StuDiAsE) is an Open Learning Environment that can perform unattended diagnostic, evaluation and feedback tasks based on both quantitative and qualitative parameters. The base architecture of the system, the user interface and its effect on the performance of postgraduate engineering learners are being presented.


Constructing a realistic systems biology of the mammalian cell will require us to describe molecular and cellular "parts", and to model and simulate their relationships in space and time. To date, most modelling and simulation has focused on temporally dynamic processes including pathways of gene regulation, metabolism and cellular signalling. A goal of the Visible Celltrade project is to integrate spatial as well as temporal models within a common data, computational and visualisation environment to support hypothesis-generation and hypothesis-testing by biologists and modellers. A unique feature of this project is our use of actual 3-D cellular structure data, reconstructed from medium-resolution confocal video microscopy and high-resolution electron tomography, to generate the matrix for our visualisation environment. Molecular sequence and protein structure data are obtained from distributed databases via web services. The Visible Celltrade has been designed as an e-research project and implements computational and data grid standards and technologies.


Spine SBRT is a common option for spine radiation therapy. This session will describe the clinical implementation of a spine SBRT program using linear accelerators, Cyberknife, and gimbaled devices. Treatment planning, QA, treatment delivery, patient immobilization and setup, and commissioning will be discussed. The goals of spine SBRT clinical workflow are common to all treatment devices but clinical practices depend upon the treatment device and differences will be detailed. Tolerances of patient setup, immobilization and imaging are defined by the close proximity of the spinal cord to the target and tolerances will be discussed along with error minimization practices. Published studies regarding the clinical rationale and implementation of spine SBRT will be reviewed.
Learning Objectives:
1.
1.Understand the clinical rationale for spine SBRT.
2.
2.Understand the similarities and differences of difference treatment devices utilized for spine SBRT.
3.
3.Understand the clinical physics methods for commissioning a spine SBRT program.
4.
4.Understand the clinical workflow of a spine SBRT program including treatment planning techniques and quality assurance measurements.
Travel Expenses and Research Funding from Elekta


BitTorrent is a widely deployed P2P file sharing protocol, extensively used to distribute digital content and soft- ware updates, among others. Recent actions against torrent and tracker repositories have fostered the move towards a fully distributed solution based on a distributed hash table to support both torrent search and tracker implementation. In this paper we present a security study of the main decentralized tracker in BitTorrent, commonly known as the Mainline DHT. We show that the lack of security in Mainline DHT allows very efficient attacks that can easily impact the operation of the whole network. We also provide a peer-ID distribution analysis of the network, so as to adapt previous protection schemes to the Mainline DHT. The mechanisms are assessed through large scale experiments on the real DHT-based BitTorrent tracker.


Drawing upon my talk at the Photographers' Gallery - "… And I will Live Forever" – this talk expanded my investigation into the practice of family photography and its interrelationship with politics and the social domain. I questioned the political agency family photographs may contain within and beyond the narratives of family life and the domestic sphere. I looked into the visual formation and manifestation of cultural and social difference within the domestic environment, and the role family photographs play in the creation of knowledge, familiarity with the Other, and the enhancement of one's social status. Addressing some visual examples taken from popular culture as well as from less conventional sources, the talk engaged with the fragmentary histories of family photographs, and aimed to challenge the commonly naive perception of this vernacular genre. A close attention was paid to advertising campaigns for point-and-shoot cameras, and the modes of photographic production they tend to propagate. By exposing family photographs as inherently connected to state and social politics, I expanded the current understanding of family photography and layed the groundwork for further studies of its potentially radical and subversive properties.


Using advanced methods of directed acyclic graphs with Bernanke structural vector autoregression models, this article extends recent econometric research on quarterly U.S. markets for wheat and wheat-based value-added products downstream. Analyses of impulse response simulations and forecast error variance decompositions provide updated estimates of market elasticity parameters that drive these markets, and updated policy-relevant information on how these quarterly markets run and dynamically interact. Results suggest that movements in wheat and downstream wheat-based markets strongly influence each other, although most of these effects occur at the longer-run horizons beyond a single crop cycle.


Extreme floods represent a major threat to human civilization. Insurance losses caused by floods have a large contribution to risk from natural events. Big river floods in Europe (Germany 2002, Middle Europe 2013) have challenged the emergency preparedness of governments and caused regional critical situations including human losses. The occurrence of extreme external floods has frequently surprised the designers and operators of critical infrastructures and lifelines. After the Fukushima disaster nuclear authorities recognized that extreme floods may have significant consequences on the safety of nuclear power plants. Therefore both IAEA as well as WENRA required the development of robust methods of hazard analysis for new plants as well as for the safety review of existing plants to avoid cliff edge effects. The paper presents the application of a recently developed method of hazard assessment for extreme natural events for the case of extreme external floods. The method allows for the consideration of unexpected extreme events ("black swan" events) of natural origin delivering the basis of a robust design of safety features. The hazard assessment method is making use of some general properties of heavy tail distributions and theory of records. The new method is combined with traditional statistical hazard assessment methods in a procedure for the development of a robust design basis for extreme river flood protection for critical infrastructures. The application of the method is demonstrated on the example of developing the design basis for a nuclear power plant against extreme external floods. The hazard assessment results are compared with the results of hazard assessment using conventional probabilistic and modelling hazard analysis methods. The risk and design implications are discussed.


The offshore fishery resources off Cannanore have been assessed from the exploratory
trawling data of the Indo-Norwegian Project Vessels during the 3-year period, from
1963-'64 to 1965-'66. The total landings, catch rate and depth-wise distribution of
the important categories of the trawler catches are presented. Observations on length,
sex, and maturity stages of the more important species recorded in the trawl catches are
given. Results of the qualitative and gross quantitative analyses of the food and
feeding habits of 31 species of fishes and 3 species of prawns are also included.


The Malaysian urbanisation experiences have progressed from the grip of
pseudo-urbanization in past decades before the 1970-s to the stage of mobilizing
the process towards achieving the first world status by 2020 after that. The shift
in development paradigms from one of development for social and spatial, rural
and urban equity with expanding plantation agriculture and import substitution
as the main drivers at first and the export industrialization and services later, to
the sustainable development paradigm that seeks some form of balanced growth
between the economic, social and the environmental pillars. Embedded in both
paradigms is balanced development. The sustainable development concept is not
easily applied to the city habitat for the reasons that it is the centre of modernity
with economic growth as the mainstay for wealth accumulation to pay for social
projects, thus leaving the environment pillar lagging behind. The article
proposes city liveability instead to capture on the improved quality of city life.
However, under the aegis of the two development paradigms urban centres
continued to grow from largely rural to urban and international labour
migration. In the last three decades, the country is witnessing the rise of
extended mega urban regions focusing on the Klang valley, the Penang- Kulim
industrial area and the Johor Bahru-Pasir Gudang area with minor
conurbations in all states centering on the state capitals. The success in socioeconomic
development in the city is not free of problems. Wealth accumulation
has taken its toll on the environmental health as well as on the social situation of
the country. More economic growth leads to further enlargement of cities which
in turn increase more problems to both the physical and social environments.
Economic vibrancy without doubt brings many benefits to the Malaysian society
but the health of the environment leaves much to be desired due to unethical use
of resources overt consumption. Looking to the future the society needs to be
more responsible to both man and the environment


The human body does not constitute an independent and comprehensive unit but instead it is a framework through which the individual perceives and receives information from the outside world. Aim: The purpose of this article was the review of literature relating to the concept of body of both the patient and nurse. Material and method: the methodology applied included search of review and research papers via the electronic databases of "SCOPUS" and "JSTOR" that referred to the theoretical approaches of the human body and clinical decision making. The data collection took place in the period of 20102011. Results: According to the literature, the hospital converts into a space for observation and knowledge transfer for the discipline of medicine and new methods for controlling individuals and society appear, while the patient is subjected to technologies and practices that gradually bring about the alienation from his own body. At the same time, the science of medicine, through innovative ways of examining the human body, led to a new understanding of life, death and disease. Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) as a workplace present increasing ethical and communication complexities for nurses, on one hand because the patient's body destabilises through the applications of technology and the medical file, on the other hand because nurses are invited to adopt communication strategies in order to participate to clinical decision making. The traditional roles of healthcare professionals are challenged while they try to provide high-level care in ITU, where the transition from life to death has become quite vague and difficult to discern. Conclusions: The study of the social dimensions in ITU will allow further investigation of the body techniques of nurses, and will highlight ways of strengthening nursing identity and contribution to clinical decision making.


A 27-year-old white man, an active-duty soldier who previously had been healthy, presented with a 5-month history of progressively worsening swelling, pain and, eventually, skin hardening in both legs and then arms


In present work, microstructure of Ti-6Al-2Mo-1.5Cr-2Sn-2Zr-1V-0.15Si-0.4Fe alloy as a function of aging temperature was investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Three types of precipitates were found in this alloy, they were α2 phase (Ti3Al), silicides, and Sn rich phase. Ti3Al were observed in all aged specimens covering a range 500-740°C. A method of quantitative analysis toward α2 based on high resolution images and Flourier transformation is used. The results showed that the ordering in α phase was highly related to the property of fracture toughness. Silicides were first found at 580°C ageing and later determined in the formulate (Ti5+xZr3-x)Si3 in the specimens aged at 740°C, and they were found to influent the fracture toughness significantly. The Sn rich phase was emerged with large area during the 780°C aging. And its direct correlation to property was not found. The density of acicular α phase was found almost invariable by calculating through the modification XRD quantitative analysis during the elevated aging temperature.


It was in 1909 that Carlos Chagas described the disease which now bears his name. During the ensuing 90 years, our knowledge of this apparently whimsical, protozoan disease has grown enormously but many points remain unclear. Epidemiologically speaking, current knowledge is poor about the mechanisms and markers of variability of Trypanosoma cruzi, mechanisms allowing the organism to survive in the host, and susceptibility of infected individuals to disabling or fatal late complications. With regard to vector control, it is increasingly obvious that success will be more difficult than previously thought due to the likelihood that, as domestic species are exterminated, they will be replaced by semi-domesticated or wild species. Two other factors that have significantly changed the conventional epidemiological profile of Chagas'disease on the subcontinent over the past 50 years are human intervention in the environment and population migration from rural to urban zones. Despite the breakthroughs achieved in the last decade. Chagas'disease, with its multiple modes of transmission (vector-borne, congenital, and transfusional to name but the most important), diverse reservoir involving over 175 species, and potential for course of the disease in man, will remain a major health problem in Latin America countries for many years to come.


SIR,-We read with interest the letter from Dr D P D Colqhoun (2 June, p 1489) reporting a further three cases of air embolism occurring via central venous catheters when the hubs became disconnected from the administration sets. We suspect that many similar incidents have occurred and have not been recognised. When total parenteral nutrition is being administered in our general surgical ward, a Baxter-Trevenol "W" or "Y" administration set with the new Luer lock mechanism is used in conjunction with the central venous catheter. An incident has just been reported to the DHSS in which a patient receiving parenteral nutrition via a Vygon Surcath long-line and a "W" administration set almost suffered an air embolism. The thread of the Luer lock failed to engage the hub of the catheter and the two components slipped apart. Fortunately, the fault was recognised and corrected. We feel that this connection should be carefully inspected after assembly and at regular intervals during the period of infusion.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Antiplatelet therapy represents a key strategy for the prevention of thrombotic complications in patients with both acute and chronic coronary syndromes, particularly those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Nevertheless, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is associated with a bleeding risk proportionate to its duration. Ever growing appreciation of the prognostic implications associated with bleeding and the development of safer stent platforms over the past years have led to a number of novel antiplatelet treatment strategies being tested among patients undergoing PCI. Areas covered: P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after ashort course DAPT has emerged as ableeding reduction strategy to mitigate such risk while still preventing thrombotic complications. In this review we describe the latest evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy in patients undergoing PCI in different clinical settings. Expert opinion: P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after a brief period of DAPT has emerged as an effective approach to reduce the risk of bleeding without any tradeoff in efficacy (i.e., thrombotic complications). This strategy has shown consistent findings in a number of different clinical settings of patients undergoing PCI. Nevertheless, unanswered questions on the ideal patient and the precise P2Y12 monotherapy regimen warrant further investigation.


The dynamic nature of an operating environment, such as machine utilization and breakdown frequency results in changing preventive maintenance PM needs for manufacturing equipment. In this paper, we present an approach to generate an adaptive PM schedule which maximizes the net savings from PM subject to workforce constraints. The approach consists of two components: a task prioritization based on a multi-logit regression model for each type of PM task, and b task rescheduling based on a binary integer programming BIP model with constraints on single-skilled and multi-skilled workforce availability. The task prioritization component develops a multi-logit regression for machine failure probability associated with each type of PM task at the beginning of the year, using historical data on machine utilization, PM, and machine breakdowns. At the start of each PM time-bucket e.g., a month, we use the updated machine failure probability for each candidate PM task to compute its current contribution to net PM savings, which indicates its current priority. The task rescheduling BIP model incorporates the priorities in selecting tasks for the current bucket to maximize PM effectiveness subject to workforce availability, yielding an adaptive and effective PM schedule for each time-bucket of the master PM schedule. We examine the effect of using multi-skilled workforce on the overall PM effectiveness, and also provide an illustration from a newspaper publishing environment to explain the use of the approach. We have developed four heuristic algorithms to yield good solutions to large scale versions of this scheduling problem. The heuristics perform extremely well, and the best heuristic solution is within 1.4% of optimality on an average.


Purpose: After ACDF, cervical lordosis loss, high C2-7 SVA and postoperative T1S will worsen the surgical prognosis. Therefore, this study evaluated the changes of cervical parameters after surgery and correlation with surgical prognosis. Methods: This study enrolled 212 cervical compressive myelopathy patients who underwent ACDF. We collect gender, age, BMI, NDI scores and cervical parameters. And then, we compare the changes of parameters after surgery, and explore the correlation between parameters and NDI score. Results: C2-7 Cobb Angle, SVA, T1S and TS-CL were all improved after surgery, but T1S at the last follow-up was larger than that before the surgery. T1S is positively correlated with TIA (p=0.018, r=0.081), CL (p<0.01, r=0.150) and SVA (p<0.01, r=0.131), but negatively correlated with SCA (p<0.01, r=-0.166). We also found that TIA was highly correlated with the sum of T1S+NT (p<0.01, r=0.459). Preoperative NDI was negatively correlated with preoperative c2-7 Cobb Angle (r=-0.147, p=0.033), positively correlated with SVA (r=0.157, p=0.022). The last follow-up NDI score was negatively correlated with C2-7 Cobb Angle (r=-0.222 p=0.001), positively correlated with SVA (r=0.498, p<0.001) and TS-CL (r=0.165, p=0.016). The risk factors with poor follow-up NDI score (the last follow-up NDI score greater than 30%) were SVA (B=0.337, P=<0.001), CL (B=-0.147, P=0.029) and gender (B=2.153, P=0.017). Conclusions: After ACDF, most postoperative cervical parameters have improved, but T1S deteriorated over time. There was a close correlation between cervical sagittal parameters. Preoperative NDI score was correlated with c2-7 Cobb Angle and SVA. Follow-up NDI score was correlated with CL, TS-CL and SVA. High SVA, loss of cervical lordosis and male patient were risk factors for the deterioration of postoperative NDI score.


As the importance of continuous vital signs monitoring increases, the need for wearable devices to measure vital sign is increasing. In this study, the device is designed to measure blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), and heartrate (HR) with one sensor. The device is in earphone format and is manufactured as wireless type using Arduino-based bluetooth module. The device measures pulse signal in the Superficial temporal artery using Photoplethysmograghy (PPG) sensor. The device uses the Auto Encoder to remove noise caused by movement, etc., contained in the pulse signal. Extract the feature from the pulse signal and use them for the vital sign measurement. The device is measured using Slope transit time (STT) method for BP and Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) method for RR. Finally, the accuracy is determined by comparing the vital signs measured through the device with the reference vital signs measured simultaneously.


Objectives: Many dentists and medical doctors are at risk for infectious diseases. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of them. HBV infection is common in the world and in our country. Health care workers are in the top spot in the rankings of HBV risk. The importance and prevention of this disease should be explained by educating physician. The aim of this study is to evaluate the HBV serologic level of 113 preclinical students. Methods: ELISA test results were asked from preclinical students. HBSAg of HBV serologic markers, Anti-HCV, Anti-HAV and anti-HBs results were evaluated using IBM SPSS Statistics 21. Results: One of the female students among preclinical students was identified to have positive HBV. 3 were found not to HBV vaccination. Because 8 people didn't take all doses of HBV vaccine, anti-HBs results were lower. Significance: It was determined that students have risk of HBV and those who are susceptible to HBV have to be necessarily vaccinated and their serological tests must be periodically followed.


To clarify the use of outpatient morning report in internal medicine residency programs, we conducted a national survey of internal medicine residency directors and a local survey of a cohort of residents at a large teaching hospital. The program directors reported a 24% prevalence of outpatient morning report. The cohort of residents reported that the conference contributed much to their education by meeting specific learning needs and covering topics not covered elsewhere in their residency training.


A thorough review of the state of the art will reveal that most VANET applications rely on Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which uses user certificates managed by a Certification Authority (CA) to handle security. By doing so, they constrain the ad-hoc nature of the VANET imposing a frequent connection to the CA to retrieve the Certificate Revocation List (CRL) and requiring some degree of roadside infrastructure to achieve that connection. Other solutions propose the usage of group signatures where users organize in groups and elect a group manager. The group manager will need to ensure that group members do not misbehave, i.e., do not spread false information, and if they do punish them, evict them from the group and report them to the
CA; thus suffering from the same CRL retrieval problem.
In this thesis we present a fourfold contribution to improve security in VANETs. First and foremost, Chains of Trust describes a reputation system where users disseminate Points of Interest (POIs) information over the network while their privacy remains protected. It uses asymmetric cryptography and users are responsible for the generation of their own pair of public and
private keys. There is no central entity which stores the information users input into the system; instead, that information is kept distributed among the vehicles that make up the network. On top of that, this system requires no roadside infrastructure. Precisely, our main objective with Chains of Trust was to show that just by relying on people¿s driving habits and the sporadic nature of their encounters with other drivers a successful reputation system could be built.
The second contribution of this thesis is the application simulator poiSim. Many¿s the time a new VANET application is presented and its authors back their findings using simulation results from renowned networks simulators like ns-2. The major issue with network simulators is that they were not designed with that purpose in mind and handling simulations with hundreds of nodes requires a massive processing power. As a result, authors run small simulations (between 50 and 100 nodes) with vehicles that move randomly in a squared area instead of using real maps, which rend unrealistic results. We show that by building tailored application simulators we can obtain more realistic results. The application simulator poiSim processes a realistic mobility trace produced by a Multi-agent Microscopic Traffic Simulator developed at ETH Zurich, which accurately describes the mobility patterns of 259,977 vehicles over regional maps of Switzerland for 24 hours. This simulation runs on a desktop PC and lasts approximately 120 minutes.
In our third contribution we took Chains of Trust one step further in the protection of user privacy to develop Anonymous Chains of Trust. In this system users can temporarily exchange their identity with other users they trust, thus making it impossible for an attacker to know in all certainty who input a particular piece of information into the system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this technique has been used in a reputation system.
Finally, in our last contribution we explore a different form of communication for VANETs. The vast majority of VANET applications rely on the IEEE 802.11p/Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE) standard or some other form of radio communication. This poses a security risk if we consider how vulnerable radio transmission is to intentional jamming and
natural interferences: an attacker could easily block all radio communication in a certain area if his transmitter is powerful enough. Visual Light Communication (VLC), on the other hand, is resilient to jamming over a wide area because it relies on visible light to transmit information and ,unlike WAVE, it has no scalability problems. In this thesis we show that VLC is a secure and valuable form of communication in VANETs.


This research explores relational maintenance within the context of parasocial relationships. The New Kids on the Block (NKOTB), one of the most popular musical groups in the late 1980s and early 1990s, abruptly disbanded in 1994. In 2008, after a 14-year hiatus, the band announced their reformation. Members of NKOTB blogged about their reunion on the group's website (www.nkotb.com), and a thematic analysis was conducted, using both deductive and inductive procedures, of 2,122 postings by audience members to these blog entries. Analysis revealed that audience members utilized, in various ways, both positivity and assurance maintenance strategies (Canary, Stafford, Hause, & Wallace, 1993). The results suggest that audience members enacted relational maintenance to express support for NKOTB and to demonstrate that they had remained committed to their parasocial relationship with NKOTB, despite the group's absence. These actions positively reinforced NKOTB's decision to reunite and conveyed fans' desire for ...


The invention relates to a modified LDS annexing agent. The modified LDS annexing agent comprises 100 parts by weight of a laser sensitivity compound and 10-30 parts by weight of a sulfydryl-contained modified compound; the surface of the laser sensitivity compound is partially wrapped with the sulfydryl-contained modified compound, the chemical general formula of the laser sensitivity compound is XY2O4, the laser sensitivity compound is in an isometric system, and the X and the Y are both metallic elements and come from the IIIA family, the IB family, the IIB family, the VIB family, the VIIB family or the VIII family in a periodic table of elements; metal film on a plastic product prepared with the modified LDS annexing agent has the good adhesive force.


It is known that well developed <111>//ND texture increases Lankford value (r-value) of not only bcc metals but also fcc metals and alloys. However, <111>//ND texture cannot be formed in fcc metals by conventional rolling and annealing processes. The <111>//ND orientation is one of the major components of shear texture. Accordingly, this orientation develops in aluminum sheet when shear deformation is introduced. Al-Mg-Si alloy 6016 sheet was processed by two-pass differential speed rolling at room temperature under a high friction conditions. The rolling direction of the second pass was so selected that the direction of shear deformation introduced in the second pass was either similar (unidirectional shear rolling) to or opposite (reverse shear rolling) to that in the first pass. The roll speed ratio was 2.0. Large shear strain was successfully introduced through the thickness uniformly by the differential speed rolling. The shear texture with major components of {001}<110> and {111}<110> were developed throughout the thickness. Though large reduction in thickness of 75% was applied to the sheets by the rolling, conventional rolling texture such as {112}<111> or {123}<643> orientation was not detected in any part of the thickness. By solution treatment after the rolling, intensity of shear texture weakened and grain size decreased. It has been found that r-value is improved by the differential speed rolling subsequently followed by solution treatment.


The purpose of this study is to determine whether the factors of financial reward, work environment, social values and academic achievement affect the career choice of student majoring in accounting as public accountant. This research was conducted based on the inconsistent result of the previous research. The sample used in this study were students majoring in business accounting at the faculty economic and business of pancasila university. The the object of the study was 57 respondents.The analytical method used in this study is a multiple linear regression statistical analysis using SPSS version 25. The conclusion that can be obtained from this study is that social values and academic achievement have a significant effect on career choice as a public accountant while Financial awards and work environment do not affect the choice of career as a public accountant.


Marine clay deposits in coastal, post-submarine areas of Scandinavia and North America may be subjected to quick clay landslides and hence significant efforts are being taken to map their occurrence and extent. The purpose of this paper is to assess the use of a number of geophysical techniques for identifying quick clay. The investigated area, Smorgrav, located in southern Norway has a history of quick clay sliding, the most recent event occurring in 1984. Geophysical techniques that are used include electromagnetic conductivity mapping, electrical resistivity tomography, seismic refraction and multichannel analysis of surface waves. These results are compared to geotechnical data from bore samples, rotary pressure soundings and cone penetration testing. A number of these approaches have proved promising for identifying quick clay, in particular electrical resistivity tomography and electromagnetics, which delineated a zone of quick clay that had previously been confirmed by rotary pressure soundings and sampling. Seismic refraction was useful for determining the sediment distribution as well as for indicating the presence of shallow bedrock whereas the multichannel analysis of surface-waves approach suggested differences between the intact stiffness of quick and unleached clay. It is observed that quick clay investigations using discrete rotary pressure soundings can be significantly enhanced by using, in particular, electrical resistivity tomography profiles to link together the information between test locations, perhaps significantly reducing the need for large numbers of soundings.


The aim of this study was to investigate phenolic content, antioxidant activity and antiproliferative of Ajuga bracteosa extracts. These results revealed that A. bracteosa flower in water extract contained high amount of phenolic, flavonoids and tannin at 34.23 µg/ml (GAE), 14.23 µg/ml (QE) and 1.606 µg/ml (TE), respectively. Compared to positive control, A. bracteosa showed highest result in DPPH radical scavenging activity while lowest result in TEAC assays (ABTS radical scavenging activity) and reducing power. Leaf in water extract of A. bracteosa presented the highest activity in DPPH radical scavenging activity, while water, ethanol and methanol extracts of A. bracteosa flower showed highest antioxidant activity in TEAC assay compared to other parts. A. bracteosa from water extraction and flower part revealed highest activity in antiproliferative effect. From correlation analysis, radical scavenging activity of A. bracteosa may be influenced by all phenolic content, while antiproliferative effect may due to flavonoid content. In conclusion, water extract from flower A. bracteosa might be used as a potential source of natural antioxidants and antitumor agents.


While there is compelling evidence for the impact of endosymbiotic gene transfer (EGT; transfer from either mitochondrion or chloroplast to the nucleus) on genome evolution in eukaryotes, the role of interdomain transfer from bacteria and/or archaea (i.e. prokaryotes) is less clear. Lateral gene transfers (LGTs) have been argued to be potential sources of phylogenetic information, particularly for reconstructing deep nodes that are difficult to recover with traditional phylogenetic methods. We sought to identify interdomain LGTs by using a phylogenomic pipeline that generated 13 465 single gene trees and included up to 487 eukaryotes, 303 bacteria and 118 archaea. Our goals include searching for LGTs that unite major eukaryotic clades, and describing the relative contributions of LGT and EGT across the eukaryotic tree of life. Given the difficulties in interpreting single gene trees that aim to capture the approximately 1.8 billion years of eukaryotic evolution, we focus on presence–absence data to identify interdomain transfer events. Specifically, we identify 1138 genes found only in prokaryotes and representatives of three or fewer major clades of eukaryotes (e.g. Amoebozoa, Archaeplastida, Excavata, Opisthokonta, SAR and orphan lineages). The majority of these genes have phylogenetic patterns that are consistent with recent interdomain LGTs and, with the notable exception of EGTs involving photosynthetic eukaryotes, we detect few ancient interdomain LGTs. These analyses suggest that LGTs have probably occurred throughout the history of eukaryotes, but that ancient events are not maintained unless they are associated with endosymbiotic gene transfer among photosynthetic lineages.


Major film studios are constantly seeking new methods of generating revenue from their movies. These days, four-fifths of a film's revenue comes from other downstream sources, including home video, pay TV, and syndication. With new technological breakthroughs, including distribution over the Internet, the studios continue to explore how they can generate more revenue while protecting their rights and property.


Business process management is increasingly present in organisations, and process improvement is one of its focuses. Patterns for process redesign provide solutions for recurring problems in business process improvement initiatives. However, choosing which patterns to apply in a process is not an easy task, especially in large and complex processes scenarios. This paper proposes heuristics to automate the process redesign pattern selection. The heuristics indicates specific process parts to apply improvement patterns, considering the business process model elements. A case study was performed to evaluate the proposal. The results highlight the applicability and reliability of heuristics to identify improvement opportunities in business processes models.


Anticoagulants are the cornerstone of therapy for conditions associated with arterial and venous thrombosis. Direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) are anticoagulants that bind to thrombin and block its enzymatic activity. The bivalent parenteral DTIs hirudin and bivalirudin were based on the observation that the salivary extracts of medicinal leeches prevented blood from clotting. Key events that facilitated the subsequent development of small molecule active site inhibitors, such as argatroban, were the observation that fibrinopeptide A had antithrombotic properties and determination of the crystal structure of thrombin. Hirudin and argatroban have found their niche for the treatment of patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, whereas bivalirudin is approved as an alternative to heparin for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The development of orally active direct thrombin inhibitors was challenging because of the need to convert water-soluble, poorly absorbable, active site inhibitors into fat-soluble prodrugs that were then transformed back to the active drug after intestinal absorption. Dabigatran etexilate was the first new oral anticoagulant to be approved for long-term anticoagulant treatment in 6 decades. This Review highlights the development of DTIs as a translational success story; an example in which the combination of scientific ingenuity, structure-based design, and rigorous clinical trials has created a new class of anticoagulants that has improved patient care.


This paper reports on the experiences of staff involved in a Massive Open Online Course(MOOC) initiative by Massey University using a system known as Open2Study developed byOpen Universities Australia (OUA). In 2013, three courses (known as subjects) were designed and developed in conjunction with Open2Study as a pilot project. The initial results reported here form part of a larger evaluation of the initial trial with a particular focus on the experiences of the staff involved. Preliminary findings highlight a number of benefits and challenges. Highervisibility, enhanced working relationships and transferability of skills were amongst the benefitsidentified by staff for both individuals and the wider University. The challenges faced includedtight timeframes and differing expectations in terms of format, pedagogy and support fromOpen2Study experts. The resulting Open2Study courses and the experience gained now provide models for other staff to follow.


Rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has undergone a relatively rapid and global evolution over the past 25 years. However, there is an absence of standardized, objective criteria to accurately assess an athlete's ability to progress through the end stages of rehabilitation and safe return to sport. Return-to-sport rehabilitation, progressed by quantitatively measured functional goals, may improve the athlete's integration back into sport participation. The purpose of the following clinical commentary is to introduce an example of a criteria-driven algorithm for progression through return-to-sport rehabilitation following ACL reconstruction. Our criteria-based protocol incorporates a dynamic assessment of baseline limb strength, patient-reported outcomes, functional knee stability, bilateral limb symmetry with functional tasks, postural control, power, endurance, agility, and technique with sport-specific tasks. Although this algorithm has limitations, it serves as a foundation to expand future evidence-based evaluation and to foster critical investigation into the development of objective measures to accurately determine readiness to safely return to sport following injury.


Purpose

This paper aims to synthesize the history of bio-refinery in Thailand and analyze the public policy challenges hindering the industry's growth and development since year 2000.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors assembled dispersed data on the industry structure, history of investment and the current state of bio-refinery in Thailand from numerous public organizations and media outlets. The chronicle covers the initial launching and subsequent market growth of ethanol, biodiesel and bio-chemicals. The most innovative analysis in this study is the identification of the key players in the bio-refinery value chain. The authors supply insights about each player's stake, bargaining power, strategies and relative success/failure during the past few decades.

Findings

Instead of working together to develop bio-refinery, it appears the Thai petroleum companies, policymakers and automotive companies often delay or block developments that would benefit bio-fuel and bio-chemical producers and crop growers. Conflicts of interests have caused policymakers and regulators to favor already overly protected industries. Seventeen years of bio-fuel policy from 2000 to 2016 has shown that the major objectives of the government's bio-fuel/bio-refinery policies have failed.

Originality/value

Using Thailand as a case study, this paper illustrates the critical role of politics, special interest groups and lobbying in determining the viability of bio-fuel/bio-refinery industries in developing countries.


On‐treatment levels of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) may predict response to peginterferon (PEG‐IFN) therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), but previously proposed prediction rules have shown limited external validity. We analyzed 803 HBeAg‐positive patients treated with PEG‐IFN in three global studies with available HBsAg measurements. A stopping‐rule based on absence of a decline from baseline was compared to a prediction‐rule that uses HBsAg levels of <1,500 IU/mL and >20,000 IU/mL to identify patients with high and low probabilities of response. Patients with an HBsAg level <1,500 IU/mL at week 12 achieved response (HBeAg loss with HBV DNA <2,000 IU/mL at 6 months posttreatment) in 45%. At week 12, patients without a decline in HBsAg achieved a response in 14%, compared to only 6% of patients with HBsAg >20,000 IU/mL, but performance varied across HBV genotype. In patients treated with PEG‐IFN monotherapy (n = 465), response rates were low in patients with genotypes A or D if there was no decline of HBsAg by week 12 (negative predictive value [NPV]: 97%‐100%), and in patients with genotypes B or C if HBsAg at week 12 was >20,000 IU/mL (NPV: 92%‐98%). At week 24, nearly all patients with HBsAg >20,000 IU/mL failed to achieve a response, irrespective of HBV genotype (NPV for response and HBsAg loss 99% and 100%). Conclusion: HBsAg is a strong predictor of response to PEG‐IFN in HBeAg‐positive CHB. HBV genotype‐specific stopping‐rules may be considered at week 12, but treatment discontinuation is indicated in all patients with HBsAg >20,000 IU/mL at week 24, irrespective of HBV genotype. (Hepatology 2013;53:872–880)


Brucellosis is caused by bacteria from the genus Brucella. The disease occurs worldwide and is of major importance in domestic animals, both for socio-economic reasons and because of the impact on animal and human welfare. Disease control programs in low-income countries are either inadequate or non-existent; a reason why brucellosis has got the chance of being as widely spread as it is as present. Not only does Brucella infect domestic animals, it also occurs in wildlife species, thus there is a risk of transmission between wild animals and domestic livestock in areas where these animal groups get in contact with each other. Many Brucella species in animals are proven to have the ability to also infect humans, causing human brucellosis, with different degrees of severity. The Maasai Mara ecosystem, in Narok County Kenya, is part of the arid and semi-arid lands which form about 80% of Kenya's landmass that support wildlife and livestock farming. Approximately, 68% of Narok County is rangelands with conservancies such as Lemek, Mara North, Koiyaki, Mara-Naboisho, Ol Kinyei, Olare Orok, Motorogi and Olarro which offer prime grazing for ranching and livestock production. While crop failure is common in many arid and semi-arid areas, livestock farming assumes a significant role. Maasai Mara is a well-known area, housing one of the most famous national reserves in Kenya and is surrounded by pastoral landscapes that are shared between wildlife, livestock and people. Such wildlife-livestock overlap may expose livestock to novel pathogens of wildlife origin and consequently reduce the food security of the Maasai pastoralists who derive their livelihood from livestock farming. A majority of livestock keepers in and around Maasai Mara depend entirely on livestock production for their livelihood and families' survival. By living in an area like the Maasai Mara, pastoralists have to settle for a limited agricultural practice due to wildlife occupying large areas, and also endure their livestock commingling with wildlife in search for pasture land and water sources, throughout the year. By mixing wildlife and livestock there is an increased danger of disease transmission, and the presence of zoonotic diseases, such as brucellosis, around the Maasai Mara may serve as a source of cross-transmission of disease not only between wildlife and livestock but also between livestock and humans.
The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of Brucella spp. in cattle in wildlife/livestock interfaces. A questionnaire was handed out to all participating farmers, including questions about animal keeping and management, experiences of wildlife contact and observed symptoms of disease in both livestock and people handling livestock, etc. Blood samples were collected from 225 cattle, from three villages with different distances to the Maasai Mara, and that engage in different strategies for grazing, allowing the animals to come in contact to wildlife to various extent. The purpose was to examine whether different farming strategies and the distance to wildlife-dense areas affect the incidence of infectious diseases. Antibodies against Brucella abortus was found, using ELISA, in 12.44% of the 225 sampled animals, with more females being infected than males (15% and 5%). Cattle from farms closer to Maasai Mara had a significantly higher prevalence of antibodies against Brucella spp. in serum (7.03 times higher odds of Brucella infection in Mara Rianta compared to Endoinyo Narasha, p=0.003), suggesting that a closer contact with wildlife may pose a risk of being afflicted by infectious diseases to a greater extent. Symptoms consistent with brucellosis were reported to occur in both humans and animals. By studying the seroprevalence of a contagious and zoonotic disease as brucellosis, one may gain understanding of the disease extent as a whole, help identify mitigation strategies, and thereby improve both health and economic circumstances for affected farmers.


Background. The effectiveness of digital game-based learning is an important issue. Mobile learning games (MLG) are rapidly growing trends among the digital game-based learning genre. Although many studies have been conducted and mobile games have been shown to have an unquestionable potential as a learning method, their effectiveness has not been fully proven, and the positive impacts and outcomes of mobile learning games with respect to learning have yet to be investigated. Aim. The study aimed at capturing the cognitive learning outcomes and the process of knowledge acquisition. The study has demonstrated both positive and negative cognitive learning effects of using mobile learning game in comparison with the textbook learning process. Methodology. This article presents a comparative study conducted on a group of 160 freshman students majoring in management and finance. The participants of the study, divided into subgroups, were taught using either textbook-based learning or a mobile learning game. Three tests were applied to measure their performance: a pre-test at the beginning of the experiment, and two post-tests, the first administered directly after the learning process and the second 2-3 weeks after the initial learning. Results and recommendations. MLG have been proven to create many positive effect for learning. It is as effective in transferring factual knowledge as textbook learning, when measured directly after the learning process. In longer term, the effects are blurred because the affective effects interfere with the measurement.


The European Physical Journal B (EPJ B) publishes regular articles and colloquia in Condensed Matter and Complex Systems. The range of topics includes:  • Solid State and Materials • Mesoscopic and Nanoscale Systems • Computational Methods • Statistical and Nonlinear Physics • and Interdisciplinary Physics For a complete list, please check the Aims and Scope (via the link in the righthand column).  Commonly used title abbreviations: Eur. Phys. J. B, Eur.Phys.J.B, EPJB, EPJ B


Abstract. The last 130 000 years have been marked by pronounced millennial-scale climate variability, which strongly impacted the terrestrial environments of the Northern Hemisphere, especially at middle latitudes. Identifying the trigger of these variations, which are most likely associated with strong couplings between the ocean and the atmosphere, still remains a key question. Here, we show that the analysis of δ18O and dust in the Greenland ice cores, and a critical study of their source variations, reconciles these records with those observed on the Eurasian continent. We demonstrate the link between European and Chinese loess sequences, dust records in Greenland, and variations in the North Atlantic sea ice extent. The sources of the emitted and transported dust material are variable and relate to different environments corresponding to present desert areas, but also hidden regions related to lower sea level stands, dry rivers, or zones close to the frontal moraines of the main Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. We anticipate our study to be at the origin of more sophisticated and elaborated investigations of millennial and sub-millennial continental climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere.


The typical electric cataract seen in man was produced by passage of 28 to 150 watt-seconds of electrical energy through the rabbit eye. Lens vacuoles appeared initially, increased in size, and gradually disappeared, and were replaced by anterior subcapsular cataracts. Ultrastructurally the vacuoles were located between the epithelial cells. As the vacuoles disappeared the surrounding epithelium began to divide and to differentiate into small lens fibers. These new fibers produced new lens capsule material. In time the individual fibers produced opaque plaques that coalesced to form a central elevated anterior subcapsular cataract.


In this paper, issues related to implementing an MPI version of the Basic Linear Communication Sub-programs (BLACS) are investigated. A set of routines, the MPI Linear Algebra Communication Subprograms (MLACS), are presented, and these are used to implement an MPI version of the BLACS. The MLACS provide the same functionality as the BLACS, but extend the functionality of the BLACS to include both blocking and nonblocking communication, and all four of the MPI communication modes.


Understanding animal movement behaviour is key to furthering our knowledge on intra- and inter-specific competition, group cohesion, energy expenditure, habitat use, the spread of zoonotic diseases or species management. We used a radial basis function surface approximation subject to minimum description length constraint to uncover the state-space dynamical systems from time series data. This approximation allowed us to infer structure from a mathematical model of the movement behaviour of sheep and red deer, and the effect of density, thermal stress and vegetation type. Animal movement was recorded using GPS collars deployed in sheep and deer grazing a large experimental plot in winter and summer. Information on the thermal stress to which animals were exposed was estimated using the power consumption of mechanical heated models and meteorological records of a network of stations in the plot. Thermal stress was higher in deer than in sheep, with less differences between species in summer. Deer travelled more distance than sheep, and both species travelled more in summer than in winter; deer travel distance showed less seasonal differences than sheep. Animal movement was better predicted in deer than in sheep and in winter than in summer; both species showed a swarming behaviour in group cohesion, stronger in deer. At shorter separation distances swarming repulsion was stronger between species than within species. At longer separation distances inter-specific attraction was weaker than intra-specific; there was a positive density-dependent effect on swarming, and stronger in deer than in sheep. There was not clear evidence which species attracted or repelled the other; attraction between deer at long separation distances was stronger when the model accounted for thermal stress, but in general the dynamic movement behaviour was hardly affected by the thermal stress. Vegetation type affected intra-species interactions but had little effect on inter-species interactions. Our modelling approach is useful in interpreting animal interactions, in order to unravel complex cooperative or competitive behaviours, and to the best of our knowledge is the first modelling attempt to make predictions of multi-species animal movement under different habitat mosaics and abiotic environmental conditions.


Classical studies have established that the marginal zone, a ring of extraembryonic epiblast immediately surrounding the embryonic epiblast (area pellucida) of the chick embryo is important in setting embryonic polarity by positioning the primitive streak, the site of gastrulation. The more external extraembryonic region (area opaca) was only thought to have nutritive and support functions. Using experimental embryology approaches, this study reveals three separable functions for this outer region: first, juxtaposition of the area opaca directly onto the area pellucida induces a new marginal zone from the latter; this induced domain is entirely posterior in character. Second, ablation and grafting experiments using an isolated anterior half of the blastoderm and pieces of area opaca suggest that the area opaca can influence the polarity of the adjacent marginal zone. Finally, we show that the loss of the ability of such isolated anterior half-embryos to regulate (re-establish polarity spontaneously) at the early primitive streak stage can be rescued by replacing the area opaca by one from a younger stage. These results uncover new roles of chick extraembryonic tissues in early development. Summary statement Two adjacent extraembryonic tissues, the area opaca and the marginal zone, interact to influence the polarity of the early chick embryo.


A lack of citation of Dante's specific source material for historical characters who appear in the Divine Comedy is widespread throughout the commentary tradition. I performed a close textual analysis of the Divine Comedy's historical characters, comparing them with the chronicles, annals and histories of Dante's time, using both archival research and secondary histories to do so, and interpreted those primary historical texts as potential sources consulted by Dante. The historical characters I focused on fell into three categories: 1) characters involved in the battles of Montaperti and Colle Val d'Elsa, 2) characters belonging to or associated with the Norman, Swabian and Aragonese dynasties of Sicily, 3) characters embroiled in sensational or newsworthy events during Dante's lifetime. The first two categories analyzed historical events that mostly occurred before Dante was born, and thus focused more heavily on written testimony, while the third category analyzed the news of Dante's adulthood, and thus focused more on oral tradition. Not all of Dante's information could be accounted for, especially as it pertains to the Battle of Montaperti, which introduced a detailed discussion about the role Dante played in shaping history and his complicated authorial relationship to the chronicler Giovanni Villani, who reports all the same information about the battle as Dante. Dante's information on the Sicilian dynasties, however, was almost wholly accounted for and showed a proclivity on the author's part for trusting in Guelph accounts, especially those written by clerics. Finally, plotting the geographic locations of the historical characters involved in newsworthy events during Dante's lifetime revealed that most of what Dante knew did not have to travel far to reach him. Analyzing the text of the Comedy also proved that Dante was relying more heavily on oral rather than written testimony for his information of events that occurred during his lifetime and that Dante's text itself has preserved some of this medieval oral tradition for today's readers. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Romance Languages First Advisor Eva Del Soldato


The article identifies a pattern of doctrinal shift from common law criminal law to modern criminal codes and uses social science methodology to determine whether the shift is one that reflects changing community views of what ought to constitute criminality. The study finds that the objectivist-subjectivist distinction that it defines does indeed capture a distinction important to lay perceptions of criminality, but that lay perceptions have not shifted from the objectivist view of common law to the subjectivist view of modern codes, as the law and many commentators suggest. Rather, the study results suggest that lay persons agree with the subjectivist view of modern codes in defining the minimum requirements of criminality, but prefer the common law's objectivist view of grading the punishment deserved for a violation. We argue that there is practical value in having the criminal law track shared community intuitions of the proper rules for assigning liability and punishment. For that reason, the study results support the often criticized subjectivist view of modern codes in setting the minimum requirements of liability, but disapprove of the modern code shift away from the common law's objectivist view of grading. Beyond its conclusion's implications for future criminal code reform, the study suggests that social science research, properly done and carefully focused, can help resolve criminal law theory debates that rest in whole or in part on claims of what people see as just punishment.


DYNLACHT, J. R., AND FOX, M. H., The Effect of 450C Hyperthermia on the Membrane Fluidity of Cells of Several Lines. Radiat. Res. 130, 55-60 (1992). The membrane fluidity of cells of human (AG1522 human foreskin fibroblasts), rodent [Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and radiation-induced mouse fibrosarcomal, and feline (Crandall feline kidney) cell lines after heating at 450C was measured by flow cytometry. In addition, a heat-resistant variant of radiation-induced mouse fibrosarcoma cells and two heat-sensitive CHO strains were studied. Fluorescence polarization of the plasma membrane probe trimethylammonium-diphenylhexatriene was used as a measure of membrane fluidity. The sensitivity of all cell lines to 450C hyperthermia was compared. The baseline membrane fluidity varied among the cell lines, but did not correlate with sensitivity to hyperthermia. However, CHO cells, especially the heat-sensitive mutants, had the largest increase in membrane fluidity after heating at 450C, while the heat-resistant mouse fibrosarcoma variants and Crandall feline kidney cells resisted changes in fluidity. In general, the more resistant the cell line was to killing by heat, the more resistant it was to changes in membrane fluidity. ? 1992 Academic Press, Inc.


Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, particularly In the information and
communications technology (lCT) sector, are faced with an increasingly volatile environment.
The Malaysian business scene has opened up their markets to the world where smaller businesses
find themselves competing with newly launched multinational subsidiary and subdivision
companies, along with the large local firms. The Malaysian Government has launched several
campaigns and support for smaller local businesses to be more competitive and to continuously
compete at par with these larger companies. This research project supports the Malaysian
Government's objective of instilling a more structured approach towards a more competitive
SME by focusing on the management of competitive information related to these companies.
In recognising the rising need for competitive support, management and executives are
increasingly relying on a concept called Competitive Intelligence (Cl), a systematic and ethical
process for gathering, analysing, and managing information that can affect a company's plans,
decisions, and operation. In managing competitive information, several companies have emerged
especially to develop online tools and software that would enhance the Cl process and the value
competitive intelligence brings to organisations. The success of these Cl software tools depends,
however, on the sophistication of an organisation's understanding of the Cl process and scope of
usage. Different companies derive different values from different approaches to competitive
intelligence, and therefore require a flexible tool that is very specific to the company's needs.
Therefore, this research investigated the structures and contexts of Malaysian Small and Mediumsized
Enterprises (SMEs) based on competitive intelligence (Cl) concepts to derive a more
customised approach to the use of Cl for SMEs in the ICT sector, as well as in the selection of
appropriate Cl software.
Mintzberg's approaches to analysing organisational structures and contexts, Bouthillier and
Shearer's Intelligence Cycle, Herring's Key Intelligence Topics, and Davis' concept of
effectiveness were used in two main stages. The first stage involved identifying the nature and
range of SMEs, which exist under Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor, a government
benchmarking body for local businesses. This gives an account, on the basis of cluster analysis, of
a taxonomy of SME categories consisted of ten clusters. The relationships between the categories
were also examined in the first stage of the research. The relationships and clusters found in the
first part of the research offered the basis for the second part of the research, which constructs the
criteria for evaluating online tools and software for competitive intelligence. The evaluation
criteria are then used to evaluate eight Cl-ready software packages in finding suitable tools for the
different categories of SMEs. Finally, the research concludes with a study of the prospective
users' perceptions of effectiveness in SMEs drawn from the identified clusters. This 'multiple
constituency' approach to understanding effectiveness evaluates both Davis' concept of
effectiveness (usefulness), as well as the differential evaluations of perceived effectiveness.
The research findings provide evidence of a range of SME structures in a variety of contexts.
Levels of importance placed on different levels in the Cl process are identified, as well as aspects
that need support, automation and/or augmentation. The software evaluation in the second part of
the research provided ten recommendations of suitable software package(s) for each SME cluster.
However, an initial review by SME managers of perceived effectiveness mostly did not reveal
results that were parallel to the findings from the software evaluation study. All in all, the
research confirms that SMEs can be analysed by clusters but further research would be necessary
to confirm the effectiveness of using the recommended Cl software over a longer period of time.


Air pollution from cruise ships is receiving increasingly more attention. However, the management systems for emissions to air within cruise companies are still insufficiently developed, since the focus is on other environmental factors, such as garbage and wastewater. In order to enhance these management systems, this thesis is exploring a number of aspects that are intended to make air emission management in cruise companies more effective. In order to answer the defined research questions, semi-structured interviews as well as an industry benchmark have been chosen. These interviews have been conducted at a cruise company and at several external stakeholders. During the interviews it has been explored who the main stakeholders of air emissions from cruise ships are and what requirements these stakeholders have concerning air emission management. It has been found that the cultural background of a stakeholder is considered to have an influence on the priority with which environmental issues are perceived. Further, NOX, SOX, PM and CO2 have been identified as the most important pollutants, while NOX, SOX and PM being a problem on a regional basis whereas CO2 is considered to be a global problem.
Further, the benefits and concerns related to the installations of continuous emission monitoring systems, that measure a variety of exhaust gases directly in the ship"s stack and have recently been introduced for marine applications, are explored. This analysis has shown that a CEMS is an indispensable tool for effective air emission management in a cruise company, which provides a number of benefits to the company, given the fact that these systems can prove to operate in a marine environment.
Finally, this thesis proposes a KPI system that considers the various demands of all stakeholders, in order to ensure that the data, which a CEMS provides is effectively used in order to ensure continuous emission reductions. The proposed KPI system uses a form of abstraction as well as a differentiation between a ship"s operational modes in order to provide the KPI user with one single air emission KPI. These KPIs have been designed for each functional level within a cruise company.


Abstract C120 steel sections are the most widely used post shapes in European guardrail designs. The design length of these posts is determined based on guardrail containment level and engineering judgment. The soil properties where these posts are embedded are usually not considered in design. It is a well-known fact that the crash test performance of soil embedded posts depends mostly on post–soil interaction and post embedment depth (PED). In this study, a series of field impact tests were performed on soil embedded C120 posts to determine optimum PED for three different soil conditions. Seven different PED varied from 650 to 900mm was used for each soil type. Based on these findings a full-scale crash test is performed on a guardrail to verify optimum PED for hard soil conditions. With the use of optimum length guardrail posts considerable amount of installation time, labor and material savings are expected.