Walking Notes: Memoir with Landscape is a nonfiction meditation on landscape, memory, ecology and memoir. It combines personal narrative with enquiry into environmental and cultural histories of the central Australian desert. It seeks to enhance our understanding of placemaking in the instance where the geographies we inhabit are underpinned by a history of dispossession and loss. Visiting sites under discussion was central to my research and writing process. I use personal narrative to form a travelogue, to reflect on landscapes and their histories, and to hold diverse materials together. In the desert, my own past vividly returned to me. I was unprepared for the clarity and force with which it did. I was turned back to people and places I know intimately. When I least expected, I was also compelled to write a eulogy for my father. This thesis is thus a commingled effort to think about personal history along with broader historical concerns, and to respond to the challenge of discovering what webs them together. The thesis asks the following questions: What relationships can I draw between personal and family history, on the one hand, and an appropriate means of developing an intimate and immersed understanding of the desert, on the other hand? Further, what happens to our sense of belonging in a landscape that once belonged to other people? Resting beneath these two areas of exploration, lies the additional query: what are some of the differences between Indigenous and nonIndigenous understandings of the desert landscape? In addressing these questions, one of my central aims is to consider nature and culture as 'entangled' rather than as separate and discrete fields. Theorist Felix Guattari speaks of the notion of 'three ecologies', or three ecological registers including 'the environment, social relations and human subjectivity'. In his view all three registers require equal consideration. Encouraged by this idea, my chapters include: a narrative account of bushwalking in central Australia; reflections on my father's childhood experiences in colonial Indonesia, internment in Japanese prison camps during WWII, and ousting from Indonesia during its struggle for independence; a history of the spread of an exotic grass species, buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) in central Australia; developments in arid zone science and ecology; accounts of cross-cultural contact in the region; and a chapter on the interdisciplinary efforts of anthropologist and biologist Donald Thomson.


This paper aims at reframing the relevance gap debate in management scienceby repositioning scholar-practitioner collaboration and knowledge coproduction practices regarding knowledge relevance and impact. Based on a reflection about the nature of management knowledge, we argue that the so-called relevance gap should be more aptly reframed as a 'traceability' or a 'controllability' gap. Although management knowledge may be deemed relevant by a wide range of practitioners, the ways these practitioners use management knowledge are hardly visible, let alone controllable. Scholar-practitioner collaboration can be seen as a way for management scholars to regain some control over the utilization process, rather than a way to ensure knowledge relevance as such. Instrumental knowledge, which is paramount in the popular design-science perspective, certainly accounts for a share of management knowledge. Besides this, the design-science perspective offers a promising way to put scholar-practitioner collaboration into practice. It enhances the visibility of research products and the traceability of knowledge transfer. Yet instrumental knowledge should not be seen as the only type of relevant and used knowledge. Conceptual and critical knowledge are vital for management science. Instrumental relevance should be complemented by conceptual relevance, although the latter seriously tempers scholars' quest for traceability and control over knowledge utilization. In the debate about the relevance and impact of management knowledge, the fundamental question of 'knowledge for whom?' should remain at the center of the debate.


Murine LPC-1 plasmacytoma is sensitive to treatment with cyclophosphamide (CY), and animals bearing this tumor in advanced stages can be cured with doses as small as 60 mg/kg. With repeated transfer of LPC-1 cells followed by subcurative CY therapy, we have developed from this CY-sensitive parent line (CY-S) a stable CY-resistant subline (CY-R) that is unaffected by doses as large as 250 mg/kg. Stability of this induced CY resistance in the absence of CY treatment has been demonstrated for greater than 14 transfer generations. The CY-R subline has been compared to the CY-S parent line and shown to be similar with respect to morphology, growth kinetics, survival time, synthesis of IgG 2a kappa M component, and DNA content and distribution. The CY-S parent line responds in vivo to CY analogs (ifosfamide and trofosfamide), as judged by decreased tumor mass and increased survival; the CY-R subline is resistant to the CY analogs. The response to carmustine (BCNU) was tested, and resistance to CY did not predict for response to this alkylating agent since the effect on both CY-S and CY-R lines was equal. The significance of the development of this CY-resistant subline and the implications for future research into the mechanisms of such resistance are discussed.


In this paper, the average achievable rate and error probability of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) aided systems is investigated for the finite blocklength (FBL) regime. The performance loss due to the presence of phase errors arising from limited quantization levels as well as hardware impairments at the RIS elements is also discussed. First, the composite channel containing the direct path plus the product of reflected channels through the RIS is characterized. Then, the distribution of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is matched to a Gamma random variable whose parameters depend on the total number of RIS elements, phase errors and the channels' path loss. Next, by considering the FBL regime, the achievable rate expression and error probability are identified and the corresponding average rate and average error probability are elaborated based on the proposed SNR distribution. Furthermore, the impact of the presence of phase error due to either limited quantization levels or hardware impairments on the average rate and error probability is discussed. The numerical results show that Monte Carlo simulations conform to matched Gamma distribution to received SNR for sufficiently large number of RIS elements. In addition, the system reliability indicated by the tightness of the SNR distribution increases when RIS is leveraged particularly when only the reflected channel exists. This highlights the advantages of RIS-aided communications for ultra-reliable and low-latency systems. The difference between Shannon capacity and achievable rate in FBL regime is also discussed. Additionally, the required number of RIS elements to achieve a desired error probability in the FBL regime will be significantly reduced when the phase shifts are performed without error.


The self-splicing group I introns are removed by an autocatalytic mechanism that involves a series of transesterification reactions. They require RNA binding proteins to act as chaperones to correctly fold the RNA into an active intermediate structure in vivo. Pre-tRNA introns in Bacteria and in higher eukaryote plastids are typical examples of self-splicing group I introns. By contrast, two striking features characterize RNA splicing in the archaeal world. First, self-splicing group I introns cannot be found, to this date, in that kingdom. Second, the RNA splicing scenario in Archaea is uniform: All introns, whether in pre-tRNA or elsewhere, are removed by tRNA splicing endonucleases. We suggest that in Archaea, the protein recruited for splicing is the preexisting tRNA splicing endonuclease and that this enzyme, together with the ligase, takes over the task of intron removal in a more efficient fashion than the ribozyme. The extinction of group I introns in Archaea would then be a consequence of recruitment of the tRNA splicing endonuclease. We deal here with comparative genome analysis, focusing specifically on the integration of introns into genes coding for 23S rRNA molecules, and how this newly acquired intron has to be removed to regenerate a functional RNA molecule. We show that all known oligomeric structures of the endonuclease can recognize and cleave a ribosomal intron, even when the endonuclease derives from a strain lacking rRNA introns. The persistance of group I introns in mitochondria and chloroplasts would be explained by the inaccessibility of these introns to the endonuclease.


The quadrupolar Carr -Purcell Meiboom-Gill (QCPMG) and double frequency sweep (DFS)/QCPMG pulse sequences are applied in order to acquire the first solid-state 39K NMR spectra of organometallic complexes, the polymeric main group metallocenes cyclopentadienyl potassium (CpK) and pentamethylcyclopentadienyl potassium (Cp*K). Piecewise QCPMG NMR techniques are used to acquire a high S/N 39K spectrum of the broad central transition of Cp*K, which is ca. 200 kHz in breadth. Analytical and numerical simulations indicate that there is a significant quadrupolar interaction present at both potassium nuclei ( CQ(K) ) 2.55(6)/2.67(8) MHz and 4.69(8) MHz for CpK (static/MAS) and Cp*K, respectively). Experimental quadrupolar asymmetry parameters suggest that both structures are bent about the potassium atoms ( ηQ(K) ) 0.28(3)/ 0.29(3) for CpK (static/MAS) andηQ(K) ) 0.30(3) for Cp*K). Variable-temperature (VT) 39K NMR experiments on CpK elucidate temperature-dependent changes in quadrupolar parameters which can be rationalized in terms of alterations of bond distances and angles with temperature. 13C CP/MAS NMR experiments are conducted upon both samples to quantify the carbon chemical shielding anisotropy (CSA) at the Cp′ ring carbon atoms. Ab initio carbon CSA and 39K electric-field gradient (EFG) and CSA calculations are conducted and discussed for the CpK complex, in order to correlate the experimental NMR parameters with molecular structure in CpK and Cp*K. 39K DFS/QCPMG and13C CP/MAS experiments prove invaluable for probing molecular structure, temperature-dependent structural changes, and the presence of impurities in these systems.


Abstract Apatite is a common accessory phase in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Its stability in magmatic-hydrothermal and hydrothermal systems is known to be a key control on the mobility of rare earth elements (REE). To better constrain how apatite is altered during fluid-rock interaction at comparably low temperatures, batch-type apatite dissolution experiments were conducted at 150 and 250 °C at saturated water vapor pressure in acidic to mildly acidic (pH of 2–4) aqueous fluids having variable salinities (0, 0.5, and 5 wt% NaCl). The study reveals the dominance of apatite dissolution textures with the formation of micrometer-scale etch pits and dissolution channels developing prominently along the c-axis of the apatite crystals. Backscattered electron imaging shows an increase in apatite dissolution with increasing temperature and upon reacting the crystals with more acidic and higher salinity starting fluids. This study also demonstrates an increase in dissolved REE in the experimental fluids corroborating with the observed apatite dissolution behavior. Backscattered electron imaging of secondary minerals formed during apatite dissolution and scanning electron microscopy-based energy dispersive spectrometry peaks for Ca, P, and REE support the formation of monazite-(Ce) and minor secondary apatite as deduced from fluid chemistry (i.e., dissolved P and REE concentrations). The studied apatite reaction textures and chemistry of the reacted fluids both indicate that the mobility of REE is controlled by the dissolution of apatite coupled with precipitation of monazite-(Ce), which are enhanced by the addition of NaCl in the starting fluids. This coupled process can be traced by comparing the REE to P ratios in the reacted fluids with the stoichiometry of the unreacted apatite crystals. Apatite metasomatized at temperatures <300 °C is therefore controlled by dissolution rather than dissolution-reprecipitation reactions commonly observed in previous experiments conducted above 300 °C. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the presence of NaCl plays a crucial role in increasing the solubility of apatite, which controls the availability of REE to form secondary phosphates even in mildly acidic aqueous fluids. This implies that both the effects of acidity/alkalinity of the fluids and the role of dissolved alkalis (NaCl and KCl), need to be considered for understanding the controls on REE in magmatic-hydrothermal systems. Lastly, the experiments of this study expand the known conditions at which apatite is susceptible to be overprinted by hydrothermal alteration from 900 °C down to 150 °C and highlights the necessity of appropriately screening apatite grains using backscattered electron and cathodoluminescence imaging for signs of hydrothermal alteration textures in igneous apatite.


The plant hormone gibberellin (GA) regulates many developmental processes during a plant's life cycle, including root and hypocotyl growth. Bioactive GAs promote GA-responsive growth and development by targetting DELLA proteins for degradation. Whilst the early steps of GA signalling are well understood it is not yet clear how the DELLA proteins alter the expression of GA-responsive genes. As other steps of the signalling pathway are encoded by multi-gene families it is possible that genetic redundancy is masking the transcription factors that act downstream of DELLAs. Using a chemical screen based on DELLA protein's control of GA biosynthesis, 28 chemicals which blocked the GA-mediated downregulation of GA20ox1::GUS activity were identified. Using GA-mediated RGA degradation as a marker, 11 chemicals were identified as acting downstream of DELLAs in the GA signalling pathway.

One of the chemicals (N23) identified in the screen was found to induce agravitropic root growth, a response more often associated with perturbation of auxin signalling. However, N23 had no effect on auxin signalling based on the characterisation of its effect on auxin-inducible genes and AUX/IAA degradation. The mode of action of N23 requires further investigation. However, N23 represents a potential for studying the role of GA in modulating gravitropism.

The compound N16 potentially perturbs GA signalling by altering GA transport. It was found to block the uptake of both radiolabelled and fluorescent labelled GA into the root. Five days of exposure to N16 was required before any inhibition was observed on Col-0 roots but root elongation in ga1-3 seedlings was inhibited after only 24 hours suggesting that roots of wild type plants are saturated for GA. The site of action of N16 was not identified, but a putative oligopeptide transporter OPT6 was which is rapidly downregulated in the roots in response to GA application was investigated as a potential novel GA transporter. However, GA uptake assays in yeast strains overexpressing OPT6 proved inconclusive.


Aflatoxins at level 250μg/kg was included in the diet of three different strains of commercial broiler chicken designated as A, B and C and growth of twenty chicks/group (control as well as treated), was observed for 3 weeks. Compared to controls, at least in two of the strains, significant weight loss was noted. In strain "A" and "C" respectively 33.3% and 13.2% weight loss was recorded, indicating strain difference in chicks to aflatoxin susceptibility. Use of broiler strains resistant to aflatoxin would help in minimizing this problem.


The embedded system plays an important role in functioning of dash board meters of automobiles. The existing system provides only limited information to the user. It tells the mileage as an average for certain kilometres though the value does not remain accurate during every instant of our travel. Cost of the distance travelled by the vehicle is provided based on the distance covered and not based on the fuel consumed by the vehicle. Further it does not provide any information about the economical speed of the vehicle which varies with time and fuel-fill accuracy during refill. The proposed system develops a multi-information and economy assist meter for automobiles using Atmega 8 microcontroller. The proposed project will help the customer to know the economical speed, instantaneous mileage and additional information about the distance the vehicle can further travel with the fuel remaining in tank, fuel-fill accuracy and the accurate cost of travel. These features that are not found in any automobiles till present day makes our proposed project INNOVATIVE.


The course of untreated calcium renal stones, derived from the retrospective study of 300 patients with defined metabolic disorders and from the analysis of two prospective, published studies, is complex and heterogeneous. Generally, stones provoke considerable morbidity; hyperuricosuria is associated with an unusually severe stone disease. Stone recurrence rates usually remain stable, or rise with successive stones; in a minority of patients, the reverse is true. A single stone is likely to be followed by a recurrence. The mean time to recurrence averages 6.78 years, with peaks at 1.56 and eight years. Because the disease is likely to be morbid and chronic and does not wane with age, diagnostic evaluation and treatment should be strongly considered for any patient with recurrent stones, and for those in whom recurrence is likely to pose more than the usual risk.


In view of the need to obtain genetically superior eucalyptus clones that promote productivity coupled with quality, we used multivariate statistical techniques for the selection and evaluation of Eucalyptus spp. clones for wood production. The experiments were carried out in three environments in the districts of Eldorado do Sul, Butia and Sao Gabriel. A clone of the commercial species Eucalyptus saligna was used as a common control in all trials. A total of 84 eucalyptus clones were used belonging to the breeding program in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in a randomized block design, with 20 replicates and one plant per plot, spacing 3.50 x 2.14 m. Silvicultural practices were performed according to the particularities required by each environment. The clones were evaluated at 36 months for diameter at breast height, total height, total individual volume with bark and survival of clones. The datawere submitted to a joint analysis of variance, and the significance was interpreted by the F test at 5% probability. Interaction tests were performed and then multivariate models were used. Selection of clones from their values of genetic divergence and heterogeneity in relation to the others can be used to increase variability in breeding populations. Improvement strategies such as Intrapopulation Recurrent Selection can be "fed" from selections made based on these parameters, but also focusing on increasing productivity and improving wood technology. There wasa great difference in behavior of the clones for each environment, demonstrating the influence of genotype x environment interactions, which can be evaluated later in amplified clonal tests or in the observation plantings of these clones; these will serve for the future indication of genotypes for commercial plantations.


This article attempts to fill the void in research on the Justicialista Party (PJ) organisation. Challenging accounts of the contemporary PJ as a weak, personalistic organisation, it argues that the party maintains a powerful base-level infrastructure with deep roots in working- and lower-class society. This organisation has been understated by scholars because, unlike prototypical working class party structures, it is informal and highly decentralised. The PJ organisation consists of a range of informal networks – based on unions, clubs, NGOs and activists' homes that are largely unconnected to the party bureaucracy. These organisations provided the government of Carlos Menem with a range of benefits in the 1990s, particularly in the realm of local problem-solving and patronage distribution. Yet they also constrained the Menem leadership, limiting its capacity to impose candidates and strategies on lower-level party branches.


Multilayers of an Fe(II)-polyelectrolyte-amphiphile complex (Fe-PAC) were investigated simultaneously by energy-dispersive X-ray reflectivity and in-plane diffraction at the bending-magnet beamline at BESSY II. By recording spectra between room temperature and about 348 K with a time resolution of about 60 s, two phase transitions were identified and the respective activation energies were determined. Owing to a fixed geometrical set-up, an energy-dispersive experiment is suitable for measuring X-ray reflectivity and in-plane X-ray diffraction of thin organic films simultaneously. Installed at a bending magnet at BESSY II and using an energy range of 4 < E < 25 keV, both reflectivity and diffraction spectra can be collected within about 60 s. The performance is demonstrated by temperature- and time-resolved measurements of the phase transition behaviour of multilayers of an Fe-PAC deposited on a silicon support by means of the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. By measuring the X-ray reflectivity while increasing the temperature, it is shown that the original LB phase is not stable and transforms irreversibly into a liquid-crystalline (LC)-like phase at about 318 K. At the same temperature the in-plane diffraction signal vanishes reversibly, reflecting rotational disorder of the hexagonal arrangement of amphiphilic chains. Its activation energy is determined to be about 1.3 eV. At about 338 K a second irreversible phase transition occurs to another LC phase with smaller vertical layer spacing. This transition is reversible between 329 K and 338 K.


Various refinements to the FXP CMP are considered to attempt to improve its resource conservation performance in particular. For the "100 tuning" variant (Br30 = 1 for both Eastern and Western stocks for deterministic projections of OM1), either or both stocks can be rendered (near) extinct for some OMs. The OMs that lead to the greatest conservation difficulties for these CMPs have a low abundance scale for the Western stock, especially those that also incorporate the R3 scenario where a regime shift occurs in the future. Introducing two modifications to the CMP – a linear decrease in the fishing proportion and allowance for greater than 20% decreases in TACs when the aggregate abundance index drops below a threshold for the area concerned – considerably improves conservation performance for the Eastern stock. However, some problematic R3-scenarios OMs remain when considering conservation performance for the Western stock. Placing a cap on the East area TAC can assist marginally in that respect, but also introduces some associated disadvantages. Suggestions are made for additional areas of investigation to refine the performance of this CMP further.


Recovering detailed facial geometry from a set of calibrated multi-view images is valuable for its wide range of applications. Traditional multi-view stereo (MVS) methods adopt an optimization-based scheme to regularize the matching cost. Recently, learning-based methods integrate all these into an end-to-end neural network and show superiority of efficiency. In this paper, we propose a novel architecture to recover extremely detailed 3D faces within dozens of seconds. Unlike previous learning-based methods that regularize the cost volume via 3D CNN, we propose to learn an implicit function for regressing the matching cost. By fitting a 3D morphable model from multi-view images, the features of multiple images are extracted and aggregated in the mesh-attached UV space, which makes the implicit function more effective in recovering detailed facial shape. Our method outperforms SOTA learning-based MVS in accuracy by a large margin on the FaceScape dataset. The code and data are released in https://github.com/zhuhao-nju/mvfr.


We present the results of the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS), a ten-year project to map the full three-dimensional distribution of galaxies in the nearby universe. The Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) was completed in 2003 and its final data products, including an extended source catalog (XSC), are available online. The 2MASS XSC contains nearly a million galaxies with Ks ⩽ 13.5 mag and is essentially complete and mostly unaffected by interstellar extinction and stellar confusion down to a galactic latitude of |b| = 5° for bright galaxies. Near-infrared wavelengths are sensitive to the old stellar populations that dominate galaxy masses, making 2MASS an excellent starting point to study the distribution of matter in the nearby universe. We selected a sample of 44,599 2MASS galaxies with Ks ⩽ 11.75 mag and |b| ⩾ 5° (⩾8° toward the Galactic bulge) as the input catalog for our survey. We obtained spectroscopic observations for 11,000 galaxies and used previously obtained velocities for the remainder of the sample to generate a redshift catalog that is 97.6% complete to well-defined limits and covers 91% of the sky. This provides an unprecedented census of galaxy (baryonic mass) concentrations within 300 Mpc. Earlier versions of our survey have been used in a number of publications that have studied the bulk motion of the Local Group, mapped the density and peculiar velocity fields out to 50 h−1 Mpc, detected galaxy groups, and estimated the values of several cosmological parameters. Additionally, we present morphological types for a nearly complete sub-sample of 20,860 galaxies with Ks ⩽ 11.25 mag and |b| ⩾ 10°.


Linear Air is an air taxi start-up established to take advantage of the emergence of Very Light Jets, which incorporate new technology that cuts jet operating costs by about 40%. Air taxis could make use of the 5400 smaller regional airports throughout the US, potentially revolutionizing air travel. But the nascent air taxi industry doesn't yet exist, and there are competing conceptions of what the industry should look like. The founder must evaluate what customer segments to target, what business model to utilize, how to encourage development of the industry ecosystem, and more broadly how to help shape the industry so that it does not develop a highly competitive structure akin to the existing airline industry.


Advancement in Information Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT) has to lead to the continuous generation of a large amount of data. Smart city projects are being implemented in various parts of the world where analysis of public data helps in providing a better quality of life. Data analytics plays a vital role in many such data-driven applications. Real-time analytics for finding valuable insights at the right time using smart city data is crucial in making appropriate decisions for city administration. It is essential to use multiple data sources as input for the analysis to achieve better and more accurate data-driven solutions. It helps in finding more accurate solutions and making appropriate decisions. Public safety is one of the major concerns in any smart city project in which real-time analytics is much useful in the early detection of valuable data patterns. It is crucial to find early predictions of crime-related incidents and generating emergency alerts for making appropriate decisions to provide security to the people and safety of the city infrastructure. This paper discusses the proposed real-time big data analytics framework with data blending approach using multiple data sources for smart city applications. Analytics using multiple data sources for a specific data-driven solution helps in finding more data patterns, which in turn increases the accuracy of analytics results. The data preprocessing phase is a challenging task in data analytics when data being ingested continuously in real-time into the analytics system. The proposed system helps in the preprocessing of real-time data with data blending of multiple data sources used in the analytics. The proposed framework is beneficial when data from multiple sources are ingested in real-time as input data and is also flexible to use any additional data source of interest. The experimental work carried out with the proposed framework using multiple data sources to find the crime-related insights in real-time helps the public safety solutions in the smart city. The experimental outcome shows that there is a significant increase in the number of identified useful data patterns as the number of data sources increases. A real-time based emergency alert system to help the public safety solution is implemented using a machine learning-based classification algorithm with the proposed framework. The experiment is carried out with different classification algorithms, and the results show that Naive Bayes classification performs better in generating emergency alerts.


In an attempt to free bootstrap theory from the shackles of asymptotic considerations, this paper studies the possibility of justifying, or validating, the bootstrap, not by letting the sample size tend to infinity, but by considering the sequence of bootstrap P values obtained by iterating the bootstrap. The main idea of the paper is that, if this sequence converges to a random variable that follows the uniform U(0, 1) distribution, then the bootstrap is valid. The idea is studied by making the model under test discrete and finite, so that it is characterised by a finite three-dimensional array of probabilities. This device, when available, renders bootstrap iteration to any desired order feasible. It is used for studying a unit-root test for a process driven by a stationary MA(1) process, where it is known that the unit-root test, even when bootstrapped, becomes quite unreliable when the MA(1) parameter is in the vicinity of -1. Iteration of the bootstrap P value to convergence achieves reliable inference except for a parameter value very close to -1. The paper then endeavours to see these specific results in a wider context, and tries to cast new light on where bootstrap theory may be going.


Two instructional strategies were implemented in a two-and-a-half hour computer-based training program that was designed to teach elementary turtle graphics programming techniques to novice undergraduate students (N = 40). Learning activities that either emphasized the completion of existing programs or the generation of new programs were studied for the two strategies. In the completion group, the information needed to perform the program completion tasks appeared to be largely available in the to-be-completed programs; in the generation group, students frequently had to search for useful examples while they were performing their program generation tasks. It is hypothesized that during practice, the direct availability of examples in the form of incomplete computer programs facilitates the acquisition of programming language templates, especially because students cannot complete a program without carefully studying it so that "mindful abstraction" is explicitly provoked. Data in this study on learning outcomes support this hypothesis: the completion group showed a superior use of programming language templates in both a program construction test and a multiple choice test that measured the knowledge of language statements.


This paper investigates the politics of climate change in the United Kingdom, and in particular, the role of environment non-governmental organisations (ENGOs), aid, faith and development non-government organisations (NGOs). I argue that the drawing together of environment and development concerns is a natural progression in climate politics, given the interdependent nature of development and environmental issues, particularly in developing regions. In addition, this is not surprising given the social justice dimensions to climate change impacts and climate change adaptation, and the pre-existing social justice focus of aid and development organisations. Where other NGO alliances are rare, the combination of a strong civil society, a shared social justice perspective, and a number of important personal connections within the movement laid the groundwork for a strategic joint NGO on climate change. The political result of an alliance between environment groups and aid organisations in the UK context is a strengthened political impact given the wide community support for development and aid organisations and their established voice in politics in that country.


The collapse of the Showa Bridge during the 1964 Niigata earthquake features in many publications as an iconic example of the detrimental effects of liquefaction. It was generally believed that lateral spreading was the cause of failure of the bridge. This hypothesis is based on the reliable eye witness that the bridge failed 1 to 2 minutes after the earthquake started which clearly ruled out the possibility that inertia (during the initial strong shaking) was the contributor to the collapse. Bhattacharya (2003), Bhattacharya and Bolton (2004), Bhattacharya et al (2005) reanalyzed the bridge and showed that the lateral spreading hypothesis cannot explain the failure of the bridge. The aim of this short paper is to collate the research carried out on this subject and reach conclusions based on analytical studies and quantitative analysis. It is being recognised that precise quantitative analysis can be difficult due to lack of instrumented data. However, as engineers, we need to carry out order-of-magnitude calculations to discard various failure hypotheses.


This article presents empirically based research on the use of future technology for crisis management. In particular, it sets out to challenge ideas of future technology by contrasting them with examples from current practice with new, high-tech systems in emergency rescue centers and military command and control environments. The following three dichotomies are singled out: to start with, that between commitment and information storage;secondly, that between silence and transparency; and finally, that between mimetic representation and interpretation of representa- tions. Our research points to a contradiction between current system design for crisis management systems and actual work practice. Generally speaking, it is suggested that the information technology is becoming both a burden and a saver.


Introduction Diet is a key component of a healthy lifestyle for preventing type 2 diabetes. Despite a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Indians, the impact of diet has not been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate the association between fish intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes among adult men and women in India. Methods Analysis is based on a population based cross sectional study of 99 574 women and 61 361 men aged 20–49 years included in India's third National Family Health Survey, 2005–2006. Effects of fish intake, determined by frequency of consumption (daily, weekly and occasionally/never), on the reported prevalence of diabetes were estimated using multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for frequency of consumption of milk/curd, eggs/chicken/meat, BMI status, tobacco smoking, watching television, age, education, living standard of the household, residence and geographic regions. Results After adjustment for other dietary and lifestyle risk factors and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, risk of diabetes was 1.3 times higher among both men (OR: 1.30; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.56; p=0.003) and women (OR: 1.27; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.52; p=0.009) who consume fish daily as compared to those who consume them occasionally or never. Weekly fish intake also contribute to a higher risk of diabetes both among men (OR: 1.52; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.93; p=0.001) and women (OR: 1.54; 95% CI 1.24 to 1.92; p<0.001) even after controlling for the effects of potentially confounding factors. Conclusion Daily or weekly fish intake is associated with higher risk of diabetes among Indians, warranting further investigation. More epidemiological research with better measures of fish intake and clinical measures of diabetes is needed to validate the findings.


In this study, we have investigated the isolation of serum amyloid P (SAP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) from rainbow trout. It has recently been found that SAP is deposited in atherosclerotic lesions or neurofibrillary tangles, which are related to aging process and Alzheimer's disease. Given the importance of CRP, the CRP level in blood is becoming recognized as a potential means of monitoring cardiovascular risk. These two proteins, members of the pentraxin family of oligomeric serum proteins, were isolated from rainbow trout using N-methacryloyl-phosphoserine (MA-pSer) immobilized poly (2-hydroxy ethylmethacrylate) (PHEMA) cryogels as a column material in a fast protein liquid chromatography system. The separation process was verified in two steps. First, SAP and CRP proteins were isolated together from serum sample of rainbow trout using MA-pSer/PHEMA cryogel columns. Second, SAP protein was separated chromatographically from CRP protein using the Ca(2+) ion immobilized PHEMA cryogel column. According to the data, a new and effective technique has been developed for the isolation of SAP and CRP proteins from a biological source, rainbow trout. Finally, purified SAP and CRP were loaded using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel and western blot analysis to investigate the purity of chromatographically isolated SAP and CRP compared with commertial SAP and CRP.


Introdution: To determine the role of Pleural Mesothelial Cells (PMC) and/or Neoplasic Cells (NC) in the initiation and regulation of acute inflammatory response after exposure to talc for evaluating inflammatory mediators and cellular alterations. Materials and Methods: PMC cultures, human lung (A549) and breast (MCF7) adenocarcinoma cells were divided in 5 groups: 100% PMC, 100% NC, 25% PMC + 75% NC, 50% of each type and 75% PMC + 25% NC. All groups were exposed to talc and measured IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, TNFRI, pH, LDH, apoptosis and necrosis. Statistical Analysis: One-way Anova. Results: High IL-6, IL-1β and TNFRI levels were found in PMC and NC exposed to talc. IL-6 was higher at the points of more confluence of PMC. The highest levels of IL-1β and TNFRI were found in mixed cultures. In pure cultures TNFRI was higher in A549 followed by PMC and MCF7. LDH was higher in A549 than PMC. The lowest pH was found in 100% NC. All cell line exposed to talc reduced viability and increased necrosis. Apoptotic cells exposed to talc were higher in pure cultures of NC than in PMC. Mixed cultures of PMC and A549 showed lower levels of apoptosis in cultures with more NC. Conclusions: PMC after talc exposure participates in the inflammatory process contributing to production of molecular mediators, necessary for effective pleurodesis. Talc acted in NC causing higher rates of apoptosis, contributing in a modest way to tumoral decrease. Different types of tumor cells may respond differently to exposure to talc.


In this article, we present experiences of teaching library skills at Kenyatta University. The introduction of a mandatory foundation course for all first year undergraduate students admitted in state universities began in 1991. This change provided an opportunity for the Librarians at the university to participate in the teaching of library skills, a component of the foundation course. The recognition of the role of the library in the students' learning is seen in the right direction. Previously, it was virtually impossible to integrate library skills course with academic programs. The opportunity to teach students how to become effective seekers and users of library resources need not scare librarians. This offers us the opportunity to appreciate the huge challenges students encounter as they embark on their academic programs. A number of issues considered critical in this activity include students' academic characteristics, attitudes towards library skills course, teaching methods, course materials, syllabus, time allocated and training. Suggestions are made on how to address challenges likely to be encountered in library skills instruction.


While a key to law enforcement success is the willingness of the public to cooperate with police, we have limited understanding of how terrorist attacks affect this public readiness. Prior research suggests that terrorist attacks might increase citizen cooperation with police through both prevention efforts and rally effects. We test these assertions with three nationally representative surveys on respondents' willingness to help police combat terrorism: one before the Boston Marathon bombings and two after. As predicted, public willingness to report suspicious behavior to police increases significantly following the bombings and there is evidence that these increases generalize to ordinary crime. We also find that knowledge of key counter terrorism programs increases after the bombings, effects are somewhat stronger for the New England area than other regions, and the strength of the results are greatly diminished 16 months after the attacks. Conclusions are similar for both panel and cross-sectional analyses.


We use an observable action (non-executive directors' insider trading) and an observable outcome (the market assessment of a board-ratified merger) to infer collusion between a firm's executive and non-executive directors. We show that CEOs are more likely to be retained when both directors and CEOs sell abnormal amounts of equity before the delinquent accounting is revealed, and when directors ratify one or more value-destroying mergers. We also show that a good track record, higher innate managerial ability, and the absence of a succession plan make replacement more costly. We find retention is less likely when the misreporting is severe and directors fear greater litigation penalties from owners, lenders, and the SEC. Our results are robust to controlling for traditional explanations based on performance, founder status, corporate governance, and CFOs as scapegoats. Overall, our analyses increase our understanding of the retention decision by about a third; they suggest that financial economists consider collusive trading and merger ratification as additional means of assessing the monitoring effectiveness of non-executive directors.


Finite-element methods are used to study non-adhesive, frictionless rough contact of elastic and plastic solids. Roughness on the contact surfaces is realized by self-affine fractal. True contact area between spherical rough surfaces and flat rigid surfaces rises in power law as the external normal load increases. The power exponent is sensitive to surface roughness as well as the curvature of spherical geometry. Surface contact pressures are analyzed and compared for elastic and plastic solids. The distribution of local contact pressure is significantly dependent on the surface roughness and the yield stress of plastic solids.


Abstract
 Modern agricultural practices have increased the efficiency of food production with a decrease in their cost and prices for consumers. However, to some extent this has been detrimental to the ethical way in which livestock are treated, particularly in more intensive production systems. On the demand side, an increasing number of consumers are interested in the way that food is produced and the attributes behind it. Animal welfare is one of those ethical attributes that are particularly important for consumers, and at the retail level, it is reflected in a number of labels aiming at passing cues (due to its nature as a credence attribute) to consumers. For meat supply chains, these labels have the possibility to positively affect sales if consumers are willing to pay more for products with those attributes. Moreover, if increasing animal welfare implies higher costs of production, it is important for the supply chain to know whether these costs can be passed on to consumers. These issues have motivated a substantive literature on the measurement of consumers' interest in animal welfare and their willingness to pay for its attributes. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the economic theory behind the measurement of animal welfare and some empirical applications.


Tears are necessary for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye and for providing
clear vision. Dry eye syndrome (DES) or keratoconjunctivitissicca (KCS) is a common disorder where a person
doesn't have enough quality tears to lubricate and nourish the eye. Dry eye is a common and often chronic
problem, particularly in older adults. There are lot of consequences related to this disease such as ocular surface
and tear film problem, age and gender, indoor environment, and computer vision syndrome (CVS).In this paper,
we propose a novel idea to design a prototype of a wearable humidifier glasses for patients suffering with Dry
Eye Syndrome. The system is designed using a microcontroller, sensors such as temperature and humidity ,a
mini micro pump ,and an ultrasonic transducer. The glasses are fixed with sensors to make it as an active device.
The proposed system continuously monitors the dryness of the eye and can self-regulate the moisture for the
eyes based on the humidity level in proximity to the eye.


The European Union (EU) is facing one of the rockiest periods in its existence. No time in its history has it looked so economically fragile, so unsure about how to protect its borders, so divided over how to tackle the crisis of legitimacy facing its institutions, and so under assault of Eurosceptic parties. While economic recovery may be on its way, at least in some member states, the Eurozone crisis has left a mark on popular opinion. Large parts of the public have come to doubt the competence and integrity of their political and financial masters in Brussels and at home. Existing approaches to public opinion towards supranational government in Europe, or international governance more generally, stress the role of economic interest and identity considerations (for an overview see Hobolt and De Vries 2016). These explanations also fit the narrative that has emerged in the media after Brexit, namely that the outcome constituted somewhat of a revolt of the left behind, those who failed to benefit from economic and political integration in Europe or more globally, against increased migration (Clarke et al. 2017; Goodwin and Heath 2016). Yet, the recent surge in Eurosceptic sentiment, expressed in European and national elections as well as in European referendums, is in many ways puzzling from both perspectives. Euroscepticism, for example, is most pronounced in countries that have weathered the Eurozone crisis very well and economically benefitted most from the single currency (Stiglitz 2016), while the support for the EU remains high in the bail-out battered South. Moreover, aggregate analyses of the Brexit vote suggest that poorer areas on average were more likely to vote out, but many deviations exist. Very rich areas in the South voted out. When it comes to identity considerations the empirical evidence is also at best mixed. While scholars expect people with an exclusive national identity to view an international organization like the EU as a threat, something that infringes on their sense of national belonging, feelings of exclusive national identity have remained remarkably stable in Europe over recent years or even declined in countries that witnessed stark increases in Euroscepticism (De Vries 2018). Opinions towards intra-EU migration and free movement also do not seem to uniformly account for the rise in Euroscepticism (Vasilopoulou and Talving 2017). In this contribution, I aim to shed light on these empirical puzzles. I suggest that one of the key reasons why Euroscepticism is widespread within comparatively richer countries and among those who are fairly well off is because wealth allows populations or individuals to consider more risky alternatives and makes the alternative state to membership, one's country being outside the EU, look more viable. I present empirical evidence to my claims by using recent survey data from 28 member states. These findings point towards a possibly paradoxical process underlying international cooperation more generally, namely: the increasing monetary benefits associated with more economic and political cooperation across borders might over time become the risk-hedging mechanism that allows populations or individuals to turn against international governance in the long run.


BACKGROUND
Trabecular bone score (TBS) reflects vertebrae microarchitecture and assists in fracture risk assessment. The International Society of Clinical Densitometry postulates that the role of TBS in monitoring antiresorptive therapy is unclear. Whether changes in TBS correlate with bone resorption measured by bone turnover markers is not known.

OBJECTIVES
To determine whether longitudinal changes in TBS correlate with C-terminal telopeptide (CTX) of type I collagen.

METHODS
Examinees with two bone mineral density (BMD) measurements were detected via the institutional database. Over 5.8% change in TBS was considered least significant and patients were grouped accordingly (increment, decrement, or unchanged). CTX, BMD, co-morbidities, incident fractures, and medication exposure were compared between the groups by Kruskal-Wallis. The correlation between TBS and BMD change and CTX in a continuous model was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient.

RESULTS
In total, 110 patients had detailed medical records. In 74.5%, TBS change was below least significant change. Two other TBS categories, fracture incidence or medication exposure, did not differ by CTX. In the continuous model, BMD and TBS change was positively correlated (r = 0.225, P = 0.018). A negative correlation was observed between BMD change and CTX. The decrease in BMD level was associated with higher CTX (r = -0.335, P = 0.004). No correlation was observed between CTX and TBS.

CONCLUSIONS
No correlation between TBS dynamics and bone resorption marker was found. Clinical interpretation and implication of longitudinal TBS changes should be further explored.


: The efficacy of various therapeutic schemes: medicinal (basic therapy--BT), acupuncture (AP) and laser therapy (LT) against a background of basic therapy--was assessed and compared in 36 patients with radiation limb edema. It was established that a degree of a decrease in edemas, the improvement of indices of rheovasography grew in the following order: BT----AP----LT. The recovery of the lymph flow and immunological indices were the same in all therapeutic schemes.


Amylase activities and patterns were compared in extracts from mature seeds and from different parts of seedlings at various stages of seed germination of various varieties of different legume species. Apart from soyabean, all varieties had low levels of amylase activities in extracts from mature seeds, while the former had a remarkably high level. Amylase activities and the number of bands increased during seed germination and showed time and tissue specifity. The extracts from cotyledons had the highest activities and the largest number of bands as compared to that of the various parts of embryonic axes. Amylase activities and patterns had time specific changes during the various stages of seed development of the 7 varieties of different legume species studied. All the different varieties showed changes in zymogram patterns and decreased amylase activity during seed development, except soyabean where amylase activity remained high at all stages. The different components of amylase were characterised in pea (var. Feltham First). One band of a -amylase activity, restricted to the cotyledons, was present in the middle stages of seed development only, then reappeared at the third day of seed germination. The embryonic axes β -amylase activity decreased as the seed developed, to reach zero level in mature seeds, and reappearred during seed germination. The reverse sequence occurred for the cotyledonary β -amylase. The pea a -amylase was partially purified using ethanol precipitation, glycogen complex and hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The purified protein had three major bands with few faint bands on the SDS polyacrylamide gel. The embryonic axes β -amylase of pea was partially purified using the conventional method, ammonium sulphate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The purified protein contained two thick bands and many faint bands on the SDS polyacrylamide gel. The zymogram patterns of phosphorylase, EST, GDH, GOT, LDH, ADH and MDH were investigated during seed development of various varieties of different legume species. The most noticeable changes as the seeds developed were the decrease in activities and number of bands of EST in pea and soyabean, shift in GDH activities between isoenzyme forms in pea (var. English Wonder), increase in GDH activities and number of bands in dwarf French bean and soyabean and increase in activities and number of bands of MDH in pea (var. Feltham First).


Still photography has a rich history of technological innovations to record the light in a scene dating back to the early 19th century (at least). The recent decades have seen these technological innovations create a revolutionary shift in the materials, processes, and uses of still images. Most of the still photography world has completed a move from silver halide (AgX) technology that dominated the field for over a century to digital still cameras based on silicon (Si) sensors that arrived on the scene about two decades ago and have essentially supplanted AgX capture technologies in most applications. This research ponders the question of whether the image quality obtained with Si has also surpassed that of AgX in the context of typical consumer and professional photographic prints and soft displays. Four camera systems, two digital and two film based, were evaluated using both objective image quality metrics and psychophysical evaluation of prints and displayed images. The results show that a high-end digital SLR does indeed produce better images than an equivalent 35mm film system, but that a typical digital point-and-shoot camera has substandard quality that can be somewhat attributed to "too many megapixels" and "too much post processing" for the lens capabilities and sensor size. The conclusion is that indeed film is done, but there remain significant areas for improvement in digital systems. In particular improvements in printing techniques, lens-sensor matching, and noise reduction are called for.


An improved synthesis of tiapamil 3, Ro 11-1781, N-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)- 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-methyl-m-dithiane-2-propylamine 1,1,3,3-tetraoxide is described. The structure of the corresponding hydrochloride monohydrate 4, a Ca++ antagonist has been confirmed by an X-ray crystallographic analysis. Since biotransformation of tiapamil into metabolites 5, 6 and 7 occurs mainly in the close vicinity of the nitrogen atom, compound 8 bearing seven deuterium atoms has been synthesised.


Theories of change and logic models are the industry standard foundation for impact evaluation. However, half of all nonprofits do not use these models due to resource constraints or the perception that their work does not fit into a model. This is especially true in relationship-based programs, such as those in faith-based social services. This Capstone examines the influence of relationship theory on a faith-based organization's impact. The research methodology included deductive, action-based research with a foundational literature review focused on nonprofit planning and evaluation theory and social science theory. Then a total of 6 expert interviews were conducted, 3 with faith-based program directors and 3 with evaluation professionals. Finally, a hermeneutic approach was used to cycle between synthesis and analysis, comparing data from literature and expert interviews, and conceptualizing new models. While the context of the research is faith-based, the models are general enough to be applied to a diverse number of organizations. The findings demonstrate that relationship theory does have implications for how their theory of change and logic models are formed and how impact is subsequently evaluated. Relational Cultural Theory is identified in the literature and supported in the expert interviews as the theoretical foundation for the Transformation Relationship theory of change. Traditional linear logic models are challenged with the presentation of a cyclical model that is more reflective of the iterative process of Transformational Relationships. The resulting levels of impact are described as a spiral of impact with implications for individual, group and societal impact. Evaluation is re-framed with suggestions that include blending qualitative and quantitative methodology, integrating the evaluation process into the relationship, and reframing donor expectations around what relationship-based impact evaluation looks like. This Capstone lays the foundation for additional research in surveying a larger sample of faith-based social service organizations to inform the Transformational Relationship model, develop relationship-based evaluation tools (proxies, tests, surveys) for use in programs, and an examination of how Transformational Relationships contribute to collective impact.


We consider solving stochastic hyperbolic conservation laws with a quasi Monte Carlo method based on Sobol sequences. As far as we are aware, no one has done any research on this specific combination before. We extend an already available tool for uncertainty quantification, ALSVID-UQ, with the ability to perform quasi Monte Carlo using Sobol sequences. We perform numerical experiments with uncertain initial values for Burgers equation and most of the results converge with the rate O(1/M) where M is the amount of samples, compared to O(1/ √ M) for conventional Monte Carlo methods. The convergence is measured in variance and mean. The problems are easily parallelizable, and simulations are done on a supercomputer with up to 1024 CPU cores used simultaneously.


Strontium isotope ratios, strontium ion concentrations, major ion concentrations, and stream discharge were measured within the Middle Oconee River basin upstream of Arcade, Georgia during the period 20032004. Strontium isotope ratios ( Sr/ Sr) in stream base flow 87 86 were between 0.7126 and 0.7172, considerably higher than rainfall (0.7117) and shallow ground water (0.7120). This indicates that Sr and by inference other weathering products in base flow are derived principally from weathering, rather than ion exchange in the shallow soil zone. Unlike all other parameters, strontium isotope ratios were temporally invariant within a given watershed, independent of seasonal variations with respect to base flow discharge. Strontium isotope ratios were significantly different in all four watersheds and therefore provide the best geochemical "tracer" for base flow. Sr/ Sr ratios increased as a 87 86 function of basin area, independent of Sr ion concentrations, probably as the result of the increased contribution from rubidium-bearing minerals such as K-feldspar, muscovite, and biotite.


In this paper, performance of cognitive transmission over time-selective flat fading channels is studied under quality of service (QoS) constraints and channel uncertainty. Cognitive secondary users (SUs) are assumed to initially perform channel sensing to detect the activities of the primary users, and then attempt to estimate the channel fading coefficients through training. Energy detection is employed for channel sensing, and different minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) estimation methods are considered for channel estimation. In both channel sensing and estimation, erroneous decisions can be made, and hence, channel uncertainty is not completely eliminated. In this setting, performance is studied and interactions between channel sensing and estimation are investigated. Following the channel sensing and estimation tasks, SUs engage in data transmission. Transmitter, being unaware of the channel fading coefficients, is assumed to send the data at fixed power and rate levels that depend on the channel sensing results. Under these assumptions, a state-transition model is constructed by considering the reliability of the transmissions, channel sensing decisions and their correctness, and the evolution of primary user activity which is modeled as a two-state Markov process. In the data transmission phase, an average power constraint on the secondary users is considered to limit the interference to the primary users, and statistical limitations on the buffer lengths are imposed to take into account the QoS constraints of the secondary traffic. The maximum throughput under these statistical QoS constraints is identified by finding the effective capacity of the cognitive radio channel. Numerical results are provided for the power and rate policies.


Summary Objective: To determine the reasons why 125I-fibrinogen leg scanning, a screening test which was reported to be very sensitive for the detection of post-operative thrombosis, has shown poor sensitivity in contemporary studies. Study Identification: English-language reports were identified through a Medline computer search (1965-1991), Current Contents, and an extensive manual search of the bibliographies in identified articles. Study Selection: Studies in orthopaedic or general surgical patients were reviewed that compared 125I-fibrinogen leg scanning with venography in all patients (accuracy studies) or in patients in whom 125I-fibrinogen leg scanning became positive (positive predictive value studies). Data Extraction: A systematic appraisal of study design and specific descriptive information concerning the selection of patients. Results of Data Synthesis: Six of the 15 studies which compared 125I-fibrinogen leg scanning with venography were level 1 studies (potential for bias minimized) and nine were classified as level 2 studies (potential for bias not minimized). In orthopaedic surgical patients, the pooled sensitivity of leg scanning for isolated calf vein thrombosis, for all venous thrombosis, and the pooled specificity were 55%, 45%, and 92% for the level 1 studies, respectively. These indices were 88%, 82%, and 79%, respectively for the level 2 studies (P <0.001). Only two (level 2) studies were found that evaluated the accuracy of leg scanning for venous thrombosis in general surgical patients. Conclusion: We conclude that leg scanning is an insensitive method for the screening of post-operative venous thrombosis in orthopaedic patients. Our findings call into question the validity of the many studies (including meta-analyses) evaluating prophylactic agents for venous thrombosis which used leg scanning as the only test for the assessment of efficacy.


Background Frameworks for Disaster Health lack structure and require stronger evidence. Disaster Risk Reduction has become an international imperative, now guided by the 2015 Sendai Framework (UNISDR). Haddon's Matrix has successfully defined injury prevention countermeasures in a range of community settings over the past 30 years. This paper outlines an evolving model to underpin our understanding of Disaster Health and explores both the current and potential use of Haddon's Matrix in the setting of disaster risk reduction. Methods A literature review was undertaken to enhance the outcomes of the WADEM Education Committee's initial 2008 framework for International Standards and Guidelines for Disaster Health Education. A second literature review examined the use of Haddon's Matrix in the disaster domain. The 2015 Sendai Framework was examined to identify elements potentially relating to Haddon's Matrix. Results Four domains within Disaster Health were identified: Comprehensive approach: the natural history of a disaster structured on the 3 phases of pre-event, event, and post event; All Agency, Shared Responsibility approach: stakeholders and conceptual elements in disaster risk reduction; All Hazards approach: reflecting both the traditional scope of disasters, and the contemporary scope of emergencies'; Generic Personal Attributes expected of the humanitarian professional. Haddon's Matrix is rarely linked to the disaster domain, although a small number of case studies have recently reported adapting this approach to the emergency management setting. Elements identified within the 2015 Sendai Framework provide an exciting opportunity to adapt Haddon's Matrix in this setting. Conclusion Haddon's Matrix provides a framework for common communication and structuring the science and evidence-base of disaster risk reduction. It is adaptable to the contemporary concept of disaster resilience and to understanding disasters through the eyes of community safety.


It is important for obtaining the relationship between seismic energies of single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems and multiple degree-of-freedom (MDOF) structures in engineering. In this paper, the formula of hysteretic energy between the MDOF structures and equivalent SDOF systems is developed. Here is also presented the procedure for estimating hysteretic energy of MDOF structures subjected to severe ground motions employing the energy relation equation based on equivalent SDOF systems. Eight examples for two regular and six irregular MDOF structures show that the procedure to obtain the hysteretic energy demands of MDOF structures may be used as a simple and effective energy estimation method.


The worldwide distribution of toxicants is an important yet understudied driver of biodiversity, and the mechanisms relating toxicity to diversity have not been adequately explored. Here, we present a community model integrating demography, dispersal and toxicant-induced effects on reproduction driven by intraspecific and interspecific variability in toxicity tolerance. We compare model predictions to 458 species abundance distributions (SADs) observed along concentration gradients of toxicants to show that the best predictions occur when intraspecific variability is five and ten times higher than interspecific variability. At high concentrations, lower settings of intraspecific variability resulted in predictions of community extinction that were not supported by the observed SADs. Subtle but significant species losses at low concentrations were predicted only when intraspecific variability dominated over interspecific variability. Our results propose intraspecific variability as a key driver for biodiversity sustenance in ecosystems challenged by environmental change.


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The trend toward an individualistic conception of children's interests has exacerbated the cultural fault lines between secularists and religious traditionalists, as the latter strongly associate state incursions into the family as direct threats to the maintenance of religious identity across generations. Recognizing a general religious resistance to the emerging legal conception of the child is a useful first step in placing children's rights in a broader socio-political context, but the articulation is unhelpfully vague when it comes to facilitating a more productive conversation on the legal status of the child among a citizenry whose understandings of the child have been shaped in significant part by Christianity. The vagueness emanates from the failure to discern that Christians do not engage the law's treatment of the child from a common starting point. Christians reject modern liberalism's conception of the child's best interests from a variety of theological premises regarding childhood, and these premises have diverse implications for the roles of individual autonomy, parental authority, and community identity in the realization of the child's best interests. Accordingly, this chapter begins to trace the contours of the three primary conceptions of the child in Christian thought and their relationships to the legal understanding of the child emerging in modern liberalism. Because the liberal conception of the child is framed in terms of the child's secularly accessible best interests, the chapter outlines the relationship by articulating the prevailing Christian understandings of the foundational element of the child's best interests - i.e., the child's salvation - in the sacramental, conversional, and covenantal traditions. And to ensure a manageable scope, the inquiry will focus on the development of baptism doctrine seen in the work of a leading figure within each tradition. The secular side of the inquiry is brought into focus by analyzing the presumptions about children underlying two archetypes of modern liberal thought in this area: first, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children; and second, persistent calls by political and legal theorists to impose more stringent state limitations on parental discretion in shaping the education of their children. Taken together, these examples reveal that while Christians' resistance to modern liberalism's conception of the child is broad and deeply rooted, the scope, substance and prophetic quality of the resistance are not uniform within Christianity.


The preoptic anterior hypothalamus (POAH) of rats housed at three ambient temperatures was implanted with perfusion apparatuses. Response of heat production to displacement of POAH temperature was determined for control animals and animals with burns (31% +/- 3% total body surface area). At an ambient temperature of 22 degrees C there was a significant increase in thermosensitivity of the POAH for both control rats and rats with burns compared with thermosensitivity at 32 degrees C. Within ambient temperatures there was no effect on thermosensitivity detected for rats with burns compared with control rats. The threshold temperature for heat production was shifted significantly upward (p less than 0.05) both by a lower ambient temperature and by burn injury. The reference temperature for heat production was also shifted to the right by burn injury (p less than 0.05). The significant shifts to the right for threshold temperature and reference temperature for heat production enhance the organisms's ability to meet the stress of the hypermetabolic response. At a warm ambient temperature (32 degrees C) there are no significant differences in thermoregulation detected in animals with burns or control animals.


: The aim of this article is to quantify the loads exerted by heavy-duty vehicles when crossing over buried pipeline. This problem arises in connection to the question pertaining to the use of protective sleeves (casings) applied to gas pipelines in regions with increased demands on pipeline operation safety. An experiment was conducted on a test pipe section made from L360NE pipeline steel equipped with strain gauges along the pipe perimeter, measuring strains in the axial and circumferential directions. Strain measurements were taken after back-filling the pipe trench, then during vehicle crossings over the empty pipe, and again after pressurizing the test pipe with air. Strain-based hoop stresses at the surface of the empty test pipe were found to exceed 30 MPa after back-filling the trench and increased to more than 40 MPa during the vehicle crossings. Similarly, axial stresses reached extremes of around 17 MPa in compression and 12 MPa in tension. Applying internal air pressure to the test pipe resulted in a reduced net effect on both the hoop and axial stresses.


Sparse code multiple access (SCMA) is a promising code-based non-orthogonal multiple-access technique that can provide improved spectral efficiency and massive connectivity meeting the requirements of 5G wireless communication systems. We propose a deep learning-aided SCMA (D-SCMA) in which the codebook that minimizes the bit error rate (BER) is adaptively constructed, and a decoding strategy is learned using a deep neural network-based encoder and decoder. One benefit of D-SCMA is that the construction of an efficient codebook can be achieved in an automated manner, which is generally difficult due to the non-orthogonality and multi-dimensional traits of SCMA. We use simulations to show that our proposed scheme provides a lower BER with a smaller computation time than conventional schemes.


Angiography, using a standard method, was carried out on 100 patients with arterial occlusive disease involving the cerebral and/or peripheral vessels. It was shown that contrast medium with a high iodine content could be used in the relatively high dose of 80 ml. with an injection rate of 30 ml/sec. in the cerebral circulation without producing any complications. For pelvic and lower limb arteriography, 80 ml. contrast was injected at a rate of 12 to 18 ml/sec. This was well tolerated, but produced "vascular pain" like all commercially available contrast media. Total contrast amounts reached 300 ml. and 4.8 ml/kg. body weight and were tolerated without any clinical evidence of toxicity. Mild side effects were observed in seven patients, unrelated to the amount of contrast or the type of contrast or the region investigated. These changes resolved rapidly without treatment. As a rule the vessels demonstrated angiographically showed good contrast and were easily seen.


of products and standards that use public-key cryptography for encryption and digital signature use RSA. The key length for secure RSA has increased over recent years ,and this has put heavier processing load on applications using RSA. Recently, a competing system has begun to challenge RSA: Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC).The principle attraction of ECC, compared to RSA, is that it appears to offer equal security for a far smaller key size, thereby reducing processor overhead. Cryptographers are interested only in elliptic curve that belongs to cyclic abelian group. This paper implements cyclic abelian elliptic curve in MATLAB. The properties of abelian group is proved over the coordinates satisfying the curve. Base points of elliptic curve are generated to prove that the elliptic curve belongs to cyclic abelian group.


Motivated by recent experiments we consider transport across an interacting magnetic impurity coupled to the Majorana zero mode (MZM) observed at the boundary of a topological superconductor (SC). In the presence of a finite tunneling amplitude we observe hybridization of the MZM with the quantum dot, which is manifested by a half-integer zero-bias conductance $G_0=e^2/2h$ measured on the metallic contacts. The low-energy feature in the conductance drops abruptly by crossing the transition line from the topological to the non-topological superconducting regime. Differently from the in-gap Yu-Shiba-Rosinov-like bound states, which are strongly affected by the on-site impurity Coulomb repulsion, we show that the MZM signature in the conductance is robust and persists even at large values of the interaction. Interestingly, the topological regime is characterized by a vanishing Fano factor, $F=0$, induced by the MZM. Combined measurements of the conductance and the shot noise in the experimental set-up presented in the manuscript allow to detect the topological properties of the superconducting wire and to distinguish the low-energy contribution of a MZM from other possible sources of zero-bias anomaly. Despite being interacting the model is exactly solvable, which allows to have an exact characterization of the charge transport properties of the junction.


Graphical applications are easier to use than their character-based predecessors, but they are also harder to construct. Today, most graphical applications are built by hand-writing low-level code that makes calls to a subroutine library of user interface primitives. There is little wrong with this approach in a commercial setting. However, it presents significant problems if a non-programming audience is to participate in designing, building and modifying user interfaces.
This thesis takes a new approach towards this problem based on a special-purpose specification language and on novel demonstrational tools. In this approach, the designers first use the demonstrational tools to specify user interface behavior. As they do so, a language-based specification is generated which they can inspect. They can then experiment with editing the specification directly, using a test-drive mode to observe the effect of their changes.
The thesis contributes to the state of the art in three aspects. First, its specification language, the Elements, Events & Transitions model, is the first user-level language for interface behavior explicitly designed to be used with demonstrational tools. Second, its demonstrational tools, most notably Grizzly Bear, cover an unusually wide spectrum of user interface behavior, and are unique in keeping their reasoning independent of the characteristics of any particular user interface toolkit; we also tested them in usability experiments. Finally, the thesis is the first to explore in depth how to best combine the ease-of-use of the demonstrational approach with the expressive power of the model-based approach.


Bioprocesses are appreciated as difficult to control because their dynamic behavior is highly nonlinear and time varying, in particular, when they are operating in fed batch mode. For this kind of bioprocess where the mathematical model contains many structured and unstructured uncertainties, we try to combine different intelligent techniques based on natural syllogisms of these techniques. In order to obtain a high bioprocess productivity it is essential to accord the benefits of the classical control strategy (i.e. the analytical determination of the optimum) with the subjective bioprocess characterization (due to the human expert) in order to diminish the on line information scarcity. The research objective of this study was to develop an appropriate control method for a new complex bioprocess and to implement it on a laboratory plant. Hence, an intelligent control structure has been designed in order to produce biomass and to maximize the specific growth rate.


STUDY DESIGN
Finite element analysis.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the role of biological fusion and anterior column support in a long lumbopelvic spinal fixation.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
Retrospective studies have shown that adding anterior column support isn't sensitive to construct failure, highlighting that posterior fusion quality may be a more important factor.

METHODS
Finite element models were created to match the average spinal-pelvic parameters of two patient cohorts reported in the literature: major failure and non-failure. A moment load was applied at the T10 superior endplate to simulate gravimetric loading in a standing position. Effects of three factors on the biomechanical behavior of a fused spine were evaluated: 1) sagittal alignment; 2) posterior fusion versus no fusion; and 3) anterior support at L4-S1 versus no anterior support.

RESULTS
Sagittal balance of the major failure group was positively correlated with 15% higher translation, 14% higher rotation, and 16% higher stress than in the non-failure group. Simulated posterior fusion-only decreased motion by 32% and 29%, and alleviated rod stress by 15% and 5% and S1 screw stress by 26% and 35%, respectively, in major failure and non-failure groups. The addition of anterior fusion without posterior fusion did not help with rod stress alleviation but dramatically decreased S1 screw stress (by 57% and 41%), respectively. With both posterior fusion and anterior support, screw stress at the S1 was decreased by additional 30% and 6%, respectively.

CONCLUSION
The spinopelvic parameters of the major failure group produced increased gravity load, resulting in increased stresses in comparison to the non-failure group. Simulated posterior "solid" fusion in the lumbar region helped reduce stresses in both major failure and non-failure patients. Anterior column support was an important factor in reducing S1 screw stress, with or without posterior fusion, and should be considered for patients with poor alignment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
N/A.


Primary closure of a wound with free flap requires minimizing the risk of infection in an effort to cover vital exposed structures. Careful patient selection, radical débridement of the wound, and an experienced microsurgical team are important for the routine application of this technique. Primary reconstruction of all injured structures is an extension of this technique that enables efficient management of severe upper extremity problems in a single setting.


Monosaccharides such as glucose, xylose and arabinose are the main monomer units of which cellulose and hemicelluloses are composed. The cellulose and hemicelluloses content in many biomass species makes them suitable for 2G bioethanol production. Today, when 1G bioethanol production is closely monitored due to its enormous consumption of food raw materials such as wheat or corn grains, larger companies are gradually moving to pilot operations of 2G bioethanol production. However, cellulose and hemicelluloses contained in biomass are only very slightly accessible to enzymes used in 2G bioethanol production. Therefore pretreatment methods such as steam explosion are very suitable to use for fractionation of cell structure. In this paper, we tested the cellulose accessibility. We compared the cellulose accessibility of wheat straw particles with wooden particles obtained from beech and poplar. Particle size was less than 0.7 mm. We identified the optimal conditions of steam explosion pretreatment at reaction temperature of 200 °C for wheat straw, poplar and beech wood particles. The main indicator of accessibility was concentration of monomers obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis. The concentration of monomer was determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The experimental results showed different accessibility measure for each type of biomass species.


The dissolution process of copper sulfate into water in a heterogeneous magnetic field vertical to the interface was examined from the viewpoint of the self-organization process of the nonequilibrium fluctuations. In a heterogeneous magnetic field, a material receives a magnetic force proportional to the product of the magnetic susceptibility, the magnetic flux density B and its gradient (dB/dz). As the reaction proceeds, a diffusion layer develops in the area where changing susceptibility is formed at the interface because of the dependence of the magnetic susceptibility on the solute concentration. In the case of a vertical magnetic field, a magnetic force is applied to the diffusion layer to induce magnetic force fluctuation and the resultant concentration fluctuation of the solute, which self-organize numerous convection cell. The cell pattern was then observed from the morphology of the dissolved copper sulfate pentahydrate crystal. As a result, it was concluded that the pattern changes from a roll-type to a rectangular-type as the magnetic flux density increases.


This article examines the introduction of evidence by one accused of the criminal disposition of another in a joint trial. Often such evidence is used by an accused to say that he did not commit the offence, the other accused did. The evidence is also introduced to show duress. The article examines the relevance of such evidence and its justification. Then it shows how the evidence is used in practice and what the appeal courts say about it. The next part examines the different modes of such evidence and their different effects. The last part examines the judge's discretion to exclude such evidence in the setting of the need to conduct a fair trial and direct a jury properly.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if pain relief provided by a wearable heat wrap (continuous, low-level, topical heat therapy) is superior to oral acetaminophen for primary dysmenorrhea.

STUDY DESIGN
A randomized, active-controlled, multisite, single-blind (investigator), parallel-design study compared an abdominal wrap to an oral medication (acetaminophen, 1000 mg) over I day. Pain relief (0-5) and abdominal muscle tightness/cramping (0-100) were recorded at 12 time points. At 24 and 48 hours, menstrual symptom-based quality of life was assessed.

RESULTS
Three hundred sixty-seven subjects entered the study, with 344 subjects evaluable. The heat wrap was superior to acetaminophen for pain relief over an 8-hour period (means of 2.48 and 2.17, p = 0.015) and at t hours 3, 4, 5 and 6 (p < or = 0.05). Tightness/cramping was less for the heat wrap versus acetaminophen over 8 hours (means of 40.4 and 44.5, p = 0.04) and at hours 4, 5 and 6 (p < or = 0.05). There was significantly decreased fatigue, fewer mood swings and less lower abdominal cramping (p < or = 0.05) with heat therapy.

CONCLUSION
Continuous, low-level, topical heat therapy was superior to acetaminophen for the treatment of dysmenorrhea.


This contribution presents the development of atomic layer deposited (ALD) In2O3 films for utilization as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) solar cells. The effects of ALD process parameters on the morphology and growth of In2O3 are studied and related to the electrical and optical properties of the films. Maintaining similar resistivity values compared to commonly used ZnO:Al (AZO) TCOs (ρ = (5–7) × 10−4 Ωcm), a superior mobility of μ ≈ 110 cm2/Vs could be achieved (more than five times higher than a ZnO:Al reference), which results in a significantly reduced parasitic optical absorption in the infrared region. Application of the optimized In2O3 layers in CIGSe solar cells with varying buffer layers (CdS and Zn1–xSnxOy (ZTO)) leads to a distinct improvement in short circuit current density Jsc in both cases. While for solar cells containing the ZTO/In2O3 window structure, a drop in open‐circuit voltage Voc and a deterioration under illumination is observed, the TCO exchange (from AZO to In2O3) on CdS buffer layers results in an increase in Voc without detectable light bias degradation. The efficiency η of the best corresponding solar cells could be improved by about 1% absolute.


This contribution gives a short introduction into the theory of anomalous diffusion and relaxation with illustrations from computer simulations of biomolecular systems. The theory is presented from the perspective of the non-equilibrium statistical physics, confronting stochastic models with exact results which have been recently obtained on the basis of asymptotic analysis. In this context, conditions for anomalous diffusion will be discussed and the Kubo relations for the fractional diffusion and relaxation constant will be derived.


Insights are provided by simple closed-loop models of human postural control. In developing a quantitative model to help us understand the postural control system, one might be tempted to capture as much of the complexity as is known about each of the subsystems. However, this article will follow the approach of Occam's Razor. That is, we begin with the simplest possible representation of each of the subsystems and only add complexity as necessary to be consistent with experimental data. For example, a control model with PD control and a positive force feedback loop provides a better explanation of the low-frequency dynamic behavior than the PID control model. Since both models have the same number of parameters, Occam's Razor favors the positive force feedback model over the PID model or any variation on the PID model that includes additional parameters. While there is some experimental evidence that positive force feedback plays a role in some aspects of motor control its contribution to postural control is unknown. Our model that includes positive force feedback represents a quantitative hypothesis that motivates additional experiments to confirm, or refute the contribution of positive force feedback to human postural control and to investigate the dynamic properties of this feedback loop. An important feature clearly revealed by the model-based interpretation of experimental data is the ability of the human postural control system to alter its source of sensory orientation cues as environmental conditions change. Our relatively simple models allowed us to apply systems identification methods in order to estimate the relative contributions (sensory weights) of various sensory orientation cues in different environmental conditions However, our simple models do not predict how the sensory weights should change as a function of environmental conditions or provide insight into the neural mechanisms that cause these changes.


Ambient air samples were collected at several locations in the community around a major Canadian pulp and paper plant over a period of several months, before and after major process changes. These changes, which occurred in the spring of 2006, included the closure of one of two Kraft pulp mills on site and the shutting down of a chemical recovery boiler and associated black liquor oxidation systems. The facility currently operates one Kraft mill producing both hardwood and softwood market pulp and a two machine paper mill with thermomechanical and deinking pulp mills. All ambient air samples were collected downwind from the plant in Teflon bags and analyzed for volatile reduced sulphur compounds using a gas chromatograph equipped with a pulsed flame photometric detector and a cryogenic trapping system. The frequency distributions of the concentrations of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), dimethyl sulphide (DMS), and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) were compared before and after the process changes. DMS was found to be the most abundant reduced sulphur compound in ambient air before the changes with an average concentration of 1.49 ppbv. After the changes, the average concentrations of CH3SH, DMS, and DMDS decreased by 28, 70, and 58%, respectively. The concentration of H2S was below its detection limit of 0.90 ppbv in most of the samples collected both before and after the process changes.


Groups of patients suffering alcoholism and narcomania were examined for the effect of intoxication on the blood serum enzymes of mainly liver origin: alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as on thymol test. It has been shown that in patients with the first stage of alcoholism one could observe only functional disturbances in the liver: the increase of ADH activity which evidences for the induction of its synthesis. In patients with the first stage of opium narcomania one can record total hyperenzymenia, decrease of de-Rimis coefficient at the expense of more considerable increase of ALT activity than that of AST, as well as the sharp increase of thymol test--these are the signs of destructive and metabolic disturbances in the liver. In patients with the second stage of alcoholism one can observe the decrease of ALDH activity under the increase of ADH, AST, ALT activity and high thymol test-these are the signs of toxical hepatitis. Destructive and metabolic changes increase in the liver in the patients with the second stage of narcomania.


Early surgical intervention remains the most successful therapy for melanoma. Despite better outcomes observed in soft tissue and lymph node metastases, the results of pharmacological therapies are still disappointing. Currently, there is no standard adjuvant therapy for melanoma. Low concentrations of coenzyme Q10 have been demonstrated in melanoma cell lines and in sera of melanoma patients. These data and the results of clinical trials of patients with other advanced cancers prompted this study of the long-term administration of an optimized dose of recombinant interferon &agr;-2b and coenzyme Q10 to patients with stage I and II melanoma. A 3-year trial envisaging uninterrupted treatment with low-dose recombinant interferon &agr;-2b (9 000 000 000 IU weekly) administered twice daily and coenzyme Q10 (400 mg/day) was conducted in patients with stage I and II melanoma (American Joint Committee on Cancer criteria 2002) and surgically removed lesions. Treatment efficacy was evaluated as incidence of recurrences at 5 years. All patients completed the treatment and the follow-up. Significantly different rates of disease progression were observed in the interferon+coenzyme Q10 and the interferon group for both stages. No patient withdrew from the study owing to side effects. Long-term administration of an optimized dose of recombinant interferon &agr;-2b in combination with coenzyme Q10 seemed to induce significantly decreased rates of recurrence and had negligible adverse effects. A survival study could not be undertaken owing to the small patient sample and the short duration of follow-up.


In this paper, we present a numerical investigation of a laminar isothermal plane two dimensional wall jets. Special attention has been paid to the effect of the inlet conditions at the nozzle exit on the flow thermal characteristics in forced convection regime. Two velocities profiles at the nozzle exit are used: uniform profile and parabolic profile. The system of equations governing the studied configuration is solved with a finite difference scheme and an implicit scheme, for numerical stability we use a staggered non uniform grid. The obtained results show, first, that the inlet conditions affect the flow in the immediate neighbourhood of the nozzle (core region) in which the flow is governed mainly by the inertias forces. At the established region the results become independent of the flow inlet conditions.


It seems probable that the time is past when we can group as due to a single cause or group of causes the numerous nosological types which in the past we called epilepsy, but which to-day we call the epilepsies, or epileptic syndromes. Our efforts, if they are to be ultimately profitable, must now be directed to the clinical study of the disease and to the construction of an adequate classification. Even in the smaller groups into which we shall divide the epilepsies, we shall find, in each, the result of the interaction of many factors, differing more or less in the individual case; in fact, the epilepsies are to be regarded as due to a summation of causes, rather than as a manifestation of some one single etiological factor. At present, epilepsies are generally classed as symptomatic and idiopathic (also genuine or essential). In the latter group are


Perioperative lung-protective ventilation (LPV) can reduce perioperative pulmonary morbidity. We hypothesized that modifying default anesthesia machine ventilator settings would increase the use of intraoperative LPV. Default tidal volume settings on our anesthesia machines were decreased from 600 to 400 mL, and default positive end-expiratory pressure was increased from 0 to 5 cm H2O. This modification increased mean positive end-expiratory pressure from 3.1 to 5.0 cm H2O and decreased mean tidal volume from 8.2 to 6.7 mL/kg predicted body weight. Notably, increased adherence to LPV from 1.6% to 23.0% occurred quickly with the rate of increase more than doubling from 1.8% to 3.9% per year.


In Response: We appreciate Dr. Grant's observation that smoking is associated with a decreased risk of melanoma in some epidemiologic studies. This is of note, as there is a well-established decreased risk of Parkinson's disease among smokers as well (1). Our study confirmed previous findings that Parkinson's disease is associated with an increased risk of melanoma. In contrast, the risk of most other cancers seems to be decreased, particularly those related to smoking. Dr. Grant suggests that the same mechanism that confers a lower risk of smokingrelated cancer in Parkinson's disease may also explain the higher risk of melanoma in these patients. Whereas this is an intriguing hypothesis, the nature of our current data does not allow us to provide biological explanations for the cancer pattern we have observed in patients with PD. However, as evidenced by Dr. Grant's comments, our findings may serve to generate questions about the relationship between Parkinson's disease and cancer that can be better explored by future studies.


China has experienced remarkable economic growth in the past three decades. This has resulted in sustained increase in consumer income, which in turn has led to important changes in food consumption. Notable changes include higher demand for food, demand for a more diverse range of food, demand for higher quality food, and the growth of away-from-home food consumption. Constrained by limited and degrading agricultural resources, China's ability to meet the changing and increasing demand from domestic production has been a concern for many. It has been generally held that China's domestic supply will not be able to meet the rising demand for food in the future. Not surprisingly, its future demand for food imports has interested many traders and government officials around the globe.

This report examines the recent trends in China's food consumption, with a focus on the period of 2000-2010. Insights into such trends should be most valuable in understanding this potentially enormous food consumption market. Such insights will help both China and food exporting countries like Australia to better understand how food consumption may evolve in the coming years and how they can work collaboratively to meet the rising needs for food in China.