Neutron stars are amongst the most exotic objects known in the universe; more than a solar mass of material is squeezed into an object the size of a city, leading to a density comparable to that of an atomic nucleus. They have a surface magnetic field which is typically around a trillion times stronger than the magnetic field here on Earth, and we have observed them to spin up to around 700 times per second. The existence of neutron stars was first proposed by Baade and Zwicky in 1934 but later graduated from theory to fact in 1967 as the first pulses were detected by Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, a then graduate student at the University of Cambridge. There are now well over 2000 neutron stars whose radio emission beams point at, and have been detected on Earth. We call these objects pulsars. Because of their remarkable properties, pulsars are very useful to physicists, who can employ them as precision timing tools due to the unwavering nature of their emission and of their rotation. Having an array of ultra-accurate clocks scattered throughout our galaxy is very useful for performing astrophysical experiments. In particular, precise pulsar timing measurements and the models that explain them, will permit the direct detection of gravitational radiation; a stochastic background initially, and potentially the individual signals from supermassive black hole binaries. Our models of pulsar behaviour are so precise that we are now able to notice even slight departures from them; we are starting to see that unmodelled variability in pulsars occurs over a broad range of timescales, both in emission and in rotation. Any unmodelled variability is, of course, detrimental to the pulsar's utility as a precision timing tool, and presents a problem when looking for the faint effects of a passing gravitational wave. We are hoping that pulsar timing arrays will detect gravitational radiation in the coming decade, but this depends, in part, on our ability to understand and mitigate the effects of the unmodelled intrinsic instabilities that we are observing. One important clue as to the nature of the variability in pulsar emission and rotation, is the emerging relationship between the two; we sometimes observe correlation on timescales of months and years. We have been observing pulsars for almost fifty years and our expanding datasets now document decades of pulsar behaviour. This gives us the ability to investigate pulsar variability on a range of timescales and to gain an insight into the physical processes that govern these enigmatic objects. In this thesis I describe new techniques to detect and analyse the emission and rotational variability of radio pulsars. We have employed these techniques on a 24 year pulsar dataset to unearth a striking new example of a dramatic and simultaneous shift in a pulsar's emission and rotation. We hypothesise that this event was caused by an asteroid interaction, although other explanations are also possible. Our variability techniques have also been used to analyse data from 168 young, energetic pulsars. In this thesis we present results from the nine most interesting. Of these, we have found some level of correlated variability in seven, one of which displays it very strongly. We have also assessed the emission stability of the NANOGrav millisecond pulsars and have found differing degrees of variability, due to both instrumental and astrophysical causes. Finally, we propose a method of probing the relationship between emission and rotation on short-timescales and, using a simulation, we have shown the conditions under which this is possible. Throughout the work, we address the variability in pulsar emission, rotation and links between the two, with the aim of improving pulsar timing, attaining a consolidated understanding of the diverse variable phenomena observed and elucidating the evolutionary path taken by pulsars.


In order to construct the in vitro cell culture model occurring in biochemical and biophysical environment in vivo, and to establish quantitative detection and control of mechanical properties of substrate, a low modulus material polyacrylamide hydro-gel (PAHG) was synthesized and used as the substrate material for in vitro cell culture. Using a modified tensile device based on the principles of buoyancy for balance out gravity deformation and by detecting the minor deformation with the aids of computer graphic processing software, the measurement of low elastic modulus (E) of PAHG was established. By analyzing a large number of experimental data, the effect of two key factors (molar ratio of cross-linker/monomer and water content) on elastic modulus was investigated, and the influence of cross-linker/monomer (d) on saturated water content (w) was also discussed. Mathematical model for d, w and E of water saturated gel in vitro cell culture state was built up by regression analysis of experimental data. Based on the model, the d for PAHG with a given elastic modulus in water saturated state was calculated and applied to the synthesis of PAHG. The results showed that the elastic modulus of thus-obtained PAHG in water saturated state is in agreement with the given value with a relative error of 0.025-0.12, suggesting that the mathematical model is applicable for the prediction of properties of low modulus materials.


The coherence time of a wireless channel is often smaller than the delay with which channel state information is available at transmitters. In this paper, we aim to find the most important subset of the channel state information that transmitters need to learn with delay. We characterize the capacity region of the two-user interference channel with local delayed channel state information at transmitters. We propose a transmission strategy that only relies on the delayed knowledge of the outgoing links at each transmitter and achieves the outer-bound for the scenario in which transmitters learn the entire channel state with delay. We also show that the delayed knowledge of the outgoing links is the minimum delayed knowledge that is required to outperform the no knowledge assumption.


The utilization of metal oxide nanoparticles, especially zinc oxide, is of a great importance in the medical field because of its physical and chemical properties as well as its antimicrobial potential effects. In our study, the ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the precipitation method where pH=14. ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Antifungal activity of the ZnO was tested against candida albicans. The results showed that C. albicans (15 samples) became resistant to the fungal activity after testing its sensitivity to several types of fungal antibiotics. UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, TEM and AFM showed that this precipitation synthetic method can produce a good quality of ZnO nanoparticles with sizes in the range of nanometer scale. In ZnO NPs (calcined), the inhibition zone diameter of C. albicans was 11 mm at a ZnO NPs concentration of 800 mg/ml, while no inhibition zones were formed at the other concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 50 and 500 mg/ml). Using ZnO NPs (not calcined), the inhibition zone diameter of C. albicans was 24 mm at a concentration of 800 mg/ml, while no inhibition zones were observed at the other concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 50 and 500 mg/ml). In addition, a toxicity test was performed on mice and proved that ZnO NPs are effective against C. albicans with a toxic effect on liver and spleen cells in rats. The aim of this research was to characterize the in vitro activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the precipitation method against C. albicans of human male pleural fluid using the well diffusion method as well as their toxic effects on both liver and spleen cells in mice.


Purpose: This article mainly aims to assess the level and identify the differences in terms of housing conditions of the EU population in 2008 and 2019. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was based on empirical data obtained from Eurostat, which were processed using basic descriptive statistics methods and taxonomic methods. The presented study required conducting empirical research to achieve the main research objective and to answer research questions. The empirical research consisted of two stages including unidimensional and multidimensional (synthetic) analyses. In the first stage of the research using basic descriptive statistics methods, the level and diversity of housing conditions of the EU population were assessed based on the analysis of selected indicators. In the second stage of the research, due to the complex nature of the studied phenomenon, the selected model method of construction of the synthetic measure was used for assessing the level and diversity of housing conditions of the EU population. Findings: The study reveals that during the period under review there was a significant improvement and reduction in disproportions concerning the level of housing conditions of the EU population. The highest level of housing conditions was observed in Finland, while the lowest in Greece. The level of housing conditions is significantly higher in the Central Western European and Scandinavian countries. Practical Implications: The results of the conducted empirical research are of both cognitive and applied nature to create an appropriate cohesion policy in the European Union. The implementation of cohesion policy in the EU is not possible without efforts to reduce economic poverty, including housing poverty. Therefore, it is of great importance to monitor the level of housing conditions in each country to create appropriate social policies. Originality/value: The results of the conducted research and of theoretical considerations included in this article complement previous research in the field of the assessment of living standards and housing conditions of the EU population.


Typical clinical features of nasal and paranasal sinus chondromas are discussed having in view 12 history cases. The authors give support to the concept that benign chondroma may transform to malignant neoplasm. Tumor relapses may occur if surgical intervention fails due to morphological abnormalities of the tumor. The tumor consists of lobules that may grow beyond the primary connective tissue capsule penetrating complex structures of the skull. Patients with nasal and paranasal chondromas need early and radical operation and a close follow-up with the purpose of detecting minor signs of recurrences and performing, if necessary, repeated operations until the tumor becomes incurable.


Propeller aircraft performance is greatly influenced by the performance of the propeller it uses. Thus, proper selection of a propeller for a given aircraft design at the early stages of the design process is fundamental. During the design of a new aircraft, simple yet accurate performance models are required to properly optimize the design. Significant experimental performance data of low speed, small propellers is available. The main objective of this work is to create and validate an analytical model for     the performance curves of a family of propellers tested at low Reynolds numbers, which can be used in selecting a propeller for a given existing aircraft design or during its design optimization process. This kind of propellers is more commonly used in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The model is designed in MATLAB® using a variety of regression techniques, such as the Least Squares Method (LSQ), applied to experimental data acquired at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), for seventeen APC Thin Electric propellers, and at the Department of Aerospace Sciences (DCA) of University of Beira Interior (UBI), for ten more APC Thin Electric propellers. The analytical model predicts propeller power coefficient and propulsive efficiency accurately for the family of propellers tested and can also be used for the propellers with dimensions close to those used for its development. The propeller performance data obtained during the experimental tests are made available the community to further increase the documentation on propellers tested at low Reynolds numbers.
Keywords: Propeller, Low Reynolds propeller performance, Propeller tests, Wind tunnel


Infection with the parasitic weed crenate broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) causes considerable yield losses in legumes grown in Mediterranean climates. Strategies to control the parasite must include the long-term containment of its soil seedbank. This requires a better understanding of seedbank and competition dynamics. Hence, we built a model of crenate broomrape seedbank dynamics and combined it with a model of broad bean (Vicia faba L.)-crenate broomrape competition within the simulation framework of the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM). Parasite seed production is modeled as a function of parasite dry weight, which is an output of the competition model. Newly produced seeds are progressively added to the topmost of three vertically organized seed classes and vertically redistributed by tillage. Seed viability loss follows negative exponential functions, with the rate of seed decay depending on soil moisture status. Effects of further external factors, such as temperature, are not yet included. Viable parasite seeds present at sowing of a host crop serve as input to the next run of the competition model. We quantified effects of environment, rotation, tillage, hand-pulling, and combined strategies on parasite seedbank dynamics and broad bean yield through multiseason simulations. Modeled responses compared well with previously reported field observations. Results suggest that only by combining several management approaches, such as delayed sowing, no-till, and hand-pulling, can parasite populations be contained.


The dynamic performance of continuous girder under the train in a series of speed is studied through examples, and the main conclusions are given in the following. The resonance mechanism of continuous girder is similar to simply supported beam. The vehicle wheel load forms regular moving load series, which induces periodical action and resonance of the bridge. The damping ratio of bridge itself has less effect on the amplitude at the loading stage, but significant effects appear when the load departs from the bridge. The count of continuous spans also has less impact on the dynamic coefficients, so three continuous spans can be adopted for calculation and analysis. Span and fundamental frequency have significant influence on dynamic coefficients of bridge structures. To extend the span of the bridge structure can reduce the dynamic coefficient while keeping its frequency invariant. The fundamental frequencies of different bridges are corresponding to certain resonant speeds, which calls for the attention in the design.


This paper explains a new tour-guide robot Jinny. The Jinny is developed by focusing on human robot interaction and autonomous navigation. In order to achieve reliable and safe navigation performance, an integrated navigation strategy is established based on the analysis of a robot's states and the decision making process of robot behaviors. According to the condition of environments, the robot can select its motion algorithm among four types of navigation strategy. Also, we emphasized the manageability of a robot's knowledge base for human friendly interactions. The robot's knowledge base can be extended or modified intuitively enough to be managed by non-experts. In order to show the feasibility and effectiveness of our system, we also present experimental results of the navigation system and some experiences on practical installations.


There is no doubt that the idea of place matters. Human beings have long been willing to fight and die for rights, symbolic and material, over both tangible and intangible places. However, the types of expression and performance that transmit and adapt ideas of place are less well understood than the brute fact of the enduring power of certain charged locations. That is to say, we know that certain places are significant but we are less sure as to the mechanisms of how and why they are made so. In addition, scholarly work in this area has tended to consider the literary and performative construction of place to always be bound up with these determinate locations rather than a variety of social functions. Literary engagements with the category of place, as this volume will demonstrate, encompass a wide range of uses. A suggestive but by no means exhaustive list of those that reflect the analytic content of this volume would have to include: political and religious legitimation, the construction of the significant past, the expression of agreement and dissent in relation to prevailing and emergent ideologies, and the transmission and adaptation of systems of socially significant knowledge in response to a wide variety of historical circumstances. Literatures of place, then, provide an extraordinarily rich source of information as to the ways in which human beings maintain and transform their understandings of not just the world around them, but themselves.


This paper describes two spatial distributed models based on one-dimensional (1-D) energy balance equation to assess land surface damage caused by a storm surge. IRS LISS III and RADARSAT SAR data were used to generate critical model input parameters. The model's performance was validated for the Orissa super cyclone storm surge, India.


OBJECTIVE
To establish a rapid method for isolating and purifying cancer cells from tumor tissue and for RNA extraction from tiny amount of the cells thus obtained.

METHODS
Frozen sections of the tumor tissues were prepared followed by rapid staining. Clusters of the cancer cells were isolated from the sections by micromanipulation technique and purified for extracting intact RNA that was subsequently assayed.

RESULTS
Clear vision was achieved by the staining of the sections. The cancer cell clusters were precisely isolated from which high-quality intact RNA was obtained as demonstrated by reverse transcriptase-PCR.

CONCLUSION
Micromanuiplation can be effectively used in stead of laser capture microdissection to isolate and purify targeted cells from tiny amount of tissue samples, therefore making RNA extraction possible in this context.


Fire is often considered as the most hazardous accidental event which may affect safety in the chemical industries. The fire damage may be thermal or non thermal. As examples, the fire plume may transport a variety of toxic effluents, which may injure the staff of the industrial premises and the fire fighters, as well as the inhabitants in the neighbourhood. Intense radiation produced by big fires may cause serious burn injuries and generate "domino effects" to previously non affected equipment in the vicinity and result in related phenomena such as jetfires, fireballs, BLEVEs1 . Moreover, polluted extinction waters while unconfined may greatly affect the aquatic environment. Although several ambitious projects were recently carried out in the field, there is still much work to be performed to get validated techniques capable of predicting (and keeping under acceptable control) the consequences of indoor and outdoor large chemical fires.


Resistant microorganisms lack the ability to respond to conventional treatment resulting in reinfection of endodontically treated teeth, hence a greater risk of persistent periapical diseases. Aim:-As an unprecedented shift towards herbal remedies, Morinda citrifolia and Morinda tinctoria , known for their high therapeutic value were evaluated for antimicrobial efficacy . Materials and methods:- Morinda citrifolia and Morinda tinctoria extracts at varied concentrations were tested against most common endodontic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, resistant facultative anaerobe, Enterococcus faecalis and resistant aerobe, Staphylococcus aureus and compared them with the conventional irrigants, 3% NaOCl using agar well diffusion method. The zones of inhibition obtained were measured and the results were statistically analysed. Results: - The antimicrobial efficiency of M.tinctoria and M.citrifolia was statistically significant at different concentration when compared to 3% NaOCl. M.tinctoria at 60mg/ml concentration has antimicrobial efficacy comparable to that of 3% NaOCl. Conclusion:- Results showed that both Morinda tinctoria and Morinda citrifolia are efficient in inhibiting the growth of resistant microorganisms responsible for endodontic failure. M. tinctoria has shown better antimicrobial efficacy than Morinda citrifolia which is comparable to that of 3% NaOCl.


In shallow rocky subtidal ecosystems in the western North Atlantic, outbreaks of the nonindigenous encrusting epiphytic bryozoan Membranipora membranacea cause defoliation of laminarian algae, facilitating a phase transition from native kelp beds to meadows of invasive algae. We quantified spatial (m [depth] to km [sites]) and temporal (hourly to monthly) patterns in the abundance of larvae of M. membranacea, and a morphologically similar native species, Electra pilosa, in relation to physical structure (temperature, salinity, density) of the water column in St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada, on 8 dates from September to November 2007. During the study period, the water column ranged from strongly stratified to well mixed, and cross-shore movements of water masses (wind-driven upwelling and downwelling) were indicated by shoaling of the isoclines. When a strong pycnocline was located between the 2 sampled depths (4 and 12 m), larvae of both species were more abundant in the shallower, warmer, fresher layer. The linear relationship between strength of stratification and the relative abundance of larvae between depths was significant over 2 temporal (hourly, weekly) and 1 spatial (km) scale examined for M. membranacea, but not for E. pilosa. Highest abundance of larvae of both species in the warm fresh surface layer suggests onshore transport during wind-driven downwelling events. Dissimilar patterns in size-frequency distributions between the indigenous and nonindigenous bryozoan larvae suggest that species-specific characteristics of larvae of M. membranacea may be a contributing factor to its success as an invader in the western North Atlantic.


The paper analyses the interrelations which link the mafia groups to the political, economic and professional spheres. The Mafia can be considered as a criminal organization that has a special political power. It is capable of political action, which is understood not only as the exercise of power, but also as the quest for power. Mafia needs to have a constant connection with sectors of the ruling class to ensure its survival. Mafiosi are subjects who manage to create linking bridges among dissimilar networks; and in this way stimulate horizontal and vertical cooperation with and among diverse actors. They tend to establish strong ties with the inside and weak ties with the outside. Through their relational skills, Mafia groups increase their social capital, which they use to extend their webs or to weave new ones. This creates ties of active support and provides the necessary consensus for their reproduction. Without the cooperation of outside subjects, the Mafia network would not find the nodes to weave its design. This network is a cobweb without spider, that is very difficult to discover and to disintegrate. The relations of collusion and complicity, particularly the connections with the ruling class, give incentives and numerous advantages, provide selective benefits and stimulate obligations and reciprocal favours.


Summary:The molecular diversity and demographic characteristics among 976 anti-HIV-1-positive heterosexuals attending 15 sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics participating in an unlinked anonymous HIV prevalence serosurvey in England and Wales during 1997–2000 were investigated. Subtypes were assigned by heteroduplex mobility assay or sequencing of the p17/p24 region of gag and the V3/V4 region of env and by sequencing of the protease gene. Overall, there was no significant change in the subtype distribution, with subtype C accounting for the majority (32%) of subtyped infections. Subtypes B (29%), A (12%), circulating recombinant forms (CRFs, 9%), unique recombinant forms (URFs, 8%), and subtypes D-H (8%) were also detected. Thirty-nine percent of infections in men were with subtype B, whereas subtype C was most common (38%) in women. Logistic regression analyses showed the relative risk (RR) of infection with a non-B subtype, compared with subtype B, to be greater in African-born individuals (RR = 28.9, P < 0.01), among newly diagnosed infections (RR = 3.4, P < 0.01), and in women (RR = 2.4, P < 0.01). These findings indicate a high level of genetic diversity among HIV-infected heterosexual STI clinic attendees in England and Wales. Recently, subtype C has become most prevalent, particularly in younger age groups, suggesting recent acquisition of this viral strain. The high proportion of non-B, CRF, and URF infections among UK-born individuals is consistent with mixing between migrants and UK-born individuals in England and Wales. As migration patterns change, continued monitoring of HIV genetic diversity will aid understanding of transmission patterns.


Using weigh-in-motion (WIM) and automatic vehicle identification (AVI) technologies may permit trucks with appropriate credentials to bypass the weigh station on the mainline traffic stream. This would reduce the number of disruptions to the mainline traffic stream and reduce the chances that an accident might occur. Characteristics of accidents on road segments around weigh stations [influence zones (IZs)] are examined and compared with those for accidents on similar basic freeway sections [control zones (CZs)]. There were significantly more accidents around weigh stations than on similar basic freeway sections, particularly during operating hours. Similarly, there were significantly more accidents involving trucks in the IZs than in the CZs. A comparison of the number of IZ and CZ accidents during typical operating hours, excluding animal-related accidents, indicated that the CZs had 38 percent fewer accidents than the IZs. This would result in 146 fewer accidents during typical operating hours around the 20 Interstate weigh stations when animal accidents are not included. When animal accidents were included, the reduction was 30 percent. This would reduce the total number of accidents during typical operating hours around the 20 Interstate weigh stations over 10 years by 129. Thus, a maximum reduction of 129 to 146 accidents could be achieved if the IZs were made identical to the CZs. These figures represent the upper limit of accident reductions. A model is developed to predict potential accident reductions around weigh stations at varying levels of WIM and AVI usage. The resulting model is an S-shaped curve, which should approximate the potential accident reductions as a function of percent WIM-AVI usage.


ABSTRACT Snakes represent a serious nest predator to birds. We describe detailed information about interactions between the White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) and a nest predator, the Cantor's Kukri Snake (Oligodon cyclurus) using video recordings. We observed a female White-rumped Shama defending its nest from a Cantor's Kukri snake by pecking at it when it came within 1 m of the nest. One snake was driven away without consuming a nestling. Two subsequent visits by a larger snake also ended with the snake leaving, but in each attack the snake successfully consumed one nestling. In comparison to findings of an immediate response of other passerines fleeing nests upon snake incursion and subsequent anti-predator attacks, the female shama in this observation attacked the snake predator immediately at its first appearance at the nest.


Electrically conductive, mechanically tough hydrogels based on a double network (DN) comprised of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PPEGMA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were produced. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was chemically polymerized within the tough DN gel to provide electronic conductivity. The effects of pH on the tensile and compressive mechanical properties of the fully swollen hydrogels, along with their electrical conductivity and swelling ratio were determined. Compressive and tensile strengths as high as 11.6 and 0.6 MPa, respectively, were obtained for hydrogels containing PEDOT with a maximum conductivity of 4.3 S cm–1. This conductivity is the highest yet reported for hydrogel materials of high swelling ratios. These hydrogels may be useful as soft strain sensors because their electrical resistance changed significantly when cyclically loaded in compression.


Adventure based counselling is a short-term experiential psychotherapeutic approach, which utilises adventurous activities and being in natural environmental in order to facilitate therapeutic change in clients. The present paper critically appraises the results of a qualitative study that investigated how clients with self-reported anxiety and depression experienced participating in an innovative counselling intervention with combined individual counselling with such an adventurous outdoor transaction. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, as described by Smith and Osborn (2008), was used in order record and analyse the experiences of four male and six female students who were treated at the Teesside's University Counselling Service. Interviewees perceived the counselling sessions as offering a safe therapeutic space within which they could unveil their anxieties and achieve inner healing, whereas the outdoor transaction as providing an experiential venue for achieving personal change. Interviewees felt that without the outdoor transaction the therapeutic significance of the counselling process would not have reached its full potential. Likewise, without the individual counselling, the outdoor transaction would just have an entertaining event and not a venue for personal change. These findings are discussed in relation to object relations theory.


Life-cycle assets management (LCAM) is promising for improving power system efficiency and reliabilities, lowering life-cycle costs of smart grid. This paper, after investigating assets management life cycle covering from assets procurement to retirement phrase, proposes an assets operation and management integrated system model, which serves such differential targets as LCC analysis and maintenance policies making based on life-cycle online and offline operational data integration. Further, some issues are discussed about system implementation without influencing upon existing applications. Finally, feasible technical solutions are proposed related to these issues such as data format translation from legacy data into CIM-based data, security concerns between different applications with time consistent constraints.


Abstract The present study examined the effect of various dimensions of child maltreatment (i.e., developmental timing of maltreatment, number of maltreatment subtypes, and chronicity of maltreatment) on methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group C, member 1 (NR3C1), and investigated the associations between NR3C1 methylation and child outcomes. Participants included 534 children who attended a research summer camp program for school-aged maltreated (53.4%) and nonmaltreated (46.6%) children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Results show that children with early onset maltreatment evidence significant hypermethylation compared to nonmaltreated children. Moreover, more maltreatment subtypes experienced and more chronic maltreatment are both related to greater NR3C1 hypermethylation. Findings also indicate that hypermethylation of NR3C1 is linked with a number of negative child outcomes including greater emotional lability–negativity, higher levels of ego undercontrol, more externalizing behavior, and greater depressive symptoms. Together, results highlight the role of methylation of NR3C1 in the effects of child maltreatment on the development of emotion dysregulation and psychopathology.


The aim of this paper is to propose a reflection on three concepts – translanguaging, inter-comprehension, inclusion – apparently unrelated to each other, trying to establish interconnections for the linguistic integration of migrant subjects, considered 'disadvantaged'. In fact, many widespread social representations and some L2 learning/teaching practices are opposed, in favour of mimicry and monolingualism, to any manifestation of diversity, plurality, non-conflicting coexistence respecting otherness. Instead, didactic practices based on the recognition of translanguaging and intercomprehensive approaches can constitute a concrete tool of inclusion.


ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the repeatability and radiographic accuracy of an intraoral paralleling technique to evaluate periodontal bone healing on the distal surface of the second mandibular molar (2 Mm) after impacted third mandibular molar (3 Mm) surgical extraction.MethodsIn order to estimate the variation in different radiographs, three replicas were made, each from 2 Mm, totalling 69 radiographic radicular longitude (RRL) recordings. One operator performed the periapical radiographs in a standard manner, utilizing a modified posterior film holder for the radiographic technique of parallelism, applied on the posterior region with the X-ray beam focused on the centre of 2 Mm. These radiographic recordings of the same region were obtained on three different and separate occasions, over a 12 month evaluation period after surgical extraction of the impacted 3 Mm. The RRL variable was measured and recorded three times by the same operator, with side-by-side comparison of three...


Trans-surface interaction addresses moving information objects across multi-display environments that support sensory interaction modalities such as touch, pen, and free-air. Embodiment means using spatial relationships among surfaces and human bodies to facilitate users' understanding of interaction. In the present embodied trans-surface interaction technique, a peripheral NFC tag array provides tangible affordances for connecting mobile devices to positions on a collaborative surface. Touching a tag initiates a trans-surface portal. Each portal visually associates a mobile device and its user with a place on the collaborative surface. The portal's manifestation at the top of the mobile device supports 'flicking over' interaction, like playing cards. The technique is simple, inexpensive, reliable, scalable, and generally applicable for co-located collaboration. We developed a co-located collaborative rich information prototype to demonstrate the embodied trans-surface interaction technique and support imagining and planning tasks.


The ongoing research on output and inflation tradeoff contradiction is what most nations' central banks are facing currently. After a long inflationary period, which started in  2001, Turkey has also become successful in overcoming and curbing down the inflation rate with fiscal and monetary policy measures. Although the general acceptance of output sacrifice for inflationary improvements is a common knowledge of today, the "Neo Classical School" of thought argues that market actors will not delay its expectations. The fundamental purpose of this study at hand is to comprehend the existence of output losses during the anti-inflationary periods between1990 and 2008 of Turkey.  In this study, time periods considered will be divided into intervals for testing the existence of output losses in the measure of sacrifice ratios. This study will be very exploratory, especially for the lived experience in the post 2001 period. Estimation of the study relies on the basic Phillips Curve hypothesis. Variables used in the research at hand are: inflation rate, output gap and public sector borrowing rate (PSBR). With the output gap, the intention is to measure the potential output loss. Sacrifice ratio will be measured as output loss, which is considered as a part of inflationary decline. Similar ratios will be calculated and compared for alternative countries. Relatively, a small sacrifice ratio for the post 2001 period of Turkey can be interpreted as successful central bank implementations. Italy's findings when compared to Turkey's results have the following parallel findings: if the sacrifice ratio for the disinflation period is positive, then the sacrifice ratio for the post disinflation periods is negative for both countries. Findings show that disinflation periods cause a restraint on the production of Brazil. Persistence coefficient for Brazil is much more on a lower level as compared to Turkey and Italy.

 Key words: Disinflation, sacrifice rate, monetary policy, output gap.


The number of natural catastrophes that affect people worldwide is increasing; among these, the hydro-meteorological events represent the worst scenario due to the thousands of deaths and huge damages to private and state ownership they can cause. To prevent this, besides various structural measures, many non-structural solutions, such as the implementation of flood warning systems, have been proposed in recent years. In this study, we suggest a low computational cost method to produce a probabilistic flood prediction system using a single forecast precipitation scenario perturbed via a spatial shift. In fact, it is well-known that accurate forecasts of heavy precipitation, especially associated with deep moist convection, are challenging due to uncertainties arising from the numerical weather prediction (NWP), and high sensitivity to misrepresentation of the initial atmospheric state. Inaccuracies in precipitation forecasts are partially due to spatial misplacing. To produce hydro-meteorological simulations and forecasts, we use a flood forecasting system which comprises the physically-based rainfall-runoff hydrological model FEST-WB developed by the Politecnico di Milano, and the MOLOCH meteorological model provided by the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (CNR-ISAC). The areas of study are the hydrological basins of the rivers Seveso, Olona, and Lambro located in the northern part of Milan city (northern Italy) where this system works every day in real-time. In this paper, we show the performance of reforecasts carried out between the years 2012 and 2015: in particular, we explore the 'Shift-Target' (ST) approach in order to obtain 40 ensemble members, which we assume equally likely, derived from the available deterministic precipitation forecast. Performances are shown through statistical indexes based on exceeding the threshold for different gauge stations over the three hydrological basins. Results highlight how the Shift-Target approach complements the deterministic MOLOCH-based flood forecast for warning purposes.


Artificial neural networks (ANN) have emerged with successful applications in nuclear physics as well as in many fields of science in recent years. In this paper, ANN have been employed on experimental nuclear charge radii. Statistical modeling of nuclear charge radii using ANN are seen to be successful. Based on the outputs of ANN we have estimated a new simple mass-dependent nuclear charge radii formula. Also, the charge radii, binding energies and two-neutron separation energies of Sn isotopes have been calculated by implementation of a new estimated formula in Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov calculations. The results of the study show that the new estimated formula is useful for describing nuclear charge radii.


Image processing techniques are widely used for the detection and classification of diseases for various plants. The structure of the plant and appearance of the disease on the plant pose a challenge for image processing. This research implements SVM (Support Vector Machine) based image-processing approach to analyze and classify three of the rice crop diseases. The process consists of two phases, i.e. training phase and disease prediction phase. The approach identifies disease on the leaf using trained classifier. The proposed research work optimizes SVM parameters (gamma, nu) for maximum efficiency. The results show that the proposed approach achieved 94.16% accuracy with 5.83% misclassification rate, 91.6% recall rate and 90.9% precision. These findings were compared with image processing techniques discussed in review of literature. The results of comparison conclude that the proposed methodology yields high accuracy percentage as compared to the other techniques. The results obtained can help the development of an effective software solution by incorporating image processing and collaboration features. This may facilitate the farmers and other bodies in effective decision making to efficiently protect the rice crops from substantial damage. While considering the findings of this research, the presented technique may be considered as a potential solution for adding image processing techniques to KM (Knowledge Management) systems.


Based on the fouling mechanism of polymeric ultrafiltration membrane, the mathematical model to describe the fouling process of polymeric surface active layer is established according to resistance equation, Darcy's law, convection-diffusion equation and dynamic adsorption equation. The effect of solution concentration on permeating flux is investigated by means of finite element simulation, and the validity of the research approach is verified. The reasons why the flow flux declines are analyzed quantitatively, which gives a vivid description of the fouling process.


BACKGROUND
Studies using the resource dependency theory (RDT) perspective commonly focus on one or more of the following environmental dimensions: munificence, dynamism, and complexity. To date, no one has reviewed the use of this theory in the health care management literature and there exists no consensus on how to operationalize the market environment in health care settings.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this review is to examine and summarize the ways in which RDT has been applied in empirical studies of the external environments of health care organizations. In so doing, we identify gaps in the literature and examine the extent to which previous empirical findings aligned with hypothesized relationships based on RDT.

METHODOLOGY
We conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature using a bibliographic search of PubMed and ABI/Inform databases. To identify all health care studies that incorporated the RDT perspective, the words "healthcare" or "health care" were searched in combination with any of the following words: resource dependency theory, uncertainty perspective, environment, munificence, dynamism, and complexity. We also performed a hand search of the reference lists of all manuscripts identified in the initial search to identify additional articles.

FINDINGS
Twenty studies were included in this review. Wide variability existed in the number of variables used to measure the environment, the environmental constructs measured, and the specific variables used to operationalizethe environmental constructs. Of the 198 tests examining the relationship between environmental variables and the outcome of interest, 26.8% resulted in findings that supported the RDT-predicted hypotheses.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
The RDT literature is limited to studies of hospitals, nursing homes, and medical practices. There is little consensus on how to measure or operationalize the environment in these studies. No previous studies have measured the environment for other health care settings such as ambulatory surgery centers, public health departments, or assisted living facilities.


This article focuses specifically on integral horsepower AC induction motors used in the pulp and paper industry. An analysis of the various winding stresses is presented. The different requirements for the two insulation systems are discussed (MG1-Parts 30 and 31 For General Purpose and Definite Purpose Inverter Fed Motors), and test results show the need for higher dielectric insulation when the voltage levels of Part 30 are exceeded. The differences between existing, rebuilt and new motors are also explored. To assist the reader with additional research, an extensive reference section is provided.


Levitation and excitation of shape oscillations for bubbles in water were demonstrated for the size range 1.6 to 12‐mm diameter [T. J. Asaki, P. L. Marston, and E. H. Trinh, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 93, 706–713 (1993)]. Novel methods of experimentation and analysis in the current research should complement experiments carried out in microgravity. Current research concerns the understanding of equilibriuim shape effects on steady‐state and freely decaying shape oscillations. These oscillations were studied with an optical extinction method. The measurements probe the surface rheology of the bubble. The experimental method has been shown to be applicable to saline solution as well as to degassed but otherwise untreated sea water. [Research supported by ONR and DOE GAANN fellowship.]


The scope of this paper is to analyze the articulation of the mental health services between the teams of the Family Health Strategy and Psychosocial Care Center by the matrixing process with emphasis on comprehensive care and case resolution. The subjects included 32 users and 22 family members attended in the matrixing in mental health, 46 health professionals from the Family Health Strategy and 15 from the Psychosocial Care Centers in two cities in the state of Ceara. It is a study of a qualitative nature based on critical hermeneutics. As dictated by the results, the integration of mental health services in Primary Healthcare establishes innovative approaches for shared psychosocial care between staff, family members and users. The matrixing activities in mental health ensure broadened access and diversification of healthcare to achieve comprehensive care. Case resolution is defined by the acknowledgement of the social conditions of demand by the teams and overcoming medication-based health practices.


(http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/02/11/therising-cost-of-not-going-to-college/sdt-highereducation-02-11-2014-0-01/) For those who question the value of college in this era of soaring student debt and high unemployment, the attitudes and experiences of today's young adults—members of the so-called Millennial generation—provide a compelling answer. On virtually every measure of economic well-being and career attainment—from personal earnings to job satisfaction to the share employed full time—young college graduates are outperforming their peers with less education. And when today's young adults are compared with previous generations, the disparity in economic outcomes between college graduates and those with a high school diploma or less formal schooling has never been greater in the modern era.


Current measures of well-being have most commonly been developed to measure well-being in a manner consistent with how it is conceptualized in individualistic, Western cultures. The Multidimensional Well-Being Assessment (MWA) was developed based on the multidimensional contextual model of well-being and is intentionally culturally inclusive. A non-random sample of 259 Koreans and Korean Americans participated in a study to examine the psychometric properties of the MWA. In addition, a number of demographic variables (e.g., gender, age, immigration status, and financial status) were evaluated to explore correlates of well-being. The MWA demonstrated robust internal consistency as well as strong validity with multiple measures of well-being and distress. Significant group differences in multidimensional well-being were found on gender, age, and financial status. Methodological limitations are acknowledged, and implications for future study are discussed.


The Remote Didactic Laboratory Laboratorio Didattico Remoto - LA.DI.RE. ldquoG. Savastanordquo is the e-learning measurement laboratory supported by the Italian Ministry of Education and University. It involves about 20 Italian universities and provides students of electric and electronic measurement courses with access to remote measurement laboratories delivering different didactic activities related to measurement experiments. In order to demonstrate the versatility for didactic use, the overview of some experiments is given. The didactic experiments summarized in this paper concern measurement characterization of instruments and communication systems, measurement devices for remote laboratories, basic electrical measurements, magnetic measurements, electromagnetic-interference measurements, and signal processing for measurement applications.


Volunteering motivations and patterns change over the course of a person's life cycle. This paper tests hypotheses about the relationship between volunteering and four specific life events—the birth of a child, divorce, widowhood, and the death of another household member. I find that having a child decreases a person's likelihood of volunteering and hours spent in volunteer work. Divorced males were more likely to volunteer and to increase the number of hours volunteered when compared to divorced females. Divorcees with children are also more likely to volunteer and increase the number of hours spent volunteering. Thus, gender and the presence of children in the home are important pathways to volunteering for divorced individuals. Overall, being widowed decreases the likelihood of volunteering and volunteering hours, but older widows tend to increase their volunteering activities. Having another (non-spouse) member of the family pass away is not related to volunteering.


ABSTRACT Objective The purpose of this study was to verify the presence of endothelial dysfunction and initial structural atherosclerotic changes in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Subjects and methods The study population comprised 31 diabetic children aged 6 to 12 years, divided into two subgroups according to the duration of the T1DM diagnosis: subgroup 1, with less than 5 years elapsed since diagnosis, and subgroup 2, with more than 5 years elapsed since diagnosis. The control group comprised 58 age-matched healthy children. Ultrasonographic techniques were used to measure the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries. Results Children with T1DM with longer disease duration showed significantly decreased mean values of FMD compared with those in the control group. No significant differences between the groups were found in relation to IMT. The FMD percentage presented a moderate negative correlation with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting glucose levels. Conclusion Our findings suggest that endothelial dysfunction may be already present in children with 5 years or more elapsed since diagnosis, even in the absence of atherosclerotic structural changes. The decreased vasodilation response correlated with hyperglycemia.


In his dissertation, Nathan Meershoek evaluates the effectiveness and appropriateness of Directive 2009/81/EC, which aims to strengthen the military 'strategic autonomy' of the European Union by liberalizing European defence industries. This liberalization is based on public procurement obligations for the Member States within the legal framework of the internal market.

The first part of the dissertation builds on international relations theories to evaluate the extent to which geopolitical power structures constrain EU integration and regulation of military procurement. This is relevant because exception to the Directive can be justified by national security interests. Due to the significant differences in the military interests of the Member States, it is concluded that the economic interdependence approach - inherent in the chosen legal basis within the EU's internal market competence - is unsuitable as a basis for regulating military procurement. In military procurement the military-strategic interests of the Member States are decisive, so decisions are mainly aimed at strengthening independence (or, in other words, sovereignty) and/or military interdependence. Successful European integration in this area within the economically oriented system of the single market is therefore unlikely.

In light of this conclusion, the second part of the dissertation answers the question whether the Directive was adopted on the correct legal basis in the EU Treaties. After considering the role of sovereignty in the division of competences between the EU and its Member States in the field of military security, the legal characteristics of the security exceptions in the EU Treaties and the substance of the Directive, it is finally concluded that the Directive was adopted on the wrong legal basis in the EU Treaties.

Based on the previous conclusions, the final part of the thesis provides guidance for a better regulation; first of all, by placing the regulation primarily within the intergovernmental EU Defence Policy. Based on five general principles - aimed at better facilitating sovereignty and interdependence - recommendations are given on how the regulation could be improved.


Data about movement through a space is increasingly becoming available for capture and analysis. In many applications, this data is captured or modeled as transitions between a small number of areas of interests, or a finite set of states, and these transitions constitute paths in the space. Similarities and differences between paths are of great importance to such analyses, but can be difficult to assess. In this work we present a visualization approach for representing paths in context, where individual paths can be compared to other paths or to a group of paths. Our approach summarizes path behavior using a simple circular layout, including information about state and transition likelihood using Markov random models, together with information about specific path and state behavior. The layout avoids line crossovers entirely, making it easy to observe patterns while reducing visual clutter. In our tool, paths can either be compared in their natural sequence or by aligning multiple paths using Multiple Sequence Alignment, which can better highlight path similarities. We applied our technique to eye tracking data and cell phone tower data used to capture human movement.


We present ultraviolet and optical spectra of the first bright spot (PA = 29 •) on Supernova 1987A's equatorial circumstellar ring taken with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph. We interpret this spot as the emission produced by radiative shocks that occur where the supernova blast wave strikes an inward protrusion of the ring. The observed line widths and intensity ratios indicate the presence of radiative shocks with velocities ranging from 100 to 250 km s −1 entering dense (> ∼ 10 4 cm −3) gas. These observations, and future observations of the development of the spectra and line profiles, provide a unique opportunity to study the hydrodynamics of radiative shocks.


Lysin-Motif receptor-like kinase (LysM-RLK) proteins are widely distributed in plants and serve a critical role in defending against pathogens and establishing symbiotic relationships. However, there is a lack of comprehensive identification and analysis of LysM-RLK family members in the soybean genome. In this study, we discovered and named 27 LysM-RLK genes in soybean. The majority of LysM-RLKs were highly conserved in Arabidopsis and soybean, while certain members of subclades III, VI, and VII are unique to soybean. The promoters of these LysM-RLKs contain specific cis-elements associated with plant development and responses to environmental factors. Notably, all LysM-RLK gene promoters feature nodule specificity elements, while 51.86% of them also possess NBS sites (NIN/NLP binding site). The expression profiles revealed that genes from subclade V in soybean roots were regulated by both rhizobia and nitrogen treatment. The expression levels of subclade V genes were then validated by real-time quantitative PCR, and it was observed that the level of GmLYK4a and GmLYK4c in roots was inhibited by rhizobia but induced via varying concentrations of nitrate. Consequently, our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the soybean LysM-RLK gene family and emphasize the role of subclade V in coupling soybean symbiotic nitrogen fixation and nitrogen response.


A new Fe-based alloy that can be cast into a fully amorphous rod with a diameter of at least 16?mm by the conventional copper-mould casting technique is obtained by partially replacing Fe with Co in a previously reported Fe-based bulk metallic glass. The preliminary thermodynamic analysis indicates that the Co-containing alloy has a significantly lower Gibbs free energy difference between the undercooled melt and the corresponding crystalline solid, compared to the Co-free alloy, reflecting the dramatic role of the Co addition in stabilizing the supercooled melt and facilitating glass formation in iron-based alloys. Here, a new criterion, derived from the classical nucleation and growth theory, is introduced to evaluate the glass-forming ability of Fe-based bulk metallic glasses.


The present study tries to investigate on the dynamics between the level of transparency of international treaty negotiations and the success of European Commission negotiators in achieving their particular political interests. Drawing upon an alternated version of Robert Putnam's two-level game approach, two distinct hypotheses are established. First, a low level of transparency of international treaty negotiations increases the amount of gains available to European Commission negotiators at the international level. Second, a low level of transparency of international treaty negotiations decreases the likelihood of ratification at the non-international level. These hypothesis are tested against the case of the international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations and the subsequent ratification procedure that took place between the years 2005 and 2012. Empirically, it can be confirmed that the ACTA talks' low level of transparency detached the usually intertwined international, supranational, and domestic negotiation levels and thus increased the political leeway available to the Commission, leading to a treaty text that reflected its tough stance on intellectual property rights regulation. However, the low level of transparency also resulted in the Commission's lack of information about the true nature of negotiation outcomes that were acceptable to both the public and parliamentary majorities. Indeed, following a lively campaign against the treaty that was predominantly coordinated via the internet and social networks, ACTA ultimately failed ratification both on Member State and Community levels. In a nutshell: When the debated issues are controversial and salient to the public, the European Commission is likely to fail reaping the benefits of international negotiation secrecy.


Perennial grasslands provide numerous agroenvironmental benefits due to continuous soil cover. In Mediterranean areas, chronic summer drought is expected to increase as a result of climate changes. Plant adaptations that protect meristematic tissues include dehydration delay, dehydration tolerance, and summer dormancy. Summer dormancy can only be reliably tested in plants not subjected to water deficit. Under summer irrigation, complete dormancy is manifested by cessation of growth in association with full senescence of foliage and induced dehydration of leaf bases. Incomplete dormancy occurs when leaf growth is partially constrained and associated with moderate levels of foliage senescence. Summer dormancy is under hormonal control and is induced under increasing photoperiod and temperature. Recent results show that drought cannot induce summer dormancy under early-spring short days, although a water deficit under late-spring long days reinforces it and could enhance drought survival. Dehydration tolerance and dormancy are independent phenomena. Summer dormancy has been correlated with superior survival after severe summer droughts in many perennial grass species. This trait has potential for improving cultivars able to meet agronomic and environmental goals.


A rootkit is a collection of tools used by intruders to keep the legitimate users and administrators of a compromised machine unaware of their presence. Originally, root-kits mainly included modified versions of system auditing programs (e.g., ps or netstat on a Unix system). However, for operating systems that support loadable kernel modules (e.g., Linux and Solaris), a new type of rootkit has recently emerged. These rootkits are implemented as kernel modules, and they do not require modification of user-space binaries to conceal malicious activity. Instead, these rootkits operate within the kernel, modifying critical data structures such as the system call table or the list of currently-loaded kernel modules. This paper presents a technique that exploits binary analysis to ascertain, at load time, if a module's behavior resembles the behavior of a rootkit. Through this method, it is possible to provide additional protection against this type of malicious modification of the kernel. Our technique relies on an abstract model of module behavior that is not affected by small changes in the binary image of the module. Therefore, the technique is resistant to attempts to conceal the malicious nature of a kernel module.


HIV-1 integrase (IN) is an essential enzyme for viral replication and represents an intriguing target for the development of new drugs. Although a large number of compounds have been reported to inhibit IN in biochemical assays, no drug active against this enzyme has been approved by the FDA so far. In this study, we report, for the first time, the use of the electron-ion interaction potential (EIIP) technique in combination with molecular modeling approaches for the identification of new IN inhibitors. An innovative virtual screening approach, based on the determination of both short- and long-range interactions between interacting molecules, was employed with the aim of identifying molecules able to inhibit the binding of IN to viral DNA. Moreover, results from a database screening on the commercial Asinex Gold Collection led to the selection of several compounds. One of them showed a significant inhibitory potency toward IN in the overall integration assay. Biological investigations also showed, in agreement with modeling studies, that these compounds prevent recognition of DNA by IN in a fluorescence fluctuation assay, probably by interacting with the DNA binding domain of IN.


The idea of Nietzsche (1882) that "God is dead" lies in the foundations of both American Civil religion and the political religion of the Soviet Union. The idea was perceived differently by two different civilizations according to their cultural and ideological backgrounds. The American perception imposed God as being something abstract from now on. Under God we can understand democracy, unity, freedom or civil rights. The political religion of the Soviet Union denied the acceptance of God even as something abstract bringing him a clear opposition in the face of Communism, where the state worked both as an institute of power and implemented the symbolism and morality of the religion. In this article the main differences between the approaches to Christian religion in the USA and USSR, together with the conception of civil religion of the U.S. and the political religion of the USSR will be analyzed, and, based on the historical-cultural approach, the major interpretation of the American tolerance and Soviet rejection in the early periods of the formation of both states will be viewed.


In randomly deployed networks, such as sensor networks, an important problem for each node is to discover its neighbor nodes so that the connectivity amongst nodes can be established. In this paper, we consider this problem by incorporating the physical layer parameters in contrast to the most of the previous work which assumes collision channel. Specifically, the pilot signals that nodes transmit are successfully decoded if the strength of the received signal relative to the interference is sufficiently high. Thus, each node must extract signal parameter information from an unknown number of received signals. This problem falls naturally in the purview of random set theory (RST) which generalizes standard probability theory by assigning sets, rather than values, to random outcomes. The contributions in the paper are twofold: first, we introduce the realistic effect of physical layer considerations in the evaluation of the performance of logical discovery algorithms; such an introduction is necessary for the accurate assessment of how an algorithm performs. Secondly, given the double uncertainty of the environment (that is, the lack of knowledge of the number of neighbors along with the lack of knowledge of the individual signal parameters), we adopt the viewpoint of RST which is well suited for such environments and demonstrate its advantage relative to classical matched filter detection method.


The following series of articles presents a new geometrical system of determining the lateral stability of aeroplanes. The method is intended to appeal particularly to engineers on account of two advantages: it is simple and rapid in operation, and gives a clear insight into the several factors governing the stability. Thus, whereas in the classical method stability calculations entail the drawing and analysis of quartic curves, the results are here obtained, and with greater generality, merely by the use of curves of the second degree. Furthermore, the effects of typical changes in design characteristics may easily be assessed with the minimum of effort. The fundamental analysis is essentially mathematical and follows the treatment first laid down by G. H. Bryan in 1911 and since developed by Bairstow, Glauert, Jones and Bryant. Physical explanations are included where possible to amplify the underlying principles.


The Best Chance for All was developed in 2018 as a long-term policy vision for student equity in Australian tertiary education. We argue in this article that COVID-19 has exacerbated the issues that the policy vision sought to address and has increased demands on and of post-secondary education. Specifically, we argue that the magnitude of the social and economic challenges presented by COVID-19 warrants holistic policy responses that enable the transition to a connected tertiary education system; one designed to deliver choice and flexibility for lifelong learners. A roadmap for this transition exists in the form of The Best Chance For All. The vision can be actuated through demand driven funding arrangements across tertiary education that are coherently aligned to optimise the performance of both the higher and vocational education sectors and are underpinned by sustained investment in equity outreach and support.


A patient underwent an uneventful pars plana vitrectomy with superior sclerotomies closed with 8-0 nylon suture. Four months later, the patient had a suture reaction presumably related to allergy to the suture itself. The signs and symptoms resolved after removal of the suture. Although similar cases have been reported after nylon sutures in cataract wound closure, this is the first reported occurrence of this phenomenon in vitrectomy surgery to our knowledge.


Digital techniques promise to be a major factor in future aerospace communications systems. Voice is cumbersome, slow and redundant, and does not make efficient use of the frequency spectrum. The digital approach permits the use of very narrow bandwidths, reduces redundancy and utilizes a constant loading factor. Selective addressing means that those not concerned with a message are not bothered by it, a very important factor in reducing distraction and fatigue of crew members in high performance aircraft. This paper describes terminal equipment developed for test and evaluation by the Air Force. The AN/URA-22 Control Monitor equipment provides for transmission of up to 456,976 different four-letter selective addresses, and recognition of individual, group and general calls, each of which can be any preassigned four-letter call. Remote switching is provided through the use of two mode characters, giving up to 676 possible combinations. The fieldata code is used. Mode characters and addressor call are displayed at the receive end. The AN/URA-29 Digital Data equipment adds message capability, using both words and alpha-numeric characters to provide three word messages, followed by up to 48 alpha-numeric characters in three lines of 16 characters each. Insertion is by simple push-button matrix and the message being composed is displayed. Received messages are displayed on receipt in plain language. The composed message is retained in storage until cleared. Operation of both equipments is explained in detail.


The article discusses the case of the Kol tribal people who have been working as bonded labourers in the stone quarries and silica sand mines near Allahabad, India. It analyses the conditions and factors that have been responsible for keeping them bonded for many generations. The article details and discusses a social intervention made by us to ensure sustainable freedom for these bonded tribal. The intervention focused on conscientisation of the public and government departments and also of the larger community. It sought to reduce fear of freedom of the bonded, and attempted to change their agency beliefs. It also focused on developing the binding and bridging components of social capital to improve their inter-personal functioning in order to strengthen the SHGs (self-help groups) which they had formed and also the Federation of the SHGs.


For Campydora demonstrans, which had previously been reported from Greece, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia, Moldova, Georgia, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the Azores in Europe, from India in Asia and from the USA in the Americas, new records are added for Slovakia, the Canary Islands, Iran, Yemen, Vietnam, USA and particularly for Germany, where C. demonstrans has been found at a total of 49 sites. The nematode was found in a wide range of habitats, with the majority being meadows and other grassland sites. It prefers light sandy or loamy soils, but shows no preference for warm or cold regions. Males were rarely found. The feeding habits are largely unknown, but Campydora is considered to be at least a "particle-feeder".


Introduction Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are major public health problems in areas such as London. Some 50% of those with HCV in UK are undiagnosed. Emergency Departments (ED) provide healthcare to those with no other access. A six week pilot project in Guy's and St Thomas Hospital ED evaluated the feasibility of screening for HCV and HBV in ED and success at linking to care. Method Patients having blood tests in ED were offered HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and HCV antibody (anti-HCV) testing between 15 February 2016 and 28 March 2016. Linkage to care (attending one outpatient appointment) via a one stop clinic for new diagnoses or known but disengaged patients was coordinated by a project team. The proportion attending ED, requiring a blood test and tested for HBV and/or HCV is described by demographics (age, sex, ethnic group, no fixed abode and area of deprivation). Seroprevalence estimates are calculated and weighted by age, sex and ethnicity distributions of the blood tested population with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We use logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (aOR) to identify risk factors for positivity among those tested, adjusted for demographic variables. Results 13 035 individuals attended ED, 5813 individuals received a blood test of whom 3262 (56%) had a HBsAg and/or HCV antibody test. 25 patients were diagnosed with HBV (adjusted prevalence: 0.46%, 95% CI: 0.29%–0.71%). Most were male (72%), aged 30 to 49 years (52%) or of black ethnicity (44%). Of the 58 anti-HCV positive patients, 32 were also Hepatitis C antigen positive (adjusted prevalence: 1.18%, 95% CI: 0.80%–1.74%). Most were male (75%), aged 30 to 69 years (78%) or of white ethnicity (75%). Having no fixed abode was associated with being positive for HCV antigen (aOR: 7.70, 95% CI: 0.17–3.50, p<0.01). We contacted 17 chronic HBV patients (68%). 10 were new diagnoses and 7 were known cases (3 were already engaged in care). 14 of those contacted attended one appointment and 12 were still in care at one year. 21 chronic HCV patients were contactable (65%), (11 were new diagnoses, 10 known diagnoses). 17 patients needed linkage to care (one already engaged in care, one moved to another hospital, one was end of life (unrelated to HCV) and one was a tourist). 10 attended and 9 were still in care at one year. Conclusion Opt out ED screening had high uptake with a high prevalence for both HBV and HCV. A simplified care pathway with rapid access to a one stop clinic facilitated linkage to care. Many new diagnoses were made in those who would not have otherwise been offered testing and we successfully re-engaged known but disengaged patients. We couldn't contact half of those diagnosed, particularly those with no fixed abode. Disclosure of Interest S Douthwaite Conflict with: Gilead sciences, H Evans Conflict with: Gilead sciences, S Balasegaram Conflict with: Gilead sciences, T Wong Conflict with: Gilead sciences, G Nebbia Conflict with: Gilead sciences


Macroeconomic volatility effect on labour market performance has been detected for OECD countries during the years of 1985-2011. Current research adds a number of improvements to the subject field. Labour market performance incorporates a large number of associative indicators rather than simple unemployment rate. Variety of performance indicators has been used in attempt to underpin the system mechanism. Advanced techniques are used for volatility estimation. Distinct volatility measures are used for exchange rate, inflation and interest rate series according to their stochastic properties. For long memory inflation series ARFIMA-GARCH models have been used, for interest rates that bare asymmetry due to Central Bank and market interventions QARCH, GJR-GARCH and PARCH models have been fitted. Exchange rate series have been modelled using ARIMA-GARCH and EGARCH. In estimation of volatility effect on labour market performance either random or fixed effects models have been used. Standard errors of the models have been tested and corrected for serial correlation, heteroskedasticity and cross-sectional dependence. For the robustness of the results panel time series methods have been used where possible due to its advantages for macroeconomics models (Eberhardt (2012)). Where use of these methods has been restricted by the nature of the models, Arellano-Bond (1991) and Bruno (2005) models have been fit. Hybrid (Allison (2009)) and Correlated Random effects models (Mundalak (1978) have been used where categorical variables have been included in the regression.


This study reported the method of stem cells transplantation through corpus cavernosum angiography surgery, to treat the animal model erectile dysfunction (ED), which constructed by high fat food for eight month. The used formula was mixture of umbilical cord blood stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells from animal. It transplanted that mixture cells by corpus cavernosum angiography surgery technique. After the first phase of surgery, transplantated with CD133+ mixture stem cells via penis vein once. The ICP was an effect evaluation method of the erectile response. Taken ICP detection for them, once three months. There was a process of slowly rising of the scores. Furthermore, there were significant differences in blood citrulline level between before and after transplantation (F=5.36, P=0.004) by analysis of variance. Observed the animal condition of clinical symptoms and laboratory indexes for 6 months. 6 SD rats of ED were in good health, without abnormal reaction or exacerbations. That approach had certain curative effect. It might be a promising approach to repair penile vascular endothelial cells and improve citrulline andnitric oxide cycle.


Frequency domain analysis of switched-capacitor and other clocked circuits including nonlinearities is a difficult problem requiring special attention. Conventional nonlinear frequency response methods are computationally intensive and time consuming for circuits with large transient components. In this paper, we present a novel technique for the rapid estimation of the nonlinear frequency response of switched-capacitor circuits. The analysis technique is formulated using a multifrequency sinusoidal excitation to drive the circuit into its steady-state condition. Then, the fundamental components are extracted using a frequency-directed Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) in order to construct the frequency response. The key steps of this approach include the selection of noninterfering input frequencies and the determination of properly scaled input amplitudes. In addition, a method is proposed to reach steady-state quickly and to detect the steady-state condition for use in conjunction with the multifrequency approach described here.


The male holotype of Hapalopus nondescriptus Mello-Leitao, 1926 is redescribed, illustrated and compared with freshly collected specimens from the type locality. The only difference noted among the holotype and the new material concerns the development of the subapical keel. Its taxonomic position is reinterpreted and discussed, resulting in its transfer to the genus Vitalius Lucas, Silva Junior & Bertani, 1993, and thus making the new combination Vitalius nondescriptus (Mello-Leitao, 1926) comb. nov. The female is described for the first time and the morphological variations in two males, born from the female used in the description, is presented and illustrated. The male differs from those of other Vitalius species by the palpal bulb with short apical keel and bifid tibial spur with narrow prolateral branch and almost straight retrolateral branch. The female differs from those of other Vitalius species by urticating hair of 'type I' having the region 'a' shorter than region 'b'. Hapalopus nondescriptus has a confusing taxonomic history, since the holotype specimen was also used to describe another theraphosid species (Cyclosternum melloleitaoi Bucherl, Thimoteo & Lucas, 1971) which was, consequently, considered its objective synonym. Thus, we consider it a clear example of theraphosid taxonomical chaos.


Mannopyranosyluronic acids display a very unusual conformation behavior in that they often prefer to adopt a (1)C4 chair conformation. They are endowed with a strikingly high reactivity when used in a glycosylation reaction as a glycosyl donor. To investigate the unusual conformational behavior a series of mannuronic acid ester derivatives, comprising anomeric triflate species and O-methyl glycosides, was examined by dynamic NMR experiments, through lineshape analysis of (1)H and (19)F NMR spectra at various temperatures from -80 °C to 0 °C. Exchange rates between (4)C1 and (1)C4 chair conformations were found to depend on the electronic properties and the size of the C2 substituent (F, N3 or OBn) and the aglycon, with higher exchange rates for the glycosyl triflates and smaller C2 substituents. Low temperature (19)F exchange spectroscopy experiments showed that the covalently bound anomeric triflates did not exchange with free triflate species present in the reaction mixture. To relate the conformational behavior of the intermediate triflates to their reactivity in a glycosylation reaction, their relative reactivity was determined via competition reactions monitored by (1)H NMR spectroscopy at low temperature. The 2-O-benzyl ether compound was found to be most reactive whereas the 2-fluoro compound - the most flexible of the studied compounds - was least reactive. Whereas the ring-flip of the mannuronic acids is important for the enhanced reactivity of the donors, the rate of the ring-flip has little influence on the relative reactivity.


The Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (or Boko Haram) like any other extremist/terrorist group, has been notoriously known in Nigeria mainly due to the terror that it has been unleashing on civilians in the country. It has carried out numerous acts of indiscriminate violence against civilians and government officials thus resulting in the destabilisation of northeast Nigeria. In terms of the impact of terrorism, in 2017 Nigeria ranked 3rd in the world after Iraq and Afghanistan.1 The Boko Haram's brutal war against the Nigerian state saw it become the most lethal terror organisation in 2014 when it caused some 6,664 deaths2, the same year that it declared a caliphate. In 2015 alone, the Boko Haram killed no less than 5,478 people, thus making it the second deadliest extremist group after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).3 Further, in 2015, the Boko Haram became internationalised when it pledged allegiance to the ISIS.4 Its indiscriminate killings have also given rise to a displacement of people in the north-eastern states such that many Internally Displaced Persons' Camps (IDPs) have been established in these states. Following its decade-long war of terror against the Nigerian state and its neighbours, Nigeria is now faced with an enormous security threat and humanitarian crisis, with the displacement of more than 2.6 million people.5 In fact, more than 14 million people in the northeast are in dire need of humanitarian aid.


: Mechanical ventilation with guaranteed volumes combines advantages of time-cyclic ventilation with limitation of pressure and constant flow, with volume control ventilation. This symbiosis allows to choose the optimal, stable breathing volume of the newborn, while maintaining pressure control. The review presents the principles of work, the main advantages and limitations of ventilation systems with the guaranteed volumes, as well as results and analysis of studies.


A review of field theories of the new phase formation kinetics is presented based on the microscopic approach. The evolution of the system quenched across the first-order phase transition point is described in terms of the supersymmetric approach (which equally represents homogeneous and heterophase fluctuations). The dependences of the order parameter, susceptibilities, nonergodicity and memory parameters on the external conditions and the quenching rate are determined. The critical degree of nonequilibrium and the anharmonicity value for the transition from dissipative to reactive regimes (similar to the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction) are estimated.


Introduction Vacuum devices are a safe and inexpensive treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) particularly when other treatments are not tolerated or contraindicated. Methods Chart review of patients attending specialist vacuum clinic over 2 year period was conducted. Data collected included outcomes with previous treatments and vacuum device. Results 55 patients (median age of 65 years) were prescribed a vacuum device. The median time from initial assessment at ED clinic to prescription of the device was 18 months. The majority had significant underlying co-morbidities: 25/55 diabetes, 23/55 CVD, 3/55 prostate surgery, 2/55 stroke, 1/55 spinal injury and 1/55 MS. All patients received prior ED treatment with PDE5i inhibitor and/or intracavernosal alprostadil. With regards to PDE5i, 43/55 reported poor/no response, 1/55 failed to tolerate, and in 11 patients a PDE5i was contraindicated. All 55 patients were subsequently offered intracavernosal alprostadil injections however 17 declined. Of the 38 patients who accepted, 27 reported poor/no response, 7 discontinued due to pain and 4 enquired about alternative treatments. On initial assessment at specialist vacuum clinic 32 patients consented to physical demonstration and all achieved an erection suitable for penetration. 36/55 were discharged after their initial vacuum assessment with no re-referrals. Of the19 reviewed only 1 patient discontinued use of the device and 6 patients continued on additional ED treatments. Discussion Vacuum devices are a well-tolerated treatment option in those who fail or are deemed unsuitable for other treatments. To date, reported outcomes have been excellent with only 1 patient discontinuing use.


Abstract Projects related to the European Language Portfolio (ELP) carried out at the Language Centre of the University of Trieste are concerned to examine whether and to what extent "can do" descriptors can be extended to courses in Languages for Specific Purposes. The project reported in this article had two aims. The first was to explore what is involved in transforming traditional course objectives into a "can do" format. We focused on courses in the Language of Tourism in the Economics Faculty (English and Spanish) and the German course for students of International Science and Diplomatic Relations. After determining which tasks were relevant to each course, we analysed which specific skills the students were expected to develop with reference to the proficiency levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Checklists of descriptors with examples and contexts of use were then presented to the students together with the official version of the CercleS version of the European Language Portfolio (ELP). Our second aim was to deal with the problem of continuity between language learning objectives at secondary school and university, and specifically to investigate how using the ELP can bring the two together. We carried out a survey of secondary school students who had worked with a checklist of descriptors for literary language, asking them about their perception of the ELP. Positive feedback confirmed that identifying and demonstrating the relevance of the ELP to students' academic or professional interests both enhances the perceived value of the ELP and leads to increased motivation for language learning.


Two years ago, in a study ("The BBC's medical programmes and their effects on lay audiences") for the GAC by the department of science and features, it was stated that "the responsibilities of this department, where medicine is concerned, are no different from those which apply to other scientific topics dealt with in our programmes." This tidy facade I thought to be a product of superficial reasoning. It takes no account of the connotations and imponderables in medicine or of the unique influence and immediacy of matters medical on the attitudes and lives of the lay public. The approach to medicine could not have been thought out. How else to explain "It is programmes that make policy, not policy that makes programmes" ?-a remarkable utterance by the head of science and features department at the Royal Society of Medicine in 1976. This slick thought-dampener, far from being concealed, was flaunted later before the GAC and was accepted. Presumably it is still dogma in medical broadcasting. My respect and admiration for the BBC are undimmed by the arguments you have published, which tend to focus on irritating superficialities. It is deeper, structural flaws that should be examined and corrected, preferably by the medical profession and BBC together. JOHN APLEY


This article contains supplemental Tables 1-2, and Figs. S1–S3. ABSTRACT TOR (Target Of Rapamycin) kinase pathway regulates various biological processes including translation, synthesis of ribosomal proteins, and transcription of rRNA. The ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6) is one of the well-known downstream components of the TOR pathway. Ribosomal proteins have been known to have diverse functions in regulating cellular metabolism as well as protein synthesis. However, so far, little is known about other possible role(s) of RPS6 in plants, besides being a component of the 40S ribosomal subunit and acting as a target of TOR. Here, we report that RPS6 may have a novel function via interaction with the histone deacetylase 2B (AtHD2B) that belongs to the plant-specific histone deacetylase HD2 family. RPS6 and AtHD2B were localized to the nucleolus. Co-expression of RPS6 and AtHD2B caused a change in the location of both RPS6 and AtHD2B to one or several nucleolar spots. ChIP analysis suggests that RPS6 directly interacts with the rRNA gene promoter. Protoplasts overexpressing both AtHD2B and RPS6 exhibited down-regulation of pre-18S rRNA synthesis with concomitant decrease in some of the ribosomal proteins transcription, suggesting their direct role in ribosome biogenesis and plant development. This is consistent with the mutation in rps6b that results in reduction in 18S rRNA transcription and decreased root growth. We propose that the interaction between RPS6 and AtHD2B brings about a change in the chromatin structure of rDNA and thus plays an important role in linking TOR signaling to rDNA transcription and ribosome biogenesis in plants.


This paper considers the rationale for using video diaries as a method of qualitative data gathering for research into students' experiences of higher education HE. In particular, the paper considers how video diaries have been employed for researching students' views and attitudes to their own learning and development. The paper examines the literature on the purpose of reflective video diary research as the method has moved beyond its initial primary development in medical research and specifically into their use in HE. The particular benefits of personal video-diary compilation are considered in terms of the autonomy of the participant. A methodology for employing video diaries as a research method for data collection is discussed within the context of three case studies with undergraduate students at a UK university. The conclusions highlight the unique value of participant-generated video diaries for researching the nature of the student learning experience in HE.


It has been suggested that household and family responsibilities may adversely impact the career success achieved by women. This paper examines the number of hours spent weekly on household tasks by male and female business school graduates. Analysis of variance and multiple regression revealed that the presence of children increases the number of hours spent on household tasks by all graduates, but the effect is most pronounced for female graduates. The presence of children adds from three to ten hours per week to the workload of male graduates and from ten to 20 hours per week to the workload of female graduates. Effective organizational initiatives and changes in expectations within families and society are needed so that graduates of business schools, particularly women, can accommodate the careers for which they have been educated as well as their household responsibilities.


Background: This study was conducted to determine the effect of 12 weeks of aerobic training on serum levels of vaspin and glucose homeostasis variables in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 20 women with type П diabetes (mean±SD: age 43.30 ±3.02 yr, body mass index 27.089±3.23 kg/m2 and body fat 29.46 ±2.71%) were randomized into experimental (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups. Experimental group performed twelve weeks aerobic training (3 times per week at an intensity of 75-85 % of maximum heart rate reserve). Blood samples were collected 24h before and 48h after the training. Data was analyzed by paired and independent samples t-test (P <0.05). Results: Results showed a significant decrease in serum levels of vaspin, fasting blood sugar and insulin resistance index (P value 0.001, 0.01 and 0.007; respectively) ) in experimental group and body weight, body mass index, percent body fat and waist to hip ratio significantly decreased in experimental group (P value 0.002, 0.01, 0.04 and 0.03; respectively). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that aerobic training along with decrease in body weight and percent body fat leads to significant decrease in serum levels of vaspin, fasting glucose and insulin resistance index, so can be considered as a complementary therapy method in patients with type 2 diabetes.


This article discusses findings from the literature and our own research related to the experience of the diagnostic process in mental healthcare, primarily from the perspective of patients, and it focuses on the benefits of collaboration. A common finding throughout our research is that, if a diagnostic process is undertaken, the majority of patients want to be actively involved and feel valued in it. This helps ensure that they find the process and the resulting diagnosis to be meaningful, informative and useful. We believe that collaboration could also mitigate some of the reported negative unintended consequences of diagnosis, including feeling stigmatised, labelled and disempowered. Our work has led us to conceive of diagnosis as having two overarching elements: the diagnostic process and the resulting diagnostic label. This article focuses specifically on the diagnostic process; we do not consider here the debate surrounding the evidence base for the validity of psychiatric classification.After reading this article you will be able to:
•understand patients' experiences of the diagnostic process•achieve a shared and collaborative diagnostic process with patients•reflect on potential barriers and facilitators to collaborative diagnosis in your own practice.None.


Intractable congestive cardiac failure, unexplained arrhythmias, changes in the cardiac silhouette and murmurs which change with position are all features which should arouse suspicion of a cardiac tumour. A case of intracardiac haemangiosarcoma of endothelial origin is discussed. The tumour presented as a pulmonary stenosis and extended into the right ventricular myocardium, causing a right bundle-branch block. At first the tumour seemed to be restricted to the endothelium of the pulmonary vascular bed, but it later infiltrated the interstitium and bronchi, cuasing dyspnoea and haemoptysis. After surgical removal of the tumour and reconstruction of the pulmonary outflow tract, the patient was free of symptoms for 14 months. However, rapid tumour growth in the pulmonary arterial system, lung interstitium and right ventricle subsequently recurred. Deep radiotherapy did not cause the tumour to regress.


Hydrogen, as chain transfer agent, effects on kinetic of propylene polymerization; consequently variation of hydrogen concentration leads to change final product properties and also activates site of used catalyst. This phenomenon is one of the most important process variables is to adjust the final product properties and optimize the operating conditions. This work has attempted to present a mathematical model that cable to calculate the most important indices of end used product, such as melt flow index , number and weight average molecular weight and poly dispersity index. The model can predict profile polymerization rates determining important kinetic parameters such as the activation energy, lumped deactivation reaction initial reaction rate and deactivation constant. The mathematical model was implemented in Matlab/Simulink environment for slurry polymerization in laboratory scale. The modeling approach is based on polymer moment balance method in the slurry semi-batch reactor. In addition, in this work have provided a model that calculating fraction activated sites catalyst via hydrogen concentration. The model was validated by experimental data from lab scale, reactor. The experimental and model outputs were compared; consequently, the errors were within acceptable range. KEY WORDS : Mathematical modeling, Propylene polymerization, Kinetics study, Hydrogen response, population balance Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2018 , 32(2), 371-386. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v32i2.15


A full view spherical camera exploits its extended field of view to map the complete environment onto a 2D image plane. Thus, with a single shot, it delivers a lot more information about the surroundings than one can gather with a normal perspective or plenoptic camera, which are commonly used in light field imaging. However, in contrast to a light field camera, a spherical camera does not capture directional information about the incident light, and thus a single shot from a spherical camera is not sufficient to reconstruct 3D scene geometry. In this paper, we introduce a method combining spherical imaging with the light field approach. To obtain 3D information with a spherical camera, we capture several independent spherical images by applying a constant vertical offset between the camera positions and combine the images in a Spherical Light Field (SLF). We can then compute disparity maps by structure tensor orientation analysis on epipolar plane images, which in this context are 2D cuts through the spherical light field with constant azimuth angle. This method competes with the acquisition range of laser scanners and allows for a fast and extensive recording of a given scene. We benchmark our approach by comparing disparity maps of ray-traced scenes against its ground truth. Further we provide disparity maps of real world datasets.


%'hen care is taken to prevent contamination, the superconducting transition temperatures of thin Al, Sn, Tl, and amorphous-Bi films are depressed by overlayers of Ne or Ar. For a given film, the ratio of the shift in T, produced by Ar to that produced by Ne is observed to be 1.8. The results can be explained in terms of a modification of the phonon spectrum by the presence of the noble gas. A simple model predicts the observed ratio of the effect of Ar to that of Ne and the relative magnitudes of the shifts for the four different metals.