The following article analyses the structural changes of the Polish agriculture, which have been influenced by the transformation processes. These processes have been caused and influenced by phenomenas of a various scope and impact, but from the point of view of functioning of agricultural farming a few major factors may be outlined. Amongst the mentioned factors one can find: price decontrol and liberalisation, which have influenced the processes of price and agricultural products realisation, international trade realisation, which have forced the increase of business competitiveness in the rural areas, liquidation of state owned and monopolized farming institutions, the lack of which has given those areas the push towards individualized entrepreneurship and finally the processes of the privatization of the social agricultural sector, which have caused the flux of land ownership but has also became the cause of potential problems for post-State owned agricultural areas.


With the aim to compare the cost of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis therapy with desease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for a 48-month period, were studied five different treatment stage based on clinical protocols recommended by the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, and then five therapy cycles. The analytical model based on the Markov Analysis, considered chaces for the patient continue in some stages or change between them according with a positive effect on outcomes. Only direct costs were comprised in the analyzed data, like drugs, materials and tests used for monitoring these patients. The results of the model show that the stage in with metotrexato drug is used like monotherapy was cost-effective (R$ 113,900.00 for patient during 48 months), followed by refractory patient (R$ 1,554,483.43), those that use therapy triplicate followed by infleximabe drug (R$ 1,701,286.76), the metotrexato intolerant patient (R$ 2,629,919.14), and final the result from that use metotrexato and infliximabe in the beginning (R$ 9,292,879.31). The sensitivity analysis confirm this results, when alternate the efficacy of metotrexato and infliximabe.


Inductive Wireless Power and Data Transfer (WPDT) technology has become a vital enabler to the globalisation of Internet of Things. Driven by an increasing demand for data within applications and by the need to reduce the devices footprint by transmitting data and power with the same antenna, power transfer efficiency has become a barrier to WPDT systems' performance. To overcome the limitations of power transfer efficiency, current research focuses on the design of efficient integrated circuits and does not consider the challenges of inductive antennas' design and system integration. Hence, current system integration methods used in industry to design receivers for WPDT applications still require expensive experimental benchmarking of antennas. This paper introduces a new framework for inductive WPDT systems integration that focuses on the design of inductive coils and tuning capacitances. First, this framework proposes a new planar rectangular coil inductance formula that achieves an average error of 11% based on the testing of one hundred of coils, which out performs the current state of the art. Then, based on a detailed electrical model of both transmitter and receiver of WPDT systems, our design framework computes the coils geometric parameters and tuning capacitances that will optimize the overall efficiency of the WPDT system. Unlike state of the art design approaches, the main advantage of this framework is that it does not require expensive benchmarking of inductive antennas to find the optimal antenna. Verification of our design framework was achieved through a comparative analysis for Very High Bit Rate 13.56 MHz RFID applications. Results indicate an improvement of more than 15% in overall system power transfer efficiency compared to current state of the art methods within a comparatively more cost effective framework. A sensitivity analysis provides an insight and practical guide to implications of manufacturing variances in component parameters.


The bottleneck effect on bidirectional crowd dynamics is of great theoretical and practical significance, especially for the designing of corridors in public places, such as subway stations or airports. Based on the famous social force model, this paper investigates the bottleneck effects on the free flow dynamics and breakdown phenomenon under different scenarios, in which different corridor shapes and inflow ratios are considered simultaneously. Numerical simulation finds an interesting self-organization phenomenon in the bidirectional flow, a typical characteristic of such a phenomenon is called lane formation, and the existence of which is independent of the corridor's shape and inflow rate. However, the pattern of the lane formed by pedestrian flow is related to the corridor's shape, and the free flow efficiency has close relationship with the inflow rate. Specifically, breakdown phenomenon occurs when inflows from both sides of the corridor are large enough, which mostly originates from the bottleneck and then gradually spreads to the other regions. Simulation results further indicate that the leaving efficiency becomes low as breakdown occurs, and the degree of congestion is proportional to the magnitude of inflow. The findings presented in this paper match well with some of our daily observations, hence it is possible to use them to provide us with theoretical suggestions in design of infrastructures.


A study was carried out at the Research Farm of National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, southeastern Nigeria (05 o , 29'N, 07 o 33'E and 122 m above sea level), in 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons to study the economic potentials of oil palm products and weed control on sustainable turmeric production and some soil physical properties. The experiment was laid out in a split plot treatment  arrangement in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Empty palm bunch treatments (0 (12 t/ha straw mulch, 4, 8, and 12 t/ha EPB) occupied the main-plots, while PBA treatments (0 (60N +13P +25K/ha), 4, 8, 12 t/ha PBA) occupied the sub-plots. Application of 0 t/ha EPB (12 t/ha straw) mulch x 12 t/ha PBA gave the highest average plant height, average tiller No/clump, total rhizome No/ha, SHMR and total rhizome yield. This treatment combination also recorded lowest total weed density at 8 and 12 WAP and returned the highest net farm income with a BCR of 16.71. Application of 8 t/ha EPB x 4 t/ha PBA  significantly improved soil BD (1.562 g/cm 3 ) and PAW (29.65%). It was concluded that application of 0 t/ha EPB (12 t/ha straw mulch) x 12 t/ha PBA improved the growth and yield parameters of turmeric, controlled total weed density at 8 and 12 WAP and is recommended for turmeric production. When the improvement of soil physical fertility is the only management objective, 8 t/ha EPB x 4 t/ha PBA is recommended in the southeast agroecology of Nigeria. Keywords : Curcuma longa Linn , ash, soil physical properties, turmeric and weed density


Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is used in a wide range of disorders associated with chronic hypoventilation. We describe the patterns of use, survival and predictors of death in Western Australia. We identified 240 consecutive patients (60% male; mean age 58 years and body mass index 31 kg m−2) referred for HMV between 2005 and 2010. The patients were grouped into four categories: motor neurone disorders (MND; 39%), pulmonary disease (PULM; 25%, mainly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), non-MND neuromuscular and chest wall disorders (NMCW; 21%) and the obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS; 15%). On average, the patients had moderate ventilatory impairment (forced vital capacity: 51%predicted), sleep apnoea (apnoea-hypopnea index: 25 events h−1), sleep-related hypoventilation (transcutaneous carbon dioxide rise of 20 mmHg) and daytime hypercarbia (PCO2: 54 mmHg). Median durations of survival from HMV initiation were 1.0, 4.2, 9.9 and >11.5 years for MND, PULM, NMCW and OHS, respectively. Independent predictors of death varied between primary indications for HMV; the predictors included (a) age in all groups except for MND (hazard ratios (HRs) 1.03–1.10); (b) cardiovascular disease (HR: 2.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08–5.10) in MND; (c) obesity (HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.13–0.62) and oxygen therapy (HR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14–0.79) in PULM; and (d) forced expiratory volume in 1 s (%predicted; HR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88–1.00) in OHS.


by SCOTT M. VIRGIL (Under the Direction of Audrey Haynes) ABSTRACT Political scientists have long debated how presidential campaigns allocate resources within the framework of the Electoral College. The debate involves not only how the resources are allocated, but also extends to the definitions and measurements of the variables involved in the prediction and explanation of these resource allocations. This paper argues that presidential campaigns allocate resources based upon a state's overall value within the Electoral College calculus. The concept of a state's value is derived from the interaction of two independent variables: a state's presidential election competitiveness and a state's Electoral College votes. The dependent variable (campaign resources) is operationalized via candidate visits. From a causal viewpoint, a state's value dictates how campaigns allocate resources (again, a state's value represents the interaction between a state's presidential election competitiveness and a state's Electoral College votes; this will be addressed more during the discussion of the model). The expectation is that as a state's value increases, so do the resources allocated to it. I contend that polls are a key component needed to measure a state's overall value.


In the next few years a conciderable number of new teachers of different categories will be recruited to higher education institutions. This will also coincide with larger and more heterogeneous student groups and an increase in national and global competition. At the same time, the economic prerequisites and demands for students' employability after university are becoming much more stringent. A good professional induction increases teachers' opportunities of succeeding in their professional development.In the book the authors problematise the higher institutions' mandate as the prerequisite for higher education teachers' work. They highlight the various aspects of teaching in the higher educational institution: lectures, seminars, supervision, examinations, online education and values. The book also addresses the higher education teacher's development and career possibilities and discusses the documentation of qualifications. This is the English version of Att arbeta i hogskolan that was revised in 2010. Teaching and Learning in Higher Education – Challenges and Possibilities is suitable for new and more experienced teachers in a higher education context.


The importance of studying mixed race in a global perspective is gaining momentum. The global economy, growing rates of immigration, and rapidly advancing information and communication technologies have brought diverse groups in closer contact in more areas of the globe, even those previously regarded as racially and ethnically homogenous. Intermarried couples and mixed race celebrities are often heralded in media reports as examples of a growing phenomenon where race, culture and color are argued to no longer matter, even when that is far from the reality. Amidst these widespread claims of a post-racial or colorblind world, the othering of certain groups and racialized discourse remains, and is often most clear in debates over the possibility or perceived threat of intimacy and sex with racialized Others. Mixing across established boundaries of race, ethnicity, religion or tribe is still dangerous, and these realities need to be studied globally. While countless academic studies and media reports have been devoted to investigating, documenting and/or explaining this phenomenon of mixed identities and relationships, many questions remain unanswered. Who can marry whom? What are attitudes toward "mixing?" How do the children of mixed couples identify? What differences matter? How are these differences articulated and what are the underlying reasons that these perceived differences matter, particularly when it comes to intimate and familial relations? And in an ever-changing globalised world, is there a way to understand the experiences of mixed people and families in a global context, or is there too much difference—different histories, different populations and different contexts to find common ground? Therefore this article will briefly review the current state of "mixed" research, why it is important to study this issue while highlighting the problems with existing approaches and emphasizing the need for a global framework for understanding mixed marriage and mixed identities.


Electric propulsion systems provide a higher delta-V for the same mass of propellant when compared to chemical propulsion systems due to their higher Isp levels. Many electric propulsion systems utilize cathodes as electron source. Hollow cathodes generate electron current through thermionic emission mechanism. In this study conventional hollow cathode designs are investigated numerically and experimentally. Considering the problems that are encountered with the conventional designs, a new hollow cathode design is developed, which is called coaxial hollow cathode. Operational parameters of the coaxial cathode are investigated experimentally.


The US Latino population, at more than 31 million, is the largest minority group in this country, and their numbers are expected to reach more than 96 million in the next 50 years.1 This reality, along with the health disparities faced by Latinos,2 highlights the need to promote research involving this population. As stated by the Office on Minority Health: "Hispanics/Latinos are disproportionately underrepresented in research activities. Without adequate and targeted research, Hispanics/Latinos are disadvantaged in policy making, resource allocation, program planning, and program implementation activities."3 A number of challenges must be addressed, however, when planning research involving Latinos.

First, much variability within the Latino population is based on country of origin and acculturation status. Two of 5 Latinos are foreign-born, and many born in the United States adhere to customs from their country of origin. The cultural variability among Latinos from different countries can affect health behaviors.4 Thus, we need to routinely assess Latinos' country of origin and understand its importance. Acculturation, the process of assimilating to the majority culture, has also been shown to influence health-related behaviors,5–7 and is affected by individual factors, such as a person's age upon arrival to the United States, level of education, number of years in the United States, and support systems. The environment into which one is assimilating can also affect acculturation. In the past, Latinos were likely to settle in metropolitan areas with already large Latino populations, such as New York and Miami. This strategy allowed Latinos to live in areas that already accommodated their culture and language. More recently Latinos have settled in smaller cities or more rural areas that do not have a large Latino community. Latinos in these areas may face difficulties in overcoming language and cultural barriers not encountered by those in more urbanized areas. Because of these differences, research from both urban and outlying communities is needed, and care must be taken during sample selection to make a project's results meaningful to different Latino communities.

Recruiting Latinos for research projects involves unique issues. Standard recruitment practices, such as recruiting from clinics or through mainstream media, may not reach a desired population. It is essential to understand the influence of language barriers, immigration status, and distrust toward the mainstream culture on recruitment. Misperceptions, poor education, and distrust regarding research must also be addressed. Minority communities might not want to participate in research because of past experience in which they have felt used, rather than engaged as full partners. Involving knowledgeable community members early in the research process can help overcome this barrier. The principles for community-based research articulated by NAPCRG8 are particularly relevant for research with and for Latino communities.

A final key ingredient is including qualified bilingual/bicultural researchers on the team. NAPCRG and academic health science centers should focus on how such investigators can be developed and retained. Some examples of developing centers of excellence for Latino health research include the University of Texas Health Science Center, which includes sites in San Antonio and Houston, and the University of California, which includes sites in San Diego and Los Angeles. It is noteworthy that NAPCRG is planning its 2008 meeting for Puerto Rico in a specific effort to make the meeting more accessible to Spanish-speaking countries in the Western Hemisphere. Look for a growing visibility of research for and with Latinos at NAPCRG meetings.


New data of Torrenticolidae Piersig, 1902 are presented in this paper from Wuyishan National Nature Reserve, P. R. China. Three new species, Torrenticola suptilisrostrum Gu & Guo sp. nov., Torrenticola spinextension Gu & Guo sp. nov. and Torrenticola wuyiensis Gu & Guo sp. nov. are described and illustrated in detail, and one new record for Chinese fauna is given, Torrenticola dentifera Wiles, 1991, which was originally described from Malaysia. In addition, an updated key is provided to all species of Torrenticolidae in China.


Transportation barriers are often the reason for the discrepancy in the employment rate between people with disabilities and others, yet little information about the transportation barriers and the needs of people with disabilities who are searching for employment is available. The primary objective of this paper is to share valuable information from a unique survey of people with disabilities who were actively searching for employment in New Jersey. The paper examines the role of public transportation in providing job access to people with disabilities and provides information and insights on the availability, use, needs, barriers, and perceptions of the survey respondents about different public transit modes. The paper also discusses the implications for agencies that provide transportation for people with human services needs. Research shows that despite the frequent use of public transportation by job-seeking people with disabilities, many of them are dissatisfied with public transportation. Although satisfaction with vehicle equipment compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act seems high, many individuals are dissatisfied with the level of transit service and environmental barriers between homes and transit stations and stops. It can be inferred from the results that a multitude of strategies will be needed to address the travel needs and barriers of job-seeking people with disabilities in the state. In addition to providing assistance with transportation for people with human services needs and providing insights to vocational rehabilitation counselors, the study will serve as a means for laying the framework for more rigorous research on the transportation needs and barriers of people with disabilities.


Abstract Previous studies on the association between legume and nuts intake and risk of breast cancer have mainly been focused on individual components of legume or nuts, rather than consumption of the whole food group. This study aimed to investigate the relation between legume and nuts intake in relation to breast cancer in Iranian women. In this population-based case-control study, we enrolled 350 pathologically confirmed new cases of breast cancer and 700 controls which were matched with cases in terms of age and socioeconomic status. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated block-format 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Legume intake was computed by summing up the consumption of lentils, peas, chickpeas, and different kinds of beans, including red beans and pinto beans. To calculate nuts consumption, we summed up intake of mixed nuts, almond, peanut, walnut and hazelnut. Data on potential confounding variables were also collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Mean consumption of legume and nuts among cases and controls were 14.7 ± 15.0 and 2.3 ± 5.6, respectively. A significant inverse association was found between legume intake and breast cancer (OR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.30–0.57); such that after adjusting for confounders, participants in the top tertile of legume intake had 46% lower odds of breast cancer compared with those in the bottom tertile (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.36–0.88). Such inverse association was seen among postmenopausal women (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31–0.85) and also among normal-weight participants (OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.29–0.82). In terms of nuts intake, it was inversely associated with odds of breast cancer (OR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.11–0.23). This association remained significant even after taking potential confounders into account (OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.09–0.26). The same association was also seen in premenopausal women (OR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.14–0.31), postmenopausal women (OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.13–0.42), normal-weight (OR: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.08–0.28), and overweight or obese people (OR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.10–0.71). Our findings on the inverse association of legume and nuts intake with odds of breast cancer support the current recommendations on these foods. Prospective studies are needed to further examine this link.


Although the empirical study of strategic nonviolent action has expanded in recent years, no current dataset provides detailed accounts of the day-to-day methods and tactics used by various nonviolent and violent actors seeking political change. We introduce the Nonviolent and Violent Campaigns and Outcomes (NAVCO) version 3.0 dataset, which assembles over 100,000 handcoded observations of nonviolent and violent methods in 21 countries around the world between 1991 and 2012. Researchers can use these data and their associated coding framework to (1) replicate or challenge existing findings about nonviolent and violent action; (2) to test or uncover novel insights about the dynamics of violent and nonviolent action; and (3) recode existing protest events databases to capture specific variations in risk and disruption across event types. In particular, scholars can use these data to better understand which types of lower-level interactions between dissidents and regimes lead to large-scale mobilization; which sequences of nonviolent methods are most effective; and which types of spatial and participation diffusion yield the highest likelihood of success.


This paper examines how contemporary interpretations of CEO leadership are influenced by folklore. The study utilised a constructivist grounded approach to examine the interplay between leadership and social context. The findings disclosed that New Zealand's colonial legacy transmitted via folklore contributed to the formation of an institutionalised interpretative schema informing CEO leadership. The social processes within this schema contain aphorisms that act to define the CEO role and how it is enacted. The study addresses an identified gap in the literature by providing an examination of the influence of context on CEO leadership.


Contributions to this study clearly support our initial hypotheses. It is observed, as expected, that the economic crisis has considerably decreased consensual behaviour in parliament. However, the nature of parties constitutes a crucial variable in order to explain the conduct of the opposition in the legislative arena better: since the outbreak of the crisis, radical parties have turned even more adversarial than before; whereas mainstream parties – who want to appear as a credible alternative to the government in office – have drifted towards more cooperative behaviour. Given the growing influence of the European Union on the legislation approved in response to the crisis, it was also expected (and demonstrated) that the traditionally pro-European parties would be more likely to cooperate on socio-economic issues than Eurosceptic parties. Finally, it has also been shown that timing also plays an important role in the opposition's decision either to support or to oppose the government: with opposition parties more inclined to contest the government's proposals when their chances of getting into power are higher, and vice versa.


Infectious diseases cause over 300 million illnesses and more than 5 million deaths each year worldwide. Understanding how components of the host immune system function to control disease-causing pathogens is critically important to develop strategies for preventing and controlling these diseases. With the discovery of innate immune receptors, we are beginning to appreciate the important role of innate immunity in the defense against infectious diseases. NK cells are a critical cell population in innate immunity, providing first line of defense against a variety of pathogens. NK cells mediate protection by direct killing of infected target cells and producing cytokines (mainly IFN-γ and TNF) that shape innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent studies have focused on the mechanisms by which NK cells recognize and respond to viruses, bacteria and parasites, and also the role of NK cells in modulating adaptive immune responses.


A consultant psychiatrist whose conduct as an expert witness in a murder trial was "outstandingly bad" has lost his High Court appeal against a decision by the General Medical Council to suspend him from practice for four months.

Mr Justice Ouseley said that Anantha Kumar's failings as a witness for the defence in the case of Andrew Day, who stabbed his girlfriend to death, were "many, serious, and dangerous."

Kumar, who had never given evidence at a homicide trial before, prepared a report after interviewing Day and reading his interview with police. He concluded that Day lacked the intent to commit murder and had a condition called intermittent explosive disorder.

The …


Two new genera and 17 new species are represented among the 31 well-preserved spore forms here described, all of which are trilete and presumably of pteridophytic origin. The assemblages differ from older Devonian microfloras of the Carnarvon basin, but resemble lower Carboniferous assemblages of the basin. They show marked similarities with assemblages of Famennian localities of the USSR. Some of the species are also represented in the upper Devonian of north Africa.


This study explored treatment adherence amongst young adults aged 17-21 years and 23-30 years with insulin dependent diabetes. The Self-Regulatory Model (Leventhal, Nerenz & Steele, 1984) was drawn upon and the aim was to examine the relationship between treatment adherence and three independent variables including illness perceptions, medication beliefs and perceived quality of life.

The sample included seventy-seven male and female participants who were recruited from four outpatient hospital clinics within the South of England. Thirty-seven participants were aged between 17-21 years and thirty-nine aged between 23-30 years. Self reported measures of treatment adherence and haemoglobin blood test results revealed that many participants were struggling to maintain good glycaemic control. Furthermore, significant differences between age groups were revealed within self report adherence measures with the younger age group reporting greater non adherence to glucose testing and diet.

A non parametric correlation design was used to determine whether there was a relationship within each age group between measures of treatment adherence and the independent variables. No relationship was found between Illness perceptions and treatment adherence, although medication beliefs were associated with insulin misuse concerning weight control within the younger age group only. Furthermore, positive associations were found between quality of life measure, insulin adherence and glycaemic control within both age groups.

The results are discussed in relation to the Self Regulatory Model and it is suggested that the association between quality of life and treatment adherence requires further exploration. Future research proposals are outlined and the clinical implications of this study are discussed in some depth.


In this work, dedicated to Shafi Goldwasser, we consider a relaxation of the notion of pseudodeterministic algorithms, which was put forward by Gat and Goldwasser ( ECCC , TR11–136, 2011). Pseudodeterministic algorithms are randomized algorithms that solve search problems by almost always providing the same canonical solution (per each input). Multi-pseudodeterministic algorithms relax the former notion by allowing the algorithms to output one of a bounded number of canonical solutions (per each input). We show that efficient multi-pseudodeterministic algorithms can solve natural problems that are not solveable by efficient pseudodeterministic algorithms, present a composition theorem regarding multi-pseudodeterministic algorithms, and relate them to other known notions.


Abstract : As an instructor for the Air Force Institute of Technology's Intermediate Project Management class (IPM 301), I sometimes hear students express deep frustration with their seeming inability to make any positive progress on their programs. In a recent presentation, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Ward fielded several questions from junior program managers (PMs) about what they could do to make a difference in their programs. Wards responses echoed good advice I received during my career, which I was inspired to share.


In this era of rising focus on the social and environmental costs and benefits of mining operations, the valuation methodologies used to assess such impacts become increasingly important. Within an industry dominated by an engineering culture that places emphasis on net present value (NPV) calculations using high discount rates, difficulties often arise when attempting to justify projects with longer-term, harder to quantify benefits. This is particularly so when these benefits fall in the social and environmental domains and involve other stakeholders. In this paper, we summarise the results of a recent literature review on this subject, which focused on the valuation of 'Beyond Compliance' initiatives in the mining sector. We discuss a range of approaches including the quantification of hidden internal costs, financial methods of incorporating risk into calculations, the integration of quantitative and qualitative information, and also the valuation of 'externalities' or costs and benefits borne by others. We then use a series of examples relating to the management of water in the minerals industry to illustrate how some of these approaches could be applied. There are high-level commitments from both individual companies and groups such as the ICMM to incorporate sustainable development criteria into decision-making processes within the industry. We conclude the paper by arguing that, to meet these commitments, there is a need for the industry to adopt a broader range of valuation methodologies than appears to be the case at present.


Objective The aim of this work was to determine the impact of vaccination on the dynamics of mortality and the contribution of vaccine preventable infections to the structure of total infectious mortality of the population of Ukraine over the past 50 years to develop a more effective system of surveillance for this group of infections. Introduction Infectious diseases are still the cause of a large number of deaths in Ukraine. Analysis of infectious mortality allows the study of the dynamics of diseases that pose the greatest danger. In particular, those that are vaccine-preventable and suggest more effective methods for organizing an epidemic surveillance system. Methods This work describes a retrospective population epidemiological study. The material for the statistical analysis was taken from the statistical form C-8 "Distribution of deceased by sex, age groups and causes of death" of the Ukrainian Center for Disease Control and Monitoring of the MoH of Ukraine for the period 1965-2015. This work analyzed the mortality dynamics of 1965, 1991 and 2015, which correspond to the firstly achieved 90-95% vaccination coverage against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and poliomyelitis (1965), the first year of Ukraine's independence (1991), after its separation from the Soviet Union and the end of the study period (2015). Results Our data shows the difference in the number of deaths from all vaccine-preventable and non-vaccine-preventable infections in 1965, 1991 and 2015 among the total population, children aged 0-14 years and in the age group 15 years and older. We also have data on the proportion of some infections in the nosological structure and total infectious mortality. The proportion of all infectious diseases decreased in the total number of deaths from 7.47% in 1965 to 1.53% in 1991 and 2.51% in 2015. The proportion of deaths from all infections was significantly higher in the overall structure of child mortality. It was 39.4% in 1965 and 7.25% in 2015. Almost the same decrease of proportion is demonstrated by all non-vaccine-preventable infections. The proportion of all vaccine-preventable infections (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, tuberculosis) in the total number of deaths decreased from 3.77% in 1965 to 0.85% in 2015. The decrease in the proportion of children deaths from vaccine-preventable infections was from 2.12% in 1965 to 0.35% in 2015. There is a 2.6-fold decrease in the total number of deaths from all vaccine-preventable infections among the general population, but for the children's population the reduction rate in 2015 compared to 1965 was 31.2 times. In the context of infant infectious mortality, vaccine-preventable infections (inclusive of tuberculosis) were 5.39% in 1965 and 4.8% in 2015. Potentially vaccine-preventable infections (pneumonia, meningococcal infection, influenza and other acute upper respiratory infections) demonstrated a child mortality rate of 80.52% in 1965 and 60.17% in 2015, and the number of deaths from these infections among children in 2015 was 37.3 times less than in 1965. Conclusions Collection of data on infectious diseases mortality should be included into the epidemiological surveillance system. Decrease in mortality from non-vaccine-preventable infections may indicate a significant impact of natural, demographic and economic factors that can influence the decrease in mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases too. In Ukraine, vaccination of certain infections certainly had and in the future will also have an important value for controlling infectious incidence and mortality. Moreover, vaccination continues to be the most accessible and effective intervention for achieving global or regional eradication of infections.


ABSTRACT The development of a new method to measure a behavioral shape property of sand grains is presented. This property "rollability" is related to the angle of slope on which a grain will roll down in air. It is measured on the inside of a slightly inclined revolving cylinder mantle. The grains emerge from the lower end of the cylinder and the time it takes them to reach this lower end is a measure for their rollability. The property "rollability" correlates well with the influence of grain shape in other processes such as settling in water. The rollability is measured on phi sieve fractions. The measurements are transferred to relative rollability values. For a certain area, the mean of all the rollability values is calculated per sieve fraction and the individual measurements are expressed as percentile deviations of this mean value. In this way, the strong influence of the source of the material on the shape characteristics is largely excluded and the observed shape differences between samples can be attributed exclusively to shape sorting phenomena. This facilitates the comparison between sediments of same depositional circumstances but different s urce. Per sample, graphs are plotted which show the distribution of the relative rollability values over the size fractions. This property is called the Shape Distribution Character (S.D.C.). It appears to be characteristic for the mode of origin. Shape selection phenomena are best understood in connection with Kuenen's deposit-repository concept. When a population is split by a transport mechanism into two (or more) different populations, these populations have complementary characteristics as regards size, shape and density. Such a twin relationship comes out very clearly in the S.D.C.'s of the deposit and its repository. Examples are shown of such genetic relationships in the complementary character of the shallow off-shore zone with the beach, the beach and adjoining dunes, and the eolian cover sands with the areas from which the sands have been blown out.


To improve the reliability of numerical simulations, hydraulic experiments and numerical simulations of 3-D and plane 2D models in the case of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station site were carried out. The hydraulic experiments were conducted using a 28 m long and 11 m wide plane test tank. The scale of models was 1/150. As the results of the hydraulic experiments, tsunami flowed into the site in the state of jet flow. When the high velocity flow dashed against the front of a structure, the water level went up higher than the maximum water head. As the results of the numerical simulations, the 3D and plane 2-D models reproduced the hydraulic experiments reasonably well. However, in case that the high velocity flow dashed against the front of a structure, the 3-D model showed more accurate results of water level wave pattern.


Phosphorus in situ doped (Si1-yCy) films (SiC:P) with substitutional carbon concentration of 1.7% and 2.1% were selectively grown in the source and drain regions of double-gate -oriented (110)-sidewall FinFETs to induce tensile strain in the silicon channel. In situ doping removes the need for a high-temperature spike anneal for source/drain (S/D) dopant activation and thus preserves the carbon substitutionality in the SiC:P films as grown. A strain-induced enhancement of 15% and 22% was obtained for n-channel FinFETs with 1.7% and 2.1% carbon incorporated in the S/D, respectively.


Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) is classified among the site-based Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and consists of hollow insulation blocks and cast in-situ concrete. ICF construction elements can achieve very low U-values and high levels of air-tightness. The aim of the study was to examine the inconsistency in the simulation results provided by five widely used Building Performance Simulation (BPS) tools when calculating the energy consumption and the thermal performance of ICF. Moreover, the paper aims to analyse the energy consumption of ICF when compared to low and high thermal mass construction methods. The results indicate that there is a divergence in the BPS predictions, which is more noticeable in the annual and peak heating demand. Moreover, simulation predictions indicate that the ICF building has the potential to reduce the annual and peak energy use significantly, when compared to a lightweight structure, but consumes slightly increased energy compared to a high mass building.


The western United States is vulnerable to socioeconomic disruption due to extreme winter precipitation and floods. Traditionally, forecasts of precipitation and river discharge provide the basis for preparations. Herein we show that earlier event awareness may be possible through use of horizontal water vapor transport (integrated vapor transport (IVT)) forecasts. Applying the potential predictability concept to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction global ensemble reforecasts, across 31 winters, IVT is found to be more predictable than precipitation. IVT ensemble forecasts with the smallest spreads (least forecast uncertainty) are associated with initiation states with anomalously high geopotential heights south of Alaska, a setup conducive for anticyclonic conditions and weak IVT into the western United States. IVT ensemble forecasts with the greatest spreads (most forecast uncertainty) have initiation states with anomalously low geopotential heights south of Alaska and correspond to atmospheric rivers. The greater IVT predictability could provide warnings of impending storminess with additional lead times for hydrometeorological applications.


We present a protocol to test a new surgical procedure for the treatment of patients with diffuse lung emphysema who, after having received the golden standard treatment (pulmonary rehabilitation), continue to present respiratory failure with disabling dyspnea. Ten patients with severe lung hyperinflation will be evaluated. The method proposed is designed to create alternative expiratory passages for air trapped in the emphysematous lung by draining the lung parenchyma, thereby establishing communication between the alveoli and the external environment. The ten patients selected will be required to meet the inclusion criteria and to give written informed consent. Those ten patients will be included in the study pending the approval of the Ethics in Research Committee of the São Paulo Santa Casa School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. The protocol we will employ in order to evaluate the proposed procedure is feasible and will show whether debilitated patients suffering from diffuse pulmonary emphysema can benefit from this procedure, which could represent an alternative to lung transplant or lung volume reduction surgery, the only options currently available.


Investigates current research activities in public library services. Draws from interviews with 20 chief librarians. Findings reinforce earlier perceptions and data about research activities in the sector. Analysis explores factors such as research purpose, role of corporate strategy, limitations imposed by lack of suitably trained staff, support and funding. Presents evidence that research activity and method is largely confined to "simpler" issues of operational service development and does not extend to "harder" research questions addressing the social and economic impact of the service. Concludes that the restricted research capacity may endanger the realisation of the strategic potential of the service.


The inverse problem of fractal compression amounts to determining a contractive operator such that the corresponding fixed point approximates a given target function. The standard method based on the collage coding strategy is known to represent a suboptimal method. Why does one not search for optimal fractal codes? We will prove that optimal fractal coding, when considered as a discrete optimization problem, constitutes an NP-hard problem, Le., it cannot be solved in a practical amount of time. Nevertheless, when the fractal code parameters are allowed to vary continuously, we show that one is able to improve on collage coding by fine-tuning some of the fractal code parameters with the help of differentiable methods. The differentiability of the attractor as a function of its luminance paranleters is established. We also comment on the approximating behavior of collage coding, state a lower bound for the optimal attractor error, and outline an annealing scheme for improved fractal coding.


An axially symmetric TE/sub 01/spl delta// mode of a parallel plate dielectric resonator is studied for investigating effects of the film thickness (t) of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) films on the mode resonant frequency (f/sub 0/). A sapphire-loaded cylindrical cavity resonator with YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// (YBCO) endplates and mode f/sub 0/ of about 19 GHz has been prepared and its unloaded Q (Q/sub 0/) and f/sub 0/ are investigated at temperatures below the critical temperature of YBCO. From theoretical analysis, it appears that f/sub 0/ changes by less than 0.4% for different t's when the ratio of t to the London penetration depth (/spl lambda/) is more than 10/sup -2/. Meanwhile, from experiments, significant dependence of f/sub 0/ on the gap distance (s) between the sapphire rod and the top endplate is observed with f/sub 0/ changing by about 1 GHz (/spl sim/5%) from 19.578 GHz to 18.648 GHz, as s increases from 0 to 1 mm at 77 K. The experimental values of f/sub 0/ are observed to agree well to the calculated f/sub 0/. Applicability for tunable high-Q resonators is described.


Households that send members to work away from home often receive information about the lifestyles and consumption behaviors in those migration destinations (i.e., social remittances) along with money or goods (i.e., economic remittances). The authors investigate the effect of having a migrant household member on household brand expenditures in rural India, a market characterized by substantial consumption of unbranded products. They collect and analyze household-level survey data from 434 households across 30 villages using an instrumental variable strategy. Economic remittances result in greater brand expenditure, and this level is higher for poorer households. After controlling for economic remittances, the authors find that the effect of migration on brand expenditures is more positive for households in more populous villages, with greater access to mobile phones, lower viewership of television media, and less recently departed migrants. They demonstrate how marketing resource allocation across villages can be improved by incorporating migration data and provide insights for household targeting in the context of door-to-door selling in villages. The results are robust to alternative, public policy–based instruments and can be generalized to expenditure on private schools. Using additional survey data from 300 households in 62 new villages, the authors replicate the results by comparing within-households brand expenditures before and after the migration event.


The study's aim is to implement a textbook analysis and examine how women are described in history textbooks for high school and in the curriculums Lgy 70, Lpf 94 and Gy 11. The study has a gender perspective and the study's purpose is to make a comparative study and compare textbooks with the current curriculum and compare the results with each other to see if there has been any change over time. The survey's material is three editions of Alla tiders historia from Gleerups forlag. The study refers to editions from 1989, 1996 and 2011. General parts from Lgy 70, Lpf 94 and Gy 11 are also central for my study. The general curriculum of history from 1981, the course Historia A in Lpf 94 and Historia 1b in Gy 11 are also studied. The study shows that the role of women doesn't get much space in textbooks and when women are mentioned explicitly, it's mainly through illustrations or through texts of statement representation. The role of women has not been treated much in governing documents but equality between men and women is something that is common. The study shows that the governing documents interact with the curricula in a relatively large range, although this varies between the different editions. The results demonstrate that there has been a change over time in administrative documents and textbooks. Content and design have changed based on the societal context in which they were designed. The study shows that men are the norm and men are mentioned more than women, both in textbooks and curriculum.


Cross-border asset and liability holdings allow countries to insulate their consumption streams from idiosyncratic output shocks, i.e. consumption risk sharing. By contrast, banks' international interconnectedness spread the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis to various economies with adverse macroeconomic consequences. This paper evaluates the partial impact of banks' cross-border links on the ability of their host countries to share consumption risk internationally. It shows that the impact of banks' links to the non-bank sector in the rest-of-the-world on consumption risk sharing is negligible while strong interbank links are associated with relatively little consumption risk sharing of banks' host countries.


The author tries to paint a rough sketch of the milieu, in which one of the greatest Hungarian surgeons of the last century worked. The basis of our friendship was the mutual love of surgery. I also try to mirror the unusual character of Joseph Imre.


The aim of this paper is to provide new techniques for computing a terminal cost and a local state-feedback control law that satisfy recently developed min-max MPC input-to-state stabilization conditions. Min-max MPC algorithms based on both quadratic and 1-norms or infin-norms costs are considered. Compared to existing approaches, the proposed techniques can be applied to linear systems affected simultaneously by time-varying parametric uncertainties and additive disturbances. The resulting MPC cost function is continuous, convex and bounded, which is desirable from an optimization point of view. Regarding computational complexity aspects, the developed techniques employ linear matrix inequalities in the case of quadratic MPC cost functions and, norm inequalities in the case of MPC cost functions defined using 1-norms or infin-norms. The effectiveness of the developed methods is illustrated for an active suspension application example.


This paper analyzes, within the framework of the new regulatory economics that emphasizes asymmetries of information, the optimal structure of an industry. The duplication of fixed costs incurred in a duopoly structure may be socially justified in a static model by three effects: the sampling effect, the yardstick competition effect, and the increasing marginal cost effect. We show that in general, asymmetric information favors duopoly when the market structure is decided before firms discover their cost characteristics (a common situation in dual sourcing for procurement), and favors monopoly when the market structure is decided after firms discover their cost characteristics (the case of split-award auctions). Copyright 1992 by MIT Press.


Recombinant coagulation factor VIIa (rFVIIa) has recently become available for treatment of patients with
inhibitor-complicated haemophilia. It has been postulated that rFVIIa could become a universal haemostatic
agent. Case reports and small studies confirm efficacy and safety of rFVIIa in a variety of haemostatic disorders
including liver disease, platelet-related bleeding disorders, and in patients without prior coagulopathy who are
bleeding excessively due to trauma or surgery.
Although clinical evidence for efficacy and safety of rFVIIa in its various applications is rapidly accumulating,
very little is know about the molecular mechanisms by which rFVIIa induces haemostasis.
In this thesis, novel hypotheses on the mechanism of action of rFVIIa in different haemostatic disorders are
described. In the major part of this thesis, the focus is on the involvement of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis
inhibitor (TAFI)-mediated down-regulation of fibrinolysis in in vitro systems representing various haemostatic
disorders, and the effect of rFVIIa.
In chapter 2, it has been described that rFVIIa, next to its procoagulant properties, possesses antifibrinolyic
properties in plasma from patients with severe haemophilia A. This antifibrinolytic effect was due to enhanced
activation of TAFI.
Chapter 3 describes the complex haemostatic disorder induced by liver disease, and in chapter 4 the role of
TAFI-mediated downregulation of fibrinolysis in liver disease was investigated. In contrast to earlier reports, we
did not find evidence of hyperfibrinolysis in liver disease, and also TAFI activation appeared normal, despite
decreased plasma levels of TAFI antigen. In chapter 5, the effect of rFVIIa on coagulation and fibrinolysis in
plasma from patients with liver disease are described. In contrast to the situation in haemophilia, rFVIIa did not
display an antifibrinolytic effect in plasma from patients with liver disease. In contrast to the haemophilia
situation, TAFI activation is already optimal in plasma from these patients.
In chapter 6, the effect of anticoagulants targeting different steps in the coagulation cascade on coagulation and
fibrinolysis were examined. It was found that anticoagulant drugs targeting factor Xa, but not those inhibiting
thrombin or tissue factor accelerated fibrinolysis in vitro. In chapter 6, the effects of rFVIIa on coagulation and
fibrinolysis of plasma anticoagulated with fondaparinux (a novel anticoagulant, specifically directed against
factor Xa) were investigated. rFVIIa was able to completely reverse the effects of fondaparinux on coagulation,
and was partially able to reverse the induction of hyperfibrinolysis by the drug.
In chapter 8, the focus was on the effects of rFVIIa on platelet adhesion under flow conditions. More
specifically, a model for the mechanism of action of rFVIIa in patients with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, and
patients treated with anti-aIIbB3 drugs is proposed based on results of in vitro perfusion studies. It was shown that
tissue factor-indepdent thrombin generation via rFVIIa restored the defective platelet deposition induced by
aIIbB3-deficiency.
In chapter 9, the results presented in the previous chapters are discussed in a broader context. The advances in
the understanding of the mechanism of action of rFVIIa in its different applications are discussed.


This paper presents a novel guidance algorithm for spacecraft swarms in an environment cluttered with many obstacles like a debris field or the asteroid belt. The objective of this algorithm is to reconfigure the swarm to a desired formation in a distributed manner while minimizing fuel and avoiding collisions among themselves and with the obstacles. The agents first use a spherical-expansion-based sampling algorithm to cooperatively explore the workspace and find paths to the desired terminal positions. Using a distributed assignment algorithm, the agents converge on an optimal assignment of the target locations in the desired formation. Then each agent generates a locally optimal trajectory from its current location to its terminal position by solving a sequence of convex optimization problems. As the agent moves along this trajectory, it receives the position of other agents and updates its trajectory to avoid collisions with other agents and the obstacles. Thus the swarm achieves the desired formation in a distributed manner while avoiding collisions. Moreover, this algorithm is computationally efficient, therefore it can be implemented onboard resource-constrained spacecraft. Simulations results show that the proposed distributed algorithm can be used by a spacecraft swarm to reconfigure a desired formation around an asteroid in a collision-free manner.


In this paper, the paper addressed the problem of estimating the risk of crystal defect generation in a complex device process. The validity of numerical calculations of the mechanical stress developed in the device process flow is assessed by comparing these calculations to the results of the electrical tests of structures designed to monitor the formation of dislocations. The results show that, based upon numerical calculations, it is possible to define the mechanical stress criteria for preventing defect generation. By using this sort of criteria, potentially dangerous process variations can be easily identified. This method is quite general and can be applied to any device process flow


Henderson and Haggard, 1 in 1923, reported the presence of carbon monoxide in recognizable concentrations in the air of New York and New Haven streets. Their discussion made physicians aware of the possibility of the existence of chronic or repeated carbon monoxide poisoning, to be looked for not only in the usual places, such as dwellings with leaky gas pipes, but also in streets where motor traffic was very dense. We decided to examine the blood of a number of subjects exposed in the most evident manner to the danger. It appeared advisable to investigate traffic patrolmen. It was recalled that during the past few years many of these men, on duty in the most congested mercantile districts of Philadelphia, have complained at the end of the day's work of symptoms that might be due to slight carbon monoxide anoxemia: headache, slight nausea and muscular weakness. These symptoms were noted


The equilibrium binding of a fluorescent cationic dye Tripaflavine (TPF) by frog's glicerinated mucle fibres is described by a S-shaped isotherm: the Langmuir sorption at low dye concentrations in the medium (0.84-10-5--3.38-10-5 M) is followed by the cooperative binding with the increase of concentration (8.45-10-5--338.0-10-5 M). The appearance of new TPF binding centres, alteration in fluorescence anisotropy of sorbed dye as well as inactivation of myosine ATPase of model fibres at high concentrations indicate that the cooperative phase of sorption is characterized by changes in the structure of contractile proteins.


In this paper we present the utilization of capacitance and current-voltage diagnostic techniques to analyse silicon heterojunction solar cell structures properties, particularly focused on the inspection of the amorphous emitter and amorphous silicon/crystalline silicon hetero-interface. The capacitance characterization of investigated samples have revealed the need for improvement of the a-Si:H/c-Si heterointerface quality as a main direction to obtain superior output performance of heterojunction cells. In addition, current-voltage characterization emphasized importance for enhancement of the light management in the structure. The obtained results demonstrate that electrical and capacitance diagnostic techniques can represents important diagnostic tools in the process of optimization of solar cells.


Part 1 is to present the results of tests on 56 types of core in a form convenient for use in the study of the performance of and possible improvements in existing designs. Working rules are given by which the data contained in the report may be used, and the most obvious conclusions as to the behavior of cores are summarized. Part 2 presents the results of tests made to determine the pressure necessary to produce water flows up to 50 gallons per minute through an 8-inch square section of radiator core. These data are of special value in evaluating the hydraulic head against which the circulating pump is required to operate.


A test facility for solar domestic hot water systems, SDHW systems was established at the Technical University of Denmark in 1992. During the period 1992-2012 21 marketed SDHW systems, 16 systems from Danish manufacturers and 5 systems from manufacturers from abroad, have been tested in the test facility under the same realistic test conditions. The systems had different designs and sizes. Each system was tested during a long test period consisting of both a summer and winter period. Detailed simulation models for each system were developed. The simulation models were modified and the input to the models were fitted in such a way, that the calculated thermal performance is in good agreement with the measured thermal performance, both for a typical winter period and for a typical summer period. In this way it is possible to use the simulation models to calculate the yearly thermal performance of the tested systems with weather data from the Danish Test Reference Year and with the same hot water consumption. The tests showed that the designs of the heat storage and that the system concepts are of vital importance for the thermal performances of the systems and that neither the solar collector efficiency nor the solar collector area is influencing the thermal performance as much as the heat storage design and the system concept. The tests also showed that all the tested systems can be improved with relative simple design changes. Based on the tests it is concluded that high thermal performances of SDHW systems are achieved by reducing the heat loss from the upper part of the heat stores to a minimum by having no pipes connected to the upper part of the tank, reducing the auxiliary volume at the top of the heat stores as much as possible, of course with consideration of the required hot water comfort, avoiding simple errors, using the low flow principle and heat stores with a high degree of thermal stratification and by using components with good thermal characteristics.


Background: Stress among "the executives" often arises from the demands of leadership and other social responsibilities. Aim: This study aims to determine factors associated with stress and minor psychiatric morbidities among Nigerian executives. Subjects and Methods: A total of 337 management cadre staff attending a health workshop, from various private organizations and belonging to different professional groups participated in this study. They completed the general health questionnaire-12 and a proforma for basic demographic and work data. The data was analyzed using SPSS for Windows, version 15 (Chicago IL, USA). The distribution of the outcome measure (GHQ Likert Score) was skewed and so data obtained was analyzed using non-parametric tests. Results: Certain cardiovascular and biochemical assessments were also carried out. Low overall stress level and a psychiatric morbidity prevalence of 14.2% (48/337) were found. The female and the unmarried executives were more vulnerable to stress. Subject's pulse rate and blood cholesterol level appeared to be valuable as stress indicators. Conclusion: The overall stress level is low, and it is associated with certain biological measures (pulse rate and blood cholesterol). The author suggested that the need for mental health services in the workplace for the entire workforce.


Much recent work in analytic theology concerned with Trinitarian doctrine has been limited both by: (1) a narrow focus on the apparent inconsistency of the doctrine and (2) little regard for the historical context in which the doctrine developed. This special issue represents an effort to overcome these limitations in two ways. First, following Timothy Pawl's definition of "Conciliar Christology," we define "Conciliar Trinitarianism" as the conjunction of claims about the Trinity in the first seven Ecumenical Councils. Rather than speculative attempts at reconciling, say, sentences taken from the Athanasian Creed, or the common parlance of contemporary, Western Christians, the papers in this issue all address specifically Conciliar Trinitarianism. Second, the special issue brings together both analytic philosophers and patristics scholars in a format in which, in several cases, a scholar from one field responds to a scholar from another. We hope that this will help to jump-start some further conversations between scholars in analytic philosophy and in patristics, as we believe both fields can benefit from a deeper mutual engagement in the study of Conciliar Trinitarianism.


Sky surveys represent one of the most important efforts to improve developments in astrophysics, especially when using new photometric bands. We are performing the Stellar Abundance and Galactic Evolution (SAGE) survey with a self-designed SAGE photometric system, which is composed of eight photometric bands. The project mainly aims to study the stellar atmospheric parameters of ∼0.5 billion stars in ∼12 000 deg2 of the northern sky, which mainly focuses on Galactic astronomy, as well as some aspects of extragalactic astronomy. This work introduces the detailed data reduction process of the test field NGC 6791, including the data reduction of single-exposure images and stacked multi-exposure images, and properties of the final catalog.


Sir .—I read with interest, in the May 1989 issue of AJDC , the conflicting conclusions by different authors from the same university regarding the question of routine chest roentgenography in the evaluation of esophageal foreign bodies in children. 1,2 Schunk et al 1 recommended that all such children be evaluated, as previously suggested by Hodge et al. 3 Caravati et al, 2 however, concluded that evaluating asymptomatic children is unnecessary provided the enteral administration of liquids is tolerated and telephone follow-up is available. The latter conclusion is incredible considering the report of esophageal perforation by a coin in a 3½-year-old child who had been asymptomatic for 6 months following the ingestion. 4 The definitive thoracotomy would have been avoided if the parents had sought medical attention initially, a chest roentgenogram had been performed, and the coin had subsequently been removed. An 11-month-old male infant with a similar history was referred


Recent expectations regarding a new generation of the Web strongly depend on a success of Semantic Web technology. Resource Description Framework (RDF) is the basis for explicit and machine-readable representations of semantics of various Web resources and enables a framework for interoperability of future Semantic Web-based applications. However it has been pointed out that RDF is not suitable for describing highly dynamic and proactive resources (e.g. industrial devices, processes, etc.). Therefore, an appropriate extension of the existing RDF is necessary. This paper presents the Proactivity Layer of the Smart Resource in Semantic Web with the Resource Agent Behaviour definition. Process performance strategies and coordination methods of such proactive goal-driven resources are considered.


Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Repressor activator protein 1 (Rap1), an established telomere‐associated protein, is a novel modulator of hypoxia‐induced apoptosis. This study aimed to explore the potential direct role of Rap1 in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI) and to determine the underlying molecular mechanism. In a mouse model of myocardial I/RI (30‐min of left descending coronary artery ligation followed by 2‐h reperfusion), Rap1 deficiency significantly reduced myocardial infarct size (IS) and improved cardiac systolic/diastolic function. This was associated with a reduction in apoptosis in the post‐ischemic myocardium. In H9C2 and primary cardiomyocytes, Rap1 knockdown or knockout significantly suppressed hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐induced cell injury and apoptosis through increasing the phosphorylation/activation of STAT3 at site Ser727 and translocation of STAT3 to the nucleus. We surmise this since Stattic (selective STAT3 inhibitor) pretreatment canceled the abovementioned protective effect. Furthermore, co‐immunoprecipitation assay revealed a direct interaction between Rap1 and STAT3, but not JAK2, suggesting that the association of Rap1 with STAT3 may contribute to the reduced activity of STAT3 (Ser727) upon H/R stimulation. In conclusion, Rap1 deficiency protects the heart from ischemic damage through STAT3‐dependent reduction of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which may yield viable target for pharmacological intervention in ischemic heart disease.


ABSTRACT This paper will report on the development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative teaching approach used in a tourism policy and planning class that offered students options to design their own assessment schedule based on a tourism planning simulation. This flexible, student-directed, problem-based approach allowed students to tailor an individual learning program and required them to act as if they were presenting completed documents for a tourism planning group. The evaluation used both class administration data, student performance data and the results of surveys of students to assess a range of indicators including student support for the system, outcomes in terms of enhanced student performance, and the costs of the innovation in terms of class administration time and resources. Overall the results supported the use of the innovation, and the evaluation provided some directions for improved design.


Retrofitting an existing building can oftentimes be more cost-effective than building a new facility. Since buildings consume a significant amount of energy, particularly for heating and cooling, and because existing buildings comprise the largest segment of the built environment, it is important to initiate energy conservation retrofits to reduce energy consumption and the cost of heating, cooling, and lighting buildings. However, conserving energy is not the only reason for retrofitting existing buildings. The goal should be to create a high-performance building by applying an integrated, whole-building design process to the project during the planning phase that ensures that all key design objectives are met. This paper presents a real case study of the retrofitting of an existing building to achieve lower energy consumption. Indeed, most of the constructed buildings in the UAE are unsuitable for the region, which is characterized by a very harsh climate that causes massive cooling loads and energy consumption due to an appropriate selection of design parameters at the design level. In this study, a monthly computer simulation of energy consumption of an office building in Sharjah was carried out under UAE weather conditions. Several parameters, including the building orientation, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, external shading, window-to-wall ratio, and the U-values of the walls and the roof, were investigated and optimized to achieve lower energy consumption. The simulation shows that the best case is 41.7% more efficient than the real (original) case and 30.6% more than the base case. The most sensitive parameter in the retrofitting alternatives is the roof component, which affects the energy savings by 8.49%, followed by the AC system with 8.34% energy savings if well selected using the base case. Among the selected five components, a new roof structure contributed the most to the decrease in the overall energy consumption (approximately 38%). This is followed by a new HVAC system, which leads to a 37% decrease, followed by a new wall type with insulation, resulting in a 20% decrease.


Dislocations and impurities in silicon have been widely investigated since many years, nevertheless many questions on this subject remain still unsolved. As an example, theory, models and experimental phenomena provide evidence of the existence of shallow bands in silicon induced by the dislocation strain field. Nevertheless, only deep bands, likely associated with contamination at dislocations, have been detected up to now by junction spectroscopy. The present contribution reviews several results, obtained by the authors, on dislocation impurity interactions and their effects on the electronic properties of defect states in silicon. Point and extended defects introduced in p-type Cz Si by oxygen precipitation and plastic deformation have been investigated with electrical methods. Different materials (oxygen precipitated and deformed Cz Si and Fz Si) were examined in order to separate the role of oxygen precipitation, plastic deformation and metallic contamination on non-radiative electronic transitions at defect centers. A deep hole trap, named T1, has been associated to dislocation-related impurity centers, while additional deep traps have been related to contamination by grown-in transition metals and to clusters involving oxygen atoms. Moreover, experimental results obtained by junction spectroscopy assessed the existence of dislocation related shallow states. These were found to be located at 70 and 60 meV from the valence and conduction band edge, respectively.


Genetic algorithms and their variants have been extensively used for solving combinatorial optimization problems. One area of great importance that can benefit from the effectiveness of such algorithms is electric energy distribution. Transformers deserve extensive treatment in the field of research and production, due to the fact that the electric energy undergoes several transformations on its way from generators to the consumers. In that regard, special interest is dedicated to the minimization of production and exploitation costs of a transformer. In the paper the combinatorial optimization algorithm based on Differential Evolution is described and applied to the problem of minimizing the cost of the active part of wound core distribution transformers. Constraints imposed both by international specifications and customer needs are taken into account. The Objective Function that is optimized is a minimization dependent on multiple input variables. Constraints are normalized and modeled as inequalities.


The continually evolving sophistication and complexity of military and civilian technology is increasing the burden on human operators in man-machine systems. Whether a weapons platform or space vehicle, a power plant or factory control station, or even an aid for the handicapped, the informational and operational demands will ultimately exceed human capabilities, unless the man can be relieved by the machine. Dynamic task partitioning, shifting and sharing tasks between human and machine in real time is theoretically feasible. However, it is currently impossible to implement, since the man-machine interface lacks reciprocal status assessment capability. This lack of reciprocity is a key indicator of the low level of man-machine integration and results in the realization that the interface is a weak link, which can directly degrade mission success and jeopardize system survival.


Light
harvesting capability and charge carriers lifetime play critical roles in
determining the photoefficency of photocatalyst. Herein, a one-pot method is
proposed to design mesostructured TiO2 materials by taking advantage
of the ability of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) to self-assemble into chiral
nematic structures during solvent evaporation. After the xerogel formation, the
as-obtained CNC/TiO2 hybrid films exhibit a chiral nematic structure
and tunable Bragg peak reflection, generating lamellar TiO2
mesostructure after the biotemplate removal by calcination. More prominently,
this straightforward method can be extended to couple TiO2 with
other metal oxides, improving the light-harvesting and charge carriers
separation of these photocatalysts, in particular for boosting hydrogen
generation. This foolproof approach opens new doors for the development of
nanostructured materials for solar energy conversion and catalysis.


This paper narrates two case studies on technology driven design thinking-based education methodologies in an architecture program. The first case study course focuses on a design/build studio course in which the client, the campus performing arts center, incubated the studio in their production facility to mentor the students as they created a new cafe for the facility. Students engaged with the full spectrum of the design-thinking process, interviewing theatre-goers in the empathize mode, seeking the right problem in the define mode, generating alternative concepts in the ideate mode, rapidly prototyping with computeraided design and manufacturing technology, testing resulting prototypes on users on site, learning from feedback, and cycling back through the design-thinking process, evolving the prototypes to higher and higher levels of resolution in each iteration. The second case study course integrates BIM (building information technology) into a traditional large technical lecture course, using the technology to overcome challenges caused by the size and mixed levels of students, meanwhile provide hands-on experience which is typically very difficult to implement in a large lecture course. These two pedagogical approaches intended to integrate fast-changing technologies into architectural education while simultaneously creating a novel learning environment for students. The authors reflect upon the results of the two case study courses, proposing recommendations which could be useful for educators and institutions contemplating the potential for technology to change student experience.


A Hamiltonian/Lagrangian theory to describe guiding centre orbit drift motion which is canonical in the Boozer coordinate frame has been extended to include full electromagnetic perturbed fields in anisotropic pressure 3D equilibria with nested magnetic flux surfaces. A redefinition of the guiding centre velocity to eliminate the motion due to finite equilibrium radial magnetic fields and the choice of a gauge condition that sets the radial component of the electromagnetic vector potential to zero are invoked to guarantee that the Boozer angular coordinates retain the canonical structure. The canonical momenta are identified and the guiding centre particle radial drift motion and parallel gyroradius evolution are derived. The particle coordinate position is linearly modified by wave–particle interactions. All the nonlinear wave–wave interactions appear explicitly only in the evolution of the parallel gyroradius. The radial variation of the electrostatic potential is related to the binormal component of the displacement vector for MHD-type perturbations. The electromagnetic vector potential projections can then be determined from the electrostatic potential and the radial component of the MHD displacement vector.


We describe an improved way of estimating parameters for an integrated weighted-mixture model consisting of both harmonic and inharmonic tone models. Our final goal is to build an instrument equalizer (music remixer) that enables a user to change the volume of parts of polyphonic sound mixtures. To realize the instrument equalizer, musical signals must be separated into each musical instrument part. We have developed a score-informed sound source separation method using the integrated model. A remaining but critical problem is to find a way to deal with timbre varieties caused by various performance styles and instrument bodies because our method used template sounds to represent their timbre. Template sounds are generated from a MIDI tone generator based on an aligned score. Difference of instrument bodies between mixed signals and template sounds causes timbre difference and decreases separation performance. To solve this problem, we train probabilistic distributions of timbre features using various sounds to reduce template dependency. By adding a new constraint of maximizing the likelihood of timbre features extracted from each tone model, we can estimate model parameters that express the timbre more accurately. Experimental results show that separation performance improved from 4.89 to 8.48dB.


Author(s): Reade, Anna Lorraine | Advisor(s): Weiner, Orion D; Stainier, Didier Y | Abstract: This thesis presents work toward understanding how cells within an embryo receive fate and positional information. It concentrates on the Nodal morphogen gradient, which specifies germ layer identity through differing levels of Nodal signaling. Although much progress has been made in understanding the components and outcomes of the Nodal signaling pathway, there is very poor quantitative understanding of how cells translate the duration and concentration of Nodal signaling into fate/positional information. To address this question, several new technologies were employed or developed. Light sheet fluorescence microscopy was used to image Nodal signaling dynamics in vivo (Chapter 5). This new imaging technology allowed us to: determine which cells are exposed to the Nodal signal, quantitate the duration and level of this signaling, and directly correlate this with cellular response, i.e. which Nodal target genes are turned on and what germ layer fate is adopted. We will use this information to propose an initial model for how Nodal signaling is interpreted at a cellular level. We will test our model with additional data taken in the presence of an inhibitor, to access whether the system behaves as expected when the input is modified. In order to develop finer control of the spatial and temporal aspects of perturbing a biological system, we simultaneously developed optogenetic tools for use in zebrafish embryos. Most optogenetic systems, especially those that control protein localization and expression, have been developed at the tissue-culture level and do not transfer directly to the multicellular organism level. We were successfully able to optimize two optogenetic systems for use in zebrafish, the phytochrome system for protein localization control (Chapter 2) and the LOV system for transcriptional control (Chapters 3 and 4).


Raman multivariate curve resolution (Raman-MCR) spectroscopy is used to study water-mediated interactions by decomposing Raman spectra of aqueous solutions into bulk water and solute-correlated (SC) spectral components. The SC spectra are minimum-area difference spectra that reveal solute-induced perturbations of water structure, including changes in water hydrogen-bonding strength, tetrahedral structure, and formation of dangling (non-hydrogen-bonded) OH defects in a solute's hydration shell. Additionally, Raman-active intramolecular vibrational modes of the solute may be used to uncover complementary information regarding solute--solute interactions. Herein, Raman-MCR is applied to address fundamental questions related to: (1) confined cavity water and its connection to host-guest binding, (2) hydrophobic hydration of fluorinated solutes, (3) specific ion effects on nonionic micelle formation, and (4) ion pairing in aqueous solutions.


In patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), RAS and BRAF mutations are currently determined by tumor sample analysis. Here, we report BRAF mutation status analysis in paired tumor tissue and plasma samples of mCRC patients included in the AGEO RASANC prospective cohort study. Four hundred and twenty-five patients were enrolled. Plasma samples were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS). When no mutation was identified, we used two methylated specific biomarkers (digital droplet PCR) to determine the presence or absence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Patients with conclusive ctDNA results were defined as those with at least one mutation or one methylated biomarker. The kappa coefficient and accuracy were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.67–0.91) and 97.3% (95% CI: 95.2–98.6%) between the BRAF status in plasma and tissue for patients with available paired samples (n = 405), and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80–0.99) and 98.5% (95% CI: 96.4–99.5%) for those with conclusive ctDNA (n = 323). The absence of liver metastasis was the main factor associated to inconclusive ctDNA results. In patients with liver metastasis, the kappa coefficient was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.81–1.00) and accuracy was 98.6% (95% CI, 96.5–99.6%). We demonstrate satisfying concordance between tissue and plasma BRAF mutation detection, especially in patients with liver metastasis, arguing for plasma ctDNA testing for routine BRAF mutation analysis in these patients.


This thesis is a history of the Pisistratid Tyranny at Athens, with particular concentration on the years 546 to 510, which is often viewed as merely an interim stage between the reforms of Solon and the more important legislation of Cleisthenes leading (with later help from Ephialtes) to democracy. However, the tyranny - which is the first in the history of Athens - marks a much more important stage in Athenian development, as is evident from the source material in existence. The first chapter serves as an Introduction and deals with the rise of Pisistratus to unchallengable power in 546 after the Battle of Pallene, and following two previous attempts to seize power. An examination will also be made of the problem of chronology and the principal source material available for this period. The following chapters are then divided into the constitutional, economic, foreign, religious and cultural aspects of the tyranny, all of which received attention and state guidance. In many areas, for example drama and trade exports, great credit has to be attached to the policies of the tyrants. The final chapter (VII), which is divided into two parts, traces the over throw of the tyrannic rule in 510 owing to Spartan intervention, and also acts as a Conclusion on the tyranny as a whole and its place in the development of Athens. The post-Aristotelian sense of the word tyranny cannot be applied to the reign of the Pisistratids (at least not until 514 following the murder of Hipparchus), which was one of general enlightenment. Although the tyrants' position in the state was unconstitutional, resting on force as opposed to legality, political advancement was not halted, and the loyalty of the people to the city was won not by coercion but by policies designed for the general well-being and the provision of a period of peace from civil disorder.


Commercialization of Peltier coolers has progressed during last years and special efforts have been undertaken to enhance the efficiency of thermoelectric (TE) devices. Along with the continued search for advanced TE materials, the concept of FGM offers a strategy of gradual improvement of device performance. In reality a functional gradient in a TE material means a related spatial variation of all TE properties – Seebeck coefficient, electrical, and thermal conductivity – whereas the most relevant effect is linked to the gradient of the Seebeck coefficient. Due to the spatial dependence of the Seebeck coefficient, Peltier heat is absorbed or released inside the TE element under current flow (distributed Peltier effect) which can be exploited to shape the internal temperature profile in a desired manner. Starting from the first principles of thermoelectricity, a differential equation governing the coupling of thermal and electrical transport is derived within the frame of a one-dimensional model. It is shown that this approach can be also used to model multi-segment Peltier cooling devices. Temperature profiles T(x) have been calculated for a segmented TE element within the framework of a constant parameters theory. The work presents an analytical model for performance evaluation of multiply-segmented Peltier elements. The problem is treated in a one-dimensional approach for a p-type stack containing N segments of different properties. Assuming constant TE material properties in each of the segments, the differential equation of TE transports has been solved to obtain the temperature profile T(x) in each segment. With the material properties values in each segment representing volume average values this model gives an excellent approximation also for continuously graded elements. The boundary conditions of the TE problem set-up, as conservation of heat at any intermediate junction between the segments, and fixed temperature at the cold and hot end of the element, lead to a linear equation system, which can be easily solved by means of standard methods. From the solution, all desired performance parameters can be deduced. Based on realistic material data exemplary calculations are presented for stacked and continuously graded elements. To demonstrate the developed numerical algorithm, gradients of the Seebeck coefficient are mainly considered. Calculations have been performed for N = 2, 5, 10, and continuous gradients. As target parameters, the C.O.P. and the cooling power have been calculated as functions of the electric current. As well, the minimum temperature of the cold side has been determined for various shape of the Seebeck gradient. It is shown that the TE FGM effect can be almost completely utilized already by a stack of two to five homogeneous segments. The results allow for giving an estimation on the order of magnitude of performance improvement of both discontinuously and continuously graded Peltier cooling devices. The model calculation was implemented with the software tool MATHEMATICA. The code provides an easy to handle convenient instrument for performance estimation of non-homogeneous Peltier pellets. Technological studies for controlled fabrication of those pellets are underway.


In angle-dispersive neutron strain scanning the information about residual strain comes from the whole gauge volume that is defined by slits in the incoming and diffracted beams. Since the intensity of the neutron beam decreases with the amount of material it has travelled, neutrons diffracted from different locations within the gauge volume contribute with different intensities to the recorded diffraction peak. This can lead to peak shifts, and thus apparent strains. The magnitude of this peak shift depends mostly on the beam attenuation and the size of the gauge volume, but also on the sample geometry and position of the gauge volume within the sample. The peak shift plays a significant role when the size of the gauge volume becomes large because of peak broadening by the sample. An analytic expression for the peak shift was derived for a simple geometry to evaluate a numerical simulation. The numerical simulation was developed to quantify necessary corrections in detail. The attenuation-induced peak shift was demonstrated by measurements on a strain-free powder sample and the results were compared with the numerical predictions.


Objective: To assess preoperative and postoperative spirometry values in patients undergoing lobectomy for sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis. Method: A total of 20 patients (10 males) with history of treatment for tuberculosis and presenting with symptomatic sequelae (repeat infection or hemoptysis) who sought assistance at the chest surgery outpatient clinic between 11.09.07 and 04.02.10, were selected for the study. Only patients that met theeligibility criteria (symptomatic, submitted to tuberculosis treatment) were included in the study. The age of patients ranged from 15 to 56 years (mean: 35.75 years). The average treatment time for tuberculosis was 6 months and onset of symptoms occurred between 01 and 32 years after treatment. To assess the impact of surgery on the variables VC, FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF and PEF preoperative values were compared with postoperative values at 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month using the paired t test. The level of significance (α) applied for all tests was 5% where a value of p 0.05 was considered significant. Results: 11 patients were treated because of recurrent infections and 9 because of haemoptysis. The most common lobectomy was right upper lobectomy (7 patients), followed by left upper lobectomy (6 patients), left lower lobectomy (6 patients), and right middle lobectomy (1 patient). There were no postoperative complications. There was no postoperative mortality. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that, at the 12th postoperative month, spirometric parameters of patients with tuberculosis sequelae submitted to lobectomy had returned to preoperative levels.


The study aimed to reduce the operation cost in the Slider Department of YKK Philippines, Inc. caused by its spray paint machine. It specifically aimed to recommend the most economical solution to the problem; compute for the project costs of the alternatives that were presented; and present the best solution in reducing the operation cost of the department. The study covered the whole painting procedure of the company processed in the Rotary Enameling Slider Machine of the Slider Department. It included the discussion of the existing painting machine of the department and its processes. The reasons of high operation costs in the department were explained in the study and thereby gave solutions to the problem. Computations for each alternative solution were presented to show the best way to reduce the operation cost. Findings showed that the high operating cost of the Slider Department was because of the small amount of orders processed in the Rotary Enameling Slider Machine. This machine is designed to operate on a large quantity of the slider but due to economic reasons, even a number of small orders, as small as 5-20 pieces, were received by the company. These small orders undergo the same procedure in the same machine, thus, having the same electrical consumptions. To reduce the operating cost of the Slider Department, several aspects were considered specifically the economic and SWOT analyses. Based on these aspects, the current enamelling barrel contributes high operating cost due to the wasted paint discharged during operation and the motor installed in the machine. However, replacing the motor is not economical even though it has a huge effect in terms of electrical cost of the company. The study recommended the first alternative presented because it is the most economical in reducing the operating cost of the paint machine in the Slider Department.


1. The rate of movement in Pl. alpina is increased during a period of about 10 days after feeding.

2. Sexual individuals move at a faster and more irregular rate than do immature individuals.

3. Immature individuals do not respond to a weak current but are positively rheotactic to strong currents. Various weak non-orientating stimuli facilitate the positively rheotactic response of these animals.

4. Sensory appreciation of temperature differences is slight.

5. After feeding, immature individuals respond positively to a weak current.

6. Sexual individuals respond positively to a weak current.

7. Above 12° C. Pl. alpina responds positively to weak currents, this fact explains their distribution under natural conditions.

8. Strong stimuli or combined weak stimuli cause negative rheotaxy.

9. After negative rheotaxy has been induced the positive response only occurs after a period of rest or after a period of time long enough for the excitatory state of the central nervous system to have become reduced.

10. The nature of the rheotactic response depends on the excitatory state of the central nervous system, and under different circumstances the same individuals will respond differently to the same stimulus.


Lithium metal is considered as one of the most promising anode candidates for high-energy lithium-based batteries. However, batteries using lithium metal encounter many issues, such as lithium dendrite formation and huge volume fluctuation. These issues become significant when using ultra-thin lithium metal anodes in order to achieve a specific energy higher than 350 W h kg−1. Many current studies focus on materials designs of solid electrolyte interfaces and 3D lithium hosts, but there have been few accounts of anode design principles. In this work, the interaction energy between Li and the anode substrate, the diffusion barrier of Li ions near the anode substrate, and the morphology of the substrate are found to be critical factors to achieve uniform lithium deposition. Furthermore, the mechanisms of nucleation and growth of lithium are presented at the molecular level from both thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives. This understanding of the mechanism is expected to help choose and design current collectors and artificial SEIs for stable cycling performance in advanced metal-based battery systems.


One method to encapsulate bare ICs on an organic substrate uses liquid epoxy resin. A type of liquid epoxy resin for use in tape automated bonding plastic leaded chip carrier, plastic-base pin grid array, and IC card is discussed. Epoxy resin used for this purpose should be of high reliability, comparable to that of the monolithic ICs which had not been realized on conventional resins used for chip-on-board applications. In order to meet these requirements, the characteristics of resin which yield high reliability, and methods to improve these characteristics have been studied. Effective factors which had been found to contribute to higher reliability are discussed. >


We contrasted regional cerebral blood flow in matched groups of 30 patients with major depression, 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 30 normal controls using the 133Xe inhalation technique. Whereas both the depressed and Alzheimer's disease groups had markedly reduced global cortical blood flow, the Scaled Subprofile Model, developed to identify abnormalities in regional networks, indicated that they had distinct topographic profiles. Previous findings of an abnormal regional network in major depression were unaltered by the inclusion of Alzheimer's disease patients in the analysis. Alzheimer's disease was associated with a distinct parietotemporal deficit and the degree of this abnormality strongly covaried with cognitive impairment. Alzheimer's disease patients also had abnormal manifestation of three other regional networks. We illustrate a method for distinguishing when a disease imposes a new pattern of interactions among brain regions and when a disease alters the expression of regional patterns characteristic of normal functioning.