This paper looks at the key role played by Fabio Luca Cavazza in the development of cultural relations between the US and Italy in the early Cold War, by using an unexplored archival source, namely the personal papers of Cavazza himself. The Department of State and the Eisenhower administration opposed a government which included the socialists. However, thanks to the special relationship between him and Arthur Schlesinger jr., Cavazza was able to revive the issue, showing how it was in tune with the guidelines of Kennedy's «New Frontier». In 1963, the US President supported the formation of the first Center-left government despite the opposition of many in the State Department.


Recent years have seen the development of new theories of market failure based on asymmetric information and network effects. According to the new paradigm, we can expect substantial failure in the markets for labor, credit, insurance, software, new technologies and even used cars, to give but a few examples. This volume brings together the key papers on the subject, including classic papers by Joseph Stiglitz, George Akerlof and Paul David. The book provides powerful theoretical and empirical rebuttals challenging the assumptions of these new models and questioning the usual policy conclusions. It goes on to demonstrate how an examination of real markets and careful experimental studies are unable to verify the new theories. New frontiers for research are also suggested.


Background: Resveratrol naturally occurring antioxidant in peanut (Legume: Arachis hypogaea) has phytochemical human health dietary effects associated with reduced inflammatory cancer risks. Its levels in peanut are ultra-low and variable (0 to 26 μg·g-1), which has made it difficult to market as a consistent high resveratrol produce. Objective: Understanding the regulation of resveratrol accumulation in peanut might lead to development of new techniques for optimizing and stabilizing its yield. Method: Peanuts were cultivated in horticultural field plots and treated with solutions of mineral salts (sulfate, potassium, phosphate, ammonium ion) that were optimized in stoichiometric (reactive) ratios. Peanut seed's RNAs were subjected to Northern blot analysis for profiling the RNAs synthesized by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and mRNAs encoding resveratrol synthase. The seed's extracts were analyzed by GC-MS for determination of the resveratrol and fatty acid compositions. Result: Stoichiometric mixes of mineral ions induced the peanut GDH to synthesize some RNA that silenced the mRNAs encoding resveratrol synthase, phosphoglucomutase, isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, enolase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, malate dehydrogenase, and phosphoglycerate mutase in the control, KN-, and NPKS-treated but not in the NPPK-treated peanut. These resulted to decreased resveratrol content (6.0 μg·g-1) in the control peanut but maximized it (1.15 mg·g-1) in the NPPK-treated peanut. Therefore, resveratrol accumulation was optimized by coupling of glycolysis and citric-glyoxylic acid cycles to resveratrol biosynthesis. Fatty acid content of control (55.6 g·kg-1) was higher than the NPKS-treated (48.5 g·kg-1) and NPPK-treated peanut (44.9 g·kg-1) meaning that malonyl-CoA intermediate in both fatty acid and stilbenoid pathways was diverted to support maximum resveratrol biosynthesis in the NPPK-treated peanut. Conclusion: The functional coupling of citric-glyoxylic acid cycles and glycolysis to optimize resveratrol biosynthesis may encourage development of horticultural technology specific for production of ultra-high resveratrol peanuts.


Reviews of field studies of groundwater recharge have attempted to investigate how climate characteristics control recharge, but due to a lack of data have not been able to draw any strong conclusions beyond that rainfall is the major determinant. This study has used numerical modelling for a range of Koppen-Geiger climate types (tropical, arid and temperate) to investigate the effect of climate variables on recharge for different soil and vegetation types. For the majority of climate types, the correlation between the modelled recharge and total annual rainfall is weaker than the correlation between recharge and the annual rainfall parameters reflecting rainfall intensity. Under similar soil and vegetation conditions for the same annual rainfall, annual recharge in regions with winter-dominated rainfall is greater than in regions with summer-dominated rainfall. The importance of climate parameters other than rainfall in recharge estimation is highest in the tropical climate type. Mean annual values of solar radiation and vapour pressure deficit show a greater importance in recharge estimation than mean annual values of the daily mean temperature. Climate parameters have the lowest relative importance in recharge estimation in the arid climate type (with cold winters) and the temperate climate type. For 75% of all soil, vegetation and climate types investigated, recharge elasticity varies between 2 and 4 indicating a 20% to 40% change in recharge for a 10% change in annual rainfall. Understanding how climate controls recharge under the observed historical climate allows more informed choices of analogue sites if they are to be used for climate change impact assessments.


Based on a guide originally created by Brian Bess at the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library in Alabama. Used with permission of Brian Bess.


The goal of our data-mining multi-agent system is to facilitate data-mining experiments without the necessary knowledge of the most suitable machine learning method and its parameters to the data. In order to replace the experts knowledge, the meta-learning subsystems are proposed including the parameter-space search and method recommendation based on previous experiments. In this paper we show the results of the parameter-space search with several search algorithms - tabulation, random search, simmulated annealing, and genetic algorithm.


Abstract: NW–SE-trending rift-oblique lineaments ('transfer zones') occur along the length of the NE Atlantic margin. Previous workers have suggested that these lineaments played an important role in providing conduits and/or barriers to sedimentation during the Cretaceous and Palaeocene; it has also been suggested that they were active as discrete, basin-wide strike-slip faults. This study uses a well-calibrated 3D seismic survey of regional extent to critically assess the structural and stratigraphic evidence for three rift-oblique lineaments in the UK sector of the Faroe–Shetland Basin (Victory, Clair and Judd Lineaments). Structures previously attributed to basin-wide strike-slip deformation can be more simply explained as igneous intrusions, hydrothermal vent complexes, gas chimneys and/or faults that transfer extensional strain between en echelon rift segments. There is little evidence to suggest that activity along discrete, basin-wide lineaments controlled Palaeocene sedimentation within the Faroe–Shetland Basin. Rather, sediment transport and deposition at this time are likely to have been controlled by along- and across-strike variations in the magnitude of thermal subsidence, which in turn reflect the 3D nature of the underlying Mesozoic rift architecture.


The aim of our paper is to provide an answer to the questions if and why social differences in health and mortality decrease with age. Most research confirms this decrease but the reasons for it and the role of unobserved heterogeneity are unknown. The data used for our analysis come from the US Health and Retirement Study (n=9376) and from the Danish Demographic Database (Denmark's population above age 58). They offer detailed information about SES and health information. The technique of event-history-analysis is used, and frailty models address mortality selection. A new method is developed to consider systematic difference in the change of average frailty over age between social groups. SES differentials in mortality converge with age in Denmark but not in the US. In both countries, they converge strongly with decreasing health. When controlled for health, the differences are stable across age in both countries. This means that worsening health levels social mortality differences and not increasing age. Controlling for mortality selection removes the converging pattern over age.


This paper discusses the force and torque errors in moving-magnet planar actuators due to manufacturing tolerances. Two different planar actuator topologies are under consideration, and errors due to variations in the magnetization vector, the magnet positions, and the coil positions are evaluated by Monte-Carlo simulations. The effect of these force and torque errors on the positioning accuracy of the planar actuators are estimated from the process sensitivity transfer of a suitable controller.


Period. Polytech. Transp. Eng. R. Ildarkhanov Abstract The purpose of the article was to develop the evaluation method of mobile fleet. It is found that to evaluate production quality criterion of "integrated quality coefficient" is needed. Quality coefficient can be defined analytically. The author proposes the special formula to do this. Usage of analytical formula enables to conclude where one model excels the other, and where it is inferior. The formula validity check was performed. The research activities pursued by author enable to conclude that designed formula gives opportunity to evaluate product quality level objectively. Thus, competitive ability evaluation method resolves itself into choosing estimated product analogues and defining product quality coefficient using analytical method. Subsequently, prices and analogous product quality coordinates are put on two-coordinate field and dependency diagram of product price on its quality is built via least square method. Such method enables to evaluate quality and competitive ability of mobile fleet and make right choice.


DOI: 10.7764/RDLC.17.2.231 The aim of this research is to assess the influence of the effective water-cement ratio on the concrete workability and strength. This study was carried out with a concrete used for the manufacture of concrete caissons for the construction of a harbour in the south of Tenerife. This commercial concrete was elaborated with basaltic aggregates but with a partial replacement of basalt sand by a sand called "African Sand". As a reference, a concrete containing only basaltic aggregates was manufactured. The water absorption of the aggregates influence the amount of water available for the hydration of the cement. The value of water absorption for the basaltic sand is higher than African sand. This presence of aggregates with different water absorption in the concrete allowed the proposal of a methodology for the determination of the effective water-cement ratio in the fresh concrete. This methodology was used for the calculation of water available for the hydration of the cement in the fresh concrete. The results allowed the answer for two questions regarding the behaviour of these concrete mixes. Firstly, how the incorporation of this African sand influences effective water-cement ratio and the concrete workability. Secondly, how this incorporation influences the strength of the concrete.


: Tonga eye syndromes, aetiological concepts, and eye drops are presented. The attitude of a group of Secondary School Students to common traditional eye drops are presented together with ocular findings in a group of users and alleged non-users. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups. Not all traditional eye drops are dangerous, and a positive education approach is suggested to improve ocular health.


According to the unique advantages in image processing combining wavelet and fractal and the different ways of combination, a super-resolution image processing methods are proposed. The methods are characterized by combining the wavelet transform, Wavelet Image Interpolation and FBM Fractal Image interpolation in a certain way to achieve super-resolution image reconstruction. Through processing MAG welding pool images polluted by noises seriously, the results show that: the method proposed in this paper, compared with the method based on wavelet bilinear interpolation, not only effectively raises MAG welding image resolution, but also PSNR of reconstruction images are enhanced 21.1049 dB.


Single angle members have a broad range of applications, such as web members in roof trusses and bracing members in latticed towers. The structural behaviour of a single angle compression member in a truss is complicated. It is not uncommon to connect one angle member to another through their legs. Therefore, in practice, the member is under an eccentric force which introduces a pair of end moments. However, in most design codes such as BS5950 (2000) and Eurocode 3 (2003), these end moments are often ignored. To compensate for this load eccentricity, the Robertson constant in the Perry-Robertson formula is amplified so that the compressive strength is reduced for the negligence of end eccentricities. In this method of analysis, all connections are assumed to be pin-jointed; while in the design, the effective length is assumed on the basis of connection types (e.g. single-bolted, double-bolted or welding) which violates the assumption in the analysis. This paper proposes a design method for angle trusses using nonlinear analysis which eliminates the inconsistency between the analysis and the design. Laboratory tests of angles as web members of a truss were carried out. The test results are compared with the proposed theoretical and code design loads. In the proposed design method, there is no need to consider any effective length. The second-order P-Δ and P-δ effects are considered automatically by geometry update. The proposed method is readily applicable to design of practical steel trusses made of angle sections.


We present electron microprobe-based in situ (Th + U)–Pb monazite chemical age data from granulite-facies metapelites in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica. The monazite age data define two distinct age populations, Late Neoproterozoic to Early Palaeozoic (c. 570–520 Ma) and Neoproterozoic (c. 950–820 Ma), that confirm the polytectonic nature of Prydz Bay. Our data suggest that similarity in lineation orientation along the Prydz Bay coast is not sufficient to necessarily indicate time-equivalance. The minimum duration of Early Palaeozoic tectonism, spanning at least 60 Ma, is constrained from an Mg–Al-rich metapelite: monazite hosted by coarse-grained orthopyroxene defines the oldest Early Palaeozoic population, whereas cordierite + orthopyroxene symplectites define the youngest Early Palaeozoic population. The spatial distribution of monazites and their ages is correlatable with the inferred mineral assemblage evolution. We are able to characterize the evolution of Early Palaeozoic tectonism in quantitative P–T–t–mineral assemblage space, demonstrating that ultrahigh-temperature tectono-metamorphism in Prydz Bay is of Early Palaeozoic age. The survival of Neoproterozoic inheritance in Fe–Al-rich metapelites has implications for high Pb retentivity in monazite when chemical and kinetic conditions are favourable. The approach and logic applied herein are entirely and directly transferable to the interrogation of any other metamorphic terrane.


This study was conducted on the factors affecting the provision of quality education in community schools of Mumbwa district. The study used descriptive design with qualitative and quantitative method. The study used qualitative design which is interactive in nature, in order to come up with detailed, accurate and factual account of the perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders, the researcher used interview guide to conduct the in-depth interview. Apart from that the researcher used quantitative method this method allowed the use of questioimaire. Purposive sampling was used to select respondent for in-depth interview while simple random sampling was done to selected respondent to the questiormaire. The data collected using in-depth interview was arranged according to themes that emerged in the course of the study while data collected using the questionnaire was analysed by using tables, graphs, pie-chart and percentages. The following themes emerged as factors that affect the provision of quality education in community schools namely: Teacher professional teaching qualification, teacher motivation, teaching and learning materials, school infrastructure and availability of solutions to community school problems. The study has revealed that the number of trained headteachers have increased in community schools while the number of trained teachers is still low. There is slight improvement in the number of permanent structure of community schools, this has attracted trained primary school teachers to became headteachers in community schools. The study has also revealed that community schools have enough text books for grade one pupils. However, schools are still lacking text books for other grades. The increase in grade one books has been necessitated by the introduction of the revised curriculum. The study as also acknowledged that untrained class teachers in community schools are not well paid by the community and this has negatively affected the provision of quality education in community schools. It was also revealed that commu-iity school face a lot of problems or challenges in the management of schools unfortunately all schools visited has no written plan to solve the problem. Therefore, it was recommended that the ministry of education should deploy untrained teachers in community schools who should be paid by the ministry of education. Ministry of education to supply text books to community schools especially for grade 4 and 7. Ministr>' of education to speed up the construction permanent structures in community schools and lastly to make it mandatory that each community school through the PCSC draw the plan of work every year.


The editors will consider manuscripts in the field of avian diseases. Manuscripts should be submitted on-line at the website: http:// aviandiseases.allentrack.net. Directions for submitting manuscripts are available on the site. All text must be double-spaced with numbered lines and numbered pages using 12-point type in Times New Roman font on 8Kby 11-inch pages. For assistance, contact Janece BevansKerr, Avian Diseases Office Manager, 12627 San Jose Blvd., Suite 202, Jacksonville, FL 32223-8638. Tel: 904-425-5735; Email: avian. firstname.lastname@example.com. Avian Diseases will consider only original manuscripts not published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Abstracts printed as a part of the program of a meeting will not be considered as a prior publication. However, if the text, tables, and figures appear to be the same as that published elsewhere, Avian Diseases will not consider the manuscript. All manuscripts are reviewed by one or more members of the Editorial Board or other persons selected by the editor. During the online submission process, the submitting author should provide the names and contact information of three potential reviewers for the manuscript. The suggested reviewers should not be collaborators of any of the authors or from the same institution as any of the authors of the submitted manuscript. They do not have to be members of the Editorial Board. A page charge for each printed page or part thereof is assessed on each article appearing in Avian Diseases. The page charge is $67 for AAAP members and $100 for non-AAAP members. Under special circumstances, page charges may be waived by the AAAP. Requests for a waiver may be made by providing a detailed justification in the cover letter that accompanies the submitted manuscript. Authors are responsible for the cost of color illustrations. Avian Diseases is copyrighted by the American Association of Avian Pathologists and authors must sign a copyright transfer form before articles are published. U.S. Government employees are exempt from this requirement if the work is considered part of their official duties. The AAAP grants the following rights to the corresponding authors of the articles published in Avian Diseases : reproduce the article by photocopying, reprint portions or the entire article in print or other media, display the article in public, incorporate the article in course packs, place the article in a digital repository or archive owned by the employer's institution, or compile the article into a larger scholarly work. Reprinting and reproduction of the article or parts of the article in any form and in any language must clearly display a complete reference to its original publication in Avian Diseases. For National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored publications, Avian Diseases grants the corresponding author permission to provide a copy of the accepted manuscript to the NIH upon acceptance for publication, with public release in PubMed Central, twelve months after final print publication by the journal.


This essay will refrain from the classical approach of highlighting the philosophers and their views on animals and nature. It will instead delve into the court system of Sweden, and the laws and policies affecting animals in that country.1 The purpose of the essay is to highlight the developments, strengths, and weaknesses of Swedish animal law, in the hopes of giving guidance and inspiration to other societies in their quest for effective investigation, enforcement, prosecution, and punishment of animal crimes.


Pedigrees of apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) cultivars were used to study worldwide genetic diversity among clones used in modern apple breeding. The most frequent founding clones were 'Cox's Orange Pippin', 'Golden Delicious', 'Red Delicious', 'Jonathan', and 'McIntosh'. Coefficients of coancestry between 50 mainstream cultivars and these clones averaged 0.03, 0.12, 0.07, 0.06, and 0.02, respectively, but they were frequently as high as 0.25 with certain pairings. Among a group of 27 cultivars carrying the Vf gene for scab resistance, coefficients of coancestry with the five founding clones were of the same order. Although few of the cultivars sampled were substantially inbred, inbreeding could reach serious levels in their future offspring if current breeding practices are continued. The status effective number was 8 for the mainstream group and 7 for the Vf-carrier clones. This indicates clearly that apple breeders are operating with a population of greatly reduced genetic diversity. Careful consideration of pedigrees and increased size of the genetic base are needed in future apple breeding strategies.


The current study investigated whether individual differences in perfectionism predicted changes in effort across two tasks. Effort is conceptualized as motivational intensity and is measured by autonomic reactivity (Gendolla & Wright, 2009). Past research suggests a possible relationship between two domains of perfectionism (socially prescribed perfectionism [SPP] and self-oriented perfectionism [SOP]) and motivation intensity. On a task that increased in difficulty, it was hypothesized that SPP would interact with the task to predict cardiac variability. People high on SPP would withdraw effort as the task increased in difficulty compared to people low on SPP. In contrast, it was hypothesized that people high on SOP would increase effort as the task increased in difficulty compared to people low on SOP. Furthermore, on an unfixed task with monetary incentives, SPP was hypothesized to predict no change in effort whereas SOP was hypothesized to predict increased effort. Participants (N = 111) completed an attention task with three difficulty levels and an unfixed, incentive task. Multi-level models were used to test whether SPP and SOP interacted with these tasks to explain autonomic variability. Overall, participants showed a negative linear trend of parasympathetic activation and a negative quadratic trend of sympathetic activation as the attention task got more difficult. Furthermore, participants showed both sympathetic and parasympathetic activation during the unfixed, incentive task. Individual differences in perfectionism did not interact with task difficulty or time during the unfixed task to predict cardiac reactivity. These findings draw attention to the importance of physiological measurement of effort. Past research suggests perfectionism predicts performance outcomes, however, the current study suggests this may not be indicative of differences in effort.


Obesity and overweight are considered as challenging health problems worldwide. Despite several modern methods for treatment of obesity such as medical nutrition therapy, low-energy diets, and physical activity. The prevalence of this disease is still high, suggesting the need for alternative therapies. One of the trending approaches is the consumption of traditional medicinal plants. Caraway (Carum carvi L.), has been traditionally used as a spice in Iran. It is also claimed as a potent medicinal plant that is used to treat a variety of ailments including obesity. The objectives of this study are to analyse the phytochemicals present in caraway water extract (CWE), to measure body composition, anthropometric indices, dietary food intake and appetite, and clinical and para-clinical parameters before and after twelve-weeks of intervention. Hence, a randomized triple blind placebo controlled clinical trial was carried out on healthy, overweight and obese adult women in Yazd, Iran. The phytochemical content of CWE was analysed using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Out of 110 volunteers registered, 70 eligible candidates were randomized into two groups of caraway treatment and placebo (N=35 in each group) and were assigned to participate in a twelve-week intervention. Data were collected through questionnaire, face-to-face interview, physical examination and biochemical tests. Body composition and anthropometric indices were measured using bioelectrical impedance analyser (BIA) and measuring tape, while the appetite index was assessed using visual analogue scale method (VAS). Participants received either 30mL/day of CWE or placebo without changing their diet or physical activity and were examined at baseline and after twelve weeks of intervention and the data were analysed using SPSS. Results showed that the predominant ingredients detected from the GC-MS analysis were of different volatile and phenolic
iv
compounds, including limonene, terpinene, carveol, carvone, carvacrol, and thymol. After twelve weeks of study results showed significant reduction of weight (-1.9 kg), body mass index (-0.8 kg/m2), body fat percentage (-0.7%), appetite level (-1) and carbohydrate intake (-30g) in the CWE group. All anthropometric indices including waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, thigh circumference and mid-upper arm circumference also reduced significantly (-6.2, -0.1, -5.4, and -2.2 cm respectively). Besides, significant increase was observed in the muscle percentage of the CWE group (+0.2%). No changes were detected in blood and urine tests, blood pressure and heart rate of respondents. Moreover, after twelve weeks of study, the red blood cell (RBC) level showed a clinically significant rise (+0.3 106/μL), whereas the platelet distribution width (PDW) showed a significant drop in the CWE group (-1.8 fL). The results suggest that adding CWE into the daily diet with no restriction in food intake, when combined with exercise, is of value for obese and overweight women wishing to reduce their body weight, BMI, body fat percentage, body size and appetite and carbohydrate intake. In addition, CWE intake has also improved body muscle and RBC level of the subjects with no clinical side effects. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest a safe weight loss adjuvant and a potential phytotherapeutic approach for CWE in the management of obesity.


Introduction: The importance of this research lies in the determination of the prognostic factors that predict the clinical
 course of amputations in people with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), the identification of these factors are of great interest
 for secondary and tertiary prevention of complications in DM2.
Objective: To determine the main prognostic factors for the development of amputations in people with DM2.
Material and Methods: A matched case-control study with a ratio of 1: 1 was carried out, with a total of 268 people
 diagnosed with DM2 included in the study, of whom 134 were cases (of DM2 with amputation) and 134 were controls (DM2
 without amputation). The analysis of the relationship between risk factors and amputations was made through the
 measure of association Odds Ratio (OR) and developing a predictive model with the main prognostic factors for the
 development of amputations.
Results: It was demonstrated that HbA1c greater than 8% is the main prognostic factor for the development of the
 pathologies that lead to amputations, such as the presence of ulcers in lower limbs (OR of 2.8, p of 0.00), the presence of
 diabetic neuropathy (OR of 3.6, p of 0.01) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (OR of 2.5, p of 0.05).
Conclusion: The main prognostic factors identified for the development of amputations in people with DM2 are the increase
 in HbA1c greater than 8%, the history of ulcers, PAD and diabetic neuropathy. For the prevention of amputations and the
 main pathologies that lead to the development of these, metabolic control is essential through an adequate control of HbA1c
 levels.


Antepartum mastitis is uncommon during pregnancy. This report describes two cases of mastitis occurring at 32 and 34 weeks' gestation. Early, aggressive therapy with parenteral antibiotics, as used in these cases, maximizes breast tissue conservation and function, avoids the development of breast abscesses and reduces both maternal and fetal morbidity.


The superoxide (O₂⁻)-generating NADPH oxidases are crucial for the defense of plants against attack from pathogens; however, it remains unknown whether they also mediate responses against chewing insect herbivores. The transcripts of the respiratory burst NADPH oxidase homolog Narboh D in Nicotiana attenuate are rapidly and transiently elicited by wounding, and are amplified when Manduca sexta oral secretions (OS) are added to the wounds. The fatty-acid-amino-acid-conjugates (FACs), demonstrably the major elicitors in M. sexta OS, are responsible for the increase in Narboh D transcripts. Silencing Narboh D significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels after OS elicitation, but neither OS-elicited jasmonic acid (JA) or JA-isoleucine (JA-Ile) bursts, pivotal hormones that regulates plant resistance to herbivores, nor early transcripts of herbivore defense-related genes (NaJAR4 and NaPAL1), were influenced. However, late OS-elicited increases in trypsin proteinase inhibitors (TPIs), as well as the transcript levels of defense genes such as polyphenol oxidase, TPI and Thionin were significantly reduced. In addition, Narboh D-silenced plants were more vulnerable to insect herbivores, especially the larvae of the generalist Spodoptera littoralis. We thus conclude that Narboh D-based defenses play an important role in late herbivore-elicited responses.


This letter presents preliminary results of an attempt to monitor rice crop growth using RADARSAT-2 quad polarization synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Three RADARSAT-2 quad-polarization SAR images are collected from transplanting to rice crop harvesting. Ground truth data, such as rice height and biomass, are measured during RADARSAT-2 data acquisition in Hainan Province, South China. The correlation between backscattering coefficient and rice growth parameters is analyzed, and then, a rice field mapping method with quad polarization SAR image is developed. Experiments show that an HV or VH image backscattering coefficient exhibits the best correlation with rice age after transplantation. Furthermore, the HV or VH image is also more suitable for retrieving rice growth parameters, such as rice height and dry biomass, for FQ4 RADARSAT-2 SAR data. The ratio image of HH/VV possesses high separability required to distinguish rice crop from banana, forest, and river. Results indicate that RADARSAT-2 quad polarization SAR data presented enormous potential for monitoring rice crop growth.


A partial core superconducting transformer, that was built in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, was tested under no-load, short-circuit, full-load and a two minute full-load endurance run. The first no-load, short-circuit and full load tests were only partially successful because the accuracy of the meters were not satisfactory enough to confirm the mathematical models. The transformer failed the endurance run; voltage dipping and rapid liquid nitrogen boil-off was observed one minute and a half into the test. An investigative approach was taken to determine the cause of the failure. The radial field at ends of the partial core, was determined not to have caused the tape to go out of its superconducting state. An open circuit test was performed on one of the outside winding which led to the discovery of a shorted turn. The windings and insulation of the transformer were taken apart to visually observe the faulty turns.


Virtualized servers have been the key for the efficient deployment of cloud applications. As the application demand increases, it is important to dynamically adjust the CPU allocation of each component in order to save resources for other applications and keep performance high, e.g., the client mean response time (mRT) should be kept below a Quality of Service (QoS) target. In this work, a new form of Kalman filter, called the Maximum Correntropy Criterion Kalman Filter (MCC-KF), has been used in order to predict, and hence, adjust the CPU allocations of each component while the RUBiS auction site workload changes randomly as the number of clients varies. MCC-KF has shown high performance when the noise is non-Gaussian, as it is the case in the CPU usage. Numerical evaluations compare our designed framework with other current state-of-the-art using real-data via the RUBiS benchmark website deployed on a prototype Xen-virtualized cluster.


A key limitation of atomic force microscopy (AFM) is the size of the measurement area and the speed with which this area can be measured. Cantilever arrays have the potential to increase the measurement area and speed compared to single cantilevers, although the integration and use of cantilever arrays is still not widespread. We report integration of an array of 30 individually addressable cantilevers into a commercial AFM. Each cantilever has an integrated resistive heater-thermometer that can measure nanometer-scale topography by tracking the cantilever heat flow. Parallel imaging with this AFM array can acquire an image of size 0.510 mm × 0.425 mm, much larger than typical AFM images. We acquired a 9.05 million-pixel image in 256 seconds at a cantilever scan speed of 226 μm s−1 with noise-limited vertical resolution of 1.21 nm and pixels of size 72.15 nm × 351.5 nm. This throughput is more than two orders of magnitude larger than conventional AFM measurements.


This article considers the relationship between (mis)recognition, inequality and social activism through the lens of young Muslims' response to their positioning as 'suspect communities'. It draws on qualitative empirical research to suggest that the institutionalisation of misrecognition, including through the preventative ('Prevent') arm of UK counter-terrorism strategy, may mobilise young Muslims to resist 'suspect' status and make claims to the right to equal esteem. This forms part of the motivation towards social activism that mitigates the harm inflicted by misrecognition. However, the particular historical and cultural form of the institutionalisation of misrecognition, which renders 'preventing Prevent' a priority for young Muslims, may compound their status subordination. Drawing on critiques of the politics of recognition, and contextualising findings in debates on racism, anti-Muslim attitudes and societal securitisation, the article concludes that fighting misrecognition with recognition politics mis-places the role of power in subject formation and constrains young Muslims' political agency.


Facial image manipulation has achieved great progress in recent years. However, previous methods either operate on a predefined set of face attributes or leave users little freedom to interactively manipulate images. To overcome these drawbacks, we propose a novel framework termed MaskGAN, enabling diverse and interactive face manipulation. Our key insight is that semantic masks serve as a suitable intermediate representation for flexible face manipulation with fidelity preservation. MaskGAN has two main components: 1) Dense Mapping Network (DMN) and 2) Editing Behavior Simulated Training (EBST). Specifically, DMN learns style mapping between a free-form user modified mask and a target image, enabling diverse generation results. EBST models the user editing behavior on the source mask, making the overall framework more robust to various manipulated inputs. Specifically, it introduces dual-editing consistency as the auxiliary supervision signal. To facilitate extensive studies, we construct a large-scale high-resolution face dataset with fine-grained mask annotations named CelebAMask-HQ. MaskGAN is comprehensively evaluated on two challenging tasks: attribute transfer and style copy, demonstrating superior performance over other state-of-the-art methods. The code, models, and dataset are available at https://github.com/switchablenorms/CelebAMask-HQ.


Fundamentals of Momentum Transfer Quang Tuan Pham Rheological Properties of Food Jasim Ahmed Fundamentals of Heat Transfer in Food Processing Ferruh Erdogdu Mass Transfer Basics Gauri S. Mittal Mass and Energy Balances in Food Processing Gauri S. Mittal Fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics Gordon D. Mallinson and Stuart E. Norris Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Retort Thermal Sterilization in Pouches A.G. Abdul Ghani and Mohammed M. Farid Heat Exchangers Prabhat Kumar and K.P. Sandeep Thermal Phase Transitions in Food Jasim Ahmed Heat and Mass Transfer during Food Drying Ibrahim Dincer Mathematical Modeling of Spray Dryers Timothy A.G. Langrish Modeling of Heat and Mass Transfer during Deep Frying Process L.A. Campanone, M. Alejandra Garcia, and Noemi E. Zaritzky Baking Process: Mathematical Modeling and Analysis Weibiao Zhou Freezing, Thawing, and Chilling of Foods Jianfeng Wang, Quang Tuan Pham, and Donald J. Cleland Food Refrigeration Aspects Ibrahim Dincer Heat Transfer and Air Flow in a Domestic Refrigerator Onrawee Laguerre Mathematical Analysis of Vacuum Cooling Lijun Wang and D.-W. Sun Airflow Patterns within a Refrigerated Truck Loaded with Slotted Filled Boxes Jean Moureh Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of High Pressure Processing of Food A.G. Abdul Ghani and Mohammed M. Farid Modeling Microbial Inactivation by Pulsed Electric Field Michael Ngadi and Jalal Dehghannya Mathematical Modeling and Design of Ultraviolet Light Process for Liquid Foods and Beverages Zhengcai Ye and Tatiana Koutchma Ozone Processing Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Colm P. O'Donnell, and Patrick J. Cullen Computer Modeling of Microwave Heating Processes for Food Preservation Tatiana Koutchma and Vadim Yakovlev Ohmic Heating in Food Processing Fa-De Li and Lu Zhang Radio Frequency Heating of Foods Lu Zhang and Francesco Marra Infrared Heating Daisuke Hamanaka and Fumihiko Tanaka Impingement Thermal Processing Ferruh Erdogdu and Brent A. Anderson Membrane Processing Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan and Chenchaiah Marella Modeling of Membrane Fouling Alice A. Makardij, Mohammed M. Farid, and Xiao Dong Chen Crystallization in Spray Drying Timothy A.G. Langrish Extrusion of Foods Prabhat Kumar, K.P. Sandeep, and Sajid Alavi Modeling of Food Biofilms: A Metabolic Engineering Approach Paul Takhistov Kinetics of Biological Reactions Roy Zhenhu Lee and Qixin Zhong Measurement and Control in Food Processing Brent R. Young and Garth Wilson Artificial Neural Networks in Food Processing Weibiao Zhou and Nantawan Therdthai Exergy Analysis of Food Drying Processes and Systems Ibrahim Dincer Mathematical Modeling of CIP in Food Processing Konstantia Asteriadou Index


This paper aims to examine effectiveness of rational strategies for rough reasoning human players. Nowadays, computer players beat human champion players in many games (ex. Chess, Reversi, etc.) Actually, since computational power of computers transcends the human players, accuracy and volume of the search ability of computer players are superior to the human champion players in the end game phase. Then, the problem is that these computer algorithms are also effective for human players? The algorithms are basically composed by backward induction that is equilibrium concept for rational players. However, human players sometimes make wrong reasoning unlike computer players. In order to investigate the problem, we first propose a rough reasoning model that describes human imperfect reasoning abilities. This model is characterized by following two assumptions. The first is that as the payoff difference decrease, reasoning accuracy tends to decrease. The second is that as length of the tree increase, reasoning accuracy tends to decrease. We then make some examples of games and play them by some kinds of rough reasoning players with various algorithms. In the real game situations, accepted theories sometimes contradict to the rational strategies. We try to reveal the validity and effectiveness of the theories.


We made a survey for Jovian hectometric and kilometric radiation by GEOTAIL spacecraft before, during, and after the impacts of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL-9). We attempted to identify the radiation from Jupiter based on a k vector determination. However, we did not find clear enhancement of the Jovian radiation activity in the whole period nor around each impact time. With regard to the Jovian magnetospheric activity, the enhancement of synchrotron and X-ray radiation in association with the SL-9 event has been already reported. Synchrotron radiation increased during the week of the impacts, and X-rays was clearly detected just around K impact time at the magnetic conjugate footprints of the impact sites. This suggests that a strong perturbation at the impact sites has given non negligible change in the inner magnetosphere directly or indirectly. Our results suggest that such activities were limited in the inner magnetosphere only on low L shells, and there were few amount of direct coupling between the cometary fragments and the Jovian outer magnetosphere. This is consistent with the ground-based observation of the decametric radiation that no significant change was detected during the SL-9 event.


Four new quaternary chalcogenides A2Ba7Sn4Q16 (A = Li, Na; Q = S, Se) were successfully synthesized in vacuum-sealed silica tubes for the first time. All of them crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric (NCS) cubic I3d space group with the cell parameters ranging from 14.807 to 15.4163 A and Z = 4, respectively. Interestingly, their isostructures are different from the structural transformations (from tetragonal to trigonal) appearing in previously reported Na2BaSnQ4 compounds. As observed in their structures, (Na/Ba)Q4 and SnQ4 units alternately connect with each other by sharing corners to build a three-dimensional (3D) framework structure with charge-balanced Ba cations located within tunnels, which is different from the observation that the Na atoms located inside the tunnels formed by the interconnection of the BaS8 and SnS4 units in Na2BaSnS4. Optical properties (diffuse-reflection, IR, and Raman spectra) were also systematically studied and the results indicate that their optical bandgaps are in the range from 1.75 to 2.5 eV. Moreover, the second harmonic generation (SHG) responses of the title compounds were also measured to be about 0.1–0.5 times higher than that of benchmark AgGaS2 under 2.09 μm radiation.


Infection from Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) in men with non gonococcal urethritis (NGU) and in women with cervicitis has been investigated by means of Chlamidiazime and serological tests. 32.5% of 120 men with NGU and 8.3% of 12 men with dysuria were positive to Chlamydiazine test. Serological test using anti-CT IgG antibodies gave positive results in 30% of men with NGU and 33.3% of men with dysuria. Positivity to higher-levels (1:64) of anti-CT IgG antibodies were demonstrated in 14.1% of NGU patients and 16.6% of men affected by dysuria. Of 11 women positive to Chlamydiazine test, 8 were affected by cervicitis and 3 had no symptoms. All female partners of Chlamydiazine-positive men with NGU resulted positive to Chlamydiazime test. Serological tests were more frequently positive in asymptomatic partners of men with NGU. These results give further evidence for the aetiological role of CT, and suggest that antigen detection assay is more sensitive in men with NGU and in women with symptomatic cervicitis. On the other hand, serological tests seem more useful in men with dysuria and in asymptomatic women.


The aim of this paper is to develop a complete model of a power-line communication (PLC) system operating on a medium-voltage (MV) network. The core-shield configuration was chosen for signal transmission in the power cables. In order to validate the developed model experimental, the medium-voltage network of the Favignana island was used to carry out detailed testing. The transmission was performed between two transformer substations in the presence of mains voltage (i.e., 24 kV). ST7540 FSK power-line transceivers, together with capacitive coupling interfaces, were used for the transmission and the reception of the communication signal. The correlation between the experimental measurements and the simulation results would appear to validate the use of the developed model for the analysis of MV transmission channels.


Purpose
This paper investigates the significance of value c
o-creation to the UK animal healthcare sector from
the perspective of the key industry stakeholders: clients, veterinarians and paraprofessionals.
Design
Value co-creation constructs in the sector were identified and measured using a mixed methods approach comprised of qualitative NVivo thematic analysis of depth interviews (n=13) and quantitative Exploratory Factor Analysis n=271).
Findings
Qualitative results revealed nine underlying dimensions regarding service delivery in the sector: trustworthiness, communication, value for money, empathy, bespoke, integrated care, tangibles, accessibility and outcome driven service. Exploratory Factor Analysis of professional survey data loaded onto seven latent factors, with strong value co-creation dimensions identified.
Research limitations/ implications
The sampling process is sufficiently representative and diverse to present meaningful and valuable results;
however, surveying should be extended to include the client group. Due to the originality of the research
replication of the study will be beneficial to the
broader understanding and application of value co-creation
to the high-involvement services of animal healthcare.
Practical implications
Recognition of the importance of value co-creation
to the sector should encourage professional
stakeholders to develop and adopt integrated models of service provision and to provide improved levels of service quality.
Originality and value
The paper makes an original contribution to knowledge regarding value co-creation in respect of high
involvement service provision. Its findings should
be of value to academics interested in value co-creation
in service sectas well as animal healthcare practitioners seeking to offer better value and quality service provision.


In this paper, we first study agreement protocols for coupled continuous-time nonlinear dynamics over cooperative multi-agent networks. To guarantee convergence for such systems, it is common in the literature to assume that the vector field of each agent is pointing inside the convex hull formed by the states of the agent and its neighbors given the relative states between each agent and its neighbors are available. This convexity condition is relaxed in this paper, as we show that it is enough that the vector field belongs to a strict tangent cone based on a local supporting hyperrectangle. The new condition has the natural physical interpretation of adding a compass for each agent in addition to the available local relative states, as each agent needs only to know in which orthant each of its neighbor is. It is proven that the multi-agent system achieves exponential state agreement if and only if the time-varying interaction graph is uniformly jointly quasi-strongly connected. Cooperative-antagonistic multi-agent networks are also considered. For these systems, the (cooperative-antagonistic) relation has a negative sign for arcs corresponding to antagonistic interactions. State agreement may not be achieved for cooperative-antagonistic multi-agent systems. Instead it is shown that asymptotic modulus agreement is achieved if the time-varying interaction graph is uniformly jointly strongly connected.


This article reports on collage as a pedagogical practice to support teacher candidate reflection. We outline a multi-step collage-based reflection workshop that was part of a required course on "Inquiries Into Learning." The summative collage project was designed to help teacher candidates reflect on their vision of learning (hope) and their fears and doubts as beginning teachers. The process and product of their final integrated collage led students to interrogate how their hopes and fears mingle together in practice. Six teacher candidates share their series of collages and GIFs, along with their reflective personal statements. We conclude by highlighting lessons learned through collaging from the perspective of students.


Identification of acetone and its two isomers, and the control of their ionization and dissociation processes are performed using a dual-mass-spectrometer scheme. The scheme employs two sets of time of flight mass spectrometers to simultaneously acquire the mass spectra of two different molecules under the irradiation of identically shaped femtosecond laser pulses. The optimal laser pulses are found using closed-loop learning method based on a genetic algorithm. Compared with the mass spectra of the two isomers that are obtained with the transform limited pulse, those obtained under the irradiation of the optimal laser pulse show large differences and the various reaction pathways of the two molecules are selectively controlled. The experimental results demonstrate that the scheme is quite effective and useful in studies of two molecules having common mass peaks, which makes a traditional single mass spectrometer unfeasible.


PURPOSE
This paper aims to describe the participation of health professionals as key agents for the successful definition of skills manuals supporting professional accreditation in Andalusia (Spain).

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
The increasing extent to which different stakeholders are recognized reflects the importance they hold in all decision-making processes. The Andalusian Agency for Healthcare Quality's commitment to this process has facilitated the healthcare professionals' participation when professional skills manuals are designed for their respective specialities.

FINDINGS
The process involved over 400 healthcare professionals from 58 disciplines between March 2005 and January 2008. Results were conditioned by several factors, some acting as drivers while others represented a barrier.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS
The experience relates to a specific geographical context. Healthcare professionals eligible to participate had to be in active employment and working for the Andalusian Public Health Service. There was an overrepresentation of members from scientific associations.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Co-operation based on mutual trust is the essential ingredient accounting for the success of participative involvement.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE
The paper incorporates all categories of personnel and specialities in a regional healthcare system that covers eight million inhabitants and employs over 90,000 professionals, includes 33 public hospitals, more than 1,500 primary care centres and other healthcare units.


Background To investigate the clinical results of sitagliptin (SITA) and the characteristics of the treatment failure group or of low responders to SITA. Methods A retrospective study of type 2 diabetic patients reviewed 99 cases, including 12 treatment failure cases, who stopped SITA because of worsening patients' condition, and 87 cases, who continued treatment over five visits (total 9.9±10.1 months) after receiving the prescription of SITA from December 2008 to June 2009. Subjects were classified as five groups administered SITA as an initial combination with metformin (MET), add-on to metformin or sulfonylurea, and switching from sulfonylurea or thiazolidinedione. The changes in HbA1c level from the first to last visit (ΔHbA1c) in treatment maintenance group were subanalyzed. Results The HbA1c level was significantly reduced in four groups, including initial coadministration of SITA with metformin (ΔHbA1c=-1.1%, P<0.001), add-on to MET (ΔHbA1c=-0.6%, P=0.017), add-on to sulfonylurea (ΔHbA1c=-0.5%, P<0.001), and switching from thiazolidinedione (ΔHbA1c=-0.3%, P=0.013). SITA was noninferior to sulfonlyurea (ΔHbA1c=-0.2%, P=0.63). There was no significant adverse effect. The treatment failure group had a longer diabeties duration (P=0.008), higher HbA1c (P=0.001) and fasting plasma glucose (P=0.003) compared to the maintenance group. Subanalysis on the tertiles of ΔHbA1c showed that low-response to SITA (tertile 1) was associated with a longer diabetes duration (P=0.009) and lower HbA1c (P<0.001). Conclusion SITA was effective and safe for use in Korean type 2 diabetic patients. However, its clinical responses and long-term benefit-harm profile is yet to be established.


We address the problem of generating force-closed point contact grasps on complex surfaces and model it as a combinatorial optimization problem. Using a multilevel refinement metaheuristic, we maximize the quality of a grasp subject to a reachability constraint by recursively forming a hierarchy of increasingly coarser optimization problems. A grasp is initialized at the top of the hierarchy and then locally refined until convergence at each level. Our approach efficiently addresses the high dimensional problem of synthesizing stable point contact grasps while resulting in stable grasps from arbitrary initial configurations. Compared to a sampling-based approach, our method yields grasps with higher grasp quality. Empirical results are presented for a set of different objects. We investigate the number of levels in the hierarchy, the computational complexity, and the performance relative to a random sampling baseline approach.


A central feature of the evolution of large software systems is that change-which is necessary to add new functionality, accommodate new hardware, and repair faults-becomes increasingly difficult over time. We approach this phenomenon, which we term code decay, scientifically and statistically. We define code decay and propose a number of measurements (code decay indices) on software and on the organizations that produce it, that serve as symptoms, risk factors, and predictors of decay. Using an unusually rich data set (the fifteen-plus year change history of the millions of lines of software for a telephone switching system), we find mixed, but on the whole persuasive, statistical evidence of code decay, which is corroborated by developers of the code. Suggestive indications that perfective maintenance can retard code decay are also discussed.


Hematopoiesis is an ideal model system for stem cell biology with advanced experimental access. A systems view on the interactions of core transcription factors is important for understanding differentiation mechanisms and dynamics. In this manuscript, we construct a Boolean network to model myeloid differentiation, specifically from common myeloid progenitors to megakaryocytes, erythrocytes, granulocytes and monocytes. By interpreting the hematopoietic literature and translating experimental evidence into Boolean rules, we implement binary dynamics on the resulting 11-factor regulatory network. Our network contains interesting functional modules and a concatenation of mutual antagonistic pairs. The state space of our model is a hierarchical, acyclic graph, typifying the principles of myeloid differentiation. We observe excellent agreement between the steady states of our model and microarray expression profiles of two different studies. Moreover, perturbations of the network topology correctly reproduce reported knockout phenotypes in silico. We predict previously uncharacterized regulatory interactions and alterations of the differentiation process, and line out reprogramming strategies.


This study revisits the nexus between foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade in the dynamic perspective, focusing on intermediate goods imports of affiliates of Japanese firms operating in China. To examine the effect of the formation of the agglomeration and the recent FDI made by small firms, both of which have been overlooked in the literature, we construct a unique parent-affiliate matched panel data set of trade in intermediate goods, and estimate a discrete-time hazard model over the 2000–06 period. We found that affiliates owned by firms in agglomerated regions in Japan have a shorter duration of trade in intermediate goods compared with affiliates owned by smaller Japanese firms.


: At the first health conference in Saxony-Anhalt held at Magdeburg in March 1998 six health objectives were defined, among them the objective to increase to 90% the vaccination coverage level of the population. To achieve this goal the participants decided to establish a working group composed of representatives of 20 institutions and organisations interested in vaccination strategies. Subgroups were constituted for the following components of the objective: improvement of the data basis, completion of the special knowledge of physicians and other medical personnel, public information campaigns, and improvement of the structural framework. More than 50 actions per year were initiated or co-ordinated taking into account the special profiles of the institutions and organisations involved. In this way a better identification of the participants with the project was achieved and waste of strength and time was avoided. The data basis was assessed using generally available or newly created parameters such as the incidence of notified vaccine-preventable diseases, measles seroprevalence, and vaccination coverage levels among children aged 5-6 years. Approaches to target group related activities of the working group were derived from these parameters. The most remarkable results of these activities include the definition of age specific vaccination coverage levels, the establishment of a certificate for physicians who have completed a vaccination training course, a monthly press release on vaccination subjects, the design of a poster presentation, the composition of foil-based age group specific lectures, and the establishment of frame conditions for a recall system for practising physicians. The first hurdles on the way to a high age specific vaccination coverage levels have been taken. Further work must be done to improve the use of offered vaccinations and to complete the available data. Therefore, additional target group-related projects and actions are planned for the years to come.


Biomedical engineering is an important field of engineering science that plays pivotal role in the modern health care systems. Rapid developments in medical technology has boosted the medicare system to a large extent. These developments greatly improved the quality, availability and efficiency of the health care delivery system. Technological advancement in the developed countries contributed their advancement in developing countries to certain extend. In countries like Indian these technological advancements can be beneficial only in the shorter period. It is rather impossible to visualize these benefits in the long term unless otherwise plan are devised to sustain these developments. therefore, it is high time to start more biomedical engineering programs in the country. In this regard various technical and medical bodies must unit and cooperate in the proper molding of programs. Different biomedical societies and related organizations can play a greater role in the curriculum development. These organizations must contribute their efforts in designing course, projects, set short and long term goals. Also create an environment to establish active interactions with various institutions of interest. Initially plans should be drawn to modify the existing curricula by introducing new and need based programs. Also provide expertise to the institutes starting new biomedical engineering under graduate, post graduate and research programs. This paper outlines some of these issues related to the development and modernization of biomedical engineering programs in India


Unit 1: Foundations of Community-Based Nursing Practice 1. Opportunities in Community-Based Nursing Practice 2. Roles and Interventions in Community-Based Nursing Practice 3. Client Education and Health Teaching NEW! 4. Case Management NEW! Unit 2: Factors that Influence Health and Health Care 5. Overview of the Health Care Delivery System 6. Epidemiology 7. Environmental Health Issues 8. Cultural Influences on Health 9. Natural and Man-made Disasters NEW! Unit 3: Settings for Community-Based Care 10. Nursing Care in Ambulatory Settings 11. Home Health Care Nursing Unit 4: Community-Based Nursing Care Across the Life Span 12. Health Promotion and Illness Prevention for Infants, Children, and Adolescents 13. Health Promotion and Illness Prevention for Adults 14. Issues in Women's Health Care 15. Health Promotion and Illness Prevention for Elders 16. Health Promotion and Illness Prevention for Families Unit 5: Nursing Care of Clients with Special Needs in Community Settings 17. Vulnerable Groups 18. Mental Health Issues 19. Communicable Disease: Prevention and Intervention Glossary Appendixes Assessment Tools


The extraordinary story of Countess Dina Alma de Paradeda, who spent the final weeks of her life in Breslau (modern-day Wrocław, which, at the time, lay within the borders of the German Empire), was introduced to the German-speaking world by Jens Dobler. In 2010, Dobler republished and appended an afterword to a more-than-one-hundred-year-old novel by Walter Homann, Tagebuch einer männlichen Braut [The Diary of a Male Bride], which had been inspired by incidents in de Paradeda's life. The afterword catalogues the few definite facts as well as the unexplained mysteries and conjectures concerning the biography of the self-styled comtesse. It remains unknown whether Dina, born as Alfred (or Alfredo) H. (or P.?) and came of an aristocratic background; who her biological father was and if he really was a Spanish consul in Rio de Janeiro; what the nature of her relationship with her stepfather (a German doctor who had married a Brazilian widow) was; whether or not Dina's fiancé knew her secret and if he was possibly pressured into breaking the engagement by his family; and finally, who and why reported the countess to the police. Certain, however, is the fact that the tragic history of one of the first identifiable trans* individuals in Central Europe inflamed public opinion not only in Germany, but also in the United States and New Zealand. In addition to numerous press articles, frequently contradicting one another and thus making it more difficult to reconstruct those events, at least two novels inspired by the predicaments of the "Breslau male bride" appeared in print. The fact that they came out just months following the scandal caused by her suicidal death clearly attests to the wide publicity and popularity this story enjoyed. I myself came across it while doing doctoral research on the life of queer people in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century in German territories that passed under Polish rule in 1945.


A simple but reliable model tuning method was developed in order to tune a flight model for a high-fidelity type-specific small aircraft simulator. A genetic algorithm (GA) was used as a parameter estimation method. GAs are robust parallel heuristic search methods that often use least squares curve fitting methods to solve complex problems. They belong to the class of evolutionary computing algorithms that mimic natural processes, in this case evolution, to predict behaviour and solve optimization problems. A population of possible solution sets is selected at random and the known math model is then used to determine the behaviour of each of these possible solutions. The behaviour of each is then compared to the desired behaviour of the model, i.e., the reference data set, and the error is calculated. Those with the highest error are culled from the population while those with the lowest error are deemed to be "parents". These parent solution sets are then paired together, to create "children" by finding a weighted average of the parents. To ensure the solution space is fully explored, "mutations" are also created by replacing a single part of select solution sets with a randomly-generated value. Two mutation mechanisms were used in the algorithm described in this paper to ensure that the solution space was explored fully while avoiding convergence on a local, rather than global, minimum. The second generation solution set is 50% comprised of parents, 25% comprised of children, and 25% comprised of mutations. The process repeats until the convergence criteria is met. This algorithm was successfully tested with multiple dynamic systems, including simulated flight test data created using X-Plane, a flight simulator software. The algorithm proved to be a capable and adaptive parameter estimation method applicable to a wide variety of dynamic models, including flight models.


Topology and geometry of a sphere create constraints for particles that lie on its surface, which they otherwise do not experience in Euclidean space. Notably, the number of particles and the size of the system can be varied separately, requiring a careful treatment of systems with one or several characteristic length scales. All this can make it difficult to precisely determine whether a particular system is in a disordered, fluid-like, or crystal-like state. Here, we show how order transitions in systems of particles interacting on the surface of a sphere can be detected by changes in two hyperuniformity parameters, derived from a spherical structure factor and cap number variance. We demonstrate their use on two different systems—solutions of the thermal Thomson problem and particles interacting via an ultra-soft potential of the generalized exponential model of order 4—each with a distinct parameter regulating their degree of ordering. The hyperuniformity parameters are able to not only detect the order transitions in both systems but also point out the clear differences in the ordered distributions in each due to the nature of the interaction leading to them. Our study shows that hyperuniformity analysis of particle distributions on the sphere provides a powerful insight into fluid- and crystal-like orders on the sphere.


The notions of I-vague normal groups with membership and non-membership functions taking values in an involutary dually residuated lattice ordered semigroup are introduced which generalize the notions with truth values in a Boolean algebra as well as those usual vague sets whose membership and non-membership functions taking values in the unit interval [0, 1]. Various operations and properties are established. Keywords—Involutary dually residuated lattice ordered semigroup, I-vague set, I-vague group and I-vague normal group.


A new species of Allobates is described from the Mabura Hill Forest Reserve, central Guyana, South America. The new species is distinguished from congeneric species by cryptic colouration, very small size, first finger longer than second, third finger not distinctly swollen in males, absence of lateral fringes on fingers and toes, complete lateral black band present, diffuse pale dorsolateral stripe present, diffuse, pale, partial oblique lateral stripe present, pale ventrolateral stripe present, throat in adult males pale, and unique advertisement call and reproductive behaviour. The new species occasionally deposits tadpoles in leptodactylid foam nests, which constitutes the first case of interspecific brood parasitism in frogs.


Problem-solving activities have been studied from a diversity of epistemological perspectives. In problem-solving activities, the initial tensions of a problematic situation led to a cognitive dissonance between conflicting motives and instruments to reach the activity goal. We analyze problem-solving in the continuation of Sannino and Laitinen's (2015) approach to the analysis of a decision-forming apparatus. The originality of this study is in consideration of the materialistic nature of double stimulation that appears during the activity of the CreaCube problem-solving task. This activity engages the participant in solving tasks with interactive robotic instruments. To solve a task, the subject is required to build interactive robotic modules into a specific configuration which will cause the artifact to move from an initial position to a predetermined final position. The conflict of stimuli in the CreaCube is strong and observable because of the tangibility of the artifact, which is manipulated by the participant into different configurations with the goal of solving the task. We discuss double stimulation in relation to the artifactual interactive affordances of educational robotics.


Fire intensity affects ecological and geophysical processes in fire-prone landscapes. We examined the potential for satellite imagery (Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre [SPOT2] and Landsat7) to detect and map fire severity patterns in a rugged landscape with variable vegetation near Sydney, Australia. A post-fire, vegetation-based indicator of fire intensity (burnt shrub branch tip diameters, representing the size of fuel consumed) was also used to explore whether fire severity patterns can be used to retrospectively infer patterns of fire intensity. Six severity classes (ranging from unburnt to complete crown consumption) were defined using aerial photograph interpretation and a field assessment across five vegetation types of varying height and complexity (sedge-swamp, heath, woodland, open forest, and tall forest). Using established Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) differencing methodology, SPOT2 and Landsat7 imagery yielded similar broad-scale severity patterns across the study area. This was despite differences in image resolution (10 m and 30 m, respectively) and capture dates (2 months and 9 months apart, respectively). However, differences in the total areas mapped for some severity classes were found. In particular, there was reduced differentiation between unburnt and low-severity areas and between crown-scorched and crown-consumed areas when using the Landsat7 data. These differences were caused by fine-scale classification anomalies and were most likely associated with seasonal differences in vegetation condition (associated with time of image capture), post-fire movement of ash, resprouting of vegetation, and low sun elevation. Relationships between field severity class and NDVIdifference values revealed that vegetation type does influence the detection of fire severity using these types of satellite data: regression slopes were greater for woodland, forest, and tall forest data than for sedge-swamp and heath data. The effect of vegetation type on areas mapped in each fire severity class was examined but found to be minimal in the present study due to the uneven distribution of vegetation types in the study area (woodland and open forest cover 86% of the landscape). Field observations of burnt shrub branch tips, which were used as a surrogate for fire intensity, revealed that relationships between fire severity and fire intensity are confounded by vegetation type (mainly height). A method for inferring fire intensity from remotely sensed patterns of fire severity was proposed in which patterns of fire severity and vegetation type are combined.


Abstract. Snow consists of non-spherical grains of various shapes and sizes. Still, in radiative transfer calculations, snow grains are often treated as spherical. This also applies to the computation of snow albedo in the Snow, Ice, and Aerosol Radiation (SNICAR) model and in the Los Alamos sea ice model, version 4 (CICE4), both of which are employed in the Community Earth System Model and in the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM). In this study, we evaluate the effect of snow grain shape on climate simulated by NorESM in a slab ocean configuration of the model. An experiment with spherical snow grains (SPH) is compared with another (NONSPH) in which the snow shortwave single-scattering properties are based on a combination of three non-spherical snow grain shapes optimized using measurements of angular scattering by blowing snow. The key difference between these treatments is that the asymmetry parameter is smaller in the non-spherical case (0.77–0.78 in the visible region) than in the spherical case ( ≈  0.89). Therefore, for the same effective snow grain size (or equivalently, the same specific projected area), the snow broadband albedo is higher when assuming non-spherical rather than spherical snow grains, typically by 0.02–0.03. Considering the spherical case as the baseline, this results in an instantaneous negative change in net shortwave radiation with a global-mean top-of-the-model value of ca. −0.22 W m−2. Although this global-mean radiative effect is rather modest, the impacts on the climate simulated by NorESM are substantial. The global annual-mean 2 m air temperature in NONSPH is 1.17 K lower than in SPH, with substantially larger differences at high latitudes. The climatic response is amplified by strong snow and sea ice feedbacks. It is further demonstrated that the effect of snow grain shape could be largely offset by adjusting the snow grain size. When assuming non-spherical snow grains with the parameterized grain size increased by ca. 70 %, the climatic differences to the SPH experiment become very small. Finally, the impact of assumed snow grain shape on the radiative effects of absorbing aerosols in snow is discussed.


Sensory integration therapy (SIT) has been used as an intervention for sensory sensitivities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for decades without clear empirical evidence of its efficacy. Recent research has supported the use of deep pressure therapy (DPT) when applied in varying degrees to the upper body. The T.Jacket (an app-driven vest with air bladders and pump) is an emerging and novel approach to DPT. This single-subject study examined the effects of the T.Jacket on off-task behavior and challenging behaviors in an individual adolescent with ASD, speech impairment, and intellectual disability. Experimental control was not established across all settings and phases for off-task behavior and challenging behaviors. Rationale is given for future research in an area of symptoms recently recognized in the DSM-5 (i.e., hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input) for ASD yet has little to no empirically based intervention.


In this paper, we introduce FreSaDa, a French Satire Data Set11https://github.com/adrianchifu/FreSaDa, which is composed of 11,570 articles from the news domain. In order to avoid reporting unreasonably high accuracy rates due to the learning of characteristics specific to publication sources, we divided our samples into training, validation and test, such that the training publication sources are distinct from the validation and test publication sources. This gives rise to a cross-domain (cross-source) satire detection task. We employ two classification methods as baselines for our new data set, one based on low-level features (character n-grams) and one based on high-level features (average of CamemBERT word embeddings). As an additional contribution, we present an unsupervised domain adaptation method based on regarding the pairwise similarities (given by the dot product) between the training samples and the validation samples as features. By including these domain-specific features, we attain significant improvements for both character n-grams and CamemBERT embeddings.


ABSTRACT We used mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells with systematic gene knockouts for DNA methyltransferases to delineate the roles of DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) and Dnmt3a and -3b in maintaining methylation patterns in the mouse genome. Dnmt1 alone was able to maintain methylation of most CpG-poor regions analyzed. In contrast, both Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a and/or Dnmt3b were required for methylation of a select class of sequences which included abundant murine LINE-1 promoters. We used a novel hemimethylation assay to show that even in wild-type cells these sequences contain high levels of hemimethylated DNA, suggestive of poor maintenance methylation. We showed that Dnmt3a and/or -3b could restore methylation of these sequences to pretreatment levels following transient exposure of cells to 5-aza-CdR, whereas Dnmt1 by itself could not. We conclude that ongoing de novo methylation by Dnmt3a and/or Dnmt3b compensates for inefficient maintenance methylation by Dnmt1 of these endogenous repetitive sequences. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized degree of cooperativity among mammalian DNA methyltransferases in ES cells.


Medicinal plants play important role in the development of therapeutic agents, for curing diseases. The study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants; pomegranate (Punica granatum), black tea (Camellia) and Kharnoob (Prosopis farcta) against some antibiotic resistant isolates The agarwell diffusion method was used for the determination of the antibacterial activity of the extract at different concentration (25,50,100, and 200) mg/ml. The bacteria, isolated from infected wound and diarrheal stool, then identified using routine cultural, morphological, and biochemical testes, The Kirby-Bauer antibiotic susceptibility assay showed that the selected bacterial isolates demonstrated was high resistance to most common used antibiotics, and different multidrug resistance patterns had been seen. The results showed that aqueous and ethanolic extracts from the peels of P. granatum peels had strong activity against bacterial isolates from wound infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, and Escherichia coli. In addition, the aqueous and ethanolic extract of P. granatum pulp, and black tea leaves demonstrated high antibacterial activity against a number of bacterial isolates obtained from diarrheal stool The Antimicrobial Activity of Plant Extracts from Punica granatum, Camellia, and Prosopis farcta on Some Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial Species Qanat Mahmood Atya, Gulbahar F. Karim and Siham Sh. AL-Salihi 26 Vol: 14 No: 3, July 2018 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24237/djps.1403.402C P-ISSN: 2222-8373 E-ISSN: 2518-9255 samples, including; E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis. In contrast extract from P. farcta didn't show any antimicrobial activity. It can be concluded that the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of P. granatum (pulp and peel), and black tea had broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against different bacterial species, but ethanolic extracts were more active than aqueous extracts. Moreover, the action of these extracts increased with increasing their concentration. Hence these plant may be used in developing novel, and economic therapeutic agents for treatment of wounds, and gastrointestinal tract disorders causing bacterial strain. Further investigations on the antimicrobial activity of pomegranate, and black tea, against other pathogenic bacteria, are recommended.


The urban cities of Malaysia are enclosed by greenery, mainly oil palm plantation which it covers 4.98 Mha of the land area of the country. Due to the huge volume of oil palm availability, palm biomass appears to be one of the key concerns to the country. Space and technologies are needed to allocate the resulting palm biomass, which its volume is directly proportional to the amount of palm fresh fruit bunches (FFB) being processed. Due to the characteristics of biomass being low density, porous and low calorific value, the biomass may be integrated with other source of useful material, say waste industrial oil, to boost up its efficiency for incineration while symbiotically tackling the waste oil disposal difficulty. The Malaysian government has set a target on the biomass generated renewable energy. However, the realisation of the energy target is challenging. The crop aging and promotion of replanting policy by the government may reduce the availability of biomass, which threatens the accomplishment of the energy target. The adapted biomass with higher energy value may be able to tackle the mentioned threat, enhancing the energy security of the country. In this work, a biomass energy supply plan is proposed and a simplified supply network design is presented.


Although young males are still the primary perpetrators of juvenile crime, the percentage of girls experiencing criminal justice system contact has risen. To identify effective interventions and address public concerns regarding juvenile crime, scholars and practitioners have assessed recidivism risk using tools such as the Youth Level of Service (YLS) Inventory. While the appropriateness of using gender-neutral tools to assess female criminality in adult correctional populations has been debated, mixed findings regarding juvenile risk-assessment tools have not provided definitive answers. To address these concerns, separate meta-analyses were conducted for male and female juvenile offenders. Specifically, mean effect sizes were compared to determine whether predictive validity varies by sex. Results largely indicate that the YLS/Case Management Inventory (CMI) works equally well for a variety of subgroups, including recidivism type, recidivism outcome, geographical location, and sample characteristics. The implications of these findings for theory, research, and correctional policy are discussed.


The size and complexity of many scientific and enterprise-level applications require a high degree of parallelization in order to produce outputs within an acceptable period of time. This often necessitates the uses of high performance computing clusters (HPCCs) and parallelized applications which are carefully designed and optimized. A myriad of papers study the various factors which influence performance and then attempt to quantify the maximum theoretical speedup that can be achieved by a cluster relative to a sequential processor. The studies tend to only investigate the influences in isolation, but in practice these factors tend to be interdependent. It is the interaction rather than any solitary influence which normally creates the bounds of the design trade space. In the attempt to address this disconnect, this thesis blends the studies into an expanded speedup model which captures the interplay. The model is intended to help the cluster engineer make initial estimates during the early phases of design while the system is not mature enough for refinement using timing studies. The model pulls together factors such as problem scaling, resource allocation, critical sections, and the problem"s inherent parallelizability. The derivation was examined theoretically and then validated by timing studies on a physical HPCC. The validation studies found that the model was an adequate generic first approximation. However, it was also found that customizations may be needed in order to account for application-specific influences such as bandwidth limitations and communication delays which are not readily incorporated into a


Influence Diagrams (ID) are graphical representation for a problem scenario. These diagrams consist of arcs and nodes. Contrasting Bayesian Networks (BN) which only uses chance nodes, ID includes other types of nodes as well. Decisions can be modeled easily using ID, but for having a correct output, the graphs should be evaluated first. There are various algorithms for valuation of these diagrams. Calculating the efficiency of the developed ID is also crucial. is the efficiency function for an ID. The parameters involved are Accuracy (A), and Complexity (C). In addition, α is the value set by the decision maker. This paper would review existing evaluation algorithms. Moreover, the Influence Diagrams for London Plan Policy 4A will be evaluated by means of reviewed algorithms. Finally, the efficiency of the Policy 4A ID will be analyzed.


A longitudinal strain-level analysis of the infant gut microbiome after repeated antibiotic treatments reveals decreased diversity and stability, as well as transient increases in antibiotic resistance genes. Elucidating the effects of drugs on bugs Despite widespread use of antibiotics in children, the effects of antibiotic exposure on the developing infant gut microbiome have remained underexplored. Here, Yassour et al. present a longitudinal study capturing how the gut microbiome responds to and recovers from antibiotic perturbations. Antibiotic-treated children had less stable and less diverse bacterial communities. Antibiotic resistance genes within the guts of these children peaked after antibiotic treatment but generally returned rapidly to baseline. Delivery mode (vaginal versus cesarean) also had strong long-term effects on microbial diversity. These data give insights into the consequences of early life factors such as birth mode and antibiotic treatment on the infant gut microbiome. The gut microbial community is dynamic during the first 3 years of life, before stabilizing to an adult-like state. However, little is known about the impact of environmental factors on the developing human gut microbiome. We report a longitudinal study of the gut microbiome based on DNA sequence analysis of monthly stool samples and clinical information from 39 children, about half of whom received multiple courses of antibiotics during the first 3 years of life. Whereas the gut microbiome of most children born by vaginal delivery was dominated by Bacteroides species, the four children born by cesarean section and about 20% of vaginally born children lacked Bacteroides in the first 6 to 18 months of life. Longitudinal sampling, coupled with whole-genome shotgun sequencing, allowed detection of strain-level variation as well as the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. The microbiota of antibiotic-treated children was less diverse in terms of both bacterial species and strains, with some species often dominated by single strains. In addition, we observed short-term composition changes between consecutive samples from children treated with antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance genes carried on microbial chromosomes showed a peak in abundance after antibiotic treatment followed by a sharp decline, whereas some genes carried on mobile elements persisted longer after antibiotic therapy ended. Our results highlight the value of high-density longitudinal sampling studies with high-resolution strain profiling for studying the establishment and response to perturbation of the infant gut microbiome.


Snitching refers to conveying inside and potentially incriminating information about others to authorities. In contrast to prior criminological accounts of snitching, which rely on small and purposive samples, we used a probability sample of 802 male prisoners in Texas to study the status, prevalence, acceptability and correlates of snitching. We arrive at several key quantitative findings. First, snitches are positioned at the bottom of the inmate hierarchy. Second, snitching is a rare behaviour (7.6 per cent) and even rarer identity (1.8 per cent), consistent with a snitching paradox. Third, about three-fourths of respondents endorsed contingencies where snitching was permissible, primarily those involving personal ties, self-protection, or violence prevention. Finally, characteristics such as age, civic engagement, education, gang status, and arrest and imprisonment history were associated with either snitching identity, behaviour, or contingencies. Snitching is a persistent feature of social life, yet violates a sacred norm central to many criminological theories, necessitating continued inquiry into its content, enforcement and consequences.


The results of two studies on overt guilt in psychiatric patients in general and depressives in particular, involving 221 and 134 patients respectively, suggest that neurotic depressives as a group are guiltier than nondepressives. The results with psychotic depressives were less consistent; most measures employed did not show them as differing greatly from nondepressives, but some scattered evidence suggested that psychotic depressives may score higher than nondepressives on overt guilt. Overall, guilt was not intrinsic to all depressive disorders. While there was a relationship between psychiatric diagnosis and guilt, diagnosis was not a very strong factor. Guilt and negative self-images were strongly related. Depressive patients had lower selfimages than nondepressives. The results suggested that negative selfconcepts are a more striking feature of depressive, as opposed to nondepressive, patients than is guilt.


The objective of this research was to isolate and characterize Ty3/gypsy sequences in cultivated allotetraploid cotton, Gossypium barbadense L. Using a degenerate oligonucleotide designed to amplify these sequences by PCR, part of the reverse transcriptase gene of Ty3/gypsy retrotransposons was isolated, cloned, and sequenced. These retro-elements exist in the cotton genome in high copy number, and their encoded transcripts were detected. Phylogenetic analysis shows that these retro-elements are heterogeneous and closely related to elements present in other plant species. These results indicate that Ty3/gypsy retro-transposons are standard component of the Gossypium genome, and support the fact that Ty3/gypsy retro-transposons represent a major component of the plant genome.


Urban power refers to a set of governing rules in various physical, sociocultural, economic, and political dimensions. It is a science formed during a historical process by the relations between the various levels of power in a city. The current study aims to explore the "urban power" concept among other relevant concepts and distinguish it from similar concepts. Therefore, it is required to recognize the "urban power" concept as a new and influential component in the process of policymaking, planning, and implementing urban development plans, and to understand the effects of its support or resistance in the urban development process. The main problem discussed in this study is the imperfect understanding of city as a powerful and influential entity in urban development processes. To address this problem, the theoretical discussions are reviewed using qualitative methods of documentary research, and library research. Next, the objective examples of urban power in Tehran city are investigated. The research findings indicated that it is required urban development authorities recognize the urban power as a set of governing rules in physical, behavioral, managerial, structural, and institutional dimensions and as the urban knowledge governing their activities. They also need to consider it a new component in policymaking, planning, and implementing urban development plans. Understanding the effects of urban power on the urban development processes provides urban managers and administers with a new perspective to the issues relevant to their tasks and authorities to differently analyze the data and results.


George Walker was one of the most creative, inspirational and influential volcanologists of the twentieth century. Born in Harlesden, London, on 2 March 1926 in a respectable working–class neighbourhood, he was the first member of his family to take an interest in science and to attend university. His father, Leonard Walker, an insurance salesman, was badly wounded at Passchendaele in World War I as a sergeant bomber and never fully recovered. He died in 1932, when George was six years old. His mother, Evelyn Frances (néeMcConkey), was a nurse. George had no siblings. He attended Acton Lane Elementary School and recollected a lesson on the making of iron as being memorable. Other influences included natural history, adventure books and visits to the South Kensington Museum and London Zoo. He did well at school and in 1937 won a scholarship to Willesden Secondary School.


In this incisive, abundantly illustrated study, Julie Wosk explores for the first time how the visual arts reflected the explosive psychological impact of the Industrial Revolution on English and American society. Wosk reveals the ways artists and designers responded to the hopes and fears for the first industrial age, and how their work continues to illuminate our own visions of technology and culture.Wosk also reveals the striking ability of artists to capture the drama and the dangers of the new technologies, seen in their images of factories spewing smoke, steam boilers bursting, trains crashing, and comic views of people-turned-automatons. Their art dramatically mirrored widespread feelings of disorientationoothe phenomenon sociologists have called "breaking frame."Wosk demonstrates the startling impact of new technologies on the decorative arts and industrial design. While critics anquished, manufacturers using new materials poured out elaborately ornamented machine-made copies of original works of art. The new simulations spurred dramatic design debatesoodebates which have resurfaced during our postmodern era. She also highlights how artists' responses to a world newly transformed by technology prefigured the fear and pride, resistance and accommodation to technological achievement, that are still felt over a century later.


Various fluorides (3 - 8 wt%) were added to a La9.33Si6O26 (LSO) powder synthesized by calcining the corresponding oxides mixture at 1100°C for 4 h. The addition of BaF2, AlF3 or Ba3Al2F12 caused an appreciable and substantial increase in bulk density after sintering at 1400º and 1450°C, respectively. These fluorides melt below 1400°C to form liquid phase which could assist the densification at low temperatures. Abnormal grain growth was observed for LSO samples with the addition of AlF3 and Ba3Al2F12, but it was effectively suppressed by stepwise sintering at 1400º and 1450°C. The BaF2 addition brought about the simultaneous promotion of densification and moderate grain growth, leading to the production of a densified LSO sample showing a conductivity of 1.5 x 10–2 Scm–1 at 800°C with an activation energy of 1.23 eV.


In activities for conservation of biodiversity and habitats fungi were usually disregarded in spite of their great ecological role. Thanks to the IPA program, a target of the European and Global strategies for Plant Conservation, also the so called lower plants are included and this improve the position of fungi in the complex of nature conservation programs. The ECCF (European Council for the Conservation of Fungi), founded in 1985, aims to promote the attention for the conservation of Fungi to all governmental bodies and non-governmental organisations and stimulate the publication of national and regional Lists of threatened fungi. The publication of Red Lists is one of the basic activities to support the conservation strategies and allows the application of Criterion A, among the IPA selection criteria. In spite of the fundamental work of ECCF, only a third of European countries has a Red List of fungi. In Tuscany first attempts to apply the IPA criteria to the Regnum Fungi dates back to the first years of the new millennium; the publication of a Tuscan Red List and participation at the national IPA project have been fundamental. In this work the IPA criteria, are analyzed from a mycological point of view and utilized to select the "Montagnola Senese" as important plant/ fungus area.


The purpose of this paper is to put forward a research framework capable of detecting the hidden needs of a firm in terms of type of formal competitive intelligence program (CIP). The model will focus on the internal and external determinants which compel an organization to establish a formalized intelligence process. This study is concerned with measuring the competitive intelligence sensitivity of a particular organization in a particular context. The first part introduces two different approaches to the examination of the corporate and decision maker's needs which are generally used in the competitive intelligence field. Subsequently, it discusses the decision maker's role and the potential failure to determine the CI needs as well as the potential value of the CI program. The second part focuses on research questions. The third part discusses which types of external and internal factors prompt a firm to establish a formal CIP. The paper concentrates on putting forward the factors which are assumed to have the most significant analytical influence and through which it is possible to pinpoint which organizations need to establish a CIP as well as the type of process required.