Abstract In the crayfish Procambarus clarkii, the gastroliths are formed as a paired structure in the stomach during the premolt period, and contain calcium carbonate and a small amount of an organic matrix. In this investigation, a cDNA encoding an insoluble matrix protein was isolated from P. clarkii. The open reading frame encoded 505 amino acid residues including two unique repeated sequences. The N-terminal half of the amino acid sequence, which included 10-amino-acid repeats, exhibited a high degree of similarity to that of involucrin, a protein synthesized in human keratinocytes. Northern blot analysis revealed that mRNA encoding the matrix protein is specifically expressed in the gastrolith discs during the premolt period in which the gastroliths formed. In the gastrolith discs, levels of expression of this mRNA correlated increases in weights of the gastroliths concomitant with their formation. Organ culture of the gastrolith discs suggested that expression of mRNA in the discs is induced by molting hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone. These results reinforced the relationship between the matrix protein and formation of the gastroliths. Functional analysis showed that the protein inhibits calcium carbonate crystallization in a solution system, suggesting that the protein plays a role in the calcification of the gastroliths.


Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are currently the dominating programmable architecture for Deep Learning (DL) accelerators. The adoption of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) in DL accelerators is however getting momentum. In this paper, we demonstrate that Direct Hardware Mapping (DHM) of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) on an embedded FPGA substantially outperforms a GPU implementation in terms of energy efficiency and execution time. However, DHM is highly resource intensive and cannot fully substitute the GPU when implementing a state-of-the-art CNN. We thus propose a hybrid FPGA-GPU DL acceleration method and demonstrate that heterogeneous acceleration outperforms GPU acceleration even including communication overheads. Experimental results are conducted on a heterogeneous multi-platform setup embedding an Nvidia(R) Jetson TX2 CPU-GPU board and an Intel(R) Cyclone10GX FPGA board. The SqueezeNet, MobileNetv2, and ShuffleNetv2 mobile-oriented CNNs are experimented. We show that heterogeneous FPG-AGPU acceleration outperforms GPU acceleration for classification inference task over MobileNetv2 (12%-30% energy reduction, 4% to 26% latency reduction), SqueezeNet (21%-28% energy reduction, same latency), and ShuffleNetv2 (25% energy reduction, 21% latency reduction).


Nearest neighbors in word embedding models are commonly observed to be semantically similar, but the relations between them can vary greatly. We investigate the extent to which word embedding models preserve syntactic interchangeability, as reflected by distances between word vectors, and the effect of hyper-parameters—context window size in particular. We use part of speech (POS) as a proxy for syntactic interchangeability, as generally speaking, words with the same POS are syntactically valid in the same contexts. We also investigate the relationship between interchangeability and similarity as judged by commonly-used word similarity benchmarks, and correlate the result with the performance of word embedding models on these benchmarks. Our results will inform future research and applications in the selection of word embedding model, suggesting a principle for an appropriate selection of the context window size parameter depending on the use-case.


We present Photone, an interactive installation combining photographic images and musical sonification. An image is displayed, and a dynamic musical score is generated based on the overall color properties of the image and the color value of the pixel under the cursor. Hence, the music changes as the user moves the cursor. This simple approach turns out to have interesting experiential qualities in use. The composition of images and music invites the user to explore the combination of hues and textures, and musical sounds. We characterize the resulting experience in Photone as one of modal synergy where visual and auditory output combine holistically with the chosen interaction technique. This tentative finding is potentially relevant to further research in auditory displays and multimodal interaction.


This article discusses the development of an electronically tunable filter capable of a wide frequency tuning range. Variation of bias (0-5V) changes the center frequency of the filter within 10% while achieving a 1-dB of typical insertion loss. The concept of tuning a filter's 3-dB bandwidth with voltage is demonstrated and the effect of the bandwidth tuning elements on the tunable filter performance is discussed. The designed filter has a simple structure and the characteristics of wide tuning range of 1800MHz to 2000MHz and low insertion loss of less than -1.20 dB. The tunable bandpass filter can be scaled to the commercial frequencies up to 2.5GHz, offering advantages for most ISM and cellular band applications.


A numerical study of the transient behavior, including upper level ions and laser power relaxation oscillation, of Ho 3+ :ZBLAN fiber laser is presente d based on the propagation-rate equations. The power propagation equations for pump a nd signal have been treated differently by neglecting the z-dependence of t he fiber laser parameters, for the sake of numerical simplicity. The results sho w that upper level ions of 5 I 6 and 5 I 7 manifolds relax alternati vely and go to steady state after the first relaxation oscillation and monotonou s decline. Similarly, the 3μm and 2μm laser powers relax alternatively first, then the 3μm laser power declines monotonously while the 2μm laser power incre ases monotonously, both of them go to steady state after the second relaxation o scillation. Moreover, peak powers of the 3 μm and 2 μm lasers in the course of relaxation oscillation are far larger than that when steady state is reached.


According to the geometrical characteristic of workpiece and groove in the stretch reducing rolling process, three-dimensional elastic-plastic finite-element analysis model was established to simulate the metal deformation, the regularities of distribution of wall thickness of transverse direction longitudinal direction were investigated. The analysis was verified by comparing finite element analysis results with on-line measurements. The length of crop ends was determined as well as product bore polygonization. The study provides the foundation for analyzing product defeat and instructing technological design.


The aim of this study is to compare Lithuanian and Swedish pension systems from the point of view of their design and performance in order to elaborate reasonable recommendations to Lithuanian pension policy based on the best Swedish experience. Swedish income, premium and guaranteed old-age pensions system are compared with the analogous Lithuanian system of the "first," "second" pillars and the "social" pensions. The main features of the systems are discussed, and the performance of the systems, mainly from the point of view of adequacy, is compared. The differences in system design and performance are identified, and the possible reasons of these differences are examined. Special attention is paid to differences in financing and the approach to the definition of benefits. The Lithuanian pension points approach is compared to the Swedish Notional Defined Contribution (NDC) approach. Each system is analyzed, and the relevance of transforming the Lithuanian first pillar pensions into a NDC system is examined.


This article investigates the interaction between the processes of building development theory and development practice, arguing that theory must start with practice – and should not be top–down, starting with the 'outside gaze' of a supposedly detached academic or policy maker. The questions posed point to critiques of mainstream development narratives and notions of innovation through the diffusion of new technologies. The authors suggest that the assumptions embedded in mainstream development processes lead to unequal access to global and local markets, and that when they are imposed from the outside without a real understanding of the context, the development project is bound to fail. Parameters for assessing and evaluating outcomes also need to be based upon a close understanding of context – and this often comes through active involvement within it and not through being 'detached' and outside it. The assumption that an outside gaze is 'objective' is based in an implicitly colonial discourse, while building theory by being involved in the practice produces better methodologies for action and development.


In the present research, the microstructural features of ultrafine grained Cu-30 Zn alloy via ARB at room temperature were investigated by X-ray diffraction peak profile analysis. The character of dislocations was determined by analyzing the dislocation contrast factors. The average contrast factors for the different reflections obtained by determination of the type of dislocations and Burgers vectors in crystals. Also, using the modified Williamson–Hall and Warren–Averbach procedure size parameters, the effective outer cut-off radius and density of dislocations were determined. Assuming that the grain size distribution is log-normal, the median and the variance of the size distribution of sub grains were obtained. It was found that the crystallite size is reduced substantially, while the dislocation density increases up to 2 cycles of ARB. After 2nd cycle, dislocation density decreases. This is attributed to the occurrence of dynamic restoration process which takes place during next ARB cycles.


The question that still remains today is, What is an ideal formulation for administering estrogens? There have been no large-scale, long term studies to answer this question. But the pendulum appears to be swinging from cyclic combination therapy, or sequential combination therapy, to continuous therapy. There is less bleeding and compliance is better. There is no difference in the effects on lipids, and it looks as though the endometrium maintains its atrophy. The future in developing the ideal formulation may lie in this direction; however, more studies need to be coordinated and done in several centers.


Soft tissue rheumatism (STR) involves a group of disorders affecting periarticular structures. They are associated with joint pains and deformity and contribute substantially to the burden of musculoskeletal diseases in the community. There are no studies from Sub-Saharan African communities highlighting the epidemiology of soft tissue rheumatism in the region.
This is a sub-group analysis of 811 subjects who reported positive musculoskeletal symptoms, as part of a cross-sectional total population survey using the Community Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) methodology, in Nigeria. The objective was to describe the prevalence and pattern of soft tissue rheumatism in a semi urban Nigerian population.
The mean age (SD) of the study population was 36 (12.5) years with a male to female ratio of 1:1. The prevalence of STR in the community was 17.0%. Females, 20.0% were more affected than males 13.1%. The most common form of STR diagnosed was non-specific diffuse pain (28.3%) and a significant disability was recorded in 9.4% of subjects.
The prevalence of STR in this community was found to be high, with significant disability. Therefore there is need for increased awareness about STR among primary care providers, to increase their suspicion, diagnoses and treatment of these conditions.


1. The kinetic and metabolic properties of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme LDHx from human sperm cells and rat testes were studied. 2. LDHx shows a sensitivity to inhibition by stilboestrol diphosphate, urea and guanidinium chloride different from that of the LDH-H4 and LDH-M4 isoenzymes. 3. About 10 and 20% of the total lactate dehydrogenase activity of testes and sperm cells respectively were associated with particulate fractions. In sperm cells 11% was localized in the middle piece and 18·8% in the head fraction. LDHx was found in all particulate fractions of sperm cells. The middle piece contained 41·0% of total LDHx activity and showed high succinate dehydrogenase activity. 5. The pH-dependence of lactate/pyruvate and NAD+/NADH concentration ratios were estimated. Lactate dehydrogenase in sperm cells has maximal activity with NADH as coenzyme at pH7·5 and with NADPH as coenzyme at pH6·0. At pH6·0 a 10% greater oxidation of NADPH than of NADH was found. At acid pH lactate hydrogenase may function as an enzyme bringing about transhydrogenation from NADPH to NAD+. 6. In agreement with the stoicheiometry of the lactate de- hydrogenase reaction, the lactate/pyruvate concentration ratio decreased with increasing pH. 7. The lactate/pyruvate and NAD+/NADH concentration ratios were estimated with glucose, fructose and sorbitol as substrates and as a function of time after addition of these substrates. During a 20min. period after the addition of the substrates, changes in lactate/pyruvate and NAD+/NADH concentration ratios were noticed. Increasing concentration of the substrates mentioned gave rise to asymptotic increases in lactate and pyruvate. 8. Sorbitol did not act as a substrate for LDHx. 9. The findings described are consistent with the idea that LDHx is different from other known lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, but that it has a metabolic function similar to that of the isoenzymes of other tissues.


Abstract. Large-scale magmatic events like the emplacement of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) are often coincident with periods of extreme climate change such as the Palaeocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). One proxy for volcanism in the geological record that is receiving increased attention is the use of mercury (Hg) anomalies. Volcanic eruptions are among the dominant natural sources of Hg to the environment; thus, elevated Hg/TOC values in the sedimentary rock record may reflect an increase in volcanic activity at the time of deposition. Here we focus on five continental shelf sections located around the NAIP in the Paleogene. We measured Hg, total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations, and δ13C values to assess how Hg deposition fluctuated across the carbon isotope excursion (CIE). We find a huge variation in Hg anomalies between sites. The Grane field in the North Sea, the most proximal locality to the NAIP analyzed, shows Hg concentrations up to 90,100 ppb (Hg/TOC = 95,700 ppb/wt%) in the early Eocene. Significant Hg/TOC anomalies are also present in Danish (up to 324 ppb/wt%) and Svalbard (up to 257 ppb/wt%) sections prior to the onset of the PETM and during the recovery period, while the Svalbard section also shows a continuous Hg/TOC anomaly during the body of the CIE. The combination with other tracers of volcanism, tephra layers and unradiogenic Os isotopes, at these localities suggests that the Hg/TOC anomalies reflect pulses of magmatic activity. In contrast, we do not observe clear Hg anomalies on the New Jersey shelf (Bass River) or the Arctic Ocean (Lomonosov Ridge). This large spatial variance could be due to more regional Hg deposition. One possibility is that phreatomagmatic eruptions and hydrothermal vent complexes formed during the emplacement of sills led to submarine Hg release, which is observed to result in limited distribution in the modern. The Hg/TOC anomalies in strata deposited prior to the CIE may suggest that magmatism linked to the emplacement of the NAIP contributed to the initiation of the PETM. However, evidence for considerable volcanism in the form of numerous tephra layers and Hg/TOC anomalies post-PETM indicates a complicated relationship between LIP volcanism and climate. Factors such as climate system feedbacks, changes to the NAIP emplacement style, and/or varying magma production rates may be key to both the onset and cessation of hyperthermal conditions during the PETM.


Black rot caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a serious disease of crucifers which are a high value crop in New York. This pathogen can affect plants at any growth stage and cause widespread economic loss through reduction of yield and quality. The overall goal of this study was identifying the inoculum sources of Xcc in New York so that management strategies could be targeted to the appropriate location. To determine the diversity of strains of the pathogen more than 150 isolates of Xcc were collected over six years. Repetitive element polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) fingerprinting was the primary technique utilized to differentiate the isolates. The appearance of new fingerprint patterns in the state each year indicates that new infections do not primarily arise from the pathogen remaining in fields from one season to the next but are more likely introduced on seeds and/or transplants each year. Since the pathogen can overwinter in NY, rotation and control of debris are also important for eliminating inoculum sources. Weeds have been found to harbor Xcc in other locations, but little is known of their role as an inoculum source in NY. 2004 was a year with a severe black rot epidemic. The following spring, five fields were targeted to determine if Xcc was present in weeds where inoculum levels had been high the previous year. Of the 77 weeds collected from May through July 2005, bacterial isolates from 21 grew on Xcc semi-selective media and eight were determined to be Xcc using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test (ELISA). When inoculated into cabbage in the greenhouse, none of the isolates from weeds caused typical V-shaped lesions. The rep-PCR fingerprint patterns of isolates collected from the weeds were not the same as those derived from cabbage isolates collected from fields or greenhouses the previous, or in following years. Bacterial isolates were also collected from cruciferous weeds in 2006 and 2007. Seven isolates out of 92 cruciferous weeds collected in these two growing seasons did cause V-shaped lesions in greenhouse inoculations. Four of these isolates were collected from a field showing black rot symptoms in the cabbage crop. With the exception of this field, the Xcc isolates from weeds had different rep-PCR fingerprint patterns compared to Xcc isolates from cabbage. This study provides evidence that while weeds can be infected with Xcc; the strains appear to be different than those responsible for field infections thus do not serve as a primary reservoir of Xcc inoculum. The black rot pathogen can be seed-borne and even rigorous seed testing can not guarantee that every seed is free of bacteria. In greenhouse transplant facilities, conditions are ideal for the spread of Xcc with dense plant populations and overhead watering. Asymptomatic transplants can initiate field infections which are very difficult to control. The efficacy of copper hydroxide and benzothiadiazole to control the spread of black rot in inoculated flats was investigated. Leaf washes were used for dilution plate counts and real-time PCR to quantify pathogen numbers on cabbage seedlings. Both products did provide a significant reduction in the Xcc population over untreated control flats. Additionally, it was determined that younger seedlings could harbor larger numbers of Xcc bacteria than older seedlings, and that the age of the seedlings had an effect on the efficacy of copper hydroxide. Targeting cabbage transplants at the optimum age (the two-true leaf stage) for application of chemical controls is an effective management tool to decrease the population of Xcc in an environment favoring disease spread.


Caffeine (Cf, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), a major secondary metabolite of many higher plants, is widely used in popular non-alcoholic beverages, and in the pharmaceutical and health industries. Currently, this valuable chemical is mainly manufactured by chemical synthesis. In this study, we developed a novel approach for de novo caffeine production in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli. Xanthine-to-caffeine conversion was first achieved by the expression of a plant-derived gene encoding tea caffeine synthase (TCS1). Caffeine accumulation was then increased using two metabolic strategies: higher-level expression of the target enzymes, and enhancement of xanthine and S-adenosyl-L-methionine biosynthesis. The final strain (BL21/pRSF-eCS1-SAM2-vgb-eGUD1) produced up to 21.46 ± 1.03 mg L−1 caffeine from 20 g L−1 of glucose in shake flask culture, yielding caffeine up to 2.96 mg g−1 glucose, which represents the highest titer of caffeine produced by fermentation reported to date. This novel microbial conversion also represents an innovative approach to produce value-added methylxanthine chemicals from cheap carbon sources.


The study compares distances to outlets for obtaining healthy, affordable food in tribal areas to those for the general U.S. population, with implications for improving the health of tribal populations. Errata: On April 9, 2015, the estimate for average distance from a grocery for all tribal areas in Table 2 on page 13 was corrected to fix a calculation error. References to the number in the text on pages 13-16 were updated to reference the revised number. The references to the estimate for population share and population percentiles for all ANVSA individuals in Table 3 on page 17 was also corrected.


Several studies have been carried on the effect of training on employees' performance in firms. However, the effect of training on the performance of universities' administrative staff in Nigeria has not been adequately assessed. This paper identified the training types mostly used by the Administrative staff of The Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Nigeria, examined the factors affecting effective training and assessed the effect of training on the performance of the staff. The paper sought answers to research questions by employing survey design and purposive sampling technique to collect data from 68 respondents with the help of a 17-item structured questionnaire. The respondents consisted of the administrative staff of FUTA. Data for this study were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage, mean score, standard deviation, mean ranking, and chi-square was used to test the hypothesis posed for the research at 5% significant level. Reliability test was carried out with Cronbach Alpha, while the validation of the research instrument was carried out by a senior lecturer in the Department of Business Administration, FUTA. The study revealed that training (On the Job and Off the Job) had a significant effect on the respondents' performance; however, management did not release enough funds towards adequate training of the administrative staff. The paper, therefore, recommended more investment in training the staff in current skills and methods in order to cope with frequent changes in this contemporary world.


Abstract The sequence of dyke intrusions between 2005 and 2010 in the Manda Hararo rift segment, Ethiopia, provided an opportunity to test conceptual models of continental rifting. Based on trends up to dyke 13 in the sequence, it was anticipated that, should magma supply continue, dykes would shorten in length and eruptions would increase in size and decrease in distance from the segment centre as extensional stress was progressively released. In this paper we revisit these predictions by presenting a comprehensive overview of the May 2010 dyke and fissure eruption, the 14th and last in the sequence, from InSAR, seismicity, satellite thermal data, ultraviolet SO2 retrievals and multiple LiDAR surveys. We find the dyke is longer than other eruptive dykes in the sequence, propagating in two directions from the segment centre, but otherwise fairly typical in terms of opening, propagation speed and geodetic and seismic moment. However, though the eruption is located closer to the segment centre, it is much smaller than previous events. We interpret this as indicating that either the Manda Hararo rifting event was magma limited, or that extensional stress varies north and south of the segment centre.


A number of items that must be considered in designing and choosing a suitable model for initiation and promotion testing have been described. Although these items may seem complex, tests for initiation and promotion are, in reality, quite simple and provide a rational approach to carcinogen testing. Several tests have been described here and Eastin, elsewhere in this book, describes the validation of a simple and highly recommended test. The processes involved in initiation and promotion are qualitatively different. The criteria for concern about possible human hazards as well as for regulation of initiators and promoters should be based on these qualitative differences. Realistic appraisal of the risk must be based on the level and nature of the potential hazard. In particular, it must be recognized that promoting action is reversible, that a threshold exists, and that promotion is readily inhibited. Therefore, animal tests that differentiate between potential initiators and promoters are essential to enable a logical assessment of human risk and the implementation of appropriate protective measures based on scientific facts.


We hypothesized that photoinhibition of shade-developed leaves of deciduous hardwood saplings would limit their ability to acclimate photosynthetically to increased irradiance, and we predicted that shade-tolerant sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) would be more susceptible to photoinhibition than intermediately shade-tolerant red oak (Quercus rubra L.). After four weeks in a canopy gap, photosynthetic rates of shade-developed leaves of both species had increased in response to the increase in irradiance, although final acclimation was more complete in red oak. However, photoinhibition occurred in both species, as indicated by short-term reductions in maximum rates of net photosynthesis and the quantum yield of oxygen evolution, and longer-term reductions in the efficiency of excitation energy capture by open photosystem II (PSII) reaction centers (dark-adapted F(v)/F(m)) and the quantum yield of PSII in the light (phi(PSII)). The magnitude and duration of this decrease were greater in sugar maple than in red oak, suggesting greater susceptibility to photoinhibition in sugar maple. Photoinhibition may have resulted from photodamage, but it may also have involved sustained rates of photoprotective energy dissipation (especially in red oak). Photosynthetic acclimation also appeared to be linked to an ability to increase leaf nitrogen content. Limited photosynthetic acclimation in shade-developed sugar maple leaves may reflect a trade-off between shade-tolerance and rapid acclimation to a canopy gap.


AIMS: Mapping gradual transitions in plant species composition via a combination of ordination and regression from remote sensing data is becoming an established approach. However, straightforward analysis of areas with high species turnover rates may result in a loss of information since a high level of generalization is required. In this study, we investigate whether analysis of more homogeneous subsets, in contrast to processing of the complete dataset, is a viable approach to mapping multiple floristic gradients. LOCATION: The coastal nature reserve "Zwin" (Belgium). METHODS: The measured dataset is partitioned into more homogeneous subsets based upon species composition using hierarchical classification. The dataset and subsets are then processed separately. First, ordination is performed to extract floristic gradients in plant species composition; second, these gradients are related to airborne hyperspectral remote sensing data through regression models and mapped by projecting these models on image data. Regression validation and Mantel tests are used to compare the results within the study and to other studies. RESULTS: Hierarchical classification resulted in two homogeneous vegetation subsets. Ordination yielded four gradients in the area and all regression models compared favorably to similar studies in other areas with R² values ranging from 0.47 to 0.74. The Mantel test showed that by dividing the dataset into subsets, higher resemblance to the original vegetation data can be achieved. CONCLUSION: We showed that mapping gradual transitions in plant species composition across multiple subsets sampled from one measured vegetation dataset is a promising approach for retrospective analysis of areas with high species turnover rates. In addition to potential improvements in performance, this complementary analysis enables mapping of additional gradients, suggesting that all conventionally predicted maps remain available, valuable, and necessary for thorough understanding of plant species composition.


This paper aims to create prediction models for both global solar radiation and wind speed for the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. To do so neural network techniques using feed-forward back propagation were deployed and samples for the month of January for such models are presented. The results confirm the accuracy of the models and compare the measured output with the neural network trained outputs. Such models will then be used for estimating power generation using photovoltaics and/or wind turbines.


A planned development program is necessary to prepare personnel for the management challenges of current generation construction projects. In describing each of these areas, potential programs are also identified. Personnel selection criteria, orientation and initial training, and early job assignments are first described. Means of performance evaluation and potential assessment for increased responsibility are reviewed. Intermediate assignments are then described and examples given to illustrate the diverse experience which is essential to support professional development. The essential areas of experience identified are resident engineering, craft supervision, contract management, project control and quality control. Needs for professional development training programs to cover such subjects as labor relations, contract administration and management development are defined. In the conclusions and practical applications section, management responsibility for a planned professional development program is emphasized. Training is declared important; however, progression through a series of varied assignments is critical.


BACKGROUND
In patients with intermittent claudication, exercise in the form of walking is effective in reducing pain and maximising achievable walking distance. However, data are lacking on the implementation of walking exercise in these patients.

AIMS
To explore the current behaviour and views of patients with intermittent claudication towards taking walking exercise.

DESIGN OF STUDY
Postal questionnaire and focus group meetings.

SETTING
Two academic general practice networks (Utrecht and Maastricht Universities) in The Netherlands.

METHOD
Three hundred and seventy-five patients with intermittent claudication, selected from the files of general practitioners participating in two academic general practice networks, were sent a postal questionnaire; 216 (58%) were returned. Nine of these responders also attended a focus group meeting.

RESULTS
Seventy per cent (151/216) of the patients reported having received advice about walking exercise. If specified, the advice given most often recommended walking in the local neighbourhood (56%, 84/151). Fifty-two per cent (113/216) of all patients actually performed walking exercise and only 32%of them received any kind of supervision. Among the barriers for taking walking exercise, 'comorbidity', 'lack of (specific) advice' and 'lack of supervision' were often mentioned. Among the stimuli to start and continue walking, 'following the doctor's advice', 'relief of complaints' and 'a better general condition' were often mentioned by patients.

CONCLUSIONS
Walking exercise was not carried out by almost half of patients with intermittent claudication in this study. Lack of specific advice and supervision were found to be important barriers to taking walking exercise.


Supervisory hybrid systems are systems generating a mixture of continuous-valued and discrete-valued signals. This systems paradigm is particularly useful in modeling applications where high-level decision making is used to supervise process behavior. Hybrid system methodologies are also applicable to switched systems where the system switches between various setpoints or operational modes to extend its effective operating range. Hybrid systems, therefore, embrace a diverse set of applications. There has been considerable activity in the area of hybrid systems theory, and this article provides an introduction to some of the basic concepts and trends in this emergent field. The term hybrid refers to a mixing of two fundamentally different types of objects or methods. The paper deals with supervisory hybrid systems. Supervisory hybrid systems are systems that combine discrete event and continuous-valued dynamics. The article is organized as follows. We first provide an example of a hybrid system, to be used throughout as a pedagogical tool illustrating various concepts in hybrid systems theory. We then discuss modeling frameworks for hybrid systems, paying specific attention to the hybrid automaton. Not only may the system have a hybrid character, but the specifications on desired system behaviors may also be hybrid. The article also discusses specification logics that express system requirements on both the discrete and continuous states of the system. The article continues with a survey of current methods and concepts used to verify or validate desired system behaviors, and concludes with a survey of current methods for hybrid control system synthesis.


For decades, researchers have used the concepts of rate of change and differential equations to model and forecast neoplastic processes. This expressive mathematical apparatus brought significant insights in oncology by describing the unregulated proliferation and host interactions of cancer cells, as well as their response to treatments. Now, these theories have been given a new life and found new applications. With the advent of routine cancer genome sequencing and the resulting abundance of data, oncology now builds an "arsenal" of new modeling and analysis tools. Models describing the governing physical laws of tumor-host-drug interactions can be now challenged with biological data to make predictions about cancer progression. Our study joins the efforts of the mathematical and computational oncology community by introducing a novel machine learning system for data-driven discovery of mathematical and physical relations in oncology. The system utilizes computational mechanisms such as competition, cooperation, and adaptation in neural networks to simultaneously learn the statistics and the governing relations between multiple clinical data covariates. Targeting an easy adoption in clinical oncology, the solutions of our system reveal human-understandable properties and features hidden in the data. As our experiments demonstrate, our system can describe nonlinear conservation laws in cancer kinetics and growth curves, symmetries in tumor's phenotypic staging transitions, the pre-operative spatial tumor distribution, and up to the nonlinear intracellular and extracellular pharmacokinetics of neoadjuvant therapies. The primary goal of our work is to enhance or improve the mechanistic understanding of cancer dynamics by exploiting heterogeneous clinical data. We demonstrate through multiple instantiations that our system is extracting an accurate human-understandable representation of the underlying dynamics of physical interactions central to typical oncology problems. Our results and evaluation demonstrate that using simple - yet powerful - computational mechanisms, such a machine learning system can support clinical decision making. To this end, our system is a representative tool of the field of mathematical and computational oncology and offers a bridge between the data, the modeler, the data scientist, and the practising clinician.


Synthesis and characterization of supported polyoxometalaten H4[PVMo11O40].nH2O with SiO2 through sol-gel method have been done. The compound H4[PVMo11O40]/SiO2 was characterized through FT-IR spectrophotometer, XRD, and SEM-EDX. The results showed that FT-IR spectrum of H4[PVMo11O40]/SiO2 has the primary vibration on wavenumber at 1064.7 cm-1 (P-O); 964.4 cm-1 (Mo=O); 864.1n cm-1 (Mo-Oe-Mo); 779.2 cm-1 (Mo-Oc-Mo); 462.9 cm-1 (Si-O); and 1087.9 cm-1 (Si-O-Si). The XRD diffraction pattern showed that H4[PVMo11O40].nH2O has the highest crystallinity. However, after it's supported with SiO2, the properties of crystallinity has decreased due to the excess water during the support process. The result of SEM-EDX showed that H4[PVMo11O40]/SiO2 material has homogeneous distribution with particle size distribution of 1330 nm (1,33 μm). The acidity test by qualitative and quantitative methods show that H4[PVMo11O40]/SiO2 more acidic than H4[PVMo11O40].H2O. The effect temperature on the crystallinity showed that increasing calcination temperature made the crystallinity properties ofn H4[PVMo11O40]/SiO2 increased.
Keywordsn: polyoxometalate, H4[PVMo11O40].nH2O, SiO2.


"The years between about 1957 and 1963 have gone down in folklore as a sort of golden age at Sydney University: an outpouring of creative talent unmatched since the Athens of Pericles or the Florence of the Medicis. Even I, as one who was there, am prepared to admit that this is probably something of an exaggeration." – Mungo MacCallum

For all Mungo MacCallum's self-deprecation, it has been widely acknowledged that this period saw an extraordinary blossoming of artistic activity, and the beginning of many brilliant careers. At this time, the Sydney University Dramatic Society the Sydney University Players were a powerhouse in Sydney theatre. College groups, university departments, and the annual University Revues contributed to this very lively scene, and played a significant role in the otherwise rather barren theatrical landscape of Sydney in the late 1950s-early '60s. SUDS and Players were often at the cutting edge of contemporary theatre, delivering the Australian premieres of radical new plays from Europe, and regularly being reviewed in the mainstream Sydney press. A striking number of participants – John Bell, Clive James, Bruce Beresford, Leo Schofield, Robert Hughes and Germaine Greer – went on to have high profile careers. The "New Wave" in Australian theatre from the late 1960s can be directly traced back to the activities of those prominent in SUDS and Players a decade earlier: John Bell, Richard Wherrett and Ken Horler founded the Nimrod Theatre, for example. The "New Wave" has been extensively researched, but almost no attention has been paid to this earlier, foundational period at the University of Sydney: it is as though – as erroneously often claimed – Australian theatre only really "began" in the late 1960s.

Dr Laura Ginters teaches in the Department of Performance Studies. Robyn Dalton is retired and works on this project as research associate.


INFECTION with Salmonella enterica is an important cause of enteric disease and death in horses (Hartnack and others 2012). However, Salmonella can also be associated with subclinical shedding, representing a source of infection for other animals (Jones 2008). Estimates of the prevalence of Salmonella shedding in horses admitted to veterinary hospitals for elective procedures range from 1 per cent to 5 per cent (Smith and others 1978, Roberts and O'Boyle 1981, Pusterla and others 2010). Microbiologic culture of faeces, tissue, or body fluids is routinely used to detect horses infected with Salmonella . Clinical laboratories generally require at least 48 hours for presumptive detection of Salmonella in faeces with enrichment to detect small numbers of Salmonella . In recent years, PCR assays for the detection of Salmonella species in faecal samples from horses admitted to veterinary hospitals have been evaluated (Amavisit and others 2001, Kurowski and others 2002, Ward and others 2005, Pusterla and others 2010). Collectively, these studies have shown superior sensitivity of PCR when compared with microbiological culture. Although PCR has increased sensitivity and quicker turn-around-time, the costs associated with testing are generally higher than microbiological culture. This is especially true when environmental and faecal admission samples are tested for biosurveillance purposes, a practice used at many private and academic veterinary hospitals. In this situation, a sensitive and cost-effective test is needed to screen large numbers of samples. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pooling of faeces and environmental samples following a selective enrichment culture step for the detection of Salmonella species by real-time PCR.

For the purpose of this study, 677 equine faecal (279 from VMTH/LBEMC; 398 from HEMI) and 686 environmental samples (420 VMTH/LBEMC, 266 HEMI) were examined. Faecal samples were collected from equine patients presenting to one of …


Through the implementation of national bowel cancer screening programmes we have seen a three-fold increase in early pT1 colorectal cancers, but how these lesions should be managed is currently unclear. Local excision can be an attractive option, especially for fragile patients with multiple comorbidities, but it is only safe from an oncological point of view in the absence of lymph node metastasis. Patient risk stratification through careful analysis of histopathological features in local excision or polypectomy specimens should be performed according to national guidelines to avoid under- or over-treatment. Currently national guidelines vary in their recommendations as to which factors should be routinely reported and there is no established multivariate risk stratification model to determine which patients should be offered major resectional surgery. Conventional histopathological parameters such as tumour grading or lymphovascular invasion have been shown to be predictive of lymph node metastasis in a number of studies but the inter- and intra-observer variation in reporting is high. Newer parameters including tumour budding and poorly differentiated clusters have been shown to have great potential, but again some improvement in the inter-observer variation is required. With the implementation of digital pathology into clinical practice, quantitative parameters like depth/area of submucosal invasion and proportion of stroma can be routinely assessed. In this review we present the various histopathological risk factors for predicting systemic spread in pT1 colorectal cancer and introduce potential novel quantitative variables and multivariable risk models that could be used to better define the optimal treatment of this increasingly common disease.


The child tax credit (CTC) is a $1,000 partially refundable federal income tax credit for each qualifying child under age 17. In 2007, tax filers may claim a refundable credit (over and above any tax liability) equal to 15 percent of the excess of earnings over $11,750, up to the $1,000 maximum per child. The earnings threshold means that families with very low incomes get no benefit from the credit, and others will receive only a partial credit. This brief analysis shows that many families with young children tend have lower incomes and are thus left out. In 2007, 30 percent of qualifying children under age 2 in working families had family incomes too low to benefit from the full credit, compared with 27 percent of children overall and 24 percent of children 10 and older.


Sixteen biopsy specimens from 11 patients with cutaneous large-cell lymphocytoma were studied by a peroxidase method using monospecific antisera to kappa and lambda Ig light chains. Five specimens had polyclonal presence of both kappa and lambda chains. Four specimens were graded as devoid of immunoreactivity, and eight were graded as non-specific because the albumin control staining was as intense as or more intense than the immunoglobulin light chains. Two specimens showing monoclonality for lambda light chains had the cells in the interfollicular spaces only, and the patients have survived for 9 and 12 years without evidence of lymphoma.


The group of halophilic Archaea was discovered in the beginning of XX th century. They are able to live in more than 23 M of sodium chloride concentration that can be found in hypersaline natural lakes, in alkaline saline lakes, in manmade hypersaline mats, in rock salt, in very salted foods, on salted fish, on salted hides, in stromatolites, in saline soils. Their adaptations consist in resistance to high ionic contents with internal accumulation of K ions in order to face high Na ion content from the near environment. They belong to the Halobacteriaceae family. Their adaptation and their resistance to UV radiation and their resistance in oligotrophic conditions in rock salt, apparently over geological times, increase the possibility to find similar microorganisms in the Martian subsurface and in meteorites, and to support the panspermia theory. Some of the research of a working group in this field of activity and their possible uses are shortly


Cooperative diversity has recently emerged as novel communication scheme for future wireless communications because of diversity gain, which is achieved by sharing each cooperative user's antenna to form a virtual antenna array in the wireless network. Previous works on analysis of system performance of cooperative networks mainly focused on static scenarios. In this paper, we derive exact average symbol error rate (ASER) of a cooperative wireless transmission with adaptive decode-and-forward (DF) protocol [6], where the number of relays or cooperative user- nodes, n, which can correctly decode the received signal, is a random variable subject to the Poisson distribution, the normal distribution and the uniform distribution, respectively. Both the analytical and the numerical results corroborate that both diversity and coding gain will be affected by the relay- or user-node distribution. For the Poisson distribution and the normal distribution, the diversity gain is affected much than the coding gain. For the uniform distribution, the coding gain is affected whereas the diversity gain keeps fixed.


The highest information rate at which quantum error-correction schemes work reliably on a channel is called the quantum capacity. Here this is proven to be lower-bounded by the limit of coherent information maximized over the set of input density operators which are proportional to the projections onto the code spaces of symplectic stabilizer codes. The quantum channels to be considered are those subject to independent errors and modeled as tensor products of copies of a completely positive linear map on a Hilbert space of finite dimension. The codes that are proven to have the desired performance are symplectic stabilizer codes. On the depolarizing channel, the bound proven here is actually the highest possible rate at which symplectic stabilizer codes work reliably


Abstract Remaining jaguar Panthera onca populations in the Atlantic Forest are restricted to eight regions, and all populations appear to be declining. We report on the status of one of the last populations in south-eastern Brazil. We monitored this population with camera traps during June 2005–January 2013 in Vale Natural Reserve. We estimated an abundance of 9 ± SE 1.98 jaguars (95% CI 9–17) and a population density of 3.22 ± SE 1.58 individuals per 100 km2 (95% CI 1.29–7.98). Annual survival probability over a 5-year interval was 78% (95% CI 58–98) and the recapture probability was 62% (95% CI 42–79). Although our results are among the highest densities reported for the jaguar in this biome, the future of the population is threatened by genetic deterioration and local threats, including the expansion of an existing highway and depletion of the jaguar's native prey base as a result of poaching, and will depend upon urgent implementation of conservation actions. The necessary actions include establishing gene flow with other compatible populations, increasing surveillance against poaching, continuing population monitoring of jaguars and their main prey species, and implementing mitigation measures in relation to the impacts of the highway on local fauna.


OBJECTIVE
The Trial of Etanercept and Methotrexate with Radiographic Patient Outcomes (TEMPO) is a 3-year, double-blind, multicenter study evaluating the efficacy and safety of etanercept, methotrexate, and the combination of etanercept plus methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results after 1 and 2 years of the study have been previously reported. Here we provide the 3-year clinical and radiographic outcomes and safety of etanercept, methotrexate, and the combination in patients with RA.

METHODS
In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter TEMPO study, 682 patients received etanercept 25 mg twice weekly, methotrexate < or =20 mg weekly, or the combination. Key efficacy assessments included the Disease Activity Score (DAS) and the DAS in 28 joints.

RESULTS
Combination therapy resulted in significantly greater improvement in the DAS and in more patients with disease in remission than either monotherapy. This finding was confirmed by longitudinal analysis; patients receiving combination therapy were more than twice as likely to have disease in remission than those receiving either monotherapy. Independent predictors of remission included male sex, lower disease activity, lower level of joint destruction, and/or better physical function. Combination and etanercept therapy both resulted in significantly less radiographic progression than did methotrexate (P < 0.05). Etanercept and combination treatment were well tolerated, with no new safety findings.

CONCLUSION
Etanercept plus methotrexate showed sustained efficacy through 3 years and remained more effective than either monotherapy, even after adjustment for patient withdrawal. Combination therapy for 3 years led to disease remission and inhibition of radiographic progression, 2 key goals for treatment of patients with RA.


The purpose of this study is to illuminate the veracity of deployment of the North Korean psychological warfare unit to the Vietnam War and its activities. With the South Korean troops as its target, North Korea deployed over a hundred psychological warfare troops every year, beginning with the first unit of four dispatched in June of 1966. The North Korean psychological warfare unit produced and distributed propaganda leaflets and materials; taught the Vietcong the Korean language and means to abduct South Korean troops; operated Korean-language broadcasts; and conducted data investigation and radio monitoring. The most noteworthy of said activities was the distribution of propaganda bills. An analysis of fifty-eight propaganda bills collected at the time demonstrates forms as diverse as writing, photographs, drawings, and a combination of writing and photographs (or at times writing and drawings). The contents involved propaganda regarding the characteristics of the war, instigation of anti-American and anti-government struggles, stimulation of nostalgia and decline of morale, and inducement of defection to North Korea. The illumination of North Korean participation in the Vietnam War is a crucial facet of better understanding the significance of the Vietnam War in contemporary Korean history as well as the security conditions of the Korean peninsula in the 1960s and the 1970s. Essential will be ongoing research on the North Korean involvement in the Vietnam War, a subject that has remained relegated to the sidelines thus far.


Abstract Immigrant children in Denmark differ greatly in educational outcomes. This study examined whether systematic differences in majority language (L2) and preliteracy skills are apparent already at ages 2–6 in immigrant children in Denmark across regional immigration background. Danish language and preliteracy skills in 1,211 immigrant children in four regional groups (based on maternal origin) and 11,259 native Danish nonimmigrant children, all enrolled in Danish childcare centers, were assessed using an age- and gender-normed language assessment instrument. Hierarchical linear models showed that all four immigrant groups scored significantly lower than the native Danish group; the negative coefficients diminished but remained significant when socioeconomic background and having a native Danish father were controlled for. In addition, even with these controls, significant differences existed between some of the immigrant groups, suggesting that factors relating to regional immigrant background were important sources of differences in L2 development. A greater immigrant disadvantage for language than preliteracy skills was found; two immigrant groups did not differ significantly from the nonimmigrant Danish group for preliteracy skills. The results suggest that measures to reduce inequalities in long-term educational achievement between immigrant groups should be taken already before school with a particular focus on L2 language skills.


Self-incompatibility (SI) in Brassicaceae is sporophytically controlled by a single S-locus with multi allelic variety. The male S determinant, SP11/SCR (S-locus protein 11/S-locus cysteine-rich protein), is a small cysteine-rich protein, and the female S determinant, SRK (S-locus receptor kinase), functions as a receptor for SP11 at the surface of stigma papilla cells. Although a few of the following downstream factors in the SP11-SRK signaling cascade have been identified, a comprehensive understanding of the SI mechanism still remains unexplained in Brassicaceae. Analysis of self-compatible (SC) mutants is significant for understanding the molecular mechanism in SI reactions, thus we screened SC lines from a variety of Japanese bulk-populations of B. rapa vegetables. Two lines, TSC4 and TSC28, seem to have disruptions in the SI signaling cascade, while the other line, TSC2, seems to have a deficiency in a female S determinant, SRK. In TSC4 and TSC28, known SI-related factors, i.e. SRK, SP11, MLPK (M-locus protein kinase), THL (thioredoxin-h-like), and ARC1 (arm repeat containing 1), were expressed normally, and their expression levels were comparable with those in SI lines. On a B. rapa genetic linkage map, potential SC genes in TSC4 and TSC28 were mapped on linkage groups A3 and A1, respectively, whereas MLPK, ARC1, and THL were mapped on A3, A4, and A6, respectively. Although potential SC genes of TSC4 and MLPK were on the same linkage group, their positions were apparently independent. These results indicate that the SC genes of TSC4 and TSC28 are independent from the S-locus or known SI-related genes. Thus, the SC lines selected here have mutations in novel factors of the SI signaling cascade, and they will contribute to fill pieces in a signal transduction pathway of the SI system in Brassicaceae.


Tissue regeneration requires the selective activation and repression of specific signaling pathways in stem cells. As such, the Wnt signaling pathways have been shown to control stem cell fate. In many cell types, the R-Spondin (Rspo) family of secreted proteins acts as potent activators of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Here, we identify Rspo1 as a mediator of skeletal muscle tissue repair. Firstly we show that Rspo1-null muscles do not display any abnormalities at the basal level. However deletion of Rspo1 results in global alteration of muscle regeneration kinetics following acute injury. We found that muscle stem cells lacking Rspo1 show delayed differentiation. Transcriptome analysis further demonstrated that Rspo1 is required for the activation of Wnt/β-catenin target genes in muscle cells. Furthermore, muscle cells lacking Rspo1 fuse with a higher frequency than normal cells, leading to larger myotubes containing more nuclei both in vitro and in vivo. We found the increase in muscle fusion was dependent on up-regulation of non-canonical Wnt7a/Fzd7/Rac1 signaling. We conclude that antagonistic control of canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways by Rspo1 in muscle stem cell progeny is important for restitution of normal muscle architecture during skeletal muscle regeneration.


Cross contamination arising from random natural processes and breeding errors is one of the prominent challenges to breeding in many crops including cassava ( Manihot esculenta ). This study attempts to identify molecular marker tools suitable for verifying the genetic purity of putative progenies of populations of cassava. It also proposes a rapid, high-throughput genomic DNA extraction protocol which is a modification of an existing extraction protocol adapted to the pace required for the DNA-based verification of often large population sizes. Three polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were selected from a total of 125 and used for genotyping three populations. The petiole color trait was also used to verify TMS 96/1089A X TME117 where the pink color of the male parent was dominant over the female's green color. The pace of genomic analysis of populations used in the study was enhanced using a modified , quicker DNA isolation protocol which slashed extraction time by 60%. SSRY153 identified six false progenies in the selfed line, 1M18. Segregation patterns of In combination, both markers identified 2 selfed individuals out of a total of 207. NS890 identified two false hprogenies resulting from selfing in the female parent of the cross TMS 30001 X TMS 96/1089A, out of a total of 93, The principles described for verification using each of the SSR markers applied in this study can be extended to other SSR markers with corresponding nature of polymorphism in any population of the crop. Increased attention would go to the development of more efficient markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and other gene-based markers using new and advanced genomics techniques for routine integration of such quality control step in the breeding scheme. Key words: Cassava, simple sequence repeat (SSR), morphological trait, molecular markers, genomic DNA.


Two indeterminate breeding lines, L-227 and RAB 205, were planted during two growing seasons for the purpose of identifying a visual indicator of physiological maturity of dry beans which could be used in the field. Ten-plant samples were taken at 2-day intervals beginning approximately 8 weeks after emergence to determine seed dry weight accumulation and number of green, yellow, and brown pods. In order to identify a stage of pod development which coincided with maximum accumulation of seed dry weight, the number of green, yellow and brown pods per plant was estimated with polinomial regression equations. Coefficients of determination for the number of yellow pods were relatively low, ranging from 0.52 to 0.77, whereas the coefficients of determination for most equations for green and brown pod numbers were near 0.9, indicating that the number of both green and brown pods may be useful as indicators of the occurrence of physiological maturity. Physiological maturity of L-227 occurred when plants had developed 1 to 2 green pods and 12 to T4 brown pods, whereas physiological maturity of RAB 205 occurred when 2 green pods and 8 brown pods were present on each plant. In the field, the number of green pods would be a better visual indicator of physiological maturity than the number of brown pods because fewer green pods have to be counted and because the green pods are on top of the plant.


Objective. To develop a genotype-based ankylosing spondylitis (AS) risk prediction model that is more sensitive and specific than HLA-B27 typing. Methods. To develop the AS genetic risk scoring (AS-GRS) model, 648 individuals (285 cases and 363 controls) were examined for 5 copy number variants (CNV), 7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), and an HLA-B27 marker by TaqMan assays. The AS-GRS model was developed using logistic regression and validated with a larger independent set (576 cases and 680 controls). Results. Through logistic regression, we built the AS-GRS model consisting of 5 genetic components: HLA-B27, 3 CNV (1q32.2, 13q13.1, and 16p13.3), and 1 SNP (rs10865331). All significant associations of genetic factors in the model were replicated in the independent validation set. The discriminative ability of the AS-GRS model measured by the area under the curve was excellent: 0.976 (95% CI 0.96–0.99) in the model construction set and 0.951 (95% CI 0.94–0.96) in the validation set. The AS-GRS model showed higher specificity and accuracy than the HLA-B27–only model when the sensitivity was set to over 94%. When we categorized the individuals into quartiles based on the AS-GRS scores, OR of the 4 groups (low, intermediate-1, intermediate-2, and high risk) showed an increasing trend with the AS-GRS scores (r2 = 0.950) and the highest risk group showed a 494× higher risk of AS than the lowest risk group (95% CI 237.3–1029.1). Conclusion. Our AS-GRS could be used to identify individuals at high risk for AS before major symptoms appear, which may improve the prognosis for them through early treatment.


It is an often-encountered problem that variables of interest are scattered in different datasets. Given the two methodologically similar surveys, a question not asked in one survey could be seen as a special case of missing-data problem (Gelman et al., 1998). The paper presents a model for transferring variables between different datasets, applying the procedures for multiple imputation of missing values. The feasibility of this approach was assessed using two Dutch surveys: Social and Cultural Developments in The Netherlands (SOCON 2000) and the Dutch Election Study (NKO 2002). An imputation model for the left–right ideological self-placement was developed based on the SOCON survey. In the next step, left–right scores were imputed to the respondents from the NKO study. The outcome of the imputation was evaluated, first, by comparing the imputed variables with the left–right scores collected in three waves of the NKO study. Second, the imputed and the original NKO left–right variables are compared in terms of their associations with a broad set of attitudinal variables from the NKO dataset. The results show that one would reach similar conclusions when using the original or imputed variable, albeit with the increased risk of making Type II errors.


Crystals of the 35 kDa protein haloalkane dehalogenase from Xanthobacter autotrophicus GJ10 diffract to 1.15 A resolution at cryogenic temperature using synchrotron radiation. Blocked anisotropic least-squares refinement with SHELXL gave a final conventional R factor of 10.51% for all reflections in the 15-1.15 A resolution range. The estimated r.m.s. errors of the model are 0.026 and 0.038 A for protein atoms and all atoms, respectively. The structure comprises all 310 amino acids, with 28 side chains and two peptide bonds in multiple conformations, two covalently linked Pb atoms, 601 water molecules, seven glycerol molecules, one sulfate ion and two chloride ions. Water molecules accounting for alternative solvent structure are modelled with a fixed occupancy of 0.5. The structure is described in detail and compared with previously reported dehalogenase structures refined at 1.9-2.3 A resolution. An analysis of the protein's geometry and stereochemistry reveals eight mean values of bond lengths and angles which deviate significantly from the Engh & Huber parameters, a wide spread in the main-chain omega torsion angle around its ideal value of 180 (6) degrees and a role for C-HcO interactions in satisfying the hydrogen-bond acceptor capacity of main-chain carbonyl O atoms in the central beta-sheet.


Business training programs in low-income settings have shown limited, if any, impacts on firm revenues and profits, particularly for female entrepreneurs. This paper uses a randomized design to compare the impacts of two types of business training programs targeting women with established small businesses in urban Tanzania. The basic version of the training relied on in-class sessions to strengthen the managerial and technical skills of the participants. In the enhanced version, training was supplemented by individual visits from business coaches to the sites of participants' activities, as well as other services tailored to their individual needs. The study finds no impact of the basic training on business practices and business outcomes. Participants in the enhanced training are more likely to adopt new practices, but show no effects for revenue or profits, on average. However, the average masks large heterogeneous effects: entrepreneurs with low levels of experience show reduced revenues; those with more experience benefit from the program. This finding suggests that business training programs may have greater impacts if they are more carefully targeted.


Water scarcity driven by climate change, growing demand, and inefficient management of water and related infrastructure is a serious threat to livelihoods in the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) of Central Asia. In recent decades, downstream water shortages have become increasingly common and inflows into the Aral Sea have become very limited. Meanwhile, water losses are enormous both at conveyance and field levels because of outdated infrastructure and the dominance of highly inefficient basin and furrow irrigation methods. Intensification and modernization of irrigation systems, while requiring investment of scarce capital resources, could thus substantially reduce non-beneficial water consumption and help in coping with increasing water scarcity. This study applies a hydro-economic model that solves for the investment in improved irrigation efficiency across the various irrigation sites in the ASB that delivers the highest economic gains. Improvement of the efficiency of irrigation canals and implementation of field efficiency investments and practices, such as drip irrigation, and alternate dry or short furrow irrigation (for rice), would substantially improve economic outcomes. Conveyance efficiency investments are particularly worthwhile in downstream regions where sandy soils are common and return flows largely feed saline lakes in tail-end depressions. Meanwhile, field-level efficiency should be fully upgraded in all rice-producing regions through the use of drip and alternate wet and dry irrigation, as well as with drip irrigation in the cotton-producing Ferghana Valley of the Syr Darya Basin. The value of these improvements increases with reduced water availability. Implementation of an optimal set of investments could increase basinwide benefits by 20% (from US$ 3.2 to 3.8 billion) under normal water availability and by 40% (from US$ 2.5 to 3.5 billion) under dry conditions (80% of normal supply). & 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


In order to address the criticism that Distributed Leadership (DL) literature is vague, confusing, has misleading definitions and is contradictory (Spillane and Coldren, 2011, p.26), this thesis puts forward a different approach in the form of a 'Universal Leadership Culture'. This was developed from the findings of a study which aimed to investigate the distribution of leadership in Extended Learning Activities (ELAs), delivered in Centres placed in high profile sports clubs in England, through the particular Government initiative of 'Playing for Success' (PfS). Within an interpretative paradigm qualitative data was collected from two PfS Extended Learning Centres, established in Football Club stadiums. From considering the ideals of DL, as presented in the literature (Gronn, 2002, MacBeath 2004, Spillane, 2006, Leithwood et al., 2007), this study began with the assumption that the distribution of leadership had supported these Centres to deliver their desired outcomes. It investigated what it looked like and how and why it is facilitated. However, to create a more empirically robust theoretical framework, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) was combined with the existing conceptual frameworks of the 'Distributed Leadership Perspective' (Spillane, 2006) to become the 'Theoretical Lens for Leadership Distribution'. It provided an analytical 'close-up' of the elements of leadership activity from a historical and cultural viewpoint to understand what the implications of efficacy were and the 'conditions where leadership distribution might thrive' (Harris, 2008 p.183). Leadership distribution patterns, identified in the DL literature, were refined for this thesis into four categories of formal, pragmatic, organic and chaotic alignments of distribution. Through the activity systems of CHAT it could be seen that Centres used the distribution of leadership to support them in reaching their goals in different ways. Centre A relied on more organic situations, developing 'hands on' experience while Centre B created formal systems, such as training. However, staff in both Centres did not fully understand what approaches to leadership they were employing and displayed potentially disruptive or exploitative forms of distribution with chaotic alignments. For leadership distribution to be supportive to an organisation, there needs to be a holistic and self-aware approach that encourages continuous open and honest communication to ensure its effectiveness, as illustrated through a Universal Leadership Culture. It is hoped this might support future researchers, policy makers and practitioners looking at the distribution of leadership.


How do transnational ideas such as human rights approaches to violence against women become meaningful in local social settings? How do they move across the gap between a cosmopolitan awareness of human rights and local sociocultural understandings of gender and family? Intermediaries such as community leaders, nongovernmental organization participants, and social movement activists play a critical role in translating ideas from the global arena down and from local arenas up. These are people who understand both the worlds of transnational human rights and local cultural practices and who can look both ways. They are powerful in that they serve as knowledge brokers between culturally distinct social worlds, but they are also vulnerable to manipulation and subversion by states and communities. In this article, I theorize the process of translation and argue that anthropological analysis of translators helps to explain how human rights ideas and interventions circulate around the world and transform social life.


This paper presents an innovative method to mitigate ionosphere delay error for single frequency receivers. Traditional approach to ionosphere delay correction is carried out through modeling the total electron content (TEC) along each satellite signal path. Because of the large deviation of the TEC during different times of the day, season, and solar cycle from any mean measurements, the ionosphere delay error has always been the dominant error factor in signal frequency receivers. In our method, we allow a reference vertical TEC to â floatâ or to remain as an unknown in the range equation. The TEC along each satellite signal path is modeled as having its own vertical TEC whose major component is the reference vertical TEC with additional contributions from the TEC spatial derivatives. The TEC spatial derivatives can be modeled using existing ionosphere models, services that provide ionosphere measurements, or even better, the ionosphere correction algorithm (ICA) coefficients which are part of the navigation message. By having the reference vertical TEC as an additional unknown in the range equations, a minimum of five satellites is required to obtain the receiver position. As a byproduct of the range equation solution, we also solve for the reference vertical TEC which can be a convenient and inexpensive way to provide information on the ionosphere. The paper describes the detailed algorithm and simulation studies that demonstrate order of magnitude improvement in ionosphere error correction using this method over the conventional method.


Collective teacher efficacy, as an important factor for school effectiveness, can be improved by leader behaviors in schools. Unlike the sum of individual teachers' efforts, the concept of collective teacher efficacy points to a greater impact on student achievement when teachers unify their efficacies. Therefore, examining the leadership orientations that play a role in the development process of collective teacher efficacy was seen worth for study. In this context, the purpose of the study is to find out the relationships between teachers' perceptions about four-frame leadership orientations of principals and collective teacher efficacy. 452 primary school teachers participated in the study in which Leadership Orientation Scale and Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale were used. The teacher perceptions showed that leadership frames preferred by school principals are, respectively, structural, political, human resource and symbolic frame. It was also found that the collective teacher efficacy perceptions of teachers were influenced by seniority of teachers and settlement location of schools. Controlling for the variables of seniority and settlement location of school, all leadership frames were found to be predictors of the collective teacher efficacy. Accordingly, while the strongest predictor was the symbolic frame, the weakest predictor was the structural frame.


To design gearboxes with very high power densities, an effective means of cooling the gears and knowledge of the achievable heat transfer coefficients are necessary. In this paper, a method to measure heat transfer coefficients for oil injection cooled gears is presented. Contrary to other experimental investigations, a single hollow spur gear is used. To measure heat transfer coefficients, a temperature gradient between the gear and the hot oil needs to be induced. This is achieved by injecting hot oil at realistic temperatures and cooling the inside diameter of the gear. This enables the measurement of heat transfer coefficients in absence of any dissipative or frictional losses, decreasing the measurement uncertainty. In addition, the novel method yields spatially resolved HTC data. The uncertainty of the method is assessed using Monte Carlo simulations. Experimental results for various operating conditions are presented. For all investigated oil flowrates, the same characteristic behavior of the average heat transfer coefficient versus rotational speed was observed. This observation can be explained by using a kinematic model of the oil jet. The geometry of the gear and the cooling arrangement and the spatially resolved HTC data presented in this paper provide a complete basis for the validation of numerical simulations.


Hybrid crystal orientation technology (HOT) substrates comprised of Si (100) and (110) surface orientation paralleling each <110> direction attract considerable attentions as one of the promising technology for high performance bulk CMOS technology. Although HOT substrates are fabricated by wafer bonding of Si (110) and Si (100) surfaces, it is not clear the atomic configuration of interfacial structure. Furthermore, the possibility for the interface to be an effective gettering source of impurity metals was not well studied. In this paper, we studied the interfacial structure and gettering efficiency of the atomic bonded interface by molecular simulations. The results indicate that the simulated atomic configuration and gettering efficiency of the bonded interface agreed well with the experimental results.


Multiple evidence-based approaches (EBAs) exist to improve colorectal cancer screening in health clinics. The success of these approaches is tied to effective implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of EBAs for colorectal cancer screening and clinic-level correlates of implementation in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). We conducted descriptive and cross-sectional analyses using data collected from FQHC clinics across seven states (n = 51). A clinic representative completed electronic surveys about clinic characteristics (e.g., size, patient characteristics, and medical record system characteristics) and the implementation of Community Guide recommended EBAs (e.g., client reminders, small media, and provider assessment and feedback). We used bivariate Spearman correlations to assess clinic-level correlates with implementation outcomes. Most clinics were planning to implement, in the early implementation stages, or inconsistently implementing EBAs. No EBA was fully implemented by more than nine (17.6%) clinics. Clinic size variables were inversely related to implementation levels of one-on-one education; medical record variables were directly related to implementation levels of client and provider reminders as well as provider assessment and feedback; and rapid and timely feedback from clinic leaders was directly associated with implementation levels of four out of six EBAs. Given the varying levels of implementation, clinics need to assess current use of implementation strategies and improve effective program delivery to increase colorectal cancer screening among their patients. In addition, clinics should also consider how their characteristics may support or serve as a barrier to implementation in their respective settings.


The article is devoted to the changes in national budgets under the influence of digitization.
The aim of the study is to determine the opportunities and threats posed by the development of the digital economy in the field of formation and implementation of national budgets, and to outline possible ways to effectively balance the potential benefits against the risks and limitations.
This article argues that digitalization reshapes public finance. The main benefits of digital transformations such as increase of the tax base, optimization and transparency of government revenues and spending, fiscal savings, better tax administration, delivery of public services, administration of social programs, cutting of bureaucratic inefficiencies are considered. The most important risks and challenges, including privacy concerns, new avenues for fraud and evasion and institutional constraints are outlined.
The article describes what governments should do to make benefits outweigh the risks. Taking full advantage of the opportunities of digitalization can require government to develop new skills. The article also stresses that each country needs to chart its own path to national budget digitalization that must depend on its own circumstances. It is concluded that developing countries may be able to leapfrog directly to the latest digital technologies and more sophisticated policies bypassing the intermediate stages.


Gd(DTPA)2− (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) and the polyaza macrocyclic Gd(DOTA)− (1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐N, N′,N″,N′″) are paradigms of general purpose paramagnetic complexes useful for enhancing contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is of both fundamental and practical interest to determine how one might modify the chemical structure of these chelate complexes to improve their utility for MRI in specific circumstances. In the present work, we investigated polyaza methylene phosphonate complexes of Gd3+ ions to compare their NMRD profiles with those of their carboxylate analogs and with Gd(DTPA)2−. We find that the number q of exchangeable water molecules coordinated directly to the Gd3+ ions tends to be smaller in the phosphonates, in principle reducing their utility in MRI. However, these phosphonates have a tendency to oligomerize, and the resulting decrease in rotational mobility of the paramagnetic oligomers increases their relaxivity at higher fields, offsetting the effect of decreases in q. In particular, Gd(DOTRP)3− (1,5,9‐triazacyclododecane N, N′,N″,‐tris (methylenephosphonic acid) would be an increasingly effective contrast agent above ∼ 10 MHz if the oligomerization was stable in vivo (and the Gd3+ ions were sufficiently well bound). At lower fields, the relaxivity of these small chelate complexes is dominated by τso, the relaxation time of the spin moments of the paramagnetic ions. We find this to be favorably long for complexes of Gd3+ with the macrocyclic phosphonate ligands, as was found earlier by us for Gd( DOTA)−. This situation, ostensibly related to the relatively high symmetry and rigidity of the macrocyclic complexes, can increase the low‐field relaxivity of the phosphonates almost a factor of 2 beyond that of Gd(DTPA)2−. © 1989 Academic Press, Inc.


This paper analyses the problems of treatment adherence in chronic pediatric diseases from a psychological point of view. We describe the repercussions of adherence on the course of the disease, the physician in charge, patients, and their relatives and place special emphasis on the complexity of the problem among adolescents. Factors impeding adherence are reviewed and factors related to disease and treatment, as well as cognitive, emotional, behavioral, familial, social, cultural, organizational and economic variables, are identified. The author proposes a psychological intervention that includes the assessment, prevention and management of problems of treatment adherence. The indications and implementation of each technique are outlined, distinguishing among educational, motivational and behavioral strategies. In summary, a psychological treatment program is proposed that may be easily applied to a large number of pediatric patients with chronic diseases and suspected or confirmed problems of treatment adherence.


An emotionally evocative, richly textured history based on autobiographical accounts of those who lived and shaped the struggle. The importance of many of Rogers' subjects and the uniqueness of New Orleans make this must reading for anyone interested in the history of the movement. But those interested in oral history and African-American autobiography will find riches aplenty as well. A welcome addition to a number of literatures --Doug McAdam, author of Freedom Summer Righteous Lives skillfully blends oral history with a perceptive analysis of three generations of civil rights leadership in New Orleans. Rogers has revealed not only what people did, but what they remember, and how their assessments of their activism have changed over time. --Donald A. Ritchie, U.S. Senate Historical Office "Rogers paints a slightly less rosy picture, one in which the Louisiana un-American Activities Committee staged a raid on the offices of the Southern Conference Educational Fund (SCEF), and the City Council passed laws prohibiting the right to peaceful assembly, paving the way to jailing protesters." --Gambit Weekly This important study provides fresh insights into the lives of both black and white civil rights leaders, documents the diversity of individuals and motivations, and traces movement history in a major southern city. Well written and well researched, this book is highly recommended for readers at all levels. --Choice Charts the distinctly different experiences and memories of 25 black and white civil rights activists of three 'generations' in New Orleans, opening with a deft sketch of the city's unusual racial background with its black Creole caste. --Publishers Weekly An important study, full of valuable information, profoundly moving testimony, and provocative insights. --The Journal of Southern History A major contribution to our understanding of the civil rights movement. RIGHTEOUS LIVES illustrates the complexity of movements for social change, the long history of seemingly spontaneous conflicts, and the personal consequences of political activism. Rogers reveals how issues of caste and class, of gender and generation divided the black community in New Orleans, while her in-depth interviews and observations bring to the surface previously unexamined contradictions within the white southern experience as well. RIGHTEOUS LIVES also offers perceptive and thought-provoking insights into broader issues of collective and individual memory, life history, and autobiography. It evokes the struggle for African-American self-determination in the Crescent City with clarity and conviction, and it stands as a fitting testimonial to the courageous men and women whose voices provide so much of the book's fascinating narratives and textures. -- George Lipsitz, University of California, San Diego When former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke campaigned for governor in late 1991, race relations in Louisiana were thrust dramatically into the national spotlight. New Orleans, the political and economic hub of the state, is in many ways representative of Louisiana's unique racial mix, a fusion of African-American, Caribbean, European, and white Southern cultures. An old, colorful port famous for its French and Spanish heritage, distinctive architecture, and jazz, New Orleans was a peculiarly segregated city in the 1950s and 1960s. Yet, despite its complicated racial and ethnic identity and heated desegregation battles, New Orleans, unlike other Southern cities such as Birmingham, did not explode. In this moving work, Kim Rogers tells the stories, in their own words, of the New Orleans' civil rights workers who fought to deter the racial terrorism that scarred much of the South in the 1950s and 1960s. Spanning three generations of activists, RIGHTEOUS LIVES traces the risks, triumphs, and disappointments that characterized the lives of New Orleans activists. Chronicling watershed moments in the movement, Rogers' compelling narrative illustrates how blacks and whites worked together to decompress the tensions that accompanied desegregation in the ethnic mosaic of New Orleans.


. We consider the propagation of internal waves at the interface between two layers of immiscrible fluids of different densities, under the rigid lid assumption, with the presence of surface tension and with uneven bottoms. We are interested in the case where the flow has a Boussinesq structure in both the upper and lower fluid domains. Following the global strategy introduced recently by Bona, Lannes and Saut [J. Math. Pures Appl. 89 (2008)], we derive an asymptotic model in this regime, namely the Boussinesq/Boussinesq systems. Then using a contraction-mapping argument and energy methods, we prove that the derived systems which are linearly well-posed are in fact locally nonlinearly well-posed in suitable Sobolev classes. We recover and extend some known results on asymptotic models and well-posedness, for both surface waves and internal waves.


Caries is a multifactorial disease manifesting itself as a dynamic process. Fewer than half of all 5-year-olds have all teeth intact. The treatment of cavities in the temporary dentition requires a switch from predominant restoration to responsible non-restoration. The progression of a process within an existing cavity can in fact be inhibited by cleansing the lesion with fluoride toothpaste if it is, or made, approachable. Such non-restorative treatment changes an acute cavity progression into a chronic one. Chronic caries provides more time to mobilize the immune system through the pulp. Non-restorative treatment of cavities is especially indicated in children with active caries or children who are afraid of treatment by a dentist. Non-restorative treatment of cavities is less burdensome for children than restorative treatment.


Reconstructing a 3D shape based on a single sketch image is challenging due to the large domain gap between a sparse, irregular sketch and a regular, dense 3D shape. Existing works try to employ the global feature extracted from sketch to directly predict the 3D coordinates, but they usually suffer from losing fine details that are not faithful to the input sketch. Through analyzing the 3D-to-2D projection process, we notice that the density map that characterizes the distribution of 2D point clouds (i.e., the probability of points projected at each location of the projection plane) can be used as a proxy to facilitate the reconstruction process. To this end, we first translate a sketch via an image translation network to a more informative 2D representation that can be used to generate a density map. Next, a 3D point cloud is reconstructed via a two-stage probabilistic sampling process: first recovering the 2D points (i.e., the x and y coordinates) by sampling the density map; and then predicting the depth (i.e., the z coordinate) by sampling the depth values at the ray determined by each 2D point. Extensive experiments are conducted, and both quantitative and qualitative results show that our proposed approach significantly outperforms other baseline methods.


This study evaluated whether critical thinking ability can be improved through participation in occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) curricula. The researchers compared levels of the critical thinking skills of OT and PT students at the beginning and end of their programs to determine whether changes occurred and to examine facets of the curricula that may have caused the differences. The curricula include teaching strategies of problem-based learning modules, small group discussion and problem-solving, case studies, clinical observation, and evidence-based practice assignments, as well as teaching about critical thinking as a process in itself. Fifty OT and PT students completed the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal at the beginning and end of 20 mos of the academic phase of their master's degree programs. Researchers analyzed the data using a one-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results showed no differences between OT and PT students on the pretest or post-test and no differences for PT students between the pretest and post-test. OT students' scores increased significantly from pretest to post-test. The influence of the timing of teaching critical thinking skills in the resulting differences between the two curricula, as well as the validity of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is a valid measure of critical thinking changes in allied health students are discussed.


"Coma" has invited multiple criticisms regarding its affective qualities (Belling, Charpy and Crellin). However, these studies have simply evaded the mechanics that bring about this effect using the term "sensational". Scholars on medical thrillers have pointed visceral and emotional responses, but the problem lies in the construction of an alternative medical world that is completely opposed to the normative presumption of a medical institution in our contemporary medical culture. How does fiction enable it? This study explores the mechanics of narrative by analysing "Coma" through a close reading, using Catherine Belling's concept of "depth perception" and various theories of grotesque by Wolfgang Kayser, Connelly, Jennings, Anderson and McElroy. It aims thus to understand the characters and the techniques of narrative with a focus on settings and mood.


In today's world, educational establishments should follow and utilize technological developments in order to improve the quality of educational activities. One of the fields that technology can be integrated into educational establishments is evaluation. There is a tendency of process evaluation in today's evaluation field, and portfolios are among these process evaluation tools. In order to provide a faster and easier process, portfolios have been prepared in electronic settings and transformed into e-portfolios. Moreover, in time, e-portfolios had to be moved into web to improve their efficiency, and web-based-portfolio (Webfolio) emerged. The aim of this study is to identify the qualities of products, which came up as a part of webfolio application applied in primary education, and to determine the use of webfolios both by students and teachers. In this study, which aims to determine how effective webfolios are, one of the qualitative research designs, Natural Inquiry Approach was preferred. In this study, one of the purposeful sampling methods, criterion sampling was used was held in a private school connected to National Education Directorate of Eskisehir in 2008-2009 academic year spring term. Webfolios prepared by students, assignments given by the teacher, and other digital data available in webfolio system were used as data collection tools. When student webfolios were examined concerning their quality, most webfolios prepared by the students were found to be qualified enough in terms of readability, authenticity, timeliness, and the use of media sources. However, most of the student webfolios do not have a systematic design. The assignments given by the teacher was determined to be readable, clear, and has no misspelling. It was also observed that the teacher urged students to deliver their webfolios in time, suggested the use of class book and the Internet. Students, in their webfolios, preferred using text, picture and tables, but did not prefer to use video sources.


The relationships between narrative and leadership, between rhetoric and performance, between doctrine and its voicing, are crucial to party politics and are underrated by both practising politicians and scholars. This study analyses the 'performance of leadership' in the UK Labour Party, and what this means for a new approach to understanding politics. The main focus of this study is the five-year leadership of Ed Miliband, 2010-2015. The fortunes of the party and the party leadership can be apprehended as a series of performed rhetorical events. A political leader's persona is a construction that performs – rather like an actor – in the political space. The author identifies and analyses the architecture and the modalities of leadership persona construction and performance in contemporary politics.


Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is characterized by the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries reducing the blood supply to the heart muscle causing ischemia. IHD can result in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), chronic IHD and heart failure. The patients suffer from chest pain (angina), dyspnea and a reduced quality of life. Common for all these conditions is loss of functional cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. Stem cell therapy to regenerate injured myocardium is a new treatment option which has gained much interest in the last 10-15 years especially after STEMI. Many preclinical and clinical studies have shown encouraging results but also very diverse clinical outcomes after stem cell treatment. This diversity in results may be explained by different factors, such as cell isolation technique, infarct location, timing and route of delivery, cell dosage, cell type etc. The present review will try to elaborate and clarify the present status for stem cell therapy in STEMI.


This paper investigates structures of wh-in situ in a wh-ex situ language, Cypriot Greek (CG), where in-situ wh-expressions are felicitous to form an information question under particular pragmatic, discourse-specific conditions. In particular, compared to Standard Modern Greek (SMG), certain structures that should not be possible or at least be expected less preferred than others seem to be permitted. The quantitative investigation reported here is based on a questionnaire study on both syntactic structures and available interpretations of wh-in situ in CG. This study shows that there are grammatical differences between CG and SMG which can be investigated formally. In particular, the following observations are offered: (i) some SMG wh-phrases may optionally remain in situ, whereas their CG counterparts must undergo wh-fronting; (ii) CG embu 'is (it) that' may only appear in wh-ex-situ questions; and (iii) CG allows a manner or instrumental interpretation for in-situ pos 'how', while SMG seems to only allow the instrumental reading. In addition, a solution to some complications concerning complex structures with oti 'that'-complement clauses will be suggested.


The polarity rapid assessment method (PRAM) characterizes the polarity of aqueous natural organic matter (NOM) by quantifying the amount of material adsorbed onto different solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents. The analysis is performed under ambient conditions resulting in the elimination of pretreatment steps that may alterthe chemical characteristics of the NOM, allowing an accurate representation of its polarity as it exists in the environment. Additionally, analysis only requires 200 mL of sample and can be performed in 2 h. In this paper, the underlying theory of the method is presented, followed by its optimization, with emphasis on the development of conditions for the analysis of NOM in natural waters. A series of organic probe compounds showed that the most important physicochemical property describing the interaction between the NOM and the SPE sorbents was the hydrophobic surface area, allowing for the estimation of the hydrophobic character under ambient conditions. Evaluation of the effects of chemical concentration, pH, and ionic strength show that (1) concentration did not have an effect on PRAM characterization as long as the pH and ionic strength remained constant; (2) changes in pH and ionic strength resulted in considerable changes in PRAM characterization, as a result of the changes in configuration of the NOM; and (3) PRAM characterization of NOM can be completed in the concentration range of < 10 mg C/L, although this range could be expanded by evaluating the effect of concentration on a site-specific basis. Results indicate that measurement of both ultraviolet absorption and dissolved organic carbon show complementary results as they measure different aspects of NOM.


Current charging mechanisms in the Internet are restricted mainly to volume and time of the day. We propose a mechanism which allows to use additional information for charging in the edges and core of the network. Links or network clouds will have weights which are dynamic, e.g. based on congestion level. This mechanism covers the current Internet protocol, IPv4, and the future one, IPv6, and in both cases, unicast and multicast. We also provide discussion on how charging using these weights along links or network clouds from edge to edge could be implemented.