In an effort to explore the role of new media technologies in environmental protest rhetoric, this paper examines Greenpeace's Let's Go! Arctic campaign, which opposed Shell's Arctic oil-drilling plans. The campaign produced a body of Internet memes designed to look like Shell's own corporate advertising. Moreover, the viral campaign used various rhetorical techniques that challenged Shell's goals and identity. Greenpeace-generated and user-generated memes cleverly use irony, corporate voice and humor to delegitimize Shell's Arctic efforts. The memes offered messages that mocked corporate practices and corporate messaging while also providing direct protest messages and accessible humor that invited identification against Shell. Thus, the memes collectively encouraged identification with Greenpeace's antidrilling, pro-environment discourse.


ResearchScope
To mark open access week 2009, (See: http://www.openaccessweek.org/ ),WIT Libraries have launched a federated harvesting and discovery service called ResearchScope. ResearchScope is a national portal designed to raise the profile of Open Access research in Ireland - by making it more visible.
It works by harvesting information from research repositories, which present their records in an agreed standard called OAI-DC. By pulling this information together in to one index and re-presenting them via ResearchScope as well as the original home repositories, the information is made more visible to web search engines. It is worth noting that ResearchScope itself presents the aggregated data in this way and it can therefore be indexed itself by other services. See http://www.repository.wit.ie/index.php/oai?verb=ListSets
ResearchScope is based on existing software produced by the Public Knowledge Project, a Canadian group based in Simon Frasier University. (See: http://pkp.sfu.ca/ ) With minor modifications to the layout and the addition of a graphical 'word cloud' search, ( See: http://www.quintura.com/ )we have produced an appealing and useful single point of access to open access research in Ireland. We would to organically incorporate tools and services as time goes on.
The widespread global interest in the movement toward open, public access to scholarly research results is steadily gaining momentum and ResearchSchope is also an attempt to broaden awareness/understanding of Open Access to research, on the part of research funders, the Irish higher education community and the general public - who pay for this research with their hard-earned taxes.
See: http://researchscope.net/


The purpose of this study was to make an assessment on the impact of workers absenteeism on perfomance in Busokelo District Council. This concern has been studied within several working areas and departments of the Busokelo District Council both at the headquarters and in other places like the ward level as well as villages in the governmental subdivisions. The objective of these case studies was to find out the genuine effects and possible recommendations that could be helpful to the local government authorities for their performance and good services provision. In this study Qualitative (interviews) was utilized to collect data and then data was analyzed. Workers absenteeism is a costly problem in most of the government authorities especially in the Local government authorities in Tanzania. Absenteeism costs huge amount of money for replacements, where by additional costs are incurred through new employees that are needed to replace the absent workers. The impact of workers absenteeism has not been given considerable attention by human resources professionals in Local government authorities in Tanzania. This research is valuable since it helps to understand the impacts of absenteeism consequently come up with the suggestions on how to reduce or deal with the problem. The study has found that excessive work load for remaining staff, delay in daily routine, poor customer's satisfaction and complaints from the society are some of the impact of absenteeism. Hence, the management should take necessary steps to correct deficiencies in various institutions and fulfill the needs of workers which will enhance their satisfaction and motivation and thereby improve retention of the employees so as to provide quality care and services to the society.


Measurements of urinary metanephrines by the Pisano procedure (Clin. Chim. Acta 5: 406, 1960) are unreliable in patients who are taking propranolol owing to the presence of 4-hydroxypropranolol in the urine. Three properties of this propranolol metabolite lead to interference: (a) it is absorbed and eluted from ion-exchange resins under the conditions Pisano used for metanephrine isolation, (b) at high pH it absorbs at 350 to 360 nm, and (c) it is oxidized by periodate to a substance with negligible absorption in this region. Because 350 to 360 nm is the wavelength used to quantitate vanillin, the product formed from periodate oxidation of metanephrines, and because the unoxidized eluate is used as a specimen blank, the presence of 4-hydroxypropranolol spuriously decreases the measured urinary metanephrines; this has special significance because patients being tested for increased metanephrines are also likely to be receiving propranolol for hypertension.


A method is presented that allows for the first time the preparation of highly defined polymer brush coatings on the wafer-scale under ambient conditions (room temperature, exposure to air) from a broad variety of monomers. The discovered high oxygen-tolerance of the surface-initiated Cu(0)-mediated controlled radical polymerization (SI-CuCRP) yields entire wafers homogeneously covered by a polymer brush of linear, high molar mass polymers with narrow dispersities (Đ = 1.1) at extremely high grafting densities (≈1 chain per nm2). The low-tech and air tolerant method requires only ≲4 mL reaction solution containing a monomer and a ligand between two facing substrates. Thus, the SI-CuCRP is scalable to any surface area with minimal costs and minimal equipment. Despite the simplicity of the method, the high endgroup fidelity of SI-CuCRP is demonstrated by the preparation of a tetrablock copolymer brush which is the first example of a higher order block copolymer brush prepared by any surface-initiated polymerization. Finally, we present a new facile lithographic technique, the copper plate proximity printing (CP3), which relies on the proximity of the bulk copper surface to the initiator-bearing substrate. The CP3 is resist- and development-free and transfers the copper plate profile (of a copper coin) directly into an image composed of a 3D polymer brush.


This paper presents a closed-loop accelerometer interface based on a force-feedback ΔΣ loop. The interface reduces the offset, and its drift, arising from asymmetry in the parasitic capacitances of the bondwires connecting the CMOS interface IC and the MEMS sensor element. This is achieved by modulating the spring constant of the sensor electrostatically and continuously measuring and nulling the offset via an offset cancellation loop. In a bondwire deformation experiment, we show that the offset cancellation loop reduces an induced offset of 350 mg by 54 dB down to 0.7 mg. The interface was fabricated in a 0.18-μm CMOS technology. The active circuit area is 1.35 mm2 and the interface consumes 3.1 mW from a 3-V supply, while achieving a noise floor of 220 μg/√Hz over a 1-kHz bandwidth. When the offset cancellation loop is turned on the bandwidth available for the signal is 200 Hz.


The multi- and interdisciplinary field of sustainable product innovation is rapidly expanding as an arena for scientific research. Universities in Nordic countries can be considered as an exponent of this type of research, with active research groups in, among others, Goteborg, Helsinki, Lund, Lyngby, Linkoping and Trondheim. In the context of a Nordforsk funded project, seven second generation PhD supervisors from these universities, who have been active in this field for many years, discuss funding, publication, research traditions, education and supervision practices related to PhD research in this field. A number of recommendations to improve current practices are made, including the mapping currently existing differences in different academic institutions, studying the cross-over learning effects between academica and non-academic partners, and the development of 'quality indicators' of research in the SPI domain.


The Roman Republic embraced a system of co-leadership that thrived for over four centuries before dissolving into the dictatorship of the Empire. Many modern firms are evolving in the opposite direction, as sole leadership structures are replaced or augmented by shared leadership. This modern evolution has been prompted by the increasing prevalence of job sharing and teams in the workplace, joint leadership in the family, and complex technology and massive mergers in the marketplace. This article identifies ten key lessons that the republicans of Rome understood and that are extremely relevant for the modern organization attempting to institute or sustain coleadership. These ten lessons find parallels in the successes and failures of co-leadership at such firms as Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Unilever, and DaimlerChrysler.


Terms like systemic crisis and systemic failure are used with increasing frequency particularly by journalists, politicians, as well as academics, to account for things going wrong in an increasingly complex and uncertain world. But what does systemic failure actually mean from a systems thinking perspective, and how might more effective thinking reduce incidences of systemic failure? This paper argues that three interwoven traps of modelling contribute as a confluence towards systemic failure reductionism, dogmatism, and managerialism. Using the example of systemic failure of academic economics in averting the global financial crisis – as expressed by prominent economists themselves each of the three traps is explored. The confluence of these traps working together are illustrated by the ideas from a tradition of critical systems thinking associated with systemic triangulation, and ideas from the science of political economy associated with the 'iron triangle'. Some practical tools from systems approaches are suggested to counter traps of systemic failure using a suggested heuristic of systems thinking in practice.


During the last decades, the usage of silicon photodetectors, both as stand-alone sensor or integrated in arrays, grew tremendously. They are now found in almost any application and any market range, from leisure products to high-end scientific apparatuses, including, among others, industrial, automotive, and medical equipment. The impressive growth in photodetector applications is closely linked to the development of CMOS technology, which now offers inexpensive and efficient analog and digi-tal signal processing capabilities. Detectors are often integrated with their respective front end and application-specific digital circuit on the same silicon die, forming complete systems on chip. In some cases the detector itself is not on the same chip but often part of the same package. However, this trend of co-integration of analog front end and digital circuits complicates the design of the analog part. The ever-decreasing supply voltage and the smaller transistors in advanced processes (which are driven by the development of digital cir-cuits) negatively impact the performance of the analog structures and complicates their design. For photodetector systems, the effect most importantly translates into a degradation of dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio. One way to circumvent the problem of low supply voltages is to shift the operation from voltage domain to time domain. By doing so, the signal is no longer constrained by the supply rails and analog amplification is avoided. The signal takes the form of a time-based modulation, such as pulse-width modulation or pulse-frequency modulation. Another advantage is that the output signal of a time-domain photodetection system is directly interfaceable with digital circuits. In this work, a new type of CMOS-compatible photodetector displaying intrinsic light-to-time conversion is proposed. Its physical structure consists of a MOS gate interleaved with a PN junction. The MOS structure is acting as a photogate. The depletion region shrinks when photogenerated carriers fill the potential well. At some point, the anode of the PN structure is de-isolated from the rest of the detector and triggers a positive-feedback effect that leads to a very steep current increase through the PN-junction. This translates into a signal of very high amplitude and independent from light-intensity, which can be almost directly interfaced with digital circuits. This simplifies the front end circuit compared to photodiode-based systems. The physical behavior of the device is analyzed with the help of TCAD simulations and simple behavioral and shot-noise models are proposed. The device has been co-integrated with its driver and front end circuit in a standard CMOS process and its characteristics have been measured with a custom-made measurement system. The effect of bias parameters on the performance of the sensor are also analyzed. The limitations of the device are discussed, the most important ones being dark current and linearity. Techno-logical solutions, such as the implementation of the detector on Silicon-on-Insulator technology, are proposed to overcome the limitations. Finally, some application demonstrators have been realized. Other applications that could benefit from the detector are suggested, such as digital applications taking advantage of the latching behavior of the device, and a Photoplethysmography (PPG) system that uses a PLL-based control loop to minimize the emitting LED-current.


Four novel phytases of the histidine acid phosphatase family were identified in two publicly available metagenomic datasets of an acidic peat-soil microbiome in northeastern Bavaria, Germany. These enzymes have low similarity to all the reported phytases. They were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Catalytic efficacy in simulated gastric fluid was measured and compared among the four candidates. The phytase named rPhyPt4 was selected for its high activity. It is the first phytase identified from unculturable Acidobacteria. The phytase showed a longer half-life than all the gastric-stable phytases that have been reported to date, suggesting a strong resistance to low pH and pepsin. A wide pH profile was observed between pH 1.5 and 5.0. At the optimum pH (2.5) the activity was 2,790 μmol/min/mg at the physiological temperature of 37°C and 3,989 μmol/min/mg at the optimum temperature of 60°C. Due to the competent activity level as well as the high gastric stability, the phytase could be a potential candidate for practical use in livestock and poultry feeding


The initial stages of the interaction of halprowiae (strain CP-1), isolated in Reiter's syndrome, with a monolayer culture of cells L-929 were studied. The electron-microscopic examination of the cells every 2 hours during the first 24 hours after the inoculation allowed to follow the processes of adsorption, endocytosis of elementary bodies and their transformation into reticulate bodies by the "decondensation" of nucleoid, which indicated the beginning of the vegetative (reproductive) stage of the developmental cycle. During all the periods of observation halprowiae were enclosed into the membranes of phagocytic vacuoles formed by host cells. Besides, in other vacuoles (probably, phagolysosomes) halprowiae at various stages of destruction could be observed. 8--10 hours after inoculation the phagosomes containing reticulate bodies began to merge, thus forming an inoculation the phagosomes containing reticulate bodies began to merge, thus forming an intracytoplasmic inclusion. In this inclusion a new generation of the agent was formed by binary-like fission. At the beginning of the vegetative stage halprowiae seem to be highly sensitive to the action of exo- and endogenic factors which may cause their L-transformation. Depending on the reaction of the host cell at the initial stages of interaction with halprowiae, 3 ways of such interaction are seemingly possible: developmental cycle, destruction in phagolysosomes. L-transformation.


The ability to sequence genomes has far outstripped approaches for deciphering the information they encode. We have developed a suite of techniques based on ribosome profiling (deep sequencing of ribosome protected fragments) that dramatically expand our ability to follow translation in vivo. I will present recent applications of our ribosome profiling approach including the following: (1) Development of ribosome profiling protocols for a wide variety of eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. (2) Uses of ribosome profiling to globally monitor when chaperones, targeting factors or processing enzymes engage nascent chains. (3) Deciphering the driving force and biological consequences underlying the choice of synonymous codons.


In February 2017, the New Zealand Commerce Commission declined to give clearance for the proposed merger between Vodafone New Zealand and Sky Network Television, because it could not exclude the possibility that the merged entity would leverage its market power over premium live sports content to foreclose competition in broadband and mobile services markets by supplying bundles of pay television broadband and mobile services in bundles with which its rivals would be unable to effectively compete.
We contend that the Commission has erred in substance in its assessment of this merger. By not taking the nature and quantum of extant contractual bundling by Sky and Vodafone dating from 2009 into account, the Commission has attributed to the merger all of the possible effects of bundling content and infrastructure, rather than just the marginal effects of the ownership integration of the two firms. Hence the potential risks posed by the merger have been overstated. Furthermore, the Commission appears not to have taken into account observations about the type of bundling (mixed), the degree of complementarity (imperfect), the number of content and broadband products purchased by consumers (multiple) and the nature of product differentiation and competitive intensity in each of the content and broadband markets when assessing either the likelihood of its presumed foreclosure strategy being successful or the expected effects on consumer and total welfare. Hence, the probability of bundling leading to foreclosure in broadband markets, either with or without mergers, has also been overestimated. In the absence of any empirical analysis, the material effect cannot be estimated. However, the extent of the mismatch between market observations and the assumptions underpinning theoretical models of foreclosure is sufficient to suggest it may be substantial.
We further contend that the Commission was predisposed to making these errors because the analytical and computational complexities involved in defining markets and assessing the extent of market power using small but significant and non-transitory increase in price (SSNIP) and likelihood, extent and timeliness of entry and expansion by existing or new competitors (LET) tests where bundling is involved, militate against the use of classical econometric analysis. We propose that further investigation is warranted into the use of simulation and numerical analysis to assist competition authorities making decisions in markets where bundling is a feature.


Addressing the climate change and energy scarcity problems are two of the most complex sustainability challenges facing not only scientists, but also policy makers. Attempts at tackling these issues should be approached from two fronts: by increasing the energy efficiency (demand side) and by promoting the usage of renewables and non-Greenhouse Gases emitting energy sources (supply side). Usually, there is an agreement among stakeholders about sustainability in general, but there is a notable disagreement about how to achieve it. Thus, this paper proposes a multi-actor modelling and analysis approach as a way forward in systematically studying the system and actors dynamics – this is necessary in order to garner cooperation that will not only get such sustainability projects started, but that will also keep them going. A case study was employed to study the feasibility of using residual industrial heat for sustainable District Heating System. The result of the multi-actor analysis reveals that the Municipality (the initiator of the project) will have far greater success if it includes the perspectives of all the different stakeholders and encourage their participation from the early phases of project design and development.


The RNA-binding protein HuR (also known as ELAV1) binds to the 3'-untranslated region of mRNAs and regulates transcript stability and translation. However, the in vivo functions of HuR are not well understood. Here, we report that murine HuR is essential for life; postnatal global deletion of Elavl1 induced atrophy of hematopoietic organs, extensive loss of intestinal villi, obstructive enterocolitis, and lethality within 10 days. Upon Elavl1 deletion, progenitor cells in the BM, thymus, and intestine underwent apoptosis, whereas quiescent stem cells and differentiated cells were unaffected. The survival defect of hematopoietic progenitor cells was cell intrinsic, as transplant of Elavl1-/- BM led to compromised hematopoietic reconstitution but did not cause lethality. Expression of p53 and its downstream effectors critical for cell death were induced in progenitor cells as HuR levels declined. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts, HuR bound to and stabilized the mRNA for Mdm2, a critical negative regulator of p53. Furthermore, cell survival was restored by expression of Mdm2 in Elavl1-/- cells, suggesting that HuR keeps p53 levels in check in progenitor cells and thereby promotes cell survival. This regulation of cell stress response by HuR in progenitor cells, which we believe to be novel, could potentially be exploited in cytotoxic anticancer therapies as well as stem cell transplant therapy.


This short statement has three aims. First, it suggests that rules and institutionsare a convenient and productive entrypoint for analysing capitalism and mainstream proposals for its reform. But it also suggests that analyses cannot stop there if adequate critiques and alternative strategies are to be developed. Above all we need to move beyond rules and institutions to examine the microfoundations of institutions in particular subjectivities, cognitive frames, modes of calculation, norms of conduct, and forms of embodiment; and to study the macro-contexts that emerge from interaction among institutions and shape this interaction in a complex dialectic of path-shaping and path-dependency. It also suggests how to move beyond rules and institutions. Second, this statement proposes a distinctive theoretical approach based on a combination of trans- and post-disciplinary modes of inquiry. It argues that these can inform both our collective intellectual endeavours and also provide the basis for a critical popular pedagogy. And, third, it identifies some key issues for a research agenda on the political and ethical dimensions of contemporary economic activities. In the spirit of the PEKEA project, our statement is not concerned to provide yet another critique of orthodox economics (for which, see Hodgson 1989; North 1990; Rutherford 1994). Instead we emphasize the socially embedded, socially regularized nature of market economies and address changing economic norms and modes of calculation. This leads us to approach capitalism very broadly in terms of the overall ensemble of socially embedded, socially regularized and strategically selective institutions, organizations, social forces and actions that are involved in sustaining the wage-relation, a labour process and more general system of production organized in terms of profitand- loss, and a complex balance between competition and cooperation among different capitals. Seen in these terms capitalist relations of production are not just economic but is also (always, necessarily) extra-economic. In pursuing these ideas should help to provide a clearer account of the inherently political aspects of contemporary capitalism.


We investigate the claims of behavioral paternalism in the more realistic framework of complex choice. In particular, we analyze the claims made by behavioral paternalists that predictive analytics over large amounts of data will make it possible to target and successfully implement purportedly welfare-enhancing nudges deemed to make nudged agents better off "as judged by themselves" (AJBT). We draw parallels between the socialist calculation debate and nudge theoretical arguments, particularly the libertarian socialism of H. D. Dickinson and the libertarian paternalism of Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler. We find that if actual idealized behavior is a more complicated process of recursive feedback using a knowledge classification method, behavioral paternalists engaging in an automatized process of notice-and-comment rulemaking using Big Data methods still encounter epistemological problems and the problems associated with radical uncertainty unearthed during the socialist calculation debate and afterwards.


This case report describes a conservative restorative approach in the management of severe generalized tooth wear.

 The male, aged 57 years, was mainly concerned with the poor appearance of his teeth with short and discolored upper incisors. History revealed that he suffered from gastric reflux for 25 years, for which he was prescribed Ranitidine and was advised to self-medicate with cider vinegar. Furthermore, he divulged that he ground his teeth at night and during the day and had a high intake of carbonated cola drinks. On examination, dentine was exposed in several areas, and to a significant extent, on the incisal aspects of the lower incisors, the palatal surfaces of the upper incisors, and the occlusal surfaces of the molars. Mandibular tori were present.
 The primary diagnosis was erosive tooth wear with elements of attrition and abrasion. The intervention included dietary advice and restoration with direct composite resin at an increased occlusal vertical dimension of 1.5mm on the retruded axis. The patient reported no functional problems and was pleased with the aesthetic result.

 Vinegar is promoted to have health benefits, especially with respect to glucose response, but the dental implications are overlooked. This paper reviews the literature on vinegar as a medicament and considers its role as a co-factor for erosion in this case. The clinical steps used to restore the eroded dentition by direct composite are described. The use of this approach is a safe, conservative and successful treatment option without recourse to complex and biologically costly conventional alternatives. The application of direct composite in tooth wear cases meets the European consensus requirements.


The parameters affecting the production of pectate lyase from P. polymyxa N10 were studied using the response surface methodology agitation rate (X1, 100-300 rpm), temperature (X2, 25-45 o C) and pH (X3, 5.5-9.5). The most significant factors influencing enzyme production were temperature and pH. The second order polynomial regression model obtained was fitted and found adequate, with an R 2 of 0.9600 (p < 0.001). A maximum pectate lyase activity of 84.5 U/ml was attained in 72 h of cultivation at agitation rate 200 rpm, temperature 35 o C and pH 8. Optimizations of agitation rate and aeration on pectate lyase production were also carried out in a 5-l stirred-tank bioreactor. The aeration rate was varied in the range of 0.5-2 vvm at agitation rate of 200 rpm (temperature 35 o C and initial pH 8). At agitation rate of 200 rpm, the shear force was high and then decreased the pectate lyase activity due to its negative effect on the enzyme structure. A maximum pectate lyase activity of 110.42 U/ml in the bioreactor was close to that obtained from the shake flask fermentation study.


Multiple nurse-physician (RNMD) relationships coexist on hospital units; collegial and collaborative (C/C) relationships positively impact, more than others, patient outcomes. The goal of this multisite evidence-based management practice initiative was to identify structures that enable C/C RNMD relationships. In part 1, the authors discuss the methodology and selection of the sample of 141 physicians, managers, and staff nurses from 44 clinical units in 5 hospitals that had previously demonstrated extensive C/C RNMD relationships. These 141 experts were interviewed to identify structures enabling C/C RNMD relationships. Part 1 presents the structures that enable C/C RNMD relationships as described and tested in the literature, as well as a description of the characteristics of the clinical units, experts, and C/C RNMD relationships found in this study. In part 2, the structures identified by the experts as needed for securing C/C RNMD relationships will be presented, along with suggestions for attainment.


We perform 2.5D hybrid simulations with massless fluid electrons and kinetic particle-in-cell ions to study the temporal evolution of ion temperatures, temperature anisotropies, and velocity distribution functions in relation to the dissipation and turbulent evolution of a broadband spectrum of parallel and obliquely propagating Alfvén-cyclotron waves. The purpose of this paper is to study the relative role of parallel versus oblique Alfvén-cyclotron waves in the observed heating and acceleration of alpha particles in the fast solar wind. We consider collisionless homogeneous multi-species plasma, consisting of isothermal electrons, isotropic protons, and a minor component of drifting α particles in a finite-β fast stream near the Earth. The kinetic ions are modeled by initially isotropic Maxwellian velocity distribution functions, which develop nonthermal features and temperature anisotropies when a broadband spectrum of low-frequency nonresonant, ω ≤ 0.34 Ωp, Alfvén-cyclotron waves is imposed at the beginning of the simulations. The initial plasma parameter values, such as ion density, temperatures, and relative drift speeds, are supplied by fast solar wind observations made by the Wind spacecraft at 1 AU. The imposed broadband wave spectra are left-hand polarized and resemble Wind measurements of Alfvénic turbulence in the solar wind. The imposed magnetic field fluctuations for all cases are within the inertial range of the solar wind turbulence and have a Kraichnan-type spectral slope α = −3/2. We vary the propagation angle from θ = 0° to θ = 30° and θ = 60°, and find that the heating of alpha particles is most efficient for the highly oblique waves propagating at 60°, whereas the protons exhibit perpendicular cooling at all propagation angles.


Purpose: Gastric plication of the greater curvature is spreading over all the bariatric centers as a new investigational procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity. Conventional bariatric surgeries 'gastric band','sleeve gastrectomy','vertical banding gastroplasty' and 'gastric bypass' are associated with severe complications and a high rate of failure or weight regain. Materials and methods: Authors present their experience on 482 laparoscopic greater curvature plication (LGCP) performed over a period of 26 months. A total of 449 patients responded to inclusion criteria:147 men and 302 women. Their mean age was 35.99 ± 10.85 years. Their mean body mass index (BMI) was equal to 39.93 ± 6.15 kg/m 2 . Results: The average percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months was 30.19, 47.07, 63.05, 68.15, 68.62 and 69.29% respectively. Moreover, this study was divided into two subgroups and results were studied based on the type of suturing and patient's BMI over a period of 1 year. The first subgroup included 183 patients, where gastric plication was performed with continuous suturing at the first and second row. The second subgroup included 186 patients, where gastric plication was performed with separated stitches at the first row and continuous suturing at the second row. In the second subgroup, a higher degree of %EWL was found. The complication rate was greater in the first subgroup.The overall rate of immediate surgical complications was 1.33%. Mean hospital stay was 36 hours. Conclusion: Gastric plication is safe and efficient on EWL based on short-term results. Separated suturing is associated with a higher %EWL and a lower rate of complications, with a short hospital stay. Long-term data are needed to consolidate these results.


We analyze the effects of a unique forest conservation regulation on residential development and assess the additionality in forest cover due to this regulation. We combine panel data on forest cover change from satellite imagery and parcel-level modeling on residential development, including residential subdivisions occurring before and after regulation adoption. Our results indicate that after introducing the regulation, there was a 22% increase in forest cover within subdivisions relative to the amount without the regulation. The heterogeneous effects of this regulation suggest that forest cover increased on average for parcels with lower levels of existing forest cover. However, parcels with the highest levels of forest cover continue to have significant decreases in forest cover, despite the regulation, thereby resulting in fragmentation in regions with the most intact forest cover.


1. The muscles involved in dorso-ventral and longitudinal ventilation in the pregenital segments of Schistocerca gregaria are described. Expiratory muscles are shown to be innervated by paired lateral nerves whereas the dorso-ventral inspiratory muscles are innervated by the unpaired median nerve system.

2. Normal pumping activity is brought about by alternating bursts of impulses in expiratory and inspiratory motor nerves. Inspiratory bursts are relatively invariant, whereas expiratory bursts show a positive correlation with ventilatory cycle length. The firing patterns of some units within the bursts are described.

3. In general anterior segments fire motor bursts earlier than posterior segments during well synchronized active ventilation, the metathoracic ganglion firing first. However, much variation is seen both within one locust and between different locusts. Burst-formation continues in isolated nerve cords.

4. Activity, phase-locked with expiration, has been recorded in the connectives. The evidence suggests that it occurs in a pair of co-ordinating interneurones which run from the metathoracic ganglion to the last abdominal ganglion and determine the initiation, duration and possibly the intensity of the expiratory motor bursts in each segment. A second parallel system may co-ordinate activity when the metathoracic co-ordinating interneurones are inactive. Inspiratory motor neurones are probably autoactive and the duration of their firing may normally be determined by the discharge phase of a metathoracic oscillator which acts by inhibiting the co-ordinating interneurones.


Every design stage should be completed thoroughly to ensure a successful down syndrome kids' centre design. The design objective of the project, site suitability, and the project requirements are analyzed to avoid lack of understanding that will lead to bad design. Other than that, the determining of concept and images play important parts in design as they act as guideline to the design proposal. If these factors are being neglected, there are possibilities for the down syndrome kids' centre to be ignored by the public and left abandoned. In order to make sure a perfect design planning, the basic design aspects such as the comfortability of each space, ergonomics and anthropometries, and psychological factors must be taken into consideration. At the same time, all of the data collections should be implemented in the design process so that the concept and image of excitement interior will be reflected in the design. Through the proposed interior design of down syndrome kids' centre for Persatuan Sindrom Down Malaysia, it is hoped that Persatuan Sindrom Down Malaysia will achieve its objective which is to give the children education and speciality in their life.


Summary Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) is the preferred modulation scheme for satellite data communication. A two stage estimation scheme for the demodulator for processing satellite data is proposed in this paper, where carrier frequency estimation is followed by timing recovery under training. Frequency offset estimation is performed by finding the slope of the best fit line through the unwrapped phase. Since this carrier frequency estimation technique gives an approximate estimate of the frequency offset, there still remains some frequency offset to be corrected. This is done in the second stage, where least mean square algorithm is employed to track the variations in frequency and estimating the symbols. Estimation of the correct sampling instant is based upon finding the minima of the absolute of the received training pattern and then calculating the maximum energy instant from it. An overview of the whole system architecture is presented and its performance is evaluated. BER curves for different frequency and timing offsets are also presented. Some tasks in the system may serve as bottlenecks to higher data rates owing to their computationally intensive nature. These tasks are identified and based upon that, the proposed algorithm is partitioned into two parts. One part is to be implemented on FPGA and consists of high computational complexity modules and the other is to be coded on a DSP processor.


A flexible photoluminescent display fabricated with a low-temperature process is proposed. The fabrication temperature is a critical issue because a flexible display requires a flexible plastic film as a substrate. New fabrication methods were devised for inner components consisting of a flexible photoluminescent display. Long-term observation was used to examine the reliability of components fabricated with newly adapted fabrication methods. The electrical properties of the test panel were also analyzed for characterization of the proposed flexible photoluminescent display. Microplasma inside the test panel was successfully generated when the test panel was bent. The results of this study confirm that the proposed flexible photoluminescent display structure has reasonable potential as a platform for large-area flexible display devices.


In many power electronic applications galvanic isolating IGBT/MOSFET drivers are advantageously used. The main reasons are safety issues, driving high voltage power semiconductors with blocking voltages of typically 600 V or above and avoiding or minimizing unwanted ground current loops. This paper deals with a new method for achieving galvanic isolation in high voltage drivers based on printed circuit board (PCB) integrated capacitive coupling elements. The suggested coupling element consists of a pair of plate capacitors by using copper layers and prepregs of a PCB. First, the influence of the isolation barrier capacitance, which is one of the main important parameters of a galvanic insulating driver, is illustrated by a simple model of the capacitive current loop. As a result it is stated that the coupling capacitance should be lower than 5 pF to achieve high dV/dt levels of at least 100 kV/μs. Taking into account the isolation characteristics of the commonly used FR4 PCB material, an integrated capacitive coupling element can be designed. With 360 μm isolation distance and a plate surface of approximately 8 mm², a capacitance of about 1 pF is achieved. A comparison of the developed capacitive coupling element with a comparable inductive coupling element (transformer) shows that the former has advantages due to a much lower current consumption and less dependency on parasitic inductances. In order to achieve high isolation voltages on PCBs, wide creepage and clearance distances are required, especially at higher humidity levels. It is advisable to use special layout were the primary and the secondary circuits of the driver are placed on different sides on the PCB by using blind vias. The well known Manchester coding can be applied to use the advantages of phase modulated signals for transmitting the switching signal over the isolation barrier. By transmitting the carrier signal via a second capacitive coupling element, the complexity for decoding the switching signal is reduced. A half bridge driver was built up to verify the new isolation method. Herewith a bidirectional buck-boost DC/DC converter operating at a DC link voltage of 400 V was successfully controlled. Moreover, measurements with a standardized burst generator have shown, that a fail-safe operation is possible up to high dV/dt levels.


Silymarin, a chemical extracted from the herb milk thistle, is a widely known antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anti-carcinogenic. It suppresses the oxidative injury induced by trichloroethylene (TCE) which is considered as an environmental pollutant by increasing the endogenous antioxidant in animal tissues. Twenty four male albino rats were divided into (1) control, (2) silymarin-treated, (3) TCE-exposure, (4) and silymarin plus TCE combination groups. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activities, and concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), urea and creatinine were analyzed. Additionally, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA), nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in liver as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were measured. Liver Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn concentrations were also analyzed. TCE exposure increased serum ALT, AST, GGTP and ALP activities, TC, TGs, LDL-c, urea and creatinine concentrations, as well as MDA, NO, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn concentration in liver, whereas it decreased SOD, GSH-Px activities, reduced GSH level in liver, and HDL-c in serum. Silymarin treatment significantly improved lipid peroxidation and oxidative injury induced by TCE. The study indicated that silymarin treatment ameliorate the harmful effect induced by TCE, taking in consideration the effect of silymarin as a free radical scavenger.


This study presents the development of an Early Warning System (EWS) called EPIGONE focusing on the detection of dry weather overflows in the vicinity of throttle structures in sewer systems. Throttle structures are considered as vital parts of a sewer system as they are control sections limiting flow rates to a designed operational value. Because these structures are by definition prone to potential clogging or blockages, a close follow-up of the daily operation by an EWS facilitates increased vigilance or even alarm. Primary goal of EPIGONE is to alert operators and thus allow fast intervention in case of suspected failures of these structures within a settled timeframe. EPIGONE combines overflow water level measurements with rainfall radar information to determine Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) activity during dry weather as this dual condition will indicate malfunctioning. This combination of measurements was found to be the most cost effective set-up to deploy on a large scale. Water level data are recorded and logged on-site and sent to a central controller via GSM/GPRS, where an algorithm determines dry weather overflow conditions. Rainfall radar data are used as criterion to decide on dry weather conditions. From there on alarms are sent out to multiple recipients via e-mail and/or text messages (SMS). Next to this, it is obvious that this system can also be used for 'regular' wet weather CSO monitoring.


A fully automated object reconstruction pipeline is crucial for digital content creation. While the area of 3D reconstruction has witnessed profound developments, the removal of background to obtain a clean object model still relies on different forms of manual labor, such as bounding box labeling, mask annotations, and mesh manipulations. In this paper, we propose a novel framework named AutoRecon for the automated discovery and reconstruction of an object from multi-view images. We demonstrate that foreground objects can be robustly located and segmented from SfM point clouds by leveraging self-supervised 2D vision transformer features. Then, we reconstruct decomposed neural scene representations with dense supervision provided by the decomposed point clouds, resulting in accurate object reconstruction and segmentation. Experiments on the DTU, BlendedMVS and CO3D-V2 datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of AutoRecon. The code and supplementary material are available on the project page: https://zju3dv.github.io/autorecon/.


Abstract We introduce a new model for sums of exchangeable binary random variables. The proposed distribution is an approximation to the exact distributional form, and relies on the theory of completely monotone functions and the Laplace transform of a gamma distribution function. Using Monte Carlo methods, we show that this new model compares favorably to the beta-binomial model with respect to estimating the success probability of the Bernoulli trials and the correlation between any two variables in the exchangeable set. We apply the new methodology to two classic data sets and the results are summarized.


A time-domain methodology for the automatic (on-line) calculation of source parameters is introduced. The method is based on applying Parseval's theorem to the spectral equations proposed by Andrews (1986). The appropriateness of the technique for the analysis of induced seismicity was tested by comparing on-line values of seismic moment, seismic energy, and static stress drop with those obtained in the frequency domain (off-line) for an aftershock sequence of events recorded underground at Creighton mine, Ontario. Our analysis shows that the calculated on-line and off-line source parameters are in good agreement, with an average slope offset of 4% from the 1:1 line, suggesting that the proposed method is reliable. Additionally, by applying empirical on-line attenuation corrections (coda Q), similar results are obtained to those calculated using off-line corrections (spectral decay), improving the average slope offset to 1%.


This work reports the attempts to carry out pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) for synthesizing colloidal copper oxide nanoparticles (NPs). Copper oxide NPs was synthesized by 7ns Nd:YAG laser ablation of high purity copper target immersed in different solutions; ethanol, acetone, and water. The optical and morphological properties of copper oxide NPs were investigated. It was found that the optical absorbance, energy gap, size, and distribution of copper oxide nanoparticles are dependent on liquid type. Plasmon peak was observed at 550nm for Cu NPs ablated in acetone and methanol liquids, while it was disappeared for those ablated in water. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis showed that the average grain size of copper oxide particles ablated in acetone, ethanol, and water were 276 nm, 300, and 360nm, respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) was used to study the vibrational frequencies between the bonds of atoms for a synthesized copper oxide NPs at different liquids. All these results confirm the complete oxidation of ablated copper.


The authors present experimental-epidemiological data permitting to give an objective quantitative characteristics of the hazard of infection in meningococcus infection (including the carrier state and nasopharyngitis). In 70% of cases meningococcus infection occurred at a distance of less than 0.5 meters. With increase of the distance and reduction of the time of contact the risk of meningococcus infection in a collective body falls to the zero (no such phenomenon is observed in other droplet infections).


The sulphate resistance of two waterproofing cement-containing compounds on the basis of dry construction mixtures "RM-W Plus" and "HydroLastic" was investigated. The test for first year has shown that both compositions are sulfate-resistant and refer to the III (highest) group for sulphate resistance in accordance with GOST R 56687-2015. The values of deformation of expansion and increment of sample mass are obtained depending on the type of corrosive medium (distilled water and sodium sulfate solution) and the time of its exposure. In the case of the elastic two-component "HydroLastic" composition containing the polymer component, compared with the repair composition "RM-W Plus", there was a higher expansion and less water absorption. Absorption of water samples of both compositions was more significant than absorption of sodium sulfate solution.


The increasing demand on digitization of human activities accompanied with developments in interactive technologies between human and computer, have led to an increase in interest of research for those who are focusing in the field of handwritten recognition of characters, words, sentences, and whole documents. The recognition task involves complex processes in artificial intelligence, image and signal processing. Semitic languages are different from European languages in many aspects including complex linguistic structure, implicit characters and concatenation, writing styles, fonts, and writing direction. The Arabic language, as one of the Semitic languages, has many unique characteristics that make the job of recognition even more challenging. Intensive research has been carried out in the recognition of handwritten English; however less effort has been paid for the recognition of handwritten Arabic. To this end, we propose in this paper applying a multi-level neural network for the holistic recognition of Arabic handwritten documents. In the presented methodology, many morphological operations are being applied followed by special objects recognition to localize and process handwritten words before matching them. The goal is to achieve high recognition ratios in short time. Therefore, the proposed recognition approach will be compared with the state of the art techniques in terms of accuracy and recognition speed.


Abstract When we look at a painting, how do we know it's a genuine piece of art? Everything we see with the unaided eye in a painting - from the Australian outback images of Albert Namatjira or Russell Drysdale, to the vibrant works of Pro Hart - is thanks to the mix of colours that form part of the visible spectrum. But if we look at the painting in a different way, at a part of the spectrum that is invisible to our eyes, then we can see something very different. As our recently published research shows, it could even help us detect art fraud.


Machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms can assist human decision making and analysis tasks. While such technology shows promise, willingness to use and rely on intelligent systems may depend on whether people can trust and understand them. To address this issue, researchers have explored the use of explainable interfaces that attempt to help explain why or how a system produced the output for a given input. However, the effects of meaningful and meaningless explanations (determined by their alignment with human logic) are not properly understood, especially with users who are non-experts in data science. Additionally, we wanted to explore how explanation inclusion and level of meaningfulness would affect the user's perception of accuracy. We designed a controlled experiment using an image classification scenario with local explanations to evaluate and better understand these issues. Our results show that whether explanations are human-meaningful can significantly affect perception of a system's accuracy independent of the actual accuracy observed from system usage. Participants significantly underestimated the system's accuracy when it provided weak, less human-meaningful explanations. Therefore, for intelligent systems with explainable interfaces, this research demonstrates that users are less likely to accurately judge the accuracy of algorithms that do not operate based on human-understandable rationale.


The present paper discusses the role of calcination in tuning the non-enzymatic glucose sensitivities of Cu–Ni bimetallic nanocomposites. Nanoparticles of Cu, a layered hydroxide of Ni and Cu–Ni nanocomposites were synthesized via the polyol reduction method. The prepared nanomaterials were thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was done in order to understand the thermal behavior of the nanoparticles. The prepared nanomaterials were subjected to calcination at three different temperatures viz. 400, 500 and 600 °C. The non-enzymatic glucose sensing activity of the nanomaterials was studied electrochemically. The nanocomposites showed the best sensing performance among the prepared nanomaterials. Interestingly, calcination resulted in a seven-fold increase in the sensitivity of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposite that was calcined at 600 °C showed the maximum sensitivity of 63.87 μA mM−1 cm−2 with a low detection limit of 8 μM at a signal to noise ratio of 3. The nanocomposite showed a distinct linear response in the range of 0.01 to 18 mM with a regression coefficient of 0.99162. The nanocomposite also exhibited excellent selectivity for glucose in the presence of other interfering agents. The nanocomposite also demonstrated good agreement with the pathology laboratory data for whole blood and blood serum samples.


It is becoming general that the contour of part is defined with free-form curves for abrasive waterjet cutting. In this paper, the effect of the traverse speed on cut surface quality is discussed. After that, the free-form Pythagorean Hodographs (PH) curve is defined and its main characteristics are discussed. A new CNC interpolator capable of driving the nozzle along the PH curves at the feedrate adaptable of the curvature of the contour is presented. The taper shape or jet lag can be minimized with it through the variation of the traverse speed. Experimental data indicate that a decrease of about 58 per cent in kerf taper angle can be obtained under a given condition.


Abstract Endometriosis is a puzzling disease characterized by pelvic pain, infertility, allergies, fatigue, and bowel problems. It is a non-lethal medical condition that disables only women and frustrates physicians who are frequently limited in their treatment success. Recently endometriosis has been linked with endocrine, environmental, genetic, and immune factors. The public health impact of endometriosis is significant in terms of suffering, lost income, infertility, stress on families, and medical costs. Resources for endometriosis on the Internet include search engines, medical sources, advocacy sources, U.S. government sources, personal Web sites, public library databases, and social science sources.


Abstract : Specifically, this study examines four CAS subissues from World War I through the Korean War: priorities in the employment of airpower, the ownership and apportionment of CAS assets, the most effective CAS command and control (C2) system, and the debate over whether to procure a single or multipurpose CAS aircraft. A fundamental explanation given for Army and Air Force differences in philosophy on CAS is the historical difference in military objectives (decisive points). This difference has shaped air force, force structure and air asset employment, and significantly contributed to the Army-Air Force CAS debate. The case study herein analyzes the CAS philosophy of Lt Gen Edward Mallory Almond, USA. The author reasoned that General Almond's diverse background in Army, Navy, and Air Force theory and employment would make him a logical candidate for a study. The main focus is on CAS employment and issues during the Korean War. General Almond served in the two world wars and commanded the X Corps during the Korean War. His personal papers stored at the US Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, offer unique insights into a ground commander's views on CAS. While his opinions are much more complex than this abstract can do justice to, General Almond's CAS thoughts evolved to the following: (1) Air priorities should first be, air superiority, CAS second, and then interdiction and strategic attack; (2) The Army should maintain operational control of sufficient (meaning 'lots of') CAS air assets and practice decentralized control (down to the division or corps level); (3) The services should build and adequately staff joint, well-integrated CAS C2 systems to support the CAS mission, and (4) The Air Force should build, with Army inputs, a single purpose CAS aircraft.


Introduction This project applies a Learning Healthcare System (LHS) approach to antibiotic prescribing for common infections in primary care. The approach involves iterations of data analysis, feedback to clinicians and implementation of quality improvement activities by the clinicians. The main research question is, can a knowledge support system (KSS) intervention within an LHS implementation improve antibiotic prescribing without increasing the risk of complications? Methods and analysis A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial will be conducted, with randomisation of at least 112 general practices in North-West England. General practices participating in the trial will be randomised to the following interventions: periodic practice-level and individual prescriber feedback using dashboards; or the same dashboards plus a KSS. Data from large databases of healthcare records are used to characterise heterogeneity in antibiotic uses, and to calculate risk scores for clinical outcomes and for the effectiveness of different treatment strategies. The results provide the baseline content for the dashboards and KSS. The KSS comprises a display within the electronic health record used during the consultation; the prescriber (general practitioner or allied health professional) will answer standard questions about the patient's presentation and will then be presented with information (eg, patient's risk of complications from the infection) to guide decision making. The KSS can generate information sheets for patients, conveyed by the clinicians during consultations. The primary outcome is the practice-level rate of antibiotic prescribing (per 1000 patients) with secondary safety outcomes. The data from practices participating in the trial and the dashboard infrastructure will be held within regional shared care record systems of the National Health Service in the UK. Ethics and dissemination Approved by National Health Service Ethics Committee IRAS 290050. The research results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and also disseminated to participating clinical staff and policy and guideline developers. Trial registration number ISRCTN16230629.


This paper presents the modeling of microfluidically tuned capacitor for RF applications. The designed structure is based on performances variations following DI water displacement between capacitor's electrodes. We have modeled the electric field and the current distribution using FEM tool for different DI water position in microchannels. The obtained results at 4.5 GHz show an important variation of electric field and current distribution that impacts the capacitor performances: the capacitance value is comprised between Cmin = 0.11 pF and Cmax = 5.76 pF, the factor value decreases from Qmax = 84.27 to Qmin = 3.99, and the resonant frequency ranges from 5.67 GHz to 19.8 GHz. Indeed, the capacitance variation reaches Tr = 5136% and the broadband ability is higher than 240%.


Same-different visual reasoning is a basic skill central to abstract combinatorial thought. This fact has lead neural networks researchers to test same-different classification on deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs), which has resulted in a controversy regarding whether this skill is within the capacity of these models. However, most tests of same-different classification rely on testing on images that come from the same pixel-level distribution as the testing images, yielding the results inconclusive. In this study we tested relational same-different reasoning DCNNs. In a series of simulations we show that DCNNs are capable of visual same-different classification, but only when the test images are similar to the training images at the pixel-level. In contrast, even when there are only subtle differences between the testing and training images, the performance of DCNNs could drop to chance levels. This is true even when DCNNs' training regime included a wide distribution of images or when they were trained in a multi-task setup in which training included an additional relational task with test images from the same pixel-level distribution.


This paper presents a theoretical study into the influence of closed-loop control of ac power flow on the small-signal and transient stability characteristics of a single-generator study system. Both the constant power and constant angle modes of power flow control are examined for a range of controller response times. The results indicate that the effect of a power flow controller on system stability is dependent on both the mode of the controller and its response time.


Since 1999, our group at the CADIFT, University of Toronto, has developed the application of Frequency Domain Photothermal Radiometry (PTR) and Luminescence (LUM) to dental caries detection. Various cases including artificial caries detection have been studied and some of the inherent advantages of the adaptation of this technique to dental diagnostics in conjunction with modulated luminescence as a dual-probe technique have been reported. Based on these studies, a portable, compact diagnostic instrument for dental clinic use has been designed, assembled and tested. A semiconductor laser, optical fibers, a thermoelectric cooled mid-IR detector, and a USB connected data acquisition card were used. Software lock-in amplifier techniques were developed to compute amplitude and phase of PTR and LUM signals. In order to achieve fast measurement and acceptable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for clinical application, swept sine waveforms were used. As a result sampling and stabilization time for each measurement point was reduced to a few seconds. A sophisticated software interface was designed to simultaneously record intra-oral camera images with PTR and LUM responses. Preliminary results using this instrument during clinical trials in a dental clinic showed this instrument could detect early caries both from PTR and LUM signals.


ABSTRACT In this paper the results are presented of a national survey in the Netherlands. The aim was to identify and describe the convictions about animals that people have in Dutch society and the role of these in judgments on the culling of healthy animals during an animal disease epidemic. A total of 1,999 responses was received and two groups of respondents were distinguished: A profile (50% of the respondents) and B profile (28%). The A profile respondents considered humans to be superior to animals, whereas the B profile respondents considered both to be equal. Both groups were of the opinion that animals have value, that people have a duty to care for and protect all animals, and that all animals have a right to life. These convictions were based on a number of values, such as animal life, the ability of animals to feel pain and emotions (sentience), and the importance of animal species in the ecosystem. The results of a case study suggest that convictions play a role in judgment. More A respondents agreed with the culling of healthy animals during an animal disease epidemic. More B respondents partly (dis)agreed or disagreed with this. Most respondents (A: 81%, B: 61%) agreed with culling to protect human life. The most important argument against culling was the value of animal life. The A respondents rated all arguments against culling significantly lower than did the B respondents.


Modern systems' design usually lies in multiple components which are connected via their interfaces. Synchronous applications, like IoT, require parametric systems, i.e., systems that aim to operate independently of the number of their components. A key feature in modelling of parametric systems is the architecture modelling that defines the underlying topology and provides coordination rules. On the other hand, to achieve optimized requirements and performance there is need for describing parametric architectures and parametric behavior in a quantitative setting. In this paper we study the quantitative modelling of architectures of component-based parametric systems. We introduce a weighted extended first-order interaction logic as a modelling language for weighted parametric architectures. We also introduce weighted parametric models defined by composed transition systems whose interactions are expressed by formulas of our weighted logic. Equivalence of weighted extended first-order interaction logic formulas is decidable in the class of computable fields. We show that our weighted logic can efficiently describe several software architectures with quantitative characteristics.


Abstract : This paper presents experimental evidence for structure in the inelastic cross section in helium which is interpreted in terms of compound states above the lowest electronically excited state. A study of the inelastically scattered electrons at an angle of 72 deg shows that structure in the 2-3S cross section exists for electron energies around 21 eV and 22.4 eV. It was suggested that the shape of the 2-3S excitation function is consistent with the existence of a compound state in the vicinity of the threshold of the 2-3S state. The existence of such compound states may be detected either in elastic or in inelastic scattering, or possibly in both channels. The classification of the state is 1s(2s). This paper reports the results of a search for similar resonances in the inelastic excitation of helium. (Author)


This both thought-provoking and useful work will help the professional architect, builder, and developer alike glean what has been proven successful and what has not in the recent design of multi-residential housing in the USA. Using a carefully planned questionnaire sent to key architects and developers of multi-residential projects, the authors have compiled extremely useful data on the performance and success of exemplary housing designs. Each case study will be amply illustrated with site plans, architectural plans and elevations, photographs of the built projects, and aerial photographs of the projects. It uses the case study method to examine how actual multi-residential housing developments have succeeded or failed in meeting developers and clients' needs, establishes a uniform method of evaluating the performance of housing design based on perceived objectives of cost and profit and client/host community satisfaction.


An increasing trend in embedded system design is to integrate components with different levels of criticality into a shared hardware platform for better cost and power efficiency. Such mixed-criticality systems are subject to certifications at different levels of rigorousness, for validating the correctness of different subsystems on various confidence levels. The real-time scheduling of certifiable mixed-criticality systems has been recognized to be a challenging problem, where using traditional scheduling techniques may result in unacceptable resource waste. In this paper we present an algorithm called PLRS to schedule certifiable mixed-criticality sporadic tasks systems. PLRS uses fixed-job-priority scheduling, and assigns job priorities by exploring and balancing the asymmetric effects between the workload on different criticality levels. Comparing with the state-of-the-art algorithm by Li and Baruah for such systems, which we refer to as LB, PLRS is both more effective and more efficient: (i) The schedulability test of PLRS not only theoretically dominates, but also on average significantly outperforms LB's. (ii) The run-time complexity of PLRS is polynomial (quadratic in the number of tasks), which is much more efficient than the pseudo-polynomial run-time complexity of LB.


A cross-sectional study was carried out between January 2012 and May 2014 to estimate the prevalence of bovine brucellosis in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. This study was carried out 11 years after the implementation of the immunization program for heifers with a vaccine derived from the S19 strain of Brucella abortus. The state was divided into two regions. Three hundred farms from each region, with reproductive activity, were randomly chosen and included as primary sample units. A fixed number of cows were randomly selected and tested for antibodies against Brucella spp. A farm was considered to be infected when at least one female tested positive for Brucella spp. In the selected farms, an epidemiological questionnaire based survey, focused on herd traits as well as husbandry and sanitary practices, was conducted, to evaluate the factors associated with the risk of infection. The overall prevalence of infected herds was 9.3% (95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 7.1–11.8%), varying from 8.7% (95% CI = 5.7–12.6%) in region 2 to 9.7% (95% CI = 6.8–13.4%) in region 1. There was no significant difference in the prevalence between the regions. The apparent prevalence of Brucella spp. positive farms across the regions and the state was similar to the prevalence observed 11 years earlier. The prevalence of positive animals was 3.8% (95% CI = 0.9–10.1%), varying from 1.5% (95% CI = 0.8–2.4%) in region 1 to 7.9% (95% CI = 1.9–20.3%) in region 2, without a significant difference between the regions. There was no difference in the number of Brucella spp. positive animals after 11 years of the immunization program. The risk factors associated with brucellosis were (i) more than 10 cows per herd (OR = 5.0; 95% CI =2.5–11.1) and (ii) equipment, feedstock, or personnel sharing (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1–4.2). The state of Espirito Santo should seek systematic vaccination coverage targeting more than 80% of the eligible heifers. An efficient animal health program, which educates the farmers to test replacement animals for brucellosis before introducing them to their herds, to avoid equipment, personnel or feedstock sharing with farms of unknown sanitary conditions, and to increase awareness of the importance of good sanitary procedures during artificial insemination, should be implemented.


Abstract– We report an analysis of the first instrumentally observed meteorite fall in Australia, which was recorded photographically and photoelectrically by two eastern stations of the Desert Fireball Network (DFN) on July 20, 2007. The meteoroid with an initial mass of 22 kg entered the atmosphere with a low speed of 13.36 km s−1 and began a luminous trajectory at an altitude of 62.83 km. In maximum, it reached −9.6 absolute magnitude and terminated after a 5.7 s and 64.7 km long flight at an altitude of 29.59 km with a speed of 5.8 km s−1. The angle of the atmospheric trajectory to the Earth's surface was 30.9°. The first organized search took place in October 2008 and the first meteorite (150 g) was found 97 m southward from the predicted central line at the end of the first day of searching (October 3, 2008). The second stone (174 g) was recovered 39 m northward from the central line, both exactly in the predicted mass limits. During the second expedition in February 2009, a third fragment of 14.9 g was found again very close (∼100 m) from the predicted position. Total recovered mass is 339 g. The meteorite was designated Bunburra Rockhole (BR) after a nearby landscape structure. This first DFN sample is an igneous achondrite. Initial petrography indicated that BR was a brecciated eucrite but detailed analyses proved that BR is not a typical eucrite, but an anomalous basaltic meteorite ( Bland et al. 2009 ). BR was delivered from an unusual, Aten type orbit (a < 1 AU) where virtually the entire orbit was contained within Earth's orbit. BR is the first achondrite fall with a known orbit and it is one of the most precise orbits ever calculated for a meteorite dropping fireball.


Alpinia scabra (Blume) Naves belonging to the botanical family Zingiberaceae, is an aromatic, perennial and rhizomatous herb, which is sometimes known by its vernacular name 'Lengkuas raya' among the locals. It is a wild species which grows largely on mountains at moderate elevations in Peninsular Malaysia, but it can also survive in lowlands like in the states of Terengganu and Northern Johor. The experimental approach in the present study was based on bioassay-guided fractionation. The methanol and fractionated extracts (hexane, chloroform and water) of A. scabra leaves, rhizomes, roots and pseudo stems were investigated for their cytotoxic effect against selected human cancer cell lines, namely hormone-dependent breast carcinoma cell line (MCF7) and ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-3) using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The identified cytotoxic extracts were then subjected to chemical investigations in order to identify the active ingredients. A normal human lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5) was used to determine the specificity for cancerous cells. The cytotoxic extracts were also subjected to morphological assessment, DAPI nuclear staining and DNA fragmentation analysis. The leaf (hexane and chloroform) and rhizome (chloroform) extracts showed high inhibitory effect against the tested cell lines. Ten fractions (LC1-LC10) were obtained after purification of the leaf chloroform extract. Fraction LC4 which showed excellent cytotoxic activity was further purified and resulted in seventeen sub-fractions (VLC1-VLC17). Sub-fraction VLC9 showed excellent cytotoxicity against MCF7 and SKOV-3 cells but not toxic against normal MRC-5 cells. Meanwhile, eighteen fractions (RC1-RC18) were obtained after purification of the rhizome chloroform extract, by which fraction RC5 showed cytotoxicity against SKOV-3 cells with high selectivity index. There were marked morphological changes when observed using phase-contrast inverted
iii
microscope, DAPI nuclear staining and also DNA fragmentation in MCF7 and SKOV-3 cells after treatment with the cytotoxic extracts and fractions which were indicative of cell apoptosis. Methyl palmitate and methyl stearate were identified in the hexane leaf extract by GC-MS analysis. The data obtained from the current study demonstrated that the cytotoxic extracts and fractions of A. scabra inhibited the tested cancer cells mainly through apoptosis induction which were characterized by apoptotic morphological changes and DNA fragmentation. The active ingredients in leaf sub-fraction VLC9 and the rhizome fraction RC5 may lead to the discovery of valuable compounds that have the ability to kill cancer cells but not normal cells.


Falls are the leading threats of death, injury and hospital admissions of seniors. About one third of seniors fall every year. Real time fall detection is thus critical to support independent livings of seniors by getting timely interventions from carers/family members. Recent years along with the IoT booming, many wearable sensor based fall detection systems have been developed. However privacy concerns or simply forgot-to-wear make wearable sensors not very accepted by seniors in a home environment seeking long term monitoring solutions. This motivates the development of unobtrusive ambient fall detection system. In this paper, we reviewed studies in this area and categorised them into two types of approaches, namely active and passive. We also evaluated their feasibilities within five domains: obtrusiveness, power connectivity, affordability, complexity of installation and being tested in field trials. The evaluation results could be used as guidance in designing new unobtrusive ambient fall detection systems.


This investigation was intended to unveil the Technological usability of the e-learning system in Muni University. The study adopted a Case Study Design to allow in-depth study. Quantitative and Qualitative approaches were employed. A total of 218 questionnaires were administered to the respondents and 179 questionnaires were received back registering a response rate of 82%. Descriptive statistics were computed. Inferential statistical analysis included correlation and multiple regressions, which were used to test the hypotheses. The correlation coefficient (r) was used to determine the strength of the relationship. The significance of the coefficient (p) was used to test the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables. Regressions and ANOVA determined which of the independent variables accounted most for the variance in the dependent variable. Qualitative data were analyzed under themes. Results show that technological usability has very high influence on the effectiveness of the e-learning system at Muni University accounting for 82% variance in the effectiveness.  Article visualizations:


Aim This qualitative study investigated the role social support plays in achieving narrative coherence, and therefore, reconciliation of traumatic war memories. Method Twenty-three male veterans (40-86 years of age) of World War II through to the current Iraq War participated in semi-structured one-to-one interviews concerning perceptions of social support during and after service. Narrative analysis was applied to the interviews at two levels; content and form. Content related to themes of social support, whilst narrative form assessed the coherence of war memories as indicative of reconciliation. Coherence was conceptualised as an oriented, structured, consistent in affect, and integrated narrative (Burnell, Hunt & Coleman, 2006). Findings Three groups were determined. These were; narrative coherence, reconciled narrative coherence, and narrative incoherence. For all groups, themes included the importance of comradeship, family support, and societal support. However, differences were discovered across groups. Veterans with coherent narratives indicated the importance of supportive familial and societal interactions, and communication throughout life. Veterans with reconciled coherence spoke of improving relationships and communication in later life. Veterans with incoherent narratives spoke of negative societal and familial interactions and the desire to communicate, but the absence of support to do so. Discussion Findings highlight potential factors related to achieving coherence after trauma. By increasing our understanding of reconciliation, interventions can be developed to promote the natural process of making meaning for veterans with traumatic memories.


Background Perceived age has been defined as the age that a person is visually estimated to be on the basis of physical appearance. In a society where a youthful appearance are an object of desire for consumers, and a source of commercial profit for cosmetic companies, this concept has a prominent role. In addition, perceived age is also an indicator of overall health status in elderly people, since old-looking people tend to show higher rates of morbidity and mortality. However, there is a lack of objective methods for quantifying perceived age. Methods In order to satisfy the need of objective approaches for estimating perceived age, a novel algorithm was created. The novel algorithm uses supervised mathematical learning techniques and error retropropagation for the creation of an artificial neural network able to learn biophysical and clinically assessed parameters of subjects. The algorithm provides a consistent estimation of an individual's perceived age, taking into account a defined set of facial skin phenotypic traits, such as wrinkles and roughness, number of wrinkles, depth of wrinkles, and pigmentation. A nonintervention, epidemiological cross-sectional study of cases and controls was conducted in 120 female volunteers for the diagnosis of perceived age using this novel algorithm. Data collection was performed by clinical assessment of an expert panel and biophysical assessment using the ANTERA 3D® device. Results and discussion Employing phenotype data as variables and expert assignments as objective data, the algorithm was found to correctly classify the samples with an accuracy of 92.04%. Therefore, we have developed a method for determining the perceived age of a subject in a standardized, consistent manner. Further application of this algorithm is thus a promising approach for the testing and validation of cosmetic treatments and aesthetic surgery, and it also could be used as a screening method for general health status in the population.


This research guide will provide you with information concerning library resources related to art. Search for books, eBooks, audiovisual materials, and more from a single search box.


A patient with coma due to drinking of acetone is described. Recovery was followed by hyperglycemia and decreased carbohydrate tolerance persisting for four months. A similar course, although not so prolonged, has been recorded by other authors in poisoning due to inhalation of acetone vapor. Possible mechanisms by which acetone poisoning might affect carbohydrate metabolism are briefly discussed.


A report tracking test design changes between the alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) and regular assessment, whether states' AA-MAS were computer-based, whether states with computer-based tests (CBTs) included tutorial and practice test opportunities, and whether states' documents included considerations for English Language Learners (ELLs) with disabilities. Federal regulations introduced AA-MAS as another assessment option for students with disabilities in 2007. Eligible students may be from any disability category, and they must be considered unlikely to achieve grade-level proficiency within the time period covered by their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and have IEP goals based on grade-level content standards. NCEO has been tracking the characteristics of states' AA-MAS since 2007. According to the 2009 NCEO update on test characteristics, 13 states had developed what they considered to be an AA-MAS, and three states (Texas, Kansas, and Louisiana) had received federal approval. The further study reported in this publication found 17 states that by the 2010-11 academic school year had developed, or were developing, what they considered to be an AA-MAS, and one additional state (North Carolina) had received federal approval.


Free fatty acids (FFAs) are known to have bacteriocidal activity and are important components of the innate immune system. Many FFAs are naturally present in human and animal skin, breast milk, and in the bloodstream. Here, the therapeutic potential of FFAs against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is demonstrated in cultures and in mice. Among a series of FFAs, only oleic acid (OA) (C18:1, cis-9) can effectively eliminate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) through cell wall disruption. Lauric acid (LA, C12:0) and palmitic acid (PA, C16:0) do not have this ability. OA can inhibit growth of a number of Gram-positive bacteria, including hospital and community-associated MRSA at a dose that did not show any toxicity to human sebocytes. The bacteriocidal activities of FFAs were also demonstrated in vivo through injection of OA into mouse skin lesions previously infected with a strain of MRSA. In conclusion, our results suggest a promising therapeutic approach against MRSA through boosting the bacteriocidal activities of native FFAs, which may have been co-evolved during the interactions between microbes and their hosts.


Material-technological modelling has made great progress over recent years, thanks to the new possibilities opened up by developments in sensor technology, and especially in new methods of control, supported by innovative electronic elements and electronic circuits. One such device, developed for material-technological modelling, is the thermomechanical simulator which was established in the laboratories of the Research Centre of Forming Technologies FORTECH, in Pilsen, in the Czech Republic. Thanks to new knowledge and technical equipment the majority of technological processes or even technological chains can be modelled. The most considerable and most important innovation in the material-technological modelling process is the significant acceleration and increased precision of the modelling process. The present technology even allows modelling of highly dynamic processes, such as wire rolling including all thermodynamical effects. This paper presents the broad possibilities of the most modern material-technological modelling. The process of detecting technical and manufacturing problems during rolling and the possibilities of failure elimination are introduced in a practical example.


This paper presents a partial least squares neural network modeling method for CNC machine tool thermal errors. This method uses the neural network learning rule to obtain the PLS parameters instead of the traditional linear method in partial least squares regression so as to overcome the multicollinearity and nonlinearity problem in thermal error modeling. The basic principle and architecture of PLSNN is described and the new method is applied on the thermal error modeling for a CNC turning center. After model validation with two groups of new testing data and performance comparison with other five different modeling methods, PLSNN performs better than the others with better robustness.


Scientifically‐derived insights are often held as requirements for defensible policy choices. Scientific advisory committees (SACs) figure prominently in this landscape, often with the promise of bringing scientific evidence to decision‐makers. Yet, there is sparse and scattered knowledge about what institutional features influence the operations and effectiveness of SACs, how these design choices influence subsequent decision‐making, and the lessons learned from their application. The consequences of these knowledge gaps are that SACs may not be functioning as effectively as possible. The articles in this special journal issue of Global Challenges bring together insights from experts across several disciplines, all of whom are committed to improving SACs' effectiveness worldwide. The aim of the special issue is to inform future SAC design in order to help maximize the application of high‐quality scientific research for the decisions of policymakers, practitioners, and the public alike. In addition to providing an overview of the special issue and a summary of each article within it, this introductory essay presents a definition of SACs and a conceptual framework for how different institutional features and contextual factors affect three proximal determinants of SACs' effectiveness, namely the quality of advice offered, the relevance of that advice, and its legitimacy.


Two predictions have been prepared for the fold of initiation factor 5A (IF5A) starting from a set of homologous sequences. In the first, a secondary structural model was predicted for the protein in 1994, when only eleven homologs (and no eubacterial homologs) had been sequenced. The second was made recently, after genome projects had generated a total of 33 sequences for the protein family from species of all three kingdoms of life. With the second set of sequences, but not with the first, it was possible to predict that the N-terminal domain of the protein folds in a possibly open beta-barrel/sandwich core structure, with a short helix capping one side of the barrel. We place the pair of predictions in the public domain before an experimental structure is known. This example illustrates the impact of genome sequencing projects on structure prediction from sequence alignments.


William Grant Still is commonly referred to as the "Dean of Afro-American Composers" and his music seen as an expression of African-American spirit. Still's musical success reached its peak during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, which has led him to be associated with that movement by many writers and scholars. However, several factors contest this association. He was taught from a very young age to contribute to building a new nation. He learned popular forms of musical expression, such as blues and jazz, during his time orchestrating with W. C. Handy. He imbibed a Romantic European symphonic tradition from George Whitefield Chadwick. He studied contemporary musical techniques with Edgard Varese. Simultaneously, the Harlem Renaissance blossomed into full-blown African-American cultural uplift. Still did not stay within one particular musical style; his ability to study but not submit to a variety of styles hints at another purpose to his musical compositions. An examination of his correspondence with leading Harlem Renaissance figure Alain Locke reveals that Still, while proud of his heritage, foresaw the emergence of a new race, in which all the races in America would merge and become one. This invites re-consideration of the perceptions of Still's brand of nationalism, as well as his relationship to American music history in general and to African-American history in particular.


This letter focuses on the secure transmission for an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted millimeter-wave (mmWave) and terahertz (THz) system, in which a base station (BS) communicates with its destination via an IRS, in the presence of a passive eavesdropper. To maximize the system secrecy rate, the transmit beamforming at the BS and the reflecting matrix at the IRS are jointly optimized with transmit power and discrete phase-shift constraints. It is first proved that the beamforming design is independent of the phase shift design under the rank-one channel assumption. The formulated non-convex problem is then converted into two subproblems, which are solved alternatively. Specifically, the closed-form solution of transmit beamforming at the BS is derived, and the semidefinite programming (SDP)-based method and element-wise block coordinate descent (BCD)-based method are proposed to design the reflecting matrix. The complexity of our proposed methods is analyzed theoretically. Simulation results reveal that the proposed IRS-assisted secure strategy can significantly boost the secrecy rate performance, regardless of eavesdropper's locations (near or blocking the confidential beam).


The concept of sustainable development is not only the subject of theoretical consideration but also an important field of actions taken by international institutions. The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is one of the results of these activities A special role in this area is attributed to companies which are expected to incorporate the sustainable development principles into long-term business strategy. Social reporting is a tool for support this process. It provides an information on activities and results in social and envi ronmental fields. The aim of the article is to identify trends associated with the publishing information re lated to Sustainable Development Goals. The realization of the article's purpose was based on descriptive method consists of analysis of the subject-related literature concerning social re porting and sustainable development. In addition, the method of desk research was applied. Results of the research lead to the conclusion that implementation of challenges related to Agenda 2030 had an impact on increase the number of companies published social reports which contain information concerning sustainable development. However, in order to further develop this type of reporting, it is essential to improve the involvement of governments and other regulatory institutions in the areas of educational activities as well as take the promotional initiatives such as encouraging the use of the GRI Reporting Framework which allows to increase the transparency and ensure comparability and credibility of social reports. The article constitutes a contribution to research on the practice of social reporting.


1 We investigated the effects of sympathetic nerve stimulation within ascending and descending reflex pathways underlying the peristaltic reflex in the guinea‐pig distal colon. 2 A three‐chambered partitioned bath was used to divide a segment of distal colon into stimulation, recording and intermediate regions. The effects of lumbar colonic nerves (LCN) could be localized to the intermediate region by surgical lesions of the mesentery and by application of guanethidine (3 μm) to the stimulation and recording chambers. 3 Brush stroking the mucosa in the anal and oral stimulation chambers elicited a synchronous contraction of the longitudinal muscle (LM) and circular muscle (CM) oral to, and transient relaxation of the LM and CM anal to, the stimulus, respectively. 4 After Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine (L‐NA; 100 μm) in the oral and intermediate chambers, mucosal stimulation in the oral chamber elicited a prolonged descending inhibitory and excitatory complex in both the LM and CM in the anal recording chamber. This was blocked by hexamethonium (300 μm), which did not affect the transient relaxation response recorded in control conditions. 5 Stimulation of the LCN (1200 pulses, 20 Hz), delivered to the intermediate region, abolished the oral contraction and the L‐NA‐induced anal complex in both the LM and CM, but was without effect on the transient hexamethonium‐resistant anal relaxation. These effects of LCN stimulation were reversed by phentolamine (3 μm) or yohimbine (100 nM), but not propranolol (10 μm), when added to the intermediate chamber. 6 LCN stimuli (2‐20 Hz, 600 μs pulses) directed to the recording chamber elicited synchronous relaxations in the LM and CM that were unaffected by hexamethonium (300 μm), but were reduced by yohimbine and usually blocked by the further addition of propranolol (10 μm). 7 In conclusion, sympathetic nerve stimulation inhibits orally and anally projecting cholinergic interneurones underlying the peristaltic reflex in the distal colon. In addition, the LM and CM relax synchronously following release of sympathetic neurotransmitter, over a range of stimulus frequencies.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of chlorhexidine mouthwashes on the reduction of cariogenic bacteria on patients with moderate to high risk for dental caries.

DATA SOURCES
A systematic review of the literature was performed using Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. The search was limited to articles in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, published until January 2017. The research question was formulated following the PICO strategy. The risk of bias was evaluated using the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

CONCLUSION
All the authors found statistically significant differences in Streptococcus mutans levels during and after the use of a chlorhexidine mouthwash. Although the results are suggestive, there is a clear need for the development of new studies with higher quality and with longer follow-ups, in order to assess whether the results translate into less development of dental caries and, consequently, whether or not these products should be incorporated into prevention protocols.


Recently it has become easier to find routing protocols designed for underwater acoustic sensor networks. The performance of a large number of protocols are evaluated using simulation software. Routing for underwater sensor networks is still an open topic and also there is a need for real life experiments, even there are tools which simulate underwater communication quite well. In this paper an energy aware underwater routing technique which aims to minimize the total energy consumption while maximizing the delivery ratio, is presented and the performance results are evaluated both with simulations and tests performed in the small test pool of Underwater Systems and Technology Laboratory (LSTS) of University of Porto.


The extracellular polymer substances (EPS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, alginate isolated from this EPS and an algal alginate were examined with analytical ultracentrifugation. The samples were dissolved in isotonic sodium chloride solution to avoid disturbance of the measurements due to polyelectrolyte effects. The sedimentation and diffusion coefficients were determined from velocity runs. Evaluation of sedimentation-diffusion equilibrium at medium centrifugal fields yielded molar masses and the second osmotic virial coefficients.
The aim of this thesis was to determine differences in the thermodynamic properties of the polymers, the effect of acetylic groups on the aggregation of alginates and the influence of alginate on the stability of EPS.
Additionally the gelation of alginates with calcium ions was examined both with an analytical ultracentrifuge and a dynamic oscillating rheometer.


Average consensus algorithms are gossiping protocols for averaging original sensor measurements via near neighbor communications. In this paper, we consider the average consensus algorithm under communication rate constraints. Without any communication rate restrictions, the algorithm ideally allows every node state to converge to the initial average in the limit. Noting that brute force quantization does not guarantee convergence due to error propagation effects, in our recent work we proposed two source coding methods which use side information (predictive coding and Wyner-Ziv coding) to achieve convergence with vanishing quantization rates in the case of block coding. In this work, we focus on a simplified predictive coding scheme with variable quantization rates over the iterations and on a communication network with regular topology. We characterize the asymptotic rate which allows to achieve a bounded convergence in terms of the initial conditions (i. e, the rate at the first iteration, and the initial state correlation), and the connectivity of the network. Moreover, we study the optimal rate allocation among the average consensus iterations subject to the constraints that the total number of quantization bits is fixed.